Tripping Over Themselves

[brian_campo]

The moment the final note of music faded from the sound system, Brian tugged his earphones off his head and dropped them carelessly on the synthesizer. For once, he was grateful that his band wasn’t popular enough for an encore. On many nights, he had gotten the short end of the stick when one of his band mates ditched after the show and left Brian to pack up their gear. Time to turn the tables. In fact, it was long overdue. “Mads...” He pulled a mic off its stand, swung it by the cord, and sent it sailing in an arc toward the brunette’s personal space.

She caught it. “Watch it!”

“Later, I’m out.”

‘Wait, what--?’

Too late, Brian thought. He shouldered past Seth like a shoplifter making a break for it and hit the ramp at a jog. Thump, thump, thump. He nudged through a throng of other musicians and regulars to creep up behind the petite blonde with the incredible body. He snaked his arms around her waist and raised her off the ground. “Hey, beautiful,” was muffled against her neck, and they were turning, turning, the room going ‘round and ‘round, the lights streaking purple and blue and neon orange. Brian’s shirt was drenched in sweat. He felt as rubbery and loose as a piece of stretched taffy.

Comments

[valerie_vause]

No words were given to Brian’s statement because a shiver ran through Valerie that caused her eyes to close. Nerve endings screamed for his touch but she forced herself to stand still. Finally she looked at him when he prompted, the street lamp glowed a dirty orange red and she blinked a few times before realising it was just the pill working. Nothing to worry about. The blonde released a slow breath then felt her jaw slacken.

Suspended in the air between them floated the pale pick. Perfectly still as if frozen in time once he’d taken his hand back. Then ever so slowly it began to spiral around and around, hypnotic in it’s methodical movements. Precise, controlled, movements. Valerie felt her chest swell with pride until she was sure she’d explode. “You did it.” She breathed quietly, a grin tugged the corners of her parted lips and she looked up at him, utterly in awe.

Excitement tingled through her body like electricity. Valerie didn’t think twice as she lifted her hand up to expose the palm. “Can you place it in my hand?” The idea that it could put Brian under pressure didn’t occur to the blonde, who eagerly wanted to encourage him. Captivated by the moment she could only think of the possibilities, and how far he’d come so quickly on his own. If he acquired skill so fast there was a chance she could actually take him with her on patrol if he felt up to it. Not that she had plans to walk him into danger, but to give him a chance to see what was out there, and how useful his talent could be for protection if the situation ever called for it.

[brian_campo]

“Yeah, I think so,” he said.

Brian ran his fingers through his hair and took another breath, which he expelled against his palms before rubbing them together in an attempt to stay lighthearted. The trick was to place the pick in her hand, not through it. “Ready.” He stared at the yellow triangle and Valerie became a blur in the physical world beyond it. Excitement, anticipation, really any emotion had to be subtracted from the situation or he too quickly lost his way and objects became volatile.

Easy, he told himself, first willing the object to stop its rotation, and then giving a gentle, mental command to lower until it met her palm. Then quickly, blinking, ‘stop’ as it came to a rest.

Brian released his control of the pick and focused his eyes on Valerie.

It was all he could do not to grin like an idiot, but the smile worked steadily at one corner of his mouth, anyway. “What do you think?”

[valerie_vause]

“Ready.” Valerie agreed with a nod, totally transfixed on the small pick as it sailed through the air gently then hovered above her hand. It felt like magic, watching the way it carefully floated down until it rested in her palm, light as a feather. This was a huge deal, Brian was learning control, not just in levitating objects but being able to actually direct them how he wanted where he wanted. Those little shurikens would work. “Incredible.” She whispered, more to herself than him before she shook her head and tried to focus.

“I think you’re amazing.” Valerie stepped closer to him and offered back the pick. One hand splayed against his shoulder then trailed delicately down his chest, where her fingers tapped gently. “Alright.” She confessed with a wicked little smirk. “I’m also thinking that given enough time you’ll be opening buttons from across the room but that still falls under amazing.” Really, she couldn’t help herself, she was delirious with joy.

“We should get out of here and go…” Valerie looked around then shrugged with a grin. “Well, anywhere that isn’t a dark alley.”

[brian_campo]

“God, that is a really good idea,” he whispered, narrowing eyes and squinting into the shadows above and beyond her head, which loomed large and shrank away, looking like solid entities as the chemicals did their number on his brain. The buttons. The possibilities were endless. Maybe someday, years from today, he’d learn to move objects he didn’t have within his line of sight, and then he could seriously torment her.

But he kept such thoughts to himself, instead capturing her hand and kissing the back of it. “Where do you want to go?” Brian walked backwards and guided her toward the nearest intersection, each step bringing them farther into the light. “What do you want to do? Are you hungry, are you thirsty? Are you tired of wearing clothes?”

The noise of the Dive increased as they neared the curb and its front door, which had been propped open to better circulate air and attract patrons.