Baggage Claim {SOREN}

[elaezerbelle]

Plain. Odille thought as she gave herself the final, perhaps only glance in the mirror that day. She had thrown on a dress, some round toed black high heels with little bows on the front, and had pretty basic makeup on. Foundation and eye liner. She looked ghostly pale without any color; blush on her cheeks, eyeshadow, lip gloss. But this was the norm for her these days. Don’t get too excited, she definitely didn’t run around in sweat pants, or pants in general for that matter, but just getting out of bed and bathing was a daunting task. She ruffled her hair, it wasn’t really styled or anything. With a sigh she grabbed a jacket and some sunglasses and examined herself again. Perhaps more like a hooker. She thought glancing at the new additions. She shrugged and left her bedroom, it wasn’t like she had anyone to impress. No, they were all gone.

For the past several weeks Odille was teetering on the edge of madness, moreso than usual. She walked around listlessly, almost constantly on the verge of tears, with not one coherent thought in her muddled brain. Several times Masinori had asked her what was on her mind, not able to tell when he usually was so good at that, and she’d respond with a curious expression and say, “Ne, Tsuki-kun? I don‘t know.” But he was never around very much those days, and when he was home she’d feel guilty for imposing on his time with Izar so she’d leave to play her cello in the park. She used to love that. But now every time she sat in the park she’d watch the cars go by and remember her accident. Remember seeing Eze, remember meeting Eben. The whole thing was like an identity crisis, she couldn’t make sense out of it.

She knew they were two different people. She knew Eze was married to her sister, she knew Ebenezer was the doctor that had saved her life after she’d been hit by a truck. That he was a Healer and they had become friends while she was in the hospital, but that he had disappeared now. The note he left her had explained it all; that he couldn’t stay there now that Ezekiel had been seen around, and that they shouldn’t talk anymore because he wasn’t ever going to die. He was a replacement at any rate. They were so alike in a lot of ways. But for some reason the loss she felt was different. Not like losing one person all over again, but losing a new person. And then she didn’t even know what she was talking about, she couldn’t lose someone that wasn’t hers. It was so brief, it didn’t matter. It was over before it had begun. One thing was for sure, The past definitely did always find a way of coming back to bite you in the ass.

Her hand turned on the doorknob, she hadn’t realized she’d been standing in front of the door holding it for the past…she wasn’t sure how long really. But she heard Masinori in some other part of the house and it startled her back to her senses. Sort of. She came out of herself and left the house with the letter Hotaru had given her to deliver to her friend from school. She was becoming more and more pregnant by the second and didn’t want to be seen in public some days (depending on her mood) because of the giant bulge in her belly. It was kind of humorous. The whole thing was. She had been extremely startled to see Hotaru in her living room one day, had quickly clasped her throat and illusioned out the pansy necklace. But the thing of it was, Hotaru was so thrilled to see her. She was completely cool about the necklace, she’d wanted her to have it. It made Odille feel like shit really. Guilt. Who knew she could feel remorse? So she helped Hotaru with her errands when she wasn’t up to it, thankful for the distraction.

Marseille was really too far to walk so she was forced to take her little European car. She remembered the way because Masinori had lived around there before he’d moved into Le Petit Petit. She wondered if he’d move back now that he and Izar were getting hitched. She shuddered at the thought. Not that she wasn’t happy for them, but having all of your friends get married was utterly creepy. Even if he was older than her, Izar wasn’t by much. Odille spaced out for the entirety of the drive and blinked herself back to consciousness again when she realized she was on the proper street. It was a bright summer day, she slouched up the stairs, smoldering in the leather jacket but not caring. She chewed her lip and looked down at the envelope, then knocked on the door. Sai Kouyou. Sai Kouyou. She repeated the recipient’s name to herself. The name Hotaru had given her. The person who would be receiving the envelope. She cracked her neck and adjusted her shades.

((So my plan was to write Odille when I was half asleep so she’d be kinda all over the place. If you’re confused I sowwy.))

[soren]

Soren sighed and whipped his brow then tuck his tongue out biting it slightly as he got just th right shade on the ocean view. The water sprayed skillfully around the diving eagle. As it lifted off fish in talon and its mouth open in a scream of victory. He closed his eyes trying to remember the vision to its deepest detail. Not many people know that his inspiration came from his visions. He recalled the seagulls high in the sky and an osprey dodging a mobbing of crows. He created it carefully and slowly with the brush in hand. He placed the brush aside and then propped the painting up on his bed against the wall to dry. He trusted the painting not to fall and mar his sheets.

He sat back on the floor crossing his legs as he looked at the art covering the room. A pair of hands in on a piece of cardboard from the beginning of his life here at school and then the skillfully alien scene of the period after human kind. Another leaned against the wall hidden slightly behind a lot of full canvas of different events was a painting of a woman. He'd seen her in a vision but had no other reference to who she might be. He'd seen her again last night and he took the painting and added a little bit more to it. He whipped some more sweat from his brow it could get horribly hot in the dorms. He hissed faintly as he got some paint on his forehead. Oh well, it wasn't like anyone was going to see him like this.

He added something he'd seen more recently a kind of necklace. Her hand was up as though to touch it a slight sadness in the gesture. He wondered what connection it had with her. He sat back and then went to the window and flung it open letting some cool air into the room. He put a hand on the painting on his wall as he foresaw it falling in the change of atmosphere. He looked over it and smiled it was one of his better works not as good as the woman though. He looked at the clock and it changed to a distant time. He heard a knock on the door but nothing else and time resumed it's normal function. He had a little while before he was bothered. He stood at the window and looked just at a random time and a random place.

It was the park, a gaggle of swans getting ready to take off. The water swirled nicely as a group of children pointed and ran over a bridge. He blinked and came back to the room and pulled out a large empty canvas. Leaning it against the bed he began painting the base colors. He got absorbed in it remembering every shading and ever detail that the time passed quickly even for him. He never really had a grip on time to well and suddenly he heard a faint knock. It wasn't time yet kind of a warning of what was to come. He placed his brushes and paints on the desk. Unlike most painters he used only the three primary colors and mixed them to acquire the different colors he desired. It not only saved him a lot of money but it allowed him a wide range of possibilities.

He paused by the door. He ruffled his hair forgetting again that he had paint on his hand. His long tan pants and a dark shirt. His hat rested on the desk. Often times it startled people who didn't know him if he opened the door before people knocked. He heard it and counted a few seconds and then opened it. "Hello," he said politely looking over the girl a look of shock crossing over his face for a moment. It was her, the woman from his visions. Could it really be he stole a quick glance back at the painting and right down to the necklace it was her. He remembered his manners and opened the door a little wider. "Can I help you?" He inquired a smile threatening to show on his lips.

[elaezerbelle]

“Hello, can I help you?” Odille was startled by the door opening much quicker than she’d expected. She looked up a little startled. “Uh.” She said said shortly, Kouyou-san? But then she realized he didn’t sound like he had an accent of that sort and maybe he’d just look at her funny if she used honorifics. “Sai Kouyou?” She said after a breif hesitation. Great. She hated attractive people. They made her feel uneasy. She adjusted her sunglasses to make sure they were securely in place. She was in shambles. Though she wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, naturally if it was a Japanese guy involved there would be attractiveness. In all of the countries she’d been on her crazy journeys, Nippon definitely had the cutest boys. Of course, that wasn’t why she stayed so long. Odille wasn’t into boys. Not that she was into girls either, but you get the idea. She was a starfish; asexual. “I’m looking for Sai, I’m supposed to give him something?” She reaffirmed and held up the small envelope, twisting it in her hand.

She was about to hand it to him and be gone. Her cello was in the backseat of the car. She could go to the park for a while and play. How many Japanese guys went to Provence? Of course this was Sai, no need to stick around for gorey details. But then he looked like he was smiling, or stifling a laugh, and she frowned and furrowed her eyebrows together beneath her oversized black sunglasses. They covered half of her face. “What are you sniggering at, paint shop pro?” She quirked a brow and made up a random sarcastic nickname. She was surprised that she’d done a pretty decent job of it. Usually she was pretty slow and left the clever quips to Masi. He was a pro. And not only that but she was almost never so discourteous. She usually feigned sweetness and kept any wisecracks she did come up with to herself, tearing people a new one in her mind but never aloud. “Are you him or aren’t you.” She demanded impatiently, but with a little more kindness in her voice. This guy was more of a mess than she was. Not to mention he seriously seemed to lack any kind of style. Is he wearing khakis? Mental!Odille wrinkled her nose, but she just looked at him blankly. She’d hung around guys in khakis before, yawn.

Then there was the paint smeared all over practically his entire body. He was probably just wearing really ugly clothes to paint in and he wasn’t that fashionably challenged. Unless this was some kind of awkward neo fashion statement gone badly awry. Can I help you is more like it. She joked to herself. Maybe it was a sort of defense mechanism because he was cute. Maybe she had to tear him down so she’d be able to stand there in front of him and not shrink back into a microorganism. But mostly it was just how her mind worked. The sweetness shown outwardly had become endangered inwardly many years ago and was reserved for the few people she let get close to her. Which mostly just included Masinori. You could most usually count on her to be the nicest girl you’d ever met while she was making you out to be the village idiot in her mind. Lately she’d gotten sloppy though, she didn’t care as much, the ugliness started to seep out to the exterior.

[soren]

Soren looked at her for a while then shook himself back into reality. His heart fell slightly as she asked for Sai. Everyone always wanted to see Sai. He'd kind of dug his own grave though. Not a lot of people knew him. People were wary of him because he didn't let people near him. People rarely came to see him. He shook his head, "No, he's my room mate." He explained. "I'm Soren." He said belatedly. "Oh, do you want me to give it to him, or do you want to wait for him?" He decided with the expression that she wanted to get out of here. Now that she was here he wasn't about to let her slip away without knowing why he was seeing her so much in his visions. "Come it, tea?" He said opening the door wider to let her in and then nudging the painting of her so it slide under his bed. He didn't want her to think he was some sort of stalker.

He paused and then gave her a serious look. He shook his head, "Snickering? I think you have the wrong person." He said his lips set into a permanent line. He shrugged, "I guess I'm just jealous." He said and didn't elaborate. He remembered the paint on his forehead. "Ah, so I'm not the neatest painter." He shrugged defensively. He went to the room's small counter where a microwave sat. He put a two glasses of hot water in it and then put a few tea leaves in it and stirred. He handed her one, "Sorry if it's bad, I"m not too good with tea." He shrugged and tasted his own. It tasted alright to him. But then again his taste buds had long been charred by endless bowls of chips and salsa. He calmly walked over to the painting sitting on his bed and outstretched his hand to catch it as it began to fall.

He took a sip of the tea his eye closed calmly as he set it back in place. He didn't foresee any more gusts of wind knocking it down. He blinked for a moment and saw her in the park. She was alone and playing something... a cello? In almost every vision he had ever had of her she had been alone. He was the biggest sourpuss he'd even known and most people annoyed him but he at least had a few friends. He'd seen the man who shared her home but he was gay if he recalled correctly and was currently engaged to the weirdest looking man he'd ever known. He knew he must look like a complete weirdo to her. Or at least someone with a bad sense of fashion. These were just cloths he wore when he painted.

[elaezerbelle]

Odille watched his thought processes, he didn’t look like he got out much. “No, he’s my roommate.” Damnit. “I’m Soren.” “Ah, like the 19th century Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard.” She observed offhandedly and kicked at the ground a little. “Oh, do you want me to give it to him or do you want to wait for him?” He asked, but before she could answer she was ushered inside and offered tea of all things. And also it looked like Soren was hiding something as she came in. Which would be a hilarious mistake on his part since she could come in undetected should she choose to do so. “Snickering?” And it was true, his face was set in stone, but she swore she saw the faintest tugging of a stifled laugh before. Her eyebrows drew together, Jealous? What’s that supposed to mean. She thought. Men. He must’ve noticed her skeptical glances judging by what he said next, she just shrugged in return. That was all very well, she wasn’t the neatest anything come to think of it.

She watched him put the tea in the microwave, his first mistake. But she didn’t say anything, naturally. It was funny how she knew so much about tea hanging around Masi all the time. “Sorry if it’s bad, I’m not too good with tea.” He apologized again. “I’m more of a coffee girl myself really, but it’s perfectly fine.” She said, feeling a little guilty at her former thoughts of meanness. She sipped her tea as he seemed to stop a painting from falling over. An eagle? How cheesy. It’s good though. She observed. “I’m Odille by the way. It’s a French name, but I was born in England.” She said hinting at her accent. May as well make small talk since she was stuck here against her will. Kind o f like a hostage. She thought, fumbling with the envelope and wondering when this roommate of his, Sai, would be returning so she could have an excuse to leave.

“Actually my roommate is an Herbalist. He knows all kinds of random things about tea. And he’s turned my kitchen into something dodgy that sort of resembles a drug factory.” She said sweetly, recalling the jars of questionable leafy content that littered her house. “Not that I know what one of those would look like.” She added. She’d been a whole lot of crazy places, but she’d tried to stay out of trouble while she was at it. Nothing that would get her sold, killed, or waking up in a tub full of ice with her internal organs sold on the black market. Because she was sure things like that happened. And anyway, a tub of ice sounded rather unpleasant. She slowly drank her tea and thought about how the city seemed to be overrun with Asians and they all seemed to be clustered together like magnets. She liked them though. Even if she was distracted by Soren’s khakis. It was extremely funny to her because she was used to Izar and Masi’s very visual clothing, and more recently Aoi’s whose was infinitely fancier. But judging by the paint, he wasn’t really a khaki and white t shirt kind of guy. Not that she cared either way.

((Don't think she's being too mean! It's just her defensive thought process so she doesn't form bonds with people ^.^ So what is the setup of the room like? Are the beds in the main room like a dorm or is it like an apartment? *goes to sleep for 18 more hours*))

[soren]

((lo I think it's like two beds and two desks and a counter thing... I think...))

He blinked startled, "You know of him?" He asked. His mother had only told him the name really and that he was a philosopher but nothing really much further. He didn't know where she came from to be able to know such things. He smiled slightly at least she didn't live up to the stereotypical blond. He closed his eyes for a moment and looked in a kind of a fast forward view. Nothing else would be falling on his bed today. Unless something significant changed... or even insignificant. It was terribly annoying. The future could change so easily. say the placement of a pencil was different then what it was in his vision. that could change everything. He always warned people that what he said was in no way set in stone and there were always ways that it could change.

He looked over at her and a smile again twitched at his lips. What was wrong with him? He never smiled, why would he start again now. "I don't really have a preference, just usually the people who come to see Sai like tea." He shrugged. "I could make some coffee if you'd like?" He glanced over at her. He blinked at her then cracked a genuine smile. It was an odd feeling this happiness, "Odille, that's such a beautiful name." He said and then he gain control over his face again and his lips regained their line like appearance. He sat against the bed and then gestured to the chair that sat at the desk. He paused for a moment then stood up and moved a drying painting from it. "Sorry, please have a seat." He said and a smile twitched at his lips again.

He nodded, "Wow, an herbalist. He'd have my head for such abuse of herbs." He said almost jokingly. "Of course not," he replied smoothly not intending tit to be insulting but then it kind of came out with a sarcastic ring. "I mean...uh..." Crap. "I mean... I'll just shut up now." He said and turned away embarrassed and hoping that she wouldn't slap him or leave. He didn't talk to women very often, and when he did he fall flat on his face. Jasline used to laugh at him for it. She told him once that she found it endearing. He didn't understand it then and definitely didn't understand it now. Her picture rested face down on the desk. He could bear to see her smiling at him. It had been over a year ago but the pain still seemed fresh. What made it even worse was he was with her smiling largely in the photograph. He hung his head in defeat, "I'm sorry." He said finally.

[elaezerbelle]

“Yes…” She said slowly, “Actually I’m surprised you’ve heard of him.” She said curiously tilting her head to one side. “I tried to read his journals when I was younger but I wasn’t quite at that level yet. It was only by chance that I’d come upon him at all. A series of events and a series of people…” She thought about that and scratched the front of her head while fluffing her hair in front. “There were these musicians that were backpacking through Europe, and I’d only seen them because I happened to meet some people who were fans. One of them was speaking at an event and quoted him and it just stuck out to me… such a minuscule thing yet here we are talking about it years later.” She raised her shoulders and smiled slightly in a sort of shrug. She tried to remember exactly what the quote was.

“Thank you, the tea is fine.” She said blinking several times as he smiled. It made her uncomfortable. Like the light that poured out of his face threatened to expose her or something. She returned it nervously and swirled her cup in her hand. “Odille, that‘s such a beautiful name.” She swallowed, “thanks.” she said somewhat meekly, utterly uncomfortable the longer she stayed. Then she was offered a seat, further entrapment. But maybe he was gay. Masinori had acted as what could’ve been construed as flirty but it was really that he thought she was fabulous and wanted to go shopping with her kind of thing. “I’m actually not really here to see Sai, I’ve never met him. I’m just supposed to deliver this for my friend Hotaru.” She said, not knowing that Hotaru had already met Soren and that his name was also etched on the invitation. She’d only figure this out later when the two would show up at Izar and Masi’s engagement party. “Are you twooo…” She quirked a brow, enquiring about Soren and Sai, hoping he was gay so she could relax. But she was usually a pretty good judge of that and she was pretty sure he wasn’t. And she was probably embarrassing herself by asking.

She smirked, “Probably.” She was going to say Nah, Masinori is nice, or something like that but when she thought about it she realized he was probably right. She imagined it playing out in front of her, casting an illusion that only she could see; Soren sticking his tea in the microwave and Masinori freaking out. What are you doing?! You have to boil it slowly! How do you even know it’s the right temperature for green tea if you microwave it? I bet you don’t even know what kind of green tea this is. Masinori reprimanding Soren and then explaining in detail that it was--lets say Sencha, a very common green tea--and it needed to be steeped at such and such temperature for however many minutes. She watched imaginary Masi act like a know it all while Soren stood back, bone straight, nervously trying to follow his instructions. He could be pretty intimidating when he wanted to be, especially when it came to something like tea. He did make a good cup of tea, but the microwaved at the wrong temperature mystery brew didn't send her into a fit like it would've him. She could hardly tell the difference, though she'd never admit that.

Odille blinked several times and it vanished as Soren fumbled with an apology. This guy must be really socially inept. She thought, but not with hostility. It was more like she found it cute and almost wrinkled up her nose in disgust with herself for thinking that. She busted out laughing and fluffed her hair again, “Ah, I know I look otherwise today, but I don’t do drugs.” She said good naturedly. “No reason to apologize.” She assured him. After a moment of silence and thoughtful reflection, she finished her tea and said, “I have just returned from a party of which I was the life and soul; wit flowed from my lips, everyone laughed and admired me…but I came away…and indeed the dash should be as long as the earth’s orbit……………….” She paused for dramatic effect and set down her cup, “Wanting to shoot myself.” She finished. “That’s the only thing I ever really read by him, Soren Kierkegaard, I mean. What a load of rubbish.“ She smiled. She wasn’t the good man Soren Kierkegaard was supposedly.

Odille was surprised that despite wanting Sai to walk in so she could run like hell out of the door, Soren was actually really easy to talk to. And maybe they could be friends even. She looked at the eagle painting again. “Do you paint mostly wildlife or do you paint anything more…I don’t know, abstract or…not wildlife?” She asked clumsily, trying not to offend him. “Not that it’s bad.” She said waving her hands a little in a don’t-misunderstand-me gesture. “On the contrary, you seem quite gifted. I understand the immense amount of skill involved in painting something so realistic, as I’ve tried myself.” She explained. “I mean, are your subjects varied or are you more of a landscape, or a still-life kinda guy?” She tried to elaborate. “That sort of thing.”

[soren]

Soren shrugged, "My mom just told me that was where she'd gotten the name. Nothing else really." He admitted. He blinked she was a lot more motivated than he was about learning. He was really glad all he really had to do was paint and sculpt, etc. Though he did have that history of art class. The book was the thickness of his head and rested untouched on his desk. He nodded and looked thoughtful as he brooded on that. "Such small things have an impact on the future. Such as that quote or maybe even just a place you happened to go." He looked out the window and his eyes went unfocused and he saw a small song bird land on the window sill. He memorized it, he'd definitely like to draw that. He loved painting birds. He blinked at her and actually paled. "Me and Sai?" He asked in disbelief. "Are you kidding?" He said plainly making it know he was in fact no gay.

He nodded and shrugged as if to say that it was nothing. Soren perked up when she said she wasn't here to see Sai. That at least meant that Sai wasn't as popular as he had thought. His heart grew even more when she said she'd never met Sai. Even better that meant Sai had never told her about him and inflicted his 'Soren is a angry psycho' onto her. "Oh, Hotaru," he said nodding. He knew her through Sai they'd become pretty good friends. "How is she? I heard she was pregnant now?" He sighed it seemed like everyone around him was falling in love. Was it just the season? He was extremely jealous of Sai he was always the one people wanted to see. Not creepy and dark Soren.

Soren felt a laugh tickling in his throat and he coughed slightly not letting it out. He didn't even know if he knew how to laugh anymore. He couldn't help but smile when she laughed. It was a beautiful sound and he had no control over his lips at the moment and the smile just wouldn't fade. "Sorry," he repeated embarrassed for even have thought about that. He listened to the quote thoughtfully leaning against the bed as she spoke. "That sounds dark... but something more too." He commented. He nodded, "It is kind of random, and a little confusing." The words 'everyone laughed and admired me' stuck in his mind like a brand of what he didn't do.

Soren shrugged then nodded, "Thank you." He said his face reddening slightly. "I try to vary it." He said slowly looking at his paintings. "I like wildlife the most though, though I like to paint people and places." He felt another smile tugging at his lips as she praised his art. He kind of preened under it though he didn't change his expression. "I like to draw the could bes." He said, "Like this one." He sifted though the painting on the wall and pulled out his darkest painting. It was a dark landscape. The sky was brow and thick with smog and the ground was only a darker shade of mud. Blood also mixed in the mud. People were laying there some dead some almost. "I know this might sound crazy, but I can see things. The future." He put the painting face down again. "I saw that and it scares me." He said slightly a real sadness in his eyes and face. He blinked, "I'm sorry this is no time for morbidity." He turned away from the painting and left ti facing the wall as it should be. "I guess you could say I paint what I see."

[elaezerbelle]

Odille nodded, she had too much free time. Her and Masinori had a lot of mini hobbies and side obsessions. One of them was to look up the meaning behind names. She’d actually started doing it because she liked flowers so much and had learned what each flower meant. For instance, pansies, like the one on her painted cameo pendant, stood for thoughts. Sunflowers stood for devotion, daisies for innocence, so on and so forth. She knew that Soren meant Severe, she knew that Odille meant wealthy. Before she used to use run, now that she sat still it was her mind that ran wild and mostly it was Masi’s influence. “I believe it.” She said. He was looking out of a window now to where a little bird had landed. It made her stand up suddenly, she couldn‘t help remembering the part they played in discovering her ability. If I hadn’t ever gotten my heart crushed into a million pieces, I would’ve never gone to Japan, and I’d be living alone in that cottage, if I even lived there at all. She thought. “Me and Sai? Are you kidding?” He went pale and she shrugged, half the men she knew these days weren’t interested in girls.

“Oh, Hotaru.” He nodded, maybe Sai had talked about her. “Yes, well, she was always pregnant. I mean she came here pregnant, she just didn’t tell anyone at first. But now she’s starting to show so she’s refusing to leave the house, hence I have become her errand girl.” Odille explained. Soren didn’t seem to like Sai very much and it made her a little wary of meeting him, but she didn’t pry. Maybe he just wasn’t really a people person, but then why he bothered having a roommate was beyond her. He was hard to figure out. “Boy can I relate to that sentiment.” She smirked. While she had gotten that quote, there had been a lot of things recommended to her at a young age that were so far beyond her mental capacity it practically drove her madder. Like certain Russian authors who liked to give their characters brain fevers and go off on tangents proving and disproving the existence of God. Most of all they were authors that talked about the condition of the world, which she wanted to ignore for as long as humanly possible.

“He was talking about how empty the praises of man made him feel at the end of the day. That he went home, away from them, and where they had once been so fulfilling there was only emptiness now in place of the laughter. Loneliness, and a longing for something deeper.” She explained, “I don’t think self loathing is the answer though. Loneliness is inevitable, you just need to learn to manage it without scapegoats and excuses. And compliments can be good for your confidence anyway.” She pursed her lips, confusing herself. “But like I said, I can relate to the dark, random, and confusing feeling. I only understand that so well because I lived it and had someone else explain it to me first. If you’d placed it in front of me on it’s own I would’ve just scratched my head. So sorry for the tangent.” She smiled apologetically. It wasn’t like her to go off on random semi-intellectual fits. Usually she kept such thoughts to be jumbled in her head, but for whatever reason her words came out clear around Soren, like she’d always meant them to but could never manage.

She was happy for a change of topic and nodded at his thanks, he even reddened modestly. Compliments were good for ones confidence. He was trying very hard not to smile, almost like he wasn’t allowing himself and she thought that was sad, but she was happy at how hard he had to try. That meant he eventually wouldn’t be able to stop himself. Though why she cared whether or not he smiled…couldn’t tell you. She was taken aback a little by the frightening painting. Though admittedly she liked it much more than the others. She nodded solemnly at his explanation/confession and went over to stand beside him and turn the painting back over. “I must admit I like this one most, but it’s the most unsettling. I don’t think you’re crazy…” She started. “But I think to avoid futures like this one you should be careful who you say such things to. There are all kinds of people and groups out there.” She vaguely referred to the door with her hands in a sweeping motion as she studied the painting.

“Hmmm…perhaps not the time to be morbid, but always the time to be cautious. And this coming from a gypsy like me.” She laughed ever so slightly. “Futures like this are quite possible.” She said setting the painting down, facing it to the wall because he seemed to want that. “I’m Tainted as well.” She said and motioned to the bird on the sill. It brought back memories, but this time she kept the color changing and then made all of the leaves on the trees outside change color as well. She thought for a very brief moment of bringing the scary painting to life, but instead she brought the beach scene to the window, and let Soren watch as an eagle swooped down into the water for it’s prey, instead of scaring him out of his mind. Thought she admitted that would’ve been kind of amusing too. While he was distracted she noticed another canvas hidden under the bed and wondered what terrible tragedy it held. “What’s this one…” She muttered and bent down to pick it up.

She held the canvas in her lap like a mirror and her breath hitched in her throat as her hand reached up to touch the large pendant at her throat. “What the hell?” She said looking at it, her eyes harsh. She released her throat, unnerved that she was doing the same thing in the painting. It was a bad habit. She looked up at Soren, “You painted me?” She asked rhetorically, and looked back at it, only to roughly turn it back over and place it under the bed. She stood up and set the envelope on the table. “Please don’t paint me.” She said, a hint of a warning or perhaps pleading in her voice. The idea of knowing her future positively frightened her. She didn’t like the idea of a stranger knowing so much about her, even so much as things she didn’t yet know about herself. What else did he know about her that he hadn’t mentioned? She shook her head and went for the door.

[soren]

He watched the little bird land easily on the sill just in time. He had a bird feeder in the window. It was kind of a random thing to have in a dorm room but he liked birds. They were one of the things that came to visit him. The small bird pecked at the seeds and looked around warily at them. He didn't know if it was just in his attitude but not even dogs liked him. They went up and let the people pet him and as he passed by they growled. He was just an all around person no one wanted to be around. The bird however, it seemed they didn't mind him. Even if it was only for the bird seed it was still nice to be able to have something to talk to, or rather at.

He shook his head, that was just like Hotaru. To care so much about her appearance that she wouldn't even visit old friends. He'd met her though Sai and even though Hotaru was still tense and wary around him she at least didn't totally hate him. He nodded, "To find emptiness in good things." He sighed and glanced at the bird again to find it gone. He frowned and then looked thoughtful for a moment. "I see, kind of like it's good while it lasts but it only leaves one with a deeper sense of loneliness once the laughter is gone." He sighed again, he wondered if this Soren Kierkegaard had known him. It practically described exactly why he didn't get attached, though why he was trying to get close to Odille was beyond him.

He nodded Odille was proving to be a very insightful person. He looked at the painting it was a place he never wanted to see again. He would never got that far into the future. One thing he looked at was the rumor of the ending of the world in 2012. The Mayans had it right to a point, except life went on living. The nuclear weapons killed all but a few people and those who survived were primitive and violent. He looked up at her surprised. She liked it the most? "Why he asked immediately. Then again she surprised him, "You don't?" She didn't think he was crazy that was a definite plus. He nodded faintly understanding her point. "I think admission is part of a start to bring people back together. " He admitted, but maybe people were just afraid of him.

He nodded knowingly then smiled slightly for a split second as she laughed. He was finding it hard to frown when she laughed. He looked up at her abruptly, "You are?" He asked slightly startled. He wondered what she could do. Then before he could ask she was showing him. He looked at the bird and then moved closer to the sill to watched the leaves change before his eyes. He gasped in awe as it changed to the beach and then an eagle dove. He bit back a laugh, who would have ever known his vision would have actually been an illusion. "Wow, that is amazing," he breathed looking around. He saw the vision, she reached under t bed and pulled out the painting of her. She got angry with him. He turned so rapidly his head spun as she started for it. "No!" he began but it was too late.

"Wait, I can explain." He began but her angry words cut him off. "Odille, I didn't even... I mean it's not what it looks like." He watched her just slide it back into place and stand setting the letter on the desk next to the over turned photo. His heart broke when she told him not to paint her. "Odille, wait, I'm sorry, I just saw you in a vision and painted you. I didn't even know who you were. I promise." He said seriously his eyes pleading for her to understand. He saw her going off in her car and heading to the park. He really messed this one up. his eyes unfocused and turned black. There she was again dressed in an elegant dress. He walked up to her and asked her to dance. He looked back at her there was still hope he would see her again. "Please, Odille I'm sorry." He said his voice strained. She kind of pleaded when she told him not to paint her. "I won't paint you again, it's just, when I see someone so beautiful I want to paint them. You." He said pausing to see if she wanted to rip his head off.