Wandering

[LexiXander]

Auel had spent most of his day training and studying a minor pile of books he’d been asked to read, they consisted of many different silent strategies of making your way through dangerous territory. They’d been fairly simple for him and nothing extraordinary, but that wasn’t meant to insinuate that he didn’t want a break from it, at least for the rest of the day.  

As per usual he’d wandered the corridors aimlessly for a little over an hour, coming upon many other students while doing so, but he continued on his leisurely way. Eventually, the strangely eye colored teenager found a vast window with an overly wide ledge situated at it’s base. It seemed like a peaceful place to rest for a while.

Auel reached the ledge and slowly took his seat as his multi colored orbs drifted to the scene that was his opposite through the pane of glass. It was quite beautiful, if you ignored the training grounds in the corner.

The brunette had been contemplating something very important to him as of late, but it was something he hoped no one would find themselves curious about. It wasn’t something he wanted troublesome teens prying into, most certainly not.

[pinkroses]

Jenno was wandering through the corridors aimlessly, his dark eyes fixed on a book in front of him, gazing intently at the pages and occasionally flicking to the next one. He’d been training outside all morning and was now eager to get back to the book he had begun the night before and was now over half way through. He vaguely drifted past people, glancing up occasionally to make sure he didn’t collide with anyone, but everyone in this school was good at that anyway, so he didn’t need to try very hard. So reading could take up most of his attention and Jenno was happily losing himself in the pages of the textbook as he wandered.

His pale fingers lifted to flick another page when someone suddenly, and very obviously on purpose, slammed into the side of him, going out of their way to do so. The book tumbled to the ground and if Jenno hadn’t been so stunned by the sudden interruption he would have made a grab for and caught the heavy book. He silently gazed at the older boy, not recognising him, although he had a feeling he probably should from the way he was being stared at, then the other student gave a laugh and moved along, melting in with his crowd of friends… well, acquaintances  were more common in this place. His black eyes gazed after him for a moment before he gave a small sigh and knelt down to pick up the book, ignoring the other students moving past him. He found it difficult to focus on more than one thing at once and now he wanted to see if the book was damaged. It was bad enough that when he had got it from the library some of the pages were turned down. Jenno hated that.

Muttering quietly to himself, in a world of his own Jenno made his way along the corridor and ignoring the fact that there was someone sat there, placed the heavy book down carefully and began to inspect it, pressing a page flat and running his fingers over the spine of the book, which was a history of poisons and their antidotes. Jenno already knew most of what lay inside, but he just loved reading these things again, making sure he hadn’t missed anything and picking up the extra little bits of information.

“Stupid idiot, born in a barn,” Jenno mumbled to himself, brushing a hand through his dark hair as a white tipped lock fell over his face.

[LexiXander]

The brunette sat discreetly in the corner where anyone coming from the corridor behind him would not see. His favorite places to be, where no one could see him so he might just rest and observe. This personal pastime came into effect when he saw an interestingly hair colored student make his way down the hall, completely immersed in his book, which appeared to be the paired volume to one he’d been reading prior to his aimless walk.

This was nothing to pay any attention to, if it hadn’t been for the sudden little crowd of students coming from the opposite direction. He recognized the most leaderly of the group as one of the members of Veneficus. As per usually, he elected to plainly sit and watch, as the crowd made it’s way to the unsuspecting boy the so-called ‘leader’ nudged another and whispered. It was basic social obscurity in this school.

The leader of the bunch purposefully piled himself into the smaller and the group chuckled and laughed as his book fell to the floor, and then they left.

It was against his own policies to help in these situations, as it tended to get some bad reaction if you helped someone around here. However, Auel couldn’t exactly ignore the bullied boy when he suddenly occupied the place next to his sitting form.

The assassin quietly sat there and paid attention to his immaculate care of the fallen volume, he would most likely get along with this student fairly well. His voice was as velvet smooth and drawling as ever when he spoke in a low voice, “I think I have to agree. You care for your books well.”

[pinkroses]

Jenno glanced up, blinking a little in surprise as he saw the other student sitting there, he’d been completely absorbed in his task and rarely noticed what was going on around him, a failing which had kept him at his level for longer than he would have liked, but not one he seemed to be able to rid himself of. His almost black eyes drifted over the student for a moment before dropping back to his book.

“Most of the books in this school are old, very old, we should take care of them so that future generations can use them as well,” he murmured quietly, flattening out another page and then carefully shutting the book so that it would keep the pages flat, then turning it over to check the cover properly. “Those idiots have no idea how much these books are worth, and not just in monetary value.” Jenno didn’t care that they had purposefully barged into him, he hadn’t been paying attention, he probably deserved it. Little things like that would hopefully help him learn to be more aware, but he would have preferred it if they hadn’t had to damage the book to teach him that. If it had just been a nudge, or a fight even, he could hold himself well, but why take it out on the things that gave them knowledge?

He tutted quietly as he noticed a corner of the heavy leather bound book was bent and carefully began to straighten it out.

[LexiXander]

He met the nearly black orbs with his own entirely different ones, and took in the basic design of the other. The black and white haired boy was distinctly attractive, but in a more unique way.

Auel pulled one leg up and bent his arm on the kneecap, resting his head against the granite wall behind him he looked down at the other with his eyes half-mast. “Yes. The more these books age,” he leant over and gently ran the tips of his fingers across the embossed covering and a very slight upturn of his lips graced his features, “the more they’re worth. In knowledge and currency.”

The brunette adored the feeling of departing from this reality into a good book, whether it be text or fantasy. Auel also loved painting the pictures in his mind onto canvas, the assassin’s room had shelves full of art supplies and half done paintings, some actually finished. “What do you enjoy about them so?”

[pinkroses]

He glanced up at Auel for a moment as the assassin reached out to touch the book, stopping himself from childishly pulling it out of his reach. There was really no need so he kept it resting in his lap, his thin fingers spread out over the cover, the Claddagh tattoo on his ring finger clearly visible.

“I enjoy learning. Isn’t that why we’re all here, to learn? There’s no point in not taking advantage of the opportunities we’ve been given. I know most of what’s in here already, but there are always more little bits to pick up,” he said quietly, his gaze cast down, trying to stop himself from talking too enthusiastically about a subject he really loved. Getting too involved in conversations could lead to another conversation another time, and then another, and Jenno had been warned against getting too attached to people. He found it difficult to let them go.

“I get too absorbed, though,” he added quietly, guessing that Auel would have already realised that if he had seen what had happened before. If Jenno had been paying attention to what was going on in the corridor he could easily have avoided the shove.

[LexiXander]

It was Childs play to pick up on the different unique traits of this one, he sincerely loved his books and seemed like he could go on about them for hours,  as well as become so deeply immersed in them that he was barely coherent to his surroundings.

“That’s a very good point.” His silent words were ‘you’re very intelligent’ and like always, the unspoken syllables were attempted to be made clear to the other without actually being said aloud.

Auel’s eyes lazily made their way over the book, then along Jenno’s arms and the rest of his body, to his face. He could have pointed out how strangely adorable the other student was, but that would have been impolite and a rather frightening idea to some. Instead he chose to respond with another half answer, “ We all do sometimes, just some more then others.” Auel spoke in his naturally arousing tone.

[pinkroses]

His dark eyes narrowed at the seemingly innocent comment about what he had said and he glanced up at Auel again with suspicion in his eyes as he watched the other student’s gaze wandering over him. He had heard the underlying tone in Auel’s voice and wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. It was never clear in this place exactly what people wanted, even the most innocent seeming ones. Some might just want sex, others might want a relationship and then there were those who might want to get you somewhere quiet so that they could cut you open and examine your insides or practise their latest magic trick on you. Damn magical assassins, it was such a dishonest way of doing things.

“What house are you in?” Jenno asked after a moment, deciding that he would quite like to know the probabilities of being attacked by magic or a physical weapon. It may be neither, but he’d like to be prepared just in case. He often found it strange asking house before name, but a student\'s house could tell you a lot more about a person than their name could.

[LexiXander]

Auel’s lips twitched, he’d caught the cautiously suspicious look, and found it quite amusing, and if he’d been able to read thoughts instead on mannerisms he certainly would have agreed. He was aware of the effect his voice gave, however natural it may be, some always thought that he was out to have a tumble with them just by saying a polite ‘Excuse me.’ or ‘Hello’.

The assassin found this particular boy to be very keen on only befriending, or not befriending at all, a very select few people, perhaps. This also happened to suggest that he had some secret little habit, but that was for later observation.

The brunette have a gentle smile and nodded politely as he recited his house name, “Purificio.” His eyes closed momentarily, hopefully a sign of minor trust, since an assassins senses were their greatest asset.

[pinkroses]

“Ah,” Jenno murmured and gave a small nod at the name. That was a better house than many of the others and it explained the genteel mannerisms of his present companion. He gently kicked his heel back against the wall he was perched on, then swung his legs up to match Auel’s pose, leaning his back against the wall of the window sill and wrapping his arms around his knees, which the book was still leaning on.

“Level?” he added with interest, but not giving any of his own details as Auel hadn’t asked for them. What was the point in giving out information which wasn’t requested?

[LexiXander]

Auel watched without a twitch or hairline movement as the other assassin brought himself up into a twin position of the brunette’s. He was enjoying this conversation, however uncomplicated it may be. His companion seemed to be someone very cautious of most things, as well as people, due to his suspicious looks and lack of personal information in reply to Auel’s. However, the asian was willing.

“Level 5.” He spoke smoothly, in a friendly manner. He gave a small look that inquired as to whether he may ask his own question now. “And you?” Auel said with his deep voice as he raised one eyebrow, leaning forward over his knee slightly. His cool gaze pondering many different things and ideas about this boy.

[pinkroses]

“Cruori, Level six,” Jenno replied simply, leaning his head back against the stone wall behind him as he watched the boy across from him. He knew he was a little older than some of the students in his level, but he had arrived at the school late and needed to learn how to focus on more than one thing at a time. He couldn’t fight against more than one person properly yet, although he was improving on that side of things slowly. He wasn’t intimidated by the fact that Auel was a higher level than he was, the brunette didn’t look threatening or malicious towards him, merely curious.

However Jenno was a little relieved that the weren’t in the same house, he had been punished enough times for not recognising students higher than himself in his own house, but he just didn’t see the need to pay attention to them or remember their names. He rarely communicated with them anyway and didn’t care about the gossip of the school.

[LexiXander]

Auel nodded slowly, taking in the new information on his hallway companion, “Ahh, and your name?” he asked smoothly, glancing out the window again onto the scene below with his opposing eyes. He had no qualms with being a higher level, which was nothing to judge a person by and certainly not something to tease one about.

The brunette gave a small smile as he watched two younger students sneak off of the training grounds and out of their teachers sight. By the way they swung each other about and then lay down in the grass it appeared they were more then some good house friends skipping class. However, upon closer observation, it was made clear that, neither in fact, were female. Now this was something that threw him for a loop and he had to do a double take. Hoping that the boy didn’t put too much thought into his sudden confusion.

He hadn’t thought anyone else at the academy was like him.

[pinkroses]

“Jenno,” he said quietly, glancing out of the window to see what Auel had decided to pay so much attention to and he quickly spotted the couple on the grass. He didn’t understand why people would break rules like that by sneaking off. What was the point? Didn’t they want to train and learn? He didn’t care that they were gay, he’d had enough flings around here to know that most of the students would get whatever they could. It was just sex, nothing personal. And in a place like this getting personal could get dangerous.

Jenno lightly touched the tattoo on his ring finger as he gazed out of the window, his face expressionless, remembering the last time he’d let a relationship get too personal. Hayner, that had been his name and Jenno would always be able to remember that smile on his face, that blissful look of satisfaction; it had been the last look on his face before his partner had killed him and that was how the memory would stay, a happy one. Although he had been punished fairly severely…

“What’s yours?” he murmured in a distant voice, wondering vaguely how close those two were, what one of them would do if they lost the other. If they’d seen each other’s blood.

[LexiXander]

He almost completely missed the other’s words, and shook his head gently, taking in a breath before taking, “Auel, nice to meet you.” His reserve was a little shaken, and he lowered his gaze to see Jenno rubbing the tattoo around his ring finger.

He’d read in a book once that some tattoos, if positioned the right way, could symbolize a lover, and if there was ever a good example, that appeared to be one. Accept, the look on his face was almost…sad, forlorn, but with a very strange underlying tint of content. How awkward.

[pinkroses]

Jenno looked up as Auel said his name, watching him for a moment before outstretching his right hand to shake, “Nice to meet you too, Auel” he said softly, a small smile playing over his lips as he let the name roll smoothly over his tongue. He’d seen Auel looking at his ring finger, he barely noticed when he rubbed it any more. Usually he covered it up with a real ring but he’d forgotten to do so today after training that morning. His dark gaze lingered on Auel’s face, drifting over his strangely coloured eyes, taking in the look of curiosity on the other’s face.

“It should be the other way up now,” he said after a moment, guessing Auel would know what he was talking about as he had so obviously been staring at his finger.

[LexiXander]

Auel took the extended hand and shook it welcomingly, his strong but gentle hand giving a firm but relaxed grip. He couldn’t help but smile back faintly at the other, whose smile seemed a bit contagious for him.

The brunette realized quickly that Jenno was examining him closer now, and he thought it only fair that this gesture be returned. The asian youth let his orbs fallow the contours and features of the black ad white haired male across from him, eventually landing back on the extremely dark eyes.

“Oh…” he said quietly, returning his duel orbs to the ring tattoo, a silent ‘Sorry’ unspoken to the assassin. He knew what it was like to loose someone you loved, whether it be physically, mentally, socially, it was always hard, no matter how someone tried to deny it. He would never being it up, but he missed his dear brother with everything he had, he’d loved his brother and lost him viciously.

[pinkroses]

Jenno’s smile widened a little at the apologetic look in Auel’s eyes and then he gave a quiet laugh, shaking his head a little, waving his hand gently in a ‘don‘t worry about it‘ gesture.

“No need to look so down about it, it ended well. Very well. We loved each other and I killed him so we always will and nothing can get in the way of that now,” he explained simply and in a way which many people might not have understood, but it made perfect sense in his mind. There were some who might have been scared by the matter of fact way Jenno said this, but he really didn\'t care what people thought of him. The academy had obviously seen something in him to have brought him here instead of letting the authorities take him. It had been a little strange not having his lover around at first, but it had given Jenno more time to study, just like when he had killed his parents. And if he ever saw his brother again, he would likely do the same.

[LexiXander]

Auel was curious to hear why it was nothing to be apologetic about, and what he had gotten was nothing he’d ever even fathomed. At first, he looked a tad flabbergasted, but after a few moments of utter shock he relaxed back into his usual demeanor.

The brunette looked down at the seat for a few minutes, brows furrowed in concentration. He supposed, that if you looked at it in a particular view, then it did make sense, though in a very strange and…distorted way. Auel couldn’t ever bring himself to kill someone he might love, unless of course it was completely necessary, in which case he would find himself having no other choice, but the assassin would just hope that day would never come.

He could understand it slightly, and the boy had never said he was normal. People got into this school because they had a talent for death, and this appeared to be Jenno’s. “I… suppose it makes sense…in a very different way. You’ll always remember them happy…” This struck a shocking cord in his heart. What if he’d killed his brother before the assassins could? Then he could die happily and not fearing for his life, and begging in hope as Auel was held back, screaming and wreching against the body of another, conscious just long enough before his eyes went black…

The Auel now had a visible quake raking his body, his eyes slightly dilated at the flash back. He took a quivering breath and gulped down the lump in his throat.

[pinkroses]

“Exactly,” Jenno said quietly, giving a small nod as Auel worked it out, then his smile faded away into a frown as the words seemed to have effected the other student quite badly. Strange how speaking of death in a school where they were trained in death could affect some so badly. He smoothly moved closer to Auel, their legs weaving together as he shuffled in close to him and gently touched his chin, watching his eyes closely and listening to the shaky breaths.

“You lost someone you didn’t want to.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement and a fairly obvious one at that. Why else would Auel have reacted like this? And that was exactly why Jenno did what he did, he didn’t want to be left a wreck like this at the mere mention of death or losing someone.

[LexiXander]

Auel didn’t react, but was completely conscious of Jenno’s movements. He could feel the other getting closer and intertwining their legs, his heart was pounding and he flinched as the delicate hand took hold of his chin, moving his face to look Jenno in the eye. His jaw was quivering like the rest of him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, turning away, and then finally bringing himself to nod to the other’s statement. It was something he\'d never truely get past.

[pinkroses]

He tilted his head to one side, studying the boy in front of him with interest as their bodies pressed together and he completely ignored the other students wandering along the hall as he moved the book to let it sit on the window sill behind him, out of the way.

“Dead or leave you?” he asked, his fingers lightly stroking Auel’s jaw, but not moving away from that spot. There was a big difference in those two. Being left by someone gave room for revenge, if they were dead… well, then he would need some distraction or comfort. Jenno knew how to be tactful when he needed to be, but right now he had decided to take the straightforward route. No point skirting the topic.

[LexiXander]

“…Dead.” He said, quite and low. The contact was comforting, a reassurance that he wasn’t back during that time again. In fact, the delicate stroking of his jaw was a slightly arousing movement, and he hated himself for thinking that. Not like Jenno swung that was anyway.

He muttered, not wanting anyone but the boy nearly in his lap to hear, “My twin brother, killed brutally in front of me…my reason for being here.” The brunette was almost frightened when he said this, he had told no one, but somehow this man had gotten it out of him with a few simple words and gentle gropes.

Auel was still shaking all over, and he knew he really needed to ly down, perhaps this man wouldn’t mind so much if they relocated to his room. “Do you mind...just walking back to my room with me?” he didn’t usually talk this much, nor did he usually ask for help in any way, but he always felt so desperate and wounded when these horrific flashbacks came to him.

[pinkroses]

Jenno blinked at the comment about that being why he was here. Just witnessing death surely wasn’t enough, he must have somehow got revenge. Well that was good at least.

“Sure,” he murmured, giving a small nod. Auel really didn’t look well, his room was probably the best place for him and it wasn’t wise to have a breakdown in the middle of a crowded corridor. Weakness of any sort shouldn’t be shown in this place, there were people who could and would take advantage of that. Jenno scooted back from Auel and slid from the window sill, scooping his book up under one around and holding out the other to help Auel down without hesitation.

Once the other boy was down he was planning on putting his arm around his waist to give him some support as they walked. And besides, Jenno knew how to be one of those taking advantage, this could lead to a fun afternoon if there was some privacy in the room… or even if there wasn’t. He’d had experiences in rooms where a third party was lying just a few metres away, usually jacking off or leaving the room in a rush.

[LexiXander]

The brunette sat and waited, looking out the window as he attempted to calm himself from the jolt of trauma, not liking the feeling of no physical contact now. He needed something to ground him, something at made this time more real then back then.

Oh, he’d gotten in the academy for a good reason, though it had taken a while for him to actually reach the school due to his extended leave of society. However, this was not information he was willing to give out without a great deal of trust, if Jenno ever wanted to know, then he would need to do some serious work.

When the other assassin was up he quickly got to his feet, taking the proffered hand as he eased up into a standing position. Auel openly accepted the supporting arm around his waist, he was limping or anything of the sort, but it was still liked and he slowly put his own appendage around the black and white haired youth.

The multi-color eyed assassin was completely silent on the way to his room, ignoring anything his companion said, he actually didn’t even know if he’d said anything or not over their short journey. He silently directed Jenno around corners, his body truly moving of it’s own accord, as he wasn’t very coherent at the moment, stuck in is own revolving little world.

Once they arrived at his room he finally came out of his stupor, disarming his door, causing the doorknob to disappear and a flat dead bolt lock to appear, before pulling out a normal key to open it. He gave a door a good boot and passed under the frame. “Please, ignore the mess.” He said smoothly, a little less shaken, but still so. His room wasn’t actually messy at all, just a few piles of canvas here and there, with unfinished paintings on them and some vastly colored pallets and brushes.

He had his room all to himself, no roommates. He’d requested this and was one of the few to actually receive it on this floor.

[pinkroses]

Jenno didn’t speak as they walked through the halls. He rarely spoke unless it was needed and right now it looked as though Auel needed some quiet. He didn’t look like he would reply anyway and Jenno wasn’t one of those who would chatter on just for the sake of it. He politely glanced away as the door was disarmed, he knew how secretive people could be abut their bedrooms, and with good sense as well.

He let Auel lead him into the room, keeping his arm around him as they moved and letting the door shut behind them. He lifted his hand to gently run through the hair that trailed down the back of his companion’s neck as he glanced around. A room to himself? Well, that was unusual and something Jenno would have to remember.

“You’re an artist then?” Jenno said, keeping his body close to Auel’s as he looked around with interest. So many students around here seemed to have a flair for art, maybe art and death instinctively came together? Jenno was definitely more on the side of science than art, he couldn’t paint and had no wish to do so, but he didn’t mind looking at other’s work if it would somehow help him. And right now he guessed that if Auel was willing to show him his work it might make him feel more comfortable.

[LexiXander]

((I just realized I should have done this on my last post! xD heh... Continued Here: Comforting Company))