[SCENE] Amara and Julian ...and then Bobby! hehe

[xmagma.livejournal.com]

Heads up: this took place yesterday afternoon guys. ;]

There was no answer.

Julian sighed and knocked on the door again, harder. He even jiggled the knob in hopes that she'd left it open. "Come on," he muttered, wiping his fingers across one tired eye, wincing when the rough movement tugged at the nasty cut along his cheek. He sneered, knowing it would scar once it fully closed.

He knocked again to no avail and then stepped away from the door, lips still curled.

He couldn't find Rogue -- he'd search the school once he'd left Ali, but she was no where he was looking, apparently. She hadn't been with him when he woke up, and he couldn't help the small knot in his stomach that had formed when he'd opened his eyes and seen Kitty sitting vigil at John's side instead. Giving up to -- hell, he didn't know what he'd do besides keep looking for her -- Julian dragged himself down the hall, head downcast as he tried to keep his eyes open. He despised that he could still feel tired after being unconscious for over a day, but he knew the lagging exhaustion was a lasting effect of his girlfriend's imprint.

He started slowing however, as he reached the stairs, feet shuffling to a stop. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and he turned slightly to the last door, thinking for a moment. Then he rerouted his aimless destination, softly knocking on the hard oak.

With an anguished and frustrated sound, Amara pushed the blanket off of her head, the light coming from the window, the sunset, assaulting her senses, along with the soft, but persistant, knock at her door. All she wanted was a little sleep- more sleep.

After sitting up in her bed for a moment's pause, she treaded across her floor, hand wiping over her now awakened features, and she took in a few normal breaths before she opened the door, eyes still trying to adjust to the light as she saw Julian Keller in front of her doorway.

"Hey," she greeted him sleepily, head resting against her half-opened door.

"Hey," he smiled shortly, stepping closer to lean against the door frame. "Did I wake you, sleeping beauty?"

She smiled a small smile, eyes stuck a bit on the cut on his cheek. "Sort of," she replied. "It's okay, though. You want to come in?"

"Yeah," he said, appreciative, and followed her inside, closing the door behind him with a click. Amara yawned, letting the leisurely sound out with a small tired mewl before plopping down in her sheets again, wiggling her cold toes under her comforter. "You look good for just kicking a Sentinel's ass," he said sarcastically, sitting next to her.

Her fingers swiped him across the side of his thigh jokingly, smiling, even though her eyes had fallen half-lidded. "Well I'm not the one who passed out, now am I?"

"I'm the real deal, honey," he said with a smirk, kicking off his shoes. "You're looking at the guy who held up an entire Sentinel from crushing the entire mansion. Not just burning its toes. Hero," he finished, pompously pointing to himself.

She rolled her eyes before pointing to herself. "Tougher than I look." Her hand fell and she paused before replying again, "And you didn't hold it up by yourself, Jules."

"Shh." He held a finger to his lips and smiled. "You're ruining my basking, tough stuff."

Amara smiled at him, hand swiping his thigh again. "Okay, okay. You're the school hero. No doubt about it."

"That's what I like to hear," he grinned, cupping the back of his head and leaning back self-importantly. He guffawed when she rolled her eyes and nudged his shoulder, her laughter joining his. They sobered and Julian moved his hands over his chest again, both of them still caught in each other's gazes, their amusement still lingering. "How is everything?" He asked. "With you? Besides sleeping all weekend? I heard you and the flamer worked like a machine together."

She let out a short laugh. "Yeah. Yes, we did. He doesn't need his lighter with me around, so we worked pretty well together." She paused, thinking before replying. "Other than sleeping, I've been fine. Everyone's a bit down about... well, you know, everything. Bobby was a lot less worrysome than me, or, at least, that's all he was letting on." She glanced to the floor from her position, gaze holding there. "What about you?"

"Exhausted," he answered simply, playing with his fingers. "But Ali's home. And I meant how you're doing," he clarified, glancing at her, "not everyone else."

Observing him for a fair moment, she sighed, looking down to her own hands. "I'm fine," she replied flatly.

He shifted, sitting further up and leaning his head against the wall, hand reaching to curl around her wrist, fingers venturing into her palm. "I thought you said you were worried?"

"I am, but I'm also fine," was her short reply, voice flat.

"We got through this. Together," he said, watching her closely. "Without the X-men. We worked as a team and we protected ourselves. There's no reason we can't win against whatever else they throw at us."

"Yeah, but," she pulled her wrist from his grip gently. "It's that we have to protect ourselves at all that's worrysome, Julian," her fingers worked at one another yet again.

"We're mutants. This isn't the first time this has happened to the X-men. I doubt it'll be the last." Amara bit her lip, clearly not comforted in the least by that real prospect. Julian sighed softly and nudged her shoulder with his, speaking when she looked over to him. "No matter what, we're a team. We protect each other."

"Yeah," Amara nodded forlornly, watching her fingers fidget again.

His hand reached for hers again, palms resting over her fingers and ceasing the twitching habit. "You know when you do that it makes me nervous."

She looked to him incredulously. "It shouldn't," she stated, watching his features, pulling her fingers back from his hands just a bit.

He rose an eyebrow and pulled his hand away. "Why shouldn't it?"

Her brow matched his. "You're not the one fidgeting. So why does it make you nervous?"

He looked away after a slight pause. "Because it means you're upset and I don't like it when you're upset."

She watched him, his head turning slightly, and then she observed his profile. "I don't always do it when I'm upset," she replied comfortingly. "Sometimes it's just a habit thing," her hand reached for his after another moment's pause, her habit finally ceasing.

His digits weaved through hers and he shrugged. "Yeah, but not this time."

Amara shrugged as well- not just physically, but also conversationally, shrugging the difficult topic off. "It's not like it's that big of a deal, Jules."

"So the world's not ending," he agreed, "but it's a deal if someone I care about is upset."

Side-glancing to the floor, she pulled her hand back again, but her voice was still relatively not harsh as she replied. "What? You want to put me on the couch and have me open up about everything that's ever gone wrong in my life to cause my fingers to fidget?"

He chuckled and shook his head, unable to hide his amused smile. "I don't think I'd ever be a good therapist, sweetheart," he said truthfully, meeting her eyes. "I just meant it wouldn't hurt you to acknowledge the fact that some people do care enough to listen when you are upset and you don't have to act like you aren't."

"I know," she stated lamely and her eyes darted from his, becoming glued to the floor. "It's just... you know, scary. With some of the more recent, personal incidents around here and then the incidents that we see on the news," she paused, blinking. "It's just that -- well, sometimes I forget how bad it is out there."

His smile filtered away and he watched as she spoke, his gaze unrelenting. After a moment he finally answered her confession, his words careful. "It is bad out there, beautiful. And it is scary. But that's not all that's out there, you know."

Amara sighed heavily, eyes falling closed, and she leaned forward, elbows resting onto her knees, chin resting in her hands. "Yeah, I know, Jules."

He reached out to touch her shoulder, palm traveling across the small of back and back again in a soothing line. "If I could change it, I would," he said, voice gentle. Amara sighed. "Maybe I can," he said, his grave voice carrying a playful lilt, "with being a hero now and all."

She let out a short giggle and sat back up, posture straightening. "That'd be good. And then they could have a statue of you erected in the garden in your honor," she continued jokingly, features now amused, instead of blue.

"I wouldn't say no to that," he grinned back. "Then again some wise-ass might vandalize it. It's what I would do."

She pursed her lips, considering his proposal. "Good point," a corner of her lips upturned into a smirk. "I know a few people who wouldn't do that, though." She knocked her shoulder with his goodnaturedly.

He tongued a pointy canine mid-simper and lifted an eyebrow, nudging her shoulder back. "Do you now? Who are these people?"

Turning to look at him, she kindly narrowed her eyes at him momentarily, head tilting to think. "Hm. Well there's Rogue, Alison, myself, Kitty, and I don't really think Lorna would do that either," she smiled at him as she finished, criss-crossing her legs as she finished turning on the bed.

"Guess I'd just have to look out for the rest of the mutants here," he kidded, contemplating the much larger student body.

She continued to smile, half-nodding her head in agreement. "Well you're a telekinetic. You could probably come up with some sort of graffiti-proof shield to put over it. You're inventive like that," she let out a short chuckle as her hand nudged his arm.

"Or hire a few round-the-clock bodyguards," he suggested, bringing one knee up to rest his forearm on.

"That'd work, too," she agreed. "No one would question you spending massive amounts of money on something like that," she kidded, raising her eyebrows.

He cleared his throat for effect, looking up to the ceiling. "Well, you know, that's what I spend massive amounts on money on. Myself and hot chicks." His gaze returned to hers, blue glinting. He winked.

"Yes, everyone's aware of that, Jules," she reassured him with a joking roll of her eyes. "The only thing bigger than your bank account is your ego," she laughed before continuing, "Everyone knows."

"Hey now, sweetheart," he started, tone chastising, "my bank account has nothing to do with how likable I am."

She narrowed her eyes in a knowing look. "True, but it does have a great deal to do with your ego," she retorted. Amara pushed her palms down onto the mattress, using the thing to her advantage to move, scooting further back into the bed, away from the edge.

"I haven't got any complaints when I buy pretty girls nice things," he said, smirking, maneuvering his shoulder behind hers so she'd fit more comfortably.

She rolled her eyes jokingly once more, pushing her comforter to the side slightly to slip her feet underneath the fabric more so. "I'm sure," she retorted. "No one's going to complain when they're having expensive jewelry and accessories being given to them." She gave him another knowing look, raising an eyebrow.

He held up his hands in mock-confusion. "What? It's not my fault I know what girls want."

"Okay, fine," she conceded. "You think you know what girls want. I'll give you that."

He scoffed, pretending to be affronted. "Come on now, princess. When have I ever not given you what you wanted?"

"There have been times," she paused, watching his features, amused. "And then there are other times where you just make people beg and plead for things to fuel your ego," she raised another knowing eyebrow. "Just because you can."

His eyes flashed and he licked his lips, shrugging with one shoulder. "I like the sound of begging and pleading," he wrote her accusation off. "Besides, princess, you're not exactly innocent either."

Shocked, she looked at him, pursing her lips. "And how am I not innocent?" she questioned hastily, jokingly.

He rolled his eyes and settled casually back, adjusting a pillow on his spine, eyes trailing back to hers. "Think of who you're talking to, Amara," he said pointedly.

Her eyes moved from him for a moment, locking back to his quickly. "I don't follow," she replied, voice honest.

"Oh, do I really need to detail this to you, princess?" His eyebrows reached for his hairline. "You act all sweet and naive and composed, but you're the most passionate person I know."

Amara raised her eyebrows, still unsure of what he was implying. "Okay. I guess I'll just take your word on that one, then."

"Fine with me," he grinned cockily. "That was an easy argument."

She bunched her eyebrows, lips turning into a smile. "It wasn't really an argument. It was just you, talking."

"Those are the kind I like."

Her eyes rolled before she replied. "Yes, because they're the only kind you ever win, Jules."

"Ouch." He slapped his chest, rubbing above his heart dramatically, head resting against the wall. "That hurt, princess. Right there."

She raised an eyebrow as she observed him, laughing under her breath. "You want me to kiss it and make it better, baby?"

Julian opened his arms and wiggled his eyebrows. "Go ahead, beautiful."

"That's tempting, but no," she giggled shortly, scooting closer a bit.

He dropped his arms in defeat. "Fine. I'll just have to live with the pain."

"You could always head off to Josh and have him heal your wounds," her tone was joking, but his face was filled with mock-horror. "Oh, fine. Come here, you big baby," she let out a laugh when she finished.

"All healed," he grinned, touching the spot on his chest where her lips had brushed.

"Good," she smiled before thumping him squarely on the chest, right where she had just 'healed' him, and he looked at her, shocked.

"Oh, you shouldn't have done that," he muttered with promise, shaking his head.

"What?" She laughed, tilting her head at him in question. She hardly had time to even let out a squeak before his hands reached for her side, tickling her mercilessly.

Amara cried out in a string of giggles, falling against him and pushing on his hands, trying to get him to stop. "Stop! Julian," she drawled out in a squeal. "Stop!" She fell back against the mattress and his digits continued to tickle her ribs, despite her fingers pulling on his arms.

"Say sorry," he laughed, coming up to his knees, hands dodging hers.

"Sorry! Stop, stop!" She gasped, breathless laughter choking her.

"Like you mean it, princess," he teased.

"I said I was," she couldn't breath, but continued to giggle and squeak, pushing against his chest without progress. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Please! Stop!"

"No, I don't think you meant it," he said thoughtfully, reaching to tickle her waist in retribution. She squealed and twisted, and attempted to tickle him in an act of desperation, even though she knew it wouldn't work -- Julian had never been ticklish.

"...can't... breathe..." She pleaded, letting out a giggle and trying to arch away. A small high-pitched scream left her as he pinched her waist again.

Then there was a loud knock and they both froze.

After another moment's pause, Amara shoved Julian against the bed and darted up, smoothing down her shirt and tucking her hair behind her ears before opening the door. The oak swung open and revealed Bobby Drake, whose eyes were instantly stuck on Julian Keller.

"Oh. Hi, Bobby!" She leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, which he returned, dragging the kiss on for a moment, hand cupping her cheek.

"I thought I heard you... squealing?" He said tentatively, eyes flicking to her and then to Julian.

Amara's already crimson face deepened to a red. "Oh! No! No, we were just... he was tickling me," she finished lamely.

Bobby blinked and then looked over to Julian, who was leaning on his hip and his elbow, his lips quirking at Amara's words. "Hey, Drake," he said smoothly.

"Hey," was Bobby's reply. He focused back to Amara quickly. "And he was tickling you why, again?" There was a light hint of amusement in his voice, but it was hidden rather marvelously.

"Because I whacked him on the chest and he didn't like it," she replied informatively.

Julian choked out a short laugh that beckoned Bobby's gaze. The other mutant was reaching for his discarded shoes and pulling them on, eyes lifting to meet his after a moment. "That's how it happened," he agreed smarmily, and then straightened. "You haven't seen Marie around, have you?"

Bobby's eyes traveled between Amara and Julian before settling on Julian, reply short. "Yeah, I think I saw her downstairs somewhere."

"Thanks," he said, standing and making his way over. He smiled crookedly at Amara and bid her a short "see you later" before slipping past Bobby and sauntering down the hall. In the distance, Amara could hear his footfalls fading down the steps.