xmutanthigh | [OPEN POST] vivaaaaa las vegas

Entry tags:

[OPEN POST] vivaaaaa las vegas

Characters: Julian Keller, you!
Setting: Your dorm room door.
Content: Look this is the start of an epic vacation. Get in line.
Status: Open and incomplete.
Thread-jacking: JACK AWAY.
NOTE: Those tagged are the doors he's knocking on. If your character is not tagged, you're free to throw them in the mix another way.

[Sometimes... Julian is impulsive, rash, and just plain extravagant for the sake of being extravagant. This doesn't necessarily explain why he's knocking on your door, but it's about to.]

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[Rogue's not really surprised that it's Julian knocking and she greets him with a smile as she opens her door.] Hey sugah, what's up?

[Julian replies with a smile of his own - the kind that's more of a warm smirk. He leans forward a bit, his shoulder resting against the door jam.] Just have a question for you, beautiful.

Oh? [She raises an eyebrow as she folds her arms across her chest; she knows that smirk.] I just might have an answer.

Do you now? [Julian tilts his head against the door jam too, crossing his arms over his chest. He's teasing just for show here. Because he's pretty sure Rogue might be the toughest sell on this. Which is just ironic considering this trip is for her. For them. Not that he's going to admit that in so many words.] How do you feel about getting away for a weekend? All of us?

[The other eyebrow shoots up in surprise. She's not quite sure what she'd expected but this certainly wasn't it. There was a beat before she took a step or two backwards, an unspoken invitation for him to come in.] All of us? [There's an obvious question in her voice and it's not just for the one question she asked. Rogue's a girl who likes her questions and who really likes getting her answers. Don't judge.]

[His brow shoots up too - and his face is just a tad too casual and innocent. He accepts the invitation, walking inside just enough to close the door behind him. He's not quite sure how to explain. But starting with the truth - even if it's not the reason that motivated him to take this idea this seriously - is always a good place to start scapegoating.] You, me, everyone, sweetheart. Jon's all wound up. Kevin's worse. We all are. Wouldn't hurt taking a break with the team. [There is truth in his words. Julian's voice even lowers a tad speaking about Kevin. All his flirtatious smiles are gone. He might not be on the best terms with the kid, but he's part of the team. And the team failed him.]

Edited 2011-04-29 07:35 (UTC)

[Rogue nods, fairly sure that there's more to it but deciding to leave it be for the time being in favour an amused smile and light tone.] Ain't it a rule that the team's not allowed to take a break without trouble following? Actually, speakin' of which, where were you thinkin' of going?

[Julian settles a little at how she backs off, doesn't push - doesn't even push the explanation he gives her. Of course he feels a little personally responsible, as something of a leader around here. As one of Ali and Jono's best friends. His brow quirks up; he smirks and focuses his gaze on hers, eating up some of the space between them.]

Vegas.

[Oh hey. The raised eyebrow is back and her expression is torn between surprised and amused.]

Now I know you've definitely gone crazy, sugah.

There a better place to loosen up? [That smirk definitely has a mischievous edge to it. Maybe his voice is a little low and promising as he reaches for her hips too. His fingers slide over rough fabric of her jeans, slip into her back pockets. Gently, he pulls her hips in closer towards his.] Whatever you wanna do, sweetheart. There's more than gambling in Vegas.

Yeah, I know. [Her hands find his chest automatically as he pulls her towards him. Green eyes look off to the side, avoiding his as her teeth begin to tug at her bottom lip.] You sure there ain't more to this than just taking a break as a team?

[So that's out there. He's almost relieved she's avoiding his eyes; the way his predatory smirk softens and his face falls just a bit is all the confirmation she's looking for. He's quiet a moment - just a few suspended seconds of feeling her palms against his chest, her downcast eyes and bitten lip. There's an ache in his chest thinking about her question, looking at her.

He leans down, nudges his head gently against hers. His lips hover over the shell of her ear.]

I just want us to have some fun.

[She doesn't say anything, her gaze shifting up to his for a brief moment before dropping again. The lip biting stops as she tries to simultaneously consider question at hand and also try to push away the rising tension within her. It's not exactly a successful effort on either front.]

[There's something in her eyes - something that twists the ache inside of him painfully. He catches a glimpse of that look, and he knows: She knows. She's looking right through him.

He looks down between them, just as uncertain and lost as she is. He doesn't know what to say to make her feel better, doesn't know if he should say anything. If he were a bit more self-aware, maybe he'd know he was afraid to bring it up. He just knows he has to be careful. Has to... he doesn't know. He has no idea.]

[She moves back a minuscule distance, not even realising that she is. They've been avoiding the issue for at least a month now if not two and she's still no more eager to go into it now than she was before. It's a moment before she finally manages to flick her gaze up again, keeping it there this time.] So Vegas. Did you talk to anyone else yet? [It's an attempt to change the conversation and a really poor one at that. Nothing in her demeanor's changed and her tone is strained.]

[He feels her moving back (his hands slide with her to hold her hips). He feels the responding emptiness in his gut, the apprehension, the frustration. His blue eyes search hers at her question; nothing about his demeanor changes either. If anything, it worsens - his jaw tightens. He hates seeing the look in her eyes more than anything, and that's reason enough to answer, to fill the space.] Just Bobby. He and Laura are in.

Look, sweetheart... [He trails off, but his eyes don't leave hers. They're focused, unwavering, even as he wavers inside. One of his hands lifts to push back her hair. He wants to say and not say so many things. Tell her he loves her, ask what she's thinking, tell her what he is, tell her he's doing this for them. Nothing seems right. Seems honest.

His voice is strong, but gentle.] What's going on with us?

[Rogue lets out the breath she didn't even realise that she'd been holding in a soft whoosh of air. Her hands leave his chest, one brushing against his on her hair before dropping. She shakes her head, shrugging just a little.]

I don't know.

[It's not so much a lie as it's an inability to even begin to try and put all of this mess into words. She shakes her head again, taking a few steps back and half turning away. Her tone is soft and unsure as she repeats herself.] I just don't know.

[He almost feels grateful she does, because it wakes him up. Gives him room to take a breath. That and her answer shocks him from his passive daze - the quietness between them for the past excruciating weeks. Julian shifts, lifts a hand to drag his palm over his mouth. Licks his dry lips.]

I hurt you. Or I - you're upset. [He blurts the words out, unthinkingly. But he feels that they are true.]

[That gets her attention and her head snaps around to look at him.] What? No. No, you didn't. And I'm not.

[She drops down onto her bed, gloved hands starting to toy with each other in her lap.]

[His eyes lift to hers; his hand drops down to his side, curls and uncurls into a fist. She's wrong - even if the first isn't true, the second... Even if it's not upset, it's something. Sad. He thinks she's sad.

Julian swallows and looks off to the side, to the ground, and then lets out a shaky exhale.]

It's getting harder. [His voice is low, slightly rough.] Not being able to-

Touch? Make love? Be a normal couple? [There's a great deal more than just a touch of emotion in Rogue's voice. Some of it's tension, some of it's irritation, some of it's anger, and a lot of it is self loathing. She grits her teeth for a moment, hands curling into fists for a brief moment before flattening against her thighs.] Yeah. I know.

[His gaze lifts to find hers at the sound of her reply. His expression is quiet, unassuming, but his jaw is tight. Each one of her words feel like the memory of blow - what's more present to him is the look in her eyes, the tenor of her voice.]

Don't say it like that. [The words are firm, even agitated.]

There's another way to say it? [The words are sharp but the anger within them isn't directed at him. It never is when this particular issue comes up.]

[He never thinks that anger is directed at him, but sometimes he wishes it was. He holds her gaze unflinchingly, his fingers flexing in and out of a fist. Sometimes he wishes it was so he could own some of the blame and loathing in her voice.]

Yeah, you could say it like it's not your fault.

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[OPEN POST] vivaaaaa las vegas

IDK why I'm tagging during finals. Clearly I've gone bonkers. Again.

whenever I tag when I know I shouldn't, I call it "stress management" ;)

Damn you for telling me about this post. :(

oops :( i'm... sorry?

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OOC - iris