Author Topic: Get a Few Things Off My Mind [Draconian] (Read 2276 times)

Nix · « **on:** February 10, 2017, 06:11:11 pm »

Castor didn't normally spend time in this particular rec room. I was on the floor where most stage 4 candidates lived but it was near one of the auditoriums mainly used for stage 3 drills, so there was often a bit of a cross between the two stages in this rec room and normally the less people around him the better. Today he was trying to actually be around others and just... control his powers.

It didn't used to be this bad. When he was still living at home he had total control of his electrokinesis, and amazing feat for a young psychic. Of course, they hadn't even come in fully by that point. Puberty messed him up good... he couldn't even send thoughts to anyone but Pollux without shocking them now. He looked down at his standard issue communicator in it's special rubber case and tried to message the others in the candidate chat. Lately it was a somewhat decent distraction at least, but it wasn't letting him send anything. It often malfunctioned, even with the rubber casing, his gloves and using a stylus rather than touch it directly. Normally when it got like this Pollux would fix it for him but... he couldn't bother Pollux anymore.

It had been his decision to distance himself from his brother, but he did really miss him. It seemed that was always the way of things. He sighed and ignored the coming and goings of others in the large rec room, closing his eyes for a moment. He could feel the tingling in his brain, the small shocks of neurons firing as his thoughts followed an all to circular thought process. It still hurt, but the feeling was becoming reassuring somehow. At least he wasn't numb and complacent.

Draconian · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2017, 06:46:24 pm »

Vaughan rolled his shoulders and took a deep breath, this would be fine.

What was supposed to be fine quickly ended with him looking bored leaning against a wall, taking a deep breath and doing his best not to freak out. A mantra of 'everything is fine' was his solace and he watched and calmed down before he slid along the wall along the rest of the room. At least, until he sidestepped into someone.

"Whoa! I'm sorry I---" Vaughan looked down, tilted his head at the special communicator and grinned brightly.

"Cas!" They'd never been buddy buddy, but Vaughan didn't live under a rock and had made at least some effort to recognize someone. Okay, he'd totally looked him up in what files he could access because he didn't want to look like an asshole if he'd ever bumped into him. Vaughan took a step away and slowly slid down the wall until he was on his butt and his legs were bent in front of him. A bright friendly smile on his face.

"You kinda look like someone drowned your pet rock," Vaughan said, an eyebrow raised, head tilted. "How's it goin'? Good day?" Vaughan leaned in, both eyebrows raised, "Bad day?" Then he paused and leaned back. "Oh, also I'm Vaughan, just in case you forgot or couldn't recall what name belonged to this beautiful face."

Nix · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2017, 09:34:20 pm »

Castor flinched when he was stepped into but- wait... he didn't shock him? Huh... That was new, especially considering his own surprise at being bumped into. And then the other candidate sat down next to him. It was... nice? It had been a while since he had been around anyone, or anyone truly wanted to be around him.

He did recognize Vaughan right away. He too had looked up the few people he conversed with in the Candidate chat. It was nice to put faces to names. It wasn't actually the first time he had seen Vaughan around he had realized when he looked the other up, they just hadn't really met in person either. Stage 4 wasn't as big a group as Stage 1 but there were still a lot of candidates and actually knowing all of them was not an easy task even if you were as social as Landis.

He actually smiled at Vaughan though, something he really hadn't done much of lately. It was odd that the taller candidate was here and that they could talk in person instead of just through screens and... he actually had no idea what to say... huh.

After a moment of silence and trying to make his brain recircuit itself so that it actually worked he registered all of what Vaughan had said and chuckled softly. "I know who you are Vaughan, and its not the worst day... my communicator stopped working again. I was trying to message you- ...I mean the chat but it just stopped. It sounded like Landis was having a bad day."

Draconian · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2017, 11:02:14 pm »

A smile.

Vaughan could't help the grin that grew on his face in return and he got comfy beside Castor. Not right snug close but close enough that he could lean without touching the other boy or invading his personal space. As someone who valued his not being intruded on, he usually - unintentional - gave people theirs.

"The chat?" He inquired, tilting his head, ah right, the pass time. Vaughan leaned against the wall and looked down at his own communicator, feeling a little bad for forgetting about it. It had been an interesting day - though not awful - but... Different. One of those days where you get pushed to your boundaries and you either snapped back or you wallowed and licked your wounds.

Vaughan, a little antsy in varying degrees, had obvious snapped back.

"Can I see it?" Vaughan held out his hand, giving his fingers a wiggle for Castor's communicator though he paused, "Maybe... Do you have to like... I dunno... Discharge static?" A wiggle of his fingers, a moment to brace himself, "Okay. Test 1. Touch me and then try to fix your communicator. I'm ready, might be worse than socks and carpet and what-not but... No harm no foul, right?"

Nix · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2017, 04:16:01 pm »

At first Castor was ready to happily hand over his com, after all Pollux used to fix it for him all the time- but then came the secondary suggestion. Castor tensed up and put the com down next to him. He knew Vaughan was just trying to help but.. He sighed softly and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Look Vaughan... I appreciate what you are suggesting but it's not always just a small zap... I could kill you or... or worse." He muttered opening his eyes. No he had never killed anyone but it happened, people's hearts could stop from that sort of thing. He couldn't look at Vaughan, and he couldn't believe he was saying this out loud. "When I was in stage 2... I got someone trimmed cause of my electrokinesis. I don't know how I did it but... somehow I zapped them in a way that... it effected their brain and they were no longer telepathic after... so they got sent to TRIM." He said very quietly, staring down at his hands.

Draconian · « **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2017, 11:45:51 pm »

Ooo, tender spot.

Vaughan blinked and sort of barked out an awkward confused laugh.

"Well that's a neat power," He picked up the com and looked at it, giving it pokes and turning it off and on. "Make you some cool deadly assassin. Send you to Edanith or Cancer or something. Poke someone and they just die from electricity. Sounds convenient," A grin to Castor, not really seeing how what he was saying might be inappropriate. If it would work for someone in Edanith, it would probably work on people here. Maybe?

"I'm pretty good with the..." He looked at the Com when it beeped, going quiet for a moment, before he motioned to his head, "The whole blocking thing. I've been doing it for longer than I've known I was psychic on account of the... Projecting feelings thing." A few buttons and beeps and he frowned at the com. Not fried. He'd only ever had to turn his own on and off again and was worried that by some strange twist of fate, Castor's would be different.

"We can see if the whole mental defenses thing helps, maybe," A wide grin to Cas and he handed the Com back, not good as new, but working all the same, "I've always believed that when it came to weird brainmagic confidence was key, kinda like a placebo. If you believe it'll work, it usually does." A toss of his head to get his hair off his face and he looked down at his hands.

"Can't imagine actual 'powers' though, I just make people feel feelings. Kinda screws with your head." There was a long pause and he looked at Cas, "I'm pretty sure I'm not doing it now," he teased.

Nix · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2017, 06:06:10 am »

Castor could actually feel his heart skip a beat. For a moment he felt like he shocked himself, which wasn't uncommon, but he hadn't. Vaughan wasn't phased by it. At all. Castor's biggest failure... he made it sound like something to be proud of, something... useful. He looked up at Vaughan with his mismatched eyes and felt a bit of... relief.

"I doubt I'd make a useful assassin I'm sure there are others better equipped for that than me..." He gratefully took his com back and was happy to see it was working again. "Thanks Vaughan." He smiled at the other and quickly touched Vaughan's hand.

And..

Nothing.

Well he was wearing gloves but often that didn't stop much.

"I don't think you are doing it now either..." He said pulling back a bit, blushing softly.

Draconian · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2017, 07:08:45 pm »

Ooooh, was that a blush?

Vaughan's eyebrows went up his forehead and he grinned widely.

That was a blush.

A brief moment to look at Castor's eyes and he paused, staring at them. "Wow," He tilted his head to look at them better, for all his amazing brain powers and his fifteen minutes of fame he'd never seen eyes like Castor's. "You have really pretty eyes," A smile and flexed his hand, smiling at the fact there had been no zap.

Was it because Castor hadn't wanted to zap him or because he was trying hard not to? "Did you break it with your zappy hands?" Vaughan smiled, nodding to Castor's com.

Nix · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2017, 07:34:30 pm »

"Oh thanks." Castor muttered a bit embarrassed and rubbing the back of his neck. It felt like static electricity shocking him there. "Yeah they are kind of weird right?" He laughed a bit. He looked at the com when Vaughan mentioned it. "Oh right... I think so, I have been trying to be careful not to zap it and I don't recall shocking it but I must have. Or maybe it is really just defective... It keeps breaking on me."

Draconian · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2017, 07:42:54 pm »

"Nah, I didn't say weird, I said pretty." He gave Cas another nudge with his shoulder and smiled at him. Another glance at the com and Vaughan frowned at it, "Have you asked for a new one maybe? Can you?" He looked down at his own, aside from breaking it completely... Could they get new ones? "Is this one of those 'this is your life, don't wreck it' things? I don't remember if we got a speech about it in stage one or not." A purse of his lips and he looked up like he was trying to remember something which worked, because he was.

"Who... Would you even talk to about that?" A purse of his lips, "That new director. Wude with the horns." Vaughan put his hands up, fingers bent at the knuckles to indicate where the horns were.

Nix · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2017, 08:56:53 am »

That nudge, normally he would have ended up shocking someone if they even just nudged him like that. There was a spark, but just a small, static like one. He looked over at Vaughan again and chuckled. "I don't remember either... and maybe I could ask someone. I wouldn't want to bother Pilot Echo Sheehy-Matthers over that though.. I don't really think he likes me very much." Castor smiled sadly.

The handful of times he had seen his older step brother... well lately he just couldn't meet the other's gaze. The last time he looked at Ailill's eyes they said it all. 'You are going to fail, and you shame us all.'

Draconian · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2017, 07:05:58 am »

Vaughan frowned. Rubbed the tingling away on his shoulder.

"It's not his job to like any of us but it's his job to get your shit fixed!" Vaughan announced like he knew what he was talking about. He didn't of course, he couldn't think of a time he'd broken... Anything. Vaughan stood up and held out a hand to help Castor up.

"C'mon, I'll go with you? Doesn't do well to have a com that keeps breaking, hmm?" A friendly smile and Vaughan wiggled his fingers like he was trying to entice a fish.

Nix · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2017, 09:25:58 pm »

"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry..." Castor muttered scooting away so he didn't shock Vaughan further. When the older candidate stood up Castor stared at him, almost in a daze.

Vaughan wasn't scared of getting shocked more? Scared of what Castor had done... he was just... holding out his hand. Looking at him. "You'll come with me? Really?" He shifted a bit, uncrossing his legs and tentatively reaching out to take those wiggling fingers.

Draconian · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2017, 10:14:51 pm »

Vaughan grabbed onto Castor's hand and hauled him up easily, ignoring any zings or zaps from the other candidate. Sure it might sting or make his elbows jolt but... Vaughan supposed Castor feeling decent about himself was more important than a little elbow pain on his side.

"Of course," Vaughan grinned at him, "I mean, sometimes people need back up, yeah?" He nudged Castor with his elbow before putting his hands in his pocket, "Mortal support or something. Uuuh... Do you know the way?"

Nix · « **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2017, 10:47:20 pm »

There were no new zaps. At least the rubber gloves seemed to help this time. It had been a while since he had held someone's hand, or touched someone other than Pollux comfortably. Maybe that was why he held onto Vaughan's hand longer than was normal. When he finally pulled his hand away he rubbed his neck a bit.

"I appreciate the support Vaughan. It's really sweet of you." He said as the other candidate nudged him and Vaughan probably got another small shock from it. "Yeah. You've never been to the Candidate Affairs offices? Lucky." He chuckled as he started to lead the way, wary of accidentally bumping into anyone.

Draconian · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2017, 10:51:06 pm »

Vaughan wiggled his eyebrows, "Sweet is my middle name," He replied, lying of course. Vaughan didn't actually have a middle name. So he smiled at Castor and rubbed his elbow as slyly as he could before he meandered along with his new ComBreakingBuddy. "Oh, I've been there," He nodded slowly, "I just get kinda turned around here, y'know? Also, I've never been good with remembering floors." Another smile and he looked around, wiggling his fingers in his pockets.

"How's stuff?" He said, going quiet, "Besides the Com Breaking habit of yours?"

Nix · « **Reply #16 on:** March 11, 2017, 11:24:49 pm »

"Well I don't like to take the elevator...it's usually a bad call so we have to take the stairs. Is that ok? I mean maybe it would be ok if we take it and you press the buttons.." He said still sounding concerned. He did used to take it with Pollux sometimes. He looked over at Vaughan and that smile. He could feel the electricity run through him, his heart was pounding as he gazed at that smile. "Heh... what's my middle name then?"

And then the mood seemed to change a bit. Stuff. Stuff meant training, stuff meant the program, stuff meant life. It wasn't going well, and he wasn't sure it was going much better for Vaughan either, even though the other was much more positive seeming. "Stuff is... stuff. How are you?" He asked gently.

Draconian · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2017, 12:01:12 am »

"Stairs are good," Vaughan smiled and started to veer towards those, truth be told he'd never been fond of elevators. Though, after the candidate chat, stair cases were kinda freaky now too. Their walk was decent. Quiet. Not too long until the stair case which Vaughan looked at for a long moment before frowning at it.

"These are so creepy now," He muttered, looking at the steps. Like if he took one he'd just teleport away. He paused, could Pilots teleport? "I guess your middle name can be... Quiet? Shy?" He grinned at Castor again, obviously teasing before he pushed a hand through his hair and meandered along, "My stuff is good. Trying to ... Master not projecting feelings onto people. Doing okay so far, I think. Though it's kinda hard. Most people can't tell what they're feeling and what I'm making them feel." He paused and smiled again, "Not that I do it on purpose to check. Swear." He lifted a hand, palm up as if that made him more innocent or something.

Nix · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2017, 12:35:50 am »

Castor followed Vaughan as the other just seemed to lead more naturally than him. Cas often found that he fell in line behind others and was more comfortable that way then walking next to people. It was natural to walk just a bit behind as apposed to abreast. Maybe it was being raised in a military household that made him feel that way. Maybe it was his lack of assertiveness, especially lately. He always walked a step or two behind Pollux.

Castor looked at the stairs too. He had read some of what Quirin had posted about stairs but had missed some of it do to, well, breaking his com again. "I don't really understand what was supposed to be so creepy about them, I guess I missed part of that." He said rubbing the back of his arm and looking from the staircase to Vaughan. "You really think my middle name would be Shy?" He asked chuckling softly as he headed up the stairs, avoiding touching the metal railing as he walked.

As the conversation shifted to Vaughan's ability Cas thought about how he felt around Vaughan. Happy? At ease? But also like his heart was beating faster... and nervous. But a good nervous. He thought that was all Vaughan's doing certainly, but he highly doubted it was a projection. "I don't think you are doing it without your own awareness. I mean of course we affect each other, it's part of the human experience, its hormones and chemical and.. electric. But you are a trained psychic now. Believe in yourself more."

Draconian · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2017, 06:05:04 pm »

Vaughan grinned wide at the stairs, watching as Castor didn't touch the railing.

Must suck being a human static ball. A finger itched to poke Castor again - just as an experiment. "The stairs teleported you or something. To somewhere scary," Vaughan lifted his hands and wiggled his fingers beside his face, smirking before he grinned widely. "And sure, you're shy." He shrugged, smiling before he turned his head and looked away. Listening to Castor talk about his abilities.

"Oh, I believe in myself," He said softly, looking down at the stairs and sighing, "Just... How do I know what i'm projecting onto people and what they're actually feeling?" A little shrug, "If I want them to feel someway and they do I have no way of actually knowing if they feel that way for real or because I want them to." A little shrug and he rolled his shoulders, bounding up the last few steps.

Then he paused, "Where were we going again?"