Low hanging fruit (Razier)

[Manuelle Pearce]

Manulle couldn’t believe that this was happening. He knew that he shoudnt have left the hideout, but he was extremely bored. An iPod is only entertaining for the first few hundred hourse of use. Now, to some demon’s amusement, he was tied up like a roasting pig on a tree. His hands and feet were tied to a low hanging branch so that he was about five feet off the ground. That was the worst part about it; he was so close to getting away, yet so far.

He didn’t want to, but he knew he had to call Razier for help. She would probably laugh at him and then make him grovel before she let him down. Afterward, she would yell at him for not listening to her. It was inevitable. Whatever she made him do would be worth it; the blood was starting to rush to his head.

Manuelle scooted as much as he could to a near by leaf. He really didn’t know how to tell if talking to a plant was actually working. Sure, Razier responded the last time he had done it, but there was no way to tell if she could actually hear him. It was not like the tree would respond. He took a big breath and blew on the leaf, hoping to activate it in some way. Clearing his throat, he began to speak. “Uh, Razier…I kinda got into a little bit of a…a bind. I need your help. I’m…under a tree in the forest where the demons are. Hurry if you can. I don’t know how long it will be until another one comes out here…”

[Razier Immori Tempest]

A heart attack. Razier was panicking as she ran through the forest looking for Manuelle. Why the hell had he left the hideout without her to watch out for him? Marielle hadn't come home yet, but there was no report she had been kidnapped either. Razier was having a hard enough time with that and then Manuelle disappeared while she was sleeping!

Suddenly while she was running a vine zipped out and caught her arm. She stopped and listened intently. “Uh, Razier…I kinda got into a little bit of a…a bind. I need your help. I’m…under a tree in the forest where the demons are. Hurry if you can. I don’t know how long it will be until another one comes out here…” Razier nearly smacked her own forehead. "Jesus, Manny." She whispered harshly before heading off in the directions the plants directed her.

What a stupid boy. When she got ahold of him... Razier ran as quickly as she could to the demon territory and found Manuelle. She almost missed him because he was hanging upside down from a tree. However nearly running into him allowed her to not miss him. She let out a soft scream and stepped back. "Christ." She waved her hand and the vines holding him gently let him out of the vines. Normally she would have let him hang there, but not in the demon territory. She wanted to get out of there quickly before someone else came along to stop them.

"Manuelle Pearce, you asshole." She said briefly, grabbing his arm and yanking him upward. "I swear you are the stupidest boy I've ever met! How could you run out of the hideout while I was sleeping without even waking me up to tell me? You don't know the heart attack I had when I woke up and found you gone! I thought... Gods. Marielle hasn't come home since she went out and now you..."

Razier had been so overwhelmed as of late. She had been under so much stress with training the siblings and Marielle disappearing. "I can't take this, Manuelle! Don't do this to me." She shoved him - unable to think of anything else to do. It was better than crying, but that was exactly what she wanted to do. Scream and cry. Her head hurt unbelievably, her ribcage. Everything. Still. This time though she wasn't sure if it wasn't just fatigue.

"You're insufferable. Here I thought maybe you were ok and then you go and do this. You disappear and get yourself in trouble. You're lucky that demon didn't seem to know who you were. If he had he definitely would have killed you or kidnapped you. Then where would I be? Where am I now? I mean what is my use if not to protect you guys? Which, might I add, you and your sister won't let me do. I can't protect you if you aren't around!" Razier glared and then turned her back to him abruptly as she held back a few tears that were trying to creep around her eyes.

Damn stress making her emotional and... and worried. Why was she so worried? Besides the fact she would be a failure if Manuelle went missing too. Besides the fact that Manuelle was her charge. She felt unnaturally worried about his well-being. Not that she'd ask if he was ok. That would completely defeat the purpose of her chiding him right before. She was above that... or too stubborn. Whichever one prefered to call it.

[Manuelle Pearce]

Manuelle had never been so happy to see Razier, that is, unitl she came closer. As she made her way over to him Manny knew by the look on her face that he was in for it. He barely had time to brace himself before she grabbed him by the arm. “Ow!” Manuelle just blinked as she chastised him. “Hold up a second. What the hell did you expect me to do? Did you want me to sit in my fucking room all the time? I can’t do that anymore. It’s driving me mad. I’m practically a grown man.” He couldn’t believe that she’d called him an asshole. In his mind he had done absolutely nothing wrong.

“Last I checked, you weren’t my mother so stop talking to me like that.” He just shook his head after she pushed him. She was overreacting, but the more and more Manuelle listened to her the more he realized that she was right…sorta. While he didn’t think it was fair for him to be bored all the time, he shouldn’t have just left like that. She couldn’t do her job right if he wasn’t around. He was being a bastard for making her job more difficult. “God, I’m sorry, alright? But I gotta get a fucking break every once in a while.”

He didn’t want to seem like he was submitting to her. That was beneath him. Instead he just decided to stop yelling. While arguing was his nature it wasn’t accomplishing anything right now except for making Razier very upset. And for some reason, he cared. He didn’t want to make her any more upset. In fact, part of him wanted to just hug her and apologize but the other part of him was saying that was stupid. Manny just sighed and crossed his arms. “I’m only human, Razier. What do you want from me?”

[Razier Immori Tempest]

"I realize you can't be holed up all the time! I'm not saying that you have to be I just wish you would let me know. I can't lose you too. I just can't. I've been a failure long enough." Razier said - her screaming turned into a soft whisper by the end. She averted her gaze to the tree Manuelle had been hanging by and sighed.

Manuelle apologized and she just sighed again. "Yeah, whatever." He then asked what she wanted of him since he was only human. "I want you to really think about that. You are only human. Sort of... you're fragile - easily damaged. Breakable. And you're not supposed to break." She stopped, realizing she was making him sound like a little kid. Helpless. He wouldn't like that most likely.

She rephrased. "I don't mean to say you can't handle yourself, but you must realize you can only do so to an extent right now. With demons and vampires around... you aren't yet equipped to handle their strength. You can delay your beating or demise, but you can't yet stop it. One day you'll be ready for that, but that's only if you let me keep you alive long enough for that."

Razier rubbed the back of her neck and then gestured into the jungle ahead. "Come on, let's go before someone else shows up and decides to make you into a... a... pine... uh... whatever those papery things people hang from trees are. Those things they swing at with bats... You know what I mean?" She furrowed her brow as she tried to describe a pinata - unable to do so.

"I always wondered why they did it. But... that's not the point. The point is we don't want you getting hit with a bat or any other object for that matter." She started walking off back toward the hideout. Gods, this was awkward. She felt like she wanted to apologize for being mean. Hug him, kiss him. Kiss him! How weird was that?! And at the same time she wanted to beat the crap out of him. On top of that she felt like an idiot for not being able to describe that human thing.

No doubt Manuelle was probably going to laugh at that and make her feel even worse. She just didn't know anything about human customs and such. Especially human toys. They weren't pertinant. They weren't useful. Razier blushed as she only suceeded in making herself feel even more ignorant. Maybe they did have a use? Damn the island for being so sheltered. She had to get out more.

((ick. crap.))

[Manuelle Pearce]

Though he knew that Razier was right, he didn’t like being reprimanded. He didn’t like feeling weak, but he knew he was. Up against these creatures he was nothing. They could kill him with ease, but he was being stubborn, as was typical of him. At school Manuelle was practically perfect. He was the most attractive, most athletic, most talented, most popular…and smart too. He had few faults back home, but here on the island he was far from perfect and it annoyed him to the point of rebellion.

He didn’t bother respond to what she said. Though it was all true, his temper would make sure he said something mean so he didn’t bother say anything at all. It was just something he couldn’t help. He always felt the need to get the last word in, right or wrong.

Manny stated to follow behind her as he furrowed his brow in confusion. “What are you…oh! A piñata. They put candy in them so that the kids can hit them. When it breaks, the kids try to catch al the candy that fell out.” He laughed a little at her lack or piñata knowledge. It was kinda cute… He noticed that she felt embarrassed a little. “Hey, don’t worry about it,” he said putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure that here’s a lot of island stuff I don’t know about.” Heck, she was an angel. He didn’t know the first thing about that.

OoC: psh, yours was fine. Mine, however, was crap.

[Razier Immori Tempest]

Razier's fears were confirmed as Manuelle laughed at her inability to name a piñata. She frowned more, but his laughter was surprisingly short-lived as he placed a hand on her shoulder and told her not to worry about it. That caught her off guard and she jumped which in turn landed her on a root which then threw her off balance. She fell over on her backside with a groan and blushed the darkest red she had yet.

'Damn, I must look like an idiot.' She yelled at herself and involuntarily smacked herself in the forehead. Just her luck. She sighed and stood back up, her blush still quite evident on her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose. She quickly turned the topic of the conversation to his lack of knowledge about the island. "At least you know the names for just about everything. And you have the time to learn the names of that which you don't since you'll probably be here a little while longer."

"And for the technical bits about the island, like what creatures can do and how each territory is run... you'll learn that too in time. The former a lot sooner and more first hand than you would want - I'm sure." Razier didn't sound too happy about that. The thought of Manuelle fighting off demons and vampires... even elves and angels... it bothered her. She didn't like the idea of that, even if he had his training. She just wanted him to go home - he and his sister.

She'd take them herself, but that wouldn't go over well and she didn't exactly know how. There was some magic spell thing that had to be done to transport you somewhere or something like that. It was possible her parents had left instructions, but... she'd have to retrive Marielle first. Before she even thought about looking for it. She really shouldn't be wasting any more time and instead be storming the vampire or demon castles searching for her.

Not the brightest idea, she'd admit, but the only one she could think of. Marielle hadn't contacted her at all and Razier couldn't sense her. It was possible she just wasn't close enough - but what if it was because something bad happened to Marielle? Or that she was locked up in a room that blocked magical aide? Razier didn't know. It was driving her mad. What exactly was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to retrieve or at least find Marielle without getting herself killed and leaving Manuelle without protection?

Manuelle could help her, but Razier would never allow that. If Manuelle put himself in the path of danger - fine. But she'd be damned if she put him there. Razier turned to looked at Manuelle briefly, almost tripping over another root in the process. Thankfully she caught herself this time. She could feel her cheeks burn again and immediately turned away. Why was she getting so embarrassed over tripping? She had every right to trip once and again. And with Rhodes she never cared if she did so. She never once blushed about it.

Razier sped up, not really thinking about it. When she noticed though she decided to make it seem delibrate. "Come on, pick up the pace, slow poke." She called back to Manuelle. "We haven't got all day. This is the demon territory. If you don't step it up we'll be swarmed by the damned things soon enough and I'll leave you then to be a piñata or whatever." She'd never really do that, but... as if she'd tell him she wouldn't.

((pfft yours wasn't crap either going off of what I gave you and the fact that I replied like 'BAM'... well ok maybe it was more like 'baaaaaammmmm...........' or something... but still..))

[Manuelle Pearce]

“Well then, if I you want I can teach you. I mean, it’s only fair that I return the favor.” Manuelle wouldn’t tell Razier that he secretly just wanted to talk to her they way they had at her house. He got to know a little bit about her and he wanted to know more. He wanted to tell her things about himself to make her realize that he wasn’t always an asshole. It was nice and he could use this as an excuse. Besides, it would keep him out of trouble.

He was kind of excited about his training. In his opinion, he could already kick some ass, but he knew with Razier’s help he’d be much stronger. After his first run in with demons, he had seen what they were capable of. It truly had impressed him, especially since they were women. But he wasn’t about to get his behind whooped again. After she tripped he reached out to help her up, but she managed on her own.

Manuelle briefly felt like a bad brother. He hadn’t thought much about his sister’s whereabouts. He was just so used to not being around her. Back home, they each had their own friends and kept pretty much to themselves. It wasn’t unusual for him not to see her that often so he really didn’t think about it much lately. He should probably try to look for her, but leaving Razier’s sight again was probably not the brightest idea right now.

The next time she tripped Razier caught herself. “Are you okay?” he asked her. It was a little strange seeing her like this. She usually had herself pretty kept together. Tripping up, then blushing about it didn’t really seem like something she did. But then again, who was he to say? He didn’t really know her all that well, did he? Suddenly she sped up and he had to take bigger steps to catch up to her. “No thanks.” He most definitely did not want to become a demon’s piñata.

[Razier Immori Tempest]

“Well then, if I you want I can teach you. I mean, it’s only fair that I return the favor.”

Razier's heart fluttered a moment as he suggested that. She glanced over at Manuelle and fought hard to surpress a smile. She would love that. She wanted to talk to him like she had at her home again too. She felt like a normal person for once. She didn't feel like the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. It was the best feeling she'd ever had. It was the best gift she had ever been given and Manuelle was probably not even aware he had given it.

"Yeah, ok." She said in reply. Her words were short and should have implied boredom, but no doubt her tone betrayed her. As much as she tried to sound indifferent it was hard to. It was equally hard to hide that blush on her cheeks and the smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Gods damn emotion! Who ever created it because they needed to be slapped. It was just going to get Razier in trouble.

Manuelle asked if she was ok after the second time she had tripped. She waved her hand nonchalantly. "Yeah, sure. Of course. When am I ever not ok?" She briefly thought about that day she and Manuelle had begun his training and Ace's poison had nearly killed her. "Don't even mention that time. That doesn't count." She'd never be able to explain why it didn't count. She had no excuse for that because it did count, but she said it didn't count just the same.

That day... that day Razier had decided to give Manuelle a lot of slack. He had saved her life after all. She owed him a lot. One day she'd have to ask him what he wanted in return for that. One day after things had settled down. Of course by that day all he might want would be to go home. Why did that thought make her so upset? Because she'd lose the only person who made her feel normal? That had to be it.

So what? She had lost everything else. Why not normal as well? What difference would it make? She wasn't normal and with any luck she wouldn't survive this fight anyway. She'd die and go find her parents and be able to put the whole damned world behind her. No more war, no more charges to kill, no more sickness, no more sadness. No more hate. No more fear. "Too good to be true." She muttered under her breath.

[Manuelle Pearce]

Manuelle looked over at Razier when she responded to his idea. She seemed a little excited and she smiled which made Manuelle smile. The fact that the idea of spending time with him did not repulse her made him feel good. Things were strange between them to a point were he didn’t really know where they stood. One minute they were yelling at each other and the next they were enjoying each other’s company. He didn’t really understand it, but he didn’t really want to try. “Just go with it and see where it takes you,” he thought to himself.

“What? Oh, that time,” he said, snapping out of his daze. “Why doesn’t that time count? You were definitely not okay, practically scaring the shit out of me.” She really had him freaked out that day. Thank goodness he had thought to give her the potion from the vile. He didn’t know what he would have done if he had lost her.

Manuelle put his arm around her as they walked. He didn’t know why he did it, but it felt right. His arm rested lightly atop her shoulder so that if she felt uncomfortable she could easily slip away. It was too late for him to do it himself. It’d be too awkward. He turned to look at her when he heard her say something. “What’s too good to be true? The fact that I’m smart and attractive? Well, sweetheart, it is true. You can have the best of both worlds.” She’d probably smack him for being so cocky, but she had to admit that it was funny (…and true).

“So what are you going to do to entertain me, dearest guardian?” If his last comment didn’t get him a slap, this one would for sure. He knew it wasn’t her job to entertain him, but pushing her buttons was his way of flirting with her. FLIRTING?!?! He hadn’t realized that that’s what he had been doing. “I mean, ‘cause boredom is what got me into this mess, right?”


OoC: crrrraaaappppp.

oh, and your ooc comment from two posts ago "I replied like 'BAM'... well ok maybe it was more like 'baaaaaammmmm..........." had me laughing. Ah, that was funny. I dunno why. It just was... *is shutting up now*

[Razier Immori Tempest]

"You were definitely not okay, practically scaring the shit out of me.”

Razier blushed when Manuelle said he had been worried about her that day. Scared. It made her feel happy, wanted. Normally he was mean to her and made her feel unwelcome and like a burden and a villain. It was good to know that he cared at least a bit about whether she lived or died. Even if he didn't care much.

When Manuelle slid his arm around her shoulders she stiffened a moment, surprised by the gesture, but somehow it felt nice and comforting. She relaxed and smiled even, but not too much. She didn't want to give him the impression that she liked him putting his arm around her like that... like she liked him. Not a chance in Hell. Right?

“What’s too good to be true? The fact that I’m smart and attractive? Well, sweetheart, it is true. You can have the best of both worlds.”

Razier scoffed, followed shortly after by a fit of giggles she couldn't surpress. "One, don't be so cocky, and two - did you just call me sweetheart?" She laughed again and shook her head. She was going to deny him being smart and attractive, but she felt that'd be too mean. Plus she did think he was attractive. Maybe not so smart, but he didn't have much of a chance to display any intelligence he might have. So she'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

“So what are you going to do to entertain me, dearest guardian?”

As if sweetheart jokingly hadn't been enough. Dearest guardian? Razier elbowed him playfully and tossed a few stray locks of her hair out of her eyes. "Entertain you? Please. If anyone should be entertaining someone else you should be entertaining me! I don't care if your boredom was what got you into this mess. Besides, what were you thinking for entertainment? What could I possibly do?"

Suddenly deciding she wanted to freak him out or at least make him blush like he had - unknowingly though it might have been - done to her several times she smirked. "Oh my, you weren't think that were you?" She turned to him, mock shock on her face. "I mean, I know I'm sexy - irresistable, but Manuelle, really!" She turned and walked backward a few steps, but then braced her hand on his chest to stop him from walking as she too halted.

She slid her hand up his chest and to his neck. Then slowly she pulled him down until his lips were a mere inch from hers. Her smile widened and she laughed lightly, nearly brushing her lips over his. Nearly. She then pushed him away and turned - practically skipping off down the barely visible path they had been walking. "I don't entertain that way, my darling prophecy child. It's wholey inappropriate for a kid like you." She teased, looking back just briefly to wink and then continued on. "Come on - don't dillidally little one."

Gods, teasing Manuelle was so much fun and flirting with him, well - Razier would never admit she was flirting. Not with Mnauelle, never. But she was... and it felt good. She'd never flirted with any boy before, not really. She had tried, but it had been so forced and so crude that it had been a disaster. Now she wasn't conciously aware she was doing it. It just came naturally with Manuelle. And she liked it. She liked the rush of trying to make him blush and saying things she knew would get his temperature up.

Of almost kissing him. Gods - Razier had almost kissed him! She had tangoed with the idea of really doing it, but in the end it was more exhillarating to just pull away. She smirked to herself and hummed an old elven children's song that seemed lighthearted and suddenly matched her turnabout mood.

((Haha. I'm glad it amused you XP. I like to amuse people.))

[Manuelle Pearce]

Manuelle was glad that Razier didn’t pull away when he out his arm around her. He liked that they were getting more and more comfortable around each other. When he first came to the island he had been so infuriate by the fact that he had been kidnapped that he blamed everything on her. Now that things have settled down and sorted out somewhat he has gotten the change to know her a little better. None of this was really her fault at all. She just got mixed up into this mess at birth, kinda like he did.

He placed his hand over his heart as if he couldn’t believe what she had said. “Psh, I’m not being cocky…I’m just being honest with you. If being honest equates to being cocky then I guess I’m guilty as charged.” Though it probably never showed, he really was smart. Maybe not valedictorian smart, but he graduated with a four-point-something-or-other GPA. One thing he made sure that he did while in high school was try to break that ‘jock-are-dumb’ stereotype. He proved that it was possible to play sports and maintain straight A’s in honors and AP classes. It wasn’t easy, but he did it.

He was about to answer Razier’s question about what she could do to entertain him when she continued speaking. “What?? I wasn’t…” he swallowed hard. What the hell was happening? Before he had a chance to wrap his mind around the whole situation Razier had her hand on his chest. He blinked slowly as his breathing unconsciously shallowed. The temperature in his face was rising more than ever. His eyes widened to the size of golf balls when she lowered his head down to hers. Unconsciously, he licked his lips, not really sure what he should expect. This whole ordeal had surprised him to say the least. She was so close to him that he could feel her breath on his face, but before he knew it, she was skipping away.

Slowly, he closed his eyes and straightened him self out before letting a yell/groan type noise. “Razieeeerrr!!! You can’t do those kinds of things to a man and then just walk away.” If she didn’t know the effect that she had on him before she definitely knew it now. He gave himself a minute to relax before he caught up with her. He would definitely pay her back for this; he didn’t know when or how yet, but it was coming.

Razier was undoubtedly an attractive girl. More so than the girls back home. She was beautful and looked more mature than the girls in high school. He ha caught himself thinking about her more than once, but he didn’t like her like that, right? That’s what he had to keep convincing himself. The red in his face still hadn’t gone away and he was more embarrassed than before. He frowned a little bit as he got closer to her. Forever would she be his guardian and he her ‘little’ charge.

[Razier Immori Tempest]

It was amazing the effect she had had on him. She hadn't expected him to turn so red. A little sure, but he had experience with girls so she figured he'd be used to it. Not like her. She had only ever had Rhodes and she hadn't done much of anything with him. No flirting, very little kissing. She was very naïve when it came to that sort of thing... and yet it sort of came naturally. Or it seemed to currently.

When all the blood rushed to his cheeks she had felt the warmth run through his neck. It had nearly given her chills. Now as she was running off ahead of him she couldn't help but grin at the words he shouted after her. “Razieeeerrr!!! You can’t do those kinds of things to a man and then just walk away.” She giggled and felt her heart racing. It was exciting knowing that she had an effect like that on him.

She had never known she could do that to anyone. It was a great feeling. It was empowering and flattering. But her stunt - almost kissing Manuelle - was a bit of a problem. Mainly because after almost kissing him she wanted to really kiss him. Badly. However, that wasn't possible. She couldn't. It was wrong. He was her charge and she his guardian. A romantic relationship was completely out of the question.

Her attention would be lessened. She'd be less strict with him. He'd be more likely to get hurt. Or so Razier thought. In reality she'd probably be more careful with him, fight harder to keep him alive... but Razier didn't think like that. She thought anything that would make her happy was bad and wrong and impossible. She'd only mess everything up, more than just what made her happy, everything.

Razier slowed down and Manuelle caught up. He was still red in the face and Razier smirked as she looked at him. "What man did I do something to? I don't know any men around here." She joked. It was mean, but to make up for it she wrapped her arms around one of his and rested her head against his shoulder. "Oh, did you mean you?" She laughed and pulled away - sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

She was tempted to hug him, really hug him. Around his neck or his torso. She still wanted to kiss him. Suddenly curious she gave him this mischevious grin. "Out of curiosity... what would you have done if I had kissed you? Or if I at least hadn't run off so quickly?" Nothing like putting him on the spot. It was so entertaining though. "I mean... I'm no high school uh... prep squad girl?" She wasn't sure exactly what the name for them was.

"The girls who wave around those poofy things... Yeah, anyway. I'm not like them. I'm more the person on the field tackling people and beating them up." She shrugged. "However, without Rachelle here to keep you... 'happy' shall we say - you must be lonely. And with so few human girls around you'll take what you can get, no?"

She wasn't trying to say he was easy. Well, maybe she was implying that a little, but all in good fun. "Would you have... Gods, what am I asking you? Forget it." She decided then to drop it. Her questions were weird to say the least. She was making herself uncomfortable, embarrassed. Her cheeks were turning red again. So much for her empowered feeling. She turned and kept walking. They were almost back to the center by now. She only had to keep it together long enough to get to her room in the hideout and then she could freak, get it out of her system, and then be normal with Manuelle again.

Hopefully.

((um yeah by the end people kept distracting me so it sort of got messed up, confusing, not what I wante.d.. but oh well. I forgot what i did want now so...))

[Manuelle Pearce]

Manuelle didn’t even realize the effect that Razier had on him until then really. He knew that there was something there but he didn’t know to what extent exactly. Now he knew and he couldn’t her get away with that ever again. He was sure that she didn’t like him that she was only toying with, but it made him blush and that was something he NEVER did. EVER. Come to think of it, Manuelle never really liked the girls he dated back home. Well, not initially anyway. They always hinted at crushing on him first and he just went along with it, pursuing them because they were usually too shy. But this, this was a whole new thing to him. He’d never had a girl flirt with him like that before and it shocked the hell out of him more than anything, especially since it was Razier doing it.

One thing a girl should never do to a guy was tease him unless she intended to follow through later on. Reason being, when guys get “excited” like that it was hard to “calm down” again, especially when they’re caught off guard. When he got back to the hide out he was going to have to take a long cold shower to cool off. Manuelle couldn’t even believe that he had to, all because of Razier. It was unreal. “Ha, ha, ha.” He laughed sarcastically. “I’m glad you think you’re funny. I’m more of a man than Rhodes.” He added that last part under his breath. Manuelle continued walking next to her, listening to what she had to say. It was definitely interesting. He wasn’t sure what she meant by it, but that fact that she was asking was interesting enough.

Manuelle laughed a little. “They’re called cheerleaders…and it’s Raquel by the way,” he said before letting her continue. He was a little surprised. She was being very bold in asking him these questions. His game, however, was one thing he was not shy about. In fact, he may have been a bit over confident. Regardless, he had no qualms in answering Razier’s questions. “Hey, hey, hey! Don’t tell me to forget it. You asked, I’ll answer.” He noticed her blushing and it made him smile. He didn’t know why she was doing it, well, he had an idea, but he didn’t want to make assumptions.

“Well, I have to admit. It’s been very hard being here without someone to keep me ‘happy’. If you’re offering…don’t punch me. I’m just kidding.” He braced himself just incase she did punch him. “What would I have done?” Oh boy, was it time for payback. “See, I might have pulled you close to me like this.” He took her arm in his hand and lightly pulled her very close to him. “Then I might have tilted you head like this.” He put his hand up to her chin and tilted her head a little. His other hand rested unconsciously on her waist. “Then I might have brought my lips really close to yours like this.” He lowered his head so that their lips were almost touching. Almost. “And then I might’ve kissed you back.” His voice lowered as he said that last part then his lips curled into a smooth grin. “Buuut…” he said, stepping away from her. “Since it didn’t actually happen I guess we’ll never know, will we?”

There was no way that things were going to be the same between them anymore. There was definitely a sexual tension that sparked. The only thing left was to decide whether or not anything would actually come of it. Wherever his sister was she was not going to believe this when she finally came back. But who said that there’d be anything to tell?

OoC: I'm not sure I like how I ended mine either.

[Razier Immori Tempest]

"Raquel... right. Whatever." Razier waved her hand nonchalantly. She cared about his exgirlfriend's name why? It wasn't like Raquel was some goddess that Razier would have trouble matching up to. Please. Razier was ten times better than that ... easy target. Not that she'd say that. Even if she had heard Manuelle protest that he was more of a man than Rhodes. She wouldn't lessen her standards and compare herself to Rachelle. Uh, Raquel. 'Whatever.' She thought again.

She groaned when Manuelle continued. Why had she asked? Now - being stubborn like he was - Manuelle was determined to give her an answer. She had expected words, but not the actions. Manuelle pulled her close and tilted her chin up, he brought his lips close to hers and then he too played the game and pulled away. Razier's cheeks had to have gone ten shades of red and her breath caught in her throat. When he pulled away she let out a heavy sigh and then turned her attention to trees in the opposite direction of Manuelle until she calmed down.

"Oh, is that all?" She said - trying to sound indifferent. He was good. He was very good at this flirting game. He made Razier's stomach knot up... in the good way. His touch made her hypersensitive to everything. She could have sworn she felt her blood rushing through her veins. Not just the pulse, but the flow of the liquid in general. She had never felt anything like it, not even in her training when she had to learn to be hyperaware over everything.

After a few moments she felt like she was back to normal so she turned back to him. Why did she have this urge to torture him and herself by making it an all out war to see who could make the other crawl in their skin - in the good way - more? It was so messed up. He was her charge! She was supposed to be his guardian, his mentor, his trainer. Professional. Not a lover. She was not supposed to fall in love with him. She couldn't stress that enough to herself because no matter how much she was stressing it to herself it didn't stop her urges.

It was so bad that when he had joked about her 'offering' she almost thought for a moment she was. Almost. For a second. Gods, she needed to just take a breather, a moment to herself. She might also need to go to the temple and train - to remind herself that guardians and charges, teachers and students, could not have romantic relationships. She couldn't leave Manuelle alone though. She sighed she'd have to bring him with her.

"Manuelle, I might need to go to the temple for a while. I won't leave you at the hideout. You'd just go get yourself in trouble again. So, you'll have to come with me. Ok?" She asked, turning to look at him. "You'll be safe there, plus I'll be around. There's a lot more to do there too. A lot more people, tunnels to explore, all that. You should be entertained and comfortable for the few days I'll need to be there. Girls you can flirt with - trust me, the temple apprentices will be plenty eager to flirt with a handsome boy."

"Most of the girls on the island are more talented than the boys. No offense to the males, they just seem to be." She smirked and shrugged. "I don't have any pressing matters, so whenever you decide you're ready to leave we will. And really trust me when I say you'll be occupied. I mean I've lived there basically my whole life and I'm still finding passageways and other little rooms and stuff. Some of which haven't been used since the beginning of the temple. Dust everywhere."

Razier smiled, remembering spending countless hours as a child searching the temple and playing in empty rooms. She used to clean some of them up and 'move in'. She'd often pretend she lived somewhere else and she was normal, just a kid with friends and a family. It was both fun and sad. She tried to only remember it as fun though. Otherwise she'd start thinking about her parents and get herself into a funk for days. That was the last thing she wanted right now.

[Manuelle Pearce]

It was starting to sound as if Razier didn’t like Raquel that much. Manuelle didn’t really giver her and reason to like her, but it just seemed a bit odd…as if she were jealous. “Nah,” he thought to himself. There was absolutely nothing for Razier to be jealous about. Raquel was an unfaithful slut as mean as that sounded. No one would have ever wanted to be anything like her. Razier was a much better girl than Raquel was. She was prettier, smarter, and even stronger than her. Everytime he thought about Raquel he felt more and more stupid for ever going out with her but even worse for staying with her that long.

Manuelle just stood there as he watched her react. He hadn’t expected her to react that way. It made him smile. He had no idea that he had that kind of effect on her. Is that all?? She couldn’t be serious. It seemed she was feeling the exact same way he had only a few moments ago. He didn’t want to read into it too much; maybe she was just a little sensitive.

He waited for her to compose herself. “You okay there, Razier?” He was still smiling. HE couldn’t get it to go away. Suddenly she said that she had to go to the temple for a while. He didn’t mind at all, it just seemed a bit strange that that’s what she’d say after everything that just happened. “Okay,” he said kind of flatly. He had no desires to flirt with any other girls except for Razier at this point. He liked the feeling, indescribable as it was, that he got when he was doing it. Ear perking, he back tracked a bit. “Did you just call me handsome?” So she was looking at him…sorta.

“Sounds fun I suppose. I’ll go wherever you need me to. You beating my ass is the last thing I want right now.” Besides, he really didn’t mind going with her at all. It was quite the contrary though he’d never admit it.