Again and Again (Open)

[Leif Adamson]

The sun went down on yet another day filled with... nothing. The walls of her apartment were beginning to drive her crazy, and she had no food left in her fridge. She looked around for something, but found only a banana peel and an apple core. Nothing edible. Sighing, she finally decided it was time to... get out. To go and do SOMETHING.

She grabbed her army green jacket and turned around to head out. She didn't bother to lock the door behind herself as she headed out and onto the streets. She had no idea where she was going, or if she even really wanted to eat. All she knew was... she wanted out. 

The streets were obviously not the kindest, but she had seen worse, many times over. The gangs and the homelessness were nothing to her. They didn't bother her at all. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket and simply... wandered.

[Xowie Evil]

Xowie no longer felt safe in her apartment, not after the voices had invaded it, too. She had asked her neighbors for help, but unfortunately, they wouldn't even give her the time of day. So, she instead opted to wander the moonlight streets. At least this way, she could escape the voices, if only briefly, so she could catch her breath.

She stood tall in a black floral kimono, both hands tightly clasped around the stem of a beautiful red rose she had found on her way out. It brought her a strange sense of comfort, as if it would ward all evil away from her as long as she held it close.

Her bright red eyes shone like spotlights as she turned out of an alleyway and onto the sidewalk, her head swiveling carefully as she inspected her surroundings. It was... strangely peaceful, with only a few wandering souls in sight.

[Leif Adamson]

Leif wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around her. She kept her gaze, for the most part, focused on the ground just in front of her feet. She passed by a kiosk selling fruits, the man behind it distracted on his phone, and managed to grab an apple from the bundle without being caught. She walked on by as if nothing had happened.

Turning the corner, still distracted, she almost collided with another person, and she took a step back, gripping her apple carefully in order to not bruise it. Her bright blue eyes flashed up as she took in the appearance of another lost soul.

"Sorry 'bout that..." she murmured quietly.

[Xowie Evil]

Xowie was too captivated by the scenery to notice the other person as they both turned the corner, which made their almost collision all the more surprising. Xowie yelped as she noticed the new mass in front of her, stepping back and almost falling into the wall as she fought for her balance.

Her wide red eyes suddenly turned paler, as did the rest of her features, and she began to hyperventilate.

[Leif Adamson]

Leif stared at the stranger for a moment. She was panicking, that much was obvious, but it was the shift in eye color that made everything suddenly shift into focus. The skin on her arms lifted and she felt the pulse of electricity through her body.

"Hey, its okay," she cooed, almost as if speaking to an injured or frightened animal. She kept her hands in her pockets and forced her posture to relax. "Shh, now. Its okay. I'm sorry I ran into you..."

[Xowie Evil]

Xowie covered her face with her hands and slid down the wall, fighting for her breath.

[Leif Adamson]

Leif lowered herself at the same pace as the girl, careful not to hover over her at all. She continued to coo softly.

"Shh, now. Take a deep breath... Come on, breathe with me. Ready? In..." She inhaled slowly, deeply. "Out..." She let go of her breath, also slowly and deeply, trying to show the stranger what to do. "We are going to do it again, okay? Come on, sweetie. In... out..."

[Xowie Evil]

Xowie mimicked the woman's breathing until she finally managed to calm down. It wasn't until then that she uncovered her face, and her wide, bright red eyes shone into Leif's with sincerity and curiosity.

"I'm sorry," She murmured to the woman, gracefully returning to her feet.

[Leif Adamson]

The girl jumped up so quickly, it almost gave Leif a bit of whiplash. She was a bit slower to rise to her feet, her hands once more going to her jacket pockets. She gave a little shrug of her shoulders.

"No big deal. I've seen panic attacks before. You're fine."

[Xowie Evil]

Xowie tied her hands behind her back as she observed the woman in front of her, gripping the stem of the rose harshly. She was embarrassed that THAT was how they started their interaction, so it made her a bit more self conscious than usual. But, she didn't seem to mind much, and that took a little weight off of her shoulders.

"Are you also restless?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

[Leif Adamson]

Leif looked the girl up and down for a moment, before her attention refocused once more on her eyes. They were the same bright red they had been before the panic attack, and she assumed her first guess had been right. The change in color was indicative of... something, though she wasn't quite sure what.

"Always," she murmured, offering the girl a ghost of a smile, something that once might have been bright and beautiful but had since died into an almost empty expression.

[Xowie Evil]

Xowie stared blankly at the woman, tilting her head even more when she answered the question. She decided this woman was beautiful, but lost, and on the run to and from something she did not know. Xowie didn't like to make assumptions about people, but based on her response to that simple question, that was what first impression said.

She nodded to herself.

"Would it be rude to ask for your name?"

[Leif Adamson]

"Not at all. I'm Leif. And you don't have to worry about being rude. What's your name?"

She continued to speak quietly, making a conscious effort not to spook the poor girl. She tapped her fingers together in her pockets, trying to get that bolt of electricity to quiet itself just under her skin. Everything in her screamed 'danger, Will Robinson,' but the girl looked so... helpless. So small. She knew that looks could be deceiving, but there was something about her that just seemed... Well, almost kindred.

[Xowie Evil]

"Xowie, X-O-W-I-E," She chirped, swaying her torso from side to side a few times.

She decided Leif wasn't going to hurt her, and dropped her hands back to her side. She loosened her grip on the rose and held it up for a moment as she remembered it was there. She contemplated briefly, then extended her arm to Leif, holding the rose up in front of her.

"I want you to have this."

[Leif Adamson]

Leif looked slightly startled by the girl's offer. She glanced at the flower and then back up at her before reaching out to gently take it from her.

"Isn't this yours, though?" she asked quietly, with a tilt of her head.