Unlikely Acquaintances | one x one

[mew,]

That's alright. It happens to me a lot x3

I scoffed lightly when Caz mentioned coffee. I really liked coffee and it did indeed help me a little, but if I drank too much of it, it made me feel a little sick. The idea that wizards didn't have coffee was absolutely absurd. True... The plants and animals in the magical world were a little different, but we also had many of the same things as humans. And not having coffee would be ridiculous. With a sigh, I replied to Caz, "Yes, wizards have coffee. No, I don't drink coffee much. It doesn't necessarily agree with my stomach when I do." I shrugged slightly, looking at Caz as I explained the main reason why I was so tired. "I was drawing last night and sort of lost track of time..." A little more so than usual. I would likely be feeling pretty tired for a while, but it would go away eventually. When I went back home later, I'd fix my hair and such, taking care of matters then. I had Caz with me now and I doubted she wanted to go back to my home right now. If she wished, she could tag along after we got things and I checked that I had everything to make the potions, but I was pretty sure that Caz wouldn't want to go to my house... Unless she liked Turtle as much as it had seemed when they met. I think Turtle really liked her, too. She was a friendly cat, but never that friendly towards me. I was pulled out of my thoughts as Caz continued to speak. It's not necessarily fashion advice as it is a suggestion so I'd look... Well, less like a mess, which I totally was at the moment. I let out a small laugh and looked at Caz. "I dunno. Maybe the girl doesn't look that bad in t-shirts and leggings..." It was only a murmur, but I realised that I had said it out loud only after I had said it. Without letting Caz say anything else in response, I apparated to where I needed to be.
The store was a relatively small one with far fewer people than the others that I might need to go to later. As I walked in, I took a look around and quickly found the area where the ingredients to the wolfsbane potion would probably be. Most of it was decently priced except for one thing... But I could afford it. I really didn't want to steal from this place. It was hard enough for the place when not many people went to it. Taking the three things I needed, I walked over to the counter. There was a pretty redhead standing on the other side, her green eyes defying her peppy attitude. She looked like she absolutely hated her job despite how she was speaking to other people with a bright and happy tone. I don't blame you. This place sounds like a boring place to be. But as her gaze found my face, she flipped her hair and flashed me a rather charming and seemingly genuine smile, greeting me with enthusiasm. "Hello! What can I help you with?" Ugh... Socialising. I forgot about that part. I didn't say much as I just nodded in recognition of her greeting, putting the things I was buying onto the counter. "Just these..." I pulled out the money I needed and handed it to her. As she sorted out the change I'd get back, she pulled out a pen and wrote on a piece of paper. I stood there impatiently, almost forgetting that Caz was even there. This was stupid... What was she even doing? With another smile then a wink, she gave me the change with the paper as well as the things I'd bought. I took it and walked away, only glancing at the paper before shoving it in my pocket. It was a phone number with "call me" written on it. I rolled my eyes at this. Yeah, right. I had no interest in people that only liked what they saw. It wasn't like this happened to me much, but it certainly had happened before and it bothered me. As we walked out, I looked at Caz. Right... "So I think this is all I need. Want me to take you home?"

[art_dancer]

I didn't hear the last of what Chase had said, and I was going to ask him to repeat it, but before I could ask him anything, we apparated. I watched as Chase picked out the three things he needed, waiting by the door as he went to pay for the items. After last time, I was actually a bit surprised he was paying for these, but I didn't say anything about it. I really didn't care how he got the ingredients, I was just thankful he was helping me. Even though there was a bit of distance between where I was standing and the counter where Chase had stood to pay for the three things we needed, I could still see what was going on. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but I saw her write something down on a paper, and the way she was looking at Chase. I looked away, my hands forming fists before I shoved them in the pockets of my jacket. I realized that I was getting angry for no reason, but I guess it wasn't for no reason. I was jealous, but why was I jealous? Chase and I weren't dating, he didn't even know I liked him! He could get a girlfriend or go on a date with her right now, and there was nothing I could do about that. This really shouldn't be bothering me as much as it is. When Chase walked back over to me, I followed him outside... and I may have looked back and glared at the redhead girl as we were leaving, but it didn't matter. It only happened if someone else saw it, right? When Chase asked about taking me back home, I have to stop myself from frowning. I wanted to go with him, but I'm sure he was going back to his home to finish the potion, and I'd only get in his way. "Okay," I say simply, before adding, "you know where my apartment is. Just come get me when the potion is done. And as much as I know you want to finish that drawing, if you could wait to finish it until after the potion is done, that would be great. I just really don't want to hurt anyone else." I didn't realize I said anyone else until it came out of my mouth. As in, I've already hurt someone before, you just don't know about it. Not wanting to explain it, I say to him, "I want to see your drawing when it's finished too, but you can't do any of that here, so let's go."

[mew,]

When should Caz lose her jacket and get locked out? Like Maybe after being dropped off she could go do something or see someone, forgetting her jacket with them and losing her keys somewhere? Then by the time she gets back it could be kind of late and start raining then she'd be locked out. It's just an idea.

As Caz said to take her to her apartment, I nodded. Of course she'd want to get back home. I didn't know why I half-hoped that perhaps she'd want to come with me. But I knew that it wasn't going to happen. It was probably best for me not to be distracted anyway. The wolfsbane potion was not easy to make and if prepared incorrectly could be extremely poisonous. I opened my mouth to reply that I wasn't going to finish the drawing most likely because after I made the wolfsbane potion I'd get right to work on the other one, but what Caz said after the thing about the drawing made me tense a little. Anyone else? As in you've already hurt someone?You couldn't be referring to me because you didn't really hurt me. You just attacked me, but I wasn't injured. I opened my mouth to question her about it, but she quickly continued speaking. She clearly didn't want me to ask or know about it. So instead, I gave her a slightly concerned look. I would have hidden it, but I hadn't been prepared for it and it just came to me so naturally. And, as anyone who really knew me could predict, I easily blamed myself for this. I wasn't there... I knew it wasn't really my fault, but I couldn't stop that thought that I had been responsible for making the potion and I hadn't been there to help in the first place. The issues were starting to stack up and no matter what Caz had told me earlier, I was bound to blame myself. With a very light sigh, I held out my arm for Caz so we could apparate. I didn't bother to ask. If she didn't want to tell me, I wouldn't press her... right now.
After apparating, we arrived at her apartment and I gave her a glance. "Okay. Well, I'll see you when the potion is done... or tomorrow. Whatever comes first," I muttered the last part before saying, "I've got a lot of work to do on it, so I'd better get started asap." I wanted to stay there with her to make sure she didn't shift. Or was it for more reasons than just that? Okay, so I wanted to do that because I wanted to keep her safe and maybe just to spend time with her. But I obviously wasn't going to say that. "Be careful..." I said, breaking eye contact with her and leaving to my house where I would get to work on that potion. I had to finish it before anything else happened.

[art_dancer]

(( I thought that Caz was going to leave her jacket at home while she went to the forest to dance, then realize that she lost her keys, and it could be raining ))

I glance away as he gives me a concerned look. I didn't need that. I already knew that it was bad, I didn't need him telling, or well, not telling me that it was bad. I was happy he didn't ask about it more, not really like I gave him a chance to ask. I would tell him eventually... maybe. I just really didn't want him blaming himself for something he didn't do. I was the one who killed the person. Not him. After we apparate, I look back over at him, and say, "okay. I'll see you then." As he tells me to be careful, I simply nod, watching him leave to go back to his home. I wanted to reach out and grab his arm, but I didn't. I knew that he would need silence to work on the potion, and I knew that I couldn't be quiet. I would see him later... or tomorrow, whichever came first. Once he was gone, I walked back inside my apartment, taking off my jacket. Letting out a sigh, I decide to check my phone to see if Paige had texted. I hadn't talked to her since last night after she left me with Chase. At first I had been annoyed with her, but now I was actually happy she left me. I was able to spend more time with him because of her.

[mew,]

Ah, I forgot. Sorry.
That works.


When I got back home, I got out all of the things which I had gotten for the potion. Turtle came up and sniffed one of them, wincing as the smell hit her nose. Shrinking away, she moved back to where she had been, trying to get Zima to play with her. I sighed and got to work, looking at my notes to make sure I was doing it correctly. It was stressful to try to get the measurements and timing exact... I was so worried about messing it up. I could always try again, but the longer it took me to do this the more people are in danger. And the longer Caz had to deal with her issue. I didn't want her to have to go through this. I could only imagine being in her place. I would be terrified of what I could do... And I would be desperate for a cure. If it became a real issue and I had no help... I'd probably even kill myself. I'd rather die than be the cause of deaths of innocent people... My thoughts lead to how hunters could ever kill without actually knowing a person. I found it hard to believe that Caz actually killed... How could I like her like this when she killed people? I understood that there were a lot of werewolf and vampire attacks... But it was all a part of nature. What would happen to... Say, cats... if everything they ate or preyed on killed them back? There would be no cats. The solution to having a predator isn't to kill them. It just... It was wrong. Why did the humans think there were no human hunters? Because everything else knew that all of the creatures were needed regardless of what they did. Everything created a balance. And killing things just changed it all.
Despite my thoughts, I still couldn't push away the fact that I really did like Caz. I didn't want to... But I couldn't change what my subconscious decided. If I could, I wouldn't care about anyone or anything. The pain of everything wouldn't be so bad... i wouldn't have to deal with the pain of knowing that my sister had gone insane... Of the knowledge that my father couldn't give a damn about me and Jack was now in the hospital due to mental damage. I wouldn't have to like Caz like I did. And I wouldn't have ever met or lost Emily. Was it worth caring if you just got more trouble from it? That was a question I couldn't answer.
I pulled myself from my thoughts, knowing that I needed to concentrate on what I was doing. If I screwed up, I'd need to start over. That was one of the last things that I wanted right now.

[art_dancer]

(( It's okay ))

It didn't take long for Paige to reply back to me, only to tell me that she was busy. I guess she had other friends in town that she was meeting up with today. It made sense. Unlike me who usually just talked to the other hunters, Paige liked meeting other people and having lots of friends. I'd rather have my small group of friends that really knew me instead of a lot of friends that I didn't really know. Letting out a sigh, I decide that I should take a drive to the forest. Maybe a little bit of dancing could help clear my mind. It would take a while for Chase to make the potion, he didn't even know if he would finish it today. If he came back while I was gone, then I'm sure he could always wait at my apartment for me, or check back later. I grab my pair of ballet shoes and my bag, leaving my jacket. I wouldn't need that if I was just going to the forest, and it would only get in the way while I was dancing. Walking back outside and getting into my truck, I drive towards our cabin, knowing I would need to be careful not to be seen. The last thing I needed was Adam coming to find me. I didn't want him getting hurt in case I shifted again... or I didn't want to get hurt in case he didn't realize it was me and thought that I was just a werewolf. I mean, I was a werewolf now, but I was also the little girl he took care of when no one else did. Once I got out of the truck, I brought my bag, placing it near a tree. I took off my shoes, putting them in the bag before slipping on my ballet shoes and playing some music from my phone. At first I started creating a dance, but then I decided to work on a few tricks as well, like flips and such. I didn't do them much, but between hunting and dancing, I had the strength for them. Even though I hadn't practiced them in a while, most of them worked, but I messed up on a few. I had an idea to try and do a back flip off of one of the lower tree branches... but I found out it wasn't such a good idea, or at least not for me. Yeah... I could have really got hurt, but luckily, I didn't. As I look up at the sky, I could see that it was getting late, and there were some dark clouds as well, like it might rain soon. Picking up my bag, I decide to go home so I could get inside before it started raining. I didn't want to get my ballet shoes all muddy. I already knew they weren't new, but I still tried to keep them slightly good so I could still use them for dancing.

[mew,]

It took a long time for me to get even close to halfway done. I sighed and rested for a while as I waited for the right time to add the last ingredient. This was taking a long time and I was getting impatient. I started to drift off, but Turtle came up to me, causing me to realise that I had been close to falling asleep. Picking her up, I set her back on the ground to get her out of the way and checked the clock. Now. Putting in the last thing, I waited for the reaction, hoping that I had done it right. And there it was. A faint blue smoke rose from the potion and I grinned at knowing that I had actually done it right. I was surprised. I rarely made potions. I was more advanced at casting spells, including nonverbal ones. But the potions were a bit harder for me to do. Pouring a small amount into a glass bottle, I sealed it before clearing off the area. Now I could give this to Caz. It was such a relief to know that I had at least gotten this part done. It would prevent her from losing her mind when she shifted. Pulling on my jacket, I grab my wand and the small bottle then apparate to Caz's apartment.

sorry it's short.

[art_dancer]

(( It's okay. Mine is short too ))

As I parked my truck, it had already started lightly raining, but if I could get inside quick enough, then I'd be okay. I had a song stuck in my head from before, so I was humming it as I walked up to the door of my apartment. Switching between humming to singing the words, I quickly looked through my bag, trying to find my keys. I wasn't an amazing singer. I didn't know how to read music or what each note was, but I thought my singing sounded okay. I didn't really try to sing to be good at it, I just sang to myself. My singing got softer before it stopped, realizing I couldn't find my keys. Then I remembered... they were still inside. "No," I say, reaching for the doorknob, hoping that I forgot to lock it. I didn't. "No, no, no," I say, my voice getting louder now as I tried opening the door, but of course it didn't help. I slammed my fist on the door, before letting out a sigh. The rain was starting to get worse now, and I was stuck outside with no jacket and no way of getting in. I rub my forehead, saying, "ugh. I'm such an idiot. How could I be stupid enough to lock myself out of my own apartment? I'm sure Chase doesn't have this problem." There I go again, thinking about him when he wasn't even here.

[mew,]

I appeared at Caz's apartment, quickly realising that I was now standing in the rain. Just as I glanced around, it got heavier and it was now dumping large drops of water. I groaned slightly as I pulled up my hood, my hair already wet. I hated rain... Well, I hated being in rain, to be specific. Dark, rainy days were the best in my opinion. I just didn't like the part about getting wet. "Great," I muttered, looking for Caz's specific apartment. It took me a moment. I hadn't apparated right by it; I had been in a hurry and I guess I was a little off. Hurrying towards the one I believed to be hers, I tried to hide under my jacket, which was starting to get soaked anyway. It was still warm despite the fact that the outside was wet and cold. Clasping my hands together to try to keep them warmer and out of the rain, I approached Caz's apartment. I saw someone by the door just standing there in the rain and wondered why they were there. After looking closer, I realised that it was Caz standing outside in the rain. Why?... Maybe she lost her keys? Or she was doing something... I could hear her voice saying things and I listened for a moment. Hurrying up to her, I took my hands out of my pockets and set one on her shoulder to get her attention. "What the hell are you doing just standing here in the rain?" I asked over the sound of the thickening storm. Without waiting for an answer, I took off my jacket and put it around her. I was wearing a white short-sleeved t-shirt underneath, but I ignored the fact that I was now getting very wet and the shirt was turning slightly transparent, sticking to my skin uncomfortably. I felt a little self-conscious even if there was nothing to feel self-conscious about. I didn't like this at all... But it was more important to me that Caz was taken care of. Without my jacket on, my hair got soaked through, now flattened and sticking to my face slightly. Pushing it out of the way, I sighed. I knew I had heard Caz talking before I got closer, but I didn't really pay attention to that now. We were standing in the rain and I didn't really have words to say. I was thinking. Well, my first thought was that I had just put my jacket on Caz without even giving it a second thought. That wasn't something I'd usually do, especially while I was wearing clothes completely unsuited for the situation. The second thing was that now, I was standing quite close to her; closer than necessary for a normal conversation. Seeing her in something of my own again was oddly adorable even if she was very wet. We were standing outside her house... It was raining... And she had no way to get in at the moment. With a sigh, I said, "Well... You can come with me. I finished the potion, but you need to get somewhere dry." I didn't like the idea of walking into my house soaking wet, but what else could I do? Leave her here? No. I couldn't just unlock the door, although I knew there was indeed a spell for that. I didn't know what it was and even if I did, it was quite advanced. The second problem was that the rain didn't seem to be lightening and didn't look like it would anytime soon. This was not a good situation to be in.

[art_dancer]

I actually hadn't noticed that someone was coming up behind me until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I flinch as his hand touches me, but only because I didn't realize it was Chase until I turned around. If I would have known that earlier, I wouldn't have cared as much. Hearing his question, I roll my eyes, ready to give some sarcastic reply, but then he puts his jacket around me. I glance down at his shirt, before quickly looking away, trying to think of what to say. "I was... I locked myself out of my apartment," I tell him, raising my voice slightly so I could be heard over the rain. Honestly, I felt a bit embarrassed right now. I mean really, who locks themselves out of their own home? I pulled Chase's jacket tighter around me, but I was already soaked. I don't know why he decided to give me his jacket again, but I knew he wouldn't have done it if he liked the person as just a friend.... right? It took me a moment to figure out that if Chase was here, he probably finished the potion, which was very good news. Before I can ask him, he already says he's finished it, and he tells me I can come with him. I smile slightly, only hoping that he thought it was because of the potion and not because I'd get to spend more time with him. "Okay, thank you," I tell him simply. Knowing that we would apparate to get there, I grab his arm, his bare arm, before he holds it out to me. We were already standing so close to each other. I was holding his arm, but at the last second, I moved my hand to take his hand instead. If he asked, I would act as if I didn't know what he was talking about, or that my hand must have just slipped. I was already touching his skin anyways, why not hold his hand?