The older 'dragon grinned, had she been slightly more mild-tempered she would have blushed, but that wasn't in Kat's personality. Instead she just let that same irremovable smile sit on her face. It soon faded though, so perhaps it was not so irremovable as she had thought. He enjoyed solitude? That certainly was not a good sign. Or was it? Had someone who so loved peace and quiet and just being alone actually thought it worth giving up his usual habits just to talk to her? Nub did not seem like he was simply here t be polite. That and he was sharing his 'secret' labs with her. Her. Katrina. Someone he had only just met. The silvery 'dragon could not help but become lost in the little fantasies that followed. Her mind played out a scene in the courtyard. Just sitting. Nothing really special, save for the two of them talking and laughing... and then there was something else that the little film showed in her head. Just touching... Oh goodness, Kat had gotten so wrapped up in this one little notion that was likely never to happen. Science. Yes that was it. She was going to witness science any moment now. That should bring her back to her senses. Test tubes, aprons, beakers, clamps. The same things she always loved so much only these would be filled with slightly less than organic substances. That was only another reason to like Nub though. This was pure insanity, there was no getting around it. She did not have time for 'relationships'. She just didn't. Katrina tried to convince herself of this as they walked back into the fading sunshine of the courtyard. "What good are aerobatics if there's no one to share them with?" Kat asked with a wry grin. He could have asked her the same question about her music, but Katrina was not thinking about it at the moment. "I'm sure I can persuade you to be friends with me if I really tried at it." She laughed and the grin went back to it's oh-so-familiar spot on her face.
She wanted to be friends? With him? He once again all but beamed at this. "You need not go through all this trouble to be my friend, Kat." said Nub, grinning wildly, "I know we met in most unusual circumstances, and most recently as well, yet I feel you could could be the very 'dragon to rescue me from my solitude..." He paused, aware that all this was leading to was soppiness and unrequited corniness, "... You are right, Aerobatics with a friend could prove to be far more entertaining. Besides, a compagnon as skilled in the art of sandwich making is rare, and to refuse would be unwise!" His head felt light as it filled with thoughts of further interaction with Katrina, yet a part of him still felt fear for her safety as it thought of all that lurked in the basement levels... "Friends?" he proposed, not quite sure why he was giving out his paw to shake. <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Sorry for the shortness of my post. At the moment, school eats up my life, o-l and r-l...</td></tr></table>
((OOC: No worries. I understand the horror that is IB. But I'm done now!!! Yay, you may post when you have time.)) The bouncy 'dragon took his paw in both of hers and pumped her arms vigorously. "I concur," she chirped. This would be simply lovely. Going to the basement levels again that is. Then of course, she wouldn't be actually exploring that odd chamber again... She never had figued out what that room had been about. It still plagued her today. A little nagging vice at the back of her head. That was not important now though, so she let one paw fall to her side and let her thoughts return to the present. Perhaps they could make a habit of wandering the grounds with their fingers intertwined. Kat grinned at him and continued to walk down the flower-strewn path. Katrina had been through this place nearly every day, but it had never really seemed as beautiful as it did right then. The sun was longing to set and still more violet petals from the trees above floated gracefully to the ground. The fact that they were up to mischeif only perfected the moment. "What else have you been cooking up, aside from your ukep?" the 'dragon asked, glancing at a bench that had a rather nice hole in it with a weed growing nearby. She smiled once more and returned her gaze to the pathway.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>*steals Spork* Pokes school to death.</td></tr></table> Nub, though a little embarrassed, smirked a little when, instead of leaving his, Kat's paw stayed in his, their fingers interwining. Someone had once joked that if he spent anymore time in a lab, his precious Ukep would be the closest thing to a girlfriend he would ever have. Not that Kat was his girldfriend as such, of course not, but she was most definitely a girl and they had just agreed they were friends, so... So. So? "You're losing your mind. No wait, that happened long ago." He couldn't afford to be careless. Not now, not where they were going... The Basement Levels were seldom kind to the absentminded. A wrong turn could mean serious trouble... And he felt he would seriously harm any who tried anything funny with his new friend. "Great, first romantic, then suicidal and now homicidal thoughts?" "What else have you been cooking up, aside from your ukep?" Brought back to reality, Nubajek was grateful for the diversion. "Well..." , he began, redenning slightly, "Ukep is really my first "real" invention. The only one worth mentionning. My other inventions are trivial... It might make you laugh but... You know those pens and quills that write with rainbow ink? Well I sorta invented those. The ink, that is. Once I figured out which porperties of which chemicals produced what colours when in contact with air and paper etc. Quite simple really." The Rainbow Pens were actually quite a hit amongst the Janardan population. The feminine half of the population, that is.
He was right, because she did laugh as the information hit her ears. "Really? Did you make any profit off of that?" Kat continued to laugh and shook her head a little. "That's excellent," Calming herself, Katrina looked up at him. Not all inventions had to be meaningful. If inventions brought joy to the populous, why shouldn't they be made? Certainly, it had been a good idea. True, Katrina found his ukep much more impressive, but now she knew that Nubajek had his creative side as well. The end of the courtyard was coming nearer. It seemed that time had sped up since their last trek through here. Despite the fact that Katrina knew where SHE entered the basement levels from time to time, Kat had no clue where Nub would be leading her. There were many entrances, secret and non-secret alike, that led to different areas of the basements. Yes, it was best to let her friend lead the way. In the meantime, she could just go over the little plan that was forming in her head. It was all the fault of her hormones really, but she probably wan't going to go through with this plan of her's anyway, so why couldn't she dream? They would enter the basement levels, yes, and then he would lead her to his labs and show her around. After she had taken the time to marvel at his laboratory equipment, as she knew she would, Kat would fall into another casual conversation. Somehow, she would switch gears a little during said conversation and find a way to talk about Nub was all alone... Perhaps that was a bad idea, but she supposed words would come to her when the moment came. In any case, she would try to leave him with an urge to get to know her better. She had to, becaue there was nothing that she wanted more than to get to know him as best she could.... Waiting for his reply, the 'dragon brought herself bac to her senses.
Emerald pupils still riveted to the floor, Nub listened apprehensively as she laughed. He tried to smile goodheartedly, but his blush would not subside. All the long hours Nub had spent experimenting with the different chemicals and the colours they would produced had just been for fun. He had marvelled at the different colours he could come up with, using the right chemicals in there right proportions, for it was the creativity involved in Alchemy made him loved it so much. He had named the ink "Polychroma". When a physics-crazed classmate had suggested they incorporate his Polychroma into specially modified quills, to later sell them off and share the profits, he readily had accepted for he had been in dire need of money to finance his research. The Rainbow Quill was born. It was an immediate success, and Nub had been able to buy better equipement for his secret labs. "Indeed, I got 50% of the profits", he grinned, "It is with this money that I was able to buy the equipement to prefect my Ukep further." He still received a fair bit every month, thanks to the honesty of his pragmatic partner. Looking up, Nubajek realised they were nearing one of the many hidden entrances to the Basement Levels. They had nearly reached the end of the courtyard, and were now facing an ivy covered brick wall. Applying a slight presure to Kat's paw, he indicated that they should stop. Relunctantly freeing his paw from hers, he expertly pushed away some free branches of ivy, revealing first a doorknob, then the wooden door it belonged to. Fumbling in his pocket, he soon extracted a small copper key. "Ready?" he asked, as he slid the key into the lock.
"As always," she rplied softly, looking over the door. This had never been one of her favorite entrances. It was always so hard to find an opportunity to use it, what with all the students around. Katrina held her breath as the key fit into the slot. Oh the naughty comparissons she made in her head. She chastised herself harshly and smiled at him. "Hurry up though, Nub." Katrina didn't mind breaking the rules every now and then, but she wasn't to keen on being caught. Still, rules were rules, and they usually weren't made without purpose. True, some of those reasons were not as good as others, but Kat was still concious of authority. <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Um.... I don't know what else to say.... bad post, hee hee! ^__^</td></tr></table>
Being an orphan, authority had never meant much to Nub. The youth believed some rules had been made to be broken. Of course, he did not condone anything that would harm others, or defy what was to him the fundamental law of "live and let live". Freedom of action and thought, yes, as long as it didn't infringe on someone else's. But Kat was, of course, right. He should have chosen a more secret entrance. Being caught now would prove to be quite terrible. Nodding, he quickly turned the key and pushed the door open, revealing a a dimly lit flight of stone stairs leading into the darkness. He held the door open for his companion and gently closed and locked the door behind them. As he entered, he muttered a simple combustion charm, causing his tail's flame to glow more intensely, resulting in a bright aura, an envelope of light, surrounding them. "I trust you have been into the forbidden levels before?" he half whispered, grinning. His low voice was barely audible. He closed his eyes, trying not to think of how beautiful Kat looked in the glow of the fire and not to give in to the sudden impulses that plagued his mind.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>So sorry I haven't replied, I was waiting for that topic reply alert thing to show up in my inbox... I think it's busted. O__o Oh.. and /I was just thinking... stairs aren't something I would like if I had 4 legs... I'm thinkng they would have used ramps.... Just a thought.</td></tr></table> Katrina smirked and tilted her chin up a little bit. "You aren't mistaken there," she said in the same half-whisper. That was not supposed to come out quite so snobbish as it did, so the young 'dragon decided to amend her earlier statement. "Not so many times as you though, I'm sure. You've explored and become quite more familiar with the place than I have, right?" Her eyes seemed to laugh despite any audible display of her amusement. I was so dark down here and Nubajek just seemed to fit right in with these surroundings. The little patches of white caught her eye even more as she tried to look him over inconspicuously in the flickering light. What were these thoughts and feelings that had appeared out of nowhere just a few hours short ago? Why did she find herself wanting to do things she had never even thought of doing before today? Why did she make herself fight it? Because he didn't feel the same way, that was why. She knew it. How could Nub feel like this? It wasn't logical, it was reasonable. Then again, nothing was logical today and from what she had heard, love wasn't supposed to be rational. Wait, love? She didn't love him. Maybe she would, maybe she wanted to.... Oh for goodness' sake, just enjoy the moment, Kat. Just be happy that you're able to look at him. Maybe she was crazy, but she did not mind the feeling of insanity if this was it.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Eggsactly! And maybe they could trip... And fall on each other ! J/k ^^ You're right, they probably wouldn't have stairs. But Nub probably does need an unexpected twist of fate to push him in the right direction (Kat's that is)... Hmmm...</td></tr></table> His were eyes still closed, and a small smile traced his lips as Nub whispered his answer in hushed tones, "Right you are, sweet Kat." "Sweet Kat? He might have pondered on his strange choice of words, not to mention the dubious syntax, if not for the fact he was having trouble performing the simple act of breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale... Nub almost laughed at the irony of it all. The Alchemist - notorious for keeping his cool during perilious experiments involving dangerous substances -was now feeling so nervous he thought he would burst, and all this because he was in the presence of girl? And yet, despite the nervousness, the way his head felt both light, free of reason and burdened with emotions, he couldn't remember ever feeling this happy in his life... Was this how love was supposed to feel? He willed himself to open his eyes, else he trip and make a greater fool of himself.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> HA! That would be so excellent! 'Oops! It seems as though I've fallen all over you... Well while we're down here....' :D Actually, I believe I'll do that. Unless it's so filled to overflowing with godmoding that you slap me into altering it.....</td></tr></table> Katrina looked over to him, her head jerking sharply in surprise and joy and wonder. Unfortunately his use of that certain modifier had thrown her into such a state that she missed a step going down. "Wahh!" Her eyes flung wide open and her arms flailed to grab hold of something as she lost her balance. That somethng just so happened to be Nub's wrist and the two of them came tumbling down the rest of the way. Thankfully, it wasn't that far down, so Kat at least was not hurt. Upon looking around after her landing, she could not help but feel slightly heavy. Maybe it was because Nubajek had landed right on top of her. She could not breath. Not because the air was knocked out of her, but for the same reason that her heartrate had picked up. For the same reason that her face flooded with color. She swallowed hard and gazed up at him. "Sorry.... are you alright?" The words came out breathy and soft. Oh, the thoughs that went through her head.
"Im flyiiiing !!" considered his irrational brain as he tried to regain stability, groping wildly for the nonexistant ramps... Nub's shocked emerald optics flung open, and he wondered how his body could have so suddenly gone from a state of inertia and perfect stability to this pandemonium of ungraceful motion and flailing. Had he tripped? "Open your wings! Slow the fall !" he willed himself, his mind running through all the possibilities. Too late, by the time his wings obeyed his brain he'd already have hit the floor... "I hope Kat is alright..." thought the dark youth, wincing, anticipating the painful fall... But it was not meant to be. And instead of pain, it was embarrassement that filled Nub as he opened his bright eyes only to find he had not landed on the cold stone floor but in fact on Kat ! He was crushing her! Panting heavily, he immediately pushed all of his weight onto his forearms and knees to lessen her burden, causing his face to sink slightly, mere inches from hers. Nub blushed deeply as he realised in what an awkward position this had put them and willed himself to roll over... They were so close...
Ack, only pure insanity could make Kat think the things that were going through her head after such an ungraceful event. Oddly enough that position seemed comfortable. The weight, what she saw, how she felt... Goodness, this couldn't be healthy. Swallowing again, Katrina sat up and looked over at him smiling faintly. "Uhm... I... your labs are nearby?" Yes, best to change the subject. She laughed lightly and blinked once or twice as her mind played out what could have happened had she chosen different courses of action. It was a good thing tht it was dark, she was sure that she had never blushed more in her life. In fact, she did not recall a time that she ever had blushed. The things she wanted to say to him! She wanted to tell him everything. Her thoughts and feelings and ideas and crazy, insane notions of love. There was no fighting the feelings anymore, years of instinct and nature were switching things on in her head and her heart. "Nub...." Ack, she hadn't meant to mouth his name. Maybe he hadn't noticed. Maybe he couldn't tell how much she wanted to touch him... What was she thinking? Maybe it was best to just stop thinking. That was it, no more thinking.
He added his goodhearted laugh to hers, though it came out sounding a little more nervous than he'd wished. "Yeah, quite close." replied Nub, hoping the light was sufficiently dim to hide his increasingly red blush. It was dark enough, he could barely make out the outline of her slender face beneath his, and all he could truly see was the shine of her hazel eyes... Did they really have to go? Yes, of course the must. But perhaps he could indulge, just one last time, immerse himself in the enormity of her gaze... "Nub...." What happened next would baffle him for years to come. Instead of rolling off as had been his reluctant plan, hearing his name from her lips, he felt himself impulsively bring his right paw to her face, two soft fingers tracing her cheek. When to its horror his brain registered the error, he froze, an apologetic look filling his sad eyes, and he began to get up.
Unfortunatly, Katrina had already decided to stop thinking, and so what happened next was all the fault of her feelings. Surely after what he had just done, Kat could assume that he felt the same way, and if not it was just too bad for Nub. A gentle grin passed over her face in the dark as she lifted herself up slightly. Her nose came up to his cheek and she planted a little kiss there. Her heart fluttered and, if Kat hadn't known better, skipped a beat. Was this what it flt like to care about someone? Certainly she found him attractive, but still she had just met him. Just met him! Yet somehow she felt like she had known Nubajek all her life. Everything so far just felt so right... her last action was no different. Perhaps it had been a bad idea. Perhaps it had been a lapse in judgement. She did not care though. She could always pass it off as nothing more than a friendly gesture, right? No serious crime had been committed. ... Had it?
A dizzying blanket of warmth surrounded Nubajek's face, as he witnessed the impossible. Had Kat just kissed him? His head felt light and his heart was beating faster than ever before. Faster than just before an exam, faster than after a Aerobatics class... He could scarcely think properly, let alone decide what to do next. Not that he had to, his body, as it seemed, had a mind of its own. As though instinctively, his arm snaked back to whence it had come, his lithe paw framing her silver face. Closing his eyes, Nub felt himself lean forward, his lips planting a slight kiss on hers.
After indulging in the most wonderful experience of her life, all she could do was enjoy it. Had her mouth not been so very busy, she would have been grinning from ear to ear. A shiver ran up her spine as she let herself indulge just a little more, returning his kiss with one that was a tad more shy and sweet than she had expected. It was so good though... Never had she felt something like this before. Never bevor had she found herself wanting to be the one in submission. Never had she wanted to be in someone's arms, to feel safe and protected and loved. Now a blush came over her face and she sat up gently, not wanting anything to ruin what had just happened. She really wanted to say something, should say something, but all she could manage was a satisfied little sigh. Katrina burried her head against his chest and breathed in. No need for words anyhow. Not now. So perfect.
How they had gotten to this, he couldn't fathom, neither did he want to. A contented smile playing on his lips, Nub gently nuzzled the top of her head, willing their perfect moment never to end. Perhaps they didn't have to go, maybe they could just stay like this forever... Even as a nioti, Nubajek had always enjoyed silence. He liked to watch the courtyard from his dorm window every morning, loved the evanescent serenity and peacefulness of a day just about to begin. He also enjoyed the imperturbable quietness of his labs, the privacy, the way it gave him the feeling that he was in his own little world. Yes, Nubajek was quite fond of silence. Yet, what he was experiencing right now was quite different. What Kat and he were now sharing was a silence of assent, one that had more meaning then any string of words could ever have. A silence only interrupted by their breathing and their heartbeat. Looking down at his companion, he wondered if she could hear his heart beating. Surely if it didn't stop accelerating it would cause him a heart attack? "Sweets, you will be the death of me, you know that?" he whispered softly.
A grin parted her lips slightly and she looked up into his eyes. "Never on purpose. I might have to stick around a while to see to it that you don't go blowing yourself up..." How had this all happened so quickly? How was it that she actually enjoyed being called 'Sweets' of all things. What had happened to the independent, spunky yong 'dragon that she had always been? Oh, it didn't matter. He felt so warm. Heck, she felt warm all over, so it wasn't all that much of a surprise. "Maybe we can do this more often...." she mused, running her pawalong his side and smiling uncntrollably, still a little nervous about the new sensations. Kat laughed a little and gave him a squeeze. How in the world had she found someone so perfect? Certainly it was right to assume that there would be more meetings of this sort. She hoped there would be. They were here for science though, weren't they? Surely they could have even more fun after they moved over to the labs. They cold talk, they could laugh, maybe the could do more of THIS...
"And there I was thinking no one would notice my explosive demise... I guess a mad scientist can't very well explode in peace... He replied, grinning from ear to ear. "Do this more often? You mean, falling down the stairs?" asked Nub, affecting innocence. His low laughter rang through the hallways as he gently lifted her up to her feet. He wouldn't have like anything better than to stay there with her forever but he knew that was barely possible. Not that any of the wonderful things that had happened to Nub since he met Kat had seemed plausible at all either. But science called, and besides, the comfy sofa in his lab would prove to be softer than the floor... "I did not just think that ! Kat and I are here to discuss to discuss science, SCIENCE..." was his mental reprimand.
