[Fiction] Learning to Stand

[z-Silvestru]

Chloe tucked her t-shirt into her sweat pants, glad that the local Salvation Army store had carried sweats in her size. The clothes that had been bought in Chicago were useless for this sort of activity. "Now," she muttered to herself as she pulled her hair into a ponytail, "let's try to have fun."

Of course, it was Kevin, so Chloe was looking forward to seeing him again. It was what he was coming to do that she wasn't so sure about. She'd felt the need to learn self-defense for a while now, and she finally had a teacher for it. It wasn't the first person who had offered to teach her, but that bridge was burned. She didn't even want to think about him anymore.

As she waited, she bent over the flower pots on the window sill. The little ones were coming along nicely, and Chloe couldn't wait for them to grow so that she could invite Lou Anne and Rachel over and show them how much she had enjoyed their gift. She was so engrossed in the little, green life on her sill that the knock on her door made her jump. Pulling forth her quantum powers, Chloe made sure that the nearby plants were ready to do her bidding.

She checked the peephole and smiled with relief. Opening the door wide, she throws her arms open. "Hi! Come on in!"

[Symmetry]

One lightly placed step put him near and one more let him thrust his arms into the glowing green aura of his friend then wrapped around her pulling her into a caring embrace.

"Heya! How is my favorite botannical beauty?!" Kevin laughed and one felt compelled to laugh with him. He stole a quick peck on the cheek and then leaned back some."You look great! I was very happy to hear from you."

Leaning in again Kevin squeezes the girl in his arms. A pressure point here and there and the cheerful hug unlocks stress knotted muscles helping for the moment to push away her worries and enjoy the time with her friend.

[z-Silvestru]

Chloe giggled happily at Kevin's enthusiasm, sinking into a hug that she could trust. Kevin would never scare her with his hug or make her uncomfortable. Kevin was safety for her, and Chloe basked in that knowledge and enjoyed the hug.

Chloe blushed from his complement, looking down and grinning a little. "Well, I'd meant to have you over earlier, but for a while, I just wasn't myself." She sunk into another hug, and the tension that washed away made her sigh with relief. "Thank you for coming all the way to Harney County just to see me arraigned. I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you, but it was crazy there."

For a moment, her face clouded over with memory and sorrow. Grabbing Kevin's hand, she drew him into the house and dispelled the sad mood with a smile. "So what's up with you? How have you been? Looking forward to that trip to Tibet still? And would you like something to drink?" Her deluge of questions can't hide the fact that she clearly wants to talk about something other than her problems.

[Symmetry]

"Water." The youthful happy fellow responds.

"I think I will take a glass of water please." Kevin breaks off from her embrace as she heads toward her kitchen. "I am doint well thank you Chloe of course I have been more concerned with you. Tibet can wait it will still be there when I am ready to go." A smile catches her eyes as she grabs a glass.

"So much has happened to you in the past month or so. I just would not be much of a friend if I had just taken off. As for the court house you had problems to deal with I was just there for to give you a boost of presence I hope that worked." A friendly wink is given and despite the pain of the events he does his best to buoy her spirits as they talk.

[z-Silvestru]

"Aw, you're not going?" Chloe asked as she filled a glass with water. Handing it to him, she said, "I know you're a real friend. But really, go to Tibet if you want. I'll be here when you get back." The last was said with a forced laugh.

Leaning against the counter, she let Symmetry work through his glass. "It really was good to see you in the crowd. It made me feel very good to know that you risked coming out - and in that area it was a risk.

"So where should we start?" she asked, walking toward one of the rooms. "I don't have anything in this room, so I think we can do it in here. Is this room ok?" Threadbare carpet stretched over a floor with a slight tilt; faded mint green wallpaper managed not to offend the mossy gray color of the rug. The room was completely bare of furnishings.

[Symmetry]

"I still plan to go." Kevin says placing the glass upon the counter. "But you don't disappear from the earth while people you care about are in a lot of trouble." The Ameriasian man pauses a moment a slight blush crossing his cheeks hoping Chloe missed it as she entered the other room.

"Well let's talk about what you want out of this? Do you want practical self defense or do you want this to be more? Some consider it a art as well as exercise and I want you to get the most from your experience with it." Folding his legs beneath him Kevin assumes a lotus position on the carpet and offers the space in front of him to Chloe with a hand.

"Before any road is walked the traveler should know where he wants to go."

[z-Silvestru]

Chloe sat down gracefully. It was only a moment or two of confused adjustment before she figured out how to put her legs so that she was mimicking Kevin. It didn't feel too comfortable at first, but when she straightened her back and dropped her shoulders, it felt great.

"Well, I'd like to be able to defend myself," Chloe said, discovering that maintaining this position required a bit of concentration. Her back and shoulders fought to return to their old positions - hunched over and bunched up, respectively - and she had to focus a little to keep them down. "I know that some people find it relaxing.

"I've been doing some mediation on my own," Chloe admitted, her thoughts sliding back to the disturbing stack of library books in her living room. "I guess having someone teach me some instead of getting it all from a book would be handy. I mean, all I have is time, right now. Or at least, as much time as you can spend with me."

[Symmetry]

With a smile Kevin sings a line from a classic tune.

"Tiiiiiime is on my side. Yes it is!"

A warm laugh follows as he scratches his side through his tight muscle shirt. "If you are willing to commit and have the time I can get you off to a good start. Let me ask you some questions first though." The eyes watching hers seems to get a certain intensity to them. A fierce concentration as if studying her in the most intimate and fine of detail.

"First let's talk about what your body can do since you erupted. Are you stronger? More flexible? Tougher? I am trying to get a rough outline of where your body is right now so I can devise a starting point."

"I heard you can fly now. That is always so wondrous. A friend of mine named Saori is very fast. Everyone I have ever met who can fly loves it." One the fly in mid conversation Kevin hops to his feet and makes his way quickly behind the glowing girl. "Let's start with some basic stretching." Helping Chloe to her feet he points to the floor. "Place a foot here and then step forward as far as you can settle your weight forward when you do. Lean into it and see if you can keep your weight on the balls of your feet."

Kevin sense that his friend is somewhat unsure of what he is requesting so he gently places a hand on either of her hips and carefully guides her into a leaning forward stretch. "See just like that."

[z-Silvestru]

"I'm no stronger, but I'm more flexible and tougher," Sylvan said, letting Kevin pull her to her feet. "And yeah, the flying can be wonderful, so freeing. Even if I do need 'clearance' to fly nowadays."

Kevin's hands were firm on her hips, reminding her body of other times that hands had touched her, that a male body had been warm behind her. Stop that! she chided herself. This is Kevin, your friend! Lay off the sexual thoughts.

With an effort, she forced her mind back to the task at hand. She studied the way her body felt at this moment, trying to remember it so that she could recall it later. The tension in her legs... the weight that reasted on the balls of her feet... the hands on her hips. I can't concentrate.

"Kevin, could you... give me some room?" Chloe asked, smiling over her shoulder at him. "I'm having trouble focusing." I did not just say that. I did not.

[Symmetry]

At first he was confused he was sure she was getting the idea of the exercise. What was it that distracted her. Then a millisecond later he admitted to himself he wanted to touch her and had done so without her permission..

Releasing Chloe's hips a the same moment Kevin took two full steps back and bowed his head. "I apologize that was inappropiate of me Chloe. With all the things you have gone through of late one thing you do not need is to feel like a friend is groping you."

There was an awkward pause from him. "Uh. Would you like to continue?" He tried to not let his face betray the thoughts within. Why was she distracted? Did she enjoy it maybe? No! She asked you here for a reason! She might also be lonely. I can be a friend to her without that. What if she needs someone. She might feel the world is passing her by. Still he would not compromise himself until he had found the person he was willing to spend the rest of his days with so this incident had to be left at just that. A incident.

Kevin for all his thoughts tried to get back into the mind of an instructor but one last whisper of thought passed through his brain. But what if she was the one to spend those days with.

[z-Silvestru]

"Yes, I'd like to continue... unless you don't want to, now," Chloe answered, her heart sinking as she realized that she's embarassed her friend. Way to go, Chlo...

"I was just trying to feel what that stance felt like, so I could do it later," she explained, losing the stance completely as she turned around to talk to him. "And your hands... they were... I, um... I got distracted." Her eyes slid away from him, unable to maintain eye contact as her blush blossomed. She finally finished with a soft, "Sorry."

And she was. How could she be so stupid? She had so few friends; how could she go and threaten a friendship by introducing sexual tension? Look what had happened to her relationship with Warren when sex had gotten involved - it had only made things worse when she finally realized what a jerk he was. And while Kevin wasn't a jerk, no good could come from this - she was facing trial for murder!

[Symmetry]

There was a disccord growing between them. One that Kevin could see and feel. He had long since adopted the idea of avoiding temptation but he realized there was a harmony to be found that was lacking in his life one that he seemed to want her to fill. At first when he had realized he had developed feelings for the girl he had saved that day he resisted them entirely. For what he believed at the time was for her sake. So she wouldn't view her saviour as her benefactor. So she could stand on her own.

Moving an errant bang from his eye he held up his hand. "Hold on a second. Let's talk a moment before we continue." There was no hesitation to his voice as he immediatly went into what he had to say.

"I like you Chloe more than just as a friend. I am attracted to you but to your compliment who wouldn't be? You are all that is green and good in this world." He smiles comfortingly as he speaks and she can feel a warmth that helps the awkward moment.

"When I found out about your husband it stung but I accepted it. Even when I heard about that Revenant fellow I accepted it. Why? Because first and formost I am your friend. I want to be here. I want to teach you as an equal as long as you are willing to learn."

He moves closer cupping the palm of his hand on the delicate cheek of the brown haired girl. "If we could be lovers that makes my heart swell if you do feel for me. But above all else I want to always remain your friend."

[z-Silvestru]

Shock colored her face with a blush, and Chloe gaped at Symmetry. "I..." Kevin!? He likes you!? "I..." What about Satyr? "I..." What about yourself?

Her back rippled and twinged, and Chloe only had time to grimace in tired resignation before her wings popped out of her back, filling out to their full glory in seconds. As they flushed into a dizzying swirl of yellow, red and pink, she crossed her arms over her chest, keeping her ripped shirt in place.

"I need to change," Chloe said with the three shreds of dignity she had left. Head high, she moved to her bedroom and shut the door, leaning against it. "Perfect, wings, just perfect." Still, it gave her a moment alone to collect her thoughts.

But she didn't need a moment, once she remembered one key fact: she was on her way to prison, possibibly. Could she start a relationship, only to be parted from her boyfriend after she was in jail?

With a heavy heart, she pulled on one of her modified t-shirts, styled after Ptesan-Wi's Rio design. She couldn't wear a bra now, but that was becoming a standard for her. Walking back out into the training room. She tried to address Kevin with the same forthrightness that he had addressed her: "Kevin, you are a wonderful person, and I think you'd be someone I'd like to get to know. But I won't tie you to me, not with what I've got going on."

Her wings switched and swirled between a deep purple and a soft pink as she approached her patiently-waiting friend. Chloe walked forward and took his hand, adding, "But thank you for the friendship. That I accept, completely. Thank you, for everything you've done for me."

[Symmetry]

She searched for disappointment or a cringe upon his face but instead only found a smile.

"You are welcome Chloe." With a comforting squeeze he regards her wings for a moment with a look of a child gazing upon a Christmas tree twinkling. "Very fitting for you. There was a tension that had existed it would have been bad for both of us to simply bottle that up. It takes a certain courage but I think we will be able to work together better because of it."

Moving away he cants one foot behind him the other in front raising the heel slightly. The martial artist grins and beckons Chloe to him. "Want to continue?"

[z-Silvestru]

Her wings immediately settled into her normal dark green color as she grinned at Kevin. "Of course I want to continue. What do you want me to do? And do I need to get rid of these first?" she asked, pointing over her shoulder at her wings.

As she waited for him to respond, Chloe basked in the warm feeling of having a good friend, here to help her, and accept her. I'm really lucky - Kevin, everyone who helped pay my bail, even Satyr - I am blessed by all the people who care for me.