Grey suddenly straightened as the yelling from the beach escalated. He turned slightly, just to make sure everything was alright. He almost regretted that. He feigned left and slipped into the shadows before appearing again behind Rift.
He realized a long time ago Rifts and his powers were very similar. Moving to one spot without being seen. The only difference was that Rift relied on breaking through the dimension to move through space. Greyson willingly let himself be take by the darkness or what some would call the grey area between worlds to travel. Despite having similar abilities, Grey was always the problem Rift wanted to get rid of. Every time Rift opened a break in the dimension, it would leave a tear in the grey area. Enough tears and the grey area would dismantle, meaning no one, not Rift and not Grey would be able to use their abilities. So each night or so, Grey would slip into the grey area and slowly mend the tears. When Rift has realized he couldn’t take the same breaks to places, he blamed Grey for preventing him to do his job.
He took a deep breath, making sure to control his breathing as he once again disappeared into the shadows cast by the shops around him. When he appeared a few feet away from Rift his eyes gave off wisps of black smoke. “First of all, I don’t play with people. Second of all, if she were my sister, I think dating you would have been a great reason to take her away. And if she were my girlfriend, which she’s not, doesn’t that say more about you? Dating another man’s woman? Really dear, I thought you better than that.” He grinned and again moved away from Rifts attempt at an attack. “All I wanted to do was liven things up a bit. I wasn’t going to hurt her or anything. Plus, what better way to show off all your heroics that to save the woman you love from a villain, right? You should be thanking me.” He dropped the little act and glared at Rift, emotionless. “Instead of trying to fight me, maybe try and win her back.” He promptly turned on his heal and started walking away.
"This is YOUR fault! We could've had a nice dinner date, and you go ahead and steal her away. You're the reason she left. Whisking her away, like some damn fairy tale!" He hissed and crossed his arms, brown curly hair flopping into his face, which he quickly smoothed back. "You had to ruin the first date. Why must you ruin everything? And hell no am I thanking you. My heroism will win her back." Rain meanwhile had found that 3 girls from her ballet troupe were at the fair, and had joined up with them, glad she had brought a little money purse which had been tucked away in the pockets of her dress.
He shrugged, and smirked over his shoulder. “What better first date than one that shows off your heroism?” He asked, the smoke wisps disappearing from his eyes. “Have fun at the carnival!” Grey walked off back towards the boardwalk. He planned to come back later with Catia, both to retrieve his jacket and to enjoy the rest of The evening with his little sister.
He sighed as he watched Grey disappear, and figured that a big fight wasn't worth it now. He headed back too the boardwalk to see if he could win Rains heart back. The proved fatal, since he was still dripping wet, mad, and wouldn't stop talking about himself through her arguments. It looked like they were doomed from the start. The girls from her troupe were of no help to Aaron, siding with Rain. He ended up going home defeated. It would be about midnight when Rain finally walked home. She was alone, since the girls lived in the small city, and they all had lives to get on with. She assured the girls she was fine, and continued on in the dark, keeping an eye on the shadowed alleyways, scared and meek now.
Grey had gone home to his apartment, picking up apology chocolates for his sister.
“I do hope you know…this doesn’t pardon you for being late.” Catia called as she lounged on the couch, munching on the chocolates as she waited for her brother to change.
He came out in one of the shirts he had bought as we’ll a small some tight black jeans. “I know, but that’s why we’re going to the carnival.” He said with a smile, swiping one of her chocolates. She slapped his hand away and pouted. “Fine, But no promises I’ll have fun.”
He flipped down beside her and pulled on his shoes “aw why not kitten? Too old for the carnival?”
“Grey I’m 17…there is no ‘too old’ for fun!” She argued, hugging her big brother and bouncing about. He smiled softly at his little sister and nodded “let’s go then.”
She waved to Grey as the two passed her, and continued on her way home. She walked in the door to her second story apartment, and was greeted by a turtle shell cat, and her little sister fast asleep on her couch. "Aww Alice…" She turned off the Looney Tunes her little sister was watching, and picked her up, placing her in bed. Her parents weren't great, and so she took full custody over her little sister, and loved caring for her.
Grey whipped around when he saw Rain walking back towards what he could only assume was home. He took another glance just to make sure it was her before hesitantly turning to his own sister, conflicted. She gently touched his arm ”You poor ghost. Go, I’ll head home.”
But what about the carnival? I promised you-“
“Greyson, if you don’t make sure that young woman is safe I swear I’ll never forgive you now go. We can go to the carnival later.”
He sighed softly and nodded “stay safe kitten, I’ll be back soon.” He pressed a kiss to her brow and went after Rain, disappearing into the shdows before reappearing a few feet away. He eventually mad even it to her apartment or at least what’s he hoped was hers. He knocked softly and waited “Rain it’s me, I was just checking on you, I didn’t see you with Aaron. Is everything alright?”
She came out in a black bunny onsie, her little sister sleepily clinging to her side. "Oh. Hello Grey." "Cloudy whose that" She smiled gently. "A friend Alley Cat." Her little sister was indeed in a cat onsie. She was only 8, and a jumping jelly bean when not exhausted. She hugged her sister close and rocked her. "Just go back to sleep." She pet her sisters head. "Why are you here?" She said a bit gruffly, obviously protective and suspicious, especially with the side of town she had to live on.
“I-i-“ why was he here? Obviously she had made it home safely. She wasn’t in any danger. Hell if she was, she could hold her own. He took a deep breath. “I didn’t see you with him when you were walking back so I assumed you two werent on speaking terms. I just wanted to apologies for yesterday. Despite Aaron being..well Aaron, he’s still a good person. You deserve someone like him. And I’m afraid I put your relationship with him in jeopardy. I’m sorry for that.” He sighed softly, having never really had the urge to apologies to anyone about his actions. He glanced at the young girl in Rain’s arms and smiled softly. “Well, uhm that’s it. I guess I’ll leave now. Sorry for interrupting…again.” He offered a lopsided smile before backing off and backtracking our of the apartment building
She grabbed his arm. "Thank you. For making me realize no. I don't deserve someone who is narcissistic, and forcing me to realize I deserve someone charming, and exciting, and a little self centered. Don't apologize. You did me a favor. He would save the whole city over me,and if I died? Who would take care of my little sister? I wouldn't want him doing so, he wouldn't give her a stable life. I need a more normal life. Have a good night." She let go of him, smiled, and shut the door. She then went to her little sisters room to lay her down, before finally going to bed herself for an exhausting day of dancing on the morrow. (This is still the same night, not the next day!)
(Oh shoot! So sorry!)
Grey glanced back when Rain touched his arm. He offered a small smile. “He may not be perfect. But he’s a lot better than a lot of us. If you can get past the narcissism and,” he took a deep breath with a laugh “heroic complexes, he’s not that bad.” He frowned slightly when she suggested what would happen with her sister if Rain were to ever die, not really liking the though of that. He broke out of his thoughts and nodded. “Good night Rain.”
(ohhh I'm so sorry I got wrapped up in grades and catching up. I'll get a response to this asap!)
(its ok! Reply when you can!)
She watched him leave out the peep hole, before returning to bed with her little sister once more. The next morning she awoke to 5 missed phone calls from Aaron, a headache, and Alice jumping up and down on the bed, demanding pancakes for breakfast. So she got up, and started her day as per usual. Rushing her sister off to the school bus, and then getting herself ready to head down to the ballet studio to dance with the Twinkling Stars company. It was a nice spring day, and so the walk there wasn't too bad, as she walked in shorts and a t-shirt, bag slung over her shoulder.
(ah so sorry!)
Greyson had spent the rest of his night in the Grey area, patching up hole after hole. He had expected have more than normal but not so many that the place was crumbling, hanging on by just a few threads. Aaron either had a rage fit and did this on purpose or was truly concerned for Rain. Grey decided on a bit of both.
He had fallen asleep on the couch near 5 in the morning only to be awake at 9 by Catia, hanging over him and poking his cheek. He growledin annoyance and yanked her to the couch, wrapping her in ahug which she promptly tried to pullout if with a yell. "Grey let me go! You're all dirty! Did you even take a shower!"
He laughed softly and loosened his embrace, letting her move to sit beside him. "Hey that's what you get for waking me up."
"Well, it is what you get for coming home so late. So how was the date?"
He tilted his head "date? What date? I was working last night."
"So you didn't go out with the girl you ran after last night?"
She hummed softly, her phone tucked into her pocket. Her thoughts twirled around the thoughts of Greyson. He was charismatic, but soon she shook those thoughts, as she had her own things to do. So she changed, and started on her warm up stretches, while twittering with her fellow dance mates over Styrofoam cups of strong and bleak coffee. It kept the girls going, but not standing around. Cindy, the instructor, came in and clapped her hands, and thus their practiced routines began, like tutu'd clockwork. Rain was heavily dedicated to her dancing, each foot placement one of pure perfection. The day spun by, and around 2. A gentle downpour started, and Rain hadn't brought an umbrella. Still she needed lunch. Some of the girls were going out, but most wanted their alone time, and so off she went to a local burger joint, relatively close to where Greyson lived as well. Of course she didn't know that, as she stood there in her lazy day clothes, normally looking much more graceful.
"alright, I gotta go to work! I love you, and for the love of God please stay out of trouble." Catia pressed a kiss to Greyson's cheek as she headed out to work at the restaurant a little down the ways from their apartment. "No promises sis! But the same goes you you!" He called.
"Morning!" Catia called as she entered the restaurant, quickly putting her things away before pulling her hair into a a bun and rushing around to fill some orders.
"Is there anything I can get you dear?" She asked jubilantly, a worried frown tugging at her lips as she noticed the girl was soaked. "Got caught in the rain huh? I can get you some coffee with that burger to warm you up if you'd like."
"Oh! I'm quite alright. I love the rain. I'll take a shake with that please, and a small fry. Oh and no pickles, or onions on that burger. This morning was just so gorgeous out. But I guess, that's spring weather for you isn't it?" She smiled and tucked her hair back.
Catia laughed softly and nodded as she wrote down the order. "Yeah, it's been a great spring so far." She agreed, glancing up again as she took the empty plate. She took in the girls features for a moment, noticing that she looked familiar…"I know you, you're the girl Grey went after last night. Are you alright? I know Grey was really worried for you before."
"Just a date gone wrong. The two got into a bit of an… altercation. It was the first date too, but that's alright. There's something about Grey that intrigues me far more then my date." She admitted in an even softer voice than usual, looking away a bit and blushing.
Catia took a deep breath and shook her head "Grey has a thing for causing trouble. Though to be fair, most people do look for it." She shrugged and arched an eyebrow at Rain "really? In a good way I hope." She mused with a small smile. "I think grey finds you intriguing too. I've never seen him go after a woman."
"He went after me because of your yelling as I best recall. That was awful sweet of you, and I appreciate it. Looking out for woman alone on the streets, quite a bit of heroism right there. Aaron would be proud. But I think you did it out of kindness, not a demand for respect. And therefore, that just makes you human. Not a hero." She said the last small sentence with a heavy set glare that seemed to tell all of her thoughts about the hero in one go, before she grabbed her food. "Oh! I dance down at the ballet hall just down the street, if you ever need someone to spend your lunch break with. Have a nice day." She then walked away to the back of the burger joint in a corner booth, and quietly mused over the conversation she had as she ate.
Catia huffed a small laugh and similarly glared away at the mention of the hero. "Aaron only knows how to be a hero. I don't think there's much room for anything else other than his ego in his heart." She slid the order towards Rain with a tight smile, sharing her distaste for the city's hero. "I might drop by some day then. See you soon!" She called with a wave, turning to attend to her next customer.
A few hours later, Grey came by with some homemade lunch, knowing how sick Catia was with the lunch at the restaurant despite it being pretty good. "So anything new today sor ame old same old?" He asked as they went across the street to eat at the small park
