Always Time for Friends

[Devyn Solway]

It had seemed like forever since Devyn had actually talked to her roommate Charlotte. Well, it actually was a long time since the two of them talked. CharChar must have been busy or something. Devyn did not get a visit from her when she was in the infirmary, but that was to be expected. No one but Zoe really came and visited Devyn, plus she had only been there for three days before she made her escape and that had been a while. Devyn would have left Charlotte to do as she pleased, but she did care about her roommate. Both CharChar and Firefly were important to Devyn and she wanted to look after the both of them. This was why she was standing outside Charlotte's bedroom door, not really wanting to bother the girl, but she had to at least see her. Make sure she was alright; it was getting oddly suspicious to not have had the fire alarm go off and really not seeing her roommate in a while.

"Charlotte, are you in there?" Devyn asked but she already knew the girl was in there because she could smell her. Devyn still had her roommates scent memorized as her nose was being a tad bit sensitive today. It had already been bleeding earlier but it seemed to be better now. Her side effects had been bothering her more often in the recent days as she was getting less sleep and stressing out, but she kept all of that hidden. Like always; none of that was important. What was important was her friends, and CharChar was one of them. "I understand if you are busy or something, I just wanted to talk and see you at least for a little bit." Devyn said, there was clearly a tad bit of worry in her voice, but she held herself back and would wait for Charlotte to come open the door before she would attempt to break in. Knocking hard on the door as he took a deep breath and rubbed at her eyes a little.

[Charlotte Larkson]

Today was a bad day. Charlie's body was rebelling and no amount of sleep seemed to make the bags under her eyes want to go away. She'd lost another pound though. Slowly, her 5'8" frame had begun to dwindle down from 125, to 122, to 120, to 119, 118, 117, 116, 115, 114, 113. Not good enough. She needed to lose eight more pounds. Just eight more.

She stared at her slight frame in the mirror, counting her ribs. One, two, three, KNOC KNOCK KNOCK. She jumped hearing Devyn's voice and quickly pulled her robe closed over her body, tying the belt around her waist.

Her lips pressed into a hard line. Why was everyone acting like they hadn't seen her in forever? Had she really been that neglectful?

The brunette slapped on her constructed smile and opened the door. "Hey Dev!" She beamed, "Excuse the mess, why don't you come in?" No amount of smiles hid the bags, the veins, and her bony wrists peaking out from under her sleeves.

[Devyn Solway]

As soon as the door opened Devyn wanted to move to give her roommate a hug, just thankful to see her. However, she stopped. Her eyes drifting over her roommate and taking in the view. Seeing the bags under her roommate’s eyes which had to be clear she was not getting enough sleep. Veins were showing and it was pretty much clear to Devyn that something was clearly wrong with her roommate. Devyn was a big eater and she pretty much memorized the way someone’s body looks. She had an appreciation for bodies after all. Even if CharChar was her roommate, she did find her hot, but now that was not the case. Yes CharChar still had a beauty to her, but it was massed by something that Devyn could only see as a sickness. "Charlotte." Devyn said, her words almost a whisper as she moved into the room and went to close the door behind her.

"I have not talked to you in a while, was getting worried." Devyn said, green eyes looking right on her roommate, locked on the other. "I see now I had a right to be worried. What is going on Charlotte?" Devyn asked, not seeing the point in using nicknames when she was being serious. Charlotte was not going to leave the room, Devyn was not going to leave and there was going to be some talking. Even if she had to hold her roommate down to get her to talk. Devyn’s heart already starting to beat a little fast as she looked at her roommate, her friend. Was someone hurting her, what was going on? She could make a guess, but she was not fully sure yet. A low growl was already starting to slip out as Devyn remained in front of the door. Holding onto the door knob as a way to keep herself back and under control for the moment. Even if the shadows in the room where starting to twitch a little.

[Charlotte Larkson]

Irritation quickly rose and bubbled her blood like water over an open flame as yet another person decided to chime in their opinions on Charlie's body. Of course, Devyn had hardly done any of that yet, but she knew where this was going. Did Devyn know anything? No. She didn't.

The smile hardly faltered "Yeah been up cramming for the SATs" She told her "Dad's really putting the pressure on to get into good ole Ivy" She chuckled running her hand through her hair. That wasn't untrue. Her father did expect her to go to an Ivy League school, or his school, either or really. Charlie's grades weren't up there though, she'd nearly flunked math last semester alone.

"Nothing's going on." Charlie insisted, "im fine. My powers sometimes make me into a bit of an insomniac... side effect of time manipulation is sometimes you throw your internal clock out of whack." She chuckled lightly as her arms made their way across her chest, tightening the robe against her body a little closer.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn was watching her roommate closely; she was good at reading body language and people’s eyes. It was the animal part of herself and the fact that she had been around the block a few times so was pretty good at reading people. Charlie was not as much of an open book as other people were, but that didn't mean Devyn could not tell that something was up. She could tell that there had been some form of anger or some other emotion that was being hidden behind that smile that did not going away. Devyn's growl grew a little louder as Charlie told her about how she had been studding for test because she wanted to get into a good college. Devyn could buy that yes, she remembered Charlotte telling her about her family before. Not having enough sleep however did explain for the condition of Charlotte's body. Devyn now stepping closer towards her roommate as her eyes grew darker.

"I'll buy the whole you being busy with studying and that your powers can mess up you sleep, but don’t stand there and lie to me Charlotte. I'm not fucking stupid." Devyn's words came out practically in a mix of a growl and a bark and she could not help her own anger building up in her. She care about CharChar, how could the other girl be hiding something from her. Devyn didn't like to pry and get involved in peoples personal lives when they made it clear that they didn't want people to know. Yet there was no way Devyn was going to stay out of something that was affecting Charlotte's body like this. "Tell me what is going on. I thought we were friends?" Devyn asked as she reached out to grab onto Charlotte's robe. She had no shame in yanking it off to find out herself if Charlotte was not going to talk. Sure Devyn could get into a lot of trouble with such an action, but she could care less at the moment.

[Charlotte Larkson]

Charlotte's eyes narrowed and her smile fell off her face, leaving her mouth settling into a deep frown. "are you seriously threatening me?" this was HER room! It wasn't like Charlie had been sulking around and rubbing her issues in Devyn's face! If she wanted help she would have asked but she was in fact fine and everyone get hop off her dick!

"First of all I never said you were stupid. Second, what the fuck of course we're fri-" Her words were cut short as her robe was pulled off her body in a swift movement, leaving her standing in front of Devyn practically naked. Her body was gaunt, disappearing from here and there leaving only bones held together by a piece of thin pale skin. Charlie had been thin to begin with, the added diet, or lack there of, had made the ridges of her ribs protrude, and her knees and elbows stick out like knobs on a dresser.

"What the fuck!?" Charlie scrambled to grab her robe and snatched it from Devyn, holding it up to block her chest. "Seriously?!" She had had enough. "Get out!"

[Devyn Solway]

"Yes, yes I am." Devyn growled out, not caring that this was in fact Charlotte's room or what have you. Devyn was a territory creature, the whole room in her mind was hers and she did whatever she pleased. Charlotte should have been happy that Devyn at least knocked and waited to be invited in. That Devyn held herself back from making herself comfortable and that she would have been polite, had it not been for her worry. When she was worried, angry, or pretty much feeling any strong emotion her politeness and logic kind of went out the window and she went off on instinct like the beast that she was deep down inside. Of course Devyn knew that she was going have to say something and get involved, CharChar didn't even really want to seek out help when she was burning things. The other girl always wanted to do things alone...well Devyn could not really talk since she was basically the same way unless it came to training.

Devyn didn't even mean to actually pull off the robe; she just meant to grab it to keep Charlotte from going anywhere. Her anger made her underestimate her strength it seemed and the robe was pulled off and Charlotte words were cut off. Devyn eyes immediately went over her roommate’s body, not even for lust purposes, and there was no way she could feel lust at seeing her roommate’s condition. Bones showing, ribs sticking out, and pretty much Devyn knew right away that Charlotte had to not been eating. "What...what the hell?" Devyn said, deeply confused at seeing Charlotte's condition, trying to figure out why her roommate was no longer eating. Devyn had made sure to leave leftover and even help out her roommate with the cookie when she would ask; there should have been no reason as to why her roommate was not eating.

Charlotte ordered her out of the room, pfft as if Devyn was going to listen now after seeing her friend's body in its condition. Letting Charlotte have the rob back but didn't move when Charlotte told her to get out. "No. Talk to me Charlotte. What is going on? Why are you basically walking skin and bones? Did someone say something to you? Are you feeling sick?" Devyn asked now moving closer towards her roommate, aiming to get Charlotte away from the door and getting the girl to either back up to sit down on her bed or to back against the wall. Devyn was an alpha, she was aggressive, and she was going to be in charge even if she was trying to pull back; to get control over her emotions. Hand running over her ring as another gave a tug at her own hair. "Talk to me!" Devyn yelled out, words yet again a mix between a bark and a growl.

[Charlotte Larkson]

Quite frankly Charlie didn't give two shits about how alpha Devyn thought she was. Yes, she could probably take Charlie down in a heart beat but Charlie wasn't going to go down, in her own room, about her own damn body just because some self righteous bitch demanded it. Even if she was her friend. She didn't care. If Devyn was her friend she wouldn't be acting like this, treating her like some animal.

"I'm. Fine." She said as Devyn corralled her into her room. She didn't feel the need to talk. Devyn could sit there, demand, yell, whatever all she wanted but Charlie didn't have to explain herself to someone who didn't get it. Charlie was doing this because she had to do it not because it was fun. It made her strong. It helped her cope with all the bullshit that as happening around her. It made her mother hate her less, boys like her more, and control. Devyn wasn't going to take that from her.

Charlie turned her back to Devyn. If she was going to get blocked into her room it'd be on her own terms so she went to her bed and sat down, picking at the dirt beneath her fingernails.

[Devyn Solway]

Charlotte was basically shutting Devyn out and Devyn was quickly picking up on that, which didn't help with her growing anger and worry. She needed to get control over herself. She blamed her lack of sleep and her own personal issue for how she was so easily losing it. That did not matter at the moment, she could not use that as an excuse, and she needed to get it together. Yelling at CharChar was not going to solve anything and it was not going to make anything better. Devyn had a girlfriend a long time ago that went through the same sort of thing. Devyn could not deal with it and broke up with the girl. She didn't even pay any attention to what happened to the girl after, just remembering that she ended up having to be taken to the hospital. The hospital was not a fun place, Devyn didn't like it, and she didn't want her friend to have to go there.

"Don't fucking lie to me!" Devyn yelled out as Charlotte said that she was fine, clearly shutting Devyn out fully now. Not going to leave the room and moving away as Devyn had wanted, but charlotte was still clearly showing that she was in control. Both of Devyn's hands went into her hair as she gave it a sharp tug, the pain from her hair causing her to take a moment to take a deep breath. "I'm...I'm sorry Charlotte...I'm just worried about you." Devyn managed to get out after another deep breath, moving over to Charlotte's bed. The girl had her back to her so Devyn went to give her a hug from behind then. Planning on holding her in her arms. "Please Charlotte, I'm your friend. Talk to me." Devyn in a way basically pleased, still trying to get her anger and worry under control. Shadows already starting to pull towards her, but not yet covering Devyn.

“Talk to me, please. You don’t even have to tell me why…just talk.” Devyn said wanting to grip Charlotte tightly but held herself back in favor of not wanting to break something. CharChar had to have a weaker body then normal and if Devyn could kick her butt before, she feared that she would end up breaking something on her friend. “I’m not going to leave you alone…” Devyn said as she took another deep breath, still working on getting back to a level headed state of mind.

[Charlotte Larkson]

Charlie's jaw tightened as she continued to get yelled at. Her head finding its way into he hands as she tried to catch her breath, feeling dizzy, so fucking dizzy. She shouldn't have gotten that upset. She WAS upset though. Jesus was this really needed? First Evan, now Devyn, then who? Who wanted to pile on the rabbit and shout issues next?

She continued to pick at her nails, she needed something to do with her hands. Devyn's next movement caught her off guard as she moved over and pulled her own frail frame into her own. She twitched. Physical contact wasn't something she felt open to considering the circumstances and she knew, she fucking knew that her friend would be thinking about how she felt in her arms. How WRONG she felt when Charlie was pretty fucking sure that her body was just fine. "it's ok."

She bit her lower lip and a scoff fell out of her mouth. "Devyn." She said calmly. "You can leave me alone because I'm fine. I'm in control. I just am working through something. It's temporary and I'm ok." She wasn't going to crack. She wasn't going to sob in her arms or tell her that she hated herself or wanted to die but Devyn wanted a show so she'd give her something so she would get out of her hair.

"What did you want to know?" It was a start. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you I'm suicidal or something, because I'm not."
"

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn could feel how weak Charlotte's body felt in her arms, how frail, and how her roommate was under weight. This was not healthy; it was going to lead to her roommate getting really sick. How did she expect to score good on her test when she was in this condition? Devyn was still having a really hard time keeping her emotions in check now that she felt Charlotte's body against her own. So vastly different to touch the last time they hugged. Devyn didn't move away and did not let go of her friend, keeping her in that embrace, even as Charlotte was letting out more lies. Devyn was not going to buy any of it. Everything Charlotte was saying was a lit to Devyn's ears and it hurt. Devyn was not really the type to lie; even if something hurt she was still honest about it or at least didn’t say anything unless someone brought it up. Devyn was bringing it up with her now, but Charlotte was shutting her out, and Devyn didn't like it.

"Please stop being dishonest with me Charlotte. I don't really lie to you and I don't want you telling lies to me. If you don't want to tell me what is really wrong that is fine, but don’t fucking lie to me." Devyn said, managing to keep her voice as the right tone this time, even if her body was starting to shake overcome with emotions still, shadows already starting to slide up her body and wanting to tug her into her other form, but she managed to keep them in their half on her and held on Charlotte's bed state at the moment. "You will end up making me shift and I don't want to hurt you." Devyn said her being honest even now because if she didn't get control over her emotions she was going to end up shifting, but she could not really blame that all on her roommate. Sure it could have been a phase, but it was a dangerous phase and if CharChar's body was this far along, then she could not have been in control.

"I want to know everything you will tell me. Why are you doing this? Who said something? Why...don't you trust me anymore?" Devyn asked, wanting to ask a ton more questions but was finding it hard to form words as she had to swallow hard once more and take another deep breath, getting the shadows to move off of her now, but they were lingering close by, just waiting for Devyn’s will to break

[Charlotte Larkson]

"Are you fucking kidding me? Stop LYING to you? You're AMBUSHING me!" She yelled. She'd had enough. She hadn't asked for this. She hadn't troubled Devyn. She hadn't done anything but woken up this morning and minded her own damn business and here Devyn was, out of no where demanding that Charlie tell her her deepest secrets? Fuck that!

Charlie broke away from Devyn, off the bed and started picking up clothes. She wasn't going to stay there. She'd slow down time until Devyn was a frozen mass and walk out at this point.

"this has NOTHING to do with you? Do you seriously think that this has to do with me trusting you or not?" She yelled as she slipped into a pair of sweats. "It doesn't. Dont' flatter yourself. Yeah, I'm fucking going through something. It sucks! But that doesn't give you the right to come in here and demand answers. Yeah, you're my friend, but you're not my mom! You're not my doctor, you're not anything but a FRIEND and no where in friendship does it say I'm required to tell you anything. If I did trust you I don't think I do anymore." She was being a bitch. She was saying things on purpose to try and get to Devyn that she normally wouldn't say, but felt. She had no filter.

[Devyn Solway]

"I'm sorry...I'm just..." Devyn said trying to explain that it was just how she was, how did you explain that? It was who Devyn was, when she really wanted something she would push to find out. Yeah, she knew that was not the way to go about things as sensitive as this, but she was angry, confused, and worried. Too many emotions at once; that Devyn's better sense was kind of nowhere to be found at the moment. She honestly was not meaning to come off this bad, and she was trying to get back to a level headed state, it was just taking time. Not helped when they were going back and forth yelling at each other. That just made Devyn start to growl lowly, even if she was not really trying to, it just slipped out. Made worse as Charlotte moved out of her hold to get away and start to get dressed. If she was going to get dressed that meant she was going to end up leaving. Devyn could block the door, she could try to stop her roommate, but should she?

"It does have to deal with me. I'm your friend and something is wrong and friends are supposed to be there for you when things are wrong or you are hurting." Devyn said as she slid down to the floor, but not moving at her roommate as she took a deep breath. "How does this have nothing to deal with trust? If you trusted me then you would feel that it was okay to open up to me and tell me what is going on. Get it off your chest; tell me what is going on." Devyn asked, still managing to keep her voice from becoming a yell, but her words were shaking, making it clear that she was putting forth effort to hold herself back. Devyn knew she was not her roommates mom, knew that she was not a doctor, she was just a friend. Yet hearing that she was just a friend hurt her a little. It was odd but it just hurt to just be called a friend, even if that was all they were...it must have been the tone that Charlotte used that had made Devyn feel that small twinge of pain.

"I'm sorry Charlotte. I'm so sorry. You are right...it’s not any of my business..." Devyn said as both her hands were in her hair as she pulled her legs closed to her body and took another deep breath. All these emotional roller coasters she had to deal with. It was making her feel sick, not helped by her already lack of sleep and the side-effects that seemed to be bothering her more than they normally did. "Please don't leave Charlotte. Can we start again? I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me anything, just...come sit next to me at least....please?" Devyn asked, looking up at her, with a small look of begging for Charlotte to let her start over. They didn't have to talk, Devyn just wanted her close. Devyn was not always good with words with they were not words to flirt with someone. Devyn was better with actions then she was with words, so maybe like normal when she was close to someone, and held them close they would talk to her. If not it did not hurt to still try, plus Devyn did like to be close to those she cared about.

[Charlotte Larkson]

Everything that her roommate was doing, saying, how she was acting was making Charlie want to just run faster away from everything. She started to lace up her sneakers, she needed to run. Thats all she wanted to do was run and run and run until her feet couldn't carry her any further. Maybe she'd run all the way to California at this rate. She felt suffocated, she felt like everyone was ganging up against her and not actually seeing her. Everyone wanted to just tell her what to do, how to act, who to be, and all she wanted to do was scream. Couldn't they see? Couldn't they see that she couldn't control a damn thing but what she put in her mouth? That that one little, tiny bit of control was all she had, all that made her her without being someone elses fucked up version of her they were trying to make? 

Devyn didn't understand trust.

Devyn didn't understand friendship.

Devyn didn't understand CHARLIE and that's who she was, she was CHARLIE not Charlotte! 

1, 2, 3, she started counting. She needed to count to block out Devyn's fucking words from her head. She didn't want the guilt. She didn't want to have to apologize for her own feelings. She didn't want to apologize for her roommate breaking into her room and demanding answers when it wasn't any of her business to begin with. 4, 5, 6. 

She pulled her laces tight, and stood up. 8, 9, 10. Her eyes grazing over Devyn's form, practically begging. She must have looked cruel, her eyes dull, her face expressionless, just watching. 

"I'm going on a run." She was leaving. She knew that Devyn had asked her not to, begged, apologized, but she didn't care she was done with this entire conversation. "I'll be back. Don't follow me."

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn could see that Charlotte was starting to block her out and not really listening to what she was saying. Devyn was pretty good at reading body language since she dealt with a lot of people, even with being a longer. She could not be mad at Charlotte at all; she had a right to start turning Devyn out. She had not been thinking, just going by emotions, and she hated that. She was just...in shock and also she was pretty much forward with things. It was all Devyn's fault, but what was not Devyn's fault of late? She could take blame for a lot of things and it probably end up true in some way, and Devyn accepted it. CharChar was still slipping on her shoes, meaning she was not going to stay. Devyn had two choices, stop her from leaving the room or follow after her. Devyn could not pick any other option. Sure she should have just let CharChar have some time to herself and drop it, but she could not. She felt like she had to fix it and didn't want to leave things on bad terms. Devyn's eyes began to feel warm as she quickly moved a hand up to rub them.

None of that. Some mental self-scolding as she took a deep shaking breath, looking at her roommate. CharChar had pretty much checked out and not paying her any mind anymore. Worse, she was leaving. Going out on a run. That was how she met their other roommate. How did she meet CharChar before the whole deciding to help her out in the kitchen? Why had Devyn not picked up on everything sooner, she should have none how to handle this better and could blame no one but herself. "If you can look me in the eyes and promise me that you will come back to your room tonight, I'll stay. If not...I'll leave you alone, but I won't be far." Devyn said, being honest because she really could not and didn't want to leave CharChar alone. "Please CharChar, let me try again. We don’t even have to talk, just...come here." Devyn requested, holding out a hand as she stood up.