{SB} I See The Light

[Lucy James]

Standing leaned across the railing on the more secluded and less occupied parts of the ship, Lucy sighed as she looked out over the dark and empty ocean. Kicking the small bag in front of her, Lucy sighed once more. The only reason she had signed up for this stupid trip was because it would take her to Mexico, and there she could... No, it was not the time to be thinking of such things when there could be telepaths running around, though the brunette hoped she would be able to sense it if anyone came close - then again, she had no idea what kind of range some telepaths could use their abilities...

Sighing, she leaned forward and rested her arms along the top of the railing and her chin on top of her arms. She crossed her feet as she swayed slightly. She continued to close her eyes; the salty air was surely something she could get used to. Not that she'd ever admit to it of course, but she didn't exactly hate the sea - or this trip.

At least, not yet.

And for now, she didn't want to worry about what the next few days would bring. She had already planned out everything down to the last detail. For now, she was going to simply relax and enjoy the freedom of not having the academy officials hanging around her and watching her like some god damn hawk.

She must have fallen asleep - if only just for a split second, because she had heard the approaching footsteps before feeling the presence of a power - twitching, she turned her head and looked out into the darkness of the deck, squinting her piercing blue eyes as she tried making out any forms of the shadows. "I know you're there. You might as well show yourself, instead of trying and utterly failing at your dream of becoming a ninja - you're horrible at it," she drawled as she turned her head again to look at the sea once more.

[Gabriel King]

Why was he on a boat.
Why was he on a boat?
Why was he on a boat!?
Holy shit there was water.
Something to do with...Lucy? Right! Lucy had gone, so Gabe had to go as well. He couldn't very well let her wander off to another country to let her be mauled by savage, horny teenagers. No, he had to protect her, (and he was the only one allowed to be savage and horny with her).

He fared better in the dark, so Gabe had waited for night to fall before daring leave his cabin. He certainly wasn't brave enough to face the other students and teachers, not with a seemingly permanent tremble throughout his body. The chances that the waves were any calmer, or the sea any farther away, at night were slim, but it was a psychological thing. When Gabriel ventured out of his cabin and onto the deck, he was able to do so with a little bit of confidence. Though he still wished to be like every other person, unable to see perfectly in the dark. It might have helped him to not know exactly where the terrifying water was.

What did help was the fact that he noticed Lucy almost immediately. Well, her scent anyway. He'd known she was on the trip - it was his whole reason for coming - but he hadn't seen her. Finding a strange comfort in her presence he followed the smell like a lifeline and.....goddammit she was leaning against the railing. She couldn't be standing in the middle of the deck like a normal person? Groaning at the familiar snark he faked a smile and stepped closer, his steps jilted. "I'd make an awesome ninja, Spitfire. Your destroying my dreams."

His lips thinned after a particularly strong current rocked the boat and he scurried towards Lucy. He didn't dare look over the railing, instead sitting by her feet and facing away, a scowl etched into his pale face. Now he was thankful for the dark again. "What are you doing out here, Lu? It's late, and you'll catch a cold."

[Lucy James]

"Oh, I'm soooo sorry," she replied with as much sarcasm as she could possibly muster. Well, considering his ability, he was probably right. As long as the one he was trying to sneak up couldn't sense him of course. She was kind of lucky that way -- as long as the person sneaking up on her was a mutant anyways. Otherwise she'd be fucked. Simply put.

She looked down at him as he sat by her feet, quirking her brow. "It's not that cold," she said as she pursed her lips. "And I'm out here to get high," she replied with a shrug as she gave the small bag by her feet a poke with her foot. She picked it up and held it in her hand for a moment. She looked back at the guy and shook her head. "Why are you sitting?" she asked, tilting her head.

It looked completely and utterly odd; just walking over and sitting down. Then again, Gabriel was weird. Had been ever since she'd met him, so the brunette had decided he probably didn't abide by normal human logic. That seemed fitting at any rate. Maybe he was seasick?

[Gabriel King]

"Your sincerity touches me," he grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. Normally he'd be happier to humour Lucy and her snark, give some kind of jovial reply, but he didn't have it in him. The soft lapping of the waves may well have been a roar in his ears, and it sent shudders down his spine. It was unusual for him not to sacrifice his own comfort to keep Lucy, or anyone really, entertained. Evidently the water truly did have a strong effect on him; he hated that.

Similar to most felines, Gabe would take any excuse to cuddle up to something and make himself comfortable. If he said it was cold, it was because he wanted attention and warm snuggles. Not that he'd get any understanding or sympathy from Lu. Apart from his selfishness, there was a part of him that was worried for Lucy as well. His obscene prejudice to the water meant he was positive it would find some way to injure or sicken her. As it was he was ridiculously close to blaming her drugs on the ocean too.

To distract himself Gabe held his hand up for the bag, curious despite himself. After all, this was something Lucy seemed entirely devoted to, but she didn't seem addicted either. He wanted to understand it and couldn't, and that annoyed him. "It's comfortable down here," he replied pertly, refusing to turn around to look at Lucy or the ocean. "Join me?" Despite his tough countenance , he thought he detected a meek plea in his voice, and he sighed. "I just like looking this way is all. Tis a pretty boat to look at."

[Lucy James]

Narrowing her eyes, Lucy looked from the bag, to Gabriel and back to the bag again before handing it over. It was small, roughly the size of her palm, and if she curled her fingers around it, it would be hidden within her hand. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to survive during the trip. It contained various pills and some weed. She didn't think he was brave enough to actually do something with it and even if he did, she could always collect some more in Mexico. At least she hoped so. She wondered why he wanted it though, as she couldn't really picture him as the type to take any of the drugs himself.

"Uh huh," she said simply as she sat down with her back against the railing. She pulled her knees up against her chest and leaned her chin on top of her knees. Wrapping her arms around her legs, the brunette pursed her lips. "If you're seasick, the drugs might help you," she spoke as she tilted her head to cast a narrowed eyed gaze at the kitten. At least it might have distracted him from feeling ill - if that was the reason he was covering like the moron he was, anyways.

"Also, if you toss it overboard, I will toss you in after it, so don't test me Frankenteen," she warned him with a scoff as she looked away, staring at nothing in particular. 

[Gabriel King]

Gabriel's brow furrowed as she handed him the bag. He leaned in, nose twitching as he sniffed it. Even through the bag he picked up on a strange sweet smell and winced. "That's just nasty," he muttered with a raised eyebrow, glancing at Lucy. "You really enjoy this kind of thing?" He knew by now judging her, or trying to change her, would get him nowhere so he didn't try. Still, the fact remained that he was bothered by her dangerous habits.

"I'm not seasick." Gabriel protested, smiling faintly as Lucy took a seat beside him. Even past the pleasure of her company, the warmth of another human helped get his shaking under control. Ha, if it were merely the cold that was bothering him.

Well, he wasn't a thief, and typically he had respect for other people's property. Particularly when that person was a friend. But in this respect, he'd be helping, right? "Yes ma'am. No tossing." So when Gabriel pushed the bag under the railing and off the edge, he was actually doing the right thing. Didn't even toss it either. "Though I'd rather be lit on fire than thrown into the ocean, if you please, spitfire." And he still didn't like that nickname. It made him queasy, and he'd already had an upset stomach to begin with.

[Lucy James]

"I do," she replied casually, her eyebrow quirking somewhat as she studied his face. No, she could hardly expect him to agree with her choices or at all like them. Then again, Lucy was hardly the type to worry too much about what others thought of her or her choices. At the very least she could have done far worse than smoking weed and taking a few pills now and then. She could have been constantly stoned and at the edge of OD'ing every night. She liked to consider herself as functional druggie....apart from the obvious attitude issues though, but that hardly came from the drugs.

She continued watching him even after he'd taken the bag. Which was why the brunette saw what he did. Her eyes narrowed and she rose to her feet, leaning over the railing. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she asked. Who the fuck did something like that anyways? What was he trying to achieve? Did he really think that was all he had to do and she'd stop? Seriously? "Do you even know how much that shit costs-- no of course you don't." She threw her hands up as she pushed herself away from the railing.

Well, that's what she got, she figured. At the very least now she knew she couldn't trust him with that kind of thing again. "Idiot," she muttered under her breath as she started moving away from him and further down the deck. Great, now she had to seek out that one student who sold her this crap to begin with. 

[Gabriel King]

Ok, so she enjoyed it, that he could understand. Doing something you enjoyed was just like having a hobby. But did she have to choose such a self-harmful one? What about white-water rafting? Dangerous, but still fun. Then again, he ate raw red meat. He hunted and he killed, and calling himself a leopard could never excuse him of that. Normal society shunned drugs and alcohol even when it used them to such extents. He couldn't imagine what would happen if his own habits, his needs, were discovered. Whether or not he was even human, whether they would lock him up again or just kill him like a beast, were things he had been too afraid to dwell on ever since the tendencies started.

"Can't really condemn you for that," he sighed, even though he kind of had with the whole 'toss the bag overboard' thing. Be that as it may, his gaze was shadowed, even haunted as he glanced down at this hands. He could see them perfectly in the dark, and it made his stomach turn. "Right I'm....I'm sorry." The apology was weak to his ears, not because he didn't mean it, but because he didn't know why he'd done something like that in the first place. He had a terrible impulse control, he'd call it a cat thing but that would just be making excuses for himself. Nothing he did would stop Lucy and now....well he wasn't so sure he had the right to try. "I can pay you ba-.." Wait, no he couldn't. He was poor as dog shit. "Er, nevermind. I can...work it off? Human slave for a month or something? Pick up a newspaper route?"

Gabriel got to his feet, though a roll of the ship had him staggering again. It wasn't even strong, he was just a weak bastard. Holding on to the rail, he gripped hard enough to turn his knuckles white and glanced over the edge, breathing haggard. He could go and get it. Would it have sunk? "Drugs are......buoyant, yeah?" He swallowed heavily and continued to try his best at keeping his voice light. "All those rainbows and cupcakes have gotta make the stuff light as unicorn shit. I can......get it. Probably." He really didn't want to do this. He really didn't want to. But what right did he have to say otherwise?

[Lucy James]

This was exactly what Lucy hated about people; they did whatever the hell they wanted. Sure, she was no better, but at least she had the decency to push them away. This was exactly why she didn't do friends or people in general. They just got in her way and fucked everything up. And then there was the people who thought they could control her, or "fix" her. What the hell had he even expected to happen? That she'd be totally fine with him tossing the drugs overboard? That she'd suddenly sober up and never touch it again?

Sighing, Lucy turned to look at him and threw her hands up. "No, they don't fucking float," she growled. "And yeah, do us all the favor of throwing yourself off the boat." She shook her head as a hand came up to rub her temples. "Would surely save myself from a lot of future headaches," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "What the hell were you thinking? That by throwing them off the ship I'd suddenly magically stop taking them? Are you really that stupid? Or what, you're gonna swoop in like a fucking pony and fix me? Is that what you're thinking?" She looked at him now, her expression cold.

"What are you trying to achieve? You're suddenly above this now, is that it? Because last time I checked, you're hardly one to speak about bad habits." Considering how this was the same guy who had bit off someone's tongue... Well, needless to say, she'd consider her little habit harmless in comparison.

"Whatever. Fuck this. Fuck you." With that, the brunette turned again and started moving away once more. Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe this was all for nothing. She didn't care. She was royally pissed that she'd let her guard down for just a second. It was never going to happen again.

[Gabriel King]

He couldn't be mad, even as Lucy threw all of his own arguments back in his face. "I wasn't trying to...you know, change you," he argued over his shoulder, unable to take his eyes off the rolling ocean. If he kept watching it, it couldn't go anywhere or do anything evil. "I mean..I kind of was, but it was a stupid thing to do so I'm sorry." Of course that apology, much like his first one would be taken as cheap. He didn't mind that. Words were empty, and he didn't need Lucy's attitude to tell him that.

Gabriel could understand at least why Lucy wouldn't want him butting in like he'd tried to. The only reason he wasn't replying as sarcastically as she was, was because he'd regretted his actions almost as soon as he'd done them. He could kick himself. He'd finally been getting closer to Lucy and then he'd gone and pulled an asshole move like that. "Goddammit Lucy, I know" He fumed, flinching at her cold voice. He wasn't a perfect pony himself, he damn well knew that. "I wasn't judging you. I don't know what I was doing." He let his head fall to the railing, taking a steadying breath.

In the darkness of the ocean he could see a little white flash, the plastic bag was still bobbing and fighting in the waves. It seemed like it was fighting a futile fight, but at the same time, some would say the same thing in his befriending of Lucy. Besides, he had to fix it....this. Whatever it was he'd screwed up between them. He glanced over his shoulder, watching Lucy begin to walk away. He couldn't call her back, couldn't demand she stay without something to stand for it. "Fine, ok? Fine." He muttered the words to himself, barely audible. He glanced back over the railing, his shaking increasing as his mind began racing, trying to come up with a legitimate reason not to do what he was about to do. Nope, there was nothing. With a frustrated growl he kicked off his shoes, keeping his eyes locked on the white bag, his lifeline. Hey, how about an actual lifeline? That might have been nice. Sticking his foot into the railing, Gabriel vaulted himself over and into the water.

[Lucy James]

He was getting aggravated. Good. At least there was something else hiding in that head of his besides impulsive needs to do whatever the hell he was trying to do. And to think that Lucy had almost let it fool her was probably the most annoying part of it all. Of course, she couldn't blame him for the fact that she had lowered her guard, but that didn't stop her from doing exactly that. It didn't stop her from getting mad and taking out all of her frustration and aggression onto him.

Stopping only as she heard the sound of someone climbing onto the railing, Lucy turned her head over her shoulder. "What the hell are you doin--" She stopped the second the man lounged himself over the railing and into the sea below. Within seconds, Lucy found herself peering over, squinting her eyes in the dark as she looked for signs of the idiot still being alive. Who the hell was that stupid? Who did something like that?

She should have just left him. She should have walked away and never looked back. Him drowning would only prove to be one less problem that Lucy had to deal with, but no matter how hard she tried to make it seem like she didn't care about anything, she didn't consider herself a murderer. Moving further down the deck, Lucy grabbed one of the lifelines and tied the rope to the railing as she tossed it into the water. She then continued to move towards the closest populated area. She pulled the arm of one of the guys who worked at the ship and watched as he spurred into action, and within minutes, the deck started crowding as curious passages and employees focused on the task at hand.

With that, the brunette pulled away and stepped to the side. She stuck to the shadows as a hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She didn't need this in her life.

[Gabriel King]

It occurred to Gabriel as he hit the water that there was in fact, such a thing as being too rash. Here he was, diving into the ocean in the middle of the night when he was afraid of getting into a swimming pool.....for a bag of drugs. Maybe he'd sniffed the bag too readily and become high through the plastic? Could that happen? Doing something for Lucy, that he could understand, but in this strange moment of slow-motion reflection, Gabe was realizing that whenever he tried to help, he did so in quite possibly the worst way. (See; tongue biting)

The cold water, combined with Gabe's fear shocked his system and for a moment all he could see was white. When that cleared, all he could see was black and bubbles. It wasn't a great improvement. Sensing his struggling body, his mutation was instinctively coming forward and trying to take over, scratching as his skin and trying to force the 'change'. Stubbornly Gabriel pushed it back. A drowning leopard would be no more help than a drowning human, and he needed hands to grab the bag. He'd jumped in for the shit, his pride wouldn't let him abandon it.

Furiously doggy-paddling against the current, Gabriel focused on keeping his head above the water as he struck out for the floating bag. A stroke of good fortune hit him as the bag was lit up, as if by some heavenly ray. Well, it was actually the men on the ship looking for him, but he'd take what he could get. With a small cry of triumph Gabriel grabbed the bag, after which he swallowed a mouthful of salt water and automatically sunk. In a blind panic he churned himself to the surface, unaware of how well he was actually swimming, and the fact that if he weren't deathly afraid, he would be fine.
With the baggie in hand he grasped the lifeline and was subsequently pulled in. He hoped the people hauling him up the ship were at least having more fun that he. Perhaps they considered this fishing. When he was finally dropped on the deck Gabe was convulsing again against the change. Since his goal had been reached and he was surrounded by people he in no way wanted to be near (since he'd noticed Lucy wasn't among the caring crowd) he laid back and let it happen.


There was a small moan of protest as his bones cracked and shifted out of place, and his crowd of admirers backed away as Gabriel merged into a soggy leopard. Creaking his sore muscles, the leopard stood and picked up the water-logged bag, following Lucy's scent to the shadows. With a little grunt of complaint he head-butted her thigh and dropped the back, incredibly proud even without the words to say so.

[Lucy James]

Watching the commotion with a dulled expression on her face, Lucy had to actually force herself not to roll her eyes. She didn't know why she had a hard time taking the situation seriously. Maybe it was because she didn't want to stress it before she knew something was actually wrong, or maybe she was just too annoyed over how much of an idiot this guy was. Besides, the dulled, almost stoic expression wasn't something that was unfamiliar against the brunette's features.

It seemed like the crew had everything under control too, so she simply leaned back and watched the entire thing. The guys clearly knew what they were doing though, so it almost looked as if Gabriel wasn't the first person to get his ass thrown overboard - or in this case, jumped willingly.

When Gabriel finally emerged from the water - and shifted his form, Lucy rolled her eyes. Such a drama whore, she thought to herself as she pulled further back, enjoying her spot covered in the shadows. She was about to turn away as she heard the sound of the wet paws against the deck. Then she felt the thud against her thigh and turned her head to look at the drowned cat.

The bag of drugs fell from his mouth and onto the flooring. Quickly, the brunette scooped them up and stuck them into the pockets of her hoodie before looking at the leopard again. "You're an idiot," she sighed, another hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Go get yourself checked out." She nodded towards the crew; they probably wanted to make sure he was alright.

[Gabriel King]

She'd taken the drugs, which was nice, in a bad way. He'd wanted to toss them a few minutes ago, now he was happy she had them back. It felt so ironic, but it didn't make him want to laugh. He didn't really want to get himself checked out either. A somewhat shady history had made him averse to any kind of poking or prodding. Unless it was the sexual kind, because who didn't enjoy that?

He couldn't convey as much in his cat form, and it seemed redundant to change back straight away. In a way Lucy was right, he was a drama whore. So he settled for stubbornly shaking his head then headbutting her again. It really didn't seem to be getting the full force of his point across though, so redundant as it was, he compelled the shift again. As it always was, his body felt reluctant to leave what it believed to be its more natural form. When he was done, human Gabriel was clutching Lucy's leg like a child. "Don't wanna." He confided stubbornly.

"Do I get a thanks?"

[Lucy James]

Looking down at the pathetic display, Lucy simply rolled her eyes as she yanked her foot out of the man's grip and stepped to the side. "Seriously," she sighed, her free hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Could you possibly be any more pathetic? You're a damn adult; start acting like one." Although Lucy hardly cared much for the man, nor his position, a very important fact remained; something she could use for her own benefit. "If anyone saw you acting this way, clinging to a student like some love struck puppy, your ass would get fired so fast you wouldn't even manage to open that sorry little mouth of yours."

With that, Lucy offered Gabriel a court nod of her head as she drew further into the shadows; away from any and all watching passerby. Her blue eyes drifted towards the crowd before she sighed. "Thanks for what exactly? You were the one who threw the drugs into the ocean in the first place, and you were also the one who chose to collect it. I hardly have anything to thank you for, as you could have saved yourself the trouble simply by minding your own goddamn business."