Hiding

[Elsa Bellefonte]

{this thread technically takes place around the beginning of July}

This would not be the first time that Elsa had entered the Nurse's office to attempt self-treatment. This time, she actually had legitimate medicine stored in the cabinets. She'd brought a few of her drugs here so that they could be a little more properly regulated, just in case. not that Elsa foresaw herself overdosing on tapeworm medication, but she didn't want to take any chances.

Now, however, she was looking for something to treat the side-effects. The well-tanned girl frowned as she worked her way through the office, opening one drawer at a time. Most thieves would look a good deal more frantic than Elsa; they certainly wouldn't take the time to carefully sort through the contents of each drawer, pulling out what was within and lifting some up to read the labels carefully.

"There's got to be some around here somewhere," Elsa mumbled before setting another bottle back into the drawer. She looked over, seeing the locked cabinet. She walked toward it, jiggled the lock, and instead opted to head back to the desk for a key. She was rummaging around when she thought to send out a mental scan, pinging someone just entering.

"I'm looking for a key," Elsa said without looking up, "so are you going to help or just stand there staring?" she got a drawer open and bent down to look through the contents more closely.

[Drew Conner]

Drew was still moving about, tying up loose ends and putting the finishing touches on the new chapters in his life. He had barely been able to keep up with the whirling dervish his life had become in recent weeks. There was so much new he had to focus on it occasionally became difficult to focus upon the old that still needed tending to. One of these happened to be the small key ring in his hand as he ventured into the nurse's office.

Stopping in the doorway, Drew couldn't help the smirk that surfaced as he immediately recognized not only the figure in front of him, but also the faint tingling sensation of another telepath's ability nearby. "I see you're still demanding as ever, Elsa." He said without missing a beat, his tone calm and even, even if it did carry a faint trace of sly playfulness. He leaned in the doorway, arms folded across his chest as he looked to the girl. There was no mistaking the Bellefonte twins anymore, not with the countless hours one of them had recently spent in the merciless, African sun. "You didn't bring back a little friend with you from Africa, did you?" He mused while also understanding the humor in the two of them meeting like this. Again.

"But if it's a key you're looking for, maybe this will help." Pushing off the door frame, Drew moved into the room, plucking the small key ring from his pocket and holding it up. He wasn't here to do his own shopping, not this time. "I found them on the ground outside." Which was probably a lie. At this point Drew didn't care. There was precious little that could be said otherwise, regardless of his counterpart's impressive ability. "And with this one here labelled 'medicine cabinet', I figured this would be the best place to drop them off." He gave Elsa a winning smirk. One that perfectly exemplified his borderline arrogant confidence and maddening sense of control. "They just might be what you're looking for." He extended his left hand, the keys hanging off the end of his index finger, toward Elsa.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Andrew Conner. Elsa didn't react, at least not physically, as she heard his voice and recognized it. Her psionic shield went up almost immediately though, and she put a few of her thoughts in a row, letting them flit very quickly just across the surface of her brain before building mental walls around them. He certainly didn't know what she'd already arranged.

"I'm afraid so,' Elsa said, looking over her shoulder and offering an abashed smile. "Tapeworm from eating some bad meat. The only solace is that it got me and ignored Felix," though Elsa had certainly not considered that much of a solace when she'd been dealing with the effects of the creature. She watched Drew carefully, her eyes seeming a bit sharper in the face that still matched her sister's in every way but skin tone.

The key appeared. Elsa raised her brows only slightly at the ease with which the young man produced it. They hadn't had a real conversation in some time: Elsa seemed to recall her sister being married to someone else then. And between them his sister had essentially told Elsa to fuck off, though she'd done it with the tact of the upper crust. Elsa kept her mind locked and her eyes on him.

"It is a great place to put such things, I find," she admitted, finally turning to face him, leaning against the shelf. "I used to have a set like that myself, back when I was Headmistress. But I had access to quite a bit then," she sighed, looking up for a moment, "oh, memories," she said with false nostalgia. As though she didn't still have control, allies, means, especially in this school.

[Drew Conner]

Drew's gaze didn't waver. Why should it? After all, he was the one pulling the strings during this encounter. He always was. Like a puppeteer manipulating a marionette, Drew saw every meeting with someone of Elsa's stature as another chance to make the puppet dance merrily across the stage. "Well, of course." He said, offering a sympathetic nod upon hearing of Elsa's malady. "Tapeworms aren't sexually transmitted. I thought you knew." Drew wasn't the only one who had rumors circulating around him. He didn't care of Elsa's relationship, though he knew she had problems with his. He merely wished to remind the twin that she, too, was garnering all the wrong kind of attention when it came to matters of love.

"Yes, well, perhaps you should bring up to your council at your next meeting the importance of keeping tabs on sensitive items." Drew's eyes finally dropped to the keys in his hand as he reached out to place them on a nearby counter as the light caught the gold band on his left ring finger and flashed. He had no use for the keys anymore. They had served their purpose. "Imagine the trouble one could get into if these fell into the wrong hands." His gaze lifted back up to Elsa, the unmistakable confidence of a Conner who knew more than everyone else gleaming amidst the dark brown eyes.

"Yes." Drew said with a nod as he allowed his attention to now drift out over the room. There were, indeed, a number of memories in the store room of the nurse's office. Granted, he hadn't spend much time in this place, though, dropping off the 'lost' set of keys he'd 'found' did feel like the final nail in a coffin that was being prepped to be lowered into the ground. "It has been one hell of a year, hasn't it?" There was a faint trace of sincerity in his eyes as he glanced back to Elsa. Even someone who had lived such an eventful, unorthodox life as Drew Conner had to admit the last school year had been one for the ages.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Hmm, was that intended to be some sort of barb regarding Elsa's relationship? If so, it was a rather weak one, more worthy of DL than someone like Drew Conner. That probably meant that Drew had said it knowing that full well, quite an interesting thing to consider, that. Why pose some sort of attack in that matter? Elsa had, for the most part, left his relationship with her sister alone, so long as they kept things going steadily, so long as she couldn't quite prove the rumors about him. Wouldn't stop her from trying though.

Ah, the council. "I'll make sure to let you know if it comes off," Elsa replied almost flippantly. Yes, he'd been on the council before, before he'd pulled up stakes and left without really discussing it with anyone, before Elsa had lost what little trust she had in him. She noticed the ring, heard the comment. "Most wouldn't be able to get this far, between our increased security and the various staff roaming the halls. The ones who would wouldn't be looking out for the cat, and if they were, they likely wouldn't be expecting our medical staff. Besides," Elsa arched her brow, "it's all rather moot, seeing as most of what's in there," she nodded toward the storage container, "could be stolen without much of a dent."

Yes, they had much more important things to consider. The return to thoughts of the year did hit Elsa with some nostalgia, and she could see the wistfulness in Drew's voice and his comment. Moments like that almost made her wonder if there wasn't an actual human being in there, someone who would somehow appeal to her free-spirited sister. Thankfully her tapeworm chose that moment to wiggle or something along those lines. She hoped the damn thing was in its death throes, that was certain.

she took the keys and turned to open the container, looking through the medications, searching for the ones that worked for her specific condition. "So I'm clearly here to fight off African illnesses," she said as she moved containers around, "but that hardly explains your presence. Headache, perhaps?" She looked up at him, her smile pointed, trying to remind him of their last meeting here, perhaps.

[Drew Conner]

In truth, Drew cared very little about Elsa's relationship, its perception among the rest of the campus, or the real story behind the rumored tryst with the young man Erika had turned down. The only couple he actually gave any sort of damn about had recently taken an immense step forward thanks to some legally filed documents that ultimately resulted in the changing of a certain young woman's last name. Everything else was so much trivial drivel that oozed from the lips of petty gossips and those with far too much time on their hands.

Offering little more than a shrug of response, Drew glanced toward the medical cabinet Elsa had referred to. A brow quirked curiously upward at the former headmistresses casually dismissive attitude. Hardly a dent? The words felt careless and almost ignorant, if Drew hadn't known better. Of course, it wasn't his place to point out the obvious steps that needed to be taken to circumvent (or outright avoid) the strict federal regulations medical facilities had to follow when it came to their inventory of controlled substances. A thin smirk touched his lips, though, as he was reminded of the prescription forms he'd 'obtained' in order to prevent his activity from being discovered. Thank god they'd been destroyed along with a wealth of other potentially incriminating evidence.

"I already told you." Drew put on the most winning smile he could muster. After all, he was merely a concerned student returning school property that had been carelessly misplaced. "I found these keys and wanted to make sure they found their way back into the possession of their rightful owners." He reached out and tapped the key ring lightly. He didn't think for a second that Elsa would fully believe his story, though that was the best aspect of this little interaction. There was absolutely no proof his intentions were anything other than for the security of the Academy. Hell, even if the truth got out, at least he wasn't treating the highly sensitive, government regulated medication stores of the Academy as his own, personal medicine cabinet.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

That winning smile, with all its charm, yes, Elsa could certainly see how Drew had won over so many people with that smile. It even worked on her to some degree, though she held too much suspicion for the wearer of it for it to work as well as it possibly should. She studied him a bit more carefully as he repeated his oh so carefully constructed lie. Did he really think that she'd buy that for a second? And, more importantly, did Elsa want to push the issue or just go along for the ride? It was very tempting to try and crash the Conner train...

"I'm sure whoever's missing keys will appreciate that greatly," Elsa replied before looking back to the cabinet. She frowned, trying to recall which medications the various doctors she'd spoken to had suggested were viable. She could only mix so much given her condition, after all. Elsa sorted through a few more, reading labels, seriously considering pulling out her phone to look.

"So did you enjoy yourself this past summer? I'd imagine you've been quite busy while I've been off enjoying myself in the African bush," if you could call doing volunteer work and helping dig wells "enjoyment." It had done what Elsa needed, and given her a tapeworm. Speaking of: she studied a bottle carefully, wondering if this would help quiet the beast within.

[Drew Conner]

Drew remained where he stood, smirk still playing on his lips, gaze unwavering. He didn't need to use his power to know what was going through Elsa's mind. Or, at least, what he suspected went through her mind when he was around was more than like what nearly everyone like her thought. He was well aware he was something of an enigma. A shady riddle in which many would like to see unraveled and his secrets laid bare for the world to see. It came with being such a polarizing figure to many. Of course, Drew did little to quell the rumors about his activities that sometimes seemed to be running rampant through the Academy. In fact, he usually played up to them. All the better to keep one's enemies guessing. The question still remained, however, whether or not Elsa should be considered as such.

"Of course." He replied with a nod, his eyes following as Elsa looked over the medication in front of her. Drew wouldn't say outright the obvious statement that his summer had gone rather well in comparison, though he wasn't one to hide this fact either. "Not every day I get to sit in on a billion dollar asset acquisition in Japan." Even if his reasons for going had been less than business oriented. The smirk on his face then broadened. "And Vegas is... wonderful this time of year." Yes, the last bit was added as a sort of jab. Whether Elsa liked it or not, Drew was here to stay and her sister was the reason.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

A billion dollar acquisition, hmm, if Elsa didn't know any better, she'd think that Drew was attempting to brag or overwhelm Elsa for some reason. She let the comment slide, though she nearly laughed as he continued. The verbal sparring was most definitely enjoyable, she had to give him that much. Yet again Elsa wondered what her sister saw in this young man, but, well, that was pretty much how Erika worked.

"I've heard wonderful things," Elsa offered, nodding. "It does sound as though it's been quite the lifechanging summer for everyone, doesn't it?" She smiled at that. "I'm sure the school year will be almost boring by comparison," Elsa had to nearly laugh at that: as if they ever experienced a boring year. She turned her attention back on the drugs, having made certain she'd gotten everything she needed. Then it was time to return things to their proper place.

"Things change around here so quickly though: I'm just glad that everything seems to be working out for us," she said, turning back to Drew and nodding. Yes, it did seem as if, for now, his relationship, such as it was, was working out with her sister. Elsa would be interested to see where that ended up. She would, of course, support Erika with the same unwavering devotion she'd had. Drew, on the other hand, well, that was very much conditional.

[Drew Conner]

It seemed as though Drew was dealing with a slightly different Elsa than he was used to. Perhaps her time away had lent her knew perspective on the world around her or maybe he'd merely caught her in a less than cantankerous mood she usually found herself in while in his presence. Whatever the reasons Drew got the uncanny feeling Elsa wasn't looking for a fight or any sort of verbal sparring. That didn't mean he wasn't still wary of the young woman who'd been somewhat of his rival at times, though he did allow himself to nod faintly at the talk of the summer.

"It is." He replied, letting the mischievous smirk that always seemed to be playing on his lips meld with a hint of a genuine smile for just a moment. While Drew would welcome an uneventful school year he doubted people like them could ever hope for anything of the sort. There's weren't lives destined to be boring and dull by any means. "Not likely." He said, though he gave a bit of a shrug and added. "Though it'd be nice." Of that even he had to agree.

Drew studied Elsa for a moment. He wasn't sure if her comment about things changing was meant as a dig toward the seemingly fluid nature of Erika's moods and, as a result, her recently erratic love life or simply a musing about the affect time takes on everyone as a whole. Regardless, Drew put very little stock in the thoughts of others and, should that have been Elsa's intent, had resigned himself long before to the knowledge he and Erika would have a great deal of explaining to do in the wake of their monumental (and largely foolish) decision. "That's true. Though, it's the change that makes the constants mean all the more." He made no secret he was referring to his new wife. He wasn't being arrogant or smug. He'd gone to hell and back with and because of Erika and they still ended up together.

"By the way." Drew said, watching as Elsa went about going through the bottles of medication. "You'll need a doctor to find out the species of tapeworm, otherwise, you could just pump yourself full of medication that won't affect it." There were interesting little tidbits kids could pick up when their family traveled the globe. He shrugged faintly. "My father brought one home when he spent some time in Afghanistan a few years before I came here."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

It would be nice to have an uneventful year, one where they could most easily pretend to simply be a group of young people without worries or cares or powers or anything more complicated than their already complicated young lives. Then again, Elsa wasn't certain that she, or Drew for that matter, would fare that well in a normal setting such as that. Some people would certainly assert as much, but she kept that opinion to herself, at least for the time being.

There was a moment there when Elsa was fairly certain that Drew studied her, no doubt wondering about her comment. Let him wonder: that was the point. "There is so much in our lives that stay the same," Elsa agreed, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. It was tempting to make a comment regarding family: she loved her sister almost as much as she disliked Drew's, but she was already dancing on the edge as it was.

Plus, Drew had decided to spring on what he likely saw as another opportunity. "This? This is just for symptoms," Elsa replied. She flashed a grateful smile, mostly false, but still present: "I received a full analysis of a doctor before leaving the continent, as is required, then I checked in again with a local doctor who happens to be quite well recommended." Elsa nodded her head slightly toward Drew. "Thank you for the concern regardless."

[Drew Conner]

Of course it was foolish to think Elsa would be attempting to tackle such a malady on her own. Drew nodded a little in response, though he took no offense to her statement as he hoped she didn't take any to his. He and Elsa had always had a tenuous relationship, at best. He knew she was just as close to her sister as he was to Eve and understood the connection twins could have. Barring a catastrophic incident, Else would remain a constant in his life now that he'd inexorably connected it with Erika's.

"Look. Elsa." Drew started, pushing off the door frame he was leaning on and taking a step toward the girl. Perhaps it was time to stop playing this petty little game. They weren't enemies. Not anymore. While they would probably never enjoy one another's company the charade between the both of them was wearing thin and no good could ever come of it. Drew was going to be a constant presence at Erika's side and vice versa. There was nothing that would change that. "I know I'm not your first choice for your sister, and I get it." He continued. There was no pretense, no smirk, no agenda. It was a rare, genuine showing of real emotion. Drew was well aware of the reasons Elsa had been so wary of his relationship with Erika from the very beginning. "But I would never do anything to hurt her." Drew's eyes caught Elsa's and held them. "I'll never leave her or take her for granted."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Look? Elsa raised her brows, watching as the young man pushed off the wall for a moment. There was something strange in his movement now, it almost felt like when an actor broke character. it also struck Elsa as eerily familiar, so much like it had been when she'd talked to Everett, to Felix. The thought remained in her mind, nearly twisting her lips into a smile as Drew took that step toward her.

Was Drew her first choice? Elsa wasn't certain, to be honest. She had always contended that whoever made her sister happy was enough for her. She had to admit that she'd rather have had a family member who was willing to actually bind two families together. She hadn't wholly approved of Everett either, but he'd been there for Erika when she'd desperately needed it.

Their eyes met. Elsa threw up every bit of psychic defense she had, mostly out of knee-jerk reflex. "Haven't we had this conversation before?" she asked, arching a brow. "You've nothing to prove to me: you're... connected," she'd almost said married, "to the other twin. As your sister once made abundantly clear to me: we don't have to have anything to do with one another," and pursed lips, slight shrug, and Elsa turned back to finish putting away the drugs. No reason to mess around with that nonsense any more.

[Drew Conner]

Yes, Elsa was right. This was nearly a carbon copy of a conversation the two had held many, many months ago. It didn't matter to Drew. He would have this talk as many times as needed if that's what it took to convince Elsa he had and always would put Erika's well being not just before his own but first in everything he did. Drew didn't feel it needed to be said that of the others who had been given the opportunity with Erika's heart it was him who had remained by her side. He'd been the one who'd never left her or taken her for granted. Even after she had walked out on him Drew was still there, ready and willing to take her back and move forward stronger than they'd been before.

"My sister is her own person." Drew replied with an almost apologetic shrug. "Her opinions aren't always right." He'd heard of the run-in between Eve and Elsa and, while he'd never claim his sister didn't have every right to feel like she did, Drew wasn't about to act like he shared the strong opinions of his twin. "One thing she's always lacked is foresight." He admitted. "But she's also not the one married to your sister making her unwillingness to bring our families together a moot point. Just as you couldn't control who Erika married, Eve has little say in the Conners and Bellefontes now being inexorably linked." Drew studied the back of the young woman for a moment as she went about straightening up. "Surely you can see the mutual benefits of such a partnership."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Well, wasn't this interesting? Elsa looked at Drew, wondering how much of her own plans he knew, if he'd been poking around enough or if she had someone who would admit. Not that she had elaborate schemes: she had been attempting to build herself into someone with enough steel and self-esteem to be whomever it was she'd need to be in the future. She knew that some, Franck Laffont foremost among them, wanted her to take the Headmistress job when she finally got enough qualifications. Elsa wasn't nearly as certain of that herself.

What was much more interesting was that Drew seemed to be offering essentially the same deal that Elsa had given to his sister. Their families were merging, and it simply made sense for them to ally with one another. Two houses working in concert would be significantly better than one at war. Interesting that Drew outright mentioned being married to Erika. Either he slipped or someone had clued him in that Elsa knew.

"Interesting that you admit so freely to being married now," she mused aloud, tilting her head slightly. "Best be careful if that's supposed to be some big secret. As far as the partnership goes, again: I extended my hand first and got slapped for it. Rather rudely too, I might add. While it wasn't you doing it, it does put you in the horribly awkward position of now trying to figure out some way of enticing me over. That, I am most interested to see," she smiled and then checked her phone. "Hmm, it seems as though I've some other appointments to attend. You'll have to excuse me," another flashed smile, and she even flipped the phone, which truly was buzzing with appointments. That's why she felt it necessary to even get that extra dosage, after all.