You Can Leave The Snakes At Home

[Tamara Sulik]

Tamara was not joking when she told Seiji Lockard she could invite him for a drink outside of the school. Sure, she could also have invited him to her dorm, or his if he stayed at school still, but if that meant he could bring his snakes there were other people who might not want that. And it had the disadvantage of being really close to her bedroom and sending the wrong message to the young man. So she invited him out, if he could leave his snakes at home. Somehow, she doubted the Silverlight would like to see the reptiles in their establishment. The guy needed to be out of the lab and do something more his age anyway. The fact it might be a little less hers was totally irrelevant here.

Arrived at the club, Tamara did what some might consider like a wrong, she was the one paying the drinks for the two of them. Oh, she didn’t think Seiji could not afford or would not offer to pay. On the contrary, she was pretty sure he might just suggest paying for everything they’d ingest. Possibly even for the gas it took her to get them here. She let Seiji find them a table because she somehow doubted he’d be the kind to just invite her to dance. Not with the drinks anyway. Tamara was not stupid enough to leave her drink unattended, even for a few seconds.

There was also the vague hope that some girl might try to snatch him from her. Why wouldn’t it happen? The guy was good looking and charming. Perhaps a little too shy for this kind of hunting ground but women were not the helpless little things looking at boys from afar anymore, many made the first step nowadays. He was always in his lab or trying to help the students of the school, he could use a break from it. All work an no play, right?

Only there was no one but him at the table when she returned. Oh well. The night was still young, it was too soon to claim he just shoved away anyone else because he came here with her. “Alright,” she said as she placed both their drinks on the table. She sat down and pulled the beer she ordered for herself closer to her. “I better warn you, I’ve never tested my wingman talents but I will just try them for you. But before that,” she raised her glass as she said that. “I intend to know you a little better. You managed to make me talk a lot last time, now that’s your turn. Who is Seiji Lockard when he's not wearing his lab coat?” And she finally took a drink of the beer. Not bad. It was a commercial one but she was not wholly surprised in a place like here. She was not expected they may have their special brew.

[Seiji Lockard]

It had been very, very hard to not bring one of his snakes along for this trip. He always brought his snakes along with him everywhere, ad while he had been working on not carrying them on his person as much; he still always took them to the club with him. He always snuck one into the club, knowing that they were helpful in getting him to do things he normally would not do and to meet new people. He was more susceptible to their suggestion when he was intoxicated, and it was because of that fact that he brought them along and just hoped he didn't listen to them tell him to kidnap or eat someone.

However; Tamara had made it very clear that he was not allowed to being any of them. So after explaining it to his reptiles in length while he had to go along, Seiji left with the woman. He had offered to drive, but she wanted to. He offered to pay for gas, but she didn't say much about that. He even offered to pay for the drinks, but it did not seem like she was having any of it. Now he felt even more out of his element. No snakes and no treating anyone. What was he supposed to do, just let her bring him drinks and smile? That was at least what he was trying to do. Keep a smile on his face as he felt nervous and did whatever she told him to, which ended up being get them a table.

He got them one with no real problem and almost had been tempted to pay for a VIP one, but held back for the sake of not knowing how Tamara would feel if he did such a thing. "Welcome back." Seiji said, feeling like an idiot to welcoming her to a table that she had not been at yet, but still. He was then blushing when she spoke up about being a wingman, which had him ruffling his hair a little. "You don't have to do that. I thought we were here to have a few drinks and possibly discuss if you have reached a discussion yet." Seiji spoke up, honestly thinking that was why she called him out here. It was not the best place to have a private conversation but then again, it was.

He grabbed at his fruity drink, wanting something light for his first beverage before getting into the 'hard' stuff. There was the question after pointing out how he had got her talking, and that was how he liked it. Who was he? "I'm the adopted second son of the Lockard family. A very wealthy business family and was raised by them for a few years until my manifestation. Came to this school, received Ghost, was bullied, and didn't really have an eventful high school life outside the expected. Graduated a year early, traveled a bit to find out what I enjoyed doing for a living and realized I wanted to help out my fellow mutants. So I returned here and got right to work helping it what areas I was good at from previous work with animals and people." Seiji informed her, and then blushing more when it clicked he possible didn't tell her the things she was actually looking for and instead gave her a quick sum of his life.

[Tamara Sulik]

Tamara was not an expert in psychology but she understood that Seiji’s snakes were some sort of defense mechanism or whatever they called it so that he’d feel more comfortable. He wouldn’t need a snake to push him to talk to a girl though, or dance, or drink, Tamara can do it all by herself. And certainly better. She’d be damned if a snake was better than her in those things. The poor guy was too nice. And Tamara was not used to being pampered. He didn’t need to offer her anything when she was the one inviting. Oh sure, she might just let him pay her a drink or two later on but who offered to pay for the gas it took to drive you to a club? Really, really too nice. It might be nice and exactly the kind of quality you’d want out of someone you planned to live the rest of your life with but Tamara still thought he needed to let go a little. No need to be a mother hen, women were independent nowadays.

She noticed the nerve playing on him as she returned to the table he picked for them. He mustn’t be used to deal with woman like her. She even had him blush when she suggested flirting might be on the program of the night. “Of course, of course. We’ll drink, and we’ll talk. And we’ll also dance and relax and forget a little about the school and the work and the stress that comes with it, ok?” Despite the question you could hear in her tone, it seemed pretty obvious it was not really up for discussion. This was an evening to unwind.

Tamara thought that to an outsider, they probably looked funny, Seiji having the more feminine-looking drink while she had beer and looked more in control of the situation was he was passive. Then again, Tamara rarely let the guys get the upper hand. Even when she’d want to, it was hard for her to let go. She definitely had more balls than many guys around here.

She listened to him tell his story. It was short, concise. Just a little about his adopted family, just a little about his high school years and how he decided he wanted to help mutants and came back here. She said nothing, even waited a little in case he’d add more but he preferred to blush. “You ever thought looking for your biological parents?” was all she asked. If he wanted to give her his biography instead of saying what he liked, fine. At least she discovered a bit more about him. She was curious to know where he travelled. He actually seemed more at ease while saying that, didn’t think about it until he was done. She’d have him comfortable so he could relax and start enjoying this evening.[/font]

[Seiji Lockard]

Seiji was not used to dealing with women at all. That was not to say that he didn't deal with women, but it was more so that he was not used to dealing with them often. He was not used to dealing with people in general. True things had gotten better over the years, but he still could not help but to be a little nervous. It didn't help when Tamara was a beautiful woman who was nice to look at but he had to keep things professional. Not like it would be all that hard for him to keep things professional. He did that without even trying because he didn't know how to do things any other way. "Okay. Yes. I can do that." Seiji responded when she laid out what they would do.

It helped having an idea what they would do, it allowed him to prepare his mind for what was going to happen. What good things could be a result of all of this, what bad, and what he would learn. The latter was the most important, but it was still hard to not worry about every aspect of tonight. He just wanted Tamara to have a good time and not really worried about him. As for his drink, Seiji could pretty much drink anything. He just liked to switch it up, try something new each time he went out to a bar, and also didn't want to start off with anything too heavy right off the bat. Later he would likely get something stronger, but for now he was not bothered by the fact that they had different drinks.

He told her what he figured she wanted to know. It was hard to really know what specifics someone wanted or if they were being serious at times. He was good at reading body language but it was not always full proof. Animals were a lot easier to read then people were, because people could lie with their words and bodies. He shook his head no at the question of if he ever went looking for his biological parents. "I figured that they gave me up for a reason. I would not want to try and get back into their lives and become a burden." Seiji informed her, and that was how he felt about the matter.

They did not want him or could not have him at the time when he was given up, so he didn't want to try and find out and get in the way. "Do you still keep in touch with your parents?" Seiji asked, reaching to take a sip of his drink after. It felt odd just talking about him, so of course he was going to end up asking her a bit more about herself.

((Tag:Tamara Sulik))

[Tamara Sulik]

Seiji might have said he’d do that, something about it just felt as though he couldn’t fully let go. It was so much into himself to be a professional at work that he seemed completely lost when it was time to just be himself. The two just merged into one person. Well, Tamara would let that chilled Seiji out, even if she had to mold this part of him first and force it out. “What d you normally do when you’re not working?” she asked so she might have some ideas. She felt like none would be the kind she could use right now but it would give her a good idea of how far she could push him before he’d be too uncomfortable. He was already out of his comfort zone but he could take it. There was a limit though and it would be nice to know it.

She was not really surprised to find out he didn’t try to look for his roots. She was even less by his reasons. “Sometimes, it’s not about what others want and more about what you need. You can’t please everyone all the time,” she pointed out. Then again, it was not for her to push him to see his parents if he was fine as he was. He didn't seem like the kind of guys with tons of issues. He had some, sure, like everyone, but nothing that required a trip home to look for his real parents to fix it.

She nodded as he questioned her. “Of course. My son lives with them.” She paused a moment before adding “You know, that town was just too small for me and I couldn’t leave it soon enough. Then I’m here and I miss it sometimes. Still, it was the town I couldn’t stay in, not them. I might not be able to see them but I love them still.” She kept to herself how she often felt like a bad mother and bad person in general though when she saw how they had a steady job, a steady relationship and were good to her boy. Even here in Bellefonte she often felt the desire to run away taking over her from time to time. “I’m just one of those who need two weeks off to some distant location so she can enjoy being back for the rest of the year, you know?”

[Seiji Lockard]

It was true that the two did sort of mix when it came to Seiji, since he often didn't stop working. Even on his free time he ended up thinking about his work or doing something that would help his work. He was just the kind of person people said would end up working themselves to death. Which would be unfortunate, but he could not help his desire to try and help people and do his job with everything within him. He wanted to help, he felt useful helping, and it was something that he could help with. Money did help a bit; and he had a lot of it, but his actual effort he found helped so much more than money ever did.

"I...well I tend to do things that would help with my work. If I'm not working at all it tends to be because I'm taking care of my reptiles or helping out a friend. I...I like to go out to drink from time to time and attend social events." Seiji responded back to her question. He really didn't do much outside of work unless it was with his snakes, his friends, or someone he was trying to help out. What even was fun? His fun had always been doing things that would help out others, which made him feel good. Was that bad? His expression turned a little sad at her next words about how he could not please everyone.

"I know...I just like to try. I don't need much. Anything I need I can just buy it." Seiji informed her, still looking a little sad. It was true that anything he needed he could buy, but what he really needed was friends and people who would stick around. That was something that money could not buy and why he wanted to please people, so they would like him and stick around. Again, was that bad? He did wonder at times what it would have been like to meet the people who he was related to by blood, but at the same time he eared rejection. His birth parents had not wanted him once before, his adopted parents didn't want him when he came into his powers, and many people did not want him because of his mutation.

He did perk up when she started to speak about her son and her family. He was not judging her in any negative light and actually respected her for her choices. She was aware that she could not take care of her son the way she wanted to, so she had him with people that could. It was clear that she still loved the boy and it just made Seiji want to help her out all the more. To take her on that trip to see her son and check if he was a mutant or not. "Right, I think I understand. I...I really would like to take you to see him, if you wanted to." Seiji informed her, as he took another drink. He would not force her, but what harm came from seeing her son again?

((Tag: Tamara Sulik))

[Tamara Sulik]

“So you’re saying that when you’re not helping people you’re thinking of new ways to help people? “ This was commendable, really, but it could not be healthy. Tamara was certain that mankind was individualist deep down inside. The community mattered the most until it required the sacrifice of someone you cared for. That didn't mean people like Seiji were not necessary. They were, just like everyone had to do their part. But everyone also needed some alone time where they could be selfish without it being seen as bad. “You ever do anything just for you? Even superheroes need break at times.” Okay, this was an attempt of a joke but she still meant it. The only thing he did by himself to unwind was to take care of his snakes? That couldn’t be good.

She was not expecting such a materialistic answer after what he said. He could just buy the things he needed? She had a little smile at him. “I say you’re just not used to being the one helped or cared for. Which is a shame. There’s nothing wrong about letting others do things for you every once in a while, it doesn’t make you a bad person.” Like the fact she got him here and was paying him drinks. Now she had to prevent him from paying her anything even more. He needed to learn he could be the one receiving the attention he gave to others. Being a saint was good but being too much of a saint could just get people away from him. He was so sweet he could give cavities simply by standing next to him.

And he just proved it with what he said. She smiled again. She was pleased he wanted to do this for her but Tamara would likely refuse. Even when that could get her what she wanted, she found it hard to let someone take control of things, especially when it regarded her life. “You’re doing it again,” she pointed out, rather teasingly. “It’s really nice that you want to help people like that and I don’t doubt you really want to. But tonight, let’s just drink and enjoy the moment alright?” She raised her glass to that but waited to see if he’d do the same.

[Seiji Lockard]

"Yes." Seiji responded with a large smile and a nod of his head. That was what you were supposed to do, right? When you have a job to help people, when you were not working you were supposed to be thinking about ways you could help. To never really stop working in order to think up new ways to help and be of more help. Alright, thinking about it now he could understand why everyone said that he needed to just rest and have a moment to enjoy what the liked to do. The problem was, that he did like to help people out and work. He didn't really know what else he was good at besides helping people out and taking care of his reptiles.

Did he do anything just for him? Seiji looked really confused by the question and honestly didn't know how to answer it. It stumped him into silence as he tried to think up something that he could do for himself. It just...it seemed so selfish to try and think up something that would just be for him. "I...I don't think I would be able to. If I did something for myself then I would be hurting someone else. Besides, the things that I would want for myself and not really logically sound." Seiji responded. A small blush spread across his face, which had him taking another long drink. He was no super hero, not even close, but he did get what she meant about him needing a break.

He really was trying to just...take it easy. As for his response, it was materialistic because it was the only thing that he knew he could get. Other things that he might have wanted, he knew that the chances of him obtaining them were slim or he did not know how to get them. So, for things in life he wanted, they boiled down to him just buying them. That was how he understood the way things just worked for getting what he wanted and could actually obtain. He listened as she spoke of how it was a shame he was not used to being the one taken care of, but he didn't feel bad for himself or anything. It was just another thing that he accepted was not meant for him and just tried to live his life.

"Who...or...like how do I allow someone to help me...if anyone wanted to help me?" Seiji asked. He really was having a hard time trying to understand reversing the roles of him being the one to be helped. Even now. He looked away as she pointed out that he was doing the thing he was not meant to be doing for this outing. They were supposed to be having fun, and enjoying themselves. Right. "Sorry and I'll do my best." Seiji apologized and gave a nod. Now he just needed to figure out how to actually just have fun. "So...what do you do for fun?" Seiji ended up asking, figuring the best way to figure out how was to ask.

[Tamara Sulik]

That guy was really too good to be true! He must be devastated every time people acted like human beings and were selfish or simply turning a blind eye when they could help. She didn't know how he did it. She helped, at times. But she also knew she could very easily say she didn’t have the time or pretend not to hear and simply go on her way as if she didn’t see that hand extended towards her. How could he not be manipulated? He had to, he just had to. Or not, since he was barely out of his lab and when he was, he was with his snakes.

She saw the confusion in his face at her question and she pitied him. That guy was so much about giving to others that he forgot to take some time for himself. “You treat people like they’re important but you’re someone too. You’re important too,” she pointed out. He argued that what he might want may not be very logical. “Like what? There’s no need to be shy about, we’re just talking,” she said, aware she might be pushing him but really not caring about it at all. He needed to be pushed a little, so he could understand he had the right to think of himself one minute without the world to fall apart in around him.

She had to admit though, she was surprised no one had claimed him already. Maybe superheroes made terrible boyfriends. Had to be the reason. Or he was just so oblivious, always thinking about helping people, that he didn’t realise someone was interested in him at all. She could suddenly understand why he was single. Still, it was a shame. And he didn’t even get how to let someone help him or even why they’d want to help him. “By just letting it happen. For example, you can just accept that the world won’t end because you decided to get drinks and dance with a pretty lady or two and have it happen. There’s nothing wrong about enjoying life every now and then. I’m sure you’re even preaching that to people who come to you. It’s time you start doing what you tell them.” Somehow, she doubted she ever suggested someone to get wasted and dance the night away but she was certain he was the kind to help people enjoy life.

She was sort of amused at his next question. “You mean what I do in particular or what you can do for fun?” she asked, fully aware she was teasing him there but not certain he would get it. “I like talking to my family when I can. I go shopping or just window shopping, I watch movies, I read a little sometimes. I invite friends for a drink to chat about everything and nothing and dance and just have a good laugh.” That last one was said while looking at him, a small smile painted on her lips. “It all depends what you like to do. But I doubt I’m the first one to tell you that you need to get out of your lab. If I am, let me repeat it, you need to get out of your lab more.”

[Seiji Lockard]

Seiji could indeed be corrupted, or at least persuaded to do certain things. Never anything that would lead to him or someone else getting hurt, but he did it have it in him to be bad. He just never really was since he never had the need to. So long as someone was not trying to harm his snakes or people that he had grown attached to, he didn’t mind people being mean to him. It was in human nature to not get along with everyone so if someone didn’t like him he was not going to fault them for it. It was just a fact of life and Seiji was very good at accepting and understanding the facts. He listened as Tamara seemed to try and go further to explain to him what she meant.

It was not like Seiji didn’t get that he was not an important person, he just didn’t really think about it. He was just one person and people were…others. It was hard to explain. He just knew it was easy to try and make someone happy and does things for them then it was to pleas himself. Not that he was hard to please, he was easily pleased and that was perhaps why he was having a hard time understanding doing things for himself. He did do things for himself but they seemed to conflict with his problem with helping and being to kind to others. “I…I know I’m important but I’m not…I’m just me.” Seiji tried to explain but let out a sigh. He could not argue the point because it seemed like she was right and he honestly didn’t know how to explain it from his point of view.

She wanted him to go ahead and say what it was that he wanted…something that could not be bought. He could not help but to blush as the words sat on his tongue, just waiting for him to open his mouth. “I…I sometimes want someone else. Not always someone in particular but I…I suppose you could say that I get lonely. I want someone that I can love, care for, and…that they would feel the same way with me too. Have a family…be a dad.” Seiji said as he looked down at the table. He then started to chuckle after he was done saying his piece. “Silly, huh?” Seiji asked, but it was more so rhetorical. It was indeed silly in his opinion. It had to be odd to hear that someone like him wanted someone to love outside of a friendship and to have a family.

Probably no one could picture him being a dad and it was a little weird to think about but didn’t every guy want to be a dad at some point in their lives? He listened to the points she made and did not his head a few times to show that he was listening and understood what she was saying. It was easy to understand, it was just difficult to act on. He kept his mouth shut still, thinking and taking in the information she had for him. Listening closely as she spoke of what she liked to do and the added fact that she pointed out that she needed to get out of his lab more. He blushed a bit more because it was true that she was not the first to say that.

“Would you like to dance for a good laugh??” Seiji went ahead and asked. Did that count? He didn’t mind dancing and he was a decent dancer. So could that count as doing something for himself in order to have fun and do something outside of his usual routine?

[Tamara Sulik]

Seiji’s argument was that he was just himself. She was not entirely sure to get it but figured he meant he didn’t think he needed more than what he had so he was not thinking of himself when people around him seemed to lack something he could give them. Still, she was not sure this behavior was totally healthy. “I’m pretty sure you’re more than just you for someone. You’d let people do to you what you do to them?” Somehow, she was certain he’d tell whoever wanted to be this nice to him that they didn’t need to do it. Could he understand they wanted to? She had the feeling it was a case like the doctors making the worse patients. He might not want people to be there for him because he should be the one there for them.

Tamara didn't need to be saved though. And she had a tendency of pushing away anyone who’d try and do that. She was no damsel in distress and she tended to be rather blunt about it should someone forget that detail. She didn’t want to be this harsh with Seiji but he needed to understand that she could do things on her own and so he could stop thinking only on pleasing her and start thinking on what he could do for himself for a change. She smiled as he admitted feeling lonely at times and wishing he could have someone. “Not at all,” she assured him when he called that silly. “We all need to feel wanted at some point. And it’s actually not finding someone to play that part that is hard, it’s letting them.” She could hardly blame him for wanting a family. Especially since he never had it, or only for short periods of time. She might not see her parents often but she had them, and she had a son, and other people around here. There were still time she wished she could let people get closer to her and have someone the way Seiji described it. It sounded pretty good.

“I’m sure you’d be a great dad. Maybe a little too protective at times.” She had a teasing smile as she said that. He could picture him watching over his kids, giving them enough space but always around just in case. She pitied him if he ever ended up with a child like her for she could just picture him wondering what he did wrong for her to fight back like that.

She laughed at the way he asked her for a dance. “Is that your way of saying you’re not a good dancer?” Why else would she laugh? Unless it was just to have some fun. Either way, she smiled at him. “Alright, let’s dance,” she agreed, emptying what was left of her drink. She wouldn’t take the rest after leaving it on a table for anyone to put stuff in there.

[Seiji Lockard]

It was not healthy for him to do things the way he did all the time, but that was his biggest fault. He cared too much and as a result he got hurt and suffered from it but he just seemed to be blind to it. Not that he was actually blind to it; it was more a selective blindness to it all. He knew when someone was using him normally and if someone was being cruel to him. After all, he had been bullied for a few years when he was young. It was just that he choose to think of it being for another reason why people treated him or used him for whatever reason and it just made him want to help them. "No...they would not need to." Seiji said the confusion in his voice still.

He could take care of himself and it just made sense for him to help those who were in need if he had the ability to. He really was trying to understand what she was getting at and while he did on some levels he didn't fully get it. Was it really that bad to just want to help people out? When he was helping people out he tended to be able to get them to trust him or like him. When they trusted or liked him then they came around more or at least kept contact with him and then he was not lonely. That was really the root of it all and he was well aware of it. He was lonely deep down and by helping others he felt a little less lonely.

That was why when he said what he said he felt that it was sad in a pathetic way. He honestly did. Tamara however assured him that it was not bad to want to have a family of his own, but he doubted she would say the same if she knew yet again his reasoning behind it all. He just wanted someone to stay. To not be alone. To not just have his reptiles, he wanted human interaction and contact deep down. He assumed it was parent issues, that was likely a large part of it. "I would let them." Seiji pointed out. AT least he thought he would but since he never fully experienced anything like that it was hard to say for certain.

Seiji smiled at the complement that he would make a great dad and even chuckled at the bit about him being over protective. That would be very true. "I would likely always have one of my snakes on them or watching over them when I was around." Seiji admitted because he really would do that. He started to blush when she asked about if he was a great dancer or not. "I...I'm told that I'm a good dancer but normally with how the club music is it involves a lot of close dancing and I did not wish to do that to you and make you uncomfortable so I figure if I danced for fun it would be fine." Seiji said, talking faster a bit as his nerves got to him. He was happy that she said yes either way and would follow her out to the dance floor, waiting to get a feel for the music.

[Tamara Sulik]

Poor Seiji argued that no one had to be as kind to him as he was to them. Tamara really felt sorry for the nice people on this world. It had no mercy on them. She considered herself kind but she also was not the type to let anyone take advantage of her. There might even be times when she proved to have taken advantage of them. Not that she did it with ill intentions. She had a strong personality and that sometimes translated in her taking decisions for others when they hesitated. Like what she was doing with Seiji. “You’re really too nice for your own good. When you’ll find someone, send them my way so I can make sure they know they should feel lucky because they don’t deserve you.” Because no doubt they would not. And they definitely should feel really lucky to have landed on someone like him. She didn’t think she could take it. He was too nice and probably not adventurous enough for her taste, but she could definitely see the appeal.

As for his desire for company, she got that. Even though she often felt the desire to run away whenever this was getting serious, some sort of fear of getting trapped into something that was not what she signed up for, she also needed company. Every human did. Helping others might be good but it was not enough. He had to feel lonely if the only people he met were those he helped. He was in their life for a short period of time. Everyone needed something a little more concrete every now and then.

She smiled as he assured he would let them in. Of course he would. He didn’t seem to have the issues she did. “The question is will you let the right ones? I might have trust issues but you come off as naive sometimes. That is being said nicely,” she told him. She didn’t mean to insult him, she only thought he was the kind to let the wrong one in and have them abuse of him before they’d leave him all dried up and scarred. She didn’t want that and while she couldn’t entirely relate to this, since this was so unlike her, it awoke something in her. Some sort of desire to see it not happening. She couldn’t really play the big sister though. Not only because she was not his sister but also because he was rather old for this. He needed to try that on his own.

She laughed as he mentioned the snakes. “Then I hope none of them would ever grow a fear of snakes. Although I suppose it’s hard to when you’ve been around them all your life.” That would be pretty ironic though. But irony was good only in fiction. In real life, she’d be sorry if that was to happen to him.

She laughed again when he explained he was a good dancer but thought she might be uncomfortable at the idea of dancing close to him. Cute. “Come on, I want to see that. You said it, it’s just for fun.” She held her hand, ready to take his and drag him on the dance floor. She was curious to see him dance. She was even more to see him have fun and relax.

[Seiji Lockard]

"I will be sure to do that, but don't hold your breath or anything. I would not want you to pass out from lack of oxygen." Seiji said as he chuckled a little bit. In short, he didn't expect that to ever happen, because he had this huge fear of rejection. He just wanted to be useful, to be tolerated, and at least in someone’s life for at least some amount of time. That meant that he was too scared to make a move on someone even if he was certain he felt something for them. Even then, it was hard to tell the difference between admiring someone and actually having feelings for them. The two went hand in hand for Seiji and that was always why he still felt something towards Tamara.

He could not say for sure if it was attraction or just admiring her but either way he was never going to tell her about it. That was just how he was. He didn't really see it as anyone being lucky to have him and more so the other way around. Someone that could deal with all his quirks, snakes, and general...well being a virgin had to be pretty kind and caring. Or at the very least knew what they wanted and would take it. Seiji honestly didn't care either way, he knew what he wanted and it was just hard for him to get because of his fear. So he had to get it in small ways by helping out as many people as he could and trying to make some friends. Still, that was again something that he figured he should not tell Tamara. That he didn't mind if someone was just using him, because at least he had someone during the time that they were using him.

That was bad and he knew that, but he honestly could not help it. That was why when she asked her question he looked down into his drink and didn't give her an answer. It would be one that she would not be happy to hear, that he would let anyone try and feel that void because he didn't think anyone would ever want to or try to. Tamara was right either way, he was pretty naive but he did have his moments when he could tell what a person really wanted for him. Even still, more often than not he would allow it to happen to a certain extent. No he would not let someone take everything he owned or all of his money for him, but he would allow them to get something out of him.

"I hope they don't either. I have been working on not bringing any of them around all the time...I'm all alone now but it’s just hard when all I had was them for the longest time." Seiji admitted as he patted his jacket, still feeling empty without that little bit of extra weight on him. It was time for dancing, with Tamara assuring him that it would be alright and that it was just for fun. He nodded his head and smiled pleasantly as he followed her out onto the dance floor. It didn't take long for him to get into the music and start to dance with Tamara, but he made sure that he didn't do any grinding or dancing to close to her.

[Tamara Sulik]

Maybe it was best if Tamara did not talk to any of Seiji’s future lovers. She might scare them. But they really needed to understand how lucky they were. You didn’t get a guy like him every day. Tamara did not have romantic enough of a nature to see only the qualities about the young man, she saw the flaws too, but she was still convinced that whoever would get him should consider themselves lucky. Of course, the guy needed a date first for that to happen. Tamara found it so unbelievable that he was still single. With a face like his, and his personality, she figured he’d get a long line of people ready to date him if he only asked. Maybe that was the problem. She could very easily see him in his corner, not daring to make a move on anyone. Tamara could provide the much needed kick in the ass for it to happen but she also wished she wouldn’t have to do that. The man needed to learn to do things on his own.

She really thought he could come off as too nice sometimes. He was a nice person for sure and that good nature of his let himself be manipulated by others. Whether he noticed it or not... But if he did, he didn’t seem to mind and that was what Tamara considered wrong. A guy like Seiji shouldn’t feel satisfied with being manipulated by others. He shouldn’t consider helping others being the only thing he was good at or the only reason people should come to him. She was not here with him because she needed his help.

She did feel a little bad as he looked into his drink after what she said. “Hey, don’t take it the bad way. You need a better esteem of yourself. You should stop thinking that you’re lucky when people come see you. And stop fearing they wouldn’t want to see you if you come to them.” Tamara knew she might come off as guarded or headstrong. She was fine with it. Maybe she too should let more people in but at least she was not afraid to go to people. And she didn’t think being manipulated was enough.

“I noticed,” she said as Seiji told her he was working on not bringing his snakes whenever he was going somewhere. “They’re a crutch. But shouldn’t worry. The world won’t eat you alive because they’re not around. Not on my watch.” There was a part of her that just wanted to protect Seiji. In some regards, he was like a kid and despite the way she projected herself, there was a strong maternal instinct within her that told her to look out for him.

As they danced, Tamara did nothing that could imply she was into him. It was for fun and she saw Seiji more like a friend or a little brother. It was hard to imagine him as a lover. She knew however how easily she could come across as too sexy and she wanted to avoid that if she could.