True Upset

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix's weak smile fell at her words, although he again expected no less. She wasn't going to accept that each reassuring comment he made was heavy with truth, since it defied her own warped perception of her self worth. Felix knew he was known for offering his aid and comfort to more then one member of the Academy over the years, and he knew that perhaps on some occasions he would sugar coat a harsh truth in order to salve the pain of the one he comforted; But this couldn't be further from that. She'd built herself up into believing that the moment they shared had been misplaced affection on his part, in the simplest terms a rebound,
since Erika had declined his affections. She knew, surely, that he wasn't the kind of man to open up his heart for the sake of an arrangement of features that resembled someone had once hoped to be with? Maybe, deep down, past the defiance, she knew; But that truth was too much for her to take, and so she defied it and fought it. Could she simply not bare to think that someone valued her, cared for her, when she didn't even value herself?

He wanted to tell her all of this; He wanted to try and make her see herself as he saw her. But in her current state, was it really the best time?
"Aspirin, tea, shower and rest. Not necessarily in that order," He smiled, before falling silent; without another word he supported her as best he could, leading the broken woman through the Academy doors and down the vacant corridors, the current classes clearly having long started. He stole a few glances at the woman in his hold, his heart suddenly fluttering with a nervous warmth; The feeling took him by surprise, and he quickly averted his gaze.
"... Elsa," He spoke as they entered the dormitory area. "... I should have told you. That I was coming back... Actually, scratch that. I should have told you I was leaving. I should have..." They stopped outside of the door to his room. He stared at his door, before bowing his head slightly, his voice trailing off softly. "I should have told you a lot of things." Shoving her books under his free arm, Felix dug into his trouser pocket to produce his room key, unlocking the door with some difficulty. He gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle, pushing his door open with his foot.
The man's room was filled with the basic amenities provided by the academy, although his laptop had made it to the desk already the majority of Felix's other belongings were still packed into a small pile of boxes in the corner. It looked empty compared to how his room had been back when he was a high school student; Although it likely wouldn't take him long to fill this new room with bits of sound equipment in various states of modification. "... Sorry about the boxes. With registering and trying to catch up on my classes, I haven't had time to unpack properly yet."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa smiled, nodding slightly as Felix outlined what she needed. In truth, what she needed most, he'd already given, adding onto what others had done. Strange how only now Elsa felt foolish for her behavior over the past few weeks. Wallowing while people around her worked to restore her, or more accurately, to stop her from fully falling. The thought nearly disgusted her. Didn't it really just prove everything?

She was too weak to fight or protest, not any more. She let Felix lead her on, shuffling along with him, keeping pace. She heard his words, even through her fuzzy mind, and she nodded, but she didn't say anything. Actually forming words just felt like too much work right now. Best to just leave things as they were, to just move forward, keep shuffling. They left the courtyard, moved toward the dorms.

Her name drew Elsa's head back up, back to look at Felix. She nodded again. "People do have a tendency to keep quiet around mind readers," she said. Though as she moved past him into the room, Elsa gave him a look that said she understood all too well.

Elsa paused inside, looking around. Yes, it definitely looked like a mess. Elsa moved forward around things. "I know where the showers are," she said. Elsa moved to put things aside, then turned, her bleary eyes seeming to have difficulty focusing on Felix. "Unless you already have the tea on hand?" she looked around for a moment, doubting it. Everything still hurt, still felt fuzzy, and part of her wondered if she shouldn't have him stand by for when she showered... just in case.

no, that's too cruel; i can't ask him that she thought, closing her eyes, fighting off her brain, even as she felt the trickling connections i can't take advantage, the thoughts just sort of drifting between them for a moment this is already bad enough.

Sometimes, an evolving ability truly did have its drawbacks.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix watched the young woman take a few steps without his aid into his bedroom, navigating her way around the various boxes on the floor, still waiting to be unpacked. She was clearly still unsteady; She didn't stumble, but the manner in which she held herself struck Felix with the notion that he should still be supporting her.He shifted his gaze to the boxes, giving an embarrassed smile as he ran his fingers through his hair; He really should have all of this in it's proper place by now... By proper place of course, meaning likely scattered around the room in a similar fashion of understood chaos; Just without the boxes.

"Take your time," He replied, keeping an upbeat tone to his voice as he gestured towards his bed, nodding his head slightly in it's direction. "You're welcome to shower then rest... I don't exactly have tea and coffee facilities up and running just yet, but if you give me a few minutes, take your shower, I'll have it ready for you." He gave her a bright, reassuring grin as he stepped over a box, placing her books that he had been carrying on a neat pile beside his laptop. "Just call it Felix's room service." He then turned, meaning to leave and acquire the Bellefonte the beverage he'd promised, but found himself stopping almost immediately.
He'd heard her. He felt her ability grace his mind, her words seeping into him. From her choice of words it was clear the tendrils of thought had reached out without her consent, likely due to the current state she was in.

I can't ask him that.

For a moment, Felix bit his bottom lip, considered leaving regardless, since she had crossed thought with him presumably without her knowledge; It was meant to have been private. But this wasn't the time for dodging around the issues, and from her likely accidentally thought out words, she clearly thought she was leaning too much on him... And was keeping something back.
He bowed his head slightly, his expression softening. "... You're not taking advantage," He spoke in return, looking over his shoulder at the female. "Elsa, despite everything else that's happened, what will happen in the future... At my core, I will always care about you. So no ask is too great, Miss. Bellefonte." He turned back to face her completely, and slowly approaching her, he gently placed one hand on her shoulder. "... What can't you ask me?"

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa nodded. Yes, she would definitely need time, so much time. Felix just kept going, kept acting as though nothing was wrong, as if everything was perfect and this was perfectly normal. Elsa again felt the guilt gnawing at her. This felt, it felt like taking advantage of him, really. She never wanted to do that, yet at the same time...

Elsa jerked as Felix responded to her thoughts. He even looked to her now. "This is why everyone hates talking to me," she mumbled, rubbing at her temples. She definitely needed to get that part of her ability more under control, before she started sending all sorts of messages out to other people. Felix kept going, kept insisting that he cared about her. His hand touched her shoulder, his question hanging in the air.

Elsa turned, seeing the expression there. She could feel it, almost as if she had empathy instead of mind reading. How did he keep doing this? Keep acting like this? Who did that? What had she done to earn this much from him? From anyone?

Before Elsa could even begin to answer her questions, she felt her head moving, turning to his. Her lips moved to touch against his, gracing them, moving against them, kissing them again, moving as her emotions and heart wanted, her fuzzed out brain simply no longer able to put up enough fight to resist.

[Felix Nicholas]

Whatever she had to say, whatever she wanted to ask him... Felix was willing to give the Bellefonte all she needed in order to pull her back from the dark place she'd gotten herself into. What he could do that Erika, Ellen or any of her family or friends hadn't already done he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to give up. He'd left her when she clearly had needed him the most... He owed her this.
As he put his hand on her shoulder, Elsa turned to look at him, her tangled hair falling about her shoulders, her eyes tinged red, a reminder of her attempt to hold back tears, her slightly streaked cheeks a reminder that she had failed. Elsa Bellefonte; It had been some time since she had been this close to him, looking at him like she was now. He could see the gloss in her eyes, the damp sheen, the threat of more tears. Her eyes had always been different to Erika's... They may match biologically, but he could see something in her gaze that Erika's didn't hold. How he'd made that foolish mistake, whatever high emotional state he had been in at the time all those months ago, seemed almost inconceivable now. 
He was about to speak again, to encourage her to answer him, when she began to draw closer, her head turning to his; Before he could react, the woman leaned closer, and Elsa Bellefonte placed her lips to his own.
At once, the dormant warmth in his chest that had stirred earlier flared, his heart thudding, so loud he could haven sworn she must surely be able to hear it, the memories of what had occurred in their previous encounter flooding his mind.
Felix had thought on their previous kiss. Of course he had... But the young man had held firmly the notion that Elsa hadn't. She had practically ignored the entire incident...

Had he been simply telling himself that? So that leaving her would be so much easier? That he had been a mistake?

Felix's eyes slipped shut, his actions led by the flare of emotion rather then the rational thoughts of his brain; HE should be the rational one here. Elsa was suffering, and here he was likely only making that worse by adding more emotional baggage to her already unsteady self. 
Yet, Felix found himself ignoring these notions, allowing his emotions to cloud their doubts, giving in and gently returned her kiss, as his mind franticly fought to be heard through the fog clouding his mind. He pressed his lips to hers again, the hand that had been on her shoulder trailing to her neck, his touch gracing across her skin to rest on her cheek.
He pulled away after a moment, opening his eyes as the full weight of what he had just done hit the young man like a ton of emotional bricks. He quickly moved his hand away from her, his mind which had been franticly trying to comunicate it's rational thinking only moments pior was now drawing a blank.
"... I... Elsa..." He spoke softly, his voice trailing off, his cheeks staining scarlet despite a valiant internal effort not to do so.

He needed to say SOMETHING beyond her name. 

"... I... I still owe you that date."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, it did feel good, kissing him, kissing someone who actually cared about her in some way. Too long, too long had it been since Elsa had felt like this, felt someone feeling like this about her. It made her heart flutter a bit, and she let it do so for a while, just letting herself give into it. She thought she read a few thoughts sifting through: her mind almost linking to his in a strange way, like he was a book she couldn't stop reading. A touch made her want to go further, only to find the hand drawing back, thoughts clicking.

They pulled back.

Elsa stared at him as he managed her name, or something at least close to it. Her bleary eyes taking him in. The next words made her raise a brow.

"Are you trying to ask me out after you've gotten me in your room?" she ran her hand along him for a bit. "I think we're a bit beyond that, yes?"

[Felix Nicholas]

The kiss hung in his mind's eye, the near overwhelming feeling of how good it had felt lingering, his thudding heart deciding that it was going to continue with it's rapid rhythm.
It felt good, to be kissed by someone whom he cared so much for... Who cared so much for him. All the dormant feelings that had stirred all those months ago when they'd first kissed, that he'd tried desperately to ignore, had returned with vigour.
He had feared giving in initially, as considering Elsa's current emotional state, he worried that she may think he was taking advantage... But now this notion left him as soon as it came upon him. She knew he wasn't. She knew him, as he knew her. His mind was calm now, all those fears quelling... Her kiss had stripped Felix of that.

He found himself smiling sheepishly at her comment. It was quite a ridiculous thing for him to say now that he thought on it, but his brain hadn't exactly been presenting him with many choices the moments following the kiss. It had been far too preoccupied.
"Hey, what can I say? I'm a gentleman," He grinned brightly, tilting his head slightly to one side as he did so. His expression then softened as he slipped into silence, reaching out his hand again to gently brush some of her tangled hair behind her ear, careful to watch her reaction in case he overstepped his mark. She was still unsteady... It was going to take more then a kiss and a few comforting words to heal her. "... Elsa. I want to be right here by your side, supporting you, for as long as you need me." He slowly drifted his hand now to her cheek, stroking her skin gently with his thumb as he leaned in close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "... I promise I won't run away anymore."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa could certainly read those thoughts. Though she did so lightly, as if caressing the covers of books that she'd missed for all too long. She kept silent about them too, though she was tempted to address a few. It certainly wouldn't be taking advantage, for example. She would be making the decision, and she was sober. The throbbing pain in her head and her aching eyes attested to that.

Yes, definitely a gentleman, willing to help a girl even when she was being a total bitch and looked like hell. Elsa could feel the tenderness radiating off Felix and it made her want to curl into him a little further... and also made her start to think that perhaps there were too many clothes in the way.

"Stop promising for now," she mumbled, moving against him, her hands going, pulling. She moved her lips up to his again, taking them greedily now, moving against, grateful that her fogged brain couldn't put up a fight against the overwhelming need that ate away at her, demanded that this happen, happen sooner rather than later too. Happen now, even.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix felt her reaching out for his mind, almost gently, and he more then willingly welcomed her tendrils of thought to slip between his own and read them in passing. He had nothing to hide, and having her brush into his mind felt far from an invasion of his privacy; It felt comforting. He was an open book to her, and she was free to find support in him in any way she could, even if it was from his thoughts. He may not be able to hear her own unless she wanted him too, but feeling her there was more then enough for him.

He continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb, his touch soft and gentle; Where did this leave them? He wasn't completely sure, and to be honest right at this moment Felix didn't want to think on it.
He went to speak again when her lips found his, surprising Felix with the need in which she kissed him. Her hands moved over him, pulling at his clothing, insistant, wanting. Had his mind been any less fogged with emotion, he would have brought up the worry that perhaps this was moving far too quickly; They'd only just opened up to each other again, and Elsa wasn't in an emotionally good place- Yes, he properly SHOULD be bringing that all up about now.
Yet he was kissing her back.
Returning the action with as much need as she gave him, the hand that had caressed her cheek travelled down her spine and now was resting on the small of her back, kissing her again, his mind quite happy for now to ignore anything beyond what his emotions wanted him to do.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

The kiss kept going. Elsa could read Felix's thoughts, know the hesitation there, the worry, all the rationality that should be forcing them to move apart. She could also nearly read his decision to ignore all that, could certainly feel the hand lowering to the small of her back, cupping her there, pulling her close. Her own hands ran along his body, feeling the new territory, running along his sides. She dragged her fingers along him, pulling at clothing, wanting to feel the skin.

As she did, Elsa started moving them backward, knowing the outline of the room enough to start heading them toward a bedroom, toward a bed. Part of her still wanted to shower, to get ready, to do this better, but she kept going, kept dragging him, wanting her emotions to take control here and just give her what she'd wanted and craved for so long.

Her mouth went hungry, practically consuming Felix's, as if she could draw the want and care she needed from his willing mouth, even as she worked to pull him closer to the bed.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix could feel Elsa brushing through his thoughts, well aware that she likely just read the rationalisation that had momentarily flooded his mind. Despite having done so however, Elsa showed no signs of wanting to stop or even wanting to slow down. They could worry about what they should have done or not done later... Felix was far too clouded by emotion at this point to care too much.

The kiss continued, Felix pulling away lightly, his lips still brushing hers before continuing, meeting her enthusiasm in equal measure. He felt her hands running over him, grabbing at his clothing, tugging... He pulled her closer, aware of her dragging, pulling him, Felix knowing exactly where she was directing him to. He really should stop, think rationally... But still he continued, wanting, needing this, knowing full well to some degree he was surely being selfish. Again these thoughts left him almost as soon as they'd crossed his mind, banished by Elsa's clear need for exactly the same thing he craved.
Upon reaching his bed, Felix took the forward momentum, his lips not leaving hers as he supported her back with one hand, this other supporting himself as he placed it on the bed and laid them both down; he moved his hand from her back, over her on the bed now, his hands either side of her; He suddenly pulled back so the kiss was broken.
He breathed, his eyes appearing a little hazy, half lidded, holding himself so his lips were a mere breath from her own. His heart was almost violent now, thudding with such vigour against his chest. He found himself smiling warmly, in this fleeting momentary pause he softly brushed her lips with his own, this simple movement expressing the deep affection behind the emotional drive; He cared for Elsa, and with every fibre of him, he would never stop supporting her, being there for her.
But now wasn't the time to muse on heartfelt sentiment, his mind giving in and fogging once more to his emotion as he met her lips again.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa kept kissing Felix. She kept mashing his lips against his, almost hungrily devouring any and all affection that he allowed to pass from them into her. She could feel him responding to her, some need within his own body matching the want and need in her own. Elsa's mind kept gracing over his thoughts; she could feel her mind following the patterns, pattering against it even as her lips dashed against his flesh. Hands worked, traveled, found new paths and delved to all new locations. They made it backward at some point, tumbling onto a bed and into one another.

Elsa didn't break. She kept her mind and body wrapped in Felix as her emotions, her need rose up, eating away everything else. She fed it further, fed it with kisses and wandering hands and raw heat. Elsa kept feeding it, let the need grow to something all consuming, all devouring, all taking, and yet somehow, someway, still giving. Elsa met and gave and crashed against Felix. She felt his thoughts and his passion rise along with her own, wrapped about, used their strange link to guide them through the rhythms of it, overriding sense and judgment and simply moving forward in one brilliant blaze of white hot emotion.

Time became a lesser factor, an afterthought. Elsa paid no heed: she continued till continuing felt impossible. Exhausted, drained emotionally, physically, nearly depleted mentally, Elsa sank back into Felix's bed, a sheet around her chest, her eyelids fluttering close, her chest heaving with the exertion of what she'd just done.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix continued to kiss her, meeting her with as much need and want as she gave him; He kissed her with as much desire as if she was water and him a man dying of thirst. He welcomed her gracing his thoughts, feeling her flit through his mind, her presence as natural as though they should have always been as connected emotionally as they were now. His heated touch travelled her form, as hers ran over his, wanting, needing to delve further into each other, to know each other, as though in an effort to memorise each curve and shape, everything that they were.

Felix's focus was solely on her, on Elsa, wrapping himself up in her emotion, her passion, her touch. Everything else faded far into the background of his mind, pushed and pushed by the heated need that welled up inside his being, fed by her, fed by his own want, his own almost desperate need. It grew, burning out all rational thought, all judgements, raising to consume him; It eclipsed Felix.
He raised and fell with her, his thoughts meeting her own, matching her, entwining and wrapping and although different and separate suddenly they felt so very much the same.
Heat became white hot intensity, giving and taking, selfish and yet sacrificing. Felix gave all he was as she gave to him, paying no attention to anything beyond this, beyond her, the heat that burned them both, the entwining of their thoughts and the almost mirrored violent beating in their chests.

Felix gave until he could no longer, his chest raising and falling with exhausted breaths as he allowed his body to relax into his bed. He closed his eyes a moment with a deep sigh, drained physically, emotionally. He slowly raised one hand to his head, running his hand through his hair, which was tangled, messy. He flickered his eyes open, letting his hand relax on the pillow as he turned to look to the female beside him, taking in the quiet moment of lingering, dulling heat.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

God, did Elsa feel good. She stretched, moving over to Felix, looking at him. She could feel part of her hair curling up again: she hadn't really had the time to tame it back down. For some reason, that didn't seem to bother her. After all, it wasn't her sister that Felix was in bed with, and something told Elsa that he wasn't going to mistake them for one another ever again, regardless of how she wore her hair.

"So," she said, smiling, "I needed that," she leaned over and kissed his shoulder, "so thank you," she stared at the spot. She still felt groggy, out of sorts, not quite herself. In fact, she felt... different, as if someone new, another variation of herself, lay there. It seemed silly, but this was something that she'd needed to do to move forward: loosen herself up, own her sexuality again and thrive.

Elsa kept staring. "This changes things. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't. But..." she licked her lip, "it's not going to change everything," she looked up at him, smiling. "I know it's awful pillow talk but... I don't want you to think that this... that it means something it doesn't. I obviously care about you, and I needed this but... but we're not... I'm not sure what we are yet." she sighed, leaning against him again. "Like I said: I'm awful at this part. Usually they're asleep and I just leave them in the bed..."

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix caught a smile from her as she looked to him, taking comfort from the kiss she placed on his skin. He moved closer to her, tracing his hand over her warm skin, resting it on her side. He felt good... VERY good. He hadn't felt this uplifted in a long time. Felix wasn't a man who was particularly promiscuous, so this wasn't something he frequented in, and as such he wasn't completely certain on how they should progress from this point. What did this make them?

Elsa however took the forward approach, speaking first and addressing their current situation. She thanked him, which Felix felt was a little unnecessary; There was no need to thank him. Elsa seemed... Different somehow. More... Settled. The girl he had met in the courtyard... An hour... Possibly hours... Ago, was a far cry from the woman in his bed. Had doing what they had, pushed her in the right direction emotionally?
Felix felt his smile fade slightly at her words, but it quickly returned; He hadn't expected anything less. Had he even thought she'd offer him a definition at the end of this? A formal title? He was surprised at himself for how readily he accepted that fact; He'd done what he'd promised her and to himself that he would do, support her in whatever way he could, whatever way she needed. This was about her, and his drive to heal as much of her as he was able. She was still broken, still needed time. A LOT of time.

"Don't worry," He spoke softly, reaching over to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "... It's okay if you don't know what you want. What to call... This." He slowly ghosted his fingertips up over her form until he reached her shoulder, his hand carefully brushing back a lock of her hair. "I said I was going to support you, and I meant it. I... I care about you. A lot. But I'm not exactly expecting you break into some perfect romance. Far from it." He smiled warmly, understandingly. "... But I'm going to stay by your side regardless, no matter what happens between us. For as long as you need me to."