she's not going to listen

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe nodded slightly as Devyn apologized. Yes, possessive, that was certainly a word for it. Zoe had somewhat appreciated it when they'd started but it certainly hadn't been pleasant when they'd ended. Perhaps if things had been different, if Devyn had given her that room, if she hadn't met Alice. But Devyn hadn't and Zoe had, and things were now how they were. It hurt Zoe to think about it, and it hurt her to remember it, just as it seemed to hurt Devyn to think about it as well.

The first question came back then, without its hanging ultimatums. "Maybe," she said, looking away for a moment. "I... I can't promise that I won't have to push you away, Devyn. No one should make promises like that," which was something that Zoe had learned already. She swallowed. "If you're hurting me, or if you hurt the people I love and care about..." she felt like adding again but, well, Alice had nearly done the attacking herself, had even admitted to maybe being a bit out of line there, even if it had been done from the right position.

"I want to be your friend, Devyn, but I want it to be a relationship that helps us both... like it was before," before they started dating, perhaps? When they'd both relied on each other's friendship? Some part of Zoe was worried, and she had this feeling that the first few outings as "friends" would likely include Alice or Liz just to be careful, but she wasn't going to say that, certainly not now.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn was doing her best to not think of that 'what ifs' and 'maybes' now, since obviously doing them before didn't work out. Now she was just doing her best to just forget about anything at all being possible. If she didn't think about there being a possibly of them getting back together or even being friends then it would not hurt as much when it did in fact not happen. It was kind of that same thinking she tried to apply to like test she knew she was going to do bad on. If she went in there expecting that she was going to get a C, then she would not have been upset if she got one and if she got higher then she would have been pleased with herself.

Zoe said maybe, but it was not a no. Zoe said that she could not promise that she would not push Devyn away. She didn't seem to trust that Devyn would not hurt her or her friends. That hurt, a lot. She wanted to be trusted, she liked to be trusted and there were not really many things that she actually betrayed someone's trust on. Still, she now did understand that from Zoe's point of view that what she had done was cheating, if Dev herself didn't logically see it as cheating. "If they are not confrontational with me, I should not be with them." Devyn admitted as she gave a small shrug before willing herself off of the ground.

If she and Zoe were going to still remain in one another presence she could not actually allow herself to stay in that weak looking state forever. Even with how she wanted to lay down on the ground still and just let time past, it was hard with Zoe looking down at her. Devyn moved over to grab her first aid kit from out under her bead, well under her bed frame since her bed was still currently flipped over on the floor. "I can be friends with you without really having any problems...I think. Would just have to keep myself on the play flirting is all, but that should not be too hard. We can even take it slow, baby steps." Devyn said as she started to point medicine on her knuckles.

Dev then started to have some small level of difficulty as she started to wrap her knuckles up, having to use her teeth as another set of hands but it was something she was used to and gotten good at doing. "...if you don't think it’s a good idea or don't want to take the risk, that is fine. I can't force you to be my friend. If the idea makes you uncertain then just don't worry about it and I'll stick to keeping my distance." Devyn spoke up after a pause, talking with part of the bandage wrap in her mouth.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe sighed, giving Devyn a look of longsuffering. It was quite possible that Zoe's friends, or Zoe's girlfriend, would get confrontational with Devyn, especially given Devyn's tendency to be rather on the caustic side of things. Zoe didn't see how she could really explain that to the other girl. Sometimes, she just wished that Devyn would actually listen to what she had to say, that she'd get what Zoe was trying to communicate. Then again, that had often been a problem, and had been part of why Zoe had ended up being so physical with Devyn in the end.

Though at least Devyn was promising to at least try. "Yes, that sounds good, um, definitely stay away from the flirting, especially around Alice. I don't think she'd appreciate it... and I wouldn't either," the last was added almost as if she thought she should say it. It did feel right, and Zoe felt like nodding. Yes, stick up for herself, say what would really bother her.

Devyn moved, and Zoe looked to the movement, her brow furrowing with concern, half uncertain as to what Devyn was doing and half genuinely concerned with the motion. "is there something wrong with your knuckles?" she asked. Zoe stepped forward, looking down at them. "Here, I can help," she reached, willing to help with the wrapping, pausing for a moment to look at Devyn, as if she expected the other girl to start biting with the slightest provocation.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn just fell silent at the look and looked away. She didn't know what else Zoe wanted her to say or do on the matter. She was just being honest about it. If people didn't come at her looking for a fight then she was not really going to hunt them down looking for one either. Sure she might hunt people down to learn about them, their power, or if they were causing someone she cared about an issue. Other than that she didn't really go out of her way to wreck someone’s day. Despite what other might have thought of her she was not really a bully.

She was more so that person that stuck up for those that was being bullied. Case in point being Andrew, who she actually kind of missed, and planned on taking out for like...ice cream or something. Nothing said that you could not eat ice cream during the winter months, and it sounded particularly good right now. "Got it." Devyn said in response to Zoe's words. She honestly was not worried about accidentally flirting around Zoe or Alice. It was kind of hard to want to playfully flirt with someone who broke your heart and the other who held the heart of someone you loved.

Still, she knew that when and if she did start getting better anything could happen so she was still going to keep herself in check. "I hit my desk one too many times with them and some of the small cuts reopened. It stings and feels soar so I'm just putting some ointment on them and wrapping them up." Devyn explained, all the while working to wrap up one of her knuckles. Zoe was closer then, offering her help. Dev hesitated, being reminded of the time she tended to Zoe's hands but she didn't say anything.

Instead she just held out of her hands for Zoe to help wrap it while she struggled to wrap the other one using her teeth and her body to help move and hold in place the wrapping. She was used to being alone to 'lick' her wounds but she figured it didn't hurt to let Zoe help out with one of them. Devyn had fallen silent however now, just focusing on the task, and trying to not let the memories get to her.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe wasn't sure she really believed Devyn's excuse. She also heard the "reopen" part as well, which meant that these were old wounds, and who knew how Devyn had managed to get them. Zoe recalled all too well how physical and protective the girl could be, not to mention how she'd been of late.

Still, Devyn stretched out a hand. Zoe took it in her own, being cautious and gentle, but still letting her ungloved hands move across Devyn's skin. She did so with some deliberation though: aiming to sort of numb a few sections of it. Zoe might not ever be able to turn off her ability, but she was learning how to apply it.

"Let me know if the numbness spreads too far," she said, looking up at Devyn for a moment. Zoe nodded, then reached for the bandages and ointment. First she worked at smoothing the other, using a square of bandage to spread it around the hand. Zoe kept hold of Devyn's wrist all the while, letting the numbness spread, figuring that it had to help. She kept working silently, mopping things up, cleaning the wound and prepping it before bringing the bandage up.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn didn’t know if Zoe believed her or not but it seemed to not really matter as Zoe reached out to help Devyn tend to her hand. Dev of course noticed that Zoe was not wearing gloves and how she seemed to be purposely trying to numb Devyn’s hand. It was working to do just that of course, Devyn didn’t really build immunity to Zoe’s power but she knew how to handle it. They had been together long enough for her to master at least that much. “It uh…must be a lot of worry off your shoulders with Alice’s power causing yours to not really affect her. If I’ve heard right about it.” Devyn spoke up, trying to make conversation.

She didn’t want to sit in the silence and allow her mind to wonder to how good this felt even with the lack of feeling. It was just simply because Zoe was taking care of her, like she had done in the past, and like Devyn had done for her. The numbness covered her hand and was already working its way up Devyn’s arm but she didn’t say anything about it. Zoe was close to finishing up and there was not any immediate danger since Zoe started at her wrist. “Thanks for this. I’ll handle my other hand.” Devyn then spoke up.

Dev did appreciated the help but again she was used to taking care of her wounds by herself and just being touched by Zoe was stirring up some pain in her chest. She was not going to say anything on it still; no she was working on just being a good friend for Zoe. Devyn felt confident that she could at the very least do that and do as she had done in the past and push past the feelings. Devyn’s green eyes started to look around, trying to distract herself a little bit. Her bed needed to be fixed, she needed to clean up her room a little, and it probably would be a good idea to try and get some sleep again.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe smiled a little as Devyn spoke about Alice. The reference reminded her of the girl who had her heart now, and it felt a little affirming hearing it from someone else who had held it, and treated it poorly, in times past. Zoe just nodded in response to the question though, not wanting to prolong the question. She appreciated Devyn's attempt for what it was, but she certainly didn't want to make things more difficult.

Instead, Zoe's fingers moved and worked to finish bandaging up Devyn's bloodied hands. She tied the bandage off, letting it finish and nodding as Devyn spoke. She saw the hand depart and looked at Devyn. There were a few more beats of quiet, and Zoe wondered if she shouldn't have touched Devyn: that might have been taking things too far. An apology started to form on her lips, but Zoe instead fought and swallowed it down: Devyn could have said something if she wanted.

"Well, I'm glad I could help," Zoe said. She looked around the room for a moment. "I, uh, suppose you probably want some time to yourself then," Zoe ran her hand down her side, then looked up at Devyn again. "Unless there's something else? I do think we should make sure to contact each other again: see if we can't meet again. Maybe, ah, in public?" Zoe flushed at that. She meant to imply that they should be seen with people, with the hopes that would help Devyn somehow, but she could see how it could be interpreted as her not trusting Devyn. hopefully she wouldn't think that, but Zoe couldn't be certain.

[Devyn Solway]

Zoe just gave a simple nod at Devyn’s attempt to make something of a conversation there. She accepted that, figuring Zoe didn’t really want to talk about it with her or something along those lines. So Devyn just went silent, waiting for Zoe to finish wrapping up her hand, and not minding the numbness crawling further up her arm and to her shoulder. When Zoe was done, Devyn’s arm lay limply on her leg for a moment as she waited to regain full movement and control over the limb. She wiggled her fingers a little before going to work tending to her other hand by herself.

Devyn gave a simple nod to Zoe’s words about being glad that she could help, and stayed silent for a moment at Zoe’s next words on how Devyn probably wanted to be alone. No, she didn’t actually want to be alone but it was the best course of action in this situation. “Nothing else that I can think of. Plus you should not hang out around here too long.” Devyn said her attention mostly on tending to her hand as she spoke. Green eyes glanced up at Zoe as the other girl stood up and brought up how they should contact one another and meet up somewhere in public.

While Zoe might not have intended it to come off like she didn’t trust Devyn, she still took it that way but didn’t say anything. Instead she gave a small smile to Zoe and nodded her head. “If you are fine people seeing us around each other in public, then sure. I would have been fine if we just started off small with like texting and stuff.” Devyn said as she finished up tending to her hand. She didn’t want to push Zoe into hanging out with her so really would have been fine just texting. Even if she was still pretty bad at responding to text and what not.

The question now would be where would be a good place to hang out, if Zoe was okay with it? Dev figured they would talk about that another time and was already moving to pick her bed up and put it back on the bed frame. She moved around her bedroom and dorm room, just picking things up and putting them where they belonged then. Dev was not really sure what else to say to Zoe and figured Zoe would say bye or something and leave.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe nodded, glad that Devyn seemed fine with it. Yes, Zoe was fine with people seeing them in public, more than fine. She was also going to make sure that Alice knew. For that matter, she thought that it might even be a good idea to do the hanging out with Alice nearby, if not outright present. Zoe knew that her girlfriend would insist that she didn't care, but she wanted to keep everything open.

"Well, I do have my show," she said, pausing for a moment as she tried to think. "And you're certainly invited to that. It should be opening pretty soon. It's all about mutants, students, mostly, showing their powers and all," Zoe chewed her lip for a moment, fidgeting yet again. "Or we could wait and see if something comes up? There always seems to be a party or some get together or something. I'm getting better at going to those."

Zoe paused again, then looked Devyn in the eye, before adding: "With Alice." Because Zoe still wanted to make that very clear.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn felt a little bit better that Zoe seemed to be fine with them being seen out in public. That at least meant that she was not worried or did not care whatever lies or stories came up with. Devyn didn't care what they said, so long as it didn't come back to her with people being upset with her for doing something that she didn't do. Then it would be a problem, but for now it was just a wait and see kind of game with the hopes that everything would go well.

Zoe was bringing up her show, as if Devyn didn't know about it. Perhaps Zoe and forgotten about the time she ran away from Devyn when they tried to do the whole photo-shoot thing. Not that it mattered, none of it matter anymore. Well, it all mattered and Devyn was not going to be able to ever forget it. She just had to not think about such things or hold onto them on purpose or anything like that. They would just be tucked away like she tucked away everything that was bothering her deep down until it would just go 'unforgotten'.

"I know of it. I'll be there to at least look around and give my support to you." Devyn said, not bothering to ask if Zoe did actually get a photo of her or not. It would still be interesting to see and she planned to check it out before all of this anyways. Now she just didn't have to worry about planning her time to check it out being when no one else was there, specifically when Zoe or Alice were not there. Devyn did raise an eyebrow at suggesting that they could go to a party together. Devyn didn't really think that was a good idea because if Zoe was going to go to a party then it should have been with her girlfriend or a group of her friends and not just Devyn.

Dev was just about to complement Zoe for having gotten better at going to parties, but then that bit that Zoe added felt like Zoe was trying to be mean again. To just throw salt on the still open wounds that were just now starting to stop bleeding. Devyn looked away and didn't say anything, just moved towards her door and opened it up for Zoe. "I'm sure it will work out. I'm going to get some shut eye now." Devyn said, forcing a smile. If Zoe was going to be mean, this was going to be harder then she thought but she was given a chance and she was going to at least try. For now, she still wanted to 'lick her wounds' and make a few decisions.

"Thanks again for stopping by. Can't wait for when we hang out." Devyn said, that last bit being true because she was pleased that Zoe was now giving her a chance to prove that she could be a good friend. She just hoped that Zoe would not keep carrying a bucket of salt with her.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe smiled, actually pleased to hear that Devyn still wanted to support her. A part of Zoe wanted to mention that it would be sort of like old times. The words even started to form on her lips. Thankfully, Zoe managed to swallow them back down before she said something that she'd end up regretting. Best not to try and give Devyn the wrong idea. Especially not since Zoe was being quite careful to make sure that Devyn only got the right idea.

Though she did wonder if she'd gone a little too far there. Devyn had that slightly wounded look, and Zoe nearly found herself apologizing. Only a little voice in the back of her mind made her stop. It wasn't her fault if Devyn got wounded at Zoe mentioning her girlfriend: it was how things were going to be now. Zoe could only hope that Devyn found someone on her own. For now, Zoe nodded, moving a few steps closer to the door.

She paused as Devyn thanked her, turning back to her new friend. "It'll be nice," Zoe agreed, nodding. "I look forward to it," she said, smiling. She could only hope that Devyn wouldn't still be bleeding by the time they met again. Zoe wanted to save her bandages for other people now. She gave Devyn one more smile, then nodded and turned to go, hoping that she'd actually managed to accomplish something now. She had to believe that something could be made from this, something could be recovered, made new, fixed.

The other possibility was just too dark to think about.