Caught Staring

[Tiana Jackson]

"You've got to be kidding."

Tiana knew she shouldn’t have expected any different when she came to the gym to do her stretches. Perhaps due to her power, she loved things like yoga that allowed her to use her ability as she pleased. However her only issue was that others liked it too, but for much different reasons. It most likely didn't help that she liked to wear spandex and a tank whenever she came to the gym. She knew that it was a little more figure hugging than other outfits she could wear. Part of her figured she ought to be used to it by now, but she still managed to get a little miffed when she found people blatantly staring. Sure, when she was doing bow, camel, or one of the crazier poses she could forgive people glancing her way. This time she’d felt eyes on her for a while, and it was finally managing to get on her nerves.

"Oh for the love of-"

Her statement was cut in two as her irritation rose an inch. Standing back up, she glanced over and locked eyes with the one who’d been watching her. Her expression clearly displayed that she wasn't exactly the "happiest camper" at the moment. Tiana could practically feel her "inner bitch" waiting for a chance to spring and show herself to this stranger.

”Look I know what they say about a girl doing yoga, and yeah it can be a little mesmerizing. However could you at least be a little more subtle about it?” Tiana gestured around the room at some of the other people within who were working out. ”There’s a bunch of others in here who could serve just as well as eye candy instead of me. I’m flexible, I get it. That’s not a good enough excuse to be staring at my ass."

[Richard Buckles]

Richard had taken up some interest in the human body after learning physics. Because learning about how his power worked helped him but also learning how a body works helped him with fighting. Which admittedly was not his primary role in life but he couldn't put that urge to be a soldier entirely behind. He knew from training with Selina how to do flips and joint locks but learning more about the anatomy and his power combined allowed for better ability and control.

So he was finishing up a run when he noticed something in the gym he never saw before. Admittedly it was a late start today so that must of been why. Was a pretty girl who was doing stretches and the life with yoga which made him consider should he try it to increase his flexibility? As with his power it was more of his precision, speed and agility that played into his ability to defend himself than strength. So after his run he sat down and sort of watched her.

She was going through some stretches though that were inhuman. Like as in according to his understand of the human body and using his power he could tell she was bending in ways that were unnatural or so would be for those not with her gift. He softly wagged his head side to side as he stretched out his neck a bit. As much as her body was attractive in those tight clothes his interest was primarily in the way she moved. He could hear some muttering coming from her. He couldn't make out the words well at all but they sounded like she was mad.

Then she came over to give him a verbal smacking for his study of her. He was surprised at first but quickly went to standing. He looked at her face as she got in his. "Well I wouldn't say you were serving as any sort of candy." he said to her as his brow furrowed "I was merely intrigues how your spine and other joints were able to contort to such angles without snappy or damaging your cartilage. The torque and pressure you put on yourself well exceeds the average person by a large margin. It was quite fascinating to see. Though I can see why people like yoga as counterbalance of slow stretching of the muscles obvious would create the sense of an intense work out but also increase the flow of certain bio-chemical receptors. I assume after you finish you feel a bit tired but good?" he asked her.

[Tiana Jackson]

"Well I wouldn't say you were serving as any sort of candy.”

Tiana slowly arched an eyebrow, her mouth set in an annoyed line. She’d never heard it put quite like that, but it was basically the same answer she always got.

"I was merely intrigues how your spine and other joints were able to contort to such angles without snappy or damaging your cartilage. The torque and pressure you put on yourself well exceeds the average person by a large margin.”

Just like that, Tiana was baffled more than she was annoyed. She was no physics whiz, but she could recognize some of the terms he was using. Either he was getting very creative to dodge her ire, or he really was a physics nut.

"It was quite fascinating to see. Though I can see why people like yoga as counterbalance of slow stretching of the muscles obvious would create the sense of an intense work out but also increase the flow of certain bio-chemical receptors.”

Now he was talking biology and Tiana was getting more convinced he was an overall science nerd in general.

"I assume after you finish you feel a bit tired but good?”

The last question managed to make her bristle anew and she stared at him for a bit with her arms crossed over her chest.

”I don’t think I want to tell you if something feels ‘good' or not.” She stared for a bit more before huffing and averting her head. ”Whatever. Just forget it happened, alright? Don’t let me catch you staring again, even if it’s just for ‘science’ reasons.”

[Richard Buckles]

Richard had a furrowed brow as he looked at her, her face flickering and twitching between anger, annoyance, and confusion. Was sort of priceless sort of situation. While it was true he wasn't just leering at like a horny man child he was far from a nerd. He just whipped out a lot of bigger words he knew to make it sound more believable. Though he was kind of bothered by the inference he was staring at 'eye candy'. He would have to let that one go though, he might have not been doing it intentionally but he saw what she meant.

"Oh well sorry if my curiosity offended you are all miss." he said to her "I was genuinely interested in form and position. I mean I have heard of yoga before and seen bits and pieces here or there but they was my first time witnessing it in practice before me. It has piqued my interest into trying it."

"Well if you don't mind me asking if you wished to not be observed then why not do these stretches in your dorm room where you can have some privacy?" he questioned. It did seem an odd thing to get mad at someone for observing you while you are in a public setting.

[Tiana Jackson]

"Oh well sorry if my curiosity offended you are all miss.”

Tiana only stared at him, her expression the same. The fact he’d apologized was more than she could say for most, but she was still miffed.

"I was genuinely interested in form and position. I mean I have heard of yoga before and seen bits and pieces here or there but they was my first time witnessing it in practice before me. It has piqued my interest into trying it.”

Gradually she was starting to calm down again, seeing that maybe the boy hadn’t been so bad.

"Well if you don't mind me asking if you wished to not be observed then why not do these stretches in your dorm room where you can have some privacy?”

In practically an instant Tiana’s ire had returned to her and she frowned. Her hands went to her hips and she glared at Richard.

”Oh so you’re one of those aren’t you? Ok bub, how would you like it if I stared at you for around ten whole minutes without breaking contact while you were lifting weights? How would you like it if I observed everything you did while doing it? I get that people will be looking, but not staring for so long without even trying to hide it.” Her lip curled into a scowl. ”Unless you’re doing some performance or are a diva who likes the attention, most people feel uncomfortable or annoyed when a complete stranger openly stares at them for a long time.”

She folded her arms over her chest, any semblance of a good mood buried away.

”Don’t you even bring up ‘oh well then why don’t you just do it in private.’ I’m fine with getting a few glances, but I’m not ok with such blatant ogling. Even if it was just ‘fascination with yoga.’” She made the air quotes with her fingers. ”Besides if you were really interested you could’ve come up and actually asked me politely instead of watching me like some creep.”

[Richard Buckles]

"Well I might not appreciate it entirely but I wouldn't be offended in any way shape or form. Then again I would be so focused on my workout that unless someone speaks to me I don't even notice them." he informed her. He was trying to be nice in the exchange but she was rapid with fury it seemed. Made it difficult to keep composure himself when the person he spoke to was so volatile.

"Well I don't know the definition in the dictionary but I didn't think that's what I was doing. Shouldn't ogle ladies and I wasn't at all. I was watching you." He shrugged "Well I do better observing as it's easier to take in the variables and understand something. Besides that approaching you when your in your work out would have been rude and counter productive. Before I could approach you after you came over and started ringing me out."

"Now I won't be denying maybe a bit rude to not introduce myself in all this and again my sincere apology if I have made you uncomfortable. Just got caught up in the numbers I was seeing was all. I do hope you can see it in your heart to forgive my rudeness whether intended or not." He extended his hand "Names Richard. I can promise you I won't be staring like that again at the least Miss."

[Tiana Jackson]

"Well I might not appreciate it entirely but I wouldn't be offended in any way shape or form. Then again I would be so focused on my workout that unless someone speaks to me I don't even notice them.”

She could feel her “inner bitch” stirring eagerly, and with her current mood she was more inclined to let her have her way with this random stranger. She scowled at his response slightly.

"Well I don't know the definition in the dictionary but I didn't think that's what I was doing. Shouldn't ogle ladies and I wasn't at all. I was watching you.”

Tiana stared, a frown coming together as his words registered. She suddenly felt like she was dealing with a child in a man’s body.

"Well I do better observing as it's easier to take in the variables and understand something. Besides that approaching you when your in your work out would have been rude and counter productive. Before I could approach you after you came over and started ringing me out.”

As he continued talking, that feeling settled and Tiana shook her head, rubbing her left temple with a hand.

”So let me get this straight. Instead of coming up and saying something simple like, ‘oh that seems really interesting, I’ve never really seen yoga like that before,’ you decided to sit there and watch for minutes straight without looking away once?”

The more she talked to this stranger, the more frustrated Tiana could feel herself becoming. It didn’t help that he seemed like he couldn’t understand how blatantly staring at someone for so long could come off as creepy. She was too tired to educate him, but it had managed to get under her skin enough to make her grit her teeth. His awkward wording was also making her highly suspect he was either a robot or one of the most socially awkward individuals she’d ever met.

"Now I won't be denying maybe a bit rude to not introduce myself in all this and again my sincere apology if I have made you uncomfortable. Just got caught up in the numbers I was seeing was all. I do hope you can see it in your heart to forgive my rudeness whether intended or not.”

Tiana’s head snapped up with a frown, her thoughts on him being a robot or extremely awkward only growing with every flap of his tongue.

”’See it in my-‘ Are you a robot? Did someone pull you out of a Shakespeare play or something? Hell even those characters don’t say stuff as awkwardly as you do.”

Tiana hardly realized her inner bitch had snapped out, but she wasn’t exactly about to stop it. Something about this man was infuriating her, and she couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason. Her eyes snapped down to his extended hand.

"Names Richard. I can promise you I won't be staring like that again at the least Miss.”

Her gaze flashed back up to his and held it intensely for a few heartbeats, her look piercing. She was not exactly looking to shake his hand, but she’d already snapped at him once. She swiftly shook his hand and dropped it just as fast.

”Tiana.” She replied simply, coldness inadvertently creeping into her tone. ”You better keep that promise.”

[Richard Buckles]

Apparently she was getting a bit of a headache it seemed from their back and forth. He wasn't going to deny how attractive she looked but wasn't going to bring it up either. For all he knew she could be 16 and just looked a bit older. Not to mention even if she wasn't underage there was the whole he is a technically a teacher still. So while he may have not been staring to check her out he certainly did not mind watching her specifically do those stretches.

She was dead set on taking him as no more than a lecherous man. While trying to be empathetic he didn't feel like he did anything wrong. She was just bent out of shape for some reason unknown to him. He thought he brought up some good points but she did not concur. Richard was an emotional guy usually but he had to keep his cool so he was trying to just be calm and explain himself rationally. That did not seem to help though.

Now that they had been firing back and forth with what would be best described as a fight for better or worse he was trying to seize this. Bring tensions back down and show the sincerity of his words. "Well I don't know what you mean exactly there. I only ever read a couple of his books for school."

She was now confusing him as apparently him trying to be collected and calm made him sound like a Shakespeare spouting robot. He wasn't sure why but he felt like that was meant to be an insult but really couldn't see how consciously. Well at least she accepted the hand shake and his apology or at least on the surface it did. She looked like she was ready to try and break his arm more than to shake it. This apparently had her rather worked up and much more hostile than he realized. Then her name came brushing out with a chill to it he hadn't expected at all after their exchange.

He rubbed the back of his neck now as she looked in his general direction. She may have been keen on him with anger but they didn't make how to end this situation any less awkward. He didn't want to just walk away till he knew she was done talking but at the same time was a tad uncomfortable right now.

[Tiana Jackson]

"Well I don't know what you mean exactly there. I only ever read a couple of his books for school.”

Tiana didn’t really see much of a reason to reply to his statement. In hindsight she may have been overly bitchy, but his comment had rubbed her the wrong way. Now her inner bitch had taken control and Tiana was giving her full reign. Which most likely explained the slight satisfaction that went through her at seeing his discomfort. Although now she was tired of company in general, and regardless of her inner bitch’s feelings Tiana wanted to be alone. Rubbing her temples, Tiana shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Eventually she looked back at Richard, her ire having calmed somewhat.

”How about we never speak of this again? Because honestly I’m too tired to talk any more, whatever you claim your intentions were.” Tiana still suspected it was more than the “scientific” pursuit he claimed. ”Just don’t do that again.”

With that Tiana walked off and retrieved her mat, moving with every intention to go camp in her room for a while. She was still frowning slightly.

”Well hasn’t this been wonderful."