After class snacks (closed)

[Keaira O'Connell]

((From here ragedsyphers.proboards100.com/index.cgi?board=astronomyclass&action=display&thread=1191136329&page=3))

Keaira smiled so much when she was with Alessandro. He just seemed to have an effect on her, there was no use denying it. As they traveled down to the dungeons she stole quick glances at his eyes. They seemed to have that mischievous look to them, as if he was planning something to test her again. Although she could easily have just scooped the surface thoughts he had, she didn’t, she wanted to keep their relationship in good standing, and reading his mind was likely to cause damage.

As he informed her that he would write to her she practically leapt with inner joy. Her eyes lit up, and her smile broadened. She was hoping that this would be the case. However, as she continued on talking about lessons she allowed her smile to drop a little, and become more of a smirk. Keaira looked to the floor, and then allowed her eyes to glance up at him, looking more out off the corners of her eyes. “Aww why would you have to remind me of lessons, come on now Alessandro, do you believe that I am going to want to talk lessons, with all I’ll have to worry about? I was more looking forward to a break in all the studying I shall be doing.”

As he mentioned her opening the way she nodded, reaching up to tickle the pear with her right hand. As the pear giggled in response the doorway was revealed. She smiled at Alessandro, before headed down the chute that appeared. She had made such frequent trips to the kitchens. One of the perks of living in the dungeons meant that it was easier for her to sneak about to the kitchens at night. As they landed in the kitchen area, she sighed. There was so much she wished Alessandro to know, and this was the best time to tell him.

As she made sure that no one else was there, and the elves were sufficiently distracted, most of them preparing to get some sleep, she turned to Alessandro. “I’m leaving tomorrow. I make my exit at lunch. I just need D’rorah and Dien to be in the great hall to make sure I don’t go out of my mind trying this…Although, I would like you to be there as well.” She let her thoughts drift off, knowing that she still had a lot to think about before this could all happen. She had already made sure that some of her good clothing was sent home already, using a nifty system of house elf transportation. Everything else she needed to take with her could be concealed in her bag. She was ready.

“So, what are you in the mood for eating?”

[Alessandro Darko]

"Yeah no, I won't just write about lessons, I'll keep you posted, thats it. So you wont be behind, I'll write to you about everythings, but mainly me, because, after all, there's really nothing more important than the goings on in my life, you know..." He teased with a crooked smile.

Alessandro felt honored that Keaira had invited him to her departure. He smiled inwardly at the thought of seeing her off, and felt that he should do something nice for her before she leaves, perhaps a gift of sorts. As he thought more about her going away, his happiness seemed to diminish a little bit.

"Yes of course I'll be there." He said earnestly looking at her. "I've got to see you off to urge you to return faster..." He said with a grin.

He turned and looked around the kitchen as he decided what he wanted as a snack before he trudged back up to the Ravenclaw tower. He wanted to prolong the night so he didn't have to focus on not sleeping and escaping those horrible nightmarish visions.

"Ummm....I think I'm in the mood for something sweet." He said as he thought to himself. "Treacle tart...pumpkin pasties....fudge...I dunno, what sounds good?" He asked her, not really able to make up his mind.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira suppressed a small giggle as Alessandro exclaimed that the goings on in his life were the most important things. She knew it was what she was looking forward to the most in these letters, but it was best not to betray her feelings quite yet. As she looked around she noticed that Navee was no where to be seen right then. When she was done scanning for her favorite elf she quickly cast the muffilato spell in a circle around them, to help conceal some of their conversation.

“There are actually a few things that I want to let you know. About when I leave, there are very few people who know this plan, so feel happy.” She let a coy smile slip in between her words before she stepped back in to her plan. "To start don’t be alarmed, but its not going to be a fun filled departure, and it’s going to land me in St. Mongos for a day. But that’s more a show for every one else. I’ll be fine. D’rorah and Dien, are going to guard me mentally, so that I don’t actually go insane when I open up my mind to everyone in the great hall. I’ll probably pass out, and I probably won’t wake up until the next day, and by then I’ll already be at the hospital. From there a friend is taking me home and I’ll be on my way.”

She let the plan seep in to Alessandro’s mind, waiting for his reaction for just a moment before going on to his question as if she had just told him the sky was blue. “Treacle tart sounds great, although I could also go for some choclate chip cookies, and maybe a glass of milk.” What do you think?”

[Alessandro Darko]

"You're WHAT!?" he cried, glancing around him quickly, but then realizing the muffliato charm had been put up around them. "Keaira, I'm no telepath...but are you crazy!?" he asked her in a hushed tone. He then let it process that she had said Dee and Dien would be guarding her so she doesn't get too crazy. "It still sounds rather dangerous..." He said with a look of disapproval. "But if this is the plan...I guess, thats the plan..." He said bringing himself to a forced smile.

"What will you be doing in China, and for how long will you be gone?" He asked her hoping that she would tell him that she would only be gone a couple days.

His stomach growled ferociously as she mentioned chocolate chip cookies and milk. "Yes please." he smiled wide.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira watched as Alessandro quickly went in to a state of distraught, it really was good to know he cared for her enough to be concerned. As she let him fret over it for a few moments she hailed an elf over to them. As the elf bobbed closer she turned back to Alessandro.

"Don't worry, Dien will hold me memories and my emotions, this way when I'm overwhelmed with everything else It won't scar me for life to find out what every one is thinking. D'rorah will be doing a bit of mental barriers so that the force of everything doesn't overload all of my sensory perceptions. It will allow me to hold on to consciousness longer. however, when i do finally become overwhelmed. I'll probably fall... and it would be nice to have some one there to catch me..."

The words were left open, for his interpretation, whether or not he wished to fill that role was up to him. As she stopped the elf reached a close enough distance to take their request, and Keaira quickly asked for a plate of chocolate chip cookies, two glasses of milk, a few treacle tarts, and what ever else they might have available at this hour. As the elf left Keaira went back to Alessandro's questions.

"I think I'll be gone for about 2 weeks, any longer and suspicions would arise. That should put it just about the 16th or so, hopefully I will be here on the 16th, and maybe I'll get a birthday surprise....."

Keaira thought about what D'rorah had told her about the training that awaited her. there really was a lot that was coming up. They would tax her body to its limits and then push her further, but she didn't want to think about that yet.

"Well, D'rorah said there will be a lot of hand to hand combat, and other martial training. Also, they will teach me how to master my shadow warrior abilities. this way i can be a more effective member of the team. And there should be some meditation, and testing my ability to separate myself from my emotions better... D'rorah said its going to be hard..but i will be much better to help when I return."

[Alessandro Darko]

It was good to hear that she had a plan. He would hate for her mind to be blasted to mush as the thoughts of every student in the great hall cascaded into her mind all at once. He himself could only imagine how difficult it must be to have telepathic abilities. The extent of his experience with telepathy was limited to a Wysteria-Alessandro link due to their partnership in the elemental aspect.

"Well, I have to say, I'm glad that the plan is so thought out...." He mumbled to her as he got over his worry. She had mentioned something about someone to catch her when she falls. He got a hint of an implication in there and he perked up. A mischievous grin spread across his face as his cogs began to turn. "I'm sure someone will cast a cushioning charm behind you..." He said with a mock uncaring tone of voice and then raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk.

To his dismay she would be gone longer than the couple of days he had hoped for. Two weeks would feel like an eternity to last without Keaira, someone who he wished to spend a little more time with than dwelling on things like the Shadow Realm. It really was unfortunate to have all of the Masters and Warriors brought together through something as horrible as a threatening dark force wanting to rid the world of light. The relationships he had developed with the people belonging to the Lightfighters, and outside, had grown immensely to something he cherished deeply.

He listened as Keaira explained what her training would be like and immediately he thought he himself could use the same training. "I think we all could use some of that, we'd all be well prepared for when the shadows come next." He said hoping that it wouldn't be for a while.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira felt a pang of regret that she would be missing out on so much time with this boy and his smile that portrayed his mischievous side. As he mentioned a cushioning charm she set her trademark coy smile out, to rival his smile. As she looked at him, she batted her eyelashes once or twice, and simply stated. “Who said anything about a cushioning charm?”

As Keaira responded she noticed a tray of food and drinks headed their way, and smiled to Alessandro, it looked like that had not only found her the chocolate chip cookies, and treacle tarts, but a variety of other snakes, cookies, and general junk foods. It was a late night feast, comprised of cookies, pastries, and a variety of cake or two. Along side of the glasses of milk there also was a small cup of tea, apparently the elves truly were getting used to her late night visits.

Since the tray of snacks was already at their beckoning, Keaira took a seat on the floor, crossing her legs Indian style, and placed the tray in front of her, so that Alessandro would have to choose to sit either across from her or next to her, although she had a preference she didn’t state it or even indicate it at all. “So have at it, we’ve got plenty to choose from.” She made sure he could choose anything, except the glass of tea which she pulled off the table and placed on the floor directly between her torso, and her feet.

Keaira noticed the slightly sad disposition that over took Alessandro for a few seconds. She knew that he had not wanted to hear that she would be gone for so long. But it was the truth, and she couldn’t change it. She smiled a little, as she picked up a chocolate chip cookie, and held it for a moment. “You know Alessandro, when I get back I’ll be helping D’rorah train the rest of you guys to the best of my ability. I mean things won’t be perfect for me, but I’ll have enough of a base to help. Then we can all benefit from it. And maybe I can give you a little one on one training, if you want it.”

[Alessandro Darko]

He watched as the elf came over with the tray filled with delicious goodies. Chocolate chip cookies, treacle tarts, everything he loved. The elves seem to out-do themselves each visit he had made. He watched Keaira set the tray down in front of her on the floor. Doing what came natural when someone sits down, Alessandro took a seat directly across from her and then sprawled over on his side, propping himself up with his left elbow. He reached forward to grab a glass of milk.

His eyebrow arched as she had taken the single glass of tea. "Who's to say that I didn't want that?" He joked. He took a couple of cookies and began to dunk the first in milk for about five seconds. "I love to dip them." He stated the obvious.

His eyes lit up as Keaira had offerd training. "Yeah? I'd quite like that, get some defensive training going, well I know magic would work, and hopefully I can master fire soon, but, I'd really like to know how to..." He lowered his voice while shooting his eyes around the kitchen before continuing. "...kick some arse!" He rasped with a big grin.

"So when should I be coming to the Great Hall, when will you be making your dramatic exit from Hogwarts?" He asked with a funny face and inflection on "dramatic".

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira couldn’t help but let out a very loud laugh, the absurdity that Alessandro might want this cup of tea was so profound, he clearly did not understand. Tonight might as well be the night that she let him learn a little more of herself, after all there was still so much he did not truly know about her.

“Alessandro, my dear boy, I promise you this tea is for me. It’s a special blend that I have had made for me every night, by the same house elf, since the first year I attended this school. A blend that If I do not have I find that I wake up experiencing other people dreams, because my mind can not close out every ones thoughts while I sleep. I promise, you want me to drink this, especially since I hate waking up because of some very strange dreams, the things some of these students thing about is amazing…. And sometimes horrifying…”

Keaira had her share of crazed thoughts and dreams by her self, what she did not need was to have to live through some one else’s crazed thoughts. Normally this drink was brought to her when she meditated each night, however since she was there she was fine with taking it now. Perhaps tonight she would just skip the meditation, and allow herself to just slip in to sleep dreaming of what is and what may be.

Upon seeing him dip a cookie in to his glass of milk she smiled. There was something they really had in common, she loved dipping her cookies in to milk as well, it always seemed to make them taste better for some reason. As she followed suit she wondered what else they might both like. Her thought on that however was quickly shifted, with his comment about kicking some arse. “I’m sure that I’ll learn plenty of useful things to make our time more productive, besides I’m sure I’ll have tons of fun teaching you these things. But for now lets just worry about you making it to the great hall tomorrow around 2, so make sure that after DADA class ends that you have enough time to make it there… which you should cause DADA ends at 12 I think..” Keaira couldn’t help but smile at his use his vocal cords to tease her about the ‘dramatic’ plan she had. All she was really worried about was the promtness of the involved parties... "Don't be late Alessandro, or I won't be happy."

[Alessandro Darko]

He nodded as she explained the tea. It sounded perfectly reasonable, and he felt thankful that he did not have telepathy. He was having enough problems with people and things in his OWN head, much less wanting to know what other people were thinking.

"Of course I'll be there on time, I'm a Ravenclaw..." He said with a smirk. He finished his last cookie and took a swig of his milk. "Mmm It's still cold." He smiled with a great big milk mustache on his lips. He laughed a little bit as he realized his white upper lip, and wiped it away. He let a yawn escape as he was beginning to grow tired. He was a little nervous about going to sleep, the nightmares and all, but he had hap-hazzardly whipped up a sleeping potion and wanted to see how that would affect his sleep. He prayed it would force him into a deep sleep that would prevent his brain from living any nightmares, or dreams at all.

"Alright then, I've had my fill." He said as he stood up. He reached down a hand to her to help her up.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira wasn’t sure if she should have let Alessandro know about her weakness. Having a hard time with all the minds around her wasn’t something she liked to talk about. As she sipped at her tea she smiled a little. If there was one person she felt a bit alright with knowing these things about her, it was probably Alessandro.

She let her smile broadened as he mentioned he would be there on time. It was very much like him to say something like that, even though she noticed that she was there before him in a few classes. As she nibbled on some more cookies she found that she wasn’t as hungry as she might have been at the end of the class, therefore they still had a bit more to snack on when she decided she was done eating. Following his suite she grabbed her cup of milk and lifted it in a toast to Alessandro, “Hopefully everything will go off well tomorrow…”

She noticed the teas effects on her mind as the thoughts that screamed at her seemed to sizzle down, and blur together. She caught clips on places, and idea, people, and words but everything seemed calmer. As her mind slipped back to reveal only her thoughts she could have sworn she heard Alessandro say he had whipped up a sleeping potion, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her. Although she was quite certain that he would have been a bit more careful with something like that she wasn’t sure if he really should be messing with sleeping drafts.

When his hand was lowered down to help her up she pouted a little, “Leaving so soon?” She shook her head, and grabbed on to his offered hand, and felt him pull back a little as she used his leverage to hoist herself up. Unfortunately she must not have noticed the small fact that she was stepping on her robes a little as she attempted to stand up. With the force of Alessandro pulling her up a little, and the fact that she was stepping on her robes, she found that her balance was slightly off, and she stumbled forward in to him.

[Alessandro Darko]

As she gripped his hand firmly and began to tug, trying to use his leverage to stand up, her foot had been on top of her robes, causing her to lurch forward into his arms as she stood up. Alessandro stumbled backward a bit, taking her with him, but finally regaining their point of balance. He looked at her and paused for a moment. Their faces were inches away from each other. He began to feel his heart beat like he was some over-sized hummingbird.

He stood there staring at her, and for a moment, he tilted his head forward just a hair as if he was about to kiss her, and then something inside of him just exploded. He swiftly turned his face away, eyes wide. He cleared his throat while grabbing her shoulders simultaneously.

"Errr, umm...You alright then?" He asked rather awkwardly as he stepped away from her, comically brushing off her shoulder. His face was cast down avoiding her eye. He ran a hand through his hair as he began to get unmitigatedly nervous. "So...HAH!....you should, um, be careful....K-Keaira..." He chuckled.

What were you going to do....KISS HER?? His mind reeled at him, either scolding him for not following through, or for even attempting at all.

He drew in a deep breath and pulled himself upright. "Well, I really must be off now....good night K-Keaira..." he nodded to her awkwardly and then swept from the kitchens, but not before turning and saying one last thing. "I shall be on time. I promise." and then was gone.