|| The Animal Inside ||

There had only been three people Drake had seen naked; his husband, his ex partner and himself, and that was the way that he wanted to keep it, at least for the moment. Many months had passed since the death of his husband, and still, Drake wasn’t comfortable around people, around anyone. His face still flinched around his close circle of friends whenever one of them touched him, his heartbeat still raced when a stranger brushed up against him, and now, standing just a few feet away from him, was a fellow mutant, removing their items of clothing.

He was used to wearing lighter items of clothing, shirts, light pants, slacks and then transforming into an animal and back. What he wasn't knowledgeable with was transforming with heavy materials such as heavy jeans, jackets etc. After a very bad transformation in which it seemed he unknowingly destroyed a pair of jeans given to him by his mentor (for testing purposes) Jonathan started to remove his clothes, his pile of lighter clothes next to him ready to be worn. When he felt someone watch him, he looked around and saw him - the tea guy. 

"H-hey. Watch out." Oscar almost touches crashes into someone but does a small jump back, "Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going. I should be more careful."

He was going to seriously maim her but then again, he knew he shouldn't. It didn't help the rising feeling in him though. "What?" he said a bit too tersely for his taste maybe before looking up and seeing that it was someone he didn't know but what familiar. Shaking his head he took a breath and spoke. "Jeez, no I'm sorry- I wasn't looking and uh yeah." 

  She stood up and peered through the branches as best she could, wishing she had x-ray vision on top of night vision. She squinted and stood on her tip toes although she was confident that it didn’t do much. She didn’t know which one of her parents were responsible for her small size, but she was cursing them right about now.

The voice wasn't that hostile, or maybe it was - the only thing that prevented Jonathan from doing anything too reckless was that the voice was somehow, known to him as if he'd heard it before. Moving a little bit closer by hoping around the tree and scurrying about, he noticed someone he talked to before. It was that girl the short one. Amused and pretty curious he wondered if she was the source of the darkness that was strong in it's surroundings.

  "Sorry to disappoint but there’s no grand finale here. And no thanks, I’m fine,"

"You don't have to be that stiff, if there's something I could help you with I probably would."

  A small laugh passed his lips, “I know the feeling trust me. For a little bit it’ll be you as well.” Nobody started off playing well and it wouldn’t be long until misplayed notes filled this room and the other man would be cursing the piano. It was a common issue with anybody who played a new instrument. Do-Re-Mi usually had to do with singing. At his old school singers had to learn all the hand symbols and use them. Leon never quite learned it but he wasn’t a singer so it didn’t really matter. 

Jonathan nodded his head, a sign that he understood the other mutant. Well probably not understand in the best sense of the word- after all muscial technicalities was no doubt new to him after all. But then again, he could learn how to play and that was what mattered.

  [She handed him the apple.] Here. I’m not really hungry. I took the best looking one, too.

Thanks, haven't really eaten during break a while ago.

  The ugly clang of misplayed notes was a noise easily recalled. Leon’s father tried to get him to play violin once, it was miserable. The screeching high notes of the instrument was deafening. This mixed with a bunch of inexperienced players made him quit almost immediately and move to viola, a flamer instrument. To say his father was displeased was an understatement, he beat him black and blue for daring to quit at anything. “Sounds like an interesting exhibit at least. It would be worse if he just kept playing.”

"That's true, if he continued my ears would have probably died." he said with his eyes twitching, as if up until now he heard the wailing noise of the instrument. He then followed the words Leon said, placing his right hand where it ought to be and trying out the keys. If he focused his internal animal enough, one that had keen ears, it might help him focus properly. Might being the proper word since loud noises was awfully distracting as well.

  "Whatever you say, Sunflower."

He blinked but then shrugged, this man was definitely peculiar to him. Jonathan only knew a small amount of people let alone personalities, so far, this was the first time he was able to talk with someone as such. It interested him, but also made him apprehensive. Nuances as always.

"Sorry for all the floating objects, I’ve had a massive headache all day,"

"It's pretty cool actually, I've been jumping oh- and er, following them til here... I was hoping there was a big one at the end. Oh wait - maybe you should rest? 

  Leon couldn’t remember a time he didn’t play, “I must of been four or so.” The only reason Leon had any talent at it was because of her tutelage. He worked for hours to please her. A small smile came to his face at the memories. Natural talent only got you so far after all. In Leon’s mind, hard worked trumped natural talent. “It helps but honestly I’ve played with more distractions then just a person.” The neighborhood they’d lived in was not the nicest. Sirens almost always could be heard nearby so one person wasn’t a problem. 

Four... that was a young age, but then again practice did make perfect - according to his mother when Jonathan was a toddler, barely able to even walk straight for a few seconds, he already exhibited into the kind of mutation he had morphing. Up until the time of her untimely death, Jonathan had done nothing but perfect the art of morphing. He nodded, now feeling apprehensive at the image of playing for someone, let alone playing with a distracting environment.

  "Puffy?" she echoed, glancing over his shoulder in another attempt to catch sight of the dog. "So were you eavesdropping on my conversation with…Puffy, then?" She eyed him curiously, still slightly suspicious of his reaction. She feel his mirth, a cloud of amusement surrounding him. Interesting. "Do training dogs disappear into thin air on a regular basis?"

"Puffy is always hungry. To be honest, he might be actually shipped away - I'm actually hoping I could sneak with him but that seems quite stupid." He definitely hated the place more than needed. But then again. "It's not eavesdropping when you know what- after all he did that to me too." he shrugged. Continued walking "Do you know that book Marley and Me? Where there's this dog who was sold for a lower price than everyone else? that's Puffy." He continued to walk until he reached another corner. "Two more and we'll be in the kitchen. By the way you new here?" he asked. "Never seen you before."

  With the man done and gone, Aless had turned only to find another man, watching her as if she’d just set someone on fire. Which she had, but really, nobody should’ve expect any less from the quick-tempered girl. Lately, everything was pissing her off. It had only been a month since her brother’s death anyways. 

Despite being in the company of humans and mutants, basically people - for a couple of years, Jonathan still wasn't as able to understand the basics of how humans worked. How their feelings happened, how they acted on it, different things. His only experience was with two people, and he was already one of them. He just mirrored the girl, despite his smile, he was also probably rather intimidated. After all he had met many mutants, rather saw them - many of them enjoyed doing their things, shooting fireballs. It was probably just because he was there right in front that made everything all so daunting. 

  The darkness wrapped itself around her in a warm blanket as she leaned against the tree, looking up at the stars as the animals who couldn’t see through her dark black void steered clear of her. It amused her every time she saw a bird or small animal start creeping to her until they quickly ran in the other direction. In those cases, she sent a shadow form after them, chasing the poor animal until she couldn’t see it anymore. Chuckling as she saw a bird fly around her, she silently searched for the constellation in which she was named after, picking it out almost instantly. She wondered if her father was looking at it right now. She hoped he was, but she figured that she might not be so lucky.

The darkness had already settled around the island. Stars were popping out all around. That's probably one of the good things- the stars. After all, in Camp he'd just be lucky enough to see a few at a time. This one, in the middle of who knows where in the world there was a good array of beauty. In the morning there would be the land, mountains and the infinte sea, at night- the sky reigned supreme.

  Act modest. That was the first thought that popped into Leon mind after hearing him talk, “Thanks. It’s really nothing much. Just lots of practice.” More practice then Leon would like to admit, sadly. It was odd to see someone apologizing for entering a public, communal place. “This is a common room so there is no reason you shouldn’t enter.” He laughed a little to emphasize his point, “I’m glad you liked it.” It was odd to hear someone other then Nita and Aaron compliment his piano. He never really played for anybody else but them, then again. Years ago his mother taught him, they would play every night before he went to sleep and sometimes she would even sing. That all stopped when his father hired the best piano teacher around and it became yet another thing he had to be perfect at.

Jonathan thought about it, practice... but surely some people already had a good hand at things even before right? Some kind of innate greatness... still. "How old were you when you started?" he asked, unsure if he should but kept on pressing. He then laughed uneasily with him, unsure about the feelings that prickled his skin, at one point he was sure that he was unwated but now -, "Yeah I know but I must have broken your concentration or something and that's pretty important in playing piano yeah?" he asked his eyes then darting back to the ivory and ebony keys.

  He seemed amused, or so she thought. There was a possibility that the dog had managed the scamper off somewhere during the time it took for her to arrive to the corridor, but…the person in front of her couldn’t have known that she’d wanted directions to the kitchen. Unless, of course, he happened to be an animal whisperer. Or perhaps a mind reader. “Did you just…change from a dog to a human?” 

Why couldn't he stop smiling? "The dog, Puffy?" he said as he turned around, as if he was half expecting the dog to be behind him - or at least running around somewhere. "He's a part of the training team, or so I've heard- and one thing you should know about him - he loves food. He's probably trying to find a human nice enough to go with him and open a packet of nibbles or something." Jonathan grinned at last. "Anyway, kitchen is through here lemme take you there." Moving towards where 'Puffy' had gone, Jonathan started walking, waiting for her. "Don't worry, I won't just suddenly disappear on you." Maybe... maybe he'll be Puffy again once she leaves the kitchen... for fun.

  She shook her head and chuckled quietly at herself. She was an empath, not an animal whisperer. Even if the dog knew the way to the kitchen, it would have a hard time understanding her. Still, she followed the pup to the corridor, jumping in surprise when she found herself facing a person, not an animal like she had been expecting. “I — yes, I was,” she said, brow furrowing in confusion. “Sorry, did you just…” she trailed off, not wanting to sound completely clueless. 

He looked down at here, a comical smile escaping his face, a little bit of the thrill on the confusion - and surprise he wanted to take the joking further, but she seemed utterly... lost. Moreso than the first part. With a shake of his head and a scratch on his nape he shrugged "Did I just what?" he asked - just for clarification purposes of course.

  "No words, thank you. I can do with less of a headache. Not in the mood for talk of Ghandi or Bono," Teddy shrugged, his keen eyes watching the other confused man. He—Jonathan? Oh. That was…terribly normal…Well, Johnny definitely was some sort of hippy or naturalist freak, but Teddy wasn’t planning on shaming the man’s lifestyle.

Jonathan gave a lopsided smile, what else was there to do? He was a bit stumped that finally Teddy, that was his name - Teddy, stopped what his mother would call 'hysterics'. It helped and it was a good thing at least for him. Getting confused was a headache.