#bunnymode

“I will happily drink all your wine I must warn you. Especially if its white wine.” Amberly smiled as he continued. Perhaps this would be just what she needed to relax for a weekend. “Which is…..?” Amberly was curious now, surely it couldn’t be that bad.

“White, red, green, it’s all fine by me,” Trevor said with a laugh. “And...well...that depends on your opinion of rabbits and rabbit related creatures. Do you like them or nah?”

Sofia laughed softly, “Most of them do look the same, yes.” Trying to forget her earlier slip up. She rather doubted that he wanted to hear about it. It wasn’t a pretty story, nothing of the sort and no one liked it when someone threw a pity party. It was best just to let it disappear into past conversations. “I-I could help you with them- if you’d like. I’m not the best but I do fairly well in that class.” That wasn’t considered bragging was it? Bragging was almost worse than a pity party. 

“Yeah, sure. I’ll bring pizza or something. It’ll be a party - where there’s studying, of course. Maybe we could do shots for every rune we memorize?” Trevor suggested. He knew Sofia wouldn’t go along with the suggestion, but any old bullshit was better than the real talk that had threatened to encroach upon their conversation.

Daniel glanced up from his phone as the guy began to explain how a good party works. Daniel didn’t know anything about parties so he started taking mental notes just in case he ever decided to plan a party. “I mean… I could make it to where it looks like there’s cool lights around?” He suggested. That was if they were planning a party. Daniel wasn’t really sure if that’s what was happening in that moment. “And… I don’t know anyone that’s good with music.” He muttered. Then again, Daniel didn’t know anyone, really.

“That, buddy? Sounds like you just got a platinum V.I.P. upgrade to your invite.” Trevor winked at him. Were Isaiah around, he’d probably tell Trevor to stop being such a fake asshole, but even the young man didn’t really know how genuine he was being. There was a party materializing in the near future, wasn’t that enough? “Well...I mean, I have a good Spotify mix if it comes down to it. But what about food? What’s your thoughts?”

“Did you?” Daniel asked, raising his eyebrows a bit. He took out his phone and glanced through the text messages. Nothing from Fey. Maybe it was a party that she wasn’t hosting? Daniel couldn’t be sure. He wasn’t one to pay attention to social events. “No, no I don’t.” Daniel shook his head. “But, you could always ask people to help make it fantastic.” He pointed out. With Daniel’s power, he could make anyone see anything if he wanted to. He could make the best party anyone had ever seen or been to. But did he want to? He wasn’t sure. “So what needs to be at this party for it to be fantastic?”

“Yeah, well, people are trying to keep it pretty low key for now, y’know...” Trevor shrugged. “Guess it’s a little weird still.” He watched as Daniel took out of his phone, wondering who he was texting. His mom? Maybe a study buddy? Everyone had friends, Trevor supposed.

“Well, a good party needs cool people, first of all. But if there’s nothing to do, then it’s more like a hangout, so someone to come up with some activities,” Trevor said, counting on his fingers as he rattled off his list. “Then someone to come up with killer lights, and a DJ. A real DJ, and not any old shmuck with an iPhone and a magically enhanced Spotify subscription.”

Ingrid didn’t know whether she should believe him when he said he knew, but he mentally shrugged it off. Either way, this dude seems cool. She wasn’t very aware of his writing, though. Noah had mentioned a blog once, which talks about students at Brattington, but they both had no idea who was writing it. Noah. She had to shake her head again, trying to get rid of dark thoughts. 

“It was only one time? I heard it happens often,” Ingrid said, teasing. She would have liked to see someone streaking, wasn’t very often that it happened in Brattington. Now it’s all murders and missing people. And miserable classes. “Nah, because I’m great.” 

“Well, you heard wrong. Or maybe it was wishful thinking - not that I’m naming any names or anything,” he said, trailing off with a grin and a shrug. To be fair, Trevor had covered his own incident in his blog, complete with a photoshopped blur intended to look like him, just so people wouldn’t notice he was one of the few classmates not being covered in the news cycle.

“Yeah, of course. But y’know, this place has a way of dragging out your secrets,” Trevor said and winked. “Like the time my parents found out I got really drunk and traded away some family heirloom to get someone to be my go-between to ask this one guy out. Man, they were pissed and I still don’t know how they figured it out.”

Poppy’s eyes widened. “Oh, my goodness. I can’t say I know too many people around here fitting that description around here. Uh… is she really that scary?” Of course, siblings did tend to exaggerate if they weren’t on the best of terms. But still. How did someone earn that?

“Yes. Well, if you’re on her bad side. Which, to be fair, is not very difficult to do.” Trevor shrugged. “She’s more of the Type A personality to my type B, y’know? She’s the one our parents actually expect things from.”

“Alright, well I’ll be waiting for that glorious day,” he replied absently, though he has no idea what concept of the bunny could be redefined. And how. 

Isaiah stared at him for a moment, before he cast his eyes down, thoughts jumping to his own sister. He thought he knew her, but he didn’t anticipate she’d push him away. “Sisters are complicated,” he shrugged. 

Rolling his eyes again, Isaiah allowed himself a small chuckle. “Please. That’s bullshit, and you know it,” he retorted confidently. They both know that didn’t happen at all. Although, now that he thinks about it, would he ever pet Trevor? The idea of petting your best friend turned bunny seems weird. 

“Depends on the pizza, probably. Maybe people looking for recommendations would find it useful. If they’d trust a blog that also talks about nuclear weapons, aliens and other conspiracy theories.” Isaiah was saying, as his feet automatically led him along the aisles, looking for a spot for both of them. He found one, near the glass walls. Perfect, he thought. He sat down and waited for Trevor, grateful that he’s changing the subject.

“Yeah, if it’s bullshit, then I wouldn’t see the faint worry crinkling your eye. But it’s alright, buddy. I won’t tell.” Trevor laughed again, mostly because that was also bullshit. He followed his friend as he spoke and listened in turn. The two of them were really so different, but they had known each other long enough that Isaiah’s relief was visible to Trevor. Good, he thought. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Trevor had many more acquaintances than actual friends, and Isaiah’s friendship of all was one he’d hate to lose or bring tension to, even despite his recent misgivings of Isaiah’s advice to stay at the school.

“Hmm. Well, you know...don’t forget about all the school stuff on it too. I mean, I can’t believe they didn’t already have something else going on. There’s totally a niche that could be filled with a school paper.” Trevor took his seat opposite Isaiah and began to peruse the menu absent mindedly as he continued to talk. Really, truly, talking was one of Trevor’s greatest pasttimes, and he was glad Isaiah would mostly listen to him talk, even if it was about nothing.

“Wouldn’t that be kind of fun? Like, have a press pass and shit and just be able to walk around to events and concerts. Hell, it’d even be fun to cover the boring stuff, y’know? You’d never have the same day twice. Plus, the whole key thing?  The possibilities are actually endless.” He paused. “But what about you? What would you do if you could, like...do anything? Anything ever?”

“I’d say both. Though you might want to add other liquorious options. Not all of us can stomach tequila. Or rather we can but not for too long.” 

“Yeah, options is always good. Vodka, whiskey...wine coolers,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s okay. If it helps, too much to drink probably isn’t a good idea for me. I...uh, tend to lose control of my affinity, which is...yeah...”

“I’d prefer classes.” Sofia whispered quietly. “My father’s wife has a birthday this weekend. I have to attend or rather, I have to escort my younger sister home. They don’t want her getting snatched. They-” Sofia cut herself off. She went too far, said too much. She did so hope she didn’t scare him off, she hadn’t meant it. Honest. “I suppose homework hasn’t really helped the restlessness then huh?”

Okay, fine. Even Trevor had some empathy, especially when it came to families and sisters. He himself had kept an extra watchful eye on Emmeline, even having rabbit shifted several times to be incognito. “No, it’s fine...I get it,” he said, eager to get past it as she was. “Uh, homework. Nope, it hasn’t. I mean, I have to memorize this list of seeking runes I should probably work harder on, but it’s just so damn hard - is it just me or do they all literally look the same?”

Sofia laughed quietly. “Hopped then. You make it sound like you’re a bunny rabbit.” She thought he’d make a cute bunny if it was all the same. Though she daren’t tell him that. “I’ve been well. I’m not looking forward to the weekend but sometimes we must do what we must. How have you been?”

“Stranger things have happened,” he said, shrugging quickly before shoving his shoulders in his pocket. “Why not? Weekends are, like, the best part of this place. No classes, no professors...I’ve been okay. I don’t want to say bored, but - restless, maybe? Like I want to be doing something, y’know?”

“I think… that you should talk to Fey. She told me she liked going to parties, maybe she is planning one soon?” Daniel suggested. He had never been to a party before but he had told her to text him when she had one that he could attend. “Or… start your own party?”

Cool, it was the Soviet spy - or alleged spy, Trevor reminded himself. He and Daniel had classes together, but he had never taken much time to actually speak to the other young man.

“Well...I mean, I heard there might be a party soon,” he said slowly, an idea forming in his head. “But you know how people are about parties right now. It would need to be fantastic for people to want to go.”

He was right, all his rambling did make Isaiah roll his eyes. “Caged tigers, speeding eagles. And yet you’re a bunny,” he muttered, shaking his head a little, a small smile following a slight chuckle. Trevor has already been turning to a rabbit for years now, but up to this day, Isaiah still found it funny. Subconsciously, it must have been one of the reasons they’re still as close as they are, despite their difference. He is thoroughly amused at his friend’s affinity. 

“I don’t talk to Emmeline much, but I guess you know her better because she’s your sister,” he said, shrugging. He couldn’t judge for himself, so he’d take Trevor’s word for it. Another eyeroll. “When did I ever pet you?” 

Isaiah held his friend’s eyes, and saw the exact moment Trevor decided not to push it. But if he would ask again, at a different time, maybe he could explain everything. He’s been having nightmares lately, and many other things take up his mind these days. This was the first time in a while that something normal was happening and he’d like for it to last as long as it could. And thank god it seemed like Trevor sensed that. “Alright,” he agreed, turning the key and stepping closer, waiting to be transported. 

“One day someone’s going to redefine the concept of the bunny, and you can bet I’ll be right there besides them. Probably having served as the inspiration, of course...” Trevor was, honestly speaking, a little disappointed. How was rabbit shifting in any way as useful as Isaiah’s own affinity, or even Emmeline’s? Still, like everything else, he hadn’t let it bother him for long. Now he mostly found it funny, having decided to laugh at himself too.

“Yeah, well, sometimes I’m not sure I know her super well either.” Trevor shrugged back. He wished he and Emmeline weren’t the way they were, but he didn’t know how to fix that. “Oh, and it was that one time at summer camp, remember?” Of course, he was bullshitting, but the way he said it with a straight face might have convinced anyone but his best friend.

Stepping through the doorway after Isaiah, Trevor shook his head as they arrived at their destination. “Okay, well, here we are. Hey - do you think anyone would dig a blog post about pizza or is that, like, too mundane?” he said, trying to change the subject from whatever Isaiah didn’t want to think about.

“Perhaps.” Amberly laughed lightly, a mischievous look in her eyes. “You’ve got lights and music, though, I feel like something’s missing.”

Trevor counted off on his fingers as he spoke...”Lights...music...what else could be missing?” He squinted in thought before snapping. “I got it - pizza. Or tequila? Or both?”

Ingrid couldn’t help but laugh when he said she rocked. “I like how you used rock, because my affinity is geomancy. Totally apropos,” she told him, providing some context as to what she found so amusing. Had her affinity been mind-reading, she would have disapproved of his plan, and told him she had no intention of telling Emmeline about the party anyway. 

At first, her brows were furrowed, trying to figure out what he was talking about. And then he said he’s the rabbit shifter, and it dawned on her what he was talking about. Yet another amused laugh escaped her. “Oh so that’s you! I heard you have a hard time finding clothes after you turn back, is that true? 

Shooting her a finger gun, Trevor winked playfully. “See? I totally knew that. Of course.” Actually, he was surprised he hadn’t known that. Writing about his peers often gave him a cursory knowledge of them and their personalities. Apparently he’d been slacking off lately.

“Uh, well, funny story...It’s not that hard if you plan ahead, but you forget which dorm you come back to one time and a whole bunch of girls and maybe a couple of guys at a party see you naked and suddenly it’s a reputation.” Trevor wrinkled his nose. “Got any embarrassing rock stories to even the scales here?”

Sufficiently satisfied with her handiwork, Poppy withdrew her grasp from Trevor’s hair. So… that was a thing that happened. Brushing past it in the hopes that he wouldn’t think she was too weird, she tried to remember who on earth his sister was. But she was drawing a blank. “I guess that depends. Who’s your sister?”

Trevor laughed and scratched at his ear. He hadn’t ever had anyone pet him when he was human, he realized. “Emmeline Page - uh, if the name doesn’t ring a bell, intense and terrifying might be good adjectives.”

Never one to back down from a challenge, Poppy laughed nervously and placed her hand on Trevor’s head, mussing up his coif. And… he wasn’t lying, it was super soft. “I mean, you were totally right. Aren’t you one of my brother’s friends?”

Trevor laughed unexpectedly, having been joking and not really anticipating her actually doing it, but he was fine with it - he was a very physical person and didn’t mind being touched. Beaming back at her, he nodded. “Uh, sort of? I mean, I had a bunch of classes with him. He’s pretty cool. Do you know my sister?”

Poppy giggled nervously, not quite able to tell whether he was joking or not. “Um… if I’m not mistaken, are you implying I should tousle your hair?”

“Well, that’s up to you.” Trevor grinned and threw in a wink for good measure. He didn’t mean anything by it, naturally, but poking fun at her confusion was to be expected for him. “Don’t worry, though. I won’t be offended if you take my word for it.”