Slow Familiarization (open)

[Eveline Crystal]

A light tapping echoed through the mostly empty halls, a single girl being up before the majority of the school. Eveline had always been an early riser, always had been. Then again, it wasn't like the darkness really effected her like it seemed to do so to many. Just because it was dark out didn't mean she was tired, after all she lived in a world of darkness. She closed her ever useless eyes in concentration. She had to learn the layout of this school just as she had her last school. This one was going to be a bit more tricky, as it had proven to be over the past few weeks. She was, however, slowly learning it now. She could get from her room to her classes without assistance now, though she'd need to ask for a little help finding her room again afterwards. The one place she had yet to actually make her way to on her own was the Dining Hall.

Something about the route always threw her off, and it was probably the fact that it lead through the mostly empty courtyard. There had to be a better way for a girl to navigate her way there, a way that involved hallways and not a wide open area that made it hard to keep track of where she was going. She had to be right about this, there had to be another way that no one had thought of. So there she was now, hopelessly lost. She let out a sigh, adjusting the cuff of her uniform awkwardly, glancing around, despite no real need to, wondering if anyone at all was up at that moment.

Why she hadn't asked for a guide through the halls or someone else to show her a way that she could memorize more easily she didn't know, but right now she was regretting the decision to avoid asking the question.

"Pourquoi je suis si têtu?" she murmured to herself, partially out of her frustration over the matter. "Salut? Is any one zere who can 'elp me? I seem to 'ave lost my way and would like to be able to eat zis morning."

[Katsuo Karlock]

"Momma never told me how to love,"

It had been a quiet morning, as usual, and Katsuo couldn't wait for the boring and long day ahead of him. However, there was one thing that always cheered him up. Food. For Pete's sake, he was a boy after all. Hungry hungry boys, listening with their stomachs, never with ears. But this time, he did hear something. It was a girl. He halted, ready to turn his heals and walk the other way when he listened closer; it had seemed as though she was lost.

Now now, Katsuo wasn't the type to leave a girl hanging, no matter who she was. He was a true gentleman, always poised and ready to save a damsel in distress. However, he was always awkward around girls ever since he was little. He never knew how to act around them, and he never knew if he done something wrong or even what he did wrong. He was thick-headed and clueless, not the type of guy a girl could easily fall for. Of course, he knew this and accepted it. Might as well help any girl while you can, especially if you were going to end up alone. He turned around, sighing.

Curse you, good judgement, he thought to himself, his eyes narrowing softly as he quietly, all ninja style, tip-toed over to the voice. He was careful as to make minimum noise, as he didn't know what was in store for him. But as he turned the corner, he saw a girl. Well, of course he saw a girl! He had heard a girl's voice!

Gathering his courage, he walked over to her, his footsteps silent yet loud enough to just faintly hear him.

"Hey," he began to talk, his voice soft as to not startle her since he had come from behind, "You need some help?"

"Daddy never told me how to feel."

[Eveline Crystal]

Eveline let out a very audible sigh of relief when she heard footsteps behind her, turning slowly, keeping a hand on the wall she was up against as to orient herself. She tilted her head, closing her useless eyes as she awaited for the stranger to speak. She was the one who had asked for help, and who knew if this stranger was even there to help. She tilted her head as he started to speak, her ears picking up the soft, male voice easily before she nodded. She smiled softly. "Bonjour!" she practically shouted, making herself jump a little with how loud her voice was. She blinked a few times, shaking her head before looking back in his general direction, her friendly smile returning to her features. She made a curt curtsy in greeting before standing back up straight, folding her hands over her walking cane gently.

"Monsieur, I 'ave gotten a little lost trying to find my way to ze dinning 'all. Could you kindly 'help me to ze room, s'il vous plaît?" she asked, bowing her head a little in respect. She raised her hand to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face, suddenly self conscious of it. She didn't have anyone to really help her get dressed, currently having no roommate, or if she did the girl was never at the dorms for some reason. Had she dressed herself correctly? She didn't miss match the clothes or anything, right? She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, not really knowing what else to say. She hated asking for help, why did she have to be blind? It made living her life so much more difficult than it probably would be if she was able to see where she was going at all times.

Why am I so on edge? It's not like I'm in danger, right? Sure, people here are supposed to have powers but I shouldn't fear them...right?

[Katsuo Karlock]

Katsuo Karlock

"Momma never told me how to touch,"

Katsuo stood at the end of the hallway, facing the girl full-on. He studied the girl, watching as she held the wall as though she tried to balance herself. He tilted his head slightly, wondering. Was she dizzy? Did she have trouble with balance?

He couldn't look at her eyes, as she had closed them. For what purpose? Katsuo was curious to to find out, and he was studying her so intently that he sort-of jumped when she greeted him so loudly.

"H-hello!" he replied, not sure if he should have said 'Bonjour' or if his simple 'Hello' was fine. He didn't know French anyway. Was it French? He was pretty sure it was. He watched as she made a polite smile, noticing the cane she bore, and he put two and two together as to why she would have one. He blinked, thinking, Can she... see?

Of course be didn't say anything, and when she had asked for his help, he gladly accepted. Of course, since he didn't speak French, he didn't know what the last part was, but he had a clear understanding at what she needed help with.

"To the lunchroom? Of course I can help," he said walking up to her with not-so-quiet footsteps, "Anyway you want me to help or do you want me to talk to you all the way there?" He tilted his head sideways, curious. Katsuo hoped not to offend her as 1) he had no experience with girls and 2) he had no experience with blind people either so not a thing came to his mind as to what and what not to be careful with. He just hoped he was doing this right.

"Daddy never showed me how to heal."

TAGS;
Eveline Crystal

WORDS;
283

OOC;
-cough- here's my long-awaited post owo

[Eveline Crystal]

"Merci, Merci!" she explained when he said he'd help her find her way to the lunchroom. That was probably the best news she had heard all day, then again it was still morning so it wasn't like much had happened. She smiled up towards the boy's voice, appreciative of his offer to help her before tilting her head a little at his question. What an odd thing to ask. Didn't helping normally involve talking as well as guidance? It confused the young girl a little, not really understanding what he meant for a moment. Did he mean it was going to be a silent walk or a chatty one? Why did that even matter?

She glanced back down towards the ground for a moment, trying to work it out in her head before speaking her confusion on the question, her voice coming out soft and inquisitive on the matter. "What do you mean 'elp or talk? Is not part of 'elping talking? Are zings done differently outside of France?" she asked curiously, shifting her weight a little, unsure of what to say next. "Je suis désolée, I did not mean to go off on a tangent zere. Oui, to the lunchroom. 'ow you 'elp me is up to you, monsieur."

Eveline took a curt bow, not really sure how else to continue to apologize. She had probably just been looking into things too much. Yeah, that was probably it. Or maybe it was the fact that she didn't fully understand English so the wording had thrown her off. Either way, she just wanted help and to try to fix the awkwardness of the situation, feeling as if she was the reason behind it. She should have just taken the courtyard, then she wouldn't be in the current situation she was in.

[Katsuo Karlock]

Katsuo Karlock

"Momma never set a good example,"

Merci? According to his limited knowledge on French, that meant thank you, right? He knew very little words, and he only knew the most common words. For example, he knew oui oui meant yes yes, or something to that extent. However, he often wondered if it was spelled 'wee wee' instead, although he hardly even doubted it.

"Y-you're welcome?" He stuttered, not sure if that was the right response. Katsuo knew that he was, indeed, a big idiot, but he didn't want to seem like he was. He especially didn't want to be an idiot in front of a girl he didn't even know. A girl that wasn't even in his grade.

As soon as she started talking again, he started to feel uncomfortable. He realized he had worded that in a way in which it didn't make sense, like she had pointed out. Boy, was he really an idiot. He didn't want to mess up the girl's idea of the world outside of France. It really was a great place if you meet the right people and go to the right place.

He held up his hands defensively as he explained, "I'm sorry! I worded that wrong! I mean, would you like me to hold your hand there or would you want me to lead by sound? Like, you know, I talk and you follow my voice? Cause I've never met someone blind before, not that it's bad or anything. It's just, I know some people don't like to be treated like they have, you know, something wrong? So I wasn't sure how you preferred and..." He rubbed his head awkwardly, feeling as though he just blew this whole situation. "Nevermind!" he added quickly, walking over towards her, "I-I'll take you there. Just... hold my hand, I guess?"

His hand was out-stretched, a bit shaky. He made sure it was sweaty or anything for her, as he knew that that could be really gross at times. Now all he hoped was that she wouldn't reject him.

"Daddy never held momma's hand."

TAGS;
Eveline Crystal

WORDS;
336

OOC;
-finishes typing and stretches fingers- there's your beautifully blank post~ cx

[Eveline Crystal]

The girl blinked a few times in his direction, being unable to stifle the giggle that escaped her as he tried to explain himself. He was funny, she could tell that much, unless he didn't mean to be funny. If that were the case then his awkwardness around her was just amusing to her, most people didn't try to apologize as profusely as he was. She couldn't help but smile at him as she heard him take steps towards her, closing her eyes for a moment before she assumed he held out his hand. She kept her eyes closed, trying to draw the world around her in her mind, taking someone's hand was always difficult. There was one thing that wasn't difficult and made it easier to walk with someone, well for someone like her at least. The fairly small girl tapped her chin a few times, looking down at where he assumed his hand was.

"Whenever I take someone's 'and I end up tripping over somezing because zey try pulling me along too fast or do not warn me...so I 'ave a better idea." She made her way over to him, slowly and surely reaching out, feeling for where he was at before locating his arm and hooking her arm around, as best as the girl who was nearly a foot shorter than him could. She hit a button on her walking cane, letting it fold back up into her hand, clipping it to her belt and leaned into him a little so as not to lose track of where he was at. She nodded to herself, as if confirming that her plan was going to work well.

"Zis way I do not lose track of you once you stat moving. It is 'ard for one to forget zey are guiding someone like this, non?" she asks rhetorically, opening her eyes and waiting for him to start moving.

[Katsuo Karlock]

Katsuo Karlock

"Momma found everything hard to handle,"

Oh, right. Why hadn't he thought of that? Just because he was leading her there by hand still didn't mean she was safe. What if he turned too sharp on a corner? What if there was a carpet rolled up and made her trip? What if he tripped himself, bringing her down with him? How awkward would that be? That would mean he was a poor helper, and she'll probably never ask for help from him again. He didn't want to kill the chance of being friends after only one encounter. How devastating would that be? He didn't have many female friends as it was, as, obviously, he hadn't had the best of luck with them.

He began to apologize again, feeling stupid. "Sorr-... W-wait, you have a better plan? What is this... 'plan'?" He had barely said the words, watching her with curious eyes, before she wrapped herself around his arm. What was this? Was it some kind of advance or was he being a pervert and reading into the situation too much? No way could this girl want anything more than help, and he cursed himself in his thoughts for even thinking that way.

Shit! Don't think like that; she's just a little girl, he thought, clenching his jaw. When the whole putting-away-the-cane-thing was happening, he took that time to calm down. He had to calm down before things progressed. The way to not make mistakes, or not make any more, was to have a clear head and think your decisions clearly.

From what he knew, she was a girl, a blind one, that needed help to the cafeteria. Knowing that, he could assume he was hungry, just like him. Perhaps he could ask her to eat with him, causing them to have another reason to talk to her and a higher probability rate of them becoming closer friends. If they became friends, he could develop a comfort around females, and he wouldn't be like the way he was now. Besides, having someone to talk to was much better than seeming weak in front of his male friends. It would also be a win for her, considering she could call him for help at anytime without having to have this awkward of an encounter with someone else. To be fair, he was the only one making this whole scene awkward, wasn't he?

He took a deep breath, calming his nerves for the last time. He nodded determinedly, ready to put this plan into action. He looked down at her, just realizing how small she was. How... cute she was. He gulped, responding to her rhetorical question, "Right. I guess that's true.... Hey, when we get there, why don't we eat together?"

And with that courage-filled question, he started to walk towards the cafeteria accompanied by a pretty, young girl.

"Daddy never stood up like a man."

TAGS;
Eveline Crystal

WORDS;
470

OOC;
this... is... amazing... GO KAT <3

[Eveline Crystal]

Eveline blinked a few times as she waited for him to do something. She tilted her head a little, not really sure what to do while she was waiting. She tapped her foot a bit, keeping a steady rhythm as she waits for him to react, tilting her head a bit as he started to speak. Either he didn't know her question was rhetorical or he had just wanted to respond anyways. She tilted her head a bit at his question though, not having really expected it. Most people would simply help her to the cafeteria then go on their merry way, so someone actually offering to eat with her was different. She glanced down towards the ground, thinking a bit about the whole thing.

Not eating by herself would be a nice change of pace and maybe she wouldn't trip over anything while getting her food like she had the past few days. Really, she hated to admit it even if it was only to herself, but collecting the food herself always made things difficult for her. She couldn't really balance the tray and use her walking stick at the same time to help her navigate, so she always had to pick and choose. She tapped her fingers along his arm a few times in thought before nodding a little.

"Sure, we can sit down and eat togezer. It would be a nice change of pace." She smiled a little and let him start to lead her. For such a bad start to the day it was starting to look better for the girl.