Disappearing Act

"I don't think you'd have come back to work so soon if you were prone to swooning. Or work here at all in fact." He replied with an easy smile, that set my heart a pattering. Why did he have to be so...so....well, charming?
"Well...uh." I had to look away from his eyes to think. seriously, did I just do that? "Thanks for catching me...and for helping me yesterday, it was..."
"definitely different from the usual workings of a pet store." He gently lifted my chin up so I was looking into his eyes again. "You're welcome."
I had to be dreaming. This was a dream right? Please don't let me blush. That would be so uncool. I took a step back from him to clear my head. I didn't need rescuing. I was fine. I would not make him need to catch me again. "So you always hang out at Pet stores?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Something like that."
"Something like that?" I repeated.
He shrugged again, adding in a dazzling smile for good effect. "I'll explain later, but..." he pointed behind me. "You have a customer waiting."
I turned to see who it was, a woman with a small kid in tow. "She's probably just look--" I turned back to empty air. "Okay that's so not cool to just leave like that!" I said under my breath as I turned back to the woman. And it totally wasn't cool to trick me with the 'look a distraction' ploy either. Totally not cool that I fell for it either.

Karen<3

Watched

"You could try shooting lasers from your eyes again." Danny suggested from the opposite side of the room.
I groaned, burying my head deeper into my pillow. "And go blind again? No thanks."
"Come on, I'm sure you can figure out how to make that not happen."
"Can we just establish that I'm not Superman?" I mumbled.
"No."
I moaned lifting my head up. "Why don't you try shooting icicles from your eyes?" I shot back. "I don't have to be the only one constantly 'training.'"
"I did, when I was seven." He said idly twirling my watch around his wrist. "It didn't work, though I did figure out I could make myself a nice set of ski goggles from the experience." He smirked. "And I'm not the one who's been caught fourteen times sneaking out of the tower."
Of course, he had to bring that up again. Just because Steel had a knack of running into me every time I left the tower, didn't mean that he had to set Devoto on permanent watch duty.
I knew the risks of being about and about with Surge on the rampage. Who didn't by now? But seriously, if he'd been icing planning to do something, wouldn't he have done it by now? What was he waiting for? That's what I'd been trying to figure out. Surge's over all plan. Right now it seemed like total chaos, but there had to be a method to his madness. shouldn't there? So far, the answer appeared to be a no.
"Give me some slack, Devoto. Have you seen me even attempt to leave since Steel made you my babysitter?" I sat up, twisting to put my feet on the ground.
"No, but then again, you know I can easily stop you." He smirked.
I shivered. "Yah, the human ice cube, I know that trick." He also knew that I could melt the ice around me now that I had my abilities. Shooting heat lasers from my hands came easily to me. So easily in fact, that they were the main reason why I kept getting caught my Steel. It was like they reacted to instinct instead of thinking. "I'm sure I can get to a point where I can melt the ice before it even forms from how well I know it." It was his favorite attack on me.
"Well, why not try it out then." He replied pushing away from the wall. "I'm sure a few scorch marks can't hurt me."
"I'm sure the tower staff are tired of giving me new bedrooms." I replied. "You know I can't control the intensity of the beams." I'd burn nearly a hundred holes into the building because of it.
"And you wonder why Steel won't let you out of the tower."
"I haven't hurt anyone yet when I've been out there!"
"The keyword there would be 'yet'"
I threw up my hands, accidentally shooting beams towards the ceiling. Danny casually flung his own hand out a wave of ice rushing over my head to take the brunt of my accidental use of powers. I groaned flopping back onto the bed as droplets of ice and water cascaded down on me. "Shoot."
"Like I said." I could hear the laughter in his voice. "The keyword to your statement would be 'yet.'"
"Shut up."

Layters!

--> Issac

Walkie Talkie

I expected, if this was going to work, that Jake's voice would come across like he was speaking through a walkie talkie. Some static. Some interference.
It didn't.
"You could say that." he replied, loud and clear. It was just like we were talking out loud face to face. Only, obviously, we weren't. The tension in his shoulder's relaxed a little bit. "Voices in my head, werewolves...there apparently being two of you, and oh yah, I'm lost."
I chuckled. "I wish I could help on the last bit, the other three are here to stay."
"Well, I wish the third one would let go of my arm." his eyes narrowed.
"Sorry," I apologized. "I'm not really in the place to make my other self do so."
"Figures." his shoulders twitched in a small shrug. "You should make a different deal next time you have to save my life."
"Ha! I'll see what I can do." Though he'd have to have really bad luck if that happened again.

Catchya on the Flip Side!

Danny

On The Spot Conversation

In the end, I went for the direction approach.
"Well, this is an all new level of crazy isn't it Jake?" I remarked.

Catchya on the Flip Side!

Danny

Uhh...

It did basically turn into an awkward staring contest. I mean, I'd never tried to mind talk to anyone besides my other half before. Talk about being put on the spot.

Catchya on the Flip Side!

Danny

~I know about girls needing their beauty sleep, I didn't realize thieves needed theirs as well.~ Lisa's voice rang into my mind. ~Are you really going to sleep the rest of your sentence away?~
I would if she would quit talking.
I jerked awake with a squeak, my hands...paws coming up defensively as something tried to pick me up.
~Oh come now, don't be like that.~ The warmth of her hands continuing to burrow underneath me and pick me up. Why did she sound relieved?
I forced my eyes open, nearly rubbing them though the action didn't feel normal in this form. ~What's with the pick-me-up treatment?~ I complained, flinching away from her hand running down my back. That did not feel normal!
~I'm making sure that you're alright, Fishy Thief.~
~I'm fine, what's with the concern?~ I said, shaking the last of the sleep from my eyes. Cautiously I crouched on her hands looking up at her face.
She raised an eyebrow. ~You've been asleep for the past four days.~
I didn't believe her for half a second. ~FOUR DAYS!~ My ears laid back. ~Why didn't you wake me! We had a dea-~
~I tried, Fishy Thief,~ she cut me off. ~Multiple times. You were out like a light. This is the first time you actually gave me a coherent response and woke up.~
I groaned. That was three days I'd missed out on searching for my crew when I'd been trying to get out early. ~You sure you didn't put a sleeping spell on me or something?~
She laughed. ~I'm sure.~ Her fingers trailed down my spine once more. ~Are you okay though? You were beginning to worry me.~ 
~I would be better if you'd quit doing that.~ I complained. ~It feels weird.~ 
She raised an eyebrow. 
~I'm fine, Lisa. Really.~
~Then why did you sleep for so long!~ She burst out. ~It was like you'd gone into hibernation!~
~How am I supposed to know?!~ It wasn't like I'd planned to fall asleep for so long. ~Maybe my lack of real sleep as a fish had something to do with it!~ I shot back. ~You're the one who deals with shape shifting people into animals. Not me. You can figure it out.~

#Henry

I Couldn't Sleep, Actually.

I don't know what I was thinking when I made it back to work.
Okay, I do. I was thinking that Hatch would still be standing there in the parking lot.
Waiting for me.
He wasn't.
I saw no sign of him. Well, no obvious sign. I mean the guy could change his appearance to look like me! He could be anybody in the store. That old gentleman there, the young kid hitting the glass over there. Okay, I didn't believe he would harm any of the animals. So probably not the kid hitting the fish tanks. But still. Where was he? Where was my prince charming? Didn't he care that I'd gotten better? Or had he moved on with his life. Gone to save some other damsel in distress.
I wish he was still there.
Because, really. I wasn't feeling the best. I mean, I was loads better than the previous day. But I still felt shaky. Like I was a hair's breath away from fainting. So I took my morning slowly. More slowly than I would have liked. I couldn't even guarantee Hatch would be there to come to my rescue if I happened to break something. So I went slowly.
I didn't need a rescuer. I told myself.
I didn't need to see Hatch.
I could take care of myself.
I mean, where had he been when I'd spent that week cleaning out all the disgusting cages so that they didn't smell?
No really, I could do just fine by myself--
"I didn't expect you to be back so quickly."
I gasped, totally like a girly girl. And whirled. "Hatch!"
And like the girl I was, that spin I did, totally kicked my balance out from under me.
Hatch, however, easily caught me, like the Prince Charming he was.
"I promise, I'm not always like this." I muttered, once I stopped seeing stars.
He chuckled. "Oh I know."
I perked up. 'You do? wait...you do?" I asked suspiciously. Exactly how long had he been watching me to know that I wasn't always 'like this?'

Karen<3