The Roof | Afternoon | Tuesday | November 9

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Considering how he was still feeling, Alex decided to try some fresh, crisp air. He hadn't been up to the roof in awhile and he hoped that the chilliness would help clear his head and make him a little less likely to jump the first hot girl he saw.

He wandered over to the roof's ledge and pulled his jacket around him tighter before he lit his first (of what would be many) cigarettes. It was a little harder to deal with all this with a new, tiny roommate. He couldn't hit walls or throw things or drink or anything too bad with a kid who looked like he wasn't even eleven in there.

So, he'd stay here and smoke what would probably become an entire pack of cigarettes. Maybe he'd take a cold shower. Or maybe he'd just go find someone that could help. Man, this fucking island.

[The roof's open, sure]

Comments

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Alex hesitated a moment, more because foreign cigarettes were weird than anything. He eventually reached for it and brought it up to take a closer look.

"If I wanted something foreign to taste, I'd just get a burrito."

[icecoldfrost]

"There is absolutely nothing foreign about the burritos around here," Emma said firmly. "This is Maryland, not Mexico. It's like how American Chinese food tastes nothing like real Chinese."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Snob," he said before taking a few puffs off her fancy foreign cigarette. "Don't tell me what Chinese food actually is either. I'll have to kill you."

[icecoldfrost]

"So I suppose I shouldn't tell you what hot dogs actually are, either?" she laughed. "Or that there's no Tooth Fairy?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Now Emma, do you really wanna tease me like that?" Alex asked, passing her cigarette back to her. "There are other better ways you can tease me."

[icecoldfrost]

"Like what? Telling you there's no Santa?" she asked, totally innocently as she scooted a bit closer. "Or saying I have alcohol in my room, and you can't have any?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I know there's no Santa and I have alcohol too," Alex said, keeping still but keeping his eyes on her. "You'll have to try better than that if you wanna tease me, Emma dear."

[icecoldfrost]

"But you can't have mine," she pointed out. "And what would you rather drink? Your stash, or something you talked me into giving up?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"My stash," he said just to be contrary. "It's less work for me and I've been feeling lazy lately."

Well, not today.

[icecoldfrost]

"Now you're just being contrary," said the equally-contrary telepath. "I could have sworn you enjoyed a good challenge."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I do but I don't see a good challenge," Alex said, shrugging. "I just see you."

[icecoldfrost]

"You don't think I'd put up a good fight to keep something I wanted to myself? Or just to keep it away from you?" Emma asked. "I'm hurt that you think so little of me."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I just think you underestimate me," Alex answered, shrugging and actually taking a few steps towards her. "Isn't that right?"

[icecoldfrost]

"I'm not underestimating you; you're contrary and stubborn and enjoy being vexing, but that doesn't mean you're always going to get your own way," Emma retorted, not backing down. "I would think you'd know by now that I'm not a pushover."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Who said anything about pushovers?" Alex asked, stopping once he was pretty much right in front of her. Yes, it was torture for him but he was hiding it. "I know what you are and it's not a pushover."

[icecoldfrost]

"So what are you saying I am?" Emma asked. "Because you sound damn certain that I'd just let you do what you pleased."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"You're being a little touchy," Alex pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "You keep making assumptions and they're always bad. You wanna be alone on the roof, Emma?"

[icecoldfrost]

"You started it," she pointed out. "I'm not looking in your head, Alex. So if you don't want me making assumptions, you need to tell me what you think I am - which might be an assumption on your end - or you ought to give me permission to peek. Telepathic, darling, not omniscient."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Why," Alex started, picking up a hand and bringing it close (but not close enough to touch), "would you assume I'd think badly about you? Kinda shitty."

[icecoldfrost]

"Why not? Many people do, and I've been told I'm a horrible influence," Emma answered, eyes flickering to his hand for a moment, wondering what he was doing. "Horrible, naughty, mean Emma, that's me."

"But you're the one who said I wasn't a good challenge."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Alex didn't know what he was doing either but he wasn't really thinking about it either. He just kept his finger where it was, brushing above her cheek.

"Am I not allowed to tease you anymore?" he asked, shaking his head. "You make some new rules?"

[icecoldfrost]

Dammit, Alex, this wasn't fair. The pent-up energy that Emma had been hoping to blow off through smoking had only been fueled by the banter, and right now, she was very aware of three things:

1. He was touching her face.
2. It really wasn't fair how hot he was.
3. Effy would kill her if she acted on any of the thoughts running through her mind right now.

"Of course you are, darling. But you have to bait the hook a little more to make worth my time to bite," she replied. "I didn't make any new rules, last I checked, but you've never followed them anyway."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"You wouldn't like me as much as you do if I followed the rules, right?" Alex guessed, tilting his head and wondering how she could even think at times like this. He was having all kinds of trouble focusing.

"And I know you like me," he said and gently moved that finger up near her eye and temple.

[icecoldfrost]

"Rules are for boring people with no imagination in their soul, and I prefer my--" men "--friends interesting." Focusing was getting very, very difficult.

She gave him a slightly crooked smile. "I didn't realize that it was ever in doubt whether or not I liked you. You're an impossible, intelligent, and occasionally infuriating. It's a combination I happen to enjoy."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"It always good to get the ego boost," Alex said and touched the ends of her hair with two fingers. The cigarette was burning to ash in his other hand. "It wasn't in doubt, though. Of course you like me. I like you too."