[Closed] I thought that I heard you laughin'

[taaron "tk" marie kaler]

Taaron sat quietly, awestruck by what he was explaining to her. She bit her lip, trying to keep her eyes from watering as she pictured each thing. Well, she was right, the quiet ones always have a story to tell. Her eyes had never once left his face, studying the way his muscles moved. It was a past time of hers, and body movements were more fascinating than the words that usually followed them. "That's how.." Tk didn't even bother to finish. Her next step would have been apologizing, but she remembered how she awkward she felt when someone said sorry to her when they didn't even cause the pain.

Scooting back, she curled her knees up under her and sat back on her heels, facing Tj. It made her just slightly taller than him, but now it wouldn't be uncomfortable to hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting a few seconds pass before letting go, and quickly flicking the single tear off her cheek. "I guess it depends on how memories are used.. Like my dad, he shot himself.. Wasn't the best memory for my mom, since she saw him do it, but she never gave up.. I don't know.. I'm just kinda rambling, feel free to stop me any time."

[terance jayrod rowlf]

Terance drew in a breath, tense muscles easing up at the touch. A therapist had said he would snap eventually if he kept it tucked away. He had cracked on several occasions, screamed or gone after people, killed a human or two when feeding. But he hadn't completely lost control like Chandler did. Not yet, at least. He smiled just slightly at her last words, shrugged. "I'm okay with listening to you ramble.." Now she knew what he had hid. At least, that part, not that he was a vampire. He guessed she could add one and one together. Smoke, heat, burns. It was why he had breathing problems too. "Never seen him since I got out of the hospital a few months ago, you know? He just..left. All I wanted to do was help him cope." He shrugged. "My thanks was 'go die in a fucking hole." He traced a finger over some of the scarred skin along a hip where his boxers were riding a little low. He had obviously had nice skin tone before. Maybe it was why he worked in a clothing store now.. His conversation with Chan a good ten years ago resurfaced. He had wanted to be an agent, CSI and shit like that. But without Chandler, he had been at a loss. He had given up his dreams to help his struggling father and dying mother. And it had only given him scars in unaccountable places.

[taaron "tk" marie kaler]

She smiled, stretching her legs out to get the blood flowing through her legs again. "It's hard to help someone cope.. But that's not an excuse to.. light you on fire. You did what you could, even if he didn't respond in a.. better way, at least you tried. That counts for something, right?" She looked out toward the water, hoping she wasn't making the situation worse. Taaron knew what it was like to go through a difficult situation, even if it wasn't extremely horrible and life threatening. And she had to cope with that herself. "It's um.." Her fingers began to drum against her legs out of nerves, her mind searching for something to say that wouldn't offend him. It was obviously a delicate subject. "Those scars are skin deep," she reached out, touching one of his scars, "But the scars you had emotionally heal when your ready for them to be.. Quoted by a therapist."

A long pause came as she tried to figure out just exactly where she was headed with this. "My therapist told me that a lot. It never helped, but I guess there is some truth behind it. I'm not sure if it helps you, because you didn't put the scars on your body and they'll always be there to remind you.." Taaron looked down at her feet, feeling stupid. 'Shut up, shut up, shut up' She told herself over and over again. Scooting back further on the rock, so her feet wouldn't dangle, she placed her elbows on her knees, and her hands over her mouth.

[terance jayrod rowlf]

Terance drew in a breath as she touched one of the mark. "Guess so. But to-..to...damage and...put scars on something that defines a man?" He murmured softly. "Something other than his face. That-..." He shook his head, drew in a slow breath. "I haven't...been with anybody since then, broke up with my girlfriend. I had things lit on fire where no man wants things to burn, skin grafts in places that should never have to be fixed.." He let out a sigh, chin finding his arms. "It's just...easier... To stay away from everybody. Sometimes alone is better.... And that's okay..isn't it?" But it wasn't... His brother had wanted to see him marry, have kids.... He'd always wanted Chandler to be proud of him.... None of this was prideful.

[taaron "tk" marie kaler]

"It only defines you if you let it. And if your scars really defined you, don't you think I would have left? I wouldn't have even if they were the only thing I had to go by." Taaron looked up at him, wondering what he was thinking. "You're a great guy, hiding your scars or not. If someone can't see past them, then do you really want them in your life?" She tried to keep her voice soft, hoping she wouldn't make him hate her. He was a great guy after all. Funny, charming, nice, kind, caring, and even with the scars, he looked handsome.

"Most people define you on your looks, I know that.. But when you find someone who looks past it, isn't that special?" She wasn't great with touchy subjects, especially when she could sense someone was uncomfortable about it. "I remember being at my uncle's one day.. He was on the diving board, yelling about how everyone should be over his brother's death. That it didn't take that long to morn over a loss, he was mostly saying it because my mimi wasn't over it.. But my mom said something about my dad and how not everyone is the same when they lose something close.. My uncle said that my dad shooting himself was the best thing he ever did.." She paused, a lump building in her throat as the memory flashed into her mind. Her mother was in tears, walking off to the car. Her uncle just jumping into the pool, not going after to apologize. "And to hear kids call suicidal people selfish, and worthless.. It wasn't like my dad was a horrible husband or friend. He kept things bottled in.. Mixed drugs and pills occasionally and that's what made my dad crack. But anyone who judges him like that, I cut out of my life. There's no reason to judge someone's whole life off of one thing.."

[terance jayrod rowlf]

She hadn't answered the question he wanted to hear. Maybe there was no answer. Listening quietly, he shifted his weight, looking down at the ground quietly. "I'm not a child.. I don't need a lecture.." He smiled at her just faintly. Maybe Rywn needed to hear her talk. Shrugging it off, he shiftee his weight again with a shrug. "Shame, scars, aren't only skin deep." But that was all he bothered say about the matter, huffed softly.

[taaron "tk" marie kaler]

"I told you to stop me.." Taaron sighed, her hands moving to slide her off the rock. Her clothes were only damp now, and weren't as irritating to move in. She watched Tj for a bit, before looking off into the trees. "What do you have to be shameful for?" She shrugged, not really sure if she wanted to hear the answer. She didn't like having long, deep conversations. Somehow they always came back to bite her. After awhile, she started to move her legs, just exploring what she could see without being completely out of sight.

"There's always other ways to find comfort than confiding in people, if you really don't like them." Her voice rose over the tall grass she had found near a sinking log. "Nature, music, reading.." Taaron was mostly talking to herself now, though her words were still loud enough to hear. She walked back over to Tj, a new smile on her face. "Are you hungry?" She asked, as if the last conversation hadn't happened.

[terance jayrod rowlf]

Terance shrugged, watching her wander off. He stretched, lying back o the rock, hands behind his head so his boxers could dry a little more as he listened to her. When she came back over, he peered from half lidded eyes. "This is unbelieveably uncomfortable," He groaned in complaint, smirking her way. "Starved." But not for food, he didn't want to get sick. He supposed he could get away with some meat, but she honestly smelled far more enticing than any cooked meal.

[taaron "tk" marie kaler]

"Do you wanna wait til' your boxers dry more?" Her stomach growled, she placed her hand over her stomach, as if that would calm it down. She walked closer to him, peering over him to see his face. Taaron felt her cheeks blushing and she pulled back, spinning around to look at the dirt trail. She plucked at her tank top, feeling the suction from the dampness. "Next time, I'm packing extra clothes.." she mummbled to herself. Her eyes wondered, every once and awhile looking back at Tj.

Her hands worked their way back to the band holding her hair up, her fingers tried carefully to pull it out without pulling hair out. When she had it loose, she pulled and slid it down on her wrist before flipping her head over. Tk ran her hands through her hair, causing it to loosen from the weird bond the rubber band held it in. "What are you hungry for?" She asked as she flipped her head back over and looked towards Tj.

[terance jayrod rowlf]

Terance smirked. "Nah, they should be dry enough." He yawned, careful to keep his fangs sheathed, though it was getting hard. He chuckled at her words about bringing extra clothes next time, eyes calculating her every move. Her flawless actions were attractive, but he had given up on ever being more than friends with anyone. And he never dared get attached to a mortal, especially a human. "Mm..whatever you want."