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Lunar Duality (Spitfire x katuzov)

Until he had a shirt on, she averted her eyes. The fact that he was casual in his partial nudity shouldn't have been a surprise to her. They were polar opposites. If she was uncomfortable with something, some part of her knew he'd revel in doing precisely that.

Going out in public in the same clothes she wore the day before did not sound appealing, the idea of food even less so. Besides, he paid for her drinks and her order at the bar. She thought about that, furrowing her brow as she realized they'd left entirely too quickly for that. Unless he closed the tab when he went to get her bag, they stiffed Gus. Even worse, she wasn't sure how much time had passed while he was inside so she didn't have a clue. She told herself she'd have to go back, if she could remember where they were, to pay the man.

With that, she also decided to pay for her own breakfast, as awful as eating sounded, she assumed pancakes would be ok. And she was so thirsty. She swallowed hard and nodded, "Yeah. Ok. Then I need to go home and shower." To wash off the night before and any trace of him on her. Then maybe she'd never talk to him again. Had she really given him her parents' address and not her own apartment? She vowed to never drink again. She felt gross and she didn't like how drinking had made her feel. How could she be so desperate as to want him to cuddle with her?
 
Selene did not do a good job of hiding her emotions. The indecision was very apparent on her face. Did she like Mike, or absolutely disdain him. It was wrong to enjoy watching her struggle with it, but he couldn't help himself. Mike's delight was not so subtle. "Yeah, of course. You'll feel better after we eat, then, in the daylight it'll be easy for you to get home." He assumed that she would expect him to offer to walk her home. He actually intended not to. Time to throw her a curveball. It'd give him a chance to slink back to the bar and pay his bill. It was hardly the first time he'd seen Gus the next day to settle up.

"I need to put on real pants." He said, disappearing into his room. It was a good chance to put on a clean shirt as well. Normally he had no issue wearing the same clothes to breakfast the next morning, but the chance to appear a bit more put together than Selene was just too good to pass up. As he dressed however, he once again thought about the student he'd put on the ground. He caught a look from himself in the mirror. He trembled and took a few deep breaths. "That's not you." He told himself. Yes, he studied dark magic, but that didn't mean he'd strike someone down without cause like that. He just... slipped. Though that was hardly more comforting. A few more deep breaths and he reemerged.

"Let's go." He said with a masking smile, ready to lead her to the diner. A nice cup of coffee and some greasy breakfast was just what he needed.
 
Unable to meet his eyes directly, she gave him a nod. Breakfast, then she could be on her way. She told herself that was it, that she'd only ever have to see him in class and she could avoid addressing him there. Professor Hale would just have to be smug in his 'disappointment' in them both.

Stepping out of the doorway and into the living room, she allowed him to pass and made her way to where she left her shoes. She vaguely remembered leaving them by the front door and that tracked with her personal habits. She slipped them on and avoided looking around the area again. She'd seen enough the night before and she wanted nothing more to do with his personal life or his personal space.

When he stepped out of the bedroom, she looked up at him. He was wearing a fresh outfit and looking entirely comfortable with himself and the situation. Meanwhile, she was sure she wasn't the first girl he took to breakfast after a night out and the fact that she was wearing old clothes and hadn't been able to shower made her feel even more self-conscious. The fact that she also smelled like him wasn't helping either.

She opened the door and stepped out into the world, in a hurry to get breakfast over with so she could go home. For a moment, she thought perhaps she should just go home and pretend none of it ever happened, but she was inexplicably hungry. And impossibly thirsty. She decided to go to the diner and find her way home from there. Even if she started off not knowing where she was, he magic could lead her home. A fact she had apparently forgotten in her drunken state. Although, she had no idea if it would work properly after that much alcohol.
 
Cheerfully, Mike held any door that was possible. The sun was shining, and to him it was a good day. He even had a bit of a spring in his step. If Selene hadn't been with him, he likely would have been whistling. Such a nice pleasant day. Though he could sense that she was not enjoying it nearly as much. So he said nothing. It'd be better to wait until she had some food in her, but he did want to firm up some plans before Thursday. He would definitely need help before the exam.

Their destination was anything but elegant. The sign above the door merely read "Diner" Everything looked old and worn... though clean. A bell rang as soon as they entered, and an older woman looked up at them, smiled knowingly at Mike and said "Sit wherever, you know we ain't fancy round here!" Mike walked with practiced familiarity to a booth in the back corner, and the waitress called out. "Two menus? Or are you getting your usual?"

"My usual for me, but a whole pot of coffee." Mike said "We'll need one menu."

The waitress turned to Selene and asked. "Do you want cream or sugar or anything else to drink?" She was already grabbing a menu and staring to walk towards them.
 
As soon as they were outside, she reached into her bag and scrambled for her sunglasses, ignoring the necklace. Of course he was having a great day while she was near miserable in the walk to the diner. Not for the first time, or even the first time that morning, she felt like he was a smug jerk. So why was she having breakfast with him? Why did she want to be anywhere near him? She didn't have a clue.

The sound of the bell hurt her head and made her want to crawl in a dark, quiet hole and the woman calling out to them didn't help matters either. She sat across from and resisted the urge to fold her arms and hide her face. "Yes on the cream and sugar, and water as well, please ma'am." Hung over or not, she still had manners.

Even though it was just breakfast and there was little risk to ordering the same things as he did was much less likely to backfire as it had at the bar, she still decided to look at the menu. By the time the woman returned with the coffee, Selene had decided on biscuits and gravy with bacon.
 
The waitress looked a little confused at Selene's order, and Mike's eyes danced with delight. She had ordered his usual. This would certainly make for some additional fun when it came. Once they were alone again. Mike decided to take a more serious tact.

"Look, I want to apologize again. Last night... it got way out of control." Even if he did not plan to tell her exactly how much. "You might not believe me, but my life usually isn't that chaotic. I had hoped to give you a nice chance to kick back and relax... I'm sorry that the opposite happened." His eyes met hers looking deeply into them. The corner of his mouth turned up slightly, almost a smirk. "I hope you are at least willing to study with me still. If we go out again... No bars, no drinks, no magic." He paused. "No fighting at all."

Mike had intended to let her eat before bringing it up, somehow the words had flowed from him however. Maybe just last night's drink messing with him. He hadn't drank that much, but clearly had gotten a bit drunk. He could still remember the odd sensation that had come over him last night.
 
Wondering if she'd said something wrong, she looked up at the server then to Mike. Had she been rude? She was pretty sure she said 'please' and 'thank you' but perhaps she was terse in her tone. While she was busy analyzing the interaction, she woman left and she was alone with him again, relatively.

She looked at him behind dark glasses as he spoke, sitting back and folding her arms as she stared in what could only be described as haughty judgment. Sighing, she rolled her eyes. She hadn't been planning on addressing the issue further. Having yelled at him already seemed like enough and she was pretty sure he'd admitted fault and apologized then.

However, if he wanted to discuss it again, she was willing to hear him out, if for no other reason than to tell him where to shove it. When he spoke, he seemed genuine, maybe even earnest. She took off her glasses at his second apology, the glow in her bag becoming more noticeable when she opened it to place them inside. Blinking at him, unable to fathom why he thought she'd actually go out with him. Did he say 'again'? Had that been an impromptu date? If so, they'd both made terrible impressions. Sure, she hadn't hospitalized anyone but she had gotten very drunk and couldn't even tell him where she lived.

She swallowed hard, staring in silence for a moment as she weighed her options. He still wanted her to tutor him and she could still use the extra points with Hale. If anything, tutoring a problem student did look good. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet and controlled. The outrage at his actions was gone but her eyes were intense and her voice was firm. "I'll still tutor you for Hale's class but we have to stay on campus. And I'm not going out with you, socially. Last night taught me a lot of lessons." Technically that wasn't a lie. So why did she still want him to ask her out in an official capacity? Maybe because his pursuit hadn't been official in the first place. There was a pleasure in rejecting his advance, as minor as it was. It did make her feel less bad about wearing a day-old outfit.
 
Selene's verdict hit hard. Though Mike managed to keep his face still, his heart sank at her pronouncement that she'd not see him socially again. Her eyes seemed to drill into him, he felt as though she could see every single one of his transgressions. Again, his whole body began to buzz. That phone of her's needed to be muted. Though he decided against mentioning it. He took a couple of deep breaths, but his smirk and his confidence returned. "Well that was unequivocal."

"I'm grateful that you are willing to still tutor me. I need it, and you really are a great help." Out of the corner of his eye he could see the waitress approaching with their orders. "I fully respect your decision, and I will not press. However, after a time I think you might have to admit that we have more in common than you think."

Two identical plates were sat down, one in front of each of them. The same order, biscuits, gravy, with bacon. The waitress asked "Can I get yous anything else?" Mike shook his head, and said no, but his eyes, alight with triumph never left Selene's.
 
She nodded. 'Unequivocal' was certainly the word for how she presented it, even if she already questioned it. She nodded again when he thanked her and told her that he needed her help. Another win for her, though this game of one-upmanship was increasingly tiring to her hung-over mind. She was just about to assert herself and insist that he could not change her decision, firm in the belief that there was no common ground in sight for them.

That lasted all of thirty seconds, when the plates were placed in front of them and she wished she'd ordered the pancakes instead. She narrowed her eyes at the smug expression on his face. "I'm fine, thanks," she said with a smile to the server before turning her attention to her breakfast. It proved nothing. How many other people in the place ordered that very meal every day?

"What makes you so confident that this means anything at all?" Selene asked after than woman left, picking up her fork and motioning between the two plates. "It's just breakfast, Mike. And there are only so many things on this menu."
 
The look on her face was perfect. Her eyes narrowing, clearly this made her feel a bit less certain. Mike, said nothing to her question initially, instead placing a bit of biscuit, topped with gravy into his grinning mouth, and raising his eyebrows. It was quite obvious that he enjoyed this moment, and was happy to savor every bit of it like the gravy he'd make sure to enjoy as the meal ended.

He chewed, clearing his mouth, then took a long satisfying sip of coffee. It wasn't great, diner coffee rarely was, but it had that aftertaste of victory to it. Finally he answered. "It is just breakfast, but who knows what else we have in common?" He picked up a piece of crispy bacon with his fingers and snapped off a bite. Nothing was better than bacon in the morning. "I get it... we truly seem like opposites, but you have to admit. Part of you... kinda likes me." He shrugged. "I'll admit admiration for you, you aren't the type of person I'd generally hang out with, but... part of me likes you." He dropped the 'kinda' qualifier from the description of his feelings. "Am I so wrong?"
 
His continued smugness only annoyed her further. Seeing it expression made her less hungry but only just a bit, so she begrudgingly took a bite. It was good, exactly what she'd wanted, even if she wanted to throw the plate at his head. She shook off the thought. Clearly he was rubbing off on her and that was a sign she should stay very far away. He would only bring her life chaos and she didn't need that, especially if she was on a clandestine mission to bring order to the world. How was she supposed to do that with a student of the College of Destruction around her?

Part of her liked him, sure, but another part of her, the part she was convincing herself was the larger, clearly more intelligent portion wanted him out of her life. That part was also telling her to leave him with both breakfasts and go home to a hot shower. After she told him off. However, she was too hungry and tired to do either of those things at that moment so she ate her meal while he spoke.

"Yes," she replied simply. "Our common ground is supposed to start with food?" Her tone was more skeptical than outright mean. All-in-all, she sounded confused about what he was trying to get at. "Neither of us are the other's normal choice of people to spend time with. So why bother? There's no logic in hanging out with a person you only partially like." Logic be damned, she did like spending time with him before it all went crazy. He'd been nice to her when she needed someone and kept his word about making sure she was safe for the night. So he couldn't be all bad, right?
 
"It has to start somewhere, can you think of a better place?" He took another bite, still grinning like an idiot. Her tone, if he had to guess, sounded as though she wanted to be convinced, rather than an outright rejection. It was a start in Mike's mind. Though he knew that he couldn't go on like this. If he kept pursuing hard, he'd only annoy her, and he might cross a line if she truly wanted nothing to do with him. A compromise formed in his mind. One that would, at a minimum, allow him to pass.

"Like I said, I won't press it further. The next time we hang out socially, it will be because you asked me. However, when you ask me... I'm going to say yes." He took another bite, chewed and swallowed. "Now, on a more serious note. Are you available tomorrow or Tuesday to study? I want an A on Thursday's exam." It was stupid, he knew it. However somehow he felt that if he could score high on the test, she might see him differently.
 
Scoffing at his use of 'when' rather than 'if' in situation, she rolled her eyes. "Our common ground is this class. We both have to impress Hale and we don't need to hang out and share meals to do it. I just have to tutor you and you just have to do well," she resisted once again, though obviously not completely.

"If you want an A, I can help you get it." She hoped. Pulling out her phone, she looked at her calendar. Mondays and Tuesdays were busy and if she was going to fit him in, she was looking at a later time than she'd like to be out with him. "I have my Women's group Mondays and another tutoring session on Tuesday. It would have to be seven at the earliest either day." She made no effort to hide that she didn't like the prospect of spending time with him later into the evening but that's what she had. "I told you. I wasn't sure when I'd be able to fit you in this week."

She was kicking herself for not being able to hold it together enough the day before so she could get their session in. Still, the material in the coming days would likely be on the Thursday exam.
 
"I have faith in you." He said in response to her claim that she could help him get an A. Though his eyes narrowed slightly. Her phone was in her hand, not vibrating, and still he could feel it. So odd. Did she have a second phone? Odd. Maybe someone else's phone was going off? He didn't dwell on it however. "Let's meet on Monday. I will com prepared, and you can decide if we need to meet on Tuesday at well." 7 PM was perfect for a dinner date. However, Mike didn't even mention it, showing that he could respect her boundaries - at least for a day or two. "Let's get a study room in the library again."

Sadly their breakfast was winding down, but Mike started to figure out the rest of his day. He needed to do some practice with chain lightning, but he could do some studying before, and then a bunch after. He had a few classes on Monday, but he could definitely find time to really polish his knowledge before 7. He'd never really regimented his time like this before, but he was willing to. Somehow, it felt... right.

"It does sound like you'll be busy. I'll bring you some coffee or tea, if you like." He held his palms out, do deflect any accusations. "Purely in a thanks for tutoring me sort of way."
 
Of course he had faith in her, she was a top tier student who was sure to make the Dean's List. She tried to have faith in him. She wanted to have faith in him. But something made her skeptical. Maybe it was the way he way looking at her but there was something about him that was entirely unpredictable. She didn't like unpredictable. It surprised her when he suggested they meet in the library again, though it did ease her into feeling like she wasn't obligated to show interest in anything other than their course work.

She nodded as she placed her phone back in her bag, ignoring the insistent necklace. After finishing her breakfast, she realized she wasn't even sure she thanked him for making sure she was safe. "Look," obviously feeling awkward, "thanks for... making sure I was safe last night. I don't think I'd have made it home without..." using a beacon spell that she definitely wasn't allowed to use off-campus. "And thanks for breakfast." She gathered her bag and stood. "I'll see you tomorrow at seven."

When she arrived at her apartment, she showered, dressed, then took the necklace from her bag. "What is your deal?" As soon as she said it aloud, she felt stupid. Talking to objects was a trait of Animation magic users and she was far from being one. She put the necklace on, she thinks of Mike. She didn't know why but she could sense him close by. Maybe it was just that she wanted him and refused to admit it to herself. He went overboard, of course, but it was to protect her in a situation she knew she couldn't have defended herself without her magic either. Feeling the weight of the necklace, heavier than it truly should've been, she wondered if she should even wear it if it was going to continue glowing intermittently. With a sigh, she took it off and put it back in the bag.

The next day, she texted Mike the location of the meeting room and confirmed their time but generally planned to simply ignore him in class. However, he was much more interactive than he'd ever been before. Whether it was her influence making him more interested in the topic or his continued desire to show her up was anyone's guess. She didn't care to ponder too much on it.

Later, she managed to reach the room just before seven, clearly rushing from her group meeting.
 
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"You don't need to mention it." He said with a bit of a smile. "It was my fault things got out of hand," He once again admitted fault for the evening going south. Though, at least she allowed him to buy her breakfast. It was a small victory. "Tomorrow at seven sounds great. I'll be there, on time." After she departed, he paid the bill, and strolled back to the bar. It was still closed, but Gus saw him through the open door and opened it for him.

"Come to settle up?" The old man asked with a friendly tone. This was not an uncommon pattern for Mike. Gus never seemed to mind.

"Yeah, had to leave in a hurry, crazy night last night."

"You are telling me, too bad you missed all the excitement!"

"Oh? What happened?" Mike asked feigning ignorance.

Gus told him about the student collapsing. Caleb was his name, a student at the university. He was taken to Mercy Hospital, but evidently was going to be alright. Mike managed to stop himself from exhaling in relief. He didn't know Caleb, he didn't want to, the guy seemed like an asshole - but being an asshole didn't confer a death sentence. He didn't need to be Selene to know that.

After telling the story, and running Mike's card, Gus asked him if he wanted anything, a bloody Mary perhaps? That did sound good. One couldn't hurt.

Before Mike could answer however, a vision hit him. Selene. She was wearing a necklace identical to his, but white and glowing rather than black and dark, and it was glowing. His moonstone began to thrum. He knew exactly where Selene was at that moment, she was almost calling to him. As quickly as it started, it ended. A cold sweat covered Mike, his breathing was shallow. "I.. I gotta go." He told Gus.

The rest of the day, he spent his time exactly as he planned, practicing and studying. Though what had happened at the bar was on his mind. He was starting to work it out. The buzzing, the glowing from her bag. She had the other half. When his great grandfather had passed, he had said something nonsensical about the other half. It never made much sense to him, but it was starting to.

By scheduling his time, he managed to make the most of it. He was rather prepared for class the next day. He made minimal eye contact with Selene - knowing that they would meet later. Besides, better for her to see what he could do when he put his mind to something. After class, he departed quickly, going to work on chain lightning with the other destruction students.

However, he got to their study room 30 minutes early. He wanted to be there first, though he arranged everything perfectly for a study session, he untucked his necklace and wore it on the outside of his shirt, in full view. Once she arrived he looked at her and said "we need to talk." To make his point, he held the stone up for her to see.
 
She didn't like rushing as it was but her meeting had run later than usual. However, when she arrived she was ready to get started. Putting her bag in the chair, she started to retrieve things from it, once again noting the moonstone's glow. "Sorry I'm late. I..." It wasn't until she looked at him that she realized her lateness wasn't what they needed to talk about. Nor, as it seemed, did it have anything to do with their study session at all.

Holding her breath like a startled animal, she stared at the stone. She could feel the steady thrum of her own half of the stone in her bag. Surely that was just her heart racing. It had to be. But the insistent glow of the item in her bag was proof enough that she was wrong. She sat down in the chair across from him, waving her had toward the door and creating a sound barrier so no one outside would hear their conversation. "I don't really know what I'm supposed to say. So go ahead. Say what you need to say."
 
Mike would have been lying if he said he wasn't partially pleased to see her rushing in late. A slight turning of tables. The look in her eyes when she saw the stone around his neck confirmed everything. She had the other half. Likely in her bag, if the glow was to be believed. Unlike him, she had no time to prepare for this, so he was happy to talk first.

"I'm guessing that you inherited your necklace from your grandfather. Mine came from my great grandpa. Evidently it'd been in my family for generations. I have to believe it's the same with yours." He leaned back. "Mine said something cryptic to me, about accepting the Light of the other half or something. Hopefully yours gave us something better to go on, but..." He shrugged. "I knew it was more than breakfast food that we had in common."

It was a joke, a deflection. In truth the whole situation scared him.
 
As he explained, she bit her lip nervously and made no indication if he was correct or not. His joke, as plenty of his other jests, definitely didn't land well. She looked at him, crossing her arms and trying to figure out how to answer. Her instructions had been equally cryptic and unhelpful but one thing was certain, there was no way she could tell him she was supposed to be the light to 'rule over the darkness.' She wasn't sure of much but she could say with all certainty that he wouldn't enjoy that phrasing at the very least. And if he was the darkness she was meant to control, telling him outright might've just made it more difficult to reign him in.

"Something about being order and light," she said with a shrug. It was technically true but she was hiding something as her eyes gave her bag a shifty glance. Were they supposed to work together? Was she supposed to take his half? Would he try to take hers in an effort to resist her? She had more questions than answers.

She swallowed hard as she reached into her bag and brought out the glowing half of the stone. It felt as though it was pulling toward him but she held it firmly in her grasp, readying her magic if she needed to keep him at bay. "I don't even know what we're supposed to do with them. Put them back together?" That seemed easy enough but she was resistant to just hand over her half. What if his outburst at the bar was a sign that he'd lose control if given such power? She couldn't risk it. And something in her told her that he wasn't too fond of the idea of giving her his necklace. She was already skeptical of him and his motives and this revelation didn't help. Had he known all along?
 
"Well that's about as vague as it could possibly get." He said. Though he noticed the way her eyes shifted to her bag. There was something else she was leaving out. Though pressing now wouldn't be the right course of action. Even at his most optimistic, he knew that she had mixed feelings about him. As such attempting to convince her to spill more of her last conversation with her grandfather before his passing would not likely bear fruit.

He watched as she reached into her bag. The second her hand contacted the stone, his breath caught for a second, and a faint shiver worked its way down his spine. He could see the jagged edge of her stone - it looked like it could match the one on his. Instinctively he tucked his stone back under his shirt. The mentioning of putting them back together meant that he might have to give up his half. He had no desire to do so. He'd worn that for years, never taking it off. He liked Selene, he might even trust her - as much as he could trust someone he'd met days ago.

Though, he could come divulge some information. "I have been feeling my stone vibrate in your presence... or in the presence of the other half. I feel... something when you touch yours. Did you handle it this afternoon? What about the other night when you were in my room?"
 
The vagueness of their instructions, while frustrating, made complete sense for items that were passed down generations. She was frankly surprised any instructions were given at all, as she was certain she wasn't the first to question their validity. Even as it came to life before her eyes, she still couldn't believe it until the other half was right in front of her. It explained why her grandfather told her she was where she needed to be. It definitely didn't explain exactly how he knew that or how he knew it was her and not some other future generation of their bloodline. She didn't even know if it was the Alinac side of her family. She would have to look through his belongings to see about more information, a process she was already dreading before any mention of the stone.

She watched Mike's reaction as he hid the stone again, the action telling her all she needed to know. He'd never give it up and she couldn't give him hers. She didn't know exactly what would happen if she did, but such power in the hands of a man so bent on destruction and clearly on the verge of losing control wasn't something she was willing to risk. Biting her lip, she looked away as he questioned her. Yes, she had touched it, but she didn't want him to know she'd been thinking about him. Then again, that isn't what he asked.

"I had it Saturday night, yes, while I was in your room," she admitted tentatively, "and yesterday a little while after I got home from breakfast. I've been a bit busy today, as I told you." Feeling it's slight but quite constant vibration in her hand, she felt unable to stand the buzz it created so she placed it back in her bag. If he was going to be so protective of his half, she had every right to do the same for her own. "If you feel... something... when I have mine in hand, why do I feel nothing when you handle yours?" Did she feel nothing? Maybe he'd been holding his at the same time and she sensed the connection. It would explain why she thought of him so much. It wasn't her desire, it was his. At least that's what she intended to tell herself for a while. The theory had yet to be disproven.
 
When Selene put the necklace back into her purse, Mike let out quiet sigh of relief, and he felt himself relax. The stone around his neck seemed to calm, the vibrations lessoned, and he felt less overwhelmed. She did seem protective of her necklace. He wondered if she were warned that he might try to take it. He was not about to steal something, but the thought entered his head, and he had to wonder what would happen if he did. If she was warned, was it because it'd be bad for him, or good?

Such idle thoughts would have to wait. She confirmed her suspicion and her question did have merit.

"I don't take mine off." He said. "That was one of the instructions I was given, to keep mine on, no matter what." He shrugged. "Though maybe that was because my great grandfather knew I'd lose it." He was certain that she wouldn't see the humor in that, but he tried anyways. "So maybe that..." He shook his head. It didn't make sense. "no, I'd think you'd still feel something if you did." He sighed. He didn't want to tell her that he felt her 'calling' him. If he did, she might not put it on anymore.

"I'm not sure what we should do. However..." He looked at his notes. "I doubt we can use the stone to help me pass the test, that's definitely coming on Thursday." He still wanted to show her that he could be responsible.
 
Everything she needed to know was in his eyes but his words made it clear. What wasn't clear was if his constant contact with his effected her in any way thus far or if it's abilities were latent. It would definitely explain her attraction to a man so utterly antithetical to her. She'd never actually want to be with someone like him unless he'd influenced her in some way. Right? He wore it all the time. It was the only explanation. Not that she could just tell him she found him even slightly desirable. He was smug and egotistical enough. He wasn't even that charming and not at all her type. If she had a type. If she ever allowed herself the time and energy to have a type.

She swallowed hard as he turned the conversation back to class and she couldn't help but wonder if this was to lull her into a false sense of security or if he was just as confused as she was and wanted something concrete to focus on. Surely he wasn't interested in the latter. Still, she had told him she'd help him ace so that's where she decided to put her attention. As much as she could knowing what she suddenly knew. The other half of the moonstone was in the room with her and it was her responsibility to unite and control them. Probably. Maybe. She still wasn't sure.

Unable to do much of anything about this issue, all she could manage was to help him study and try desperately not to think about it. Or the fact that he was actually trying in order to either impress her or just pass the class. That led her to a circular line of thinking on a roller coaster she never asked to be on and wanted very much to be off of. The remaining time of their hour long session was more of the same and when they were done and her alarm went off, she gave him a curt nod. "Times up."

Her stomach growled. She was pretty sure she'd lived on coffee all day and she needed to eat something soon. "I'll see you in class. Good luck on Thursday."
 
Despite the rocky, off topic start, the study session went surprisingly well. Mike was actually amazed at how much he could learn if he worked at it a bit. It was just a matter of motivation really, and Selene gave him that motivation. Quietly, he knew that his performance today would give her the excuse to not see him the next day. Since it was quite unlikely that he needed any further prep before the exam. He wished he could slow time, but nothing slows the clock hands... other than one of Hale's lectures that is.

When she announced that time was up, he nodded and began packing up. The temptation to sigh was strong indeed, to feel down. Mike on the other hand kept cheerful. "I messed up. I was hoping we'd have to study tomorrow. It seems you are too good a teacher." He ignored the growing hunger in his stomach, at least for now. "Seriously though... thank you. I think I'm going to blow Hale's socks off." He winced at his rather weak boast.

She left, leaving Mike alone. He took his time packing up, and decided to take a walk around campus. The sun had set, and a walk to clear his head seemed to make a lot of sense. He wandered around, going by all the various well lit buildings until his hunger got the better of him. He went back to the same diner - he lacked imagination. The same waitress brought him two chili dogs and a mountain dew. He was halfway through his second coney when he felt it.

A calling. A need.

It was like the other night, when she was in his bedroom, but now... It was more direct. "Fuck this thing." He muttered to himself. However his appetite was now ruined. Quickly settling his bill, he walked out into the night. He had no idea where Selene lived, but he knew exactly where to go. He went to the exact right building, and the right appartement number. He should turn around, he should go home. The calling was strong, but it wasn't any worse than a craving for dinner after skipping lunch. However he sighed, and knocked. He prepared to have something clever to say when she opened the door like... "knock knock" or "You rang?"

Instead, out came "You rocked? I mean, moonrock.. stone. Hey."
 
His joke still didn't stick the landing but the compliment seemed to help. She offered a smile, "Thanks. And you're welcome." It only took her a moment to pack up and she was gone, the cone of silence spell ending when she left.

Frustrated and hungry was rarely a good combination and when she reached her apartment, she found herself craving chili for some reason. There wasn't time to make a batch so she warmed a can and tried to find something riveting on TV to occupy her mind. The only problem was that something and someone else had already taken up residence there. She finished her meal in silence with a trial documentary playing out what might as well have been wallpaper on the screen.

Setting the half-eaten bowl on the table, she reached into her bag for the stone. She held it in her hand for a moment. "Is this thing on?" After a moment, she felt nothing and decided if he could use his to make her think of him, maybe she could do the same. With the stone in hand, she thought of him, pictured him coming to her door in her mind. She was sure the kiss was his influence. So they couldn't speak but they could communicate in images and desires. Greaaaat.

She realized she was being silly. He didn't know where she lived. Was he just supposed to navigate by feeling? Then again, that's exactly what she'd do if she was ever lost. Save the night she could barely remember her own apartment. The knock startled her and she nearly dropped the stone. It was easy to be certain it wasn't actually him and she guessed that it was one of the other women from her club. She blinked at him as she opened the door but expected him to be smooth and smug. When he fumbled, she bit her lip to hold back laughter.

Shaking her head, "Hi. Again. Did you uhh... want something?" That sounded equally stupid. She called him. Why did she call him? To see if he'd answer. Did that sound even remotely ok to say aloud? Probably not. Was she going to be able to lie if he asked? No chance in hell.
 
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