New Beginning

"Are you serious?" Saint hissed back, suddenly expressing his fury. He moved beside Camden, looking down on the other. He knew he shouldn't be acting like this and that he owed Camden practically everything but right now, he really couldn't handle this.

"She's blatantly hitting on you and you're not doing shit about it!"

Rowan watched quietly, eyebrows raising higher and higher up her forehead as she processed the scene that was unfolding.

"I-No-You're right. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't be letting this happen. I'm an idiot."

He raised a hand up to his face and sighed. This would get weird with Rowan listening. He focused to create a closed thought connection between the two of them. It took a lot fo effort and he probably woudln't be able to sustain it for long, but it would be worth it. If he could think of a way to apologize enough. Which he would probably fail at.

I'm sorry, really. This isn't fair to you at all. You have every reason to be pissed.

Saint's face softened at this, the anger dwindling.

... I get it. I'm sorry.

He sighed.

I didn't mean to get all pissy.

Hell, you should still be pissed. I don't know why I'm letting this bitch walk all over me. She's just really freaking me out and I don't know how to deal with her.

he wanted to say more, but the connection was taking more and more effort to sustain and he just couldn't do it. With an irritated sigh, he let it go.

At the break of the connection, Saint frowned again, looking to Rowan.

"Well? Gonna do anything?"

The girl jumped at the sudden change of pace and glanced warily at Saint. He sounded significantly calmer now.

"Yeah, of course," she snapped, shutting her eyes and concentrating. Slowly, her hair brightened in hue, going from the dull, nearly brown blonde to a pale strawberry blond. She squinted her eyes and it deepened, now a rich red-orange. The hair took on a glossy sheen, looking almost like silk.

Her legs grew weak again, and she shook a little, bit Rowan didn't make the mistake of letting herself fall over this time. The blue haired guy clearly liked a strong woman. She could do that.

Saint cocked a brow. Then reopened the connection, which was much easier for him, being some sort of dream freak or whatever.

She kinda sucks.

Camden smiled sheepishly.

...She's actually doing better than I did that first time. Not even lying. I was this close to passing out.

The newly dubbed redhead blinked hard, dazed, then gave Saint a defiant look.

"Now what?"

Yeah, but that was your entire body, not just your hair.

And, as an afterthought.

Please stop defending her.

"Now you change your clothes."

Camden winced.

Yeah, sorry. She doesn't deserve it. How exactly are we going to deal with her on a nightly basis? I can just...tell that this is not going to go well.

As if to emphasize Camden's point, Rowan was back to her squinting business, now wearing only panties and a bra with a nearly transparent dress slowly solidifying over her body.

Really really slowly.

...Can we please chuck her out to the Nightmares and say it was an accidnet?

Unwillingly enough (but the shock was too much), Saint gave a very uncharacteristic snort, possibly the first time he had ever even remotely laughed.

She'd be giving him some weird looks.

Hilarious.

...I can't really deny that.

Camden let a small grin form on his lips.

The girl's clothes were now more or less fully solid. She wore a bright green tank top with the back fully exposed and crisscrossed with strings laced to make it tight fitting. She wore a flouncy layered black skirt that was somewhat of a tutu, somewhat of a miniskirt. Whatever it was, it didn't leave much to the imagination. Long black and green striped tights went all the way up her legs. She wore black pointe shoes.

"Shit," she mumbled as she fully crumpled on the floor, head hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Rowan was clearly out for the moment.

Camden stared.

And Saint seethed.

Stop staring.

There was really no point in the silent communication now.

"S-sorry. I just didn't expect her to, you know, faint! She's still our responsibility, even if we don't like her. We have to heal her, if she gets a concussion that could screw all this up."

He met Saint's gaze.

"This isn't about us or her. You know how important it is that we have more Lucids. You...Saint there isn't any reason to be jealous, okay? I...I'm not going anywhere. I promise you."

And then he looked away, clenching his fists, but not out of anger. He didn't even know why, but this wave of emotion was hitting him hard, and he still didn't...but he did. He just hadn't acknowledged it yet.

And then Saint knew that he had lost.

"Fine." he breathed, moving to the unconscious girl's side.

"But when you're making the bond, I don't want to be around."

Camden bit his lip and nodded. He felt like he had just completely screwed that up, and he didn't know why. What could he have said differently?

"If you'd rather do it I really don't care. I just...thought it would be more difficult for you to do. Really."

He crouched down next to Saint, staring at the floor. He didn't know what else to say.

Saint shook his head. He didn't want Camden to pity him.

"No, you go meet her in real life. Have fun and shit."

He fought his throat as he began to choke up. What the Hell was wrong with him?

"She's all yours."

Camden deadpanned. He turned fully to Saint.

"Saint, look me in the eye."

He waited for the other to comply, then went on, "If you think for one god damned minuted that I'm putting this slutty bitch above you in my books, you've got it all wrong. I know you still think horribly of yourself, but you can't really be putting yourself below her. Saint I-"

He didn't know how to continue, the words caught in his throat.

He was so damned stupid. What was he even doing?

Saint frowned.

"Look, I know I think I'm lower than shit, I know it, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't go date some chick. We live in the same house, we're practically gonna be brothers, and according to the papers, we technically are. So I'm not stupid enough to think that you won't try to date anyone. It's fine, I know how it works."

He shrugged, trying to go for nonchalant.

"You are a guy, after all. God knows I know what their sex drive is like."

Camden stared at Saint, with something close to awe. Rowan continued to liay there completely ignored.

"You...didn't hear a word I said did you? You..."

He broke off and laughed weakly, shaking his head a little.

Maybe now was bad timing for all this. Maybe he should wait until after he had time to sort his thoughts out.

Saint sighed, nudging her.

"I heard you. But here's something I learned from years of living in that hospital. When people don't lie about what they want, they don't even know what they want in the first place."

Camden looked back down.

But this isn't the hospital. He wanted to say that out loud so badly. But he couldn't. Because Rowan was moaning softly as she stirred and he just couldn't continue this conversation with her right there.

Saint watched as she awoke, face grim.

"Feel any better?"

Not that he actually cared.

She didn't seem to hear him as she wrapped her hands around her head and whimpered softly.

Camden couldn't tell if she was faking or not, it was hard to say. But she probably would have given some sort of retort by now if that were the case, or exaggerated her pain by crying or something.

So, she was in pain.

Whatever.

"Get up." He ordered, suddenly feeling the need to double check the safety of their surroundings.

"Can't just lay there crying all day."