Asha stepped through the partially open door and using his nose fallowed it towards the other. relief joining his scent as he laid eyes on the other. reaching Gage's side he reached out and trailed his knuckles along the other's cheek. "H..h..hello.." he murmured, some of the stress fading from his voice as he breathed in the other's scent. that 'unbalanced' feeling faded. how Gage had become the center of his world so fast He didn't know. but he didn't' fight it ether.

"H-hello." Gage breathed in sharply at the touch, but didn't move away. He heard every step approach, but still felt surprised at the trail of fingers along his cheek, maybe because they didn't often touch each other like this. No, they never had until now. He didn't hate it though. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Gage flicked his hand toward where he knew his violin lay. "Did you want to warm up here for a while or go to um...where you normally practice? If they have rooms where we can play by ourselves that would..." He trailed off again, finding his throat suddenly dry. "...be nice."

Asha tilted his head considering the other and fought the urge to tug him close and try and sooth him. he knew it was his own stress making him more touchy so he forced himself to back off and give the other some space. "Here would be.. be nice I feel safe here.." and it wasn't cause he was the larger predator there ether.. but because the other and his family really DID make him feel safe. especially Gage. h e backed up a few steps and knelt near the other's own violin and took his own out, quickly stringing it to how he needed it and picking up the bow as he watched the other from the corner of his eyes. just basking in the..he didn't know what it was that he had for the other but it made him feel..calm being around him.

Gage nodded his head for the other boy's benefit. "That's fine. I just...wondered. Maybe another time." He wanted to go somewhere and act and be something that he couldn't be while in the same building as his parents, but he understood Asha's hesitance. He just hoped it wasn't because of the suggestion he made. Of course Asha felt the same odd closeness that he did, right? Although they never put a name to this thing, it was surely more than friends. They did kiss after all. Flushing slightly, Gage reached for his own violin and started to tune it with quick, deft fingers. His eyes closed, he showed just how well he knew the instrument as he pulled a sweet note from the strings finally. "What do you want to play?"

Asha considered the other. "Play your favorite song and I'll accompany you.." maybe it was a good thing Gage couldn't' see seeing as Asha was unable to tear his eyes away from the other. 'maybe i should of said we could go to our spot out in the woods..' he lifted his own violin into place and waited for the other to start, just breathing in his scent. absorbing his warmth.. he still had no clue what he was feeling it was.. more then what he'd felt for his first boyfriend.. so very much more.. but at the same time not quite as harsh as the feelings had been back then it was..nice. made him want to be around the other, make the other smile, laugh..
Make him happy..

Gage let out a breath and nodded. "Only if we play your favorite song afterward. Or maybe, what you play at the orchestra." It was another concession, proof that he thought about joining far more than he implied, but without saying more, he readied his bow over the strings and began the play. The rhythm was fast-paced and more intense than their usual playing, but it fit his mood. Not violent or angry as other intense music and not joyful either, he could only describe the tune as passionate. Eyes closed, he let himself fall into the music, the passion filling his own body even more than usual. Perhaps because he played with Asha?

Asha soon fell into tune with him his own violin playing a counter that seemed to blend into the tune the other was playing as he kept his eyes on the other and let his own feelings bleed in.. anyone listening would find the duel music seemed to bleed together in a perfect harmony. apart they where both extremely well played, together.. they where magnificent. as if they completed each other musically speaking. Asha felt a smile tug at his own lips as he swayed a bit, just enjoying the melody that seemed to dance around them. Maybe he could get the other into the orchestra as his partner. they kept trying to get him to take one but none of the 'offered' players could keep up with him. always fell out of tune with him. but Gage it was almost.. instinctive.

Like two counterpoint singers, the two of them played off each other so easily it made no sense. Most players spent years perfecting their harmony especially with an unpracticed piece and yet they did it so effortlessly that it left Gage breathless at the end. As he let out the last few sharp notes that Asha followed up with soft, almost needy noises, he let the piece end. "That-" he managed, still feeling a bit caught up in the mood of the music. He played with such passion that it still thrummed through him, making him lean forward toward where he knew Asha sat, almost by instinct. Something drove this instinct, more than the music, but right now he couldn't think of that. He just simply felt. "That sound, I want to hear more of it! Quick, play another song."

Asha blinked and did as requested, his fingers dancing across the strings of his violin as he started a haunting melody that seemed to swirl through the room, throwing himself into it as he didn't in orchestra.. eye's never once leaving Gage as his world, heck his universe narrowed down to the other boy. the music flooded the room and ran through the house, pure and passion filled as he fought to keep his breathing and heart rate steady but his own heart was going as fast as Gage's, if one listened they could hear only one heart beat in the room as both hearts seemed to of synchronized up. not that asha was paying anything other then the music and the other boy any attention.

Even though Gage couldn't see Asha's gaze focused entirely on him, he felt it in the music. In his own way, he felt that intense interest that made his heart beat faster so that for a second, he thought his playing might falter, but instead it followed Asha's melody more intently. This haunting melody pulled at him in a different way, but still it felt oh so beautiful. Finally, the last few notes pulled from their strings and Gage sagged against his pillows with a very content sort of exhaustion. "I don't get it," he murmured. "I don't get why we play so perfectly together. Is that supposed to mean anything...?" He shook his head once, letting his violin rest against his knees. For now, he felt sated in the strange obsession that filled him after their first song and made him need to keep playing. Gazing in Asha's direction, he sighed. "Is it...a matter of the heart?"

Asha considered that as he watched the other, his own violin now resting against his knees hesitating. "It could be. I..I've never felt so intensely for someone before.." the need to both protect and help the other soar as he did in his bat form.. it wasn't a need to keep the other safe from himself. he had a feeling gage could do more then he was allowed to. and that ITCH to help the other find that 'More' was definitely there. "I..for a moment I couldn't hear our hearts beat separately.. it was like they where linked and on the same..rhythm.." he'd never heard anyone's hearts do that before. at least, no one who wasn't mated anyways.

Gage pressed his lips together, feeling his own heart beat just a little bit faster at Asha's words. So the other boy felt that way as well? Like they worked as one when they played. "Ah..." Gage started, then closed his mouth again, unsure of what he meant to say. He'd become such a strange person since he met Asha, but he didn't mind it. Not really, anyway. "No, it's true. I feel that way as well. But...I don't really want to talk about that so much here," he added with a flush rising on his cheeks. "My family has good ears, you know, so I don't want to say just how much I feel, and maybe I don't know exactly how much I feel for you. I....never mind. I'm just speaking nonsense." Reaching for his case, he focused on putting the violin away because he didn't know what else to do, even as his fingers fumbled against the buckles.

Asha watched him and before he thought about it he'd helped the other open his case then moved to his own. allowing the other to do his own ritual of putting his violin away. asha went through the process of carefully unstringing his, putting each string into a cloth pouch that was layered with wax to protect the strings he set them in the side pocket that would hold them. "I rather like your family their..Nice.." all though they really should of let Gage do more. but he supposed he could understand on some level their protectiveness. but the other was growing up, shouldn't they allow him to spread his wings? 'well maybe I can help them loosen their grip on him..' he set his violin case tot he side. deciding he wanted to get to know the other even more. to just.. talk and enjoy his company before he'd have to leave and go back to his own apartment..or on to the orchestra.. which while he loved it.. was losing its appeal the more time he spent around gage..

"...They are," Gage admitted after a second of silence. "They're nosy though and too well equipped for it since no one but Maria completely trusts me to be okay on my own. I don't blame them." Shaking his head, he set his instrument aside where he could still easily reach the case later if he wanted to play more. His young sister didn't have the right to trust him and his parents had the right to not. It didn't make a lot of sense, but he knew his own stubbornness played a heavy role. If he had friends to begin with, someone to watch his back and guide his hand, then he could do so much more. However, all this time he insisted on managing by himself. Knowing the impossibility of it, his parents denied. Now Asha could hold his hand and be that friend if Gage let him. Staring in the other boy's direction, he imagined they met gazes, staring into each other's souls for just a second. If he let Asha, he could be that friend. But hadn't he done that already? A smile quirked Gage's lips up slightly. "But I have you now."

Asha felt his grin widen at that last bit. "Yes you do. and I won't ever let you fall." not when watching the other sore was so much more better. 'Glad i can keep all the sappy thoughts to myself.' he thought cheeks heating up. "Feel like going for a walk?"

Gage snorted slightly at the cliche words. They made something bubble inside him though and he held his breath for a second, even knowing that the world went entirely silent around him with the emotion that blocked out his senses. The thing that used to scare him though only excited him now. "Okay. I trust you not to," he said in simple answer. A simple answer that meant so much coming from him. Surprised at the other boy's last question, he paused for a second before nodded. "That sounds good. You're okay with going out like that? I know you...wanted to just hide out here..." He trailed off, not wanting to bring up that unpleasant subject again, but still unable not to.

"if I'm with you im am Hiding out." Asha teased and before he even though about it he'd dropped a kiss on the other's cheek. if anything his face heated up even more as he offered the other his arm, nudging Gage's arm with his. "and besides, its not like we have to go far.. can always go wander the woods to.."w ell the paths anyways. he woudln't do actual forest wanderign until hea ndth eother had built up a higher trust.

Gage smiled with a slight huff of laughter. The tease wouldn't elicit a full chuckle from him, but he still appreciated the attempt at humor. Asha definitely didn't seem as afraid as he had when he first arrived. That Gage could do that for him was what really made him smile. "M-my parents wouldn't appreciate us walking through the woods," he managed, a stammer forming due to Asha's kiss which he couldn't see coming until the other already hovered within a hair's width away. Then a kiss to the cheek and over. Trying to ignore the desire to touch his skin over where Asha kissed, Gage stood, leading the way to his door before pausing, wanting to reach a decision before they exited his room. "That doesn't mean we can't go though. Just say we're walking to the mall..." He grinned a little at the thought of a white lie, thrilled despite himself.

Asha raised an eyebrow. "Alright. tot he mall we go." well. not really. and besides it wasn't like asha would ever let anything happen to Gage. the other was..precious to him. Asha absently let theother take his arm and didn't start down until theother had his other hand grippign the banister before they started down the stairs. matching his steps almost automatically with his friends. 'hmm we'll have to come up with a quick way to communicate if we're ever in trouble.'

Gage told his mother where they were 'going' and with her blessing, they were soon outside, his mother's smile following after them. For some reason, it felt a little tinged with pride and relief for her son. Gage shook it off as he breathed in deep the semi-fresh air of the suburb. "Why don't you lead the way, Asha? I could, but...it would look very strange to an outsider. The blind leading the seeing 'n all..." He sighed again, but without discontent. He accepted this fact of life just like he accepted Asha's help even when the other boy didn't offer it, because Gage trusted him.

Asha gave a small smile which tinged his words. "But of course.." he shifted theother's hold to a lose one on his elbow so theother appeared to be being guided by him, but it was more so th eother knew wher ehe was. he believed wh ole ehartedly that gage could take care of himself. he was just..well felt warm inside knwoign theother was willing to let him help him. so he worked hard not to seem condenscending when he did occasionally help. leadign them along ona path that was indeed headed to the mall he turned them down a corner though that headed towards the woods that boarded the sleepy little village on both sides. it's what made it such a shape shifter 'haven'. ykou could please both the man and the beast side of yourself without seeming odd. As they passed the forests edge, asha made sure to send little noises ahead of them so the toher could 'see' he knew he kept some of his animal gifts in human form, in taht he could see farther, hear farther and smell better then a human should be able to. he coudl also move darn fast. and heal from some thigns most humans would bleed to death from because he healed faster. "Hmm so what should we talk about.. i could tell you how i was picked on in school and had to fight the instinct to whipe the bullys faces ont he floor?" and had only resisted doing so because someone his size beating people two feet taller and a lot heavir then him was bound to draw attention.

The familiar path soon turned into the soft dirt that led to the woods. Gage accepted this with the simplicity of someone who could tell the direction just by the feel of the ground under their feet. And with that step away from the mall and the civilized side of the town, he breathed out a sigh of relief. At Asha's topic of conversation though, he breathed in again, sharply. "Why did you hold it in...?" he whispered, not sure he understood. He knew himself the pains of a bully and to him who had no way to fight at the time except through stubbornness and lack of trust, he didn't understand Asha's hesitance. And the fact that Asha let himself get hurt? That was unforgivable. Turning, he did his best to meet the other boy's eye though with the extra pounding of his heart, he doubted he managed. "I wish you'd just beat them up."

Asha considered then softly. "But then I'd be just like them, using my strength, which is stronger then a humans, against them. how would that make me any less of a bully?"

"Defense. It's not the same." Gage shook his head back. As much as he understood Asha's words, but didn't accept them at all. Maybe back when they first met, he would agree and even vehemently say a panther should never use that kind of strength. knowing Asha now, he couldn't even think of the boy as a predator. "I...I just don't want you to have gotten hurt. If just once you beat them, then it would end. No one would hurt you ever again..." He trailed off again, feeling the silence pull down over his ears as they left the city proper and stepped into the woods. At least here, they could talk and be truly alone.

Asha considered the other's words as they walked. mentally chewing them over. "Maybe. but its all in the past and it's made me who I am now." he shot a grin at the other. "and besides if I'd been any different, i don't think you'd of been curious and come so close." warmth laced his words and a sort of soft contentment. he felt..peaceful when Gage was around. it made him want to wrap the other boy around him and beg him to never let go. it made him feel not so much of a freak. he flinched internally at that thought. 'I'm not a freak.. ' he was just. Him. right?