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Kat Dakuu
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#26
Old 02-05-2014, 11:10 PM

Waiting for Cian's answer was killing Layland. He was not a man for suspense. He didn't read books for pleasure, instead skipping to the ending. It was no different now and his patience was wearing thin. He nearly asked his question again before Cian spoke. The words left him baffled. At first he was irritated that Cian answered in such a vague fashion, but when he unfolded the paper that was thrust at him, his confusion wore over. The picture was of none other than him, perhaps a little vague since they'd only met briefly, but still him. "I guess it does work after all."

Layland followed the other man out of the building after a few seconds staring at the picture. He needed to take it in, the knowledge that he'd creating something no one else had before. As much as his heart dropped to his feet at the results, the scientist part of him sent a light fizzy sensation through his blood. Elation perhaps. He didn't give names to his emotions.

Cian occupied one of the benches just outside the building. Layland nearly walked right up to him and demanded information, but as he got closer, he got a look at Cian's face. Slowing his walk, Layland moved past to the unoccupied bench to the right. He sat, not looking toward the crying man. Layland was uncharacteristically calm as he watched the wind sift through the leaves of a tree across from him. After a minute of silence, he spoke. "I'm going to try to fix this. Whatever people say about me, I fix my mistakes. I sure you don't want to be..." he hesitated over the word again. "Don't want to be in love with me any more than I want you to."

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#27
Old 02-05-2014, 11:29 PM

Cian tensed when the isolation was no longer considered that. With anyone around he felt self-conscious, and with this particular object of his artificial affection around, he felt as if any movement he made would embarrass him more than he already was. When he sat nearby, Cian felt his face burn. He didn't look toward the man as he spoke---part of him was afraid that he'd see his sketch tossed away, and he breathed in shakily. "Yeah... well..." He cleared his throat, steadying his voice a bit. "I... I dunno... Never felt this. I... I've n-never been... y'know, in love. So... I dunno what to feel... I-I mean, it's not... real. This. Isn't real..." He slid his hands through his hair, letting it fall and hide his face from the chemistry student's view. "Don't even know your name... S-so I dunno why... I feel like it's all personal."

He let himself reach into his pocket, find the coin he had manipulated before, and let it fall, begin to roll around the space between his feet. It made him feel just the slightest bit soothed, focusing on something besides the man he was suddenly so obsessed with. "They must be important..." He muttered. "... I mean, to warrant a love potion. I guess I should've known it wasn't for me." He laughed bitterly, directing the coin with some lazy movements. The sound of metal rolling over concrete eased him a little more.

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#28
Old 02-05-2014, 11:48 PM

Layland turned his head enough to watch Cian out of the corner of his eyes, interested in this man who was so much like a puzzle. "No, the feelings aren't real." He paused then, focusing on something else Cian said. This person actually didn't know who he was. Layland was surprised and a little miffed at that. Even the people he'd never met recognized his name here, but not this person. Suddenly, he was a little bit more inspired to figure out just who Cian was. "My name is Layland. Layland Richards. My father is...nevermind. That's not important," he said, shaking his head.

"She's..." He turned his gaze back to the tree and watched as sunlight filtered down to dance along the concrete path. "Yes, she's very important. A painter. She captured my heart the first time I saw her," he managed to say. A smile softened his features for a few seconds as he pictured her dark curls and bright lipsticked lips as they parted for a laugh. He turned to look fully at Cian. "I am sorry you got caught up in this." Something very close to real apology colored his voice which is much more than most people would get. Advances in science were not made by playing nice and saying 'sorrys', but this had started with a matter of the heart and that was something different altogether.

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#29
Old 02-06-2014, 12:01 AM

Layland, then. For some reason Cian had heard the name Richards spoken around the campus but had no idea what it meant. He was never that interested in knowing people. No wonder no one else liked him enough to take a moment of their time on him. And since he never tried to catch another's eye, it was hard to connect at all. When they did manage to look at him fully, they were always so taken aback by his bright, amethyst eyes, and it made him so self-conscious.

With his free hand Cian brushed his hair back, parting it enough for him to see Layland. "That's nice." He muttered quietly. Then it hadn't been made for a male at all. No wonder Layland was so horrified that the bottle was in Cian's possession. "Sorry I... took it... But... thanks for... for the apology." Maybe that was what he'd wanted. A simple sorry for scaring him half to death. But a 'sorry', no matter how halfhearted, didn't ease the bubbling feeling of love, something he just wasn't used to. He didn't know how to handle it. He directed the coin to Layland and lifted it into the air. "There. Ta... Ahem... Take that... Pull your thumb over one side and you'll change it. You... you can use it to impress her naturally... instead of artificially."

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#30
Old 02-06-2014, 02:05 AM

Layland noticed the coin for the first time when it lifted into the air and came toward him. He eyed the coin suspiciously for a second, then took it. It looked like a normal coin to him, but when he bushed his thumb over the face, it changed just like Cian said it would. He turned in his seat to look at the other man. "I don't need your help," he complained, but he couldn't quite gather the irritation to make it sound convincing. He did need help. He didn't even know poppy girl's name. He had a dozen pictures of her, all shot from a distance. The closest he'd gotten to approaching her was watching outside a studio window as she painted. Tricking her into liking him seemed like the only hope he had. He had no practice in making himself likable.

"Why are you trying to help me anyway? I haven't done anything to warrant this kind of kindness from you. People don't just..." Layland sighed and he rethought what he said. "No, that wouldn't be important would it? of course you'd want to help me. Right." Obviously this was all the fault of the potion. Cian wouldn't be helpful if not for that. Layland tucked the coin into his hand, holding onto it tightly despite saying he didn't need the help.

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#31
Old 02-06-2014, 02:50 AM

Cian winced as if in pain at the matter-of-fact way Layland said he didn't need Cian's help. It did hurt a bit, but he had to keep reminding himself that Layland just didn't feel anything for him. And what he felt for Layland was simply the result of a mixture the man had created. He looked up, shaking his hair away from his eyes and tilting his head. "Why should no one be kind?" He asked quietly. "Can't... can't I be nice without a reason? Or... did you grow up without kindness? It had to be sad... if you did..." He sighed, and stood, walking over to Layland.

"Thank you for not asking how I levitate things. Now... I should... go... You don't really..." He bit his lip. "Never mind... G-goodbye." He lurched away, head low and shoulders slumped, as he always walked. It was too late to go to his sculpting class---he'd have to make it up for his professor tomorrow, and that meant he would have to do something to make up for what he missed. He had the highest grades, and wanted to keep it that way for his parents. He didn't want to let them down, even as he tried to get over his obsession with Layland.

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#32
Old 02-06-2014, 03:42 AM

This time, Layland let the other man walk away. "Good bye," he muttered to Cian's back. He had no intention of moving now. He had to much to thinking about. Dropping his chin onto his fist, he clenched his hand tightly enough for his manicured nails to bite into the flesh of his palm. Despite not saying anything about it, he was taken aback by Cian's words.

He hadn't grown up without kindness. It wasn't like that at all. He was better cared for than most kids, always the center of attention...until his older brother started college and wowed the world. But Layland had never been wanting for things and he got his father's praise for every prestige that had been awarded to him so far. He didn't even thinking about Cian levitating coins because he was so wrapped up in his other thoughts.

Finally Layland pushed off from the bench and headed for the parking lot. He had no reason to stay on campus. As a grad student, he was only taking three classes this semester and one of them was unsupervised lab time. Tomorrow he could put in the time needed to create a cure, but for today, he could just go home to his cushy apartment, spread out his notes, and order in some Thai.

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#33
Old 02-06-2014, 04:05 AM

He walked back home and counted the steps, counting everything he could just to keep his mind off Layland. He seemed rather cold, and Cian was just the opposite. He had a rather cool exterior until one broke through it and the stuttering tendencies he had. He looked up after a while, finding himself already at his home. It was a two-bedroom, but one was more of an art studio and storage area for his packages from home. His parents sent him gold and gems and materials for him to work with when he didn't have a project for class to work on. Of course he did now, and wanted to get that done, but was afraid about what he might paint. He had to paint a realistic person, after all.

Unlocking his door, Cian stepped in and breathed as if he hadn't been able to outside. Removing his bag, he threw it onto the couch and went to the first floor bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror. It was hard to see himself through his hair and he brushed it back, staring at his amethyst eyes. If he bought colored contacts, he might be able to make them a normal color. But he'd never thought about that. He sighed, pressing his forehead against the mirror and thinking again of Layland. Could he get rid of the chemical inside him on his own? Maybe he could throw it all up and be fine later... Maybe it would run its course and he'd be fine tomorrow... He sniffed, pushing away and going to the kitchen as he tried to think about a painting to begin.

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#34
Old 02-06-2014, 04:31 AM

By the time Layland's alarm buzzed to tell him that it was midnight, he had done no more than make a mess out of his apartment. Paper's littered the floor which hadn't been clean to start with. In many places, the piles of paper and junk sat inches deep. His take-out containers (as upscale as they were), joined last weeks on a cluttered table. He had a white board on wheels that now sported a fresh coating of furiously scribbled data. Elements and equations tossed about with a logic that only Layland could decipher. The only sign of life in the entire two roomed apartment on the tenth floor of a high rise building were the pictures of poppy girl taped up on the walls.

He set a new alarm and headed to bed. He would get to the lab early just like he always did. This time though, he would be composed. He would work with his brain, not his heart--and he would get real work done. He would stop his grades from slipping and fix his relationship with professor Carter after their last confrontation. Tomorrow, today would be just a dream.

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#35
Old 02-06-2014, 04:52 AM

He ate very little despite having not eaten much at all during the day. Instead of dealing with his somersaulting stomach, Cian preferred to work on his project while he was able. While the sun was still up he had given up on trying to think about something other than Layland, feeling that his picture wouldn't be seen by the man anyway. He didn't seem the creative type that would want to dwell on anything in the art building anyway. Maybe that was good. Maybe he didn't even believe in magic. It didn't matter---Layland didn't even like him. Probably couldn't stand him.

In the well-lit spare bedroom, which he had emptied beyond his boxes of supplies, his easel, and a stool to sit on. A few floor lamps chased away the shadows in the room and the curtain was open, showing him the road if he wanted to look outside to see someone go by---which was rare, though they could easily see in. His brush carefully stroked the paper, lying coats of paint onto the canvas. The implication was already there---the contours of the face and the tone the skin would be was identical to Layland and as Cian drew, he blinked hard to keep himself composed. He was almost angry. Angry that someone would use artificial mixtures to try to win someone over. It wasn't real. It was all a facade. He wanted to hit Layland, but was definitely not strong enough to do harm. It would only make him mad. Mad enough to hit Cian back, perhaps. He bit his lips, growling through a wave of negative emotion until it settled down again.

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#36
Old 02-06-2014, 05:27 AM

At exactly six in the morning, Layland's alarm rang. He was a morning person though and easily set about getting ready for the day. Stepping over a stack of science books, he headed for the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. It was the same face he'd been looking at for years. He hadn't changed much since he started college and now he was twenty-four. He wasn't young anymore, but still young enough for his face to pretend at it. His grey eyes looked small and his eyebrows severe, matching his high cheek bones and knife-like nose. Everything about him was imposing in a handsome sort of way. And yet, he could never allow himself to rely on his looks for anything.

Layland dressed in the usual button up shirt and dark colored dressy jeans. He threw his labcoat over his arm and his bag over his shoulder before heading out. He made it the science building a minute after seven and went first to Carter's office to smooth things over. Just like Layland, he was there early, but it was Carter's job to be available to students.

"I hope your head is on straight today."

"Yes...let me pay you back for the equipment I broke. And a little extra to keep this from my father. You know how he can be. I hope the lab is available to me today?" Layland scribbled out a check for two grand and placed it on his mentor's desk.

Carter grinned. "Of course." Then today would be the day he started testing the ideas he'd come up with yesterday.

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#37
Old 02-06-2014, 05:43 AM

He didn't sleep at all. When the sky began to change tones Cian was still awake and working on his painting, and glanced at the clock in time to see it was only six thirty. Sighing, he went to his bathroom, stepping into a hot shower and rocking back and forth as he let the water stream over his head. It took away the sleepiness, but closing his eyes only let him see his painting. It had grown so intricate as he worked throughout the night---straw-colored hair barely enough to be put back, warm-looking skin, high cheekbones... He didn't want to paint Layland but had no choice; Cian couldn't stop thinking about him.

He slowly pulled on a light-colored buttondown, darker vest, and black slacks and packed his bag, making sure he had what he needed before covering his painting and stepping out of his house. It was cool today, and Cian shuddered a little, walking slowly to the school. He kept his head down, walking away from the rest until someone touched his shoulder. He gasped, turning to them and finding the brown-haired girl from before. "Ah... H-hi..." He managed a little smile, and she returned it.

"Hi... Cian? I think you're in my art class." She put a hand out, and Cian grasped it slowly.

"Yeah... Erm... I... I'm sorry, I'm not... not good with names."

"Seems you're really shy, too." She tilted her head as if implying it, and Cian nodded with a jerky motion. "Aw, it's okay! My name's Melody, I usually work in front of the windows so the sun hits my canvases right."

"Oh, I recognize you now...!" Cian nodded. "Sometimes I look up and notice you there..."

She smiled. "Mind if I walk with you to class? I wanted to get over early."

Cian bit his lip. "Um... s-sure... I mean, I don't mind." The conversation was a good distraction, at least. It helped him take his mind off Layland, having something to focus on.

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#38
Old 02-06-2014, 06:06 AM

Layland worked without stop until lunch time. There were so many intricacies to work out. He couldn't exactly work backwards to create a cure like many a person would think. In fact, he had to work forwards. The first thing Layland did was to recreate the original love potion which took a number of hours. That was the easy part though, only tedious because of various boiling temperatures and the exact rations that needed to be accounted for. There were a number of active ingredients within the compound, so his job was now to find a chemical that would render those inert.

He had quite a few theories already worked out. The first two didn't work. The third test though, it showed some promise. The second he saw the active ingredients go still, he poured the liquid into a bottle and cleared his work station. He didn't have time for more tests, or more information. He would test it on the real working potion right now, if Cian would have it. Sure Layland couldn't be sure it would work. He didn't know how the love potion's chemicals had reacted with Cian's unique physiology, but he would only step across the threshold when he had to.

Cian should have been in the art building at this time, so Layland made his way there. He wandered through the halls for a bit, looking for a sign of the small man with brilliant eyes. He didn't stop for anything and didn't even notice when he passed the poppy girl. He had a one track mind and he was only here for Cian.

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#39
Old 02-06-2014, 06:52 AM

Cian wasn't in Melody's presence for long. She mentioned having to catch breakfast from the school cafeteria, and hurried away halfway through the art building. Cian sighed, pausing and thinking about it. He had barely eaten yesterday, and was exhausted after having not slept. He could spare half an hour at the cafeteria, especially since most of the students didn't come in until the last possible second to frantically grabbing coffee and running to their classes. He went another way, hoping Melody wouldn't feel he were following her if she saw him in the same place, and entered the cafeteria from the other side.

He collected a large cup of coffee and an egg sandwich, taking it to a corner table and settling down. Checking his watch, Cian found he still had almost forty five minutes. Taking the lid off his coffee, he drank half of it, disregarding the scalding temperature and pulling his sketch pad out of his bag. Absently eating, he barely watched his hand as he worked. It was a terrible tendency of his, needing to keep his hands busy, or he had no idea what to do with them.

No one looked in the corner. He released the pencil he was sketching with, letting it continue and resting his head on his hand. It calmed him, listening to the noise, the scratching of a sturdy pencil, even if he didn't hold it. But he hated to see what he drew. Layland again. He sighed, putting his head down and almost immediately falling asleep.

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#40
Old 02-06-2014, 10:52 PM

Layland checked his watch. He wasn't finding Cian as easily as he hoped. He looked down at the bottle of his newest creation and the pale cream colored liquid within. Unlike the love potion, it didn't fizz. It was a dull, chemical with no life in it...just like all chemicals. Who was he kidding but himself? Layland sighed and walked outside where the sunlight shone too brightly. He hadn't eaten anything since dinner last night and though he hated the cafeteria's food, he didn't feel like driving off campus to eat right now.

After grabbing a quick meal, he looked for a table where he would have to deal with other people. The corners were rarely taken up considering the the huge occupancy that the cafeteria had. He did see someone there though, sleeping. Layland sat at the table next to the sleeping Cian and watched him silently as he ate. He wondered if the cure would work. He wondered if maybe he'd stepped over a moral boundary that even his father would shirk away from. Did he really go to far? But he would have to go even farther if he wanted to fix it.

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#41
Old 02-07-2014, 02:54 AM

It was almost as if a sixth sense had come into play when someone seemed to appear out of nowhere beside Cian. He opened his eyes, confused at what had awakened him since there was no bell ringing in the air. The pencil that had been moving on its own had fallen still and silent over the portrait, and was revealed to anyone that might want to see. He blinked hard, suddenly sensing movement to his side and feeling his heart leap when he looked around to the chair that had originally been empty and felt a combination of horror and shock arise, coupled with the slightest sensation of warm happiness he knew wasn't even real. Cian grabbed his sketchbook, slipping it under his bag and throwing his arms over the bag.

Once again the young art student felt his face grow warm. Though because it was Layland it was a mix of shyness, fear, and some now deep-seeded love. He turned away from Layland, hiding his sketchbook and tapping the top of his coffee cup. "H-hi." He managed. Speaking only became harder as time wore on. His exhaustion only made it more difficult, and a one-track mind that was full of images of Layland both real and imagined kept him almost blissfully unaware of the time and where he even was from one time to another. All Cian's subconscious was aware of was the overwhelming presence of people and eyes that could possibly be on him.

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#42
Old 02-07-2014, 03:30 AM

Although Cian hid his sketchbook, Layland had plenty of time to see the drawing. He found himself staring at it when he first sat down, interested in it despite himself. He still had the other drawing Cian did, tucked away in a folder though he'd meant to throw it away. He told himself he had no reason to though. It wasn't often he saw pictures of himself and he found his ego liking it.

Layland nodded his head and started pulling apart a roll before eating it. "Hello," he said as if nothing strange were going on at all. A few people were turned around in their seats, stealing glances at him and Cian. Layland glared at them until they turned around again. People were too interested in Layland's habits and usual lack of a lunch companion. He looked back at Cian with a calm face that held nothing but a clinical interest. "I was wondering if you were still feeling the effects of the potion today, but I see that you are." He indicated the sketchbook with a wave of his hand. A second later, he pulled out the newest potion. "Drink this."

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#43
Old 02-07-2014, 04:06 AM

He shied away from the eyes that seemed to linger on him ad on Layland. It was certainly Layland that they were more interested in, but Cian could feel them lying against his skin as if it were a physical presence, and he lowered his gaze to his hands and felt his face burn. He glanced halfway toward Layland, wondering what he'd done with the first sketch Cian had thrust upon him. Threw it away, no doubt. Shredded it, even. Why someone like Layland would want a memento from someone that had ruined his chance at artificial love. Artificial though it may be he didn't feel that it was artificial. Not at all. It was stronger than ever now. He nodded when Layland spoke, as if he were a misbehaving child being scolded.

When Layland brought out a bottle, Cian glanced up a little more and eyed the thing. It looked like a bottle of watery hand lotion, and he grimaced at the comparison. Maybe it would get rid of it---no doubt, really. Layland had a reason for being where he was, doing what he did, offering the thing. He was sure it would work. 'Cure' Cian, even. He bit his lip, feeling suddenly lightheaded, and grasped the thing, trying to take the top off but finding it screwed on too tight. Growling, he pressed his palm against it and slowly peeled an entire inch of the top of the bottle off, and closed his eyes before taking deep gulps.

It tasted thick, somewhat plain, like whipped eggwhites and watery milk. It didn't have the lively fizz the bright pink one had. Like this was meant to kill instead of revitalize. He coughed most of the way through, pulling a disgusted face and putting the bottle and its entire peeled-away top on the table and looking closely at Layland. His heart was still racing, and every time Layland moved, Cian gasped inwardly a little. "Didn't work..." He assumed that because the original had immediate effects, this would as well. But that burning sensation in his stomach just wouldn't go away. He sighed shakily, turning away from Layland and pressing his head into his bag.

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#44
Old 02-07-2014, 05:01 AM

When Cian took the bottle, Layland clenched his hands tightly in his lap. Anticipation made him antsy, so much so that he watched every little move that Cian made with hawkish eyes. He noticed when the top of the bottle wouldn't come off and Cian just peeled it away. At least that's what it looked like. Layland made a mental note to check the lab for any foreign chemicals that could elicit hallucinations.

At first, he was sure he didn't hear right when Cian said it didn't work. The words surprised him, not just because this should have been impossible, but because he had become so intent on watching the other student that his voice made Layland jump. "Are you sure it didn't work?" he demanded, just barely keeping his voice down. A quick glance assured him that eyes were mostly keeping away from the little corner table. Mostly anyway.

"I need a detailed explanation of your symptoms and anything, anything at all that may have changed between the first and second potion." He couldn't believe that the potion didn't work. He'd seen the test results himself and just the fact that he could have failed in something made him feel dizzy. He dropped his head onto his hand, barely censoring a curse.

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#45
Old 02-07-2014, 05:25 AM

He barely composed himself and started to gather his things, draining the rest of the coffee in his cup and buckling the flap over his things. He twitched at Layland's demand, barely able to nod in reply. His hands started shaking as he kept fumbling with his falling pencils, pushing them back into their zippered pouch and closing it slowly. Layland was acting as if he were the only one affected by this. He obviously didn't feel for others. Cian stood, slamming his hands onto the table and waving to the entire cafeteria. In an instant an utterly silent stillness settled over everything but himself and Layland, and he turned to the man with a heart beating so fast he couldn't feel it.

"How do I feel!? I feel like I can't live without you, like sleeping calls on dreams that keep waking me up because all I can see is you, I draw you and paint you because that's all I can think about! I know it's because of that... potion you made up, because I know I would never, ever fall for someone so... so utterly unconcerned for others' feelings or how they might be taking the situation you caused! You caused it, you! If you had just gone to whoever you're in love with and just told them how you felt none of this would be happening, damn it! I wouldn't have to be worrying about failing my classes and being forced into being a magician by my parents because of you!"

He grabbed his bag, waving at the room again and letting a sudden dull explosion of sound and movement return to the room as he hurried out, making it out before he broke down. Against his better judgment, Cian hated yelling at Layland. It made him feel like the bad guy, but he didn't know who was the bad guy in the situation.

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#46
Old 02-07-2014, 05:51 AM

Layland stared at Cian with wide eyes, leaned back far in his seat. For a second, he couldn't breath. Every ounce of air in the room seemed to have been eaten up by Cian's words. And so many eyes, everyone in the cafeteria would be staring. No amount of money Layland threw around would squelch his rumor and the earth seemed to tilt sideways with that knowledge. But when he managed to turn his head, he saw that no one was staring. He focused on this because it hurt to focus on Cian's words. How was it that an outburst like that didn't have him buried in student's questions.

"S-shit. Shit!" Layland exclaimed as he wrenched at his hair. Every word dug holes in his chest, every insult thrown at him. Layland knew he was a selfish, self-aggrandizing, cold, ambitious bastard. He knew all of this, so why did he feel like such a horrible person when he was told it to his face? This was all Layland's fault. He dumped his uneaten food in the trash and stormed out the door, no destination in mind. It seemed his help wasn't wanted anymore. He tried to take some responsibility by making the cure, but he couldn't even do that. He couldn't do anything.

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#47
Old 02-07-2014, 06:26 AM

He sat with his legs splayed underneath him, feeling as if he were walking on warm jelly. He had never exploded like that. Never screamed at someone, and had never gotten so mad that he simply couldn't keep it in anymore. But Layland, obsessed though Cian was with him, was a thoughtless and unfeeling bastard. That he couldn't stop thinking about him made it even harder to handle. He had to go to class. Had to keep his grades as high as possible. They were graded by the quality and consistency of their daily work as well as their weekly projects, and his sculpting class was no different. He'd already missed a day, and he had sculptures to fire and now, two to catch up on.

He had to get high grades, or his parents would force him into their field of work. He didn't want to go in front of the crowds, didn't want to pass out from stress or panic attack or deal with something that would simply force him to run away. And he couldn't run away---despite his age he could barely function around other people, and that was obvious as he turned his gaze away from others that passed him. No one had seen the outburst---he had made sure of that. But he still felt terribly guilty and couldn't tell why.

Fifteen minutes before the bell rang, Cian stepped into the classroom and sat at his easel, setting his painting with the others after signing his name on the bottom right corner in a white pen. No one else was in the room yet---not even Melody, who seemed to adore her painting. He relished the temporary silence, though his head buzzed with the sight of Layland.

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#48
Old 02-07-2014, 07:14 AM

Feeling like the only thing he could do was apologize, Layland snuck toward the art building. He hated that he was acting lurky like this. It was a sign of lacking confidence, but damn it, he was lacking confidence right now. For all that he acted like the top rung of the ladder, even he had moments where he remembered he was nothing more than a chem student. So Layland slipped a signed note into Cian's locker--he knew which it was now--and walked away before he could be seen. The one words on the piece of paper were, "I'm sorry."

After that, Layland headed to the lab. He still felt despondent and uninterested in work, but work was also the only solace he knew. Checking the sample he'd been testing against earlier, he cursed to see that it too looked unaffected by the cure now. Maybe the cure worked against a small sample for a little while, but it obviously wasn't a long term solution. Perhaps he didn't need to start all over again though...

"Why am I even trying? That guy wouldn't drink it even if I did make a real cure!" he exclaimed. For science then. Yes, he would create the cure for science. Even if Cian came to him begging and crying, he wouldn't let him have it. He deserved that for those insults. That's what Layland told himself anyway.

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#49
Old 02-07-2014, 07:46 AM

Cian watched through the window as people entered, settling into their routine. He didn't realize someone was waving at him until he blinked and studied the person. It was Melody, and she was smiling. She seemed to think he was looking at her, and he smiled a little and looked down. He hid behind the canvas he'd prepared and glanced at the whiteboard, taking in the daily task. Another still life, but this time it was called 'surrealist still-life'. He didn't realize there was something in the center of the room until he looked up---a flower. It was magnified, a stargazer lily. Sighing, he took it in carefully and started lying out his paints. Surrealist still life. It meant to exaggerate colors and tons into various contrasts to make it look like a real image, but with exaggerated or dream-like colors.

Sniffing, Cian started sketching, blinking to escape the sleepy feeling that was diluted by what remained of anger, fear, and misplaced affection. He didn't need that. It hurt. He gritted his teeth, working to focus on the flower and sketch it lightly enough that the paint would hide it after it was done. He glanced up now and again despite the feeling weighing heavily on his shoulders. Like the cruel object of his affection were pressing him down personally. He finished the creation with a dull, slow stroke, reviewing his work. A lily with a black stem, a royal purple tone where the pink was in reality and a startling white tone near the tips flecked with deep crimson red. Did he mean it to be blood? He felt like death had began to worm into his chest, at least---maybe it was a projection of his feelings. Cian heard that people often painted how they felt, and he felt horrible.

Finally free of his class for a while, Cian drifted to his locker to retrieve his sculpting tools and a piece of folded paper fell out that wasn't there before. Bending down, he snatched it up and reviewed it, feeling disgusted. Layland. It was him. Layland's fragile attempt at a faux apology that at least made him feel better no doubt. Cian crushed it in his hand, taking it with him to the cafeteria to grab a stronger coffee and a half-stale ham sandwich and steal the corner table before anyone else managed to.

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#50
Old 02-07-2014, 08:36 AM

"This isn't working!" Layland snapped to his unresponsive test tubes. His pencil shook in his hand and he looked down in surprise when it snapped in two. He was starting to lose control again. This was getting out of hand and he knew if he didn't get ahead of this love potion thing and everything else that was slipping away from him, he would be the laughing stock of his family. He'd lose his scholarship, his nice apartment, the lucrative job offers already piling up a year before he was to graduate. A sigh broke through his lips and he dropped the broken bits of the pencil into the trash.

Creating a cure wouldn't be an option if he couldn't keep his grades. Layland checked the time and sighed again. He would burn himself out if he kept at this pace, so he was done. He stopped by Carter's office after cleaning the lab space spotless. "Do you have those freshman tests for me to grade?" he asked the older man. Carter indicated a rather large stack with his pen and Layland scooped them into his bag.

"You have a test on friday yourself. I hope you're ready for it."

"When am I ever not?" He headed out of the office and decided to grade papers in the library until closing hours. He could always work better in the library than in his own apartment, especially now that it was a work space devoted to finding a love cure. He had a test and another project that needed tending too. The love potion was only one class...effecting two whole people. Cian thought he was the only one getting hurt here but Layland could look into the future far enough ahead to see this spiraling out of control much farther than two people. Therefore, it was more important that Layland not lose his scholarship funding.

 


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