It was early again, the sun barely cresting the horizon, warm rays spilling through the tall windows inside the Gym. Dom jogged across the floor, red shirt, loose fitting green pants with a large white stripe, a reminder of what he was doing, a goal, something to look forward too in the future. Coach Waters sat in the weight room, a folded paper in one hand, in the other a steaming cup of coffee, the rich aroma filling the air around, making it just a bit easier to be awake. One leg propped on the other, he looked up to see Dominic come walking in setting the paper down focusing his attention.
"Morning Coach" Dom spoke up walking over towards him. "Mr. Ferro" was the greeting he got back.
"One more final left, Chem, its going to be rough" The idle small talk continued while the student began to stretch some one arm holding the other across his chest, then the other doing the same. "Have you heard back yet?" Dominic asked curiously, the coach shook his head. "No word yet if you would be allowed to" He shrugged his shoulders as he went over to a set of weights offering a look to see if things were ready. Waters had seen it before and nodded picking back up his paper.
As he started to get into the sets, quietly pushing the bar to its peak before slowly lowering it only to repeat the process, the coach spoke up again. "I talked with one of the coaches at university, can't quite remember the name, he mentioned that they have two others like you on his team, only their mutation doesn't exactly augment their physical abilities in the same way. According to him, there have been no real complaints"
Dominic nodded, setting the weights down, moving over to another machine.
"I think the key is to just prove you aren't using them, and you will be just fine" As he brought his hands together, pulling at two cords attached to weights he grinned.
"Its kind of obvious the difference with and without them, I figure if at least with soccer I can play and not really hurt anyone if something goes wrong. Boxing... I'll stick with the bag and giant robots."
Waters chuckled as he sipped this coffee "I have heard a few stories here and there about you" Dominic spoke up quickly, almost admitting to something. "Nothing like Sam though"
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The hour had nearly finished, and the coach folded up his newspaper, standing up, his hand resting in the small of his back as he stretched slightly.
Dominic bounced on the balls of his feet, hands now wrapped as he jabbed at the punching bag. Waters said something, waving his hand, neither of them seeming to pay close attention to the other, both exchanging a half nod, one focused on the bag the other on the paper.
His mind wandered as he continue to throw punches, there has been something on his mind nearly constantly these past few days. Sitting there with Kat on her bed, watching a movie, Stardust was it? The thought entered his mind of how his father would ride him for that one. Ideas of dread and fear, well mainly embarrassment caused his face to flush slightly as he hit the bag a little harder. When they came to Visit, it wasn't likely he could just hide from her.
There were other things, thinking about Tony and Elly, Kat and himself, this wasn't right at all. You don't hit the bag to build up worries, you hit it to let them go. He took a deep breath cocking his fist back, the way he would when even the toughest thug would go down in one shot. His eyes clenched as he sent it towards his target. "I'll be back" that was what the coach had mentioned, he had heard it but it didn't sink in until the force hit the bag the chain suspending it from the ceiling snapped at one of the links. Thankfully a clear path between it and the wall as it slammed and slid down onto the floor.
"What the hell!" Dominic almost yelled looking around as he finally realized what was happening. He shook his head in frustration walking over and picking up the bag with ease, bringing it back under the still swaying chain. Rubbing the back of his head he thought for a moment, not really wanting this on his shoulders right now. Moments later he snapped his fingers as he bent down picking up the part of the chain still attached to the bag. He concentrated, his index finger touching it, pulling back and tapping it to see if it had worked. Sure enough the small area he touched turned to dust, just enough space to fit the other link through. Balancing the bag in one hand he lifted it back up, sliding the chain through the small space in the other link, his hand wrapping around it as he strained slightly, as he opened it back up the space had been closed, and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"Mr. Ferro what are you doing?"
Busted he thought, as he peered from behind the back. "I didn't hear you say you were going for a minute and.. well" He rubbed the back of his head, that familiar grin coming to his face, an easy tell he was up to something. "But its fixed now"
The coach came over to inspect it, looking it over, giving it a few good tugs, before he shrugged it off.
"It certainly isn't the first time someone has...."
As the coach trailed on, in his own mind Dominic mocked "I know I know, everything has been done here before"
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He had done well to avoid Kat for a day or two now, with finals he really didn't want to get into it. He saddened slightly thinking about it, everything that had happen, her reactions, what they said. People fought though, it happened. She would always go on how perfect things were, the nicest this and that. She still freaked, like there was something going on behind the scenes. He frowned at the idea as he sat in class, tapping his pencil against the spine of his book.
"Maybe I can call dad?" He thought, maybe for once the advice would be good, he couldn't call mom, not with this one, she would probably have him on a plane back to Italy by morning canceling the summer classes.
Could he ask Tony? I mean he was his roommate, but he was a year younger, and he was Tony too, in his mind he played out how that discussion would go. Not very productive, but probably a good time. He laughed to himself thinking how that almost summed him up. So far it seemed like maybe the best solution, the guys around here, first they were few and far between, and even then, a good many of them were more than a little off. "No way in hell I am asking Miles" he mumbled to himself.
His mind continued to wander as he thought about it, a smile coming to his face at the idea. Was he actually sitting here thinking about who to ask for help?
New Outlooks
Moderator: Student Council
Re: New Outlooks
Dominic stood there rubbing his eyes in the courtyard, it was early afternoon and the rays of the sun were a little bright for just waking up. A grin crawled to the corner of his mouth as he thought about others still sitting in class, face buried in a test, frantically scribbling down answers to try and make the grade. He was dressed down today, worn jeans, that favorite pair, a white shirt, a symbol of a lion in the center of it. Giving a long stretch, hands reaching behind his head he saw a silhouette approaching in the distance. There was something about the way she walked, he could tell already as a wide grin erupted on his face.
Her greeting was in her smile, as she walked up to his side, eyes traced quickly affirming they were still on. Comfortable jean capris and a T-shirt, a lighter shade of green close to the symbol on his chest. Favorite color, just one of the many things. His arm wrapped around her as he leaned down, kissing the top of her head, lips having to dodge a set of colorful plastic barrette. He laughed slightly looking over Aura's gift from a few weeks ago. "Sleep well?" he asked, her eyes rising up to him and she gave a small nod. The idea of finals being over doing well enough to lighten the mood between them.
"Come on, we gotta get moving"
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The bus ride over was short, the two of them walking off standing in front of the station. There was a strange familiarity to standing in front of it, a little over four months ago he walked out of here, bags over his shoulders, looking back to see the same facade. More than a little had changed, but the small girl under his arm with a bright grin seemed to be a testament that the changes were for the better. "Alright, we should be boarding soon, lets head on down" The talk had been small on the way over, after a long week of finals, and a few other things, it was nice to just decompress, get away from it all.
The made their way onto the train finding their seats in one of the passenger cars, watching a few other people trickle in and fall into place. It was nice, not that crowded, plenty of extra leg room. Over here the trains just never seemed to be that busy, but that was the idea. He gave her the window seat, talking to each other in a whisper, eyes occasionally looking around the car. Soon enough, they began to crawl to a start, taking off from the station, Kat with her eyes out the window, watching Paragon begin to disappear, while he leaned over, watching with her out the window.
There was something about riding on a train on a nice day in the spring, the air was still cool outside, but the sun did well to warm the cabin to a temperature that demanded a certain level of laziness. After the city was out sight Dom leaned in and whispered to her again, she had a look of worry, but still smiled a little at whatever he said. They waited until the attendant walked through before slipping out of their seats, leading her by the hand, moving through a few cars. He grinned slyly back to her as they reached the cabins, clearing his throat, senses heightening as he listened to a door. Looking back he shook his head moving on to the next one, listening again his smile widen as he knocked on the door just to make sure. Nothing. He slid the door open as they quickly made their way inside, Kat not being able to suppress giggling any longer. "You're such a bad influence" she hissed, still smiling up at him. He had that smile, up to know good, a charming look of nothing but trouble in his expression.
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His lips broke from hers as his neck spun, his eyes wide looking back to her as she let out a small squeak. Both faces slightly flush, she looked to him in panic eyes asking "What do we do!?" quickly raising his finger to his lips, guiding her with his hand out of the seat quickly off to the side away from the door. Slow heavy footsteps made their way down the hall, stopping, the sound of a door sliding open, and then close before they would advance again. His arms wrapped around her tightly as the steps grew closer, nervous anticipation in her eyes, fear mixing with a smile as she came to the realization, trouble or not, this wouldn't soon be forgotten.
When the moment came, they both stood deathly still, holding her close she buried her face into his chest. The door cracked open, someone taking nothing more than a quick look around the room making sure everything was in order. It wasn't like someone could normally hear footsteps coming over the sound of the train rocking against the track. The door slid closed as the footsteps began to fade down the hallway, both of them letting out a deep breath, both unconsciously stopped breathing some time ago. The white in her knuckles faded as she released the grip on his shirt slowly lifting her eyes back to his. He returned a look, suggesting there was never a worry in the world, biting his lip for a moment, he leaned in kissing her fully as the moment faded. She seemed to melt ever so slightly, standing up on the tips her toes whispering something between them.
-----
His head peaked out the door, checking both directions before they slipped out, her fingers intertwined in his as they crept down the hall making their way through the cars back to their seat. The ride back to Paragon took them well into the evening, the couple whispered quietly to one another, talking about the break, when they would go home, anything and everything until the conversation slowed. As the view out the window darkened, she lay her head against him and began to drift. He grinned quietly as he saw the familiar skyline in the distance, Paragon didn't actually look so bad at night, as long as the raid lights and sirens weren't going off, or a giant robot wasn't standing on the tracks. But something was different, he felt safe knowing between the two of them, they could do something about it.
Her greeting was in her smile, as she walked up to his side, eyes traced quickly affirming they were still on. Comfortable jean capris and a T-shirt, a lighter shade of green close to the symbol on his chest. Favorite color, just one of the many things. His arm wrapped around her as he leaned down, kissing the top of her head, lips having to dodge a set of colorful plastic barrette. He laughed slightly looking over Aura's gift from a few weeks ago. "Sleep well?" he asked, her eyes rising up to him and she gave a small nod. The idea of finals being over doing well enough to lighten the mood between them.
"Come on, we gotta get moving"
------
The bus ride over was short, the two of them walking off standing in front of the station. There was a strange familiarity to standing in front of it, a little over four months ago he walked out of here, bags over his shoulders, looking back to see the same facade. More than a little had changed, but the small girl under his arm with a bright grin seemed to be a testament that the changes were for the better. "Alright, we should be boarding soon, lets head on down" The talk had been small on the way over, after a long week of finals, and a few other things, it was nice to just decompress, get away from it all.
The made their way onto the train finding their seats in one of the passenger cars, watching a few other people trickle in and fall into place. It was nice, not that crowded, plenty of extra leg room. Over here the trains just never seemed to be that busy, but that was the idea. He gave her the window seat, talking to each other in a whisper, eyes occasionally looking around the car. Soon enough, they began to crawl to a start, taking off from the station, Kat with her eyes out the window, watching Paragon begin to disappear, while he leaned over, watching with her out the window.
There was something about riding on a train on a nice day in the spring, the air was still cool outside, but the sun did well to warm the cabin to a temperature that demanded a certain level of laziness. After the city was out sight Dom leaned in and whispered to her again, she had a look of worry, but still smiled a little at whatever he said. They waited until the attendant walked through before slipping out of their seats, leading her by the hand, moving through a few cars. He grinned slyly back to her as they reached the cabins, clearing his throat, senses heightening as he listened to a door. Looking back he shook his head moving on to the next one, listening again his smile widen as he knocked on the door just to make sure. Nothing. He slid the door open as they quickly made their way inside, Kat not being able to suppress giggling any longer. "You're such a bad influence" she hissed, still smiling up at him. He had that smile, up to know good, a charming look of nothing but trouble in his expression.
------
His lips broke from hers as his neck spun, his eyes wide looking back to her as she let out a small squeak. Both faces slightly flush, she looked to him in panic eyes asking "What do we do!?" quickly raising his finger to his lips, guiding her with his hand out of the seat quickly off to the side away from the door. Slow heavy footsteps made their way down the hall, stopping, the sound of a door sliding open, and then close before they would advance again. His arms wrapped around her tightly as the steps grew closer, nervous anticipation in her eyes, fear mixing with a smile as she came to the realization, trouble or not, this wouldn't soon be forgotten.
When the moment came, they both stood deathly still, holding her close she buried her face into his chest. The door cracked open, someone taking nothing more than a quick look around the room making sure everything was in order. It wasn't like someone could normally hear footsteps coming over the sound of the train rocking against the track. The door slid closed as the footsteps began to fade down the hallway, both of them letting out a deep breath, both unconsciously stopped breathing some time ago. The white in her knuckles faded as she released the grip on his shirt slowly lifting her eyes back to his. He returned a look, suggesting there was never a worry in the world, biting his lip for a moment, he leaned in kissing her fully as the moment faded. She seemed to melt ever so slightly, standing up on the tips her toes whispering something between them.
-----
His head peaked out the door, checking both directions before they slipped out, her fingers intertwined in his as they crept down the hall making their way through the cars back to their seat. The ride back to Paragon took them well into the evening, the couple whispered quietly to one another, talking about the break, when they would go home, anything and everything until the conversation slowed. As the view out the window darkened, she lay her head against him and began to drift. He grinned quietly as he saw the familiar skyline in the distance, Paragon didn't actually look so bad at night, as long as the raid lights and sirens weren't going off, or a giant robot wasn't standing on the tracks. But something was different, he felt safe knowing between the two of them, they could do something about it.