At the End of the Masquerade [IC]

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"Not enough times obviously." he retorted rubbing his shoulder. "And I'm not going to treat her like an ass..." He looked at her.. "Look I'm asking honestly. I grew up with stories of magic, then was told they were just that, stories. Could you just accept that you were mistaken you whole life at the drop of a hat?"

He sighed, Sorry. Maybe we should talk about something else. I'll sleep tonight, I promise, but you know how I lose track of time. I didn't even know it was morning until you called me.... But thats part of the whole human thing isn't it? But hey, at least we're still the same Zoey. You always help me keep perspective."
 
At the comment about being the same Zoey physically had to hold back her reaction. A lump formed in her throat so quickly she thought she might puke. She looked at her best friend and nodded slowly. "Are you ready to go or do you want to brush your hair or something?" She asked, smiling a bit as she picked a tiny scrap of paper from Darius' hair. "How do you manage that? Seriously?"

Playing with the small bit of paper in her hands Zoey let her mind wander a bit as Darius decided what to do. She needed to tell him, there was no way she could stomach being around him if he was going to be so emotionally draining every time he spoke. How could she tell him, though? Just him for now...then the rest of them. She squinted at the paper in her hands and her stomach flopped. Now? Her mind raced so fast it felt like her brain was hitting against the inside of her skull. Now.

"Hey...uh...I mean..." A pause to regroup and smile weakly. "What I meant to say is...I haven't seen your pig pen of a room for so long!" World's worst liar. "Can we hang for a bit up there or something? I don't know...maybe you can get me that tea you offered earlier."

Heart beating like a hammer against her ribcage she stood there waiting for him to see through her feeble facade. He would know she was up to something, he wouldn't know what, nor could he ever imagine.

One more weak fib to top it all off: "I could actually really go for some tea."
 
Ann had to grin at Maru, and thanked him mentally for breaking the awkward silence left after Amara finished talking. "I didn't think you'd take it anywhere near that well...Hollywood gives us kind of a bad name, you know? We're not bloodthirsty killers and we're always in control, even on the full moon. Any time that isn't the full moon, we can control our own transformation. Biting other people without their permission has been forbidden for at least a hundred years. I guess I'm trying to say, there isn't much to be afraid of these days. But..I know this still can't be easy to accept." She tried to get Amara's eyes.

"I never really meant to lie to you guys, but...until last night I didn't really know I was. It's what I was always taught, to keep it a secret from everyone. I still feel like I should be apologizing for what happened last night, for telling you anything...but I won't because I know that's stupid. I was trying to help then, and now I'm just telling you the truth. I know I can't...expect you to take it all so fast."
 
"Tea it is then." he said gathering mugs and teabags. It didn't take him long to get two steaming mugs in his hands though even Darius could tell something was up with Zoey. First they hadn't spoken since... Ann.. now she was acting like there was a chest burster inside her and getting ready to hunt predators and so he decided he wouldn't interupt her again until she had gotten whatever it was on her chest off.

"So." he said pushing the door open and backing into it to reveal the papers and sketches strewn all over it, not to mention the already well used mug on his desk and still made bed. "Now you can see the mess I've made trying to figure it out... and that I still haven't. So why don't you give it a try?"
 
As Ann continued to express her concerns, Maru listened, keeping a gentle expression on his face. She wanted to talk, to speak about things she'd kept away for so long, and he respected that. When she fell silent, he smiled, gazing down at his feet for a moment to get his thoughts in order. "First of all," he started, getting to his feet to stretch and roll his shoulders. "Everyone knows that Hollywood blows things horribly out of proportion. Sure, their ideas are popular, but it doesn't make them true. If you say 'this is how it is', then that's how it is because I'll believe a friend over anyone else." Pivoting on his heel, he turned to face the girls on the bench, a half smile on his lips. He thought briefly of making a joke about the moon's phases and 'that time of the month' but decided against it since neither girl looked like they were really in the mood for one of his cheesy jokes.

"Let's face it, Ann, you and I aren't very close," Maru sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We definitely have our differences, and it...it kinda feels nice that you're sharing this with me." He smiled softly, sincerely, not just for the sake of cheering Ann up, but also to convey his true feelings at that moment. "Even if that wasn't your original intention, I feel like it brings us closer together." He just couldn't tell her that the reason he was so accepting of her was because he wasn't exactly human either.

There was still some awkwardness in the air, he could definitely tell, and he wondered how to fix it. "Let's do something," he suggested, turning away again as his gaze wondered. A few feet away was a fountain and with what seemed like no effort at all, he hopped onto the ledge of the basin and began to walk the length. "Let's go somewhere and have some fun! Forget about the other two because were Zoey is, Darius is, and we all know what Darius will be like. Trick of the eye, smoke and lighting, blah blah blah." Sure it was an exaggeration, but he still enjoyed making a silly face and mocking the only other guy in their little group.
 
Zoey stepped into his room and looked around. She was silent as she moved towards his bed to take a seat, her feet dodging as much stuff as they could, though it was difficult. "So you really had at it, I see." she said, lowing her bottom slowly down to the bed, her hands on either side of her. "I can't believe you sleep here...sort of." She smiled at him a bit, but did her best to avoid dirt eye contact.

If one looked at Zoey closely they could see her neck move with her heavy pulse. Her eyes darted around and her hands squeezd together in her lap now. She pressed her feet together and let them sit flat on the floor, taking a set of small breaths before finally dragging her eyes up to meet Darius'. "Can we just have a serious talk for a second, Darius?" Her voice was hardly a peep. "I mean I want to say something important, so I would really like if you didn't...uh...interrupt."

As she waited for a response she figured the best way to tell him would be to show him. Would it be too much for him? Would he freak out? Her pulse rose quickly. She would soon find out, wouldn't she?
 
He sat down on his bad and nodded, not speaking in case that would count as interruption. He looked worried, expectant, curious, and tired all at the same time. His mind was running through all the possibilities of what could be bothering her. It would get very awkward very fasr if she was suddenly saying she liked him in his bedroom.

He took a breath and leaned forwards as a sign he was listening his hands folded together and resting in his lap. "Whatever it is you have on you mind you obviously need to say it. I'm listening."
 
Zoey stood up and stepped in front of him. "I'm going to need you to just...uh...open your mind for a second." She said quietly, one slender hand raising as she spoke. "Cause I don't think you're quite ready for this, but I really can't wait any longer...I need you to know." Her hand started to slip her cardigan off her shoulder slowly. She took the cardigan off completely and placed it on the bed next to him, her eyes meeting his and blinking a few times. "I don't want you to freak out, ok?" Her fingertips glided down the front of her shirt to the hem of it and started to lift it. She pulled it up and off over her head and placed it on top of her cardigan. Sheepishly she turned around so her back was to him. "Just...hear me out." One hand crept up her back and unhooked her bra.

The instant her bra was unhooked her skin seemed to open up in two slots on her back. As if out of nowhere two big black bird wings came out of the slots and stretched out before him. A feather even fell out and floated down, landing on his knee.

"I've always wanted to tell you." She peeked back at him over her shoulder and one of her large black wings, just waiting for a reaction and clinging her bra to her chest like it was a life preserver and she was going to drown. "I'm...sort of like...a part bird...thing." A weak smile formed and now she silenced herself, really worried for his reaction. Her heart was going faster than she thought possible and her eyes were watching him, slowly filling up with tears that were just ready to be cried if his reaction was not a positive one.
 
"Ok, shes alone in my room and undressing while welling me I need to be open... this can't be what I think it is, could it? He froze his eyes trapped by her as she took off her top. He was turn when she turned around and began removing her bra that she would turn around and throw herself at him.

"Zoey I......" he couldn't be sure the had said the words aloud or not because what happened next defied explanation.

He sat in shock, what had been on his mind was now driven from it. He had to be dreaming. He hadn't slept in almost a week. He was hallucinating there was no other way.

"Zoey... you're an angel..." It was all he could think of saying as he reclaimed control of his mind. "Always? I..."

While it was impossible to accept it somehow fit with how she behaved... how she believed. He couldn't help himself, he reached out his hand and lightly, as if unsure they'd toutch or if he'd pass right though, placed the tips of his finger against her feathers. "How is this possible?"
 
Zoey turned bright red and smiled really wide. "Not an angel!" She laughed softly, her voice sounded as though a heavy weight had been lifted. "Think of...I suppose a harpy. Part woman and part bird. Crow to be exact."

Still holding up her bra she turned so she was facing him and wrapped her wings forward so they were covering her body. "I realize now me stripping in front of you probably looked...uh...interesting, but it's hard to take my wings out in my clothing." The huge feathery wings twitched and hugged around her tightly.

What was he thinking? surely he thought he had fallen asleep and was just dreaming. There was no way he was just buying this. She craned her neck down a bit to really examine his face. "So...what do you think?" She asked, suddenly sheepish and nervous again. She suddenly wanted to tell him everything and explain everything and show him everything, but she didn't want to flood him with information. It wouldn't be wise to overwhelm him.
 
He pulled his hand back when she moved and now held the feather that had fallen to his knee between his fingers and seemed to be studying it with all his concentration, then carefully he placed it aside where he could find it later, as if it would prove this was real. Whatever part of his mind was in control it decided to roll with what he was seeing, he didn't need to accept it to react to it. It could be rationalized later, after sleep.

"A harpy... those that carry off humans to mate with them... or at least according to legend. All this time you're heard me speak about magic dismissively... I must have sounded a twat. All this time. I don't know what to say..... I thought you were coming on to me..." the last sentence was blurted out before his eyes snapped to hers as he realized what he had said and he lapsed into awkward silence.

A few deep breaths later, his eyes slipping off to stare at the pile of paper on the floor he spoke again. "Well, I guess theres only one way to take this.. and that is how it seems.. as it comes."
 
As Darius spoke more and more Zoey's face brightened and her smile grew until it was bright and right across her face. Both hands still holding her bra up she opened her wings and wrapped them around him in a makeshift hug. "You have no idea how happy I am right now." She said in a surprisingly calm voice, pressing her face right against his shoulder and pulling her wings tighter around them.

In the feather cocoon Zoey felt as though he would hear her racing heart, though it wasn't from nerves anymore. She was just so excited to know he wasn't freaking out.

"I just wanted you to know." She whispered. "I never thought you were stupid when you defended what you believed. You just didn't know." A little nuzzle of her face into his shoulder muffled her voice a bit. "And I need you to know just how happy I am right now." Another nuzzle and a tighten of her wings around them. "Oh...and let me know if i'm suffocating you." She giggled now.
 
If he hadn't have been leaning forwards he would have been knocked backwards as she closed he wings around them. So they could move....

Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation or the rush of blood her sudden transformation had sent to his head but he didn't mind the feathers pressed against his face and managed to return her hug. "You're my best friend." He said simply, feeling oddly calm given the situation. "While I believe Ann would play an elaborate setup... you wouldn't do that to me.. and you're still Zoey, still the only person the likes my tricks right?"

Taking another deep breath he felt it sink in more. "This is really real isn't it? Magic... everything..."
 
Zoey nodded and sighed softly. "It's all real." She whispered. "Meaning you can't be a total jerk to Ann!" She stood up straight, her wings unfolding from around them and folding to rest against her back. "You have to be really nice to her cause if I was her I would be really worried and scared to deal with you!" Her face was stern and stayed so as one arm held her bra and the other grabbed her shirt. She once again turned her back to him and her wings slowly retracted. Quickly she clasped her bra and pulled on her shirt, turning to face him again.

"We should go find them...and you should probably prepare yourself for a whole world you never thought could exist." She said with a little nod. "Did i mention I can turn into crow completely?" Her face suddenly lit up and she grinned really big. "There's so much I can show and tell you now!"
 
"Can't.. wait." he said standing and turning away as she got dressed. He too pulled out a jacket and pulled it on, making sure he had keys and wallet before turning back. "Just try to understand this is a lot to take in.. everything I've known.. is wrong. Everything they've taught us in school... it must have seemed silly to you how much we thought we knew.

He suddenly let out a laugh, an uncontrolled mirthless laugh that lasted a couple of seconds and after which he stood still for a moment his eyes reflecting the thoughts behind them. "I won't say anything to Ann. A little bird told me to be nice to her." he began leading the way back towards the door and waited for her to close it.

"We'll meet up with them at the park, before they go somewhere else."
 
Zoey smiled and clasped her hands together at the little bird comment. She pulled on her cardigan and nodded. "Alright, let's go then! They're already there, no doubt." She turned on her heels and moved quickly out of his room, hardly making a sound as she dodged everything on his floor between her and the door.

As she walked towards the door Zoey let her mind melt and open up a bit. She was so happy right then, so excited to show Darius things she never could or would before. She would take him out for a fly around the parks and she would sit on his head as a bird. A small laughed escaped her lips at the thought and she looked back at Darius. "Come on, slowpoke or we'll miss them!"
 
He did follow, but not at her pace. His head down and hos brow furrowed in thought under his unbrushed hair. Outside walking his blood began to move, his thoughts became active and his walked in silence his brain turning over and over. It was all about perception it seemed, if man thought he was the only sapient race then to him he was, if he was shown otherwise and suddenly he was but a small player in his own destiny. Racial identity shattered, if they could appear human, then what was human and what was not? Did it matter? Were there going to be laws passed, groups formed. The future was uncertain and scary even for someone still in highschool.

He put his hand to his forehead and shook his head. If he let this get to him he;d be reduced to a nervous wreck, but hell if it wasn't like lovecraft. Mankind left powerless by his own ignorance and by facing things he can't possibly understand.

It was in this frame of mind that he arrived at the park and paused, seeing everyone gathered. Who was what? Who could tell?
 
Ann smiled at Maru in spite of herself. Really, she was still concerned that Amara had fallen silent, dropped out of the conversation almost entirely. But he at least made it seem like everything would turn out okay, and even managed to do it talking about the one person she dreaded telling the most. It didn't have to be today, she thought, but there was no way she was going to leave him in the dark after telling everyone else. It came to her then, why the hiding was such a prevalent policy, why it only seemed to get stronger with time until now: Some people would be hurt by knowing. They believed the world was one way, and it really wasn't, and that belief was such a part of them that proving it wrong was like tearing a chunk of skin out. But...sometimes pain was what people needed.

Sometimes the truth was more important than what people felt hearing it.

"Maybe you're right. What do you think we should do?" she asked Maru, and stood up, but then saw them on their way through the park. "Never mind. He's here now that you mentioned him." Speak of--and he appears, as it goes. As they got closer, their attitude, their bearing became clear: Zoey looked happy, and Darius looked like death warmed over. Ann had no explanation in mind for what could have caused such opposite moods, but she knew the look of a sleepless night when she saw it. Most clear of all was that Darius was not taking it well. If he was definitely going to suffer, it had better be all at once then...

Awkward silence again, everyone standing in place. Everyone waiting for someone else to put the conversation in play. Ann served this time: "Hey. I was sort of hoping you guys would show up."
 
What could they do? The city was full of options for wasting away a sunny weekend day. He glanced at Amara, noting she was still silent, maybe worrying a little about her. Was this news about her best friend really too much to handle? "I think we should take Amara home first," he replied, hopping down from the basin ledge to wander back over to the other two. "I think she's catatonic or something," he snickered as he waved a hand in front of Amara's face to see if she'd blink or react in some other way.

A kick to the shin wasn't above her, he was certain about that.

Stepping back, he considered the options for fun that were rolling around in his mind but Ann's next few words interrupted and brought back a bit of that gloomy mood. Turning, he followed Ann's gaze and saw Darius and Zoey, completely unprepared for the expression on Darius' face. The guy looked dazed and just a little unhappy about something. Maru could probably take a stab at the reason and get it right.

Awkward silence broken by Ann first, Maru followed up with a line to ease the tension a little. "I'll give you the 'late' title but I'm going to have to confiscate the 'fashionably' part on account of that ridiculous expression. So not cool, Darius." He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked, head cocked to the side a fraction. His smug expression was an attempt to taunt Darius into the usual reaction. Really, Maru hated when people acted strange. Today was jammed full of strange reactions and he hadn't even had lunch yet!

"Lunch! Let's get some lunch! I'm starving~"
 
Zoey waved with one hand and grabbed Darius' arm with the other, dragging him a little faster so they would get closer to the group quicker. She rolled her eyes at Maru and shook her head. "Lay off him!" She squeaked.

Turning to look at Ann she smiled meekly, as if she wanted to share something, but she kept it to herself. "Where else would we be?" She smiled softly. "I know I don't have anything more important or interesting waiting for me elsewhere!" As she spoke she wondered if Ann would tell Darius right then and there and what she had already told the others. Would he be able to handle it or would it be too much?

"Lunch sounds good to me, right Darius?" With her hand still on his arm Zoey gave Darius a little shake to shock him back into reality, whether it worked or not was to be seen. Her smile was there still, but smaller. Her face wasn't so bright anymore either, it had taken on a more serious demeanor. Now she just wanted to get Darius responding...what if he was in shock?
 
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