Celeste couldn't wait for Jude to get her to dorm. She had finally finished setting up her half of her dorm room to her liking and while it wasn't much, she still loved every bit of it. She had to wonder if Jude would like it - maybe not, but the only important thing he liked in the room was her, anyways.

Her dorm mate, Janessa, was out doing... Something. Celeste wasn't really sure, but she didn't really care. She had the dorm to herself all evening (and night.) She was sure it was the first time she'd have a night by herself since she lived with her old roommate. Celeste and Janessa were getting along, which was the important thing. Celeste biggest fear of college had been having a nightmare roommate, and luckily, that nightmare wasn't coming true. At least, not yet.

In either case, Celeste had finished putting away her things. Her next big goal was to get ready. She chose to wear dark blue skinny jeans, a pink rose colored shirt with dark red dots, and a light brown jacket. Her hair rested in a messy bun, as usual.

She checked her phone and still not seeing a text, she decided to head towards the entrance of the dorm. He wouldn't be able to get into the building without her - the dorm had security measures in place to keep ~shady~ people out.

She plucked herself down in a chair, waiting anxiously for him to show up. She was more than excited to finally see him - particularly since the past couple months were extremely busy with her preparing for college, working to save some more money, and finishing high school.

(Jude)

Why did he have to wait so long to see her room?

Bring in box.
Unload box.
Slap a poster of the Bone Bikini Babe on the wall and call it done.

For years, that was exactly what he'd done for his Mansion room. When he moved into the Honeycomb Collective it was much the same, poster of the calcified murderess and all. In fact, he was so sure that it was the right thing to do, that Jude made sure to find a copy of the hard-to-find officially unauthorized BirdWatcher calendars. The pictures were awesome, considering they were amateur and taken at long range, but that made sense as the calendar was a collection of the year's top voted action shots from the mutant-focused forum. There was even one month featuring Bone Bikini Babe. Because Jude's babe deserved the best.

Maybe if he was still a crime fighter, he would be in there. Or maybe not. His power just wasn't all that flashy.

Almost there

Jude had debated flowers, but decided they were just too much. Then bought some anyway because he was absolutely too much. If Celeste hadn't figured THAT out by now, they'd be headed for trouble anyway. He had just 3 or 4 red gerber daisies. Not a marriage proposal.

It was much easier to fixate on the flowers than it was to admit that Jude felt a little left behind with the whole college thing. He opted not to go. He had a good job already. He totally could have if he'd wanted to. That's what he kept telling himself as he walked past clumps of friends, girls and boys both, on their way out from the dorm.

It didn't feel right. It'd be a waste of time... but what was he doing with his time now that was so important anyway?

He did his best to marshal his face and thoughts and made sure his jeans were still cuffed after the walk and he hit the call key for those poor unfortunate souls like himself who didn't have a dorm badge.

"Jude Csendes here for Celeste De Ward."

Celeste was so excited. They had seen each other a few times, but the past month or so was particularly busy for Celeste. From Haven, to school, to everything else. And sure, maybe she could have even gotten his help moving some of her belongings. Her relatively limited belongings, but still. She wanted to make sure it was nearly perfect before she invited her boyfriend into her dorm. It wasn't like the brief stay at the Mansion, or at the Booker's apartments, or even at the apartment with her passed away roommate.

She sighed and really realized how crazy the past few months had been. She was lucky to have Jude by her side during it all.

In either case, she lit up at the text that popped across her screen. He was almost here! She smiled at her phone, opened the text, but then re-locked her phone. No reason for a reply if he was nearby. Although, Celeste did check the time really quick. Celeste was already near the entrance, so she saw him through the two glass doors. She got up from the chair and quickly went and opened the door for him to get him inside.

At first, she missed the flowers. She was just happy to see him. Once they were inside the building, she gave him a smile as she looked at the flowers. "Awe, they are beautiful." She gave them a sniff (although she really had no idea if they even would have a smell.) After she had them, she carefully held the flowers in her right arm while she reached over to give Jude a hug with her other, with a small kiss on his cheek. "How was it getting here?"

Jude tried not to gloat as they passed the kid sitting behind the desk who had to decide who got let in and who didn't. Jude had an escort. He totally belonged. They couldn't kick him to the curb for not being a student when he had a student on his arm.

He tried to kiss her cheek about the same time when she tried to plant one on him. They each got half a lip and partial cheek. It made him laugh and loosen up a bit. He really shouldn’t be so up tight where Celest would see it.

”A hop, a skip, and a bus. No biggie. You look…” He paused to give her a proper once over. Damn, he was so lucky. ”Radiant. Happy. Like you totally fit and belong. The college life suits you. How’s the food?” Would he be the dumb oaf she was dating now? Was he handicapping her college experience by not allowing her to get to know/date/dump her classmates?

He slid his arm around her shoulders as the walked. He liked the way they fit. ”So which one’s yours?”

She felt like she had a huge grin ever since she saw him. She really should try to not seem like a love stricken, crazy girl. Hopefully, Jude didn't think she was crazy for being as happy to see him as she was.

She giggled at their half kisses. It was cute, either way, plus there would be plenty more kissing time later, anyways. They had all the whole evening, after all. She admired the flowers a little more. Jude was so thoughtful - one of the many reasons she liked him.

She was glad it was an easy trip for him - that meant it would be easy for him to visit her but also for her her to get to him. Which, really, probably would be the better option since she was sharing an entire building with probably like hundreds of people. The next bit of compliments made Celeste blush and look away from him. "You look pretty good too, you know," she nudged him playfully. She laughed, "Greasy. Very, very greasy." She was not the biggest fan of the food, but it was filling at least.

She leaned into him as he had his arm around her. She felt like they fit nearly perfectly. She pointed down the hall, "Right down there." She smiled as they finally reached the entrance. She opened the door, "home sweet home!"

She sure was giggly. It had been a minute since they'd hung out, though, and settling into a new space and a new routine wasn't always easy.

"Greasy doesn't necessarily mean bad." His rampage through the restaurants of New York had proved that to him over and over again. Sometimes the grease was the best part. "So long as you're not starving. Gotta feed that brain."

The fact that she thought he looked good was encouraging considering that he'd actually put some kind of effort beyond just clothes. "The guys at work finally convinced me to try to pick up heavy things. Look." He flexed an arm and... was that...? Yes. Yes it was. The seed of a muscle. He wouldn't call it a muscle just yet, but there was something there. "Newbie gains. I've gone like 4 times so, you know." He knew he'd have to make it a regular habit if he wanted arms as big as Christmas turkeys.

She opened the door and Jude was blown away. "This is actually pretty cool." He went exploring, easily guessing which side was Celeste's side. It was just so her. "Is that a... coffee maker?" Clever girl...

She had to agree with him there - greasy didn't always mean bad. It was good food which made it better, at least. It just didn't' seem like the most healthiest choices. She giggled at his comment about feeding her brain. Again, he was right. She figured healthier meals would be in the college, but she was surprisingly wrong. Apparently pizza & chicken wings were the best food for brain juice.

She grinned and chuckled a little. It turned out he had been working out, or at least, picking up heavy things. He even flexed an arm to show off his newfound strength. She giggled and of course, she used her hand to feel the 'newbie gain' as he called it. He wasn't wrong - there was the beginning of a muscle there. She nodded, impressed. "You're pretty much a pro, then. You're going to be a bodybuilder before you even know it." She gave him a teasing wink. 

Upon entering her dorm room, Celeste couldn't help but beam with pride. Sure, she didn't have that many things and most of it was old stuff, but she still managed to make it look cute. He even called it cute. "Yeah, I like it a lot. Plus, the bed being above makes it seem like there is sooo much more room." She glanced over to her roommates side, which had her bed on the ground. It looked a lot less spacious.

She nodded and laughed a little, "Yep, it sure is. I'm sure I'm going to need it doing those late night papers right before they're due." She would never wait till the night before they were due. But still, just in case. Plus, she liked coffee anyways. "But, yeah, make yourself at home." She motioned to her side of the room. "I don't really know where I got that license plate thing from, but uh... Yeah, there it is." She shrugged.

Glancing at the fridge that was provided by the university, she shook her head, "It's just missing me getting my own little fridge thing."
 

Oh man, what Jude would have given to hear those words as a kid. Now that he was older, he was actually putting on muscle. A little, anyway. As a kid, he'd tried and trained and lifted at the Mansion Gym almost constantly in order to try to get his power to manifest. Everything was so much easier as an adult.

"Yeah, no. I've never seen the bunk bed with the desk under it thing. That's really smart." She said to make himself at home, but she also made it clear which side of the room was off limits by sort of herding him toward her side. That really made Jude want to make out on the roomie's bed. Wasn't that a college rite of passage? He did want her to have the full experience, after all.

For now, he grinned like a kid and started to climb up the side of the bed, only to realize he still had the calendar in his hands. "Oh. I don't know if this will out you as a mutant or something, but I got you this, too." He pressed the plastic wrapped calendar into her hands and went back for the bed to check it out up top.

Yeah. Actually he did have to flop down and test it out. Just to be sure. "Ahhh. Yeah. It's nice up here." He'd certainly slept in worse places. Jude folded his hands behind his head and grinned unapologetically for taking up Celeste's bed. "Sorta like a tree fort. I dig. Do you guys have a tv in here?"

She blushed and shrugged a little, "Well, thanks. I mean, I dunno how common it is. But, it works pretty good. Lots of space below. Unless it like collapses or an earthquake or something, it's pretty good." She nodded a confirmation after she rambled for a minute. She placed the flowers on the desk. In either case, she kind of looked around the room. She suddenly wasn't entirely sure what to do. She felt like it would be more interesting showing him the dorm room. She did hope that he didn't completely think she was crazy.

He handed her a plastic wrapped calendar and she perked a brow. "Oh, thank you. You're bringing me all sorts of gifts today. Eh, I'm trying not to keep it a secret. No one seems to really care. At least, on this floor." She smiled as she held it. It was sweet he brought her all these gifts. She felt bad that she hadn't gotten him anything. She'd figure some way to make it up to him, though.

She was about to take the plastic off the calendar but she saw him climb up onto her bed and then... Plop right onto it! She grinned, put the still wrapped calendar on her desk, and climbed the ladder until she was partially up. "It is pretty comfy. It does the job, that's for sure." She could confirm that much, at least. "I kinda wanta leaves the lights on most of the time, since it's just barely enough to light anything. The roomie, though, hates it." She gave a little shrug. It was one weird thing she was getting use too - Celeste didn't sleep that much. Her roommate, on the other hand, did. Maybe next semester she could find an apartment or something so it wouldn't be so incompatible.

She shook her head at his question about a T.V. "No T.V." She then climbed up and... Practically jumped on! She was careful not to completely smash him of course, and she made sure to at least slightly roll so he wouldn't be squished by her body. "There is some books right there, beside your head against the wall." She should probably get a little T.V. or something, though.

He tapped at a string light with a dull tink, tink. "Yeah. I guess it'd be hard to take someone else's opinions into consideration after getting used to your own space." He was spoiled for his own space. In fact, he could do with a little less. Celeste seemed to have the same idea, but one of his hands was still behind his head and the other was off by the lights and...

After a whuff of air that left him involuntarily, Jude vacillating between chuckling and wheezing.

"Warn me next time." His free hand found a spot on her hip and scooted to make sure they were both settled with all their legs in the little single bed. "I don't think natural earthquakes will be a problem." He joked, just so aware that here they both were.

Books? There were books? Who needed books?

"Is this okay? I'm not gonna get you expelled or anything for being in here, am I?" He reached up toward her face and then reached past.

Y'know.
For a book.

He smirked, knowing just what he was doing in teasing her. Besides. Maybe there'd be a book with pictures. He was sure he couldn't concentrate enough to actually read anything. Not here and with with her right there.

She smiled as she watched him tap the string of lights. She shrugged a little, "I mean, I'm not about to fight over something like that. Not really worth it, anyways." She grinned a little, "But you know, I might turn them on when she's already asleep or something." After all, she did like to do things into the night - something her roommate didn't do.

He was cute looking all relaxed in her bed. Granted, after she jumped on him, she found herself laughing with him. His joke only made her laugh a little more. It wasn't the most sensitive joke, but it was still funny. She inhaled, holding air in her cheeks before exhaling, laughing a little more. He was a fun person.

 She was on her side. Her eyes gazed upon his face and she couldn't help but smile. She really liked him. And they had a connection she really had never had before. She saw his hand reach towards him and a comment about being expelled and she nearly scoffed, "Well, this is a state university s--" She shook her head and laughed as he reached over to grab a book. Probably the one he'd grab is the Lies of Locke Lamora, a book Celeste was a few chapters into. It was also the thickest one of the group of books.

She kept her brow perked, "Well, as I was saying, this is a state university. I'm sure there are more worse things occurring than a cuddle puddle in a tiny bed."

How was she possibly this cute? She hesitated when he reached out and then continued with nothing more than a bit of irritation on her face.

"I'm just used to Mansion rules, y'know." Somehow, he'd grabbed a thick book with no pictures. What good was this to him other than a prop or an excuse not to look at the girl he liked far too much.

"Not that I was all that great at following Mansion rules, but..." Celeste's neck was long and made for an excellent place for Jude to snuggle his face into. He let his lips move across her skin as he spoke. "It's nice to know when you're doing something wrong."

They hadn't gone all that far, but their mutual attraction was burning him up inside. He had been invited here, to her room. And he would strive for a gentleman's non-expectation as far as what he thought might happen (or not happen) with them both snuggled up on the bed.

Of course, if he got to influence her decision in one way or another, he certainly did have his opinions.

Jude planted a little kiss on her jawline. "I missed you, you know." Not that they hadn't talked by text, but face to face (and hip to hip) was so, so much nicer.

She grinned, shrugging a little, "Well... I can guarantee this is not like the Mansion. I mean, freedom, not having people always in your business... Kinda, at least." It wasn't really like that was true - after all, you lived with basically a stranger in a tiny little room with barely any room. In either case, it was part of the fun, presumably.

Celeste pulled her arms around him as he snuggled into her neck as she pulled him against her body, closer than before. A small murmur exited her lips as she felt his lips dance across the skin on her neck. "I'm not sure if this is wrong or just... Amazing," she murmured in return quietly.

Celeste had the boy that she was crazy about - someone she wanted to be with for a long time, at least. He was amazing, in all ways, to her. They'd have their ups and downs as any couple would, but they already made it through one. She had been so busy and he had accommodated her so much.

She smiled towards him as he kissed her jawline. She slightly struggled, but gave him a soft kiss on forehead. "I missed you too, Jude." So much more than she expected, truthfully.