"You're the one that talk so much about how great it was to be a mutant. How should I have expected you to react?"

The flip was a calculated risk. She didn't have the heart to pressure him down into the carpet. She didn't have the energy to force him to see, but boy oh boy did she had the tongue to lash with. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she tried to think back some months to their first meeting. "Unique. Not normal. You may be human, but all of those still apply, buddy."

She felt ridiculous. It was like talking to a brick wall. She'd offered him fire and fervor, anonymous rendezvous, and lessons on living in the now. "And normal is what you had to offer me..." Damn! How had they ended up here? Jacen not a mutant, she knew his middle name, and he got to be on top? Thinking back to the day they met made her realize just how far he'd wormed into her life.

His hands pressed her upper body into the carpet and she was peaceful in her captivity. Why didn't he get it? "I'm not mad at you for any of those things... I'm mad because you thought I was going to be mad."

He was putting her in a box, he was making her predictable. What he whispered in her ear made her strain against his hands. "You live here." But that was a sad excuse. Even if it was his home, she was welcome here and not the other woman. Lori sighed in exasperation, an action cut short by a force of lips. Angry kisses just weren't as good. They were never as good.

"Clear?"[/color]

All she could do was jut her lower lip and pout. There was nothing more to complain about here, but she still felt slighted. She could say all day long that she didn't care about another woman and she didn't care about genes, but the truth was... she did. She cared that he was who he was and his ability was part of what made him so tempting. Not that he was a mutant, but that he was hers... and he helped her be partly what she had wanted to be... normal.

A psychologist would be having a field day right about now.

"I didn't mean 'here' as in the physical place and you know it." Jacen said with a wry smile and a slight shake of his head, "I meant 'here' as in this place in our relationship... whatever or wherever it may be."

For a moment Jacen was silent as he looked down at Lori, simply enjoying this particular viewpoint when suddenly a thought hit him and his expression turned to one of shock. "You would have done it, wouldn't you." He said, the disbelief noticable as he continued to stare into Lori's eyes, "If I had pressed it, you would have let me force myself on you just so that I would feel better."

The fact that this woman was willing to allow him to abuse her at least slightly was both amazing and terrifying. It was a shock that Lori would allow herself to be that vulnerable with him but at the same time he wished she wouldn't put herself in that sort of position. What if he had already been drinking before she arrived? What if he had been closer to that completely intoxication? Would he have been able to control himself?

Once again Jacen dropped his head, but this time the kiss was more gentle and far less angry. Pulling back after just a moment he allowed the slightest touch of a smile to pull at his lips. "You are something else Lori. I don't think I'll ever figure you out."

"You would have done it, wouldn't you."
Taken the other person to her bed? Probably. But she carefully waited for him to exaggerate before she stuck her foot into her mouth. "If I had pressed it, you would have let me force myself on you just so that I would feel better."

Oh that? "Well, yeah..." Obviousness painted her tone. She'd taken worse from drunker men that she loved less. Wasn't a relationship about sacrifices or some other crap like that? Lori watched him carefully for a sign that he was going to let her up one day. Of course it was nice down here, but she really shouldn't let his head get too big. She shouldn't let him know that she liked it. Because then he could use it against her, right?

They kissed and Lori gently drew hip lip between hers as he pulled away. That way, with a little suction, the first to leave got razzed. A tickled upperlip. Hehe. Sucker. Worked every time. "You are something else Lori. I don't think I'll ever figure you out."

"I should hope you never do." Because if he did, then he would get tired of her and discard her. That wouldn't do. Not at all. "So- uh... you going for a new world record here? Longest pin of a life time? Fastest way to put your lover's arms to sleep?" She wiggled underneath his hands reminding him of their positions. As if he had forgotten.

A part of Jacen really had forgotten the fact that Lori was pinned underneath him but as soon as she wiggled agains his body he was suddenly very aware of their position. With a quick apologetic look Jacen released her arms and then moved to the side, stretching out on the floor. "Don't just take it if I ever act like that again." He said quite seriously as he propped his head up on his hand and looked at the blond that was currently laying beside him. "You're not a tool to be used whenever a guy feels like it... even if the guy in question is me."

It was amazing just what a lesson in differences Lori was. At one point she was the woman that didn't need a thing from anybody but yet at the same time she was the woman quite willing to take whatever a partially drunk man might dish out. Jacen didn't want Lori to start become the normal woman that would take whatever from him simply because they were in a relationship. Part of what had attracted him to her was her individuality and he didn' want to see her lose any of that.

"You want a drink?" He finaly offered, deciding to be at least somewhat of a good host, "I think I've had my limit but you're welcome to have whatever you want."

"Isn't it your job to know how to act?" once her arms were free she hugged herself around the middle. He looked quite serious, but then again so was she. If that was what he needed... how was she supposed to tell him no? Very few if any had ever told her no. Even when they got the electric end of the deal, which Jacen never ever had to worry about.

"You're not a tool to be used whenever a guy feels like it... even if the guy in question is me."[/color]

She frowned. You don't have to tell me that." Zuh. Her initial reaction was that she was that obviously she was the one calling the shots. She got to say when and she even showed up whenever she pleased. He had practically no say in this relationship in the first place.

But then again... here she was laying on his floor, half sprawled on the over turned couch. "I said no... kind of." At least she'd had him wait. She frowned even harder if that were possible. She'd offered him the reigns because she thought he wanted them... or needed them. Hmm. Her brain gears were working a little too hard.

"Bah." was what she had to say to that. She rolled over and pushed herself up enjoying the feeling of her arm muscles in action. "No. Somehow it's not that appealing to me just now." and it hadn't been since a little revenge took place. She was on her feet and stepping over Jacen toward to door. "Just stopped by for a hello." She opened the door and heard the rain not too far away. Sigh. She closed the door and tapped her foot. Yeah, what now, missy?

Jacen rolled onto his other side and just watched as Lori made her way to the door. It wasn't really a surprise that she was ready to leave since he honestly wasn't the best company in the world right at the moment. He would deffinately have to try to make it up to her the next time they got to hang around with each other for a while.

And apparently that was going to be a lot sooner than he had expected. As she opened the door and then closed it again at the sound of rain falling outside. Oh this was just wonderful... how in the world was he supposed to make it up to her when he was still dealing with the affects of to much alcohol?

Climbing to his feet, Jacen did his best to remain completely steady as he walked over to Lori. This was going to take fine balance as he tried to make up with the woman without offending her. "Well hello, and I'm glad you stopped by." Jacen said quietly as he leaned his shoulder up against the door, his eyes focusing on Lori's bright blue windows to the soul, "Obviously I owe you an apology but something tells me you really don't want to hear it so that means the real question is what do you want?"

Moving closer, Jacen slipped one arm around her waist, his gaze intensifying ever so slightly. "Do you still want to be the one in charge? The one calling the shots? Or do you want to feel vulnerable for at least a little while?"

Crapcrapcrap. Jacen slinked over as she was debating how exactly to handle this situation. She could leave. All she needed was an umbrella. Umbrella. Great. Good. She turned around and Jacen was all up in her face. She'd gotten far too used to moving in and out of his field if she no longer felt the difference.

"Well hello, and I'm glad you stopped by." He leaned against the door in a way that said NO EXIT. So... the umbrella was out of the question? She regarded him with skeptical eyes. "Apologies are overrated." She hardly used them herself. "And I already got what I came for." It was true. Errand complete. A surprise hello to Jacen and a drop off of some clothes. More like a surprise hello to Lori. Geesh. Get a breath mint. Lori started to press herself against the door. She wasn't afraid of him. She just didn't trust his mood. "So I'm thinking the real question is what do you want?"

She was starting to get a little worried when he slipped his arm around the smallest part of her waist effectively trapping her. This was different from before. She may actually have to punch him. Wow. Wouldn't that be fun. Then Jacen and Lori could go out like a matching set.

"Do you still want to be the one in charge? The one calling the shots? Or do you want to feel vulnerable for at least a little while?"[/color]

Unamused. "Do you want me to feel vulnerable?" Because if he really pushed the point, he could. He had all the tools to make this a very miserable place for Lori. No power, bigger, stronger (though not by much... she may even be able to take him in an arm wrestling match in this state), and she was a hell of a lot less intoxicated so whatever was so damn amusing to him wasn't registering on her radar. She swallowed. And he had liked a girl more vulnerable than her... frick. What did she have to do to tame the beast?

Things were definitely not going the way Jacen had expected, of course, if he hadn't been in an alcohol induced haze then he might have been expecting what he didn't expect. Wait, did that even make sense?

"Why is it you always turn the questions back around without actually answering them?" Jacen asked as he removed his arm for Lori's waist and eyed her appraisingly. Maybe the alcohol wasn't such a bad thing after all. It certainly helped him to see her in a different light than he had before.

Turning, Jacen walked away from the door and into the kitchen where he filled himself a glass of water while he tried to remember the best way to help the alcohol leave his system more quickly. Something about trying to get the alcohol to metabolize or... who the hell knew!

"I've got a rain jacket or two in the closet in my room." Jacen offered rather indifferently as he turned back around, sipping at the non-alcoholic beverage that he now held in his hand, "I've got an umbrella but I have no clue where."

As he stood there sipping at his water a part of his brain had to acknowledge that he was currently acting quite crazy. His moods were all over the place and his actions made no sense, not even to him. "No more heavy drinking... bad... very bad. One glass a day max. That's it." He silently swore to himself as he took a slightly larger swallow of water, "Never again."

"Why is it you always turn the questions back around without actually answering them?"

She opened her mouth, automatically turning the question around on him, but instead closed her mouth so fast it clapped shut. "It's an automatic response. If I do not know what to say, it is a safe way to get you to answer your own question leaving me safe and you can only blame yourself." He retracted his arm and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad. She just couldn't tell about Jacen tonight because he wasn't fitting in his typical pattern of behavior.

She watched him carefully as he suggested a raincoat. It's harder to be friends than lovers, and she had never consciously tried to mix the two because, well... if she did make him friend and lover and was still unhappy then the problem had to be her. If she left now... it wouldn't be a true test of the two. "If you drowned in your own vomit because I left now I will be very cross with you."

She sighed and brushed past Jacen and went for the pantry to get some bread. "If you eat something, it may pass faster. Once I'm convinced you're not being foolish anymore I will leave you to wallow." Or she could always cheer him up before she left. Bah. This was stupid. Lori found a box of graham crackers and opened it, passing a cracker to Jacen. She frowned at him but ruffled his hair anyway. "Bed for you. Take off your shoes. You're not going anywhere tonight."

Jacen snorted at Lori's statement before once again lifting the water to his lips and taking another swallow. "I'm not that drunk Lori. I may not exactly be my normal wonderful self but I'm far from the point of passing out and drowning in my own vomit." This woman was going to drive him crazy! Why in the world couldn't she just make up her mind about what she wanted? First she's saying she'll give her body to him if it makes him feel better, then a few minutes later she's on her way out the door, followed by suddenly beginning to care what actually happened to him. Why was he beginning to feel that he needed a "'Lori' For Dummies" book if he was going to get anywhere in this relationship?!

So apparently food was the answer to trying to get rid of to much alcohol in the system. While it was true that Lori had lied to him about personal details of her life, she had never given him false information when it came to the more scientific side of things. That meant that if she said food was the answer then she was probably telling him the truth. "I'd offer to cook you a nice dinner but I think you know my talents in the kitchen leave a lot to be desired." Jacen said, accepting the graham cracker and taking a bite out of it.

It was right during mid-swallow that Lori did something that threw the poor man into a coughing fit. She ruffled his hair... what the hell?! Even as he coughed and choked his mind was racing to try and make some sense of what had just happened. Was he just some poor kid to be pitied now? Did Lori think of him as a sick dog that she needed to try and heal?

Moving past Lori he refilled his glass of water and then grabbed the full box of crackers. "I'm not a child, thank you very much. I am drunk, yes, but I am not some kid or some pet for you to fix." He said rather coldly before turning and stalking toward the bedroom. Not bothering to even look and see whether Lori chose to follow him or instead leave in a fit of anger, Jacen kicked off his shoes and then stretched out on the bed with the glass of water and box of graham crackers on the table beside him. This was turning out to be an even worse day than he had previously imagined.

She tried to humor him. He wasn't throwing things at least. He wasn't all that drunk anymore. No, he wasn't in danger of drowning in his own vomit, but he was sure being a pain. She was trying to end things on a good note. And here he was throwing a hissy fit... why? Because he hadn't gotten any?

At least he took the crackers. She just wasn't quite sure what to do with him. Should she have left? He was more moody than a woman. Sheesh. Lori had seen all kinds of drunk. And she thought she'd seen it all. But 13-year-old pissy was a new one from a grown man. All she'd done was touch his hair. What? Was it fake?

Shouting 'I am not a child' and running away to hide in bed certainly wasn't helping his argument. Lori sighed and put her hands on the counter. She wished she could cook. She wished she could sing songs and make things better.

But she couldn't. And apparently no good deed would go unpunished tonight.

She took the vodka and poured it down the sink then went to the closet and got a raincoat. So much for trying. Lori pulled the coat close around her and made sure the front door was locked, but a sudden thought occurred to her. Lori opened the door and stared out into the gross weather as she had earlier that night. Did she have to go? The rain and wind did not look inviting and it didn't matter that there was a full three inches past her fingertips on the raincoat... she was going to get wet.

Lori slammed the door behind her and for a time held her breath. She remained completely still and even shut her eyes... because that would help her be quiet.

Jacen was silent as he lay in bed and stared at the ceiling above him. The fact that Lori hadn't said a word to his last comment spoke volumes and even though a part of him was screaming to go back out and apologize his stubborness was running to thick. From the living room he could hear the sounds of some mild rattling, liquid pouring, and then a glass container being tossed in the trash. A few moments later a closet opene, fabric rustled, and then the front door opened and shut with a quiet click.

"Damn!" Jacen swore under his breath before lurching back up to his feet and beginning to pace the room. How the hell had his life gone so wrong in such a short amount of time? A few months before he was just a normal guy with normal problems. Now he was a man struggling with an ability that noone understood while trying to come to a clear cut decision between two women that both captivated him, though for completely different reasons.

Suddenly he couldn't take it any more... he had to do something otherwise he was going to explode! Spinning around, Jacen lashed out with all of his strength, yelling in frustration as his fist went right through his drywall wall. "DAMN!"

Apparently there was no need. Jacen was pitching a fit in his bedroom. Inwardly, Lori rallied herself. Jacen was not a drunk. He was capable of taking care of himself and making adult decisions. She wouldn't have to nurse him back to sobriety or pay off his bills or take hits from him or for him. A long shuddering sigh passed from her toes up and out through her chest. He wasn't going to become her father. So there was no reason to treat him as such.

One careful footfall and then another. She wasn't especially quiet since stealth was never really in her skill set, but Lori slowly peered into the bedroom only half her body exposed around the doorframe... just in case. What was the damage?

A hole in the wall... she'd seen them before. Maybe not a Jacen inspired hole. Lori clung to the door frame like a shy 3 year old would cling to momma's legs. What was she suppose to do in this situation? Apprehensively she spoke up. "Are you hurt?" Her voice was flat. If he was hurt it was his own fault, but she wasn't about to risk his wrath. This was a game she'd obviously played many times.

Jacen stood, just staring at the hole he had just put in his own wall. How in the world had he allowed himself to come to this? Having to punch something in order to maintain some semblance of control. That wasn't control in any sense of the word. Glancing down at his hand, Jacen examined the small cuts and scratches that had formed on the knuckles from scraping up against the stud. Thankfully he hadn't punch the stud directly but it had been close enough to still break some skin.

"Are you hurt?" The voice came out of nowhere and Jacen spun around in surprise. Where the hell had Lori come from? He'd heard her leave. How in the world had she gotten back in?

"Nothing a good sobering up and a couple of bandages can't fix." Jacen replied with a wry smile before turning back to examine the hole he had just put in his wall. Was it even possible for this day to get any worse?

"I thought you left." Jacen finally said, forcing himself to address another situation as he turned back around toward Lori, "I couldn't blame you for leaving though. So far tonight I've proved myself a jerk, jackass, and brat. Did I miss anything?" Even though it was evident he was trying to find some sort of humor in the situation, there was deffinately a seriousness in his voice as well. He knew he was messed up tonight and alcohol was not a good excuse for his behavior.

He spun around and looked almost relieved. Which was a good relief to Lori, though not exactly a carte blanche for the evening. Some small part of her was pleased that she had surprised him in the very least. What a devious trick, pretending to leave. Had he punched the hole because he was mad at her or mad because she left? Lori eyed the damage to the wall and imagined if that had been something else. Not that he would intentionally harm her...

She held onto the wood of the door frame and very little was going to convince her that it was particularly safe to enter. Not even an attempt at light-heartedness. She'd seen feints like that before. The corners of her mouth raised a bit, but the movement was slow and the muscles felt long and opposed to the motion. "I don't know. Did you miss something?" The tease in the question was rather hard to miss and the more she smiled, the more she felt her face was thawing.

"Can you please tell me that there is a difference between being drunk and being a drunk so that I can go home without this... feeling?"

The feeling was rather like horror clawing up the insides of her chest and throat and heart. It made her insides tight and she just didn't want to leave until she had this one answer. Was he different? Because all the showers in the world shouldn't be able to make up for that. All he had to do was say it. If she heard it, she would make herself believe it, but she had to hear it from his lips first.