Re: How to Unlock a Steel Heart

[Cedahlia]

Cameron nodded. He didn't say anything but he was stressed by the thought of being touched. He knew that she wasn't going to hurt him. And if it came to it, he could take her down. Not that it would. And he knew that. But he still felt the surge of anxiety at the idea of physical contact. He closed his eyes and took a breath. "Okay, I'm ready," he said as he opened his eyes.

[Cedahlia]

Hikari felt nervous, she couldn't blame him for his reaction at all, but it still made her feel bad. She took his hand and was very gentle about it. Barely just touching him. Then she moved them both using water. As soon as she stopped at the door of the manticore she took her hand back and pushed it in her pocket. "here."

[Cedahlia]

"I'm sorry," Cameron said. He was embarrassed. He knew it wasn't nice and that it wasn't how he should have been treating her. He hugged himself and couldn't look at her. He didn't like the feelings that he was struggling with nor the anxiety.

[Cedahlia]

"Don't be sorry, I just don't want to do it for longer than I have too. If it makes you uncomfortable. Maybe this is a bad idea? They will all want to shake your Hand." Hikari said, she felt nervous for him.

[Cedahlia]

Cameron looked at the door and thought about that. He was unsure and clearly struggling. "I feel like...I should be able to do this," he said. "It's just a touch. It's just a handshake." Why was he so afraid? These were people who wouldn't hurt him. So why was his heart beating so fast?

[Cedahlia]

"We aren't him. We are never going to be him, it's okay. Cameron, we all care about you here. We want you to be okay too. We won't hurt you." Hikari said softly, she wanted to reach out and touch him, but kept her hand on her pocket firmly.

[Cedahlia]

"I know you're not him. I know that," Cameron said. "I can do this. I can totally do this." He took a breath. He really hoped he could. "Uh...practice first?" If he could do it with her then he could handle it.

[Cedahlia]

"Yes." Hikari said and held her hand out to him. "Remember we are all your lost causes. You are our Saint. Maybe that will help."

[Cedahlia]

Cameron nodded. He could hold onto that.  His lost causes. He took her hand and shook it.  His heart was beating like crazy but he didn't freak out. He didn't lash out or flinch. Well, not on the outside. He did on the inside. But he got through it.

[Cedahlia]

Hikari smiled, "some may hug you, slap you on the back as they shake your hand. Like this." She said and gently did what guys do. "That's just a thing. Is that okay?"

[Cedahlia]

Cameron put his hand on his face. "Yes," he said. "It's fine. It's just what people do when they're friendly." He took another breath. "I can do this." No one was going to hurt him. No one.

[Cedahlia]

"You totally can. You're all strong and tough and manly." Hikari said trying to be encouraging. But she was also a bit silly.

[Cedahlia]

Cameron laughed. "When you say it like that it just makes it sound like you don't mean it. I'm good now. I promise." He could totally do this. "Let's go. I'd much rather be inside."

[Cedahlia]

"I mean it! Have you seen your abs?" Hikari laughed as she opened the door and let him in. They were aware they were coming. Hikari had sneakily text.

Drake was there, waiting with beer for both him and Drake. Wolf with a cherry coke for Hikari and Jes was... Well, being Jes and hitting on someone in the corner.

[Cedahlia]

Alex had his head down on the table with his eyes closed. He very clearly couldn't be bothered to life today and only turned his head to the side when the door opened. The table was cold against his cheek.

Strife just sat next to him with his feet up on the next chair over, a beer in his hands.

Cameron followed after Hikari. The place had that hunter smell to it but it was surprisingly nice inside. He was still nervous but kept reminding himself that he was fine.

[Cedahlia]

"Here," Hikari said, because he'd established he could handle her, she took his hand softly and squeezed. An anchor of sorts to keep the anxiety at bay.

Jes finally noticed though and bounced over to Cameron. "Patron Saint!" He said and moved his hands up and down as though worshipping him. "I wondered when you would grace us with your presence."

Wolf laughed as he went over and gave Hikari her drink. "It's an absolute honour to meet you," he said and held out his now free hand.

Hikari looked at it and then at Cameron. She knew he could do this.

Drake went over as well, but held off. Seeing how Cameron would take it.

[Cedahlia]

Cameron looked at Wolf's hand. He forced his smile not to be nervous and his reaction casual as he took it and shook it. "Nice to meet you all too," he said. His anxiety spiked but he kept his cool. Hikari being right there helped.

[Cedahlia]

Wolf shook Cameron's hand and then slapped him on the arm. "Come meet the gang, the cool kids. No one else matters."

Jes just twitched nervously before holding his hand up. "High five?" He requested. He was still being weird about touching too and be knew the forced smile.

Hikari squeezed Cameron's hand again to say he was doing great. So great actually.

Drake laughed and just held onto cam's beer. "They're all really excited to meet you, sorry."

[Cedahlia]

"It's fine," Cameron said. He could imagine they would be and Hikari had warned him how excited they would get around him. High fives were much easier than handshakes because they didn't take nearly as long. So he gave Jes a high five and focused on smiling and remaining calm. He did not want to have a freak out in front of these people. That would absolutely ruin their image of him and the faith they put into him, which could be very, very bad. "So who's considered the cool kids?" he asked.

[Cedahlia]

"These losers," Drake said as he passed the beer and pointed to the table that Strife and Alex were sat at.

"Yeah, they're losers. I'm the cool kid." Jes said and then went to shove Strife's feet so he could sit with him. "Greedy and lazy, I don't even."

Hikari pulled him over as she drank her cherry coke. It was so good. "They are all cool, Jes is just a brat."

"Only sometimes!" Jes protested.

"Strife would tell a different story." Wolf said and pointed to Strife as he said it. Then he pointed at Alex. "this is Alex. He knows stuff."

[Cedahlia]

"Deal with it," Strife said. He waited for Jes to sit down and then put his feet right back up, this time on Jes' lap since he'd stolen his chair. He looked at Cameron, too chill to get as excited as Jes was over meeting him. He did not offer his hand as he'd been watching Cameron interact and noticed the subtle signs of trauma and anxiety. "So you're the Zoruveche," he said.

"I am," Cameron replied as he sat down. Strife did not have a typical name nor a typical look with his currently bright red mohawk. There was just the hint of red scales on the skin of his face that appeared when the light hit him a certain way. Cameron realized he wasn't human and felt a little better. He suspected Wolf wasn't either.

"I like your work," Strife said. "Makes it easier on those of us who aren't Gifted." Not that it mattered if he could Tame anymore now that he was a fiend himself.

"That's part of the point," Cameron said and then looked at Alex, the other one that hadn't bothered to rush him at the door. Alex was rather young looking for a Hunter. He wondered what the story was there. "You know things?" That was such an odd thing to say about someone.

"Everything there is to know," Alex replied lazily and lifted his head as he looked at Palkia's son.

[Cedahlia]

"Except for if I'll stub my toe in the next five minutes." Wolf said, in such a way that said he disapproved. "Stop misleading everyone on your knowledge thing."

Hikari giggled as she gave a seat to cam and found one for herself. She loved watching these guys interact. She really did. "Hey you," she said to Strife. She liked him because he'd stood up to her dad that one time.

Jes blinked at the feet and then just accepted it. "You're not that cool," he said to him. "Stop trying so hard." He said with a laugh, because he felt he was much cooler.

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