[Opposite Plot] Pre-Play

[forhawkeye]

Everywhere I went, people stared; I could feel their eyes trailing me all day long, as though they were paparazzi for the utterly unimportant. Much to my chagrin, changing into an unassuming outfit of a purple plaid shirt and a pair of ratty jeans hadn't convinced a single person to look elsewhere. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and, as the day dragged slowly on, I wondered how I ever could have gone around in head-to-toe purple Kevlar. I was a freak among freaks.

I left Geometry in a hurry, my notes and things hugged tightly to my chest. My cheeks flushed a light pink as I walked past Ryan Atwood, and I gladly hid behind my curtain of dull black hair as to avoid making eye contact. I'd sat in stony silence for the duration of the lecture, replaying the stupid fight I'd picked with him only a few weeks prior. Luckily it was the only class I shared with him, which meant I wouldn't have to see him again until at least Saturday. I had never been more grateful to have class on the weekend.

Though it was well past six o'clock when class ended, I couldn't bear the thought of returning to the Compound for supper. The kitchen was always crowded at this hour and I'd had enough of being the center of attention for one day. Instead I trudged back to my hut, eyes downcast, trying to avoid the gaze of any potential onlookers. Unfortunately, in the act of trying so desperately to be ignored, I ended up walking right into someone.

"S-sorry," I apologized quickly, and I looked up with an expression of mild horror, a hand coming up to cover my gaping mouth.

Comments

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

He almost forgave the odd answer because, if something had been wrong, he was just glad that it was okay now. Only his mere presence had never fixed anything, as far as he knew, and that was the last thing he expected his superhero girlfriend to say since he was pretty sure she could kick his ass with one hand tied behind her back.

And then there was the question.

"..If you what?" he asked, frowning, not following at all. This was all just too weird.

[forhawkeye]

"Forget about it," I said quickly, lowering my hands. I reluctantly tore my eyes away from his unparalleled good looks, his full pouting lips, his cheekbones that could cut the hardest of diamond. "It's stupid. I don't even know why I thought you'd let me."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Let you what?" Nate pressed, still confused. "Kate, are you sure you're okay?" he asked, setting his hands on her shoulders to squeeze gently. "I think things are, you know... weird again." He didn't have boobs again, but he would have preferred that at this rate.

[forhawkeye]

"Touch you," I informed him sullenly. At his next words, however, my lower lip began to tremble, even as my heart sped up from the weight of his hands on my shoulders. "You think I'm some sort of freak, don't you?"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"What? No!" he sputtered, solidly rejecting the idea. "You can touch me if you want, Kate. That's how the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing works, you know?"

She did know. Something was wrong here. Seriously wrong.

[forhawkeye]

"Oh," I said, though I brightened up a little at the thought. Considering that permission of a sort, I hesitantly wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my cheek against his immaculately sculpted chest. "You smell good," I murmured without thinking, and immediately I felt my face burn with embarrassment.

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Uh thanks," he answered quickly. His own arms went around her, because just then he kind of needed a little assurance too. "Kate did anything... happen that I don't know about? Do we need to talk about something?" It would really, really suck if he chalked up some relationship problem to the island being weird, and would probably come back to bite him in the ass later.

[forhawkeye]

"What? No," I replied earnestly, pulling away just enough so I could assure him as much with a quick shake of my head, my cheeks still pink from my comment only seconds earlier. "I just woke up this morning and realized everyone had been staring at me. I don't know why you put up with me, really. God, I mean, look at me!" I drew back completely, then, and gestured violently at myself. "I'm like a walking circus sideshow."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Okay, yeah, definitely something weird. Kate had some issues, but massive lack of self esteem and a skewed world view weren't any of them. Nate just stared wide-eyed at the gesture, not having any clue why anyone would be staring at Kate. Other than her being hot. "Well... I guess purple plaid isn't normal island wear?" he guessed.

[forhawkeye]

"I thought it would be better than purple Kevlar," I admitted in a small, pitiful voice, my mouth setting into a deep frown. "That maybe I'd draw less attention if I covered up my freakishly pale skin."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"You're-- Okay, this isn't right," Nate decided, shaking his head to emphasize the point. "You don't have freakishly pale skin. You have perfectly fine, healthy skin and you are not a walking circus or whatever. You're hot, Kate," he said with a small laugh. Only here and now would he have to tell his girlfriend this. "You're beautiful, and you're not acting like you."

[forhawkeye]

I was silent for a long moment, turning his words over and over in my mind. Beautiful? Hot? I was sure I thought the same, once, but I'd chalked it up to a(n admittedly long) fit of arrogance and overconfidence, not to any sort of truth.

Panic started to build in my chest. What if I wasn't acting like myself? What if I was secretly a Skrull all along? Oh, God, what if I was a pod person?

"What do you think is wrong with me?" I asked him, eyes wide with fear, and I clasped my hands to his forearms, my earlier hesitation all but forgotten in the face of sheer terror.

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"What?" That hadn't been what he meant at all, but it just figured that Kate would take it that way. This day was not going as planned.

...Oh God, how long did these things last?

"No, nothing's wrong you with, Kate," he assured her, carefully looking her in the eye with his best honest face. "I think it's just one of those island things? You know, like turning me into a girl that one time."

[forhawkeye]

"Well, what do I do, then?" I all but demanded, my fingers tightening around his muscular arms. "I can't just go around with the island controlling my mind, Nate! People will stare!"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Uh... yeah," he said slowly, kind of wishing he could pry Kate's fingers off of him without making her think something was wrong. Other than Nate just being a little weirded out. "I don't think anyone's really going to notice. If it's an island thing, they'll all be out of it too or know someone who is. I think you're safe from people staring."

[forhawkeye]

Pursing my lips together, I nodded once. His logic, much like his face, was flawless and I felt shame for ever having doubted him. Of course, Nate would know what to do! I slowly loosened my grip on his arms. Despite never having met any other Archibald, I knew it in my heart to be true that they all had excellent heads on their shoulders. It had been stupid of me to panic.

"I'll just wait it out, then," I suggested, almost brightly. It was short-lived. Soon after my face fell minutely, my hesitance winning out once again. Taking in a deep, calming breath, I whispered, "Will you stay with me, tonight?"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Well at least she had calmed down a little bit. Still uneasy but preferring to focus on the small problem in front of him instead of the bigger problem at large, Nate nodded slowly. "Yeah, sure, Kate. But... why are you whispering?"

[forhawkeye]

I looked around us briefly, making sure no one was there, and I stepped in a little closer to him. "I don't want to ruin your reputation," I told him, only a little louder than before.

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Kate, we're on supernatural island," he pointed out, voice flat. "I have no reputation. And even if I did," he said, shaking his head. "And even if you weren't good for it, do you really think I'd care?"

[forhawkeye]

In that instant, I melted. I had no idea what I'd done to deserve him, but a warm feeling bubbled up from my chest and soon I found myself crying tears of joy.

"Oh, Nate!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around his neck. "You're too good for me!"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Okay, again, wow. That wasn't what he'd expected, but nothing in this conversation so far had been what he'd expected. Reflexively he wrapped his arms around her waist for a hug. "I wouldn't go that far," he said, feeling a little awkward. Was this how Kate really thought? Or was this something else completely?

[forhawkeye]

"I would," I admitted honestly, staring adoringly into his shining cerulean eyes. My heart pounded in my chest so hard I swore he must have been able to feel it, given how close we were.

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Nate stared back down into that hero-worship gaze and felt ten times more awkward. Maybe he'd feel touched in another situation, but this was just so weird. "Let's.. not.. for right now," he said cautiously. "Until whatever's going on.. stops going on."

[forhawkeye]

"What would you have me do instead?" I asked, clearly puzzled and a little hurt, as I brought my hands back down to my sides. "I'm not... Am I coming on too strong? Should I act aloof or...or...not tell you how perfect you are?"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Perfect? Really? "Kate, I'm not perfect," he stated, holding up a hand. "Let's make that clear. You're not coming on too strong at all, I'm just not used to this." He purposely left 'this' vague because... well what was this?