[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

[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?

[forhawkeye]

"Being lavished with the praise you so clearly deserve?" I asked, in an effort to define 'this.' "Even if you aren't perfect, you're clearly as close as it gets."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Do you really think that?" he had to ask, disbelieving. He didn't want to believe it, that Kate actually had this opinion of him. Because it wasn't flattering now; it was just creepy. "I mean, honestly, just say how you really feel."

[forhawkeye]

His reaction startled me. My eyes welled with unshed tears and my lower lip began to tremble.

"Confused," I admitted, hiccuping. "Please, don't be upset with me, Nate. I woke up this morning and everything was wrong! My clothes were too short and too tight and too revealing. Every decision I've ever made was just utterly incomprehensible! I've been living under this crazy delusion that I was somehow this great person. It's like...I don't know. Like I've been unplugged from The Matrix and I can finally see!"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"You're not seeing right," was all Nate in his frustration could say. He shook his head vigorously, but he had a feeling he needed to walk away and walk away soon or he was going to get too wrapped up in this, too upset to know what to do. "You are a great person, Kate. Just--"

He sighed, tired, frustrated, then tried to let it go. "Just please don't cry, Kate. Don't do that."

[forhawkeye]

I sniffled loudly, dragging the back of my hand underneath my nose in what I could only assume was an extremely unattractive manner.

"Okay," I promised wetly, my mouth pulling into a frown. "I won't cry."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Nate didn't think Kate could ever look so pitiful, which annoyed him but also made him feel sorry for her. "I'm sorry, Kate," he said, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her. "This is just really weird and I'm frustrated. I shouldn't take it out on you."

[forhawkeye]

I rested my cheek against his perfectly sculpted chest and loosely clasped my hands behind his back, hugging him. I couldn't bear the thought of him being angry with me, so I thought it best to be agreeable. "Maybe you're right," I said quietly. "Maybe this is just an island thing and things will be less weird tomorrow and you won't have to be frustrated anymore."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Nate agreed, thinking to himself, Hopefully. "Come on," he said, letting go of her a little to take a step back and nod towards the path. "Have you had dinner yet?" Truthfully, he wanted to get away, but getting out of a private situation for a little while would suffice.

[forhawkeye]

I shook my head. "No," I said, and I refrained from telling him why I hadn't even planned on doing so. I figured it would only frustrate him further and I didn't want to upset him anymore than I already obviously had.