school

[muuumew, <3]

the school is rather large, and split into three central buildings. elementary students, middle school students, and highschool students. it isn't the greatest school, but it's the best that echo creek has.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo made his way up the large staircase leading up to the roof. Clutching his light pastel blue Kanken backpack, he walked a little quicker. At the moment, he had study hall. He needed a break away from all of the people in there though, so he decided to go up to the roof. He wasn't sure if he'd get in trouble for being up there, but at this point Leo didn't care. It was annoying, and overall ridiculously frustrating. Some people asked about Leo's condition, if he was mentally alright, and what not. While others, they were just downright horrendous. Some teased him, asking him if he was going to date a freshman since he was a senior. Simply because he dated a senior when he was a freshman. This definitely did hurt him, seeing as that was something he despised thinking about. Snapping out of his thoughts, Leo pushed open the heavy door to the roof. There were red and yellow paint specks on his hands, and a few green paint smudges on his face. The boy was completely unaware of this, though. His hair was a bit disheveled, looking as if he had just jumped out of bed.

[soub, egg]

Small plumes of smoke curled around Akira's face, trailing up into the sky until it could no longer be seen. He positioned the cigarette on the middle of his lower lip, and closed his lips around the small object. Closing his eyes, Akira inhaled slowly, before removing the cigarette and exhaling all of the smoke from his lungs. It left a particularly unsavory, bitter taste in his mouth. I need to stop. he thought, although the thought of addiction had never entered his mind. Akira held the cigarette between his pointer and middle finger, dragging it across the concrete of the roof. He tossed it off of the side, until it hit the grass below. Akira lifted up his legs, and removed them from in between the bars of the railing. He scooted backward so he was sitting in the corner where the wall of the stairwell met the railing. Akira ran his gloved hand through his hair, causing it to fall messily over his eyes. Akira fumbled at his wrist, trying to grab the rubber band from it. He frowned, noticing the pink indent it left in his wrist. He used one hand to gather his hair into a ponytail, and the other to wrap the rubber band around his hair. Akira brought his hands back down to his lap once the band was secure, and pulled out his box of cigarettes. He fished around in his pocket for the lighter, smirking slightly when his fingers brushed against the cool metal surface of his pocket lighter.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo couldn't make out who exactly was on the roof with him, but he could see what they were doing. He walked over towards the other male, a deep frown making its way onto his features. "Yo, were you just smoking?" Leo asked, setting his backpack down on the ground next to him, and crossed his arms. "What was his name.." He began, thinking. "Taylor! Would Taylor approve of you doing this?" Leo asked not realizing that Akira had moved out a while ago. "It's not healthy for you to smoke. In fact, you're basically just killing yourself!" He chastised the stranger, before recognizing him. "You're a senior, right? Seriously, you're setting a bad example for the freshman." Leo doubted the other male would listen to him, but a small part of him hoped he would. An irritated look crossed his face, before he picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulders once more.

[soub, egg]

Akira wasn't aware of the other male's presence until he spoke. Akira turned his head sharply to look at the other male. He wasn't sure of his name, but he had seen him before. A look of annoyance was prominent on Akira's features when the boy brought up Taylor. "What does Taylor have to do with any of this?! He won't care." Akira retorted dryly. He shoved the lighter back into his pocket forcefully. "Do you honestly think I care?" Akira asked, although it was rhetorical. Akira didn't care about his health. He didn't smoke often, nor did he care about setting a bad example for the freshmen. Akira dropped the almost empty container of cigarettes back into his backpack and crossed his arms. He still held a cigarette between his middle and pointer finger. Smoke drifted off of the lit end, and Akira debated whether or not he should finish it or just drop it off of the school. Akira decided he would finish it just to spite the boy. He brought the small object to his lips, and took a deep breath, not breaking his eye contact with the boy. He removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled slowly, letting the smoke exit his mouth.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo held eye contact with the male for a few seconds, until he felt really awkward. He broke the eye contact, averting his gaze to anywhere but Akira's eyes. "I'm sure he would care." Leo said, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. He took a small step back so the smoke wouldn't get near him, before clearing his throat. "Well- you should care!" Leo added, crossing his arms. It annoyed him that the other male didn't care about his health, but he didn't bother him any further. It was frustrating, yes, but was it Leo's business? No. He turned on his heel without a word, before walking over to a bench on the other side of the roof. He sat his backpack down first, and then proceeded to sit down next to it. Crossing his legs, Leo tugged at a small string that had come loose from one of the rips in his black jeans. He was wearing a light blue tshirt, and a denim jacket with random pins on it, as well as his converse sneakers. It didn't take him long to pull out his cellphone, but he stopped when he noticed a speck of paint on his hand. Leo tried to scratch it off, but his nails were far too short to do anything.

[soub, egg]

Akira dismissed everything that the other male said. Taylor this. Taylor that. "wHat WouLd tAylOr sAy" the phrase made Akira angry. Everyone said it. Even his adopted parents. Half of Akira's anger came from the fact that he would never live up to Taylor's reputation, and the other reason was that Taylor wasn't around to say something about it. Akira hadn't seen him since he left for college two years ago. He just HAD to leave the state. Akira shook his head, trying to snap himself out of his thoughts. Akira dropped the cigarette but over the railing, and pushed himself up off of the ground. His gaze drifted to where Leo sat. Akira grimaced slightly when he realized that the only way off of the roof was to jump, and the tree he usually jumped into was near where Leo was sitting. He took a few steps over there, swinging his bookback over his shoulder. Akira slid his arms through the straps, securing it so nothing would fall out. It wasn't far or anything, but Akira didn't want anyone to see him.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo giggled a little at his phone, as he scrolled through instagram to look at memes. He didn't even realize Akira was near him, until he noticed another shadow. His gaze shifted from his cellphone to Akira before he raised an eyebrow at him. "Um, are you okay dude?" Leo asked, more nonchalant than he had been before. He slipped his phone into his bag, before looking at Akira curiously. His freckles were very noticeable at that distance, as was the paint on his hands and face. He himself didn't realize that what he had said earlier to Akira was offensive- in fact, he didn't even understand why the latter seemed so mad! Leo let out a soft sigh, before crossing his legs and reaching for the open energy drink can that was in the backpack's side pocket. It was almost empty, so Leo took another sip, finishing it off.

[soub, egg]

Akira's hands tightened around his backpack straps. "I'm great." He said through gritted teeth. Akira perched himself on the railing, swinging his legs softly. There was no way that he could fall backwards, seeing that Akira had done it over a hundred times. "Why aren't you in class?" Akira asked curiously. It wasn't any of his business, and he didn't really care. Akira was just hoping that Leo would leave, so he could leave as well. He raised an eyebrow slightly, now noticing the paint splatter on Leo. He could only assume that the boy had come from an art class or something similar. Akira's hands drifted down to the railing, where he gripped the metal bar he was sitting on tightly. Akira swung his legs back and forth, letting them pass through the metal bars with ease.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo watched the other male, before widening his eyes ever so slightly. "That's dangerous as well. Do you like risking your life or something?" He asked, before uncrossing his legs. "I have study hall at the moment, but I didn't want to be in the building- obviously." Leo said, gesturing towards the roof. He noticed the other male's eyes lingering on the paint, before huffing a sigh. He tried to rub it off, but it still remained. God, this better be washable. Leo thought, before running a hand through his almond brown hair. "Why aren't you in class?" He asked, returning the question. He rarely ever saw Akira in school, and wondered if this is where he hung out all day.

[soub, egg]

Akira shrugged, letting go of the railing. He kept his balance, but his hands hovered over the railing, just in case he would slip. "I mean. I guess." Akira replied, although he sounded serious. "I've got better things to do than go to class." Akira believed that anything was more important than school. He had planned on leaving, to go to his secret hideout on the beach, just to get away from everything for a little while. Akira turned himself around, so he was facing away from Leo. Akira's gaze dropped down to one of the trees. The branches were thick and sturdy, perfect for jumping onto. Plus, the school building wasn't that tall, so you could easily hop from that branch, onto another one, and you'd be able to climb down from there.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo rolled his eyes at Akira's response. He wasn't sure how to respond to such things without starting an argument, or getting the other boy annoyed with him. Again. He sighed softly, trying to remember the latter's name. He remembered it being mentioned vaguely, and then smiled. "Ah! Now I remember!" Leo exclaimed, unintentionally saying it out aloud. "Your name is Kira, right?" He asked, a grin making its way onto his face. It was hard to be angry with Leo, especially with how happy he seemed for thinking he got Akira's name right. He stared at the back of the taller male's head, before mumbling a quick 'be careful'.

[soub, egg]

Akira hated being called Kira. The only person who called him that was Taylor. He seemed to tense up as soon as he heard it. "It's Akira." he replied bluntly. He couldn't quite bring himself to get angry at Leo though. "You're uh....what's your name again?" Akira asked. He slid down slightly, so he stood on the ledge. Akira held on tightly to the railing, not wanting to fall. He took a deep breath, before turning to Leo. "You coming?" He asked, before letting go of the railing. Akira jumped from the ledge, pushing off from the wall. He fell for a few seconds, before he landed on top of a thick branch. Akira had done this many times, although he wasn't sure how many more jumps it would take before the branch would be unable to hold his weight.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo raised an eyebrow at Akira. He definitely misheard the other male, which was unsurprising at this point. "Yeah, I know that. I literally said that, Kira." He said, before smiling again. "I'm Leo, Leo Vázquez." He replied, before shooting Akira a look. He couldn't help but wonder what the other male was trying to do. Leo sat there confused at Akira's question, before he jumped. He let out a surprised sound, before standing up quickly, ignoring the dizzying feeling of standing up to fast. His gaze landed on Akira, who seemed to have perfectly landed on a branch. A bit breathless out of shock, he stumbled over his words. "What..What the hell dude!" Leo exclaimed, looking around anxiously. He had no idea what to say at this point. To put it simply, he thought Akira was insane. Feeling his heart pound a little faster, he turned around and grabbed his backpack. Eventually he made his way back to the railing. His hands gripped it tightly, and he gulped before swinging his legs over it and jumping.

[soub, egg]

"Whatever," Akira mumbled. Obviously, Leo must have misheard him, but he wasn't in the mood to continuously correct him that day.
Akira steadied himself on the branch. "It's really not that hard," Akira replied. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. Akira could feel his heart pumping in his chest from excitement. Even though it was something he did often, it still gave him an unexplainable rush of excitement and exhilaration. Akira let out a slight sigh of relief when Leo made his way onto the branch. Akira hopped from that branch, to the next one. He then hopped from that one, and soon hit the ground. Akira had gotten pretty good at landing on his feet, although he felt a sharp pain in his ankle, but it usually disappeared after a while.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo carefully followed Akira down, his hesitation very prominent. His footing was awkward, and overall, he definitely didn't feel safe. He held onto his backpack straps tightly as he made his way to the last branch. Watching as Akira jumped down, Leo did the same. He intended to land on his feet, but he lost whatever balance he had and fell on his back. "Ooof." Leo groaning, whining ever so slightly. He sat up and ran a hand through his thick hair, before standing up. He winced a little bit, but overall he felt okay. "Where are we going?" He asked, adrenaline still rushing through him. Leo definitely had a bad habit of growing feelings for cute "bad boys", and Akira was definitely no exception. He didn't think anything would blossom between the two of them, but he couldn't help but get lovesick over nothing- that's just the way he was.

[soub, egg]

Akira turned to Leo, who had landed on his back. "Uh...are you alright?" He asked cautiously. Seeing that Leo was able to stand, he assumed that he wasn't in pain or anything. The rush was now gone, and Akira felt normal again. The feeling never lasted. He then realized that he hadn't told Leo where they were going. "Somewhere." He replied bluntly. Akira began making his way to the parking lot, which was only a few yards away. Akira stopped walking once he reached his motorcycle. He knelt down and secured his bag onto a small hook. Akira stood back up, and fished around in his pocket for his key. He eventually found it, and swung his leg over the seat. Akira sat down, and slid the key into the slot. He turned it, and sighed when the engine started to turn on.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo nodded, before shooting Akira a look. "Okay..but where is 'somewhere'?" He asked, having to walk quicker to keep up with the other male. He eventually caught up with him, and began walking alongside Akira. When he realized that the bike was his, a look of awe crossed his face. "Woah.." Leo mumbled, unsure whether or not he was allowed on it too. He mentally groaned realizing that yes, he was definitely allowed to ride it. Leo carefully swung his leg over the bike, and sat down behind Akira. He wished he could say that he had ridden a motorcycle before, but that would be a total lie. While Leo was a little nervous about the whole ordeal, he was very curious about it as well. "Do I just hold onto you?" He asked Akira, before looking around.

[soub, egg]

“A place.” Akira replied bluntly. He handed Leo the helmet, and then turned back around. “What else would you hold onto?” He asked somewhat sarcastically. Akira pulled out his phone while he waited for Leo to hop on. No one knew about Akira’s secret hiding space, not even Taylor. He hadn’t taken anyone there, so Leo would be his first. Akira’s hiding space was a small building that had been abandoned a few years ago on the beach. It was covered with vines and random foliage. The electricity still worked for some reason, which made it the perfect space. Akira would go there when he couldn’t stand to be home. It was his escape from reality when he needed it.

[muuumew, <3]

"If you murder me, I'll be very angry with you." Leo grumbled, before leaning forward and wrapping his arms around Akira's waist. He peeked over the taller male's shoulder to see what he was doing, and frowned when it was nothing interesting. Letting go for a moment, Leo tightened his backpack straps and held onto Akira again, ignoring his sarcastic comment. He sighed softly, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. Where would Akira take him? Why was Akira taking him? Leo had a lot of questions for him, but it seemed as if Akira was already annoyed. So, he kept his mouth shut, as much as it bothered him how short the other male was being with him.

[soub, egg]

Akira rolled his eyes for what seemed like the eighth time. A slight, unnoticeable blush dusted his cheeks, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone. "Damn. You've exploited my plans." Akira replied sarcastically. He gripped the handles of the motorcycle tightly and pulled down on the break, before putting the motorcycle in gear. "Are you ready?" he asked, before releasing the break and pulling down on the gas. The bike lurched forwards, although Akira was quickly able to gain control of it a few seconds afterward. He snaked his way through the parking lot, before flying past the gates and out into the streets. The beach wasn't too far away, Akira could practically see it in the distance.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo felt the bike lurch forwards, and held onto Akira tighter. "You could've waited for me to be ready!" He exclaimed, unable to keep himself from laughing. The wind whipped through his hair, and he enjoyed it for a while. It soon became to be a little too much so he rested his forehead on Akira's back, protecting his face from the wind. Leo peaked up a little bit and grinned brightly. "Are we going to the beach!" He asked, sounding super excited. His excited tone and overall happy demeanor seemed to lessen a bit at the mention of the beach. "We're not gonna swim, are we?" Leo asked, pursing his lips slightly. He didn't want to even step foot in the ocean. He knew he was being dramatic, but he couldn't help it.

[soub, egg]

"I thought you were ready?" Akira asked loudly. He couldn't really hear what Leo was saying, but he made out what he could. Akira made sure to drive carefully. Usually, he would have sped the whole way there, but Leo was with him this time. "Uh- Sort of!" Akira replied, "I mean, only if you want to?" Akira didn't really go swimming. He was self-conscious about his scars, and he wasn't a great swimmer. Something was different about the way Leo asked. Perhaps he was afraid of the ocean or something? Akira wanted to pry, but deemed that he wouldn't benefit from it.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo laughed and shook his head again, despite Akra not being able to see. "It's all good now!" He said, trying to talk over the loud sounds of the bike. He could practically feel the wind making knots in his hair, and the thought made him want to scream. Hearing Akira's question, Leo shook his head. "Um..Nah, not really." He said. He made up a lame excuse, mumbling something about not bringing a bathing suit. Leo raised an eyebrow at the other male's compliance, but didn't mention it. He let out another sigh, and sat up a little more. He looked around at the buildings they passed by, and turned to look at the beach with a small smile.

[soub, egg]

Akira nodded in response, as they passed the beach parking lot. He continued to drive past the large stretch of land, until the terrain started to get rocky. Akira pulled up to a small patch of grass concealed by rocks and trees. Below it, was a wooden staircase that lead to his hideout. It used to be a clubhouse of some sort, until the people stopped going and it was later closed off. Akira snapped out of his thoughts, and put the motorcycle in park. Akira hopped off, and waited for Leo. "It's just up ahead."

[muuumew, <3]

Leo hopped off of the bike soon after Akira, and trailed behind him. He stopped to stare at the beach with a smile on his face, before looking forwards and breaking out into a jog to catch up with the other male. "Jeez, you walk fast." Leo mumbled, only now realizing how tall Akira was. He wasn't a giant, but he was still rather tall. He nodded in response to Akira's statement, and tried to get a better look of the clubhouse. He followed Akira down the steps, trying his best not to trip on anything. "Has this place always been here?" Leo asked curiously. He had never seen it when he used to visit the beach often, so it was kind of odd to suddenly see it now. Maybe Leo just didn't pay attention- actually, that was definitely it.

[soub, egg]

Akira headed down the steps, making his way towards the building. "You're just slow!" Akira replied back. Akira wasn't walking fast, he just had long legs. "Uh-" Akira began, stopping. He had to think for a moment. "It's been here for a while, almost as long as Echo Falls has." Akira began walking again. He hopped down from the last step, and turned to go up the steps of the abandoned building. Akira was there earlier that morning, and had left the door unlocked. He swung the door open, and ducked underneath the wooden plank that had been hammered across the doorway. As soon as they entered the room, the tempurature seemed to drop ten degrees. The room had an out of this world aura to it, almost supernatural. But of course, Akira didn't mind one bit. He tossed his bag onto the couch near the door, and flipped the light switch. It took a few seconds before the lights turned on. They then began flickering for a few seconds, until stopping.

[muuumew, <3]

"I'm not slow!" Leo retorted. He rolled his eyes, before nodding. "I guess I just haven't noticed it." He said, still trailing behind Akira. He walked up the steps, not noticing his foot catch onto one of them. Leo almost tripped and fell on his face, but he grabbed onto the railing on time. Letting out a sigh of relief, he continue to walk up the stairwell. Once they got to the door, he hesitated a bit, but ducked underneath the wooden plank after Akira did. Due to the sudden temperature drop, a chill went down Leo's spine, causing him to shiver ever so slightly. He didn't like the vibe of this place one bit, but he decided he'd stay anyways.

[soub, egg]

"Mhm.." Akira mumbled. "It's hard to notice." Akira flopped down on the couch next to his bag. The room was fairly average, containing a couch, a small bar like area, a pool table and a few doors that lead to other rooms. There was a tv in the corner that Akira had fixed up a few years back. Suddenly, he had the urge to ask Leo a question. "So like, what's your deal with the ocean?" Akira asked, being the idiot he was. He knew nothing about the events that had occurred, mainly because Akira knew better than to bide in gossip and such.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo glanced at Akira, before letting out a dry laugh. "Oh? You don't already know? That's surprising- this whole town seems to live on gossip." He said, glaring at the ground in front of him. He definitely didn't like the way Akira asked that question. If Akira really didn't know, then it wasn't his fault for asking Leo. The only reasonable reaction to that question for Leo was to get defensive, rather than remain calm. So, he returned an equally dumb question. "What's with you and all your scars?" Leo asked. He continued to stand, holding onto both of his backpack straps.

[soub, egg]

Akira shook his head. Something bad obviously happened, due to Leo's reaction and the tone of his voice. "I tend to ignore gossip." Akira replied honestly. He was a bit miffed at Leo's question. He raised a hand, gently grazing the scar on his cheek. "W-"He began. "That's none of your damn business." Akira snapped. He was shocked at the sudden outburst, although that was his typical reaction when someone asked such a question.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo was a little shocked when Akira snapped at him, but eventually got over it. "Well..neither is my problem with the ocean!" He replied, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. A part of Leo wanted to apologize for suddenly being so aggressive, but when Akira snapped at him, he temper only seemed to rise even more. "Jeez, I don't even know why I followed you here." Leo mumbled under his breath, an annoyed, and slightly sad look crossing his face.

[soub, egg]

Akira crossed his arms and pulled his knees closer to his chest. He sat at an odd angle, but it was one that Akira found comfortable. "Well-" Akira began, a look of frustration crossing his face. "If it isn't any of my business, why did you make such a big deal about it?!" Akira asked, unaware of what he was getting into. Akira's 'people' skills weren't the best. He had no idea of when he should stop talking, or when what he was saying was completely rude.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo's facial expression was laced with shock and annoyance. "I'm sorry? I didn't make a big deal about anything! I-It isn't my fault I react to certain things normally. At least I'm not a stoic asshole like you!" He said, raising his voice a little bit. He definitely didn't seem like the type to get worked up so easily, yet here he was, fluffy sweater and all. His cheeks were puffed slightly in frustration, and overall it was obvious he wasn't being very calm. "What even is with your whole 'bad boy' act? I thought it was sorta cute at first, but in fact, you're actually kinda mean!"

[soub, egg]

Akira was a stoic asshole, he just didn't want to admit it. "I-I am not!" He snapped, an angry expression appearing on his face. "What do you mean, 'bad boy' act?!" Akira asked, "And I'm not mean!" He lied. Akira was mean. He was incredibly rude, especially to the people who tried to get close to him. He had no idea why it would be 'cute' either.

[muuumew, <3]

Leo held onto the slightly over sized sleeves of his sweater, thick eyebrows somehow furrowing deeper. "This whole edgy get up you have! Smoking? Jumping off of the school roof? Being a jerk for no apparent reason? I have no other way to describe your behavior as anything but a 'wannabe bad boy'.- If anything, you're a wannabe bad boy with a death wish!" Leo's tan skin was flushed red, seeing as he was upset, and he had confessed the small feelings he had begun to develop for the other male. Of course, they were definitely dwindling. "You know what? Forget this. I don't even know why I followed you." Leo said, moving up his right hand to hold onto his backpack strap.