Hip to Be Square

Posted on Fri Dec 29th, 2023 @ 8:16pm by Connor Bruin & Bliss Hawkins

17,361 words; about a 87 minute read

Mission: Episode 3: X-Tra Ecclesiam
Location: Salem Center, NY
Timeline: August 21st, 1990

[Warning: This post contains mild adult content - Reader discretion is advised]

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After a week of sneaking around in hallways and empty rooms, Connor put together a plan. Bliss had said he was her boyfriend. Connor decided that meant she needed a proper date. What with the near miss in Boston and the drama of Scott's leave-taking and everything surrounding that, Connor could use time away from the mansion himself.

The trouble was that he had never been on one before. There were classical elements to a first date, most of which eluded Connor whose pop-cultural knowledge left something to be desired.

Not that he would let that stop him. Chaos Theory dictated that his plan would fail, but past experience thus far suggests that Bliss would enjoy that even more for some reason. Or maybe not. The uncertainty of it all gave Connor a thrill that made his handwritten note more hastily scrawled than would be for usual. He slid it under Bliss's bedroom door anyway.

Date night. Seven.
-Bubblicious

Bliss was busy doing math problems when she heard the rasp of paper sliding over the door. She passed the floor on her bare feet and picked up the note. She bit her lower lip as her eyes darted over the brief note. She did a silent version of the Snoopy dance, waving the note with glee.

When it was time, Bliss was sitting on the stoop of the front porch. Black top, bare midriff, cut offs, and her favorite Keds. She had every penny she owned in her little purse, enough to buy them food and some treats.

At 7:00 sharp, a loud engine roared to life inside the garage, heralding a black convertible Ford roadster that might have been older than D-Day came inching its way out of the bay doors. Connor fought with the shifter like a cowboy breaking a wild bronc. Several ground gears later, Connor stopped at the stoop where Bliss was waiting and hopped out.

Connor was wearing black suspenders over a white button-down dress shirt that was at least one size too small. The sleeves were tied off at quarter-length to make room for his oversized wrists. If the shirt ever had a top button, it was long gone. He wore simple black trousers that gave him room to walk and not much else. He wore his normal black boots that were for all occasions.

One look at Bliss stole his breath away. His mouth made a silent WOW. Thumbs tucked under his suspender straps, he grinned wide at her like a kid in a candy store.

Bliss sprang up from the steps with a surprised grin. She skipped around the jalopy with delighted laughter. She finally threw her arms around his waist. He looked one brimmed hat short of an Amish elder, but he was hers.
"Hi!"

Greeting her with a hand sign, Connor felt too shell-shocked at the sight of her to respond any other way right off the bat. His breathing turned swift and shallow, but he managed to return her embrace. He held up his open hand in front of his face and twirled his fingertips together into a fine point. <. Beautiful. .>

Her eyes twinkled with happiness, her cheeks pinked with a rare blush.
<. Thanks, do you like my outfit? It was too hot for jeans, and I wanted to look pretty for you. .>

Connor nodded several times with a big, dopey grin. <. I love it and you. Can I?.> And he tapped his lips.

She started to lean in to kiss him, then remembered the whole school was right behind them. She gave him an apologetic look. <. I can't wait to kiss you but I don't want to do it with prying eyes. You think this jalopy can get us off campus? .>

He nodded with understanding and opened the car door for her. It was too late now to put the classic roaster back into the garage. At least it was a convertible which meant they could bail quickly if he truly lost control.

Bliss noticed an unspoken tentativeness with Connor. She put two and two together and figured that somebody like him was highly unlikely to have a driver's license. She quickly thought of how to save face for him.

<. Hey, would you mind if I asked to take the bus into town? The convertible's going to wreck my hair. Besides that'll give us time to talk and have fun without you having to worry about this old car. .>

Connor was just getting the hang of the shifter but if she wanted to take the bus, that would be fine with him. He liked buses. Large, powerful, efficient mass transportation vehicles were even cooler than convertibles. Plus talking with Bliss seemed to often include kissing. That was another incentive.

<. If you like. Let's go. .> Connor almost picked her up and carried her, but then he thought better of it. If kissing was too demonstrative, then how much more would carrying her around be? Instead they walked hand in hand. <. Have you been to town before? .>

<. Only to one of the malls for essential clothes when I first got here. .> Bliss took great pleasure at walking hand in hand with Connor. Her hand seems so small in his, she thought. It was nice to get away from the pressure filled school, especially with him. She felt like she didn't have to put on her armor like she did for everyone else. After all he could see through it, right?

<. I figured it was time to see things on a social level, and now that I have somebody I can hang out with like you, it sounds like a perfect way to spend an evening. What are you hungry for? I'm starving. They were having leftovers tonight, and as much as I enjoy pasta having it two nights in a row was bordering on abusive. .>

It was a long time since he'd had an extended conversation in sign language. Usually it was only out of necessity, whether for him or someone else. But Bliss was actively telling him about her day, her thoughts and plans, all in the way he could respond to her without having to type out each and every word. A sudden feeling struck him. What was it? Not sad, even though he felt the warning burn of tears that might shed. No, it was glad. Very glad.

<. I agree. .> Connor took a minute to rewind everything she had signed while lost in his own thoughts and played it back in his head. Yep, he still agreed. <. Sorry. I got distracted. Nobody else knows how to sign. When you do, it makes me feel strange. Good and strange. Like when you cried happy, I think. You make me feel things I have never felt before. .>

Bliss gave his shoulder a squeeze. <. Good things, I hope. I'm sorry I was thoughtless. How would you prefer to communicate? I thought it would be easier for you rather than have to type everything out. Trust me I'm comfortable with whatever you would like to do. I'm just enjoying spending time with you. .>

<. It is difficult to choose. .> Connor scrunched his nose while he thought. He pressed his fingers against his eyes while he stared at Bliss, then he looked away for a moment. While his eyes were redirected, his focus was peripherally on Bliss in contrast. Finally, he replied. <. The register of your voice is like tonic on sunburn for my ears, but I split my focus to watch and listen to you. Signs lets me focus just on looking at you. But I like watching your mouth move when you talk. But then I feel connected to you when we communicate like this, almost as if I can hear your thoughts instead of just your words. .> There was an almost palpable intensity between them when they focused on one another when hand signing. <. It makes my forehead tingle. .>

"I don't mind talking to you like this and then you can sign me your responses. How's that for a compromise? Will that work for you?" She smiled warmly at him.

They finally reached the bus stop on Graymalkin Lane and took a seat on the bench.

Connor looked at her pouty lips form the words and gave a giddy nod. <. Yes. I could sit and listen to you read the phonebook. .>

She turned so she could focus on him, folding her leg under herself. She ran her fingers through his hair with warm affection. "You're so sweet to me. If you keep it up you're going to make me diabetic." She looked around furtively for any spies. "Would it be all right if I kissed you?"

At first Connor giggled at her metaphor, but when she asked permission to kiss him, his hands flew up from his sides and took her by the cheeks. His lips weren't far behind, meeting hers with practiced gentility that held back the impulse he had been restraining up till that point.

Bliss smiled softly in the moment before Connor claimed her lips. It was a slow sweet kiss, her soft lips so tantalizing against his. Every new kiss was a lesson for Connor. Her hand came up to rest over his heart through his shirt. A soft whimper escaped her into him.

When they finally parted, Connor's face looked a little dazed. The flex of her open palm in cadence with his heartbeat was almost hypnotic to his proprioceptive sense. He bit his bottom lip and smiled. <. I was waiting all day for that. .>

"Me too." Her words were whispered, quiet even in the small distance between their faces. Bliss's emerald eyes were slightly dilated after the kiss, and a shy smile warmed her face. It made her seem softer to him. She kept her hand on his chest, as if not wanting to break contact with him.

The sweet moment of eternal sunshine was burst by the hissing brakes of the transit bus. As it came it a stop, the piston let out a sharp puff as the air pressure reached enough compression to put the large vehicle back into readiness. Connor had been about to ask her something, but the bus and its huge engine seized his attention for a moment. Before he could begin estimating the horsepower under the hood, he caught sight of the driver motioning for them to get in.

Connor took Bliss's hand and led her to the open door.

"Bus pass?" the driver asked in a droll voice.

Connor shook his head. No, he didn't have a bus pass. Why would he? He'd never ridden the bus before.

"No bus pass?" asked the bus driver again, this time with a touch of incredulity. "You a tourist or somethin'?"

Connor shook his head again. He lived here. Why would a tourist come all the way out here?

All the while, the scant few passengers riding the stops mostly ignored them except for a group of other teenagers near the back. Community college kids, maybe. Certainly not Ivy League. Probably from out of town if their demeanor suggested anything at all.

"Well, yous gotta' pay or get back the way you came," the bus driver said. "What's it gonna' be?"

Realization came over Connor's face. He started digging through his pockets for money.

"Pay in cash, Farmer Brown!" called out one of the young men from the back. He wore a backwards baseball cap. "They don't take wheat!" His friends began cutting up at the remark.

Bliss was fishing through her purse to gather the funds. "Here's money for two, plus I would like transfers please."

She gave Connor a reassuring pat as she got the transfers from the driver. She gave the mouthy boys in the back scathing look. Once the transfers were in hand she put them in her purse and sat them down on a bench seat alone.

A mocking chorus of "ooooh"s came up from the back.

Bliss put a protective arm around Connor's shoulders, even though he was twice her size. "Keep cool, baby. Remember bullies are my territory."

<. Are they trying to bully you? .> Connor looked concerned for the first time. If he cared that they had said anything about him, it didn't show. But now, he gave them a firm stare with his fingers pressed against his eyes. <. They look related to the second or third generation. I did not know that inbreeding still happened in New York. .>

Bliss shook her head no. "Bullies don't like me. I don't put up with them, I never have."

Between the eye poke and the sign language, the boys were laughing up a storm. "Looks like he got on the wrong bus. This ain't the short one!"

Bliss sighed and patted Connor's leg. "Don't you pay no mind to what's about to happen. I'll be right back."

She pushed herself up from the seat and began to make her way back to the boys. She knew a thing or two about boys. First things first, she made sure there were no girls with them. Then she tried to figure out who was the alpha of this meager pack.

"Hey boys, you guys know where a girl can find a party in this town?" She looked out the window with a bored expression.

Backwards Hat appeared to be the ringleader. He slid down the seat with his arms draped over the back and a seedy grin on his face. "Got a rager in my pants. You can come to that."

Bliss rolled her eyes and sighed. "I doubt you could get any girl to come with that. But that's ok, I prefer straight guys." She looked to the others. "Anyone else?"

The other punks snickered until Backwards Hat shot them all a dirty look. He looked back at Bliss with a mocking sneer. "None of us are into licking windows, if that's what you're getting at." He nodded over at Connor. "Not like your clodhopper over there."

Bliss checked her manicure casually. "That guy is a sixty minute man. You seem to be more of a two pump chump. Look, if you're not going to be of any use, I'm gonna leave you to cruise the bus station bathrooms. I'm sure there's a guy your speed just waiting for you."

"You got up and came to us, bitch." The four others put their hands in front of their faces and started hooting provocatively. "How's about we roll on you and your mong boyfriend, show you both what a real man is like. Bet he'd like the show."

Connor appeared behind Bliss and set his hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there. Then he looked Backwards Hat in the eye for a hard second before he started signing. <. Call her a bitch one more time and I will shove your head up his butt, his head up his butt, then his head up his butt, and then his head up his butt. .> Connor pointed each member of the gang out in turn. <. Step off this bus after we do and see if you all do not end up as a human centipede. .>

"What the fuck?" The punks were confused by the long string of sign language.

Bliss shook her head with a warning wag of her finger. "You boys can't afford the ticket for this ride. As for what my friend said, I don't think it's physically possible, but I'd enjoy watching him turn you into broken GI Joes."

The bus lurched to a halt. "That's it!" shouted the bus driver. "You's six in the back! You're off!"

"But this ain't even our stop!" Backwards Hat protested.

"It is now!" the driver retorted. "Off the bus or I calls the cops!"

The five punks shuffled off the bus muttering curses and epithets all the way.

"You too!" yelled the driver at Bliss and Connor.

Connor pointed at himself.

"Yeah, you lunkhead. I ain't saying it again."

The other boys had drifted away from the bus though not far. They were obviously not going anywhere. Connor didn't really want any trouble but it looked like trouble either way. He gave Bliss a shrug and did as the driver ordered.

Before they knew it, Bliss and Connor were outside the bus. The doors closed shut behind them and the bus took off with a rumble. It was early evening on the far side of the strip mall parking lot on the edge of town with no one around except for the motley crew from the bus.

"Check it out, guys," said Backwards Hat. "It's the bitch with the mouth and the retard without one. How's about we show them how do?"

The other four chuckled their agreement and fanned out on approach, preparing to take on Bliss and Connor all at once.

Bliss held up a hand to get their attention. "Let's set up the ground rules. No weapons, keep every thing non lethal, and no ground shots. Agreed?"

Backwards Hat pulled a butterfly knife out of his pocket and flipped it across his chest until it was fully unfolded. A gloating sneer flashed across his face.

Connor hooted at him in warning. He stepped in front of Bliss and made a gesture towards the boys that pantomimed a snapped twig.

The other punks pulled out other assorted weapons. A couple of switchblades, bronze knuckles, even a pair of nunchaku. Connor quickly sized up the odds and determined they were decidedly unfair.

Connor jumped several feet to the side where the bus stop sign was embedded into the asphalt. With both hands, Connor began wrenching on it for all he was worth. At first it didn't do much more than make the pole tremble, but in just a couple seconds Connor had a full rotation like he was doing the Butter Churn.

Once the asphalt cracked apart, Connor plucked the sign from the ground like a stubborn weed. He turned on his heel while twirling the sign over his head a few times to get the heft of it before resting it on his shoulder like a lumberjack barbarian.

"What the hell!" shouted the guy on the right. He'd never seen anything like that before.

Connor gave the gang of five a wild grin as he stepped forward to engage them in melee combat. The bus stop sign in his hands might as well have been a baseball bat.

Three of the punks turned tail and ran without looking back. Backwards Hat and his number two hesitated for a second.

"Screw this, man. I'm out!"

Seeing he was left alone, Backwards Hat pocketed his folding knife and followed his friends, though not before flipping off Bliss and Connor. Only when they were out of sight did Connor set the sign down.

<. Where we were?.> Connor asked with a quick hand sign to Bliss.

"Well, that escalated quickly." She looked down the road and the bus was far far away. "Damn it. Well, Connor, it looks like we're going to be hoofing it from here. Why don't you tell me about yourself before you came to school here."

Connor began signing his story with his hands. <. I was an orphan in Nederland and was adopted by the Mutant Research Center. The Professor waited until I was 14 to meet. He brought Cyclops with him who called me a Neanderthal when he thought I wouldn't hear. But I did. The Professor gave me my device at that time. The first thing I said through it was to call Scott a caveman because I thought he sounded like an ignorant throwback. The irony was rich and we all laughed. The Professor kept his promise to stay in contact, so when the X-Men went missing a few months ago, I came stateside to help find them. .>

Bliss frowned with the story. She wasn't sure where Nederland was, but she would find out. The important thing was she was struck by how sad it sounded. Being raised in an institution is no way to start a life. She knew all too well what it was like to be raised by people who either didn't care about you in the first place or wanted to use you for one reason or another. It made her feel a little closer to him.

"I guess you and I aren't that different other than the details. Both my parents died early on, so I went into the system in Las Vegas. I had some nice people in between all the horrible ones. Eventually I was able to hire somebody with the money that was left to me by my parents to get me legally emancipated before I hit 18. After that I walked from Nevada to here. It wasn't a very straight route, I got to see a lot of the country and meet some nice people here and there. But I also saw the ugliness, the other side of the American dream."

Bliss sighed and kicked a pebble down the road.

"Listen to me go on ..." She sighed. "I met a lot of people who had it a lot worse than me. That's one reason I came here, I want to figure out how I can help those who can't help themselves. Despite what you hear in the news, not everybody can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, not when there are people fighting to keep them down. A punch in the nose isn't going to feed anybody, but it's going to keep a bully from making somebody's life miserable."

Connor walked along in silence as he listened. The bouncing pebble stole his attention for a moment but in the end his mind absorbed its path into his contemplation. It seemed conflict and adversity had defined Bliss's life ever since she could remember. It was little wonder she was so direct. Life had trained her to meet it head on. That was so brave in his view. Connor himself tended to err on the side of caution. Bliss was someone who charged ahead without fear not because she was stupid but courageous. It was enough to make Connor's heart stop beating in his chest.

Stopping suddenly, he grabbed her hand and put it over her heart along with his before slipping free in order to sign.
<. You are the strongest person I know. Not because you have power but because you have heart. You are more than a fighter. You are a builder. If you had the chance, I think you could build wonderful things with the heart you have used so far only to fight. I see why the Professor invited you to stay. You are like him. .>

Bliss had a confused expression but it changed to fondness the more he explained. She took his hand and kissed the knuckles tenderly. "I just do what needs doing. I would never argue with any of your appraisals. But you're sweet to say."

It appeared she didn't believe him. But that was fine. Most people did not see what Connor saw. Maybe it was hard for her to see herself. Maybe that was what Connor was to be there for. Maybe she only needed someone to show her what she didn't see in herself.

<. Is that why you were so bold with me?.> he signed with curiosity. <. I needed doing?.>

Bliss pondered his question for a long moment. He deserved a answer with due consideration. "You had touched my heart with your tribute at my door. But maybe I needed to see you with a fresh perspective. I know you're more than you appear and how you're treated by others. If that required heart or courage to take that initial step, I'm glad I could. You make me feel special in a way that guys like Bobby Drake never could." She looked to him with a kind smile. "If it took me to be the first to break down barriers for you in dealing with people, then I'm doing exactly what I was meant to do."

Connor blushed at the thought of her breaking down his barriers. Their wrestling match, his accidental foray straight to second base with her, their first kiss. He clamped down his thoughts before he totally lost himself in reverie.

<. I admired your bravery from the start .>, Connor signed. <. Then you had a breakdown after splattering that crime boss. I felt sad. I would rather lose my entire body than my mind. It is the worst thing I could imagine and it inspired me to write what I did. I never imagined it would make you see me differently. .> He side-eyed her. <. Sometimes I wonder if I will do something to change your view of me again for the negative. .>

Bliss followed the motions of his hands with her eyes, her hands shoved into the pockets of her cutoffs. She frowned with concern with his last statement. "Connor, if anything it'll be that I do something that changes your view of me. I'm far from perfect. I got bad habits, I have a crappy attitude at times. You deserve somebody who's sweet and kind, and that's not always me. Sometimes I have a bad temper. I don't want the world to change me anymore than it already has. But it is what it is."

She reached out to smooth her hand over his shoulder. "I don't believe in some sort of all powerful God. If there was one I would question a lot of his choices. But maybe if there is somebody out there aiming people at one another for good or bad, maybe it wasn't me that was aimed at helping you... But that you were aimed at helping me."

Perfection was a philosophical myth stemming from the ancient Platonic theory of Forms and Ideals, but Connor didn't know how to sign all of that at the moment. Instead he decided to be honest. Brutally, painfully, awkwardly honest.

But first he forced a moment of prolonged eye contact. It was overstimulating, like staring at the sun through cloud cover, but he made himself do it.

<. I do not know how I help you. You have aroused a part of me that I never knew was there and I do not mean my penis. It is like waking up from a dream that did not seem like a dream until it was over. Now when I do wake up, I think of you. When I cannot sleep at night, I think of you. I observe patterns to find connections between them because that helps me make sense of the world. But you are— .> What was the sign for a fractal? Connor was unsure that he had ever learned it. <. —a pattern that is continues at every scale whether big or small and cannot be represented in normal geometry. I cannot figure you out and instead of frustrating me I am held captive by that mystery I may never solve. .> He smiled broadly and giggled. <. That uncertainty excites me. But I still do not know how I help you. .>

Bliss watched his struggle play out on his face with rapt focus. She caressed his cheek when he finished his words.
"I can't see the future. But I know my past. I've been through a lot of ugly things. I've met some good people I've got some people who I still have nightmares about. I don't think I have a mutant power about knowing who's good and who's bad. But my instincts are pretty sharp. And I know you are a good person. I need good people in my life. There were times not so long ago when I wondered if I would ever have somebody like you that wanted to spend time with me for more than just my appearance. I've had plenty of guys want to get in my pants, couple of girls too. Sometimes looking like me can be a curse. I draw all the wrong attention. But with you it felt different. I can feel your sincerity through the poem that you wrote. Maybe I'm not making sense either. I don't talk about my inner life like the professor and the other mentalists hanging around here. I'm very focused in the physical world. All I can tell you is when I look at your face, there's a sense of happiness and belonging that wraps around me like a warm blanket on a cold night."

A warm blanket was a powerful enough metaphor that Connor closed his eyes and smiled at the thought of him making Bliss feel that way.

"Someday maybe you'll figure out the mystery of it all, and you can share that with me. Until then I'm kind of sweet on you, and I hope that's okay, Bubblicious. "

Connor blushed at the mention of her pet name for him only for his stomach to rumble. Only then did he register the tantalizing scent of grilled meat wafting its way to his nostrils. They had walked far enough through empty parking lots from vacant developments that they had reached the strip mall at the edge of town. One particular sign boasted cheeseburgers and handmade ice cream milkshakes. Connor nodded his head in that direction and flicked his eyebrow.

"Beauty before brains!" She made a break for it to try to beat him to the hamburger place, not using her powers at all just her regular running. She giggled all the way....

Between the sound of her giggling, the visual physics of her jiggling, and the rapture of the moment, Connor had no compulsion to outpace her. He just matched her laughter with his own.

<. You won, .> he signed when they finally reached the drive-in. <. You pick. .>

A beaming Bliss picked a booth in the back and slid into the seat. She started pouring over the menu. "Oooh, a rodeo cheeseburger. Onion rings on top your cheeseburger? Yum!" She looked to Connor with a grin. "You get whatever you want, my treat."

<. I have what I want already, .> Connor signed with a mischievous grin. <. I can use some protein though. The double bacon cheeseburger sounds good. .>

Bliss got a pale blush and a naughty grin with his comment. "And what does my bad boy want to drink, besides a milkshake?"

Connor shrugged. There were so many choices and he hadn't had time to consider them all.

The waitress came over with a smile and two glasses of ice water. "Hey you guys are new, welcome to Shecky's, home of the best milkshakes in the state. You guys need a few minutes?"

Bliss's eyes flashed with excitement. "Do you do malts? "

"Sure do, honey, the best you'll ever have."

After looking a little confused and sheepish, Connor finally signed his conundrum. <. What is that? .>

Bliss smiled at Connor and patted his hand. "Malt is an extra flavoring they can put in milkshakes that give them a little extra oomph. Tell you what, I'll get a chocolate malt and we'll get you a vanilla shake to start you off. You can taste mine to see if you like it. That's the best way to determine if you like something to give it a try."

She gave the waitress their food order along with a basket of fries to share. She scurried off to get the order in leaving the two alone for the moment. "So how do you think our first date is going?"

Connor felt her foot slide up his calf even as she took a long pull on the straw of her ice water. Her expression was totally innocent, but the fire in her emerald eyes gleamed playfully.

At first Connor recapped their steps as best he could without being distracted. His attempt to drive an old car, the bullies on the bus and the near gang fight they had faced, the way he ripped a traffic sign out of the pavement and prepared to use it as a war club. But the way her foot slid against his calf sent a shockwave up the rest of his leg and into his groin. His eyes grew wide as he fought for headspace to think.

<. It has been an adventure, .> he managed to sign. She made it hard for him to think. Normally that was annoying. But, far from a nuisance, Connor liked the way she made him feel. <. How do you like it? .>

Bliss leaned comfortably onto her elbow to support her head, revealing a new and exciting angle. Her fingers played with the condensation on the water glass. "Me? I have a lot of fun. I enjoy seeing you exploring the world. It gives me a fresh perspective and keeps me from being horribly jaded." She bit her lip before continuing. "I know this is a dangerous question, but you don't think I'm jaded, do you?"

Connor thought about the question. Jaded. It originally referred to a worn-out horse. When Connor looked at Bliss, at her face and away from the broad cleavage that her new position revealed, that's not what he saw. <. No. You smile and giggle too much to be jaded. Your eyes are like daylight and starshine all at once. I think experience has taught you to be cautious because you like to take risks. .>

And, then, he forgot what he was talking about. His single-minded focus on her question was finally overridden by biological functions. Even through peripheral vision, he could not look away from her womanly features. <. You are very beautiful. I can see now why you do not trust easily. It is hard to look away from you. .>

Bliss nodded, her expression sobering. She trusted Connor's perspective. They may have only been together for a while but she found that he always spoke with honesty and sometimes glaring insight.

"I am not afraid to take risks. But I don't have a death wish either. I'm not afraid to do something for the excitement but I'm not going to get anybody else hurt either. My life is my own, but I don't have the right to put others in danger. But that's why I'm here to learn how to do what I do best." She reached out and took his meaty hand in both of hers. Her fingers traced the various lines in his palm as if she knew something from them, like the old soothsayers. "I know what I look like. A lot of people have tried to take advantage of me over years because of the feelings I inspire in them. Most of those feelings can be ugly and dangerous. But I don't get that from you. You're not like Bobby, playing it up for comedy's sake."

Connor snickered at the comparison between Bobby and himself. They were as far different as could be. He stifled his snickering so he could listen to Bliss continue.

"I could have made a hundred bad mistakes regarding how I look between Vegas and here. There were times when I was hungry, or cold, when I thought all I needed to do was something a stranger asked me to do. It would have been easier. But I would have lost my self-respect in the transaction." She caressed his hand gently. She studied his palm as if it was a treasure map and X marks the spot. "I haven't told any one else that. When it comes to being the real me, I like sharing that with you." She let go of his hands do he could respond if he wanted. Her voice was soft in the booth between them. "I hope that info doesn't change the way you look at me. But it's who I am, and it's the path that led me here."

Connor didn't quite understand what was supposed to make him see her differently. Was it the temptation to trade her body for food and shelter? That made sense. <. I was tempted to kill someone a couple weeks ago. Instead I broke his jaw so he could not use his super power to enslave people with his words. Temptations do not make us bad. They tempt us. It is our response to them which determines who we are. I am glad you did not let people hurt you for money. .> He smiled at their mutual exchange. <. Everyone was mad at what I did. Even if you are mad, too, I feel good telling you. .>

Bliss's smile returned with his words of understanding. "I'm sure there's going to come a time when I'm going to be upset with you. But I'll never be angry with you for defending yourself under any circumstances. I want you to come home from every mission. That's not always an option, we've seen that here. I always will try to be crystal clear and honest with you. I don't want you to misunderstand anything I say and vice versa."

It was about then when the food arrived with the waitress. "You kids okay over here?" The waitress had seen the serious conversation, but she knew kids also got deep into serious territory quickly at times. She had been young once too.

Connor gave her a thumbs up, then dove into his double burger with an oversized bite. Glomping noises came from his side of the booth even though he managed to chew several ounces with his mouth closed. Voracious grunts of satisfaction soon followed.

Bliss looked up to the waitress with a helpless smirk. "I'll let you know if he's got any issues once he slows down enough to actually taste it. Don't get too close, you might get pulled into the suction. "

The waitress laughed and walked away shaking her head.

Bliss started to relatively nibble at her burger, amused to no end by Connor's appetite. She got a ton of ketchup for the fries between them. "Are you going to want another one? Do you want me to put the order in?"

Connor shook his head. He still had plenty of burger left and wanted to save room for the malted milkshake. That sounded fascinating.

"I hope you do everything with such.... Passion." Bliss ate a couple of fries and licked a bit of errant red from the corner of her mouth.

Putting down his mondo burger that was already half eaten, he signed, <. Reason is and ought only to be the slave of the passions. .> He briefly wondered if the quote would translate well through signing while he sipped from the malted milkshake. All thought of philosophy and innuendo escaped him as his eyes widened in delight. This ambrosia of the gods was phenomenal! He thumped his chest as he shamelessly slurped it down, all regard for manners gone in his sugar rush.

Bliss giggled around her burger, getting a rush of pleasure from Connor and his delight in the malt. She was really enjoying the moment with him. He just lived with such gusto, she reasoned. He was always full of surprises. Her hunger forced her to pay attention to her own burger. The combination of onion rings in barbecue sauce made it for a unique flavor.

"So after we finish eating, is there anything you would like to do special here in town? They have movies, maybe we can find a bowling alley... have you ever been bowling?"

<. If it involves throwing a heavy object, I have done a number of outdoor games like it. .> The boastful look on Connor's face couldn't be more apparent. <. By the way I still want to arm wrestle you some day. >

Bliss sucked a bit of barbecue sauce from her Pinky before chewing some more fries. She was mulling his wish about arm wrestling. "Someday soon, baby. I just want to make sure I got enough control. If I ended up hurting you somehow I would never forgive myself." She looked a little sad and guilty and put her burger down. "I don't want what happened to Masque to happen again, especially to you."

At first Connor looked skeptical, but then when she said she didn't want anything to happen to him in particular, he grinned. Most people worried about him getting in the way. Pure irrational concern for no other reason than sheer value for him and his personal worth was not something he'd known since...well, Moira. Seeing how said she was, he poked her hand with a fry. <. Hey. I did not mean to make you sad. Sorry. .>

Bliss brightened a little and selected a fry to drown in ketchup. "You didn't make me sad, sweetie, that's all on me. We'll do your challenge when I know I won't hurt you. It's a confidence thing, that's all. Usually I'm good with my... Thingie. I just need to learn more precision as I get stronger. Hopefully working with the professor I can get a good handle on it." She took a renewed bite of burger. "You probably noticed I usually use my thingy against objects, not living things. It's safer to do it that way. How can I describe it? See I can punch things because thingy makes me strong and tough, but if I use my thingy to actually grab them? Well, I run the risk of doing a Masque. And no one wants to be the one to clean up that mess."

That seemed reasonable. Connor did not want to end up squeegeed. But, in examining his own feelings, he came on a discovery that he had not directly considered before.

<. You make me confident. .>. He looked at her askance, ready to glance away if her radiant expression became any more intense. <. Maybe I can help you be more confident. .> Her description of her power as "thingy" brought up another question he had been meaning to ask. <. And why Escapade? I told you why I chose Caveman. It was to insult Scott and anyone else who underestimates me. .>

Bliss swallowed her bite of burger with a thoughtful expression.
"Well, when the professor said I could pick a name, I had to think about it. I always thought it was dumb to call yourself something obvious, like Strong Girl or Big Ass Lass. I wanted something with a little bit of mystery to it, and some fun. So I started listening to music trying to get some inspiration. And one of my favorite singers is Janet Jackson. She had a song called Escapade. I got a little tingle when I started thinking about the song title so I looked it up. And I loved the definition I found so much I memorized it: An escapade is a wild, exciting, or dangerous adventure. It can also refer to a lighthearted episode, prank, or romp. For example, cutting class to spend the day at the beach is an escapade."

She stirred her ketchup with some fries with a grin.

"On top of that the word has a French origin. And I like things that are French. But you knew that."
With that she popped the fries into her mouth with a waggle of her eyebrows.

<. You also like magic, .> Connor signed. <. The French word takes a Spanish root and adds an element of trickery or magic to the act of escaping. .>

Bliss offered a helpless shrug, implying the obvious nature of his comment. "See, now doesn't that sound like me?"

Because of course Connor knew the etymology already. He wanted to hear it from Bliss's lips. He did have a follow-up question which he asked before diving back into his burger. <. Who is Janet Jackson?.>

Bliss was momentarily startled by the question, but then she remembered who she was talking to. She doubted Connor had any knowledge of modern music. "She's a singer who is very popular. If I had my Walkman with me, you could hear her for yourself. If we can find a record store here in this town, we'll see if they can play the song for me. I might even get to dance with you."

At the mention of dancing, Connor visibly flinched. He had only ever been dancing a few times, including the breakdancing he did at Bobby's part. Most of it didn't seem appealing. But...dancing with Bliss... That held appeal. He thumped his chest twice. <. Let's do it, .> he signed.

Bliss grinned and clapped happily. She was all about getting Connor outside his comfort zone. For some reason no boys like to dance, which is why you see girls dancing together in clubs. "Don't worry. Dancing is about losing yourself in the music. It's supposed to be embarrassing to people watching. The nice thing about dancing with somebody is you get to be embarrassing together. It's more fun that way."

Bliss finished her last bite of her burger and finally took a drink from her shake. She made a sound that Connor had heard from her previously on their first night together, one of extreme happiness. "Now that is a good milkshake."

The audible likeness to her other squeals sent Connor's mind in a flurry of associations. Did all women like chocolate as much as manual stimulation? He had once heard a comedian use the phrase "better than sex" to describe something, but at the time Connor hadn't any comparable experience by which to process the aphorism. He... he had been so sheltered. What would have happened had he not come to the X-Mansion?

Still, questions needed to be asked. <. Better than sex?.> he signed, his face fully serious.

"Not the way I do it," Bliss murmured with an expression of wholesome innocence before wrapping her lips around the straw once more.

Connor knew the innuendo for what it was but he couldn't help his mind wandering along all the varied and sundry ways she could have meant that. A daze came over his face along with a goofy grin while he juxtaposed literal and metaphorical meanings.

<. You're fun, .> Connor signed at length. He finished his burger, licked his fingers, and then chugged his milkshake in three deep gulps. After a few seconds, he clamped down his mouth to squelch his belch. He rubbed a circle on his chest in apology.

Bliss playfully thumped her sternum twice, a mirror of Connor's own gesture.

Flo, the waitress, returned with the check. "So what's the verdict, kids? Best shakes in the state, or best in the world?"

Connor let fly a diatribe of handsigning about not having had any other milkshakes in the state or elsewhere in the world that ended in a compliment on the quality but an apology for not being able to answer her question with any degree of reliability. He gave an affirmative nod as if Flo had followed every bit.

Flo smiled warmly and signed her thanks. <. Thanks, my little girl is special too. She's just over there with her art supplies. .> She motioned towards a booth on the far side of the place. The young child was working diligently on something, her green skin revealing just how special she was.

Connor looked at Flo, the young girl, Bliss, then back to Flo, the girl, and Bliss again. <. Look what I can do. .>, he signed. And then he stepped out of the booth, stood on his hands, and walked around the back of the restaurant.

The little girl stood up with the motion, shyly making her way closer. She hid behind her mom's shirt and watched him with wide eyes.

Bliss watched, leaning on her elbow to watch Connor and the green girl start to interact.

When Connor approached the girl on his hands, he let out a few hoots. He kicked off his boots in order to access his bare feet, at which point he started leaning from one hand to the next so he could pound the floor and then clap with his feet.

Boom, boom, clap. Boom, boom, clap. Boom, boom, clap.

He let out another hoot. While he knew the beat, he didn't actually know the words and had no way to signal them. It was just a catchy beat he'd heard before.

The little girl watched him like he was the star of a three ring circus, totally enraptured by his antics. She finally stepped out from her mother to approach Connor.

Bliss began to sing to Connor's beat.
"Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kicking your can all over the place, singin'..."

The back half of the entire dive joined in one song.

"We will, we will ROCK YOU!"

By that time, a dozen or more people had joined in with stomping and clapping. Connor returned to his feet and went back to the booth. He grinned at Bliss as he slid his boots back on.

Bliss returned his grin fondly, then fished into her wallet to get the money to pay the bill. She had enough to get a great tip for Flo, and still have enough money for a movie.

"You two come back any time.... "

Several people came from the other parts of the restaurant to say how much they appreciated the show. One couple even put money down on the table for them. In the middle of it all, Flo's daughter came back with two pieces of paper. In the span of a couple of minutes she had done exquisite sketches of both Bliss and Connor. She held them up to Connor to take with a shy smile.

Connor held the pictures up for a closer examination. They were more photographs than illustrations. Even the shading of one micro dimple over another was captured. "Doooo," he murmured in awe. He showed them to Bliss before reverently folding each picture and tucking them into his shirt pocket. Afterward he tapped his fingers to his chin and waved them outward in the sign of thanks. This date was turning out to be incredible.

He reached for Bliss's hand as they made their way out. <. This is the best day of my life, .> he signed single-handed.

Bliss chirped happily, seemingly reverting to her own sounds of approval in his presence. "And the day is not even over yet...."

Bliss gently tugged Connor into an alcove along the strip mall between stores and gazed into his face with an expression mixing tenderness and desire. Her fingernails raked through his scruffy hair affectionately.
"I just needed a minute with you..." she whispered huskily.

<. Just one?.> He smiled at her playfully. This was entirely new territory for him but Connor had already thrown caution to the wind. No matter what happened, with Bliss it seemed to be perfect. She excited him like no one else ever had. The look she gave him now along with that tone of voice always prefaced a kiss, so Connor went all in and took the initiative.

Not only did he lean down to kiss her, but he also hoisted her up by her hips and held her against him. This might take a minute and he wanted to kiss her without a height difference.

A mewl of surprise escaped Bliss into Connor when he so effortlessly lifted her and held her snugly against him. She wrapped her arms around his thick neck. He knew how strong those arms were having seen her working out with very impressive things, but she was as gentle as a lamb with him.

She kissed him softly, once, twice, a third time. He felt her legs slip up to straddle his hips, and his sensitive touch sense could feel the tremble coursing through her. The next kiss her lips parted, a clear invitation for him. He had learned much in the ways of kissing, and she trusted him to continue his explorations.

The suction of her mouth enticed his tongue forward. With eyes closed to focus his sensory focus on touch, he pressed his tongue until he found hers. There were faint traces of chocolate beneath the taste of her lip balm but none of it masked her unique chemical flavor. Whether her lips or her mouth, he would know her signature anywhere. The thrust of his tongue against hers sent a jolt throughout his body. Probably adrenaline, if his accelerated breathing was any indication.

Bliss met her welcome intruder with excitement of her own. She lapped at his tongue with lazy swipes and swirls of her own. Unafraid in his burly arms, she slipped a hand free to stroke his cheek. He felt the arm around his neck flex enough to convey her own controlled power.

She sighed delightedly before turning up the heat a notch. She suckled carefully at his exploring tongue, awakening a vast network of nerves throughout his muscular form.

More newness. Connor trembled and his knees sank, but he kept his footing. He angled his head for better proximity. Though rubbing nose tips had been a welcome sensation, the fresh experience of membrane on membrane made Connor's nervous system light up like a Christmas tree. It wasn't even that he was craving more. He just never wanted it to end. For 19 years his tongue had been good for nothing. Today was a radical revelation to the contrary. Tongues were quite good.

Bliss was far from quiet. She was making lots of little tiny sounds in her throat, which Connor could feel. She wanted him so much, but she had to be good. She had never wanted something as much as she wanted Connor. But she had to do it right.

She pulled back to catch a full breath, burying her face in his neck. She kissed and nibbled up to his ear. Her warm breath caressed his ear before her throaty murmur was heard.
"Grab my ass, Connor...hard. You can't hurt me....Please don't make me beg."

Connor did as she asked. He would do anything she asked of him. Powerful meat-hooks for hands clutched her shapely posterior for dear life. The gesture made her pelvis grind against his, eliciting a moan from Connor. He should've anticipated that for several reasons. But it hit him like a freight train that made him buck at the knees once more.

"Buh...luh..." Syllables came but Bliss's name still didn't quite form.

Bliss hadn't expected how much friction would come between them with his grinding. Her eyes rolled as she tried to stifle the animal sound escaping her. She knew this was not a good path for them to go down, but it just felt so damn good.

"Baby... I don't want you to stop but we got to stop. It's a long way home, and we're only going to make it worse if we keep doing things like this." She didn't want to let go, but she forced herself to. But he still had her easily in his grasp. "If you can put me down, I'll make it worth your while when we get home."

Connor nodded with understanding. He released her hips and let her slide down his body to her feet, but he cupped one hand to her face and kissed her all the way back to the ground. Winding down couldn't happen quickly for him. The overload he was feeling had to go somewhere. Pulling back, he looked her in the eye long enough to make a vigorous sign for love with two fists against his chest before kissing her again, this time more gently but almost desperate. At least his breathing was beginning to slow.

Bliss gritted her teeth in frustration at the sight of him struggling. This was her fault. She couldn't leave him in such pain. Blue balls were tough enough for any guy, combine that with super muscles and oversensitivity and you're asking for nightmare pain. She touched his cheek and looked about furtively for some place, any place that they can find enough privacy, just to get some relief for him.

There was no place to the left or right. There was some cover across the street in the direction they had come from but there was constant foot traffic as well as buses and cars within sight.

"Think, dammit think...." She applied one of the professor's adages from her Danger Room training. Think outside the box. There was no place to the right to the left or straight ahead. They couldn't go back. Then she thought for a moment. She's not restrained by gravity. She looked up to see there was a roof on the shopping center just 20 ft above them.

Her face lit up and she grabbed him under both arms. "Do you trust me?"

Connor didn't understand the context of the question but he nodded without hesitation. He trusted her implicitly, more than he'd ever trusted anyone before. <. Absolutely. Why?.> he managed to sign.

Bliss didn't even take time to respond to his quick query. With a flex of her knees, she leaped upwards in the narrow alcove to the tarpapered roof. She sat him down as gentle as a lamb as she quickly cased the place. There were no taller buildings nearby. The only way up here was by metal ladders, and the closest one was quite a bit away. The only thing that broke up the line of sight where the big AC units on the roof for each of the businesses.

"C'mon, let me help you, baby." She tried to keep low as she ran looking back to see Connor was naturally following her lead. Good boy, she thought.

All the air conditioner units for running for the whole shopping center so it was fairly loud. She turned so her back was to one of the big units and motioned him forward.

"This is Bliss's fault, so Bliss is going to fix it."
She reached out and unceremoniously began to unbuckle his tight pants, ignoring his suspenders.

Only then did it dawn on Connor which direction this adventure was turning. He couldn't deny that he had thought about that night on the lake often. This was different than a quiet summer night. This was a bustling day in town. No one was around but it still felt ... Connor wasn't sure how it felt. As Bliss negotiated his pants and looked in his eyes, his surprise turned to giddy acceptance.

<. Are you sure?.> he signed. It was a silly question. Bliss did what Bliss wanted with no two ways about it. He let out a shiver of anticipation.

Bliss gave him a sympathetic look as she finished working on his pants. "Baby, I know this is painful, and it's my fault because I wanted a kiss. I got you all stirred up so I'm going to give you a little bit of help, okay?"

She tugged his pants open and reached inside to find the source of his pain. Her fingers were careful as they fished him out of hiding. When his flesh was at last visible, Bliss paused for a long moment before looking up at him. "That's just beautiful, darlin'. I... Just...wow."

For Connor it was nothing special. Just the same old thing he'd handled his entire life. He gave a shrug. <. I'm glad you like it, .> he signed. And he was. It meant she might enjoy what she was about to do.

Bliss looked around before closing with him again, then looked up at him, tearing her eyes from what she was doing. She remembered what he had signed to her a few minutes earlier. "Did you mean it earlier? That you love me?"

Nodding with a gasp, Connor closed his eyes and did his best to sign a reply. <. I do. I did not know what it meant before I knew you. If I don't love you, then love isn't real and I need a new word for how you complete me. .>

Bliss nodded excitedly with each word, quickly kissing him after he finished his declaration. She hugged him from the side and took a breath to mumble against his lips. "Just relax and let it happen..." She leaned her temple against his jaw. The gentle exploration with which she had started grew more passionate. "Just squeeze me if I do something you don't like...."

Connor held her tightly wherever his hands blindly groped. This was happening again. It was even more intense than before from the anticipation built on past experience. Was this why mammals mated for life? He couldn't imagine being anywhere or with anyone else. Not that he could imagine much of anything at that moment with Bliss playing him like a maraca. Eyes clutched tight, he surrendered to Bliss and her loving touch until...

"UGH!"

... he began to see stars.

Connor had Bliss around her shoulders with one arm. His free hand clutched her tightly. She kept whispering soft sounds and encouraging words to her young man. "Good, good... yes, let it all go, baby..."

Her caresses slowed until he was quite completed. She turned her face to kiss his jaw, making sure his knees didn't buckle. She felt elated that she had coaxed him to completion.

In that moment, Connor couldn't do anything but kiss her back. Near paralysis had set in with him holding her tightly while she steadied him.

"Buh...la..." He tried to say her name again. Having failed, he kissed her again in the passionate way she had taught him. It was even more satisfying in the wake of the release he'd just felt. This wasn't a dirty old roof for Connor. If but for a moment, it was paradise.

Bliss returned the kiss with tenderness. She looking into his eyes with the emotion she couldn't put into words quite yet.
"How you doin', baby? Let me know when you can feel your legs again and we'll get out of here."

Breathing turned deep and slow while Connor came back down to Planet Earth. He gave her a dreamy smile, then nodded. <. I feel good, .> he signed a little lazily. <. How are you? .> It might have been a silly question. His mind was still a little absent but his concern was sincere.

"I'm gold." Bliss was not floating on endorphins like Connor, but she was very pleased with her wicked skills and their impact on her guy. "So... You up for a movie? Or do you want a nap?"

Gold Bliss was a funny mental picture. Connor chuckled for a second until he considered her question. He remembered the last time she had worked him over like this and he had returned the favor. She didn't seem to want that at the moment. Not if she would rather watch a movie or nap. The first one could lead to the second one if part experience was reliable. It was like she just wanted to be with him for no other reason than just him.

So he just shrugged. <. You choose. I want to do whatever you want next. .>

Bliss pursed her lips in deep thought for several seconds before finally speaking. "Movie. I don't feel like going back to the real world just yet." She looked him over for a quick moment. "You can zip yourself up, cowboy. " She smirked and stepped away to check her reflection in a worn compact before adjusting her top back into proper position.

After getting himself situated, Connor let out a chuckle. He tapped Bliss on the shoulder just seconds before he packed her on his shoulders and went loping toward the rooftop edge.

Bliss was getting used to Connor tossing her about like a dancer or ice skater with their partner. She was confident that there was little he could do to hurt her even by mistake, but she still giggled like a schoolgirl.

Normally he would do a flip for the head over heels sensation but he didn't want to lose Bliss, so he just went spread eagle into the air. Rather than plummet to the ground, he wall ran at a diagonal angle to grab the nearest drain spout. It pulled free from their shared momentum, but it did the job Connor needed it to do. He let the teetering drain spout convert their downward drop into centrifugal force with his hand gripped around it. After a few rotations, his feet hit the ground. He set Bliss down with a triumphant hoot and gave her another thrilled kiss.

After the kiss, she sent him lightly on his chest twice. "Booyah!" She checked her wrist for the cheap watch and saw what time it was. "Come on it's almost time for the movie, it's just around the corner here."

Connor allowed her to pull him along toward the movie theater. This would be his first cinematic experience as well. Normally he would want to stop and reflect on so many new experiences, but... Bliss had pushed his reset button. He would be good for awhile.

Besides, the sort of bubbly excitement Bliss exhibited was contagious. Connor couldn't help but get caught up in it himself. Rounding the corner, it wasn't hard to spot the theater. It only had a dull white marquee with black lettering framed by red and yellow lights. No other building on the street could compare.

This time Connor took the lead and dragged Bliss along to their destination. Whatever was inside this building had to be amazing. Looking at the scant few movie posters available, Connor pointed at the one with silhouettes. It said "Ghost". Scary movies were good for dates. That would be perfect. He looked at Bliss and pointed at the poster.

Bliss was looking at a poster for pretty woman, when she felt the tap on her arm from Connor. She kind of like the look on the guy in the poster, the one in the pretty woman poster look like he was older than the professor. "Sure, that works. I like scary movies."

They made their way inside, skipping the snack bar since they had just eaten, and found theater number three. The further they progressed into the building, the dimmer everything became. Once they walked through the heavy doors into the theater itself, there was almost total darkness. Then a roaring lion came on screen, its faint light barely illuminating the walls and the rows of mostly empty seats. This movie had been out for over a month already. Demand was low.

Connor led Bliss to a back row, far away from the people in the front, and sat down with her. Only then did he release her hand. All the better to put his arm around her shoulders. Scary movies were good. <. Is this okay?.>

Bliss nodded in the affirmative. "Works for me." She practically purred when he put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his side as best she could with the seat armrest between them. She made herself a very comfortable spot. And it been awhile since she had seen a movie, and most of them had been Disney in the theater.

Once the movie got underway, Connor began to suspect he had misjudged the genre of film. He tapped Bliss on the arm and signed, <. Is this a kissing movie?.>

"I don't know...." Bliss shrugged. "It did say ghost on the screen at the start right? I guess somebody has to die in order to become a ghost."

Connor nodded. That stood to reason.

"And now she's up to her armpits in Play-Doh.... "

That made Connor giggle. Play-Doh wasn't something he'd played with in years. It was something he associated with childhood, and now with it juxtaposed against a kissing movie destined to turn into a horror movie, well, it just tickled his proverbial funny bone.

"Shhhh!" hissed someone from down in front.

But that only made Connor giggle harder, the grumpy person's sudden protest throwing gas on the fire. He motioned the sign for "sorry" on his chest even though he couldn't rein in the laughter.

Bliss couldn't help but snicker at Connor and his response. She hid her face against his shoulder as he attempted to apologize from the back row in a dark movie theater with sign language. The futility of it all just made her shiver in stifled laughter.

The two of them held each other, trying to urge the other to stop laughing but only egging one another on. They practically convulsed. Connor was the first to reach the breaking point. He threw his head back and howled with all the force of the repressed snickering.

BANG!

A gunshot from the big screen. A woman screaming. Connor tried to close his mouth but the laughter only came out in a raucous snort through his nose.

Bliss actually snorted before dissolving into a fresh giggle fit. She hid her face under her hands and smacked Connor on the shoulder with a meaty thud that was barely hard enough to feel. "Oh gawd..."

The return snort and love pat made Connor laugh all the more. More shushing came from the front row, then at least one moviegoer left their seat. Connor was past the point of self-control. <. Are we going to get in trouble?.> For all outward appearances, Connor thought that was hilarious but in reality he was a little scared. Getting in trouble was always frightening.

Seeing that the situation was a lost cause, Bliss tugged Connor up and headed quickly to the exit. They scampered into the dark hallway and looked for another theater. She saw a door and went through it. The sign above the theater said "Hard to Kill," but she was just trying to find them a safe Haven.

There was no one in the theater and the movie had just started. They went back to their original spot from the other theater and sat down. "Now are you going to be good?" Her tone was playful and she wagged her finger at him, then leaned in and kissed him softly.

Connor breathed heavily into her kiss and still grinned mischievously but he managed to keep quiet. He nodded at her question. This wasn't going to be a horror movie but maybe it would be—

The screen showed a man and woman in bed doing married people things. Connor gaped at the blatant act happening on the silver screen right in front of him. He glanced at Bliss with a mixed expression of feelings and impressions—surprise, embarrassment, the thought of what kind of movie was this? At the forefront, though, was sheepish curiosity. He looked down at his body and then hers, clearly superimposing them over the screen. His hand gripped Bliss's tightly as his eyes grew wide.

Bliss saw that this was definitely not a kids' movie, not that she minded, but she could see Connor starting to panic. She turned in the seat and used her free hand to pull him closer. "It's ok..."

She panicked a little herself; she didn't want Connor to have an issue. So she instinctively kissed him to distract him. It was a sweet, lingering kiss. Her free hand cupped his face to block his view of the screen. Her lips suckled softly at his, and a quiet mewl escaped her. She had addressed his sexual frustration earlier, but she was still feeling wound up herself. She would just have to do something about that once she got back to her room at the school.

Gunfire rang out from the screen and she knew it was safe let him go. She sat back into her seat and tried to think about the movie as well as other things to distract her from the dancing butterflies in her lower extremities.

Connor smiled warmly at her, thoughts of the two of them in coital union quickly dissipating with sounds of gunfire. He looked at the screen just in time to see the wife take a shotgun blast from a bad guy. A look of horror passed over his face. How terrible!

Tapping Bliss's arm to get her attention, as if he didn't already have it, Connor sign

 

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