Venus Flytrap

[Kasey Westhope]

Adrian Da Costa

Fallen leaves were rolling around the courtyard like tumbleweeds as they were assaulted by regular bouts of wind. Kasey was hovering ten meters in the air, using a pair of trimmers to clean up the shape of the larger trees around the campus courtyard. There was a wheelbarrow below filled with off-cuts he'd already snipped away, and most of them had luckily not been blown away by his wings.

In truth it would have likely been easier to use a ladder, or even climb the tree himself. However, he had so few pleasures in life, and his wings were one of the main ones. He'd have an even larger job raking up the leaves after he'd finished but that hardly seemed important. It was simply another task to keep him occupied. Not like he had anyone waiting for him, or even a real home to return to.

Kasey was lost in his own world, a pair of wireless headphones jammed into his ears blaring Little Lion Man. His tawny wings rose as he pirouetted around a particularly bushy oak. The fast motion worked one of the earbuds loose and Kasey started when it fell to the ground below. The man let out an irritated growl and looked down, slightly surprised to see a woman already standing below him. Bracing himself for an inevitably painful conversation, Kasey folded his wings and slowly let himself fall the short distance to the ground. "Seen a flying earbud land anywhere nearby?" He asked abruptly.

 

[Adrian Da Costa]

Adrian usually busied herself during her work hours, trying to get as much work done so that she didn't have to bring any home with her. Naturally, that plan wasn't always bullet proof and even she got restless from time to time. After grading papers for hours straight, she just needed to get out. Stretch her legs, get some fresh air and more importantly, not look at anything resembling paper.

As she stepped through the doors leading to the courtyard, her attention was drawn to something - or rather, someone hovering in the air - giant wings spanning from each side. Tilting her head, she could feel childish curiosity bubble through her body.

Adrian moved closer, drawing towards the tree - moving left and right to avoid leaves and twigs falling into her hair. Startled by the sudden voice, dark eyes lifted upwards. "A flying... What?"

[Kasey Westhope]

By the time Kasey had landed his arms were folded firmly over his chest and there was a scowl on his face. He stared at the woman not, not recognizing her but assuming she was part of the campus staff. He didn't make a point of being friendly with his coworkers.

"A. Flying. Earbud." He enunciated slowly, punctuating each word with a tap of his boot against the ground. Noticing the woman's stairs he huffed in embarrassment and folded in his large wings slightly, the golden limbs caving in slightly. His sharp eyes dropped to the ground, searching for the neon yellow bud. "You saw nothing? Are you blind?" He growled in exasperation and dropped straight to his knees, probably more violently than was necessary.

His other earbud had started blaring 'Hopeless Wanderer' and he took it out, shoving it into his coat pocket. "Aaaah, they were so expensive. I've got to find it."

[Adrian Da Costa]

Arching her eye in amusement mixed with slight annoyance at the rude remark, Adrian put her hands on her hips. She didn't speak, but instead, started searching the ground for the earbud the guy was looking for. She was going to find it before him and make damn sure he didn't get it back until he apologized.

Okay, so yes, she realized that she was being petty, but his rudeness was unwarranted and she had enough dealing with the hormonal teenagers, she really didn't want to deal with a overgrown baby as well.

Kneeling, manicured fingernails snatched at the ground; Between her fingers was the earbud. She rose to her feet, staring at the object before her attention drew to the other man. "Expensive you say?" she mused thoughtfully. "Maybe I can sell this for a nice price then."

[Kasey Westhope]

Kasey's hands pushed through leaves and dirt as he searched the ground. Nothing was coming up, except the occasional appearance of an annoyingly poky stick. He couldn't afford to spend another part of his salary on a new pair, he had more important things to save up for. A place of his own being chief among them. Of course, any roof over his head was 'good enough', but he'd definitely prefer not having to share a unit with three strangers.

Kasey lifted his gaze as the woman spoke, his eye narrow. He hadn't taken the time to properly examine her before, past the obvious that she was an employee at Bellefonte. His interest had been cut short there before, but now he had a proper look, brown eyes probing. He supposed by society's standards she'd be considered something of a beauty. Definitely the subject of numerous wet dreams around the campus. Maybe even his own, if he was younger and interested in.....well, anyone. But now his focus was on something much more important.

His eyes zeroed in on her hand and Kasey rose to his feet quickly, wings expanding with the movement. "Are you...threatening me?" He blubbered, shocked more than anything else. He recovered quickly however and his brows dipped together in a scowl. He held his hand out, palm out expectantly. "The earbud, please," he added the last word after a pause, almost growling the term.

[Adrian Da Costa]

"Threatening you?" she asked, appalled. "Of course not." Well, she kind of was, but she wasn't about to let the conversation swing that way. She was far too prideful and childish to simply give in after the guy had been so outwardly rude towards her for no reason. What goes around, comes around and all that.

"My daughter does need a new pair," she mused to herself. Curling her fingers around the earbud, as it avoid him snatching it from her bare hand, Adrian pursed her lips into a pout. "Might save some money on buying her a brand new pair..." she continued, as if the man wasn't there at all.

She turned then and started moving. "I should call her and ask if she's against used earbuds..."

[Kasey Westhope]

He was a little taken aback, not because he didn't believe the woman kind of was threatening him in a way, but because he herself seemed so appalled by the accusation. It was almost amusing, but Kasey just found himself staring like a stunned fish, trying to work out where the situation was going and whether or not he'd ever seen his earbud again. Either way, apparently demanding wasn't going to get it back. Go figure. He should have guessed that from the start.

He froze at the casual mention of her daughter, curiously ruffling his feathers. Such a casual mention, and an equally casual way of saying 'totally going to steal your earbuds dude, but no biggy'. He wanted to be angry, he really did, but the situation was ridiculous. Or rather the woman was. "Now you're stealing from me?" He questioned incredulously, cocking his head to the side. He had to jog after her as she started moving, now equally because he wanted his property, and because he was remarkably intrigued as to what in the hell was happening.

"Who are you?" He demanded, pulling up alongside the woman, then turning so he could walk sideways beside her, aiming to keep his eyes on her slippery form. He pulled the other earbud from his shirt pocket and held it up. "I think you'll find your daughter disappointed without the other one, just so you know for your future thieving endeavors."

[Adrian Da Costa]

"No?" she asked, as if appalled. "I would never steal," she continued. Until he apologized, properly, Adrian was going to continue being spiteful. Yes, she was very aware of how childish she was being, but she couldn't quite help herself. Rude people had a way of rubbing off on her the wrong way and seeing as how he wasn't a student, she didn't have to be polite or respectful.

Yay.

"Well, that's a long story," she replied aloofly. She didn't bother tossing him a glance as she continued walking onward. "huh," she mused at his next statement and stopped up for a moment, as if considering. Turning towards him, she reached out her empty hand. "In that case, you should give me the other one too." On top of her demand, Adrian offered him a brilliant, warm smile.

[Kasey Westhope]

"Are you sure" Kasey's head cocked to the side, his face flattening into a displeased glare. "Because you seem like an accomplished criminal to me." Maybe he was taking things too seriously? For just a second he doubted his position in the confrontation, but his resolve quickly hardened. No, there was no way he was in the wrong. It was his headphone!

"I'm sure it is," he agreed, sighing in exasperation. His shoulders drooped in near defeat. Adrian's order came as such a surprise, not that it shouldn't, that Kasey almost automatically obeyed. He reached out his hand to drop the bud in her palm before catching himself, eyes widening in horror. "No."  The absolute disbelief in his voice was almost comical, then again, so was the conviction in his voice. "Why would I.....You are strange woman."

He had work to do and the fact that he was being kept from it made him antsy. He enjoyed the schedule he kept, and very much did not enjoy having to deal with strangers. Especially perky, thieving strangers. He rubbed his head with a scarred, tattooed head and groaned. He could feel a headache coming on. "Can I please just have it back?"