A Stroll Through the Grounds((Continued from 'A Chance Meeting'))Thursday 22nd March...
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Sue watched the canine race on a head of them, smiling to herself as Levi looked back at them. They had been here less than a week and the dog already knew the quickest way to where he wanted to be. Levi always had been a quick learner. In fact, he was one of those dogs that, if you gave him a command he didn’t know, he would try every trick in the book to try and discover just what it was you wanted. He was eager and food orientated as are most golden retrievers. But there were few things more precious in this world than his bunny.
The slightest movement from Matt brought her eyes back to the man beside her, a smile on her lips as he spoke, “Company is always good” He had her agreement there. She missed company. Not that the staff had been rude or anything, quite the contrary. But with so much going on in the school, especially for the teachers, they hardly had the time to socialise properly. Since her meeting with Jean the Friday previous, and her offer to become a counsellor for the students at least, she had discovered just how hectic the school really was. Not that she knew everything, even she agreed she didn’t need to. But she knew the basics in order to do her job. Her subsequent meeting with Hank had been somewhat a shock to the system. But after the initial shock, she had found him easy enough to get on with. And she had been given a small glimpse into his hectic life of the doctor, and she was glad to find she would be relieving pressure not only from the head mistress, but him as well. Admittedly, she had been surprised, the more she heard, that there wasn’t already a school counsellor on-site. But then again, it wasn’t like it would be amazingly easy to find one.
"Though I think Levi may have outdistanced us.” A soft chuckle left her lips at that, glancing back as the enthusiastic dog waiting for them to reach a corner before running off again. The first part went unquestioned, it could have been easily guessed from the clips she was sure the dog’s nails made on the floor. She had never heard them, but she could guess that some sound came from them which would indicate to someone where a dog might be.
*And by my estimation he may well be leading us on a bunny hunt.” This did bring a look of surprise to the deaf woman’s face. Automatically, she questioned herself, had she read that right? Of course she had, she wouldn’t get such a simply sentence wrong. How did he know? Just from the footsteps, or maybe he knew the school well enough to know where they were going. Except that didn’t work, he’d already said that he’d only just been allowed out of the medical bay. Her mind was still puzzling after this as they followed Levi through the corridors, towards the inner door for the garages.
“ He seems to think its somewhere outside.” Sue was actually staring at him now silently. He wasn’t a teacher here, not a student. Just a guest. But then, that didn’t stop him being a mutant did it? They headed slowly towards where her specially adapted car was parked, Levi standing next to it, tail wagging furiously behind him as he nudged at one of the doors. There were a number of different reasons as to why Matt might be able to work out so much. Even she could smell the petrol fumes which seemed to rise to meet them, though they were a lot less discrete. However, her mind kept working over the possibilities as she opened her bag once more, finding the car keys easily enough.
“ But since we were heading that way anyway it doesn’t pose a problem does it? At least it doesn’t for me !” Sue chuckled softly. ”Not at all..” She said with a smile, as they finally stopped by the car. Levi seemed to get more excited still, wuffing softly at the two humans, tail wagging harder, moving back to them, nudging Sue’s hand, and then Matt’s gently, before going back to the car door, nose stuck right up against it the join, waiting, watching as Sue unlocked the car door.
”Go on then… Find it” She told Levi with a smile, the golden retriever needing no real bidding as he jumped up onto the back seat and started sniffing around excitedly for the lost toy, making plenty of noise about it as he bounded back and forth between the front and back seats. Sue chuckled as she watched him for a moment, before turning her attention back to Matt, watching him curiously for a moment, as she leant a little on the car door, trusting Levi not to wreck anything during his hunt.
”Erm, I was wondering..” She started slowly. This wasn’t the sort of question she liked asking, it was almost as bad, if not as bad, as her being asked about her lip reading and observational abilities. ”How did you know back there? About where Levi was headed I mean?” She tried to keep the question relaxed, though she was fortunate that her voice didn’t waver too much when she spoke, mostly because she couldn’t hear it. There was a genuine curiosity as well. Sue wasn’t used to being around mutants, and it made the question a lot harder, her closest equivalent being her speech, which she didn’t mind answering but could see the awkwardness in others. And now she knew how it felt.
There is more than one way to be different in this world..
Quiet laughter. A wet nose momentarily pressed against his palm. An acceptance and easy companionship that Matt hadn’t experienced in a long time. It felt warm and right. Unexpectedly, it made him almost as happy as Levi seemed to be. *Though* he thought with a smile *decidedly less bouncy!*
”Go on then… Find it” Sue told the retriever opening her car and leaving it to Levis tender mercy. The dog, in what Matt was now coming to think of as being typical Levi fashion, flung itself into the bunny hunt with complete abandon, chasing down the toy with as much enthusiasm as one of its relatives might have shown when pursuing a real rabbit. Matt could have told him where to look,. Bunny was lodged under the back of the passenger seat but somehow the blind man suspected that for his new canine friend, finding wasn’t even half as much fun as searching, and who was he to come between a dog and his enjoyment.
So he and Sue stood by while the commotion went on, barking and sorely tried car suspension mixing into a sound that had now to be associated with happiness. It was forgotten when Sue spoke though.. ”Erm, I was wondering..” Matt turned to her questioningly, hearing the sudden awkwardness in her voice, wondering what had put it there. ”How did you know back there? About where Levi was headed I mean?” Ah so that was it! Matt had to admit that he was relieved. Though considering it was a question which only a few days ago would have caused him concern the reaction did rather catch him by surprise. *Looks like you might just be learning to relax after all* he told himself wonderingly. *And this place has a great deal to do with that I suspect.It lets you be yourself, if you want to be that is. The question now is what do I answer?*
Though deep down that was something he had already decided. He was sick of secrets, even if he knew they were an inevitable part of his life. Still maybe here for once he could offer the truth and not have it feared or call his identity into question. Here where nearly everyone had powers and his paled into insignificance in comparison to some he had witnessed. He was certainly willing to take the chance.And when better to start than right now.
“ Lets just say that he and I have certain things in common And no I don’t mean that I shed on the furniture” he said with a laugh.Strange, it wasn’t hard to talk about not really! It just wasn’t something he did very often for obvious reasons and so it did feel a little weird. “I’m not a mutant,” Matt told her “not in the strict sense of the word anyway. I mean I wasn’t born with powers but then…. I wasn’t born blind either.” He smiled to let her know it didn’t hurt to say it, that he had come to terms with his disability years ago even if he still sometimes longed for what he could no longer have. Light and colour and the faces of those you loved. He wondered if she had known sound and lost it or if music was just an unimaginable concept, an experience she could regret never having had but not actively mourn.
“ It happened when I was twelve” he went on making sure as always that she could see him clearly as he spoke, even if it meant his face would give away more perhaps than he realised. “An accident. There was this blind man crossing the road and a van was coming up so fast. Ironic isn’t it” he said with a wry smile. “I got him clear but wasn’t so lucky myself. Not that it really hit me. Just clipped me and knocked me over But there were these weird chemicals spilling everywhere…..”
God he still remembered how they had burned, how the light had shrivelled and died before them. He gave himself a little shake realising the silence had been settling in . “Sorry.” Matt’s said softly "Didn’t expect to react that way. In any case” he raised his hand and removed the dark glasses, exposing the clouded milky eyes, where the chemicals had tried to rob them of colour when they had stolen his sight. ” I’m told you can still see the scars if you look closely enough”
Faint traces , not enough to mar his features but still there if you sought them out. Without the dark lenses to hide them he looked more fragile, younger, the boy he had been clearly present in the man he had become. ”When I woke up everything had changed. I had changed. And not just because I could no longer see! They always say for everything lost something is gained. And what I got was heightened senses“
It had been painful, terrifying! All the word of sensation crashing in upon him while he was locked in darkness! Without control it would have driven him mad. With control it had allowed him to become Daredevil. Most times it seemed like a fair exchange. Or so he told himself anyhow. .” I could tune into the conversation of any student on this Campus if I wanted to.” he explained. "Or tell you your blood group just by tasting a drop. And as for smell….. well as I said.. I could certainly give Levi a run for his money!”
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds
It appeared that her questioning wasn’t taken wrongly, which was a bonus, and he appeared fairly willing to try and explain. She leant on the door lightly still as they waited for the canine to finish his almost mock search. It hadn’t taken long for the retriever to catch the scent of his beloved toy, but an absent knock of his paw had sent it further under the seat, so now, as the humans spoke, he darted around the passenger seat, jumping from front to back to try and gain his prize, paws and nose all working underneath the seat, wuffing softly to himself as he worked happily.
“ Lets just say that he and I have certain things in common And no I don’t mean that I shed on the furniture” Although the man before her laughed, a smile graced the lips of the history teacher, but no more. After all, she wasn’t really sure what to make of it all. Of course, the shedding part was obvious, which was what had brought the smile to her lips to begin with. But what could he have in common with Levi. Her mind wasn’t used to dealing with the ideas of people with powers, but it was starting to dawn on her. Of course, when someone lacked a sense, other senses made up for it. Sue was more sensitive with her sight than some, more attentive to detail. But she knew as well that people who had lost their hearing had enhanced smell, hearing… was that what he meant? Or was it power based? Both maybe? The latter would make sense if he was born deaf she supposed.
“I’m not a mutant,” That caught her attention, and she silently checked her reading as she did so often. No, he’d definitely said not. But then, as he wasn’t one of faculty, he wasn’t to know that, to her, not being a mutant felt more normal at the moment still. “not in the strict sense of the word anyway. I mean I wasn’t born with powers but then…. I wasn’t born blind either.” Despite his smile, part of her realised that it must be hard. She had worked with children who had become blind or deaf rather than being born so. It was a tough life. Because everything you know would change in such a major name. She could never miss sound, because she had never heard it. She could wonder, feel angry even that she couldn’t hear, but she couldn’t miss it, and the anger often came from those who misunderstood. Those who thought that perhaps Sue could hear them better if they shouted!
“ It happened when I was twelve” A small, pointless perhaps, nod came, quietly, trying to ‘see’ through his eyes. Twelve. Old enough to remember before, to understand what was lost. A few years younger and yes, he’d remember, he’d feel the lost, but they would be a more faded memory. She wondered if he could still see in his mind’s eye, what the world should look like. “An accident. There was this blind man crossing the road and a van was coming up so fast. Ironic isn’t it” The smile gave away more than he could know, but she was grateful that he didn’t try and hide it, to turn his head, allowing her to catch every painful detail he chose to give her.
“I got him clear but wasn’t so lucky myself. Not that it really hit me. Just clipped me and knocked me over But there were these weird chemicals spilling everywhere…..” He had sacrificed something precious for a stranger’s life. He may not have realised at the time that sacrifice, but there was something about how he had spoken before, something about how his lips moved that hinted at the realisation that had come later. A chemical spill. Burns was her immediate guess. “Sorry.” Sue started at that slightly. Sorry? Why? "Didn’t expect to react that way. In any case” That was understandable though, she started to think, before her attention was drawn away by the removal of the glasses.
” I’m told you can still see the scars if you look closely enough” The deaf woman had almost missed the words, surprised by the removal of his glasses, her eyes instinctly searching those unseeing eyes for signs of life, whether emotion or other. But there was none. And it unnerved her a little till she settled herself. Truth be told, she’d never seen eyes damaged like this. The scars were almost unnoticeable, and would have most likely been over looked at first by those with a less focused vision. But behind the scars, ignoring those milky white eyes, he looked so young. And that look of fragility gave her the odd urge to protect him in someway, before she kicked herself. This was a full grown adult, not one of her young pupils. He deserved her friendship, not her pity. But it wasn’t pity was it? To want to help. It was strange, something that she couldn’t quite explain.
”When I woke up everything had changed. I had changed. And not just because I could no longer see! They always say for everything lost something is gained. And what I got was heightened senses“ So she was right. But there was something to what he said. He wasn’t a mutant, but maybe, those chemicals… that would make sense. Some kind of forced mutancy almost. Not born a mutant but made one through a single incident. It sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. But at the same time, she was teaching at a school full of mutants. Just a few years before, such an idea would have been considered the same.
” I could tune into the conversation of any student on this Campus if I wanted to.” A smile found her features at this. If the student’s knew, she didn’t doubt the riot that would follow. Teenagers had intimate secrets. She was sure they wouldn’t appreciate being heard, and although she could always risk the knowledge he would never do such a thing, it still brought some amusement to her. "Or tell you your blood group just by tasting a drop. And as for smell….. well as I said.. I could certainly give Levi a run for his money!” For some reason, the idea of being able to tell the blood type of someone merely by taste seemed to be the most impressive of his three examples. Her eyebrows rose slightly, trying to take that in. Enhanced senses in general. Of course, in her mind, it could never make up for the gift of sight, but it certainly went a long way to helping!
Silence reigned for a moment. Not that Sue could tell as such, but for a moment, the only sound which filled the air was the happy sounds of an undisturbed Levi hunting for his toy. As much as it could seem that the canine could understand the human language, the truth was he merely picked up on tones and emotions, on the variety of pheromones which were released in the air. That’s why, even in his seeming total abandonment, he was still tuned to the two humans near him. Mostly as a partner to Sue, should she need him. But also to his new friend. And there were mild alterations in scent, in pheromones which so easily told the mood of any mammal. So it was that, with his toy retrieved, the canine emerged from the car victorious, but rather than taking the worn out toy to his owner, he moved, sitting close to his new friend, tail wagging against the ground as he gently nudged the toy against Matt.
The silence was broken by that, a soft laugh escaping history teacher as she closed the door. Levi always seemed to know how to take the edge off a situation, how to relax the atmosphere. She couldn’t resist to play off her companion of two years at his actions. ”Surely I’m not such a terrible thrower that you’ll abandon me Levi” She said softly, lightly. The dog’s head moved as if to give her a look over his shoulder, giving a short wuff then nuzzling Matt again, gaining another chuckle from Sue, before a soft sigh of wind down escaped her.
”You know…” She started slowly, her mind automatically focusing on the one point she could come close to relating to. Being born, or in his case not, with a disability. ”I’ve worked with a number of youngsters with a variety of disabilities. And, I’ve always found that it was those who weren’t born the way they are who struggled most.” She spoke softly, maybe surprisingly so considering she couldn’t hear her own voice. ”And yet, they always turned out to be the strongest as well. Because they understood then both sides of a coin. And although they had lost so much, they had fought through, had survived. And were willing to keep fighting. Whether that was to be understood, or to just get by in a world which is more discriminative against disabilities than it is of your colour.” There was no bitterness in her voice, but there was the underlying hardship they all faced.
A slow smile crossed her lips though, one hand resting lightly on the car. ”In some ways, I consider myself lucky” She continued slowly, more lightly. ”I was born deaf. I’ve never heard music, voices… But I can feel the vibrations. And in a way, my mind pictures it from that. Or tries to. That’s how I can speak like this” Sue explained, hesitating briefly. The memories weren’t anywhere near as harsh as Matt’s, but they weren’t easy. A young child, terrified, not understanding, pushed to do something without knowing why. She knew now though.
”Both my parents are hearing. They couldn’t really understand, still can’t. And they refused to put me through special school. So they hired a tutor to teach me to speak. It involved a lot of mimicry. Not easy when you don’t know what to mimic” She said gently. But, she knew quietly, it had worked. And for that she could now be here, do jobs like this and truly be part of a hearing world. An expert lip reader, the only difficulties were new words or people who turned their heads away. And even that wasn’t as hard any more.
A smile crossed the teacher’s face, and she knelt a little to ruffle Levi behind the ears affectionately. ”But.. I am luckier than many. I have Levi as well as this. Levi is a pair of ears which allows me to be somewhere like this, to live independently and do what I want.” The fondness in her voice for the canine was clear as she stood back up. And it as an affection that was returned a hundred fold by the young male Retriever, who’s tail seemed to wag faster than before, if that was possible, wuffing softly again, the sound somewhat muffled by the rag. Sue felt no need to point out she was human at the moment, it wasn’t really something that came to her as important to point out. At least, not right then.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds
Maybe he had made her feel embarrased, opening up like that, giving her a complex reply to what should have been a simple question. Or perhaps she had fallen silent simply because she didn’t know what to say. And that too was something Matt could understand
Oh he had tried to lighten the tone at the end with his reference to the still snuffling dog but he knew all to well that he had let his guard slip. That he had let her see what he no longer could! His true face, bereft of mask and glasses and the charming easy going persona that hid so many of his feelings!
Then, suddenly, as the silence lengthened there was comfort, warm, uncomplicated affection, offered from a true heart and a trusting soul. It caught him by surprise, the intensity of emotion that this simple animal contact stirred in him. This invitation to simply come and play. It made Sue laugh as well, any residual awkwardness seeming to dissipate as Levi worked his magic. . ”Surely I’m not such a terrible thrower that you’ll abandon me Levi” she asked the dog lightly, receiving in return assurance of his unwavering devotion even if he didn’t run immediately back to her side, bestowing instead his continued doggy intensity on Matt That was met with more laughter though this time it faded into a more serious tone ”You know… I’ve worked with a number of youngsters with a variety of disabilities. And, I’ve always found that it was those who weren’t born the way they are who struggled most”
Matt’s hand slipped down caressing Levis excited silky head, as Sue eased her way back towards this most painful of subjects, glad of the reassuring warmth that seemed to radiate from the dog, needing the comfort as she spoke of loss. . ”And yet, they always turned out to be the strongest as well”. she told him “Because they understood then both sides of a coin. And although they had lost so much, they had fought through, had survived. And were willing to keep fighting. Whether that was to be understood, or to just get by in a world which is more discriminative against disabilities than it is of your colour.”
Oh yes he had kept fighting all right and not just for the things she mentioned. Though in the end perhaps they were at the root of his battles just as surely as his sense of justice was! And it was true that it made you stronger. But there were also days when it just made you tired. When it all seemed too hard. The trick was to keep going when they came along and hope you could push through to the other side. So far Matt always had but he had to admit that it wasn’t getting any easier.
”In some ways, I consider myself lucky” Sue’s voice was more composed that his thoughts as she went on ”I was born deaf. I’ve never heard music, voices… But I can feel the vibrations. And in a way, my mind pictures it from that. Or tries toThat’s how I can speak like this” .*That’s how I see* he wanted to tell her. *My world too is dominated by vibrations, those set up in the air, by movement as well as sound. Seems that is one more thing we have in common.*
He couldn’t help but admire her attitude. Far from weeping and wailing over the hand that fate had dealt her she looked on the positive side and went about eliminating as many effects of the negative side as she could. ”Both my parents are hearing. The young woman explained “They couldn’t really understand, still can’t. And they refused to put me through special school. So they hired a tutor to teach me to speak. It involved a lot of mimicry. Not easy when you don’t know what to mimic”
Matt nodded quietly, trying to imagine what that must have been like and failing. The closest analogy he could think of was him slowly putting a name to all the scents that had assailed him when his powers had first kicked in, bringing gradual order to a most overwhelming chaos. Pheromones, chemicals, he had known they existed all right just as Sue had realised on an intellectual level that sound did. That didn’t help you imagine what they actually smelled like, especially not in the detail he could smell them. Well one way or another they had both overcome their problems until now to the casual observer such things seemed almost second nature, all the pain and effort that had gone in to making them that way carefully concealed beneath a veneer of proficient expertise that fooled everyone but themselves.
. ”But.. I am luckier than many. I have Levi as well as this. Levi is a pair of ears which allows me to be somewhere like this, to live independently and do what I want.” To be honest even although they had just met Matt couldn’t imagine Sue being anything other than independent no matter what life threw her way. There was an underlying courage and determination about her that you didn’t have to be sighted to notice, and a kindness that ran just as deep.
“Yes I can tell what a godsend he must be.” Matt said scratching the dogs ears gently. ”I’ve been offered seeing eye dogs in the past . Always passed up on the chance. Figured with my powers I got by well enough and that there would always be someone out there who needed one more. Which is true but still…….Matt knelt down beside the excited dog, his hand going unfailingly to pick up the proffered toy, making sure he raised his face back up to Sue though as he continued. “He gives a lot more than just what’s set out in the training manuals doesn’t he. Love. Companionship. Both things that have been in pretty short supply recently! But that’s mainly my fault. As it always has been ”
Matt couldn’t keep a hint of wistfulness out of his voice. “This gift. It kinda gets in the way. My father…. there was always just him and me……” he explained ” mum died way back, before I could even remember her….he didn’t know about it. I never told him.” Regret was clear now as it always was when he talked about his father. Regret for a life cut short, before a child could come to terms with what he was and share it with the one person who meant the most to him.
“And even if I had he’d probably never have understood it any more than your parents understood your deafness. He was a boxer…. pretty down to earth except where his faith was concerned” Matt said with a smile, remembering scarred hands that had never been anything but gentle with him and a love that had battled against all odds to keep him safe.“But still I like to think that I’d have tried to explain. One day! If we’d had the time.
Funny isn’t it You always think you have the time. I know I still do, even now after all that’s happened He was killed when I was fourteen..” he told her, the pain still raw after all those years. and afterwards.. well there wasn’t any family left. So …. If she had had his powers shed have seen the lie. Irish American! Of course there were relatives out there. There just hadn’t been any willing to take on a blind teenager that was all. ”Anyway…. all this to say that I haven’t talked to anyone… not really talked about all this….. for years. Guess it must be this place…..where everyone has powers and isn’t afraid to say it that’s working on me. Or maybe its just Levi…… yes I will throw it soon…he told the dog… I promise …. Now stop licking….
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds “Yes I can tell what a godsend he must be.” Exactly, the blonde haired woman agreed quietly. Godsend summed Levi up perfectly. Life without him felt near impossible to imagine, and it was hard enough when Levi had to go the vets. She had grown more reliant on him than she would care too admit really. But at the same time, there was that partnership. Sure, she needed him, but he needed her as well. It wasn’t unknown for Levi to enter something similar to depression if they were separated, though it was a rare occurrence.
”I’ve been offered seeing eye dogs in the past . Always passed up on the chance. Figured with my powers I got by well enough and that there would always be someone out there who needed one more. Which is true but still…….”..“He gives a lot more than just what’s set out in the training manuals doesn’t he. Love. Companionship. Both things that have been in pretty short supply recently! But that’s mainly my fault. As it always has been ” Levi gave the toy up apply, tail wagging as he nuzzled his head against the man a little, his tail sill wagging, watching them with that trademark impatience. Sue, meanwhile, smiled to herself. It was a silent respect that was seen in the rise of his head, so essential to her as he spoke. A nod was given in thought. Perhaps if he didn’t feel the need to get a seeing eye dog, then a dog he could train himself would be better.
“This gift. It kinda gets in the way. My father…. there was always just him and me……”…” mum died way back, before I could even remember her….he didn’t know about it. I never told him.” The tone of his voice was lost on her, but there was something in how he phrased it, the look on his face, though she struggled without seeing his eyes. For some reason, he didn’t seem to have contact with his father anymore. Life without a mother must be difficult. She couldn’t imagine it even now. She had grown up so reliant on her parents, that life without them would be heart breaking when they did pass on.
“And even if I had he’d probably never have understood it any more than your parents understood your deafness. He was a boxer…. pretty down to earth except where his faith was concerned” The woman nodded slowly in thought. In this day and age you had to be open minded to the impossible it seemed. After all, the students here had such amazing abilities, closing your mind off meant ignoring most of the students. But that smile which accompanied his words just made her think that, despite that, he was a loving father. Otherwise such fond memories couldn’t have been invoked.
“But still I like to think that I’d have tried to explain. One day! If we’d had the time.” But wasn’t that how things always were? If you had had the time, if you could turn back time. But you never could. All you could do was try not to repeat the mistake in the future. Sue had her own what ifs… what if she had been brave enough to admit her feelings for Jack, would she be here now? But then, considering the handsome man before her, that wasn’t really a bad thing. But it just showed, you could never predict the future.
” Funny isn’t it You always think you have the time. I know I still do, even now after all that’s happened He was killed when I was fourteen..” …and afterwards.. well there wasn’t any family left. So ….” Ah. Now that made sense. But his words to started by echoing her own thoughts it seemed. You always seem to wait for a moment that could never come, and when you realise that, too often it was too late. But he had lost his mother and father, and was so young as well when he was left alone in the world. Fourteen. Just having entered puberty, a time when any teenager needs the influence of someone they love to guide them through the difficult years. And yet, without it, he still seemed to have become a good individual. He had his problems, she was sure, but everyone did.
”Anyway…. all this to say that I haven’t talked to anyone… not really talked about all this….. for years. Guess it must be this place…..where everyone has powers and isn’t afraid to say it that’s working on me.” A quietness took Sue’s mind for a moment. No, not everyone had powers here. There were a couple of students, and then herself as well. But still, she smiled gently. She guessed that everyone here must be gifted in someway. Even if it was just an open mind and a friendly dog!
”Or maybe its just Levi…… yes I will throw it soon… I promise …. Now stop licking….” A chuckle escaped the history teacher as she watched the other excited retriever lap at his new friend’s face, tail wagging, nudging him impatiently for the toy. His hips swayed from side to side as his tail wagged, pawing lightly, carefully at the man.
”Levi, leave him be…” She said with a chuckle, gaining a soft bark as the retriever turned loyal eyes back to his mistress, ears perked forward. He moved to her briefly to nudge against her hand, nuzzling her leg for a moment, wuffing again softly, his tail wagging happily still. Sue chuckled again, softly stroking the head of the canine, before turning her gaze to the young man again.
”Maybe you should look at getting a dog for yourself, maybe a puppy you can train to react to your needs… you still have the companionship and you’re not taking an already trained seeing-eye dog, if that’s what your worried about” She said softly, Levi giving a small bark as if in agreement. ”I’m sure you could find a trainer to help you” She suggested with a bright smile, watching as the retriever made towards somewhere a little more spacious for their game, stopping and looking back at them with a hopeful bark.
She locked the doors of the car, smiling gently in thought. This was nice. A new friend, a good game. ”Besides…” She decided to say with a smile. ”It would give Levi some canine company next time” There was a friendliness about the way she said it, as if it was a simply expectation for them to be able to share some time like this. He might not be a teacher here, but she hoped he would be around a while at least. She looked forward to having him as a good friend. Of course, his good looks helped some, but that was only the surface.
Sue chose in that moment not to dwell on his past hurts. Life had been hard on both of them. But dwelling on the past wouldn’t help either of them really. Instead, she let the conversation pass on. Hopefully, she realised, considering his own disability, he would realise he’s words hadn’t been missed, or forgotten. But what words could replace family? Was it not better to move on now, and it had been a long time ago. Digging up ancient wounds could be hurtful. So as it was she started to move after Levi with a smile. ”In the meantime, I think the canine in question is getting impatient with us” She said with a smile, as Levi barked back at them, his tail wagging high.
There is more than one way to be different in this world..
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds
Sue called the dog away from him with a laugh both she and Levi falling back once again into that easy contact that marked their abiding bond. ”Maybe you should look at getting a dog for yourself,” she said thoughtfully “maybe a puppy you can train to react to your needs… you still have the companionship and you’re not taking an already trained seeing-eye dog, if that’s what your worried about”
If that had indeed been the only thing he had been worried about then Matt realised with a certain surprise that he might have given the matter some serious consideration. But of course it wasn’t. Above and beyond all else there was his lifestyle to be taken into consideration. A lifestyle that precluded being home at regular hours to go walkies or taking a dog out on patrol with him. Not that Sue could possibly know that. Few people did. *Though a hell of a lot more do now than did just last week* Matt reminded himself ruefully.
”I’m sure you could find a trainer to help you” Sue went on unaware of his train of thought. Matt smiled appreciatively back at her. She was so nice, helpful without being pushy, concerned without being overdramatic. Sure he had just wheeled out the equivalent of a sob story when you got right down to it. But she had taken it in the manner it had been offered. As history, an explanation of who he was, an answer to her question rather than some cry for help.
Which was why he was more than pleased when she said ”Besides… It would give Levi some canine company next time” So here was a possibility of there being a next time. That was good to know Matt certainly knew he would like there to be. In fact he meant to do everything he could to make sure that there was. Even if he stopped short even of the puppy option! Of course if he had been able to see the hint of attraction in her eyes he might have felt slightly more sure of her response. As it was her body told him in its own way that she was enjoying his company and that was, as it always had to be, enough for him to be going on with.
Levi was also making his feelings known, his excitement growing to new heights as he waited for the game to begin. ”In the meantime, I think the canine in question is getting impatient with us” Sue said mirroring his own thoughts. "Well he has every right to be" Matt answered with a grin, slipping his dark glasses back into place “After all I have kept him waiting. Here you go boy Wouldn’t want you to say I don’t keep my promises.” And with that he launched the rag bunny over the lawn, throwing long and sure, feeling the dog explode after it like a bullet from a gun, while Matt’s injured arm and ribs protested a little at the movement, a slight grimace of pain crossing his face as he turned back towards the young woman.
“I don’t think a dog would work for me somehow” he told Sue as the waited for him the retriever to come bounding back bearing its prize.“Not that Levi hasn’t completely won me over I hasten to add. And I have to admit that the thought of spending more time in your company is an equally big incentive. But it wouldn’t be fair” he explained as her companion hurtled back towards them.”My job takes up way too much of my time and my neighbourhood isn’t exactly big on parks either. I’m not one for getting myself into something if I can’t do it right and this…. well it just isn’t realistic. Not as things stand” The even more slobbery bunny chose that moment to reappear and be dropped expectantly at their feet. “Though I hope that doesn’t mean I drop off Levis' radar Or yours either for that matter.”
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds "Well he has every right to[/b] Sue chuckled softly, watching the rather over excited retriever waiting now impatiently for the toy, his tail wagging as he bounded around them, though he always maintained a caution in his movements, wary of where the two, rather slow it seemed, humans were, careful not to knock either over. Not that he was the biggest canine, but he had enough power behind those muscles to send most flying.
“After all I have kept him waiting. Here you go boy Wouldn’t want you to say I don’t keep my promises.” And the toy was thrown. Lei’s muscles bunched as he took off finally after the toy, legs moving in that smooth ease which powered the retriever across the grasses, just like his ancestors and others from his breed would race for a fallen bird. And his mouth was just as gentle. It was said a retriever could hold an egg without breaking it. And Sue was in no doubt about that, despite the dog’s power.
As Matt turned to her though, the history teacher felt herself pause. She’d seen that wince, and for a moment a flicker of worry passed across her features. He had caused some pain through his injuries just to satisfy the unquenchable thirst of a dog for play. A smile reformed on her face at that. Something told her his response was going to be negative towards her suggestion to start with. Though he didn’t oppose dogs, but she knew that too often getting life to fit around others… even if it was just a dog. But the fact he bore the pain to give her own troublesome canine companion some fun, and she was sure Levi was more than grateful.
“I don’t think a dog would work for me somehow” Her gaze left his face only for the briefest of moments as she saw a blur of gold pause as Levi hunted down the ever elusive bunny, before turning back to him, just in time to catch the movement of his lips as he continued. “Not that Levi hasn’t completely won me over I hasten to add. And I have to admit that the thought of spending more time in your company is an equally big incentive. But it wouldn’t be fair” Sue had to pause about half way through that sentence. So he was honestly enjoying this, and the idea of meeting again. She could understand his statement, and if she had made him feel like she was pushing the subject, it hadn’t been the intention, merely to offer a suggestion. The truth was, there was something about him that seemed lonely. And the history teacher knew how much of a companion Levi had been.
Soft eyes were drawn back briefly to the canine, who, beloved toy in mouth, came happily bounding back towards them, wondering who he should give the toy to for a second throw. The man threw well, but Sue… Sue was his mistress, his best friend. It made for quite the choice, though he seemed to make his decision on the male for now, his tail high and wagging as he headed for Matt.
”My job takes up way too much of my time and my neighbourhood isn’t exactly big on parks either. I’m not one for getting myself into something if I can’t do it right and this…. well it just isn’t realistic. Not as things stand” Instinct had drawn her eyes back to his lips, watching their movements carefully, but still aware of the canine’s movements, his approach, a smile drawn on her lips as she knew just how slobbery that toy would be now. He had a soft mouth. But as over excited as he was… this was why she more often than not wore her leather gloves when walking him.
He was right though. A dog was a responsibility. A big one. And if he didn’t have the time or ways to care for it, it wouldn’t be fair on either of them. Getting a dog, especially in training, took time. And a poorly trained dog was the last thing Matt needed. Yet alone the affect that would have on the dog as well. She was lucky, she realised, as her hand lowered to ruffle through the coat of her beloved companion. Sue had been brought up in a suburb with various parkland areas. And Levi was there to take to work. That was the point. And Matt could have the same. But something told her this wasn’t the first time it had been suggested. And there was something more holding him back.
“Though I hope that doesn’t mean I drop off Levis' radar Or yours either for that matter.” His words brought a smile to the lips of the deaf woman, a light chuckle escaping her as her response was immediate. ”Of course not” The words came so easily, so relaxed. She enjoyed his company, and Levi certainly seemed to as well, judging by the ease of his acceptance of this man. Though it was true that he was somewhat of attention whore, and it didn’t matter too much who was paying attention to him, he was happy. Again, it crossed her mind that it wasn’t ‘just’ the good looks. They merely helped the decision greatly, on a somewhat shallow level which made her smile at the thought.
”After all, even injured you have a better throw than me, and I think Levi would be highly disappointed to loose it” She joked softly. ”Plus it means there’s noone to share the attention, so I’m sure he’s more than happy…” Bending slowly, she picked the dropped toy, letting Levi grasp one end, playing a brief game of tug, before he released it, allowing her to throw it, the golden retriever chasing after the toy once more in leaps and bounds.
”The fact I enjoy it is merely a plus” She said in soft joke, smiling as she watched the retriever live up to his name. ”And I certainly hope for a repeat visit. I just hope next time your in better shape” She wasn’t really sure what else to say on the subject. Her relationships had always been a calm affair, and she was happy that way. In friendships and more. It felt more comfortable. And if nothing else, she hoped she’d found a friend in him.
Hannah: In this world we're forced to make choices everyday. We don't always know the consequences. But it's how we react to them which makes us who we are
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds
Foggy was right. He really should take more time out for himself, away from the office and Hells kitchen. Away from Daredevil! It had taken the drastic events of the past week to make Matt wake up to that fact, but now that he had he was damned if he was going to let the lesson go unheeded. Yes his work was important, that went without saying. If it hadn’t been he wouldn’t have poured way too much of his time into it. Or put his life on the line every night.
But still……. moments like this were important too. Easy conversation! Good company. Time to be a man and not a hero! It healed the spirit every bit as efficiently as Hanks machines healed the body. And Matt was beginning to realise that his spirit had been in need of healing. Even if it seemed to be his physical condition that had called itself to Sue’s attention as he had played with her enthusiastic canine companion. Even there though she didn’t make a big thing of it, just marking a friendly desire to see him well again! Though it was her desire to see him again full stop that kept Matt smiling!
“Oh I’m sure I will be” he answered “After all Hank’s worked wonders already. Give me another couple of days and Ill be running around so fast even Levi won’t be able to keep up.Ok” he went on with a grin “ that might be a slight exaggeration but I’d be willing to give it a try”
To be honest Matt was sure that the doctor would much rather he tested his strength against the friendly dog rather than against the adversaries that the danger room could throw at him even with the safety function implemented. And if he had just been the lawyer that he introduced himself as then it would have been more than enough for him as well. But despite his newly made resolution to make sure that Daredevil didn’t take over his life completely there was no question of walking away from his night time activities either. Not unless his radar sense really had gone for good that was.
And there was only one way to find out whether that was the case or not. By putting himself back out there and seeing what happened. Not that Hank was going to let him do that just yet, of course. And too be honest Matt knew himself he wasn’t ready to put on the red costume just yet. No the danger room had been an acceptable compromise providing him with an environment challenging enough to prompt his senses to snap back into focus while still keeping him relatively safe. Provided he didn’t pull any stupid stunts that was!
Strangely enough he didn’t think that he would. Which is something he wouldn’t have taken bets on just a short time before! Oh he would push himself hard that was certain. It was in his nature and nothing was going to change that. But somehow meeting Sue had put things back into perspective. Pushing was good…. But breaking would be silly. Especially now that there was definitely somewhere he’d rather be than med lab! So it was a more relaxed Matt who finally excused himself saying “Thanks for the work out Levi…. and for the company!” the latter was directed towards Sue of course as was the smile that accompanied the words.
“I have to head out now…..” he explained ”I was on my way to do some physio when we ran into each other and while bunny has done wonders unkinking my throwing arm I fear it may take a little more effort to get the rest of me back into working order. But then.. knowing I have an invitation to train with Levi again some time has given me a wonderful incentive to do just that.”
Re: A Stroll Through the Grounds
Fingers ran softly through golden hair as for a moment the retriever reared up to place his forepaws on her abdomen lightly, alerting to nothing this time, Sue recognising the difference in a cry for attention and being informed about something, kept her eyes on Matt as she stroked her companion lovingly.
”Oh I’m sure I will be” A smile graced the deaf woman’s lips at those words. She had been sure from the out start that the damage wasn’t so bad he wouldn’t recover. She could tell that from what she saw. But still, it was nice to hear those words. “After all Hank’s worked wonders already. Give me another couple of days and Ill be running around so fast even Levi won’t be able to keep up. Ok” … “that might be a slight exaggeration but I’d be willing to give it a try” A soft chuckle greeted the comment, smile still softly teasing those lips. She was sure Levi would enjoy the challenge just as much as she would enjoy the company.
Levi was sat, the rather slobbered bunny hanging from his maws as he looked up at the humans, tail wagging slowly through the grass, ears flopped slightly though perked forward in that retriever fashion. Although he stayed beside Sue, at the mention of his name, he would give an enthusiastic wiggle, as if about to break from the self induced stay. But he remained loyally beside his mistress as deep brown eyes peered up at the man in a last hope for him to throw his toy for him once more.
The smile which graced Sue’s lips lightly increased as he spoke, nodding slowly in thought as her as traced though words. If he was currently residing in the school there was little doubt they would meet again, and if the urge took her, she was sure she could ask Hank where she could find him. She certainly wanted to stay in contact with the other, for a small variety of reasons right then. Fingers softly ran through the fur of her canine companion. ”I’ll let you get going..” She finally said. ”I’m sure I’ll catch you later some way or another.” Sue’s words came softly despite that deaf tone to her voice, eyes keenly trained upon the man before her. Yes… she would be sure to catch him again at some point, and although the school wasn’t exactly on the small size, she was sure even another chance meeting could be well on the cards. Let alone a deliberate one!
There is more than one way to be different in this world.
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