xp_logs | Late Night Munchie Run...

Doug is in the kitchenette, rummaging around for snackage. He first tries Jamie's fish stick box, which is sadly empty. From there he rummages through the fridge and cabinets, looking for things that haven't already been claimed by people.

Paige was humming when she entered the kitchen, her step as light as the smile that was dancing across her features. She was in her pajamas, a pair of cotton pants and a t-shirt, but most of her torso was covered by the throw she had wrapped around her like a cape. She waved playfully upon spotting Doug and made her way over to the cupboard that she kept her tea in, throwing it open. "Hello there. What are you doing up so late?"

Doug jerked up abruptly upon seeing Paige, smacking his head on the doorjamb of the refrigerator. "Ow!" he yelped. She hissed in sympathy, offering him a worried look. "Are you okay, chickpea? That sounded like it hurt." Holding the back of his head, Doug shook his head, then winced slightly. "Oh, it did."

Tsking, Paige reached over, taking his chin in hand to turn his head back and forth in search of injury. "Well, no rips at least. Are you going to need some ice? I think I feel a bump coming in." She gently graced her fingertips in his hair, trying not to harm him further. Doug went weak at the knees abruptly, more from Paige's gentle touch than the lump on his head. Sitting abruptly, he stammered, "Um, ice might be good." "Mkay, chickpea. Good idea sitting, let me just get that." Moving about the kitchen with a now practiced ease she snatched up cloth and ice, offering the cold bundle to him. "I'm awfully sorry, I didn't think I was sneaking up."

Doug leaned forward and held the bundle to the back of his head. "It's okay. I just had my head stuck in the fridge and..." Doug trailed off. There wasn't a very good way to tell Paige that he wouldn't have been half as jumpy if it hadn't been a cute girl who had walked in. "Thanks," she said carefully, stepping away to return to her tea. "Can I make it up to you with some tea? Or are you another one of those coffee drinkers?" A smile started to creep onto her features for seemingly unknown reasons as she set the kettle to boil.

"Um, no. I generally don't drink much with caffeine in it. Makes me kind of jumpy, and a choir director once told me it can do weird things to your voice. But tea sounds very nice, thank you." Doug let out a slow breath as he managed to get out his first coherent sentence so far around Paige.

"Oh, so you sing, hm? Sing and work on computers if what Marie-Ange told me is correct. That's quite a mix." Paige smiled over at him as she found the sugar and milk and set them on the table. Doug blinked, slightly dazzled by the smile. "Well, singing's just kind of a hobby with me. I can carry a tune, so...and the working on computers thing is because I'm so often playing on them, I'd probably better know how to fix them."

"Yes, do what you know and all that," Paige replied, standing on tiptoe to look for a mug. She pulled a lavender one from a corner and set it on the table. "It makes perfect sense to me. What's your favourite colour?" "Um, forest green. Why do you ask?" Paige reached behind a large navy cup and retrieved a forest green mug, smiling proudly as she put it on display on the table. "Ta da. That's why. It seems like you're in luck." Doug smiled softly and hesitantly at Paige. "Thanks. That's very considerate of you."

"Least I could do since I bashed up your head, dear." A whistle interrupted her and she pulled the kettle off the stove to pour water over their tea bags. "I figure you can add milk and sugar to your own tea, though." Paige put the kettle away and sat down across the table from him, poking at her tea with a spoon.

Doug sipped his tea and stole occasional glances at Paige in the companionable silence. As the silence stretched on, Doug fidgeted slightly, drumming his fingers on his mug, trying to search for something interesting to say to the lovely creature in front of him. Paige snapped back into reality at the tapping of Doug's fingers a silly little grin on her face. "Oh! Hi. Sorry, I just spaced out there. Now, really, as I asked before I accidentally almost gave you a concussion there, what are you doing up so late?"

Doug let out a pent-up breath, relieved that he didn't have to restart the conversation, seeing as he had absolutely no idea what to say. "Um, late night munchie run. I was playing on my computer, got hungry, and came in here. How about you?"

"Chickpea, it's nearly midnight. Don't you need to sleep?" Paige asked with a warm smile. "I don't myself, but I'm a freak even as far as mutants go."

"I'm a night owl. Midnight is prime time for me." Doug smiled slightly. "Besides, all the best Internet games are late at night."

"Okay, I trust you," Paige replied, a minor amount of skepticism still in her voice. "Just remember, they know when you've skipped class because you went to take a nap. They also know where you live."

Doug held up his hands in mock surrender. "So noted." Suddenly, Doug noticed a long strand of Paige's hair spilling down over her face, and before he could stop himself, one of his hands snaked forward to brush it back. Then, blushing, Doug jerked it back, afraid he'd been too forward.

Paige smiled for half a moment before freezing, realization dawning on her. She gave Doug a pained look, biting her lip. "Doug, I… Oh, dear."

Doug sighed, fears confirmed. "No, I shouldn't have...I'm sorry...I...you..." he stammered. Abruptly, Doug turned and dashed from the room.