NO ONE'S HERE [lark]

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

Okay, so trying to sneak out of his office when it wasn't lunch break to get something to eat wasn't the easiest of things. There were students everywhere for one thing, and some important faculty members walking up and down the halls. And Avery wouldn't be doing this if he actually went when it was his lunch break but he just...fell asleep. A bad habit of his, apparently. Avery had been waken up by more students than he could count and it's something that he really wasn't proud of. Especially if the person who woke him up had enough authority to get him fired. But that's where his charm kicks in--his natural ability to flirt. This was also a bad habit of his; where he'd flirt with just about everyone despite and age differences, alliances, and gender. In Avery's book it wasn't shameful, but he could tell that more than a few people were uncomfortable with him. Which was bad because he's the school nurse and they'd probably mistake his routine check-ups as an excuse to molest exercise his touchy-feelyness. Avery was more than sure that he'd been called a pedo behind his back.

Anyways, back to his grand plan. After successfully being undetected by any faculty members and potential snitches, he was at the mess hall getting his late lunch. And of course, after flirting with the cooks for a bit to get a little more fries, he was once again on the lookout for any potential danger. Avery knew he looked kind of silly by the way students were looking at him, but he'd rather look dumb than get caught and scolded. He didn't take it too well when that happened (just imagine a group of little puppies being scolded; just look at that face!) so he'd do anything to avoid that. Plus the "high-ups" were scary as hell. None of them would even react to his flirty charms--none! They were all stone cold. Bleh. He hated their glares.

He was stopped a few times, mostly due to students greeting him, but other than that, Avery was pretty safe. He didn't put his guard down, however, and looked over his shoulders and into corners just to make sure. Avery loved his job more than anything and anything that would threaten that put him on edge more than it should've. The Academy was somewhere he called home, where he had friends (more students than people actually his age, but that's besides the point) and he wouldn't change it for the world.

After a few potentially dangerous moments, Avery was just a few feet away from his office. He was happily munching on a few french fries and as he fished into the pocket of his white doctor coat to get the keys, he realized that that door was already open. Avery panicked for a second, thinking that one of the faculty members wanted to visit him but realized he wasn't there, but faintly remembered that he didn't lock the door in the first place. Sighing out of relief, Avery stuck another french fry in his mouth and opened the door--but there was already another person inside. His heart froze. "I was just, um--" Avery stuttered, scratching his head a bit. "I missed lunch so I--" he cut off abruptly, finally getting a good look at the person's face. Avery hung his head, about to laugh almost hysterically, then lifted his head again. "Hey there, Lark." He smiled sheepishly, holding up his lunch tray. "Want a fry?"

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

Well, nothing was ever going to go as you planned. If it did then life would probably be boring as hell, but there had to be some leeway. Lark trudged down the hall, holding her side and wincing every time she blinked. Her face hurt. Everything hurt, actually. At least I came out on top. A run-in with her element was never bound to end well for either side. You know, tempers and all. All it took was a minor verbal infraction and the hallway turned into a shouting match with fists and fire tossed into the mix. Fortunately her opponents were of tenth and eleventh grade status and she had the upper hand in stamina. Thank you Josh. She wondered if he could hear her thought of gratitude. He taught her everything about fighting. Well, the punches, kicks, and dodges anyway. The use of her element was thanks to the school and her own practice. As she turned another corner to make her way to the mess hall, she was stopped by one of her own alliance. An Earth. Lark exhaled a sigh of relief to know that she did not have to deal with anyone else right now. "Dude, Lark...you look awful." She frowned and shrugged a little, trying not to be phased by his statement of the obvious. "Yeah, thanks for that." The boy looked genuinely concerned but Lark was not about to tell him about how everything went down and how much her side actually hurt. Unfortunately it was the side where her father had cracked a rib. Maybe it was still sensitive? She did not know how that shit worked. "You should go to the medical wing," He suggested gently. Lark shook her head. She was so stubborn, sometimes to the point of idiocy.

"Seriously, I'm going to take you there. You should get looked at." She wanted to protest and tell him to screw off, that she was tougher than that and could 'walk it off' with her head held high, but knew that her friend would continue to nag until her ear fell off. Instead of giving him a verbal confirmation--which probably would have been helpful--she wandered towards the medical wing with at a rather slow pace. The Earth walked a few paces behind her to ensure she actually went to the wing instead of veering off elsewhere. It was something she would do too. Smart guy. No, it was simply that she was predictable. At least in that aspect. When Lark reached the medical wing she turned to look at her friend. "You'll thank me later!" He chirped happily before wandering off down the hallway. Lark blew a strand of hair out of her face before opening the door to go inside. "Nurse Aaavery?" She sung out before stepping inside. She was met with silence. Hm. Feeling brave the girl walked inside and found an empty office. Why was it every time she sucked it up and came to the wing people were not around? Sitting around in the chair, kicking her feet back and forth like an embarrassed child was not fun. She did just that anyway. Lark was only there for a few minutes (actually enjoying her leg swinging action) when the door opened. There was a small but pained smile on her face when she recognized it was the person she came here to see. And he had food. Glorious food. Her mouth watered a bit; she would have gone on to the mess hall to grab lunch had it not been for her friend escorting her to the medical wing.

Instead of allowing a stream of drool to fall down her face, Lark watched as he stuttered around for some sort of legitimate excuse for his absence. She quirked an eyebrow and shook her head as well. "Hey." Every single blink was beginning to become a burden, a black eye beginning to form. But fries. Lark reached out and made a grabby-hand motion. "You can't offer me food and expect to be turned down," She replied, not daring to move too much. Her side was stinging whenever she inhaled. Maybe her rib had been agitated in the fight? Fuck. "But I'm gonna need you to do your nurse thing and take a look at my side after you're done with lunch." It would be rude of her to expect the man to stop eating his food just because she was sitting in his office. Besides, he offered her fries. It was the least she could do. Instead of moping and whining about how painful everything was she merely leaned back in the chair and gave him a casual smile that did not give away much of anything. A good mask. "Beenbusy, nurse Avery? Or am I your first patient of the day?"

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

After getting over the near heart attack and walking closer to Lark, he realized how badly beat up she was. Ignoring her comment about food, he tossed the fries on his desk, and gently took her face in his hands. "Yeesh. You look awful," he said, his eyes peering closer, not actually realizing what he just said. Avery laughed, bowing his head in apology. "I mean, who would do such a thing to a beautiful girl," he recited in total fluidity, both Avery's eyes and lips smirking flirtatiously. "Let me get something to treat that black eye." Avery walked over to the mini fridge in the corner of his office and pulled out an ice pack. This wasn't the first time Avery dealt with something like this, but it always did strike a chord. Avery used to be one of these kids, being picked on because he was in a weak state back in his Academy days. He knew that probably wasn't the case for Lark because she wasn't a weak girl by any means, so he was curious as to how she got these wounds. But of course, Avery knew she was a traitor to her element, but still. Violence at the Academy was getting stronger by the day, and although Avery liked being kept busy, especially on boring days like these, the increase of patients kind of unsettled him. "Screw lunch. Nurse Avery, at your service," he saluted, smirking, then prompted her up to move over to the bed. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to do some investigating myself?" he asked, his tone half-joking as he carefully placed the ice pack over Lark's bruising eye. "But seriously."

Turning Lark over on her unhurt side, he knelt down so he was on her eye level. "Busy? Pfft," he laughed. "Not today anyways. Yesterday was crazy though. And yes, you are the first beautiful patient." Avery patted her on the head, smiling, then stood up again. "Don't think of this as awkward, but I have to lift up your shirt to work on the damage." He paused, then added jokingly, "I promise I won't take a peek at your bra." There was once a situation where he was actually called an old pervert by a fire once. She was in the exact same condition as Lark right now, where Avery had to look at her side. Only after a second of examining, the girl quickly accused him of not doing his job and just looking at her bra. Avery laughed looking back on it, but whenever he saw that girl in the halls, she'd glare daggers at him. She was mostly the reason why some students thought Avery was a pedophile...okay, so maybe only half. Avery's need to flirt was a compulsory thing for him--he couldn't control it. Proceeding to do his job, Avery lifted Lark's shirt up a little. He placed his hands on her side, pressing gently as he moved his way up. "Tell me when it hurts," he said sternly, wishing not to hurt her too much.

Avery's stomach began to grumble and he laughed to himself, glancing at Lark sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that, didn't eat breakfast. Hope you don't mind." And he reached over to his desk to grab his lunch and placed it on the table near the bed. "My hands are a bit preoccupied, so could you, uh..." he opened his mouth childishly, indicating to feed him. Avery then smirked at her, remembering the look she had on her face when he offered her food and added, "You can take some too."

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

Lark rolled her eyes and smirked at him a little bit to show she wasn't actually exasperated with him. "Gee, thanks Avery. You know how to make a girl feel good about herself." Oh but Lark knew she did not look that great; her eye was probably turning a beautiful shade of purple and black and was causing her upper cheek to swell. She could feel it. She refrained from poking at it too much. His comment caused her to turn a slight shade of pink; Lark always had a hard time swallowing complements, no matter who they were from. Ashton was obviously the most difficult but still. "People who obviously thought I wasn't beautiful?" She shrugged with a chuckle, passing him a casual glance to say that it did not really bother her. "Okay." While he was busy grabbing her ice pack, Lark glanced around the room and found random distractions to help divert her attention from her side. The pain was nagging. I just hope it isn't re-fractured or something. If that were the case there might be a problem. She did not want to go back to the hospital. She placed a hand over her heart and tilted her head back dramatically. "My hero," Lark sang a little, fanning her face as though to cool herself down. "Sacrificing your lunch for me. So sweet." It was Avery's job to care for anyone walking into his office though so the sacrifice was not exactly surprising. She wandered over and sat down on the bed. "Ah, got into a fight with some other Fires. They said some words, I said some words back, and...well, tempers kinda did the rest." And Lark was not one to deny having control over her temper. Most Fires didn't.

Without flinching she allowed Avery to set the ice pack on her face. "I've got it," She said, holding the ice pack herself. Lark wanted to be self-sufficient in this situation somehow, especially if she had to rely on Avery for damn near everything else. "Ohhh, so you had a bunch of ugly people come through here? That must have been annoying." She diverted his complement away from herself with a smile and a chuckle so she would not get embarrassed again. Avery was like this naturally but even so she still struggled. She blinked a few times as he patted her. "I think stating it like that makes it awkward," Lark pointed out, not moving from her current position so he could do what he needed to do. "And if I find out you are peeking, I will hit you." Most of it was light teasing but she did partially mean it. Only one person was allowed to look under her shirt in a non-professional manner without her being bothered (well, mostly), and he was not in this room. She did tense up a little as he lifted her shirt, more out of the fact that he was going to have to touch where it was hurting than anything else. The concern that the previously fractured rib had been injured a second time was bothersome. She nodded at his request and waited until he reached the point where the pain was worst and released a small hiss. "Right...right there. Ow ow ow..." Lark ground her teeth together and exhaled, the pain a bit sharper than she anticipated. Maybe it was just bruised? The growling of Avery's stomach distracted her from the pain for a moment.

"You're apologizing because you're hungry?" Lark asked, raising an eyebrow. The pain was still somewhat evident on her face but it was mostly diminished by the discussion of food. "I told you to eat first before you poked and prodded me, remember? Silly nurse." She smiled but refrained from laughing because of her side. She was a bit of a selfish person though; unless her patient came in bleeding or throwing up relentlessly she was more likely to stop and eat her food before examining them. A bit unprofessional but hey, she never claimed to be the best with etiquette. Avery brought over his food tray and Lark stared at the fries with hunger in her eyes. "I was about to say...I'm not going to hand feed you unless I get something out of it." The awkward part was, was that she had never hand fed anyone. Not even her grandmother who was in the hospital on oxygen tubes and slowly dwindling away. She stuck a fry in his mouth before taking a couple of her own and munching on them. God, she loved fries. "Okay, so," She managed through the mouthful of salty potato-y goodness. "Do you know what the damage is? And do you have any sort of magical way to fix it?" Lark was not at all interested in dealing with this pain any longer than she had to. If Avery could alleviate the pain or dull it then that would be wonderful. Nurses should be magical. Wield wands and shit. Then all of their problems would be over. She offered Avery another fry but halted and proceeded to poke him in the nose first. "I was going to stick this up your nose but then I remembered that my life is in your hands."

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

"And that's why you love me~" he teased, then petted her hair. "How 'bout this: Oh Lark, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life--the fire in your veins is setting the fire in my heart~?" Avery said, his voice sounding like a desperate (and very lonely) man who was lovesick but very cheesy. He paused in his act, breaking out laughing. "Oh, I just can't. This is exactly what makes people think I'm a pedophile." Okay, maybe it wasn't just that. His shameless flirting? His need for affection? His friends being the majority of high school students? Does that ring a bell? Avery shook his head. He couldn't help it--it was in his nature. With the nurse, what you see is what you get Avery wasn't going to compromise himself for anyone. Even if it gave him the title of a pedophile. Sniffle. "Blasphemy!" he exclaimed. "Which reminds me~" Avery blinked a few times before heading over to his desk, retrieving his glasses. Sigh, just another sign he was getting old. He thought he had great eye vision, but apparently his optometrist thought otherwise. Avery was supposed to be wearing it 24/7...but hey, who ever said he was stickler for the rules? He sure as hell wasn't when he was a teenager, and he wasn't now either. "Anything for my precious patients," he said, flipping his hair to side but then smirked and added, "As if I had a choice," he snorted, but he glanced at her playfully to tell her he was joking. "Ah~" Avery replied in a tone as if he understood clearly and calmly, but his eyes darkened noticeably. "Mind telling me there names? You know, standard procedure," he said, his tone jokingly menacing.

Avery laughed, shaking his head. "Well don't you know how to take things out of context," he joked, poking her nose. Avery had to admit though, there were a lot of good-looking students at the Academy. He wasn't sure if there was some black magic that came along with having elemental powers, but people were attractive. Which made Avery even more sad because whenever that thought crossed his mind, it only reminded how much of a pedophile he was. Avery just couldn't win. "Meh, well I'm an awkward person," he also pointed out. His shameless flirting was proof of that. "Deal, as long as you don't hit my face," he said jokingly, lifting his hands in front of his face to shield it. "There will be a lot of people disappointed in you if you do," Avery scoffed, implying that he thought of his face highly. But hey, just look at him. He was in no way a cocky guy, but uh, he had to admit he thought of himself good looking. "Sorry, sorry," Avery mumbled, and removed his hands briefly to get another ice pack and some pain killers. "Here, take this," he said, handing her a small glass of water and some pain killers. "It'll only subdue the pain for a few hours, but I guess it's better than dealing with the pain." By the looks (and sounds from Lark), it didn't seem to good. He frowned, and placed the other ice pack on her side. That was all pretty much Avery could do at the moment.

"Pfft, woman, don't tell me what to do," he joked, raising his own eyebrows. His food could wait a few more minutes--after he was sure Lark felt a little better. If anything, he'd bring her to the hospital in Maple Hollow himself. From what he could tell it was another small fracture due to the symptoms Lark was showing. Better safe than sorry. Besides, there really wasn't much medical equipment in the medical wing. Some simple first aid kits and others alike, but that's it. "Ha! I see, me patching you up isn't 'anything.' Good to know my hard work is appreciated." Avery pouted childishly, his eyes narrowing, before breaking out into a fatherly smile as he watched Lark inhale his fries. If he hasn't known any better, Avery would've thought she was hidden away from the world and just seeing food for the first time in months. "Well, bad news is, it's probably a rib fracture," he said, his lips pursing. "Good news is, you get to rest for the next two weeks~!" Avery exclaimed excitedly, hoping that he was creating the illusion that it wasn't so bad. Being able to rest in bed was like heaven when he was at the Academy. Reaching over to his desk again, Avery pulled out a box of over-the-counter painkillers. "This will help the pain, but I strongly advise going to the hospital. From what I see, it's a pretty small fracture and could probably be healed in a few weeks on its own, but uh, better safe than sorry. Especially since those people who did this to you in the first place are still out there." Avery's voice was firm and serious; no trace of any joking on his face. It was really rare seeing the nurse like this, and he meant it. If Lark took this lightly, it could probably just make the injury ten times worse. "Well gee, thanks," he said sarcastically, scrunching up his face a little, before softly biting Lark's finger then eating the fry she was holding. "Nom nom nom~"

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

Lark blinked a few times as he pat her head, looking rather unfazed by this type of affection. It was not uncommon nor was it extremely invasive so she had learned to cope. She did manage to smile as he serenaded her, amusement dancing in her eyes. "That was simply beautiful Avery. Just awe inspiring," Lark clapped her hands a little bit in encouragement, though she knew this might only make him want to sing even more. Oh well; at least it didn't make her ears bleed. That was most important. She raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her lips. "Just makes them think you're a pedo? Come come now dear Avery just admit that you have a love for us high schoolers." It was all in teasing of course. Sure the guy flirted and was very affectionate but Lark was not sure if he would go so far as to have an actual relationship with any of the high school students. That could be potentially dangerous waters. She recoiled at his exclamation, not even having a chance to respond as he went to fetch his glasses. She chuckled at the sight. "I like your um...spectacles," Lark dubbed them as such because she liked the word. "They suit you." There was never a time when she needed glasses and was grateful for that. After years of being ridiculed and bullied before wandering into the Academy she was not keen on giving them more to tease her about. She rolled her eyes at his joke; he really didn't have much of a choice, actually. Well he did, but only if he was eager to be fired for neglecting his patients. "Oh, I don't think that's necessary." Lark waved him off, not all that willing to divulge such things. "A couple of them might actually stop in later on today when they realize they need an ice pack or two."

That was probably an arrogant comment but it was true; even though she came out on the shorter end of the stick they did not come out of the fight unscathed. If not for the sharp pain in her side she probably would have avoided this visit altogether. "I don't like keeping things in context. That's boring." And what was life if you stuck to all of the boring shit? That was no fun. She side eyed him for a moment or two before shaking her head a little. "Yeah, yeah you are. But that's okay. I guess you wouldn't be you if you weren't." There were a lot of you's in that sentence, she thought, but the sentence still held true none the less. Lark frowned a bit, though it was playful; what was the fun of punching someone if it couldn't be in their face? It really did not have half as much of an impact anywhere else. Maybe if she kicked someone in the balls but she didn't want to prevent him from being childless. "I'd hate to disappoint the masses, so I guess I'll refrain from the face. You really are no fun, Avery." She was almost whining about it, but kept only a small tinge of it in her voice. Just enough to prove she was teasing. The pain was enough to distract her from the conversation though. She winced and kept her eyes closed for a moment. No pain, no pain. It's all in my head. She told herself this to try and subdue the sharp sting. Without hesitation, Lark took the pain medication in a swift gulp. If only it could work lightning fast. At least it would give her enough relief for the time being. "A few hours is better than nothing. Thanks." It was amusing--despite being in pain--to see Avery have a slightly more serious side to him. He seemed to truly care about his patients, which she was glad for.

She raised an eyebrow and passed him an amused smirk, though it was slightly pained from her side bothering her. Him poking at it and placing ice on it agitated it somewhat. "I do what I want," She argued, lifting her nose slightly in feigned arrogance. The man could do as he pleased, and they both knew that quite well. "Tch, don't be stupid. It is appreciated you goof." She said this through a mouthful of fries, and was not ashamed to be eating them so ravenously. Lark was going to be missing out on food anyway so she might as well get it where she could. Especially if someone was offering it to her. Her look of contentment turned into somewhat of a concerned frown; so the rib had re-fractured itself. That was just great. Lark tilted her head back a little and groaned in frustration. "That's not good news," She pointed out. "I don't like laying around doing nothing, especially if the reason is because I'm hurt." Being lazy was one thing, being laid up because of an injury was another. There was now officially no choice but to be overly cautious and take it easy for a couple of weeks as opposed to voluntary lounging about. She eyed the box of painkillers warily before opening her hand to take it, then retracted it quickly at the mentioning of the hospital. She looked bothered. "You can't be serious." Lark deadpanned, knowing for a fact that the nurse was in fact serious. Avery at least appeared to be so and that was good enough for her. She then sighed. "I don't think it's that necessary, do you? I mean, what are they going to do for it?" They couldn't put a cast on it and they probably wouldn't give it an extensive wrap up to make sure it didn't put pressure on it. Lark scowled, mostly playfully as he bit her finger. "I better not get rabies."

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

"Wasn't it? Even I'm surprised by how poetic I am," Avery said, his tone pompous as he stuck his nose in the air. After a moment he peeked at Lark from the corner of his eyes and scrunched up his nose. "I don't think this arrogant thing is working out for me," Avery finally admitted, slowly lowering his head. He flashed a smirk at Lark though and said, "But it's alright to admit you've fallen for me." Avery blinked innocently, as if waiting for an answer. He knew it was a long shot, but it has happened before--not something as far as confessing their love to him, but more like those small crushes that develop after...being flirted with. Avery never intended to get things too far (hell, they were students, and mostly the grade niners!) but his flirting just came naturally to him. But he did find it cute, in a weird kind of way. "Umm, no. But I like your faces though," he joked, though he was scowling in the inside. What Lark said was true--he did like high schoolers, but not in THAT way. More like in the friendly, nostalgic kind of way. His flirty nature just...sighing in defeat, he hung his head and said quietly and childishly, "Okay I do. But only to those who interest me." He smirked at Lark. "Don't make fun of me, I'm getting old~" he pouted (his face looking somewhat similar to this --> T.T). They were the squarish, wide framed kind of glasses. It took him hours to find one that didn't make him like an old geezer. No way in hell did he want those 70s styled glasses that took up half of his face. "Oh suh-nap!" Avery whistled, his fingers snapping in a Z formation. Because that was totally cool. "And I'll be sure to be extra clumsy, because y'know, it happens all the time when I see people who've hurt my patients," he said jokingly, but he by no means was joking. Pfft, they'd be lucky if Avery didn't accidentally trip them.

Avery rolled his eyes. "Oh noes, so you're one of those women?" he asked, his tone horrified. You know, those girls who jump to conclusions or pick things apart like a Subway sandwich with everything on it. Don't get Avery wrong, he loved people in general, but uh, those women scared him. One sentence that was worded wrong and they'll all but tear you apart! "I'll...take that as a compliment." He grinned cheekily. Awkward is an understatement but he just wouldn't be Avery without it. "There will be a lot of people who will thank you," he replied, then added as he smirked, "Tell that to the masses." Avery wasn't implying anything, but Lark could interpret that any way she wanted to. His eyebrows knitted together as she began wincing in pain, and he grew silent as he tried to be as gentle as possible, but it seemed that it didn't really matter at this point--any slight movement seemed to agitate her. Avery pulled back his hands, watching as Lark inhale the pain killers before he switched the ice pack with a hot pack. "I'll be sure to remember to give you these," he said, referring to the ice/hot pack. "Switch it about every 20 minutes. Oh and uh, this might sound stupid, but cough every so often too. It'll hurt, but it'll ensure that the rib hasn't pierced the lungs." Avery then scrunched up his face, unable to stay serious for too long.

Avery snorted, returning Lark's smirk, poking her nose lightly as she lifted it. "Not in my office~" he said childishly, batting his eyes innocently. "Yeesh, finish eating then talk to me," Avery joked, putting a hand in front of Lark's face as he acted disgusted. "Just take all of it, woman!" And he shoved the rest nearer to her, laughing. "I'm getting full just looking at you." He meant it in the most playful way possible. It was kind of endearing watching Lark stuff her face with fries, but then again, with a black eye and lying in a bed while doing it, it was quite comical. "Well aren't you Miss Cynical?" he joked, trying to lighten up. "You really have no choice. Do you want to end up with something more serious?" Avery pointed out, his eyebrows raising. "Unless you do want that to happen; you'd probably end up having to stay in the medical wing. We can see each other all the time then~" As if that was appealing, but that was the point! Avery sighed as she recoiled back, instead putting the pain killers in her hands himself. "Well," he started, tilting his head to the side. "They can prevent any other serious injuries and they can ensure that it isn't serious in the first place," Avery pointed out. This wasn't the first time it's happened. All students no matter what their injury was, usually refused to visit the hospital. Some pride thing, Avery guessed. Avery smirked, curling up his hand as if it was a paw. "You now have my mark, you're welcome."

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

Lark laughed and rolled her eyes at her nurse friend. It was amusing to watch people who were not arrogant attempt to be so. It did not suit them in the least. Lark was a bit of an arrogant person when it came to certain things but she could pull it off better than Avery. Probably just the way she carried herself. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself love,” She replied, tilting her head up to the ceiling. Now it was her turn to act arrogant and stuck up even when there was no need. “Besides that makes me too easy.” She eyed him with a smirk, clearly playing around. It sounded like she was playing hard to get, when really there was nothing to…get. Taken and all. Ashton managed to totally ensnare her in who he was. This was all for fun though. She patted her face and fluttered her eyelashes dramatically with a semi-serious expression on her face. “My face is absolutely stunning, isn’t it? I don’t know anyone who could resist it, really.” That was a bit overconfident wasn’t it? Oh well. The back and forth was fun and refreshing. Avery made her feel comfortable, even if he did made suggestive, flirty comments.

“Aww, poor baby,” Lark lamented, patting poor little Avery’s head in a sort of patronizing way. “We all have to get old at some point. You’ll just reach that point before us high schoolers do.” She passed him a coy smile and chuckled. He was not insanely old and she knew that. It was still fun to mess with him though. Almost everything she said or did was out of affection. Avery would probably be able to tell if she was serious or intended to be a bitch. At least, she hoped he would. Lark could not help but burst out into a fit of laughter when he made his ‘oh snap’ motion, which then led her to a small bout of coughing. Painful coughing. Dammit. That subdued her amusement by a great deal. “You would be clumsy…on purpose.” She supposed that could work well enough, so long as he played it off as an accident instead of placing a finger to his mouth, lifting his foot into the air in some sort of girly fashion, and said ‘Whoopsie!’ That might make it a bit too obvious.

One of those women? She wrinkled her nose a bit in disgust and rolled her eyes with a partial smirk. “Oh yeah, I’m totally one of those women.” As an afterthought she added, “Just for my own amusement I’m going to start doing that to you.” Or maybe she won’t. Was the threat real? It was hard to tell with her expression remaining so stolid and serious. Lark knew it was a joke but she was not sure if he would notice. “…there is no way I’m telling that to the masses,” She replied, catching on to what he was referring to. He was such a shameless flirt. Over time Lark had adjusted to his personality and managed to play off of it. At least he could (somewhat) balance work and play. He wasn’t laughing at her pain or shrugging it off like it was no big deal at least. That would have probably pissed her off. She eyed the packs and nodded as he placed the hot pack on her side. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and she closed her eyes momentarily, relishing in the warmth. They shot open.

“That sounds counter-productive.” Lark pointed out. “If it’s fractured why would I cough? Wouldn’t that just make it worse?” She did not know how any of this stuff worked. Avery probably knew what he was doing but even so she felt the need to question his logic. It really did not make any sense to her. She wriggled her nose as he poked it and refrained from crossing her eyes. “Even in your office.” Lark could pretend she was entitled to act however she wanted, where she wanted because she knew that she actually wasn’t. She chuckled—though lightly to ensure that her rib was not going to give her more trouble—and decided to stick out her tongue which had lovely bits of fry all over it. “SEA FOOD!” She exclaimed childishly, sticking it back in her mouth.

Lark never really considered herself to be a cynical person. She was realistic. Saw things for what they were. Everyone always mistook that for pessimism. I can’t help if the world is not all rainbows and butterflies, She’ll argue. At least he was joking. “No I don’t but laying around is just…” Lark sighed, puffing out her cheeks a little in exasperation. Being injured sucked balls. She scoffed and tilted her face more into the table she was laying on, inhaling the scent of sterilization. Ew. “I don’t know if I could handle seeing your face every day Avery. It might just be too painful.” The look on Lark’s face said she was serious but after a split second she cracked a smirk. After the ordeal with her dad, Lark was not really looking forward to the prospect of being in the hospital. “It’s not like they can wrap it or put a cast on it,” She replied, pointing out what she considered to be rather obvious. Avery probably knew this to be true too. A cast on a rib would probably be more painful than a fractured rib by itself. Would that even be possible? His ‘paw’ amused her and she managed a small laugh. That still hurt though. “Marked? That doesn’t make us like…mates for life or some shit does it?” Because that would be weird shit.

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

Avery grinned cheekily at Lark as she rolled her eyes at him. Yeah, he really didn't fit the whole I'm-so-great arrogant kind of person. Avery was way too friendly and cheerful for that. Besides, he associated that image with old women with tea and ten cats. Not that he had anything against old women and tea, but cats just loved to hate him. Every time he left his apartment, his neighbor's cat (who was always let out) stared him down as if he was a goldfish or something. On one occasion it actually lept up and scratched the hell out of him! His favorite shirt was torn to shreds thanks to that little monster. "It's not flatter when it's the truth," he merely said, though he scrunched up his nose again. How did people do this? Like, for real! Didn't they know they looked like an absolute tool? "A girl with a challenge, I see." He smirked at her, though he was clearly joking. No way in hell would he actually for real hit on a high school student. Jokingly, of course, but not for real, for real. That would just be creepy. Lark was literally like, ten years younger than he was! "Oh, me neither. I mean, like, who would? Like, yeah!" he exclaimed, his voice mimicking that of a "valley girl." Ugh, he couldn't stand people who actually talked like that.

He scowled at her, though it probably looked more like a pout. "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically, pushing up his glasses as they slid down the bridge of his nose, though he let her pat his head. It was comforting in a weird sort of way. He liked being treated like a puppy! Avery panicked slightly as Lark began to cough and he made a face as if he did something he shouldn't have. "Sorry, will refrain from making comedic motions with my hands!" Avery placed a hand on her back, as if to soothe her coughing. "Yup!" he chirped cheerfully. "You know me, I'm already clumsy enough as it is!" And he laughed, a mischievous look on his face. Though he was a bad liar. Though Avery was angry at the students who did this to Lark, he'd most likely be scared for his life if he actually did piss them off.

"You cruel, cruel woman!" Avery exclaimed, his tone playfully horrified. He poked Lark's forehead, peering at her serious expression. Yeesh, she and Josh were too much alike. It was hard to tell when they were both joking, but Avery had a feeling they were. Or else they wouldn't be getting along as well as they did. "Smart girl," and he petted Lark's head. Avery was more shameless than he liked to be sometimes. He shared more of his personal stories rather than keeping it professional and not going past the basics--but he justified it by being the 'fun' person. Who wanted a boring doctor who just stayed silent for the treatment? Wouldn't that be more awkward? Avery shrugged and watched as Lark closed her eyes, though he did jump in surprise when they shot open. Yeesh, these students seemed to just know how to scare the life out of him, even when they didn't mean to. "Seems that way, doesn't it?" he laughed, though it was a short and somewhat humorless one. "It will prevent secretions from pooling in the lung, which could cause pneumonia," he explained seriously, but broke out in a childish smile at how professional he sounded. "Just do it," Avery said after a moment, laughing. "Trust me." He didn't mind Lark asking him this question--it happened a lot, actually. Thankfully Avery was a patient person, so he had no problem answering them. "Ugh, woman!" he laughed, turning his face away from Lark as she opened her mouth to show chewed up fries. "Very classy, Lark," he joked as she finally stuck it back into her mouth. Oh, this girl.

Okay, so maybe lying in bed all day didn't seem too appealing. It was boring and you just felt...weak. It was not a good feeling, so he saw where Lark was coming from. "Painful that you can't have me? Yes, I understand, but this relationship is illegal," he joked, patting her on the head. Besides, she had a boyfriend, but Avery's flirty relationship just couldn't resist. "You're right, they can't," he finally sighed in defeat. Avery gave her a stern look before he spoke again. "I'll see what I can do~" and Avery got up from his chair to go rummage through the medical cabinet. "Fires and stubborn-ness...I swear..." he mumbled to himself, a smirk on his face. "Pfft, you wish it did!"

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

"The truth, huh?" She asked, not looking the least bit enthused that he was insinuating she had fallen for him. It was all in humor of course. Could he tell? Eh. Maybe, maybe not. "You seem so convinced. Maybe you brainwashed me or something. Forced me to fall for you. There's better ways to get girls you know~" She sing songed, tilting her head a bit to the side as she did so. Ah, Avery was perfectly capable of finding someone without the need for brainwashing or hypnotism. She had that much confidence in the man. "Yep. The ones without a challenge are boring." Not that Lark would really know. One, she did not chase after other girls, and two she was taken so there was no need to deal with any of that. Even without those two factors, though, Lark was never one for the dating scene before and never tried to date anyone, or chase after anyone. Even Ashton. She crushed on him big time but never told him or actively tried to pursue anything.

She wrinkled her nose and looked concerned, even though she knew he wasn't being serious. Neither was she. "...be careful. Doing that might actually turn you into a valley girl. And I don't know if I could handle being around you if that happens." That sounded so incredibly shallow but at the same time that 'accent' was so fucking annoying. Lark had quite a few female friends now--more than she used to at least--and none of them acted like that. Thank god. Lark might have to either commit suicide or homicide. Whichever came first. She chuckled at his pout and poked at his cheek. "You're welcome~ Always glad to point out the obvious and such." Avery knew he was older than the high school students, Lark merely put that fact out into the open. She briefly wondered where her life would be in ten years. What job would she have? Would she still be with Ashton? Would she still live in the Hollow? A lot to think on. Probably too much. Lark ignored all of that for now.

Her expression was still pained, even as he apologized, but she did manage a nod to show she heard him and accepted it. After a few moments Lark exhaled slowly and allowed the nagging pain to ebb away. Laughter was bad. She needed to make note of that for the future. "And that's why I question your position as a doctor. Being all forgetful and what-not. At least you aren't a surgeon." She was teasing, but even so that would not go over well.

She continued to stare at him, not even flinching when he poked her in the forehead. After a while she would crack her smile and prove she was not serious, but for now it was all too easy to sit there and look as though she meant what she said. Only after Avery patted her on the head did Lark blink. "What am I, your dog?" She reached out and patted him in return. "I think we should do role reversal. And I'll call you spot." You know, see spot run. The old children's books that every child pretty much knows by looking at the front cover. She listened to his explanation with a childish pout on her face, not wanting to hear the logical reasoning behind coughing when a rib was cracked. It would hurt like a mother fucker, and that was not fun. Either way, Lark sighed and grumbled, a "Fine, I'll go. But you owe me more food for this." Because she really did not want to go to the hospital. They would poke and prod and be all up in her space and shit. Avery was at least someone she could trust. Those doctors were just random faces. She continued to munch on the fries, cackling evilly. "I'm the classiest bitch you'll ever meet Avery. True facts." She really wasn't but that was of no consequence to her.

"But I like living on the edge, nurse Avery, illegal would be so much fun." She picked up the tone of her voice to sound more like a damsel in distress. Like the ones in those drama shows that she could only stand to watch for five minutes before her brain dissolved. Lark exhaled a little, feeling comforted that Avery was going to do what he could before sending her off to the dreaded hospital. Maybe she wouldn't have to go after all. She narrowed her eyes in mock anger. "Hey, I heard that! You better be nice or I'll set those lovely brown locks of yours on fire." Lark did not even sound angry, but she sure as hell looked it. That was easy for her though. Looking pissed off was like second nature.

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

Avery blinked innocently at Lark's serious face. If he stayed like this long enough maybe she'll stop looking at him like this so scarily. If only his body complied to his thoughts. A second later, Avery dropped his gaze and pouted at the floor. He knew Lark was joking, he was just playing along. As Avery always did. "So you admit you've fallen for me!" Avery exclaimed excitedly, snapping his fingers. He then covered his ears, making random noises to ignore whatever else Lark was saying. Ah, he really was the epitome of childishness. Not that he minded; he thought of it as an addition to his natural charm. "And I do just fine with the ladies~" Avery tacked on for good measure. He did hear what Lark said, but he chose to ignore it. He...was stubborn like that. "Indeed. Why do you think I've stuck with you all these years?" Avery joked, laughing. Though what she has said was true. The chase was always the best part...after wards, well, Avery would leave that to you how to interpret. Growing up in the environment he did, the image of love wasn't a good one. It became a big factor in why he was so flirtatious and had flings a lot. Being in love and settling down just didn't seem appealing to him, though he did admit it would be nice to have someone to come home to. Avery's apartment was rather big, so he felt lonely every time he returned from work--perhaps he'll get a bunny or something to keep him company. He liked bunnies.

"Whyyyyy? We could go shopping together and get our nails done~!" Avery made his voice sound the whiniest he could, flicking his right hand in the air. Really, if anyone decided to walk in this minute it would be hysterical. Avery was flamboyant even as it was and already had people questioning his sexuality because of his flirty ways with both genders (mind you, he was bi-curious, but seeing this would probably send off a bunch of gay radars). Not that he minded. Avery would probably be amused to the max, though some people would be even more weirded out by him well, more than they already were)--namely the male patients. Oh yeah, definitely uncomfortable. "Gee, I'll remember that next time when I'm having trouble shopping for clothes," he said, scrunching up his face as she poked his cheek. "As if I don't feel so out of place already~ having more high school students as friends than people my own age," Avery sniffled. It was true. He made friends with some of the faculty, but there were some that rubbed him the wrong way. Either too stiff or just didn't approve of his antics. Plus, high school students were on the same mental level as he was--childish and immature. Avery clicked more with them, but it still just reminded how old he was--and getting! Mid-life crisis? He was getting it early. "That's why I opted out of being one!" Avery said jokingly, though that really wasn't the truth. Gah, details. Lark didn't need to know them.

Avery sighed in defeat, his shoulders slumping. "You and Josh are way too alike," he observed, blinking with wide eyes. They were all serious and stoic and just...gah. Avery understood that they were joking, but uh, it could get scary at times. He had a sort of fear for fires since his Academy days, though it's dimmed down a lot. Avery merely blinked back at Lark, smirking at her question as she patted him. He then brought his hands up to his chest, curving them as if they were paws. "Woof~" he barked as he played along, blinking excessively. Avery really needed some pride, to be honest. Any normal person would've resisted, not play along. In his defense though, he really wasn't normal. "I will personally take you out for lunch. My treat," he promised, one hand on his chest. "Though it'd be a good idea for you to bring Ashton along. I don't know how he'd react if you went on a lunch date with the school nurse," he laughed, tilting his head at the image. Awkward and confused no doubt. Avery would be, if that ever happened in his life. "Oh yeah, I'm sure. I'm blessed to be in your presence," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, but I'd rather not solidify the fact that I'm a pedo. Besides, you're not my type," Avery joked, patting her once on the shoulder. Did he really have a type? The man flirted with anyone. "Good!" he called back, though he poked his head around the corner when Lark told him she'd set his hair on fire. Oh, hell no. No one messes with his hair. Avery narrowed his eyes playfully at her, both hands on his hips. "And don't make me turn you into a wet dog!" Ah, the image. Set him into a fit of giggles, ignoring the angry face Lark was giving him. Really. Childish.

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

Lark looked at him for a long moment, as though deciding how to best respond but the thoughtfulness did not register on her face. It looked more...blank. Expressionless. Then she said, "You know I could never fall for any other man, Avery. You're just like a fucking magnet you know? Can't stay away." She had managed to place her hand on her heart and feign feeling all of the fluttery butterflies in her chest. Nah, the guy was adorable but she definitely wasn't attracted to him like that. She really enjoyed his personality though. She rolled her eyes when he covered his ears and acted childish, not even thinking to respond to that. It would be kind of useless anyway right? She passed him another deadpan expression. "That's borderline stalker behavior right there, bro. Do I need to get a restraining order?" Of course she wouldn't need to, but hey she liked to play up the back and forth. Not many people could roll with it and those that could she admired and tended to be more frequent with her sarcasm and serious humor.

"If you ever," Lark put a finger near his face and waggled it around, a very loose attempt at being intimidating. "Try to drag me to a nail salon, you will be a very sad nurse." She added a bit of a nod to affirm her words. After that, she did twitch a bit of a smirk to show that the threat was playful. Lark was a bit oblivious at times when it came to how others felt about certain things, but she did have her moments where she remembered.

She looked amused when he sniffled and seemed all upset about not having many friends his age. Eh, what was wrong with having younger friends? Lark felt that if you clicked well with someone you shouldn't allow age to cause too big of a gap. There were some places where it was not approved of but she was more thinking generically. "Aw, poor you. At least us high schoolers are fun. We're not too uptight and we like to be stupid and some of us don't even like to obey the law. Keeps things exciting ya know." Lark was not really part of the 'disobeying the law' portion of that group but she certainly was not opposed to doing stupid shit and getting into trouble. Well, trouble that wouldn't put her behind bars. She liked to have her fun but was not all that eager to have some sort of a record. Jobs were so hard to come by after that. "Good." Lark nodded. "We'd miss having you around the medical wing anyway." And she meant that. Avery kept things light and funny. Even though her side was killing her the conversation and their back and forth was a good distraction.

More often than not, Lark did not even take notice of how similar she was to her best friend. At least not on a regular basis. Avery managed to make the observation though. "Well, I guess it would make sense. We've been friends for like...fuckin' forever." When she was eight years old, actually. At the park in the Hollow. All it took were a few boys picking on her for her lisp and Josh managed to try and step in to help her out. Both of them together wound up being a good duo, even to this day. She really looked up to that man. The best 'brother' she could ever have. Lark could not refrain from laughing when Avery folded his hands and barked. Oh my god, this man. She just couldn't. "Oh, you'll be up for your first vet visit soon," she reminded him. "Gonna have to set up the appointment to get you neutered." Her lips twisted into a sort of wry smile, her eyes glinting with humor. Such sick humor. But she simply couldn't refrain. It just happened. "That sounds amazing." Free lunch with Avery did not sound bad. Not bad at all. He was a good guy and she did not mind his company in the least. If she did, this conversation would not be happening right now. She did scoff before adding, "Ashton won't care. He's not that type of guy. But if it'll make you feel better I'll talk to him about it later." She knew that Ashton was an easy going guy. Going out to lunch with a friend would most likely not phase him at all. She envisioned him grinning the entire time. So adorable.

"And...what's your type? And should I be afraid to hear the answer?" Everyone had their preferences. Whatever Avery liked, he liked. She was just messing with him, as always. He placed his hands on his hips--something she found incredibly amusing--and began to cackle. "Are you calling me a bitch? I don't think that's very nice." He did not call her a female dog directly or anything. Avery did not seem the type to insult her in that way anyway.

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

You see, Avery never really got awkward. If anything, he was the one who made the other person awkward due to his shameless flirting. But when people looked at the nurse for prolonged periods with silence, he didn't know how to react except try to play it off with blissful ignorance though he'd glance at them every so often. Lark was currently the master at making him feel awkward at the moment. "Aww. Someone's going to have to break it to Ashton," he joked, smirking as he did little pretentious movements to show off his "irresistible-ness." There are some times where Avery asks himself why and how people put up with him' granted, if he met person just like him he'd be just as amused. The nurse is here for your entertainment. "Call it whatever you want~" he sniffled, crossing his arms across his chest. "I call it a secret admiration. Though, you really can't call it a secret anymore..." Avery trailed off, now in his own little world, before snapping out of it with a grin. "If anything, I should get one against you! Magnet, remember?" And his cheeky grin turned into his famous flirtatious smirk.

Avery was briefly distracted with the movement of Lark's finger, his eyes following each flick. "Hmph!" Lark was one of the tomboys at the Academy and if that ever really did happen, he could only imagine her face (which would probably look like this --> =.="). It'd be hysterical in the moment but the daggers that would emit from them would be no fun. "Teenagers are scary," he stated, his own head nodding. Cue 'My Chemical Romance' right about now seemed appropriate enough. And it seemed like it was his student friends that liked threatening the nurse. Sure it was playful, but the looks and tone they gave Avery scared him.

It was probably inevitable having students as his friends. When he was in the Academy, Avery didn't really have any or they were just...there. For company. Drinking. Drugs. Partying. Not something that would be a foundation for friendship, so it was safe to say they didn't keep in contact after Avery graduated and moved onto a regular college. There, he met colleagues, but nothing more. everyday was like competition to see who could get most love and attention from the professors (in which Avery won<3) so in that kind of atmosphere, friendship was a tricky thing. "Yeah, but I end up being the one accountable for that!" he pointed, laughing. Oh, he could only imagine if he actually "hung out" with some of the kids outside of school. They end up doing stupid shit, but because Avery's the adult, he'd be the one ending up behind bars. Or he'd lie and say it was all his fault, in which case was more likely. Avery was the kind of guy who'd take the fall for others. "D'awww," the nurse cooed, pinching one of Lark's cheeks. "Why, that makes me feel of warm and fuzzy inside~" And it did, as childish as it sounded. But then again, Avery was the epitome of childishness. It didn't matter.

Seeing students as often as he did, Avery made it a game to compare people. It was rather fun, especially when he tried playing matchmaker. The gossip some of these students spilled were like, music to his ears. He missed out on his high school days, so this was similar to a second chance in the comfort of his own office. "Just don't become too alike," he joked. "I don't think I'd appreciate you growing like, a foot taller." And Avery wasn't a small dude either, at least he'd like to think so. But growing taller than him while being just as intimidating...(:l). Avery did not like. No. Though for a brief moment an image of Josh with a wig on flashed through his mind and he cracked a smirk. Oh, the wonderful mind of Avery Kael, though his thoughts were abruptly torn away when Lark mentioned him getting neutered. All emotion and color drained from his face, his hands dropping to his sides as he walked away with his face scrunched up. He needed to be careful with his jokes. "I'm not a dog, I don't know what you're talking about!" he said quickly, suddenly now super focused on Lark's side. Anything but his man parts, please. "Thank you~ I do not need angry boyfriends coming after me~" Though he knew Ashton wasn't like that. "It's settled. Lunch for three!" Though secretly Avery wanted to take a peek at his wallet right now. He wasn't the kind to say 'no,' especially when he was the one who offered in the first place.

Avery smirked. "Nothing you need to worry yourself with~" Though he winked at her for a subtle 'hint,' but he really didn't have an answer to her question, though he'd like to. Maybe in a few weeks. Or years. "In no way am I implying that!" he exclaimed, though he laughed. "And even if I did, it's be fabulous bitch~" And he skipped back over to Lark with his supplies, taking off the hot pack for now. "Here's the solution!" And he stuck his hand out for Lark to see: tape. No, really, tape.

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

As though she were actually frustrated by this realization, Lark sighed heavily and dropped her head. "I guess I'll have to be the one to tell him," She replied, glancing up at Avery. "Who better to break the news than me?" That would be a horrible thing to do and, though it was a joke, the thought of telling Ashton she would prefer to be with someone else was not something she wanted to dwell on. Mainly because she did not want to be with anyone else, but also because going about something like that that way was wrong. "I will. And I'll call it borderline stalking." She nodded, convicted in the label. She looked so serious, but all of this was teasing. If she were angry or agitated she would definitely let the man know. Lark did not usually discriminate with her anger. "It's only a secret if you know it," Lark pointed out with a chuckle, poking him. "But since I know, you're screwed. I'm gonna go tell the whole school." Yeah, right. She was just fucking with him like always. It was fun. "Haha. My magnetism is uncontrollable. Have you ever seen a magnet just decide not to stick to something?" Didn't it take, like, hundreds of years for a magnet to finally stop functioning? She couldn't remember.

She automatically put both of her hands out in front of her and made a clawing motion, adding a bit of an animalistic snarl on her lips. "We're scary as fuck, man. You better watch your back. We'll chew you up and spit you out." Was that a threat? Nah. But the expression on her face might have made it believable enough. Lark thoroughly enjoyed this trolling thing.

"Exactly!" Lark exclaimed, tossing her hands up into the air and dropping her wild animal act for the time being. Maybe it would come in handy later though. "That's what we need you there for! To take the blame for all of our stupidity. Then we can go on causing mayhem another day." Some of the people she knew might actually be capable of this, but the people she was closest to would never use someone like that. Though Lark could not shove away the image of Avery being caught and handcuffed. Aww! She would feel so horrible! And if he cried...oh god. That just. No. Seeing men cry did not do well for Lark. Not at all. So much stoicism and then suddenly they are reduced to a bawling baby. She closed one eye and looked agitated as Avery pinched her cheek, though it was all an act. Most of this was. "You might want to watch for that. The warm fuzzies could be mistaken for indigestion." Lark attempted to sound professional, like she knew what the fuck she was talking about. Haha. Nope.

She attempted to envision herself a foot taller, and she simply couldn't. To tower over everyone she knew might be fun for intimidation tactics but beyond that she did not want to whack her head on door frames all day. Did Josh do that? She wondered. That would suck to get brain damage via door frame. She then proceeded to take great pleasure in Avery's response to getting neutered. She was so cruel! And yet she simply could not help herself. "Aww, you don't need to be a dog to have the procedure done, Avery." Lark spoke as though this realization was no big deal. Poor guy. The bad part was is that she sounded serious. Convicted. She would never have the heart to do that to him though. "Ashton, angry." The image made her laugh, which led her to cough. This led to sadness. That hurt like a bitch! "But that sounds good. A nice lunch date. Just pick where we're going and we'll follow~" Assuming that Ashton would be okay with whatever Avery chose.

Lark winked back, a smirk playing on her lips. "You should try and be less subtle. It looked more like you had something in your eye than a wink." Sarcasm of course. It was nice to have someone to go back and forth with, though. Most people took offense to her off-handed comments and jokes, but not Avery. And if he did he didn't show it. She dropped the smirk and stared at him. "I'm the most fabulous bitch out there. Don't forget it." Her voice was deadpan and serious but her eyes sparkled with laughter. If one looked close enough, they might have witnessed a small smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. Avery finally returned with whatever it was he was getting, and Lark could only switch her gaze from his face to the tape in his hands. Seriously. Seriously. Tape? "...really Avery? I've read the list of one hundred and one ways to use tape but this might be pushing it."

[AVERY JUNNOSUKE KAEL]

Avery patted Lark's head, his own head dropping. "I'll stand by for support," he said, nodding firmly with his lips pursed in determination. If that scenario were to really go down, Avery could only imagine himself standing there awkwardly with some armor on to protect himself. And if things were to get heated he'd run away screaming, because Avery did not deal well with violence. This was all theoretically, of course, because they were just joking. Though he had to admit it would be rather hilarious and disturbing if it were to ever be true in some parallel universe where Avery had the attractiveness he claimed he possessed in this reality. "Anything other than that!" Avery exclaimed after a moment of thought. Okay, he was a little creepy sometimes, but never to the extent of stalking! At least he hoped so. Extremes for people were normal for Avery. Then again, he really couldn't stalk when he spent most of his time in his office...gah, Avery was reading into it too much, especially for a joke. He hoped. "You wouldn't," he said, his voice deep and his eyes narrowing. It was a well known fact that Avery was a very...affectionate person, to the point where it could be misunderstood, but Avery's never really liked someone, y'know? Wrapped up in the idea that love was taboo. and this was taboo times infinity, considering they were ten years apart. It'd be like...confirming his pedo status. "And this is why I refrain from dating. All you fangirls would be disappointed~" Avery and fangirls? Bad combination. His head would blow up from the flattery and...no one would really want to see him if he were to ever be in this situation in general. The flirtatiousness and affection he possesses now? Magnify that by one hundred. As if it wasn't enough originally.

Ugh. Avery himself shivered at the thought.

He pinched himself, flinching away slightly as Lark clawed at him. Avery was easily intimidated and even though this was all in good fun, just the image terrified and amused him at the same time. Terrified, because Lark and Josh were scary people. Amused, because he was a grown man. "I don't think I'm very nutritious," he pointed out skeptically, his nose scrunching up. His daily diet consisted of sugar and...sugar. Ironic for a doctor nurse. "Gee, glad to know I'm help to all you corrupted teens." Avery rolled his eyes, a smirk hanging off his lips. He knew how it would all go down--they end up destroying shit and when the cops showed up, they'd point fingers at him. It was a rather comedic image as he imagined himself with a dumbfounded expression on his face as he was dragged away in handcuffs. Ugh, these kids were going to be the death of him.

Avery scrunched his nose, his eyes narrowing when Lark mentioned indigestion. Um, no, he did not have indigestion. At least he didn't think so...but then again, his diet was the worst. It wouldn't be a surprise if his body started refusing to digest the food he ate. "Ha-ha. Funny." He poked her forehead with one finger as he pouted at her. Any talk of things that only old people had made him want to walk past it without any other mentioning. Avery was not old. Do you see any wrinkles? He sure doesn't. He's very sensitive about that topic. "Oh hell no!" Avery exclaimed, his eyes widening as he froze in his spot. He flailed his arms in what was supposed to be refusal--instead, it looked like a bee was buzzing angrily around him. Okay, even though it was a joke, Avery just shuddered at the image of him removing his...man parts. Ugh. That's like banning children from candy! It was cruel punishment! "There are way too many sadists at this school," Avery mumbled to himself, his lips pouting as he slowly backed away from Lark. Granted, he was one of them, but not to that extent. ""Gotcha! Avery snapped his fingers, a smile of excitement on his face. He smirked shortly afterwards though and he rested his elbow on the empty space near Lark's face, his chin resting in his open palm. "This is where you're supposed to ask me for my number~"

"Oh I won't~" he said absentmindedly as he snapped on some gloves. At this point it was just best to assume it was all fun and games. It was often like this with Lark, but sometimes he was never too sure, and he learned from experience to never piss off a fire. Avery liked the way his hair was now and took pride in his flawless skin. "What? I'm being totally serious!" Avery blinked at her innocently, an oblivious smile on his lips. "And have a little faith in me, I'm your favorite nurse, aren't I~?" And he flashed her a cheeky grin. But no, seriously. He learned this is medical school.