• I Need You •

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

It had been a long time since Payton had actually cried. She didn't like what it did to her face or how depressed she felt afterwards, therefore she avoided it at all costs. Bottling it up to be dealt with later was easier, anyways, and saved her a lot of time dealing with people. Recently, she hadn't had a reason to cry or mope around at all. She had had Nix to keep her eyes off the gloom and focused more on the sunny things; like him. Pay was glad she'd given him a second chance because, now, it was paying off. It'd been hard in the beginning, sure, but they had found their comfortable place and were revelling in it together. Silly dates, bigger smiles, and quirky jokes had been enough to draw Payton to him and keep her there. She wasn't sure what he saw in her, but she figured it was keeping him with her, too.

The day had been an okay one filled with work and an hour or two with her twin. She hadn't heard from Nix, however, who usually texted her during lunch when they couldn't meet up. It had seemed clingy to start worrying, but she was. She had her phone on her bedside table, waiting for it to buzz with his picture on the screen. Nothing happened, however, until he sister's image flashed on the screen. Pay sighed, turning off the movie she hadn't been following, and scooped up her phone. She looked at the text half-heartedly, flying up out of her bed once the words processed in her head.

Nix was in the hospital.

Pay grabbed a coat and her purse automatically, on auto-pilot as she made her way out of the apartment building. Paige didn't know exactly why he was there, only that the kids at school had seen some things last night and watched him carted off. Pay didn't need to know if it was a rumor or not; she just had to be sure he was okay and alive. Fate couldn't take her sunshine away again, could it? She rushed to the hospital, not bothering with a cab and traffic. It wasn't a long distance from the apartment, anyways, so she walked as fast as she could, not caring when people bumped into her or the world in general pressed closer. She had one person on her mind, and that was it. For the time being, no one else mattered to her.

Walking into the visitor's doors she'd been through a few times with Paige dragging her, she went up to the nurse at the desk, waiting impatiently as the woman hung up a phone. The nurse turned sideways to gather paperwork, her lips moving as she did so, indicating she was talking. Pay couldn't see her lips for the words, though, and the lady kept twisting out of sight every time she tried to catch something to indicate what she was saying. Payton's brow creased in frustration as the woman blinked at her like she was stupid for not answering. She said something again, head down over the papers in her hands. Still, Payton couldn't see her lips. All she wanted was to see Nix. She didn't have time to write out sentences or explain that she couldn't understand what the woman was saying. She just had to see Nix.

"Nix," she said slowly, voice rough with years of disuse. It felt strange in her mouth, the way her tongue twisted to form the words. "Phoenix McKenzie's room." Pay stared at the woman as the shock ran through her, her hand clutching her throat as the woman nodded in annoyence and turned away to type away at a keyboard. She had just said his name. She had sworn to never talk again -- ever. But she'd said his name! Since she'd gotten over her Fever, those were the first and only words she'd ever spoken.

Looking directly at her, the nurse gave the number and shoved a visitor sticker at her. Pay clutched it in her palm, racing through the floors and stairs to the floor where Nix would be. If he still had a room, that meant he was alive, right? And, if the nurse had let her go without too much fuss, he had to be in an okay condition. Right? Yes. She kept telling herself that as she came to a stop in front of his closed door, not noticing the looks from the people passing by her. A nurse stood a few feet away, looking like she was about to stop her, but Pay didn't pause. She opened the door, her breath choking her as she froze in the doorway, eyes on the beloved blonde head resting on the pillow.

WORDS: 839!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

It had taken Phoenix some time to remember what had happened to him. When he had first woke up he was groggy, confused and there wasn’t a part of his body that didn’t ache in some way or another. His right arm was held captive in a dark sling and his left eye seemed to be swollen shut. The machines around him were what alarmed him at first, but he didn’t get a chance to panic before his eldest brother Derek appeared in the doorway with a rucksack Nix hadn’t seen for a while. His brother told him what had happened and the memories sparked in Nix’s mind, coming back to him clear.

It had been another late night on campus in the labs working on one of his assignments. Only when the cleaning staff came in did Nix realise just how long he had been there for. Gathering his things together he had quickly slipped out of the building, crossing the campus to one of the side streets. He hadn’t driven to campus today; his car was out of gas. He knew the route home well enough though to manage it by foot and there were a few shortcuts down the sides of some apartment buildings and bars.
He had crossed by a small Irish bar and moved up the unlit alleyway, not fazed or worried by anyone he passed. There were always people using these quick paths and a lot of the time it avoided the crowded sidewalks. This time though, he was grabbed by his backpack. He fell backwards and quickly got himself back on his feet, shouting at the guy who had grabbed him. He heard more footsteps and then…

Phoenix shook his head, wincing when a sharp pain hit his shoulder. “You got roughed up pretty bad, little bro. Black eye, bruises on your ribs and stomach and the bastard shot you as well.” Derek’s voice grew dark and Nix shook his head at his brother. “What?”

[/color] He croaked, his voice dry and throat sore.
“It was your shoulder, a through and through, the cop said. You’ve got some nerve damage but some hot ass doctor told me that she thinks you’ll be fine in a few months with some rehab bull.” Only Derek would respond like that to this sort of news. The McKenzie boys certainly had something weird going on in their heads a lot of the time and the fact that his brother had flown from Nevada to New York for him and was so calm and casual about it just emphasised the dynamics of the family. These were the brothers who had risked nights in the desert and foolishly challenged each other to rock jumps and tricky passes; they diced with health regularly and even Nix didn’t feel panicked or surprised now he knew what had happened. “I’m gonna have a scar? Awesome!”[/color] He may have still been drugged on painkillers, but Nix was genuinely excited about the prospect of a bullet scar.

Derek helped him change into his own pyjamas and handed him some of the comics he had grabbed from Nix’s apartment. The young McKenzie had lost his wallet and money in the attack, but his sidekick had been wedged in his jeans and remained with him still. He knew he should probably phone Meg and tell her what had happened and send a text to Payton, though he didn’t quite know how to phrase that…maybe it would be better to call Paige and have her pass on the news. Derek left to go and collect their mother from JFK despite Nix’s protests. The mother was raging apparently and had fought for the last seat on the plane. Once Mrs McKenzie was on the warpath there was nothing that could stop her and Nix was contemplating asking the nurses for more morphine to knock him out with before she got there.
He was laying back in the bed, his whole body aching more after forcing himself out of the hospital gown and into his own clothes, when the door creaked open. He was surprised to see Payton of all people standing there, but he managed a lazy grin at her. “Hey there, beautiful.”[/color] He managed to croak again, his throat still refusing to cooperate after everything. He knew the doctors probably had more to tell him that Derek’s wonderful description of it all, but Nix didn’t care right now. He was surprising himself at how calmly he was dealing with all of this actually, but then again, this was his world and one day he’d be seeing people in worst positions than he was in right now.
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 783!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton had already lost the one thing that had made her life wonderful. But, since Nix had charmed his way into her life, she hadn't been thinking about music. It had been him who'd made her smile again, and wish that she could laugh in the way she used to. He had made her feel like the old her. Though she wouldn't admit it out loud yet, she was falling in love with him in ways she'd never done with anyone else. Nix gave her back something that no one else could; her smile. The idea of losing him now was unbearable.

She stood in the doorway for a long time, just staring at him with wide eyes. Years ago, it had been her in that bed, trying to smile for Paige and her family. But the pain. It had been so harsh, like fire coursing through every vein in her body. She knew what it was like to fake a smile and pretend to be okay; she knew. Payton didn't want to think of the always grinning Nix weighted down with pain, though. It hurt too much, brought up too many memories. Already, she was on the brink of tears. The last place she had spoken had been the hospital back home, and now the first place she'd spoken had been in a hospital in New York. Even if no one had been there, it was a step for her; another step brought up by Nix.

The grin on his face was enough to send Payton over the edge and into silent tears. It was obvious he wasn't in the best condition; she could see it on his face. And, still, he was making an effort to smile for her, to make her think everything was okay. She walked into the room, dropping her bag on the floor by his bed and sitting on the edge, her watery eyes studying him. Hesitantly, her fingers reached out and touched his cheek, her lips leaning down to press gently to his forehead. She had to make sure he was alive yet and not some dream she'd thrown herself into again.

WORDS: 402!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Since dating Payton, Nix’s sunny side had only grown brighter and his optimism was making people around him scowl at how he was always seeing the silver lining of every situation. Right now, he was alive and there was going to be no lasting damage to his body other than a scar which would be the most awesome thing ever! There really was nothing that could ruin Nix’s sunny perception of life, not even a bullet. Worse things could have happened and the circumstances could be a lot more severe, but they weren’t. Even with the drugs in his system, he was still able to see through the dark clouds and relax again, not even feeling fear about those dark alleys. He had been raised in Las Vegas, he knew the dangers of cities and he knew the statistics of anything happening like that again and they were slim enough to stop him from panicking if he closed his eyes.

He didn’t know how Payton found out he was in the hospital. He hadn’t told anyone and Derek had only flown in that morning when their mother was unable to get on the first flight out of Las Vegas. He didn’t mind her being there though; it was nice to see her. He just wished that she didn’t look so worried about him. He was fine, he was breathing and he was alive. He managed to see the tears falling and reached down the side of his bed to where his bag was, pulling out his rarely worn glasses and sliding them on. “Hey, now, there’s no need for tears.”

[/color] He reassured her with a soft smile once his vision was aligned again. Normally, he wore contacts, but obviously he had been in no state to put them in when he came to, his whole body and arm incapacitated.

He watched her move across the room, his eyebrows furrowed as she sat on the edge of his bed, reaching out to him. His good arm moved so that he could rest his hand on her knee and he smiled again. “I’m here, beautiful. No need to double check.”[/color] His throat was still sore, but he knew that it didn’t matter; Pay just needed to make out the words from his lips and hopefully that would be enough to reassure her, though he didn’t know what she already knew about why he was here. Had someone told her that he’d been shot? Or was it something else entirely?
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 456!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton wanted absolutely nothing to do with NYU, it's campus, or it's students other than the ones she knew from work or life in general. But, this one time, she couldn't ignore the campus gossip Paige occasionally told her about. The twins usually laughed about it or made jokes ridiculing the idiocy of it all. Those students who spread the rumors were quite close to the truth, however, and, in cases like the one at hand, the story couldn't have been too extremely exaggerated if being shot had been the final verdict. Pay didn't stop to consider it might not have been true; there were enough signs saying something had happened.

Her eyes gave his body a cursory glance, trying to see where the worst damage was. Was he in agony? Oh, she hoped not. Nix seemed okay though; he was smiling and acting like himself. Less bouncy and there wasn't the usual hug and kiss greeting, but he was still being him. Then again, she wondered how many pain meds the doctors had him on. This all could be a side effect of those.

She had to feel the warmth under his skin, the feel of his strong hand on her knee, before she accepted that he was okay. Payton hadn't realized how worried she was, or how much relief filled her lungs when he'd smiled at her. She kissed his nose, a very tiny smile on her lips now. Her head nodded slowly as she translated the words on his lips, the fingers of one hand moving into the letters of her language as she tried to spell out a question for him. She'd forgotten her paper and he'd been doing well with the sign language, something she was greatful for now. "What happened? Does it hurt?" she signed, looking at his eyes to see if he'd understood her slow-motion gestures. With Paige, she could fly through sentences and conversations, but she and Nix weren't that far yet. Not that she minded; all she was concerned with was that he was alive.

WORDS: 413!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

A lot of the night was still blurry, but there were a few more memories coming back in photographic style. He wasn’t dwelling on them though and the last thing he wanted now that Payton was here was to scare her with the details. She knew what he studied and he had told her about his dreams to work with the police as a CSI, but to give her a glimpse into how dangerous life was without him having gotten into the crime based career yet…he didn’t want to fill her with fear for each time he stayed late in the lab or walked home from work. What had happened wouldn’t deter him from doing it again, but he figured that Pay might panic more than the likes of Meg. Meg knew what was out there; she was on the same course as Nix, training for the same future and she saw the world with the same silver lining that the white blonde kid did.

He knew that a lot of people couldn’t handle knowing the reality of the darkness out there; they chose to ignore it until it came knocking at their door in some way or another. He wasn’t sure about Pay though. She had been through a lot, though none of it had been caused by the big bad cities. He also didn’t think the line ‘Vegas is worse’ was something she’d settle with either, especially not if Derek returned and began to tell all about the stunts they had pulled in the desert on certain days. Nix knew for sure that she’d freak out then, if she hadn’t been already doing that on the way to the hospital. It was all too much to think about right now under the circumstances of heavy medication and the relaxing sensation from the morphine drip that was numbing the extremity of the pain he ought to be feeling right now.

Phoenix had slowly been learning sign language and could understand quite a bit now, though it sometimes took him a little while to translate the hand symbols to words and vice versa. Still, he was getting there and Pay didn’t seem to mind lip reading whenever he started to struggle or didn’t know the signs yet. She was going to have to do that for quite a bit now after Derek’s brief explanation and the short one by the doctor when he popped in to examine the medical file, promising to be back later after Nix had rested some more. All he knew for certain was that his arm was going to be out of commission for a little while now. His left eye was still swollen over, so it was a little difficult to look at Pay fully, but he gave her a reassuring smile as he understood her silent questioning. “Some gang jumped me when I was walking home, I got shot. I’m going to have the best scar ever!”

[/color] He said, grinning as much as he could. Squeezing her knee reassuringly, he managed a small shake of his head, though it hurt a little more than he expected. “They’ve got me on morphine for the pain. It’s not so bad, I just ache. Feel like I’ve run a marathon.”[/color] He told her, hoping that she wouldn’t worry.
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 591!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton didn't get attatched easily to people. It'd taken almost a year and a half for her and her boss to become friends, and she didn't have many "best" friends outside of her sister. She didn't like to see their hopeful faces or how they'd start asking questions about her hearing. Did she ever want it back? How had she lost it? What had she done before losing it? Was it difficult to live without? Pay hated the questions. She had let Nix in, though, and he'd snuck his way into her heart before she had a chance to block him out. The mere thought of him disappearing in a blink had her out of her mind. Who would help her laugh if he was gone? Who would she be able to truly be herself with? There weren't many people who would put up with her. Hell, only Paige and her family had really stuck by her this far. Friends had faded long before she'd left Derby Acres, everyone stopped saying hello to her after she couldn't sing, no one would even smile at her in the street when she went home. Nix had been the only one to walk in and stay, and no Payton didn't want to think of what would happen if he walked back out.

In reality, she was from a small town. But, she didn't have the innocence or simplistic outlook on life people associated with that upbringing. When she'd been sick, a good portion of her life had been spent in a city in a hospital bed, going in and out of her mind and, when she was coherent, watching people die around her. Scarlet Fever had taken more than hearing from those people, and it'd almost taken more from her. This and two years of living in New York had broken any innocence she had left, but she didn't mind. She'd rather have her eyes opened to these things than be taken off guard because her ears couldn't pick up the danger pressing in on her.

The tears were still glistening in her eyes, but she'd pulled back her mask like she'd done for years. One of her shaky hands gently stroked his hair and cheek, not daring to go near the swollen side of his face, but just making sure he was there, breathing and alive. Payton's reaction didn't register anywhere on her face except for her eyes. The green pools swirled with tears and fear, but she didn't let anything out. Instead, she leaned down to kiss his lips very gently. As long as he wasn't in pain, she wouldn't worry as much. The second he showed any signs of it, though, she'd have a doctor in here in the next moment. "Can I stay for awhile or do you want me to go?" she signed again, fingers lacing with the hand on her knee. If he wanted to sleep or be alone, she would go back to the apartment, probably curl up on her bed, and not rest until she saw him again. But, if he'd let her stay, there was not a chance she'd let him go the entire time she was there. She had to make sure he was still there and not slipping away the second she turned away.

WORDS: 587!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Phoenix knew about Payton’s past, mainly thanks to Paige; after all, he had known the blonde twin before the brunette and she had told him tales of her youth which also included her silent sister. He knew that Pay couldn’t be entirely comfortable being in the hospital and he had a gut feeling that no matter he told her, she still wouldn’t believe he was alright until he was out of this room and back in his own apartment, though Nix didn’t know when that would be yet. They still had to assess exactly how much damage had been caused now he was awake and able to move for the doctors and he was fairly sure that they’d need to check out the rest of his injuries beyond his shoulder. His mother was flying in from Las Vegas though and getting rid of her would probably put him back in the hospital. Between Mrs McKenzie and Payton, Nix had a feeling he wouldn’t be alone for some time now.

His mom had only visited New York once before and his distaste for the city and her son’s choices did not go unnoticed by the youngest son, but Nix had been ignoring most of his mom’s advice since he was a kid, so it was with great ease that he did it then too. Derek had already warned him of the impending lecture and Nix was steeling himself for it, though he hoped the morphine would help him block most of it out. The way he often described his mom to other people was by asking them to imagine a pantomime dame. She wasn’t a man in dramatic drag, but she had the same loud voice, capability to command smaller people to fall silent in her presence and she was the mother on the street who would waste no time in yelling at the neighbour who picked on her boys. Still, she had a handful with Nix and his brothers and this was probably going to do no favours to her blood pressure, which she commented often enough that it only lowered once all of her sons had moved out and separated themselves from each other. Las Vegas was far too tempting a city for teenage boys and numerous times she had asked why she couldn’t have had daughters instead. Most of the time this was exclaimed when one or more of the McKenzie brothers had crashed a pool party or tried to scam their way into one of the shows in the fancy hotels on The Strip.

It was a good job she knew little of his New York antics, but that also included knowing about Payton too. Nix knew that the young woman was going to be in for it the second the matriarch arrived, but he had a sneaky suspicion that it would be more about how on earth Pay could put up with the likes of Nix, rather than anything else. He kissed his girlfriend back softly and smiled lazily across at her, his blue eyes shining with their usual spark again. He watched the movements of her hands again and shook his head. “Stay as long as you want. I’m good.”

[/color] He said, squeezing her hand and smiling softly. “Just…be warned; my family is due back within the next hour and…well the McKenzie’s are hardly a subtle kind.”[/color] He joked, not even knowing how to begin explaining his somewhat eccentric family.
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 615!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton hadn't talked to or seen her parents in what felt like forever. She assumed Paige emailed and phoned them frequently, but she never asked for fear her twin would question whether Pay herself spoke with their mother and father. There were reasons she didn't email her parents like a dutiful daughter should; reasons Paige wouldn't understand. Conversing with her family, the people who had known her before the illness, was difficult for her. They talked like she was a fallen warrior, like her life was over right after it'd had a chance to begin. And Payton couldn't stand it. Even if she felt that way on occasion, she didn't want everyone else pitying her. When people learned she was deaf, right away that pity went into their eyes and expression and she hated it. It was another reason she didn't have many friends in New York. Nix didn't look at her like that, however. Actually, she felt normal when she was with him. She felt comfortable and not so out of place in the world; she was happier. It had taken awhile, but she could talk to him now, tell him things she'd never told anyone else, not even Paige. She could be herself again.

Meeting his family was the last thing on her mind today. In general, she didn't do well with people, but, with more Nix's running around and splitting her attention ten different ways? Pay was sure in for a wild ride. If she hadn't already been on the verge of curling up in the fetal position, she was positive she would be after being introduced to a crowd of new faces. It was bad enough at work or when Paige brought friends home; she wouldn't be abe to handle it well at all. It was easy for her to be relaxed and talkative when she was alone with Nix. Bring more people into the room, and she went back into her shell, preferring the state of wall flower to main attraction. Payton did not do well with people.

As she read his lips, her brow furrowed and a wave of tension passed through her body. Pay held tight to his hand, shaking her head quickly at him as trembling fingers signed, "They won't like me, will they? They'll think I'm weird." She turned her eyes away from his, looking down at their hands with the blank expression that meant she was working hard to fight off the depression she'd been in for so long. Strangers always thought she was weird, though, or that being deaf somehow made her a freak show. What would his family think of her? An entire city on the other side of the country already thought she was strange and not right for a relationship like what she'd somehow managed with Nix. Would his family agree that she wasn't suitable girlfriend material? She'd been trying so hard lately to be like the other girls her age; like Paige and her friends. She was interacting more, smiling now, not walking around with the sadness in her eyes. She was working to be normal so that, maybe, people wouldn't think Nix was insane for dating her. But would his family be able to see all that?

WORDS: 573!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

The pain medicine was making Nix a little bit drowsy, but he refused to rest again. He wasn’t the biggest fan of sleep to begin with, much preferring to remain busy with something than spending hours in bed. With the arrival of his mother creeping closer though, he didn’t feel as though it would be wise to jump around his room or run about the hospital with his drip like he often saw on Scrubs. His mother was probably the one person in the world who had a semblance of control over the hyperactive twenty two year old. She had a way of twisting his ear the very second he stepped out of line in her presence and in this state…well, he was already in hospital and he didn’t need another reason to stay there. Behaving for the first time in a long time was probably the best option for the white blonde male.

Phoenix didn’t think into the future all that much and having Payton meet his family was something that hadn’t even crossed his mind before this very moment. Still, he wasn’t nervous about it. If anything, he was more worried about Pay wanting to stay with him after she had shared a short encounter with only half of the McKenzie brood. Dealing with Nix was one thing, but when she found herself surrounded by all of them, he didn’t know how long she’d be able to deal with their loud, brassy attitudes and sarcastic teasing sense of humour that Nix was convinced had to be hereditary in some way or another, considering how he and his brothers were identical in that aspect and their mother was not far off either! It wasn’t nerves Payton should be feeling, it should probably be fear, but Nix didn’t want to explicitly tell her that.

He narrowed his eyes at her gestures and shook his head, shifting slightly in the bed, wincing just a little as he shuffled over to give her some more room. Tugging at her hand he motioned to the space he had created and pulled her to lay closer to him as much as his arm would allow. “Don’t be silly. Besides, have you seen who you’re dating? The only weird one in this room is me. In fact I’m probably the weirdest in New York period, so stop worrying.”

[/color] He moved his hand to brush the dark hair from her face, leaning forward to kiss her softly, reassuring her again, hopefully without his words this time. The last thing his family would think was that she was strange. “We’re from Vegas, Pay. Weird for us is nothing you can imagine.”[/color] He said with a sweet smile, pulling her closer to his good side and dropping a gentle kiss to her forehead. The McKenzies were more likely to fawn all over Pay whilst criticising Nix for getting shot and making the poor girl worry about him. Well, they wouldn’t have long to wait now.
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 537!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton needed Nix's sunshine and antics in her life. She needed someone like him who could pull her out of her dark world and remind her that life could be fun, no matter what had happened in the past. She didn't mind the joking personality, or the sarcasm, or his crazy ideas; she liked them, actually. They were new to her and refreshing, much more so than the dry "advice" of doctors and family members. It was why she was here now, worrying about him and praying that fate wouldn't corrupt this happy soul, too. So far, nothing had been able to cloud his clear skies, and Payton hoped nothing ever would.

Nix already knew the family that Pay had in New York. Her parents didn't count, at least not these days, and, unless the couple showed up at the twins' door, they wouldn't be introduced to Nix. She didn't want him near her old life or the old her. It was obvious Paige told him things, and it didn't bother Pay too much, but her parents would be different. They were still living the horrors back home while the girls had escaped and to show proof that the "victim" was finally moving on would be torture. She had had nightmares about what her parents would say to this boy who had walked in and made Pay smile when all their attempts had utterly failed.

Part of Payton wanted to rush out of the room now and save the trouble of meeting his family. She already pictured what they'd say, how they'd react to her; so many people had done the exact same thing, it was what she expected of everyone now. They'd talk in over-exaggerated words, yelling like it'd somehow make her hear them. And, she'd simply sit there and blink, fighting the urge to curl up and disappear for good. Pay was positive they wouldn't like her because she was all the traits Nix wasn't. She was silent, depressed, shy, uninteresting by many people's definition, and Nix was the complete opposite of it. She could only imagine what words his parents would use to persuade him to break up with this deaf girl who couldn't possibly be any good for him.

She wouldn't cry again; not in front of him, at least. No, she couldn't. She was so much stronger than tears after years of holding them inside that to break now would be crumbling walls she'd so carefully built around herself. Instead of giving in, Pay managed a fleeting smile that barely appeared on her lips before it was gone. It was exactly what she knew he'd say; he always shot down her self-depreciating words. This time though, it was different because her stubborn mind refused to budge. "You aren't weird. You're Nix," she signed with a ghost of a smile. Against her better judgement, Pay cuddled up next to his uninjured side, letting him comfort her. For now, it made her feel better. When his family got here, it'd be a different story entirely.

Pay kissed him back, lingering on his lips to savor the taste. She couldn't get enough of them when they were alone. In public, she hated the PDA but endured it because it was all part of this healing process Paige had talked about since they moved to New York. Cuddling up to him, she kept quiet and stole another kiss, happy to have him somewhat safe and very much alive. After her almost panic attack, it felt like heaven to snuggle with him. Even if it was going to be cut off by the entrance of his family.

WORDS: 640!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

For most people, getting shot would be a life changing event. Nix had heard the tales, read the case studies and knew that many people needed months of therapy to get over what had happened. Repressed memories could be a dangerous thing to have, but Nix was not going to dwell on what he couldn’t remember, at least not when he was still under the effects of what he thought had to be pretty strong morphine. He was alive, he was safe and Payton wasn’t standing in the door about to faint on him. He felt as though he should really sit down and explain to her everything that she would probably have to go through with him now. It wouldn’t be so much as needing help with things, but everyone who knew Nix would know how difficult it was to get him to stick to the rules and even when it was in regards to his health he doubted he’d find it simple to take it easy and rest.

He hadn’t spoken to a doctor yet, but there was going to be a lot to work through now. He was damaged goods, literally and if his brother was right about the nerve damage then it would be months of physiotherapy and maybe even surgery. He knew enough to know that without some man in a white coat waltzing in and telling him about it in technical terms. What Nix was going to struggle with was not being able to be his usual hyperactive self or annoy his neighbours with his drum kit. There was so much he’d end up throwing a childish strop about and even more that would make him act out like a petulant child who wasn’t getting his way. If he wasn’t careful and his mother got a whiff of it he was sure that she’d end up staying with him in New York until he was better and Nix would not be able to survive through her strict regime again!

Nix’s narrowed his eyes, noticing that something wasn’t quite right with Payton’s mood right now. Maybe it was just her shock about hearing he was in the hospital or maybe it was something else, but it just pushed Phoenix into doing what he could do pretty well; make her smile. “I’m weird and I like it!”

[/color] He beamed, winking dramatically at her with his good eye. “Don’t worry, Pay. My family may bark but they don’t bite.”[/color] He pulled her closer to his side for a better cuddle and dropped another kiss to her forehead. He closed his eyes, savouring the calm moment until the loud voice somewhere outside of his room caught his attention.

“Derek, your brother knows better and if he doesn’t he will do by the time I’m through with the string bean!” Phoenix pushed himself up slightly in the bed, wincing slightly as the pain shot through his body. “Oh boy…”[/color] He mumbled, waiting for the door to fly open. It was only a second later when that very event happened and Mrs McKenzie stormed in, hands on her hips as she shot Nix a glare only a mother could muster. “And what have you managed to do now, Phoenix Austin McKenzie?!” This was the time when Nix would’ve given anything for a nurse to toddle on it and increase the morphine drip.
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 605!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton didn't want the medical explanation for Nix's condition. The words the doctors used didn't work well with her lip-reading, leaving her unable to comprehend half of what they were saying, and she simply didn't want to know. They saw things black and white most of the time when, really, the world was too many colors to name and their scientific solutions didn't cover half of what was happening. Without a doubt, they wouldn't cover Nix, no matter if he was a scientist like them. Thankfully, though, he wasn't a medical doctor.

She hadn't been this worried about anything in forever. That included her job, Paige, her parents; nothing was above the panic she'd felt at the idea of having Nix taken from her. It was clingy and out of character for the Payton everyone knew, but she couldn't cope with the thoughts of him being gone. Irrational, especially since their relationship was hardly past the first few months, but she didn't care. She didn't want Nix hurt or stuck in a hospital like she'd been; he was too good to be cursed like that.

Whatever he needed, Pay would be there, fussing over him and trying to make sure he didn't injure himself more. He had been helping her for so long now, it was time to turn the tables and let her have a shot at assisting him, even if it was only helping with whatever his arm prevented him from doing. She'd do it until he sent her away to get some sleep or to go to work, or until he got sick of her buzzing around playing nurse. No; she wouldn't play an actual nurse. She'd had enough bad experiences with those types to know better than to become one.

Pay slowly relaxed against his side, a natural smile on her lips as he talked. She loved that he was weird and different; it was what drew her in to start with. However, there were differences between his "weird" and hers. His was adorable and cute; hers was darker and less playful. It was cruel, and rooted in places deeper than just a personality. "I like it, too," she signed with a bigger smile. Her fingers delicately ran down the side of his face that wasn't bruised, and her smile softened at the warmth that ran up her arm. Pulling her hand back, Pay chewed the inside of her lip and sat up a little bit in order to use both her limbs for signing. She watched his face as she "spoke," hoping he understood. "Will you talk for me if they ask about...?" Still biting her lip, she tapped her ear lightly. "I don't want them to think I'm rude for not talking." She turned her eyes off of him for a second again, already imagining that scene. She wouldn't talk, so the family thought she was obnoxious and uptight; how well that would end.

She couldn't hear the entrance of his family but, from the way he sat up and how his face changed, she was guessing their moment was over. Payton didn't leave his side, keeping close to him as frightened-doe eyes turned towards the door and the two new figures standing there. She stared in shock at the woman's posture, her brow creasing a little as the yelling began. At least, she thought it was yelling. The face and lips were unfamiliar to her and she was too far away to try and start reading, so she looked up to Nix with the terror clear in her eyes. Right now, she had no way of communicating with these people. And, she was still snuggled against her boyfriend, a compromising position to be in for a first meeting with his mother.

WORDS: 675!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Phoenix knew that he was going to be in for it the second his mother arrived at the hospital. She knew how dangerous the city could be and she had raised her boys to be careful, but there seemed to be a habit with Mrs McKenzie to yell and blame a lot when she was panicking and what mother wouldn’t panic if she got a phone call in the middle of the night to say her youngest son had been shot in a strange city she was unfamiliar with? It was something all the brothers were used to, at least until the older woman calmed down enough to comprehend the full story and realise that her devilish boys weren’t always to blame; they had their innocent moments too amidst the troublemaking they got up to.

Chuckling softly, Phoenix shook his head and pulled Payton closer, sitting up as best as he could to kiss her sweetly. The small movement hurt him more than he anticipated, but he hid it as best as he could and flashed her another small smile before falling back on his pillow, exhaling with relief at the soft landing. He was really starting to feel all those bruises and cuts now, never mind the bullet holes that matched perfectly front and back. “I will, but stop panicking. My mom will love you, and give her a few hours and she’ll be feeding you apple pie.”

[/color] His mother was the kind of woman who welcomed almost anyone with open arms and the fact that Nix had a girlfriend would be enough to take her mind off of the fact that her baby boy now had gunshot wounds. “You might struggle to keep up with their lips though. We talk pretty fast. Just nudge me if you need a translator, gorgeous.”[/color] He grinned, pulling her back down to his good side and cuddling her close. He didn’t want her to worry about this. Meeting his family was probably the last thing that had been on her poor mind that morning, but it hadn’t exactly been on Nix’s either. Luckily, his eternal optimism was enough to keep him sane and calm Pay down enough so that she didn’t freak out when the circus finally did come to town.

Rolling his eye, Nix looked pleadingly at his older brother who shrugged, holding his hands up as if to say that he was having nothing to do with this. Nix noticed Payton’s fearful eyes and he didn’t blame her. Anyone’s first encounter with the McKenzie clan was usually pretty terrifying. “Hey, mom!”[/color] He declared cheerfully, deciding that this would all be a lot better if he just plunged in with it, rather than making the excuses she expected. “I got shot. It’s like being back in Las Vegas, right?”[/color] True, he had never been shot in Vegas, but getting dragged into street fights had happened before. It didn’t help that Nix stood out so much in a crowd. The woman frowned more at him and then seemed to notice the body curled up next to her son, her eyes softening to confusion now. “This is Payton, my girlfriend. She’s deaf, so thankfully she can’t hear all this commotion, but she can lip read if you don’t rush too much.”[/color] He said, ignoring Derek’s brotherly stare and focusing on how his mom’s face suddenly lit up. He could already see the wheels in her head turning with exciting thoughts about temporary daughter. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Payton. My son failed to mention you before now.” Nix sighed at the glare he then received, but was just glad that his mom hadn’t acted in that stupid fashion where they spoke loud and dramatically slowly. No, she spoke like she would speak to anyone else, but just with a few needed breaths in the middle, rather than letting the words tumble out on the exhale.
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• • •

TAGGED! Payton <3
WORDS! 659!
OUTFIT! Just a Big Kid
LYRICS! The Ballad of Serenity - - - Sonny Rhodes
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton wished she had paper or her laptop -- anything. It would've set her at ease a little knowing that she would have some reliable, fool-proof way of communciating with the new faces that were standing at the door. Her lip reading could only go so far, and that was with the friends she knew well. Even then, it was a game of chance and her mind had to work doubly hard to connect movements with what she knew were letters and words. It wasn't so bad once she was used to the way a person's mouth and surrounding features moved when they spoke; actually, it was ten times easier. With completely new people, however, she was at a loss entirely. She could maybe pick a few pieces out, but nowhere near enough to understand a full word or sentence. Afterall, she'd only been doing this for a few years.

The urge to run away washed over her again as the woman, presumably his mother, ranted. Pay couldn't decipher a single word of it, instead turning her head slighlty to catch Nix's answer to whatever was said. His face she could read better than almost anyone's now, but, that didn't help when her mind kept trembling with fear at the idea of these people hating her. She managed to gather a couple words; enough to know what he was saying, anyways. The word "shot" had her flinching, though she hid it by cuddling closer to his side as if to try and keep him safe from it all. It still hadn't fully sunken in that he was seriously injured and that she'd no doubt be taking care of him the next couple months. He was too happy for him to really be hurt.

When Payton caught his lips forming her name, she could feel the faint burn of a blush creeping onto her cheeks. She didn't want to be the center of attention so soon in this meeting; he should've been. He was the one who was lying in the hospital bed (technically) and who'd been injured. The only reason she was there was because she was his girlfriend; which, apparently, was a very big deal to his family members. But, she couldn't understand a word that was, she believed, now being directed at her. His mother's face seemed softer and kinder, though Pay still had no clue what her lips were saying. The woman looked nothing like Nix; had none of the features his lips had. If she had, it would've been easier on Pay because she would've at least had a starting point for her reading. But, no; this was an entirely new face with an entirely new way of forming words. It was going to take her forever to learn how to effortlessly read this woman's words.

It took her less than a second to become frustrated with herself and the disability that made this entire situation harder. With hearing, it'd already have been nerve wracking enough; but, without it, it was even worse. Pay wanted to talk to this woman, and be like the girls in the movies who got along so well with their boyfriend's parents. Instead, she blinked with hot, desperate tears biting her eyes. She had no way of talking right now.

Pay sat up, gently releasing herself from Nix's arms as she swallowed back the blackness she'd fought for so long. Her eyes didn't leave his face as her hands moved, shaky and awkward as she tried to slow down the rush of words she wanted to spill to him. She couldn't even talk fully with him; he wouldn't understand half of what she was trying to say. "What did she say? Her face is too new; can't understand her lips," she signed, giving him a pained expression as she waited for an answer, hoping his mother wouldn't mind the extra channels that would be needed for this all to happen. If she was like some people, Pay was expecting her to huff and give off annoying glances every time the silent young lady tried to "talk." Already, she was positive his mother hated her.

WORDS: 727!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Hospital O:
OUTFIT: Polyvore hates me right now >.<
MUSIC: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink
NOTES: <3 <3 <3