Fabulous Las Vegas • •

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton already had plans if Nix brought up going out to clubs and bars. She had "work" to do; she'd stay and help Mrs McKenzie with whatever was needed; she wouldn't want him to miss out on time with his friends. There were more, all of them lies and excuses, but, if they kept her from sitting silently on a bar stool, she'd use them. She didn't want to take the chance of being left out or of making things awkward when she knew she could just as well stay back and let Nix enjoy his hometown. He shouldn't have to suffer from her lack of social-skills and her shyness.

She couldn't help an amused smile at the banter between the two twins, still not being able to believe how similar they were. She and Paige may have been identical, besides the hair, but they didn't dress the exact same! The boys even had matching nose rings; it was a wonder how their family even told them apart. Payton shook her head at them, leaning over to press her lips to Nix's, hoping that would suffice as the answer to who she'd be kissing. They may've been practical clones of each other, but the sling her boyfriend was wearing would keep her from accidentally curling up next to his twin.

"They'd still find us eventually," she smiled back, rolling her suitcase up to the front door. "Don't miss out on your brothers for me; I'll be fine," she signed slowly, frowning a bit at him. Payton didn't want him to sneak off just because she'd no doubt be nervous around so many faces and McKenzies. He should be spending time goofing off and joking around with his siblings, not worrying about the girlfriend he got to see every day in New York.

She let him take her suitcase, following him through the strange house and looking around as they went. Pay could feel her heart leap into her throat as they entered the living room, her eyes blinking twice at the multitude of faces. So many new lips to learn; so many people who had their eyes trained on her. She stepped closer to Nix, trying to keep her hands from shaking as she followed his gestures. Names were impossible to read, and she'd never remember them all in one shot, but, she gave Mrs McKenzie a small smile, and then looked to Derek. At least she knew them. When she caught her name leaving Nix's lips, she gave a nervous smile to everyone, quickly looking back down afterwards. There were too many people staring at her. This was why she didn't go to meetings at work, and why she didn't like coming home to Paige with her college friends; too many people turned their attention on the wallflower. She didn't like being the center of a room, and she certainly didn't like being introduced to so many people at once. It was taking everything she had not to run back outside and hide from these strangers. The only thing that kept her in her place was Nix's hand lacing through hers. If he hadn't given her that one lifeline, he may've been chasing after her. Payton did not do well with so many people.

She didn't need any help running from the room, willingly following Nix as he guided her out. It was impossible to hide the shaking as he led her into the hall, and she took a moment to just bury her face in his chest to calm herself back down. She was never going to survive dinner.

WORDS: 645!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
OUTFIT: AIRPORT CHIC!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Nix wasn't worried about Payton feeling left out or awkward if he took her out into the city and met up with some of his old friends. He had done a decent job of bringing her out of her shell back in New York and he wasn't about to let up now that they were in Las Vegas either. He'd keep making her laugh, dragging her into silly little stunts as best as he could with his bad arm still confined to the navy blue sling he was starting to call his extra limb, since it was there from the moment he woke up and stayed there until he crawled into bed and punched the lightswitch out.

Nix and Nate had always had fun being as idenitical as they were. The added tweaks of the nose rings and the matching styles in which they wore their hair were just added to the fun and games of them looking exactly like the other. In the end it simply worked out to be what both of the boys preferred and neither of them were pressured to change to look less like clones. Besides, with one primarily in New York whilst the other was in Vegas it hardly proved to be a problem for the people in the city. Plus, as Payton would quickly learn, they didn't have matching personalities. Nate was a little less hyperactive than his slightly younger counterpart and Nix wasn't as sarcastic as his slightly older twin.

"You'd be surprised; they're not all that quick."

[/color] He said, shaking his head at the memory of just how many times he had slipped in or out without his brothers even realising he had left the house at all, although that was the joy of living in a house where everything was on one floor and the only obstacle was the gate or the wall, depending on which guaranteed the safer exit. "It's not you I'm worried about. Last time I saw Robert I dropped his iPhone in the pool and then shrinkwrapped his door."[/color] He joked with a grin, giving Payton a slight glimpse into what it would be like during their time in this house. He hoped the humour would help keep her relaxed, knowing that there was really nothing she ought to be nervous about.

Outside of the room, he folded Payton into his arms as best as he could and smiled to himself. He knew his family was a little terrifying when they were gathered around like that but the whole trip wouldn't contain many moments like that. Most of the time the group would disperse off in several directions and she would only be with three or four of them at a time. "Don't worry. Derek and Robert will be off home later with their two. You'll only have Nate here and Julie ocassionally."[/color] He said in a quiet voice, making sure that Pay was looking at him so she could read his lips. "Anyway, let me show you Castle McKenzie!"[/color] Taking Pay's hand he led her to the next door down the hall which was the spacious kitchen and dining room with the open doors to the backyard. "If you want a swim the pool's just been cleaned out."[/color] He added, gesturing the modest size pool outside in the sun which had a few sun loungers around it and a grill area at the far side. When he was younger, most of the family weekends were spent out here. Leading her through the rest of the light coloured house, he showed her the two bathrooms; one with bath and shower, one with just the corner shower unit. He pointed out each of the bedrooms which were often only used now when all the boys were home and too drunk or tired to drive home. Finally, at the end of the hallway, just around a small corner was a door with a big Blink 182 poster on the front that showed a few signs of wear and tear, Nix smiled, grasping the handle and pushing the door open, pulling Payton in behind him. "And this is us."[/color] The spacious room was dark blue, but most of the wall space was covered in posters, concert tickets and photos of his life in Vegas. The double bed sat in the middle with black side tables still covered in magazines, a clock and other tidbits from his last visit. The large window looked out to the pool edge and the grill area with his old drum kit near it, next to the wardrobe that his ma had organised and cleared out so that there was room for Payton's clothes along with Nix's. He grinned across at her and bent down to kiss her softly, pulling her closer and hoping that she was more at ease now about everything.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 889
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Nix had helped Payton in ways he'd never be able to imagine, but, that didn't mean she was cured. She still freaked out in front of people; she still didn't like meeting strangers; she still had a hard time stepping out of her comfort zone. The current her was a far stretch from what she'd been last year, though there was a lot of healing to come if she'd ever be back to "normal." Paige always said she'd get there; that, one day, she'd be able to look back and just laugh about everything that had happened and move on from it. But, Payton didn't see how that girl would ever come back; the one who'd been fearless performing in front of the entire town, and who'd been the smiling face in a group of friends. She didn't see how she could ever be that person again when she didn't have much to smile for.

Payton buried herself into Nix's arms, closing her eyes and just standing there for a moment. She could feel the panic slowly draining from her, though it was still there and still making her head pound. She wished it'd go away, and she wished she could've been the smiley-upbeat girlfriend who fit in flawlessly with her boyfriend's family, but that wasn't her, and she wouldn't have been able to pretend if her life depended on it. She couldn't do this. Pay only looked up when she felt the vibrations of sound go through Nix's body, and she did her best to read his lips from their current position. She nodded half-heartedly at him, pulling back and sliding her fingers between his. She really wanted to curl up in a corner and hide, but she was here for him; this was his vacation and she was the guest. She had to keep up with him, just like she did in New York.

She walked with him through the house, looking where he pointed and hoping she'd remember her way around. It'd be only too easy to get lost and, seeing as she couldn't call out for help, she'd be stuck wherever she wandered off to. Her eyes turned out towards the pool, a tiny smile taking over her lips. Maybe they could sneak out there for awhile; just the two of them. He could blow off some of his energy and she could recover before dinner rolled around. "I'd like that," she signed quickly, reaching up to kiss his cheek before following him towards what she hoped was their room. Payton looked around the hallway as they walked, making a mental note of where the bathroom was so she could hopefully shower. The plane ride wasn't exactly fun, and she would feel a lot better after a refreshing moment by herself.

Payton smiled back up at him as he opened the door, shaking her head as she looked around the bedroom. It was perfectly him; the drumset, the posters, the scattered magazines. It was even more "him" than his apartment was; a scary thought, but, looking around, she couldn't help smirking. This was, without a doubt, Nix's room. She kissed him back gently, more relaxed now that they were away from the rest of his family. Eventually, they'd have to go back; eventually. Right now, Payton just wanted to unpack and get settled in this temporary home.

WORDS: 599!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Nix knew that there were still leaps Payton had to take before she was entirely comfortable with herself again, but he would be there the whole way to hold her hand and guide her through it all. He hoped that his own friendly nature and confident attitude might rub off on her, bit by bit. He wasn’t afraid to talk to strangers; he thrived when meeting new people and large groups only served to make the white blonde senior even more hyperactive and outgoing. Where he got it from no one really knew and he even made his welcoming family look like a bunch of wallflowers most of the time too. There was just no stopping Nix at times and he had yet to find out if that was a good or bad thing about his personality.

Obviously, with Payton, he held back just a bit to make sure she was okay too. She wasn’t as comfortable with the large crowd as he naturally was, but he did hope that she would grow more used to it before this trip was over. It was true that most of the time it would only be his parents, Nate and possibly Julie floating around the house, but the McKenzie’s had a habit of spontaneous barbecues and movie nights. They could always sneak off for a walk if it became too much, but the reason he had started hanging out with Payton before he fell for her was to try and coax her out of her shell when others had failed; that didn’t change just because she was his girlfriend now. There would be plenty of time for them to be alone anyway since everyone else still had jobs and other places to be. The world of the McKenzie’s did not stop just because Nix came home.

The house wasn’t too big, so there wasn’t a lot to really worry about. The bathroom doors were often left ajar when vacant to show that they were empty, save anyone rattling door handles, and Nix’s room was the last one at the end of the corridor, so his room was easy enough to find. Still, he had lived here his whole life and had mastered the drunk stumble from front door to room without causing a disaster in his wake. “Good! It’s there whenever you fancy a dip. It’s great to cool off in this heat.”

[/color] He said with a grin. Too many days had ended with him just falling into that pool simply to try and cool off. Even growing up in the Nevada heat, it was still hot and he could still only take so much before he had to cannonball into the pool.

Nix flopped back onto his old bed which was as comfy as ever and then grinned across at Payton. “Ma made space in the wardrobe for you.”[/color] He said, gesturing to the open doors and then sitting up, kicking his shoes off and crossing his long legs on the duvet. “What do you fancy doing now? We’ve got a few hours to kill before dinner and that lot’ll let us recover from the flight until then.”[/color] His brothers might pass by with a few words, his ma with drinks or snacks, but mostly they’d be left alone to shower, sleep, walk…whatever they needed to get comfortable.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 591
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton often wondered what Nix saw in her. She wasn't pretty or funny or charming or... anything. She didn't have the same qualities as the other girls of New York, the ones who could smile at a crowd and win them over within seconds. She couldn't tell a good joke, or even talk, or be the bouncy, perky girl people seemed to favor; she wasn't any of that. She was unusually shy; she was depressed nine times out of ten; she didn't even wear frilly dresses and high heels. And, yet, here they were at his parents house, and she'd been introduced as his girlfriend and she'd met his family. What could possibly make her good enough to deserve this?

She would be comfortable in the McKenzie house soon enough. Payton could adjust to so many people; she did it every time her boss made her sit in on a show for work. She was the first one in the theatre on those occasions, so every single soul that entered usually eyed her up curiously, including the crew for the show if they still were buzzing about. She would get used to it eventually; it would just take her awhile to get over the shock of it all.

Payton contemplated joining him on the bed, eyeing it up longingly before glancing back towards her suitcase. Work first; then she could relax. Plus, she had to find her phone, iPad and laptop charger, all buried somewhere in her bag. "Unpack first. Maybe a swim after if your shoulder's up to it?" She went over and kissed him with a smile on her face, her lips lingering for a moment on his warms ones before she pulled back and went to roll her case over near the wardrobe. She laid it flat and unzipped it, carefully pulling out a couple neatly folded dresses that Paige forced her into bringing. Pay said she'd be fine with one, but, according to her twin, you could never have too many dresses. She smoothed them out and hung them up, going to her case and rummaging through for her desired cords and the bikini she swore she'd stuck at the bottom. She found everything, along with a fluffy towel probably included thanks to Paige, and zipped the case back up. Payton got up off the floor and went to climb onto the bed, tucking herself into Nix's good side with a content smile on her face as she looked up at him.

WORDS: 434!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Nix never wanted a girl who could charm the city. He didn’t want someone fake, plastered in fake tan or cheap pearls that were supposed to look expensive. The girls who walked through the city in designer clothes and heels barely got a reaction from him. He’d rather have someone who would prefer to go out in comfy shorts and t-shirts. More importantly, he wanted to be with someone who could keep up with him and his hyperactive lifestyle and mannerisms. In Payton he had found something more. She could put up with him, handle his hyperactive outbursts and at the same time she was capable of calming him down just the tiniest of bits when he was getting carried away. Nix didn’t want someone who was too much like him or someone who he had nothing at all in common with; like those glamorous city girls. He may be from another city of bright lights and endless attractions, but he was much more at home rolling in the dirt of the desert or the gutters of New York than he was on Fifth Avenue with expensive designers and one of a kind outfits.

His family would love her just as much as he did. His mom and Derek had already told them about her and everything that they knew from their trip to New York after his shooting. They could be patient, despite what Nix and the boys seemed to imply with their busy and crazy mannerisms. Besides, it wasn’t like they would corner or interrogate her. The only reason they had been sitting around like that was because Nix had been flying in with her and because they were having dinner together; the rest of the time she’d only be around three of them most of the time, depending on who had dropped in, who was out, what was going on…the typical family scenario.

He waved her productive attitude away. Normally he just lived out of his case, much to his mother’s dismay every time he came home. Nix didn’t see the point in unpacking it all just to pack it back up again at the end of the short trip. Besides, even in New York he didn’t care about creases in the shirts he left open most of the time over his t-shirts, and his t-shirts usually sorted themselves out when they were in the dryer in the laundry room of his apartment building. “Even if I can’t swim, I can float.”

[/color] He said with another of his large grins. He did want to have a dip in their pool, even if he couldn’t swim or dive-bomb into it like he would normally. Plus, apparently his physiotherapy might be helped by the water according to some pamphlet the hospital had given him on his first visit for the healing treatment. He waited for her to finish unpacking and join him on the bed and then cuddling her close for a moment. “Pool or nap?”[/color] He asked, not minding which she chose, just so long as she was happy.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 544
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton had bravely faced the interrogations of Mrs McKenzie and Derek when they'd been out in New York because of Nix's injury. She had answered the questions, tried to make herself seem as normal as humanly possible, and had even told them a little bit about her twin. There'd be joking and innocent smiling and a few narrow escapes from a panic attack whenever a question hit a bit too close to topics Payton kept clear of; but, she'd managed it as well as she could. She hoped she wouldn't have to go through it again, especially not with everyone at once. Dinner was already looming darkly in the back of her mind; she could see herself running from the table because of how frustrated she'd no doubt get thanks to the fact that she wouldn't be able to understand anyone besides maybe Nix, his twin, and Derek, if she was lucky. She was never going to survive it.

When Payton got flustered in large groups of people, she didn't fight with herself to stay; she generally ran and hid in the bathroom or some closet where no one would be able to find her and see the panic attack she'd launched into. It was part of the fact that, no matter how good she got at lip reading or signing, it didn't make her normal again. Nothing would ever make her like the rest of the people she was with; they'd always laugh and joke and understand each other while she was stuck one step behind, trying to figure out everything going on around her. It got too much for her at times, and the fight had drained out of her a long time ago; she never had the strength to stay and force herself into being patient. She just wanted to be normal again.

Payton cuddled close to him, her head on his good shoulder as she tucked herself up next to him for a moment. She liked times like these where they could just snuggle on a couch or a bed and watch a movie, or even just nap. It was peaceful, and much more her speed than the bouncing off the walls. She looked up as he spoke, untangling herself so she could sign. "I slept on the plane. Let's go swim. Unless you want a nap?" she signed quickly, a smile on her lips at the idea of Nix ever needing a nap to refuel his energy. "I'll beat you outside," she smirked in a challenge, already off him and at her suitcase, grabbing her suit and towel and hurrying off towards the bathroom to change.

WORDS: 468!!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
OUTFIT: AIRPORT CHIC!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

He knew that his girlfriend hated large groups, especially if the attention fell on her or she became frustrated. He had explained this to his mom on the last phone call before he came home and she had promised to make sure that everything went fine. Pay would struggle reading the lips of some of the people around the table, but the McKenzie boys and their father all had the same jawline and similar features, so he hoped that at least with his blood she might have an easier time once she wasn’t so startled by the large family and the amount of people in the room with them. He also had a few tricks up his sleeve to try and keep her calm or at least distract her from the number of people and focus on something else instead.

Nix would just relax with Payton like this more if he didn’t feel the need to move so much. He grew fidgety, even when he was just sitting in class and he needed to do something to release the natural excess of energy he always seemed to have. His dad used to joke that when Nix was sick he operated at the speed of any normal person, because even with the flu he found a way to keep flitting about from room to room, searching out something fun to do. Even the doctors had been raising an eyebrow at his non-stop lifestyle, especially since the definition of ‘rest’ had not been shared by both parties. Even now, he did his physiotherapy in excess because it was a reason to move and he wanted full control and mobility of his arm back before the estimated time period, which was too close to Christmas for his liking.

“I’ve too much energy to nap.”

[/color] He told her, kissing the tip of her nose playfully before sitting up at her challenge. “That’s not fair! You know I can’t dress myself properly right now!”[/color] He pouted, watching as she ran from the room. He kicked the door closed and grabbed his own case, finding his swimming trunks and pulling them out. He’d grab a towel on the way outside and it was a lot easier to skip out on the vest since his arm only made him grouchy when he had to try and fit it through sleeves. Nix winced as he pulled his shirt off slowly, contorting his upper body to get his bad arm out easily. The rest he could do with one hand mostly, so it wasn’t too much of a big deal for him as he changed into the swimming shorts and grabbed the sunglasses he always left at home from his dresser. He knew his ma and the girls might have something to say if they saw the scar he wore proudly on his shoulder, but he couldn’t do anything about that, even if he wanted to. Making his way out to the pool, he couldn’t see Payton about, but he smirked and dropped himself into the cool water, submerging himself in the deeper end for a second before coming up and shaking the water from his hair like a dog.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 564
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton hadn't told him that she'd actually talked at the hospital. She hadn't told anyone really, not even Paige. She still couldn't believe she'd done it herself, especially since she'd vowed years ago that she wouldn't speak again after losing her hearing. Her voice sounded different now; or, it had back then when she'd tried and seen the winces her parents and Paige gave her because of the sound. They'd never done that when she'd had her hearing; it had to sound terrible for them to react in such a way. That was why she didn't talk. She didn't want people staring or laughing at her; it was so much easier to just stay forever silent. But, that damn nurse hadn't had a clue and had pushed her, in her desperate attempts to find Nix, to say his name. Since then, she had tried a few times in front of the mirror whenever Paige was off at work or school. It felt wrong though, because she couldn't hear her voice. She used to sing in front of the mirror all the time growing up, and listen to her voice echo through the bathroom or empty house; now, all she saw were two lips moving in a silent plea for sound to come out. It didn't feel right.

She couldn't help a smile as he called after her, waving at him as she walked out of the bedroom. He'd still beat her, no matter how injured or ill he was; he'd always be quicker than her. Payton didn't mind though, and preferred her role as the calm one versus being hyper-active. It suited her a lot better. She went into the closest bathroom, shedding her airplane clothes and slipping into the bikini borrowed from Paige. Pay didn't own one, having not brought one to New York because she couldn't understand the need of one, so she'd begged her twin to loan one until she cracked down and purchased one. It fit her like a glove though, a perk of being identical to another person, and she awkwardly tied the strings as tight as she could to keep the tiny fabric covering her. Payton collected up her clothes and went to dump them on her suitcase, shaking her head at the fact that Nix was already done and gone. Sometimes, she believed he moved too fast for his own good. Grabbing her towel and the cheap flip flops she'd brought along, Pay made her way out to the pool, priding herself on the fact that she didn't get lost on the short journey alone. She was also happy she hadn't run into one of the boys or their girlfriends; she didn't want to think of what would happen there.

She quietly stepped outside into the heat of Vegas, very happy that she was going into the pool. She caught the tail-end of Nix's shake, rolling her eyes jokingly at him while she set her things done by the edge in a neat little pile. Payton took a step back, biting her lip as she jumped into the deep end of the pool, enjoying the small rush it brought of childhood memories. Her dark hair clung to her back as she came up, frowning at the breeze that felt much to uncomfortable to be right. She looked down, a dark red creeping into her cheeks as she noticed the bikini top entirely out of place. This was why she didn't own swim suits. Ducking back under the water, she fixed it as best she could, emerging from the water and easily swimming over to Nix, the blush still evident on her normally pale face.

WORDS: 641!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
OUTFIT: AIRPORT CHIC!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Nix didn’t mind that Payton didn’t talk. It really didn’t matter when his mouth ran a mile a minute and would probably stop her getting a word in edgeways. At least when he caught a glimpse of her hands moving he actually knew that she was trying to tell him something and there were no spluttered words from her lips when he was off on some hyperactive spiel about whatever came to mind that day. It might have been a little frustrating that he couldn’t sign himself these days, since the shooting, but he was getting better and he could move his fingers a little bit more now before the pain set in, deep in his shoulder. Still, they seemed to balance each other out in the way that they communicated and strangely it worked! Nix did sometimes wonder what Payton sounded like; if she sounded like Paige. He and Nate couldn’t be told apart by the sound of their voices alone, but the two did notice the tiniest of difference between themselves when they were holding a conversation.

In the pool, Nix knew that swimming would probably be out of the question. Swimming involved too many muscles in the shoulder and arm region and since one of his had been literally shot down, any attempt would be painful or result in him swimming in a small circle like a boat with one oar. The water was soothing though, especially in the Nevada heat that the lanky kid missed so much when he was in New York, but only realised the second his feet touched back in the desert. He floated on his back for a few seconds whilst Payton organised herself by the edge of the pool, remembering that he had actually forgotten to grab his own towel from the cupboard, meaning that a wet sneak through the house would happen and hopefully his ma wouldn’t see him dripping water across her new carpet! It was the usual way in which Nix wound his mother up.

He scooted towards the shallow end, clearing room for Pay to enter the deep end in whichever way she saw fit. He was glad she seemed so happy and relaxed out here, especially since she might find a cool swim part of daily life during her stint in Las Vegas. The boys had always done it after school if they were rushing off somewhere else and endless water fights and mini-parties had taken place out here with the family. It was the best way to keep cool, especially if you weren’t used to the scorching lunch time heat. His eyes widened slightly at Pay’s little “wardrobe malfunction” and a boyish laugh escaped his lips before he kicked back in the pool again. Needless to say, it put other thoughts in his mind too, but he quickly brushed them aside, knowing that it had been a harmless accident that now had her face glowing red. For her sake, he tried to act as though he hadn’t seen anything, but the boyish grin was still in place as she swam closer to him and he wrapped his good arm around her to bring her to rest on his chest as he returned to the surface to float on his back. “And, I beatcha!”

[/color] He said teasingly.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 583
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton had never had a "real" boyfriend, not until Nix, anyways. Most of her high school life and before had been devoted to her music, and then the fever set in, and no one ever showed interest before while she'd been in New York. Then again, she hadn't really been looking; though, she hadn't been looking when Nix came running in either. Dating was just something she'd never really had time for, or interest in, for that matter. The idea of getting her heart broken never sat well in her mind, though the younger her had dreamed about finding "Mr Right" one day. That idea had quickly faded to almost nothingness now; Payton didn't beleive in fairy tales any more. Still, what she had with Nix was new and different and... she liked it. She liked the way he made her blush, and how he always made her smile even when she was in a darker mood; and, she loved the butterflies that always appeared when he kissed her. It made her worry less about what would happen later on; she was too caught up in what was happening right now.

She wasn't about to challenge him to a race down the length of the pool, much preferring to just float and relax herself. Payton didn't know how much his shoulder could handle, but she'd wanted to cool off before a shower and dinner. Besides, the brothers may've gotten ideas about them being cooped up in his bedroom for so long; that was the last thing she needed to hear about today! The pool would at least let them have their innocent fun, even if the bikini malfuntion suggested something else.

Payton knew her saw. The look on his face was enough, even if she hadn't heard or seen his laughter. It kept the blush light on her cheeks as she swam over to him, and she hoped he hadn't read too much into it. It was the bikini's fault; Pay wasn't used to wearing them, and hadn't for a long time, and it wasn't like she'd meant to flash him. She went into his arms, biting her lip in embarrassment before reaching up to kiss him softly after his words. She jokingly rolled her eyes at him, her gaze catching on the scar on his chest. Gently, she rested a hand over it, kissing him again. She pulled back and meet his eyes, freeing her hands to sign, "Is it bothering you? You did stick those painkillers in your bag, right?" She would worry about him, even if he said he was fine; that scar and the way he sometimes winced when he moved gave her enough proof that it still hurt, and that hurt her more than he knew.

WORDS: 484!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
OUTFIT: AIRPORT CHIC!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Love and romance had never been things that Nix went out and searched for. He wasn’t some hopeless romantic or lovesick teenager. There had been girlfriends and one boyfriend in his past, but none of them were serious and none had lasted very long. He was a teenager back then and settling down hadn’t really been anything he wanted to do for a long, long time. Things might have been different if he had gone to school closer to home like Nathan had done. He only broke up with Oliver because of the distance between them and, of course, he wouldn’t have met Payton or befriended Meg and his shoulder probably wouldn’t be ripped apart either. Nix didn’t want that though, even if he had thought about the “what ifs” once or twice since moving his life to another city of bright lights and endless adventures. He didn’t believe in those fairy tales and he definitely wasn’t Prince Charming; he was more likely to be the lovable but totally dopey side character that was around for comic relief but got no actual ending to mention. Hell, people were shocked into silence when they found out that Nix was to be a forensic scientist one day soon; he didn’t seem to give off that vibe around people and they were surprised that beneath that head of white blonde hair there actually lurked an intelligent mind.

He had always lived in the moment, never caring to plan in detail for the future or reminisce endlessly about the past. Usually, with his brothers, they taunted each other about something they had done before, but it was mainly about silly things that were more like inside jokes for them all than anything actually worth sharing with other people in his life. There may have been photos and other sentimental trinkets, but Nix rarely looked at them; he just wasn’t that guy. His brothers were bound to find more things to tease each other about during this trip and Nix had no doubt that there would be new memories made, accompanied with the friendly taunts he had grown up with.

Nix saw her eyes travel to his scar. It was probably going to be there for the rest of his life now, not that he minded. He joked that one day when he worked in the forensic branch of law enforcement he would be one of the few to boast a bullet wound before he even started working the crime scenes. He smiled across at her as they both drifted across the water, shaking his head lightly. “I’m fine. It’s not like I plan on swimming laps anyway. And yes mom I packed them.”

[/color] He had little desire to take them though, since the pain wasn’t anywhere near as bad as it had been when he woke up in the hospital. Really, it only hurt first thing in the morning if he had slept on it for too long and then he got small twinges whenever he moved it too much, like when he was getting dressed. The rest of the time it was tightly wrapped in the sling and kept against his chest, which Nix was used to by now, so it wasn’t as big a deal to him as Payton liked to fuss over.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 583
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

Payton didn't know where she wanted to go with her life. Paige wouldn't need her around forever, and she didn't plan on living with her twin for the rest of her life; she wouldn't do that to her. When she graduated, Pay knew she'd have to find something to do with herself. Paige would be moving on and starting her life, and that might not include her any longer. She had no idea what she was going to do. She was happy with her job at the Apollo, and it paid well enough to support her. If it came down to it, she knew she could find an apartment on her budget and live off microwaveable noodles and bread until she got a raise. But, would that last forever? She was okay with living alone and being by herself; she was stuck inside her own head most of the time, anyways. What would she do with her life though? It wasn't like she'd have a degree to work off of; she barely had her high school diploma. And, even if she did go to NYU, what would she study? She had no promising qualities to draw her to a major; her classes would be doubly hard because she couldn't talk to her professors or classmates; it'd be more people pointing and staring at her. What was the point when it would only cost money and time she didn't have?

Unlike her, Nix seemed to have it all figured out. He'd graduated, had dreams about his job, and was so sunny, Payton didn't see how he wouldn't do something great with his life. She wished she could be like that; know what she was going to do and have the gut to follow that until she'd achieved it. Right now, she wasn't even sure where this relationship would be leading, let alone where she'd be working five years from now. Payton had never asked Nix what would happen if he got a job somewhere else, or how she'd factor into his life when he started being successful in his crime-filled world. Would he leave her behind once he found his place? Would she still be worth it when he had his labs and tests to worry about?

Payton shook her head at his teasing, knowing that, if she didn't fuss about his health, no one would be there to. His mom wasn't with him constantly, but she was, and that meant she got to take care of him and worry as much as any concerned girlfriend would. "I do things your mom never would," she teased back with a suggestive smirk, brushing her lips softly over his again. As long as they were alone, she would be flirty and relaxed; she'd be the girl he'd somehow brought back out of her shell. But, once they set foot back into that house and started getting ready for dinner, Pay wasn't doubting that she'd be a nervous wreck. He could laugh at her panic attacks all he liked; that was her life though. She worried about little things, freaked out over situations that he could ease through with a smile as huge as Texas; those were the differences between them that people constantly said were reasons they shouldn't be together. He grinned and bore it; she hid and paniked about it.

WORDS: 590!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
OUTFIT: BIKINI GIRL!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Phoenix Austin McKenzie]

Nix’s dreams has been born in Las Vegas after the amount of times crime scene tape and flashing lights and whirring sirens had sparked his attention. He has always been the kid to ask questions, interrogate his own parents about Christmas and birthday presents. Once he was old enough to learn more, to understand the answers to his repeated questions, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. People thought it was a passing infatuation like most kids went through, but it was the one constant in Nix’s plan for the future, no matter what happened in the rest of his life. It might seem odd for someone so sunny, with such a positive attitude to life to want to work in the shadows, chasing after the darkness, but it was his calling and he knew that. Just because he didn’t talk about it all the time, it didn’t mean that he wasn’t passionate or determined about it. In fact, it was something he kept mostly to himself so that other people around him didn’t feel as though they should be worried every time he stepped out to go to work, once he got a proper job. He hoped that would be soon and had plans to start searching once they got back to New York, even if he had to spend a bit of time cooped up in a lab rather than the field thanks to his arm.

He was staying in New York, at least for a few more years. Before university, he had thought about coming back to Las Vegas to work, but the further he got into his course, the more he realised that spreading his wings a little more in the city that never slept would be required of him before he could happily go back to his home city, if he ever did. It would all depend on the chances and the opportunities that arose and what would be best for him and his situation at the time. Really, he wanted a simple life with very few changes from what he had now, but there were never any guarantees for that sort of thing.

Floating in the pool, it hardly felt as though the early morning had happened, or that they had been cramped on a flight earlier in the day. Finally, Nix felt relaxed and the little annoyances from travelling were all gone, ridden from his system now. Pulling a face and wrinkling his nose, Payton’s words had the opposite effect on the lanky man. “Ew, really bad visuals.”

[/color] He said, mock glaring at his girlfriend before rolling over, dunking her unceremoniously beneath the surface of the cerulean pool. His feet touched the bottom and he grinned, gliding back before laughing to himself.
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• • •

TAGGED!Payton!
WORDS! 495
OUTFIT! Nerd Power!
LYRICS! To Die For- - - Automatic Loveletter
NOTES! <3

[Payton Elouisa Rhodes]

They hadn't ever really talked about the serious things in their lives. Payton found that anything even close to that word brought out the dark side of her thoughts, and Nix never seemd to sit still long enough for her to bring up the questions. She didn't want to; she liked how happy and carefree they were. His recent hospital days had had her thinking though, and realizing that he may end up there more times than she would ever be able to count. She wanted to be there for him; be the one fussing over him while he recovered and the one taking care of his apartment while he took a tiny break from the world. She was afraid of getting her hopes up again with ideas of them in the future, mainly because she'd done the same thing before and watched the dreamy pictures crumble away. Payton would never ask what he saw this relationship leading to; she was too scared to find out the answer.

She wanted him to stay in New York. Again, she wouldn't voice the thought, but she wanted him to stay. There had to be plenty of jobs for him here; it was a busy city filled to the brim with crime scenes and fingerprints to dust. If he stayed, it meant she'd get to have him for a little longer, and Pay didn't want to even think of what their goodbye would look like. She still thought he'd get bored with her or become frustrated; many people had in the past, and many more would in the future. But, until that day came, she wanted to make the most of every moment she could; she didn't want him to leave.

Payton gasped as she was dunked under the water, playfully pushing Nix's good shoulder as she surface. She gave him a glare and then a pout, signing, "Are you trying to drown me?!" Rolling her eyes jokingly at him, she added, "We should get back in. I need a shower after that plane." Pay pecked his lips gently, but didn't move for her towel yet. Truthfully, she didn't want to go inside; she also didn't want to look or smell like a wet dog for the big family dinner.

WORDS: 403!
TAG: Nixxy!
LOCATION: The Airport!
OUTFIT: AIRPORT CHIC!
MUSIC: Run Away by Megan & Liz
NOTES: Payton gave out halfway through, but I wanted it finished. xD <3