Tag, You're it

"This is stupid," the girl muttered to herself, as she took a half step towards the tree. She was still well out the reach of its flailing branches, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. "This is completely and unbelievably stupid."

So why was she doing it?

A frown crossed Juliet's face as she glanced behind her again, the lowering afternoon sun, glaring right into her eyes, blocking out the figure that she knew was standing there.

Maybe if she couldn't see them, then they couldn't see-

"What you waiting for Jones?! Aren't scared are you? You know, no one will think less of you if you just can't do it," Noah Samuel's tone suggested just the opposite. The fourth year Ravenclaw boy, was smirking at her, she knew that, even if she couldn't see it.

Resisting the urge to stick her tongue out - though when one thought about, she had already let the boy dare her into doing something, there wasn't much more that could reduce the Juvenal level of this situation - she merely gave him a glare and turned forward again.

"If you must know Samuel's," she stated stiffly, the only way to keep her voice from shaking, "I was merely devising a plan of attack, before I ran pigheadedly towards my doom."

Squaring her shoulders she took a deep breath. This was incredibly stupid. If the tree didn't kill her Miss Mad would - but, Juliet had already committed to it, and she liked to pride herself on not backing down from her commitments.

She took one step forward, then another. And then she was running, running towards the Whomping Willow.

"Good Tree," she muttered as she slowed down to a halt, just outside of its branches. She just had to go up... touch its trunk, and get back. That wouldn't be so hard would it? Maybe the tree would just let her - "Good Tree. I'm just going to-"

She let out a scream and a jump as a branch smacked down on the grass beside her, branches scraping her arm as she just managed to get out of the way.

Legs shaking, she took hesitant step forward, almost sure she was going to collapse. When she didn't, she started to run again, managing to miss branches only by some miracle. She was just in sight of her destination, when she saw a branch swinging at her from the side. It was too late to swerve, and too low to duck. The best bet she would have been would be to -

She jumped.

And just clipped the branch with the bottom of her foot, falling forward, and digging into the dirt with her hands. Winded, the girl laid there for a long moment, completely stunned. Juliet probably would have laid there for hours, if it hadn't been for the shadow. Eyes panicking, she rolled out of the way just as another branch hit the ground. Using the trunk she pulled herself up, face pale, and eyes wide.

She had made it to her destination with out dying.

Juliet looked back the way she had come.

The only problem was she wasn't sure she was going to make it back out again.

Mars was walking the grounds when he could see the Whomping Willow start flailing. Some idiot must have set it off. Could be worth a look. He wandered closer, hearing a familiar voice.

Scaring the guys standing outside the range of the branches when he came up, Mars folded his arms, looking at Juliet instead. "A dare?" the American said loudly. "Really? What are you, eight?" He looked at the guys still standing there.

"Which of you is Samuels again?" he asked. He had heard enough of the conversation to have an idea what had happened. The group stammered, enough for Mars to pick out Samuels' voice. Grabbing him by the arm, he moved forward. Then he shoved Samuels right into the path of the angry tree.

No longer interested in the other boys, Mars started towards Juliet. He dodged and used one branch to swing around to avoid another. He finally reached her and stared down at her before stepping on a knot that caused the tree to freeze.

"Thought you were smarter," Mars said.

"We all have our moments don't we?" she stated, looking at the frozen tree. "You know... that would have been helpful earlier."

A slight groan attracted her attention to the Noah, who hadn't done such a good job as ducking out of the trees way. He wasn't horribly hurt, but enough so that the girl felt a slight satisfaction at the sight. At least she had actually made it to the trunk.

"And besides, I usually am," she stated, flashing the boy a sheepish grin, before frowning at the surface scrap on her arm, "But we all need to have a flaw don't we? Apparently pride's mine."

Mars gave his signature devil-may-care grin, ruining his seriousness. "We do, don't we?"

"Pride, huh? Guess I can get that." He turned away from the tree, legs carrying him away. "Don't know how long it will stay like that. Might wanna get out of the way." He stretched lazily once he was out of range of the branches. As Samuels hobbled away as fast as he could, Mars smirked.

The girl gave the tree one nervous look, before dashing after him, sprawling in the grass with far less grace beside him.

Her gaze followed the boys, watching the Ravenclaw that had taunted her to disappear.

"I suppose you intervening, technically means I lost the dare," she said thoughtfully, her tone implying she didn't particularly care. "He didn't think a girl could make it past the tree, the pig."

Mars shot her an appraising glance. "You look in one piece to me," he pointed out. He frowned at the tree. "It was easier than I expected." He sat on the ground next to her while the tree started to move again, looking like it was shrugging before going to its usual deceptive stillness.

"So, bit of a dare devil, huh?" Mars said. "Sexy."

"But would I have been if I tried to get back on my own," she countered with an easy grin, still unconcerned. After all, he was right, she was in one piece, so what would be the point of worrying over things that didn't happen.

Juliet shrugged her shoulders, following his gaze once more to the tree, "Maybe its more show - all bark no bite." She couldn't help put laugh slightly at her own horrifically awful pun.

"Is it?" she raised her eyebrow, a teasing little smirk tugging at her lips, "Well then, now that I've gotten your approval on that maybe I should take a go at jumping off the astronomy tower, or better yet, maybe I'll wrestle the giant squid."

"Good question," Mars said. He gave her thoughtfully. "You'd have thought of something." He grinned at her pun. "Showing all bark is in style."

"Absolutely, sweetheart," he said seriously. He shrugged. "Jumped off the astronomy tower. It was alright. Wrestling the squid might be worth a go."

Mars laid out on his back, an arm beneath his head. "So what have you been doing, Trip? Ain't seen much of you since school started. I'm disappointed."

"Its a good style," Juliet quipped, "Get all the reputation with only half of the work. Just scare them all off before they even try to bother."

"The tower jump is only alright? Well then I'll be sure to move that lower on my list. As for the squid, well... I'd certainly have to look into some gilly weed would I not, or I'd pass out before he could even get at me, and that certainly wouldn't be a fair fight at all."

She clucked her tongue, before giving a little giggle at the ridiculous image that had put into her head.

"Your disappointed huh? Well, if you were disappointed, one would have thought you'd look harder. I'm not usually that hard to find. Hiding isn't really my thing - you don't get anything fun out of hiding at all."

Mars looked at her. "Been busy with lessons," he said. Not that it was true. Mars didn't spend any more time on his lessons than needed. He rolled onto his stomach so he was right next to her.

"So. Anyone going to threaten me for coming on to you?" he asked. "I ask so I know how many to expect to try killing me later."

"Classes?" she glanced down to find the boy next to her, though she was getting much better at not letting it phase her - or appear so. "How completely dull and concientious of you. I'd say you need to work on that."

Raising an eyebrow she leaned back, propping up her head with her hand, "Hm, that makes it sound like you're going to do it no matter what I say? And if I say no one? Will the thrill of the fight be gone?"

"That's me," Mars said with a grin. "Dull and conscientious."

He watched her. "I am going to do it no matter what. Not many bigger and scarier than me here." He moved so one arm was on the other side of her bringing his body half on top of hers. "Dunno. Is the thrill gone?" He smirked down her.

"Hmm," she breathed, her eyes sparkling as she watched him back, "Confident - cocky some would say. I suppose its all just a matter of opinion."

Finding herself looking up at him, instead of over, she felt a spike in her pulse, a tiny physcial show of excitment that in itself proved the answer to the proposed question.

Outloud though, she kept her voice almost as level as she had previously, "I just don't know. I think we need to test this out properly, before we make any serious decisions, don't you?"

Mars smirked as her pulse sped up. "I guess," he said. He brought his face closer like he was going to kiss her, then moved his mouth towards her ear, his lips grazing her jaw.

"And just how should we test this out properly?" he whispered. He took her earlobe between his teeth as his hand moved down to knead lightly against her hip.

"Any thoughts?" Mars asked.

Placing her hands on his chest, the girl leaned closer eyes alight with mischief.

"Well," she cooed softly, "I suppose scientifically speaking, kissing would be the most straight forward way of going about this. "

She arched an eyebrow, "Though, I would imagine we could be a little bit more creative. Or maybe not."

"Scientifically speaking?" Mars repeated in amusement. "Are we scientific often?" He placed kisses along her neck and under her jaw, everywhere but her lips. Shifting so he was more on top of her with a knee between her legs, he arched an eyebrow back at her.

"And what do you by a little bit more creative? Because, sweetheart, I have a really good imagination."

"We're scientific if we think it will benifit," she responded, by some miracle keeping her mind focused enough to banter through the other distractions forcing themselves upon it.

Not that she minded them.

"But truth be told - scientist are a horridly dull lot," she stated, "Such a lack of creativity there."

Running a hand along his chest, she brought one up to his face, dragging it back to look at her for a moment, "If you have so much imagination then, why don't you use it?"

Mars pressed his lips against hers, tongue parting her lips to gain access to her mouth. He kissed her thoroughly and hungrily. His hand moved to lightly brush over her bra through her shirt as he pressed his hips firmly against hers.

"I don't use it because one, we're in the open and two, well, sweet little thing like you, Trip. People might accuse me of taking advantage of you." He gave her a rakish grin. "Unless, of course, you don't mind me taking advantage. Because I'd be more than happy to oblige."

Letting out a soft mew, the girl smirked against his lips, enjoying the undeniable thrill as she kissed back. The firm feeling of him against him sent her heart rate racing.

"Well I'm sure imagination could work around that," she responded, her eyes dancing, "And besides, sweet little thing like me... someones bound to take advantage of me eventually, aren't they?"

Mars smirked back at her. He pressed another brief kiss to her lips, then rose to his feet. The teen pulled her up and against him again, hand splayed over the small of her back. He stroked her jaw with the thumb of his other hand.

"Imagination demands we find someplace more private," he said, giving a devil-may-care grin. "So, I can put my undivided attention to thoroughly taking advantage of you without fear of interruption."

"What d'ya say, Trip? Sound like a plan?"

Tilting her head, Juliet couldn't help but make a large show of thinking about this offer before answering. Her still dancing eyes were what belied the frown on her face, denying that she was actually surious about the way she was behaving.

"I say what are we waiting for?"

Mars pressed his lips to hers, kissing her hungrily. He picked her up, still kissing her and holding her against his body. He carried her further from the castle to somewhere more secluded.

"I'll take good care of you, Trip," he said. Mars gave her a smile instead of his usual smirk or grin. "Just trust me, my fair Juliet. You've got nothing to worry about." Kissing her once more, Mars took them somewhere no one was likely to find them.