At The Edge Of Worlds... (Capricious)

Juliette felt horrible. Really, truly terrible.
Ben was upset and full of guilt. And it was partially her fault.
She had healed since the battle. Now only left with a thin scar that ran in a straight line from heart to navel. Primarch had also gotten rid of her long hair that Liev had iced so much. Now she sported a pixie cut, didn't look bad but...needed getting used to. Ansd she definately needed to get used to Ben.
...ohdamnit
she felt something stir inside her when she thought of him, but decided it must be guilt. Must be.
On nights like these, when she couldn't think clearly, she normally went up to watch the stars. So after pulling an overly long sweater that drooped over her shorts and not bothering with gloves because she believed herself alone, she opened the hatch and was met with a pleasant, though heart wrenching sight.
Ben.
She held a hand against her mouth, deliberating on whether she should go and deny her exsistance, or stay and comfort the boy.
Ohdamnit alright!
"Ben? Are you alright? Eh stupid question, I know" she could have kicked herself.
"if it's any comfort...you saved thousands of lives Ben, I think he would understand." now I was seated indianstyle next to him, I almost reached out to comfort him but paused and rolled my sleeve down so I could stroke his shoulder consoleingly without touching him. I was trying hard to keep my current on the low and, though I hadn't told anyone yet, I had been trying to shut it off. So far I couldn't but..ivwas getting close.
I didn't know what to do, I wanted to help him, I wanted to see him happy again. As I pondered how my concentration was kept from my current and I accidently let my leg touch the metal roof, thankfully if Ben was clothed, which he was, he'd notice it, but not get hurt.
I quickly pulled my legs tight against my chest and sighed, stupid skin, why couldn't I be like Kat? She could control her powers.
I couldn't even control my own feelings.
Running my fingers through my short hair I glanced back over to Ben.
"this probably isn't what you want to hear, but I've always been too blunt for my own good" I started with a slight chuckle before my features grew serious,
"I think you need to, and I wish there was a nicer way to phrase this, move on. Guilting yourself won't change anything, the past has happened and now you're in the present. Trust me when I say; you shouldn't waste your life in the past, I'm sure you know that as well as I do Ben" I looked him in the eyes and absentmindedly bit my lip waiting fir his reply.

(ooc: just noticed I switched to first person, oops, as I'm on iPod imma leave it but I'll try to keep third person xD oops)

OT: I actually liked first person anyway XD

As a voice echoed through the atmosphere of the night, a cold breeze would roll through the top of the tower form the bay. Slapping Ben in the face almost as hard as Juelz voice had...Almost. As she walked over towards Ben he would't speak to her, he was still so angry about what had happened, but he couldn't figure out if he was mad with her or with himself. She sat trying to console him of course, but they were just words. Words that understated what he had really done. Yes, he saved lives and yes he had done what many others would've, but that feeling in the pit of his gut wouldn't go away. However, it did seem to be lightened as she touched his shoulder and he began to wonder. The thought process being cut off when Juelz leg touched the tower and sparked. At which point he remembered that Cap even had powers to begin with. He still thought of Capricious as that girl who he introduced to his pervy teacher. After which time she looked a bit embarrassed, but attempted yet again to make Ben feel better anyway. Telling him he couldn't change the past and that Primarch would understand. Ben didn't doubt it either, he was sure Joshua would understand and would've done the same in that exact same situation. The words Juelz spoke even somewhat comforting him to a degree. He appreciated her effort to make up for what she had made him do, and it was then that Ben came to a realization...

"I'm not mad at you...I'm not mad at the team, I'm not mad at Joshua or anyone else for that matter....*sniffle* I just upset with myself. I've always said that I was unbeatable, I had to be or too many lives could lost if I ever failed...And then I died. Only to be brought back to life to fail again...*Sniffle*...To be unable to save my friend and mentor. I've come to terms with what I had to do back there, but...I just don't know where to go from here. I can't trust in myself like I used to anymore. Ben 10 isn't invincible, he isn't a savior, he's not even really a hero. When you have to start trading lives to be a superhero..Well, you're no better than the villains."

Ben would then let two streams of tears fall down each cheek and held his knees in his arms with his head down. Wanting to start sobbing, but he couldn't do that in front of Cap.

"You know what the funny thing was, before I died....I always thought in my last moments I'd think about my home planet, my cousin, my grandpa, my old girlfriend, maybe even my friend from school Jill. Powergirl, the Teen Titans, the Omnitrix!? But no, the last thing that went through my head...Was you Juels. I just thought about that day we went to the mall and I gave you a ride home and wished I could do it all over again, one last time."

Ben would then look at her as he said that, it was intended to make her feel better. In case the girl was thinking Ben hated her. Realizing himself now that he never felt any type of contempt towards her. She had fought valiantly to save the people, and Ben would've done the same thing in her situation. No, this whole time he had been sulking and doubting himself.

(ooc, then I'll keep it up, it's hella easier)
I felt a huge weight lift when he said he wasn't mad at me, a weight that I hadn't realised I had.
At his words I felt myself bite my lip and in a moment of boldness I wrapped my sleeve covered arms around him.
"A woman I admire once told me, all the rivers in the world, were the tears from warriors. So, you have definatly deserves to make some more rivers" I said softly. My mother had told me that.

"and you, Ben, are better. ay, way better than villians. Don't lower yourself because of guilt or anger." I said firmly believing Ben was better. It took a true hero to know his duty, and to feel remorse for every loss.
Then I wrapped my arms around myself again and listened as he looked at me, my own cheeks wet with tears, but my tears were not clear, they were white. Tainted by my powers.

Then he admitted his dying thoughts and I inhaled sharply, touched and felt warmer than usual, my heart missed a beat. Get a grip Julez!
"R-Really? I ehm, I visited your grave. When I heard what had happened. Couldn't stop crying." I admitted with a watery chuckle. I had thought about that day often, I'd never forgotten Ben. Never really stopped thinking about him either.
"I know what it's like you know. To hate yourself, to doubt yourself. I'm not Human either, obviously. But I'm not like the others. Most of them can control their powers, turn them off. I can't. There's an electric current that's basically a part of my skin. You can see it in my tears. I can't really touch anyone. This watch on my wrist activates my supersuit, skintight and covers all my skin up to my chin, so I'm not a danger to anyone while I'm trying to help"my voice betrayed my self directed anger as I stared at the cream colored tear that had dripped onto my sleeve. "when I was twelve I held a boys hand, because he said it was normal. I burned his hand, so badly he couldn't use it anymore." I closed my eyes.
"of course, now, it's not so bad, I can control more. But I'll always have to be afraid to touch someone." I looked up at him and wished I could stroke his cheek, brush his shoulder, anything to comfort him.
"but doubting yourself, blaming yourself..all of that won't help. The only thing you can do is accept yourself and move on. Doesn't mean you can't work on yourself, hell knows I did. My hair used to be blue for Christs sake" I smiled slightly, "of course, this is just as weird looking" I brushed my fingers through my short brown hair.
"what I'm yet again failing to say; is that you're a good guy Ben and even if you don't think you are, you're a hero to me" I met his gaze and felt my cheeks grow warm and thanked God I couldn't blush easily. After all, my skin was pretty hot, in a temperature way of speaking, of course.

Okay now my skin felt extremely warm,
"God Ben, way to make a girl blush much?" I smiled as I wiped away my tears and managed to smirk back at him. I felt so..ecstatic, actually, to hear that, "you're really special to me too Ben, I mean, you didn't know about Capricious and you still took me under your wing at school, kinda took care of me. No ones ever done that before to me, you know 'Juliette' Liev and Zack, they took care of Cap first. So, you're special.." I now decided to try something.
I concentrated on my current, trying to use the faith Ben had in me and my current sank lower and lower and lower, until it was extremely low. One could actually see the difference. My eyes, hair, skin turned darker slightly.
I was pretty close to Ben, only a few inches away. Which was way less than my safety distance.
"I wish...I could know..that I wouldn't hurt you.." I whispered holding eye contact. Goodness, if I hurt Ben, I'd never forgive myself, not ever..
His words were still revolving around in my mind, elating me and helping sink my current.

I looked down at his apology smiling, "Its alright"
when I heard him tell me not to worry I looked up and then... He was kissing me.
I closed my eyes as I focused on my current to be as low as possible, which just left my lips feeling very warm to him but not shocking. Feeling braver with this discovery my bare hand cupped his cheek as we kissed and I marveled at the sensation of actually feeling something. Then I could feel my concentration snapping and pulled away, but not quite fast enough. The wave of energy before a shock passed onto Ben, which would probably be like touching a doorknob and being shocked, enough to startle you but not hurt.
I bit my lip and looked at him, worried, Im so sorry, are you okay?" I asked, concentrating on my current again, if I couldn't shut it off, yet, maybe I could isolate it.
"let me...try something..." I pointed one finger up and sent a burst of lightening into the sky, letting ally energy concentrate there, leaving the rest of my body pretty clear of it.
Gently I rested my other hand on Bens and smiled softly before kissing him.
When the kiss stopped I released my current back to my body, unable to hold it much longer.
"I did it..we did it.."

When the second kiss stopped I heard him say it had been shocking and couldn't help but laugh at the most fitting words, "shocking indeed" I smiled pulling my legs tight to my chest before sighing and pressing the watch on my wrist. Gone were my shorts and sweater. Now it was just a black, latex-like material suit covering my skin, including gloves. I usually had to wear my suit in the tower, up here it was just easier.

"where do you want it to leave us? For my part, I've never kissed anyone before, I've only once touched someone but that was in battle and it was Kat, her own electric powers protected her. So technically that doesn't count. So..you're..special, to me. And.I like you, a lot." I felt my skin grow warmer again as I admitted it, speaking about..feelings...had always been hard for me. But I liked Ben a lot. And..I actually trusted him, with my life. And his..willingness to touch me was..amazing, to me. Even my teammates were very careful to not touch my skin.
And Ben..just went for it, trusted me.
If I could I'd kiss him again, or hold him or anything. I was still marvelling at the feeling of touching him. My lips were stil warm from the kisses and I felt incredibly...for lack of better word, happy. Though I hoped Ben felt the same way and hadn't just kissed me to help me with my current.

I felt a grin spread across my face at his first words and before I could answer he continued and I bit my lip to keep my smile within less comical proportions.
I felt joy bubbling over inside and my gloved fingers found his and intertwined our hands.
"Ben, yes, I'd love to be your girlfriend," I was amazed by his readiness to have a girlfriend, knowing he wouldn't be able to touch her much.
Yet.
"you are the only one who can make me feel this way" I whispered looking him in the eyes and trying to move my current away from my lips succesfully. I kissed him softly but briefly, unable to hold control very long.
"I wish I could give you more but until I can control my powers better..." I trailed off, moving next to him and leaning ny head on his shoulder. While wearing my supersuit he could touch me, Just not my skin.
I smiled even though I knew how dangerous life as a Titan was and now I would be fighting for Ben aswell as myself. Strangely enough it comforted me to know that Ben would be fighting for me too.
"Just..promise me not to die again, the first time was more than enough" I murmured turning my eyes up to him.

I sighed but smiled at his reply.
"goofball" I murmured fondly as he held me close, enjoying the somewhat limited contact.
My gloved hand held his as our eyes watched the city across the bay.
Now we both had something to live for, I had something other than protecting innocents from my sister to think about.
At one point I'd have to tell my team about her. But until then..I would enjoy my time with my boyfriend and my team.
Rose was far from my mind.

....
A figure kicked a rat out of her way with her sleek red boots. A girl, identical to Jules but with longer hair and a bitterness in her eyes that Cap did not posses, dressed in a suit and watch also identical to Cap but red sneered as she sstrolled the streets of steel city. Her twintuition telling her she was getting closer.
She may be the Scarlet Letter, but when she found Capricious shed kill her as Rose.

OT: I say were good to end it here. Actually, maybe have a date thread later, which can end up being goofy funny or a hilarious disaster? Or maybe even just a regular disaster... What do you think??