An Attempted Encroach Upon Virtue

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira fiddled with her long hair, dragging her fingers through it carefully. When the world was empty, and she didn't want to talk to anyone, she always found her hair to be a good distraction. Either that, or she'd just go look in the mirror for a bit. She liked looking at herself in the mirror- not because she was vain, oh no, but because she loved seeing how gruesome a face she could pull.
Nobody beat Lee though. He was just plain twisted.
Halloween was on its way, and Kira didn't feel in the spirit of the occasion at all. Jude was excited; Jude had an awesome outfit planned out and everything. Jude was the zombie hobo from Texas. Kira was an Irish pixie- which sounded kind of cool, but unless Lee conjured her something, she'd be doomed.
That was the snag. She didn't know what she cared more about- the fact that Lee had barely left Madeleine's side since the battle, or that she still hadn't seen Deron. She missed them both.
Deron probably came first.
But she couldn't do anything about that until she knew she could get back into Cardsdale safely. Prof. Hoodham hadn't told her either way yet, and it was driving her mad.
She just wanted to know.
And that's when Levi Ryder decided to butt in.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Self-preservation.
Call him selfish, but at the minute, that's what Levi was thinking about.
Professor Hoodham had told the school that Madeleine's 'condtion' was 'worsening'. Rumours were circulating quickly in the school that Madeleine would be six feet under by Hallowe'en, and the question on most people's lips was: "Who'll be the next head?"
Madeleine's friends and a lot of the Warriors found this a little sickening, but Levi couldn't see why. They were just being practical, really. If a Head dies, he or she must be replaced. That was the way it worked. No one is irreplacable.
Most people were thinking that Levi would be made head if - or when - Madeleine died. It was the logical conclusion, after all. The choice of who was to be made Head had been between himself and Madeleine, so that meant that he was second, right?
Levi wasn't really concerned with that, much.
But he knew that a lot of people wouldn't like that he stepped into Madeleine's place with such ease. After all, they were meant to be dating, right?
So, now for a new plan. A new girlfriend.
A new Head.
So, there were three options here.
Option one - Will Wright, Head of the Carers. Unfortunately, her "murse" (as Levi called all male Carers) had been killed in the crossfire, and Will had locked herself in her dorm and wailed ever since.
Option two - Macy Deltine, Head of the Academics. Taken by Bonkers From Yonkers, and Levi was ever so slightly scared by her intelligence - he didn't really like people being smarter than him, especially those of the opposite sex.
So that left option three - Kira Norris, Head of the Spies. Also the cousin of the Norris chess freak. Single, as far as Levi knew.
Levi pushed open the door of the common room - and what do you know, who was sitting there, by the fire?
He walked over. "Hey," he said. "Is this seat taken?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

I wish.
"Nope, I'm all alone," Kira said dully, glancing up at him.
Ouch. That smile must be a health hazard. It was so bloody bright it was blinding. Kira could just imagine the sound of tyres screeching everytime Levi stepped out onto the road.
Ooh, the scarlet rainbow...
Hang on, was he still here? What for?

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Levi smiled at her, and sat down on the armchair opposite her. "Where's your cousin?"
Okay, like he didn't know. Everyone knew exactly where Lee was.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira flinched at the mention of Lee. It was becoming a bit like a reflex. Everytime someone talked about him, she half-expected it to be followed by some terrible news. Same with Madeleine. If something bad happened to her... if she did die... Well, god... Kira didn't like to think about the knock-on effects it would have on Lee.
And on herself- she had to admit it.
"With your girlfriend," Kira mumbled.
Where you should be...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Levi winced a little guiltily at that. "Should have guessed," he mumbled. "Doesn't it bug you?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira frowned curiously at him.
"Yeah, actually," she mumbled. "A lot."
Why had she just told him that? Something was up. He seemed... nice. Maybe this was why Madeleine had gone for him. Kira thought he was a pig. But then why would he care enough to ask her that...?
Ack- confusion.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Levi smiled sympathetically. "Sorry. Well, I'm sure she'd be glad that he's there, if she knew. I don't think she ever really got over him..." he added, with a slightly wistful air.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira snorted. She couldn't help it.
"She didn't deserve him," she said viciously, then eyed him. "Not sure she even deserves you, and that's saying a lot."
He could take that either way he wanted.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Levi was startled by that last comment.
"Thanks," he said sarcastically.
From the looks of things, the best way to connect with Kira was to badmouth Madeleine. Now, Levi didn't like to badmouth the dead...
... but Madeleine wasn't dead.
Yet.
"I doubt she deserves much."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira jumped, though found herself strangely pleased by Levi's comment. Apparently, she was not the only one to have seen through Madeleine...
"So how come you're dating her, then?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Levi shrugged. "It's complicated."
Pfft.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira raised an eyebrow, but didn't push it. He seemed put out about something... unless... no...
"Are you jealous of Lee?"
It'd sort of make sense, after all. Madeleine and Levi had never really seemed to gel as well as Lee and Madeleine had when they were dating. She was much more prone to granting him favours- and now, he was in Levi's place by her side.
It was a possibility...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

As if!
Levi snorted. "Hardly. It's not as if Maddie and I were serious or anything. We were just about to end it."
Well, okay, he wasn't. But he was sure that given half a chance, she would have.
And it probably wasn't a good idea to call her Maddie, really.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Alright then," Kira wilted. "Sorry."
The cutting edge to his voice half-chilled her, half-filled her with a vindictive pleasure. Was it so wrong to feel this way about her old friend?