Players:
Summary: Nicholas and Taylor chat about the future.
Date: September 6, 2012
Log Title: Asking For Help Is Hard
Rating: PG
Westchester - Grind Stone
The Grind Stone is a quaint little coffee shop with tables surrounded by various shape chares and even a few couches with coffee tables. Baristas in yellow aprons are ready to take anyone's order from a latte to a hot chocolate to one of their many specialty drinks.
Enjoying the last few weeknights he has free, Nicholas is out at the Grind Stone enjoying a hot apple cider and a large chocolate chip cookie. His laptop is on the table in front of him and the ear buds in his ears as he plays some sort of tower defense game on it. He sits at a counter right in front of the window looking over the street but it doesn't seem like Nick is paying much attention to his surroundings.
Taylor is presently wearing a black structured dress and a few pieces of gold jewellery, using the image inducer to appear as an androgynous, but undisputably pretty, young teen. The student pauses at the front counter, sniffing about, and then asks for a latte and a sausage roll. Turning around, Taylor's eyes eventually wind up on Nicholas. "Oh, hey!" says Taylor, waving a hand towards the boy.
A few tables back Cloud is settled with his laptop and a pile of books, he's been here studying and researching since late morning and is on his forth cup of coffee, he's dressed in faded black jeans, grey sneakers, a grey t-shirt and has a black leather jacket hanging on the back of his chair. Oddly for him he's very focused so didn't notice the point when either of the Xavier students entered.
It takes a bit for Nick to notice the wave, but when he does he pauses the game, takes out his earbuds and gives a wave back. He pushes his laptop aside, closing the top, and motioning for Tay to join him. "Hey there Taylor, ready for the next school year to start?" Cloud doesn't get noticed for the moment.
"I guess… I kind of liked the summer, not really having responsibilities or having to be awake or asleep when society is telling me to," says Taylor, making a joking fist shake to society. The teen sits down, making sure to adjust the dress on the way down. "I love the way this dress looked on me before, kind of wanted to see how well I can still pull it off."
Glancing up to check the status of his coffee cup Cloud spots Nick and someone he figures is a student he's not come across, with this cup empty he heads up to grab another cup, he gives a nod and a "Hey" to Nick and his friend on his way to the counter.
Nicholas returns the wave to Cloud. "Hey Cloud, how's it going?" He asks before looking back at Taylor. "Well I think the dress still looks nice on you, do you still think you pull it off?" He asks her. "I can't judge over all since I can't see it on the real you but it looks nice as you are now."
"The real me? I guess… I was just kind of wanting to see myself in it again as I was and stuff. I mean, I'm not as sore about the change anymore or anything…" Taylor nods towards Cloud, smiling at him. "I mean, I've accepted it's probably permanent… it's still kind of hard, 'cause I miss looking so, I dunno, awesome?" The feline shrugs and rubs at their sides lightly, trying to massage out some kind of soreness.
Returning with his fifth cup of coffee Cloud stops at Nick and Taylor's table keeping an eye on his laptop and books, "So you guys using up the last of your summer? can't be too long before classes start again". He offers a hand to Taylor, "I'm Cloud".
Nicholas nods at Taylor and frowns. "Sorry, but I mean you look good so…as long as you're happy with how you look right now, that's what matters right?" He's really not sure what to say as he doesn't exactly have the best comforting skills. "Cloud's and I got to do a danger room session a few weeks ago." He explains to Taylor. "He's a ex-student and pretty cool. And yeah, next Wednesday is our first day, personally I'm looking forward to it."
"Are you? I guess it'll be nice to have glasses and stuff now," decides Taylor, reaching and taking Cloud's hand at being told that he's from Xavier's. Despite Taylor looking human, the handshake is suspiciously fuzzy. "Hoping I'll keep out of trouble in the next semester, though."
While he's not felt a furry hand under an image inducer Cloud's not really shocked due to remembering a similar effect from Mike. "Avoid doing anything i did during my time and you should be safely out of trouble", to Nick, "Big learner or just like something to focus on?"
"Just like something to focus on. As much as I love my horse and spending time with Orion, there's just so much I can do with him before my thoughts get the better of me." Nicholas doesn't go into detail or anything, just takes a drink from his paper cup. "I'm not much of a trouble maker, just more of a pain in the rear maker." It's hard to tell if he's joking from the smile. "Tay, have you talked to anyone about your concentration issues, see if there's anything they can do to help or special circumstances?"
"My concentration issues? I dunno, not really. I got the glasses, that should be fine… I've never been the greatest student in the world, anyways…" says Taylor, frowning for a few moments and taking a sip of the latte. "I wish I could just do night classes, I swear…"
"Have you spoken to Miss Frost about the possiblity of doing that, i mean i don't even go there anymore and she's helping me out, explain your issues and i reckon she'll think of something", Cloud grins at Nick, "With you on the pain in the ass thing, still, keeps things interesting".
Nicholas gives Taylor a look that says 'sure, you'll be fine, I really believe that'. "Ms. Frost isn't too bad, I've talked to her a few times and it's usually helped." He shrugs. "But it's up to you, I'm not trying to pressure you into anything, just do what you think it's best for you."
"Well i should probably get back to my research, it was nice talking to you and good luck for when classes start", Cloud grabs his coffee cup and heads back to his laptop and books.
Taylor nods a few times, "Yeah, I know, I mean… I've just never really kind of synched my schedule with Ms. Frost or anything. It's not that I don't want to talk to her…" The feline nods towards Cloud and says, "Ah, yeah, thanks. It was nice meeting you Cloud."
"Good to see you again Cloud, have a good night, and I'm still thinking of a good one to use for that one joke." Nicholas says giving a wave before looking back to Taylor. "Cloud's cool." Yeah it's a bit of that younger student looking at a graduate in awe. "What is it then Tay? If it's that you don't want to talk to her?"
Taylor shrugs at that, "I dunno, she seems pretty important and stuff… my stuff isn't a big deal, I can probably learn to deal with it, if I'd just try harder…" The feline scratches the back of their neck, "I dunno, maybe someday…"
"You know she's not the only teacher you can talk to, if you feel like you'd be bothering the Headmistress. Just a suggestion." Nicholas says as he picks at his cookie. "Why don't you think it's a big deal? Is it just you think that if you ignore the problem long enough it'll fix itself?"
"It's more like, it's something I should be able to deal with on my own anyways… in life, people aren't going to cater to my every fucking problem, so I need to get over it on my own," says Taylor, taking a bite of the sausage roll with a bit of a sigh. "I'm not super optimistic about my future anyways, so having those kinds of expectations of people giving me special treatment…"
Nicholas puts both elbows on the table and rests his head in his hands, hair between the fingers. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He says with a frown. "Sometimes you just need help, it's not easy to admit it. I guess the hard part isn't always asking but realizing that you're on your own cause noone is there."
"Yeah," says Taylor, sighing softly, "I dunno… I guess I feel like it's going to be a hard battle for me to get any kind of job at all and… yeah, nobody is gonna cater to me. It's like physically painful to stay up during the day all day, but… gotta do it. And if I ask for help and depend on it… how am I gonna stop?"
"How are you ever going to get to a point where you're okay if you don't ask for help?" That's the only thing Nicholas says to Taylor, but the question seems a lot more loaded than just a question to the Ocelot in disguise. He fiddles a bit, staring at his coffee up, twirling it in his hands absent mindedly.
Taylor sighs and headshakes, "I don't really know…" The feline looks down at the table silently and then shrugs, "But I don't want to be dependent on it, either… It's all just really hard, I guess… I know I should talk to her…"
Nicholas turns his head so that he's looking at Taylor. "Are you scared to or something? I guess it's not easy to go what you're going through, afraid of what's going to happen out there in the real world, I don't blame you. Ahmed will barely even leave the mansion I think he's so afraid."
"I dunno, yeah, I'm scared of what the real world has in store, for sure… I mean, I never figured I'd get a great job in the first place, but I guess I kind of think it'd be tough to never give a handshake or anything," says Taylor, looking off and headshaking. "But scared to talk to her? I dunno, a little. It's just… I want to be somewhat prepared! That's all…" Taylor shrugs and takes another drink. "I dunno."
Nicholas reaches out a hand and puts it on Taylor's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure things out. I mean at the worst you can be like one of the X-Men and live at the school forever. I doubt the future generations will mind a fuzzy handshake." He is trying to be reassuring.
Taylor chuckles and then says, "I got almost killed in an alleyway by some crazy guy… I'm sure I'll have to skill up to join the X-Men, but yeah… I guess that's always an option. Not really my first choice, but yeah… sometimes, you get handed a funny set of cards, I guess…" The feline brushes their hair back with a hand. "I feel like I've been dealt some of the funniest."
"I feel like I've been dealt some of the crappiest, I could use some funny." Nicholas says with a hint of depression in his voice. "Almost getting killed is better than getting killed, I don't really know what to say Tay, I feel like everything I'm telling you would be good advice on myself, but how I can tell you that when I don't even listen?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess I give out a lot of advice that I don't take…" says Taylor, nodding a few times. "My sides are still sore from what that guy did to me… I guess he tore the nervous tissue in the pressure points around my kidneys…"
"The school's stuff wasn't able to heal that? I know when I got stabbed by that crazy chick and after the whole…thing back home when I just got here, they patched me up pretty good. Hardly any scars." The Shair tech at the school is quite amazing when it comes to healing. Nicholas finishes off the last few dregs of his cider and makes a face. "It got cold."
"It's just sore," says Taylor, shrugging a shoulder lightly. "I mean, I dunno, it's just cause the nervous tissue was damaged or something… It was really painful for awhile though. I swear, that was the worst I felt since my mutation finished kicking in…" The human looking ocelot peers at the cider and sniffs at it. "I hate cold cider."
"Cider isn't too bad cold, if it's supposed to be cold, but when it's cold after it's been heated, it just tastes weird." At least that's what Nick things. "I guess I'm lucky, I didn't really have any lasting damage from everything that's happened." He pauses quickly and then fixes what he's saying. "Physical damage that is."
"Yeah… I know what you mean," says Taylor, nodding a few times. "I think I'm pretty fine from physical stuff too… It's the feelings and shit, I dunno, those are the things that are in turmoil most of the time…" Tay shrugs and says, "I guess I used to like apple juice and stuff, though. I'd rather just like… drink water usually now. Or cream."
"You really have gotten the cat genes." Nicholas says as he stands up and starts to put all his stuff in his backpack. "It's getting late, how about we head back to the school so we don't miss the curfew? I don't want to get in trouble a week before the school year starts."
"Ha, yeah, that'd be pretty crappy…" says Taylor, nodding a few times and then standing up, finishing off the latte. "And yeah, I feel so catlike now, it's… I dunno, I'm okay with it now, like I said."
Nicholas puts his arm around Taylor's shoulders in a friendly manor as they leave the coffee shop. "Good, I'm glad you're okay with it. Cause it's really not a bad thing Taylor, you're cool the way you look. I'm serious."
Taylor laughs softly and heads out with Nicholas, "Well, thanks, I do appreciate that… I guess it's nice to think that I look cool. And I guess I have someone and stuff… so I shouldn't really worry about it!"
