Players:
Summary: David and Star finally catch up a little and make plans for after graduation.
Date: June 16, 2011
Log Title: Graduation Date?
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Medical Bay
The Medical Bay contains the latest medical equipment to patch up students and X-Men with the smallest and worst injuries. Six beds line the walls for injured patients. Equipment lines the walls, medicine in the cabinets, and more serious medical supplies locked in cabinets. One this about this room it screams sterilization.
It's afternoon and David dressed in his X-staff uniform, white and gold bodysuit, is thanking the nurse as she gives him advil for the massive migraine he experienced yesterday when encountering the alternate reality version of Connor. "Yeah, it's mostly gone, but it's better to have these to avoid any embarrassing situations in front of students again." He says to the nurse frowning, "Yeah, there were three students there. Two new ones and I ended on the floor. Not an impressive site for a staff member. The students ignored it. But still." The nurse looks at him oddly when he says they ignored him on the ground. He shrugs, "Yeah, it got me thinking." He smiles and then turns to makes his way out of the medbay.
With only a couple of pills left in her bottle of Xanex, it's time for Star to get a refill. She's very careful about taking her medication so that she doesn't freak out too badly most of the time. She steps through the door and stops short when she sees David turning to leave and smiles a little, reaching up to finger comb her hair, absently making sure that it's free of tangles. Wearing a light blue tank top and pair of dark blue jean shorts with a pair of black flip flops, Star gives the older mutant a little wave, "Hey, David." She doesn't like to think about the last time she saw him, but she's happy enough to see him now, "Long time…"
Stopping short when he sees her, David pauses. A kaleidoscope of thoughts and emotions go through him. He has tried avoiding her since his return to the mansion and since he has had a negative incident with some students, he can't help but feel guilty and blamed for what happened in Nigeria. "Hey… hey." David musters when she smiles at him. "Yeah, it's been awhile." He puts his cybershades on to avoid any direct eye contact an then offers, "Congrats on graduating."
A small frown draws Star's brows together at the guilt she gets from him and she gives him a curious look, concern filling the air, "What's wrong?" She doesn't understand the guilt… It's not like she blames him for anything that's happened to her: That was all on the people that have hurt her over the past year, "You're… you're feeling guilty about something. What happened?" Then he mentions her graduation and she blushes faintly, "Yeah, thanks. I was afraid I wasn't going to make it with everything that's happened, but I guess hard work does pay off." She shrugs one shoulder, "How've you been? I don't think I've seen you since I got back to school."
With the cybershades hiding his eyes, David exhales and sighs when she asks what is wrong. She is keen with her abilities to pick up on his guilt. He is unsure how to answer when she brings up graduation and not having seen each other for some time. "I didn't come straight back here. I went home to Chicago and then to Japan. I only returned like two weeks ago." He forces a smile, "An yes, you have worked very hard. It's great to see you and Cloud graduating. You'll be the first class I see graduate since I started working here. That is cool. What are your plans for after graduation?"
"Oh…" Star blinks a couple of times at him having only just returned to school and nods, "Yeah, I went back home to Boston for a couple of months, too." Yay, therapy! She grimaces a little at the mention of her brother and sighs heavily, a confused cloud of emotions hanging around her: Frustration, pride, love… Maybe even a little bit of anger and fear, "Yeah… Cloud's planning on being an idiot after graduation. He's planning on coming out to the whole world about being a mutant and working for mutant rights." And that's being an idiot? "I mean, it's great that he wants to do something to make the world a better place for mutants, but does he have to announce to everyone that he's a mutant?" She shrugs at his question, "I was thinking I might see if Miss Frost would let me stay on here… I've always wanted to be a teacher and staying here I could try to learn to control my powers better." Plus she wouldn't have to face the real world yet.
Nodding as she speaks, David smiles when she talks about Cloud and then blinks at her reaction, "Well, one of the lessons that we teach here is pride in who you are and the belief that we can co-exist with humans. I mean we are humans, but you know what I mean. While discretion is always warranted. I think Cloud can handle himself. And I am glad he is taking my advice on working for mutant rights." David's smiles goes wider, maybe some of the students do respect him. "As for you, teaching here is great. I mean they won't let you teach right away. But you can be a TA for a few years and then become a teacher." David leans against the wall being a bit more relaxed, "I look forward to when I can teach here. But I left got my degree and came back. I would recommend leaving and coming back, get a chance to see what life is like outside of the Institute, but if you want to stay here. I'm sure they would let you. I mean I think they let Julian stay on right after he graduated." David hmphs as he actually left and came back whereas Julian just stayed.
"Don't get me wrong! I think it's awesome that he thinks he's ready to let everyone know he's different," Special, even, "I'm just not ready to let everyone back home know that I'm a mutant, too. I'm not gonna lie about it if someone asks me about it, but that doesn't mean I want to go around telling everyone…" Star smiles a little and blushes very faintly, "Well… You and Daisuke are the ones that really made me think about seeing if I could be a TA…" She doesn't really know Julian, "I'll probably take evening classes in New York to get my degree, but…" She trails off and shrugs, not finishing the thought. "And, for the record, I'm glad you decided to come back." She blushes faintly, shoving her hands in her pockets as a hint of embarassment fills the air, "I was kinda worried about you when I didn't see you when I decided to come back."
Tilting his head as he understands her what she is saying and agrees with what she is saying, but also understands and is proud of Cloud's decision too. "Well, Cloud should take into account that by outing himself. In a way, he is outing you. Being twins I wonder if it is even possible with twins for one to be a mutant and the other not be." His cybershades flicker when activated, but he continues, "There are a lot of great colleges in New York City. NYU, Columbia, Fordham. And hey, doesn't July go to Empire State University. That might be some good options." When he hears compliment he blushes a bit, "Well, I'm glad you think I am a good TA and I am glad you want to be one." When she says she was worried, he then sighs, "You were actually one of the reasons why I took so long to come back. I felt so bad about what happened to you." David then considers, "And also Rashmi and Travis. Actually everyone who went on the trip."
"Yeah, try telling him that, though." Star sighs, "We kinda had it out yesterday…" She blinks a couple of times at the mention of July, "She does? I remember talking to her a couple of times right after I came here, but I never heard where she was going to school; just that she was a friend of Clouds when he was missing when I first got here." She grins at his blush and nods, "Sure you are!" He talked her through a lot of stuff when she was dead and tried to keep her from being captured by Sugarman and his poor freaks. Then he admits why he's feeling guilty and she blinks a couple of times, "But… It wasn't your fault! I know that with me, you tried to keep those assholes from getting their hands on me." That's what counts in her book. "I talked to Rashmi when I first came back from Boston. She seems mostly alright." Better than she was at the time. Still better than she is, for that matter…
"Yes, July does. You should give her a call. Actually, I should give her a call. She was really the only alum, I was kinda tight with when I got the job here." When he thinks of July, he gets a smirk, but quickly erases it from his facial expression. David shrugs, "I guess. Maybe I should meet with Dr. Mayfair-Parker. I don't know. I just feel like I was in charge and that mess happened. And actually it was students who got everything in order. Connor and Hosea really saved everybody." He exhales again, "I guess I'll look up Rashmi and Travis. They may be at the graduation. I wasn't going to go, but maybe I should." He offers a smile and then blinks a moment, "Oh wow. I am not that much older than you." He shrugs, "If you want, I'll take you out for graduation. What type of food do you like?"
Star nods, "I might do that. It would be nice to know someone at school, if I end up taking classes there." She cocks her head slightly to one side at the smirk, but doesn't ask about it. She nods at the thought of visiting with Dr. Parker-Mayfair, "He's helped me a lot. More than my therapist back home managed in two months… I don't even remember how I was saved… I just know that Cloud was in trouble and then everything kinda gets a little fuzzy…" She's probably just suppressing those memories, but that doesn't mean it's any easier to remember. She nods, "They might be! I think I'll give Rashmi a call and ask her if she's coming." Presumably, Travis will come with the other girl. Then comes the invitation to go to dinner after graduation and she blushes again, excitement spiking around her for a moment, "Hey, that'd be cool." She falls silent for a moment and finally shrugs, "I don't know. I usually just get fast food when I go out."
"I like Greek and Chinese food…" At least it's an option, anyway.
"Well, I respond to tragedy and stress the way the typical X-Man does. Bottle up until you explode. But as someone who deals with emotions all the time, you probably know that that's not good, so maybe I'll talk to Jericho." David frowns, "I remember. Or kinda remember, but not really. It's all glimpses. It's weird. It's like it happened, but didn't really. Like some wizards magically erased it from existence." He shrugs, "Well, this is for your graduation, so we'll do more than fast food. There are so many cool restaurants and hotspots in Salem Center or in the city. We can find some place nice to eat." He smiles, "So I guess it's a date."
Sympathy bubbles around Star when he talks about bottling things up and she nods, reaching out to try to put a comforting hand on his arm, "No, it really isn't great to bottle things up until they just have to come out." She makes a face, "That's how you hear about people that just go insane and start killing people they're closest to." It's really not pretty… She can't help but giggle softly at the comment about wizards and shakes her head, "I think I just don't want to remember, so if those wizards exist, then I'm glad they did it." She grins at the thought of going somewhere nice and nods, "I've been here a year and I still don't know much more than the food court in the mall or where to find Burger King and Windy's, so if you just want to pick somewhere, I'll be happy with it." Then he mentions the 'D' word and she blushes again, a hint of hopeful pleasure hanging in the air, "Yeah. It's a date."
Date can mean more than date, though… It might not nessisarily mean what she sort of hopes it does. After all, like he said: She's not a student anymore, and he's not that much older than she is…
Looking down at Star's hand when she gently puts on his arm, David smiles, "Well, I am pretty sure I won't go all ballistic." His eyes widen and he kid, "Well, you never really know!" David then adds, "Yes, if such wizards exist, then I am glad they did as well." Scratching his head as he is feeling much better that he had been the last few days, "I must say, Star. I think this is the first tie I smiled since I've been back. Thank you. I'll be sure to treat you somewhere nice. I know all the restaurants in the area. I used to go with Noriko." He leans against the wall, "Oh I guess I should invite Cloud too, huh." He frowns, "Nah. I'll get him something different." He winks.
His smile awakens an answering one from Star and she can't help but giggle a little, "I never thought you would. It's still how it happens a lot of time, though." Just look at postal workers! She drops her hand from his arm after, perhaps, keeping it there a moment too long and grins, "I'm glad. You sure looked like you could use a little cheering up." And she sure doesn't like to hang around grumpy people. That's just one more reason she's glad her roommate is gone at the moment. She nods when he mentions knowing all of the restaurants because of someone she never met, though she's heard a few rumors about the girl he used to date, "That's cool." Then he mentions inviting her brother and disappointment floods around her for a moment before she manages to push it down to something managable, opening her mouth to say something, but then closing it with a soft click of her teeth when he changes his mind.
His wink as her blushing and she tries to play it cool with an almost indifferent shrug, "Um… Yeah, I think Cloud would probably like something other than dinner." Beat, "Mom and Dad are going to be here. He can go out with them instead." She'll do something with them later. They're going to be staying for a couple of days, after all…
"Well, I look forward to meeting the rest of your family." He looks at Star for a moment and then removes the cybershades, revealing his almond colored eyes "So you like Greek or Chinese. Both are good options." He pockets the advil that he had gotten from the nurse and doesn't feel like he needs it at this point, "Thanks for talking with me. This was nice." He blushes a bit, "And to think I was actually trying to avoid you." He smiles, "My mistake. This was good and dinner will be even better." He gives reaches her hand and pulls her in for a tight hug, perhaps too long or too tight but then releases her and grins.
"Yeah. Dad's been saying he really should write and thank you for being there for us over Halloween and everything." Star blushes a little at her father and rolls her eyes. True, he was just one person out of several teachers that were there with them, but she kind of mentioned him a little more than the other staff. Privately, she thinks he should have written a long time ago, but she'd never tell anyone else that. A little grin plays at the corners of her mouth when he questions which she'd prefer to have for dinner and she shrugs, "I'm kind of thinking Chinese might be good right now…" The small grin blooms into a larger one and she nods, "Don't worry about it. It was my pleasure!" She blushes when he mentions trying to avoid her and shakes her head, "I'm not anyone that has to be avoided." Just don't ask Cloud that. She giggles softly and nods, "Yeah, dinner will be fun."
She lets herself be pulled in for the hug, hesitantly wrapping her arms around him and holding on just as long as he does before stepping back with a bright blush on her face.
Noticing the blush and the extra bit on the hug, David's cheeks redden and he nods, "Well, good night, Star. And thanks again." He bows his head and then makes his way out of the medbay.
