Players:
Summary: Talking about plans for next year becomes bittersweet.
Date: March 15, 2011
Log Title: Graduation Is Too Soon
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Quad
There is a square side walk of pavement with a nice grassy area in the middle with a few stone benches and trees along the corners. The pavement leads to the paths to the grounds of the school, the Dining Hall in Xavier's and the Ramsey Dormitories. It's not particularly large but it's a nice place for students and teachers to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Lunch time at Xavier's, well for Robyn at least. He's just gotten out of squad practice and is still in his squad uniform with a hoodie thrown over it. Since the weather is finally starting to feel like spring, he decided fresh air is a good thing. Lying in the grass working on his homework for his next class, Robyn snacks on a few cookies along with a half full bottle of apple juice. His ear buds are in and he hums a long to the music.
Having taken to walking or jogging most places again after so long at cheating so he could practice his powers, Connor is just heading by with some of his heavier textbooks when he spots his roomie. Smirking to himself, he cannot help but move quietly up behind Robyn and extend one hand. A circular plane of gravitic power smoothly inserts itself under Robyn, and there's now no gravity around him… while he's not moving it might not be noticed, save a few things beginning to float freely around him…
From the other direction from Connor, Heather zips down the Quad, but comes to a sudden halt when she notices an airborne cookie next to Robyn. For just a split second, it seems she is making mental calculations. She looks up, and then down, and then at Connor. She raises her eyebrow and looks at her watch for a moment, shrugging. She crosses her arms and stays silent while waiting to figure out what's happening, taking slower and quieter steps (relatively) as she approaches.
It's not his beloved oatmeal craisin cookies that Robyn notices floating away first, it's the math book that he's currently reading. It takes about a second or two for him to notice it floating up under his nose and he jumps up to his feet very quickly. He looks around as if on alert and then spots Connor giving him an amused grin. "You jerk, you scared the hell out of me for a second there."
Connor grins as he motions with his finger up, as Robyn continues to go up, and up… "A body in motions tends to stay in motion…" Winking at his roomie before he relents on his prank and lowers him back down onto the bench as carefully as he raised him up before adding, "I thought Danger Room taught us to be more aware of our surroundings." Moving along, he sits down on the concrete across from him in a lotus position.
Heather approaches, now speeding up and reviewing her recording of the exchange before playing, "I was also startled. I thought time started to pass backwards for a moment there, with cookies falling up. But my watch confirms it follows regular pace." She looks between the boys and then shrugs.
Robyn shakes his head and folds his arms over his chest. "Well, even so, I was doing homework and focused on my lunch. Also, I realized I am not exactly Super-Hero material." He says with a smile like he thinks it's a good revelation. "Heya Heather. How you doing. I also wanted to apologize for not being around much at the dance. I was kind of preoccupied with Jordan." He admits with a blush.
Connor shoots a look at Heather, then smiles at her, before turning his head back towards Robyn, and shrugging, "Hey… I think people think that Heather and I are a couple now. You missed it… Heather was wild west couteure, and I went as a doughboy. It kind of turned heads. Too bad we didn't get to dance… but we got to go, which was cool. Jordan? How is he doing?"
"Smooching?" says Heather, nodding at Robyn a couple of times, "That would probably be a good excuse." She nods rapidly at Connor and says, "I was very glad to have attended, thank you for bringing me, Connor. I had a dance with Tara towards the end, so it was okay on the actual dancing front."
"Well we did go to the dance but Jordan was feeling a bit awkward so we left." Robyn says with a small shrug. "He's doing good I guess, still really secretive about things." There's a bit of uncertainity that's he's trying to shrug off. "Doughboy? Like, poke your tummy Doughboy?"
Connor shakes his head once more as he moves to stand up and stretch from his sitting position, "Doughboy was the term for US army troops during World War 1… especially the guys who volunteered and went over ahead of time to help the French. It was because the uniforms were a kind of flour brown." Still grinning as he then motions for Heather to come closer, adding, "That's too bad… I was hoping to see him on a good day. Last time we met was over Theo… and we both know how that ended."
Heather approaches Connor as he gestures, not really thinking too much of it. She says to Robyn, though, "Secrets will reveal themselves, otherwise there's really nothing to know. It's inevitable." She glances toward Connor and tilts her head slightly, playing, "What happened with Theo?"
"Well…" Robyn begins to explain. "Theo and I got off on a really bad foot cause I'm gay. He kept thinking I was gonna hit on him or something, but really, he's not my type at all. Looks or personality." Not like Robyn really needs to adress that. "So he called me a few..derogitory names and threw a pot at me. Jordan got really pissed and it was right after Sinister messed with him so he kinda snapped. From what I heard from Connor, Jordan almost killed him or hurt Theo really badly. So they don't really have the best of blood between them." He says before looking to Connor. "I really wish I could have seen it, you have pictures? And anything else that I missed out on at the dance?"
Fishing his phone from his pocket, Connor adds to it, "You know Theo… he's got this bad habit of opening his mouth and letting the other guy put his foot in it." Shaking his head, it's passed to Robyn, "I got them all on my phone. I was going to put it all on my laptop, but I didn't want to spend so much time renaming them all. A couple movies of people dancing, mostly shots. Apparently Tony Stark showed up towards the end… too bad he didn't like… sing or anything. Would've been cool. Then a couple other guys I didn't know." The dancing comment gets a perked brow, "We should've danced, Heather… and I'm sorry. But that was bad timing on my part. I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"Derogatory names?" repeats Heather, furrowing her brow and shaking her head, "That's rude. I resist calling anyone derogatory names. Sometimes I don't know what exactly is a rude word to use, though." She scratches her head lightly and then glances towards Connor for a couple moments before looking back down at her recorder. "We will dance another time. It's not like I can actually actively dance with someone, anyways. Only in relative temporal and spatial proximity."
"Well it's all in the past. Theo and I at least tolerate eachother now." Robyn says with a smile as he wouldn't call Theo a friend but he doesn't mind him. He takes Connor's phone and starts looking through the pictures. "Wow Connor, you looked great. So did Rashmi." He says as he continues to look through and then starts to laugh. "Heather, this dress is wonderful. Where did you find it and I take it you were the total belle of the ball."
Connor actually blushes a bit, "I made a fool of myself when I saw her… everyone was staring… but I think they stare a lot anyways. Even for this kind of place, the two of us are a bit weird." Winking once at Heather before coming around behind Robyn, and reaching down to tap the icon for a movie, "This one's Hosea and the new girl trying to dance together… it was cute, in it's awkwardness."
Heather smiles slightly and then plays, "I think Hosea was the /real/ belle of the ball. If I could reach that high, I would have wanted to pat him on the head. And I was looking up period appropriate clothes, and then I looked for period appropriate clothes, and I found it." She gestures towards Connor and notes, "It matches his voice." She scratches her head lightly and says, "I think you saw more staring than there was actual staring! Admittedly, it did get me flustered a bit."
Robyn blinks. "Hosea and the new girl?" He grins and shakes his head. "Wow, I thought the only person he would ever have feelings for is God and Jesus." He mutters as he doesn't have the higest opinion of Hosea. "I wish I didn't miss it. I feel like I've been missing so much lately, but right now Art School is my big focus." He says running a hand through his hair. "Let's just hope I can sneak in next year if there is another dance."
Connor does get a bit of a frown at that, nodding to Heather in agreement, but then sighing once as he takes his phone back and puts it away, "A year ago next month I showed up here… feels like forever… and then we graduate in June. Part of me wishes I had more time… and I've got the invite to stay if I want… but I need some air. I need to go out there, see some stuff… get into trouble. You know." Shaking his head, he puts his hands on Robyn's shoulders once more, "We should get an apartment… someplace where you can crash and work, and I can come and go from. But New York's got the craziest rental rates… especially because of the extranormal insurance coverage. It might have to be Mutant town if we want to stay here."
"It has been approximately one year and four months, to six years and eight months, for me, being here," says Heather, after a moment of mental calculation on that one. "But I expect to remain here. The setting is suitable for me, and I'm not sure if I would ever be able to get a job or anything in the 'real world'." She crosses her arms and shrugs, glancing off, "I will miss you when you're gone."
"I think it's getting close to two years for me. I started when I was sixteen." Robyn says and he's eighteen now. "An apartment..that sounds..really awesome Connor. Cause honestly, I'm not sure what I'd do without you being there next year." He admits. "And who else will be able to deal with you and your OCD fits?" He jokes. "And I have no issues with staying in Mutant Town. And Heather, if we get a place you're welcome to come visit anytime and I'll make sure to stop back and say hi. After all, I'm still really grateful for what happened in that Demon realm."
Connor exhales softly as he looks up and over at Heather, and then down at Robyn, "I wish there was something I could do to help slow down your temporal shift, Heather… I really do. I don't think it's fair that you're forced to live like this, and that there's not been many active attempts to help." Motioning around the school, he adds, "This whole place is supposed to help us… and I know it's not perfect… but still, I think they should try."
Looking down towards the ground for a moment to scuff her shoe across the grass, Heather says, "I'm fine with it. Ultimately, there must be some reason that I am living out of synch with everyone else. This is probably just my path to take, and it's best for me to take it." She scratches her head lightly and shrugs, "I think I would like visiting when you two move out. I don't need many more classes to complete my education."
"Well I know I'll definately come visiting then. And who knows Heather, it could be your path to overcome too." Robyn says not really expecting her to take what he says too much to heart. "I'm actually trying to do really well with my classes this year. I figure it's my last year and I'm just anxiously waiting to hear back in regards to my applications."
Connor almost whispers out, "I haven't applied to any colleges…" Shaking his head and taking a breath he moves around the bench and flops down, looking back and forth, "I've tried ten times now to fill out the applications but I freeze up. I'm not sure if I want to go to another school… even if I'm going to need a degree. I just…" Stopping himself, he then gulps and looks towards Heather, "I don't know what I want to do. So far I've been fighting. A lot. And while it's gratifying to know all those lessons my uncle beat into me were worth something, at the same time… I don't want that to become the overriding aspect or training in my life. I want to find something worth doing."
"I appreciate the thought. If I overcome it, and I have tried to focus, then it is something to overcome. If I don't, it's something to live with," plays Heather, nodding at Robyn. She fiddles with the recorder once Connor is finished speaking, though, and says, "Is it necessary to know what you want to do? Your future is currently unknown, and maybe you can take some time off to figure out what exactly you do want, so that when your future is revealed, it's one you are comfortable with. Personally, I will be fighting, but I'm not suited to it."
"You don't have to know what you want to be right now Connor. Me, I've known I've wanted to get into art since I was like eight years old. You've met my parents, you've seen my house, it's hard not to get into a more artsy lifestyle there." Robyn says as both his parents are quite eccentric artists. "Heather's right, when you know, you know. Just make sure you're happy and that's what really matters."
Connor sighs once, and after reaching up to ruffle Robyn's already tousled hair, he stands and grabs for his books, "I have to get going… being late to advanced combat means you get to be the demo dummy… I'd rather not have more bruises…" Smirking a bit at the end, he then says to both, "Look… thanks for the thought. You know I'll always be there if either of you need me… I want to be dependable… someone people can rely on, even when things are at their worst." Brightened a bit, he starts walking towards the campus, actually walking and not just teleporting, adding, "Hey… I'm going boot-shopping next weekend… you both should come with!"
"Oh, boots? Maybe I should take Theo's advice and get nice boots instead of thrift boots. I need to test cost-wear ratios," plays Heather, nodding quickly in response to that. "I think I would like to go." She nods at both Robyn and Connor and says, "But I should go. I have tapes to listen to." She nods once, and then zips off.
"And you are dependable to me Connor. You always make sure I'm getting a decent amount of sleep and eating when I get lost in my art projects and I don't know if I've ever said it but thank you, it means a lot. And boot shopping sounds awesome." Robyn says as he looks to Heather and grins. "You could get a pair of awesome combat boots! Later Heather!" He stands up as well and puts his mathbook in his backpack. "I gotta get to class too soo.." He grins at Connor before running towards him and leaping to grab onto his back for a 'ride'. "To the campus!" He says with a laugh.
