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Summary: Connor and Robyn try to convince Theo to enjoy Christmas, while Heather picks veggies. Theo ends up offending Shane.
Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2010. 3:40pm
Log Title: Just Add Christmas Cheer
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Attic
Every wall is made of glass up to the domed ceiling. Storm has really done her work up here over time and turned it into quite the indoor garden. The room is separated into different parts for the different plants that are in there. There are flowers, vegetable plants, herbs, shrubs, small trees and much more. There are plants that shouldn't even be able to be found in this northern climate but they thrive up here. Anyone wanting to come up here for fresh herbs, fruit or vegetables are welcome to steal from the indoor garden. Depending on the time of year, various different species of flowers and different fruits and vegetables grow. In one area there are a few small fountains and a bench with some fresh dirt on the the ground with trees and plants all around. It seems like a good spot for meditation.
When you're an expert cook, sometimes it's a good idea to take stock of the various fresh herbs and vegetables that are available to you. The same sort of applies when you are a terrible cook. Heather has a book on edible plants in her hands and is examining the various things in the attic, eyes narrowed as she tries to puzzle this all out. Every time she identifies one item, she moves to the next, opening the pages of the book and flipping rapidly through them. She mumbles something incomprehensibly as she looks down at a small tomato plant, trying to figure out if it's worth plucking the half-ripe tomato from its fine. Maybe it will taste interesting?
Theo doesn't come to the attic to pick fruits and vegetables. On the occasions that he cooks, he is content with the items found in the kitchen. The technopath has come to the attic to just be alone for a while. He's up here already, but he hasn't made his presence public. Over behind some of the taller plants, he sits facing the window, staring out at the Xavier grounds rather inparticularly. Usually it's quiet up here.
Towards the back of the attic is Robyn sitting on the floor. He's a bit hidden by plants as he has one of his projects with him. He's trying something he hasn't really done and that's trying to use the various textures on the leafs to a pot that he's working on. It's his Christmas present to his mother that he's working on. Hearing someone else in the attic he peaks out from his spot. "Hey Heather." He says, Theo isn't spotted yet.
Coming along for the ride with Robyn is Connor, but has not really acknowledged anyone yet. While others come up here for peace and quiet, apparently, he has his headphones in, and anyone who comes close enough can hear that he's blasting music rather loudly. Bent over a computer program from the music room, he continually is stop-starting and editting something on the screen, while his back rests against one of the flower stand tables up against the glass walls of the dome. Heather is spotted and waved to, but the project seems a bit more paramount at the moment.
Heather glances around and then comments to Robyn, "I didn't realize this place would be so crawling with people. Hello, Robyn." She draws her fingers through her hair, which she has still managed to keep from tangling too much since her makeover, though it's not quite as nice as it was then. She waves in return to Connor, tilting her head slightly as she tries to make out what he's doing.
Theo lets out a sigh, rather agitated at Connor's loud music. He doesn't need to be close to hear it. He doesn't say anything to Connor verbally. Instead, he just responds by projecting through the headphones. "That's really annoying," comes Theo's voice through the device. It's a new trick he's learned, he was waiting to show it off anyway. He looks over his shoulder, and gets to his feet. The technopath shoves his hands in his pockets, his usual scowl over his face. "I didn't realize it would be either," he answers Heather, making his presence announced.
Robyn steps out holding a clay pot in both hands that has various leaves stuck to it. He's got clay all over his hands, arms and even some on his face and clothes, but that's why he's wearing his 'art clothes' so he doesn't mind getting crap on them. "Hey Theo." Robyn says trying to ignore his grumpy demenor. "I like to come up here, I find it relaxing and a good spot to get inspiration…though I got plenty of it on that other dimension." He says wtih a grin.
The music program is paused, right in the middle of Connor swapping the fade on a track to bring up and mix something as he replies out loud, "Sorry… still trying to make up for missing all of October." He does turn the laptop to idle for a moment, and then stretches out a bit before looking over to Robyn and saying, "At least someone got something good out of that." He pauses, and then adds, "OH… going Christmas shopping with mom this weekend. Anyone want anything from Seattle? Coffee? Frango Mints? Fish?" Actually being serious on the last one.
"I'm just here for the plants," plays Heather, still eyeing the tomato plant. Hmmm. She looks at the pot that Robyn has, tilting her head slightly. "Yes. Fish. That would be nice. I wouldn't mind having fresh fish." It will just be put to waste on her, though, but at least she'll probably enjoy whatever horrible dish she concocts. "You look unhappy," she observes.
Theo shrugs non-commitally. Not a lot of Christmas Spirit for this one. "Why should I be happy?" he asks. "It's cold outside, and the semester is almost over." For most, the end of classes is counted as a good thing. For him, not as much. "And what kind of good thing comes from being trapped in a demon dimension?" he contests to Robyn. "Unless you're some devil worshipper or something."
"Theo never looks happy." Robyn says and he's not exactly teasing when he says that. "Why kind of good? Well…actually quite a bit. I realized how amazing Heather is and I think we learned a bit about eachother. Also things were so creepy and twisted there it's perfect for my art. Sure it wasn't all perfect and roses but compared to the other stuff that's happened there, I'd rather be stuck in that dimension for a month then spend a few hours stuck in a room with Selene." Just fact for him. Then he looks to Connor and grins. "I dunno, what are frango mints?"
Connor actually rolls his eyes a moment and then looks at Robyn, "You've never had a Frango Mint or a Frango chocolate… I get a couple boxes every year… usually chocolate espresso, chocolate caramel, or a double-dark." But then his eyes go to focus on Theo for a moment before there's a deep sigh and a shake of his head, "Theo… seriously? Whatever it is, brooding on it won't make it any better. This is the one time of year where everyone actively tries to make good things happen. And don't get snippy at Robyn either… you know he doesn't worship devils. And even if he was a Satanist, doesn't mean he's any less of a good guy, right?" Smirking over at his roomie before he stands up and reaches for his backpack, "Seriously, though… relax. We're supposed to be friends, but right now I get the feeling you wish you had a big brick wall around you."
"Because your face looks less dumb when you're not being pouty," replies Heather to Theo. Despite her generally flat expression, she does note to the others: "I'm excited about the coming holiday. It's going to be the first Christmas I actually celebrate. I am trying to prepare. I'm up to date on my lecture tapes." She fiddles with her tape recorder slightly and then shrugs. "In any case, an experience is an experience. Even if it's not happy, it can be worthwhile."
*Clomp clomp clomp* The sound of stompy stompy boots doing their thing on the stairs, rather easy to hear in the relative closeness of the attic, and before long a toxic green-haired Shane emerges, wearing the woolen jacket-dress from Resonance of Fate she'd been designing earlier, largely light gray with scarlet trim, black kid-gloves, and her ubiquitous headphones, a swatch of something thrown over her arm and a small needle kit resting atop. As the small crowd of other teens comes into view, she pauses briefly, annoyance and disappointment and worry and several other things flickering through her eyes in turn. Shaking her head, she fixes the issue by turning and selecting a far wall behind the miniature orchard to place herself.
"Selene's not that bad," Theo answers. Not because he believes it, he just wants to be contrary, and anyone who's seen him around Selene knows it. He still wears the psychic inhibitor Tony loaned him as evidence. He's not even in the same room with her, but it's no secret that he's paranoid that she'll try to dig around in his mind.
"I'm not brooding," he contests to Connor. "Things aren't better at this time of year than any of the rest of the year," he tells the group. "Just a bunch of people pretending the world is a better place than it is." There's a visible wince as Shane comes into range, and he looks to the stairs long before she's seen to watch her trod up the stairs.
Robyn makes a mental note to give Heather something for Christmas, he already has the gift. "I'm excited too, I think this is the first time Connor and I will be celebrating together…and I'd love to meet your family sometime Connor." Since Robyn's dragged him home to meet his before. "I'm glad you're celebrating with us Heather." Though before he can say anything he hears the stompy boots, which are hard to miss. He gives a wave in her direction hoping she sees since he knows she can't hear with the music. He then turns back to Connor and grins. "Don't worry about it, you know all of us gays worship the devil and stuff. This here is gonna be my devil worshiping pot, I'll put devil worshipy things it in." He then gives a shrug at Theo. "The holiday is what you make of it and I choose to not be a sourpuss."
Connor reaches over and nudges Robyn with a boot, "Hey… be nice. The gays don't worship the devil. They worship Judy Garland and Kathy Griffith." But he laughs a bit over it and says, "Sure… I can take you both over to the family Christmas. I've got enough time to give the family notice. And I'm sure my sisters would looooove to keep guessing which one of you I'm dating." But then his expression becomes a bit more serious as he looks towards Shane, giving a nod of greeting, and then walks over towards Theo, "Fine… it's no different from any other time of the year… life out there still sucks, people still get hurt, and it never seems to change anything. But so what? If I worried about every person suffering while I had a moment of happiness, I'd never BE happy. Christmas stopped being about Christ, the birth, the wise men and all that a long time ago… "these days it's a reminder of the obligation we have to family and friends, and remembering to be grateful for those little things that have been so important to us. No one's gonna try and pry anything major out of you, Theo. All we're digging for is a smile, and an admission you DO enjoy the holiday."
"Gays worship the devil?" repeats Heather's tape recorder as she blinks her eyes a few times blankly. "Chloe has invited me over for dinner. But I think she wants to run there? I need to figure out everything I'm doing over the holiday. It will throw off my normal schedule quite a lot." Not that Heather is particularly attached to routine: she just likes to get certain things done. As Shane comes in, she notes, "You look a little mopey too." Not that Heather actually /looks/ excited herself.
Shane drops down against the wall, setting the sewing kit aside unfolding the cloth. Glancing up, between the trees, she offers a nod of acknowledgment to the others in the attic. Poor Theo is, currently, being treated to what sounds like a speech by Hitler, set to clangy industrial metal almost-music as she carefully threads a needle with thick white-and-silver embroidery thread, and she gives no indication of having heard anyone over her music.
Theo offers a sneer more than a smile. "Yeah, great. Family and friends. Making it the best holiday ever. I think I'll stick with baby Jesus, it's less depressing. At least there's some shred of hope with that, better than your version." Apparently Connor's pop Christmas encouragement doesn't make him feel better. "I used to enjoy the holiday," he admits. "But if Christmas is really just about family and friends, then there's not much in it for me."
Robyn watches what Shane is sewing for a bit and idly says. "Man..I love her fashion sense." It's something he sometimes wishes he had more of. "No Heather, gays don't worship the devil, I was kinda commenting on something Theo said." He then looks to Theo and shrugs. "The holidays are what you make of them. If you want to enjoy them, you can but if you convince and force yourself to be miserable, you're going to be. The choice is yours."
Connor adds after Robyn is done, "Well… that's how it is for me. Sure I have my family, and Dylan, and my uncle back home… but besides that… add in Rashmi and Mike and at Barnes… and this is it… you included Theo." There's a shrug as he walks over to stand next to the brooder by the window, looking out at the bleak skyline, "One year ago, just around now… I had my first power-related experience. I was in a shitty mood, I was at school, didn't want to be there, and just wanted to go home. I blacked out while in the bathroom, hiding in the toilets, and came to with my pants around my ankles on my bed, and came downstairs to be talked to about skipping school. It was also when some of the more vivid dreams of other lives started. I've got no reason to like Christmas time either, Theo… but on the other side of things… if I don't enjoy what I have, what point is there to having it."
Blinking a few times at Theo, Heather says, "Well that's fine, then. I don't have much for family to celebrate, but I have a few friends. I have just never celebrated before, so it is new and different. If you just don't like it anymore, I don't care. Enjoy not enjoying." She turns towards Robyn and adds, "I didn't think gays worshipped the devil, but I just wanted to make sure. Aren't you a gay?"
Shane seems to be picking out a pair of stylized wings, on the back panel of some sort of blue knit-cloth top or jacket or somesuch, eyes locked on her work as, in Theo's head, the motivational speech swings into overdrive. /Auf ein gefetettes Backblech legen und… Bei zweihundert Grad fur funfzehn Minuten backen… UND KEINE EIER!/ and the crowd goes wild.
The constant music from Shane's music is just noise for Theo, and when he's frustrated, he doesn't like extra noise. Without a word to her, he reaches out with his powers to turn off the german song. "What is this? 'Gang up on Theo because he's not cheery like the rest of us' hour? I'm glad for you, Connor. I'm glad for you, Robyn. I'm glad you still got something to celebrate, and someone to do it with. I don't want you to lose it. But just know that things aren't the same for me. If you'd asked me last year I would've said the same stuff you're saying. But I don't have any of that now. Heather probably gets it better than you guys, anyway." Of course, Theo also realizes that Heather doesn't process most things in the same way as the rest of the world.
As much as Robyn and Theo have had their differences and as much as part of Robyn would love to be dick to him, he can't. He lets out a breath and walks over to Theo. "Theo…it's not about trying to gang up on you…maybe some of us just want to see you smile for once. Enjoy something cause…I don't think I've ever seen you smile. Not really at least, it never seems like you mean it." He's not making fun of Theo but there is concern in his voice. "It just seems like you're forcing yourself to be unhappy and miserable when…there are people here who wouldn't mind spending time with you during the holiday. Even if that team thing didn't or doesn't work out, we're still classmates and we've all gone through a lot together. I'm sorry if our holiday cheer is rubbing you wrong but…it'd be nice to see you smile once and mean it."
Connor turns and leans against the glass where he can look to Shane and Heather, offering both girls soft smiles before turning his head to look at Theo, and there's a bit of a chuckle, "You don't know… that's fine. But just because you don't know doesn't mean you should stop having any fun with it. Look at it from the other side of the coin, man… we care enough to try. That alone should mean something." But his course of conversation turns to Heather as he says over to her, "I think Robyn was trying to make a joke at his own expense… we've kind of shot it a couple times, hung it in the town square, then just for good measure drowned it. But if necessary, we can attempt decapitation too."
Heather just fiddles with her recorder when Robyn doesn't answer her question and nods her head a couple of times as Connor gives her an explanation, seeming more at ease with an explanation that /isn't/ exactly clear. She just listens to the playback from Robyn and Connor's incredibly long and boring (from her perspective) pieces of dialogue, since she spent the time they were actually speaking switching from pot to pot and checking up on if they are edible. "What are you going to do on Christmas then, Theo? I spent last year writing."
Shane blinks as her music shuts off mid-riff, one hand whipping up to tear her earphones off. "What the *hell* was that for?!" The cosplayer's mood has whiplashed from tolerable to annoyed, and the cloth is rolled up and slapped on top of the open kit, boots creaking at the ankle as she pulls herself to her feet.
Theo pulls his hands out of his pockets, and crosses his arms over his chest as Robyn walks closer. "Well, thanks," he says in a somewhat genuine tone toward the two other boys. He looks worried that Robyn will hug him, or do some other sappy physical gesture, and while he doesn't back up, his posture remains closed. "I dunno yet," he admits with a shake of his head. "Emma wants me to stay here over the break. Makes me think I'll leave instead." He shrugs. "I got a couple ideas, but I don't know if they will work yet."
The technopath glances back toward Shane. "Your music was making it hard to hear," he tells her. "And it's obnoxious. Sounded like Hitler giving a speech or something."
Robyn looks up at Heather and smiles. "Sorry Heather, your question before, yeah I am gay but that really doesn't determine who I am." He says as he doesn't want to be defined by it. Then at Theo's words about shitting off her music, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He looks at Shane apologetically. "Sorry about Theo's behavouir Shane…if anything I think what you're working on looks really cool." He keeps inside some things he really wants to say about Theo's rudeness.
Connor just replies to Theo's behavior by tapping him on the shoulder, and saying, "Don't let Robyn be the one to apologize for you…" In as soft a voice as he can, and then flicks his eyes over to Shane and back, "C'mon… even you have to admit that was a dick move."
Heather listens to the playback on her tape and glances around the room, and then plays to Robyn, nodding at his response once, "Well. If that was all you defined yourself by, you'd be a terribly flat character." To the exchange between Theo and Shane she notes, "Background noise can be distracting. Difficult and confusing. It gets hard to understand over the noise."
"Forget it," Shane snaps at Robyn, stooping to close her sewing kit. "I'll just find someplace else." Gathering up her things, she narrows her eyes at Theo, and taps her iPod again. With her earphones still around her neck, the volume of the music makes it quite plainly audible to the rest of the attic, doubly loud in Theo's head. /CLEAR YOUR MIND! HIDE YOUR FEAR! DON'T LOOK ROUND DON'T TURN AROUND, PENNYWISE IS HERE!!/ Wheeling, she stomps back toward the stairs, protest lodged.
It's true, and Theo knows it, too. His eyes shift toward Connor, and then toward Robyn. "Sorry," he starts to tell Shane. Then her response cuts him off. The annoyed look is replaced by a sheepish demeanor. "Yeah, I was a dick. Maybe I should just go before I screw up anybody else's afternoon. I gotta get to work soon, anyway."
Robyn looks at Theo and shakes his head before trying to go after shane, putting his pot down in the processes. "Shane!" He yells not sure if she can hear him so he reaches out trying to tap her on the shoulder. "Theo, next time you can try to ask someone to turn something off you don't like…then you wouldn't be in situations like this."
Heather sits down and opens up the book on her lap, fingers moving through it quickly, "I would have done the same. It's too hard to concentrate when it's noisy. Too hard to remember all the social rules." As the tape recorder finishes playing, she picks it back up and places it on the book to keep her page.
"I *said* forget it," Shane snaps, jerking her shoulder away. "Don't worry, I'm not going to bother anyone anymore, so don't leave on my account." Stomping toward the stairs, she glares over her shoulder, frantic yelly punk still blasting through the room. "It was a recipe for *hash cookies,* that was the *joke.*" And, down the stairs and gone.
Theo grits his teeth. He's familiar enough with Shane to know that the infraction will not soon be forgotten. He lets out a sigh. "I'm just gonna go," He tells Robyn. "I gotta get ready for work." Which is true, but it's a convenient exit as well. He's done enough damage for one afternoon. "Heather, good luck with your plant studies." The technopath follows Shane down the stairs, and then seeks an alternate route, rather than following her further.
Stops and lets Shane leave with a sigh and gives Theo a 'look' without saying anything. He walks back over picking up the pot he was working on and shakes his head before walking back to where he was before to get the water he had over there to keep the clay moist so it doesn't dry out. There's a lot of thoughts going through his head as he works. "Have a good day at work Theo." Robyn states to him as he looks up at Heather. "So you're going with Chloe for Christmas?"
Heather nods her head quickly at Theo and just raises her hand waving it quickly for a farewell gesture. "Yes, I will be going to stay with her family. She says that she'll have to give them a list of my mannerisms so nobody is surprised. I am better at being social now than when I first got here, though, so it shouldn't be too hard."
Connor watches as the two depart, and then rubs at his temples once before saying, "Well… at least one of them is making progress." Then he turns to look at his other two friends, "Allright Ron, Hermione… Let me talk to my parents, and you talk with yours, or in this case Chloe's… and if everyone's cool, we'll portal to my family for Christmas eve, and I'll get you both back in time for the morning celebrations. I think my dad is setting this year's display to Trans-Siberian Orchestra."
Robyn starts to peel off some of the leaves that he pressed into the clay to see how they look. "Sounds good, I'll talk to my Mom and Dad tonight. I also have to talk to Jordan and see when were getting together." He says as he looks at the pot curiously. "Well then Harry Potter, I'm gonna head down stairs after Malfoy there and head to the art room. I wanna get this fired up to see how it comes out and if it's a good idea or something to be scrapped though I did get some neat glazes." He says with a smile. "I'll see the two of you later!"
Heather also nods her head quickly at Robyn and waves at him, if only because double playing a single word isn't really worthwhile. She looks over at Connor and then says, "Chloe wanted to run, but I don't want to. Temporal shift works differently from her bioshift. That would be too much running for me, and I would die. So spaceslipping sounds like a good solution." She stands up, sticking one of her fingers in the book. "I need to journal and prepare to end my wake cycle. I think I'm going to follow them down."
