2010-04-29: Late Night Deals

Players:

Connor_icon.jpg Theo_icon.jpg

Summary: Connor and Theo can't sleep. They strike a bargain that might get Theo to watch his mouth.

Date: April 29,2010.

Log Title Late Night Deals

Rating: G


Xavier Mansion - Recreation Room

What was once the Parlor has been turned into a Recreation Room for the students. A nice plush carpet meets the light blue walls giving it a homey feel. A pool table at one end, a foos ball table at the other, and entertainment center with video game systems, movies, and of course, cable TV. Big comfy chairs and couches surround a coffee table for comfortable loafing. Long glass windows with a pair of French doors line one side of the room bringing in plenty of light during the day. The main rule in here is to clean up after yourself.


This late at night… or early in the morning as the case may be… the lights in the Rec Room are off except for the soft light of the television. Sitting on the couch, in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, barefoot but curled up under him is Connor, Xbox controller in his lap, and a copy of Final Fantasy XIII up on the screen. The sound is down to the bare minimum as he is focused on the screen, cradling a bowl of potato chips in his lap.

In a pair of sweats and a green hoody sweatshirt, Theo wanders in, flipping the lights on without even noticing that the TV is running. He takes a few more steps, and sees the TV on. "Sorry," he apologizes, wandering back to the light switch and flipping it off. "Didn't realize there was anyone else crazy enough to be awake right now." He watches the game on the screen, but hasn't paid close attention yet to who is on the other side of the couch.

The voice, a perhaps familiar voice from a couple days ago replies, "I have problems sleeping… so sometimes I'll end up here and goof off with some game until I'm too tired to stay up… What's up?" Sitting up just a bit more, Connor's head appears, looking almost upside down towards you… watching your movements before returning to his game, unpausing it from moving around in a vast open space filled with a menagerie of strangeness.

Theo shrugs, shambling forward toward the couch. "About the same. Been having the worst dreams ever, lately," he says. The technopath hops over the couch and into the seat next to Connor. He tucks the book down next to him, not seeming intent on reading it at the moment. "What's this?" he asks, not being the most familiar with video games.

Connor pauses once more, and tilts his head, "Final Fantasy… the latest one… just recently released. The story of a group of people brought together by circumstances outside their own control and given the power to either save a world, or destroy it. I've been finding stuff like this strikes a much larger chord in me these days." Almost speaking to himself, before he turns his head to look at the other, "You allright?"

Theo arches his brow. "Yeah, just been having dreams that are like a big giant math problem, I wake up more tired than when I went to sleep," he says. He kicks his shoes off, and tucks his feet underneath himself, not unlike Connor. "So which are you gonna do, save the world or destroy it?" he asks.

Connor smirks a bit, "Have you ever watched Hamlet? It's almost like that… it's a mad spiral where every time the main characters make a choice to save something, something else comes along to prove them wrong, or force their hand… or something else." Keeping the game paused still he leans back and takes up a couple chips to down, the offers Theo the bowl, "It's how Hamlet seems to always been in control, and yet have no control through the whole thing… trapped in a world forged in love, in spite of love, and yet fostering hate." He then stops, "Heh… listen to me. You'd think I was writing the damn thing. It's just a game, I guess… in the end it's not really a choice… it's a forgone decision from the first scripted moment the path they take."

Theo grins as he takes a few of the potato chips from the bowl that's offered, and pops them into his mouth. After chewing and listening for a moment, he answers. "Predestined, huh?" he drapes one arm over the edge of the chair. "Sounds like you're really into it. How far are you?"

Connor motions to the open vista, "It's been point A to point B up until now… now it's a wide open world… According to the book online… it's about ten to eleven chapters in… but it's really the half-way point of the game." He sighs and closes his eyes, "Look… Theo… I'm not going to be anything but honest with you. I've been mad at you. I couldn't believe what you said… or why you said it… and I may be mad at you for a while… but… I'm not going to let that get in the way of the fact that you're still a person… and you deserve the same considerations we all get."

Theo seems a little confused. "What do you mean?" he asks. "What'd I say to you?" He adjusts in his seat, uncertain what to make of the sudden change of conversation. He takes another couple of chips nonchalantly from the bowl, and pops them in his mouth. He doesn't look remarkably concerned about Connor's revelation, but he does look curious.

Turning his head to looks at you, his eyes glow to the point that you cannot make out anything but the pupils behind the aqua glow, the energies simmering back and forth, flaring and fading like waves, "I listened to you spew bigotry… and I defended you… and when I told you to follow every good judgement and run… you stayed and you continued it… I -gave- you that chance to continue to insult Jordan… by getting in the way… by being the person to step up." His jawline setting hard before he then stops and relaxes, "You made me just as accountable for what was said as yourself."

Theo looks a little uncomfortable as Connor's eyes begin to glow, but not uncomfortable enough that he can't respond. "I didn't ask for you to defend me," he answers bluntly. "And it was a fight, people say crap when they're in a fight. He wanted to be pissed at me because I hit his girlfriend. Fair enough, he hit me, I couldn't really do much to get past his powers. It's done." He seems to not think that what he said was something worth being excited about. In fact, he acts as if the whole fight itself is now just yesterday's news.

Connor closes his eyes, and winces as he looks back and away, "God… if you're really that dense…" Shaking his head as he forces calm upon himself with several meditative breaths, pushing the anger down and away once more, and after a ten-count he opens them once more, "You didn't ask… but I did it… but it's enough to make me wonder if you'd do the same."

Theo watches patiently, almost analytically as Connor takes his breaths. He bites and holds his lower lip between his teeth for a moment, a studious look on his face as he considers his response.
"Look, I'm really not tryin' to be some jerk," he says finally. "But I don't go shoving my nose in other people's fights. I don't expect people to go shoving their noses in mine. You seem like a pretty good guy," he admits. "And I appreciate the concern, but I'd rather get creamed and have people know that I'll fight for myself than have other people come and rescue me so I become the wuss that other people have to stand up for."
He looks back at the screen. "I saw those kung fu moves you got, and you got about half a foot on me, so I don't expect you to really get what I'm sayin'."

Connor replies simply, "It's not kung fu… it's Systema. And if you want… I'll teach you what I know… but I want something in return…" His voice calm once more, affable, his eyes back to the point that you notice only in the dim light present that the irises have a faint glow to them that would only be noticed this close, "Size doesn't matter… neither does strength. Precision, Perception, and Preparation will take away almost any advantage."

Theo laughs a little, "You sound like a movie," he says. "Maybe that stuff does take away advantages, but I bet you have a guy that has all that and size, it'll make a difference." He picks up another potato chip.
"But okay, I'll bite, what do you want back? Help on your homework?" He's perfectly comfortable with the idea of a trade. Given the fact that he's rather well known for his grades, his first assumption is some sort of tutoring. He takes a bite out of the chip, and catches a crumb that starts to fall down out of his mouth.

Connor shakes his head, and then smirks, "No. If I teach you… my price is… from now on you think. You don't just open your mouth and let whatever spew out. Consideration for the repercussions of your actions before they're performed. That's my price. I give you the ability to defend yourself… maybe an edge one day you can use… and in return… I want you instead of using your mouth, use your mind. If it hadn't been for Skyler, I don't know if I could have stopped him. I could have teleported you to safety if needs be… but part of me wanted you to get caught, and get your ass kicked for what you said." His eyes finally lower a moment, and he then says, "And for that I'm sorry. I don't want anyone hurt because of my own ill will… even if I think they deserve it at the time."

Theo looks at Connor incredulously. "Man, you don't even know me," he says. "Maybe you should take your own advice. You've talked to me now what, three times?" He shakes his head. "You figure you got me sized up already. You're big and wise and I'm just some fool, is that it?"

Connor crosses his arms over his chest, and flicks up an eyebrow, "Nope. All I know is that in a place where you could have been much more of a strategic thinker… you instead grabbed a couple pool balls and started taunting… which with someone else might have been enough to give you enough to get away, but there was an angry man who walked through a wall, and then threatened to pin you to the wall by phasing pencils through your wrists and ankles like you were Jesus on a Cross." Uncrossing hi arms, and then takes the controller off his lap and sets it to the side, "As for me? I'm not wise… as the saying goes… I know enough to know I don't really know anything. So… I ask you to learn from me… and in return… you do a little self-evaluation on the way. Who knows… maybe somewhere in the middle of it all, we can become friends, too. Despite, or in spite of. For all I know… you're a pretty cool guy… a few real jerk comments aside."

Theo smirks, and as Connor unfolds his arms, Theo crosses his, leaning back against the side of the couch, and shifting his legs to sit criss cross. "Guess you've never been hit by a pool ball," he says. "Okay, fine. So what's in this for you? A hope that you can make a new friend?" He seems skeptical still, the deal doesn't seem to get Connor anything, and it appears to be at the front of his attention.

Connor looks contemplative a moment, and then just smiles and nods to himself, "I get to see if I was right to defend you in the first place. And even if I was wrong… I might learn something about myself in the bargain." Turning on the game once more, he moves the characters in play off to a device that initiates a save point, and he stores the game in question, "Hardly seems like a tangible response… but you're right… I barely know you. And I've never been hit by a pool ball. But I have been hit with a nightstick, a practice knife, an umbrella…" He stops and thinks for a moment. "I think the coffee mug was the most inventive thing Uncle Yuri went at me with… thankfully it didn't REALLY have coffee in it."

"Your uncle sounds like a real winner. No wonder you took up karate," Theo answers. He props himself up, sitting now on the back of the couch. "Okay, well I'll see if I can keep my trap shut, it seems like good trade to me." He lets out a slight yawn.

Connor chuckles even harder as he turns off the game system, "Actually… he's the one who was teaching me at the time. It was kinda fun… in a twisted sort of way." Coming back to you, he holds out his left hand to you, "Shake on it?"

Theo notes the offering of the left hand instead of the right, and offers his own left hand to take the shake. "Just promise me you won't clobber me with a coffee mug." He grins.

Connor shakes his head, and gives a wink, "You've got a couple years before you get to that stage. Lemme know your schedule, and we can meet in the gym." A firm shake is given before he releases, and says, "You don't need a gi, or anything formal… just some loose and comfortable clothes… regular shoes…" Then he pats your shoulder solidly, and plucks the chips from you, popping another one into his mouth, "I'm gonna put these away. Later, man."

As Connor shakes his hand, Theo's feet suddenly plant, as if he was expecting for a first lesson by getting thrown on the floor. But it doesn't come, and he relaxes again. His own handshake meets Connor's grip. "Okay man," he says, "I'll see ya later." He snags a last chip before the bowl leaves, and plops down into the couch, digging the book back from where it had fallen between the cushions.

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