Players:
Summary: The Optimist meets the Pessimist, it's still unsure if that glass is half empty or half full..
Date: November 10, 2010
Log Title: Lingering On Losses
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Kitchen
This kitchen was designed to feed large numbers of people, and looks it with its bright white walls and stainless steel appliances. The stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher are all larger than normal. There is an island with stools around it for people to sit and eat around along with a table for twelve by the windows in back. Along the wall is a hole in the wall looking into the dining room so food can be passed back and fourth. Anything you want to cook or eat in the kitchen you will find the food and supplies to do so.
The kitchen is filled with the smell of eggs. Theo doesn't cook many things, but he loves omelettes. The counter is scattered with chopped ham, a partially cut pepper, some tomatoes, onions, the works. Let us not forget the shredded mild cheddar. The island has his laptop on it, and it seems to be running some sort of compilation at the moment. He's singing. That's right, sign of the apocalypse, Theo seems to be in a good mood.
"I gotta find some way out of here, said the joker to the thief. There's so much confusion, I can't get no relief…" The computer suddenly cues Jimi Hendrix to sing the rest of the lines as the boy turns his omelette with the spatula, and adds some garlic salt.
Carrying a few bags of groceries with him and his own personal work bag, Christopher walks into the kitchen dressed in a nice pair of black work slacks and a button down violet shirt, looking very much the role of 'teacher'. "Hello there Theo, I see you've taken over my spot in this school." He jokes with the young student as he starts putting some bags of groceries on the island away from Theo's laptop. "So what is it you're singing today? I find I like to sing when cooking as well."
The technopath casts a look over his shoulder. "Hey," he says. "It's Jimi Hendrix, All along the watchtower. Opening line seems very fitting for my life." That being the line he just sang aloud. He doesn't comment on Chris' habit of singing, "Can't wait until January. This place is a prison." Though his disposition seems rather cheery, despite this observation.
"Oh yes, it's such a prison with a heated pool, television and video game access whenever you want it, the ability to make yourself the ultimate omelette and don't forget all the other things you have access here that most schools don't even have." Christopher says as he starts to sort out his groceries, taking out potatoes, various vegetables, large packages of stewmeat and other things to make dinner for those who want beef stew later. "So are you calling yourself a Joker then Theo?"
Theo pulls the frying pan off the burner, and grabs a plate from the cabinet. He slides the omellete off onto his plate. "Um, no," he answers. "I'm just someone who can't get relief from this place. You try being stuck on campus for three months and see how you like it. Besides, I don't like video games, and it's too cold outside for swimming even if the pool is heated."Most of the food is left on the counter, though he places the eggs back in fridge. He grabs a fork from the drawer, and sits down at the island with his food. He stares at the progress bar for a moment on the computer. Compilation only 70% complete.
"With that attitude of course you're going to be stuck here with no relief." Christopher says not cleaing up after Theo, after all he is the one who made the mess. "And I have been stuck on campus for months before and I've been stuck in worse situations but things always get better if you wait them out and take it for what it is. Make the most of it. If you grump about it and say how miserable you are, those three months are going to last a lifetime."
Theo shoves a forkfull of omelette into his mouth with one cocked eyebrow at Christopher. It's too hot, and he holds his mouth at an odd position as he opens the fridge and pulls out the first liquid he can find. He tries not to make a big show about it as he pours himself the juice, and takes a drink to cut the heat. "Yeah," he says after he finishes. "Well, I guess you're just a better person than me then," he answers. "Or more boring." He returns to his seat. "I guess the good news is my bank account will be so fat I can go on a nice shopping spree whenever I get out."
There's a laugh from Christopher as he shakes his head. "No, no, I'm not any better than anyone. Nor am I boring, I'm just me." He doesn't try to be better than anyone, he's just an optimist. "And see, there's some silver lining at the end of your tunnel. So what kind of things do you like shopping for?" He asks of the student as he starts to search around the kitchen for three large crock pots.
"Cars," Theo answers. "Should have plenty to get the mustang I was looking at, and probably get a fresh paint job on it, too." The boy already has one car, and it's a ferrari from Tony Stark. Hard to move up on the ladder from there. "I dunno beyond that." He puts another fork of omelette in his mouth. "But it's hard to be content with my punishment when I didn't deserve it. My only consolation is that Emma didn't break me. At least I don't have to work for her like you do."
"Most people find it very hard to be content with any punishment as most of us never believe we were in wrong." Christopher says as he knows he's been in that boat and it's just a part of life. "I am not even sure why you are being punished and what it is you did. I don't really pry into files unless needed so if you wish to talk about it, I'll be happy to listen." He says as he starts to get everything ready to start cooking.
After a couple more bites, Theo spins on his stool to regard Christopher, as if he's determining whether this is some sort of trap. "She thought I was forging my dad's signature, when I just signed on the wrong line of the driver's ed permission form," he says. "My dad and I have the same name. Told her, but she didn't care." Rather short and to the point explanation. He looks back at the screen, which is almost done with the video compilation, and he watches the last two percent finish.
Christopher sees the holes in Theo's story but doesn't point them out to him. Seeing that if a form requires student signature it also requires a parent signature so why was it turned in with one signature and not the other. And if it had both, how was the wrong line signed. Also, Emma's a telepath. "Mmmhmmm." Is all Christopher says to that as he starts cutting up vegetables into sizable pices. "So you have an interest in cars, what kind of car is your favourite?"
"1957 Shelby Mustang," Theo answers quickly. "Best part is, there's a limited amount of electronics on it, so it won't trigger my power very much." He finishes off his omelette as the compilation reads "Finishing". He gets up from the stool, and starts to collect the rest of the food that he used for the omelettes. "You're full of questions today," he comments.
Christopher smiles and shrugs. "I try to get to know the students and the best way to do that is to ask questions. Also I'm terribly curious. I gets me into trouble sometimes." He says with a chuckle as he starts seperating what he's cutting into seperate piles. "Also I think it comes with me being a stylist, just being able to talk to my customers and such. If my questions are bothering you, I'll stop asking."
The compilation finishes, and starts playing at a reduced volume. Some sort of presentation on rapid transit and maglev technology. The teen takes the food and puts it back in the fridge. "Well, I got a question for you, then," he says, going back to his computer and watching the video. He doesn't ask it yet, though, rather waits to see if Christopher is open to a reversal.
"Ask away." Christopher says as he starts to take out some potatoes and cut those up next. "I don't mind being asked questions." He's actually quite open about his life and doesn't mind sharing with the students.
This question, however, doesn't deal with Christopher's personal life. Theo isn't as reversely interested. "Do you think that they're ever coming back?" The 'they' implicating the missing staff and students. "I mean, it's been over a month, and we haven't heard anything." He pauses the presentation without tapping the keyboard, and turns his full attention to the culinary teacher.
"Yes." Christopher says without a doubt in his mind. "They always do, but it's hard to say what condition they'll come back in. We just have to be ready to be there for them when they do come back. If it's for a hug, or someone to hang out with to take their mind off of it, for a good meal or to be a friend or an ear, we just have to be ready."
"No," Theo answers soberly. "They don't always." His own life knows better, and the technopath is a bitter realist. "What makes you think they'll all come back? Have the staff found anything out? Nobody tells us anything."
"No….they don't always." Christopher says quitely but it's only for a second that there's a flicker of sadness on his face. "But, we have nothing to tell us they won't be either. Until I see definate proof that they aren't coming back, I'll believe that they are. I saw a handful of students go missing once before, and they all came back a month later. I will warn you though, they were changed. What was a month for us was ten years for them. I believe you might know one of them, but anyway, we have to believe they'll come back but also be ready for anything that might have happened to them."
Theo seemed hopeful when he asked the question, but it diminishes as Christopher reveals nothing to hold on to. He doesn't ask who it was that he knows. He isn't one to pry on such details. "I'm not ready," he says. "It's better to move on then to hold onto hope. That way you can be happily surprised if you're wrong rather than perpetually disappointed for believing something that will never happen."
Christopher shakes his head. "I don't believe that. Because if you let the bad hold you back, if you're always waiting to be happily surprised by expecting the bad, the bad will always be highlighted. Horrible things happen in this world Theo, and some cause you to feel like things will never be right again, but you move on and, well, I learned to think positivly. I'd rather be optimistic and be happy with their return than let myself be depressed until they return. Do you think your friends would want you mope over them being gone?"
"I don't mope," Theo contests. "I just don't hold on to blind faith that things will be all right. So I just put it behind me and don't think about it. Because sometimes things won't ever be right again, and if you think about it, it just kills you. So I just think about other stuff. No point in holding onto something you've lost." He doesn't really practice it, but he would like to pretend that he operates that way.
"I think about what I lost everyday." Christopher says with a smile that seems to quite happy. "I named my Salon after him so everyday I think about him. I know what it's like to lose Theo, but I also know what it's like to have hope and have a happy life. I am not trying to change your mind, just telling you my point of view. But I will stand by what I said earlier. I do believe, one hundred percent, they will be coming back."
Theo shrugs noncommitally. "Well, I hope you're right then, for your sake." He closes his laptop, and sticks his plate in the sink. "Have a good time cooking," he says. "I'm gonna head to Blackbird training." His favorite class, by far, at least, it is when they aren't in the Danger Room.
Christopher offers Theo a reassuring smile. "How about this, if I'm right…I owe you a home cooked meal, how about that?" Sure it'd be considered the type of thing he'd do in a bet but for him, he wants to be right and kind of reach out to the student at the same time. "Have a good time in Blackbird training. Don't let Sam go to hard on you."
Theo smirks. "Sure, if you want," he says. "And if I'm right then we'll just go through life waiting for you to be right." He picks back up his laptop, and puts it into his backpack by the door to the kitchen. "See ya." With that, he heads out to training.
