2011-03-12: Lovely Night

Players:

Rashmi_icon.jpg Travis_icon.jpg

Summary: Travis and Rashmi step out from the dance for some fresh air.

Date: March 12, 2011

Log Title: Lovely Night

Rating: PG


NYC - Financial District

The Financial District is an area at the southern tip of Manhattan. Major sights include South Street Seaport, Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, Battery Park, and Federal Hall National Memorial where George Washington was sworn into office. The Financial District is lively during the day with businessmen and women scurrying about their affairs or visiting the many take out restaurants during their lunch breaks. At night the area is quiet due to barely anyone littering the streets and most shops and restaurants being closed.


After the meal has been eaten and some dancing has been done Travis wanted to see if Rashmi wanted to go outside for some air. The road is fairly empty and the unseen SHIELD agents stand guard. "You look really pretty tonight Rashmi. Not that you're not always pretty but it's the first time I've seen you really dressed up." He says fumbling his words a bit. "You guys really did a nice job on the dance and I'm really glad they decided to have one. I'm having a great time."

"I'm having a great time too," Rashmi says, slipping her arm around Travis' waist and leaning her head on his shoulder. "And.. well thanks. That suit looks *really* good on you, too, you know." Her free hand comes up to play with the fake-pearl string around her neck, eyes turning up toward the night sky. "We *really* needed this."

Travis puts two arms around Rashmi's waist and back smiling as he seems happy. "I think so to. I also like getting to meet people. It's cool to see that there's a whole community outside of Barnes as well." He hopes to keep in touch with some of the kids from Xavier's cause he likes having friends. "Thanks, I got the suit custom, my Mom and Barnes helped me with it."

Rashmi bobs her head. "There is… and a lot of those people are really *really* good friends, so it's nice to introduce you, y'know? I'll have to ask to see if I can bring you next Sunday for my volunteer work, introduce you to some of the teachers, even."

"And I can see why you respect Magneto so much." Travis says. "He's a really interesting man and despite him being a super villian he doesn't seem like one. He seems like he really cares though he is a bit intimidating cause I really do think he'd have more than words with me if I didn't treat you right." He says with a grin. "And that'd be cool. I wouldn't mind seeing Hosea again."

Rashmi chuckles, shaking her head. "Yeah… I'm pretty sure we're never going to see eye to eye, but I do actually have a lot of respect for him. Just… y'know… not all of his methods. But he *does* have a good heart under it all. As for Hosea? Heh… he's a pretty good guy too, once you get past the culture shock."

"Well it's hard to agree with what he's done, but when you read about someone like Magneto and hear the horrible things he's done, you expect to meet a monster not an almost fatherly gentlemen." Travis says as he moves to turn to look at Rashmi in the face. "I'm also think I need to find a date for us where I can see you dress up again." He says with a sheepish grin.

Rashmi's lips twitch, almost smirking as she looks up at Travis. "…Well… I *could* show up for our next date in the sari Mami gave me… it'd just have to be closer to summer, y'know?"

"We'll figure out something nice for the summer like maybe going to see a play or something." Travis says. 'I'm getting a bit more comfortable about going out in public, even if I have to hide my arms. I'm finally starting to feel like I'm settling in here. Whenever you move somewhere new there's that adjustment period and I can feel that period coming towards it's end."

Rashmi bobs her head, slipping both arms around Travis' waist and squeezing gently. "I can imagine… it was almost the same for me when I first went to Xavier's, but… not quite. It probably helps a *lot* to have people who can know *you,* not just the face you have to put on for safety, doesn't it?"

"It does, I'm glad I could tell you my real name." Travis says putting four of his arms around her as well. "But I don't feel like I'm hiding as much here as I did in St. Louis. I mean eventually I liked S. Louis and made friends there but I think being a mutant helps, if that makes sense.

Rashmi nods, resting her head against Travis' chest. "It does… it means you don't have to be so scared of the things you were… even if it also means there's all kinds of *new* things to be scared about. … …Did I tell you about when Nero made me watch the attack? He said he couldn't figure out what made me willing to fight him…"

Travis shakes his head. "No you didn't tell me, honestly I've tried to avoid discussing that much about it with you cause I don't like getting you down." He says brushing some of her hair lightly with his fingers. "And being a mutant, there's a community that's so welcoming it's, something I would have never realized.

Rashmi chuckles quietly. "It's… like… one of the few things i can remember and be proud of… I told him… I've been a prisoner of hell. I've argued with *Magneto* to his face. I've fought people I cared about who were turned into monsters… And all he could do is kill me, so what was he supposed to be to me?"

Travis leans down and kisses Rashmi lightly as she says that. "You're one of the bravest and strongest people I've met Rashmi." He says and means it. "There are worse people out there then Nero. He…well I still have nightmares but I can't let what happened ruin my life or else..in a way, he won. But just so you know, if you became a prisoner of hell again, I'd rush to rescue you."

Rashmi's cheeks flush, eyes lidding at the kiss, her arms tightening for a moment. "Mmmn… I'm glad to hear that, Travis… I'd rescue you too, if it came to it…"

"You already did." Travis says with a big grin. "When Nero first took me, you came for me." He doesn't mention about her getting caught in the process but the fact that she even tried to come means a lot. "And I'm happy to hear that you'd do it again. It's nice to know that someone will be there." He says before letting out a chuckle. "Ya know, most men would be intimidated by a woman like you Rashmi."

Rashmi chuckles, tilting her head. "…Seriously? *Why* would *anyone* be intimidated by me?"

"I don't mean it in a bad way or insulting way, it's one of the reasons I like you so much." Travis says before he explains. "You're independent, strong and you're true to who you are. You don't try to change yourself for someone. Also you're not afraid to be that girl who protects a guy, and some guys would be intimated by that. I used to think it was the 'man's job' to be the strong one, to be the protector but just being with you, it can't be further from the truth."

Rashmi grins, reaching back and scratching her neck briefly. "Who says? What's wrong with both sides doing the protecting, y'know? That way, nobody has *all* the pressure. Besides… I'm too much of a busybody to *really* be able to let anyone else do something if I can do it myself… it's something I try and work on when I can."

"I think it's a good thing." Travis says leaning down for another kiss. "It's one of the reasons I like you. And there's nothing wrong with both sides doing the protecting. Even though it didn't work out the way you planned, I am glad that you tried to come rescue me. I really am."

Rashmi lets out a quiet breath, as Travis' lips move away from hers. "I am too. Even if it *didn't* work out like I wanted… I haven't regretted a *moment* of that entire trip."

"Neither have I." Travis admits. "As horrible as things were I feel like I got to know myself better in an odd way. I also know I can't just roll over and let myself be consumed in misery by the trip. Ya know, I talked with Hosea and he asked me if I could love Nero. I told him no, I couldn't, but at the same time I find I don't hate him. I find I just don't care."

Rashmi nods, sighing. "Yeah… I'm… not… quite there yet," she says, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'm *always* afraid someone's going to ask about my hair. And that just makes me think about everything that happened. I *hate* him, Travis. I hate him and I want to stop, but I *can't* yet. I'm trying… I am. But I'm not there yet."

Travis pulls Rashmi close into a hug and holds her for a bit, resting his lips on the top of her head before speaking. "It's okay to hate him. I'm honestly surprised I don't but I find I just don't care about him. At all. Maybe it helped that I got some sort of revenge." He says one hand lightly stroking Rashmi's hair. "The men who killed my father, I still hate them."

"He's going to be on trial," Rashmi murmurs. "Hosea asked me how I felt about that, that he's on trial. That he might escape, or be let off, or any number of things that could go wrong. Did I still wish I'd killed him, now? And I said no. Because *real* justice has been all I've *breathed* since I was *fourteen.* Because it's not just *me* that needs him to be punished. I *hate* him, AJ… *So much.* But I can't hate him so much it makes me stop believing in what I believe in… because then? He *would* win."

There's a flash of something in Travis' face as he's called AJ and he blinks a few times. "I haven't been called that by someone other then my Mom in a long time." He whispers. "I want him to have a trial and go through everything. I think that's why I can't hate him, cause I feel like if I hate him, he still has power over me. He still is influencing my emotions. He's gone, he's going to have a trial and I just hope that justice prevails, as cheesy as it sounds saying that out loud."

"Well I like it," Rashmi murmurs, smiling sleepily. "I'm planning on calling you that when it's *important.* Because it's *you.*" Sighing heavily, she looks up, tilting her head. "Look… I screwed up things with Lucas pretty badly. I don't want to do that again, y'know? So… I want this to last as long as we can do it, but… I don't know how long that *is.*"

Travis smiles. "I like it too. When in private my Mom still calls me AJ or if I'm in trouble she uses the full name. When you hear her say Aloysius Joseph, I screwed up. Like when I got into a fight in my first two weeks at Barnes." He admits with a hint of embarrassment. "I don't want to screw this up either Rashmi. I care about you and I like you a lot. I feel very strongly about you. I haven't had many girl friends so I might not be the best at relationships but I want to be as open with you as possible."

Rashmi nods once. "Okay… so… just tell me if I *am* screwing up, and I'll do what I can to fix it. Same for you, all right?"

"Sounds great, and anything you want to know about me, just ask. I'm kind of used to hiding and keeping something's secret so it might not dawn on me." Travis says still keeping his arms around Rashmi. "But right now, I don't think you're screwing anything up."

"Mmmn… That's reassuring," Rashmi says, chuckling. "I'm trying *really hard* not to, so… Thanks."

"I don't think you need to try really hard. Just be yourself cause that's what I like about you is that you don't hide who you are." Travis says. "I've seen a number of girls at my old school so concerned with image and trying to be cool. You're not like that, you're just you and I think that's what makes you amazing."

Rashmi tips her head back, laughing brightly. "No no, you don't understand.. that *is* who I am, Travis! I do to myself exactly what I do with *everything else!* I see something that went wrong, I figure out if it can be changed, and then if it *needs* to be changed, and then I change it, y'know? So… don't worry about me not being *true* to myself… Hell, far's i can see you just need to worry about me being as *hard* on myself as I am everything else in the *world."

Travis smiles and looks down at Rashmi the happiness on his face a bit apparent. "Well you'll just have to deal with me not letting you always be so hard on yourself if I think you're being overly critical." He says chuckling. "You deal with me and my talking about my Dad all the time which I'm always afraid is going to bore you and become a broken record."

Rashmi chuckles. "What? He's *important* to you. Why would that be any more boring than me talking about Gandhi, y'know? You're part of who you are because he means *that much* to you."

"He's one of the most important people to me. I don't only live for me, I also live for him in a way. And the boy who died for me in Africa and the one I ended up having to kill and the girl. I have to live for them too. I know it sounds weird but, I guess that's why I can stand here right now, smile and be happy. Cause if I didn't let myself live a good life then, it feels like they died in vain." He leans in for another kiss as he hugs her tight. "I really like doing that."

Rashmi squeezes hard, grinning. "I like that you do that too," she says. "But I think maybe we should get back inside… There's still dancing going on, right?"

Travis nods. "Sounds good after all I want to get a few more slow dances with you." Travis says. "And we have to get a few pictures of us or my Mom will kill me." He says with a laugh as he breaks the hug and offers Rashmi one of his arms. "Well Ms. Franklin, shall we?"

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