Players:
Summary: Lucas seeks out Rashmi on her lunch break. Civilized conversation ensues.
Date: August 20, 2010
Log Title: Mending Fences
Rating: PG
NYC — Times Square
In the center of Manhattan is Times Square. Many stores, theatres, and restaurants are brightly lit in the area. The big screens at the center of Times Square constantly flashes the latest commercials, and the latest stock prices revolve around the buildings. It's one of the busier areas of New York City, especially during New Years, where the infamous ball is dropped here. If you're lucky you might even see the Naked Cowboy.
Early afternoon, and Rashmi has decided to take her lunch outside. Nothing fancy, simply a sandwich from a nearby cart, a book, and a half hour of peace before she has to head back inside. Tugging at the sleeve of her business-casual blouse, she drops onto a bench to spend her lunch break in peace.
Lucas was going to Rashmi's office to visit, but as he neared, saw her leave the building. He trailed her, and is leaning with his casual suaveness across the street against a light pole, wearing a pair of khaki cargo pants and a short sleeved, button up powder blue shirt. It's left unbuttoned a few at the top, showing the top of his chest and the necklace around his neck. His hair flops in the wind as he dials Rashmi's cell number, and puts the phone to his ear with a grin.
Rashmi blinks as her phone rings digging into her jacket pocket and peering at the screen. The surprise can be seen across the street, head rearing back, phone held away from her for a short moment, but before it can flip over to voicemail, she picks up. "Well hi! This is a surprise, Lucas… What's up?"
Lucas smirks, "Hey Rash!" He glances around Times Square, then back at her. "Ah hope Ah'm cathin' y'all at lunch an' stuff…" He sniffs, "Ah was callin' because Ah discovered somethin' Ah thought you should know…" He pauses, and then finishes, "You look right fine in that blouse. It does this sorta hot attorney with power thing…" And then he makes a playful sort of growl.
Rashmi blinks sharply, head snapping up at the last. Looking this way and that, wide-eyed, it takes her a few moments to finally orient on the blond, and her sigh of relief is audible. "…Um… thanks, I think… C'mon over, okay? It's sort of silly to be talking at each other across the street, and all. Hope you don't mind if I eat while we talk, though?" This, followed by a beckoning hand toward Lucas.
Lucas smiles widely at her, hangs up, and steps out to cross the street. He's immediately nearly obliterated by a zipping taxi. He leaps back onto the sidewalk, scowling, shouting somehting, probably offensive, at the speeding car. He furrows his brow, and then walks the twenty feet to the crossing and walks across with a crowd of people. As he walks over to Rash, he grumbles, "Ah hate the city…" He sits down beside her, and then smiles a little. "Hey."
Rashmi's smile is bright and friendly, the grumbled comment earning a chuckle. "Well why d'you think they *have* crosswalks? Just have to pay attention to what you're doing, you know?" Pausing the conversation to take a bite of her sandwich, she marks her spot in her book and sets it aside. Once done, she clears her throat. "So I haven't heard from you since the mall thing… How're you doing? You said you were working on your powers, right?"
Lucas shrugs, "Yeah. Maybe if'n we ain't here in front of everybody, Ah could show you sometime." He gives a little smile, "Yeah, the mall was… That was awkward." He looks across the street, just looking away a moment, then looks back at her. "Ah don't want that." He looks at her in the eyes, not afraid or wary. "Ah miss havin' a mouthy know it all puttin' her nose in my personal things an' shovin' me along."
Rashmi blinks, falling silent for a moment. Looking down at her sandwich, she frowns to herself, then wraps it back up and sets it atop her book. "Yeah…? Cause, um… I sort of had this idea that you were doing *better* now that you didn't have to keep dodging some nattering, pushy know-it-all who kept trying to go where she wasn't welcome…" She trails off, shaking her head. "…Okay yeah that wasn't nearly as funny as it sounded in my head. So um… *why?*"
Lucas continues to watch her carefully. "Before this gets too uncomfy, Ah ain't tryin' to convince you to date me again. Ah don't…" He shakes his head a little, "Ah don't know about any of that, an' it ain't really my decision alone none anyway… but…" He reaches out and touches her cheek with his gloved left hand. "Ah miss my friend."
At this, there's a genuine smile, and an amused wrinkling of the nose. "….So wait what you thought we weren't *friends* anymore? Lucas…" Chuckling, Rashmi shakes her head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I *did* tell you I still care about you, and I wasn't exactly lying, you know? I just…" Looking away, she shrugs. "I was just such a horrible bitch about it all… I figured it'd probably be best if I waited for you to want to talk to me, instead of sticking my nose where it probably wasn't wanted."
Lucas reaches out again, touching her chin and turning her back to face him. But this time, that hand is gloveless and warm. "It's wanted." He isn't smiling. He's actually sporting a rather serious, intense look at her. "You pushed and pushed an' the day it finally sunk in an' Ah did somethin' about it, you gave up." He offers a slight smirk then, one that says it's okay, "Ah'm stupid. Ah'm stubborn. But it's important to me that you know… As shitty a boyfriend as Ah made, Ah meant it every time Ah told you Ah loved you."
Rashmi's lips twitch at the corners, head tilting to one side as she locks eyes with him. "Y'know? I never doubted that, Lucas… Not for a moment. If I had, I probably wouldn't've waited as long as I did, but anyway. Not important." Leaning to one side, she wraps her arms around his shoulders in a gentle hug. "I'm sorry I was so horrible to you, Lucas… you didn't deserve it, and I should have known better."
Lucas hugs her back, "Ah did deserve it. Ah'm dumb." He laughs a little, "It's okay. Ah just don't want it to be weird, ya know?" He smiles, "Future Connor said we grew up to be the Scott and Jean of our generation. That's not what Ah saw in the dream, though." He shrugs, "Maybe it's best things are different, right?"
"Oh, *God* that dream…" Heaving a deep sigh, she closes her eyes for a moment. "Yeah, no… I didn't see a whole lot that looked like I was a person worth knowing… Mike was trying to tell me different, but, there's a whole lot of 'I don't know' between now and ten years… So… yeah. Better that it's different. I mean, who knows? Maybe now we won't ever have to worry about whatever war we were fighting."
Lucas looks down at the sandwich between them. "We lost a daughter. Ah don't know why Ah remember that, but…" He sighs, and then helps himself to a bite of her lunch. His brow furrows a little, "Hmm… What ishthat?" he asks as he sits it back down.
"Banh Mi," Rashmi replies, half-distracted by the talk about a daughter, brow furrowing. "I don't much like the head cheese though, I'm probably going to pick it out. Pork's good. …Um." A few things are put together in her madly whirling thoughts, and for the barest instant there's a flicker of complete shock on her face, but it's gone as quickly as it arrived. "…It's different now, though, at least… I don't think anyone should ever have to go through that kind of hurt. So um. How's it going, working for the obvious topic change?"
Lucas pulls his glove back on his hand as he shrugs, "Ah had trouble sleepin' havin' felt the pain what future me carried…" He looks up at the buildings across the street. "My life has never been easy or much pleasant, you know that… But Ah never felt that… Not that…" He looks back down again at his feet, and says, "It's goin' okay." He looks over at her, and shrugs once more. "Ah'm takin' online classes at Roosevelt. Ah'm livin' at the mansion still, workin' for Kenta as his teacher's aide in music studies. It pays okay, an' it keeps me from the real world where Ah might fuck somethin' up," he says with a laugh. "Ah think Ah talked Kenta into lettin' me direct a musical, an' staff is considerin' lettin' me lead a team, too!"
"Wow, really?" Rashmi pulls back, a huge grin on her face. "That's *amazing!* …Um… …Also I'm kind of surprised you'd be taking so much on all at once. But I *really* hope it goes well, and you get that team. And call me when you do the musical, okay? I'd *really* like to see it, honestly." Her eyes follow Lucas' gaze across the street, and she settles back on the bench with a quiet sigh. "…I think I've bitten off more than I can chew, myself… I mean, full-time until school starts. Then, part-time interning and pre-law classes. …Oh. And now I'm volunteering work at Magneto's embassy on Saturdays. And there's that stupid block party thing… Yeah. It's pretty busy around here."
Lucas smiles, "Ah never doubted you'd do amazin' Rash. Ah'm glad." He turns a little so he's facing her a bit more, relaxing his arm over the bench back. "Well… Ah don't have anythin' else to do, ya know? Like…" He shrugs, "Ah dunnow. With school gone, it's like, if'n Ah ain't doin' somethin' to keep movin' forward, Ah feel like Ah'm gonna just think about my maw an' lock myself up an' slip back to bein' what Ah used to be." He shakes his head a little, "He's still inside here, an' Ah don't wanna go back."
Rashmi bobs her head in understanding. "That's honestly really great to hear. … …Although when school starts up again, you'll probably also have to help grade papers and stuff… and um… Can I ask about that team thing? That's something I'd *really* never have expected, you know? I'm curious."
Lucas tilts his head, "What? You think Ah can't do it?" he asks, but it's not offended, just curious. "We ain't been broke up THAT long. Come on! You surely ain't forgot how awesome Ah am?"
A question which ears the blond the Look of Infinite Patience. "No, I said I wouldn't have *expected* it. Mostly because, y'know, there was that whole 'Lone Wolf Kayak' thing. I just want to know what kind of team you'd be running, since I'm pretty sure it was all teachers … …okay well and Jono… who did the team running, that's all."
Lucas smiles, "Ah miss that look," he says softly to himself. "Lone Wolf Kayak? That's… Heh…" He shrugs, "That whole thing with James gettin' possessed, an' then Connor…" He shakes his head, "Ah just realized, even if'n Ah can turn my hands off, Ah'm NOT normal. Ah'll never be." He shrugs again, "When Ah saved Jinx an' Robyn's life in the Med Bay… Ah sorta… Ah realized maybe makin' a difference weren't so bad."
Rashmi nods slowly, the smile returning to her face, if slowly. "I *told* you you could be the hero if you wanted… I'm glad you decided you wanted it. Just, um…? Would you… mind awfully if I said something to keep in mind about the team?"
Lucas smirks, that cocky grin, "Sure, though, Ah should warn you, Ah know everything already…"
Rashmi chuckles at this, shaking her head and rolling her eyes, just a bit. "Remember the whole Junior Leader thing? Yeah… Honestly I don't think I deserved it, but I think I know why you all kept calling me that. It's because I took the team part of it real seriously, you know? We were all supposed to be working together, and trusting each other, and it was like if there *was* a problem, it was up to me to see that it got solved. So… Just in case, I mean, you probably already *did* think of it, but… keep that in mind, all right? I think you could do really, really good at it.
Lucas smirks, "Thanks. Ah have a good team, if'n Scott fully approves. Right now, it's me, James, Jinx an' Connor. Ah reckon they'll tack on a staffer to give me grief - They'll call it oversight," he laughs. "Thanks, though."
Rashmi chuckles. "So, what'll you do with them? Doesn't sound like one of the normal training teams, and all…"
"Well," Lucas says, "It's supposed to be like an in between team. We'll handle the shit what the X-Men don't have the time to handle, but it's too big for the cops. Like, low powered mutants what rob banks. Not worth Old Man Somers time, but too much for a human cop."
Rashmi's eyebrows raise. "Wow… That actually sounds pretty big, Lucas. Be careful, all right? I mean, the *last* thing you want is to have survived all that craziness just to get shot in the face or something, you know? But if they give you the okay… Then seriously, good luck and I hope you do really well."
Lucas smirks, "Hey, it's me." All confidence. No smarts. "So…" He begins to help her pick up her lunch trash. "Would it be presumptuous of your ex to ask to walk you back to the office? Or would that be too much too soon?"
Rashmi smiles gently, gathering her book up and standing. "I don't think it'll be a problem at all, Lucas. And again, I'm *really* glad you came out here to talk. Just, um… If you ever get the chance in the near future… You *might* want to apologize to Mr. Stark. I mean while it may not be every day someone calls the Secretary of Defense the 'sugar daddy' of a 17-year-old girl…" She trails off with a smirk, one shoulder rising and lowering.
Lucas laughs, and, if she allows, takes her book to carry in one hand, and takes her hand in the other. "Aww… Ah reckon he was prolly right flattered." He glances at Rashmi with a smile, "Hell, if'n Ah was gettin' my McDonald's coffee with the senior discount an' someone thought Ah was with a pretty thing like you?" He chuckles, "It'd make my day."
"Maybe," Rashmi counters, nodding her thanks as the book is taken, and offering her arm so Lucas can walk her like a civilized gentleman, "but with as often as his normal relationships make the news, probably he's just glad there wasn't anyone really listening all that closely that time."
Lucas leads her back towards her office, smiling the whole way. "Ahhh, Ah'm sure he's fine." He shrugs, "How's Barnes?"
"Weird," Rashmi replies, shaking her head. "Like, about as weird as flying past Mars in a Buick. Maybe more, since I'm living there. Our History teacher is a Marine sniper, our Supernatural Studies teacher is I swear a *pixie* or something, and the medic has holy tattoos. If it wasn't for the kind of stuff you see walking into the office, I'd probably be curled up in a corner somewhere."
Lucas laughs, "Nice. At least you're safe. Hope you have a good roommate." He walks her to the door of her work, turning to face her, still holding her book. "Thank you."
"Actually, we get our own rooms," Rashmi points out. "Kind of like a three-bedroom-apartment deal. Also college students get to go to that costumer in Hell's Kitchen if they don't like the training uniforms…" Trailing off, she shakes her ehad as they arrive at the door, turning to look up at his face. "You don't need to thank me," she says sincerely. "It's the least you deserved after everything happened."
Lucas shakes his head, "Well… The one thing Ah know for sure, Rash?" He smiles, "Ah don't deserve you." He touches her cheek. "But Ah'm glad, even for a little while, that you let me in." He leans forward, and gives her one simple, soft touch kiss on the lips. "Call me sometimes, okay?" He grins. "Ah'd like to be able to give you grief over whatever costume you pick." He hands her the book.
Rashmi smiles gently at the kiss, leaning forward to hug the blond tightly. "You too, okay? Practically nobody calls me anymore, and while I'm pretty busy a lot of the time, I *really* miss all of you. Mike being at Barnes helps, but it's just not the same, you know? And don't say that. You deserve anyone that makes you happy. I'm just glad I could help with that, for a while."
Lucas nods, "Take it easy." He smiles, gives her a playful wink, and then sort of trots off into traffic. There's a car horn, "HEY!" Lucas shouts, and then he darts across the rest of the street.
