2010-01-30: Not Quite Family

Players:

Magneto_icon.jpg Pietro_icon.jpg

Summary: Magnus leaves a message for Pietro, inviting him to dinner. The meal doesn't quite happen.

Date: 01-30-10

Log Title Not Quite Family.

Rating: PG.


A hotel bar


A note was sent around to all the usual Pietro haunts, addressed to him, just yesterday. It said, "11pm tomorrow. Plaza Hotel. Drinks and a chat. EM Lensherr".

And… Erik Magnus Lensherr is there, in the bar, presiding over a brandy. He's looking good: lion's mane of white hair brushed just so. Charcoal suit cut just right, the fabric shot with glints of metallic threads. Tie tack and cuff links are odd: misshapen lumps of blackened iron… or maybe they're a fashion statement. He regards the bar and the slice of the lobby that he can see with equal parts cool disdain and narrow-eyed attentiveness.

It's a letter he nearly blew off. Thought about it a few hours, but in the end decided that he should at least attempt to speak to you. The bitter part of him reminds himself that you didn't care when he had no powers. Never mind you did keep track, Pietro didn't know about it. He's actually late by some seconds, and all due to the demons rampaging around the city at the moment. Odds are there aren't a whole lot of clients here in the bar. Which makes it kind of perfect. What may surprise is that he walks in at very normal speed.

Sure Pietro is wearing his costume, but no super speed is evident as he crosses the lobby and joins you at the bar. There is a scabbed over wound on one cheek, but other wise he seems whole. The costume is new however. "Father." A neutral tone if ever there was one. A hand to bar, but he doesn't sit as he looks at you.

Magnus nods at the greeting. "Pietro. You are looking well." A glance at the wound on the cheek. If Pietro is out and about, it isn't serious. "Sit. Have a drink." A flick of fingers sends the bartender for another brandy. "Please."

No, none of the wounds he carries are serious. Fighting demons for hours on end has drawbacks. Fingers curl into a fist, but it's the only obvious sign of his emotions. Of course magnetically he's so easy to read. Quite a bit easier without his speed to mask it. Ire, bitterness, and a healthy dose of wariness all rolled into one. "Please?" Asked as if he can't believe this. No, he doesn't sit quite yet. "What do you want then?" For that seems par for the course. You only want him around when you need his power set.

Magnus lifts a brow. "Want? For starters, for you to sit down and enjoy a brandy with me." He lifts his own. "It's a decent vintage and is entirely drinkable." He demonstrates, then sets the glass aside. "I don't actually want anything else at the moment. This meeting is entirely social. We haven't spoken in too long."

Suddenly things are moving into the Twilight Zone. Highly dubious, the speedster frowns at you for long seconds. After that moment he pulls himself onto one of the bar stools. An elbow on the bar, more facing you than the bar itself. "Social." Lips twist into a smirk. The sarcasm there is heavy. "Charles must have a stronger affect on you than I would have anticipated." His drink delivered, he nods to the bartender, but doesn't yet touch it. "We haven't spoken because I gave up attempting to be family with you."

"We all have our trials, Pietro. I am clearly one of yours." Magnus manages to say that with only a trace of humor coloring his voice and expression.

Then, a brisk change of topic. "I'm back from Genosha for a few days and I've been touching base with a number of people. I heard you were here and so…" He sweeps a hand out, indicating the bar. "As I said, you are looking well. Much better than rumor has had it. I trust that looks are not deceiving." One finger taps against the rim of his glass; the crystal chimes faintly. "Where did my note find you?"

A heavy snort for that. "My curse for being your son." A trial indeed. Doesn't help he turned out to be so much like you. Pietro eyes you narrowly for the topic change, but there's no protest. "Rumor my ass." No belief there, but a relaxing of demeanor. Just slightly. Still doesn't trust you, but he's giving you your moment. "I'm doing well, yes." Better than before actually, but that goes unsaid. "The Avengers Mansion." Your note. "I was cleaning up after the debacle in Central Park." More demons. "Amanda Sefton believes this new Inferno is nearly over." Whether or not he believes? Well, that's lost in him picking up that glass and drinking.

"Is it? Perhaps that means the teachers will return to the Xavier Institute." Magnus lets his fingers circle the stem of his own glass but he doesn't lift it yet. "I've noticed the … disorder … in the streets. New York was already such a chaotic place, I can hardly credit that it got worse." He does lift the brandy, though he still doesn't drink. "

"And what are the other Avengers doing while you 'clean up'? It seems hardly fair to do all that by yourself."

Glass thumps down a little hard, Pietro watching you. "And have you been doing anything to correct the disorder?" Asked acidly. "I've hardly been doing anything alone." There are Avengers out there, working, and he's even seen, or heard, of several of them. Going to defend them regardless. "Neither the school, nor looking after the teams within the city, are your responsibility. Do you ever listen to yourself?"

"Indeed? You've been helping all of the teams? That's extremely generous of you, Pietro. Considering the goings-on." Magnus swirls the brandy in his glass, watching Pietro. "I'm afraid that my contributions have been minor, but then, I am only one man." A shrug of one shoulder. "This city is fortunate to have your assistance."

"What is the point of this?" Emotions flicker over his features, and pale brows furrow. These words of you are making him uncomfortable. Pietro struggles with his temper in a manner that allows you to see it. Not hidden in the rush of his power. "You insult the city, those who would protect it, then claim you can do little to help? You are quite the hypocrite, father. Invite me to drink when demons are running free? I am a fool for having even considered this." Still unable to sit still when emotions run high, your son rises to his feet and turns from you. It gives him a moment to gather himself.

"You came, Pietro. I wanted to see you, and you came. You didn't have to." Magnus sets his glass aside again and rises to his feet. "I wanted to see you because I wanted to see how you were doing. It has been a long time and you have changed… and not changed. As have I." He takes a slim wallet out of his jacket and passes a card to the bartender, who swipes it over a reader and hands it back. "You are generous, Pietro. If you should ever wish to spend that generosity on Genosha, know that it would be welcome."

A look back over a shoulder as him looking fierce. "I tried that once." Trying to help with Genosha. "I won't make that mistake again." Pietro got hurt there, but then that's the theme of his life. "I came because I have this foolish concept of family. Also because you've been quiet for years. I'm here in spite of the risk." Yes, this is a risk. Dealing with Magneto always is. "You want to know how I'm doing? I'm surviving. I had been doing well until the invasion some months ago. If there's anything I know now is that nothing lasts, and my father always has ulterior motives for wishing to see me." Arms fold over chest as he regards you.

"Mistakes are meant to be learned from, Pietro, not avoided." Magnus meets that over-the-shoulder look with a straight-forward stare of his own. "As for me, I've been busy for years, in Genosha. 'Quiet' is such a relative term to use." He tucks the wallet back into his jacket. "You've been quiet for years, too. You seemed happy. Would you have preferred that I disturbed that?" He takes a step toward the door. "Now that would have been a trial…"

"You are such a hypocrite." Pietro says of you telling him mistakes are to be learned from. "You can tell me that after I see you practice it." There's that smile again. The unkind one. "And yes, you should have come to call while I was living in Germany. That would have told me you honestly cared, but no, while I was powerless you kept your distance. I've stopped trying to make you proud of me, father, for I know it will never happen. I wasn't born with the powers you wanted me to have." Strangely enough, for all the anger he showed before, this is rather lacking in that passion. A sad fact he's accepted over the years. "No, I don't trust you. That will take time. /If/ you actually mean to earn it. You know where to find me if you do. Good night, father, thank you for the drink." Which he only tasted.

"You are free to make up your own mind, Pietro, as you always have been." Magnus shoots his cuffs. "I do appreciate your speaking your mind, of course. There has been so much misunderstanding between us; more should not be encouraged."

He starts for the door, then pauses to look back. "If you should wish to contact me, a message left here in my name should reach me. Eventually. Failing that, I left a device in the keeping of Henry McCoy. One or the other should work.

"Good night, Pietro. It was good to see you." And with that, the Mutant Master of Magnetism strides out into the lobby toward the stairs to the second floor.

Pietro watches you go, and for once keeps his mouth shut. Part of his ire was a test to see how you reacted. Can't claim the reactions weren't honest, but it doesn't change he said things meant to anger you. The results have been interesting indeed. A polite and level headed Magneto. Hmm! You reach the stairs and your son is gone. Finally using that super speed he's so well known for.

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