Players:
Summary: Jeremy and Mason randomly run into each other in Bryant Park.
Date: February 10, 2011
Log Title: Not So Cool Powers
Rating: PG
NYC - Bryant Park
Located right behind the New York Public Library is the quaint Bryant Park. Looking over 42nd Street, chairs and tables have been set up all around the green, making it ideal for book readers, people to sit down and eat, or just relax with friends. Trees surround three out of four sides of the park, and in one of the corners sits a little stand called The witchcraft creamery which offers ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, floats, and warmer beverages in the winter.
Classes haven't started yet for Julliard, Mason has a little time to kill. So he's sitting at the edge of the green, working on homework. His homework is of course music related, so he's sitting with his guitar, plucking away at the notes in front of him. He pulls a pen from his ear, and then scribbles on the sheet before him, writing a few new notes.
Jeremy is lucky and doesn't have classes till later today so he's decided to visit with an old aquantance and now that he's done with that he's just wandering Bryant Park. He's dressed for the weather in a well worn leather jacket, hat, scarf, gloves, leaving just his face exposed. With his hands shoved into his pockets he almost passes Mason by without a second glance before he recogizes him and stops. "You're Mason from the dance committee right?"
Mason looks up with a wince as he hears his name first spoken, but then when the rest of the sentence comes out, he relaxes. "Hey, Jeremy, right?" he asks. He puts the pen back behind his ear, and scoots to one side. "Just working on some homework," he says, "how's it going?"
Jeremy nods. "Yeah, Jeremy. It's going pretty good." He says as things are quite a bit better now then they were five minutes ago. "Homework, what kind of homework?" He asks since he just sees Mason playing music and not really doing much paperwork.
There is a smile that creeps across Mason's face. "Musical composition," he answers. "Gotta have a song written with two ostinatos by tomorrow. I'm taking some Julliard classes. They are crazy hard." He holds up the sheet music. "It's hard to do some of this stuff." He places the guitar to the side, and adjusts his ski cap. "So what brings you out here?"
Jeremy nods and sits down next to Mason. "I actually play an instrument, violin. Not as much as I used to but I do when I have some free time. Mostly classical stuff." He admits as he fidgets a bit as he sits there. "I had to meet up with an old aquantance from when I used to live…more in the city." He says.
Mason arches one brow, "Really? I play some violin," he answers. "Maybe I can hear you play sometime. He adjusts his papers, and watches the fidgeting of the other teen carefully. "You okay?" he asks. Far be it for him to jump too far to conclusions. "You look nervous."
Jeremy nods. "Sure, I actually used to be second violinist when I was a Sophomore in high school but that was a few years back. I'm really rusty now." He says before looking at Mason. "Huh? Nervous…I guess I always kind of am with my powers."
"What're your powers?" Mason asks. He doesn't know much about Barnes, only that there are students with powers there. "I almost went to Barnes. It's closer to Julliard, but my mom didn't want me getting turned into some super soldier for the government."
"It was the only place that I really could go." Jeremy says before hesitating to say what his powers are. "My powers are that anything I touch, any sort of skin contact, I can see the past of what I touch. Soo…um..yeah, Barnes has been working with me to see if I can try to control that but there hasn't been any luck yet. Just more I can share what I've seen with people."
"That's kinda cool," Mason says. "I don't know if I'd want to be able to see everybody's past though. So does it work with just people, or can you like see the whole life history of your hamburger and stuff like that?" Notably, though, he closes his posture slightly. Most of his life history can be found on the internet, but still, there's a nervousness about someone knowing that much detail.
"No it's not cool." Jeremy says sounding frustrated. "And you shifted cause you're afraid of my power. Noone wants me knowing every little detail about them, I don't want to know it, but it's there. And it's everything, you, this bench, this spot on ground and yes, a hamburger. I never eat without gloves cause I don't want to see how my food was made."
Mason shifts again, this time its because of Jeremy's demeanor. "Sorry, I just…" his mind scrambles quickly for a legitimate excuse. Fail. "I have a really public life," he continues. "There's already so little that the poparazzi doesn't parade on websites and in tabloids." Maybe that should make him less concerned, but it doesn't. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be weird about it. Are you sure you're okay?"
Jeremy looks up at Mason and shrugs. "Well if it helps, I really have no clue who you are except from the Dance Committe. I know I was told you're famous or something but honestly, I've never heard of you. But, it's mainly cause I was living on the streets for a few years." He says not answering the question if he's okay or not. "This power, it's not an easy thing to deal with. I try, but it's not easy."
Mason smiles half-heartedly. "That's okay," he says, "It's kinda nice not to be looked at like I'm some alien for a change. Everybody treats you different when you're famous. I can't say I don't like the fan girls lining up to try to get in my pants," he gives the side note with a smile, "but it's more like being an object than a person." He shrugs. "I don't envy your power, that's for sure. I don't think I'd make it on the streets. Never had to do it, but I don't really want to, either."
"You'd make if you wanted to. As long as you want to live, you'll make it." Jeremy says quietly. "Nobody wants to but sometimes you don't have a choice. I was lucky in regards to Barnes. But people treat you how they see you. If you're famous, if you're homeless, if you're black…people see what they want to see not the real person."
Mason seems enlightened, "I guess I never thought about it that way before," he comments. He pulls his book bag up from beside him, and stuffs his homework into it. "I gotta go, but I'll see you at the dance on the nineteenth, right?" he asks. He stands to his feet, shouldering the bag and begins to pack his guitar.
Jeremy nods and stands up himself shoving his hands into his pockets. "Sure, nice running into you Mason and..sorry I snapped. Just…sometimes it gets too much to handle." He says with a nod. "Have a good day." He says before going to wander off back towards Barnes.
