2010-02-20: Summer Plans (Just Don't Tell Papi)

Players:

Lucas_icon.jpg Rashmi_icon.jpg

Summary: Lucas expresses his desire to fool around, Rashmi expresses her desire to not have her father arrest Lucas.

Date: February 20, 2010

Summer Plans (Just Don't Tell Papi)

Rating: PG-13


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.


Lucas is standing in the middle of the kitchen. He's wearing the same tattered jeans, wife beater and blue flannel he had on yesterday. His hair is dirty, messy, and his eyes sport bags beneath them. He has one glove off, the bright glow of his nuclear reaction tossing shadows around the kitchen. In his other hand, he holds two pop tarts. He's toasting them. On his other hand.

Rashmi slips into the kitchen, most probably to raid the tea stash between cram sessions given the time of day. Lucas' presence, however, is quite noticeable, and the state of his dress even more so after but a moment. Without a word, she walks behind him, arms encircling his waist in a gentle hug, cheek resting on his shoulder. "Hi," she says softly, her worry almost tangible.

Lucas stiffens a little for a moment, until he sees it's Rashmi, "Hey," he offers her, moving his hand a bit so he doesn't burn her. "Ah'm cooking," he says, softly.

Rashmi manages a small smile. "I see," is her reply. For once, however, she doesn't remark on his appearance, or mood, but her presence and posture say enough without words.

Lucas sighs, and does probably the last thing she might expect of him. He tells her. "Dr. Brighten called. My maw's cancer has moved into her lungs." He focuses on the pop tarts, finishing toasting them as if his words are rather nothing.

Silence at Lucas' back, for a long moment, only a slight tightening of Rashmi's arms. Then; "…Do you want to see her?"

Lucas pulls away from her, sitting his pop tarts on the plate nearby, and then working the glove back over his hand, covering up the nuclear glow. As he does, he says, "Ah can't afford to go home." He shrugs a little, "An' Ah don't reckon Ah could afford to miss class none, neither."

"Some of us can't even afford to be here, normally," Rashmi points out, keeping a hand on the blond's back as he moves away. "It can't hurt to ask, you know? Like, the Headmaster. Or Addison, or even Dr. McCoy?"

Lucas furrows his brow, watching his pop tarts, not Rashmi. "It's okay. She'll still be there for spring break next month." He takes a bite of the pastry, and nods at it, like it's yummy. "How are you?"

"Worried," Rashmi says, hand moving up to his shoulder and squeezing. "About Jono and the others. James and Zack. But… mostly about you, now. You know… some things are just *really* important."

Lucas sighs, finally turning to look at her. "James is fine. Ah'll… Ah'll talk to him about Zack. See if'n Ah can get whatever that is worked out. Okay? So… then, you know, you don't have to worry about so much."

"It's okay," Rashmi says with a small smile. "I really don't mind worrying. It's just… y'know, what I do, right? I've got friends, I've got a boyfriend, I just want to make sure they're okay, if I can. And if that means going to the Headmaster right now, and talk him into giving you a break for a couple weeks to fly out home and see your Mom, well…" She shrugs, leaning against the counter, "all I can do is everything I can do, right?"

Lucas shakes his head, "No! No no no… Ah don't… Ah don't need you to do that for me, okay? Let's just… Just, let it be, okay?" He puts his hands on her shoulders, "It's okay."

Rashmi looks up at Lucas, face mulish as she searches his eyes… then sags a bit, sighing quietly, and moves forward to give him a tight hug. "…All right," she murmurs into his chest. "…Thanks for being honest, though… that… really means a lot to me, Lucas. Thanks."

Lucas shrugs, and smirks, "Don't get too excited. Ah just know if Ah didn't tell you, James would, and then you'd be pissed." He chuckles, "Ah didn't wanna deal with you whinin'." He smiles, the last kind of teasing.

"…Whining," Rashmi says, leaning back with a huff. "Right… be honest. You just don't want to deal with another lecture, when you can earn points instead."

Lucas smirks, "Wouldn't you go with the points?" He sighs, "Look, Ah just… you know… Ah get tired of feelin' like Ah got so many fuckin' problems Ah'm a drama queen, ya know?"

Rashmi looks up, one hand resting on Lucas' cheek. "That's why there's people that care about you, isn't it? So you *can* say that you've got problems, and we'll understand, and help you bear up. It's what we're all *here* for. Lucas…" She laughs softly, shaking her head. "I don't want you to be perfect. Just, you. Problems are there to be solved, not ignored."

Lucas nods a little, "Ah know. Just, sometimes Ah feel like Ah got more of them than most." He shrugs, "Pop Tart?" He offers her one from his plate.

Rashmi chuckles, holding up a hand. "I was just going to have some tea, before dipping back into my books, thanks. But… no, I don't think so. Just, you're having a harder time dealing with it, than a lot of the rest of us, you know? I mean, come on… look around you. We're all at least a little broken."

Lucas rolls his eyes, "Oh good. It's just ME." He moves to the stove, picking up the water pot. Once more, he pulls off his glove, and he narrows his brow in concentration. He stares at his hand, and slowly, the glow fades some, until he can hold the pot over it. He's concentrating enough that he actually has his tongue hanging out the corner of his mouth as he keeps the heat low enough to not melt the pot, but high enough to boil the water very quickly. It only takes a minute, and the steam begins to whistle out the spigot. He laughs, sitting it on the stove, and he begins to put his glove back on. "Eat your heart out, Cam."

Rashmi watches this display of control, grinning widely. "Okay, *that's* impressive. You're coming along really well, it looks like, you know?"

Lucas grins, "Yeah. Ah don't know that Ah'll ever get them to turn off, but… yeah…" He shrugs, "It's tiring to focus it that much, though," he adds, with a sigh.

Rashmi nods, moving to the cupboard to get a mug, strainer, and her favorite jar of loose tea. "It's still a really big improvement. And trust me, practice'll help that a lot. It used to be *really* mindbending to control all of mine in different directions at once… Not quite so much, anymore. Still kind of a trip, though, I mean how many people have to reserve enough brainspace for eight arms?"

Lucas smiles, "There's some new jerk here with six. Maybe he could give you advice, if'n you can get him to even answer you when you ask."

Rashmi chuckles. "Oh, you mean Six? I met him after he landed… like, literally. I guess Robyn and some others were out at the Grind Stone, and this couch just slams through the roof with him on it. Turns out he was from Maine."

Lucas nods, "Yeah, well he was kinda a prick when Ah met him earlier." He shrugs, "Oh well."
Rashmi shrugs a bit. "…If you've got this kind of mess on your plate… probably neither of you reacted all that well. But, it's okay."

Lucas acts innocent, "What? It's me! Ah'm like… the perfect picture of hospitality, Rash!"

The look this earns is flat, expressionless but for a single raised eyebrow. The stare is held for a long moment, the corners of her lips struggling to keep from turning up, before finally she simply says, "…Whatever."

Lucas folds his arms over his chest. "You're mocking me, aren't you," he asks, with that same sort of silly innocence.

"Of *course* I am," comes the amused reply. "*Someone* has to be able to get away with it…"
Lucas smiles, "Who says you're gettin' away with it, " he says as he walks over to her and wraps his arms around her.

Rashmi chuckles, leaning into the hug. "That smile, for one thing… It's so different when you mean it, I honestly wonder why you bother faking."

Lucas lifts her up, and walks to the counter, sitting her on it, standing between her legs so her face is at level with his. He keeps his arms around her, though this position is probably not quite innocent enough to keep Cyclops comfortable. "It's in my nature," he says, a little quieter, his eyes looking into hers with a bit of naughtiness as he bites his lip.

Rashmi squeaks as she's lifted up, flushing deeply and squirming a bit as she's set on the counter. "I'm starting to notice," she murmurs, hands moving to rest on his shoulders. "…Among other things…"

Lucas smiles, and leans a little closer, his nose almost to hers. He speaks a little quieter still, "Ah'm kind of a rule breaker." He's still staring right into her eyes, and his left hand slides off her back, around to her thigh.

"…Yeah… like that," Rashmi whispers, drawing in a deep breath. Her eyes flick back and forth, cheeks dark red beneath her coffee-colored skin. "But…" She bites her lower lip, one hand dropping to move Lucas' away from her thigh. "Some rules shouldn't be broken… Um…. Not until the summer anyway."

Lucas didn't expect that, strange as that may be. Rashmi's not exactly unpredictable. But then, Lucas is not exactly smart, either. "Oh." His eyes sort of move around her face, and then he steps away. "Sorry…" He swallows, and then fidgets with his gloves.

Rashmi's legs close, but she doesn't leave the counter as she leans forward, catching Lucas' arm and pulling him back. "Don't be, sweetie… It's just… I'm kind of saving myself… sort of. ….For legality, anyway."

Lucas furrows his brow, "Ah don't… um…" He shrugs, "Ah don't understand…"

Rashmi's lips twitch upward. "Um… If I'm not eighteen, you could be hauled into jail, you know… Not that I think it'd happen, but it'd be one more bit of ammunition if Papi ever started complaining. So… I decided kind of early on that it'd be easier for everyone if I just saved myself until I'm too old for anyone to complain too much."

Lucas smirks, "Not if'n Ah ain't eighteen… And Ah'm not…" Apparently that's what he thinks, anyway. "Why would tell your paw anyway? Ah mean, that's…" He shakes his head, sighing."

"You're a *boy,* Lucas," Rashmi chuckles. "And Papi's from the old country, so of course it'd be the first question he has. And I won't *ever* lie to my Papi, Lucas… Besides. It wouldn't matter how old you are, and the *last* thing you want is to even *look* at any kind of statutory rape charge… God no."

Lucas sighs, and he nods, but doesn't really say anything. Rashmi just ruined his whole year. Until summer, anyway.

Rashmi dips her head, looking up into Lucas' eyes. "Hey," she says gently. "Just… think about it like this… *Can* you think of a better birthday present, than my first time…?"

Lucas sighs again, "Ah don't…" He huffs, and moves back over to her. "Look, it's not a big deal. Ah'm sorry if'n Ah'm makin' it seem that way. Ah just… Ah dunnow…" He furrows his brow, thinking, and then tries again. "Ah want to be closer to you than just kissing you in the hall." He thinks another moment, then adds, "Am Ah bein' dumb?"

Rashmi's lips split into a wide grin, arms encircling Lucas' waist. "Only a little," she admits. "But you know… I can't really *blame* you… I mean… It's not like I don't want to, too…" Her cheeks heat up, as her eyes fall. "I just… don't want anything to ruin it, either. Papi being mad, I could handle… but if Papi called the cops, that'd be another thing."

Lucas seems to relax a little when she admits she wants to as well. "We don't… um…" He furrows his brow, "This is weird." He sighs, and touches the side of her cheek with his left hand, caressing her face. "There are other things we can do, if you want to." He looks into her eyes once more. "You're so beautiful… Ah want to be with you."

Rashmi's smile softens, eyes half-closing as she tilts her head into the touch. "That would be nice," she murmurs, taking hold of the hand and pressing his fingers to her lips. "But, um… it would kind of suck to get caught in the kitchen like that, you know? I'm sorry I'm being such a pain about it, Lucas, really I am… I just… you know. First boyfriend, first time… It's kind of a little *really* intimidating, for me…"

Lucas sighs, but he smiles. "Relax," he assures her. "It ain't like Ah'm Mr. Experience." He lifts her chin up a bit, and he lifts his eyebrows a little, "And Ah ain't intimidatin'." He smirks, "Not even a little."

Rashmi's eyebrow rises, head shaking slowly. "You're a cute, strong blond with an amazing smile, and one day you'll probably end up seeing a part of me no one has *ever* seen since I was a baby. And when that day comes, my childhood will be officially, totally, completely over. Yeah Lucas," she says with a crooked smile, "that's pretty big."

Lucas sighs, chewing the inside of his cheek for a moment, and then nods. "So… we just kiss in the halls till then…" There's a resignation in his voice as he says it, and he nods again, as if locking it in place in his mind.

Rashmi dips her head again, looking up into the Tennesseean's eyes with total, guileless honesty. "If it helps… It's… not exactly going to be any easier for me."

Lucas nods, silently. He looks down for a moment, and then tries to crack a joke, "Well… Ah reckon it's a good thing Ah got my hands back, right?" He offers an awkward chuckle about it.

Rashmi chuckles, nodding. "It is… but you know, even if you hadn't… I'd still want to be with you, just the same."

Lucas nods, "Yeah." He picks her up, sitting her feet back on the floor. "Ah should go find James," he says, softly. "This Zack thing ain't gonna be easy to work through, Ah reckon."

Rashmi doesn't make a sound this time, and once set on the floor moves in to hug Lucas tightly. "Probably not," she agrees. "I'm guessing we'll both need to work on both of them… Well, I guess we had to fill that sliver of free time we get somehow… You want to me try and work on Zack a bit?"

Lucas nods, "Sure. That might help. James has started to open up to me. You know we're roommates, so…" He shrugs. "Yeah."

Rashmi grins, head tilting to one side. "That's amazing," she murmurs, eyes wide and startled. "You're actually… almost…. *social!* Gasp and shock." Rising up to her tiptoes, she presses a quick kiss to his lips. "I'm proud of you."

Lucas nods a little, his face still serious. "Ah wasn't always like this," he answers. Something in the way he says it hints that he doesn't like that he's this way now. He kisses her back, "Your tea water's gettin' cold."

Rashmi nods, resting her head on the Tennesseean's chest, sighing quietly. "I know, sweetie… and you won't always be this way, either. Just… some things take a long time to heal, you know?"

Lucas gives her a little squeeze, "Some things never heal." He kisses the top of her head, and then pulls away, "Ah should go find James." He points at the tea pot. "Enjoy your tea." He smiles, "And tell your papi not to worry. Ah'm a murderer, not a rapist." It's a joke. Probably not the best one, but he laughs a little, all the same.

Rashmi nods quietly, returning the squeeze before slipping away. "Good luck," she says with a smile. "But honestly, there's not a whole lot you need to do for him… Zack's going to take the most work, and I've an idea on how to start. See you tomorrow, okay?"

Lucas smiles, "Yeah. In the hall. So we can make out." He winks, and heads out the door.

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