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Summary: Rashmi, Connor and Robyn talk about Romania and Hair.
Date: May 23, 2012
Log Title: Super Best Friend Squad!
Rating: PG-13
NYC - Four Arms Apartments (Connor, Rashmi and Robyn's Apartment)
It's a lazy afternoon at the apartment, with Travis having stepped out to get his laundry done and take care of some things at home, it's given a chance for the three people who ACTUALLY live here to pick up, centralize… or whatever. There still seems to be an elephant in the room, but it was there after Nigeria, and sooner or later it will quietly agree to leave as it came. Outside, the weather is just turning from cloudy with a chance of sourly raining to grudgingly sunny, which just casts that weird off-shade light through a couple of the windows. The cats have been incessant since Rashmi's return, and Connor's stopping being his worried self… as evidenced by the fact that there is a 3-cat pileup on the futon next to where Connor is sitting, typing away on his laptop, serious face on.
Coming home from his morning classes, Robyn gives Connor a wave as he goes into his room and drops off his stuff and comes back in, floping next to Connor and the cats on the futon, picking Zero up to cuddle with. "Don't shift, I want you to be a cat." He says as he sometimes like's just having a cat-shaped cat. Zero gives a reluctant mew like he understands what is being said. "How's it going Connor?" Robyn hasn't really asked much about what happened in Romania, more waiting for both roommates to tell him on their own. "Working on anything interesting?" He asks peeking over at the laptop screen more to try to get Connor to push him away then actually looking.
The door to the bathroom opens, followed by the hum of the fan and a few wisps of steam. Emerging fully dressed in her usual light-weather old capri and cotton skirt, Rashmi pauses to hang the towel back up in its place. "Hi guys," she says, smiling, as Dex hops off the futon to shoulder-block her shin. Stooping to pick up the surly blue tom, she hoises the animal onto her shoulder as one would a baby, leaving the cat to glare behind her as she strolls into the living room. "What's up?"
Poor little Bamf. At least that's what people might say if he wasn't a smug twenty pound terror stretching out to claim the rest of the futon as HIS. He however looks up and flicks his ears at the others as they are claimed, as if to laugh at their suffering, and then proceeds to go back to purrsnoring. This leaves Connor looking at him for several moments, and then just shakes his head, "Xavier's, SHIELD, and the Genoshan Embassy are all requiring reports on what we saw and how we handled things in Romania. Why the investigation took three months, why none of the more 'adult' professionals were contacted to go along… that sort of thing." Shaking his head once, he goes back to staring at the words and images on the screen, "To be fair… I'd rather blow this off and take you both to see Dark Shadows… and then I realized it wouldn't be so funny for you, Rashmi."
"I've been wanting to see that movie." Robyn says Zero is in the process of climbing on his head. "Hey Rashmi! Just got back from school. He's really happy you're back." He says nodding to the cat. "Everytime I thought he was okay with me he'd turn into devil cat and tear apart my hand after a few minutes of attention." He looks back at Connor and sighs. "Why the investigation took three months - If you let me use the Blackbird a month ago, shit would have gotten done faster. Thanks." He then turns back to Rashmi. "So how have you been holding up?"
Rashmi's lips quirk upward, head shaking as she bites back the laughter Robyn's commentary spurs. "Well, I'm glad to be back… and believe it or not, talking Bruce off the water tower actually *helped* a little… I guess that just goes to show how crazy life is, normally, y'know?" Scooting one of the chairs away from the table, she sits down with a heavy sigh. "One thing I'm really not looking forward to though… Debriefing. I get how it's necessary and all, but seriously. No fun *at all.*"
"Intelligence doesn't magically happen, Rashmi." Connor replies, flicking his eyes to her as he them moves to shut down the work for the time being, and then closes up his laptop, before sitting back to scratch Bamf on the head, "What you tell them will help then watch for and prevent it from happening again." Thus the voice of reason speaks, and is set aside, the name of Bruce causing him to get a slight frown on his face. Absently, he begins to move things around on the coffee table to his satisfaction and adds, "Maybe next time they can kidnap me for a change."
Robyn looks over at Connor and sticks his tounge out at him. "Stop being such a downer, Rashmi is back, it's all over for now, and you even have your powers back so what's up?" He asks him wincing a bit as Zero's paw slips off his head and right down his face. "I think Rashmi knows what they're for, what you say in response is this." He says putting Zero down before going up to Rashmi and giving her a hug. "I'm sorry you still have to go through that but the sooner it's over the sooner it's done with and you don't have to think about it."
"Be nice," Rashmi says quietly, but returning the hug with a tight squeeze of her own, pushing down on Dex's head as the blue cat takes a swipe at Robyn. "I know what Connor means. What I'm curious about though, is why the third report? The Embassy and the school I get, but… oh by the way completely having to do with nothing, we're all invited to a cookout on the roof. Bruce's way of apologizing for the last of those notes he slipped under the door."
Connor looks at the pair for a long moment, and then runs his hand along the top of his laptop and says, "I…" Pausing to gather his thoughts, he stands up, and looks back again, "I'm sorry. I am being a downer. You're home again Rashmi, and things are back to normal. That should be what's important. And here I am doing paperwork." There's a small *bamf* from behind him as Bamf teleport-tackles Zero, who turns into a writhing mass of tentacles in response. The hair wrestle for a few moments and then seperate to groom… in cat form.
Robyn walks over to Connor and gives him a hug as well. "It's okay, it wouldn't be you if you weren't stressing and thinking about every little detail. I'm just here to try to remind you it's okay to let go off that stuff." He says grinning. "Bruce left notes under the door? I didn't see any of those?" He says looking at Connor and then at Rashmi.
"And besides, the only reason I'm *not* doing paperwork is because I convinced Dr. Samson to let me leave it off until I'm ready to start my normal routine back up… So like, the day after the debriefing," Rashmi says, pausing to stare at Zero's tentacular burst of cat-sparring. "…Who's been letting him watch anime? …Anyway." Her fingers knead the blue pile of fur in her lap, eliciting a rusty purr reminiscent of a miniature chainsaw. "Yeah, he left a few. I don't think it ever got around to him what happened, so, the last was was pretty pouty."
Accepting the hug, and then patting Robyn on the back, he smiles faintly, "My fault. I've been trolling the 'net the last couple weeks before heading off to get you, watching dark and moody stuff. Watch this." And letting go, he puts a finger up at Robyn to stop him from saying anything. Getting a cat treat from the kitchen, he goes over to Zero, and holds it up just out of reach… just out of reach… and then suddenly there is a miniature EVA-01 unit that's standing there grabbing at the treat with a hand, and hisses once before nibbling away at it. Onc the treat is downed, the little terror turns back into a cat, and just glares at the offending human for a few moments. How dare he!
"I like it better when he's Big Mac." Robyn says chuckling. "I've been letting him watch too much My Little Pony with me, and Nightmare Before Christmas, he does this cool ghost cat ala Zero, his namesake…" And then there's the cat shifting again and Robyn grins. "Like that. I think I have too much free time when not doing homework." He says mussing up his hair. "A barbeque sounds nice but I don't think Bruce likes me too much, especially after the last time I ran into him and possessed him."
It's not often that Rashmi is struck speechless, but a cat shifting into a pygmy giant robot for convenience's sake, it would seem, is just what's required to rob the redhead of her ability to speak, for a moment. "…Hhhhhuh," she says after a moment, shaking her head to clear it. "…Anyway, it's up to you guys if you want to join. I just thought I'd let you know the invite's there. …Um. Also? Sort of wanted you guys' advice on something… It's been kinda hard to figure out on my own."
Connor rolls his eyes, "The night before I left, Zero turned into Fluttershy, then got really upset when his wings wouldn't work. I was more disturbed he was turning into girl ponies." But with that being said, he moves back over and settles down on the futon, which causes Bamf to run up and claim a spot on the lap of his human, "Fire away… unless it's advice about Travis. I like him and all… but to be fair… I only get to see him when you're either around or… otherwise."
"Well we call Zero a he but he's a shapeshifter so he could be a she, or just a non-gender cat." Robyn points out to Connor before going to the fridge. "Anyone want a left over cupcake?" He asks since he made so many of them. "Sure Rashmi, anything you need to talk to us about you can. YOu know that." He says coming back into the main area with a plate with three cupcakes and three cans of Dr. Pepper soda, one of each for everyone.
"Yes please, Rashmi says, taking the soda and turning it in her hands… then promptly reassigning one hand back to pets detail, as Dex's purring cuts off, and manages to infuse silence with annoyance. "…I've um… been missing my hair," she says after a moment. "…I've been thinking of… well… growing it back out again."
"If you miss it, then you miss it. Nothing wrong with growing it back. It'll just take time." Connor replies as he looks at his offered food. Then he gets up and goes to get a knife and napkins for everyone. Settled back down, he begins cutting his cupcake into quarters like he seems to always do, licking the knife clean and then wiping it with the napkin before he picks up one part and take it in, in a single bite.
Robyn looks at Rashmi with a head tilt, then grins. "You look good with it both short and long but if you want it long, I agree with Connor. I've always been a bit surprised you've kept it short, I thought you would have been sporting sholder length hair by now." He peels the wrapper off the cupcake and starts to bite into it, once he's done chewing he speaks again. "Is there a specific reason?"
"Yeah actually," Rashmi says, setting the cupcake and soda on the table to run a hand through her hair. "See… Just before we left, Geoffrey… um… Dracula's son, kind of… long story, but, he was a prisoner there too for the whole stupid thing… Anyway, he gave me a little 'sorry my dad made off with you and your friends forever' gift. It's like magic hair tonic… If I wanted, I could have it back to the way it was in a few months, y'know?"
Connor nods once, "I think I see." And then he takes the second of the four portions and pops it into his mouth, chewing slowly before swallowing, and chasing it with a drink from his can. After making sure it's perfectly where it was before, he picks up his napkin and dabs at his mouth, "You want to, but you're afraid there will be some string you're not aware of attached. That there's still a game being played. But at the same time… you loved your hair. I remember how you would always be so careful with it." His hands end up on his jeans, rubbing back and forth slightly, "It's like a cheat for a game that you could get done legitimately. A convenience… I think you should ignore it. Anything worth doing is worth taking the long road."
Robyn frowns for a bit and keeps eating his cupcake while thinking. Once he's done and opens his can of soda he speaks. "That's a tough choice that I don't envy you taking. Did this son of Dracula give anyone else anything?" He asks. "And if so, maybe wait to see if their gifts have any strings attached, I hate to say it like that but if they seem okay after a bit and you find you -really- want to do it, then go for it but otherwise, why risk it when you can just let it grow I guess."
"Oh lord yeah, everyone but Jill got a little something," Rashmi says, drawing in a long breath and letting it out in a sigh. "Thing is… If I *don't,* and I take the long way… well… that's like fifteen *years* of letting it grow, and I'm not sure I wouldn't get tired of waiting." Lifting a shoulder, she picks up cupcake and napkin, braving Dex's huffy silence to eat her cupcake. "I don't know… You're both right, really. ….And besides. I've been keeping it like this… sort of to spit in Nero's eye. Because like, it was the only real vanity I had, and… yeah."
Catching Bamf before he can start licking at the icing on his half cupcake, the cat vanishes from view, reappearing on the dining room table, where he begins grooming himself. Connor just rolls his eyes once more, and proceeds to brush cat hair away with a brush kept close by for just such occasions. Once he's cleaned off, he continues on, "This is where I'm not really useful. To me, it's just hair. I cut and keep mine short and out of the way. It's hard for me to say… maybe you should get someone else's opinion, like Mister Parker, from the school. He's a hairdresser by profession, after all."
"Well that was a while ago Rashmi and Nero really isn't here to see the spit in his eye, so to speak so if you want it…everyone is allowed their little vanities." Robyn then looks at Connon. "It's not just about hair, it's about…" He pauses an waves his hand trying to think of how to word it in a way his friend my relate. "I guess it's like how you lost your powers in a way, if, after you lost them, you were offered an easy fix to get them back or told that time would just return them to you, what option would you have jumped on?"
Rashmi nods slowly, glancing up and quirking an eyebrow at Connor? It seems the redhead is curious to hear the answer to the question Robyn posed.
Connor replies after several moments of consideration, "Shortcuts always come at a cost. My power alone taught me that. Sure I could go anyplace in the world with a thought and some effort… but look at what I go through because of it… or I have to inflict on others. I took the long way, and I'd do it again because it taught me to appreciate other things I already had." An apologetic look given to Rashmi as he continues on, "Actually… I don't want people as a whole knowing I have my powers back. It's weird of me to say it, but… it like you Rashmi. No one really knows you have powers until a bowling ball smacks them in the face. You don't hide it, but you don't advertise it either. I used to walk around with a big shiny 'I'M A MUTANT' button on my chest. And it took me a bit to realize how dumb I was about it."
"Yes, but at the same time how is hair going to paint a big shiny "I'm a Mutant" button on Rashmi's chest?" Robyn asks grinning at Connor. "Honestly Rashmi, take your time, think about it and if you really need to talk to someone, maybe look for advice from someone at your school. They can maybe even test the formula for strings attached. Best thing to do is just sleep on it and when you know a definate yes or no, you'll know. Don't rush."
"No you make a lot of sense, Connor," Rashmi says, reaching out to rest a hand on the boy's shoulder… and ignoring the blue paw batting at her outstretched arm. "And I don't think you were dumb at all, honestly. Trying or not, it's the kind of power that can make life a whole lot easier, y'know? But I think yeah, I'll sleep on it a little more. Maybe talk to Mr. Mayfair and Dr. Samson, see what they say."
Connor almost gets swapped by Dex when he reaches up to touch on Rashmi's forearm in reply, and then shrugs at Robyn, "Your point is valid too. The situation merits thought. Just remember that end of the day… it's what matters to you that's important. Getting your hair back just because other people say you should doesn't mean it's right for you." Reaching for his cupcake, there's a quick pair of BAMFS and then he notes that one part is missing. There's a glare of fiery blue-green energy aimed at a rather smug cat on his belly with a mess of cream cheese and cupcake bits in his fur, "One wants to kill me, one wants to steal my food, and the third only likes me because I feed him. Why can't we have normal cats?"
"Because we wouldn't be us if we had normal cats, but I don't think chocolate is good for Bamf." Robyn says with a bit of worry to his voice as he watches the big guy. "And Zero likes you just fine, he just somehow likes my head as a resting place. If Zero didn't like you, he wouldn't have copied your robot trick." He says grinning. "At the very least Rashmi, it's not a decision that needs to be made today, or tomorrow, or even a year from now, you have time."
"Besides," Rashmi says, lips curling up, "hardly anything would change if they *were* normal cats. They'd just be more yowly about it, and our rent would be like two-thirds more." Popping open her can, she returns her free hand to Dex's back, finally satisfying the fuzzy blue ball of rage. "Yeah, you're right, Robyn… I think maybe I'll just put it away, until I've figured it out."
Glaring back at his laptop, Connor moves and picks it up, popping the last bit of cupcake in his mouth before it can be stolen, and says to the others, "I want to go finish this up. Maybe we can go out to dinner later tonight. You can call Travis, I can call Heather, and Robyn can call the guy he keeps not telling us about." Just giving his best friend that little 'I know a secret' grin before walking down the hall to his room.
"I don't even know if he's into guys or not!" Robyn says sounding exasperated in regards to the subject and lets out a matching sigh. "Anyway I have to go to my afternoon class anyway, I don't work tonight so dinner sounds good." He stands up and goes over to give Rashmi a tight squeezey hug. "I'm so happy you're back."
Rashmi hugs tightly, letting out a long sigh. "I'm glad too," she whispers. "And if I never have to be gone again, it'll be too soon."