Fake OOM: Tea time!

[ginsu_master]

Leo is sitting at the corner of the bar, looking thoughtfully into tea (hoij cha, his favorite), and entirely ignoring his newspaper.

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

"Leo," X says, approaching him at a very brisk pace.

"You are okay?"

She does not detect the scent of alcohol.

This is probably a good sign.

[ginsu_master]

Leo looks up and smiles slightly.

"X. Good morning."

And blinks.

"Well, yes."

He really doesn't drink! One time, X! ONE TIME.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Sometimes people are not," she says.

And after a momentary hesitation she sits down on a nearby stool.

"You were staring. At your tea."

She worries!

[ginsu_master]

"That does happen sometimes," he smiles. "I was only thinking."

"It's taking some... time for Mikey and Mel to adjust to their new, ah. Situation. I was trying to think of a way I could help in anyway."

He makes a face. "I don't think I can." But big brother wants to!

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X falls silent for a second, considering that.

Then --

"I do not understand."

[ginsu_master]

Leo opens and closes his mouth once. And thinks.

"Magellan was not... exactly what they expected, so it is taking some adjustment to their new role as parents."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh," X repeats, absorbing that information.

Then --

"But it was not a surprise. The baby."

Hold on a moment.

"And there is Stampy."

Pets are like babies, right? Ish?

[ginsu_master]

"..."

Leo touches his temple with two fingertips.

"It is slightly more complicated than Stampy since they did not plan on Magellan to be a globe."

[cutting_edgex23]

X blinks.

Twice.

"Globes are less mobile than children."

Beat.

"Magellan does not teleport?"

[ginsu_master]

Leo blinks as well. It's always nice to get to know people that take things in stride.

"I don't think so."



"I need to check on that." Big brother has a new check list!

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is very noticeable. Most of the time."

She would reach out to pat his shoulder, but they do not know each other well enough.

"The displaced air is very loud."

Can you say 'bamf'?

[ginsu_master]

No, seriously, Leo has real concerns.

"But does it display itself at birth? Or long after? Magellan is only a few months old."

His globe-ish niece is not allowed to teleport into the sun!!!! He loves his globe-ish niece!

[cutting_edgex23]

X hesitates.

"I do not know. I do not teleport."

Except, wait a minute --

"But Kurt does. And he does not use magic. We could ask him."

[ginsu_master]

Leo's internal stick theatre is full of nothing but a little squiggly globe going POP and suddenly appearing inside the Moon while stick!turtle!Leo and stick!turtle!Mickey flail about in total shock.

HIS GLOBE-ISH NIECE IS GOING TO GET STUCK IN THE MOON.

"Yes. May I ask you to forward a question on my behalf when you are next on your world?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X looks fractionally startled.

"It would be more efficient if you asked. He is in San Francisco now. At home."

Beat.

"You could come with me. I do not mind."

[ginsu_master]

Ever polite, "Are you sure? I do not wish to impose on you."

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is not problematic," X says.

"Or I would not have asked."

Especially if it will keep Leo from worrying. (Or drinking.)

[ginsu_master]

Iceburgs and planet explosions can not prevent Leo from worrying about family.

"Thank you, X. That is very kind of you." And he smiles, all dimples and earnest thanks.

[cutting_edgex23]

X doesn't quite smile back, but the set of her shoulders relaxes more than a little.

And after another moment of silence --

"Now is okay?"

He can drink his tea first. Probably.

[ginsu_master]

He smiles even more. "No time like the present?" He finishes his tea quickly. "If you would lead the way, I shall follow."

[cutting_edgex23]

"It will not take long," X reassures him, standing up, checking for her Security badge, and heading for the door.

She crouches once it opens, scooping up the gray-furred cat that attempts to make his way through.

Say hi to Steve McQueen, Leo.

He's a feisty one.

[ginsu_master]

Amused, "You have a cat."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Two cats."

X nudges the door shut with her foot as they pass through into her apartment.

It is just in time to prevent the escape of a small tortoiseshell cat.

Someone, it seems, has been taking a lesson from Steve.

"I have fish, too."

She looks back over her shoulder at Leo.

"You like them? Cats."

[ginsu_master]

Leo is taking everything in for a moment. From the small cactus on the kitchen table with a sparkly, glitter name tag of "Cactus with No Name" to the fish tank with a Very Large Sign that says "AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!!!!".



"I like cats. They're very independent. And fish."

There is a great deal of purple. He smothers a pleased smile in his fist.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Yes," X says, apparently pleased that Leo agrees with her.

"You can help me feed them. If you want. The fish."

She just has to get their food out of the freezer.

"Cap gets cranky when he is hungry. Logan, too."

[ginsu_master]

Avengers. Cap. Logan.

"You named your fish after the Avengers," he teases.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Yes," X says when she reemerges from the fridge, fish food in hand.

"Logan is my brother. I am allowed."

She might be teasing, too. At least with the 'allowed' part.

[ginsu_master]

"..." Leo actually didn't realize X was part of the Marvel universe. (He really didn't read THAT many of Mikey's comics.) "Well, that makes sense."

"...I always liked Captain America. He and Miss Marvel were always very practical. Well." He pauses. "Except for the the leotard thing. I'd think that would get uncomfortable after flying a while."

[cutting_edgex23]

"There is tape," X offers. "And a spray. Gymnasts use it."

X may have, as well. Or maybe she just picked up some tips from Psylocke.

It is at this precise moment that her phone rings, sharp and rhythmic.

She passes the fish food off to Leo.

"Two pinches. Please. I need to answer."

[ginsu_master]

Very seriously, "Come eat, Captain. Don't steal it all from Iron Man."

[cutting_edgex23]

Carol is the one who is most likely to steal all the food. She has a fast metabolism, okay! And the memory of a goldfish.

Meanwhile X drops her phone on the kitchen table, breezing into her room and shutting the door. She comes back out under a minute and a half later, fixing her mask in place.

The eyes are very red. And glowing.

"There is an emergency. With my team."

She would apologize, but there is not much time.

[ginsu_master]

Leo is a little perplexed (...there is an emergency that required a bare midriff and infrared goggles?) but nods in understanding.

"Would you like additional assistance?" Leo doesn't want to make assumptions!

[cutting_edgex23]

There is an emergency that requires X to be in uniform. She doubts the bare midriff will be distracting to her opponents today. But still.

"It will not be problematic for you?"

Beat.

"Fighting the dead."

It's best to check before dragging him along.

[ginsu_master]

He is already following. "Are these dead people or dead dinosaurs or cyborgs or--?" Just for clarification!

[cutting_edgex23]

"Mutants," X says, making her way out the door and up the stairs. To the roof.

"Like me. Selene brought them back. Cyclops did not say why."

There'll be time for a more extensive debrief later. After the situation has been dealt with.

Probably.

[ginsu_master]

Ah! They are going to take X's helicopter or jump across rooftops. The world makes sense again.

"These things do happen."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Sometimes," X acknowledges, opening the door to the roof and stepping to the edge.

She stops there, waiting.

And waiting.

That's about when the winged shadow falls over them.

Hi Warren! X brought a guest!

[23xnpcs]

"Next time I'll demand some warning for extra passengers," Warren says tightly, dropping down onto the roof, raising both arms so X -- and presumably Leo -- can move in.

"But we don't have the time. It's bad."

[ginsu_master]

"You're not a helicopter."

[cutting_edgex23]

"He is faster," is all X says.

And they're off.






The landing at Greymalkin Industries is less than graceful, but really, they have other things to worry about.

The second wave of undead mutant attacks is about to begin.