driftfleet | it's not our fault it's an april mingle

[it's hard not worry about Logan, at least - the Logan Hank knows. But there's a lot of reasons behind that]

He - might be? I haven't exactly looked around. [he glances behind himself, at the lab, before back to Kitty with a shrug] I came here first.

[She has already done some fruitless searching.] How long have you been here?

Uh - a few hours? Half a day? [he shakes his head with a sheepish expression. He glances away as he reaches up to rub the back of his neck] I haven't really paid attention to how long.

[put him in a lab and he forgets time even exists, hiding or not]

Must be a pretty cool lab. [What? Why would that be creepy? Nothing creepy about a scientist who loves science. You know, unless they were a sociopathic sadist.]

It's decent. [he glances back over at her, watching her for a moment] It isn't the same as the one at the manor, but - [a shrug]

We can speak somewhere else. If - you want to. Somewhere that isn't - [he gestures, indicating the lab]

[Well, as long as he's going to point out that he notices it unsettles her, she's just going to mention the thing she's guessed.] Wouldn't that ruin your whole hiding thing you've got going on? [Went straight to the lab for hours and takes serum just to look normal? Not that hard to guess.]

[his lips twist, wry and a little guilty]

I think I'll survive out in the open. I can't hide forever, right?

You'd probably get hungry eventually.

[But also...] You want to talk to me? [Enough that he wants to escort her somewhere more comfortable for it? She sounds curious, not accusing.]

I don't . . . not want to talk to you?

[he sighs out, slow]

You're making an effort, aren't you? To talk to me and not toss me out an airlock? [he may as well be honest] I believed you when you said you wouldn't hurt me. So I'd like to . . . if you would.

[It might have been more of an accident than an effort, but she hadn't left either, so she nods.]

...I wouldn't actually need an airlock with my powers, [Did that need to be said, Kitty?] but yeah, you're safe.

We can stay in here. The room's not going to hurt me.

[he tilts his head, curious, but he nods. His shoulders slump, relieved]

It's up to you.

. . . can I ask? What your powers are? [and quickly, like he has to put reason as to why, other than plain curiosity - ] Aside from Erik and Charles - and Logan and Peter, I guess - it's been a while since I've spoken to another mutant.

[She doesn't see much harm in it. She won't be giving him a list of her weaknesses though. She glances around. Are you proud she managed to take her eyes off you? Then she waves a hand through a nearby table, not disturbing the table in the slightest but her hand disappears and reappears as it moves in and out.] Phasing.

There weren't many mutants where I was before this. Or at least they weren't there long. [Except the other version of herself. And, yes, maybe this is her trying. Throwing out something they can relate on.]

[when she does look back at him, he's staring, eyes wide, like it's the most amazing thing he's ever seen. And - while he looks at almost everyone that way, when he first sees their powers, it's no less genuine] That's amazing.

[but he quickly shakes himself out of it, and after a moment relaxes enough to lean against something] Ah . . . [he sort of wants to ask, but he resists. Instead, he nods in understanding] There used to be more of us. But - between the war, and - other things, like the school being closed for now . . .

[It does please her when people like the power. She didn't really expect to impress a fellow mutant. Then again, it's hard not to let it remind her they wanted her for the breeding pens. Probably because she was classified as an alpha mutant with a stronger ability.] It has its moments.

I meant in the prison. There were plenty of us at home. The ratio was getting higher all the time with all the human genocide. [She manages to avoid an accusatory tone or look.] It had actually been years since I'd even had a conversation with a human before I was abducted. [And rescued as it turned out.]

Charles mentioned Vietnam was going on. [Her history was still more or less the same by that point. She wonders if it was closed because he'd had a hard time with it. He said he'd been struggling.]

The - prison? [he frowns a little, but even if there's no accusatory tone, he still looks away, briefly]

But - yeah, Vietnam. [if Charles mentioned it, he wonders what else the professor told her. He purses his lips before he says, carefully] It was just the two of us for . . . a long time. Until Logan came.

MarinaNova Asylum. Multidimensional underwater city beneath a dome. Inmates contained in life support pods and our minds linked in a very real-feeling virtual reality. [So real they didn't know for months and only because of glitches.] I think it was more to experiment on us than anything. Our crimes were all context free like the girl who was mind controlled to start a massacre but wouldn't hurt a fly as herself. [She couldn't really give herself as an example even if it was all in the context of war.]

He defended you strongly. [He didn't say too much. Maybe still cautious after the crazy lady accused his friend of evil deeds.]

[as soon as she says "multidimensional" he looks . . . exasperated, even a little angry. There's no need to keep himself under control now - even if it's a controlled reaction - and he huffs out a noise that sounds like a mix of that and a low growl at her explanation] I wish I could say I'm surprised places like that exist, but . . . [she knows he was in Kyriakos, like Erik] Even so, that's terrible - and ridiculous. I'm sorry you went through that.

[but then his expression evens out, and he even manages a brief smile] I know. I bet he even said something ridiculous, like he owes me something. [that comes out a little lighter] He's a good man.

[She manages not to look on edge even with the growling. She gets what has him mad and it's actually on her behalf.]

Well, if it makes you feel any better I was dead without the assist. [Wow, that was a thing to say. Especially since there are some other people she should probably tell. She moves on like it was no big deal. Like discussing her favorite flavor of PopTart.] It wasn't so bad most of the time. Just can't go taking away someone's freedom and then messing with them. Like here. [Even if there was a lot less messing here.]

And it was definitely something like that.

[that WAS a thing to say. And it gives him pause - but as she continues as if it's no big deal, he just sucks in a breath and files that away for another time]

"It wasn't so bad most of the time" is . . . the impression I get from a lot of the other multidimensional places out there. Kyriakos was the same way. Mostly, it's that the people make it not so bad.

[that was certainly the case for him.

He huffs out a sound, amused and incredibly fond] He's ridiculous. Don't let him fool you into thinking that - I'm the one who owes him.

[It's easier saying it to strangers. Just this side of casual. And he does feel more like a stranger than he really feels like the Dark Beast.] It was definitely the people.

...And the food. There was so much food. None of it was actually real, but it tasted real. [Why protein gel hell? Why?]

Okay, I get it, "No, I love hiiim more." I knew him at the prison.

I can't say food was one of the appealing parts of Kyriakos, but a teammate of mine could cook really well. And we were allowed to quest for different things, like twinkies.

[he suddenly really misses twinkies] But mm, I heard the food here is . . . questionable.

[he blinks, and barely stops himself from laughing] You did?

That's quite a quest. [Actually, that sounds like something that would have happened back home.] Very questionable. The most questions.

[Nodding.] I think so. Unless he was from another reality. He was a little younger, clean shaven, shorter hair. [Thus the Jesus reference. He hadn't started a school yet, but he had it in mind.] We were friends. [She didn't hit it off quite as well this time around.]

Something about paste, and . . . I smuggled as much as I could from the main ship that wouldn't get easily destroyed. [he nods to a cabinet, off in the corner] Feel free, if you want.

[there's a pause, and he tilts his head, something unreadable on his face] Was he able to walk?

[He surprises her again by offering her the Marsiva's better treats.] Thanks. I'm okay. [Which is actually less about suspicion and more not feeling deserving of his generosity after the way she treated him.]

Yeah. [Something she hadn't managed to bring up with him.] ...What happened?

[it just seems natural to offer; he nods] Okay. It's there if you want to, though.

[at her question he noticeably pauses, uncomfortable, before he shakes his head a little] It isn't my story to tell. It's . . . if you asked him, he'd likely tell you. It's . . . easier now, with certain things resolved.

But that's around when I met him. Eleven years ago, give or take.

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