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

[ladybro]

Who: S.S. Blameless
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Yes, for crew-mates and any visitors!
When: Month of April

[ aww mingle, no. ]

Comments

[beathach]

I could. [it's agreeing and amused] Are you part of the X-Men, then? [a pause] And why what I look like didn't seem to surprise you?

[ladybro]

You're half-right. [ she smiles -- pleasantly pleased with how polite the conversation's going. by all accounts, it could have been far worse. perhaps it's the time and distance that makes it easier. after all, they aren't two people who should have been important to one another.

they're only strangers trying to sort out strange circumstances. ] I'm not an X-Man. Woman. However it's said. I'm not a mutant, either -- but I work with plenty. But the Young Avengers are a little beyond your year, I'm guessing.

[ but it doesn't occur to her for even a moment that the avengers proper might be absent. ]

[beathach]

[it's nice to have a conversation where he isn't being accused of being someone else, it's true. He settles against one of the counters, still nursing the tea]

I . . . yeah, I think so. I can't say I've heard of them. But you work with mutants? [that sound so . . . nice]

[ladybro]

Teammates. [ a best friend. and then a sorta-ex. plus david, though kate isn't certain where things really stand with him and his inclusion on the team. hell, the team isn't even half as active as it used to be.

mostly, these days, it's her and clint. ]

In New York. I -- uh, I met you. Once. Either a much older version of you or maybe we're talking alternate universes. There's a lot of that around here. I've counted a full three different timelines so far.

[beathach]

[timelines. He looks wry and faintly shakes his head, and doesn't look all that surprised that they've met in another world. That's surprisingly common here, and he's getting used to it]

From everything I've heard about all the - different worlds we're all from, I'm older in every one of them.

[ladybro]

2016 probably has a lot to do with that. Hank. [ again, she relishes the use of his name. he'd offered it up freely, and so she doesn't have to feel guilty for its use. ] Who knows, maybe that's the only difference. You and me? We could be from the same world just -- different points in time.

Like Clint. [ and now she makes no secret that this name is a test. does he recognize it? she watches his face. ] Clint's a few months behind me.

[beathach]

Well - yes, that too. We could be from the same - timeline, I guess is the way to say it. [he knows some of what that originally was supposed to be, a destroyed future where he died and Logan was their last hope] We sort of . . . changed it, so anything's possible now.

[he tilts his head at the name, then shakes it, picking up on the test] I haven't met a Clint yet.

[ladybro]

-- Oh, well. [ her cheeks puff. she doesn't seem too bothered by the discrepancy. ] Not like I even know what he was up to in the '70s. Probably for the best. But someday in my recent past and your maybe-future, he's the guy who as good as introduces us.

[beathach]

[it's still so strange knowing what his future was supposed to be, as opposed to the mysterious unknown it is now. But it's also nice knowing he might have something nice to look forward to]

I'll remember. [if he ever goes back home, that is] It might be a while, but - ah, can I ask what mutants you know? Other than me and Logan.

[ladybro]

They're -- young. [ her smile is a little apologetic. ] I'd be surprised if you knew them. Billy Kaplan and Tommy Shepherd. A-and there's Prodigy, too. His name's David. Plus Wolverine. Deadpool keeps telling me he's an X-Man but I don't really know if he's a mutant or not. [ best not to go there. ]

Anyone else I've only met in passing. Rogue, uhm -- Storm. Magneto. [ because she's not about to say look i teamed up with magneto once sort of. ] The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, too. And that's just back home. Here, I've met others.

[beathach]

I don't . . . know most of those people, mm. [but - they're using code names, and that makes him grin, briefly. It's brings up one of the few, pleasant memories he has of that time in his life]

Logan mentioned Storm to Charles, once. And I'm - well-acquainted with Erik. [he's not going to call him "Magneto" because it's a stupid name and Erik isn't that person anymore] Erik is here, actually. Ah - Charles too, if you're familiar with him. The ones I know.

I've met some of the other mutants here, too. [boy has he]

[ladybro]

He is? [ magneto. here. but who's charles...? oh! charles xavier. jeez. ] They are?

[ to her credit, kate does a passable job of hiding the harshest elements of her reaction. there persists a flicker of panic in the back of her eyes -- in the way her attention darts away, once, before honing back upon hank. ]

Must've missed that.

[beathach]

[he is watching her carefully, but he knows better than to call anyone out on - that. But his tone does gentle a little, and he gives a nod]

Charles and I arrived together. Erik has been here a month already. [he considers for a moment, then offers:] He isn't . . . Magneto. We're all on the same side.

[ladybro]

I've been on his side before -- it...didn't end so well. [ kate exhales. she's level-headed, despite it all. ] So let's hope our worlds are a little different.

[beathach]

They are. [he sounds so certain of it] Erik . . . the one I know, he's a good man.

[ladybro]

[ -- and then, the truth just tumbles out. she hasn't told anyone here. not yet. in theory, she told the vision who billy's mom is but... ]

It's a long story, but -- one my best friends happens to be a sorta-relative of Ma--...Erik's. I probably shouldn't say too much about it but I think he'd be glad to hear there might be a better version out there. Somewhere.

[beathach]

[Erik just how many children do you have across these different universes]

I . . . mm, I hope so. He mentioned that he's . . . different, in other worlds. [that's putting it nicely, but he understands it]

[ladybro]

-- Is he from the 70s, too?

[beathach]

He is. [Hank tilts his head] Same - timeline, world, etc.

[ladybro]

Then I suppose -- [ she shrugs, still thinking on the prospect ] -- I wouldn't mind meeting him.

[beathach]

If he visits, I can introduce the two of you?

[ladybro]

I can't say I'm thrilled with the idea of him stepping foot on the ship, but -- as long as you're definitely vouching for this version of him? Yeah. I'd like an introduction.

[beathach]

[he smiles a little and nods]

I wouldn't vouch for him if I wasn't certain.

[ladybro]

Even so, I hope he won't be offended if I choose not to wear any jewellery. Or...things with zippers.

[beathach]

Or any metal whatsoever? [his voice is light, understanding] I don't think it'll be a problem.