And On Your Left You'll See a Tourist Mingle

[takingkarabusiness]

Who: Tourists and visitors
Broadcast: nah
Action: The Tourist!
When: April!!!

[ what do you mean the month is half over? this is a mingle people! ]

Comments

[beathach]

Ah - yeah. Like I said, we talked. Not too long after you visited me, actually.

I mean, it's still . . . tense, a bit. And I think it will be for a while, and I completely understand. But . . . we got to know each other a little better. I think that helped.

[takingkarabusiness]

Good. I'm glad. I get being suspicious. We all have our moments. But particularly for someone like you, it's good to have an open heart, as well.

[beathach]

[that makes him smile, small but genuine]

It's . . . difficult sometimes. [he purses his lips, trying to put his thoughts into words] There was a time when I wasn't like - that, I guess. And - it was easier, a lot easier, but it wasn't . . . right, either. And I don't want to - I don't know, backslide into that again?

[he makes a face and blows out a sigh]

Besides . . . everyone deserves a chance. Or a - chance to prove themselves, whichever way fits better.

[takingkarabusiness]

I agree completely.

[ she's going to reach over and put her hand over his ]

It's how I try to do all the superheroing stuff that I do. Obviously, I need to act on what's happened, but I always want to be able to give someone a chance to reform.

[beathach]

[oh no touching. He glances down at her hand, then tentatively covers it with his other one]

You're a good person. It's a lot harder to do that than to do the opposite.

[takingkarabusiness]

My mother sent me to Earth to protect Kal-El, and to do that, I also have to work on protecting the people on Earth. It's what he loves doing, and it's what I love doing.

[beathach]

Your Earth sounds pretty lucky.

[takingkarabusiness]

We're also trouble magnets but yeah, I like to think it is.

[beathach]

I think Earth in general is a trouble magnet, no matter the version.

But it's nice to hear the one has someone like you protecting it.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ she adjusts her glasses self-consciously ]

I'm sure you say that to all the Kryptonians you meet.

[beathach]

[he tries not to smile and fails miserably]

No, just one.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ his smile is contagious and she squeezes his hand a little ]

So, you're going to build that school. What will your role be?

[beathach]

Well I'm not - it's Charles' school, I'm just helping. [he can't take credit for it, that was all Charles' vision]

And I guess my role is teacher again? I don't know exactly what I'll be teaching yet, though. Likely something to do with the sciences, though, considering. And - well, helping others control their powers as well, but that sort of goes without saying.

[takingkarabusiness]

It seems like you're both really invested in it, though.

I don't know if I'd have the patience for teaching, though. It takes a certain kind of disposition.

[beathach]

It's something our world needs. A safe place for mutants to learn how to be themselves.

[that's why he's invested; it wasn't something he had growing up]

It . . . yeah, it does. [he lets out a huff of laughter] That and a lot of patience.

[takingkarabusiness]

Something I'm remarkably short on, really.

[beathach]

It's definitely an acquired skill. I mean, doing the work I've done in the past meant having a lot of patience, but it's different when it comes to people.

I kind of - er, have a temper sometimes, so between that and learning how to be patient with people - teenagers - is . . . well. I don't know how Charles managed it.

[takingkarabusiness]

Teenagers are kind of the worst. I don't know how Alex's mom survived both of us at the same time.

[beathach]

I don't know how anyone survives teenagers.

But then again I kind of - skipped over that part.

[takingkarabusiness]

What do you mean?

[beathach]

I was sort of - graduating college when I was a teenager. I was too busy with my studies to do any - er, normal teenager things.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ she laughs a little—it's good-natured, a little surprised, but mostly impressed ]

Wow. That's... that's incredible. Have you won a Nobel prize yet? You seem like someone who would win a Nobel prize.

[beathach]

[noooooo wow look at this wall over there, it's so interesting all of a sudden]

Thanks? And, uh - no, I'm relatively unknown in my field. Which - I'm perfectly okay with, especially considering I haven't done anything worth earning one.

[takingkarabusiness]

Well, that's clearly just a matter of time.

And here I was being a gawky teenager while you were getting a college degree.

[beathach]

Heh, we'll see.

[he huffs out an amused sound] Because genetics is so much more fun than being a gawky teenager.