7/1 Instance: Patchy Conditions

[tears~fall~like~glass]

timeline: before End of Days



Rogue: Rogue pulled on medical gloves and smirked at the snap of them before spinning wildly in Scott's chair. It felt kind of fun to be like this. She hadn't had fun in a while... Rogue picked up a rubber band and aimed as she spun, shooting it and barely missing her aim of the doorknob.

Wither: Kevin peeked into the med lab. "Hello? Dr. Summers?" He jerked back in surprise as a rubber band came flying at him. "Oh hello, Professor Rogue! Actually. You're the person I wanted to talk to."

Rogue: "Oh!" Rogue stopped the chair abruptly and looked sheepish as she pulled the gloves off. "Sorry. Ah didn't hit ya, did Ah?"

Wither: "Missed by a long mile." He grinned. It was so nice to hear another southern accent. "So...I heard that you know about some patches that inhibit powers? I want to use them."

Rogue: Rogue smiled at him, "Good. Ah'm glad. Ain't really in mah job description ta go 'round peltin' students with green rubberbands..." Her smile faded a bit around the edges, "Kevin... Those ain't tha best things... 'Least not f'r long term..." She tossed the gloves in the trash and gestured at the chair across from Scott's desk, "Talk ta me a bit?"

Wither: Kevin took a deep breath and sat in the chair. "I don't care. I want to be able to take my gloves off and not kill everything I touch." He paused. "I killed someone already. I never ever want to do it again. And any side effects can't be worse than our powers, right?"

Rogue: Rogue gave a bitter laugh, "Yeah... Actually they can." She propped her elbows on the table so she could rest her chin in her hands as she stared at him. "Ah can touch Professor Drake an' not hurt 'im. Ah still get his powers an' memories an' psyche an' what have ya... But Ah don't hurt 'im. Don't know why. He an' Ah've been tryin' ta figure it out f'r years. One day... Ah hurt 'im. 'Cause o' tha patch."

Wither: “How did that happen? I thought it stopped the powers." Kevin frowned in consternation. Nothing was ever easy.

Rogue: Rogue frowned, trying to figure out what she had said wrong to confuse him. Oh. She didn't tell him... Right. "Well... It did. F'r 'bout a year'r so... Then they stopped workin'... An' mah powers got kicked inta overdrive 'cause they were suppressed for so long..."

Wither: Kevin's face fell completely. "So, it's not worth it, then?" He could very clearly see his powers killing everything he touched, not just organics. "It'll just make my powers worse? Do they stay in over drive?"

Rogue: "Well... No. Which is good... But Ah just figured that out 'bout a week'r so ago." Rogue watched him carefully and took a deep breath, "If Sc-- Ah mean Doc Summers says it's ok, Ah'll fit ya with a patch on a couple o' conditions. But if Ah hear anythin' 'bout ya not followin' mah conditions, detention. F'r tha rest o' tha year. An' Ah mean calendar year. Not school year."

Wither: "What are your conditions?" Kevin asked, still warring with himself. On one hand, freedom to touch anything and everything. One the other - total decimation of everything he touched at the end. Without warning, apparently.

Rogue: "One patch. Every other month. Month on, month off. Let yaself take breaks. Use ya powers when ya ain't got tha patch on. Danger room is fine. Ah can coach ya. That's what Ah'm here f'r anyhow, right?" She gave him a small smile.

Wither: "But I don't want to use my power, coached or not. It's horrible. I destroy nearly everything I touch. I want it gone!" He knew he was whining at this point, but he was desperate. "How do you deal with it? Some days I want to tear off my gloves and just touch."

Rogue: Rogue blushed a bit, embarrassed. "Well.. Ah did. F'r a bit there, Ah did just that." She swallowed hard, "After... When Sam..." Rogue stopped and just let herself take a calming breath before continuing, "When Sam was murdered, Ah didn't care anymore. Ah left mah gloves in mah room an' walked 'round barehanded. Ah didn't aim ta touch anybody at first, but Ah didn't stop 'em from touchin' me."

Rogue: "An' ta answer ya question? Ah deal with it day ta day. Every day hasta be a new day'r Ah go crazy. Ah cain't think 'bout how long it's been since Ah touched... Ah gotta keep thinkin' 'bout tha hear'n now."

Wither: Kevin could feel that. "I'm so sorry, professor. I feel crazy most of the time...I wonder if our powers would cancel each other out?"

Wither: He fidgeted in his seat. "I'll abide by your conditions."

Rogue: Rogue frowned in consideration at that idea, "Ah ain't sure. We could always go test it in tha Danger Room if ya wanted. 'R hell. Right here'd be fine by me." She smiled at him, "Good. Ah don't want what happened ta me ta happen ta y'all. Ah know our powers ain't fun. But Ah also know it's worse if ya ignore 'em. Un-freakin'-fortunately."

Wither: "I'm not trying to ignore it - just stop it from being uncontrollable." He paused. "But it seems like it will always be that way." He heaved a sigh. "Thanks for letting me try the patch. Maybe there'll be a real, permanent cure one day. Do you have the patches here, or are they all in the medlab?"

Rogue: "They're in tha medlab." She pushed to stand from Scott's chair and gestured for Kevin to follow her. "Don't give up, sugah. Ah think tha second ya give up fightin' ta fix it yaself is tha second ya lose tha battle..." She went to a file drawer and sifted around in it for a bit, "Here we go. Mah ol' stash."

Rogue: Rogue turned to face Kevin with one in her hands, "This lil piece o' sticky fabric is a Godsend. If ya use it right. Ah didn't. Don't do what Ah did."

Wither: Kevin parroted off the rules. "Where's a good place to put it?" He gingerly removed his gloves and his long-sleeved shirt, leaving him with his tank top. He scuttled a few paces away, into an open area.

Rogue: Rogue followed him, but kept her distance, knowing how uncomfortable he was with touching. She was probably the only person who really and truly understood. "Anyplace ya got skin really," she smirked. "Y'all wanna put it on or ya want me ta do it?"

Wither: "I can do it." He reached for it. "Which side down? Is it instant, or does it take a while to get into the bloodstream?" He laughed nervously. "Sorry. Just nervous."

Rogue: Rogue smiled and handed him the patch, "Don't worry 'bout it. An' with me it took a couple minutes but we can test it with plants an' stuff ta make sure it's workin'." She dug a twinkie out of Hank's desk and slid it to him across the top of said desk. "Don't be nervous. Be excited."


Wither: "I am..." He stuck the patch on his arm, frowning as the edges turned brown and started to crumble. "Tarnation!"

Rogue: Rogue tried to hide her amusement at his curse of choice, and focused on the patch. "Hmm." She turned and went to retrieve another. "Let's try again. If this one won't work, we'll wait f'r Sco-- Doctor Summers ta get back from his coffee break an' see if he's got any ideas."


Wither: Kevin took it and put his on his ribcage, craning to watch it. It stayed steady, even as the first one was reduced to a fragile patch of light brown on his arm. "I think...it worked?"

Rogue: Rogue grinned as the patch stayed whole, "There ya go!" She looked around for a plant no one particularly cared about and brought it over to him. "Give it a second ta make sure ya don't have somethin' else happen an' then try ta kill tha plant."

Wither: "Okay..." He waited, staring at the plant. "Is it real, or do you think Dr. Summers takes it out to the garden during peak sunlight hours?"

Rogue: "Um. Ah'm pretty sure it's real... If it's not, Ah bet Ah looked pretty stupid waterin' it a couple months back..." She pushed it towards him a bit, willing him to touch it. "Ya won't know 'till ya try. Ah'd offer up me touchin' y'all, but we don't know if we cancel each other out'r not. So that'd be pointless if we do."

Wither: "Okay. Here I go." He touched one leaf gently with a fingertip. "Nothing's happening!" He grinned. "It's not dying!"

Rogue: Rogue beamed at him, "Touch it with more than just ya finger. See if it can handle more contact."

Wither: Kevin grasped it gently, grinning. "It's so soft."

Rogue: Rogue smiled at him, "Ah'd give ya a hug, but ya don't wanna touch me anymore now'n ya did b'fore tha patch. Go find someone who can hug ya proper. Ah'm happy f'r ya sugah. See ya in trainin' in a month?"

Wither: "Yes, thank you, Professor!" Kevin grabbed his shirt and gloves. He didn't want to hug someone, but maybe a quick walk through the garden... He gave her a big smile and took off.

[Svartfreja]

Now he can pet the kitteh for reals!

[Slarti]

I think the school would be much safer if everybody got patched.

[TechPrincess]

Wise, wise words there.

[Ferguson]

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You just never know what will happen.