11/3 Instance: A Little Reassurance

[Ult_Sm86]

[[Timeline: After "Kickstarting Family Time"]]

Curt: Curt slid into the kitchen only in socks, pajama pants, his sleeping shirt, and his prosthetic hand. "SaaaaaaturdaaaayyyY!" he sang. "Saaaaturddaaaayyy MOooooooorniiiing."

Sue: Sue shrieked and dropped her tea on the floor, backing into the counter.

Curt: He looked to her with surprise as he hockey-skated over to fridge, sliding on the hardwood floor with his socks. "What's wrong?" He asked. "Spook ya?"

Sue: "Uh... yeah..." she edged around the counter for a mop and a dustpan and brush.

Curt: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. The last thing I meant to do was scare you." He frowned. "How're you this morning?"

Sue: "I'm... I'm okay..." she mopped up most of the tea and swept up the shards, tipping them into the bin before going to mop up the rest.

Curt: Curt sensed a white lie. He got the mop for her and gestured for her to sit own. "Nope, don't believe you. What's wrong? You're jumpy, tell me why. I can sense your reserve and hesitation. You seem intimidated, why is that?"

Sue: Sue blinked at the barrage of questions, "I... um... yesterday was..." she shrugged not really having the words for the rest of that sentence.

Curt: "Ah... Lizard." He finished mopping and placed it in the bucket. He whipped out a pen (yes he kept a pen in his pajamas shirt pocket) and reached for the note pad that was magnetized to the fridge.

Curt: He drew a box and then a line dividing it evenly in half. He wrote in one half LIZARD and in another CURT.

Curt: Then he drew a circle in the middle and in the circle he wrote "TV".

Sue: Sue watched him warily and wasn't sure what to make of the diagram.

Curt: "Sue, this is sort of important. This half is me." he shaded it in. "And this half is Lizard. I don't control Lizard, Lizard doesn't control me. Not with the help I've received from X's training at least."

Curt: "In this circle? Is memories. We watch the other one's life, but we cannot choose it. It's like watching TV. You don't get to pick what happens or control the events, but you are stuck watching it 'cause someone hid the remote."

Curt: "The only control I have is I can change the volume."

Sue: "Okay... right..." she chewed her lip, taking a seat at last, "Okay..."

Curt: "I am not the Lizard, Susan. Please, for my sake, you have to understand this. I want to be your friend, but you need to separate the two personalities. Johnny gets it, took him awhile, but he got it."

Sue: "But what happens if... if... it was really creepy..." she finished lamely, looking down at the floor. She felt ashamed of herself.

Curt: "If what?" He asked.

Sue: "The lizard licked me!"

Curt: Curt laughed. "You were invisible, if anything he was trying to find you. That's how lizards sense people, with temperature. Their body heat. You were blushing, I'm assuming? You probably put a lot of body heat out. Plus he was teasing. He likes getting Johnny fired up, it gets him distracted long enough for Lizard to slip out."

Curt: "Truth be told, if you're worried about Lizard wanting to eat you... it's not gonna happen. He can't. And wouldn't, but mostly can't."

Sue: "I don't care if it won't happen, it's still creepy to have your face licked by a six foot tall lizard that talks."

Curt: "Well to be fair, he's a little taller than six feeet." He said with a half smile. "Besides, you can put him in his place anytime you want with that invisible body slam you gave me the other night." He suggested.

Sue: "Like I told Johnny, I didn't do anything."

Curt: He winked. "Yeah-huh. Let's test that in your lab some time."

Sue: "I'm not testing anything, I didn't do anything to be tested."

Curt: Curt nodded with a chuckle. "If you say so, Susie. Let me know when you change your mind, we'll put it to the test. Physics will prove out, I promise." He opened the fridge and poured a glass of milk for himself.

Sue: "I don't know what you're talking about." she got up to make herself another cup of tea.

Curt: "Yeah." He said simply. "I hope you know that I would never let him hurt you. If he, at any moment, lost it and went completely animalistic and put anyone in danger, I would shut him down. Xavier has taught me how. It would come at great cost to me, but I have no hesitations."

Sue: "I'm sure I'll be fine... as long as Johnny's around..."

Curt: He looked at the glass of milk and stirred it with his hand. "Yeah... that uh... Johnny's a good guy. He'd step in." The idea of Johnny incinerating Lizard... Curt rather, to save his sister... it made Curt sick in his stomach. "He's a good mate."

Sue: "He's alright for an obnoxious little brother..." Sue conceded with a small smile.

Curt: "he's a pretty powerful mutant." He insisted. "And as much as he puts work off, he's rather smart. He's quick-witted. And good to have your back in a fight with."

Sue: "Yeah yeah, enough with the compliments, I'm sure his ego can hear you from wherever he is...."

Curt: "He is concerned about Danny and you. I know sometimes it feels out of line but if you gave him some honesty it might change. He might be more trusting and forward to you. Wait, isn't he younger than you?" Curt felt confused for a second. WHere does he get off?

Sue: "Yeah he is... and I don't see what the problem is. I don't tell him who he can and can't sleep with even when I don't approve and there's nothing wrong with Danny and it's not like he's the fi-" Stop talking! She blushed transparent and was suddenly very focused on her tea making.

Curt: "Fiiiirst?" Curt asked with a curled smile. "Don't worry, I won't tell Johnny. I can even promise you I won't tell Johnny 'cause I'm afraid of being in the vicinity when he finds out. The whole school might burn down."

Sue: Sue nodded slowly, still blushing furiously and fixating on her tea.

Curt: "You look embarrassed beyond reason. Do I need to tell you something embarrassing to make you feel better?" He looked around and then sat in the stool beside her. "I could tell you something that'll make you laugh. And feel terrible for me."

Sue: She shook her head, "N-no, it's okay..."

Curt: Curt chuckled. "Well I promise you don't need to feel embarrassed. It's college, there's worse things being discussed."

Sue: "Well it's just... it's... Johnny doesn't think... he thinks I'm like some kind of robot that doesn't know how to have fun like a normal person..."

Curt: "Well... he's also an over protective brother who doesn't like the idea that guys can notice his sister." He looked to her with a careful expression. "That was a compliment, just incase you're over thinking it."

Sue: "Thank you... and yes he's overprotective... and I don't know why..."

Curt: "He loves you? He's a guy? He's scared of his sister losing her virginity to a guy he doesn't trust? Maybe Danny and Johnny need to become friends?"

Sue: "Well that ship has sailed so he's just going to have to deal with it."

Curt: Curt snorted. "I think maybe you need to have a grown up conversation with him, shut him up for good, let him get angry and then just put him in his place about it."

Curt: "Let him know you're a big girl."

Sue: "I already told him to stay the hell out of my personal life. It's none of his business who I date and I've told him this. Repeatedly."

Curt: "Maybe he needs to know it's not his responsibility anymore, instead of just being shut out."

Sue: "It's never been his responsibility. I've managed fine without him for two years at uni - for a whole year he's been here and I've been back home. I survived."

Curt: Curt shrugged. "Just suggestion, don't sweat it."

Curt: "So, I am going to head out for a morning jog and then go to work. I'll be around later if you wanna talk again... if you're not busy with Danny or whatever. But I'm glad we finally are talking instead of passing. Please, don't be araid of me."

Sue: "If I thought it'd work I'd do it... but he likes to think he's always right..." she rolled her eyes. "And I'll try not to be afraid of you... but it might take some time..." she sighed.

Curt: "I'm not a creepy creep, I promise. I'm a nice guy and I'm always willing to chat."

Sue: "I'm sure you're not but... this is all new to me... all of it... and I don't have a massive ego to hide behind like Johnny..."

Curt: "I promise it'll all work out." he said confidently. "Have a great morning Sue!"

Sue: "Yeah, you too...." she headed out onto the patio with her replacement tea - it was generally safer out there.

[Edited on 5/11/11 by Ult_Sm86]