Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

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JackSkulls
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Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by JackSkulls »

<Carol> It had finally arrived! Carol had been starting to worry that it'd come when they'd already left and they'd have to come all the way back from Maine to get it. Now she was looking over her SHIELD issue trailer to make sure they hadn't scratched the paintwork on anything on the way there because she knew she'd get the blame for it.

<Carol> The fact it would probably never see the inside of a SHIELD facility again (except maybe in a scrapyard) was not the point. Checks completed, she started to load it up with supplies and things to make it theirs for the holidays.

<Hope> Nosey as ever, Hope made her way to see Carol's special delivery. She came up upon the mack monstrosity and blinked. "Woooooow. Danvers?" Where was she anyway?

<Carol> "Yeah?" Her voice came from the depths of the vehicle and a window opened, through which she poked her head. "What's up?"

<Hope> "I wanted to see what you got!" Hope announced, heading to the door of the vehicle. "Can I come in?"

<Carol> "Sure, just don't break anything..." She sat down on the bed to put pillow cases on the pillows. Yankees.

<Hope> "Does that really have to be said?" she asked, letting herself into the camper.

<Carol> "I like to say it just for legal reasons." She glanced up and gave Hope a smile, "Really, if anyone breaks anything, it'll be me."

<Hope> She smirked back at Carol. "Understatement of the year. Wooooow, this is nice!" Hope looked around at the place, taking it all in. "Way too many buttons."

<Carol> "It does everything," Carol informed her, "It's not that complicated, they're all in sections." She pointed at the manual that lay on top of the kitchen's small counter. "I figure, if we're going to be hanging out in here for a while, we need to do it properly, right?"

<Hope> "Well, fair enough." Her technical mind took over as she began to examine each little detail. "Where are you guys going anyway?"

<Carol> "We're going to visit Cess's family for the actual day... because I can't spend that long with mine. And then we're going to find somewhere with sun and sand and cocktails for the rest of the break." Something she'd needed for months.

<Hope> "Nice! Too bad I won't fit in a suitcase," she laughed. "I definitely get to see Tony, but other than that... don't really have plans."

<Carol> "Thought of spending time with Sebastian? You guys are close, right? And, the way I hear it, Jess has this problem with inviting in strays..." She finished making up the bed and started opening boxes of snacks to put in the cupboards.

<Hope> Hope made a face. "Kind of surprised she hasn't asked me to move in there too. Yeah uh... he mentioned doing something, but haven't heard for sure what."

<Carol> "Then you should definitely give him a call... no one should be alone at Christmas. It sucks." One box down, several more to go... oooh this one had the booze in it.

<Hope> "I can't wait to see how Chris gets through security this year. Is that terrible of me? I mean, of course he's getting in. It's not like he really wouldn't... but it might be... funny to watch the agents squirm."

<Carol> Carol raised an eyebrow, "He's going with you to see Tony? Damn, now I kind of wish I'd been assigned to your security just so I can see that."

<Hope> Hope laughed and nodded, "I know, right? I should probably warn Tony.... but yeah. They will be picking me up."

<Carol> "You have to send me pictures, okay?" She put most of the bottles away but kept one out and pulled down a couple of glasses. "Apparently, Cessily's family are huggers. I may need sanity breaks."

<Hope> She made a face instantly at that revelation. "Ew. You need more scotch for sure."

<Carol> "I'm hoping they'll notice my discomfort and stop doing it, I mean... Cess had to get her niceness from somewhere, right?" She cracked the seal and poured two glasses, setting the bottle down and offering one of the glasses to Hope.

<Hope> Hope took her glass with a thanks, sipping it carefully. Delicious. "You see... people don't stop when they notice you are uncomfortable. They do it more."

<Carol> Carol shook her head, "Not nice people, they're good that way."

<Hope> "Maybe I haven't met any nice people then. Let me know how it works out. I can't imagine Cess with anything but a super sweet family." Hope kept inspecting the camper. "People really take these camping?"

<Carol> "Well traditionally... not these ones. These are for field ops but the guys at transport know that they should just not question me when I ask for stuff. It doesn't end well for them."

<Hope> Laughing, Hope nodded. "I need to get to that status. Don't question me, just do it. Or I toss you through a wall!

<Carol> "Borrow my powers more, they'll pick it up fast."

<Hope> She laughed harder, nodding. "I'll have to do that. Though I like most of the agents. Stan is a dick and a half though."

<Carol> "Well you like them because you don't have to make them do things that they'll fail at and then deal with the consequences. Having my job is a pain in the ass." She flopped down onto the bed.

<Hope> "That's true," Hope sat down in a nearby chair. "I know you're job is tough... but I'm kind of glad you're here."

<Carol> Carol raised an eyebrow at her then looked down at the scotch. Either the kid was a lightweight (unlikely in a Stark) or she was serious. "You're like the first person to actually say that to me."

<Hope> She took another careful sip, choosing her words carefully. She smirked a bit. "Well... when you need a break from all the stress of your normal job? Come hang out with me. I know Drake will enjoy the break. We went up to Alaska while Chris was... gone. None of this fancy crap. We lived off the land."

<Carol> Carol smiled, "Sounds like fun... I wish it was as simple as just picking up and going but, honestly, I feel like this place will fall down if I'm not here... I keep wondering about the wisdom of going away for the holidays."

<Hope> "It'll be fine. You know, we survived without SHIELD before. You should be able to take a vacation. Maybe you will go a whole day without throwing somebody through a wall when you get back!" She grinned over at Carol.

<Carol> "Well I don't know about that... I've always had kind of a short fuse. There used to be one person that could make me stop and think before I started punching but I don't have that buffer anymore."

<Hope> "Who was that?" Hope tired to ask carefully.

<Carol> She sighed, looking down at her scotch, "My brother, Steven... He was killed earlier this year... My fault."

<Hope> Hope took another drink of her scotch. Seemed everyone attracted death in this place. "Im sorry."

<Carol> She shook her head, "He knew what he was getting involved in... I shouldn't have let him... he was more like a best friend than a brother - he was Air Force too. My dad thinks I gave him the idea... but actually it was the other way around."

<Hope> She nodded, listening and swirling the liquid in her glass. "Yeah... death kind of stalks the people around here."

<Carol> "Yeah... I noticed... but at least it wasn't a pointless death. He helped us get Danger back from OsCorp... I wish I'd had time to say thanks."

<Hope> "Little consolation, but I'm sure he knew." OsCorp... Osborn needed to die. She took a sip, glaring a bit. Preferably a horrible death. With fire.

<Carol> "Yeah... I know he did... but it's like... if I'd known that was going to be our last conversation I probably would have allowed more time..."

<Hope> "That's why some people are so adamant about crap like I love yous. You never know it's your last conversation." She took a longer drink that time.

<Carol> "Yeah... but some people just aren't ready to say stuff like that."

<Hope> "True enough." She still didn't like the word. "But yeah.... you never know."

<Carol> "Yeah... I hate that. How do we have so many mutants in here and not a single precog?"

<Hope> "We used to... long time ago. The one power I couldn't use. It was weird." She laughed a little.

<Carol> "Really? Damn that's weird," she drained her glass and reached for the bottle and a top-up, "Wanna try my powers out while I'm here?"

<Hope> "Well not in your trailer, that's for sure. I'm sooo not the one going to break it."

<Carol> "You can't fly around in here anyway, there's not enough room... and you should totally get used to flying at mach speeds and loading up on energy then I can take you to the moon."

<Hope> "That sounds... kind of... awesome!" Hope grinned and finished her drink.

<Carol> "It is totally awesome." She didn't refill her glass, instead putting the lid back on and getting to her feet. "I can finish putting stuff away later."

<Hope> "Let's go for a flight!" Hope was on her feet and headed out the door.

<Carol> "Just yell if you can't keep up," Carol followed her out, making sure to lock the door of the trailer so no one could sneak in and break stuff or... modify it.

<Hope> "Sure thing!" Hope tapped into her powers.

<Carol> Carol's clothes swapped to her slightly more weather proof SHIELD uniform rather than the jeans and sweater she was wearing and she lifted into the air. "Oh... you might want to leave your phone... my powers have this habit of frying them. I generate EM energy..."

<Hope> She made a face, but set her phone down. "Well... at least I have a babysitter with me, right?" she grinned.

<Carol> "You do, and I'm totally more qualified than Bobby... and sexier." She grinned.

<Hope> She made another face at her. "Ew. I'm not judging that contest. Because ew on two counts."

<Carol> Carol laughed, "I have boobs, 'I win' button." Carol looked around, "Land or sea?"

<Hope> "But... I don't like boobs?" Hope tried to argue. "Uhhh let's stick to sea? I can at least swim if I fall."

<Carol> "You don't have to like them to admit they look better." She set off toward the coast.

<Hope> "But if I don't like them, why would they look better?" Hope argued, trying to gain her balance as she few.

<Carol> "Something about aesthetics and curves," Carol flew a series of loops, picking up speed and slowing down so that Hope could follow and get a better feel for her powers.

<Hope> She caught up a bit, growing comfortable with the power. "I should have used these sooner!"

<Carol> "My powers are awesome, I love them... except for the phone killing part. I could live without that... but then I wouldn't have anything to tell Fury when I willfully ignore his calls in favour of dinner."

<Hope> "Well that's a handy excuse! I wonder if I can get away with that... Oops sorry, I was using Carol's powers and fried my phone!"

<Carol> "You should totally do that, no one can prove otherwise... and you get a new phone."

<Hope> "Score! Not that I couldn't get one anyway, but score!" Hope grinned and did a loop.

<Carol> Carol gradually picked up the pace and soon they were over water. She flew low, sending up walls of water either side of her from the rush of air.

<Hope> That looked awesome! Hope lowered her level to follow her. When was the last time she had flown? She shoved the thought aside. It was too great of a day for that.

<Carol> Carol laughed, dipping under the surface briefly before popping back out again quite a distance ahead. "Temperature and pressure immune, we could dive right down to the bottom if you want."

<Hope> "Not yet... I haven't used your powers enough. Afraid I couldn't hold it. But I'll practice with them more. Then we can!" She grinned and sped up, diving just a bit below, and right back up. "Wooo!"

<Carol> "Yeah, when I get back you can practise all you want, God knows I need excuses to blow off steam."

<Hope> "Sounds awesome! I need more practice at being indestructible." She did another loop, quite enjoying those.

<Carol> "Being indestructible is great... but what's better is this," She whipped out her finger-gun and fired a blast of energy at Hope. Only a small one because she remembered what it felt like the first time she absorbed a burst of energy. It stung.

<Hope> "Hey!" Hope yelped, firing back.

<Carol> Being far more experienced, Carol easily dodged, "Hey yourself! Careful with those, your reserves won't be as high as mine."

<Hope> "That's pretty cool," Hope grinned. "I'm a terrific shot. Now I can shoot things!"

<Carol> "Shooting stuff with energy is very rewarding," Carol nodded sagely, "Almost like using the force. One day I hope to channel it into actual shapes, because that would be badass."

<Hope> "That would be badass! If you figure that one out, you have to share."

<Carol> "I will, I promise... but only if you promise to have a lightsabre battle with me."

<Hope> "Is that even a question!? Duh!"

<Carol> "Awesome! You know, I don't know why Bobby complains so much. This is easy."

<Hope> "Because he's a big whiner," Hope pointed out. "Well... and I really resisted him being there at first."

<Carol> "I think he just hates it because he's not used to being told what to do. Some people just aren't cut out to follow orders... I see that a lot."

<Hope> "I also haven't snuck off from you and caused you to get reamed," she pointed out.

<Carol> "No... but, if I did go somewhere with you, I'd probably spend less time looking at my phone and more time doing my job so you wouldn't be able to sneak off.... also Fury has learned that yelling at me gets him nowhere except to new office furniture."

<Hope> "Oooo I bet the does that when he wants to redecorate now," Hope laughed. She felt like she should stand up for Bobby. "Ehhh, he's fine. I kind of promised not to sneak off again. Wasn't ever really his fault anyway."

<Carol> "Well it's probably better to stay with your security with all the crazy Sentinels out there... they say it's a bug in the software but I don't agree... and neither does Pietro and he's spent more time going over their programming than anyone."

<Hope> "I think they are specifically programmed to attack me," she grumbled. "And yeah. That kind of sealed the deal."

<Carol> "If I didn't know which wires to pull out to shut them down, I'd think twice before leaving the school these days. In the new Semester, I'm thinking of rotating in a class on what to do if you're in the area and one of those things goes whack-a-mutant crazy."

<Hope> "Probably a good idea. I've watched Bobby kill two of them. I might be able to mimic it... if he's around."

<Carol> "Pietro's thinking of buying another one for further study as the other one is being used as a host body right now. I think I'll let him, we need to know as much as possible about how they tick.... but maybe test it somewhere away from the student population."

<Hope> "Just send me to the mall. I'm sure one will attack. Then you can get it for free."

<Carol> She laughed, "They're no good to us in pieces, which is unfortunate because that's how I like my Sentinels."

<Hope> "Fair point. I prefer them in pieces too. Let's get him a sentinal then. He's got the brains and patience to figure out a weakness."

<Carol> "He does... and we have to keep it away from Broo because he seriously doesn't need any more distractions." She realised belatedly that she was still wet from her dip in the ocean so she used her powers to generate heat to dry herself off.

<Hope> "Make Tony buy you a shiny new sentinal for Christmas," she laughed.

<Carol> "I think you'd have better luck than I would there... although, given your track record, he might not go for that."

<Hope> "You're kidding right? I just go swipe the card."

<Carol> She laughed, "Stealing money from a mutant-friendly President to buy a mutant killing machine... I love the irony."

<Hope> "Hey, it's not stealing. It's my money. When he dies."

<Carol> She laughed again, shaking her head, "I'm sure he'd see the funny side. Come on, let's head back before you drain your batteries."

<Hope> Hope did a flip to turn and head back. "Good idea... don't have stamina built up yet."

<Carol> "When I get back from vacation, I'll show you how to load up on energy so you can go really fast. It's the best thing ever."

<Hope> "Yes!" Hope laughed. "I love going fast!"

<Carol> "Me too... let's see how fast we can go on the way back," she picked up the pace again and gestured for Hope to go ahead of her - she had to make sure she didn't let the first daughter splatter herself on some rocks somewhere. That'd be no fun at all.
Svartfreja
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Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by Svartfreja »

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Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by Svartfreja »

Goodbye Gargoyle!

Timelined Christmas Day

<Hope> Hope had spent the previous day testing out her new car, zooming it all over the state. Today, she was sleeping in. Covers pulled up, snuggled into the warmed that was her cozy bed, Hope had no intetnions of getting up anytime soon.

<Christopher> Chris had already been up for hours. He was sure he hadn't woken Hope up when he left but he was pretty sure she was out cold. He was on his way back walking through the snow, he was finally fully himself. None of the monster that he used to be was left, at least visibly.

<Hope> She rolled over, snuggling into her pillow better. Exhaustion had completely taken over. That was most likely te fault of all the joy riding.

<Christopher> Chris got back to his trailer and carefully opened up the door to get in, probably making a little too much noise getting his winter gear off. He went to check all of his presents he'd ordered for Hope to make sure she hadn't tried to get into one yet. "Good everything's untouched, hmm wonder if I could guess one of mine." Chris whispered to himself.

<Hope> The noise slightly woke her, enough to annoy her. She grumbled and pulled the blankets up over her head. Whatever it was should go away.

<Christopher> Chris leaned up against the steel frame that separated the bedroom from the living room area. "You gonna sleep all of Christmas away?" He didn't turn on the lights, he wanted to surprise her with what he had been up to that morning.

<Hope> Ugh, it was talking. She pushed the pillow over her head too.

<Christopher> "I'll make you pancakes, with a shit ton of syrup?" Chris gave her a smirk almost laughing when she pulled the pillow over her head.

<Hope> "No." she mumbled. Was go away too mean? Maybe she should try it. "Go away."

<Christopher> "How about I throw in bacon and sausages too?" Chris was a little upset at the go away but he knew it was just her being grumpy first thing in the morning. "And coffee?"

<Hope> She held out her hand for the coffee.

<Christopher> "Come get it." He went back to get it started then came back to see if she had moved at all, still not turning on the lights so it was almost pitch black in their home.

<Hope> Well that wasn't much incentive to move. She could make her own coffee. She pulled her arm back into the coveres. "Later."

<Christopher> "Ugh Hope get your ass up and come see what your surprise is." He shook his head and threw a pillow he'd picked up from the couch at her.

<Hope> "Unless it's a puppy, it can wait until a decent hour. Like noon."

<Christopher> "It's better than a puppy, I promise. You can go back to bed if you don't like it.

<Hope> "I already got a new car," she pointed out, far too annoyed to go back to sleep. She sat up, glaring a bit.

<Christopher> "Damn, now I'm hurt." Chris went to get her a cup of coffee and brought it back to her, making sure not to touch her with his hands.

<Hope> She took the coffee, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. She inhaled the aroma of the warm caffeine, taking a careful sip. Black gold right there in her cup.

<Christopher> "Merry Christmas beautiful." Chris went to get his own cup. "So need more coffee or are you ready for your surprise?"

<Hope> She eyed him a bit. "Sure?"

<Christopher> "Cover your eyes for a second." Chris got ready to turn the lights on once they were covered and then gave her a minute to let them adjust to the instant light. "Okay take a look." Chris was standing there in just a pair of pajama pants. He looked like a normal adult of his mid twenties for once in his life.

<Hope> It took her a few moments to figure out what he meant. She blinked. "You're... like... what happened?!"

<Christopher> "Final treatment, got broo to figure out how to push it a little and well." Chris motioned to himself for her.

<Hope> "So you're... normal again." She took a sip of her coffee. She need scotch.

<Christopher> "Should I strip so you can inspect?" Chris raised an eyebrow at her.

<Hope> Hmm coffee and naked Chris. Now there was a reason to be awake. She smirked and sipped on her coffee, leaning back into the pillows. "Put on a good show."

<Christopher> "That's a little hard when all I have left is pajama pants." Chris did his best to give her a little show, showing off his now naked and completely changed body. "Not as much to look at anymore huh?" He mentioned, missing a lot of his tatts.

<Hope> "Oh I'm quite fond of this model." She took another sip, smiling as she enjoyed the view in front of her.

<Christopher> He quickly hopped into the bed getting under the covers, after he put the coffee on his night stand. "Now I'm all cold." He poked her with his cold hands.

<Hope> She instantly shifted powers to compensate for the cold. "Cold never bothered me anyway," she teased, pulling him in for a proper kiss.

<Christopher> "Cheater." Chris kissed her back sliding his arms around her. "God I missed touching you."

<Hope> "Me too," She snuggled into him, getting comfortable against him.

<Christopher> "Guess I'm presentable at events now that I'm not all blinged out huh?" Chris nuzzled her neck and enjoyed the warmth of the bed.

<Hope> "How lucky for you we have one coming up that you can test out," she nuzzled him back, running her fingers over his chest.

<Christopher> "I just have good timing huh? I wonder if one of the presents I got you might help you out with said even." Chris enjoyed the feeling of her fingers on his chest for a moment before pressing his lips to hers.

<Hope> "It can wait," she mumbled against him, pulling him closer as she returned the kiss.

<Christopher> "Oh what's it going to have to wait on huh?" Chris snuggled into her tightly, his lips moving to her jawline.

<Hope> "Till after naptime," she teased, grinning.

<Christopher> "I'm not sleepy though, think you can help tire me out." Chris' hands moved down to squeeze her butt.

<Hope> "We'll see." She smirked, kissing him again.

<Christopher> --Time Skip For Graphic Scenes-

<Christopher> "God that was amazing." Chris huffed out, he was completely spent and the room was nice and bright now with the sun finally up.

<Hope> Hope lay on his chest, snuggled into him. "Mmhmm," she mumbled, closing her eyes against the brightness.

<Christopher> Chris pulled the covers up. "I need to instal remote controlled blinds." He stared down at his beautiful girlfriend who was finally after months touching him again. "I'm sorry for everything Hope. I have everything I could ever want with you." He gave her a warm smile and hugged her tightly.

<Hope> "You sure about that? You might need food. And water," she teased, snuggling into him though.

<Christopher> "Nah, I'll just let you fuck me to death." Chris kissed her forehead. "But I guess we can get food too eventually." He tickled her a little.

<Hope> She whacked him a little, squirming to escape the tickling. "Chris!"

<Christopher> "Yeah?" He grinned at her, enjoying the smack.

<Hope> "Stop that. We do more than just that." She shifted off of him to lay beside him.

<Christopher> "I know Hope." He smiled. "You're really going to like a few of those gifts out there." He kissed her cheek softly.

<Hope> "A few? How many did you get!?" She shifted to look at his face better.

<Christopher> "Enough to make up missing your Birthday." Chris kissed her nose.

<Hope> "Because my birthday is so important," she wrinkled her nose at him.

<Christopher> "It is to me." Chris kissed her cheek. "If you hadn't been born I would be pretty sad."

<Hope> She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You wouldn't even knoooow," she pointed out.

<Christopher> "Oh just let me be corny." Chris cuddled with her. "Wonder if they'll let me have my powers yet."

<Hope> She laughed and snuggled into him. "I maaaaaaaay be able to help with that."

<Christopher> "Damn you're just the best girlfriend in the world."

<Hope> "You forget. I'm very important," she reminded him, trying to look the part.

<Christopher> "I'll never forget that." He pulled her into a tight hug and tickled her playfully.

<Hope> "Well you just did!" she laughed.

<Christopher> "Psh if you say so." Chris snuggled her enjoying her skin on his. "So presents or nap?"

<Hope> "Hmmm first presents, then nap?"

<Christopher> "Presents it is. Should we get dressed?" Chris held her close not wanting to let go.

<Hope> "Briefly," she smirked, pulling away to get her pajamas on.

<Christopher> "I guess that's acceptable." Chris went to put his on as well.

<Hope> "Marine One will arrive at some point to take me to DC. You want to come?" She asked as she got her pants on.

<Christopher> "If you want me there you know I will be." Chris stared at her butt while she pulled up her pants.

<Hope> "That isn't what I asked," she pointed out, pulling her shirt over her head.

<Christopher> "Yes I would love to go with you." Chris left his shirt off and started into the living room.

<Hope> "See, was that so hard?" she stuck her tongue out at him, following him.

<Christopher> "Oh it was like pulling teeth." Chris picked up a box for her to open first.

<Hope> "So difficult," she laughed, sitting down with the box. "Well thanks." She inspected the package before opening it.

<Christopher> "It's not a knife sorry." He sat next to her and got comfortable.

<Hope> "Awww, but then I could stab something," she smirked, pulling out a silver necklace. "Oh wow!"

<Christopher> "I'm sure I can make you a nice knife too." Chris laughed a little. "You like it?"

<Hope> "Well not to be greedy... but yeah a knife would totally rock." She grinned, moving to he could put the necklace on her. "I love it."

<Christopher> "I'll get right to work Mistress." Chris kissed her neck behind her ear softly as he helped her put on the necklace. "I'm glad you like it, it took me forever to do the fine work with claws."

<Hope> She touched the necklace with her fingers, looking back to kiss him. "You did beautiful work. Even with claws."

<Christopher> "There's more under there for you." Chris slid his fingers into hers.

<Hope> "More?" she blinked, glancing at the packages left under the tree.

<Christopher> "You didn't expect me to not spoil you?" He grabbed the card that was just sitting on one of the boxes. "I think you'll like this one the most though."

<Hope> Was it really spoiling when she could buy most anything for herself? She shrugged the thought off. "Maybe." She opened up the card, laughing heartily. "Yes! Gun range! I will put you to shaaaaame, Chris!"

<Christopher> "I'm sure you will." Chris laughed. "Maybe you can teach me how to be a better shot?"

<Hope> "Well I can try. It really just takes practice," she laughed with him.

<Christopher> "Well then I guess we'll have to see if we can permanently reserve a spot at the range." Chris stared at all the presents that were marked for her, maybe he went a little overboard.

<Hope> "That'd be awesome! Especially after I get back from Alaska with Shaw."

<Christopher> "Huh?" Chris frowned a little. "What're you doing up there?"

<Hope> She shrugged. "Club business. Maybe they want an icicle branch!"

<Christopher> Chris laughed a little at that. "Okay, maybe I should have gotten you some thermal underwear too, but those aren't really sexy." He kissed her cheek softly. "Would you mind giving me a heads up when things like that come up?"

<Hope> "That's what I'm doing," she pointed out. "And I can't really discuss most of it with you anyway."

<Christopher> "That's fine. Just be safe okay?" Chris frowned a little, he didn't like not knowing what was going on.

<Hope> That's fine? Did she all of a sudden need his permission? "It's not like I will be going alone. If not Drake, then Stan and Phil will be there. I don't really have a choice in being safe."

<Christopher> Chris laughed a little. "Well don't get Drake killed, we actually get along. Should I have bought you some kind of bad ass gun too?"

<Hope> Laughing, she shook her head no. "Nah, they don't like it when I carry weapons. I think they fear I'll shoot them."

<Christopher> "Wimps." Chris kissed at her neck. "Well you have more to open if you want to."

<Hope> Hope really looked at the packages for the first time. "Good grief, Chris!" She laughed a little. "How much did you spend?!"

<Christopher> "Not enough." Chris gave her a grin. "I might have gone overboard on a certain website though."

<Hope> She gave him a questioning look. "What website?"

<Christopher> "Victoria secret maybe? I don't remember you'll have to open more and see."

<Hope> Hope gave him a playful punch to his arm, laughing and opening up another package.

<Christopher> "You don't need lingerie to be sexy babe. Bit I might have gotten some for you, but you won't know till you open them."

<Hope> "Well I'm working on it," she worked on opening the box.

<Christopher> "This one has things under things so keep digging."

<Hope> She kept digging until she got to the bottom of the box, then pulled it out to inspect everything. "Crosby jersey!!!" She squealed.

<Christopher> "Check out the blue and white one." Chris had no clue it was a winter classic jersey.

<Hope> She quickly looked it over, grinning. "You got it signed?!"

<Christopher> "Just the one, I figured you'd want to be able to wear the other one." He picked up the other boxes that went with it. "There's more."

<Hope> "Well yeah! This is awesome! I'm hanging it up!" She slipped the non signed jersey on, snuggling down into it before taking the other box.

<Christopher> "Glad I went overboard now?" Chris slipped his arm around her, just under the jersey.

<Hope> "Maaaaaybe?" She laughed, looking inside the little box. She pulled out the paper, trying to read it and figure out what it was. "No way..."

<Christopher> "Uhmm yes way?" Chris asked her not knowing anything about hockey and was a little scared she didn't like it.

<Hope> "I get to play hockey with Crosby!? Are you shitting me?!"

<Christopher> "Well it's supposed to be Hockey lessons, but I figured you knew how to skate. But I don't."

<Hope> "I will crush you under my skates!" She laughed heartily.

<Christopher> "You're kinda sexy when you're vicious like that." He laughed a little. " Have a feeling I'm going to look like an idiot, maybe you should bring a camera."

<Hope> "I'll make Drake video it. I'm going to enjoy this for months to come!" She laughed, kissing him softly.

<Christopher> "I'm glad you like it honey. Oh and there's a gift card in there for Dick's so we can get our gear, but I don't think we really need the gift card." He shrugged.

<Hope> She laughed again. "Nah, but we can do something nice for the store."

<Christopher> "Yeah that's a pretty big card, I had no idea how much things costs or what we'll need...."

<Hope> "You'll need everything. I already own most everything." She shrugged.

<Christopher> "Well damn, basically I bought it for myself then?" He laughed a little.

<Hope> "Welll... I could use a few new things maybe." She shrugged, laughing.

<Christopher> "So I guess we should get ready for the white house....?" Chris was a little intimidated for once by the fact that he was dating the presidents daughter.

<Hope> She glanced at the clock. "Yeah we probably should. Tony waits about as well as I do."

<Christopher> "So he's probably still asleep waiting for some assistant to bring him coffee?" Chris kissed her softly. "Think we have time for seconds?" He gave her a smirk hoping she'd say yes.

<Hope> She laughed, kissing him as she got up, offering her hands to help him up. "Doubtful. Christmas lunch is our new thing. And dinner. Of coffee and scotch."

<Christopher> "Sounds yummy. I'm guessing you want to drive?" Chris stretched a little stripping down to his boxers so he could go get dressed. "Uhmm.... what should I wear?"

<Hope> "I don't know how to fly a helicoptor," Hope pointed out. "Dress nicely."

<Christopher> "Well I ment are we taking my car or yours." He stuck his tongue out at her. "You know there's different levels." He grabbed a few of his suits and held them up for her.

<Hope> "Babe. We're taking the helicopter. Marine one." She inspected his suits, pointing to a black one.

<Christopher> "Oh... Yeah, shoulda known that, it woulda been a hell of a drive." Chris donned the one that she picked. "Good choice."

<Hope> "Of course it is. I have excellent taste. Are you sure you are alright? Maybe McCoy should check you out or something."

<Christopher> "Yeah, why do you ask...? I look okay right?" Chris tried to look himself over.

<Hope> "Yeah... just..." Not quite all there. She shook her head. "Nothing. Let's get cleaned up and enjoy our holiday."

<Christopher> "I enjoy every day with you." Chris walked over after getting his pants on and kissed her. "I'm fine I promise."

<Hope> She eyed him a bit, returning the kiss. "Alright then." She headed into the bathroom to get ready. "It should be an awesome lunch at least!"

<Christopher> "I am but if it will make you feel better as soon as we get back I'll have McCoy double check me." Chris got the rest of his clothes on making sure everything still fit right.

<Hope> "Totally make me feel better!" She called over the sound of the water.

<Christopher> Chris moved over to the bathroom adjusting his tie. "Anything for you love."
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

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Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
JackSkulls
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Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by JackSkulls »

<Kat> Kat was walking down the hallway, digging through her purse looking for her keys. She was headed to buy some paint to help spruce up her room. And paint supplies. And possibly someone to do the painting. This was getting complicated.

<Christopher> Walking down the hall Chris noticed a familiar face. "Hey Kat." He smiled and picked up the pace to catch up to her, he almost spilled his coffee a few times. "Where are you off to?"

<Kat> "Hey." Kat said, not focusing on who was talking. She looked up, finally with her keys in hand. She smiled. "Oh, hey, Chris. I'm headed to buy paint, and paint supplies, and possibly painters to spruce up my room."

<Christopher> "That is something I would definitely advise on. This place is pretty.... yeah, nasty. I could save you the trip if you want though. I have plenty of paint and painting supplies in my art room." Chris gave her a warm smile and took a sip of his coffee.

<Kat> "Really? Thanks! That'd be great. I'd adore some help. Although, I have to warn you, I'm horrible with a paint brush." Kat was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She tossed her keys back into her bag, "Lead the way sir!"

<Christopher> "Well I'm sure I can teach you, since that is my job." Chris led the way back out to his art room on the lawn. "We'll have your room looking awesome in no time!"

<Kat> " Sounds wonderful!" Kat hurried next to him and slightly brushed her hand against his, hoping that it came off more like a subtle accident. "Whoops. Sorry."

<Christopher> "You're fine." He smiled and led her out onto the lawn and to his makeshift art room with his forge. "Welcome to the art place. I basically let the kids go wild in here. But a try and get them to do new things like metal craft. That's my specialty. Well that and body art."

<Kat> Kat followed Chris into the art room. "This place is great. I love it." She walked around looking at everything. "Are you sure that you've got the right kind of paint?"

<Christopher> "Oh yeah. I've got just about every medium you can think of. And if it's not in here I'll have some in my storage." He opened a large cupboard. "Okay take a look see if I've got what you want."

<Kat> Kat started digging in the closet, but felt clueless. She went over to Chris. "I'm lost in this closet. Can you help?" She pulled a crumpled picture out of her purse. "This is what I was going for."

<Christopher> "Oh yeah I should have those colors." Chris rummaged through the paints and grabbed all the colors she wanted. "The fabrics I can't help you with though." He laughed a little.

<Kat> Kat laughed with him. "No worries about the other decor. I've got that coming."

<Christopher> "Good, cuz I don't teach textiles." Chris set the paints on a table and went to another cupboard to get paint brushes and rollers.

<Kat> "That's alright. Turns out, I am a master online shopper. It does take mad skills..." She trailed off. She sat down on a stool near the table. "If this is going to take up too much of your time, I am sure that I can hire someone."

<Christopher> "Oh no you're fine. I've got nothing to do today but grade a few bio papers." Chris gave her the brushes picking up all the paint himself.

<Kat> Kat took the brushes from Chris and hopped up off the stool. "You ready? I'll lead the way."

<Christopher> "Lets get this room of yours looking awesome!" Chris followed her out of his art room and off to hers, his coffee long forgotten to get cold on his desk.

<Kat> Kat lead the way to her room. Once they arrived, she dug out her keys and unlocked the door. She lead Chris into her musty room full of boxes with clothes spilling out of them. "Sorry it's such a wreck. Finally got my shipment from my parents."

<Christopher> "Oh you're fine my room usually looks way worse. You should see my Bio-desk."

<Kat> "Well, I tried to get settled, but then I decided I needed to paint. I bet your desk isn't THAT bad." Kat rummaged through some boxes and grabbed a pair shorts and a oversized t-shirt. "Give me a sec, I need to change so I don't ruin these clothes." She ducked into her bathroom.

<Christopher> "Just wait till you have a class with me, you'll see." He laughed. "I should probably ask one of my advanced students to be a TA to get me some help. Take your time. Like I said I'm in no rush."

<Kat> Kat re-entered the bedroom, wearing short workout shorts and a long, over sized shirt. She had pulled her hair back, and was rummaging around looking for a pair of running shoes. She located what she was looking for and put her shoes on. "Okay, now I'm ready."

<Christopher> "Okay so lets get started on the walls." Chris pulled everything away from the walls. "It's really not that hard. You just make sure you have paint on the roller but not too much. And then easy as one two three roll up and down and you have a freshly painted wall."He poured some paint into a few of the trays he'd brought. "And the smaller brushes are for the trim."

<Kat> "Okay, well, I'll give it a shot. But I might mess it up." She grabbed a roller and had a thought. She turned towards Chris and batted her eyes at him. "Can you help me? Maybe guide me through the strokes the first time?"

<Christopher> "Okay, it's not that hard." Chris moved over to her and helped her dip the roller into paint and let it drip out slowly. "Okay just like this." He helped her roll it up and down the wall evenly.

<Kat> Kat loved the feel of Chris' hand on hers. "I think I've almost got it. Can you help me one more
time to be sure?"

<Christopher> Chris laughed a little. "It's not that hard I promise. Just give it a shot." He gave her help with a few more strokes and then let go to work on a different wall.

<Kat> Disappointed that he left, Kat picked up the brush and began to paint. The two worked for a while in silence. Kat couldn't stand it. She put her paint brush down, and walked over to the wall where Chris was working. "It's too quiet. Do you like music? I'll turn some on."

<Christopher> "Yeah, but you won't want to listen to my stuff. I'm good with anything though." Chris kept at work trying to finish the wall so he could do a second coat.

<Kat> "Really? Wha kind of music do you listen to?" Kat was suddenly more interested in getting know more about Chris that painting.

<Christopher> "Heavy metal. Children of Bodom. Megadeath." Chris got a little more paint on the brush and moved on to get more of the wall.
<Kat> Kat shuffled through her ipad playlist. "Unfortunately, I don't have anything that heavy. Sorry." She selected some pulsating dance music, plugged in her speaker, and go back to painting. She danced as she painted.

<Christopher> "Hey anything with a beat is good, usually." Chris moved about a little to the tune and started to paint more.

<Kat> Kat painted and danced until she finished what she could reach of her wall. She stepped back and yelled at Chris over the music. "Does this look alright?"

<Christopher> Chris laughed a little. "Psh you missed a whole huge spot." He picked her up to help her get to the top.

<Kat> Kat squealed as Chris picked her up. She painted the spots she hadn't been able to reach, just a tad slower than she could've. She liked being in Chris' arms. He was strong, and she felt safe. "Thanks!" She hollered down.

<Christopher> "My pleasure. We'll have this room done in no time!" Chris set her down and moved to another wall.

<Kat> Kat turned down the music. "Thanks for the help. It sucks that I'm not that tall, but that's why God gave us Louis Vuittons."

<Christopher> "Or just tall people that don't mind giving you a lift?" Chris sat back on a dresser to take a break.

<Kat> Kat bit her lip. "Exactly. Tall, strong, men are a gift from God." She winked at Chris. She walked over to her mini fridge and rummaged through it for something to drink. She pulled out a bottle of water and a couple of beers. "Do you want something? I've got beer and water..." She paused. "Oooh. I'll order us a pizza too! What do you like on your pizza?"

<Christopher> "You sure you're old enough to have those?" Chris confiscated one of the beers and popped it open. "I'm fine with anything."

<Kat> "Maybe. Maybe not." She grinned. "I have my ways of getting what I need." She began looking for her phone. She couldn't find it, so she dumped the contents of her purse on the floor. After digging through the like, she finally found her

<Kat> phone and ordered the pizza.

<Christopher> "I guess I should be a good teacher and supervise this drinking." He laughed.

<Kat> Cracking open her beer, she cackled, "You can supervise me anytime."

<Christopher> "Trying to make Hope jealous?" He laughed a little. "I wouldn't mind having someone to hang out with when Hope's busy. I think you've got a deal."

<Kat> Kat's heart soared and her eyes twinkled. "I'm not worried about Hope." She laughed. "You are welcome here ANYTIME."

<Christopher> "Same with you, I'll either be in my classrooms or trailer." He gave her a smile. "I'm pretty boring though. So you might want to make some other friends too."

<Kat> "I doubt you are that boring." Her phone dinged, signaling the arrival of the pizza. "Ready for some food?"
TechPrincess
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Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
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Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

A day or two after Christmas

<Hope> Hope eased herself back into her seat on Sebastian's plane, bringing her glass of scotch to her lips as she gazed out the window. Chris hadn't been too pleased that she was going to Alaska in the first place, but he knew better than to protest club business. She swallowed hard. Should she have brought him?

<Hope> She glanced over to the other passengers on the plane, eyes settling on the surprise asian on the flight. No. No she should not have. She wanted to deal with this nuisance all on her own.

<Shaw> Sebastian thumbed off his phone and picked up his own crystal tumbler of scotch, taking an appreciative sip. He watched Hope with a slight smile. "It's not Air Force One, but I do hope you're not too disappointed."

<Hope> She smirked back, nodding at him. "It will just have to do, won't it?" she teased. She set her glass down, shifting her seat to be more sociable. "I didn't realize we'd be having such..." she glanced at Shinobi "lovely company."

<Shinobi> Slouched in his own seat, he gave his father and the Stark woman a lazy, toothy smile. "Likewise unpleasantly surprised, but then I was told this little excursion wasn't optional."

<Shaw> "Shinobi," he warned with a slight shake of his head. "Jessica needed a bit of quiet time, and since I'm unwilling to let him roam about on his own, here we are. I do apologize." He flashed Hope a grin that didn't look terribly apologetic.

<Hope> Hope shot them both a glare. "Super. You ever think of putting her in a glass bubble so she can't stress herself out? Though I guess... she'd find a way in there too." Hope sighed.

<Shinobi> "Like a hamster wheel?" He smirked at Sebastian and turned his attention to the blue outside the window.

<Shaw> He rolled his eyes and sipped his scotch.

<Hope> Hope smiled despite herself. "Now there's an amusing thought." With Shinobi no longer talking to her, she glanced to Sebastian. "So are you going to tell us why we're here?"

<Shaw> "Because it's Christmas, love." He paused at Shinobi's snort, then went on. "And, your birthday, of course, so happy birthday." He raised his glass toward her and inclined his head.

<Hope> She stuck her tongue out at Shinobi. "So... trip to Alaska for my birthday slash Christmas?" Odd. She had just been to Alaska with Bobby. Though that was fun. She totally liked Alaska a lot better with Bobby around.

<Shaw> "Indeed. I have something to show you." He sat up and reached into his attache case, coming up with a small, wrapped box, which he handed over to her. "One of your gifts."

<Hope> "What's this?" she asked, taking the box, slightly surprised. She started working on the wrapping paper right away.

<Shinobi> Now interested, he pretended not to be.

<Shaw> "I considered jewelry, but I didn't believed anything I saw suited you, so I thought you might be interested in another approach." He got up to refill their glasses, even pouring a scotch for his faux son.

<Hope> The lid off the box, Hope blinked at the syringe inside it. Her eyes shot up to Sebastian, clearly baffled. "The fuckity fuck?"

<Shinobi> Leaning over to see inside Hope's box, he smirked. "Well... that's a new kink."

<Shaw> Sebastian brought Hope her refilled glass. "Inside this," he said, picking the syringe out of the box, "Is a solution to the little problem we suffered at the children's hospital."

<Hope> Hope looked between him and the syringe. It took her all of two seconds before she held out her arm.

<Shinobi> He blinked. The woman was insane.

<Shaw> "You don't even want to know how? Or what?" He chuckled, handing her the tumbler of scotch. "Eager."

<Hope> "Oh I definitely want to know how. I already know what. You have plenty of time to explain before we land." She took the scotch, taking a sip.

<Shaw> "It's based on inhibitor technology, and reverses it, effectively blocking the effects of those beams the sentinels currently use to negate our abilities."

<Hope> "And the limitations? How many blasts can it withstand?"

<Shaw> "Two at the least, potentially three without loss of all protection. I won't lie, love, it's still undergoing testing, and there is the question of range of effectiveness, since I doubt it would withstand a blast at point blank." He tapped the fat syringe on his palm.

<Hope> She thought about that, and nodded. "So... I'm sort of a guinea pig then, yeah?"

<Shinobi> "Well, well, father, dabbling in human experimentation? Careful, your Nathaniel Essex is showing..." He tsked, then looked back out the window, still listening.

<Shaw> Sebastian pressed his lips together in irritation. "It's nothing I haven't done to myself," he snapped.

<Hope> The glass flew from her hand before she could stop herself, shattering on the wall near Shinobi's head.

<Shinobi> He ducked, phasing at the same time, though he needed to be careful not to drop through the jet. "Are you nuts?!"

<Shaw> "Hope!" He had to stop to put the delicate syringe aside before he could intervene.

<Hope> She sat there for a moment, breathing. She picked up her phone and started for the bathroom. "Sorry, I'll just uh... toilet. Sorry."

<Shinobi> "Yes, run and call daddy!" She'd gotten scotch on him! And glass, but mostly it was the scotch that irritated him. "I liked this shirt..."

<Shaw> "Hope-" Sebastian started after her, once again feeling the weight of guilt for that bastard Essex.

<Hope> That was it. She took the few steps back and swung at Shinobi's face.

<Shinobi> He wasn't phased, since he was trying to clean off his shirt, so the punch took him off guard and knocked him back into his seat, where his belated reaction phased him through the seat and onto the floor behind it.

<Shaw> Since it was a little late to stop them, Sebastian just picked up his scotch and took a sip.

<Hope> "Don't you dare, ever, mock me again," she warned, standing over him. "Or a sucker punch will be the least of your worries." She turned again, heading for that restroom. "Yeah yeah, I'll put myself in time out," she told Sebastian as she went.

<Shinobi> "Shut up." He increased his density to push his way past Sebastian, shoulder checking him on the way to get ice for his face.

<Shaw> Sebastian waited for the bathroom door to close before he went over to where Shinobi was picking himself up off the floor. "I do hope that was quite worth it."

<Hope> Hope took several moments to recompose herself before she reemerged, going straight for the scotch.

<Shaw> For his part, Sebastian was counting to ten in three languages before he decided how to deal with either of the children on his jet.

<Shinobi> He was at the bar, getting ice, when she returned. Pulling himself up to his full height, he shot her a venomous look.

<Hope> She glanced up at Shinobi, smirking. "If that's supposed to intimidate me, it doesn't." She handed him a rag for the ice, not taking her eyes off of his.

<Shaw> He leaned on the bulkhead and took another sip of scotch, watching this exchange with a smirk.

<Shinobi> He took the rag, eyes narrowing slightly, but he had no problems with staring her down. "How kind of you. It would have been especially helpful if you'd brought your ice idiot so he could pop out a few cubes for me."

<Hope> "How unfortunate for you. Perhaps if you were less of a douchbag, you wouldn't have need for ice." She switched to Sebastian's power so she could bounce off their minds just enough to pour herself a drink without taking her eyes off Shinobi. She couldn't look away first.

<Shinobi> How the fuck was she doing that? "You have alcoholic echolocation. How fascinating." He bared his teeth at her and folded the ice into the rag, pressing it to his cheekbone and keeping his eyes on hers since she apparently wanted to play this game.

<Hope> "I'm full of surprises," she smirked at him over the rim of the glass, finally taking a sip.

<Shaw> Sebastian's eyebrow went up at her response. "Well then, if you two are quite finished?" He gestured to their seats and retook his own after retrieving the syringe. "I have one for you as well, Shinobi, so sit."

<Hope> "I thought we were just getting started." She picked up the bottle, and headed to her seat. He could have the win.

<Shaw> He gave Hope a slight smirk and nod, then turned his attention back to Shinobi, who was still standing there, his eyes glued to Hope's backside. Sebastian cleared his throat and took a sip of his scotch.

<Shinobi> Somewhat perplexed now, he watched her return to her seat.

<Hope> Hope reclaimed her seat, glancing back over at Shinobi. She totally caught that. She grinned into her scotch. Still had it!

<Shaw> Sebastian looked between the two, then took the bottle from Hope to refill his own glass. "As I was saying, I've been giving the blocking tech to those closest to me, as a gift. And yes, it furthers the development and testing."

<Shinobi> His eyes snapped to hers when she sat down, and he realized he'd been caught. So, he smirked at her and took his time returning to his own seat.

<Hope> "Do you have one for Drake?" Hope asked, managing to look away from her distraction to focus on business again.

<Shaw> "That is something we will have to test - how well the technology will tolerate drastic temperature changes." Sebastian balanced his tumbler against his knee to shrug off his suit jacket and started rolling up his sleeve.

<Shinobi> "And you want to test this on me?" He found his own drink, still mostly intact, and took a sip. "Forgive me if I'm not entirely convinced."

<Hope> "Poltroons need not be tested," she informed Shinobi. "He's testing it on me. Doesn’t that tell you something?"

<Shinobi> It took a moment, in which he stared at her with a calculating frown. "Oh, most definitely. Since, after all, a knavish speech sleeps in a fool's ear."

<Hope> She sat up in her seat, suddenly awake and alive. "What trick, what device, what starting-hole canst thou now find out, to hide thee from this open and apparent shame?" Sebastian was forgotten. The serum was forgotten. She had a war to win.

<Shaw> Sebastian drummed his fingers on the arm of the seat. Uno, due, tre...

<Shinobi> He didn't know exactly how it was he knew these words, but he did. It seemed... natural. "Thou hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs... and more wealth than faults, Stark." Shinobi ended it with a sneer and a dismissive once-over. The hair part was certainly correct.

<Hope> She glared at him, then waved a hand dismissively. "Hence, horrible villain, or I'll spurn thine eyes like balls before me." She turned her attention back to Sebastian. "You were saying?"

<Shinobi> He laughed. "What was that about my balls?"

<Shaw> "Yes, as I was saying, I've injected myself." He extended his arm and showed her the pale skin of his upper arm, and a fading mark just under his bicep.

<Hope> "I breathe defiance to thine ears." She told Shinobi, not bothering to look over at him. She carefully touched Sebastian's arm, inspecting it. How could she quote Shakespeare when she was thinking science?

<Shinobi> "Oh, but thou shame the music of sweet news by playing it with so sour a face," he said, his tone sing-song when he sat forward to look at the mark on his father's arm. Happily, it brought him closer to Hope Stark's sour face, so he grinned at it, wolfishly.

<Hope> "Oh Shinobi... A false face must hide what the false heart doth know." She looked over at him, suddenly aware that he was close to her. "Thou appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours," she told him in a soft volume. Very close indeed.

<Shaw> "Yes, and as fascinating as an exercise in bizarre literary one upmanship as this has been, don't you both think it's time we get to the matter at hand before we land?"

<Shinobi> "You wound me..." He grinned at her. "I even used Listerine this morning..."

<Hope> Laughing, Hope put her hand on Shinobi's head to gently push him away. "Yeah yeah, let's get our injection done. Never know when we'll get company." She held out her arm again.

<Shaw> This time, Sebastian took it, and located the gift box to pull out an alcohol packet. After he wiped down her skin, he met her eyes before he injected her. Sebastian nodded once, giving her a small, reassuring smile.

<Shinobi> It was unsettling, watching him inject her with God knew what.

<Hope> She masked the pain with Shinobi right there, pretending all was well. "Well that's done." She glanced back at Sebastian, grateful for the distraction.

<Shaw> "Well done." Sebastian's smile grew a bit broader and he carefully recapped the specialized syringe.

<Shinobi> He was watching them both carefully, although he couldn't help the flash of irritation at the way he treated her.

<Hope> She smiled back at Sebastian, grabbing up her scotch to drink it. "Hopefully I don't get to test it out too soon."

<Shaw> "Let's hold out hope." The terrible pun made him smirk and he sat back to rifle though his attache. "Shinobi, your turn."

<Shinobi> "I never said I wanted to be a part of your test group."

<Hope> "Give his dose to Bobby then," Hope suggested, taking a slow drink of her scotch.

<Shaw> "Well, I certainly have enough for anyone interested, but I thought to take care of you now." Undeterred, Sebastian took another box from the case and opened it himself. "Where do you want it?"

<Shinobi> "Not everyone is willing to just heel the instant you snap your fingers, father." He gave Hope a pointed look.

<Hope> That got her to laugh. "Ohhh he wishes it were that simple with me. Would make life so much easier."

<Shaw> "It most certainly would." With everyone. He looked at Shinobi expectantly, but he still wasn't moving.

<Hope> Her eyes flicked between the two of them. This could be interesting. She took another sip and eased back into her seat, watching the showdown.

<Shaw> "You may choose where I implant this chip, or I may choose it for you." His tone was perfectly even, but he gave the syringe a slight wave.

<Shinobi> "And what else is included in that package? A tracker? An actual inhibitor? I'm certain you would love to have another way to control me." He glared at Sebastian.

<Hope> "So cynical." She swirled the amber liquid in the glass. "Shinobi..." she remembered not trusting Sebastian either. "He's not the enemy."

<Shinobi> "No, of course not." He snorted. "I have stuck to the letter of our agreement, but this is where the line is drawn. Why would I ever let you do something like that to me?"

<Shaw> "Because, I don't want you to be helpless should the unthinkable happen and we're attacked by sentinels? I've given Jessica one exactly like this, the only difference is that due to her pregnancy she needs to wear it instead." He was quickly losing patience, and there was a ding to signal the jet's descent. "Time is growing short, Shinobi."

<Hope> "You don't know what it's like... to face those things. Powerless. Or you wouldn't hesitate." She set her empty glass down. She knew. She knew all too well.

<Shinobi> Her tone made him hesitate in his response and he looked over at her. "I have yet to see one. In person, that is."

<Hope> She swallowed hard, looking up at him again. "I've nearly died twice. Because they knocked out my powers. So whatever is in there? I don't care. And I'd rather be tracked than dead."

<Shaw> Sebastian's mouth ticked upward just slightly. He would count that as implied retroactive consent then. "Have you stopped to consider that if I inject you with this, that SHIELD's inhibitor cuffs will no longer work on you? Viper cannot use her tricks either, until she adapts, at any rate."

<Shinobi> He looked out the window, at the snow and scattered buildings streaking by, and shook his head.

<Hope> Hope started grinning. She hadn't considered that either. "Invincible. And unlike Jess, it's not some stupid form of jewelry. It's part of you."

<Shaw> Sebastian turned his attention to Hope to raise his eyebrow for the shot at his wife. "At any rate, she's right." Although, he could always override it, at least in Shinobi's case. While he was feeling the Christmas spirit a tad, he wasn't feeling suicidal.

<Shinobi> It made him look at them both, watching the exchanged expressions again. "No." He turned his attention back out the window, crossing his arms.

<Hope> Hope rolled her eyes. "Let a sentinel get a hold of him. He'll wise up."

<Shaw> He decided to let it rest, for the moment, and stashed the box in his case, sitting back in the seat. "Indeed, if it isn't too late for such regret, of course." The descent was getting noticeable now, and his ears popped.

<Shaw> Turning to Hope, he grinned. "Well, now the adventure begins."
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:38 am
Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
Nightscrawlearth Character: :jean :emma :husk
Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

<Shaw> Sebastian couldn't really see the driver, due to the privacy window, which made him somewhat uncomfortable. Or, perhaps the problem was that he was shoved into the back of this rented limo with Hope, Shinobi, and two SHIELD agents.

<Shaw> He decided to redirect his attention, and after checking his phone, looked out the window. The snow-covered mountains made a breathtaking backdrop to the city, he had to admit. "You know, I've never been here before, not really. Not aside from one or two brief business trips."

<Hope> "I haven't been back properly since I left... three years ago." Hope was fixated on the window, an uncharacteristic smile on her face. She always said she hated Alaska, but she was overwhelmed with a sense of home. Everything seemed so clean here. And fresh.

<Shaw> "And how does it feel?" Her smile made the answer fairly obvious, but he watched her with his own pleased expression.

<Shinobi> He was jammed between the door and an agent, and he couldn't get any closer to the door without phasing through it. The conversation made him look over, however.

<Hope> "Amazing... Bobby and I came camping up here, but that was to forget about things. And it wasn't Christmas." She reached over and took Sebastian's hand, looking up at him. "Thank you."

<Shaw> "You're quite welcome, little Stark." He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. "Camping?" The corner of his mouth twisted a bit. "Ech."

<Hope> She laughed and nodded a little. "Yeah. Real camping. Like, we only ate what we hunted camping. Carol is going with me next time."

<Shaw> "That sounds... well, fairly dreadful." There was a reason he lived in the city, after all. "There will be no camping this time around, I'm afraid. We'll spend tonight at the Crowne Plaza. I have reserved the presidential suite."

<Hope> She mulled this information over a bit. "Acceptable." She smirked a bit.

<Shaw> "I'm glad you approve. I also made arrangements for your... escort." He smirked at the agents. "You're welcome as well, since I'm certain it's rather above your pay grade."

<Shinobi> He looked back out the window, wondering if he would be staying with the agents there as well. Joy.

<Hope> "Well that was thoughtful of you." She released his hand, placing it back on her lap. "So... where are we going?"

<Shinobi> How thoughtful. He snorted softly.

<Shaw> "Well, that's all part of the surprise, isn't it?" He leaned toward her to whisper in her ear. "It has nothing to do with Club business." The limo turned up a private drive.

<Hope> Confused, she gave him a look. She studied his face for any further clues, but found none. She was going to complain about surprises... but then she remembered Jess hated them. He had nobody to surprise. She smiled again. "I guess I'll just be surprised then."

<Shaw> He grinned at her, then took her hand back for the ride up the hill. The sign was just as in the photos in his report, reading Hope House. It was bright and cheerful, adorned with yellow and orange sunflowers and daisies.

<Shaw> When they rounded the bend, a sprawling estate built from timber and fieldstone came into view, surrounded by a field of snow and backed by the mountains.

<Shinobi> Wondering what his father was up to, he frowned at the sign.

<Hope> She squeezed his hand, staring at the sign first. That was followed by the landscaping and the building itself. What is the world was this place? She'd never heard of it before. She swallowed. If she could have lived there as a kid, even just for a day, it might have been a day of happiness.

<Shaw> The limo rolled to a stop and Sebastian didn't wait for the driver to open the door, getting out himself and offering Hope his hand. It was ridiculously cold up here, and his breath puffed in the air.

<Hope> Taking the offered hand, Hope slid out of the car after him, smile already on her face. This place... was amazing. "What is this place?" she asked, taking his arm and tugging her coat a bit tighter. She totally should have brought Drake.

<Shinobi> Left to get out with the agents, he waited for the driver to open the other door and stretched, taking his time to look around. It was... white. Very white.

<Shaw> "Well, I believe to answer that question I should tell you the rest of the name. It's the Hope Stark House, for children." He slid his arm around her and watched her face, hoping he had judged this correctly.

<Hope> She blinked several times, taking a staggering breath. She looked up at him, then back at the building, tightening her hold on him. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. She brought a hand up to her mouth, covering it as she closed her eyes and counted to five.

<Shaw> "It's all right, little Stark." He held on, then pulled her into a hug.

<Shinobi> Turning around to look at the building... was it a house? It looked a bit like a house, or an office building made to look like a house. Or a lodge. He couldn't make heads or tails of the architecture in this frozen north. Then he saw his father and Stark. That was... odd.

<Hope> She held onto Sebastian, hiding her face as she took some deep breaths. "You built me a children's home?"

<Shaw> "Well, I located an existing non-profit with an excellent reputation, and I gave them a.... boost, we'll say." He smiled at the house, looking it over. "Perhaps this will make things a little easier for other children in your previous situation."

<Hope> She laughed a little, wiping a stray tear. "This is..." she didn't have words. She just nodded a little. "Thank you." She sniffed, hoping she looked presentable. "Thank you." She turned back toward the building.

<Shaw> "You're most welcome. Merry Christmas, and incidentally, happy birthday." Locating a handkerchief in a pocket, he presented it to her. "Shall we go see it? The Hope Stark Foundation was most generous and I believe they already have a few residents."

<Hope> She carefully wiped her face, mindful of her makeup. "You have no idea how many people you've helped with this. How many lives you made better."

<Shinobi> Was she... crying? Well, well... not such a winning idea then, was it, old man?

<Shaw> "It's the least I could do." He escorted her up the sidewalk and stopped by the plaque with the dedication, also decorated with bright sunflowers. "They'll be more or less self-sustaining, as they already had funding, but we'll keep helping them. You can be as involved as you like with the foundation."

<Hope> "Very involved," she told him with a smile. How could she be anything else? "They shouldn't have want for anything."

<Shaw> "Excellent." Sebastian let go to open the door for her, only then remembering Shinobi and the agents. Of course, the two agents were blending in with the landscape, and his faux son was sticking out of it, looking miserable and cold. "Come in," he suggested, his tone not unkind.

<Hope> Hope held out her hand for Shinobi with a smile, waiting at the door. Would he take it? She decided she quite liked this experiment, however it turned out.

<Shinobi> Ah, they weren't unhappy tears. What a pity. Surprisingly, the thought made him feel a slight twinge when she smiled at him. She was feeling charitable, apparently, but after the sucker punch on the jet he was wary.

<Shaw> Already inside the door, Sebastian looked back at the others and raised an eyebrow at Hope's invitation.

<Shinobi> It was his father's reaction that cinched his decision, and so Shinobi took Hope's hand with a winning smile. It was only slightly painful, entirely thanks to that punch.

<Hope> She squeezed Shinobi's hand and smiled back at him, following Sebastian through the doorway.

<Shinobi> "So, as I wasn't privy to the grand reveal, what the hell is this place?" He looked around the lobby, which looked rather like a living room, with an office to one side. Something about it tugged at his memories.

<Hope> She swallowed again, squeezing his hand harder to steady her emotions. "It's a children's home. I... I wasn't always known to be a Stark." She smiled as a group of three kids ran by, screaming and laughing. She could already hear someone scolding them. She just smiled more. "I was like them."

<Shinobi> When he saw the children, he knew what this place was, and drew in a ragged breath.

<Hope> She put her other hand on his arm. "You alright?" she asked softly.

<Shinobi> His throat worked and he frowned. "I know your history... do you know mine?" So, for her his father would bend over backward. And he spent most of his life as a pawn.

<Hope> "Pieces," she told him, keeping a hold on him. "We can talk about it later... okay? When there aren't... little ears." She nodded as more kids appeared.

<Shinobi> "Yeah..." His eyes were on a small boy.

<Hope> Hope felt terrible for him. She kept a hold of him as they started their tour. Apparently, they had a lot to talk about.
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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TechPrincess
Deck Swabber
Deck Swabber
Posts: 578
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:38 am
Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
Nightscrawlearth Character: :jean :emma :husk
Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

<Hope> Their hotel suite at the Crowne Plaza was fantastic. Hope got herself settled into her room and changed into her swimsuit. She wrapped herself up in the fluffy hotel robe and headed for the hot tub within the suite. She found scotch already waiting. Somebody knew she was coming. She grinned and poured herself a glass.

<Shaw> Shockingly, he was in the family suite, although he was sharing a room with his father. Still, the suite was beautiful, and after he found the liquor cabinet it was doubly so. After his little chat with Sebastian at the children's home, he was somewhat less angry, but all the more confused. The scotch was helping him with that, however.

<Hope> She set her drink down and headed into the living room. Hope texted away on her phone as she entered. "Hey Sebastian, I'm going to-oh." She glanced up just in time to see Shinobi alone in the room. "Heeeey Shinobi. Have you seen Sebastian?" Hopefully he was close. Like behind her.

<Shaw> The flame flickering in the fireplace had mesmerized him, but Hope's voice broke the spell and he sat up. "Oh. He went to the bar. Something about calling Jessica." Shinobi waved his hand and snorted, then actually looked at the Stark in the room. Oh.

<Hope> "Oh... I was going to order some food." She studied Shinobi briefly. "Want anything?"

<Shaw> He raised his glass of alcohol and gave it a slight shake.

<Hope> "Take that as a no then," she smiled, sitting down to pick up the phone and place her order. She was aware that her leg was showing, and she carefully slid the robe to cover that up.

<Shaw> "Well, wait... yes, I probably should eat." He put the glass down and swung his legs over to sit up. This, not coincidentally, gave him a much better view. "I'll have whatever you're having."

<Hope> She ordered them salmon and chocolate covered strawberries. She also gave them a stern warning about any nuts touching their food. The chef assured her it would be allergy free. That task done, she hung up the phone, smiling at him. "So I was going to check out this hot tub. Got it heating up. And there's scotch in there." She got to her feet again.

<Shaw> He listened to her peculiar nut warning with a half frown, still watching her. "There's a hot tub?" Shinobi finished untangling himself from the over-large chair and stood as well. "Where?"

<Hope> Laughing, she led him back to where it was. "It should be warmed up by now." She stuck her toe in, wobbling a bit.

<Shaw> His hand shot out to catch her arm. "Careful."

<Hope> "Thanks," she took a step back, keeping a hold of him. "It's warmed up." She glanced up at him and took of her robe, tossing it aside to reveal her black swimsuit.

<Shaw> A sip of scotch was required when she started to remove that robe, but then to his vast disappointment she was wearing a swimsuit. "That's... strappy." He used his critique as excuse to give her a thorough assessment.

<Hope> She just smirked and slid into the tub, picking up her own glass of scotch. "Indeed it is."

<Shinobi> The smirk was returned and he carefully set his drink down to loosen his tie, keeping his eyes on hers.

<Hope> Leaning back against the far wall, Hope watched him, smirking into her glass as she locked eyes with him. She certainly wasn't going to look away now.

<Shinobi> His brow twitched, along with his mouth, and he slid the tie free, the only sound in the room the hiss of the silk against the cotton.

<Hope> Hope required much more scotch to deal with this. She had to remind herself that she had a boyfriend. She smirked anyway and took another sip. Well, flirting never hurt anyone.

<Shinobi> Shinobi unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it free of his trousers. He grinned.

<Hope> It suddenly occurred to Hope that he didn't have a swim suit on. That caused another sip of scotch. She so wasn't looking away first though. Let him get naked. Shaw would kick his ass. Maybe. Possibly.

<Shinobi> He unbuckled his belt and peeled off his shirt and undershirt, breaking eye contact only to get it over his head.

<Hope> More scotch. Definitely more scotch. She had to look away to pour herself more. As soon as it was poured she looked back up at him, relaxing again.

<Shinobi> Kicking off his shoes and socks, he dropped trou and left his boxer briefs in place, stepping into the hot water and sitting down on the edge. Only then did he pick up his scotch and take a sip. "It is a bit warmer, isn't it?"

<Hope> Smirking, Hope nodded. "Yeah. There's a reason I was headed here." She studied him a bit, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger. She looked down at her tracing, totally losing round two. "I wanted to apologize... for on the plane."

<Shinobi> "Oh?" He kept his tone level.

<Hope> "Yeah..." she sank lower into the water, glad her hair was up in a bun so it wasn't getting soaked. "You hit a sore subject. I snapped. I'm sorry."

<Shinobi> "Ah. Essex?" He looked down at his glass, balancing it on his knee.

<Hope> "You said you knew my history. Do you know what he did?" She looked over at him again.

<Shinobi> "Yeah." He had to take another drink. "I was there."

<Hope> She downed that glass. "Why? Why would you bring it up then? Especially if you... help him." She spat out the last words.

<Shinobi> "I... didn't think about it, not in relation to you." He frowned into the glass. "He raised me. It was...natural... to help him. At the time."

<Hope> "I don't remember you... why don't I remember you?" She studied his face, trying to remember the details she had long suppressed.

<Shinobi> He shrugged one shoulder. "I was just one of several Acolytes." Shinobi met her eyes again.

<Hope> She looked away from him, staring down at the liquid in her cup instead. "Yeah..." Images of the videos she had been forced to watch flashed through her mind.

<Shinobi> It was surprisingly difficult now, sitting here and seeing her obviously damaged. "He was wrong. They both were."

<Hope> She jumped a bit, brought back to reality. It took her a moment before she caught up to him. "Sorry? Both who?"

<Shinobi> "Essex, and En Sabah Nur. That stance of x-gene superiority at all costs, even while using us to further their own agenda." He snorted, knocking back the rest of his glass. "And Essex... he wasn't even a mutant."

<Hope> "Dr. Loony Toon got what he deserved." She poured herself another glass of scotch. "I didn't know who I was then. Not that it might have changed anything, but another one of us, Teagan, she told me that the X-men forgot about me. That they weren't coming."

<Shinobi> "Well, I recall spending a lot of time fending off the X-Men." He gave the bottle a longing look, then slid around the edge of the tub toward her.

<Hope> She swallowed as he approached her, eyes on him again. "She was wrong, obviously. But I've really struggled with that. And then I found Tony. And Sebastian showed up." She laughed a little, remembering. "I thought he was after my ideas."

<Shinobi> He watched her from the corner of his eye while he poured himself a refill. "Only then?"

<Hope> She sat up, getting a better look at him. "Do you know something I don't?"

<Shinobi> "I just thought... he had a long association with that school." He watched her curiously. Did she not know then?

<Hope> "Yeah he did, but he wasn't around when I first got there." She took a sip of her drink. "Anyway... He's kind of been... the only stable thing in my life. Tony is busy running the country."

<Shinobi> Shinobi huffed. Clearly, she didn't, and he was almost delighted. "Oh... the irony."

<Hope> "The irony of... what, exactly? Finally finding out my parents aren't dead, but he's too busy to be a dad?"

<Shinobi> "No, not that. Sebastian..." He smiled into his glass and took a drink. "He likes to pretend he's such a patron saint now."

<Hope> "Well now, yeah. He used to be a much bigger douchebag." She pointed out, taking another drink. Something about him made her uneasy though. She glanced at the doorway. Come on Sebastian. Come back.

<Shinobi> "Especially since you have him to thank for Essex in the first place," he said, taking a casual sip.

<Hope> Silence filled the room except for the sound of the bubbles. Hope blinked a few times, staring at him. Sebastian was responsible for Essex? That seemed unlikely. "You know, it's pathetic. You're just jealous that he likes me more than you, so you're trying to get rid of me. It won't work."

<Shinobi> "Jealous?" He looked at her then.

<Hope> Hope started out of the hottub, going for a towel. "You heard me." She wrapped the towel around her body quickly. She didn't want him ogling her now.

<Shinobi> "Essex was the administrator at my group home... and then he took a personal interest, and he told me all about my father." She was running away now? How disappointing.

<Hope> "Did it ever occur to you that he lied? Because Loony Toon wasn't exactly all there." She dropped the towel in favor of the robe.

<Shinobi> He considered this. "I suppose that's possible, to make me hate him... more." Watching her don the robe, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

<Hope> Hope looked back over at him, kneeling down so she wasn't towering over him. "Sebastian is a good man now. Isn't that what is important? That he's trying now?" She was so going to talk to him about this Essex bullshit though.

<Shinobi> "I don't know. Where was he twenty years ago? Ten years ago?" His father's speech from earlier echoed in his ears. A home in Omaha, much like the one here, that would help those like him, and Hope.

<Hope> "Tony didn't know about me. Sebastian probably didn't know about you either."

<Shinobi> He held up his glass in salute. "What a truly good man."

<Hope> "I don't know about your mom, but mine hid it from him. She changed her name so that nobody would know. You clearly have daddy issues. maybe you should sort them out." She got to her feet again.

<Shinobi> "Well, now you sound like Jessica." Frowning, he slid down into the water.

<Hope> Hope made a face. "Then I must be nuts." She grabbed the bottle of scotch and took a swig. "Jess is rarely right."

<Shinobi> He waved his glass, sloshing the alcohol slightly.

<Hope> She pulled up her robe to dangle her feet back in the water. "Why are you such an ass?" she questioned, refilling his glass.

<Shinobi> "Genetics, apparently?" Oh, she was giving him more, which nicely replaced what had hit the water.

<Hope> She scoffed at him and took a swig from the bottle. "Probably.”

<Shinobi> "Yet you like him. You're here with him." Slipping further down into the water, he listened to it bubble just under his ears.

<Hope> "He's family..." she explained. "He and Tony are close, like brothers I guess. I'm pretty sure he tells the hospital he's my uncle when I am there. Don't know for sure. Usually too busy bitching at people to bring me coffee and a healing mutant."

<Shinobi> "You people," he chuckled. "Always prattling on about family."

<Hope> "It was all I ever wanted, Shinobi." She stared down at the bottle, taking a sip. "It always seemed so important. And you know what? When you go from house to house, watching other families care for each other, watching them love each other. And not you? Over and over again?" She passed him the bottle. "Yeah. It's pretty fucking important."

<Hope> Hope got to her feet again and went to see if room service had arrived yet.

<Shinobi> Taking the bottle, he watched her go, then stared at it with a frown. Finally, he set it aside and tipped his head back against the edge of the tub.

<Hope> She was just in time. Stan was bringing the food into the room. She thanked him and sat down at the table with her plate. She picked up her fork and poked at the salmon, forcing a bite into her mouth after a moment.

<Shinobi> He sat there for a while, staring at the ceiling, thinking. Well, thinking as well as he could with his head spinning.

<Hope> Where the hell was Sebastian anyway!? She sent him a text that his DNA receptacle was a huge asshole. After sending it something horrifying occurred to her. Even if she locked her door, he could just walk right in.

<Shinobi> Sitting here alone was no fun, and he might drown if he wasn't careful. Shinobi dragged himself from the hot tub and found a robe. He was still tying it around his waist when he walked out into the living room and found dinner.

<Hope> Upon his entry, Hope immediately acted like nothing was the matter at all. She took a bite of her dinner, careful not to look at him at all.

<Shinobi> "Well, that looks good." He didn't wait for invitation to pull up a chair for himself and sit down, uncovering his own plate.

<Hope> She glanced over at him, studying him. She set her fork down, rather loudly. "Do you feel any remorse for the things you've done?"

<Shinobi> He was just picking up his fork, and so was a bit stuck. It hovered over the plate, then tapped on the edge. "Do you mean for today, or from before?"

<Hope> "Both." She watched him carefully.

<Shinobi> "Essex was... insane." He didn't want to think about it too deeply, shaking his head sharply and looking away. "So was Nur."

<Hope> "You didn't answer the question," she pointed out. He had been living with Jess far too long. "It's as simple as yes or no.”

<Shinobi> "What about yes and no?" He cocked his head and watched her.

<Hope> "Then elaborate on the... yes. Elaborate on the yes."

<Shinobi> "I... that general... Stryker." Shinobi shook his head. "I don't remember most of what happened then, including... that day." At this, he looked up at her again. "But killing Madelyne Pryor, and her running mate? And Stark and Rhodes? That... well, it wasn't me. Not really."

<Shinobi> He attempted to meet her eyes. "I don't know if I was the one who shot you or not, but, well, I'm sorry."

<Hope> Did he mean it?" She stared at him for several moments before picking up her fork again. "The salmon is cooked beautifully. You'll like it, if you like salmon. I guess I should have asked. Do you like salmon?" she looked over at him again. All malice was removed from her face, leaving a typical Stark expression.

<Shinobi> Shinobi leaned in, tilting his head and giving her a dubious look. "That is an impressive ability."

<Hope> "You'll learn it," she told him, taking a bite.

<Shinobi> "Do I want to?" He picked up his knife and studied it.

<Hope> A grin spread across her face. "Oh Shinobi. You have much to learn about this life that you have been thrust into." She reached across the small table and took his hand. "But don't worry. I'm still learning too. We can figure it out together."
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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TechPrincess
Deck Swabber
Deck Swabber
Posts: 578
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:38 am
Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
Nightscrawlearth Character: :jean :emma :husk
Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

<Shaw> Sebastian ordered room service without further consultation with the others once he saw Shinobi's general state. Now showered, shaved and dressed, he was already sipping his second cup of coffee when the tray arrived.

<Hope> Hope in her robe was just shuffling out of her room, rubbing her head a bit and yawning. "I hope you ordered coffee. And lots of it."

<Shaw> "I made coffee, and I ordered more. And good morning to you, too, little Stark." He smirked and poured her a cup, holding it out in offering.

<Hope> For the first time in a long time, Hope eyed the cup with suspicion. But she needed the caffeine. But he was a bad guy! But caffeine. She took the cup and sighed. "Look... um. We need to talk."

<Shaw> "Oh? I hope Shinobi didn't give you any trouble. With your guards outside it seemed safe." And he'd needed a break from their bickering last night, truly. Sebastian sipped his own coffee, watching her curiously.

<Hope> "He told me you're the reason Essex got access to the school." Hope told him bluntly. "Are you?"

<Shaw> Though he very nearly choked, Sebastian recovered quickly. "Pardon? He told you... what?" His tone was carefully even. Of all the disaster scenarios he had imagined, this was not one of them.

<Hope> Hope set that cup of coffee down. Was that confirmation? She wasn't sure. "You are the reason Essex gained access to the school."

<Shaw> He watched her place the cup down without drinking, and knew what it meant. "Hope..."

<Hope> She had forgotten how few mutants there really were in Alaska. Nothing good to steal from meant she had to rely on herself and her brains. "So this whole time, you've what? Had a change of heart? Grew a conscious? Or gathering intel for someone else?"

<Shaw> "Yes, I have had a change of heart, and the man for whom I did that work? I had him killed earlier this year, so I could take his place and make sure this would never happen again." She looked twitchy, as if she might flee, and so he stood to move between her and the door.

<Hope> That move made her laugh out loud. "Because I couldn't phase right through you, Sebastian. Really. But I do wonder... if Tony knows you are the reason I was turned into a weapon of mass destruction." She traced her finger over the rip of the coffee cup, thinking... and making sure her shields were rock solid. She licked her lips and watched him.

<Shaw> Sebastian held up both hands. "If he remembers..." But that wasn't really the point. "Hope, I had nothing to do with what happened to you. It was years before you came to Xavier's."

<Hope> She gave him a dark smile. "Ah but who showed him to the buffet of mutants?"

<Shaw> "It was my route to the Inner Circle... a decade ago. I was the Lord Imperial's spy."

<Hope> She laughed, balling the hand not on the coffee into a fist. "Lovely. Selling us all out to promote yourself. I know I know... you weren't directly involved with what happened to me," she mocked. "Oh but you are. And you have to answer for that."

<Shaw> "I have," he said quietly. "Ever since that... fiasco, I've tried to settle my debt."

<Hope> She watched him carefully, weighing her words cautiously. "I hope your reward was worth it, your majesty." She turned and headed back to her room.

<Shaw> "No," he watched her go and sat down heavily in the nearest chair. "No, it wasn't."

<Hope> She stopped at her doorway, not looking at him. "I won't be telling the others. But I would....appreciate? Expect? no further secrets being kept from me."

<Shaw> "I didn't have any others." He looked up, but didn't really see her. "Not really, not anymore." Sebastian sighed. "I'm sorry... so sorry."

<Hope> "I meant the others at the school." She looked back at him finally. "I know you are. And I should show you exactly what your ambition led to." But he had changed. Hadn't he? Hadn't he been there for her since then? Every single time? It was the same thing Paige had pushed into her mind. Actions had consequences that rippled.

<Shaw> "I meant other secrets. Not from you." He sat forward and covered his face with both hands. Of course, of course this would happen, eventually.

<Hope> "Were you ever going to tell me, Sebastian? Does Jess know?" She watched him, but didn't move from her stop at the door.

<Shaw> "She knows." He cleared his throat. "I... don't know. I was waiting for the right time, I suppose."

<Hope> "I really just wish I had heard it from you and not him," she told him sadly. "Maybe it would be easier to deal with. I don't know."

<Shaw> Shinobi. That gave his upset a far more definite target and he stared at the closed bedroom door. He was awake inside now, he could tell. Likely listening to every word.

<Hope> She followed his eyes to the door. "Don't you dare," she snapped.

<Shaw> "What? As if he isn't enjoying every moment of this?" Sebastian surged to his feet.

<Hope> "You should have told me yourself!" Hope moved to block his way to that door. There was do damn way he was getting through her.

<Shaw> "Perhaps so, but you know full well he's using this as a golden opportunity to create havoc." He pitched his voice to carry, and picked up Hope's discarded coffee cup to fling it past her to shatter on the door.

<Hope> Hope ducked quickly. "HEY!" She glared at him, moving toward him. "You do not throw shit at me, Sebastian Shaw, just because I don't agree with you!"

<Shaw> "I didn't throw it at you," he growled, spinning around to pick up his own cup and hurled it overhand as well. "You little bastard! After I gave you every opportunity!"

<Hope> Hope rolled her eyes. "Just. Leave him alone. He's fucked up enough as it is." She sighed, sinking into a chair. "Though if it makes you feel better, I'll sit on him and you can pound him?" she offered.

<Shaw> "Oh, I assure you, he doesn't know how truly fucked up he is." He sneered and started for the door again. "Perhaps I should tell him, yes?"

<Hope> Hope got to her feet again. "STOP." She didn't know what to say to him or what to do. But Shinobi was the closest thing she had to a brother now. "Don't make it worse," she half pleaded.

<Shaw> "Worse," he hissed. "Worse than that look you're giving me right now?" Snarling, he turned to pace, then changed his mind and ducked around her.

<Hope> Hope jumped on his back quickly. "NO! I won't let you do this!"

<Shaw> "Hope!" He didn't want to hurt her, and reached back to snag her arm.

<Hope> "Dad!" She couldn't stop his hand from grabbing her, but she could hold on tighter. "No!"

<Shaw> Sebastian stopped, his grip tight around her forearm.

<Hope> "Ow!" She whined, struggling against him.

<Shaw> Carefully, he went down on one knee. "Hope, get off."

<Hope> What had just happened? Hope got down, eying him warily... right up until the moment she realized what she said.

<Shaw> He turned to look at her, taking in her expression.

<Hope> She swallowed, trying to keep her face even. She had so not said that. Nope. Nope! "Are you done?" She tried to change the subject. Quickly.

<Shaw> "I am." He reached for her hand.

<Hope> She looked at the hand, then up at his face, confused. What was going on here? Hesitantly, warily, she let him take her hand.

<Shaw> Sebastian moved a bit closer and took her hand in both of his, his eyes on their hands. He let out a ragged breath and swallowed, loudly.

<Hope> Every muscle in her body was on alert ready to run if she needed to. She watched him, still not sure about how he was reacting. She was ready for the worst.

<Shaw> He sniffed, attempting to do it subtly, and closed his eyes.

<Hope> Sniffling. That she understood! She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

<Shaw> "Can you forgive me, love?" Awkwardly, he returned the embrace, hiding his face in the shoulder of her bathrobe.

<Hope> "Of course I will." She held him tighter. "But I don't like you right now," she mumbled at him, but kept him close so he couldn't escape.

<Shaw> "If it's any consolation," he sniffed again. "I tried to kill him for years. Of course it was one of yours who finally succeeded."

<Hope> She nodded, burying her face into him. She finally turned it just enough to speak. "That helps. And I know you've changed."

<Shaw> Sebastian let out a relieved sigh. "It doesn't excuse it, but it wasn't supposed to be... what it became. Essex tricked me, tricked the Lord Imperial. I was ordered to help the X-Men apprehend him and recover the students... and afterward I came to know you. So many of you..." He squeezed her tightly.

<Hope> She nodded, clicking the pieces together. "We've all made mistakes we regret." So many mistakes. "But you can't take it out on him. He's never going to be a part of the family if you do."

<Shaw> He slowly nodded. "I shouldn't have lost my temper, but I thought I'd lost you."

<Hope> She swallowed at that, looking up at him in surprise.

<Shaw> It made him raise his head and look at her as well. One corner of his mouth hitched up. "You can't be surprised."

<Hope> She hid her face against him so he couldn't see her tears. "Nope," she lied.

<Shaw> "Of course." It was a little too late for that, but he shifted to hold her.

<Hope> "You have your own kids... real kids," she argued with him.

<Shaw> Sebastian's eyes cut to the closed bedroom door for just a moment. "You know I love you like a daughter. I always will."

<Hope> "And when that baby arrives? And you have a real daughter? What then?" She couldn't look up. She knew what happened then. it had happened several times before.

<Shaw> "What then? I always will, little Stark." He kissed her through her hair.

<Hope> Hope lost it. She cried on him.
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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TechPrincess
Deck Swabber
Deck Swabber
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Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
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Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

<Hope> Hope plopped down onto the couch in the suite living area, magazine in hand. "So, we should go for a hike or something," Hope suggested, already flipping through the magazine. "Fresh air... snow... sunshine... perfect day for it."

<Hope> She glanced around the hotel room, not certain Sebastian would go for this idea. He wasn't as big on the outdoors as she was. Or Bobby. Or Carol for that matter.

<Shaw> Sebastian was half-watching the Steelers on television, remote control in hand, and rolled his head to the side to give her a horrified expression. "A hike?"

<Hope> She glanced up at him again, laughing at his expression. "What? Afraid I'll kill you in the woods and take your kidney?" She set the magazine down so she could wiggle her fingers at him. "Yeah, a hike sounds fun. If for no other reason than Shinobi will whine the whole time."

<Shaw> "Are you certain it's not my liver you're after, little Stark?" The moue turned into a toothy grin and he raised a hand to wriggle right back. "You do make it sound a tad more tempting at that, but I'm not sure he's going to emerge today." After the revelations and tension this morning, he and Hope had returned to their normal routine. Shinobi, however, had yet to appear.

<Hope> "Such a stick in the mud. Clearly he's your child," she tossed the magazine aside and slouched on the couch. She glanced over at what he was watching on the TV. "Ugh, football. Hey! Didn't we record the Penguins game?!"

<Shaw> He rolled his head and his eyes at her assessment of his DNA. "We did! I forgot." Realizing the remote was upside down after his wriggling, Sebastian righted it and brought up the menu. "Time zones are a scourge against humanity."

<Hope> Hope reached for the phone. "I'm ordering the hot wings and beer. Anything else?"

<Shaw> "Tell them to keep those damn celery sticks." After a moment of thought, he hummed to himself. "Pizza."

<Hope> Hope laughed. "I shall get the meatiest one," she knocked on Shinobi's door. "You want food? Ordering wings and pizza."

<Shaw> Sebastian saluted her with the remote control and turned back to the television.

<Shinobi> In the depths of the bedroom, Shinobi heard Hope and raised his head from his arms. Was he capable of eating pizza? His stomach growled, but he couldn't tell if it was in protest for from hunger. "Maybe?" More importantly, however: "I'm not sure if I should come out."

<Hope> "You're fine," she told him through the door, calling down to the kitchen. Food secured, she plopped back down on the couch. "Hope they put a rush on it."

<Shinobi> "I doubt that." He went face down back into the pillow.

<Shaw> "Per orders of Hope." Sebastian flashed his teeth at her. "Start it or wait?"

<Hope> She laughed and toyed with her hair a bit. "Let's start! There is Crosby to see!"

<Shaw> "Overrated," he opined, and did as he was told, sliding down into the sofa to get comfortable.

<Hope> "You shut your mouth," Hope warned, grinning at him. "Or I'll go Malkin on you and take you dooooooooown!"

<Shinobi> Hiding in the room all day was tempting, but not feasible in a hotel. After waking with a pounding head to the argument in the living room, he was grateful for Hope's intervention. Grateful, yet a bit resentful.

<Shaw> "He's not even leading in goals or assists this year." Sebastian sniffed, glancing at the bedroom door when he heard the movement.

<Hope> "Don't make me come over there!" She warned, flexing her pitiful muscles.

<Shaw> With a dismissive laugh, he picked up a throw pillow and gave her a whack.

<Hope> She let out a girly shriek and looked for a weapon. Pillow acquired, she whacked him back. "Have at thee!"

<Shinobi> He sat up, listening to them bicker.

<Shaw> "Have at thee? My, you have been around the Hellfire Club too much." He laughed and covered his face with his own pillow.

<Hope> "It's from Monty Python, you uncultured swine!" She laughed and whacked him again.

<Shaw> "Ahhh, I see, is that the one with the coconuts?" He sat up, and since he had the advantage of reach managed to glance the pillow off the top of her head. "Tis a flesh wound." Rather proud of that one, he grinned.

<Shinobi> He'd made it as far as the door, and was listening to them... quote Holy Grail at one another. Shinobi blinked.

<Hope> She shrieked again. "Cheater! You have longer arms!" She tossed a pillow at him to distract him.

<Shaw> "How is that cheating? I'm using my natural advantage." He laughed, then sat up and looked pointedly at her disheveled hair. Distraction tactics he knew well.

<Hope> "Because I'm not winning," she pointed out, like it was obvious. She whacked him again, then shrieked. "Crosby!" She made for the TV.

<Shaw> "Well, I'll be damned..." Crosby, it appeared, was not overrated today. Still holding his pillow, Sebastian was thoroughly distracted himself.

<Shinobi> It was suddenly quiet, so it seemed as good as time as any to sneak out into the room. He made for a chair.

<Hope> Hope shouted as Crosby made a goal. "IN YOUR FACE!" She turned to rub it in Shaw's face, but paused as she saw Shinobi. She gave him a smile.

<Shaw> He'd heard the door open, but decided the television was more interesting for the moment.

<Shinobi> Once in the chair, he pulled up his feet. Hope was looking at him, and ... smiling? One corner of his mouth twitched.

<Hope> Hope picked up the pillow and whacked Shaw again. "Told you Crosby was the man!"

<Shinobi> He smirked, especially at the undignified sound his father made.

<Hope> Hope laughed at Sebastian. "Don't doubt my future husband again! Or Malkin." She gave him another whack for good measure.

<Shaw> "I think number twenty-nine is an up and comer. I can't recall his name. Something French." He accepted the whack and returned it, finally looking at his faux son. "I trust you're feeling better?"

<Shinobi> He'd expected something much more pointed, or possibly violent, so he was taken off guard for a moment. "Somewhat."

<Hope> Hope looked between them, a bit uneasy. "The cool people in the family watch hockey. Hockey is cool."

<Shaw> Sebastian was uneasy about whatever Hope was doing there, and slowly he turned his head to stare back at her, eyebrow raised.

<Shinobi> He'd had little else to do but catch up on television since he'd left SHIELD's tender mercies, so he snorted.

<Hope> Hope ignored Sebastian and tried filled Shinobi in on the game basics.

<Shinobi> "I played baseball growing up." He got the basics of hockey, but unless there was blood on the ice he wasn't terribly interested.

<Shaw> He tried not to stiffen up at the boy's statement.

<Hope> Hope gave him a funny look. "Really? That's surprising." Hope had barely gotten the words out of her mouth when Stan and Phil and a small group of agents came through the hotel door. Stan started motioning for Sebastian and Shinobi to head to the bathroom. Phil grabbed up Hope by her arm, taking her that way.

<Phil> He spoke into his radio as he hurried her, glad she wasn't protesting too much. "Cinderella in flight. Sharky and Speed Racer in tow."

<Shaw> "What is it?" Sebastian had the forethought to grab his phone from the coffee table. Of course, he'd some to Alaska armed but he had nothing in reach now.

<Shinobi> He stayed put, staring up at the agent. "Speed Racer?"

<Stan> "We have a situation. You can go with her, or stay and get shot," he put it bluntly.

<Hope> Hope tried so hard not to laugh at Speed Racer too. "Speed Racer? Really?"

<Phil> Phil just shrugged. "I don't make up the codenames. Get down."

<Shinobi> Looking amongst the agents and Hope - and at the back of his father's head, since he was already on his phone - he stretched out his legs and stood, then able to look down at this fool who'd called him Speed Racer.

<Hope> Hope moved to the bathtub, sitting in it and crossing her arms over her chest. Well this was different. She looked over for Sebastian and Shinobi.

<Stan> Stan didn't care what Shinobi did. He pulled out his gun and headed to the bathroom with Phil.

<Shaw> Sebastian joined Hope, after checking in with the hotel security. He sat on the edge of the tub and gave Hope a tight smile. "It was a good thing I didn't wait on that inhibitor..."

<Shinobi> He was left to catch up, still confused and angry, and cast an envious glance at the racist agent's gun.

<Hope> Hope couldn't help but laugh at him. "Yeah," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I wish people would stop trying to kill me." She tapped her toes a bit, thinking, then sat up suddenly. "Where' Shinobi!?"

<Shaw> Sebastian looked at the door, past Phil, who was blocking the doorway talking into his com. "Perhaps I should go back for him..." He got up, slowly, trying to listen past the agent's nattering for a status update.

<Shinobi> "Flatscan scum, why should I do anything you ask?" He caught up with the agent.

<Stan> "Look, junior, we don't have time for this, so cooperate now or I might use you as a human - I'm sorry, mutant shield." Stan rounded on the younger Shaw and sized him up. Unfortunately, he was also a big little motherfucker.

<Shinobi> He snarled, increasing his density to hit the agent with a sucker punch. Beyond that, he had no real plan.

<Stan> Without blinking, he extended the inhibitor cuffs he kept concealed up his sleeve and stepped into the obvious punch. Ducking past the fist, he caught the guy's other wrist and clamped it on. Spinning around, he hooked his knee while he was off balance and took him to the floor. "Who's the flatscan now?"

<Phil> Phil couldn't help but laugh from his post. He quickly covered that up. So unprofessional. "Speed Racer in custody."

<Hope> Hope moved to get out of the bathtub to see around him. "What the hell is going on?"

<Shaw> He'd seen most of it from over Phil's shoulder and rolled his eyes heavenward. "Shinobi was being... well, rather himself. Difficult."

<Shinobi> Now with both hands cuffed behind his back, and facedown on the floor, he aimed a kick at the agent.

<Stan> "I'll tase you... Speed Racer."

<Phil> "Either walk your ass in here, or we can drag you. Doesn't matter to us."

<Hope> Hope felt a pang of sympathy for him. Damnit if he wasn't her a few years ago. "Shinobi... just... please come in here. Please?"

<Shinobi> He glared at everyone since there was little else he could do, then slowly struggled to his knees. The agent grabbed his arm and hauled him upright, shoving him into the bathroom.

<Hope> She moved of the tub in time to grab onto him and keep him from falling. "I'm so sorry," she told him softly.

<Shinobi> He felt strange - weak, and leaned against Hope more than he liked. "Why?" he mumbled. "I did it..."

<Shaw> "And what did you hope to accomplish with that?" Sebastian leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

<Hope> Hope shot Sebastian a look. "I get it," she told Shinobi softly again. "I got pepper sprayed by them before." She held him up, keeping him sturdy.

<Shaw> Sebastian raised an eyebrow at her.

<Shinobi> He looked up at her. "Why? They're supposed to protect you..."

<Hope> She smirked a bit. "I... really resented having babysitters. I might have deserved it. Maybe. The point is... when they go into that mode? It's better to listen. Because they are serious."

<Shinobi> He lacked the energy to argue and so he nodded and slid down to sit on the closed toilet lid.

<Shaw> "Perhaps you should have taken the inhibitor protection I offered?" Sebastian waited for Shinobi to glare up at him and put on a smirk.

<Hope> Hope couldn't stop herself from laughing, though she did try to stifle it as she crawled back into her seat in the bathtub. "Can I go just one Christmas without someone trying to kill me? This used to be my favorite holiday."

<Shaw> Sebastian sighed, remembering last Christmas himself. "I don't know, love." He moved back over and sat down on the edge of the tub again, bracing his back against the wall and checking his phone.

<Shinobi> The cuffs were cutting into his wrists and he tried to get comfortable. "Christmas is terrible. It was always just another day."

<Hope> "I liked Christmas.... especially when I was with this one family." She smiled a bit. "I really liked them..." She hugged her knees to her chest, wondering where that family was. The thought that they were probably killed by her boyfriend startled her and made her sick to her stomach.

<Shinobi> "No families in a group home." He shot Sebastian another glare.

<Hope> "Nope. I had several of those too," she shot back at Shinobi. "But when I was little. I did get to stay with this one family for a couple of years."

<Shinobi> He had nothing to say to this, so just kept squirming on his slick seat.

<Shaw> "If Tony had known... if I had known, neither of you would have grown up that way," he said slowly.

<Hope> Hope reached out to take Sebastian's hand. "I know that." The sniffle still escaped. She swallowed, quickly trying to cover it up.

<Shaw> Sebastian squeezed her hand and smiled.

<Shinobi> He watched this display and looked away.

<Hope> "We didn't get our chicken wings," Hope made a face.

<Shaw> "Later. We'll make them make us some fresh." He nodded. "And my pizza." Sebastian watched Shinobi from the corner of his eye. "What do you want, Shinobi?"

<Shinobi> Startled from his brooding, he jerked slightly. "What?"

<Hope> She looked over at Shinobi, sightly baffled. She dropped Sebastian's hand, leaning back in the tub, watching them.

<Shaw> "Pizza? Wings? I'm sure they have other assorted junk foods that are yours for the asking." He smirked, no emotion beyond polite interest showing on his face.

<Shinobi> "Oh." He eyed Hope and his father. "I'm not hungry."

<Hope> "You haven't eaten..." Hope pointed out."

<Shinobi> "No, and I might puke." For many reasons.

<Hope> "Well do it over there," Hope made a face.

<Phil> Phil muttered something into his com, finally looking back at them. "All clear." He started for the front door.

<Shaw> "All clear? So what was it?" Sebastian straightened up and followed Phil.

<Shinobi> He looked at Hope, then the door, then back to Hope. "That means...?"

<Phil> Phil reluctantly looked at Sebastian, keeping his voice low. "We received a tip. That someone in the building had assault rifles and intended to use them." He glanced around Sebastian to the redhead in the bathroom, then back at him. "They found nothing in the building, but doubled security from local forces until we leave."

<Hope> Hope climbed out of the tub and looked over at Shinobi. "Means the threat is over?"

<Shinobi> "What about..." He shimmied his shoulders, then stood, his hands still restrained behind his back.

<Shaw> "It's certain? Should we check out?" He checked his phone, looking for an update from his own people.

<Phil> "My team is confident. If you choose to go early, that is of course, your decision."

<Hope> Hope's eyes filled with laughter before her lips did. "Phil! Can we get some keys in here?"

<Shaw> Distracted, Sebastian nodded and thanked the agent while he texted his personal assistant.

<Shinobi> "It's not funny," he protested.

<Hope> Hope caught the keys that Phil tossed to her easily. "It's a little funny. Mostly because you were so persistent about not trusting Sebastian's chip." She moved behind him, carefully undoing his handcuffs.

<Shinobi> Once freed, he rubbed his wrists, frowning at the marks. "You heard what he called me."

<Hope> "Yeah I don't get it," she admitted. "Some cartoon race car driver?" She pulled his hand to her, inspecting the marks.

<Shinobi> "Yeah, a Japanese one." Surprised, he let her take his hand.

<Hope> She cringed a bit. "I... didn't make that connection. Do you want me to make them change it?" She continued to inspect his wrist.

<Shinobi> "How do they come up with those names anyway?" He remembered something, and smiled. "Cinderella."

<Hope> She wrinkled her nose at him. "Well, mine... the media kind of had this... thing with me. Cinderella story. Poor orphan finds rich dad? It was way better than being called Annie. I might have had to bribe a couple of reporters."

<Shinobi> Shinobi cocked his head, studying her face, and her hair. "You don't look like a Cinderella..."

<Hope> Hope looked at him, studying his face. "I don't?"

<Shinobi> "Nope." He raised his free hand and picked up a lock of her red hair, giving her a smirk. "More like Ariel."

<Hope> She smiled back at him, glancing over at the hair he was holding. "You know... she always was my favorite. For obvious reasons."

<Shinobi> "Obviously." He twirled the bit of hair around his finger, gaze flicking between his hand and her face.

<Hope> Hope shifted her gaze back over to him, taking in his expression.

<Shinobi> Shinobi met her eyes and smiled. "Ariel it is then."

<Hope> She smiled back at him, deciding she really liked that. "I'm okay with this."

<Shinobi> "Good." He grinned, giving her hair a flick, and realizing she still had his hand. "Think I'll survive?"

<Hope> Springing back to her usual alertness she quickly dropped his hand and tucked her red hair behind her ear. "Yeah, yeah you'll be just fine. We should um. We should go check on that food, yeah? Yeah." She half stumbled on her first step toward the door.

<Shinobi> Shinobi caught her arm. "Careful, Ariel, we don't need your agents back..." He frowned. "They'd probably think I'm assaulting you and tase me this time."

<Shaw> Sebastian was back on the sofa in the living room, after a farewell chat with Coulson and... he never could remember the other one's name. He found their place in the hockey game and paused, looking toward the bathroom and only now tuning in on their conversation. Interesting.

<Hope> She looked from his hand up to his face. She couldn't help but smile at the nickname, but just a small smile. "Yeah. Probably right."

<Shinobi> "Of course I'm right." He let go of her arm, sliding both hands into his pockets.

<Shaw> "Are you two quite settled then?" Sebastian waved the remote control over his head. "I took the liberty of re-ordering our lunch while you were..." He tipped his head back to give them a once-over and smirk, "talking."

<Hope> With one final look, Hope looked at Shinobi before leaving him to go find her seat in front of the tv again. "Thanks!" She turned her usual smile back on as she sat down.

<Shinobi> He frowned at his father and returned to his seat on the far side of the seating area.

<Shaw> "Your favorite earned himself a penalty while you were... occupied." Sebastian gave Hope a sly grin.

<Hope> Hope shot him a look, but said nothing. She pulling a throw pillow into her lap and hugged it. "My future husband knows better than that. He better score to make up for it."

<Shinobi> "Your future husband?" He smirked, and shifted to watch.

<Shaw> Sebastian tapped the remote control against his thigh, enjoying the tiny jolts of energy, and watched the other two occupants of the room more than the game. Very interesting indeed.

<Hope> "He just doesn't know it yet," she smirked, or tried to. "Or probably who I am. Details."

<Shinobi> "Prince Eric plays for Pittsburgh?" He tsked, shaking his head.

<Shaw> "And what's wrong with Pittsburgh?" Sebastian raised a brow at his faux son.

<Hope> Hope threw her pillow at Shinobi's head.

<Shinobi> He laughed and caught the pillow.

<Shaw> Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly, but they were saved from further scrutiny by the room service knock. He got up, listening to the agents outside grill the waitstaff.

<Hope> Hope smiled over at Shinobi though, despite his joking. "If Prince Eric did play for the Penguins, I'd be all over that."

<Shinobi> "Penguins eat fish," he observed, grin turning more than a little dirty.

<Shaw> Perhaps these two did need a chaperone, he decided, listening while he tipped the server and rolled the cart in himself. "Pizza, wings, and beer."

<Hope> "Damn... now I want sushi. Hey hey! Wings! And beer!" Hope hopped up to pick up her wings.
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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JackSkulls
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Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by JackSkulls »

<Hope> Hope was glad to be back from the... excitement of her trip to Alaska. She tossed her bag down on the floor and looked around her yellow room. She hadn't spent a whole lot of time there since Chris had disappeared. Mostly just to grab clothes. The yellow made her swallow and smile a little.

<Hope> She pulled out her phone and sent Chris a quick text that she was back and unpacking. Though she made a face. She didn't really want to unpack, but well, laundry needed to be done. She picked up her bag and tossed it onto the bed so she could unpack it.

<Christopher> Chris stared at the phone a little puzzled since he was laying in bed. He texted back, 'back in your room?' He got up and threw some clothes on so he could go see her. The latch on the door turned slowly, he didn't want to go out in the cold. "Ugh snow...." Chris popped back inside and grabbed his new favorite jacket, that Hope bought him, and headed out.

<Hope> Hope made a face at her phone. Where else would she be? She texted back <Well yeah.> She tossed her phone aside and went back to unpacking, putting all her dirty laundry into the basket.

<Christopher> Chris didn't get the text as he was too busy trying to make his way through the snow and grounds to the girls rooms. When he finally got to the dorms he shook off the snow and started off to her room. "Fuck... which one was it again?"

<Hope> Hope wadded up a dress and aimed... tossed... and "Score!" she laughed, picking up another article of clothing, tossing and scoring again. "Yeah!"

<Christopher> Chris managed to find her room and gave the door a knock waiting for her to answer.

<Hope> Knocking? Who knocked? She tossed a pair of leggings into the basket and went for the door, opening it. Oh. Chris knocked. She smiled at him. "Hey!"

<Christopher> "Hey beautiful." Chris gave her a big smile and kissed her. "Missed ya, how was your trip?"

<Hope> "Which part," she asked, after the kiss. She moved aside so he could come into the room with her.

<Christopher> "Well I meant all of it, but if there's a story to tell. I'm all ears." Chris managed to get into her room before pulling her into another kiss. He missed those lips.

<Hope> She returned the kiss for a moment, breaking it so she could shut the door and finish unpacking. "Well. Apparently it wasn't club business after all. And Sebastian brought his lovely new son with us."

<Christopher> "Oh? Do I need to beat someone's ass for you?" Chris sat on her bed not wanting to be in her way.

<Hope> She grinned. "I took care of that myself, actually. But thanks."

<Christopher> "That's my bad ass redhead." He returned her grin. "You know I love it when you're all bad ass."

<Hope> She laughed a little. "He deserved it. He was being an ass on the flight there. So I punched him."

<Christopher> "Knock his ass out babe?" Chris laughed with her. "I'm sure Sebastian didn't enjoy that though."

<Hope> "He just watched. Shinobi was much less of an ass after that." She shrugged, moving to put her toiletry items away next. "He's not too bad actually. I kind of feel for him."

<Christopher> Chris muttered something about him feeling for him too since he had to live with Sebastian. "Yeah? Well that's good babe. At least he learned his lesson."

<Hope> "He basically had the life that I could have had, if the wrong people had found me. Oh and he did apologize for possibly shooting me. So that was good. Progress!" She smiled and moved to check her bag for any last items.

<Christopher> "Wait what?" Chris stared at her for a second. "I'm guessing that is a complicated story?" He sighed a little, it wasn't like he had any room to talk about injuring people.

<Hope> "When I took the bullet for Tony... like ages ago." When Johnny had still been alive. She swallowed. "It wasn't really his fault and he doesn’t remember most of it. But it caused him to snap and get caught."

<Christopher> "Well I guess it's good that he's not dangerous anymore?" Chris moved over to her and pulled her into a hug. "You okay Hope?"

<Hope> "Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, returning the hug.

<Christopher> "Cuz life's a bitch?" Chris smiled down at her. "Life's been rough as fuck lately and this trip wasn't what you were expecting it to be. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

<Hope> 'Oh... oh! Yeah. But he bought me an orphanage. Or re-purposed... or whatever. I have an orphanage named after me that I am actually involved with and can help people."

<Christopher> "That's great baby. I'm sure you're going to make a lot of children's lives a whole hell of a lot better."

<Hope> "Yeah... one of the stipulations I made them accept was that it can't be the 'good' kids. It needs to be the runaways. The ones nobody wants." She smiled at him. "Basically. The mees."

<Christopher> "There's something special in everyone right? And hey, I want you. You're amazing." Chris kissed her. "Me and my brother got lucky that we were adopted young. I'd probably never have made it here with my temper and enjoyment of fighting."

<Hope> "I don't think you ever mentioned you were adopted," she kissed the tip of his nose. "Why do you think I kept getting sent back?"

<Christopher> "Cuz those people were missing portions of their brains?" Chris gave her a little squeeze. "Yeah, got lucky that our mom wouldn't let dad do that. But it wasn't the most loving of environments. Especially now that they know I'm a mutant."

<Hope> "I got lucky that Tony thinks it's pretty bad ass to have a mutant kid. I guess since his best friend slash brother slash love of his life is a mutant, that helped."

<Christopher> "Yeah my Dad would prefer to forget about me now. Mom's still great but she just tries to ignore that I'm a mutant." Chris held her gently. "Yeah I don't think I want to picture that."

<Hope> "Yeah I've met your dad, remember?" She shrugged a little, then laughed. "Oh come on. It was a joke! Though I guess I kind of have two dads.... not unlike the child of a gay couple. Only one of them is married to a woman."

<Christopher> "This is starting to sound like one of those sitcoms. Now you just need a catch phrase and a catchy song." Chris let her go to move back to her bed. "Yeah sorry about that I would prefer no one has to meet that jerk. Especially my girlfriend."

<Hope> "Why especially me?" She asked, moving to her dresser to hop up on it, sitting on it.

<Christopher> "Didn't want you to have to deal with that self centered ass that only cares about how much money he can make. I bet you the only way he'll ever talk to me again without Mom forcing him to will be if I start a company and he tries to buy it out."

<Hope> "Maybe." She thought about that a little. "Yeah maybe. That means you have to get along with two of my dads now,' she pointed out.

<Christopher> "Yeah... I don't know how to manage that with Sebastian. He kind of hate me with a passion that would make me think I slept with his wife." He frowned.

<Hope> Hope cleared her throat a bit. "Well not his wife... but his kid." And who he had thought was his mistress when his memory was wiped. Yeah. No wonder Sebastian hated Chris. She shot him a look.

<Christopher> "Yeah... Greer's dad didn't hate me this much but I guess I can understand that." He frowned. "I mean I haven't been very helpful with that... having my class attack him with paintball guns and all.”

<Hope> "There was also something that happened right before you were kidnapped... when we were fighting all the time."

<Christopher> "Huh...?" Chris frowned a little, he had tried to forget how much of an ass he'd been. "Hired an assassin to take me out?" He chewed his lip.

<Hope> "Not exactly. He... kind of had his mind wiped there for awhile." She did not want to tell him this. She toyed with her nails instead of looking at him.

<Christopher> "Yeah? That must have been rough." Chris didn't know what this had to do with Sebastian not liking him.

<Hope> "It was. He didn't quite remember who I was. Or who his wife was..." She took a steadying breath and scanned her room for scotch. She was out. Damn-it.

<Christopher> "Yeah? Poor Jess." Chris was still at a loss for what to say. He really didn't like the guy.

<Hope> "I didn't realize it until much later. I was under the impression that they were divorcing. He started staying in New York again while I was there. You were, I know now, high constantly we were fighting just as much."

<Christopher> Chris was starting to get a lump in his throat. Is she... she can't be trying to. He's like her dad. His skin started to turn pale and clammy.

<Hope> She swallowed and forced the words out. Like a band-aid. Like a band-aid. "So after one really bad fight I decided to drink. And drink. And drink some more. So when he came over to me..." She shrugged a bit, her mouth dry. "Once I realized what had happened it was too late."

<Christopher> Chris didn't know what to say, he just sat there frozen. She had just told him that she cheated and with her pseudo-father no less. "I..." He cut himself off. Chris didn't know if he was mad or depressed or if he just had it coming. Was this all my fault? "I think I should go." He started to get up to go to the door.

<Hope> She nodded, eyeing the door to the bathroom. She needed to vomit.

<Christopher> "I'll call you later Hope...." Chris' hands were starting to shake as he grabbed the handle to the door and opened it slowly. He didn't know what else to say to her.

<Hope> "For what it's worth..." which probably wasn't much, "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry."

<Christopher> "Y..yeah. I just have to go. I'll call you... dinner maybe." He squeezed the door handle a little too hard.

<Hope> "Yeah... ok." Hope finally glanced up to watch him leave.

<Christopher> Chris headed out straight for the woods. He needed a place to let off where no one could get hurt.

<Hope> Hope started packing. She didn't know where she was going, but she wasn't staying there. That much was for sure.
JackSkulls
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 339
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:02 pm
Nightscrawlearth Character: :maverick :shaman

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by JackSkulls »

<Christopher> Chris walked about the woods glowing bright purple. His body was full of energy and he was steaming from the rage. He couldn't figure out if he was mad at himself, Hope or Shaw. In his mind he knew it wasn't rational to be mad at Sebastian since he had no memories but Chris didn't even care. He'd informed the agents that he'd be in there making a mess so they didn't freak out. The first tree came down sounding like a crack of thunder as his fist connected with it and splintered the trunk. He sent a blast of extreme heat into the broken trunk to start a fire and give himself some light.

<Kat> Kat was walking around the grounds, close to the woods contemplating calling her parents. They thought she was safely tucked away in Cambridge at MIT. Hell, she had even gone as far as hacking the email system and creating one for herself. She had sent them a few emails since she had gotten here, but her mom had called 6 times over the last two days. She was on the edge of the woods when she heard what sounded like a crack of thunder in blue skies. She headed into the forest to investigate.

<Christopher> Chris threw a few kick combos into the next tree only breaking into the bark as he built up some energy. He pulled a few splinters of wood out of his hands and slammed an elbow into the tree felling it and a few trees as it hit them.

<Kat> Kat walked wearily towards the sounds. It sounded like the Hulk was out here doing some damage. She watched as trees fell like dominoes. Then she saw the culprit. It was Chris. He was glowing purple. And he was angry. And it was hot.

<Christopher> The trees protested as he fired off a large force blast making the trees sway and groan. Destroying the woods was giving him time to think about everything. How much he'd really fucked up and how he didn't even deserve Hope anymore, even after she cheated on him.

<Kat> Kat sat back and watched him antagonize the defenseless trees. She wondered what could've got him in such a rage. She decided to watch a little bit longer before interrupting him...just to be on the safe side.

<Christopher> Chris hammered both his fists hard through a large tree finally letting off the rest of his energy. He was exhausted and sweating so he pulled off his shirt and threw it off into the snow going over to the fire to add more of the splintered wood to it. He had to figure out what he was going to say to Hope. He didn't blame her for cheating on him, it was all his fault, he'd driven her away.

<Kat> Kat had been leaned up against a tree, one of the few that hadn't been destroyed, watching Chris be all ragey and purple. She watched as he hit one more tree and rip his shirt off. Tentatively, she started walking towards him.

<Christopher> Chris didn't even notice Kat getting closer to him. He was too deep in thought and trying to keep himself busy picking up more wood to put on the fire. He only briefly paused to pick up snow and wipe his own blood off his hands thanking god for his healing factor or his hands would have been completely shredded from the trees splintering around his assault.

<Kat> As she approached Chris, she wondered if she actually should. She was slightly worried he might accidentally hurt her. Standing a few feet away, she called out to him. "Chris...Chris, are you okay?"

<Christopher> Chris almost jumped out of his skin. Crap. He hadn't expected a student to come wandering out there. "Y...yeah." He threw the wood shards onto the fire. "Just getting a little work out in." He lied horribly, but he didn't want to let her know why he was really out there.

<Kat> "Riiiight. You look a little too ragey for just a little work out." Kat sighed and moved closer to Chris. "You look pissed."

<Christopher> "You should see me at my Muay Thai lessons." Chris did a few quick jabs trying to reinforce the lie, making sure they weren't too close to her.

<Kat> Kat didn't know what to think. She didn't quite believe him, but then again maybe she was just misreading him. After all, she hadn't known him for that long. She decided to change the subject.

<Kat> "So.. you turn purple...I like it."

<Christopher> Chris laughed a little, that caught him offguard. "Yeah. Side effect to my powers, apparently I'm part Christmas tree." He grabbed one of the larger hunks of wood to pull over so they would have a place to sit.

<Kat> Kat took a seat on the large piece of wood that Chris pulled out of the wreckage. "I watched you for a bit. You were very impressive." She winked and patted the spot next to her, hoping Chris would sit next to her.

<Christopher> Chris took the spot and ran his fingers through his hair. "I've had a lot of practice. I run my drills when I need to think about things. Not much can take that kind of a beating though."

<Kat> "Good thing you've got a forest to use as your training arena. You can really stick it to a piece of wood." She grinned. "I can't do anything as half as cool."

<Christopher> "I'm sure your powers are awesome too. You just have to figure out how to use them effectively. My challenge is not breaking everything I touch." Chris motioned to the ruins of the trees around him.

<Kat> "Nope. Passing through walls is only so handy when I want to spy on someone."

<Christopher> "I could think of a million ways to make that handy. I can't do shit if I can't hit you." Chris carefully gave her a pat on the leg, not wanting to hurt her or gain energy he would have to disperse.

<Kat> "Well, so far, I've only found it useful to spy guys that I like." Kat laughed. "Well, I haven't done it since before I left Chicago. Its been several months... I swear." She realized that she was starting to come off as a stalker creep. Whoops.

<Christopher> Chris just laughed the stalkery bit off. "Well I guess that would be a little useful. I'm not going to catch you peeking in the boys locker room now am I?"

<Kat> "Nope." She grinned. "I only do that bit when I am looking for someone new. I'm good... for now."

<Christopher> Chris just laughed and shook his head a little. "If you would have showed up a bit sooner I think there would be less tree carnage."

<Kat> Kat winced. "Honestly, I watched you for a bit. I didn't feel like I could interrupt you. I don't think interrupting would've been safe for me. Better the trees than me.".

<Christopher> "Oh hey don't ever worry about interrupting me. I'd never hurt a student intentionally. You don't have to worry about that."

<Kat> "I believe that you'd never do it intentionally, but you seriously looked pissed off and dangerous. Are you sure nothing is actually wrong?"

<Christopher> "Just had some big news dropped in my lap and I'm trying to process it." Chris attempted a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

<Kat> "Anything you want to talk about? I have great ears for listening, after all, they aren't just for dangling cute earrings off of." She peered at him, hoping that he'd spill.

<Christopher> "Sorry I'm not much for sharing my feelings. Though I do appreciate the offer. You're a really nice person Kat."

<Kat> She snorted with laughter. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I don't hear that often. I'm usually told that I am a spoiled brat who doesn't care about others." She paused taking a deep breath and turned to look Chris in the eyes. "Maybe its you that brings it out." She whispered.

<Christopher> "Pfft they're probably just to scared to tell you they want your attention. I do try and bring out the best in my students. Even if you're not one of my students yet. Maybe if you show promise I'll let you be my T.A."

<Kat> She smiled. "I'm not that artsy... I doubt you'd find me hanging out around your studio, unless its for your company."

<Christopher> "I was talking about Biology. I'm good when it comes to art. Bio is where I get bogged down with papers to grade. But I could always tutor you in some form of art. Maybe you'll find you're better than you think."

<Kat> "Mmm, I just love the smell of red pen in the morning." Kat joked. "I could help you out in Biology, if you need it. But I doubt tutoring me in art would do any good. The most creative thing I've done is to hack into MIT's email database and create an address so my parents think that's where I am."

<Christopher> "You did what...." Chris stared at her completely amazed.

<Kat> I'm not supposed to be here in Boston at this school. I'm supposed to be in Cambridge at MIT. My parents would FREAK if they knew where I really was. So, I hacked into their database and created and MIT address, so they think I am an official student there." She frowned.

<Kat> "The less they know the better. They don't understand."

<Christopher> "I can definitely understand parent issues. I don't know if I can condone hacking another school as one of this school's teachers. But I guess if it's not hurting anyone I can keep this little secret of yours to myself."

<Kat> She wrinkled her brow. "Whoops. I guess I should watch who I am talking to. I forget that you are a teacher. Like all the time!"

<Christopher> "Yeah I know I look young but I'm technically supposed to be a responsible adult. Not that you can't tell me things. My first concern is my students."

<Kat> Kat stuck out her tongue. "Good thing I am not one of your students then!

<Christopher> "Pfft you're enrolled here. Don't make me give you detention little lady." Chris laughed a little.

<Kat> "You could lock me in a detention room, I'd just walk through the walls!

<Christopher> "You know we do have things that can shut your powers off right." He grinned. "Had to have mine turned off for a while, so I can tell you it sucks!"

<Kat> Kat gave him a look. "Well, that's just rude!"

<Christopher> "Can't have you escape your punishment now can we?" Chris teased her a little and gave her a playful shove.

<Kat> Kat shrieked and lost her balance a bit. She regained her balance and gave him a shove.

<Christopher> Chris fell off into the snow from the push. The shriek had caught him off guard enough to let her win. "Sorry I didn't push ya too hard did I?"

<Kat> "Haha. No, you didn't push me too hard." She jumped up and started humming the theme song from the Rocky movies. She ran in a slow motion circle around Chris, flaunting her ability to catch him off guard.

<Christopher> "Okay." He laughed a little. "I hate to cut this short it is pretty fun, but sadly I don't have time to spar. Maybe next time though."

<Kat> Kat pouted. "Okay, okay. I'll let you get back to you training. I've got to call my mom anyways." As if on cue, her phone rang again. She immediately silenced it. She didn't want to talk to her mom.

<Christopher> "Well if you need a teacher to make excuses for you just ask." Chris laughed a little. "Actually gotta go talk to someone about some things." Chris pulled out his phone contemplating things.

<Kat> Kat sighed. "I'll blame not being able to talk on you. Tell her I've got some professor begging me to be his TA." Kat wondered if the things he needed to talk about were the things that prompted his rage session. "Good luck sorting out your things. I'll see you later Chris. I hope things go okay for you."

<Christopher> "Feel free. And if you really want we can work out some things while everyone's still on break. I'm sure being a TA won't be too bad."

<Kat> Kat started to walk away from Chris. She stopped. "I'll give the TA idea a thought. I'll let you know." She paused. "Chris, remember, if you need to talk... I'm here." With that, Kat walked away from Chris and out of the woods. She pulled out her phone, took a deep breath, and called her mom.
TechPrincess
Deck Swabber
Deck Swabber
Posts: 578
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:38 am
Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
Nightscrawlearth Character: :jean :emma :husk
Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

<Shaw> For once, Jess and the baby's schedules were synchronized and she was asleep. Taking the opportunity, Sebastian laid down with her and dozed, his nose buried in her hair.

<Hope> Hope leaned against the lamppost for a good few minutes, debating this decision. He was kind of the reason she was in this mess to begin with, but she really didn't have anywhere else to go. Tony was out of the country.

<Hope> She picked up her bag and carefully made her way up the steps, through the snow, to the door. Her mind flailed a little. Knock? Doorbell? She tried knocking.

<Shaw> His phone started vibrating on the nightstand, and he scrunched his eyes tighter. If she woke up... Downstairs, he could already hear Widget moving. After a moment, he carefully extricated himself and sat up, checking the security alert on his phone.

<Shaw> Instantly, he was out of bed and didn't bother to find his shoes. Sebastian only took a moment to close the bedroom door, and then started down the stairs to the door.

<Hope> Hope looked over her shoulder, watching the snow while she waited to see if somebody answered. Could she just let herself in? She wasn't sure. She couldn't remember. Her mind was too muddled for rules. Rules which she had broken and gotten her into this mess to begin with.

<Shaw> He made it past Widget and to the foyer, reminding himself to work on a speed upgrade for the poor robot. Sebastian opened the door and took her in. "What's wrong? Are you all right?"

<Hope> That was a loaded question. No she wasn't alright. As for what was wrong? Was everything too much?" She dropped her bag. "Dad..." She moved to him, wrapping her arms around him.

<Shaw> For a moment, he wondered what had happened to Tony - he would have been notified, immediately, had something happened. Then he realized she meant him and caught her. "What's wrong, love?" Sebastian held her, toeing the bag aside so he could close the door. Outside, he saw her shadows and gave them a nod.

<Hope> She held onto him, but just couldn't get the words. She tapped into his powers and pushed gently at his mind.

<Shaw> Shocked, he lowered his shields. You'll be all right. Whatever it is, you know I'll help you...

<Hope> Chris knows... She pushed his reaction into Sebastian’s mind. There was no other way to say it. She looked down, swallowing hard.

<Shaw> It was easier this way, since he understood the situation immediately. I'm so sorry... Sebastian didn't bother to hide the shame and regret he felt, and the anger at the boy's reaction. You're safe. He tightened his hold on her and kissed the top of her head.

<Hope> "I thought I was doing the right thing, telling him." She tightened her hold on him too.

<Shaw> "I told Jess... I've told her there will be no secrets between us. I've lived too many secrets."

<Hope> She nodded, understanding that. "Apparently I was better off with the secrets."

<Shaw> "Then he's a fool." His tone was angry and he let go of her to pick up her bag. "Let's at least go upstairs, but we need to be quiet. Jess is asleep and she gets precious little."

<Hope> Hope slid her heels off to carry them in one hand. She followed him wordlessly, definitely not wanting to wake the pregnant lady.

<Shaw> Widget met them at the top of the stairs and took the bag, burbling quietly.

<Shaw> "He can get you some coffee, if you'd like." He turned around and looked her over closely. The smell told him she'd already had enough to drink. "I'm sure I can manage to heat you some food... and of course Jess has made cupcakes."

<Hope> She refused to look up at him, simply nodding a little. "Coffee. Coffee is always good." She shoved her hand through her hair, trying to catch up. "I won't stay long. You have enough people underfoot as it is." And hopefully Tony would be home soon.

<Shaw> "You may stay as long as you need, love." Widget toddled off to make the coffee. "I'm sure Jess will be happy to see you."

<Hope> Hope gave him a look. "Yes, because I would be so happy to see me right now."

<Shaw> He returned the look and pointed at the sofa. "Sit."

<Hope> She leaned back against the wall, staring down at her bare feet instead. "I'm fine."

<Shaw> "Hope, please." Sebastian sat down himself.

<Hope> Hope glanced over at him, finally half rolling her eyes and sitting down in a chair.

<Shaw> "What do you plan to do?" He slid down into the sofa, watching her.

<Hope> Plan? She was supposed to have a plan? She glanced over at him reluctantly. "Hide?"

<Shaw> "Well, for the short term that would probably be sufficient."

<Hope> "I really don't need a lecture right now. I am very aware of how badly I have fucked up."

<Shaw> "How badly you have fucked up?" He gave her a dubious look. "You told him the truth, and he couldn't handle it. That is not your fault."

<Hope> "No but the rest of it was." She looked down again.

<Shaw> He cleared his throat. "You made a mistake. We both did."

<Hope> Hope nodded. "I know. But you didn't really know. Why would I do that?" she looked up at him again.

<Shaw> "Because I'm obviously irresistible." He smirked, resting his head on the back of the sofa and crossing his arms.

<Hope> Her hand went to her mouth, mentally pushing the bile back down. Ew. So ew. "Yeah that must be it." she dropped her hand again.

<Shaw> Sebastian laughed, though quietly. "No?"

<Hope> "Maybe 4 bottles of scotch later, yeah. But... ew. I'm sorry. Maybe it's just how things have changed since then."

<Shaw> "Four is a tad excessive, for anyone with less than a fully-developed healing ability."

<Hope> "It was a bad day," she argued.

<Shaw> "Hope," he said, sitting up and sliding to the other end of the sofa closer to her. "Speaking from experience, there are no solutions at the bottom of a bottle."

<Hope> "Plenty of solutions." She played with a bit of her red hair, not looking at him directly. "And there are enough healing abilities to pick from. I'm fine."

<Shaw> "Yes, including mine, but that's rather beside the point."

<Hope> She blinked a little, looking up at him. It occurred to her that this was what fathers did. She pulled her knees up to curl up in her chair, letting that sink in a little. "I stopped for a long time. After.... the baby. Didn't seem to make much difference."

<Shaw> "Well, there was still rather a lot of chaos then." He watched her, noticing her balling into herself.

<Hope> She laughed, trying to keep it soft. "There's always a lot of chaos."

<Shaw> "True." Widget entered with a low whistle and a tray with two cups of coffee.

<Hope> Hope picked up her cup of coffee as quickly as she could. The thought did occur that she should spike it. "I guess I just get to wait and see if he wants to fix things or not now."

<Shaw> "No, not really." He took his own cup, thanking the robot.

<Hope> "What do you mean not really?" she asked, sipping the hot liquid carefully.

<Shaw> "Do you want to fix things? His reaction was... fairly spectacular."

<Hope> She looked up at him, finally, properly. His reaction. He had left. Without much of a conversation at that. "I...." did she? She swallowed.

<Shaw> "Hope, there's no wrong answer." He gave her a slight smile. "You and he jumped into what seemed a rather serious entanglement not long after your fiancé’s death."

<Hope> The silent tears started, and she was unable to stop them. "I still miss him. And I feel like I shouldn't."

<Shaw> "Why? Of course you still miss him." Sebastian got up and looked for a box of tissues.

<Hope> "Because I'm with Chris and I'm supposed to be happy? It's been a year? Take your pick?" She watched his movements, not sure what he was doing.

<Shaw> Finding one, he picked up the box and brought it to her, then pulled over the coffee table to sit down. "There is no time limit." Sebastian swallowed, looking down at the box. "I love Jessica dearly, but I still miss Madelyne, and that was over... long before her death."

<Hope> She took the tissue box and set it down beside her, taking the top tissue to wipe her face. "I probably should have listened, but Chris was great. And then he got high all the time. And we fought constantly. Then he was gone... and now? I just don't know anymore. I don't know what I'm supposed to do or what I want to do."

<Shaw> "He's been through rather a lot himself, and it's remarkable they were able to reverse that... transformation. Perhaps he simply needed time to cool off after the revelation - and I'm certain he'll be out for my blood as well - but if this is a pattern of unwillingness to discuss problems..."

<Hope> "I'm sure he will and it's stupid! It wasn't really your fault." She toyed with the tissue in her hand. "How bad does Jess really hate me now?"

<Shaw> "She doesn't hate you." He listened for movement from their room, but it seemed she was still sleeping, luckily.

<Hope> The thought that she should though stung her a bit. She swallowed again and looked up at him. "If he's really so angry to do something stupid, maybe I shouldn't be here at all."

<Shaw> "Nonsense. If he's going to do something stupid, this is precisely the place you should be." Sebastian reached over to take her hand and stop her fidgeting with the tissue.

<Hope> She paused her fidgeting and looked down at his hand on hers. "Why? If he would do something to you?"

<Shaw> "I have nothing to fear from that boy." Sebastian intertwined their fingers.

<Hope> She swallowed hard, squeezing his hand. Slowly, she nodded. "Okay." She looked up at him with a bit of a small smile. "I guess I need to be here to teach Shinobi anyway. I told him I would."

<Shaw> His eyebrow raised. "To teach him what exactly?"

<Hope> "You do realize that he and I had very similar lives? And that he is where I was before we even met? If anyone knows what he's going through, it's me."

<Shaw> "I know," he said, taking her hand in both of hers. "Just... be cautious with him. He's seeing a counselor twice a week, and I've attempted to ease him into more normal activities, but we know his past is... problematic."

<Hope> "I know." She squeezed his hands. "He needs...." she thought about it a moment. He needed the same thing she had and still did. "Family. And I'm part of that... right?"

<Shaw> "You most certainly are, little Stark." Sebastian smiled and returned her squeeze.
Last edited by TechPrincess on Mon Jan 05, 2015 4:11 am, edited 2 times in total.
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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TechPrincess
Deck Swabber
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Posts: 578
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:38 am
Title: Little BABY!! Fairy <3
Nightscrawlearth Character: :jean :emma :husk
Location: Texas

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by TechPrincess »

<Hope> Hope drummed her fingers on the counter at the Shaws' while the coffee brewed. She stared out the window for a while, lost in the still falling snow. It made her want vodka, of all things. She snorted and started looking for an acceptable coffee mug in the cabinet.

<Doreen> Doreen had been contemplating going down to see Shinobi, she had missed him, but she was still mad that he just left without saying anything. When she heard someone moving about in the kitchen she figured it was him and decided to go down, she could play it off as wanting to get some food.

<Hope> Careful not to wake anyone up, Hope selected her mug and closed the cabinet door. She set it down on the counter and leaned down to stare at the black liquid pooling into the pot. She made a slight face. Why were these things so slow?

<Doreen> Doreen got to the kitchen and noticed a girl standing there waiting on coffee. Mmm she's cute. Wait.... "Uhmm.... who are you?" She backed up to the steps contemplating yelling for Jessica.

<Hope> Hope's red hair flipped over her shoulder as she turned to look at... a girl? That was the biggest tail she'd ever seen! She slid a hand to her hip, sizing up the girl. "I could ask you the same thing." Wait hadn't Sebastian mentioned some stray that they had taken in. "I'm Hope."

<Doreen> Doreen chewed her lip. "I guess you're not a burglar, they don't usually make coffee." She moved into the kitchen and got a mug for herself. "So uhmm you're a friend?" She was still a little wary of the new girl.

<Hope> How the hell did this girl not know who she was? Had she not picked up a paper or turned on the news in the past year and a half? She laughed at Doreen. "Really? A burglar? Do you really not know who I am?"

<Doreen> "Uhmm a cute redhead that brews coffee to rescue us from the dreaded early morning?" Doreen shrugged a little.

<Hope> She snorted, finally pouring herself a cup of coffee now that the stupid machine had completed its task. "Hope Stark. Sebastian is my...." What was he? "Family."

<Doreen> "Oh I'm Doreen Green. Jessica kinda took me in." Doreen eyed her again. "Enough for me?" She gave her a warm smile.

<Hope> "Ahhh right, I heard about that." She poured some coffee into Doreen's cup. "My other dad is the president. Tony Stark." She made a slight face. "Yeah it's kind of... complicated." She set the pot back down into the maker and picked up her mug with both hands.

<Doreen> "I know complicated.... trust me." She thought about the situation she was in. "It's nice to meet you."

<Hope> "Yeah you too." Hope took a careful sip of her coffee. "So..." What were you supposed to say to the person your dad took in as a stray? "Um... need sugar? Or milk?"

<Doreen> "Neither. So uhmm I guess you're here for Sebastian. I think him and Jess are uhmm busy." She wrinkled up her nose not wanting to think about that.

<Hope> Hope raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll keep that in mind." Who did she think she was playing hostess to her?

<Doreen> "So... uhmm." Doreen took a sip of coffee. "I guess I'll go see if Shinobi is up?"

<Hope> "Oh hey, good idea. Tell him I'm here, would ya?"

<Doreen> "Sure." Doreen headed down to his dungeon. She didn't even knock, just opened the door. "You alive down here butt head?"

<Hope> Hope raised an eyebrow again at that. The hell was with this chick?

<Shinobi> There was suddenly light. Why was there light? Startled, his attempt to look up at the door ended with him rolling right off the bed, tangled in wires from his headphones, and with the tablet computer thumping to the floor.

<Hope> The noise got Hope's attention. She followed, wanting to know what was happening too.

<Doreen> Doreen just laughed a little. "You alive?" She went into his dungeon to see if she could help him.

<Shinobi> "Yeah? What?" It was Doreen, and thankfully not Jessica, although she would have knocked. Maybe she did knock? He was tangled up in the blankets from his bed now, and carefully sat up, untangling the cord of the headphones to get them from around his neck.

<Hope> "Shinobi!" Hope went on into the dungeon, pausing when she finally caught sight of him.

<Doreen> Doreen started to help get him out of the blankets. "Mmm well hi there sailor." She stared at the computer screen for a minute. “You knew I was upstairs right?" She just laughed a little.

<Shinobi> He then heard the second female voice, but it was too late. "Hey..."

<Hope> Maybe looking a bit longer than was appropriate, Hope kicked herself into gear. "When you are um... done? With that? I'll uh... be upstairs." She quickly tried to retreat up the stairs.

<Shinobi> "I think I'm done." Belatedly, he found a pillow to cover himself.

<Doreen> That just made her laugh more. "Looks like you had fun." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

<Hope> Hope made a b-line for the alcohol. She would need so much of that to erase what she just saw. And heard.

<Shinobi> "Not quite... enough... or quickly enough, apparently." He was still trying to sort himself out. "What's she doing here?"

<Hope> Locked! That son of a bitch. Maybe like father like son? She marched back down toward the dungeon.

<Doreen> "Dunno. I don't even know who she is.... She said she's family." Doreen found him some pants and brought them over to him. "I'm mad at you."

<Shinobi> "She's... sort of like my father's daughter..." He shook his head. "Mad? What did I do?" He snatched the pants, finally getting over his shock enough to scrape himself from the floor and put his tablet on the nightstand.

<Hope> "Shinobi," Hope called down into the dungeon, so not going much further down. "Please tell me you have scotch down there? Or well, anything really."

<Shinobi> He heard her voice again and dropped the headphones.

<Doreen> "He has wine." Doreen sighed. "You didn't tell me you were leaving." She kissed his cheek and went to get Hope some wine.

<Shinobi> "I didn't know I was leaving. There wasn't really much option." He picked up the headphones and put them on the tablet, then opened the door on the nightstand. There was half a bottle of purloined scotch in there and after a moment of debate he got it out.

<Hope> Wine? What was he, 40? "Wine? Seriously?" The punishment fit the crime. She sighed.

<Doreen> "Oooh he found scotch score!" Doreen bounced a little. "Oh? I'll rethink being mad I guess."

<Shinobi> "The wine cellar is down here." Shinobi zipped his pants but missed the button and gave Doreen a confused look.

<Doreen> Doreen got the button for him. "I wish you would have said something. I missed you."

<Hope> "Is it safe to come down?" Hope questioned, making a face at the lovey dovey crap.

<Doreen> "He has pants on."

<Hope> Weighing Doreen's words, Hope went on down the rest of the steps, taking in the basement. "You have a lair..."

<Shinobi> "I do," he said to Hope, then gave Doreen yet another confused look. "I couldn't have said anything... I didn't know."

<Hope> Hope took the chance to glance over at the tablet screen, blinking a little. She quickly glanced back over at Doreen and Shinobi. "Do I even want to know?"

<Shinobi> "She calls it my dungeon," he said, indicating Doreen, and then noticing she was looking at his tablet. "Um..." Shinobi cleared his throat. "So, scotch?"

<Doreen> "Oh. Well that sucks..." Doreen frowned. "See pants." She played with his waistband.

<Hope> "Scotch. Yes. Your father locked me out of the liquor cabinet." She crossed her arms over her chest awkwardly. She had the distinct feeling she was in the middle of something.

<Doreen> "I know where they hide the key." Doreen grinned.

<Shinobi> Shinobi picked up the half-full bottle and gave it a slosh. "Why did he lock you out? And why are you here, anyway? I thought you were jetlagged." He smirked at Doreen. Of course she did.

<Hope> Hope just looked at him, swallowing as her heart-rate picked up. "I uh..." A glance at Doreen cut off the nerve she had left. "I should really probably just go."

<Doreen> Doreen bit her lip. "You okay?"

<Shinobi> Hope's expression was... off. Shinobi exchanged a glance with Doreen and moved closer to her. "Are you? Where's Sebastian? Should I get him?"

<Hope> "He's with Jess." And would absolutely kill her if they bothered him now. With great difficulty, she pasted on her best fake smile. "Of course I'm alright! I'll uh go grab some stuff. Surely he didn't hide the car keys too. Or the credit card." She started off toward the stairs.

<Doreen> "I can get some ice cream." She looked between the two.

<Shinobi> He wasn't fooled by that expression. "Go... get scotch?"

<Hope> "And maybe some food? A bunch of health junk here." She paused at the base of the stairs. "Unless he took my card." Would he have done that?

<Doreen> "I have lots of junk food stashed up stairs."

<Shinobi> "There you are then." He shrugged and smiled at Doreen. "If he took your card, and the key... I'm guessing it's for a reason." For her anyway, since he never extended the same courtesy to him.

<Hope> "You don't have to be nice to me. Either of you. I really don't deserve it." She looked back over at them both.

<Doreen> "That's what family does I think. Well I'm not family but he is." Doreen tried to give her a warm smile. "I'll get the food." She slipped past her to get junk food and ice cream.

<Shinobi> "We do have this." He sloshed the bottle again and moved closer.

<Hope> "Shinobi... I did something... really bad. Really bad." She looked up at his face, thinking it was a safer place to look than his chest.

<Shinobi> "I doubt it's as bad as my bad, if you recall." He cocked his head, watching her face, although after a moment he bent to catch her eyes.

<Hope> "No... but it's still pretty bad." She looked into his eyes, swallowing hard. "I kind of cheated on my boyfriend months ago. With someone I should have never, ever done that with regardless. And... he found out. So now everyone gets to know how horrible I am and what I did."

<Shinobi> He blinked. "That's it?"

<Hope> "This is a big deal ok!" Especially the who it was with.

<Shinobi> "You... cheated on a boyfriend. That's not... well, it's not a felony." He handed her the bottle. "Here, just... don't go out anywhere, if you're all freaked out."

<Hope> "I'm not all freaked out," she lied, taking the bottle. "It's a little more complicated than that, but yeah. And he'll be turning up here. I guarantee you. He'll come looking for me. So I guess... if that happens... just… stay down here?"

<Shinobi> "Your boyfriend? Here?" He laughed. "Actually, I would imagine my father would enjoy that." Was she frightened? After a moment, he forced himself to sober. “Nothing will happen to you... not here."

<Doreen> Doreen came down with lots of junk food and balanced a few bowls of ice cream. She figured that she could share with Shinobi.

<Shinobi> He spotted Doreen and moved to help her with the bowls. "Thanks," he said with a smile.

<Hope> Hope made herself smile as Doreen came back. She held on firmly to the bottle of scotch, looking down at it instead of them. Thank you, Shinobi. she pushed gently at his mind.

<Doreen> "Do you uhmm need more time alone." Doreen strained to get out. She missed Shinobi but she could wait.

<Shinobi> His head whipped up to stare at Hope in shock. "You're welcome? I... don't know?"

<Hope> "Shouldn't I be asking you two that question?" She asked with a slight laugh.

<Doreen> "Pfft he's not getting any until Shaw confirms he was kidnapped." She grinned.

<Hope> "He... was... kidnapped. And I really... don't think I wanted to know that." She made a face.

<Doreen> "I won't tell you what he gets as a treat then." She giggled a little as she went to the stairs.

<Shinobi> He watched her tail swish as she walked away, then looked at Hope with wide eyes.

<Hope> After Doreen was gone, Hope turned back to Shinobi. "Are you... dating the tiny fluffy girl!?" Hope smiled at him brightly. Oh this was golden! "That's adorable!"

<Shinobi> "I... don't know? There was a date, I think... but it's supposed to be... casual? Especially considering she asked me about bringing in another girl... possibly another guy." He made a face at that thought.

<Hope> Hope laughed and patted Shinobi on the top of his head. "Awwwww! You have a fluffy girl who wants threesomes... Isn't that like, every guy's fantasy right there?"

<Shinobi> "I don't know..." He pulled another face at the pat and straightened up so she couldn't reach the top of his head as easily. "You're not a telepath. Where did that come from?"

<Hope> She looked at him funny, dropping her hand carefully "From... a telepath."

<Shinobi> "No, really?" He snorted, then closed his eyes and screwed up his face to think at her. Are you still there?!

<Hope> Yes... She answered back softly, swallowing hard. She should have dropped the power. She should drop the power. From his surprise, she could guess who he didn't know was a telepath.

<Shinobi> Eyes popping open, he met hers. Interesting.

<Hope> I have a really far reach... She looked back into his eyes, stabling out the connection so that it wouldn't give him a headache.

<Shinobi> It felt... better now, and he drew in a surprised breath.

<Hope> She gave him a smile, sighing a little herself. You alright? Her fingers fumbled on the lid, trying to open it.

<Shinobi> Yeah. This is weird. He took the bottle and opened it for her, since it gave him another focus in this odd situation. So there are mutants everywhere...

<Hope> Yeah, especially in big cities like this, "Thanks." She took the bottle, taking a swig. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. Whenever you want it cut off, just tell me. Or picture a door closing. Hope didn't use telepathy too often, so it was nice to have someone to practice with that wasn't a telepath.

<Shinobi> "No problem." He wriggled his fingers, asking for the bottle back. And you take on physical mutations as well? Shinobi projected an image of her with a fluffy tail and smirked.

<Hope> She shot him a look, some annoyance filtering over their link. I don't really like those, but yes, I take on the entire X-gene of the host. She passed him the bottle.

<Shinobi> He took a pull from the bottle, his eyes still on her. You don't like them?

<Hope> Lying with him in her head would be much more trouble than it was worth. She shook her head, keeping eye contact. No. I don't. Ferals are hard to control, so I usually only take them out with someone. But besides that... I stay away from powers that have physical attributes. Except Pietro's. The hair color isn't a big deal since it's temporary.

<Doreen> Doreen sat completely still on the stairs wondering what was going on. It was way too quiet. What heck are they doing.... Why can't she question him about me more.

<Shinobi> How interesting... you dislike physical mutations. Even among our own species there's bigotry. He took another swig of the scotch and handed it back.

<Hope> Clearly you have no problem with them, seeing as how you are fucking the squirrel girl. She didn't take the bottle from him this time.

<Shinobi> I think it's interesting. She's cute. And... ditsy. And I've never had a prejudice against our fellow mutants. Clearly somebody did, however. I'm guessing your boyfriend doesn't have a physical mutation then?

<Hope> I don't have a prejudice. I just don't want to look like that. She completely avoided all mention of Chris.

<Shinobi> Why not? It's cute. He shook the bottle.

<Hope> I don't think it's cute. She admitted, shifting her weight. Where had Doreen gone anyway?

<Shinobi> Well, it's not a fin, Ariel, but we can't all be a princess. He put the bottle on the step beside her and went to find a shirt.

<Hope> "I'm not a princess," she snapped, picking up the bottle and staring at it. My gift is to pick which powers I use. I don't like physical mutations for a lot of reasons. They hurt, a lot of the time... and sometimes itchy.

<Shinobi> "How convenient for you, to have the pick of the litter. Not everyone is so fortunate."

<Hope> "No, no they aren't. But I finally have some control over my life and I'm going to use it."

<Shinobi> That shut him up, and he pulled a tee over his head, taking a moment before he looked back at her.

<Hope> "Look... I know it looks so awesome. But I can't do much. As a kid... well I have shadows everywhere I go now. I can't go some places because people are always trying to kill me. Picking powers is sometimes the one thing I can control. So I do."

<Shinobi> Shinobi cleared his throat, attempted to meet her eyes, and failed. "I understand that..."

<Hope> Hope handed him his bottle of scotch back. "I know you do. I'm... out for awhile. So you can do... whatever it is you do with whatever she is to you."

<Shinobi> "You probably shouldn't leave, if your boyfriend is... questionable?" He took the bottle and frowned at it. "It is safe here. Especially for you."

<Hope> "I'll stay close," she promised. "I just... um. Need some air." When you are through.... you can push at my mind if it makes you feel better.

<Doreen> Doreen scampered up the stairs before she left to make sure she didn't get caught. Well that wasn't worth eavesdropping on.

<Shinobi> So I can find you? He smirked.

<Hope> She smirked back at him. As long as that telepath hasn't let the area... I'll keep the power active.

<Shinobi> Shinobi had his own ideas about this, so he nodded, once. "Enjoy your air then." Apparently he was going to enjoy some ice cream, perhaps with scotch.
Last edited by TechPrincess on Mon Jan 05, 2015 4:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Paige :husk -------- Emma :emma -------- Hope :jean
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JackSkulls
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Posts: 339
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:02 pm
Nightscrawlearth Character: :maverick :shaman

Re: Christmas 2017: Chris and Hope

Post by JackSkulls »

<Shaw> "What happened to this coffee pot?" Sebastian rather suspected he knew, but it was possible one of the other household occupants had changed the settings. He tinkered with it, raising the lid to look inside as if the water were at fault.

<Hope> "It wasn't making coffee fast enough in this soberlation you have me in." Hope informed him, digging through the cabinets. This place sucked on food options.

<Shaw> "Sober is for the best right now, love." He looked over at her, then back to his coffee machine. "What did you do to it?" he asked suspiciously.

<Hope> "When you give me back the key to the liquor, I'll tell you." Hope told him with a glare. "It's not really good for anyone. You know that right?"

<Jessica> Jess felt much better after her epic nap and, after pulling on some clothes, she shuffled up the stairs to the sound of voices. "What's going on....?"

<Hope> "Your husband is an ass." Hope told her, slamming the cabinet.

<Shaw> "Well, that's a well known fact." He turned his attention to Jess and moved over to her to give her a kiss.

<Jessica> Jess blinked at her, looking between the two of them, "Um... why? What did he do?"

<Hope> "Keeping me and scotch apart. Nobody is amused." She ran her hand through her hair.

<Shaw> "I took away her scotch." He smirked.

<Jessica> "Ah... well... probably for the best? Why are you here? Not that it's not great... but..." she wrinkled her nose.

<Hope> Hope swallowed and shot Sebastian a look. Then went back to her hunt for contraband.

<Shaw> "Hope's going to be staying with us for a while." Sebastian slid his arms around Jess and rested his forehead against her. She had a fight with Nord... when she told him about the incident that occurred when my memory was altered. Tony is out of the country, and she shouldn't be alone.

<Jessica> Oh... she has the worst timing ever... She chewed her lip again, "Okay... but... where are we putting her?"

<Shaw> I know, I'm sorry, koibito. He kissed her temple and straightened up. "My workroom? I do have that sleeper sofa."

<Hope> "I won't be here long," she promised. Again. "Just.... as soon as Tony gets home I'll go to DC." She closed the cabinet. At least he didn't hide the liquor.

<Jessica> "Is that a good idea? All those tempting projects...?" She went to the kettle and flicked the switch. "Who's hungry?"

<Hope> "What tempting projects?" Hope asked, suddenly interested.

<Jessica> Jess just pointed at Hope because she was demonstrating her point.

<Shaw> "It's all right, I trust her..." He watched her from the side of his eye as he said this. "At least I think I do."

<Hope> "I work better with scotch," she pointed out.

<Jessica> "No one works better with scotch, that's the point... at least I thought that was the point of alcohol..." She opened the fridge and investigated the contents. "What shall we have for dinner?"

<Shaw> Sebastian tipped his head to the side, since he rather worked better with scotch as well.

<Hope> Hope just gave Jess a crazy look. "Yes. Yes they do."

<Shaw> "So, dinner... what would you like, Hope?"

<Hope> "Scotch. Scotch. And for dessert, some scotch with Splenda."

<Jessica> Jess wrinkled her nose, "Noooo that's not food."

<Hope> "Then I'm not hungry." She crossed her arms over her chest.

<Shaw> "Splenda?" He made a face. "That's... blasphemy."

<Jessica> "I'm ignoring it. Real sugar or get out," Jess threw Sebastian a grin, knowing full well that wasn't the part the bothered him.

<Hope> Frustrated, Hope just sighed. Maybe she had packed a bottle? She should check her bag.

<Shaw> Sebastian laughed. "Come on, Hope. Humor me."

<Jessica> "Dinner! What do you want? Answer now or you'll have to eat what I want to eat and I'm pregnant so...."

<Hope> "Fine. Pizza." Pizza sounded somewhat doable at least.

<Shaw> He looked at Jess, and even attempted a beseeching expression.

<Jessica> Jess sighed, closing the fridge, "Fiiiine... but I'm baking because otherwise I'll be bored."

<Shaw> "Excellent. Hope can help you."

<Hope> What was wrong with these people!? Hope just stared at him. "What?!"

<Jessica> "Oh! We can make brownies!" Jess moved remarkably quickly given her size to the cupboard with the baking ingredients.

<Shaw> "What?" He grinned. "I'll sort your accommodations, my dear."

<Hope> "I don't eat cooked brownies! And you are not leaving me alone to cook!" She rounded on Sebastian.

<Jessica> "Well we can make two lots and we'll only cook one - you can eat the other one."

<Shaw> "You aren't alone... you're with Jess." His smile just grew. "And I'll order the pizza. Meat?"

<Hope> Hope held the sides of her temples, trying to even out her breathing agian. "Stop being nice to me," she told them softly.

<Jessica> Jess paused, looking over her shoulder at Hope, "Uh... bad girl, go to your room?"

<Hope> Hope looked at her in the most bizarre way, then laughed.

<Shaw> Wondering if this was some bizarre new version of their 'dark and twisty' code, Sebastian just found his stash of carryout menus.

<Hope> Hope placed her hands down on the counter, looking down between them. "I don't deserve you guys being nice. Ok? That's all."

<Jessica> He knew what she liked on her pizza so she turned her attention back to the cupboards, "Want to put chocolate chips in them?" Hope was being silly so she decided to ignore that too.

<Hope> "Is that even a question?" Hope pointed out to Jess.

<Jessica> Jess took out the packet and set it on the counter with the other things, "I also want to make pastry... but I don't know what to put in it."

<Hope> "Rum." Hope offered with a grin.

<Jessica> Jess wrinkled her nose, "Pregnant."

<Hope> "It cooks off!" She protested, laughing.

<Shaw> Sebastian moved behind Hope and kissed the top of her head. "So, pizza with every meat, and perhaps you should put meat in the pastry as well." He strolled past to Jess and cocked his head. "I'll order a vegetable one for you and our... other guest."

<Jessica> "Thank you..." she leaned to press a kiss to his cheek, "Now get out of the way."

<Hope> Hope made a face. She didn't want to think about what Shinobi and that guest were doing.

<Jessica> "I can make a meat pie.... Oh!" She had an idea now, "It's Christmas, minced meat pies!"

<Hope> "Why does that sound disgusting?" Hope questioned, staying well away from all that cooking over there.

<Jessica> "Because you have no idea how amazing they are?" Jess started pulling down other things.

<Shaw> Pizza ordered, Sebastian slid his phone into his pocket and came back, sitting on the ledge to the side of the kitchen to watch them. "Have I had that before? As in, have you made that before?"

<Jessica> "Tiny pies with dried fruit inside, yes I have." Jess smiled at him.

<Shaw> Sebastian just nodded to this revelation, trying to pretend as if he remembered.

<Hope> Hope wanted nothing to do with that cooking.... but brownie batter was appealing. She cautiously approached the bowl, like it might explode on her, and picked it up to continue the process.

<Jessica> Jess started tossing aforementioned dried fruit into a bowl with some brown sugar and other nice smelling things.

<Shaw> Once she got the spices out, he did remember it. The potpourri pies. Oh dear. "I'll be right back." He started for the stairs to check his workroom for things Hope could potentially break.

<Hope> It didn't take Hope long to mix up the batter.... and sit on the counter, starting to eat it.

<Jessica> Jess was enjoying making the pies and the pastry, she went to the oven to start it heating up before she started to fill the pies.

<Christopher> Chris got in to the Tesla Roadster he was renting to test it out and texted Hope to see if she was ready for him to come get her for dinner. Well it's interesting enough for an electric car.

<Hope> Hope pulled out her phone, seeing Chris face pop up. She didn't even get to read it as the phone dropped from her hands onto the floor.

<Jessica> Jess looked over at Hope, frowning a little in concern, "You okay?"

<Hope> "Yeah um. Just slipped." She offered, carefully setting the bowl down on the counter beside her. did she want to read it? She stared at the phone on the floor. Where was Shinobi? She could make him read it! No, that was weird. She could read it. Totally. She swallowed and slid off the counter.

<Jessica> Jess watched her as a glob of the mixture she was filling the pies with dripped off her spoon and onto the floor with a satisfying splat.

<Hope> She picked it up, checking it for cracks. Satisfied it was in one piece, Hope scratched the back of her head. Realizing Jess was watching her, she slowly dropped her hand. With a few presses, she had the text pulled up.

<Jessica> Jess looked down at the pie filling that had narrowly missed her bare foot.

<Hope> "He... wants to know if I'm ready for dinner?" Hope glanced over to Jess, baffled.

<Jessica> "Tell him yes, you're having pizza and he can go get his own." She went to get some paper towels to wipe up the mixture from the floor.

<Shaw> Sebastian heard the exchange from upstairs and thundered down the steps. Jess was on the floor, and Hope was on her phone. "Nord?"

<Hope> Hope certainly wasn't saying that. She nodded at Sebastian in the doorway. "Who else? Drake?"

<Shaw> "Love, if you don't want to speak to him, you don't have to." He moved over to help Jess clean up her ... smelly fruit.

<Jessica> Jess let him take the paper towel and straightened up again, going back to filling the pies.

<Hope> She felt a rush of different emotions as she processed the text message. Was she ready for dinner? He hadn't even spoken to her since he had walked out and now he wanted dinner? Ut oh. Hope knew what that was code for.

<Hope> She ran her fingers through her hair, shaking slightly. What was she going to do? What was she supposed to do. She didn't know how to respond to that! "He's breaking up with me. He wants to go to dinner. That's what he's doing."

<Jessica> Jess chewed her lip, looking down at Sebastian before tracking back up to Hope.

<Christopher> Chris sent her another text that he wasn't mad at her he just wanted to talk and that he'd made reservations at her favorite place in boston. He started up the engine and took off remembering he didn't know where Sebastian and Jess lived.

<Hope> "Dinner at my favorite place... of course he isn't mad and just wants to talk. In public. Where I can't made a scene." Hope threw her phone to the other room. Nope! Not dealing with that. Nope!

<Shaw> Sebastian watched the phone sail past.

<Jessica> Jess watched the phone fly, "Uh... okay... well... I guess that's that..."

<Christopher> At the first stop he looked at his phone and frowned when she hadn't texted him back. 'Babe? You okay....? I need to know where Shaw lives so I can pick you up.'

<Shaw> Sebastian went and picked up the phone, thumbing across to read the message. His eyebrow quirked up. "He wants to know where I live."

<Hope> "I bet he does...." Hope swallowed hard.

<Jessica> "Do you want one of us to speak to him instead?"

<Shaw> "I'll do it." He frowned at the phone, then looked at Hope. "If you wish."

<Hope> "Oh like that's a good idea," Hope snapped, then quickly felt bad. "I'm sorry... no. I don't think either of you should." But she didn't want to either. Where was Doreen!?

<Shaw> "It's fine, Hope. Perhaps... if you think speaking to me would make things worse, he might prefer Jessica?"

<Hope> "No way am I sending your pregnant wife to fight my battles." Hope hopped off the counter, but leaned back against it.

<Shaw> "Well, I meant to call him..."

<Jessica> "Or you can let one of us text him the address so you can tell him to go away in person? ... But I can totally smack him for you if you want... or make him scream like a girl." Pheromones were fun.

<Hope> "I guess text him the address... I'll figure out something to say."

<Shaw> Sebastian frowned, but did as he was told, texting the boy nothing but the address and resisting the urge to add anything.

<Christopher> Chris got the address and plugged it into the GPS so he could find his way to the house. For a new car this is a pretty nice one. The next light he texted her that he'd be there in about fifteen to twenty minutes.

<Shaw> "Well, our pizza will arrive before he will. Twenty minutes at the most." Sebastian debated handing her back her phone, but it could face further abuse, so he leaned on the kitchen counter and set it beside him.

<Jessica> Time to get those pies in the oven! She put the lids on and slid the tray in.

<Hope> Hope didn't know what to do. She glanced between them, awkwardly. She shouldn't have come here. She moved to Jess once her hands were free and pulled her into a hug.

<Jessica> Jess resisted the urge to flail in alarm at the surprise hug and managed to return it, eying Sebastian over Hope's shoulder. What just happened?

<Shaw> He suppressed a laugh, but was still far too amused by Jess' expression. She called me dad earlier, love, so we'll chalk it up to extreme stress and forced sobriety.

<Hope> "I'm sorry," she told her softly. "For so much. I've been a terrible friend. I should fix that." She let Jess go.

<Jessica> Jess shook her head, "Don't worry about it, I've not been great either... all water under the bridge," she gave her a smile.

<Hope> Hope gave her a weak smile. "Can I?" she motioned to Jess' stomach.

<Shaw> He watched them with a faint smile.

<Jessica> Jess nodded, taking Hope's hand and placing it on the bump where Hope would feel the movement.

<Hope> She laughed through some tears, smiling softly. "That's so weird."

<Jessica> "Yep... and it's a pain sometimes when you're trying to sleep or not go to the bathroom every five minutes..." Plus funny things were happening with her powers.

<Shaw> "But it's also remarkable, really..." He smiled, trying not to think about how much time Jess spent in the bathroom.

<Christopher> Chris got to the place and frowned a little. He really didn't want to see Sebastian. He wanted to break his face all over the pavement but he could be the bigger man for Hope. Carefully, Chris parked the rented car and went to the door to knock.

<Hope> "Pizza!" The mood was broken by that knock.

<Jessica> Jess laughed, "I would race you to the door but... it's a struggle to get through doorways."

<Shaw> The proximity alarm beeped and he pulled his phone from his pocket and frowned at the security camera image. "No, I'm afraid not..."

<Hope> That news sobered Hope right back up. "Can I have scotch NOW?" She begged.

<Shaw> "Do you want to see him? Or shall I tell him no?"

<Jessica> Jess captured Hope's hand again. No one was having scotch.

<Hope> "No! Wait... Yes... I need to deal with this. I just..." She tried to breath evenly, holding onto the counter. "I'm good." She tied to extract herself from Jess so she could go to the door.

<Shaw> "All right." He could hear Widget downstairs, and flicked his phone to authorize him to open the door. "Do you want me to come with you?"

<Christopher> Chris waited at the door patiently. He adjusted his coat with a shiver it was cold outside. Please answer Hope...

<Jessica> Jess let her go but followed behind her, she was feeling protective - probably the mom hormones.

<Shinobi> Headphones on again, he thought he heard something from upstairs and looked at Doreen.

<Doreen> Doreen kissed his cheek and pulled his attention back to the screen. "You don't wanna go up there."

<Widget> The robot unlocked the door and opened it, burbling quietly at the man on the steps.

<Hope> Hope stopped where she could see the door, too scared to open it. Her future was on the other side of that door. The thought was overwhelming. As Widget opened it, fear flooded Hope.

<Christopher> Chris just stared at the robot. "What are you...."

<Jessica> Jess' anxiety levels went up with Hope's and she tried to stuff it back down again.

<Shaw> Both women were making him edgy, and Sebastian edged in front of Jess on the stairs, taking her hand.

<Widget> Cocking his head, he whistled and opened the door further, gesturing the man inside and running a quiet scan.

<Jessica> Jess gave Sebastian's hand a squeeze, I'm okay... I think...

<Christopher> Chris cautiously entered the foyer completely expecting a trap from Sebastian, maybe a drop floor that ended in a pool of acid.

<Hope> Hope's hands fidgeted as she stood there, trying to work up her nerve. She latched onto Shinobi's mind. His was comforting. Similar. Tell me I'm not a bad person. Please. Tell me I'm not. She stared at Chris, unable to move.

<Shaw> Sebastian reached the foyer first and turned to make sure Jess was well. He looked up at Hope, who seemed... frozen. Turning to Nord and squeezing Jess' hand, he cleared his throat. "Good evening, Mr. Nord."

<Christopher> "Shaw...." Chris had to force out. "Nice place." He squeezed his keys in his pocket to keep him from doing something stupid.

<Shinobi> It was very likely she was right, but he'd freed one ear to listen upstairs anyway. When he heard a voice in his head he let out a startled squeak.

<Jessica> Jess heard the noise downstairs and looked down at the floor before looking back up at Chris and moving a little closer to Hope.

<Shaw> "Thank you." Sebastian gave Nord a once-over. He did look... well, more normal than he'd ever seen, actually.

<Doreen> Doreen giggled and rolled her eyes at him. "You're so cute."

<Shinobi> I don't think you're a bad person... why would you think that? He sat up, wondering what was going on now. "Can you hear what's going on up there?"

<Christopher> Chris looked past the target of his own rage and saw his girlfriend. "Hey Hope." He gave her a small wave.

<Hope> Because she was. She shifted a little to look at him. "Chris." I just... needed to hear it.

<Doreen> "Someone named Nord is up there? And him and Sebastian are talkingish?" Doreen snuggled up to him she was kinda cold.

<Christopher> "You ready? Or do you want me to push back our reservation?" He smiled a little more, it had only been a little while but he had missed her, more from only seeing her for a few minutes after her return from Alaska.

<Shaw> As fascinatingly awkward as this was, it would take all night at this rate. "Hope, whatever you want to do, we're here... for you." He gave Nord another glance.

<Hope> She stared at him. Really? Really!? She brought one finger up, then dropped it. "You don't talk to me and then you want to go to dinner? You can say whatever it is you need to say here."

<Jessica> Jess felt a flash of rage that wasn't her own, and her eyes narrowed a little at Chris. She was also varying degrees of anxious and there was something else she couldn't put her finger on.

<Shinobi> His heart rate picked up, for no reason he could tell. "I think I might puke..." Yet he tightened his arm around Doreen.

<Christopher> Chris swallowed a little. "I needed time to process." Chris wondered if he was allowed to move over to her or if Sebastian would stop him. "Can we talk in private then?"

<Hope> Hope had to cut the link to Shinobi. She couldn't maintain that and her emotions with no liquor in her system. "They both have enhanced hearing. Save yourself the trouble."

<Jessica> "In this house? Good luck with that." Jess almost laughed.

<Doreen> "You puke on me and I'll kill you. You have no idea how long it takes to get that out of fur." She didn't move though and started to rub his back.

<Shaw> I think I need a drink, he sent to Jess, wondering if he should shield himself from their link just for a while. Sebastian rested his hand on her belly.

<Jessica> Have one for me too.... She was trying not to hold on to the emotions she didn't recognise as her own but she was getting confused.

<Shinobi> As suddenly as the feeling came it was gone and he gasped. Still, he'd broken out in a cold sweat. "What the fuck was that?"

<Doreen> She gave him a concerned look. "Are you okay? Do you want me to get Jessica or your Dad?"

<Shinobi> That was the last thing he wanted, so he groaned and waved her away, flopping over to bury his face in the pillow.

<Doreen> She gave his back a gentle rub. "Water?"

<Hope> "I already know what you want. You didn't need to drive all the way over here just to do it!" Jess shouldn't be here. She turned to look at her. She couldn't ask her to leave her own house! This was a nightmare. Where was a teleporter?!

<Christopher> "Hope...I want to talk to my girlfriend and take her to dinner. That's it, no hidden messages or anything like that. I guess that is if you still want me."

<Jessica> Jess felt another flash of anger and frustration that didn't belong to her and she reached to put a hand on Hope's arm, deciding that she was the source.

<Hope> "Don't try to put this on me. Well. I guess it is on me." She jumped at the touch on her shoulder. "I'm a terrible girlfriend. We've always known this! You didn't want to date in the first place! I forced it on you, and now look where we are!?" She started to feel herself calm down. Which was nice.

<Shaw> Sebastian watched this exchange quietly.

<Christopher> It finally clicked in his head what she was thinking. "I'm not trying to break up with you Hope. I just don't want to talk about this in front of other people.” Especially not Sebastian but he kept that to himself. "If you were terrible you would have left me when I was a monster. You could have and I wouldn't have blamed you. I fucked up so massively I never expected you to stay with me.”

<Jessica> Her touch seemed to be having the desired effect and lessening the emotional turmoil in Hope and easing the stress on Jess, herself.

<Hope> "You left me. You weren't there for me at all." She told him, now in a much calmer voice.

<Jessica> "You know," Jess interjected, "You may have had your time to process but, maybe, Hope hasn't finished. Why don't you leave it for now and come back after the holidays..."

<Christopher> "I was a fucking idiot and I drove you away because I was too stupid to realize what I was doing.... Not even the shit they did to me makes up for not being there when you needed me." Chris mind flashed to the tortures that were all coming back to him.

<Hope> "Yeah. You're right." Hope took a step away from Jess, finally figuring that one out. She needed her own emotions. Not planted ones. "Our entire relationship has been one fight after another. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of fighting." She thought about what Jess said. "And maybe I just need time... for me. Without anyone telling me what I should think or feel!"

<Christopher> "Yeah...?" Chris frowned a little. "I can give you time Hope. I'm sorry I wasn't worth shit as a boyfriend."

<Shaw> Sebastian shifted his weight, arm sliding protectively around Jess. And perhaps a stint in AA, and some therapy. I wonder if I can get a two for one discount with Shinobi's therapist.

<Hope> "And how much time are you willing to give?" She wanted something to throw at him for that last part.

<Jessica> If you don't ask, you don't get.... Jess leaned in to him a little as she dropped her hand to her belly when Hope drew away.

<Shaw> I believe that's an excellent plan then. He turned toward Jess and kissed her cheek.

<Christopher> "Whatever you need. All I want is a chance to make you happy and if you need me to stay away I can do that." He was breaking inside but he wasn't going to let them know that, especially not Sebastian.

<Hope> She looked down at the stairs. Is that what she wanted? No. But was it what she needed? Most likely. She nodded. "Okay."

<Jessica> Jess watched Chris, wishing she was as good at reading body language as Viper. But maybe she didn't need that, she stared intently at him, trying to see if she could pick up any of his emotions like she seemed to have been doing with Sebastian lately, and now Hope.

<Christopher> "If you guys want my reservation I'm sure they'd let you add one more to the table." Chris swallowed and started towards the door. "Love you Hope." Chris let out as he stepped through the doorway, half hoping she wouldn't hear him.

<Hope> The problem with using Sebastian's power... was that she did. She sank down on the stairs, burying her face in her hand. You too she thought to herself.

<Shaw> And as the owner of the power, he certainly heard it and rolled his eyes. Wasn't this what he'd warned her about all along?

<Jessica> Jess was rather looking forward to pizza by now and she idly wondered where the delivery guy was. Maybe he'd sensed danger and hidden somewhere.

<Jessica> Threshold now clear and the heat draining from the house, Jess went to close the door behind their visitor.

<Hope> Hope headed for the liquor cabinet.

<Shaw> That was... interesting. Sebastian stopped Jess and leaned out to check for both Nord and the pizza man.

<Jessica> Yeah... for a multitude of reasons... Jess frowned at the outside world.

<Doreen> "I think Hope broke up with her boyfriend or some random man... I don't know."

<Shaw> Raising an eyebrow at Nord's car, he brightened immensely when he saw the pizza delivery man. "I'm not tipping him. He's late."

<Jessica> "I'm going to check on the pies... and Hope..." she turned back for the stairs.

<Shinobi> "Oh yeah?" Right now, he wasn't sure he cared, since he still felt ... weird. Jumpy. Upset?

<Doreen> She kissed his back as she rubbed it. "Yeah pretty sure."

<Shinobi> "That's nice." He groaned and buried his face in the pillow again.
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