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Post by Ember on Aug 29, 2009 23:52:10 GMT -5
The faint blush that tinted Aideen's cheeks at having been caught in a heated moment by her two friends faded slowly as she sat down with her bowl of fresh cut fruit and scrambled eggs and cheese that Logan made her with a thick slice of tomato on toast. It took her a moment to compose herself, the conditioning of always acting like a perfect lady in company kicked in, even if she was in the company of friends. Elegantly as ever, she placed a napkin on her lap and lightly seasoned her little sandwich with tobasco sauce and ground pepper. Bringing the tea to her lips, Aideen heated it a little more with her hands and took a sip of the delicious hot spiced liquid, the scent only keeping the memories of India fresh in her mind, and the longing of the tropical exotic country alive in her once more.
Gently, she placed her mug on the table and picked up the toast with the scrambled eggs on it, biting into it daintily and chewing it slowly and carefully. "It is very good, thank you," Aideen said politely with a sparkle of delight in her dark eyes when she finished chewing and took another bite, each one done with the same grace and care she was conditioned to take as a true lady must. There were a number of nights as a child where she was was tied back by her shoulders with silk scarves and had to go through a meal as a perfect lady would. under the watchful eye of her Uncle.
"Are there any particular things that you would all like to do today? Pardon me if it was already said, I must have not caught it," Aideen said taking another bite of the sandwich and looking between them. She was at ease with them, and knew they wouldn't frown at speaking at the table. It was another part of her conditioning that she was easing out of, but progressively became easier for her as time went on. It took a bit of effort to make herself more at ease during a meal, but not as much as it would have taken a mere three months ago.
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Post by Wolverine on Aug 30, 2009 1:56:19 GMT -5
"MMMmm....I'm glad yer all are enjoying the meal. You've all heard me say it before, 'I'm the best at what I do', and this was just me doing breakfast," his hand reached under the table and found the thigh of his little lady love and he squeezed it gently "but I got 'loads' of skills." He winked at Aideen.
"As for sumthin ta do, hey I am up for any damn thing, but since we did a little of the underbelly last night and now we find ourselves, thanks to yer flawless driving there Mase, what they use ta call 'flush with the greenbacks'....well, why not a bit of culture. Nuthin too snooty though. Can't deal with snooty." Logan grinned as he stabbed at his eggs with his fork and jammed them into his mouth followed by some bacon. Chewing he let the flavors and aromas lift his spirits even higher. There was nothing like a well cooked meal, and breakfast was the most important meal of the day it was always said.
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Ironclad
Corsairs
Mason Rictus
Posts: 197
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Post by Ironclad on Aug 30, 2009 15:26:40 GMT -5
"Culture huh? Last night we took a ride in a Paddy Wagon through a clover field, there's the culture for you," Mason said with a smirk taking a sip of the black coffee before reaching for some more bacon. "I'm wanna see the place, I came here only once before but I stuck to the bars down by the University. Good bars too." He nodded remembering how it was back in the day when him and Brock were cool with each other. They'd grab Kelly and drive all over looking for a couple of drinks, a woman or two and a good time. They came here once before, and ended up starting a bar fight in two bars in a row, thanks to Brock. That was a good couple of years ago though, when they just got the taste of the freedom of being legal adults and going crazy with it. A lot changed since then, and though they did some crazy stuff that he knew Cyclops would kick his ass if he knew, Mason learned from it all and was a better person in the end.
"I say," He began swallowing the last of the bacon on his plate. "We go to that Marketplace thing you were talking about," Mason said looking at Aideen. "We could spend some time there, stores and good food and pretty decent entertainment, right? Whatever, we could chill there, go off on our own for awhile. I got my phone on me, and you got yours right Fox? It's all good with me, though I did promise to treat dinner, so we'll meet up later. Cool?" He winked at Tracy and looked between Logan and Aideen. He had to admit, that despite everything Aideen loosened up a lot with Logan. Mason caught the little blush on her face and the sparkle in her eyes despite her ladylike manners, which was more than he had ever seen.
His own girl seemed happier here too though, and he chalked it to the atmosphere. They were away from the school and able to relax and not worry about the latest drama. It was a good environment for all of them, and the noticeably less tension in just the way they sat made it obvious that the time away was doing them all good. Mason went back to his eggs and used his elbow to push one of the wolfhound's nose off the table. "No stay down. These aren't for you," he scolded, guarding his plate better.
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HeartString
Corsairs
Tracy Goddard
Trust me, I know what hurts you, I know what you're feeling
Posts: 222
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Post by HeartString on Aug 30, 2009 16:16:26 GMT -5
"Oh yes, please! I would love to do some shopping in a market. I had this whole vacation all planned out and everything over the winter break, but just like every vacation I have ever had I always get called back to help with some terrible tragedy. I haven't been to a farmers market in like forever." Tracy was glowing with excitement over the tentative plans of the day. "I'm almost afraid to get excited about it. I don't want to jinx us." She shrugged at her own silliness, but deep inside she was really worried for their time.
It was a proven fact, she saved the past three calendars and each of them were chocked full of notes to validate her statement. There was a name in each date that was a birthday, of course, but there was also the many attempts at time away. Each vacation break or holiday weekend she had was lined through at some point and a notation on where she was whisked off to was denoted. Her aid was invaluable and the X-Men could hardly be as successful a team without her, but she was now accustomed to having her life not belong to her anymore.
She felt much like a tool, often used and certainly appreciated, but never given the respect of what was promised her. "I almost can't believe this weekend is real. Is this actually happening?" They all knew the truth of what she was saying, even Aideen who was there when she was brought back early after the brotherhood attack. Some accounts of her travels were even studied in class, attacks on mutants citizens and battles the X-Men fought, as well as all the difficulties of the aftermath of those conflicts and the cleanup of those events.
Tracy's was a face seen often enough in news footage, yet few seemed to realize she was a mutant with such a useful gift. Such was her destiny and her fate, she never said no to helping.. not, that is, until that time with Brock. That moment it was apparent now, had become a turning point in her life. She was not going to be used for what she was any longer. She would help, certainly she would, but her life was her own and she was going to live it.
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Post by Ember on Aug 30, 2009 16:57:36 GMT -5
Aideen brought her cup to her mouth to hide a smile from Logan's comment and the large warm hand on her thigh. It took her a moment to compose herself and remind herself that she must act like a lady. "Actually Tracy, it's not exactly a farmer's market, but we can go by there later if you like," she began softly and took another dainty bite of her egg and cheese on toast. "Mason's talking about Quincy Market. It a really old bazaar of a sort, similar to Columbus Circle in New York. A big tourist area, but not a bad place to visit. They have a lot of stores and taverns in the area, that place that makes all my leathers is there too." She made a note to stop by and order a new set of clothes more ideal for staying warm and moving around at night.
"You'll find a lot of Kiosks there selling goods, and some things that are kept on the down low that tourists don't know about." Aideen turned to Mason this time as she pushed the plate of now nothing more than crust from the bread aside and started on her fruit bowl. "If you want to get some new muscle on you, I know a guy you can talk to, he has all the Black Market Irons you can ever want, and he won't cheat you on the price unless he thinks you're easy prey." She knew that there would be someone from the Clan at the booth, and though last night could have gone much more smoothly, she still had the power and connections she needed to get around the town with no trouble.
Popping a modest forkful of blackberries into her mouth, a pensive look came over her for a minute, thinking about her Hometown and all she knew of it. "There are some great places to have dinner nearby, but you must pardon me for not being so keen on a steakhouse. There are great seafood restaurants though, nothing too snooty or anything, very casual places," Aideen said glancing at Logan with a smirk as she carefully chewed a strawberry.
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Post by Wolverine on Aug 30, 2009 17:42:04 GMT -5
"I guess layin offa the red meat would do me good for one night. Besides how can we not have some seafood here? Hell, it's fresh off the boat a block away." Logan slid his hand up Aideen's thigh ever so slightly, enjoying the playfulness of it. Watching her reaction out of the corner of his eye and being oh so cool about it. "Place is also pretty historic, might see some of that too eh? Take a tour, stand in lines and take pictures...hey, I don't know what yer all into. Me? I could go for some beers, but I got simple tastes."
He took a sip of his coffee, licking his lips as he set his cup down. "All I really want ta do is spend time with my Angel Eyed girl. Where we do that is really no big deal." He was tired of sneaking around. He was proud of Aideen and he knew she was proud of him too, but at the school things were not as free. He knew they could trust the two Corsairs, but he knew too that being as open and free as they were being was just inviting trouble. The more people who knew a secret, the more easily that secret could be revealed. He was going to enjoy this taste of freedom for all it was worth.
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Ironclad
Corsairs
Mason Rictus
Posts: 197
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Post by Ironclad on Aug 30, 2009 19:02:18 GMT -5
Mason looked between the two of them for a moment and shook his head. "I gotta say it Logan man, how the hell you kept from ripping Rumble to shreds and making him swallow his intestines, I'll never know," he said his eyes resting on Logan in an almost knowing manner. Just the other day he punched Burns in the stomach hard enough to make him throw up for 'accidentally' grabbing Tracy's boob when he tripped. If any guy treated her the way Rumble treated Aideen, he would have shot them with every gun he owned. Twice.
"How ya'll kept it under wraps in a school where everyone knows whenever you shit and sneeze is a miracle in and of itself. S'far as I see it, you both deserve a weekend to chill out together, cause after this its back to the Arena." Mason finished the last of his eggs and sat back, taking his mug to finish his coffee. "I ain't all that into the historical stuff, but hey that's where we can go our separate ways." He glanced over to his own girl. "Unless you wanna go, than I'm cool."
Drinking down the last of the coffee, he set the mug on top of the plate and sat back in the chair, letting out a loud content sigh. He'd wait till Tracy was finished before he went in, since she would probably want first shower anyways and he was nothing if not polite. It was still pretty early and they had a full day ahead of them, so he wasn't rushing anything.
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HeartString
Corsairs
Tracy Goddard
Trust me, I know what hurts you, I know what you're feeling
Posts: 222
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Post by HeartString on Aug 30, 2009 20:19:40 GMT -5
"Oh Mason." Tracy giggled a little bit. "Sorry, I had to keep it from you." She grinned sheepishly and blushed as she explained "Well, in all honesty I was only about Ninety-Six percent sure. Without the actual visual proof though?" She shrugged. "I couldn't be positive... but don't worry, I never speak about people's emotions to anyone else. That's real private stuff, that I am just lucky enough to have some insight into... yeah, if you can call it lucky." She smiled at Logan and Aideen and their togetherness.
"It used to be extremely hard to discern emotions, one from another and keep them all separate from my own, now it's only just a little difficult when there is quite a lot of people... gets me sorta tipsy, I get a little lost in it." she rolled her eyes and her head a bit "Like last night? That was a bit wild, but I pulled it together." She popped the last bit of her toast into her mouth, chewing it well before swallowing.
"Now but you two, wow you tried to hide it and you did pretty well, I'll hand it to you both. Oh, but the passion and the butterflies in her tummy" she pointed to Aideen "whenever you" she pointed to Logan "walked by... I was pretty sure you were an item. Hot and heavy but the intensity. It's okay though, I don't think anybody but me would know, unless you told them yourselves of course."
She really had enjoyed the meal and she grabbed her fork to go after more of it, but it was all gone. "Oh wow. That was a fantastic meal Logan, thanks again. I could have eaten more." Her coffee cup was still about half full. It was strong but she liked it, and with the cream and sugar she had put in it it went down smooth. "MMMmm so this market... it's more like upscale shops? Like in Manhattan? Well, now that we have some money I guess it could be nice to sport some labels."
Tracy was not one of the privileged children at the school, but she wasn't poor either. Her family had some money but she never had designer clothes. Her parents spent their money on her gymnastics training over the years, and were more than a little displeased at her choices. They loved her none the less, and were actually growing to understand more and more about being parents of a mutant. They were two of the few who always looked for her face on the news, and knowing what she did for the world made them very proud parents indeed.
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Post by Ember on Aug 30, 2009 21:10:42 GMT -5
The breath that had hitched when the hand on her thigh moved up was let out as Aideen looked at Tracy questioningly, the smile that she had been trying to hide falling away while biting her lip. "Well, yes there are stores very much like that... but wait, I'm sorry Tracy, butterflies? What do you mean butterflies? Why are they in my stomach? Can you take them out?" she asked looking between all of them with wide eyes. It was a good way that described one of the symptoms she'd been telling Dr. McCoy about the past couple of months, and he kept saying that he ran every test there was on her and it was nothing. For awhile she thought herself to be crazy until she knew that it was a definitely there, and had been thinking up ways to record her symptoms to him.
Dark eyes were clouded with confusion, Aideen looked at Logan. "Why did they happen when you-" A wave of realization came over her then, making her sit back and stare straight ahead for a minute. All these concepts she read and learned about through her journey of trying to find her 'illness' connected directly to what she had been feeling all along. She didn't understand it ever since she was programmed and conditioned not to, and though she knew what love was supposed to feel like, or close to it, it didn't occur to her that it could be what she had been gradually feeling the past couple of months. She couldn't believe that she missed it, especially when she was trained to observe and analyze everything.
It was rare for her to have missed anything, and at that moment another rare feat occurred as Aideen's hand went up to cover her mouth as a smile broke out on her face in the company of others. It didn't stop there, as the softest of giggles escaped her lips as her body shook in silent laughter. "Oh I am a stupid woman. I thought I was ill," she managed between silent soft laughter as her body shook slightly, her hand still covering her mouth. "Poor Dr. McCoy." Her face was now slightly darker as a result of her own foolishness and what a spectacle she made of herself. She had never felt so foolish before in her life and at this point she really couldn't do anything but laugh.
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Post by Wolverine on Aug 30, 2009 22:52:20 GMT -5
A bushy eyebrow perked up and over the rim of his coffee cup as Aideen began piecing things together. He lowered his cup watching her beautiful face as the realization washed over her. She was loving him all of this time with such purity that she didn't even put a name to what she felt. She apparently had not enough emotional vocabulary to label what she was feeling, she simply felt it and enjoyed what she felt.
Logan respected that, it was part of what he loved about her too, her spirit was far less tainted than most. It held a purity, an innocence and in that moment a pang shot through his heart. The realization that he was her first love, struck home. She was no virgin, in fact she had taught him a move or two... but love in her world was as pure as driven snow. His footprints alone made their way to her heart.
The laughter, like distant wind chimes at first, was something he had heard in private times only, and shocked he was to hear it in such company. It started small and in concert with her smile, her beautiful smile that she hid behind those elegant killing weapons, his rough exterior fell away. He so wished she would relax and show it, show the dazzling prize she hid. "Yer not stupid Angel Eyes, you are perfect! And you have got a beautiful smile. Let me see it ..." Logan tilted his head and brought his hand up from her thigh to grasp her wrist gently. Stroking the back of her hand with his thumb he said softly, with the sweetest contrast of gruff tenderness "...please?"
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Ironclad
Corsairs
Mason Rictus
Posts: 197
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Post by Ironclad on Aug 31, 2009 0:29:27 GMT -5
For a second Mason thought he was still dreaming, or stuck in some alternate dimension. For the first time ever he saw Aideen not only smile, but laugh, and furthermore it was the first, probably ever, that he heard Logan say 'please' to anyone. He blinked for a moment, similar to the way he did when he realized the two of them were together in the first place. "Well now I seen it all," he said with a sigh setting his empty mug on top of his plate. It made him all a bit dazed and up until now he didn't think Aideen even knew how to smile, let alone laugh. Sure he'd seen her smirk, but there is a distinct difference. Mason had been there since he was thirteen and never had he heard Logan say please to anyone. Ever.
"A'right I don't think I can take anymore for the morning," he said grinning as the foreign rather pleasant sound of Aideen's laughter rang from the air still, something about the sound so foreign and rare that it had its effect on him as well. Mason took the empty plates from the table and put them in the sink, still grinning despite of himself. "Let's go Dollface, I'll let you grab first shower." It wasn't that it was too weird or anything, but Mason felt that the moment was too intimate for both of them to watch. He was a private man himself and he paled in comparison to how private Aideen and Logan were. He respected both of them enough to give them space.
"We're gonna get ready. C'mon Dollface grab your coffee if you ain't done," he said helping Tracy up and leading her back to their room. Mason opened the door for Tracy, as any gentleman would, and closed it behind him. Looking over at her, half his mouth lifted up in a grin. "There's a first time for everything huh? Never thought I'd see that," he said shaking his head with a slight grin. "Go shower baby, I'm gonna call the mansion and make sure its still standing." His hand went up to her face to stroke her silken cheek gently with his hand.
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HeartString
Corsairs
Tracy Goddard
Trust me, I know what hurts you, I know what you're feeling
Posts: 222
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Post by HeartString on Aug 31, 2009 1:32:35 GMT -5
"Awwww" Tracy smiled at the couple. The feelings she felt being released from the pair were beyond adorable and she rocked in her chair. She would have remained there among them if it hadn't been for Mason taking her up and away. She did grab her coffee, it was delicious and she wanted the rest of it since it had cooled to the perfect temperature. "But Mason they're so- awww." Her head tipped to the side.
"No, no you're right" she said as she realized how much of an imposition it was for her to remain. "They need privacy. Yeah." as he shut the door she grinned at him. "Can you believe that? Was that not just amazing? First time for everything is right boo. I felt a glimmer here and there but that was, well, that was just amazing." she sipped her coffee as Mason started dialing. "Shower right... wow ."
She started to do a bit of a strip tease as he was getting the call started. All in fun, and mostly to torment him as he would be trying to talk seriously. Tracy was reallllly enjoying her vacation, and it showed. She decided she was going to make the most of it because if her luck held she knew she wouldn't even get to take the shower she was stripping down for.
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Post by Ember on Sept 1, 2009 21:18:30 GMT -5
Hand away from her mouth now and fingers wrapped around one of Logan's fingers, she continued to silently laugh in embarrassment and disbelief. Aideen refused to look at either Mason or Tracy, feeling incredibly improper to be acting the way she was in a moment of foolishness and showing a smile in the company of others was inappropraite, but she could never refuse a request from Logan. The softest of giggles that dared escape from her lips died a moment after her two friends left. "I feel like such a fool right now." She looked at Logan, smile still present at the situation. "I actually thought I acquired some sort of disease from LIMBO and it liked to make its presence known at the most inconvenient time, mainly being around you," Aideen said, another soft laugh of disbelief leaving her.
"I went to Dr. McCoy at least once a week for at least a month, having him do all this blood work and tests and full on examinations to see what was wrong with me. Even when he didn't find anything, I had him repeat the tests, claiming that I knew my own body and it was the first time it ever occurred. How could I have been so... oh I don't know, blind?" She used her free hand to push the strands that fell out of her neat bun behind her ear. Aideen prided herself on how perceptive she was, how great she was with logic and solving puzzles. She loved math and science because to her it was all a big puzzle that could be solved through logical steps. Many great writers often wrote that love was illogical, that perhaps being the reason that Aideen couldn't grasp what it was that she felt. It was right in front this entire time and she missed it, mistaking an emotion for an illness.
Entwining her arm with his, she brought his hand up and leaned her warm cheek against the back of it. "I knew what it was supposed to feel like, I've read enough books, and enough Shakespeare to know it. 'Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs, Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes, Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers' tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall and a preserving sweet.' 'One half of me is yours, the other half yours- Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, And so all yours!' How is it that I knew all that and I just never made that connection?" Aideen said, still smiling and shaking her head at herself, letting out a soft sigh. It bothered her that she missed this, in fact she was embarrassed that she missed it all.
One couldn't hold it against her completely, not with her careful conditioning to keep all emotions at bay. True she had cared about others in the past, found kindred spirits in folks that she was lucky enough to encounter in her life, but those folks were precious few. There was her Sergent, a man with so much patience to worm his way into her heart with dedication. When a little glimmer of love for the man who looked after her and befriended her started, it was just as quickly put out by her Uncle's doing. The same happened with other individuals in her life, always coming in long enough to give her a bit of hope, and then leaving. The only two ever to come back to her were Niki and Logan. It was only natural for her to shy away from any form of love.
It took her a moment to collect her thoughts, because in the end Aideen not only felt foolish but also slightly upset with herself for this lack of perception was unacceptable. A soft sigh left her and she looked over at Logan, those cool blue eyes that had the ability to calm, excite, and entice her, kindle the fire within to erupt in a wildfire or soothe to a flickering candlelight. Leaning her forehead gently against his, her eyes fluttering slightly down. "So this is what all the fuss was about," she said in her soft quiet voice, a small smile remaining on her face.
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Post by Wolverine on Sept 4, 2009 18:56:16 GMT -5
"You do me proud though. Shakespeare and smiles, what more could a guy want?" He slid his chair over slightly and pulled her by the hand to sit on his lap straddling him. "Yes, this is what the fuss was all about." He whispered as he pulled her lips to his. This would be a weekend to cherish warmly in his usually stone cold heart. He knew though, that things this perfect could never last forever. He pushed aside the fear of losing her, of her falling prey, as so many others whom he loved had fallen in the past.
His Angel Eyes was stronger than all of them. Her will- indomitable, her skill- inspirational, her power- incredible. Yet he knew that the rest of the X-Men would have something to say about him being with a student, and he was not ignorant of the fact that sooner or later they would find out. No, not ignorant of the fact at all, simply dismissive of it. Right at that moment his complete being, the entirety of his spirit, mind and body, could only focus on her hips and her lips, the tips of her fingers running through his hair and the oh so sweet smell of her.
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Ironclad
Corsairs
Mason Rictus
Posts: 197
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Post by Ironclad on Sept 4, 2009 22:14:33 GMT -5
Mason grinned slightly at Tracy, the effect of her mood and just the place itself weighing down on him as well. He took out his phone and played with it for a moment, still getting used to this PDA. The only reason he even got one was cause he found it was more useful for traveling that the regular flip phone he had before. The cell phone was connected and he listened to the sound of 'All the Small Things' ringback tone as he attempted to reach Iceman. "Thinking of a career change instead of staying with the X-Men Doll?" Mason teased as he waited for Iceman to pick up.
His eyes stayed on his girl till he heard the familiar voice of Iceman on the other line. "Hey Bobby man, what's up? I'm calling to check up and see if everything is cool back home, if we're needed or something," Mason said grinning at Tracy while talking to the guy he considered more a friend than a teacher. Iceman was like that though, a kind of pal that always had your back. Their age difference wasn't extreme either so they had a better time relating to each other. Now that he was back from his work in San Fransisco, he was the one Mason always called to make sure all was in the clear.
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