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xp_logsAn awkward chance encounter at Kirby's leads to an even more awkward conversation about why Garrison has left active duty.
Backdated to May 12th.
It was nice to be able to walk into a public space again without worrying that his shields were going to cut at any minute. It was also nice not worrying about the same thing happening in the middle of a drive; it had only taken a few near-accidents before Jim had needed to essentially surrender his driver's license, and while Ubers were a decent stop-gap it hadn't been the most convenient solution. Now he could enjoy the freedom of commuting into the city at a time of his choosing, and to equally enjoy the option of making a detour for food on the way home. Jim was pondering the menu when he noticed a familiar form slouched over a drink.
"Oh, hey, Garrison."
"Haller. Good to see you." Kane said. He was in Original Kirby's for a quick pint after his work day. Amanda and MA mentioned possibly coming down and he just needed a break. "I doubt you're here to check out hockey playoff pre-games."
"Just something to eat. I had some things to catch up with in the city." Finding himself caught in one of the lesser social traps of having encountered a coworker outside of work, Jim searched for the appropriate response. "Can I join you?" he asked.
"Feel free. I'm just holding the table for MA and Amanda right now." He took a light sip and waved for him to sit. "What brings you into the city?"
"Dropping off some things at the Community Center for Sooraya. A few errands. Nothing exciting." Jim paused to give his order to the waiter, searching for viable smalltalk as he did. Usually team-related matters were an easy fallback, but both of them had been benched for one reason or another for a few months now. Jim was about ready to return to reserve status, but now that he was getting a better look at Garrison he was realizing the other man didn't look well. Maybe it was because Jim had been gone for weeks that the changes stood out, but Garrison's skin had a sickly pallor to it, and the skin beneath his eyes was dark, almost bruised-looking.
Unfortunately, "You look like hell" wasn't a great opening line for casual conversation. The telepath was forced to opt for the only other relevant piece of news he could think of.
"So," he tried as the waiter returned with his drink, "I was catching up with Jean . . . you two are seeing each other?"
"We're dating right now. Still things to figure out before it ends up as something usually described with capital letters, but it's working for the moment." Kane said. He was always a touch wary talking about Jean, just because there were complicated emotions and more importantly, prior damage involved, and he didn't want anyone jumping to any conclusions before they had worked it out for themselves first. "I mean, odd magical curse and stuff, but that's like spilling soup on your pants during a date in this place."
The telepath nodded. "I'm glad you guys are taking it slow. Jean hasn't had great experiences. And . . . whatever Warren was." And it had been a long time since Adrienne, the last significant relationship of Garrison's Jim could recall, but neither of them had discussed that enough with him that Jim felt comfortable remarking on it. The counselor took a swig of coke and raised an eyebrow at Garrison. "Wait, you got hit with another curse? I think I missed that. Not hard when you have a brain that breaks as often as a cheap watch, I guess, but even so."
"Enh, I'm summarizing. There's always something." Kane said, punctuating his shrug with a sip from his pint. Apparently the addition of Moosehead had given Original Kirby's a level of 'hipster' cred, to his own amusement.
"Something you're losing sleep over? No offense, but you look a little . . ." Jim gestured towards his own face, looking meaningfully at the shadows under Garrison's eyes. "Sorry to be blunt, but I was around the last time. Should I be on standby?"
"Nah. It's already got Team Magic involved, as well as the big brains over at SHIELD and Stark. Turns out dating Jean means that if there's an issue, she has genius billionaire friends who owe her favors." Kane explained, a quick grin making him look like his old self for a brief minute.
The other man frowned. Something Jean had said came back to him.
"Can't complain at the moment. So I'll take that when I can get it. Except for a few things I can't control...which I am choosing to try to let go of."
Jim set down his drink.
"Again, no offense, but 'multiple mystical and scientific professionals are working on it' isn't as reassuring as I think you meant it to be. What exactly are we talking about here? Is this why you went off active duty?" The telepath paused, as if hovering with his hand over the lid of Pandora's box, before shaking his head. "I don't need to understand magic to remember what happened after Aitkins."
"I went off active duty because the major effect of this is depowering. As for the rest, it's not something you can help with." Kane's eyes tightened a little. "And since you can't help, there's no need to dwell on it. Things will work themselves out. They always do, eh?"
Jim stared at the Canadian. Do they? he wanted to say. The last time it took three of us to put you back together. The telepath reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose so hard it nearly fractured.
"You don't want people in your business," he said, "and I get that. I fucked off to Muir for a month to keep people out of mine. But having feelings about something isn't the same as dwelling on it."
"Look, Haller, even if we were besties, which we aren't, I wouldn't tell you anything different. If there was a spot for you and the big brains like Jean and Emma and Xavier, don't you think you would have gotten an all-call?" Kane said, serious but serene in a strange way. "I don't have fatalistic tendencies and ask for help when I need it, but you're not the right lifeguard in this case. I'll buy you a shot if it helps."
Jim pulled a hand down his face and reminded himself it was unprofessional to be agitated enough for both of them. "You know, at least when Scott shuts down he just goes weird and quiet. That's straightforward. You minimize and deflect so people don't look any closer, and I'm not sure if it's yourself or the rest of us you think you're sparing."
"Or maybe you need to stop thinking you're a nona who needs to be part of everyone's business." Kane said flatly. "What is happening with me is my choice to decide who I involve. If you don't like that, maybe you should have worked at being a friend instead of something cashing in on past trauma to demand you have a place at the table." His words were sharp, but there was no anger behind it.
Jim spread his hands, giving him that. Even if David had been especially good at making friends there would have been no lie there. "You're right," he conceded, "we're not close, and I'm not owed anything. But we don't have to be for me to care."
"I appreciate that. But you don't get to criticize what Jean and Amanda are doing. You don't get to walk in and say you know better." Kane replied. "I appreciate you care. If you do, find them, not me."
One of Jim's eyebrows raised again. "I wasn't criticizing them. I've worked with both of them enough to know they're on another level. But if I have your permission I might reach out to touch base." Magic wasn't his area, but he had worked with Amanda a few times, and Jean . . . well, there was little of his own expertise Jean didn't already know, but in her case he had other concerns.
"If you want to talk to them, that's fine. But it is their call whether or not they want to involve you." Kane said, drawing the line as he tapped his finger on the table. "Now, all that finally straightened out, apparently they added these new Korean beef tacos to the menu here. Want to split an order?"
"Sure." That was that. It was impressive that in all the time they'd been at Xavier's he and Garrison had never really "gotten" each other -- a situation Jim had always found frustrating both by vocation and by power set. That was one thing he had to admit David had in common with his father: telepaths did so love to be right.
Still, you had to start somewhere, and today that place was apparently tacos.
Backdated to May 12th.
It was nice to be able to walk into a public space again without worrying that his shields were going to cut at any minute. It was also nice not worrying about the same thing happening in the middle of a drive; it had only taken a few near-accidents before Jim had needed to essentially surrender his driver's license, and while Ubers were a decent stop-gap it hadn't been the most convenient solution. Now he could enjoy the freedom of commuting into the city at a time of his choosing, and to equally enjoy the option of making a detour for food on the way home. Jim was pondering the menu when he noticed a familiar form slouched over a drink.
"Oh, hey, Garrison."
"Haller. Good to see you." Kane said. He was in Original Kirby's for a quick pint after his work day. Amanda and MA mentioned possibly coming down and he just needed a break. "I doubt you're here to check out hockey playoff pre-games."
"Just something to eat. I had some things to catch up with in the city." Finding himself caught in one of the lesser social traps of having encountered a coworker outside of work, Jim searched for the appropriate response. "Can I join you?" he asked.
"Feel free. I'm just holding the table for MA and Amanda right now." He took a light sip and waved for him to sit. "What brings you into the city?"
"Dropping off some things at the Community Center for Sooraya. A few errands. Nothing exciting." Jim paused to give his order to the waiter, searching for viable smalltalk as he did. Usually team-related matters were an easy fallback, but both of them had been benched for one reason or another for a few months now. Jim was about ready to return to reserve status, but now that he was getting a better look at Garrison he was realizing the other man didn't look well. Maybe it was because Jim had been gone for weeks that the changes stood out, but Garrison's skin had a sickly pallor to it, and the skin beneath his eyes was dark, almost bruised-looking.
Unfortunately, "You look like hell" wasn't a great opening line for casual conversation. The telepath was forced to opt for the only other relevant piece of news he could think of.
"So," he tried as the waiter returned with his drink, "I was catching up with Jean . . . you two are seeing each other?"
"We're dating right now. Still things to figure out before it ends up as something usually described with capital letters, but it's working for the moment." Kane said. He was always a touch wary talking about Jean, just because there were complicated emotions and more importantly, prior damage involved, and he didn't want anyone jumping to any conclusions before they had worked it out for themselves first. "I mean, odd magical curse and stuff, but that's like spilling soup on your pants during a date in this place."
The telepath nodded. "I'm glad you guys are taking it slow. Jean hasn't had great experiences. And . . . whatever Warren was." And it had been a long time since Adrienne, the last significant relationship of Garrison's Jim could recall, but neither of them had discussed that enough with him that Jim felt comfortable remarking on it. The counselor took a swig of coke and raised an eyebrow at Garrison. "Wait, you got hit with another curse? I think I missed that. Not hard when you have a brain that breaks as often as a cheap watch, I guess, but even so."
"Enh, I'm summarizing. There's always something." Kane said, punctuating his shrug with a sip from his pint. Apparently the addition of Moosehead had given Original Kirby's a level of 'hipster' cred, to his own amusement.
"Something you're losing sleep over? No offense, but you look a little . . ." Jim gestured towards his own face, looking meaningfully at the shadows under Garrison's eyes. "Sorry to be blunt, but I was around the last time. Should I be on standby?"
"Nah. It's already got Team Magic involved, as well as the big brains over at SHIELD and Stark. Turns out dating Jean means that if there's an issue, she has genius billionaire friends who owe her favors." Kane explained, a quick grin making him look like his old self for a brief minute.
The other man frowned. Something Jean had said came back to him.
"Can't complain at the moment. So I'll take that when I can get it. Except for a few things I can't control...which I am choosing to try to let go of."
Jim set down his drink.
"Again, no offense, but 'multiple mystical and scientific professionals are working on it' isn't as reassuring as I think you meant it to be. What exactly are we talking about here? Is this why you went off active duty?" The telepath paused, as if hovering with his hand over the lid of Pandora's box, before shaking his head. "I don't need to understand magic to remember what happened after Aitkins."
"I went off active duty because the major effect of this is depowering. As for the rest, it's not something you can help with." Kane's eyes tightened a little. "And since you can't help, there's no need to dwell on it. Things will work themselves out. They always do, eh?"
Jim stared at the Canadian. Do they? he wanted to say. The last time it took three of us to put you back together. The telepath reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose so hard it nearly fractured.
"You don't want people in your business," he said, "and I get that. I fucked off to Muir for a month to keep people out of mine. But having feelings about something isn't the same as dwelling on it."
"Look, Haller, even if we were besties, which we aren't, I wouldn't tell you anything different. If there was a spot for you and the big brains like Jean and Emma and Xavier, don't you think you would have gotten an all-call?" Kane said, serious but serene in a strange way. "I don't have fatalistic tendencies and ask for help when I need it, but you're not the right lifeguard in this case. I'll buy you a shot if it helps."
Jim pulled a hand down his face and reminded himself it was unprofessional to be agitated enough for both of them. "You know, at least when Scott shuts down he just goes weird and quiet. That's straightforward. You minimize and deflect so people don't look any closer, and I'm not sure if it's yourself or the rest of us you think you're sparing."
"Or maybe you need to stop thinking you're a nona who needs to be part of everyone's business." Kane said flatly. "What is happening with me is my choice to decide who I involve. If you don't like that, maybe you should have worked at being a friend instead of something cashing in on past trauma to demand you have a place at the table." His words were sharp, but there was no anger behind it.
Jim spread his hands, giving him that. Even if David had been especially good at making friends there would have been no lie there. "You're right," he conceded, "we're not close, and I'm not owed anything. But we don't have to be for me to care."
"I appreciate that. But you don't get to criticize what Jean and Amanda are doing. You don't get to walk in and say you know better." Kane replied. "I appreciate you care. If you do, find them, not me."
One of Jim's eyebrows raised again. "I wasn't criticizing them. I've worked with both of them enough to know they're on another level. But if I have your permission I might reach out to touch base." Magic wasn't his area, but he had worked with Amanda a few times, and Jean . . . well, there was little of his own expertise Jean didn't already know, but in her case he had other concerns.
"If you want to talk to them, that's fine. But it is their call whether or not they want to involve you." Kane said, drawing the line as he tapped his finger on the table. "Now, all that finally straightened out, apparently they added these new Korean beef tacos to the menu here. Want to split an order?"
"Sure." That was that. It was impressive that in all the time they'd been at Xavier's he and Garrison had never really "gotten" each other -- a situation Jim had always found frustrating both by vocation and by power set. That was one thing he had to admit David had in common with his father: telepaths did so love to be right.
Still, you had to start somewhere, and today that place was apparently tacos.
