To the school...

[Iceman]

Bobby felt slightly deflated as it turned out he would have to wait, probably until morning. But he smiled and nodded. "Yeah, no problem. See you around."

Bobby glanced sideways at Liam. He took a few steps away from Storm and Forge, closer to Liam. When he was close enough, he spoke quietly out of the side of his mouth, his eyes on Storm in case she looked their way. He spoke too quietly for anyone but Liam to hear him; besides, Storm and Forge were probably too busy talking to hear him.

"Ten bucks says they're dating in a month."

He was just joking, of course. He was personally rooting for Kurt. But it was a good way to start conversation.

[Crypt]

Liam watched curiously as Forge's smile never faded. Perhaps it wasn't as bad as I thought. He continued to move back from the two adults, sure that Ms. Munroe would want to speak to the new arrival.

Bobby's words rang in Liam's sensitive ear louder than the young man intended, and he looked at him curiously. "Pardon?"

[Iceman]

Bobby mistook Liam's 'Pardon' to be that he'd been speaking to quietly for Liam to hear him--as was usually the case when someone said 'Pardon?'.

He repeated himself a bit louder, turning his head away from the older two so they wouldn't be able to catch it all. He didn't think Storm would find it funny.

[Crypt]

Liam winced slightly as Bobby spoke louder; it didn't actually hurt, but it took him by surprise. He hooked a long finger and motioned for them to move a bit farther away before walking to the other side of the entryway.

Once he reached the other side, he turned back to look past Bobby at the two older mutants. "I heard you, I just don't understand. Why do you think that?"

[Iceman]

Bobby followed Liam as he moved away from the other two. He grinned. "I dont," he said honestly. "Everybody knows Kurt's got dibs. It's only a matter of time before they get married and there's seven little Stormcrawlers BAMFing around here."

Bobby grinned; for some reason his earlier troubles were temporarily forgotten. Or he was good at hiding them.

[Crypt]

Liam blinked at Bobby's words, slipping his hands self-consciously into his pockets. Maybe he hadn't picked up enough on human interaction to see what Bobby was seeing. Maybe Ms. Munroe was right in the first place... maybe I've been spending too much time teaching myself to read and not enough interacting with others here. There's little better than a building full of mutants to try and fit in.

"How do you figure?" he asked curiously, eager both to know what Bobby knew and for the simple joy of conversation.

[Iceman]

Bobby was suprised Liam didn't agree with him. "Cause...I don't know, they're just always together. And it'd just be right. They'd be perfect."

By Bobby's reasoning--'they're always together'--he and John would have made a good couple. But he didn't seem to see the holes in his logic. It seemed clear to him that the two would someday be the school's staff couple.

"So, I haven't seen you around much. Is that just me being non-observant?"

[Crypt]

One leg curled, Liam's toes from the lifted foot scratching his other leg as he thought. I haven't seen any sort of courting... but the only courting I know is wild animals. Past experience had taught him that all the interaction he'd learned from watching nature didn't work here; people didn't like to be smelled generally, and he'd had to overcome his skewed view of personal boundaries before he'd been able to talk to any of the students.

He was about to ask just how they were perfect when Bobby's question caught him off guard, and his jaw bobbed up and down momentarily as his mind came down from the surprise and processed the words. Unused to having to think of multiple things at once, his mind desperately tried to overcome any thoughts on the last topic and move on. "I read," he managed to state lamely.

[Iceman]

Bobby nodded. 'Thats good, common ground...' He could tell connecting with this guy was going to be like pulling teeth. But he'd always been up to the challenge. "Me, too. I'm reading The Great Gatsby right now for Lit. What kind of stuff do you read?"

[Crypt]

Liam mentally sighed and reorganized his thoughts. "No, I meant that I'm usually reading. That's why you haven't seen me." He let his mind race back over the titles of books he'd been reading. "I just finished Redwall, and I'm reading Maniac Magee. I'm enjoying it."

He kicked himself inwardly, remembering why he didn't usually talk to people.

[Iceman]

A smile lit Bobby's face as he recognized the first title. "I read Redwall. That was good. Brian Jacques, right?"

Bobby stopped and pulled at the fake petals of a fake flower on the table he stood by. "So, how do you like Xavier's?"

[Crypt]

Liam nodded as he listed off the author. "I liked that book. It was rather exciting."

He was ready for Bobby's quick change in conversation, and took less time to think of his answer. "There are so many people," he stated. "They're all really nice, but I think I make them nervous." At least there was some knowledge that tied over from nature; humans and mutants were better at hiding nervousness that animals, but the smell and the shift in stance was still there.

[Iceman]

Bobby nodded, but he made sure he did so neutrally; he didn't want to seem like he agreed that Liam made people nervous. "A lot of people aren't used to mutants that look different. Most of the students never even saw other mutants till they came here, so they really haven't seen a lot of them." Not that he had. He'd seen two blue guys. And a blue chick.

"They'll get used to it; at least here everyone's got something 'wierd' about them. I mean...Who am I to judge wings and fangs when I shoot ice? That's not any more normal." He shrugged, looking around the hall and then glancing at Liam. Hopefully he was saying something that would help.

[Crypt]

Liam nodded slowly, listening to Bobby carefully. "I had no idea there were others like me... even if they're not really like me. But Ms. Munroe said that here, at least I have a chance of fitting in. I just hope the other students get used to me soon."

He pulled his hands out of his pockets and scratched the back of his neck anxiously, realizing that he'd been opening his mouth farther than he usually did, and he closed his lips around the sharp teeth carefully. He could feel the beginnings of the thirst rumbling around in his stomach, and he knew it was nearly time to head up to his room and feed. So relieved that human blood tastes so terrible.

[Storm]

Ororo met the newcomer's grip firmly, and looked him squarely in the eye with her smile. He seemed strong, straightforward; both qualities she liked to see in a man.

“Storm, a pleasure to finally meet you. Hank told me a lot about you, and I remember when I talked to the Professor last year, he spoke very highly of you.

"Yes, a pleasure to meet you too. I was aware you would be arriving at some point but I had no idea when; a pleasant surprise. Thank you for the compliment, Hank has also mentioned you and I believe you will be very welcome here.

"Do feel free to call me Ororo, if you like; although some prefer the more professional codenames. Is Forge your preferred title?"

"I know these last months must have been a trial, I hope I can ease some of the pressure of running this place – uhh, you know, technologically. I’d hope that I could some of the work-load down using tech, and keep everything going tip-top.”

Storm could see he had made himself slightly uncomfortable. She did not exactly hasten to put him at ease, but she showed no signs of emotion other than her previous good-naturedness.

"Yes, I am not a particular expert at technology, and Hank has not been able to come by very often. We definitely have a place for you to be useful. More than useful, in fact - very helpful. I have several issues I would love to discuss."

“Guys, I hope you don’t mind if I make my departure? I’m sure there are either many of things I need to talk about with Storm, or, if she’d prefer to do so in the morning, I’d like to get settled in. Thanks for making me feel welcome.”

"I will show you your room if you like, but I have an appointment to speak with Bobby this evening, and it's getting late.

"Bobby" - she turned to the student before she moved off with Forge - "I'm sorry, but I'll be a few more minutes with the unexpected guest -" she cocked an eyebrow slightly and smiled at Forge - "and then we should catch up."

She moved off with Forge and asked him what sort of room he would like.


[OOC: How shall this work... no need for Bobby to reply to what I just said because you and Liam have moved on, so Forge and I can play that we stood around a moment longer, and then we'll get him a room, and Bobby and I can have our discussion after?]

[Iceman]

Bobby glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "Well, I need to grab some stuff from my room before I meet with Storm, so--I'll see you later? We should hang out."

He paused, then cocked his head and continued. "Do you have a roomie?"

(ooc: Sounds good. I'm just going to have Bobby head upstairs to get something really quick, then I'll have him come back down. Mainly because I did an IM log with Kurt last night and it was when I thought Bobby wouldn't be talking to Storm till later. So I'll just finish here, post the log and then come back...To wherever I need to go. Storm's office? Actually Bobby will already be in the office area, so that'd work.)

[forge]

“Forge works, actually, though Bandero – my birth name – is just as good. Honestly, I haven’t had much of a chance to be called Forge in my life, and I was looking forward to taking advantage while I could.” He looked around at the school, and sighed contentedly once more. “I think I’m going to be quite happy with my work here.”

He spoke with her over some basic matters of the grounds, including his room. His ultimate preference would be a room closer to the core of the headquarters – maybe something below level, by the hangar bay or the lab. The more he could be immersed in the place’s technology, the happier he would be.

(( ooc: No problem, we’ll have Forge head off to his room while Storm and Bobby hook up for their meeting. We should probably all begin new threads. ))

[Crypt]

Liam nodded to Bobby and turned to go, figuring that the conversation was over, when the young man's question stopped him mid-stride. A roommate? Liam tried to imagine someone else living with him in the windowless attic room with it's lighting as low as moonlight, watching him feed twice a day.

He turned his head back to look at Bobby, eyes hidden beneath the black goggles. "People are nervous enough around me already."

[Iceman]

Bobby shrugged. He had no reason to assume that Liam had a room that was in the attic, or dark, or that he ate anything other than the food everyone else ate. He assumed he was in a dorm room like everyone else. "Well, my room's half empty if you ever want a roommate."

[Crypt]

Taken aback by the offer, Liam stood stock still for a moment, contemplating the offer. So much light and no place to eat... but a roommate... Bats didn't roost alone, and Liam hated having to seperate himself, even though he'd been apart from anyone for so long.

The rumbling in his stomach brought him back as his hunger grew. "I'll think about it," he threw to Bobby as he picked up his stride again, turning to leap up the stairs and out of sight.