Post by forge on Aug 25, 2006 18:14:10 GMT -5
Forge had had an interesting morning, sitting in front of his massive steel desk, three computer screens in front of him displaying data. Truthfully, he didn’t actually need the screens, but his mind was already preoccupied on dozens of other inputs and outputs, that having an overflow like them was a luxury he needed not to feel too strained.
He’d done this for a while, and when Bishop arrived an hour after he came down, they hung out and chatted about days old and new for a few hours, and finally Bishop left to grab them both something good to eat for lunch. He knew the man wouldn’t skimp out on the portions, and was glad to think of delicious heapings or very bad for him foods.
Then it was back to the lab again. Currently he found himself attempting to prop his feet up on the desk, but almost falling sideways out of his chair before he remembered he only had one foot left. The thought saddened him, but only for a moment before becoming part of the steel that made him get back to his designs.
The leg was going to be brilliant .
Rayen had brushed out her hair slowly in the mirror, noting where Logan's fingers had tangled it, remembering every kiss. Her lips were a bit sore, the man's stubble was about as soft as those adamantium blades. She should have been exhilirated, thrilled, adrift on happy clouds. Instead she found herself feeling overexposed. Maybe she'd let all this happen too soon. She really didn't know his motivations. Then she had to wonder why it mattered.
It mattered because Forge was here and Logan was a well known face around the school. In a strange way it was like dating a family member or a celebrity. Every tiny bit of dating joy was there for public consumption. Oh, gee, she's holding LOGAN's hand!! Rayen could see it on their faces as they'd come back from their walk.
Honestly, it hadn't occurred to her not to. Her hand felt nice in his, and they'd walked that way a bit in the forest on the way back to the motorcycle. She knew it was a strange thing for him, but hell... he'd taken her hand, after all.
Heading downstairs to find her brother, she tried to brush aside the feeling of guilt at having been with Logan at all. It had been perfect and what she'd needed- badly- but Forge didn't approve.
And her brother... was everything.
Knocking on the doorframe, she smiled slowly watching him surrounded by computers. It reminded her of him toying with Commodore 64s when they were kids. "Hey. I'm back."
He snapped out of his concentration immediately, looking up to his sister with a giant grin on his face. Her presence was great warmth to him, an anchor of familiarity – old familiarity – in an otherwise turbulent sea of constant change.
“Rayen!” He said, grinning. “Glad you’re back.”
He didn’t even mean that because if she was back, Logan wasn’t with her anymore. Of course, that was partially true, but not entirely why he meant it. He also noted that for once they weren’t together, which was very good. It was going to get old quick if every time he wanted to hang with his sis that annoying bastard who’d never seen the ads for the Mach 3 razor was going to be around.
“Bishop went out for some grub, I told him to bring some extra just in case you were coming back. Good thing, too. How are you? How’s your morning been?”
He mentally froze the scenes on the monitors, which had apparently been cycling through various web-pages and documents on their own.
Rayen smiled more easily seeing his expression- Forge had a certain charisma about him that couldn't be beat. Suddenly she recalled why she always idolized him as a little girl.
Perching in a chair nearby, she tucked her feet up close to her and spun around slowly. "Actually I'm starving, I didn't eat breakfast. That would kick ass."
Leaning her head back, her dark hair fell down the back of the chair. "Morning was... good. I went on a ride with Logan into the mountains. There's some awesome terrain, you should come up there with me sometime." There it was. Throw in the 'L' word, see how he reacted. He'd have to get used to it if she was going to date the guy. If she was going to.
"He and Kurt and Storm all headed out to D.C. after some chick they used to know." She had no idea if they'd told him or not, it all seemed pretty sudden. "They seemed pretty upset about it. Guess it gives us time to fuck around right?" She grinned.
"Tell me he's hitting Taco Bell. I could kill for some plastic nacho sauce."
It was a sign of Forge’s belief in his own abilities that he didn’t wince at her suggesting he go into the mountains. Currently, the only way that was going to happen would be if he were strapped to someone’s back… however, he knew the leg design would be good enough, eventually, to make that possible.
He did, however, wince at furface’s name. Ugh. How could she even consider it? I mean, he was a generic tough guy, one, and two – did she even get a good look at his haircut? What was that all about?
He decided to file away his stress with Logan for some other, better suited time. Maybe when the guy was in the danger room, perhaps?
Instead, he built his grin back up (which wasn’t hard with her around, and spinning in her chair like a goof) and nodded to her. “I actually told him to get some of everything, whatever was in town. We’re going to have a fast-food buffet down here. So if they gotta Taco Bell, you’ll get some Taco Bell.”
The thought that some chick they used to know and were upset about – especially with Storm with them – troubled him. Tracing his memories back, he figured it must have been that Jubilee girl Iceman mentioned earlier. The one with the Remy guy.
“Wanna see what I’ve got so far on the leg? I think if I do this right, I may very well be able to go up into those mountains. May take a while to get used to it, but with my specific power – this should work out well.”
She grabbed the edge of his table and rolled herself over, bumping into his chair lightly. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they looked at the plans. "Shoot."
He'd done well not to flip her shit over Logan. It wasn't anything she was ready to explain, even to herself. While she was worried that they were off to find some old friend of theirs(the XMen rarely seemed to go anywhere without someone nearly dying), it was going to give her some much needed time to think.
And just when you think you have a plan, your heart goes and screws it all up.
"Bandy," she said softly, fiddling with a piece of paper he's scribbled on lying abandoned on the tabletop. "Why do you think he's so bad?" It wasn't that she wanted to work it out with him- something told her Forge was never going to like Logan no matter what she said- but she had her own doubts, and who better to play devil's advocate than him?
He was reaching out with his will, trying to display what would have no doubt been a gigantically long series of displays, when she asked.
“Who? Logan?” He said, but the look on her face left no real question. He sighed. This was one of those things that he thought would simply be better left untalked about… but she had asked, giving him at least partial freedom to say what he really felt.
Not like he hadn’t already compiled a list.
“Because I know who he is, or, at least what the mansion’s database says about him. I know he’s a loner, a drifter, and someone with his own dark past and own agendas. I watched him cut through those reanimated people in Baltimore without a hint of remorse, loss, or doubt. He’s a killer, through and through, and I know – I’ve seen them before.”
He measured her expression.
“He’s going to hurt you. He may never die, but he’ll certainly leave at some point – that’s what his track record shows. He leaves when he’s done. He’s going to break your heart.”
Rayen sighed a bit, sitting up and looking at him for a long moment. She was seriously considering what he'd said, and he had a point... but then...
She frowned. "Bandero, he wasn't hurting innocent people. He was fighting to protect them. Isn't that what you and Bishop used to do? If it was one of you guys cutting into the enemy that way... wouldn't you be bragging?" It wasn't an argument, but she was definitely wary of his logic on that one.
But the bit about being a loner. That... she could already see for herself. And it had been exactly the point on which she'd teetered since they first kissed. There was a lot of attraction, a ton of attraction even. But was that what she wanted? Did she really just need to get laid, was she just lonely? Or was all of this distracting entirely from why she'd come here.
Rayen ran her fingers through her hair and waited for Bandero's response.
“I did kill one of them… again, I guess, killed them again… shot her right in the face. An old lady.” He looked like he was going to vomit for a minute, then gained his composure. “I’ve killed before. More than a few people, in Kosovo, when I was in the marines… but it’s never easy. I remember all their faces. I remember the old lady’s face, and it haunts me. I just don’t think they haunt him. I think he’s too far gone.”
He sighed heavily, and looked sidelong at her. “I can’t be sure though. Maybe I’m way off base, maybe he’s eaten up in side. Maybe he’s simply the most objective man on Earth, and can do what needs to be done without second guessing or remorse, so long as it’s good in the big picture.” He shrugged. “I dunno. I just have this feeling the man’s bad news. That you’re going to end up getting hurt in all this, and he’ll just be okay – because after all, he’s got his motorcycle and his cigars and his stupid nicknames for people.”
It wasn’t a lie. Forge really did believe that, and it made his chest hurt just thinking about it. Here Rayen was, new to the place, and already in with the only person on the team Forge considered the ‘bad crowd.’
He’d done this for a while, and when Bishop arrived an hour after he came down, they hung out and chatted about days old and new for a few hours, and finally Bishop left to grab them both something good to eat for lunch. He knew the man wouldn’t skimp out on the portions, and was glad to think of delicious heapings or very bad for him foods.
Then it was back to the lab again. Currently he found himself attempting to prop his feet up on the desk, but almost falling sideways out of his chair before he remembered he only had one foot left. The thought saddened him, but only for a moment before becoming part of the steel that made him get back to his designs.
The leg was going to be brilliant .
Rayen had brushed out her hair slowly in the mirror, noting where Logan's fingers had tangled it, remembering every kiss. Her lips were a bit sore, the man's stubble was about as soft as those adamantium blades. She should have been exhilirated, thrilled, adrift on happy clouds. Instead she found herself feeling overexposed. Maybe she'd let all this happen too soon. She really didn't know his motivations. Then she had to wonder why it mattered.
It mattered because Forge was here and Logan was a well known face around the school. In a strange way it was like dating a family member or a celebrity. Every tiny bit of dating joy was there for public consumption. Oh, gee, she's holding LOGAN's hand!! Rayen could see it on their faces as they'd come back from their walk.
Honestly, it hadn't occurred to her not to. Her hand felt nice in his, and they'd walked that way a bit in the forest on the way back to the motorcycle. She knew it was a strange thing for him, but hell... he'd taken her hand, after all.
Heading downstairs to find her brother, she tried to brush aside the feeling of guilt at having been with Logan at all. It had been perfect and what she'd needed- badly- but Forge didn't approve.
And her brother... was everything.
Knocking on the doorframe, she smiled slowly watching him surrounded by computers. It reminded her of him toying with Commodore 64s when they were kids. "Hey. I'm back."
He snapped out of his concentration immediately, looking up to his sister with a giant grin on his face. Her presence was great warmth to him, an anchor of familiarity – old familiarity – in an otherwise turbulent sea of constant change.
“Rayen!” He said, grinning. “Glad you’re back.”
He didn’t even mean that because if she was back, Logan wasn’t with her anymore. Of course, that was partially true, but not entirely why he meant it. He also noted that for once they weren’t together, which was very good. It was going to get old quick if every time he wanted to hang with his sis that annoying bastard who’d never seen the ads for the Mach 3 razor was going to be around.
“Bishop went out for some grub, I told him to bring some extra just in case you were coming back. Good thing, too. How are you? How’s your morning been?”
He mentally froze the scenes on the monitors, which had apparently been cycling through various web-pages and documents on their own.
Rayen smiled more easily seeing his expression- Forge had a certain charisma about him that couldn't be beat. Suddenly she recalled why she always idolized him as a little girl.
Perching in a chair nearby, she tucked her feet up close to her and spun around slowly. "Actually I'm starving, I didn't eat breakfast. That would kick ass."
Leaning her head back, her dark hair fell down the back of the chair. "Morning was... good. I went on a ride with Logan into the mountains. There's some awesome terrain, you should come up there with me sometime." There it was. Throw in the 'L' word, see how he reacted. He'd have to get used to it if she was going to date the guy. If she was going to.
"He and Kurt and Storm all headed out to D.C. after some chick they used to know." She had no idea if they'd told him or not, it all seemed pretty sudden. "They seemed pretty upset about it. Guess it gives us time to fuck around right?" She grinned.
"Tell me he's hitting Taco Bell. I could kill for some plastic nacho sauce."
It was a sign of Forge’s belief in his own abilities that he didn’t wince at her suggesting he go into the mountains. Currently, the only way that was going to happen would be if he were strapped to someone’s back… however, he knew the leg design would be good enough, eventually, to make that possible.
He did, however, wince at furface’s name. Ugh. How could she even consider it? I mean, he was a generic tough guy, one, and two – did she even get a good look at his haircut? What was that all about?
He decided to file away his stress with Logan for some other, better suited time. Maybe when the guy was in the danger room, perhaps?
Instead, he built his grin back up (which wasn’t hard with her around, and spinning in her chair like a goof) and nodded to her. “I actually told him to get some of everything, whatever was in town. We’re going to have a fast-food buffet down here. So if they gotta Taco Bell, you’ll get some Taco Bell.”
The thought that some chick they used to know and were upset about – especially with Storm with them – troubled him. Tracing his memories back, he figured it must have been that Jubilee girl Iceman mentioned earlier. The one with the Remy guy.
“Wanna see what I’ve got so far on the leg? I think if I do this right, I may very well be able to go up into those mountains. May take a while to get used to it, but with my specific power – this should work out well.”
She grabbed the edge of his table and rolled herself over, bumping into his chair lightly. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they looked at the plans. "Shoot."
He'd done well not to flip her shit over Logan. It wasn't anything she was ready to explain, even to herself. While she was worried that they were off to find some old friend of theirs(the XMen rarely seemed to go anywhere without someone nearly dying), it was going to give her some much needed time to think.
And just when you think you have a plan, your heart goes and screws it all up.
"Bandy," she said softly, fiddling with a piece of paper he's scribbled on lying abandoned on the tabletop. "Why do you think he's so bad?" It wasn't that she wanted to work it out with him- something told her Forge was never going to like Logan no matter what she said- but she had her own doubts, and who better to play devil's advocate than him?
He was reaching out with his will, trying to display what would have no doubt been a gigantically long series of displays, when she asked.
“Who? Logan?” He said, but the look on her face left no real question. He sighed. This was one of those things that he thought would simply be better left untalked about… but she had asked, giving him at least partial freedom to say what he really felt.
Not like he hadn’t already compiled a list.
“Because I know who he is, or, at least what the mansion’s database says about him. I know he’s a loner, a drifter, and someone with his own dark past and own agendas. I watched him cut through those reanimated people in Baltimore without a hint of remorse, loss, or doubt. He’s a killer, through and through, and I know – I’ve seen them before.”
He measured her expression.
“He’s going to hurt you. He may never die, but he’ll certainly leave at some point – that’s what his track record shows. He leaves when he’s done. He’s going to break your heart.”
Rayen sighed a bit, sitting up and looking at him for a long moment. She was seriously considering what he'd said, and he had a point... but then...
She frowned. "Bandero, he wasn't hurting innocent people. He was fighting to protect them. Isn't that what you and Bishop used to do? If it was one of you guys cutting into the enemy that way... wouldn't you be bragging?" It wasn't an argument, but she was definitely wary of his logic on that one.
But the bit about being a loner. That... she could already see for herself. And it had been exactly the point on which she'd teetered since they first kissed. There was a lot of attraction, a ton of attraction even. But was that what she wanted? Did she really just need to get laid, was she just lonely? Or was all of this distracting entirely from why she'd come here.
Rayen ran her fingers through her hair and waited for Bandero's response.
“I did kill one of them… again, I guess, killed them again… shot her right in the face. An old lady.” He looked like he was going to vomit for a minute, then gained his composure. “I’ve killed before. More than a few people, in Kosovo, when I was in the marines… but it’s never easy. I remember all their faces. I remember the old lady’s face, and it haunts me. I just don’t think they haunt him. I think he’s too far gone.”
He sighed heavily, and looked sidelong at her. “I can’t be sure though. Maybe I’m way off base, maybe he’s eaten up in side. Maybe he’s simply the most objective man on Earth, and can do what needs to be done without second guessing or remorse, so long as it’s good in the big picture.” He shrugged. “I dunno. I just have this feeling the man’s bad news. That you’re going to end up getting hurt in all this, and he’ll just be okay – because after all, he’s got his motorcycle and his cigars and his stupid nicknames for people.”
It wasn’t a lie. Forge really did believe that, and it made his chest hurt just thinking about it. Here Rayen was, new to the place, and already in with the only person on the team Forge considered the ‘bad crowd.’