Logs:Blindside

Blindside
Dramatis Personae Jax, Matt
In Absentia Hive, Leo, Lucien, Lily, Dawson	2021-12-13 "Whating Prometheus now?!"
Location <XS> Jax's Room - Third Floor
The suite is tiny, but the fact it has south-facing windows shows someone was thinking of its occupant when it was chosen. There has not, evidently, been that much thought given since, though, as the place is barely furnished and even less decorated. The sitting room--or whatever one chooses to call the slightly larger of the two rooms just inside the entrance, contains just a single beautiful handmade coffee table, polished maple inlaid with intricate geometric designs in ebony, purple heartwood, and brilliant iridescent labradorite. There's no seating save for a few cushions on the floor. Through the open door into what's presumably the bedroom the only items visible are a drafting table and what appears to be the lone chair in the apartment. The weather has seemingly forgotten about the winter that is fast approaching, for it is a balmy day out and half of the student body has spilled outside as soon as the last class let out, leaving the mansion itself uncharacteristically quiet for a weekday afternoon. The knock at Jax's door sounds generic enough, but faint squeeze of Matt's powers is distinctive to those familiar with it. The man himself is slouched against the doorframe outside in a gray linen dress shirt, an emerald green vest with a subtle leaf pattern, a tie to match in a slightly crooked full Windsor, black trousers, and gray derby shoes. He's got a thermos tucked under one arm, a book tucked under the other, and half a bowl of minestrone soup in one hand that's he still idly spooning into his mouth. It takes a bit before the door opens -- Jax's smile is bright, his clothes bright (sunny yellow button-up with contrasting powder-blue placket and deep blue cuffs and rounded flat collar, deep green slacks with a wide black belt), his chipper greeting bright as well as he waves Matt inside: "Oh! Hi, honey-honey --" Almost reflexively he's reaching up to adjust the tie knot, toe the door closed behind the other man. "Gosh, I'd offer you somethin' but all I got right now is pup treats. Lucky you came set." He nods toward the soup in Matt's hand. Just beside him Obie has trotted forward for this greeting, too, wagging eagerly as he first bumps into the door but on his second try manages to crash into Matt's ankles and then leeeean up against them. While Jax adjusts his tie Matt takes the opportunity to plant a kiss on the other man's forehead, then hands him the thermos. "Here, have some coffee. It's probably just about sweet enough." He wiggles out of his shoes without stooping down, then ends up stooping anyway to scratch behind Obie's huge soft ears. "I'm not above snacking on dog treats, but I'd hate to deprive this darling pup." His eyes skip between the sunny window and Jax. "It's a lovely day out. Could take this guy out for a stroll?" His hand flaps Obie's ears up and down, Dumbo fashion. "I can crank up your..." He waves one hand vaguely at Jax, intensifying the efficiency of his photosynthesis by way of demonstration. "Don't you want to finish your lunch first?" Jax is taking the coffee, but he's eying Matt's bowl dubiously, at the suggestion of Going Out. He pops the lid on the thermos, weight rolling back onto a heel as he takes a small sip. "I think your idea an' mine of a lovely day got about --" He's holding his hands a good distance apart, "a few degrees 'tween 'em. 'sides, I got --" His breezy tone isn't quite glib enough to cover up the slight stutter of hesitation as he pauses here, eye casting briefly around his bare room as if it might provide him with good excuse to remain in it; all he comes up with, rather uncertainly, is, "-- work." His teeth scrape against his lower lip, wiggling slowly at a lip ring. "You itchin' to get out, I bet Hive could stand some company right about now, though, if you're gettin' back to the city any time soon. 'tween registration an' Prometheus can only imagine what all this news has done to his mood." "You know how fast I can finish this, right?" Matt holds up his bowl, the threat of shotgunning the whole thing implicit. "It's a lovely day to me, merely nice day to everyone else." He gestures at the window, through which a keen eye might glimpse the frolicking of young people out on the grounds. "Anyway, you don't have to..." He reconsiders, then resumes, "You don't have to go out if you don't want to, and I'll go away if you'd really rather, and I will check in on Hive, but I'm here because your mood's been..." He trails off, eyebrows lifted slightly. "News--you mean with Leo? What's that got to do with..." His brows furrow deeply and his attention is suddenly palpable. "Gosh no, how fast can you finish it?" Jax's eye widens, his tone earnest with this question. He's lifting the thermos for a second sip but doesn't quite take it, pausing then lowering the coffee un-drunk. His brows have furrowed, head tilting slightly to one side. "No, not Leo, I -- you know, with the --" His hand flaps at the air, halfway between a flutter and a flail. "Definitely don't want to blindside anyone with this that would be terrible but if Registration's happening for real for real next year that's probably gonna hit the news soon enough and gettin' ahead of that with outtin' Prometheus is probably --" He shrugs a shoulder. "Jus' a lot." Matt does not bother with a verbal explanation, but only tips the bowl and sucks down much of the broth before shoveling the vegetables and noodles into his mouth with the edge of his spoon. The whole operation is over in a few seconds. Despite his bravado he actually chokes, just a little. The coughing is definitely not affected, his eyes watering and his face flushing red. When he's finally recovered enough breath to speak the first words out of his mouth are, "Mon crisse d'enregistrement whating Prometheus now?!" This time, Jax's wide-eyed look isn't feigned. He pats Matt on the back, brows rumpling in concern. "Oh gosh, honey-honey, I weren't hardly tryna blindside you neither, I jus' thought -- Luci didn't tell you? But I --" He's leading Matt further into the room, guiding him to the cushions that serve as his only seating. "I mean I heard it from him that --" The furrow in his brow is only deepening. "Heard tell that Registration's a done deal as of next year an' we're -- he's -- we're -- oh gosh, I didn't mean to drop it on you like this. We're just -- I asked if he could help us get out ahead of the news on Prometheus and -- please don't choke again." He's offering the thermos of coffee, biting his lip anxiously. Matt is pliant enough, collapsing onto a cushion and setting his empty bowl--so gently--down on the table. He does not accept the thermos. Does not, for a moment, react at all. His shoulders tighten, then relax. "I'm terribly sorry. It is only bad timing. But it is not so very important for me to know, after all. I'm sure that if any of you had need of my opinion or relevant dad jokes, you'd let me know posthaste." There is not even a trace of sarcasm in this, bright and earnest. "So, then! When shall I expect to see Prometheus dragged on the evening news? I should ask my brother, no?" "He is kinda the one with the media savvy," Jax replies apologetically, scrubbing a hand against his cheek. "But we was certainly plannin' on talking to the team before any of that happened, it's just -- early yet an' I figured he'd -- you know, it don't matter what I figured, m'sorry I dropped it on you like that." He drops down onto a cushion beside Matt, gnawing again at a lip ring. "There's footage from Blackburn," he adds, quieter, "that Hive's been -- okayin' even before -- well. I expect he'll be havin' some feelings." "Oh, I'm sure I'd have found out one way or another, before it started trending on twitter." Matt waves off the apology, light and dismissive. "Footage." He's quiet a moment. "Courtesy that Allred woman, I suppose? And Blackburn, no less." He hums thoughtfully. "That might be a bit--polarizing, no? All the media savvy in the world won't make Leo less controversial, the poor man." He leans, bumping his shoulder up against Jax's. "I knew it wasn't just shorter days," he mumbles, faintly indignant. "I'll drop by and see Hive, of course." "What? No, I -- Luci had it. It's --" Jax's shoulders tense, but then he eases in against Matt's side. "Leo might be controversial, but Dawson's -- still Dawson." His head bows, knuckles grinding in under his eyepatch. "The shorter days don't help." His hand falls to his lap. "Thanks, sugar. Maybe we'll have that walk next time, yeah?" "Mm. I suppose they could just crop him out of the group shots, no?" Matt's bemusement here seems genuine enough, though it softens just a bit with, "Might be he'd rather that, infamy aside. Gods, if there were footage of my lab..." He does not finish this sentence, glancing aside at Jax, his expression inscrutable. But the smile returns easily enough, "You know I'm good for it, no matter how cold."