ArchivedLogs:Back To Normal

Back To Normal
Dramatis Personae Hive, Flicker, Micah, Melinda, Tola, Switzerland, Clarice, Joshua
In Absentia	18 January 2015 '
Location <NYC> Harbor Commons - Dining Room - Lower East Side
Adjacent to the kitchen, the dining room is a fairly large room with an open lay out. It is generally set up cafe-style, with eight to ten round tables set a comfortable distance from each other, with a few bar high, smaller tables with taller chairs around the exterior perimeter. The floor is a middling dark fiber color, hovering somewhere around gray, divided up into foot long squares for easy replacement. The walls are a light green, illuminated by many windows. Halfway through the room, there is a small alcove built into each wall, providing a place for a dividing wall to recess out of foot traffic. Closet doors constructed of polished wood contain additional tables and chairs to transform the space from smaller get-togethers to a full scale party room for the whole of the Harbor Commons. Brunch is underway in the Commonhaus. Kind of a ton of it, all vegan, given that Jax is the one organizing today; waffles and scramble and strips of smokey tempeh and homefries with onions and green peppers. The dining room is reasonably crowded, moreso on weekends than during the week with a spillover of various visitors from Xavier's and colleges and out-of-town given it's a -holiday- weekend, as well. It's been the better part of a month since Hive has been /seen/ outside his house but for all that he's kind of casual now as he wanders into the dining room alongside Joshua, murmuring something quietly to the other man as they head over to grab plates. He looks -- rather strikingly /improved/ over the last time anyone saw him. More fleshed out. Less sallow. His hair has grown back to a short dark scruff, and though he's entering /with/ Joshua it is purely in a company sense -- he's walking on his /own/, steady and stable. Not particularly bundled for the short walk from his house to the Commonhaus, just his Grumpy Bear sweatshirt, workboots, jeans. He loads a plate with waffle and scramble and fries, grabs coffee and a juice, scouting the crowded room mentally moreso than visually for a place to sit. Flicker's plate has been fairly heavily laden but he's done a good job of clearing much of it. He's just washing down a bite of scramble with a gulp of orange juice when Hive enters -- it makes him kind of spluttercough on the juice, looking up quickly and pressing the back of his hand to his lips. Automatically he's shifting in his seat, making room next to himself. His mind has mixed thoughts, glad to see Hive /out/ but concerned as well. His mechanical hand lifts, signaling unnecessarily -- << Yo. >> Micah has been hidden away in the kitchen for most of the morning, assisting with food preparation and honestly a little hesitant to enter into the bustle of the dining room. He is dressed as is typical for a weekend: auburn hair mussed, Batsignal hoodie unzipped over layered Totoro tee and henley, patchy jeans. Finally having laden a plate for himself, he slips out from the kitchen and just watches for a time, eyes scanning back and forth. It's Flicker's sputtering more than Hive's entrance that catches his attention, though the mild surprise in his expression shows easily when he notices the telepath. Uncertain-slow in his steps, he drifts over to the table by the pair. Melinda is late to the party - later so than Hive and Joshua at least - and misses their entrance. She is dealing with a fussy baby strapped to her chest - one that doesn't like being woken up from a dreadfully long nap, displeased with being gently squished up against mom, and would rather be warm in front of one of her sunlamps. The smell of food distracts Tola a little, and while large tears are still stuck between her thick lashes, she quiets a little as Mel brings them to the plates for food selection. Melinda notices Micah first, nodding politely to the young man before turning to her plates with a small swell of discomfort. She inhales deeply as she selects home fries, scramble, and tempeh, laying a waffle on top, with the second plate tucked underneath for later use. She then begins to piece together the shift of attention in the room as such and turns to look for the source. She just pauses and purses her lips. Hive splits off from Joshua at Flicker's signalling; the paramedic heads across the room to take a seat with Rachel as Hive meanders over to drop down next to Flicker. He leans across the table to offer a fistbump to Clarice, a lazy upward jerk of chin to Switzerland as he picks up his fork. "Jesus. This place just keeps fucking growing." He's muttering this down to his tray, apparently. Scowling at it as his other hand lifts to massage at his temple. If he's noticed the eyes on him he's -- well, he's probably noticed them. His shoulders are tensing, at least, and there's a faint prickle of mental energy rippling up against the others' minds. "Jax keeps feeding people, is why." Clarice sounds as thrilled about it as Hive. She returns the fistbump, though with a very /suspicious/ look raked over Hive. "You're not dying." Flicker glances up -- he almost looks apologetic, the look he gives to Mel and Micah. Almost. His teeth worry at the inside of his cheek. He takes another gulp of orange juice. "Do you guys -- want to sit?" "I'm pretty much done." Switzerland is picking up his empty tray, making room at the table. "If you want to -- sit." He's looking at Hive, too, though more awkward-curious than suspicious. Not asking, though. Mel's nod earns one in kind, seeing as Micah's hands are full of plate and glass. The reaction to Hive's presence in his mind is not the immediate welcoming nuzzle that it usually would be. It does start that way, out of reflex, but then becomes more unsure, questioning. All of the uncertainty swells in his mind to a sharper pang of doubt and worry as Switzerland moves to go as soon as he shows up. "Oh. Oh, I was...but. I don't have to. There's a lotta seats in the sunroom." He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, trying (and utterly failing) to push back the rise of a fierce blush in his cheeks and neck by sheer force of will. Melinda's mind churns over her own reaction to this, shock fading into confusion, some hurt filtering in at the fact that she's surprised by this, relief that she is no longer waiting for him to die - tension starting to unravel - leaving her numb once more, an emotion she willfully stays in. She inhales and moves over, setting her plate down next to Flicker and Hive and perhaps Micah. She settles into a chair and starts to unwind the wrapping that is keeping Tola against her chest, moving to balance the child against her torso and on one thigh, so the kid can face outward. Contrary to her mother's hesitance and concern, Tola is blissfully happy to feel Hive again. Once free and able to face him, she claps her hands and giggles. There's a small grind of Hive's teeth. His eyes stay fixed on his plate. He stabs a little more forcefully than necessary at his waffle, slices off a corner square. "Nope," he agrees with Clarice's assessment, tone casual despite the white-knuckled clench of his fingers around his fork. "You disappointed?" His teeth grind a little harder before he takes his bite of waffle, eyes lifting to flick, finally, between Melinda and Micah. His jaw tightens a little bit harder, weight shifting just a little bit to one side to lean his shoulder up against Flicker's. In the end it's Tola he reacts to first, mind pressing out in a gentle squeeze against hers. "He's /done eating/." He says this kind of irritably to Micah, gesturing to Switzerland's empty tray. "Oh -- yeah, I was -- it's no big." Switzerland nudges his chair out, wiping his place clean with a napkin and heading off. "Crushed. Had dibs on your TV." Clarice's eyes are still a little narrow. Looking over Hive with intent curiosity. Mind even more keenly curious. For a moment she glances across the room over to Joshua. Back to Hive. << Not so zen in the end -- ? >> It's not really /intended/ for Hive but it surfaces all the same. Flicker gives Tola a small smile for her giggling. He sits up just a little straighter, weight pressing back up against Hive. << You okay here? Kind of -- a lot. At once. >> To Switzerland he nods, gives a quick-warm smile. "-- Later. C'mon, sit." That's to Micah. "Y'know Dusk is back?" "Okay, thank you," Micah replies softly, nodding his head to Switzerland before taking his seat, sliding his food onto the table. << Apologies, honey, I'm still just. Trying to realign m'brain an' can't shake this feelin' that everyone secretly hates me bein' here. I'll get over it. I'll try t'stop projectin' so hard meanwhile. >> Buried under the more overt message is a feeling of /wanting/ to pull Hive into a hug, of being impossibly glad to see him. "You look good," is all he manages at first, and it's true enough. The announcement about Dusk serves as a new shock, a new flood of excitement and happiness and...ohgoshsomuchfailure and so many apologies still needing to be delivered... Micah squeezes his eyes closed in an attempt to stop the racing in his mind. "I hadn't heard. Did they give 'im new terms?" He picks up a fork to stab at his scramble. Tola continues to be happy, regarding her returned father like sunshine and a full feeling that her belly does not quite match yet, but the distraction keeps her from caring too much about the lack of food for the time being. Her mother is slowly losing her grip on that numb feeling, relief mingling heavily with everything she repressed for the past few months. She is quiet and a little shaky as she keeps everything she is feeling from bubbling to the surface. There are unfulfilled sorrow teems with joy and the loneliness she's endured in his absence. << Just... give me a minute. >> A shaky hand wipes at one eye as she turns to look at Flicker. "Oh? Really? Good." Another slow creak of grinding teeth. Hive's mind /thuds/ in a hard heavy slam up against Clarice's. Aloud, neutral, bland: "... changed my mind." He takes a bite of waffle, chews it over slowly. << Can't stay in my room forever, >> answers Flicker, though it comes with a definite (panicky-stressed) (unhappy) (sick) undertone that suggests no, he's not okay here. His expression doesn't change from its default scowl. He swallows his mouthful, speaks again. "Got Kate and Corey and Joshua to thank for that." He sets his fork down, leans around Flicker to scoop Tola up, pull her into his own lap. "Missed you." Maybe it's to Tola. Maybe. But he's kind of /too/ carefully not-looking at Mel. "Nah. I don't know shit about that legal crap. Still waiting on -- some -- crap, who the fuck knows. But his appeal was granted, he's out for now. S'gone out to go see his monsterling." Clarice hisses sharply. A long set of quills pricks out through her sweatshirt. She is on her feet abruptly, hands balled into fists -- the impulse to hit Hive right /back/ is there, but she just picks up her tray, breathing in deep. "Charming as ever." She nudges her chair in towards the table with a hip. "Glad you're back." She says it kind of in the same tone she might say 'drop dead'. Carries her (still half-full) tray over towards Joshua's table. "Think she's gonna ask him if he can put the tumor /back/?" Flicker's mouth is hooked just a little bit up at one corner. In contrast to the smile his mind just curls back against Hive's in a small press of concern. << Peapod, Amazon, Google Express. Totally could. >> It's only half a joke, half a quiet plea: You don't /have/ to save the world. He glances back at Mel, smile easing a little warmer in answer to her shakiness. His hand moves to hers, squeezes gently. "Really-really. Probably be back around tonight. Or tomorrow. I don't know." "I'll hafta be sure to. Thank 'em, that is. I'm just...glad. T'see you out." The mention of Eri sends another spill of longing and loss and too-complex-to-name feelings swirling through Micah's mind. This is, fortunately for Hive, interrupted by Clarice's storming off. Concern and curiosity for what might have been said to her /not/ aloud. "I doubt she would. Folks's just been tense 'bout a lotta stuff lately." He nods at the rest of Flicker's information delivery. "Good. Good. I need t'talk to 'im pretty bad. Hopefully things're less impossible this time. From the legal standpoint, too." Some of the scramble finally makes it into his mouth. Melinda releases Tola into Hive's care with a small sniff and a swallow, still finding herself checking to make certain that the child is steady in the previously weaker man's arms. She remembers he is well and only makes sure that Tola isn't squirming too much. The girl is pleased to go to Hive, making the transition easy and quick. Soon, she is patting at his face and tilting her head to press a kiss to his nose and cheek. Happy. Mel nods and offers a smile to Flicker when he reassures her. She takes his hand and squeezes back. She still feels the quiver of emotion inside her as she turns her attention back to her food, reaching for a bit of her waffle. "He'll be able to eat. And see his kid." She inhales deeply, focusing on each breath until the rush of feeling starts to calm. "I'm sure he just needs a chance to spread his wings for a while. He's not the type to stay cooped up." She glances at Hive, then back to Flicker and finally back to her food. Hive's breath catches briefly at Flicker's joking question, hitching in in a sharp note that might be a laugh, given the sudden upward hook of his lips. It's only the hard press of his mind to Flicker's that belies this, thudding in against his friend's with a wrenching /ache/: << (if only.) >> He kisses the top of Tola's head, hooking one arm around her and freeing his other to pick his fork back up. "Yeah. I don't think they really build jail cells with his wings in mind." "I don't think they build jail cells with /anyone/ in mind." Flicker sounds a little bit more grim. He shovels the last of his food into his mouth, gulping down his juice to follow. "There's been a lot to be tense about. But it's getting better." “Maybe he'll get t'stay out for good this time,” Micah replies with a ferocity underlying his tone, protective for the most part, but also determined, hopeful. “Just hate...constantly. Feelin' like we're losin' people. An' havin' 'em go through all this.” "I hope so. It's been a long season of dread and sickening worry." Melinda nibbles on one quarter of the waffle until she can fish out a little bit of tempeh from underneath. She swallows the remnants from her mouth before looking to Hive nervously, then over to Micah. Finally she lets her shoulders sag a little as she stares at her plate. "I think... that we should maybe have a party. Celebrate having a good day. Having Dusk around again - Hive too, if he's around. Make the day memorable. Maybe that'll help lift some tension." Hive presses his cheek to the side of Tola's head. His lips press together, briefly, but relax as he takes a slow bite of food. "Flicker's been jonesing for some fun. Sure we could throw something together." The corner of his mouth twitches, slightly. "Get life back to normal again."