ArchivedLogs:Football Thing

Football Thing
Dramatis Personae Cody, Jack, and Liv
In Absentia	2015-10-19 "Oh c'mon... I can't see YOU, but I could see -that-!"
Location <XS> Gymnasium - B1
For a mutant school, this is a pretty standard gym, even if its sturdy construction to handle mutant powers is less standard. Still, it is designed along normal lines; setup for a basketball court, standard equipment -- punching bags, rubber mats, standard assortment of balls, weight training equipment, the usual fare. It is large, and as well-appointed as the rest of Xavier's tends to be. Sometime after dinner but before most students have retreated to their rooms for the night but the gym isn't very occupied this evening. A few students are in the respective lockerrooms getting changed out of their workout gear but Jack's getting a little extra working out in. He's dressed in old sneakers, workout pants, and a school t-shirt and a few bandages can be seen around one of his arms. Peeking into that hollow shirt will let someone see he's got a few more on his torso but fewer than the weekend. Right now he's on a treadmill, steadily running along in place. Close by, but not directly engaging Jack for the moment, Cody is dressed down to a set of Navy surplus sweat pants and an XS t-shirt that looks like it's literally off the rack. Having already done a little running, he's over with the small weights, following some instructions on a wall for doing proper curls and squats. It looks a little bit underwhelming, but he's got some sweat on, and in his ears the tinny sound of some country rock is playing... at least one ear, the other is dangling down so he can politely 'hear' anyone who comes by. Over in a corner, Liv is laid on a mat, twisting and turning as she stretches herself. Her green hair is pulled in a ponytail and she's wearing a baggy t-shirt, grey and dingy from use, and baggy shorts. She humming softly to herself as she stretches and warms herself up before bouncing up and looking around. Suddenly, she notices the floating t-shirt exercising on the treadmill. "We gotta stop runnin' into each other," she says, jogging in place as she looks around, deciding wear to go first. Jack perks up slightly when spoken to, glancing over at Liv and offering a quiet laugh. "It's better than literally running into one another," he offers. There's a faint beeping from the machine as Jack starts lowering the speed. "How's it going, Liv?" he asks. "Oh yeah," he glances over to Cody and his sleeve lifts as he waves. "Hey, Cody. This is Liv. And that's Cody, he's sharing the room with me and Serg now." Cody notices it thankfully from the corner of his eye, and reaches down to tap the pause button on his cellphone. Which doesn't work. So he taps it twice more, and then finally just kills the app before taking the other earbud out, "Huh?" And then he looks over towards where Liv is, and with a faint grin on his face, he waves over to the girl and says, "Ummm... Hi." "Hey now, I only did that once!" Liv laughs as Jack brings up running into each other. She looks over to wear Jack is point, noticing Cody and giving him a bright smile and wave. "Hi! Three roommates? That's gotta be fun. These rooms are only a couple steps above closets already," Liv says, still glancing around as she tries to find something to do. "They haven't put a third person in with you and your roommate yet?" Jack asks, surprised at that. "Guess more of the new students are guys," he shrugs it off though, eventually slowing the treadmill to a stop. Telekinesis floats his towel from where he has it resting and Jack offers an unseen grin. "Hey, I don't mind the room being small. Better than my old haunt," he knows its a bad joke, he's going with it anyway. The newcomer grins a bit more, "I get the loft bunk with the desk under it, since I tinker a lot with electronics. That way I don't mess up their side of the room. Jack's got this football thing going with Serg, and I don't want to mess it up." He doesn't float anything over, instead just picking up his water bottle and chugging about half of it, and then sighs, "So... how does this work? I'm still trying to figure out when it's right to ask what people do." Liv gives a light shrug to Jack. "Either we don't have a third roommate yet or she's your long-lost cousin." Apparently Jack isn't the only one with bad jokes tonight. She glances over to Cody with a grin. "Football thing? What football thing?" One can only guess why she'd be so interested in what Sergio and Jack are up to. She gives a quick grin at Cody's comment. "If you find that out, let me know. I'm chlorokinetic. I mean, I can...do stuff. With plants. I'd show you but I have nothing to work with here. What do you do?" "I took top bunk to make sure Serg doesn't climb," Jack explains. He laughs a little at the football comment. "Me and him both played before we came here. And I'm on the school team now," he explains. "And you wouldn't mess it up, Cody," he assures the other, hopping off the treadmil. "I think its a...figure it out as you go thing. Different for every situation." "Mostly crash into things, mess up the room... you know. I do guy stuff." Grinning over at Jack for a moment, and then nodding before he looks back towards Liv, Cody goes on, "I create this... thing... around me that lets me fly and do some other things. They're still figuring out what exactly it is, to be honest." Then he adds, "Plant, huh? My aunt would have liked having someone who could make sure her herb garden was always in season." "Yeah, I've toyed with the idea of single-handedly becoming the cure for world hunger," Liv says. "Still weighing my career options though." She tilts her head as she takes in Cody's description. "A 'thing'? Like...a force field? Or telekinetic energy?" She glances over towards Jack with a grin. "Did they allow you to telekinetically punt the ball across the field?" "It sounds telekineticy but I'm not sure either," Jack offers with another shrug. He shakes his head, shirt collar moving with the motion. "Naw, no TK when I'm on the field. At least not when we're seriously playing and practicing," he replies. "Besides, I'm not a kicker." Cody grins, "Easier for him to guide the ball in." And then wriggles his fingers in the air before miming a poorly skilled catch, "Not that he'd ACTUALLY do it..." He adds hastily, giving Jack an apologetic look. "All you'd have to do is telekinetically move a shirt AND the football and nobody will even know!" Liv 'helpfully' suggests. "Better yet, move the goal posts closer." She glances towards a clock hanging on the wall. "Yeah, I need to get some workout in before bed. I'll see ya'll later," Liv says, offering one last bright smile before apparently making up her mind as aiming for a punching bag tucked in the corner. "Probably have to move more than just a shirt and ball," Jack laughs, an unseen blush on his equally invisible face. He waves it and the apology off, leaning back. "Not in a real game. When those pick up games happen and people start busting out powers, all bets are off," he chuckles. "See ya, Liv," he chimes, offering a quick wave with the hand holding the towel. Watching the girl head off, Cody moves over next to Jack, and then once he sees her duck out of view, he nudges the invisible roomie, and says, "So... how long have you been... you know..." Motioning after and then back, "Oh c'mon... I can't see YOU, but I could see -that-!" Jack starts to wipe his face off as Liv ducks out of sight. The nudge gets him making a little noise and peeking over at his roomie. He stares for a few moments, looking as clueless as empty clothes can. It's a shame no one can see his face because the way his expression goes from confused to understanding to awkward embarrassment is priceless. "Whoa," he yelps, quickly quieting down so as not to draw attention over to them. "I...me and her? What? No," he babbles a little, sleeves and bandaged arm lifting as he holds both hands up in front of himself. "That's not...we're not...Liv is dating Sergio," he says. "And ...I umm..." he trails off, more awkward since he's now realizing this hasn't come up with the new guy yet. For a moment, he's not sure what if anything to say. As the awkward silence goes on, Jack rubs the back of his neck. "I um...I don't swing that way anyway..." There's this awkward three second pause from Cody as this all processes, and then he splits his face into a bit of a grin, and starts laughing a bit, then stops himself and shuts up, "Oh dude, I am... I mean... oh shit..." And then he waves it off before Jack can take any further offense from it, "THAT'S why you're so tight with her. Okay okay... I'm sorry. And the gay thing? So? You're not hitting on me... well, I mean you could have been and I'd be clueless... but you're being cool." His turn to babble it seems, but he does not look outwardly uncomfortable about it, adding after a moment, "So... besides the mutant gene, did you get the fashion gene too?" Jack waits silently for Cody's reaction, hoping this isn't going to require a roommate change. The laughter gets a little confusion, one shoulder dropping as Jack's head tilts to the side. "Huh?" he blinks, surprised by the reaction. Tension eases away as Cody goes on though. "Don't worry, I haven't been hitting on you. I have...had my sights on someone else anyway," he waves it off with his bandaged arm. That last question gets him arching an unseen brow. "Hey, you've seen my wardrobe. I'm as clueless when it comes to fashion." Cody blurts back out before he can stop himself, "Hey, this is New York, for all I knew bandage was the new runway thing, allright?" Clapping Jack on the shoulder then, he looks him up and down, "So... you're into guys, there's someone on campus you're after. That's cool. Just... don't come to me about relationship advice. I know more about horses than I do about other guys. I mean... I've been told it's not much of a topic change, but still... not like I'd lock the two of you in a paddock together until you let nature run it's course..." Jack laughs, shaking his head. "Naw, just got a little clumsy while I was training," he says, lifting the bandaged arm. "Even cuts and stuff on me are invisible," he sighs it off. "He's not on campus but its not a thing any-" Jack stops when his brain catches up with the rest of what Cody says. Again, a priceless reaction is missed due to perma-ghost as Jack lets out an embarrassed little squeak. "Dude!" "Dude, I half grew up on a farm, alright?" Cody says as he puts his hands up in mock-surrender, but then he lets them down once more before wandering over to where his water bottle was and finishes it off, "Buuut... I admit to a little teasing, alright? I can't help it. You're like, pretty much my only friend here at the moment, so you get all of it. Once I'm settled in better, I'll have more targets, I promise." Jack drapes his towel over his head for a moment, doing a temporary ghost impression. "Alright," he says after a deep breath, hang his towel on his shoulder and stretching. He walks over to Cody and reaches out to give his shoulder a friendly pat. "I don't think you'll have to worry though. You'll make friends in no time." Cody sighs a bit, and looks towards the door to the locker room, and then back, "I dunno..." He says after a bit, "Just seems like... since I don't have weird hair, or look half animal, or have anything flashy... I suppose I feel like I'm going to make everyone else feel uncomfortable. You know... kinda like regular school. Everyone looks for something to pick on." Jack pauses, giving Cody a long look. "Cody," he replies quietly, his tone getting a lot more serious. "You're...you've got that way backwards," he says. "Not having the whole perma-ghost thing like me or looking half animal...you're going to have it -easy-," he says. "Guys like me get picked on a lot and the teachers can be pretty crappy towards us too," he goes on, taking a deep breath. "And don't worry about flashiness...everyone starts out different. You're new, you'll learn more about what you can do," Jack adds. Cody still has the look on his face like he doesn't quite believe that, but then he shrugs and gives a wan smile once more, "Sure... but hey, we should get back up. Get showered and settled in... I have to check and make sure the glue on my frankenputer's screen joint held properly. I swear, it DOES run... sometimes." Jack gives an unseen frown at the disbelief. He doesn't press it though, at least not for right now. Letting out a breath, he nods. "Yeah, let's hit the showers," he replies. The invisible teen then laughs. "Yes but does it run without smelling like its about to burst into flames?" he teases back a little on the way to the locker room.