Logs:Other People's Feelings
| Other People's Feelings | |
|---|---|
| Dramatis Personae | |
| In Absentia
|
2020-09-28 "I’m just giving you guys a hard time." |
| Location
<XAV> Conservatory - Xs First Floor | |
Tall panes of glass and a many-gabled glass ceiling protect this large indoor garden from the elements, while welcoming in sunlight to keep it warm year-round. Adjoined to the southern face of the venerable mansion and surrounded by more conventional gardens beyond, the conservatory is all Old World elegance from the outside. Within, however, it is lush and green and in certain corners--whether despite its careful tending by the groundskeeper or because of it--seems practically wild. Footpaths and a burbling artificial steam wind through the space, connecting its disparate parts. Benches are scattered throughout, thorough soft grasses or mosses under certain trees also invite rest. The outside wall is lined with tropical and subtropical plants. The ferns and cycads and epiphytes are kept moist by artfully hidden misters that also give the place a sort of magical ambiance, dense foliage wreathed at times with drifting patches of mist. Nearest the building is a desert in miniature, with a few impressively sized cacti as well as palo verde and other trees adapted to arid climes. Between these, and by far the largest section, is dedicated temperate zone plantlife from around the world, the beds growing more carefully manicured and the pads less winding as one approaches the center, where a clearing with a small ring of seats is a popular spot for some teachers to hold court. It's dinnertime at Xavier's, but not all the students are taking it in the Great Hall. Harm has brought their chicken parmesan with them into the conservatory. They've just settled down on a bench in the capacious center clearing, dressed in a fuchsia linen tunic with embroidered purple edging, blue jeans, and rainbow strap sandals, a satchel made from recycled bicycle inner tubes hanging from one shoulder. K.C. does not have any food with her. This is probably at least part of the reason why Suga Mama is currently far more interested in Harm -- the large black and white pitbull is trotting ahead to plant herself right at -- half on, really -- Harm's feet, tail thumping the ground as she stares pointedly at the chicken parm. Somewhere behind her, K.C. shuffles along, head bobbing and eyes turned kind of upward. Dressed in faded jeans much-fraying at their hems and a baggy grey tee, she makes a much less colorful figure than Harm. Her shuffling stops a short distance from the dog. She looks from the dog to the food, back to the dog. Snorts quietly. Taylor had been in the conservatory for about an hour now. He had used his bleach dyed hoodie as a pillow and made camp under some large elephant plants for some shade. The warmth of the building felt extremely comfortable for Taylor’s people and green skin. He had just about dozed off in the corner of the room before he heard a dog trot in. If was kind of hard to not notice the large dog as it sat down in front of a colorful kid and followed by a girl silently behind him. Harm brightens as Suga Mama trots over to them. "Oh hi!" Then the look up at K.C., blushing. "And hi to you, too. No dinner for either of you?" They drop one hand to scritch the dog's ears. "Can I give her a little piece of chicken? She's acting like she's starving, but I know how dogs are." K.C.'s head continues its steady bob, bob, bob. One of her hands twitches at her side, the other tucked in her pockets. "Starving. Starving-starving-starving." With her angular build, baggy clothes, shaved-short hair, husky-deep voice, she likely rivals Harm for Confusing People About Gender. "Loves chicken. Trash can dog. Why are you here." In her low monotone these things all kind of run together. Taylor had now rolled onto his stomach. His white shirt tucked into his black skinny jeans now stained with dirt from the plants on Both sides as he listed to the two talk. One sounded normal but the other less colorful one seemed to talk so fast and robotic it was almost like she was half machine. Than again it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing that he’s seen at the school yet but still a new one. Harm cuts off a corner of her chicken cutlet, scraping the sauce off of it, and slips it to Suga Mama. "It comes with the dog territory," they say, smiling. "I don't know, I just didn't feel like eating in the dining hall, you know? Some days I like it, but some days it's just so noisy and..." They duck their head. "It's just a bit much sometimes. How about you? No dinner?" "Dog territory." K.C.'s fingers flick at the air again. "Drool, do cuddle, eat hot chicken, lie." Bob-bob-bob. Her eyes dip quick-sharp, up-down, watching Suga Mama snatch the chicken out of the air, eager enough that her jaws close with an audible snap. The wag of her tail has increased. She's barely even swallowed the mouthful down before her eyes are fixated right back on Harm's chicken. "Noisy. Noisy everywhere. Noisy there. Noisy here. Sometimes moving is better." “It’s getting kind of noisy in here.” Taylor yawned as he crawled out from the corner of his spot wrapping the hoodie around his waist still covered in dirt. He stretched as he made himself known looking at the two colorful characters. “Cute dog.” He said after some pause in his introduction before walking a bit closer and bending down stretching out his left arm so his colored skin snuck out from the shirt slightly. Harm snickers. "I think most of them aren't great on the lying. Maybe she's got a special talent?" They do not give Suga Mama more chicken, but do dispense more pettings. "It's not that noisy in here, is it?" They start when Taylor crawls out from the vegetation. "Oh! Sorry." Though their expression hardens immediately after. "It's a common area, you know. We're just chatting." "Special talent. Flop on anyone. Very special talent." K.C. edges a little closer to Suga Mama when Taylor appears, crouching down so that she can run a hand down the pup's back. "Kind of noisy. Kind of noisy. Sorry for existing." There's still no inflection to her voice, the same flat monotone as before. "In. Public." Taylor smiled as he pet the dog and shook his head. “Oh my god no I’m just giving you guys a hard time. I know it’s public.” He said looking up at the two from the dog smiling still. “I didn’t mean to interrupt...” he said again to make it clear he wasn’t upset. "So talented!" Harm directs this to Suga Mama more than anyone else. They blush when K.C. echoes their apology. "It's a reflex," they mumble. "I don't think anyone thought you were interrupting, but maybe you shouldn't try to start conversations by giving people a hard time." "Hard time," K.C.'s head-bobbing gets faster, though her tone doesn't change. "Hard time. Great greeting. Very polite. Hard time. One mystery solved there." She kneads at Suga Mama's back, the dog turning to rest her blocky head on K.C.'s shoulder. "Here. Some suggestions. 'Hello'. 'Good evening'. 'What is that dinner'. 'Do you mind if I join'. Easy, see. Avoid punching that way." Taylor stood up after the dog left him. “You’re right, but I didn’t get punched yet, so it must have been better than previous greetings I’ve had.” Taylor sighed. Harm glances to K.C., then back to Taylor. "Don't worry, I don't really do punching," they say stiffly. "Still doesn't mean I like being 'given a hard time.'" Their cheeks flush redder and then look down at their food. "Kind of seems like you should consider other people's feelings and not how likely they are to hit you." "Yet." K.C. presses down against Suga Mama, pushing herself back to her feet. "Don't really do punching. Not worth my time." She looks at Harm's food, too, then looks towards the door to outside. "Better places to eat," she says. "Less rude places." Suga Mama gets up after K.C. does, leaning hard against the girl's leg. K.C. doesn't look at Taylor, starting toward the door, but she does add: "Maybe you don't want friends. But. Could maybe try being nice. Not rude. Wild idea." “Wait.” Taylor said as the girl got up to leave than back at the kid still sitting. “I- sorry,” he said not sure what else to add. It seemed like every interaction he had at this place ended in someone new hating him. “I didn’t mean to come off as insensitive, I’m sorry. I’m new and I was just trying to make some friends...” he trailed off wondering if this was just a pathetic attempt anyway. Harm sighs. "It's ok. I guess -- it's also important to consider how likely people are to hit you, sometimes." They look uncertain for a moment, their eyes dropping away from Taylor back to their dinner. "I do appreciate you apologizing, but I'm still going to take this outside, though. Find a quiet spot." They rise, shouldering their bag. "Being new is hard. So is leaving bad first impressions. But I think you can turn that around -- you know, if you put your mind to it." They give a small smile and wave before drifting off down a path with their plate in hand. | |
