ArchivedLogs:King Without a Crown

King Without a Crown
Dramatis Personae Ivan, Kai, Rasa, Dorofei
In Absentia	2013-06-10 Checking in, in the Medbay, with the father
Location <XS> Medical Lab - B1
Gleaming and sterile, the school's medical facility is all cool science in contrast to the mansion's old-world old-fashion. All stainless steel and antiseptic tinge, the room is filled with the quiet whir-click of the various implements that comprise its medical equipment -- all state-of the art. The hospital beds are curtained off for privacy when they have patients, and in one of the alcoves there is a small operating theatre visible. More heavy-duty equipment is visible in the lab in the back, where the securely locked cabinets keep sensitive equipment out of the reach of teenage fingers. It's Monday, late afternoon, and the patient-part of Xavier's med lab is LOUD. There have been several attempts to tell the loudest individual here to shush, hush, shut up and several other variations, but none of them seem to have stuck. Dorofei sits on a chair that seems FAR too small for his large frame, arms open wide as he demonstrates- who knows what, really. He's going on and on about something in Russian, hands flailing this way and that. Apparently /all of the things/ need illustrative gestures with this man. His presence in /general/ just kind of screams /loud/. Much more subdued are the short, interspersed moments of Ivan speaking in Russian in response - a not dissimilar voice to his father's but much quieter, though he's still noticeably louder than he usually is, even among friends. Sitting on the middle of a bed with his legs pulled up underneath him. He's dressed in jeans and a dullyellow T-shirt, and he looks as healthy as can be, really, as though he's about ready to /leave/. But he isn't, not quite yet. "{She was THIS BIG, Vano, I swear! She must've been American!}" There Dorofei goes again, arms /wide/ as he can possible stretch them. Ivan watches the man closely, and can't help but smile. A little guiltily. It’s uncertain just how someone as thin as Kai can make a thumping noise as he runs, particularly on the reinforced concrete that makes up the under-flooring. But he does make a noise as he bursts into the medlab, his eyes wide as he slap-thumps his way towards the loud Russian. Dressed in shorts and a green tank top that reveals shoulders marred with silvery scars and needle marks, the Korean boy is barefoot as ever as he approaches the father and son. “IVAN!” It’s the loudest that Kai has ever been in his entire time at Xavier’s, and it’s a happy shout that is barely a warning before the younger boy is FLINGING himself at his friend for IMMEDIATE HUGS. Tight ones. “Ivan, you are /home/!” Is there a giant Russian man in here with them? Kai doesn’t seem to notice. He also doesn’t seem to be letting go of Ivan any time soon. Dorofei notices Kai /right away/, attention snapping to the boy as soon as his line of sight allows it. Any sign of amusement his face may have contained now falls while his back straightens in watchful vigilance, making him suddenly look more like a /bodyguard/ sitting by the bed than a father. Piercing stare toward his son and all. He even tenses his muscles in what appears to be a brief indication he may rise, when his son is embraced. But no. He sits, lifts up his chin toward Kai, and says somewhat sharply, "{What's wrong with him?}" Ivan braces himself for Kai's hug as well he can, anticipating it as soon as he hears the /bounding/. The hug Kai receives in return comes a few seconds later, after he's managed to gather his arms up high enough. He seems happy to sit there for as long as the other boy decides is necessary. "{This is Kai, he's the, uh...}" He continues in Russian and with a meek, more genuinely content sort of smile, over Kai's shoulder, "{He's the nice one? The quiet one that I gave my English books to, he--}" "{--/Kai/, I remember.}" Dorofei interrupts, squinting pensively as he tries to /figure something out/, "{Huh. What's he supposed to be, Chinese?}" This is one hundred percent a serious question, and Ivan treats it as such, replying with a deadpan, "{Korean, dad.}" “I am glad you are home!” The younger boy speaks mostly into Ivan’s shoulder, and he offers another tight squeeze. “I was very worried, especially when others disappeared, too. But now you are /home/.” Kai’s hug goes on for a long moment, although his head jerks back as Ivan’s father speaks, the heavy Russian bringing a momentary tightness to his slender frame. That they continue speaking in Russian is enough to make the smaller boy suddenly seem self-conscious, and he reluctantly lets his grip ease, pulling back to offer a small dip of his head in Dorofei’s direction. “I am sorry,” he says with a small furrow of his brow in Ivan’s direction. “I forgot that your father was here.” Then there’s another dip of his head that borders on an actual bow. “It is good to meet you, Mister Dra...drave...” he grimaces as the Russian name proves tricky in remembrance. “Mister Ivan.” Because that’s the same thing, right? Totally the same thing. It garners a smile from both Ivan /and/ Dorofei, whose posture does not do much to look friendlier, but he /does/ stick out a hand for a /firm/ handshake if it is accepted. "Dorofei Vladovich Vorobyov." He offers. Then, in a slightly less serious tone of voice and with an accent thick enough to spread on toast, "Drav, is okay." "Yes, I am-- back." Ivan answers, then, his eyes dropping to the offered hand. Then, though, he simply looks to Kai. His English is so much more premeditated than his Russian, and he looks the other teenager over for a moment. Eyebrows maybe twitching a bit nervously. "I am sorry I left. I did not plan to. I hope you did not worry." Kai knows the ritual of shaking hands, and when Dorofei extends his meaty paw, the Korean boy sticks out his own hand, allowing it to be swallowed up in a strong fist. The shaking that occurs is enough to wobble his voice as he nods at the older man. “Mi-i-i-ster Dra-a-a-av,” he echoes, and when his hand is released, he might draw back from the older man just the tiniest bit. Ivan’s answer gets a small wrinkle of Kai’s nose. “You came to say good-bye,” he reminds the other boy. “This sounds like planning, to me.” It might be a tease; the corners of Kai’s eyes crinkle ever so slightly, hiding the yellow that flickers along their rims. “But you are home, now, so everything is good again.” Then he’s smiling enough to show teeth, and latching onto Ivan’s arm as if the older boy needs an anchor. “I took very good care of your bugs,” he says cheerfully, although he keeps an eye on Dorofei, as if measuring the reaction from the older man. “I even sprayed your bees with the sugar water. They liked that very much.” There are some quiet footsteps in the hallway, which may or may not be heard with the door closed. When it does open, Rasa peeks hir head in, looking around meekly before hir gaze settles on the small party around Ivan's bed. Hir face, completely covered in a light, robin's egg blue, surrounded by nearly black tresses, lightens up a little, the small lines of concern disappearing. Hir eyes, a soft green color, squint happily, but the rest of hir stays subdue. Ze is wearing a light yellow top, of an Indian design, with billowy midnight blue pants. Hir feet are barely shod in flipflops. As ze approaches, hir tail lifts high and bounces happily behind hir. Ze clasps hir hand behind hir back and peeks around as ze listens to the conversation before jumping in. He came to say good bye? Ivan's eyebrows lower now, as though that's news to him. But- then there is news of his /bugs/, and he seems slightly less perturbed. Kai is shot a look that's one part grateful, one part apologetic. It is short-lived however, with a smile taking over his face when Rasa enters. ... Then that /too/ disappears, when guilt makes its way back onto his features, his eyes flitting anxiously from Rasa to the bed, then back up to Rasa. "Thank you, Kai. I did not even ask and you did it even then." Dorofei just looks /confused/ at the English part of Ivan and Kai's conversation, seeming somewhat less than content with sitting idly by while it happens. Then he follows Ivan's gaze, curiously, squints at Rasa for a moment, and then promptly /stands/ when the recognition hits! He smiles brightly, and he walks over to hir in long strides with the intention of pushing hir further toward the bed with a hand pressed to hir back. Despite, apparently, the warnings he received regarding hir skin being dangerous just days ago. "{LOOK WHO CAME!}" He barks, happily, much to the tense-shouldered dismay of his son, who manages a tiny but hurried, "{Careful, please.}" Kai seems confused by Ivan’s response, and he shakes his head. “I took care of them /because/ you asked me,” he says, furrowing his brow. “Maybe not for this time, but when you left before. If you are not here, it is up to me to take care of your pets, so they will be healthy for you. It is what a good friend should do.” That seems to make him remember something, but the arrival of Rasa and the subsequent boisterousness of Dorofei stun him into a quiet, thoughtful expression. “Hello, Rasa,” he offers softly, his voice uncertain in addressing hir. “You are back, too.” It’s maybe not as cheerful as it was for Ivan, but it sounds sincere enough. “I am glad you came back safely.” Then he’s sliding around to Ivan’s other side, carefully avoiding contact with Rasa as he makes room for hir. “I have not seen Kris back,” he ventures. “Is she safe, too?” "Hello, Mr. Voyobyov," Rasa gives a little mrrrph toward the end of that, the hand pushing hir causing hir steps to skip a little faster. Ze looks up at him and gives him a smile and a nod. Then ze looks to Ivan for a moment, trying to catch his gaze. "Hello, Ivan. I'm glad to see you awake." With hir hands clasped behind hir back, there is very little skin to touch today, the sleeves on her tunic going all the way down to hir wrists and only a small v in the front shows off the blue skin. The tail stay tight and away from people, moving to wrap around hir leg. "Thank you, Kai. Yes, Kris was released with Shelby earlier than me and Ivan. Her family is in the city, so she might be there. I am ... not sure, as I have been a little distracted." Ivan slides off of the bed and wastes little time in reaching for Rasa, even with his guilt-ridden expression he means to hook a few fingers into the fabric over her shoulder to tug hir nearer. Closer please. Back over to the bed. Wait- "{You've met?}" He freezes, throwing a wide-eyed look over to Dorofei, who makes an amused sort of chuffing noise in response. "{Of course we have! I... maybe scared her a little, but nothing she can't handle, she seems TOUGH enough.}" He lifts an arm again, maaaybe /very probably/ to smack Rasa across a shoulder from the looks of it, before he thinks better of it. This might be partly due to the fact that Ivan shoots him a /sharp/ look. His father laughs at this, but does lower his hand again. Upon which Ivan continues, glancing worriedly to Kai first, then to Rasa, "Have you been- okay? Peter has told me- the city has been dangerous." Kai seems a bit intimidated by Dorofei’s exuberance, and he appears very glad to have Ivan as some sort of shield. He nods with a small knit of his brows when Rasa explains, and his mouth presses into a line. “I hope she got home safely,” he says, nodding solemnly at Ivan. “There has been much on the news,” he confirms. “The city is a very bad place, right now. Many people are angry about...” he furrows his brow. “I am uncertain why they are mad, but it is not very safe, from what the television says.” He’s not exactly CNN, is he? Rasa leans into Ivan's pull and turns it into a hug. It is gentle and warm, but doesn't last much beyond the initial squeeze. Then, ze encourages and helps Ivan get back into bed. "Yes. I have been okay. I have had no desire to leave the school and the danger levels have discouraged me further." Ze settles onto the edge of the bed and rests there quietly. "Someone killed a high level cop. It was a mutant and now lots of mutants are being blamed for it. As I cannot pass well, I will not be going to the city for a while." Ze gnaws on hir lip absently before remarking. "Perhaps I will go to the circus though, if I find some people to go with me." Ivan does not let go of Rasa entirely, leaving one arm around hir back as he listens to what's being said. Leaning into it, perhaps, a little heavier than he should for not actually looking all that tired. "Bring the /safest/ people. Teachers." Ivan mutters, lifting his free hand to rub at his eyes before looking to Kai, and asking quietly, "Did you get-- slurpees?" It's a thought that only occurs to him now, and he looks vaguely guilty about it, shoulders drawing forward as eye contact is broken in favour of staring at the bed. A lingering feeling of discomfort about /something/ remains. Though considering the events of the last few days, it might not be too hard to guess what that something is. Dorofei shoots all three of the students the look of a man who can't /quite/ follow a conversation but is desperately trying to. In what is possibly a misunderstanding concerning the subject of the conversation, he says loud and clear but unfortunately in Russian, "{... Vano, don't tell them yet. They have enough to worry about.}" It is ignored, by the only person present capable of understanding it. Perhaps it is not yet relevant. Kai loses some of his color when Rasa explains the details, and his mouth presses into a thin, sad line. But it comes with a curious tilt of his head when ze mentions the nearby diversion. "What is a circus?" He wonders, looking at the shape-shifter with wide eyes. "If it is a fun thing to do, I will go with you if I am allowed." Ivan's Slurpee question furrows Kai's brow, and he shakes his head. "I was--" he shakes his head again. "I did not," he admits, the corner of his mouth lifting without much humor behind it. "We will have them together," he says, watching Ivan's face carefully. "Remember? This is a thing we are going to do before school starts again." This comes with a look at Rasa and Dorofei that is clearly asking for their support, although it flickers a bit when Dorofei speaks in Russian. "Is he mad?" is a gentle and worried stage-whisper for Ivan. "I do not wish to anger him." Rasa reaches back and brushes hir bare fingertips against Ivan's hand, thoughts whispering, << may I? >> as ze holds light contact until ze feels ze is welcome to hold his hand. Hir posture straightens and strengthens to hold him upright, should he want more support. "Traditionally, circuses and carnivals are fun. They are meant to present specialized skills and tricks for a paying audience for the amusement of all. I don't know much about this one yet, except that they have a fortuneteller and people are talking about rides, maybe." Ze shrugs. "If it is fun and you are allowed, I will go with you, but please do not eat so many sweets the spinning rides make you sick." When Dorofei speaks with noticeable concern, ze looks from father to son and raises an eyebrow. << Of course. >> Comes Ivan's reply back, leaning a little more heavily toward hir before he takes a deep breath and sits upright, himself. Hand staying where it is. Calm as he may appear, Ivan's mind is not. It's still a-buzz with what happened to him even if he is doing his best to hide it from the outside world. Hazy recollections take a backseat to worry, prickling of fear (ignorance, failure... abandonment?) and the need to push /past it/. It's something he wishes to ignore for now, in the present company. Kai gets a shake of the boy's head. No, not mad. He adds quietly in response to his father, "{Can we talk about this later?}" It appears to surprise Dorofei, but he sinks back onto his chair without complaint. Hmf. << Do not worry. >> Ivan looks to Kai first, muscles in his jawline tensing up for a moment, before looking at Rasa, then back down to the bed. "We are leaving this Wednesday. To Russia." Kai nods at Rasa. "We will go together," he declares, offering a small smile. "We will ask a teacher to go with us. I am sure that the Professor will let me go to a fun thing." He doesn't sound /sure/ so much as hopeful. The announcement fades Kai's smile once more, and he looks down, his brow lowering. "Oh." It seems to be all he can manage, for a moment before he continues in a lower voice, glancing at Dorofei with a small twitch of worry. "I hoped that there would be more time." While initially Rasa's blue begins to mix liberally with Ivan's skin tone, it ends up deepening and darkening blue as ze begins to share more of hir thoughts with him. Ze is happy to have him back, relieved to put it mildly to find the familiar recesses of his brain ticking a little more normally than the foreign distraction ze encountered before. Ze also grateful - but that is less stated and more vague, linked with the notion that he never truly forgot about hir entirely. Ze interlaces hir fingers with his and stays close. Looking up once more, ze nods to Kai, giving him a little smile before the conversation shifts again. "Ahh. Yes. I am sure you need to get back to your family soon, don't you, sir?" Ze looks to Dorofei and gives another braver smile. "I hope the trip is easy and with no delays." The change in Rasa's appearance catches Dorofei's attention with unbridled fascination, and he /stares/ at it-- before giving his head a quick shake and sitting back down on the chair near the bed, but continues staring. This place and its freaky kids. "Mmh'da." He answers Rasa, a bit distracted. "Family- take him back. Being /safe/." He pauses for a moment, before lifting one of his big hands toward Rasa, then Kai, "You. Also safe." His voice makes it sound like more of a command than anything else. "{/stay/ safe}, no leaving lonely, {no running after fucking weirdo creatures or getting yourself shot or bitten or set on fire or I don't know get drowned by some crazy--}" He throws up his arms, while he rambles, "{-- human... fire hydrant do you have one of those. I suppose I'd have seen them by now...}" He... goes on a while, apparently to /himself/, turning his gaze to the floor. "I am sorry." Ivan offers to Kai, his voice fairly monotonous but his face doing a poor job of hiding his guilt. He looks like he's about to say something else, and his thoughts betray his as such << Maybe when I get back we can see >> but they are interrupted by a fourth individual wandering closer. One of the staff, all prim and proper with a little chart. "Hello, Ivan. You're almost good to return to your dorm room." She says, apparently flat-out ignoring Dorofei's rambles. "We have just a few more questions, and then you can go." She smiles, though her expression hardens ever so slightly when she turns to look at Kai, Rasa and Dorofei as well, motioning toward the exit with one slender hand. "If you would. I promise to release Ivan from our clutches soon, then you can catch up all you want." There’s color in Kai’s ears as he moves away from the bed. “It is all right,” he says, keeping his yellowing eyes pointed at the floor. “Your family wishes to see you, and you miss them. There will be time for things when you return.” He doesn’t sound convinced of this, though, and he begins moving towards the door even as the staff member enters. “I should go and do a thing,” he mumbles, nodding a bow at Dorofei. “It was good to meet you, Mister Drav,” he says softly, and then turns to slap-thump his way out in much the same fashion as he entered. Only quieter. Rasa nods and stands up, leaning in to brush a light kiss against Ivan's temple before stepping back once more and looking toward the door. "Okay, I will see you soon, Ivan. Mr. Vorobyov, would you like me to take you to get something to eat?" Ze slips hir hands into hir pockets and pulls out gloves and starts pulling them on before presenting a hand to Dorofei. "Kai," Ivan calls timidly, remaining on the bed though his expression slips into something a little more downtrodden, like he'd rather /follow now/ than stay behind. This is doubly obvious from the telepathic feedback that Rasa receives before ze too slips away. Whether to Kai alone or to both of his friends at once, he adds from his spot on the bed, "Thank you." Dorofei looks momentarily confused, much like a good bodyguard slash father WOULD when threatened to be separated from what he is supposed to be keeping an eye on. And though he seems to understand, it takes a deeeeep breath and for Rasa to speak up until he actually looks away from the nurse, his expression hard and unyielding. "Hnhn." He grunts, then nods, but completely ignores the offered hand as he starts to move toward the exit. "Yes. Eating. {Excellent.}" He doesn't sound overjoyed.