ArchivedLogs:After The Rain

After The Rain
Dramatis Personae Billy, Ororo, Rictor
In Absentia	2015-09-11 "Some day, there will be a rain shower and I won't be asked if it's me."
Location <XS> Back Porch
The back patio is a restful place to sit and relax, in most weather. Ample seating comes in the form of umbrella'd deck chairs and a cushioned porch swing, and the neighboring gardens attract butterflies and hummingbirds to make the viewing pleasant. The hot tub is usually open for use, though in snowy weather the transition in and out is a shivery one! Rain. For the first time in weeks, the outside air is easy and cool. The sound of water droplets pitter-pattering against the patio's retractable awning meld into a soothing natural rhythm. Seated on top of one of the tables further out on the porch, with his feet lifted up onto one of the chairs to avoid the rain, a young man hunches comfortably over a mug. Youthful, and in all white, he's easily recognizable. Lifting the hot beverage to his lips, Billy's profile is visible as he watches the waves of water come down from the sky. Non-threatening thunder rumbles in the distance. Rictor always liked a bit of rain. It slows things down for him, cools them and softens the edges. With all that's happened at school lately, the pace it brings today is particularly welcome. He opens the door to the patio and stands in its outline holding a steaming mug in one hand. It's a tacky I <3 NY memento. Cracked along the bottom. He closes his eyes and breathes for a moment, as if in meditation. A noise behind him breaks the peace as a few new students bound across the great hall, and Rictor holds back telling them not to run indoors. He steps outside instead and closes the door behind him to stand under a short overhang topping the outer doorway. Billy is spotted straightaway, and Rictor lifts his arm in a slow wave of greeting. Ororo stands at the door a moment watching the rain fall before she steps outside. Quickly, she makes her way to a table near Billy. "Enjoying the new year so far, Mr. Sharpe?" she asks, seating herself under another umbrella'd table. She's dressed casually, brown slacks, sandals, a white blouse, and a knitted shawl draped across her shoulders against the cold. Slowly turning his head on his neck, Billy’s lips part to reveal a broad, white smile. “So far,” the blonde chimes. He lifts a hand, fingers twiddling in a wave to both, and neither in particular. “It’s been like, really rewarding,” his voice raises an octave, as if implying that there was some brief seed of doubt it wouldn’t be. “Was this you?” He asks approvingly. Setting his mug beside him on the table, he carefully removes one of his gloves one finger at a time and extends his bone-white hand, palm up, to catch some of the rain. "Some day, there will be a rain shower and I won't be asked if it's me. One day," Ororo says, amused by Billy's question. "I'm afraid it's not me." She glances towards the clouds, quietly assessing the progress of the weather. "The first week or so is always nice. Getting to know the new students, catching up with returning ones. Then the troublesome ones start making themselves known. Though I don't think we have too many troublemakers usually." Rictor lifts his mug to sip its contents and watches Ororo move past him to join Billy under the covered table. His free hand reaches back to pull up a hood attached to the light jacket he wears. Something to keep his head dry. He moves from the covered entryway and crosses the patio to join the others. One hand hovers over his mug to keep out the rain, but his pace doesn't quicken as he moves for cover. When he appears on the opposite side of the table Ororo chooses, he smiles. "I'll admit to kind of liking some of the troublemakers." He sets his mug down and looks between the two. "Billy, Ororo. How's everything with you two today?" "All of mine are really sweet," Billy bats his lashes naively, shrugging inwardly as he retracts his hand. It could go either way. Professor Sharpe was notorious amongst the student body during his student teaching for being easy to manipulate, but now that he's got his wings, he /is/ just teaching the little ones ...of which, in total, there are about four. "Come sit with us," he offers cheerfully to Rictor, all the while shimmying his hand back into its glove, "Just like, watching the rain." "I never have too many trouble makers either. Even the one that could be, they usually aren't so bad when you get to know them. Most of the time, they're just bitter or hurt from their past and aren't used to be treated kindly. You just need to understand where they're coming from." Ororo glances towards Rictor and smiles, motioning to another seat. "Yes, please join us." Rictor moves inward among the open umbrellas, toting his mug with him, to find a spot near the other teachers. He drinks and pushes his hood back down behind him. "I can't say I have a read on my students, yet, but things just started." He leans against the nearest table, not sitting on it, but lifting one leg just enough to look like he's about to. "I'm looking forward to the semester, though. Certainly helps focus you. Being in class." "And how has settling back into living on school grounds again been?" Billy asks mildly, after nodding in time with Ororo's observation. He directs the question towards Rictor, widening his eyes innocently and shifting them, "I like, just moved back, myself. ...it's a little bit of an adjustment." His smile doesn't falter. With the rain to dilute it, the antiseptic smell of Billy's mutation is downright bearable, especially compared to what it might have been like in the heat. Leaning back against the chair, Ororo watches with an almost scientific interest as the clouds slowly roll across the sky, mentally noting the changes in shape and color. "You'll get used to it soon enough. It becomes home after a while," she says. She finally breaks away from her cloud watching to turn to Billy with a warm smile. "You'll do just fine." Rictor's gaze moves to Ororo and a grins watching her examine the sky. A point to speak about sometime, but perhaps not now. Instead he nods at her words and turns looks back to Billy. "I'm still adjusting," he says. "I'd like to say it's the same school I remember, but we've all changed over the years. I'm glad I'm not in the city, though, which is surprising since I love it so much." "It is quieter out here," Billy nods, "/Most of the time/." He brings his drink to his lips, cupping it in both hands, "I guess it's just, I don't know, reconciling returning as an adult." Not seeming overly put out or concerned with it however, Billy turns his attention dreamily up in the direction Ororo'd been looking. "I am well content to just visit the city on occasion," Ororo agrees, wrapping her shawl tighter about her form. She does glance towards Billy as he comments on his return. "Reconciling?" Rictor chuckles and inclines his head to Billy. "I think it puts an interesting perspective on things. And you're doing something really cool with the little ones, I think." He nurses his mug just under his chin, glancing to Ororo and then back to Billy, also curious for his elaboration of the topic. "Thanks," Billy smiles to Rictor, paling some in lieu of a blush, "I'm glad the whole program got approved." "I just still half expect to get yelled at for walking around between classes without a hall pass," Billy chuckles to Ororo. What? Did they expect something more profound to come out of his mouth? The blonde shakes his head, smiling nostalgically as he watches the sky, "When I told my boyfriend I was considering moving back here, he didn't really get why. But this place holds so many memories. The good. The bad. /The awkward/." Ororo chuckles at Billy's explanation. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I could scold you for being out late. At least for the first few weeks to make the transition easier." She returns her gaze to the sky. "There are a lot of memories here. And congratulations on getting the program approved." Rictor opens his mouth to say something to the group but is interrupted by a vibration in his pocket. He wipes a hand dry and reaches for his phone, pulls it out, and reads a text before stuffing it away again. "I have to run, guys, but it was nice chatting. We should visit memory together sometime Billy. I'm especially interested in the awkward." Turning to Ororo, he says, "Always a pleasure. See you soon, I hope." And with that he exits back into the rain and toward the mansion. Billy only laughs nervously in response, not entirely willing to revisit the awkward, himself. "See you later," he mumbles, turning back to content himself with meditatively watching the rain beside Ororo.