ArchivedLogs:Avoidant

Avoidant
Dramatis Personae Anole, Jack
In Absentia	2014-12-19 '
Location <XS> Anole and Jack's Dorm - FL2
A standard, if comfortable, dorm room. Two beds, two closets, two desks. It's odd and out of place in the chaos of the boys' dorm, especially in the hectic time as classes finish and winter break is about to begin. Families coming to get their kids, students packing up to head out for the holidays; the dorms tend to be a /mess/ right now, of noise and luggage, bustle and clutter. Not here. Anole's side of the room is pristine. Always is. If it weren't for his textbooks, neatly arranged on his desk, it wouldn't even looked lived in. There's nothing in his closet, nothing on the floor, nothing under the bed. Right now, just a large but ratty old backpack, sitting on his desk chair that the slim lizardkid is unzipping. He's dressed in faded old jeans, scuffed-up boots, a tatty old jacket worn over a Xavier's sweatshirt. The lopsided large claws of his ungainly-thick overgrown arm run slowly along the spines of his textbooks before he plucks one out to slide it into his backpack. For him, maybe, this constitutes 'packing'. The other side of the room is just as spotless and looking much like no one's lived there at all. Clear floors, clean closet, clean desk, Jack has been keeping things clean too. Old habits and not wanting to disturb his roommate. Right now, Jack's just getting back to the room. Just an Xavier's sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, he's got a pair of mystery novels under his arm as he returns to the room. Others may be getting ready to leave but Jack's going to be staying for the break. Not like he has anywhere else to go. He pauses in the doorway when he sees his roommate, not expecting to run into him. "Oh, uh...hey," an awkward greeting but he's still trying to sound friendly. A second textbook joins the first in Anole's backpack. He turns sharply at the greeting, wide green eyes opening wider. There's a heartbeat of delay before he smiles, careful, polite. Dips his head, careful, polite. "Hello." His oversized arm slips behind his back, the more human-proportioned one reaching forward to add a manuscript of some sort to his backpack. "What's up?" An unseen frown forms on Jack's face at Anole's reaction but he doesn't mention it. Stepping the rest of the way into the room, Jack closes the door behind him. "I was just checking some books out of the library," he replies, holding the books up. He sets them down onto his desk before turning to face Anole again. "You're going away for the break?" "Oh. Yeah." Anole gestures to his backpack, a small wave of his smaller hand. "Just -- packing. Catch the train soon." He looks the books over, quirking a crooked smile at them. "Cool. Cool. I hear it's nice. Here. Over break. They -- decorate. Fancy. And go sort of all out with the holiday feasting." "Going to be a long ride?" Jack asks, leaning back against his desk. He's keeping his hood up for the moment just so it can indicate which way he's looking. "You haven't stayed before?" the invisible one asks, tilting his head to the side. "Over a break I mean." Anole hitches his shoulders up, a quick shrug accompanied by a shake of his head. "No. I mean, yeah. The bus takes a half hour and the train's another hour on top of that so. If you don't time it perfect it's like a two hour trip to get back to Manhattan without a car. Way better when you can hitch a ride, but there's not always people driving... not usually people driving. I've got the weekend timetables memorized but midday is -- odd." It's probably the longest series of words he's strung together at once since Jack's arrived. He shakes his head afterwards, leaning back against his desk chair. "No. But. People say. It's nice." Jack is a little surprised by how much Anole says, eyes unseen but wide. He nods along to the information on the travel time, humming a little. It's good to know but he's more interested in the fact that his roommate is speaking. He falls silent when he gets the answer, looking down at the floor for a few moments. "Hey umm..." Jack trails off, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing away. "Can I ask you something?" "Oh? Hm?" Anole doesn't actually have /eyebrows/ to lift, hairless as he is, but his forehead wrinkles in an approximation of the gesture. "Yeah?" Taking a deep breath, Jack is hoping this isn't going to end badly. He's been debating whether or not to even bring it up but since there's going to be a break, he figures now is a good enough time. "Did I...do something? Or say something to offend you or anything?" he asks, looking up at the lizard guy. "I mean it kind of seems like you're not happy having me here. I barely see you around the room..." he trails off with half a shrug. Anole's brow wrinkles further. Lifts higher. His head tilts very slightly to the side, and his very green eyes fix a long silent moment on Jack. "No," he finally answers, simply, and turns back to his packing, settling his books carefully into his pack to make room for one more text. Back to Jack, his expression can't be seen with his light follow-up: "I barely see you around the room, either." Jack bites his lip as he waits for Anole's answer. When all he gets is that one, short word, his head tils to the side. The invisible one eventually lets out a breath when the other mutant goes right back to packing. "I'd be surprised if you did see me," he tries a joke at that follow up, hoping to get some kind of reaction out of the other. A moment later, he sighs. "I didn't want to get in your way or anything. I mean they just assigned me here and I don't think they asked you ahead of time so..." he shrugs. "I just didn't want to...uh...intrude," he adds, taking a moment to think of the word. If there is a reaction from Anole it can't be seen, back turned and his expression still hidden from view. "Everyone gets assigned roommates," he explains, quiet and even, shoulder lifting in another shrug. "Of course they don't ask me. I mean, they tell me ahead of time when a new person's coming? My old roommate got moved this semester to a different dorm. It's not really intruding, everyone gets assigned a dorm. You don't have to be --" He hesitates, head tipping back for a moment as if searching the ceiling, but ends this with only a shake of his head. "It's as much your room as mine." Jack's shoulders slump a little and he watches Anole for a few moments. He can't get much information from just watching the other teen's back so he speaks up again. "Do wish they didn't get moved?" he asks. The glances away again and shrugs. "Or do you just...not like having a roommate?" Anole shifts, shoulders tensing up at these questions. His green hands have shifted in colour, darkening to the same ratty grey-black as his backpack. He zips the backpack up quickly, shouldering it and turning to look at Jack, head tipped slightly to one side. "I said you didn't do anything," he says quietly, "and I /said/ you weren't intruding, but these questions kind of are. Why are you asking me things you've already assumed the answers to?" Jack is quiet once more for a few moments, watching how his roommate's hands change. "I didn't...I figured if we're going to be roommates for awhile we should get along and not just...continously avoid eachother," he answers. "I...just s-...Lo siento. Forget I asked." "And when I /gave/ you an answer you just ignored it and kept pressing as though --" Anole stops, lips pressing together and his eyes lowering. His smaller hand curls into a fist, circling over his heart. "I have to get my train." His hands have shifted back to green as he adjusts his backpack, settling it firmly onto his back. "I hope you have a good holidays. I'll see you next year." Jack just sighs again and nods. He's planning on going back to being quiet and avoiding the room again. "Yeah...have a good trip and holidays," he says. He lets the opening for the obvious joke go, just lifting a hand to wave a sleeve.