ArchivedLogs:Headsplosions, Revisited

Headsplosions, Revisited
Dramatis Personae Jack, Sergio
In Absentia	2015-08-20 "Want me to clear out of the room for awhile?"
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. Sergio's basketball shorts hike up his thigh some as he lunges his leg carefully forward. The former freshman fullback moves at a quivering, glacial pace as one of the school's P.E. professors patiently guides hovers overhead, guiding him through his physical therapy workout. With both his palms spread over the top of a small, red, medicine ball, Sergio leans forward. They run through four sets of Mountain Climber, at about thirty seconds each before moving on to stability skiers, in which Sergio gets on all fours and teeters back and forth with his shins bracing the ball. The gym life passes the Sergio and his spotter by, especially given how many breaks the teen seem to requires to hold onto his temples. He attracts more than a few scrutinizing, even judgemental glances, from more able-bodied students. The attention and the sudden lack of capability is frustrating for him, quite obviously. He tries to give up and call the session short more than a few times, but is coaxed back into it. Over the loudspeaker, his physical therapist is called away, leaving him suddenly alone and free. Picking up the medicine ball and drifting back against the gymnasium wall, he's anything but free. Dressed in basketball shorts and a wave pattern t-shirt, Jack's been among the others working out in the gym. He's been taking occasional glances at his roommate's session and shooting annoyed by entirely ineffective due to invisibility looks at the others getting judgemental. When the therapist is called away, Jack finishes up the set he's been working on and heads over to his roommate. "Hey, Sergio," he greets, offering a bottle of water. "Hey," Sergio smiles, brightly and with ease. The positivity, although a staple of his personality, is likely too soon after his lengthy display of utter downtrodden, helplessness to be very convincing to anyone. In a slick move, he runs his hooked index finger under his almond shaped eye, as if to satisfy an itch. "What's up-" He reaches for the bottle, but is hit with a brief moment of vertigo, and drops it along with the medicine ball. It triggers some hushed laughter from across the room. Sergio sways, reaching out a hand for balance and planting his feet firmly beneath him while he waits for it to pass. Jack isn't all that convinced but he's not letting it show. Not like he can. He's still concerned. He draws in a breath when Sergio drops what he's holding, telekinesis catching the bottle and ball before they can hit the ground. Jack himself reaches out to offer an arm for his roommate to grab for balance. The laughter prompts the invisible teen to tense but he restrains himself for the moment. Wrapping his fingers around Jack's forearm, Sergio stands very still for a moment with his eyes shut. When he opens them, and releases the breath he'd been holding between a grit-toothed smile. He averts his gaze, letting his eyes flit thoughtfully to the floor, and the wall, and the ceiling, before returning it to Jack. Forcing them into smiling half-moons, he loosens his grip but doesn't release it. Whatever tension his invisible friend might feel in response to the chuckling, Sergio feels in waves of his own. A flush spreads over his cheek, and down his neck into his tank. "Hey," he starts in a casual done, though some true confidence does seem to puff out in his chest mid-way through the request as he takes ownership of the situation, "I could really use a hand getting out of this room." Jack doesn’t seem to mind the grip at all. He provides a firm support, TK setting down the medicine ball but keeping the water floating. He waits for Sergio to open his eyes again and offers an unseen but sympathetic smile at the flush. "Sure, man. Back to the locker room?" he asks. He's happy to help. Sergio closes his eyes to nod twice before reopening them. His Adam's apple bobs with a dry gulp as he sheepishly reaches to take the water from the air with his free hand. "Thanks, man," he breathes out. His pace to the locker room door is slow, and the trip takes too long not to talk during it, "How's your workout going?" Fuming from humiliation and frustration, and quickly approaching 'the edge,' Sergio's interest in his own question is thin. Jack nods, moving a little closer to provide better support and balance. "Don't worry about it," he says, floating the water into Sergio's grip so he doesn't have to reach as far. Letting out a breath once he releases his TK, Jack glances around as they go. "It went pretty well," he says. "Finished it up for the day," he adds. "Nothing special today." “Cool,” Sergio nods, “Yeah, I uh, didn’t even know you were in here, today.” As they reach the door, he hesitates awkwardly. Desperate for an escape from the gym, he reaches to hook the door handle with the few fingers he doesn’t need to keep hold of the water bottle. It seems that he’s exhausted too much of his stamina to be able let go of Jack’s arm. "I get that a lot," Jack replies, his tone holding a little amusement. Sergio's one of the few people that gets that rather than flatness or bitterness. "Want me to get that?" he asks quietly, adding a little TK tug to the door to get it open. "I didn't know you'd be down here today either. Things go okay?" At the hint of amusement, Sergio blinks. As the realization sets in, he let's out a breath and smiles just a little. It's the first genuine smile he's had the entire interaction. "Oh, yeah, sure," he gulps, "Things are getting there, they're getting there." His voice rises in pitch slightly. In a jerky motion, he brings up his bottle-wielding arm and wipes his forearm over his eyes. "Hey, uhm, thanks a lot. For the help." Inside the locker room, his wheelchair is folded and leaning against his locker. He releases Jack and slowly moves over to the bench just in front of it. Sitting, he buries his face into both hands, or tries to. With a jerk, the bottle in his hand smacks him in the face, before he throws it across the room to get it away from himself. Jack gives a faint hum at that reply but he doesn't push the subject yet. Not until they're actually in the locker room. "Don't mention it, man. I got your back," Jack offers with an unseen grin. He follows Sergio deeper into the locker room, nodding to himself when he spots the chair. He'd been wondering where it was, hoping someone didn't take it as a crappy prank. He winces at the smack and frowns before sitting down as well. He's not sure what to say yet but he's there for silent support if he's wanted. There a minute there, where Sergio just continually lets out a series of frustrated sighs. Eventually, he calms himself. Folding his hands, he leans forward with his forearms resting on either thigh. "I left my body for a long time," he explains quietly, knuckling one of his eyes, "I guess when you do that- it used to- /I/ used to be fast and y'know, strong..." He looks over to Jack grimly, gesturing to Jack's form under his t-shirt as example. Staying quiet, Jack shifts slightly. He wonders if he should do something but stops when Sergio calms down. Again, he listens intently, an unseen frown forming on his face. "Atrophy," he murmurs in understanding. "You'll be able to get fast and strong again." “Yeah,” Sergio gulps before wetting his lips, “I know.” Reaching forward to brace himself, he slowly rises on buckling knees. His hands find his chair, which he eases open. “I’m gonna go lie down.” Still standing, he flaps a hand forward before bringing it to rub the back of his neck, “Thank you. For being my friend.” "Want me to clear out of the room for awhile?" Jack offers, not knowing if his friend wants some alone time. He watches Sergio open the chair back up, staying close in case he's needed for balance once more. Standing, he flashes a quick invisible smile. "You're welcome, man," he says. The invisible teen thinks for a moment before before reaching out to pat Sergio's shoulder. "I should probably hit the showers." “Nah, nothing like that,” Sergio sinks into his chair tiredly. He presses his mouth into a slower smile of his own as he’s patted. “Yeah,” he agrees, dryly, but jokingly, “You smell pretty bad.” His smile grows some, and he rolls himself forward, “I’ll catch you later.”