ArchivedLogs:Snowy Night

Snowy Night
Dramatis Personae Aloke, Mallory, Thomas	2014-01-04 Tea, talk, and a snowy view
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! The last Saturday of Winter Break, and the snow has been piling up on the grounds of the Xavier's School for the past several days, creating an idyllic winter wonderland. Thankfully, someone has cleared off a portion of the back porch, mostly, it would seem a broad path from the back door to the hot tub and back, with a small table and chair set cleared off nearby. In the early twilight hours, the snow has stopped falling, although the chill in the air has not lessened any, and threatens to increase as the light fails. In the shallow dusting of powder remaining on the bricks of the patio, there are several sets of footprints meandering around, the outdoors, some trudging off deeper into the snowy expanses, others heading for the hot tub. Among those footprints are the distinctive hoof prints of the librarian, their path leading directly to the cleared patio set; as a matter of fact, she appears to still be out enjoying the weather and the view. Sitting with one leg crossed demurely over the other, Mallory leans on the arm of her hair, head braced in her hand while her attention focuses on the paperback in her other hand. Dressed somewhat inappropriate for the cold conditions outside, she wears a pair of fitted black pants that flare just below her knees to mask the majority of her unusual legs, paired with a thin gray school hoodie zipped up over a black tank top - despite this, she doesn't seem to mind the chill, even as her breath issues from her mouth as a gentle puff of white condensation. A sandwich is forgotten on the table beside her, as is a thermos of tea, although she occasionally reaches out to grab the thermos to take a sip of the steaming contents. Heading out through the door onto the porch, Thomas is dressed more for the weather but that is more due to the fact he enjoys his hat and woolen coat than needing it as the coat lays unbuttoned and open to the wind, exposing the button up shirt in midnight blue, and grey slacks beneath it. He is carrying a mug in his hand, and a thermos hangs dangling by the loop in his other, less precariously held as he can use his hand fully now that he isn't trying to open a door. None the less, the steam issuing from the cup doesn't seem to slack in the cold air, though the steam seems to match what issues from his nose and mouth with each exhalation. Seeing his sister out on the porch, Thomas raises the cup in greeting with a smile. << Lovely weather for a cuppa out on the porch, no? >> He chuckles audibly at that as he moves towards her chair with the careful tread of leather soles on snow dampened wood. "Were you out waiting for someone in particular?" he says, though with it accompanies the mental image of a firefly, "Or just up to our old traditions of flouting our unnaturalness?" Hooking his foot into a chair, he pulls it closer to his sister and plops down into the seat, setting the thermos on the arm of the chair as he takes a sip of tea. "Ah well, still warm at least." Aloke emerges onto the back porch looking fairly sedate. He's been morose ever since they got the news of Jax being arrested. He's wearing some warm looking Xavier sweat pants, a matching hoodie, and his slippers rather than shoes. He has a small sketch book with him, and a charcoal pencil tucked behind his ear, with a couple of accompanying smudge marks on the side of his face too. His skin is glowing quite brightly today, painfully so, really, in contrast to his obvious mood. His eyebrows go up when he sees Mallory and Thomas. He's pleased to see them, but doesn't seem to be in a smiling mood. "Hey Mal. Thomas. How's it going out here?" Mallory glances up from her book at Thomas's approach, blinking at him owlishly, and yawning in his general direction rather than moving too much to greet him, << Oh yes. There is a rather peaceful silence to all of it, the snow just deadens the sound even further. >> She takes a pull from her thermos and shrugs a shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the mental image, "Was not particularly waiting on anyone, just enjoying the quiet and the view." Gesturing with her book at the snowy scene, she then slips her bookmark back into place in her novel and sets it aside. "Mm, we have had so little other time to flaunt it in the past, may as well take advantage of it when we can? And it is nice out here," she answers him, her tail twitching slightly behind her, sweeping through a mostly melted snow pile. Aloke's arrival however, causes her to sit upright in her chair, worry telegraphing on her features and across the shared link with Thomas. There is the faintest wince to her features at the brightness of his glowing, her dark eyes having begun to adjust to the coming darkness. "Hello, Aloke," she says, quietly, reaching out to take his hand in hers if he approaches close enough. << Be nice, Thomas. He is close with Jackson - this is hitting him hard. >> she warns Thomas, with the barest sideways glance. "Bit chilly, all told. But there is tea, at the very least, which warms up almost any situation," she offers with a gentle, subdued smile. Glancing at the aforementioned firefly, Thomas raises his cup in greeting to the approaching Aloke. << I hadn't expected to be correct. Do not worry, I'm the one used to pretending in public no matter what my private face may be sister of mine. >> "It's going alright, at least for us. I do not think most of the other students or teachers aside from those present are as comfortable with the weather. I believe one of the alumni was supposed to be fond of the cold though." Offering a shrug, he takes a sip of tea, then offers his closed up thermos to the glowing fellow. "The top doubles as a cup, you're welcome to it. I have better taste in tea than my sister, its just a nice afternoon ceylon variety. Pull up a chair if you'd like?" << I know how you feel for him Mal. Kinda hard Not to you know >> he thinks with a sigh, enveloping his features in steam for the moment. "Not used to being out in the cold without a prop cigarette yet." Aloke squeezes Mallory's warm hand, and pulls out another seat for himself on her other side, setting his sketchbook to sit on the table. His expression softens when Mallory mentions tea, nodding to this idea, and then the corner of his mouth actually tugs up in a momentary smile when Thomas compares his taste in tea to his sister's. "That sounds great, thanks Thomas." He accepts the thermos-top in both hands and blows on it a bit. He thinks for a moment, and then asks Thomas, "Cigarette? Oh... to mask the steaming?" << And of course, the most recent bout of pretending. I am so glad that you survived the holidays relatively unscathed by the family. Always a bit of a bonus. >> Mallory offers to Thomas, trading a memory of past holidays, the both of them nearly falling asleep at the formal dinner table as children. "Hey! My preference in tea is perfectly acceptible, thank you very much. I just have... refined tastes," she says incredulously, tilting her chin up a touch and snorting a puff of steam from her nostrils, masking the brief grin on her wine colored lips, "So what if I enjoy my Earl Grey? Which, by the way, you are welcome to share, if you'd like." As Mallory says this, she lifts her thermos slightly as an indication. When Aloke takes her hand, she squeezes it back, gently, sharing the comfortable warmth for a moment as she looks up at him, letting go once he moves to sit down. She does lean over carefully, once he is seated, to place a warm kiss against his temple, before returning to her own seat, picking up her thermos to take a sip. << Thank you, Thomas. >> Mallory offers, once settled back in her seat, taking a long pull from her tea, though the concern that tinges the statement implies she is doing her best to keep her mind closed off. "Indeed. People see what they wish to see. Not many people would worry about the difference between actual smoke and my breath as long as I had a lit cigarette in my hand. Also masked the smell if I had any state changes occur, and I've never had any issue with it. " Thomas offers a smile at that and settles back into his chair. "Though I did get plenty of talks on how it was a filthy habit, and such danger to my health. I imagine those talks would have gone different if they knew the true reason." Sipping from the cup, he glances out towards the snow covered school grounds relaxing. << I should have gone with cloves, but bloody difficult to find without heading for specialty shops. Ah well, least I didn't have to listen to the Cure as a result. >> "Its easy to forget one's troubles when the world is white washed under the blanket of snow. Unless one's problems involve being cold that is I guess." At Mallory's incredulity, Thomas snorts back and shakes his head. "A little lemon in a cup of black tea is alright, but all that bergamot, bleh. No thank you, honestly its almost as bad as herbal tea." << You are welcome sister dear. I'll expect the favor returned if ever I'm in similar situations >> "Thankfully, I have plenty of Good tea to be shared, and share freely. So don't let her fool you into falling into that trap." Aloke looks down at his cup again, and finally takes a sip, his face remaining in a neutral expression. At Mallory's kiss on his temple, he turns to kiss her on the cheek as well, and smiles briefly at her before relaxing again. "I understand. Luckily, I don't have to step in the middle of this family food. I'm an Assam-man, usually. But I'm just not that picky, really. I like most kinds of tea." He turns and raises his cup to Thomas in salute. "I used to smoke, through most of my twenties, actually. Gave it up after grad school when I realized it's no longer a required prop for the 'tortured artist'." Aloke blanches and looks like he immediately regrets using the phrase. If one can see past the light of his face, the light in his eyes swirls and focuses into hard points. He sets his jaw, sets down the tea, and picks up his sketchbook again, idly flipping through the pages, perhaps trying to cover for his reaction. "Switch over to a pipe and some flavored tobacco, and you'll be just as stodgey and propperly reserved looking as grandfather does," Mallory smirks, crinkling her nose at the fond memory of the smell of stale cherry pipe tobacco in the old study at home. << You could physically pull off the Goth look. God knows you're scrawny enough to do it. Flattering colors. But I could /not/ not picture you in that sort of attire. >> Mallory grins at this, sharing a poorly edited thought of Thomas as a scrawny teen in oversized pants with chains and a Cure t-shirt over a fishnet top. << You're too damn proper to wear anything but professional attire, even on a weekend during the holiday. Prat. >> She shakes her head, taking a pull of her tea and exhaling a curling puff of vapor, "Never did smoke. Not tobacco anyway," she mutters the last phrase slightly, glancing out towards the snowy expanses, the faintest blush rising to her already red cheeks. The statement is left, just as that, however. Aloke's flustered reaction begets a flash of worry that washes over the link to Thomas, as she reaches her out to place a gentle, supportive hand on his upper arm, gently rubbing; apparently the ruse doesn't fool her so much, just intensifies her concern. Without a word, she runs her hand, warm as ever, along his arm, to hold on to his hand in hers again. << Of course, brother of mine. All the support and snark you have shown me, will be yours with interest. Just as soon as you leave your laboratory long enough to find someone worth it. >> "I haven't been that long from my doctoral, so I'll pretend that's my excuse. At least I don't have an addiction to break, just habit." Thomas glances between the two and their mopeyness and shakes his head. "I should let the two of you two it. Probably have matters to discuss between yourself." << I'd rather not get caught up in the recent gloom. >> Standing, he sets the thermos down beside Aloke. "Just return it when your done. I've got a few spares just in case." << I will take my proper self back to the laboratory and bury my head in science. The best defense against gloom and snark >> "Have a pleasant evening," he says as he tips the brim of his hat and swigs down the rest of the tea in his mug as he starts away. Aloke keeps his gaze low but looks at Mallory's hand with an appreciative nod, and covers it with his own hand. He blinks and looks up when Thomas announces that he needs to leave. "Oh hey, you don't have to go on my account. {I'm sorry,}" he says in Hindi without stopping to think if Thomas knows the word like Mallory does. "You don't have to go on my account. I just..." He's quiet for a moment, and finally just nods when Thomas heads off. "See you later, Thomas. Thanks for the tea." << He says he's sorry. >> Mallory automatically translates, without much thinking about it, before echoing Aloke's sentiments << You don't need to leave. But I completely understand if you would rather. I'll catch up with you later, Thomas. Good night, brother dear. >> She squeezes Aloke's hand reassuringly, "It's alright, love. He understands." Leaning to rest her head against his, still keeping her hand twined around his. Her free hand reaches up to gently pet his hair, her hand shaking slightly. "I'm sorry, love," Mallory breathes quietly, in a cloud of vapor, the forbidden words in delicate French. "You don't have anything to apologize for, Mallo," Aloke says, leaning his head into her hand. "Aside from you, Jax is my best friend here, and there's literally nothing I can do to help him." Aloke takes a long breath through his nose, blowing out an amount of his own steam. "Maybe I should text Micah and see if there's anything I can do to help out, over the weekend..." Mallory raises Aloke's hand to her lips, gently pressing a kiss to the back of his hand, then turning it over to kiss his palm, her eyes closing briefly. "I know," she acknowledges quietly, "I wish there was more we could do for him, to help in some way." An arm reaches around Aloke's shoulders, pulling him to her if he allows, "Offer help to those you can. To Micah, to his twins. They need support, now, too." She gently kisses his forehead, holding him to her in a sideways hug, "But for now, we should get you inside, yes? I don't mind the cold, but the evening brings a nasty chill out here. Come on. I'll put a kettle of tea on. Even make something other than Earl Grey." She collects her tea in one hand, still keeping Aloke hugged with the other, until he makes to move away. Aloke leans in to the hug, nodding at her suggestion. "The cold doesn't get to me as bad as it used to, but I don't have anything like your heat." He chuffs a short laugh, before reaching up to scrub his face in frustration. "Yeah, let's go upstairs. I don't wanna run into any students when I'm this down. I gotta..." Aloke glances over his shoulder in a habitual way. "I hafta get my shit together. Especially if I'm going to offer any kind of help." Wiping at a dot of wetness from the corner of his eye, and then scratching at the stubble on his cheek, Aloke finally stands, taking Thomas's thermos and Mallory's hand. When Aloke stands, Mallory extricates herself from her chair, collecting her own thermos and paperback, rising on somewhat unsteady legs, taking Aloke's hand once again. She pulls him to her, hugging him close, sharing her warmth. "You may have all the warmth you would like - mine is yours to take, love" she says quietly, resting her head against his, "But for now, upstairs. Rest." Mallory releases the hug, somewhat reluctantly, and takes his hand again to lead him back through the mansion toward their rooms.