(no subject)

[cutting_edgex23]

They had a long run of it, Bruce Wayne and X. But lately Gotham has been calling more loudly, and the time he is willing to spend here and in San Francisco has grown vanishingly small. X is also not about to give up her work in her own world, and Bruce would not dream of asking.

So they had a conversation, and certain decisions were made. Hard decisions. Sad decisions. But it is done. X will miss him.

This may be one reason she's perched cross-legged on a rock out by the Caribbean inlet, sitting quietly and just . . . being.

It hurts, just as people told her it would. But she would not wish any of it undone for anything. That is probably good. Right?

Comments

[childofrebellion]

Cassian watches the winter sports for a while but soon its almost like he can feel the cold and he walks outside.

The inlet will be warm and he pauses when he sees X before crunching down harder to warn her of his approach. Privacy isn't always easy to find and he waves and gives her space if she doesn't want to talk.

[cutting_edgex23]

X heard his heartbeat before he ever saw her.

She looks up and over just before he starts crunching his feet down, head tilting very slightly.

"Hello. Cassian."

[childofrebellion]

When she spots him, he quiets his footsteps, "Hello, X. You've found a peaceful place."

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is not always quiet," X allows. "Here."

"But today it is."

[childofrebellion]

"It is and warm. Does it ever get cold here?"

Always warm, always cold, planets are like that and Milliways follows its own rules though he doesn't know them all.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's sometimes easier to go for a run around the lake here at Milliways than it is along city streets -- at least for the kind of hard running that he needs to do.

(It helps clear his mind of too many thoughts.)

He's going flat-out when he spots the figure on the rock near the inlet. James slows his pace to a jog as he crosses the sand in her direction.

"Joe. Hey."

[cutting_edgex23]

X looks up, shoulders relaxing a fraction.

"James."

A pause.

"You do not mind company? Running."

She's already shifting to lever herself off the rock. In case James says it is okay.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Sure. Come on."

He slows a little further, to give her time to fall in beside him.

"Got a preference on speed?"

[cutting_edgex23]

She catches up quickly, flicking a quick look at James' face.

"Fast is good."

Beat.

"If you will not get tired."

[electro_kinetic]

Slowly, Noriko makes her way out towards the beach: she's still not perfect on crutches, but she's getting better. Just not quickly enough for her liking, but then not much is.

She'd come out for some sun, to get away from the chill of everywhere else outside (because she's going stir-crazy inside) that makes her leg throb faintly. But she notices X sitting very quietly, differently than normal.

"Hey."

[cutting_edgex23]

X always sits quietly, body still as she focuses on whatever around herself she is looking at.

But she turns at Nori's approach, head tilting very slightly.

"Nori."

Beat.

"You have been hurt."

[electro_kinetic]

"Yeah, a bit," she says, lowering herself to the ground in the sand, close enough to talk but firmly in the 'warm' portion of the air.

"Broken leg, cracked ribs, concussion." She shrugs. They fight: sooner or later someone was bound to get hurt. It doesn't matter that this wasn't in her capacity as an X-Man, so she doesn't mention it. "It's...getting better. You seem...I don't know. Sadder than normal."

[cutting_edgex23]

Given that Nori has a list of injuries, that must mean Elixir is not with her, wherever she is. And also that her team likely doesn't have a teleporter. So it goes.

She considers Noriko's statement, head tilting, then shakes her head. Once.

"I do not think so. It is just difficult. When people leave."

[shakemyhand]

Guide strides up quietly behind her and stands for a moment before sitting on the sand next to her rock. He says nothing, but looks out to the water squinting behind the dark sunglasses Bar has given him. He's very gaunt, his hair dull and lifeless, and hungry. But that too will pass. His shoulder is now fully healed and he will leave soon.

He can sense her general feelings and if she wants to talk he will be there. She is a queen here after all, and a friend.

[cutting_edgex23]

She looks down at him after a long moment, head tilting very slightly.

Then --

"You are okay?"

The answer is probably 'no', but still. It is important to ask.

[shakemyhand]

"I will be as soon as I feed," he says, "And you?"

The question is more a formality.

[cutting_edgex23]

X shrugs, one-shouldered and quick.

"I am okay."

[iprotectyou]

Baze has been out doing staff forms--forwards, backwards, and starting in the middle--as well as the unarmed practice that Logan showed him. Sweat runs down his back in rivulets--or, rather, it used to; now he's rather chilled from it, out in the snow. Wading around in the water of the inlet seems like the perfect way to warm up.

She can probably smell his approach and hear his heartbeat long before he hails her.

"Hoi! X! May the Force of others be with you!" Baze calls, after he slings his staff onto his back. He approaches with a smile; he'd been looking to tell her about Logan.

"I have news. Do you have a minute? Am I interrupting anything?"

[cutting_edgex23]

Oh, X definitely can.

She's got her knees tucked up as Baze approaches, head tilting as she watches him.

"I am not busy."

Beat.

"You are okay?"

[iprotectyou]

"Oh, yes, I'm great," Baze says, lacing his fingers together and bringing them over his head to stretch his back. The staff bounces against the muscles it leans on.

"Are you?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"I am okay," X says, because she is.

"You want to sit? Up here."

She taps the rock next to her, then studies him a little more closely.

"Or you want to swim."

[coral_sandhu]

Coral has been on the beach, looking for shells. She doesn't go in the sea though, because she's not allowed to do that on her own.

When she sees X has been there for a while, looking maybe a bit sad, but it's hard to tell, she eventually goes up and offers her a sweet.

"Hello X. Would you like a fruit pastille?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Coral," X says, looking down at her from her perch on the rock. She studies said fruit pastilles for second or two, then nods, reaching her hand out (and down).

"Yes, please."

Beat.

"You like them?"

[coral_sandhu]

"Yes." Coral says. "But I have to hide them from Fry, or he arranges them into colour order."

She passes the sweets up.

"Are you okay?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Thank you," X says, taking two pastilles from the package and then handing the rest back down to Coral.

"I am."

Beat.

"You are, too?"