milliways_bar | (no subject)

Rachel has cleaned the blood off her lip and the betrayed, bruised expression is carefully masked. Working on things always helps focus her beyond herself. "Hey there Max" there's a hesitant quality to her greeting, almost as if she doubts her welcome.

Max looks up. She's been injured recently - there's a fading bruise on her left cheek, one that was likely rather nasty several days ago. But she smiles warmly, or as warmly as she's capable of, at any rate. "Rachel. Hey." She gestures to the other bench. "Wanna join me?"

She knows better than to ask about the bruising. If no one needs to die because of it it's okay. Instead she sinks into the offered seat and tries to smile, her lip cutting the motion short. "You are going to think I'm absolutely crazy."

Max's expression shifts to an amused grin. "I already think crazy's the default state for everyone who's been in Milliways more than an hour or two. So shoot."

"...good point." she muttered, then took a deep breath. "I may be able to help you with your...heat cycles." she was careful to say might as most people wouldn't like the how she was going to suggest.

"I can concentrate down ot the molecular level...with a bitof help we could shift your DNA structure to allow you human complaints instead of feline"

Max blinks once. "Are you sure that's safe? My genetic structure is kinda messed up, what with the whole chimera thing and all..."

"i'm not doing anything without your permission, a hell of alot of stydying, practice, and a damn good healer." she'd been thinking this one over apparently.

Max's brow furrows slightly in thought. "The people at Manticore would've done a full genetic workup of me by now, I'd bet... I'm going back anyway to deal with them soon...if I can get hold of that, would it help?"

She nods slowly, not liking the idea of her going back, buthey, that was an old conversation "Yes. I know a geneticist that'll help me track down exactly what needs to be "switched off or on" as it were..."

"Someone trustworthy?" Max asks quietly. This is definitely something important to her - she doesn't want to run the risk of spawning another Manticore over this.

"Yes. His name is Hank. He's roughly eight inches thanme, covered in blue fur, quotes shakespeare and will be absolutely tickled to help. He's a teddy bear, not an evil bone in his body."

Max blinks once, then grins again. "Damn. You know some strange people. Then again...maybe I really shouldn't talk, when it comes to that."

"I live in a strange world" she pointed out. "Nothing is impossible with the X-gene...everything from walking shrubs and unicorns to people who manifest a sudden need to breathe chlorine instead of oxygen..."

"Makes my world seem pretty normal." A slight smile. "And it still sounds frighteningly tame compared to this place."

"Yeha, my reality make smost places seem tame" she admitted, sounding a bit tired. "But MIlliways is nice. Relaxing..."

"Mmm...sometimes, maybe. Not recently, for me." Max's eyes have darkened, a thin edge of rage creeping into her voice.

And that's enough to push all thought of her night outof her head as watches Max's face carefully. Then, softly, she brushes a finger laong the woman's cheek. "What happened?"

Miraculously, Max manages to stay still. Casual physical contact is still unfamiliar for her. "I seem to have inherited an enemy from a friend of mine." She grimaces slightly. "I've attracted the attention of a sadistic shapeshifter."

"...what?" she asked carefully. "Are they a danger?"

"Think he's just playing now." She sighs. "Yeah, he's probably a danger. I could deal with him, but there's this whole 'he's not supposed to die yet' thing...kinda limits my options." A moment's pause, then she offers by way of explanation, "He's from my friend's past."

"This sounds like a long story..." she admitted, leaning back. "Alright, let's hear it."

Max grimaces slightly. "Be easier if I knew the whole story. I'm sorta coming into it somewhere around the middle. It makes things...interesting."

"That's never good. Want help discouraging? I could bend a few morality rules and make him afraid of your shadow..."

"From what I've seen so far, fear turns him on..." Max shakes her head slightly. "Nah...if he fixates on me, so much the better. I can handle myself. Jason...he's not weak, but he's terrified of the sadistic walking hairball, for reasons I'm not sure I want him to elaborate on."

"Okay, thought I'd offer. I dislike creeps....a great deal. Can I least help tape him to the ceiling if he pushes you and yours a bit too much?"

Max smiles grimly. "Sure. Though I don't know if there'll be enough left to be worth it, if he keeps this up. Consequences or no, my patience only stretches so far."

She simply nods to that, she knows that look, that determination..."I almost feel sorry for him"

"Don't worry," Max says quietly. "I won't do anything nearly as bad to him as some of the things he's probably done."

"Only because he'd enjoy it..." she pointed out, almost teasing.

"Partly," Max admits, smiling faintly. "But some things, I don't think anyone deserves."

She herself is a little hard pressed to think of something that at least one person doesn't deserve...then again she's perhaps a bit jaded. "A noble hero, clean kills...why aren't you in spandex again?"

"Because I look better in leather." Max grins slightly. "I don't play fair, and don't always kill cleanly, but...well, I guess there are some lines I won't cross."

Again hangs in the air, unspoken. There were so many things she was forced to do at Manticore that she'd never repeat, if she had any choice in the matter at all.

And her expression darkened slightly as she winced. She'd almost managed to forget how similar some of their past was...::Again:: she agreed.

"And between you and me, leather looks better period."

Max nods, forcing a bright grin. "Hell, most people can't pull spandex off at all. Leather, though...leather is just bad ass."

"Spandex should definately be regulated" she agreed "I happen to know of a man that weighs in a little over a ton, named the Blob, and he wears spandex. It is bad."

Max blinks several times, then gives a full-body shudder. "I think that mental image might make me physically ill. I can't imagine actually having to deal with the real thing..."

"Luckily he hasn't shown up since my return to the team" she agreed.

(Wrapping up sounds fine, she's said her bit for now)

"That's good, anyway." Max grins a bit. "Should save your retinas at least."

She stands, stretching a little. "Sorry to bolt, but I'm wiped. Need to catch some sleep before my reserves bottom out."

"And our sleepless girl goe sto bed...will wonders never cease?' she chuckled softly, watching her off for a moment before heading back to the bar.