March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
Half days were like teasers to Riley, he loved his classes, almost to a point of fault where he loaded his days with classes and spent his nights trying to keep up with all he had on his plate, for the first year it hadn’t really been a problem, though his weekends were spent out of school grounds at that time when he had to return to the Initiative for routine check ups and night time street patrols. As soon as he broke ties with the Initiative his school work became rocky, yet more manageable if he could focus long enough, the last year and a half though his focus was all over the place and the only way he could manage was a shift of the type of classes he had been part off. Going from extreme academics and entering a full on arty stream, from Metal works and woodworks to painting and music, drama and languages being the only courses he didn't shift from. At the start of the year though, despite Riley’s trauma with the loss of his child, he still continued on with his plans of returning to his normal studies, he could do any arty things he wanted to continue out of class if he wanted to and Xavier had already assigned him a student teacher role before he got sick which was to commence at the beginning of this year.
The work he managed in classes were still sluggish but steadily kept with and his social activities were better then the previous end of the last year where he spent little time outside his room, Jean’s worry over the early bed times and Hank’s discovery over Riley’s heavy use of the medical bay at the early hours of the morning on a few occasions all lead to Jean’s conference with the youth, since which he’s progressed in some ways. The heart attack was a reminder to Riley that he just couldn’t seem to stay on track without something knocking him down, and with Max’s earlier play up which carried on about his heart attack Riley had been anything but pleased. At least the class hadn’t been totally ruined by it, things were strained in some ways but not so badly the pieces couldn’t be picked up. Considering Riley’s restricted class list for now he felt any assault on his class time was just an unfair intrusion into his life that he was beyond willing to just accept if it happened again.
Though despite it all, he had managed to invite Catherine over for a meal… only probably is the only thing he could think of was most unlikely to be put aside for a student to randomly decide they want to cook it. Reading cook books as if they were brand new adventure novels left Riley buzzing with ideas and curiosity while at the same time still half clueless as to how people manage to gather everything they needed for such things. It wasn’t so bad when he could ‘sneak’ out and go to the shops, but he only went to the main center when Catherine started working there, and he only ever went into the sweet shop to pick up the ready made assortment packs. Most often then not Connor would help grab some items if the younger mutant happened to be out at the time and Logan’s son was more then happy to help since he was there anyway in an attempt to find something that he was specifically in the mood for, sometimes Connor would get the food with money Riley gave him and Riley would happily cook it while trying another new recipe he found and Connor got to spend time with Riley. Which had been rather hard late last year due to Riley’s reclusive nature, and Connor’s stress over Arisa’s whereabouts left the boy wanting the company of one of his closer friends and it seemed the only way to really get time with Riley was around meal times as the student teacher wouldn’t go out and only managed to occasionally get dragged from his room for a picnic or so.
And even if Riley tried to go shopping, which he had during one of his visits to Catherine’s workplace, he tended to get overwhelmed by the immense offer put up for people, no matter what you wanted there were a thousand over kinds of the exact same thing and Riley wasn’t sure why. Growing up the way Riley did meant every choice carried a weighty result and as silly as it may sound to others a lot of the reason Riley had such difficulties making his decision was simply because he feared making the wrong one. Food was about impressions as well as feeding and he wanted to always leave a good impression, but unlike his training, there was no one around him there to give him lessons, to say what was better, best or just totally wrong. Even cook books, with all the information they had to offer, didn’t tell him what kind of rice… long grain, fine.. he’d look for long grain, but what made one brand of long grain rice different to the other brand, what if the book needed a specific brand of long grain rice that he wasn’t aware of but was common knowledge to cooks?
So used to being given orders it always worried him when suddenly he realized there was no one around to point him in a direction and tell him what to do, talking with Xavier had helped so much in so many ways and yet Riley would still much rather walk into a battle field then into a shopping mall. But this was for Catherine, to impress her, to show he wanted to spend more time with her regardless of all the stress he was going through. However a stroll down to the shops to brave the real world and all it’s complexity was nigh on impossible, Hank McCoy wanted him school bound and even Riley knew in his condition there was little chance to out run or out handle any agents that may swoop in on him while he was outside the safety of the school.
As a result he headed down towards Medbay at first chance after class, with only a passing by his room to drop off his school books before heading to find Dr McCoy. It made the rebellious rogue agent nervous to spend so much time with a teacher, but especially Hank… Hank, Wolverine and Scott Summers, they all unnerved Riley, who was in trouble timid of approaching any of the faculty aside when he approached them as a qualities student needing help. As long as they were his teachers then Riley seemed more able to move towards them, but some people he just didn’t warm up to at all easily, like Bobby Drake, Warren Worthington or basically most of the rest of the faculty. The only reason Riley was relatively comfortable with Jean was for the simple fact he had gotten used to her presence, he really liked and admired Xavier but since the Professor’s sickness that link has gone and again Riley was somewhat out of touch with teachers in general on a personal level, student teacher relations were excellent and Riley was always open to being corrected when he made errors and yet never backed down when feeling he had a correct point that needed to be stated. Though just coz he could be polite with someone didn’t mean he could merrily socialize with them and at this point Hank was going to be the first faculty member Riley would have spent so much out of class time with on a daily basis… even if it was for morning injections and occasional check ups. Since Hank told him off for using the Shiar beds frequently Riley hasn’t been very comfortable around the doctor with fears of pressure as to what exactly he had been doing that required him to admit himself at early mornings of the day to an hour or more of the healing beds. Explaining he waltzed out of the school to pick fights with random demons somehow didn’t feel like a good thing to do when already his entire personality went from friendly and out there to quiet and locked away in the span of a month.
And now with improvements being made this year Riley just hated how new information was spilling out and once again he was unsure of the reactions people will make, the whiplash that may occur and the anger or mistrust that may rise from it. Part of him was relieved another part fretted, after all he had wanted to talk before his return arrival to the school mid last year only Catherine insisted he tell no one for their safety and with Riley’s memory all fogged up by the Initiative he could only trust her to know best and so he had followed her advice.
Every time Riley found himself face to face with Beast the younger man worried over what the infamous Doctor may say, what accusations or questions and demands may spill forth. For now there were questions Riley needed answers to and they were hardly earth shattering, though somehow he still doubted that Hank would give him permission to leave the school, especially if there was any chance he over heard the argument that took place between Catherine and himself two days earlier. It was worth a try though… if not Riley would have to find something else to make and yet he told Catherine something and he found it rather hard to change it for the simple fact he was restricted from doing something as simple as shopping.
Had Riley come during class breaks he would have stumbled upon a battle scene, though for now when he entered the medical bay he merely stumbled upon the aftermath of one, alarm bells instantly ringing, being in class meant he missed the couple of hours downtime the medical center had suffered after the resident doctor’s unfortunate encounter with a volatile mate. The clean up was stalled till Hank was well enough to deal with it and so up till now little has been touched and Riley was clueless as he stepped into the scene with an air of worry building up. Words, as they often did, rose in the bath of Rileys mind and to be honest he couldn’t place where they came from, a time not so long ago and yet beyond the last tampering the Initiative had, his memories distorted enough to leave him in the dark despite the words echoing clearly in his thoughts as he stared at the mess.
"...I want to stay so much, but it's more then I just don't belong, because I know no one would care if I was human or not. But Spike, if I stay, I'll be putting everyone I care about in danger, they're coming for me, and if I don't go, they'll never stop coming for me."
Spike? Why on earth would Riley be talking to Spike?! Paranoia rose however and to see the medical bay in such upheaval so soon after Riley uttered the words which shed light onto the truth of his secret life the fierce conviction of that fear etched itself into the paranoia, insisting that somehow it was linked with what was sprawled out before him. The sudden fear of leaving here, being dragged out, he remembered a vague scene of him at a doorway, and Catherine was there.. and she had a bag.. and what he didn’t remember were the throng of people behind them already gathered in the hall for a meeting, heads turned to stare at the intrusive girl who had screamed out aggressively before approaching the otherside of the doors. She wanted to leave again, so angry and hostile, wanting nothing to do with the school, nothing at all, the school, the students, she distrusted them and anything they were part of.
"Well you know what? I'm glade to be here, and if you leave without giving these people even the chance they deserve, then I feel sorry for you, because you would have missed out. These people will care about you, and protect you in ways those guardians that just left you here would never do."
Even if Catherine had turned and walked away her life would not have been great, she may have not been exposed to the same sort of trauma as she was here, but she would have still had a tough life. If Riley left he would cope with the fact that she was safe here…
"You know the trick is, you don't focus on what they look like, but how they treat you."
And they had treated him so well! Sure, he pushed things at times and he was never a hundred percent honest with them and it had hurt so much when he first came back without his memories intact and he had discovered no one knew he was a spy, and Catherine told him not to say anything, but he didn’t understand why, and she left before they could talk about it… He hated keeping secrets, he hated having to lie and how he felt he couldn’t be honest without losing one of the most important things he’s ever been part of, and then the institute was his only home and he didn’t want to think what it would have been like to try and survive outside of the school walls.
"Like I quoted before 'you need to find out what you really want.' Don't let others make those decisions for you Soldier-boy. Otherwise you won't have someone there to hold ya hand when you really need it."
There was Spike’s voice again… Riley wanted to stay here! He didn’t want to leave, he knew that now, no, that wasn’t right, he’s known it all along, he’s thought it! And yet it seemed to all be falling apart! It wasn’t fair! Not now, not when the foundations were finally being shook, where lies were crumbling away and the truth burned before them, Riley was too close to finally discovering if he was really welcomed as part of the school, regardless of his past, and he didn’t want to leave before he knew for sure! There were too many mistakes that needed to be healed, too many errors forced to be made in order to remain in hiding, he couldn’t get taken away now!
"I'm insane Riley, my guilt's crippled me, but I'm trying...even I know you can't do this alone, I need these people, you said that Catherine needs these people, but you need these people as well. And bleedin' christ Riley, you're too bloody thick headed to see that you stupid git!"
But he could! Why didn’t people understand that? Why couldn’t they see how much he cared? Worried eyes glanced around the chaotic scene, he didn’t know that with the temporary closure of the medbay the staff had been sent off and weren’t yet called back so he found the stillness of the area almost frightening. A hand rose to the side of his head, he didn’t want to remember all this now, something had happened! He wanted to know what, he wanted to make sure everyone was ok, that it wasn’t what he feared, he didn’t need all this crashing down on him!
"Are we having one of those 'Tell us about yourselves' meetings? You tell'em 'bout me, I tell'em 'bout you? That how it goes Riley? Does he know 'bout you? Do any? No one knows, not like I know, no one ever knows the truth, they only see the lies."
Spike’s voice spoke the truth in so many ways… but Catherine knew the truth, the Initiative knew the truth… that wasn’t good enough and Riley knew that but he couldn’t explain why he hadn’t been able to tell people sooner, he didn’t know or understand the hidden truths that only aided in keeping his silence, the brain washings and conditioning he never realized the Initiative had preformed… for now all he and anyone else had was to blame himself for his lack of coming forward. But he was going to start being honest with McCoy, Riley promised himself, he’d reply honestly to anything Hank asked, no matter how painful, he’d not lie anymore, he wanted to be part of this school, of this team… he didn’t want to risk what he had and lose it all.
"At least I'm tryin'! I'm tryin' and you're jus' lettin' them have their way with you! You won't ever fight Riley, and you'll become a monster, a hateful, mindless monster!"
The smear of blood that still marked various areas went unnoticed by Riley despite being in plain sight, all Riley went off were the tussled items scattered about, if he had seen the blood his panic would have only been all the more ignited.
"…if I don't go, they'll never stop coming for me."
"Dr McCoy!!" Concern was in Riley’s voice as he called out, but more then just the thought that someone was perhaps here looking for him, someone who wanted him at any cost, just like they came all the way to his room one time Riley was sure the Initiative could come to the med bay.. though since then and now security had increased dramatically that didn’t stop the fear of the possibility. What if Hank got hurt because of Riley’s slip of the tongue? What if the school lost their doctor because of Riley, the world losing such a key figure in mutant relations, and it would have been all Riley’s fault! He won’t let the Initiative do that, not here, not in the place he considered his home! He wasn’t a monster, he wasn’t mindless, and he most certainly would NOT allow the Initiative to walk all over him in his own home! Not again! Not here, not now, not ever.
If you had told him a week ago that he would be sitting, trying desperately to heal, in a med lab laid low by his altercation with an uncontrollable female that he loved to distraction, Hank would simply have smiled and quickly programmed a meeting with Jean for some extensive psychoanalysis. Never the less here he was, the wounds Zia had inflicted upon him all to real and annoyingly hard to get rid of…. And as for his beloved territory…. *At least it will not bear scars* Hank thought with a sigh.*Which is more than can be said for me.*
That in itself was a wonder. And if he dared to admit it, a cause for concern. Submitting Zia to the shiar machines had never been an option. Her origins were too bizarre to take that risk . But him! Hank had resorted to their aid time after time and despite his unstable mutation they had never failed him. Until now that was.
Zia had stitched the wounds she herself had inflicted upon him together in her loving but uncertain hand. As he had for her! So… Hank smiled ruefully .. it was only just he suposed that against all expectations, the alien technology having proved reticent at best in this case, they should both have to heal by natural means. Even if he suspected the bar was placed at a different level for him and his mate.
Still… he couldn’t ignore the warning. Whatever else she was doing and from his contented point of view she was doing a great deal, Zia was also playing havoc with his metabolism. And , he suspected, his mutation. It was a risk he had accepted almost from the first moment he had laid eyes on her. At least from the instant he had touched her.
All that indescribable energy flowing between them, breaking down barriers he had never fully realised that he had raised betwixt his intellect and his needs. She had freed him, completed him and there were no words, even in his extensive vocabulary that could say how immensely grateful he was that he had been given the chance to know that feeling. To know her, in all her simple complexity! Even if it had led here .
He was still hard pressed to believe that he had fought her. The very idea was foreign to his nature. Or was it? That was the real question. Such a short time ago it had seemed natural. Could he honestly say that now it didn’t? He had attacked the woman he loved, hurting her, using all his cunning and strength to defeat her . Hank had never though himself capable of such a thing. Indeed he had reviled all those who had acted in such a way. And yet…. had any of them ever had a mate like Zia! Fragile!. Strong! Infinitely challenging! Absolutely his equal! Refusing to be truly content in her choice of a partner until he had proved himself worthy!
Hank grinned despite the pain! Yes he supposed they had . There were many women out there who met those criteria for normal men. It was just for someone like him that it seemed a miracle. One he had long since given up looking for but which he was infinitely humbled to receive. No matter what the cost might be. And there would be a cost. Of that he had no doubt! This failure to heal was but the precursor of what was to follow. If his theories were correct. If this did indeed foreshadow an awakening of his mutant genes! Albeit a subtle one! The level of energy passed between them significant but not yet life changing. And if one day it was… then that too he would accept with forbearance and trus. He and Zia were meant to be together Surely even time and space could see that. And if they could then what did he have to fear?
Nothing was the answer. Though some things could still prove largely inconvenient. Such as a students arrival in the wreck which had been med lab. Hank groaned. He had cancelled all appointments for the afternoon. Still his duty hadn’t let him completely close the lab to those who might unexpectedly need assistance. And now the cameras were telling him of an anxious Riley’s arrival. With a sigh Hank disconnected himself from the mostly useless equipment and putting on his most reassuring expression despite the pain, despite the blood that coated the wall a,nd floor of his domaine awaiting the arrival of the clean up squad answered the worried call thankfully pulling on another intact set of med coats as he did so.
If his movements were less than fluid it scarcely showed. Ask him to turn somersaults however and it would have been immediately obvious that something was far from right. But walking calmly.. that was something he was still capable of doing with out faltering. And he did so now, maintaining a certain dignity that he feared the rest of the blood splattered lab failed to live up too.
“Riley” he said taking in the young mans obvious concern at the state of the place” Ah yes Don’t be alarmed . This is only the result of…………… an altercation” He offered his broadest smile along with the explanation. “ Sometimes……… things get rather fraught .. even here. In any case all is now well”. Hanks voice was its usual calm and understanding self as he asked “Unless you come bringing a particular problem that is. In which case Id be glad to help”
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
“Riley” The sight of Hank reached the young man before the doctor actually spoke, however the anxiety didn’t ease until the tone of voice was heard. If something terrible had happened then the doctor would hardly be waltzing out with such a casual calm manner painted over him. ”Ah yes Don’t be alarmed . This is only the result of…………… an altercation” Tension returned now, though Riley wasn’t sure for the reason, it didn’t sound as if Hank was worried at the moment and yet… that hardly eased the Huxley born student. “Sometimes……… things get rather fraught .. even here. In any case all is now well” Dangerous fraught or someone accidentally set off a whirlwind in here kinda fraught? “Unless you come bringing a particular problem that is. In which case Id be glad to help” A problem? Gee… nice to see people had such pleasant reactions to his arrival, well… this was the medical bay, at least Hank’s assumption of Riley baring yet another problem was a little more founded then some, but still… Riley’s hazel gaze turned towards the scattered items in the room for a moment, distracted by the mess and wondering if he should offer to help tidy up.
"Ah…" In the Initiative you were required to write up a formal letter and hand it in to either Walsh or Commander Halliwell, depending on if Halliwell was around or not, and while the first few weeks Riley had acted similarly in the school by taken written requests to Mrs Summers, Jean had told him it wasn’t really necessary and all he had to do was ask. To them, it was easier and less of a hassle, to Riley, he never really got the hang of asking for things, so sending in a letter was far easier then standing face to face making his verbal request. Riley may have hesitated for a moment but he returned his eyes to Hank, ceasing his examination of the tussled things whilst blindly ignoring the smears of blood.
"I’m… wondering, if I may…uh, for a short time, if I may have permission to leave the grounds, just uh," His eyes looked towards the windows as he continued to speak, it felt very awkward asking for permission to leave… perhaps more so then it would have ever felt considering Hank recently discovered the troubles that stalked Riley due to his teenage-hood affiliation with the corrupted sections of the Initiative. Was he worried Hank might think that during his outing Riley may attempt to make contact with these people? Hmm… maybe… but then again, Hank would have figured out by now that they were hardly a group Riley wanted to be involved with, so surely the doctor would know Riley would do anything to avoid them, not seek them out. Then again, there was also the fact that Hank had said he shouldn’t leave because he was still recovering, even if right now Riley felt fine it was made clear he wasn’t to leave… Riley just wasn’t sure if that was because he had been sick or because there were people after him, and to be honest, he’d not let anyone in his care out of his sight if it was known they were in danger.
"…to the shops, pick up some things and get back." Emily had gone over the cook book with Riley while the two of them watched Hailey for a bit and Emily picked out all the different things she wanted to try, including some meals he should try cooking for Catherine. And while Riley’s diet in the Initiative had been overly basic he had explored a few different dishes during his time in the school and so some things he could say he liked or not. Very few things, but at least it was more then when he first got here. More often then not Riley tried to remember the things he liked as a kid, but chocolates and sweets had their limits health wise, even if their variety was near on limitless. Aside from food Riley wanted to buy something for Emily, probably a necklace, he didn’t get her a proper Christmas present, he didn’t really get anyone proper presents, he knew what he’d get his parents some live stock for their farm, all they had were a couple of chickens and horses. Since Cammy died they didn’t have the money to get a new cow and since technically the farm was partly Riley’s too he felt he had a right to restock it since he had the money to do so, his parents tried to save the money, but they were still recovering from years of debt due to serious weather conditions causing a lot of their stock to die over the years. The rest mostly sold to help cover the cost of repairs and with the constant maintenance and care of the farm they had such a hard time getting back on track with their finances.
A phone for his mum was high on Riley’s list though, only his dad had a phone and the entire family used it and while that was cost effective at the same time it meant when Riley wanted to talk to his mum his dad had to be with her and since she’d often be in the house backing Iowa cooking while his dad did work elsewhere it made it hard to call his mother… not that he called much since he left but part of him hoped that’d change. The passing of his birthday and Christmas reminded Riley how much he missed being cooped up in the Initiative a if he only got this brief moment of having his family around him so closely he felt rather anxious to get them things, just in order for them to have things to remember him by, almost as if he feared that the moment they left they risked forgetting him all over again. Riley was never good with words, simply because he didn’t have the common practice of casual talk and while he spoke so many different languages he never seemed able to express things properly.
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds"Ah…" Hank waited patiently, not knowing if Riley’s hesitancy was due to the carnage around him that the doctor was so blythly trying to pass off as normal or to some other awkwardness he may have been feeling. "I’m… wondering, if I may…uh, for a short time, if” So it wasn’t the destruction of med lab that had him tongue tied then but rather a request. One that he was having trouble formulating.
Hank wondered what it could be, all sorts of fantastic and dangerous possibilities flashing through his mind to the extent that when Riley finally came to the point he was largely and probably obviously surprised. “I may have permission to leave the grounds, just uh, …to the shops, pick up some things and get back."
Was that it? From Riley he had expected something infinitely more complex. Though it had to be said that a simple trip to the mall did bring its own set of complications for this young man, not the least of which was his precarious state of health at the present moment. Although he was doing well Hank wouldn’t be completely reassured until the offending heart implant had been successfully removed, something which wasn’t scheduled to happen for several days yet. And then there was the ominous shadow of this government agency hanging over him as well……
Hank shook his head slightly…. That would always be there whether they liked it or not. Just as weapon X and countless other governmental factions swarmed constantly at the edge of Logan’s existence. It was a threat to be reckoned with, something they could begin to do more effectively now that they knew of its existence but hardly a reason to keep him endlessly locked up.
After all when it came right down to it there wasn’t one of them at the Institute, human or mutant, who wasn’t in danger each time they went forth into the world, whether it was because of their powers or simply their frequentations. Xavier’s was there to teach them how to deal with that fact, not how to run away from it. And so if Riley had been wholly well Hank would have let him go with only the usual warning to be careful and keep in touch. But then if he had been wholly well he wouldn’t have been asking the doctors permission to go out in the first place.
And surely the fact that he had earned him some bonus points. Not so long ago Riley had been sneaking out of the Institute to participate in heaven only knew what dangerous nocturnal activities. Nor had he hesitated to help himself to the med labs special facilities without either permission or supervision. There had been so much of his life that had been secret, a whole murky under layer that he had tried to handle by himself, ruining both his physical and mental health in the process.
So now to see him here actually asking for the doctors authorisation to leave the grounds, taking into account the very real concern those around him felt for his wellbeing instead of just pushing it aside, was certainly encouraging.*Maybe we have in fact made a breakthrough here as I had hoped* Hank thought to himself as he considered the ramifications of Riley’s request. Perhaps this is yet another step on the road to mutual trust. And as such it should not be taken lightly.*
“I suppose if I was being sensible I should say no” Hank finally said with a smile.”But then again” he gave a rueful glance at the wreckage surrounding them “Being sensible hasn’t exactly proved to be easy so far today so why should I start now! Therefore ….. yes…… alright…you can go. But only on these conditions. ” He was serious now, no trace of his former humour in his voice as he set out the rules.You do not go too far. You do not push yourself too hard. You stay alert and in touch at all times … and most importantly…… you do not go alone! ”
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
The reply didn’t come as swiftly as desirable, Hank had to think about it, granted it was expected but still, Riley just wanted to get out, get some things, come back and impress, Catherine with his cooking and his family with late Christmas presents. Even if it was just something simple…anything… just some trinkets that would tell them he really did miss them and think about them. Even if he wasn’t always so forthcoming about it… something that every part of him wanted to change and yet felt so ingrained within himself it seemed impossible to open up.
“I suppose if I was being sensible I should say no” Despite the smile on the doctors face, Riley’s gaze lowered to stare at the floor. If you were sensible you’d ask me to leave the school entirely. The thought was a form of toxin that had poisoned Riley’s ability to securely meld into the school since he’s very first thought of ‘should I be here?’. ”But then again” A small breath was drawn in as Riley lifted his chin to look once again at the doctor and hear what was being said. “Being sensible hasn’t exactly proved to be easy so far today so why should I start now! Therefore ….. yes…… alright…you can go. But only on these conditions. ” Conditions? A blink followed the thought, it made sense that precaution was in need to be taken but what kind would Hank install upon this situation? The furred mutant spoke with a thoughtful hesitation and Riley anxiously had the inner side of his lip pinched between his teeth for a moment as he waited for what was to be decided.
"You do not go too far. You do not push yourself too hard. You stay alert and in touch at all times … and most importantly…… you do not go alone!” All of them seemed fair enough, save for the last one, not that Riley would rather be alone, but… whoever went with him risked getting caught up in the Initiative should it decide to attack him, just as Catherine had gotten mixed up in everything. Salem wasn’t too far… and he’d not go anywhere else, and if no one rushed after him he would gladly please the doctor’s request and take things as easy as possible, he’d be stressed enough in the shops doing his chores, he didn’t need any further stresses! And one such further stress would be the thought of who would be expected to accompany him! Logically Hank might think Riley’s parents… sure, that sounded all fun and cheery, until the initiative decide to take out the source of their problems as far as controlling Riley went. Knowing the Initiative existed meant Riley was a threat, one that had to be either contained or extinguished, anyone close to Riley was a threat of knowing their secret, as there’s no telling who Riley has or hasn’t told and the likelihood of revealing such secrets to those closest to you is exceptionally high.
The idea of taking someone out there didn’t sit well on Riley, Connor was usually always with him the few times he did go out and if not Connor than Forrest and Graham were, or at least were a short drive away to meet up with him. Other than them, Riley preferred going on his own, limiting even his trips to Catherine’s work in the café down at Salem. The only reasons Riley did venture down there really had been because he didn’t like the idea of Catherine working with someone who so obviously was fond of her… not while Riley wasn’t sure where he stood with Catherine, he’d not cope losing her, not because things had started off so rocky that it seemed too big a chore to continue on with the relationship on Catherine’s end. She needed him, and she liked him a lot, and at times it seemed as if Catherine was so openly flirting and yet… She always pulled back.
"I don’t think there’s anyone who I’d want coming with me at this point, all things considering. I mean… it might be best not to risk it, in case something does happen… not that I think something will but you can’t be sure and I just want some trinkets and food, no one should really put themselves in harms way for that, and I’ve gone to Salem a few times without much trouble." The more Riley spoke the more he felt he was making such a big deal over this and it wasn’t really that big a thing… even if the Initiative did come after him they had to catch him first and Riley knew most of their tricks so he knew how to handle a few scenarios that may pop up. It wasn’t like Riley worried about death so much, not that he wanted to run off and get himself killed, but if he did die than so be it, he’d do his best to survive and if all else fails (or if dying resulted in helping the greater many) then death is the only option left and one had to deal with that. At least, that’s what he was taught and how he grew up over the last few years, to him, it was all about sacrifice and doing what you had to do. Right now pleasing his family and pleasing Catherine was just something he felt he had to do, but not at someone else’s expense.
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
It would have been nice if Riley had just smiled, thanked him and left happily with assurances that all would go smoothly. But then again that had never been going to happen. Somehow it never did at the Institute. There was always some complication that had to be worked out, some seemingly insurmountable hurdle that never the less had to be got over. And it was usually down to Hank to find a solution. So it was with a resigned smile that the doctor waited for Riley to bring up the next complication in a day which had already had more than its fair share. And he didn’t disappoint.
"I don’t think there’s anyone who I’d want coming with me at this point,” he said worriedly “all things considering.” ‘All things considering’ Hmmm would that be the whole health issue or the fact that he had various people looking for him. And people who didn’t hesitate to send armoured killing machines after him to get the job done.Oh yes Hank thought that might just be the problem.
And Riley confirmed it soon enough. “I mean… it might be best not to risk it, in case something does happen… not that I think something will” he hastened to add a little awkwardly “but you can’t be sure” No you couldn’t. Which was part of the reason Hank had insisted Riley didn’t go alone in the first place.
If Connor had been his old self no doubt the problem would have been solved But unfortunately that was far from being the case. And perhaps it was still too soon for Riley to ask one of his new team mates to go with him……”and I just want some trinkets and food,” Riley explained. “no one should really put themselves in harms way for that” So it wasn’t important enough to put someone else in danger. But still it mattered enough for him to put himself back at risk. Lord he was such a complicated young man this one. But then again weren’t they all. “and I’ve gone to Salem a few times without much trouble."
“I’m sure you have” Hank answered gently “But not when your health has been in doubt. Which means I’m afraid that going alone isn’t an option. However ” The blue furred mutant had seen the disappointment and frustration settling over his patients face so he hurried to put him out of his misery. “there is one possible solution if you are willing to accept it” It wasn’t really an ideal one as far as the doctor was concerned, hurt as he was but he wasn’t going to let Riley see that. And so he set his discomfort aside and when he spoke again his yellow eyes were filled with nothing but mischief.
“It so happens that I myself am having somewhat of a food crisis at the moment To wit, a serious penury of Twinkies.I fear I may not last till tomorrow if something isn’t done about it swiftly. So what do you say.” he asked kindly “shall we venture forth together? Or does my need for a sugar rush leave you unmoved? “
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
ooc: Damn you.. -posts knowing she should post elsewhere-
“I’m sure you have” Although the reply didn’t seem to be cutting Riley off, the agent still felt as if he was being put down somehow, perhaps because in the Initiative it didn’t matter what state you were in, if you could walk and carry a weapon then you could fight. Being told he’s incapable for going shopping was a touch frustrating and humiliating. It was still hard for Riley to accept the differences in his old home and here, some things were easier then others. “But not when your health has been in doubt. Which means I’m afraid that going alone isn’t an option. However ” Health! He was fine! At least in better condition then he’s been in the past when going out against things a whole lot scarier then a shopping mall! It wasn’t like he’s been gutted and had to be stitched up, this was stupid! It wasn’t fair. “there is one possible solution if you are willing to accept it” What would that be? The words almost burned into his very expression, he was desperate, but at the same time he wasn’t going to allow someone to humiliate him either. Getting babysat was bad enough, being pampered was just something Riley didn’t know how to respond to and being told he was so incapable or in need of all this help was just… frustrating. Though admittedly, the expression on Hank’s face was enough to cause Riley to at least stare at him patiently enough to hear what the doctor had to say.
“It so happens that I myself am having somewhat of a food crisis at the moment To wit, a serious penury of Twinkies. I fear I may not last till tomorrow if something isn’t done about it swiftly. So what do you say.” Twinkies? That’s what Jarod had been on about…he wanted Twinkies too, Hank wants them as well? What the hell are Twinkies? What kind of name is Twinkie? Riley blinked rather taken back, Jarod couldn’t explain what a Twinkie was, just that it was a reward given to him, and Hank related this Twinkie thing to food, so logically it was something one ate. “shall we venture forth together? Or does my need for a sugar rush leave you unmoved?” Sugar rush? It’s a sweet? Hell, Riley was tempted to agree for Hank to come just to see finally what on earth everyone was on about and why they all wanted Twinkies. Though if it was a sweet then that would explain why Riley hadn’t heard of it before, what with the Initiative’s ban on sweets and Riley’s lack of venturing into shops that would likely store such things.
"Uh…" There was a thought for a moment, all serious now and no more joking about, Riley’s lower lip was bitten on lightly as he pondered the answer Hank was waiting for, hazel eyes glancing around blinded to the bloodied up mess that lay scattered around, all he could see was the dishevelled appearance of the med lab and yet, that in itself told that Hank had dealt with problems before. Hell, being an X-men meant Hank had dealt with a hell of a lot of problems, and some far greater then walking around a shopping centre with someone who has a target drawn over them. "Is there a specific time you’d prefer to leave then sir?" In the end what else was there to do other then agree, if Riley didn’t then he’d not be allowed to leave and having an X-men beside you was always a bonus when knowing you were likely to walk into trouble… Unlike Catherine, Hank could manage himself in a fight, that was at least something that had to be taken into account.
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds“Uh..” Not the most articulate of responses he had to admit, but in the long run better by far than the all out refusal Hank had feared. The notion of ‘cool’ wasn’t entirely lost on him after all. And going shopping with a teacher in tow, rated, he suspected, rather highly on the list of ‘what not to do!’ Though from what he had seen, Riley was possibly even less in touch with the does and don’ts of normal teenage life than he was. Which was, at one and the same time, both sad and convenient! And, hurt as he was, despite all the somehow inefficient medical help he could throw at his wounds, Hank couldn’t afford to look a gift horse in the mouth. So when Riley, obviously inspired by Hank’s silent prayers asked "Is there a specific time you’d prefer to leave then sir?" he could only answer “ There is no time like the present! And as you were obviously on your way out, far be it from me to delay you”
His beloved med lab lay in ruins around him, a fact that had in no way escaped Riley’s attention he was sure .It was after all rather in your face Even if this particular student seemed to be reeling in his curiosity! If Jamie hadn’t been back at the school then Hank wouldn’t even have considered leaving, that much was certain. But now, knowing that all of Multiple Man’s expertise was available at the drop of a hat,, not just the janitorial skills but also the medical students knowledge that he could call upon whenever the need arose, Hank felt that he could perhaps take this time out to help one of the more lost souls he had encountered at the Institute. Even if it had taken him a long time to recognise the fact.“Don’t worry” he said sympathetically. “Far be it from me to attract more than my worth’s attention upon us Just give me a moment and Ill be right there.”
The holoimager was exactly where he had left it. Programmed and ready to go. And, he had to admit, with an image he had chosen, eager to show itself at the touch of a button. So many students hated him for curtailing their use of the device he himself had invented. Though he had always believed he had been careful in what he had said concerning it. Even if, in the long run, he could only pray that they somehow understood the message behind his words.
Sometimes, on good days he had to admit, Hank believed that he had transformed into this all too convincing likeness of his adopted namesake simply in order to be able to feel what those born as deformed as he was now had felt from the moment their mutant genes had kicked in. And if, on bad days, he merely railed against the heavens, then wasn’t that too part of the learning process? In any case the holoimager was a godsend, letting those who had been previously incapable of doing so walk, at least for a time, in what they, and most others, perceived to be the normal world
So why didn’t he just hand them out with his blessing, letting those who needed them conceal forever the mutant forms that they so obviously hated behind some brilliantly conceived pixels? Ahh that was a hard question! Though one for which he had an answer! For if there was undoubtedly a time when the burden of being different became to much to bear then there was also in the end a time to finally be oneself. Even if a suitable place in which to do so was sometimes hard to find. But then what was the Institute if it wasn’t that. Somewhere you could simply be you, whether that meant having gills or wings or fur, or any of the other eccentricities that came with their genetic anomalies. And though some students were still shallow enough to poke fun at those whose mutancy was so obviously marked, still there was more understanding and genuine caring within these walls than anywhere else on the planet.
So yes, he discouraged the use of the holoimagers on school grounds, even though many resented him for doing so, but then hard as it was, if you didn’t push the fledglings out of the nest they would never learn to fly. And over the years he had watched so many who thought they were hideous beyond belief find acceptance and self worth in the eyes of the other students. Which was worth a little resentment in his book any day!
Hank himself barely ever used the devise, despite the fact that it would have made many aspects of his life easier. For if he was a well known and respected figure in many different circles of society that didn’t stop people from whispering behind his back or grabbing their children out of his path whenever he went to town. Yet still he went, refusing to compromise, hoping to show by example that not all mutants were as fearsome as they might seem at first glance.
Today was different though. Today there was Riley to think about and the last thing the young man needed was to be seen in the company of a large blue feline. Not when the object of the exercise was to be safe and discrete. So with a sigh Hank slipped the small device into the pocket of the casual jacket, he carefully changed into, thankful that he had still left a change of clothing in the makeshift sleeping quarters he had set up in med lab though he had to admit that getting out of the med coat and into a shirt had proved more painful than he would have liked. Oh well, as long as he did nothing stupid, things should be all right. And he certainly had no intention of getting into any more trouble today if he could help it.
He kept his promise to Riley emerging a few minutes later with a large grin and a set of car keys clutched in one large hand. “Right.” Hank declared brightly. ”I am ready to go if you are. Or nearly anyway. I suppose you are familiar with these” he asked as he produced the holoimager. “Not something I use every day but when the circumstances call for it”
Suddenly the beast like form was gone to be replaced by that of an attractive man in his early forties, his body that of an ex quarterback and his brown hair soft and slightly unruly. The eyes and smile were still unmistakably his own though, even if their colour had changed from yellow to brown and the fangs had disappeared. Which was hardly surprising, since he had based this image on computer projections of how he would have looked had he still been human! ” Lets just say that for the sake of a little peace and tranquillity I can make an exception” he said simply.
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
The answer was quick, though at the same time Riley had to admit that he wasn’t sure if he was glade that Hank was all up and ready or if there was a sense of dread wafting through him as Hank spoke. “ There is no time like the present! And as you were obviously on your way out, far be it from me to delay you” A nervous little tug forced an appreciative smile, though to be honest Riley wasn’t entirely fussed if it was now or later, he was still a bit taken by the fact that the doctor actually was coming with him in the first place. “Don’t worry” Don’t worry? The words brought a sense of worry for the moment as Riley wondered what on earth there was to worry about. “Far be it from me to attract more than my worth’s attention upon us Just give me a moment and Ill be right there.” A confused furrow creased Riley’s brow as Hank turned about and walked off, though thinking about the doctors words did bring up the fact that people might stare at him simply because of the way the doctor looked. It was amazing really… from the first night that Riley had woken with a startle to now, somehow, somewhere along the line, Riley stopped seeing Hank as different and just saw him as… him. It wasn’t like Hank was any different to so many things Riley had seen growing up, demons often looked anything but human, yet with Hank there was a difference towards the differences Hank had compared to those any other street demon possessed, and the doctors differences were more then just his humanity, as big a part as that played, but the authority and dominance the Scientific doctor displayed. And yet on the same token, with all the strength Hank had, Riley still recognized all the tenderness, even if in most cases it was heard via third person, Connor for one was someone who spoke highly of their residential healer’s more gentle side.
There was a soft sigh as Riley let his fingers slip into his inner pocket, pulling out a laminated photo, it had always been Riley’s security blanket and perhaps in so many ways it was really the key to all the times Riley remembered the truth of his family despite the lies he was told or forced to remember. Sometimes it hurt, hurt to think that this flat image held more of a link to Riley’s idea of family then the actual people who were risking everything to come see him. This image could be replaced if it was torn of damaged, the original image was always stored away safely, the high quality prints always remained on his person, in his wallet, in a pocket, somewhere, Catherine knew the quirks Riley had towards his photos. The fact that whenever Riley left his bed a picture frame would be placed on his pillow, the laminated photo that was always carried around with him, why was it so much easier to pour emotions into still images then the very real faces of the very people he was trying to connect with?
Was that a worry Hank often had though? About attracting attention? Sure some students were like that, but Riley hadn’t seen Hank or any of the X-men act as if they’re worried about their appearance. Catherine had been all against mutants at first, she was in denial of her own genetic legacy, and now Riley seemed to be part of that legacy. A hand turned to receive a gaze of scrutiny, hazel eyes wondering what would happen if the mutant gene inside of him was something so severe as Hank’s… Was it selfish to be scared of whatever changes might be happening? Riley was so sick of things yo-yoing, he just wanted a levelled moment in his life where day after day was relatively the same without some bizarre new thing occurring after another. Would Riley’s family… not that it mattered, they shouldn’t even be here, they were putting themselves in danger by trying to involve themselves in his life again and he didn’t want them getting hurt. Clenching the hand into a fist, Riley sighed slightly, slipping the photo back into his pocket after another moments study, nothing bad would happen, he’d get the things he both wanted and needed and then Riley would just waltz back as if it had been no bother at all, with Hank there it’d mean there was more chances of him being safe then on his own, so comfort had to be taken from that.
Although Hank reappeared in a pleasant mood, Riley’s attention was focused on the car keys in his hands… great, that hadn’t really been thought about, while Riley would have driven himself to the store, he had only ever gone in a car with Catherine, Connor or Forrest and Graham… rarely did other people drive him and at least those mentioned already knew Riley’s inhibitions towards driving with others in the car. Great. Just another thing that Hank was going to see and use to judge him… well, hopefully the doctor wouldn’t be locking the doors… Riley hated his door being locked, his own care was specially fitted so that while his door could be locked from the outside it could still be opened from the inside if he wanted… or vice versa. Well… everyone had their quirks, Riley couldn’t just hope that no one would notice anything, not if he actually wanted to start involving himself more. Living in with a team would definitely reveal a few things people often oversee easily, but just because it might be a little embarrassing didn’t mean he was going to go out of his way to hide everything… or should he? No no.. that’d take up far too much effort. Riley enough to worry about.
“Right.” Taking in a small breath, Riley braced himself for everything that was to come, for a step that seemed so overshadowed with intrigue and… paranoia, that he wasn’t sure if this caused him to feel in awe or petrified. A small smile was shyly given back at the much wider one sitting on Hank’s face, the guy looked remarkably amused by all this, ”I am ready to go if you are. Or nearly anyway. I suppose you are familiar with these” Again Riley’s eyes were distracted, this time with something Hank was showing him, and the hazel eyes were touched with a slight surprise. Yes… Riley recognized it, not instantly, but realizing that this was the device Connor had often gotten angry about in regards to certain students suggesting Connor’s sister needed something of it’s kind in order to function outside of the school, Connor described it enough and how one of Arisa’s friends relied so heavily on it that Riley’s assumption was swiftly confirmed. “Not something I use every day but when the circumstances call for it” Why though? Was it for Riley’s sake? Or to avoid the attention that it’d cause and risk putting them both in danger, and if so, why did the doctor decide to use it now for Riley if it wasn’t something he did. Riley’s face lowered slightly, though saying it wasn’t necessary seemed pointless… and yet… Riley looked up and was faced with a man that was nothing like the Doctor Riley had gotten used to, the blue fur was gone and the fangs… then very shape was slightly… the skin, the eyes, the ears! Riley found himself looking at Hank as strangely as any other might look upon his true form outside the school.
”Lets just say that for the sake of a little peace and tranquillity I can make an exception” Was it rude to stare? Would it be considered weird to look at someone so human and see something so strange? Hank McCoy was… Hank McCoy, blue fur and all, that’s who he was, and Riley found himself staring at the normalcy as strangely as the first day he had met McCoy, so startled that a punch had been lashed out once his eyes had first pried themselves open, albeit thinking the doctor was a demon at the time.
"I.. I’m ready." The young man agreed, though he cleared his throat a little in an attempt to shake the surprise. Admittedly, there would be a fear that Hank would drive him out, drop him off, and leave him out there just to get Riley out of the school and protect the school… people did have a tenancy of doing that sort of thing with him so it wasn’t entirely unfounded paranoia. The thing that pushed Riley to nudge it aside was simply the hope that… well… he didn’t believe McCoy would do such a thing… granted there things he didn’t believe people would be capable of doing which they had done in the past still but… well… he had hope in this, and he wasn’t going to let worry stop him from living. How does he show his appreciation? What if he does and then he gets slapped in the face somehow, even if it’s Hank driving off on him, Riley couldn’t blame the guy… everyone made it clear how much of a handful he was, with Hank’s interest on the school’s security and with Riley being such a risk… but thinking like that only soured an already awkward relationship. "…I appreciate what you're doing," The words rushed across Riley's mind quickly to make sure what he said sounded like what he was trying to get across, "I understand it's.. awkward."
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Wounds
The look on Riley’s face was worth waiting for, a mixture of surprise and confusion that only made the doctor’s grin widen. Hank was aware of how different he looked like this, human for once, on the outside, if only for a little while. It was off putting at first, he well knew, the sudden transformation worked by the imager’s scientific magic. To be honest it still caught him off guard too, every time he glimpsed his reflection in a smooth surface and saw the face he could have had staring back at him.
There had been nights, not good ones he had to admit, when he had taken the device up to his room and switched it on, drinking long and hard from a bottle of some decent scotch as he contemplated the humanity that he had lost along the way, only to emerge the next morning with the same easy going attitude he always wore in public safely back in place. And if very few people ever realised how hard that was for him to do, then so much the better. He was here after all to help others with their problems not to burden them with his. So his moments of weakness were dealt with alone, then set aside so that he could go on doing his job as efficiently as he knew how. Though somehow, helping others eased his own pain, affirming that no matter what he looked like he was intrinsically himself, Hank McCoy, a doctor and a man. And that was far from being a bad thing.
Today though there was no underlying bitterness either in his face or in his heart as he cloaked his appearance behind the holographic image. Maybe because Zia had eased it away! She challenged him on so many different levels, pushing him to things he hadn’t thought possible. Like passion. And violence! But in the end, when she looked at him she saw a mate, accepting him fully. Every last part of him! Even those he himself found hard to acknowledge. And if that was terrifying then it was also liberating in a way he had never imagined.
So yes, he would take the pain of wounds that wouldn’t heal and the risk of mutating beyond all recognition, just as he accepted the blood stained ruins of his work place. Not with resignation, but with a wild illogical desire to feel the way she made him feel for every moment that the gods accorded them.*Though…*Hank winced inwardly as his injured side throbbed insistently telling him that movement wasn’t a good idea….. * there are times when perhaps it would be more convenient if things were just a trifle less intense Like now for example*
"I.. I’m ready." Riley said eventually, sounding as if this outing would be as challenging for him as it might well prove to be for his physician. "…I appreciate what you're doing,"
Hank went still, his smile changing from one of mischief to one of pure happiness. It had taken a lot for Riley to say that and Hank knew it. It meant that somehow, somewhere along the line he had managed to build that bridge he so sorely needed to have in place between them if they were going to get through all that lay ahead. Not just a trip to the mall, though in its own way that could prove to be the foundation stone for all that came after, but the hours of surgery needed to remove the implant that lay so close to Riley’s heart and then …… the long process of acceptation that would ensue as his suddenly liberated mutation came into play. And no matter how easily Hank seemed to accept his own appearance he still hoped that this young man would be spared such a trial.
Because it was hard, no matter how you tried to deal with it. All those curious stares! All those supposedly hidden asides that had always really been meant to be heard! ’Its ok, the bad man wont hurt you’ or ‘Christ, why do they let these things just wander around’ Before Zia it had been a constant battle each and every time he had gone out, but one he had always been willing to wage for the greater good. So when Riley said "I understand it's.. awkward." his answer wasn’t far away.
Riley he said sympathetically “for mutants like me it’s always awkward. Using the imager just makes things easier! And if I’m stubborn enough not to take advantage of that fact then that’s is my problem , not yours.” It was true It had always been his decision to go out in public as he was not, as other people thought he should be. Though the principles that had pushed him to do so didn’t apply in the present situation! “But once in a while it can be rather nice to pass unnoticed.” he went on with a wink. “So no more worrying, if you please. Lets just go and do a little retail therapy as they call it. I’m sure it will do the both of us the world of good’.
Re: March 16: An After Math of Painful Woundsooc: To save you from reading it over again.. I coloured the additional information. Hope it's ok. “Riley” Hank’s reply returned in a tone that hinted at the trails those afflicted with obvious mutations must bare, and yet with a stubbornness of acceptance that had been made long ago. “for mutants like me it’s always awkward. Using the imager just makes things easier! And if I’m stubborn enough not to take advantage of that fact then that’s is my problem , not yours.” Image inducers weren’t always able to help though, some mutants that needed saving from their powers weren’t able to be saved by a physical change of their outer body… Connor could sur ehave used some help, but he didn’t seem to have the help he needed to handle the abilities he had. That always left things awkward for Riley as he wondered what sort of things Connor really had to put up with, and if in switched places would Riley himself have any better chance of dealing with them? “But once in a while it can be rather nice to pass unnoticed.”That Riley could agree with, and it wasn’t any form of mutation that stole that right away from him… but it was still a sense of freedom he didn’t have, at least not yet, and not for the last few years… and the former agent stopped allowing himself to hope that it would all go away in time. Because so far, it most definitely wasn’t going away. “So no more worrying, if you please. Lets just go and do a little retail therapy as they call it. I’m sure it will do the both of us the world of good’.Retail therapy? Claire had called it that. Riley didn’t entirely understand why, even after she explained things, some people apparently felt good after spending their money and obtaining new items, but Riley always noted that no matter what Claire brought, giving time, and it wasn’t always very much of it needed, she always got bored and moved on to other newer things anyway. Just like it seemed she had with friends.. or boyfriends.
Getting lost in thoughts of times past wasn’t the point of today’s trip though and he couldn’t just keep letting things like that bring him down, so what if Claire basically abandoned him, so what if Catherine was having issues deciding if she liked him or not…and it’s not like missing friends won’t be found, not when so many were intent on finding them. Well, anyone who knew Riley knew he couldn’t stop worrying, couldn’t stop thinking or trying to work things out. A flaw the young man himself sometimes saw though in the Initiative he wasn’t taught how to deal with serious situations, he was taught just to accept and move on, the numbing drugs were a blissful help, but when emotions swirled and the mind raced untamed by such chemicals… he was discovering it was harder and harder to deal with things like when he was back in the Initiative. Not that he remembered a lot of those days, but even so, he remembered more then enough to know he never wanted to go back.
No more worrying. It sounded easy the way Hank spoke, as if people could just turn the worries they had off with a switch, though in this case Riley could focus on the points previously made and agree that it wasn’t something he should have to worry about, but something that was Hanks responsibility and choice, and Hank’s alone in the end. Though… shopping was hardly ever relaxing for Riley, and the thought of Hank seeing him try to shop unnerved him, but that happened with anyone, even Catherine.
A slightly nervous smile adorned his expression, it was going to be interesting… he’d never spent a day with a teacher before, other then Professor Welsh of course. But this was… social, that was definitely a first, not that Riley could make any worse an impression on his Biology Professor. As long as they avoided anything too in-depth on human breeding and how it worked, Riley was more then a capable student.. if it did focus he tended to have a hard time staying focus, the severe shyness always caused him a handicap in the class and got him to get lower grades in the area. At least now he was making progress… in the Academy he didn’t even attend the Sex-Ed classes… Forest made cracks about how that would have saved him from getting his girlfriend pregnant, but… Riley hadn’t ever really seen that as a bad thing, and he’d been crushed to learn that Catherine had. If she wasn’t ready for such commitments, why had she risked it? Not just once or twice either, it didn’t matter now though… he didn’t want to consider there could have been any good in what had happened regarding the attack on Catherine, but part of him knew well that he was far from being the ‘perfect dad’. The initiative on his back, the simple things he couldn’t even do… like shopping…what kind of guy can’t even buy food? Everyone else seemed to have an easy enough time knowing what product was the right one to choose.
All in all, worrying was what Riley unfortunately did best at this point in time, because things weren’t working out, and repeatedly, on a large scale, all over the place, it seemed one hing after another was falling apart around him. Fears entwined even the things that seemed remarkable, like his family being around… he wanted that so much, but at the same time… was so scared them trying to hang around him would only put them into further danger then what already he had placed them in.
No more worrying. Was it so easy? Maybe Riley could try… though… there were so many things happening and all at once, how could he just forget it all? Perhaps putting it aside for the day would be hard, but at the same time, he’d not mind a chance to just let go of all the worries, and for once, he wasn’t dealing with something he found stressful on his own again… not that Riley was sure he was ready to show himself as being stressed while doing something so simple.. it felt embarrassing… but at then again, unavoidable too.
A glance back at the mess, a wonder as to what had caused the upheaval momentarily passing through his thoughts, no more worrying, he could but try… and try he will. After all, Riley was more then sure that he had caused Hank problems, it’d be nice if for return of this ‘favour’ Riley could avoid causing him any more. Though Riley was clearly starting to see that it appeared to be a talent of his, causing everyone stress and trouble, even when he didn’t realize he was doing so. For some reason standing here felt awkward… should he reply somehow? It seemed like something he was supposed to do, to state some comment back, even if just offhand, but Riley drew a blank on any form of reply he just might give. Hank had keys… keys meant driving, driving meant car, and one usually parked a car in the garage. At least Hank wasn’t assuming Riley would drive… driving by himself was one thing, driving with someone else, that never seemed to work well. And now, as Riley moved towards the med bay door, he found himself wondering if Hank wanted him sitting in the back or the front passenger seat… it was silly, and Riley knew it was, but he never got over that day when he was locked in the car, even if he was fourteen at the time, and freshly turned twenty-two now… it didn’t seem something he could shake, not that he’s had a chance to actually sit down and try… at least hasn’t had the state of mind to try anyway.
Riley busied himself for the first part of the walk shuffling through the contents of his wallet, all neat and kept to a bare minimal, but possessing his money, loose change and any number of random cards to proof his identity, school card, library card, drivers license… not to mention another group of cards that he had been given which were securely stuffed away in a zip pocket, though using any of the identification cards the Initiative gave him during his years of service with them wasn’t something Riley intended on doing, but found himself having a hard time throwing them away… The cards where for his alias, Marc ‘Riley’ Lucas, you could wipe a name from the system, but Riley was already part of the school and known by groups both students and teachers all of who attended the academy, so it was easier to just go about the idea that Riley preferred his middle name then have him move states, something Professor Walsh hadn’t found desirable at the time.
Then again, unfortunately, if Riley did use his birth name in anything official, he would be flagged by the government, as Riley Finn of Iowa Huxley was marked as deceased, then again, Marc Lucas was a wanted man, either which way his names would be flagged by officials… so he might as well use the name that meant the most to him. By the time Riley and Hank had reached the end of the hall, Riley was pulling out the small list of things he had thrown together during class, granted not the most productive of things to be doing when one should be paying attention, but Catherine’s acceptance of his invite for dinner was enough to pull his mind away from school work. Money was always an issue with Riley, as far as buying things went, while the Initiative as a whole was a government funded body, the section of which was run by Commander Halliwell and Professor Walsh hardly met the humanitarian guidelines the other two or sister bodies had, but all, even Riley’s agency, were paid well for their work. Unlike a few agents from other branches that were able to freely live the highlife, Riley and those like him in Halliwell’s command barely managed to flaunt their cash in more ways then expensive or revved up cars, every young mans dream it seemed.. Save for Riley, who barely touched his money until he moved into an apartment with Claire at eighteen. Even then he wasn’t responsible for buying things, Claire did, she brought everything, the furniture the items for the small apartment, the food. All Riley ever did was given her the money, not that she needed it, her dad was well off and she did have part time work… now she was a well known model earning god knows how much. Riley didn’t even know how much sugar cost. Even when he did go shopping, if he did grab something from the shelves he didn’t bother looking at the prices, it made things even harder to decide.
The shopping list was slipped into the back pocket of his jeans, saving him the need to fish it out in the shops… ok and saving him the need to open his mouth and start some lame attempted conversation. After all, it was clear half of what he said didn’t come out right, otherwise Catherine wouldn’t constantly be flying off the handle at him, he said stupid things, and more then a few times he’s just opted to not say anything at all.
When they reached the hall Riley was greeted with a familiar face, or a pair of them anyway, two girls, one greeted Riley in a more enthusiastic tone while the other just offered a hesitant wave. The blonde clutched to the rails, the aspiring singer focusing on Riley and not noticing Riley had company (not because they didn't see Hank, but they just weren't use to Riley walking around with strange people, so figured he and the guy didn't know each other), Ang wasn’t around much lately, they didn’t have a lot of the same classes any more though her companion, Dawn Summers was around even less, and Dawn still felt awkward around Riley due to their arguments over how Catherine treated him and how Dawn disapproved of the girls attitude. Both gave curt hi’s, and Riley replied with a polite hi back as he descended the stairs while they walked up them. If he’d been alone he would have put more effort into the greetings, but with Hank around… it wasn’t really the time to socialize… he’ll send a message to the other student later, he did still consider her a friend, and Dawn too really.. they just had disagreements and then very little time and patience was available to sort them out. Ah well… he’ll call at least Ang… wasn’t so sure about Dawn, she still seemed to think he was making a big mistake with Catherine, and it upset him… even if sometimes it felt like he might be when things were at their worst, he couldn’t just give up on this feeling he had for her, even if there were times he was near on ready to walk away, he’d never be able to just ‘forget about her’. Though even as Riley walked away, the girls took the oppertunity to stop and turn, calling back at him and causing Riley to glance back as Ang spoke.
"Hey Rye, where are you going? Dawn and I were just going to go grab a snack and maybe some hot chocolate, want to join?" Join? Despite being awkward Riley just might have taken the offer any other time, it wasn't often people actually invited him to small things like that.. and he wouldn't mind working back the friends he had grown distant with over the last few months.
"Oh...." Now if he brushed Hank off, he'd technically be brushing Catherine off, and his family too since he wanted to grab them some gifts if he happened along anything interesting. But knocking back this offer wasn't going to be the smoothest thing for his relationship with them either, and even Riley could tell that. "I would.. but I was just heading out shopping.." With the returned ex-pression both girls had given, Ang more humorously amused and impressed while Dawn looked a little displeased with the idea.. after all, Riley wasn't supposed to be leaving the school, at least that's what she had been told by Ang.
"Wow Riley, you think you're ready for that, I mean, you are supposed to be relaxing." It wasn't the fact that Riley was going out and doing something, it was the fact that Ang had seen how wound up he got at one point when he wanted to buy something and it got to a point where she had even written out a list once to make it easier for him. Before Riley could reply Ang seemed distracted suddenly with fishing out her phone, which was making a soft buzzing sound due to being on silent, a glance of apology was given before she turned and stepped away to start speaking, if it wasn't her manager she'd have ignored it. Dawn spoke up after Ang's distraction though, her own tone slightly serious.
"I thought you weren't supposed to leave the school.. Hank's going to castrate you when he finds out." The comment was a bit of a surprise to hear, though Dawn was always a bit full on in her statements, her straightforwardness was as much a charm as it was a curse. Only it was the fact that they hadn't said much in a while and saying that... Riley wasn't sure if she was just angry with him or she was trying to convince him not to leave and get himself into trouble... all he could do was defend himself and hope she took it in!
"I have his permission.. and supervision." A hand subtly motioned to the camoflagued doctor though Dawn didn't realize that Riley had meant he had BOTH Hank's permission and supervision, she just assumed this was some guy Hank sent along.
"I only have two hours, we better scoot Dawnie, bye Rye!" A hand waved as Ang turned once again to face them, though even as they gave their waves and Dawn mumbled her bye, Riley still felt like going after them... He spent the better part of every day with them when he first got here, and up until Catherine's arrival that was consistant, but when things went down will with Cat, things went down hill all over the place. Well... now Hank gets to see the wonderfullness that is Riley's social life, or the shambles of it anyway, at least Ang was trying to keep perky around him, despite all her confusion and hurt at times, originally she was more Connor's friend but with Connor's lack of constant company it meant her and Riley spent more time together and so they got fairly close as far as school mates go. It was a little embarrassing still, and Riley didn't even want to know what Hank thought at that moment about Dawn's comments, it made it sound as if Riley did everything sneakily and was on the verge of getting caught out soon enough... he wasn't that bad... or was he? Mentally Riley had given a sigh and turned around, making his way towards the large entrance doors in the main hall.
From there to the garage things were more quiet as far as wandering students were concerned, they were either too far away to be of notice or lazing quietly in groups… another day of classes were finally over. Riley let himself get distracted yet again by the expanse of the school grounds, sure Mass.Academy was nice… but it wasn’t like the Institute, and further more, the institute most definitely wasn’t like the Initiative. There could have been days that passed before Riley went topside again, and they didn’t exactly wander around admiring the views, especially in New York where you were lucky enough to see nature strips. And when he went into the jungle, sure it was green, but usually you were more worried about what lurked in the overgrowth, relaxing in nature just never seemed possible… not until he got to come here, where the grounds were tended to meticulously.
From lush and green, the scenery changed to cold and metallic. The lights were on due to three mechanic students trying hard to put to work some of the skills Scott Summers had been trying to teach them, they were realizing it was increasingly difficult to stay on track with their grades when they spent most of the class chattering away in their group and were only this year making the effort to pay attention, the old bike they were using to practice on belonged to one of them and it looked as if they were doing more talking over what they should do next and reading their manuals then what most second year mech students would be doing for the problems they were faced with.
At this point Riley fell a step or two behind Hank, allowing the Doctor to lead the way to the car which those keys he held belonged to. There were cheap cars scattered in the car pack, belonging to students owning their first set of wheels, but in the schools garage it was entirely different, more expensive cars were stored.. or the occasional average car which seemed out of place next to the more up market vehicles… though Riley’s sense of ‘average’ was warped due to him growing up in a posh school and not to mention so many of his work colleagues who ended up buying cars most school kids living on their own would never dream of affording.
Admittedly however, the car Hank began to approach was hardly the kind that Riley had assumed the great Hank McCoy would be driving. Although to be honest Riley hadn’t really developed an image in his head, he still had to admit it seemed to surprise him as Hank walked towards a black sports car… well… surprise aside at least one good thing was instantly seen in this… sports cars didn’t have back seats. Naturally Riley would have felt safer in his own car, now he knew that was expensive because he never had to pay so much for one thing in his life, but his car had been a good investment, and it was the first big thing he ever owned… since he left his dog back on the farm when he moved up this way in his youth Bullet proof tinted windows and armoured exterior amongst so much more, the likelihood of him getting shot at again was high, but as long as he was in his car he had nothing to fear. For once, Riley could relate to something most guys found fascinating, although Riley didn’t care for cars in general, he was grateful the protection his car not only gave to him, but anyone else who might be in it… like Catherine for example…
Upon unlocking the car, and as Hank made his way into the vehicle, Riley hesitated with opening the door to the passengers side, it wasn’t that Riley didn’t trust Hank… but Riley was always finding it hard to get into cars with people, even Connor took a good few drives before Riley felt comfortable enough to forgo any hesitations about hopping in a car with the eldest Enright. Due to Riley’s height he didn’t have the best angle of looking into the window without looking overly obvious that he was doing so, and once Hank was fully into the car Riley found himself feeling stupid as he stood there a moment longer. Tenuous fingers took hold of the door handle and opened it… it always felt absurd when he felt like this, after all, it wasn’t like Hank was going to lock him in the car and drive him off to the Initiative and away from his family.
Strong hands firmly held the inner handle of the door, allowing a moment for his legs to pull in before closing the door, though he remained holding it for a moment longer, habitually opening it cautiously before closing it again with content. Of course just because he could open it now didn’t mean Hank wouldn’t try locking it, most people did lock their doors as they drove, even Riley locked all doors but his driver side one, and that was locked on the outside, only he could still open it from the inside. The master locking system on his car was bliss in his mind, and rather taken for granted at times. Seatbelt! God he’d have Hank sitting here all day if he didn’t start getting on with it, though Riley was wondering if Hank did car checks at all… Riley supposed that being in the school Hank didn’t feel the need but even so Riley still checked his car before driving, even if it was also in the garage, after all, you never know when someone might try and do something sneaky, at least when he was in the police force for the week or two he was expected to lounge around preferming those sort of checks.. With a click his belt was fastened and his eyes were from then on busied with glancing over the inside of the car. It definitely wasn't what he had expected Beast to be driving, though for the life of him, Riely couldn't figure out what he could have expected otherwise.
The holoimager always brought its fair share of revelations, that much was certain. Inside the school Hank always considered it somewhat of an unfair advantage, for after all, no matter how much the students got used to his unusual appearance it was a given fact that he didn’t exactly pass unnoticed. But then few teachers did. Even those who were not blue and furry. But with his identity safely hidden behind a mask of normality he did tend to get to observe a side of school life that was usually barred . Like the interaction between Riley and his fellow students for example.
To say that Riley hadn’t exactly been talkative during their passage from med lab to the stairs would have been an understatement. Hank hadn’t minded though. Going out shopping with your doctor wasn’t exactly a typical situation and the physician was more than willing to give Riley all the time he needed to get comfortable with it. If he ever did that was. So Hank had merely walked on in what was, at least on his side, companionable silence, always ready to break in if he felt things were becoming truly awkward. The girls had intervened before things got to that point though, calling on Riley in a way that obviously showed they considered him to be a friend.
"Hey Rye, where are you going? Dawn and I were just going to go grab a snack and maybe some hot chocolate, want to join?" Ahh the universal appeal of hot chocolate! One feel good medicine readily available without a prescription , and moreover at a reasonable price! Though it did have a tendency to become addictive! At another time Hank would have told Riley to just go. After all socialising was exactly what Riley needed and not necessarily with some middle aged guy like himself. However this outing had seemed important to his student and so Hank decided once more to sit back and let him be the judge of things.
"Oh...." Riley said, the siren call of chocolate obviously working its magic on him… or maybe just his desperate need to let this place be one where he could be happy. "I would.. but I was just heading out shopping.." So priorities had been set and shopping had won. Though Hank suspected that had he not been in tow then things might have played out differently! And while he regretted being the cause of Riley turning down such a tempting invitation he nevertheless respected the integrity that had brought about his decision. This outing was proving to be more informative than he could have hoped for. Not that gleening secrets had been his motivation for suggesting it in the first place.
Still… every clue he got as to who Riley was and how he interacted with those around him helped Hank to piece together the real man he was dealing with. Not the image of the perfect soldier that this government agency had tried to stuff down the young mans throat. Nor the train wreck that Riley seemed to perceive himself to be. But the boy that Catherine had let come close enough to father a child. The leader that they had given a team to. The friend that these girls seemed to care enough about to invite and then to worry about!
"Wow Riley, you think you're ready for that, I mean, you are supposed to be relaxing” the blond girl asked with obvious concern. She didn’t get to pursue her line of thought however, for at that moment her portable phone exploded into life, dragging her away with an apologetic look. Dawn on the other hand wasn’t ready to give up on the subject. "I thought you weren't supposed to leave the school.. Hank's going to castrate you when he finds out."
It took all of Hank’s talents as an actor to turn his laughter into a discrete cough. Trust Dawn to be direct and.. to the point ..so to speak. Still it was good to know that she was keeping an eye on Riley. After all that’s what real friends did. They cared! "I have his permission.. and supervision." Riley told her with a vague wave of his hand in hanks direction. Hank wasn’t surprised of course when she merely glanced his way as if he was some ‘babysitter’ that had somehow been dispatched to keep Riley out of trouble. *If only!* Hank thought with a wry grin. Sometimes the ‘hands on’ approach was all that was left… and sometimes it paid dividends.
Ok his side hurt like hell despite the pain killers he had injected into it. But what he had just witnessed was more than worth a little pain. Sure, he had already known that Dawn was concerned about Riley’s well being, after all she had already come to med lab to let Hank know that all wasn’t well with the ex agent. But it was one thing to worry behind his back.. it was another thing entirely to express her anxiety to his face as she had just done.
That was a frank admission of friendship. One that even Riley couldn’t deny. Though Hank suspected that he might just try! There was no time to really see his reaction though for suddenly Ang was back saying "I only have two hours, we better scoot Dawnie, bye Rye!" And then with the swiftness of the young they were gone, leaving Riley to sink back into his silence and Hank into his thoughts.
Why didn’t Riley seem to see what he had here? Had Catherine so completely dominated his life that nothing else mattered? Or was it his guilt that had done that? The belief that he had been responsible for the death of his unborn child.? It was an easy solution and, Hank sighed as he walked along , one thing Riley definitely wasn’t, was easy.
Even before the whole shooting incident there had been disturbing passages… chasing demons, changing personalities! These recent incidents were only the last in a long line of such traumas. And all Hank could hope for was that he could really make them the last. Though he feared he was being optimistic. Still today had helped. If Riley was here beside him it was because he wanted to have something like a normal life. And from what Hank had just seen he seemed to have the possibility to achieve that. With a little help! And perhaps a black Lamborghini thrown into the mix!
The car was, even if Hank said it himself, beautiful, its sleek black curves balanced like a cat over its shining wheels. Hank had fallen in love with it immediately. *Which is hardly surprising* he thought with a grin *Since it is the car equivalent of Zia* Hank watched as Riley approached it, seeing not appreciation in the students eyes but something that was not quite fear but certainly more than just wariness.
Now that was sad. That ‘they’.. the great grey ‘they’ of Orwell novels could have stolen even this joy from him. ‘Well thought’ Hank determinedly. *We shall just have to work on getting it back.. piece by piece.. like all the rest.*“Sit back, hold on and enjoy” he said with a grin slipping into the drivers seat. “Even going to the mall in this is a pleasure. So get ready to be impressed!”
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