10004/Happy Birthday, Bean!

Happy Birthday, Bean!
Date of Scene:	12 November 2019
Location:	Kitchen - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	It's Bean's birthday! Simple and homemade is the way to go, with gifts given, food shared, and a good time had by all!
Cast of Characters:	Nightingale, Samuel Morgan, Triage, Dragonfly (Armenteros)

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Nightingale has posed:
     It seems a day like any other in the kitchen, though a fairly large, puffy-looking package wrapped in gold paper with a silver ribbon rests on the kitchen counter. The mansion's resident winged healer is shaking what her mama gave her, as she's pulling two--yes, two--pans of ooey, gooey goodness out of the oven, to set onto trivets on the counter. A little ways off, a cake is already cooling, and looks to be some decadent creation of chocolate cake, sprinkled with chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and... is that a dusting of hot cocoa mix on the top? Yes it is! Though her wings are slightly ragged from the past few days, Shannon nevertheless seems to be in good spirits, as she closes the oven and shuts it off, finished with her culinary efforts for now.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It had started as a day like any other for Bean, returning from New York and just catching up on course work (and, of course, what little homework there was). It turned into something rather unusual by the discovery that it is, in fact, his birthday, and from that point onwards everything has been slightly more strange than usual. Cue the request to come down into the kitchen he just received from Shannon...

    It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots. Unfortunately, Bean actually is a genius, so there is little surprise when he walks in and sees the wrapped package... but, naturally, there is a smile on his face. A genuine smile, shaking his head as he enters. "Hey there. I'd ask what you're cooking, but I think I know."

Triage has posed:
Shannon is not alone in the kitchen. Chris is rummaging in the pantries, gathering plates for the occasion. He glances over to Shannon and grins. "That flight certainly brightened your spirits," he observes. Then he laughs at Bean. "It's a day ending in Y. Isn't it?" He brings the plates to the island and goes back for the utensils. "When do you expect to bring Bear to see us?" he wonders.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon grins and nudges one of the pans over to Bean, without making a single move other for it. The other pan, she draws back towards herself and Chris, chortling merrily. Indeed, Bean's guess is correct--mac 'n cheese! "A pan just for you, and a pan for us. Part one of your birthday present." She grins over at Triage, and shrugs, ruffling her slightly ragged wings. "Can't help it, I love flying. And hopefully, that flight will actually do some other good as well." Turning back to Bean, she laughs, eyes twinkling. "Yes, when are we going to get to meet the four-legged friend who's making our bestie so happy? I hope it's soon!" She nudges the wrapped package over to Bean to let him unwrap at his leisure. "It's not as fancy as some gifts... but it's made from the heart. Happy Birthday."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    There are some things that will always have priority over others. Manners, for one, so Bean sits down and lets himself be served with a plate and cutlery, seeing that he is clearly a guest today rather than an active participant in the meal. He does raise an eyebrow at the bounty that's being provided... a whole pan to himself? Oh, nom! There is a temptation to eat straight from the pan, but instead he ladles a generous portion onto his plate, so that Chris' work wouldn't have been in vain. "Hopefully tomorrow. I think it should have been today, but then there might be some kind of idea that he's a birthday gift and that wouldn't be right. I'm... kind of excited, if I'm honest. You'll like him, I'm sure of it."

    And now, finally, it is time to unwrap the gift. Just as with his previous gifts, he gives this one his full attention and due care. Tape is slowly unstuck, paper unfolded rather than ripped, and then the nature becomes obvious. Another bright smile as the paper folds away from the quilt. "Oh wow. That looks warm... thank you so much!"

Triage has posed:
"We're glad that you've come to stay with us," Chris adds. He heads for the refrigerator to get drinks for them to complete the meal, and returns to perch on a stool beside Shannon. "He looks very intelligent in the photo, so I'm sure that he'll be a great help." Then he takes the other spoon and ladles a heap of the gooey goodness onto a plate, which he places before Shannon. "You cooked it. You should have first helpings," he explains to her. Returning to Bean, he adds, "And if Bear becomes sick, don't hesitate to call me. We'll see to him, and I'll keep some treats on hand in the office in case he comes to visit."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon grins and shakes her head. "Not going to start until the birthday boy has his first." As difficult as it is, Shannon does wait to tuck into her portion of mac 'n cheese until Bean starts with his. "The colors of that quilt were chosen for a reason," she offers. "The midnight blue is the darkness from which you came to us. The yellow is the light inside you, which will always shine brightest in the darkest hour. You will always have that core of goodness inside you, and the chains of your past will never shackle you again. Hence, the chain pattern."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    For a moment, there's a polite-off. Bean doesn't want to eat before someone else has their first bite, and Shannon won't eat until he does... so for a few seconds, there's every possibility that for the sake of manners everyone will be stuck at the table until the heat death of the universe. But then, using what little knowledge he gained from all those social simulations, Bean starts to eat. "Mhmm. You know, I jokingly called him my spare brain, but I think that's literally what he is. Just... remember, treats only when he's not working." They made that very clear to him, and in turn he's going to be quite strict about that. There are rules, they will be followed.

    He listens to Shannon explain the pattern, looking at the folded quilt a safe distance away from the food, smiling. "Makes sense that you made it. After all, you brought out that light in the first place."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head, smiling and finally digging in to her mac 'n cheese. The compliment has her blushing, and chuckling softly. "It's like I told the Captain, one time when he visited here. We had a long talk about a lot of stuff, but one thing I told him was he already had that moral compass of his, just the things he went through to take on the shield, made him a lot harder to knock down in the process. Same thing with you. You already had that light inside you. You just had to see it for yourself. All you needed was someone to believe in you, and now you have that in spades."

She cants her head slightly to one side, listening to talk of Bear, her smile widening. "Will Bear wear a harness or vest or something when he's in working mode, so there's no confusion about it for anyone? It's going to be really hard to not spoil him completely rotten."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    All the talk of light has Bean thinking about the other agent he met, the other one that got away. There's precious little doubt that there was light there as well, clouded by all the darkness of the HYDRA conditioning. Maybe the darkness was artificial, and he couldn't see it because of the brainwashing. But the more people tell him that he's a good man, the more Bean comes to believe it. And the greater his desire to make amends.

    Rather than dwell on that too far, he gratefully seizes the topic of Bear. "He'll wear a high visibility vest when he's working. Normally that's only outdoors, but considering the environment he'll be wearing it during school hours as well. After hours we can relax that a bit, and he's my buddy all the time, but those are the most stressful moments of the day, so that's when he really can't be distracted."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly, absorbing this information. Still, there's a little twinkle in her eyes, and she grins wider. "So, say we wanted to pass him a treat under the table at dinner, that'd be an option as it's not during school hours?" It was plain that she meant to spoil this new four-legged friend just as much as she did those of the two-legged variety. "Got to admit, I wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation with Bear, but I'm actually really glad to see that working out for you."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Honestly... I don't know. I suppose if he's been a good boy all day, there's no harm." Treats are, of course, a tool for learning as much as a reward, and Bean had been warned about accidentally teaching Bear the wrong behavior by using them too often. "But if I'm eating in the dining room rather than the kitchen, he'll probably be working. There's... a lot of people in there." And a lot of people equal stress. Stress means that Bear will need to be on guard.

    "You know, I'd never thought about it. Not until... not until Agent Barnes." He doesn't know how much Shannon knows, so he's using the most generic term he can. "It was good talking to him. We've been through a lot of the same."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon raises her eyebrows a little, the gears in her head turning. There was something there... but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Some sort of connection it felt as if she should be making, but she just shakes her head and shrugs, letting it go for the moment. No doubt she'd find out when it was meant to be. Worst case, well, she always knew just who to ask! Nodding, she smiles some. "I'm glad you were able to talk to him. Someone who's shared the same experiences you have." She reaches over to touch his hand briefly, and sighs a little. "That's one thing I don't have, is that sort of understanding. God willing, hopefully I never will. But... I've got two good ears for you to bend if you ever need."

Triage has posed:
Chris is even more a victim of the stand-off, waiting not only for Bean but then for Shannon. Finally, he helps himself and begins to eat. When Bean explains the rules about Bear, Chris nods. "That's perfectly understandable. The treats will be there in case you run low, or in case you need to visit and allow him to relax as well," he explains. He glances to Shannon and then back to Bean. "It's like the horses. They get apples only when they are not working, when they can be free to enjoy the treat without worrying about focusing on duties." He takes another bite, and after swallowing, adds, "Both of you will be welcome in the office if you need a 'safe haven.'" He waves. "Things become a bit hectic around here, as you already know."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Thanks." Bean smiles, both to Shannon and to Chris. "There's going to be things I can't explain, or can't tell you because I don't understand them very well myself. But it's good to know you'll be there to listen, even when I ramble." And then he remembers the episode from last week. "Especially when I ramble."

    The offer of the wellness office as a safe space is clearly welcome as well. "Hectic... doesn't describe it. I'm used to a lot of noise and a lot of people, but... not this randomness. And you don't have any snarky technology in there, so that's a bonus."

Nightingale has posed:
"Nope, just friends, and sometimes some good snacks." Shannon smiles some, and leans forward to both. "Sometimes, I have a really hard time with large social situations, too. I'll deal with them for a little while, but eventually it just becomes too much and I have to get out of there. Doesn't matter who's there, I've just got to run. Is it anything like that, for you?"

Triage has posed:
"The office is for small, mundane things. As you know, the tech is downstairs," Chris reminds Bean, referring to the medical lab and other facilities in the basement. Then he nods to Shannon. "I think that most people need that break at times." Glancing to Bean again, he urges, "Learn to be sensitive to that, and excuse yourself before it begins to overwhelm. That's a big part of handling any tensions. It isn't possible in all situations, but with practice, you'll become better at managing things."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "In a way, yes." Up until now, Bean had no idea that Shannon faced that struggle. The description sounds familiar, but... "The larger the group, the harder it is for me to join in. There's people here now that I trust, and that changes things a bit but... imagine, entering a room, say the dining room, and there's twenty people there. To me that's twenty possible enemies. So the first thing I do is assess them for threat. Size, muscularity, signs of greater awareness, weapons... and all that happens while I'm just walking into the room. Until the moment I leave that room, I will be keeping an eye on as many of them as I can. Who do they talk to? What do they say? What are they eating, and is it clearly different from what I'm having? Did my food or drink leave my sight at any point? All of that, keeping all of that in mind... while at the same time having to be social, to be pleasant. It's stressful."

    He nods to Chris. "I know. And I've been working on it. At least people here know that I might just walk out without saying anything, it makes it easier. Less pressure that way."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
It's late. Not super duper late, but late enough for some of the younger kids to be in bed, the older kids winding down, and the night owls - like Gwendolyn - heading to the kitchen for a snack. Dressed in her pajamas and a robe, her slippered feet slide over the polished floor as she jogs towards the kitchen, she overshoots and slides a little, nearly overcorrecting and going ass over teakettle. "Smooth, Gwen." she murmurs to herself, straightening and noticing people. "Oh heck." Her right hand comes up in a small wave. "Um...hi?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly, breathing a little bit of a sigh. "Can't say as I understand seeing others as potential enemies like that. With me... I just freeze. My mind will either come to a screeching halt, or go spinning into a panic. If there's someone there I know, it makes it a little easier to bear for a little longer, but sometimes, even with that it just gets to be too much. An example is when I attended a big charity gala with Josh Foley, not too long after I'd gotten here. Honestly, if it wasn't for him and for running into the Captain there, I'd have run a whole lot sooner, but eventually it -did- get to be overwhelming and I took off. Same thing with Mr. Parker's birthday party. Mr. Parker's pretty awesome, and a lot of the people there were folks I know from school. But it got to be too much and I left just as soon as presents were opened." She shrugs and tries to smile some. "Being social, and having some measure of grace and tact, knowing what to say to who, without hurting someone's feelings, it can be really difficult. So, I avoid large social situations, mostly. Superman's memorial service... that was different, a really rare exception. If he could face down only god knows what to save us all, then I could face that down for his sake."

Triage has posed:
Chris glances toward the door at the soft shuffle of feet. When Gwen arrives, he grins and dismounts from his stool. "Come in! It's fine!" he assures. "I'll get a plate and fork for you," he offers. "All of us have our coping mechanisms, Bean," he assures. Without waiting for an answer from Gwen, he strides to the cabinets to gather another plate and fork.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Honestly, it's par for the course. Hearing the sound of sliding footsteps, Bean looks into a reflective surface towards the door as he eats his first Mac 'n Cheese of his sixteenth year, and sees Gwendolyn slide in. Yup. Luckily there's plenty of food, and he lifts his hand in greeting, not even turning around.

    "If our heroes can do it, so can we, right?" He gives a wry smile at that. "I imagine even Superman felt a bit nervous in front of large crowds. He was just really good at hiding it."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Food was on the menu, but at the sight of a spread to celebrate Bean's birthday, Gwendolyn resigns herself to being social for just a little while since Macaroni and Cheese is being served in the kitchen, along with various other bits of goodness. "Being invincible probably helped Superman, too." Gwendolyn takes the offered plate, mounded with a decent portion of Mac 'n Cheese, and sighs. "you're going to make me run a mile tomorrow to work you off, Mac 'n Cheese. Or do some more flying in the backyard, assuming it's not bone-cold."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon raises her hand in greeting to Gwendolyn, smiling wide. "Hey there! Ha, yeah, we can't all of us be invincible. Or have metabolism that doesn't mean working our collective asses off after a feast of mac 'n cheese!" Shannon giggles softly, glancing back over at Bean, and holding up two fingers. "Think that'd be enough, or more?"

Triage has posed:
"At least we can exercise," Chris remarks, settling on his stool and reclaiming his plate. He looks to Shannon and mentions, "Most people there seemed to know someone else. That helped, too. I wouldn't have gone alone, and I was glad, once I was there, to find more familiar people from the school." Then he looks to Gwen. "You might need to visit the gym instead. If the forecast is accurate, we're due for some bad weather."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Gwendolyn settles in on one of the stools, making sure her robe is wrapped tight. Not that she's modest - more like she's trying to stay warm. Stabbing her fork into her mac and cheese, she takes the bite and smiles happily. "Worth the exercise, hands down." she declares. The declaration of poor weather causes a little frown. "Ah well. First snow I'll have ever seen. Should be intresting. But cold."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    There's a nod. Yup. "Two miles. For the rest of the week." Bean is ruthless when it comes to exercise, but then he seems to be able to eat anything and not gain an ounce over his idea weight. Has anyone checked if that's not actually one of his mutant powers? "And a bit of snow won't kill us either. Besides, if it's too bad outside for a proper run, we'll just do laps in the gym. But it's going to have to be pretty bad before we stop running outside." Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of way, way too early morning...

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon grins from ear to ear as she peers over her fork at Gwendolyn, and then to Chris and Bean in turn. "Oh-ho, I know what this means. We'll have to organize a snowball fight, teachers versus students! What do you think? We get one or two good snowstorms, we bundle up, go outside, build a couple snow forts, and have at it?" The very idea has her in fits of giggles, and... snickering? She's actually /snickering/?! Oh, my.

Triage has posed:
Chris shrugs. "We'll see what happens, but if they're right, we'll have some white on the lawn. I'm not sure how much, but judging from past years, it will pile quickly." He grins and nods to Shannon. "Soon, the lake will freeze, too. If that happens and it's thick enough, skating and ice hockey," he predicts before he shovels another forkful of golden goodness into his mouth.

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
It's like one of thos christmas movies that always came on the free channels back home. Ice Skating, snowball fights, building snowmen. "As long as camping out in the snow isn't a thing we're going to do, or if it is, lots of clothes wrapping me in warmth and a fire the size of a small house and s'mores are necessary." Gwendolyn looks to Bean and his demand for two miles a day for the rest of the week and this, being Monday, means she'll have to run to town and back to make up that deficit? E tu, Macaroni? Still, it's good and worth it, and she's young, so why not? Another bite goes in. "I wanted to sit down with you sometime and start planning that, Shannon. The holiday thing." She doesn't say christmas because some people aren't practicioners, but a party's a party. :)

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "I'll pass on the snowball fight." Bean smiles and plies his fork, listening to the talk going on. It's relaxing, surrounded by friends and acquaintances, a much more relaxed atmosphere than could be had in the dining room. "It's honestly not that cold as long as you dress for it. Layers are your friend."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon tilts her head curiously at Bean. "Too much like... other things... for you?" Nodding with understanding, she smiles softly. "It's all good. You'd still be welcome if you ever change your mind." Gwendolyn gets a grin and a bit of a giggle, the young angel-winged girl cracking her knuckles as if preparing to play the piano. "Oh yes, much holiday plotting to do. Told my folks I'd be staying here for the holidays, visit them shortly after. There's a lot of kids who don't have anybody to celebrate with, or homes to go to other than here."

Triage has posed:
"We might have more staying for this season than leaving," Chris predicts. "Traveling is expensive, and some people see this place as more of a home than any other place." He looks at the others. "In a sense, we've become our own family, learning to trust each other when we've faced challenges that would wither some people." He glances from Gwendolyn to Shannon and back to Gwen. "Shannon and I were talking about that recently," he admits. "It would be good to make this a fun time for everyone."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Gwendolyn's macaroni has been steadily vanishing. Living on the road means that she still has a camper's stomach. If it's on a plate and edible, she'll eat it. Bonus points if it's warm and tasty, which this is. She nods to Bean, then gives Shannon a grin. "I think we should get a list. Figure out who's all around here for the holiday and then plan stuff accordingly. A party before, for everyone who's going places and not. A little gift exchange or something. And then after, dinner together as...I don't know...Friendsmas or something. X-mas...Nah." Gwendolyn giggles wiggling hr fingers at Shannon, slipping off the stool to her feet. "I'm going to wander off. Bean?" She sidles over to where he is and then, impulsively, gives him a hug. "Happy birthday."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "As I told Sam earlier today, some of us are lucky that we don't have to travel to be home for the holidays." Leave it to Bean to find a positive spin on something like this. Shannon gets a nod, a small and quick one, when she asks about the snowball fight. In honesty he hasn't been in one in quite some time, but would probably like to avoid things involving hastily dug fortifications and trying to hit someone with a thrown weapon, even if it is just made out of compacted snow.

    "I haven't checked the meteorological data for the area, so I don't know how bad it gets here in winter, but I've heard stories." Suddenly he's hugged. No warning, just... sudden hug. He must be having a very good day, because his response is to slowly put down his cutlery and return the hug. "Thank you."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon giggles madly at Gwendolyn's inadvertant pun. "X-mas! I love it! That's what we'll have around here... X-mas!" She smiles at the other girl, and wiggles one of her slightly ragged wings at her in lieu of a wave. A couple feathers flutter to the ground, despite her good spirits. Oh, dear.

To Bean, she grins, another idea coming to mind. "Well, if snowball fights aren't your thing, what about snow sculptures? You were just talking to Mr. Rasputin about art classes, so why not apply the idea?"

Chris gets a smile and tilts her head. "Ice skating, huh? Can't really remember the last time I went skating. Used to dream of being a figure skater when I was really little. What about you, is that something you enjoy?"

Triage has posed:
"Bean has a point about the snowball fight," Chris notes with a nod to the young man. "We face enough fights as it is. Why not build snow-people or other designs? Each year, when winter comes and the snow falls, people take pictures of amazing structures that they build with snow. We could do something like that." Then he looks to Gwen and assures, "If winter means anything, it means good, warm food, especialy treats and warm drinks. You should fare well with it." Then he inclines his head to Shannon. "I'm not great, but I do enjoy ice skating, and I'd be glad to teach anyone who wants to learn."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Gwendolyn bounces back after feeling the unease from the hug, giving Bean a smile, blushing a littl around her goggles. "Everyone gave gifts, and I don't have one yet, so a hug will have to do for now. At least until I can come up with something." She smiles happily and puts her plate in the sink to be washed, ducks down to snag one or two of Shannon's feathers, and unfurls her own wing just enough to give a wave back. "It's too late for me to have cohrent conversations. I'll dream, take some notes, and we'll have the best....lord...X-mas ever."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "I've already been given more than I expected. So don't worry about it." Bean practically beams, spirits buoyed up by all the good wishes and the knowledge of what's to come tomorrow. "And snow sculptures, yes! Given all the talent around the school, and all the abilities from the students, that would be a great idea."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles at Bean. "As much as you've given all of us just by being here, it's the least we can do for you." She positively dancing on her stool at the prospect of an afternoon of snow sculpture and ice skating, and the hot, tasty treats that come with such excursions. "Oh yes. Best. X-mas. Ever."

Triage has posed:
"I think that we have great ideas for outdoor activities, but if the weather is bad enough, and that is possible, we should plan for things to do inside," Chris warns. "Certainly we'll have the rec room for games."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Gwendolyn backs towards the door with a grin. "Dibs on frisbee in the gym.". she calls as she turns on the ball of her foot to start towards the door. "Shannon, I'll talk with you tomorrow and we'll do some planning. I'll even help with your feathers.". the two she picked up from the floor are twirled playfully. "See y'all tomorrow.".

Nightingale has posed:
"Scheisse!" Shannon's nose wrinkles, her brows knitting. "Molting -again-? Must be the season, it's been nothing but a great past couple of days." She nods a little to Gwen and smiles. "Sounds good, though... seasonal molting can get a little messy. And it's going to take a little while." She waves to the other girl and smiles, finishing off her mac 'n cheese.

Chris gets a smile, and she rolls her eyes. "Oh gawd, /yes/. What'll we do for indoor activities, if we wind up being snowbound? Bean, got any thoughts on that?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Good night." This time Bean actually turns and waves rather than focus on his food, a sure sign he's warmed up to someone. Well... as far as that's possible. Shannon's feathers get him to frown and give his friend's wings a bit more of a critical look. But as long as Chris isn't worried about it, neither will he.

    "First and foremost, we won't be snowbound if we keep the lawn clear for a few feet away from the building. Sure, it's a bit of extra work, but that's not going to stop us, is it? But if the weather gets too bad... don't know, to be honest. Computer game tournament, board games, quick D&D campaign..."

Triage has posed:
Chris nods to Bean. "Some chores might help although I wouldn't want the students to think that they're here to work and not to enjoy the break from classes." He glances to Shannon and then assures, "It's definitely a seasonal thing. Earlier, when we were outside, she was fine. That was before the weather started to turn. I'm fairly certain, at this point, that humidity, pressure, and other factors like that might provoke brief increases in the molt." He shakes his head. "We're keeping eyes on it, to be safe."

Nightingale has posed:
It could not have been a more perfect evening. Sure, there were times and places for big parties and birthday shindigs, but when it comes to one's best friends, plain and simple was the best way to go. Homemade gifts, a home-cooked dinner, and plenty of conversation, both deep and light-hearted. Plans made, hopes shared, and a brighter future yet to be for the upcoming year--one more trip around the sun, anyone?