12457/Dorm Dillema

Dorm Dillema
Date of Scene:	16 November 2020
Location:	Jean's Office - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Jade comes to speak with Jean about accommodations and learns a little about adaptation too.
Cast of Characters:	Phoenix, Gecko

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Phoenix has posed:
It may be well past normal work hours, but there is arguably nothing normal about nearly everything here. As she so often is, Jean is in her office working through various reports and projects that she can't get to during normal hours. Her door is open as it usually is, serving as an open invitation to anyone who may need her.

Still in her black pants suit with a green undershirt, the Headmistress is hunched over her keyboard typing at document with a serious, scrunched up expression on her face. She must not be liking how it sounds, because she pauses every few lines to delete a chunk of text and begin rewriting it. It doesn't help matters that she keeps trying to brush a bit of hair out of her face which has clearly given up on the workday and is trying to block her vision, and she ends up just sweeping it back with a puff of her powers when hands and huffs of breath don't contain it.

Gecko has posed:
     A small fist raps at the door a few times. A head peeks inside with hair that's an artful mess of brown locks. Vibrant green eyes that briefly shift into reptilian slits as Jade swallows.

     "Ah, hey, Ms. Jean," she says.

     For a moment, her eyes dart to the side like she's considering an escape. Composure comes to her in the next.

     "Right. I wanted to talk about my dorm arrangements if that's alright."

     Finally, she steps further in with a quick exhale. She's wearing a black hoodie with 'BAD BOY' on it and some shorts, though her feet are bare. One hand folds over her front and idly massages her other arm.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey seems to know that the student is approaching just before she rounds the bend and she's looking up from her work and towards the door when Jade would spot her.

"Hey! Good evening. Come on in, have a seat if you'd like. I'm always here if anyone needs to talk - though the hallway sometimes works just as well if someone catches me there."

She gives a gesture of her hand towards an unassuming black box at the base of one of the bookshelves. "Oh, if you're thirsty there's a mini fridge over there with some water bottles."

For all she talks easily and warmly, there's a slight pull at one corner of her mouth and an apologetic softening of her features. "I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to speak with you properly. I hope you're settling in alright, though that sounds like part of what you want to talk about."

Gecko has posed:
     A goofy lopsided smile spreads across Jade's face, and a sigh of relief escapes it. The tomboy steps further in to take the offered seat. She stares at Jean's desk for a moment.

     "I-It's awesome. I can feel safe and more comfortable than I have in as long as I can remember," she says.

     Jade seems to finally realize that she's avoiding eye contact as they dart straight up to yours. A subtly strange tongue whips over her lips to wet them. Her mouth opens and closes as if about to speak repeatedly for the next few seconds.

     "I don't think I belong in the girl's dorm," says Jade.

     Her subtly clawed hand lifts her hoodie, and she gnaws at the collar absentmindedly. One of her sharp teeth is about to tear her hoodie before she finally catches herself and stops.

     "I, uh, I was a boy before I mutated--last year. I don't want to bother the girls by being in there."

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey is a model of patience. She leans back in her chair, her posture relaxed and her expressions smooth and calm. She could probably rip through a tank and make lawn ornaments out of it with a thought, but emotions are a delicate thing. There's no sense of her mind intruding on that of the student, and Jean doesn't even speak until Jade's spoken.

"You hit the point right on the head. This school is a place to feel safe and comfortable to be who you want to be. I can understand the concern, and thanks for letting me know. It sounds like something that's still pretty raw, as I imagine that kind of identity shift would be."

She leans forward to rest her arms on the edge of her desk. "I'm happy to accommodate you in whatever way makes you comfortable. Admittedly, gender divided wings is rather old fashioned, but that mostly stemmed from our founding and times where roommates were more common. Most students enjoy private rooms these days. That said, if you would personally be more comfortable in a different room, that can certainly be arranged."

Gecko has posed:
     Jade offers little more than a nod at first. She chews at the inside of her cheek with eyes attempting to bore a hole through Jean's desk. When they dart back up, they widen as if with sudden realization.

     "Oh, and I don't want you to think like..." she pauses there with her mouth open for a second, "Like I would do anything weird. I just don't want to make any of the girls uncomfortable."

     One of her hands brushes over her mouth before she quickly continues.

     When the Headmistress proposes moving her to a different room, her brows draw together. "If I changed rooms, where would I go? The boy's dorm?"

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey holds up a single hand as she shakes her head, "No, no no. Nothing of the sort. If you had any kind of... inappropriate intentions, you'd hardly be sitting here talking to be about it and looking like you're expecting a jump scare any second."

The wink of one green eye is so fleeting, it might be easy to miss without looking. "I wouldn't be worried about the girls. By and large, the lot of them will have zero hesitation to speak up if something is bothering them. They're also very good and loyal people, ones who would likely be more than happy to talk if you ever had questions."

"As for the room, yes. At the moment we just have the two wings and then others for staff. Some of the students have roommates, other's don't. It's mostly a matter of comfort and companionship. We don't cohabitate students, though we don't crack down on visiting unless there's obvious.... improprieties that'd distract from school. Many of them are on teams together, so we don't dissuade them from spending time together."

Gecko has posed:
     When Jean mentions Jade's anxiety, Jade's skin begins to burn so red one might assume it's a chameleon ability of some kind. Accompanying it, a goofy grin as she glances away after the wink.

     "Here I thought I was keeping it cool," she says with a soft raspy laugh.

     Her thumb lifts to her lips, and a sharp tooth nibbles at the little claw on it.

     "Well, what if one of the girls has a problem with a...boy?" Jade frowns and shifts in her seat.

     "Like, invading their space or something," says Jade.

Phoenix has posed:
"In a world like this, us mutants tend to grow up pretty fast." Jean says gently, though there is a quieter and slightly mournful tone to her voice as she says it. "Additionally, we have to be able to rely on one another. So long as everyone is courteous, we prefer students try to work out their concerns. It goes beyond trusting our students to handle their own matters. Life isn't always easy for us, and being able to work together despite our differences isn't just important. It'll save your life. Never feel afraid to talk to anyone in this school, and that goes both ways. Obviously staff is here to help mediate and advise when needed, but if someone would have a concern with another student I would hope they'd tried to amiably work it out."

"More specifically to the topic, really, so long as someone is respectful is something like gender a concern? We're mutants. Who we were yesterday may not be the same as we are today, or will be tomorrow. We were born to adapt, to evolve. If there's one thing that a mutant can be certain about is that life will always have a surprise waiting for you."

Gecko has posed:
     Jade sits up a little more straight; her legs folded lotus style in the seat. Her foot bounces back and forth against her knee. A wry smile slowly grows on her face, and she looks up to you.

     "I just don't want to be a bother to others."

     A heavy sigh escapes Jade as her feet quickly unfold and feet plant against the floor. Her head subtly bobs with a few nods. The rest of her body looks as if it's no longer about to pop at any second.

     "Thank you. I mean it. I've felt like such a freak, but I already feel a little less weighed down here. It's really refreshing just to be talked to like I'm normal," says Jade.

     "Okay, I think I'll stay in my current room. If there's a problem, I'll cross that bridge then."

     The tomboy rises to her feet and straightens her shorts and hoodie like she's not used to wearing them.

Phoenix has posed:
"You're not a bother. This school is to help young mutants find themselves and find a place in the world. I'd say you're in the perfect spot to do just that." Jean gives Jade a wide, open smile then. She holds out her hands in a gesture to the room around her.

"In fact, if you need someone to talk to about finding a way to fit in and overcoming some past obstacles, I'd say you should speak with Jeremy. I'll leave his story for him to tell, but he's come a long way in just a short time being here. So if you'd rather a peer to talk to about adjusting to school life than us old folks, you may find him the right ear to speak to. He's another senior as well."

"This is home to a lot of us. We're a family here. My door is always open, either this one or if there's an emergency come knock on my room door. Email and text is open too. I'm always here to talk. Any of the staff can reach me at a moment's notice too."

Gecko has posed:
     A forlorn expression appears on Jade's face as she bites back a pout. She nods her head a few times and clears her throat. Her hand reaches up to rub her mouth.

     "Alright. I'll do that," she says with a slight shake in her voice.

     A goofy smile flashing those teeth manages to emerge once more. Her chest heaves as she takes one more deep breath to steady herself.

     "Thank you again, Ms. Jean. Let me know if I can do anything to help out around here," says Jade.

     With that, she subtly bows her head in thanks and makes her way out the door.