12688/The New Normal

The New Normal
Date of Scene:	27 January 2021
Location:	66 East 11th Street, Greenwich Village
Synopsis:	Jay and Andrea talk about their future and the cure, then Shannon comes by to talk boy stuff.
Cast of Characters:	Icarus, Rage, Nightingale

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Icarus has posed:
For two weeks after new years, things had been insane. The Blue Pirates couldn't seem to go anywhere without getting mobbed. They'd been interviewed and done a couple of talk or radio shows. They'd been approached by up-and-coming artists as well as a few established ones about being their band on their upcoming albums. They'd been mobbed and signed autographs.

Thankfully after two weeks, there was a new sensation on the charts from one of those up-and-comers and it allowed them to start fading back out of the spotlight. After all, the world only had so much attention to spare. Certainly they had a lot more followers and quite a few dollars in their pockets since their sales had skyrocketed for the little bit of stuff they had out there. And Andrea's song they had debuted with her? That added a little more to the coffers.

Jay was currently in the kitchen, working on brunch. It was too late to be called breakfast and too early for lunch so he opted for it being brunch. Working on might be a stretch. It involved taking out bowls, setting out the cereal and spoons then waiting for his love to wander in.

Rage has posed:
Having moved through a few other projects in the last two weeks to set up a roadmap for the new year, Andrea has been fairly upbeat, that is, until news that a few of her friends at Xavier's got hit with the cure. Since then, she has been mopey and moody. Security has beefed up a bit when she does get out of the house, but for the most part, she has been doing most of her work and coursework remotely.

Finally coming out of their room, she gives a loud yawn, stretching her arms upwards. She's wearing a pair of sleep pants and a baggy t-shirt that dangles off a shoulder. Her hair is pulled up behind her in a bit of a messy bun after taking a shower and she smells like vanilla.

"Hey, whatcha up to?" She asks as she heads over to wrap her arms around him from behind, easing up against him and props her chin against his shoulder.

Icarus has posed:
As she approaches, he tucks his wings tight against his back so she can snuggle in easier. He turns his head to give her a quick kiss then points to the setup of bowls and spoons along with cereal. "Breakfast is served. Other than that, nothing really. Not up to looking at email." Since it usually was insanely overflowing of late. Even with staff trying reviewing official stuff, that didn't stop his family and friends from blowing it up constantly. And some not so much friends that he hadn't seen since school, before Xavier's. Amazing how many friends someone had when they got fifteen minutes of fame.

"Just need milk." Which he makes no move to go get because having her snuggled up is far better than any bowl of cereal.

"How are things going at the Xavier's? Have you heard more?" He knows it's been on her mind. It's been on his too but mostly because of his worry for her. That she is staying home pleases him, something he hasn't been shy about admitting. After all, her safety is everything.

Rage has posed:
"I went over and hung out with them for a bit. Emotions are definitely high. Shannon seems to be taking it well, but you know how she is. Megan I think is a bit more upset by the whole situation, being that she was an X-Man and now feels useless. I took 'em shopping for a bit and spent money to try and make 'em feel better." Andrea says from behind him as she gives him a tighter squeeze.

"Why don't you just create a new email address that's just for family? That way you don't have to worry about the crazy, which I warned you guys about ahead of time." She says with smile. She leans up to lick the bottom of his ear playfully, then lets him go to get the milk from the fridge as her wolf slippers 'arf' with each step she takes.

"You should go to Xavier's also and see them. Think it helps the students feel better seeing alumni. Now that you're a 'celebrity', I'm sure a bunch of the boys would like to meet and talk to you."

Icarus has posed:
"Sure some of the girls would too," Jay muttered, the frown evident in his tone since her back was to him at the moment. "Maybe we should've stuck with just doing local gigs." He'd only said that about eleven thousand times in the last three weeks. So now eleven thousand and one. She had warned them. They had no one to blame but themselves. He shook his head and focused on the more important things though.

"I'm surprised Shannon is taking it well. Being a flyer, I'm thinking I would be going insane if I couldn't just soar. She does always try to have a positive outlook but still." He frowns as he pours cereal in both of their bowls while she's getting the liquid to add to it.

"I wasn't sure if seeing someone with wings still might be more depressing. Megan needs to realize there is plenty you can do without being an X-Man. Although she shouldn't get too used to it. I'm sure Dr. McCoy will come up with something to fix all this."

Rage has posed:
"I can hear you!" Andrea calls over from the fridge after tugging the milk out, and the OJ. "I wouldn't care if some girls were swooning over you. It's part of the gig and it's hilarious. If you don't want the fame and glory of being a rockstar with girls throwing panties at you, we don't haaaave to do the album. I can just do another shake my ass pop thingy and have all these guys catcalling me instead."

As she heads back over and puts the milk down, she pours herself some OJ. "Shannon is probably putting on a brave face. I'm sure this is killing her, but we all cope in different ways. I'm confident they will fix this though and reverse it." She furrows her brows in thought. "What about you? Would you want the cure?" She asks curiously.

Icarus has posed:
He can't help a little grin at her admission she hears him. It's still there when she suggests the reaction many guys have to her performances. After all, tit for tat as the saying goes. He deserved that one.

"But I do want to do an album with you. I think what we did that night was electric. Noticed it the first time we performed together back home, with the rest of the guys. It's magic and we need to try to tap into that."

Then she poses the hard question. He considers, forehead a bit furrowed as he weighs. "I've thought about that a few times. Whether I should or shouldn't," he admits. "On one side, I'd be giving up my flying and that would be difficult. It's as much a part of me as my music." He flicks his wings comfortably into place behind him, more a nervous action at the thought of them not being there.

He drops his gaze to his bowl then looks up at her. "But if I gave it up, I would be normal. I wouldn't heal from everything." He gets to the meat of it. "Already, my aging seems to be slowing. My body staying in peak health. That means I will stay like this. Forever possibly. And each time I die, just get back up and continue some more. And you..." He swallows. "Will age in time. If I got the cure, I could age with you, grow old with you."

Nightingale has posed:
     Business as usual was anything but. Studying, classes, training... they all only went so far in staving off the shadows. Back in her dorm at the school, Shannon picks up her phone and starts tapping away madly at the screen, all but jabbing her finger on each letter, composing an SOS to Andrea.

     <<Cabin fever. Need halp. STAT!>>

     Sometimes, simple was the best way to go.

Rage has posed:
As she listens to him, Andrea nods her head here and there, taking a scoop of food into her mouth for a few chews and a swallow. "Being smoking hot forever? That sounds terrible. You should /totally/ take the cure." She says with a smirk in his direction before she sobers up a bit.

"I've thought about it as well to be honest. Turning into a monster isn't exactly the mutant power lottery win you know? It will eventually get out to the world and it will end my career. Dazzler makes lightshows and they cancelled her, but that was also like .. awhile ago when people were still a little bit 'more' ignorant. But I can't see people being chill with werewolf girl dancing on stage in bootie shorts and a sparkly shirt."

"At the same time, I'd look like a super hypocrite for doing it. I can't be pro-mutant activist and go team go, and then take the cure and be like .. peace bitches, I'm out!" She takes another bite of cereal, munching on it.

"I love you for who you are and I wouldn't want you to change. If I get old and you stay young and hot, I can just be a cougar or something." She jokes. "But, I'm not worried about those mechanics. I love you for who you are. I wouldn't want you to take the cure. Not for me. I'm more afraid that it's a decision you can't go back from, you know? It's not like dying your hair."

As her phone pings, she glances down at it, then picks it up. << Jay and I are having breakfast. Welcome to come over if you want. >>

Icarus has posed:
"I dunno. Your power has kept you alive more than once. If you'd been human, you'd already have been dead," Jay says as he pokes at his cereal with his spoon. Not really eating it yet, just moving it around in the bowl, making sure every piece gets some milk on it. "And there are plenty of people who are not mutants who are pro mutant these days. So that wouldn't be that strange but I get your point. Some of them might feel betrayed."

He eyes her poking on her phone but doesn't ask. "I am thinking there will be a cure for the cure eventually. There has to be. Especially with it being weaponized, instead of as it had been intended. So in time, it will be a choice. Something that you can come back from."

He shrugs and finally scoops up a bite of cereal. "We'll play our lives by ear. If the aging thing does become an issue, I can take it then and start catching up. Or if you keep me until the end, I likely will take it after and join you." Yeah, he's that guy still, remember?

He finally takes the bite of cereal.

Nightingale has posed:
     <<You sure you're not a saint? Bust out the baking pans, I'll bring some things for cinnamon rolls.>>

     It's a little while later after that last text message is sent, but eventually, Shannon does make her way out to Andrea's penthouse. It seems the aforementioned shopping trip did her some good, as she is dressed in some much nicer-than-usual dark blue jeans that seem to hug her body -just so-, those favorite calf-length caramel suede boots of hers, and a fleece-lined leather bomber jacket with the collar turned up against the cold. She's got that weighted backpack of hers on, and is just pulling off her light blue helmet as she's coming up to the door.

     Unfortunately, this gives her 'halo hair', that all too well-known phenomenon of winter.

     "Knock, knock! Anyone home?"

Rage has posed:
"If I was human, I wouldn't have been in those situations. No one taking shots at me, no monsters attacking the school, no Reavers, no Friends of Humanity, no haters. I'd just be a typical popstarlet." Andrea also points out. "I also probably wouldn't give a shit about mutants and be too wrapped up in celeb drama and be like: Oh, ew, that guy has blue fur, yuck." She says in a high pitched bitchy tone of voice.

"Being a mutant has gave me a lot of perspective of the real world and struggles people have. I'm very fortunate to be where I'm at. Though I'd be lying if I didn't say there's a part of me that doesn't want to be a eight foot monster from hell that loses her mind and gets a taste for flesh, or cats."

"I wouldn't want you to take a cure to catch up to me. If it happens, it happens, Jay. You should only take a cure if you think it'd make your life better. You have a great gift with your voice and flying is really awesome. I wouldn't want you to lose any of that for me. I'd rather get old and pass on looking into the eyes of my smoking hot husband who still passes for twenty-something instead of an old wrinkled bald guy." She teases him as she taps her foot to his.

Once breakfast is complete and she has thrown some proper clothes on, she calls over, "Shan's on her way!"

And that's her knocking on the door. She taps a button on her phone to release the locks, then heads over to open the door. "Heeeey! Come on in and get to baking. How you doing?"

Icarus has posed:
"Some warning, woman!"

And that is Jay diving into the bedroom and closing the door before Andrea has a chance to open the front door. After all, he was running around in sweatpants. Just sweatpants! He quickly pulled on a tank top then turned toward the door before pausing. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, wings behind him. A frown at himself then he was back in the closet.

He quickly switched out of the sweats into a pair of baggy jeans, making sure his wings were hidden flat against his body and down his legs, as he had learned to do back home. Then a hoodie added to hide his back more completely. He had done this often back at Xavier's, especially when the group went out in public so it wouldn't seem unusual. Hopefully.

Only then would he head back for the living room, feet still bare.

"Hey, Shannon."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Warning? Where's the fun in that?"

     Perhaps a little bit of Andrea was rubbing off on Shannon as she lopes on in, closing the door behind her. She stops en route to the kitchen to give Andrea and Jay each a fierce hug, and a smile that at least partially reaches her eyes. The depth of her sigh, though, is perhaps a little more telling. "You want that answer straight up or sugarcoated, Andrea? I mean, I'm holding up...."

     Stepping back from Jay, she just shakes her head, and smiles a little bit more, clapping her hand on his shoulder. "No need to hide the wings. I know you mean well, but you shouldn't have to hide just because of all this BS. It's all good."

     On her way to the kitchen, she unslings the backpack and slides out of the bomber jacket, to reveal a... cropped off-the-shoulders peasant blouse, in simple, soft cream linen, that leaves her midriff bare. "Been hearing that music's been going great for you two. I'm damn proud of you both."

Rage has posed:
Grinning in amusement, Andrea has thrown on a pair of skin tight skinny jeans that have a three-sixty flex to them with slashes through the fabric and a simple tank top with her arms bare to reveal a few scars upon one shoulder. Once Shannon comes inside, she returns the hug to her.

"Yeah, our single went really well. His band was mobbed by fans and girls for a few weeks and it simmered down. Now we just gotta get in the studio to do an album. I'm sure it's going to be a struggle as we blend our styles together, but I'm confident we will kill it."

"Jay already has stalkers on his social media. It's so cute. This one girl even DM'd him pics of her boobs saying she wants him to autograph them at their next concert. He's made it to the big time now."

Icarus has posed:
Jay returns the hug but he is not taking off the hoodie. "I need to stay in practice. If I got out in public with them, Boob-Girl might appear. At least this way I'm less recognized," Jay argues, making a face as Andrea has to mention /that/ fan.

"While I appreciated her support..." That was a bad choice of words considering there had been none involved in the image. "I mean, it's nice to have someone appreciate the music but that is just over the top insane. I do not want to sign someone's boob. Now, if you'd asked me five years ago..." He winks playfully at Andrea.

"We'll figure the music out. We always do. We do fine when we are just jamming together so I don't see us not managing to do it professionally."

He focuses back on Shannon. "If you need anything, you know you can call us." Then he smirks. "Obviously. Since you're in our kitchen. And why are you in the kitchen? Y'know, at our house. Instead of yours."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Because I wanted to treat you both a little. Is that such a bad thing? Baking's my thing when the fertilizer hits the bladed air cooling device." Sure enough, the jacket is set aside, the backpack on the counter, and the fixings for some cinnamon rolls are removed from their hiding place....

     ...in the form of two cans of Pillsbury cinnamon roll dough. Shannon just grins and chuckles. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I wasn't about to lug around ingredients to make these from scratch. You guys want those, you're gonna have to drop by the school sometime, and I'll make some, no problem."

     She's in her element as she bustles about the kitchen, pre-heating the oven, getting a baking sheet and some cooking spray, and popping open the cans of dough. "Oh man... I hope I never wind up with fans like that. Do I even -want- to know where us girls would have to sign on a guy?"

Rage has posed:
Smirking at Jay before he heads off, Andrea is amused. "He gets one boob shot, but doesn't know how many dick pics I get on a daily. I get a lot of those, a lot also from mutants." She says with a snicker. "That's what I get for having open DM's on my social media, but I want to be available for mutants who need help. I really should just get a staffer to manage my stuff, but it takes away the fun of it."

She gives Jay a quick kiss before he heads out to run a few errands, then ambles into the kitchen to help her out. "At concerts I mostly get people wanting me to sign their clothes. I'll be honest, moooost of my male fans are kiiiinda not into girls." She giggles.

"So, whatcha need help with in here? How are things at the school?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "You're already doing the best thing. Company." Shannon's pulling apart the rounds of dough with unusual ferocity, tearing each apart from its compatriot to be laid out in proper fashion on the baking sheet. She's oddly silent for a few minutes as she sets about the familiar, comforting task.

     "Doing my best, but... things are tense at the school. Don't know, maybe it's just me and I'm being stupid about it. You've got Logan, he got hit too. I'm pretty worried for him, without his healing factor. Then there's Megan. She got hit, and really seems to be taking it pretty hard. I keep trying to tell her she's not useless, that she has plenty she can offer the world, but it just doesn't seem to be sinking in. Mr. Summers... I can only begin to imagine how he and miss Grey feel, since he was lead on the team that day. Stubborn goat won't listen when I try to remind him he also got us all home alive. And yes, I call him a stubborn goat to his face."

     Sliding the little cup of icing over to Andrea, she cracks a smile, stepping back from the pan. "Word is an antidote might be close... but there might also be some snags. We don't know yet." Pause. "I'm not sure how much more to say outside of the school, ya know?"

Rage has posed:
"I figured as much." Andrea says as she plucks the cup of icing up and dips her finger into it to take a lick. "Jay and I were talking about it earlier and our thoughts on it." She presses her lips into a frown, still rolling the discussion about in her head. "He thinks his powers won't let him age and he's worried he'll be forever smoking hot and young and I'm going to get old and wrinkly and he's gonna have to watch me die. He thought about taking the cure."

"I'm not sure how I feel about it. I really don't want him to take it, but after what happened with Julia and how he lost her in such a tragic way, I can see why he wouldn't want to lose me either. Personally, I'd rather just be a hot cougar, die, and then he finds another smoking hot girl to go out with. He'll just have to update his license so it won't say he's eighty or whatever."

"I don't know how his powers work at the end of the day, his crazy healing factor. He's tried to kill himself several times and his powers won't let him. He can't even blow his head off. Just grows back. So .. he actually may be immortal."

".. Huh. I never thought of that until like .. now .. until he brought it up." She scoops out some more icing.

"Lucky, he's gonna see Jetson cars and we're gonna be dead."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Okay, so you have a red-winged angel who's mad about you. That's not such a bad thing." Shannon leans against the counter, listening to Andrea. Nodding briefly, she considers what to say, as she toys with the end of her little blue braid, with its silver beads.

     "Ultimately, though, the choice should always be his. Those of us who got hit, we had that choice taken away. There are those out there whose gifts are either a harm to others, or to themselves in some way or another. That's what the Cure was meant for--not as a tool of hatred and bigotry. I can see where he might want to take it... and I can see where you wouldn't want him to."

     Smiling somewhat, she hums the first few notes of the Jetsons theme tune, and chuckles. "Guess that means we just do what we can here and now, make a difference while we're here."

Rage has posed:
"I just don't want him to make a decision he may regret later. It's not like getting a haircut and you're just like.. oh, I'll grow it back out if it sucks. You know? Obviously you know. I just .. want him to be himself without feeling the need to change for me. For all he knows, I could get hit by a car tomorrow and then he's stuck as a normie and all his powers gone and .. you know.. without me."

Sitting in one of her chairs, she slouches into it, tucking her arms back behind her head. "You kinda came over at the tail end of that conversation. But I'm glad for the distraction. Was going down a weird road and I don't know if he and I was ready to dive any deeper in that."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon ferries the frosted rounds of dough on the baking sheet over to the oven, popping them in and setting the timer. "Ooof. Yeah, I can only imagine where that conversation was going. But the fact that you're even having it at all's kind of a good sign. Shows that you care about each other and trust each other enough to not run away screaming from it all." Shaking her head, she laughs to herself. "And this is coming from the one who had a hard time with guys..."

Rage has posed:
"Everyone has a hard time with guys at our age. It's called being a teenage girl. I don't know what the future holds for Jay and I. I already told him I'm gonna marry him and he doesn't get a lot of choice in the matter." Andrea says with an amused grin. "But who knows. Maybe one day we'll break up for some dumbass reasons. I'm not sweating the long term, just taking it day by day. But boys come and go and that's cool. Nothing wrong in playing the field and trying to figure out who you are as a person at the same time."

Blowing some hair away from her face, she glances up at her longer bangs, then makes a mental note to get a haircut. "Just enjoy the ride and not worry about the what ifs. If you find a guy to vibe with, have fun. If it doesn't work out, just know you're a hot blonde and you will literally have dudes simping after you the moment you update your social status to single."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just opens her mouth for a moment, then snaps it shut, her cheeks turning rather rosy at the mention of finding a guy to vibe with. My, my, checking on the cinnamon rolls has suddenly become very interesting! Yes, it has! "Wouldn't know about updating my social status. I mean, well... oh hell. What would you call it if you've got a guy holding you, you're talking like, forever and time seems to fly by without you even noticing it, and then he up and kisses you?"

Rage has posed:
"I don't know what to call it. I'm not normal when it comes to relationships. I'm a wolf. I'm aggressive. I see prey that looks tasty, I chase it. Until they start putting enough coke up their nose to get the nickname Lake Tahoe." Andrea says as she looks amused.

"Guess that's a conversation you need to have with mister lips. If you're into him, then Alpha up. Guys like that. It's sorta their secret weakness. Take intitiave and ask him out. If he doesn't want to, then put him on blast and be like: Yo shit head, when you kissing me then? But, from what you described, it sounds like he wouldn't do that."

Nightingale has posed:
     "I'll have to think of something we both might enj... oh hell, who am I kidding, ask first, think of ideas later!" Throwing her hands up in the air in surrender, there is an actual giggle from Shannon just as the timer on the cinnamon rolls goes -ding-. "So... I guess -some- good's come out of this whole thing. It's ripping me up, but at the same time... there's still some good. That's what you've got to hold onto when the world goes to shit, ya know?"

Rage has posed:
"Just make sure it's not a pity fuck." Anderea says as she heads to the fridge to refill her orange juice. "You're in a weak and vulnerable state and right now, you smell like prey. Some guys like to take advantage of that." She calls over her shoulder as she fills her glass.

"So, I'd take things slow, feel it out first. Don't jump in feet first without knowing how deep that pool is."

Nightingale has posed:
     "The hell...?!" Shannon sputters, turns bright, bright red, and laughs, shaking her head. "How did this go from asking a guy out, to a pity fuck? We're talking a total Southern gentleman here. Nothing below the neck." Flinging a dish towel over in Andrea's direction, she just can't stop laughing. "You're something else. What, I don't know, but you're something else!"

Rage has posed:
"There is no such thing as Southern gentlemen. Just boys with hormones who were born down south versus boys with hormones born up north. Don't let the twang fool you." Andrea grins at her, catching the thrown rag in the air, then winds it about in her hands. "I'm just saying, don't jump into a relationship built on your vulnerability. That's all."

Nightingale has posed:
     "I hear ya. It's just nice seeing this sort of grow on its own. I didn't go looking for it or asking for it. We'll see where it goes." Shannon just smiles and reaches for the nearest potholders, to pull the pan of cinnamon rolls out of the oven. "Got something I can set these down on so I don't ruin your countertop?"