13065/Out Back X-House

Out Back X-House
Date of Scene:	19 April 2021
Location:	Backyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Colossus has a cookout and people show up.
Cast of Characters:	Colossus, Nightingale, SpyderByte, Rogue, Ted Gammage, Gray

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Colossus has posed:
Colossus has taken advantage of the good weather to do something he hasn't done in a while: fire up the grill! Yes, the school will be inundated with the smell of charcoal flame and the sizzling sounds of burgers, wieners, ribs, asparagus and chicken breasts all being broiled.

Colossus is in metal form, all the better to keep from being hit by any sparks. He's laid out several long tables with cloths, plastic plates and cups along with several oversized pitchers of lemonade, iced tea and bottles of soda in the cooler.

"Das vidanya, friends! Do not be shy, we have plenty of food to go around. Feast without shame, for we shall cancel the rest of the school day and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing around the pool!"

Nightingale has posed:
     Where there was grilling to be had, there was bound to be an angel in the kitchen. The angel in question even now emerges from the shelter of the mansion into the cool, but bright and sunny spring day, bearing a massive bowl of what looked to be potato salad, cradled in her arms. She's wearing a pair of denim leggings, some old white sneakers, and a white t-shirt with 'Mutie Cutie' emblazoned on the front in hot pink, gold, and silver that sparkles in the sunlight. Her hair's pulled back completely into a ponytail to keep it out of her face. "Das vidanya, Mr. Rasputin! Where would you want me to set this down? Figured if you were grilling, all that good food needed something tasty to go with it."

SpyderByte has posed:
Heading out on to the porch is Jeremy, who probably got dragged out by a classmate that he was tutoring. The smell of food is a lure, even if his heart longs to be in front of his computer. As he trudges along, today the goth is wearing a pair of baggy black bondage pants and a black tanktop for a change instead of a long sleeved shirt. His bare arms are starting to show some definition from working out with the 'team', as well as the sign of old scars. He has a beauitful tattoo on his shoulder in the form of a black widow settled on a circuit board.

He is tapping away at his phone, then holsters it on his belt as he loads his voice program so that he can speak through it. His hair is long and shaggy now, hanging against his shoulders and painted black with brown roots. He still has his dog collar around his throat. As the kid he was tutoring runs off to get some food, he settles down on the porch, easing upon the top step and hugs his knees as he leans forward against them.

Rogue has posed:
There's no one thing or the other that draws the full bodied and gloves clad southern belle out of the house - except maybe she's hungry and was drawn by the power of food. Rogue steps out of the house, but she stays on the porch where Jeremy sits on the top step, looking over at all the students beginning to gather and grab plates of food and cups of drink as Colossus has announced that foods on. A smirk crosses her lips, but then she looks down at Jeremy and tilts her head one way and then the other.

"You want me to go grab us a plate, or are you just waiting for the line and such to die down?" Asking the younger man while moving to lean against a pillar nearby. Not wanting to take up any of his personal bubble space, but keeping herself close enough they might be able to have a conversation of sorts. She's surely not making any speed to get to a table being ransacked by students who suddenly got an off day.

Colossus has posed:
Colossus smiles to Shannon, "Place it over there, next to the condiments and plates. I should have known you would bring your own contribution," he says, knowing the young mutant's generous nature all too well.

He takes note of Jeremy but doesn't try to push him to socialize. The boy might have his issues, but he isn't as shy as some might think and he would make his presence known. And then Rogue does the socializing for him and he can't help but laugh a bit. The people here always looked out for each other, one way or another.

"Shannon, if you could, help me serve a bit? The mob is hungry today," he grins, a lopsided and almost cartoonish chef hat on his big metal head.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Da, of course." Though her stomach was starting to growl in rather unladylike fashion, Shannon takes up a place behind the tables, settling in to serve the hungry horde. She's humming an unfamiliar tune as she helps pass out plates and utensils, perhaps less serving out the food, and more making sure everyone got to have a little bit of everything.

     Knowing Jeremy's proclivity for keeping to the outskirts of most any crowd, she does get a plate made up for him, and for Rogue, each with a little bit of all the culinary offerings that she and other students have put together for the occasion. A smile is offered to the two of them, and she calls out, "Food's on if you two are hungry!"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Hello Miss Marie. I am just waiting for the line. I think. I was tutoring Steven in biology and he smelled the food. We technically have twenty minutes of tutoring left so I felt I should follow him so that we can pick up. He is averaging a sixty-eight percent and it is my duty to pull him up to a seventy. >>

Jeremy's voice comes out in a soft female digital tone from a speaker nearby Rogue on the porch, one that is designed to play music through on event days in the backyard. He doesn't even turn his head or move his mouth. He rubs at his knee a bit with one hand, then glances upwards towards Shannon as she calls out to him. He pushes himself up slowly to his feet, chains rattling on his legs as he moves.

<< I'll bring yours to you. >>

That is said to Rogue as he lurches down the steps and towards the girl with the wings. He reaches out to take the plates from her, offering up a quick smile before he stammers out a 'thank you' to her before he starts back to the porch.

Ted Gammage has posed:
With a light yawn, Ted exits the mansion. He'd heard a bit of a crowd so decided to see what's going on. "Hey, y'all," He says to no one really in particular at the moment. "Gotta buffet going here?" he asks with a low chuckle.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue gives a nod towards Jeremy as he mentions tutoring Steven in biology and what the expectations are. Rogue's not a teacher, but she does appreciate knowing where students stand both in an academic and disciplinary way. Her attention is drawn as Shannon calls out to both herself and Jeremy about food being ready and while she's about to say something, Jeremy beats her to the punch.

"Oh. That's very kind of you, Jeremy. Thanks." As he offers to grab her plate as well, so she shifts to sit on the very large porch, settling on the top step for the moment.

Colossus has posed:
Colossus contentedly passes out foodstuffs, keeping himself stationed at the grill. Since he doesn't worry too m uch about the heat, he could just handle the food if he wanted but he figures some of these Americans are germaphobic. He loves this place, but the people here are very soft.

"I have asparagus and pasta for those of a vegetarian bent. All are welcome here! I am also happy to take suggestions, if what we have here isn't to your taste. Don't be facetious and start suggesting pizzas. I do not know how to grill pizzas."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles at Jeremy and dips her head. "You're welcome." Her smile widens a bit as she sees the good that the morning walks have been doing for the mansion's resident technopath. "Looks like you've been doing really well. I'm proud of you."

     Ted's emergence from the mansion gets a grin from her, the would-be healer flicking her wings briefly and settling them snugly against her back. "Hey, Ted!" she calls out. "Got the edibles over this way. Seems Mr. Rasputin had a yen to fire up the grill. Though I suppose the next thing we'll have to teach him about is the fine art of grilling pizza!" Because hey, you know, it's an actual thing!

SpyderByte has posed:
There is a brief moment where Jeremy perks up a bit at Shannon's words. He stares into her eyes and hesitates. He opens his mouth to say something, but then she calls out to Ted. He tightens his grip on the plates of food and turns, shambling back towards the porch so that he can hand one to Rogue.

<< Here you go. She knows I don't like pickles on mine. >>

He turns and sinks down on to the porch again, picking at the food as he assembles it in a manic manner on the plate. Everything has to be adjusted slightly to the left for his dominant hand to utilize it.

Ted Gammage has posed:
Ted Gammage blinks a time or two, eyes taking a moment to get use to sunlight. He's possibly inside too long. "Ahhh," he says as Shannon tells him what's going down, and he goes over to her. "Ah see y'made somethin' too," he notes. "I'm gonna get ah plate." And he does, though spies Jeremy and gives him a brief wave, though sees he's wandering off, and returns to gathering food.

Gray has posed:
"Ya just slap it on the part of the grill without fire directly under it." Gray comes outside just in time to hear Colossus's comment about grilling pizza, "There enough for one more?" He sounds hopeful that he'll be able to get something to eat, too, but like he really doesn't expect to be welcome to join everyone. In spite of having been at the school for weeks. He's got his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans, shoulders hunched a bit as he eyes everyone a little defensively. At least until he spots his roommate, "Hey, Jeremy." His tone sounds much more relaxed once he's slunk his way over to where the technopath is sitting, though everyone else still gets a slightly wary look.

Rogue has posed:
"If they had given ya pickles, I woulda taken them from you. I love them." Rogue says this much and then takes the plate from Jeremy. "Thanks again." This as she looks the plate over, loving that there's a little bit of everything on the plate. This isn't going to bode clean, and then she tilts her head. "Hmm..."

A glance up to the approaching Gray and she gives the newcommer a smile. "Hello Mister Gray. Pleasure to see you again." Though the only time they saw each other is when he first arrived on campus and there wasn't much of an interaction then. Still, she looks between Jeremy and Gray a moment before setting her plate to the side. "We'll need drinks, and napkins. Jeremy, what would you like? I think I saw tea, or soda? Do you have a preference?"

Colossus has posed:
Colossus narrows his eyes at Gray, "I feel as if there must be more to it than that. I also do not know how to make the dough. I guess I could get a premade one from the store. I believe they are called the Boboli? or maybe the Digiorno?"

He's actually been going ahead of demand, setting up a few plates of cooling burgers and hot dogs as he takes a step over and grabs a drink of water for himself, emptying most of a bottle of water. Technically, he did not need water or food in his organic steel form, but he still -liked- them.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just turns and stares at Mr. Rasputin as if he'd grown a second head, or perhaps had dribbled on his shirt. "Please tell me I didn't just hear you suggest a store-bought crust?" Shaking her head, she chuckles, turning back to serving out food. To Ted, she smiles, nodding towards the big bowl of potato salad. "A lot of students made something for this. That potato salad was my contribution. Might want to have at it before it disappears!"

     Hearing Gray call out, she smiles and waves. "Hey, Gray! Glad you could make it! Didn't I tell ya there'd be plenty to eat here? Come on and get a plate!"

     Rogue gets a 'look', and then outright laughter. "Stand in line, miss Rogue. You and me, we'll have to have words, because I like pickles. Dill, sweet, pickled eggs, pickled veggies... pickles are good stuff."

SpyderByte has posed:
Glancing upwards at the sight of Gray, Jeremy brightens a bit upwards at him.

<< Hello. Go get a burger and come sit with me? I can save you a spot. >>

A spot on the porch that no one else is sitting on, or next to him by. But at least he's trying. He picks his burger up and takes a bite, chewing away at it a few times, then swallows.

<< I like pickles in their natural form, crispy and sweet, but not sliced on a burger. It just changes the composition of the burger's taste for me. I like cheese and ketchup. >>

Ted Gammage has posed:
Ted gives a light shrug, then looks back to Shannon, "Dont mind if ah do," he says, and starts going down the line dropping a little of everything on his plate. He does add in his two cents on the pizza debate, "AH thought you had t'have one of those weird, egg shaped grills, or ah' rounded, brick pizza oven thing. Is that not right?" A cook, he is not.

Gray has posed:
"'S how I'd reheat pizza." Gray shrugs, "I mean, gotta make sure it's far enough from the flame t' keep from catchin' fire itself, but it ain't hard." Shannon gets a quiet snort and a shrug before he nods. Jermey gets a small smirk and the newest student nods, "Yeah. Sure." He meanders down to the food, getting a little bit of everything and nodding thanks to Shannon and Colossus both before rejoining his roommate on the porch. He shakes his head and eyes the goth guy, "How can anyone survive being a picky eater... I'll eat just about anything."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue smiles at Shannon as she makes her way to the table. "We can talk about pickles in all their forms and ways sometime soon. M'just here to get a couple'a drinks for me and the other loners." Which, was weird, because loners usually wanna be alone, but sometimes loners tend to flock together as well. Strange.

She grabs a Pepsi(tm) for Jeremy, and then makes a glass of iced tea for herself, pausing a moment. "This is sweet tea right?" Either way, she makes a glass - if she really has to she'll go into the kitchen for some sugar or something. Then she remmebers and looks over. "Hey Gray! Did you get a drink or do you need one?" How is she going to carry all this!? She'll manage somehow.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Of course it's sweet tea! Sheesh! What kind of barbarian do you take me for, miss Rogue? Sam taught me better'n that!" Shannon just giggles outright at her and nods--the discussion on pickles and pickling in their myriad forms would happen another day. For now, the joys of good grilled goodies and true sweet tea await!

     Ted's question about grills and the means of grilling pizza get a shrug from her. "I didn't know the type of grill used would make a difference. Guess that'd be something to maybe experiment with over the summer."

SpyderByte has posed:
Taking the Pepsi(tm) from Rogue, Jeremy offers her a smile and a nod of thanks. Once Gray settles next to him, he leans in and gently bumps his shoulder to his before cracking open the can to take a sip. He peeks over at what Gray has on his plate for a moment.

<< I can eat anything also, except vegetables on a burger. I really like Chinese food as you can tell. >>

He takes another bite of his burger, followed by a lick of his lips afterwards. He tilts his head up to watch the others for a few moments before he looks back to Gray. He gives him a smile. Beam.

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Ah think yer suppose to have one sweet, one unsweet, then people can select th' one they want or, more likely jus' mix them t'gether," Ted notes with a wry grin as he sits down near-ish to eat. "S'what they did at every family reunion we had."

Gray has posed:
"I can get somethin' in a minute. Thank ya, ma'am." At least Gray is remembering some of the manners drilled into him as a little kid? He folds himself to sit almost shoulder to shoulder with Jeremy, smirking faintly and returning the shoulder bump as he picks up his own burger, talking around a mouthful, "I swear, it's been /years/ since I ate as good as y'all do here." Well... so much for manners. He shakes his head in amusement at the bright smile he gets and gives him another shoulder bump.

Rogue has posed:
"You got too many southerners for anyone to be of the mind to make unsweet tea..." Rogue comments towards Ted with a grin. "But if we need ta start labelin' the teas we make so someone who don't like sweet - heathens that they are - don't drink it ... suppose we can." Then she's going back to her spot, and has offered Jeremy his soda while she sits with her tea beside her and napkins and... well. She frowns a moment, a very long moment, and then shifts to stand once more. Tea and food in hand, she smiles and takes off into the air to sit on the roof, perched in a way where her drink won't fall, but away from any and everyone so she can remove her gloves and eat.