13266/Candygram

Candygram
Date of Scene:	13 May 2021
Location:	1407 Greymalkin Lane - Breakstone
Synopsis:	Logan, in a rare fit of niceness, visits Xiang and Vitali to make sure they're not messing stuff up.
Cast of Characters:	Vitali Svyatoslav, Wolverine, Xiang Zhao

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Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
There's been a lot of time spent in sleeping over the past five days since the pair of men had been brought to the cabin. There have been periods of wakefulness over the time since, though those were usually for a bit of food, sometimes conversation, and then back to sleep. It's the middle of the afternoon, and the day is sunny outside, with a blue sky. It's peaceful and it's pleasant, the temperature in the range of warm but not hot.

Within the cabin, Vitali is awake. He's still hooked up to the IV, and still getting antibiotics for the infection that he's been fighting off. Lesson learned -- stagnant bird bath water isn't the best for drinking in, even when possessed of a snow leopard's constitution. He's been awake for a little while, and he's drawn his legs up beneath him in cross-legged fashion as he watches Zhao sleep. He's not as pale as what he had been, and does actually have a bit of healthy colour to him that has been lacking over the past days. He's done his best to put some order to his long hair, and to rebraid it so that it looks a bit neater and tidier than what it's been. An eagle stands on one of his knees, better than a foot and a half in height, and her feathers are a bit fluffed up. Her eyes are half lidded and she appears to be relaxed, though she opens one of her eyes when Vitali reaches a hand out to stroke the feathers of her chest.

Wolverine has posed:
    Normally when someone approaches the cabin Vitali could likely tell. The subtle change to the feeling of nature around them, the way some of the sounds of the forest mute and fall silent when there's the presence of what the birds and the animals perceive as a predator. It's in that shift in sound but also in the faint shift in scent in the air, and the palpable feeling of pressure sometimes.
    But this time there's no early clue, no tell-tale sign of something amiss that might key underlying latent instincts. But then there might well be a sentinel keeping an eye that will raise a call. Enough that when knuckles rap on the door it's not an entire surprise.
    Though when an eyeball might find its way to catching sight of the visitor they'll see a grim man standing there before that front door. Stern in manner, severe of visage, with a wild mane of hair that's pushed back by a rough calloused hand as he shifts his weight from one boot... sloooowly to the other as he awaits answer or acknowledgement.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao had been sleeping more or less peacefully for much of the duration. This much sleep for him is not normal. He must have needed it as much as the Siberian had. Now, with a knock at the door, he shifts a little, then his eyes open. He looks about as he always does. Pale, but he's naturally that way, with just a touch of color to cheeks and lips. "Did I hear a knock?" His voice is soft, as it tends to be, and holds a thread of curiousity to it. He had, at some point, found his inner shirt and put it on, so at least he's covered as he sits up. And he no longer has the banana bag, nor its accompanying tubing attached to him.

Once sat up, Zhao tucks his legs beneath him, cross-legged fashion, then reaches for the pitcher of water on a table beside the bed. Water is poured into a pair of cups, and the pitcher sat down before one of the cups is offered to Vitali. The other is taken up and drank from. His own long hair is.. well. Very straight, so slightly less mussy looking than the other man's.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
There is an advantage that the Siberian man has when it comes to people approaching the cabin. And that advantage is in the form of the eagle companion standing upon his knee. She has keener senses than what he does, and she tends to warn him of such things through the bond that they share. Yet today, right now, she is more relaxed and more at ease, leaning into the touch from her human and keeping her eyes half lidded. At least, until the sound of knuckles rapping upon the door can be heard. Then she opens her eyes and sharply clicks her beak, turning her head to look towards the door with sudden attention.

Vitali raises an eyebrow slightly, and his dark gaze turns away from Zhao and towards the door. And then he looks back to Zhao to give a small nod. "Da, did hear knock, Zhaoshenka," he affirms in a soft spoken voice. He shifts a bit where he sits, reaching out to accept the offered glass of water, a smile coming to the corners of his lips. "Spasibo," he says softly, gratefuly, lifting the glass to take a drink of the water. After the drink is taken, he reaches out to set the glass on the table near. "Can come in," he says a bit louder, for the benefit of the one beyond the door.

Wolverine has posed:
    The door handle twists, the latch clicking, then it's opened to present the tableau of the warm Spring day, the forest just beyond that severe man. At a glance there might not be much to him to consider in passing. Rough, a bit rugged, he's got weathered blue eyes and a hint of severity to him. But the way he looks at the others, the way his nostrils flare subtly, he seems to settle into an ease that seems natural for the man.
    "Hey." He says at first, then his gaze falls upon that bird and his eyebrow quirks curiously. A hand starts to lift, but he doesn't let himself get distracted. Instead he says, "I'm Logan." He gestures to the side in the vague direction of the mansion from where the others originated. Those Xavier people.
    "From up the way." He offers as he gives a nod. "Heard a bit about..." He looks at Xiang then his hand uncurls as he gestures to the side, "What all happened. Figured I'd look in on you. See if there's anything you needed."

Xiang Zhao has posed:
When finished with his drink, for the present, Zhao sets the cup back where it came from. "How long did I sleep?" He shifts to get up and pads, entirely steady on his feet for now, and over to where his robes had been left neatly folded. He reaches into the folds of one and produces a comb, wooden and carved with designs of dragon and phoenix, a jade green tassel hanging from one end. He returns to the bed and sits down as he had been before getting up. Cross-legged. He starts to work the comb through his hair, his eyes resting on nothing really, but more staring through the floor while his attention is on what his hands are doing.

Xiang Zhao doesn't look up when the door opens, though his eyes do focus more than they had been, shifting to glance to the rugged man entering. The comb continues moving through his hair. Slowly and methodically, working on the tangles that are there. "Xiexie," he says. "I appreciate the care your people have taken of us. Ah'Tali especially."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
"Am not sure, Zhaoshenka. Me, sleep much. You, sleep much. Soraya say have been... night, day, six times since you find me. Have not wake much, me," Vitali says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice as he watches Zhao. There's a small smile to touch his lips as Zhao retrieves the comb and returns to the bed to sit anew.

Soraya tilts her head to one side at the sound of the door's latch clicking, watching unblinkingly as the door is opened. She remains where she was, perched upon Vitali's knee, and her wings shift slightly as though she readies herself to be able to launch away if need be. She studies the man who enters, clicking her beak a pair of times and then making a soft sound. Vitali reaches out to lightly stroke her back, and she seems to calm instantly, her wings settling anew to her back.

"Is good to meet, Logan," Vitali says, giving a small nod. He looks over the man for a moment, and then he lifts a hand gesture towards Zhao. "Is Xiang Zhao," he offers, by way of introduction. Then he brings his hand to touch his fingers to his chest, to indicate himself. "Am Vitali Svyatoslav," he says softly, offering his own name. Then a bit of colour comes to his cheeks at Zhao's words, and he gives a small nod of agreement. "Da. Am having very many thanks for giving. Has been good care. Was in shady place," Vitali says softly, his brow furrowing a bit. He hadn't physically been in a good place when he'd been brought here.

Wolverine has posed:
    His chin lifts slightly in Xiang's direction, a small nod acknowledging the appreciation but he doesn't speak to it, at least for now. Instead he gives Xiang a subtle once over before he switches his attention to the side. He looks over toward Vitali, eyes resting on the man and the avian, then makes a small sound like, 'hnh.'
    "Privyet, tovarisch." He murmurs, getting the accent right before he continues in Russian...
    << I am no stranger to losing oneself to the cries of the natural world. The people who helped you, helped me before as well. In a similar way. >>
    Yet as he finishes those words, he turns his head, looking to Xiang again and murmurs, "I just told him, the folks who helped you helped me when I went through a similar thing." Since he doesn't know if Xiang's Russkie is up ta snuff.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao's hands stop at the words 'night, day, six times'. He blinks as he looks to Vitali. "Six." It's a statement, not really a question. His hands start moving again, resumption of tangle removal. "That explains my hair." His attention shifts now, toward Logan again, though his hands don't stop again. For the moment, at least. He nods about the shady bit. Neither had been in good places when brought here. That they are better and not dead is a testament to the caring nature of those who had rescued them. The X-men, Xiang now knows.

The words spoken in Russian show no recognition from Zhao. Though he does seem curious, he doesn't ask. If it's meant for him to know, someone will translate. And then someone does. He dips his head in a nod at the words. "Grateful does not even begin to cover it," he says. Xiang's Russkie is not up to snuff, in the slightest. He understands a handful of words at best.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Lightly, Vitali strokes his fingers once more along Soraya's back. She gives a soft click of her beak, turning her head to catch one of his fingers with her beak briefly before she lets go and hops from his knee to the blankets on the bed. She hops her way down the bed, then up to the railing at the foot of the bed where she seems to settle once more. The eagle gives Vitali a look and then turns her amber gaze back to Logan. The Siberian lifts a hand to gesture slightly towards the eagle, then. "Is Soraya," he adds, giving a small nod.

<< It is... a risk that comes with changing to another form. The risk is greater, sometimes, than others. It accumulates when the form is kept for long periods of time. I was the snow leopard for many days, many nights, >> he says softly, in Russian, his brow furrowing a bit. Then he gives a small shake of his head. He looks over to Zhao before he gives a small nod. "Da, has been little while," he says softly, a smile touching at the corners of his lips. He lifts one of his hands, lightly brushing his fingers over his face. "Say that stay in form have big risk of lose self," he says, ducking his chin slightly. "Will speak English, so Zhao know what am saying," he adds a bit sheepishly, giving a small nod.

Wolverine has posed:
    Arms folding over his chest, Logan gives a nod to them both. English has been chosen so he sticks to it even as he looks between the two. Well. Three with Soraya. He takes a deep breath. "Yeah, my difference is a sorta connection to things like that. So I know how it is to have your mind get lost sometimes down certain paths."
    He shifts his weight to the other boot, his hands on the hips of his jeans and his blue-eyed gaze settling finally on Vitali. "You start to find yourself leaning that way, you come find me. Ask for Logan up at the mansion. They'll know how ta find me."
    That said he takes a step back, his business here is done for the most part, but then he remembers. "Anything you need, errands run, groceries?" Then there's a pause as he smirks and adds, "A beer?"

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao pauses briefly in hair combing at the eagle's antics. "Is she mad you did not introduce her sooner?" He goes back to combing. He's nearly done, now, despite the sheer amount of hair he has. The comb moves with practiced motions, which might explain why. He listens to the Russian being spoken, and then nods at the explanation. He shakes his head to Vitali. "You do not have to, if you wish to speak in your language with someone who understands and speaks it. I do not mind." He really doesn't seem to mind.

He finishes combing and looks to Logan. "Sometimes, it is too easy to get lost. And sometimes, desired." He says this like he has his own personal experiences with that sort of thing. Perhaps not quite the same as the other two men share, though.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
"Happen sometimes, da. Not happen in human form. Yet," Vitali says, his brow furrowing a little bit. He's not sure that it can happen in human form, but he's not going to dismiss the possibility of it. "When was snow leopard, when Zhao find, human part of self very small," he says softly, frowning a little bit. He tilts his head a little bit to one side as the offer is made, and then he gives a small nod. "Spasibo, Logan. Is very kind for making offer. Will remember," he says softly, a smile touching at the corners of his lips.

At the question from Zhao, he looks to the Chinaman and gives a small nod. "Da, she is," Vitali says, his dark gaze turning to the eagle for a moment. Soraya ruffles her feathers and then settles in to start preening. "Not want for you to feel outside of things being said," he says. He doesn't want to seem like he's excluding Zhao by speaking in his native language. Then he tilts his head a little bit to one side before giving a small nod. "Da, is easy path, to get lost. Hard path, sometimes, to see are lost or to know are needing to be found. Sometimes, da... is wanted. Happen, sometimes," he says softly. His great grandmother had lost herself when he was young, but that had been intentional. "Not know beer, sorry. Not know groceries, either. Not sure what food is left here. Others have bring food," he adds. A lot of common concepts are ones that aren't really in his vocabulary on account of them simply not being a thing where he's from.

Wolverine has posed:
    For a moment Xiang and Vitali can likely see some inner monologue wrangle its way through Logan's thoughts by virtue of how his face twists a little, on the verge of saying something and then not... and then finally saying something.
    "S'alright. I'll swing by later." Likely with the food and the beer. "I've found though," He says as he lifts his chin a little, "When things get confused for me. I sometimes have to focus, center myself, and think of the people that matter around me. Mebbe like Soraya." He gives a nod to the bird before he's turning away.
    "Anyways." He eventually says as he pulls open the door again, holding it with one him as he turns back and gives a nod to them. "I'll be around later. You call the school if you're needing anything." So neighborly of him.
    That said he turns and heads on out. Then, eventually, back up the trail.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao is just finishing combing his hair when it is mentioned by Vitali about the human side having been so much smaller than the side of the cat. "Xiexie, Logan," he says. His hands drop to rest atop his lap for a moment, comb held between them. He rises then to his feet and walks to his folded up robes. The comb is tucked away, then the rest of his clothing pulled on. Outer shirt, inner robe, sash to hold things closed, then outer robe to hang loose over all of it.

Zhao nods about focusing. "That is very like what I do," he says softly. He glances to a window, then back to Logan. "Call the school? I am not certain we are close enough to call out to the school." Perhaps they don't know what phones are? He watches Logan walk out, then glances to Vitali. "I am going for a walk. I will return." The words ring with something like a promise. Then he follows not far behind Logan. Only, he goes the opposite direction once outside.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
There's a nod to Logan, and a small smile that comes to his features. "Will see later," Vitali says softly. Then he tilts his head a little to one side at the suggestion that Logan makes, his brow furrowing a little bit as he considers the possibility. And he gives a small nod. "Maybe would help, da. Have not tried, before. Spasibo," he says softly, his tone grateful. He looks towards Soraya for a moment, who peers at him from under one of her wings.

There's a flicker of confusion to his features when it's mentioned to call the school, though Zhao is already asking after that and so he doesn't feel a need to. His dark gaze turns to Zhao, watching him, and a smile touches his lips as he gives a nod. "Will be here. Not go anywhere. Will rest," he says softly. Resting is what he's been doing for the past six days -- resting and sleeping.