13274/He missed that face.

He missed that face.
Date of Scene:	14 May 2021
Location:	Apartment A2 - Summers - Mutant Town
Synopsis:	Lorna and Alex reunite for pizza, beer, the latest news and just being together.
Cast of Characters:	Havok, Polaris

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Havok has posed:
    After an eventful few days, Alex actually decided to stay in for the day, probably the evening, maybe tomorrow too. He's wearing an old pair of flannel shorts, frayed and threadbare, one of his favorites, big foot slippers on his feet and an old Ramones t-shirt. Currently he's engaged in a hobby that he only does in private or around Lorna. He's strumming a guitar and singing. Truth be told, he has a nice singing voice, but that guitar playing leaves a lot to be desired. ...as does, maybe, his choice in music. 'Son of a son of a sailor,' by Jimmy Buffett.

Polaris has posed:
There's the sound of keys, a jangle before the door is shoved open. Lorna lets herself in, green hair back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face. She's in travel chic - Broken in jeans, a plain green t-shirt, her favorite black leather jacket and some slip on black shoes. There's a large messenger bag, and a smaller bag that's ditched not long after she steps inside. The jacket is tossed onto a hook, shoes kicked off as she shouts. "Alexander Summers!" Uh oh...

Havok has posed:
    Okay, so ... he's in trouble? Normally Alex might try a toothy grin and some off color comment to diffuse whatever might be coming next, but not this time. This time he doesn't even give a hoot or a shit that she might be angry, he's just glad she's *here*.
    Alex tosses the guitar aside and is across the room from the sofa to where she's standing in record time. As long as she doesn't deck him, he'll sweep her up in a hug and twirl her around a bit. "Face..." murmurs. "I missed it," he adds.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane hugs back, her face buried against his shoulder as she's twirled, eyes closed. Then her head lifts, and she pushes back from him. "A girl can't go to the desert to study changing magnetic fields, without you getting in trouble. I broke my phone, and when I got back and bought a new one in the airport, I get a voicemail from /jail/, and a couple of rambling texts. What the hell is going on, Alex?" Hands will find her hips, but her eyes will sweep over him, happy to see him, even as she wants to shake him.

Havok has posed:
    He makes that little sound, that inhaled breath that causes his nostrils to flare followed by a barely audible growl of a sound when he lets it out. "It wasn't big deal, charges didn't stick." A beat and Alex asks, "Can we not? Not yet." Just thinking about spilling it all is causing him to bristle, get all tense with that furrow in his brow. "I'll tell ya all of it, I promise, just not now?"

Polaris has posed:
"I was in jail, no big deal." She mocks, rolling her eyes. "You're such an idiot." But she reaces out and pulls him into a hug. "Moron." She whispers, even as she holds on tight, face buried to the curve of his neck and shoulder.

Havok has posed:
    Her hugs feel like home and Alex could probably spend an eternity in one. He holds on tight, maybe a little too tight and maybe for just a little bit too long. He clears his throat a little awkwardly when he finally lets go and steps back. It's one of *those* moments, those moments when he's really considering crossing the friend zone. "Anyway! Tell me about your trip. You want beer?" A beat and he adds, "We could watch Westside Story," for the two billionth time.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna doesn't seem to mind, especially not after being gone so long. "It was boring. Lots of no one around. Me and a guide, tents, heat, sand that gets into everything,.. " She shrugs. "My phone broke weeks ago, not that I ever got reception other than on supply runs. Lots of sunscreen." She lets her hand grab his. "Beer and snack, I'm starving." She lets go to walk over to the couch and flop down. "It was nice, though. So much quieter than the city, no tons of things to cloud up my powers with currents other than natural ones."

Havok has posed:
    Beer and snack coming up. ...or, "You wanna go out to eat?" Alex asks from the kitchen as he's rummaging for a few beers. "Sounds like no fun," he comments on the trip. "Shoulda went with you," he adds. He's rambling a little bit, so that probably means he's working up to telling her SOME of what's happened anyway. "If you don't wanna go out, I can put a frozen pizza in the oven? Or... a grilled cheese and pickles? Chips?" He just moved back to the apartment so food pickings are still slim.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane lifts her head to barely look at him. "No. I came here straight from the airport, man. The last thing I want is go anywhere. Frozen pizza, order in, I don't care. Chips first." Her forearm comes up, covering her eyes with it. "You shoulda come with me." She mutters.

Havok has posed:
    Pizza goes in the oven, timer set so he doesn't burn it like he's prone to do without a timer. He grabs both beers, opens them and the bag of chips and settles down on the sofa next to Lorna. "Yeah, I shoulda," he echos as he nudges her arm with a bottle of beer, "...here. I have some Exedrin around somewhere if you need it. I think you still have clothes here if you want a shower?" Just a beat and he adds, "It wasn't that bad, they only had me locked up for a week. I was in San Diego on vacation, catchin' some decent surf. Stopped at a rest area and these backwoods truckers were harassing a teenage girl, webbed fingers, scales around her cheeks, obvious mutant. I couldn't stand for it, y'know? They had me on assault charges, but somehow my public defender worked a miracle before it even went to trial." He settles in close and leans. "I really missed your face," he repeats. "Like really really missed your face."

Polaris has posed:
    She sits up more, legs still stretched out with green fuzzy socks sticking out from black jeans. "Just tired. You know flying sometimes screws with me." She shifts to lean her head on his shoulder, taking her beer in one hand. There's a sigh. "I know, I would have had to do something too." There's a sip of her beer, before she chuckles. "Of course you did. It's a cute face, and one of the few that puts up with you." Teasing, lifting her head to glance at him.

Havok has posed:
    Alex grins a lopsided, toothy grin. It's all dimples. He really does have a pretty smile when he means it and lets it reach those blue eyes of his. This time they actually sparkle. He reaches over to 'boop' her nose with his index finger. "Cute like a pound puppy," he teases back. He takes a pull from his beer and settles it on his knee, two finger hold on the neck. That grin fades when he admits something that he would likely never, ever, EVER admit to ANYONE else. "I'm not okay, Lorns. I'm tryin' to be, but it's been a shitstorm since I got back from vacation."

Polaris has posed:
     Lorna moves the chips, shaking her hair out of the ponytail, before she's laying with her legs hanging over the arm of the couch, her head in his lap. "Well, you've got me back now. So you've got that in your favor."

Havok has posed:
    "Definitely," Alex agrees completely and a hundred percent. "Twice since I've been back we had to rescue kids from shitty situations," he explains quietly. "...and twice, we were given orders to 'go easy' because their tormentors were 'only human'." It's a gesture he doesn't even think about and probably something he's doing more for his own comfort in the moment, but he runs his fingers lightly through Lorna's hair as he speaks. "I just dunno, man. I left the mansion. I don't know how much more I can roll over and pull punches in situations like that."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane sighs, before her eyes close when he's got his fingers in his hair. "Only human. Those humans wouldn't hesitate to kill us, that's for sure. It doesn't matter to them that we're human too." There's an edge of aggravation in her voice. "It's hard. But if we act like them, we're not better than them. Trust me, there's times I want to kick people's asses too."

Havok has posed:
    "But if we're defending ourselves, our children... are we really the same as they are if we don't pull punches?" Alex asks. His touch is gentle, almost not there, as he continues to run is fingers through Lorna's hair. "I mean we're not even supposed to seriously injure or maim these asshats according to my brother. Like what the fuck, the one place as a FARM that was experimenting on kids. Not a kid, but KIDS. We only got one out, somehow they vanished with the rest of them."

Polaris has posed:
"You know I don't agree with your brother, 'lex. But I wasn't there, and I'm not second guessing anyone in an armchair quarterback style." Lorna says, sounding tired. "We'll find the other kids. And I'll be with you, this time."

Havok has posed:
    Alex leans over to plant a little kiss on Lorna's forehead. It's a gesture he's made a million and one times. Sometimes it's just a quick peck, that's when it's obvious that it's nothing more than a friendly gesture of affection. Other times, however, maybe his lips linger a little too long, this is one of those times. He turns his head and rests his stubbly check in the wake of a kiss for a moment or two before sitting back up again. "You wanna take a shower? Get some sleep?" he asks quietly. He has more to say, more to tell, it's obvious - if only to Lorna. He's stalling, or maybe he just thinks she should be well rested before hearing the end of his Bad Few Weeks.

Polaris has posed:
     She's had her eyes closed, just soaking up being 'home', and with Alex. She has missed him, even when he's a bonehead. "Are you saying I need to take a shower? I freshened up before I caught a cab." She will lift her head up to sip her beer for several long swallows. "I napped as much as I could on the flight. Just spit it all out, Alex. "

Havok has posed:
    "I dunno, I mean... you're not wildflowers and rainbows," Alex teases. He entwines his fingers in her hair and gives a gentle, playful little tug and guides her head so that he can look her straight in the eyes, bright blue to brilliant green. "You're gonna stay chill right? Because my mellow is already harshed and we can only have harsh mellow one at a time, you got dibs on next time, but this time... you're gonna stay chill?"

Polaris has posed:
"I'm never wildflowers and rainbows. I'm more wild fires and rainstorms, and you know it." Lorna move to sit up, along long pull of beer. "Spit it out, Alex. You're not helping me maintain my chill." She looks tired, faint shadows under those green eyes. Had she lost weight while she was gone?

Havok has posed:
    Alex sucks in a deep breath, lets it out slowly and then sucks in another. He's about to spill it and it's likely to come out quick like a damn of words bursting so he can get through it, like ripping of the band-aid, more for her than him because he's already lived through it.
    "Day before yesterday," so not very long ago...
    "Someone snatched me. It was a lot of someone's actually. I walked out of a store and the place was surrounded by black SUVS and armed cops... or agents of some kind, or so I thought. They collared me, cuffed me and told me I was under arrest for the murder of William Robert Mayes." Oh yeah, he's talking fast enough that she might be tempted to raise a paddle and place a bid. "That's one of the dudes from the rest area. I really thought... I dunno, maybe he had a brain bleed and died after or something, later, those things can take awhile. I thought they were legit, I didn't... fight back." He braves a pause, figuring this is a good place to put one.

Polaris has posed:
She turns, draping her legs over his lap. She's sipping from her beer, brows raised as she looks at him. She lets him speak, head tilting as he pauses. "They accused you of killing Billie Mayes, and you /bought/ it? He's been dead a while, Alex." She means the old tv commercial guy, with the super annoying sales pitch. "Not fighting back against cops is admirable... if they're cops. I assume, from the way you're saying it, they were not."

Havok has posed:
    Alex thwaps her on the head playfully. "Hey, it's not my fault one of the hilljack truckers had a hilljack stupid name," he points out. "That really WAS one of the dudes at the rest area. The one I put the biggest hurt on." He shakes his head, "No, they weren't cops. As soon as we were in the car and moving, they injected me with something. Long story short, it fucked up my shit. I was absorbing energy way more quickly than normal and I couldn't release it, even collared, I was absorbing energy. Hank and some technomancer at the school, Jeremy... they got me back. Hank and Jean barely managed..." To keep him alive but he doesn't actually want to say that bit. "The only conversation I caught was something about the Auctioneer and a buyer that won't pay until they get both me and Scott."
    ... ... "...I don't think it's over Lorns, I think they'll be back, for me and him."

Polaris has posed:
"Sometimes I wonder how you get through life, surfer boy." She says, closing her eyes and taking slow, deep breaths. "And I wasn't even here. I... you could have died, and I was off in the fucking ..." She stops her words, taking other slow deep breaths. Those green eyes open and stare at him. "And you left the mansion. You left your brother there. Alex, we have to go back. If they do to him what they did to you, and take his glasses.. Scott could be in serious, serious trouble. I know you're pissed off at his turn the other cheek philosophy, but we have to protect you both."

Havok has posed:
    Alex reaches out and takes both of her hands in his. His are so warm, not in a bad way but just in that comforting and familiar way that he gets warm when it's about time to go for his daily 'release'. "Scott's fine, Lorna, he's surrounded by people that aren't going to let anything happen to him, okay." His bright blue eyes search her face and then lock with those vibrant greens of hers. He could probably lose himself in those eyes. "I can't go back right now because I'm gonna find the fuckers first. I don't want to be ordered to 'go easy' because they're 'only human' when I find them."

Polaris has posed:
Her hands will pull from his, and hold up like she's telling him to stop in the name of love. "They want you /both/. Splitting you up only makes the two of you more vulnerable to being snatched. And your dumb ass was out here, all alone, while Scott's at the mansion. Come on, man, you're smarter than that." She looks at him, green eyes fierce. "We won't go easy on them, when we find them. Scott can kiss my ass."

Havok has posed:
    Alex's voice is almost inaudible when he admits, "I think I'm gonna go to your dad, see if he can help me track this Auctioneer down so we can 'convince' him to give us the name of the buyer." ... and, well, living at the mansion doesn't mix well with working on something with Erik now does it. "Scott's safer there if I'm not there. If he's surrounded by powerful mutants and it looks like I'm out here alone," which he obviously isn't now, "...then I'm the obvious next attempt, the easy target and I'll be ready, yeah?"

Polaris has posed:
     She's silent a moment, before her head pulls back and shakes. "I'm sorry, what? I think I just had some weird mental moment. I thought I heard you say you were going to my father." She's moving, getting to her feet. That beer is drained. "You're assuming he will care, Alex. And caring isn't exactly his strong suit, when it comes to others." She's marching into the kitchen, and there's the sound of the burners on the stove rattling - never a good sign. "They came for you once. That doesn't mean they won't go for him, or someone else to lure you both out, next. God, Alex, THINK."

Havok has posed:
    "I didn't say he'd have to care," Alex's replies. He pushes himself up to follow her into the kitchen... and get the pizza out of the oven. "You know he'd help me though, if only because that would mean I owed him." He puts the pizza on the counter and then leans against it, arms crossed. "...and us both being there will stop them from luring us both out how? Me being there will stop them from going after him, how? Ba-" It's not the first time he almost slipped up and called her babe, probably won't be the last. "Lorna, I can't do this, I can't go after these people the way my brother would want me to."

Polaris has posed:
"No, I don't know that! I don't always know that he would help me, Alex! " Lorna argues, turning to glare at him. "You both being there will keep you both SURROUNDED by other mutants. People to protect you, both of you." She snarls. "You don't think I would expect you to, do you?" The beer bottle makes a sharp crack as she puts it down on the counter hard. "Me, of all people. You think *I* would go easy on someone that's a threat to you?"

Havok has posed:
    "No but *he* would expect me to and when I didn't? When I melt one of those motherfuckers without a second thought? Que the disappointment from my perfect big brother," Alex barks back. He shakes his head and walks back toward the living room, backwards, hands raised. "I can't... I can't fight with *you* too right now Lorna."

Polaris has posed:
     She moves to follow him, hands clenched at her sides. "I didn't say we let Scott come with us, now did I. And of you don't think I wouldn't pull all the iron out of their blood and kill them on the spot if they were going to take you and hurt you, Alex Summers, then you are a complete and total jackass." She will reach out, and try to pull Alex into a hug, to cling.

Havok has posed:
    Alex melts a little, again, into her hug. Her hugs, they feel like home and he hugs back TIGHT. "You're too skinny," he whispers. He really really isn't ready to go back. Words were said, stances made known. It'll be about as comfortable as sleeping on thumbtacks and eating dogshit for Alex to go back to the mansion, but... "A'ight, I'll go back... tomorrow. Can we just stay here tonight? One more night away from all that fairytale Xavier Dream bullshit?"

Polaris has posed:
"It's not like I could get good takeout in the middle of nowhere." Lorna says against his shoulder, words muffled. "You'll just have to make sure I eat now that I'm back." She nods. "Yes, tomorrow is more than soon enough. I just... damnit, Alex. How do you get in to so much trouble when I'm not around."

Havok has posed:
    ...because she keeps him grounded. Alex shrugs, causing her head to bob a little. "Well your pizza is ready," he informs her with a nod of his head in the direction of the kitchen after he pulls back a little. "You wanna stay in still or go out for a bit after you eat?"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane will give him a little squeeze. "Get us some, huh? I'm gonna hit the bathroom, I'll be right back." She'll kiss his cheek. "Okay?" She will reach up to rub over his hair. "I want to stay in. I want to be home, with my best friend. With you." She pulls her head back, to look up at him. "Get pizza, and find something to watch. Not West Side." She smiles.

Havok has posed:
    There's really nowhere that Alex would rather be. He smiles and, again, it reaches all the way to those pretty blue eyes and makes them crinkle a little at the sides. "Don't go climbin' out the bathroom window. You might give me a complex or somethin'." As if he doesn't already have enough of those? Once in the kitchen, he cuts up the pizza and plates a few slices for each of them. "What are you in the mood for?" he calls out. "Comedy? Horror? Action?" ... romance?