xmutanthigh | [OPEN POST] NEW BRO'HOOD

[Ali shakes her head, reaching out to interlace her fingers with Jono, edging a little closer to him for comfort. Through this whole ordeal, it's been Jono who has kept her sane. His strength, the impossible vastness of his hope and determination, these things have kept her going. Ali wonders if any of those qualities she's felt in herself were really hers, or just shadow's of his reflected.

The truth of the matter is, she needs him here.]

Please stay. I know it's just as important to you that Kevin comes home and...[She closes her eyes, her sigh heavy and racked and her fingers curl thoughtlessly tighter around his.] I don't think I can do it alone.

Yeah, it's cool.

[Jono figures that someone else with decent enough emotional depth might've at least said something like, "I understand," or "You're going to be okay," or... something? But he can't quite figure out the right way to say words like that without sounding dumb, so he doesn't even try. He just settles for giving Ali's fingers a squeeze, and then, feeling awkward and stupid about Forge, drops her hand and stuffs his own into his pockets.]

Looks like they're about done.

[Logan and Kevin were talking for a few minutes, and now they look to be wrapping things up, so Jono and Ali take their cue and head over to him. (OOC: Haha yeahhh I figure that the band-talk can just... take place after the Logan-Kevin talk. Which is currently being tagged and we can tackle that whenever :P)]

Don't worry, Ali. He looks... okay. [Jono inwardly groans. Yet again what a dumb thing to say to her.]

[Ali just nods, she's heard the entire conversation, feels a little guilty about eavesdropping, so she says nothing. The loss of his hand is jarring for a moment, the comfort and warm of his palm against hers had been like a security blanket. Then, the awkward way he shifts, abruptly, hiding his hands away form her gives her pause, reminds her she probably shouldn't be taking that sort of comfort from him. At least, not with Forge waiting for her at home.

It's very quiet as they approach Kevin, their boots crunching on the packed snow. They stand there, the three of them, shifting awkwardly for a moment before Ali shrugs, clicking her tongue.]

So...hey. [She buried her hands deep in her pockets, mimicking Jono's actions from before, so that she can't crush Kevin in a hug again. It was clear the last time he wanted nothing to do with it.] What's...uh, what's up?

Death and destruction, as per usual when it comes to me. [This time, however, Kevin says this with a sly grin. It's not really the time to be joking, but, he doesn't quite know how else to approach the situation right now. Then his expression softens a bit. He remains serious but speaks with a lighter tone.]

I meant what I said to John, before, you know. It was pretty reckless of you guys coming here, especially the way you did, no backup or plan or anything.

[Ali blinks at him. It feels like she and Jono will be told their reckless, stupid idiots for the rest of their lives. If she didn't know it to be true, maybe she could find some argument. She knows, though. She knows it was reckless and foolish, she knows something could have happened to her or worse, to Jono, to any of the others.

Ali knows, but she can't find it in her to care. She is reckless, impulsive, has always been. Prudence isn't one of her strength, and in her desperation she had barely considered any of the consequences, except getting Kevin back.

She pulls her coat tighter around her, wanting nothing more than to link arms with Kevin and Jono, so tiny and safe between their massive forms. She smiles, catching just a bit of Kevin's levity. No matter what else, is it good to see him.]

Yeah. This coming form the genius who decided to come join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. [She rolls her eyes.] And you keep calling us idiots!

[Kevin doesn't even bother suppressing an eye roll in return. He knows reckless and ask-questions-later is so very Ali, and, well, come on: it's one of the reasons why he likes her so much.]

I know, I know. I'm just... [He heaves a big sigh here, and begins. His words are emphasized by his gloved hands, talking animatedly as he faces two of his best friends for the first time months -- that time in the woods didn't count -- and tries to keep his composure.]

It's just hard for me to believed you'd risk your two dumb asses coming to get me like this. I mean, did I tell you? I actually thought you were on some kind of mission when I saw you guys, dispatched by the X-Men or something, and it was either coincidence or something that you guys had to be in the same place as me. I just couldn't... [Another sigh.] Couldn't really believe that after what I did, in part to keep you guys safe from me, you still managed to put yourselves in so much danger.

[Now Jono interjects with, "Of course we did! We were worried sick about you, you bloody little bastard! You have no idea!" Jono waves frantically too, and this little three-piece band looks like all of its members are about to burst into tears at the drop of a hat if the wrong words are said. Kevin looks at Jono and Ali carefully.]

I didn't know. Really. I thought you might be a little worried, but then get over it.

Well that's just the stupidest thing I've ever heard. [Ali blurts this out, looking at Jono incredulously as if to ask, "Can you believe this kid?"] Kevin, how could you even think that we'd just get over it? You're like family to us. Plus, you broke up the band.

[When Ali gives Jono a look that says, "Can you believe this kid?" he returns it with an expression of his own that reads, "I know, right?"]

Family! Guys. I don't... [Kevin just lets this sentence drift off. What he's thinking to himself is I don't have a family anymore after I killed Dad. Family is just... something that's been taken from him and it's a fact that he's slowly let himself become okay with. Or at least, used to. Now these two are claiming that they are a family and he's not sure how to deal with this.

Jono seems to be able to sense what Kevin is thinking. For once. And so Jono gives him a little push, a little bit of encouragement, by saying, "Come on, Kevin. You're like -- a kid brother to me."

Kevin is startled. He had an inkling earlier that the X-Men might've come to get him, haul him back in, and lecture him about the evils of Magneto's Brotherhood, but... he'd thought it was a matter of pride. And of embarrassment. The X-Men losing one of their own students to the Brotherhood -- that didn't look so great for their image, did it?

But now he is starting to realize that that wasn't it at all. Ali and Jono came for him because of some mushy bullshit about being a family. And Kevin is so touched that he can't think of anything to say but the following.]

Oh, God, Ali. You've broken up twelve Dazzlers. Don't start that shit with me.

[But for the first time in months, Kevin's smiling. And it's genuine.]

Edited 2011-02-28 08:15 (UTC)

Kevvie, that is low. [But Ali's smiling too, now.

She doesn't bother pointing out to Kevin that her only family tried to kill everyone, turn Kevin into a death machine, and choke her to death. The point isn't how crappy or absent their biological families are, but how important this little musical family of theirs is to all of them.]

Anyway, everyone knows you need at least three people to have a band, or else you become a duo like Sam and Mark, and they're fucking shit.

[Jono groans audibly at this, and covers his eyes with his hands. "Ugh, Ali. That's my reference! Furthermore, that's the statement I made to you back in -- well, back when I said we ought to teach Kev the drums!"]

Really? That was your argument for me?

[Kevin crosses his arms and looks at the two of them.]

No. The big one was that horrible metal shit you called art. I thought it was the right thing to do, teaching you something more productive to do with your hands.

[They all start laughing, a little like old times, and when it dies down, Ali shifts a little, impatiently. Looking from Jono to Kevin, taking her hands out of her pockets.]

So, are you still acting all too cool for it, or can I have a fucking hug yet?

[Kevin gives her a wry smile.] I don't like hugs. You think I'm giving you one after you called my industrial art "horrible metal shit"?

[Then Kevin looks at his little so-called family endearingly, and a little bit sadly as he realizes just how much Ali and Jono must've gone through just to come find him. Ali's shivering even as she's taken her hands out of her pockets to embrace him, so Kevin slips off his own protective gloves and gingerly hands them to her.]

Here.

Oh come on, Kev. You like being a drummer way better than that shit anyway and you know it!

[Ali hesitates, noting that Kevin's still without his jacket. Still, she is freezing, and when he waves the gloves at her again she takes them with a smile.]

Thanks.

It's all right. [That's all Kevin gives up for now, though he does take a quick moment to reminisce about how most of the girls at their gigs end up thinking he's either gay or a douchebag for never responding to their advances. Well, tough luck for them; tougher luck for him. And then in response to Ali's thanks, Kevin gives another small grin. Jono looks at Kevin silently with his own gratitude; he'd been worried about Ali not faring so well in the cold, and the two of them hadn't come that well prepared. Fortunately, Kevin's been here for awhile, so he's able to deal.]

I've got a bunch more gloves. I'll be back with them. I'll need another pair, and, Jono, you should take some too.

[Kevin turns to head back towards the cabin that had served as the New Brotherhood's headquarters, and then after taking a few steps, turns to look at them again.] You guys gonna wait up?

Sure.

[Ali pauses then, realizing they still haven't actually confirmed that Kevin's even coming back with them. Plus, the conversation she's just overheard between Kevin and Logan has her feeling uneasy about the whole thing.]

So...does that mean you're coming home, kiddo?

[Kevin frowns; something he hasn't thought about yet was what was going to be in store for him back at the school. Certainly the staff isn't going to pretend nothing happened. They're not going to let him off with a warning, either. So what now?

But, at the very least, he knows in his gut he wants to go home. He's felt loneliness these past few months when he was with the Brotherhood, and other kinds of sadness and longing, and some of the emotions were easily identified. Now he's realizing that one of those was homesickness and you can't really feel that way without a home... he figures. So he thinks he knows where home is supposed to be and even if he's facing some pretty hefty punishments upon going back home, he thinks he's ready for it.

Heh. Maybe if he's lucky they'll just send him to his room without dinner.

Kevin takes another glance over his shoulder.]

I'm coming back here, with a few more pairs of my gloves and maybe somebody else left behind a jacket. [Kevin hugs his arms to his torso and hides his bare hands in his sleeves.]

Then I'm going home.

[OPEN POST] NEW BRO'HOOD

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