1963-11-07 - Awkward Conversations
Summary: Lorna overhears two strangers talking and awkward hilarity ensues
Related: None
Theme Song: None
lorna akihiro marie-ange 


One thing lead to another, and an old woman's business exploded. Nobody important got hurt, but Akihiro's outfit was destroyed. So he's found himself shopping. "Should have kept some of that cash." he grumbles, stepping out from behind a curtain wearing the same pair of faded combat boots, but a new pair of jeans and gray wifebeater. "Wouldn't be so bad if I still had my jacket."

*

Lorna had had a rather rough few days. And Jean's blow up at dinner had been the worst yet. Still, the young woman needed a new winter coat, and her (adopted) parents had sent her a handy check in the mail along with several letters attempting (poorly) to explain why they had not informed the young woman that she'd been a war baby adopted out of Poland.

Still, she hadn't responded, nor gone home. But the chilliness in the air and the demand of a new winter coat won out over any sense of pride on /not/ spending the much needed money.

Besides, Lorna reasoned, she got cold far too easily.

So the young brunette cruised the department store, trying on jacket after jacket, unhappy with all that she tried one.

*

Marie's out and about this evening with a purpose; she's going to do some window-shopping. Not for herself, though, as the holidays are on the horizon and, while money may be in short supply for the french girl right now… thanks to the generosity of a friend she's been able to hand onto the little bit of cash that she had left to her name.

So, she's been thumbing through some things that she thinks that very same friend would like, when eyes catch sight of a familiar face. A face familiar only to today, but familiar nonetheless! The cards are consulted first, as usual. The Eight of Swords is the answer; a warning not to fear the unknown, that things are probably less frightening than she expects.

Which means the fellow was probably safe enough. "Bonsoir, monsieur." she addresses Akihiro as she approaches, slender fingers rising to wave. It is good to see that you are well." …especially considering the bakery exploded right there in front of the bunch. She's not even sure just /where/ everyone was at the time, having been dropped out of harm's way — well, not entirely out of harm's way, but further from it than she was!"

*

"Oh, hey there." Akihiro flashes a warm smile, "You as well. I know not everyone gets over things quite as quickly as me." He reaches up to rub at the back of his neck, gaze shifting across the rest of the store before returning to Marie. "I don't think I've introduced myself, have I?"

*

Lorna was trying to mind her own business, really she was, and shoving her head into coats and out of them was a perfectly good use of her time. But curiosity fueled her and she found herself drifting over toward the two that spoke in the otherwise silent department store (silent save the annoying Christmas music that was playing far too early for her tastes.. if the radio skipped a few stations, it had nothing to do with her).

Yet she didn't butt in, or interject, merely cocking her head to the side as she listened idly.

*

"Oui, it can be… disconcerting, at times, but this is the life we lead in this city. " she replies, a demure smile crossing over her own lips in return. "My name is Marie-Ange Colbert, you may simply call me Marie, if you wish." Nope, there wasn't really much time for introductions earlier! "You are… Akihiro, yes?" she's guessing, since it was the only name that she heard Scarlett call out. "I believe we have a mutual friend."

Lorna doesn't go unnoticed, either — or more specifically, one of the coats she was looking at doesn't. Eyes flit between garment and girl, and she raises her voice a bit. "Forgive me for speaking out of place, mademoiselle… but I believe that may be the one for you." she's got a French accent, she must know fashion, right?

*

"Yes, Akihiro Howlett. If you hang out with her enough you're bound to meet my dad, Logan. Can't miss him." Akihiro notices Lorna to, and she gets a smile as well. "Hey doll, how's it goin'?" See, he's totally not a bad guy, even if he has a short temper.

*

A pause follows and Lorna's cheeks turn a brilliant shade of pink as she is addressed and pauses as she takes off the coat she'd been trying on. A deep maroon colored woolen coat with little black buttons up the side. Decidedly more fashion forward than the girl was used to, but it did suit her coloring.

"Uhm." She blinked repeatedly, "Er… thank you?" She furrows her brows, looking down at the coat in question. "Do you really think so?" Her head tilted to the side, green eyes following to land on Akihiro questioningly, as if measuring his words and trying to erase the possible connection she had made.

Plenty of people must have a father named 'Logan' right?

*

Truth be told, she /has/ met Logan before, but she never caught a name, so she doesn't know to make the connection. "It is only a matter of time, then." she agrees; Marie spends a lot of her time with Scarlett. It's a matter of comfort — both mental and creature, as the bohemian is largely responsible for Marie's improved state of living. "A pleasure to meet you then, Monsieur Howlett."

Then attention goes back to Lorna, and she nods firmly. "I do indeed! It suits your coloring perfectly, mademoiselle. Your taste is impeccable." she's not usually the type to be bold about speaking… but the cards had spoken, and they must be obeyed.

*

"It does look pretty nice on you." Akihiro agrees, moving over to look at a few different pairs of gloves. "I'm tempted to get a pair, but they're just such an inconvenience. Besides," he pops his claws with that trademark SNIKT, "just imagine how many pairs I'd ruin."

He retracts his claws and puts the gloves back where he got them from.

*

Lorna had met 'Mister' Logan before, but making the connection? As of yet she was shying from connecting based on name alone—so she didn't. A smile crosses her features as she looked down at the jacket and the strange woman commented on it. A small blush crossing her cheeks as the compliment from Akihiro followed. The shy smile dropped however as he flashed the claws from his fists and she back pedaled into the clothing rack, knocking it over in surprise and a yelp following.

"Ack!" She tumbled over, trying to right the coat rack in vain. She ended up in quite a pile of coats and other clothes in a rather pitiful, if not comic manner.

*

There's a gasp from Marie as the claws make their appearance — it's still not enough for Marie to make the connection, as her attention was focused on the apartment-monster when she met Logan, but it certainly /is/ surprising. The sound of the clothing rack being knocked over is enough startling to make her jump, though.

"Mon dieu!" she exclaims, stepping over quickly to offer a hand down towards the other girl; best to get /her/ up, first, and worry about the rack later, after all. "Are you alright, mademoiselle?"

*

"Oops. Sorry about that. You alright?" Akihiro moves to get straighten the clothes up, since Marie moved to help Lorna. "I keep forgetting that tends to startle people. Most people I talk with have either spent enough time around either myself or my father that it doesn't bother them."

*

Lorna oggles Marie for a moment, as if in a daze, before taking up the first hand offered to her. Her other hand still holding the coat in question as a flush of crimson stained her cheeks to match it.

"Uhm.. thank you. Sorry." She winced, biting her lower lip. "Sorry, I didn't meant.. I-I mean you surprised me.. I'm.. I'm not someone that er… I mean to say that I don't have anything against … well, sorry.." She turned a darker shade of her flushed cheeks.

Even as she deftly avoided taking the strange young man's offered hand. Practically steak knives had come out of those hands after all!

"I'm alright.." She added, "Just uhm.. bruised.. a little.."

*

There's an understanding smile offered down to Lorna from Marie — it could've just as easily been her falling into that rack, so she definitely understands. Not to mention that fear… or at least hesitation around mutants.

"He is, how you say… 'one of the good ones'. I assure you of this." Yes, she's made that decision pretty quickly; but any friend of Scarlett's… "…my name is Marie-Ange Colbert; and you are?" …she recognizes the social awkwardness easily. It's a trait she usually shares. The cards provide the exception to that rule, and today was one of those days!

Then a smile is flashed back at Akihiro. "You have nothing to be sorry about; we are all who we are, and that is part of who you are, non?"

*

"It's not everyday you run into a mutant like me, I understand." Though the hurt in Akihiro's eyes may give that lie away. "I'm not sure who I am, to be honest with you. I play it by ear more often than not." He gets back to straightening up the clothes, finishing folding the ones that were knocked over.

*

Lorna's eyes went wide and she threw up her hands, "No! Oh no, that's not what I meant at all! I'm so sorry!" She squeaked, turning to upright the knocked over rack as she fidgeted.

"I'm just.. I was surprised.." She mumbled, her gaze averted.

"And when I'm surprised.." Her voice dropped as she looked around and back.

"Well, I'm still not entirely in control of /my/ powers.." She whispered, "So things.. happen when I'm surprised, or upset. Or anything really." She flushed again, biting her lower lip as she sheepishly rubbed at the back of her neck.

*

"One would be surprised. There are more out there, especially in this city, than you might think." Marie offers to Akihiro first, bowing her head slightly. "…and if you play it by ear, your ears lead you as well as my cards lead me, it would seem." She's impressed with what she's seen so far, after all.

Then a blink is given in Lorna's direction. /She's/ one, too? … is Marie the only one here who's not? Truthfully, Marie hasn't the slightest clue /what/ she is. Her hand reaches out to try and pat Lorna comfortingly on the shoulder. "I… understand /that/ very well, too. I should hope that people here treat you better than they did in my country, though." Granted, the circumstances were pretty solidly different in her case, but. There's definitely acceptance for both in Marie.

*

"What is it you can do, if you don't mind me asking?" Akihiro fishes out a cigarette, popping it between his lips. "You've seen what I've got, aside from my senses and healing anyway." With the clothes picked up he moves away from them, just in case, and closer to the women.

*

Another flush crosses her cheeks as Lorna struggles to right the coat stand and fix all the hangers awkwardly. "Well.. uhm.. yeah.. I guess.." She whispered to Marie's comments about being treated better. "Though if you watch the news you'd never be able to tell.." She side steps onto her toes and back onto her heels as she smooths her hands over the woolen coats.

"As.. uhm.. well, I can.. I can do things.." She shot Akihiro a brief glance before looking hastily around the store and back, scratching at the bridge of her nose.

"I'm.. well.. uh.." She exhaled a puff of air, her eyes shooting upwards to the lights above them. "I'm kinda sort of like a magnet I guess…?"

*

He was likely talking to Lorna, but Marie doesn't realize it; "You may have seen what I do as well, Monsieur Howlett." the seer replies, digging through her cards while her eyes remain on the others, before she draws the Ten of Swords back out. "The blades that protected Mademoiselle Scarlett, they came from this at my command… and the future holds few mysteries from me otherwise."

Just don't ask for lottery numbers. It doesn't work that way. Then there's an understanding grimace offered to Lorna. The headline she saw flashes through her mind 'Mutant Satanists Attack Kitchen!'. It made her feel /horrible,/ especially given /her/ background. "Both of your abilities sound as they are wonderfully useful." Akihiro never needs a knife, and the brunette brings them to her!

…yes, she's thinking about food again. She never did get her donut earlier.

*

"Oh, yeah. I know a guy that does that, think his name is Erik. Pretty sure my dad knows him better than I do." Akihiro nods a few times before looking back at Marie. "That's pretty cool too. May have to get you to read me sometime. Know I could use at least a little direction."

*

If Lorna hadn't made the connection to Mister Logan of the Xavier Institute before, she did now. Another brilliant flush crossed her cheeks as she eyed the young man with a faint purse of her lips. Her brows shooting up higher upon her forehead as he speaks.

"Wait, wait.. you're Mister Logan's son?" She squeaked, her eyes going round. "You look nothing like him!" And then she realized what she had said and clapped both hands over her lips.

"Sorry! I-erm.. I didn't mean it like that. I guess.. err.. I didn't know Mister Logan had a son. Or was.. uhm able to do things too.. at all.." She flushed darker.

"I mean, I knew he was at the school, ‘cause Jean invited him to dinner and all.. and he was at the museum.. and uhm.. uh.. er.. What I mean.. I mean is, that well, uhm.. I dunno.." She finished lamely.

*

"I would be happy to sometime, Monsieur Howlett. Those who do not fear the future are most welcome to learn of it." Marie replies, bowing her head slightly. Then there's a glance offered towards Lorna as she falls all over herself verbally. She's not going to interject here — she'd probably end up just making more of a mess of things, really! Though there /is/ another glance given towards the pouch where her cards are kept, as the brunette does warrant a bit of examination from the mystical level.

*

Akihiro nods at Lorna's question, "Yup, that's my dad. All I really got of his are my eyes, nose, claws, and teeth." He flashes a smile that really shows off his teeth now, the oddly sharp canines in particular.

Marie earns another nod to show he's keeping up with both bits of conversation, "I've got nothing but future ahead. I'll take any help planning these next couple hundred years I can get."

*

Lorna's eyes rounded as she hugged the coat she had picked up earlier with both arms close, the conversation at hand earning more than a little of a curious glance between the two. "O-oh." She mumbled, pushing a stray strand of brown hair back from her features.

"I.. erm.. I.. well.." She fumbled awkwardly for words and gives up with a small sigh.

"Wait, you'll live a couple /hundred/ years? What?"

*

The card that's drawn for Lorna is given a brief look. Then Lorna. Then the card again. Does it /really/ mean…

Probably. So she digs out the /other/ possession she keeps; a small canvas bag that jingles when it's moved. "Mademoiselle, you may or may not understand… but it seems that this is meant to belong to you, now." Marie offers, holding the bag out to the brunette.

She's guessing that Akihiro was kidding about the hundreds of years thing, so it's with a smile that she responds, "Then many readings will be needed, non? Mademoiselle Scarlett can put us in contact, when you are ready — but at the moment, I fear I must be going." she dips her knees a bit, and smiles to the pair. "It was a pleasure to have met you both, and I will look forward to the next time."

*

"If I'm lucky. Dad has to be pushing a hundred himself." Akihiro nods at Lorna, before nodding at Marie. "Alright, you stay safe. Try not to get into any more trouble without me around." He slips his hands down into his pockets, sighing quietly.

*

Lorna squirms on her toes, as the woman eyes her briefly, but she accepts the offered bag with a look of confusion. Her brows pinched and she gapes for a long moment, blinking down at it in her grasp. "Uhm.. alright.. thanks…?" Her head tilts to the side as she watches the strange french woman turn to go and she offers a brief wave of her hand in parting.

Then her gaze swung back to Akihiro. "Really? He.. he doesn't look that old at all.." She mumbled, "I mean.. is that.. just normal for him..?"

*

"Comes with healing as fast as we do, I think. Keeps us from physically getting older. I don't know if it'll be the same for me, I'm still eighteen. But he's a pretty good example to go by." Akihiro reaches up to rub at his bare arm, clucking his tongue quietly for a couple of seconds. "So, you doing any sort of work?"

*

Lorna shifted her grip on the coat, adjusting it to settle on the hook carefully. "Oh." She blinked repeatedly, and then glanced down at the woolen fabric, picking at it idly.

"Uhm.. I'm a student at the Frost Institute. So no.. not anymore. I used to work over at the diner over in Brooklyn but I don't need to anymore since I got accepted." She chewed her lower lip, fidgeting.

"You said you knew Mister Lensherr? What do you think of him?" She asked softly, green eyes turning up to the young man questioningly.

*

"Seemed alright the few times I've ran into him. He's powerful too, one of the only people I'd be anxious to fight. But he could rip the metal out my body if he wanted." Akihiro doesn't seem to grasp that normal people aren't quite so infatuated with violence.

"I need to look into some schooling of some sort, get some equivalent of a diploma." maybe once he becomes a citizen. "Be nice to slow things down for a little while."

*

A pause, and Lorna fidgets, a slow nod following his mention of 'seeming alright'. Though the mention of ripping out the young man's body apart made her grimace faintly. "He's been teaching me.. a little." She bit her lower lip, "Since we have the same powers.." Not mentioning the possible family relation, but still. It wouldn't be hard to make the connection. They /did/ look similar.

Lorna glanced down at the coat on her arm and pursed her lips together briefly. "The Frost Institute is always welcoming of.. students. You should think about it. I mean, it's a really good school and all. I'm really happy to be there. So.. yeah.." She finished lamely.

*

"Well that's good. I imagine your father would be the best teacher. Sure you'll be as strong as he is in no time." Akihiro offers encouragingly. "The Frost Institute? Never heard of the place, but if they'd help me with my citizenship, I'd look into joining. Well, if they'd take me period. Could figure that out myself."

*

Lorna's brows shoot upwards and she nearly drops the coat, "My /father/? Uhm.. uh, I .. I don't know that for certain. That he's related to me at all. I mean, our powers are similar and all.. but uh.. we.. we need a blood test and that's been on hold since I .. well, since things happened. And he's a good teacher, but it's just.. we might not even be related at all. I mean, yeah our powers are similar and another student from the Xavier Institute thought it might be possible.. but.. uhm.."

She trailed off, shrugging as she pushed her hair back from her face, rubbing her fingers against her cheeks. "It's just.. even if we're not related, he's a good teacher."

*

"He's your father." Akihiro reaches up to tap his nose. "The nose knows. Was wondering why I thought I smelled him earlier." Probably not the best way to find something like that out, but it saves you a blood test.

*

If Lorna looked disbelieving before, now there was no question of it. Her brows shot upwards and her lips pursed together as she took a step backwards. "Uhm.. well, if you say so.." She mumbled, looking vaguely uncomfortable as she delicately tried to sniff at herself and found nothing even vaguely understandable about what she smelled like.

"Uhm.. I.. I've gotta go pay for this.. It was uhm.. nice to meet you.." She murmured, taking a step back and offering a vague sort of smile in his general direction.

*

"Part of my mutation. Like a bloodhound." Akihiro explains, checking his pockets to make sure he's collected everything. "But, yes. It was nice to meet you, I'd like to apologize again about startling you though." He does flash a smile though, before offering a wave and wandering off.

Once out of sight the smile drops and he swears silently, "You're a fucking idiot, Akihiro."

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