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It was later in the evening. There was liquor and a radio player playing something newer out of the UK by one of the newer bands, The Kinks. Kaleb was kicked back in the living room reviewing drawings of someplace either in Cambodia, or something other-than-human. Bizzarly there was no popping or scratching off the needle when Kaleb played the albums which was maybe reason number two to have him around. Reasons beyond one and two were still foggy. Echo was still wearing sunglasses inside the house. Kellan? Can we just send Vic to like…culinary school? It'd be easier than hiring a cook and he wants to do it. He wouldn't even need to get paid."
Kellan was kicked back in the living room on the couch, laying down on the cushions with his feet up on the arm, reading a book. It was some sci-fi novel, a well-worn paperback that he probably picked up from one of those book shops where folks could trade in what they'd read for something new. He read a lot. Particularly when he split into several copies to read several books at once, but at the moment there was only one of him reading one.
Playing music in the apartment is basically begging to summon Jay out of the woodwork. Formerly out sunning himself on Kaleb's balcony, the red-head strolls into the living room with a small, worn journal tucked into one hand. Jay drops to the floor on his stomach in front of the couch, flipping his book open again. "You think that might be somethin' t'ask Vic about, maybe?"
Kaleb was singing with the radio and he was unsurprisingly good. Hell he sounded like the record player which was easy to do when you were a mimic. Still he enjoyed it, but paused to answer Jay with brazen honesty, "It really never occurs to me to ask people much of anything Jay. We met?" An eyebrow arched over the ribs and he passed Jay the journal with his sketches of the abandoned inhuman temple in it. "How's the ribs? You able to make heads or tales of this? Seen anything like this before?"
Kellan glances over toward Kaleb and then Jay and says, "I think Vic is already learning to cook. He told me that he was going to work on washing dishes and stuff at the restaurant and slowly learn how to cook there, so I mean.. that's already a thing." He continues to read the book at the same time when he talks, easily absorbing it while his mind splits to handle the two separate inputs at once.
"Yeah, Ah know," Jay responds smoothly with a faint smile flicked up at Kaleb. "Just suggestin' that sometimes folks like to be asked about what they wanna do. 'Bert could use another cook there, if Vic's willin' to learn, who better t'learn from than a satyr?" The journal handed over to him with a hint of color to his cheeks. "Yeah…Ah was fine by the time Ah landed." Looking through the sketches curiously, his brows dip together curiously. "…no. What, is this a real place?"
Kaleb squint at Jay and boggled at this concept curious, "We know goat people?" One could almost hear him blinking at that. huh. He grew more comfortable letting the immediate circle as he declared them into his sketchbook. Might also explain the gift Kellan got. Casually the dapper twin rolled his wrist glossing over the details, "Eh, I met this cat while playing pool uptown who sort of commissioned my knowledge of architectural history to come with them to some lost forbidden magic island…thing…" He paused and sighed resting his fingers to his forehead. "Okay it sounds stupid when I put it that way but this guy was cool and a sharp dresser and said he'd let me see it if I helped him navigate the place." Riiiight. He might have omitted that part last weekend about where he was for 36 hours.
"Yes, we know goat people. Lambert. He's a Satyr. I haven't met him yet, but he seems cool," Kellan says as he continues to read and converse at the same time. There's a slight arch of a brow as he says to Kaleb "So that's where you were.. I was wondering." Because he couldn't sense him for a while. "So that's where you got the pirate stuff?" He remember his present.
Jay blinks up at Kaleb from his place on the floor, brows lofting upward. "You didn't know? Yeah." The young man nods to Kellan as he backs up his claim, then squints gently. "Well. His grandpa's a satyr. His momma's human, an' Ah think…his daddy's part human? He's the most human lookin' out of his siblin's, but he still got that touch." Looking back to the notebook as he flips through the alien structures. "He's a close friend of mine. Ah play at his place some nights. But if Vic's gonna learn how to cook or brew or anythin', Bert is the most capable soul t'teach him." Folding his arms on the floor, Jay arches up slightly to look up at the twins. "He /accidentally/ makes booze. There's some crazy stuff in this world…"
Looking down at the book again, Jay jabs a finger against a page. "Though Ah ain't seen nothin' like this." Flipping back and forth a couple pages. "Nah, that doesn't sound stupid. Sounds really boss, Kale."
Kaleb said, "Awww I was missed?" He said to the only person who might ever. He took another drink and set his glass on a coaster. As the record hit the end he got up to go flip it. "That sounds… strange and interesting. We'll have to go visit." But not here where the neighbours would get nosy and rat them out.
Kaleb nodded to his brother elaborating, "Yeah this fella named Maximus arranged the trip. Nice guy. Natty dresser. He's going to get me the number of his tailor. But yeah, we went to this remote island thing and it was just kinda insane. Like nothing I ever seen before. Also creepy crawling things, but loot and architecture that can disintegrate us. Quite compelling!" He was in a groove. The album was flipped and the needle put back to vinyl.
"How do you accidentally make booze?" Kellan asks Jay curiously, clearly paying full attention to the conversation even if his eyes are on the pages as he turns them every so often while he reads. "But yeah, I went to have lunch there with Vic the other day and it was really good." He nods then to Kaleb and says, "Yeah, we should visit." Then he's quiet as he listens to Kaleb talk about Maximus. "You planning to go back to that island any time? I'd like to see it," Kellan admits.
Jay aaaarches his eyebrows when he hears Max's name, and liiiiifts his head again to stare at Kaleb, his wings rise and fall like a breath. "Are you jokin'?" Because Kaleb is the kind to joke around, right? Hah. Toes tapping against the floor as the music picks up again. "Disintegrate?
Looking up to Kellan, or rather, at the spine of Kellan's book, Jay shrugs. "Ah don't know the math of it, honestly. He's just got over-indulgence down to an art, but Ah don't know the math of buildin's that try to disintegrate y'either."
Lorna let herself in, given that she was called drunkenly and on the house line, she'd had to explain to the young kid who had answered the phone to bugger off before she'd finally gotten a hold of the phone. Of course, that had been to a course of the few remaining kids that stayed over the summer chorusing about Lorna and some k-i-s-s-i-n-g tree and what not.
The door knob was no object to keep her out and she closed the door behind her, a brown paper bag of snacks in her arms. "Hello?" She called, stepping into the apartment and closing the door behind her.
Kaleb blinked to Kellan "Heeeeey you said you wanted a new power set? Do that! Accidentally making alcohol sounds like a very useful gift to society. Hop on that." he laughed and grinned a catlike grin to Jay with a chuckle, "Yes, I'm serious. and yeah I'll see about getting a ride back." Door knocking. He pushed himself to his feet remembering they didn't have a butler, or at least that neither Jay nor Vic were it. Turning to Jay he found amusement in the description, "I think I can handle over-indulgence as a performance art. Heck, I gotta hang out with Max more often." His head swiveled to where Lorna was and there was a pause. He called, sure, but there was a huge assumption that she'd humored him in saying yeah, sure, she'll come over. He was still wearing sunglasses inside the house covering the evidence of Saturday afternoon's danger-forest practice. He was quiet a moment and greeted her with, "Lorna? You showed." Astute observation, buck-o. "Please join us." He said letting her join them admitting too honestly, "Vic'll be sad that it's not Chinese food but we're happy to see you."
"Yeah I'm not sure that works how you think that works," Kellan says to Kaleb with an arch of his brows. "But I'll see what I can do." Then there's a knock at the door and without glancing from his book toward it, he says, "Someone's here," helpfully. And Kaleb goes to the door. When he hears Lorna's name he glances over in that direction finally and he lifts a hand in a wave, "Heya, Lorna. How's it going?" Then he says, "Vic's still on shift I think, for a bit. Maybe he'll be home soon." The schedule at a restaurant changes frequently.
Jay exchanges a smile with Kaleb, "Some time, Ah'll tell you about what he was wearin' the two times I met the man." His brows pop upward. "Make sure you get the /raght/ tailor, otherwise you might get fixed up with a dress." Still flipping through the journal, Jay lays on his stomach in the middle of the living room in front of the couch, his wings currently uncovered and draped down his back, the young man turns to glance over his shoulder. "Hai, Miss Lorna." He turns back around to peer at Kellan, one brow arching upward as he queries softly, "Why would you want a different power set?"
Lorna blinked, glancing at Kaleb, "Yeah, I showed. I said I would, didn't I?" She shook her head with an amused twitch of her lips. She made her way over to where Jay and Kellan were, setting down the bag that crinkled with chips, cookies and other junk food. "I stopped at the store on the way over. I figured someone would be hungry, even if Vic was here or not." She flashed a grin and settled on a nearby chair.
She wore a simple purple dress, with short capped sleeves, and flip flops. Her hair hanging free around her face without a headband for once. "And I was very much looking to get out of the house after training earlier this morning."
On the record player was something new he brought back with him from England playin one of the new bands, The Kinks. He might have actually sang half a song as a bribe describing how far out the new album was. To be fair he was as good at that as he was at complaining about the inadequacies of society. When you are a mimic strange things was easy, but hey, he was in a good mood. He paused and looked cautiously at Jay, "The deuce you say, man?" This bent his brain. "Yeaaaaah I'm a suit guy, I'll let Lorna wear the dresses in this room which? I need to talk to Billy about taking us back to London Bridge for a shopping trip." He paused and looked to Lorna and added, "You're welcome to come if it suits you." This made no sense to him and thus, he switched gears. "Can we fix something for you?"
Kellan closes up the book that he was reading. He could easily keep reading it and engage in conversation and do a half dozen other things in his head if he wanted to, but he decides it's more polite to appear to be paying attention as well as pay attention. So he peels himself up from where he lays on the couch with his feet propped up on the arm and he sets the book down on the coffee table before flopping back. "I didn't," Kellan says to Jay with a slight shake of his head. "All I said was that I wasn't good in combat, not that I wanted to be different from how I am."
Jay rolls onto his shoulder as Lorna and Kaleb come into the living room. He gives Kaleb an impish smile. "Yeah, no jokin', the first time Ah saw him, that man done raided his sister's closet or somethin' and were sashayin' down the street, in /lipstick/ an' a gown with a big hat. He got in mah face with some not so small insinuatin' threats when Ah tried t'get him outa the street, too. That's a special fellah, there." He arches a brow at Kaleb when he offers if Lorna would like anything. Host? Really? He rolls up to a sitting position, folding his legs up and looking to Lorna. "Rough mornin'? How's it goin' over there lately? Ah haven't been around in about a week…"
Lorna crossed her legs, "Mmm, some water would be nice." She flashed Kaleb a grin, "And shopping in London sounds fun. Oh, I bet I could get some swell posters too." She tapped her chin in thought, considering. Then the conversation shifted and she blinked, glancing toward Jay. "Who are you talking about?" She tilted her head to the side, and kicked off her flip flops as she got comfortable in her chair.
"And yeah, training is erm.. going. Scott has me working on the punching bag. I have to spend at least thirty minutes every day on it till I can get my speed up."
Kaleb was up and took up his own glass before wandering back to the kitchen. He answered the question on the table after taking a long moment to really process what Jay said. "Hmm." Was his assessment. Lorna was answered, "I took a trip recently as a consultant to a wonderful gent by the name of Maximus. Quite interesting. I'm not at liberty to say a great deal more than that but I learned how to avoid being disintegrated by the statuary. Quite… inspiring." Tongs. Ice. Water. More ice, his glass, gin. He walked back and handed the glass to her. Yup. Witness the rare moment Kaleb Marshall Miller has paid someone a courtesy. How many drinks did that take?
Kellan is quiet as the conversation turns to training and other things. He does glance over toward Jay at the description of Maximus, his attire, and he can't help but smirk a little bemusedly, picturing Kaleb in a gown and a big hat. He finds it so entertaining he pops that thought right into Kaleb's head, where he can do nothing about it but take it in. His eyes sparkle with amusement, but he says nothing at all.
"This fellow named Maximus," Jay reports to Lorna and then nods to Kaleb as he fills in the blanks. He nods a few times when Lorna explains her training schedule, smiling gently to her. "He's a tough cookie, Mister Summers. But Ah like him. Fer a square, he ain't so bad. He's actually the one what found me again and brought me back when Ah was livin' on floors and stuff when Ah got shipped here." Stealing glances over toward Kaleb while he makes someone else a drink. Trying to be discrete about the glances but twisting back and forth isn't terribly that.
Lorna took the glass with a smile, "Thank you, Kaleb." She held it with both hands, carefully balancing it on her knees as she considered what the others said. "Scott can be a bit of a stick in the mud. But he knows what he's doing. He's a good trainer for combat." She shrugged, and took a sip of her water. Then, glancing toward Kellan and Jay, her brows furrowed sharply at the description of Maximus.
"Dark hair, wears lipstick sometimes?" She whispered, her features suddenly going white. "Sorta kinda crazy?" She offered just as softly, her eyes wide as she glanced toward each boy in turn around her.
Kaleb nodded to Lorna lifting his glass slightly in answer to her gratitude. He went to drink his and Kellan put that image of their likeness dressed like Elsa from My Fair Lady. It was enough to get him to do a very startled spit-take. Wide-eyed he looked to his very smug twin as he sputtered, "Kellan!" he coughed and wiped his bottom lip pointing to Kellan with a wry grin. He knew what he did. There was a moment taken to compose himself before looking to Lorna, "Eh, he's eccentric, but I wouldn't call him 'mad' precisely."
Kellan, Kaleb, Lorna, and Jay are all hanging out in the living room. Kaleb's got some Kinks playing which he brought back from London. Kellan is laying on the couch with his feet up on the arm while Jay is on the floor. There are drinks and there is a bag of snacks and they all seem to be chatting. There's a broad, cheeky grin, on Kellan's features at the mental image that he just put into his brother's head. He laughs when Kaleb spit-takes and coughs, a little. Apologetic? Not at all.
"Kinda sorta really crazy?" Jay nods mildly to Lorna. "He was in a gown, lipstick an' a hat when Ah met him. Walkin' down the street like nothin'. Ah tried to pull him off-a the street and there were a few…not so subtle threats from him. He's also obsessed with mah friend Josh. Wants t'put him in a fountain or something? Ah don't know, Ah felt like Ah was missin' some context between 'em." The young man shrugs mildly and shakes his head a bit. "A little weird all around. Ah did see him once, totally sober or somethin'. He got real dark real…fast. You must've met him on a good day, Kaleb." Jay squints gently at the memory, holding both his book and Kaleb's in his lap, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Looking back between the two twins when Kaleb yells at his brother. "We…missed somethin'." He offers Kaleb's book back to him.
Lorna leaned forward, "You're missing a lot when it comes to Maximus," Her brows furrowed and she set her cup of water aside. "My father and I helped topple his whole Kingdom, actually." She crossed her arms, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "He's crazy. Maximus The Mad they called him, his own people. My father's girl is his cousin." She exhaled a sharp breath.
"Stay away from him. Stay far, far, away from him." She bit her lower lip, looking back to Kaleb. "He erased everything in my mind and left me on the doorstep of the school." She whispered, turning her gaze down. "I'm pretty sure it was all to get at my father."
A key jingles in the lock of the front door, and in comes Vic. "Hey, guys," he says. He's got a bag from a nearby bakery, and inside there's cookies, six sweet buns, and half a baguette. "Hello, Aunt Lorna." He comes over to give her a kiss on the cheek, grimacing a bit at what he overhears. "That's awful. You're doing all right now?" Onto the dining table go the baked goods. He's already eaten half a baguette, so he's sated. For now.
Kaleb stood very still and seemed to sober quietly and swiftly enough. He leaned back idly against the counter and set his glass down. While it was evening the sunglasses stayed on so the entirety of his expression might be considered 'incomplete'. Finally his attention shifted back to Vic, his twin, and back to Lorna to see how she'd answer that.
When Vic comes in, Kellan grins from where he is sprawled on the couch with his feet up on the arm and slides around right-side-up. But he's glancing over toward Lorna as she talks about Maximus and that smile wanes a bit, concern showing instead as he glances between she, Kaleb, and Jay, each having their own story to share. "Huh," he finally says, "That's.. pretty messed up." There's some Kinks playing, and the apartment seems to be full up with mutant teens, sprawled around all over the room talking, drinking a bit, and enjoying some snackfoods.
Jay's brows slowly rise upward as Lorna adds to the colorful backdrop that surrounds the man he's met only a couple times. Mouth falls agape, formed into a silent 'o' of shock as he blinks at the green-haired chickie. Inhaling a deep breath to shatter the stillness, feathers slowly stand up on end until his wings shake out violently to shake the shudder away, shaking his head. "/Wow/. Ah had no idea he was even powered. Ah'm so sorry." Guileless rather than patronizing, that empathy comes easy for him, swinging that concerned look back toward Vic as he comes home. The expression melts away into a small smile. "Hey, Vic." Shaking away that former subject for another one. "Did Kell tell ya we went trainin' yesterday?" Until Jay ruined it and made Lorna cry, but whatever.
The Miller apartment is hopping right now as the four inhabitants to the apartment convene in the living room with the addition of Lorna; Kellan on the couch, Jay on the floor, Kaleb against a counter, Lorna in her own seat and Vic just getting home. Music, snacks, drinks. Good times roll.
And with that, there's a knock on the door. Presuming the door is opened, there's the rumpled form of Charles Xavier standing there, with Cassandra in tow as he says, "Ah, yes, Lorna called and said I should come over? Charles Xavier." He actually is dressed somewhat informally, for him anyway, a loose buttoned-up shirt with short sleeves as well as slacks. He then gestures towards the young woman standing with him, "And this is Cassandra."
Lorna flushed faintly, "I got better, but only after Uncle Charlie went in my head and helped me put everything back together. I'm fine." She offered, picking up her glass of water again. She bit her lower lip, "And I sorta told him to come on over anyways. I thought it might be a good idea." She scratched the back of her head.
"Plus Kaleb's phone call raised some eyebrows.." She added, mumbling as she blushed again. Then of course the door was knocking and there was 'Uncle Charlie' standing there. She bit her lower lip, and fidgeted in her seat.
"You guys said you wanted to meet him."
Cassandra Cain is barely a step behind the professor, staring from person to person presently in sight. She's taking note of who all is here and acquainting herself in her own way.
Cassandra offers a simple wave as Xavier introduces her, verbalizing,"Hi."
She isn't talkative. Cassandra won't walk in until Xavier does, being his wing girl for the moment. She'll tuck her calloused hands into her pockets, expression neutral until she hears Lorna and looks her way to offer a smile of greeting.
Vic comes over to the couch, sitting on the floor so that he's leaning back more or less eye level and close to Kellan. "You did? That's groovy. I wish I could've been there." He got some pickup work this week though while his boss has the restaurant closed down. The youth does like keeping busy. He leans in to give Kellan a kiss, but then there's a knock on the door and he pauses. Then Xavier and Cassandra step in, and he straightens up. Smooch? What smooch? He's a cautious sort.
Kaleb stood taking the motes and details in becoming his charming, callously calculating self again until the knock. His singular focus for the moment broken by that new mote of information "Wait I did what now?" Aw hell, actions sort of have reactions don't they? Well wasn't that lovely. As the person closest to the door he was remiss to answer it himself but such was life. He turned to see two persons. "Well standing in the hall suits no one, I suppose." Which was Kaleb for hi, welcome.
When the Professor appears in the doorway along with Cassandra, Kellan suddenly sits up a little bit straighter, though he keeps his leg against Vic's side and shoulder where he sits on the floor, maintaining that contact. "Oh, hi.." Kellan says, and then he gets up from the couch, standing there and says, "I'm Kellan, and this is my brother Kaleb." He gestures, "And I think maybe you know Jay..?" He's not entirely sure on that, "And this is Vic. Come on in and make yourself comfortable. Can I get you guys something to drink?"
Jay cocks his head around the corner when he hears the Professor open the door and step in, brows fly upward, giving a glance to the vaguely familiar woman behind him. Jay unfolds slowly to get to his feet, pressing up off of the floor and walking back casually, toward the outskirts of the room rather than smack dab in the middle of it. Wings uncovered for the moment, the large feathered masses compress and slick to his back, clinging to his shoulders. Arms fold smooth across his chest, then unfold, hands sliding into his pockets. With a small nod, Jay murmurs politely, "Professor. Miss Cass, hey." He glances over to Kellan when he makes introductions, the wayward Guthrie looks at his feet and rocks onto his toes, hair curtaining over his cheeks to be shoved out of the way when the young man straightens again.
Xavier nods, "Hope I'm not interrupting, and by all means young man, don't interrupt your affections on my account." He grins a bit towards Vic, then looks over at Lorna, "Yes, you did call, so I thought I'd come by. And well, since I was coming down to the city, Cassandra wanted to come along." He gives Jay a curious look, then waves towards Kellan, "A pleasure, and certainly. Whatever you have would be fine." He seems perfectly relaxed as he meets… well, a whole bunch of people that he doesn't know already. Most people would probably be more nervous in a room full of relative strangers, but not Charles.
Cassandra Cain eyes Jay, recognizing him handily as she has met him on a few occasions now. Mystery solved on his point, he is indeed a rooster man. The big fluffy bulges were a pair of wings!
Cassandra doesn't bother commenting on anything, letting Xavier do all the chatting since he's better at it than most anyway. She smiles modestly around as she nosily peers throughout the room. She can hardly be said to be nervous herself, but she knows a few people here.
Kaleb really wished he was more sober and less pissed as hell right now. One of those days where you reach into a cookie jar and find a mousetrap? Yeah not his finest moment. He finished the moment of composure and said simply, "Pleasure having you here, Sir, Ms. Cassandra." There was a gesture for them to enter and be welcome. Well the cat was out of the bag, or more appropriately the wings were out of the shirt in the case of present company. He shut and locked the door.
Lorna smiled back at Cassandra, her hands curling around her glass nervously as she glanced around the room. "Sorry to kinda spring it on you guys.. but I mean.. I thought it was better soon than later." Another paused followed as she glanced toward Vic and Kellan.
"It's okay Vic," She nodded toward Charles, "This is Uncle Charlie. Also Professor Xavier.." She grinned, "Vic is my nephew.. kinda sorta." She supplied toward Charles.
Jay recognizes the look from Cass, recalling just how she was peering under the back of his shirt, trying to get a look at what he kept under there, the mild-mannered young man smiles softly as her gaze trips to him and lifts his wings gently in confirmation. A hint of color touching his cheeks while he gives her that little nonverbal nod. Verdant eyes switch back to Charles and his curious look. "Ah…stayed with y'all a while. Uh. M'brother's Sam. Guthrie. C-Cannonball." Which makes his mother the terror that is Lucinda Guthrie, gnawing Scott's ear off with her phone calls. Jay explains quietly, sweeping a hand through his hair a few times, though he's never actually come face to face with the Professor, of course he knows who he is.
Vic glances to Kellan with a shy smile. He then turns that smile on Xavier, and he ducks his head as he waves a little. "Hi," he says, "Vic Delano. I've heard stories about you, Professor. All good ones." He offers Cassandra a friendly smile as well. Not much of a talker just now. He watches Kellan, waiting for him to come back around to the couch.
Kellan makes his way into the kitchen and brings back a couple of glasses with ice water for the professor and Cassandra if they'd like them, not opting to try to guess what either of them would like to drink. There's a bit of a smile at Xavier's comment and he glances back to Vic with the faint coloration at the tips of his ears suggesting a blush. He moves back over toward the couch then, and instead of sitting on it, settles onto the floor next to Vic and leans against his shoulder. "Lorna told us that you might be able to help Kaleb and I."
Charles smiles and finds an empty chair, taking the ice water with a nod, "Thank you. And yes, I possibly can." He sits down and looks over towards Kaleb and Kellan, "It is a school of higher learning, among other things. And we do a lot of work with gifted individuals." He nods over towards Lorna, then looks at Kellan, "What were you looking to get help for?"
Cassandra Cain remains near Charles, accepting the glass of ice water offered her with a quiet nod. Her hands are hardly ladylike, possessing slender but thickly calloused fingers with matching knuckles that can only belong to a bare knuckle fighter. She'll sip at the water while glancing between the conversationalists
Kaleb was oddly quiet and hung back. It was not the same demeanor that called the school a bit ago with a quote/end-quote 'brilliant idea'. Half of him thought just draining that glass right now might be a great idea, the other half thought better. Caught between how to handle the unknown factor in their living room that he had a million and two questions for he opted to stay quiet and let Kellan do the talking. He was nicer anyways. As a young man of subtle gesture his fingers lifted making a faint gesture with three of them like spinning a dial letting the volume on the record player become suppressed a bit so everyone can hear, or maybe for other reasons. He didn't like explaining things really.
From behind the dark sunglasses seemingly worn indoors at night for whatever reason his attention shifted to Jay's nervousness, then Vic's, and then fell to Lorna watching the interaction acutely, or maybe he was still on the last bit of information before the Professor and his quiet companion walked in.
Lorna exhaled a breath, she'd told the Professor what she could about the boys in passing. But, she knew the drill by now. And she glanced from Kellan with a smile toward him and Vic back to Kaleb. Green eyes lingered on him, and she held the glass of water he'd given her between both hands, balanced on her lap. She bit her lower lip, offering him what she'd hope was something of an encouraging look.
Finally, she scooted to the edge of her chair, and patted the empty space there, hooking a green eyebrow upwards in question in Kaleb's direction. The offer a quiet one, just as he had become.
Vic slips an arm around Kellan's shoulder and gives him a quick cuddle, grinning against his hair before planting a small kiss at his temple. He glances between Kaleb and Lorna, takes note of the patted seat, and just grins. He keeps quiet for the moment, just watching the interplay of people, learning through observation.
Kellan leans in against Vic when his arm encircles his shoulders. Then he glances over toward Lorna, and then Kaleb, and then finally back toward Charles. "Well, we're, ah, gifted, but our family, they're not really in the know and we really don't know what we're doing. I mean, we know how to do what we do, but we don't know .." His brow knits and he isn't even sure what he's trying to say at this point. "I don't know. Kaleb wants to go to college, and I suppose I do too. But we could just go to a regular college. We don't have wings or anything, nobody knew in high school. Our folks don't know." He doesn't even really know what it is that they need help with at this point, "Lorna just thought we should talk to you, since we're kind of new, and don't know what the Hell we're doing," he finishes lamely. Then he pauses, "Sorry," apologizing for his language.
The Professor smiles a bit, a reassuring expression, as he regards Kellan and Kaleb, nodding slightly, "It's a story I'm very familiar with. Particularly as I'm 'gifted', as you say, myself." He then continues, "Kellan, we do have college courses opening, and full accreditation starting with the fall semester. We also have… special courses, for those that wish help using their abilities." He hmms, "But before we go any further, I do have to make sure that neither of you would be a danger to the school. Because I take security very seriously there." Probably moreso now, given recent events.
Cassandra Cain continues sipping on her glass of water, regarding the individuals that the professor is conversing with. She doesn't seem to blink, as she hasn't since walking in. Her expression is owlish, in fact, as she glances between them and the professor as they speak in turn. She is noting their body language more than their words, as the former makes more sense to her than the latter still.
Kaleb was like the social version of a cactus wasn't he? At least he had no hostilities towards present company. He might remain in a fixed position looking as detached as inhumanly possible were it not the couple glances his way and a prompting, in the subtle, for him to move which he finally yield to. The glass through was left on the counter in the kitchen half full. Kaleb walked over and took up the spot that was vacated for him to occupy.
Kaleb's lower lip was bit idly paying acute attention to Kellan's questions, and the Professor's answers. College education? Hanging on every last syllable up until the caveat. His heart sank with a faint wince turning sunglasses towards the vaulted ceiling of the flat.
Lorna bumped her shoulder up against Kaleb's as he sat down beside her, flashing him a smile. Prickly or not, she didn't seem deterred at least from offering the young man some affection. "The Professor has to do it with everyone. And besides, he's very good at not going through your head without your permission. I told you that." She whispered softly.
"It's your choice," She whispered, "But it would be helpful to let him. He can help you Kaleb, and he can help your brother learn way more than our shoddy practice in the woods. I promise." She smiled, and her thoughts were on what Scott had told her. About how a great many mutant's powers aren't always so easily trained. That they could be harmful. How the Professor had helped him. Her thoughts lingered on that as brightly as any sunny day during the Summer. Along with her absolute faith that Charles could help.
Vic looks to Kellan and says, "College courses, that sound great." He might sound a bit wistful, uneducated fellow that he is. If he's like an uncle to Lorna, he's practically family." He keeps close to Kellan, that arm draped around his shoulders. To Xavier, he says, "This all sounds great, Professor." If only he were a mutant.
Kellan nods his head to Vic and says, "Yeah," in agreement. His attention then shifts back to Lorna, since he wasn't entirely clear on what was going on as far as determining that they weren't a threat. He looks over to Kaleb then for a moment before turning his attention fully back to the professor. "I don't want to be a danger to anyone, least of all your school, Sir. So, whatever you need to do to figure that out one way or another, go ahead. I'll answer any questions taht you've got."
The Professor nods, "You won't have to answer any questions. At least, not verbally. This is completely confidential." He smiles a little, "Relax. This is going to feel… disconcerting."
Suddenly, the Professor is in Kellan's mind, a presence that seems to have always been there, as Kellan's will isn't really strong enough to keep the Professor out. Then again, few minds are as the Professor suddenly conducts an examination. Precise and clinical, but not without compassion, as the Professor makes certain that there's no danger to the school, or to the other students. At least Kellan is used to telepathy, but probably not quite like this.
Kaleb glanced to Lorna and she seemed to have all the faith in the world in this meeting. This would not be the first nor last time he would call the voracity of her life choices into question. Still though in this case they all seemed to want her to be right. She spoke and while he watched the Professor and his brother do whatever mental gymnastics they were up to he listened. A nod followed and a too casual agreement followed, "Yeah. Sure, piece of cake." The problem with this puzzle was the Professor had something he wanted that he couldn't just make demands to get.
Lorna exhaled a breath, smiling faintly at Kaleb. "Hey you let your brother in I assume, yeah? The Professor is kinda doing the same thing. He won't hurt you or laugh or use anything in there against you. I promise." She pushed her hair back from her face, considering Kaleb.
"He can help you, if you let him. I swear, he's one of the good guys." She exhaled an amused breath at her own words. "Like I said before, when Maximus erased everything in my head, he helped me put it all back together."
Vic turns to Lorna and admits, "I have no idea what's going on." He offers her a sheepish smile. "Should I be doing anything?" He keeps that arm around Kellan. "What does your dad think about this Maximus guy?" He glances between the twins and the Professor. Poor Mote of Cognizance looks so lost.
Kellan's telepathy is weaksauce of the weakest order in comparison to the mind of the Professor. Kellan's telepathy is largely tied to his reflections, the copies of himself that he can make, as well as his multitasking ability. Using them ''outside the network'' as it were, is very limited. He can receive and project thoughts and hold telepathic communications within a limited radius, and he can use his multitasking separate from the copies as well. But by and large, his ability is new, and he's young, and only just learning. There's little dangerous about Kellan. He's a good-natured kid who has never intentionally hurt anyone or anything in his life. The worst thing he's done is cheated on tests by using his and Kaleb's separate skills to take one another's quizzes in school. All things considered, not particularly malicious. But mostly he uses his copies to do his homework four times faster, because Kellan's a little nerd, or to do his chores faster, or to try to solve complex problems faster. There's the distance with his parents, the life of comfort and privilege, the lack of any significant tragedy or testing, then the last few weeks that have exploded in werewolves and spiders and people trying to kill Billy and strange dream monsters, and there's a lot of thoughts about Vic that make Kellan blush a phenomenal shade of red. It's quite the thing to have someone use a flea comb on your brain. But by the time its over, Kellan just kind of stares at the professor mutely, beet red, and waits for whatever the verdict might be. He glances over at Vic then and smiles and rests his head against the other boy's shoulder, though his eyes remain on Xavier.
Charles smiles over at Kellan, "I don't think there's any sort of problem admitting you to the school, if you wish to join. It is entirely up to you, of course." So the heart was lighter than the feather after all, as the Professor then glances over towards Lorna and Kaleb, "Obviously, I won't reveal what I uncover, if that's a concern." He smiles a bit towards Kaleb, "Nor will I judge any intents towards my honorary niece. If her father approves, that's good enough for me." Indeed, Charles is known to… encourage some impishness on Lorna's part, when it suits him to tweak Erik. Because it's what the honorary uncle does, after all.
Kaleb watched what was happening to his twin with a studious and protective fascination. For a kid who was swathed in apathy for the world there was a very, very finite list of things he genuinely cared about and Kellan made up four of those. The copies counted. Kellan seemed okay. Embarrassed but okay. He didn't have to know what was got to figure out the guy was good. Really, really good. His concentration was shot when he was spoken to and the sonic paused and opened his mouth, closed it, tried again. Nope. He closed it as to not look like a fish and asked curiously, "Intentions?" He paused and looked back to Lorna who was smiling a lot and sighed pulling his sunglasses off rubbing his eyes that were still just wall to wall bloodshot from bust capillaries from the previous day. "Alright you can do the…thing." Yeah he was not the one for pleasantries but he'd agree to the process.
Lorna glanced toward Vic and bit her lower lip, "Tata was going to kill him, I thought, till you said you'd seen him recently." The Polish term she used for dad slipping out among Vic at least. She glanced down briefly, but that was halted when Charles brought up Kaleb's intentions. She turned a brilliant shade of pink, sitting up straighter. "Uncle Charlie!" She huffed, crossing her arms.
There was the sharp thought of 'It was only ONE date and it wasn't really a date date!' rather loudly in her mind. She wrinkled her nose in Charles' direction and there was also the addition of. It's not like I've told them who tata is either, much less introduced them. Please don't make this a thing!
Openly, she flashed Kaleb a weak smile, "He can help with your powers lashing back.. somehow.."
Vic has no idea what's going on. There's a stranger here who's like an uncle to his aunt, something about a school (which is a sore subject, but he doesn't say anything to that). Seeing Kellan go red, he asks him, "Hey, what's up?" He knows that look, and it makes him grin and go a little red too by proxy. Because he knows what Kellan's thinking when he blushes like that. The nuances, though, lost on him.
Kellan looks a little relieved when the verdict comes down that he could attend the school if he wanted, his shoulders losing a little bit of the tension though his ears remain red. He rests his head against Vic's shoulder and he murmurs quietly to him, "The Professor was looking through my head, to make sure I wouldn't be dangerous to anyone at the school if I can go to it. And he ah, saw a lot of things, in there." His ears are still red, but the color is receding from his cheeks and he seems okay.
Charles looks very enigmatic, not blushing and seeming perfectly straight laced. "I take my promise to respect mental privacy very seriously." Which is probably a VERY good thing for everyone, all things considered. With that, and Kaleb's consent, he then concentrates, placing his finger to his temple in that characteristic way as he focuses his powers. And again, he weighs Kaleb's thoughts in his, just to ensure there wouldn't be a danger to the other students there. Not that he expects it, but it isn't just him that he worries about.
Kaleb was undoubtedly the antithesis of his brother. He openly called Kellan the 'good twin' and for a reason. There was a deep ire and resentment towards their absentee parents who communicated affection through things instead of care and contact.
It really has left a fundamental character flaw, a short temper, and a near global disdain for the human race. Unlike his brother who was a utilitarian ninja Kaleb's powers seemed to adapt to sound. He could mimic anything or change pitch, tone, volume, although the more extreme the change the harder that was to master. He's absolutely abused this from everything from making his Record player have THX digital quality sound 50 years ahead of it's time and also impersonate his father.
On the flip side to that in recent years he's discovered subsonic frequencies and hypnotic suggestion that's he's been using liberally under everyone's radar including on friends and family to convince them to cave to his blunt and rapid fire demands. More recently he's been just battering Jay with them to help him find a more stable living environment here and also to help him find some center of calm. Mainly to stop hearing the noise and static of him freaking out, but also because under it Kaleb didn't handle seeing another mutant in danger.
At the forefront of him being a nervous wreck was not the Professor using his powers. Lorna was wrong about that and weirdly he was grateful and confused not certain how to handle someone actually giving two figs about his thoughts and feelings on things when they weren't Kellan. It was really an anathema he didn't know what to do with and left him just as confused at his feelings on Maximus who'd tagged him for personal projects to be executed.
Beyond that? He was dangerous. He had an uncontrolled blast of damage that hurt himself, exploded fish, squirrels, and every window in a one block radius recently in the downtown Greenwich area. Last time he was in high school he got into an altercation that hospitalized another kid in critical case, struck himself blind and deaf for two days after knocking himself out, and never got blamed for it. He didn't want to hurt him, he just wanted the guy to stop. He doesn't know if the kid is alive and if he'll ever hear again, or if his soft tissues are putty. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he does. He just wanted to be an architect, and that's just an uphill battle. He was frustrated, and angry. Mostly with himself and the social system making this an issue at all.
The Professor stares hard at Kaleb. He has an amazing poker face, but his expression is a bit stern. Probably at the thoughts he picked up about Kaleb manipulating people with his powers, as the Professor takes a pretty strict view about that sort of behavior. All the same, he looks sympathetic when its over, and nods slightly, "Kaleb, I think you need the Institute, young man. And we'd be willing to take you in, if you want to be there." He glances over at Lorna, then back at Kaleb. "It was designed to help people like you… like us."