Hank and Jubilee log

[x-jubilee.livejournal.com]

When: Sunday 8th May 2005 Time: 7pm
Who: Hank McCoy, Jubilation Lee.
What Happens: Jubilee goes to see Hank about borrowing his car, he gets her to agree to a couple of provisions and gives her a present.
Song: 'Roadtrippin'' by Red Hot Chilli Peppers.




Jubilee bounced her way down the steps to Medlab. She'd meant to come see Hank a couple of days ago and then X-men reading had gotten in the way and she'd needed to do some study for finals. All in all she felt a little bit bad and neglectful. Still, she was here now, and if she was right, he should be doing nightshift right now.

"Biiiggg Bllluueee, where are you?" she singsonged.

"Oh, joy. Now the Scooby Doo theme will be stuck in my head for hours," he said, smiling as she bounced into the Medlab. Bored with his office, he'd decided that now was as good a time as any for a really thorough inventory. "How are you, oh tiny and busy one? I understand Scott has deluged you with reading to complete."

Jubilee groaned theatrically at the mention of reading and sank into a nearby visitors chair with a hand dramatically pressed to her forehead. "I surely do declare that I shall expire from all this literature."

"Oh, you surely do, do you?" Hank grinned, reaching out to tickle her side. "Well, then, it's a good thing that I have, for a certain young lady who got an A, a reviving and refreshing A-themed surprise gift. Do you think you could postpone expiration long enough to open it?"


Jubilee giggled and sat up straighter in her chair, imminant expiry completely forgotten at the magic words, 'present'. "Ooo, for me? Dude, that's so totally cool. Did Scott tell you he's had me readin' up on old battles and such? Really interesting stuff. Totally thought it was going to be all dry and dusty and then it wasn't and I was all, whoa! this is cool. But so do not tell him I said that, cause then he might dump more on me and my brain would totally explode from all the facts I'm mushin' in there and I'd be verbose all over the place, an that would not be good."

"Yes, for you. C'mon, it's in my office." Hank smiled at her. "And if you aren't careful, you'll wind up talking like me. Oooh. Terrible fate. I'd have to get you a pair of little round glasses like mine - and they are NOT Harry Potter glasses, no matter what anyone says," he added, in an aggrieved tone. "I've had them since the wretched boy was no more than a twinkle in Ms Rowling's eye."

"Dude, they so do make you look like Harry Potter. But Daniel Radcliffe is much of the hotness, so it's a compliment." Jubilee replied, winking as she bounced out of her chair and walked toward Hank's office. "So, how are you and Mads doing?"

She hoped she'd asked that in a blase way, she didn't particularly want either of them to think she was prying but she needed to know things were going okay as well. If things didn't go well, that'd be bad. Especially since Mads and Hank were both really important to her.

"Oh, well, as long as it's a compliment on my hotness, I don't mind. But I'm much more intelligent than he is. I'm more of a Hermione type, really, he said in a modest way." Hank blushed, scuffing one bare foot on the floor a bit as he opened his office door. "And... we're going well, I think. We had our first date, which went... bizarrely well, actually. No catastrophes, no attacks, no sudden disasters recalling us home in the middle of it... even the popcorn was good."


"Harry's smart, he's just got that whole 'teenage boy hormones' totally rottin' his brain an makin' him not think. That an the whole Quidditch thing. Give him a few years and he'll actually use his brain. Hermoine is cool though. An good about the popcorn. Key to a good date is good popcorn...not that I'd know much about it. Never actually been on an honest to God actual date. Let me know when you're goin' on your next one and I'll frighten' people into stayin' away from sharp objects, like buildings and trees and general geography."

The scuffing was cute, Jubilee decided, as was the blushing. But she'd promised she wouldn't tease him or Mads about this...at least not much. She was only human, after all.

"Our next one will, I hope, be the wedding. To which I am wearing a kilt." Hank grinned. "I'm told I look dashing in it." He rummaged in one of his closets, and pulled out the box which he'd wrapped in sparkly silver holographic paper. "Ta-da! One present!"

The key to receiving presents was to open them as quickly as possible Jubilee had always thought but since Hank had taken such care to wrap it in really nice paper, she took the time to open it carefully and grinned widely when she saw the teddy bear. It was dressed in a little butler's outfit and had on a rather dapper tophat. Jubilee felt the bear's fur with her hand and then hugged it to her, sniffing slightly but resisting the urge to get teary. It was perfect and soft and she loved it! "Dude, this is just...Wow. But like, what's a teddy got to do with the letter A?"

There was another, smaller box under the bear she now noticed, also wrapped in silver paper. Placing the bear down carefully on the table, she picked up the smaller box, wondering what could be inside.

Hank beamed. She liked it! He'd been worried she'd feel slighted at receiving such a childish gift, but the bear had been so adorable he hadn't been able to resist. "It's an Alfred bear," he explained solemnly. "Batman's butler, you know. Around here, you know, we couldn't have just any old civilian bear who'd be traumatized by our goings-on. A calm, cool-headed, professional handler of crises is called for."


"He's perfect, BB. Know just where I can put him in my room too. On the little shelf above my bed so he can watch all the comings and goings. An the name reminds me of what I wanted ta talk to you about before." Jubilee replied, opening the small box carefully.

Inside was a silver-and-amethyst pendant on a silver chain, with little matching earrings. Jubilee was at a loss for words, the bear and now this. It was, no one had given her anything for simply doing well in school since her parents. She placed the necklace and earrings carefully beside the bear and threw her arms around Hank, hugging tightly. "Dude..."

Hank returned the hug, resting his chin on her silky dark hair. "Amethyst, besides being pretty and shiny, is supposed to help keep bad dreams away," he said softly. "Just about all of us here have them, now and then, so I figured you probably do too." He smiled a little. "And I wanted you to know how proud I am of you, not only for that one A, but for how hard you've been working at both your schoolwork and the trainee stuff."

Jubilee smiled, leaning into him for a moment and just letting things be for a moment. "It'll help, been havin' horrible dreams lately. As to the other stuff, wanted to see if I could do better, if I tried. An I did, BB. Did better then even I thought I could. You remember how I said I'd talked to Alfred? He told me they're gonna tear down the mall I was livin' in. Make it into one of those super wallmarts. I need ta go back, see it again before it's gone forever. Wanted ta ask you if I could borrow your car. I wouldn't be goin' till finals are over, they're not gonna start demolition for awhile yet. I thought I could make a journey of it, ya know? Not just go by plane. See a bit of the country on my way there."

Hank blinked. "Jubilee, I am very fond of you, and naturally I want you to be happy, but I am not entirely sure I approve of you travelling clear accross the rather large country. By yourself. In my car." He considered. "Although I do certainly think going back and seeing it would be a good idea... hm."

Jubilee grinned. "Well, I guess I could take some people with me, if they wanted ta go an all. Not sure anyone would want to spend that much time with me in a car. I could probably grab Carls though, she was makin' noises about comin' down for the summer."

"Well... if Carlie is going," Hank said slowly, then grinned as he realized how absurdly like an anxious parent he sounded. "Anyone else in the car with you will have to be equipped with earplugs, of course - there's a thought." Earplugs led him to the memory of Forge spending half the time that they and Dani had been in the car together with his headphones blasting away and probably permanently damaging his hearing. And he and Carlie had gotten along swimmingly. "Perhaps you might invite Forge along as well?" he suggested. "He's... well. Had something of a rough time of late. Getting away for a while might help. And should the car break down along the road, he's certainly capable of fixing it." He was very fond of his car. It would be nice to think that at least one person with it knew how to look after it if it got sick.

Jubilee nodded, sitting down on one of the spare chairs near Hank's desk, pulling out the checkerboard from under a pile of papers.

"Was gonna go see him soon and find out how he's doin' after the surgery. Can ask him if he wants ta tag along then. Since it's a couple of weeks till finals end, reckon he'll be okay to go by then. Very cool, Dude. Kinda be more fun with two other people ta talk to an everything. Gets a bit borin' when you've only got the voices in your head listenin' to you." Jubilee said finally, a twinkle of humor in her eyes.

Hank nodded. Going on an adventure with two lovely young ladies would take Forge's mind off losing the rest of his arm, if anything could. "Road trips are definitely more fun in company," he agreed solemnly. "And yes, you may borrow my car, as long as you aren't going alone... and you promise to take very good care of it."

Jubilee bounced a little at the good news and then looked appropriately solemn. "Dude, I totally promise to look after your car, and I'll make sure it's not got a scratch on it. Scout's honour...okay, so I was never a Scout. How about x-men trainee's honour?"

"I think that will make an acceptable oath," Hank agreed, and he gave her another hug. "I will also exact a promise to be careful," he told the top of her head. "I want you all back in one piece."

She hugged Hank back before gesturing to the chair at his desk. "We'll be good.No injuries, not even scratches. Promise" Jubilee replied, grinning. "Now, up for that game of checkers?"