Log [Alison/Nash] Life stretches out ahead...

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

Early in the evening, during the reception. Alison pauses for a bit to talk to Nash, finding out how the healing process if going and if there are any plans yet in place for the future.

Gavin Nash sipped at his water, trying to ignore the curious and occasionally horrified looks he was getting from other wedding guests. He'd been doing it all day, after all. They weren't reacting to the gray skin and his size, he knew - there were other mutants here who were just as visible - but to the still-healing burn scars. There was as much pity as anything else in the eyes peering at him, and that he didn't really appreciate.

His eyes sought out Isabel, dancing with Ian, and he smiled. There were a truly alarming number of beautiful women here today, but he was definitely biased.

"You need to blink now and then, y'know." Nodding wisely up at him, Alison then grinned, sneaking a look at Matsuda herself. "If you don't, your eyeballs dry out and end up rolling out onto the floor. And considering it's a dance floor?" She looked up at him innocently once more. "It'd be bad. People falling all over the place. Though I bet if you get Moira's grandmother, it'd make her happy..."

Gavin blinked, then offered her a quick smile. "You look lovely," he said. "And you sounded lovely. Really added something to the ceremony." He gestured at the chair next to his. "Want to sit down? I'm just taking a bit of a break, here..." The pain was getting a little ahead of him again, and he was debating ducking up to the bedroom where he and Isabel were staying to take something for it.

"Thank you." Pain was something she knew and after contemplating him for a few moments, she nodded and sat down besides him. "I can't get rid of the accent now though. Haroun's been teasing me about it." The grin that followed showed she didn't mind whatever teasing had been going on. "You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you. I'm glad for that." Another glance at Matsuda followed that, then a smile.

"The taskforce doctors have been trying a few new therapies." Burns were infinitely more challenging on skin that shifted its density. They doubted his powers would ever work the way they had before, but that didn't matter so much to him now. "Plus, you know, the never-ending parade of shrinks," Gavin said with a wry chuckle. "And Izzy railing at me anytime I looked like I was getting depressed. Eventually that sinks in."

"It's good to be well framed like that." She paused, taking a sip and then eyeing judiciously. "It's good to listen so that it sinks in too when people care about you." The r's were still being rolled a bit, though Alison was doing a conscious effort to try and reign it in. "They figure a few more months at least, right?" Proof she'd in fact been following matters as closely as possible.

Gavin nodded. "I wasn't missing Nathan's wedding, though. I was at his first one, actually." He gazed out at the dance floor. "Much happier occasion all around, this time."

Alison did not comment out loud that it likely had to do with all the guests not being wary about being punished for showing too much glee, for one. "I'm glad for him and Moira," she said quietly. "They've been positively giddy about all of this, the both of them. Well. Nathan did do the pacing thing. It was cute."

"She's beautiful," Gavin said. "Moira, I mean. And absolutely glowing today." The smile came back, lingering. "I like this," he said, sounding a little surprised. "All of this. It's just so nice to be able to be somewhere with people you care about and be happy... that must sound like the most obvious thing in the world."

"No. No, it's not. It's something to be treasured, each time it happens." Alison hid her expression in another sip of her drink, the punch a bright red color with a piece of melon bobbing in it's depths. Because you never know when you might lose it. "Speaking about the simple things… you settled on anything yet for when the physical therapy is over?" She'd heard about him mentioning teaching a few times, but asking was the best way to make sure.

"I'd like to teach, actually." He gave her a slightly sheepish look. "I have a couple of college degrees, actually - I worked on them part-time like Nate did. Or maybe not teach, per se," he said, thinking it over as he went on. "I want to be around kids. That probably sounds strange, given my background... but I like kids."

"You all like kids," Alison stated, simply. "Or at the very least want them to be safe. Pretty consistent from all of you, really. And it makes perfect sense when you think all of one second about it," she teased him, content that she'd been on the right track. And there was ample time on the matter before anything had to be decided.

"Maybe that's why the taskforce shrinks don't look so surprised when I talk about it," Gavin murmured, sipping at his water again. "Fits the profile, or whatever."

Isabel, after exchanging a few words with Ian that had him roaring with laughter and heading off through the crowd, clearly bent on a specific target, wandered over and smiled at Alison before turning her attention to Gavin.

"Hurts?" she asked, touching the side of his face gently. Gavin nodded, and Isabel looked up at Alison. "I think I'll haul him upstairs for a bit," she said. "Better he rests a bit now rather than pushing too hard..."

"Don't fuss," Gavin said with a faint little smile, but didn't make any further protest.

"Fuss," Alison said cheerfully, without a hint of repentance in the smile she gave Nash. "All the way upstairs at that. Fussing is good." She shook with laughter at the looks she was getting and winked merrily at Isabel.

Isabel gave her a warm smile. "Come on, tough guy," she said, letting him lean on her as he got wearily to his feet. "Remember how comfortable that bed was last night?"

"Yeah. It's a pity we actually did that much sleeping."

Isabel actually blushed.

Snickering, Alison rose to her feet as well, abandoning her empty glass to a waiter as he swept by. "Need any extra help on the way?" At the negative reply, she still walked with them part of the way, teasing Isabel gently the entire time.