xp_logs | Kurt and Nate, at Harry's

Kurt and Nathan meet at Harry's and commiserate about being the sons of supervillains.

Kurt wandered into Harry's, with the usual image inducer, glancing around for anyone he knew. Spotting Nathan in a back booth, he approached - not quite hesitantly, but unsure if Nathan wanted company.

The face was unfamiliar, but the mind behind it was Kurt's. Nathan raised his glass in sardonic salute, wondering what had brought his fellow X-Man down here alone.

Kurt raised the glass he'd bought on the way in response, sliding into the other side of Nathan's booth. "Hello, Nathan."

"Kurt. I'd tell you that drinking alone is a bad idea, but that would make me a hypocrite." Nathan took a sip of his beer before he set it back down. "I haven't seen much of you lately."

Kurt shrugged, with a wry half-grin. "I have kept to myself more than usual, perhaps. Not that that is not my general habit."

Nathan raised his glass again. "Here's to wacky family revelations," he said steadily. "I sympathize. Believe me."

Kurt toasted ruefully. "To wacky family revelations, and wishing to be back in ignorance."

"Can't turn back the clock, unfortunately," Nathan said, clinking glasses with him. "At least your mother hasn't shown up wanting to be a part of your life. Thank goodness for small mercies."

Kurt winced. "Yes, and I sincerely hope she does not. Ever."

"Here's hoping," Nathan said with all sincerity. "Speaking as someone who's been in that situation, be very, very careful if she does. It can lead to bad things."

"I think I would turn her away even if she did", Kurt said quietly. "Too much has happened."

"At least you have the edge of knowing what she is, right now," Nathan said after a moment. "You don't have the opportunity to indulge in wishful thinking."

"This is true", Kurt acknowledged. "I will not say I never did, when I was younger, but... You know now what your father is, though."

"That's not actually a whole lot of consolation," Nathan said dryly.

"...no." Another rueful half-grin, then, "Next drink on me."

Nathan shook his head a little. "Odd to be able to drink again," he said, and took another sip of his beer. "Haven't tried much beyond the beer, though, just in case."

"Start slowly", Kurt agreed, before asking curiously, "What was it keeping you from being able to?"

Nathan's expression was guarded, suddenly. "Metabolic imbalance," he said. "It was really pretty funny. Me, who used to be able to drink a pub full of Irishmen under the table."

"Funny from a certain point of view, I suppose, yes."

"I don't intend to start drinking people under the table again, but it's nice to know that I can do it if I want to."

Kurt laughed a little. "Reassuring, I imagine. To know that things are back to how they were, at least in one way."

"Start small, I suppose. Today, the alcohol tolerance. Tomorrow, the world." Nathan finished off his beer, then waved at Harry. "So, I gather you had the same total non-reaction from everyone else that I did. You'd expect them to look at us differently, knowing where we come from."

Kurt nodded. "Only two people even said anything at all - Scott, and Kylun. And... nobody seems to care at all."

"Our villainous parents are not us, after all. Blood does not tell." Nathan nodded to the waitress who brought over another beer for him. "Or so I keep hearing."

Another nod. "That is what Kylun said. And he is not wrong, but... it feels different, from the inside. You know that, I think."

"You feel tainted, in a way," Nathan said. "Why do you think I'm doing all this work for Charles? Well," he amended, "I have good reasons, too. But part of it is a direct reaction. Compensation, maybe."

"Yes! Exactly. I have been tempted, sometimes, to return to my life before, in the clan. But... I cannot. Especially now. Not in the same way."

"There's a fine line," Nathan said after a moment, thoughtfully. "I don't blame myself for what my father and uncle do, or have done. But I don't think I'd be able to look at myself in the mirror if I didn't do something to try and stop them."

"What I cannot help wondering", Kurt said slowly, "is why she said nothing when I met her, two years ago. Whether she had something in mind."

"Maybe she didn't know. Pigmentation similarities aside."

"The similarities are extreme, though. And if she ever saw me at all... the tail..."

"You were all rather distracted at the time, if I read the mission reports correctly. Maybe she didn't have anything in mind," Nathan said with a shrug. "Maybe she was just focusing on the central problem at hand."

"Perhaps", Kurt acknowledged with a nod. "It is just... a worry."

"You'll drive yourself crazy," Nathan warned. "Wondering about the possibilities. Trust me, speaking from personal experience here. Again."

Kurt smiled ruefully. "I know. And I do try not to."

"Good. I know it's easier said that done." Nathan smiled a little. "You know, we ought to do this again," he suggested. "With Wanda. Form a Children of Supervillains Anonymous Club or something."

Kurt laughed. "I would like that, I think. To save both of us from drinking alone."