xp_logs | Marie and Angelo, Sunday afternoon

Marie catches Angelo going down to the boathouse to work, and takes him bowling instead.

His suite was too quiet, with Forge gone, and Angelo didn't tend to do well with quiet and solitude, when things were normal. Since he'd finished his college homework, therefore, he headed for the boathouse. Whatever Nathan said, he knew there'd be work to do.

Marie had checked Angelo's room and, finding it empty, headed down to the boathouse herself. Seeing her friend only a few yards ahead of her she pushed off the ground and with a burst of speed landed in front of him. "And just where do you think you're going on a Sunday?" she teased.

"...to work?" he ventured, trying not to look guilty and hoping honesty would win him points.

"Not anymore," she replied cheerfully. "You're headed off on a 'business' trip in a couple days, which means you should be spending your time hanging out with your friends."

He pretended to consider this for a moment or two, giving her a speculative look. "Yeah? Got anythin' in mind?"

"Hmm," Marie said tapping her chin with a gloved finger, her eyes twinkling. "A swim in the lake?"

"Em? It's February. In New York. No."

Marie feigned a look of disappointment, lower lip sticking out in a pout. "You never let me have any fun." Letting out an overly dramatic sigh, she held her hands out in defeat. "But Ah suppose Ah will succumb to your better judgment. You know, you really should pick what we do...seein' as the next time Ah see you, it'll probably be to break you and Domino outta a Burmese prison."

"...why does nobody trust us?" he demanded, exaggeratedly put upon. "You should see all the stuff Nathan gave me to read. But, okay... what's to do on a Sunday in drivin' distance...?"

"Bowling!" Marie declared. "Or minigolf? Ah woulda suggested breaking and entering but Ah know you'll be doing enough of that with Dom." Raising an eyebrow at Angelo, she continued. "And it's not that we don't trust you. Ah think the concern is more about Dom."

"We're goin' on a research trip!" Angelo protested. "Just 'cause we're goin' to be tellin' everybody we're out there for food aid stuff, an' nothin' whatsoever to do with mutant rights..."

"And you still didn't pick what we're doing tonight. Don't think Ah'm gonna let you get outta choosin'," she said as she headed towards the garage.

Angelo laughed, following her without further objections. "Bowlin' sounds good. Haven't done that in a while."

"So are ya saying you don't think y'all are gonna get in any trouble?" she asked.

"I'm sayin'..." he answered thoughtfully, "I don't think it's as likely as most other people seem to. Dom's not been as much of a trouble magnet, this last year or so, for all the jokes the others make."

"Kinda like the jokes about demon attacks? People still talk about 'em even though we haven't had one in quite sometime?" she said as they reached the garage. Pulling out her keys, she walked over to her Beetle and unlocked the doors.

"Yeah, somethin' like that." He glanced over the Beetle, smiling. "The car looks good. I'm hopin' if this trip goes well, maybe they'll stop talkin' about it. Like the field trip curse."

"Ah'm still not convinced that one's done," Marie said. "But Ah'm more than happy ta be wrong on that scale." As she slid into the driver's seat, she grinned at Angelo. "Just like Ah'll be happy when you and Dom show us y'all can go on an excursion all happy like."

"Then we will do our very best to make you happy", Angelo declared with a laugh. "You'll see."