xp_logs | Angelo and Callisto, Wednesday afternoon (Reply)

Angelo runs into Callisto in the garage and they have conversation of varying degrees of awkward.

Angelo had, he was all too aware, been neglecting his car. He'd had a good reason but still, the poor thing had been sitting gathering dust in the garage for two weeks or more while he was in England and it was time to redress that balance.

He was whistling cheerfully as he walked into the garage, pausing when he noticed a pair of boiler-suited legs sticking out from under one of the communal cars.

"Hi?"

At first there was no reaction. Then an oil-blackened hand attached to a tattoo-ringed wrist appeared from beneath the car, gesturing to a spanner.

"Pass me that, would you?" a low female voice floated out, sounding a little like a person speaking into a tin can.

"No problem." He walked over to pick up the spanner, putting it into her hand. "Name's Angelo."

"Good for you." There was a brief screech of brittle metal that didn't want to move... moving. Then the figure rolled out from beneath the car, revealing a slim woman with a mop of dark hair and old smudges on her hands and face. She sat back against the car. "Thanks," she said. "Callisto," she added by way of introduction. "I'd shake hands, but..."

"Understood", he said with a grin. "My car needs her oil changin', but I didn't get messy yet. Nice t'meet you."

Callisto cast her gaze up and down the young man. "I can get it when I finish here if you want," she offered idly, though he looked perfectly capable, certainly dressed for messy work in a old teeshirt and worn jeans.

"Nah, it's all good. Easy enough job, and my car's my baby, you know? That's the one." He nodded to the red sportscar in one corner of the row.

Callisto rolled her eyes. Yet another pretty boy with a pretty car. First there'd been Forge with his RX8. Okay, interesting boy, cool car, I'll give him that... Then there was the guy with the Pontiac Solstice (piece of crap...). And now this kid and his shiny red Mustang. American. Sports Cars. "Very, uh, pretty," she said with the closest Callisto got to diplomacy.

"21st birthday present", was the cheerful response. "I like me some flashy cars, an' it goes pretty well. 's good enough for me."

"Nice present." Callisto had never even worked on that expensive a car, never mind owned one. Being in a position to give one as a gift? That was yet another step beyond.

"Nate's doin' pretty well", he agreed. "Guess he figured it's traditional an' no one else I know could afford it, so."

"Nate, right. He based here too?" Clearly Callisto was expected to exchange pleasantries at this point, not something she was used to.

"Yeah, down in the boathouse. Runs an NGO, I'm his assistant-slash-minder, whatever he says." Angelo was doing pretty well on the pleasantries front for both of them - apparently he was in a good mood. "Watch out for the tiny flyin' redhead, he won't be far behind."

Which around here could mean someone with red hair... or someone with a red head... It's gonna take a while to get used to being around mutants again. "I'm sure I'll run into everyone eventually."

"Chances are good, yeah. They given you a room up in the house, or do you live out?"

Callisto's brow furrowed briefly. She wasn't used to honest curiosity, and she was used to holding information such as where she slept close to her chest. Forcing herself to relax, she turned her gaze to the assorted tools scattered on the oil-stained towel on the ground beside her as she answered. "I'm based here."

He nodded easily. "Figured, the professor likes his staff to live here if they want to. Makes things easier, I guess - no commute an' all that."

"I guess." That, and where else would I go? "I take it you live here then?"

"Yep, roomin' with Forge. Thought about movin' to Salem Center, but I work right here on campus an' the professor doesn't seem to mind me stayin', so... here I stay."

"You a teacher?" He didn't look like a teacher. Mind you, neither did Ororo.

"Part-time, self-defence. Used to share it with Lorna but she ran off to California, so I guess now it'll be Garrison."

Callisto tipped her chin in a short nod. There wasn't much to say to that, really.

"...I should warn you, the kids've probably already started a pool on what you'll wind up teachin' an' how long it'll take. They do that."

Callisto snorted, a wry smirk crossing her features. "I doubt that. Doubt they've even noticed me, I've been down here the whole time. Besides," she added, "I don't know anything suitable to be taught to minors."

"You know about cars", he pointed out. "We get Driver's Ed here, but I don't think there was ever an auto repair class."

Callisto shook her head. "Couldn't teach someone else to do it the way I do it. I'm no expert."

"If the way you do it works..." But he shrugged. "You'd know best."

"I'm no teacher, that I know for sure."

"Never thought I was either." He still kind of didn't, in fact.

Callisto shook her head again, brow furrowing. "I'm no teacher," she said again, a note of finality to her tone. She picked up an adjustable wrench, and in one smooth motion slid back beneath the car.

He blinked at where she'd stood for a moment, then shrugged and wandered over to attend to his own car.

Callisto scowled at the chassis above her, every detail of it sharp and clear despite her absence of any light source. When were the people around here going to realise that she was done taking any responsibility for anyone other than herself?