xp_logs | Ororo & Jay

Jay returns with the plant that he gave Kevin, once upon a time. She gives him some advice to keep it alive and Remy is brought up, also she extends a hand for him to help out.

Entering the greenhouse, Jay had to fold up his wings into his back, so only the two blades stuck out between his shoulders, outside o fthe black hoodie. The heat whafted into his face and he quickly closed the door behind him, clutching the dying fern close to his body. Dropping the hood down onto his shoulders, he made his way down the length of the benches, the sweet fresh scent of soil teasing his sense. He thought to call out and see if anyone was here.

It seemed a summons was unnecessary, however, as before he reached the end of the greenhouse he was greeted by a shock of white hair peering out from behind a particularly enthusiastic rhodedendron bush. "Jay, hello!" Ororo greeted him, her already-present smile widening. "How good to see you."

Jay started. His metal wings did too and wipped out, circling protectively around him, ready to strike and one of the joints hit the sloping glass above him, showering him in shards.

Jesus Christ, he swallowed back the words and consciously recoiled the pair, trying not to hit the window again and make a bad situation already worse. "Ah'm okay," he confessed, clearing his throat. With a brief glance above him, he set his plant down and shook his head.

"Sorry." Already he could feel the cool air biting at his skin and he folded up his wings so he could have a better look.

"That's quite alright." Stepping gingerly away from the scattered glass Ororo put a hand out to caution Jay from moving, her other hand moving towards a dustbin in order to start the cleanup. "I am sorry if I startled you. That fresh air does feel lovely, doesn't it?"

Bits of glass fell from his hair and he ducked his head upside down, sifting his fingers through his red locks to get them out. Shaking his head out again, he wipped it up and raked it trhough his fingers one more time for good measure. Glancing back up, he squinted and pushed a plant aside, leaning over to judge the hole.

"Yeah it sure does, but this hole won't do. It's too cold, Ah reckon, huh?" he asked and abruptly left from where he was. Jay left and it wasn't long before he returned, cardboard in hand and tape. "Sorry, Ah'll ask Kyle to fix this when Ah leave. But for now..."

His wings folded up as he hopped up on the bench, crouching down and held up the cardboard to tape in place.

They worked in tandem to clean up the accident - Ororo soon disposed of the glass shards and had righted the plants that had been knocked over during the incident by the time Jay finished taping the cardboard to the remainder of the glass pane. She was a bit surprised to see Jay there at all; she hadn't seen much of him around the mansion for some time. It was obvious he was a bit nervous and she wondered what she could do to set him at ease.

"Okay," he said, hopping off the bench witha careful percision he didn't have before. The tape was set aside. "Sorry," he apologized again, running a hand through his hair. He retrieved the plant he'd gotten for Kevin a long time ago and set it down, a sorry excuse to be alive. "Ah can't tell whats wrong with it," he gestured at the wilting leaves, the yellowing, the lack of luster in the droopy plant.

Ororo's eyes widened almost as if he had shown her a child in need, and she immediately bent over the pot, fingers brushing the leaves carefully. "It looks as if it has been getting a bit too much liquid," she murmured. "How often have you been watering it?"

"Everyday. You sure it's overwaterin'? It's lookin' pretty bad. Ah mean, someone was waterin' it for me - Ah think Sam was - now Ah can do it mahself but Ah'm doin' a crummy job." Probably because he had nothing to do. No job, no school, he hadn't worked up to any other option other than figuring himself out. "Think you could help?"

"Yes, of course. I do think it may be getting a bit too much water... see the leaves?" she asked, indicating the droopy, yellowed leaves that seemed too disheartened to raise themselves up any further than absolutely necessary. "But the good news is that it can recover, quite easily, with a little care."

He was happy knowing that the plant would recover and wanted to help out anyway he could. It did, after all, have a special place in the mansion. "You recognize it?" he asked. "It's the one that you gave me to give to Kevin, like, along time ago." Only it was much smaller now due to neglect than it was when she had given it to her. "Ah reckon he didn't want it, or couldn't take it with him, so," he shrugged.

"Well, it always has a place here," Ororo told him with a kind smile. "It will be quite happy in the greenhouse, I think... would you like to select a place for it to stay? And you are welcome to come in any time to take care of it." Being in the greenhouse was quite soothing - for her especially, but even in general. Perhaps giving Jay incentive to spend time here would help him relax, especially if it was done under the auspice of caring for something else.

"You don't mind if Ah come around here? No one seems to come anymore and Ah think Ah kinda like it. Maybe you need help with some stuff?" Jay asked. He picked up his plant and moved it away from the broken window, knowing he should mention that to Kyle, maybe help him fix it.

"Yes, of course, Jay. That would be wonderful if you wanted to. I always welcome more help."

He set the plant down on the bench next to one of the bigger plants and picked off one of the dead leaves. "Hey, not to be way off topic here, but Ah didn't know you was datin' anyone. Always thought you were single - Ah met your boyfriend the other day," he said.

"Remy?" The silver-haired woman raised her eyebrows slightly, her expression not as warm as one might expect when talking about this particular subject. "Oh. Well, yes."

"Oh sorry," Jay said warily. "Ah wasn't pryin', just met him the other day. Amanda told me you guys were datin' or somethin'. Never met him before."

"Remy is a busy man." And that sentence spoke volumes.

Oh okayyyyy, Jay thought to himself, easing out of that topic. "Well, huh." Jay looked above, overhead and shook his head, jumping away from that as far as he coulD> "Yanno, that cover just won't do. Ah'll go out and get somethin' for it, fix it right away. Need anything form the hardware store?" he asked, looking hopeful for some chores.

"Always." Once again Ororo smiled and turned away to rummage in one of the nearby drawers. "I have a list... I was going to go myself in a few days, but this is even more timely. Here you are." There was indeed a list, neatly ordered and broken down into subsections of the store. Obviously Ororo knew her way around. "If you cannot find anything speak to Albert. He is always very helpful."

If his mamma could see him now, she'd be proud. She would also add to the list he took from Ororo. "Kyle's pretty handy with stuff like this too. If anything, it'll give me a reason to drag 'em out with me." He needed to an excuse to see Kyle again, if only to iron out any wrinkles they had in their friendship. Waving the list at her, he gave her a brief salute thankful to leave. He wans't sure what that was about but he was pretty sure that it was none of his buisness.