xp_logs | Julian and Callie: Inquiring Minds

Roles are reversed as Callie finds herself prodding Julian for answers about Inez.

Julian had been enjoying the fall weather while reading his textbook by the pool. It was getting to be too cold to swim and he knew that soon the damned New England weather would turn to winter and he'd be confined to freezing within the mansion. With a sigh, he returned to the text book, reading the fundamentals of speech while he heard someone laughing in the distance.

"Whatcha doin'," a cheerful voice from behind him asked. Red hair spilled onto the page of his book as a chin rested ontop of Julian's head. "Dude, you're studying? Who are you and what have you done with Julian Keller? I demand to know!"

Sardonically, Julian tilted his head up ever-so-slightly and let the book fall, "Okay, you caught me. I'm actually an evil shape shifter hell-bent on taking down the X-Men by imitating one of their less spectacular students. The real Julian is actually on a rather pleasant tropical island in Maui."

Chin rest now gone, Callie's chin hovered awkwardly in the air. She lowered her eyes, and wrinkled her nose, examining the face of the boy who could not be Julian. "You're right. You're trying too hard, the real Julian has a bigger nose and stuff. No offense, but you're a really bad shape-shifter." She laughed.

Julian rolled his eyes, "Well, we can't all be perfect, can we?" Closing the book, he tossed it aside onto the next chair over, "How's it going, Callie?"

"Nah, perfection is boring," a chair was pulled over next to the one Julian was occupying. "It's going well. I finished all my homework already. Contemplating making a leaf pile, but letting nature take its course is a better idea. You know, not messing with the balance of the universe. So I shall have to wait to jump into a mound of multi-colored leaves. What's going on with you? Haven't seen much of you."

"I've been..." 'Good thing you're not a telepath, I've really been fooling around with Inez,' he smiled. "Things have been busy. You heard what happened out in LA, right? I'm still trying to figure out why Simon tried to kill me; so that's been fun."

"There are some questions that have no answers. Like... why does the pretty girl always get killed in horror movies?" She had probably been hanging out with Fred too much, not that Callie minded. But it was messing with her normal analogies. "And others have answers that have yet to be revealed, such as where did you and Inez disappear to last weekend? You guys like fled out of there and I didn't see you again until the ride home. And you've been sneaking around lately. So spill man."

Blushing slightly Julian wondered if Callie had developed telepathic powers. 'Dude, if you can hear me...wink.' A moment of silence passed between them as he let out a little sigh of relief and reached for his book. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Callie smiled knowingly as she reclined on her chair. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. And don't try to deny it, please. I am neither blind, nor stupid. And I know you. Plus, you're blushing. You know I'm right."

"Who talks like that?" Julian said with a wink. "I really do need to study, Callie- so if you want to run off and tell someone that I've taken Julian's place, please feel free."

"Whatever Julian," Callie rolled her eyes. "Don't even try to change the subject. Do I need to bake you a plate of cookies and make you a mug of hot chocolate to get you to talk? I can make a promise of cookies and such later. But now it is sunny and autumny and you are going to tell me what's going on. Because we're friends. And I tell you stuff. Quid pro quo."

"If I'm not mistaken, quid pro quo needs to be established before information is traded. I don't remember reaching a verbal agreement with you prior to...well...now." Turning toward Callie by rolling on his side, "You're not going to let up, so yes, Inez and I are sort of," he shrugged.

Callie raised an eyebrow and turned to face Julian. "Sort of what? Use your words Jules."

He mumbled, looking back toward the water, "Having some fun."

"'Fun?" The eyebrow did not lower. Callie rested her elbows on the chair's arm and propped her chin upon her hands. She studied Julian for a moment. "Fun as in 'oh hey we're playing video games and watching movies' or fun as in 'putting a sock on the door handle'?"

Blushing furiously, Julian shook his head, "Not quite that serious."

Callie sighed. She could tell that there was a lot that Julian wasn't telling her. "So... what is it? Promise not to tell anyone. Not even Fred, if he doesn't already know. Scout's honor." She held up three fingers at shoulder height, the official Girl Scout Sign. "And I was even a Girl Scout, so I couldn't break this even if I wanted to."

Julian shook his head, "We're just, having a little fun," he sighed. "Not dating or anything like that." He really didn't know what to make of the situation or what to tell Callie.

She wouldn't push. Ultimately it was his business, and she wouldn't meddle. It would be hypocritical of her to do so after how much people asked her about Fred. "Well just be careful. Don't do anything stupid. I don't think Inez is as tough as she makes herself out to be."

A slight scoff broke the tension, "I don't know about that." He smiled at Callie, knowing she wouldn't press any further, "She's pretty strong when we're alone together...I think I've got some bruises-"

His comments earned Julian a quick shove from Callie. "I mean emotionally, not physically, you loser." She stuck her tongue out before turning serious once more. "Everyone has their weak points, and I think that maybe this might be it. Even Achilles had his heel."

"Who?"

"Yeah. You're the real Julian," Callie smiled and settled back onto her chair. "Just go back to studying and I'll tell you later. Maybe I'll bake cookies even."

"Quid pro quo, you owe me some baked cookie dough," Julian said with a smile, picking the book back up.

"I will in a minute. Right now I'm going to commune with Nature. I've been neglecting her again."