Warren and Angelo | Tuesday afternoon

[x-highflying.livejournal.com]

Warren interrupts Angelo people watching in District X, and the two discuss the district and the law.

Angelo was enjoying the sun of a New York spring day, having staked out a spot at a sidewalk cafe near his apartment, legs stretched out in front of him as he watched the people pass by about their business. A pair of bright white wings on one of those people had just caught his eye and he admired them, idly wondering at the same time about the hood pulled up over the guy's head.

Walking District X had become something of a regular pursuit for Warren - the neighborhood might be more than a little run down, but it had plenty of character to make up for it. Add in mutant flavor, which suited Warren just fine, and it made a very interesting walk. A familiar face caught his eye, and he ducked through the street traffic to slid into a seat opposite Angelo, flashing him something of a cheeky grin.

"See anything you like?"

Angelo glanced up, then grinned back at him in recognition. "Hey, Warren. You know you catch attention even goin' incognito, don't pretend you don't."

Warren just grinned and shrugged good-naturedly. "What can I say? I'm an eye-catching sort of guy. I can't really help myself." He grabbed the attention of the waiter, ordering a coffee. Sorry Angelo, he was just going to invite himself to join you.

Angelo didn't seem to have any objections to the unexpected company, nodding sagely (though it was a little spoiled by the amusement in his eyes). "Just one of those crosses you have to bear, I guess."

"It is such a burden," Warren complained with a melodramatic sigh. He wasn't being at all serious, even if it was annoying occasionally. "But I've learned to live with it."

"With such grace, too", Angelo answered, with about equal seriousness - but only teasing, of course. "So what brings you out on this fine day?"

"Other than just enjoying the day?" Warren replied with a grin. "I've got a meeting at the Angels clinic later. I just escaped downtown a little earlier than I absolutely had to." Worthington Industries owned one of the more impressive buildings in the Financial District, which is where Warren's office could be found. Even if he couldn't be most of the time.

Angelo nodded. "Yeah, I stop in at Angels once in a while, too. Do a bit of admin volunteering in the spare time I can scrape up. You're goin' to do business with them?"

"More or less. They've been struggling for funding, so Jean roped me into helping out." He shrugged. "Not that I needed any convincing. But it's nice being able to help out again."

"Every way we can, right?" Angelo said casually, taking a swig of his soda. "Time, money, beatin' people up..."

"It's true," Warren grinned. "I used to do a lot of pro bono work in California, I miss it. If only there were more hours in the day."

"That's what I want to do when I pass the bar", the younger man told him. "I mean, I'm stayin' with Elpis whatever happens, but once I'm done with school, I'll have more time an' I figure I can use it for that."

"It's definitely worth it," Warren grinned. "I'd still be doing it if I could be, there's no shortage of discrimination against mutants here. It's even worse, to be honest." He smiled at the waiter who brought him his coffee, tipping him generously. "I sometimes wonder if it's worth starting to brush on New York law, see what I can squeeze in around everything else."

"You qualified in New York, right?" Angelo asked curiously. "So you'd still be allowed to practise here?"

Warren shook his head. "I went to UCLA for law school. I never actually practiced out here."

"Ah, okay, so you'd have to retake the bar exam here." He considered. "Still, not much trouble to do, with a bit of revisin'."

"No, not really. It's just a matter of squeezing it around trying to help run a multinational corporation and being on the team." He shrugged. "Not enough hours in the day, unfortunately. But I should look into properly. I make a much better lawyer than a business man."

"I'll be needin' a senior partner when I graduate law school", Angelo suggested casually. "I mean, there's Nate, but he's kind of busy to be startin' a real practice."

"That's not a bad idea," Warren said slowly. "Set up shop here in the district." His father would have a fit. "What are you specializing in?"

"Human rights", Angelo told him. "With a particular focus on mutants. It's a whole new field, there's not many people prepared to go that road in law yet."

Warren nodded. "I ran into a similar thing in California - there's not a lot of precedence when it comes to mutant discrimination, or at least fighting it in court. I had to fly by the seat of my pants a lot of the time."

"Someone's gotta make the precedents", Angelo said cheerfully. "Might as well be us, right? Though I think part of the problem's gonna be gettin' laws that apply to all mutants without bein' unfair to any of us because of their powers. How d'you define assault when someone like Yvette or Kevin could do serious harm without even meanin' to, that kind of thing."

"Exactly. It's hard to find the balance, and people are far too willing to presume all mutants are dangerous, especially when they're visible a mutant. And that's not always the case." Warren had represented more than his fair share of them over in California.

"Hell, Kevin was lucky he didn't actually get charged with murder after his manifestation, an' that was a horrible accident. Gotta be other kids out there that don't get as lucky."

"Not everyone is lucky enough to have the Professor's support," Warren smiled ruefully. "But then they shouldn't need to. It's no ones choice to be a mutant, or what powers they have, or how they manifest. And if the system isn't flexible enough to understand that, well..." He shrugged. "We'll have to make it be."

"Lot of work to get there", Angelo noted. "But hey, we're young. We got nothin' but time, an' plenty of money."

"Exactly." Warren grinned. "So when are you graduating?"

"Not for another two an' a half years", he had to admit. "But I think I'm allowed to do pro bono advice clinics before that. Supervised, of course."

"Of course." Warren nodded. "I think I might have some more research to do." Another project Warren probably didn't have time for, but honestly? He'd rather be doing this than working for his father.

That got a cheerful grin back and Angelo adjusted his sunglasses. "Just give me a call when you need me. I'll find the time."

"Will do." Warren finished the last of his coffee. "We should run into each other more often."

"We'll have to arrange it so we do", Angelo agreed. "I'm usually somewhere around the District when I'm not in work or lectures."

Warren nodded. "Definitely. I'm around when I can be, which is certainly never enough. I can keep you up to date with my progress."

"Sounds like a plan!"