Julian and Callie: Hot Town, Cool City

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Callie convinces Julian to come to the city so he can stop being so emotastic.



"Soooo...." Callie looped her free arm through Julian's as they strolled away from the frozen yogurt place. Frozen yogurt, she believed, was the answer to some of life's most difficult problems. Especially if it was of the green tea variety; which the redhead was currently enjoying. "Now that you're ungrounded you pretty much need to come to the city and visit me. Because there is so much more to do here."

The sights and sounds- not to mention smells- of the city abounded as the pair strolled down the sidewalk laden with human traffic. But despite the nice day, pleasant company and delicious frozen yogurt, Julian was still in a funk from his recent break up with Nico and the resulting ire of his mentor- stemming from his knee-jerk reaction to go on a bender. In fact, he was surprised she'd let him out, but he was certain Callie was serving as a chaperon of sorts. "Yeah, I guess so," he said, having spent the last few days trying to pick up rebound tail in Salem Center, and striking off more often than not, he was back to the depression mode of his break-up blues.

Well at least he wasn't as mopey as he was after his breakup from Angel. Those had been entirely different circumstances, but still. She could tell he was really hurting, and being the bleeding heart that she was, Callie hated to see him this way and hoped the trend would not turn into a downward spiral. "Well thanks for coming out anyways today," she replied, trying to keep her tone light. "Sorry I've been such a crummy friend and haven't been around much."

"You were in Brazil...and last time I checked, you can't teleport, so don't worry about it." Julian took an extra large bite of his frozen treat, pretending to ignore the looks he was receiving as they made their way through the crowd. Half the looks were because of his company, bigots who hated him because of the company he kept, not realizing he too was a mutant and a dangerous one at that. The other half of the furtive glances were coming from young women who were, for a lack of a better term, leering. "How was South America anyway...I haven't been in ages."

Callie stuck her tongue out in response to him pointing out the obvious. "I meant after I returned, genius." She expertly weaved them through the crowded sidewalk, ignoring the judgmental looks the duo received. This part of the city was less friendly towards those with visible mutations, but it housed the best frozen yogurt in the city. And as long as she didn't wander out after dark, she could deal with the looks of fear and disgust, and people doing their best to avoid touching her pink skin. "Brazil was amazing. The villages that we worked with were just awesome, seriously. I mean everyone's skills, either mutant powers or just whatever they know, put to work. Doesn't matter what it was, there was always a way to incorporate it. I should take you there sometime. They always need help with the heavy lifting."

"I have trouble convincing Jean to let me leave the mansion...doubt she'd let me go to Brazil, and the Cuckoos don't owe me any more favors. By which I mean, they could maybe trick her into thinking I'm around..." Julian blushed slightly, "Awkward. I'll shut up now."

"Yeah. That's probably a good idea," she replied with a laugh. "So how about we skip over the part where I give you a pep talk and make really ridiculous metaphors to aquatic life...." Callie stopped and turned to Julian, a puzzled look in her eyes. "You know I never really got that whole 'other fish in the sea' thing because fish don't actually really even touch during mating, for the most part. I mean they'll nuzzle. But then there's the whole 'eating the offspring' thing some do. And fish only mate with others of the same species so the analogy can't really apply to humans so well."

"You do realize you just passed your nerd-limit for the week, right?" Julian smiled ever so slightly.

Callie rolled her shoulder forward and gazed at him over it, trying to strike her best Marilyn Monroe pose. "What," she began, her voice low and husky. "Do you find my intellect... intimidating?"

Julian smirked slightly, then suppressed it, "Yeah, that's right. You're smarter than me, we all know it."

"Smarter, prettier, and," she sniffed the air, "better smelling. You can't forget those."

"Well when you can create your own perfumes with your powers- I think- you'd at least be able to smell nice," Julian shook his head. "How are you liking being back?"

"Columbia is good. Lots of work. And Amara and I have our own place in District X, which is awesome. Julian," Callie placed her free hand on his shoulder. "I don't want to see you self-destruct. You fall into these patterns of drowning your pain in whatever. Drinking, sex, whatever. Then when those things are gone you're just as depressed, if not moreso."

She shook her head and sighed. Her hand dropped and clasped his hand in hers as she locked her sad green eyes with his. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm here for you. And I will help you in any way I can."

"It's cool, Cal. I got it out of my system I think, but...well, I still miss her. And she's avoiding me, which is fine, we shouldn't be running in the same circles anyway." Julian quirked a smile, "You and Amara should come out with me some night."

She wanted to say more, but let it go. Julian was legally an adult, and he could make his own choices. Her arm slipped around his back in a sort of half hug as Callie nudged them forward. "I don't know, Jules. Could you really see me hanging out in VIP rooms and secret parties?"

"Three hot mutants on the club scene, one literally so, I think you'll fit in just fine, Cal," he hugged her back, realizing how much he'd missed her. A stray thought crossed his mind then, but the moment was over and he returned his attention to their stroll.

Callie knew that Julian was quite aware of the fact that she was more the sit at home and read type than the party all night kind of girl. But with the disappearing act she had pulled for over a year, she felt that she owed it to her friend to be there for him. "I don't know about Amara," Callie figured her roommate would rather spend time with John than go out clubbing, "but I'll go with you. As long as I can wear heels. I don't care that I'll tower over you, and you shouldn't either."

"That's fine," Julian nodded, "I'll be like Tom Cruise...by which I mean, short...not gay."

"You know if you just embraced your homosexual proclivities you wouldn't keep falling into this mess with mansion girls." Callie wrinkled her nose, her lips pursed together to hold off the smile that wanted to escape. "Or you could just not shit where you eat."

"This coming from the girl who hasn't had a date in how long?" The second the words slipped past his lips, Julian felt the familiar pang of regret, instantly following them with, "Wow, I really am an asshole, aren't I?"

It wasn't so much what he said as it was how he said it that left Callie frowning and a tad upset. They had been joking around, but that was just plain mean. Another person may have returned with a witty comeback, but all Callie could manage to say was "Yeah. You sometimes really are."

Julian rolled his eyes and started walking again, "If you were going to hold it against me every time I was, we wouldn't be friends."

She pulled him closer as they walked on. "This is true," she nodded sagely. "And I guess I can't be too mad, considering that you admitted it first this time. There may be hope for you yet." Callie turned to him and smiled. "But you still need to make it up to me."

"And why do I have a feeling that you already have something in mind for this make-up?" Julian sighed, he didn't mind, but he wasn't going to let her know that.

"Of course I do. You're going to treat me to a movie." Okay, so she would have dragged him there whether or not he made an assholeish comment. But that was besides the point. "And because I'm feeling especially benevolent today, I'll let you pick which one."

"That new pirate movie is playing at the Galaxy, we can probably make the next show if we leave now," Julian looked at the clock on his cell-phone.

That wasn't exactly Callie's cup of tea. But she had said he could pick the movie, and pirates were always awesome. "Then what are we waiting for?" She increased her speed, and, so as not to rip Julian's shoulder out of its socket, released her grip. After a few paces, the chloropath turned around briefly and shouted back, "Come on slow poke. Subway's this way."

Julian rolled his eyes as he rubbed his shoulder and hurried on his way after his pink friend- who was moving through the crowded steps to the subway platform much more quickly than he seemed to be able to. It wasn't necessarily going to suck, but he knew that Dori was going to kill him for not taking her along. "Wait up, Pinkie!" he shouted as he hurried through the turn styles and finally caught up with her near the tracks.