xp_logs | Bowler, Of the Past & Future

Tandy & Julian have coffee in town, her past is revealed and plans are made for their future.

The coffee shop hadn't changed a bit- and seemed to be doing well despite the presence of the near-by, far superior, Deli-CAT-essen. Julian Keller sipped his espresso and took in the room, having a sneaking suspicion that every single one of these people were baseline humans, and many had likely protested in front of Catseye's cafe. Setting his cup down, he turned his attention back to his lovely, blonde companion. "Thank you for indulging me, Tandy- I feel like I gain five pounds whenever I walk into Deli-CAT-essen."

"Do you now?" Tandy asked with a smirk. "Cats place can make one feel like that. But thank you for inviting me. I do think we are not helping out claim that we aren't dating."

As if to accentuate her point, a camera flash went off nearby and the din of the cafe died out for a moment- Julian did his best to ignore it. "It's better than it would be in the city. And Tandy, you're one of the few people around here who I can stand- and whose behavior I'm not partially responsible for. If it's bothering you though, I'm happy to just hang out with you in private." Taking another sip of his drink, he gave a discreet nod in the direction of the amateur photographer, "What do you think would happen if one of them tried to get onto the mansion grounds?"

"I don't want to become a hermit. I've done that before and I almost let Topaz drain all my emotions. So, it is best if I just keep moving forward so I don't dwell on the bad stuff. If that means you are my fake boyfriend so be it." Tandy thought about it. "Probably get bombarded with an army. Or the Professor would kindly tell them to leave. It is private property...I think."

"Good of you to make the best of a bad situation," he stuck his tongue out ever so slightly and chuckled. "You're probably right- the Professor could just ask them to hand over their cameras, and they'd feel like doing it." Truthfully, he doubted the professor would ever resort to such a crass use of his powers, but if the security of the school was threatened...who knows? "Anyway," he took another sip of his drink, "if we're supposed to be dating, maybe you should tell me a bit more about yourself. I already know the surface stuff...you're cute, awesome powers, a bit of a risk taker, and a respectable dancer...but what else makes Tandy Bowen who she is?"

"That and it is good to have friends in high places." Tandy let out a small laugh as she picked up her spoon. "You got cute right. Awesome powers? Not so much. Risk Taker? Some would call it reckless, and respectable dancer? Drama class." She looked over at him. "Lets just say I have had a shitty childhood and I am making it up as I go."

Julian raised an eyebrow and held his cup in both hands, enjoying the warm sensation against the chill day outside, "Shitty childhood? Sorry, Bow." After a brief pause, "I mean, I know you were dragged around to all those parties- and then you're at Xaviers...I don't mean to pry if you don't want to talk about it, but there is a bit of a gap there."

"Those parties were a privilege. My mother never wanted a kid. She spent a lot of time traveling for her company and I was generally left home alone. I stopped going to school, I threw parties all the time, never did drugs though." She thought about it. "I ended up at Xavier because I ran away from home when I was sixteen. A friend and I were about to be "hurt" by thugs and my powers activated. I put everyone in a coma and I was sent to live at Xavier. I think Adrienne wanted to punch my mother because she didn't care. As long as she was free to do what she wanted to do."

"Dude," Julian's brow had come down and furrowed, along with the other one, in order to express the deep concern he was currently feeling, "That sucks." There were a number of things in her tale of woe that they had in common, "I know it seems like it's impossible, but I sort of know how you feel."

"Parents suck." Tandy muttered under her breath. "I am convinced that the wealthy just don't give a damn about their kids." Looking up to him. "I didn't get a chance to tell my mother how I really felt. Nathan murdered them on Thanksgiving and ended up kidnapping me and introducing me to D'spayre who in return introduced me to her father, Dweller. It is a pretty fucked up. Especially when Nathan is really your birth father."

Now, his jaw had dropped, there had been a lot of information in just a few sentences and it was taking time for his brain to process it. "Whoa...that's just...." Shaking his head, he tried to regain his focus- "Your dad, who you didn't know was your dad, killed your mom and not-dad on Thanksgiving? Wait...no...too many players on the field. Start over- from the beginning please."

Tandy looked around for a moment before moving over so she was sitting next to Julian. She explained to him that Nathan had pretty much walked out oh her mom when she was pregnant, how Nathan murder her parents and then came to the school as her birth father and tried to make it up too her only to drug her and bring her to D'spayre. How the last year and half he had been I'm a coma because Tandy put him there and when he woke up he worked with SHIELD to find the location of D'spayre for life in prison.

"So you see there is more than meets the eye with me. I just prefer not to acknowledge that I am related to a murderer. My only family left is my Uncle and Adrienne. They are my guardians."

"You've got Sue and your friends too," Julian reached out and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "My parents may not have died- and I've never been possessed or anything...but they did turn their back on me. I made a new family with the people here- Fred, Dori, Nico..." his pupils dilated ever so slightly- was he really still not over that?- "Kyle, to a severely lesser extent. My point is," he went on with a warm smile, "you're not alone here."

"I know. In a way the mansion has become sort of my extended family. I don't know too many people who would risk their own lives for your safety." Tandy looked down at his hand giving her a squeeze. "Well now you know what makes Tandy Tandy."

"I feel like we should be having something a little harder for this conversation," Julian nodded to the side and gave a slight shrug. "You're still pretty awesome, Miss Bowen."

"Adrienne has a stash in our kitchenette if you want something hard." Tandy paused and shook her head. "That sounded wrong in so many ways. And thanks Mr. Keller. I do try." Giving him her best smile.

Julian leaned forward, "People called my dad, Mister Keller- an association I'd rather avoid. Though I learned a lot growing up around him- like how to tell when someone is faking a smile to be polite." He continued with a smirk, "You don't have to fake for me, Bow- seriously, just be."

"Should I call ya Mista J?" Tandy did her impression of Harley Queen. "Damn my acting doesn't work on you? Time for plan B."

A loud laugh cut the quiet chatter around them, lapsing the room into silence as all heads turned to their table. Julian tried to regain his composure, "That was-" he snickered, "good."

Tandy tried her best to hold in her own laughter. "Thanks. It comes naturally. I always wanted to do something in theater but not sure anymore."

The general chatter around them was starting to pick back up, "You mentioned you didn't know what you wanted to do the first night we met. Why do you need a plan?" Julian took another sip of his drink, it was nearly empty and the caffeine jitters were starting to set in.

Tandy shrugged, "Shouldn't everyone have a plan for their life?"

"I don't," Julian shrugged. "I have goals- I want to make enough money to be comfortable, and help people...beyond that, it's just steps toward that. I think that's the greatest lesson I took away from Xavier's- things go wrong. Being too tied to a plan makes it hard to adjust." He smiled, hoping he hadn't just stuck his foot into his mouth again, though he was getting quite good at that.

"I thought your family was well off? And I know a way you can help people. My uncle has a homeless shelter under his church and does a soup kitchen. We are always looking for volunteers. I do think you have to have some kind of idea what you want to do with your life. If I took anything from Xavier's - don't take anything for granted."

"A good lesson, one I may need to take to heart." Mulling over her soup kitchen idea, he gave her a nod, "I'll lend a hand, let me know when and you can count me in. Oh, and was well off. You may have heard that my father is serving time."

"Usually Wednesday nights but I have been going there a couple of times a week. The nuns always need help." Tandy made a slight face. "What about that club you wanted to buy?"

"Still in the works; contacts are being revised, checks getting printed, it should be mine within the month. And just because i will have a business to run, doesn't mean i can't help out." He smiled and leaned back slightly, "Besides, how can I say no to my fake girlfriend?"

"Sounds like a headache." Tandy was glad that she didn't have to deal with any business aspect of MC Designs - just dealing with the she-devil was bad enough. "I don't know? How can you? I also hope I am invited to the new opening of Silver when you take it over."

Julian scoffed, "Honey, you're going to be the guest of honor." A camera flash went off near the windows, "I can't be seen in public without you- I doubt Ler would be very gossip worthy."

Tandy looked over at where the flash came from and raised her eyebrow took out her own phone and took a picture of them. "Oh this is going on facebook." Looking back at Julian. "Sweet. This fake relationship can come in handy."

Julian picked her hand up off the table and slid his under it, beginning to casual stroke the back of it, his head tilted to the side, "What do you mean, pookie?" After a moment, he gave her the slightest of winks.

"You aren't helping the cause." Tandy looked over his shoulder to see that the people were getting ready to take another. She turned a bit and held out her phone as if she was taking a selfie, "Say cheese!" With a goofy grin on her face.

Julian mimicked her expression as she snapped the picture and chuckled slightly, letting go of her hand and giving a slight shrug, "I wasn't trying to help- I need to conserve my energy for the soup kitchen."

"Conserving your energy? You are a strange man Mista J." Tandy looked at the photo and laughed a bit.

Tilting her phone downward, he peaked at it and wrinkled his nose, "Not my best side, but they can't all be perfect." With a shrug he picked up his cup, reacting to its being empty with surprise. Setting it down, "You know...we could take advantage of this whole Bowler thing."

Tandy raised an eyebrow at him. "Take advantage? I think the flashing lights got to your head." She reached up to see if he was feeling hot, but in a joking way.

Scoffing, Julian shook his head, "Though I'm certain you'd very much enjoy that, it's not what I had in mind." He leaned forward, lowering his voice so the photographers wouldn't hear, "I mean- and I'm not certain this is something you would want- we're getting a lot of exposure from this." With a slight raise of his eyebrows, he went on, "Riding this wave could lead us to some interesting opportunities."

"So...we just give the tabloids what they want? I mean, yes I am known in the fashion circles, but I have never been the center of gossip before. What kind of opportunities are you talking about? And I am kind of surprised that my history didn't scare you off running for the hills type thing."

"I have no idea what kind of opportunities- if we play our cards right, endorsements and contracts? Maybe a reality television show? They could call it Gutter Ball," thinking he was very clever, Julian chuckled at his joke. He paused, leaning back, "And your history isn't so bad...I have skeletons in my closet too."

Tandy blinked a few moments at him before laughing. "This is the most oddest thing I have ever heard. Are we going to complete it with a big break up? But not to big I do actually like you around."

Julian put a hand over his heart, "Aww, Bow, are you saying you'd miss me if I weren't around?" With a laugh and a shake of the head, "Of course we'd have to have a big break-up...something when we are getting stale to bring the news-cycle back around to us." He wondered if any of the other celebrity couples around the country were doing this too. "Then when that blows over, we could get back together and start the whole thing over again."

"Sounds like you have it all planned. But question, are you taking advantage of my forever single statement?" Tandy asked. "And will there be ground rules?"

"If you meet someone and want to break off our thing- I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm just coming off...a relationship, so I'm not really looking for anything right now either." He caught himself before he started holding the watch in his pocket. "I'm not trying to take advantage, and you can say no without any sort of backlash." Pausing for a second, "What sort of ground rules?"

"Oh?" That statement intrigued the blonde. "You know how normal couples act when in public. Those kind of ground rules."

"Like, holding hands and kissing?" He shrugged and gave her a wink, "I think I can suffer through that."

Tandy leaned on her hand while looking away. "Okay so...yup." She pulled her tea closer so she can take a sip. "Totally not awkward at all."

Smirking at her embarrassment, "Bow...Tandy, in all seriousness, I've never really had a public relationship before, so I'm not entirely sure what you mean with ground rules. I was just kidding with that suffering thing- I'm certain it would be quite nice."

"Sorry. Its just Adri's power went bonkers before and she Read that I had a threesome. So it got me all paranoid and all. I've never had a public one either and just have that one incident burned into my memory still. Better than the other memories but still there."

Now, Julian actually was speechless, "Um...okay- you've had a rough time of it...." He thought for a moment, "Would it make you feel any better if I told you about my past troubles?"

Tandy laughed a bit. "I know will be fake but just thought should warn you she might try and Read you. I wouldn't put it past her."

"She did once do that with an assignment to see if I'd copied off Fred," he shrugged. "We're not going to be having any threesomes- I think- so, let her read, we're not doing anything wrong." After thinking for a moment, "Well, not technically, I mean, just misleading the public for personal gain...I think there's a word for that."

"That must be terrifying." She was glad she graduated from high school already. "Fame-diggers?" The blonde could careless about fame but she didn't mind misleading people. "Alright then. Time for another selfie." She lifted her phone up and leaned over to kiss Julian on the cheek, when she was done Tandy shrugged, "I will be damned if someone else posted this before I did."

Grinning, Julian peaked at the photo, "Ah, there's my good side." Resisting the urge to touch the spot she'd kissed to make sure there was no lipstick, he stood up, "So, my dear and darling, shmoopie, how about a refill?"

"On one condition. Don't ever call me shmoopie. It sounds like something a grandparent would call their little grandchild." She smirked. "Just more hot water. I think this teabag is still good."

"Back in a moment, Bow...no promises on the schmoopie thing though," with a smile, he headed back to the counter to get himself an espresso and a bit more hot water for his new official fake-girlfriend.

"Oh you are going to ask for it. It will mean war."