xp_logs | Warren and Julian -- Rec Room Buddies

Warren and Julian are apparently night owls.

This was Warren being social. Sitting in the rec room at 3 am, his laptop open to a contract, news playing on mute in the background
See? Social.

Some days he wanted to be surrounded by people, and others, not so much. The entire day he'd spent in the city, and had decided at midnight to spontaneously drive to the Mansion. The fact that everyone was sleeping didn't bother him. It was nice to be in a house filled with people.

"In for the night?" a voice came from behind him.

Julian vaulted over the couch and landed with a silenced thud against the overly soft cushions. A bowl of popcorn floated overhead as he settled in and picked the remote up with his mind.

Warren watched amused as Julian effortlessly landed next to him. "I suppose so," he answered, stretching his neck. He saved his document and closed his laptop. "And it would appear you are too. Unless you're just getting back from your club?"

"Harry is the one who is there most nights," he shrugged and popped some popcorn into his mouth- the bowl floated toward Warren. "I fill in when he has a thing, usually with his dad's company." The possibility existed that Harry's father would be evil, but so far nothing had come out of Oscorp. "I see there's no escape from work for you though."

Warren helped himself to the popcorn and shook his head. "No, unfortunately I always have work. I try to ignore it, and delegate as best as I can, but," he shrugged, "it is what it is." Moving his laptop aside, Warren chewed thoughtfully. "How is working with Harry? You trust him to be all alone? Brave man."

"Heck if I know...I mean," he had to remind himself that he and Harry had been friends for years. "He's very serious about the club," he shrugged again and un-muted the television. "I think it's something to do with impressing his father."

Warren only had passing information regarding Harry. More gossip than anything else, but the tension between father and son was well known. If Warren had decided to open a nightclub....well, his father would definitely not be impressed with that. A gentleman's club, perhaps, but a nightclub? "And isn't that what we all aspire to? Pleasing our parents, no matter the cost?" It was an idle thought, to rebel. He always found it strange that his biggest act of rebellion was via his DNA.

"Mine are unrepentant bigots who have elected to, apparently, white-wash over the fact their son is a promisingly powerful telekinetic," Julian shrugged. "You heard about my dad, right- of course you did, who didn't. He was funding terrorists, sure, but a lot of the organizations he was donating too were mutant hate groups. May the bastard rot in prison."

Warren laughed. He couldn't help it. "Are we the same person? I'm only here because my father, who is also bigoted, is currently funding anti-mutant security measures. It's not public knowledge, mind you. Some team here will be looking into it as I get more information, I think."
Julian made a gesture to show that he'd keep his mouth shut, making a mental note to sell stock in Worthington Industries. "What kind of anti-mutant security measures? Anything we should be worried about here?"

Warren gave another shrug. "Jean seemed to think it was worrisome. I mean, it is, I don't want to downplay it, but it's still in the early phases, something about a body suit? I don't know." He couldn't quite remember the name of it. "Sentinels maybe? Jean knows more."

The name sounded familiar, like something he'd read in an old mission file at some point or another. "I'm glad someone is looking into it then," he bristled a bit at Jean's name- she had caused the deaths of millions...or the other version of her had...as far as he was concerned, she was just a time bomb waiting to explode. "Worried about any backlash when the story breaks?"

"If I deal with the matter correctly, there will be limited backlash." Warren tossed him a cavalier look. "The story will not break until I am prepared for it. There is far too much at stake to allow this knowledge free. Hence again, why I'm here."

A sigh. "At least," he admitted, "that's the dream."

"I hope you're right," Julian thought a moment. "We're not exactly the world's darlings- mutants, I mean. Your stock could actually go up from something like this."

Warren scoffed. "How?". He threw an arm across the back of the couch and turned towards Julian. "Seriously, I'd like to hear. I haven't really thought of an upside"

Julian tried to form his argument in such a way that it wouldn't offend his obviously genetically sensitive companion- though he had yet to meet someone who possessed a physical mutation that wasn't sensitive. "Okay, we- mutants- make people nervous. Since...M-Day," Julian nearly said 'The Dark Phoenix' but corrected himself- thanks to Xorn. "People have been worried that something horrible is going to happen. If people learn that your company is working on something that could defend them, they may be more likely to buy things made by Warren Industries, which could- theoretically- trigger a stock surge."

"Oh.". Warren shifted back to his original spot in defeat. "I thought you meant more the positive mutant stuff. Yeah, that's my father's thoughts as well. Make money off of the whole M day thing." He frowned. "Well. I guess money is money?"

Julian nodded, "To some people anyway. At least your father wasn't funding terrorists." He un-muted the news, but turned down the volume, "Still, there'll be blow back- there's some ridiculously rich mutants out there."

"Us being some of them," Warren offered with a wry grin. "Have you always been connected here? Sometimes I wonder how things would've been different had I had an outlet like this place."

Julian thought for a moment, he knew the answer, but the public record read entirely different. Finally, after thoroughly chewing a mouthful of popcorn, "It's a recent development, I worked with the west coast branch of the institute and have been helping out here since I moved to New York more permanently."

Warren smiled. "That's nice of you to help out. I think I heard someone mention you are helping with the New Mutants or some team here?" He gave an apologetic look. "I'm not the best with names. I tend to forget them quickly."

"Generation X," he held up a hand, "I didn't pick the name." Julian popped another handful of popcorn into his mouth and thought about it, "I make sure the kids stay safe and aren't killing each other."

Warren gave out a laugh. "I think that's a good call. I bumped into Roxy my first week here. My shirt didn't survive the encounter." A wry grin crossed his face. "I have minimal skills myself, but if you ever need help, I can probably help out the fliers."

"I'll keep that in mind," Julian made a mental note of it- "We don't have any fliers right now, but I think there's a couple in the wings...wow, really didn't mean to make that pun."

Warren grinned. "Don't worry. I won't let it ruffle me."