Backdated log: Matt and Xavin

[x-daredevil.livejournal.com]

Backdated to April 26. Matt goes to check on Xavin and see how their grades and school and life are going. There's food.



After checking out mass at the local church, Matt headed back to Xavier's and up to Xavin's room, knocking on the door, "It's after noon, you up yet?" he called through the door. Hopefully the teen was up by now!

"You know it's Sunday and like, the one day I ever get to sleep in?" Xavin asked, opening the door. "I could have been asleep." Xavin grinned. "Hey, Mr Murdock."

"It's after lunch," Matt answered, not at all apologetic. Plus, he had heard Xavin's heartbeat through the door to know he was awake, "My uncles never would have let me sleep so late, even if I did sleep in. How's things Xavin?"

"They seriously had set wakeup times for you, like you were a kid or something? Man, your childhood really sucked."

Leaning against the door frame, Matt shook his head slightly, "More like so I would actually get up and do something without wasting the entire day and screwing myself with homework and whatever," it wasn't like he was forced to be up at 6am or anything like that. Plus, if was alter serving that Sunday then he had to be at church anyways.

"But it's the weekend! If I want to spend 15 hours in bed, and the rest of it on the couch playing x-box, I can. Because it's the weekend." Xavin picked up a pencil and fiddled with it, thinking. "Oh god, I fell for that. You're making this up to justify waking poor defenseless kids up at the crack of noon."

"If I feed you will that help?" Matt asked, more amused than bothered by the complaining. "Put some clothes on and I'll take you to the diner in town. Or you can brave my cooking downstairs," the diner was probably a better idea in terms of food quality, but he knew that Xavin also had powers troubles which might make it difficult.

"I am dressed. Uh, except for my shoes." At least, to sweat pants and a hoodie. "Let's go. I want a caramel macchiato with almond milk." Xavin hopped on one foot for a moment, shoving a foot into a sneaker and then the other one.

It was hard to tell if those were sleep clothes or public clothes sometimes. "That sounds disgustingly sweet," Matt remarked as they left, "And can you drive yet?"

"I did drivers' ed. I have my permit. I even used to have a car that was like, 95% mine."

Sadly, that wouldn't work, "I'll get us an uber," Matt replied, pulling out his phone and slipping his bluetooth headset onto an ear. A permit wasn't a license and he didn't count as a reliable driver with Xavin.

"Oh, come on! I won't crash!"

"They should be here in less than 10 minutes," Matt replied, ignoring the protests. How was an uber car so close unless it had just dropped someone off here maybe? Well, whatever, he wasn't going to look a faster pickup in the mouth or however the phrase went. "And you can drive when you actually have a license."

"A permit counts." Next time, Xavin was going with Why yes, I do have a license.

Xavin needed to remember who was working on their guardianship and other assorted legal issues without adding to the workload by getting arrested. And worse, being arrested as a mutant, "You know, I need to talk to Julian and Angel about that," he remembered, "I was thinking about doing a seminar about getting arrested while mutant. Basically, how not to do it, what to do if it happens, that sort of thing." Step one being 'call Matt if you were.'

Xavin nodded, momentarily serious. "That would... be ...good. 'specially since it's going to be like 'getting arrested for being black' only ... worse." Worse was an understatement.

Right? Exactly. "Sadly, yeah," Matt couldn't disagree. They waited outside the gate for the car for a few minutes, but not for too long, "So it's important to know how to avoid that sort of thing and what to do and all that. So what sounds good for breakfast?"

"Eggs sound good. Or ... I don't know, waffles, maybe?"

"You can have both," Matt offered. "How's school going?"

"Both sounds good," Xavin said cheerfully. "Passed that quiz you were wondering about."

Oh, teens and their stomachs....not too different from him and his stomach, actually. Perhaps they eat more often than him, but that was about it. "You did, huh? That's great! I seem to remember promising you something if you did. How're the rest of your grades?"

"Well, I'm passing everything right now... But seriously, I came in from another school district. Passing stuff is doing pretty well."

Matt nodded, the conversation pausing as they reached the diner and got a table. Once they were seated, he continued, "Passing, especially given everything, is excellent," he agreed. Pulling out his wallet, he checked to see how much money he had in cash. Each denomination was folded a different way, "Here," he said, passing over $50, "that's for passing all your now. Bring me your report card when you get and if you're still passing, there will be more."

Xavin ran a finger over the bill. On the one hand, now this was a lot of money - a staggeringly generous gift from Matt, really - and on the other, six months ago, this was the week's pocket money. "Thank you." The smile was audible. "It still feels wrong, though, to get paid for something I'm really supposed to do anyway. I mean, you know, if I want to do college and stuff later." The money safely tucked away Xavin said, "I think I really need to get a job, to be honest. I was thinking - I mean, this is Westchester and it's really not poor. Maybe tutoring elementary school kids or something? I did that before a bit."

"You have a job," Matt argued, "It's going to school and making good grades. That's your job. It's what you're supposed to do, yes, but we all have jobs and things we're supposed to do. If you want to volunteer some of your free time, that's great. But your job - the one you get paid for - is school," he had no problems paying for Xavin to do it either. "Are you in any school clubs?"

"Not so much with the clubs" Xavin muttered and looked out a window. "Look, Matt - Mr Murdock - I see where you're coming from. And I'm really really grateful that you want to pay me for good grades. But. Um. It's kinda sorta weird a little bit. I'm sorry!" The last came out in a rush.

Sitting there quietly for a moment, Matt gathered his thoughts before replying, "I didn't think of it from your perspective," he said finally, "I always received rewards for my grades with my uncles. Granted, my brother and I were nerds, but...the tangible incentive beyond 'the vague nebulous college of the future' helped. It seemed reasonable to offer it to you. Given your background, I can see why it's weird though. That's fair. You're also a minor. You aren't expected to support yourself independently and more than that, you're a ward of the state until further notice. The school is receiving money for your care. There's no reason you can't have an allowance for doing chores. And going a step further," Matt leaned forward slightly, voice low, "I'm not interested in minors or boys. So there's that."

Xavin nodded. "Thanks." Matt had said a lot, half of which needed further thought. One thing, though - "I'm not a boy."

Matt's eyebrows rose above his glasses. Huh. He'd sort of assumed. "My apologies," he said, meaning it sincerely, "but you're still a minor. So the statement stands," the waitress came with their food and in his opinion, not a moment too soon. He tried hard not to say things that were awkward or uncomfortable unless it was intentional, but it happened to everyone sometimes.

"Want to tell me where everything is?" he asked, "Use a clock face. 6 o'clock is towards me, 12 o'clock is towards you." He could smell it for himself, but this was a good way to change topics.

"Sure. There's uh - eggs, from - I don't know, like..." Xavin paused, holding one hand up and pointing at an imaginary clock, "hang on. 12 is towards me and 6 is towards you, so... there's eggs on crap. 1 o'clock! Totally 1 o'clock, through till like, 5 and 6 o'clock through till like..." Xavin pointed at the air again, concentrating. "9? and then there's bacon. I'm pointing the clock towards me next time, okay?"

"Whatever is easier for you," Matt assured them, "I can adapt."