Alex and Sooraya

[xp_dust]

Alex and Sooraya pay a visit to two birthday kids in the Underground and things take a turn.  

"So these two are.... crap I'm horrible with names.... Nicky and Taylor, right?" Alex asked as they made their way down the street. He'd just gotten a list of names and their most desired birthday gifts, two of which were currently in the plastic bag at his side. Did he remember who they were? ....He tried.

 

"That's right." Sooraya nodded. "Nicky just recently manifested and Taylor is his twin. We don't know yet if she has the X-gene." She added a few more details to help Alex remember who was who.  

 

"Right, yes!" Alex snapped his fingers. "The telekinetic kid. Got it."

 

"The very reluctant telekinetic kid." Sooraya adds in warning though. "Nicky is terrified of what his powers can do and Taylor is part envious that she doesn't have any abilities, part terrified what they might be if she manifests." After a sigh, she continues: "It can get a little volatile."

 

"Only if you bring it up," Alex replied. "It's their birthdays, they deserve a day to not think about any of this."

 

"I don't have any plans to do that, but I wanted you to have the lay of the land." Sooraya explained when she stopped at the fence of one of the houses. "And there we are." She pushed open the small gate and made her way to the front door.  

 

"Understood," Alex said, ringing the doorbell. A moment later, a smiling man opened the door. 

 

"Sooraya," he greeted her easily before giving Alex a look. "And you are...?"

 

"Uh... birthday Santa?" Alex grinned, holding up the bag.

 

"Hi Sam, it's good to see you again. This is Alex. He works with me." Sooraya quickly introduced Alex before following Sam inside. Even though streamers decorated the room, a lovely cake was on the table and a large pile of gifts on the dresser, the atmosphere was down. There were no other visitors for the birthday boy and girl and no friends crowded around with soda and cake. Just the small family and Sooraya and Alex. 

 

The twins were looking particularly forlorn, but also like they were trying to enjoy themselves. They didn't want to be ungrateful, it was just their first birthday since they'd run away. And it was a little depressing. Alex understood that feeling. "Yo," he said easily, and the twins looked up, giving him dual mistrustful looks.  "I come in peace," Alex assured them, holding up the bag. "And with gifts."

 

"Happy birthday, Nicky, Taylor." Sooraya moved closer to the table. "We thought we'd stop by. Alex here wanted to bring you some gifts." 

 

Nicky jumped up from the table to come a little closer, his twin remaining at the table. "Ms. Sooraya, I'm thirteen now. Can't you call me Nick?"   

 

"You're never too old for your kid nicknames," Alex said as he knelt down to easily get the presents out more easily. "My moms still call me their little bug and I'm a foot taller than both of them."

 

He got out a smaller package first. "Can you give this to your sister?" he asked, handing it to Nicky, who handed it back to Taylor. Nicky's present was a bit bigger, but they were both something the kids had desperately wanted, so he was sure they wouldn't complain.

 

"Whoa," Nicky whispered as he unwrapped his to find and X-Box. "Seriously? This is for me?"

 

His sister didn't say anything, but she was equally wide-eyed at the iPod she had unwrapped.

 

"We know things have been pretty rough. Alex thought you could use a little pick me up." Sooraya explained, restraining a smile when she saw Taylor glance at Alex and then quickly look back the iPod she was holding. Knowing the girl often felt left out with her brother and his manifestation, Sooraya took a seat next to her. "I love the locket you have. It's new right? One of your presents?" 

 

Taylor touched the locket. "From my best friend." She replied briefly, her voice sad.  

 

"Can I hook it up?" Nicky was saying, meanwhile, his excitement palpable. "Please?"

 

A coffee mug on the table started to rise. "Whoa!" Alex grabbed it, laughing, and fought to keep it from going too far. Nicky blushed, ducking his head, and the cup stopped fighting Alex.

 

A small smile crossed Sooraya's face for a moment at the sight, but she quickly refocused on Taylor. "You must miss her a lot." She stated gently. "I'm sure she is missing you too." 

 

"I don't wanna talk about it." Taylor quickly cut that line short as she watched Alex and her brother go about getting the X-box hooked up, her eyes glowing with a touch of envy. 

 

Alex got Nicky started in the right direction of hooking up the X-Box, and turned back to Taylor, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You like video games?" He asked.

 

"Not really." Taylor glanced up shyly. "I like music though."  

 

"Well, then I guess the iPod was a good choice for you." Alex chuckled. "And you can get music on the X-Box too. And movies."

 

Taylor frowned in the direction of her brother who had managed to get a game going. Furious blips came from the tv screen. "He'll be playing his stupid games on it all the time." 

 

"Maybe you can trade sometimes?" Sooraya suggested. "I'm sure Nicky also has music that he enjoys and would like to listen too?" 

 

"As long as I don't have to listen to her music," Nicky piped up. "It's all Taylor Swift and love songs and junk."

 

"Not cool, bro." Alex gave him a slight nudge, still smiling. "No dissing on Swift."

 

"Better then your shooting games. Pang Pang Pang." Taylor mimicked holding a gun, her voice mocking. The glasses on the table shook a little, a soft rinkeling sound that went almost unnoticed. 

 

Sooraya did see the glasses move though and she frowned, quickly glancing between Nicky who was looking fairly relaxed and Taylor who had a harsh frown on her face. 

 

"At least my stuff doesn't sound like a dying whale-"

 

SPLAT.

 

That was the sound of a slice of cake hitting the back of Nicky's head. Everyone froze except Nicky, who jumped and whirled around, bewildered. "What the?"

 

Alex looked between the twins, then at Sooraya, shrugging as if to say, Oops.

 

Seeing the stunned look on the face of the parents, Sooraya grabbed a napkin and handed it to Nicky, before kneeling down before Taylor who was sitting there with a horrified look on her face. "Is this the first time it happened to you?" She asked gently. 

 

Tears appeared from her eyes as Taylor nodded. "I don't want this!"  

 

"Hey." Alex moved to sit beside Taylor, resting a hand on her shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. I know you're freaked out, and I don't blame you. But you've got people to help you, and now your brother doesn't get to have <i>all</i> the fun." He paused, then added, "Not that I'm encouraging telekinetic fights or anything."

 

 Their father lost the stunned look on his face and moved forward to wrap his daughter in a hug. Sooraya stood up and stepped aside to give him space. "It'll be fine Taylor. I'm sure Ann can help you too." He tried to reassure her.

 

Sooraya moved over to their mother. "I'll talk with Ann and ask her if she can stop by tomorrow." She said in a low voice. "Is there anything we can do right now?"  

 

Alex stayed with Taylor, trying to be a comforting presence, until her father released her. "You know," he said conversationally, "when I manifested, I blew up half the house. No one got hurt, but ya know. Half the house was gone."

 

Taylor's eyes widened a little at that. "Really? What did your mom and dad say? And your friends?" 

 

Sooraya listened with interest as she quietly poured a cup of tea for the twin's mother. She still seemed kinda stunned. Alex seemed to be connecting with the kids well... maybe if he connected with other kids as well...  

 

"Moms," Alex said. "They took it pretty well, actually. I mean, they were freaked out, especially since one of them was home, but no one got hurt. I didn't tell my friends, to be honest, but it was mostly because we immediately moved to the middle of nowhere in case it happened again. I mean, they didn't try to cut me off or anything, but they were afraid if the state found out they'd take me away, ya know? Since my mutation was kind of dangerous. And they didn't want anything to happen to me. Plus half our stuff got blown up too, so they figured it was as good a time as any to move."

 

Taylor looked at her parents, then back to Alex: "You couldn't see your friends anymore too? Or go to school too?"  

 

"No," Alex said quietly. "It kind of sucked at first. I was only thirteen. But having a good family really helps. Especially when you feel alone."

 

"And you have your brother too. I know you want to stuff him in rocket sometimes and send him to the moon, but the two of you can help each other." Sooraya moved back to kneel next to Alex.  

 

"And telekinesis is pretty cool," Alex added. "Imagine all the internal debates you'll save yourself from. Do you really want to move two inches to get the remote? Now you don't have to!"

 

"You're saying it won't be so bad?" Taylor finally asked, eyes full of tears. 

 

"No." Sooraya shook her head. "It doesn't have to be."  

 

"As long as you've got good people around you," Alex added, gesturing to Taylor's brother and her parents, "you'll be fine."