Nica, Miles, & Bobby, backdated to August 21

[xp_eriment]

One for the way-back machine. Bobby brings burgers and fries to celebrate Nica joining the X-Men.


Bobby was just finishing his shift at work for the day when he saw Nica's email. It was good news indeed, something they definitely had to celebrate, so he took advantage of his employee's discount and loaded up on milkshakes, burgers, and fries before heading back home.

Once he'd met up with Miles, they both headed for Nica's room to share in the good news and greasy food. Bobby took up a spot on one of her chairs, turning it around and sitting in it backwards like the (wanna-be) bad-ass he was.

"Dude, I can't believe you're gonna be an X-Man," he said between slurps of his chocolate shake. "No. X-Woman? X-Person? Whatever it is, it's too fucking cool."

"Welcome to Team Superhero! Do they have a welcome packet? Other Spidey never gave me a welcome packet." Miles sat cross-legged on the couch, burger in one hand and overfilled bag of fries in the other. He already made himself at home. "Do you have to wear their ugly black costume? Because if I join, I am not doing that."

Nica reached for her own burger and took a large bite as the boys were talking. "There's kind of a welcome packet?" she replied to Miles' question. "I mean, I got access to the team comms and the reports of past missions and training schedules and all that and they expect me to read it all before I do anything else. And I have a dark grey uniform. Or I will, once it's done being made." Despite her practical words, her grin was still huge. "How about you two? Thinking of joining me and making a difference in the world?"

"I've already got a job, though," Bobby replied. "It's... a different kind of rewarding, granted, but do you get a discount on food? Didn't think so," he answered before Nica could. "Maybe some day, but for now maybe I can just be your sidekick?"

"Um, excuse me?" Miles interrupted, pointing at Bobby with a fry. "You're my sidekick. And even my abundant generosity has its limits, cariño." He popped the fry into his mouth and turned back to Nica. "I've thought about it. I could do it, I think. Pero, like, the X-Men save the world. Spider-Man just saves the people of New York City, you know what I mean? I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of promotion."

"Well, this does mean you'll have the Gen Xers to boss around without me," Nica replied to Miles as she winked at him. "What's this job of yours, Bobster? Not the fast food thing - I thought that was just for the summer?"

"It was 'sposed to be, but I think I'm going to stay on there longer," he answered. "There's a few openings there that might let me do more there, maybe? I was helping one of the people there with the books and it... kinda clicked." Bobby shrugged, eating a few more fries. "It gives me an idea for going back to school maybe, I dunno about that though."

Miles nudged Bobby with his foot. "I keep telling you, you should. So what've they got you on now, with X-Men training? Besides, like, I guess, working out and stuff. Does someone dress up like Magneto and then you have to stop him from dropping a meteor on Earth or something?"

"Going over old mission reports, mostly," Nica replied, making a face. "Extra working out, running in the morning, that sort of thing. I think they're going to get me onto the higher-level combat training next week."

"What does 'higher-level' mean? That sounds both scary and fun as hell at the same time. Hey, maybe we could train together. I'm not team, but I've learned lots from other Spidey. And Scott gave me lessons, too, after the whole thing with my uncle a couple years ago that was just a complete mess. You can cheerlead," Miles offered his boyfriend.

Forming impromptu pom-poms out of snowballs around his hands, Bobby shook them in the air and did his best impression of a cheerleader. Which wasn't very good at all, sadly. "'Nica, 'Nica, she's our X-Man! If she can't do it, uh..." He thought and then jumped and made a weak attempt at a split. "YES SHE CAN!"

A shower of fries was his reward as Nica, laughing uncontrollably, threw a handful at him. "You are such a dork," she told him when she'd recovered enough to talk.

While she laughed, Miles looked upon Bobby in abject horror. "This is not a good look for you. Never mind the cheerleading, and just please never do that again. I think even Illyana would be better suited."

"Pfft, whatevs," he retorted, playfully flicking both of the snowballs at Miles. "Be careful, Milesy, or you could lose free burger privileges." Not very likely, because Bobby would often bring home more than even he could eat.

Miles swatted away one of the projectiles, but as his other hand was full of food, the other smacked him in the chest. He brushed it off before it could soak through his shirt. "You're just lucky I don't have my web-shooters on me or I'd get you back for that! Tie you up."

“Ooh, kinky,” was Nica’s reply. “Can I watch?”

"Watch what?" Bobby asked innocently, mere nanoseconds before he realized what she meant. "Oh shhhhhhh-" He tripped up over his own feet at that thought, though, unable to finish his sentence as he fell to the floor. "Ow." He wasn't really hurt, just his pride.

It was a good thing Miles had finished his milkshake before Nica went unusually saucy or he would likely have made a mess all over her couch. He recovered quickly and found himself channeling Gabo in his response. "No tickets for sale, but if you ask nice, then I can give you the highlights reel."

On cue, Nica blushed. She was trying to 'loosen up' as her college friends put it, but it was obviously a work in progress. Instead of responding to Miles, she got up and helped Bobby back to his feet. "Cheerleaders aren't usually quite so klutzy," she told him. "You might want to work on that. You could always join Maya and Allison at their practice?"

"I know, I shouldn't quit my day job, haha. Which is, um," Well, he didn't want to keep working at Five Guys all his life, as much as he enjoyed it right now. "Wait, they do practice and shit? Maybe I will, yeah." Bobby could think of worse things to do with his time, anyway.

"Will you wear their uniform, though?" Miles thought about Bobby in a crop top and short skirt, then shook his head. He did not have to disturb Nica any further with this imagery. Miles would just keep it for later, for private time. "Aaaaanyway. Superheroes! What is your codename, though? That's an important decision."

Nica took a long thoughtful sip of her soda. "Well, when I was a kid and I played superheroes, I called myself Captain Marvel," she said with a grin. "But that's too long to yell out in the middle of something. And 'Dazzler' is Alison's thing. Besides, my powers aren't just light - Dr. Hank says I can absorb and use a whole bunch of the EM spectrum. So my name should take that into account. What do you guys think?"

"Dude, you just said it then," Bobby replied. "EM! Or no, wait, sound it out and just be, like, M." His eyes widened a little. "Your name starts with an M. Holy shit, dude, it's meant to be!" Not that she'd want to use her real name in her codename at all, but Bobby wasn't exactly thinking straight, as per usual.

Miles chewed it over and found it palatable. "I like it. It sounds like a name, but just one word. Like Beyonce. Or there's units of light in physics, like lux and lumen. Ooh, how about Candela? That's a unit for how much light is given off in one direction. And it sounds like a pop star name, too."

"Hmm, maybe." Nica thought it over as she ate the last couple of fries from her meal. "Oh, wait, I think I've got it. How about Spectrum? I mean, that's what I do after all."

"Yeah, go with that one," Bobby said, still trying to figure out what Miles was talking about with all the physics talk. "Spectrum. I like it. Kinda got a nice ring to it."

"I like it!" Miles agreed. "Much less syllables than Captain Marvel."

Nica snickered. "All right then, Spectrum it is," she said, before adding. "And no-one had better steal it."