xp_logs | Kyle and Topaz (Backdated)

xp_topaz posting in

Kyle and Topaz talk about eXcalibur, Kyle rejoining the X-Men, and life choices. Backdated to January 27.

"Yo." Kyle waved a spoon at his favorite librarian-type, and then shoved it back in the bowl of what looked like a steaming mix of oatmeal and steak before cracking an egg into the mix and stirring. Unusually, he was outside his normal "in the offices" outfit of khakis, buttondown and vest, and was sporting a black tank-top that showed a fading ugly green bruise across one shoulder. "You still on weird Avalon shit reporting because it was pretty chatty today. All my normal stuff, but like, more so."

Topaz' eyes were on her laptop as she tapped away, one hand reaching for her can of Monster and downing half of it while not looking away from whatever she was reading. "Is it?" she finally said. "Maybe it's lonely. I haven't been gone in for a few days. Trying this new thing called self care that people keep lecturing me about." How well she was doing at that considering there was already one empty can of monster on the table was up for debate. She finally tore her gaze from the screen, giving Kyle her full attention. "Did you get into a fight with a tree on your way here?"

"Robot gorilla." Kyle said. "Punched me into a wall." He shrugged with the good shoulder, and started almost mechanically moving food from the bowl into his mouth. Between one large spoonful and another, he added. "I like, noticed you having a more regular schedule thing. Which is why I was down there in the first place, figured I could take the sunrise "nothing has gotten out nothing looks weird' sign-off on it off your hands. I gotta be up that early anyway." He did not look entirely pleased about it.

"Why..." Her voice drifted off, and she shook her head. "Okay, I'm going to regret asking, but why were you fighting a robot gorilla? And I appreciate the checks, I swear that place is more work than my cat sometimes."

"Cause Cyclops can say he's all understanding about stuff but when it comes down to it, the man's a closet sadist." The more eggy oatmeal Kyle eat, the more he seemed to uncurl from the bowl. "And I kind of, you know, decided I was done being fuckin' mopey and so I'm gonna be a superhero again."

That got him a raised eyebrow. "Back to the leathers, huh?" Topaz did her best not to let her dislike of the X-Men show... much. She wasn't completely over having lost most of her friends because they had wanted to be superheroes. "Got tired of doing Barton's paperwork for him?"

"Nah, I still need the day job. But..." Kyle shrugged. "I mean, I'm not bringing anyone back by being emo and I'm not changing anything sitting around with my thumb half up my ass."

Topaz' eyes drifted back to her laptop, a light frown pulling at her lips for a minute. "Fair," she finally said. "Just don't go and die or something. I can't handle all of this by myself."

"What like, organizing Avalon or like, life?" Kyle asked. "I mean, dude, both but also that's a thing."

"Definitely both," Topaz said dryly. "And also keeping track of paperwork. I don't think I trust anyone else to learn our system."

"Drake. The only qualified person here is Drake, and you know why." Kyle said, after a quick glance just to make sure no strays were coming into the kitchen. "Which, I mean is like why I'm doing this, after groveling at Scott and ten thousand hours of therapy." He rubbed at the bruise, and then took another giant bite of breakfast. "It's not the team's bad that shit happened, it would've happened with or without them."

Topaz' eyes narrowed slightly - the only indication that she might have been thinking something more complicated than Did I put the books away in the mansion library? "Yeah," she finally said, closing her laptop and then her eyes. "I know."

"Is that the look of Topaz says I'm an idiot, or is that the look of Topaz doesn't wanna talk about this anymore and would prefer a tea latte and literally a discussion of like, any other thing in the world, including maybe that one time we were fish?" Kyle asked, all in a rush.

"It's the look of I feel called out but also a tea latte and talking about anything else sounds lovely," Topaz replied dryly, resting her arms on her laptop and her chin on her arms.

"Cool because I am going to be re-fueling all day and I could use about eight bagels." Yes, Kyle realized he had a bowl of oatmeal with eggs and steak, but he also was healing a dislocated shoulder. "Man, after I take a shower though. Fuck I forgot how much the Danger Room makes me hate how my hair smells. Plus that'll give me time to like, I dunno, download some e-book and have a conversation topic that's anything other than this."

"Pretty sure there's a couple packages of bagels in there. Looks like someone re-stocked recently." The young witch had her eyes locked on nothing in particular. "Ugh," she grumbled after a moment, sitting up and rubbing the back of her head. "I hate you." It was said conversationally enough that she probably didn't mean it.

"It's all good, I hate me too." Kyle replied, raising his spoon in an almost salute. "And yeah, I stocked those, but I need an excuse to get in a car and fuck off to a coffee shop for an hour. "

"And leave me with the paperwork. Don't think I'm not putting your half of the work aside for you."

"Dude I was thinking you could come along. Barton's not here, and we're in charge. We can fuck off to a coffee shop if we want to."

"Huh." Topaz thought about that for a moment, then shrugged and stood, grabbing her jacket. "Brilliant. Let's go."