xp_logs | Madin, Illyana, Sharon: (Un)Happy Birthday

xp_catseye posting in

(Slightly backdated) Madin celebrates their birthday with a quarter-life crisis. Illyana and a suspiciously damp Sharon attempt to nurse them through their insecurities. Serious consideration is given to Madin's future (and alcohol tolerance).

Illyana cracked the seal on a fresh bottle of vodka, deftly pouring shots for herself and Madin and bringing the whole lot to the couch. "Is there reason we are drinking like it is end of world? Have already stopped one this month, quota is full." She slid one of the shots in front of her roommate and knocked her own back before slumping into the other end of the couch.

Madin downed the shit, shuddering slightly. "It's my birthday. I'm old."

She scoffed, reaching out a sock-clad foot to nudge their leg. "Clint is old. Haller is old. Jean Grey is old. We have seen more shit than age shows, but that does not make us old. Also should have told me was birthday, would have ordered cake and good food! Is best part of having birthday."

"Nah. I'm fucking old. I'm 25. I'm 25 and I've never even done anything with my life."

"Bah. You are barely past age of childhood here. Plenty of time left." Illyana shrugged. "Vaguely remember claims of working with so-called terrorist organization. Did that, now you do something else. You have time and place to do considering from."

Madin considered pouring another drink. "You don't understand," they said after a moment. "That's different. 'Guard the camp.' 'Don't get robbed at roadblocks'.“ Madin dropped the voice and kept going "Mostly we were just - do you know boring it is when there's no internet and the only DVDs at the market are like, pirate Chinese ones and Bollywood and shitty Nigerian cinema?"

"Yes. And no DVDs also."

As was so often the case, Sharon was suddenly there, and like most of her appearances it was unclear exactly how long she had been present. The truth was she had slipped into the suite before either mutant had even settled into their common area, then lurked beneath the sofa in her smallest form while she debated whether or not she wanted to make her presence known. Sharon was loath to give up her secrets, however, and so she took pains to ensure that her presence remained undetected until she had crept out from beneath the couch to present herself as she wished: a man-sized feline hybrid with baleful yellow eyes and smelling faintly of chlorine.

Madin jumped but settled themself, self control kicking in before the flare of energy that crackled around them for a heartbeat manifested into a weapon. Heart pounding and looking deliberately casual they said "How long have - never mind." There was never going to be an answer. Madin just got up and poured another drink for themself - lime jarritos soft drink and a healthy slug of more vodka and made one for Sharon, too. "Here." They handed it over and continued with their earlier complaint. "I've still never done anything real. I was supposed to have gone to uni and everything but I'm doing year 9."

Sharon leaned over to sniff the drink, then sat back. "Gesture is appreciated, but alcohol is not for me. Vomiting will occur." She settled down, sphinx-like, and curled her hands beneath her chest. "My college is remote courses only. Illyana has no college at all, yet still a sub-dimension is hers to rule. Receives extravagant salary through her employment by Warren Worthington also. Traditional education is no indicator of success."

"Education before first time at mansion was spotty. Did not want to do stupid school once here, but adults were in charge so now I have paper saying I finished. Your education was also spotty, so now if you want you will finish and also have paper that says you finished. Is not your fault circumstances got in way, any more than Sharon chose to be cat or I chose to be child sacrifice. Is just way things are. Did not know what computer or internet was before arriving. Also TV. Might have had some access as small child. Pyotr would know. I do not not remember. Thought journals were the google." Illyana shook her head and swiped Sharon's drink, leaning forward with an obvious sniff.

"Sharon. Why do you smell like pool?"

"Is no matter," Sharon said, but the dismissive comment belied the subtle puffing of her fur. "Was only child with no respect for elders. Have decided is time to associate with adults."

"Hang on. What respect? Is this some yank thing like saying sir or calling people mister and miss?" Madin gestured with a glass. "Why the fuck do you get respect?"

"Is my due as an individual with superior knowledge and experience," asserted Sharon, a girl who'd gone twenty years before any meaningful face-to-face interaction with her own peers. She gave her shoulder an arch lick and cut Madin a look from slitted eyes. "As you are due for criminal enterprises, and Illyana is due for conquest. Are these things not real?"

"What the actual fuck, Catseye?" Madin shook their head, spilling a few drops of the drink. "Shit." They continued, swiping ineffectually at the green splotches. "You're not better than me just because you finished school."

"Respect is earned," Illyana said flatly. "Right now only thing you are earning is ire of roommate, deserved. Just had talk that education is not most important thing. Madin can be criminal if they want but that is not only thing they can do. Would you like stain removed, Madin? Cannot do many spells up here, but small clean is simple enough."

"Yeah, thanks." Madin zeroed in on what Catseye had said earlier, because wailing 'I don't want to be a criminal' felt just a little too pathetic. "What did you mean by a child with no respect? What actually? We don't even have any kid-kids. Hope is like sixteen and Liam is a long boy so he probably doesn't count."

There was a low, unpleasant sound not unlike a struggling garbage disposal. Sharon's ears had flattened against her skull. Somewhere beneath her clawed fingers was the unpleasant sound of shredding carpet.

Madin smiled briefly. "Oh my god! Yana. Did you hear that?"

"Chronological age is irrelevant to the orange," she said coldly. "Subject is your quarter-life crisis. You have acquired no skills which comport with other areas? You say your experiences are not real, yet you work with Kyle Gibney on repairs necessary after such a brazen assault. I am witness."

Madin finished their drink and sighed. "Yeah. I don't know how useful being a -a you know is, because like how often do you actually need to stab people? Or do any of the things I trained to do? I can't do anything that's useful now, can I?" Their voice was raised, sounding choked. "I'm just a stupid, useless fuck. All I know is how to get arrested. Couldn't even join a real army or the real mutant underground to actually help people. I fucking left and joined a fucking murder cult. I literally don't know how to do anything right."

"Stabbing is useful more often than you might think," Illyana muttered. "Think your skills from time as terrorist could be useful on any team. You understand basic combat, self-defense. Can drive vehicle, guard people or cargo, work with others. Saw you with Susan Storm during riot. Excalibur maybe least. X-Force are spies. Thieves. Do not trust most of them, personally, but a few are okay. Tolerable. X-Factor does investigation. They will train you in how. Do not know if you would need to finish school first. Warren is on that team, am not sure how uncomfortable he still makes you. X-Men do fighting, but my understanding is generally do not kill if opponent is sentient. Prefer to disable and put in jail. Is team brother was on, might be good fit for you."

She turned to Sharon with a raised eyebrow. "Eris does not shred carpet and she is baby. There is tree in corner if you want to make poky paws."

"I don't know." Madin wanted to say 'they're not going to want me' but even through the vodka, it seemed pathetic. "Maybe." Maybe meant yeah.

Sharon gave Illyana what scowl could be managed by an apex predator and disengaged her claws from the rug. The cat shifted her weight to one side to regard Madin from a more casual angle.

"Is no maybe," she opined. "Illyana is correct. If atonement is desired, those same skills you denigrate may now be turned towards Justice. No longer will terrorism be your guilty past. Now is your heroic backstory. Adversity over which you have triumphed. Is perfect."

Madin wasn't brave enough to voice it, just nodding instead of saying 'I could make up for all the shitty things I've done', because it sounded stupid. Really stupid. "Yeah." They could make a difference. Self conscious, they changed the topic. "Why do you smell like a pool? You never said. You're just trying to fix me instead."

Sharon stared them directly in the eye. "Have no idea to what you refer," she said, and the stiff, agitated flicks of her tail clearly communicated that if Madin knew what was good for them neither would they.

"Lie. Was going to offer brushing for small cat, but keep secret and pool smell to self. Will likely find out later through gossip. Security footage is always." Illyana gave Sharon a sharp smile before turning to Madin in a clear dismissal of the cat. "If you are worried about time as terrorist, talk to Jean-Phillipe Colbert. He has also worked for Magneto, now he is X-Man. He will understand best, I think."

Madin made a sound like "gnahh". They stood, wobbling and poured another lime soda and vodka. "I will. Can we talk about something else now, please? I just. I don't. Yeah. I needa think."

Illyana's eyes danced over Sharon. "We can speculate on why Sharon smells like pool. Who do we think is disrespectful child? How did they get drop on cat? I have questions. Also think you are at drink limit, Madin. Do not want to put armor on to lift later."