xp_logs | Angelo and Amanda

They spend their requisite time on the back porch, birthday presents are discussed, and some issues are aired.

The back porch wouldn't be the back porch without at least one visit from Angelo and Amanda, and today was no exception. Shaking her still-wet hair out with her hand, Amanda looked up and grinned at Angelo as he came out onto the porch. "Heya," she said, companionably. "Just back from work, had t' shower the horse smell off me. Otherwise people start complainin'. How you doin'?"

Angelo grinned back as he sat down beside her. "Oh, not too bad. How 'bout you?"

"Good. Always am, back from Stonewall. An' I was gettin' sick of sittin' 'round, feelin' useless." She shrugged, and offered him a cigarette from her pack. "Ain't used t' this holiday thing - you know how it is, out there. You spend all yer time survivin', you don't really have vacation time. Didn't know what t' do with meself."

Angelo took the cigarette with a nod of thanks. "Yeah - I've been tryin' to keep busy, with the summer classes an' all. An' I think when I turn eighteen, I'll get a weekend job or somethin'. Maybe start doin' volunteer work even before that, though there isn't long to go now."

"Yer've got a birthday comin' up? Really?" Amanda's tone was teasing - she knew fully well he did. "Busy is good. Less time sittin' 'round broodin', an' that's always a good thing."

Angelo shot her a look, but clearly didn't mean it as more than playful. "Yeah, definitely. Only so far Samson can help when I don't have much to do, even with the... uh... medication." This last was muttered, because he hadn't really meant to tell her, not thinking about what he was saying until it was too late.

She raised her eyebrow. "Medication?" she asked - this was a new development. "You sick?"

"Not that kind of medication", he admitted. "The therapy kind of wasn't makin' much progress anymore. So Samson suggested somethin' else."

Amanda looked a bit surprised, but nodded slowly. "Well, if he thinks it's a good idea..." she said. "How long's this been goin' on?"

Angelo shrugged. "Not that long. He needed to check with the docs that it'd mix with my mutation without causin' side-effects, so... 'bout a week."

"An' is it workin'? Feelin' any different?" Amanda kept the skepticism out of her voice - she'd never been one for medication, preferring the herbal remedies. If she'd known Angelo was having issues, she would have suggested some St John's Wort or valerian, rather than Samson's little pink happy pills.

"Early days", Angelo reminded her. "But I think so. Not so much feelin' different all the time, as... I dunno. Don't seem to get down as much. Calmer, y'know?"

Nodding, Amanda said: "Yeah, I know. Rom's meditation exercises do the same for me - I've been a bit slack with 'em, but since I started doin' 'em again, it's helped. An' it don't hurt that things're settlin' down again here." She took a long drag on her cigarette, blowing out smoke luxuriantly. "'Course, I've jinxed us now, haven't I?"

Angelo chuckled. "Probably. Not that this place needs any help when it comes to that."

"True." Amanda grinned at Angelo. "So, birthday boy t' be, anythin' you want especially? 'Cause yer a right bastard t' buy presents for."

Angelo shrugged. "Don't know really. Sorry, I know that's not helpful."

"You bet it ain't. That's the answer that gets you socks an' underwear, you know that, don't you? Or maybe hankies," Amanda said, with an eyeroll.

Angelo chuckled. "Well, I have been wantin' a pet?" he suggested, not really expecting her to go for that option. "A puppy, maybe."

"Now we're gettin' somewhere," she said, making a mental note to check with Paige that she wasn't getting him a puppy already. "Seems like this place is crawlin' with dog people - Shinobi just got Sarah a puppy."

Angelo grinned. "Yes, I heard. Vicious attack puppy in trainin', was how she put it."

"With Sarah, how could it be anythin' else?" Amanda flicked ash from her cigarette, took another drag. "She seems t' be bouncin' back from this whole bein' dead thing pretty well."

Angelo nodded, drawing on his own cigarette. "Seems t'be, yeah. But then, I guess, far as she's concerned, it's not much different from healin' from anythin' else. 's her knees that are botherin' her most, I think."

"Yeah, well, 's nice for her. Took a purification rite t' stop the nightmares from Mexico, an' I was only mostly dead." Amanda pulled a face and blew out smoke impatiently. "She wants clubbin' once her knees are workin' properly - if the Powers okay it, I was thinkin' maybe next weekend."

Angelo glanced over at her, concerned. "Sounds good. If they okay it."

"Depends, I s'pose. If they think we're gunna go chargin' off after Sarah's soldiers again, they might think twice." Amanda caught his concerned look. "'M fine. Just a little irritated. Sarah kills three people, dies herself, an' it's all water off a duck's back. I think twice 'bout a spell with the wrong motives an' I get magic backlash up the arsehole." She shook her head. "'S okay - my problem, not yers, or hers. Just a bit out of sorts lately. Havin' Lee in me face don't help. 'S why I asked Red for the job back at Stonewall - needed t' get away from this place for a bit."

Angelo nodded. "Yeah - think we could all use that sometimes. I can try an' get Jubilee to back off, if you want?"

Amanda gave him a look. "Since when are you two all matey?"

Angelo shrugged, aware of the dangerous ground. "Not so much. Talked to her a couple of times, that's all. It was only a thought."

"Yeah, well, I don't need her spoken to - you do an' the first thing she'll do is keep at it, knowin' it pisses me off." Amanda glowered. Damn mallrat was honing in on every fucking friend she had. "I can handle it - got me little escape hatch at the farm, don't I?" The way she puffed rapidly on her cigarette was an indication she was more bothered than she let on.

Angelo nodded, not fooled for a moment. "Yeah, you do. It's gonna be enough, then?"

"It'll have t' be, won't it? Can't let the little bitch get the better of me. An' there's always wipin' the smile off her face in class when I do better 'n her. 'Specially Mandarin - I beat her in that an' all this'll be worth it."

Angelo chuckled. "Well, there's motivation for you. Nathan'll be pleased - although maybe not if he knew why."

"Nate knows why - we talked 'bout it the other night. An' he ain't hypocrite enough t' lecture me on it." Amanda gave him a fleeting smile, before remembering the exchange Nate and Jubilee had had on the journals and feeling that stab of jealousy again. "Guess I had my shot at bein' in the limelight an' it's time t' get back in me box." She shrugged and stabbed out her cigarette.

Angelo shot her a look. "Hey. Just 'cause you're not the only one he's payin' attention to, don't mean you get none at all. He's staff now, remember, he's gotta work with everybody more or less the same."

"It ain't just him it's... ah, forget it." Amanda stood, intending to leave and go play some very loud angry music until she felt better. "Yer one of her groupies now, ain't like I can say anythin' an' not look like a whinin' brat."

Angelo got to his feet, moving to block the door. "Hey now. One of her groupies? What the hell? I've talked to her twice, an' I'm one of her groupies? You got no real call to be jealous here, Amanda, you still mean more to me than she does. You know that."

"'S a bit hard t' tell when it seems like every time I turn around she's all buddy-buddy with one of me mates. All I need is for her t' charm Pete an' she's got the full set. An' I can't blame you - she's me, without all the addiction shite an' decent ethics an' a perky personality. Doesn't get into half as much trouble, either. Can't compete with that." Amanda heard the self-pitying whine entering her voice and winced. "Look, I don't have no call tellin' you who t' be friends with, just don't expect me t' hang 'round an' make nice while you do, all right? Got better things t' do."

Angelo looked at her, lost for words for a moment. "It bothers you that much, I'll back off - an' before you say it, I know you didn't ask. But her an' me aren't close. If I wanted the whole perky personality thing, d'you really think you an' me would've got this far as friends? An' as for ethics... well, let's just say mine seem t'be a lot closer t'yours."

Amanda looked at him for a long moment, and shook her head, exasperated at herself. "'M bein' ridiculous, aren't I? I know we're mates, 's just she's been hangin' 'round everyone I consider mine, y'know? Especially Manny - she's practically throwin' herself at him, an' he don't mind one bit, if the link's anythin' t' go by. An' it's makin' me wild, since I hate all that possessive shite an' here I am, jealous of some dozy bint who thinks livin' in a mall is doin' it tough an' takes it into her head t' tell me what a fuckin' poor excuse of a human bein' I am, when she ain't got the first clue 'bout me an' where I come from."

"Exactly. She doesn't know", Angelo pointed out. "Which means you don't have t'listen to her. Just keep tellin' yourself she's got it wrong." He sighed. "Look. If it helps - you're not a poor excuse of a human bein'. If you were, you'd've let Rack win a long time ago."

"I know, I know." Amanda ran her hand distractedly through her slightly-damp hair. "She hits every button I got - 's almost like she's doin' it on purpose. I'm tryin' t' steer clear, just wish she'd go back t' hidin' from everyone an' feelin' sorry for herself like she was. It was a lot easier t' keep out of her face then."

"People seem to be good at that", Angelo answered wryly. "Pushin' buttons without even really knowin' they're doin' it, I mean. You probably do it to her, too, you know."

"Probably," Amanda agreed, knowing full well she did. "Just... I ain't ever had anyone I've thought of as mine, y'know? Gets hard t' share. 'Specially with Lee. Wouldn't matter if it was Paige or Jane or someone."

Angelo nodded. "Yeah, I know. But it's not takin' anythin' away from you, y'know? Me talkin' t'her isn't gonna change you an' me bein' friends, I promise."

Amanda gave him a small smile. "Hope not," was all she said, before stepping around him and going back into the mansion.