[Shinobi, Paul] (Saturday afternoon, before Manuel's visit) Parties are heaven.

[x-vega.livejournal.com]

Paul drops in on Shinobi to see how his teammate is mending.  They talk about Shinobi's power, training, and serious things.  And then at some point... well, they were discussing Emma, so it's to be expected... they get onto the topic of parties and make plans to throw one.  Then Shinobi brings up the subject of going clubbing.  Plans are made to steal all Scott's pants.  So much planning to do, so little time!


Five days since they'd taken on Mistra in the warehouses.  Paul was going over his personal logs - he did like to look back over his week and feel accomplished - and realized he hadn't taken the time to look in on Shinobi.  The young X-Man was probably well over his concussion by now, but that didn't mean his pride wasn't still bruised.  Paul decided to postpone torturing Delphine (trimming and filing her claws to save his clothing and sheets) in favour of checking in on his teammate.  At Shinobi's door, he knocked quietly, not wanting to wake him if he were sleeping. 

"It's open!" The call is a bit muffled, but it's only the door to blame for that - Shinobi was seated on his sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table, the History Channel running on mute as he looked back towards the door to see who'd come knocking.

Paul opened the door and leaned in.  "'Afternoon," he said.  "Thought I'd swing by and see how you were healing up."

Shinobi blinked. Well, he wasn't expecting that. "Afternoon," he echoed, shaking himself and cracking a smile. "I'm healing up okay. Would you like to come in? There's some tea on the stove." He pointed helpfully towards the kitchenette. "Cups in the cabinet right over the coffee bean grinder."

"Thanks, tea sounds good."  Paul stepped in, letting the door swing shut behind him.  He headed for the kitchen and set about getting himself a cup of tea.  "How're you feeling?" 

"Better than I was," he replied honestly, casting a brief look to the TV before returning his attention to Paul. Ancient Greece. Eh, they'd rerun it later. "Ribs are still tender, but all things considered, I think I got off very, very light."

"Can I get you something while I'm in here?" Paul offered.  "More tea?"  There was the better part of half a pot left. 

Shinobi leant over to peek into his mug, and nodded. "More tea would be good, thank you," he smiled. "Mine's gone and vanished on me. Sneaky."

Paul came over and took Shinobi's mug from him, smiling.  "It does that.  Did you want anything in it?"

"Nah, just the tea, thanks." He grinned, then tilted his head. "How are you feeling? I know you weren't in the warehouse, but still."

"I'm fine," Paul said lightly.  "Had far worse recently just rattling around in the Danger Room with Nathan.  And, as to your suggestion that you got off light," he came back and handed Shinobi his tea, "you did, yes.  But things like that happen to the best of us."

Shinobi accepted the tea back with a quiet thanks, nodding and gesturing at a free spot on the couch in invitation. "I know. It's just the first time it's happened to me, uniform or otherwise. It's a little blow to the self-esteem, nothing that can't be shaken off once I'm done with the aches and pains." He grinned sheepishly. "I'm used to being untouchable, when I need to be. Not being able to do that put me very off-balance. I need to work on that."

"It's always good to practice working under every possible set of circumstances."  Paul settled down into the couch, looking remarkably relaxed and comfortable.  "As long as you're not kicking yourself about things.  If you want kicking, grab someone from the team and hit the Danger Room.  One of us will do a better job of it anyway."

"Once I get the okay to go back in there, I think I'll ask Mister Cassidy if he feels like screaming at me for a while," Shinobi nodded, the sheepishness gone from his grin. "And once Nate's back on his feet, we're supposed to be doing some training together, if he's still up for it."

"I should see if I can't get Banshee to go a round or two with me, that's a good idea," Paul said, nodding approvingly.  "And Nate's an excellent challenge.  I need to work indoors more.  I tend to avoid things that make me uncomfortable and I don't even know I'm doing it.  One of these days, it's going to catch up to me."

Shinobi nodded, smiling in sympathy. "I know the feeling. Maybe you should talk to Scott about it. He could probably help draw up a nice, rounded training schedule for you, so you tackle everything you need to."

"Oh, I just need to stop being spoiled," Paul said, shrugging.  "I'm getting old and lazy.  You, on the other hand, should be at the stage where everything is terrifically exciting and you can't wait to get your ass kicked /again/."  He smiled at Shinobi, remembering his early days with Alphaflight when anything he couldn't get right the first time had to be tackled until he defeated it, no matter what it took. 

"I'd like to skip getting my own ass kicked and do more of the kicking, myself," Shinobi laughed. "The missions are fun, once I stop and think about it. I just always save that for afterwards, when there's time."

"I used to learn best by getting flattened," Paul said, running his fingers through his hair.  "I had my best epiphanies about my power while staring at the sky, or face down in the muck, or my head ringing from hitting the wall.  And yes, they're fun, I agree with that.  Moreover, they're addictive, at least for me."

"Yeah, but once I stop getting knocked around, it means I understand myself," Shinobi countered, grinning and sipping his tea. "I've been using intangibility as a crutch. Definitely learned that. I just need to get some help figuring out what to do about it."

Paul nodded, sipping at his tea.  "You have a point there. Intangibility ceases to be the advantage it could be when it's all you have to go with.  Is there more to your mutation that you've been neglecting?"

Shinobi tilted his head in thought. "Nothing I know of, but Moira, Nate and I are going to be working on that once we're all in fit shape again," he murmured. "I usually go the other route and make myself very, very solid.. I'm almost always like that, so my girlfriend can relax around me."

"She's sensitive about the bone spurs, is she?  I can understand that."  Paul filed that one away for future reference.  "So your mutation centers around your density."  He thought about this for a while.  "I remember from the files that you can move through walls, yes?  Is it tranferable?  Can you take someone with you?"

"Well, they tend to be very sharp.. I like being able to give her somebody she doesn't need to worry about that around." He grinned, then shrugged. "I.. don't think I can, but I haven't had much opportunity to try it out before. It would probably help if I wasn't a bit afraid to."

"What's the worst that can happen?" Paul asked seriously.  He was leaning back in the cushions, looking relaxed, but his eyes were intense as he watched the changes in Shinobi's expression.

"It could kill them," Shinobi replied simply, with a fairly resigned expression as he gestured with one hand. "Living things and my intangibility don't seem to get along very well. The guy in the warehouse is the first person who hasn't outright died from it, as far as I'm aware, but I did only catch the edge of his shoulder. Not his head, or heart, like the others."

"Interesting."  Paul thought on this for a moment, fingers of his free hand drumming lightly on the back of the couch.  "Here," he said, putting his half-empty cup of tea down on the table and extending that hand to Shinobi.  "I'm tougher than most people.  Just a touch."  He was curious and the thought that he could be killed by the experiment didn't cross his mind. 

Shinobi blinked twice, eyeing Paul's hand with genuine wariness. "I don't think it would be a good idea," he said nervously, holding onto his mug a bit more tightly.  "At least not without somebody to supervise.. Moira, or Hank, they both know how it works well enough.."

That was as interesting as finding out how the young man's power worked.  Paul picked up his tea again.  Being afraid of one's mutation was an ugly catch; that needed ironing out, and quickly.  "So what do you think you need to work on?  The density will probably do you better in the average fight, honestly."

"Probably," Shinobi agreed, shaking himself and trying not to look embarassed as he moved his mug back to the table. "I'm.. not sure what I need to work on, specifically, beyond a better understanding of how this can be made to work. I want to know if I can go through people without the whole 'seizures or falling over dead' aspect, if I can take people with me, if it'd be safe to.. all that stuff." He paused, and added, "Well, and just how durable I am on the flip-side. I know I'm not invulnerable, I just need to know where the line is."

"How are you at the basics?  If someone stripped away your mutation entirely, what would you have to offer?" Paul watched Shinobi get hold of himself again, evaluating the young man's level of uncertainty with some concern. 

"I've been in the self-defense courses since I got here last.. December," Shinobi replied thoughtfully, propping his chin up in a hand. "And then the extra training in the Danger Room and so on, after they gave me the uniform. I really think the only reason I had trouble in the warehouse was that that Foley guy was making it too hard to think straight."

"It's not habit yet, that's to be expected."  Paul nodded, smiling a little.  "And you don't have the confidence yet to fake it when you're out of your depth.  Or maybe the right word is arrogance, but I like confidence because it makes me sound like less of a jerk."  He grinned at Shinobi and leaned back, dropping the level of his scrutiny to a surface once-over to confirm once more that yes, Shinobi was still very cute.

"If you were a jerk, you wouldn't have come to make sure I was okay," Shinobi pointed out lightly, regaining his smile. "Or have gone to Sarah when we got back. Thanks for that."

"Shh."  Paul waved off Shinobi's thanks, shaking his  head.  "I said less of one, not that I wanted to lose the reputation entirely.  And it was only right that someone from the team talk to her.  Same with this visit.  Just being neighborly, honest."  It was his turn to be a little uncomfortable. 

Shinobi made a thoughtful noise, trying to hide a grin as he retrieved his drink. "Well, thank you for being neighborly, Paul. I really do appreciate it."

"Oh, hush."  Paul knew when he was being teased.  "Shouldn't you be respecting your elders or something?" 

"A Shaw? Respect people? Pfft." Shinobi waved a hand, beaming innocently as he had another drink from his mug. "That's crazy talk."

"Mm, as crazy as a Shaw risking his life for no profit," Paul pointed out, his expression wry.  "No playing both sides of the field, young man."

"There's profit," Shinobi countered, lifting his chin. "It's just in karma, rather than cash."

"I cannot believe you said that with a straight face," Paul said, struggling not to laugh himself.

Shinobi let himself grin. "Miss Frost's speech class is excellent," he explained simply, with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"I can see that.  It's unfortunate that she's not here anymore," Paul said, laughing at Shinobi's expression.  "She moves in some marvellous social circles.  I wish I'd had the chance to work with her.  Her reputation is intriguing."

"I doubt she's gone permanently," Shinobi replied confidently, shaking his head. "She's helping one of the students with his power, but once that's squared away, they'll both be back. Of course, if you did want to meet you, you could always come along to one of the Club's social functions.. I can give invites, now." He beamed. "Assuming you wouldn't have any problems with the crowd.. nnnnot the greatest people in the world, the Club."

"As long as they're not boring, I'd survive.  You're referring to the somewhat notorious Hellfire Club, yes?"  Paul looked thoughtful, running a finger along the rim of his mug.  "I'd avoided organizations of that stripe like the plague for quite a while but as long as it's only a social engagement, I find myself more tolerant lately."

Shinobi nodded, smiling wryly. "The parties are alright, so long as you put on the blinders when it comes to the politics." He paused. "..well. The last party did involve a big fight and a rescue, but everything before that was quite lovely. You should ask Alison about it, maybe. She was there. Sarah, too." Shiro and Alex, he imagined, wouldn't want to think about it.

"Being blind to politics is one of my specialities," Paul said, shrugging.  "Or at least pretending to be.  When one is in the business of lobbying governments and major corporations, one has to ignore a great many things in order to remain friendly and flattering enough to get heard."

"Very true," Shinobi nodded. "If nothing else, the parties are a lovely excuse to wear pretty clothes and go drink expensive drinks with other people in pretty clothes. They're nice and simple, if you look at it that way."

"They're heaven if you look at it that way," Paul corrected, smiling a little wistfully.  "I haven't been to a real party since New Year's."

"We could always throw one," Shinobi suggested, grinning brightly. "Between you and I, we could probably finance a very nice party. Manuel's working on one for the Asgard crowd, I think."

Paul raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.  "Off the grounds, would you say?"

Shinobi nodded, propping his chin up in a hand. "Definitely. Less intimidating that way, for all involved."

"Ballroom," Paul said, sinking down in the cushions and looking thoughtful.  "And a whole hall of suites.  Or simply hire out one of those delightful mansions-for-rent.  I almost prefer that.  More parking and you can bring in your own catering."

"I'm sure we could find a nice one, if we wanted to," Shinobi murmured thoughtfully, casting a look towards his laptop. "Just a 'for the hell of it' party, or something a little more.. productive?"

"What did you have in mind?"  Paul liked the way this conversation was going - very much so.

"Lord knows mutants could use some decent PR," Shinobi observed, lightly scratching the side of his head. "Maybe we could talk to Jamie and the others, do a HeliX benefit or something. It runs the risk of poor reception of.. all kinds, but.."

"I know a fair number of people in the area who'd come out, some who'd come down from Canada as well," Paul said slowly.  "I've thrown enough benefits up there for that reason and others.  We could have quite the party.  Might be nice for the kids."

"Maybe Marie could come," Shinobi nodded, trying not to perk too much at the thought as he glanced towards her old room. "I should call her.. I've been very bad about staying in touch."

"They've been busy, from what I hear," Paul said, following Shinobi's gaze.  "Mac and Michael have both had their hands full.  I talk to Heather once in a while, just social calls.  She's fairly maternal about the teams, she likes to check in on us.  I don't think the fact that I retired matters much.  No reason you can't invite her to come, if she's got enough notice."

"Well, then we should figure out when to throw our party," Shinobi grinned, looking to Paul again. "What do you think?"

Paul leaned over toward Shinobi to look at the date on the computer clock.  "When do classes start?  First week of September?"

Shinobi followed Paul's gaze, not at all bothered at being leant over. "I think so.. I wasn't here for the start of the previous year, and I've been so bloody distracted that I haven't been keeping track."

"Fine teachers we are," Paul said, laughing and turning to look at Shinobi.  "The class schedule should be online, shouldn't it?"

"Assuming Charles hasn't been as distracted as us," Shinobi grinned, dragging the laptop closer so he could go huntin'.

"The show must go on."  Paul moved over so he could look over Shinobi's shoulder.  "It's got to be somewhere."

Shinobi nodded, squinting down at the screen. "We are the picture of responsible adults, we are.. I'm pretty sure it's the first week of September, though. It sounds logical."

"If they wanted a responsible adult, they hired the wrong man," Paul said firmly.  "Charles interviewed me himself.  The man can read minds; mine's simply rampant with irresponsibility."

"Well, you are a little bit of a jerk, too," Shinobi observed jokingly, grinning sideways at Paul. "I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Desperation," Paul said mournfully, shaking his head.  "That and he said the place needed prettying up, but I don't know where he got that idea."  He gave Shinobi a lazy wink. 

"It can never be too pretty," Shinobi replied dismissively. "Mm.. let's operate under the assumption that classes start in September. Party before, or during one of the breaks?"

"Let's give some time to settle into classes," Paul said, getting a little more serious.  "It'll take a while to get it all planned.  What about Halloween?  I haven't been to a good masquerade in a while and it might be more fun for the rest than just a fancy-dress party."

"That could work," Shinobi murmured approvingly, squinting in thought. "Barring anything unexpected, I shouldn't be busy."

"If you're busy, I probably will be too," Paul noted.  "We'll just assign someone to run it without us in a pinch.  It should be fun.  Any idea what kind of party it should be?"

"Very true." Shinobi tilted his head in thought. "Well, let's see, if we're looking at doing a benefit of some kind, there will probably be a lot of people with money involved.. and we do so enjoy having excuses to buy pretty things. But most of the kids here don't do formal dress if they can possibly avoid it.."

"Masquerade?" Paul asked, thinking of Clarice and the image inducer.  It would be amusing to turn the tables.  "That makes dressing up more fun."

"Ooh, that could be fun," Shinobi brightened, casting a look down at the screen again. "And it gives me an excuse to spend money, which, you know, is always a happy thing. Suits, I have. Costumes, not so much."

"Playing with and on appearances is always an appealing theme when one is discussing prejudices based in part on visual cues," Paul said quietly, watching Shinobi surf through various sites.  "It'll save the students from being stifled, interest the designers I know, and give us an excuse to spend money on things we don't need.  I can't think of a better way to go."

"Neither can I," Shinobi agreed, smiling brightly. "It's part of why the Club parties are fun. Individuality is cherished. You should have seen the dresses Alison and Marie wore - anywhere else, and they probably would have been arrested."

Paul laughed at that, shaking his head.  "Women get to have more fun with clothing than we do most of the time, damn it.  It's not fair."

"We're allowed to have fun with clothes, too.. we just usually wind up looking really, really stupid, that's all." Shinobi shrugged helplessly, looking up with a thoughtful grin. "You into the clubbing scene at all, Paul?"

Paul gave Shinobi a long look before answering.  "Depends on the club.  Why do you ask?"

"A few of us make fairly regular trips out for dancing," Shinobi explained, keeping his grin. "If you were interested, I bet I could get away with inviting you along. We usually wind up going to one of the.. louder clubs, since Sarah likes 'em, though."

"I see.  And would I be forced to overlook underage drinking and the like?" Paul asked, seeming a little regretful.

"Officially, no overlooking," Shinobi replied solemnly, shaking his head. "It's usually there to overlook. They're very sneaky."

"I'm not saying I wouldn't like to come, but I'm not sure it's in everyone's best interests for teachers to be socializing that much with their students."  Paul sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.  "I'm sure that seems uncharacteristically responsible of me, but I might need to give it some thought.  God, do I sound as horribly pedantic as I think I do?"

"Probably not as horribly pedantic as you think you do, no," Shinobi chuckled, reaching back to pat Paul on the arm. "Think on it as much as you need to. Worse comes to worse, we'll just have to look into similar trips for the teaching crowd."

"Now that, I would be very happy about.  I already threatened Scott with a trip to a bath-house if he didn't loosen up.  Perhaps a club might be an intermediate form of punishment."  Paul's grin was back, a rather wicked one.

Scott. Clubbing. "Can we force him into leather pants?" Shinobi asked hopefully, trying very hard not to cackle and having a small amount of luck at the task. "It's a rite of passage around here. Even Doug has leather pants."

"That sounds not just possible, but possibly necessary," Paul said, now vastly amused.  "I'm sure we can manage it - even if it means stealing every other pair of pants he owns for the duration.  His wardrobe needs an overhaul anyway, as cute as he is in his responsible, preppy, buttoned-down way."

"I go running with him every morning at six," Shinobi observes, smiling innocently. "If someone were to sneak into his room around then, he wouldn't even notice until he got back. Then he could be stuck in them for.. well, either the entire day, or at least for a drive out to the city to buy more slacks. Either of which, I'd approve of."

"I'm sure something can be arranged," Paul said, eyes bright with mischief.  "It's for his own good, after all."  He leaned over and tapped the screen of Shinobi's laptop.  "Let's get to work.  We've got a lot of trouble to get into and that takes more planning than you think."