Amanda, Manuel - Sunday
Sep. 5th, 2004 12:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_daytripper posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logsManuel brings Amanda food in her room. They are cute. Normal, even. Time travel and the idiocy of the previous weekend is discussed.
Manuel walked over to the suite Amanda shared with Marie-Ange and others. A quick scan showed that Marie-Ange wasn't in her room right now, so he felt fairly safe about approaching. He knocked on Amanda's door and waited for her to invite him in.
For her part, Amanda was curled up on her bed, a blanket tucked around her, trying to ward off the shivers that heralded another fun bout of withdrawal symptoms. The knock was a welcome distraction, even more so when she felt the link pulse and knew who was there. "'S open, Manny," she called, not bothering to unwrap herself just yet. She didn't need to pretend in front of him.
Manuel opened the door, and then considerately closed and locked it behind him. "You look terrible." he said by way of greeting. "But I have soup for you, and a sandwich." He held out the paper bag in his hand for her inspection, and then walked over to her bed to put the bag on her nightstand. "I thought I would stop by and see how you were doing, see if there was anything I could do for you."
"I've felt better," she admitted, but she smiled at the sight of food. Food that Manuel had brought for her. "It wasn't so bad earlier, but 's startin' t' get t' me again. Help keep me warm?" She shuffled across the bed a little, making space for him next to her. "An' if you can talk t' me, distract me from it, that'd be good."
Manuel slipped off his shoes and crawled into bed, fully-dressed. "I think I can do that. I've missed this over the last few weeks." he said with a smile as he snuggled up close. "I will vigorously deny it if questioned, but I like snuggling."
"No-one'd believe me if I said anythin'," Amanda replied, with a small giggle, leaning into Manuel's hugs with a sigh. Much better. "Besides, there's nothin' wrong with snugglin'. People should do it more often, it'd make 'em less grumpy."
"And we could definitely do with less grumpy. I don't think I have ever been more miserable, save possibly for my time in the Box, than I was when we were having our ... whatever you want to call it." he replied, smooching her shoulder with a grin. "I am in no hurry to go through all of _that_ again."
"Fuck no," Amanda said with a small shudder that turned into a bigger one as the shakes took hold again. She drew the blanket around herself tighter, snuggling closer to Manuel and his wonderful body heat. "Never doin' that again - I don't think I could take it."
"I don't plan on making you go through that again. I'm fairly sure I was wrong in this entire thing. Again." he said, unable to keep some of the bitterness out of his voice. "I have to learn to respect other people's private emotions. Even if they hurt me."
"Not all of it. I... wasn't honest with you. Wasn't honest with meself. I should've realised what me bein' friends with Angelo was doin' to you an' stopped it." There was a small shake in her voice as she said it, however. Angelo was one of the few friends who had been there for the worst of it. Him and Shinobi. "If I'd been honest 'bout how I felt, even if I never planned t' do anythin' 'bout it, then you wouldn't've been gettin' all that down the link." Her hand crept out from under the blanket to grasp his. "I didn't realise how complicated this whole link thing is."
"And what sort of monster am I when I must dictate who you can and cannot be friends with?" asked Manuel. "No, you can feel what you want about whoever you want. I have to accept that as a part of who you are. And Shinobi ripped me a new one about the entire stupid affair."
Amanda sighed tiredly and rested her head on Manuel's shoulder. "The whole thing _was_ stupid," she admitted. "Me gettin' so bent out of shape over Lee, you over Angelo... Wish I could go back in time an' not do any of it. Wouldn't be in this state if I could, for a start."
"If you had that ability, I would insist that you take me with you so I could kick my own ass. Repeatedly." grinned Manuel. "Does it help you to know that I was prepared to walk away from it all rather than hurt you any further? Came very close to asking one of the doctors for a perscription."
Amanda went still, quite the feat considering the shivering. "T' block yer powers?" she asked, her voice small. "Like in the asylum?"
Manuel nodded. "Forever. Just - stop. Stop being Empath, stop causing so much pain. Break the link as gently as I could get Xavier to do it, or transfer it to Angelo or something. Just - walk away." He stopped for a second to swallow heavily. "I'm glad I didn't, now, but then I was seriously considering it. I thought it might be the best way to spare you any additional suffering."
Her hand tightened almost painfully on his. "Manny, no... Oh fuck, I didn't mean t' hurt you that much, Christ, I didn't know I _could_ hurt you that much..." She was clinging to his hand, but she wasn't going to let go, not now. "It's not always about pain. An' I wouldn't give that up for anythin', not unless you wanted me to."
Manuel gave Amanda a twisted smile. "I was prepared to live a life of dull chemical misery forever in repayment for hurting you." he admitted. "Guess that means I really am crazy about you, hrm?" he said with a more normal smile.
"Mad as a box of badgers," she agreed, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "An' if things _ever_ get that bad again, promise me you'll talk t' me first? Even if I'm off me bloody head, I wouldn't let you do somethin' like that. I ain't worth it, an' yer worth more 'n that. You an' the power."
Manuel shifted, and kissed Amanda as opposed to settling for a kiss on the cheek. "I will try. That's about the best I can promise you. And you are too worth it. I said so." he said with a gentle grin.
"You keep sayin' it like that an' I might believe you," she replied with an answering smile and another, longer kiss. She really did miss the tongue stud - something that would have to be fixed, and soon. "An' like Moira keeps tellin' me, tryin's important. Means we're still fightin'." Her stomach growled abruptly, and she snickered. "Hey, I think I'm actually hungry for the first time today. Go me."
He missed it terribly as well, but he made as good an arrangement of things as he possibly could. "Food would be nice." he said, reaching across Amanda to retrieve the soup and sandwich. "Sit up." he told her as he rummaged around in the bag.
"Yer not gunna feed me again, are you?" she asked, smiling at the protective tone and she untangled herself from the blanket enough to prop herself up. "'Cause that was cute, an' very, very messy. Took ages t' get the stains out off."
"I was considering it." he admitted. "Besides, you liked my method of removing food stairs from your skin. Fancy how it spilled all over the most interesting bits. Anyway, here you go." he said, unwrapping and holding out the sandwich to her. "I got you tuna, although I've got half a turkey sandwich in here if you'd rather have that. I sat in the deli and cursed myself - I couldn't remember which one you preferred more. And I was in a hurry."
"Bottomless Pit, remember? There ain't much I don't like, 'cept the sweet stuff." Amanda took the sandwich and hazarded a small bite - the withdrawals had played havoc with her appetite, and she had a tendency to throw up if she ate too fast. This time things seemed to be improving. "'S good," she said indistinctly through the mouthful, before chewing and swallowing. "Somehow tuna sandwiches as sex toys don't really grab me. Too fishy. The cream cheese was fun, tho'." She sent distinctly naughty feelings down the link to remind him of how _much_ fun the cream cheese had been. "An' how much longer do I get the spoilin'? 'Cause I'm likin' it way too much."
Manuel's eyes crossed ever so faintly as he let his mind revel in _exactly_ how much fun cream cheese had been. Who knew? "Well, considering that you like it, and I like doing it, I can see this sort of thing carrying on for, oh, as long as you'd like?" he grinned. "Besides, you're long-overdue for a little spoiling. I didn't think you liked the girly stuff. If I'd have known..."
She wriggled a little, blushing slightly. "In small doses, it ain't that bad..." she began, almost gruffly, but Manuel gave her a look. "All right, I do. Just ain't used to it, is all, so I didn't know how t' handle it. An' I doubt I'll ever be in for the whole hearts an' flowers routine, not 'less it's somethin' I can use in the magic..." To cover her embarrassment, she took another bite of sandwich, larger this time. It really was very good.
Manuel hrmmed at that. "Which reminds me - I really have no idea of the sorts of things you can do with your magic. I know now's a really, really bad time to get into it, but when you kick this - and you will - do you think you could show me? You know far more about my power than I do yours."
Amanda raised her eyebrows at that - Manuel had never really expressed an interest in her magic before, other than to call it the 'eye of newt stuff'. "You mean that?" she asked, then corrected herself. "No, of course you meant it, just came as a surprise. Yeah, I could, if you wanted." A pleased smile crossed her face. "I'd like to."
Manuel smiled with embarrassment. "I should have asked a long time ago." he admitted. "I have some new tricks, but none of them are safe to demonstrate. Except for one, and since we're linked you're immune to it anyway. I was saving that one for the next HeliX meeting."
"What is it?" she asked, curious as always about his powers. She finished off the sandwich and pulled his arm around her again, leaning against him with a contented noise. "Tell me 'bout it, since you can't demonstrate?"
Manuel grinned. "Loki taught me how to become invisible." he said, waiting for her reaction.
"What, really? How? You ain't got any magic talent, an' that spell's bloody complicated..." Amanda half-twisted so she could look at his face. "Yer pullin' me leg."
"Nope. Not _physically_ invisible, silly! Better way of putting it would be not-noticed. Using my power to basically twist desire of perception. You are immune because we're linked - you can always know where I am, just by looking down the link. But to most everyone else, they won't even notice me consciously." he said with a grin. "I'm very proud of it. I was going to use it to see what these HeliX meetings are like, since Jamie won't let me attend."
"Jamie's bein' a pillock 'bout that," said Amanda decisively. "But it sounds like a good trick, not bein' noticed. An' easier than my way." She grinned as a thought struck her. "You could meet Beth, if you come t' one of the meetin's."
Manuel shook his head. "No, I couldn't. That's your time with her. But if you wanted to invite her here to the school, I could meet her then..." he offered reasonably. "I don't know a thing about her - and don't start telling me! I want to form my own opinions. I'll even promise to keep my big ol' mutated brain to myself."
"I get time with Beth outside the meetin's, an' I think yer'd get somethin' out of it," Amanda pointed out. "But I will invite her 'round t' meet you sometime. Owe the poor girl an explanation for all this shite." She waved her hand vaguely to encompass herself, and the bed. "She... don't know 'bout the addiction. I meant t' tell her, only it was never the right time." She sighed. "She helps keep me sane, she really does. An' 'm just one hassle after another, for both of you."
Manuel mock-growled at Amanda. "None of that." he warned her. "I know being my bondmate and my girlfriend is no picnic for you. Devastating good looks aside." he said with a self-mocking grin. "Look at the positives, not just the negatives. I want you to get better, to beat this thing and to get the control you need."
"Yes sir," came the mock-meek reply, followed by Amanda twisting all the way around to wrap her arms around his neck. "There are positives, lots of 'em. Tuna sandwiches, for one." She leaned in to kiss him. "An' I love you still, even when there are negatives."
"You kept the negatives?" he said in very mock-surprise. "How very naughty of you. And I like the meek thing. It's nice." he grinned. He returned the hug with interest. "Tuna sandwiches are the very least of my talents. Alas, all of my really, really good talents require you to be healthy and whole, so as soon as you beat withdrawl I'd be _delighted_ to demonstrate. At length. Any way you'd like."
Manuel walked over to the suite Amanda shared with Marie-Ange and others. A quick scan showed that Marie-Ange wasn't in her room right now, so he felt fairly safe about approaching. He knocked on Amanda's door and waited for her to invite him in.
For her part, Amanda was curled up on her bed, a blanket tucked around her, trying to ward off the shivers that heralded another fun bout of withdrawal symptoms. The knock was a welcome distraction, even more so when she felt the link pulse and knew who was there. "'S open, Manny," she called, not bothering to unwrap herself just yet. She didn't need to pretend in front of him.
Manuel opened the door, and then considerately closed and locked it behind him. "You look terrible." he said by way of greeting. "But I have soup for you, and a sandwich." He held out the paper bag in his hand for her inspection, and then walked over to her bed to put the bag on her nightstand. "I thought I would stop by and see how you were doing, see if there was anything I could do for you."
"I've felt better," she admitted, but she smiled at the sight of food. Food that Manuel had brought for her. "It wasn't so bad earlier, but 's startin' t' get t' me again. Help keep me warm?" She shuffled across the bed a little, making space for him next to her. "An' if you can talk t' me, distract me from it, that'd be good."
Manuel slipped off his shoes and crawled into bed, fully-dressed. "I think I can do that. I've missed this over the last few weeks." he said with a smile as he snuggled up close. "I will vigorously deny it if questioned, but I like snuggling."
"No-one'd believe me if I said anythin'," Amanda replied, with a small giggle, leaning into Manuel's hugs with a sigh. Much better. "Besides, there's nothin' wrong with snugglin'. People should do it more often, it'd make 'em less grumpy."
"And we could definitely do with less grumpy. I don't think I have ever been more miserable, save possibly for my time in the Box, than I was when we were having our ... whatever you want to call it." he replied, smooching her shoulder with a grin. "I am in no hurry to go through all of _that_ again."
"Fuck no," Amanda said with a small shudder that turned into a bigger one as the shakes took hold again. She drew the blanket around herself tighter, snuggling closer to Manuel and his wonderful body heat. "Never doin' that again - I don't think I could take it."
"I don't plan on making you go through that again. I'm fairly sure I was wrong in this entire thing. Again." he said, unable to keep some of the bitterness out of his voice. "I have to learn to respect other people's private emotions. Even if they hurt me."
"Not all of it. I... wasn't honest with you. Wasn't honest with meself. I should've realised what me bein' friends with Angelo was doin' to you an' stopped it." There was a small shake in her voice as she said it, however. Angelo was one of the few friends who had been there for the worst of it. Him and Shinobi. "If I'd been honest 'bout how I felt, even if I never planned t' do anythin' 'bout it, then you wouldn't've been gettin' all that down the link." Her hand crept out from under the blanket to grasp his. "I didn't realise how complicated this whole link thing is."
"And what sort of monster am I when I must dictate who you can and cannot be friends with?" asked Manuel. "No, you can feel what you want about whoever you want. I have to accept that as a part of who you are. And Shinobi ripped me a new one about the entire stupid affair."
Amanda sighed tiredly and rested her head on Manuel's shoulder. "The whole thing _was_ stupid," she admitted. "Me gettin' so bent out of shape over Lee, you over Angelo... Wish I could go back in time an' not do any of it. Wouldn't be in this state if I could, for a start."
"If you had that ability, I would insist that you take me with you so I could kick my own ass. Repeatedly." grinned Manuel. "Does it help you to know that I was prepared to walk away from it all rather than hurt you any further? Came very close to asking one of the doctors for a perscription."
Amanda went still, quite the feat considering the shivering. "T' block yer powers?" she asked, her voice small. "Like in the asylum?"
Manuel nodded. "Forever. Just - stop. Stop being Empath, stop causing so much pain. Break the link as gently as I could get Xavier to do it, or transfer it to Angelo or something. Just - walk away." He stopped for a second to swallow heavily. "I'm glad I didn't, now, but then I was seriously considering it. I thought it might be the best way to spare you any additional suffering."
Her hand tightened almost painfully on his. "Manny, no... Oh fuck, I didn't mean t' hurt you that much, Christ, I didn't know I _could_ hurt you that much..." She was clinging to his hand, but she wasn't going to let go, not now. "It's not always about pain. An' I wouldn't give that up for anythin', not unless you wanted me to."
Manuel gave Amanda a twisted smile. "I was prepared to live a life of dull chemical misery forever in repayment for hurting you." he admitted. "Guess that means I really am crazy about you, hrm?" he said with a more normal smile.
"Mad as a box of badgers," she agreed, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "An' if things _ever_ get that bad again, promise me you'll talk t' me first? Even if I'm off me bloody head, I wouldn't let you do somethin' like that. I ain't worth it, an' yer worth more 'n that. You an' the power."
Manuel shifted, and kissed Amanda as opposed to settling for a kiss on the cheek. "I will try. That's about the best I can promise you. And you are too worth it. I said so." he said with a gentle grin.
"You keep sayin' it like that an' I might believe you," she replied with an answering smile and another, longer kiss. She really did miss the tongue stud - something that would have to be fixed, and soon. "An' like Moira keeps tellin' me, tryin's important. Means we're still fightin'." Her stomach growled abruptly, and she snickered. "Hey, I think I'm actually hungry for the first time today. Go me."
He missed it terribly as well, but he made as good an arrangement of things as he possibly could. "Food would be nice." he said, reaching across Amanda to retrieve the soup and sandwich. "Sit up." he told her as he rummaged around in the bag.
"Yer not gunna feed me again, are you?" she asked, smiling at the protective tone and she untangled herself from the blanket enough to prop herself up. "'Cause that was cute, an' very, very messy. Took ages t' get the stains out off."
"I was considering it." he admitted. "Besides, you liked my method of removing food stairs from your skin. Fancy how it spilled all over the most interesting bits. Anyway, here you go." he said, unwrapping and holding out the sandwich to her. "I got you tuna, although I've got half a turkey sandwich in here if you'd rather have that. I sat in the deli and cursed myself - I couldn't remember which one you preferred more. And I was in a hurry."
"Bottomless Pit, remember? There ain't much I don't like, 'cept the sweet stuff." Amanda took the sandwich and hazarded a small bite - the withdrawals had played havoc with her appetite, and she had a tendency to throw up if she ate too fast. This time things seemed to be improving. "'S good," she said indistinctly through the mouthful, before chewing and swallowing. "Somehow tuna sandwiches as sex toys don't really grab me. Too fishy. The cream cheese was fun, tho'." She sent distinctly naughty feelings down the link to remind him of how _much_ fun the cream cheese had been. "An' how much longer do I get the spoilin'? 'Cause I'm likin' it way too much."
Manuel's eyes crossed ever so faintly as he let his mind revel in _exactly_ how much fun cream cheese had been. Who knew? "Well, considering that you like it, and I like doing it, I can see this sort of thing carrying on for, oh, as long as you'd like?" he grinned. "Besides, you're long-overdue for a little spoiling. I didn't think you liked the girly stuff. If I'd have known..."
She wriggled a little, blushing slightly. "In small doses, it ain't that bad..." she began, almost gruffly, but Manuel gave her a look. "All right, I do. Just ain't used to it, is all, so I didn't know how t' handle it. An' I doubt I'll ever be in for the whole hearts an' flowers routine, not 'less it's somethin' I can use in the magic..." To cover her embarrassment, she took another bite of sandwich, larger this time. It really was very good.
Manuel hrmmed at that. "Which reminds me - I really have no idea of the sorts of things you can do with your magic. I know now's a really, really bad time to get into it, but when you kick this - and you will - do you think you could show me? You know far more about my power than I do yours."
Amanda raised her eyebrows at that - Manuel had never really expressed an interest in her magic before, other than to call it the 'eye of newt stuff'. "You mean that?" she asked, then corrected herself. "No, of course you meant it, just came as a surprise. Yeah, I could, if you wanted." A pleased smile crossed her face. "I'd like to."
Manuel smiled with embarrassment. "I should have asked a long time ago." he admitted. "I have some new tricks, but none of them are safe to demonstrate. Except for one, and since we're linked you're immune to it anyway. I was saving that one for the next HeliX meeting."
"What is it?" she asked, curious as always about his powers. She finished off the sandwich and pulled his arm around her again, leaning against him with a contented noise. "Tell me 'bout it, since you can't demonstrate?"
Manuel grinned. "Loki taught me how to become invisible." he said, waiting for her reaction.
"What, really? How? You ain't got any magic talent, an' that spell's bloody complicated..." Amanda half-twisted so she could look at his face. "Yer pullin' me leg."
"Nope. Not _physically_ invisible, silly! Better way of putting it would be not-noticed. Using my power to basically twist desire of perception. You are immune because we're linked - you can always know where I am, just by looking down the link. But to most everyone else, they won't even notice me consciously." he said with a grin. "I'm very proud of it. I was going to use it to see what these HeliX meetings are like, since Jamie won't let me attend."
"Jamie's bein' a pillock 'bout that," said Amanda decisively. "But it sounds like a good trick, not bein' noticed. An' easier than my way." She grinned as a thought struck her. "You could meet Beth, if you come t' one of the meetin's."
Manuel shook his head. "No, I couldn't. That's your time with her. But if you wanted to invite her here to the school, I could meet her then..." he offered reasonably. "I don't know a thing about her - and don't start telling me! I want to form my own opinions. I'll even promise to keep my big ol' mutated brain to myself."
"I get time with Beth outside the meetin's, an' I think yer'd get somethin' out of it," Amanda pointed out. "But I will invite her 'round t' meet you sometime. Owe the poor girl an explanation for all this shite." She waved her hand vaguely to encompass herself, and the bed. "She... don't know 'bout the addiction. I meant t' tell her, only it was never the right time." She sighed. "She helps keep me sane, she really does. An' 'm just one hassle after another, for both of you."
Manuel mock-growled at Amanda. "None of that." he warned her. "I know being my bondmate and my girlfriend is no picnic for you. Devastating good looks aside." he said with a self-mocking grin. "Look at the positives, not just the negatives. I want you to get better, to beat this thing and to get the control you need."
"Yes sir," came the mock-meek reply, followed by Amanda twisting all the way around to wrap her arms around his neck. "There are positives, lots of 'em. Tuna sandwiches, for one." She leaned in to kiss him. "An' I love you still, even when there are negatives."
"You kept the negatives?" he said in very mock-surprise. "How very naughty of you. And I like the meek thing. It's nice." he grinned. He returned the hug with interest. "Tuna sandwiches are the very least of my talents. Alas, all of my really, really good talents require you to be healthy and whole, so as soon as you beat withdrawl I'd be _delighted_ to demonstrate. At length. Any way you'd like."
