Hank, Maddie, Carlie, Friday night

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Maddie introduces Carlie to Hank, who flirts shamelessly with both of them. Carlie flirts back, and Maddie tries not to giggle noticeably, or thump anyone. Backdated to Friday



"Hank? Sorry to bug you again, I've got someone here who wants to meet you." Madelyn gave Hank her best 'I'm cute and harmless!' look, which was surprisingly effective given her reputation with the tranq gun. They'd already consulted on moving Jubilee up to Madelyn's spare room the next day, but Carlie had insisted that she wanted to meet everybody, so... She hoped he was up for it - he'd been on the scarce side since the Kyle prank.

Hank looked up and smiled. "But of course," he said cheerfully. He trusted Madelyn's judgement - except when it came to her own limitations - and besides, he suspected he was about to meet the near-legendary Carlie, who was apparently a combination of Jubilee on sugar, Clarice on glitter, and one of those pink Energizer rabbit toys that kept going and going and going. "I am entirely at your disposal."

"Ooh, remind me to take advantage of that more often," she teased him, and then came in, followed by a girl who appeared to be a younger, bouncier version of herself. Carlie was an inch shorter, and her hair tended more to the blonde side of red-blonde, and she had more freckles since she obviously spent more time out in the sun than her sister, but the smile and the baby blue eyes were the same. "Carlie, this is Hank McCoy. Hank, this is my litt..." And elbow from Carlie made Madelyn correct that to: "Younger sister, Carlie."

Carlie's eyes went round as she saw Hank in all his blue, befurred glory. "Oh, wow," she whispered, before a returning poke from Madelyn reminded her of her manners. "Um, pleased to meet you. Really pleased to meet you. Mads has told us all about you and Doc MacTaggart. Is it true you can type with your toes?" The words came out in a rush.

Hank beamed. "Indeed I can... and walk on my knuckles, too," he added, demonstrating by walking out from behind his desk and over to them without letting his feet touch the floor. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said sincerely, holding out a hand for her to shake. "Madelyn has spoken of you many times... and I see you share the family propensity for beauty," he added, giving Madelyn a teasing grin. "With both of you about, there won't be a male heart safe in the mansion."

Carlie snickered, and rolled her eyes just a little. "Don't believe a thing she says," she told him. "She sometimes seems to think I'm still ten yearsold and I'm going to embarrass her or something." She took the offerred hand, not even flinching as it was swallowed up by Hank's massive one. "Oh, you're so soft! Like a big cat!" she exclaimed, reaching out and stroking the back of Hank's forearm with her other hand. Behind her, Madelyn was contemplating thunking her head on the wall, or siblingcide. Possibly both.

"Carlie..." she began, but Carlie seemed to realise how forward she was being, and blushed rosy-red. Another familiar resemblance.

"Oh God, I'm being horribly rude. I'm so sorry, I didn't think, and well, you are nice and soft, and I love soft things and I'm just going to shut up now, shall I?"

Hank laughed. "It's quite all right, my dear... I'm used to the reaction. It happens a lot." He grinned at her. "And frankly, given all the effort I put into keeping my fur soft and shiny, it's nice to have it appreciated. This doesn't happen by itself, you know... I have more hair-care products than the average salon. And a hairdryer almost as big as my desk."

"You ever thought of going into advertising? Screw the Pantene chicks, imagine what an impact you could have!" Carlie suggested, ignoring Madelyn's face at the language. "And Mad tells me you're a supergenius, right? I mean, I've got some friends at college doing pre-med, and they worship you. Think you're totally amazing. Not that I don't, only Mad got all the scary science brain, and Joe got all the music, so that leaves me to become the Pulitzer-winning journalist, right? Or maybe the President. I haven't decided yet."

"Carlie, take a breath before you explode," Madelyn chided affectionately, but pleased at her sister's enthusiasm. Hank needed this - an adoring fangirl. And she still hadn't let go of his hand, which was sort of cute...

Hank chuckled. She was just as adorable as her older sister... but definitely bouncier. "You could do both," he suggested seriously. "Journalism is probably a good background for politics." He grinned at Maddie. "And she does not have a scary science brain," he added firmly. "She has a very attractive, interesting science brain. I took her to the Thomas Edison Memorial Dinner, recently, and she positively enthralled whole platoons of local scientific giants."

"I am doing both - PoliSci and Journalism. And some other stuff, until I make up my mind what I want to do," Carlie explained. "I might save the running for office thing until after I'm too old to cover world hotspots. Maybe when I'm forty." Carlie spoke with the careless confidence of the young and enthusastic. She glanced at Madelyn, who was blushing at the enthralling thing, and gave her a suspicious look. "As in, a date? You two are dating? Mad, you sneaky thing, why didn't you say?"

"Because we're not dating," Madelyn told her firmly. "Hank is my friend and co-worker, and I'll thank you kindly to keep your match-making brain to yourself, brat. It is possible for men and women to be friends without dating, you know."

"Sadly, this is quite true. She agreed to go with me only as a friend... somehow, she continues to resist my furry charm and winsome ways." Hank sighed mournfully, and then grinned. "Oh, well. I shall have to soldier on somehow... my plan is to do so by dancing with every female in sight, at the party. I shall rely on both of you to keep me from getting lonely at least once."

"Oh, you are a great big flirt, aren't you?" Carlie exclaimed, sounding pleased. "I don't dance as well as Mad does, but I promise to give you more than one turn."

Hank laughed. "I am indeed a great big flirt," he admitted solemnly. "I'm shameless. Madelyn really should have warned you." He grinned impishly at Madelyn. "Of course, she resists my charms so well, perhaps she counts them as nothing, and easily avoided." He sighed deeply, giving Carlie his best sad-puppy-Hank face. "It's not easy being blue."

"Oh phbbt to that," said Carlie, going so far as the actually poke Hank in the ribs. "I think you're amazing. And I love how you look - it's really awesome. All blue and furry and big, just like Sully in 'Monsters Inc.'! And you're as nice as Sully is too, I bet." Glancing at Madelyn, she leaned and whispered to him. "And I'd flirt back, only Mad would have a heart attack and get Dad to lock me in a convent - that thinking I'm ten thing, remember?"

"Okay, I think we've distracted Hank from work long enough..." Madelyn said somewhat helplessly, torn between shaking her sister within an inch of her life, or collapsing into howls of laughter. She really was a brat. "And there's some other people who want to meet you - Clarice will do horrible things to me if I don't introduce you soon."

"You know you're always welcome to distract me, my dear," Hank said cheerfully. "Do enjoy your stay with us, Carlie... And I'm glad you think I resemble Sully. He's a great favourite of mine." He smiled at Maddie. "And if you need anything lifted, moved, or rearranged for the party, do let me know... I'm terribly good at that sort of thing. The big arms, you know."

"I will. But no catering! I don't trust you to not spike things with scary amounts of sugar," Madelyn warned, grinning. "Not that sugar is a bad thing, mind, but we're going to be in an enclosed space with the kids, remember?"

Hank laughed. "Yes, I suppose so... although I still think we should try that experiment I suggested of filling Jubilee with sugar and seeing if it affects her powers," he said, grinning impishly. "What do you think, Carlie? You know our Jubilation... what do you think would happen if we filled her with as much sugar as she can hold and then let her loose?"

Carlie looked thoughtful. "Hey, that'd be sort of interesting..." she began, before Madelyn took her by the arm, giving Hank a Look.

"No experiments until you're not sleeping in my suite, hmm?" she said, only half-joking. "And no giving them ideas, Hank. You've seen me in the mornings after not enough sleep - do you really want to risk that? C'mon, kiddo, I'll show you where the kitchen is so you can feed yourself while I'm teaching, and then I'd better introduce you to Clarice before she thinks she's been snubbed."

"You are soooo boring," Carlie complained, rolling her eyes. "Whatever happened to your spirit of scientific discovery?"

"Lost it down the couch with my sanity," Madelyn replied dryly. "Bye, Hank, I'll see you later."

"Bye," Carlie echoed, giving Hank a brilliant smile and stroking his arm again briefly. "It was very nice to meet you. Maybe I can come visit you while Mad is teaching?"

"Farewell, ladies," Hank said, more than a little amused at Carlie's obvious admiration... and appreciative, too. It was nice to have someone think you were cute, even if she was a kid and Maddie's sister besides. "My door is always open, and sometimes I'm even inside. If I'm not here, your sister has probably thrown me into another snowbank. She's fierce," he added teasingly. "But then, you probably know that."