xp_logs | Doug and Angie

Backdated to Tuesday. Doug brings Angie pancakes after her long day helping out with the events of Lost and Found. In the process of conversation, he also begins to realize he was kind of an ass to Scott. There is also discussion of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Luckily, the door to the common room of Marie-Ange's suite was slightly ajar, so Doug didn't have to figure out how to free up one hand to knock. Also, if Angie was sleeping, he didn't really want to disturb her all that much. Shouldering the door open, he smiled at the sight of his girlfriend sprawled out on her couch, a washcloth over her face. Setting a large plate of pancakes and a glass of milk on a table, he sat down on the edge of the couch next to her. "Angie?" he asked quietly.

Marie-Ange pushed the washcloth up on her forehead and opened her eyes tiredly. "Running errands? Should not be so tiring." Between helping collect uniforms and various pieces of equiptment (and learning that at least one of the X-men, probably Mr. al-Rashid had a serious love of knives.) and being general errand girl for most of the evening, she'd definitly gotten her excercise in. It wasn't the physical labor, so much as knowing how many were injured, and seeing all those children. Emotionally, it was a bit exhausting.

Smiling down at her, Doug placed his hands at Angie's temples and massaged gently. "I suspect it's not just the physical part that has you tired, love," he replied. "I brought pancakes for you," he continued. "Figured you could use the comfort food. Plus, it's Shrove Tuesday."

"You saved some?" It wasn't surprising, just a little unexpected that he'd managed to protect pancakes from the ravenous hordes. "There were children, younger than us, Artie's age, maybe a bit older." Marie-Ange shook her head, still in disbelief. "It is one thing to know our teachers go out and risk their lives. It is another to see how much work on the side that they do so they -can-, and still teach us, and ... " she trailed off, words escaping her.

"It's humbling, I know," Doug said softly. "I...feel really bad about the way I snarked at Mr. Summers. Seeing those kids, and knowing what they were rescued from...well, I still don't think I'd be a good fit for the X-Men, but I definitely see why they exist. And I really was an ass to Mr. Summers about it."

"Did you talk to him about that?" Marie-Ange certainly hoped so, because she was far too tired to scold Doug overmuch. "Or are you going to, at the very least?"

"Going to," Doug responded with a sigh. "I think I figured out part of the problem, though. I've gotten so used to relying on body language, even subconsciously. And when I'm using the computer, whether it's email or the journal, I don't have that. Plus, I guess sometimes I kinda hide behind the computer," he said with a shrug. "It's easier than actually dealing with people sometimes."

Marie-Ange sighed quietly. "You cannot hide from -everyone-. Even if you think they might be mad at you for some reason." All the work Doug had done on self-confidence gone in one stupid afternoon. "I do not need to get up and throw socks at you to make you talk to Doctor Samson again, do I?"

"Sorry, I..." he trailed off and sighed. Even with all the things that he had going for him, and how good his life was, sometimes he still fell back into old habits. Hiding behind the computer, apologizing for every little last thing... "You won't have to throw socks at me. I'll go talk to him again," Doug replied.

"Good." Marie-Ange answered firmly. "And I would scold you more but I am -tired- and you have pancakes." She sat up, leaning against the arm of the sofa and took the plate from Doug. He was still making that distressed "I am an awful terrible boyfriend who needs to be yelled at" face, and really, it was just too late and she was too tired to try to push Doug's ego back to normal. "Remy tried to make me eat alligator in New Orleans.." She offered, by way of total conversation change.

Doug was grateful for the change in subject, rather than a lecture. He knew he was making the face that Angie usually yelled at him for. "How was it?" he asked. "How was all the food?"

"Strange." Which said a lot coming from someone who had grown up familiar with the stranger parts of French cuisine. "Altogether too spicy, and I could not figure out what some of it was. Not all of it was -bad-, but it was definitly strange." Marie-Ange made a face.. "And they eat very very small lobsters called crawfish and Remy was making jokes about sucking the heads. "

"Mmm. Spicy." Doug pouted a bit at having missed out on the fun and interesting spicy foods, but only a bit. It wasn't like he couldn't cook himself something or drag Angie out to their hole-in-the-wall Mexican place if he wanted spicy.

"We could probably go next year, if you wanted. Though..." Marie-Ange trailed off. Mardi Gras -intimidated her. Too many people, and so many of them very drunk in the middle of the day, doing things she'd barely consider in the privacy of her room. "I do not understand the obsession with plastic beads, nor do I want any."

Doug wrinkled his nose at the thought of the crowds Mardi Gras entailed. "I think, considering the crowds, it'd be a bad idea. I meant more just the food than anything else. And I don't get the obsession with beads, either."

"Not that I would object to you undressing for me, but ... not in public in the middle of a big city.." Marie-Ange said, smiling impishly.

"Exactly. So not an exhibitionist," Doug replied with a slight blush. "I like my sex life to be private, thanks..." He chuckled.