noteful | Birthday Party for Laura/X-23

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Birthday Party for Laura/X-23

It's a pretty low-key party, all things considered, and not significantly different than the one Parker or Meg would have thrown in a dorm room for a friend at home, not-exactly-traditional menu not withstanding.

There's music, low enough to talk over (and maybe with a little more folk in the mix than one expects to find a party). Balloons and streamers in purple and blue and red. A place to leave presents. People to meet or catch up with.

And, most importantly, a chance to wish X-23 (or Laura) a very happy birthday.

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"I'm better at dodging than some people are at aiming," grouses Jamie.

"Or at listening. What about 'no, stop it, you can't use that knife on the schoolboy' is hard to understand?"

To be fair, all Jamie actually said was 'no, stop it, you can't,' but he feels his meaning was still clear!

"Oh."

X considers this.

"It is better to yell something short."

She pauses.

"Or to hit them. From behind."

"'No, stop it' is short," Jamie points out.

"I wish I had been behind him, or I would have! I think he'd have preferred it really. You ought to have seen the way he carried on after he got me. I think he was more upset than I am, I really do."

"Oh."

Beat.

"That is relevant?"

"Not really."

It doesn't matter how sorry Joris was, Jamie is still kind of pissed off about being stabbed!

"Anyways, why are we going on about this at your party? We should be talking about pleasant things - tell me something good that's happened to you while we were gone."

"I arrested an angel," X says.

"And Rahne woke up."

Beat.

"And Bar gave me cat ears. And a tail."

One of these . . . .

"And the alien invasion is over. At home."

All of these things are not like the others.

Edited 2009-03-01 06:23 (UTC)

"Now that's a brilliant list of birthday presents," Jamie says approvingly.

"It's sort of not fair of the universe, actually. I don't know what anyone can get you that will match up to cat ears. Or the end of an alien invasion."

"I gave the ears to 494," X says.

She missed the joke.

Or did she?

"It is okay."

"494?"

Jamie scratches his head. The number combination sounds vaguely familiar, but it's been a while since he heard about X's kidnapping and to be honest he can't quite place it.

"Don't think I know the fellow. Do the ears suit him?"

X shrugs.

"There is cat. In his DNA."

Beat.

"He is like me."

Jamie blinks, and lifts a hand (the left one) to mime a snikt.

Like that, like Laura?

"He is not a mutant."

She seems a little--awkward.

Beat.

"He is an experiment. And a weapon. Like me."

"Huh."

Well, it's nice that Laura has friends that understand the sort of thing she's been through, Jamie supposes.

Sounds the sort of person that could use a healthy dose of silly cat ears too, at any rate.

"He from your world?"

"No."

Her response is prompt.

"I have been there."

Beat.

"It is not the same. But it is Earth."

. . . two and two start cranking together.

"- wait a moment," Jamie says, brow furrowing. "This isn't the one who knocked you out that time and kidnapped you, right? Just another fellow with a similar set of numbers?"

"No," X says.

"That is 494."

Beat.

"I told you. He is like me."

This pause is longer.

"It was a mission. Then."

Jamie resists the urge to facepalm.

He supposes he's still traveling with Joris after he stabbed him, but . . . it's not quite the same thing!

"Far be it from me to judge! I'm sure he's a wonderful person once you get past the kidnapping and the drugging."

X shrugs.

"It is hard. To be a person."

Beat.

"He is better than me. At talking."

"Don't knock yourself, you're getting better," Jamie says, encouragingly.

"And I'm sure you're a grand influence on him. I've never seen you knock out and kidnap a Milliways patron once."

He's mostly joking; he means it, about the not judging. That's a habit you get into after ten or eleven worlds.

"No. I do not do that."

She'd have to arrest herself, for one.

"He does not, either. Anymore."

Jamie grins. "Well, like I said, then. Good influence."

X shrugs, one-shouldered and quick.

"He is my friend."

Jamie glances around.

"Is he at the party?"

Jamie hopes he's wearing the cat ears.

X does not need to look around.

"He is not here a lot."

Which is to say she does not know if he will come.

But--

Well.

X is good at hoping. Kind of. A little. Maybe.

"I'll keep an eye out," Jamie says, tossing off a quick salute.

"And don't worry - I'll be polite, if I do see him. And won't mention a thing about kidnapping or drugging. Bygones!"

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