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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"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!"

"Okay," X says, a little uncertainly.

And then--

"Thank you."

It is easier when her friends do not pick fights with each other.

Logan and Stitch and Duo and 494 are bad enough.

Fortunately, Jamie's much more the '~~scream and~~ run away' type.

"Hey - anything for the birthday girl."

X just looks awkward again.

A little.

"I am glad you are here."

"I'm glad I am too."

Jamie's smiling, and light, as usual, but he means it.

"I did miss you - though I reckon this is the first chance you've had to miss me longer. For once it only seemed we were gone a week."

"Oh."

Now X does look startled.

"That is--good?"

She is not sure.

"Well, it's better than a decade."

No risk of forgetting people's names!

"Yes," X says.

She doesn't sound doubtful.

And then--

"You are still trying to destroy Them?"

Has he gotten closer?

"Hah," says Jamie, though it's not quite a laugh.

"Are we ever! We've got the Great Ten-Foot Konstam Khan on our side now, if you'd believe it, spearheading the attack on Their headquarters."

"Oh."

X absorbs that, frowning slightly.

"When?"

"Soon as we get all the demon-hunting weapons the Great Ten-Foot Konstam Khan thinks we need. Gold wire for catching demons, jerkins with Shen painted on, all that. Joris reckons we can get some of it from the bar, which should simplify things."

"That is useful," X agrees.

And then she frowns.

"He is not ten feet tall. Konstam."

Is he?

- and Jamie promptly cracks up. He can't help it; it's still funny!

Through muffled snorts: "Looms over all he surveys, our Konstam does. A giant among men!"

X just looks at Jamie.

Blankly.

"I do not understand."

Beat.

"It is a joke?"

All his best material is wasted on X.

"Konstam," Jamie explains, still snickering, "is about - oh, so high," and he raises a hand to about three inches below the top of his own head.

(This is a foul lie. Konstam is at least an inch or two taller than Jamie! On the other hand, Jamie is a smallish prepubescent boy, so . . .)

"Oh."

X does not look any more enlightened.

"Logan is short, too."

Beat.

"But he is good at killing people."

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