Birthday Party for Laura/X-23

[noteful]

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.

Comments

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"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.

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

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

"Hey - anything for the birthday girl."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

X just looks awkward again.

A little.

"I am glad you are here."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"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."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

Now X does look startled.

"That is--good?"

She is not sure.

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

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

No risk of forgetting people's names!

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"Yes," X says.

She doesn't sound doubtful.

And then--

"You are still trying to destroy Them?"

Has he gotten closer?

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"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."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X absorbs that, frowning slightly.

"When?"

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"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."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"That is useful," X agrees.

And then she frowns.

"He is not ten feet tall. Konstam."

Is he?

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

- 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!"

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

X just looks at Jamie.

Blankly.

"I do not understand."

Beat.

"It is a joke?"

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

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 . . .)

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X does not look any more enlightened.

"Logan is short, too."

Beat.

"But he is good at killing people."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"And I'm sure Konstam's just grand at that too," Jamie agrees. "I'm not laughing at Konstam, really. It's just funny because Joris is always going on and on about him and his ten-foot-tall-wonderousness - well, you must have heard him."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X considers this.

"Joris likes Konstam."

Beat.

"That is not okay?"

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"Of course it's all right. But you can like someone without thinking they're a golden god."

Jamie doesn't even think the golden gods he's met are golden gods.

(Well, except maybe him on his rock.)

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

X nods, just a little.

"Yes."

Beat.

"That makes sense."

It really does.

"You do not like gods?"

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"I haven't got anything against gods as such," Jamie says, rather cautiously.

You never know when one might be listening and decide to take offense.

"If they leave me alone I'll return the favor. I'm not too keen on anyone who plays around with people's lives for fun, I suppose."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers this.

"I do not know if they all do that. Play."

Beat.

"Belar is in charge of Security. He is a god."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"I'm sure I've met some decent ones too, here. And I've come across a few religions on some worlds that I'm really fond of."

Delik, God of Cakes, for example!

"So far be it from me to generalize," he says, with a half-smile. "But some of them seem to be in it mostly to make their worshippers' lives misery. I've never seen the point of that."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

"Some people like it when others are hurt."

X says this matter-of-factly.

"I do not know why."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[walksthebounds]

"I know."

Jamie shrugs, tired; it's one of the times when he almost sounds his hundred-and-thirteen years.

"I've never understood it either."

Re: Hang out with X-23

[cutting_edgex23]

X is quiet, watching him carefully.

And then--

"Maybe you will stop meeting people. Like that."