2013.03.25 - Really Okay

Four days can seem like an eternity around this hole of a country. In that length of time Domino's managed to get a significant amount of work done, though things are quickly getting out of hand. This makes it the perfect time to phone 'home' and try to reach a certain someone that probably hasn't slept much since she left, the crazy elf that he is.
Sitting upon a ragged looking table is a stupidly large anti-materiel rifle resting on its bipod, which also serves double duty as a surface which she can rest her StarkPad. Pistols are laid out off to the side, organized and away from the camera's lens. The drink she doesn't bother to conceal, topping it off before she hooks a wireless headset into place and makes the call.
If Kurt catches the video call he's going to see the usual tired looking albino sitting in a dingy room with peeling sky blue paint and cracks visible within the walls. It's obviously not the nicest of places she could be staying at.
Kurt is hanging out.. literally. He's got a trapeze in his personal quarters, as well as all his other effects scattered around the room. While there isn't much that is his, what he does have certainly marks the chamber as one Kurt Wagner's. Posters and such.. little knick-nacks..
The sound of the video call overrides the sounds of the computer game he is currently playing, and with widening yellow eyes as he catches the ID on the screen. He lets the little plate-armoured pixellated guy on the screen die by falling off a rather scenic looking cliff in order to give the caller his total and absolute attention. The screen, then, shows an upside down Kurt, headset on, shirt off (after all, he doesn't need it in his face!) and he's dropping his controller onto the floor, just off camera. Bue, fuzzy and if there was any question, there's very little fat on the elf. Just fur.
"Leibling!" comes the greeting before he pauses, then, "I am worried und mad at you. But now, more worried than mad, though it might be running neck und neck. Wie geht es dir?" //How are you?// "Ich will die Wahrheit." //I want the truth.//
Well, that didn't take long. Dom must have picked the right moment to place the call. "Hey Blue. Hang on a sec, gotta adjust the picture."
She reaches toward the Pad and turns it around a hundred and eighty degrees, changing the angle that the camera catches her face but eliminating that whole speaking to an inverted head issue.
"There," she says before claiming a deep sigh. Yeah, there's a reason why she's got tequila in her glass. How the Hell is she going to explain this to you, let alone keep it truthful? Short answer: She isn't. The truth shouldn't be too difficult, she simply needs to only say 'enough.' Too many details slip and this whole ordeal's gonna go down fast.
"The usual," she finally replies. "Long days, late nights, cheap drinks." Getting grazed by automatic fire, which she's made a point of keeping covered up before placing this call. Painkillers keep her from moving too stiffly or wincing along the way. "I knew things were gonna be bad out this way, barely scratched the surface and it's running deep. I may be out here a while, but I --" Knew you'd never forgive her if she didn't contact you. "--Thought I would check in so you could stop worrying for five minutes."
Deep sighs, microphones pick up, and Kurt reaches out for the screen with a three-fingered hand. "You never let those other injuries heal, leibling," he begins again. "Und I know that luck is what keeps you from getting killed, not necessarily from being injured." Still..
"What called you out? I didn't see anything on the news," read: The Xers short sheet of 'Oh shit, this has to be taken care of right now!'. Kurt pulls his hand away, his head tilting slightly before a slight scowl begins to crease his face. "It is outside that, ja?" He already knows the answer there. "Do you want my help? I can leave.. It is spring break for the students, und I have a free week." Though, he knows in his heart that she'll turn him down- and he has an even deeper knowledge of -why-. But, it never hurts to offer, and she knows he'll drop everything to come to her side.
Who said the elf didn't know the albino?
"I do worry about you, leibling." Kurt offers a smile, something that shows just a hint of those pointed canines. "It is written in the contract. You do things that cause damage und I worry about you."
"I didn't have that kind of time," Domino quickly replies regarding her still healing injuries. Her -other- ones. It's really difficult trying to keep track of them all!
"It's..like this," she slowly, hesitantly continues while reaching for her glass. "I've got a buddy out here. A genuine good guy. He got called in by higher-ups to run an operation or three. Thing is, he's not..the most cut-out for this kind of place. I'm here voluntarily, helping look out for him." And that's the honest truth.
Of course, that's only a third of the overall story. She's made it her business in several different ways, already. Still, the initial reason why she came out here is still accurate and true.
As for the offer, there's probably only one thing she can say which would both fulfill the necessary requirements and put the matter to rest. "If I need help pulling out of the area, I'll let you know."
By then things are likely to be so horrifically bad that a teleporter and SR-71 escort is probably the only way she'll be able to leave this country alive.
With the next bit she grins into the camera, "I don't remember seeing that contract. I'm pretty good at reading them over before signing the dotted line, too. Try not to worry too much, Blue. This is what I do. Think of it as you being in charge of a sailboat. That's your element. This one's mine."
What a depressing life she must have outside of the Institute. At least the booze isn't half bad.
Kurt watches, and as she begins to lay it out, he finds himself nodding slowly before he runs a hand through his hair, shifting his headset as he does. "If you need help out of the area, leibling, I will allow you to advise me as to how you wish it done." In a blaze of glory, or instead.. in the dark of night, invisible to eyes and ears. "I expect to be called the moment you reach landfall here, however." Negotiations!
There.. there is a smile, and it warms the blue fuzzy elf's heart. His smile rises in echo, and his tones lighten, teasing. "Ja.. it is there. You just didn't see it because of the armament listings of what is available to you." Dangle those guns! "Ja.." and here, he lets out a theatric sigh. "Ja, I know.. but I am glad that you allow that I do get concerned, und you must admit there is more often a reason." His expression underscores the words, his brows rising, though he hasn't lost that quiet good humour. "I do wish that it was a different life you've chosen for yourself, leibling.. I do. But it is not my place to judge. It never was, und never will be."
Dom mimicks gabbing at the screen with one hand while she takes another drink from her glass, quickly setting it off to the side. "Yeah yeah, I'll call you soon as I get home, mom," she promises with an amused look. "One of these days you're gonna have to realize that I'm a big girl, though."
"Alright, there is that," she admits regarding the weaponry. Depending on how nosy you've been in her room you might have found her favored hardware had been left behind, but that would require breaching a locked vault to discover. "I'm not sure how I'd be able to import half of this stuff back to the States, it's a good thing you'll be around for the flight arrangements." Tease back.
It's here that her expression fades slightly. Her one hand idly swirls the liquid around within its glass. "There wasn't a whole lot of choice involved, Fuzzy. I'm running through the parameters that life gave me to work with. If you need something to hold to, remember that I haven't lost my sense of morality."
She's only bent it just shy of the breaking point.
Not hard to breach any locked vault. Not for a teleporter, anyway. Most of the time, it's personal honour that he doesn't invade privacy, but to his friends?
Privacy? What's that?
Still, the same notably goes for his friends. 'Friends' that truly know the elf; the whys and hows that drive him that only a few can claim.
Kurt barks a laugh and points at the camera, making his trapeze swing slightly as he moves, his tail swishing in the background. "You see? I am good for something." Give him something to do, and he's a happy elf. To feel needed. Wanted. Important. "I will not have you promise you'll call me for extraction, but there is no one better." If he says so himself!
Again, however, Kurt reaches out for the screen to touch it, to feel that he's got some contact, even if you're miles and miles.. and oceans away. "Ich verstehe, leibling. Ich verstehe." I understand.
A chuckle escapes him as Kurt finds his humour that occasionally gets a little buried. "When you get home, I will give you a present that I was given. Holy water blessed by the Holy Father. Who knows? It might help one day?" Beat. "You are always in my thoughts und prayers, leibling. You are, when all is said und done, a good person."
This time, Domino reaches out to place fingertips upon the screen as well. It's a screen, she can make the effort and still have her comfort zone remain intact. Hardly a breach of perimeter defense. "You sure that's a good idea? I mean, I might melt if any of it got on me," she jokes in a completely level tone and expression.
When you call her a good person her automatic reaction is to glance off to the side, release another audible sigh, then dip her head forward for a moment. "You give me too much credit sometimes." And not enough at other times. "Tell you what. When I get back there we should have nicer weather. We can go sailing and call it even. The only demons I have aren't going to go away with a little water. You're still here, for one." The smirk has returned. "It's not past its expiration date, is it?"
"You are not a vampyre, leibling, nor are you a wicked witch. Those two are the only times when you could melt." Kurt laughs, his heart lightened a little more with that virtual 'contact'. "You don't see any bald spots in my fur, do you?" And if it doesn't affect a part-demon mutant? You should be in the clear!
"Nein.. I do not. I know you care for your friends, or you would not be where you are right now." Kurt's face truly lights, however, at the promise to go sailing. "I would like that.. und ja. The offer is still open, und I fully expect you to take me up on it. Und, when you get home, I will take you for a cruise on a old whaler.. just think.. two days out on a tall ship.. three masts.." And the games he'll play!
"But, you have to come home." Kurt knows she has things to come home to.. so it's a matter of her not getting herself killed.
"Not last I checked, anyway," Domino agrees. "I only look like one. Serious, have you seen 'Underworld?' She's totally stealing my look. I might have to take her guns to even things out." Yeah, that'll show 'er.
There's no avoiding the matter of her caring for friends, though she won't try to hide from that truth. It's dangerous and stupid, but she just can't live the kind of life that balances around 'contacts' with no real allies. "Even if you have to drag my hung over rear out of bed and string me up to the mast. I know--you worry, I -know.- I survived more than one encounter to Latveria, I can handle whatever these little street punks can throw my way. I'm not dying out here, Kurt. It can try all it wants to," and by gods it has been, "but it isn't going to win. As a vacation spot this country really blows so I'm not about to take root here any sooner."
Right, what this conversation needs is a change of direction. "How are things out in sleepy old Westchester? I'm gonna be real upset if there aren't pictures of you in the green."
"I'll be sure to put it on Netflix for next month." Which means popcorn and movie night! Kurt swings a little on his trapeze, his tail now swinging a little more before wrapping itself around one of the supports.
A wide grin comes now, showing the proper points to those pointed fangs of his. "You will hear 'Drunken sailor' so many times you will wish to throw me off the ship without the courtesy of yelling 'Elf overboard' for at least an hour."
Kurt honestly sounds mollified, if not quite convinced. He's got faith in you, which shows in little ways here and there. "Good.. no putting down roots.. because then I would have to bring a potted plant as a housewarming present. I'd get tied up in customs, because of the regulations of foreign flora.." Uh huh. Not that kind of place, he knows quite well.
He swings on his trapeze a little more, and takes on a dramatically.. put-upon expression. "Someone didn't tell me there was a town in Connecticut that had tall sailing ships. When I discovered, I insisted Bobby und Kitty accompany me.. which is how I found out about cruises." Here, he offers a meaningful look. "I have been in this country for 4 years, off und on.. perhaps 5.. und no one saw fit to tell me about it?" He sighs theatrically. "I do see how it is."
As for action? He shakes his head and shrugs. "Jocelyn is back now.. und supposedly for good. I am getting out to the city more often. More church work for Father Mike than anything else at the moment, though Warren und I are visiting Fern; going out for ice cream or staying in for Thai. As for 'quiet', that can change at any time."
"I probably -will- throw you overboard, for what good it'll do," Domino half jokes. It's something she could keep doing, too! Teleporters do have their uses.
"Yeah, let's just assume that I'm coming back at some point. Besides, all of my best stuff is back in New York. Wait until you see my new car."
And not the Charger. The -other- other new car.
"Blue, I would not -dream- of making you try to bring a plant through customs. That would just be mean."
Someone didn't tell you about the ships? "Well that's even -more- mean, who would have done such a thing?" she rhetorically asks around a broad grin. "It's almost like they were all deliberately withholding relevant information from you for some nefarious reason. Want me to interrogate the team when I return?"
Oh good, Jocelyn's back. "Glad she finally made up her mind, and good that you're getting out and being social and all." Huh, even Fern's doing alright after their Bangkok excursion. Hearing all of this just helps to remind the woman of what a more 'normal' life is like. And how she has trouble surviving in such a life.
She's still not sure if the life at Xavier's is the right one for her. Well, no, it isn't the -right- one for her, but if she should keep pretending so long as she's around the Institute. Kinda twisted how a building full of vigilante mutants can be seen as normal to anyone.
Also, this conversation has been going on for longer than she had planned on. A quick glance to the watch beneath her wrist confirms it. She's still gotta make sure all of the saltwater is scrubbed out of her five guns, that stuff is -hell- on steel. "Alright, Blue. I should pop back off the grid. Got a lot of work left to sort through. Don't be a spaz, alright?" she asks with a light smile. "I'll be okay."
"Ja.. I will assume you will be home." Sooner is preferable to later, but he'll take what he can get. "Und I would appreciate it. All I heard from everyone was 'I thought you knew!'." Shaking his head, Kurt exhales in another theatric, put-upon sigh. "I think they just believe that I would be there more often than here." Imagine that!
Kurt chuckles softly, "I am a social butterfly, leibling. It's people who are usually afraid of me, not the other way around." Believe it or not. He still gets the 'pull the baby out of the way of the blue demon' experiences. "The same goes for ladies. Blue fur is fun.. until the realization hits that it is truly.. blue fur." And a tail. A real tail.
His frustration vented, Kurt leans to touch the screen again, that virtual contact given before he knows that he needs to let you go back to what you are doing. "Stay lucky, leibling. I am praying for you."
Cutting the connection at their mutual goodbyes, Kurt takes off his headset and lets it fall before he lets his legs go, executing a backflip onto the floor to turn off the monitor. There's no other image on that screen he wants to see after talking with you. The only thing left, really, before he plans on turning in is to light a candle at the small area he's got set aside in his room for prayers to the Blessed Mother.
Category:Log