2013-01-18 Burning Issues

It is late, nearly normal curfew, but a gentle knocking sound echos through the boys dorm hallway... as it is Friday night, most of the guys are out, so few hear would hear the knocking at the dorm room of Prodigy and Elixir. A slow, nervous, cautious knocking...
Normally, Josh wouldn't be there, either. Especially since most of the guys are out with friends or playing basketball down on the courts. But tonight is different for him, and he's actually sulking in his room. He sighs when a knock comes at the door. Oh, who was it now? Josh gets up slowly and goes to the door, opening it. At first, it looks like no one is there but then he looks down to find Broo standing there. 
"...why are /you/ here?" he mutters gloomily. "I thought you were scared of me."
Gulping, Broo turns his face downward in shame, "I came to apologise. My fear is not of you, it is... it is of becoming a monster again. It was not your fault, you could not have known what would happen, and you are unfamiliar with xenobiology, so how could you understand what to adjust. I reacted poorly, but it was a reflex, not because I fear you, but fear that your power might trigger the change again." he shakes his head, "I... I am sorry if I made you think I feared you, or made you feel guilty." he digs into his robes and pulls out his dented and slightly crushed but otherwised intact thermos and gulps some hot chocolate for strength, then rubs the bracelet unconsciously against his cheek.
"Look, Broo..." Josh sighs again. "Don't apologize, it wasn't your fault. It was me." The idea that the accident had acclerated the aliens' maturation process crept back into his mind. "I shouldn't have tried to dabble in things I knew I didn't fully understand. I overestimated myself. If you were afraid of me, it'd be justified."
Looking up, an idea seems to come to Broo's eyes, "Perhaps there is a solution to that? I can tutor you in Xenobiology of most of the alien species that would likely be encountered in this solar system. We would have to make sure it did not interfere with your primary studies, but it might even benefit you in those, as some species will require understanding as much about their culture, math equations, or abstract things like religious views and philosophies..." he almost smiles, then pours more of her hot chocolate into his mouth and ponders a moment more, "Ob courdz bwou dun hab du ib hyub dun bwun du?"
Looking up, an idea seems to come to Broo's eyes, "Perhaps there is a solution to that? I can tutor you in Xenobiology of most of the alien species that would likely be encountered in this solar system. We would have to make sure it did not interfere with your primary studies, but it might even benefit you in those, as some species will require understanding as much about their culture, math equations, or abstract things like religious views and philosophies..." he almost smiles, then pours more of her hot chocolate into his mouth and ponders a moment more, "Ob courdz bwou dun hab du ib hyub dun bwun du?"
Josh's eyes light up at this idea. Now he was talking. "Hey, that...actually sounds like a good idea. But uh...I don't think religious views and philosophies are necessary--just the physical stuff." He already had enough of that in school. He quirks a brow at Broo's last question, though. "Uh...sorry, what did you say?"
Sloshing the hot chocolate around a bit longer, letting the flavor cascade in his mouth, he sighs a bit as he swallows, "I said, of course we don't have to if you don't want to." he smiles a bit, "Actually, some species physiologies are affected by such things, such as the Strontians, their systems feed off their confidence and faith in themselves, they literally grow stronger, tougher, and produce more energy because they believe they can, and when they doubt themselves suddenly not only grow weaker but actually lose mass and muscle density. It is a fascinating study in genetic development. Even more surprising is that they were defeated and subjegated by a species whose bones are hollow and easily broken, despite a single Strontian being capable of ripping through their starships about as easily as you might break a thick frozen chocolate bar."
Josh raises his eyebrows as Broo discusses the mysteries of the Strontians. "Um...okay. I guess." Elixir never quite was the nerdy type. He only sought this knowledge to enhance his capabilities. He chuckles at the hot chocolate. "Do you /always/ carry hot chocolate around?" he asks.
Looking down at his thermos, he shakes his head, "No. I like to have some for trips to Manhattan, but the only reason I have this one now is because I made some to help me build up confidence to come here, so I could apologise." Broo frowns a bit, "And it is my last thermos." tucking it into his rag suit.
"Awww." Josh smiles fondly at the little guy and crouches down to his level. "You don't need confidence...it wasn't your fault, Broo. I wasn't mad at you, I just want that to never happen again."
There is an enthusiastic nod, as Broo half smiles, "Agreed." he pauses a moment, closes his eyes, takes a deep faux breath, and then extends his claw hand, as if to seal the agreed verbal contract with a handshake... even if he still is reluctant to touch the hand. He is trembling a little as he holds the little clawed hand out, a bit of saliva dripping on the floor as he licks his mouth in semi parched anticipation, the little droplet sizzling away a small patch...
Josh chuckles and takes his hand, shaking on the agreement. "Hey, don't worry about it, man. I have better control that /that/. No risk as long as I'm not /trying/ to do anything." When the saliva dissolves the floor, Josh smirks. "Careful with the drool, there. You're KOing the floor." he laughs.
Looking down, Broo frowns a bit, "But... I didn't have acidic salivatory production before. It is why I have to swallow food whole, because I can't break it down in my mouth." he looks a bit nervous about this, even if the single drop did about as much damage as over the counter hydrochloric acid would do, and not like it ate a hole through to the lower levels.
"Hey, I was just joking, it's just the finish getting eaten. It can be fixed. But now you can enjoy your food more, right?" Josh pats him on the back. "Maybe you can have the benefits of being mature without going berserk on everyone."
Nodding, Broo tries to smile, but he may have to brood on this development for a while, "Perhaps." he then pulls out his thermos, finishes off the last of his hot chocolate and turns to leave, swallowing and saying, "I will let you get back to your studies. I have a few phone calls to make." he takes a deep breath, "I need to talk with some people about getting new clothes, and then I have jobs and internships to apply for." putting the thermos away and searching his rags for something else.
Josh nods and begins to step away from the door. "Good luck, Broo." he says as he waves good-bye. "Don't let me try anything new on you until you feel I've got a better handle on xenobiology, yeah?"
Waving back as he finds his cell phone, Broo nods, says, "Affirmative." then disappears around the corner, probably slipping either to the girls dorms, where he can hang out with Kitty and/or Jubilee, or maybe fleeing back to the safety of the med lab...
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