universal_charm | SANCTUM IC CONTACT

You could try. I like to know my efforts are appreciated.

_{[ He follows him and takes measurements of width across thighs and hips in the sitting position, and he is nothing but professional about it, noting the numbers and writing them down without comment.

He's sitting when Charles tells him, running a quick calculation, his head cocking slightly to look up at him and his canary yellow wings brushing up and down, a sign of curiosity, only to fold back against his shoulders when he explained. ]}

Wow, that's... some heavy stuff.

Your efforts certainly aren't unappreciated, I figure in the Sanctum it might come in handy.

[For his part, Charles is able to relax into a more professional demeanor. It helps that he's talking, but even more so it helps that he's talking about why he needs the wheel chair. Talking about that particular detail also set Charles to a more serious frame of mind.]

It gets heavier, but I've no wish to depress the man constructing my wheelchair [Charles managed a half smile] it just wouldn't do.

Well, believe it or not, I've been told I'm a good listener.

_{[ He shrugged his shoulders, glancing up slightly to offer him a
reassuring smile, tapping away at his pad as he made notes about materials
and sizes. He didn't mind listening to other's problems. He was actually
half good at solving them. It was his own that were the real issue. ]}

So, what do you do here? Everyone seems to have their little slice of it worked out. You know what mine is.

_{[ He motioned down to his pad, thinking Charles could do with a change
of subject. If he wanted to talk about it, he could, but Kirk wasn't in the
habit of forcing issues. If they came up, they did, and he only really
tried to pry them out of people if they posed a true problem. Besides, he
had really just met Charles. It might be a bit rude to poke to hard. ]}

You're a brilliant listener.

[Which is true, but Charles doesn't bother to elaborate on the story unless the conversation manages to weave its way back in that direction.

So once the conversation turned to something else he went with it.]

Well I worked for the CIA and I was a professor at a school for the gifted where I come from...with a Ph.D. in psychology, biophysics, and genetics...I have received a few offers. There's nothing I can do as an alcoholic, however, which is something I intend to fix...so you will tell you what I owe you for all of this, yeah?

[Not that Charles doesn't have enough for a down payment.]

That's quite the list of accomplishments there. I'm lucky I made it through school and into the Academy.

_{[ Not because he's stupid. He's clearly not, he just has issues with
authority figures and he's a doer, not a thinker. He wanted to be out
exploring, not talking about the rank and file or procedure.}

He gives him a glance when he says he's an alcoholic, cocking his head a little. It was a surprising admission, but not one he held against him.

His lips twitched into another of those smiles, the ones full of mischief. ]

How about 10% down payment, and you play my cookie taste tester? I'll bring the milk.

_{[ He did need a taste tester, and frankly he also thought that Charles
could use a day out from the looks of it. He seemed like a nice guy, and he
wasn't terrible looking besides. Maybe needed a comb through his hair.
]}

Impatient? You do strike me as being more hands on.

[Charles does have a gift for reading people that doesn't entirely require him to have telepathy. Fortunately when it came to his own education Charles was able to take charge of it, control it, he wasn't at all interested in sitting and listening to a talking head.

As for his confession, well the mutant's lucidness often took people by surprise.

What takes him by surprise is is the whole cookie taste tester offer. He's talking about actual cookies, right? Because now it's his turn to raise an eyebrow.]

I suppose...been a lab rat before, and nothing you do to me could be nearly as bad as what I've done to myself.

[Though when he does finally dry out, Charles will have to remember to get back into running, because...cookies.]

Heh, that stands out about me does it? Well, it's true, so I won't deny it. I was the kid that wanted to do the science experiment, not read about it in the holotexts.

_{[ He shook his head, but he had to grin when the other agreed to be
his "lab rat" as it were, though cookie testing probably deserved a better
name than that. Guinea pig, perhaps. Or sugar pony. Something.}

He stood up and reached out, smacking the other's belly with the back of his hand lightly. ]

Don't worry. I won't put to many pounds on you. And I'll make sure to use the real sugar, not the artificial stuff.

I'd say it's your defining feature, especially since you strike me as intelligent.

[Well, Charles would be willing to go along with cookie tester, taste tester, guinea pig...though he's not quite sure how he would feel about sugar pony.

When James stood up, Charles took that as a sign to climb to his feet as well, not trying to crowd the other man's space as he does so.]

I don't know if I feel like a test subject or a spoiled brat now

A phD and a master of flattery.

_{[ But he's smiling, clearly enjoying the banter as he goes to his pack
to put the tablet away. His notes were made, so he didn't have much more
use for it. But even though he put it away, he didn't make motions like he
was going to leave.}

He was enjoying Charles' company, talking to him. Plus, they needed to work out taste tester details now. He leaned his hip against the chair his bag sat on, regarding Charles. ]

I don't mind spoiling, so I'd go with that one. But if you want, I promise I'll help you work off the calories from the cookies.

You should have seen me 10 years ago, I had line you wouldn't believe, mate.

[No, really, you wouldn't believe it. You wouldn't believe that it worked either...but it did.

On coeds.

Though Charles easily shifts gears when they start talking about the cookies again and he wonders if it's not an innuendo he's hearing. Maybe he should be blushing a bit?]

Ahah...well, I was once a damned good runner, if that's the kind of shape you're talking about.

What? Really? Come on, what as it?

_{[ This he had to hear. It wasn't like he could just let that slide by, now could he?

Well, he hadn't meant it that way, though on later review yeah, that could have been naughty. ]}

What kind did you think I was talking about, Charles?

_{[ He cocked an eyebrow. ]}

But yeah, running's good. It's... therapeutic, I guess. For me anyways. I ran a lot in Luceti, all around our little village. I use the park here, mostly. I wouldn't mind a buddy.

Well, for a pretty thing like you with an attractive IRF4 gene [a point he emphasizes by brushing James's hair lightly with his knuckles] I suppose so. I say IRF4, you would say dark hair and blue eyes, it's a groovy mutation. And, by the way, mutation took us from single-celled organisms to being the dominant form of reproductive life on the planet.

[Yeah...it's at this point Charles rubs his brow to avoid making any direct eye contact.]

A Freudian slip?

[Nothing need be said, yeah?]

It's something like that...I suppose I wouldn't mind getting back into that kind of shape. Enough to keep up with you.

[ooc: don't know if I mentioned this either, but Charles has no recollection of Luceti in the Sanctum so he will simply think Luceti has something to do with James's world.]

_{[ Okay, so he's biting his lip around a smile as the other talks, because that is so... dorky, but it's almost kind of cute. Yes, he couldn't believe that had worked, but Charles had this sort of air about him that made you want to listen until he was done. He actually leaned his head lightly into the touch, out of habit more than anything else. ]}

That is in fact the longest way I've ever heard someone tell someone else that they're sexy. And that worked, did it? How many times?

_{[ Really, he was asking for research purposes. Absolutely. ]}

Sounds like a plan then. Running clears my head too, so I'll be super focused on your chair. And you're welcome to check in on it, you know. I'll probably have to get you to come at certain phases anyways, just for some checks.

_{[ ooc: That's fine. I don't know that he really even knew Charles in Luceti, did he? So it probably doesn't occur to him to even think Charles is from there anyways. He's kind of come to assume no wings = no Luceti anyways ]}

[Well, you know, that's because Charles Xavier used to be a dork...and he's still not very cool, because now he's just prone to rambling.]

Well, yes, certainly people want to hear that they are attractive, but ladies of the time appreciated the seduction technique with a bit of Lord Byron thrown in for effect. You know, very round about, but it worked quite a few times...do you think it's working just a bit right now?

[Of course Charles only says this with a modest kind of jest to his voice. He's not entirely serious.]

Thank you...I ah...I really can't express how much I appreciate this. Do you know how friendly this city is to wheels?

[ooc: No, I don't think they ever met. And James's wings btw...adorable.]

_{[ Kirk reached out, brushing his fingers through the dark hair as
Charles had touched his, his smile soft but no less charming. He ran his
thumb down the side of his face, running over his jaw. ]}

Yeah, I'd say it's working. I think your accent helps. British is very attractive.

And I kind of like it when people talk science at me.

_{[ His wings shifted behind him, near whispering, a flash of yellow
appearing over his shoulder. ]}

Friendly enough, I'd say. But I can see about ways to make sure you can get around most of that if need be.

_{[ ooc: : > ]}

[Okay...the reaction was unexpected, but not entirely unappreciated either...slightly worrying, perhaps. Fortunately he can push it to the back of his mind.]

Well...at least I haven't lost my touch entirely, because I could probably talk science at you all day. [Wait...let's amend that.] Well...ah...in a purely professional sense of course.

[Charles can't help allowing his eyes to wander to James's wings, the flash of yellow is unavoidably distracting.]

I would appreciate that...do you, are those what I think they are?

You can make it non-professional, I don't mind. That's the fun kind anyways.

_{[ His smile grew wider this time, eyes sparkling.}

He turned his back to Charles, making the yellow and black canary wings stretch and flap gently. He turned his head back to look at him over his shoulder, perhaps a bit smug now. ]

Yup. They're exactly what you think.

We'll see if I can muster up the...nerve. It's been a long time since I've used that kind of charm.

[Eight years, in fact, he's just trying to get the hang of re-socialize himself in this new world.

Though when James turned his back on him to show off the wings Charles couldn't help a the quirk of his lips, he also couldn't help reaching out to touch them experimentally.]

Fantastic...just fantastic. Were you born with them or...?

Well, for what it's worth, you weren't doing to bad.

_{[ He shivers a little at the touch to his wings, the appendages moving slightly beneath Charles' fingers, soft as satin. Kirk doesn't pull away or tell him to stop either. ]}

No, they were given to me. I was... kidnapped before this, to a place called Luceti. They put these on me, like the ports here. And before you ask - no, I cannot fly with them. I tried, and the physics doesn't work, unfortunately.

That's reassuring. At least I still have the touch.

[And speaking of which he does give those little appendages a gentle rub with the tips of his fingers, readjusting any feathers that might be out of place.]

They do seem a bit disproportionate, that would make it difficult to fly, a bit like the dodo bird. Though I have to say, I am intrigued by the number of worlds out there intent on shanghaiing off-worlders...and attaching things to their body.

Dodo bird? Really? You couldn't use penguin or ostrich or even a kiwi?

_{[ He gave him a slightly miffed look, because dodo bird. Really. They didn't even look interesting in their illustrations in books. At least a penguin was cute and an ostrich... Well, he wasn't sure what an ostrich could be but at least it wasn't a dodo bird. ]}

Yeah, I wasn't to thrilled when it first happened. They were feeding us the same crap there too: you're doing us good by being here, we need you.

_{[ He rolled his eyes, not believing a word of it, his wings fluttering in slight agitation. ]}

Edited (I has grammar on my phone, really) 2015-01-23 01:02 (UTC)

In Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" the dodo bird was a wise creature.

[Aw, don't be so agitated--here, Charles will give your wings a nice rub underneath.]

Maybe there is a connection of some sorts, though having only been brought here I really can't make any kind of conjecture

Didn't he also end up eating the baby oysters?

_{[ He wasn't sure, but hadn't some phrase come from that? Well, whatever. He'd still prefer a penguin.

His shoulders relaxed at the rub, feathers smoothing once more. Talking about being kidnapped and tugged about, it always agitated him. It was something so completely out of his control, and he hated that feeling. ]}

I don't think so. Here they say it's about curing a disease. There it was a battle against different factions. Guinea pigs versus cannon fodder. Not to mention we lived in this village-town, and the dome there was to keep us in not protect us.

I mean it's not like it matters now. I still don't get why my wings stayed though.

Nah, that was the Walrus, mate.

[Charles can't help snorting a soft laugh, perhaps he should have said peacock instead.]

Sacrifice...isn't it...the missing link between guinea pigs and cannon fodder?

[Though Charles didn't push the subject, he could tell that it caused James some distress, not what he wanted to do so he just continued with the petting since it appeared to have a relaxing effect.]

Well...for whatever reason, they're pretty cute.

Oh.

_{[ A peacock might have been more appropriate, yes. At least it was better than a dodo. ]}

I guess it depends on how you want to use the term. Sacrifice's can be noble, but not when it's forced on us, on others.

_{[ The people of Zompania... He sighed, letting the thoughts drift away, because he didn't need to bring Charles down with his own problems. He turned his head to look over his shoulder at him, laughing softly at that. ]}

I keep getting told that. I don't think I've been told I look cute this much since I was a kid.

Re: Action;

Action; forgive the delay, it's the first week of school XD

It's all good :)

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JSYK...I have no idea why I'm not getting any messages in my inbox.

You on hotmail? That's been having problems

Damn you hotmail.

Yeah, it's blocked all DW mail cause of spam or something?

I've swapped to Gmail so there should be no more problems.

Excellent ~ One of us, one of us lol

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