universal_charm | SANCTUM IC CONTACT

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.

[Unfortunately a peacock could fly so it just wouldn't fit, given James's flightless wings.]

Well you're right, there's nothing really noble about this.

[And if he was willing to let it drop then so was Charles, if nothing else he could read the mood well enough, not that he couldn't be a supportive ear.]

Perhaps I should pinch your cheeks if it will add to the effect?

Do and I'll hide a prank in that wheelchair of yours I'm building. You won't know where, and won't know when it'll hit you. But it will come, and it will be swift and mighty.

_{[ Whoops, maybe a bit of Thor rubbing off on him there. He gave him a mock glare of warning, turning, tugging his wings out of Charles' hands, albeit gently. ]}

Do you really wish to test me, Mr. Xavier?

_{[ It's a bit hard to keep himself from laughing. ]}

You ought to be grateful that I wasn't implying the other cheeks, but rest assured I shall refrain.

[Fortunately Charles hasn't met Thor so he figures it's just James, though he does tuck his hands casually into his jeans.]

Mr. Xavier? Well...I suppose it's better than Professor X...don't...don't call me professor, you know, for future references.

[It makes him seem older than he really is.]

I probably wouldn't have minded the other cheeks.

_{[ He raised an eyebrow at him, but he chuckled and nodded his head. ]}

All right, sure, no professor. Hope you don't mind if I mostly stick to Charles? I'm not big on formality if I can really help it.

That is...ah...incredibly special of you.

[There's no other way to respond to that really, none that would give him any sense of dignity whatsoever.]

I don't mind at all, it's my preference, actually. And do you prefer James or something else?

_{[ He just smirks at that, leaving it be. ]}

God, no, call me Jim. Or Kirk. I answer to both. James is for - well, never. I can't remember that last time someone actually called me James.

[See, now Charles is just terribly amused.]

Oooh...well then the name James should be reserved for special occasions, yeah? Like if ever I become agitated with you, hypothetically given that I'm difficult to agitate. And in turn, for the sake of fairness I give you permission to use Professor Charles Xavier or Professor X. And if you really wanted to get me you could use my full name, Charles Francis Xavier...not too keen on that middle name.

_{[ He had to laugh at that, arms crossed over his chest as he gave the
other an amused look. ]}

All right, sounds fair. Guess I'll have to leave it up to you what "special occasion" warrants, but sounds fair.

I dunno, Francis doesn't sound so bad. It has a nice flow - Charles Francis Xavier....

_{[ He said it slowly, as if testing the name on his tongue, but his
blue eyes glint mischievously. ]}

I normally don't do this, but since we're talking fair play.... my full name is James Tiberius Kirk. I'm not fond of my middle name either.

Special will , no doubt, be very rare. I promise.

[Charles never went out of his way to purposefully irritate people, after all.]

Charles Francis Xavier...Francis...sounds like it should be the name of a Bichon Frise.

[And how does his name feel on your tongue now that he's given you that image.]

Well I suppose we could trade middle names if you like.

_{[ Okay, that earned a small laugh, imagining just that. ]}

If your hair was white, it might work.

_{[ It feels funnier, like he expects a small, yipping animal to
respond. ]}

James Francis Kirk... But then that makes me JFK and I don't want that hanging over me. Think I'll keep Tiberius.

Well I have no intention of seeing my hair go white any time soon. I'm older than I was, but not that old.

[And that's how Charles feels whenever he hears his middle name.]

I know the man who assassinated JFK personally. [Fun fact, now that you mentioned it.] Tiberius isn't so bad a name, probably a bit too long to be my middle name so it wouldn't flow as easily as is does with your name.

You sure? Thought I saw a wrinkle somewhere.

_{[ His eyebrows go up at that. ]}

Whoa, really? Who did it? The guy the history books say did it or do the conspiracy theorists have it right?

_{[ This is a serious question Charles. You don't just drop something
like that in his lap and then walk off. ]}

Well that's settled, we're keeping our middle names. Good. I'm supposedly named after my grandfathers. You wouldn't want that on you either anyways.

I still look good for almost 40, you have to admit. In spite of everything else.

[The drinking, the isolation.]

The man was my best friend, Erik Lehnsherr...he's always had a way with guns and metal. That's why he's imprisoned, to the best of my knowledge, beneath the Pentagon. No metal down there.

[Obviously they are no longer friends, for more than the obvious reasons.]

Good, because I'm sure we'd have to trade up our last names as well and that would just be awkward. My father died when I was an infant and my mother was fairly frigid...I suspect I was named for Charles Darwin and Francis Bacon. High on expectations, rather low on love, that was my mother.

All right, you do look good - for an almost forty-year old.

_{[ It was the truth, at least. Charles didn't look bad, he wouldn't
have pegged him as being near forty on his own. ]}

Uh, so the conspiracy theorists were right. Well, at least that LHO didn't do it. And that is some serious jail time, jeeze.

_{[ He raised his brows at the mention of parents. That seemed to come
up rather quick between him and a few people he knew, but it wasn't like he
was keeping his own past a secret. ]}

My mom told me, once, that my dad agreed to to my names before he died. But I never knew him - died when I was born, and my mom wasn't around much so I couldn't really quiz her on it. So I'm either named after my grandfathers, or I'm named after several English kings and a Roman general.

_{[ Try at all. And he was not even going to mention his older brother.
He almost never did. Out of everyone, he had hurt the most. ]}

I'll take the compliment.

[He probably looked younger underneath the hobo getup and facial hair.]

He was in the middle of several life sentences when last I checked.

[Charles had no personal attachment to his relationship with his parents. The only picture he had taken with his mother had the two of them standing several feet apart. She never lifted a finger to do anything for him, unless she ordered the maids to do it.]

I am terribly sorry about your father, regardless--it seems like we have a few things in common.

_{[ Hobo chic was nice, but Kirk was sure he'd look nicer with a proper
hair cut. But that was a challenge for another day, maybe. ]}

It's okay. I didn't ever know him. He's just a name on paper.

_{[ There's no bitterness there, just bald fact. He was a hero, but
that's all he really knew of him. An image in a book, some glowing words on
paper. It was hard to feel any sort of love for something like that. ]}

Hopefully we have a bit more in common than crap childhoods and questionable middle names.

[Charles had no idea that his hairstyle was really such a commodity, but he did have a nice head of wavy hair underneath his hippy mop...so perhaps he could see the appeal? As long as no one threatened to shave his head it was fine.]

I can relate...but for a man who was simply a name on a piece of paper I inherited quite a bit of the expectations.

[If Charles was bitter with anyone then he didn't let it show. As of now he had no parents, he had an adopted sister who softened his hardships greatly, but that was a long story.]

That depends on how much you have in common with a nerd, I read books and play chess in my spare time.

_{[ Well if he cleaned it up it would be even more attractive. Hobo chic is nice, but it doesn't every inch of you must be true to form. It's not nearly as sexy if your fingers get caught in a tangle when stroking some's hair. ]}

Oh come on, I wouldn't use the word nerd. Besides, in case you haven't noticed, I'm making a business on building electronics and computer parts. In some ways I'm the definition of a nerd.

I'm actually fairly decent at 3D chess too.

[Oh come on, Charles combs his fingers through his hair every morning after waking up, though Charles might have to wonder why you're caught up in fingers being able to run through his hair.]

I use it because Raven used to...ah...but then she'd want me to read my thesis to her at night because it sent her right off. And I don't think being handy with electronics is nerdy...it's pretty groovy actually.

Well, when I came here so did my chess board...so...

_{[ Fingers are not a comb. And because it's nice hair.}

He couldn't help but laugh a little at that explanation though. ]

I'm sure it wasn't that boring. And thank you, I like to think it's pretty groovy too.

If you ever want a game, call me up.

Excellent ~ One of us, one of us lol

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject