Derek had taken the initial to starting up his education again. He wanted continue what he started down in North Carolina. NYU was the number one choice for Derek simply because he heard good things about the university and how mutant friendly it was. The day was perfect with clear skies, mid seventies, and a nice breeze that kept everyone cool. It almost seemed too perfect. 

After a tour of the campus, Derek decided that he would apply for the fall of this year. It was something hat he had to do in order to restart his life not only as a mutant, but as...Derek. 

Now sitting in the greenery of the university with his laptop in his lap, Derek was filling in the online application. He hoped that his GPA would allow him to enter into the university. It was beautiful in every way. As he was sitting there, a couple of squirrels cautiously came over, sniffing around before comfortably lay down a few inches away from him.

"Hey, little guy," Derek looked over at him with a grin. "I don't have anything on me you can eat." He continued with a grin. He turned back to his laptop when another squirrel came over. Fifteen minutes after that, a pigeon flew over. Derek looked like an animal magnet with animals surrounding him. If anything, it was comforting for the mutant.

Devon had graduated. Now he had his degree, his license to practice, a business, and a successful charitable organization. He had friends, he had colleagues, and he even had employees. It was difficult for the young man to quite accept the role of ‘boss’ and he much preferred a conversational, transparent approach. Apparently that’s what most young entrepreneurs did. But coming to speak with some of those still working on their degrees or looking for summer intern work, he was feeling it now.

How did he suddenly become someone else?

Matt and Max both gave him that feeling. He was Devon, sure, but suddenly he wasn’t there age. He was some successful leader. Haven was one thing, but he was still 21 lest they forget, well at least for another month or so. His own doctor had warned him to take it easy, make sure he got in ‘normal time’ and didn’t work himself too hard. He had to be prepared for a bad day, even trouble with work or with Haven. It wouldn’t all be smiles and admiration and eager energy forever.

NYU though sure had plenty of eager energy. The students he talked to – like the ones he’d worked with the day he met Artair – seemed very interested in working at Hadden’s Havens out on Plum Island. Granted, it was a beach but it was a treatment facility in all the ways new age could be. Granted, they were right: if they did a good job Devon would likely hire them on when they graduated. Still, he was keeping the more trained, talented professionals down on Perot Island in Bermuda. Those were the high profile, large money, or truly needing to get away patients down there. It was invigorating to see the optimism and interest in helping others, including mutants.

Devon never shied away from whom he was after all.

And so it was, with such consideration for whom he was, he was proud to see what he thought was another young mutant on one of the quads working on his laptop while animals gathered around him. Maybe he was pursuing a veterinary degree or biology or maybe not anything to do with animals. His degree wasn’t in meteorology after all! As he walked onto the quad in that direction he was fairly certain he heard the young man address a squirrel.

While without talent for handling animals, Devon had still spent a fair amount of time moving between suburbs and less settled areas. He wasn’t a mountaineer or ranger by any means, but at least with the more common animals he had an idea. Approach low, use soft tones, show you aren’t a threat. He turned off the crosswalk and approached slowly, bringing his voice to a quieter if still warm tone.

“Hi there,” he smiled. “I’m Devon. Sorry couldn’t help but grin at your friends watching you work. Mind if I join you while I do a bit of work myself?” He tapped his messenger bag and gestured to a spot a fair distance from the group but still close enough it would have been rude to plop down, some fifteen feet or so.

"Yeah, su--." Derek couldn't finish his sentence as his eyes trailed up to the man who was standing in front of him. His jaw dropped lightly open. This Adonis standing before him. This pillar of man who's eyes looked like pools of blue oceans and skin that shone like ivory in the New England sun. And those lips. Oh, God, those lips. Soft, pink, plump. Was this man mortal or a god? Maybe Zeus or Apollo.

Derek had opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Why was he smiling at him? Was this a joke? Where was Ashton Kutcher? The hidden cameras? None of this seemed real right now.

"Uh, yeah, you can sit anywhere you'd like." Derek couldn't peel his eyes away from Devon. God, even his name sounded heavenly. Devon...Devon. He watched him sit down a few feet from him. "My Derek's Name. I-I mean my name is Derek." Come on, Derek, get yourself together!

Derek tried to return back to his laptop screen, but he couldn't focus. Not even more. "Nice to meet you." After the initial shock, Devon looked familiar. He couldn't think of where he might be from The squirrels seemed to be laughing at Derek which resulted in his face being soaked in blush.

Devon smiled cheerfully, if perhaps a wary crease came to his forehead. You never quite knew how someone might react to a stranger’s approach. This was still New York after all even if he was on NYU’s campus. He’d certainly learned being wary about discussing mutant abilities with people he suspected to be mutants after the unfortunate reaction of Matthew. He needed to check in on that guy…

>> "Uh, yeah, you can sit anywhere you'd like."

“Thanks…” Devon said with a quite trailing of the word. The delay made him perhaps a bit wary. Maybe the guys merely preferred animals or they smelled something off about him. Devon was guessing; if the guy was a mutant who knew how much information he could get from his friends. He sat down slowly, letting his bag slide off his lap and onto the grass.

>> "My Derek's Name. I-I mean my name is Derek."

Ah, okay. Devon was picking up the nervousness now. Maybe someone really was more accustomed to animals. “I’m Devon,” he nodded quickly, keeping the amusement at this tongue-turning from his tone. Still, the corner of his mouth rose slightly in a half grin.

>> "Nice to meet you."

“Yeah you too,” Devon said as he drew his laptop from his bag. He pushed it open and went right to his email. He had a couple he needed to reply to that would be far easier to do so typing rather than on his phone. “You taking summer classes or just enjoying the local flora and fauna?” he grinned wider now.

"Actually, I decided to sign up for school," Derek answered, "or, rather, resign up. I came here about four days ago to attend the Mansion, but now I've decided that I wanted to do more. I plan on, uh, continuin' my education and making a difference for everyone."

Derek always saw himself as a humanitarian. He loved doing volunteer work and helping out the community and such. "There's a major problem with how mutants are bein' treated down south. My friend, Kendra, is doin' articles to shine light on the problem," Derek started to apply online, linking his transcript from NC State.

The mutant turned his attention to Devon. Even from the side he was a god. "...Devon. Are...you a mutant too?" He asked, "I feel like I've seen you before, but that just could've been on a magazine cover.."

Did...Derek just say that?

His face looked like it had an red under tone to it.

>> "Actually, I decided to sign up for school,"

“Oh!” Devon said enthusiastically.

>> “…I plan on, uh, continuin' my education and making a difference for everyone.

“Oh,” Devon smiled, the exuberation toned down. “That’s great. Everyone does things at a different pace. NYU can definitely help you make a difference. Taking care of yourself is the first step.” He’d noted the mention of the Mansion. While the animals made it pretty clear, now it was basically confirmed.

>> “… My friend, Kendra, is doin' articles to shine light on the problem,"

“Yeah? What’s going on? We benefit from some rather liberal views up here and in the north east but there’s still problems. Partly our job to help those in less good places,” Devon nodded. “Maybe you can point me to some of these articles?” It sounded like someone or something Haven could start getting involved in.

>> "I feel like I've seen you before, but that just could've been on a magazine cover.."

Devon laughed again, a slight blush going to his cheeks. “I don’t know about that. Maybe? I’ve done some volunteer with an important pro-mutant shelter and helped start a volunteer organization here in the city. I guess it’s possible,” he nodded, head bobbing side to side as he considered it. “There’s been a couple editorials of Haven.”

“But yeah, I’m a mutant,” he chuckled, blushing a bit more. “I admit seeing the animals I figured you were a mutant and was curious. How clearly can you communicate with them?”

Derek slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, that's the plan. To get myself in order, then start helping other people and animals." Derek continued type. He really hoped that he would be able to get in. Starting over here would show not only his family, but himself that he was able to pick up where he left off and thrive in a new environment.

"A lot," Derek chuckled without humor. He turned his attention toward Devon and moistened his lips. "Statics show that mutants down south are treated worse than what they are up here and out west. As one who lived in North Carolina, I was lucky that I didn't have an external mutations," one of the squirrels rested on top of Derek's shoulder as he talked, "different groups of people including the KKK are targeting mutants and doin' what they usual do with scarin' people," Derek sighed and shook his head. He turned his gaze down to his screen. "I don't know what's up with some people. What does it matter if someone is black or Hispanic or gay or a mutant? If they're not botherin' you, then leave them alone." This was a sensitive subject for him especially because he was all three.

"But, yes, I think shinin' a light on the cruelty of what is happenin'." Derek's accent for some reason got thicker when he became emotional. "Sorry about goin' on like that. Didn't mean to make things all...dramatic."

Slowly things started to conntect. "Wait, wait, wait. You're...you're from the Haven!" Derek exclaimed. "Wow! Okay," he let that set it. "I've always wanted to be apart of Haven, but it's only via invitation."

"Communicate? I don't know. It's a mixture of body language and just mutual understanding." Derek shrugged his shoulders. "You can manipulate the weather right? That's...amazing. I bet you could cure a draught in a matter of minutes."

Get himself in order? That was a good approach. Devon nodded with a smile on his face and approval in his eyes. Helping others and animals was great. Sounded like Derek was quite eager, upbeat, despite what he had heard – seen? – in the south. Devon did wonder just how he expected to help others and animals, but he imagined that’s partly why Derek was here.

Devon frowned though learning more of what was transpiring elsewhere. The KKK was an unfortunate organization, allowed but evil. He nodded slowly at Derek’s confirmation of leaving others alone. Some people couldn’t get pass their deranged beliefs and had to turn that into pain and fear. Devon had trouble tolerating such.

>> "Sorry about goin' on like that. Didn't mean to make things all...dramatic."

“No, that’s okay,” Devon shook his head. “Don’t worry. I do the same thing sometimes.” He noted the accent got more noticeable, but didn’t say anything. Clearly Derek felt for these issues.

And he’d heard of Haven. Well that was it then. Devon nodded about the invitational aspect. Derek spoke more to his abilities as Devon had asked instead but then turned it back to Tempest’s abilities. Devon chuckled at the commentary.

“Yeah, I guess you really read the article, huh?” Devon smiled. “But no, curing a draught momentarily would be easy with a light rain. But where’s that moisture coming from? And how long do we need a steady rain to ease the draught? Can’t rain all at once too long or you’ll lose the top soil, cause mud slides… I can help, but these take time, take a village… It’s a community that helps people.”

Devon smiled, nodding his head side to side, “And that’s why we have Haven. Things have been going strong for a few months, people really getting out there. I’m glad all the volunteers and members can be of inspiration to you. They are hard-working, caring people.”

“No animal members, yet, sorry,” Devon looked apologetically to the creatures nearby. “But some of the environmental conservation initiatives certainly have impact to the fauna of those ecosystems. I’ve got at least some vested interested in ecology anyway.”

Derek shrugged his shoulders coyly at the question. He may or may not have read the article a couple of times which made it even funnier that Derek almost didn't recognize Devon's face. When the supermodel humanitarian went on to talk about how curing a draught would take a lot more than a simple rain shower.

"Huh, no that you've explained it, it makes more sense than just goin' off and doin' it. Plus, I'm sure messin' with water patterns can become problematic if you do it too much," Derek chewed on his body lip and started to type his essay. But before he started, he remembered doing on for his college before and just added a bit more about coming to New York, changing some information, and making sure to mention his love for animals.

Derek turned his head to look at Devon when he spoke again, "ah, I remember volunteering at the animal shelter when I was back in North Carolina. I also had parts in clubs like the LGBT+ club, even helped with establishing a mutant club even though I wasn't out as one. As either actually," he chuckled a bit. "But yeah, it's amazin' what you guys are doin'."

"I'm sure they understand," the birds chirped a bit, "haha, they come in handy especially with sensing unnatural forces or changes in people." He finished his application except for paying for it and closed down his laptop. He picked up the squirrel from his lap and sat it in the grass. "If you ever need any help, I'm always...available. I-I can give you my number o-or you can give me yours or...none of the above. That's okay too."

Devon closed his laptop as he finished with the few emails he wanted to send. He nodded as Derek noted the weather patterns problem. It was true. His powers didn’t work in a bubble. Yes things tended back toward the prevailing conditions, but if he caused a rainstorm then there was less moisture in the air. Some area that was to get a storm, wouldn’t. One errant wind gust and down went that butterfly everyone was always worried about.

The nodding and smiles continued as Derek mentioned what he did back home and then following up later. “Yeah, here’s my number. Text me,” Devon said before offering up his number. He pulled out his phone and stood up waiting for the text back. “It sounds like you’ll like it here and we should follow up. Maybe Haven can help you be active in the city,” he grinned.

“It’d benefit us to talk more I think, so I’ll call ya this weekend?” Devon asked, eyes brightened as they opened wider. One way or another Haven sounded like a good place for Derek, but he’d have to look up the kid. Maybe getting really involved with Haven would be a good idea, but they’d need to chat more.

“We’ll help you keep busy til classes start in September.”

Derek was surprised that Devon actually gave him his number. His personal number. Or so he thought. Either way, Derek scored 'em digits. He sent a quick message to Devon with his first and last name with the paw print, blushie face, and green heart emojis. "Sent," Derek placed his phone down so that he could go ahead and pack up his laptop. The birds flew away to go grab something to eat so this was the perfect time for Derek to stand. He made sure to pick up his phone and safe Devon's name under Zeus with a thunderbolt emoji (he'll add the heart eyes later).

"Perfect! I look forward to you callin' me." Derek smiled widely at Devon. He was excited for multiple reasons, one of them being that he was actually going to get some work in for the betterment of mutantkind.

Derek nodded his head, "awesome, I look forward to it as well, Devon. And I'll make sure to keep the phone calls strictly professional."