(OOC: that's perfectly fine)

Margo was quiet then, basking in the familiar, comfortable silence between Richard and herself that followed. Gradually the storm faded into the distance, leaving just the steadily falling rain. The girl leaned serenely over the railing, letting the cool drops run through her fingers- a peculiarity of hers, that on certain occasions she liked to experience things with as many senses as possible. The words she would have used to describe this moment were elusive... But in the end, she settled for one she hadn't known she still remembered.

物の哀れ. Aware. It was a recognition of the impermanence of beauty, but also of its timelessness. A poignant thought, though she couldn't think of a way to say it in English.

The silence stretched out, until Margo thought she had better say something before it became awkward. Richard had removed his hand from her shoulder after a while, but the kindly gesture was not forgotten. She was too timid to have even thought about doing such a thing, and maybe it was slightly unexpected and awkward. But nice, all the same.

She'd opened up to him so much tonight, more so then just about anybody else, ever. He'd received her trust, received it and respected it nobly. But there were lies between them, weren't there? She hadn't lied outright, just skated over the truth, not knowing how Richard would react to the knowledge that she was a mutant. Would he try to blow her brains out? No. Would he still want to be friends (or whatever they were now)? That was harder to answer. She wasn't accusing him of any particular malice, as if. Margo knew him better than that. Not to mention one of her smuggled words. As in, something that was never meant for her to hear.Mostly. Perhaps he was ashamed of being a mutant. (Or perhaps he was an alien hybrid, or something of the sort. That would be awesome.)

Really, what did any of it matter? X-gene or not, friends were friends and family were family. Margo smiled as she remembered a certain friend's words. "A girl knows the rhythm of her bestie's soul, not her secret cherry pie recipe."

Glancing up at Richard, the girl sighed. It was awkward now, and she still had no idea what to say.

"Margo," Richard asked, then hesitated. He had mostly made up his mind to tell her, to take the plunge, but at the last minute he changed what he had been going to say. He turned and looked at her then turned and stared into the night. Better to get it over with early on in the relationship. If she was repulsed by the idea at least they had not known each other for THAT long, and as painful as it was, he could slowly gradually phase out of the relationship and still survive emotionally.



".. If one day I woke up and discovered that I was a mutant....." He paused. "And answer me honestly,.... would you treat me any different? How would you respond?"



There he had ask the question, sort of, how would she respond?
What would she think? What would she say? Would she lie? In some way now that he had ... asked the question, he was relieved. He had started on the path and now, in some way, was just along for the ride and determined to see where it would all lead.

(OOC: Sorry for the short post)

Richard seemed to hesitate, struggling with his thoughts, before he spoke. "Margo... If one day I woke up and discovered that I was a mutant...And answer me honestly... would you treat me any different? How would you respond?"

"No. And I would totally think it was really cool," she replied with a smile, trying to make light of his question. But as he continued to stare out into the night, she realized maybe he took it more seriously than she had first thought. The girl scooted closer, this time choosing her words with more care. "Do you remember when we talked about this, well, sort of talked about this at our last meeting? I said X-genes don't make anyone any less human, people that treat them like crap are the real problem, and that's what I mean. And don't think I'm just saying it because I haven't had experience with this sort of thing."

She sighed. Might as well save him the trouble now. "Richard. I know you're a mutant, okay? It's not that big of a deal. I still like you, if that's what you're worried about."

"No. And I would totally think it was really cool,"

Richard was a bit taken aback, was she being serious. Then she scooted closer with the sort of I'm-going-to-be-direct-and-straight-with-you-and-tell-you-the-honest-truth sort of air.



"Do you remember when we talked about this, well, sort of talked about this at our last meeting? I said X-genes don't make anyone any less human, people that treat them like crap are the real problem, and that's what I mean. And don't think I'm just saying it because I haven't had experience with this sort of thing."



Well.....Yay! He snapped back from his rejoycing thoughts as Margo started speaking again.



"Richard. I know you're a mutant, okay? It's not that big of a deal. I still like you, if that's what you're worried about."



"Wait...How did you." Well he had probably been a little obvious with her. Wait what did she say...



"Yay!" Richard let out a little yip for joy then promptly forgot him self enveloped Margo in a bear hug and rocked from side to side. He promptly remembered himself, and feeling a bit embarassed sprang back. "Sorry, forgot myself there." He said sheepishly. " Um, dap..aaa... " Richard waved his hands speechlessly as he tried to thing of what to say. To say he was overjoyed would have been the understatement of the year. "Um.... Thanks." Was all his slightly overloaded brain could manage at the moment. He was slightly hopping from foot to foot with joy.

Margo barely had time to register what was happening before being engulfed by a bear hug and rocked back and forth, as Richard let out a yip for joy. "Yay!" Her face pressed into his shoulder, she couldn't help but think it was the first time anyone had held her like that since she was a kid.

Then he seemed to remember himself (much to her relief and disappointment), apologizing sheepishly. She coughed and tried to maintain her dignity with a glare, but couldn't keep the ear-splitting grin off her face. Eventually the girl just gave up, and for several minutes they melted into a giant pile of hugs and laughter.

"Hey, I'd have said it sooner if I knew you cared so much," said Margo, finally managing to compose herself. A pause. Questions ran through her mind, but she had no idea where to begin. "So how'd you figure it out? What do you do? How does it work?"

Richard laughed. this was turning out to be the best night ever. he could hug Margo all night but he restrained himself. Whipin g a tear or two from his eye he answered her question.
"I only recently found out, it started like this..." and with that he shared a shorter version of Mutant Engineer Sets out to see the world .

".. So far as I can tell my power has two parts. The first part is that I can touch something and figure out how it works. I have not tested the limits yet. The second part is that I can then sometimes make minor changes to that thing. How about you? What is your super power? How does it work?"

She listened curiously to Richard's explanation, wide eyed at the sheer wow-factor of the thing. You would think the girl would get used to these things after a while, but the truth was, they never ceased to intrigue her. "How useful." Awesome, but then she'd always been one to understate things. Usually. "So what's it like when you figure stuff out? Do you see it, feel it, or just know? Does it help if you have previous knowledge about whatever? Also, anyway, what does this apply to? You are talking about the mechanics of said devices versus the electronic circuiting and such, right?"

His answers only led to more questions. Literally, she wanted to know everything.

But the last part gave her pause. "Um, what?" Her superpowers? He couldn't possibly know. If not for Lucy, even Margo herself wouldn't have figured it out- and even then, she'd hardly dared to believe such a thing. Not that she would have minded if Richard found out, but she didn't think she'd been THAT obvious.

"Not everyone is as gifted as yourself," said Margo, laughing. It all came so easy tonight: the laughter, the tears, the embraces, this feeling of hysteric peace. But she wanted to see something before she spilled the beans, and this was her chance. "You don't think that because I think being a mutant is cool, I am one, right? One of you?"

Richard smiled at Margo's excited questions, just like a little sister he thought. Richard laughed, "Woah there Margo! Slow down there, one at a time. Umm, when I figure stuff out as you put it, the schematics, blueprints and function of the thing just seem to unfold in my head, I can see each individual piece of it and what each piece does and how it works together as a whole."

"Not sure about previous knowledge, it may help but what I get from my power is so complete and detailed that it blows any previous knowledge away. And so far as I can tell this knowledge applies to mechanisms and how they work as well as circuitry and how it is all connected together. I cannot be sure but I have not been able to see programming yet and I don't think I will be able to. How is that for some answers?" He laughed again. Oh tonight was turning out to be swell. Who knew, perhaps they would stay up so late talking that they would fall asleep on the sofas, that would be awesome. It was a Friday night after all.

"Margo, I was actually joking, that is why I said superpowers as opposed to powers. To be honest Margo, the fact that you accept me as a mutant is amazing. The fact that you not only accept but think it is cool is more than slightly mind blowing. That is more than enough. If you were a mutant, I would think that also very very cool and amazing, but I meant what I said in the cafe. To my mind, being a mutant is no different than having a different background or different skin colour. I would treat you exactly the same regardless." Richard was very earnest when he said this, it came from the bottom of his heart. 

Richard paused. He meant it. After what had happened tonight, Margo was like family to him, he would love her as a little sister regardless. Then a thought struck him. "From the way you said "one of you" I am guessing that you are not a mutant?" He asked questioningly. He then seemed to realize what he had asked. "I am sorry, you don't have to answer that if you don't want to. Your acceptance of me and who and what I am has more than made my night. I could not ask for more in a friend."

Well more than friend really but hey If she brought up wanting to be his little sister or if she mentioned their relationship feeling like brother and sister he would respond. If not he was more than blessed as it was. No need to get greedy.

Margo nodded as she chewed on the new information, satisfied, at least for the moment, with his answers. Her thoughts were strangely fuzzy, at least by her standards- perhaps it was all the laughing, or she was just tired. It was rather late, actually.

She smiled as she listened to his explanation, raising an eyebrow at his question. "And I wholeheartedly agree. Thanks." A moment passed. But with the way Richard had put it, how could she resist telling him? "I am a mutant, though, just FYI. Sorry if I was holding out on you."

"I couldn't ask for anything more in anybody," the girl replied, insides feeling like those of a fruit gusher for the hundredth time that night. "And this probably sounds really weird, but I feel like it's more than that, you know?" Because if she was honest with herself, he was all of the brother she'd never had.

Richard smiled when he heard that Margo was also a mutant. Quietly he said "Thank you Margo for trusting me and sharing that with me. Come here you." He said giving her a gentle hug.



"I couldn't ask for anything more in anybody,"

"Neither could I, Margo, neither could I..."

"And this probably sounds really weird, but I feel like it's more than that, you know?"

"You know Margo, it doesn't sound weird at all, I know what you mean, you feel more like family... Like a little sister to me that someone I just met recently, do you mind me calling you that?" Richard said yawining. "Sorry about that." He apologized. "Margo it is getting a little late, what do you want to do? The two sofas in the living room are pull out beds so If you wanted to you are welcome to sleep over and we could talk till we fell asleep like a family sleep over. If you would prefer I could drop you off anywhere, or I am happy to sleep out in the living room if you would prefer the privacy of a bedroom. What would you like to do?" He paused for a moment, then a twinkled at her.

"Although....Although if you did decide to sleep over I can promise you a full english breakfast with bacon and sausages and mushrooms and the works. It is not everyday you find a younger sister you always wished you had.
" He smiled, that was the best day of his life, period.

"But really, thank you. For-" she hesitated, then shrugged and laughed, "for being awesome." Richard's embrace was gentle this time, and she smiled into his shoulder.

If Margo had been the Faust of literature, she would have died then. Because it was the best night of her life, literally. And what he said next... it sounded so right.

"I like it," she replied, looking up thoughtfully at him. Not that she had any experience being someone's little sister- the idea would have been laughable even yesterday- but it was never too late to learn, was it? "Brother and sister, huh. Minus all the legal issues, bickering, and classic 'I only care about myself but everyone thinks you're better so I'm going to destroy the world and you in the process' syndrome, of course?"

"It would be a pleasure to camp out in your living room." The yawning was contagious; she stifled one herself. "If you'd like that, I mean. And better be careful what you promise," she grinned right back at him, "else I'll eat you out of house and home."

It was the best night ever, exclamation point!

>"Brother and sister, huh. Minus all the legal issues, bickering, and classic 'I only care about myself but everyone thinks you're better so I'm going to destroy the world and you in the process' syndrome, of course?"


Richard laughed. "I am sure we could arrange that if you wish or perhaps that would need rehearsing?" He smiled. He had laughed so much this night his stomach was aching.


>"It would be a pleasure to camp out in your living room. If you'd like that, I mean. And better be careful what you promise else I'll eat you out of house and home."


Richard smiled and affectionately ruffled Margo's hair. "It would be my pleasure madam" He said mock bowing like a gentleman "For you to "camp" in my living room. As for eating me out of house and home that might take a bit as I have just done a Cosco run and my fridge and freezer are rather full."

He started heading back into the living room. "Right lets set about getting these beds ready."
He showed Margo how to pull out the sofa beds and then set off to get some sheets and pillows.


Richard returned now wearing blue flannel pajamas holding the required bedding. Seeing that Margo had her back to him he threw a pillow at Margo and waited till it was just about to hit her before shouting "Margo!.........Catch!" He grinned and prepared for the retaliation.

After peace had once again returned to the Bent house they set to making the beds. "So can I ask what it was like growing up?" Richard wondered what it was like growing up knowing about ones powers earlier and also wondered what Margo's powers actually were.

"I'll take that as a challenge, then," laughed Margo, shying away as Richard ruffled her hair. "Ack!" She smoothed a hand over her now thoroughly mussed tresses with a grin and followed him into the living room, busying herself with pulling the couches out while Richard fetched the sheets and pillows. He had been right; it was just like a family sleepover (not like she had any idea what that was supposed to be like, but whatever...)

She heard his return, but didn't turn around- it was a mistake. "Margo!.........Catch!" shouted Richard, and she spun just in time to catch the pillow. In the face.

"Oh no you didn't!" Wielding said pillow, she advanced on him. Needless to say, chaos ensued, and it was several minutes before the girl finally collapsed on the sofa, all aching laughter and messy hair. She was a mess and so was the room, but she couldn't have cared less. How was it even possible for a night to be this awesome, this epic? They set the place back in order, and Margo half held her breath all the while, almost expecting that ridiculously happy bubble in her chest to burst.

It didn't.

"You mean, as in...?" She wasn't so sure what Richard was asking, about growing up. "I grew up in Canada, actually. Toronto. That was most of my childhood right there, preschool and snow and stuff I can't remember that well anymore, you know how it is when you're a kid." She paused, running through a mental timeline. "Then we moved. Then there was the car wreck. Then there were babysitters, and when I got older, tutors. My power surfaced sometime after that."

>"You mean, as in...? I grew up in Canada, actually. Toronto. That was most of my childhood right there, preschool and snow and stuff I can't remember that well anymore, you know how it is when you're a kid.Then we moved. Then there was the car wreck. Then there were babysitters, and when I got older, tutors. My power surfaced sometime after that."



"I actually meant what was it like discovering your powers earlier and growing to understand and control them? Speaking of which can I ask what are your powers?" Richard was curious. He understood that like all skills some people mastered them easier than others and wondered how the experience had affected Margo. He sat on his bed cross legged in his blue flannel pajamas and listened to Margo.

"Oh by the way hot chocolate before bed?" He asked.

The whole experience was slightly surreal, it just seemed...so .... natural, just sitting before bed chatting and chilling with Margo. It seemed...so right, like it was meant? to be, they just seemed to naturally fall into the brother sister role as if it was a well rehearsed play. It was....good, very good, bloody brilliant and amazing if Richard was honest with himself.

"Ohh," said Margo, a little dumbly. That summary of her childhood had been so wasted, and now came the hard part- trying to explain her mutation. "My powers allow me to influence other's emotions or their perception of beauty around them through psychic wavelengths." She gave Richard a moment to work through that, then continued, a smile gracing her expression at the memories the words conjured.

"When I first discovered my powers, I would have been fourteen, and it was something that would never have even crossed my mind before then. I, uh- it was actually my friend who noticed and pointed it out, and boy did we have a time trying to figure it out!" Margo chuckled to herself, a little sadly, as she remembered. Lucy had been the one to suggest that maybe she was a telepath and Margo was a power booster, and they had played with that idea for the better part of a week before ruling it out as just another of their crazy theories. She hadn't seen Lucy in a year now, and she missed her more than ever. "Even now I don't fully understand it, to be honest. How do you..." She trailed off for a second, "It's- it's a matter of genetics that change everything; I didn't understand then and I don't understand now. I guess that's why it was hard to accept that I was a mutant, because...stuff like that, I could see on the news but it didn't seem real, you know? As for learning to harness my gifts, that was all practice."

It was a topic she typically avoided, because most people happened to fall under either of two categories 1) people who didn't know she was a mutant, or 2) people who would overreact (in a good way or a bad way, it mattered little) if she were to tell them about her powers. Sometimes both. But with Richard, the conversation was, somehow, as spontaneous and natural as the pillow fight that had preceded it. They were brother and sister, meant to be.

"It's always a yes to hot chocolate, if it's not too much trouble."