"Green" Dear god green. There was no reason to go taking caffeine completely out of the equation. Herbal tea could bite him, floral tasting junk. He only drank the stuff if Maya made it for him. He assumed she was the one buying it too, seeing as he never did.

Zinnia's off-hand comment about taxes brought Cafas' mind onto a subject he'd often considered and never actually looked in to. How the hell were they funded? They'd had the jet and Mansion longer than they'd been official law enforcement. "Your tax dollars are a recent funding addition to the Mansion, the X-men are all volunteers." God knows he didn't get payed. Or maybe he just didn't notice it? Had they been getting money since they became deputies? More questions he couldn't answer.

The gas-girl poured water into appropriate vessels and relieved herself of the bouquet. Cafas accepted the cup of tea with a pining look at Zin's coffee. Still, it was warm and had some caffeine in it. Cafas eyed the unstable looking flowers.

>>“So, when you’re not punching bad guys or lifting cars with your mind or whatever, what do you do for fun?”

Cafas blew on his tea and shrugged, an eyebrow quirking at the idea of lifting an entire car. "Whatever I feel like, I guess. I spend as much time as I can with Maya and the kids. I like watching movies, reading though I rarely have the time, and just mucking around. I train a lot too. What about you? When you're not nursing or abducting kids." Cafas tried to look perfectly innocent as he watched Zinnia over the rim of his cup.

“Green.” The please was in the tone. He asked for it like a man dying of thirst might ask for water. Which she supposed it technically was… water and hot leaf juice, which was all tea was really. She was happy to oblige. Green was by far the least complicated to make, no additions required unless you were being super fancy and had a lemon on hand. There may have been a lemon lurking in a nearby fruit bowl, but she was anything but fancy.

“Volunteers? Wow. So do all the other X-men have like… day jobs?” It would be super weird to be served coffee by an X-man and not know it. To sit in the bookstore of a caped crusader and crack the spines under the nose of someone who beat up baddies for fun.

He was a family man. A family man who liked to jest about her unfortunate run-in with his older son’s fist.

“Well, you know, looking after kids who’s Mom’s have disappeared with their boyfriends takes up most of my time…” she could give as good as she got “I swim a bit, study towards my next nursing qualification… hang out with my ladyfriend. Try not to get clocked as a Mutant.”

For all that her workplace was an equal opportunities one she was facing down enough challenges without adding mutation to the mix unless she really really had to. It was something she felt guilty about sometimes, like she should be making a stand, ‘mutant and proud’ or something to that effect. But she was also ‘mutant with bills’ so the fewer doors she shut on herself the better. She sipped her coffee pensively, oblivious to the tendrils of delectable coffee-scent which wafted to the pinkish mutant.

Wait, pink-ish?

She turned to look at him more full-on. Sure the last time they had met it was darkish in the bar (all the better to not see your big ears my dear), and people change hairstyles all the time, but still…

“Is your hair different?”

Cafas sipped warm beverage and rejoiced in someone with thick enough skin to return fire. Even if it was kinda weak. Some people got all bent out of shape over a joke. Jude for instance. She also sounded like she had as much free time as he did, which was precisely... Well come to think of it he was having tea with her, so clearly not none.

Almost none though!

"Yeah, it is. Maya does this thing where she pulls your atoms apart and turns them into gas. Anyway, it seems to really mess with pigmentation. I'm the only person who's ghosted often enough for it to really affect other than her." He shrugged, leaving the particulars of why they spent so long ghosted completely unaddressed. He took another sip. "As for the X-men, yeah most of us have day jobs. Sam teaches PE and self defence, Mirror works in admin, Maya used to have a bookstore, though the FBI are being real pricks about that. We have a fellow nurse joining, and I'm an blacksmith turned actor." Which wasn't even the weirdest part of his life.

Certainly created some of the biggest issues though.

The X-man sat his cup down on the bench then hopped up onto it himself. Comfortably seated, he resumed drinking. "So you take the old "keep it secret, keep it safe" approach then? Makes sense I guess. I did that for years, though it didn't really work out in the long run. People tend to notice steel melting out of nowhere." Cafas laughed humourlessly. "Any reason in particular? I mean, not that there's much damn incentive to do any different."

“That sounds…” kinky “painful.”

It probably wasn’t, most mutations were pretty good at not hurting their owner, at least when used at the lower levels. She knew for herself she was easily able to switch without care several times, the risk came when she had already expended a lot of her power and was trying to make a change. It was easier just to travel through life just photosynthesising. But without the chlorophyll. Or the leaves. She didn’t question the time frame it would take to achieve such bleaching, she figured being partners on the field and off meant it was inevitable.

“Is that why Maya’s hair is white?”

She had assumed it was just a trend, silver had been all the rage for a while, and knowing that she and the pinkermint before her were a thing it wasn’t such a large leap to assume they had similar hairdressing preferences. For herself it was basically as harshly straightened as possible and otherwise left alone. She didn’t have the strength required to wrestle it into complicated braids or the cash to pay a stylist to make it into fabulous colours.

The Xman noted the range of occupations held by the others and shifted his position so he was even taller than her than he had been on the stool. It was ok, she was getting used to being the shortest what with dating Jac and her brothers springing up like young trees that just hit groundwater.

“Hmm, more of a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ type deal.”

Legally neither of her workplaces could insist that she provide proof of X-gene status, nor could they legally discriminate against her for any such declarations or non declarations. She knew there was a clause in the paperwork that would provide her with a better insurance were she to provide the required papers, but it just reeked of registration and she knew enough about that to not be interested.

“I guess part of it is discrimination” she waved a hand to indicate her whole self “got enough of that going on as it is. I think part of it as well is because it’s not a flashy power. When people talk about mutations they want to see it, to feel it, to experience it in some way. To see the fire melt something, or touch the wings, or taste the rainbow. Pretty much best I can do is give you the oxygen giggles and smell like the ozone. Not very cool.”

Who was jealous? She wasn’t jealous. Stupid candy powers.

“You mentioned that the more you used your powers the stronger they got… Is that a common experience from what you know?”

She imagined being cooped up with a bunch of other muties would give him some idea. If the X-gene was actually a muscle, could it be flexed to improve?

>>“Is that why Maya’s hair is white?”

Cafas nodded, sipping his tea as it cooled. No amount of bleach was going to get you hair like that. That had to be natural or not at all. He'd have said it was a lucky feature if it still accepted dye. As it was, Maya pulled it off, but he was having a bit more trouble on that front. His hairdresser was also kind of mad at him for the amount of people he'd had to explain how difficult banding in dye would be.

>>“Hmm, more of a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ type deal...”

Cafas nodded along understandingly. He at least had the good luck of being white and male with his mutation. Zin didn't, and she had a lady friend (for all anyone could tell) which was just so many layers it was almost painful to think about. If there was one thing mutation had one, it was decreasing the discrimination between non-mutants. It hadn't stopped it though, and god help you if you were a minority and a mutant. "Suppose I'd play it close to my chest too..."

Check your privilege there Cafas. You know, I'm not even sure why they made me do that course. Because they wanted you to be a good bisexual role model? I'm not bi though! I mean, there's a cat boy in uniform that would disagree. That's just the exception that proves the rule, a one off thing. Uh-hu, on how others see it though.

Zin's lament for her lack of a flashy power, and her subsequent question, all flew straight through Cafas' ears, his brain distracted by a very important central part. The X-man frowned, imagining he must be missing a euphemism or something. "Uh, yeah I guess, use it heaps and it gets stronger. I'm sorry, did you just say taste the rainbow? Like... Skittles? Or am I missing something?" Because it really sounded like skittles. Not that Cafas could eat skittles very often, but someone that had skittle powers was absolutely awesome in his book. Sure beat craft services.

On consideration he would do the same. Somehow that made her feel a bit better, that even an Xman, one of the goodiest goodies there was, would rather not be out all the time. Sometimes she just felt so privileged to have a passing exterior. Particularly now she saw what kinds of things were said about Jac (and sometimes to her face).

“Yeah, like the skittles. Freaking Bertie, our maintenance guy has some kind of candy summoning ability. Don’t ask me how, I have no idea… but he promises it isn’t taken from babies. But I have never seen so many radiators that needed checking since that came out…”

He did some sort of hand-wavey magic, now you see it, now you don’t type thing and candy would suddenly appear in his cupped hands. Usually it was skittles, occasionally something more unusual like mint leaves. Once it had been jelly ears, which would have been cool, unfortunately that had been in the wing for hearing impairments and deafness rehabilitation.

“A little envious of that one I have to say… though I can’t imagine how sticky you would get.”

She had declined to touch Bertie, nor try any of the ill-gotten candy. She would stick with her individually wrapped lollypops thank you very much. Because germs.

“If you could have any magic power, any mutation other than current of course, what would you choose?”

M had been a hell of a drug, but the number of people she had treated for wanting to taste just a little of the powers they were low-key whining about was astounding.

Bertie sounded great. Bertie sounded like a real treat. Cafas very much hoped Bertie wore gloves, and that his mutation worked through them. Because otherwise, ew, and yes, sticky. "Don't suppose his last name is Bott? Too much to ask?" Cafas laughed and set his cup down. He was too restless for this sort of thing, and was definitely a fidgeter when he wasn't thoroughly engaged in a task. To that end he swung his legs and fiddled with a spoon in the drawer, turning it over and over, trying to exercise fine control.

"Bit of a weird question to ask a mutant, isn't it? Doesn't work for most of us because we haven't had to spend our lives without superpowers. I suppose if I had to pick I'd take something like healing." He shrugged, not sure really. He wasn't that jealous of others, except maybe one or two like Maya who had powers that were super cool. Actually that was probably Sam. Anyway, Maya's power was killing her, so maybe he'd just stick with the metal thing.

Not that I can imagine how close I tread the line on heavy metal poisoning...

"How about you? Doubt it's skittles really. What would Zinnia, nurse by day, child rescuer by night, choose as her power. You know, if she had the choice?" Not that they did get a choice. Jude sort of, but that was weird and complicated, and it meant finding someone with that power first. The metal manipulator dropped the spoon he'd been playing with. It gave a muffle clatter from within the drawer. "And what would she do with it? No point having most of this stuff unless you use it for something."

“It well may be.”

It seemed brutal to say, but she had never thought to ask. It wasn’t the type of thing that went on a name badge either. If she had to guess she would guess she knew five co-worker surnames at work. A dull clinking came from a nearby drawer which she assumed was either a. a mouse-shifting mutant (speaking of less than awesome powers, you’d be too small to be effective at anything but squeezing, and you could totally fall into a bowl of popcorn and be engulfed…), b. sentient spoons (stranger things have happened in tales as old as time) or c. the proximity of the metalmancer. Put it on c. and lock it in, Eddie.

Healing was a good one to go for, probably would be what she would like as well, she knew there were healers around, so the X-gene had to work in that way… how much easier her job would be if she had healing. Or how much harder, if she had limited charges and had to decide who lived and who died. She shook the thought away, no maybe not healing.

“I think energy generation of some kind probably… Our area suffers a lot of black outs when the summer hits.” Older buildings, not built to withstand the heat, full of people who believed in air-conditioning. “Or perhaps painkiller. Lots of people hurting out there.” Not all of it physical, not all of it healable. At least then she could ease the passing of those too far gone to help.

“Though maybe I’d like mega-muscles. Boom boom, gunshow.”

She poked the nearest arm. As she suspected all gainz.

“And the cure? If they ever made it safe would you take it?” Hitting with the hard questions today. “I’m not sure I would… Who knows if I’d be able to breathe at all, it seems like Adapted in a bottle and last one I met nearly killed me.” Innocently and by accident of course. Poor kid.

Cafas flexed obligingly, his shirt pulling tight across his bicep. What was it the guys at the gym said? Curls for the girls? Yeah that was it. The X-man smiled. Really he didn't know who he was lying to, he said that one as often as anyone else.

"These aren't mutation based, they're one hundred percent hard work and protein. You could get 'em too, with just a few years of dedicated weight training." Not that he was trying to humble brag, but those muscles had taken time and care, he was not going to act as if he wasn't proud to have them.

>>“And the cure? If they ever made it safe would you take it?”

Cafas' repulsion at the very concept was written across his face before he could even open his mouth to answer. Zinnia continued to answer for herself, and while he was surprised to hear she'd nearly been killed by an adapted, he wasn't surprised enough to over-rule the revulsion he felt at the idea of being quote unquote cured.

"For one, cure is a stupid word, we aren't sick. Secondly, no. I have worked too hard, for too damn long, suffering far too much, to make this world a better place for mutants. It would be a betrayal of them and myself to ever even consider eradicating my X-gene. Maybe if my mutation was killing me, but only then, and only maybe." Who even funded that research? Well, he need not ask because he already knew. Jaager Worldwide, various governments. Touting it as a cure, rather than a weapon.

"Anyway, the whole thing makes me uncomfortable. Once they can target an active X-gene, then what? Oh it's all cures for the negatively mutated now, but what comes after? I for one would rather not find out." He sounded like a conspiracy nut, but it wasn't even a decade since the last mutant concentration camps. Such atrocities were not easily forgotten.

She poked her own arm for comparison. Despite her regular swimming and helping lift patients on and off gurneys her bicep was a little baby compared to the guns of the metalmancer. Suddenly she realised that it wasn’t the best of looks, so returned her hands to herself. Both of their partners, plus dozens of impressionable kids, were on campus. All it took was one misinterpretation for feelings to get hurt.

Thankfully he took the offered topic. It was a dangerous, dangerous concept, to have a cure readily accessible. Even Adapted humans were worrisome enough, particularly to mutants such as herself which relied on their mutations to survive. What would happen if someone like Jac was hit with the cure? Was there even a human form to shift to? Would Zinnia want to see it if there was?

“You know they have tests for pregnant people now. To see if the baby has an X-gene. Like gender it’s too late in the process to terminate, but I know people will try.”

People would always try. She of all people knew that. Hit with a sudden wave of nausea she made her way to the sink and filled a glass with cold water and sculled it, trying to wash away memories which she had brought on herself.

Now was not the time to be thinking on such things. She was going to see Jac tonight, and for sure there would be a mind reader or emotion sensor in the mansion. She needed to get herself under control. She rinsed the cup slowly and purposefully and set it back on the drainer.

"No way to tell what type of mutation though, could be dormant, could be deadly, could be skittles."

Cafas sighed and went back to his tea. He hadn't been aware of the pre-natal test. That was just a whole new ball game. Ostensibly it was probably a good thing, allowing parents to better prepare, as if anyone could actually prepare for a mutation activating. Even the Mansion had trouble with that, and most of the kids that came through had already gone through the trouble of the initial activation. Heck, some of them had been living with their mutations for years by the time they arrived and it still caused all sorts of unforeseeable problems. Like taps that were suddenly liquid and gushing water at full bore.

Yeah I can see this being bad...

"Well that's not a cheery thought, is it?" Cafas smiled wanly as Zinnia tried her best to drown herself in a glass of water. His own mug was empty. The Metal manipulator pushed it across the bench to the sink. It clattered loudly against the metal, toppling in with a metallic bang. No sound of breaking crockery was good.

The X-man rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand where it had started to itch. That was going to be his excuse if it came up, anyway. "Cures, tests, robots in the streets, though I guess I'm meant to support those. Wonder how long before it's impossible to hide? Maybe it is already and we're just kidding ourselves if we try." Cafas pushed himself off the bench and back onto his feet. Kids scarpered this way and that to get drinks or food, or just travelling through. They all cut around the adults like a stream around rocks. Some of them paused to give worried looks, and Cafas tried to smile reassuringly, but his heart just wasn't in an acting mood.

"So does your family know? Not too hard to hide the invisible ones really." He had plenty of experience in the matter. Cleaning a melted fork out of carpet was no small feat.

“I guess it’s better than the alternative.”

There was a whole discussion she wasn’t interested in having about whether it was better to be born unwanted than to not be born at all. It was too close to home, too raw, too real. The bang of mug on metal drew her away from the edge of the spiral her mind threatened to throw her into. With a final sip of water she let her own glass settle into the sink. With a hasty wipe of her face on her sleeve she turned to face the pinkermint man as he supposed on the Big-brotherness of it all.

“Just give people a selfie-stick and they’ll do all the work for you.”

She had heard of mutant-spotting groups, who tried to gather information on mutants much like a watered down version of the registration act, filing their photos away like butterflies pinned to a board. Plus with all the people advertising themselves on ViewTube and the like, not to mention the blogs, dear lord the blogs ‘my life with an active X-gene’, ‘stay-at-home-mutie’, ‘homosuperior gainz’ and countless others filled the internet, everyone hungry for their little slice of fame.

“Yeah, my little brother drowned, I un-drowned him. He shouldn’t have lived, but he did.” For which she was eternally grateful… well, maybe not when he was teasing her and her girlfriend mercilessly. “both parents straight homosapien as far as I know, carriers… not sure about my brothers, if they’ve got X-genes they’ve been playing them close to their chest so far.” It wasn’t the sort of thing teenage boys would hide she thought.

“It’s weird how it turns up from dormant sometimes. Hard to predict whether the gene will show up or not. I don’t know if… I guess I’ll never know if my kid would have had x-genes.”

The loss weighing heavily on her mind from their earlier discussion of screening she spoke more than she should have. A moment later she snapped her eyes up to meet the steely grey ones of the metalmancer.

“Please don’t tell Jac, she doesn’t know yet… there hasn’t been a good time.”

A good time to dump on your lesbian lover that you were so badly damaged from being kicked down the stairs while carrying, that the doctors were certain that you could never carry to term and to try was to risk tearing your own insides out and dying. Was there such as thing as a good time? It was the sort of thing that didn’t come up very often. And yet here she was, sharing it with a practical stranger.

“Sorry to dump that on you.”

Like it was the sort of thing you just… shared.