Ok. Yeah. The snake hair was a dead giveaway, but otherwise what Jude saw now was a totally different lady. She was stunning when she smiled, but Jude always was a sucker for tricking those kinds of reactions out of people. He hadn't earned this one, but he filed it away all the same.

She stepped away and Jude tracked her curiously as she wrangled her hair. Ah. Oops. He didn't really factor in the hair-hunger. Jude doubled down on his own strangle-hold on his power. He'd been leaving this room with bunny ears almost every single time...

The one responsible for all those ears obtained was somehow already on the floor, getting mauled by tiny feline assassins. Laughing. Jude nudged one kitty back over with his foot as it dared to explore beyond the bunny tail it had been chasing.

It sorta felt like his own heart got a few cracks spackled over.

"Ow!" That white kitty was climbing his scarf and walking with hooked claws across his shoulders, finally finding its way into the stiff woolen collar of his coat and laying down.

"I don't know what to do with them, but this seemed like a good idea at the time. Sorry they don't seem to like you very much, Andrea." Should he... try to make one like her? The one in his coat collar seemed pleased and started running it's boat motor against the base of his neck.

Zaid never had a pet growing up, and was starting to realize why. Between the dogs lack of respect for his tail and personal space, and the kitten's fascination with his ears, his parents would have had little peace with that much chaos.

That didn't mean he wasn't enjoying the experience now. One kitten had crawled onto his back and was practicing pouncing for his ears, which he had to quickly divert anytime a claw got too near. His tail had been nabbed by someone's mouth, and he half-yelped, half-laughed as the tiny growl caught his attention and the light pain told him his fur was being mawed. They were energetic to an adorable fault. Carefully rolling, he managed to get both of them onto his chest where he could watch better. There they started wrestling each other for the better spot on the bunny.

Zaid was now looking up at Jude upside down, grinning like a kid. He felt like he was enveloped in more warmth than his body could handle. He was missing the fact he couldn't properly greet Jude now, but it would have been difficult to steal a hug with so many claws in the way. In the end, he was drowning in love and affection from all directions.

"They are precious, but Dammit and Revvie will have words with you if you think of keeping them. Do you remember my hat?" If it had been an actual animal, it wouldn't have stood a chance. "I mean, neither of us are staying here much longer, regardless of what is decided. Do you think staff would let the kids here have them? They would get plenty of attention."

A ball of fur tumbled onto his face and a tail flicked across his nose before it went crashing the short distance to the ground. Unhurt, the little guy promptly pounced back up to it's position. Zaid noticed Sloth's expression and gave a rueful smile. "Hey, I still like the wrigglers. But it took a little time." He tried to look from Jude to Andrea without moving his head too much, and ended up sort of peering at them upside down again with his head against the carpet flat. "I'm glad you two got to meet."

The Greek smiled, but shook her head. "I am happy enough watching them play from afar."

Her brows raised slightly at hearing what she thought might be names, but... Dammit? Really...?

Then again, she wasn't one to talk seeing as she had all of the sins nested on her head. She very well could have named them something cuter. Like.. Noodles, or slithers, or squiggles. She... uh, she wasn't good with names.

"If no one here can take them, I know of an organization that would gladly take them in and put them to work as therapy animals in various clinics in the city. Demand is pretty high right now, especially in some of the cancer wards. She felt a cold nose boop into exposed skin on the wrist that was still dangling inside the cat box and damn near froze like a statue in an effort to not scare the brave kitten off.

"Oh don't mind Sloth. They have all been a bit sullen with one missing, but it is mostly dramatics. Avarice will be back in no time and they will be harassing people for food again before we know it."

She giggled at her friend, still refusing to move as another kitten joined the first in investigating her gloved hand. She would absolutely take a few sniffs, as it was better than flat out hissing!

"I'm glad too. It's nice to put a face to the name." She cast that same smile back at Jude. "If I might be so bold, would you be willing to give me your mother's number before I leave? I need to call and thank her for everything, and apologize for not calling more often."

Zaid was so silly. Normally Jude would be right there on the floor with him, but Jude was more reserved with a stranger in the mix. Though he didn't mind keeping the kittens on task in forming a fuzzy puddle of laughter. Jude worked tirelessly to continuously scoop up any wayward kitty and drop it near enough so that Zaid was the natural target. It was part of therapy. Plus the combination amused him to no end.

"Dammit and Reville are on loan only." He reminded Zaid. To Andrea he explained, "They're my boss' dogs. I think he ran off to vegas to get married or something." Yet again, he was left making excuses for the Ranger. The longer that man was away, the wilder they were going to get.

And then he did a double take that seemed to upset his collar kitten.

"Wait. You're not staying?" Of course he wasn't staying, but the real question didn't hit him until he'd unhooked an angry snowball from his flesh. Jude sucked in through his teeth and brought the kitten down to where his coat was thick. He mindlessly held it like it might have been an infant. "Where are you going to stay after this?"

Andrea had a rather familiar formality that reminded him a bit of Ghost. It didn't surprise him that they two women were friends. Plus the fact that Ghost had been a mutant in this town long enough to win friends and influence plenty.

"Of course, I'll get you her number right now so we don't forget." Jude fished out his phone and opened up the phone book before passing it over. The message was clear, she could have any number in there if she wanted.

And with all the talking, he was seriously starting to fail at keeping Zaid buried in kittens. The ones that had made it out of the box strayed further and further, spreading out to explore. The ones in the box... well, Andrea was there for them. He wouldn't worry too much about them.

About the time Jude caught wind of what Zaid was saying, a kitten was pouncing for his ear. He yelped slightly as claws caught fur, tiny razors quickly retracting when they realized they got something that wasn't fabric. The little cuts weren't bad, and his fur had been thick enough he wouldn't bleed. He carefully scooted his furry companions to a safer spot on his chest before answering.

"Actually, Andrea and I were talking about it a bit before you came. The mansion isn't awful, but it's not a place I can see myself for long...But, I thought maybe you knew a safer place to go? My building probably isn't the best idea. I mean, you have the Honeycomb and that has more people, and you know your neighbors..." A tiny tongue from one of the kittens had started attacking his face. It made it hard to talk, so he sat back up, hair sticking in all directions from static.

He watched as Jude handed off the phone, and looked between the two. As awkward as it was, he knew both had a say in his situation going forward. At least they were all of the mindset that his old apartment was not the best long term goal.

"And, it's been nice, having you around. But you aren't going to want to keep coming here nonstop," Zaid titled his head with a half-smile. "And Andrea's got a boyfriend I assume will take up her time." The vein of sass that slipped into his voice was something that had been missing since Jude and Zaid met. The subtle smirk, a look of feigned innocence that came only from throwing a jab at someone he cared about. He held one wiggling kitten in his arms and a second attacked his tail. He felt pretty invincible right now.

"They are very... interesting names. It seems you get stuck looking after a lot of pets?" She chuckled. She knew nothing of the background of the dogs, or his boss, and wasn't the type to pry for info. She hoped her comment was simple enough to not come across as insulting, either.

The Greek's attention shifted slightly between the two and she suddenly felt very out of place. She didn't want to intrude on a conversation for couples and end up like a... erm, what were they called? a third wheel? She started pondering how best to extract herself from the situation before her presence made things awkward.

Thankfully, Jude gave her a momentary distraction by handing her his phone. "Thank you!" She scrolled only so far as she could to find the familiar name and click it, then set his phone on one knee so she could fish hers out. The kittens scampered away to beg to be let out from the other side of the box.

Her dinky little flip phone was unfamiliar, but not all together hard to figure out. She was used to hospital pagers, after all. She still probably looked like a dinosaur plunking away at Ghost's phone number with both hands and her attention focused entirely on the task. When she was done handed the phone back gingerly with a smile.

"He refused to let me set up camp outside his apartment door." She winked at Zaid, only slightly joking.

The Greek's whole face shifted a deep shade of brown at Zaid's barb, and she sputtered for a moment. "E-Erik has been very kind to divert so much of his time for me, I could hardly refuse!" ... not that she wanted to, anyway.

She stuck her tongue out at the bunny, flustered and yet happy that his spirit seemed to be flourishing despite everything he had been through.

Unfurling from her crouch, she straightened her sweater a bit and clasped her hands behind her back. "I should probably get going... I would take to intrude upon your time together any more than I already have." She angled her smile at the both of them, but mostly at Zaid. She certainly didn't want him to feel like she was running off and leaving him again, either.

"No... the Mansion is certainly awkward as an adult who is not a part of the team." And, despite Jude's abject rejection of the x-men, the offers and expectations were still there. Jude could only imagine what it was like for Zaid who had no designs on being a hero, but also didn't know anyone and didn't grow up in a mutant culture.

"You could of course come live at the Honeycomb. There's a lot of turn over. I- I'm sure one would open up soon... but they are all single rooms. And mine's full of dog. I hardly want to live there right now." Did that mean... he was willing to move? Jude honestly hadn't thought it through until this moment.

He watched his boyfriend be a little bratty and the sibling-like response from the snake girl. Jude hid his amusement behind his hand. It seemed Andrea had an Erik just like Zaid had a Jude.

"Did you and your Erik move in together?" Why was that worth blushing about? Jude raised a questioning eyebrow to Zaid, his hand scratching the top of the kitty's head, evil master style as he found a bit of kitten-less floor to sit on. Yeah. He couldn't even entertain anyone with no chairs...

"I would move, you know... if you wanted to."

Sensing a private conversation, and likely having finished with his phone, Andrea started making motions to leave. That was fine by Jude, but likely not fine by Zaid.

Jude understood. He was good at that. When Zaid started to feel flustered his boyfriend was quick to pick up on things. Despite the ups and downs of the week, he was not set to be here forever. Which meant deciding on a plan, and that was coming together faster than he could have predicted.

Jude mentioned the honeycomb, then started commenting on the rooms, and Zaid listened, trying to control his heart. He wanted Zaid there? But too crowded. He wanted to move? Maybe? Was that leading a direction Zaid thought it could be.

He was feeling incredibly torn now. He had been so happy to see Andrea again, and even the banter had made him happy. They embarrassed each other in a good natured way, showing how close they were. Yet as close as two people could be, being in the room during awkward living situation talk was probably insanely weird. He know he felt that way hearing her talk about Erik, but it also put his heart at ease knowing she was safe with the strong mutant.

Zaid shook his head to Jude’s question, ”I’m sure he spends enough time around, but they don’t live together. It is nice knowing someone is there to watch for trouble though.” he frowned as she made like the would leave, ears dropping. She was shooting him a look, he was struggling to balance the dynamic of the kitten covered room. His tail was in someone’s mouth. The fluff factor was spinning in they adult-ness of things.

”I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, But you’re never an intrusion. Jude knows what you did for me... and you’re like family now. I know it’s a bit, weird, but I also know you wanted to be sure I was somewhere safe... and I feel safe with Jude.” he looked at his boyfriend with affection and trust. He tried not to get crazy mushy about this, but didn’t want to leave doubts on the table.

”Would you really be okay moving... with me? I mean, i don’t want to make you feel rushed into something you aren’t prepared for....”

She watched, feeling more and more like an intruder by the second, as they chatted about moving.

If she could just get close enough to the door, maybe it would be easy to just....slip...out.

Jude asking if Erik lived with her had her whole face going brown again, and then Zaid piping in to inform Jude that they definitely didn't live together had her shifting awkwardly on her feet.

"Eh heh.. Well, um, Actually, Zaid. Erik and I do live together now." She giggled guiltily. Had she forgotten to mention that? "He moved in fully a few days ago."

She through her hands up in defense of herself, "I'm not uncomfortable! Really, I just hate feeling like i'm sitting in a private conversation is all. Erik is waiting outside for me somewhere, so really, I shouldn't take too much longer anyway."

It was both endearing being able to see this side of Zaid, and being able to see how close he was with the boy he spoke about often. It was also pretty frightening, as she didn't feel like she really needed to have a say in what they would be doing, seeing as she wasn't the one moving anywhere.

It did make her heart swell that Zaid cared about her opinion that much though.

Guilty, guilty. Why did she look so guilty? Jude didn't yet know Andrea enough to understand the hesitance. People lived together all the time. Heck, he'd sorta just asked Zaid to move somewhere with him. Was that something he should have been ashamed about?

"I wish you would stay." Because Zaid clearly wanted her to. Jude made sure he wasn't sitting next to or right on top of Zaid so that if Andrea sat, they'd be a happy little circle of friends instead of Jude and Zaid as a united front against Andrea. 'Cause it just wasn't like that. Sometimes it was the little things that could convince people more than words. Not that he didn't try words too...

"I've only just met you, Andrea. We've both been in New York for how long? And somehow this is our first time crossing paths. It may never happen again. If you think Erik's restless, call him in too."

As for an apartment... "I have enough saved for a down payment because the honeycomb is cheap. I just have no idea where to go." That was sort of his perpetual problem. "I don't want to live too far from work, but too close is a grody part of Brooklyn." Not too far from one of the stops on the mad chase of Zaid and Andrea's life... not that he was about to point that out...

Zaid was having difficulties. His tail was becoming too attractive to the kittens and after one or two bites, it was no longer cute. Add that to finding out Erik did in fact live with Andrea, resulted in a poorly timed, yelp, jump, then desperate grab to catch the cat that got yanked up with him.

"Son of a spaceship---he what? When did, why didn't you....we are not done with that conversation!" He wagged a kitten at her then awkwardly felt his tail. Tiny little vampires! He was preferring the dogs now. He scooted so his back was safely against one of the walls, his little ferocious kitten now taking swipes at him like a tiger. It thought he was being unfair taking the tail away. Zaid had a stern expression at it, as if to say he wasn't going to be bullied, even by a cat.

Zaid set it on his lap then tried to find something better to distract the kitten with. He was at his limits for claw based injuries now. He could use a shoelace. Or a string. They should find one if they had to spend much longer with the little balls of energy.

Zaid almost jumped again when Jude mentioned calling Erik in, and his ears shot up, his face struggling not to show how horrible he thought that idea was. He looked at Andrea with a mix of apology and horror. Oh gees, what if Erik said something to Jude about his manga. Heck, what if he said something about having to rescue him? What if he was awkward again and staaaaarrrrssssss---

He coughed, hand reaching blindly until he got his cup of water and finished it off. "Not that I'm not glad you're happy, but having all of us in this room is a bit more awkward than I think I could ever handle!" Zaid responded, putting a hand to his face. His cheeks were pink.

Thankfully, the conversation went back to the new apartment. Zaid's ear swiveled before his head followed to look at Jude. He actually had money saved up? That was, surprising, really. Zaid barely made enough for his place, he felt like he was lacking in the contribution to this idea. That was, until he realized he could offer a lead, if nothing else.

"I, actually, I might know of a place. Layne mentioned it to me before, well, everything. She was looking for someone to take over in her building so she could move closer to work. And, it might be in the direction your thinking." Zaid was less concerned about being further from work himself. The coffee shop wasn't a permanent career path for him like it was for Layne, who spent so much time there. She had mentioned it after he came into work with a black eye, wanting to see him have a safer place to stay. He really wasn't in the best location, after all. The difference in rent wasn't much, and it would be even easier splitting the cost between the two of them.

Oh, dear. She was in for it later if Zaid's tone was anything to go by. The Greek spared him grimace and held her hands out in front of her in a placating manner. "I am sure Erik would come in if asked, but he's a bit more of a private person when it comes to groups. I'm sure he's comfortable enough where he is." She seriously doubted he would like to be put on the spot now, especially with her having just outed the fact that they were kinda-sorta living together. She could very much envision him hefting her up and carting her off again like he had done when cornered by Carol.

She successfully battled away a blush thinking about that night nearly brought on.

Instead, she busied herself with sitting and folding her legs under her, not wanting to be completely rude by rejecting Jude's request. It was funny, now that he mentioned it. She smiled slightly, thinking about all of the places she had been over the years. "It's not entirely hard to believe. I was a bit of a shut in when I first came here, and I've bounced around practically everywhere. I still run into new faces all the time." It was surprising that she had never run into him specifically, considering Ghost and all... but again, she hadn't really started to branch out and be super social until a few years ago.

She turned her attention back to the topic at hand though; Where the two of them would be living. It still felt intrusive with her being there, but she tried to calm her nerves a bit. She couldn't recall if Zaid had mentioned his co-worker moving... but then again with everything that had gone on, she found it hard to remember what she had been doing the day before the attack. She knew he had mentioned at some point wanting to move before today.

She knew of a few places that were a bit less expensive than others, and tended to be in fairly decent areas... but she didn't feel that this was the time. Zaid seemed to have a place in mind already and she wasn't going to interfere with that at all.

"If you two need any help with moving things just give me a ring. I can take time off to help out."

Oh? Zaid and Erik had some history together? Jude stuffed down his initial reaction of jealousy because, even if Erik showed up, there was Andrea. And Andrea and Erik were a thing. It might even have proved to be entertaining considering both of Zaid and Andrea’s reactions. He didn’t really understand all the awkwardness of the situation based on the information given, though. Or maybe he was just a lot harder to embarrass given that none of that really applied to him.

Maybe that was for the best. It made it easier to dismiss.

”Oh I’m not too surprised we never met. When I lived here, I didn’t want to. And I even took a break for a few years to manage a rental property in Hell’s Kitchen and chase around Sebastian. Even when I came back, most people sorta got the impression that I was a kid and never let me grow up beyond that first impression. I started here when I was... ten or eleven?” Most of the old guard of X’s really. It was a side effect of being an X-man’s kid, he supposed.

Jude’s snowball was a puddle of purr. While that was nice (and quite adorable), his foot was being attacked where he’d tucked it away beneath his knee, criss-cross applesauce style. He was trying not to jostle the sleeping one, but also get the biter to stop biting. He listened politely as first Zaid offered what he knew about Layne’s place and Andrea offered to help Zaid move.

”Andrea must be a true friend if she's offering to help move. Moving is so weirdly terrible. You never realize how much junk and emotions you got until it goes in boxes. I don’t think anyone does it unless it’s necessary.” Though… that sort of implied that he needed to move. Mostly, he just wanted to…

Zaid could breathe again. He was no longer choking or blushing, and he was able to shoot an apologetic glance at Jude. "Erik saved me, when I got the black eye. He just... no offense, Andrea, he is not so great at the social boundaries. He was worried I had a concussion and it was awkward." He let his kitten join the others and made a face at the memory. What's hentai? Stars... He could live without that memory again.

He smiled again at Andrea when Jude complimented her. "She's an even better friend considering she's seen what a mess my apartment is... At least most my books are manga, which aren't that heavy to box up." There was a weird twist in his gut at the mention of emotions going into boxes. He found that was harder to swallow.

"Boxing up emotions, that is one thing I will have to deal with though. I'm not sure how much of my parents stuff I should keep, honestly. The cooking stuff will be great, but I don't think you want all of the old decorations unless you want to feel like you're living in an Asian restaurant." Zaid had traded some of the paintings and pictures for video game art when he settled in on his own. It was more fitting, if not easier, to look at. He knew there were a couple brush paintings he had liked as a kid, including one of a rabbit he would probably hang onto. But that would be a rather painful process to face down.

He tried to distract himself from that thought, "Oh, Andrea brought me a phone!" Zaid remembered, quickly grabbing it and passing it over to Jude. "I need our photo back. And contacts."

She could understand Jude, to degree. Though she wouldn't consider her relationship toxic at the time, she knew now that she and Saph had not been good for each other. She relied on him too much, and in doing so he tried to shelter her from everything. Truly they were both in better places now. "Well i'm glad to meet you now, as you are. Never a bad time for new first impressions, no?"

She turned her attention to Zaid, smiling slightly in understanding. "He's not, I know. He's working on it though. Social situations can be a little overwhelming for him."

She flushed a deep shade again at being complimented. Wasn't offering to move a normal thing? She thought it was a regular thing people did! Sure, this was probably the first time she had ever had a chance to offer someone help with moving anything of any sort (other than work related things) but she didn't feel like it was that special. "Oh hush, your apartment was hardly at all messy. I have seen messier storage rooms in hospitals." She chuckled and pulled a wriggling sloth-braid into her lap so that she could softly rub the scales around his maw. "I just know that it helps to have assistance... I am here for you to order me around to help with boxes and such if you so need me too."

She blushed a little deeper at the mention of the phone. She certainly hoped giving it to Zaid hadn't been crossing a line of any sort when it came to Jude's boundaries. She... honestly hand't thought that far ahead, nor had she thought she would be meeting him so soon.

"If... If I may be so bold, Zaid..." She seriously didn't want either of them to think that she was butting into their couple talk, but... she couldn't help herself. "When I came here I didn't have anything from home to bring with me, but I know from the few times I have moved around that it can be tempting to purge a lot of things while moving into a new space. But... hold onto those precious items for a little longer. Once you are settled in it might be easier to go though them and officially decide if you want them to stay or not."