Andrew scanned the video game titles with what would be considered an apathetic eye. When he'd moved into that apartment he'd been happy to discover that one of his roomies had had an Xbox 360. Alternatively the other had a PS3 and the two fought more often than not over which would get use of the tv. The upside of this was that Andrew got to play both when they weren't there.

Yesterday Craig, one of his roommates, the other college student had noticed one of Andrew's promise marks in the morning before he'd headed off to classes. Andrew had just gotten up at that point and hadn't put on a glove yet. It had been a simple promise and Andrew had fulfilled it before Craig returned. Normally Craig wasn't too observant. This time he noticed the absence of the black mark he'd seen that morning and asked after it. Andrew managed to talk around it but Craig hadn't seemed convinced. Andrew had been a nervous wreck ever since.

So today Andrew had decided to take some time to think about the problem. After a time he'd gotten sick of worrying in the apartment so he decided to walk and worry. Eventually he'd ended up in the shopping districts and Andrew had decided to have a look at video games. He'd hoped it would have the effect of distracting him from his worries and giving him ideas for gifts for the guys for christmas. Not that Andrew had any money on him at the moment but it could wait.

None of the games he'd seen so far had been at all entertaining. Craig would probably enjoy a shooter of some kind. Andrew knew that well enough from the guy's collection of games that was pretty much all he had. Now his other roomie tended to like rpgs and action games more. Andrew didn't really care what he played. He just grabbed something off of the shelf for whatever machine he was going to use and popped it in.

The browsing was helping to keep his lingering nervousness and fear at bay. However that didn't mean it was gone. It would crop up in bursts now and then as he shopped. After all, what if Craig the ever dim jock actually figured something out for once? What would happen to Andrew if his roommates figured out he was a mutant? His mind told him exactly what it thought would happen. He'd either end up dead or living in the streets. With these thoughts wandering around in his mind Andrew came to the end of one rack of games and moved to look at another.

Kealey Quinn was a shopper. Heck, the blond figured that most of the time she could probably throw the word ‘professional’ in there. As she made her way to her destination, Kealey ran through the list of shopping places she knew by name in her head and what each one specialized in. Yeah…she could have been a professional.

…except when it came to today’s errand. She needed a present, a present for Shin. That present was going to be a video game, something Kealey knew less than nothing about. As she walked, she reconsidered that statement. She knew what Shin had told her, and while that still wasn’t very much, it was probably more than nothing. As with many things, Shin had given Kealey a fighting chance with this quest.

This idea had taken a lot of planning, a little reconnaissance, and was going to require just a smattering of luck. The video game shelf that Shin had in his room had provided Kealey with the information on what kind of games and for what system, and Shin himself had told her enough of what he liked that Kealey had a general idea of what she was looking for.

Spotting the shop up ahead, Kealey was feeling more and more confident from her little internal pep talk. She grabbed the door handle and opened the door, how bad could it be?

Pretty. Darn. Bad.

Shelf after shelf rose in front of the blond and row after row of shelf after shelf curled their way around the store. How did so many video games even exist? Suddenly Kealey didn’t feel so confident.

In she walked, trying to figure out exactly where it was she should start. An arm crossed her belly, what was she so nervous all of a sudden? Almost panicked over the fact that there were more video games than she’d expected? There was only one answer.

As she walked, looking for the Wii section, Kealey studied the other patrons in turn, trying to figure out who it was who had her belly full of nervous butterflies.

It didn’t take long.

He was younger than Kealey, and she tilted her head as she looked, wondering what could possibly have someone this nervous in a video game store. Most boys were in heaven in places like these. In fact, most of them were shocked when they saw her. Kealey frowned…she was wearing a simple sun dress and her hair was in a loose ponytail…what was there to gape at in shock? She shrugged and turned her attention back to the nervous boy.

He was wandering a little aimlessly from section to section, and Kealey kept half an eye on him as she browed through games. It only took a few moments for her to realize that this was going to be much more difficult than she’d previously thought. There was a game clasped in each hand, but the blond just wasn’t sure which one Shin would like…or if he’d like either. The other indecisive people weren’t helpful to the empath either and she sighed a bit impatiently, where was customer service when she needed it?

Nowhere to be found. Of course.

Kealey looked up to find the nervous guy standing across from her on the other side of the rack. He was in a videogame store…he had to know something….right?

”Excuse me…” she said, ”I’m trying to buy a game for my boyfriend…and I didn’t realize there was so much to choose from…is there any way you could help?”

Well, this was dull. Andrew knew very little about the games his roommates played. Most of the titles on the walls and racks looked utterly ridiculous. Who would want to shoot virtual representations of Nazis or whatever flavor of the day villian had been picked with virtual guns? He really didn't understand it at all. Still, it was better than being back at the apartment with an inquisitive Craig. Andrew's eyes strayed from game to game. What on earth was a Rabbid?

Andrew was about to give it up as foolish and ridiculous and just leave. Then someone asked him for help. Andrew looked up from the rack he was staring at to the blonde woman across from him who had just spoken. She looked older than him but observations like that were best kept to himself. Andrew did his best to squash any fear and nerves he was feeling. Stuttering wouldn't be suspicious at all would it?

"I could try but I don't know much about games myself. My roommates play and I just borrow their games when I'm bored and have nothing better to do."

Andrew moved around to the other side of the rack to stand beside the woman. As he came around his right hand strayed to his left to make sure that yes, he did have his glove on. He hadn't made any promises today so there wouldn't be a mark to hide but still. It was habit by now to check whenever he met someone new.

"Do you have any idea what sort of game you're looking for?"

That was probably the best place to start. Concentrate on helping the lady and worry about yourself later. Sure Andrew figured he'd probably get home to find his roommates had packed up his things and thrown him out. Heck, maybe they'd just have trashed it all. That was probably what they'd do. Humans didn't understand or like mutants in the least after all. Focus! The polite lady needs help and a woman's needs always supercede your own, at least that's what his mother had said. Dad just agreed with mom.

The younger man looked up, and immediately started to help. Kealey didn’t know if it was something about New York, or simply the people she’d met…but getting help simply by asking was surprising. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like the gentleman was going to be all that much help. He wasn’t a gamer, but his roomates were. Kealey hoped for a moment that they were here too, and that her helper was going to pull one of them over. Her hopes got even higher as he walked away for a moment, then sunk a bit as he simply came around the end of the shelves to look with her.

What kind of game was she looking for? Kealey shrugged slightly, all the indecision rolling around in her head and her belly and making it hard to think.

”Well…something that isn’t too easy…but isn’t too silly….and has space, or robots, or something cool to fight with?” she said, Irish accent rolling over the words smoothly as she tried to sort out her thoughts and put words to them. ”Not boring either…but something with good music….”

Geez. That had been a mess.

”Um…sorry about that…it probably didn’t make any sense…” she said, still noting the slight nervousness in the way the other person spoke and moved, and tugged at a glove that he wore despite the New York August heat.

”I guess you could say I have a bit of a disability around people…and there are a lot of indecisive people in here.”

Her description of the sort of games she was after wasn't very helpful. In fact Andrew had to bite back a chuckle. She apologized a moment later and Andrew immediately responded.

"No, it's quite alright."

Andrew listened to her explanation and her Irish accent while he was at it. A disability around people? She didn't look disabled. Then she mentioned there being a lot of indecisive people around. The gears in Andrew's head began turning and tossed out an equation that looked something like:

New York City + Slightly odd person + Something weird = Mutant

Of course he could be jumping to conclusions. Just because practically everyone else he'd met recently had turned out to be a mutant didn't mean she would. Heck she could just be sensitive to other people's emotions. Some people were that way. They were better at reading body language or something and could figure out what people were feeling better than others.

Or she could be a mutant.

That thought just added him to the number of indecisive people in the room but for another reason entirely than video games. Every mutant he'd met so far had been a good sort. Yet he also knew that there were bad ones out there. What if she was one of the bad ones? Just 'cus she didn't look or act evil didn't mean she couldn't be an evil mastermind bent on world dominion.

Andrew stopped at that thought. Ok, he'd been in the video game store too long if he was thinking like that. Speaking of which.

"What system does your boyfriend have?"

The lady had asked for help. Andrew would do his best with that before finding a way to ask a question that would like get his butt kicked.

He wove off her rambling, and Kealey smiled back. She really had found a diamond in the rough as far as strangers in New York were concerned. Most people would have blown her off from the start, and even if they’d agreed to help…she’d be watching their back as they retreated out the door. Neither was the case now, though, he simply laughed and told her it was fine.

Something changed in his emotions though, and Kealey didn’t miss it for a second.

While he continued to help, she could feel him going through various stages of mild paranoia and anxiety. Had he recognized her subtle innuendo that she was a mutant? It would be a shame if he had and decided not to help…he really was nice, but Kealey had stopped trying to hide what she was a long time ago. There were a few slightly uncomfortable moments while he joined the ranks of uncertainty and Kealey stared at the titles of all the games like they were written in Greek.

He spoke, and Kealey breathed a sigh of relief…he was still going to help her, mutant or not. He rose another point in the blonde’s estimation. ”I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable before…there are a lot of people between here and the street and it’s got me a little flustered.” Kealey stopped that line of discussion and moved on to the question he’d asked.

”He’s got a Wii…” she said, holding out the games for her helper to see, before sliding them back into place on the shelf, ”I at least managed to figure out that much…and find the right section.” there was a small note of pride in her voice and she smiled as she said it. She’d done well, right up until it was time to actually choose a game.

”My name is Kealey, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you….and thanks so very much for the help. I thought that looking at all the games in his room would be enough help me pick something out…but apparently not.”

She sighed in relief. Of course the sentence that followed that nearly made him wince. He'd made her apologize again. It should be him apologizing for being such a useless coward. In either case she was either really careless with her wording or had just confirmed his suspicions. It could be either but Andrew was still rather sure that she was a mutant.

"Oh no it's alright. It's just that most people aren't so upfront with something like that."

Like me Andrew added in the privacy of his mind. He went to work trying to think of spacey titles for the Wii while the woman sounded proud of getting as far as she did. It was actually about as far as Andrew had gotten. Spacey Wii titles...Andrew was drawing a blank. Neither of his roommates had a Wii but he supposed they could just look at the shelf until they saw something likely.

"Andrew and the pleasure is all mine." he scanned the titles as he spoke, a faint Kentucky twang settling over them, "My mother said a man should always help a lady if asked so it's absolutely no trouble. Does your boyfriend have any particular series of games or anything? Maybe we could start from there."

That idea had just cropped up in Andrew's brain when he thought of Craig's Halo collection. Andrew hadn't played it but Craig had every one of them that was available. Maybe Kealey's boyfriend would be the same and make things easy on them. At least that's what he hoped. While all the rest of this was running through his mind he was simultaneously trying to decide what to do about his suspicions of Kealey being a mutant and whether or not he should tell her about himself. It made for a confusing jumble yet somehow Andrew managed to not have his brain go up in smoke.

He could do like Kealey had done maybe. Just allude to it in conversation in some way that wasn't overt. How did you tell someone about a mutation like his through subtlety?

Kealey shrugged her shoulders when Andrew pointed out that most people weren’t as upfront about their X-gene, ”Why would I have a reason not to be? I am who I am. Besides, I‘m either a mutant or I‘m crazy. I‘d rather people know I‘m not crazy, just addled.” Kealey had learned a long time ago that people would either taker her or leave her based on her powers. It was frustrating sometimes, but for the most part she was cognizant of the fact that the people who left weren’t worth her time. That made things easier. Much easier.

Her helper introduced himself and Kealey smiled at the formality and genuinely polite nature of his comments. His name was Andrew, and Kealey nodded her head at the advice he shared, ”That’s very solid advice, your mother must be a very smart woman.” she commented, then pondered his question, eyes screwing up in concentration as she tried to picture the shelf in Shin’s room she’d been sneaking glances at for some time.

”Umm…there are Mario games, and Zelda games, and Metroid games…” she said, drawing a blank on the rest. ”I don’t understand why this is so hard…I was so sure I’d be excellent at this when I was walking in…”

Now Andrew was confused, and unsure about something. Kealey looked at him and sighed slightly, not with impatience, but simply mild frustration with the situation in general.

”You were so nervous earlier, and now you’re confused. Do you need help of some kind?” she asked, coming straight to the point with a comfortable half-smile on her face. An empath couldn’t help being a little nosey…but she could prevent herself from standing around while someone needed help.

Well that cleared that up. Kealey just came out and said it without any hesitation. How could she do that? Andrew didn't understand it at all. Surely she could have an easier time of things if she just kept it to herself? He didn't really have at decent reply for that. After all, he hide what he was from the world. Of course he had what he thought was a very good reason. People were horrible and if they knew about someone with a power like his they'd probably use him.

There were hundreds of scenarios he'd concocted in his mind of just such at thing happening. That was why he had previously avoided mentioning it when at all possible. For some time, ever since he'd started meeting other mutants, he'd been questioning that determination though. None of them had done anything to abuse the trust he'd given them, as far as he knew. The thought of that sort of betrayal still made him scared beyond any semblence of reason but he had come to the conclusion that maybe not everyone was out to get him.

"Well I can't say I know much about those series but I have heard of them. I think there is a new Metroid game out. That would probably be a good option. Honestly you've done well to get as far as you have. I haven't done any better and I'm just looking to get ideas for christmas presents for the roommates."

His attention turned to the shelf full of game titles and he looked for a Metroid game. He hadn't been looking long when Kealey mentioned his emotional state. Not only that but she was right about it. That must have been what she meant about having a disability around people. If that was the case it probably wouldn't do to lie to her. Not that it was alright to lie at all but Andrew shrugged that one off as a consequence of staying hidden.

"Well then I guess I'd best just say it." Andrew lowered his voice so as to not be overheard, "I'm a mutant as well."

He didn't mention what his mutation was just yet. It was uncomfortable enough just admitting that he was a mutant at all. Andrew put his attention back on the games to look for that Metroid title rather than look at Kealey. It eased his nerves, which were just a few ticks away from out of control, not to look at her while he waited for what she'd say. Now Andrew didn't expect her to say anything. Kealey was a mutant too. However he'd spent so long avoiding telling people that it was hard for him to not treat this admission like telling someone he had some filthy std or something. It was just the way things were for him.

Kealey could tell that Andrew was baffled by her revelation and she studied him subtly as they looked through the games. As she did, Kealey decided that one of two things was true about the younger man. One, he hadn’t met many mutants. That seemed unlikely in this day and age, so that probably meant the second was true. Andrew was a mutant.

Kealey had been at the mansion long enough by this point to realize that sometimes knowing that a person was among people who were genetically similar was enough to make them an even more nervous wreck than they had been before. Sure, they were a mutant, but either they didn’t like to admit it, or they were afraid to.

Andrew spoke again, this time commenting on the games, and Kealey brightened up at the mention of a new Metroid game. She was positive she’d seen that title on the shelf in Shin’s room. ”Ooo, that would be wonderful. If it’s new than I’m almost positive he won’t have it. He’s very busy and probably won’t have had time to get it.” Kealey started looking, hoping the unlikely hope that the title was something like, “Brand New Metroid Game that Shin Doesn’t Have.”

As she looked, Kealey noticed new feelings coming off of Andrew in waves. Fear. Discomfort. Nerves. Her hand hovered over her stomach again as the feelings hit home and the blond swallowed as he made his own admission. Tentatively she reached out a hand towards his shoulder.

”Andrew?” she said, ”It’s okay…it really is. You don’t have to be anxious. Are you new to New York? Your accent sounds about as common place as mine.”

She spotted the game as she looked at her helper and snagged it off the shelf. ”Here, let me pay for this. Do you want to go somewhere and talk? There’s a great little coffee place down the street…you seem like you could use an ear.”

Kealey's hand sought out his shoulder while he was dealing with his fears. Strangely enough he found it somewhat comforting. He was supposed to be helping her but it was quickly becoming apparent that she was going to end up helping him instead. What a mess.

"I'm from Kentucky. Been here two years. Every now and then the accent slips out."

They managed to resolve the issue of the video game fairly quick. Kealey noticed it before he did and snagged it off the shelf. Andrew was glad of that. At the very least she got the game she needed. Kealey suggested they hit a coffee shop and somehow that just made him want to laugh. In fact he did smirk a little and his fears subsided a bit. Going to a coffee shop with a mutant was becoming cliche for him. That made him feel a bit safer and more comfortable.

"Sure, some coffee sounds good. I haven't had coffee with a fellow mutant today and I can't have that not happen."

While Kealey stood in line and purchased the game Andrew stood to one side. Maybe it was because of her particular mutation but Kealey seemed a bit more interested in him and his mutation than the others had. Amber had been curious and so had Sveta but those were two different encounters. Amber had been curious for curiousity's sake or at least that was how it had seemed. Sveta had just wanted to know what the heck happened. Kealey seemed like she wanted to help. That was something pretty new to Andrew.

Once Kealey had finished her purchase Andrew headed for the door, holding it for Kealey. Now it was up to Kealey since he didn't know this district all that well.

"So, where's this coffee shop?"

Kentucky. ”I’ve never been anywhere in the states outside of New York.” Kealey said, ”I’m from Ireland. The accent always slips out.” She’d been a little worried that putting her hand on Andrew’s shoulder would be a bad idea, but he didn’t seem to mind and even calmed down a little. That was good.

Once she’d found the right game, the rest was simple. Andrew seemed amenable to talking, and he was even quite amused by the fact that she wanted to get coffee. The blond reminded herself to ask about that later, and moved to get in line.

If only the search had been as easy as paying was, she thought as she handed over the money and got her change. This was going to be good though, Shin would be so surprised that she’d managed to find him a game he liked.

Kealey was surprised when Andrew took the bag from her, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless. He wanted to know where the coffee shop was and Kealey gestured down the street as they left the shop.

”It’s just a few shops down.” she said, and led the way.

Soon they’d placed their orders and were sitting in the quaint little sitting area where Kealey had found herself after a bank robbery and after someone had knocked her portfolio from her hands while she was applying to FIT.

”You seem nervous about your genetic status.” Kealey said, sipping her coffee. ”I couldn’t help but notice….why is that?” she asked candidly, then smiled a little apologetically.

”Sorry…I can’t help but be pretty direct….”

They were settled in with their coffee at the shop in no time flat after leaving the game shop. Andrew had gotten a latte as he usually did. Kealey asked why he was so nervous about being a mutant. He almost countered by asking why she wasn't. That wouldn't have been polite though so he sucked it up. Instead he took a couple of breaths so he could try to talk calmly about something he'd been afraid of ever since he'd found out he was a mutant at sixteen.

"It's my mutation. If I make a promise to someone then I'm obliged to keep it. If I don't then there are consequences." he held up his left hand, gloved as it was, "That's why I wear a glove. When I make a promise a black band, like a tattoo, appears around my wrist. Since it disappears once the promise is fulfilled or broken I don't want anyone noticing."

Andrew paused and took a drink. That explained his mutation, not his nervousness.

"Suffice it to say I don't want to be used. One of my roommates noticed one of the marks and noticed when it was gone later that day. I've been worried ever since."

That was it in a nutshell. There were other things to say. He hadn't outright stated that he was scared senseless of having his mutation used. Nor had he said anything about how the promises came with a need to see them completed. There was no telling what Kealey could or would do with this information so he didn't want to spill everything yet.

Andrew didn't think she'd do anything to hurt him. Kealey seemed nice. Better safe than sorry though. That had been his motto for years after all.

As they sat and drank their coffee, Andrew opened up about his mutation. Kealey was glad he trusted her so much after a short time, when talking about things was obviously difficult. There was too little of that kind of trust these days and it was a refreshing occurrence.

As the younger man explained, Kealey nodded her head and listened, eyes widening slightly at the implications of what he said. No wonder he was scared. ”I can’t imagine what that’s like for you….I mean, I know how you feel, but that’s about it.” Kealey didn’t pry, if Andrew chose to be more forthcoming, he would be.

After she spoke, Kealey realized that her words may have sounded cryptic and she took another sip of her coffee before setting it down on the table and speaking again, ”I feel emotions. Everyone’s, all the time. I can also fiddle with them. I don’t unless I absolutely have to…but I can.”

Andrew explained about his roommate and why he was scared and wandering and Kealey frowned, ”Have you ever heard of The Mansion? It’s really a sister school to Xavier’s Institute…but it’s right here in New York City. That’s where I live, with a whole lot of people just like us.”

Andrew's relief over her reaction to his mutation could not be understated. Kealey didn't seem to be considering what could be done with his mutation at all. That put him at ease. He smiled a little at her sympathy.

"It isn't easy. Of course it never is for people like us is it?"

Andrew knew there were mutants that had it worse than he did. Some of them couldn't hide like he did. But then they generally got something out of the deal. Andrew really didn't. At least he couldn't see the upside of his ability if there was one. Kealey explained what she could do and Andrew nodded. He'd sort thought it was something like that since she'd mentioned his feelings. He took another drink of the hot coffee.

He was going to say something but then she mentioned the mansion like Same had done when he'd met him not too long ago. Could it be that this woman knew him? The curiosity was too much.

"The Mansion? Do you know Sam? I met him not long back."

Andrew fished his wallet out and pulled out the card that Sam had given him. He'd tucked it into his wallet after that meeting. Just in case. Now he laid it down on the table for Kealey to see. He wondered about this Mansion place. Two of the nicest mutants he'd met so far had ties to it in one way or another. Even Amber had mentioned it.

Maybe it was high time he stopped thinking about going and just go. Sam had offered him a job, which Andrew sort of assumed would take place there. Amber mentioned it when he told her about himself. Now Kealey too. It seemed like someone was giving him one major hint. Time to take it. Well unless Kealey wasn't related at all and was just giving friendly advice. Still, that would be a good sign to go too. Right?