He could only imagine the sorts of calls Jorge got. The guy was a detective in the MRC of the NYPD. Lord only knew what he saw on a daily basis. Still, Andrew smirked a bit. Jorge was kind of cool. The man asked Andrew whether he knew how to defend himself and Andrew just shook his head.

"Afraid not. Back in Kentucky there wasn't much call for it, at least for me. Up to now I haven't needed it. With everything that's happened of late though I've been meaning to learn."

Andrew didn't say why he wanted to learn. The cop would probably think it was the result of the encounter with Mittens and the other beatings that Andrew had alluded to. Partially that was right. More immediately though was the idea of learning to fight not to defend himself but others. Andrew didn't think he'd ever be good enough in any way to join the X-Men. However he could at least learn to fight in case the mansion got attacked or something and the kids needed protecting.

More and more he was considering it his home and that meant that he wanted to protect it. Especially now that he knew about the X-Men and knew what danger the place could be in. You could never be too careful. Some might argue that you could but they'd never lived with the constant threat of having their life turned upside down by a couple of words. Andrew would like to see them spend a month in his shoes and come out of it unscathed. Until they were physically threatened by them most people never realized just how many promises they made and broke.

>> "Afraid not. Back in Kentucky there wasn't much call for it, at least for me. Up to now I haven't needed it. With everything that's happened of late though I've been meaning to learn."

The detective nodded. He had figured that much about the kid. He did seem more like the pacifist. Not that he was weak or anything, but simply that in his world, there really was no need to know how to fight. Jorge learned that the hard way growing up. In a way he wished that some things were different. He had to defend himself until he got into the academy and that was where he learned to fight. Though it was not to go out and beat up all the people who had ever picked on him, it was simply that the bad guys did not necessarily want to talk their feelings through.

Sometimes…some rare times…a balled up fist was the answer.

“Listen, have you ever heard of the American Star Boxing Gym?” Jorge asked as he pulled out a pen from his pant pocket and took the card back from Andrew for a moment. He quickly jotted down an address and handed it back. “They have a pretty well equipped gym. Good for boxing, wrestling, they offer classes and such.”

Jorge wondered how that must have sounded to Andrew. To most people it would have been like telling someone they are weak and they need to learn to defend themselves otherwise tomorrow the world will beat them into a pulp, but that is not what Jorge was insinuating. He liked Andrew, thought there were a lot of good qualities, but sometimes it is those good qualities that paint a target on your back. Jorge knew that about the world. Plus, with a gift like Andrew’s, it would be horrible for someone to take advantage of it.

“It’s good to hear that you have friends to help you and a great home. It’s always good to hear that about a good kid. But sometimes, it’s just beneficial to know how to protect yourself,” Jorge sighed a bit as he replaced his pen in his pocket. “I’m not condoning that you pick up boxing just to go and whoop random people in the street, you understand? Do that and I’ll arrest you,“ he chuckled at this.

He then turned and reopened to bag Andrew had brought him and pulled out a brownie. He held it loosely in his hand as he gauged Andrew for a reaction and the continued.

“But, I train at the gym a couple times a week. If you want, I could teach you a move or two,” he took a bite out of his brownie and blinked his eyes, wide as he looked at the treat. “These are really good! My doctor’s gonna kill me.”

Jorge went into what Andrew termed advise and protect mode after Andrew made that last statement. The man was offering to teach him a few moves huh? Well he'd been wanting to learn something and here was an officer of the peace willing to teach him. It sounded like a good deal to Andrew. Any unintended insult the comments may have had didn't really hit Andrew that hard. He was well aware that he was weak. He was also well aware that he needed to not be weak because you never knew what would happen.

"Sounds like a plan to me. I gotta learn sometime." Andrew smirked again, "Do I really look like the type that's gonna go beat the stuffing out of people for no reason? Especially after having this conversation with a cop?"

Jorge then made a crack about his doctor killing him and Andrew laughed.

"Well then take one of the brownies with you and he'll be too busy eating to do so!"

Maybe Andrew should have gone to cooking school instead. If Kealey and Jorge's reactions were any indication he'd make a fantastic pastry chef. That would be yet another thing his parents didn't understand. Of course they didn't really know their son so it was perfectly reasonable that they wouldn't understand a good portion of his actions. His was a good family but not very close once you scratched the surface. Family aside, Andrew was glad to find another person to count amongst his friends.

>> "Do I really look like the type that's gonna go beat the stuffing out of people for no reason? Especially after having this conversation with a cop?"

“Well,” Jorge had to chuckle at this comment and shook his head. “I guess there you got me.”

He liked the kid. That was much was obvious. Jorge had an affinity for trying to go out of his way to help those who really seemed like they needed his help. Unfortunately Andrew did look like he needed his help. It felt sorry that in a world like today nice people had to face such ridicule and fear of being used as a victim. But he guessed that if he could teach Andrew to at least defend himself then that would be one less person to fall victim. And if there were one thing that Jorge was in favor of was for people to no longer be victims.

Jorge nodded as he clapped Andrew on the back of shoulder in a very manly, but maybe a little too rough way as he moved back onto his feet. With his healthy breakfast of brownies, cookies and a cinnamon roll finished, he unfortunately needed to get back to work. There was a city out there that would need his help after all.

“Listen, I need to get back in there before the chief reams me. But, thanks again Andrew,” he said as he stood before the kid and rolled up the top of the bag of treats he was given. He would definitely try to save some to take home for later. “I’m there usually after work or on weekends so call me whenever you want to get started okay? Just dress in workout clothes and some boxing gloves.” He held out his hand to shake Andrew’s again. “Good to meet you kid. I’m glad you got out of that incident in one piece.”

He smiled warmly, which appeared almost uncharacteristic for something of his stature and appearance, and then turned began to head back into the office. He felt good and he hoped that he could indeed teach the kid a thing or two that would be useful. As unfortunate as it is, people all too often become victims, and though he was a police officer, he could not be around 24/7. Sometimes, people just needed to learn that it is okay to throw a punch.

Andrew lurched forward a bit with that slap on the back. After Jorge thanked him again and stood up Andrew stood up as well. There really wasn't much else to say. Andrew need to get back anyway and like Jorge said, he was on duty.

"Not a problem. I'll probably give you a call soon."

Andrew shook hands with Jorge again. It really had been good meeting him outside of a scene. Who knew, maybe a few years down the road, with a miracle here and there, the two of them might work a scene side by side as cop and X-Man. It wouldn't happen but hey, a guy can dream.

"It was nice meeting you too, old man."

Andrew made sure there was plenty of friendly sarcasm in his tone of voice when he said old man. Jorge was hardly old but had just called Andrew a kid. Twenty years old wasn't a kid. There wasn't even a year left before his twenty first. Andrew had no idea what he'd do that day, presumably get drunk, but the point was that he was not a kid. In either case Andrew made his way back to the appropriate bus stop wondering where he could get his hands on some boxing gloves.