>> "There is a way out of it you know. I release you from your promise. There, no more pesky promises and you're free to fight or harm the X-Men as you see fit."

The release words unbound the thorns on his wrist, leaving it as clean and unvandalized as when he arrived. That clever little brat was having his fun with Nate, leading him on knowing full well he could release the promise at any time. Nate could get annoyed, but he was left laughing. If you had given him that power as a teenager, he probably would have done the same damn thing. "Clever trick, kid," he conceded with a grin.

>> "Ah, I love the library. Are you a reader? Because if you are, you'll love it. It's amazing."

Ah, the library. "I'm most definitely a reader so why don't you two lead the way." Being literate and well read was important to Nate, especially before he gave up his illegal craft. It was culture and intellect which separated the conman from the thug and the street rat. "How's the collection in a place like this?"

Gina seemed put out by the whole thing while Nate just shrugged it off with a grin and a condescending comment about it being a 'Clever trick, kid.' Maybe he didn't mean it in a condescending way but Drew had never really liked being called a kid. Here he was twenty one, working at a school for mutants, and putting his life on the line regularly and this guy thought of him as a kid? Rationalizing it out as the guy not knowing him Drew pushed the thoughts aside. Though he still wasn't fond of the guy. Sure he was good looking but an inordinate amount of the people he knew were in someway attractive. Yes Gina seemed to like him but she really seemed to like everybody.

In the end, caught up in his thoughts as he was Drew ended up letting Gina gush about the library before he tuned back into the conversation in time for Nate's question.

"Two floors full of books. So the collection is pretty good."

Drew grinned fondly, remembering pawing through shelf after shelf of books when he'd first got here looking for interesting things to read.

"A reader's dream really...well short of having the Library of Congress to yourself."

Drew smirked and led the way toward the room in question.

Nate seemed a good deal more relaxed about the occurence than Gina had, if not mildly humored, which in-turn made Gina a little more relaxed about the matter

>> "I'm most definitely a reader so why don't you two lead the way. How's the collection in a place like this?"

>> "Two floors full of books. So the collection is pretty good. A reader's dream really...well short of having the Library of Congress to yourself."

Gina nodded in concurrence with Drew, bringing up the end of their little three-man caravan as they navigated the familiar halls.

"Two floors, at a high school," Gina echoed, "I mean sure, Xavier's isn't a public school, but still-- two floors. I love the library."

They were almost there, and Gina made a mental note that they weren't there to read, as difficult as such a thing would be.

>> "Two floors full of books. So the collection is pretty good. A reader's dream really...well short of having the Library of Congress to yourself."

>> "Two floors, at a high school. I mean sure, Xavier's isn't a public school, but still-- two floors. I love the library."

Their words did not do the library justice. An expansive collection of shelves lined with books, lit in the warm amber light cast through the room. If he was indeed a welcome visitor to the Mansion, he had found a quality excuse to take the trip often. This would serve well when he wanted to read outside of the coffee shop setting of the Full Circle.

Nate surveyed the titles on the nearest shelf; the historical section it would seem. He had to wonder what sort of benefactor could give a privately funded school such a collection of works. If he had not been sure that his thievery days were behind him, he was certain the Mansion would hold plenty of worthy targets.

Nate removed a book that caught his eye, authored by a Scottish Doctor titled, "The Brief History of Homo Superior: The Mutant Genesis." He held the book up inquisitively. "Do I have to be a resident or staff to take out a book?"

He flipped through a few pages, skimming diagrams and charts. Learning more about mutantkind was becoming something of a hobby for him and the Mansion library seemed like an opportunity to learn from the source. "If not, I can always just come by and sit in, right?" He was considering sitting down and leafing through the book, but they had more places to visit and he wanted to be conscious of Drew's time.

Nate was definitely impressed with the library. That much was obvious. Drew smirked a bit at it. Anyone remotely reading inclined usually was. After a moment's thought Drew leaned against one of the bookshelves and answered the man's questions.

"Well I don't know whether non-residents can take out books but you're welcome to swing by and lose as many hours here as you like."

With a chuckle Drew decided to take pity on the man since he looked like he wanted to just sit down and forget anything but the books existed.

"There isn't much more to see if you'd rather just stay here and read for a while. Just the offices, infirmary, and dorms."

Not that Drew had anything else to be doing at the moment. He always took care of his duties at the mansion for pursuing his own ends. Nate simply looked rather envious of the library's collection.

Nate skimmed the shelves as Drew stepped back and leaned against the shelves. Gina propped herself up using one of the heavy wooden desks, sliding onto it to sit as she watched Nate peruse. History wasn't her cup of tea.

>> "Do I have to be a resident or staff to take out a book? If not, I can always just come by and sit in, right?"

> "Well I don't know whether non-residents can take out books but you're welcome to swing by and lose as many hours here as you like."

Gina also shrugged at the inquiry. For the entire time that she'd been at Xavier's, she'd been a resident and thereby capable of checking books out. She'd never seen or heard of some random person coming in off of the streets to check a book out, though.

> "There isn't much more to see if you'd rather just stay here and read for a while. Just the offices, infirmary, and dorms."

Gina smiled at this, tilting her gaze towards Graves. It was obvious that he wanted to stick around and lose himself in a good book. And as a fellow avid reader, Gina wouldn't stop him from doing so.

The offer was tempting... it had sounded to him like the first half of the tour was more important than the second, and his opinion of the Mansion was pretty set. He liked the place and the longer he was in the hallowed halls of mutant collaboration, the more set he was on applying for a job.

He looked down at the book and smiled. "Y'know, I think what I've already seen has sold me. I'm more than happy to let you get back to your day, Drew. You've been a great guide. Just one last question; how would I apply for a job? Is there an application or do I just come in for an interview?" He wanted a legitimate job, and this was the place that made sense. The last step in a happy new life.

He searched around the room and noticed a comfy chair. This was how he wanted to spend his day. Enjoying the atmosphere of acceptance and warmth in this impressive library. "Either of you are more than welcome to stay. I never mind company." He said it to both of them, but he was gearing it toward Gina, who seemed most likely to spend some time hanging around with him and a book.

Drew gave a brief smile to Graves. Rare was the person that came here and didn't stay. At least in his experience. There had probably been plenty of people who'd left or just not fit before. Though this would have to be the first person that had wanted to hire on that he'd personally met.

"Probably my boss, Sam Johnson. Anything in particular you're looking to do?"

Drew excused himself for a moment and scavenged a piece of paper and a pen from the library's desk. On this he scribbled Sam's office number and returned to Graves and Gina.

"Here, that's the number to his office. That should get you started. Sam will probably just interview you but it wouldn't hurt to have a resume on hand."

Hiring around here seemed like a pretty casual affair to Drew, considering he'd been offered a job while on the street right after trying to hold up a cafe. Smirking at the memory Drew gave Nate a quick once over.

"You'll probably fit right in."

Though the comment about company had been said for both of them Drew was pretty sure that Nate didn't care if he stayed at all. So he nodded to the both of them.

"If there's nothing else I'm gonna go."

As Nate inquired about jobs at the Mansion, and as Drew mentioned how he could get a job, Gina listened with a grin, bouncing lightly as the two young men spoke.

"Oo," Gina gasped, bouncing on her toes, "That'd be so awesome if you were a teacher!" Then Nate could be her teacher. Unless he taught something that Gina wasn't good at. Like... she peered at Nate contemplatively... like science or math. She couldn't do science to save her life, and she only passed math by miraculous virutes.

Nate invited the two of them to say, and Drew politely declined.

"I'll stick around, but my reading material's downstairs," Gina said. Her voice then dropped a fraction, before she loudly whispered, "Miss Kealey doesn't like me flying in the library."

Thus, before venturing downstairs to go get a book, Gina gave Drew a hug goodbye. She then scurried downstairs in search of something to read, so that she could join Nate and keep him company.

end.