The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
>>"Absolutely diabolical. I don't know how I'll look past this,"
He chuckled heartily at her comment but that didn’t break Booker’s stride in the dance. The man was expert enough to engage in both friendly banter and keep his focus in not losing his step. Besides, the woman was far too enchanting for him to lose his focus. He really was being his best here, as that was the side of him he wanted to present to her. They had already had a somewhat rocky start, him kissing her while she was already in a relationship, that now at the prospect of them actually dating, the man wanted to ensure that he presented himself to utter perfection.
Few things in life were perfect, but Booker was going to try his damnedest to make it possible in this instance. He liked Juliette, a lot, and he wanted to make sure not to foul that up; keeping from stepping on her toes would definitely be a plus in that category.
Booker had been around music all his life. Music and literature. He knew how to dissect text, he knew how to play music, he knew how to organization information, and he knew how to get swept away and let a tune guide him. The man was a paragon for the arts (except his couldn’t draw for sh*t) so it was easy for him to take the lead in this scenario. Juliette, being unpracticed, really only had to follow his lead and she was doing beautifully thus far.
The two danced like two lovestruck teenagers, moved to sway thanks to the tones of music that flowed over them like the water in a rushing river. Booker held on, moving Juliette left and right, turning in small circles, grinning when she pressed closer to him and just letting himself get lost in the sensation of being near her.
Darkness slow set upon them, the sun sinking behind several towering buildings before the song finally came to an end. Booker had found himself inexplicable closer to the woman, holding her gently. It was only when the people started to clap in appreciation that Booker blinked and looked up, realizing that it was over. He turned to look over his shoulder, seeing the musicians bowing their head in thanks. Juliette too was shaken from her thoughts as she blushed a little before turning back to applauding with everyone else. A short laugh and Booker joined in.
However, he did notice that even though the music was over, Juliette had not stepped away from him. As a matter of fact, the two of them seemed just as close…a state that he wasn’t going to argue with. His arm still around her waist, he took a breath as he watched the musicians gear up for another song. Perfect. Honestly he didn’t want this moment to end, not in the slightest. He would have honestly been more than happy to just continue dancing the night away, under the stars, with this lovely woman in his arms.
That wasn’t too much to ask for, right?
The new song that began to play was a little more energetic but it was no less beautiful. Again, it established Booker’s love for string instruments as the uplifting tune wove a fine tapestry of beauty and elegance around them. The sounds of the city died away and the librarian found himself swaying a bit in tune with the beat.
>>"This is one of my favourites,"
He recognized the song they were covering, as well, and had to grin at this rendition. He hadn’t heard it like this before but it was done with such perfection that the man couldn’t help but fall in love with it. He hoped that they had CD’s or at least a link to their iTunes store or Spotify available; because, really, in this day and day who didn’t have those things?
Feeling the woman beside him sway a bit, Booker slowly began to run his fingers up and down her waist. The music rolled through him, reminding him of all the sweet and romantic things that the man read about over the years in books, seen in television, and listened about in music. It was clear to see the romance in this, to feel in coursing through his veins. Bewitched, the man turned and looked down at Juliette again. When he caught her eyes there was an unspoken dialogue about what was to come next.
Gently he wrapped her arms around his neck, his own hands finding her waist as he started another slow dance. His gaze didn’t break from hers as the music turned them ever so slowly. He continued to dance, leading her gently, sweetly to the waves of music. It wasn’t until towards the end that he started to lean down, his eyes still on her, getting lost in her vibrant, brown irises until he closed his eyes…and their lips met.
Just like before, snapped perfectly together, like lost puzzle pieces that found one another once again.
He had to chuckle at the look that Juliette gave him when he brought up the chicken juggler. It was a rough day, for sure, but slowly the man was coming back from the shock and awe he felt concerning that particular showman. It was interesting, to say the least, but also quite terrifying and something that the librarian really never wanted to see again. He was certain that, at some point, it must have been one of those awkward shows held in deepest, darkest corners of Tijuana. Ugh! The chick-anity!
He shuddered but smirked as he informed the sunshiney nurse that, ”Real.” he informed her. But added, ”And it went as well as you think juggling three live chickens can go.”
Another shudder. Such a terrible show.
Turning back to the matter at hand, thankfully Booker didn’t have to spare too much thought on the even as the music soon began to start up. The musicians all geared up and the music made by their expert strings immediately filled the air. Booker closed his eyes, smiling a bit as he felt himself getting swept away by the scene. It truly was such a perfect moment that the man could scarcely think anything that could make it better.
That is until he felt a small squeeze of his hand. He turned his jade eyes back over to the woman and gave her a soft smile. She too was enraptured by the music and had yet to turn to face him. Letting his eyes roam over the contours of her face, her cheekbones, the softness in her brown irises, and the flow of her dark hair, Booker felt himself utterly swept away.
Really, what happened next was her own fault. It was her idea to stop for the music and natural setting, plus with how amazing she looked, the self-proclaimed book-sherpa just didn’t have a chance.
Quietly he undid his bag and set it next to his feet. Not the wisest decision in New York, especially Central Park, but it seemed that most everyone who gathered were more interested in the music playing. Besides, the most any thieves would get would be his notebook for D&D next week, a printout of call numbers he wanted to double check, and his back-up sweater. Plus a plethora of pens! Any thief would be stupid rich with pens. Besides, for what he wanted to do, he was willing to risk it.
Once his bag was set aside, Booker lifted the young woman’s hand to his lip and gave it a soft kiss on the knuckle. This immediately seemed to pull her attention to him as he gave her a charming grin. He wanted to dance. Yes, she admitted that she had never gone salsa dancing, but this wasn’t salsa music, thankfully. This was soft, stringed instruments playing the cover of a quite well-known song (that was he was still trying to identify). Either way, Booker was assured that Juliette to master some gentle swaying. At most he’d just advise her to blade of grass on a windy day. Simple enough.
>> "Of course you may,"
The blush of her cheeks and her grin were enough to make Booker grin as well. With her consent, Booker stepped in front of her, tightening his grip a little on the hand he already had a hold of while she placed her free one upon his shoulder. His other hand dipped down, placed gently upon her waist. Aside from the kiss the two shared several weeks ago (and the timid kiss they shared earlier), this was probably the closest he had gotten to the woman.
Slowly he took the lead, adding just the smallest pressure with his hand upon her waist to guide her in the direction that she needed to move with. The music continued to swirl about them, weaving in and out of their steps. Booker was clearly an excellent dancer and showed it with how easily he guided Juliette into this very slow and soft dance. Looking down, he caught her eyes with his and his foolish smile once against covered his lips. This really was the best night.
>>] "This is almost too perfect...Are you sure it isn't planned?"
He chuckled and pretended to look guilty before he responded in a low voice, tilting his head down so only she could hear. ”Damn. You figured me out,” he shrugged. ”The restaurant, the music, you coming by the library…I masterminded the entire thing.” He breathed in the scent that ran through her hair (shampoo, soap, perfume, he wasn’t sure which but he liked it). ”What can I say? I’m so, so diabolically brilliant.”
The hand holding was nice. Unlike before, it wasn’t some quick little graze or touch that they experimented with doing, but it was full on holding one another’s hands and it felt absolutely amazing. Booker was all smiles, looking down to the ground, feeling her thumb as she ran it across the sensitive skin. It felt just so right and perfect and the librarian hoped that it wouldn’t end any time soon. And, judging from the shy glances that Juliette was giving him, it didn’t seem like that would be the case any time soon.
He was fine with that.
Onward they strolled, the two of them surrounded by nature, civilization, and the impending night. It was truly a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight. As they continued on, however, the both of them were pulled to a stop thanks to their curiosity. There was a musician, setting up some equipment as she prepared for an impromptu show. Juliette inquired if he wanted to stay and watch; being a great fan of music, how could he possibly say no? Besides, he was always interested in street performances – well, most of them.
He was immediately taken back to an instant several months back where he had taken an extra long lunch break and was strolling through this very park. Some ways in, he came across a similar performer setting up, with several other people milling about, waiting to see would come of it. It took a few minutes for Booker, and the rest of the people gathered, to realize that yes, this man with cymbals attacked to the insides of his knees was also pulling three very large, fat hens from cages under a cloth.
Oh it was a most terrible sight. The clucking, the cymbal crashes, the flying white feathers, Booker, like everyone else, ran when the chickens had finally turned on their handler. The humanity…
>> "What did the chicken guy do? Don't tell me he was dressed like a chicken..."
Shaken from his memories, Booker sighed, looking a bit disturbed but smiling down at the nurse. ”Worse…” he grumbled. ”He juggled them.” A visible shudder shot through his body
Watching in awe, Booker grinned a bit when the women who was setting up was joined by three others, each of them producing classical instruments such as a the violin and the cello. This was turning into a very, very interesting time. He tilted his head, curious as to what they were going to play, but did note that given their setting, it would be a perfect fit. He glanced to Juliette, smiling softly; yeah, absolutely perfect.
Once the performance started, it was hard to not get swept into it. The performers played with such majesty and elegance that Booker just had to close his eyes. He swayed a little bit, still holding onto Juliette’s hand. The tune was so beautiful and so familiar at the same thing that he tried to recall why it sounded familiar. The seconds ticked away before he realized that he did know this song; however this rendition was his new favorite. He would never forget it as it would forever have a place in the corner of his mind.
>>"This is lovely,"
”It is…” Booker agreed warmly. He still felt entrapped by the music as it unfurled and curled around like him a serpent pulling him closer. His ears tickled, but it only caused him glee to fill his eyes. This really was a perfect capstone to his evening with Juliette…but there was a way to make it just slightly better.
Still swaying, Boooker finally tore his eyes away from the quartet and turned his attention back to her. Her attention seemed to be solely upon the music makers. Taking advantage of her distract, the librarian pulled the strap of his bag off his body with his free hand and set it carefully on the ground next to him. He didn’t have fear of it getting stolen as everyone was focused solely on the musicians. Free of his bag, he turned his body to face Juliette, holding up the hand he held and giving it a soft kiss on the knuckles.
”M’lady…” he said with tenderness in his eyes. While the music still played, bowed his head and spoke. ”…may I have this dance?”
At the time Booker honestly saw nothing wrong with sharing the photo with Juliette. Somewhere he understood that she was basically seeing him in no clothing except for bracelets, winged sandals, and a speedo, but he mind was just set on showing Juliette a part of his life that was important to him – conventions. Booker had always been a big fan of them, throwing himself fully into the experience. Not everyone liked to piece together costumes and dress up like he did, but it was still an important part of him. It was only fair that Juliette know that now...if they were going to continue to date, she was going to have to be in costume.
But she was an X-Man so hopefully it would be a state of dress she wasn’t too annoyed by.
Watching her expression as he explained about the bracelets seemed to be fairly encouraging. Clearly she knew craftsmanship when she saw it.
>> "That's really cool…Did they take you long to make? And do you go all out for all the conventions that you attend?"
”Thank ya!” he grinned wide. He then turned his attention ahead, almost side-by-side with Juliette as he went into explaining the process. ”Oh it didn’t take too long? Two, maybe three weeks? But that was only because I was busy at work. We were getting ready for a new display and we were all running around like chickens with our heads cut off.” He chuckled. ”But, yeah, just plastic molding, foam, and paint. OH and a patience.”
Before long the duo found themselves strolling through the green spaces of Central Park. The sounds of the foliage rustling nearby, of the people as they laughed and chatted away. Covered under a blanket of dying light, Booker found himself unable to really look away from the woman near him. When he caught her eye again, the man smiled a bit shyly, looking just a little awkward before he admitted the one thing he had been really wanting to say for the last bit that they were together – he was having a good time.
That was a big step for Booker. Of course he was often free with his feelings but there seemed to be a bit more gravity to this. While it should have gone unsaid just judging from their laughter and smiles, the librarian still wanted her to know, without doubt, he was enjoying his time with her. He could only hope that she felt the same way.
>> "I was. I was really, really worried,.. I'm having a good time too."
The words were amazing to hear. His smile broaden and he found himself feeling an infectious giddiness creep up his spine. He actually wanted to dance a little. But, he managed to control himself, for the most part, there was still a slight skip in his step but it only momentary. What he did notice, however, was her free hand suddenly hanging by her side. Part of him wanted to overthink this, to analyze it and ensure it was the best move to make – but other side of him simply just told him to go with the flow.
It wasn’t all that hard of a movement. Releasing his phone into his pocket, Booker let his hand hang by his own side as he strolled next to her. One second there was an expanse of space that felt eternal, and the next his hand slipped into hers, his fingers curling around to hold. Just like before he could feel that strange spark that emitted whenever the two of them touched. It was such a soft and gentle gesture, but still it cause a small fire to course just under the surface of his skin. He smiled, not looking at her, but looking down, still walking, but this time, hand-in-hand.
They only made it a few more steps in this manner before the sounds of someone setting up equipment began to draw their attention. Booker lifted his head, along with Juliette, as they turned off to the side. There they could see that one of the park musicians was seemingly setting up.
>> "Do you want to stop and watch?"
Booker nodded. ”Of course,” he gave her a grin as the duo came to halt. Still he held onto Juliette’s hand in a tender manner, his eyes drifting over to the musician. ”I love coming here on days off. Sometimes they have some pretty great artists.” He then paused, thinking back to the last time he actually watched a bad street performer, he juggled chickens while playing the cymbals with his knees. ”God I hope it’s not that chicken guy again…”
Honestly he felt a little stupid for having brought up such a serious subject in the middle of their date. However, the logical part of him was sure that this was a question that really needed to be considered if they were actually going to see this thing through. If being around him was going to prove bad for her, well, Booker didn’t want to cause the lovely woman any harm. And if that were the case it was better to find out now, before they got too involved. It would hurt if it were decided that it was too much to bear but it was better than him actively putting the woman’s life into turmoil.
So he asked. He felt his stomach toss and churn before dropping as he looked over Juliette in thought. He could see that she was taking his words into careful consideration. For a moment he actually figured that maybe she would admit that this was probably a foolish idea, but instead she reached over and placed her hand over his again. The words that came from her lips couldn’t be been sweet…and more hopeful…
>> "I... have no idea…I'm willing to find out, though."
He smiled. Genuinely he smiled as the light and glee filled his eyes. It was a risk. He understood that. Juliette understood that. But if she were willing to see where this would go, then so was he. With a careful grin the man turned his hand to take up hers. Gently he lifted it to his lips and pressed them against her knuckles.
”Me too…”
The rest of their late lunch / early dinner had gone on very well from that point. The two of them enjoyed their respective meals and continued to chat and share. Before they knew it, the two of them had spent enough time for the light outside to begin to die down. They occupied that table as if it were their own personal space; they were the only two who existed in this space and, within it, they laughed, they joked, Booker made silly faces and Juliette made her cheeks sore from grinning. However, eventually, when their meals had ben fully devoured, the two of them had finally decided that they should leave; and yet neither were willing to end the date before twilight.
A walk. That would use up some more time, wouldn’t it? Maybe a walk at night in New York City wouldn’t be the most advisable but with Juliette’s combat experience and Booker’s impressive stature, that should have been enough to scare off any would-be mugger or crystal winged demoness. So, with only the breeze of the night to guide them, the two set out from the tiny, hole-in-the-wall restaurant (promises made to one another that they would return to try the others) and towards the only place they could think of walking off such a meal – Central Park.
Booker was all smiles as he started to explain his latest exploits at a recent comic book convention. He showed her a picture on his cellphone, fawning over the costume that he had designed. Of course it didn’t occur to him to feel any shame given the fact that his costume was that of The Atlantean, which really only consisted of coral bracelets, fake ears, and a very small, green scaled speedo. The costume actually did a fairly good job of showing off Booker’s impressive physique, but that wasn’t his purpose in showing it off…
”Those bracelets are amazing, aren’t they?” he said with a proud smile as he showed his phone to the nurse. ”Made them myself out of plastic and foam. My friend was soooo impressed. I actually think she was a bit jealous…” he beamed.
Shaking his head he sighed and took his phone back, slipping them into his back pocket. They had just walked onto one of the many paths leading through Central Park. All around them could be see the sprawling green grasses and the clumps of trees with their thick foliage. People jogged on these lit paths, other were gathered together having fun with on-going parties, and still others just reclined upon blankets and stared up at the dying light in the sky above. Surrounded on all sides by the towering structures of the city, each darkening obelisk filled with the starlight of offices and rooms with lit up windows; truly it was an awe-inspiring and beautiful sight.
Booker sighed heavenly as he strolled alongside Juliette. One hand holding onto the strap of his bag and the other slipped into his pocket, idly turning his phone from left to right. It amazed him to believe that so much time had passed since he and Juliette first met up. Where had the day gone?
He smirked as he turned glance at Juliette. Even in the dimming rays of light, the woman looked radiant. ”Umm…I’m…having a good time…by the way…” he said a bit shyly. He chuckled awkwardly and turned his head. ”Just…wanted to say that. I know you’ve been on pins and needles wondering.” A sassy grin. He couldn’t help himself.
Mmm, the lasagna was far too good. Booker chewed on it thoughtfully for a few seconds and in that passage of time, he felt as if maybe he had made the wrong decision. Maybe he should have ordered the lasagna instead of the pizza. However, he knew that it was just a momentary regret. The pizza was equally amazing, he was only lamenting right now because he couldn’t really have both. He would have to sate his unreasonable hunger with just the small offering Juliette passed over to him. It was only a morsel but it was still enough to make the man breath deep in satisfaction. It really was good, a point which Juliette would bring up.
>>"That good, huh?"
He grinned as he finished chewing and swallowed the piece. ”Primo,” he said as he gave her a thumbs up.
Booker then eagerly awaited as he watched his date reached for the slice of pizza that he had offered to her. She took it up in her hands, delicately, and lifted it up to her lips where she took the first bite. It was only a few seconds after that he could see the satisfaction cross her features. It was a good slice of pizza and she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Maybe she was having the same moral conundrum he had had a second ago, lamenting over the path not taken. But there was always next time.
>> "You were right, it's all really good."
He beamed proudly. ”I told you. I stumbled across it one day. The other two restaurants,” he pointed out the window to the others that were embedded in nearby walls, exactly like this. ”Are just as good. Just…” he leaned in to whisper to her. ”Don’t say that outloud. Remember, they’re all still rivals.”
He leaned back in his chair and went back to his meal. Now that she knew all about him and how his gift had affected his life, he wanted to know about her. This was new information, after all, that she was a mutant, so exactly how did being a mutant affect her life? He knew it was different for a lot of people. Example, the Russian woman he had met some time ago, Svetlana, she always felt her powers on and she had explained the difficulties of it. It managed to affect people around her in some negative ways. Was that the same for Juliette? He had to wonder.
>>"This is usually the part where I show off and make some tiny ball of light in a public space, but I don't think that's going to be an option…Uhm... I guess you could say that it affects everything. I mean, I wouldn't be an X-Man or a health teacher without it, and it's mainly why my mom and I would never stay anywhere for very long when I was growing up. She didn't want anyone to find out."
Booker listened attentively. Quietly he sipped on his soda, he didn’t munch too loudly, instead he just wanted to be in the moment and not interrupt from. From the sounds of it, he was missing out on a light show (which would have been amazingly awesome) but she seemed to owe a lot to her gift. Booker could respect that and nodded his head understandingly. However, it did seem that when she started to speak about her mom that she got a little quieter. Apparently her mom wanted it to remain a secret.
He lifted his eyebrows at that revelation but the man wouldn’t judge one way or the other. While it was unfortunately for a mutant to hide their abilities, honestly it might have been for a very good reason. In some ways he understood but also his relationship with his own parents was very different. Juliette may very well thank her mother for doing that, while Booker disliked his parents immensely for what they did in trying to hide his sister’s orientation and want to transition. It was a slippery slope and, until he had more information, he simply remained passive and gave off a neutral, ”Wow…” in response, to at least show that, yes, he was listening.
>> "My mutation also needs a bit of special attention. I can absorb light and use it, but I have to be careful about how much I absorb. It's almost like it exists on an equilibrium; too much on either direction and there are consequences. Basically, I just have to make sure that I always fall in a safe range."
So her powers did require some attention and maintenance. For a second there Booker felt a little bad. Just sitting with him, even across a table, was depriving her of her abilities. If she needed to actively keep things at a certain level, then what was sitting near him doing to her? His head was a confusing beehive of thoughts as he tried to quiet the voice that was telling him this was a bad idea. That he should just end things here and spare her the trouble later on. After all, the last thing he would ever want to do is put someone in harm’s way just by being around.
However, despite all that, the man knew that he needed to give her the benefit of making up her own mind. This wasn’t something he could just decide on his own, they both were attracted to one another. She had a say in this too, didn’t she? If she felt like she could handle it, then who was he to tell her otherwise?
”Sounds a little exhausting,” he said finally, taking another bite of his pizza. This was definitely not making it home (sorry sis!). Still, for as much as he wanted to respect her and her decision, he had to inquire about something. Taking a breath he cause her gaze with his luminescent eyes and gave her a small, comforting smile. ”I have to ask, so please forgive me, but…” he gestured between the two of them. ”If…you need to take such care about how much you absorb and don’t…will…we be an issue?”
It was the elephant in the room. And it was one that needed to be addressed. Though this was only one date, chemistry was clearly there and with that would come with the want to spend more time together. But, if it was something that would be detrimental to the hot and amazing X-Man-Nurse-DJ-Dizzle, then that needed to be discussed.
>> "Hey now, that's Detective Nurse DJ Firefly Dizzle to you, sir,"
The grin that painted on his lips was pure and honest. Juliette just had a way of making Booker feel good. Maybe it was because she had her own high levels of sass and wit to compete with his own. Not everyone he dated did and, honestly, that ended up being a detriment in the relationship. Being sarcastic and quick tongued was just a natural talent of Booker’s, it wasn’t as if it were something that he could just turn off. However, he was inherently a nice guy so his antics rarely delved into the utterly obnoxious. It was just good to sit across from someone who actually could speak on his level.
When she had inquired as to how being an adapted affected his life, Booker had to take a second to think about it. In truth it really didn’t affect him all that much, and he told her that. Still, there had been some instances where his unspoken abilities had been proven to be of great use. The example he gave of the young boy who was throwing a rather fiery tantrum had come to mind and immediately elicited a compassionate reaction from the nurse.
>> "Poor kiddo,"
He sighed, taking in a deep breath, and nodded his head in agreement. The rest of the librarians thought that maybe the kid had snuck in some matches and had pyro problems. But Booker and the few witnesses who had managed to stay knew the truth. While most were still terrified of the kid, Booker on some level understood that he was just an angry kid who didn’t know how to control himself. That required a calming presence, not an accusing finger.
But such was the way with Booker B. Bookman. He was an adapted, a rare breed of humanity. He took some pride in that, and what he could do when it was necessary, but now he was beginning to wonder just how this would work with Juliette. She was not only a mutant, but an X-Man! Her powers were a requirement to have access to 24/7, right? Still, even after the revelation, she was still here. Maybe she didn’t think it would be that much of an imposition? Part of him wanted to ask but now didn’t seem like the most appropriate time.
Again. This was date one.
Switching gears, Booker couldn’t help but allow himself to get a bit silly. He apologized for not sharing his slice of pizza like he promised and carefully removed a slice from the pie to hand it over to her. He did slip in a small jab that she had apparently forgotten to share with him – a wrong that she immediately seemed to feel bad about.
>> "I'm sorry! But in my defence, it's really good. I doubt you'll want to stop eating it either."
In truth he understood. The pasta here was amazingly good and he knew the addictive quality it possessed. Part of him was certain that the restaurant was under investigation by the D.E.A. but as of yet nothing of importance was found. Still, a promise was a promise so, after making her feel bad about her slip-up, he leaned forward a tick and opened his mouth, wide, waiting for her to actually share the lasagna with him, as she said she would.
>> "Close your mouth!"
The words sounded like those of a chastising mother towards her child, but the grin and the laugh she tried to hide showed that she wasn’t all-together serious or embarrassed by his move. When he watched her cut off a chunk of the delectable pasta and hand her fork over to him, the librarian closed his mouth and grinned. Reaching up, he didn’t take her fork, but instead gently slipped his hand over hers and turned it so that her fork was pointed towards him. It was then that he leaned him, wrapped his lips around the food offering and tugged it off gentle from her fork. His hand still held onto hers as he leaned back and nodded his head.
”Mmmmm…yummy,” he teased playfully. He chewed the chunk more thoroughly before he finally swallowed and sighed. ”See? I told you it was good.” he smiled proudly, again pleased with his choice in venue. He had finally released her hand, returning to his own meal and picking up a slice. ”What about you?” he finally inquired. ”I mean, from what I’ve read about your powers, they sound pretty amazing. But how does that affect your everyday life?”
Booker was admittedly a little worried about admitting that he was an adapted to the pretty X-Man. This date was turning into a revelation free for all, but since she trusted him enough to actually tell him that she was part of the X-Men, he would have felt like dirt if he didn’t share in kind. That was how this kind of thing was supposed to work, you know, when you trusted someone, when you wanted to get to know them. You told them the things that you may be just a little uncomfortable sharing and hoped that they would understand. Additionally, it was important for him to know things like this, especially if their relationship went on beyond just this single date.
With a smile on her lips, Booker breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t seem all-together freaked out that he was an adapted, but more seemed to be accepting of it. Maybe even anticipating it at this point. He could imagine. From his experiences with mutants, whenever they were around him, if their powers were turned off, most seemed to immediately know that fact. It was like having a part of yourself just switched off; he was just thankful that she wasn’t completely freaking out over the fact. That was a plus for their relationship.
While it was nerve-wracking for him to admit this to her, it did come with the added benefit that he could stop looking at her with such awe. Part of him still couldn’t get over the fact that she was an X-Man and, because of that, he could feel himself wanting to fangirl and treat her far differently. But he didn’t want to do that. He could only imagine what that kind of attention would do to her, and could even drive her away if he wasn’t careful.
He would do his best to reel himself in but, still, there was that tiny barb in the corner of his mind who knew what she was and he was fascinated, gleeful, and just a little self-conscious. What could he possible offer someone who made it their job to save the world?
No, it was too early to get into thoughts like that. Instead the man took another bite of his pizza, smiled cheerily, and kept his head in the most important fact here – he was on a date with a woman that he really, really, really liked.
>> "So you are an adapted…I thought that might be the case, but I didn't want to pry it out of you."
He chuckled, mimed wiping his hand across his forehead, and flicked off faked nervous beads of sweat. ”That’s a load off. And kudos to you for deducing that, Detective Nurse DJ DIzzle.” Another grin and to took a bite of his pizza, finishing off the slice that he had started. Jesus, it was good.
>> "Yep, completely shut off…That's cool. Has it affected your life much?"
He watched in awe as she lifted her hand and began to turn it in the light. He didn’t know what he was expecting to see, but nothing came of it. That was slightly disappointing but it was another reminder of what he was. Some people thought it was cool to be able to turn off a mutant’s powers; as a matter of fact, it gave him a kind of power of his own. However, being an advocate for mutants, it was a bit sad. Some mutants depending on their abilities to live and what happens when he walks by them? His presence is essentially denying them the chance to be what they are. That wasn’t cool. But, from the look on Juliette’s face, she didn’t seem too bothered.
She posed another question to him; had this affected his life? Aside from Jamal, clearly, there hadn’t been much for him to be able to recognize. To a lot of people, he was just living a normal life. It wasn’t as if he were always glowing or living with a mutant or anything like that, right? But there had been a few instances that popped up in his mind.
He took a second to consider before he returned his gaze to her. ”Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have noticed at all if it weren’t for a few instances; college being the biggest one.” That was a given. ”Mostly it’s just been little things. Mutant street performers tripping or losing their rhythm. Though there was on incident where this kid got…well…really upset in the library because of the ending of a book. He…” Booker twisted his lips for a second. ”…started lighting things on fire. And I mean, like, with his body. Just, engulfed in flames. So I walked over, I calmed him down, and the second he was in my aura, well, he was extinguished. He was scared but I sat with him and I read to him and that seemed to calm him down a bit.” He smiled. ”But really, other than a few minor things, I can be as normal as anyone else.”
Remembering that they were supposed to be sharing, Booker squeaked as he grabbed his knife and carefully freed one of the remaining slices from the round dish. Slipping his knife underneath the flat piece, he picked it up and smiled as he reached over and set it on a napkin next to her dish. He gestured to it.
”Please, try it. I didn’t forget…unlike sooooomeone…” His goofiness flared as he grinned and eyed her lasagna. He then opened his mouth, like a baby bird, waiting for her to deposit a chunk of it. She did say she would and Booker always held people to their word.
>> "Wait, you know my codename? That's... never happened before,"
He scoffed. ”Well, I do follow news on the X-Men pretty closely,” he admitted. ”TOT-ally not stalker wise, but, yeah…”
Booker was gushing. He didn’t mean to, but being around one of the actual X-Men, and they weren’t Rebecca, just meant that he was in for a rather big treat. It didn’t immediately dawn on him the gravity of the fact that he was actually on a date with on at the moment, he was immediately more concerned with the fact that he was sitting face-to-face with one. Of course he had known Rebecca, otherwise known as Lodestone. She dated his sister and he considered her a very close friend but once you walk in on an X-Man flossing pot roast out from between their teeth, well, the novelty loses some of its allure. That was not to say that Rebecca was a bad person or that he didn’t respect her as an X-Man, but it was just…different.
Then again, the same could be said about what was happening right now. He was sitting at a table with Firefly herself! He had danced in front of her! He had his head examined in front of her! He gave her a tour of his library and kissed her! Wait…that last one. Booker’s eyes widened as he placed his hand on his forehead, suddenly realizing what else was going on here, something that made the situation just a tiny bit awkward for him – he was on a date with Firefly. Suddenly his awkwardness seemed to click up a few degrees.
He had gushed, he had spoken like a star-struck child, and Booker was already starting to feel the heat as it formed on his cheeks. Booker B. Bookman was not someone who was easily embarrassed by his actions (as clearly evident by his actions) but when he was embarrassed, boy did he feel it. God, he must have made himself sound like an absolute fool. The only thing he could do was to try and apologize and reclaim at least some of his dignity back.
However, it seemed as if Juliette was actually a little enamored with his behavior. The smile on her lips immediately started to calm him down, way before she actually said anything. That was a good sign…
>> "No, no, it's okay! I've, uh, never really met someone who's a fan before. It's kind of cool,"
He calmed. His pulse eased. A smile spread across his lips again. He felt a little better about his nerdgasm back there but the librarian still felt a little self-conscious about carrying on the way that he did in front of her. He really needed to make sure to reel himself back in just a little bit. She was an X-Man and the last thing she needed was for some star-struck fanboy to be all over her with stupid questions and commentary. A sigh of relief fell from his lips as he grinned.
”Well, I’m glad that it is and that I didn’t just completely scare you off,” he breathed. Though he had to add in that, ”Though I honestly wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to sneak out after that. Heh, n-not my finest moment.”
He titled his head as he watched her take a bite out of her lasagna. It seemed like she was truly enjoying it and that was his second relief for this date. He was glad he had picked out a place that she seemed to like. Hopefully their date could get back on track without him totally screwing up again. Still, there was the weight of the fact that she was actually an X-Man, a genuine mutant superhero.
Though she was not as relatively known in the city yet, his tracking of the X-Men had afforded him enough information to at least know which of the X-Men that she was. It was just logic, really. He already knew Lodestone, she wasn’t whitehaired so she wasn’t Ghost, the only other candidate he could think of that fit the bill was Firefly. Plus it helped that she confirmed it herself.
After a few moments, Booker realized that he needed to stop looking at her with such awe. She was still Juliette, the attractive, funny, and sassy nurse that he had met at the hospital. She was still the same woman he felt such chemistry with (even now), and she was still the woman whom he had already kissed once before thanks to the incredible attraction that they shared for one another. He just needed to get out of his head.
However, one thing did snag his attention – she told him this herself. He didn’t discover it on his own, she revealed it. X-Men were supposed to guard their identities (well, most…REBECCA) and the fact that she actually revealed this to him on her own must have been quite a risk for her. Did she already trust him that much? He took a second to consider this, realizing that, indeed, she wasn’t the only one with secrets.
Moistening his lips, Booker knew he would have to tell her something rather important about himself too. ”Umm…well…s-since we’re being so honest…” he said in a low voice that matched her own from before. ”…I…have something I should say too.”
He shifted a little in his seat. Part of him was worried. He was an adapted, he could turn off powers, wouldn’t that be a problem for a mutant, especially if they were an X-Man? Svetlana was different, her powers botherd her. But Firefly? What if she was turned off by the idea? But as scary as that was, the librarian knew that he had to risk it and give her the benefit of the doubt – she did for him, after all. After taking a second, he proceeded…
”So…a-about that explosion I survived…” he started. ”For a while I honestly thought that I was just, you know, lucky. But sometime I caught this AMA after with a staff member from, you know, Xavier’s, a Ms. Taylor…” he said her name in a way that would imply that Juliette should know her and therefore lead her to where he was going with this. ”…um it was then that I learned I was…special too. Just…you know…in a different way.” He said with a smile. ”…in the adapted way…”
It was always hard for Booker to think back on Jamal. Though he didn’t tell Juliette the whole truth, that he had Jamal had actually been dating at the time, it was still a hard topic to bring up. They weren’t serious or anything like that, it had just been a college thing but the event had far reaching effects on the man sitting before her. He had always been an advocate for mutants but most would have figured that the incident would have poisoned his view of them.
Needless to say it only made him a bit more sympathetic. He firmly believed that if Jamal had gotten the help he needed, met the right people, and didn’t have to hide his powers that he would have been able to control them and avoid all of this. But that was the past. Years had passed and while Booker still paused to think about Jamal from time to time, it was purely as a lesson, not the lamentation of a lost love.
But breaking the news to Juliette had some rather interesting results, though not surprising if she were a mutant supporter as she said she was. Her hand found a home over his and Booker was shaken from his thoughts. Turning his gaze back to her, the librarian smiled, the sensation of her hand upon his feeling so right in the moment. Carefully he turned his hand out, slipping hers onto his palm where closed his fingers around it. It was warm, soft, and still there was the small charge of chemistry he could feel flowing from her skin onto his.
It was like magic.
>> "Booker, I'm sorry that happened to you,"
He dipped his head down, the sadness there but it was aged and already wearing off. The nodded his head, looking away briefly before lifted his gaze to her again. ”I appreciate that. Really.” And he did.
>> "It's just too bad that that luck didn't follow you to the hospital dance contest,"
The sadness was melting away. He couldn’t be sad right now. He was on an amazing date with an amazing woman and that should be his attention. He tried to wave the incident off, capping it as just another incident of him being one of the luckiest guys in the city. However Juliette was quick to help try to alleviate any tension that could have arisen thanks to his story with a tiny joke at his expense. Someone more sensitive would have probably taken it as ill-timed but, as it was said, that event was years ago and Booker was never one to let the storm clouds gather for too long.
A large smile broke over his face as he tilted his head at her, giving her a faux-offended expression. ”Wow, you’re going to go there, huh?” He chuckled. A shake of his head followed as he could see their meal was upon them. ”I still think that the judge, for as smart and attractive as she is, was paid off.” He gave a small wink in her direction.
Their food set before them, Booker returned his hand to his side of the table, only momentarily getting a bit irritated with the waitress who kept managed to pop in at times where it was least appropriate. However, he knew she was just doing her job and, either way, the food had to be delivered. So, with a practiced and patient smile that only a librarian could possess, Booker beamed at the waitress as food was set down. Before Juliette was the rather large bowl with a chunk of lasagna in it, and in front of himself was the wooden slab with his homemade Italian pizza on it.
Everything just smelled so wonderful. Making their own ingredients from scratch was time-consuming, but looking at the fair before them and Booker was grateful for it. After spreading a napkin over his lap, he picked up on slice of his pizza by the crust and pulled it off. The mozzarella cheese pulled, leaving strings grasping onto the entirely in a vain attempt to stay whole. A drop of tomato sauce fell upon the wooden plank, and the scent of basil and other authentic herbs wafted through the air before him.
He couldn’t wait. He took a bite and sighed a bit in satisfaction at the flavor. It had been too long since he was last here, and even then it was with Nessa after her terrible break-up with Rebecca. To share such good food with such good company as Juliette provided, well, it was just perfection in his book. Setting his slice down, he sighed as he took a sip of his soda and finished chewing, dabbing his fingers on his napkin. He was going to ask how her lasagna was but it seemed that there were was something else on her lips…
>> "I should tell you something…well, several things. I'm... not just a mutant supporter. I am a mutant. And that private school that I teach at is Xavier's Sister School. I'm also a member of the X-Men."
Admittedly, when Juliette first started talking, he got a little nervous. He could only imagine what she was going to say. Was it something bad, like, was she actually married? Or maybe it was something entirely different, like maybe she had a kid he didn’t know about (which would have been fine with him). But it seemed that his imagination had quickly run from zero-to-thirty, with no indication of what her secret could be – and certainly wasn’t prepared for what fell from her lips.
Watching her with an unreadable expression, Booker found himself…admittedly surprised. Like, really surprised. She was a mutant. That was really not a problem for him. He had been with mutants before (Svetlana briefly came to mind), but to add a cherry to the cordial, she was actually an X-Man? He was on a date with a freakin’ X-MAN? He gave off one, shuddering breath…and tried so, so hard not to fangirl right now because it would be drastically uncool. Still, he couldn’t help the uplift of his eyebrows or the twinkle in his eyes. As much as he wanted to just stare in awe, though, he needed to actually say something, anything.
”J-Jesus Christ…” he said in astonishment. He looked at her closely, scrutinizing her with both awe and curiosity. He followed the X-Men on social media, especially when his sister started dating one, and he had to marvel at something that had initially slipped past his attention – he recognized her. Not just from the dance off in the hospital but from reports and recordings on YouTube. In an equally hushed and respectful voice, he leaned in whisper, ”…y-you’re Firefly. Oh… my god…you’re THE Firefly.”
He sat back in his chair as he looked over the woman very closely, unable to really process what it was that was happening right now. He was on a date with an actual X-Man – AND it was actually going well. To be fair Booker didn’t think anything like this was at all possible but he wanted to try and at least keep a crumb of coolness about his person. However, from the gleeful expression on his face and the astonishment in his voice, he was quickly failing. A deep breath, followed by another and Booker was calming. Still he was geeking out, but he was calm.
He gulped. ”I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to nerd out…” He sighed, looking just a little timid before her. ”I just…wow…I mean…I’m such a big fan and I respect what you guys do and…” Another breath. ”…I’m sorry. Really. I…jeez…I feel like I’m making a complete spaz out of myself…”
Every second he was with Juliette, it just seemed more and more like forces beyond themselves were pushing them together. Booker liked to think that people could govern their own journey but the paths that both Juliette and Booker took just seemed to constantly be syncing up. Their interests, their passions, the fact that they were both mutant supporters in a world that was fearful of them, even the idea that they were both at the same rallies without even realizing it was painting a pretty clear picture; maybe they were just supposed to be together.
But, as interesting (and romantic) as that idea was, if anything his discussion with Nessa those weeks ago had proved to him that this was decidedly more complicated. Questions needed to answered, time together had to be had, they needed to see if compatibility was actually a thing that existed between them beyond the level of just smooching in exceeding romantic locales. They needed patience, despite the fact that the universe seemed to be screaming in their ears. They had to be sure.
Moving on to more sensitive topics, i.e. their beliefs on mutants, Booker outright admitted that he was a mutant supporter. He always did. That was not something he ever wanted to hide about himself, especially when his sister’s ex-girlfriend was not only a mutant, but a member of the X-Men! After all the good that they did for the city, for the world really, how could anyone think anything about against them. Sadly he knew it was possible. Mutants will always have those people too scared to accept them, people who were fine with the status quo. But while there were people who did that, Booker would stand with them.
They were good people and they needed a cheering section too.
As he confirmed that he had been to the Odessa rally too, Booker found himself unable to escape from the idea that they could have been at the same one. They both heard the X-Men bravely take the stage, they both listened as the pink-haired mutant, Alchemist, gave an impassioned speech about equality and turning the other cheek. He had even heard that little girl, begging for people to just stop. Booker had shed tears at that rally, and to know that they spilled on the same ground as Juliette, well, he just wasn’t sure what to do with that information.
>> "Cafas... did a good job with that speech…And Abby, the little girl. Both of them were really something else that day."
”Certainly,” Booker agreed. ”If anyone was going to speak for Odessa that day, it needed to be them.” he said with a soft smile.
As the topic turned away from the rally, Juliette had asked if he had always been a mutant supporter. Before he could really think otherwise about it, Booker had gone into one of the big incidents that helped shape him. Not only was it a memorable ordeal to have to have gone through, it was also one of those things that the librarian knew helped to define him. Maybe it wasn’t the most suitable conversation to have on a first date, but Booker was too deep into explain his beliefs on mutant support to leave it out. It was a shaping moment for him, after all.
The story seemed to immediately hit a chord with Juliette. The look of surprise and sympathy on her face simply couldn’t not be denied. He didn’t know her experiences with mutants but if she were the supporter she said she was, she would certainly understand where he was coming from. They all heard the bad things that anti-mutant activists had latched onto in hopes of proving that mutants are too dangerous to be left unleashed. But it was important to note, as well, that that it took real strength to stand beside them, even in the hardest of times.
For Booker, the night that Jamal’s powers went haywire, was a night that he would never forget (nor could he). He would always remember the young man’s face, the anger, the frustration, the stress, and the vision of those destructive fire exploding out of his body. It was like watching a grenade explode in a cartoon. He could practically see the waves of orange, yellow, and red as they burst away from Jamal in undulating waves. There were still times that it woke him up in the middle of the night.
>> "Booker, I'm so sorry,"
He was shaken from his thoughts that he blinked for a moment in confusion. His eyes fell down to his hand, feeling an odd pressure on it that he didn’t notice before. It took him a second to realize that Juliette had actually placed her hand over his, a comforting gesture. He breathed again, a short breath, but a breath nonetheless and gave her a warm smile. He was coming back and her compassion only made him turn his lips a little in thought. She really as just so very perfect.
”Thank you,” he said softly. Another second and the usual ray of sunshine that was Booker B. Bookman could be seen flashing across his features. Turning his hand around under hers, he carefully curled his fingers around her hand and just held it. It felt good. He nodded his head. ”I’m okay now. Scout’s honor.”
After a few more seconds of holding her hand, Booker breathed in deep, smiled, and reached over with his free hand to claim his Italian soda again. Taking a long sip, he carefully gave her hand a soft squeeze and just nodded his head, again, that he was fine. However his story did more than just make her sympathetic – it jogged her memory.
>> "Were... were you that student that got out unharmed? Despite everything?"
So…she had heard about it. He knew that most of the press stories that had been published blamed the whole thing on a leaking gas line, but there were a few, smaller papers and rumor mags, that published the truth and were disregarded. Which version Juliette knew, he wasn’t sure, but the common denominator between either was the anonymous surviving student who walked away without a scratch.
Booker took a breath as he stared back at Juliette’s eyes. He wasn’t a mutant, that he knew of, he was what most called an adapted; it was what save his life that day. But would Juliette know the difference? If she was a mutant supporter, maybe. The truth was that adapteds, from his understanding, were extremely rare. Even the hardiest of supporter may not know what one is. So, should he even try to tell her? It was a big part of his life, that was for sure, but it wasn’t as if it would affect her. It only affected mutants, right?
He chewed on the inside of his cheek and, carefully, nodded his head. ”Yeah,” he said in earnest and with no hint of a joke or a gag in his voice. He shrugged his shoulders, presenting himself rather unimpressively. ”That…was me.” He then repeated the moniker that had circled around the school for the years that fooled. ”The-Luckiest-Sonnvab****”. A small smile and aslight chuckle fell from his lips. Maybe she would just think it was luck? Would probably be easier for both if she did.
As Booker awaited her reaction, he glanced off to the side to see that, indeed, their waitress was on the way over, one hand holding a rather large plate of lasagna, and the other, a small chopping block where his personal pizza sat upon. It seemed, with her usual apt timing, their waitress was bringing their meal.
There it was. Booker laid out exactly what he believed in. He was a mutant supporter, through and through. Booker had always been one. He was an educated man, one who had seen the path of history and what happens to those people who are disenfranchised. It broke his heart to watch documents or movies about the subject. To watch these kinds of human atrocities, to see them act so close-minded and cold to their fellow people, it was just too much to bear sometimes. But, despite all those, Booker liked to believe that he knew a bit better than those people. That he was educated, that he was smart, that he wouldn’t repeat those mistakes; and he would fight for those who couldn’t.
Now Booker wasn’t some hippie, wearing Birkenstocks, sitting around a campfire and singing sounds of uniting and peace. But he was someone who felt it appropriate to express his opinion and to do whatever he could to help people. He marched, or sat, when there was an event he was able to attend and he spoke loudly about his opinions several times over when he and Nessa updated their gaming channel. Still, these were important parts of his life and he needed to make sure Juliette knew this side of him, lest she get herself into a situation she wanted no part of.
As he chewed on his breadstick, he did comment on how odd those numbers were and, with bated breath, went into his spiel about how he felt. He didn’t see mutants as sub-citizens, but just as any other person. They couldn’t help what they were, no one could, so why subjugate or punish them? Booker was one who felt that equality was important in life and he made sure to regal the young nurse with those thoughts of his.
It was only after he had admitted that he had taken part in a few rallys that he turned his eyes, fearful of what she would say. Would this be it? Were they done already? But, as he turned his eyes up to her, Booker felt a swell of appreciation for the young woman again. He didn’t need to worry – she was smiling.
>> "We might have gone to the same ones, then…The Odessa one was intense."
He smiled. Wide, relieved, and even more beguiled by the woman. She really did seem too good to be true sometimes. She attended those rallies as well? He let those thoughts swim in his head. What were the odds? Maybe they had even met before and he never would have known it! It all only added more weight to the concept that these two were almost meant to meet. For what reason, in what capacity, well, that was yet to be found out, but judging from the combustible air the two of them seemed to possess whenever they were together, it seemed to be fairly obvious.
”Maybe,” he said with an endearing smile. At the mention of Odessa, the man arched his eyebrows, a look of both sadness for the event and giddiness at the idea that he too had attended that particular rally. ”Of course I was there,” he confirmed. ”I mean…it was such a tragedy and the turnout was so spectacular that it was hard to miss. It was absolutely terrible what happened, but it was good to see so many people uniting. Those X-Men,” he nodded. ”They really knew what to say. I only hope it doesn’t need to be repeated.”
Booker grinned at the woman, watching as she munched on one of the breadsticks. They were really reaching a natural groove now and it was becoming less and less difficult to come up with conversation pieces. Another bite of his breadstick, Booker chewed on it thoughtfully for a second before taking a sip of his drink to moisten his throat. Just as he did so, Juliette inquired of him again…
>> "That makes you... a mutant... supporter?"
Finishing his sip, he nodded his head, giving her a proud smile. ”Certainly,” he confirmed. ”Proud supporter for years,” he nodded. He then sighed as he tilted his gaze to her. ”I had a good friend in college, he was a mutant,” Deepened sigh. ”Could make things explode. Hell of a party trick. Unfortunately he got a little too stressed thanks to finals and…” Remorseful breath. ”…anyways, a lot of people got hurt. I...almost did.” A careful shrug of his shoulders and another sip of his drink. ”I knew it wasn’t his fault. He just…lost control. It was a shame, yes, but even surviving that I would still support.”
The incident Juliette may have heard of. About six years ago there were splatterings of news of an explosion in a fraternity where a damaged gas line was blamed. Booker and a few of the other survivors knew the truth but their sides of the story were essentially squashed out, dismissed by the college, forgotten and erased from the eye of the public. But Booker knew, he always would, and despite the misery that came from it, he would always support mutants.
It was just a gentle touch of the hand. There merest of whispers of skin against skin, of his thumb caressing the small ridges that made the knuckles of her hand. He was a bit worried when he started this gesture, if we’re being honest here. He knew what could come about from touching the woman. Just the smallest graze of her hand, of feeling his fingers stroke the very top of her skin, it was enough to ignite the fuses deep within his body. It was dangerous. If he strayed too long, Booker knew that he was putting himself at risk of ruining this chance of getting to know her. Action would rule over logic, he would cross the table, and he would meet her lips again.
Of course he would have more control than that. They had to be more than that, especially with the chemistry the two of them were feeling. That was why, even if he was disappointed by the fact that she pulled her hand away, that he was also thankful for it. Lord knows he wouldn’t have had the strength to do so himself, so he relinquished his hand from over hers the second she started to slowly pull back. Did she feel that very same short fuse the two of them happened to share? If so, he had to applaud her for her level of control.
A deep breath and Booker returned his own hand to himself, giving her a sweet and understanding smile in the process. His hand found its way to his peach soda, pulling it to his side of the table, where he casually started to swirl the contents within with his straw. It was merely a distraction, a means to keep his hands busy and occupy his mind between moments of talking. When she was talking, he was attentive and listened closely, when she wasn’t, well, it was difficult to remain on his own side of the table.
Thankfully he wouldn’t have to stir for long…
>> "Sorry…where were we before? We were getting to know each other?"
He dipped his head down, nodding and smiling at her bringing them back to topic. That’s right. They were supposed to be getting to know one another. This was a date, after all, and so far, while it was already going pretty well, there was still a lot that should be discussed and much more to be discovered. Shaken from his own musings, the librarian nodded his head, confirming her thoughts.
”Yes! Yes…” he said with a breath. ”That we are and, if I may say, you are a delight getting to know.”
Taking up his drink, Booker took a long deserved sip from his soda and sighed contentedly. Oh how he would have probably sipped the whole thing through the straw between his slips and rudely slurped at the bottom until every last bit of the sweet, fruity, deliciously was nothing more than a memory. But he knew he had to pace out his drink, there was no point in wasting all of it right now. So, another small sip, he set his glass down, resting back against his chair a little and giving the woman a smile as he tried to think of what else he could ask her, judging what was too mundane to ask versus what was too personal to inquiry. This was probably the one that thing Booker hated about first dates, the trying to maneuver these choppy waters of appropriateness.
Juliette would be the first to break the silence with a rather different change of topic…
>> "So, I was listening to this pod cast…They were discussing mutant rights, or something. Anyway, they said that the population of America is split with about seventy percent wanting mutants to have all the rights that humans do, and thirty percent wanting humans to have better rights. Weird numbers, huh?"
In the midst of listening / being entranced by her voice, their waitress had slipped by again, bringing a small basket of thin, crisp Italian breadsticks covered in sesame seeds, and leaving them at the edge of their table. Booker had muttered a silent “Thank you” again, but his eyes were wholly on Juliette as she began to describe the podcast she had listened to. Reaching over, he tucked the basket of bread sticks a little closer into the table in hopes of suffering the tragedy of them falling into a heap on the ground; he didn’t take one, though. Instead the man merely listened.
So far it had sounded like an interesting podcast. To be fair Booker had heard a few in his lifetime, also discussing mutant rights and their place in the world. His expression betrayed nothing of what he was thinking on the subject, and instead was solely centered on the woman before him. When she had reached the end of her commentary, uplifted with a “huh?” at the end, Booker finally breathed again and nodded his head.
”Very odd…” he said.
Now, here was the kicker. If there was one thing that should be known about Booker B. Bookman, it was how pro-mutant he was. Working in a job that was seeped in knowledge and history, it was eye opening to see how the world has treated people who were different. Races, genders, religions, now genetics, it was the same argument all over again but with a different wrapping. In truth, for Booker, to see anyone try to push down another people was just tragic and a real reminder of how the world at large treats those who go against the norm. However, for as sad as that was to see the same crimes being repeated over and over again, he also knew that (much like the others) the beliefs would topple; they always did.
Finally taking up a breadstick (he was starting to get pretty hungry and the soda alone wouldn’t do it), Booker snapped it carefully in half before he bit on end and thoughtfully chewed. He liked Juliette, he really did, but if she was bringing this up in order to get him on that 30% anti-mutant band wagon, then all this would end up being the most tragic loss of his time. He didn’t want to think that the nurse was like that, but…well…he had been surprised before.
Maybe it was better she know his stance right off the bat as opposed to beating around the bush. After all, there was always an equal chance that she was merely trying to gauge whether he was pro-mutant…like her. He would have to roll the dice.
Swallowing his bit of breadstick, Booker breathed a hefty breath and responded. ”Tragic…” he said, enigmatically at first. ”…that in this day and way people can still be so bigoted.” Leaning back in his chair, he took another nibble of his breadstick. There was no turning back now. ”I mean, I get that the ‘new’ can be scary, that some mutants had some seriously dangerous powers, but they’re DNA is still basically the same. No matter what, we’re all still human.” He gave her a soft smile. Might as well go for broke. ”I’ve marched at a peaceful pro-mutant rally or two…if we’re being honest.”
He looked away for a moment, almost scared of what her reaction to that news would be. After a second he glanced back to her, trying to gauge her reaction. He hoped it was favorable. And, if not, well, he could probably still make for the door without having to take the check.
Their waitress had come at a crucial moment. Booker was just getting ready to offer his response to the fair Juliette when he had been interrupted by the peppy young woman. However, Booker held no ill-will towards her; she was just doing her job. While it was slightly annoying to be interrupted like that, the librarian took the opportunity to gather his thoughts and regather his thoughts. This had to be the toughest part of this date because he was essentially selling himself. He was presenting some key facts about himself and, while he couldn’t reveal everything in one sitting, he was going to have to put his best foot forward. But what else could he say? It wasn’t as if he were entirely THAT interesting.
Once their ordering was done, Booker indicated that he wanted to add an Italian soda to his order and this seemed to immediately catch Juliette’s attention. She beamed and nodded her head, before adding something similar to her own plate.
>> "I'll try the blood orange, please,"
Booker grinned. ”A woman who knows her Italian soda…” he nodded. ”…now I know you’re too good to be true.”
He had to chuckle. As the waitress announced that their food would be here soon, Booker was once more left quite alone in this romantic setting with this woman who had so completely managed to ensnare him. He could feel his nerves starting to creep in, just a little, just enough to remind him that this was a date with someone whom he really liked. Everything he had heard so far from her, he really and truly liked. She was exactly the type of woman he would be dating and, well, that is what was happening right now, wasn’t it?
So, with a brave steeliness in his posture, the librarian straightened up and began to explain a little more about himself. Of course some of it was already gathered information, but he did drop both the fact that he played the ukulele and he lived with his sister. These were important to know right off the bat because living with one’s sister at twenty-eight was, well, a little different for some people. Truth was that Booker could have moved out whenever he wanted. He had the money and the credit, and the only reason he had moved in with her was because of the absolutely terrible break-up he had suffered. But hadn’t enough time passed? Probably, but it wasn’t as if he was going to be able to move out right now just so he wouldn’t have to bring it up. It was best that she knew now just so she didn’t get surprised…when…you know…IF things went that way…not necessarily today…or even at their next date…IF they have a next date…Okay stop.
Additionally, she needed to know about his ukulele. It was his instrument, his baby, but he understood that it wasn’t a favorite of a lot of people. Nessa barely accepted his playing (thought he had a secret suspicion she actually did like it), and more than one has stated that it was strange for him to play. So, if Juliette did have a problem with his favorite instrument, it was best that she knew it now. Total deal breaker, otherwise.
She was attentive and patient the whole time. Booker didn’t miss the fact that she had leaned closer to hear him better, her body poised to show interest in his every word. It did put him a little on the spot (he could feel the spotlight shining down upon his face), but Booker didn’t sway from it. He presented himself as best he could and though he would have understood if Juliette no longer showed any interest in him, but he really and truly hoped that she did.
>> "A huge nerd? You? No way,"
The corners of his eyes crinkled a little bit, true mirth coming to his features as he grinned at the woman’s first comment to what he had said. Yes. He was a nerd. But it was a flag that Booker had no problem flying. It was his passion and interest and why should he be ashamed of it? He was just thankful that Juliette didn’t react badly to that. Of course, if she didn’t realize by now that it was a big part of his life, well, there’s really nothing else he could do for her.
Still, he wasn’t cruel. It was said half-jokingly but he was offering her a way out. He gestured to the door less than twenty feet behind her; if she wanted to go then she had the freedom to do so. He held his breath in anticipation, waiting, preparing to have to eat an entire personal pizza and a lasagna on his own. But, as luck would have it, he would have to be returning to his apartment a complete carbo-loaded mess.
>> "The door is right there...No, I would have escaped long ago if I had any plans to do that. There's nothing stopping you from doing so, though."
He stared back at her, deadpan, no true expression showing on his face after the woman had offered him his own escape. She had winked, she smiled, and she jokingly offered the same in returned. It was only a second that Booker remained unmoving, but it wasn’t to scare her or because he was truly considering running away from this, it was just so that he could take a moment to appreciate this brief second in time. He took that moment to admire her: her beauty, her wit, her tenacity, and Booker knew whatever feelings he had for her were still there. He was smitten; there were no two ways about it.
Shyly, he took a steadying breath and carefully removed his hand from its spot on the table top and reached across the tiny table – to her hand. Gently he placed his hand on top of hers, smiling just a little as he felt that rush in his veins and the spark on her skin; it was still there. His eyes roamed from her hand, up her arm, around her shoulder, and back up to those perfect, soulful brown orbs. His expression began genuine as he shook his head a little.
”Nah…” he said softly. ”…I’m exactly where I want to be…”
Booker continued to stare into Juliette’s eyes, his sweet smile never faltering and his hand not removing from hers as he gently ran his thumb across her knuckles. The presence of the waitress really even didn’t register for him as she return to set their drinks down on the table. He heard something vaguely about their food being out in a mutant and Booker muttered a vague “Thank you” in response as his attention was too focused on the brunette before him. This certainly felt right…
That was the fear, that all this would have been too hyped up in his head to see if there was really anything going on between himself and Juliette. They met only a couple times, the second ending with a seriously passionate kiss (while she was already dating something else), that it felt like maybe the bar had been raised too high. What if they had been wrong? What if either one saw values in the other that truly weren’t there. Booker didn’t even want to think of that possibility, but he knew that it was there. This all could have been just their imaginations projecting what they wanted or saw in the other.
But as the moments passed, as they grew just a little more comfortable, it was apparent that they didn’t need to worry. Sure there was still a healthy amount of fear in the back of Booker’s mind (that wouldn’t go away easily considering his track record) but the librarian could also feel a peacefulness started to lower down upon them. He didn’t need to worry and plot for what might happen, but needed to focus on what was happening right now.
The smiles came and the sass had returned to their lips. He had teased with the nurse that he would be ordering the pizza and he could be convinced the share a slice with her. The impish grin upon his lips prompted a similar response form the nurse as a look of faux-surprise flashed across her features.
>> "Share? With me? I feel like I've just been given a great honour… I might have to share the lasagne, then. The servings are usually really big."
He grinned wide and gave her an agreeing nod. ”You should feel extremely privileged,” he chuckled. ”I don’t share my food with just anyone.”
Their meals decided, Booker took a moment to collect himself. The whole purpose of this was for them get to know one another so that is what the librarian set out to do; he was an information professional, after all. He rattled off what he knew about her already, his eidetic memory serving him well to recall both times they last met and the information she had given about herself.
From the look on her face, she seemed somewhat impressed with what he could recall…
>> "Good memory,"
He beamed proudly and gave a tiny shrug of his shoulder. ”You could say that…”
A few moments passed where she collected her thoughts, deciding what she wanted to reveal to him right off the bat. While he did say he didn’t mean to put her on the spot, she looked as if she were immediately by a spotlight that he had cast upon her. He didn’t mean to make anything awkward, especially since talking about yourself was always pretty awkward, but he really just wanted to know; and short of hacking into her public records (which isn’t a good move to make in ANY scenario), the direct question was probably best.
>> "Alright, well... let's see...Hmm, well, I'm a nurse, obviously, and I teach health classes at a private school as well. I'm probably the worst cook you'll ever meet, I love Led Zeppelin, and I really like being outside. Now you know all the basics,"
Booker nodded, committing the woman’s answers to memory, smiling when she admitted that she would be the worst cook ever and praising Led Zeppelin. Not only was she a nurse but she was also teaching at a private school? She really kept herself jumping, didn’t she? Again he began to suspect that maybe he was little more than a floating potato before her eyes but he didn’t dwell on the idea of long. Instead he mere continued to just smile and watch the interest sparkle in her eyes and sweet words fall from her perfect lips.
He sighed a bit contentedly. ”It’s lovely to meet you…”
>> "Alright, now you."
It was his turn. Booker straightened up in his seat, looked down at the table where his hands now were, and casually tapped his fingers to some unheard rhythmic beat in his head. What could he tell her about himself? There was a lot but, really, he didn’t want to drown her with too much information. Instead he simply decided he would stick with the basics – until their waiter showed.
“And are we ready?” the woman asked sweetly.
”OH! Um, Sure,” he said as he waved to Juliette. ”Please, ladies first.”
He smiled, waiting for Juliette to place her order. As she did, Booker continued to gather his own thoughts pensively. What were the main things he wanted to say about himself? Booker started to compile and list them until the waitress had finished jotting down Juliette’s order and turned her eyes onto him. Booker grinned.
”Mozzarella and Basil personal pizza, please,” he said brightly. ”OH! And an Italian soda, peach please.” He turned to Juliette. ”They’re Italian sodas are pretty awesome.”
Once the waitress had finished taking down his own order, all smiles and sunshine, she stated that she would be back with their drinks and some breadsticks before she turned and left. Booker nodded but he didn’t forget where he had left off thinking about Juliette’s comment; it was his own turn to reveal more of his life. So, taking a moment to sip at his water, he pursed his lips in thought before responding.
”Okay! My turn! Be ready to…well…be bored.” A big grin. ”Um…Librarian at the New York Public Library for the past 4 years…I volunteer to read stories to kids during the summer…I love to dance…I love to read, clearly…I actually am a pretty awesome player of the ukulele despite what my sister, Nessa, says…” a proud smile accompanied that one. ”…I have been living with her for the last year, maybe year and a half…we actually have a growing fanbase on ViewTube with our channel, Pixel Rainbow where we play videogames…and, I know this may come as a surprise, so brace yourself...but I am a HUGE nerd.” He chuckled as he watched her for a reaction. ”And that’s me.” He then jokingly gestured to the door behind her. "Still time for you to escape if you feel like you have to."
