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.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 24, 2011 14:08:09 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
It was a good question. Lucas had been so busy living in the moment that he hadn’t really thought out the specifics. At some point they had to come back to reality and work out the logistics of how things might work between them. He knew he couldn’t stay in the hotel. The city was only covering the bill for the night. After that, it was up to Noel’s insurance to pay for a place to stay. Mooching off New York seemed ok somehow but using Noel or her insurance for a place to live was another matter entirely. It was definitely time for him to get his life back on track. Not for a woman, but for himself. Instead of following her to the bureau like a lost dog, they would probably part company, at least for a little while. It would give them both time to pick up the pieces of their lives.
“If you don’t need my help with the bureau or dealing with your apartment, I might head off tomorrow after breakfast. We can pick a time and place and meet up then for our second date.” Of course, somewhere he could get too easily and they could find each other seemed like the best bet. “How about next week at noon, battery park beside the eternal flame? Would that give you enough time to get your work and place squared away?”
A slight pang of doubt hit him right after he made the suggestion. A week was a long time. Sure, she could take notes but would she really remember him then? Would it be awkward? Probably. What second date isn’t? Lucas decided not to amend his offer. If a relationship between them had a chance, he couldn’t baby or smother her. Problems were bound to arise but he could address them then. There was no point making it difficult. Simple was best. If things didn’t work out, it would be unfortunate but the alternative guaranteed failure.
“We can add a note to your map tomorrow during breakfast. Tonight, we can just sit back and watch....” Lucas hadn’t been paying attention to the TV but now that he was, the scene surprised him. He had never had the chance to watch HBO and a show like True Blood can be an eye opener when you don’t know what to expect. It Seemed Sookie needed more than just protectin’.
“ and watch soft porn.” Lucas realized suddenly. Awkward.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 23, 2011 18:56:02 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
“Everything is a pretty tall order.” Lucas said as he reached out his arm and snaked it under Noel’s shoulder blades. Pulling his arm up and around, he easily rolled her smaller body up against his side and positioned her head upon his chest. She felt so delicate in his arms. It was a nice feeling. “It isn’t the greatest story ever told but I’ll try to fill the time until something good comes on.”
Everything was a very tall order for the young man. There were parts of Lucas’ past that he wasn’t comfortable sharing with anyone and had locked away deep inside. Sure, she might forget what he said, but he feared that telling her those details might put a bit of a dark cloud on the evening. Obviously, honesty was important to her so he needed to weigh both sides of the coin carefully but some things weren’t ready to come out. Taking a breath to steady himself, he started from the first things he remembered in his childhood while gently petting and playing with Noel’s hair.
Lucas talked about his mother and his father when he was young and the important roll his grandmother had played even then. The fact that they were poor didn’t bother him but he didn’t come out and say it. He left it to Noel to figure out based on the details of his tale. He mentioned going to the gym with his dad in happier times as well as Christmas, birthdays and other events that had been memorable. The nostalgic feelings made him a little sad. The wounds had scarred over long ago but to talk about it openly was still difficult.
When he got to the day his dad left, he had to pause for a moment. He couldn’t find the words to explain what had happened as he still didn’t really understand to this day. His father had left them and it resulted in the slow decline and death of his mother. How do you tell a girl you had just met something as painful as that? Instead of sharing, he skipped those four years of his life, only letting Noel know that he had gone to live with his grandmother and that she had become the main caregiver from then on. Lucas didn’t give any real explanation why and felt a bit ashamed for holding back but he just didn’t know how to express this traumatic part of his life. Everyone had skeletons in their closet and he wanted to tell her but couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was just the first date; maybe he would have better luck telling her another time.
Continuing his story, he talked about friends and finding a passion for boxing as a teenager. He told her about his coach and how the man had taken him under his wing for a while before he left the gym. The time his coach broke his ribs and Lucas healed him was another tricky spot for the young man but he told Noel anyway. Talking about his power and how he had discovered it was something he had never shared before and it felt uplifting to hear himself admit to his mutation. It was a deep dark secret but the woman in his arms would understand. Her powers were both a blessing and a curse as well.
From here he talked about his grandmother. The years when it was just the two of them as well as her slow declining health. It was another tough subject for him but relevant to their relationship in a way. Lucas wanted Noel to know that he had dealt with memory loss before and wouldn’t run because of it. He tip-toed around the rougher times and focused on the bond they shared. Explaining their closeness seemed to make his move to being a part of the staff at her home make more sense. Lucas told Noel about their talks. Grandma’s time in New York had been some of her happiest moments and she loved to share that part of her life. He also brought up the times they laughed, went for walks or just watched the sun set from the window in her room.
Eventually, he told Noel about his grandmother’s passing and his decision to move to New York to make his own fond memories. He mentioned his first month in the city and the difficulties he had experienced getting started as well as his hopes of pulling himself from the hole he had fallen into. Telling a girl you are homeless isn’t that romantic but he needed to let her know. Noel deserved to understand what she was getting into so she could understand the bad as well as the good in him.
“And then I met this beautiful woman on Canal street, and here I am.” He concluded.
It wasn’t a complete biography but it was the essence of his past. He had shared more than he had with anyone as far back as he could remember and felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. Looking over to the clock radio on the mantle, he saw that almost an hour had passed. The sun had long since set and it was starting to get late. Lucas closed his eyes and focused on Noel’s breathing for a moment, trying to figure out if she had fallen asleep while he had told her about his life.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 23, 2011 9:52:52 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
"Can we take this slow? Like, millions of years of evolution slow?" Noel asked Lucas as he leaned into her.
“Of course we can. It can be nice to take your time and enjoy the moment.” He answered with a smile.
“Dammit!” His inner voice screamed out in frustration. Sure the relationship was new and seemed to be picking up speed at a meteoric pace but to throw the breaks on like that could give a guy whiplash.
On the other hand, if Noel wasn’t comfortable with how things were going, Lucas didn’t want to push her either. He could wait until she was ready to move forward and this was probably a good thing when considering everything involved. He needed to let the woman beside him lead a little bit at her own speed. It would take time to really get to know her and hurrying things would only make that tougher.
Noel turned into him and pressed her shoulder against his, draping her legs over his knees and getting comfortable on the mattress. "This place has HBO, let's not waste it." She said as she pulled out the remote and began to flick through the channels.
“So what did you do last night Lucas?” his inner voice said sarcastically “You got some mouth watering beauty up to a hotel room, sent every piece of clothing either of you had out to be cleaned and then cuddled into a big queen sized bed and watched Bill Maher rant about politics for an hour. Smooth move playa. Don’t go bragging to your buddies.”
Lucas held a chuckle in as the thought crossed his mind. He was actually fine with the outcome of the evening. He couldn’t have dreamed he would be where he was right now when he got up from the cold cement near Canal street. Life had a funny way of delivering the unexpected into your lap. It was what made it such an interesting ride. Here he was, lying beside an attractive woman that inspired his imagination. He was pretty lucky the way the day had turned out and couldn’t really complain or think of somewhere he would rather be.
Looking over, he studied her face as she watched the images fly by on the TV screen. He couldn’t see any sign of the fear or nervousness that gripped her a moment ago. She seemed calm and relaxed now as she pushed the buttons on the remote. Her honesty was refreshing. With all the games girls had played with him in the past, it was nice to be with a woman that knew what she wanted and was not ashamed to say it. He owed her that same courtesy.
“At what point in evolution did a guy putting his arm around a girl come about? Is it more of a dinosaur thing or renaissance era?” he asked playfully.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 22, 2011 19:24:30 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
The deep base of powerful music cut through the evening’s silence and grew louder as Lucas approached its source. He had walked into a more derelict area of town without even realizing it during his stroll. He had decided to head out from the gym to clear his head and ended up walking around aimlessly for a good hour before realizing he was lost.
A block ahead, he could see flashing lights shining about behind the grimy glass of an old abandoned warehouse. Ghostly shadows gyrated in and out of view as the beams of color silhouetted them upon the panes of glass. This seemed to be an underground warehouse party that the young mutant had stumbled upon by accident. Just what the doctor ordered.
In front of the building, a small crowd loitered about. Most were dressed in the same fashion and the symbols of a gang were not missed by the young man. Lucas knew with a simple glance that the large man with no neck and his friends were the kind of people that gave strangers flying solo trouble, so thought it best to find another way in. He ducked into the alley next door and made his way through the shadowy avenue towards the back of the large brick building. The sound from inside the warehouse vibrated the ground as he walked and stirred the wild side deep inside him.
Lucas came upon the emergency door at the back corner, right beside a young couple who seemed to have accidentally fused their lips together and weren’t struggling very hard to free themselves. They were oblivious to the intruder until he had walked clear past them and began banging on the metal fire exit with his fist. They both looked like startled deer as they quickly turned to see who had magically appeared while they were otherwise occupied but Lucas didn’t bother to acknowledge their presence.
A Latino woman who had failed to grasp that less is more when it came to make-up, opened the door, curious to see who was making all of that noise.
“Thanks”. Lucas said as he stepped past her into the chaos of the party within, ignoring her as he took in the sights before him. The feeling was electrifying and hit him instantly as he entered. A couple of hundred bodies gyrated on a makeshift dance floor, spinning about to the pounding sounds coming from the two story speakers in the corners. The air had a slight sweaty smell and the young man could feel the heat generated from the party goers as it embraced him. Lasers and coloured spotlights swung about the crowd, adding to the dreamlike quality of the room.
“This is a party” Lucas admitted to himself as he waded into the throng.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 22, 2011 18:38:19 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
“Get up yah pansy!” The bald man yelled, waking Lucas with a start. “Are you planning to snore the whole day away?”
Coach McMillan stood in the doorway to Lucas’ room, a bundle of cloth tucked under his arm.
“What time is it?” the young man asked sleepily as he rolled his legs off the bed and rubbed his eyes.
“Time to get off your arse.” The coach answered gruffly as he threw the bundle of clothes at the young man. “Put these on and meet me out here when you’re done with your make-up. Every minute I wait will cost you a mile.” The little man disappeared back through the door, leaving Lucas to change. He unfolded the bundle to find an old pair of sweat pants and a faded NYU t-shirt. As quick as he could, he pulled the clothes on and sped out of the room to find his new mentor waiting impatiently by an old scale near the full length mirrors
“Let’s get this done muffin top. On the scale so we can see how man donuts you’ve been eating.” He said as he gave a curt nod towards the old machine.
Lucas jumped and the old man started fidgeting with the weight bar so he could get a reading. He took a mental note and then looked into the younger man’s face. “Now it is time for us to have a little warm up.” The smile on the old man’s face did not reassure Lucas at all and he suspected that he wasn’t going to like what came next.
“Lawrence!” the coach yelled out. An African American man with long dreadlocks stood up from a rowing machine and jogged over. When he arrived, the coach continued his instructions. “You’ve been looking for a morning running partner right? This here is Lucas. He owes me four miles today. Take him out.” With that said, McMillan turned and stormed off towards his office.
Face Lawrence, Lucas let his plea for mercy show on his face.
“Don’t look at me dude.” Lawrence said with a laugh. “If we aren’t out of his sight by the time he sits down at that desk he’ll tack on two more for lollygagging so let’s hustle.” The young black man made an exaggerated imitation as he emphasized the word ‘lollygagging’, earning a smile from his new running mate.
The two men turned and quickly fled up the stairs to avoid further wrath from their coach.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 22, 2011 18:34:25 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
Looking over at the brown, gooey mess in the bowl on the bedside table, Lucas decided to pass. “I got the ice cream for you. I’m fine with just the company.” He said contently as he flopped himself down on the pillow Noel had provided for him. He noticed Noel gazing out into the night and wondered what she was thinking. Her back was to him and she seemed distracted as she nibbled nervously upon her right finger nails again. She was sitting up straight and seemed a little scared all of a sudden.
Getting back up to a sitting position, Lucas moved himself behind Noel and looked out the window from over her shoulder. He sat to the side with his legs curled under him, supporting himself on his right arm. The reflection of the couple in the window seemed like two shadows looking in from outside in the night.
The smell of the woman’s hair caressed Lucas’ nose and teased him mercilessly. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply despite himself. He opened his eyes again and admired the curve of Noel’s neck where it met her shoulder, disappearing beneath the folds of the robe and slightly hidden by the cascade of her brown hair. Lifting his left hand up, he gently touched her neck just behind the ear and rubbed along its length until his fingers reached her shoulder. He could feel the tension underneath and returned back up, applying slight pressure in an attempt to help work out the stress. His hand also pushed her dark locks away from the silky skin hidden beneath them as it passed. Noel’s skin felt hot to the touch and seemed to blush slightly where it had been revealed to Lucas’ sight.
Running his hand back down again, Lucas left it at the base of her neck, slowly kneading the stiffness he found hidden in the shoulder muscle. He turned his head downwards and pressed his lips against the side of Noel’s neck, kissing her softly.
“Are you ok?” He whispered into her ear. Lucas was actually concerned. A minute ago, Noel had been her outgoing and blunt self but she had quickly become frightened and withdrawn. The only thing he could think to do was try to let her know it was ok and listen if she had something she needed to share. “We can just both lay back, find something else on the tube and you can tell me what is on your mind if you want?” He offered sincerely.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 22, 2011 13:43:54 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
The red, sparkly color glided onto the final nail as Lucas tried to finish his task as best he could despite the recent distractions. He didn’t want to ruin the evening but a part of him felt rejected and he was having more trouble with that then he had anticipated. He had put himself out there and knew this was a possibility but nobody ever tries something expecting to fail. It was nobody’s fault. Just the way life goes sometimes. They were still friends at least. This could help define their relationship; it didn’t have to sink it. There would be less confusion in the future and that was a small victory.
Noel’s leg shifted in his lap as she leaned forward and gently touched her finger tips to his hand, stopping him from putting away the brush. A tingling feeling tickled the base of Lucas’ neck and set his nerves on fire from that slightest contact. Slowly, the young man raised his head and saw Noel’s warm smile lighting up her face as she looked into his eyes. All the tiredness and stress flooded from his body as he lost himself in those light brown depths yet again. There would never be only friendship for him. He would fake it for her, but deep down he knew it was too late.
"Does that mean you don't want a second date?" she asked him.
His heart stopped for a moment after Noel spoke. She hadn’t been playing with him at all. She had been as scared and nervous about this as he was and was only looking for clarity. What he had thought was a straight forward question was vague and ambiguous when it reached her ears. Lucas felt like an idiot. It must be that his brain was addled from tiredness, the after effect of memory loss or both. He should have seen that possibility instead of focusing on his own insecurities.
"I can't promise it'd be as exciting as the first, but I wouldn't mind that so much." Noel added lightly. Her delicate hand rose up and tucked some loose hair behind her ear as she continued to hold him transfixed with her gaze.
Lucas swallowed reflexively. There was no mistaking her intentions now. Despite her nervousness, the beautiful woman before him had spelled it out in detail and waited patiently for him to respond. With a few words, Noel had cleared any confusion or doubt the young man might have had about what she thought. She was a truly amazing woman. Despite the intrinsic risks of them being together, Lucas plunged in headlong.
Leaning forward, Lucas pressed his lips against Noel’s and kissed her tenderly. He had wanted to several times before and no longer saw a reason to hold back. Doubt and fear evaporated at the feeling of her lips against his own. All obstacles were gone. Pulling back to look at her again, Lucas smiled at the beautiful woman before him. “I accept your invitation for a second date.”
Somehow he had managed not to spill the little bottle in his hand when he had kissed her. The nails were done now and all that was left was to put the brush back into the red polish. Lucas screwed it closed so it wouldn’t leak before dropping it off the side of the bed. His artistic masterpiece wiggled in his lap, the crimson flare of the nails sparkling in the light from the television screen. Looking down, he noticed his own yellow toes shinning back at him.
He wanted to move closer to Noel and cuddle in for the night to watch the rest of the movie before drifting off to sleep. He wasn’t sure if he could though. They had spent so long working on each other’s feet that it would be a shame to ruin it. “I’m kind of new to this. How long does this stuff take to dry?” he asked.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 22, 2011 13:38:08 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
The sound of the broom swishing across the weathered hardwood floor was all that could be heard as Lucas cleaned the gym. It was late and the last of the athletes were long gone, leaving the young mutant to prepare the room for the following morning.
He had a place to live now. McMillan gave him a small room in the back when he was hired and it fit his needs perfectly. It wasn’t extravagant, only a simple bed and dresser, but it was a definite step up from the alleys he had been sleeping in. With access to the kitchen and the communal showers, things weren’t bad. Sure, the pay wasn’t great but with no bills to speak of, it was more than fair. He had enough to get a few more pieces of clothing and even go out if he wanted which was a nice step up from his time on the street.
“What you still doing here?” McMillan’s gravelly voice boomed, cutting the tranquility of the brooms rhythmic sound.
Startled, Lucas quickly turned to face the old coach, his heart jumping out of his chest.
“You scared me coach” he chuckled as his bodies flight response died down to normal once again. “Just finishing up. What are you doing down here at this time of night?”
McMillan made his way across the gym floor and sat down on a weight bench near to where Lucas was working. The older man nodded his bald head towards the nearby stationary bike, an invitation to have a seat implied in the gesture.
Leaning his broom against the free weight rack, the young mutant accepted the break and mounted the bike. Sitting down, he started to peddle idly without a word while waiting for the other man to continue.
“You have guts kid.” the grizzled coach said. “You knew the Ruskie had every advantage but you got up there and popped him anyway. Size, strength and the backing of the crowd; none of it mattered to you when you got in the ring.”
Leaning forward, McMillan rested his head in his hands, seeming a bit frustrated. “You got talents too. You had Gregore cold. Figured out in less than a minute while he pranced around like he was the Lord of the Dance. One combo and you had him seeing birds.”
Lifting his head back up, the old coach gave Lucas a stern glare. “So where is the pride in yourself?” He asked angrily. “You came in here looking like you had been living on the streets. You could be in that ring fighting, earning good coin I bet. Instead, you’re cleaning my toilets. Explain to me how something like that happens?”
Lucas wasn’t sure what to say. McMillan had demanded an answer, but to do that the young mutant needed to know how things had gotten so bad himself. If not for a chance encounter with a young woman and a taxi to shake up his life, he might have still been out there begging for change. Lucas hadn’t realized it had been a rhetorical question.
“I’ll tell you how it happens.” The old coach continued a bit calmer now. “You lose site of what you want. You lost your focus kid. Tomorrow, I am going to give it back to you.” The coach stood up from the bench and began to walk off. He called back over his shoulder as he left. “I’m going upstairs and hitting the hay. If I were you, I would get some rack time too. We have an early morning tomorrow.”
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 21, 2011 20:57:37 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
The young man pondered the response. He wasn’t sure if that was an invitation, a warning or an admission of a wilder side he had yet to see. Stopping his toe painting, Lucas looked up and studied Noel for a sign to her actual meaning. Nothing in her face or demeanour let him know which way she was leaning on the subject. That in itself made it a good bet she was toying with him a little. She wanted to make him work for it.
“Weird. I thought I was pretty polite just there.” Lucas said with a shrug and went back to work on Noel’s feet.
His limited finances were exhausted by flowers and nail polish and no really over the top romantic gesture were coming to mind. Movies always made it look so effortless. In truth, being spontaneous was hard work and he had pretty much exhausted his repertoire for the evening with photos and ice cream. Lucas was tired and a bit annoyed now to boot. If Noel expected something more to sweep her off her feet, she was probably going to be disappointed. His mind was drawing a blank and with no real avenue of approach, the young man sat back in silence and worked on the final toes of his art project. If he was lucky, something would come to him before the unbearable silence became overwhelming. Unfortunately, the words ‘high maintenance’ seemed to be the only thing that popped into his head. They had kissed already for god’s sake! Well, Lucas wasn’t driving at the time but it was the same pair of lips that did the job. That had to count for something.
Lucas hated giving up but he was having trouble seeing what else she might want from him. He had saved her life, got her a place to stay when her apartment was wrecked and even added in a few extra fun surprises along the way. Women were so tough to understand sometimes. It was situations like this that made him wish he was gay. At least he had the toes to bat for the other team now.
The point of overwhelming, awkward silence finally caught up to him and Lucas felt like he had to say something to cut the tension. “Just so I understand, seeing me naked in the shower and saving your life from a crazy Cabby couldn’t count as a first date then?” He asked as politely as he could.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 21, 2011 13:46:52 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
"The yellow goes much better with your skin tone." Noel said, grinning up at him from across the mound of pillows. "You didn't think you're getting out of this unscathed, did you?" She added as she snatched the bottle of polish from Lucas’ hand. He sat there for a moment, too shocked to react.
“Didn’t see that coming.” He thought to himself as a protest began to form on his lips. He bit his tongue before it could escape. Noel was smiling. On her own, without provocation or elaborate coaxing. She was genuinely happy with the prospect of painting his nails. It was a little odd but it gave Lucas a nice feeling and he decided to go with it. It was just as easy to be a homeless guy as it was a homeless transvestite.
“Unscathed? No. But I did think I could have avoided singing show tunes on Broadway afterwards.” Lucas joked.
This was probably a good thing in a weird way. Lucas was far from a nail polish expert so having Noel there to copy would ensure a better result. He mimicked her motions and shook his bottle before unscrewing the top and removing the excess from the brush. Reaching his hand under her calve, he repositioned her foot to a more comfortable angle. His hand lingered for an extra second, enjoying the warmth of her skin against his finger tips as he held her leg.
The smell of acetone filled his nostrils and helped him refocus on his task. As carefully as he could, Lucas began to apply the red paint in long smooth strokes while stealing glances at the film or Noel’s face when opportunity allowed it.
"Why doesn't she just tell him that she's crippled?" Noel asked idly as she worked her artistic magic at the other end of the bed.
“Probably because she is scared he will see her differently afterwards.” Lucas answered. “She understands her imperfections and is afraid that they will define her and her relationship despite the fact the man doesn’t care. It’s sort of self fulfilling. You know….pride cometh before the fall and all that.”
Watching the crimson splash of color spread across Noel’s nail, Lucas thought a bit about what he had just said and it hit home. When he first noticed that ‘An Affair to Remember’ was on the screen he jumped to the obvious comparison between Terry and Noel. The taxi accident had made the leap easy. Now, he realised, he had similarities to the female character as well. The woman painting his nails felt comfortable and he knew he was attracted to her. Maybe they only had known each other a few hours but it seemed familiar to him somehow. He was holding back and hiding what he thought and felt, using Noel’s fractured mind as an excuse not to risk being hurt or rejected. It was stupid when he got to thinking about it. He was worried she would see him differently if he was honest. Thanks to him being delicate and using kid gloves he was getting his toes painted to look like yellow M&Ms.
Lucas stole another glance at Noel as she worked on his nails. There was so much about her that he didn’t know and, thanks to her powers, probably never would. Her mutation meant she would probably forget his name or a million other details and he knew how difficult that could be but somehow, this made the beautiful woman even more compelling. He was used to lost memories and the constant reminders that would come with it. It had become a part of him over the years. Falling back into that life would be easy enough but that wasn’t a good enough reason to be with someone. Respect and attraction was and he had both for Noel. She was both Ying and Yang, a strange mix of two extremes. One side was strong and independent; the other, vulnerable and innocent. Lucas doubted he would ever meet another woman like her.
“So, how does a guy go about starting a romantic relationship with a girl like you?” He asked bluntly as he concentrated on painting the nail of Noel’s little toe.
Lucas didn’t want to spend his days emotionally crippled like the lady in the film, tormented by dreams of what might have been. Life was short. It was better to just face the truth head on and know for sure.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 20, 2011 18:02:05 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
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Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
Coming back out of the bathroom, Lucas took in the scene before him. The sun was half set over the horizon and bathed the entire room in an orange glow. Long shadows stretched out along the walls and ceiling, giving an illusion of depth and warmth to the tiny, confined space. Noel sat on the side of the bed beside the stack of pillows, melding into the ambient colors cast by the dimming light. She casually worked away at the bowl of ice cream in her lap, oblivious to how beautiful she looked in that moment.
“Wow.” Lucas said softly to himself as he gazed down at the young woman, his breath stolen away. It was the kind of picture you expected to see hanging in the Louvre, not in a discount hotel chain.
Realizing he had spoken out loud, he tried to cover his verbal slip. “I haven’t seen that film in a while. Not since Thursday's oldie nights at the home in Florida.” He remembered wheeling his grandmother down to the main hall at the residence where they lived so they could watch the old black and white films each week. His grandmother had become less and less coherent of her surroundings through the years but up until the end, the silver screen could still bring some life back to her face.
Lucas remembered how the basic story went, having seen the film at least a couple of times. The parallel between Noel Gage and Terry McKay seemed instantly obvious to the young man. Both women feared letting someone into their lives in case they would see them as helpless and pity them. In the end, Terry’s true weakness was not letting anybody else get close enough to care. If they made it through the whole movie, it would be interesting to see if the female mutant sharing the bed would see the same connection. As Noel was dining on a bowl full of cream and sugar, there was a good chance that she would find the energy to make it to the end of the film.
Lucas hopped up on the foot of the bed and crossed his legs. “Nope. I don’t smoke.” He answered to her earlier question. “I had seriously considered staining my teeth yellow and shortening my life by 20 years. But in the end, I just couldn’t stand the taste.” He kidded.
“Now scoot over to the pillows and give me a foot.” Lucas ordered as he threw the towel across his lap and pulled a brown paper bag out of his robe pocket. The sound of small glass bottles could be heard clinking together inside the tiny sack. Reaching in, the young man pulled out three small flasks of nail polish and a foam toe spreader. One bottle was a smooth yellow, another a sparkling red and the last a clear coat finish.
“The lady at the store said the yellow is the hottest fashion trend for the summer but the red is more sultry and classic. I was actually kind of surprised she even talked to me at all since I was just wearing a bathrobe so didn’t press for details.” He looked at both bottles with a more discerning eye and then shrugged hopelessly. “It just looks like yellow and red to me.” He conceded. “Pick your poison, hot or sultry?”
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 20, 2011 9:56:22 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
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Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
“So…What are we watching” Lucas asked absently as he noticed the TV was on. Didn’t really matter much to him as he wasn’t planning on a show or movie for the night but he liked to consider himself openminded. It might have been something interesting that would require him to adapt his plan, but he doubted it. Now that both of them had made it back to the room, any plans he had formulated for the remainder of the evening were pretty fluid. Ice cream, TV and another small surprise for his roomate could happen when they happened.
Stepping over to the bed, Lucas grabbed the pillows and re-arranged them. They ended up in a central pile so that someone sitting in the middle could use them as a fluffy throne-like back rest. Happy with his arrangement, he made his way to the bathroom.
The last dry towel sat on the toilet seat, looking lonely with the absence of the friends that used to be pilled on top. Snatching it up, the young man turned back around and returned to the other room with a skip in his step, resisting the urge to whistle as he put the pieces into place.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 20, 2011 6:15:49 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
(OOC: minor godmode permission was approved)
Rubbing his shoulder in mock agony, Lucas put on his best hurt expression. “Do you really think beating me in front of all theses people qualifies as being good enough to earn ice cream?” he said in a wounded voice.
Noel’s hands balled into fists again to administer another friendly punch. Before she could, Lucas took a step back in pretend terror. “Ok! You win! I’ll get you your ice cream. Just don’t hurt me anymore.” He let the charade of fear drop before continuing. “I’ll wait here and grab it as it comes out and meet you upstairs so we can get it a bit faster. OK?” Reaching into his robe pocket, the young man pulled out the key and handed it towards her.
A quick, delicate hand darted out to snatch the electronic card but Lucas held onto it firmly to keep Noel’s attention a second longer. “It’s Monroe.” He added with a smile and released his fingers. “I’ll see you upstairs.”
Turning around, Lucas walked back towards the front desk yet again. He listened to the gentler foot falls of Noel’s bare feet on the marble floor as she made her way back to the elevator and he waited for the ding of the bell before he addressed the man behind the desk again. “I’ll bring the ice cream up myself I think. Save you and your staff the trouble if you don’t mind having it brought to the front desk instead?” Lucas offered.
“Of course sir.” The concierge said and picked up the phone to make the arrangements.
Lucas looked over to watch Noel step through the doors. He admired the way she moved and found himself dreaming of possibilities. The heavy steel doors closed entirely too quickly for his taste.
The sound of the phone being hung up brought Lucas’ attention back to the task at hand and he turned to face the clerk.
“It should be here shortly sir.” The concierge said. “And if it isn’t too personal and you don’t mind me asking, how long have you both been together? You make a nice couple.”
“We aren’t together.” Lucas corrected. “Life is never that simple.”
Lucas had been trying to hide the truth from himself but the desk clerk had brought it to the surface. The fact was, if things moved any further for him, he was going to get hurt. “It might even be too late.” He admitted to himself. If any feelings that had started to grow were reciprocated, there was no guarantee that Noel would remember the next day and where would that leave them? Lucas couldn’t take a photo and scribble a note to let the young woman know how they felt about each other. A relationship with Noel would only end badly. It might not be today, or tomorrow, but the eventuality loomed there, waiting. Lucas hadn’t spent a lot of his life trying to be safe but instead, had looked out for others. Now that his family was gone, he had the chance to change that. The signs of him starting to fall for Noel were all there and he could see it. There was no way to delude himself into thinking otherwise. Looking over towards the front doors of the hotel, he understood that there was only one thing he could do to save himself the heartbreak that could follow if he went back up to the room.
“Change of plans buddy.” Lucas said softly. “I am going to need room service to bring that ice cream upstairs after all.” He sighed, contemplating how things might have gone if he had chosen differently. It was hard, but now that the decision was made, Lucas realized there really wasn’t a choice to do things differently despite the inevitable pain it would cause.
“You mind crediting me a few bucks and charging it to the room as well? I’m going to need some cash to get a few things and don’t have my wallet with me.” Lucas asked sheepishly.
Seeing the look in the robed man’s eyes before him, the desk clerk reached into his own pocket and handed him a twenty.
*****
A few minutes later, Consuela pushed a small steel cart to a suite at the end of the hall on the fourth floor. The trolley held a tray with a heaping bowl of ice cream and two spoons. She had been in the hotel industry long enough not to question what customers ordered. If someone wanted to eat ice cream in their rooms at night, that was there choice. If they wanted to do something else with it, that was up to them and she didn’t need the details. It was far from the strangest request she had received and she was pretty good about pushing these things from her mind.
Reaching the end of the hall, the room service attendant stretched out her hand and wrapped on the door gently. “Room service.” She said politely and waited for the door to open. The sound of the latch being pulled free was heard from behind the door. It swung open to reveal a long haired brunette with stunning hazel eyes and a scar on her left cheek. She seemed surprised to see her there, as if she had expected someone else. Consuela looked down at her service bill to make sure she hadn’t gone to the wrong room by mistake.
“You ordered ice cream?” She said questioningly, taking her time between each word so she could be understood through her heavy Spanish accent.
Before the pretty woman in the room could answer, a man in a robe popped out of the stairwell and picked up the tray off of the cart.
“Great!” he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “I was worried I wouldn’t get back before it melted. Thanks.” The robed gentleman deftly circumvented the space between the two women and entered the room with a level of dexterity that was surprising for a man his size. Both of the ladies were left in the doorway, facing each other.
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 19, 2011 23:04:55 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
"It's not gonna work." Noel muttered darkly to herself as Lucas led her up the hall towards the elevator. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the sour face gazing back. Getting a smile out of this woman had been a losing battle all day and it didn’t look like she was going to give ground now. Was it really that much to ask for someone to be happy?
Pressing the glowing white button to summon the elevator, Lucas glanced at the woman beside him. She had pulled her hand away and her posture seemed very unapproachable as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You may be right.” He reasoned with her looking back towards the door. “There is really not much I can do to make you remember me. But I can have fun trying my best to make an impression.”
The silver doors slid open to reveal a bald, wrinkled old man in a suit with thick, horn rimmed glasses. Perfect, Lucas had wanted to get the blood flowing and make a girl happy and now he had to ride the elevator with the six flags guy and a woman that looked like she wanted to castrate him. This plan was not going according to how he had envisioned it would. There was no point in turning back now though but if this got any worse it was going to be a long night.
“Come on, let’s go.” Lucas said as he ushered Noel into the elevator, smiling politely at the man as they embarked. The doors swung shut and everyone stared at the number panel above the door as they counted down. Hushed, easy listening music circled the air and made the ride seem that bit more painful to Lucas somehow. The first floor eventually arrived and the doors swung open.
Lucas grabbed Noel’s hand again and backed out the door so he could see her as he talked. “I promise we can be back in the room in five minutes. And if you behave yourself and give me a smile, there might even be some ice cream in it for you.” The devilish grin came back. “I hear pregnant women really like ice cream.” Turning to his side, he saw the old sick flag guy watching the exchange so he addressed him as well. “There is a bowl of ice cream in it for you to if you streak the lobby big guy.” Lucas winked suggestively and the man seemed to decide it was best to mind his own business from that point on and hurried off.
The couple made their way to the front desk where the young concierge that had checked them in stood waiting to help them.
“I need your help” Lucas said. “I need you to take our picture. It has been an interesting day and we need to immortalize it. After you take our picture, I’m going to need you to print us off a couple of copies on that printer you have in the back office.” Lucas pointed to a printer on a desk in the office behind the desk clerk to aid his point.
The man behind the desk gave the fakest smile imaginable. “We don’t have a camera sir.” He said with mock apology in his voice.
Reaching over the desk, Lucas grabbed a pen and pad and began to write. “I am assuming someone in this building has a cell phone that can take photos and could email so they could be printed?” He asked, not looking up from his pad. ”Lastly but most importantly, we are going to need some ice cream.
“I’ll see what I can do sir” the clerk replied, trying to maintain his fake smile as he picked up the phone to make a call.
*****
A minute later, Raoul the night watchmen stood in the lobby with his cell phone held out before him. Lucas stood behind Noel, his head leaning over one shoulder and his arm wrapping around the other side. He held the sign he had made for the camera in front of both of them so that only the camera and the night watchman could see what it said. “Now, if you like, you could smile for the picture.” Lucas whispered into her ear while trying not to ruin his own portrait grin. “It always makes for a better picture. Of course, the truth is I think you’re cute enough to pull off a grumpy frown as well so do what makes you happy.”
The phone made a digitized click sound that was meant to mimic a real camera, signifying the deed was done. The flash left small dark circles dancing across Lucas’ vision. He didn’t wait for them to clear before going over and thanking Raoul for his time. Turning back to Noel, he held up the sign he had made for the photo so she could finally read it.
Lucas is my friend. I trust him.
“There you go. The only way you won’t remember me now is if you don’t want to and throw the picture away.” He cocked his head to the side in an attempt to seem more innocent and lighten the tension. It used to work in high school whenever he would annoy a girl so it was worth a shot now he figured. “And before you say you don’t trust me, you did come down here in nothing but a robe even though I didn’t tell you why. Plus, there is the whole night in a hotel room without clothes thing if you still have doubts.” He waited a moment to let his argument sink in. “But I do have to ask because I can’t wait to see for myself. Did you? Did you finally smile for me?”
Posted by Lucas Monroe on Jun 19, 2011 17:49:16 GMT -6
Delta Mutant
142
0
Oct 18, 2011 19:24:32 GMT -6
"Lots of people don't keep in touch with their parents. It's part of growing up." Noel said as she ran her fingers through her hair.
Noel couldn’t have known how difficult it was for him to hear those words. It was always tough for Lucas to hear people dismiss their parents so easily. Having lost both his father and his mother, it hurt when people could push their families out of their lives by choice. It wasn’t Noel’s fault. She couldn’t have known the truth. For her, parents were no longer a necessity. But having had a father and a mother meant the woman hadn’t had to grow up to quickly and probably got to enjoy her youth. This was something most people took for granted. Lucas didn’t have that luxury and a part of him would always be jealous of those who did.
Coming back from his own thoughts, he connected with Noel’s squinting glare as she asked "Can't you just tell me?"
He had wondered if Noel would ask again. The woman on the floor before him was curious enough to remember and ask twice despite flying all over the map in the conversation. That is the only sign Lucas needed. It was time to see if he could push her out of her comfort zone and get that smile he had been coveting since the afternoon.
She drifted off to a fresh topic before Lucas could answer but he wasn’t going to let it go again. "I remember getting hit and you were hurt." She said next.
Launching himself off the bed with his arms, Lucas landed on his feet, ready to go instantly. “Yah, I get hurt a lot. Don’t worry about it. Totally worth the trouble.” He said dismissively as a smile appeared on his lips. “Let’s get out of here. I have to tell you my name again and I don’t want you to forget this time.” He grabbed the door card and stuffed it in the pocket of his robe and turned back around to the woman on the floor.
“Leave all this stuff here, it isn’t going anywhere and we won’t be gone long.” He added in hopes to dissuade any chance of frolicking amongst the outside world with a pistol hidden in Noel’s robe.
Reaching down, Lucas took Noel’s hands in his and tugged enough to pull her to her feet. The young man studied the brunette’s face for a moment, reading the slight fear and doubt at the idea of leaving the security of the room and venturing forth to parts unknown.
“Unless you’re too scared of course?” Lucas prodded as his smile warped into a devilish grin. He gazed into Noel’s hazel eyes, unblinking, waiting to see the fire ignite at the thought of being challenged.
