Christmas 2015: Mayday

[puppygirl]

<@Mayday> Mayday giggled to herself, scuttling along the room, up the wall, across the celling and back down the other side again, humming to herself. There were certain perks about having eight legs and nothing to do, and she was glad she was finally seeing that.

<@Mayday> Confident that the others would find a way to help her, she simply accepted that for now, she was Spider-May, and that was all right; "Do-de-doo, Do-de-doo, doo-de-doo-de-do, do-do-doo...."

<Clarice> "That's pretty catchy," Clarice piped up, coming back in from the clean rooms and peeling her gloves off, "You seem a bit more chipper today," she flashed the other girl a wide grin.

<@Mayday> Mayday stopped, upside down on the celling, and stood 'up' straight, turning to Clarice, "I took your advice, staying positive!", she smiled, webbing the celling and rappelling down to her level, "'Sup?"

<Clarice> "Awesome!" Clarice did a little glee clap, "Oh! Dr.s MacCoy and Summers have finished their last batch of tests and they think, think that they might have something to de-carapace you."

<@Mayday> "R-really!?", Mayday crawled up to the glass, sticking against it, "W-what is it? A-am I gonna be cured!?"

<Clarice> "Well, they ran a few tests on your blood samples and it seemed to work up to a point, but there's no way of knowing just how much it'll effect actual you till we give it a shot," Clarice shrugged, "my gut feeling is that it'll work though!"

<@Mayday> Mayday laughed, bobbing up and down on her legs, "O-ok! Ok, let's do it!", she clapped, "Oh, gosh, thank you so much!!!"

<Clarice> "It's nothing to intrusive, we just have to inject you with some base human DNA," Clarice explained, pulling on some new gloves and hunting for a syringe, "in the lab it like ... caused your sample to revert back to a more human strand."

<@Mayday> "W-wait, will I lose my powers?", Mayday's hand covered her mouth, she wasn't sure if she wanted to risk being completely Human again after everything she'd been through, "I-I'd lose my home here if I was just plain old Mayday again, wouldn't I?"

<Clarice> Clarice smiled as she went to get the sample from the fridge, "It won't take away your X-Gene, silly-face, gosh, if it was that easy to 'cure' us you think Trask would have kidnapped so many of us?" She prepared the needle, "Umm ... you're okay with needles right? You don't like ... have a phobia?"

<@Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "N-no. You're right, sorry...", she smiled, "Come on, I'm totally ready!"

<Clarice> "Right," Clarice turned around and eyed May up and down, "... Ah ... problem ... I need to find an artery to poke this in ...."

<@Mayday> "M-maybe my arms?", Mayday spread all four of them, "....erm....pick one?", she smirked awkwardly.

<Clarice> "According to my text books when you have to give spiders injections they should go in the cephalothorax ... uh ... that would be your chest," Clarice worried her lip, mutant medicine was a veritable gauntlet of unexpected challenged, and she briefly wondered if she should have let the two staff members talk her into doing this ...

<@Mayday> "With some reluctance, Mayday nodded, pushing her chest forward, "....'k, like this?", she squirmed a little, itching her bulb with a hind leg, "I-I'm kinda nervous...."

<Clarice> "It's okay," Clarice looked over May's chest to see if there were any gaps in the exoskeleton, of course they wouldn't be that lucky, "I'm ... I'm gonna hafta just punch it through hon, this is probably really going to hurt, do you want something to bite on?"

<@Mayday> Mayday shyed away, "O-oh, Jesus...", she frowned, "...I-I.....y-yeah...", she curled her hands inwards, clutching her body as if to give herself a hug, "....oh, God..."

<Clarice> A bit more rummaging produced a roll of clean cloth for the purpose, which she handed over, "Do you want me to count down, or would you rather I just did it without warning?" She asked, trying not to let her nerves show.

<@Mayday> Taking the cloth in shaking hands, Mayday shrugged, "J-just do it, I think...", she placed the cloth into her jaw and tensed her mandibles as she bit down on it, "Mmmph, rhhdy.", she affirmed, all her eyes squeezing shut.

<Clarice> Clarice took a deep breath and carefully placed the tip of the thick, adrenal needle against May's carapace, Here goes nothing... With a grunt she forced the needle though and injected May, it was like trying to force a knitting needle through plywood.

<@Mayday> The stab made Mayday shriek into the cloth, biting down so hard she was certain it would draw blood from her teeth as she felt the cool steel of the needle enter her chest. The hairs along her back and on her bulb stood on end, her hind legs spasming to spray the air around her with them as a subconscious defence mechanism.

<Clarice> "EEEEEYOWCH!" Clarice shrieked, pulling the needle out and dropping it to the floor, gripping her arm, several long, dark, wire-like hairs were protruding from the arm of her lab coat, "Oh ... poopy!" She said through gritted teeth.

<@Mayday> Mayday recoiled, clutching her chest and looking up at Clarice, "S-sorr-!", she managed, feeling her body convulse, similarly to how it had when she transformed. With a groan, she shuffled into a corner, curling as her body's transformation started in reverse.

<Clarice> "N-No, it's okay, n-not your fault ... wow, that's fast," she blinked over at the girl, watching her transform, And really, really gross!

<@Mayday> Crying out as her body started to resemble a more human shape, Mayday cringed, shaking her head as the mandibles retracted into her back again, and her bulb started to re-form into her back. Moments of bones cracking and skin re-knitting later, and Mayday lay in the darkness, her naked frame curled into the corner of the room.

<Clarice> Clarice gripped her arm above the elbow to stifle the pain and blood flow some as she approached Mayday carefully, "May? Are you okay?"

<@Mayday> Mayday looked up, coughing a little and crawling into the light, her body covered in little patches of blood, "I-I....", she looked down at herself, and her six arms, "....have....s-six arms....",

<@Mayday> At that, her stomach couldn't take any more: she coughed up a little bit of sick.

<Clarice> Clarice just stared for a moment, "That ... is so COOL!" She squealed, "Oh my gosh! Can you move them? Can you move them independently of each other? Do you have feeling in them? Oh my gosh, can I x-ray you to see how it works-uh-oh!" Puke! Not cool! "Ooookay," she grabbed the blanket off the cot and grabbed a glass of water for May, "Deep breaths now sweetie, cover yourself up with this," she handed the blanket over.

<@Mayday> Two of her arms garbed Mayday in the towel while another took the glass of water and sipped it. A fourth wiped her mouth as she looked up at Clarice, "I-I can move them all like....i-it just comes naturally.", she shuddered, "I-I look.....like me again?"

<Clarice> Clarice grinned and nodded, "You are back to your pasty, geeky, white-girl self my friend ... with extra Halo Online booty-whooping potential," she watched the arms move in pure fascination.

<@Mayday> Mayday scratched her head with one, looking at the unoccupied limbs, "H-how is this even physiologically possible? I-I should be normal again....", she frowned a little, "Clarice, a-am I stuck like this?"

<Clarice> Clarice shrugged, "I dunno May, the docs wanted to see you when you recovered so you'll have to ask them ... but if you are, look on the bright side, you'll never have to wear a bra again," she giggled.

<@Mayday> "I-I like wearing bras!", Mayday flushed, "I-I mean....like...I can't just run around like Kypriss from Timesplitters!", she sighed, she could. She knew she could. "M-maybe this is temporary too, right?", she stood up, stumbling back down, "Whoa....n-no balance..."

<Clarice> "Yeah, four extra limbs would wreck that," Clarice smiled, "And it might be, we might be able to like ... reset your mutation and purge the spider DNA, but this is better for now right?"

<@Mayday> Mayday's eyes widened, "P-purge....!?", she looked panicked, her eyes welling up a little, "B-but if I lost my powers....I'd...", she couldn't even bear the thought, "I-I wouldn't be me any more!", with a sharp breath, she slipped, stumbling into the wall and sliding down it, "I-I'm not gonna be the Spider-Girl any more?"

<Clarice> "Hey, hey, calm down, it might not come to that," Clarice soothed, "it's just a possibility ... admittedly the only one I can think of but heck, I'm not a doctor or anything, I'm just a freshman."

<@Mayday> "Y-yeah, you're right.", Mayday nodded, taking a few deep breaths and wiping her eyes, "I-I'm sorry, this is all just so.....oh, God, I don't even know...", she groaned.

<Clarice> Clarice smiled, "It's messed up," she winced and tightened her grip on her arm, "Ugh ... I'd better do something about these," she eyed the hairs sticking out of her arm and the spots of blood staining the arm of her lab coat.

<@Mayday> Mayday looked at her arm, gasping, "Oh, Christ! I-I'm so sorry!", she stood, slipping over again, "Damnit, arms!", she snapped, "I-I can help you! M-maybe...?", she forced herself onto her feet with a great deal of effort.

<Clarice> "Naw, it's okay, I've had worse, this is just gonna itch like a straw vest for a few days I think ... pretty sure Dr, MacCoy can yank them out with some tweezers or something, you just chill and get your bearing, okay hon?"

<@Mayday> "I-I want to help!", Mayday insisted, slowly managing on her feet and shambling forward awkwardly, all her spare hands outstretched, "This is just the worst ever.....", she sighed, actually giggling a little at how ridiculous the situation felt.

<Clarice> Clarice joined in the giggling, "You look like a mortal kombat character, if you wanna help you can help me track down Dr. MacCoy ... though you ... uhh ... may wanna sorta out your toga there before we go anywhere."

<@Mayday> Mayday blushed a little, realizing that her whole lower region was on show. The towel dropped over her bum as she blushed, two arms covering her chest, "T-then get me some clothes!", she turned to Clarice, smile still stuck on her face, "Pervert!", she stuck out her tongue, feeling more like her old self than ever. Even with six arms.

<Clarice> "I prefer outies to innies," Clarice poked her tongue back, then grimaced, "Oh man ... it's itching .... oh man it's starting to itch real bad!"

<@Mayday> "Oh, my God, wait...", Mayday approached her, "T-the Black Arrow's bristles can cause major inflaming!", she went for her bum, realizing that she wasn't about to find her iPhone against her rump, "Come on: we need to get you something to sterilize it!"

<Clarice> "Well, rumour has it Dr. MacCoy prefers his outies as well so I think your honour is safe if we go get him," Clarice screwed her eyes shut to try and ignore the maddening itching, "Shall we then?" She asked through gritted teeth.

<@Mayday> Mayday nodded, scrambling for the door, "All right: this way, let's go!", ignoring her physiological predicament, she darted to the medlab to get help. "It's good to be back! ....kinda!",

[Ferguson]

<Mayday> "It's gonna be such a pain! How am I even gonna wear anything!?", Mayday sighed, folding two t-shirts at once with her arms, while the final pair rested on her hips, "I-I mean, I already look like a freak, I don't need to be naked at the same time!", she pouted, placing a few pairs of socks into the holdall.

<Mayday> "W-wait...maybe I should wear big hoodies and hide my other arms!", she beamed, snapping her fingers with all of her hands, making a freakishly loud cracking sound, "Wow, that was awesome!"

<@Jean-Paul> "You need to just relax, Mayday." Jean-Paul spoke up from her bed, sitting up and regarding the current problem she was having. Some of the spiderness was gone but arms still remained for a moment. "At least they'll be gone one of these days, yeah? You just have to make do for a while."

<@Jean-Paul> "We could always go to the fabric store and try to make something to go, how does that sound?"

<Mayday> Mayday sighed again, "I know I'm freaking out, and I'm sorry, but....come on, I never even venture outdoors this time of year, and now I'm meeting new people and I have no clothes! Putting on my bra this morning was a total pain in the ass.",

<@Jean-Paul> "Mayday, it's my aunt and uncle. I know what they're going to find weird better than you, don't I? They're not going to care one bit how many arms you have. So was that a no for the fabric store or a yes? I bet we can get Professor Guthrie to help us."

<Mayday> "Well...I-I mean, I wanna wear my own stuff but....", she sighed, kneeling a leg up on her bed and sitting down, "Yeah....yeah, we should.", Mayday rolled onto her back, "Ugh, why couldn't I have gotten a good power like....I dunno, Power Girl's awesome bust or something..."

<@Jean-Paul> "Your nipples would keep freezing in that costume. I mean, there's a hole basically right next to them." Jean-Paul shook his head. "And hey, my powers are awesome, why don't you want mine?"

<Mayday> Laughing, Mayday looked up at him, "Well, yeah, yours would be better. Just....you know, Power Girl's rack....", she giggled, covering her mouth, "Well, Sue says she likes me just the way I am. Even with six arms.",

<@Jean-Paul> Jean-Paul gave the most ridiculous teasing coo at that. "You two are adorable."

<Mayday> "Yeah....I'm really happy with her.", the redhead nodded, rolling onto her stomach and waving her legs in the air, "C-can I....ask you something? About Reed?"

<@Jean-Paul> "Sure, what would you like to know?" He asked, sitting up on her bed now.

<Mayday> Mayday sat up also, "Er....w-when did...I-I mean, have you ever said that...you love him?"

<@Jean-Paul> He answered with a nod. "Yeah, plenty of times. I...probably should start saying that again, too. I mean I do, I should probably let him know that's back to normal now."

<Mayday> "I-I only ask because...", she fidgeted with her hands, one of them scratching her short, messy hair, "...how do you know you're in love?"

<@Jean-Paul> "I don't really know how to answer that." He shrugged, thinking it over but not really knowing what to tell her. "What do you feel?"

<Mayday> Mayday blushed, "I-It's.....I don't know. S-she makes me feel special. Like I'm pretty and smart, b-but not, like.....I-I mean....", she shook her head, "I don't know. S-she makes me feel safe. Happier than I've ever been.", she shuffled a little on the spot.

<Mayday> "W-when we kiss, I feel as though nothing else matters.", she went on, smiling all the while, "And sometimes, when she whispers goodnight to me, I feel warmer, l-like...like my heart's gonna float me up into the sky.", she giggled at herself, "S-sorry....I just kinda went on a little, huh?"

<Jean-Paul> "Then I would say you have a pretty good case there, my dear." He reached over, ruffling her hair. "You're supposed to go on about things like that, especially to who makes you want to go on about that." Jean-Paul teased. "So, are you going to then?"

<Mayday> Mayday smiled under his hand, blinking up suddenly, "A-am I gonna what?"

<Jean-Paul> "Tell her."

<Mayday> "T-t....tell her I....love her?", Mayday gulped, "....oh, my God, I'm in love with her, aren't I!?"

<Jean-Paul> "You tell me, that's your head there." He patted it again, laughing. "Seems to me you know."

<Mayday> <Mayday> With a breath, Mayday nodded, cheeks reddening a deeper hue than her hair, "I-I...do. I love her. I-I love Susan Storm!", she beamed.

<Jean-Paul> "There you go!" He applauded her, really quite proud. "You make quick work, don't you?"

<Mayday> "W-w-what do I DO!?", Mayday squeed, "W-what if she doesn't love me back? How do I say it to her? S-should I wait for the right moment? Should I tell her before I go?", she flapped her hands, "Ohmygod! What should I do!?"

<Jean-Paul> "You are putting waaaay too much stress on yourself for that." Jean-Paul reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "I know you'll worry about it because everyone does but you can tell her whenever you're ready to tell her and if she doesn't say it back she either will when she's ready or she's a fool."

<Mayday> Mayday took a few breaths, "Y-you think she does? D-d'you think she loves me?", she squeezed Jean-Paul's hand for reassurance.

<Jean-Paul> "I wouldn't know why not? You're great, how could anyone not?"

<Mayday> That earned a little giggle from Mayday, followed by her covering her face, "Shhhh!", she smiled, "Are you saying you love me, JP? You big gay?", she grinned, pushing him playfully.

<Jean-Paul> "Of course, I love plenty of people, just in different ways." There wasn't any need to not say that, after all. "Are you saying you don't?" He pushed her back teasingly.

<Mayday> "No! Of course I do, y-you're like....well, a brother t-...", Mayday paused. That was something she hadn't thought about, not with all the Circle Pines issues, "...I-I completely forgot, I-I was going to try and find my own family...", she looked back at Jean-Paul, "I'm sorry, just...reminded me of something.", she smirked awkwardly.

<Jean-Paul> "You're an excellent little sister." He agreed, quirking an eyebrow up slightly as she contined. "How far have you gotten with the search then?"

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "I-I just left it in Lorna's hands, haven't asked because....well, with everything else I thought it was kinda secondary, you know? That and...", she waved her six arms, "Can't show up like this, right?", she chuckled a bit.

<Jean-Paul> "I don't know, it might be a good tester on how they are with mutants in general, do them some good." He said a little bit uncharitably. "No, I suppose not. You should make the impression you want to make after all, yeah?"

<Mayday> "Yeah, I just....I don't wanna botch it, JP.", Mayday explained, "Not everyone's that hot on Mutants and.....I don't know what I'd do if it went wrong. I-I mean a family? That's such a foreign concept to me."

<Jean-Paul> "You don't want them if they don't want you for who you are, Mayday. I know you want a family but you don't want to hide something like that either. You have people who care about you here that may as well be your family so if it goes wrong you're going to just go on with your life, okay?"

<Mayday> Mayday sighed, nodding and looking away, ".....okay.", she tried to curl a smile, but she couldn't hide the worry from her face, "...I'm jealous of people like you sometimes. I just spend all my time locked in my room with Cinnamon.", she looked over at her pet tarantula, who seemed to have cottoned on to the conversation and was pressed up against the glass of his tank.

<Mayday> Standing up on her knees, Mayday shuffled off the bed and approached the tank, lifting Cinnamon out, "We're both little orphans, huh, Cinnamon-bun?"

<Jean-Paul> "Mayday, you know you don't have to stay shut up in here. You've been pretty good coming out of late from what I understand it." He quirked an eyebrow up again at the jealousy bit. "People like me?"

<Mayday> She turned around, petting her spider, "Yeah....you have a family, people who love you very much. I....kinda wish I had that, too.", Mayday kissed Cinnamon gently, "I know I have all of you, but....well...a Mom and a Dad...."

<Mayday> Mayday approached him, "I know I can go and talk to people now, people will listen, they like me.", she couldn't help but grin at the thought that she had friends, actual friends, now, "But....family. Genetic family....I wanted that so badly..."

<Jean-Paul> "People who love you very much, that's what is the most important and you still have that so you're set no matter what happens but I know what you mean." He admitted with a nod. "But when you find them if they aren't what you were hoping for you still have everything you need."

<Mayday> With a nod, and a little tear at his words, Mayday agreed, "I know.", she affirmed, sitting down next to Jean-Paul and leaning her head on his shoulder as Cinnamon wandered up on hers, "Thank you, Jean-Paul. You're my best friend ever."

<Jean-Paul> "I try." He chuckled, ruffling her hair again. "And hey, I'm good with sharing my Aunt and Uncle, too."

<Mayday> "I wonder if they watch Stargate...", she looked up at him, "We should watch Stargate. Like, marathon Atlantis.", she grinned, shuddering at the feeling of Cinnamon dribbling on her neck, "Aww, gross!", she laughed, picking him off and having him jog about her many hands, "He likes Spider-May! Mommy's just like you, huh, Cinn?"

<Jean-Paul> "...oh god, spider bodily fluids." He wrinkled his nose at that, laughing as he leaned away. "And I imagine we'll get to watch whatever we like when we're up there. You'll get to share everything."

<Mayday> Mayday cooed at Cinnamon, smiling to Jean-Paul again, "I'm glad.", she breathed, raising her pet to her face and beaming at him, "It's nice to belong."

<Jean-Paul> Jean-Paul nodded and hopped off of the bed. "Come on then, to the fabric store and then we'll attempt to sew you a temporary wardrobe."

[Chaos]

-

<@Mayday> "O-ok, Cinnamon has enough food to last a few weeks, my X-Box Live subscription lasts until January 20th so you can use Netflix if you get bored...", Mayday listed as she double-checked her bag, stretching the seams on her six-armed jumper (courtesy of Professor Guthrie) to get comfortable.

<@Mayday> "...t-there's er...t-there's supposed to be a clan meet on WoW and LoL but I'm not gonna make either, if you see anyone from there on Steam, tell them I won't be...here...", she sighed, finally.

<Sue> Sue nodded as she took that all in, "I wish you were staying, May...." She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

<@Mayday> Mayday squeezed her eyes shut, sitting down on her bed and covering her face with all of her hands, "I-I know, I just....I-I wanted to....", she looked past her fingers at Sue, "....h-have you ever had a family?"

<Sue> Sue nodded, "Yeah... I was close with my parents 'til the summer when it all went to shit... now they kind of don't talk to me... so I've just got Johnny..." She moved over to sit beside her.

<@Mayday> "I've never had that.", Mayday rested her hands on her lap, "I-I just....I just want to know what it's like, you know? J-just....just once, I wanna see it.", she looked at Sue, "....t-there's....there's something else I need you to know..."

<Sue> "If my parents were talking to me I'd have brought you home with me for the holidays.... so I guess I can get that." She offered a small smile.

<@Mayday> With a deep breath, Mayday took her hand, "S-Susan....", she shuffled a little bit to look at her, "...I-I...I love you.", she choked up, breathing increasing in anxiety.

<Sue> Sue blinked at her, trying to take that on board. "Wh-.... uh... really?"

<@Mayday> "I...y-yes! I-I was talking to JP and...and I think I really....r-really do, erm...", Mayday's grip around Sue's hand loosened, "...w-wh....you don't....?", she backed away a little, overcome with worry.

<Sue> Sue reached and pulled her back to her, giving her a hug, "I don't know, May... never been in love before... I know I like you a lot and I care about you..."

<@Mayday> Mayday trembled in her arms, unable to lift her own, "M-me either, but....but Sue, I just...", she moved away again, "I-I care about you more than I ever thought possible, y-you make me feel like I'm....I-I'm so happy with you and....", she shook her head, "...I-I think that it's love for me, and..."

<Sue> Sue gave a sigh, "Have I upset you?"

<@Mayday> "I-I....I don't know...", Mayday's hands all clasped together, "I....t-thought you would feel the same...", her mouth was too dry for tears, instead her eyes averted to the floor as she trembled.

<Sue> "This doesn't mean I don't..." she wrapped her arms around May's shoulders. "It just means I need time to figure that out...."

<@Mayday> With a little whimper, Mayday looked away, "And what if you don't? W-what if....", she shook her head again, standing up, "I....I need to go."

<Sue> "May... don't be like that... don't be scared that I won't... I don't see why I wouldn't... I just... I need some time... that's a big commitment and my parents... I have a lot of stuff in my head that's in the way..." she bit her lip.

<@Mayday> Lifting her bag, Mayday made for the door, stopping before it, "...I...h-have something for you.", she approached her desk, reaching into a drawer and withdrawing a wrapped package, complete with a tiny silver bow, handing it to Sue, "...it's just something small.", her eagerness to release it was clear by her lack of grip.

<Sue> Sue took it with a sad look, "Do I at least get a hug before you go? I'll miss you..."

<@Mayday> Mayday took a deep breath, nodding, "I-if you wanna...sure...", she tried to look at Sue, finding it difficult without the pain in her heart intensifying.

<Sue> Sue put the gift to one side and stepped close to May, sliding her arms around her for a tight hug. "Have a nice Christmas, May... I'll see you when you get back..." She kissed her cheek.

<@Mayday> Nodding against her, Mayday patted her back with an arm, backing away and leaving a kiss on Sue's cheek as she did so before approaching Cinnamon's tank, "Bye, baby.", she blew him a kiss before leaving the room, unable to breathe in the tense atmosphere any longer.

<Sue> Sue huffed and curled up on the bed around the wrapped gift. Christmas this year was going to suck ass.

<@Mayday> Shuffling out and bumping into the glass of his container, Cinnamon watched Sue, almost seeming concerned in his own little way. After a few moments to realize how hopeless his attempt to escape were, he simply rested against the glass, tapping it with a mandible. Perhaps just to let Sue know in his own way that she wasn't alone.

[Ferguson]

<Jean-Paul> "That's a ...festive sound?" Jean-Paul found himself half-asking as he came into his living room, eyebrow quirked as he regarded Mayday's set up here. "So, what are we working on here?" He claimed a seat beside her. "I think my aunt and uncle are holding Reed and Jeanne-Marie hostage for shopping."

<@Mayday> "Outlaw Star.", Mayday answered simply, eyes still unblinking and mouth smirking a little at the character banter, "I'm glad they're not here....", she muttered, finishing another spoonful of ice-cream.

<Jean-Paul> "....why?" He risked asking, still a little bit confused. "You've sort of been in a funk since we got up here. Not what you thought it'd be?"

<@Mayday> Mayday choked a little, biting back any more tears she had left as her headache felt like it threatened to make her pass out, "I told Sue. And....", she merely gestured with her spoon to the ice-cream carton.

<Jean-Paul> "And she said she didn't?"

<Jean-Paul> That wasn't really what Jean-Paul had been expecting but he waited for Mayday to go on, frowning a bit as he watched her.

<@Mayday> "She didn't say anything. She just....went on about how she didn't know if she did.", Mayday sighed, rolling her head to look at Jean-Paul, revealing her reddened cheeks from crying and her bloodshot eyes, "Why? I-I don't...I don't understand...."

<Jean-Paul> Jean-Paul took that in for a moment and shook his head. "Mayday, you remember how you were confused whether or not you actually loved her, yeah? You had to think it out, too. She just needs some time to think it out for herself as well, that's all."

<@Mayday> With a sigh, Mayday looked back at the television, "....you weren't there.", she stated, her stoic facade back up as she scooped another spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth.

<Jean-Paul> "Okay, then tell me about it." Jean-Paul prodded a bit, pulling his legs up under him in his seat and grabbing some ice cream for himself.

<@Mayday> "She was really....I don't know, distant - going on about how she didn't know how she felt, her 'parents'...", Mayday rolled her eyes, "H-how do her parents have anything to do with me, anyway? It's....I-It's not supposed to go like this!", she snapped, "S-she was meant to say she felt the same, why? Why didn't she just say it back? Am I that pathetic? D-did I do something wrong?"

<Jean-Paul> "That's how people act when they're surprised sometimes." Jean-Paul pointed out. "This has nothing at all to do with you, it has everything to do with her. If she brought up her parents there is some sort of issue there that she needs to deal with."

<@Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "Yeah. It has nothing to do with me anymore...", she fixed her eyes on the gunfight on screen, "...s-she's gonna leave me, isn't she?", her voice cracked a little bit at the end of her sentence, a hand going up to cover her mouth as a tear fell from her eye.

<Jean-Paul> "Mayday, why would she now?" Jean-Paul asked, just honestly confused. "Look, what she needs right now is time to figure out what the hell she thinks about anything, right? So you give her time. That's all that's happening right now."

<@Mayday> The redhead nodded, waving her hand at her eyes to dry the tears, "I-I'm just worried. I d-don't wanna lose her, JP.", she uncurled her legs, shuffling closer to him and leaning her head on his shoulder, "I really love her. I'm sure of it."

<Jean-Paul> "Well, you've not lost her yet and, well, if you do then that will open you up to find someone who will love you. It's still pretty soon for you, you know. You've only admitted what team you're playing for since...was it Halloween you said?"

<@Mayday> With a sigh, Mayday nodded, "I'm....I'm just....ugh.", she shook her head, "You're right. I'm sorry....."

<Jean-Paul> "Don't apologize, it's okay." Jean-Paul smiled, putting an arm around her. "You're going to be fine, okay Mayday?"

<@Mayday> She nodded, snuggling up with him, "Thanks....i-it's been - it IS - nice to be here with you, bestie.", Mayday smiled, looking up at him, "You're the best person ever."

<Jean-Paul> Jean-Paul gave a little swagger as he sat up straighter. Of course, right after that he burst out laughing as he imagined how absurd he must look doing so. "You're pretty great yourself."

<@Mayday> "I'm ok.", Mayday giggled back, getting cosy in his arm and putting the ice cream down on the coffee table. "Seriously, thank you...for everything."

<Jean-Paul> "You're welcome, you know that." Hmm, more ice cream? Always a good thing. "So you can at least enjoy some of the holiday spirit now?"

<@Mayday> Mayday nodded, "Yeah. A-and I'm sorry for...you know...bumming everyone out.", she frowned a little, "I didn't mean to."

<Jean-Paul> "Pfft, nobody's bummed out, it's Christmas. Just want to make sure you're okay." He smiled, hoping to reassure her some. "You're just fine, Mayday."

<@Mayday> "And you're the best person ever. Of all time.", Mayday laughed, hugging Jean-Paul with all her arms, "Merry Christmas, JP."

<Jean-Paul> "You're biased but that doesn't mean you're wrong." Jean-Paul teased. "Merry Christmas, Mayday."

[PanicSwitch]

<Mayday> With a smile as she adjusted her Christmas hat, Mayday booted Skype on her laptop and sat up, cross-legged on the couch. She smiled as she clicked the call button with one of her hands, the others all folded in her lap as the call tone started.

<Cecilia> "C'mooonnn, pick up the call it's rung, like, five times...AH-HA! Finally!" Said Cecilia, getting up from the floor by the coffee table and flopping onto the cursed floral couch. "Hi Mayday! Happy Holidays!" She said, laughing.

<Fabian> "You know, I have problems with being patient but I think I am reevaluating just how much of one I have now that I get to see your shining example." Fabian teased, plopping down beside her. "Hello Mayday. Are you speaking French yet?"

<Mayday> "Hey!", Mayday waved, giggling at the two of them, "And no: no French yet, but plenty of chocolate!", she held up a tray of confections, "How have you two been? Christmas romance, much?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia snorted and rolled her eyes. "My family's Catholic, like devoutly so. We're in separate rooms, me with my mother and Fabian with my brother. So no, not so much."

<Fabian> "I don't think she meant it that way. Mayday would have blushed her head off if that was what she was saying...but that way will be picking up a bit once we head out to Barcelona." He gave the webcam a cheeky wink.

<Mayday> Mayday did blush at that, "Ooooh, Fabian! I just knew you'd come out with something like that!", she shook her head, "Then again, Cee-Cee, you might wanna be careful: I think Fabian might explode if he doesn't 'spend his passion'...", she rolled her eyes, laughing all the same.

<Cecilia> Cecilia turned beet red and began flailing on the couch. "..P-Picking up?!" She exclaimed, both excited and slightly embarrassed, looking at Fabian. "... Spend his passion?! " She practically squeaked. Holy shit! .

<Mayday> On the other end of the call, Mayday was in stitches behind her webcam, rolling over on the couch in a fit of laughter.

<Cecilia> "He...B-But! We're in your parents house!" She flailed even harder. "...What if...Your Dad catches us?! GAAHHH!" She cried flopping onto the floor. Humiliation complete.

<Fabian> Fabian was doing his damnedest not to actually laugh at the flailing that was going on beside him. "Mayday, I think we have succeeded in breaking her." He patted her back in a circle, just smirking as he was really quite proud of what he had done. "There, there, nothing to worry about here."

<Fabian> "And that's what locks are for." He couldn't help it. He just had to keep teasing her.

<Cecilia> Cecilia just flailed even harder. "I can't get dressed that fast!" She cried. Wait, shit. "And you're not getting that lucky! Oh GOD. What the hell am I saying?!" She slumped down on the floor, out of view of the webcam. "I'll just shut up now!"

<Mayday> "W-well, you could always just do oral, right?", Mayday laughed, unable to stop herself from throwing that in as she convulsed in the hilarity of it all.

<Fabian> "Hey now, I only go as far as the mood takes us, no need to discuss anything remotely like plans right now." Why yes, he was continuing with his brand of teasing. "Come back up into sight or else Mayday's just going to assume you've started on her suggestion."

<Cecilia> Cecilia sat up from her slump on the floor like a shot and peered into the camera, eyes narrowed. "You're so mean. I hate you both," she said with absolutely no venom whatsoever. "I'm gonna tell Sue."

<Mayday> Mayday stopped laughing, frowning a little, "....er....yeah. She and I are...kinda....", she squirmed, poking her fingers together with one pair of hands, another one scratching her head.

<Fabian> "On the outs? What am I going to imagine now?!" This was not a merry Christmas! "That sucks though, what happened?"

<Cecilia> "Oh shit...Sorry!" Exclaimed Cecilia. "Did you guys fight?" Or worse, was this because of whole six-arms thing? If it was, someone was gonna have their ass kicked very shortly. "Do I need to kick some ass?"

<Mayday> "W-what!? N-no! No. I-it's....just that...", Mayday facepalmed with yet another hand, "Guys, I'm....I-I told her I love her. B-because I think I...kinda do....a-and....", she bit her lip, "....s-she doesn't know if she does. So I...."

<Fabian> Fabian looked to Cecilia. That was best handled by her first.

<Cecilia> "Kinda love her or you do love her?" Asked Cecilia, not unkindly. After all that was quite the statement to say if there was any doubt...for that matter how was there any doubt? You either knew or you didn't.

<Cecilia> "Well...she didn't say she didn't ," said Cecilia. "...And you don't have to say stuff like that. Not everyone does." She glanced briefly at Fabian, hoping this wasn't getting too personal for him. "Action speaks louder than words. Does she do things that indicate she loves you?"

<Fabian> "So what happened after she said she wasn't sure yet?" Fabian could understand not being sure. It wasn't like a person did things such as this every day but, then again, neither did Mayday.

<Mayday> Mayday covered her ears and closed her eyes, "Too many questions!", she told them, sighing before returning to a neutral posture, "S-she....well, Sue kinda just said she needed time to figure us out, but got kinda distant. O-or I did, I don't know....I didn't know what to do. A-and....I assumed she di-...she did love me, but...."

<Cecilia> Well...fuck . "Well, I think she does care, May. To at least some degree, I mean, she nearly bowled me over trying to see you when I broke the news to her...I know that's not much but it might mean things aren't as hopeless as you think..."

<Fabian> "I wouldn't really know the situation but it just sounds like you're stuck waiting for now. You are Shroedinger's Cat until she answers one way or the other." He gave a shrug. There wasn't much else to offer really.

<Mayday> "Gee, hadn't thought of that(!)", Mayday sighed, "...I-I'm sorry, I'm just....I don't wanna lose my Susan...s-she's...w-well, I love her. I-I do."

<Cecilia> Cecilia felt really sorry for Mayday. Like really sorry. This must be what empathy feels like , she noted distantly. "Well...things'll probably work out in the end. And even if they don't, well, I'll go to the gay bars with you," offered Cecilia trying to brighten her friend's mood. "I can be your wingwoman!"

<Fabian> "Strange tail from the bars is one thing but don't count on that for a steady diet either. We'll find something better after rebound if there's any need for that at all. Chances are I'd say there isn't. I mean, why wouldn't she want to call dibs on you more permanently?"

<Mayday> Mayday looked at Fabian in the webcam feed on her screen, "You think I haven't asked myself that, Fabian? I know I'm a freak, but....Jesus....", she groaned, rubbing her eyes, "...no. No: not crying again.", she affirmed, taking a deep breath, "JP was right - I don't know what's going on, so I should just deal with it when I do."

<Fabian> "...thiiiink you missed my point there if that's making you cry there, Mayday. What the hell are you even going on about?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia shook her head just barely perceptively at Fabian. This required something of a lighter touch. "There's nothing wrong with you, May. You're one of the nicest people I know." Her face darkened at the word 'freak.' "And you are not a freak . Six arms or not. That word is used by in-bred mutant hating bigots to put us down."

<Mayday> "W-what if that's it though? What if she just thinks I am disgusting?", Mayday looked down at her six arms, her face appearing repulsed, "W-why wouldn't she be? It's....it's gross, isn't it?"

<Cecilia> "What having six arms?" Remarked Cecilia. "They're just arms . Why is that gross?" Now looking like a human-spider hybrid with fangs and eight eyes...she could see how that would be a problem...but having a few extra arms? That was unusual but not disgusting .

<Cecilia> "When I see you now I don't think 'disgusting.' I'm more interested in your skeletal structure than anything," admitted Cecilia. But she'd always been fascinated by physical mutations and she was a science geek so..."Well, that and a few other silly questions," she laughed. "But gross? No, definitely not."

<Mayday> Mayday pouted, frowning as she looked up at the two on webcam, "....I'm just....just gonna forget about her. She....she'll come around when she comes around. If she comes around..."

<Fabian> "Mayday, do you think any of the people you know with obvious mutations are disgusting? Probably not because not only are we pretty damned accepting considering what we are but you know the person as well. She doesn't think you're gross, she just isn't sure what she feels."

<Fabian> "You just have to try and keep yourself from reading anything into it but that because that's all that's going on here."

<Cecilia> "In any case, things will work out, May," said Cecilia. "One way or another you're going to be alright. And when you're not we'll be there, as always."

<Mayday> With a sigh, Mayday nodded, "....yeah. I-I guess so.", she rubbed her face, clapping her hands, "Ok, c-can we change the subject?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia nodded. "Did you open my present? I haven't open yours yet, but I plan to when we go back to the mansion. Thought I'd save it for at least Christmas."

<Mayday> "Nope, not yet. Saving it.", she smiled back, glad for the focus being taken off Sue, "Fabian - you haven't peeked at yours, have you?"

<Fabian> "I fully intend to wait extra just to troll everyone." He announced, quite pleased with himself. "You lot have to wait until the three wise men come for me."

<Cecilia> Cecilia stuck her tongue out at both of them, individually. "Sure, make me look like the impatient one for poking at my present and trying to guess what it is. You two can contain your excitement all you like. I'm going to open mine when we stop by the mansion," she said saucily.

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, "Give my best to Xavier and everyone when you do, ok?", she grinned, "Oh! I-I have to speak to Professor Drake, too! I have a gift for her...", a little blush appeared on her face.

<Cecilia> "For the Drake's offspring?" Remarked Cecilia, smiling. "I didn't know you were close to Lorna. She recruited me, y'know. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

<Mayday> "W-wh!? C-close? W-well, no, b-but....yes. Yeah: f-for the little one.", Mayday stammered with great difficulty, turning away slightly, "A-and one for...for her..."

<Cecilia> Cecilia laughed a little at that outburst. "Why are you stammer...ing." Oh...OHHHH. Cecilia smirked. "Do you have a little thing for Lorna? Oh my God! This is too funny. Mayday's hot for teacher, Mayday's hot for teacher!" She teased.

<Mayday> Mayday covered her face, "Nooooo! S-shut up! I-I just think she's really nice to me! A-and....and she's kinda pretty, but...", she groaned, rolling onto her side, "Why can't I just diiiiiiie?"

<Fabian> "Hey, I am right there with you on a lot of the staff. I mean hell, Professor Guthrie is a literal beauty queen. So no need to die over some healthy appreciation now...but I will be playing 'hot for teacher' over the intercom when we're both back at school."

<Cecilia> "Guthrie - really ?" Said Cecilia incredulously, now more than just a little jealous. "Hmph. Not who I'd pick," she muttered.

<Fabian> "I'm not picking her, I'm just saying that the staff is pretty hot overall. So who would you pick?"

<Cecilia> "Who would you pick?" She countered, both wanting and not wanting to know.

<Cecilia> Cecilia reddened. "Okay, first of all, this is PURELY hypothetical because there's a law against fraternizing with your college students. Plus, I wouldn't because I'm not that sort of person and I'm with you," she said to Fabian "...But...err..." She turned red. "Lehnsherr."

<Mayday> "Lehnsherr!?", Mayday blurted, "Aw, yeah: let's all make fun of Mayday when Cecilia wants some Lehnsherr(!)", she laughed, "No wonder you're so bad in his classes - looking for some detention detail, obviously!"

<Fabian> "Hey, I can't blame your tastes there. So, do I actually have to pick one or should I just list those on the staff I would consider if I wasn't attached to you and I had the chance?" He tapped his chin, trying to narrow down the possibilities.

<Cecilia> "I don't WANT Lehnsherr!" Flailed Cecilia. "I just want Fab! And I'll have you know I've improved greatly in his math class. He actually told me my work was 'not bad at all,'" she said smugly, crossing her arms and smirking.

<Cecilia> "And no, I don't wanna hear the entire list of who you'd like to score with," said Cecilia to Fabian, slightly hurt. "You only get to pick one. Like I did."

<Mayday> "Butthurt...", Mayday giggled, "...hey, Cee; come on, Fabian's only got eyes for you. Heck, when I was all 'Spider-May'....", she bit her tongue, "....er....w-well, needless to say I saw that he would never, ever pick another girl over you. B-basically.", she scratched the back of her head, looking away again.

<Fabian> "...yeeaaaah, we should just go on pretending that just never happened?" He asked Mayday, wrinkling his nose at the awkward moment. "Won't lie, you were a bit on the scary side around then."

<Fabian> He sighed, pondering the pros and cons of his answer. "Dr. Guan."

<Cecilia> "That's...sorta weird," snorted Cecilia at Fabian. "But at least you don't have to see her, because that would be even weirder !"

<Cecilia> She gave them both a confused look though at the exchange. Clearly there was something here she was missing..."Uh, sure...okay...uh, I guess we'll see you when we get back then, huh, May?" She smiled.

<Cecilia> If Fabian survives until then , she thought somewhat churlishly.

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, eager to keep the topic off of 'Oh, and by the way, I tried to rape your boyfriend - sorry, buddy!' with every fiber of her being, "Y-yeah. Yeah, you will. And...I'm really glad you're both having a great Christmas time.", she smiled.

<Fabian> "You have a great time with your best gays too, Mayday." Why did Fabian feel like he was going to have to explain what had happened between him and Mayday. He wasn't sure he even could explain that. He sort of pouted at the thought, really not wanting to do that.

<Cecilia> "Later!" Laughed Cecilia. Great . Well she was really looking forward to hearing Fabian explain this one.

<Mayday> "Bye!", Mayday waved, clicking the 'End Call' button and leaning back on the sofa, sighing - mentioning that issue with Fabian was going to come back and bite her in the ass; she was sure of it. That and Lorna.....

<Mayday> "Smooooth, Parker(!)", she sighed. Still; better than a stocking full of coal.

[Ferguson]

<@Jean-Paul> "I think we have decimated the wrapping paper." Jean-Paul observed from his pile of paper, ruffling it to get free from the wreckage as he stood up from the floor, clutching all of his new cooking accessories to his chest with a bit of a maniacal grin. "I want to try them all."

<Reed> Reed grinned at him ", I would never say no to your cooking. You know that."

<Mayday> There was a sound of footsteps above the room, followed by a shriek, and then laughter. Scrambling followed as someone darted down the stairs before sliding into the lounge;

<Mayday> "OHMYGOD: I HAVE TWO ARMS AGAIN!", Mayday Parker squealed, clapping her hands, obviously not realizing her N7 hoodie was open, and her black bra was on show.

<@Jean-Paul> "You do! Now put those things away." Jean-Paul laughed though, quite happy for Mayday and her two arms rather than six. "So, is that you back to yourself then? Merry Christmas indeed!"

<Mayday> Looking down and flushing a deeper red than her hair, Mayday fumbled with her hoodie's zipper and pulled it up, over her chest, "S-sorry! Sorry...b-but yeah, this is already shaping up to be the best day ever!"

<Reed> Reed looked around to Mayday and laughed ", it's a Christmas miracle!"

<@Jean-Paul> "That means you need to open your presents. You," Jean-Paul paused dramatically to move his new basting brushes over to point at her equally dramatically, "slept in far too long. Now get over here and open presents, missie. I've got my first present so I can make breakfast."

<Mayday> "Oooh! I left you guys' ones upstairs, one sec!", with that, Mayday was gone for a few moments, returning with a package, a box, a smaller box and a card, "Er...I-I hope this isn't....you know, too much or....o-or too little...", she blushed a little bit, resting them on the table, "Er, the package is for you, JP, and the box is for Reed..",

<Mayday> She pointed at the smaller box, "That aaand the card are for both of you.", she smiled, "Merry Christmas!"

<@Jean-Paul> "Pfft, you know nothing's going to be too much or too little." Jean-Paul completely dismissed such an idea as he grabbed up the gifts for Mayday up from under the tree and passing them her way, his aunt and uncle coming back into the room to rejoin gift opening time. Breakfast could wait, after all.

<Reed> Reed pulled out a box that was happily wrapped and sets it out for her. Looking at JP he smiled ", Merry Christmas."

<Mayday> Waving hello to Jean-Paul's aunt and uncle, Mayday beamed, turning to her presents, "Aww, you guys!", she inspected the one Reed hand handed her and shook it gently, "It's soft...hmmm....", she pondered what it could be for a minute before peeling the package open, "Oh, my gosh! Bagginses!"

<@Jean-Paul> "How frigging brilliant are those things?" Jean-Paul asked with a laugh. "You should have seen us at the store when we found them, had to try a bunch of them on and everything." More gifts got passed forward and Jean-Paul started opening his, arching an eyebrow at the apron. "Mrs. Fantastic, huh?"

<Mayday> Slipping on her furry Hobbit-slippers, she winced at Jean-Paul, "I couldn't resist! I'm sorry!"

<@Jean-Paul> "You're lucky I love it." Jean-Paul teased her, putting his apron on.

<Mayday> Mayday giggled, happy he did, "Yay! Oooh! Reed! Open yours! I er...I just saw it and thought you'd love it.", she crossed her fingers, "Aww, I really hope you do!"

<@Jean-Paul> "Oh this sounds promising." Jean-Paul laughed, taking a seat on the sofa with Mayday. "Did he get a matching labcoat to my apron or something?"

<Mayday> "I considered it...but this is better. I-I hope.",

<@Jean-Paul> "Don't worry, this means I'll get to get him the labcoat later one of these days."

<Reed> Opening his gift, Reed grinned brightly. Pulling the pocket watch out, he inspected it. "I love it. Thank you! I can add it to my sonic screwdriver."

<Mayday> Sitting forward with wide eyes, Mayday clasped her hands together, "Y-you're a fan!? Oh, I'm so glad! I-I was worried you wouldn't get it!", she sighed, "Ugh...I'm such a ditz, I'm sure you said that before, huh?"

<@Jean-Paul> "Of course he's a fan. You're not the only nerd at the school you know." Jean-Paul teased, reaching over and ruffling Mayday's hair. "Welcome to other nerds."

<Reed> He laughed and shook his head ", I'm a pretty big geek. I mean you should see half the things I make in my spare time."

<Mayday> "Hehe! I'll have to! I've spent a lot of time in the classroom myself, but....well, it's for other stuff.", Mayday nodded, "At the moment, I'm writing a thesis paper on the possible explanation of matter and its composition - the basis is to see if there's something beyond the atomic structure..."

<Mayday> Her hand went up to her mouth, "I-I'm totally rambling, sorry! A-at least I caught myself though!", she laughed nervously.

<@Jean-Paul> "Mayday, seriously, ramble away. He'll enjoy it." Jean-Paul poked her, going for another package.

<Reed> Nodding, Reed smiled ", I've been told that I ramble on a fair amount myself."

<Mayday> She looked at Reed, hiding behind her hand a little bit, "Really?"

<Reed> "Of course! You read comics right? Because I've made several comic inspired gadgets and weapons."

<@Jean-Paul> "He's the biggest Ted Kord fanboy ever and I think he's tried to build everything in any DC book that can be found."

<Mayday> "Y-yeah? Like...er....ooh! Have you made, like, a remote-controlled batarang?", Mayday sat forward, kicking about in the air with her hobbit-feet on, "I-I was gonna try and make explosive gel, but I figured I'm silly enough to take off my own hand!", she laughed wryly, half serious about it.

<Reed> "I have a working cold gun like the leader of Flash's Rogues Captain Cold uses."

<Mayday> Mayday laughed, "Wow! I-is it a Freeze Ray or a Freeze Beam?", she inquired, raising a finger, "Important not to mix those up, naturally..."

<@Jean-Paul> "...I may use it on drinks." Jean-Paul admitted with absolutely no shame. "The two of you should team up sometime though, don't you think?" And they had made quite the haul on Christmas so far it seemed. "So, Captain Janeway, Doctor, what do you want for breakfast?"

<Mayday> Beaming at the reference, Mayday shrugged, "Erm...I-I don't know. Doctor, what would you suggest Seven of Nine makes for us?", she teased.

<Reed> "Anything he makes is delicious but French toast sounds perfect," Reed smiled at his boyfriend and Mayday.

<Mayday> "Great, French Toast it is!", Mayday bounced, looking at her other present, "So what else did I get? You didn't buy me a muzzle, did you?", she joked, her smile fading slightly, "....s-seriously, you didn't, right?"

<@Jean-Paul> "Why do I have to be Seven of Nine?" Jean-Paul pouted a bit as he went on to make the French toast. "No, no muzzle, open the buggers up!" He moved to get another package, holding it out to her.

<Mayday> Mayday opened her present, squealing slightly at what was inside, "Aha! 'Janeway', huh?", she pulled out the Star Trek inspired jumper and held it against her body, "I could not be happier to have two arms again!", she laughed, "Oooh! I-it came with a twenty-three-seventy edition commbadge?", she held the badge in her hands and ran a finger over it, "Oh, thank you so much! I-it's even in command red!"

<Mayday> "Y-you guys think I deserve command red!", Mayday sniffled a little, "Thank you so much!"

<Reed> Reed smiled ", I can never see red Star Trek shirts and not think security and engineering. Oh god....I'd be a red shirt." He gave them a startled look.

<@Jean-Paul> "You would not, you'd be all science blue...I'd be the red shirt."

<Mayday> "Don't be disheartened! We all know that in the later series it's 'ensign gold' that's the real killer...", Mayday added, wiping a little tear away, "This is so nice, thanks so much!"

<Reed> "What...I'd be in engineering, tell me I wouldn't," he laughs and smiles brightly at him ", right, Mayday?"

<@Jean-Paul> "True, you would be Scotty. Scotty's pretty awesome." Jean-Paul opened one of the smaller packages that had his name on it and pulled out the necklace Mayday had purchased. "Oh god, it's so damned cute."

<Mayday> "I think you would.", Mayday nodded, considering it before looking to Jean-Paul, "Yay! I hoped so! Y-you should put them on! I had them specially made so you can each have one of the other's name!"

<Reed> Opening his own, Reed grinned and her and slipped it over his neck ", thank you. Now I can keep him near me even when he's off running around."

<@Jean-Paul> He gladly put his own on. "They're fantastic and I like the idea of being tagged, won't lie...and I don't run off that much now." He poked Reed's side before stealing a kiss.

<Mayday> Mayday made a shy face as they kissed, half wishing it was her and Sue there, "I-it's...I'm glad you're both so happy. I... I've always been kinda jealous of that kinda thing.", she admitted, flushing a little, "It's sweet!"

<Reed> Taking JP's hand, Reed smiled ", it's taken us a while to get here but it's a good place to be."

<@Jean-Paul> "Well, you won't have to be jealous, you'll see. Even if things go differently there will be another person, you'll see."

<Mayday> "I-I hope so...", Mayday nodded, "I-I'm sorry, I guess it's just hard, you know? But....yeah. It'll be ok.", she smiled, picking up her last present, "Ok, what's this now?"

<Reed> "Well....open it up and find out," Reed grinned at her.

<Mayday> Mayday giggled again, opening it up and cooing, "Awww! It's a Tribble!", she cuddled it, "Aww! I love it! I love it sooooo much!", she kissed the furry little toy in her hands, "I'm gonna call you Kirk!"

<@Jean-Paul> "If you poke it right it purrs." Jean-Paul informed her, grinning. "and Kirk is the best name."

<Mayday> She pressed a finger against it, giggling, "Hahaha! It's purring! So cuuuute!"

<Reed> "It also has a squeal setting for when you need a small fuzzy motion alarm."

<Mayday> Mayday lifted it to her eye level, "I love you, Kirk. You are the best Tribble ever.", she smiled back at the boys, "Cinnamon's gonna freak out!"

<@Jean-Paul> Jean-Paul smiled, glad to see Mayday happy again. "An eight-legged freak out indeed. Now come on, breakfast is needed because I need food."

<Mayday> "Sure, lemme dress in this first!", Mayday lifted her jumper, leaving the little Tribble on the table, "I wanna look sassy and in charge.", she giggled playfully.

<Reed> Reed got up and stretched, smiling as he followed JP to the kitchen.

<@Jean-Paul> "You're always sassy and in charge." Jean-Paul gave a wave, leading Reed on into the kitchen. "Good Christmas so far, eh?"

[Chaos]

<@Mayday> It had been fifteen minutes. Or it certainly felt like it had been an absurdly long, abnormal time Mayday had stood outside the door of her shared room, wondering how best to approach the situation on its other side.

<@Mayday> Sighing, she leaned back on the wall adjacent to the room's entryway. Sue was on the other side, and the conversation that she needed to have with her filled her heart with fear, like liquid cement it seemed to harden the longer Mayday stared at the door, killing her want to knock.

<@Mayday> With a final huff, she swallowed her fear, adjusting her bag over her shoulder and knocking on the door gently, "Sue?", she called inside, trying the handle and pushing the door gently open.

<Sue> Sue paused her DVD and looked over at the door, just staring for a moment before she jumped off her bed and tackled May for a hug. "You're home!"

<Mayday> Mayday dropped her bag, caught completely off guard. She hugged Sue back, breathing her in and giving her a little squeeze, "Yeah.....I'm home."

<Sue> "And you have the correct number of arms again!" She squeezed her a little before letting her go. "I missed you..."

<Mayday> Smiling a little, Mayday nodded, "Y-yeah...I...missed you as well. D-did you like your little hair clips?", she smirked awkwardly at her words - the present seemed like the easiest thing to ask her about, and talking made it easier to avoid the elephant sat between them.

<Sue> Sue nodded, turning her head so that May could see she was wearing one. "They're really awesome."

<Mayday> "Heh...Science one, huh?", Mayday nodded, noting the specific pattern on the star-shaped symbol, "I-I'm happy you liked them.", she picked at the sleeve of her R2-D2 sweater, playing with a stray white cotton string, "S-so....."

<Sue> Sue chewed her lip, knowing what that stutter was about. "So...." she went back to her bed and sat down. "I guess we should talk..."

<Mayday> Mayday stood awkwardly at the door, closing it with a foot, "Y-yeah...", she looked away, too anxious to really look at Sue, "....erm....I-I guess you haven't decided to drop the L-word too, right(?)", she tried to joke, laughing dryly.

<Sue> Sue pulled her legs up, hugging her knees, "May... I'm not ready for that... I... I really care about you... but that's a completely different level..."

<Mayday> "....yeah.", she all but whispered in reply, trying to remain silent.

<Sue> She rested her chin on her knees and peered over at May, "Is this going to be a deal-breaker? It's not because I don't think I won't say it one day..." she trailed off lamely.

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "I-I don't know....I just....I-It's scary thinking you might just....not...", she looked up, gulping, "I-I'm scared, ok? I'm scared because I don't know how to make this stop hurting!", she held her chest, looking away once more, "I-it's like my heart is filled with lead..."

<Sue> "May..." Sue got up off the bed and went to her again, wrapping her arms around her. "It's not because I don't... it's because I can't say it." she nuzzled her a little, "If I say it it opens up all this stuff and everything's already crappy at home and that'll make it worse... if... if you can just wait til I figure this stuff out with my mum and dad...? I made a new year's resolution..."

<Mayday> The redhead shrank down a little in her arms, "So what? What does that mean?", she sighed, trying not to be unkind, but unable to deal with the weight her heart had become.

<Sue> "It means I'm going to fix this problem with my parents... and then I can introduce them to my beautiful, smart, funny, girlfriend and they'll love you as much as I do."

<Mayday> Mayday moved to look at Sue, "...w-what? You...y-you what?", she flushed, "Y-you....just said it..."

<Sue> Sue pressed a kiss to May's cheek, "I can say it... just not in a sentence all on its own yet..."

<Mayday> Squeezing her into a tight hug, Mayday buried her head against Sue's shoulder and let out a small sob, "I'm sorry!", she squeaked, trembling against the blonde girl, "I just thought you didn't! I-I thought nobody could love me and I was so afraid!"

<Sue> "Oh Maaaay!" Sue hugged back just as tight, "You're so silly! You have it backwards! Everyone loves you - you're a sweetheart! How could anyone not love you? Especially not me... I'm the lucky girl that gets to date you..."

<Mayday> "Everyone leaves me!", Mayday cried, tears overflowing, "Everyone! My whole life I'm always so alone!", she blurted out, all the emotion from things she could scarcely remember surfacing with every heartfelt sob.

<Sue> Sue hugged her close, wrapping a field around them protectively too. "Listen to me now, okay? I'm not going to leave you. I promise."

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, still crying uncontrollably as she held onto Sue firmly, as if scared she'd suddenly disappear.

<Sue> "Wanna get some hot chocolate and watch some TNG? Picard's awesomeness will make you feel better." She turned her head to press a kiss to May's temple.

<Mayday> Sniffling, Mayday nodded, moving away and wiping her eyes on her sleeve, "Y-yeah....ok.", she smiled, red-cheeked as she choked up a few more tears, "Y-you must think I'm so stupid..."

<Sue> Sue shook her head, "No, I'd never think that... I feel like a bitch though." She used her own sleeve to dry the rest of the tears and gave May a small smile.

<Mayday> "N-no, no! You're not, Sue.", Mayday shook her head, "I-I....I understand. I-I mean, I think I do....we should talk about your parents if you want...?"

<Sue> Sue shook her head, "Noooo not today. There's been enough crying. We need junk food and Patrick Stewart, stat!"

<Mayday> Mayday grinned, "Y-yeah, ok. I-it sounds more fun anyway.", she nodded, sniffing again, "Susan? I-I'm sorry, ok? I-I didn't....I didn't mean to ruin everything..."

<Sue> "You didn't ruin anything," She gave her another tight hug, "Everything's fine."

<Mayday> "Promise me?", Mayday persisted, kissing Sue's cheek affectionately.

<Sue> "I absolutely promise." she turned her head and caught May's lips for a proper kiss.

<Mayday> Locking lips with Sue, Mayday sighed, finally giving in to her heart and finding comfort in the soft heat of her girlfriend's loving embrace, "I love you.", she breathed, not caring for an answer this time, pushing another kiss against Sue and motioning towards the bed.

<Mayday> "Starfleet can wait...", she breathed against Sue's mouth, "...I missed you."

[TechPrincess]

<Mayday> "Who's my favourite little spider-man, hm?", Mayday giggled, lying on her back as her tiny tarantula Cinnamon plodded his way about her stomach and up her chest in an excited shuffle, "Mommy missed you, little baby!", she grinned, lifting him up into her hands as she sat up, setting him down on her knee.

<Mayday> Cinnamon paused on her leg a moment, seemingly too excited to pick a direction immediately before deciding to climb off Mayday and onto the sofa. He crawled up onto the sofa, looking off into the distance

<Mayday> Mayday followed his gaze, "What's wrong, honey-bun?", she asked her tiny companion.

<Hope> Having fixed herself a cup of coffee, Hope stepped into the rec room to enjoy it. She was stopped in her tracks by a giant spider on the edge of the sofa. Spider. Spider... there was a spider. Her eyes went huge. SPIDER.

<Mayday> "Oh, it's Hope!", Mayday shuffled around, "Hey!", she looked at Cinnamon, "Aww, do you have a little crush?"

<Mayday> Cinnamon seemed to note Hope's distaste, shrinking back down in seeming fear.

<Hope> "...Spider." Hope managed to get out. "That is a huge... spider."

<Mayday> Mayday's eyes darted between Hope and Cinnamon, "O-oh! A-are you scared of him?" , she frowned.

<Hope> "N-n-no..." Yes. "Course not." Definitely yes.

<Mayday> ".....ooookay?", Mayday shrugged, petting Cinnamon with a finger. The spider shuffled around, crawling into her hand.

<Hope> Hope edged along to a spot where she could sit and watch that spider. Were was Johnny? Or Bobby? They needed to protect her from this! "So... a pet spider huh?" She tried.

<Mayday> With a smile at her pet, Mayday nodded, "Yeah, his name is Cinnamon. He's my little baby.", she giggled as Cinnamon drooled a little onto her finger, "Eww! You're gross!", she teased.

<Hope> "You are sooo much braver than I am." Hope laughed a bit, tucking her feet up into the chair. She would be safe from 'Cinnamon' there. She took a sip of her coffee. "How was your break?"

<Mayday> "Good, actually. It started awkward, but I'm ok now.", Mayday smiled, giggling at Cinnamon's over the top crawling around on her, "You have a good one?"

<Hope> Hope nodded, taking another sip. "Pretty much best ever actualy. Glad yours turned out good." Her eyes never left that spider. Spider should stay over there.

<Mayday> Mayday looked up at Hope, "A-are you sure you're ok? You're just staring at him....", she looked down at Cinnamon, who stared at Hope with his own beady black eyes.

<Hope> "I like him where I can see him," Hope admitted.

<Mayday> "S-shall I put him back in his tank?", she looked over at the open tank on the coffee table, "I think he'll be ok with it; he likes you I think."

<Hope> That intrigued Hope. "Really? He likes me?"

<Mayday> "Yeah, sure he does! Look at him!", Mayday lifted Cinnamon up, who rubbed his tiny mandibles together as if feeling coy, "I think he has a soft spot for you!"

<Hope> "Well I feel bad... but I don't think I care for him too much. He's fine over there. With you. Not on me." Hope tried to smile at her.

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, sitting up and letting Cinnamon slide back into his tank, "Back you go, Cinnamon-bun.", she chimed, closing his tank and sitting back down, looking at Hope again, "So er....w-we never talk, huh?"

<Hope> "Yeah... figured that had to do with the whole ruining your girlfriend's life thing."

<Mayday> "Y-you did what?"

<Hope> "Well, the psychopathic voice in my head at the time, but yeah." Hope sighed. "Don't really know how to fix that either."

<Mayday> Mayday blinked, "W-wait, what did you do?", she shuffled on the spot, confused at what she was hearing.

<Hope> Hope gave her a bit of an odd look. "After she tied me to an air mattress in the middle of the river I outed her to her parents."

<Mayday> It took Mayday a second to connect the dots in her mind, "Y-you're the reason she....s-she was so upset...?"

<Hope> "Well she did try to drown me, but yes."

<Mayday> "You outted her to her parents, y-you're the reason why she can't say she loves me?", Mayday sat up, "Drown you? Seriously? My Susan!?"

<Hope> "Yes. Your sweet innocent Susan. Tied me to an air mattress in the middle of the river. I was all over the local news there. I can pull up the youtube video if you want."

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "I-It was just a...a-a prank, she'd never try and hurt anyone!", her eyes had a glint of anger, "You....y-you're the reason she can't even say she loves me!"

<Hope> "Honestly I bet that's a Storm thing. Johnny was the same way. And yeah it was a bad situation all around. That's why I said I wanted to try and make up and move on... kind of a hard thing to do. Nothing I can do to fix it..."

<Mayday> "You shouldn't have done it anyway!", the redhead argued, "Do you have any clue the damage your decisions can make!?"

<Hope> "So it's ok for the trauma she caused me? Put me in the hospital? No it wasn't ok what I said but dude, I could have died. And it wasn't the first time she attacked me, so sorry if I didn't get the joke."

<Mayday> Mayday took a deep breath, considering her own actions - somehow lynching Hope didn't seem exactly 'fair; given the circumstances, "Ok, ok.....fine. I guess I don't know the full story...", she affirmed, frowning a little, "I-It's just....Sue wouldn't do that, would she?"

<Hope> "It was a long, complicated ordeal that involved my being kidnapped and brainwashed. So let's skip to the part that matters. How do you think I could ever make it up to her?"

<Mayday> "Wait, you....you're sorry?", Mayday blinked again, "I-I just....you came across like you were bitter I....", she shook her head again, "Sorry, i-it's just....forget it. You want to know how to make it ok aga-..." she stopped dead.

<Mayday> "OOOOH.", Mayday slapped her forehead with her palm, "She blames you for hurting Johnny!?"

<Hope> "Yeah... which again, goes back to psycho kidnapping and brainwashing. Not really important now... sorry for harping on it. I really do just want to fix things."

<Mayday> For a moment, Mayday just looked at Hope, sizing up what she'd heard, "....I'm er....I'm really sorry for assuming...", she smiled awkwardly, "I-if you want help making amends, I'll help, ok?"

<Hope> Hope smiled at her. "I'd really appreciate it. Johnny is clueless about stuff."

<Mayday> "Lucky for you, I'm not...", Mayday smiled back, sitting up, "I'm sure I can make Sue understand. Then we can get back to being friends again hm?", she stretched, letting out a little sigh, "That mean we're friends, Hope?"

<Hope> "Well I'd like that. You seem pretty cool."

<Mayday> Mayday blushed a little, "Y-you think I'm cool??"

<Hope> "Anyone who can handle a spider like that? You are my hero should I ever come in contact with one."

<Mayday> With a giggle, Mayday nodded, "Well...t-thanks!", she grinned, scratching her head shyly/.

<Hope> "And you seem to listen pretty well, so kudos there. So yeah. You seem pretty cool to me so far."

<Mayday> "W-well, I hope I can keep you thinking so!", Mayday laughed, "Join me for an Iced Coffee? We can talk about the Sue situation, hopefully resolve it?"

<Hope> "Sounds like a plan to me. Does it come with snacks? I'm hungry now."

<Mayday> Mayday jumped to her feet, "Sure thing! Let's go!", she waved to Cinnamon, "Be right back, baby.", she blew him a little kiss before hopping over the sofa and skipping off to the kitchen.

<Hope> Wow so much energy! Hope grinned and got up to follow. At least there wasn't a spider in the kitchen.

[PanicSwitch]

<Mayday> "Oh, GOD, that's awesome!", Mayday grinned, staring wide-eyed at her PC's display at the new piece of armour, "'Lightning-Charged Headguard'...", she read aloud, grinning before clicking on her microphone, "Have you seen the agility boost on this!?", she laughed.

<Mayday> With an excited squeal, she clicked her mic off, equipping her character with it, "Aw, daaaaamn, Tallis, that's sexy on you!", she complimented her avatar before having her say thank you to her companions.

<Mayday> In a few clicks, the Blood Elf Tallis bowed courteously to her companions. Mayday smiled, doing the same at her desk.

<Cecilia> Cecilia grinned to herself as she leaned in Mayday's doorway, noting happily that she had only two arms again. Things were looking up. "Kicking ass and taking names, May?" She said, peering at the screen. "Is this World of Warcraft? Or I am getting my online games all screwed up?"

<Mayday> Mayday took off her headset, resting it down and spinning herself around on her swivel-chair, "Nope! This is WoW, and I just got the BEST loot drop EVER! Of ALL time!", she clapped, "Life is so awesooooome!"

<Cecilia> "Loot is when rare items appear, right?" Asked Cecilia, studying the armour on the screen despite not having the faintest fucking idea about stats or anything. "I'm glad to hear it!" She laughed. "The last time we talked you seemed sorta down. I came by to see how you're doing and ask how the rest of your holiday went."

<Cecilia> "But by the looks of things, it seems you're doing much better than I anticipated. Sooo...tell me everything!" She laughed, giving Mayday's shoulder a friendly squeeze.

<Mayday> "Suuuusaaannn loooovveees mmeeeeeee!!!", Mayday sang, casting a web over to her cooler and opening it, casting another with her off hand to snag and lasso in a can of Iced Coffee and then closing the cooler with the first line, "Ooh, sorry, did you want one?", she asked, waving the can at Cecilia.

<Cecilia> Cecilia studied the can and shook her head smiling. "I think I'll pass, I like my coffee hot, but thanks anyways." She laughed. "She said it then? That's great, May. You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that!" Poor May, Cecilia didn't want to think how much pain her friend would be in if Sue hadn't said it. Especially with all the shit she'd gone through before the break.


<Cecilia> "I was worried things weren't going to be alright and things would be awkward and you'd be stuck in the same room while you were on the outs." She shuddered to think of that, that would be seriously awkward. It was bad enough when anyone broke up here that this was such a small school, never mind having to share a room.

<Mayday> "Me too." Mayday admitted, opening the can, "Buuuuut that's not a problem now!", she beamed, "She said she can't say 'I love you' as a thing, but I know she does...she told me.",

Cecilia> "Fair enough," said Cecilia, sliding down the foot of Mayday's bed and flopping onto the floor, legs spread out in front of her and head leaning back on the duvet. "So, how was Canada? Did you have any poutine?...What is poutine anyways?" She asked.

<Mayday> Mayday flagged herself as 'AFK' on her game before turning to speak to Cecilia again, "You know, I forgot to ask.", she admitted, shrugging, "But it was so awesome! Cold, but really fun! I got the nicest gifts from Mister and Missus Fantastic!", she gestured to her chest, where her Star Trek commbadge glinted in the pale light from the window, "How was 'Chateau Cortez'?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia chuckled at the shirt. "Very nice, Captain Parker. JP and Reed have excellent taste, I'll give them that." She smiled widely though at Mayday's inquiry. "Very nice and very expensive...it's a little intimidating I gotta admit...they've got like, ten dozen rooms or something there and a pool and help...It's crazy..."

<Cecilia> "I can't believe Fabian and his sister grew up there," she confided. "Lukas too, for awhile. They're all so lucky! Hell, I was born in a concrete shack…" She shook her head. "It was a real change."

<Mayday> "Wow....s-so it's like a real-life Bruce Wayne estate?", Mayday blinked, "I-it sounds amazing, but I couldn't possibly live somewhere like that.", she admitted, sipping some of her drink, "How was err....how was Mr. Cortez? I've heard he's....quite stern."

<Cecilia> "He was...civil," she said. She didn't like lying, but she'd promised Fabian she wouldn't mention the fit the Senor had thrown. Besides, he was civil most of the time...for the most part. "His stepmother, Jacinta, was really nice. I think she liked me," she said, taking a page out of Fabian's book and redirecting the question.

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, "That's great! I was worried he'd be a jerk and upset you.", she smiled, "Sounds like we both had amazing holidays, huh?"

<Cecilia> Well...he did, more than once...but those were passing things, thought Cecilia. Dark spots on an otherwise wonderful holiday. "I'd say so," she grinned mischeviously. "Someday though we're gonna have to have an amazing holiday together. I... missed seeing you," she admitted. "And it sucked that you were all crazy and in containment before the break...we sorta missed out on doing stuff together before the holidays..."

<Cecilia> Cecilia fiddled with the cuffs on her leather jacket. "Speaking of which...I heard about the whole...thing...while you were Christmas shopping..." She said, awkwardly.

<Mayday> "Yeah....t-that was an awkward time...", Mayday mumbled, looking away. She knew this was coming somehow, and still hadn't decided how to respond. Tactically, she sipped some more Iced Coffee as she considered a response, finally summoning the courage to look at Cecilia, "....y-you know I'd never do that, right? Like....really...I-I mean Fabian and I...we wouldn't..." the sentence came apart in her mouth, making her sigh gently.

<Cecilia> Cecilia's eyes widened. "Oh no, oh God no! I, uh...Christ, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty or anything! Ah, fuck...I've really screwed this up, haven't I?"

<Cecilia> "I don't believe either of you would deliberately try to hurt me, not for a second," she said. "I just wanted you to know...that I don't blame you. Like you said, you weren't yourself, and nothing bad happened so everything's fine, right?" At least she hoped so, this was hellishly awkward.

<Cecilia> She sighed. "I'm not...even upset that either of you didn't mention it...well, I was at first...but once I knew more...well, fuck...I completely understand why you wouldn't...'cause that's...I don't even know what to say..." She looked at Mayday. "I'm just glad you're alright. That you're both alright. I don't...think I could stand losing both of you..."

<Mayday> Mayday squirmed. "W-well....I-I guess so...", she looked away again, tension cutting her off, "I just er....I-I just hope you know I would never, ever do that.", with a sad curl of her lips she scratched her head, obscuring the other girl's view of her eyes, "I-I only didn't mention because...w-well....I-I don't know, I was worried you'd think..."

<Mayday> With a gulp, Mayday dared to look at Cecilia again, "...I-I kind of....used to think that maybe I....I-I might have liked him.", she breathed, "B-but I don't!", she blurted soon after, "I-I don't think of him like that at all! I-It's just I was worried you figured it out a-and would....think that...."

<Cecilia> Cecilia felt a spike of jealously rise in her chest, just for a split second...and instantly felt like complete dirt for it. "May..." she said. "May, it's fine. Really, it's fine. I'm not mad." And she wasn't, really. "I don't think you'd ever cheat on Sue, the idea of that...it's actually laughable."

<Cecilia> "Seriously, I'm nowhere near as ghetto as some people here think," she laughed. "I'm not gonna beat you up because you used to like my boyfriend." She snorted at the idea of that. "A lot of people like him. He's fun and he's really nice when he wants to be. So don't worry...really. Besides, it's not like there aren't people here who've done a lot more than just like him..." She rolled her eyes and smiled.

<Mayday> ".....h-he's...been with people?", Mayday blinked, "O-oh....I...I had no idea.", she suddenly felt more than a little bit stupid for being awkward, "I-I just assumed....huh.", she smiled wryly, "I-I'm sorry, Cee. I-I was just....n-nobody knows that, and....w-who's he been with?", she suddenly asked.

<Cecilia> Cecilia bit down hard on her tongue to avoid laughing and making Mayday feel awkward or embarrassed, but she couldn't help but smile a bit. "You assumed we both had our v-cards?" She said, quirking an eyebrow. She shrugged and flushed a bit at the next question. "A few people here, probably more elsewhere," she said. "I won't get into details...it's really none of my business."

<Cecilia> "That and I've not really asked for details," she admitted. "I don't really wanna know."

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, "O-oh, o-of course. That's...yeah, sorry! You must think I'm such a bitch for asking!", she stammered, laughing nervously before pausing again, "Y-you're not.....!? I-I assumed you were a virgin too, b-before....d-did you two...?", she blinked again, "T-that is...I-I still err...I-I think Sue and I count as....aw, shit..."

<Mayday> Spinning in her chair, Mayday dropped her head onto her desk with a gentle clang on the glass surface, "Oooohmygod I just wanna diiiiiiiie!"

<Cecilia> Cecilia blinked. "Erm...well...I am actually. A virgin, I mean. Still," she coughed nervously. "Uh...please don't spread that around. It's sort of embarrassing..."

<Cecilia> She gave May an even odder look as she continued though. "Wait, what? You're not...but you're with Sue, unless you...How can you be?" She was seriously confused. "Unless you count being with a guy as the only...okay, I'm shutting up now," she said, her face beet red. "Can we...God, this is embarrassing..."

<Mayday> "Yes. W-we can. Please, Jesus.", Mayday begged, turing around and scratching her head awkwardly. Her face was redder than her hair as she spoke.

<Cecilia> Cecilia got up and dragged a chair from the other desk to sit next to Mayday. "Well...thank Christ it's not just me who gets all embarrassed...I was beginning to think I was the only one in the whole school...at least now I know I'm not the only prude here," she chuckled, nudging May a little.

<Cecilia> She eyed the computer. "Do you like DDR?" She asked, curiously.

<Mayday> Mayday looked up at her, "Er....w-well, yeah. T-the arcade was one of my haunts as a kid...", she smiled awkwardly, "M-my...m-my first boyfriend....w-we went there a few times..."

<Cecilia> "First boyfriend?" She asked. "You mean that dickweed that dated you because he thought you'd put out?"

<Mayday> "Y-yeah....", Mayday sank into her seat, hiding her words behind another sip of her drink, "H-he was really nice to me back then....I-I thought he liked me."

<Cecilia> "What was his name?" Asked Cecilia. "And uh...this is an odd question...but did you actually like him?" Another thought occurred to her then. "For that matter, do you actually like guys? Because you're with Sue now but you had a boyfriend and you said you had a crush on Fabian so..."

<Cecilia> "I'm sorry, that's a really personal question...forget I said it," she said awkwardly.

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "N-no, i-it's ok....h-his name was... Aaron Flynn.", she sighed, feeling a little hurt to even say it, "W-we started talking....I-I said his name was 'Flynn', like in Tron.", she laughed a little bit, "H-he made me feel happy....at first."

<Mayday> "A-and I...suppose I prefer girls.", she affirmed, "I-I liked guys, I guess, b-but I always....found girls somehow more appealing. I-I guess it's awkward. Aaron and I once watched Voyager and I said I thought Jeri Ryan was hot. H-he said it wasn't weird, but he thought I was....", she gulped.

<Cecilia> Cecilia's eyes widened. "Wait...no...please tell me this isn't going where I think it is." Oh hell no. This guy was on her shitlist, permanently.

<Cecilia> "So...basically it's like, guys aren't your favourite thing on the menu, but you'll order them from time to time?" She asked, trying to make sense of this. "I guess I can understand that..."

<Mayday> "I-I don't know...b-but it's....I-I'm with Sue now, right? A-and I love her, so...", Mayday shrugged, "I-I don't know....maybe it doesn't make sense but..."

<Cecilia> Cecilia noticed that Mayday had backed away from the Aaron thing...so obviously she wasn't ready to talk about that just yet. She couldn't help but be a little flattered though, this was really the most May had ever confided in her. "No, it does make sense. And even if it doesn't, it doesn't matter, right? You don't have to justify your choices to anyone."

<Cecilia> "And for the record? I don't care that you're gay, May." Heh, that rhymed. "Well, okay. That sounded insensitive. What I mean to say is, I don't think that thinking Jeri Ryan is hot is weird, even if I don't get the appeal..." She shrugged. "I'm just glad we're friends."

<Mayday> Mayday smiled, "Yeah....so am I, Cee-Cee.", she grinned, finishing her can and throwing it into the waste basket, "So err....d'you wanna try WoW?", she smirked.

<Cecilia> She eyed the screen. "Sure, why not? Maybe after we can play some DDR too? I brought mine back from home, and if you spent as much time at the arcade as you say you did, this could prove very interesting..." She smirked right back. A challenge!

<Mayday> "L-let's do DDR first! I'm done with this run anyway.", Mayday gestured to her PC with a thumb, "I've been sat here ages, let's do something else, huh?"

<Cecilia> "To the nerd cave!" Laughed Cecilia, raising a fist.