8/15 Instance: Twinkies and the Almighty

[fourpawsonthefloor]

[Dr.McCoy] Hank rearranged the new chairs for the third time in his office. There. Did that look like a student would like to come in and sit there? Was he....approachable? Did he want to be?

[Dr.McCoy] He moved the chair again. There. Semi-approachable. Excellent. He took off his glasses and pulled a hanky from his pocket, cleaning them nervously.

Summerspy enters this room

[Fr.Wagner] Okay, so he was going. Hank had been bugging him to come down to the infirmary ever since he'd gotten back. Obviously he was okay though. He'd made it back from Europe alive right? Wasn't that ... proof?

[Fr.Wagner] No one was in the infirmary so Kurt looked around the door to Hank's office. Hank had chairs now...

[Fr.Wagner] "Okay," Kurt said, "Here I am. Just like I promised."

[Dr.McCoy] Hank looked up and slipped his glasses back on. "Kurt! excellent! How are you? I seem to have had a hard time catching you, for such a small school."

[Dr.McCoy] He smiled warmly and pulled out one of his new chairs. "Have a seat! You seem....far better than the last time I saw you."

[Dr.McCoy] He pulled one of the other chairs around and sat on it gingerly. Good. They were sturdy.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt sat down. This was odd. Hank wasn't really a... chairs in the office kind of guy. In fact usually whenever Kurt came down here he spent most of his time tiptoeing around all the various experiments that Hank had going.

[Fr.Wagner] "It's a small school, but... I've got a lot to do." he said. Okay, and he'd gotten really good at teleporting whenever he heard Hank coming, but if he didn't mention it then he wasn't really lying right? Or was he? Damn.

[Fr.Wagner] "This is nice," Kurt said, gesturing to the chairs. "Going for a change of decorating?"

[Dr.McCoy] He cocked his head at the younger man. "I am indeed, Kurt. I shall be spending more time here this semester, so I wanted to get comfortable."

[Dr.McCoy] He smiled again, knowing full well why Kurt had been nowhere to be found when he'd looked for him. His nose was just as good as James'. "So, I take it you are healed then? Bless those resiliant mutant genes...but, alas, time catches up with the best of us. No twinges? No further symptoms?"

[Fr.Wagner] "I'm fine," Kurt said, "one of the doctors at the Vatican took the cast off my arm and then I took the one off my ankle when it wasn't bothering me anymore. I think Lizzie and I are starting to connect."

[Fr.Wagner] "So, you're going to be spending more time here?" Kurt asked, pointing to the floor of the office, "Or, here?" He pointed up at the ceiling, indicting the school itself.

[Dr.McCoy] "Hmmm." He stood up and took a step over to Kurt, clinically running his hand down his arm, checking his flexibility. "So, you say you are connecting with the student who broke your bones?" He released Kurt's arm to look at him over the top of his spectacles for a moment.

[Dr.McCoy] He walked to his bookcase, taking down a large volume and returned to his chair. "And, in fact, I will be here." He pointed upward, then downward. "And here. Partially because of you and Ms. Braddock's budding connection, in fact."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt pulled back in surprise. Didn't anybody ask about anything in this place! A moment later he resigned himself to the fact that even if Hank had asked, and he had said no, the result would have been the same anyway. He was relieved when Hank seemed satisfied.

[Fr.Wagner] "Well, that's why we're here right? To connect with the students, to help them understand their powers; how to live with them and grow with them... What should I have done?"

[Fr.Wagner] "Lizzie was asking for my help."

[Dr.McCoy] "Indeed, that is one of the reasons why we are here. However, allowing an unstable student to mash you is hardly what I would call a connection, Kurt." He sighed.

[Dr.McCoy] "I respect your beliefs, Kurt, even though you think I do not," he said. "But, I fail to see how it is a service to any student, or yourself, to keep information from us. She could have hurt more people. She hurt herself. And I didn't know any of it until Charles called me."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt frowned, pressing his hands together. "I didn't allow her to do anything," he said, "And I didn't keep any secrets that shouldn't have already been obvious to everyone. Except that nobody was looking. I don't see how it's my fault that I was the first person to actually try to talk to her."

[Fr.Wagner] "You've never been bothered by the idea of the seal of confession before. Why this time? I was the only one at this school called to hide my identity. Perhaps the disservice was done to me." Kurt said, gesturing at his chest with his hand.

[Dr.McCoy] "It's not that I've never been bothered --" He cut off before he could lose his temper. The day he had met Kurt, the boy had instandly had an uncanny ability to irritate him, but this was not the first day anymore. "Perhaps you're right. Mistakes....have been made here."

[Dr.McCoy] "I was too busy to see them until Charles pointed them out though. That was my mistake. I shall not repeat it."

[Fr.Wagner] "I suppose I should have been more vocal when the problems started," Kurt said. "I was busy too, then I just started noticing that things weren't right. I don't even know if I realized the extent of it at first."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt rolled his eyes. "I wasn't even sure what my role here was supposed to be."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt sighed. He had been sent as an observer, but then Xavier had told him he would act as the school chaplain, except when he'd gotten there he wasn't supposed to tell anyone he was a priest... And he was teaching classes. Kurt should have realized it wouldn't have held together for long.

[Fr.Wagner] At least he knew now.

[Fr.Wagner] "I know what it is now though. And it IS to connect with the students. If it hadn't occurred to you and Xavier..." No that wasn't right.

[Fr.Wagner] "If it hadn't occurred to us that there wasn't inherent danger involved in working with students with untested powers... well, we know about it now."

[Dr.McCoy] "Of course we knew-" Hank made a disgusted noise and whipped his glasses off, cleaning them yet again. Calm. Caaaalm. There. "We knew there was danger.....theoretically. We had hoped we would be able to detect any potential trouble before it got out of hand. But, well, we see how that's turned out.

[Dr.McCoy] "As to your original purpose, you would have to ask Charles about that -- and as you say, you have that figured out now."

[Dr.McCoy] "As to my purpose..... I shall now try my best to connect as well." He sat back in the chair, perching his glasses back on the tip of his nose. "Hence....chairs." He smiled. "I know it's not much.... but it's a start."

[Dr.McCoy] He sighed and dropped the fake smile. "It's the best start I've got."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt nodded. "I like the chairs," he said.

[Fr.Wagner] "Would you like more books?" Kurt asked with a wry grin. "I've got plenty. Maybe if there were more theology books in here they might think it was my office and they'd start breaking in here as well."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt shrugged. "You'd have more opportunities to connect," he said with a smile.

Summerspy enters this room

[Dr.McCoy] Hank laughed. "Oh, they break into your office, do they? Excellent!" His smile faded a bit. "Oh, stars and garters. You're serious. The students break into your office."

[Dr.McCoy] He shook his head. "We've dug a deep hole, haven't we? Oooooh, well. We can dig back out."

[Dr.McCoy] "Thanks for the book offer," he grinned again, mood shifting quickly, "but I have enough of my own." He gestured to his full shelves. "Maybe I should get a lock for this one though," he said, picking up the big volume he had grabbed earlier.

[Dr.McCoy] Flipping the cover open to reveal the hollow interior, he lifted out one of the small cellophane-wrapped cakes inside. "Care for a Twinkie?"

[Fr.Wagner] Hank had a secret twinkie stash inside a book? That would be like him cutting a hole in a bible and putting a bottle of vodka in it. Except, twinkies?

[Fr.Wagner] "That's okay," Kurt said, "You gave me one once remember? I think you need to be born on American soil or something..."

[Fr.Wagner] "I have a new lock you know, for my door." Kurt started laughing. "Except that I'm afraid to install it. Warren Worthington gave it to me for Christmas and I have no idea if it means I'll find him in my office uninvited more or less often."

[Dr.McCoy] "Ah, yes, I remember." He grinned and set the Twinkie on his desk -- for later. Closing the book and setting it on his lap he regarded Kurt. The man had been dealing with all this far too long on his own. "So one of our most troubled gave you a Christmas gift."

[Dr.McCoy] Hank nodded approvingly. "It seems you are connecting then -- I shall endeavor to follow your example, Kurt. This may work out yet.”

[Fr.Wagner] "It was quite unexpected. I actually got a whole party, organized by Scott Summers so... I think they want all just want someone ... they can relate to. I'll value your input." Kurt said.

[Fr.Wagner] "And as for having another qualified individual willing to help, there's only one thing I can say about that." Kurt dropped down to his knees and clasped his hands together, looking heavenward.

[Fr.Wagner] "Thank God!"

[Fr.Wagner] ((The End.))

[Dr.McCoy] ((And Hank passed out Twinkies to the audience))

[Fr.Wagner] ((Just throw money people.))

[NachtcGleiskette]

Awww, that was great! So we'll be seeing more of Hank? Will he be taking over Nurse Annie's role in the infirmary?

[littlebamf]

Great game you two! This is a very intersting set up and can't wait to see how it spreads out into the game on a whole!

[HoodedMan]

Very introductive and enigmatic! I like their interaction a lot, and I'll be very interested to see how their relationship develops and what role Hank will take in the community! Great instance, guys!

[chicory]

This instance was so immersive - both characters were so... in character - and it really held my interest all the way through.

Great intro to Hank, Slarti - I hope we get to see lots more of him

*And you got the stars and garters line in