( nate's not looking at him, but his answer takes long enough for julian to know without verbal confirmation. he doesn't get up, just - stays where he is. considers how to respond to that, because this is a lot and julian doesn't want to fuck it up. )
When I was a kid, after M-Day, those who were left of the New X-Men would just sit around the manor waiting to die. A few of the younger kids thought it'd probably be the youngest of us to go next, given we were pretty sure we were the last generation of mutants. So many of us had been massacred, and every damn day someone else was getting tortured, killed, fucked beyond measure. It was hell. If we weren't fighting something else, we were all starting fights with each other because we didn't know what else to do.
( he pauses. takes a breath. and when julian speaks up again, his voice is firm. )
But we're not doing that crap again. You're not here just to wait to keel over. I'm not losing anyone else. Understand? I don't give a shit if you've got a death wish, no one's dying on my watch.
( Blue eyes slowly blinking, he turns over some on the bed there, looking over his shoulder to Julian there. He's... not sure what he expected, if anything, really. It's a shitty thing to talk about and he doesn't exactly enjoy bringing it up, which is why he almost never does, but. He figured it was something that would just be dropped or made to accept because, to no one's surprise, that just how mutant lives are. Full of shitty things happening to them.
So he's quiet for a long moment before he goes and offers the other mutant a quiet smile. )
It's not about that. It wouldn't change even if Nori showed up and took over, or - whoever else.
( nori first, because julian knows her and would bend if she stepped up. they don't need to get into her or whatever, it's the other part of this conversation that's important. )
We're mutants. If we don't stick up for one another and make sure we all stay on our feet, who will?
( He'd felt the way they feared himโ feared mutants. He'd once erased a whole bar's worth of memories of him ever being there after he had picked up how the majority didn't like mutants โ how they were glad this legacy virus was spreading and taking them out. It had upset him, considering the lengths he had gone to protect them, only to be met with such hatred and disgust for simply being different. Not human.
Sitting himself up, hands clutch at the sheets around him and he looks over to Julian. )
Thanks... for coming to check on me. I guess not like you had much of a choice.
I had a choice. I could've left you alone. But I didn't want to.
( just as a heads up, in case nate gets any other stupid ideas in that noggin of his. julian moves to pull himself up to his feet, figures - there's not much more he can do here, probably. but he does, without thinking about it much, extend a hand out towards nate and press metal fingers against the top of his hair. it's meant to be comforting, in a way, but it probably ends up pulling out a few strands between the metal joints while he's at it. )
Don't be miserable in here by yourself. That's what we've got each other for.
( With a gentle squint at the fingers to his head, he looks over to Julian and keeps that blue-eyed gaze on him for a long moment. Sure, maybe a couple strands got caught there between those metal fingers, but. It's not like it bothers him much... not like how it likely does Julian. You know, if he were to really think about it. )
That goes for you, too, you know.
( A beat, he keeps looking to him. )
Anyone worth your time won't be deterred by metal hands.
Yeah, well, ( he almost, almost seems like he has a follow up comment for that, before julian opts to just - lift his shoulders in a loose shrug and changes tactics. ) I've been in love with the same girl for years, she isn't here, and she hasn't even looked my way in. . . a while. So it's whatever, I don't even need to worry about it.
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When I was a kid, after M-Day, those who were left of the New X-Men would just sit around the manor waiting to die. A few of the younger kids thought it'd probably be the youngest of us to go next, given we were pretty sure we were the last generation of mutants. So many of us had been massacred, and every damn day someone else was getting tortured, killed, fucked beyond measure. It was hell. If we weren't fighting something else, we were all starting fights with each other because we didn't know what else to do.
( he pauses. takes a breath. and when julian speaks up again, his voice is firm. )
But we're not doing that crap again. You're not here just to wait to keel over. I'm not losing anyone else. Understand? I don't give a shit if you've got a death wish, no one's dying on my watch.
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So he's quiet for a long moment before he goes and offers the other mutant a quiet smile. )
You really take this leader thing seriously, huh?
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( nori first, because julian knows her and would bend if she stepped up. they don't need to get into her or whatever, it's the other part of this conversation that's important. )
We're mutants. If we don't stick up for one another and make sure we all stay on our feet, who will?
no subject
( He'd felt the way they feared himโ feared mutants. He'd once erased a whole bar's worth of memories of him ever being there after he had picked up how the majority didn't like mutants โ how they were glad this legacy virus was spreading and taking them out. It had upset him, considering the lengths he had gone to protect them, only to be met with such hatred and disgust for simply being different. Not human.
Sitting himself up, hands clutch at the sheets around him and he looks over to Julian. )
Thanks... for coming to check on me. I guess not like you had much of a choice.
( What with rattling his room and all. )
no subject
( just as a heads up, in case nate gets any other stupid ideas in that noggin of his. julian moves to pull himself up to his feet, figures - there's not much more he can do here, probably. but he does, without thinking about it much, extend a hand out towards nate and press metal fingers against the top of his hair. it's meant to be comforting, in a way, but it probably ends up pulling out a few strands between the metal joints while he's at it. )
Don't be miserable in here by yourself. That's what we've got each other for.
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That goes for you, too, you know.
( A beat, he keeps looking to him. )
Anyone worth your time won't be deterred by metal hands.
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( And he just shrugs right back at him. )