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[ Jay's only mistake was trying to find Julian. He thought he might be at the Casino, because it was like him. Big and loud and attention-stealing. Of course he'd be at the casino, being seen and playing the game smart.
He should've left when they led him up to the wheel and made him spin it to gain entrance
The wheel has so many worse outcomes. Jay thinks he's gotten lucky. He's had beer before, even a few shots, but it never sticks. Better yet, he's the only one in the room who knows that he can't get drunk. This'll be a piece of cake.
Drunk plows through into him like a freight train, and it hasn't hit the breaks yet. With it comes its pals, overblown confidence and perceived invulnerability. ]
Anybody seen Julian Keller?
[ But no one pays him any mind. Nobody ever pays him any mind, and doesn't that just gall? He's tired of being the one to be there, to find people when they're upset, over and over again and then when he needs someone, they're never around.
Jay flies up over the heads of the crowd, up near the chandelier, and suddenly the sound of a bosun whistle piping attention and all hands on deck carries over everything. When the crowd below quiets, looking around to see what could've possibly made that awful whistle, Jay hollers into the silence. ]
Ah said, anybody seen Julian Keller?
[ Sure, he's given up on the General American dialect and his S sounds are slushier than a Slurpee, but Jay's pitching his voice to carry, and it does, marvelously. ]
He should've left when they led him up to the wheel and made him spin it to gain entrance
The wheel has so many worse outcomes. Jay thinks he's gotten lucky. He's had beer before, even a few shots, but it never sticks. Better yet, he's the only one in the room who knows that he can't get drunk. This'll be a piece of cake.
Drunk plows through into him like a freight train, and it hasn't hit the breaks yet. With it comes its pals, overblown confidence and perceived invulnerability. ]
Anybody seen Julian Keller?
[ But no one pays him any mind. Nobody ever pays him any mind, and doesn't that just gall? He's tired of being the one to be there, to find people when they're upset, over and over again and then when he needs someone, they're never around.
Jay flies up over the heads of the crowd, up near the chandelier, and suddenly the sound of a bosun whistle piping attention and all hands on deck carries over everything. When the crowd below quiets, looking around to see what could've possibly made that awful whistle, Jay hollers into the silence. ]
Ah said, anybody seen Julian Keller?
[ Sure, he's given up on the General American dialect and his S sounds are slushier than a Slurpee, but Jay's pitching his voice to carry, and it does, marvelously. ]
( julian's in the casino, because of course he is. where is he at? well.
he's around. trying to sift his through the crowds without losing all of his clothing. it's getting to be a pretty close call: his shirt is shredded, the fabric ends just above his ribcage, leaving everything below visible. his pants are now shorts, and - well. it's inconvenient, to say the least. but he's got things to do and places to go and so julian treks on.
up until there's a loud, high-pitched whistle and julian's raising his hands to cover his ears. ouch.
there's the call of his name, accented in a way that even if he hadn't recognized jay's voice he'd know who it was. there he is, that weird fucking winged nerd. julian could fly up, grab onto jay, and yank him out of here. but considering his state of undress, he - doesn't really want to.
instead, he raises a hand and telekinetically grabs onto jay, to drag him down towards where julian's at in the crowd. )
Jesus, can you get any louder?!
he's around. trying to sift his through the crowds without losing all of his clothing. it's getting to be a pretty close call: his shirt is shredded, the fabric ends just above his ribcage, leaving everything below visible. his pants are now shorts, and - well. it's inconvenient, to say the least. but he's got things to do and places to go and so julian treks on.
up until there's a loud, high-pitched whistle and julian's raising his hands to cover his ears. ouch.
there's the call of his name, accented in a way that even if he hadn't recognized jay's voice he'd know who it was. there he is, that weird fucking winged nerd. julian could fly up, grab onto jay, and yank him out of here. but considering his state of undress, he - doesn't really want to.
instead, he raises a hand and telekinetically grabs onto jay, to drag him down towards where julian's at in the crowd. )
Jesus, can you get any louder?!
[ The telekinesis isn't noticed until Jay yoinked downwards, and by then it's too late, although Jay struggles against it in a very loose-limbed fashion.
Finally, his eyes find Julian, but only after he's embarrassingly close, and widen first in recognition and then in surprise. ]
Is that how you're gonna get us more points?
[ His eyes aren't focusing quite right, so it's hard to tell if Jay's stuck on the gap between shirt 'hem' and fraying waistband, and the abs that are gamely filling the space, or the significant lack of pant legs. ]
Ah'm not running around a casino nekkid.
[ He hasn't quite gone back to his normal volume and pitch. All those eyes on him screaming for Julian? Are now on them. ]
Finally, his eyes find Julian, but only after he's embarrassingly close, and widen first in recognition and then in surprise. ]
Is that how you're gonna get us more points?
[ His eyes aren't focusing quite right, so it's hard to tell if Jay's stuck on the gap between shirt 'hem' and fraying waistband, and the abs that are gamely filling the space, or the significant lack of pant legs. ]
Ah'm not running around a casino nekkid.
[ He hasn't quite gone back to his normal volume and pitch. All those eyes on him screaming for Julian? Are now on them. ]
Edited 2025-04-08 01:43 (UTC)
( birdboy has been retrieved from the skies, which is step number one of... fuck if julian knows. he's still figuring out what he's doing here, except then jay goes and opens his mouth and - )
What?! No! No. That's not what this is.
( okay, they need to - move out of the crowd. they're surrounded, eyes on them from all sides, and it's embarrassing. hands grab onto jay by the collar of his shirt, and julian starts trying to yank him away from the crowd. unfortunately, that just has yet another string coming loose from his shirt, falling away to the ground and making his crop top - even more cropped. )
Jesus. I didn't choose this.
What?! No! No. That's not what this is.
( okay, they need to - move out of the crowd. they're surrounded, eyes on them from all sides, and it's embarrassing. hands grab onto jay by the collar of his shirt, and julian starts trying to yank him away from the crowd. unfortunately, that just has yet another string coming loose from his shirt, falling away to the ground and making his crop top - even more cropped. )
Jesus. I didn't choose this.
[ Julian hauls, and Jay sways but stumbles after. Walking is a lot more dicey than flying - without the normal motion in his flight, it's more visible that he's not anywhere on the same continent as steady. ]
Sure looks like that's what this is.
[ Jay tries to catch what he thinks is a dangling bit of shirt, or maybe something Julian's shredding with his telekinesis. He misses by a mile and laughs down at the scrap on the ground for too long. He's still looking back at when they've gone several feet past, tripping over his own feet onto the ground.
But he does grab the errant piece of Julian's shirt and hold it up triumphantly. ]
Don't let the nudie bars find out about strip stripteasing. E'ry mutant on the East Coast'd get solicited.
Sure looks like that's what this is.
[ Jay tries to catch what he thinks is a dangling bit of shirt, or maybe something Julian's shredding with his telekinesis. He misses by a mile and laughs down at the scrap on the ground for too long. He's still looking back at when they've gone several feet past, tripping over his own feet onto the ground.
But he does grab the errant piece of Julian's shirt and hold it up triumphantly. ]
Don't let the nudie bars find out about strip stripteasing. E'ry mutant on the East Coast'd get solicited.
Edited 2025-04-15 22:57 (UTC)
( he almost, almost just repeats the same damn thing again, because it's - true. he didn't choose this. it's embarrassing, even if julian isn't the kind of guy who really gives two shits how much clothing he's wearing in public, it's different when he chooses the shorts that barely cover anything, rather than watching his clothing slowly come apart into nothing. so maybe he's a little flustered, it's justified.
jay's off balance, which considering how he's acting - isn't surprising. he grabs onto a piece of julian's shirt, and it's enough that julian's tipping his head back towards him and rolling his eyes in annoyance. )
Fuck off, man. ( there's no real heat behind it. julian keeps yanking jay along until they've reached the bathrooms, and - yanks him into there, too. there's no lock on the door, but julian keeps it shut telekineticially. turns to jay then, to look into his eyes. )
What's gotten into you?
jay's off balance, which considering how he's acting - isn't surprising. he grabs onto a piece of julian's shirt, and it's enough that julian's tipping his head back towards him and rolling his eyes in annoyance. )
Fuck off, man. ( there's no real heat behind it. julian keeps yanking jay along until they've reached the bathrooms, and - yanks him into there, too. there's no lock on the door, but julian keeps it shut telekineticially. turns to jay then, to look into his eyes. )
What's gotten into you?
[ He'll find Jay's green eyes look a lot greener tonight, shiny and watery and nicely pink as the side effects of being "drunk" set in. It's an odd sight - Jay's never been sick since he got to Xavier's. ]
Nothing. Ah spun their stupid "wheel of fortune" up front because Ah was tryin' to find you, and it landed on 'drunk'.
[ The redhead leans forward conspiratorily. ]
But, shhhh, it's okay. They don't know Ah can get drunk.
Nothing. Ah spun their stupid "wheel of fortune" up front because Ah was tryin' to find you, and it landed on 'drunk'.
[ The redhead leans forward conspiratorily. ]
But, shhhh, it's okay. They don't know Ah can get drunk.
( jay leans in closer, and julian, helpfully, grabs his face between his hands. holds him there for a minute, before he snorts. )
Yeah, clearly they don't know you can. ( he knows what jay meant, even if it's not exactly what he'd said. ) Considering you are drunk. Listen to yourself, dude. You're hammered.
Yeah, clearly they don't know you can. ( he knows what jay meant, even if it's not exactly what he'd said. ) Considering you are drunk. Listen to yourself, dude. You're hammered.
[ All of it - the difference between what he meant, what he said, and that Julian didn't change the verb in that sentence goes sailing over Jay's pretty little head. Fine distinctions in turns of phrase are currently beyond him.
And all of that is without the hands on his face, which makes Jay laugh because what? ]
Okay Julian. The magic spinning will turned off mah healing factor so now I'm sus-cep-ble to alcohol, 'cept Ah didn't have any so Ah'm still right. But you're gonna tell me how this -
[ Jay imitates what Julian's doing, grabbing Julian's face between his hands. ]
Is gonna help anything.
And all of that is without the hands on his face, which makes Jay laugh because what? ]
Okay Julian. The magic spinning will turned off mah healing factor so now I'm sus-cep-ble to alcohol, 'cept Ah didn't have any so Ah'm still right. But you're gonna tell me how this -
[ Jay imitates what Julian's doing, grabbing Julian's face between his hands. ]
Is gonna help anything.
( how does grabbing jay's face help them at all? well. it at least makes sure jay's eyes are on his rather than anywhere else. mostly to keep him from wandering off. a drunk jay is inconvenient. a jay who can't focus and runs off while julian's trying to keep what's left of his clothes in tact? way worse. because chasing after jay is a choice. then again, grabbing onto him also required julian to make that conscious decision to reach out. god. he hates this. )
I know you're fucked, but I need you to help me out here. I'm running out of fabric and I don't think I'll be able to make it out the door with any left without you.
I know you're fucked, but I need you to help me out here. I'm running out of fabric and I don't think I'll be able to make it out the door with any left without you.
Am not. Ah don't understan' what's -
[ Another strip of Julian's shirt falls away, and Jay's eyes go to follow it as much as they can. He's hindered by the hands on his face, though, and his eyes go back to Julian's again. ]
Why are you stripping off you're clothes? You're hot. We get it. Ah promise, everyone knew that before you started and if this is going to turn into some sort of greased up wrasslin' match in the middle of the casino, no.
[ He lets go of Julian and takes a step back - the telekinetically controlled hands can follow him, that's fine. Pulls off his own shirt after some doing, leaving Jay in a tank top, and yanks it over Julian's head like he's dressing a toddler. ]
Don't rip this one up, you can't have the other one. Now you've got clothes. Why do you need me to get you outta here before you run out of clothes? Ah just got here because - shoot, Julian. Josh's here. He didn't yell at me neither.
[ Another strip of Julian's shirt falls away, and Jay's eyes go to follow it as much as they can. He's hindered by the hands on his face, though, and his eyes go back to Julian's again. ]
Why are you stripping off you're clothes? You're hot. We get it. Ah promise, everyone knew that before you started and if this is going to turn into some sort of greased up wrasslin' match in the middle of the casino, no.
[ He lets go of Julian and takes a step back - the telekinetically controlled hands can follow him, that's fine. Pulls off his own shirt after some doing, leaving Jay in a tank top, and yanks it over Julian's head like he's dressing a toddler. ]
Don't rip this one up, you can't have the other one. Now you've got clothes. Why do you need me to get you outta here before you run out of clothes? Ah just got here because - shoot, Julian. Josh's here. He didn't yell at me neither.
( jay takes a step back, and the hands don't follow after him. instead, they drop down to julian's side while he just scowls but takes the shirt anyway, even if he's shoving jay off of him in the process. he doesn't need to be dressed like a toddler, thank you, he knows how to put clothes on. )
I'm not ripping them on purpose, they're just - falling apart on me. ( yes, he knows he's hot. he knows most other people also knows he's hot, there's no use in denying literally any of that. but this isn't intentional showing off, if it had been he'd be a lot more purposeful about it. ) And obviously he's not going to yell at you. Have you met Foley?
( he'll get back to the why he needs help part later. )
I'm not ripping them on purpose, they're just - falling apart on me. ( yes, he knows he's hot. he knows most other people also knows he's hot, there's no use in denying literally any of that. but this isn't intentional showing off, if it had been he'd be a lot more purposeful about it. ) And obviously he's not going to yell at you. Have you met Foley?
( he'll get back to the why he needs help part later. )
( because what telepath uses text???
julian's going to feel the familiar nudge of a presence there before nate's voice can be heard. )
So what's the protocol for doing things around here when it comes to us mutants?
julian's going to feel the familiar nudge of a presence there before nate's voice can be heard. )
So what's the protocol for doing things around here when it comes to us mutants?
( telepaths right?? )
You'd know if I was messing around in your head.
( maybe. anyways. )
I'll knock next time, ok?
You'd know if I was messing around in your head.
( maybe. anyways. )
I'll knock next time, ok?
( it's still a blatant invasion of his privacy, thanks, just talking in his head. what if he'd been in the middle of something? what if he was sleeping? what if he was finally getting two seconds of peace and quiet and nate had just interrupted it? you never know.
but whatever. )
You mean about the Solmara bullcrap?
but whatever. )
You mean about the Solmara bullcrap?
Yeah.
( not surprising since he's sure julian saw the same message. )
Sophie said you'd be the one to lead out of the mutants here.
( not surprising since he's sure julian saw the same message. )
Sophie said you'd be the one to lead out of the mutants here.
( okay. not wrong, and it's something he's blatantly said he was doing before, to quire. they've got jean, too, but - julian would much rather trust someone from their own generation than those who came before them, especially considering their habit of using the rest of them as canon fodder. )
If you're intent on going, take another of us along for the ride. Just not Foley or Hope.
If you're intent on going, take another of us along for the ride. Just not Foley or Hope.
( well. he's not sure what he expected, but. )
You don't think helping others who may need it is a little more important than doing activities at some camp?
You don't think helping others who may need it is a little more important than doing activities at some camp?
I don't need a babysitter. I can handle it.
I didn't say you needed one. I said we should have someone to watch your back. If I was going, I'd make sure I had someone else, too. You never know when crap's going to take a turn in the wrong direction. Take someone who isn't a telepath. Or a telekinetic. Who balances out your skillset. Just in case.
If no one else wants to go, that's on them.
( ok, cyclops. )
No offense, but I don't really know all the mutants here.
No offense, but I don't really know all the mutants here.
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