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All We'll Breathe Is Hopeful Song; Loosestrife
Topic Started: Sep 13 2014, 12:03 AM (259 Views)
Specter
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Date: July 13th
Time: Early afternoon


Dallas sucked in a lungful of warm summer air as he stepped through the main entrance to the school and out into the bright daylight. A smile stretched across his lips, a familiar sight once more. He was a rejuvenated man. The misguided cycle of overwork and self-destructive drive had been surprisingly easy to break out of in the end. The moment the scales fell from his eyes and he saw his behaviour for what it was, his whole attitude had changed and it had been a simple task to just stop doing it. To continue to work himself into an early grave would have been absurd. After a couple of days of near continuous sleep, then another couple of days of feeling grotty and scuzzy because he'd, ironically, been sleeping too much, he'd gotten himself back onto an even keel again. He was eating properly, sleeping properly, he'd cut back on overtime and was sticking to a more balanced and healthy training regime, and he was even taking time out to just have fun and relax. And he felt happy again. He felt like a person rather than a shell. It was nice.

He had one woman to thank for this reversal in his fortunes. Avery Maximoff had recognised that he'd wandered down the wrong path and stepped in to redirect him at exactly the right time. Two weeks later, Dallas didn't like to think about what he'd condition he'd be in by now if not for her intervention. He wouldn't forget it. That wasn't the only reason the green-skinned nurse was on his mind though. He'd been concerned about her for a while, but his own problems had prevented him from reaching out to her. That was going to change today, he'd decided. Avery seemed fine but she was a newlywed without her husband at her side. It couldn't be easy and Dallas wanted to make sure she knew she could turn to him if she needed somebody to talk to.

Since he had some time before he needed to show his face in the kitchen to work the dinner service, he'd taken the opportunity to drive into North Salem this morning to pick up a few sundries and a little something for the lady too. Upon returning to the school, however, finding his friend hadn't been so straightforward. She wasn't in the infirmary, nor was she in the room she still occupied while she waited to set up a new home with Pietro. Wandering around the beautiful mansion grounds, Dallas figured he was most likely to find the chlorokinetic among the flora on a lovely day like this and he was soon proven correct about that. A grin jumped to his lips as he spotted her up ahead.

"Just the woman I was looking for," he declared by way of greeting. There was a spring in his step and a lightness in his tone, in marked contrast to the sullen, droopy guy who'd trudged into the infirmary with a bloody hand not so long ago. With a sunny smile, he trotted to catch up with her. "These are for you." From behind his back, he produced a small brown pot, in which was planted a clutch of vibrant purple hibiscus in full bloom. "See, I was gonna get you a bunch of flowers but then I thought you might not like it if I gave you flowers that had been cut, you know? Like... that's not the most sensitive thing to give a lady like yourself, right?" he laughed, aware that he was babbling but not really caring. "So I figured I'd get a potted plant instead, so you can replant it if you want to, like... give it back to nature?" He wasn't sure what he was even talking about now, which produced another laugh from him. This was a much happier Specter.

"So, just in case I'd screwed up with the flowers, I made you these this morning." In his other hand, he produced a little tub containing freshly baked cookies. "Some of these are chocolate chip, some are vanilla fudge. And in case you don't like those, there are some plain ones in there too." They'd be the best cookies she'd ever tasted because Dallas baked them so of course they'd be amazing.

He offered his friend a soft shrug coupled with a smile, feeling like his gesture might be a bit silly now. "I just wanted to say thank you, for what you did for me. You really turned me around."
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Avery
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Botanical Manipulation and Biology
Now Avery didn't spend every living, breathing moment in the infirmary though there used to be a time when she would. When she was younger and felt alone, it gave her a goal and a purpose and being around Hank made her feel better about herself, feel that she wasn't the freak amongst freaks that she thought she was. But at she grew and fell in love, while she was still dedicated to her nursing as well as the school, she allowed herself a little freedom and be happy in life. Then there were the times when Pietro was away where no loneliness compared to being without him, and no one could 100% fill that void and comfort her. Only time and growth allowed her to cope with him being away throughout the years.

Today she was feeling a little blue. However for all the times of being a good listener, for comforting others and being a shoulder to lean on, she wasn't good at sharing her burdens with other. She always kept her anger inside and she did the same thing with her sadness and bottled it up, going on with her days without people knowing. Then they wouldn't be burdened, then they wouldn't pity her, then she wouldn't have to be ask time and time again if she was okay. That just wasn't Avery. Fortunately she was good at hiding it from most and she was known to enjoy time by herself. As a creature of nature she had often in her time of being with Xavier's roamed the gardens, fished lazily down by the lake, or sat to watch the sun set or dark starry night on one of the balconies just enjoying the peace. It helped a little to settle down and with her sensitive hearing it was nice to escape the hustle and bustle and have some stillness and quiet for a change. Even if it did mask her loneliness.

Waking aimlessly barefoot through the grass,with flip flops in hand and wearing a white crochet sundress, her fluted ears tweaked at the sound of footfalls somewhere behind her. Nonetheless she did not turn until the voice addressed her and she turned with a smile. There Dallas greeted her with hands clasped behind her back (so she thought) and looking ten times better than what he did a few weeks back. She was both glad and relieved. He was a great guy with a future ahead of him, it would had been really sad to lose him because of neglect.

"These are for you." He said holding out his first gift to her.

"Oh!" She said in surprise, carefully taking the potted hibiscus and softly touched their petals and breathing in their scent. It wasn't often that Avery got flowers since that was basically her forte but it didn't mean she didn't appreciate them any less. She smiled as he rambled on, allowing him to finish rather than interrupting. When she was able to she thanked him before he started up again, her laughter bubbling through her words that some decried as bell like and pleasant. "Thank you, dear. They're lovely."

But that's not all! Of course one such as Dallas would have a backup incase the first present was a flop. With the other hand he produced a small tin, which she too accepted, wedging the flowers in the crook of her arm as she popped open the tin just as he described the delights inside. If the first gift had been of poor choice, this one would certainly have made up for it in Avery's mind. Being that she could no longer eat meat, she found herself becoming bigger on sweets and junk food like never before. The fact that they were cookies and a variety to boot and[/i] freshly home baked delighted and excited Avery a little more than she'd like to admit. It really touched her heart that he had made them especially for her as she grew up with her grandmother telling her that good food is made with love for those you love. And after catering at her wedding, she already knew first hand how delicious Dallas's sweets were.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for what you did for me. You really turned me around." He explained, finally getting to the point.

Of course she was a little surprised but that only lasted a second before she smiled at Dallas warmly. She wasn't exactly used to getting gifts, especially patients. After all, it was her job to take care of them, it's what she signed up for and half of that reason was to reply the school for all they had done for her. Honestly she hadn't really thought of how he had been affected by her big speech and actions much after that day, just that his health was improving and that her friend would be okay. Being a busy little bee she hadn't realize that two weeks had gone by already. And here he was with gifts for her to thank what she had done. Avery found herself blushing a little in embarrassment as a vinalla scent lifted around her, shaking her head a little as she closed the tin.

"I…I was just doing my job." She said with a small laugh and sheepish shrug as if to wave off his grateful words. "You needed my help and needed to hear some things while you were there. If I hadn't, then someone else would've spoken to you in a day or so I'm sure. But I'm glad you recovered so well. You look great." Avery nodded firmly, taking in his appearance once more. Hair and skin looked healthy and full of life, the darkness under the eyes had disappeared and there was a light to his eyes now. You could even see it in his body language, not just that he was not longer sluggish or tired looking, but he had a bounce to him and his voice was so full of energy. He had done good for himself. Some where just too stubborn that even after recovering, changing their routine and discipline was a great struggle.

"Thanks for the cookies. They were a good choice," she admitted with a smile. "I'm big on sweets. And the flowers again are lovely, but I honestly would have been just as happy with cut ones. I know my powers make me all one-with-nature and I have a close link to them, but usually I don't allow myself to get a total bond with them. Sure they have a way of speaking to me, but I don't want to be full on whack-a-doodle-doo either." Avery encircled the air next to her ear with her finger. "It's not like they're self aware anyway…well, except for the walking roses. Anyway…What I mean to say is that I don't think I'll replant these. I want to keep them to put in the apartment when I move in with Pietro. It'll be nice to have things that my friends gave me to decorate rather than picking things out myself. I'll want to surround myself with plants there anyway once I'm in the city and this one will be my first." The glanced her gaze that had been settled on the flower back up to him, giving him a wink.

"The flowers were a better gift than you thought, eh?"

Her gaze then shifted from him to his shadow that stretched across the grass at this time of day. She then nodded to it (still kind of wishing she had a name for it) and asked. "And how's your buddy doing? Good as well?"
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Specter
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The hibiscus and the cookies brought a smile to Avery's lips and since that was his main objective, Dallas was already satisfied. Even if she dumped the gifts in the trash the moment he was out of sight, at least she'd know that he cared enough to make an attempt to please her. Although dumping the presents would be a criminal waste of vanilla fudge.

"Thanks!" he grinned, puffing out his chest when Avery told him he looked great. He felt it too. The contrast between now and two weeks ago was stark and it had left him feeling on top of the world. That probably wouldn't last because life was life so some other obstacle would likely be thrown in his path to trip him up sooner rather than later but for now, he was happy to just enjoy the feelgood vibe. Avery was quick to shrug off the responsibility for his rejuvenated state but Dallas just smiled and shook his head at that. "You might have been just doing your job but it had a big impact on me. So, I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it. I won't forget it."

He didn't want to dwell on the subject too much because endless praise and sappiness would probably just make his friend uncomfortable. He wanted her to know that her actions had meant a lot to him but he didn't want to make her cringe, so he was glad when she began talking about the cookies and flowers. The cheery smile on his lips became even more delighted when Avery explained why the potted flowers were so welcome. He'd been hoping she'd be pleased with them but her plans to use them to begin populating her future home gave the gift a deeper meaning he hadn't foreseen.

"Yeah? Aw, I'm really glad I got those now then. I almost didn't, I was worried it'd be inappropriate somehow, with your powers and everything. But then I couldn't think of anything else that felt right so... yeah..." Rambling again. Hush, Gibson. He grinned and offered a light shrug. "I'm happy they're gonna help bring some colour to your new place. Oh, hey, I meant to offer, if you need a hand moving your stuff when the time comes, let me know. I'd be happy to put these muscles to good use." He flexed one arm in mock demonstration of his physical might. It would be fair to say that Jimmy and Piotr didn't have to worry about Dallas stealing their crown as the resident huge dudes. But still, he was a superstrong type so he figured he could make himself useful by lugging around any heavy boxes or furniture Avery had once moving day finally arrived. ...It wasn't just an excuse to meet Quicksilver in person. Not at all.

The shadow perked up when Avery asked after him, and Dallas also responded with a bright and sunny smile. He loved it when people acknowledged the shadow. There were plenty who seemed a little disconcerted in its presence, and plenty more who just paid it no attention at all, so when someone cared enough about him to even just throw a smile in the direction of his shady companion, it never went unnoticed. These moments always felt like Dallas was being accepted for who he truly was. He wasn't just one individual, he was a package deal. "Oh, he's doing great now," Dallas replied, turning his head to look down at his silhouette with a fond smile. The shadow raised a hand to offer a thumbs up to Avery, to demonstrate that Dallas's words were indeed accurate. "He was getting really quiet for a while there. And grumpy too, which is... well, that's not good for either of us. But things are good now, right, man?" The shadow nodded enthusiastically. He wasn't quite as nice as Dallas so tended not to display much interest in most people but this lady had won him over in recent weeks. The shadow was an Avery fan now.

Dallas's warm smile softened a touch as he looked back to Avery. "So... how are you doing?" he asked in that slightly more serious, I'm-not-just-asking-to-make-conversation way. After a moment's hesitation, he glanced to the side and saw that they were near a log which was presumably once a fallen tree but had been left there and turned into a makeshift seating area. He took a step in that direction to sit himself down, indicating that he was going to bother her for further conversation. "Honestly, I didn't only seek you out to say thanks. I've been wanting to come see you for a while. I've been a little worried but... well, you know how I've been lately. I was too tired to see past the end of my own nose half the time, let alone look out for other people. I'm sorry about that, I feel like I haven't been the greatest friend lately," he admitted, his good cheer momentarily souring as he was reminded of his recent failures. However, his inner pendulum had swung far enough towards positivity in the last two weeks that he didn't stop to feel sorry for himself for more than a second, returning his attention to his friend.

"So yeah, if you don't wanna talk about this, it's cool. I'd totally get that. Just... I wanted to make sure you're okay, and that you know I'm here if you need someone to talk to." Dallas suddenly realised that he hadn't actually spelled out what the hell he was talking about yet. "I know he's been gone a while now," he clarified gently. "It can't be easy." He didn't specify who the 'he' was because he was sure he didn't need to. Dallas was confident that the first man to enter Avery's thoughts would always be Pietro Maximoff.
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Avery
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The compliment had done him good and when he smile it was a bit infectious and she couldn't help but to smile too. And while she tried to shrug off his thanks and appreciation, he wouldn't let it slide. His words were genuine, she knew that. She also knew that he and herself shared a few things in common. When they said things, they were sincere and it came from their heart. They rarely said things they didn't truly mean. And so Avery accepted his thanks, finally nodding as she smiled to attest she was giving in. She raised a hunter brow as she tilted her head and replied, "I have a feeling that cookies won't be your debt replied, hmm?" She rattled the tin twice as she teased. She just had this feeling that he would feel to need to "make it up to her" somehow. And who knew? Maybe she'd need him to pick her up one day. Maybe he'd have to save her life.

But for the record she was more than happy with the cookies and flowers and so she thanked him for that. Her explanation for keeping the flowers made him feel a little better and he softly chuckled off his uncertainty about the whole subject. He was just trying to be sensitive to her feelings after all, with she being one with nature and all that. It could have been one of those subjects he had to tip toe around for all he knew. Like vegans and meat.

He then offered to help her with her move in with Pietro when the time came, flexing her muscles to prove that he was the man for the job. She couldn't help but snort despite the sad thought of wen that day would come. "Sure!" She agreed, with a firm nod and then gave him the shifty eyes between his arms back to his face and added cheekily. "But lets keep the gun show to a minimum, kay? Oh! But this will give me a chance to properly introduce you to Pietro. The wedding was such whirlwind and you hardly get to say hi. I honestly can't wait to tell him that you're like his biggest fan. His reaction is going to be great!"

It was this point that Avery's eyes caught his shadow. Maybe others didn't notice as much, maybe they ignored it, but once Avery come to realize that it was like an entity of it's own, she noticed that it wasn't like other shadows. Kinda like with Peter Pan, where his was full of life and personality too. Though, unlike its human counterpart it was a little more difficult to tell if it was feeling better. However she already knew the answer because of Dallas's well being, it was still nice to ask rather than ignoring it's existence. In response, Dallas beamed and ensured her he was doing great. In turn the shadow gave her the thumbs up and in agreement to his words nodded firmly. Once more Avery smiled and gave the shadow one of her trademark tinklewaves before returning her attention back to Dallas.

They continued walking when the question finally came up. It came with that tone, that tone that Avery had come very accustomed to over the years. Inwardly she winced and she stopped. On one hand, she and Dallas were still pretty new as friends (despite clicking so well) so she figured he might not ask, one the other hand he was also the sort of person to be concerned if a person was hurting that it overrode the first. And for a moment as he sat down on the fallen tree bench, she considered giving him a short answer. You know that answer. The one that you gave people that wasn't the full truth, but it was enough that they would be satisfied. Avery wasn't a liar. She hated lying and rarely did so unless situation made it necessary. That being said, she did however became an expert of half truths and redirecting conversation enough so that people wouldn't worry about her. This wasn't her first long stint without Pietro after all.

She didn't answer at first as she considered what she would say, how much she could say. He felt bad for not getting to her sooner because as a friend that was his duty. Just a twinge of a frown appeared on Avery's face. He didn't owe her that, yet he felt that he failed her as a friend. She wasn't fond of moments like these. They were a bit awkward and the air felt heavy and Avery's light hearted mood clouded over. The air around her that once smelled of pears shifted to something like morning rain. She didn't have to say anything if she didn't wanted to, he told her this. All he needed to know was that she was okay. Then those last words.

"It can't be easy."

She held her breath as almost every muscle tensed in order to keep back any tears that might come. She was stronger than that and seeing her burst into tears wasn't going to make Dallas better either. Yet her heart ached.

"If it was easy, then I wouldn't be in love." She replied simply and evenly, quietly swallowing back the remainder of the upswell of her emotions. Still she smelt of rain as she finally moved before him to turn and sit down next to him. The flowers by her feet as she sat back, white molts of light dripping from her fingertips as roots swirled and twisted to meet her reclining back, transforming the old log into a proper bench as she absentmindedly bibbidi-bobbidi-boo'd armrests and a back. Meanwhile her other hand was busy opening the cookie tin and soon produced the vanilla fudge.

"I am good. What's there to say really?" She said rhetorically and bit into sweet, extending the tin to Dallas to offer him one as she continued to look ahead. It was blissfully delicious as bits of fudge melted in her mouth. She had always been a fan of vanilla over chocolate and the little treat made her feel a bit better. "This is not the first time that he's been gone away for a long time. I've learnt how to deal."

The mint hued nurse then looked sideways to him. "Don't feel bad for not checking up on me. I've got a lot of people looking out for me, if I wasn't okay someone would've talked to me by now. They usually let me go about my day though. I find that if I'm busy I don't have much time to feel sad. I have a purpose here and I know I'm making a difference in what I do, so better I continue soldering on while I wait for him to come back. Like I always do." Her voice remained level, no lift or the singsong it usually held. She turned her head back to stare at nothingness ahead of her before her head bowed, long hunter hair shrouding her features a little.

"We've been apart so much though; his stint in the Brotherhood trying to get through to his father, his recovery from the madness after that, his time of self redemption with the Thunderbolts…and then when we broke up for a little while. It was really hard, but with the X-Men and the family around me it was enough to get me through it. And even though I knew he was leaving again before we got married, I just told myself that it'd be different once we did. That maybe he wouldn't be so long…or that he'd stop looking and just come home. I don't cry every night anymore, not like I used to five years ago. Still I miss him just as much now as I did then." She sniffled as soft as she could manage. There wasn't a reason that she had to tell Dallas all this but it just came out and now she had herself worked up. She tried to laugh off the sob that was trying to escape but only managed to sound pitiful. "You'd think I'd be a little hardened by now, huh. C'est l'amour."
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Specter
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"I'm already planning cupcakes," Dallas admitted with a mischievous grin when Avery recognised that he may still feel like his debt to her was not repaid. Apparently he wasn't going to stop until she was the size of a house. In truth, Dallas would always watch out for any of his friends, and strangers too given half the chance. That was the way of the superhero type, after all. Avery had marked herself out as someone who'd come through for him at exactly the moment he needed it though, and that was something he'd never forget. She might regard her actions as being just par for the course, but he didn't. Jean Grey-Summers had done a similar thing for him back in the day and, as a result, there was literally nothing he wouldn't do for her. From this point on, he'd likely always be looking for ways he could look after Avery, or just bring a smile to her day. She'd always get extra portions in the cafetorium now!

He beamed at the very idea of being introduced to Quicksilver. Dallas was aware that he was likely to trip over his words, babble incoherently and generally make a jackass of himself but he'd made his peace with that. A little embarrassment was a small price to pay to meet the speedster king. "Oh man," he grinned wistfully. "Imagine that."

Behind him on the grass, his shadow was also in a happy place, simply because he'd been acknowledged by Avery. The shadow wasn't too interested in most people, turning his nose up at new acquaintances, unlike his three-dimensional counterpart. However, when Dallas himself reached a point of adoring someone without reservation, there was no negative subconscious energy for the silhouette to feed upon, so the shadow ended up loving those people too. It was part of the reason the shadow was gaga for Terry Cassidy, and he was becoming increasingly fond of Avery now too. As evidence of that, he puffed his flat black chest out when the green lady waved at him and waggled his hand at her in return. That was his day made.

Once he was sitting down, Dallas watched in rapt awe as Avery casually reshaped the log into a more comfortable seat. It was like witnessing Mother Nature settling into her wooden throne or something. He probably would've gushed at how badass that absent-minded display of power was under normal circumstances but this was not the moment. Even before she spoke, he could already feel that his question had altered the atmosphere, made it thicker and heavier, and he wasn't sure he'd done the right thing. Had he overstepped the mark? The scent on the air told him he'd sparked an uncommon emotion in his friend, since it wasn't a fragrance he'd experienced around her before. Morning rain. That probably wasn't good, was it? Inside, his heart sank and he felt a wave of displeasure and recrimination coming from his shadow for potentially upsetting Avery.

It was too late now though. All he could do was wait quietly and respectfully as his friend took her time to gather herself and find an answer.

When that answer came, it was one which produced a soft, wry smile from Dallas, coupled with a nod of understanding. Being in love really wasn't easy, she was right. His last relationship had been a serious one but it had been hard every step of the way for one reason or another. Of course, his relationship with Keisha had been somewhat less successful than Avery and Pietro's romance, given that it had ended in bitterness and hurt rather than culminating in marriage. He had to believe Avery's relationship had a stronger foundation than his own had turned out to have. That didn't make her husband's absence any easier for his friend to deal with though. Probably the opposite, in fact. Being separated from someone she knew in her soul that she was supposed to be spending her life with must have been torture.

When she offered him a piece of the vanilla fudge, Dallas declined, instead just listening. He'd feasted on plenty of those cookies in the process of baking them, his waistline would thank him for showing restraint now. Besides, he was more concerned about Avery than his stomach, and this felt like one of those moments when he'd need to do his best to avoid saying the wrong thing. Couldn't do that with his mouth full, tempting as it was.

She talked about her history with her husband and how this wasn't the first time she'd been without him for an extended period. Though he was familiar with some of the things she mentioned, he hadn't realised just how much time the two had been apart. As he listened, it slowly dawned on him that Pietro Maximoff might not be the icon of perfection he'd built him up to be in his mind. He admired the speedster but he didn't actually know the man. As much respect as he had for Quicksilver, he couldn't stop himself from questioning his actions. Dallas wanted to think the best of him, but Avery deserved better. It was that simple. Maybe, as she said, things would be different now that they were married. He dearly hoped so. But then, it had been months since the wedding, and Pietro was still off chasing a ghost. It wasn't okay.

He wouldn't say as much out loud though. It wasn't his place, and ultimately he didn't know enough about the situation to pass judgment. More to the point, it wouldn't help Avery.

"Aw, Avery, I'm sorry," he said softly, allowing a cringe to enter his features as he realised how hard she was struggling to keep from crying. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her arm. "I shouldn't have brought this up. The last thing I wanted to do was upset you. Honestly, if it helps, you're coping with this way better than I would be. I'd be a mess. But you... you're holding it together, getting things done, work and the X-Men and all the rest of it. You even find time to look out for chumps like me," he grinned. "You're kind've amazing, Avery Maximoff. And he knows that too. I'm betting, right now, he's somewhere out there missing you just as much and wishing he was right here." If that wasn't what Pietro was thinking, then he was a fool. He had something wonderful here, the kind of love Dallas would give anything to experience for himself. It was madness to squander it.

Letting his hand fall away, he hesitated, watching his shadow for a moment as it rippled across the grass, passing the time by moving closer to various patches of flowers to get a better look at them. If Dallas had any sense, he'd let this topic go now rather than risk distressing Avery further. But the whole point of this conversation was to give her an opportunity to talk about her feelings, so he should give her more space to do that. Shouldn't he? He wasn't totally sure, but apparently he was going to open his big trap anyway. "Do you get to speak to him regularly, at least? Are they able to stay in contact, or...?" He had no idea how cut off Pietro and the others were. He'd been working on the assumption that they were in frequent contact with Avery and the senior X-Men but maybe not. Dallas's understanding of what the group were actually doing was sketchy at best.
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Avery
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He had declined the vanilla fudge and so she had set the tin aside and began to confide with him her current wellbeing. He hadn't been around for their six year relationship, he hadn't heard all the ins and outs of it through herself or gossip, he just didn't know. And so, she had to explain just a little and in the process made herself a little sadder and spoiled her appetite. She returned the partly nibbled on fudge back to the tin and tried to make light of her situation, tried to laugh it off. She could not. And as she had told herself time and time again, it was better to keep busy and not think about it than to be crying over how much she missed him. He always came back even when things seemed bleak. He had proven that last summer.

Yet here she was next to Dallas, half on a sob putting him through the awkwardness of seeing her on her verge of crying when she just could've said "I'm fine". She felt a little guilty as he apologized for asking about it but honestly he didn't know. She felt his hand come to rest on her arm in a comforting, chaste gesture as he continue to apologize and tell her worth around here. In response placed her other hand on top of his to show her appreciation and quietly bobbed her head to his words. He told her she was amazing, reassured her than Pietro was missing her, wishing he was with her. Avery bit her lip her lip and nodded some more.

"I know…I know.." Her voice shook and she laughed a little this time. Finally she turned to look back at him, violet eyes filled to the brim and now overflowing with tears that dropped off her cheeks. Still, she was somewhat smiling and even attempted to joke. "He is a fool." Of course she didn't really mean that. "And I'll let him know that when he gets home. Well….probably not. But he's going to have to find ways to make it up to me." She sniffled and delicately wiped her cheeks.

Things went quite for a breath or two. She remained quiet, feeling like it was his turn to talk and so resided to watch his shadow wander about. She pulled her knees up, resting her feet on the log and wrapping her arms around her legs when he decided to speak again. She wished that she could tell him that she talked to him every night, or every few days or heck once a week…but that wouldn't be true. The minty elf shook her head slightly and said, "Naw…I mean I'm sure they- he would if he could. But it's not like he's stationed overseas or something, he's all over the place. It's hard." Her brows crumpled. She really did wish she could hear his voice. "I'm sure something bad happened, SHIELD would knew and be on it. And Scott promised me he'd bring him home. It's just all the waiting..."

Watery eyes flickered back to his shadow, head tilting slightly. He sort of acted as Dallas's subconscious…or subconsciously through Dallas. She couldn't remember how it went but regardless he was affected by everything and anything Dallas did. "You think he feels a little awkward with all this sad talk?" Avery softly asked, wondering if all this talk was bring up old memories and feelings that was reflected through him. "Does he….like ever carry an old torch for someone?"
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Tears were falling across Avery's minty cheeks now and Dallas could've punched himself. His shadow was going to really shout at him later for managing to create a situation in which Avery's perfectly calm exterior had been washed away to expose the pain underneath. Luckily, nobody else would hear his shadow's recriminations but Dallas was going to have a crappy afternoon of being yelled at in his mind. All his own fault.

Sitting on the surprisingly comfortable log, Dallas shifted position so that he could ferret around in a back pocket. Soon enough, he produced a small packet of tissues. He'd started carrying around things like this upon his return to the school because it was amazing how often tiny mutants caused spillages in the cafetorium. Dallas professed to be a chef but the truth was that he spent half his day cleaning up after all the little horrors. He carefully plucked two folded tissues from the flimsy packet, unfurled them and handed them over to his friend. She needed them more than the kitchen did today.

"I'll give him a few pointers on how to bake the cookies just right," he smiled, when Avery said her husband would have to find ways to make it up to her. Pietro probably knew better ways to make Avery smile than presenting her with tubs of vanilla fudge though.

It came as something of a shock to him that Cyclops and his group were largely out of touch. What if something happened to them? But as Avery spoke more about it, he realised it made sense. Though he didn't know any details of their mission, he did know that it was one which could take them anywhere and everywhere, and there were plenty of places in the world which would take them out of communication. The open sea, for one. Still, it made him worry for their safety, and for Avery. To be physically apart from her new husband was one thing but to not even hear his voice? Her current tears aside, the way she was coping with this was remarkable. He nodded softly as she noted that the waiting was the hardest part and was going to comment (and probably say something to upset her even more because he was an idiot) when she asked him a question about his shadow.

He smiled and glanced in the silhouette's direction. "Nah, not really. To be honest, he's never liked any of the girls I've been with. He always says they're not good enough for me. Which is sweet of him but, y'know, I don't listen. If I did, I'd live like a monk." He was glad of the chance to talk about himself, not because he was self-obsessed though. Dallas was just aware that Avery might be feeling exposed and may appreciate a moment to gather herself while he chattered. "He really hated my last girlfriend. And she hated him. We were together for three years, and we lived together for most of that time. Looking back, I have no idea how I made that work. I wouldn't get into a relationship with someone who wasn't comfortable with him now, it's too difficult. Lesson learned. So no, any torch-carrying is done by me, not him. He thinks my taste is terrible," Dallas admitted with a grin.

"He doesn't feel awkward though. He's just worried about you. And he's pissed at me for making you sad," he confessed, looking back to Avery with a gentle smile. "I'm a little pissed at me too. And you know what that means. I'm gonna have to buy you another plant." He grinned, hoping his lame joke might help to lighten the atmosphere a little because Avery probably needed that. To prove Dallas's words correct, the shadow moved closer, sliding up onto the log to fill the space between them, and laid his head on Avery's shoulder. Or rather, he tilted his head on the back of the makeshift seat she'd created since he wasn't capable of actually touching her. Dallas watched him dubiously but with a fond smile. "Yeah, I think you've got a fan there, Avery."

He continued watching the shadow for a second but felt it was time to get back to the crux of the conversation. His tone was gentle as he continued though, not wishing to upset his friend any more than he already had. "He'll be back soon, you know. I'm sure of that. I mean, they've been gone a long time already so I figure by now, either they've nearly done what they set out to do, or they'll be close to admitting defeat. Either way, it can't be much longer before he's right back here." Although he meant what he said, Dallas couldn't help feeling like his words sounded like meaningless platitudes, so he offered up a grin. "Tell you what. If he's not back by fall, we'll go out there, find him, and drag his sorry butt back here." His smile softened a touch, as did his voice. "All this waiting... it's not gonna be forever."
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Avery
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Botanical Manipulation and Biology
"I'll give him a few pointers on how to bake the cookies just right," Dallas smiled to her as she used the tissued with a murmured thanks to dab her lashes. At least she didn't wear makeup other wise she'd look a horrid mess. Sniffling here and there, the worst was over as their back and forth was enough to chase away the tears for now.

"Heh, I wouldn't waste your time." She said with a weak laugh a moment after. "Pietro is a speedster in mind and body. He has patience, but typically they don't like to sit still and wait. He told me that when he and Wanda were living in the wild, he would catch fish for dinner but ultimately Wanda would cook it. Apparently Pietro blackened the fish while wanting it to cook faster." Avery smirked a little and gave a little shrug before the conversation moved back to things a bit heavier.

While it hurt to admit the lack of communication, Avery held it together as they talked about it..well okay, her eyes were still glossy. The thing about Avery, and Dallas would learn this too, was that she was quick to either adapt or bounce back. This is not only what got her through the rough patches in their relationship, but it also got her through the strifes the X-Men faced like the Purifier attack for instance. Whole she was mostly a positive and optimistic person, she would also rationalize that crying and brooding did no one any good and she would lose her usefulness along the way. So she always took a moment to grieve or find a venting outlet, gather herself back up and carry on with life. The world wouldn't stop turning just for her, she had to keep up.

Rightly so, Dallas had nodded to her words rather than commenting on them. What more was there to say about it really. It was what it was. So she decided to change the topic a little as curiosity about Dallas's past relationships, but mostly about his shadow and his reflection of Dallas. Honestly she wasn't the nosey sort, but she knew little about his past besides what was on file and absolutely nothing about his relationships before the school. Heck she wasn't even sure which side of the fence that he sat on, not that it mattered, but in a friendship she found it funny that she didn't already know. Maybe it was something he didn't want to get into and asking would be a bit rude…However Dallas answered as if it wasn't a big deal and surprisingly his shadow was way more pickier than Dallas was. It must have been a tiny part of him, expressed through her shadow a fear of getting hurt and like his past relationship a want to be accepted for who he was. Avery figured that the longer it festered the worst the living situation got and the distance between him and his ex grew.

"He was right to give you grief when you look back at it. That's what a best friend is suppose to do and really people should listen to them more as they usually nothing to gain from a breakup. Well I guess except for your case." She gave his shadow a nod. "He's a big part of you so your partner has to get along with him too. You're a package deal and you shouldn't settle for less."

As the pair watched his shadow he answered the other part of her question which Avery almost forgotten she has asked about. Feeling a little better she had retrieved the nibbled on vanilla fudge and started eating it again. Dallas revealed that his shadow was actually vexed with him for upsetting her and her brows rose for a moment. "Really…?" She then tilted her head, and narrowed her eyes as she said slightly lower. "He doesn't look pissed but I guess you have you own rapport."

Dallas continued explaining and as he did his shadow joined them on the bench, cozily between them to show his newfound affection for her. She smiled softly as it almost looked like he was trying to put his head on her shoulder. She knew they both meant well and neither had meant to upset her, of course they had to know this, didn't they? She was just a woman after all and even when everything was going fine they were known to burst into tears over nothing. But maybe they didn't get that. He was sweet enough to try to reassure her, rationally pointing out that he's been gone so long that surely he would be coming home soon and Avery nodded figuring he was probably right. He even offered to go after Pietro if need be, even though Avery wouldn't know where to find him. Still it was clear he did feel a bit crappy for upsetting her when he just wanted to know how she was holding up. So she turned in her spot, angling herself so that she could look at them both.

"Ya know, I really appreciate that you care about me so much to worry so." She began, keeping her smile gentle and constant to prove that she was okay. "But you don't have to beat yourself up so much. I'm okay, I promise. I'm going to be honest, not a day goes by that I'm not a little sad about Pietro being away and I might cry here and there when no ones around, but like I've said before I know how to cope. Today was just a little hiccup but you don't need to worry," she told Dallas before looking at his shadow. "And you don't have to be mad at him. I bounce back quick, I think being a nurse probably helps with that…You don't have to shower me with gifts when you think you screw up. Though the offer to hunt him down is kind of tempting…I'd honestly be just as happy to go out for coffee in North Salem now and then."

Oddly a though came to her mind and she paused as if she was deciding if it was okay it or not. "Actually…there is one thing you could do for me that'd make me feel better." She said hesitantly, still unsure how he'd feel about it. Avery looked off to the side continuing, "I miss going for runs with Pietro…would you?…would you mind going for a run with me? It's not a big deal though. I was just thinking it'd be nice."
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