Meet the Roommate (IC)

[Gizmo]

Outwardly, Trevor Hunter appeared to the very model of self-assured composure. With hid thumbs hooked into pockets of his deep blue jeans and a faded ochre t-shirt fitted to his lanky frame, the tall young man walked smoothly though the Claremont dorms with a his ever present fedora tipped low over his forehead and radiating a calm confidence. Inwardly, however, a kernel of mixed excitement and nervousness he couldn't quite squash rolled about in his stomach as stopped to knock on one of the hallway's many doors, adjusting his collar absently as he waited.

[alderwitch]

Alexandra Albright, Erin's roommate was actually in her dorm room for once, her fingers clicking over the keyboard of her laptop rapidly. She paused at the knock, looking confused for a moment at the absence of anyone's mental presence behind the knock before she realized that it must be Trevor looking for Erin. She bounced up, dressed in jeans under clashing layered shirts, her long red curls pulled back in a high ponytail.

"Hi, Trevor," she said as she opened the door to the dorm room, "Erin's out training at the moment, I think."

She looked past him thoughtfully, sending her senses over the school grounds, "Yeahp, she's training. Want me to tell her you're here?"

[Gizmo]

Trevor returned Alex's greeting with a deep, courteous nod, then shook his head slightly. "No, don't want to distract her in the middle. I'll head down in a bit." There was an increasingly uncomfortable silence, at least on his part, as the lanky youth continued to, by virtue of his significant height and serious demeanor, loom in the dorm room's doorway. Have been trying to be more social, he reminded himself, and there were few students at the academy more sociable than the diminutive redhead. "So," he began finally, "we haven't really gotten a chance to talk yet." The statement had an awkward inflection to it, common for Trevor when he tried to imitate his more verbose peers.

[alderwitch]

"Would you like to?" Alex asked curiously as she held the door open for him in silent invitation to enter. It was easy to see the different sides of the room as Alex's things were as colorful as Erin's were spartan. When he walked in, Alex shut the door. Trevor easily noticed the movement of things as Alex glanced at them. The hotplate in one corner started up as a pot filled itself from a bottle of water from the mini fridge and settled on it. Then her hazel gaze flicked to the desk chair which turned around for him. Alex never took her hands out of her pockets. She wasn't showing off as she had none of the tells in her expressive face. Instead her posture was easy and relaxed as this was how she simply was when she wasn't having to repress what she was.

She pulled one hand out of her pockets to gesture to the chair, "Would you like a seat? It'll be a few minutes before the coffee is ready."

[Gizmo]

"Ah, well..." The stoic youth's eyebrows rose noticeably at the mention of coffee. "If you've already put a pot on," he acquiesced sensibly, taking the proffered seat. Given the discrepancy in their height, Trevor's posture in the chair was vaguely comical, but he didn't seem to mind. "So..." He wracked his mind for potential topics of conversation, uncomfortably out of his element, but determined. "Ever get a chance to track down and deal with Gibbons?" he asked bluntly.

[alderwitch]

"I'm not reading your mind," Alex answered the unspoken question that a lot of people seemed to have, "I have perfect recall and Erin has talked about your coffee trips a few times. She doesn't have the resources that I do, so I buy the groceries we keep here in the dorm room. It was only logical to add coffee to the list once you two started spending time together. After all, it stands to reason you'd eventually be by."

She folded her legs up under her, sitting down on the other desk chair that she pulled over and tucked her hands in her lap. Alex sighed at the question and then looked up at him, "No, I'm afraid not yet. Mr. Summers has sent her back to her family for her culpability in the events for prom night. I will, however, have a conversation with her when she returns."

[Gizmo]

Trevor blinked once in mild surprise at Alex's assurances. "Just assumed you liked coffee," he admitted. It honestly hadn't occurred to him that she might have been skimming his thoughts; the lanky youth was still acclimating to dealing with metahuman abilities in noncombat situations. "Nothing to hide," he told the diminutive telepath with an unconcerned shrug. "Well, besides..." Raising his index finger he let a small trail of midnight mist float lazily upward as if from smoldering kindling. "And you already knew that."

The room being stocked with his visitation in mind was of more immediate interest to him. "Does that mean I have your stamp of approval?" Trevor placed a hand on the back of his neck self consciously. "Is that how that works?" Familiar though he was with the ways of debutantes and high society maneuvering, the precise etiquette of winning over the best friend escaped him. Considering how highly Erin valued Alex's opinion, it was a matter of no small concern.

[alderwitch]

"No, I'm still hoping that I'll grow those last two inches." Alex said with a small smile before she blinked at his question. She tilted her head to the side, the emotion on her face somewhere between amused and flattered, "Trevor, as long as you have Erin's approval, you have mine. Her opinion is the one that matters. She's happy, that's all that really matters to me."

Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she asked, "Why, did Eddie warn you that I threatened him with a permanent erectile dysfunction? Because that was a drastically different situation."

[Gizmo]

Trevor mouth curved downward into a complete frown, an unusually intense expression for the young man. "I wish tha-- wait." As he processed the second half of Alex's comments he winced involuntarily and adjusted the collar of his shirt before regaining his composure. "I, ah, ahem. That... is not even a little funny," he insisted, though the corner of his mouth quirked in what might have been amusement. There was a pause before he asked hesitantly, "She's happy?" Hints of self conscious trepidation and the barest inkling of a goofy smile mingled across his stoic visage.

[alderwitch]

"It wasn't really a joke. Rather a warning. I don't make idle threats and I am well aware that my usually sound judgement is flawed where Zoe is concerned. I am not infallible. I strive for it because of the power that I weild but in the end, I'm still human. I err." Alex explained, her expression sad for a moment before she glanced away and turned her attention to making up the cup of coffee before sending it floating carefully towards Trevor. "Its hot."

Alex's hazel eyes turned back towards him, "To answer the more pressing of your questions, I would rarely typify Erin's mood as 'happy'. She is happier overall with your interactions. She's also more nervous and broody at turns. In short, she is acting like a typical teenager, which, is an enormous emotinal leap for her. If nothing else, you are good for her, but you do make her 'happy', yes."

[Gizmo]

There was that little 'erasing a room full of memories' thing, yes, Trevor considered, but chose to keep to himself. It was, after all, a family matter. Which isn't to say I won't be watching out for that.

"That is..." he told Alex, "...good to hear. Not very good at..." Trailing off, Trevor gestured openly with his hands, unable to give an exact name to what he was feeling. "Studying to read a person and play off their innermost fears... not as transferable to open social interactions as one might hope."

[alderwitch]

"Well, I understand people about as well as anyone can and motivations baffle me still sometimes. For example, I can't wrap my brain around wanting people to be scared of you. I spend so much time trying to prevent that." Alex smiled sadly, and spread her hands, "In the end, we only have the sum of our experiences to go by."

[Gizmo]

"Fear..." Trevor said contemplatively, "is a delicate proposition. A little keeps you alert, ready. A little more and people get angry, unpredictable, lash out." The serious young man nodded in deference to Alex's difficulties with the public perception of those granted abilities by Terminus radiation. Though his own mutation was of, so far as he knew, a different source, he could unfortunately relate. "A little more than that, though, and opponents hesitate, surrender. Avoid a fight, and nobody has to get hurt on either side. Besides," he added, his voice unconsciously dropping a semitone, "those who would terrorize the innocent, make them afraid to go out at night... Should know how it feels."

[alderwitch]

Alex watched him with wide eyes, pursing her lips slightly, "Interesting. Personally, I can inflict negative emotions on sentient creatures. Any emotion, really, but fear, hate, lust - I can manufacture them as easily as I can read them. I don't enjoy the process because I feel it too keenly. Empathy is something I cultivate because I find it to be a noble attribute and one that is so important. It is very tempting, sometimes, to shield out the world completely but that way lies inhumanity. Empathy, however, keeps me from wanting to spread about those negative emotions because I end up feeling them all too keenly."

She glanced away, her gaze flicking to the coffee pot as the drink fixed itself to his usual preference and then she turned her gaze back to him, the cup following the path of her eyes as it floated over to the desk near his arm. It hovered as a coaster shifted under it before the cup settled down. Alex looked back at his face as she reminded him, "It is very hot."

[Gizmo]

Trevor murmured in thanks, letting the cup sit for the moment. "Hrrn. Telepathy," he said in barely more than a grunt, tilting his head forward in a slight nod of sympathetic agreement, as though that conveyed his full position on the subject. There was a lull in the conversation, long enough that he picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. "So..." he attempted with a subdued awkwardness, "...have any hobbies?"

[alderwitch]

"Many," Alex said with a smile as she reached for her soda and pulled her feet up so that she was sitting crosslegged on her chair, "Although, most of my extracurricular efforts, when not focused on crime fighting, are pretty much tied up in AEON. Even I only have so many free hours in a day. I spend a lot of time with philanthropic work but its hard to balance. Coming out, it's really, really hard to do that. There's so much expected and even doing a large fraction of that... It leaves me falling short of a lot of expectations. I have to force myself to take time off otherwise I'll just burn out. I read, an awful lot. And I keep a journal from, like, forever. I try really hard to be a normal kid. I'm not, of course, but I sure try hard to be one."

[Gizmo]

"Hhnn. Normal." Trevor stared pensively into his cup, eyes narrowing subtly. That was a desire he could understand. Though he saw little appeal in an average life of mundanity, one more than one occasion he'd regretted the twist of fate that had bestowed on him his unique physiology. "That press conference... bold move, but dangerous. Could lead back to the school; starting point for uncovering the rest of Young Freedom."

[alderwitch]

"Yes, I know. And I'm really very sorry for the additional risk but I'm afraid I didn't have any other options." Alex said, her tone both apologetic and resolute. "But if someone does not deal with the fear of the 'Terminus baby', then once they realize the affliction is genetic, I fear for the level of hysteria that will ensue. It would be better if Mike could come out. He reminds people of Centurion with his powers and he's so very noble... But he's only seventeen. He's not ready. With Zoe here, we're out of time. If no one has realized that she's our daughter... Well, it's only matter of time. The power signature is too unique. The genetic evidence too obvious."

[Gizmo]

"Family," Trevor agreed, closing his eyes as he took a long sip on his beverage. "Understandable." Setting the cup down again, he steepled his long, lean fingers contemplatively. "Outing Phalanx... inadvisable." The young man's pale brow furrowed subtly as his mouth turned downward in a mild frown. "Does remind people of the Centurion. Reveal the origin of his powers, he'll remind them of the Centurion's death."

[alderwitch]

Alex waved her hands a little, "For a little while, but if he was an adult, his reputation would keep that from happening. Mike is just as stalwart and good hearted as someone trying to live up to that reputation needs to be. He's perfect to be the face of the Terminus children - the essence of all of the heroes who died returned to protect them once more and all that - but he's not twenty four and established. He's seventeen and still occasionally breaks doors when he reaches for them without thinking. He's not ready. None of us really are. I just have to be."

[Gizmo]

Leaning back slightly, Trevor regarded Alex contemplatively. "Expect a lot of people." It was a statement or observation, not a question, and the young man's measured tone lacked both notes of approval or reproach. "Expect a lot of yourself," he added, picking up his cup once more to take a sip. As overly optimistic as he thought the diminutive telepath was being, there was also no reason for her to take all of that burden on by herself.

[alderwitch]

"Of course I do. With great power..." Alex smiled, before she turned her face up, her eyes slightly wide and unfocused as she stared past the roof, her senses expanding outward. "I see every day the heights and depths of people. People do wonderful things, and terrible cruel things. I have to believe in humanity, or I would never get out of bed. In Sri Lanka, a mother is going without food to take her sick child to a clinic. In the middle of Harlem, there's an elderly couple being robbed."

Alex turned to look at Trevor, "My transporter could take me either of those places, or countless others all of which I could help in. Instead, I sit here sipping a soda, but I must be bold and brilliant and everything a hero should be. Not for all of those I save, but for all the rest who save themselves. Because I have to show them, that they can choose to be so much more."

[Gizmo]

"Regular mugger?" Trevor asked, clearly missing the point Alex was trying to make. Rising to his feet and setting aside his coffee cup once more, the lanky teen held his beaten fedora in one hand while he produced a carefully folded mask from a compartment in his unassuming belt with the other. "Just send me over; take two minutes, tops." He rested one foot atop his chair lightly, revealing the escrima stick holstered underneath his pant leg.

[alderwitch]

Alex sighed and looked at him for a moment, her expression creasing in frustration before it smoothed out to weary serenity once more. She turned and picked up a thin disc from her desk and tossed it to him, "One touch will take you to the HQ, the second will take you to the alley. Same thing to get home again."

Alex glanced at the clock, standing to clear up the cups. "I'd hurry if you want to meet Erin at the end of her workout."

It was however Alex's subtle way of signifying that topic was now closed.

[Gizmo]

Replacing his fedora atop his concealed face, Midnight deftly caught the tossed disk in one hand as he drew one of his escrima sticks from is holster with the other. "Good talk," he said genuinely with a small, vague salute, his voice echoing through the gas filter. "Cheers. Back soon." Inky mist was already starting to slip from the ends of his sleeves as he tapped the beacon's button, winking away and leaving a small clouds of dark vapour in his wake.