Family

[crawler_kid]

Angel had borrowed the alleged car for the day, so, fortunately, she had a quick way to get Charlotte back to the old power station that the New Mutants had converted into their home.

"Took a lot of doing," Angel admitted.  "And a lot of that was Val, back when she lived with us, but it's home."

She put the car in park and stepped out.

"Ah think you've probably met Sara before, but probably not Aiden?"

Comments

[latebloomin]

"I don't...remember? Maybe...I hope so." She followed her cousin/niece into the power station, shifting the Christmas Cactus on her hip that she brought. Because you never went somewhere without bringing a gift. "Are you sure this is okay? Just...bringing me here?"

[crawler_kid]

"Course Ah am," Angel said. "You're family. And if not, well, they'll get over it."

Angel unlocked the door and lead the way inside. "Aiden! Sara! Ah'm home! Ah brought company!"

She wasn't sure if either of them were home, but she'd also tossed out the "company" portion just in case Aiden was planning on surprising her with nudity. Welcome, yes, but Aunt Lottie might not appreciate it.

[summersspawn]

A giant basket of laundry with legs dressed in cut off sweat pants and a pile of hastily and haphazardly tied up blonde hair bobbing over the top was making its way down the stairs.

"Company?"

The voice was a little muffled, because, giant pile of laundry.

[sonoflongshot]

Aiden was only half naked. Thankfully, it was the upper half. He was sweaty from working out and heading toward the kitchen to grab something to drink. He had a Scottish terrier and a white robot the size of a six year old following him.

"I got pants on!" That was his way of greeting.

[latebloomin]

Charlotte opened her mouth to greet Sara...and then she forgot to actually say something when she saw Aiden, bare chested and sweaty as she stared. And stared. And then she shut her mouth. "I brought a plant." was all she said as she dumbly extended her hands with the cactus.

[crawler_kid]

"Aiden, Sara," Angel began, "this my my Aunt Charlotte. Aunt 'lottie, this is Sara Summers and Aiden Blaire."

[summersspawn]

Sara came down the stairs, set her laundry basket down, reached in, and tossed some fabric at Aiden.

"And here's some more pants for you. I found them in the hall closet. Cedric's been playing in the hampers again."

She turned towards Angel and her aunt.

"Hi, Charlotte. I'm Sara."

[sonoflongshot]

Aiden paused in his quest for a drink. He gave Angel's aunt a polite Japanese bow. "初めまして, Charlotte."

He straightened up and gave her a crooked grin. "Nice plant. Welcome to our home."

[latebloomin]

She stared at Aiden a moment later before looking to Sara, wide eyed, "I brought a plant. I'm Angel's aunt. " So much for a good first impression... at least she was a cute blathering idiot.

[crawler_kid]

Angel stifled a giggle. "You said that already, Aunt 'Lottie," she said. "You want somethin' to drink?"

[summersspawn]

Sara smiled and held her hands out for the plant.

"Let me set that over here on the counter for you. It should be safe from getting puppied up there."

[sonoflongshot]

"You're also a poet and didn't know it?" he guessed. He scratched his cheek with a finger.

"I'm headed to the kitchen to get a drink, if you tell me what you want, I can grab it. Or Zip can." Aiden nodded toward the little white robot behind him. The robot, in turn, waved to Charlotte.

Cedric the Scottish Terrier, meanwhile, was stalking Sara's clothes basket.

[latebloomin]

"I'll have a Zima if you have it." The official drink of the under aged who was trying to act just a tad bad ass, as she blinked out of her daze as soon as abs were covered.

[crawler_kid]

"Aunt 'lottie just started going to Rutgers," Angel explained. "Get me a water while you're at it, Sugah, please?"

[summersspawn]

"Diet Coke, please.... ah, ah, ah!"

She picked the basket up and shook her finger at Cedric.

"No. No more eating Sara's laundry."

[sonoflongshot]

"How about a Sprite? Tastes similar from what my customers tell me," Aiden suggested to Charlotte. They didn't have a lot of alcohol around the base. Despite Aiden working with it for a living.

He waved for Zip to follow him to the kitchen. He glanced at his dog. "Cedric, c'mon. No more chewing holes in socks."

[latebloomin]

The dog? She could handle SO much better than trying to be cool or staring at hot boys and she was already down on her knees, clapping to get the dog's attention, "His name is Cedric? What a nice boy...do you like socks? Do you like socks?!" And there went the baby voice that came when animal lovers got to pet a new animal. "I always wanted a dog.."

[crawler_kid]

"Your daddy didn't let yo have any pets?" Angel asked. "And this boy'll take anything he can get his mouth around."

[summersspawn]

"He especially likes shoes."

Sara took advantage of the distraction to set the basket up and out of easy reach from a certain Scottish Terrier.

"Rutgers, hm? Has Angel given you the grand campus tour yet?"

[sonoflongshot]

Aiden disappeared into the kitchen with Zip dutifully following behind him. While the two of them were grabbing lemon-lime Gatorade, Sprite, Diet Coke, and a bottle of water, Cedric was cautiously approaching Charlotte. He sniffed at her, trying to assess which was greater, his ability to get her shoes or socks or her ability to give a good skritch.

The latter won out, and the Scottie approached the new person with his tail wagging.

[latebloomin]

Charlotte cooed like the dog was the best thing in the world, quickly finding the happy spots behind the ears and belly. "Believe it or not....Dad's a cat person, and I'm allergic...I had a hampster once, but I'm pretty sure it was perished in a vacuum cleaner tragedy..."

"I've seen some of the campus..it's so huge...but that was kind of the point of me coming here."

[crawler_kid]

"Don't let that innocent face fool you, Aunt 'Lottie," Angel said. "Cedric's a master of manipulatin' people."

[summersspawn]

"Yeah. First comes the ear scratching, and the next thing you know he's sitting on your feet at dinner giving you the big, brown, starving eyes."

Sara popped the top on her Diet Coke.

"You'll learn your way around campus in no time. Just ohmigod, stay away from the cafeteria..."

[sonoflongshot]

While Cedric did a good job of distracting the ladies, Aiden had returned and passed out various drinks. Zip held onto the Mojoworlder's Gatorade while Aiden passed out the rest.

He held a cold can of Sprite out to Charlotte. "Here ya go."

[latebloomin]

"It's not manipulation if you're in on the secret." She smiled at Aiden, taking the Sprite, "Thanks...what are you all majoring in?"

[crawler_kid]

"Physical education," Angel said. "...Or Ah was anyway. Not so sure right now."

[summersspawn]

"Political Science and Nuclear Physics. I started out Poli-Sci and Aeronautics, but my sister Ray talked me into changing. And, Nuke-Phy means I get to hang out at the test reactor sometimes, which is awesome."

[sonoflongshot]

"Uh, bartending," Aiden answered as he went back to Zip to grab his drink. He twisted the top off like it was a great cover.

"I don't go to school. So, I have to make a living while these two get all academic."

[latebloomin]

"Wow...Physics is a little scary, I'll be honest. I'm going for elementary education, so I'm more at the whole baking soda volcano level of science..."

[crawler_kid]

"It's a good school," Angel said, though there was some annoyance creeping into her voice. She had her own issues, but they weren't Charlotte's.

[summersspawn]

"I don't know if it's any scarier than a room full of sugared up second graders."

Sara glanced at Angel. She knew why her friend had that tone to her voice.

"It's mostly a good school. They're trying."

[sonoflongshot]

Aiden took a swig of his drink. He frowned a bit and moved closer to Angel to sling an arm around her waist. He never liked it when she was unhappy.

[latebloomin]

She looked at Angel.

Then Sara.

Then Aiden.

"...is there something wrong?"

[crawler_kid]

"A few months back," Angel said slowly, "Ah got beaten. Pretty badly, really, by some FoH slimeballs. There's a pretty strong contingent in town, and on campus. Who've got enough influence that they're keepin' me from gettin' a student teachin' assignment too."

[summersspawn]

"They're a bunch of cowards."

[sonoflongshot]

"Well, the in-town contingent has had a few problems as of late." He gave Angel a squeeze. Not that he had actually mentioned the harrassment activity he had been up to before.