Rufio (i_cancrow) wrote in we_coexist, @ 2011-11-26 19:58:00 |
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Entry tags: | henry mccoy, rufio, stand still |
New Duds and Fulfilling promises (Narrative with Hank)
Rufio had finally finished compiling a new outfit for himself, and just in time. While tying up a new trapeze to get across the warehouse faster in case of emergency he'd ripped his pants up the sides. All of his clothes had started to get tighter, and seeing as he'd built them to be tight in the first place, it wasn't comfortable to be wearing them anymore. Of course, he hadn't ever planned on growing anymore, so he hadn't needed to worry about seeing his ankles under his pant hem, but if he had to get bigger he'd still make sure he looked good.
It was night when he finished and pulled on his new clothes in the warehouse's bathroom. A pair of tighter blue jeans with a heavy studded belt he'd stolen from a store, a new, bigger leather jacket which he'd attached spiked studs to the shoulderpads. He'd also found some new shirts at a small shop that had a bunch of them in large bins, but the little old lady who was running the store had been nice, so he'd given her money for the shirts instead of stealing them like he did his pants. He liked the shirts, he'd picked out ones with cartoons and characters on them, and one that the woman told him read "RAWR". He wore that one now, and that and some new black combat boots and a spiked metal collar made him feel a bit better, and fingerless leather gloves and an arm band completed the look. He was certainly more comfortable, and when he looked at himself in the mirror of the warehouse bathroom he thought he cut a rather impressive image. He taller, anyway. And willing to let some of the hair on his chin continue to grow in. It really wasn't growing on the sides of his face, which was fine by him.
He touched his hair, wondering if he shouldn't change it too. He'd let go of most of his homemade jewelry, after all, and the red and black stuck out in this city and been laughed at. Rufio shook his head, it was still too cool to change. Attaching his sword's sheath to his belt he grabbed his skateboard and headed out into the City, not bothered that it was late into sunset and getting dark quickly. Dark was fun.
Skating through the streets he turned to go find the hospital. Red had stopped by earlier that day to tell him to go to her friend to give him his blood. Rufio was left wondering why it had to be such a big deal, but he would go. He wanted to pay Red back for helping him find a new happy thought, and her promise of making him immortal wasn't unattractive either.
He found the hospital soon enough, the building was massive. Picking up his board he headed in, frowning. It was crowded, bright, and smelled funny.
He walked over to a nurse's station, but when he was ignored he gave one the blankest look he could muster till she asked him what he wanted. He asked for the office of the doctor... Hank McCoy. The nurse frowned at him, but told him where to go, and after another long blank look she sighed, told her friend to cover her, and started walking down the hall. Rufio grinned and followed her, looking at the door she pointed to and then watching her leave. The door sure looked official... there was even a sign on it that said something he had no interest in figuring out. Instead he pushed open the door and strolled in.
Hank was sitting in his lab, finishing the analysis of the latest serum he'd completed. It was good, the best he'd come up with so far, yet there were still a few results that concerned him when he mixed it with samples of his own blood. He was nearly completed, though.
When the door banged open he started, turning in his seat and looking up as a young punk in an odd blue shirt that said "RAWR" barged in, looking around and carrying a skateboard... and a sword?
"I'm sorry, can I help you with something?" he asked, putting down his test tubes and turning in his chair to face the boy as he dropped the board off by the door.
"Yeah," Rufio looked at the tall, nerdy looking man in a white coat and smirked. The room and all the machines looked pretty cool, but this guy? He looked really, really... pale. "You're Hank McCoy, right? Red told me to come give you my blood. She wants it."
Hank blinked. Red was sending him somebody to collect blood from? "Er... I'm sorry. I wasn't aware she was seeking elligable candidates for me," he said. The boy arched a brow at him.
"Um, English?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Hank blinked again, then cleared his throat. "I didn't know Red was helping me find blood," he said.
"Oh. No, she wants it for herself," Rufio frowned at him, then took out his sword and put it to his palm, starting to press down. The sharp blade pierced his skin easily, but before too much crimson appeared the tall man leapt out of his seat.
"Star and garters! What on earth are you doing?!" he gasped, rushing over and yanking the blade back. Rufio started and looked up at him.
"Giving you my blood," he said, shrugging and looking at Hank as if he'd just drooled on himself. "Duh."
"That's hardly- gracious!" Hank stared at him, then took the hand, examining. "Well. It's not too deep. Come over here before you bleed on the floor." He lead Rufio over to the sink, putting his hand over it, then quickly grabbed some gloves and the first aid kit he kept in the lab. "You mustn't just cut yourself like that. Heaven knows where that sword's been, you could hurt yourself and get an infection to boot."
Rufio blinked, letting the doctor do what he wanted, but then looked at his sword. "It cuts people all the time," he said, shrugging. Hank looked at him, but said nothing, and Rufio pouted. "How're you supposed to get my blood then? Red promised to make me immortal!"
"She... what now?" Hank asked, glad the cut wasn't too deep. He washed and bandaged it quickly, only half paying attention to what was coming out of the teenager's mouth.
"She likes me. She likes that I can fly. She told me to come here and give you my blood and she'll make me immortal," Rufio said. Hank disposed of the rags, then arched his brow.
"You can fly?" he asked.
"Yes," Rufio rolled his eyes, grabbing his happy thought and kicking off the floor, floating in the air as he sheathed his sword and then landed again.
Hank's eyes went wide, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Ah. I see... I see why she sent you, then. Though I'm not sure what immortality has to do with it." He went to the cabinet and collected a needle, another bandage, and the dissinfectant cloths, sitting at his desk and motioning for Rufio to take the seat beside him. The boy seemed a bit slow, he must have missunderstood what she meant by immortality.
"Whatever. You're supposed to take my blood for her," Rufio shrugged, walking over and sitting, watching what the doctor was doing.
"Er... right," Hank said, taking the boy's good arm and cleaning the area above the vein. "This may pinch." He felt silly saying anything like that, after all the boy had just tried to split his hand open with a sword, but to his surprise Rufio still started as Hank pushed the needle in. "My apologies."
"Why is this better than my way?" Rufoi looked down, watching his blood run out through the needle and into the collection vial on Hank's cart.
"Because it's an untainted sample," Hank said, swuinting through his glasses. If Red sent Rufio here for her own purposes he'd need two samples... he didn't think Rufio would mind, so wordlessly he switched the vials when the first was filled. "And it doesn't leave you with a gaping wound in the end."
"Whatever. Done worse falling out of trees," Rufio smirked.
Hank chuckled at that. "Hardly surprising, my young friend. Now, what was your name?"
"Rufio. The Pan," Rufio added.
"As in Peter?" Hank looked up with a laugh, though he stopped at the withering glare that Rufio was wearing. "Ah. Sore spot, then? Well. How long have you been able to fly?"
"Since I came to the City. Finally found a fairy who'd let me," Rufio said, shaking his head slightly as Hank capped the second sample, then pulled the needle out and pressed a cotton ball over the needle's entrance point, then taped it down before disposing of the medical waste and his gloves.
"Fairies? Really?" he asked, carefully writing Rufio's name on the vials.
"Yeah. Mine's Toot Toot," Rufio grinned, turning in the seat to rise.
"Hold it," Hank quickly grabbed the boy's shoulder, then stood. "Before you get up have some juice and a snack. Blood loss can make you dizzy." He walked the vials over to the refrigerator and placed them inside the holding racks, then reached above to the cabinet to grab a juice box and one of his Twinkies. Giving the two items to Rufio he sat, looking him over again. "And where are you from?"
"Neverland. But now I live in a secret fort in the City," Rufio said, examing the treats and then opening the twinkie wrapper, trying it. It was pretty good, and soon the entire thing was shoved in his mouth.
"Of course," Hank attempted not to sound sarcastic. After all, maybe there really was a world called Neverland where young boys flew about with fairies. Still, it was hard to believe entirely. "And how do you know Red?"
Rufio shrugged, swallowing the Twinkie and opening the juice box. "She cheered me up. I have to grow up here, but she's gonna make sure I don't die of old age. "
"Right... well, if you see her, let her know I've got your samples," Hank said, rubbing his chin. Rufio looked at him.
"Can I go now? I promised the blood, not hanging out with an old man," he said.
"I doubt I'm much older than yourself," Hank returned with a chuckle. "But yes. Granted you're not feeling dizzy, you may go."
"I doubt you're anything but an old talking geezer," Rufio shot back, jumping up and taking a few steps. He did feel a bit dizzy, and his hant hurt where he'd but it, but he didn't let any of that show. "Have fun with your blood."
"I'll do my very best. Do try not to cut yourself open again," Hank said, watching him walk out of the room. Then he paused, mulling over what had just happened and turning back to his work. "Odd child." And odd situation. Why would Red want a blood sample for herself, anyway?