Log! Dom and Remy Characters: Dominik and Remy NPCs: -- Location: SSSS (Super Secret Smoker's Spot), Stark's School, Manhattan NY, NY Timeline: 8/3/13 Early morning, after being healed and released [backdated] Description: Remy heads out for some fresh air on his own two feet and encounters Dominik out for much the same thing. They share a smoke and reschedule pool plans made before the fall. Rating: PG-13
What did you do when you were unexpectedly freed from your hospital bed? You kept your fucking head down until it could sort itself out, that’s what Remy planned on doing. Straight after being officially released from the infirmary by Dr. Bradley, Remy went to his room and helped himself to a nice hot shower while Billy was sleeping. He’d changed into his own clothes, donned his newly restored duster jacket, and then, finding his roommate still asleep, write him a quick note with surprisingly good penmanship, telling him he was healed by Josh, back on his feet, and that if he’d be back around to refresh his comic book stack, since it was looking a little well read.
Then Gambit went straight for the exit doors. It was early in the morning and there weren’t a lot of people moving around the school yet, but it was still a busy place and he passed a few people on his way, avoiding them for the most part as he made a beeline for the circle of trees where he knew it was safe to light up a damn cigarette without cameras or staff getting on his case about it. Unlike the chastisement that went on in the infirmary after Dominik had brought him the contraband a week ago.
Speak of the devil...
Remy’s steps slowed when he saw the familiar outline of the tall mutant in the smokers spot, and a smirk spread across his face. “You know, dem tings gonna kill you one day.”
---
Dominik had probably gotten a few hours sleep after returning from his night out with Emma, but for the most part he’d spent the last few hours staring at the ceiling and on occasion glancing at the clock before he’d finally given up, pulling on jeans and a t-shirt which had seen better days before tugging on his boots and heading out. He had an itch that needed to be scratched and the only place to do that was in the smokers spot plus it got him out of his room and most importantly away from the demons that haunted him late at night.
He was leaned back against a nearby tree, legs outstretched and ankles crossed, with his head tipped back and exposing his neck as Dominik just watched the sky above him. It was peaceful, all the things that Avalanche needed to settle his mind and calm frayed nerves. Nerves which were normally masked beneath a cool otherwise unaffected exterior, the less said about his personal strife the better. Granted things were looking up, but Dominik still had baggage and that wasn’t easily shifted.
It was as Remy appeared that Dominik’s eyes widened and he all but choked on the mouthful of smoke he’d just taken, coughing and spluttering. It took a moment of gasping for air and patting of his chest for Dominik to finally be able to form words. “What the hell are you doing out of the infirmary?” Of course now he took a moment to look, Remy looked good, better than good in fact. He looked... healed.
Dominik wasted no time in closing the distance, reaching out to double check for himself because touch grounded the Greek like nothing else and then after a moment of what could have been considered as manhandling he bit his lip and shook his head. “Well I’d be damned, you went and did it.”
---
Gambit had to admit that Dominik’s reaction, while maybe he felt a little bit guilty for causing him to gasp and sputter on the smoke he’d taken, was still pretty damn amusing. He pressed his lips together to keep from laughing out loud too much, though there was a rumbling chuckle and the Cajun stood still for inspection.
“Hn,” Remy grunted, his smirk fading some. “Had it done to me, more like.” Remy was just as tactile as Dominik, and didn’t mind the boy double checking. He even helpfully held his arms out at his sides to prove he was whole now. But Remy’s red eyes cast an annoyed look to the side when he thought of Josh. “Fucker must have snuck to my bedside while I was sleeping and healed me up. Woke up dis way a couple hours ago. Told him no, and now...”
Letting out a breath, Remy ran a hand - now re-gloved - over his face and shook his head, “It don’t matter. I owe him, is all. Boy was probably trying to do sometin nice and, well,” he shrugged and dropped his hand, giving Dominik a smile, “It don’t work like dat.”
Now Remy took the opportunity to run his gaze over Dominik, reaching up to flick a piece of leaf or ash or something from his shoulder, “It’s good to see you, Rarity.”
---
“Josh?” Dominik repeated, brow furrowing as Remy said something about him sneaking in whilst the other mutant had been sleeping and stealth healing him. What the hell? He snorted a little. “Josh doesn’t really take no for an answer.” A small indication of the back and forth he’d been having with the golden mutant, but his most recent response suggested that Dominik had finally got through that thick skull of his.
As Remy reached up to brush something off his shoulder Dominik didn’t even move, just let it happen but he did however give a smile and meet Remy’s eyes with his own. “Yeah, man. You too. You look good.” And he did, better than Dominik had seen him look in a while.
He slid a hand into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out his cigarettes, flipping the pack open with the pad of his thumb before offering.
---
"Seeing what you mean." Gambit nodded and frowned up at Dominik, not liking that his friend had been hassled by the other mutant. He knew Avalanche well enough to know he wouldn't ask for help with the situation, either, even if Remy offered it, so Gambit didn't try again. He just settled his hands on his hips underneath the repaired coat and let the tail of it trail behind him like some sort of cape. He would just be watching Dominik's back, that's all. Someone had to be.
Now that he was back on his own two feet, ironically thanks to Josh's premature healing, Remy planned on doing a lot of back watching around here, not only for Dominik. Many mutants at the school had it in their heads to be heroes. While he was here, and had to be here, the Cajun would ensure his friends weren't being careless with their own lives while they saved others. Why the hell people got it in their heads to play hero, the thief would never understand. Haroun had died doing it.
"Yah, well," Remy smirked and reached out to accept the offered cigarette from the pack, plucking one from the corner, for luck, and lifting his eyes to meet Dominik's, "Dat's de effects of not having my head or my heart bashed in, non?" He gave a light laugh and lit his own cigarette with his mutant powers, fingertips lighting up magenta once he'd placed the end between his lips. It was a quick and practiced move and the thing was lit and Gambit was drawing in his first breath. He gestured at Dominik with it, "Figure I owe you two of dese now." He smiled easily.
---
“Heh,” Dominik muttered as his fingers escaped through the dark strands of his hair again. “Well, it suits you. You wear it well.” He brought the cigarette up to his mouth and took a slow inhale, letting the smoke sit before ducking his head and exhaling it outwards. “And you’d be right, nicely counted.” He flashed Remy a teasing grin before Dominik took to reclining back against the nearby tree again, tucking one leg up and resting the sole of his boot against the bark.
“So now that you’re all fit and healthy again, what’s the first order of business?” He pointed over at Remy. “You still owe me that pool game.” Memory like an elephant this one. Dominik wet his lower lip then let the cigarette sit between his lips as he crouched for a moment to tie a lace that he’d just noted was loose.
---
"Sounds like pool it is." Remy chuckled and nodded his head at the effects of Dominik's memory. He watched the tall mutant get more down to earth to tie his lace, finding the pause in conversation a natural one, not uncomfortable or baited, just easy, like they knew each other that well already to not be worried about filling every moment with talk.
Remy smoked quietly while Dom was crouched and he closed his eyes to enjoy the flavor. It had been another week since his last and for a teenager who'd been smoking multiple times a week before that and especially frequently after coming to Xavier's, these long breaks were wreaking havoc on his nerves, on top of everything else. Remy didn't have a particular brand, it was just whatever he could swipe from a casual pick pocket, but he liked what Dominik smoked. Mostly because, well, it was what Dominik smoked.
"So why you out here at dis hour, cher, hm?" Remy asked when Dominik stood again, eyeing him through a curtain of smoke and he swept fingers back through deep shaded and chopped off hair. He'd been in need of a haircut, anyway. "Most people, by your own account, either be asleep, having sex, or smoking this time in the morning and, while I see dat you got one of dem going on," he smirked a little, pulling the cigarette between his two gloved fingers, "It wasn't smoke dat brought you out here, was it." He phrased it like a statement, though Remy's eyebrow quirked up quizzically for Dominik to fill in the answer to the unasked question.
---
Dominik rose after having tied the lace and he was finally able to take a breath of smoke and taste the hit of nicotine. " Same thing as always, Remy. Can't sleep." So instead of staring at the ceiling he'd come out here, taken his mind off it.
He did wish he had brought either a jacket or hooded sweatshirt as there was a definite chill in the air and his skin was reacting, but it was easily ignored. Especially for the most part Dominik always ran hot.
"And it'll definitely be pool. Apparently I'm in the mood to have my ass kicked." He flashed Remy a grin which bared teeth.
---
"You so sure I'm gonna beat you. It's smart." Gambit smirked back, rather enjoying Dominik's grin. "I'd be remiss if I disappointed, now. Mostly for the sake of the bartenders." He flicked his eyes down the other mutant's tall form. Who in their right mind wouldn't want the striking Greek charming them up for some free drinks. And Remy wasn't going to miss the opportunity to watch and note Dom's methods. It'd give him an edge later on.
But he knew what Dominik was doing now, even if it was subconscious. He was avoiding the discussion of why he was out there, pulling it back to pool, and Remy let it slide. From the way Dominik had circled the topic on the network, it was something personal, something painful. Something you didn't just out and blabber about. Remy could relate on many levels.
He freed up his hands by putting the burning cigarette between his lips again, then, keeping the easy smirk on his face, reached up to flip a heavy lock of Dom's hair back from his eyes, shaking his head. "You're a mess, homme."
---
“I am not,” Dominik muttered with a slight pout before he chuckled, nerves prickling the moment the Cajun laid his hand on his hair because honestly it was like his Achilles heel. “But yeah okay you might have a point there.” He found that he enjoyed the smirk on Remy’s face as it just seemed to fit him better than the darker expressions he’d been wearing as of late.
He flicked ash to one side then curled his lips around the filter again, drawing in a slow breath and then chuckling as he held onto the smoke. “So these bartenders, how hard do you think it would be for me to get a drink out of them?”
Dominik’s lips came together as he exhaled out the stream of smoke before his eyebrow twitched. “Just so I have some idea what I’m working with.”
---
"You trying to get some pro-tips, now?" Gambit laughed, "Gonna just have to wait, cher. Call it charmer's improv. I'm sure you'll do fine." He clapped Dominik on the shoulder and his smirk turned sly. "Only question is how much prep time you need? Cause Remy'll go tonight if you're up to it. Eager to get the hell outta dis place, anyway."
Gambit shifted to stand beside Dom, borrowing a portion of the tree trunk the Greek was leaning against to prop his own shoulder there.
---
Dominik turned his head as Remy joined him with leaning against the tree and he knocked his shoulder into Remy’s. “Tonight huh?” Two nights out on the same weekend, this was by far the most social the Greek had been since his arrival, but he wasn’t complaining. Especially as it meant it kept his thoughts from turning dark.
He knew he had an early morning sparring session with Greer on Sunday, but Dominik was managing just fine on a few hours sleep after having spent Friday evening out on the town, embracing what it meant to be a teenager.
“Tonight,” he affirmed with a nod of his head. “You’re on, Remy.”