16399/Thanksgiving in the islands

Thanksgiving in the islands
Date of Scene:	23 November 2023
Location:	Domino and Cable's Safehouse
Synopsis:	Two of the Summers and Domino have a Thankgiving dinner out on the island of Madripoor!
Cast of Characters:	Neena Thurman, Rachel Summers, Cable

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Neena Thurman has posed:
While Thanksgiving in November is a very American thing, there are ex-pats the world over that do try to adhere to at least a little bit of the traditions of home. It is difficult, however, to truly get into the mood in a tropical locale, but one does what what can. Turkeys are also at a premium, so...

Domino enters the safehouse, a hand on the doorknob to enter, back kick of a booted foot to close, a bag of groceries in hand. She's looking more a tourist; crop top, capri cargo pants, a broad-brimmed straw hat plopped on top of her head. "No pizza tonight," is announced. "I found duck, and pineapples."

Rachel Summers has posed:
The house reeks of turkey.. that lovely smell of a turkey that's been in the oven for like 4 hours and it's filled the house with the fantastic smell of it cooking... Rachell grins brightly while she looks over. " how is the BBQ fixings coming along bro? " She calls out looking over to Cable who was in charge of using the BBQ to bake the pies.. and roast up the veggies to go with the turkey.

     She blinks in her arpon, looking at Domino by the door " Oh umm hi.. you must be Domino.. I'm his little sister." she jerks her thumb towards Nathan " I brought the turkey ' .

Cable has posed:
As a general rule, the holidays are not something that Nathan Summers pays a great deal of attention to.

Some of that surely comes from growing up where -- or rather when -- he did. Some of it probably has to do with the fact that bad guys rarely take the holidays off. Bad things happen, no matter the day. It's a hard, hard truth. But one that Cable has long since come to terms with.

Still, the grizzled future soldier doesn't have some sort of irrational hatred of the holidays and even he has people that he is glad to get the chance to spend the time with.

Still, he's really not the full on decorating, go to amazing lengths to do the holidays right kind of people. Sometimes a guy isn't really given a choice however. And it's not as if it isn't a fairly easy matter for him to bodyslide back State-side and pick up everything necessary. Which is what he has spent several hours doing before returning to begin to help assemble things. As a surprise.

It's clear that Domino was always going to go to at least a little trouble. While he wouldn't bat an eye at pizza and beer, it's fair to mark the occasion with something a little more then the regular. So as she walks through the door, he glances up from where he does his part. "Coming along," he allows, glancing towards Rachel before flicking his gaze back to Domino. "Surprise," he says drily. "Her idea," he says, motioning with his head towards his sister.

"Won't be too hard to add that duck and pineapple to the mix if you're of a mind," he points out.

They're dinning in style tonight. At least what passes for it in the Lowtown section of Madripoor.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Straightening up, the realization dawns on her, thanks to scents and sights and Domino stops short, a puzzled expression on her face. "Uh.." Holding up the duck, she looks at it, then the vision before her of the turkey and trimmings, and back to her duck before she takes a deep breath and walks it through to the kitchen.

"It's okay," she murmurs.

"Little sister?" There is a lot of craziness that surrounds Cable and family, and add one more to the mix? "I am, and.. a sister?" This isn't Hope, whom she's met at least once. Domino sends Nate a questioning glance, then back before, "Nice to meet you."

Rachel Summers has posed:
Rachel Summers GRins brightly and walks over, giving a hug with her oven mitts on. " Nice to meet you, I'm the like him, sister.. i know it's a lot. I'm guessing you've heard of our messed up family .. but I'm from one of those fucked up futures like him " . She bites her lip." he said you liked holidays.. So, figured we could make this one special."

     she takes off the gloves and lets them float towards the counter.. " Lemme grab the duck and Start prepping it .. that way, you guys can have crispy duck tomorrow." She grins. She smiles. " I linked my mind to several of the world's best chefs so I could borrow their skills " .

Cable has posed:
Yeah. Pretty much everything is complicated when you're dealing with a time traveller. Even more so when they are part of the Summers/Grey bloodline it would seem.

"I'm just full of surprises Dom. You know me," Cable quips quietly, temporarily abandonning his place, working on his part of the meal, to help deal with the duck. Though it would seem that Rachel has things well in hand on that particular score.

"It's somewhat... different I know. Technically we never met until we arrived back here. We didn't... exist in one another's timelines. But, we both share parents. Kinda," he allows. Their father at least, even if things are much more complicated when it comes to their respective mothers.

Mutants. So messy when it comes to things like this it seems.

"Either way, hopefully you're hungry. I figure if nothing else it'll be a nice change from playing 'guess what meat this is'," he points out drily. There's a good chance that their customary pizza's and street food is most definitely not always what they say it is.

"Besides, it might be nice to do something a little different for the holidays, hmmm?" he allows. It beats some battlefield somewhere right? Or infiltrating some dangerous locale to blow it all to hell?

Though in fairness that is pretty much the definition of Cable's good time, so...

Neena Thurman has posed:
Domino sets the duck down only to have it taken up again by the newly identified 'sister'. "Ooookay," comes out in a long breath, and as the telekinesis starts, she nods her basic understanding. "Right, like Nate." It's all a little clearer now. "Rules, my head is mine." Just in case it needs to be said.

The hug isn't actually expected, and as the other woman wraps her arms around her, there is that momentary stiffening before muscles relax, a little. "Hey, hey.. it's okay."

Now that that is out of the way, Domino looks to CCable, brows rising again at his confession 'just full of surprises'. "Right. I guess it's okay. And I am a little hungry, now that I can smell it all... and it does smell good." She shakes her head and goes to perch on the arm of the couch, "I'm just not used to .. this." After all, she hasn't seen her brother in YEARS, and she's a widow. So, family? Cable and X-Force is what she's got. Moreso CCable, even if she hasn't //really// come out and said it (lately).

The observation about them all doing something different gains a barked laugh. "Maybe. After this, maybe go out in the early hours and set fire to a warehouse? Preferably one with munitions?" That really is her idea of a good time too...

Rachel Summers has posed:
Rachel Summers Grins " that would sound more homey, right? " She grins. " It's almost disappointing when the food isn't poisoned or drugged or something " She sighs and shrugs. Clearly, she understands, " But you gotta have these moments too." She winks, " Or you lose sight of what your are doing things for " . She grins

     The comment on the head gets a nod, "No issues I tend to stick to tk.. I don't crawl around heads too much " . She opens the oven to show off the lovely roasted bird " The other stuff should be ready.. you can take it off the grill, big brother " . She grins clearly she enjoys saying that.

Cable has posed:
Look, Cable would surely never come right out and say that family is an 'F' word. If the chips were down he is certain that even his 'relations' here would be there for him.

But the whole time travel thing makes things a little odd. A little weird. Here, his parents have nothing to do with one another, at least not yet. How could they not find his presence -- probably his sister's presence -- a little strange. A little awkward. They might be good people, but their presence here is like a glimpse of a future that might not be entirely wanted, a suggestion of which path they should take even if that doesn't seem to be in the cards.

Who wouldn't find that a little difficult to deal with?

So Cable is content to have his own, rather unique version of his family. Not that many people qualify. He has certainly not worked with anyone as long, or as close, as Domino since arriving in this time period. There is, of course Hope. A tie back to his reality. A daughter that he never really expected. And a sister who has to deal with the same strange time paradoxes that he has.

And of course X-Force, after a fashion. Closer then a team perhaps.

All things considred, not too shabby for a grizzled and sometimes grumpy soldier from the future.

"I'd tell you it gets easier, but eh, some new twist will pop up that is even harder to grasp," Cable points out wryly, winking Domino's way before turning back to the meal and his contributions there.

"On it," he adds to Rachel, beginning to remove the sides, to gather them up and get them ready to serve.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Just when you think you know all the 'in-laws', heh..

Sliding off the arm of the couch once more, Domino takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. She's better than this, recovering and adapting in battle; it's the personal, the down-time that is a whole lot harder. Normally, she works hard, fights hard and plays hard. This? This is hard in a completely different way.

"Right," she begins again, "What am I doing? Clearing the tables?" After all... weapons and parts on the coffee table. "Going out for alcohol? Or getting lost before dinner is served to get out of the way?"

Cable taking to domesticity does gain a lopsided, black-lipped grin in response to the wink. "I'm seeing a different side of you, Nate.. you big ol' cuddly bear." Absolutely she's teasing him.

Rachel Summers has posed:
Rachel Summers If he thinks she's not gonna help with the teasing, he's mistaken. " He is a big old cuddle bear. " She even runs over and gives a big hug to her big brother.. before she laughs, " No, sit down look pretty for my brother and enjoy the meal," She says brightly as food starts to float towards the dinner table .. as well as plates and all that other stuff..

     She has to show off a little she's an omega level mutant .. If she can bring a bunch of stuff to the table without having to move, what's the point! .

Cable has posed:
Look, there is always going to be an adjustment period when people meet for the first time.

That takes on even more meaning when one or more of those people are displaced in time. When they haven't even been given a host of stories or details that might at least let them feel that they know one another second-handedly.

Cable takes to the teasing with good graces. He might default to stoic warrior most of the time, but there are at least a few people that get to see there's more then that to him. At least some of the time. "Uh huh," he agrees with a faint smirk. "Just don't get used to the fancy eats. I probably won't be pulling my sister's trick and tapping into the skill sets of the gourmet chef's of Hightown," he points out.

He might have the capability to do so, but he tends to be pretty careful about when and how to use that telepathic might. Emergency use only, definitely.

"And while Dom might be plenty easy on the eyes, you still need to get to know her if you think she'll ever be happy to laze around," he points out wryly to Rachel. "Why don't you clear away some of the clutter," he agrees.

Unspoken in all of that is that while most of the weapons can be packed away, a few should still be left ready at hand. Just in case.

After all this time, they do know one another pretty well.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Brows rise at the suggestion that she sit and look pretty for Cable, and she murmurs, "That's for later," before she starts setting their weaponry in easy to access locations around the safehouse. A soft whistle in different notes and tones give Nate the hint of what is where and in what quantity. They've worked together long enough to know each others' signals, spoken, unspoken, and whistled. Don't have to rely on telepathy; in fact, Domino would rather not. She understands what that does to her partner.

"What? I know you have it in you. Maybe for my birthday." Mind, she really doesn't //have// one of those, thanks to her own origin. Or, if she does? When exactly has never really been confirmed; so random dates are it!

The telekinesis used once again has Domino watching, studying Rachel. Always new things to learn, and there's always a subtle threat assessment, even when there is no threat. "It looks really good," is offered up as a compliment as she continues to straighten up, if only a little. After all, it's their safehouse and bachelor pad.

Cable has posed:
Suffice to say that there were no holiday traditions like this where and when Cable comes from. It was the sort of luxury that just could not be afforded any of their kind.

Even coming back to the past hasn't really changed any of that. Suffice to say that Cable... didn't exactly fit in with those at Xavier's School. That Dream might be a nice one, but it is not something that the grizzled future soldier could ever quite embrace.

The open hand is well and good. But the unfortunate reality is that some people only respond to the closed fist. And Cable can be counted upon to deliver that closed fist when the occasion arises. To those that deserve it. That much is a certain guarantee.

So, while this might not be what he -- what they -- are used to, as far as a change of pace goes it's really not so bad. Who knows? Maybe they can start their own tradition.

"Promises, promises," Cable retorts to long-time partner, flashing a quick grin Domino's way even as his sister exercises her telekinetic display to help things along, laying things out over the table. "It does," he chimes in with his agreement, setting some of the sides down within easy reach of the three of them.

Then settling in at his spot, he purses lips, staving off another grin. No one but Domino can coax that out of him. "I'll think about," he allows wryly. "At the very least we can probably do better then the pizza with the mystery meat and middling beer," he promises.

Hey, any birthday that isn't spent sprawled out, crawling through mud and dodging snipers is practically the very height of romance from the man!