7685/Just returned from places unknown

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Just returned from places unknown
Date of Scene: 04 September 2021
Location: Main Kitchen
Synopsis: Logan's back and Laxmi finds him in the kitchen. After passing her 'do you belong here' test, they talk for a bit over cake.
Cast of Characters: Logan Howlett, Laxmi Mallick




Logan Howlett has posed:
A whole lot of stuff happened just before the school year started, and unfortunately Logan was no where to be seen for all of it. Having been gone on one of his 'walk abouts', he heard about the damage to the school and everything that happened second hand. It it what brought him back sooner than later, and was in fact why he was standing in the kitchen now, with a beer in hand, debating the late hour and who he should wake up to tell he we was back. Clearly he wasn't really going to wake anyone up, they'll know in the morning he's back, good enough.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi has utterly lost track of time. It happens sometimes, when she gets deep in her music - especially when she's composing. While she should be going to sleep - it was hunger that had roused her from her musical trance, and she wouldn't be able to sleep until she dealt with that.
    With this in mind, she steps into the kitchen, singing to herself the notes of the song she'd just been working on. The sight of an unfamiliar man in the kitchen, however, brings her up short as she studies Logan uncertainly, the music dying on her lips. Would he be able to get into the school if he didn't belong?
    "Beginning your pardon," the Indian woman greets him, her brightly colored silks swishing to a stop around her calves. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Laxmi Mallick."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan takes another drink from his bottle of beer, eyes shifting to toward the entry the woman was just about to come through, and thus they were on her as she walked in. It's obvious he looking her over, assessing her level of threat, even if he knows she wouldn't be here if she wasn't supposed to be.

"Logan," he offers shortly with a nod, and not much else. He doesn't know her, which means he doesn't trust or like her. It's just how things are.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Logan," the woman repeats. "I was told you might show up," she admits. And he did seem to fit the brief description she was offered. "It seems so rude to ask this - but I'm sure you understand, with the wellbeing of children being at stake. Do you happen to have identification on you, Mr. Logan" she asks in the politest, and most concilitory tone she can muster. For the moment, she remains poised just inside the door to the kitchen as she too tries to determine the level of threat, if any, the man poses.
    Though it's not her own safety that's her primary concern.

Logan Howlett has posed:
The snort response Laxmi gets is joined by one raised brow. Logan takes another drink from his beer before setting the bottle on the kitchen counter.

"Could ask you the same lady," he finally retorts, apparently not going for a wallet or anything, because he crosses his arms across his chest. "The professor knows I'm back, that's all that matters."

He doesn't really hold it against her for asking, she was just doing what she thought was right, but he didn't exactly have any identification, save for the dog tags around his neck and he wasn't about to show those.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well," Laxmi muses quietly, as she finally starts moving towards the fridge. "It's a shame you weren't around earlier. We were just celebrating Ms. Rogue's birthday," she remarks. "Though I think there's some cake left if you'd like any." Once in the fridge - she finds what she was hoping for. A few left over vegetable kabobs from the barbeque. She puts those on a plate, covered by a paper towel, to reheat in the fridge.
    Of course, she's not telling the truth. No, if he won't show her ID, then she'll try testing him to see how well he knows the people around here.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Again Logan snorts, watching her every move as she goes about making food.

"Don't know whose birthday you were celebrating," he offers sharply. "But it wasn't Rogue's. Her birthday is in the winter time, January I think, but honestly don't remember... just remember it was snowing."

Picking the beer back up, he moves away from the counter to sit down at the kitchen table, still watching her the whole time. "Listen lady, if I had ID to show you, I would, but I don't. People like me don't get ID, unless we're being forced into something, like the military, to fight battles for the good of whatever country managed to force me in."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "It was Ms. Munroe's birthday, actually," Laxmi answers - and given that he caught her lie, a little tension eases out of her. "I apologize, I'm not mistrustful by nature - but when it comes to the wellbeing of children, I'd be remiss not to make at least some effort to ensure you belonged."
    She pulls something white, but thicker than milk out of the fridge, pouring it into a cup for herself before she explains, "I was brought on to teach music and dance. The offer of cake was a genuine one. Would you like me to cut you a slice?" she asks - nodding towards a cake box tucked into a corner of the counter.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Now that the woman was done pushing his buttons, and relaxed, Logan could relax a little as well. With beer in hand he takes a moment to actually look her over, not to size her up this time, but to actually look at her. Her dress made it obvious where she was from, but then she says singing and dancing and one of his brows shoots straight up into his hairline. That was not what he expected to hear. He still wasn't sure about her though, she was new, but she smells good so there was that.

"What kind of cake?" he asks, then finishes of that beer. The bottle goes into recycling before he stands to go to the fridge and get a second one. "I teach shop." He then offers, attempting to be social, just not a man of many words.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Chocolate cherry," Laxmi answers - as she pulls out the cake and a pair of plates. She cuts herself a small slice - but will wait for Logan's reply before cutting a second.
    "I'll admit that shop is something I had no talent for or experience with. But I imagine it must be very rewarding, creating things with your own hands, and teaching others to do the same. The very basis upon which human endeavor has been founded for milennia."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Cake was cake, and he had already seen and smelled it in the fridge, so maybe Logan was doing a little testing of his own.

"Sure," he finally says, but is deliberately keeping a safe distance from her... for her sake, not his own. He doesn't feel she's all that threatening. "Cake's cake, right?"

Twisting the cap off the bottle he tosses it into the recycling container before taking a drink, "Shops about the only thing I could teach, unless of course you count ways to stab people."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "...I'm afraid I don't consider that a helpful subject to teach children," Laxmi replies, as she carries the piece of cake over to the table for Logan, setting it down along with a fork. "And I would argue that not all cake is created equally. I'm fairly certain you wouldn't want any part of a cake I'd baked - even if I used a box mix. I'm just awful at cooking."
    As the microwave beeps, she retrieves her veggie kabobs and lassi, somehow balancing that with her own slice of cake, as she takes a seat at the table.
    "Do you have much use for stabbing people?" she asks uncertainly.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan moves back over to sit down, setting the beer on the table and offering a quick, "Thanks." in regards to the cake as he settles in.

"Spent my life stabbing people," he admits blandly, no emotion, no regret to his tone. "Like I said, no ID because I've been a military puppet for numerous wars. WW one, WW two, Korean, Vietnam... if it's a way, I fought it in."

Cutting off small bite of cake with the fork, he puts it in his mouth. He liked cake, not something many knew, Rogue probably did.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "That's..." Laxmi says uncertainly - a faint frown tugging at her lips. Aside from being a ridiculously long like, it sounded like a painfully difficult life. "I'm not sure how anyone could carry all of that. It must be difficult," she remarks with sympathy and concern. "I certainly don't think I could carry such a burden."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Another bite of cake goes into Logan's mouth before he says, right through the bite, "Forgot most of it really. Heads been fucked with plenty, so there's stuff missing."

He picks up the beer for another drink before it goes back on the table, "We all live through something, some worse than others, you get used to it."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, from what I've heard - not everyone does," Laxmi answers, as she strips the vegetables off her skewers, and starts picking pieces up with her fork to nibble on. "And while I certainly don't have any credentials, if you ever need a friendly ear, or just company, or if you'd like to listen to some music - I'm available," she offers before taking another bite.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Xavier had a way of finding the friendliest people, Logan noticed that about most all the adults who taught at the school, well all but himself. He wasn't friendly, but he also wasn't completely unfriendly either. He kept to himself, save for when it was time to teach kids how to build foot stools out of wood, real useful skill that.

"Surprised no one warned you to stay away from me," he states with a slight shrug. "I'm not socially acceptable." Another bite of cake, because really it was good cake. "But thanks," he adds at the end, with cake in his mouth

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi replies with an amused smile. "Maybe they did," she replies. "Maybe I don't listen well." She sips some of lassi before she explains, "It's part of my beliefs, actually - that each person contains within them a spark of the divine, and therefore each must be treated with respect and kindness. And that we can best improve ourselves when we strive daily to also improve the others around her. Helping others the best we can is part of the dharma, the correct actions we are required to follow."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan just wanted a beer, maybe something to eat, he wasn't expecting to meet someone at this hour in the kitchen... and she was still there, being nice. Very nice actually. There was something calming about her voice, so he didn't mind much that she kept talking, but then she would stop and expect him to say something. He was pretty clueless on what to say about her beliefs, at least what he could say that wouldn't be so rude and insulting that the Professor would likely roll into the kitchen moments after saying it and remind Logan to be nice.

"Huh," he finally offers. "So you believe being nice means people are nice back in some grand cosmic cycle?" At least it wasn't what he originally thought, which was to apologize to her for her own belief.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, it's our hope that this will prove to be true," Laxmi agrees, between nibbles at the vegetables on her plate. "Through the cycle of reincarnation. The more you improve yourself - the more good deeds you perform, and the more you improve others and their lots in life - the better position your will be born into in your next life, until you finally achieve moksha - a state of perfection in which you are reunited with the absolute soul," she explains. "But we also believe there are many paths to achieving perfection, and one need not share our Hindu beliefs to improve themselves, or others."
    What was it someone had remarked? That the new teacher was way too hippie? ...yeah.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan sits perfectly still, holding the bottle of beer part way to his mouth, just staring at Laxmi with one raised brow. Either he was doing a statue impersonation, or he was trying to wrap his head around what she just said.

"Next like," he mutters, not as a question but as a statement. He'd been 'dead' before, then just come back, there was no next life for him. "Perfection is over rated," he then says, and finally takes that drink of beer then finishes off with, "We accept the lot we are given in life, we adapt, we live on, that's all there is to it." Which is more words then he's spoken since meeting her.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, as I said, there are many paths. I would say that your interpretation is not incorrect. Cerainly, all we can do, and all that can be expected of us, is our best," Laxmi agrees readily, taking another sip of her lassi.
    She smiles wryly as she adds, "Though - I've often wondered why, if there are many routes to perfection, and the practices of others are no incorrect, why so many things are forbidden to Hindus that are common place in other cultures." Though her questions weren't always welcomed with open arms.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan wasn't usually one for paying attention to things. Life went by and he was just there, however what she just said grabbed his attention for some reason.

"What sort of things aren't you allowed to do?" He asks, looking up from the cake to actually meet her eyes. "Technically, can't you do what you want?"

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Technically... yes," Laxmi agrees. "But it would feel like a betrayal of my family, and their traditions. I have a dharma to respect my elders - especially my parents. They have a dharma to their children, to teach them our traditions and morally correct behavior," she explains.
    She spears a piece of vegetable with her fork, and nibbles on it, allowing the silence to grow between them for a few moments. "I was taught, that aside from family members, and preferably only in private, that we don't touch others. In particular, I would be forbidden from touching members of the opposite sex. Partly this is to show respect - but it's also has to do with purity. And we're forbidden from consuming alcohol... Things such as this," she explains.

Logan Howlett has posed:
This answer lifts both brows to Logan's hairline, even as he reaches for the beer, but he pauses there, just holding it.

"Damn, you're life has got to be so boring," he offers without hesitation. "Can't be hugged, can't have sex, can't have alcohol, and all because some invisible power in the sky maybe said some things, then it was translated by some men seeking to have all the power, and you get the raw end of the deal. I'll bet my left nu...pple," he was going to saw nut, but well... "That the men in your culture can go around touching anything they want."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Righteous men follow the same rules," Laxmi says firmly. "...but not all men are righteous. And you're right, things aren't equal. Men inherit, women do not. When a couple do transgress - it's the woman who's blamed for being a temptress. And of course it's the woman who can be caught with the irrifutable proof of her transgression, while the man can remain hidden, and claim innocence. So... it is problematic," she agrees.
    "But I wouldn't say that my life is boring. I have music, my art. I have friends, and now students. There's much that brings me joy."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan lifts the beer to his mouth as he mutters something about that not being nearly enough in this world, then takes a drink. He'll keep the rest to himself, because it wouldn't be nice to tell her just how messed up it all was. Science has proven the human body needs that physical connection, not just a sexual one, but actual touch such at holding hands, hugging and just that comforting touch of a hand on your shoulder. He wasn't fond of the touchy-feely way the world had gotten, but at least he understood the science behind it.

"So... you just ah... sorta wait around until your parents find you a husband?" he asks, because that was still on the topic without pointing out the stupidity.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well. Of course my parents are trying to help me find a respectable Hindu man," Laxmi confirms. "But if I found someone I cared for... This //is// America, not India. But I'd prefer they accepted my choice, rather than create friction in the family by choosing someone they felt they couldn't respect." She offers Logan a small smile as she adds, "So it's a bit complicated. They won't force someone on me, though. My family isn't like that. They want me to be happy."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan ahs softly with a nod, "Well that's something at least." He'd heard about arranged marriages from India, some work, some don't, it all depended really, and it was usually something the woman did that caused the problems... or so the rumors went. He didn't believe that part, men were a-holes, he knew that because he was one.

"Wish you luck on that," he then adds. "Not too many men out there are going to marry someone they've never touched."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "And therein is the crux of my frustration," Laxmi agrees quietly. "I wish to honor my family and the things I've learned, but... I also wish to be touched, and to find someone who- well, who I value above all others, and who values me in return." That's certainly a polite way of putting it.
    Finishing off the last of her vegetables, she pushes aside the plate so she can start in on the cake instead.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Remembering he has cake, Logan stabs a forkful to put in his mouth while he thinks about that. More thinking means he might choose words more carefully, which in this particular case it probably a good idea. He may be a gruff male a-hole, but that doesn't mean he can't /try/ to be helpful.

Once he swallows he looks back over at her. "Listen, I'm no expert, obviously," he starts, his voice a little softer but still edges with that gruffness that's always there. "The world ain't perfect, no matter the culture you come from. I'm betting your parents want you happy, so if that means finding a guy you trust, and that you like, and who respects you, maybe touching him won't destroy the entirety of your religion or make your parents shun you. As you said, this is America. So long as you don't go around touching every guy you see, and save it only for the one's that might be what you're looking for, then I'd say your family, and all the gods, aren't going to punish you."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, I'll admit, I certainly hope you're right about that," Laxmi agrees in a quiet voice. Though if she did - she's not sure she'd exactly advertise it to her family.
    Though then she's skirting taboos about honesty...
    She lets out a frustrated sigh. "It's difficult sometimes - being Hindi in America. But... It is what it is. And as we've deciced already, all one can do is their best."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan offer a nod, and perhaps a very slight hint of a smile, though it was fleeting and quick.

"I get the feeling, you're doing the best you can, and that's all you can do, so it's perfect. Thus," now he grins, "... you're already perfect."

No, he wasn't flirting, he was trying to lighten the mood back up because it was a really personal subject and he hadn't meant to take her down that path in the first place.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi can't help but let out a quiet laugh in response. "Well //that// I don't know about," Laxmi replies with amusement. "And if I believed myself to be perfect, I could easily become complacent, and that wouldn't be good. But I appreciate the encouragement."
    She enjoys the last bite of her cake - then rises to her feet. "Well, it's been a pleasure getting to know you a little, Mr. Logan. I really have stayed up later than I intended to tonight, though. If you'll excuse me - I'll clean up and make my way to sleep," she offers, giving him a polite nod, before going to the sink to wash up.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan stands as she does, there's a bit of a gentlemen in there.

"I kept you up," he says, reaching to pick up all the plates, including hers. "I'll take care of the clean up."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "My music kept me up," Laxmi quickly reassures Logan. "I was working on a new song, and completely lost all track of time until I got hungry. But... I appreciate it nonetheless. Thank you."
    She allows him to collect the dishes, but she steps to the sink regardless, washing her hands, before drying them on a towel.
    "I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening." She then presses the palms of her hands together, nodding her head towards him politely as she adds, "Namaste," before heading towards the door.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Taking the dishes to the sink, Logan is careful not to accidently bump her. He doesn't want to be the reason she goes to Hindu hell. Once she finishes washing her hands, he steps up to start washing the plates and the cup she used.

"Love ta hear ya play sometime," he says as she starts to head out, then he turns to watch her depart.

Oh yeah, she's a dancer alright, look at the way she moves! That was enough of that, "Sleep well, Miss Mallick." He offers quickly then washes up the plates and cup and places them in the drainer.