929/Many Happy Returns...or At Least One!

Many Happy Returns...or At Least One!
Date of Scene:	02 April 2020
Location:	Main Kitchen
Synopsis:	James Proudstar runs into a familiar face at the X-Men, newly returned from not-so-sunny Genosha.
Cast of Characters:	James Proudstar, Tabitha Smith

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James Proudstar has posed:
Jimmy Proudstar is in the kitchen, and the folks who do up the grocery budget for the Mansion shudder. It takes a lot of calories to fuel 350 pounds of mutant muscle (though thankfully not nearly as much as it COULD require) and so it's no surprise to anyone that James is a big eater. Tonight, he's piling up three club sandwiches on sourdough bread, taking the time to crisp up the bacon and slice up the tomatoes and lettuce himself. A labor of love? Well, not really, but at least of mild patience. He coulda just grabbed a couple whole bags of chips.

For the moment, he's alone in the Kitchen, which is something of a rarity in this House, but for whatever reason it seems like most of the residents are, for the moment, occupied with other things.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Not everyone is occupied, at least. Not everyone.

The blonde that darkens the door of the kitchen hasn't been seen around these parts for a while. But, really, little about her has changed since she took off the last time. When Tabby steps through the door she has a pair of earbuds tucked into her ears and sunglasses perched on her nose, nose tilted slightly upwards to keep them from sliding further down her nose.

James Proudstar has posed:
James has a host of enhanced senses at his disposal, so he hears Tabitha before he sees her, and yes, can smell her too. Familiar, but until recently more of a memory. He ceases his fiddling with the sandwiches and turns around, grinning when he finally does spot her. "Hey Boomer. Been a while. Didn't know you were back." The smile does dim somewhat, replaced by a look of concern as he remembers where she -had- been. "You OK?"

Tabitha Smith has posed:
One hand raises upwards to slide the sunglasses back onto the top of her head, then she catches the cords on the earbuds to tug them free of her ears, "Well look at that." There is a quick up-down look as she takes him in before she heads over to investigate the sandwiches, and see how easy it would be to swipe one from him.

It buys her a little fraction of time before she answers the question about if she's OK. "Me? I'm golden, Jimmy-baby. I'm golden." Probably a lie. "You been here this entire time?"

James Proudstar has posed:
"Yeah, more or less." Jimmy answers Tabby's question, honestly for the most part. He's taller than when she last saw him, which is saying something. Bigger all-around, really. "You want something to eat? You can grab one of those, or I can make you one of your own." Is he skeptical that Tabby is on the level about how she's doing? You betcha. To the point where he notes, "Come on, it's me. You ain't gotta put up the front. I found out the hard way that doesn't do anybody any good, least of all yourself."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"Would I lie to you?"

Tabby would. She's totally lie to him, someone else, herself. It's potentially how she manages to survive with everything in her life. She takes one of the sandwiches when he offers it to her, and then she hops up onto one of the counters before she tosses the earbuds and her phone down next to her, turning her eyes towards him before she takes a bite of the sandwich before she shrugs her shoulders, swallowing the bite before she answers, "It was crazy...but I wasn't hurt."

James Proudstar has posed:
"In a heartbeat." James replies, but it's with a bit of a wry smile. "I'm glad you're all right." His demeanor grows considerably more somber as he munches a bit on one of his own sandwiches, waiting a few moments before adding, "It's been heavy around here. Kitty lost her Dad, but everybody's taking Genosha pretty hard. And pissed they don't have a clear target for the X-Men to go punch....or do a whole lot more than punching to." And him? He's had his own troubles, but they became small next to the Genosha tragedy. "You here for a while then, or just passing through?"

Tabitha Smith has posed:
There is a very faint look when he mentions Kitty's dad, but she doesn't say anything about it. Instead she just takes a few more bites from the sandwich, chewing and swallowing with a very attentive look as he continues on. But then she shrugs, setting the sandwich down before she dusts off her hands, then rubs them across her jeans, "I've figured that I'll stick around for a little while."

It is probably easy to read between the lines: She has no where else to go.

James Proudstar has posed:
"Yeah. Know how that goes." James says simply, leaning against the counter and rapidly polishing off one of those sandwiches, though somehow he manages not to make a big mess of things while he does it. There is a bit of an awkward pause before James offers up, "So uh...you look good! Especially all things considered."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
A very faintly amused smirk flicks across her face at his awkward comment, a hand lifting upwards to brush a strand of hair back off her shoulder before she lifts her chin upwards, "I know." Then she drops her hands back behind her to settle on the counter, kicking her legs a bit until she can knock her heels against the cabinets, "But you're wrong about one thing, I look good all the time. Did you get taller? Pretty sure you got taller."

James Proudstar has posed:
"Heh, yeah, probably a little bit. Or a lot. Don't remember what I was at when you left. Up to seven-two now. Only a little shorter than Colossus when he's armored up." Jimmy chuckles a bit, "Makes it hell to find anything that fits for a price that doesn't make me half-sick." Jimmy was a very poor kid growing up, which Tabitha no doubt knows about him. Sticker-shock is very real for him at times.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Having been a not-so-rich person growing up herself, Tabby probably knows what those feels are. "You got to go to all the specialty stores, I bet." She hops down off the counter, reaching over for her things to start tucking them into her pockets. Except the sandwich, she keeps ahold of that before she moves over t stand in front of him. A moment is taken to check the disparity in height before she just shakes her head, "Damn tall. I'm going to go take a walk around the grounds after I change my shoes. If you're interested in it, ten minutes."

James Proudstar has posed:
"Yeah sure, I'll tag along." James glances to the plate, and grins, "Should be plenty of time to finish. Meet you out back?"