967/Lingering in the Library

Lingering in the Library
Date of Scene:	04 April 2020
Location:	Library
Synopsis:	Lorna goes to the Library seeking some quiet and runs into Bobby. They talk crowns, responsibilities, and galas.
Cast of Characters:	Bobby Drake, Lorna Dane

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Bobby Drake has posed:
It's a Friday afternoon and Bobby's camped out in the library at the moment, curled up in a chair with a book in his lap, a notepad balanced on the arm of the chair, and a pen tucked behind his ear. Occasionally he takes some notes, but mostly at the moment, he's staring out the window, just watching the clouds roll by. Whatever motivation he might have had for studying is fading with the evening light, and he appears more lost in thought than anything else.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna sighed as she stepped into the library, looking around once as she trailed through the stacks in an idle manner. She had no real reason to be there, she didn't teach, she wasn't a student. But the library was quiet and less likely to have an accidentally run in with a teenager that might live in the Mansion otherwise.

Of course, that meant she hadn't taken into consideration that others might be seeking somewhere quiet too.

The green haired woman stepped softly, her feet stockinged as she walked, she wore a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, looking nothing like a Queen of a nation. Her fingers trailed over the spines of books and her gaze swept this way and that as she made her way toward the windows. Which is when she spotted Bobby, "Oh! Sorry.. I was just trying to find somewhere quiet that wasn't my roomm.." She mumbled.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby Drake doesn't look particularly like a superhero, as curled up in the chair as he is, looking like a wayward college student who got lost in a mansion and just plopped himself down there to stay. He's got on a pair of jeans of his own, a light blue henley, and a pair of navy blue chucks on his feet. At first he doesn't notice that he's not alone, until there's a bit of movement out of the corner of his eye. He glances up just in time to hear her speak.

"Oh," he grins, "Well, it's definitely quiet in here. No apologies necessary. You're welcome to share the quiet." Then he blushes a little and says, "I meant to come find you sometime, anyway and uh, apologize for the other night at the pizza thing. I.. was kind of wrapped up in my own head about things and.. I didn't even properly say welcome back.. I mean.. even if the circumstances are.. uh, grimm." He frowns. "I felt kind of dumb afterward. Sorry about that."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna shifted her figure about away from the window to lean against the window frame, her arms crossing as she let Bobby go on and speak. She arched a brow, but a small smile began to pull at the corners of her lips. "It's okay, really. I even cut my hair. Last time you saw me had to have been a few years ago.. and well, a lot has happened." She reached up to twist her hair between her fingers. Her hair had been messily shorn into a bob, and today at least it was straightened.

"Is the book any good or is it for work?" She asked, nodding her head toward said book in Bobby's grip. Awkwardly, and trying to move on.

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Yeah," Bobby agrees, rubbing a little at the back of his neck absently. "Quite a lot, I guess." He smiles just a little bit wryly at that, seeming somewhat relieved that there's no hard feelings, at any rate. "It looks good, by the way, your hair." He gives a little up-nod toward it.

When she asks about the book he looks down at it and sighs, "It's just for a class. Finals in May, then I'm done, graduated. Then I'll be teaching here full time." He taps the top of the book. "But, focus is just not happening right now."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna blinked repeatedly, letting her hand fall away from her green hair and she bit her lower lip, smiling faintly. "Thanks. I kind of went for the scissors on my first day back. I dunno why Jean let me anywhere near a pair of sharp cutting things.. but I guess she figured it was kinder than telling me 'no'." She drawled and shook her head. She took a few steps closer, to a more comfortable distance to stand around and chat.

"What degree are you going for? I'm sorry.. I realize I should know this already.." She shifted slightly, uncomfortable and glanced down at the book again and back.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby Drake nods toward one of the other chairs nearby and says, "You can make yourself comfortable. Hang out for a bit?" He smiles a little bit reassuringly and then says, "Hey, it's hair. It'll grow back if you decide you like it better longer. Sometimes you just need a change, though, right?" And something you can control when a lot of things are going on that you can't control. He knows that feeling, even if it's been a while. Looking back down at the book he says, "Well, this is for a psych class, just an elective. But my degree's in Mathematics. I was going to go Accounting for the full CPA but.. in the end, I decided I'm going to stick to teaching, so going for Math, even though I'm still doing classes in accounting as well." He grins a little. "It's been a while, I didn't.. really expect you to remember. Most people start yawning as soon as I start talking about numbers at all."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna moved, pushing off the lean she had taken up against the windows to take the seat as soon as Bobby gestured to it. She sat, leaning back and crossing her legs as she settled a hand beneath her chin as she leaned toward him. "True it is hair.. I guess I'm in an odd boat that I can't dye it.. Won't stay. Always washes out." She sighed, "So cutting it all I've really got." She shrugged once and shifted in her seat.

"Math doesn't bore me. I've got a physics degree or two, and well, it's sort of related." She smiled, and considered Bobby again. "I always remember you being unable to be serious... Are you going to handle the classroom with that same energy? Gonna pank some of those kids?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
"You could get a wig with it short like that, put it over the top if you wanted to do something crazy like go hot pink, or jet black or something. There are some that are really good so you can barely tell," Bobby suggests. "Kind of a pain and not as easy as dying but.. if you wanted a change. I like the green, though, it's pretty." He glances up at his own kind of mousy hair, as though he could see it, which he can't. "Mine's kind of boring."

"Yeah, definitely related," he grins. "They do sort of go together. I've always liked physics and chemistry too." He then gives a little handwobble, "Biology not as much. It's alright, but not my favorite of the sciences." He grins a little and says, "I'm not... incapable of being serious. I just don't see a reason to be if I can avoid it. Besides, how else am I going to keep them awake?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna arched an eyebrow, a smile pulling onto her lips once again. It was warmer than before, and she reached up with her hands to tossle her hair back from her face. "I've dyed my hair black, it stays and then washes out with shampoo." She arched a brow, "I think your hair suits you. I mean, sure, we could go for some frosted highlights and that would work in with the whole 'Iceman' vibe, but we're also not in the 90s anymore." She teased.

His comments about keeping the class interested, earned another head tilt as she let her hands fall back to her lap.

"I bet that the kids have a hard time taking you seriously until you have to put your foot down the first time. I could never do your job. I'd lose it.." She sighed heavily, and glanced around the library. "I do miss having classes to take though, and learning new things."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby Drake laughs at that and says, "Or blue. I could do blue, but it all turns to ice anyway, so it'd only be blue like this." He gestures to his non-ice-form self. "Which, could be fun, I guess." He ponders and then says, "Maybe I'll give it a shot sometime. But yeah, no frosted tips."

"I mean, they're kids. They're gonna be kids. But they can learn from me, or they can learn from someone totally boring who is going to make it a complete snoozefest. So really? It's in their best interest to roll with it." He is clearly undaunted by the challenge of students. "I already teach part time and tutor, so a lot of them know me already anyway." He then pauses and says, "You could take classes if you wanted to.. couldn't you?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna smiled to hear Bobby laugh, it was nice, anyone laughing that is. She heard so little of it beyond the chaos of the students that lived there.. and it was nice to be around someone as non-demanding as Bobby again. "I guess your boy-band days just will never come about.." She joked lightly and sighed softly as Bobby continued.

"Not exactly.. I'm technically.. Queen of a mutant nation. What college would ever accept me now? Can you imagine the political mess? And I don't really have the time to focus on getting another degree or anything either.." She grimaced, her smile fading.

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Oh, I think I've still got a few years left before I age out of boy band territory," Bobby says, suddenly very serious. "It could still totally happen." Then he flashes another grin. Not that it's likely to happen. She's probably heard him attempt to sing. It is not pro material.

"You're Queen of a Mutant Nation. That should make you celebrity material," Bobby says with a grin. "By the way, does that mean I should like, bow and call you your highness now? Because that would feel really weird. But I'll totally do it." He probably would, too. But then his expression sobers a little and he says, "I want to help, by the way. I've been kind of looking after folks back here and in and out of school but.. I'm always willing to go lend a hand."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna snickered softly as Bobby spoke of still being a member of a boy band, and shook her head slightly as she leaned back in her chair. But the conversation moved ever onward and as he spoke of her being a celebrity, she laughed outright and shook her head. "Infamy is more like it. People //hated// my father. And those that are loyal to him... well, that number is now vastly smaller." She exhaled a breath. "And no, you wouldn't call me 'Your highness', that's a term for a Princess or Prince. Pietro or Wanda.. would be 'Your highness', a Queen of King is addressed as 'Your majesty'." She offered, and glanced back at Bobby.

"And no, please don't bow or start that." She squinted at him from her spot, knowing very well that Bobby would do just that.

"...And thank you.. I know Scott is putting together a team. I dunno how well it'll be received by the survivors there, but we'll see."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby Drake's eyes widen as though he were duly and truly chastised and he dipped his head low toward his book, "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I meant no dishonor or disrespect. Please don't lob off my head." He tilts his head, just a little, to look at her out of the corner of his eye, and grins as she squints at him, straightening back up after proving her exactly right. "Okay, none of that, then, unless it's funny."

"Yeah, I mentioned to him that I was interested in helping out. And.. yeah, I mean.. I get it. There's definitely been bad blood but I mean, we're all mutants when it comes down to it and nobody deserves to have their whole home and families and everything just.. obliterated. Philosophical differences aside."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna swatted her hand in his direction as he went to tease her on the whole title thing and joked of lobbing off heads. "Bobby!" She huffed and crossed her arms as she leaned back in her chair. "I'll have you know that Genosha did not have the death penalty at all. Even when my father was in charge. The death of a mutant was considered a no-go. So no head lobbing." She murmured. In as much as she knew the laws... whether Magneto held to that truly was an entirely different matter.

Her gaze shifted back to consider Bobby from her seat as he spoke of going to Genosha and how they should all come together. Her expression softened. "I would like that, and that's my hope.. but I have a feeling some people there might be too broken to see that. They're... the ones that are there, are there by choice and are a bit on the extreme side."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Excellent! That means that I can joke with impunity without worrying about you going all Red Queen on me," Bobby says, because that's his takeaway from that, clearly. He does not, however, continue with his bowing, instead closing up his notebook and setting it on the table next to him, as well as the book, dropping it on top. Developmental Psychology. He then settles himself cross-legged in his chair, elbows resting on his knees as he looks over at her. "Yeah, I get that. But.. it'd be worse not to try, right? Even if we go and they decide they don't want our help, it's important to go and try to do something."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna rolled her eyes, "Queen of Hearts Bobby, not Red Queen. Gosh, what is the 'Red Queen' anyways? Sounds like some crappy young adult book." She muttered and shook her head, smiling faintly as she crossed her arms and watched as Bobby chucked his book and notebook aside. Part of her feeling somewhat bad at having distracted him.

Only somewhat.. It was nice to chat with Bobby.

"And yeah.. I think it would be far worse. It is better to try, but fair warning all the same." She sighed heavily. "I have to go to a gala soon, for fundraising for Genosha. It feels so wrong to go, to be there when Genosha is still a wreck.. But we need funds to help with the clean up efforts.." She grimaced and reached up to rub her temples.

Bobby Drake has posed:
"I think the Red Queen was in Raccoon City," Bobby says, now that he thinks about it. "Whatever the name of that movie and game was." Which he also can't remember. "Fine fine, Queen of Heeearrrts." He makes heart-hands at her to illustrate that he got it. He doesn't seem to feel too bad about being distracted. He'd been staring out the window when she'd come in anyway -- productivity had long since fled.

"I get it. If they are pissed and are shitty about it, I'm not going to take it personally. I mean, maybe a little personally, but I'll definitely not show it," he smiles just a little bit. "Oh, right.. I'm going to that, too. That's tomorrow, isn't it?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna laughed softly as Bobby spoke of what the Red Queen was from or not from, but it didn't truly matter. It was amusing none the less, that he agreed with her guess that he meant the Queen of Hearts. She shook her head, drawing her knees up and settling her hands on top and her chin atop that.

As he spoke of the gala though, she blinked. "I think you mean that Mutant Rights fundraiser? Oh no.. I mean the fundraiser next week." She reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose and heaved a sigh. "Ugh, there are so many that I've got to attend. It's not as if we don't need it. But I am going to one run at this club, by Miss Frost and Mister Shaw. I don't have an escort, and Alex started dating Emma Frost right when we were chatting about it. Now they just make eyes at each other. Wanda is going, and she's dating someone too.. I don't want to have to accept Mister Shaw's offer, but it looks like I'll have to."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Ohhh," Bobby says, "Right. That one. Hellfire Club is a little rich for my blood." He smiles a bit wryly. "I heard about that one but there's no way I'm getting in to that. I'll just donate my time where I can." He looks a little bit sheepish then, gaze flickering out the window. "Sorry, got them confused." Then he nods when she goes on to mention Alex and Emma and he can't help but chuckle a little bit there, shaking his head. "Uh, yeah. Those two are pretty obvious." He then says, "There's nobody else you could ask? I mean, you're kind of a Queen. You don't really /need/ anyone at all. Though I guess it'd be more fun to go with somebody than not. But, better if it's somebody you actually like."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna snorted a laugh as Bobby spoke of how fancy the club was. "Well Roberto is in it, and apparently a few others from about here. I never even knew it was a thing. I feel like I should have though? A club with rich people that pull strings all over the place and that my father was involved with? Yeah.. sounds right up his alley." She sighed heavily, but that was all she knew about the Club. They were old, powerful, and rich. And they were interested in getting involved with Genosha.

At least she knew Emma was a mutant.

Still.

"There's about a fundraiser every week. I can't go to all of them..." She grimaced and shook her head as Bobby spoke of her asking someone else. Her cheeks turned faintly pink. "No.. I couldn't exactly go around dating whoever when I moved into Genosha with my father. I mean, hell.. Bobby, think about it. Who in their right mind would want to date me on that island with my father as King?" She arched a brow and shook her head. "Oh sure, there are people that //wanted// to.. I'm sure. But to actually try anything? No. And now?" She shook her head again.

"Now I have to be careful. I'm not sure who might want to try something just to get the publicity, or a title or whatever. People are watching me now more than ever.." She grimaced, "I'll likely have to marry someone for some political advantage or business venture if things go like any other monarchy out there.. And everyone knows Genosha isn't exactly in a place to bargain for power.."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"People with money," Bobby chuckles. Something that he does not have. He lives at the school by the grace of Charles' generosity, and he goes to college on a scholarship. And he barely affords the money that he spends to have a room in the city to crash in during the week so he doesn't have to trek back and forth from the mansion on the days he has classes.

His smile fades a little into something a little softer, and genuinely sympathetic. "Yeah, I can on..." Then he stops himself, flushes, and clears his throat and starts over. "I'm sorry it was rough, that it's still rough, and.. the idea of having to marry somebody for political reasons seems so incredibly archaic and awful."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna shrugged once, her gaze falling down to her lap. "I've got little choice right now. If Genosha wasn't destroyed? It wouldn't matter so much. We were entirely self-sufficient. But now... I just have to accept what help in whatever way it comes." She grimaced.

"And it is a little archaic. But if it comes as a possibility, I have to entertain it." She grimaced, and glanced back to Bobby, thinking.

"Would you be my escort, to the Genoshan fundraiser? Just as a friend? I know you're solid and at least, you're not trying to get yourself a crown or a title, or some business contract with me."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"There's always a choice," Bobby says, suddenly serious. "And there has to be some help that can come without making you some kind of prisoner. Unless I mean, you really like whoever's offering, in which case, go for it. But.." The whole idea seems to make his skin crawl a little, brow furrowing as the entire situation turns over and over in his head. This is some heavy shit, and it's clear he doesn't like the idea of her having to deal with it at all.

Then he blinks a little in surprise, "Me?" He definitely didn't seem to be expecting that. But then he nods, "Of course. I promise not to prank anyone at the fundraiser or make you too embarrassed to admit you know me." Then he chuckles just a little bit. "I'm definitely not after a crown. I can totally make my own ice crown if I want one. Bobby Drake, Ice Prince. Definitely not a King, though. I think I'd be more the youngest son that no one expects to amount to anything member of the royal family if I were one." He considers this for a moment or two.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna sighed, "You know it was suggested to me by a few people that I seek diplomacy that way? It's a serious thing that people have mentioned to me, and it's creepy. But eventually, I do have to think about what's best for Genosha. And right now if something happened to me, the crown would go to Pietro and Wanda. And that makes some people very nervous." She murmured softly, biting her lower lip in thought.

And then Bobby agreed to go with her and she released a gust of breath that sounded heavily relieved. "Oh thank you, that really is a huge weight off my shoulders. Also I give you full permission to prank Alex or anyone else that regularly stays here if they attend. It'll make something far too somber be a bit easier to deal with." She murmured, smiling gently.

"You know, I thought that too, and then my father went ahead and made me his heir. Very frustrating that. Go hang with one's estranged dad, get a crown and responsibility to go with it. Go figure."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Pietro looked.. decidedly uncomfortable when he was here last time. I thought he was going to implode when he got hugged," Bobby says, with a faint grin. But then he nods and sighs, "I get it. You need to think about your people, and Genosha, and its future and all. I just can't help but think that in this day and age, there's got to be some better alternative." Not that he has the answer as to what that might /be/, but that doesn't mean he can't be fervently opposed!

"If the opportunity arises to do it and I think of something fun, I'll let you know so you can watch, but also be far enough away for plausible deniability," Bobby offers with a grin. "And fortunately, I have an outfit for the thing tomorrow, so I'm already ready to go to a fancy to do. Convenient, that."

"Surprise! Happy Sovereignty. Just what every kid wants for their birthday -- crushing responsibility."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna smiled, leaning back in her seat as she let her legs slip back to the floor. "Yes, well, Pietro is very much like my father. Neither one of them did affection in front of others, much less allow anyone not in the family to get that close. Though it tells you how much Pietro was trying that he didn't avoid it. I mean, he's a speedster after all.." She sighed and looked thoughtful.

"I could turn Genosha over to a democracy, dismantle the monarchy.. but it feels wrong to do that. It feels like giving up.. and people want me to be there, to lead. They want something to bring back their normal. And I'm as close to Magneto ruling as they'll get." She shook her head, and wiggled her fingers.

"Even if it just because I have his powers. I think my father partially only picked me so he wouldn't have to add doors all over the palace. The whole thing was made of metal you know." She smiled weakly, and her expression only warmed as Bobby mentioned pranking people and giving her plausible deniability.

"Sounds good, it will make being at another fundraiser at least a little amusing."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"True. He could have been back in the city by the time she got there if he really wanted to," Bobby says with a little grin. Then he nods and says, "I think you'll be a good leader. You care. You care about what's good for them, and you care about what they need and want. Just make sure that you don't lose you in all of that, too." He laughs then and says, "Yeah, installing doors sounds like a lot of work. Though.. how did like.. all the people without his powers get around? Or was it just the.. castle? I just get this picture of a made standing in front of a big flat metal wall with a load of towels staring at it in exasperation."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna laughed softly, "See? Pietro is a softy for all that he hates to admit it." She winked, "Don't tell him I said that. He'd be pissed." She murmured and leaned forward in her chair, propping her chin up with her hand, elbow on the armrest. At Bobby's comment for her to not lose herself, she glanced away, her smile fading a little. She shrugged once, as if to wave away his words one way or another.

"It wouldn't have been that much work. Sure there were standard hallways and doors for most people. But there were large portions of the palace that only he or I could access. I mean, it was all metal. I can make a door where there wasn't one before. And so could he. My father was paranoid to say the least when it came to security.."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby crosses his heart with one fingertip, solemnly vowing not to tell Pietro that she spoke such blasphemies aloud in his presence. He watches as her smile fades, studying her profile for a moment, but he doesn't say anything more on that topic, at least not for now, looking down to study the floor in front of his chair instead.

"Makes sense. I mean, considering how some folks felt about him -- he'd want to have places that only he could go where he could feel safe. I mean, I can't imagine what it was like. But it kind of makes sense to be paranoid about security, at least to some degree, right?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna smiled as Bobby crossed his heart and swore not to tell anyone about what she'd said about Pietro. It would have to do. Oh well. She nodded though as he spoke about her father. "He wasn't wrong to be paranoid. People all over the world wanted him dead. He wasn't wrong in that." She heaved a sigh, and shook her head slightly.

"Anyways, I should let you get your work done. I should probably check my phone and see if anyone has been trying to get in contact with me.."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby Drake smiles a little bit and glances over at his books, shrugging his shoulders. "I think I'm done for tonight, but I should probably go grab something to eat. I can give you the library for that quiet you were looking for before I interrupted it." He slides out of the chair then and gathers up his things, tucking them under one arm. "I'm glad you're here, Lorna. And I look forward to going to the thing with you." He then offers her a tiny little teasing bow before he backs up a couple of steps, and then a less formal wave before he heads for the door.