Namor's Birthday Party and Speech - Group Log

[ax_submariner]

As promised, Namor delivers his speech to those who have gathered to celebrate his birthday. Or just eat the food he's provided.

Namor surveyed his birthday gathering. Not quite what he'd imagined, but the turnout was decent. The fare seemed to appeal to most everyone present, which was the intent; a variety of drinks, food, and persons present. It brought a very faint smile to his lips, even as he stood before his peers, in front of the television, the very center of attention at the celebration. His posture commanded attention; chin up, arms folded behind his back, and ready to deliver his speech. He leaned forward, producing a misshapen lump of brass from his pocket. He set it upon the nearby table, and tapped the top, whereupon it unfolded and stood on four stubby, spider-like legs, projecting a soft blue hologram of an Atlantean woman's face. She remained still and silent, as if a projected image. He stood back up, assuming his posture as if he had never moved.

“Thank you for gathering with me today. It is my sincerest hope that today, and all days to come, find you healthy and mirthful. I have, over the months, come to know you as best I can, as a stranger in a strange land.”

He took a moment to pause and shift his focus. He'd been aloof, before, looking just above everyone's heads. Now, here and there, he made eye contact. Not harsh, but with faint fondness.

“In these months, I have approached our interactions as a scientist might. I found you curious, and I understand now that with such an approach, there is an amount of conceit. This was an oversight, and for it, I sincerely apologize. Whether I will err again, I do not know. I do, however, know this much from my observations and interactions.” He paused, artfully, for a moment.

“I care, deeply, for each of you. Perhaps I do not know all of you on the most personal level, but in a sense of community. You have entertained my fancies and whims, tolerated my gaffes and errors. Through the trials your own people have visited upon you, endured and strengthened. I feel honored to have observed, and even at times aided, in that process,” he said, plainly, and with a slight shrug of admittance.

“Above all else, know that I consider my time here to be a blessing. Your company more so. And may our years together find us as friends, not simply classmates.” He gave a very slight, very polite bow. “Thank you for your attention, and please, enjoy yourselves.” His speech concluded, Namor tapped the brass projector, causing its image to wink out as it folded up. He pocketed it, and then went to try more of what he had been told was 'curry.' He found it quite pleasant. Spices were not nearly as potent beneath the waves. This was something he would have to introduce to his parents.

Comments

[ax_angel]

"I don't know if that was awesome or just ridiculous," Warren admitted after swallowing a mouthful of curry, himself. "Help me, Bobby."

[ax_iceman]

Bobby swallowed the bite of pizza in his mouth and gave the birthday prince an evaluating look before turning to Warren. "Welllll, the part where he assured us that he cared about us deeply was heartwarming," he allowed, holding his hand over his heart dramatically. "I mean, I'd never picked up on that? So it's good to know. I'm really feeling the love."

He dropped his hand, shrugged, and grinned. "On the flipside? He does kinda act like he's a scientist studying bugs, and I have no idea what he means by us entertaining his fancies, other than that it sounds like there should be a parental warning on it. So I think I'm going with ridiculous, with bonus points for amusing? And, y'know, for the free food."

[ax_angel]

Over the long course of months during which Warren hadn't had access to the family credit cards, he'd come to appreciate free food a great deal more, and so raised his plate of curry to that in salute. "Hey, there's no reason a person can't be an arrogant weirdo and a nice guy, right?" Plenty of people would probably call that a description of Simon, come to think of it...

[ax_iceman]

"Actually, I think that might be part of the definition of arrogant weirdo," Bobby mused aloud. "You don't normally find those words and 'nice guy' in the same description." He grinned at Warren. "Present company's boyfriends excepted, of course."

[ax_angel]

Warren laughed. "I was literally just thinking that. Maybe Simon's the exception that proves the rule? I never did understand what that meant..."

[ax_iceman]

"Me either," Bobby admitted. "Remind me to ask Kitty sometime? She's always good with the random trivia stuff. But JP can do the arrogant thing when he wants to, too." Not that he knew JM - no, Aurora, gotta remember that - not that he knew her brother well, but he knew him well enough to know that, at least.

[ax_trickster]

There was a quiet, spluttering sound from the depths of Thor’s breast pocket as the mouse hitching a ride there tried to muffle his reaction.

[ax_thunder]

"Quiet you," Thor muttered, or at least as best he was able. "You wished to stay hidden. He still didn't quite understand the fuss around Namor, but then he'd had no interaction at all with the fellow. The speech wouldn't have been out of place at home, indeed it was significantly shorter and less flowery.

[ax_trickster]

Tiny paws scrabbled at Thor’s chest through his shirt as Loki nudged him, shifted, then curled up into a little ball to nestle back down. “I said nothing,” Loki whispered. “Quiet as a mouse.”

[ax_thunder]

"You are ridiculous," Thor murmured back, the fondness in his voice evident. Contrary to what many thought, he could be quiet when he chose. "And I do not see anything worrying here so far."

[ax_trickster]

“It’s less him, and more an entire hidden civilization also steeped in myth that I worry about,” Loki admitted. “He’s kind of normal. For someone raised in fanfare. But if he’s the baseline, what will his world bring when they finally announce themselves?”

[ax_thunder]

"True..." Thor replied slowly. "And if they are, indeed, all capable of living in both land and sea, that is a distinct advantage." Look at him, understanding politics and such. "Has he said much of his people?"

[ax_trickster]

“Not much,” Loki said quietly. “And I haven’t pursued.” They probably should. Avoidance didn’t stop a civilization from existing. Loki knew more about TJ’s alternate universe Namors than his classmate.

[ax_thunder]

A brief frown flitted over Thor's face as he moved to pet the little mouse. "There is very little we can do in either case..."

[ax_trickster]

Loki snuggled against Thor's chest. "It's true," he sighed softly. "Just wait and wonder."

Closed to Namor

[ax_mimic]

Cal had figured it was only expected for him to attend, given the fact that he roomed with Namor. And for all that Namor was far from among his favorite people, the guy liked Abs, so he couldn't be all bad. So here Cal was, with Abs in tow, of course.

Besides, free pizza.

He hadn't expected that speech, though.

He was standing in a corner of the room, feeding Abs a pepperoni off of his pizza, for each one he ate himself, when Namor walked over. "Hey. That was... a speech."

Re: Closed to Namor

[ax_submariner]

Namor was glad to see his otherwise reclusive roommate in attendance. The two were by no means close unless you meant simply in proximity. Namor was aware now that he was, in part, responsible for that.

The remark seemed strange to him, however. "Perhaps you hadn't seen my posting. It is customary for Atlanteans to give a speech during their birth celebrations," he explained.

Re: Closed to Namor

[ax_mimic]

Cal winced at Namor's misunderstanding. Of course he wouldn't pick up on tone. "Yeah, no, I'd seen. It wasn't what I expected, that's all," Cal remarked.

Re: Closed to Namor

[ax_submariner]

"May I ask as to your expectations?" he asked, curiously. Namor took a bite of the curry, while he awaited Cal's answer.

Re: Closed to Namor

[ax_mimic]

"Not... that," Cal replied, unsure how to put it. But then he figured, fuck it. "I mean, you went from top jerk to I love you all. I don't know what happened there, man."

He'd believe it all when he saw it, sure, because it was easy to make a speech, but actions meant more than pretty words. But still. Namor had acknowledged acting like a conceited jerk; that was pretty impressive.