Jean and Ororo - Backdated
Sep. 30th, 2018 03:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ax_storm posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ax_mainOroro treats them both to a spa day for Jean's birthday.
Ororo took a sip of her blueberry muffin smoothie and smiled, looking perfectly relaxed in the spa café, her too easily recognizable white mohawk temporarily dyed a more natural brown. Treating Jean to a drink after treating her to the spa itself was the logical conclusion to a great afternoon, and to be fair, it had been a treat for both of them. Ororo had never done the spa thing before, but now her skin felt wonderful, and there was a loose relaxation to her muscles that she wished she could experience more often.
Still, Jean had been the reason for this trip, and her smile was all for her friend, down to the twinkle in her blue eyes. "Happy birthday."
Jean toasted Ororo with her sparkling pomegranate juice. "Thanks, Ororo. This has been wonderful. And... honestly, I think I needed to get out for a bit. Just to feel some strangers and their lightweight thoughts for a while."
Ororo smiled in understanding, before letting it grow into a grin. "And the massage didn't hurt?"
Jean considered her choice of words. "The massage was interesting. Physical touch can amplify thoughts sometimes, so it's like... remembering to turn my shields up a notch, then settling in to relax."
"I'm glad you managed," Ororo said warmly. "I mean, you look relaxed."
"I feel relaxed. And it's definitely been a long time for that. I owe you one."
"This was a treat for myself as much as for you," Ororo pointed out. "You don't owe me anything."
"Oh, let me be grateful for our friendship," Jean mock-pouted.
Ororo laughed at the pout, eyes bright. "Be my guest. By all means. I certainly am."
Jean answered her laugh with her own, and sipped her drink. "Good. It's been a high point of my time at the school."
"I'm so glad we got roomed together," Ororo confirmed happily. "But I like to think we'd still be friends, anyway."
"I'm sure we would be," Jean agreed. "But maybe not as close. It's weird the difference just a little distance can make, isn't it? Even if it's nothing more than a room away."
"It's about all the little everyday things," Ororo said, after thinking it over. "And checking in with each other so often." Because they wanted to, because they loved each other. Not all roommates became such good friends.
Jean nodded. "And making an effort," she agreed.
Ororo paused, then nodded. "Yes, I think that's very true."
"Right. And, you know, we also need to think of what we're doing for your birthday."
Ororo grinned at her friend. "Well, we have a while to figure that out. But maybe we could go to the beach somewhere."
Jean laughed. "Yes! This sounds like a plan. Can I bring Scott? I'm afraid he's going to start sprouting toadstools if he doesn't get out more."
"Definitely," Ororo confirmed, her smile warmer still at the thought. "Let's make it a small outing." They would figure out who else to invite when it got nearer the time. They had a school year to go through, first.
"That would be fun," Jean mused. "You know, we don't have to wait for your birthday. We'll go as soon as it warms up." Which was still months away, but hey... she was still planning on being around in a few months.
"Or we can bribe Clarice with food, and get her to take us somewhere it's still warm," Ororo pointed out with a smile.
"God, that sounds nice," Jean sighed. "It's not even Christmas and I'm so sick of snow. All right, you've talked me into it."
Ororo laughed. "Like you needed to be."
"Well, it's hardly the worst offer I've ever had," Jean admitted. "OK, so I'll ask Scott about it."
"How is it going between you two?" Ororo asked.
Jean considered, then finally settled on, "OK. He's dealing with a lot right now, and I'm helping out where I can. But I don't know how much any of us can do, even Scott."
"He could stop thinking the weight of the world rests on his shoulders," Ororo remarked, without heat. She was speaking from a place of caring, not frustration.
"I honestly don't think he can," Jean sighed. "It's just how he is. It's how he cares about other people."
"You don't believe in self-improvement?" Ororo asked curiously, and with some surprise.
Jean considered. "I do," she said finally. "But some beliefs are so deeply ingrained that they never truly change. The best we can do is push back against them, check ourselves when we remember to. Or when other people remind us. But I think we still have those instincts."
Ororo considered for a moment, then nodded. "That sounds right."
"And I think that's where Scott's always going to be when it comes to protecting other people. We just have to remind him he's not on his own."
Ororo still felt there was a difference between feeling responsible for protecting people and taking on the weight of the world, but perhaps that difference lay in, precisely, accepting other people's help. "And so we will. As many times as it takes."
Ororo took a sip of her blueberry muffin smoothie and smiled, looking perfectly relaxed in the spa café, her too easily recognizable white mohawk temporarily dyed a more natural brown. Treating Jean to a drink after treating her to the spa itself was the logical conclusion to a great afternoon, and to be fair, it had been a treat for both of them. Ororo had never done the spa thing before, but now her skin felt wonderful, and there was a loose relaxation to her muscles that she wished she could experience more often.
Still, Jean had been the reason for this trip, and her smile was all for her friend, down to the twinkle in her blue eyes. "Happy birthday."
Jean toasted Ororo with her sparkling pomegranate juice. "Thanks, Ororo. This has been wonderful. And... honestly, I think I needed to get out for a bit. Just to feel some strangers and their lightweight thoughts for a while."
Ororo smiled in understanding, before letting it grow into a grin. "And the massage didn't hurt?"
Jean considered her choice of words. "The massage was interesting. Physical touch can amplify thoughts sometimes, so it's like... remembering to turn my shields up a notch, then settling in to relax."
"I'm glad you managed," Ororo said warmly. "I mean, you look relaxed."
"I feel relaxed. And it's definitely been a long time for that. I owe you one."
"This was a treat for myself as much as for you," Ororo pointed out. "You don't owe me anything."
"Oh, let me be grateful for our friendship," Jean mock-pouted.
Ororo laughed at the pout, eyes bright. "Be my guest. By all means. I certainly am."
Jean answered her laugh with her own, and sipped her drink. "Good. It's been a high point of my time at the school."
"I'm so glad we got roomed together," Ororo confirmed happily. "But I like to think we'd still be friends, anyway."
"I'm sure we would be," Jean agreed. "But maybe not as close. It's weird the difference just a little distance can make, isn't it? Even if it's nothing more than a room away."
"It's about all the little everyday things," Ororo said, after thinking it over. "And checking in with each other so often." Because they wanted to, because they loved each other. Not all roommates became such good friends.
Jean nodded. "And making an effort," she agreed.
Ororo paused, then nodded. "Yes, I think that's very true."
"Right. And, you know, we also need to think of what we're doing for your birthday."
Ororo grinned at her friend. "Well, we have a while to figure that out. But maybe we could go to the beach somewhere."
Jean laughed. "Yes! This sounds like a plan. Can I bring Scott? I'm afraid he's going to start sprouting toadstools if he doesn't get out more."
"Definitely," Ororo confirmed, her smile warmer still at the thought. "Let's make it a small outing." They would figure out who else to invite when it got nearer the time. They had a school year to go through, first.
"That would be fun," Jean mused. "You know, we don't have to wait for your birthday. We'll go as soon as it warms up." Which was still months away, but hey... she was still planning on being around in a few months.
"Or we can bribe Clarice with food, and get her to take us somewhere it's still warm," Ororo pointed out with a smile.
"God, that sounds nice," Jean sighed. "It's not even Christmas and I'm so sick of snow. All right, you've talked me into it."
Ororo laughed. "Like you needed to be."
"Well, it's hardly the worst offer I've ever had," Jean admitted. "OK, so I'll ask Scott about it."
"How is it going between you two?" Ororo asked.
Jean considered, then finally settled on, "OK. He's dealing with a lot right now, and I'm helping out where I can. But I don't know how much any of us can do, even Scott."
"He could stop thinking the weight of the world rests on his shoulders," Ororo remarked, without heat. She was speaking from a place of caring, not frustration.
"I honestly don't think he can," Jean sighed. "It's just how he is. It's how he cares about other people."
"You don't believe in self-improvement?" Ororo asked curiously, and with some surprise.
Jean considered. "I do," she said finally. "But some beliefs are so deeply ingrained that they never truly change. The best we can do is push back against them, check ourselves when we remember to. Or when other people remind us. But I think we still have those instincts."
Ororo considered for a moment, then nodded. "That sounds right."
"And I think that's where Scott's always going to be when it comes to protecting other people. We just have to remind him he's not on his own."
Ororo still felt there was a difference between feeling responsible for protecting people and taking on the weight of the world, but perhaps that difference lay in, precisely, accepting other people's help. "And so we will. As many times as it takes."
