Trowa, Tessa and Quatre Backdated
Nov. 1st, 2017 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainQuatre ambushes Trowa and Tessa and invites them for coffee. Talk of first meetings and learning how to use a firearm.
Trowa was having a bad day, or rather, a day that had left him sunk into a bad mood. This was unusual in and of itself. In Trowa's world, you didn't have bad days. You had days when bad things might happen, but you couldn't be weak enough to let it distract you. Weak people, distracted people, didn't live long. You dealt with what came, and that was it.
The fact that this this counselor Xavier had assigned to him didn't seem to understand that fact, despite how simple it was, was threatening to undermine his focus. And he absolutely hated it. He didn't need to talk about how he felt about his life, past or present. He was alive, in relatively safe surroundings, and he had a mission before him. What more was there to think of?
He'd stayed until the end of the session, refusing to be run off, but then he'd gone to find Tessa and suggested time at the gun range in town. He didn't want to talk, but company who could understand why that wasn't a bad thing was welcome. Tessa understood, at least, why slipping into something as familiar and focused as target practice was useful in centering oneself when people kept trying to put you off your guard.
It had been a productive outing. Though Tessa did not anticipate any serious erosion of her marksmanship over time (kinesthetic memory was but one more arena in which her enhancements afforded her certain advantages). Trowa had obviously needed the time away. Stoic as he was, she was a sufficiently practiced observer of human behavior to tell that much, even without recourse to psionic intervention. It had been a relatively relaxing interlude for her, as well; there was much to be said for the therapeutic benefits of sharing a comfortable activity in congenial company.
As congenial as either of them could be said to be, at any rate.
The silence stretched on as they made their way back toward the mansion. That, too, was comfortable. Conversation could be enjoyable enough, in the right company, but quiet suited Tessa much better. It was another of several reasons why her acquaintance with Trowa had deepened into genuine friendship, over time.
Quatre would never admit to stalking, which he was not doing, he had just happened to see Trowa earlier today meet up with the girl he frequently hung out with (her name was Tessa he had learned) and saw them leave. Now, there could be a case made against him for being by the gate for almost an hour now as he waited for them to return, but still it wasn't stalking.
Quatre was curious about Trowa's friend, she seemed like him, quiet and serious with that kind of edge that said one shouldn't get in her way. She was also quite beautiful which made Quatre wonder if that was another reason why Trowa liked her so much. He stood up straight from leaning against the gate when he saw two figures make their way closer, raising his hand in a wave and smiling brightly when he saw who they were. "Trowa! Tessa!"
Despite the wasted day so far, Trowa hadn't been able to quite suppress a smile when he'd caught sight of Quatre waiting for them from up the road. His roommate didn't pester him to do things in idiotic ways either.
"You could have texted instead of waiting," Trowa pointed out, half teasing. "What's going on?"
"Oh." Quatre blinked, feeling silly that he completely forgot that phones were used for that exact purpose. "Well, I didn't mind waiting. I was wondering if you and Tessa," He nodded towards the dark-haired girl. "Would like to have coffee with me."
He put on his most charming smile.
Brows rising in mild surprise, Tessa looked first to Trowa, then to Quatre. She knew of the other boy, of course; she kept track of every new arrival to the Institute, in at least a cursory way. And they had exchanged the usual pleasantries, in passing. But there had been neither occasion nor compelling reason to attempt to deepen their vague acquaintance, up until then. The scenario presented a curious deviation.
"Your proposal is acceptable," she said, finally. "So long as my presence will not prove intrusive."
Trowa was no less surprised than Tessa. Quatre was friendly, but he hadn't even involved Trowa in his socializing before. But... he couldn't think of a reason to object. So he only nodded agreement.
"Great!" Quatre replied with a large smile, clasping his gloved hands together in front of him. "Do you mind if it's the school's coffee? I've heard it isn't the best, but it's the closest. Otherwise we could go into town, but you two just came from there, so I'm not sure if you would want to go back out again."
This was good. He was going to be able to meet the girl Trowa had become friends with and hopefully he would become friends with her as well.
"It's fine." Trowa glanced toward the school. "Where are we going?"
"The cafeteria would probably be the most convenient option," Tessa noted with a shrug. "However, I could not vouch for the quality. If we go to the kitchen, instead, I could perhaps prepare us something more palatable." Either option suited her just as well, and neither her tone nor her expression betrayed any bias toward one or the other.
"Then let's go to the kitchen." Quatre decided happily, waiting for them to enter through the gate before following along. "And I'll help if you need it."
He had never made coffee before, but here was a chance to learn.
Once they were in the kitchen and Tessa and Quatre were occupied with the making of coffee, Trowa began rummaging in the absurdly spacious pantry for cookies. The day was weird enough that seeking refuge in sweets was an acceptable indulgence. And he would share, anyway. But only because it was Quatre and Tessa. Everyone else could forage for their own.
Trowa plated the gingersnaps, then settled at the table to watch the operation from a safe distance.
"If you're showing him how to make proper coffee, Tessa, maybe we should have medical staff standing by." Yes, it was a joke.
The joke was almost as surprising as the invitation to coffee; Tessa could count the number of times she'd heard Trowa express humor conveniently on one hand. It seemed the roommates had grown close in a relatively short period. Interesting. "I do not think the outcome will be nearly so dire," she said dryly as she retrieved the coffee grinder from one of the lower cabinet storage areas. "And in any case, you and I are sufficiently familiar with emergency medical techniques to keep someone stable long enough to evacuate them to the medical bay." It was ... anyone's guess whether the cyberpath were joking or not.
There were not many varieties of roasts to choose from, but Tessa selected the darkest and the strongest of those available. It was most suited to her tastes, as well as Trowa's. Given his region of origin, it was likely Quatre would prefer it, as well.
Quatre turned to look at Trowa with surprise when he could have sworn the boy told a joke, then turned to Tessa as she continued with it. He couldn't help the smile on his face as he stood beside Tessa and watched her grind up the beans into a fragrant powder. "I think I can handle making coffee -do you add the ground beans straight to the coffee pot?- but if I can't then please put me out of my misery. Do you two drink it often?"
He watched Tessa avidly, as if she were brewing some kind of potion instead of making coffee.
Trowa nodded. "We tend to prefer it a lot stronger than most of the others. So I'm not sure if you will like it."
After attending to the beans, Tessa filled the carafe with water and began pouring it carefully into the coffee maker's reservoir. With the necessary elements in place, she turned the machine on with the flick of a switch, and turned toward Quatre. "A simple procedure, and not necessarily my preferred method for preparing coffee. But I believe it will be sufficient, for our purposes."
Quatre smiled, nodding at Tessa's words and glanced over at Trowa. "That is alright. If it is too strong, I can always use milk to help it." He moved over to the small plate of cookies Trowa had set out and picked one up to inspect it. "What are these?"
"The box said 'gingersnaps'," Trowa said. "I haven't had them before, but they're good. Lots of spices."
"A suitable accompaniment," she noted, seating herself at the table with hands folded before her as she waited for the carafe to fill. Tessa's head canted slightly to one side, and she eyed Quatre inquisitively. "I admit, this unexpected invitation for refreshment has provoked my curiosity. It is rare for a near-stranger to invite me for casual social interaction, without any greater objective." Dark eyes glanced toward Trowa. "Much less the both of us. Unusual enough to warrant comment, I think."
Quatre took a bite of the ginger snap cookie, surprised that even with ginger in it he still liked the taste. He waited until he had completely swallowed his bite before answering Tessa, not wanting to seem like he was hiding anything he decided to be completely truthful. "I wanted to have a chance to meet you, since Trowa seems to like you a great deal and you two seem to meet up quite frequently." He gave her a smile. "In other words, I'm curious about you, Tessa, and I would like to get to know you better."
Trowa munched a cookie as he contemplated Quatre's answer. He hadn't spoken much of his past with his roommate. The details simply hadn't seemed relevant. But if Quatre wanted to know about his relationship with Tessa, then context was going to be necessary. And that might not be pleasant.
"Are you certain?" The cyberpath regarded Quatre gravely for a moment, then turned her dark eyes toward Trowa. "It would be acceptable for you?" She did not object to satisfying his curiosity, as such. But if Nanashi preferred to keep that aspect of his past from his roommate, she would certainly respect that wish.
Quatre sensed the way the other two seemed a bit more on edge after what he said and when Tessa looked over at Trowa he did as well. "I would like to know, but only if you two feel alright telling me. Please don't feel pressured."
Trowa regarded Quatre steadily. "We know what we are, and it doesn't bother us. I'm more concerned about you being distressed over things you can't change, and to no good effect. But if you want to know, there's not much reason to keep it secret."
Trowa's impassive green gaze flicked back to Tessa. "You'd remember the date we met better than I would. My memories were disjointed once I came out of the river."
"It was the sixth of August," Tessa said, her tone that of one reciting facts. "Mid-afternoon. Budapest. I had been drawn to the cartel because a contact of mine had been taken by their operatives." She gave Trowa a wry look. "I'm still not entirely certain what the origin of your interest was, but I was grateful for the assistance."
"My company had been killed weeks before," Trowa said. His elbows were propped up on the table. "I was just travelling. I had no reason not to help. Especially given that I could have been a target of theirs." He glanced at Quatre to clarify, "She's referring to a local cartel with a habit of kidnapping and selling kids and women into slavery."
"Ah." Quatre replied quietly with a nod, acting as calmly as he could to the news that two of his classmates had met in such awful circumstances. He lowered his hands so that they were hidden by the table as he clenched them tightly together. Quatre turned to Tessa with a concerned look.
"Your...contact, had they been-?" He couldn't even finish the sentence.
She shook her head. "We were able to extract her, along with thirteen others--an assortment of teens, preteens, and young women," Tessa said. "Regrettably, in the course of the operation I lost Trowa in the Danube and presumed him deceased. That misconception was not dispelled until his arrival here."
Quatre's unfinished question seemed strange to Trowa. Did it matter if the girl had been raped, when the people who'd taken her intended, at their most benign, to sell her to others who very much intended to? There was a point at which indifference was monstrous enough that it imparted guilt equal to the act. But he suspected neither of his companions wanted to dwell on that topic.
"You thought I'd been shot," Trowa pointed out." Trowa pointed out. "It was reasonable to assume me dead. And you had a mission to fulfill. Stopping to look for a body in a river at night would have been tactically unsound."
"Certainly. But it, in this case, hindsight demonstrates that it would have been correct to pursue the less-feasible alternative," Tessa said, rising as the carafe finally filled and moving to collect three mugs from the cabinet. "It has necessitated a re-evaluation of my usual risk-assessment calculations."
Between the two of them, Quatre was having a bit of a hard time following what exactly happened that night, except for the fact that Trowa had been shot at and maybe floating along a river. He glanced at his roommate with a worried look when Tessa got up to get their coffee. "You...weren't hit? You were okay?"
He didn't know why that mattered so much, since Trowa was here in the present sitting right next to him about to drink coffee that Tessa made, but the idea that he might not have been made Quatre feel cold.
"Grazed." Trowa traced a line along the right side of his scalp, over one ear. "I don't think it cracked the bone, or if it did, it healed along with the rest of the wound. But it felt like a blow to the head. We were escaping by boat, and I went over the side." He shrugged. "Obviously, I survived. But anyway, that's how Tessa and I met: shared mission goals."
"It is the only certain means--other than telepathy--by which to establish the degree to which another may be reasonably trusted," Tessa added, setting a mug down before each of the other teens before returning to the counter to retrieve her own. "And trust, in my experience, is a commodity without price; I would rate it even above affection, though one does seem to grow from the other, over time."
Quatre watched the two intently, nodding his thanks when his mug was set before him and had to agree with Tessa on the trust subject. Their meeting sounded awful, the idea of kids his age going out on missions like that was unsettling, but at least they had both lived through it and were now here with him.
"You must have been surprised and happy when you saw that he was alive?" He asked Tessa as he blew on his coffee.
The psion took a drink from her own mug, and appeared to consider the question. "I was pleased, certainly," she said. "I knew, based on firsthand experience, that he would be an asset to the school. I suppose you might say there was a degree of surprise, as well, though mostly at the statistical improbability of it. Realistically, I was always aware there was a chance Trowa had survived, and we might encounter each other again one day. But I had considered that outcome too remote to bear long consideration." Tessa glanced toward the similarly-stoic teen.
"As I said, making your escape was smart and tactically sound." Trowa sipped lightly from his steaming mug, careful of taking too much at once. "I considered trying to find you, but it would likely have put us both in more danger from what was left of Orbán and Kuznetsov's organization. So I found a place to hole up a couple of days, then started west again." Trowa glanced over at Quatre. "I was making my way to the Americas when I met Tessa. Not an easy walk, but I had advantages when it came to making my way across borders: fast, quiet, and with a lot of eyes and ears I could borrow. At the end of the year, I got on a boat in Portugal, paid them to take me with some other refugees to Canada. It wasn't an easy trip..." He'd been glad to have his knife then. "...but I got there. Then I walked south for a while, until Xavier started talking in my head. He sent someone to get me after that."
Quatre stared at Trowa in amazement, impressed with his friend's ability to survive through pretty much anything with just his abilities and brain. He looked over at Tessa then, the same feelings cropping up for her as well and he gave a small smile. "It seems I am in the company of two very incredible people. Did Mr. Xavier find you the same way, Tessa?"
He finally took a small sip of his coffee, the strong flavor making him blink a little in surprise, but he didn't dislike it.
"We are all remarkable in some way or another," Tessa noted. "That is, after all, the reason we are gathered here." She then moved on to address his specific question.
"The Professor and I met while he was traveling, somewhat over a year ago," she told him. "It was my first encounter with another psi, and I admit I was more than somewhat enthusiastic during our initial meetings, both on the mundane and the astral planes. When he was preparing to return home, he offered to take me with him. I initially refused; I was used to self-sufficiency, and did not at first see the advantage in involving myself with the larger world. Over time, however, my opinion changed, and I set out on foot--much as Trowa did. When I reached Barcelona, I boarded a freighter which eventually brought me to New York City. Professor Xavier was waiting for me there."
"Amazing." Quatre whispered. "So, you are a telepath as well?"
He surprised himself by not being scared of that, the idea that she might be able to see into his thoughts was not too alarming.
She nodded. "Though not nearly so accomplished, nor as powerful, as the Professor. My telepathy primarily enhances my information-gathering and processing capabilities and mental defenses. It would require great effort and concentration on my part to retrieve a particular thought or memory from another's mind."
"It might be worth practicing all the same," Trowa said, the words slow and considered. "We should set some time aside."
Quatre smiled at Trowa's offer to help Tessa, choosing to stay quiet as he took another sip of his coffee. He was glad Trowa had this relationship, a good friend he could count on was important.
"Perhaps," said Tessa, dark eyes contemplating the surface of her coffee for a moment. "I will admit, the offer is unexpected. Appreciated, certainly, but it is a surprise. Most of the other students have, in one way or another, evidenced discomfort in those aspects of my mutation. I would not ask you to inconvenience yourself excessively on my behalf."
"I wouldn't offer if it was. I don't think you'll be shocked by any of my memories. And maybe you'll find some things new to me while you're in there." Trowa sipped his coffee again, then turned his attention to Quatre.
"Were you feeling left out because of the time I spend with Tessa?"
To say Quatre was surprised by the sudden question directed toward him would have been an understatement, his eyes widened a little and he quickly looked down at his cup.
"I guess in a way." He admitted truthfully, but quickly looked up at the two of them. "I'm sorry, I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to interrupt your time together, I really did want to meet you, Tessa."
"It would be no intrusion," she said, olive-skinned face tilting inquisitively. "Trowa and I do not undertake anything during our time together that would be impaired by additional company. I will leave the question to him."
"I don't mind if Quatre wants to join us," Trowa said, then focused on Quatre again. "I don't know how much interest you'd have in strategic planning or learning to handle firearms, though."
"Planning I can do." Quatre replied, then hesitated. Guns were something he had been warned away from by his father, told that under no circumstance was he ever supposed to go near one, let alone use one. "I have never used a firearm before, but if you are willing to teach me, I would like to try."
"It is a potentially useful skill, for one whose mutation lends no special additional combat prowess," Tessa noted. "I would be pleased to assist with your training, in that regard."
"So would I," Trowa said. "I think it would be a smart move."
Quatre glanced between the two of them and then looked down at his coffee for a moment as he thought one more time about this. The ability to use a gun was a skill he would not need in the office or boardroom, but who knew when it might be useful, and he didn't have to let his father know. Quatre nodded and smiled at both of them. "I would very much appreciate your guidance, where do you usually go to train?"
"There is a facility in Salem Centre that has proven adequate to our current needs," she said. "It is a fair distance from the school, but we enjoy the walk."
"We'll let you know next time we make the trip," said Trowa. The words felt good, and it took him a moment to think on why. It wasn't just that firearms were something he knew. But also, the idea of showing Quatre how to defend himself. It was something he would almost certainly need, given the mutant situation.
Trowa was having a bad day, or rather, a day that had left him sunk into a bad mood. This was unusual in and of itself. In Trowa's world, you didn't have bad days. You had days when bad things might happen, but you couldn't be weak enough to let it distract you. Weak people, distracted people, didn't live long. You dealt with what came, and that was it.
The fact that this this counselor Xavier had assigned to him didn't seem to understand that fact, despite how simple it was, was threatening to undermine his focus. And he absolutely hated it. He didn't need to talk about how he felt about his life, past or present. He was alive, in relatively safe surroundings, and he had a mission before him. What more was there to think of?
He'd stayed until the end of the session, refusing to be run off, but then he'd gone to find Tessa and suggested time at the gun range in town. He didn't want to talk, but company who could understand why that wasn't a bad thing was welcome. Tessa understood, at least, why slipping into something as familiar and focused as target practice was useful in centering oneself when people kept trying to put you off your guard.
It had been a productive outing. Though Tessa did not anticipate any serious erosion of her marksmanship over time (kinesthetic memory was but one more arena in which her enhancements afforded her certain advantages). Trowa had obviously needed the time away. Stoic as he was, she was a sufficiently practiced observer of human behavior to tell that much, even without recourse to psionic intervention. It had been a relatively relaxing interlude for her, as well; there was much to be said for the therapeutic benefits of sharing a comfortable activity in congenial company.
As congenial as either of them could be said to be, at any rate.
The silence stretched on as they made their way back toward the mansion. That, too, was comfortable. Conversation could be enjoyable enough, in the right company, but quiet suited Tessa much better. It was another of several reasons why her acquaintance with Trowa had deepened into genuine friendship, over time.
Quatre would never admit to stalking, which he was not doing, he had just happened to see Trowa earlier today meet up with the girl he frequently hung out with (her name was Tessa he had learned) and saw them leave. Now, there could be a case made against him for being by the gate for almost an hour now as he waited for them to return, but still it wasn't stalking.
Quatre was curious about Trowa's friend, she seemed like him, quiet and serious with that kind of edge that said one shouldn't get in her way. She was also quite beautiful which made Quatre wonder if that was another reason why Trowa liked her so much. He stood up straight from leaning against the gate when he saw two figures make their way closer, raising his hand in a wave and smiling brightly when he saw who they were. "Trowa! Tessa!"
Despite the wasted day so far, Trowa hadn't been able to quite suppress a smile when he'd caught sight of Quatre waiting for them from up the road. His roommate didn't pester him to do things in idiotic ways either.
"You could have texted instead of waiting," Trowa pointed out, half teasing. "What's going on?"
"Oh." Quatre blinked, feeling silly that he completely forgot that phones were used for that exact purpose. "Well, I didn't mind waiting. I was wondering if you and Tessa," He nodded towards the dark-haired girl. "Would like to have coffee with me."
He put on his most charming smile.
Brows rising in mild surprise, Tessa looked first to Trowa, then to Quatre. She knew of the other boy, of course; she kept track of every new arrival to the Institute, in at least a cursory way. And they had exchanged the usual pleasantries, in passing. But there had been neither occasion nor compelling reason to attempt to deepen their vague acquaintance, up until then. The scenario presented a curious deviation.
"Your proposal is acceptable," she said, finally. "So long as my presence will not prove intrusive."
Trowa was no less surprised than Tessa. Quatre was friendly, but he hadn't even involved Trowa in his socializing before. But... he couldn't think of a reason to object. So he only nodded agreement.
"Great!" Quatre replied with a large smile, clasping his gloved hands together in front of him. "Do you mind if it's the school's coffee? I've heard it isn't the best, but it's the closest. Otherwise we could go into town, but you two just came from there, so I'm not sure if you would want to go back out again."
This was good. He was going to be able to meet the girl Trowa had become friends with and hopefully he would become friends with her as well.
"It's fine." Trowa glanced toward the school. "Where are we going?"
"The cafeteria would probably be the most convenient option," Tessa noted with a shrug. "However, I could not vouch for the quality. If we go to the kitchen, instead, I could perhaps prepare us something more palatable." Either option suited her just as well, and neither her tone nor her expression betrayed any bias toward one or the other.
"Then let's go to the kitchen." Quatre decided happily, waiting for them to enter through the gate before following along. "And I'll help if you need it."
He had never made coffee before, but here was a chance to learn.
Once they were in the kitchen and Tessa and Quatre were occupied with the making of coffee, Trowa began rummaging in the absurdly spacious pantry for cookies. The day was weird enough that seeking refuge in sweets was an acceptable indulgence. And he would share, anyway. But only because it was Quatre and Tessa. Everyone else could forage for their own.
Trowa plated the gingersnaps, then settled at the table to watch the operation from a safe distance.
"If you're showing him how to make proper coffee, Tessa, maybe we should have medical staff standing by." Yes, it was a joke.
The joke was almost as surprising as the invitation to coffee; Tessa could count the number of times she'd heard Trowa express humor conveniently on one hand. It seemed the roommates had grown close in a relatively short period. Interesting. "I do not think the outcome will be nearly so dire," she said dryly as she retrieved the coffee grinder from one of the lower cabinet storage areas. "And in any case, you and I are sufficiently familiar with emergency medical techniques to keep someone stable long enough to evacuate them to the medical bay." It was ... anyone's guess whether the cyberpath were joking or not.
There were not many varieties of roasts to choose from, but Tessa selected the darkest and the strongest of those available. It was most suited to her tastes, as well as Trowa's. Given his region of origin, it was likely Quatre would prefer it, as well.
Quatre turned to look at Trowa with surprise when he could have sworn the boy told a joke, then turned to Tessa as she continued with it. He couldn't help the smile on his face as he stood beside Tessa and watched her grind up the beans into a fragrant powder. "I think I can handle making coffee -do you add the ground beans straight to the coffee pot?- but if I can't then please put me out of my misery. Do you two drink it often?"
He watched Tessa avidly, as if she were brewing some kind of potion instead of making coffee.
Trowa nodded. "We tend to prefer it a lot stronger than most of the others. So I'm not sure if you will like it."
After attending to the beans, Tessa filled the carafe with water and began pouring it carefully into the coffee maker's reservoir. With the necessary elements in place, she turned the machine on with the flick of a switch, and turned toward Quatre. "A simple procedure, and not necessarily my preferred method for preparing coffee. But I believe it will be sufficient, for our purposes."
Quatre smiled, nodding at Tessa's words and glanced over at Trowa. "That is alright. If it is too strong, I can always use milk to help it." He moved over to the small plate of cookies Trowa had set out and picked one up to inspect it. "What are these?"
"The box said 'gingersnaps'," Trowa said. "I haven't had them before, but they're good. Lots of spices."
"A suitable accompaniment," she noted, seating herself at the table with hands folded before her as she waited for the carafe to fill. Tessa's head canted slightly to one side, and she eyed Quatre inquisitively. "I admit, this unexpected invitation for refreshment has provoked my curiosity. It is rare for a near-stranger to invite me for casual social interaction, without any greater objective." Dark eyes glanced toward Trowa. "Much less the both of us. Unusual enough to warrant comment, I think."
Quatre took a bite of the ginger snap cookie, surprised that even with ginger in it he still liked the taste. He waited until he had completely swallowed his bite before answering Tessa, not wanting to seem like he was hiding anything he decided to be completely truthful. "I wanted to have a chance to meet you, since Trowa seems to like you a great deal and you two seem to meet up quite frequently." He gave her a smile. "In other words, I'm curious about you, Tessa, and I would like to get to know you better."
Trowa munched a cookie as he contemplated Quatre's answer. He hadn't spoken much of his past with his roommate. The details simply hadn't seemed relevant. But if Quatre wanted to know about his relationship with Tessa, then context was going to be necessary. And that might not be pleasant.
"Are you certain?" The cyberpath regarded Quatre gravely for a moment, then turned her dark eyes toward Trowa. "It would be acceptable for you?" She did not object to satisfying his curiosity, as such. But if Nanashi preferred to keep that aspect of his past from his roommate, she would certainly respect that wish.
Quatre sensed the way the other two seemed a bit more on edge after what he said and when Tessa looked over at Trowa he did as well. "I would like to know, but only if you two feel alright telling me. Please don't feel pressured."
Trowa regarded Quatre steadily. "We know what we are, and it doesn't bother us. I'm more concerned about you being distressed over things you can't change, and to no good effect. But if you want to know, there's not much reason to keep it secret."
Trowa's impassive green gaze flicked back to Tessa. "You'd remember the date we met better than I would. My memories were disjointed once I came out of the river."
"It was the sixth of August," Tessa said, her tone that of one reciting facts. "Mid-afternoon. Budapest. I had been drawn to the cartel because a contact of mine had been taken by their operatives." She gave Trowa a wry look. "I'm still not entirely certain what the origin of your interest was, but I was grateful for the assistance."
"My company had been killed weeks before," Trowa said. His elbows were propped up on the table. "I was just travelling. I had no reason not to help. Especially given that I could have been a target of theirs." He glanced at Quatre to clarify, "She's referring to a local cartel with a habit of kidnapping and selling kids and women into slavery."
"Ah." Quatre replied quietly with a nod, acting as calmly as he could to the news that two of his classmates had met in such awful circumstances. He lowered his hands so that they were hidden by the table as he clenched them tightly together. Quatre turned to Tessa with a concerned look.
"Your...contact, had they been-?" He couldn't even finish the sentence.
She shook her head. "We were able to extract her, along with thirteen others--an assortment of teens, preteens, and young women," Tessa said. "Regrettably, in the course of the operation I lost Trowa in the Danube and presumed him deceased. That misconception was not dispelled until his arrival here."
Quatre's unfinished question seemed strange to Trowa. Did it matter if the girl had been raped, when the people who'd taken her intended, at their most benign, to sell her to others who very much intended to? There was a point at which indifference was monstrous enough that it imparted guilt equal to the act. But he suspected neither of his companions wanted to dwell on that topic.
"You thought I'd been shot," Trowa pointed out." Trowa pointed out. "It was reasonable to assume me dead. And you had a mission to fulfill. Stopping to look for a body in a river at night would have been tactically unsound."
"Certainly. But it, in this case, hindsight demonstrates that it would have been correct to pursue the less-feasible alternative," Tessa said, rising as the carafe finally filled and moving to collect three mugs from the cabinet. "It has necessitated a re-evaluation of my usual risk-assessment calculations."
Between the two of them, Quatre was having a bit of a hard time following what exactly happened that night, except for the fact that Trowa had been shot at and maybe floating along a river. He glanced at his roommate with a worried look when Tessa got up to get their coffee. "You...weren't hit? You were okay?"
He didn't know why that mattered so much, since Trowa was here in the present sitting right next to him about to drink coffee that Tessa made, but the idea that he might not have been made Quatre feel cold.
"Grazed." Trowa traced a line along the right side of his scalp, over one ear. "I don't think it cracked the bone, or if it did, it healed along with the rest of the wound. But it felt like a blow to the head. We were escaping by boat, and I went over the side." He shrugged. "Obviously, I survived. But anyway, that's how Tessa and I met: shared mission goals."
"It is the only certain means--other than telepathy--by which to establish the degree to which another may be reasonably trusted," Tessa added, setting a mug down before each of the other teens before returning to the counter to retrieve her own. "And trust, in my experience, is a commodity without price; I would rate it even above affection, though one does seem to grow from the other, over time."
Quatre watched the two intently, nodding his thanks when his mug was set before him and had to agree with Tessa on the trust subject. Their meeting sounded awful, the idea of kids his age going out on missions like that was unsettling, but at least they had both lived through it and were now here with him.
"You must have been surprised and happy when you saw that he was alive?" He asked Tessa as he blew on his coffee.
The psion took a drink from her own mug, and appeared to consider the question. "I was pleased, certainly," she said. "I knew, based on firsthand experience, that he would be an asset to the school. I suppose you might say there was a degree of surprise, as well, though mostly at the statistical improbability of it. Realistically, I was always aware there was a chance Trowa had survived, and we might encounter each other again one day. But I had considered that outcome too remote to bear long consideration." Tessa glanced toward the similarly-stoic teen.
"As I said, making your escape was smart and tactically sound." Trowa sipped lightly from his steaming mug, careful of taking too much at once. "I considered trying to find you, but it would likely have put us both in more danger from what was left of Orbán and Kuznetsov's organization. So I found a place to hole up a couple of days, then started west again." Trowa glanced over at Quatre. "I was making my way to the Americas when I met Tessa. Not an easy walk, but I had advantages when it came to making my way across borders: fast, quiet, and with a lot of eyes and ears I could borrow. At the end of the year, I got on a boat in Portugal, paid them to take me with some other refugees to Canada. It wasn't an easy trip..." He'd been glad to have his knife then. "...but I got there. Then I walked south for a while, until Xavier started talking in my head. He sent someone to get me after that."
Quatre stared at Trowa in amazement, impressed with his friend's ability to survive through pretty much anything with just his abilities and brain. He looked over at Tessa then, the same feelings cropping up for her as well and he gave a small smile. "It seems I am in the company of two very incredible people. Did Mr. Xavier find you the same way, Tessa?"
He finally took a small sip of his coffee, the strong flavor making him blink a little in surprise, but he didn't dislike it.
"We are all remarkable in some way or another," Tessa noted. "That is, after all, the reason we are gathered here." She then moved on to address his specific question.
"The Professor and I met while he was traveling, somewhat over a year ago," she told him. "It was my first encounter with another psi, and I admit I was more than somewhat enthusiastic during our initial meetings, both on the mundane and the astral planes. When he was preparing to return home, he offered to take me with him. I initially refused; I was used to self-sufficiency, and did not at first see the advantage in involving myself with the larger world. Over time, however, my opinion changed, and I set out on foot--much as Trowa did. When I reached Barcelona, I boarded a freighter which eventually brought me to New York City. Professor Xavier was waiting for me there."
"Amazing." Quatre whispered. "So, you are a telepath as well?"
He surprised himself by not being scared of that, the idea that she might be able to see into his thoughts was not too alarming.
She nodded. "Though not nearly so accomplished, nor as powerful, as the Professor. My telepathy primarily enhances my information-gathering and processing capabilities and mental defenses. It would require great effort and concentration on my part to retrieve a particular thought or memory from another's mind."
"It might be worth practicing all the same," Trowa said, the words slow and considered. "We should set some time aside."
Quatre smiled at Trowa's offer to help Tessa, choosing to stay quiet as he took another sip of his coffee. He was glad Trowa had this relationship, a good friend he could count on was important.
"Perhaps," said Tessa, dark eyes contemplating the surface of her coffee for a moment. "I will admit, the offer is unexpected. Appreciated, certainly, but it is a surprise. Most of the other students have, in one way or another, evidenced discomfort in those aspects of my mutation. I would not ask you to inconvenience yourself excessively on my behalf."
"I wouldn't offer if it was. I don't think you'll be shocked by any of my memories. And maybe you'll find some things new to me while you're in there." Trowa sipped his coffee again, then turned his attention to Quatre.
"Were you feeling left out because of the time I spend with Tessa?"
To say Quatre was surprised by the sudden question directed toward him would have been an understatement, his eyes widened a little and he quickly looked down at his cup.
"I guess in a way." He admitted truthfully, but quickly looked up at the two of them. "I'm sorry, I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to interrupt your time together, I really did want to meet you, Tessa."
"It would be no intrusion," she said, olive-skinned face tilting inquisitively. "Trowa and I do not undertake anything during our time together that would be impaired by additional company. I will leave the question to him."
"I don't mind if Quatre wants to join us," Trowa said, then focused on Quatre again. "I don't know how much interest you'd have in strategic planning or learning to handle firearms, though."
"Planning I can do." Quatre replied, then hesitated. Guns were something he had been warned away from by his father, told that under no circumstance was he ever supposed to go near one, let alone use one. "I have never used a firearm before, but if you are willing to teach me, I would like to try."
"It is a potentially useful skill, for one whose mutation lends no special additional combat prowess," Tessa noted. "I would be pleased to assist with your training, in that regard."
"So would I," Trowa said. "I think it would be a smart move."
Quatre glanced between the two of them and then looked down at his coffee for a moment as he thought one more time about this. The ability to use a gun was a skill he would not need in the office or boardroom, but who knew when it might be useful, and he didn't have to let his father know. Quatre nodded and smiled at both of them. "I would very much appreciate your guidance, where do you usually go to train?"
"There is a facility in Salem Centre that has proven adequate to our current needs," she said. "It is a fair distance from the school, but we enjoy the walk."
"We'll let you know next time we make the trip," said Trowa. The words felt good, and it took him a moment to think on why. It wasn't just that firearms were something he knew. But also, the idea of showing Quatre how to defend himself. It was something he would almost certainly need, given the mutant situation.
