Summary:A gathering of friends by the lake at the Institute. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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It's a cool afternoon, that edge between summer and fall. Rogue has convinced Remy to fire up the grill and have some good eats and enjoy the sun out on the deck (It wasn't hard). The belle handed him the dogs, burgers, and some chicken breasts and corn on the cob. She'd invited a handful of people by text, before she'd settled in to making potato salad, some devilled eggs, and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.
Her brain is still pondering what else they need, even as she's setting up extra chairs out on the deck, just in case. Her hair is back in a french braid, little silver hoops laddering up her ears. She will pause to kiss the cook, Remy's cheek brushed by her lips. "Potato salad, devilled eggs, sliced 'maters and cucumbers. What else should I do? I mean we have chips and salsa and dip. Do we need anything else?"
Remy knows his way around a grill pretty well. He was raised mostly on an open grill dinner diet back home. There was always a good meal at least partially touched by some good grilling.
The Cajun is wearing a maroon colored v-neck teeshirt and a pair of distressed blue jeans over a set of leather boots. He's even donned a black apron to wrap around his torso and keep his clothing nice and clean from any food splatterins from the grill. So the scents of tastey foods are wafting about the lakeside house and Remy is happily humming to some classic rock played on a small phone dock set of speakers that pump out a nice sound.
"What else ya need t'do, Boo?" Remy asks, glancing over at her after the cheek kiss. She gets a sly grin from him. "Ya need t'chill and relax. You done it all already. Now your job is just… mellow'n'enjoy life, yah?"
"Well of course you forgot one Bouncing Beast, and dessert. Fortunately, being a SUPER-genius, I can provide both." Hank says as he approaches. "I hope fresh baked chocolate eclairs will do? I didn't have the time to make a proper Tres Leches cake, sadly." Hank is carrying … well — twirling — a covered tray as he approaches. Thankfully he's in a plain white shirt today instead of that /awful/ Hawaiian shirt from the night before.
Oh, that tray? Twirling on one clawtip!
In his free hand he's carrying a cooler, apparently someone also brought some drinks. "Oh my stars and garters, that smells /good/ Remy LeBeau." A wink to Rogue. "The food too." He teases with a toothy grin.
A deep woosh of air announces Warren's aerial arrival. He shakes his head, and runs his fingers through his haair, trying to push it back into some semblance of order after flying. He smiles, and agrees with Hank, "he's right, it does smell good. Don't know what your cooking, but I could definitely use some."
Rogue rests her head a moment against the edge of Remy's shoulder. "Mellow, me?" She smiles up at the Cajun, stealing another kiss. She's learned to relax a lot more since she started dating him. But she's still blushing, tugging on the hem of her rose hued t-shirt paired with jeans. Her feet are bare on the deck, toenails a soft purple color, wriggling against the wood as she looks at Hank.
"Hey, Hank. I mean, I had lemon pound cake, but I bought that. I was thinking what else I needed to make for the main course first." She grins as Hank is teasing Remy, reaching for the tray to help him unload.
She manages not to tense, green eyes shifting before she brightens again. "Warren. So glad you could come. I'm going to take this stuff inside, there's plates on the table there, start helping yourself to the stuff that's out, and pester Remy for when everything else will be done."
Remy spares a moment to raise a hand up to run it along the back of Rogue's head, to affectionately ruffle her hair a bit with a grazing and passing stroke. Its then that he looks over to Hank and he lets his expression lighten up into a bit more of a friendly amusement. "Awww, and here I was hopin' for Hetty." Gambit says to the Beastly one, teasing him of course. "We only ask folks bring themselves, that all. But… a little extra sugahry goodness is also welcomed."
As Remy turns then to pick up his bottled water beside the grill he notes Warren's arrival. "Oh, hey there, Angelic One. Good t'see ya! Ya been up'ta much fun?" The Cajun then asks before turning back to his cooking!
Hank hands over the tray, dropping from claw to splay-fingered grip, and bowing as he offers it. This is fortunate, it allows him to carefully hug Rogue with that freed arm, and grin. "Lovely as ever, dear friend." A chuckle, a deep deep rumbling. "Ah, well, that can be for later, after we eat and drink and need more sweets after the initial torpor." Releasing the girl he finds a spot for the cooler, popping the lid and beering anyone that wants one.
A huge smile. "Warren, good to see you!" In fact that worthy mister Worthington the Third gets the very first one! Sam Adams, Hank likes Sam Adams apparently.
"Alas, Remy…" Hank says without missing a beat. "…she is gone, but not forgotten. If truly you pine perhaps someday I'll dig out that serum again, mm?"
Warren takes the brown bottle from Hank and goes in search of a bottle opener. He looks over at Rogue and Gambit's little interplay and rolls his eyes a bit, though still smiling, and then answers REmy, "Anything fun? Not so much at the moment. Just business, the usual day-to-day." Finding the important little device he needed, he pops open his beer and takes a swig.
Rogue will hug Hank back with a little joyful sound, she will slip back into the kitchen with the platter of dessert. She will come back out with more silverware and napkins, the anxious hostess. The socializing while showing skin is still a little new to her.
"Well, no business today. It's a nice day out, and the seasons are not yet changed over, and I want to enjoy some good food with friends and pretend summer will last a little longer."
Hank's response to him makes Remy show a big grin. "A lass, she certainly was." He jokingly responds before glancing over. "You, Hanky, be a mad scientist the likes even a Doc Brown would have trouble competin' with and dat…" He points his spatula at Hank. "Dat is no small feat, lemme say ya." And then he returns to his grillin' and glancing over to Warren.
"All work an' no play, gonna make a Warren's wings molt." The Big Easy native states with a grin shot over after a glance toward Angel. Remy then motions to the food. "Ever'body dig'in. Food is ready t'be enjoyed and make sure t'thank the Belle. She put all this together for us. Sure weren't me. I probably would just be parked on da sofa playin' some Fortnite or somethin' today."
Remy takes the chicken off the grill after he's got it cooked up and moves to sit it onto the table with the rest of the stuff he'd grilled to a nice tasty level.
Hank laughs at the squeak from Rogue, and resolved to make her squeak again in the near future. For the first time in his life Hank /truly/ understands the appeal of a squeak toy! "NO business." Hank agrees. "Just good food, good friends, beer and hopefully good times, though not the old sitcom, because I'd probably have to be rerun, and I hate doing backspins."
He laughs at Remy's sally. "Oh yes, Doc Brown, will you be my Marty? I'm sure I could whip up some sort of flux-capacitor…" He gets a very /mad scientist thinking/ look, then winks and grins. "Or not. Time travel never seems to end well."
Warren shakes his head at Remy's comment, bemused but not really arguing the point either. he really hasn't done much lately and it bothers him. Then he laughs at Hank's comment, then nods his agreement. Time travelers give me a hadache. The more you think about it, the worse teh headache gets." he shakes his head and taakes another swig of his beer before going over to the food, taking a chip, and dipping it in the salsa.
After the chip heeeyes the stuff that Remy has grilled.
Rogue blushes at Remy's statement. "Hey, you agreed. And you did all the grillin'." She only did other stuff. It's a team effort! She makes sure everyone has access to plates, before she will open her beer and take a long swallow. " All right. Don't be shy and dig in." She will snag an ear of grilled corn, and some chicken breast, and some sliced cucumbers before she picks up plastic flatware and sinks into a chair. "I'm starvin'."
Remy looks back over to Rogue and just grins at her response. "Hey, grillin' and eatin' good food with friends is a lot better than havin' some angry twelve year olds cursin' me out on the internet. That is just downright disturbin'. But… its pretty fun shootin'em too. This better though… this, much, better."
Once he has everything in order, Remy makes himself a plate and he grins toward Hank. "If you gonna make me a time machine, then please don't put it in a Delorian, yah? I drove one'a those once, while gettin' chased by a couple'a gangsters boys headin' cross state lines inta Missouri… Dat t'ing, was a death trap! Last t'ing I need a Time Machine bein' by default? Is a death machine."
He cracks open a can of beer and sits down on the edge of a lounge chair as he looks out over the lake from the side of the dock that wraps around the base of the big fancy boathouse. Out on the water are some of the school kids, on individual row-boats and Gambit raises his drink up to salute them as they row row row on by. "Don't rock da boat!" He shouts at the kids as well.
Hank is definitely enjoying his food and even more, the company. "No Delorean, got it. 67' Charger okay?" Oh man, nice choice there. He's just about to get another beer when he gets a beep from his phone. "Mmmph." Hank sighs and digs it out, reads what he got pinged about, and then just stands up. "Excuse me, dear friends. I have a thing I need to deal with in my lab. Not an emergency, but one of my new serum batches lost cooling, and…" A rueful grin. "…well, I -need- to deal with it." He won't go into more exacting details. He DOES hug everyone present, however, unless they protest of course. And after that the man does indeed bounce, leaping off and then running at his ground eating best, all four limbs used.
Warren is left a little ruffled by Hank's departing hug, and frowns to see him go, but life is like that some times. The hug disruptted the Angel's attempt to get sustenance (i.e. loading up his plate), and so he goes back to that after a moment, then moves away from the food and takes a bite of the piece of chicken he took.
Rogue smiles at Hank's hug, a touch of wave. "Come back if you want later! I'll save you a plate!" The belle promises, before she will sit back down to settle down to her plate. "So Warren, has it been all work and no play? Really?" She will tease.
Shame that Hank is leaving when Scott is arriving. He rather likes the ultra-smart furball. But, he's dressed in a longsleeve shirt, sleeves rolled up, with blue jeans, some nice shoes, and of course…his Ruby Quartz sunglasses. Judging by how he is sniffing, he was attracted by the smell.
"Good afternoon everybody. Mind another?" Scott asks politely, even if he usually just picks a spot. Perhaps he's learned to be a bit more informal when not on missions.
Hank gets a wave from Remy as well. "Make sure t'come back if ya get through all that sciency stuff, and I'll ask ya t'shout how many gigawats ya need t'make a time machine do its thing." The Cajun says with a slight grin before he looks to Warren. "What kinda work d'ya do, anyhow, Miste'a Warren? I admittedly don't think I've ever been told. I just know that you're supposedly pretty well off, so it must be some pretty serious stuff."
When Scott arrives, Remy's eyes look up to him and he grins widely. "Eeeey, its that guy!" Gambit rises up to his feet and sets his food aside to go get a drink for Scott. He brings him three cans of beers and sets them all down in front of the team's leader. "Look it, I got you choices. Whichever ya like most… but I suggest ya drink all three, Scotty-doo. Lotsa good food here, Rogue made it all." He motions to the Belle, giving her full credit for this cook out today.
Warren chuckles at the question Remy poses, "Truthfully? I don't do much. I work for my father, learning the ins and outs of a business whose main purpose is managing and investing its own funds. My family has a lot, it's true, and I'm epected to take it all over someday, hopefully not so soon. He shrugs, and gestures at his wings, 'I think my father is torn about how much responsiblity to give he and I think theses are a big part of the reason." His tone is flat. it's not a comfortable admission, but its one he knows that the current company will understand.
Rogue beams, a wave to Scott. "Well hello, fellow X-insomniac." She teases, as Remy goes to get him drinks. "That's a lie. Remy grilled. I just talked him into it and did the kitchen stuff. I hope you brought your appetite." She's got her own full plate, and she doesn't want to seem too forward, to start making Scott a plate.
She will pause with a sliced cucumber on her fork, looking at Warren. "Your father is a fool."
Scott looks directly at Remy as he lays out three cans before the Oldest of the Summers brothers. Chuckling a bit, Scott ponders. "You want me to drink them all, huh? How about you start with which ones your favorite? I don't intend to get drunk. Though, should I ask what you did Remy, that you decided to grill?" He seems intent on teasing Gambit for a minute, before he looks over at Rogue.
"Trust me, I brought my appetite. I smelled the food and I just had to come and eat my fill. Plus I missed breakfast because I was training." Yes, even if he doesn't really have to, Scott still trains his optic blasts accuracy so he's always in tip top shape with it.
As for Warren…
Scott is about to say something before Rogue calls him a fool. "Whether that is true or not.." he looks at Warren. "If he's torn, it might be smart to talk with him, Warren. I've known more than a few situations where a father's foolishness, or lack thereof, was perhaps reversed by the son."
Remy just grins at Scott's reaction to the beers and he just shakes his head at it. "Three beers ain't gonna get ya drunk, Scotty. It just gonna help ya smile a bit more when eatin' good food, surrounded by good company." He didn't actually expect Scott to touch even one of them, but it was fun to try anyway. Teasing is one of his favorite things to do after all.
As he turns back to his own lounge chair and food he settles back onto it now and rests his plate on his lap again. "Did nothin'. Rogue asked, I did. Dats how my life is now. Whatever the lady wants, the lady gets." Sipsipsipsipsipsip sounds as he tips his own can of brew back for a state. He then points to the boat house. "I'm retired from my ol' life, ya know, Scott. People don't seem t'believe me when I say it though…"
His eyes then drift over to Warren. "So dat's da life they setup for ya t'take over someday? I t'ink I know a bit about similar responsibilities. My advice, Angelic One? Do what you wanna do, not what nobody else wants ya to."
Warren takes a long pull of his beer and laughs at Rogue's statement about his father. "That he is." Scottt's advice gets a more considered response. Or at least a more delayed one. "I don't know how much good talking to him will do. He's conviced that if my secret gets out it'll ruin the family." He shakes his head at that, then shrugs. Remy's words are also given some thought. "Easier said then done, but you may just have the right of it."
"Doesn't he realize that just by having those, learning to deal with them, control them, the pain and .. That means you're stronger than any of the sons most men in his position have?" Rogue is a little outraged on Warren's behalf. "Show him. Show him you're ready." Of course, this may be coming from the Rogue who has been facing her own difficult issues.
She will eat that cucumber slice with a little ferocity, green eyes bright. She will wash it down with her own drink. "Everyone got enough to drink? Need anything?"
"Considering how many people who arn't mutants, or just 'enhanced' are currently Monarchs or leading their own companies, I doubt thats the case, unless your father deals with strictly Friends of Humanity-esque views." Scott says with a straight face to Warren, before he looks over at Rogue. "Calm down, Rogue. Warren will handle it as he feels necessary. If he wants help, he'll ask, and we'll see what we can do as a team."
Rule of the X-Men: We are family.
Scott then looks at Remy as he doesn't say which one's his favorite. "Nah, no drink for me. I'll let you get tipsy in my place. Sound good?" As for Remy's innocence. "I trust you, Remy. If you say its behind you and mean it, I'll believe you."
Remy just grins at Scott and nods his head slowly two times. "Well thats nice t'hear. So yeah, if'n you need any reliable Gambit skills? You know where t'find me, right here, enjoin this fine lake house and its serenity providing goodness." Nope, he's not tipsy yet, he's just being his jovial carefree self!
His eyes drift back over to Warren. "You too, Warren. If you need anything, jus' reach out and lemme know. I'm tryin' t'amke sure everyone here is on the right page with regard to knowin' that I'm here, and well… Okay I'll admit it, I'm startin' t'get bored. Retirement is an unexpected level'a down time. I need a hobby that doesn't involve video games and cat videos on youtube."
Remy grins at Rogue lightly then. "Or pesterin' the pretty Belle over there. She bound t'get sick'a me eventually, I fear, if I don't get more t'do on my own plate."
Warren raises a general salute with his beer bottle, "I appreciate the advice, I really do. I need to spend more time here, with friends… or just come out about the wings already, I guess." He shakes his head and gives a small smile. Friends, good food, decent beer. it's a good day, even if the conversation got a little heavy for a bit.
Rogue will give Scott a level look when he's telling her to calm down. Clearly the man does not know you do not tell a stirred up belle to calm down. Works about as well as trying to tell that to a wet cat. There's just the faintest lift of a brow, a hint of challenge to her expression.
But lucky for Scott, she's distracted by Remy, a glance his way when he's joking she may get sick of him. "Not likely, sugar." she will say softly, just for him to try and avoid grossing out their guests. The look on her face the other hand, declares loudly that the belle is in love with the cajun. "I'm gonna go check on dessert."
She won't bring up anything heavy, and will do her best to keep the conversation light - over good food, and even better dessert, as the sun lowers over the horizon, casting beautiful shades of color over the lake. Eventually they'll all be packed off with a plate, and Scott issued one with orders to make sure Hank gets it and eats something, and the belle will be quietly content with the first joint social hosting for her and Remy.