Summary:Reed and Susan check up on Kori shortly after her argument with Kamala, and struggle to explain Earth boundries. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
   |
Koriand'r is lying on the couch in the living room, face down. She's dressed in a nearly black outfit wide open down the chest with lighting-shaped silver trim and matching thigh-high boots, both outfits made of the weird not-quite-latex her insect pet extrudes like a more conventional bug would emit silk. Her glow is comparatively dim, her normally flaming hair down to a cigarette ember, and her ankles are crossed with her knees are bent so her heels nearly touch her butt; it might be a pose, but, judging by the way one arm dangles limply and dejectedly off the couch onto the floor, it's more to do with her legs just being too long to comfortably mope lengthwise across a couch. The Richards might know what or might not, depending on whether they watch the security tapes.
Reed has been meaning ot check in on the Young Avengers more often. They're young heroes starting out after all, and he knows how rough that can be. Plus they might have some unique problems associated with their abilities he could help with, depending on what those might be. He's currently wearing his typical Fantastic Four uniform. It's more comfortable than most clothes, and it's easy enough to clean. So he tends to wear it most of the time when not going out in public to a place where more civillian clothes are needed. The elevator dings and opens, and the gray-templed scientist steps into the Young Avengers headquarters and looks around. Moving into the living area, he spots Koriand'r on the couch and notes her uncharacteristically dejected appearance. "Hello, Kori. Did we come at a bad time?" He says this carefully, noting the sbdued glow of the alien girl.
Susan follows closely behind Reed, briefly looking aghast and then puffing out her cheeks at Reed's manners before she turns and gently wraps her knuckles on the wall beside the door in a belated attempt at courtesy. Her social duty done, she smiles, striding a bit faster than normal to catch up to Reed - her body similarly clad in the blue costume unique to her family - saying "Heeeyy, anyone home? We just came to check if you- oooo…" she cringes with concern as she spots Koriandr's subdued state, nodding her head once when Reed speaks and adding, "Is everything all right, hon?"
Koriand'r groans into a pillow by way of answer; the muffled effect makes the elongated noise strangely elephantine. Once she's done with her dispirited trumpet, she pushes up from the couch to raise her head like she's trying to imitate a yoga pose, and looks over at the Richards. Their presence brings a little smile to her heart and some more lumens to her hair. "Hello, friends. I am improved now that you are here, merely vexed." Then, without warning that either her mood or the subject are about to change, she groans, "Whyyyyy is your planet like thiiiiiis?" and flops nose-first back onto the couch again.
It's the first itme that Reed has ever seen Koriand'r not… well. Perky is probably the best word to describe it. She's always so bouncy and energetic. He glances at Susan with a small frown, then makes his way closer to where the Tamaranean is sprawled out and takes a seat nearby. Not ON the couch, since she's already draped over the whole thing. "It's nice to see you again as well, Kori. I'm sorry we haven't visited recently." The question that comes after makes him blink a few times. Then he starts to speak out of habit, "Well, roughly four and a half billion years ago after the sun formed, gravity gathered together gas and dust and…."
Susan swiftly jabs Reed in the ribs with her elbow, having taken a seat besides him.
Smiling sympathetically, and not acknowledging this exchange, she asks, "What do you mean, Kori?"
Koriand'r pushes herself up again at Susan's question, having blankly failed to absorb Reed's joke(?), and looks at the slightly younger Richards for a moment before floating up off the couch, more or less vertically albeit at quite an angle to leave herself more or less eye level with Susan, whom she approaches. Her feverishly hot palm cups Susan's cheek for just a moment before she leans in to kiss the blonde softly and sweetly and briefly before dropping her hand and floating backward.
"Since I have done this, do you now think I wish to make the intercourse with you?" she asks Sue, apparently by way of answering the question, her tone grumpy despite her best attempt to hide it as not to influence the answer.
Reed follows the floating movements of the orange superheroine as she moves over to his wife, a brow arching slightly when she cups the blondes cheeks and kisses her. He clears his throat a little, flsuhing slightly. He knows that the Tamaraneans are a more…physically affectionate race than humans are in a lot of ways. It was still something to see, however. "Customs can vary greatly from place to place."
Susan quirks her head slightly as Kori approaches her. "What are y-YYYMMMMPPP!" Susan goes ramrod straight and stiff, her face frozen in a comical expression of surprise and embarrassment, her eyebrows raised and her lips pressed tightly together as her face turns beet red.
"WELL!" Susan barks out the first word of her answer several decibals too loud, to the point where she flinches at her own voice and covers her mouth with an embarrassed look. She clears her throat and speaks more soft, "Well… Kori I-" She gives Reed an embarrassed glance and nods, "… Knowing you the way I do, I suppose I wouldn't… read too much into it? But Earth doesn't really have a unified culture, so a lot of people could take that differently, especially if they haven't known you long, or… wait." Susan leans forward slightly with a look of concern, "Kori, did you upset someone? Is that what this is about?"
Koriand'r looks from Reed to Susan as they answer, and accepts their conclusions with a glumly dejected nod. "Yes. I had a friend over and was explaining on my world, we are taught how to kiss because of its importance." A slightly reproachful tone enters her voice here as she reminds herself humans just leave such things willy-nilly. "She began discussing how she did not wish to have the intercourse with me, so I asked her why she thinks a kiss must be for that, and she asked me why I think she thinks that, and—"
Koriand'r notices herself squinting against her own growing light, takes a deep breath, and lands on her feet while quenching her golden glow somewhat. "And it is not the first time," she concludes rather lamely. "I do not understand why your people think a kiss is the thing that might follow a kiss instead of the kiss itself. How can you enjoy anything at all?"
Reed clears his throat again. Must have something caught in it. "Yes. Earth culture varies greatly. What's acceptable in one area might not be in another, and vice versa. It's best to be sure that others are comfortable with such affection before initiating it. At least when it comes to kissing. Hugs are generally easier to have accepted. Possibly ask permission if you're unsure." He glances over at Susan, and his lips twitch. He adds with as straight of a face as he can manage, "Susan, for instance, clearly is aware of the intent behidn those acts, so kissing her when you want is fine." Then he takes on a more serious look, reaching out a hand and resting it on her shoulder, his arm extending slightly. "I'm sorry you fought with your friend, Koriand'r. Here in New York, for instance…. kisses on the lips are usually given to family members, friends you're already close with, or those that you have a romantic interest in. There ARE some that give kisses like you do, just out of friendliness. But some people don't take it well."
Susan gives Reed a slightly bewildered look at the part of Reed's response concerning her, but otherwise just rolls with it, nodding along slowly as Kori speaks, a troubled look on her brow. "Yeah, that's… that's a hard one, Kori. I suppose Humans are… by and large we're just kind of more shy, I suppose. We reserve most of our love for our family; and most Earth cultures, well… Usually we're taught to reserve most of our-" she blushes a little, "-passion for one important person." She gives Reed's arm a brief squeeze. "Hence why one would follow the other. We're not as extroverted as your people seem to be, not as… free and open. I guess a lot of us sort of… doubt each other's intentions. And a lot of us just have very strong personal boundries, I suppose." She smiles awkwardly, "Shy, like I said."
Koriand'r nods a bit impatiently at Reed. "I do not kiss without permission!" she huffs, then her eyes widen and her cheeks deepen from gold to ochre as she glances guiltily at Susan. "Er… I did not kiss Kamala," she amends shamefacedly. "It was talk only. Please forgive me for kissing you, friend Susan. I did not think." She raises her head to look earnestly at her, and explains, hands clasped just below her throat, "Please know that I enjoy kissing you very much and would like to do so again, because you are my friend and you are beautiful and your kisses are always welcome, but that I will not do so if you do not ask. And you, friend Reed."
Reed raises his brows. "Ah, so you didn't actually kiss her? That's less understandable why she became upset. And I understand that your people transfer information from the langauge centers of your brain between one another via lip contact? So I can see why that's important." He can't help smiling some at the sincerity of the Tamaranean, and adds, "I have to agree with you on all points regarding Susan. I enjoy kissing her as well." He slides his other arm around his wife, gathering her in against his side. "I wasn't here for this exchange, and I'm not the best judge. But it doesn't sound like you really did anything wrong."
Susan blushes a little and says "I-" she puts one hand to her forehead, then smiles and shakes her head a little, "… appreciate that very much, Kori, thank you."
Though when Reed speaks she looks to him, aghast and embarrassed, gently whining "Reeeee*EEEED*!" and gently whapping him on the arm when he pulls her close, though she smiles regardless. She nods after Reed finishes addressing Kori looks a bit concerned. "I agree, that's… if you didn't *do* anything, then…" She presses her lips together and shakes her head. "Well then her reaction doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe she's had a bad experience." Susan looks to the side and purses her lips thoughtfully, "… Maybe she's *really* religious." She clears her throat. "I probably shouldn't speculate, sorry."
Koriand'r nods factually at Susan. "Yes, she is the Muslim," she says, and then, because she can already feel a dissertation coming on from Reed, explains, "A Muslim is an adherent of the religion of Islam, which is about peace and love and is much cooler than Americans think and there is nothing wrong with head scarves." She says it in the tone of someone quoting, which, in a way, she is. Absorbing a language is about absorbing definitions, and definitions are subjective.
That should prove she knows every relevant fact about Islam.
Reed nods his head. "There's nothing inherently wrong with the Muslim religion, no. Like most religions." He couldn't say all, since like any team of superheroes (adventurers, but they were pulled into acting like superheroes fairly frequently) the Fantastic Four had had to deal with a few evil cults worshipping unpleasent things over the years. "Though I am not the most familiar with the religion. I think that opinions on what kind of kissing, and with who, is acceptable may vary between different sects." He absently turns his head, and kisses Susan on the temple. His arm tightens a little around her waist. He considers the orange woman for a time, glancing at Susan. He frowns slightly, then says to Kori, "Would a hug make you feel better, Koriand'r?"
Susan nods her head with Richards and simply agrees, "That's right." Though upon hearing his question, she glances at him, then smiles a little, quietly regarding Kori curiously for her answer.
"Well, yes," Koriand'r answers in the cautious tones of someone who isn't sure if she's being asked a trick question. Who wouldn't feel better when hugged by a friend? "But your presence is enough to make me feel better, friends. Your kindness is so large."
Reed looks at Susan again, worldlessly communicating with her in that way that married couples have. Then he stretches out his arm, the limb extending in that unnatural way he has. He curls it around Koriand'r, and draws her in towards where he and Susan are sitting, and then sitting across both their laps so they can together wrap her in a hug. "I'll admit, Kori. I worry about you sometimes having to adjust to living here on Earth. If you ever need help with anything, I hope you won't hesitate to come to us." He smiles at her. "Even if it's just for a hug." Something about the alien brought out… fatherly urges in the scientist. He almost wanted to start making bad puns.
Susan nods and stands, embracing Kori as well with a kind smile. "That's right~ We'll always try to help if we can."
Koriand'r accepts the lassoing hug and returns it, one arm around each Richards's shoulders, nuzzling her warm face between theirs for extra snuggles. Her heat at this range is permeating, like standing in the sun in June. "And I will always try to help you too, friends," she promises richly from between the Fantastic Two, her smile out of eyeline but audible in her voice. "I will be sure to ask you more often how I can—wait." She leans back, loosening the hugs without releasing them entirely as she looks with stern concern at Reed and Susan. "ARE you well? Can I help you?"
Reed smiles at the affection from the alien girl, and gently stroking her orange hair with one hand. That definetly has nothing at all to do with him still being curious about Tamaranean physiology and wanting to get a closer look at the glowing hair. He also does enjoy the hug. Hugs are nice, even to those ruled by logic. He glances at Susan at the question from Koriand'r, and his lips curl up. "Well. Johnny is away from the city for a while on personal business. The same with Ben. So… we really have too much food for dinner tonight. If you wanted to join us, that would be a help."
Susan smiles, "Of course, you'd be very welcome."
Koriand'r smiles bravely at the offer. "I would be delighted, friends!" she cries, and almost kisses them but doesn't, physically blocking her mouth with her fingers before she can complete the dip in toward Reed's mouth. She steps back out of the embrace and offers, "Shall I cook?"