Pre-barbeque

[24d_245t_tcdd]

Even aggressively under-socialised heroes with virtually no external hobbies or entertainments have certain chores which they must do, regardless of inclination, time, or other pressing matters. Chores such as the utterly mundane need to go shopping. For food. Plain, ordinary, food.

So, of course, Agent Orange is not dressed as himself, but rather as his secret identity, which is rather more secret than most. He is wallpaper; about as ordinary as it is possible for a man to get with virtually no feature standing out sufficiently to be a starting point for a description should he be witness to or suspect in something.

He was standing in the vegetable section of the store, a Whole Foods because he found the price an equitable trade for the quality of foods, doing meal planning for the week as he judged the benefits of asparagus versus those of bok choy.

Comments

[24d_245t_tcdd]

James nodded absently and then more firmly, "I will keep notes on what does, and what does not, work."

[futures_of_ash]

"That would be incredibly useful. Thank you." Far better than the 'bring broken things back to lab and saying it didn't work' routine. That one got tedious after a while.

"Kurt and Kitty won," Rachel announced, coming through the far door.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He nodded at Hank's thanks, wondering what kind of foolishness it takes to not give your supplier feedback. Probably the foolishness of those with powers who do not have to depend on technology.

"Oh?" he asked Rachel, turning towards her when she spoke.

[futures_of_ash]

Feedback was wonderful, when people remembered and when circumstances permitted! Still, yes, the fallacy of the powered.

As for Rachel, well, she grinned and shook sand from her hair, undoing braids so she could get all the grains out. "They move well together, and Logan and I haven't trained together in weeks. He just got back from a mission elsewhere." With other people doing other things. "We managed to trip each other once or twice, so that gave them two points on us."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He blinked at her and tilted his head, "It is hard to imagine you falling." he admitted after a moment. "You float so often."

[futures_of_ash]

"No powers," Rachel laughed and slung an arm over AO's shoulders. "I had to remember gravity under those rules."

Hank just chuckled leaned back on a counter. "We may need to establish a permanant dimensional door for your friend here, Rachel. I believe that is your purview, given what he has told me."

Rachel stiffened slightly and glanced between the men. "Oh." Damn. Oops. "Where James? And please don't tell the rest Hank."

Hank shook his head, "Of course not, nor a word to anyone on the Station Rachel. Should anything like this ever occur again please don't hesitate to talk to me."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"My basement." he didn't want to let anyone in there. If he had to have someone, it would be Rachel. "And somewhere unobtrusive here."

[futures_of_ash]

"I have an idea for that Rachel, I'll show you both where when we leave here." Hank made shooing motions with his hands. "Go finish the barbecue activities and I'll procure transport to the city." Easier to drive to the garage where he thought the gate should go.

Rachel nodded and concentrated a moment so Kurt could come fetch them. She didn't want to walk James through the mansion above. Not yet. "Shoulda known better than to try to hide things from a genius." Rachel chuckled softly to James. "Anyway..."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He nodded towards Rachel and made a note that he should ask her about that later. His eyes ranged over the lab again, taking everything in.

[futures_of_ash]

Kurt came to pop them back with a grin and Rachel tugged AO toward the tables again. "Not much left since the game ran long. Too cold to swim so we'll clean up and then we'll grab Hank again."

Kitty was occupied with helping Kurt brush sand out of his leg fur since he was back, and Logan was getting the last of the meat onto plates and setting the grill to burn itself clean.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"How can I help?" he asked, turning towards the table to start packing up other foods even while he spoke. "Thank you for the outing. It was...nice."

[futures_of_ash]

"By doing just what you're doing," Rachel chuckled. "We'll pack up, they'll tote, and then we'll get you home." She smiled more at the thank though, she had...worried. "Thank you for coming."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He nodded soberly at her and continued to pack up. He wasn't entirely certain how he felt about all of this, but he was polite. He was always polite.

[futures_of_ash]

Yes, well, if he continued to remain unsure about things they'd repeat the experiment until he knew exactly where he stood? Or, you know, Rachel would continue to fret until such time as it wasn't necessary anymore!

Once everything was packed she poked his shoulder and nodded toward a path through the woods. "Hank's on the road with a car, waiting for us."

"Come back sometime!" Kitty grinned and waved a brush at the pair. "Ja," Kurt echoed.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He offered them a very faint nod and then turned to follow Rachel to the car. This was certainly...an experience. That he had had.

[futures_of_ash]

Yes, 'an experience' was one way to describe it at least? "Thank you again for coming." Rachel offered after kicking some leaves along the path. "Not your thing huh?"

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"There were a lot of people." he said neutrally. And they expected him to be social. He didn't do social. He did...controlled, calm, collected, professional. Not sunshine and volleyball. "Dr. McCoy seems very accomplished."

[futures_of_ash]

"There were four people, not counting us." She chuckled softly lifted her face to the breeze for a moment. "I'm glad you tried." It was a step in the right direction!

"Hank is, bar none, the smartest man I have ever met. And one of the kindest too."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"It seemed like more, somehow." Probably the teleportation. Teleporters made him nervous. He didn't know how to react to her other statements, and so let them pass.

[futures_of_ash]

"No, I won't take you out into a crowd if I can help it." She knew she saw crowds very differently than most, small gatherings were nice though. "No more people than the fingers of one hand. Promise. Unless we end up walking through the mansion sometime."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"I am fine with crowds if I do not have to be social." If he has to be social, he's a log. Just flat. Even for him.

[futures_of_ash]

"I meant social-wise," she admitted. "Otherwise it's just people in an area, not a crowd. Not really. If there is no expectation of social a gathering is just...background noise." A real crowd was interactive.

"Though...I'm weird. My definitions are different."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Ah. I did not know that." he said, "It isn't a matter of you being weird, it is simply a matter of seeing things differently. I see things differently as well, and if we do not see them the same it still doesn't make either of us weird. There are too many people for any given definition to truly be weird."

[futures_of_ash]

She tilted her head to the side, mulling that over, then chuckled. "Are you trying to make me feel better or trying to convince me normal doesn't exist?" She was probably teasing?

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Does it have to be one or the other?" he asked, seriously.