Participants:
| Scene Title | Young Enough |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Kendall meets his newest roommate, and neither is sure that they like the other. |
| Date | July 8, 2010 |
It was a long night for Melissa, a long hot night. Luckily, she woke late this morning to see it pouring down rain outside, which means that the heat isn't quite so bad. Of course, it also means more beach time is out of the question. So…it's cleaning day! She's changed into older black clothes that have specks of white from bleach, and right now is in the kitchen, scrubbing the counters and appliances until they gleam like new.
Jerry is laying at the open back door, peering out through the screen door hopefully, while it seems that Mel is just enjoying the sound of the rain. Or maybe a few moments of quiet, since she's likely to not get many more of those with the house so full.
Kendall wanders downstairs due to being hungry, and blinks at Melissa. "Y'know… you're almost straight from a scene in a book I've read." he comments. "Are you a witch?" he glances at Jerry. "Well guess not, you've got a dog, not a whole bunch of cats."
The night for Ling was both hot and uncomfortable - sleep was a rare commodity, considering the numerous conditions surrounding her. So, it's no surprise when she herself, still dressed in the clothes she was given yesterday , arrives in the kitchen looking weary and tired. If she could see herself in a mirror right now she'd probably want to cry, if she would allow herself such a thing.
Seeing Melissa scrubbing counters when she looks in elicits the raising of an eyebrow as the Chinese woman looks around, a hint of a smile on her tired face. "If there is one thing I must compliment you on," she begins with her arms cross, "it's how well you keep your home, Melissa." Her gaze moves to the young (to her) boy, eyes narrow. "This one, I don't believe I've met yet."
Melissa pauses and glances over to Kendall, grinning. "Why would a witch be scrubbing her kitchen? Didn't they just put curses on people and live in gingerbread houses?"
Ling's arrival has her glancing over, and grinning as well. "Yeah, well, I'm a neat freak. Kendall will probably complain about it to you if you'll let him. I hate a mess or dirt. You should've seen me trying to clean my basement after it flooded. Not pretty." She nods towards Kendall. "And that's Kendall, the one I told you about yesterday. Kendall, this is Ling Chao, our newest houseguest." Then she shuts up and watches to see how they deal together.
Kendall blinks at Ling when she comes in, and opens his mouth to ask who she is when everything is explained, and he shuts said mouth. "Ah… er, nice to meet you." he looks from Ling to Melissa queryingly, then shrugs and holds out his hand. Nice to meet you? "And I'm talking about a book series I read once. The Dealing with Dragons series, it has a character in it who is a nonconformist witch."
Ling eyes Kendall momentarily, giving a nod of understanding when Melissa gives his name. Hand reaches to meet Kendall's, giving a firm and quick handshake. "A pleasure," she states with a bit of a dry tone seeping in through the tiredness. "Melissa told me a bit about you," she says somewhat flatly before her eyes move back up to Melissa. The mention of books and witches goes ignored.
"That is a sentiment I can understand," the Chinese woman remarks with a motion of her hand. "My home and room at the Corinthian were kept at nothing short of perfection." Except, you know, during that mental breakdown she had. "Little need to live in anything short of it."
Melissa shakes her head. "I've never read it. Then again, I don't really read much anyway. Sorry." She smiles then at Ling. "Ahh…a kindred spirit. That'll be a refreshing change, after three guys who are very much not neat freaks. I don't mind cleaning, but sometimes being the only one to really pick up after myself gets to be a pain in the ass."
"Uh oh." Kendall seems somewhat apprehensive about that. "Hopefully she's said a few good things about me?" maybe he should go hide. Deciding to withdraw from the conversation, he moves towards the fridge, opening it in preparation of feeding time. Let's see… what's edible?
Ling wrinkles her nose at Melissa's comment. "Then someone will have to teach them," she says sternly. "I'm afraid I'm not used to… roommates, but I'm afraid that's not something I tolerate." Fingers tap on her arm, looking down at Kendall as he dives into the fridge. "I'm afraid I get to form my opinion on you first hand, Kendall. I wasn't told much." She doesn't mean to sound disdainful, but there's a little bit of it there. She's not fond of kids.
Melissa grins at Kendall. "Mostly," she says, and she's teasing him…right? Then she nods at Ling. "Hey, so not gonna argue with you there. There's no excuse for guys to be slobs," she says, giving Kendall a long look. Yes, she means you. "Anyway, how'd you sleep last night? Feeling any better?"
Kendall peeks around the fridge just in time to catch Melissa's look at him, and he wrinkles his nose at her. Hmmph. "I know where everything is." he mutters.
Ling scoffs amusedly, shaking her head. "Barely. I'm not so sure bring back at the Corinthian would have changed that." She wrinkles her nose, arms falling to her side. "Heat, soreness and nightmares make it a bit of a wasted effort sometimes, choice of bedding aside."
Ling gets a sympathetic smile from Melissa. "The nightmares I can't help with, unfortunately, and the heat…well, it's raining out, so it's cooled off some. The soreness though, that I can help with." A bit of focus, a push of power, and Ling's discomfort fades. A hand is waved towards the cabinet where the medicine is kept. "You're welcome to more meds to help, too. Like I said, make yourself at home."
Kendall finds some cold cuts and bread and makes himself a sandwich, looking at the two ladies who are still talking. Hmm… he somehow gets the feeling like this Ling doesn't like him! Well then. He pulls a small container with candy in it and moves over to a different room, out of sight, and eats one of the candies. This totally counts as geeky, because he saw it in a manga! One poof later, and he comes back into the room, only this time he's about 26 years old. And totally hot. Better?
The sympathetic smile actually gives Ling pause - that's certainly not something she's used to seeing flashed in her direction, and when the soreness lifts again, a hint of a smile appears on her face, her posture relaxing a bit. "I'll keep the medicine in mind, should I need it la-"
The abrupt stop comes as Kendall steps back into the room, only… not. And Ling doesn't even realise it at first. "This must be- wait a second," she intnes, eyes narrowed again as she looks at the older Kendall appraisingly, then back at Melissa with a questioning, and somewhat unhappy, look. "What in the world is this?"
When Kendall returns covered in illusion, Melissa rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "You did it, you explain it," she says to Kendall, leaning against the counter now, arms folding over chest. But she doesn't seem surprised or angry. She's seen the show, and at least this time he won't end up in handcuffs.
"I can look any age I want to be." Kendall explains to Ling. "Or any number of things." he's being a bit vague about this, wanting to keep some secrets.
This vagueness doesn't escape Ling's notice, prompting her to watch him, and carefully. "That sounds… useful," she intones with a curious tone, a hand to her chin. The number of uses she could put something like to that occur in her head are staggering, and it's clear she's considering something as she watches Kendall.
Melissa falls silent, though Kendall's explanation has her rolling her eyes again. But then she just smiles and continues watching. Listening.
Kendall frowns at Ling suspiciously. "I hope you're not plotting to take over the world or anything." he asks. "I'm more of a superhero type." shyeah right.
Another scoff at that, and Ling just looks positively amused once more. "The superhero type? Oh, you poor boy," she says with scornful tone. "I'm afraid there aren't any real heroes. How old are you, Kendall?"
Superhero. That has Melissa smiling, even though some would consider her a supervillian. "There are a few real heroes, just not many. But he's a good kid."
"Only someone with a jaded view of the world would think that when there are so many people that have special abilities just around the corner and in every walk of life." Kendall shrugs one shoulder, choosing not to respond to the age question.
"Young enough," Ling intones with a smirk as she answers her own question. She opens her mouth to say more, but eyes settle on Melissa for a moment, and in one of a few rare instances, she bites her tongue. As much as she wanted to berate him, she was in no position for the time being, and even Ling knows better than betray hospitality.
Kendall's words get him a sad smile from Melissa. She's jaded. But instead she says, "Glad you're getting to be more comfortable with your ability, Kendall. And just flat out using it more often."
"Well… it's not like I'm using it in public or anything." Kendall points out. "Well anyway, nice to meet you, I guess." Kendall's not too thrilled at the new roommate, she doesn't seem very nice. And she's OLD. Off he goes, to NOT clean up his room. Nyah.
Ling watches quietly as Kendall passes back by, letting out a "hmph". Turning back to Melissa, she props herself against something and watches her for a moment. "I see what you meant, now. I can only make promises about the… events of recent. But the boy needs to learn how the world works."
Melissa watches Kendall head off with a soft sigh, then nods to Ling. "He does, yes. But he's had a tough time already. I won't tell you his story because it's not mine to tell, but he's had it rough. If I can spare him for a while, I will. And if I can keep him out of the fights between the Institute and the evolved, then I will," she says, face and voice determined, almost fiercely so.
"That much, I will respect," Ling reiterates, "as long as I am here and you're…" Her lips quirk, arms crossing. "Helping me." There's a distinct strain when the words are spoken. "I am not interested in his, or anyone else's story. Inconsequential matters, in the long run."
Melissa's head tilts and she studies Ling for a long moment. "You're used to doing for yourself, by yourself, aren't you, Ling? It's not a criticism, just an observation, by the way. You just seem a lot like me in some ways. Sometimes help can be harder to swallow than cruelty."
"My entire life," Ling replies succinctly, pushing up from the wall. "Business/ is a ruthless field. Particularly in //China." Her eyes close, becoming half lidded as she shakes her head. "I imagine, however, that our reasons are far, far different, Melissa. I was raised to be ruthless and self reliant."
Melissa nods. "You're right, the reasons are different. My parents ignored me, so I had to learn to be self-reliant." She smiles. "Still, I hope I can make it as easy as possible on you. Just consider this a vacation from business, if you want."
"I've been on a vacation from business for years now," Ling intones ruefully, eyes narrow. "I'm not sure what prevents me from returning to China and picking back up where I left off." She's really not sure. She should have done so as soon as Linderman had paid her.
"Do you want to go back to China and pick up where you left off?" Melissa asks curiously. "If that's what you really want, I'm sure we can get you out of the country safely." With a teleporter, it's pretty much guaranteed even.
"There's little left here for me," Ling says with a laugh. "I haven't done anything for Linderman in many months, and no self respecting business wants to hire a former club waitress."