How I Show Compassion

March 25, 2016:

Gabriel tells Brin about his haircut and they discuss compassion

X-Red HQ - New York

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

Spring time is such a lovely, beautiful and wonderful time. All of that of course is a completely new endeavor for Gabriel who (as far as he knows) has never experienced one before it has had him outside and in the city a bit more often as the walks back from the Institute have taken him longer while he explores. So when he returns, a gentle rain having fallen a bit earlier, it is later than his usual arrival and there's a bit of wet to his hair which looks, well, different. It had been getting longer and shaggier but it has a fresh cut and he even looks shaven a bit.

With the smell of the fresh rain on him, he takes off his boots and places them near the entrance, considerate enough to not want to track wet boots about. Then the man is off, on his usual task when he arrives; seeking food which takes him winding through the facility on his way, scratching his chest and shoulders in a rather noticeable way considering he is doing it quite often, nearly every other step.


Brins working. What else would she be doing? Sitting in one of the comfortable chairs in the common area, legs tucked under her and her tablet on her lap as she reads it, the brunette is balancing a mug of tea on the arm of the chair.

Hearing the alert from the security system that someone has just entered the building, her dark eyes are resting right where Gabriel appears and she cants her head as she watches him. "Nice haircut, Gabriel. It suits you." The scratching is noted but for the moment, pushed back.


There is a very very small start from Gabriel when Brinley speaks, not having expected anyone to intercept him, at least at the time when it is after his usual sneaking in period. When she does greet him, there is a momentary blush as he reaches up and touches his hair. "Thank you." He must be tired, for his clipped accent is rather thick this evening. As he touches his head, his hand causes a small sprinkle of water to shoot up as droplets from outside shake loose. "I was told by a strange woman on the street that I looked like I needed one. So I looked into it and found a place that seemed pleasant. It was quite the experience. I did not expect that much pain."


At least he's far enough way that she doesn't showered with the droplets. Brin squints as he mentions the pain, though. "Pain? For a haircut? What … happened?" she gestures to one of the chairs near her, indicating he should make himself comfortable.


Gabriel looks at the chair and hesitates a moment before walking over. When he sits down he is actually quite ginger about it, doing so carefully. "Well. They cut the hair on my head to begin with. Which is what I thought was the whole of the process. But then I was informed by the pair of ladies working there that I was… how did they say it. Too adorable to not be properly taken care of." His shoulders lift in a shrug, uncertain what it was meant to mean. That is when a small blush starts touching Gabe's cheeks.

"They asked me if I wanted a full trimming with all the fixings. I agreed. Whenever I get an ice cream sundae that's what I like, all the fixings." He glances down, reaching down to rub at his chest some, then his shoulder a bit as well. "They shaved and cut my beard some, then I was taken to a back room and removed by clothes."


"Oh!" Brin holds up a hand to stop any more information flowing, a touch of colour lighting her cheeks. Biting her lip to stop from chuckling she looks at Gabe, speechless for a moment. "Well, that's an experience for you. Now you know what it means."

And, nope just nope, she's not going to ask how he is … if he needs help, she'll call one of the Rescue EMT's in and then organise to send him to the Doctors.

"I suppose it would hurt, though."


The man nods his head a bit, "The hot stuff they poured on was not that painful. It was when they placed the straps on top of it and pulled." Gabe shudders a little bit at the memory. "I wish they had simply warned me. I do not understand why this is a custom but, since it is I will follow it." Again he reaches up to scratch at his chest. "That is why I am late tonight. It took them sometime to remove all the hair." He rubs his thigh then absently.

"I did not disturb your work by coming in at this hour did I? I was hoping to be quiet. I had been doing some thinking while taking my walk."


"It's not a custom, Gabriel. It's something people can choose to do or not. Most males, in my experience anyway, choose not." The blush gets worse, although she doesn't share her thoughts on why.

And now the scratching makes sense. "Did they give you any lotion to use?" If not, she's a nice neutral scented body lotion in her room, he can have that. "And you might want to take a shower, I find it sometimes helps." Now there's an admission from the brunette.

"You were quiet and you're not disturbing me. It's sometimes nice to be able to put the work aside for a moment." Those dark eyes rest on him again, considering "Did the walk help the thinking?"


"Yes. And no." Gabriel responds when asked about the thinking, rubbing his chest a bit while doing so, his brow furrowing. "They gave me some lotion, I left it in a bag by my boots to retrieve later." Then his jumpy brain is pressing on. "There are many things I am thinking on. Am I … I am doing ok, aren't I?" He asks it, half question but half statement as well. "I have not destroyed anything and can even use my powers with some control. I do not even act out in anger, although I get so angry at times I breathe. This is good I think. So why am I still so afraid of myself?"


"From what I've seen and heard, you're doing fine. More than fine, really." Remembering her tea is there, Brin takes a sip as she listens. "For myself, control is one of the more difficult things I've had to deal with. Too easy to think about something and there it is. You've already made great steps on that front."

As to being afraid? "Because you know what you can do. Not what you will do … that's different. But knowing that you can do things that might hurt others, is daunting." Catching his eyes, she lets the silence grow "It is smart to be afraid. However, you should let the fear take over. Acknowledge it, assess the situation and then act."


"You are kind to me. Why?" Gabriel asks it rather bluntly, leaning forward and tilting his head. "I wish to understand, to know what and why this is. To understand better. Some people I see who are in need of help and I want to feel kind to them, compassionate I think is the term. Why do we feel this? I was helpless, why not leave me helpless?" His elbows prop up so his chin can rest in his hands, elbows upon his knees as he leans forward, looking at Brinley. "How do you know if someone is kind to you? How do I know someone is not just trying ot take or use me?"


Brin shrugs at that question. The answer really isn't that simple. "I … I don't know if I can explain it, Gabriel. It's such an integral part of my being. I believe that in showing kindess and compassion to others, you'll get it back, many times over."

The brunette is silent for a moment as she considers this and sips her tea "It costs nothing to offer a kind word, a helping hand, what have you. And there was a time in my life, that I needed that too. The Institute took me in, gave me a home and place I belonged. I want to do the same for others." Theres another self deprecating shrug "That probably doesn't answer your question well, I'm sorry."

"Now that is a good question. Particularly for mutants. Someone may show kindness and then seek to manipulate you. All I can offer there, is to choose what your values are … and remember them when people ask you for favours."


"I worry… worry that people see only what they want to see." Gabriel whispers quietly. "And I do not know how to properly return thanks for what has been done for me. How do I thank Miss Moira? How do I show appreciation to Jean at the institute? How do I thank Wanda for taking time to help me read? How do I express how I feel about you?" Again the man, old but still so raw, shakes his head in confusion. "Helping to do dishes does not equate to helping to get someone off the street."


"Some people do only see what they wish. Which is unfortunate, but that is their problem not yours." Brins voice is quiet, as it usually is, "For most of us, saying 'Thank You' is more than enough." As he starts to list all the things he's thankful for, her eyes widen a little when he comes to her. "As to how you feel about someone…" that's something Brin still struggles with. So reserved that she normally keeps to herself. "… if it's favourable, try telling them. If it's not, I tend to ignore them and try not to see them. I like to fill my life with people I like and trust, which doesn't leave much else for the others."

"And don't underestimate the value of doing the dishes. We each have roles to play in a team."


"The dishes are so fragile, and delicate. That is why I like doing them. I feel like I must be very precise with my work or they will break. It is an interesting challenge." Gabriel's words have that distracted, drawn out sound, the sort of thing that one does to delay other topics. "I think, for Wanda I will find a book to read together. Something that is a bit more than the simple ones I read." He nods at that, it seems like a good idea at least to his mind. "I enjoy giving gifts I think. That is acceptable, yes? Besides just dishes, giving gifts that reflect how one feels? To show appreciation properly? Such as a book?"

"Or perhaps I could bring the severed head of a defeated enemy to the Institute?" He is deadpanned and serious, were it not for the extremely humored emotion emanating from him to indicate he was joking, Gabriel might have pulled it off.


"With everyone doing a little bit, it lets' the team as a whole do more." Brin does smile at his reasoning for doing dishes. The discussion about gift giving has her smiling more still "A book to read together, sounds wonderful. I think I would prefer a book to chocolate or flowers, which are other 'traditional' gifts for showing appreciation."

For just a moment, when he mentions the head of the enemy, Brins eyes widen in shock until she reaches her mind out and senses the amusement "Been watching movies on the Internet again, I see…" she teases.


"I have been watching things labelled as funny to try and get jokes. I don't get all of them, but I have found that saying something extreme but doing it with a flat expression because it is so absurd is a possible way to be funny." That's when Gabe's nose scrunches up and he shakes his head, "But I don't think I'm very good at jokes. I go on the internet sometimes to look at things. It is filled with … It has a lot of stuff." There's no real other way to describe it. Stuff everywhere, like a cluttered room.

"I will remember that. Perhaps I will find a book that is right for you and be able to give it as a gift, but I would want to make sure it is just right so that it fit exactly what I felt."


"Funny means different things to different people." Brins' aware that she sometimes misses the joke. Too quiet, too reserved, too studious. She blows out a breath "Gabriel, you're learning so much, so quickly. Give yourself time and let things be. You'll find some things come quicker to you than others, and that's ok. Everyone has a different of learning."

"The internet is a wonderful resource but as you're finding there's a lot of information to sift through. Not all of it is correct either, so we have to be careful when learning and researching."

Unfolding out of her chair, picking up tablet and mug, the small brunette looks over with a smile "You really don't need to get me a gift. Just… be happy in yourself. That's the best gift, truly." As to what he feels for her? She's going to leave that alone. She's sure it's just friendship and gratitude. If it comes to be anything more, she'll worry about it then - she doesn't need to borrow trouble.


Realizing Brin is getting up, Gabe does so as well, "I will make sure to be careful with things and to take time." He pauses and then manages a grin at the woman. "I always feel better after these talks. Less confused, less lost." The grin turns into a warm smile. "I need to go put that lotion on I think. The areas they removed the hair are quite itchy. Although I do not know how I am going to put the lotion on my butt." With that he is walking away, clearly shuffling a bit from the irritation that must be in the area. Just how much did he get removed?

Before he slips down the hallway, a glance is given back towards Brinley, a small smile, and he adds, "Goodnight."

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