Surly Awakening

December 02, 2017:

Hangovers are nasty even for the toughest of them. And Rose was very drunk.

A rundown Mutant Town apartment

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions: Magneto

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

The cool winter light filters through the dirty glass of the windows to fall on the couch, and in the distance there are sounds of a shower going. The overpowering stench to alcohol is mostly gone from the apartment, since Nate took the empty bottles away at some point, and stored the few that still had some drink in the fridge.

Instead it smells to recently made donuts and coffee. Someone went out for cheap groceries.

It is not noon yet, but it is definitely late-ish, and man, Mutant Town mornings are loud.


Rose was angry hungover, she wanted to sleep, and wanted to stay in the cocoon if blankets she'd nested herself into repeatedly. She'd had a rough night, puking up everything in her stomach (twice) and then dry heaving for sometime after. She wasn't happy in the least. And with her platinum hair a tangled mess around her head she glared at the morning light and the sounds of life that echoed around her. She was so installing sound proofing in the next safe house. She didn't give a shit if it cost a lot of money. It would be worth it.

So she grumbled and growled and burrowed deeper into her pile of blankets.


Nate had to help Rose to bathroom a couple times, but that was one of the reasons he stayed for the night. The main reason was in the case someone not friendly came calling. Which did not happen.

He steps out of the bathroom, ruffling the water off his hair and directs a wary glance to the grumpy pile of blankets by the couch. "You are awake," he decides. Contrarily to the other times she was somewhat self-aware but not really awake. Rose's ability to process gallons of alcohol always impresses him. "Time to face life, beautiful."


The blanket pile that was rose scowled from under the shadowy comfort of her domain, and was not likely to move unless forced to, and judging by the wiggles from beneath it, she was getting ready to fight anyone that so dared such a thing. As the door opened and Nate stepped out to declare that she was in fact awake, aware and had to face life she growled under her breath.

"No. Fuck off. Life can suck a big one. I'm done with that today. So go away." She promptly twisted under the blankets, and closed her eye against the pounding in her head. If she just remained still her stomach was fine. Everything would be fine.


"Yeah, right," is Nate's reply. Instead of leaving he goes to check the windows, peers outside. Returns. Paces. Drinks coffee. He is not particularly loud, the street outside is louder. Some neighbors are louder. The apartment is not a place to relax, it is a cheap hideout.

Nate can wait a little. A few years back he would just have left for a couple hours. Patience is still a scarce quality in him, but he knows Rose enough to know she is unlikely to sleep again. Her enhanced stamina keeps her up forever, and her quick healing must be working full force on the hangover and upset stomach. "It would feel better if you drink some stuff, y'know?" He suggests after a while.


Rose grumbled under her breath, it was getting too warm and stuffy beneath the comfort of the blankets and on top of that, her muscles were aching for her to get up and do something. She was no good at sleeping in on most days, it sucked. And even worse? She knew Nate was right. If she got up, and ate something, drank some water she'd feel better soon.

Of course, the problem was, was that she didn't particularly want to feel better sooner. She wanted to find where that bottle from last night had ended up and just continue the cycle. So she didn't have to think. So she didn't have to puzzle out the harder questions.


It has been a bad year for Rose. And also for Nate. The temptation to get a leave out of reality and just hide somewhere for a few days is strong in him, too. And he can literally do that. She is hitting hard on his empathic senses, damnit.

"The main problem is that things would probably get worse the most we try to ignore them," he says outloud. "Rosie. You are the bravest woman I know," or knew, hell if he knows anymore. "And you never take the easy way out. So. Coffee is just made, the donuts are not bad either. And there is hot water, which is I remember correctly is unusual in this dump."


Rose grumbled under her breath again, and thew off the covers with a huffs of a breath. She dragged a hand through her hair, hanging her head and closing her one good eye as she groggily got up and pushed herself to stand. "Oh cut the shit with the cheer-leading Nate. I'm not in the mood for it. Okay?" She snarled and growled, shuffling still in a pair of sweats and not much else.

Not that she cared.

A few more shuffling steps had her going for the coffee and jamming a donut into her mouth, leaning against the counter as she did so.


"It is a tough job, but someone has to do it," comments Nate, glancing at the young woman as she manages to shuffle to the counter. Smirk. "When did you got here? Yesterday?" He grabs the pot and fills a mug for her, and another for himself, adding several spoonfuls of sugar for his own. "I got to go to Genosha again tomorrow. But I will be dropping by every day, I promise. I am not going to leave you again alone for long until you really kick me out."


Rose paused in munching down on the donut and sloshing the coffee in the mug over the rim and over her hand. She cursed, and then gulped down a mouthful. She scowled at him. "The night before." She muttered, and she eyed him, frowning over the mug at Nate.

"And you're not popping in here to check on me every god damned day Nate. So don't you even try. I'm not staying here long. So you go on off to Genosha and you do whatever it is you're doing. Got that?" She arched a brow upwards and took another bite of the donut in her hands, scattering powdered sugar every where.


"Do you have plans?" Asks Nate. Because giving her mental state, he doubts it very much. "I… we need to keep an eye on Magneto. The bastard got something going with the United Nations. Looks like a major fuckup," he sighs, then looks at the white-haired woman again. "I want to make sure you are okay. Really okay. I fucked up once and I thought I had lost you for good. Don't push me away again, please."


Rose sighed heavily, clapping her hands off on her pants and downing the rest of the coffee in her mug. She set it down with a click and she exhaled a breath. "I have plans. Go do whatever you have to do." She frowned faintly, looking back to him. She reached up to readjust her eyepatch and fought the urge to sigh once more.

"I'm not okay, but there's nothing I want you to do about it. It's something I have to do on my own. Something I have to handle. And I'm not taking the easy path out and letting you handle it for me. Got it?"


Nate grunts, sipping from the coffee. "If you trusted me enough to call me…" and let him watch over her sleep. It was a major step from his point of view. Rose had trusted him for a long time, and then quite suddenly not anymore, or not enough. Not after the Flash. "But of course," he smiles a bit, "you never take the easy way out. Still, I will be at your side whatever path you follow."


Rose looked up at him, and didn't say anything else about trust or whatever else was involved in that phone call that she'd made. Let him make of it as he would, her head was too scrambled still, and she would be damned if she told him and had him get any more over protective than he already was. She knew that much, remembered that much.

Instead she sipped at her coffee and arched a brow upwards. "Yeah, still working on figuring out what that path is, but when I know, I'll let you know. Deal? I'm not staying here long. Okay? I've got shit I've gotta do. And so do you."


"True that," admits Nate. He might be feeling a little overprotective because he had not seen her in… wait, she was in Genosha too. So three months. But considerably longer since they talked, really talked. And even more since they dated. "I still love you, you stubborn little minx. It has not changed, but…" but usually he stayed away from her mercenary business. He just doesn't want to anymore.

"But yeah. Stay in touch. I will too. Don't vanish, don't die, don't let anyone put a bomb in your head. Kill them first." He should follow his own advice, too.


Rose grimaced and reached to refill her coffee mug, pointing at him with her index finger around the edge of her mug. "That, stop that. No using pet names. It's weird." She sipped at her coffee, and exhaled a breath.

"And yeah, sure.. If it makes you feel better. I'll stay in touch. But if I'm not allowed to die and shit. Neither can you? Got it?" She arched a brow upwards as she looked at him, tilting her head to the side. "Don't make me come in to clean up the bits if you get into your usual trouble."


Not allowed to die. Right. Nate says nothing to the condition. Rose did not know and it is better if she doesn't… except she will find out sooner or later. Still, this is not a good moment to tell her.

"It makes me feel better," he confirms with a faint grin. He reaches for a donut and devours it in a few bits. "And I still have a few hours, so not going anywhere yet. If you have questions about the last few months, I can try to answer them."


Rose arched a brow, looking back at him and downed the rest of her coffee. "I have to shower and get dressed while I still have it in me to care. Whatever you want to do while I'm handling that is on you." She wrinkled her nose as she looked down at herself and set the once more empty coffee mug down into the metal bottom of the sink with a soft click.

"So, knock yourself or whatever." She shrugged and made for the bathroom.


"I am where I want to be," he murmurs quietly as she walks into the bathroom. He can wait a little longer, impatience and all. 'Hangover' Rose was never very fun, if he remembers correctly. Then again, no one is.

When Rose finishes, he is again watching through the windows. He finished the donuts, too. Hey, he skipped dinner last night, don't hate. "Feeling better?" He asks, glancing back.


Rose stepped out of the bathroom, one towel wrapped around her middle, the other busily rubbing her platinum hair dry. Slowly, her lone eye came to rest on Nate and she snorted. "Course you're still here. You're like … no you're more stubborn than glue. Hmm, sticky sap. That's stubborn enough." She drawled, pulling the towel from her hair and hanging it around her neck.

"I'm feeling about as good as a person that is still pretty hungover feels, Nate. So make of it what you will."


Nate smirks briefly, but not much humor there. “I know you recover quickly, so that is not much of a problem. I am more worried about the events that made you want to drink so much alone.” Well, even if she wasn’t strictly alone at the end. Details. “I know how you feel about dealing with your… stuff,” he sighs, “but there was a time we faced all troubles together. Think about it, and let me take you out to spend a day maybe just having some fun. I have to leave New York tonight.”


Rose arched a fine brow upwards, and leaning back against the counter with her upper body flung backwards, her hands curled around the towel that hung around her neck. "No. I'm not doing this Nate. Not again. Not right now. Like I said, I've got shit to do. You've got shit to do. We don't have to be glued to the hip, and I already promised that I'd stay in touch." She pursed her lips together.

"And that's all I'm offering right now. I'm not jumping back into anything and I need my time to get myself together. You can either respect that, or shove off."


“Now I…” oh, he realizes what he said could have been interpreted the wrong way. Because it -would- have been, in other times. “I was going to take you ice skating to the park,” he states with a small grin. “But fair enough,” he steps closer and takes her hand briefly. “I will be back in a couple days. Let your friends know you are alive, please. I am sure Ripclaw must have been quite worried. And Luna, too.” He heads out.


Rose heaved a sigh, holding onto his hand as he took her own and then turned to go. "Ugh, don't die out there, you moron. Okay? I'm serious. I don't want to have to go killing whoever it is that's that dumb. It's be messy and I wouldn't get paid. So don't die, and I don't have to avenge you. Deal?" She dropped his hand, awkwardly.

"I promise I'll try to do that.. that whole talking thing… more."


Nate stops at the door and looks back. That small concession was touching. It makes him smile genuinely, a rare thing. “Been there, done that, didn’t stick. Also, if someone kills me, chances are it will be Magneto, and I am sure there is a pretty nice reward for his head. Now you… you take it easy.” Beat. Impossible. Rose and ‘easy’ don’t work. “Or at least, lay low for a bit. Go watch a movie or something. I will try to get back in a couple days.” Door closes.

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