Wellspring Arms & Meditation Center, Friday

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Egypt was starting to make Cable paranoid. (More paranoid than usual.)

It wasn't his ancient Egypt, but still: what if?

So while he might have opened up the store and hung the HELP WANTED sign back on the door that morning, he was planning to spend most of his day upgrading the defenses. Just in case. Because really, what was another laser trip wire more or less? Would it really matter all that much?

Not if you asked him.

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[godofxbox]

Alex was exploring the town when he spotted a weapons store. Okay, that was interesting, especially if you were the son of War. And it also appeared to be a meditation studio? Weird. He had to check this out. And then he stepped inside and saw...Cable.

Well, Deadpool was already here, so sure, why not? "Um," he said cautiously. "Hi?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Hello," Cable said, glancing up from... the floor, where he was wiring in the new tripwire. "Can I help you...?"

[godofxbox]

The place had booby traps. Well, okay. That seemed reasonable enough, Alex guessed. "I just saw the sign," Alex explained. "I'm a student. Which is probably obvious," he admitted. "My name's Alex Aaron." Cable had probably never heard of him. Alex was like the hipsters' superhero.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Deadpool had said something about 'some guy' showing up, but Wade was Wade, and not exactly the world's most reliable source of intel.

"We don't sell guns to students," Cable said. Lightly. He got up to his full height, and crossed his arms. "So I take it it's the employment part you're interested in..."

[godofxbox]

Wow, he was maybe even bigger than Alex's dad.

...no one tell Ares.

"I prefer sword," Alex said, unfazed. "And, maybe? How do you have a meditation center in a gun store? Wouldn't the shooting mess up your calm?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"The calm is an essential part of being good at the shooting," Cable said, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a brief smirk.

[godofxbox]

Well, sure, if he wanted to be a hippie about it. Which Alex guessed he was entitled to or whatever; it was his shop. "I thought that was aim. Or having an automatic. Either way works."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Not a hippie, just Askani, thank you very much. "Even someone with good aim and an automatic needs to keep it cool," he said, "It's always awkward when you hit the fuel canisters..."

[godofxbox]

"Do you mean awesome?" Alex asked. He was only half-joking.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Depends," Cable said, crossing his arms. "Structural damage can be a pain in the ass..."

[godofxbox]

Oh, right. Some people worried about logistics like that. Alex had not been raised by those people. "Well, I promise not to blow anything up in your shop?" Wait. No. Don't promise things you can't necessarily deliver on. "I promise to do my best not to blow anything up in your shop?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Cable shot him a look. "If you're going to work for me," he said, "I'm going to expect you to blow something up in my shop if something breaks in without my permission."

He was a cool boss like that.

[godofxbox]

Alex could work with that! He made one more amendment. "I promise not to blow anything up in your shop unless it's called for? But just checking, if I can handle it without explosions, would you prefer that?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"You wouldn't be the first one to blow the store," Cable said. Which was sort of not an answer, so he added, "Just use whatever works. We've gotten some unwelcome guests before... I'd prefer not seeing them again."

Hey, there had been a time when the staff of this store had been Cable's personal teenage army. He had absolutely no trouble returning to that policy.

[godofxbox]

And Alex was totally experienced at being part of someone's personal teenage army, so that kind of worked. Working for Cable couldn't possibly be more stressful than working for Nicholas. "Is there a rogues' gallery or something I should memorize?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"If a black man with a large M over his eye shows up, kill him," Cable said. Then segued, like it was the most normal thing in the world, "How are your Thursdays...?"

[godofxbox]

That sounded familiar, but Alex's fanboying didn't extend as much to the X-Men end of things so he couldn't pin it down immediately. He would have to do some research. For now, though, he shot off a jaunty little salute and said, "Can do." Maybe not 'kill.' Maybe 'incapacitate in a bibbling ball of fear.' But then, also, maybe 'kill.' "And my Thursdays are free."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Not anymore," Cable said, reaching into the desk. "Don't sell firearms to anyone -- call me if someone's insistent. The rest of the stock is fine. Just make sure they know that if I catch anyone doing unnecessary damage on my island, I have the firepower to take them down."

He cast some keys onto the desk.

[godofxbox]

Wait, what? "Don't sell guns to anyone?" Alex picked the keys up and said, "Well, it's your shop..."

His dad was going to disapprove so hard.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Unless they're bleeding and being chased by a dinosaur," Cable deadpanned. "Meditation room is free to use, shooting range for anyone who's on the list. If they aren't, check their license, or at least if they can shoot straight."

[godofxbox]

"Sell guns only to people chased by dinosaurs. Got it," Alex agreed. "And check licenses." He was sure adults would just love a thirteen-year-old asking for ID and gun licenses, but their annoyance would amuse him.