The Sidewalk Outside the Perk, Monday Evening

[genesishero]

It seemed, to Evan, like a good evening for walking, just wandering around the island with his dog, a book in hand, and appreciating the fresh air and the fact that nothing was falling out of it looking to kill people. And, as Evan walked down Unicorn Street, it seemed more and more like it could even be a good evening for sitting at one of the little tables outside of the Perk, sipping a coffee and reading while Ozzy napped at his feet.

It was good to see that the best laid plans sometimes did work out nicely, because ten minutes later he had himself a mocha frappuccino, and was a few pages in on one of the books he'd taken out from the library while Ozzy settled himself down on the cobblestones, content to rest for a while.

Not a bad way to spend a Monday evening.

[Open!]

Comments

[genesishero]

"Oh..." Yeah, Evan wasn't going to be looking up again any time soon. "Either way, you're getting away from it though, right?"

[pulseof_life]

"Not healthily," she said quietly. "Not sustainably. Repression only hides the pain but it doesn't go away and because it is still there, it leaves you more vulnerable."

[genesishero]

Evan sighed and nodded, and then yelped a little as Ozzy caught hold of his shoe and bit. Really, he'd had it coming. He caught the heel of that shoe with his other foot, and slid it off, leaving it on the ground for his puppy to gnaw on.

He'd buy new shoes later.

"How do you make it go away, then? How do you put it down and pay attention to something else entirely?"

[pulseof_life]

Yeul smiled faintly.

"We have had this discussion before," she said gently, "about facing your troubles and handling them. This is more of the same. Repressing is not handling them. Relaxation cannot truly be had unless you've handled what is on your mind."

[genesishero]

"Right." Evan loosed another little sigh, staring down at his swiftly melting drink. "I guess I just kind of figure I can't go out and reduce big chunks of the beach to sand all the time."

He shrugged his shoulders a little.

"That's part of the reason I'm taking Professor Alenko's class, I guess. I know I'm bad at this."

[pulseof_life]

"Everyone starts out bad at it," she said mildly. "Even I did, Evan. It's a learning process. Instead of always going to the beach, try talking it out. Try writing it out, like in the journal. Try making something to express how you feel. Don't keep it inside and pretend it is gone."

[genesishero]

"Most people I try to talk it out with kind of seem like they'd rather be doing anything but listening," Evan mumbled, feeling ridiculous for even sharing something like that. "Victor thinks it's my solemn duty to use my powers to be a hero whether or not I'm ready to leap back into it, and I think a lot of my troubles might be way outside of Karina's comfort zone, and I don't feel entirely comfortable just sharing what went on with Professor Electroclash, and even Sholeh... she can't really understand all of it. She gets that it hurts but she doesn't really understand why."

He kicked off his other shoe, giving his sock feet an idle swing under his seat.

"You're the best listener I know, I think."

[pulseof_life]

"They're all very young," Yeul said softly. "Just like you are. Most people care, most people try to listen, but we're all built to listen to ourselves first, which makes it hard to listen to everyone else."

Yeul was many things but young... wasn't one of them and hadn't been for a long, long time.

"Would it help," she wondered, "to talk to someone whose path more closely follows the one you find yourself facing? Unending life, fighting against a nature that's cruel?"

[genesishero]

"I know a few people in that situation," Evan noted. "Wade saved me when nobody else would, but even he isn't really the best at just... listening."

Because Wade was crazy.

He was still the first real hero Evan had ever had.

"If you know somebody else, though..."

[pulseof_life]

"Some people aren't," she said agreeably. "And I may know someone. I should check with them, however, before getting your hopes up."

Yeul tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Will you be busy over the break week?"

[genesishero]

Evan tilted his head right back, finally glancing up and considering the question.

"I think I'm being asked by the headmaster of my old school to go on a field trip with some of the students," he replied. "I... don't really want to, but Professor Logan really isn't somebody I should turn down."

He didn't sound much like he was thrilled about the idea. And not just because of how horribly his last field trip with the Jean Grey School had gone, either.

[pulseof_life]

"Perhaps the trip will be good for you?" she suggested. "Something to take your mind off things?"

And not go horribly wrong? Maybe?

Besides, she did have to talk to Caius first...

[genesishero]

"Maybe," Evan agreed, nodding a little. "I'm probably thinking too hard about it, anyhow. The last field trip I went on with them went badly, so I'm... wary, I guess? And I'm not really happy with Professor Logan right now, either."

Something about all of that being lied to just didn't sit well with him.

[pulseof_life]

"No," she agreed. "I did not suppose you would be. Still... try to have fun, alright? That's important."

It was!

"I will let you know, about someone you can talk to."

[genesishero]

"Thank you, Yeul," Evan said, though he was still a little dubious on the prospect of having fun on this particular trip. "I appreciate that. A lot."

[pulseof_life]

"You're welcome," she said, smiling. "And if you need to talk before that, you know how to find me."