Office #26, Wednesday

[chosehumanity]

If there was anything funny going on today, Mitchell wasn't aware of it - mostly because he lived on his own, and the only person who ever showed up to visit him was George, anyway. However, he'd told Kate he'd be in today, which meant that he was in, and a bit concerned.

And not trying to think about such things as 'Parents' Weekend', because it's not like there would be anyone to show up for him, barring one person who was already on the island, and people he didn't really want to see.

He positioned himself at the desk, fidgeted with his computer for a moment, then finally turned the TV on to BBC World and settled.

[[ open hours = open post ]]

Comments

[vanillajello]

As she'd said, Kate wandered in to see him.

Or, at least someone did. A boy, average height, blonde, androgynous, on the skinny side, wearing black eyeliner and a skeleton kitten t-shirt.

A boy who couldn't help grinning, if a little sheepishly, as she greeted Mitchell. "Hi Mitchell."

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell's eyes flicked away from the TV to settle on... whoever that was. "...Hi," he said, dubiously.

[vanillajello]

Kate looked amused. She had thought this might happen, even if she hadn't thought it was likely. "Noticed anything out of the ordinary today?" she asked, sitting down on a chair.

[chosehumanity]

"Not really. I only just made it out of the house," he replied, narrowing his eyes in puzzlement and taking a good smell of it all without looking like he was sniffing.

His eyes flicked to the shirt.

[vanillajello]

"Yeah, I can tell," Kate said, the corners of her mouth twitching as she tried not to laugh.

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell sat back, his arms crossed. "Though going by the fashion in which you've marched into my office," he said, "And the smirk on your face, you're not some random student."

[vanillajello]

"I'm about as random as they come," she grinned, her hand moving up to twirl a strand of hair. The girlishness of the gesture was half intentional. "But you're right. Not random in that way, no."

[chosehumanity]

Maybe if Mitchell was the oblivious kind, or he had a worse sense of smell than he did, this theatre would've continued on for a few more minutes until the truth came out - but he wasn't, and the combination of t-shirt, twirl and scent made it fairly easy.

"Kate?" he asked, the lines of a silent, disbelieving laugh tainting his expression, but no denial.

[vanillajello]

"Bingo," Kate replied, chuckling lightly at his expression. She spread her hands. "Woke up as a real boy this morning. Thank you, island of Fandom."

[chosehumanity]

"Now that's-- special," he said, reaching up to mess with his own hair. "Just like that?"

[vanillajello]

"Yeah," she nodded. "No warning whatsoever. I'm not the only one, though. The dorms seem to be pretty overrun with guys today."

[chosehumanity]

"Maybe it's a sign," he said, fake-thoughtful, "That I should spend less time in the office."

Would've been different if she'd been concerned about the change. "How are you feeling about it?"

Mitchell, you were not Sweets.

[vanillajello]

No, he definitely wasn't, and Kate gave him a look that clearly said so.

"Amused, mostly," she said, shrugging, and then got distracted by her shoulder for a second or two. Look, it was interesting that her shoulder was different. "I'm saving the flailing for if it turns out this doesn't go away as soon as it did with the girlyboys."

[chosehumanity]

"Most of it doesn't seem to last long," he offered, "Of course, I can always give you the Talk if you're really worried."

[vanillajello]

Kate smirked. "All 'Talks' I've ever gotten have been seriously embarrassing, so no thanks. After the cat thing, this doesn't really worry me. Especially when there's other stuff to worry about."

She paused for a while. "Although, if this lasts long, it will become a part of what I really worry about." The boy didn't look too happy about that.

[chosehumanity]

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

Hi, Mitchell's most calming, it was nice for you to finally enter the conversation.

"So is the sudden arrival of new chromosomes the only reason for the visit?"

[vanillajello]

Kate rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm not Layla Miller. Who, by the way, totally knew this was coming and could've warned the rest of us."

She ran her fingers through her hair and looked down. "No, I've been quietly freaking out for a few days now."

[chosehumanity]

"Maybe they should just question Layla on the radio at the start of every week," he said, but dropped that one. His expression softened. "What's the bother?"

[vanillajello]

"Parents' Weekend," she replied, not lifting her chin but looking at him from under her eyebrows. "Or Massive Stress Freak Out Weekend. Same thing."

[chosehumanity]

From what she'd told him before, that kind of answer really just meant one thing.

...That, or Mitchell was leaping to a conclusion that would make him look like a giant ass, but they'd cross that bridge once they got there. "Your mother's coming?"

[vanillajello]

"I... don't know yet," she replied, wrapping her arms around herself, hardly noticing how much easier that was to do with a flat chest. "She wants to. And I... Kinda don't want her to."

She looked a little ashamed of that.

[chosehumanity]

"Why not?" he asked, lightly, encouraging smile firmly in place. "Because of how it'll look, or because you can't predict what she's going to be like?"

[vanillajello]

"Because there's too many unpredictables. It's like I'm stuck between two kinds of weird and I don't want either side to know about the other," she said.

[chosehumanity]

"So do you think there's no possible way to reconcile the weird?" Mitchell asked. He... might have been more invested in that question than he might let on. "Two worlds, never to meet in peace, that kind of thing?"

[vanillajello]

"I don't know. I just know that if something goes wrong, I'm the one who'll suffer. If Mom comes here and sees the weird, I'll get yanked out of this school so fast it'll give me whiplash. And if Mom comes here and flips out..."

She sighed and shook her head, then looked at Mitchell. "You know, pretty much everyone at my old school knew about her. I've liked that not being the case here."

[chosehumanity]

"It's not like anyone's going to judge you for it," he said, modulating his tone, and leaning - perhaps subconsciously - across his desk. "Maybe you just need to keep your mum somewhere stable, locked away to catch just enough of the weird to-- I don't know, acclimatize her without spooking her. It takes a while to fit these things together, but if you've got the chance..."

[vanillajello]

"I've taken so much shit for this before." Yes, Kate was still failing to grasp how things would be different here. She was a self-centered teenager, after all.

"And what if Fandom pulls some of its random, major, unavoidable crap?" she asked and gestured at her/himself. "Look at me! This could be enough to shatter someone stable, let alone her. Everything's a trigger. What if I-- what if Fandom pushes her too far?"

Well, a self-centered teenager who was very protective of her mother.

[chosehumanity]

"Is she really that unstable?" he asked, "You need a doctor to make that kind of judgement." A pause. "Although I can't promise Fandom will play nice, so..."

[vanillajello]

"I'm not sure how bad it is now, but it's probably the same as when I left. The alters are our weekly joy. She transitioned twice when I went home for a few days. There were special circumstances, though."

She rubbed at her temple, slumping further down on her chair. "Ugh. This sucks so much. Because on the other hand I do want her to come, 'cause I know she worries, and I'd want her to see the good things here. She... had some bad experiences at her boarding school."

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell shrugged lightly. "I'm sure there's a way to make it work," he said, "Even if you have to lock her in her hotel room and wheel in your teachers." Beat. "She's not getting out of meeting me."

He looked thoughtful for a moment or two, but said nothing, choosing to brood on a few things.

[vanillajello]

"Since you're one of the two people here who I trust to not unnecessarily freak her out or freak out about her, I'd say it's more the opposite. You're not getting out of meeting her." Oh, look, a hint of a smile. Hearing him say that was important. She felt less alone.

"Because she'll get suspicious if it seems like I didn't know anyone here. If she comes."

[chosehumanity]

"You can always make up some kind of elaborate lie about the weather," Mitchell said, but he was grinning a bit. "Although I'm not sure that works on you Americans."

He took a breath. "You should bring her," he said, "We can set up some kind of warning system, make sure you know when to keep her put, if Fandom decides to be Fandom about it. It's not impossible."

[vanillajello]

"It's not impossible," she echoed, looking thoughtful. She straightened up a bit. "I guess it could work. It won't be easy, but it could be done."

Hey, she looked almost convinced.

[chosehumanity]

"Exactly. It'll work out fine. These things usually do, Kate."

Said the man known for frequent fits of really terrible judgement.

[vanillajello]

"Yeeah... I'd wait until you've met Buck before I'd make any statements like that," she noted with a wry smile. She got up, then added as an afterthought, "I hope you won't."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max came in (without knocking) after class alternating between chuckling and sighing. It was a complex sort of alternation, but it was also something he'd learned to do rather quickly at Fandom.

He proceeded directly to an totally modded empty chair and sat down tiredly.

[chosehumanity]

"Now, Max, there's no need to be shy," Mitchell said, with an amused waggle of his eyebrows.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"But I have such a hard time asserting myself," Max grinned and rolled his eyes.

"I must say that sometimes Fandom can make class... interesting."

[chosehumanity]

"The girls turning into boys?" Mitchell guessed. "I was wondering when you were going to come in here to scream."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Now why would I do that?" Max asked with a grin. "Other than the fact that the scenery is suddenly much less interesting, I mean."

[chosehumanity]

"Please. For you, they're not breasts. They're a way of life."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"I can't help it if I have a strong appreciation for the aesthetically pleasing," Max countered with a grin. "And I have to say that this one is much less interesting than the last one we had." More breasts were a good thing, fewer breasts were bad. Simple as that.

[chosehumanity]

"Try to contain your tears," Mitchell said, with a loose grin. "I'm sure they'll bounce back next week."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max chuckled at the word 'bounce' and shook his head. "I'm sure they will," he agreed.

He leaned back in his chair and eyed Mitchell. "So I may be predictable, but you're not. That means that we don't have to talk about what I've been up to, but I've gotta ask: what have you been up to, Mitchell?"

[chosehumanity]

"Making George cook for me," he said, thoughfully. "It's a bit like having your own kitchen monkey. Teaching. You know, that thing you should be doing when you're watching all the bouncing."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I teach." Max sighed. "And since I can't sleep with my students, I have to spend a lot of time not looking at the bouncing." His life was so hard.