tobenormal | Hank's lab, at the wind tunnel

Hank had a terrible time sleeping last night due to two factors, not being alone in the world anymore and Raven. The Raven factor was many fold and danced in his head even when he finally did manage to sleep; her beauty, how he wished he could help her be normal, how she thought he was amazing, how beautiful she was, and how he wanted to know more about her.

When he woke a thought hit him and he closed his eyes to better see the molecular bonds of his formula. Like Archimedes he wanted to shout "Eureka!" as he realized Raven may hold the key to both his own awkward mutation and her own. But how to approach this? One didn't just walk up to ladies and ask them for their blood. Not if you wanted to have a chance at getting said blood anyway. He decided another lunch might be a way to broach the subject and so sent her an invitation for lunch in his lab.

He couldn't resist a post script promising a surprise though.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

tobenormal

"I hope we'll have the time to tell," He murmurs before he can stop himself. He gestures to the blanket he's set up beneath the giant fan. "Is this alright? I can grab a couple of chairs if you'd prefer."

From:

andproud

She's still grinning as she shakes her head, making herself comfortable on the blanket before he can move to do otherwise, like grab a set of chairs.

"This is fine," she promises, drawing her legs underneath her. "Like an indoor picnic."

From:

tobenormal

Hank smiles as he was hoping she'd think that since a lab isn't the most relaxing of places. (Or romantic he'd be thinking if he allowed himself.)

He sits near her and fumbles a bit when he sits on his lab coat. Finally free, he says, "It was really amazing meeting you and everyone yesterday."

He's not quite sure how to bring up his formula.

From:

andproud

"I know what you mean," she replies, her voice soft but echoing slightly thanks to the wind tunnel.

"I - other than Charles, and Erik, you're the only one like me I've ever met, but the other two can hide theirs if they want to. Some of us have to be a little more secretive."

From:

tobenormal

"I've had to hide my feet from everyone since I was a little kid," Hank admits. "I didn't think anyone would ever be able to know what that was like, until I met you."

From:

andproud

"It's like - never being able to let my guard down, not even for a second, because then my control will slip and people will see," she admits, glancing down at her hands.

"Having that in the back of my mind, all the time - it gets a little exhausting."

From:

tobenormal

"Ever since I was seven, all I've ever wanted to do," He says looking into his lap before looking up to met her eyes, her beautiful eyes, "is to..."

From:

andproud

"Be normal?" she finishes, a wryness to her smile as she lifts his head to meet his gaze.

"Charles has never understood. He's different, but he's never had to hide."

From:

tobenormal

"Be normal," he says just as she does, their words echoing and joining. He looks down and then back up. "When I first started reading about science I made myself a promise, that I would find a cure for my mutation. I've been working on a formula that I think will remove my physical mutation but keep my powers intact."

From:

andproud

"So you'd look the same as anyone else, but still possess your powers?" Raven asks, trying not to inject too much hope into the sound of her voice.

It's almost too good to be true, but Hank seems so smart. Maybe he's just the right person to fix this problem for them - or any other mutant who can't easily hide who they are.

From:

tobenormal

He had been nearly holding his breath in anticipation of her reaction.

"Yes, exactly! I could explain the chemistry of it all to you but it pretty complex," he says in a rush and then with a look of horror. "I don't mean to imply you wouldn't understand it or anything. I just don't know how much you know about biology. I think your blood might hold the key to what's been holding me back though. See I think the proteins in your blood are the key, they way they must change when you do. How you change...it's amazing. I think the formula can work for you too. If I could have a sample?"

He finishes weakly as he realizes he's been babbling.

From:

andproud

"You think - my blood would be helpful?" she asks, the question posed slowly, the one thing she's managed to garner from everything he's told her all at once.

"Is this what you really had in mind when you asked me to have lunch with you?"

From:

tobenormal

"It was the surprise I mentioned but I do like spending time with you," Hank says despite the fear clutching his throat. He's screwed it up, he knows he has. She's going to run any minute now and never want to speak with him again.

From:

andproud

"You know, when most guys ask me out on a date it isn't my blood they're after," she murmurs, her lips shifting into a subtle smile that carries into her eyes, warm and slightly fond.

From:

tobenormal

Hank twitches nervously in awkwardness and excitement.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be so forward," he manages to say. "I'm just excited."

From:

andproud

"I don't mind it," she murmurs, meeting his gaze.

"I'm just saying that it's never exactly happened before."

From:

tobenormal

"I'm sorry," he says not really listening to her. He turns to put away the syringe siting in the kidney pan. "I should have waited until we knew each other better."

Edited Date: 2012-07-09 02:30 pm (UTC)

From:

andproud

"Hank."

She reaches out a hand towards him, her fingers gently closing around his forearm.

"Take the blood," she whispers, her eyes searching his.

From:

no_more_hiding

He can't hide the smile of joy as he turns back to her though it slowly falls from his face as he loses himself in her eyes.

"Okay," he says, his voice heavy. He reaches over blindly for the syringe and alcohol. "I'll only need a little I'm sure."

Edited Date: 2012-07-09 03:03 pm (UTC)

From:

andproud

"Take as much as you need," she whispers, unable to tear her gaze away as she offers her arm to him, turning her palm to face upward.

She sits forward on her knees, swiveling closer, gently easing the sleeve of her dress up to expose the inside of her arm.

From:

no_more_hiding

Hank tears his gaze away with a smile as he needs to pay attention with the syringe. He rubs her arm with the rubbing alcohol all the while very aware that she is likely the first woman not his mother he has touched in so intimate a manner.

"There's going to be a little pinch," he warns while kicking himself mentally to not read too much into this. He is very careful and finds a vein straight away. As he finishes, he holds some gauze over the needle and continues to hold it until the needle is clear. He keeps holding it as he looks up and her eyes fill his world. Lost, his mouth opens for a breath that catches.

From:

andproud

There is a pinch, slightly more than, but she barely flinches, only blinking once as her eyes briefly water, but the sensation is over before she even allows it to register much. What she's focused on is his face, hovering so close to her own, his lips parting slightly almost as if he's preparing to speak.

She doesn't say a word; instead, she leans in slowly, close enough to feel the soft beginning brush of his mouth against her own.

From:

no_more_hiding

So lost her eyes he completely misses her leaning close to him until he feels her lips and my then it is far too late. His world melts into the feel of her lips, silken butterflies dance in his stomach and his blood feels as if it's aflame. He stops breathing, hoping to make the moment last forever.

From:

markedformore

Erik's been searching through the lay of the base to find where they might keep their secrets. There's always some and no doubt they'll have a great deal of wealth for him, enough to let him break away from this ragtag bunch and pursue Shaw as he was meant to.

Still, as he passes through the shadows of the turbines, he cannot help the smug amusement. "Kinky," he observes, hands in his pockets as the insufferable smile no doubts reigns his expression. He can feel the metal in Raven's arm, assured it must be giving some pain. He casts a look to Raven, then to Hank, consumed as always with the hatred that they think they have to hide.

"By the way, if I looked like you? I wouldn't change a thing." Both of them should hear it, neither of them will listen, he suspects. What is larger feet, what is blue skin when mutants are the superior race, when humans will see that and inevitably bow and make way to the new race.

From:

no_more_hiding

Hank pulls away startled at the sound of footsteps and then blushes at Erik's comment. Was it all a joke? Like back at Harvard? He blinks furiously and carefully moves from between them.

"Thank you," he mumbles and caps the needle.

Edited Date: 2012-07-17 09:26 pm (UTC)