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Who: Emma Frost & Manuel de la Rocha
When: Early 2014
Where: Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters
What: Emma and Manuel meet for the first time! True to form, they immediately break the rules.
Warnings: None
The school is nice - Emma has to give Professor Xavier that. It's hard to find complaint with the lush landscaping, expansive and well-curated rooms, the envious, countless lounges. The Hellfire Club had promised a future of wealth, but honestly, this is enough for her, at least for the time being. It's comfortable and doesn't come with as many strings as her previous home had. She tells Xavier that she's grateful, because she is, and that she looks forward to working with him, because she does, but it's hard not to still feel a little out of place. There's a goodness here that she's not quite sure suits her. But, she's willing to try.
After a tour with the Professor she's been left to her own devices, with promises that, at dinner, she'll meet his other wards. Until then, she's free to do what she wants, and so she begins to wander, mapping out the large home in her mind so there's no possibility of getting lost later.
Manuel de la Rocha hasn't heard anything about a new student. Today is just another day. All he knows is that his research paper is finally complete, that his arms are loaded down with books, and that the last thing he needs to do before he's done for the day is return them to the library. The Professor even cancelled their one-on-one session today for some conflict or other, so he's just a few turns down the hall from being truly free for the evening.
He smirks to himself, pleased and fully unaware of the unfamiliar girl about to come around the corner. He doesn't hear her footsteps. He doesn't sense her with his empathic awareness. He's certain that he's alone.
...Until he's not.
Visibly startled, he jolts to a stop when Emma suddenly appears in front of him, staring at her with perplexed gray eyes and slightly parted lips. He looks a bit like he's seen a ghost.
Emma's stop is considerably more graceful - she knew he was coming, after all. She knows his powers, too, so his surprise is met with an easy, slightly amused smile. How jarring this must be for him; her time at the Hellfire Club had taught her to keep a tight grip on her mind, leaving Manuel at quite a disadvantage.
"Do you need some help with those books?"
That smile is enough to prompt Manuel to tense and straighten and force his expression back into one of disingenuous ease. His mind, though, continues to reel and grasp for an explanation. Even the coldest and most unfeeling of people trigger his empathic sense, but there's something about this pretty, sharp-eyed girl that almost makes him think for a moment that she might be an exception. That there might be nothing inside. More likely, though, she's like Professor Xavier and she's shutting him out.
And if she can do that...
His grip on the books tightens thoughtlessly, but he offers her a smile as he shakes his head.
"No, gracias. I have it. You are new here?"
Oh, it's sort of fun to let him think she's some shade of sociopath, but it's not particularly helpful when settling in somewhere new. Especially somewhere new where she already feels out of place, and where there are already so few students. Emma laughs a little, letting some of the amusement bleed out of her wards for his benefit - this is all she affords him, though, before she once again closes off her mind. Pleasant, to find that the blocking mechanism is the same for his sort of empathy as it is for telepaths.
"I've just arrived today - Emma Frost. I'll walk with you to the library, if you don't mind."
It will give her time to search his mind, suss out just the kind of person he is. She'd like to get a handle on everyone as soon as possible.
The sudden flickers of amusement are bright in the midst of the emotional void surrounding Emma, but they do little to put Manuel at ease. Because she's laughing at him. Because it's obvious that he's sensing only what she wants him to sense. His eyes narrow almost imperceptibly and he silently attempts to focus his awareness, find a crack to peer through or a fault in that telepathic shield to exploit.
...but he's no telepath. And Professor Xavier has never trained him to outmaneuver mental defenses. Even if he's capable of such a thing, he never would. The man doesn't even seem to trust him with the powers that come to him naturally. So that leaves him with only the void and Emma's expectant gaze.
"Manuel de la Rocha. Encantado. It's a pleasure."
The request gives him pause and he squares his shoulders, once again looking the girl over. She's taller than him. Just barely. But somehow that adds insult to this already considerable injury. "...You can. If you tell me how you're doing that."
"The pleasure's all mine." Clearly.
Emma, after a moment of thought, plucks the top book off the stack in Manuel's hands, examining it with passing interest as her focus remains mostly on examining her new classmate's mind. It takes quite a bit of effort to press down her smile when he becomes offended by her height. Maybe she should be kinder to him.
"You already know," she says, tapping her temple as she looks up from the book in her hand.
"And no, I won't be letting you in. Shall we? We didn't have a chance to stop in for long when I was on my tour. Professor Xavier wasn't expecting me so it was a little shorter than it usually is."
Manuel watches silently as Emma takes the book at the top of the stack, flipping through the pages without seeming to read a single word. Probably because she's too busy reading him.
"I don't normally need to be let in. Normally, I'm the one shutting others out. You are...este..." As his English momentarily fails him, he reaches out to reclaim the book and snaps it shut. Then he returns it to the top of the stack, readjusting his hold on all of them with a small grunt of effort as he starts to walk again. In the direction of the library. "...The exception? Like Profesor Xavier."
He doesn't wait to see if the girl is going to fall into step beside him and doesn't look her way again, keeping his eyes locked on the empty hallway in front of them. "...He wasn't expecting you? He didn't invite you here?"
Emma does not fight the snatching of the book, nor does she linger as he starts to move. She's quickly in step with him, heels quietly clicking on the floor. She really should be nicer. Should be trying harder. She's spent so much of her life being taught that everyone around her is simply competition to be overcome that it's hard to fight the impulse. Pulling in a breath, slow and measured, she considers his question, once again allowing a bit of her feelings (thoughtful, curious) out for him, a sort of peace offering.
"He did, but it was a standing offer. It took me some time to get everything sorted to come here. And to decide to come. So my arrival today wasn't expected."
She tilts her head some as she looks at him, knowing she could read everything in his mind if she wanted to, but… she's decided to make an effort.
"Do you like it here?"
So she hadn't needed Xavier, then. Hadn't been struggling with her powers like he had with his. Manuel pushes the thought and the spark of shame away, knowing that dwelling on the past will just put it on display for his new classmate. He nods his understanding instead and keeps walking.
The question, though, prompts him to look over at Emma again. His feelings about this place are complicated and still change day to day. Hour to hour sometimes. But it's started to feel like something akin to a home.
"I...didn't initially," he admits with a shrug, "Now. I suppose I do. I miss the city. For all the strangeness of this place, it can be dull with just Kurt and I here. And Profesor Xavier. But maybe you'll help with that." At this, his eyebrows lift and he flashes her a practiced but not wholly insincere smile. He's been hoping more students would arrive, after all. Not ones with powers like hers, but... Well. Cuando hay hambre, no hay mal pan.
An effort doesn't mean that she doesn't skim the top of his mind for thoughts, and she feels a small, surprising spike of pity at Manuel's power predicament. She won't act on it, but she does file it away, clasping her hands behind her back as they walk.
Though the exact translation of the idiom is lost on her, the gist is available. Manuel's smile is returned, all confidence at her ability to make her new home less dull.
"I'll liven the place up, of course. And I know what you mean about the city - I'm not thrilled to be somewhere so… mundane, but," she shrugs.
"I was with a less savory group before this, so the sacrifice of location for quality of people will hopefully be worth it. Though Professor Xavier is significantly more… idealistic than I'm used to."
This assessment of Xavier prompts a small, bright laugh from Manuel. In just the last year, he's been on the receiving end of the man's speeches about hope and change and peace more times than he can count. All fine in theory but seemingly impossible in practice from what he's seen of the world and the people in it. Even if the man's unrelenting convictions get the better of him every now and then.
Like it's contagious.
"You have no idea," he confirms dryly. But his curiosity is too piqued to dwell on Xavier. "¿En serio? What sort of 'less savory group' did you abandon for us, exactly?"
It's nice that this boy has similar sentiments to her and is open in sharing them. It's easy to simply tease it all out of his mind of course, but the fact that he's not shy about this opinion is reassuring. Maybe she won't be entirely out of place.
Emma hums, still smiling slightly. "I'm sure I'll receive similar idealistic speeches. And a social club of the rich and influential, trying to make sure their interests are served above all else. Which makes it less than ideal when your interests don't totally align."
While Manuel had already started to assume that Emma could read his mind, this confirms it. The girl just plucked a stray thought from his head and responded to it as casually as if he'd said it aloud. That's...going to take some getting used to. And he's not certain he's up to the challenge. It's bad enough having the Profesor in there all the time.
Now this girl too.
He feels himself tense at the thought but keeps his focus to her answer. This social club sounds intriguing, like the sort of pursuit his father might've pushed him toward a lifetime ago, but...he's got more immediate concerns.
"And what are your 'interests'?"
Manuel's momentary discomfort is noted and discarded - Emma respects that he feels this way, but much like him this is how she interacts with the world now. Even though she has a choice and he, it seems, does not.
"Improving my abilities and having control over my own life, without someone constantly trying to use me."
Generally straightforward, but maybe a lot to ask for control of her life given her age. But, her father had kicked her out. No reason to place herself under someone again if she can help it. There's a moment where she pauses, considering, watching Manny a little more closely. She likes him already, she thinks.
"This seems like a better place for that than where I was. Even if I don't particularly fit the Professor's ideals."
The answer is simpler than Manuel had expected, but something that he instantly understands. Because he wants those things too. He glances in Emma's direction again, only to find the girl's eyes already on him, and he smiles reflexively. Another of those trained smiles that would be impossible to see through if she didn't have direct access to his mind and the unease there.
She's always a step ahead of him, it seems. That'll take some getting used to too.
"If anyone can assist you in honing your powers, I imagine it's the Profesor. So you've come to the right place in that regard. As to control over your life..." He shrugs and nods to the books he's carrying. "I wouldn't get your hopes up. We are still students, after all. There are plenty of expectations. Plenty of rules. And the training."
He finds himself wondering if Xavier's abbreviated tour had included the dramatically but not inappropriately named Danger Room. It seems like something she might appreciate. That might even surprise her, assuming she isn’t digging the details out of him now.
Despite already feeling a kinship with Manuel, there's still a sense of satisfaction that he remains uneasy and aware of her power. But she has no plans to use it against him. Emma gives a small nod, her eyes remaining on her new companion for a few more moments before she looks around, once again surveying her new home.
"I had a mentor but he has nowhere near the capabilities of the Professor. And I can deal with expectations, reasonable expectations." Her eyes dart back to him, the idea of a Danger Room piquing her attention immediately. The smile on her lips becomes a little more mischievous, and she doesn't search for any more information than what had been presented at the top of Manny's mind.
"The Danger Room wasn't mentioned."
Manuel smiles back, his expression puckish and mirroring Emma's own keen eagerness. Sensing that he's put her in a position where she doesn't want to dig into his thoughts, lest she spoil the surprise for herself, he seems to let go of his tension. Partially, anyway. This doesn't put them on equal footing, of course, but it puts them a step nearer to it and that helps.
Besides, he likes the idea of surprising her. Perhaps even impressing her. Never mind that he and Kurt have both been told to never go there without each other. But it's not like he'll be alone.
"No? Do you want to see it?"
Emma opens herself a little to Manuel again, appreciative, curious, and a little excited. Should she be potentially misbehaving immediately on arrival? Probably not. But this is bonding, and surely the Professor can't be that upset about it. And, as Manny's thinking, it's not like they'll be alone.
"I'd love to. I don't see how anyone could not want to see it given the name, even though it's a little tacky."
"It's apropos," Manuel corrects with a grin, before conceding, "...And a little tacky."
His commitment to the decision is bolstered by the emotions radiating from Emma. He can almost forget that she's offering them to him out of pity and just enjoy the exchange. Almost. As they turn a corner, he nods to a door up ahead: the library. "Do you mind?" Once the books are returned, he can show her the elevator leading down into the sub-basement and the parts of the institute that seem less like a boarding school in a Neoclassical mansion and more like...well.
Something he isn't even certain he could put a name to.
"Tacky isn't always bad," Emma says, her own smile catching his. Yes, she thinks she's going to like it here, given that Manuel is going to be one of her companions. They will be friends, she's certain.
"Of course, you can't have books in a Danger Room." Once again, she snatches the top book off of his stack, just to be a gentle nuisance. Not that he probably minds as much now. She opens the door for him.
"What did you need all of these for? Are the courses this rigorous?"
Manuel rolls his eyes as the girl seizes the book from the top of the stack again, but he's smiling this time and passes into the library as she holds the door open for him. The room is large with an old (by American standards, anyway) ambiance. Dark wood paneling and built-in bookshelves along the walls, rows upon rows of bookcases, antique light fixtures, and a scattering of tables and chairs. There are some computers too, all new and pristine and hopelessly out of place. He leads the way inside and places the stack of books on one of the tables.
At her question, he tilts his chin up and retorts wryly, "Research. I take my education seriously, Emma." While there's a lightness in his tone that suggests this is a joke, it...isn't. Not entirely. When it comes to his schoolwork, he's thorough and meticulous and accustomed to competing for prestige. Regardless of the fact that there's hardly anyone here to compete with.
Once again, he reaches to reclaim the book from her and drops it on the top of the stack. As she'd said, you can't have books in the Danger Room.
"Shall we?"
On entering Emma looks around, taking in the architecture and amenities. It's beautiful, a place she can see herself working and relaxing. The Hellfire Club had been richly outfitted too, of course, but there it always felt a little precarious, like someone would come to collect a debt down the line. Here, she has simply been taken in. A strange feeling, honestly, but one she can get used to. The book leaves her hand easily as the boy reaches for it.
"You'll have to help me catch up, then." Though she's fairly certain she's not behind in the least, this feels like yet another olive branch she can extend. She is powerful and has the upperhand, ultimately, but she can use some assistance, too.
"Yes, please. The professor is busy for another hour, so we have at least a bit of time."
While Manuel isn't entirely certain he trusts Emma's claim that she could use his help academically, he perks up a little just the same. He doesn't physically puff out his chest, but he may as well be psychically. "...I can do that," he returns with a smile, before turning on his heel and starting back out of the room. Whether or not he's supposed to be putting the books away himself, it seems that he doesn't intend to.
He has more important matters to attend to.
"Follow me..."
When: Early 2014
Where: Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters
What: Emma and Manuel meet for the first time! True to form, they immediately break the rules.
Warnings: None
The school is nice - Emma has to give Professor Xavier that. It's hard to find complaint with the lush landscaping, expansive and well-curated rooms, the envious, countless lounges. The Hellfire Club had promised a future of wealth, but honestly, this is enough for her, at least for the time being. It's comfortable and doesn't come with as many strings as her previous home had. She tells Xavier that she's grateful, because she is, and that she looks forward to working with him, because she does, but it's hard not to still feel a little out of place. There's a goodness here that she's not quite sure suits her. But, she's willing to try.
After a tour with the Professor she's been left to her own devices, with promises that, at dinner, she'll meet his other wards. Until then, she's free to do what she wants, and so she begins to wander, mapping out the large home in her mind so there's no possibility of getting lost later.
Manuel de la Rocha hasn't heard anything about a new student. Today is just another day. All he knows is that his research paper is finally complete, that his arms are loaded down with books, and that the last thing he needs to do before he's done for the day is return them to the library. The Professor even cancelled their one-on-one session today for some conflict or other, so he's just a few turns down the hall from being truly free for the evening.
He smirks to himself, pleased and fully unaware of the unfamiliar girl about to come around the corner. He doesn't hear her footsteps. He doesn't sense her with his empathic awareness. He's certain that he's alone.
...Until he's not.
Visibly startled, he jolts to a stop when Emma suddenly appears in front of him, staring at her with perplexed gray eyes and slightly parted lips. He looks a bit like he's seen a ghost.
Emma's stop is considerably more graceful - she knew he was coming, after all. She knows his powers, too, so his surprise is met with an easy, slightly amused smile. How jarring this must be for him; her time at the Hellfire Club had taught her to keep a tight grip on her mind, leaving Manuel at quite a disadvantage.
"Do you need some help with those books?"
That smile is enough to prompt Manuel to tense and straighten and force his expression back into one of disingenuous ease. His mind, though, continues to reel and grasp for an explanation. Even the coldest and most unfeeling of people trigger his empathic sense, but there's something about this pretty, sharp-eyed girl that almost makes him think for a moment that she might be an exception. That there might be nothing inside. More likely, though, she's like Professor Xavier and she's shutting him out.
And if she can do that...
His grip on the books tightens thoughtlessly, but he offers her a smile as he shakes his head.
"No, gracias. I have it. You are new here?"
Oh, it's sort of fun to let him think she's some shade of sociopath, but it's not particularly helpful when settling in somewhere new. Especially somewhere new where she already feels out of place, and where there are already so few students. Emma laughs a little, letting some of the amusement bleed out of her wards for his benefit - this is all she affords him, though, before she once again closes off her mind. Pleasant, to find that the blocking mechanism is the same for his sort of empathy as it is for telepaths.
"I've just arrived today - Emma Frost. I'll walk with you to the library, if you don't mind."
It will give her time to search his mind, suss out just the kind of person he is. She'd like to get a handle on everyone as soon as possible.
The sudden flickers of amusement are bright in the midst of the emotional void surrounding Emma, but they do little to put Manuel at ease. Because she's laughing at him. Because it's obvious that he's sensing only what she wants him to sense. His eyes narrow almost imperceptibly and he silently attempts to focus his awareness, find a crack to peer through or a fault in that telepathic shield to exploit.
...but he's no telepath. And Professor Xavier has never trained him to outmaneuver mental defenses. Even if he's capable of such a thing, he never would. The man doesn't even seem to trust him with the powers that come to him naturally. So that leaves him with only the void and Emma's expectant gaze.
"Manuel de la Rocha. Encantado. It's a pleasure."
The request gives him pause and he squares his shoulders, once again looking the girl over. She's taller than him. Just barely. But somehow that adds insult to this already considerable injury. "...You can. If you tell me how you're doing that."
"The pleasure's all mine." Clearly.
Emma, after a moment of thought, plucks the top book off the stack in Manuel's hands, examining it with passing interest as her focus remains mostly on examining her new classmate's mind. It takes quite a bit of effort to press down her smile when he becomes offended by her height. Maybe she should be kinder to him.
"You already know," she says, tapping her temple as she looks up from the book in her hand.
"And no, I won't be letting you in. Shall we? We didn't have a chance to stop in for long when I was on my tour. Professor Xavier wasn't expecting me so it was a little shorter than it usually is."
Manuel watches silently as Emma takes the book at the top of the stack, flipping through the pages without seeming to read a single word. Probably because she's too busy reading him.
"I don't normally need to be let in. Normally, I'm the one shutting others out. You are...este..." As his English momentarily fails him, he reaches out to reclaim the book and snaps it shut. Then he returns it to the top of the stack, readjusting his hold on all of them with a small grunt of effort as he starts to walk again. In the direction of the library. "...The exception? Like Profesor Xavier."
He doesn't wait to see if the girl is going to fall into step beside him and doesn't look her way again, keeping his eyes locked on the empty hallway in front of them. "...He wasn't expecting you? He didn't invite you here?"
Emma does not fight the snatching of the book, nor does she linger as he starts to move. She's quickly in step with him, heels quietly clicking on the floor. She really should be nicer. Should be trying harder. She's spent so much of her life being taught that everyone around her is simply competition to be overcome that it's hard to fight the impulse. Pulling in a breath, slow and measured, she considers his question, once again allowing a bit of her feelings (thoughtful, curious) out for him, a sort of peace offering.
"He did, but it was a standing offer. It took me some time to get everything sorted to come here. And to decide to come. So my arrival today wasn't expected."
She tilts her head some as she looks at him, knowing she could read everything in his mind if she wanted to, but… she's decided to make an effort.
"Do you like it here?"
So she hadn't needed Xavier, then. Hadn't been struggling with her powers like he had with his. Manuel pushes the thought and the spark of shame away, knowing that dwelling on the past will just put it on display for his new classmate. He nods his understanding instead and keeps walking.
The question, though, prompts him to look over at Emma again. His feelings about this place are complicated and still change day to day. Hour to hour sometimes. But it's started to feel like something akin to a home.
"I...didn't initially," he admits with a shrug, "Now. I suppose I do. I miss the city. For all the strangeness of this place, it can be dull with just Kurt and I here. And Profesor Xavier. But maybe you'll help with that." At this, his eyebrows lift and he flashes her a practiced but not wholly insincere smile. He's been hoping more students would arrive, after all. Not ones with powers like hers, but... Well. Cuando hay hambre, no hay mal pan.
An effort doesn't mean that she doesn't skim the top of his mind for thoughts, and she feels a small, surprising spike of pity at Manuel's power predicament. She won't act on it, but she does file it away, clasping her hands behind her back as they walk.
Though the exact translation of the idiom is lost on her, the gist is available. Manuel's smile is returned, all confidence at her ability to make her new home less dull.
"I'll liven the place up, of course. And I know what you mean about the city - I'm not thrilled to be somewhere so… mundane, but," she shrugs.
"I was with a less savory group before this, so the sacrifice of location for quality of people will hopefully be worth it. Though Professor Xavier is significantly more… idealistic than I'm used to."
This assessment of Xavier prompts a small, bright laugh from Manuel. In just the last year, he's been on the receiving end of the man's speeches about hope and change and peace more times than he can count. All fine in theory but seemingly impossible in practice from what he's seen of the world and the people in it. Even if the man's unrelenting convictions get the better of him every now and then.
Like it's contagious.
"You have no idea," he confirms dryly. But his curiosity is too piqued to dwell on Xavier. "¿En serio? What sort of 'less savory group' did you abandon for us, exactly?"
It's nice that this boy has similar sentiments to her and is open in sharing them. It's easy to simply tease it all out of his mind of course, but the fact that he's not shy about this opinion is reassuring. Maybe she won't be entirely out of place.
Emma hums, still smiling slightly. "I'm sure I'll receive similar idealistic speeches. And a social club of the rich and influential, trying to make sure their interests are served above all else. Which makes it less than ideal when your interests don't totally align."
While Manuel had already started to assume that Emma could read his mind, this confirms it. The girl just plucked a stray thought from his head and responded to it as casually as if he'd said it aloud. That's...going to take some getting used to. And he's not certain he's up to the challenge. It's bad enough having the Profesor in there all the time.
Now this girl too.
He feels himself tense at the thought but keeps his focus to her answer. This social club sounds intriguing, like the sort of pursuit his father might've pushed him toward a lifetime ago, but...he's got more immediate concerns.
"And what are your 'interests'?"
Manuel's momentary discomfort is noted and discarded - Emma respects that he feels this way, but much like him this is how she interacts with the world now. Even though she has a choice and he, it seems, does not.
"Improving my abilities and having control over my own life, without someone constantly trying to use me."
Generally straightforward, but maybe a lot to ask for control of her life given her age. But, her father had kicked her out. No reason to place herself under someone again if she can help it. There's a moment where she pauses, considering, watching Manny a little more closely. She likes him already, she thinks.
"This seems like a better place for that than where I was. Even if I don't particularly fit the Professor's ideals."
The answer is simpler than Manuel had expected, but something that he instantly understands. Because he wants those things too. He glances in Emma's direction again, only to find the girl's eyes already on him, and he smiles reflexively. Another of those trained smiles that would be impossible to see through if she didn't have direct access to his mind and the unease there.
She's always a step ahead of him, it seems. That'll take some getting used to too.
"If anyone can assist you in honing your powers, I imagine it's the Profesor. So you've come to the right place in that regard. As to control over your life..." He shrugs and nods to the books he's carrying. "I wouldn't get your hopes up. We are still students, after all. There are plenty of expectations. Plenty of rules. And the training."
He finds himself wondering if Xavier's abbreviated tour had included the dramatically but not inappropriately named Danger Room. It seems like something she might appreciate. That might even surprise her, assuming she isn’t digging the details out of him now.
Despite already feeling a kinship with Manuel, there's still a sense of satisfaction that he remains uneasy and aware of her power. But she has no plans to use it against him. Emma gives a small nod, her eyes remaining on her new companion for a few more moments before she looks around, once again surveying her new home.
"I had a mentor but he has nowhere near the capabilities of the Professor. And I can deal with expectations, reasonable expectations." Her eyes dart back to him, the idea of a Danger Room piquing her attention immediately. The smile on her lips becomes a little more mischievous, and she doesn't search for any more information than what had been presented at the top of Manny's mind.
"The Danger Room wasn't mentioned."
Manuel smiles back, his expression puckish and mirroring Emma's own keen eagerness. Sensing that he's put her in a position where she doesn't want to dig into his thoughts, lest she spoil the surprise for herself, he seems to let go of his tension. Partially, anyway. This doesn't put them on equal footing, of course, but it puts them a step nearer to it and that helps.
Besides, he likes the idea of surprising her. Perhaps even impressing her. Never mind that he and Kurt have both been told to never go there without each other. But it's not like he'll be alone.
"No? Do you want to see it?"
Emma opens herself a little to Manuel again, appreciative, curious, and a little excited. Should she be potentially misbehaving immediately on arrival? Probably not. But this is bonding, and surely the Professor can't be that upset about it. And, as Manny's thinking, it's not like they'll be alone.
"I'd love to. I don't see how anyone could not want to see it given the name, even though it's a little tacky."
"It's apropos," Manuel corrects with a grin, before conceding, "...And a little tacky."
His commitment to the decision is bolstered by the emotions radiating from Emma. He can almost forget that she's offering them to him out of pity and just enjoy the exchange. Almost. As they turn a corner, he nods to a door up ahead: the library. "Do you mind?" Once the books are returned, he can show her the elevator leading down into the sub-basement and the parts of the institute that seem less like a boarding school in a Neoclassical mansion and more like...well.
Something he isn't even certain he could put a name to.
"Tacky isn't always bad," Emma says, her own smile catching his. Yes, she thinks she's going to like it here, given that Manuel is going to be one of her companions. They will be friends, she's certain.
"Of course, you can't have books in a Danger Room." Once again, she snatches the top book off of his stack, just to be a gentle nuisance. Not that he probably minds as much now. She opens the door for him.
"What did you need all of these for? Are the courses this rigorous?"
Manuel rolls his eyes as the girl seizes the book from the top of the stack again, but he's smiling this time and passes into the library as she holds the door open for him. The room is large with an old (by American standards, anyway) ambiance. Dark wood paneling and built-in bookshelves along the walls, rows upon rows of bookcases, antique light fixtures, and a scattering of tables and chairs. There are some computers too, all new and pristine and hopelessly out of place. He leads the way inside and places the stack of books on one of the tables.
At her question, he tilts his chin up and retorts wryly, "Research. I take my education seriously, Emma." While there's a lightness in his tone that suggests this is a joke, it...isn't. Not entirely. When it comes to his schoolwork, he's thorough and meticulous and accustomed to competing for prestige. Regardless of the fact that there's hardly anyone here to compete with.
Once again, he reaches to reclaim the book from her and drops it on the top of the stack. As she'd said, you can't have books in the Danger Room.
"Shall we?"
On entering Emma looks around, taking in the architecture and amenities. It's beautiful, a place she can see herself working and relaxing. The Hellfire Club had been richly outfitted too, of course, but there it always felt a little precarious, like someone would come to collect a debt down the line. Here, she has simply been taken in. A strange feeling, honestly, but one she can get used to. The book leaves her hand easily as the boy reaches for it.
"You'll have to help me catch up, then." Though she's fairly certain she's not behind in the least, this feels like yet another olive branch she can extend. She is powerful and has the upperhand, ultimately, but she can use some assistance, too.
"Yes, please. The professor is busy for another hour, so we have at least a bit of time."
While Manuel isn't entirely certain he trusts Emma's claim that she could use his help academically, he perks up a little just the same. He doesn't physically puff out his chest, but he may as well be psychically. "...I can do that," he returns with a smile, before turning on his heel and starting back out of the room. Whether or not he's supposed to be putting the books away himself, it seems that he doesn't intend to.
He has more important matters to attend to.
"Follow me..."
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