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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2007 22:44:18 GMT -5
Daws smiled. "Better luck for me -- you bein' out of practice might give me an edge."
She dropped the last of her onions into the pot and then frowned at the recipe sheet. "Hey, Alex -- how much is a 'pinch' of salt, anyway?"
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 24, 2007 22:53:53 GMT -5
"A dietician would say about three grains." Alex grinned. "I say about a tablespoon, for a pot that big."
Vance dumped a final handful of carrot cubes into his pot and shook his head. "What do you do, run a computer model to test all your recipes?"
"Nah--that's what I've got Sid for."
Sid grinned and patted his slight paunch, as if it were a noble badge of his taste-testing office.
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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2007 22:56:57 GMT -5
Daws grinned teasingly as she added salt to her pot. "Gosh, Sid. Trying out Alex's cooking -- that must be an awfully tough job. I dunno how you stand it."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 24, 2007 23:02:34 GMT -5
"I pay for it when I'm climbin' stairs," Sid retorted.
"We've been trying to get Dad to go biking with us," Tara said with a grin. "So far he's been like an immovable object about it."
"Thing is, I can't see myself in those tight shorts," Sid retorted.
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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2007 23:11:09 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "Not the biking type, huh Sid?" She pulled a wry face. "Can't blame ya. I haven't been on a bicycle in years. Nearly took the tip of my tail off in the wheel spokes last time -- and trust me, that's not something you wanna try twice."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 24, 2007 23:16:03 GMT -5
Tara winced. "Ouch."
Vance gave the appendage in question an appraising glance, and grinned at Daws. "You could always tie down that jib of yours."
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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2007 23:22:34 GMT -5
Daws stuck her tongue out at him. "Sure, and you could always tie your arm down, too."
She shrugged one shoulder. "That was back after I first manifested -- when I was still getting used to having a tail. I learned how to control it eventually . . . well, sort of." She lashed her tail with a faint grin. "It's still got a mind of its own sometimes."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 24, 2007 23:34:21 GMT -5
Vance looked thoughtful. "I knew a mutant who had his tail removed, so he could blend in better with normal society. Turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life.
"He didn't reckon on the fact that his brain chemistry or his inner ear or something had changed, and the added balance of his tail helped keep him oriented." The Major shook his head. "He had vertigo trouble from that time on."
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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2007 23:41:29 GMT -5
Daws shuddered. "I can't even imagine doing that -- it really would be like cutting off my hand or something. The things some people'll do just to blend in . . ."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 24, 2007 23:55:49 GMT -5
"I can't imagine that either," Tara said quietly, touching her side, where her gills were concealed beneath her sweatshirt. Her face crinkled in long pent-up frustration. "Why do people have to be like that?"
Sid rubbed his daughter's shoulders, looking silently pained.
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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2007 23:59:31 GMT -5
Daws sighed and shook her head. "I really don't know, Tara. I wish I did. I wish I could figure out why some people get so hung up on what other people look like . . . but I never could understand it."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 25, 2007 0:08:50 GMT -5
"Mutants aren't really so alone in that," Vance said philosophically. "To look at me, you wouldn't know what I was, but my face has always gotten me noticed." He twitched his scarred left cheek. "In the beginning, when people stared, it was hard to remember they were just seeing a disfigured person--not the fact I was a mutant too."
He let out an uneven chuckle. "Of course, I was none too stable at that time of life to begin with."
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Post by skybright on Apr 25, 2007 0:17:08 GMT -5
"That's to somehow imply that you're stable now?" Daws wrinkled her nose at him affectionately. "Give yourself some credit, Major."
Then her tone softened. "Anyway -- I like your face just fine."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 25, 2007 21:12:14 GMT -5
It was hard to tell, but the Major just might have blushed slightly at that.
"Are you telling me to give myself credit for being unstable?" he retorted with a grin. "That's a new one on me."
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Post by skybright on Apr 25, 2007 22:09:42 GMT -5
Daws smiled crookedly at him. "Your instability is all part of your charm, Vance. Just don't get too carried away."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 26, 2007 20:24:04 GMT -5
"Ya ask me, yer both nuts," Sid retorted with a grin.
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Post by skybright on Apr 26, 2007 21:24:46 GMT -5
Daws raised an eyebrow at him. "You're just as nuts as anyone in this bunch, y'know. Besides," she grinned wickedly. "You might be responsible for this. What you said that night we . . . went shopping at the Gray lab might've been what put the idea in our heads -- ever think of that?"
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 26, 2007 21:58:50 GMT -5
Handy snickered, and Sid pulled a suddenly thoughtful face. "Ya got a point there."
"It's been a conspiracy all along," Vance murmured slyly. "They all figured we needed an alliance to help our two groups work together smoothly, and us two were the patsies."
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Post by skybright on Apr 26, 2007 22:04:15 GMT -5
Daws narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Sid and the others. "Wouldn't put it past them."
Then she grinned mischievously at Vance. "Of course, if they really think that gettin' together means we're going to stop butting heads, they're in for a rude awakening."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 26, 2007 22:14:08 GMT -5
Vance snorted. "Yeah, I've seen His Girl Friday. That really works out well."
"We're doomed," Miriam said with a laugh.
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