Charles Xavier - XMFC continuity - that bar

[mm_danii]

Finding the bar at the end of the universe instead of his study is more often than not something that he's glad for, because it means that he has been pulled from the bonds of conventional time and plopped squarely someplace where he can do whatever he'd like for however long he'd like without anyone back home paying the consequences even a little

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[sandhu_kids]

Fry sees the man with the wheelchair out of the corner of his eye, gets up, and moves three chairs out of his most likely path.

[hearsurthoughts]

Charles notices this... and gives the boy a faint smile. A small part of him wrankles at his new limitations, at the trouble they can present. But the child is being kind, and kindness is always to be appreciated.

[sandhu_kids]

Fry catches the smile, and takes it as an invitation to smile slightly back.

(If Charles is picking up minds at the moment, he may notice that Fry always has a mental well-proportioned map of the layout of the room, and is currently attempting to calculate the width of the wheelchair in his head.)

Not so subtly, he attempts to peer at the title of the book.

[hearsurthoughts]

He tries not to pry, but if Fry is thinking particularly hard on the matter, he probably has a good idea of what he's doing. There's little he can do when people are so terribly focused.

That's why he tips the book up for the boy to see better. It's a book on radiation and genetic mutation.

[sandhu_kids]

"Are you an oncologist?" Fry asks, never having been good at concealing curiousity.

[hearsurthoughts]

He shakes his head, turning to face the young man. Always best to be polite.

"No, I'm afraid not. I'm a geneticist, and hopefully soon enough, a teacher."

[sandhu_kids]

"We've done genetics at school." Fry says. "Mrs O'Sullivan got us to breed Drosophila.

I didn't like it when she told us to chloro ether them at the end so I let them out the window. She said they wouldn't survive because they had stubby wings. I said they wouldn't survive if they were put in chloro ether so at least outside they had a chance."

[hearsurthoughts]

"I can't say that I know which was better for the flies," he admits gently, "but I can say that I admire that you acted on your convictions. That is nothing to scoff at."

[sandhu_kids]

"Thanks." Fry smiles.

"My name is Alexander Jefry Sandhu but I like to be called Fry."

[hearsurthoughts]

"And I am Charles Xavier. And you may call me anything like you like except Francis."

[sandhu_kids]

"Nice to meet you Mr Xavier." Fry says, sitting down nearby.

"Why would I call you Francis? Xavier is a cool name. I bet when you were at school you were the only person with an X in your initials. Also CX is an emoticon so if you send text messages you always end with a smile."

[hearsurthoughts]

Charles had no idea what in the world the child was talking about in regards to emoticons. But that didn't mean he didn't find it mildly adorable.

"Very nice to meet you as well, Fry. And you might call me Francis if you are trying to tease me about something, as it is in fact my middle name."

A faint pang goes through him as he realizes that, more than likely, no one will ever tease him that way again. Raven had done it constantly when they were children.

"And yes, it was rather unique."

[sandhu_kids]

"I don't think I'll need to do that. CFX wouldn't work as well. Unless you were trying to convey 'I have broken my nose but am still smiling'."

Fry gets a notebook out of his pocket, writes 'CX' and 'CFX' and turns them sideways to show him.

Then he gets out another notebook with a pen, turns to the latest page, and slides it over.

"Please will you write your name in my book so you're no longer a stranger?"

[hearsurthoughts]

Charles thought this an interesting distinction, but nonetheless pulled a pen from his breast pocket and did just as he'd been asked.

Charles Francis Xavier

"I see what you mean," he said of his initials.

"I'll keep that in mind when I leave notes for the boys at home."

[sandhu_kids]

Fry would tell him, if asked later, that actually it is the response to this question that tells him more than the process of writing the name. People who do it with no fuss but a brief hesitation are generally all right. People who challenge, refuse, or don't appear in the least surprised generally require more watching.

It's also handy if he forgets anyone's name.

"Thanks. We have a whiteboard at home for notes." he says, looking at the book then putting it away.

[hearsurthoughts]

"That sounds useful," though he has no idea what such a thing might be.