Issue 1 Downtime

Isabel, looking much less disheveled, stood in front of the cafeteria, waiting on Connor.

Connor still looked tired as he walked up, though he did look like he'd taken the time to shower and otherwise clean up. "Didn't keep y' waiting long, did I, luv?"

"Nah, I just got here a second ago."

"Cheers. Let's eat, then, I'm bloody starved," Connor said, walking in ahead of her.

"So, what have you been up to?" Isabel asked, lamely.

"Eh, working. Bills t'pay an' all that. Doc said t' take it easy for a month, so I've been taking all the games on the telly. Bloody boring."

"But safer." Isabel said "Besides, this way you can actually watch the game."

"Eh,not the same. You'd ever really been to a game, you'd get it," Connor said as he picked up a tray.

"Maybe I'll have to go." Isabel said.

"Maybe I'll take you to one once this concussion's all healed up," Connor said.

"Only if you promise we'll sit in the 'no riot' section." Isabel said

"You've definitely never been to a game before," Connor chuckled.

"And here I thought you wanted to keep me from risky behavior."

"Hey, you know exactly what's going to happen in a toss-up. You're gonna hit someone, they're gonna hit you, it's all under control."

"And knowing that its pink isn't enough?" Isabel asked, possibly joking.

"Well, clubs have a lot of flashy lights. Maybe you only think it's pink," Connor said, probably just playing along.

"I probably won't try it again." Isabel said "It didn't make any difference."

Connor cocked an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Well, I'd hope you wouldn't do it again because it's bloody stupid, but okay, I'll bite. A difference in what?"

"It didn't take my mind off of the shit in my life." Isabel said "At least getting drunk distracts me."

Connor scoffed. "What shit in yer life, luv?"

"My home country is gearing up for anti-mutant genocide, the guy I'm in love with is with someone else, if I use my power or don't use my power, someone suffers."

Connor took a bite of his bacon, chewing it thoughtfully, then shrugged. "So just another day, then, luv."

"yeah, and after awhile I get sick of being ground down by it, and I try to forget for awhile and I end up getting drunk half the time. And then people tell me I'm an idiot." Isabel said "Seriously, how can anyone look at the world and not be depressed?"

Connor shrugged. "Well, when I wake up and think about growing up in the orphanage system, getting beaten around by all the kids that had families for about ten years until I was too big for 'em to do it, Spending the next ones in trouble because the kids picking fights and losing had parents to come raise a scene with the schools, working my arse off to make tuition because no one else'll bloody pay for it so 'm working six nights a week while all the other blighters're living it up at school on their scholarships and their parents' bill... I just figure moping would be a waste of the wee bit of time I actually have."

"I'm on an academic scholarship." Isabel said defensively "And I only have spending money because I work in the infirmary."

"Good on ya. That scholarship cover everything?"

"Tuition, books, room and board." Isabel confirmed "Its a good deal. As long as I keep my grades up, which I'm doing."

"That'd be a sweet deal," Connor said wistfully. "'Course, I'm just a stupid street kid, so it's my fault if I have to work it off the hard way, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, my life could be worse, since I wasn't raised in a Dickens novel."

"Don't be snotty," he said. "It can always be worse. It just isn't going to get any better if you sit there and feel sorry for yourself."

"Yeah, I tried that last night."

"No, you tried being self-destructive last night," He said.

"I wasn't sitting around being depressed."

"No, you were going out drinking and being depressed."

"I was trying not to be depressed."

"Trying not to be depressed, or trying to be happy?"

"There's a difference?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"And the difference is?"

"Well, what makes you happy?"