Chandra Darkholme (Katja raised by her father) celebrates Father's Day.
"Father?"
Ransome Darkholme looked up, still rubbing his forehead. Chandra stood in the doorway, looking at him, almost hopeful.
"Yes, Chandra?"
"Is your headache any better?"
"Somewhat."
She nodded, falling silent for a while. He watched her, noting the slight anxiousness in her stance, her face, her voice.
"Something wrong?"
She shook her head. He raised an eyebrow.
"Out with it, you have something to say. Say it."
"I was wondering if you were ready for dinner."
"I'm famished. I hope it's nothing too fancy."
Chandra shrugged. "Just pizza. The works. I hope you don't mind. I picked off the mushrooms."
Ransome almost grinned. "Sounds good. Bring me a few slices and a beer."
When Chandra made no response, he cocked an eyebrow again.
"Well?"
"Actually, I set a table - I wanted to eat outside, under the sky. We'd have a good view of the city..."
Ransome's look was questioning, but he nodded in assent.
* * *
It wasn't much, he reflected, looking at the small table. In the middle sat a pizza box. Each of them had a plate and napkin, with a still-frosty beer standing by. He nodded in approval.
"Smells good."
Chandra chanced a small smile. "I hope you don't mind... I lifted it off a Dominos pizza guy."
Ransome's blue lips twitched, the shadow of an amused grin spreading briefly across his face. He pulled out his chair, sitting across from his daughter, who still seemed anxious.
Folding both hands on the table, he leveled a look at Chandra.
"All right. We never just sit down to eat together like this. What's going on?"
Chandra chewed at her lip. Whatever it was that she was loathe to admit, he knew she was afraid he'd disapprove of it. He waited patiently. She shrugged, trying so hard to look nonchalant.
"I just wanted to, you know, hang out and talk. Do you mind?"
He shook his head, taking a sip of the beer. It was good.
"No, I never mind talking with you, Chandra. What I do mind, however, is when you lie to me. There's more to this that you're not telling me."
His gaze was harder, a warning now. He'd know if Chandra persisted to lie to him. No one could lie to him. He was a deceiver of the first water. And Chandra, though his daughter, was not his equal.
Chandra sighed, not breaking eye contact, but not looking particularly comfortable in maintaining it, either. Ransome became vaguely aware of her tail as it brushed his leg before curling submissively under her chair.
"I just..."
She did not speak further. Ransome waited patiently as she looked down at her slice of pizza.
"Pizza's getting cold," she sighed, taking a bite out of her slice. Changing the subject did not break Ransome's gaze. She swallowed hard and nodded.
"All right, all right, fine. I... wanted to have dinner with you because, well..."
She turned away for several seconds, sighing again, looking out at the city as bits of her long hair played in a breeze. She turned back, her eyes vulnerable behind her mask of matter-of-factness.
"...because it's Father's Day."
Ransome's hard gaze softened; still he looked at his daughter, this time with consideration in his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, cocking his head gently to one side.
Chandra was uncomfortable, it was plain to see. "I... I wanted to do more, but..." She threw up her hands in a helpless gesture. "It's hard to find cards for terrorists..."
Finally, Ransome smiled, amused by the idea of Hallmark putting out a line of greeting cards for mutant public enemies. The smile made it to his eyes, confusing Chandra a bit.
"I'm flattered, Chandra. I confess I wasn't expecting it at all. We've never celebrated it before..."
She was curious about his seeming approval, but not confident yet. "So... you don't mind?"
He shook his head. "Chandra, why would I mind? A pizza, a couple of beers, and just us? We should do it more often."
Chandra allowed herself to smile. Just a little.
"Good. I was afraid you'd think I was going soft or something."
He chuckled lightly. "Eat your pizza before it gets cold."
Chandra cocked an eyebrow, teasing him with a look. "Yes dad."
