Notes: Yay for moar Noah learning how to navigate Earth! I've slowed down a bit on this one and the tinyClint one because of some Real Life stuff (second book of my series getting released this weekend, woot!) but I promise it's still getting love!

After all, who can resist Jubinoh? No one, that's who.

Chapter 1: Don't Go Breaking My Heart

It was hard for Noh-Varr to transition from being a temporary resident of Earth to considering the planet with a bit more permanency.

It had only been a few days since he brought the Phoenix to Hala and witness its host, Jean, simply burn through any on Hala who had been corrupt, who had brought that planet to the fallen state that Noh had witnessed. And yet it felt like a lifetime ago — perhaps because Noh had been so violently thrown into loneliness since then.

He was still surrounded by friends with the X-Men; that much was true. Jean had made it clear to him that she didn't blame him for the actions the Supreme Intelligence had forced upon him. And the others seemed to be following her lead of forgiveness as well.

But even with the few friends he had here on Earth, he was still lost, more than he had ever been before. It was abundantly clear to him that his mind was vulnerable and that the Kree in this universe were not yet advanced enough to trust.

It was hard, Noh thought, to be unable to find refuge with the Empire that should have been his home. And yet the X-Men had proven themselves more enlightened than the Kree.

It was disappointing.

His mind was empty as well — devoid, yes, of the influence of the Supreme Intelligence but devoid of any sign of his people as well. At least when the Supremor had infected his mind, Noh had felt like part of a whole. Now, he felt… adrift.

There were days when the loneliness was an ache in his chest that was almost too hard to bear, and those were the days that someone always seemed to find him — no doubt sent by Charles or Jean. He knew that they were keeping an eye on him, because they were frequent visitors to his mind, and they knew that he was barely keeping his head above water.

It was times like this that a member of the staff would suggest some new music, some new food to try — something to keep his attention.

He missed Jubilee desperately, but she had been colder to him since he left to go to Hala. She didn't seem to believe him when he promised that he was on Earth to stay, though at the very least, she didn't stop him outright from talking to her or trying to spend time with her. But it was nothing like sharing music and stealing kisses as they had done before.

He was very lost, and very alone.

Despite the intense loneliness and outright depression that seemed to be clouding Noh's every waking moment, however, he did try to participate in those activities that brought him some joy — the things that made him love Earth even if it was nothing like his home.

More often than not, if Noh was not with Charles and Jean, he was listening to music or attending classes — and his favorite class was one that combined both.

Noh's turn to pick the music in dance class came up sooner than he expected, and he couldn't decide between the Ronettes and the waltz. He had wanted to dance with Jubilee, but since she was still a bit distant, he ultimately decided on the Ronettes — which ended up with a short lesson on dirty dancing that he hadn't quite expected but thoroughly enjoyed.

K had assigned the partners, grinning at Noh in particular as she told him low that Jubilee needed a good dip. And Kurt had been an excellent partner for her to show the kids how it was done. It was a little harder for some of the teens to get past the awkward stage but… it ended up being a highly enjoyable class all around.

The kids were clearing out when K called out for Noh to hang back. "I need a little hand down at the barn this afternoon, and I'd like you to be the big, strong one helping me."

Noh looked surprised at the request. "I know you are strong yourself, and you have told the others as much often."

"Noh," she said in her most exasperated tone as Kurt smirked nearby. "I just need a little help. You already broke my heart once. Please don't do it again."

Noh straightened slightly. "Yes, well… what do you need done?"

"I have a couple of bulky boxes that need to go down, and then it's time to restack the hay before it falls and hurts someone."

"I can do that," he assured her with a small smile, letting her lead the way to where the boxes were stacked by the door so he could simply carry them down for her, though they were a bit bulkier than he had expected.

She was happy to lead the way — and hold the doors open, since, even with the strength, the boxes were not balanced inside in a way that made them easy to handle. "Awesome. Thank you. You want to help me unpack them first before we stack?"

"Of course," he said with a little nod.

She gave him a little smile and popped one claw to slice open the boxes — only to reveal that they each contained a new leather saddle for the riding classes. "Why don't you try this one out?" she suggested.

He looked at the saddle with his eyebrows drawn together. "You would need to show me," he admitted at last.

"Of course," she said before she pulled down a saddle stand and told him to set it on the wooden stand. "I'll hold it steady; just hop in and have a seat."

He raised an eyebrow her way before he simply vaulted up to sit in the saddle and then looked back down at her. "Alright, I'm sitting in it… what am I testing it for?"

"Yep. Legs straight down ... relaxed," she instructed as she tipped her head to look at everything. "How many fingers can you get between your leg and this part … it's called a pommel?"

"Two," he said after a moment to test it. "I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for?"

"It is," she said with a nod. "It looks like it's holding you pretty well." She looked up at him with a little frown. "Kree skeletal anatomy. How similar is your pelvis built to ours?"

"I'm not sure what your is like, but I have two joints here," he said, indicating a spot near his hip. "So that I can bend and fold."

"I'm more interested in how things work as far as near the tailbone. With us, there are two points that, for lack of a better description, we use the term 'seat' bone … that you should be able to feel if you're sitting properly." She tipped her head. "One on either side — the ischium."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You must have had a prehensile tail in your evolution," he said. "Mine is more rounded, like a thorax, more cartilage."

She nodded. "Well yes, that's part of it." She took a little longer to think about it. "If you relax, can you feel a contact point on either side — where the backside of your leg meets your backside?"

He was quiet for a long moment as he shifted the way he was sitting. "Alright, yes."

"Wonderful," she said, smiling at him widely. "I was hoping you'd join my riding class too. There are few things so peaceful and romantic as a trail ride that ends at sunset."

"I could do that, yes," he said, his head tipped to the side. "That does sound interesting."

"I'm still trying to convince Charles to let us do a weekend trail ride — let the kids sleep under the stars, all of that."

"Why would he say no?" Noh asked, genuinely confused. "It sounds lovely."

"Just idiotic people that might want to start trouble," she said with a shrug. "Our horses would mean it would be a fairly close to home ride, but the foothills are lovely to ride in, and the lakes would be fun to camp near."

"If security is an issue, then I could go," Noh offered.

"Logan was figuring out a solid, safe path," she told him. "He has a knack for finding less travelled routes." She nodded to herself. "Tomorrow afternoon, there's room in that class for you to learn how to ride."

He smiled her way. "Thank you; that sounds interesting."

"And you haven't even tried country music yet," she said, shaking her head.

"I have several genres to get through," he said.

"Yes, but for as wholesome as you've been leaning, I was sure you'd find The Sons of The Pioneers by now."

"I admit, I've gotten a little caught up with the Beach Boys and the Ronettes," he said. "The tight harmonies are my favorite."

"Well, the era I'm talking about is a decade or so before them."

"Do you have a CD?"

"Ah, no. I do not," she said, shaking her head. "Once upon a time, I had a record, but … no."

"Well, I'll find it next time I go to the mall with ... well ... whoever will go with me, I suppose."

"Ask Jubilee, she wanted to get a new something done to her hair."

He paused and then nodded. "I think I will, then," he said, though he couldn't help smiling to himself.

While Jubilee was getting her hair cut, Noh went to a bookstore to look through some of their different selections. He didn't need the nonfiction section when he could download information, but he was coming to enjoy music and television. Paige had suggested ET to him the other day, and he'd actually enjoyed it — and wanted to find more stories.

He ended up walking out with a few books of poetry — he thought it was the most like music he'd seen in written form and honestly enjoyed a few of them that he had read — and went to meet up with Jubilee outside the hair salon. He was still a bit further out when he saw the much shorter cut — which he thought looked amazing on her — when a couple young men stepped up on either side of Jubilee.

She looked to each side of her and rolled her eyes. "Step off, creepazoids," she said in a tired tone. "I'd hate to kick your trash all over the mall in front of your buddies. But I will."

"Aww, that's cute," one of the guys said. "She thinks she can take us."

"Go ahead, gene trash," the other one sneered.

"Oh, you're ready to get your butt kicked now?" she asked, looking like she was shocked at the news.

The guys both stepped forward, and Jubilee looked like she was ready to fight them with one hand tied behind her back when Noh finally caught up to them. "Oh, are we fighting now? Wonderful."

"I'd hardly call it fighting," Jubilee said. "Wouldn't even qualify as stretching."

"Oh, certainly not," Noh agreed, looking over the two young men, who looked a bit shocked at the backup now that it was a slightly more even match. Or uneven — but they didn't quite seem to realize that. "Certainly not with this … gene trash I'm looking at."

"What is your problem, man?" one of the guys asked.

"She's the mutie," the other one chimed in, pointing at Jubilee.

"And proud of it," Jubilee replied with one hand on her hip.

"I'm well-aware of who she is," Noh said calmly. "It is you who are behind evolutionarily." He tipped his head to study them. "Do you even qualify as homo sapien?"

"Kinda looks — and smells — like what I'd imagine homo habilis looked like," Jubilee said with her nose in the air.

"He must be one of them too," said one of the guys.

"Not quite," Noh said with a smirk. "Certainly far more advanced than you, gene trash. You'd have been thrown out where I come from."

"Come on, ignore the losers," Jubilee said, pulling at his arm lightly. "Not worth the energy."

Noh frowned their way for a moment longer before he let out a sigh and then turned her way. "Yes, I have a new CD to listen to. Far more important."

"And we have just enough time to get some noodles before we go," she added.

He grinned a bit wider. "Lead the way, Jubilee."

She took a better hold on his arm and leaned slightly into him as they headed to the noodle cart. "Really. Those dweebs try to start something every time they see me. They don't have the guts to actually do anything."

"They're idiots," he said with a little sniff. "They don't even have a basic understanding of genetics to do a proper insult."

She rolled her eyes at him and made the order for the two of them. "You know … most people don't have a basic understanding of genetics by your ruler."

"This… is true," he said with a little smile. "But honestly, Jubilee, 'gene trash' is what we called genetic experiments that were completely inviable and a waste of the effort put into them. You are not that."

"Well," she said with a little shrug, "that's just what they think. More or less."

"As I said — idiots." He shook his head and smiled her way. "They should see just by looking at you that you are superior. That haircut suits you."

She blushed lightly — though whether it was at his compliment or the look the woman at the noodle cart was giving her, it was a tough call. She hid behind a soft 'thank you' in Mandarin before she handed Noh his noodles and the two of them headed for the door. "You really like it? I was a little unsure on how short it is on the back and sides..."

"No, I like the way it frames your face," he said. "It draws attention to your smile, jaw, and neck."

"Well, that's one of the nicest things anyone's said about one of my cuts."

Noh smiled at her. "Well, you asked me my opinion, and I gave it to you. But if you have been so deprived, I'll try to tell you more often."

She blushed again and pulled her feet up under her where she sat on the concrete planter outside of the entrance. "Eat your noodles."

He grinned at her and followed her lead, and he tried to use the chopsticks like she did, though that just had her giggling over his attempts until he was just grinning up at her. "I like it when you laugh."

"I'll buy you your own set of chopsticks then," she giggled.

"I may need them just to get the hang of it," he laughed.

She looked up at him with a troublemaking look on her face. "They have special sets for little kids with a little rubber arch holding them together …"

He laughed and shook his head at her. "I may be a remedial student in some things, but I think I can master this without the childish alternative."

"You could always take the crash course," Jubilee said with a slowly growing smile.

"And what would that be?"

"Trip to Madripoor and Tokyo with Wolvie and me."

He tipped his head to the side. "I would love to go anywhere with you, but I somehow doubt Logan would agree."

"You might be surprised," she told him. "Madripoor's kinda rough, and he likes challenging people's sensibilities on food."

Noh smirked. "I don't have any sensibilities on food."

"You say that without looking at the dancing octopus."

"Is it organic?"

"And alive."

"Then I can eat it," he said with a shrug.

"Oh sure … I forgot. Aliens don't care about tentacles and suction cups trying to suck out your fillings."

"I've met sentient beings that fit that description," he said with a small smirk.

"Is that … is that a sense of humor in there?" she asked with a little smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.

He couldn't help but smile at her. "It must be a little one, since it seems you can't tell."

"Oh, it's just so subtle, I'm glad to see it, that's all," she said, turning her attention to the last of her noodles. "Seriously. You need to catch up. Bobby is cooking tonight. You'll starve to death otherwise."

He grinned at her and abandoned his chopsticks for a plastic fork — for the moment — but couldn't stop smiling at her, either. By the time they were out the door, he was in a great mood. "We should do this again," he said. "I like seeing you smile."

She blushed again and dropped her head a little lower. "You already said that."

"I said I liked seeing you laugh," he said. "And besides, repetition is good. Most music is repetition." He held out his hand to her, and she looked at his hand and then up at his face before she scooted a little closer and took it.