7/13 Instance: A Pigeon for your Thoughts

[Starfish]

Timeline: Current.


Rose sat out on the porch in her new coat and mittens, though she wasn't sure why, since she wasn't cold. She watched the snow falling beyong the porch and sighed a bit. It at least felt good outside.

Unbeknown to her, a looming, hooded figure sat on the porch above. The gentle sound of a pencil gliding along his writing pad could faintly be heard.

Rose sighed and shrugged off her coat and mittens. She considered twirling in the snow... but that would be wet. She tapped her foot a bit as she thought.

The hooded man leaned over the side of the porch above Rose. "Hey, do you have an eraser?"

Rose shouted a bit and sent out a burst of fire at the surprise person.

The man's eyes widened, shortly before, in an unnaturally swift fashion, his head retreated the blast, followed by him artfully flipping off the porch and ont othe snow below, facing the girl in a crouched stance. "Whoa! Ok! Sorry to startle you!"

As he smirked, his pad and pencil landed comfortably beside the girl.

"Should not sneak!" Rose caught her breath, letting her heartrate calm.

Standing at full height, the hooded one laughed. "And someone with such a hot-head should totally chill - and what better season to do so?", he approached and held out his hand. "Eddie Brock, resident Spider-Man.", he winked.

"Rosalinda Rodriguez... Rose." Rose shook his hand, not sure what the heck a spider man was. "Sorry to try to burn you."

Eddie shrugged, "Ah, seriously, it's fine. Guy here stabbed me once.", he smirked awkwardly. "So, you're new here?"

"Si... yes.. new. And you?" Rose leaned back in her seat, comfortable again.

"Pft, been here for years.", Eddie said, hands behind his head. "Yep, nothing like Xavier's. So...Rose, you're...spanish?", he asked, leaning his head to one side.

Rose smiled a bit. "Mexican. You?"

Eddie winced. "Agh, should have guessed!", he laughed, straightening up. "I'm from the UK, overseas. Good ol' England.", he pointed to the steps where his pencil and pad lay. "May I join you?"

"Of course." Rose offered him a smile. "It is... wet in England?"

Eddie sat, moving his pad and pencil asside. "God, all the time.", he sighed. "One thing I don't miss!", he looked at Rose. "So, Mexico, eh? What, may I ask, bought you here?"

Rose swallowed a bit, remembering why she had left Mexico. "No home."

"Oh...uh...", didn't take Spider-Sense for Eddie to realize he'd hit a nerve. "I'm sorry, it's none of my buisness. Forgive me, it was rude to pry."

Rose shook her head. "It is alright. They offer food and home here."

Eddie nodded, smiling gently again. "Yeah, Professor Xavier's always been a more than charitable man. This place is a haven for people like us from all over.", he looked out onto the snowwy grounds and sighed. "Hell, I remember what life was like for me before I was here."

"Bad life?"

"Heoes... knights?"

"Uh...yes! I suppose.", he laughed, "Your friendly 'hombre-arachne'.", Eddie announced with a thumbs up. "Friends?"

Rose grinned. "Amigos."

Eddie nodded, enthusiastically smiling. "Great!", he pondered to himself. "It's cold, wouldn't you say?"

"Would you...", Eddie considered how to explain, "Want to go inside? Get some hot chocolate to drink?"

Rose shrugged a bit. "Feels good, but hot chocolate would be good."

Eddie stood, picking up his art tools. "Alright then, let's go inside?", he gestured to the porch door. "I talk much easier when I'm not cold."

Rose laughed and put her arm around Eddie. "I warm you up."

Eddie blushed, "Ah-!?", he managed in surprise. Attractive mexican women who hardly grasp English like sudden physical contact! That was new! God she was warm, too. "Uh...thanks that's actually...your power literally makes you 'hot'?"

Eddie chuckled, there was so much 'win' in that question.

Rose smiled at him. "I am fire."

"Huh! No kidding.", Eddie smirked, not managing to hide the blatant flirtation in it, finding justification in the doubt anyone else would do differently. "In which case, away we go!", he smiled.

Rose laughed and walked with him. He really was cute.

At a moment, Eddie considered his life, and the various single, attractive women now in it. Then again... "In for a penny, in for a pound.", he muttered to himself.

"Que? What?" Rose hadn't quite caught that.

"Ah, nothing.", Eddie shook his head, "Slip of the tongue. Just...thinking out loud."

"What is you say... a pidgeon for your thoughts?" Rose eyed him a bit.

Stifling the laughter, Eddie put his arm around her, too. "I have a lot to teach you, kid.", he smiled.

Rose laughed, then grinned at him. "And I teach you too."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that.", Eddie smiled, opening the door. "No doubt at all."

Oh, he was bad. He was so very, very bad.