11/29 Issue: Lunch Dates Aren't Real Dates

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Svartfreja
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11/29 Issue: Lunch Dates Aren't Real Dates

Post by Svartfreja »

Timelined for Thurs 27th.


<Carol> Carol sat at a table with a cup of coffee, fiddling with the sugar sachet she wasn't going to use. She was early... which, lately, was unusual for her and now she was remembering why. She was antsy. Why hadn't she sat in the corner? Since the press conference she caught people taking long looks. It was freaking her out.

<Shinobi> Obi ran his hand through his hair as he came through the door. The spring wind outside was just enough to muss it and he paused to scan the cafe as the greeter asked him if he was alone. "No, thank you, I see her," he said distractedly, heading for Carol's table.

<Carol> Carol looked over at the door when it opened and smiled, in relief for a large part. She raised a hand in a wave and put the sugar packet back down on the table before the sugar ended up all over her lap.

<Shinobi> "Sorry I was late," he said, sliding into the chair across from her. "Sometimes judges just like to make you wait."

<Carol> She shook her head, "It's fine... I was kind of early... might be on my third cup of coffee..."

<Shinobi> "Third?" He laughed, looking down at the cup. "Wow."

<Carol> "I felt awkward just sitting here and people kept looking at me... and all the scotch is at home." She shrugged a shoulder, "So too much coffee was my only acceptable choice."

<Shinobi> Obi tipped his head sideways to stare at her. "Anyway, how about some food with your caffeine?"

<Carol> "That sounds good. Lunch does imply food," she nodded, plucking a menu from the holder on the table and offering it to him. "Just watch them for a few minutes and tell me if I'm being paranoid or if they keep looking at me."

<Shinobi> He took the menu and looked around the room, but people had looked up at him as he came in anyway. "Okay," he said, drawing the word out.

<Carol> She nudged him with her foot, "I'm serious! Ever since that stupid press conference... It's like they think I don't notice..."

<Shinobi> He smirked. "Okay, well, I'll check it out. You were on the news, so people are probably just trying to remember why you look familiar." Obi started to look through the menu.

<Carol> "Well let's hope they don't figure it out because I don't know if I can handle that..." She wrinkled her nose as she disappeared behind her own menu.

<Shinobi> "But you're a celebrity now. A superhero." He was still smirking at the menu.

<Carol> "Pfft, we haven't heroed anything yet... unless you count finally kicking out the klepto demons so we can move in."

<Shinobi> "Well, yeah, but Tony couldn't have made a bigger production of that if he'd tried." Obi cocked his head to consider this. "Actually, no, he could have done way worse. Be happy he didn't."

<Carol> "Yeah there could have been pyrotechnics and a flyby...." she rolled her eyes.

<Shinobi> He flipped the menu down to laugh. "Exactly!"

<Carol> "For the love of God, do not suggest that to him for the opening ceremony...." She peered at him from over the top of her menu, eyes narrowed.

<Shinobi> Obi grinned brightly. "Well now I might have to. It'd be appropriately heroic, right?"

<Carol> "Noooo it'd be a disaster waiting to happen! I don't want the building to burn down... I worked so hard getting rid of those naked blue guys..."

<Shinobi> "It'd probably be your team burning down the building first."

<Carol> "Yeah... I hope not... That'd be a terrible PR move..." She ducked back down behind the menu, "Starting to feel even more grateful that I made Tony promise I won't have to do any paperwork."

<Shinobi> With her in hiding, he glanced around the room. He supposed people were looking at them a little. Obi met the eyes of an older man and lifted a brow, waiting until he looked away.

<Carol> "So, I'm going to move in this week... get all settled before stuff gets too crazy... you know... before everyone else shows up..."

<Shinobi> "How many of them are actually gonna live there?" Obi stared down a woman this time, then looked back at Carol.

<Carol> "I don't know... Beth seemed pretty intent on moving in... I guess Rogue probably will... maybe Cess... but there'll be SHIELD staff wandering around too... doing whatever they do when I'm not glaring at them..."

<Shinobi> Their waiter appeared and now she was giving him a look, probably for giving the other patrons looks. He gave her a grin and told her his order.

<Carol> Carol gave her own order and asked for water rather than more coffee. She had had enough coffee. "So, what do you think? Am I being paranoid?"

<Shinobi> "Oh, no. People are definitely looking." Obi smirked. "Or they were. The Shaw death glare's good for some things, after all."

<Carol> "Rather you than me... I think I should make an effort to make a good impression... but I don't want to...."

<Shinobi> "Lucky for you, I don't care." His expression slid into his shark's grin and he glanced around the room. People were minding their own business for now. Good.

<Carol> "Well you can be mean and get away with it. You're a lawyer. People pay you to be a dick," she pointed out with a smirk, lifting her coffee to finish it off.

<Shinobi> "I have picked the perfect profession then." The waitress brought him a coffee and he took a whiff.

<Carol> Carol nodded, setting her empty cup down to one side, "Do you like it?"

<Shinobi> "My job?" He shrugged and blew on the coffee. "I get paid to argue with people. What's not to like about that?"

<Carol> She laughed, "You can argue with them but you're not allowed to smack them. That'd drive me crazy."

<Shinobi> "Smacking gets you disbarred, so no, you can't do that." Obi chuckled at her. "Smacking gets you in trouble in lots of professions, generally."

<Carol> "It's technically supposed to in the military too but... most of the time if you're just punching people that are the same rank as you they let it go because they probably had a smart mouth."

<Shinobi> "Sounds... unorganized." He made a face and took a drink.

<Carol> She grinned, "It's fun! Usually all the fighting happens in downtime... you get bored."

<Shinobi> "I'll take your word on it." He glanced around the room and back to Carol. "So, you got rid of the blue demons and Tony's plans are moving along?"

<Carol> "Why do you think I've eaten so much weird shit?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head with a small smile before taking the subject change. "Yeah things are going okay... repairs in the main are mostly done and the jet arrives tomorrow... which I'm a little bit excited about."

<Shinobi> "Oh yeah? Is he sparing no expense?"

<Carol> "He's on the whole legacy kick... wants to leave behind something to be remembered for so... I guess? Let's just hope it doesn't go all Jurassic park..."

<Shinobi> "Well," he smirked. "Nature, uh, finds a way."

<Carol> She laughed, "Man, I hope it's not dinosaurs on our first day... that could either be awesome or suck."

<Shinobi> "Make sure that dimensional portal is good and closed," he said, taking another drink.

<Carol> "I don't know that we'll ever get that promise... but for now it's behaving and Broo is working on repairs to all the systems the BAMFs ate so.... it's looking good so far...."

<Shinobi> "Ate?" He shook his head and laughed, looking up as a server came with their lunch.

<Carol> "I don't know what else they could have done with it - we never found it."

<Shinobi> "Weird." Obi thanked the kid and they were occupied with their food for a while as he thought about the old asylum, the new team, and their government babysitter.

<Carol> Carol poked at her food, pushing it around her plate between bites. She had a lot on her mind, as usual, but at least this time not all of it was bad. A flash of orange at the window caught her attention. She cocked her head on one side as a cat meowed at her through the window. What was it with ginger cats lately?

<Shinobi> Obi looked up at Carol, then over to the window. Cat. "Hey, is that your buddy from the other night?"

<Carol> "How could it be? I wasn't even in Boston... been getting that a lot lately too... Kind of wondering if Jess put catnip in my pockets for a prank..."

<Shinobi> "Oh, I know you weren't," he said, taking a bite of salad and watching her. "Funny thing happens when you take off from a blooming tree. Hard to miss, even in the middle of the night."

<Carol> She cringed a little, looking down at her lap, "Right... Before you ask... I don't know why... at least I didn't knock on your door...."

<Shinobi> "I can guess why. I'm not angry, although the timing could have been better," he chuckled. "And I appreciate that."

<Carol> "You know why? Can you tell me? That'd be great.... I was just flying around and ended up there..." she frowned, "I really should stop doing that... but when I can't sleep..."

<Shinobi> "Well you said you needed people to talk to, and I said I would. I do, and I am." He gestured between them with the fork.

<Carol> "Yeah... I guess it was in my brain that I should do the talking thing instead of applying more scotch... at least my subconscious knows what's good for me, huh?"

<Shinobi> "That's good then. That you didn't apply more scotch. I still think you should have kidnapped that cat. Or this one?" He nodded at the window.

<Carol> "I'm not bringing a random cat home until I move out of the crazy house. Poor thing'd have a heart attack if it saw Sharky."

<Shinobi> Obi shrugged and took another bite, watching her.

<Carol> She noticed he was watching and looked at him for a long moment before picking up a fry from her plate and throwing it at him, "Quit it."

<Shinobi> It landed in his salad and he speared it with his fork and ate it. "Thanks"

<Carol> "Next time I'll kick you."

<Shinobi> "Remember what I said about hitting people?"

<Carol> "It's fun and I should do it more?"

<Shinobi> "No," he said, drawing the word out with a smirk.

<Carol> "Are you sure?" She asked, putting on an exaggerated thinking face, "Because that defintely was what I heard..."

<Shinobi> "I specifically said smacking people was bad," he laughed, shaking his head.

<Carol> "Right. Smack the bad people." She nodded, "Exactly."

<Shinobi> "Anyway," he said, tapping his fork against his plate. "You seem to be in a better place than you were."

<Carol> She shrugged a shoulder, picking up her water for a sip. Stalling. "I've had a good week..."

<Shinobi> "Well good!" As he watched with savor that water, he realized she was full of shit. "That good, huh?"

<Carol> "It's been okay... I'm just trying not to think so far ahead... tomorrow's looking good, remember? I get a new toy to play with."

<Shinobi> "Hey, one day at a time really is good. Then tomorrow you can kick the tires on the jet, and look ahead to the next day."

<Carol> "I already have that one planned - moving day. After that... no idea. Guess we'll see..."

<Shinobi> "It sounds like you're getting a handle on it then." He took another bite and smiled slightly.

<Carol> "I don't know if I'd go that far... I still don't like being left alone with my thoughts so I'm kind of a bit dreading being in that building pretty much by myself for a while..."

<Shinobi> "Well, that's when you kidnap the cat," he laughed.

<Carol> "Or one just shows up and stares at me through the window..." the mystery cat voyeur seemed to have gotten bored and wandered off for now though.

<Shinobi> "There you go. Cats adopt you from what I've heard."

<Carol> "I'm not sure I should trust a cat that thinks I'd be a good cat-mom..."

<Shinobi> "Cats are pretty self-sufficient." He took another bite of his salad, picking out the chicken, and checked the window. No orange tabby. "I saw the cat jump out of the tree that night too."

<Carol> "Self-sufficient or not... it shows a terrible lack of judgement."

<Shinobi> He looked back over at her. "Why do you do that?"

<Carol> "Why do I do what?" She raised an eyebrow at him as she paused for another sip of water.

<Shinobi> "Insult yourself." He watched her closely and took a drink of his coffee.

<Carol> She blinked at him, "It's called being honest."

<Shinobi> "Okay, but when you say you're a fuck up, sometimes you make yourself more of a fuck up. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy."

<Carol> "Well I work on experience... and I have to ask permission to see my own kid so..."

<Shinobi> "Well then why set yourself up for future problems? Try to start seeing yourself as trying to do better, and not be so negative."

<Carol> "Because I'm expecting to screw it up every step of the way and I'm surprised when I don't... maybe I like the surprise?" She sighed, well aware that she was deflecting because she didn't want to bring up her dad.

<Shinobi> Obi rolled his eyes and went back to his salad.

<Carol> She sighed tossing her fork onto her plate and sitting back in her seat, "What do you want me to say?"

<Shinobi> "Okay, you say you want things to be better, and change, and get your life on track. You kind of have to start with the decision that you're not a fuck-up and move forward from there."

<Carol> "How am I supposed to do that when all the evidence is to the contrary? I can't just forget the last decade like it never happened..." well maybe she could but she was pretty sure Rogue wouldn't go for that. She wrinkled her nose at her own thought and looked out of the window.

<Shinobi> "Carol, you know what I was, what I am..." he glanced around the room. "If I can sort my shit out, you can, too."

<Carol> "Except you have a really great support network and a family that actually likes you... and you don't have to go home and be alone every night because you screwed up the best relationship you ever had..." she closed her eyes for a moment and swiped at her cheek with her palm before looking at him again, "My dad still blames me for Steven. I still blame me..."

<Shinobi> Obi sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." He frowned. "How is what happened to your brother your fault?"

<Carol> "Because I asked him to help with the whole... Sentinel thing..." she shook her head, "There's no way that wasn't my fault..."

<Shinobi> "But he was an adult who made his own decision to help, right?"

<Carol> "... Sorta?" She sighed, sitting up and putting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, "Our relationship was complicated..."

<Shinobi> "Okay, well then tell me about it?"

<Carol> "Are you sure you want to have this conversation right now?"

<Shinobi> "I'm guessing you don't." He took another drink, rubbing his face with his free hand. "That's fine, I don't want to upset you. Apparently I keep doing that..."

<Carol> She shook her head, "No... you're trying to help... it's okay..." she picked up a fry from her plate and chewed it, trying to work out if she could finish her lunch. "It's just hard... there's a lot of stuff I don't talk about... to anyone... and it'd be easier with a drink and no audience..."

<Shinobi> "Okay. Another time." He gave her a faint smile and took another bite.

<Carol> "Thanks..." she gave him a small smile in response, "I promise to wait til a reasonable hour if I decide I can handle the conversation and you're still in New York..."

<Shinobi> "I appreciate that," he chuckled. "Maybe I'll come see your facility now that it's free of blue dimensional demons."

<Carol> "Feeling brave, huh?" she decided she could eat a little more so she picked up her fork again.

<Shinobi> "Sure, why not?" He grinned. "We couldn't make the announcement, but I'm sure Tony will want us to come to the big unveiling event."

<Carol> "Oh you're gonna see if you can get Hope to come too?" she cocked her head on one side.

<Shinobi> "Maybe. You can't pry her out of the lab most days. I'm kind of used to being on my own for now." He shrugged, taking another bite.

<Carol> "I guess you're both super busy, huh?" she prodded her food again, "Gotta show up at her lab and drag her ass out of there."

<Shinobi> "Well, Stark Industries is never short on litigation, for sure," he laughed.

<Carol> "Imagine how much worse it's gonna be when Tony's back in the building full-time."

<Shinobi> "Oh, I have no doubt, especially since he has his pet fart demon there."

<Carol> She laughed at that, "Oh wow. It's Hope's problem now."

<Shinobi> "Hardly. I think it's a father-daughter project."

<Carol> She raised an eyebrow, "Because there's no way that could go wrong..."

<Shinobi> "Absolutely none," he deadpanned, taking another long drink of coffee.

<Carol> "Well at least if it gets out there you don't have to sleep in the same building..."

<Shinobi> "And then they can have all the fun of trying to catch it again!"

<Carol> "Without my shiny awesomeness to help them. Better hope their brains are up to the challenge."

<Shinobi> "Two Starks are better than one?" He shrugged.

<Carol> "Or they'll try to out-Stark each other and blow something up..." she shrugged and took another bite, "It could go either way."

<Shinobi> "It really could." He chuckled to himself. "God help us if they call my father to help."

<Carol> She shook her head, "Never gonna happen. Their combined egos couldn't handle the hit if they had to ask for anyone's help."

<Shinobi> "I would normally agree, but those three are..." he snorted. "Something else."

<Carol> "Yeah I know... Tony is Sebastian's other wife. It's super weird."

<Shinobi> "It really is," he laughed.

<Carol> "The worst part is... they don't think it's weird... and Sebastian's married to a therapist. Someone needs to tell them it's weird.... Not it."

<Shinobi> "Oh and you think I am?" Obi laughed in earnest now. "I'm a Stark by marriage and a Shaw by... well, by being part Sebastian. They don't have the monopoly on weird."

<Carol> "You didn't get a choice on the weird. They did this to themselves."

<Shinobi> Obi shrugged one shoulder. "We're all fated to be a little weird."

<Carol> "Or a lot weird..." she added, "There's a sliding scale... I could do with less weird, honestly."

<Shinobi> "I suppose I'm not an alien," he said, taking a sip and smirking over the rim of the mug.

<Carol> "Right? It can always get worse!" She nodded sagely, "I really should ask my mom about that... buuuuut I don't want to open that can of worms..."

<Shinobi> "I can't say that I blame you..." Although, it seemed like maybe she should open a few of those cans. It might improve her mental state.

<Carol> "I don't even know if I already knew this stuff... Steven was the person I used to talk to about everything..."

<Shinobi> "I'm sorry," he sighed.

<Carol> She shrugged, "It is what it is... Maybe Rogue knows..." she frowned, "I feel like life would be less complicated if I didn't have all my memories in another person."

<Shinobi> "That..." Obi licked his lips, looking down at the table. "My memories are all fake. It's... they feel real, but they're not mine. They belonged to someone else and Essex just implanted them."

<Carol> "Wow, we're a pair, huh?" she shook her head, "Are they at least nice memories?"

<Shinobi> He shrugged. "They're... a life, so good and bad. Some of it I think was just manufactured, some of it I think was maybe someone who worked for Essex. I don't like to think about what happened to the original owner."

<Carol> "I guess at least you know it's not real... I have to rely on other people to tell me about things I don't remember... and hope they're being honest."

<Shinobi> "Why would they lie, though?"

<Carol> "I can think of plenty of reasons my dad would lie..."

<Shinobi> Obi's eyebrows rose and he took a drink. "Well, okay then. It sounds like your father trumps mine."

<Carol> "He and I... we don't get along... he has a temper and I'm not the daughter he wanted... or more acurrately I wasn't the son he wanted..." She rolled her eyes, "I tried to make up for it but... never gonna be good enough."

<Shinobi> "Then he's a dick and that's not your fault."

<Carol> "Oh he's a grade-A asshole," she agreed, "But he's still my dad... and Steven was his favourite so..."

<Shinobi> "None of that is your fault, Carol." He pushed away the rest of his salad in favor of coffee.

<Carol> "You know that doesn't matter, right?" she picked up her water for another sip, "I still can't go visit my parents."

<Shinobi> "What about your mom?" He paused, giving the waitress a smile as she poured him a refill and asked if they needed anything else.

<Carol> Carol decided she wanted pie so made the request, "My mom's okay... but, you know... they occupy the same house..."

<Shinobi> "Well, maybe you could have lunch with her? Just kind of... test the waters?"

<Carol> "Maybe... still feel like I need a buffer though... I guess I could call Joe..."

<Shinobi> "There you go." He took another drink, nearly burning himself, and set the cup back down.

<Carol> "Not sure when I'll find the time to do this though..." she smirked, "I guess we'll have to see what the schedule's like when things are going properly...."

<Shinobi> "It seems like a good starting place for a plan anyway." He leaned his elbows on the table, glancing out the window. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw a flash of orange fur.

<Carol> "Just gotta not get distracted too badly with work..." yay her pie was here!

<Shinobi> "Yeah, and not do it when you're too stressed out over the X-Men stuff... give it a fair chance, you know."

<Carol> She nodded, "Mom's always been easier than dad... but I should probably work on our relationship a bit more before I start asking her about the alien in the room..."

<Shinobi> "Check it out, you're solving your own problems." He smirked, cocking his head to watch her eat the pie.

<Carol> "I can do that... sometimes... I'm better at other people's problems...."

<Shinobi> "I'm problem free," he responded, taking a drink.

<Carol> She laughed at that, "Yeah okay. You carry on believing that. No one is problem free."

<Shinobi> "I have no complaints, considering how I started." He saluted her with the coffee cup and reached into his suit pocket when his phone beeped.

<Carol> Carol shrugged a shoulder, she supposed that was fair enough. She had another bite of pie, "Lunch break over?"

<Shinobi> "Yeah," he said, checking his messages. "Court will be back in session soon, unless the judge is in a mood." Obi gave her a quick smile and reached for his wallet.

<Carol> "I'll get it..." she waved his hand away from his wallet, "It's the least I can do..."

<Shinobi> "Nonsense." He took out a few bills and dropped them on the table. "It's my treat. I insist."

<Carol> She rolled her eyes, "Fine. But next time it's mine."

<Shinobi> "Of course," he said, waving his hand dismissively and taking another drink. "If you're ready, I'll walk you out."

<Carol> She ate the last bite of pie and washed it down with the remains of her water, "Worried I might get accosted by some unsavoury characters on the street?" she teased.

<Shinobi> "Perhaps." He smirked and got up, offering her his hand. "You can never be too careful. Also, despite what some people would have you believe, I do have manners."

<Carol> "What people? Show me these people and I'll punch them for you." She got up, not sure about taking his hand but doing it anyway.

<Shinobi> "Hardly necessary." Obi laughed, taking her hand and resting it on his crooked arm to make an exit from the nondescript cafe. He could give them something to stare at.

<Carol> "I know... but it'd be fun for me..." she blushed lightly when he put her hand on his arm because she sure as heck wasn't used to that.

<Shinobi> "We already talked about this." He opened the door and led them outside onto the sidewalk before he let her go. "I assume you flew."

<Carol> "No, I caught the bus." She deadpanned, "Of course I flew. I hate driving. I definitely don't miss that about DC."

<Shinobi> Obi rolled his eyes. "Driving in New York is a necessary evil for us." He shrugged. "I hope you have a good day, Carol. You can call me if you need someone to talk to... at a reasonable hour."

<Carol> "I promise no more 4am calls unless it's an emergency," she leaned to give him a hug, "Drive safe, okay?"

<Shinobi> "Okay," he said, returning the hug. Stepping back, he turned to go, searching his pockets for his keys. "Fly safe and don't hit anyone who doesn't really deserve it."

<Carol> "Trust me, anyone I hit has it coming." She stepped back from him a little, waved, and took off straight up.
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

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