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Aluminite pulled himself carefully out of the spot, not that there were many cars coming at this time of night, easing the jag forward in a fashion that would have made 90% of her friends cry. At least he was being careful, which was more than some people might be. The Jaguar had an extended body, which meant someone unprepared could easily bump something. As much as she appreciated the ride- she also appreciated the lack of an accident as they drove.

"It's habit to worry," she told him with a smile, tamping down the why she might have had such a habit, "I can worry like I get paid to do it. Unfortunately, however, I don't." she stretched out her legs, treating her ankle gingerly, and turned on the seat heaters. Her backside was hella cold, but Aluminite's jacket was warm and somewhat pleasant for being- well. Magical? She'd have to remember to continue to be jealous of those senshi and Negaverse agents who got actual jackets in the depths of winter.

"If you're sure," Jada said apologetically at last, leaning her head against the cold window and staring out with interest, "I mean, if you're going to have to walk back, I can find another way out there. I hate having to put you out when you've already done so much for me." her smile was genuine, but faced towards the window, and if he looked, only the reflection would be seen. She would have to be more careful not to power up near the house for a while, unless it was for a quick trip to Scylla. Just... little risks. She could mitigate them.

Wriggling her toes and wrinkling her nose at the ache, she decided to change the conversation. "So, which coffee place are we going to? Will you be okay going in in your... outfit?"

I'm sure, Aluminite said, and Jada's head tilted to consider him some more in the dark warmth of the vehicle, wondering... hmm. He just seemed like such a nice guy, for a negaverse agent, and it made her wonder how many of them were also decent people, when they weren't trying to drain her energy or rip out her starseed. It was certainly something to consider, and she huffed out a breath.

She tugged open his jacket, peering down her leg at her ankle. It was hard to tell in the dark, but a press of a button let her peer down her leg, taking in a few scrapes and some swelling. Welp, it wasn't like she'd had worse. At least she didn't seem to be bleeding, just dusty skin-scrapes. She's be able to clean those up. It was the ankle she was more concerned with, and even that would heal quickly.

"Just Add Coffee?" she repeated, trying to think if she knew the place. She didn't think so, but it could be someplace new to try. And if they thought that he was a cosplayer, she did have to wonder what the opinion might be on senshi. Some nights it got really, really cold. "I'll take you at your word on that one. I don't know many cosplayers, so I can't say for sure."

The car pulled to a stop, and she wriggled her foot, turning off the light. "What do you mean, am I sure?" she gave him a wry smile. "I invited you for tea. Or coffee. Or whatever. I'm not going to back out now." Pushing open the door, Jada planted both her feet outside on the concrete.

It was cold out, and so Jada tugged her black sweater-dress down over her bare legs, staring down at her bright gold heels as Aluminite practically jumped out of the car to come around. Her right foot was distinctly swollen now. "No ankle testing," she promised him cheerfully, "Not until I've had an ice pack and maybe some ibuprofen." Jada stared at the captain's hand for a moment, then peered up at him.

It really was a terrible idea. He might be nice, but he worked for the bad guys. And yet, no other chance like this would come again, and he could have done so much worse than be a gentleman. He could have killed her, or drained her, or mugged her, or stolen her car, or hurt her in a dozen other ways. Yet he had carried packages, given her his coat to cover her, helped her, and not even taken the Jag for a joy ride. Either he was an incredibly boring man, or a decent one.

She wasn't always good with gauging the difference, but she'd take her chances.

Reaching out she gripped his hand with her smaller one, and used her good foot as her level, favoring the swollen limb as she got out of the car. "Holy Guacamole it is cold as balls out here," she said with a laugh, tugging his coat closed again. "How are you not frozen? I'll give you your coat back when we're inside." she hobbled around him, kicking the door shut with her swollen foot. "You can lock the car with the fob."

She- was being scolded? Her face practically lit with humor, which she tamped from her mouth, but still the amusement brightened her violet eyes. "Vous ne devez pas maudire," she chided, her french accent terrible, "You never know who is listening. Or who speaks barely better than high school french." Barely- but Szelem had lived in France for years, and the twins still spoke it with their nanny.

"I bet they'll have ibuprofen inside too," she assured him, gazing up to his knitted brow which she leaned up to press with her hands. "Your face is going to freeze like that, in this cold," she counter-chided (c***e?) and rested her small hand against his arm. Surprisingly toned, for someone who seemed so lean. Did Negaverse agents get some muscle to go with their strength boost? If so, it wasn't fair, and she was filing a complaint.

His flesh was goose-pimpled, and she leaned heavily against him as she shifted around. Jada probably could have tried walking on her own, but between the furrowed brow and the tension, he might just haul her up again like a rebellious sack of potatoes. "You're not the boss of me, Mini," she teased gently, "If I'm stealing your coat, I can worry." Jada would give it back once they were inside- or at least take it off. She wouldn't need it, protected by the walls, and wasn't there some old wives' tale that said you would be warmer when you put on a coat to leave a building if you didn't wear your coat inside it?

Jada leaned on him carefully, testing her ankle before using it, refusing to do a one-legged hobble across the parking lot using him as a crutch. tempting as it may be (because those guns), it wouldn't be at all appropriate to do so to a stranger, much less an enemy soldier in a war he didn't know she was fighting.

His brows lifted, and Jada gave him a bright, toothy smile, glad that she had at least a little french behind her. "Ne vous en faites pas," she told him, "Parlez lentement, s'il vous plaît. Je parle un... peu? Français." switching back to english, sparing him further mangled French, she gave him a wry laugh. "Very, very peu. My mother lived in France for a while, and my little siblings were raised there for their early years, so I've been trying to help keep them bilingual." Unfortunately, she was no native speaker, and the nanny wasn't there all the time.

"If they don't have ibuprofen, then they don't." she let her small hand rest on his bare arm. "It is no problem." Mini's smile faded fast, from the pleased surprise when she had spoken to him in french.

"Not Miss," she reminded him, giving him a faux-scowl; she squeezed his arm to let him know she wasn't actually upset. "But yes, we should get out of the cold so I can give you your coat back." he was going to freeze. Aluminite fixed his eyes on her, and Jada gave him a toothy, sweet smile. His large hand slid behind her back, and she relaxed to let herself lean on his arm, taking small advantage of his kindness.

Violet eyes peered up from thick, dark lashes. "I am hardly in a position to tell you no, if you are so inclined to aid me." It would be interesting to see what he had in mind.

"I suppose that's fair," Jada agreed after a moment of consideration. If she was allowed to be concerned about the fact he'd given her his coat because she was an idiot, then she got to be concerned he might get sick from being a gentleman. Gentleman was not a term she had ever thought to apply to an agent of the Negaverse. Usually even the nice ones were murderous, and idly she found herself wondering if it was because they just didn't like her as Scylla, or if he was... an oddity.

As he sighed and mumbled that he knew he was supposed to call her Jada, she tilted her head- and deemed him an oddity. At least for now. One that might require further study, when she was Scylla.

He let her lean on his arm, but took no further action, and Jada nodded. "We aren't far from the door. I'll be careful, and if I slip, I'm right here. Not that I think I'll slip." snow was what lay prevalent on the surrounds, not ice; Jada stepped carefully as she pulled him towards the coffee shop, eager to get inside and get warm.

"Have you been here before?" she asked him as the door pushed open. Inside was warm and smelled like future caffeine.

Once or twice wasn't a great answer, but it wasn't terrible, either. And the girl at the counter was much friendlier than the man with a shotgun behind the counter, who had served Scylla and Scholomance on Christmas Eve. "I imagine most places don't want to risk staying open too late, with as many... unusual occurrences... as we get in Destiny City."

Jada let him ease her to the register, stubbornly trying to rely on her own power as much as possible. She didn't like seeming a damsel in distress, even when she was both a damsel, and in some mild distress. "I'll take a cocoa and- a piece of that cheesecake, is that strawberries and cream?" the woman had to resist the urge to go drool and stare at the few desserts she saw. Her sweet tooth was going to make her fat, if she didn't work so hard to stay in shape.

"Do you want a dessert, Aluminite?" she asked curiously, "I know I said I'd buy tea, but since we're here, and the desserts are here, and I'm eating something..." she shrugged. "Cookie for the road?" Jada had no intention of feeling in any way indebted to him for his good behavior.

There was much that Jada could not say in regards to her opinion on the city's many problems, and she gave Aluminite a quick look through her lashes, considering. "Life does go on," she said in lieu of anything more strongly worded, "When I was in high school I used to enjoy frequenting such places in an attempt to curb my sweet tooth while I studied."

He rejected her offer of a sweet treat, and Jada eyed him, then asked the girl behind the counter, "We'll have everything to go, if you please." there was a certain level of discomfort which even Jada couldn't ignore, and his bland discomfort was agonizingly clear. She'd pushed him into allowing her to purchase the drink she wouldn't' put him out still further by making him sit in a restaurant while she chowed down on comfort food.

As he'd be taking her home next, she didn't ask for ibuprofen- no need. And she could ice her ankle as soon as she was home. "The fact you're not fond of sweets is a shame," she told him gently, teasing. "I have an unabashed sweet tooth." which she might have to curb until her ankle healed. If she couldn't exercise off her empty calories... "Just not fond of sweets at all, or are you only weak to certain kinds of sweets?"

She held out a hand. "Not pressuring you to get something, just being curious." she shifted her weight further off her aching ankle, and then made her way carefully to the register to pay. The sooner she paid the sooner she could sit back down.