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 Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:23 pm
The sun was out, and during the winter, it seemed like a crime to eat indoors during the rare break in weather. Avery Hollister was no hooligan, and so she had stepped out onto the patio of the up-and-coming cafe, heels clicking against expensive tile until she found her seat at a small, two-person table. She wasn't expecting a guest, and gave the glossy menu a cursory glance before selecting one of the day's specials - a creative, gorgonzola salad with sliced, seared filet mignon and a cabernet hailing from Chile.
The bottle was presented to her, and her glass filled before the meal arrived, and she didn't hesitate to take a drink, hazel eyes flicking across those that passed by on the sidewalk. Downtown, it was mostly a mix of those rushing around on their lunch breaks [as evidenced by those inside the cafe wolfing down specials], students taking a quick break from classes, and those that had nothing better to do than wander the city.
For her part, the brunette was having a personal date, clad in a high waisted, floral dress that spoke of a Spring that had yet to arrive, a dark jacket tossed over the back of her chair that matched the shoes on her feet. She was free of classes, having started them far earlier in the morning, and wanted a nice meal before diving in to some of her side projects. Her tablet remained closed on the table, though it was close at hand, out of a desire to keep her mind clear for at least one more hour.
It may only have been noon on a weekday in Destiny City, but it was past five back home, and Avery [to be entirely frank] couldn't care less if anyone took a second look at her full glass of wine. The way she drank the vintage - as red as her full lips - made it look like the most natural thing in the world.
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:37 pm
Nathan Darrow stretched lazily as he walked down the street, acting as natural as one could while acting. He had not done anything particularly illegal or disruptive, at least not yet, but he was certainly thinking about it. Everyone he passed was a potential target, but nothing called out to him just yet.
He had recently taken up pickpocketing again, if only to remind himself he could. He'd gotten a bit too involved in the whole Senshi thing, and while he felt good about it, felt like he was doing something and finding meaning and all that, it went against his nature. He had to rebel somehow, so his civilian life seemed the perfect place to act out in the ways he needed to.
Not that he thought about it in those terms very often.
He was in a nice enough area of town, nicer than he seemed to belong in, and was getting many looks to that end. He ignored them expertly, following his nose toward a nice looking food place, not too specific about what food it was. It smelled good. Hopping up and over the low railing around the patio, designed to encourage people to use the front door, he saw an empty seat and moved to it. He slid into the seat like he was expected.
"A little early to be drinking, don't you think?" He said, leaning back in the chair and watching her with one eyebrow arched and a grin set on his young, but handsome features.
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:49 pm
She took his arrival mostly in stride, having caught sight of him as he began to pass by, then stopped and jumped the short, intricate fence [more of a suggestion than anything, as there was an opening to enter and exit at toward the far end of the patio].
"I don't," was the clipped, accented response. She drank when she bloody pleased. Avery's arched brow rose to match his as she looked her new companion over, noting more than his demeanor. To an outsider, it would indeed look like he was invited, and within a minute or two, a server rushed over with a menu.
The brunette waved him away before he could get close enough to hand it to Nate, who was definitely not dressed in a way that made Avery feel like sharing a meal. Dining with her was a privilege to be earned. He could help himself to the water pitcher on the table, in the meantime.
Still, he did act like he belonged wherever he felt like it, and she liked that. More than she rightly should. Perhaps he could redeem his appearance. He was cute, of course, but attractive men often thought they deserved things that they definitely did not.
"Your posture is horrid," she informed him, pausing her analysis of his slouch to flash him a bright smile. "I'm Avery."
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:13 pm
Nathan wasn't expecting an accent, and watched her curiously. He wasn't interested in people, as a general rule, but some things did capture his attention. Accents were among them. Attitudes as well.
He smiled devilishly at the waiter, but he was foiled when his table mate got rid of his meal ticket. Sighing, he would have to get himself some food a different way. Luckily, there were many other patrons in the establishment, and waiters wandering in and out with trays of food.
He pondered that.
"My posture? The name's Nate. And I'll have you know I have a curved spine. Doctor orders me to slouch. So, what sad story do you have to be eating alone, and drinking to boot?" He did pour himself some water, though.
He imagined there was no man on earth with the proper posture, and thus she was doomed to a life of solitary, though upright, existence.
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:38 pm
Nate. One syllable. A name that was likely as short as his attention span, though his thoughts were accurate. Her life was primarily a private affair, punctuated by frequent social events. She rather liked it that way. It was sensible. She was only twenty-one. What use did she have for anyone beyond her family, friends, and the occasional distraction?
"Doctor orders me to drink." As much a lie as his own statement, but Avery didn't think he'd mind so much. In fact, she took another swallow, examining the characteristics of the wine until her food was delivered to the table.
A bread basket, dipping bowl, and two [ugh, two] appetizer plates accompanied her salad.
"Please, help yourself," she offered, in the way of the socially apt.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:11 am
Nathan grinned at her response, nodding his head like she got a point in a fencing match. He could concede sometimes, though it wasn't a competition that could be won by either side, if he had picked a good opponent. That was the whole point.
He looked at the food with a very keen interest, his stomach grumbling.
"I'm surprised you offered," he said, half way to one of the plates already, and likely moving before she had started talking. He wasn't usually invited to stay any place he dropped into. Quite the opposite, in fact. But he would take free food in any form it was presented to him.
"The only illness I can think of that's curable by alcohol is being boring. Have you ever done anything dangerous, just because you could?" He was the senshi of Danger during his off time, after all, but he'd always had a taste for the reckless. And dragging others into it with him.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:26 am
Just because you could.
Avery laughed, and it was like the summertime. "There isn't much that I can't do, Nate." Her accent clipped the short sound of his name, as she wondered if challenging girls into recklessness often worked for him. A moment later, she decided that it would work on her, today.
"I drink for the flavor, not the excitement." She had plenty, herself, and no one had accused the brunette of being boring, or even more dreadful: ordinary. Avery lifted her fork, raising both brows now as she regarded the young man across the table. "I don't partake in danger on an empty stomach."
And more than that, her salad looked [and smelled] delicious. More than a small part of her enjoyed eating it in front of him while he made do with bread and water.
"Are you going to tell me where we're going, or do you not think that far into the future?" Her tone, interestingly enough, was one of curiosity, rather than condescension.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:45 am
Nathan grunted a laugh, though it was mostly just to keep from showing he was legitimately amused. He folded his arms over his chest, his usual posture regardless of his mood. It worked for everything, and made him feel like he was in control, somehow.
"I'll let you know when we get there," he said, with a leisurely shrug. He hadn't thought it out yet, but he was sure he could get something rolling for them easily enough. Hell, running out on the check, or making a spectacular exit from this place would be enough to kick start it.
His stomach growled and he watched her. He didn't even like salads (they were a bit too fresh for his tastes), but he wanted it. He was going to have to get his own food, but that would require distraction and a plate no one was paying attention to. Or, he could just steal some of hers.
Something told him he'd get a fork in his hand if he tried. So he tried.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:11 am
Salads weren't nearly as fresh as Nate was, trying to get a forkful of her meal. Avery didn't kindly to such things. Who knew what sort of communicable diseases this hooligan had?
Metal prongs didn't find his hand [gross, she was eating with that utensil], but he found his wrist unceremoniously slapped, without hesitation. "Rude," she commented as she corrected his behavior, like he was some unruly puppy, and she the expert trainer.
"Tell me about yourself, Nate." That arched brow climbed again. "I presume you're unemployed."
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:20 pm
Nathan pulled his hand back, looking at her with a sharp pout in his eyes. The kind of indignant look a kid who knew they had done something wrong made while trying to deny it. He grinned shortly after, though, the former expression vanishing almost immediately.
"So what? Rude never killed anyone."
He laughed and watched her, leaning back in his chair and resuming his previous posture, arms folded over his chest. He regarded her with his dark eyes, contemplative and never without a devious edge.
"And why do you think I'm unemployed? Because I look like this? Or my attitude. I could be incredibly successful, you know." But she was right. Despite Tony's best efforts, Nate refused to 'better' himself. No school, no job. Just going what he wanted, when he wanted, and justifying it with his secret life as a super hero.
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:35 am
"Actually," Her smile was as mischevious as his, "They used to correct such behavior with the sword." Ah, the good old days of dueling for a girl's honor.
Hazel eyes flicked over him, amused at his defensiveness. His attitude was fairly on par with many a rich heir she knew, so it wasn't that, and while his clothing was relatively underwhelming, it wasn't that, either.
"You don't seem to have anything to do but harass strangers and cause trouble in the middle of a weekday."
She raised an eyebrow. "Besides, you could still be successful and unemployed."
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Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:10 am
Nate arched his eyebrow, thinking that over. He wasn't sure he'd be much for swords and dueling. But he did like being rude, so he supposed if he had been alive back then, he would have had to deal with it. Because obviously he would be the same jerk of a person then as he was now.
Despite being a senshi and having a planet, he wasn't too sure how the whole 'past' thing worked, so even his idle day dreams were a little off.
"Well, I always make time from hassling strangers and causing trouble. That's sort of my thing. But yeah, I don't have a job. Dunno why, you'd think people would be leaping at the chance to hire me."
It was probably because he had never filled out an application or submitted a resume in his life, and likely wouldn't unless someone forced him to. Tony was trying, but so far it had not worked. Nate was perfectly content just using his dad and 'new' step mother to take care of his housing.
He felt that protecting them from the evil of chaos was a fair enough trade, though he had no idea that they were both Knights.
"So I take it you are both successful and employed?" He didn't take her for the employed type, though, thinking she was probably a rich, spoiled chick. He knew a few of those.
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