12057/Fri-Yay

Fri-Yay
Date of Scene:	22 August 2020
Location:	Club Evolution, Mutant Town
Synopsis:	Jay and Nevada meet up for fries on a Friday. They tempt fate with the infamous question: What If?
Cast of Characters:	Barghest, Icarus

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Barghest has posed:
It's a typical late summer Friday evening, and the city is in full swing. With school just around the corner, anyone of homework age is out trying to squeeze in a little more fun and freedom before the inevitable doom. Nevada, too, is out looking for entertainment even if he doesn't have school. Which kind of makes it worse. There's no looming threat of misery to make him appreciate the night.

He ambles his way into the club anyway, because for all he was a lackluster dancer, the place still felt comfortable. It had good ties and good food, and that was enough for him to be able to relax. He'd even pinged Jay that he was stopping by if he was bored and wanted to hang for awhile.

Icarus has posed:
The text had come back pretty quickly that Jay would meet him there. In truth, he was already there. Not because he was working. He had the night off, thankfully. He was just here chilling with a couple of friends. Sadly, they were working so it was only a minute or two between break times they would get to talk.

Thus, Jay was sitting at a table and fired off a message of where he was in the crowded club so Nevada could find him. He had a drink already in front of him. Non-alcoholic. He wasn't old enough to drink yet. Just a soda with a straw. He was dressed casual. Jeans, tank top, wings on display behind him since he was known in this club and cameras generally didn't work inside thanks to one of the mutants on staff.

Barghest has posed:
Certainly easy for Nevada to spot, with the shaggy-haired young man making his way over towards the occupied table. He's dressed no different than normal - black jeans and boots, white undershirt, blue unbuttoned overshirt. Slightly stylish Goodwill chic.
"Hey, man! How's it going?" He greets as he sits himself down on the other side of the table. "Place looks busy tonight, that's good. Your brother runs a solid business here. It's nice that people have a safe place to meet up. Nothing was up at home and nothing on tv, so figured I'd get out for some air."

Icarus has posed:
"Andrea is off doing some work promoting her new album tonight. Stuff I could've tagged along but I always feel like a third wheel when I do. All her people around make me claustrophobic," Jay says with a laugh.

He motions to the seat in the booth, sort of across but it's a single U shaped bench so it's kind of the same seat. "Get whatever you like. I get a deep discount." He looks around at the mass of people, the pulsing lights and throbbing bass from the speakers. "Yeah, Sam's done good. Got to admit, I never thought he'd own a club. Which is strange as much as I know music is a huge part of his life too. Or has been."

Barghest has posed:
"Can't blame you. Crowds and flashing lights aren't my thing. I'm a people watcher, not a people mingler." Nevada remarks heartily as he gestures towards the club. "Which probably explains why I secretly love trashy reality television. Though it's not nearly as genuine as loitering in a mall and watching the meltdowns or weird interactions. I could spend all day doing that."

"Anyway, so, speaking of the club... weird question, but, do you guys need any help? Cleaning after hours kind of stuff. I'm kinda sick of mooching, figured I should fine something to contribute. Just hard getting a job when I sometimes gotta run out at weird hours, ya know?"

Icarus has posed:
"Yeah, and the boss here understands weird stuff happening leading to someone running off. With his high school years, he can't really point fingers," Jay says without explaining all the insanity that was the New Mutants back when his brother was a student.

"Above or below board, probably. Kitchen, clean up after close. Any of those if you don't want the interactions while it's like this. Seems he always has openings but I'll ask for you."

Barghest has posed:
"I don't need anything fancy, just so I can buy my own ramen and clothes." Nevada bobs his head once in a nod. "I know Andrea wants to help, but that's her money. Bad enough I don't pay rent, I can at least feed myself. I just figure after hours, I'm not likely to leave anyone in a lurch if I gotta bolt for a few hours and I'm used to being up late anyway. At least here, you all get it. McDonalds? Not so much. Plus I'd be a hazard there. Open trays of fries and burgers? Game over, man. I've never yet been compelled to eat a mop."

Icarus has posed:
Jay laughs and shakes his head. "Don't let Andrea here you say that. She likes to give, to help those people she cares about. To her it's nothing. A drop in the barrel. The idea that people feel they need to contribute too can be a sticky subject with her."

He motions to catch the eye of one of the servers then continues speaking to Nevada. "But I get it. I'll talk to Sam next time I see him about it."

The server comes over, glancing to Nevada with a smile. "Would you like a menu? We have a full service kitchen. Or just start with a drink?"

Barghest has posed:
"I know. There's just people who could use that handout way more than me. Besides, nothing wrong with pretending to have some normalcy in life, right?" Nevada remarks with a shrug before looking over to the server.

"Coke, basket of chili cheese fries, and bacon cheeseburger. Everything on it's fine, thanks." Well, maybe he needs enough to buy more than just ramen. He could probably clear a case for breakfast and lunch.

"I appreciate you asking. I'll gladly meet up with him whenever's good for him. Feel free to give him my number."

Icarus has posed:
"Here, let me just do that now." Jay pulls his phone out, putting his finger on the sensor then setting his thumgs aflight tapping away as he fires off a message to his big brother. "There. He has your info and what you are looking for."

He set the phone on the table in front of him, showing that his background pic is of Andrea. Not at a concert or anything. A private moment at home with her curled up on the couch, a huge smile as she hammed it up for the picture.

Then he looked back to Nevada. "How's it going with the whole family you didn't know thing?"

Barghest has posed:
"Gotta love technology." Nevada laughs as he leans back in his seat. Mention of family brings a scrunch to his face like he'd just bit a lemon.

"Weelll... not /terrible/, so I guess that's something. Mom still has me in the maybe-disowned zone, it's foggy. Andrea actually talked to Dad. It went okay. I didn't know until after the fact since I was out at the time, but I'm glad they talked finally. Reportedly Mom and Dad actually talked too. I ain't expecting any warm and fuzzy reunions, and no one is out to ruin the actual family Andrea has. But right now, I think things are as good as they're going to get. I don't want to press anyone's luck."

Icarus has posed:
That gets a nod of the head as Jay picks up his drink. A sip from the straw before he places it back on the napkin where it had been resting. "With a secret like that, yeah. I figure it's going to take some time for healing. If it ever happens completely. I have no doubt they love each other very much. But that was a huge secret for her to keep from him. And you two."

He looks out toward the dance floor. "I'm one of...well, so many kids it's hard to count sometimes." He grins at that then looks back over at his companion. "Can't say I understand what it's like to be an only child. Then to suddenly find out you were a twin..."

Barghest has posed:
"Well, I think we're all on the same page as to not fuck things up." Nevada remarks as his drink arrives, then pauses to take a sip. "We know, but there's no reason to screw over the life they have. It's not going to make anything better, only worse. So let's just leave things at peace."

"You guys, though. Man." He cracks a wide grin as he shakes his head, "Only child, one sibling - easy enough. A whole pack of them? I can't tell if quiet would have been the best thing you ever heard or the weirdest. I guess as long as you all get along, though, knowing you have that many people backing you up is pretty cool."

Icarus has posed:
"It's all I ever knew. Not sure I could deal with the quiet and peace being alone gave. I mean, if I didn't have one of the littles underfoot, I went looking for them to be sure they were all accounted for," Jay admits with a chuckle.

"Ma and Pa had their hands full. Then we lost Pa and Ma did her best to raise all of us. Wasn't easy as was then we kept turning out to be mutants on top of it."

Barghest has posed:
"True, I guess in your case if things were quiet then there was probably trouble." Nevada says with a lopsided grin, though it does sober. "Sorry to hear about your dad. I never actually said that, but, yeah. Your mom sounds like one hell of a woman to take all of that up on her own. I'd say she did a good job of it."

"I kinda wondered, if I wasn't born being what I am, if I'd have been a mutant too or just some dude. Guess that'll be one of those what ifs that never get answered."

Icarus has posed:
"Yeah, Ma is pretty amazing," Jay agrees softly. Then he focuses back on Nevada, as he takes another sip of his soda.

Before he can answer, the server shows up with Nevada's order and places it in front of him. Then he grins and shoves an extra chili cheese fry and fresh Coke in front of Jay. "Thanks, Johnny."

As the server heads off, Jay comments, "Careful with those What If things. Weird things seem to happen around us Guthries. We might get toted off to an alternate dimension or something and you find out."

Barghest has posed:
"God bless chili cheese fries." Nevada says in an entirely too casual sort of blessing before pulling the basket and burger in closer.

He does bark out a quick laugh at Jay's comment before shoving a fry in his mouth. "I mean, hey, I'm all for something crazy. The most excitement in my day is talking to dead people. I finished my last adventure, finding out who my sister and mom are. My schedule's clear for something new."

"Besides, getting hypothetical, do you know how many what ifs happen in a day? Every decision means your other choice or choices become what ifs. I just generally keep my mental rabbit holes to the important choices versus ordering a Coke versus Pepsi."

Icarus has posed:
"Usually it's the bigger ones that we get mixed up in," Jay admits as he pulls his fries closer. John knew him well. If he'd seen Nevada eating them, he would've ended up ordering his own.

"It's usually Sam who gets the worst of it. I only got to go once so far to another world. Not sure it was alternate so much as distant." He grins a little as he picks up a fully loaded fry. "He used to date an space-hopping rocker gal."

Barghest has posed:
"That's still crazy." Nevada says while systematically obliterating his food with practiced ease. "I know all of these worlds and types of people are out there, but it's still wild to think of going from place to place. I guess it'd get old if you do it all the time, like anything else. You loose all the magic. Still, it'd be cool to say I did it, just once. Maybe some day."