12119/Coming Round Again

Coming Round Again
Date of Scene:	03 September 2020
Location:	The Coffee Bean - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Jane thought she was just waiting in line for a PSL. It turns into a surprise blast from her past, a crippling case of hero encountering, and teaching the God of Thunder about mortal honorific names branded upon their coffee cups.
Cast of Characters:	Jane Foster, Thor, Black Widow (Romanoff)

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Jane Foster has posed:
Her long, long shift was finally done. Finally released back out into the wilds, Jane's first and only instinct is to seek out coffee. She should be going home and just sleep, but it's the middle of the afternoon and she's not ready to ruin what little sleep schedule she has. So here she is waiting three back in line, still in her doctor's coat, at the coffee shop while a few students in front of her are having an existential crisis over what version of pumpkin-flavored coffee they want. Her face exudes her tired inner thoughts that the wrong choice is not going to kill them, and that there will be more coffee, so please just pick something.

Sighing under her breath, she pulls out her phone to thumb through some emails while she continues to wait. Delete, delete, oh she means to respond to this one. She types out a quick response while she finally gets to move one step closer as someone makes a decision.

Thor has posed:
The doors open with a jingle to reveal the large man with blonde hair and blue eyes. Thor is wearing a pair of snug and worn blue jeans with a solid black top that clings to his upperframe tightly beneath a black denim jacket with a hood on the back. His hair is mostly stuffed under a baseball cap though a couple of long strands can be seen peeking out. As he strides inside, he has on a large, bright grin upon his face as he steps into line. He is also bit by the Pumpkin Spice craze, one of the things he's found fascinating about Earth and their customers.

As he waits patiently, he gives a sniff of the air, then lets out a bit of a heavy breath as he overhears the ladies in line trying to decide which to get. "Get the pumpkin one! It's the one with the most magical of flavors! Hurry up now! I may die of thirst if this line is any longer!"

His voice is filled with a rich bravado as he puffs his chest out a bit, still wearing that stunning grin of his. As his eyes track along the line, his smile slowly wilts away as he spies Jane Foster. It has been years since he's laid eyes on her. At least those of his alter ego, Donald Blake. Taking his hat off, he runs his hands back through his hair, as if trying to nervously smooth it back.

Jane Foster has posed:
The two students still ahead of Jane turn to look at the new arrival. One of them gives him a bland look, while the other remarks, "Isn't it?! There's just so many. Do I want a latte, do I want cold brew? And it's a nice day out, so I can't decide if I want it cold or hot." She starts to say more, before her friend noisily sighs and says, "Look, we'll just take a hot latte and a blended using the cold free. Three extra pumps in each."

Jane had tuned them out while she runs through emails, nor does she pay much mind to more joining the line. That voice, though. There's a crease in her brow as she picks up on it and the familiarity just nags until she looks up and does one of those covert glances back to catch him in her peripheral vision. It's been years since she'd seen Donald, and certainly not as Thor looks now. The polished and partly lame doctor is a different appearance this, but there's that clouded look where she can't quite tell if she remembers him and is wrestling if she should actually say something or not. It's an awkward not-quite sort of eye contact.

Thor has posed:
Obviously Thor is not Donald Blake. He is taller. Muscular. Handsome! Beautiful blonde hair. He also talks like a viking, instead of a brilliant doctor. When Jane stares at him, he finds himself suddenly fidgeting with his hands in front of him, clearing his throat.

"M'lady."

That sounded so stupid saying it outloud. "Do you also fancy the pumpkin spice latte?" He asks her as he stuffs his hat back upon his head, then gives his blonde bearded face a bit of a scratching with his fingers. As large and imposing as he is, he easily stands out in the crowd, now that most of the eyes are upon him.

From the back, someone yells. "Hey! Isn't that Thor from the Avengers?!"

The blue eyes of the viking God widen, before he gives another crooked grin. "Aye! I have joined ye' mortals to enjoy a hot cup of pumpkin spice as per your Earthly traditions!"

There's a few pictures taken as camera phones flash. He just stands there, soaking it all in, though his blue eyes continue to glance towards Jane.

Jane Foster has posed:
"Uh.. hi." Jane blinks her eyes a few times to clear the foggy vision that overlaid old faces onto his. Nope, not who she thought. "Sure, it's good." She says slowly as she still wrestled with something. Maybe she's just running on entirely too little sleep, but Jane could swear that was T-- "Oh."

"OH." Wheeze. Widening, dark blue eyes jerk between him and the flashing lights, uncertain if she should panic because she's in peoples' pictures or in line with /Thor/. She's awake now, at any rate. By this point the line in front of her is clear with the students all congregated at the end of the counter snapping pictures and videos. It takes her a second to process that before she blurts out in a rapid-fire, "Uh... hey, uh, please go ahead, sir." Sir? That sounds stupid. So stupid. "I completely forgot what I was going to order and you probably have *way* more important places to be than waiting in line here."

Thor has posed:
There's a wider grin upon Thor's face as he gives Jane's shoulder a nudge forward. "Nay. Go forth, Jane, and order whatever you want. I'll even pay for it." He said her name outloud! He's a God, much like Santa Claus. He knows everyone's name, right? "Do not be embarrassed from all the attention. You get used to it."

He poses for another moment to soak in a few more pictures, then gives a motion of his large hand to the crowd before he steps forward in the line once more, giving Jane another gentle nudge forward. "Bartender! Your largest pumpkin spice latte for myself, and whatever fair Jane wishes to have."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The door to the shop opens and in comes a figure in all black. She isn't that tall but there is something about this redhead that says she means business. Or perhaps it is the fact she's known as an Avenger herself. She is wearing her Avengers costume.

Natasha, aka the Black Widow, walks past the line to where she sees the head of the God of Thunder far above most of the patrons. She gives off some sort of 'don't even ask' so no one tries to get a selfie with her, though a few do take pictures.

"Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt," she says in the direction of Jane, since they seemed to be in conversation. Then she looks up at Thor. "We need to add two more to the order. Hawkeye wants a Large black coffee. He said don't use whatever weird terms they use, just a large black coffee. And Cap wants black coffee as well but since he's old Army, I suggest they use something that is left over from yesterday. Preferably with the consistency of swamp muck. Okay?" Then she turns to leave and stops, glancing back. "And don't forget my triple caramel macchiatto."

Jane Foster has posed:
The breath Jane inhales and lets out sounds similar to a leaking balloon as Thor not only nudges her shoulder but also knows her name. The implication doesn't even seem to dawn on her, probably some reflex thinking she's got her nametag on - even if it only shows her last name and title. No one ever said when you meet your heroes just how utterly terrifying the experience is, and the poor woman is hard stuck in a deer in the headlights moment.

She finally begins to open her mouth to order when Natasha enters and starts name dropping yet *more* Avengers. All she managed to stammer out is a thin and quiet, "...noproblem, notinahurry..." as she takes a generous step towards the counter and putting space between her and the pair of intimidating super celebrities.

Through it all, one of the poor overworked baristas just goes about his business. It's New York City. There's always famous people coming in and out. He only dimly hears the orders, picks up the neccessary cups, and proceeds to writes 'Door', 'Kent', and 'Cop' on them. Minimum wage is not worth this.

Thor has posed:
Nodding his head to Natasha, Thor gives his teammate a bolstering grin. "Aye! Two blacks and a Muckyauto." He can speak the lingo really easily. Someone give him a green apron and a cash register. He cracks his neck to the side, giving a wave to his partner as she heads back out the door, then turns towards the cashier.

Tucking his hand into his pocket, he takes out a large wad of cash, peeling through the bills to hand over the cost and a generous tip, covering Jane's drink as well. "Thank you, verily." He drawls out to the barista before he steps to the side with his usual lumbering swagger.

Casually, he glances over to Jane a few more times, followed by a dopey, awkard grin.

Jane Foster has posed:
Jane watches the Black Widow walk out with all of the ease she came in, leaving a vacuum to quickly be filled by patrons and a few new bodies who cram themselves into the door as word has leaked outside that Avengers are on site. No doubt word is already trending on Twitter, along with numerous conspiracies as to why they're in the area.

Still there at the front of the line is the doctor, who can tell someone that they're dying but can't string words together to order a damned coffee. "I, uh, yeah... same as him." Jane finally answers with a point of her finger to the god of thunder. As other patrons clamor for Thor's attention, the cashier leans over the counter to murmur towards Jane, "Girl, I got you. Double shot of espresso added - on me." To which Jane replies equally quiet but with grave relief, murmurs back, "Bless you."

And then to Thor she finally manages to say directly, "Thank you. It's - uh - an honor to meet you. Really."

Thor has posed:
"Aye. Of course it is." Thor says to Jane with that cocky, arrogant tone of his that also passes as charming. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Foster. How are thee? You look tired." He folds his broad arms across his chest, standing majestically within the coffee shop, even if he is dressed just like any normal New Yorker out for an afternoon stroll.

When the names are called out, he looks puzzled for a moment, followed by a loud laugh. "Who's mother dared named their child, Door?! Who amongst you is Door?!"

The barista clears his throat and says. "Uh .. that's you, sir?"

"Me?! I said Thor! Thou not recognize me? The God of Thunder and Lightning? Son of Odin?" He gives a pound of his chest a few times with his fist, then sighs as he picks up the three drinks in the coffee carrier.

"Hmf. The next time a large monster storms it's way through New York's gates, I may think twice of smashing it with my hammer."

Jane Foster has posed:
"Well, yeah, but hey that's what coffee is for, right?" Jane responds to Thor with a faint shrug of her rumpled coat. She gives it a quick, nervous look as the thought occurs to her that it may have all sorts of unpleasant stains not fit for the company of heroes. Doctor problems. "Part of the job."

And things start to look up, until 'Dwight' behind the counter mis-spelled everyone's name, including that of a god. He's busy counting pumps of syrup and looks like he clocked out about six years ago.

It's almost on reflex that Jane switches to de-escalation mode and gives Thor the most reassuring grin that she can offer while the cashier looks like she may be ready to panic and run. "Everyone's name gets messed up. It's... like a rite of passage! A nickname given to customers our of affection. It started because they can't always hear things right over the machines and it's kind of a game ever since."

Thor has posed:
"Tis' a silly game. Like baseball." Thor says with an amused grin on his face as he cradles the drinks in his large hands. He looks to be trying to hold them carefully so not to crush or spill them. "But, seeing that I have now became a man in the eyes of a coffee bartender, I will chalk this up to a good day."

He is taking it all in stride of course, having a good time. He gives the lady at his side another grin. "Shall I walk you to your car, or to your .. bus stop, or your door?" He asks as he gives her a cool look with his blue eyes.

"To make sure you are safe, of course."

Jane Foster has posed:
Jane Foster reaches into her pocket and the wallet inside, pulling out a well-creased twenty and slowly slipping it into the tip jar behind her while not turning her eyes off of the god-king. "Yeah, I guess baseball is a little silly if you think about it. Smack a ball, run in a square - but that's what games are. Silly things people have fun with." Jane says with a smile, though it catches and twitches at his offer.

An Avenger just offered to walk her to her car. Well, mass transit. Breathe, girl. Breathe. "Uuuuuuhhhhhhhssuure. I usually just walk, I'm only a couple of blocks. What about those?" She gestures to the coffees while also collecting her own. "I don't want to hold you up."

Thor has posed:
"Nay. I will hand these off to my teammates outside and then I will walk you home. I can fly the rest of the way. I can even fly you! Would you like to take a ride with the God of Thunder?" Thor says as he gives her a waggle of his brows in that confident, charming manner.

"I assure you, I am quite good at handling my hammer." Is he flirting or is he being serious? He tips her a wink and then heads to the door, giving it a nudge open with his shoulder before he heads over towards his gathered teammates who are waiting by a black, unmarked car. Once he hands the drinks over, he says a few words before he heads back over towards her, offering his arm.

"You will need to lead me onwards of course. I don't know where you live at."

Jane Foster has posed:
The barista gives Jane's tip a bright and grateful smile and shoots her a beaming thumbs up as Jane leaves the Bean in the company of Thor. Her eyes look towards the car but doesn't linger, because now she knows who might all be inside of there and it's be unseemly to gawk at blacked out windows. So she sips her coffee and looks in a different direction. "This is the weirdest day of my life." She whispers to herself under her breath.

As Thor returns and speaks about flying and hammer innuendo, Jane only briefly gawks at him. She's a professional. She doesn't blush - much - though it's a hard task when she's standing in front of one of her heroes who is winking at her.

"F-fly? Uh... onesecond!" She blurts and ducks back inside for a few seconds in a rush of white coat. She comes back out with two small sticks in hand, offering one to him before taking the other and plugging up the hole in the lid of her coffee. "So they don't spill." She explains with an awkward grin before gesturing. "That way, it's the Ludlow apartments. Right near Katz's Deli."

Thor has posed:
Taking a long pull from his drink, Thor lets out a loud 'ahhh!' afterwards, licking his lips. "These are a magical drink, indeed. They are delicious." As he takes the stick and plugs it into the lid, he waits for her to be finished as well. Then, dramatically, he throws his free hand upwards.

"Wait for it."

There is an amused grin on his face as the wind shifts about him. Is that a speck in the sky? THANK! The fabled hammer flies out of the sky and into the palm of his hand with a hard slap, then glances down at her with a wider smile. "This is my hammer! Beautiful, huh?" Reaching out, he wraps one arm around her waist, drawing her against him closer as he starts to whip the hammer about over his head.

"Hold on tight to me, but fear not, I would never drop you."

Jane Foster has posed:
Wait for it. Well, that phrase doesn't inspire alarm at all.

Jane's barely gotten a chance to look upwards when a iron warhammer cracks through the sound barrier and slams into his hand with a rush of air that blows her hair back. Her expressions run the gamut from shock, to bewilderment, to concern if that landed six more inches to his left where she is standing. "It's a lovely hammer. Incredible craftsmanship. It's very... stout." Because how else do you compliment a man's hammer?

Then he's got an arm around her and saying he promises not to drop her. She gives him a smile she hopes doesn't come across as terrified and confirms, "Not a problem." Her grip will be so white-knuckled it'll about be transparent.

Thor has posed:
"Good. Do not fear, Lady Jane. You will enjoy this ride, verily."

Up, up, and away! There is a rush of wind beneath him as the hammer gives a mighty tug and through the air they fly! As he soars upwards, he is all grins as he glances down towards her for a moment as he holds her against him.

"This is far more easier to travel than your feet, or the bus. Though one has to be careful to not strike a bird or an airplane!" He has to speak a bit louder to be heard over the rush of wind.

It doesn't take too long as her apartments can be seen in the distance as he starts to make his descent.

Jane Foster has posed:
"Birds?!" Jane blurts out, all but shouting against the wind even as it threatens to take the wind right out of her.

Thankfully it's a fast trip when traveling at that speed, and even as unnerving as the event is there's still a few seconds where Jane can actually look around through watering eyes and whipping hair to see the city from a view she's never gotten to see outside of postcards. "The city is beautiful." She murmurs as she takes in the shimmering buildings of glass and steel and the distant, great, green eye of Central Park looking up to the sky.

In short order they're over the hospital she works at with her apartment building just a short ways south to which she points. "Down there."

Thor has posed:
There is another whoosh of air as Thor drops down to the ground, landing with a 'thump' upon the roof of the apartments. He makes sure that when he lands, she isn't hitting at the same time as him. Once he puts her down, he reaches up to pat at his head a few times. "Looks like I lost my hat back there!" He says as he rakes his hand through his blonde locks. He gives a glance about the neighborhood for a moment from their height, then looks over to her. "Well, here you are! Home safely, as I promised."

He takes in a deep breath, then lets it out as he reaches out to brush some of her hair back away from her face, tucking it behind an ear. "Ah, Jane. It's been so long since I've last seen ye'. You are just as lovely as I remembered."

Jane Foster has posed:
It's a lovely rooftop garden that they land in, with seating areas and places for residents to grill and mingle. One such pair of grilling gentlemen look up at the sudden arrival, with one failing to realize the beer he'd just cracked open is foaming all over his hand and the other just drops the tongs he's got. Jane shoots her neighbors an awkward grin and a wave, "Hiiii Jon, Mark... smells good!" Nailed it.

She looks back up to Thor as he talks, and is about to say her thanks when he brushes her hair away and says.. "Wait, you know my name." It dawns on her then and she blinks in bewilderment up at him. "You know who I am? Have we met before?" She's pretty certain she would have recommended meeting /Thor/ and she hasn't been in the middle of any crises involving aliens or marauding superbeings lately.

Thor has posed:
"Aye. We've met before, plenty of times. We were once colleagues even. But, fate had other plans for me! It's a story for another day." Thor gives her a bolstering grin as he lifts his hammer towards the two men at the grill. A viking's way of saying 'sup' to their neighbors.

"For now though, I need to be off and rejoin my team, for we have many an important mission to attend to. It was nice seeing you, Jane Foster. Now that I know where you live, I may stop by and visit for another round of pumpkin spiced lattes."

There's an amused noise in his chest as he leans in and places a kiss to the top of her head, then steps back as he waves his hammer about quickly to build up momentum. "Fare thee well!" He calls out, then leaps as he takes off from the roof.

Jane Foster has posed:
"We were?" Jane says with a tone that sounds like she's either disbelieving or in shock. Then the wheels start to turn, and she squints at him with a intense stare. "No... that can't b--" But then he's talking on and waving the whole thing off and before she can get another word out of her hung-open mouth he's zooming back off into the sky. "...and he's gone."

She goes to take a drink of her jostled coffee, only to forget to take the stick out and just about chokes herself on it. Coughing, she chucks the stick in the trash can next to the still dumbfounded grillers as she passes them before yanking out her phone and blindly slamming a thumb down on one of her favorited numbers.

"You on break? Good! Girl, you better be sitting down because we need to talk."