1926/Monday Morning

Monday Morning
Date of Scene:	11 August 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	She-Hulk, Ares

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She-Hulk has posed:
    It's the wee hours of the morning. That time when the temperature has dropped, putting a little chill in the air. Well before the sky begins to lighten with the rising sun. It's a quiet time and most normal people are asleep.
    The green goddess isn't really normal so it fits she is awake. Not really awake so much as thirsty. She could've gotten something to drink out of the faucet in the bathroom probably. It wasn't like tap water was deadly or anything. It just wasn't cold. She had silently dressed, pulling on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts before padding down the stairs on bare feet. She only has been through the house once but she remembers where the kitchen is in relation to the staircase and heads that direction.
    Once in the kitchen, she flicks on the light so she doesn't stub her toe on any unknown pieces of furniture that might be in the way. A quiet pad of feet on the tile of floor while approaching the firdge. She opens the door and bends to peer inside, pursing her lips and making little smacking noises since that always helps when deciding what she wanted on a fridge raide.
    A moment later and she pulls out the carton of orange juice. She shakes it up slightly then unfolds the lip. She doesn't even bother closing the fridge, just standing there in the doorway as she lifts the carton to drink directly from it.

Ares has posed:
    In the house it was dark, though the light in the kitchen flicks on, lighting the fairly mundane decor. The appliances are mainly stainless steel and the counters have a dark marble to them, what splashes of color is in there comes from the bowl of fruit in the bay window that looks out onto the back yard, and perhaps a bit from the few drawings and artwork that's attached to the front of the fridge by a few magnets. But the rest of the house is quiet, dark, all except...
    Down in the basement early most mornings Alexander Aaron goes through the 35 Proper Methods of Defense for Defeating a Skilled Swordsman. He moves through the styles and forms, repeating the methods taught to him by his father as he wields his practice blade through the sessions, and gets it all done before school. Once that's done, however, it's upstairs for cartoons and breakfast! So as he reaches the end of his form he /runs/ up the steps from the basement, his footfalls sounding loud upon the wooden steps. It might give the Home Intruder a moment of reflection and realization just a split second before...
    The basement door flies open and in flies the hurricane of a ten year old in his t-shirt and shorts, "Hey Dad, what's for break..."
    His words stop abruptly as he espies the tall green woman in /his/ kitchen. His eyes go wide and she can /see/ the look of confusion on his face. The 'DOES NOT COMPUTE' that flickers through his eyes, and the sudden shifts. There's a moment of joy! For she's a hero! Then surprise! What's she doing here? Then excitement! My very own She-Hulk! Ending with confusion. What's she doing here?!
    Almost just two seconds after he /spins/ around and _runs_ to the stairs shouting through the house. "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"

She-Hulk has posed:
She-Hulk has faced a myriad of villains through her career, from the comedic to the psychotic. From the world threatening to the thug on the corner. She is a brilliant attorney known for her mind and her quick thinking.
    As she hears the sound of footsteps coming up from the basement, she spins around just in time to see the boy enter. To watch the reactions playing over his face for anyone to see. Before she can formulate how to respond this, before that mind of hers kicks into gear, he's running out the door and screaming at the top of his lungs.
    "Oh hell," she mutters as she puts the juice back in tne fridge without taking the time to fold the opening closed. The door is pushed shut as she takes off after the wailing banshee. "Alexander! It's okay!" Her voice is a kept low as she is trying not to wake the man upstairs who was sleeping so peacefully when she left the room. It's too late. Before she can even round the corner, he's on the stairs and that single word is still being screamed. "Alex...on for God's sake." She stops where she is, in the doorway of the kitchen. Her gaze goes to the front door longingly. Just run. Make a break from it. Her clothes are upstairs but she's covered so she won't cause a stir if someone sees her.
    Didn't Alexander just prove that?

Ares has posed:
    He only stops to take another breath as he rounds the corner and up the stairs, "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"
    And then the door opens into the bedroom to a mess of comforters covering the tall man, even as he barely lifts his head, one eye barely opening to eyeball the youngster who now stands in the doorway to the bedroom. His shaved head dropping back with a whumpf into the pillows.
    "Dad! She-Hulk is in the kitchen downstairs!" Alexander says even as he's jumping in mid air to land on the bed and he starts to _shake_ his old man with both hands on his shoulders, "Wake up, wake up! There's a superhero downstairs! Wake up! Wake up!"
    "Alexander..." The Olympian is shaken and he gruuumbles as he reaches out with a steadying hand. "Go. Downstairs."
    Alexander tries to shake his dad again, but is stayed by the hand on his shoulder.
    "I will be down directly... to make breakfast. Be nice to our guest."
    "She's our guest?"
    "Yes."
    "She's not here to ask for your help against a cosmic menace or something?"
    "Maybe." He turns his head and hides his face in the pillow.
    "I'm going to tell everyone at school! Superhero in the house!"
    "No!" John peeks out from behind the pillow. "Just... it may be a secret mission."
    "Ohmigod awesome!"
    And that he spins around and /runs/ back towards the door, and then _leaps_ down the steps to land at the bottom with a /WHAM!/ and suddenly there's a ten year old in front of Jen. And immediately he freezes up.
    Says nothing.
    Frozen.
    Until eventually, "Hi."

She-Hulk has posed:
    She heard the bedroom door open and the boy go in but at this distance, Jen couldn't hear the conversation. She has just convinced herself and taken a step toward the front door when she hears the sound of footsteps coming back. A glance to the stairs in time to see the boy leap and stick the landing. Then he's looking up at her.
    She looks at him.
    Moments pass as they stare at each other, apparently neither quite sure what to say.
    She'd not thought about the situation fully or she would've never come downstairs. This is unfamiliar territory. Never has there been a child involved. Not that she has a problem with it, it just may lead to questions that John may not want to be having to answer.
    When Alexander finally speaks, Jen can't help but smile. "Hi yourself. C'mon, let's get some orange juice." She motions then leads him in the direction of the kitchen. "Did he even wake up?"
    When she'd gotten out of the bed, John had been sound asleep. She kind of thought a bomb could go off and he would've remained that way. Well, a sort of bomb basically did. So the question is did it work or had he been blisfully unaware and still floating along in a dream.

Ares has posed:
    "Yeah, I shook him until he did," Alexander says as those words seem to magically translate into a course of action. He walks along with her back into the kitchen, hopping up on a stool that faces the breakfast nook, but spinning around on it to face her after he sets his practice sword down on the counter, "He told me the secret."
    For a moment that might hang there in the air, perhaps even causing a new fresh wash of panic to overtake her, but it's short-lived if at all when he adds, "About the secret mission you guys are going on." He nods a bit.
    From upstairs they can both hear the sound of someone getting up and moving around, the footsteps heavy and combined with the noise of a drawer being slid open.
    "Someday I'll get to go on them, but for now I just train and stuff." Alexander says that easily as he looks around, "I like my orange juice in the big plastic cups." He looks back at her and then points at the cupboard above her head, "From up there. Extra big."

She-Hulk has posed:
    The urge to put her face in the palm of her head is strong but she manages to continue her path to the fridge. Hopefully John wakes up well to being shaken. Course, he's used to Alexander. This probably isn't the first time the boy woke him up in such a manner. Maybe the first time there was a giant green woman in the house but not the first time he was awakened unceremoniously. When Alexander mentions the secret, she actually trips over thin air and stumbles slightly. Her heart thunders and she realizes she should've run ilke ths had been tempted to do.
    Secret mission? At least she is smart enough she doesn't repeat the question outloud. Sure, she'll go with that. "Yeah, it's super secret. We can't let anyone know about it until it's over. It may take a while, several parts to the mission." Now she feels dirty for lying to a little kid. Dammit.
    At his instructions, she opens the proper cabinet and reaches up to find the big plastic cups. She holds it up to make sure it's the right one first. If it isn't, she trades it out for the correct cup but if it is, she is headed to the fridge and that juice still open inside. Oops.
    The juice is closed, shaken, then reopened and she pours the large cup almost completely full. The cartons is closed and placed back on the top shelf. She brings the cup to the bar and sets it in front of Alexander, right next to his sword. "What's that for?" she asks as she heads to the fridge again, looking for breakfast type foods she can start preparing since it seems everyone is awake now.

Ares has posed:
    Inside the fridge it's well-stocked, with proper breakfast foods and the like. There are eggs, bacon, sausages, along with the staples. It's a relatively decent assortment for a family that often cooks at home, but nothing too terribly outlandish in there.
    But in the kitchen, for some reason, Alexander is grinning ear to ear as he takes up the big glass of juice and holds it in both hands, then starts to take a big looooong drink from it. Just for a time his adam's apple works and works and works as he gulps and gulps and gulps. Then he sets it down half-empty and makes a satisfied, 'Ahhhhhh,' sound.
    "What, this? Oh that's my practice sword. Morning practice." He says that easily enough as if everyone had a morning practice.
    But then there's the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs, not as fast as Alexander's, but heavier for sure. John appears around the corner wearing a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, even as he looks over across the room at Alexander... then at Jen. Each in turn with a cocked eyebrow as if pondering what has been going on here.
    "Morning,"
    Alexander pipes up, "Morning!"

She-Hulk has posed:
    "Mornin'," Jen responds as well, giving John a bright smile. He likely reoognizes the clothes she's wearing since they belong to him. She's pulling out a bit of everything from the fridge. Eggs, bacon, sausage. She knows there is bread around here somewhere. "I figured since we're all awake now, I would try to make some breakfast. I'm not a great cook but I can do enough of it not to die, even with my appetite. So I figure you two will live through it."
    She moves to the stove and starts looking through cabinets, as though she has ever right to be poking around in the kitchen and making herself at home. "Alexander and I were just discussing his sword and morning practice?" She glances over her shoulder at John as she says it, arching her own brow. To Alexander, it seemed normal. To her, not so much. Although if her father was a deity devoted to war, maybe she would've found it normal too.
    Finding a pan, she fires up the heat and waits for it to warm a little while searching for the utensils she'll need. This would be so much easier if they were at her apartment. There she knows the spatulas are in the top right drawer right beside the stove.
    She does nod toward the fridge, having noted the rapid deline of OJ level in that big plastic cup. "There's more orange juice if you need a refill, Alexander. Just let me know."

Ares has posed:
    "And I told her I knew about the secret mission." Alexander says over the lip of the big cup, eyes wide as he looks over at his father as if having gotten away with something. Which he did.
    John, steps further into the kitchen and lightly reaches past her for a moment, a hand on her hip and then a small brush of a kiss to her cheek to say hello as he reaches up and gets a pair of decidedly smaller plastic cups. He takes them down and turns around to the counter beside Alexander, setting them down. Without saying a word he alleviates him of the burden of the big cup and pours the remaining juice into those two cups.
    "Secret mission... yes." John looks at Jen sidelong and smiles a bit, "He was planning on telling all of his friends at school that he has a superhero at home. But I told him about our secret mission so he should keep the news to himself for now." He then looks over at Alexander and nods a bit.
    "Yeah, don't worry, I'll be mum about it."
    "Mum," John nods in agreement as he rounds back to the refrigerator. "But yes. I have been teaching Alexander how to fence since he was a small child."
    "Way back, long long time ago." Alexander comments.
    John smirks a bit but then looks back to the Sensational She-Hulk, "Can I give you a hand?"

She-Hulk has posed:
    Jen smiles at the little kiss and touch, just a hint which is nice for him to give that much with his son in the room. Probably wouldn't even be seen by Alexander with the sheer size of John and his back being to the boy. She does pause in her motions when he brings down the two smaller cups. Something at the back of her brain is telling her something is up. She turns, watching as he removes the big cup and splits the reamining juice between them. Then she looks at Alexander, arching a brow. So that's how it's going to be. Gotcha now, kid. It explains why the kid's cup would be on the top shelf out of reach, since it isn't his. She let's out a little 'hmph' and murmurs, "I'll remember that if there's a next time."
    At the boy's next comment, she has to smile. Because Alexander is so old now that 'young' was long long ago. The joys of children. "Yes, I would love some help or it'll be noon before I get anything done. Where are your spatulas?"
    She aims her next comment in the direction of the sneaky boy who pulled one over on her. "You must be pretty good with it being soooo long ago."

Ares has posed:
    "Yeah, I almost beat Wonder Woman." He says that plainly, as if it were no big deal.
    But the reaction he gets might surprise Jen as John turns around with furrowed brow and /looks/ at Alexander.
    "You what?"
    Alexander looks up and suddenly knows that he might have misstepped, but then he doubles down. "She was wearing normal clothes and stuff, but at Summer Camp, she was checking out the camp for some charity stuff, and we talked, and we played stick-swords."
    John's brow is suddenly stormy and he looks to the side, jaw tensing as he scowls, but then he looks over at Jen and holds up a hand as if to say, later. He looks back over at Alexander and says, "Alexander, Wonder Woman means well, but sometimes dangerous things happen around her. If you see her again, let me know. Ok?"
    The young boy looks between the two of them, his expression curious, but also confused. He gives a small shrug, "Ok sure." And that's that, he takes one of the glasses of juice and then smiles at Jen as he adds, "I'm sorry. I was just really thirsty, so I wanted a lot of juice."

She-Hulk has posed:
    As the storm clouds appear, Jen opts to keep looking for the spatula without any assistance. Seems there is something going on. She's not in that loop. She really doesn't know if she wants to be in that loop. Seems like it is something big going by the reactions of the pair. Even Alexander seemed to know there would be an issue. She also keeps her mouth shut, the best course of action around family drama. The bacon is laid out in the pan with a little sizzle while sausage are started in another pan. Just to make sure all bases are covered.
    At the apology from Alexander, she glances over her shoulder and tosses a smirk his way. "It's fine. Next time I'll know better. Fool me once and all that," she says with a wink.
    Her gaze flicks to John but then she focues on the cooking. Bad things tend to happen around her too. Something she probably will need to discuss with him later in private. She's like a weirdness magnet. She'd hate that to endanger Alexander.

Ares has posed:
    Alexander grins at her and looks down at his feet a moment, then he looks up at her and then laughs, "I can't believe you're in my kitchen!" He spins around on the stool with a /whirrrr/ of motion, his legs extending and causing the seat to rock. But then he _hops_ off the stool and lands on his feet, then breaks into a run towards the living room, "I'm gonna go watch cartoons!"
    Alexander runs to the doorway that leads to the living room, but then he pauses to poke his head back in and points at them both, "No smooching!" His eyes narrow as if he was going to keep an eye on them, but then he turns around and /runs/ back into the living room. A few moments later and there's the sound of the television on somewhat low but loud enough for them to hear the Spongebob theme song.
    John turns back to her and he smiles a bit, "You heard the man." He gives her a nod as he helps her get a spatula out and also grabs a bowl to break the eggs into for her while she works on the bacon.
    "Sorry, was weird to hear that little tidbit of his."

She-Hulk has posed:
    "After that bit with the cup, I should plant a big one on you right in front of him," she murmurs good-naturedly as she flips the bacon. "And since when do heroes go smooching on each other when they have a secret mission? Because I'm gonna be honest, I ain't kissing any of the Fantastic Four if that's one of the requirements. None of the Avengers either, come to think of it," she adds, making a little face.
    She leans her hip against the counter so she can look at him directly instead of talking over her shoulder. "That Wonder Woman showed up at the camp? What's so weird?" She'd already explained her own charity work so it seems normal to her. Diana isn't a teammate or a friend, just someone she's heard about, same as most people. "She's known for being an ambassador so I caould see her going to a Summer Camp. Although I do understand the worry. We tend to be magnets for trouble, don't we?" She has no idea that it's much deeper than that.

Ares has posed:
    "Mmm," John frowns and she can see the concern on his features as he folds his arms over his chest, leaning there as she tends to breakfast. It's nice to have someone else doing the cooking for once, but his thoughts are on something else now. So as the bacon sizzles he'll look up and to the side at her, "She and I have fought before, ages and ages ago, but the ill will does not go away easily."
    He pushes off the counter and walks over to the refrigerator, pulling out some luncheon meat and cheese, then grabs the bread from the bread drawer. He starts to make a bag lunch while he talks to her, his eyes still a little distanced with thought as he murmurs. "I hadn't seen her for a long time, a few hundred years. One day she showed up here to tell me she didn't believe I had given up my old ways."
    He takes out two pieces of bread, adds some cheese and meat to it, then wraps it up in wax paper that he gets from a drawer. "I told her I had, that I intended to raise my son. She must have gone to check and see Alexander with her own eyes."
    Then, with no preamble from the living room comes a shout, "No smooching!"
    "We're not!" John shouts back and then adds, "We're talking about whether you would want liver or brussel sprouts for lunch today."
    "Ew!"
    A small smile lights John's features, but then he looks back to her, "To be fair... I can't really blame her." He says as he grabs an apple from the fruit bowl and tosses it into the bag, along with a small bag of chips. Once that's done he grabs a marker from the whiteboard attached to the refrigerator and writes Alexander's name on the bag, folding it up so it's ready for him.

She-Hulk has posed:
    A few hundred years. That sticks out like her complexion. She didn't doubt he was older, considering when the Greek and Roman gods were in fashion. Yet, that sinks in more than the knowledge she already held. It also gives her a glimpse into Wonder Woman, something she didn't realize. Was she the only person on the planet with a normal life span? There were moments it felt like it. At least, she assumed it would be normal. Better not to think about it.
    "Yeah, once an enemy usually that sticks. Not always. I mean, there are plenty of folks who went from one side to the other."
    She flips the bacon one last time, to make sure it gets properly crisp without being overly so. No need to have the whole strip exploded into bacon dust upon taking a bite. It's an art to get bacon just right. The sausage is given the same last turn then she starts breaking eggs into the bowl, one-handed. Another bowl is used for the shells for now.
    At the call from Alexander, she has to smile but she sees that look on John's face. If there was ever a doubt that the most important thing to him is raising his son, it would've been cleared up right there. That expression, the light in his eyes. "Well, if she could see your face right now, she'd know that he's all that matters to you. Hopefully her snooping gave her some peace of mind." Because it was really snooping but can she really blame the woman? On one hand, it seems rude as hell to be secretly talking to his son without his knowledge. Jen would be pretty pissed over that. Yet, if she thought John a villain, it makes a type of sense. Jen's biased by the little time she's spent with him. She doesn't have hundreds of years of history.

Ares has posed:
    As she finishes with the bacon he'll add the eggs to the pan, not minding the grease as some people like that sort of flavoring for the eggs. Once the eggs are sizzling he'll start to grab some plates, though there's one on the counter that's set aside most likely for Alexander.
    "Hey," He stops her with a hand to her hip and then he steps close, "Thank you for being so tolerant. I know this is probably... a lot happening all at once. But I am..." He looks to the side, then back at her and says, "Happy." As if that were the strangest thing in the world. But then his smile will give in to the moment and he'll step close long enough to steal a small kiss from the corner of her mouth. Just a brush of affection, before he's scooping up two pieces of bacon and a bit of egg, then sliding it onto the plate for the kid.
    "Alright, come and get it. Don't scarf it down."
    The television clicks off and without further preamble the kid comes /running/ into the room, jumping onto the stool and grabbing for the fork and the plate, munching already with all the gentle refinement of a bull in a china shop.

She-Hulk has posed:
    Watching as Alexander digs in, Jen leans against the counter as she shakes her head. "Does he walk anywhere?" she asks curiously. Thus far, everything has been at high speed. Even when he came up from the basement. Only when he is sitting and even then, there is this nervous energy. She watches in amazement. The food is disappearing at an amazing rate. Then she adds in a louder voice to be sure Alexander hears. "Surprised he has room after all that juice." But she gives him a wink should he look up, a teasing smile on her face.
    Then she turns and starts making a plate for her and for John at the same time. Why? She couldn't even say. She splits the eggs, bacon and sausage between them. She probably should've made toast, now that she knows where the bread is hidden, but this should be plenty.
    "You want some milk?" she asks as she takes down a small cup for herself, moving to the fridge to fill it with some good old fashioned vitamin D. "Or sticking with juice?"

Ares has posed:
    It's just as he finishes scarfing down his eggs, and then he drinks the last of the juice that there's a honk-honk from outside. He quickly grabs his bacon in one hand, throws his backpack over the other, and then grabs his lunch in his free hand, "No thanks you, Ms. Walters, I gotta go!"
    He turns and of course /runs/ out of the kitchen while chomping on the bacon as he moves. There's the sound of the front door opening, and then closing with a /WHAM!/ then eventually the sound of the school bus' heavy diesel engine revving up as it gets underway.
    Once they're alone he'll shoot a look sidelong at her and he smiles, "Not a bad job, Ms. Walters. Not bat at all." He says as he leans against the counter near her.

She-Hulk has posed:
    "Huh?"
    Eloquence like that is a gift.
    "What did I do?" She picks up a piece of bacon and munches on it, brow furrowed a little. From her viewpoint, she's pretty sure the morning has been a disaster. Between the poor kid having a heart attack, a good one but still a heart attack, at find her in the kitchen, John being awakened from a good night's sleep to a screaming child, getting duped by a ten year old and then barely getting the kid out the door in time for school? She's pretty sure there wasn't anything about what she did.
    She picks up a second piece of bacon and holds it up near his lips as an offering, which means she likes him because--well, bacon.

Ares has posed:
    There's something in that smile he gives to her, something... appreciative. In that she didn't fall to pieces. That she didn't take off and run out the door. That she seems alright with coming home with him and sticking around. But then he smiles and tells her exactly what she did.
    "You survived," Is what he says and then he takes that piece of bacon from her and sets it tears it in half, he offers her one piece, and then bites down on his own piece. It's washed down with a bit of juice and then he tilts his head to the side, "Do you need to be anywhere anytime soon?" He asks her with an oh too innocent tone, as if he were inquiring after the meal of the day for the lunch menu.
    "I thought we could maybe take it easy a bit before heading off to face the day." He then lightly chops up the eggs with the side of his fork and starts to take a few bites now and again.

She-Hulk has posed:
    The tone causes her to laugh softly. "The only thing I had was a meeting with a potential client this afternoon. No court today. So plenty of time to...take it easy." Jen finishes off that half piece of bacon then turns to start on the rest of her breakfast, facing the counter. She probably should take it to the bar and sit but it's comfortable standing next to him. She motions with her fork in the vague direction of the front door.
    "It wasn't too difficult to survive although I did consider making a break for it when he first came in. I didn't think about him being in the house when I came downstairs. Sorry about that," she offers apologetically.
    "But He's a good kid. Bit of a scamp. Wonder where he gets that from," she adds in a murmur, nudging John with her elbow before setting down her fork to sip her milk. She grabs a napkin to eliminate the milk mustache before she continues.

Ares has posed:
    John, for his part, takes his time with the eggs and slices them up with the side of his fork, taking a few bites here and there. He listens to her speak as she does so, and gets a small smile, "Well..." He looks at her, then towards the door and the living room, then back to her, "I'm sure it'll get easier, if you feel like coming back some time."
    And there it is isn't it, a sort of invitation, but also kind of not trying to be one as that would be moving sort of fast wouldn't it? Does he know? Probably not, since the whole dating thing is rather strange to him. But he takes a bite of his eggs and then sets it down upon the countertop, taking a sip of the juice he had poured for himself from Alexander's mega-cup.
    Then he adds, perhaps just to be clear. "I'd love to see you again." He smiles gently, "If you like. I was told that I shouldn't call you back until three days passed but I didn't understand the why behind it."

She-Hulk has posed:
    It wasn't missed and a little thrill went through her. That was an offer to come back to his place in the future. Maybe it's nothing more than for a good time but it does mean he wants to see her again. After the night they shared, she does want to see him again as well. Dinner was wonderful. He was smart, funny, charming in his own way, a little quirky at times. He was very understanding of her status while they were in public. Then he gave her the most beautiful night on the beach before returning to his home to sleep.
    It had been the best date she'd ever had.
    "I'd love to be seen," she says with a smile although she has to tilt her head at the last. "Who told you that you have to wait three days? It had to have been a guy. Cause that's just stupid. If you like someone, you call them the next day or they get the idea you aren't interested. Especaially after two days. Or a woman told you that cause she doesn't want you to ever get a second date."

Ares has posed:
Ares says, "Don't know if it's been figured out, I just figured some stuff out with Diana."

Ares has posed:
Ares says, "Actually to cover things up that I left, Zeus made Phobos the new god of war."