2389/Temporal research. No, really!

Temporal research. No, really!
Date of Scene:	10 September 2017
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	In the name of temporal research, Lyle and Querl hit the city. Or maybe that's just an excuse to go on a date.
Cast of Characters:	Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid

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Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Calculate the constant of… X is equal to…
        Brainy is bustling about in his lab.  He thinks he may have finally seized on a way to breach the strange temporal barrier that Mordru, Glorith, and the Time Trapper created, and to test his hypothesis, he's constructed a device in the lab based upon a warp drive—except what it's done, instead of projecting a bubble of hyperspace into the real around the ship that allows it to bend the laws of space and time and bypass the speed of light barrier, it's created a stable bubble of hyperspace within an energy field in the lab—it's shimmering, iridescent, oily, and more than a little uncomfortable to stare directly into.
        Brainy is staring directly into it, and taking notes on the experience.  "Mouth dry.  Hairs standing on end.  I swear I hear a strange alien murmuring—but if it's not telling me what a genius I am, I have no interest in what it's saying—"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        The lab door remains closed, and all is quiet, save for the sounds of science—nay, SCIENCE!—being done.  Even Lyle is absent, which might seem a bit odd, but he's a creature of mad inspirations, not of continual genius, so he periodically is absent.  At least until the next stroke of genius strikes from nowhere.
        So when the door opens, Lyle just stands there, leaning against the frame, watching science—sorry, SCIENCE!—happen.
        Even if it does make him blink.  Things shouldn't be that color.  At least not physical, in-this-universe things.
        Rather than make a scene, Lyle just clears his throat.  Hopefully just loud enough to be heard over whatever mad science Brainy has going on.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy continues making notes.  He doesn't even look at Invisible Kid, he just says, "Lyle, please hand me the omni-analyzer off of my workbench?"  He waves his hand at it, wave wave, "Thank you."
        Mr. Romance, ladies and gentlemen.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle does so, sauntering in casually, taking his own damn time.  He stands just outside of Querl's reach so the Green One has to look up at least long enough to see where exactly both Lyle and the analyzer are.  "It's over here, Querl."  Smirk.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy looks up, and an eyebrow perks.  Does he say anything about the outfit?  Or even the analyzer?  No.  He straightens up, and says, "You called me Querl.  You never use my name.  Nobody does."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "I do.  You know I do."  Lyle grins.  "Occasionally, anyway.  I'm not going to ask if you're busy, because even if you were sleeping you'd say you are.  I think you can shut everything down for a while and join me planetside.  Well, okay, you can leave the ones with no chance of blowing a hole in the cruiser running."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy looks at that bubble of hyperspace.  "It's fine, as long as somebody doesn't touch it."  He pauses.
        A moment later, he's erected a force-field around it at a two meter distance.  And then, FINALLY, he says "You do not use my name.  You've always called me 'Brainy'.  Name ONE TIME you called me Querl—"
        Then he rubs the back of his neck.  "You look… very handsome.  I'm not dressed up.  Should I—"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle chuckles.  "Define dressed up, since you'll just use your image inducer so you don't look green—however nice a color green is.  Let's put it this way—I have reservations at a sushi bar that has live jazz.  Dress appropriately.  We're going to study 21^st century Metropolis up close and personal.  Or we might just be going on a date.  Or both."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy raises an eyebrow.  "The air is filthy and the food is suspect."  But, a few minutes later, he has his image inducer on, and a button-down purple shirt, and black slacks and shoes.  The shirt is vaguely shimmery, which is his one concession to style.  He brushes spiky blond hair out of his eyes, and then says, "Only to avoid drawing unsavory attention."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Can't help the air, but if the reviews are anything to judge by, the food is anything but suspect."  Lyle taps a few keys on his omnicom and a slip-gate opens.  "I really have always been fond of the color green, but this will do in the interim," he says with a grin and steps into the gate, tugging Brainy through with him.
        Earthside is in a dark corner just out of sight—Lyle didn't want to make too much of a scene upon arrival.  He leads the way into the glare of streetlights, and to a door which has three lines of text over it - one kanji, one hiragana, and one romaji: 片山 - かたやま - Katayama.
        Lyle tugs the door open; progressive jazz mixes with street sounds until the door closes, then it's all progressive jazz.  A muttered word with the waitress at the counter, and they are led to seats along… well, a sushi bar.  It's where Lyle said they were going, after all.  There's also a conveyor belt delivering pre-made sushi along its route, for those who like a surprise.  It's a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere, considering Lyle picked it.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "Very interesting," Brainy says, as he walks in and up to the bar.  He sits, and says, "I saw those brochures for 'paintball' you acquired, by the way.  No."  Apparently someone who can turn invisible shooting at you with a gun full of paint pellets is just a bridge too far.
        Brainy watches the sushi fly by, and he helps himself to some sea urchin.  "Fascinating," he says, before he tastes it, chewing thoughtfully.
        After a moment, he rests his hand on the small of Lyle's back.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle nabs a plate of freshwater eel sushi, and smiles sidelong at Brainy.  "Fascinating to watch it being made, and it's soooooo tasty."  That's something, coming from someone notorious for not really caring what comes out of the machines in the mess hall.  "I didn't think the paintball would appeal to you, but to our more combat-oriented members, it might not be a bad idea.  And I should—oh."
        He has the attention of the sushi chef, and so Lyle places an order, with obviously-memorized Japanese phrases—he doesn't speak Japanese, and he's not going to fake it any more than he needs to.
        "—where was I?  Oh, yeah.  I should probably participate, just to make sure no one can figure out where I am.  Paintballs are actually pretty effective against me, at least until I can make the paint go invisible too."  He bites off half of an unagi nigiri, and half-lids his eyes.  "That is so good."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy gives Lyle a thoughtful look.  "You always hide so much about yourself.  What you do, what you like.  People only see what they want to see.  I still don't know that much about you," He says.  "I've talked to you about my childhood, but you've never talked about yours."  His hand slides up between Lyle's shoulderblades, and then to his shoulder.
        "I know you started working for UP Intelligence at a very young age; I know R.J. Brande hand-picked you for the Legion and that you came willingly, despite having a very high rank.  You had your own ship."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "People only see what I want them to see," Lyle corrects.  "There isn't a whole lot from then that I care to think about."  He stuffs the rest of the nigiri into his mouth and chews on it thoughtfully.  "You know how I feel about my dad, and my mom was a non-entity—at least when Dad was around.  As far as I'm concerned, I didn't have any family until I joined the Legion."
        He stares at his plate a moment, while sake is served.  He picks up the little ceramic cup and studies it, then knocks it back in one shot.  While refilling it, he says, "That's what made faking my death so hard.  Have…" He trails off, then looks up sharply towards Brainy.  "I don't think I ever apologized to you for that, did I?  Even if I have already, I am so very sorry.  Even though I didn't have any choice in the matter.  I hated having to do that to all of you."
        He looks down, back at his plate and his cup of sake, which he does not pick up.  Very quietly, he adds, "To you more than to anyone else."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy curls his fingers around his own cup of warm sake.  He downs it, all in one go, and then pours Lyle more; it's bad luck to pour your own sake.  A bit of trivial superstition of course, but when your superstition is about alcohol then apparently it's okay.  It's also an excuse to pour someone else's drink.  "We weren't lovers then," Brainy says.  "I… was very sad, when I thought you had died.  You deserved better—you deserved happiness."
        Then he pauses.  "Based on your psychological workup, you're almost exclusively attracted to other males;" Clinical language, which he lapses into when he's not sure how to approach a question—"Yet you were involved with a woman until her death.  …Was that a play, too?  It was never any of my business… but it's so hard to find the real you, sometimes."  And he's wondering how much of what you show him is the real Lyle.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle laughs dryly, but it's not a laugh of humor.  "I'm the invisible man.  No one's supposed to see the real me, you know?"  He picks up his sake, looks at it, then sets it back down.  "I guess maybe sometimes even I believe my own press and figure no one should ever see the real me.  Even though intellectually I know better."
        He leans back and sighs.  "I don't know.  I mean, even though our own time doesn't have the hangups about sexual identity that this era has, it was pretty obvious that my attraction to other males put me in a minority relative to the bulk of humanity.  And I was already isolated, thanks to my dad."  Those last two words are said as if spitting out a piece of unexpectedly sour fruit.  "Maybe I was trying to tell myself I was normal."  Another laugh, without humor.  "Whatever normal means.  I probably wouldn't know normal if it bled to death in the middle of Shadow's litterbox."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy looks down.  And then he looks back up, and says, "Lyle.  I am not my mother.  And you are not your father.  They do not dictate our lives to us, anymore.  Though I do my best to make it look like I'm not paying attention, I've seen so many Legionnaires struggle with their families.  Garth with his brother; Dirk with his father.  Cosmic Boy with what happened to Pol."  He shudders, at that memory.  "Pol meant everything to him."
        Then he tosses back his second cup of sake.  "You are not normal.  You're sneaky, obnoxious, bent on being the cleverest man in the room—because your cleverness is what won you a life.  Much like if I'm not the smartest man in the room, what am I?  But you are also brave.  And kind.  And loyal.  And even if you're bound and determined to prove you're more clever than I am, which is INCREDIBLY GALLING—Every morning lately when I've woken up you're snuggled into the crook of my arm.  I wasted a very long time hating you when we were boys, when I could've been your friend, and I'm so very sorry."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Just the fact that I can wake up snuggled into the crook of your arm," Lyle says, looking up, "is apology enough.  And I suppose if I was normal, I wouldn't qualify to be a Legionnaire."  There's the honest and genuinely amused smile and chuckle.
        A beat.
        A smack-me-hard grin.  "And I am more clever than you.  I'm just not smarter than you."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy gives Lyle a flat look.  It's a look that says he'd like to be mad.  But he just can't be mad anymore.  Instead, he pours himself more sake, and drains it, and then he puts his hand on Lyle's cheek.
        "Lyle?" he says, leaning in, his eyes locked on the other Legionnaire's.  As green as emeralds.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle finally sips at his sake, and turns to meet eyes with the green genius.  "Querl?"  His eyes are brown.  Just brown.  Just very disappearable, losable in a crowd brown.
        Just very warm, very friendly, very happy brown.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy leans in real close.  Real, real close.
        "Lyle," he repeats.
        Finally, he takes a piece of roe sushi… and pushes it into Lyle's mouth.  "Shhhhh."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle tries to say something intelligent, but with a mouthful of fish eggs, that's probably not possible, so there's aught to do but follow Brainy's instructions and be quiet.
        This does not preclude a satisfied smile, of course.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy turns, and finishes his dinner in relative quiet—he's not interested in dragging the meal out.  But as they walk out into the damp city street, Brainy, feeling the sake, turns and hooks his arm around Lyle's waist.  He dips him, ever so slightly, and he kisses him on the mouth, warm and firm—and then he straightens back up.  "That was a wonderful dinner.  Thank you."
        He closes his eyes.  "It's difficult for me to say, Lyle—but I care about you, very much.  And that will persist, regardless of the status of our relationship.  So if you choose to go back to Condo after we return home, or… something else happens—please don't forget that."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle clings to Querl's shoulders—not because he's afraid of falling over backwards or that Brainy will drop him.  Because he wants to.  "I thought you might like somewhere like that.  Quietish, profound, intellectual…."
        He blinks once at that last statement.  "Well, it's not easy for me to say that sort of thing either.  I do care too.  About you.  I might even be in love."  The words come out a little haltingly.  They are hard to say.  "I'm not even going to think that far ahead," he says, clinging close.  "If we get home, or not, Querl, I can't not care about you.  I know that."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "My eyes are still going to wander after attractive blondes;" Querl mutters.  "I can't help it.  It's how I'm wired.  But—" He considers, "You have your charms.  You have a roguish smile.  And you're very fit, which is nice.  And a good scientist is always experimental, which is also a perq, I suppose—" He thinks.  "…We should go back to the ship.  I should—check on my experiment."  He blinks.  "…In the morning.  Unless there's something else you wanted to do, Earthside?"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle curls his arm around Brainy's waist.  "I don't expect you to be bound to me as your one and only," he says, slowly sauntering down the street.  "In the first place, I know you like women too, and that's something I know I can't do for you."  He sighs, and looks up at the light-polluted Metropolis night sky.  There are six stars visible, and two of those turn out to be aircraft after but a second's observation.  "And… I don't know what I would do if Condo appeared in this time, or we got home."  Nothing like honesty, even if it doesn't clarify matters.  "I need to be around your brilliance, even when you're not defying the laws of physics.  More than just watching you in the lab."
        Another sigh, and there's that patented grin.  "And I always have been fond of the color green."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy tilts his head, and then says, "Do you remember that hotel we stayed at—" The green in his cheeks deepens, "The one with the hot tub—it's easy enough to get back, in the morning.  And sometimes it's nice to spend a day on a real planet with real gravity—" He clears his throat.  "I, ah.  I may be in love with you too, Lyle.  I am still processing that.  I need more data—"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle laughs at that.  "And how many times have I said that emotional responses are supposed to be irrational?"  He rests his head on Brainy's shoulder, still chuckling.  "Although I love that you're determined to do science on them anyway.  Well, I'm sure I can provide a few more data points for you… I think the hotel is up that way," he says, gesturing with his free hand.  "And maybe there's a coffee house along the way, we can get some dessert there before checking in."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Brainy considers Lyle for a time, and then his hands drop down to his compatriot's hips.  "No… no.  We'll spring for the room service."  And then he's grabbing Lyle by the hand, and setting off, at a resolute march.  "After all, you dressed up for me—I think you've earned you reward!"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle puts up no resistance to being marched off at a more rapid pace.  "Note to self: wear a tie more often," he says, half under his breath, but not so far under that it's inaudible.