4595/Taste of New Orleans

Taste of New Orleans
Date of Scene:	06 June 2018
Location:	Blue Moon in Manhattan
Synopsis:	Tyler and Andrea have a first date. They talk a lot about what life is really like for Andrea and why it's probably not good for either of them.
Cast of Characters:	Twitch, Rage

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Twitch has posed:
The restaurant isn't busy at this time, having just opened for the day. Being two of the first customers for the day, Tyler and Andrea seem to have almost the whole restaurant to themselves. The maitre d' quickly greets them upon entering and escorts the pair to a table for two off to the side of the restaurant where they'll have a semblance of privacy.

Looking around at the interior of the establishment, Tyler's eyes are wide with an expression of surprise. Quickly, that look on his face turns to smiling amusement as he turns to Andrea, "This place is really cool." At the table the maitre d' pulls out Andrea's chair for her, leaving Tyler to seat himself. The young man looks around again once he's sitting and asks, "What do you think?"

Rage has posed:
As she takes a seat, Andrea takes a few moments to look around. "This is pretty cute. I have not been here before." Dressed in a pair of black jeans and a sun dress, she looks comfortable for the weather. Plucking a menu up, she gives it a glance over. "Is this your type of food by the way? I'm sure I can eat just about anything, and they do have steak." Brushing some hair back behind her ear, she gives him a grin. "So, you do anything fun last night?"

Twitch has posed:
"I pretty much eat everything, but this is my first time trying Cajun food so I'm pretty excited," Tyler says to Andrea with a bright smile on his face before picking up his own menu and giving it a look. He nods his head at her second question, "Yeah, went to the gym for jiu jitsu training. Worked on joint locks for a while and then we got to roll with the other guys for a bit. The instructors like to pair me up with people who are starting to get overconfident since I can get out of most of their holds pretty quickly." Then his chin lifts in her direction, "How about you?"

Rage has posed:
"I didn't do anything. Curled up on the couch with ice cream and Netflix." Andrea laughs as she decides on a side and an entree, then puts the menu to the side. "Pretty much the best night ever in my opinion. One not filled with the phone ringing off the hook from my manager. Took a break from social media also. Didn't want to peek at it and see all the headlines. The Mason and Andrea show is heating up as usual because people saw us together when you all visited me at my place." Her eyes roll upwards. "Nothing you can do about it. Just ignore it and hope that some other celebrity does something dumb to take their mind off it."

Twitch has posed:
It takes Tyler a little while longer to pick out his own food as he divides his attention between the menu and Andrea. "That sounds like a relaxing evening," says the young man with a faint smile. "I hope that someone distracts the news people from you soon, then." His menu gets laid down on the table then as he figures out what to order.

Rage has posed:
"Me too." Andrea taps her fingers together lightly in thought, glancing down at her phone as she lets out a sigh. "I have not heard from him in a few days. I hope he's okay.." She trails off, then frowns. "..and I'm doing it again, thinking about him. My bad." She mutters as she props her chin up in the palm of her hand. "So, whatcha wanna do after this? I was thinking I could give you those guitar lessons, though Mason is a jerk, he is way better at that than I am. He knows that I'm only good at playing my songs and a few others, where he literally can pick up any instrument and be a pro at it. He's being conniving."

Twitch has posed:
"It's okay. I get that you can't help it," Tyler says softly, looking away from Andrea towards the table to a moment. Then he returns his gaze to her and smiles, "I'd like that a lot. I'm sure you're more than good enough to help me get started on learning to play. I am a complete beginner after all, the only music I've ever made was on these plastic recorders they made us play in school."

Rage has posed:
"I remember those plastic recorders. I didn't take to it. Went straight to piano when I was young." Andrea smiles as she turns her phone over so she won't have to see the screen or any alerts that may come through. Once the waiter comes by to take their orders, she delivers it confidently, waits for Tyler, then goes back to looking at him with a grin. "Do you even have a guitar or are you going to need to borrow one of mine? I have a few that you can use to learn on."

Twitch has posed:
When the waiter comes for his order Tyler places it without going back to look at the menu again, then resumes his conversation with Andrea. "I sucked at those things, but I also didn't really care about learning to play them," he says with a shrug. Then he smiles shyly and says, "I don't have a guitar yet. I'm pretty much broke most of the time. I don't get a whole lot of hours at work and I have to save up for a while to afford most stuff."

Rage has posed:
"Living in New York will make you poor." Andrea says as she gives him a grin. "I'll go ahead and pass you a guitar then, I don't mind. I have like eight and I only use one these days. The one my mother gave me." She gives a stretch of her body, then reaches out to flop a hand over his to give the fingers a squeeze. "Maybe I can hire you in some way. I could always use an intern or a gopher or .. " She pauses in thought. "I don't know what I could use a martial artist for." She says with a chuckle.

Twitch has posed:
At Andrea's first comment Tyler nods, though he's a little more serious than she is, "Yeah. It's why I try to do most of my shopping online." Then he seems to perk up a little bit, "That would be so cool! I don't know how to thank you." There's a pause when she takes his hand and he smiles slightly, "I don't know what I'd be good at, really. But if you wanted to hire me to work for you I think I would like that. Give us a chance to spend more time together."

Rage has posed:
There is an amused grin on Andrea's face. "It would be work, not spending time together. I'll reach out to my people and see if they got an open positions for something. Something internship wise. Most likely you're getting coffee or something for one of my managers, filing paperwork, that kinda thing. It will be boring and you probably won't see me often." She thinks for a moment. "And I can ask Mason and see if he has anything open on his end. He would probably just pay you to hang out with him, or be his body guard." She grins. "Or maybe you can be his private ninja tutor or something. Teach him how to fight."

Twitch has posed:
"I could do stuff like that. It'd beat the hell out of cleaning the gym at closing time," Tyler says with a big smile of his own. He nods, "I could also do something like that for Mason. Train him privately and keep him safe and stuff. I mean, if anybody messed with either of you guys and I was around I'd choke them out in about five seconds."

Rage has posed:
"Pretty sure that would be considered assault. Remember, I can turn into a werewolf." Andrea says with a grin to him, winking. "Though I think a choke hold is a lot less dangerous than me going furry and losing my mind." As the food arrives, she gives a happy smile at the arrangement. "So what do you want to do after this since I am a captive audience for you today. I'm good for whatever."

Twitch has posed:
"I meant physically messed with you guys. Otherwise you'll have to use another kind of weapon, your wits," Tyler jokes with a smile. "Though turning into a werewolf is a pretty effective self defense technique." After thanking the guy who brings out the food Tyler looks it over and prepares to dig in. His gaze travels back up to Andrea's face, "I was thinking a movie, probably. I don't know what you're into so I don't really have anything specific in mind."

Rage has posed:
"If I pick, I'm sure we'll end up watching a chick flick. I'm sure there is some type of actiony film on we can agree upon though. I'm not too picky as long as we got popcorn." Andrea gives a grin at him. "I can watch just about anything. Just sucks I can't really go out in public and do normal stuff without the pap harassing me. I'd love to go run through a park." She ponders for a moment, then shrugs.

Twitch has posed:
"Yeah, I'm not really into chick flicks. The closest thing to a romance I like is 'The Princess Bride'," Tyler says with a soft chuckle. "And we can definitely get popcorn. I eat a ton of food every day just to keep my weight where it is." Then he nods his head slowly, "That does suck. It would be cool if you..." He pauses as an idea comes to him, "You ever consider a training mask like the ones that simulate breathing at higher altitudes? You rock that and sunglasses and you might be able to hide who you are if you want to go for a run."

Rage has posed:
There is a giggle from Andrea. "I don't think I could wear a mask like that in public. People would start talking if they found out. Bad enough I came out as a mutant but then to hide myself people would start the rumor machine up. Maybe we can go jogging in the park at Xavier's later if I cang et permission from faculty. We need to talk to the staff also about enrolling you if you really wanted to go."

Twitch has posed:
"Maybe people would think you were a superhero?" Tyler asks with a little chuckle as he works on his meal, which based on the speed he's devouring it is something he really likes. "I think I'd like to go. I think it would be cool to be able to be myself, more or less. As long as I could keep my bike there." Smiling at the young woman across from him, Tyler says, "That way I could get to the gym and stuff from the school and not worry about trying to do public transportation outside of the city."

Rage has posed:
"Ha. I don't know if they'd think I'm a superhero or someone with SARS." Andrea laughs as she starts in on her own meal, taking her own time and pace to savor the flavors on her palate. "I'm sure you can keep your bike there. I think I saw a bunch of vehicles there of all shapes and sizes."

Twitch has posed:
"What is SARS?" asks Tyler with a smile on his face, slowing down his consumption of food as he watches Andrea and seemingly intends to emulate the way she eats. "That's good. I'd hate to be stuck out there in the middle of nowhere when there's stuff going on in the city. I'd take you for a ride on it some time but I'm not allowed to ride with other people yet."

Rage has posed:
"SARS is like .. a bad sickness and you gotta wear a mask at all times. Mostly in the Asian countries." Andrea says with a chuckle. "Supposedly they fixed it when I was a kid but it became a meme for awhile." She continues to eat slowly through her meal, followed by sips of her soda here and there. "So, you follow all the rules, huh?" She grins, brows raising.

Twitch has posed:
"Okay. Glad we didn't have to worry about it, but it still must have sucked where it was prevalent," says Tyler as he slowly nods in understanding. At her question the young man leans back in his seat momentarily to think before a grin appears, "I follow them when they make sense, but I have a few secrets I keep. One of them you already know. Play your cards right and you might learn another about me some time."

Rage has posed:
Raising a brow upwards at Tyler, Andrea chuckles in amusement. "You got a bunch of secrets, huh?" She says as she props her chin up in the palm of her hand, staring at him with a smirk. "Maybe I just need to have someone watch you around the clock and spy on your every move and report back to me."

Twitch has posed:
"You could do that. Maybe get some sexy pictures of me out of it, too," says Tyler with a wink and a little smile as he leans across the table as far as he can without making a mess. "Or you could get to know me a little better and hope I spill my guts. Though trying to explain a private eye following me around to my parents would be a lot of fun. When I go out at night on my bike I'm really hard to keep up with."

Rage has posed:
"Some sexy pictures of you?" Andrea laughs softly as she gives him the most amused of looks. "Are you going to be dramatically posing at random times for my cameras to catch your best side?" Her shoulders give a shrug backwards. "I don't mind getting to know you better. Long as you're open enough. I'm not in the mood to go out with a guy who wants to pretend to be mysterious."

Twitch has posed:
"You bet I would pose for the camera," says Tyler with a pleased looking smile on his face. "You never know when I'd feel the need to look extra pretty." Then he nods his head, "I'm not very mysterious, fortunately. My brother and I do keep a couple secrets that are just between us, though. Like how he bought a paintball gun to shoot at me just so I can practice dodging stuff. He says he wants to get an airsoft machine gun next to see what I can do against that."

Rage has posed:
"That is hardly a good secret. That's just boys being dumb boys." Andrea giggles. "My secrets are a lot better. Like, getting drunk at a party when I was fifteen and I threw up in a bush outside. My mom was sooooo mad at me. I thought she was going to beat my ass. Lucky it didn't make the news."

Twitch has posed:
Chuckling, Tyler raises his eyebrows and watches Andrea, "That's not a bad secret. Everybody does that." He pauses for a second, "Everybody but me. I've never really been drunk. The guys I'm friends with with are all MMA nerds for the most part and a lot of them are old enough to get into bars to do their drinking so I can't really hang out with them too much after training." He starts smiling again, "I don't do drugs or anything, either. I'm kind of boring when it comes to that stuff."

Rage has posed:
"I don't drink or do drugs either. I literally caved into peer pressure at a party because I wanted to look cool. It was dumb. I'll never drink beer again." Andrea nudges her empty plate to the side. "You want dessert?"

Twitch has posed:
"I think most people give into peer pressure at least once in their life. It's no big deal," Tyler says with a gentle smile. "I'll probably drink now and then when I turn twenty one, but I just got other stuff going on that's more important," the young man adds. Looking down when Andrea moves her plate he nods his head, "Sure. I'd love some dessert. Do you want to split something?"

Rage has posed:
"Sure, whatever you want. I can eat anything." Andrea says as she gives him a smile. "I've caved into peer pressure a few times though. Mason was a big one." She pauses. ".. But I don't really regret that one. Though there are days! Like the other day. Oh, he got me so mad." She fumes for a moment, then clears her throat. ".. doing it again.. sorry."

Twitch has posed:
"Let's get some beignets, then. I've heard those things are good," Tyler suggests with a smile, quickly placing an order when the server approaches the table for it. Then his attention returns to his conversation and the smile on his face starts to fade away. There's a simple nod of the head, "It's okay. I understand that he means a lot to you." The young man sighs gently and takes a moment to look around the interior of the restaurant again before returning his attention to his companion, "I really like hanging out with you. You're such a cool person, I'm really glad that we met."

Rage has posed:
"Yeah .. I'm sorry I keep bringing him up. It's why I am not sure if this will work out between us. At least .. not right now, not when I'm still making mistakes with him, and still longing for him, and still crying about him at night." Andrea says with a sigh. "I'm as put together as any one can be, until it comes to him and then I become a fucking mess." She pokes at her plate with her fork a few times before letting it clink down with a sigh. "And it's not fair to you."

Twitch has posed:
"You can't help bringing him up, though," says Tyler as he leans forward across the table and moves to pat Andrea on the shoulder. "I don't know what's fair or not. It's not like I've got any experience with girls, but I do know that I like you and I want to do what I can to give us a shot." A faint frown forms on his face and he closes his eyes for a moment, "I kind of wish you could see you the way that I do. I know you're not perfect, but I don't care. Nobody's perfect. And I know that eventually you'll get over Mason, it'll just take some time for you."

Rage has posed:
"Maybe. Kinda hard to get over him when he's still.. doing things to me...in my heart and in my head. We're like bad magnets. We just .. push each other away, then pull ourselves back in. It's hard." Andrea says as she wrinkles her nose. "And I think you're cool, I just don't know you well enough yet you know? Outside of being mutants, we don't have much in common and it's hard being a celebrity."

Twitch has posed:
"I wish that I could help you somehow," says Tyler before he lets out a deep sigh. "I think I understand where you're coming from, though." His hands rest flat on the surface of the table as he thinks, his breathing accelerating ever so slightly. "I just feel like I don't know what I'm doing right now. You're my only mutant friend and I don't want to screw that up. I guess that's probably the most important thing." But he doesn't sound confident in that statement.

Rage has posed:
"Hey." Andrea says softly as her hand curls over on top of his. "I got a friend's first rule with any guy I go out with. That no matter what, we respect each other that we are still friends even after it ends. Mason is the exception. I drove him to suicide because I was manipulated .." She trails off. ".. and I can't.. tell you how, because .. it's his secret to hold. Maybe he can tell you about it." She squeezes his hand again. "And don't get me wrong. You are crazy hot. You're so nice. You're an ideal guy. But you're also a guy I'm afraid of screwing up, or the media screwing up ... your anxiety is not built for Hollywood." She says softly. "If you got hurt.. I'd be so .. upset..."

Twitch has posed:
Tyler nods slowly, looking down from her at the table for a moment. "I'm sorry that happened to you guys. It's gotta be rough on both your ends." He nods a few times after that, lips pressed tightly together in the hint of a frown, "I don't think I'd get screwed up. I went through a lot of bullying and lost my friends when I first started twitching and not being able to concentrate and I came out the other side of that okay. My anxiety isn't all that bad, either, just kind of a twitch. I could take my meds ahead of time if I thought there was going to be a lot of activity..." The youth trails off then, licking his lips and closing his eyes for a moment.

Rage has posed:
".. imagine walking down the street and having a hundred people swarm you at once, cameras flashing, questions being shouted at you, forcing you in close to other people as you try to get to your car. Then once you're in there, not able to pull off the curb or out of the parking lot, afraid you will hit someone." Andrea says as she gives his hand another firm squeeze. She shifts her jaw. "Then imagine the pictures and video that comes out of it later .. talking about what you wear, how fat you got, maybe you're pregnant. Maybe it's the new guy she's hanging out with. What's his name? Tyler something? Let's stalk his house, look through his windows, put cameras in his toilet." She snerks a bit.

Twitch has posed:
Tyler's eyes go wide at the possibility and he reluctantly nods his head, "I don't know how I'd handle all that. Probably bounce off the ground to get away and out myself." A deep sigh escapes from him, his whole body seeming to deflate all at once. "I don't think I'd mind the pictures and stuff, really. People can talk about me all they want to, I'm kind of used to it. I'd hate getting my house stalked, though. My family wouldn't care for that at all and if I found someone trying to get inside to plant cameras? I'd beat the living..." He trails off there. "But what if the girl in question was worth putting up with that?"

Rage has posed:
"It's hard, Tyler. For me, I gotta always smile. I can't have bad days, I can't cry, I can't flip out and yell. I always gotta be perfect for the cameras." Andrea says with a sigh. "I come home stressed out some days. Then there is the travel. The tours. The studios. Long days. Long nights." She slides her fingers into his for a squeeze. "If things get too crazy, you'll let me know, right?"

Twitch has posed:
"I'll let you know. And when you have a bad day and I'm around I'll be there to help you talk it out," Tyler tells the young woman, a serious expression on his face. He squeezes her hand back and nods, "I'll tell you if things get bad for me. I... I think it'll be okay, though. I don't expect to occupy all your time or have you occupy mine. We've both got stuff we're into to keep us busy, your career and my fighting. And my late night motorcycle rides. I'm kind of addicted to those." A little smile appears.

Rage has posed:
"You're only saying all of that because you haven't experienced yet." Andrea grins at him. Leaning in, she pecks him on the cheek, then tugs on his hand. "Come on, let's get going. I think we should see a chick flick." She says with a grin as she pulls her wallet out and slides a silver card on to the bill tray, handing it back to the waiter.

Twitch has posed:
"We'll see how it works out. I feel confident I can tough it out," Tyler replies with his own smile, one which only grows when he gets kissed on the cheek. He follows Andrea when she pulls on his hand, face beginning to blush, "Alright. Chick flick it is."