4678/Everybody Needs Down Time

Everybody Needs Down Time
Date of Scene:	17 June 2018
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	Backdated Scene - Several months ago. Thor and Natasha have a conversation over coffee.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Black Widow (Romanoff)

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Thor has posed:
    In New York City it's always a crap shoot if people are going to be aware of their surroundings. There's a definite attitude of keeping to oneself which makes things like that, but there's also that jaded sort of aspect to most New Yorkers, the attitude that makes them sneer at out-of-towners when they look up into the sky to see the various caped or masked heroes rushing around. It's the sneer that's there when Tony Stark drops out of the sky and gets a latte. It's there when the Incredible Hulk smashes an armored car robbery... but today, luckily, that's not too entirely evident as the Avengers that are out and about don't stand out quite so much.
    Oh there are glances snuck from behind a drink, the occasional errant illicit photo taken while acting like they're browsing the internets and just so happens to be aiming their lens in the direction of the two. But luckily it's been little more than that in the four minutes that the two have been in Shelley's Bohemian Brew, where the discriminating connoisseur of the bean comes to drink.
    The tall man in the grey hoodie and the well-worn jeans, he stands out primarily in that... well he's rather tall, and that long hair is tied back in what most would call a hipster pony-tail but looks good on him. That hoodie is over a black t-shirt with no designs and for some reason the man carries an umbrella in hand even though outside... it's bright and sunny.
    "I am telling you, Natasha, you must speak of your exploits more. You must march into Fury's office and proclaim to him loudly," And his voice grows louder, "I am your greatest warrior, Nicholas. And I say unto thee, that I deserve, nay, DEMAND four more days of vacation."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    "I'm sure that word is like a foreign language to Fury," Natasha protests, trying to hide a smile. She is dressed much as her companion. Worn jeans, a v-neck t-shirt but it is in a lovely shade of green that goes well with her eyes. There is a hoodie but it is unfastened and the hood is hanging at the back of her neck instead of being raised to cover her red hair.
    The various patrons are taken note of but that is something that comes with her having gone public five years again, joining the Avengers officially. At one time, she wouldn't get a second glance. But now? It's almost always like this. At least someone in a room will recognize them, unless they wear masks. She had given those up back when she gave up years ago.
    "He thinks we should all be on all hours of the day." She gives a shrug of her shoulders as they settle into the short line waiting to put in orders. "As for being his best agent, not so sure he'd agree with that either. He has a lot of people that are higher level than I am. Personally, I don't think it's because they are better but because he trusts them more," she admits.

Thor has posed:
    Shuffling forwards in the line, Thor, god of thunder and son of Odin levels a frown that is most damning at the reply but he presses on as he holds that umbrella up a touch, "There is something to be said for requiring staunch focus upon duty, but as it stands you are..." At this point the tall blonde actually seems to appreciate that perhaps they are in public and it might warrant some touch of discretion. So he lowers his voice to a whisper that... really most of those in the line can hear, "Sworn to other tasks, and he cannot dominate your efforts beyond what you grant. You granted no oath of fealty, aye?"
    He meets her eyes sidelong as he asks that question, but even before she answers he presses on, perhaps presuming to already know the answer. "Then each moment of activity you grant is a gift given. Think on this." He holds up a finger from the umbrella's grip, nodding sagely then he lowers it.
    And that's when he gets up to the register, the barrista's wide eyes make it clear that she perhaps recognizes one or the other of them as she smiles, a smile filled with braces upon a face that is gripped by the woes of puberty. But Thor gives her a smile that would brighten even the grumpiest of grouches. "Good day to you, Beverage Clerk, I want your best ground bean and graced with but a touch of milk."
    Towards Natasha, "And for you, Natasha?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    Oath of fealty. It is moments like that when Natasha is reminded they are not in Kansas anymore. Hell, he isn't even in this century. She manages not to smile by sheer willpower. Until he makes his order. Then she can't help a small laugh as she shakes her head.
    Her greeting to the clerk is a bit more personal as she reads the name tag pinned to the woman's shirt. "Hi, Tiffany. I'd like a mocha latte with double espresso please." She glances at Thor as she orders, giving another of those brief shrugs. "I have a stake out tonight. Figure I need all the caffeine I can get."

Thor has posed:
    Thor leans against the counter with one elbow, his hands joined together with fingers interlaced as he looks out over the room itself, smiling as if the very sun pleased him. Which it does. He then gives a nod to one of the other coffee shop employees who grins to him as they extend his large regular which he takes in hand and then pushes off away from the counter to let Natasha have the space needed.
    But then his brow furrows as he looks across the way, then he shakes his head as he looks back towards Natasha. Something unspoken passes between them but he merely looks like he'd... forgotten something? An errand or something on his grocery list almost.
    "Curious."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    As he moves, Natasha takes his place at the counter sans leaning. She remains facing half to the counter, half to her companion. It's only a few seconds before her insulated cup is passed over. She takes it, giving a smile to the barista, then turns back to Thor.
    The moment is noted. Motioninog to a table near the back, Natasha leads the way as she glances over. "What's curious?" she asks once they are near the table. She sits with her back to the wall, so she has a view of the various entrances and exits.

Thor has posed:
    "Mmm," It's rare that Thor is without words, especially in a social situation but there he is for the moment. He pulls out a chair for her as he steps past the table, taking the seat with his back to the window to provide her with suitable cover should she so need. But he settles down and takes a sip of his coffee before replying.
    "Just an odd feeling. A moment of lost familiarity though you know you have not experienced this before?" Deja Vu most likely, though he might not be familiar with the term. He shakes his head.
    "It is nothing," He finally decides and instead gestures towards her with his cup, "Now, tell me more of what grieves you in your life, Natasha. And I in turn will solve your problems for you." His grin is there, perhaps knowing how he may sound.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    For a moment, she doesn't look convinced. Deja Vu could be more than nothing. Or it could be just that. He doesn't seem too concerned though so Natasha dismisses it from her mind.
    "There is nothing grieving me although I do so appreciate your sage wisdom in matters of my life," she murmurs as she rests her arms on the table top, hands wrapped around the cup so she can feel the warmth of it. "I just feel like I'm in a rut lately. Every mission seems to be the same, every moment is like i've lived it before. Which maybe I have." She isn't mentioning her age and she hopes by his gentlemanly pulling out of the chair, he will prove to be a gentleman and not ask despite what she says next. "How do you deal with all the years? What keeps things fresh?"

Thor has posed:
    Fingertips drum upon the tabletop for a time as he ponders her features beyond his insulated cup of coffee. His eyebrows lift as he looks to her, then he looks aside towards the door, then back to her again as if somehow through that entrance some answer might present itself before him.
    But he gives a nod and his tone lowers as he smiles to her, "Through stories, Natasha." He knows that's not satisfying and is not enough of an answer in and of itself, so he holds up a hand to her as if to stave off an objection or protest. He sets the umbrella down upon the tabletop then leans forwards a little further.
    "As a culture, we of Asgard... we live through our tales, our stories. So much of what we are, who we are, carries on through the storyteller but it is not simply that act. Not simply that we listen to them and are reminded." He smiles a little, "We frame our world as a tale, how we view everything around us it plays part in the record of our lives."
    He gestures broadly, arms opening, "A mortal gifted with life unending, they do struggle at times. Struggle with what passes for them, how to differentiate one day from another. For us... for those like myself. It is but a page turned. I shall forever remember this day."
    His smile widens, "For lo did two warriors come together, sharing of their wisdom. Her eyes of emerald and with hair of fire, she bewitched the Mighty Thor with her quick wit and casual deadliness even as she sipped from a beverage fit for the Gods."
    His lip twitches, "You see?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    There's no help for it. Natasha laughs. The way he made it sound like this was some epic event instead of sitting in a coffee shop sipping on java was impressive.
    "I don't know about fit for the gods but it is pretty good coffee," she agrees, hefting her cup to take a quick sip as though to prove that fact. As she sets the cup down, she continues to cradle it between her palms.
    Casual deadliness. Fitting. It isn't something she thinks about, something she tries to be. She simply is. That he would pick up on it is a testament to his own skills as a fighter and probably less so his knowledge of her. He knew she was dangerous the first time they met. "I can spin a cover story when I need to, improvise as needed. Storytelling like that though? Out of my range."

Thor has posed:
    A small snort slips from him as he reclines in his chair, the structure creeeeaking from the shift of his appreciable weight even as he rests his cup in his hands against his chest, slouching a little leisurely. "Then if you find not your muse in the spoken word, perhaps some other medium."
    He looks to the side, bright blue eyes flitting between the various books upon the wall, or the local artwork that displays some of the vistas of the great city.
    "There," He gestures, "You have it. Perhaps it might require some creative choice in words, but a journal that you offer your tale to. Keep record of what has passed."
    He sits up a little in the chair and gestures with one large hand, "Or depict your life in pastels." His lip twitches as he indicates the paintings people have worked so hard on. "Creation, Natasha. It marks itself in your mind better than the other."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    When he makes his suggestions, Natasha's lips curve up into a smile but she is shaking her head negatively. "I don't have an artistic bone in my body. I even fail drawing stick figures," she says as she waves a hand into the air as she dismisses that option. That leaves one hand curled around the cup. She takes a sip, setting it back into place before continuing.
    "Journaling? Can't say that is something I'd be comfortable with. I don't trust putting information into a form that might be stolen easily. And I know how easy it is to take something like that." Considering she has spent half her life doing just that type of thing, gaining access to information and removing it from the possession of others. The other half tended to be less inviltration and more violent.
    Her eyes hood slightly as she looks down at the table top, drawn back in her memories. "There was a time I did have an artistic outlet. It's been a long time since I practiced it though." She flicks her gaze back up to him. "Maybe it's time to try it again, see if that helps."

Thor has posed:
    "There, you see!" Thor gives a sharp nod as he gestures with his cup of coffee causing it to slosh a little dangerously out the small lip, but not enough to cause a mess. Yet. "Haha, I am good at this!"
    He gestures towards a passing young woman who stands in line a few tables away, "You! Tell me of your life's woes and I shall resolve them for you. Such is the strength of the word of Thor!"
    But all this does is get people to laugh rather pointedly and now a few more phones come out to record the pair of them as people realize with that announcement who those two people are. Definitely not one for subtle civvy work.
    Then he turns back towards Natasha after giving the woman, who wears a nervous smile now, a wink. To Natasha he gives a nod, "But yes, I would recommend. Embrace what gives you joy, whether it is a lover, a challenge, or a life untried."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    With all the cameras in play, Natasha does not pinch the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger as Thor announces to the world who he is. The few people in the building who had not known are now reacting with the rest and being less subtle about it.
    "Remind me never to take you on any stealth missions," she murmurs in a low tone of voice. When she continues, her tone is back to a conversational level.
    "Be careful what you offer. This goes viral, next thing you know you have a talk show trying to do just that. Doctor Thor, bring me your problems and I will tell you how to fix them the Asgardian way."

Thor has posed:
    "Bah," Is his rejoinder as he rises to the challenge, but Natasha can see that light in his eyes when he is distinctly being 'himself' but even moreso, indulging in his love of self. "If I embarked upon such a course then my talk show would be the best talk show in all the nine realms. In all the galaxy!" But he does settle back and down a little along with his tone of voice... but Nat... she can likely see people typing away on their cellphones.
    "But I think I convey my point." He looks to the side, knowing that others might well be listening in so his tone drops further, "It is up to you, Natasha, to mark the days and fill them with the gifts life provides. Aye, 'tis different for those of us who live longer. But life is no less wondrous."
    He extends a hand to hers and holds her eyes when he gives it a small squeeze. "Dost thou understand?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    The first thought that goes through her head. Do they have tv in all nine realms? Come to think of it, she doesn't even know what the nine realms are. She knows they are part of Asgard, areas that are part of their world yet apart. It's confusing since she's never bothered to try to learn. It didn't seem necessary since the likelihood of her going to one realm was slim so visiting the nine was nil.
    She should've learned by now never say never though.
    As he lowers his voice and seems to get serious, she feels that gentle squeeze of her free hand and she nods. "I do. I get what you are saying. Make sure to take it as the gift it is and try to revel in it."

Thor has posed:
    "Well then!" That a touch louder, He tilts his coffee back and drains it then proceeds to crush the cup in hand before tossing it across the room to the trash can that lies partially open. It slips through the opening and disappears from view as he looks to her. "Shall we depart? For some reason we seem to be drawing the eye of many a mortal's gaze."
    That said he places his hands flat upon the table and proceeds to push himself to his feet with one smooth motion. Though as he does so he stops to give a smile to one camera held up, then another.
    A pair of young women in business suits ask, "Hey Thor, can we get a selfie?"
    "But of course!" He steps forwards and then crouches down behind the two women flashing a brilliant smile, "Say it with me together, ladies." He looks up at the camera, "For Asgard!"
    The young women echo Thor, "For Asgard!" Then followed by a cascade of giggles.
    "Go ahead without me, Natasha. I shall meet you outside!"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    As he is set upon by the ladies, Natasha shakes her head but her smile is firmly in place. "If you don't make it out in five, you can find your own ride back to the mansion."
    She picks up her coffee cup and walks toward that same trash can, dropping the empty vessel into the opening before walking toward the door. Unlike him, she doesn't stop for selfies and offer bright smiles. She just walks to the exit and slips out the sidewalk.
    It doesn't mean she wasn't being filmed still but most of the eyes are on Thor. Being one of the 'big three', he tends to have quite a large fanbase.

Thor has posed:
    It doesn't take too long, to be fair, for Thor to extract himself. He does so jovially, however. She can see him through the window, smiling and slapping a few people on the back and giving a thumbs up to another person off in the back. But then he's towards the door and when he opens it behind him she can hear the people all hollaring goodbye, and farewell and we love you. A normal day, of course.
    But then he rejoins her and smiles, shaking his head and flaring his hands as if he had nothing to do with that and it's just how it is, as if he didn't draw attention to himself. But then he falls into step beside her. "So now that I have solved life's ills for you, what fills the rest of your day?" He eyes her askance.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    She is standing casually on the sidewalk waiting. She is slumped against the wall just outside, in the shade cast by the awning in the front of the store. Once he steps out, Natasha pushes herself away from the wall and falls into step, back the way they had come from originally.
    "Nothing immediately. I take over duty at the Mansion in a couple of hours." They have scheduled times that they all work at the Avengers Mansion, to be there should someone call in person or by phone. Certainly Jarvis did much of the work, thanks to Tony, but they had decided a while back to always have at least one Avenger on the premises.
    The decision had been made after the last time the building was attacked when no one was physically present.
    
    "What about you? Off to battle any monsters in pick-your-number realm?"

Thor has posed:
    "You make light," Thor says a little condemningly but the smirk grants the lie to his annoyance. "But my plans are open for the day and yet..." He points towards Natasha, "I shall fill them with adventure. As you should!"
    He turns around to walk backwards from her, that umbrella that had been under his arm is taken in hand and as he does so a silvery light seems to flare over the outline of his form and then races across his body to transform the clothes he wears into that brilliant and sturdy armor worn as the Prince of Asgard. That umbrella is no longer that but Mjolnir, held light in his hand.
    "I shall check in on your later, Natasha and we shall share our tales. Are we agreed?" He asks that of her with some measure of seriousness as if expecting her to balk.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
    He knows her too well apparently. Natasha was going to balk. There was no way she was sharing a tale since she was likely doing nothing for two hours before going to the Mansion.
    Unless she took his advice and tapped into her former love. She might check into that. Where might she find a studio she could use? She had a few safehouses around the city. One of the loft style ones might work. She'd just have to get it renovated.
    That had her focused and she gave him a nod. "We'll talk later, sure. I'll be at the Mansion this afternoon. You can find me there."

Thor has posed:
    "Very well, until then!" Thor sets the hammer in his hand to spinning with a deep and low thrummming of motion and air being sliced in twain. It just takes a few moments and then abruptly he crouches and /leaps/ into the air. One moment he's there, then the next he's gone.