7882/Chinese Was a Good Choice

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Chinese Was a Good Choice
Date of Scene: 15 June 2019
Location: Apartment 3A, 1013 Parkthorne Ave, Haven
Synopsis: Stephanie meets the cat that lives on Dick's fire escape
Cast of Characters: Nightwing, Spoiler




Nightwing has posed:
    The key in the lock heralds the creaking of the door, spilling a dull orange light into an apartment that is only light by the faint silvery glow that filters in through the windows. In the doorway, Grayson and his guest stand, having just picked up their take out from China Wok Express a few blocks down. Dick, holding a large paper-bag-inside-a-plastic-bag combo in the crook of an arm, steps inside, fumbling around with keys in hand sliding against the wall to turn on the overhead light in the open floor living space of his small apartment.

    "This seriously smells so damned good right now," He remarks, as he drops the keys on the end table near the door, and steps on inside, heading over to the "kitchen" area to drop the bag on the counter. The young acrobat is looking anything but a vigilante tonight. His hair is swept back, a bit wild and unruly by its thickness. His lean, athletic upper body is accentuated perfectly by virtue of the slim fitting, plain blue Western style button up shirt he's wearing, with the sleeves rolled up, held fast by Swiss tabs. The collar is left unbuttoned, down to the third button just exposing a hint of his chest, and sporting a pair of blue tinted, gradient aviator sunglasses dangling from it. The shirt is tucked in to a pair of dark washed denim pants, held fast to his narrow waist with a thick, brown leather belt. While Grayson might be worthy of being a male model, and he might have the physique of a superhero, right now? He looks very "everyman" for any other mid-20-something guy on the street.

    "Hey, turn on Netflix or Amazon or something and find us a show to watch. Maybe Chopped?" He says, as he turns his back to Steph, to reach up and open a cupboard, grabbing a few plates out, and setting them next to the bag on the counter.

    "And what do you want to drink? I've got water, milk, kombucha, and... well, some black chery vanilla Bang, or some mocha Bang keto coffee. And beer. It's a chocolate milk stout from that brewery that opened up down by the Narrows."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie had a hard workout today, taking advantage of the fact she doesn't have any classes during the summer to get in the training that is more difficult to fit in during the school year. So when Dick says the food smells good, the comment has nothing on how her hunger makes it smell to Stephanie. "Oh my god you have no idea," she tells him, closing the door and locking it behind her as she comes in.

She practically bounces in place as he's setting the food aside and getting plate. Stephanie is in a skirt, the first time Dick will have seen the blonde in, given her penchant for jeans or shorts. And she's wearing a nice blouse that leaves most of her shoulders and arms bare but for a little loop of fabric around each arm. A cutout makes up for the blouse having a high necklace, placed where it might show the college student has developed some curves.

"Netflix, right," she says, going over to flip the TV on and tune it over to the streaming service. "I don't even know what black cherry vanilla Bang is. But suddenly I have realized that I must have some," Stephanie confesses to him, pausing in mid-movie selection to turn and share this life-startling revelation to Dick.

She pauses as she looks at the movie choices. "Ok, I'm realizing I have no idea what type of movies you like. Give me some ideas of genre here so I can pick something you'll like?" she asks, turning back to the TV and looking at the list thoughtfully.

Nightwing has posed:
    As Dick is getting out the silverware and setting everything up to carry out to the coffee table in front of the sofa, his intense, color saturated aquamarine eyes keep moving back to the energetic blonde, in her skirt and blouse. He cannot seem to keep his gaze averted for long. But when she gives her decision on the Bang, Dick's chuckle rings out through the large, mostly empty space of the apartment. "It's an energy drink. But... it tastes like it's made from unicorn blood and seriously has to be magical in actuality. I'm pretty sure that Doctor Strange or Zatanna created it. It has no carbs, no sugar, no calories, and no artificial coloring."

    Soon, Dick is striding out from behind the counter, sweeping up the bag of food, along with two plates with two sets of glossy black marble chopsticks on top. There is also a random can of tuna set on the top plate, along with two large cans. One, a black can, boasting of the said Black Cherry Vanilla flavor. The other a tan affair, with a brown label identifying it as a mocha coffee. These, he sets down on the coffee table, and separates the plates, placing one in front of her, and one where he'll be seated.

    "Oh, uh... To be honest? I don't really watch too much," Dick confesses. Like he has the time. "Mostly, I get into Wuxia flicks, I guess. But I'm good with anything, really. I like some horror movies. Especially ones that rely on tension rather than gore and jump scares. I'm down for a good chick flick, too. I balled like a baby when I watched The Notebook."

    He shrugs his shoulders, looking her in the eyes, and offering up a small smile. "Pick what you're into. If I'm not feeling it, I'll just make out with you until you're ready to turn it off. But... right now, I need to serve our other dinner guest."

    Because, right on time, there is the sound of gentle pawing at the window by the television, where the fire escape is. And outside of that window, there is a very fluffy white cat, practically running a treadmill against the window, trying to get Dick's attention.

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie turns from the TV to find Dick looking at her. It makes her gives a bit of a soft smile that she tries to suppress by biting her lips. But then it's visible that she's biting her lips, and one can easily surmise why. So she probably should have just let out her goofy smile instead of having that goofy lip-biting expression instead.

Both might be kind of cute though to the right person.

Stephanie grins. "Unicorn blood hmm? Usually if something sounds that good and has no downside then it has a downside. So count me in!" She looks back to the TV and hrms as she hears what he normally likes.

"Ok, this isn't wuxia, but maybe you'll like it," she says. She pulls up a TV show called Space Battleship Yamato 2199. "So this is about this old World War Two battleship that they turn into a flying spaceship and use it to fight off aliens as they go get this environmental machine from friendly aliens in another galaxy, something capable of restoring the Earth from the wasteland it was turned into by the bombardment the aliens subjected to it," Stephanie explains.

She looks at Dick and says, "You know. It's a romance, really." And then the pawing is heard. "Ohmygodsocute!" the blue-eyed blonde squeals and goes over to the window to scratch back at the glass. "Hello there. Hello!" she says to the cat through the glass. "Do we know this guy?"

Nightwing has posed:
    Dick's eyes drift down to her lips when she smiles, and then bites her lips, and his own smile broadens. Judging from the way his pupils dilate, and the subtle spread of color that floods across the exposed flesh of his upper chest, he might certainly by the right person. He feels his heart flutter, and his stomach do a backflip. But, he looks away, as she starts to talk, and indicates the TV. Listening to her explain Yamato, Dick keeps his eyes on the screen as it plays the little preview clip. It looks like it'll be interesting enough. He's just about to give his approval when, sure enough, the cat is pawing, and Steph is running to the window, which, of course, half spooks the cat who retreats to the railing of the fire escape, and weaves its way through the bars. It's mewling howl of disapproval and impatience cannot be heard, but clearly seen as the regal beast spies Dick coming up behind Stephanie with the can of tuna in hand.

    "This is Gabriel," Dick announces, as he slides open the window. Gabriel eyes Stephanie suspiciously, even as he moves in to the window to rub himself against the frame, and strut along the sill. After all, he's a working boy who needs to peacock so that Dick will feed him. Dick, of course, is peeling off the top of the can, making soft "PsstPsstPsst" sounds, because this is what one does with cats. Gabriel gives a trilling meow, just as Dick settles the can down on the window sill in front of him. "He's not mine. He just knows where the good stuff is."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie makes eyes at the cat even as it scampers back from her approach. "Oh, it's ok boy. I'm not going to hurt you," she tells the cat through the glass. Stephanie takes a step back, to help make the cat feel more comfortable. "Gabriel. Good name. So does he belong to someone, or just live out here?" she asks Dick as he moves over with the can of tuna.

Stephanie moves closer too, though following in behind Dick. She leans down so she see the cat better as Dick is crouched there setting out the food. Her hand moves to rest on his back as she watches the cat to see if he comes over for the food. "I always wanted a dog. Though I'd have been happy with a cat. Mom always said they were too expensive, all the vet bills and everything." The girl's blue eyes stay on the lovely cat. "I'd feed some of the strays in the alley out back, but then they'd come around at night and get in fights and keep everyone up. I got my backside tanned once or twice for it when my dad was around," she says.

Stephanie backs up just a little bit to not spook the cat. "Go ahead Gabriel, you can eat. I won't bother you," she tells him.

Nightwing has posed:
    "I don't really know. I think he just makes the rounds visiting window to window convincing everyone that he belongs to someone else, but he's also desperately hungry," Dick remarks, with a faint lopsided smile. He's only half joking. He honestly thinks it's not far off from the truth. As he feels Steph's hand on his back, he reaches out, sliding his fingers through her blonde locks to sweep them away from her face. A tender gesture, delicate and filled with affection that is only driven home as he barely brushes the tip of his fingers down the curve of her jaw. He listens to her story about strays and being denied pets, and he can only nod his head. He knew what that was like. His parents wouldn't let him have a dog, either. Said that they couldn't keep a dog on the road. It'd run away and they'd be unable to wait to find it. After being adopted by Bruce, Dick had so much other stuff going on that pets had been the last thing on his mind.

    "He'll be okay. He's far more invested in his tuna than he is afraid of you," Dick says at last, before turning to face her. His arm slips around her head, using the crook of his elbow to draw her in close, so that he can press his lips to her forehead, and then quietly says, "Next time I'll let you feed him. He'll never leave you alone, then."

    He releases that hold, but his hand drops to take hers within his coarse, but gentle grasp. Drawing her away from the window, where the cat is shoving his entire face in the small can of tuna. Back to the sofa and coffee table, where the bag full of delicious Chinese food awaits them. "So we doing this Yamato thing or what?"

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie watches Gabril come over to the tuna. She reaches out tentatively, not all the way to the cat, but near enough the cat will notice. When she doesn't see any signs of animosity, she slowly reaches over to brush her fingers gently through the fur along the back of the cat's neck. "Oh, you poor thing. You could use a brushing something terrible," the soft-hearted young woman says. "Maybe I can pick up a slicker brush somewhere for him," she says before pulling her hand back to refocus her attention on Dick.

The younger blonde woman can't hide a soft smile at the focus that she gets from Dick. "Invested," she says, nodding, though one might wonder whether she's talking about the cat. She follows over to the couch where the scent of the Chinese food overcomes that of the tuna. "Oh... oh that smells so good," she says. She slips off her shoes and then takes a seat, leaning over to draw a deep breath over the General Tso's chicken and given a deep sigh.

Stephanie looks back over to Dick and smiles to him, nodding. "You bet. I hope you like it," she tells him. She begins spooning some food onto plates for the both of him before serving his to Dick. She starts the show and then sits back to eat, stealing glances from the TV and over to Dick from time to time.