8124/All of the Noodles

All of the Noodles
Date of Scene:	01 July 2019
Location:	Chinese Food Restaurant - Two Bridges
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Thor, She-Hulk

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Thor has posed:
    Once upon a lifetime ago, Thor Odinson had been turned on to this hole in the well Chinese food place, and has been something of an irregular regular ever since. Now, he makes it a point to stop in often, when he has the chance to be in New York, while not attending to his duties as King of New Asgard.

    "Aye!" Thor's boisterous voice proclaims over the counter to the smiling old woman taking his order. "Today the Thunder God shallst indulge his mighty hunger with a feast of an... L-32 with fried rice and egg roll! Verily shall he also partake of an order of fried potstickers, and a most generous helping of the barbecue spare ribs!"

    The smiling lady nods, punching in his items into the old register and giving him the total. The King of New Asgard, not, at the moment, wearing his traditional iconic garb,fishes into the pockets of his denim pants, rummaging around for a moment before pulling his massive meathook out and peering into his open palm. His smile fades, becoming a solemn brooding as he murmurs, "Dost though accept runestones in this establishment, fair maiden? It seems that I have left mine wallet in mine other pants..."

    The woman gives Thor a dubious side-eye, but ends up smiling and waving her hand at him dismissively, before turning to call his order back into the back room. Thor bows his head graciously, and offers a humble, "You have my eternal gratitude, Missus Zhang."

She-Hulk has posed:
"I'll cover his bill," comes a woman's voice from behind the God of Thunder and Insufficient Funds. "Add it to my bill," she says, stepping up to the counter beside him. The old woman nods, and keeps the tab open for the tall and muscular...and very green...woman to order. "Egg Foo Yung, four eggrolls, and cashew chicken, please." The hulking woman smirks at Thor and pulls a few bills from the pocket of her snug jeans capris, handing them over to the woman, then turns to Thor. "Long time, no see-eth."

Thor has posed:
    That voice.

    Thor's body freezes in place. All movement, from breathing to the subtle shift of weight on his feet,and all those other little ticks and subtle movements that people give to alert one another that they are alive and part of the herd all just halt abruptly, rendering the God as still as a statue. Stiller, yet, even.

    As Jennifer steps up beside him at the counter, the Odinson slowly turns his head, casting mismatched eyes on the Green Goddess. There's a bit of apprehension residing there, behind that stare. Apprehension,and perhaps a bit of shame. The smile that forms on his lips is one that feels forced. Awkward. But still, he offers it, while one hand immediately reaches up to clasp around the back of his neck, rubbing at it firmly.

    "Ah! Lady Walters!" He greets, before turning and looking back across the other side of the counter. The old woman, picking up on the tension expressed, if nothing else, by the Lightning-Bringer, gives a nod of her head, confirming Jenn's order before ducking into the back, leaving the pair of heroes to their own devices, for the time being.

    "You have my thanks..." He says after the silence draw on for too long. "Indeed, it has been a long time. I... I hope things have been good for you?"

She-Hulk has posed:
"Doing well enough," Jennifer replies. If there is any tension, it is buried beneath her easy smile. "Got a few really good cases. Won 'em, too." Her green eyes turn back toward Thor, as she leans sideways against the counter. "I mean...nothing that would make me a worthy bride for a god, or anything, but I am doing well for myself." And...there it is.

Thor has posed:
    When she mentions that she's doing well, Thor looks as though it puts him a bit more at ease. His shoulders drop underneath the plain grey hoodie that he's wearing over an old Iron Maiden t-shirt, and he breathes a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. His smile seems more easy and he gives a nod of his head.

    "Glad am I, to hear this!" He starts to say, before it quite registers what she had said there at the end. The implications of that phrase. He openly winces.

    "Jennifer..." He says, his voice lowering, quiet, and soft, though still deep and with just a hint of gravel to it. His lips part to continue speaking, his brows drooping heavy, casting eyes of blue and copper in shadows as if storm clouds had formed in his very gaze. His lips snap shut, and pull tight at the corners, twisting down into a frown.

    "I thought that our parting was an amicable one. I..."

    He's not going to lie. That's not becoming, nor is it fit for a King, a God, or the wielder of Mjolnir itself, to do. So, instead, he just looks thoughtful and pensive, as his eyes drift downward and he nods his head.

    "I apologize if I have caused you any hurt, Lady Walters. I have, at times, been too caught up within my own... " He makes a sort of swirling gesture with one hand at his temple. "My own turbulent thoughts and feelings. I justified it as the need to find a betrothed that would be fit for a Queen to my people. A political marriage. But I would be an oafish liar should I deny that I was not taken in by the charms of those whom I had looked to as potential partners."

    Here, his gaze rises, meeting the emerald stare of the statuesque beauty before him. There is a certainty there, now, replacing that shame and discomfort that had been held there only moments before. "I have suffered for my foolishness, though I have also learned and grown from the ordeal. I cannot expect your forgiveness, but only offer that I am truly and sincerely sorry for my careless and selfish behavior. Had I a million chances to make amends for any hurt I may have caused, I'd do so a million times more."

She-Hulk has posed:
"It's all right, Thor," Jennifer replies shaking her head. "I had never shown you any misgivings for the situation. But in the dark of night, with only thoughts for company, they whisper of things strangely foreign until that moment." She waves a hand dismissively. "Most of the time...most of the time it's fine." She looks to the woman, returning with trays of food, and Jennifer handily picks up both. "Sit with me?"

Thor has posed:
    Somehow her just saying that it's alright makes it feel worse. He feels a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He learned early on from watching the interactions between his mother and father that when a lady proclaims that something is alright, that it is, very often, quite the opposite. And moreso, that thought worries him when he stands before a Hulk. One of few beings in the universe that might just give the God of Thunder a reason to pause.

    He doesn't have a chance to respond, though, before the woman is coming out with their orders. His, a lunch combo of fried rice and black pepper chicken, with an eggroll. When Jenn moves to take them, the Asgardian steps forward, and places a hand on each tray. "Aye. It should be my honor to sit with you, Jennifer Walters. But only if you allow me to carry the food and attend to you. It is only just. After all, the lady paid my bill."

    He doesn't so much wait for her answer as he does simply take the trays of food from her and proceed to walk to one of the nearby tables, where he sets down the tray, and pulls out a seat for his companion.

    "So... strangely foreign things?" He asks, as he circles around to the side opposite of her.

She-Hulk has posed:
Jennifer just shakes her head. "It isn't important, now. Just....too much time to think too hard, on sleepless nights. Your apology, Thor, is accepted," she says, trailing behind him since he stole her food, and she doesn't want to let it out of her sight.

Thor has posed:
    Relax. The food is just placed on the table, there for her to eat. Along with his. Which he now takes his little styrofoam container and places before him, opening it up and pulling the chopsticks out, snapping them apart.

    "I contend that it is important, Jennifer," He says, tossing a look across the table at the hulking green beauty that sits there before him. His gaze softens, his rugged features becoming something tender and apologetic. "While I appreciate the acceptance of my sentiment, it does not undo those sleepless nights. It does not eliminate the fact that I have wronged you."

    He plucks up a piece of his chicken and offers it out towards her. "If you would indulge me, I would like to try to make it up to you."

She-Hulk has posed:
Jennifer takes the bite offered, and chews it blissfully. "That's my second favorite dish, you know," she says, stashing it in her cheek. Not unlike a hamster. A very big, green hamster. "Tonight's a good start," she adds. "It's hard to hold a grudge, now that you have two eyes again." She smirks, and opens her own box. She snaps her own chopsticks apart, splintering one on the diagonal. It is still usable. If she can use it. She struggles to get them positioned just right, then picks a bite of her own to share. Then summarily drops it five times. "I never did have the patience for these things."

Thor has posed:
    "I remember," Thor states in response to the proclamation of the dish being her second favorite. He offers up a small, but cheeky grin, as he plucks up another piece for himself, chewing it over, and keeping those two eyes that she mentioned, focused solely on her. He watches her struggle with the tiny chopsticks, and only gives a faint nod of his head. "I shall procure for you some silverware, so that you might dine in comfort. I know how hard it can be with large hands to use these delicate, fragile little sticks. It took me several months, and a lot of Karate Kid viewings to finally grasp it!"

    With that, the large, Nordic man gently slaps his palms down on the table, rising from his seat and striding across the restaurant to where an assortment of napkins, sauce and seasoning packets, extra bottles of soy sauce, and the like. There, glossy and plastic and white, the standard array of silverware is on display. He plucks up a fork and knife, along with a few napkins, and comes back over. Standing behind her shoulder, the Thunder God leans over, placing the napkin down first, before the silverware atop of it. "There you go."

She-Hulk has posed:
Jennifer continues to struggle with the chopsticks, dropping one at a time, repeatedly. Even as Thor returns to the table, Jenn is still frustratedly trying to dominate the sticks, like a petulant child.

Finally, however, she relents and takes the flatware, stabbing at a bite of Egg Fu Yung, offering it to Thor, blushing sheepishly.

Thor has posed:
    The Thunderer awaits, patiently, as Jennifer still struggles in vain with the chopsticks that are yet giving her issue. Remaining where he stands, at her side, the weight of one hand, roughened with callouses born from thousands of years of battle, falls to her shoulder. The weight of it is reassuring. The slight curl of his fingers to press into emerald flesh meant to comfort.

    "There we go," He finally says, when she relents and takes up the fork. That comforting hand becomes a clap on the back that might have sent a lesser person sprawling. For her, he expects that it feels just about right. "'Tis not such a bad thing to find no relish in having to challenge one's food. I only seek as such when I desire to hunt, myself."

    Without hesitation, the King of Asgard stoops over Jennifer's shoulder, parting his lips to accept the offering of Egg Fu Yung and chewing it over. Rising back to his full height, the God of Thunder circles back around the table to his seat, and settles down. He gives a nod of his head, and a thumbs up, beaming despite still chewing, to indicate that he's content with it, himself.

She-Hulk has posed:
Jennifer nods slightly, watching Thor indulge in that bite, before lowering her eyes to her food to cut it up. "So how have things evolved, for you, Thor? I hope you've found some happiness to sate your appetite for life, as well." She looks up at him again, shaking back the cascades of deep green waves over her shoulders as she gauges his response: it's always tricky to hope all has been well with another, in the Avenging game. Here, life is a comic book - just so many issues.

Thor has posed:
    The question sees a subtle shift in the posture of the God of the Storm. While he had adopted a casual slouch, with his rear at the front of the seat, and leaning back into it heavily, he now sits upright. The smile wavers, but only for a flicker of a second. When it is reinforced, though, some of the mirth has left his mismatched eyes. Their twinkle dimmed, as if dark clouds had just rolled across sunlit skies.

    "Of course!" He exclaims, lifting his hands and dropping them in a nonchalant gesture, as if to say "How else should it be?" before turning his gaze to the side, so that he can peer out the front window at the street. "Of course..."

    He lifts one of his massive shoulders, a mountain rising and falling with the shrug. "I've my people. My nation. And I am free of a political engagement to a treacherous cur who would have seen my death so that she might inherent my kingdom as its Queen. Be that Kingdom what it may be."

    Here, he looks back to Jenn, and leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. There is little humor or glee left in the smile that remains plastered on his lips, but yet, he holds it there. "So, all is as it should be, is it not? What more could the God of Thunder ask for?!"

She-Hulk has posed:
Jennifer watches the display for the long moment that it lasts, then looks back down to her food, picking at it with her plastic fork, only stealing glances at Thor as he continues with his facade of bravado. As he finally finishs, Jenn looks up to him, arching a brow. "You needn't lie to me, Thor. You know I can read you. Better than just about anyone. What part is it that vexes you? It seems not unlike a splinter, wedged beneath your flesh. It reminds you constantly that it's there. What is it?"

Thor has posed:
    "What?" He asks, recoiling back as if shocked by the very accusation she has levied upon him, eyelashes a flutter, brows crashing down over those dual toned orbs of blue and copper. He plucks up his chopsticks, and immediately grabs a bite of pepper chicken to shove into his mouth, chewing it over as he broods.

    For.

    Several.

    Long.

    Seconds.

    However, eventually, the bite is pretty much disintegrated within his mouth, and he's left to just shake his head. "Why should something be vexing me? It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine!"

She-Hulk has posed:
Jennifer arches a brow, but lets that particular matter drop for the moment. "So the wench turned out to be a wench, hmm?" She asks over an eggroll, just before biting the end off and drizzling soy sauce into the remainder of the fried roll-y goodness. "If she'd tried to kill you, I'd have taken care of her." Jenn shrugs easily. "I've got your back," she adds, taking another bite.

Thor has posed:
    rThe question of how things turned out with his Shi'ar betrothed draws forth a world weary sigh from the giant of a God. He sort of does an uncomfortable shift from side to side in his seat, looking away as he gives a faint nod of his head.

    "'Tis for the best that things turned out as such. My brother was able to uncover her treachery, and thus the plot was foiled, and the threat to my people extinguished. This is the best of all outcomes."

    Despite that seeming, though, Thor does still feel the pang of loss from that affair. Despite the circumstances, he had thought... had been led to believe... that the union was as much for love as it was political. He had come to grow fond of his former betrothed. The sting of betrayal bites deep. Deep enough that he has yet to fully shake the melancholy of it, and has spent a great deal of time in self-reflection.

    "You needn't worry yourself, Jennifer Walters. The Mighty Thor can handle one mere alien Jezebel, no matter how treacherous she be. I appreciate the sentiment. And the kindness."

She-Hulk has posed:
Shrugging, Jennifer nods and finishes her eggroll. It seems there is little to talk about with Thor that doesn't strike some sort of painful chord with him. And the only subject that wouldn't, would strike her own. And so she immerses herself in her meal. Going quiet, not to mention assisting him again. Or his betrayal by his betrothed. And God knows what happened with that other one he was wanting to hook up with. Or the other, other one. She knows better than to ask.

"So. How's....New Asgard coming?" Surely to god /that/ subject is safe.

Thor has posed:
    "Ah, New Asgard fares well!" He exclaims, though his boisterous smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. Still, he tries, right? "We have... well, land. And homes. And... Goats. Goats are rather fun creatures, you see... When you dress them up in pajamas, and they hop around on their little hoofy feet..."

    His gaze drifts down, and he gives a little wistful sigh, half whispering, "Aaah... goats."

    He rests his cheek on one balled fist, lackadaisically using his chopsticks to pluck up more food to put in his mouth and chew over. So as not to let the awkward silence feel awkward, he looks up and flashes another smile at her. This, of course, only makes it somehow feel more awkward. With half a mouth of food shoved to one side, he points his chopsticks in her direction.

    "Enough about me, though! Tell me about you! I want to hear about what you have been up to. These big cases and whatnots!"

She-Hulk has posed:
"Aww," Jennifer coos softly. "Baby goats? I like the baby goats best. Their teeny little hoofies..." Now Jennifer, too, is daydreaming with her chin resting in her hand. "Now I wanna see your goats...."

Thor has posed:
    "I like the ones that faint when startled the best!" Thor proclaims, lifting his cheek from his fist to slap his palm down on the table. It's loud enough that the lady behind the counter jumps with a start. But for what it's worth, the light does seem to have returned to the Lightning-Bringer's eyes. "I want to have a whole farm of them! As far as the eye can see, baby goats in pajamas, hopping around and fainting at each other!"

    He plucks up another bite. And another. Watching her as he chews, he seems to be considering something thoughtfully. After several seconds, when he swallows, he says, "You should be my chief legal counsel. I hesitate to ask, but it is not like I could rightfully ask that Murdock to represent me. I hear he is rather devoted to his Catholicism. I had a mind to set Loki to the task but..."

She-Hulk has posed:
Lifting her chin and breaking her goat - induced reverie, Shulkie blinks, wide-eyed. "Thor, you can't be serious! Loki?! Has he ever done anything that /is/ legal, in his life?? Besides, he is liable to piss off every judge in the tri-state area."

Protests aside, Jennifer arches one brow and looks up at Thor in surprise "I mean, I would be glad to do whatever I can to help you. If you don't think people would /talk/..."

Thor has posed:
    "Loki is the perfect material for a lawyer," Thor counters. "Think of how his clever mind works. Very little would slip by him. He'd find the course to take through all of your Midgardian's legal hedgemazes. Find all the loopholes. Though, we're speaking not of the Tri-State arena of law, either. We are speaking of law in terms of the international courts."

    Thor has done a little bit of brushing up, it seems.

    However, her comment about people talking makes him lift one brow. "And why should we concern ourselves with people talking?"