Owner	Pose
Ted Gammage	Ted has a bit of a quiet night. He's moved the old beat up car into the usual bay to work on it. Its come a long way, the engine actually cranks. He's now got it up on a lift, though, adjusting the suspension a bit. There are four tires stacked up in the corner with new rims, nothing fancy but a little more heavy duty than the previous ones were. He's currently just opening up a box that, presumably, has some part or another for the car.
Shannon	It had been a little while since Shannon had really spent much time out in the garage. It was one of her seasonal 'thinking spots', and so with this in mind, she slips into the cavernous space with a package of Oreos, a thermos, and her phone for a little bit of music. Her attire of the day was dark blue jeans, a pair of black sneakers, and a black t-shirt with a giant pink sequin heart on the front of it. She stops, seeing Ted working on his car, smiling. "Wow, that's really coming along," she calls out. "I'm impressed."
Ted Gammage	Ted glances up as she speaks and gives her a light smile. "Ah, hey," he says. "Yeh, got it going, though is still busted up. Frame was good, but suspension..not s'much. And I still need ah trunk, hood and part of the paneling in th' back." He pats the car, "Get 'r going one day soon though. Suspension will be a bit tougher than usual for a sportscar." He gives a little shrug and just leans on the table. "What'r y' doing down here? Fiddling with your moped?"
Shannon	Shannon chuckles softly, shaking her head. "Naah. Not usually anyone out here this time of night. Figured I'd bring back a little snack and just chill for a little while." Setting the thermos and package of Oreos down on the table, she leans over and hugs Ted. "Maybe a snack would be a good thing? Oreos taste better when shared."
Ted Gammage	"Mmm, am I intruding on a quiet place?" He jokes back. He watches a few long moment as she walks to him and hugs and then he returns it, holding for just a few moments, even playfully hefting her up and giving her a quick spin around before setting her on the ground once more. "Ah thought they tasted better when y' pulled um apart and ate th' center of um first."
Shannon	A little squeal of surprise escapes Shannon as she is spun around, silvery laughter bubbling up from within. She holds on for a few seconds longer, chortling merrily. "Naah. Not intruding at all." An impish smile tugs the corners of her mouth upwards, and she reaches for the package of Oreos. "And here I thought I was an oddity, eating Oreos that way. There's hot cocoa in the thermos, too, if you like."
Ted Gammage	"Nah, where ah grew up that was jus' kinda the way y' did it," he notes with a grin himself. He stays standing close, comfortable with his friend, and makes a soft 'Mmm'. "So," he says after a brief pause, "What's weighing on yer mind that y'have to go find a quiet place to relax?"
Shannon	"Nothing too much. Mostly just chilling out, trying not to think of studying too much. Hoping I'll be able to work towards sitting for the state EMT exam in summer." Plastic crinkles softly as Shannon pries open the package of cookies, sliding the little plastic tray out of its wrapping and offering it up to Ted. "I just lucked out and found some good company this time."
Ted Gammage	It's impolite to refuse a gift, so he does take one of the cookies and grins, pulling it apart. "Oooh," He said, "Ah thought y' had a worry y'needed to work around. Still, its as good ah place to relax as any." He tilts his head, "Mm, y'lookin' forward to the exam?"
Shannon	"Yeah, just hoping that they'll let an open mutant sit for it. I mean, there shouldn't be any reason why it can't happen." Shannon plucks a cookie from the tray, giving the two halves a little twist with her fingers to pry them apart with childlike glee. "Dr. McCoy managed his studies, so there shouldn't be any reason I can't, wings and all. Still... people are funny creatures sometimes."
Ted Gammage	"Mmm," Ted repeats again, "Yeh, y'all ain't gotta tell me about that." He makes a face. "Sometimes we just ain't any good." He eats the middle of the cookie then starts on the wafer part as well. "Ah figger y'got it though, right? That th' only thing stressing you out?"
Shannon	"Eh, kind of. It's been a little bit dull. In my case, that's a good thing. Just means nobody's been getting hurt enough to need me." The middle of Shannon's cookie meets its end in typical fashion, and crumbs from the wafer part cling to her lips as she nibbles on the chocolatey treat. "On the other, though, it's kind of nice to be needed and wanted. Stupid thing, though, not really worth getting worked up about."
Ted Gammage	"Ah, I suppose ah understand that," Ted says. "But y'know, can always find me, ah like havin' y around." He notes. "Though admittedly ah don't know if ah'd need much healin'. Hard to hurt." He leans in again and smiles, "Could pretend if that helps?" He grasps his arm. "OOooooh, ah've been injured."
Shannon	Shannon just rolls her eyes and giggles, reaching for another Oreo. The moment Ted opens up his mouth for his epic bit of play-acting, she attempts to use the cookie for its curative properties of the soul, and pop it in his mouth. "Oreos and hugs cure all," she intones, trying to look all serious, but in the end, failing miserably. She does make a grand show of looking over his arm, however, though she can't quite suppress her giggling. "See, the cookie's done its work already!"
Ted Gammage	A muffled chuckle escapes before he manages to chew it up completely. Once he's done with it he grins and flexes it as she looks, rolling the shoulder. "Mm, wow, it's a miricle," he jokes. "However can ah pay ya back?"
Shannon	"Well, hugs are always a good way to start," Shannon says, unable to keep the laughter from her voice. Her wings flare out behind her, waving to and fro as if with childlike mirth at the whole scenario. "I guess we could always think of something, if you really insisted."
Ted Gammage	He shrugs, smiles and puts his arms around her again, "Can do," he says. The other part makes his brow raise a bit, "Could we now?" He laughs softly, "Let me know if anything comes t'mind."
Shannon	"I will," Shannon replies, more than happy to just burrow into the hug for a few moments, happy as a kitten near a warm, sunny window. Her wings fold lazily around Ted, completing the hug. "It's just nice having a little bit of peace. And being wanted and needed. Even if it was just playing."
Ted Gammage	"Playing eh?" He chuckles, "Well, ah'm good fer that at least." He keeps the hold up for a few moments longer, as long as she wants it, it seems. "Well, y'know, anything y' need me to do t' help, y'can always call on me."
Shannon	"You bring smiles. That's more than you realize." Shannon's in no hurry to let go, not at all worried about being squished like the filling in an Oreo. "And see? I'm still in one piece. You won't break me, you've gotten pretty good with your gifts that way."
Ted Gammage	His grip does loosen a little, figuring she's probably ready to slip on out. "Mm, well ah'm tryin' t' be better. Don' think ah'll be doin' any full contact sports or anythin' anytime soon, though," he says. "Always just ah little bit of worry," he adds at the end and looks down at her with another smile and a shrug of one shoulder.
Shannon	Oddly enough, Shannon doesn't slip away, not for a little bit just yet. However, when Ted's hold loosens, her brows furrow a little bit, and she peers up at him. Nodding with understanding, she smiles softly. "I can understand why not. Maybe someday you'll be able to again. Things like that can leave their mark."
Ted Gammage	She doesn't slide away, so he relaxes a bit with her close. "Maybe," he says after a moment, then leans in close and adds in a conspiritorial whisper. "T'be honest, never did like playin' football anyways." He gives a wink and meets her gaze a few long moments. "Mos'ly jus' missed contact. Hard t' have much of ah life if y' afraid of breakin' someone all th' time."
Shannon	"Huh. Got pushed into it because you had the build for it?" Shannon smiles, though even that fades a little bit as she listens to him. "I know how that is. My gift... it works on touch. Before coming here, I couldn't control when I'd wind up healing someone. It sucks, missing contact, whether it's because you're worried about breaking someone else, or them breaking you."
Ted Gammage	"Dad," he explains. "Wanted me t' play since he did when he was mah age." He returns the favor, listening to her a few moments, "Yeh, ah mean you pretty much don't gotta worry about accidentally healin' me at least, so touch all y'want. No' sure what it'd take to even really hurt me. Physically at least." He gives another wink and resumes hugging, or at this point its more like holding her, very gently for him at least.
Shannon	"Let's not find out and say we did. Don't think I'd want to see you hurt either way." Shannon just smiles, quite content to simply relax there. Well, at least insofar as she only reaches for the thermos, to use the lid as a cup and pour out a little of the cocoa. Even through the smells of motor oil and metal that linger in the garage, the aroma of hot cocoa somehow manages to shine through. The improvised cup is offered to Ted, with a little tilt of her head.
Ted Gammage	He gently lets her go and takes the offered cup. "It don' bother me, but... sure does get colder up here," he notes with a chuckle. "Not immune t' the cold, but y'know, I think I'm muffled to it." He sips the warm drink, "'course this helps too."
Shannon	Chuckling, Shannon grins at Ted. "You with cold, me with heat. The time I visited New Orleans with my family, there are two things I remember. Music on every street corner, and the heat. And we visited during the cool part of the year."
Ted Gammage	"'n mosquitos big as cars," Ted adds. "Yeah it gets warm," he says. "I dunno, ah kinda got use to it," He tilts his head, "Ah mean, it's not great, and AC is a definite need, but yeah, it can be unbearable at times. But, y'don't gotta worry 'bout snow."
Shannon	"Snow has its advantages, though," Shannon points out, tapping the side of the cup for emphasis. "There's hot cocoa and hugs. Snowball fights, and building snowmen. Enjoying a good book or music by a fire. You can't do that if you have to worry about the skeeters carrying you off."
Ted Gammage	"Nah, they jus' drink all yer blood, not carry you off," Ted says, then actually furrows his brow and blinks, "Y'know, ah think ah'm immune to mosquitos," he notes as if its the first time the thought has come to him, and he laughs a bit. "What ah weird side effect."
Shannon	"You lucky!" Shannon just laughs, shaking her head. Her wings ruffle lightly as they drape across them both, as if touched by an unseen breeze. "I wish the suckers would love me a little less!" An Oreo meets its fate, and for a few moments, silence reigns, broken only by the enjoyment of cocoa and Oreos. "Got any thoughts on how you're going to trick out your ride when she's running again?"
Ted Gammage	"Maybe you just taste extra good or something," Ted suggests with a chuckle. "Could be part of your super powers. Taste like chocolates to Mosquitos. Not very useful, I'd imagine." He rubs his chin a moment. "Mm, nothing too big," he says. "Maybe some black stripes on it."
Shannon	"Well... what color are you thinking of painting her?" Shannon asks, turning her head just enough to look at the car. "Maybe gold flecks in the paint, like you see on classic hot rods? I know, sounds cheesy, but if it's done right it can look really good."
Ted Gammage	"Well, red's classic," He notes with a grin. "Though maybe yellow. Not sure yet, but ah'll figure it out," he notes with a light yawn. "Maybe t'morrow though."