2013.04.30 - Party At Roses

About a week has passed since the fight with the armored killers that attacked Hope. Nate has been at Halo a few times, but rarely for long, since that telepathic entity they have there becomes annoying after a while. He has been recovering from his injuries, laying low in Westchester and helping Rose keep Lian busy. Or maybe helping Lian to keep Rose busy. Depend who you ask.
Then he was told Hope had left Halo, and he went looking for the redhead. His main argument: free pizza. He can understand she wants to keep moving, but no reason to hide from them now, right?
Like Rose needed to be kept any busier then she is. Peabody hadn't come to take Lian in a couple days now, but this is a good distraction for both of them. Rose hadn't gone out and imbibed in anything legal or illegal, and Lian instead made her spend money on other things. An XBox sat in front of an entertainment center bedecked with a big screen television. Something Rose never would have purchased until a 5 year old needed more entertainment then a 5th trip to the zoo, a stroll through New York, or training. Rose couldn't cut loose on the girl, for once restraint being learned on Rose's side, who benefited out of this the most?
Rose sent a text out, inviting people to a small get together at her place. Housewarming/SaveRose'sSanity party. So for now, until there is knocks at the door, Rose is dancing beside a 5 year old to Dance Party on the Kinekt.
And yes, Nate could find Hope. Strangely enough it isn't that hard. In fact, when the redheaded teen slipped out of Halo, she left a small thank you note. All though said note did make a mention of a place in Suicide Slum stating that in the next two weeks, if they wanted to find her, they could find here there.
Thus if Nate looked, it wouldn't be too hard to find her.
All though as she's brought to this party, well...
She does look like she feels a bit out of place. Possibly more so than usual.
Kon was as usual trying to make himself useful and productive but falling short of that. Nothing is going on right now. The text from Rose is a welcome invite, something to curb the boredom. Arrival at her place is quick as expected from the half-Kryptonian a blur that slows down and becomes a casually dressed t-shirt and jeans young man with unkempt black hair and bright blue eyes. The sounds of the Xbox and Lian playing on it inside catch Superboy's hearing enough he can pinpoint Rose's apartment without having to read the numbers. Since he's kind of oddly lazy in some aspects like that.
"Knock knock." The front door is opened and he peaks Kon head in. Never actually having knocked. Just said as much.
Nate does not wait for Rose to open the door, letting himself in with Hope on tow. He also brings in a dozen pizza boxes. "Hello! I found Hope," he announces. "Lian! This is Hope, you gotta teach her to dance, too." Yes, Hope too, because the redheaded time-traveler should also enjoy Lian hyperactivity, just like everyone else.
Rose is dressed in a pair of black yoga pants, no shoes or socks to speak of, a halter top leaving midriff exposed, thinly between the hem of top to the banded top of pants that is tiger striped in pattern. Her hair is tied into a messy bun that has already fallen half out of the band in the random weird dancing that can only equate to a Harlem Shake with Lina and both of them a losing score.
Blame the ADHD.
When the door cracks open to Kon's arrival Rose stops, peering over her shoulder and turning on heel to offer a lazy wave and move to greet him where he was, tugging him inside.
"Don't just stand there. Lian, pick another game, Kon doesn't like to dance." Rose says peering at Conner with a small grin.
"I remember him!" Lian squeaks, waving enthusiatically towards Kon until pizza arrives by Nate with Hope in tow as well. "Yay pizza! Ya got the kind with cheese, all cheese, extra cheese... Pepp'roni, only a few?"
See? ADHD...
And as Hope is lead in, helping carry the pizza, she can't help but blink. Heck, she almost looks like she's frowning at what Nate says. And yet...
And yet there is something akin to a smile. And a nod at Lian. And Conner. Rose on the other hand does get an actual smile and a nod.
"Don't ask me. I didn't order them." is said at the bit regarding pizza toppings. "I only tried pizza for the first time a few weeks ago."
And yes, she's trying /not/ to say anything about dancing.
Kon parks himself near the television and Lian. Already arguing with her over what games to play. Looking up he waves at Nate and Hope, "Hey guys. No time snatchers have grabbed you yet?" A wry grin on his face as the brief yet comical argument with Lian is cut short and his attention is drawn to the pizza.
"Yup, I got one with super-extra cheese," replies Nate, that has been educated in pizza toppings by Lian the last few days. "And another with everything for me," he distributes the pizzas on available surfaces. "And pepperoni and... I have no idea what this one has, but it looks interesting, so I picked one too." 'Looking interesting' is an important trait for the food he would eat.
The couches, well... They're futons, wood rimmed futons to match the hardwood, but futons none the less. The wood looked worn, in spare time of idleness that is driving Rose up the wall she sanded it down to give it that feel, using a large wire spool as a coffee table, wooden crates as end tables. Everything had a temporary feel, yet.. Matched the lofted ceilings of a place that could be easily mistaken for a remodeled warehouse.
Hope gets a return smile from Rose. "I see you were found and drug back, at least to a place less...sterile." That's an understatement. "Make yourself at home guys." She says as it appeared everyone is.
Lian is debating games with Kon.. "... No... Unicorn Apocalypse is kyoot! Unicorns are fluffy, like pandas. I was right too, pandas make Rose---"
Rose places pizza in front of Lian on a paper plate after having gone and getten a couple plates full, which duly distracts her, holding the other out to Kon.
"Thank you Nate." Both thank yous, from Rose and Lian, said at the same time while she holds a plate of several mixed pieces in front of Kon.
Yes. 'Looks interesting' mis always a good trait. but still.
Still, as people dig in, Hope just grabs a couple of slices of what ever that 'interesting one' is as she glances around the apartment. but otherwise...
Well, for now, she's silent as she stuffs her face.
A grunt escapes Kon at the lack of response and he takes up the plate and sets it beside him looking away from the others to occupy himself with the game again, teasing the child some more "Unicorn Apocalypse? Why don't we play Halo instead. Unicorns are for little girls."
Lians response of, "I am a little girl!" gets a fake sigh accompanied with a grin from the clone, "Okay okay. What if we play Kung Fu Panda then?" Somehow that is meeting in the middle.
Nate leaves for a minute and returns with drinks and glasses. Soda, water and some colorful drinks that pretend to be fruit juice. "Hey, leave some for me," he grumbles, picking a slice of from the super-cheese pizza and finding a seat. He looks amused at Hope's eating, "not enough pizza in the future?"
If you're going to eat junk food, may as well go all the way, so taking a glass of soda with her own plate, Rose carries it back to the living area and falls into a seat, tucking her feet in front of her to pull her legs up, tucking the cup between her knees and the plate between legs and chest, picking at the toppings first, watching Lian and Kon in a debate that finally leaves the game of Kung Fu Panda being put in.
"Po is awesome, I am going to fight like Po, who are you like Conner, you're grown up. Are you the old little guy?"
Rose about chokes on an olive as Lian compares Conner to Shifu, the old teaching red panda dude. Child like cluelessness has its perks. "Yes, because Conner is so old and wise in the art of Kung Fu." Rose states on the edges of her laugh, now turning cool blue gaze to Nate and Hope.
"Barely enough food." Hope mutters. But considering what she said before, well... She doesn't explain that comment. After all, she's told Nate, and Rose what she saw and experienced growing up. If they need to hear anything else, well... Odds are Hope will start with 'Cockroach Soldiers' and then will continue on from there...
She does half listen to the Kung Fu Panda talk, but well... She's completely lost there.
"I don't even know who Po is. I'll be the one who can lift a mountain and looks awesome." Kon tells Lian, handing the controller over to her so he can eat the slices of pizza Rose had handed to him.
Not commenting about his 'Kung Fu skills' or lack of.
Nate loses the usual smirk when Hope mentions that little bit. Oh, he is familiar with the lack of food himself, or eating disgusting things when hungry enough. Cockroach soldiers might be a bad issue of conversation with Lian in the room, but she seems distracted. He takes a couple bites to his pizza, swallows and looks at Hope again, glancing also to Rose. "Do you know who Scott Summers is? He wants to meet you."
"Po can do it, he just needs practice, and to eat less says his sensei." At five Lian knows these terms, she has her own trainer, one of them now being Rose due to the Nanny duty, and sparring is how Rose would prefer to spenmd her spare time if she cannot be indulging in risks and other forms of entertainment. All the while, Lian has taken the controller into greasy little digits, a piece of crust hanging comically out of the corner of her mouth like a cigar as she plugs away at the game, leaning with the effects - immersed.
"Po's the panda, sheesh Conner." Rose states sarcastically, rolling her eyes in faux shock and ire, finally glancing down to her plate with the smirk omnipresent, still picking at the food instead of eating it like the starving or past-starved members of her team.
When Nate mentions Scott though, and glances her way Rose looks up, glancing once more between Nate and Hope, nodding. "He seems alright." Saying nothing more on it.
There's a glance at Conner, and then at Rose as Nate mentions that name. In fact, with how Rose reacts to it, there's a slight frown.
"Well clone..." is said towards Nate. "My Nathan may have mentioned him once or twice."
Yeah, she doesn't explain what she means by that. Not as she eyes what Lian is doing and how she's doing it.
"Is there a way to lift mountains and /not/ look awesome?" is of course asked of Conner.
Nate peers at Hope, frowning. "I am not a clone, I am from a parallel Earth." Conner is the clone here! "If I give you a phone number, will you call him? He needs to know about the... person chasing you. It is very important for him and his people. His eyes wander to the screen, but he has seen the game before, it is not that interesting.
"Oh. Well I don't these things. I guess I need to fit more cartoons in to my schedule." Conner responds to Rose around a mouthful of pizza. Perfect excuse to hog the Halo towers super mega screen TV more; research. The word clone has his eyes shifting over towards Nate and Hope once more. A grin given at the not looking awesome at lifting mountains. She gets it.
"Rosie bought it! We can watch it after I beat these guys..." Lian says as she bears down on the controller, gets a determined hunch in her little shoulders and is glaring at the villains from the game as they pop down on the screen, governing Po into attacks that have them bouncing off his rotund belly and him bouncing as he is dropped.
Rose just keeps a focus on her pizza like lasers will pop out of her eyes and reheat it or bore through it and giver her something else to focus on. Hearing the word clone, as well as Nate's insistance made her sit upright, sliding her plate of picked apart pizza onto the table before she stands and retrieves the other controller.
"I think someone's going to tag in, and play with you Lian." Of all the things to notice, is Hope's small focus on Lian and the game, so Rose stands there with the controller held out to Hope, casting a side long glance at Nate, with an emphasis in the furrow of her brows at him. Unspoken words, perhaps he may even pick them from her mind. <<Let her live a little before reminding her..>>
"Feel free to come over and watch cartoons if you like, the pawn shop I stopped at had an abundance..." And yes, she likes the stupid pandas...
"So you're /not/ the clone? Understood. Looks like I'll keep my eyes peeled for him too, just in case he decides to show his shiny metal ass around here."
Yeap, Hope says that as her gaze is yanked away from the game, and Lian, and towards Nate. yeah, she's been trying to dance around this issue...
"Fine. Give me the number. I'll call it eventually. I may even set up some form of meeting with this guy. but I make no promises."
Nate nods at Hope and then at Rose, thoughtful. Ah, she has a point. Still, better deal with business first, right? Well, food first, then business, then play. They can take turns at getting beaten by Lian on xbox games, for instance. "Didn't want to get annoying, Hope, sorry. Just... you got people worried. But not now, relax, this is a party."
By that point Rose has given up, the controller ignored for their conversation. Apparently it was what was on the forefront so she simply conceded and taps in instead, lowering to the floor beside Lian and joining her in the game, reaching over and tugging the wire spool made coffee table to her back so she can lean against it.
"What's a clone?" Lian asks after finally swallowing that piece of crust.
"Don't worry about it." Rose states as the screen flickers and changes to multiplayer mode. Time to slip into cyber-alternate-reality.
"Maybe in a bit." is said as Hope slowly starts to get up, and... Slips towards the door back outside?!?
"I... Need to get some air."
"Cool. I'll use your TV when I'm on this side of town like... which isn't often." He says to Rose finishing off a third slice of pizza in this very short time. Yeah, hes a healthy eater. Just about to answer Lian what a clone is he stops himself, instead watching the other three /adults/.
"Later, Hope."
Nate looks somewhat guilty when Hope leaves, munching pizza quietly for a minute. Then he has an idea. "We also have ice-cream," he jumps to his feet. That should work to get Hope in a better mood. "Back in a minute, guys. And go easy with them, Lian." He leaves, to try to get Hope back.
Category:Log