2013.10.13 - We Keep Meeting Like This

The van pulls up in front of the little hole in the wall spot and Dick slides out of the driver's seat and grabs his cane. After Babs is properly set up in her chair, he's leading them into the restaurant with a laugh. "No seriously, I pulled him over and he tried to tell me he was speeding because he had to get to buy lottery tickets before they closed because his microwave flashed one two zero zero after a lightning storm." 
He holds the door open for Babs, half leaning on his cane and grinning at the young waitress working the late night shift, "Two please." Then back to Barbara, "It never ceases to amaze me how superstitious people can be, sometimes." 
Steve is already in the restaurant. He is seated at a little table against the wall and somewhat close to the door. He has food in front of him but also an open sketch pad next to him.
Babs laughs at Dick's story. "Geez," she says, shaking her head. She shoves a hand through her hair and pushes the wheels on her chair while he holds the door open. "I don't get that, you know? Superstitions like that." A beat. "But, I guess in its way, it's no crazier than what leads some of the nutjobs that keep Gotham interesting to do what they do." Strange place, the human mind. 
She gives the waitress a smile as the girl quickly directs them to a table, and then fusses about what to do with her chair. "This is fine," she tells her, spinning her wheels expertly and backing in beside one of the chairs. "Just pull this one out of the way, and I'm good."
Oh. My. God. Helena is so hideously bored she's even resorting to talking like a Valley Girl randomly. It's, like, totally hideous. She's been wandering around this way too brightly lit city with nothing else to do, and then remembers that Barbara told her she could call whenever she felt like it. Within reason. And it's really not THAT late... So she pulls her phone from her purse, picks the top of only two real contacts in it, and places the call.
Dick waves his hand to the waitress and offers her a charming enough smile, "I got it, how about just some waters and a couple menus?" Pulling the chair out from Barbara's way and sliding it around to the other side of the table and dropping down into one himself. His cane is hooked on the back and he lounges and finally lets the sigh he's been holding since leaving the expo out. 
"Yeah," is said as he dives back into the previous conversation once the woman heads off to bring them the water and menus. "Them. I'll never really understand them. I'm actually tempted to do some research and see if Gotham is cursed? I mean seriously.. Like if it rests on some magical ancient demonic ritual alter or something. Drawing all the horrible energy from the cosmos and thrusting it out at people like a pulse beacon of psychopaths." His short, spikey hair is the subject of a finger combing as well, but the smile never really leaves his face. 
Casually glancing over at Steve seated by himself and offering him one of those friendly stranger nods. "How's the shawarma?" He asks, because he's clearly not said shawarma enough tonight. 
"Pretty good," Steve says after returning the smile. "Best I have had since North Africa." He could not help to hear some of the conversation that Dick and Barbara were having. "Cursed?" he asks with slight curiosity. "That would be fun one for a whole city."	
Yeah. Metropolis isn't Gotham. It's brighter. And people are a little friendlier. Babs shakes her head, chuckling softly. "I have it on good authority it's not... but magic is a tricky business. So, who knows?"
Just then, her phone vibrates and automatically she checks it. Seeing the number, she blinks, and glances to Dick before he speaks to the blonde man over in the corner. "I have to take this," she tells him, knowing he'll understand. "Sorry."
Her eyes linger on the man in the corner for a moment, his face familiar. "Hey," she says into the phone now, pulling out her tablet automatically as she does and flicking it on. "What up, girl?"
She pauses, listening to her caller speak, and checks her computer. "Bored, huh?" Her nose wrinkles some. She covers the mic with one hand. "Dick, I've got a friend a couple of blocks away who's been climbing the walls, lately. Mind if I invite her to join us?" When he agrees, she smiles at him, and uncovers the receiver. "Look. You're two blocks away from where I'm having a late night shawarma with a friend. Why don't you join us? We can entertain you with tales from the Expo, and you can wish you were bored again."
Again, a brief pause. "West." A beat. She glances at her tablet. "The other west. Two blocks down on your left. You'll see my chair in the window."
She smiles. Chuckles softly. "Ok. See you in a few. Call me if you get lost again."
Then, she hangs up and glances to Dick once more. "Sorry 'bout that."
Finally, she smiles to the blond. "Have you ever seen Gotham?" she asks him. "It's not as far fetched as you'd think."
The other west. Pfeh. Funny one, HAL. Sad part is, Helena WOULD have been going the wrong way if her friend hadn't spoken up. She walks briskly -- one GOOD thing about being tall -- and finds the place Barbara mentioned quickly enough. She enters the place and waves hello to the redhead, and THEN notices Steve sitting nearby. Shit. SHIT. A city this big, and HAL just /happens/ to find the exact same place to eat that Captain FUCKING America is frequenting? GOD. She slaps on a friendly enough smile hopefully, and approaches Babs' table. "Hey." And... holy shit. AGAIN. Grayson. She should have stayed bored.
Grayson leans back in his seat and cants his head with a little smirk to Steve's statement, "This is Gotham we're talking about, here... If it 'were' cursed, I think people would be relieved." Quietly laughing to himself and nodding a thank you when his water is set down in front of him. 
It's during that first drink that Helena walks in and almost has Dick snorting water out of his nostrils.. After a short series of coughs and wiping his face, he laughs quietly and stares at Babs, "That's your friend?" Shaking his head and again combing fingers back into his hair.. "whooo..." See, Dick never forgets a face. Especially not one that he did embarrassing things in front of. "Helena, right?" 
Another glance over at Steve, head tilting. "Say, you want to join us? I know it's a little weird, but we're all here for shawarma. Let it bring us together..." Slipping his fingers together. 
"Not yet but I hear it is an experience in itself." Steve smiles as he hears the door open. He raises an eyebrow as he regards the new arrival. "Hello to you again." His look goes toward Dick. "Sounds great. I am Steve Rogers. Good to meet you." He stands as Helena approaches the table. "Helena," he says repeating Dick's greeting but the tone has some skepticism in it as he says her name.
Babs waves Helena over when she enters the restaurant. The woman's reactions when she sees both the blond and Dick cause the redhead to take notice. And then there's Dick's reaction. And she has to laugh. "Helena. Dick. I take it you two have met. Small world." Go figure. 
She glances to Steve, now, finally placing his face, now that she's no longer distracted. Oracle keeps files on every hero and villain out there -- especially the major ones that are so celebrated. And her JLA credentials get her into a lot of databases legally, even. (It's something of a novelty, that.)
Putting two and two together (sort of) she waves the man over, too, adjusting her wheelchair so there's room for everyone. She looks at Helena. "And you know..." She turns to the Cap, "Steve, did you say? Barbara Gordon. Nice to meet you. This is Dick Grayson and, well, it seems you've met Helena?"
She glances between the four of them. "We're just in town for the Expo."
Well. She and Dick, anyway.
Helena reaches for one of the vacant chairs at Dick and Babs' table, then freezes, going deer-in-headlights for about half a second while her mind races for a way to cover that rather hideous oops. Then she huffs out an annoyed sigh and all but tosses herself into the chair. "God, how many times have I told you guys I /hate/ my name? If you won't call me Rebecca, call me 'bitch' or 'hey you' or something. Helena makes me sound like some old biddy with blue hair." She looks over and up at Steve and offers him a smile and wave hello. Please believe that. Please believe that.
Never let it be said that Dick doesn't catch on fast. 
I mean it's like he was in on it from the start. Maybe it's the deer in headlight look, or maybe he's just sharper than the image he gives off when he's not in the armor, but as soon as Helena offers up her 'retort', he cants his head and laughs, teasingly so and shrugs. "And how many times do I have to tell you that Rebecca makes you sound like you dated Uncle Jessie? Do you really want that?" 
Sucking down a bit more water and shaking his head, "So, Steve..." Dick's right leg stretches out beneath the table and one hand settles onto his knee to massage just beneath the joint. "You've never been to Gotham? Man... that must be nice." 
D'oh! 
Babs has a moment of realization when Helena corrects them on her name. Rebecca? Oh. Oh, good... Spygirl needs to keep her better informed, apparently.
"Helena Rebecca -- you prefer Rebecca, right." She says it in a singsong recitation of a retort that only old friends can get away with. "And you wonder why the Sisters called you 'hellion' all the time." She chuckles, then, brushing the whole thing away, as if it's a common argument.
She reaches for her own water, now, and turns her attention to Steve along with Dick. "Some guys have all the luck."
"I am sure I will end up there soon enough," Steve says with a smile. "If it is cursed, that will just draw me in faster. Like Sirens." He sits down after "Rebecca" sits down. "Never really thought Rebecca suited you very well. You should use Helena. It just seems the right fit especially if you visit your family in Italy." Steve has brought his meal and book over. He sips at his water, looking quite relaxed. "So the expo. I have been over there a little. Bit beyond me I'm afraid."
Helena Bertinelli tries rolling her eyes at Steve's preference of the name Helena, hoping it's convincing. "Maybe I /like/ Uncle Jessie. And shut up, B. Like you can talk." Hopefully the banter will further the cover story. "I went by there one afternoon too. It was ... really crowded."
"Well, honestly, who could blame you? I mean it's Uncle Jessie." Dick reasons, waving his hand in a flippant gesture and setting his glass of water back down on the table. When Babs joins him in teasing Steve about Gotham, a small grin cracks his features and he cants his head to the empty seat now filled with a Rogers. 
"Crowded... yeah. Tonight was just plain ridiculous." Said with a dry tone and an expression that's growing tight. "Some psychopath tried to attack Bruce Wayne... he didn't get very far, but still... who does that?" 
"I don't know Uncle Jessie, Steve shakes his head. He raises an eyebrow at news of the attack. "Is Mr. Wayne alright?" He shakes his head. "You would hope folks would let the city show its best foot during the expo rather than do something stupid like that."
Babs flashes Helena a shit-eating grin as she digs back, and then picks up her water for another swig. Turning back to Steve, she says, "Most of the expo is pretty much what gearheads expect. Lots of flashy new toys and nifty tech. But, WayneCorp was supposed to unveil a bunch of new stuff. Then, it all got kinda crazy. But, Wayne's fine. He was rescued by a bunch of heroes. So, that'll probably light up the newsfeeds more than the rescue drones he unveiled afterward."
Helena Bertinelli raises her eyebrows at that. "Wow. I'll have to remember to watch the news tonight. I'm glad to hear that Mr. Wayne is okay. That would have sucked." She looks up then as the waitress returns to take their orders. Shawarma all around, yes?
Category:Log