nextgen_adult (nextgen_adult) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-07-12 19:37:00

Blind Date.
Arilynn Williams still wasn't quite sure how her recent conversation with Sylvia McCoy, which had started with borrowing a pen, had gone all the places it did. But here she was. Sylvia was always a good kid, and Arilynn did need to get out more.
And so she was talked into dinner with, apparently, the gym teacher at Xavier's. With all the things she'd cataloged in the archives about New York and its denizens -- a few of which she'd admittedly documented herself -- she had to figure some weird things might go on in gym class at that particular insular private school. But she couldn't prove it, nor would she want to. When a future queen saves your life and then helps you save the world, you don't try to make life difficult for her old work buddies years down the road.

And so here she was, at a nice Japanese place. Right on time.

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	nextgen_adult 2010-07-13 03:36 am UTC (link)
	"You sound like you're pretty well-settled into yours, too." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-13 03:45 am UTC (link)
	He shrugged. "I had my kid with me from the time he was barely walkin'. Needed a place that had stability an' people to help with him. The Institute's been a good place. Teachin' kids to take care of themselves is a good career." Along with saving the blamed world every time it tried to blow itself up. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_adult
2010-07-13 04:20 am UTC (link)

"Fulfilling enough job, I would think. More people ought to know how to take care of themselves, best as they can at least. I have to admit, there've been a few situations where I've been glad I knew what little I did. And it sounds like it's been a good environment for him." A small smile. "Especially teeming with girls."

"I've only ever had nieces and nephews, myself. The aunt who swoops in for the museum trip and then puts them back with their parents. It's a good gig for those of us who can get it."

She knew the man's son was Russian royalty before she knew said son had tricked his father into dinner with her; she'd crossreferenced information before coming. But really, the Russian side of the family wasn't relevant to the conversation.
The way he talked about the kids, and the kind of thought he'd seemed to put into parenting was, however. They may not have that much in common at all, but Arilynn was still liking what she heard well enough.

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	nextgen_parent 2010-07-13 05:25 am UTC (link)
	He smiled at that. It was less growly and more natural. A woman who knew what she had, what she wanted, and dealt with it. "It's important to know what to do an' how to work with what ya have. All the kids at the Institute go through my trainin'. Years later, they'll come back for advanced trainin' or a brush up. Startin' to see their kids comin' in." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-13 05:41 am UTC (link)
	"Well, if there's any surer sign of professional success than that, I can't think of one," Arilynn says. "They make it to the point of parenting teenagers and decide your class was a good idea, no matter how much they may or may not have whined about it at the time." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_parent
2010-07-13 12:28 pm UTC (link)

He eyed her over the his glass and his smile widened a little. The woman was in the know. Smart archivist, must be since that was another term for researcher. Pretty, too. She knew what was going on out at Xavier's.

Discreet. A public restaurant was no place to bring up details. "It's a tough world. Surviving is only half the battle. If I can do that much for them, I'm doin' okay."

He paused to let the waiter run down the day's specials and for them to order.

"You feed their minds. That's just as important."

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	nextgen_adult 2010-07-13 01:13 pm UTC (link)
	"That it is." Fully agreement on not getting too far into that sort of thing with all and sundry about, she returned the smile, then ordered efficiently. "Why thank you," she said appreciatively. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-14 02:23 pm UTC (link)
	"So what do ya do when yer not in the library or gettin' set up with a stranger by a couple of kids?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-14 04:06 pm UTC (link)
	"Well, I have to admit I spend and inordinate amount of time just walking around. Other than that, there's family visits, rotating card game nights with a few associates... I'll admit the idea I need to get out of the collections more may not have come from nowhere." She smiles. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-14 04:19 pm UTC (link)
	"I know the feelin'." He shook his head. "I got a movin' poker game. Had to dump McCoy off it for cheatin'. He was dealin' from the bottom." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-14 04:52 pm UTC (link)
	"How scandalous. And how embarrassing to have been caught." She smiles. "Did he confine himself to dealing with his hands, or was there more theatricality involved?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-14 04:56 pm UTC (link)
	He chuckled. "McCoy does everythin' theatrically. He'll be back. We never ban him for long. You play pool?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-14 05:27 pm UTC (link)
	"Now, see, my set are bitter old biddies. Not sure if we'd be so quick." She grins. "On occasion," she says with a nod. "If the locale's not too annoying." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-14 06:29 pm UTC (link)
	"My set includes Nick Fury an' The Everlovin' Thing. The locale is always annoyin' when they're around, even when we're all complainin' about our kids." Well, complaining wasn't exactly the right word. It was all bragging meant to sound like responsible parenting. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-14 06:56 pm UTC (link)
	She chuckles. "The sheer concentration of grizzledness in the room must be dizzying....even before the cigar smoke gets to one. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-14 07:17 pm UTC (link)
	"Old biddies are everywhere. You live in New York all yer life?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-14 08:36 pm UTC (link)
	She grins. "If being born in Long Island still qualifies, yes. I've travelled some, semesters abroad, research trips, all that. But always lived somewhere in New York." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-15 02:20 pm UTC (link)
	He grinned back. She a great smile. He liked that it came so easily to her. "It qualifies. Only a true New Yorker would keep comin' back here." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-15 11:13 pm UTC (link)
	"What about you?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-16 12:05 am UTC (link)
	"Canadian, but I spent a fair amount of time abroad before my kid was born. Stayed here when he came along. It was...easier for his mom to see him because she was based out o' New York." He almost said 'safer' and opted for the more innocent word. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-16 12:38 am UTC (link)
	"Sounds like it was a reasonable plan. Ever been much to the Mediterranean? I spent some wonderful times in dusty old rooms around North Africa, the Levant, and Greece." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-16 02:21 am UTC (link)
	He shook his head. "Not much. Spent time in Madripoor an' Japan. Got around Europe and the poles on occasion. Special...uh...projects." Then there was space, but explaining that would require privacy. "I'm usually there for a reason an' then I'm gone." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-16 02:55 am UTC (link)
	"Madripoor... I've always figured the place required some pretty good survival instincts. And for many of us, of course, those instincts say 'Do not go to Madripoor.'" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-16 03:14 am UTC (link)
	"Most of you should listen to those instincts." Though he would give her points for being tougher than she appeared, and not just because she was a redhead. "The island has a lot o' history, but knowin' it has never been exactly healthy." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-16 04:17 am UTC (link)
	"I'm very willing to believe that. Although there's plenty of dangerous-to-know things that need to be kept available. On a need to know basis. This one monograph I did in North Africa...it was messed up. But, the world being as weird as it is, it turned out to be vital information for a few people once upon a time." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)