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_parent
2010-07-12 11:28 pm UTC (link)

Logan didn't wonder why Mikey asked him to meet at a Japanese restaurant in the city...much. The boy wasn't all that fond of Japanese food, but there had been a lot going on in his life that he just might need his old man for a sounding board.

If he was going to break it to Logan that Lyta was pregnant, there had also better be some explanation about what would happen next and how Mikey would step up and be a man about it. Just saying...

He parked his scoot down the block and only paused to run a hand through his hair. His boots, jeans and button down shirt were clean and presentable. After all, his kid was a grand duke of Russia. He wouldn't embarrass him unless it was absolutely necessary.

His surprise at being shown to a table already occupied with a good looking redhead was expressed with a clenched jaw. If the boy had been dating this woman as well as Lyta, there would be more than words. There would be a lesson in the Danger Room.

"Sorry, I think I got the wrong table. I'm supposed to meet my boy here."

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	nextgen_adult 2010-07-12 11:51 pm UTC (link)
	Arilynn watched the man approach. Well, at least he looked good. And then he said that, and she raised an eyebrow. "That's so odd. You matched Sylvia's description exactly." Her face suddenly got a lot drier. "Unless..." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_parent
2010-07-13 12:06 am UTC (link)

Logan held out a hand to stop her. Her color didn't look good all of a sudden and he had a twinge of guilt for causing it. He recognized a set up when he saw it. At least this one didn't come with ninjas and a grudge.

He turned to the waiter. "Bring me a beer, whatever's on tap, an' another one of whatever the lady's drinkin'."

The waiter bowed slightly and left them alone.

Logan sat down then. "Don't get upset or anythin'. The kids have big hearts. Sylvie's a nice girl, don't get mad at her."

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	nextgen_adult 2010-07-13 12:17 am UTC (link)
	"She's always seemed so," Arilynn said as she calmed down. And then she manages a small smile. "Although the very first time I had to check her card, I thought that 'Sylvia Alejandra' sounded like remarkable foresight by a mother looking to have something that would really roll off the tongue when she was in trouble." "Arilynn Williams." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-13 02:07 am UTC (link)
	"Logan." He offered a hand clearly used to hard work. "Her momma likes to make things easy when she's on a roll. Sylvie looks sweet, but she's got nerve. Where do ya know her from?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-13 02:27 am UTC (link)
	She shakes it with the hand of a moderately athletic librarian. "I believe that she's read every Spanish and Italian word in any collection of the New York Public Library system. I'm the head archivist. Does your son pull this kind of stunt often?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_parent 2010-07-13 02:32 am UTC (link)
	"Not this kind, but he manages to get himself in an' out of trouble. "Specially when one of his wives is involved. Sylvie's number three, I think." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_adult 2010-07-13 02:45 am UTC (link)
	"Wives?" Arilynn asks, then chuckles slightly. "Now, many boys think they'd like a harem, but if he's managed to maintain one peacably, I am impressed." And the beer and her second glass of juice arrive. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_parent
2010-07-13 02:51 am UTC (link)

Logan smiled a little. "There were a lot o' little girls growin' up at the Institute I teach at an' Sylvie's parents work. My boy was one of the few near their age. When a horde o' little girls want to play house, no boy is safe. So he said they all had to get married. He was seven or eight. They're all grown up now, but he loves them all like they were little sisters."

"Head archivist. You like yer work?"

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nextgen_adult
2010-07-13 03:15 am UTC (link)

She listens and grins. "Oh, that sounds adorable."

She nods. "Very much. Been in the position a long time. The people who make you wonder what they're doing in a library are more likely to bother the people up front than those of us back in the collections. Gotten to publish a little research on the side -- nothing big: just some bizarre history and sociology monographs."
She sips her drink.
"And sure, occasionally someone busts through a wall throwing cars, or mystically animates the stone lions, but that's a professional hazard working anywhere in New York."

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	nextgen_parent 2010-07-13 03:20 am UTC (link)
	"That's good, lovin' what ya do. Don't find that much these days." He could tell she was making conversation, but he remembered a few of those incidents. Damage Control made a fortune off fixing those problems. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	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)