10096/It's Me Again

It's Me Again
Date of Scene:	12 February 2022
Location:	The Potters Fields
Synopsis:	Phoebe and Ben catch up after a long time apart. A 'state of the relationship' is discussed and then Japanese food is eaten.
Cast of Characters:	Ben Reilly, Phoebe Beacon

---

Ben Reilly has posed:
Gotham is ... busy lately with the evacuation of the refugee camps back to Manhattan and the more long-term housing of those who lost their homes in the chaos. Ben had sent a text message to Phoebe asking to meet, explaining that he was on his way to Gotham and wanted to see her. It'd been a long time since they'd even spoken, and there was no denying that he was starting to feel a little self-conscious about the relationship they'd started in the midst of all the chaos.

He'd suggested this place mostly because he'd discovered it by accident when he was living rough in Gotham. It was always quiet, out of the way, and generally free of crime. Not the happiest place, no, but he knew at least here neither of them would be distracted by the sort of misdeeds that frequently distracted from conversations in the city.

He's currently sitting in the upper branches of a lonely tree that has lost its leaves. Looking out across the water.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe was familiar with the Potters Fields. She had come sometimes here after her dad passed -- the first dad, Chuck Beacon -- and sat to be sad and miss the unknown as well, hoping that with someone to tend to their graves, maybe they could find peace.

    There was not a part of Gotham Phoebe's heart hadn't touched, except the high rises where the Rich and Powerful played, and some of them played for her side.

    Her arrival was announced by the whine of a Yamaha motor, which then finally sputters out, giving up its own ghost and allowing her to coast up to the fence. She was wearing a hooded jacket that looked entirely too light for the chill of the February Gotham weather, and a pair of new, designer, well-made black jeans and boots instead of her normal second-hand items. She took off her helmet, with it pinging her location to her new family, and setting on her bike, she looks up to the lonely trees, and makes her way into the graveyard, running her hands beneath her still short-cut braids to ruffle them up a little bit.

    And she leans against the tree, looking out over the water.

    "I used to come here all the time." she remarks quietly, "... so that the dead would have someone to miss them."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"I thought you might," Ben answers from up above, "You seem like that kind of person. Caring for people even after they're gone. It's nice."

Ben is not at all fashionably dressed. He wears jeans and a hoodie, both of which he may well have found in the trash and done his best to clean up with some leftover scraps of bleach and soap powder. He doesn't have more than a couple dollars to his name, and he's never really been shy about that.

He drops easily from where he's sitting, standing next to Phoebe and reaching in to give her an awkward 'is it still okay to touch you?' kind of hug that he's ready to pass off as something less intimate the second she looks uncomfortable.

"H-how've you been? I ran out of credit on my phone. I went by Grand Central but they'd already moved everyone out."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe did not want to be fashionably dressed. Someone had her measurements and did shopping since all her clothes got wrecked, and she came 'home' to a new wardrobe and it was *WEEIRD*.

    Ben drops down, and she gives him a little space for him to land, looking up at him with his bleached hair, and she gives a smile, and then she does something odd. She hugs him. He's OK to touch. He wouldn't hurt her. Her breath is warm, and her arms hold against him with something akin to making sure he's *real*.

    "It's all right. I left almost as soon as we sealed off Central Park. My new boss wanted me back in Gotham for R&R."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"I figured it was something like that," Ben answers, happily wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. He dips his head slightly, pressing his lips to her forehead in a soft and chaste little kiss. He leans back a little afterwards to hold her by the shoulders and look at her, admiring the new clothes.

"You deserve the R&R. You were looking like you were hanging on by a thread back in New York. If I could afford it, I'd be taking you down to Florida or something to kick up your heals on the beach."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It was warm. Uncomfortable warm, but it was something that was different. Something newer, and comforting, and weirdly normal, and as Ben stands her back a moment, she gives an eyeroll. "Don't tempt the Boss. If I so much as indicate I want to go somewhere I'd probably come home to a new swimsuit and directions to a private plane." she pauses, and then her nose wrinkles. "... or Terry shows up and rabbitholes me to Themyscira. He's only been threatening to do it for two years now." she mumbles, and then rubs the back of her head a moment, looking up at Ben.

Ben Reilly has posed:
"Swimsuit, eh?" Ben asks, eyebrows lifting before he shakes his head and chuckles.

Ben draws her into a hug again, keeping his arms wrapped around her and turning to look out across the water. It's a sad little place, but also an intimate one. Cozy in a way.

"Well, I won't say you don't deserve it. You saved Manhattan, after all. You're basically Wonder Woman now. You probably deserve a trip to Themyscira."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I am nowhere near Wonder Woman status." Though Diana would probably argue it. Whole demigod thing.

    Sne looks out over the water as well, the gray waves rushing to the little seaside graveyard. "... a lot of people saved Manhattan. Lydia. Jon, Cael and Sara, Constantine, Meggan -- Red Robin. Ghostrider. So many people. Michael and Atrun-Rai --" she cuts off a moment, taking a deep breath as she looks out over the ocean.

    "You helped. You gave me another reason to like the city."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"I'm glad I could do my part."

Ben trails off, remaining quiet for a moment as he looks at the lights of Gotham reflected on the waves. He turns back to her slightly, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

"Are you staying here permanently, then? In Gotham, I mean."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Once the ritual is complete I won't be able to leave the city limits." she states with the utmost seriousness to her voice, her arm holding him a little tighter -- and then she releases him and gives a little smirk upwards.

    "My base of operations is kinda moving back here, but Gotham's... kinda Home for me. It's my city. As much as it can be."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"Then - and I don't want you to think this is me being a creep or anything - I think I'm gonna move here. I mean, I don't really have a 'place' in New York. Only so much as whatever room or shelter I can scrounge up a bed in. I figure Gotham can't be any worse. And I want to be close to you without having to, you know, take a train every time."

He draws her close with his arm, hugging her again and asking: "That work for you?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe tenses at that, and she takes a deep breath, turning and looking up at Ben.

    "-- no, no, wait, hold on -- you're just going to follow me to Gotham and that's that? No existential crisis about parts of missing identity? You're not scared of running up against the Bats? Or worse --"

    She goes up to her tip-toes, looking up into Ben's dark eyes. "Having your *wallet* stolen again?"

Ben Reilly has posed:
"My wallet doesn't have anything in it, really," Ben admits, "And ... I mean, I feel connected to New York in a way but I'm a different guy. I ... stole the memories of the guy who identifies with the City. Any attempt to call it my home, or a part of me? It just feels hollow. Artificial."

He notes the tension, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly: "This thing with you? It's mine. I didn't inherit it or have it carbon copied into my brain. So, in a way, you're my home."

"The Bats? Well, I guess I can just try and keep my head down."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Ben... I hate to break it to you..." Phoebe begins, and she tilts her head back a moment, looking up at him.

    "... you're a bright red and blue guy from another city. There's probably already some sort of alert on a scale of 'Condiment King' to 'Aw Hell it's Superman'." she jokes, and leans against him.

    "You are real." she whispers quietly, just over the sound of the ocean below them. "This is real."

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben just shrugs, smiling wistfully to himself. He rubs a hand up and down her back, sitting in silence for a moment.

"Well, even if they do know about me, I'm still going through with it. I'll just deal with that when it comes to it, I guess."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Well. I know a guy." Phoebe comments quietly.

    "... I will have to go away again, for a little bit. There's more fighting to do." she explains, pursing her lips in contemplation. "They need me to help them find their way."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"I get it. I know you've got responsibilities. I just hope we can ... keep in touch? You know. Just to make sure you don't forget me."

Ben pauses for a moment, crouching down at one of the graves to tug some weeds away and brush some moss off the headstone.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    She watches a moment, and she feels a tug at her heartstrings. Her fingers curl a moment, and she looks down, watching him clean up the gravestone a moment. And she gives a small smile, and she crouches down next to him, and she puts her hand against his arm.

    "... I know what it's like to look into the eyes of someone you love with your whole heart, and them not see you." she gives a small smile. "I promise, I couldn't forget you, Ben." she states quietly, and she reaches to brush her fingers over his cheek.

    "... you scared the freaking daylights out of me when we were slinging through New York."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"It's like that," Ben admits, smiling slightly, "Scary. But exciting. I promise you'll get used to it, if you let me take you up there again."

Ben rises from the grave, letting out a sigh and moving back to wrap his arms around Phoebe. This time from behind, hands joined in front of her stomach.

"So you're not creeped out by me moving here?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Not creeped out by you moving here, little disconcerted about being hugged from behind, though. Mostly because I can't see what you're doing..." Phoebe admits quietly, her breath halting a moment as she tenses.

    "... but I'm obligated to let the group know you're moving here. Since, you know... brightly colored guy. BUt you've been up to space with the Titans, so --" she trails off, shifting her weight a little bit as she tries to force herself to relax.

    "... nope not working," she huffs, and she steps forward.

    And she turns, clearly embarrassed.

    "I... need time, Ben. For some of this to process."

Ben Reilly has posed:
Ben nods his head, seeming unperturbed by it all though the smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. He instead tucks his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, scuffing the toe of one worn-out sneaker against gravel on the ground as he looks out across the water once more.

"Oh, absolutely, let 'em know. I'll try not to cause any problems ... I'm not even sure I'm gonna go out in costume, if I'm honest. I think I probably need to work out the whole, you know, home thing. And a job."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe rubs the back of her neck, and gives a soft 'I'm sorry, it's just... the whole touch thing and..." and she trails off, watching Ben's reaction. And then she looks up at Gotham's gray sky.

    "... let me check with a friend on those fronts. There's more than one hidey-hole in the city, and I've been here a long time." Phoebe gives a small smile, and rubs the back of her head. "Ah, look, my birthday is on MOnday. I don't know if it's going to be a masks-on situation or not... but you're totally invited to come?" she smiles, her eyebrows rising up a little bit. "Most of my friends are in the same line of work."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"You don't need to look out for me. I've been doing this for a while, I can look after myself, I promise. You have enough things to worry about right now without adding me to the pile."

He shakes his head a little at the apology, waving a hand through the air as if to dismiss it. When he smiles again, it's in his eyes as well. Right where it should be.

"If ... you're cool with it, then yeah, I'd love to come."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "They don't need looking out for either --" Phoebe motions to the gravestones, " -- but we do. And that's one of the reasons I like you. You... you care." she gives a little shrug of her shoulders. "You chose one of the lonliest and loveliest spots on the city, and it's a place that's close to my heart." she states, and she looks down a moment.

    "... I won't 'not-worry'. I always worry. That's pretty much my job is 'worry about things'." Phoebe points out, and she brushes her fingers over his forearm.

    "Besides. If you hang out with Vorp long enough eventually you meet Impulse, and Impulse is one of my very best friends."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"Well, I look forward to meeting everyone. I can come in a mask if you need me too. And if you need me to bring, like, snacks or something ... "

He'll have to work out some social acrobatics to manage that, but he's sure he can do it. He'll give it his best short for her sake.

"I'm sorry, Phoebe. I'm trying to do this right. I like you. A lot. I know I keep butting up against boundaries but I'm really trying not to. I really want this to be a serious thing. It's not a ... fling."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "It's hard to explain." Phoebe replies quietly, and she looks up at the tree that Ben had been sitting in, and she puts her hands in her jacket pocket.

    "And you don't have to bring anything. If I know my friends, there is going to be either a lot of food, or we're going to end up fighting some cosmic bad guy so food won't be a worry." she cracks a little, embarrassed smile.

Ben Reilly has posed:
"Well, I hope it's the latter one."

Ben seems noticeably unnerved for a moment, wringing his hands inside the pockets of his hoodie where he thinks it isn't obvious. For all that, however, he is good at putting a mask on over it. He smiles, laughing at the idea of a bad-guy stomping birthday party.

"Do you wanna ... go get a sub or something? Or do you need to head back?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "You and me both. Social situations are such a downer when you turn eighteen. Suddenly everyone's like 'when are you going to register to vote in your local elections'." Phoebe smiles, and she looks at her bike, and rubs the back of her head

    "There's this great Japanese place I like. My treat -- on account of being a jerk and not checking up on you while I was in New York." she offers as an explaination, trying to make sure Ben knows she's good for the cash.

Ben Reilly has posed:
"It sounds good," Ben says with a nod. Again, his experience with foods are very limited. Not to mention he's feeling so ... unsure about everything. Like he's going to disappear any moment now. Cease to be real.

"So ... room on that bike of yours for two?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Provided the motor starts --" Phoebe gives a wry smile. "The thing's twice as old as I am, and I am definitely not a gear head. I have some tools in the saddle bag and sometimes I get lucky, but I've had to walk it home before." she explains, and rubs the back of her head.

    "I also drive like an old nana, so you're probably safe without a helmet."

Ben Reilly has posed:
"Drive on, nana," Ben says jokingly. As he climbs onto the back of the motorcycle, he doesn't wrap his arms around Phoebe. Instead, he places them behind him and flat against the back of the seat. Thanks to his wall-crawling powers, he clings on easily.

"I haven't had katsudon in forever."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe mounts the bike, and she turns the key, and kickstarts it as it sputters to life, then evens out as she adjusts the gas, puts it into gear and has to remind herself 'Phoebe, he can lift busses and crawl up buildings, he's totally in control' -- and then she puts the bike into gear, the chain catches and --

     -- it immediately dies.

    "... just the way I wanted to end my afternoon. Stranded near the Potters Field. Oh, well. At least I have some eyecandy."

     -- and then the motor roars to life again and almost takes off without its rider!