10999/The One Where Morgan Visits

The One Where Morgan Visits
Date of Scene:	03 May 2022
Location:	3B - Alexander's Greenwich Loft
Synopsis:	Morgan shows up and hassles Alexander then leaves while probably having pickpocketed him.
Cast of Characters:	Morgan Finn, Alexander Aaron

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Morgan Finn has posed:
The end of the school year at Happy Harbor is right around the corner. Morgan has been buried in studying for final exams and it has been driving him nuts. He also has some other stuff on his mind and really wanted to swing by to see his cousin to talk about it. Alex is sarcastic, but seems to have a good perspective on things.

Morgan knocks on Alexander's apartment door. "Hey, Alex, it's Morgan," he calls out from the other side of the door. It's been a few months since the two have spoken, and Morgan's voice is huskier than it was, deeper. Apparently that kind of thing happens.

If (when?) Alex opens the door, Morgan will hold up an ice-cold, one-liter glass bottle of New York Seltzer cherry vanilla, the greatest soda in the *world*. "I come bearing gifts." A smile.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Damned Greeks and their gifts."
    The door had opened and in the way stood the other cousin, settled at his leisure with his over-sized t-shirt hanging loose and a pair of blue jeans with a hole in the knee, looking decidedly unemployed but not quite the leap needed toward being a hobo. No shoes on, though he's wearing a pair of white socks as he answers the door. One hand holds the knob while the other has a book with his thumb marking the place where he was reading.
    Those pale hazel eyes narrow as he gives Morgan a once-over, then meets the younger demi-god's eyes with a quirked eyebrow. "Whatchoo want?" He says with an exaggerated growly Southern accent before he's stepping away and turning to walk into the room.
    Trusting, of course, that Morgan will wander in and close the door behind him.
    Which will give the teenager a chance to look the place over. Though it hasn't changed much it looks much more decidedly lived in. For the living room has some other books and papers scattered around as well as a backpack set on the coffee table. The pull-up bar that hangs across the hallway looks like it's caused the walls to crack a little...
    But what might draw the eye all the more likely would be the partially disassembled .50 caliber sniper rifle that's sitting on the dining room table.

Morgan Finn has posed:
"Hey," Morgan says, "This is the best soda ever made in the history of soda." A grin. He hasn't lost his vibe, that's for sure.

The teen shuts the door and comes in, glancing around. He whistles. "Man, love what you've done with the place. Has this apartment been cleaned since the last time I did it like...what...four months ago?" If he has noticed the rifle, he's keeping his mouth shut. Alex doesn't answer to Morgan, and no explanation is owed.

"Dude, it's been *forever*. I was starting to wonder if you went to Olympus to live or somethin'. What's been going on? How are you? You still seeing that girl? Thea, I think? The one you made the arrowhead for?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I have an acquaintance that comes by now and again to pick things up." Alexander says as he stops in the middle of the room, giving the place a once-over as he considers it through the lens of someone newly arrived. Which does, indeed, lend him to realize that he should pick up a bit.
    But then his eyes lift somewhat as he gets past it and he looks back. "It's been a lil bit. Stayin' in school, drinkin' mah milk, don't do drugs." Very Mr. T.
    He opens the book in his hand, which is just titled simply, 'Cicero: Selected Works'. He folds the page over that marks where he was then closes it fully with a whumpf and tosses it on the couch. He then points at Morgan and says. "Nope."
    Then he adds, "We broke up." As he starts across the room toward the kitchen alcove area, disappearing from view briefly as the sound of glass clinking is heard. Then the crunch of the ice maker.
    "Well, she ghosted me really. Like were alright for a time, then poof." Though he doesn't seem too concerned about it, but then again his emotional make up is a bit off...

Morgan Finn has posed:
Morgan shakes his head and snort out a small laugh. "Women, am I right? They don't appreciate when you make a deal with a god to make 'em a gift." Then in a lower voice he murmurs, "Plus he almost butt raped me."

The kid clears a spot...somewhere to sit down. "I'm almost done with the school year. Finals are coming so I been studying like crazy. Diana will have my ass if I fail any classes." He looks...older, more confident, less...twitchy. Teenagers change fast.

"I was hoping you'd be home. Some shit is going down and I don't know quite how to deal with it. It's...developments from my father's side of the family."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "He did /not/ almost butt rape you." Alexander says as he brings out the glasses of ice and sets them down on the table causing one of the broken cubes to clink against the side. "You were just a lil off balance cuz you thought you mighta been into it."
    Which comes with only a hint of a smirk before he gestures for him to fill up the glasses with a good amount of the best soda in the world ever made.
    That decided he /flops/ down onto the couch perpendicular to Morgan's seat, crossing a foot over the other as he extends his legs onto the coffee table. His pale eyes meet Morgans' again as he nods, "Yah, finals coming up for me too."
    Then there's the mention of 'changes' and his eyebrows climb as he awaits for the young man to continue.

Morgan Finn has posed:
The teen demigod pours two generous portions of soda and sets the bottle down within easy reach of anyone wanting refills. "I was *not* into it. He voodooed me." He takes a sip of the chilled beverage and closes his eyes, savoring the flavor. "Gods, I love this stuff."

"Yeah some shit, man. Last week I got abducted. I was chillin with this girl from school, Belinda. A van pulled up and knockout gas was flying everywhere. We woke up in a warehouse. I guess it was all a ploy to get at Diana." He smirks. "Nobody ever wants to get at me."

He readjusts his position in the seat and takes another drink. "When I woke up, tore through metal like it was paper, dude." He peers at Alexander, eyebrows raised. "Handcuffs, ankle cuffs, and a steel cage."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    His own glass taken up, Alexander takes a sip and tilts his head slightly, then looks across the way at Morgan. "Not bad, would be good with some vodka." Though he does not offer to get some, but thus his judgment is passed.
    So he listens, eyes following along with Morgan's words, listening to he story as he tilts his head slightly. A nod is given at one point, then a 'heh' at the idea nobody wanting to get at him. He gives a nod and hrms.
    "Interesting, probably coming into your own and all that. Maybe someday soon you'll grow a pubic hair or two." There's no smile and it's said with a straight face, but in those hazel eyes there's a silent Nelson Laugh. Yet he presses on to offer his own insight. "If it's anything like my experience you'll feel mostly normal most of the time. But when you need to focus or you exert yourself after a time... then your body will respond."
    Tilting his head to the side and then leans forward to grab the leg of the coffee table. His hand tightens around it near the wooden top and with a slight heft he squeezes... then after a moment is able to lift it up a few inches off the ground at a rather awkward angle.
    A moment later he lets it thump back on the ground then shrugs, "But congratulations?"

Morgan Finn has posed:
Morgan's eyes widen at Alex's unexpected feat of strength. A broad smile crosses his features as he snaps out a hand to grab the precious bottle of soda...just in case. It gets set back on the table after it's released. "Holy shit, man, that's amazing! I didn't know you could do that."

The teen peers at his older cousin. "Diana and I agreed I had to quit all the sports teams until I get a handle on this thing. I just made starting varsity shortstop, too! Fuck. But if it ever got away from me and I hurt another kid, or worse, I'd never be able to live with myself. So...whatever. I guess I'm going to be learning chess." He shrugs a little. "What do you suggest as far as figuring out how to control this?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "It's just one of those things about being Olympian, and yah." Alexander nods slowly in answer to Diana's advice, "That's a good call, since you could hurt someone. Or you could focus on something more your speed like knitting and cabinet-construction."
    But after he says that he lifts a hand to stay any protest as he half-grins. "But yeah man, it'll take time to get used to it. I sorta had to learn it on-the-job but doesn't take too long to get the hang of it. Eventually you can even start to sort of turn it on and off with time. Since it's hard to train with someone if you might lose control and pile-drive them through the floor every now and then."
    Shaking his head his eyes distance a little past Morgan as he ponders, then relates. "What I usually do... is try to keep focused, a level head, realize the situation. If you lose control then it can flare. Easy for me to say since I don't feel fear or anxiety, but strong emotions can trigger it."

Morgan Finn has posed:
"Yeah," Morgan agrees. "I was training the other morning with Gala. Everything was cool, regular strength, regular Morgan. Then she kicked me in the chest and I brought my training sword down so hard it broke both mine and hers. Really freaked me out."

The teen demigod considers for a few moments. "But the Amazons do it. Gala is strong as fuck and I train with her all the time. She's never lost control with me. I should talk to her about how she does it." A small, goofy grin. "Plus she's way better looking than you."

"Anyway, it was Diana who suggested chess. I mean...I think I could do it. I know I'm not exactly the smartest dude in the school but that can be trained."

Morgan shakes his head. "Anyway, enough about my shit. What's been going that keeps you from visiting for four months?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "That's insane, you're talking crazy talk." Alexander says right after Morgan mentions learning chess, but then adds, "There's no one better looking than me." Which has him nodding once solemnly as if it were true. Which it assuredly is.
    "Chess is fun, until you realize you should just flip the table and stab your opponent. The last argument of kings!" His voice rises slightly at the end there as he half-smiles, being a little goofy as he leans back into his seat.
    "My shit though?" That has him exhaling a little as his eyes distance and he looks thoughtful. "I'm keeping busy. Going out a bit. Sort of decided not to date seriously unless something..." He lifts a hand and waves it slightly, as if signifying something undefinable. "But been dealing with finals."
    A small smile blossoms on his features, "Oh and a vigilante saved me from a mugger, it was cute."

Morgan Finn has posed:
"Well, for now, chess it is. I know you're morally obligated to bust my balls at every opportunity, but I worked really fucking hard to make starting varsity shortstop. I know I'm doing the right thing, but it still sucks." A shrug. "I guess I have a lot of blessings in my life and I shouldn't be a shit about it though. Man, I gotta stop swearing. It's costing me a fortune. Diana has a swear jar now."

Morgan was taking a sip of the Soda of the Gods when Alex mentions a vigilante saving him from a mugger. Some comes up his nose when he laughs. Wipe the back of his hand across his lips and nose, he says, "Oh you can't just drop that there with no explanation. Which vigilante? What happened? Did they ever have any clue about what you are?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Bah, assert your dominance. Walk right up to her and say, 'Diana, this is what I think of your swear jar.' And then flip her off." With that he gives a sharp nod, "Then she'll be impressed and tell you that you've ascended to the next level of godhood and she's proud of you."
    Which, with Alexander's masterful deadpan delivery, one might almost perhaps ever so slightly believe him. And he doesn't even give it away with a smirk.
    But then he nods a little, "And I know man, right now it sucks. I felt pretty crummy about giving up fencing. But in time you can go back and play maybe. Just not professionally, otherwise the temptation will always be there while you're competing. Not fair to your opponents and not fair to yourself."
    Which, for once, is not a ball-busting comment. But then he answers those later questions with a half-smile, "Ah, wouldn't be fair to her if I said. But no she didn't know about my background. She did the whole, 'Be careful citizen!' thing even as she was running off. It was cute."

Morgan Finn has posed:
The teen demigod snorts out a laugh and shakes his head. "They're so cute when they're kids." And he being all of fifteen years old.

"Anyway, no way I'm saying that to Diana. I mean, I know your'e kidding, but she's been really good to me. Quite literally saved my life." He stands and heads into the kitchen to rinse out his glass and leave it in the sink. From the kitchen he calls out, "Is this green stuff supposed to be here?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Yes!" Is the answer even though Alexander likely has no idea what Morgan is talking about. But he keeps drinking a little of the soda now and again, taking his time. But then he's sprawled on the couch, slouching a little in his sea. He waits for Morgan to wander back in before he continues.
    "Though in time you might get a chance to meet her," The vigilante. "Since we might end up going out at some point." His eyes lift a little as if considering the possibilities of the future.
    Then his lip twists, "And yeah, Diana's pretty great. But try not to live too much in her shadow. You gotta go become yer own self as it were."

Morgan Finn has posed:
A broad smile crosses Morgan's face and his eyes glitter with life and energy. "Wait, this girl swoops in and saves your ass from a mugger and now you're gonna take her out? Man, those are endgame boss level tactics. I stand in the presence of greatness!"

"C'mon, if you gonna take her out you can at least tell me who she is? We're frickin' family."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I'll introduce you," He says, and the silent 'when the time is right' is likely understood there. But he lifts a hand, "Seriously, it's not like my sekrit." Then there's a pause as his head tilts to the side, "Though, to be fair, she doesn't wear a mask. So I dunno."
    So instead of agreeing he just puts it off by murmuring, "Ask me again some other time." Though there's an instant as he glances at the rifle on the table and his eyebrows lift as he considers. A small shake of his head is given before he adds, "And you? Dating the gal you mentioned, Belinda?"
    He takes another sip of the soda, then sets the glass down with a short resonant clink before he turns back in his seat and folds his arms across his chest. "Not letting her distract you from school though, right?"

Morgan Finn has posed:
Morgan remains standing, slipping his hands into his jean pockets. He shakes his head. "Belinda? No, we're friends. I mean, we just met a few weeks ago and everyone at school has been so focused on finals. But...I don't know. She's cute and I like her, so who knows what might happen over the summer. I'm not gonna push anything. If it goes that way, it goes that way." The teen has really come a long way in the past several months.

He draws in a breath. "Anyway, I should get back to the Embassy. I have about 200 chemistry flashcards to go through."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Yeah, I have three books I have to read," Alexander says as he shoots a glance at the abandoned Cicero book across the way, then he looks back to Morgan. "But hey thanks for stopping by." He lifts a hand at first seeming like he's going to let the kid roll on out.
    But then he heps up to his feet, starting to stalk over in the direction of the door to at least make it in time long enough to hold it there open for the other Olympian. "But hey man, don't stress about the girls situation. With time you'll find that there are plenty of folk with a casual interest in being romantic. And they'll chase you after a while. You'll have to focus on saying 'no' a lot."
    Which has him nodding a little and waiting to close the door. "Now get lost, I got stuff to do."

Morgan Finn has posed:
Partially because Morgan is a more emotional kid than Alex, and partially because he knows that Alex will hate it, he claps a big ole hug on his cousin. "Thanks man! Don't stay away so long." And he heads on out the door to catch the subway.