1173/The Jerk and the Chick that Stole the Seat

The Jerk and the Chick that Stole the Seat
Date of Scene:	15 April 2020
Location:	Washington Square Park
Synopsis:	Alexander gets a dawg and is a jerk.
Cast of Characters:	Alexander Aaron, Rogue, Heidi Ingerdottir

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Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The fountain in Washington Square Park is an iconic place in Manhattan. Primarily for those who are old enough to have seen Friends, but some realization of the place has filtered out with the memes that have spawned from the show, meeting the consciousness of the latter generation. Alexander is one such member of that generation, old enough to only really remember some parodies of the song from the reddits, his main affection for the park, however, is that it's purty.
    So when Heidi had called and told him she'd like to meet he had offered it as neutral ground. A nice place during the day and evening, and during this hour with the sun so close to setting far off to the West, it's in that warm glow of early evening that is only ever visible in the twilight hour, the magic hour.
    Usually the place is overrun with tourists but not by this time of day. The benches are empty, the fountain continues to trickle and gurgle quietly. There are still a few street vendors selling their wares. But it's under one of the trees that are set to stand sentinel in the middle of some of the paths that Alexander Aaron has taken up residence.
    Slouched there with his rear on the cement divider, his legs drawn up a bit so he can rest his forearms on his knees, he looks thoughtfully toward the fountain... and occasionally tosses a coin off into it in the distance.

Rogue has posed:
Two people are walking side by side in the park not far from where Alexander is. One of them is around 5'7 or so and is a young woman with two tone hair of dark brown and pure snow-white bangs, the other is an older man in his mid 30s or so, but he's decidedly smaller, a 'Little Person' in fact. he has dark hair and a beard and he's moving his stubby arms around as he walks with the young woman.

"Look, Marie." The short man says. "I'm glad to hear you're not with the Brotherhood anymore and I'm glad to hear you're in Manhattan now. I always liked yer spirit and spunk. You were too good for those losers if ya ask me, we both needed outta that mess and here we are! In NEW YORK, BABY!" He throws his stubby arms up into the air while Rogue glances over (and down) at the shorter man to smirk at him, her hair flowing around her shoulders.

"But I got a job for ya." The short man then continues.

"Oh god, Stilts. What is it now?" Marie asks, her southern flavored voice laced with a sultry tone to accompany that rare accent found this far up north.

"It's simple, Iswearit!" Stilts says as he points up at the girl. "Ya play the eye candy to this job. You're indestructible now right? To go along with that..." He does the shifty eyes, in case any 'haters' are nearby. "You know." He eludes and then moves on. He stops her not far away from where Alex is with a back handed slap to her right jeans-encased thigh. "I call ya, ya show up, ya distract'em all for me while my guys do their thing. It's simple! You've done this stuff a bunch, I've seen it."

Rogue turns and looks down at Stilts, her arms cross over her tanktop she's wearing, her hoodie tied around her waist. "Maybe. I'm tryin' t'be a good... er person now though."

It's quite an interesting conversation, if you're an eaves dropping over-hearerer.

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
Heidi's mood seems pleasant. The Asgardian seems unphased by much of anything as she walks in the general direction of the fountain. Dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she looks about as ordinary as you can get for a tall warrior of a woman. Hard to disguise an Asgardian sometimes. Tucked under one arm is what looks like a picnic basket. Large with two top-flaps to cover it, it looks like she's got everything she needs for some kind of picnic. It's hard to tell how heavy it is--for her it's like it weighs nothing.

While she does pass near enough to catch some kind of bit of dialogue, it either doesn't register or doesn't phase her--particularly in her intent to... picnic? Her free hand is raised in Alexander's direction. "Hail!" She calls cheerfully.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    For a time, Alexander seems entirely amused, seated there with Rogue and Stilts sauntering on by partially parking it right in front of him. Of /course/ he's going to eavesdrop. And of /course/ his lip will curl a bit when Rogue gets her leg smacked. He just affixes them both with those curious two-toned hazel eyes, and should they glance over he will be utterly unrepentant in his regard, smiling the while.
    Of course that's the moment, however, when the youth hears the call of the wild Asgardian and turns to lift a hand towards her in a wave. "Hey!" He offers, the Midgardian equivalent and pushes himself to his feet. A glance is given Rogue, but then he starts to step away from that median he had been lounging on.

Rogue has posed:
"So you want t'put me in the middle'a the proverbial lion's den while you do 'something' that ya ain't gonna tell me the specifics on?" Rogue asks the shorter man, her arms still crossed with dark red gloves on that go up to her elbows.

"Not... in /those words/." Stilts replies as he glances over toward Heidi and then Alex who he'd seen was listening to them. "Looks." He says as he puts his eyes back over and up Rogue to her own. "I got a funny feelin' about this place. I'm gonna hit the bricks, okay? I'll text ya this weekend, we'll hash out the 'detes' as you kids say." He flashes a used-carsalesman quality grin to the Southern girl. "Stay classy, Heartbreaker."

"Yeah, right." Rogue says back to Stilts as the little man turns and starts to saunter off toward one of the many pathways in the park. He walks through a flock of birds eating bread crumbs and starts waving his arms around to make them all start chirping and flying around. "Get outta my way, wouldja?!" The angry elevation-inhibited man shouts on his way.

Rogue, however, turns and shakes her head. She moves over to where Alex had been and she sits down to pull out her phone to read a bit about this park, since she's still got a lot to learn about NYC.

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
"Hail Alexander," Heidi says, once she's a little closer and not in need of her hollering at him (although hollering is always important). "I apologize for the sudden message but I have some information to impart to you that comes with an..." Well, she doesn't want to give it away. It's a very particular surprise. She looks at him very intently. "I am not sure how you will take this particular news, so you may want to take a seat."

It could be unexpected. The news part, not the present. Although she doubts he's expecting the basket.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Uh oh." Is the first thing Alexander says as he looks at Heidi, meeting her gaze, then lets his own eyes slip down to the picnic basket, then back to her. For a moment the young Olympian bites his lower lip and looks thoughtfully to her, then gives a nod. "Alright."
    "I was just sitting over here." He says as he turns and starts to walk back toward the divan with the tree where he was sitting...
    Only to find a Rogue having stolen his seat. He shoots a glance over at Heidi over his shoulder, then sort of walks back to where he was and leans over, "Hey."
    A casual greeting given to Rogue.
    Then he reaches behind her to reclaim his backpack that he had left behind. "Just grabbing my bag." He tells her, in case she might think he's creeping on her or whatever.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue has her phone out and her gloved hands are tapping on it while she stares at whatever is on the screen. She looks up when she feels Alex's return approach and then looks back over her shoulder as he reaches for it the backpack. He's very close to some very dangerous skin, but he doesn't seem intent on touching her so much - so she hopes!

She summons a smile then for the young man. "Not the best pick up line, I've ever heard. Could use some refinements. But... I've heard worse too." She responds to him then after lowering her phone to her lap. Her eyes go to Heidi and she notes the picnic basket. "Cute. Ya'll havin' a park date?" She asks Heidi with a sly grin forming on her lips.

Apparently she assumes they're together.

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
Heidi offers Rogue a charming smile at the question. "Oh, no, Alexander is not interested in such things." It's an odd answer, and not one she elaborates on, really. "I imagine he might be if you asked." Her chipper attitude remains, though she doesn't actually wait for Alexander to sit before she begins the very serious conversation.

"Your uncle decided to track me down." She'll let that little tidbit settle before she continues anything. Rogue, of course, gets a front row seat... and may have noticed the basket move.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "If I was trying to pick you up I'd say something more like, 'I'd like to apologize in advance for our wedding night.'" But his smirk is more chiding as he slings that backpack over his shoulder and slips his hands into his pockets. Just yet another college student out and about in the city, she's probably seen hundreds of guys like him. Though there are small bits of him that are curious.
    Though he looks over at Heidi as Rogue asks if they're having a date and he makes a face at her as if to apologize for Rogue before he looks back at the girl with the two-toned hair and tells her.
    "You know, lady, you have a deplorable excess of personality." Oh no he dinnint.
    Though as soon as he says that he's /instantly/ distracted when Heidi brings up his uncle. "I'm sorry, what now?" And ok,he does sit then, on that nearby bench, letting him eyeball Rogue a little while he still talks to Heidi.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue gives Heidi a sincere grin as she leans back a little and slips her phone in to her jeans' pocket on her right hip. She does note the basket moving a little and it does pique her curiosity as she looks back to Alex when he first gives her a charming little return quip and then insults her. That's an interesting combo of approaches.

She just smiles at him all the same. "Better than havin' a shit personality." She replies with her hands going to either sides of her hips to balance herself as she crosses her legs at the knees, her jeans tucked in to a pair of knee-high leather boots that have two inch heels.

Not one to entirely invade upon the two and their personal lives, she just looks away now to enjoy the scenery of the lovely park herself.

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
"Alexander, I think that would be incredibly rude to insinuate that you're the marrying type to attract someone." Heidi tilts her head to the side as she looks at him, and then she catches his comment towards Rogue. She blinks, entirely surprised that he's making the comment at all, and then he looks between the two of them. "You could say the same thing about me, Alexander. I do not know what sort of bland individuals you have been associating with, but for me, when I find someone with personality I /laud/ them for it."

There is certainly an 'oh no you didn't' look she's giving him. She offers Rogue a smile. "I would offer an apology on his behalf but he's an adult who should be doing it himself."

Now that she's certain that he's distracted by something, she quickly talks about his family again. "Your uncle would like to ask for the opportunity to meet with you."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The youth with the blond hair grimaces and his eyebrows raise as he purses his lips, entirely grumpy and growly as he gets it from both angles. His jaw extends, tightens, then his teeth grind. But he at first tries to explain, "It's a quote, from Groucho... you know what? Nevermind."
    But then he looks over at Rogue and perhaps realizes he was sort of taking it out on her, other aspects of what are going on. So he inhales slowly, exhales, then he looks again at the girl who stole his seat and thus became embroiled in his life albeit peripherally. So he tells her, "Hey..."
    "She's right, sorry. I can be a jerk and thoughtless." And for some reason he does seem a little off balance with Heidi, so he takes a deep breath. "You don't have a deplorable excess of personality. I am sure it's a perfectly fine amount of personality."
    A slight glance is given toward Heidi as if to see if that might sit right with her. And then she mentions his uncle again which causes him to bite his lower lip for a moment longer. "That's not good news."

Rogue has posed:
Heidi gets a big smile from the southern girl as she nods once toward the other woman. "You're a sweetie. Here's hopin' ya rub off a bit on your man friend here." She nods toward Alex who then goes on to apologize and it gets a sly grin out of her. She shakes her head side to side. "Don't worry about it, met plenty'a worse folks in my time. Guess I stole your seat too, so that'd probably annoy me also."

So she moves to stand up then, uncrossing her legs and rising up to her full height once more. She unties the hoodie from her waist and then starts to slip it up and on to her otherwise bare arms, save for the gloves up her forearms.

Once it's on over her shoulders she adjusts it a bit, then zips it up to mid-chest level. "Whatever's in that basket is gettin' restless. But with that said, I don't wanna intrude on ya'lls life, so I hope it goes well." She gives them botha grin and seems to be on her way now, reaching to pull her phone out of her pants pocket once again.

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
His apology and reaction does seem to have soothed Heidi's chiding nature, and she seems find that he's at least returned to being nice. Then there's also the mention of her basket being restless and she peeks at it as if shocked before she looks quickly back to Alexander. "I must explain myself before it is too late." She does give Rogue a little wave, a cheerful looking one before she looks back to Alexander. After all, the basket surprise is going to be the best part.

"Oh no, he was not rude but requested simply the opportunity to talk. I told him that I could not force you or trick you and that I would appeal to you that you speak with him and that is all I would do. And then I asked him for proof of his good favor!"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Watching Rogue depart, Alexander ponders saying something further, but instead just lifts a hand in a small wave. He already said too much probably and stuck his foot in his mouth before. Best not to exacerbate the situation. So he looks again to Heidi.
    Well really he looks at the basket. Then back to Heidi, then the basket again. He turns on that bench and faces her more directly, frowning a little. "Heidi, he's the guy who sent those things we fought when we first met. The skeleton creatures and the... monstrosities. Whatever he said to you he was lying."
    A pause, "And if he gave you something you should be careful with it."

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
"Oh, I have taken very good care of it." Wait, what? Heidi looks at him seriously. "I promised your uncle that I would deliver him to you, and if you do not wish to keep him I will return him to your uncle." She isn't sure how she'll do that, but...

She holds the basket out towards Alexander. "His name is Molo and he is, I believe the term is, 'the goodest boy'."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    For a time he eyes her curiously and then when she extends that package to him he'll watch her with a hint of wariness. Only for him to uncover the basket and reveal that pitch black six week old mastiff pup with the snurfling and sluffing sound, followed by the faint cry of him not recognizing where he is, or who this human is that's looking at him.
    And she can likely catch the very instant that Alexander's heart breaks as he looks down at the pup, then back up at her, then back down at the pup. He bites his lower lip and says, "But..."
    The basket is set down as Alexander retakes his seat, and slowly extracts the puppy from within. A big pup even for six week, and snurfling and squeaking all the while he's not held in the young Olympian's arms. "But this has to be a trick." Which is when Molo starts licking him of course.

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
"I did specifically ask for something to prove that he had good intentions in meeting with you. I have been caring for him for several days and it seems as if Molo is no trick. He is a very sweet boy who only wants cuddles and love and he will lick your face if you let him." Heidi sounds proud, like somehow she had caused this. "Your uncle said that he is known for his dogs, I believe." She nods towards the pup. "Perhaps consider it. If you would like someone with you if you decide to meet with him, I would be at your side if you ask me."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    She can see the youth's eyes widen as he looks at Molo and even as he's petting the pup, stroking his fluffy ears and scritching his head... he's arguing against it all the while.
    "This is a bad idea. I've never had a dog." He bites his lower lip and keeps right on petting and letting the little critter climb up his chest in its efforts to lick his face, which he does not stop it at all, the pup just licking like crazy.
    "And it has to come with strings attached. And..." He takes a deep breath, "Oh man if my dad finds out that I took him in from my uncle."
    Alexander shakes his head and his brow furrows as he tries to figure all of this out. "Aww man," He says softly as he looks down at the mastiff pup and he shakes his head. "I'm so screwed."

Heidi Ingerdottir has posed:
"Technically it was given to me and then I gave it to you so you have avoided directly taking anything from your uncle," Heidi states, then she shakes her head. "He seemed to believe that you were fresh blood and had a new perspective on everything and would wish to meet with you." She can't help but smile. "Even if you should not wish to... you have a very cute new friend. Molo, the bestest boy."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    After a moment, still being licked profusely by Molo, Alexander's eyes widen a little as he nods to her. "You know... that... that might just work." And as he says that he smiles at her, then leans his face in to let the mastiff pup go lick crazy!