14930/So Let Me Tell You About Kelsey

So Let Me Tell You About Kelsey
Date of Scene:	16 May 2023
Location:	Elizabeth Braddock's Penthouse of Lazy Non-Builderness.
Synopsis:	Alexander updates Bets on the Ares situation.
Cast of Characters:	Betsy Braddock, Alexander Aaron

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Betsy Braddock has posed:
Betsy had just gotten home. She stepped out of the private elevator that led to her penthouse and turned to set her keys and bag on the table next to it for just that purpose. She saw the other set of keys already in the dish and realized she was not home alone.

Turning, she headed to the right for the living area. Only to find it empty. A glance up toward the high ceiling as though she might be able to see someone through the flooring. She could not. At least, not with her eyes.

A quick mental scan let her pinpoint the location then she called out through the psionic link. "I'm home. Be up there in a moment."

And she headed for the stairs, destination being the kitche. She was dressed in a pair of heels with some flowing slacks along with a white blouse under a light tan coat. All designer because of course. It had been a long day of consultations with designers hoping to use her for their campaigns and she was ready to relax.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The scent of pasta and some kind of alfredo sauce likely met her as she headed up the steps to the next floor where the first kitchen was. Alexander didn't like to use the larger one that was on the top floor since it was a very elaborate one, very large, too large really considering it was meant for events and for whatever caterers that were on the scene. This one on the second floor, it was still rather large but definitely more for a home body or one person to whip up a meal now and again.
    Which suited him just fine.
    As she advanced she could also catch the scent of a few chopped veggies, onions definitely, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers. All that seemed to have a home in a bowl to the side likely for a salad. But then she would espy the young blond man at the counter as he peers down at a recipe card that had things nicely illustrated and outlined. Such concentration in those pale eyes with his hands flat on the counter, various accoutrement scattered around the kitchen. He looked up and smiled slightly sidelong to her, "Hey."
    Just his usual small greeting, though it's given extra life as he steps closer, taking her in a one-armed embrace and kissing her softly before turning back a little. "How did it go?" Then without waiting for an answer he adds, "Just making some dinner."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
As she entered the room, she took a deep breath of the aromatic scents filling the air. "Okay, that smells amazing," she stated as he came over to give that little one-armed hug--hopefully the clean arm!--and quick kiss before moving back to continue his work.

She moved closer, but not too close just in case of splattering sauce. Which put her near salad fixings where she reached for a piece of cucumber.

"It went well," Betsy said with a smile. "I signed on to do two different collections coming up. One wants to shoot in Hawaii. When I find out the exact dates, we can see if you might get off work so you can go with me?" she suggested hopefully. "If all of the stuff with your family is cleared up, of course. How is that going?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "That's possible, though I haven't accrued much vacation time yet," Alexander goes back and checks on the pasta, a small timer next to it showing it still has a few more minutes to go but the young Olympian seems to not trust the progress of time for some reason as he's often checking. One eyebrow quirks, "Hawaii could be fun."
    Straightening up he walks over to the sink and washes his hands, just a small tap of the soap dispenser then rubbing his knuckles for a bit. He dries them off on the apron he's wearing which has no pithy saying upon it, just a green apron that one might imagine a grocer wearing. "And the family stuff is somewhat in flux." Yet he gets a wry smile on his lips.
    Turning back to her he leans back against the counter and half-smiles, "But they appointed the bodyguard for him." Who 'him' is she likely knows. Then he adds, "And it was... pretty great. Though I shouldn't laugh."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Betsy tossed the bit of cucumber in her mouth and chewed as he was washing up and answering the question. Only, that particular answer phrased in that particular way? There was a definite story here and she was all for it.

She spoke after she swallowed. Thoughts of Hawaii were forgotten for the time being. Even if he couldn't get the time off, they would have chances in the future.

Him had to be his father. Since he didn't talk about himself in the third person. If he ever did, they would be having a chat about how annoying such things were.

"If they appointed one for him, does that mean you aren't far behind? And definitely tell. I could use a good laugh."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Ah I hope not," Alexander says at the idea of a bodyguard entering into his life, his eyebrows rising with a look of mild annoyance. He rests his hands on the counter and looks down at them, then back up at her. "I know people like... know, but I hate the idea of people having insight into my life. Even if it's for like, valid reasons." He crinkles his nose a little then.
    Then he brightens and tilts his head to the side, "But. So they sent word they were sending the bodyguard over, and you should have seen it. Dad was... standing there, and he was totally prepping to look all intimidating for whomever it was. He was practicing his stern angry look, trying different poses behind the desk."
    A grin lit up Alex's features, "I mean, perhaps not entirely to that extent. But still."
    He takes a deep breath, "And then Daisy and I come in and he gives us the angry look. And then looks all disappointed when we're not the bodyguard. But okay, then there's a knock at the door..."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
While she had not yet met his father, Betsy had seen a couple of pictures when Alexander shared them. The man was massive. He'd also not really been smiling in those pictures. But he wasn't actively trying to look intimidating so she took a moment to imagine it.

Being a good telepath, she didn't just take the image from Alexander's head.

The idea of him practicing looking intimidating had Betsy giggling faintly but she nodded. Especially when replaced with disappointment upon the two agents entering instead.

Then he left it hanging and she urged him forward. "Did he resume his intimidation pose in time?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I think so, but I had turned to look."
    Alexander smiled a little crookedly and took a deep breath, "And in walks this young woman, who is..." Alex holds up a hand to the middle of his chest, "She's like yea high, seriously. Like Monica is super short. But this gal is..." He then lowers that hand to the counter again and grins, shaking his head.
    "But she's this pretty blond gal, older than me I think. And she makes these professional introductions. And my dad he just..." Alex shakes his head and smiles a little, "He just starts to laugh. Like big goofy guffaws and he announces something like, 'This is what is supposed to protect me? I could break her in half.'"
    Which has Alex taking in a deep breath, "Needless to say she did not care for that."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Being trained as she had been--or was that how Kwannon had been? Either way, Betsy knew that size didn't really matter in most martial arts. Even a smaller opponent could deal with a larger. Too extreme and it was trickier but it was still possible. She'd also seen it in action.

She tried to imagine his mountain of a father and this smaller-than-Monica person. Which caused Betsy to tilt her head to the side a bit. A nod to the professional introductions but then he revealed the dirty details.

"Oh no, he did not. Like she wasn't even in the room to hear him?!" She shook her head but couldn't help grinning a little because yes, that would not go over well with someone she suspected. "What did she say?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "She was right there, glaring daggers up at him. And he just kept laughing." Alex shakes his head and sighs a little, smiling a bit but still shaking his head. "So she recites to him her resume in essence. And she has this background, military, marines, some special forces work, then private sector. And he just... laughs."
    Alex shakes his head, gesturing to the side, "And he said something else, but I don't remember exactly what. It was disparaging, and she counters with how she could put him down. And for a second it's almost as if they're going to get into a fight right there."
    A deep breath is taken, then the pasta lid starts to jump and jounce around as a little of the water boils over. Alex steps forward and takes the lid off, then checks the timer again. 30 seconds to go. Important to cook all the way! So he leaves it for now. Then he smiles, "But we got them distracted. Daisy was good about it. Sometimes I feel like my main job on this world is to be my dad's Rodeo clown and distract him from things."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
The continuation has her grinning and giggling a bit more, because his own amusement was infectious. And she was imagining it all playing out like it might on a big screen which added to the humor. Though when he mentioned they were about to go at it, Betsy drew in a sharp breath. "Oh dear."

Only to have it resolved and she let out that breath in a relieved sigh. "I'm so glad you both were able to get it settled. And presumably there was no violence and things will continue forward with the boyguard?"

Although that brought her back full circle. "If they believe the threat is strong enough, they still might assign you one. SHIELD or no."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well she learned that myself and Daisy work for SHIELD, so hopefully she'll take that back to her people and maybe that'll lean toward not making that financial expenditure." Alex eases down toward the pot of sauce and stirs it some, the fresh garlic smelling fairly strong and nice. He tilts his head to the side back toward her, "But yeah, they eventually calmed down. Though I get the feeling they were waiting until they were left alone for them to have... more severe words. Though hopefully not."
    He picks up the pot of pasta and moves over toward the sink where the collander is left within. He pours out the boiling water and shakes the pasta a bit, getting more of the water to drip out.
    "So anyways, going to go over there tomorrow and see if they've killed each other." A slight smirk ghosts across Alex's face as he shakes his head. "But that's for another day. I'm glad you're home." He kisses her cheek again in passing as he starts to put the elements of the meal together, "Go get settled from your day, dinner should be ready in five minutes or so."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
"Hopefully they settled into some sort of peace. They are stuck with each..." SHe paused as he had mentioned worst case. "You're kidding, right? You don't think they would Actually kill each other? I mean I know he's Olympian and somewhat...tempermental."

That was the polite way to say if. Very British of her.

But she did nod at his suggestion and turned. "I'll go get changed. Looking forward to dinner and just relaxing. Maybe rock, paper, scissors to decide who has remote control privileges."

And with that, she headed out the door.