15245/So Glad I MetU

So Glad I MetU
Date of Scene:	27 June 2023
Location:	Metropolis University
Synopsis:	Miles, Franklin, and Eve dispense with a bully on the MetU campus. Miles and Eve chat on their way to get milkshakes.
Cast of Characters:	Eve Wilkins, Franklin Richards, Miles Morales

---

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Summer at Metropolis University, and the weather outside is perfect. Not too hot (okay.. maybe a little too hot), clear skies, birds singing, and the sounds of the city in the distance -- the dull roar of cars and jets, the occasional horn, and even a siren every once in a while. Metropolis was no Gotham, after all, and it was even safer out on the grounds of the university.

And those grounds are bright, lush, and green with pathways surrounding fountains, a sprinkling of benches with tables underneath some lush trees to keep the sun off, and then the massive building of MetU looming over it all.

During the Fall and Spring semesters, the university is packed. Inside the main building, it's a roar of activity -- students walking and talking, some yelling, books dropping, doors slamming. Even outside, the students would swarm like a mob of angry ants across the grounds, sprawling out on the green studying, some even breaking the rules by jumping into the fountain. But this the Summer semester. And it's much quieter both inside and out.

Only a fraction of the students stayed behind for the summer, usually either trying to catch up from failed classes or get ahead so they can graduate early. And among these students is one tall, slender redhead, who's currently standing in front of an even taller (and much more muscled jock), her green eyes flaring angrily. She has a black backpack slung over her shoulder, but otherwise she's just in a red tank top, denim shorts, and Chucks.

"I don't care! It was rude! I didn't /say/ anything about it last time, but I literally just watch you /intentionally/ knock that kid's binder off the pincic table. What is even the /point/ of what you're doing?" She's practically screaming at the big dude. Well, she kind of is screaming at the big dude.

And he's looking down at her with an expression that is quickly turning from amused to a less than thrilled, arms folding menacingly over his chest.

Franklin Richards has posed:
Franklin Richards, true to his nature, finds himself running late once again. He had willingly agreed to assist the Astrology department by retrieving some precious Mars dust for their research. While it may not have posed a significant challenge for Franklin to acquire, he understood the immeasurable value it held for the department. Despite never being a student at this or any other school, Franklin recognized the profound impact education had on others and often sought ways to support it beyond monetary donations.

As he hurried along, Franklin donned a meticulously tailored black leather jacket adorned with intricate silver stitching, a visual representation of his unique individuality. Underneath, his vibrant crimson T-shirt caught the eye, featuring a subtle geometric pattern that added a contemporary touch to his overall appearance. Pairing it with slim-fit dark jeans, he effortlessly exuded youthful energy, while his choice of sleek white sneakers combined both comfort and style.

Lost in his thoughts and seemingly oblivious to the ongoing argument nearby, Franklin accidentally bumped into a jock, though not even hard enough to break hi stride. Quickly realizing his unintentional act, Franklin offered a sincere apology with a friendly smile, before resuming his path. However, as he took a few steps forward, he abruptly halted, surveying the surroundings in a perplexed manner. It dawned on him that he had no clue where the Astrology department was located within the vast university grounds.

Unfazed by the presence of others, Franklin reached into one of his pockets and retrieved a folded piece of paper. With a series of repetitive unfolding, he revealed a large, printed up map that required both of his hands to hold. His focus shifted to deciphering the map, meticulously studying its details in an attempt to grasp his current location before embarking on his quest to find the elusive department.

Miles Morales has posed:
Okay, let's do this one more time.

My name is Miles Morales. You know the rest. I'm this universe's...among the COUPLE Spider-Man heroes walking around. And I know I'm not the only complicated story around here, but to keep it simple, I got invited out here for a seminar. It was lame.

Really bad.

Turns out Quantum Physics has a lot of theories that I already knew about. C'mon, I'm trying to learn something new for my project. Undortunately, that brings us to right here...right in front of a bully-gets-got billboard compliments of...Wow.

Who is THAT?!

Miles clears his throat, his appearance somewhat preppy. Black slacks with same-color shoes, white button-up, black tie, blue blazer coat with a separate university logo on it. His hair is curly and well-styled, a watch on his wrist.

"You know...really not nice to cross your arms when someone's calling you out. I think instead of-"

He does his best Neanderthal impression, in addition to grunts and looking as dumb as possible.

"You could try 'Sorry, won't happen again'."

He turns to Eve, gives her a friendly smile...maybe kinda flirty. "Hey." JUST like Uncle Aaron taught him!

BUT TO THE MAIN THING why he's here. Miles turns back to the bigger guy.

"Go on."

Eve Wilkins has posed:
"The point is it's /funny/," the jock grumps down at Eve. "What are you--"

It's Miles that gets there first, and the jock blinks down at him. He was, after all, the same height as the redhead. And, even together, the two of them probably only /just/ made up his sheer weight.

Well, maybe he wasn't quite /that/ big, but he certainly thought he was.

Unfortunately, he didn't think about much else. Because when Miles launches into his Neanderthal impression, the jock blinks at him and looks.. really.. a LOT like Miles was impersonating.

Eve laughs. She can't help herself. At least she had the decency to cover her mouth with one hand, but it still showed in the glint of her emerald eyes when she looked between the two of them.

And then there's Miles's comment about saying sorry, and the jock's eyes flare.

"Hey," Eve said back to Miles, offering a kind of flirty, quirkly grin right back at him. At the exact same time, the jock bellowed, "LOOK HERE YOU LITTLE--"

And at that exact moment, Franklin bumped into him. The jostle was enough to startle the jock, making him jump sideways like he'd been ambushed. And when he does it? He.. flails. Like.. flails as if a little girl had just felt a spider crawling up her arm.

Eve loses it. She's laughing so hard she actually has to sit down on a nearby bench and rest her face in her hands. The sound is genuine and not at all quiet.

"THIS AIN'T OVER!" screams the jock, glaring at the both of them, but apparently too embarrassed to stick around. So, he marches off.

Franklin Richards has posed:
Upon hearing Miles utter something about not letting it happen again, Franklin's attention is immediately piqued. He pauses what he's doing and turns to Miles, his expression filled with interest and a small smile. In that moment, this could cause Spider-Sense within Miles starts tingling intensely, causing him to sense an impending danger. The tingling sensation would seem to emanate from all directions, enveloping him completely. Franklin's focus shifts quickly though as he is starting to see the whole situation.

Realizing that he has stumbled into something beyond his initial understanding, Franklin's initial frustration subsides. He looks at the girl, then the jock, and finally at Miles. Taking a deep breath to collect his thoughts, Franklin decides to address the situation at hand. He begins folding his map again, a familiar gesture that helps him gather his composure. Stepping closer to Miles and positioning himself between him and the bully, Franklin suggests, "Let's try to diffuse this situation. How about we all work together to clean up this mess?" He hopes that by diverting attention away from confrontation and towards a shared goal, he can prevent any further escalation. "By the way, I'm Franklin Richards," he introduces himself, extending a hand as a gesture of goodwill.

Miles Morales has posed:
"I'm just saying, it's easier to say sorry and play Candy Crush than to not say sorry and don't play Candy Crush." Miles suggests to the big bully.

Though Eve has him in a sort of way, Miles tries to keep up a confident swagger - something he has difficulty with without the mask. The flirty, quirky grin she sends his way allows a wink shot back in her direction.

"Huh? What? Did he say something? I really thought he said something." Miles was fully focused on what Eve was saying, but he looks confused as the big bully starts to flail as if spiders were all over him.

"Woah. I feel like that takes the 'please don't touch' thing to a whole new level. Want to-" The jock is running fully away! "Haha, sure man." He snickers, looking Franklin's way. "Hey man good timing-"

That intense tingling sensation at the back of his head starts going HAYWIRE as he looks at Franklin, he seems to hesitate and put his strong foot behind him instinctively.

Then it turns out he's a nice guy. It makes Miles defuse a little bit, even if he's just being friendly. "Nice to meet you Franklin. Richards...like Jaegar bombastic, Mr. Fantastic Richards?" Miles asks. "Cool my guy. I'm Miles Morales." He says his last name with an accent. Puerto Rican?

"Who knew that guy could flail like that?"

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eve has her face in her hands while Franklin is walking up, trying to get her hysterical laughter under control, but once she hears introductions start to be made, she wipes under hear eyes and shakes her head at Miles.

"You don't understand," she says. "That's the second time today that guy has tried to be a jerk and got knocked on his butt for it. The first time, it was literal. That was just... priceless. I'm just sorry I didn't have my phone out."

Finally, she's standing and looking around the little gathering, her hands reaching back to tuck into the rear pockets of her shorts as she looks between the two of them. She has this entirely relaxed, confident demeanor that somehow walked the line between not caring about anything and actually looking like she would invite another fight. She's just comfortable in her own skin.

"Thanks for the assist. Even if it was unintentional at first," Eve tells Franklin, her smile still broad enough to reach her eyes. "Sometimes you just can't tell about people. I'm Eve, by the way." No last name. She looks over at Miles, though, and for whatever reason, it seems like she has a kind of perpetual inside joke going with him, the way she grins at him with that twinkle of mischief in her eyes. "Frat boy?" Her eyes had spotted the university logo on his blazer.

But then her attention is back on Franklin.

"Oh! Wilkins... if we're doing the whole.. last name thing. Seems kinda formal. It's just.. Eve, unless you're filling out some DMV forms on me or something. Hey. Didn't you have a map out? Are you looking for something?"

Franklin Richards has posed:
Franklin's embarrassment fades as he chuckles lightly at his own admission. "Mr. Fantastic is my father, Reed Richards." he confesses, not one to hide his famous lineage. "So, please, just call me Franklin. Some people have been calling me Franky, but please, never powerhouse. I hate that nickname," he adds, shaking his head. Franklin had once embraced that moniker during his crime-fighting days, but now it's a name he'd rather forget. Despite his openness about his abilities, Franklin's relationship with the government is complicated. They know better than to mess with him, as he holds immense power that could either aid them or make them disappear. It's a delicate balance, but having the Fantastic Four as public figures has worked out well for everyone involved.

Turning his attention to Miles, Franklin smiles and nods approvingly. "Well, Miles Morales, it's a good thing you helped your friend out there. Just remember, even bullies have their reasons," he advises. Franklin watches as the bully scurries away and reflects, "Life isn't easy for anyone, but it does have its moments," he says with a chuckle, acknowledging the complexities of human existence. His own experiences, coupled with his unique perspective on life, contribute to his passive approach in such situations.

Franklin then looks at Eve and reassures her, "Stay calm, everything will be alright. This probably won't be the last time something like this happens. But let me ask you, do you believe this confrontation is a solution?" He takes a seat on the other side of the bench, maintaining a calm demeanor. "I'm not saying it's wrong to stand up against injustice, but perhaps you're approaching it from the wrong angle. It's not harm he has brought, but rather an opportunity for growth," Franklin suggests, his tone filled with a hint of amusement. "I've dabbled in quite a few topics myself, so if your work has been damaged, I could help you repair or replace it. How about it, Just Eve?" he jokes lightly. "Don't blame the messenger, just hear the message," he concludes, confident in his ability to offer assistance and a different perspective.

Miles Morales has posed:
"Sorry to hear he's a frequent flier. Maybe second time unlucky will soften him up?" Miles lifts his shoulders in a shrug. Her confidence was outstanding, even inspirational. "Good job standing up to that guy. Can't back down when wrongs are being done. Kudos!" Miles smiles.

'Frat Boy?'

Now its Miles's turn to start laughing his heart out. "Ohhh no, no, no, no, no. Not a frat boy. Goodness, my mother would have my scalp if I was. Scholarship mathlete would be probably a bit better. I'm visiting from Gotham. Gotta say, Metropolis is full of surprises." Oh yes, he seems to be fully aware of some kind of rapport he seems to have with Eve, his eyes sparkling with some measure of the mischief reflected in her eyes, with a side order of general chaos.

Then Franklin is speaking about being proudly his father's son. "Cool man. My dad's a police officer. Dads, amirite?" Miles shrugs and gives Franklin a little elbow nudge. "Lost? I'm good at reading maps!" Miles shoves his hands into his pockets, sliding next to Eve as they regard Franklin's potential lostness!

"Oh, I'm sure he has his reasons and he's acting out because of this, that, and the other thing. But sometimes you gotta let them know that being a jerk can't slide and it can't be tolerated. Hurt people'll hurt people, but we can stand up for ourselves in the meantime and talk to him later to see if we can course correct once the tension dies down." He shrugs.

"I just don't get along with bullies too often."

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eve rolls one delicate shoulder at Miles, her expression not seeming particularly hopeful, but at the compliment, she seems to brighten. "Thanks. Just doing my part." Of course, even that statement seemed to have some sort of amused undertones to it -- like there was a joke she just wasn't letting anyone in on. Or maybe it was just that infections happiness and confidence she had so much of.

Her orange-red eyebrows eyebrows lift as she listens to Franklin, though, and for most of the time he's speaking, she doesn't seem to know whether or not he's being serious. At one point she blinks a couple of times and then looks back at Miles, but it's almost like she's searching for a sanity check or some other cue -- is Miles laughing?

Well, yes, but not at the things Franklin was saying. And so Eve rolls her lips together and sort of rocks up into her toes, doing her best not to burst out laughing again as Miles starts talking about /not/ being a frat boy.. but being a mathlete instead. And then she just can't help it. Some more of that laughter escapes, and her eyes are full of amusement.

"Oooooooh. Nerd." Except, there's nothing but affection in her eyes, like it was a term of endearment rather than a condemnation.

Then those green eyes are back on Franklin again, patiently (barely) tolerating being told to 'Stay calm' (though it still makes her eye twitch in that way that made it obvious she was thinking of punching him).

"For now, it is. He kicked a guy that had fallen down, earlier, and now he's on his way home. Seems like a win, to me, but I'm not a social worker. He's obviously a big baby, but he can find someone to cry to if he needs to. I was just here keep him from hurting anyone else. No harm done to my stuff. My crappy math homework is completely intact, unfortunately."

She pauses, then, and glances over at Miles.

"/And/ what he said." She smiles. "Because he said it better than I did."

Beat.

"There's a place around the corner that does fantastic milkshakes. You guys wanna grab a milkshake?" She glances back to Franklin, then, and grins. "I'll buy you a milkshake if you can at least postpone the lecture to a day when I don't have a headache from homework. Besides, I've already got a date tonight, and I don't need /that/ floating around up there while I'm trying to be charming."

Franklin Richards has posed:
Franklin smiles warmly at Miles and nods in agreement. "It's okay, you're not wrong," he reassures him. He pauses for a moment, raising a finger as he considers the situation. "It's not your responsibility to fix them, so no one can blame you for disliking them," Franklin chuckles, feeling a tinge of jealousy. He longs for the freedom to intervene as he once did. When he was younger, he would manipulate time to keep everything the same, unchanging and ageless. But his father eventually discovered his actions, and it got Franklin into trouble.

Turning to face Eve, Franklin chuckles and shakes his head. "You remind me of my sister. She also gets extremely angry at people like that, she also tends to choose confrontation," he says, recalling similar traits in his sibling fearing for anyone who crosses her. He stands up from the bench, realizing he needs to deliver the space dust or there will be panic. "I really should be off. I hope you can consider this fortunate accident as more than just another instance of witnessing bullying. It allowed me to meet two interesting new people," he says, nodding to both Eve and Miles. "Take care, both of you. Don't worry, I'll find my way. I always do in the end," he reassures them as he starts to move away but then stops.

"Oh, one last thing," Franklin adds, turning back to face them. "I've spoken to many oracles and prophets, and you know what they've always told me?" He raises a finger in the air for emphasis. "Never try to dictate what someone should become."

"Who knows, maybe he'll come back as a whole new person," he says with a laugh, hinting at the possibility of intervening for the sake of fun. After all, he knows how to teach bullies lessons they'll never forget.

Miles Morales has posed:
"Your part is always enough. Always remember that, okay?" Miles remarks to Eve and lifts his hands out of his pockets to give her a big thumbs up! Her happiness and general attitude was contagious and Miles was immediately contaminated.

Fully sane! Unless you deem going out in the day and in the night as a web-themed vigilante helping the neighborhood one small step at a time.

Her laughter makes him smile and his shoulders lazily lift. "Hey, being a nerd is the new sexy." He OOZES confidence right now, and it's good there's affection in her eyes, it's reflected off of his own as he leans to give a playful elbow nudge to her. "I thought you did good saying it. Sorry about your currently still-existing math homework. Are you having trouble? Math is kinda my whole deal."

Milkshakes?

"Totally! Anything to deflate from that awful seminar. I think I almost fell asleep. I'm down for milkshakes." He hears she has a date later and he somewhat slumps his shoulders, but tries to hide it quickly.

"Well, I think it's more than disliking. It's about standing up for people. Because trauma's a poor excuse to hurt people, at least in my opinion. I'm sure he'll be alright. He seems to have an ego that quickly recovers."

He tilts his head at Franklin. "-Unless it's a better person and self-improvement?" He then looks at Eve and mouths 'prophets?' But Franklin is starting to take off and Miles waves at him.

"Take care man! Hope to see you again sometime." Besides, his dad is REED RICHARDS! What a guy. Though Miles will never understand Franklin's capabilities and his dedication to passiveness, and while it's not a bad thing...

Gotta stand up.

"Ya never know!" Bully might come back a new person, but any reality-shifting affects or implications are lost on Miles.

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eve laughs at Miles's two thumbs up, and Franklin comparing her to his sister initially has Eve smiling. But then the explanations of 'extremely angry' and 'tends to choose confrontation' are offered, and her mouth falls open. One hand rises to point at her own chest defensively.

"I am /not/ angry!" Well, she sounded a little angry -now-.

But then Franklin's standing and getting ready to leave, so she purses her lips and lets it go, just blowing out a little huff of a breath through her nose. Geeze. She tried to do /one/ one good thing, and suddenly /everybody/ is a critic!

Eve's eyes shift back to Miles, and there's a kind of incredulous smile. "I /am/ struggling, but my date tonight is with my new math tutor." She laughs softly. "Which seems unethical, but he /said/ the tutoring sessions were free, anyway..." Though, now that she said it out loud, she seemed a little skeptical.

"It was.. very interesting to meet you, Franklin," the redhead says, borrowing his own word with a quirky smile. "Good luck finding wherever it is you're going."

And then the thing about he prophet, and she and Miles had exactly the same thought at exactly the same time. Her eyes widen slightly when he mouths the word, and she does her best not to laugh again.

"...Right. Got it." Technically, Eve couldn't dictate what someone would become. She could only manipulate simple organic matter like plants, not /people/. Which was super unfortunate, sometimes. So, all she can say is, "I hope so!"

And then she's moving her bag to her other shoulder, opposite Miles, to walk towards the perimeter of the school. The milkshake place was around the corner. And once they're a few paces away (/maybe/ out of earshot?), she looks over at him with a broad smile.

"Why do I feel like when he said /witnessing bullying/, he was talking about me?"

Miles Morales has posed:
"I don't think you were angry."

Miles remarks with a bit of a smile towards her. "I think Franklin has a...kind of different viewpoint that doesn't really click with us. And that's okay. If everyone was the same, I think we'd all be /so/ boring." He smirks at her. "YOu..have a date with your math tutor?" Miles hums. "Well...I guess that's one way to get a date..." He's a little sad said math tutor isn't him, but...well, Miles can shoot his shot perhaps a different time, lest he cause offense.

But, Miles happily follows alongside Eve until they get far enough away that they can speak privately. "Because he probably was...though I think I did more witnessing and you did more confronting. Wouldn't have noticed maybe if you weren't like.../right in his face/ you know? Which, by the way, brave. He's a big guy, but he was taking you serious."

He smirks. "How long have you been going here? New student? Been awhile?" He asks as he walks with her, and he considers. "Metropolis native or a visitor?"

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eve purses her lips and side-eyes Miles on their way along the sidewalk. "Well.." Her eyes were guilty. "If I'm being completely honest, I might have been a /little/ angry." And then humor glints in their green depths and she's back to watching where she's going again.

/You have a date with your math tutor?/

"I.. do. Remember the guy that I said was on the ground that jerkface back there kicked?" Her smile thins. "That's... my new math tutor." The faintest of blushes touches her cheeks as she smiles and walks along. If she noticed Miles's disappointment, she didn't let it show, but she does laugh at his mention of it being one way to get a date. "Hey, I'm new in town. I'm not about to turn down a date." She paused, lips quirking. "Though, I'm honestly not sure which one of us asked the other one out. So..." Maybe that doesn't apply. Whatever. Either way, it seemed to amuse her.

And then she's laughing again. It seemed to come so easily for her.

"Hey, he's not my first Goliath. I'm from Happy Harbor. Despite the name, there's plenty of bullies. I kind of made a hobby out of standing up for people when they needed me. It's kind of a hard habit to break, now."

Even if she wasn't really doing the superhero thing, anymore.

"First semester. I.." She cringes. "I sort of failed the math part of my entrance exam? So, they're making me take remedial algebra over the summer before I can start in the fall. I aced the science part of the exam, though! So, there's that. What about you?" She points at his blazer again. "You said you live in Gotham. What do you do in Gotham? Are you a student? Or are you a professional mathlete slash nerd?" Yes, she even says the word slash.

Miles Morales has posed:
"It's okay to be angry-"

Miles offers with a look of humor in his eyes and genuine sincerity. "As long as you use it right, you know? Emotions arn't bad, they're just-" Miles catches himself. "I'm sorry, not trying to lecture you." He suggests to her with hands raised defensively. "Just ah...You're good, you know?"

"Well, you see, it just means now I can't ask you on a date. But it's all good. I hope you have fun on your bath date." Acceptance! Though he's not judging her, he's also not gonna tell her how to love her life.

"Man, I should ask you for advice then."

She's a David in a field of Goliaths and not one of them were able to beat her sling. Lions and beasts can come and try to attack the sheep but she slays them before she can.

A true inspiration.

Miles laughs, genuinely. "Hey, nobody's perfect. Besides, you nailed science and I love science. I'm axing chemistrt and Biology AP." Mikes gives a peace sign. "Living the dream."

"Heh, yeah. Rough town but it has its charms! I'm a college student. Looking for work but hoping to be a physicist someday. I played basketball for awhile but after an accident I stopped playing." Miles doesn't go into the details unless she asks.

"But I'm in a TON of extra-curriculars. So that's something?"

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eve's eyes narrow for a moment. There's a glint of humor in them, but it's dangerous. She wasn't any more a fan of the lecturing from Miles than she was from Franklin, but when he catches himself, that smile softens. "Thank you," is all she says. For the compliment? For stopping himself? Both, maybe?

She's still just walking along until the mention of not being able to ask her out on a date, and then she's glancing over with a blink of surprise.

"Oh." The space between her eyes narrows a little. "Like.. ever? Is that some kind of nerd code? Like, I picked my one math guy I can date, and now we have to get married and have kids and grow old together or else I'm going to die alone surrounded by my eighty-seven cats?"

She grins, but she doesn't push it any further than that, her hands just moving up to loosely grasp the strap of her backpack.

Advice. "On what? Standing up to people? You looked like you were doing okay on your own. I mean, I was /definitely/ about to have to kick his butt so you didn't get clobbered, but luckily Mister Speaks with Oracles showed up."

More amusement in her eyes, especially at the peace sign. The physicist bit really seems to pique her interest, but she lets it go in favor of a safer question.

"What happened?"

Miles Morales has posed:
She thanks him for stopping his lecture and Miles nods. "Yeah...Uh...forget I started. You know what you're doing and all that and if you wanted lectures, you'd talk to parents or a therapist. Not my place, you know?" Miles tries to explain himself...

And ends up in a deeper pool.

"Well...no, not like /ever/. I think your brave, witty, and beautiful. But if you're happily in a dating ship Or relationship, I don't want to like...be a home wrecker or something, you know? Does that make sense? It doesn't make sense. I'm terrible at this. You don't have to do 100% guarantee anything."

"Yeah, I didn't really understand that guy. He's really /cryptic/. Who says sages and prophets anymore?" But she asks him what happened.

He gets serious.

He can't tell her that great power came with great responsibility. That his uncle paid the price. That he's Spifer-Man and his life is chaotic.

"I was in a bad car accident." He reveals to her. "Messed me up enough that contact sports arn't a great idea. Wanted to hit the NBA you know? Be the best, but life has a way of putting you where you need to be at that time."

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eve smirks a little at the 'not my place' comment, but it's the mention of a datingship that really piques her interest.

"But I haven't even been on a date yet," she protests. "How am I supposed to know if I want to /be/ in a committed datingship after one date? What if I never see you again?" She pauses to look over at him, lips pursed. "I feel like it's a little selfish of you to withhold other options from me that might lead to /better/ outcomes..."

Of course, she can't keep that straight face for very long. Her eyes soon glint with that familiar playfulness. And then there's talk of the prophets.

And then she frowns.

She looked over at him, her expression grave. "I'm sorry." No playfulness. No teasing. "Life... has a way of pushing you around, for sure." Well, there's a loaded statement, that she might feel bullied by life.. that she might not feel like she was 'where she belonged.'

The ice cream shop was coming up, though, and she offered a little, hopeful smile to try to bring the conversation back up. "Here it is."

Miles Morales has posed:
She just /had/ to put it like that.

Playful or no, Miles now has the idea in his mind that he /still/ *perhaps* has a chance with Eve. She does offer to him with that playfulness that suggests an openness to him - or at least that she'd consider the offer before just throwing him and his dreams down in the dirt. They make it to the shop and he lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "Nobody's fault but a bad turn signal."

He eventually smiles at her. "Really. It let me focus on school and now a lot more doors are open for me now. So in a way...it was a good thing. I play pick-up games now and again, just.../gentle/ ones." He teases her softly. "Though something tells me you've had your fair share of trouble in life."

And they look at the ice cream shop together and he looks at her.

"Want to go on a date with me to an ice cream shop?"

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Eva nods at the mention of the turn signal, still a little solemn about the whole thing. She hated that his dream had been taken away from him by something as.. random.. as a car crash, and it showed in her features. It wasn't that she hadn't seen her fair share of.. well.. all of it. Senseless death. Destruction. Catastrophic injuries. Ruined lives.

She just.. wasn't really used to walking and talking with someone that was living with one of those catastrophic injuries. Which, in hindsight, was pretty fortunate for all of her friends, given the lifestyle she led.

"Just the normal stuff." It's a dodge when he brings up the troubles in her life, but it's one she owns with a little /I don't like talking about it/ smile.

Footsteps fill the brief silence that lapses while they're getting closer.

And then the question, and Eva's reaction is immediate, as if she'd been sitting and waiting for him to ask.

"With you? Ew. No. Gross."

A heartbeat ticks past, the redhead finally rolling her lips in a last ditch effort to maintain a straight face, and then she's hooking her arm into his with an open smile up at him.

"I'd love to."