16271/Home-Cooked Goodness

Home-Cooked Goodness
Date of Scene:	06 November 2023
Location:	The Carpenter Brownstone, New York.
Synopsis:	Flash visits Julia for dinner and they learn more about each other before making plans for the future.
Cast of Characters:	Julia Carpenter, Flash Thompson

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Julia Carpenter has posed:
Eugene put his contact information into her phone, and while the kids were eating lunch, Julia texted him.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Eugene put his contact information into her phone, and while the kids were eating lunch, Julia texted him.

TXT: Hey! It's Julia.
TXT: How about a home-cooked meal? Friday?

They work out the details and Julia makes sure to text him the address.. 69 W 9th St (haha, yeah, it's actually 69) in Greenwich Village. One of the restored and remodeled brownstones, broken up into an upper and lower condo. Hers in the upper level (of course), but there's a small lift in the entryway, likely meant for exactly this purpose, or perhaps for larger deliveries.

When he reaches the landing, he can knock on the door, and it will be opened promptly by... Rachel! She's smiling brightly at him, wearing a long-sleeved tee with Ninetales silk-screened on it, a pair of jeans, and socks. Swinging the door wide, she backs up and grins, "Hi Mr. Thompson! C'mon in! Mom's already cookin'."

She'll wait for him to enter, closing the door behind him and squeezing around the chair to motion for him to follow, "This way!" There's a large-ish closet right off the small foyer, with an open floorplan for most of the condo. To the left is the kitchen, where he can hear Julia chopping something up and delicious aromas drifting through the rooms. To the right is the living room and dining area, the dining area leading right back around into the eat-in kitchen. There's a large bank of windows at the dining are, another smaller bank in the breakfast nook in the kitchen. There's a fireplace against the interior wall that makes up one part of the closet off the foyer, facing into the living room. The furnishings are styled for comfort and durability rather than style, and the style is best described as modern ecclectic. There are two doorways off the living room, one a small hallway that holds a bathroom and laundry closet with a bedroom opposite (Rachel's). The other likely leads to Julia's room at the back of the house.

In the living room, Rachel hops onto the couch and grins at Eugene, "I'm watchin' Pokemon if you wanna watch with me. Or mom is in the kitchen if ya wanna talk to her!" She flashes a grin that's both innocent and knowing. Her mom doesn't really date, but her dad did, all the time! She's hip to how old people like to hang!

Flash Thompson has posed:
TXT: Hey Julia! . . . oh, sure, I'd like that!

Honestly, it wasn't what Eugene had been expected, and for most of the rest of the day, he was on walking on air - which is funny cause he doesn't have legs. The address got a 'Nice' in response with some minor teasing banter back and forth before he had to return to work.

Once he was off, he went back to his dorm apartment at the VA, showered, shaved, and tried to figure out what to wear. Having finally picked out a dark colored long-sleeve button up and a pair of khaki slacks to wear, he got an Uber to take him to her address, but not before making one stop.

He rode the lift up in silence, and when greeted by Rachel, he laughs. "Hello, Rachel!" he greets warmly. In his lap is a small boquet mix of autumn flowers and he picks out a yellow one to offer the girl. "I hope you don't mind if I talk to your mom? You can tell me about your favorite Pokemon and what you thought of the story later." he promises her. If there's a second date, it could be something. Don't get your hopes up, he reminds himself.

Handing Rachel the flower, he follows her directions and his nose into the kitchen.

"Evening, Julia." he greets warmly as rolls in, coming to a halt to take the flowers from his lap to offer to her. "I thought I shouldn't come empty handed? I didn't know what to bring. Considered dessert. I..." a chuff of a laugh. "Haven't dated in a while." he admits.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Rachel takes the flower from Eugene with a huge grin, "Thank you, Mr. Thompson! I love yellow!" She tucks the flower in behind one ear and beams at him before heading into the living room to settle on the couch with Pokemon on the tv.

She looks away from the show to smile at him, giving a nod, "Okay! And we can talk about Pokemon GO!" Because she absolutely loves that game. In the meantime, she'll simply watch him wheel his way around towards the kitchen with a grin and a small giggle when she thinks he's out of earshot.

When he arrives in the kitchen, he'll find Julia herself moving around with quick efficiency. Adding a touch of something here, a pinch of something there, stir the pot, taste the sauce, make sure everything is cooking evenly. The scents are stronger in here. It's good down home cooking. Pot roast with veggies and a rich, dark gravy. Mashed potatoes with butter and melted cheese, fresh chopped chives in a small dish waiting to garnish. A baking dish of creamy looking mac and cheese. And there's probably something baking in the oven. One of the ovens. She apparently has three! Two convections ovens set into the wall, and the oven that comes with the gas range.

Looking up from her rushing around, she smiles at him, wiping her hands on a small dish towel and moving towards him to take the flowers. Inhaling the bouquet, she nods, "Thank you, these are wonderful. Let me just get a vase to put them in. They'll make an excellent centerpice at the table."

She's in comfortably worn jeans, a duty blue long-sleeved tee, and a pair of socks striped with blue, black, and white. Finding a vase in a cupboard, she runs some water and sets the flowers in them before moving towards Eugene, bending over to brush a kiss to his cheek. "That was very thoughtful. And you never have to bring dessert, if we have company, I make one."

Straightening, she lifts btoh brows, "I hope you were able to get here alright. I know the lift is a little small, but we have everything delivered in pieces and assembled when it was brought in. Also, I hope you brought your appetite. I don't cook small meals."

Flash Thompson has posed:
As he rolls in and realizes that Julia is still cooking, he immediately looks down at the smartwatch on his wrist in thought. "Did I get here too early?" He totally did not mean to interrupt her cooking groove. "It smells great. I thought the VA had a lot of ovens." he teases lightly as he hands over the flowers.

"You look nice." comes his comment to her as he hands settle into his lap, but when she kisses his cheek, she can feel the warmth of a slight blush and he chuckles. "I'll remember that in the future." About the not needing to bring dessert.

"Oh no, I was okay, I may use the freight elevator next time, though." he admits. "Knocked my knuckles on the sides of the door." Lifting his hands to show her the slightly scuffed knucks, he laughs. "I may be half the man I was, but my stomach's still intact!" Self-depreciating humor has become his wheelhouse since he lost his legs.

He glances back towards the room where Rachel is. "She was talking about Pokemon GO. I use it on campus for students to get some exercise while out 'catching' things. I don't get it, but they seem to like it, so it is what it is." Then there's a thoughtful pause, and he purses his lips as he looks up at Julia. "She good with this?" he asks. "I don't know what arrangement you may have with her father or if he's even still around."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"Not at all! I just got a later start than I wanted. Work ran over, and I had to run a last minute errand... you know those days where you just constantly feel like you can't ever seem to catch up?" Julia flashes a rueful smile and lifts a shrug, "Anyways, dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Grinning, she looks at the kitchen, "This kitchen is half the reason I bought this condo. I love the space, the island, the extra counter space... and yeah, three ovens."

She glances down at the simple outfit, then chuckles, "Thanks. I would normally dress a little better, but.. well, the whole 'behind' thing." Julia smiles towards Eugene, "You look very nice, yourself." A glance at his knuckles has her clucking her tongue and moving to pluck a first aid kit out of a cabinet next to the sink. Opening it up, she pulls out a small alcohol wipe and motions for his hands so she can dab at the scrapes. "I'll look into if we can get it widened. The whole point of the lift is to allow easy access for wheelchairs and dollies.. not much good if the wheelchair runs too close to the sides."

Tossing the wipe, she puts the kit back and washes her hands quickly before letting out a laugh, "Ah yes. Rachel is quite a fiend for Pokemon GO. She absolutely loves the game. We go on Pokewalks almost every day." Checking all the pots and making sure everything is doing well, she turns back to him and props a hip against the island with a smile, "If she weren't okay with it, then you wouldn't be here." Julia glances to the living room then back to Eugene, "Her father and I were divorced a few years ago.. it wasn't pleasant. We had an ongoing custody battle over Rachel... but.. he died last year."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"It was my own fault, really, just misjudged the door. Still taking used to being in this thing." Eugene admits, though when she takes his hand to dab his knuckles, his fingers close around hers - whether by choice or the sting of the alochol is not immediately obvious.

"This place must be a treat for the holidays. Last few years for me have been a cafeteria meal and a tinfoil tree in my room." he admits with a laugh, which actually, between that and her explanation of Rachel's father, provides a good opening for him.

"I'm sorry she lost her father. Parental contact is important to a child. I mean, you know that. I'm just citing what I read in a book when I was leaning to be a teacher." His hand withdraws from hers to rub at the bridge of his nose. "So it's been a few years since I last had a relationship." Splaying his hands in thought. "She couldn't handle me losing my legs. And I had a bit of a spiral after that, not because of her, the whole of the situation. Wanted to serve my country my whole life and lost it all before my first enlistment was completed. I'm working on pulling out of it. Just... wanted to make sure that you're informed and give you the chance to bail out while you can." And he waits.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"I don't mean to pry but... have you thought about prosthetics? They've done some amazing things with them in the last few years," Julia asks him with a smile, straightening from her lean to start collecting up the dishes and cutlery for the food. "Hey Rachel! Why don't you set the table and we'll have dinner in a minute!"

She laughs delightedly and nods, "Oh yes. Starting from Thanksgiving through to New Years, this place is going to be a most festive atmosphere." Her head cants and Julia smiles at him, "Well, whether we're dating or not when it comes around.. you're always welcome here for the holidays. I promise, you'll put on fifteen pounds and love every second of it."

Rachel comes running in to collect the plates and silverware with a grin, "Hi mom! Hi Mr. Thompson! I'll have the table set in a sec!" Then she's off! Chuckling and smiling fondly after her daughter, Julia murmurs, "So am I. Everything else aside, Larry really did try to be a good father." Looking back to him, Julia gives a nod and murmurs, "This is the first date I've had since I married Larry in college. So, I definitely understand. The spiral, the fight to pull out of it, to get back where you're comfortable with being." She smiles at him, "I'm a mother with an erratic and often demanding work schedule, who is wholly devoted to her daughter and trying very hard to balance both. I can't promise dating will be easy... but I'm willing to take a chance if you are."

Turning, she pulls down a trio of glasses and two balloon glasses for wine. Holding them out to him, she lifts a brow and smiles, "Care to carry the glasses? Both of you can sit after that and I'll start bringing everything out. I hope you like a good merlot, but we have other options if you prefer not to drink."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Yeah, the Army and government have me in a medical research project to see if I can handle a new prosthetic they're looking into. Maybe you'll see me on them by Thanksgiving." He's hopeful that he and the symbiote will have a better relationship by then.

And then Flash laughs warmly. "It's a good thing I get plenty of exercise, you're going to have me working out twice as hard..." A grin at her. "We could always take walks together. Well, you walk. I roll. And Rachel can bring her bicycle."

He's not going to interrupt Julia's life as a mother. "Both of us seem to have pretty erratic lives. As long as we find time and not forget that a phone call now and again is good, I think we can figure something out."

With Rachel setting the table, Eugene grins widely. "What a great job you did, Rachel!" he offers her with encouragement as he moves to the table.

Then Julia is offering him wine, and he chuckles. "Would you be too offended if I asked for water?" he asks her. She can have wine if she wants, but alcohol was one of those 'spiral' things that he had mentioned earlier. Setting the glasses on the table that Julia had offered him, he shifts to be more comfortable at the table, a small kick of his stumps to try to straigthen up.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"Oh, that's great! Good luck with it, I hope it works for you," Julia grins, genuinely hopeful for him. "And whether you have them by then or not, you're still invited to Thanksgiving." She knows vaguely of the symbiotes and how they work, but it would never occur to her to use them as a 'prosthetic'.

Winking at him, "We're an active family with big appetites. Oh, and I hope you like chocolate. Rachel's in that 'chocolate everything' phase. So most all desserts are going to choclate based." She gives a nod, "We can absolutely go for walks, but Rachel won't need a bike. She's able to keep up with me just fine. Besides, any walk becomes a Pokewalk, which means having to stop now and then anyways."

Nodding, Julia smiles warmly and offers, "I'm... actually really enjoying this already. So.. here's to hoping it works out."

His request for water means she leans over his shoulder to pluck the two wine glasses up and carry them away with a wink, "Not a problem at all. But I have milk, juice.. coffee. Anything else you'd prefer?"

She starts dishing everything out into the serving dishes, carrying them out to set on trivets on the table around the flowers he'd brought. She'll make sure everyone has a preferred drink before taking her seat with a smile towards FLash, "We're not overly religious, but if you prefer to say grace, you're welcome to."

Flash Thompson has posed:
Eugene nods. Of course Rachel can keep up. He's still getting used to kids developmental health and he's far more used to teenagers and their issues. "Chocolate everything, huh. Well, my body was a temple, but it got pretty well bombed." More of that self-depreciating humor. "So it's good if we're active and exercise. And I can show her all the Pokestops on campus, if you want to drop by work sometime."

When she mentions she's enjoying this, his smile goes softer and he nods in agreement. "I am as well. So it's on us to make sure it does work out, right?" he asks her quietly. As she leans over his shoulder, he presses a light kiss to her cheek. "Thank you." is managed against her ear.

But with Rachel with them - he's not pressing further on that front. Julia sets the table. "Hopefully, next time we do this, I can help!" he offers hopefully, then comes her question on grace. He considers, and then takes Rachel's hand on one side, and Julia's hand on the other. "Thank you for the company, the meal, and putting these two in the path of my life." No amen, not really a prayer - it's a thank you to whatever karma that was out there that set him in the path of Julia Carpenter.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Laughing at the joke, she shakes her head at him, "Don't you worry, stick with us and you'll get to enjoy tasty food, desserts, and still stay in shape." Julia glances to Rachel in the dining room and calls out, "Hey Rach! Want Eugene to show you the Pokestops at the school he teaches at?" The response is a squeal and a resounding, "YES!!!" Julia looks back to Flash with a grin, "There. Date number two. Lunch and Pokestops at the school."

She gives a nod and matches his smile, "Yeah, it's on us. But, you know... we have cellphones, and texting, and Marco Polo. We don't have any family in the area but... on occasion, we could set up a date night for a night when Rachel is sleeping over at a friend's house.. when we get that far, I mean."

She takes his hand when he reaches and nods for Rachel to do the same, then smiles at his 'grace'. Giving a small squeeze to his fingers, she murmurs, "That is an excellent grace." She starts eating while Rachel grills Flash on his Pokemon knowledge between bites, chuckling here and there at Rachel's enthusiasm for the topic. After awhile, she suggests a topic change and looks to Flash, "What sort of movies do you like?"

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Sounds like. She's got a few more years before she'll be ready for high school, but no reason not to get an early look." Eugene responds easily, as he grins at Julia. "I'll figure out a good deli to pick up some sandwiches from for a lunch."

"Yep. All the communications in the world." he agrees and then she points out when they get that far and he chuckles softly. "When we get there." comes his agreement. His fingers squeeze hers in return before he releases their hands.

They pass the food around the table, loading up his own plate and considers the question. "So I was a jock back in high school. A lot of action adventure stuff. But after I was medevaced out of Iraq and to Germany, I got an appreciation for other genres. I could do a good action flick, or if there's a movie that requires cuddling..." A wink at Julia on that one. But he understood the root of the question.

"Where all have you travelled? Obviously, I've been overseas, though most of my time in Germany was in a hospital bed."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"Yeah, she's in third grade just now, but she's doing really well. She's even been invited into an advanced after school program. Runs three times a week. STEM-based, they do a lot with robotics and drones right now." Julia smiles across at Rachel, who nods eagerly and beams proudly. "So I bet she'd love to have a look around a high school campus and see how the teens do it."

Food is eaten with gusto while they chatter back and forth and Julia grins at his movie choices, "Okay, so no problem with Die Hard on Christmas Eve, good. Obviously, Rachel is a fan of some of the Disney stuff, especially since they started making Princesses that were self-saving." Sharing a look with Rachel, she chuckles, "And we both enjoy the occasional musical." Then back to Eugene with a smile, "But a good cuddle movie is also nice."

Forking up a bite of pot roast, she smiles at him, "We do a movie night once a week. Popcorn and pizza and ice cream and movies. Consider this your standing invitation."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Oh yeah, Mo... Morrigan MacIntyre, she's the headmistress, she's done a great job at making sure the school is the most up to date it can be." Eugene admits. "I marvel at some of the stuff that she's been able to pull off."

As he works on his meal, he nods at the choices and laughs. "No, I truly believe that the moment Hans Gruber falls from Namatokei Tower is the true start of Christmas, even more than Santa coming down the chimney." In case Rachel still believes in that.

Her smile is returned. "Careful." he teases her. "You're setting up a lot of dates in advance, you may change your mind tomorrow." It's said with warmth - and in the past, he'd brushed his foot against her leg under the table to show her it was meant to be a flirt - and his brain just reminded him he can't do that.

His expression falters for a moment, and he tries to get back right as he polishes off the rest of his meal and chases it with some water. He obviously has a healthy appetite, going back for a refill.

"I watch a lot of sports as well. I played football in high school, so I follow the college and professional games when I can. Some baseball as well. And I coach the football and baseball teams at the school. You're welcome to come out and catch a game. Even if it is starting to get cold enough to want to bundle up and we're not having the best season."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"That's great. I know a lot of the public schools don't get great funding, so we were really thrilled when Rachel was invited into the after school program." Julia smiles towards Rachel, proud and warm. Rachel returns the smile, then tucks back into her meal.

"OH yes, we actually time it so Hans Gruber falls off Nakitomi Tower at the stroke of midnight. And in the morning, we watch some of the older Christmas cartoon movies. The claymation ones, the old Seuss ones.."

She lifts a brow at his warning and chuckles, "I'm not that fickle... if you want to end things, you'll have to do the crying off yourself." Julia nudges her knee lightly against his in a lightly flirtatious gesture. Cognizant of the limitations of under table flirting with a man without his lower legs.

"We don't watch a lot of sports, though we do watch the Superbowl, and the game on Thanksgiving... after the parade, of course." Looking to Rachel, she offers, "You might enjoy seeing a real high school football game. It's a lot more exciting when there's all those people around."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Rachel's an adorable bean and I can't wait to see what she sprouts into." Eugene offers and laughs. "Do I need to find some suitable pajamas and a robe?" he asks Julia playfully about the Christmas thing.

Then there's an almost audible record scratch. "Whoa. Nope. Not asking to end things!" The nudge against his knee settles him down and his hand reaches down to cover hers, a brief lacing of their fingers together.

"So I may have to cut back a little on my Saturdays and Sundays." Because between sitting in his room, watching a game - or spending the time with Julia? Julia wins, hands down. "There's only a couple of games left, the season is usually wrapped up by Thanksgiving break." he explains. "So if you can't make it, there's always next season."

But as they are talking about it. "Alright, might be something you want to know. I live at the VA Medical Center currently. There's not enough housing for Wounded vets out there, and I've been in the process of finding my own place that I can have adapted to my needs." he explains. "When we have a chance, I'll tell you what happened, but in the broadest stroke, I lost my legs in combat in Iraq." He keeps it simple for Rachel. "My CO put me up for the Medal of Honor, ended up earning a Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Rachel beams brightly at him when she's called adorable, then declares, "I'm gonna be engineer AND a roboticist!" Then giggles at Flash's question and nods, "Yep! Flannel pj's and a plushy robe! Gotta be cozy and comfy!" Julia just chuckles and nods to Rachel, "She's right."

Squeezing his fingers lightly when he laces his through hers, Julia smiles at him to reaffirm it was indeed a flirtation and not a serious suggestion.

"Mmmmmmm, we do waffles on the weekends. Occasionally we'll break from tradition and do pancakes, but waffles are the superior syrup vehicles. Also usually something fun for meals. If you happen to be here on a Saturday or Sunday and want to watch football, I'm sure we can accomodate. We'll work in the walks and such around the game." Julia looks to Rachel to confirm, and she gives a big nod and smiles, adding in, "We can have homemade pretzels and dip, and make air fryer wings!"

Julia quiets down as he makes his living situation known, giving a nod to him and smiling, "That's absolutely fine. I figured since you were doing a physical therapy project that you'd be in some sort of shared housing. Like I said, you're welcome here, so if anything gets to a point where you need a place to crash and the VA can't help.. we're here."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"It sounds lovely, I'll look forward to it." Eugene at least can hold out that hope. "I'll have to keep your hopes in mind for Christmas. Those are some big dreams and I'm sure you'll achieve them!"

When she squeezes his hand, he doesn't leave hers until she's ready. "No need to change your schedule on my behalf, I can just listen to the games on an earbud or something." he suggests helpfully.

"I'll try not to overstay my welcome." comes his promise as he tilts his head. "Do you need help cleaning up? I can stay until that's done and until Rachel's ready for bed?" He has no designs on staying later unless Julia invites him. "Thank you for having me over, it's been lovely."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
She's content to let her fingers linger tangled with his, turning a smile towards him, "Oh no you don't. We don't leave anyone out in this household. Everyone's preferences are taken into account. Rachel has a very nice room with her very own tv if she decides she wants to watch something else while the game is on." Rachel gives a nod and grins at Eugene, "And my Switch is hooked up to it too! So I can play games on it."

"Mmm.. Rachel usually helps with dishes... but since we interrupted her Pokemon.. if you want to help with that, then she can go finish her show." Rachel bounces in her chair and grins at him, "Are you gonna stay for good night hugs?" To which Julia looks to him and smiles, "Entirely up to you, you're welcome to stay awhile longer if you like."

Since everyone seems to be largely done eating, Julia rises up to start carrying plates and serving dishes back to the kitchen. Things will need to put into containers and refrigerated for later leftovers before dishes are done. While she's in the kitchen, she calls out, "Anyone up for a slice of chocolate lava cake with a mint ice cream and raspberry drizzle?"

Flash Thompson has posed:
"I'll stay as long as your mom wants me around, Rachel." Eugene reaches out and gives the child a light ruffle of her hair. "I'll help with the dishes, and Rachel can watch her show."

Once they're seperated and Rachel is set up, Eugene rolls back into the kitchen with a laugh. "I'll happily help with the dishes, but I don't know if I can eat another bite!" he admits, amusement on his features as he pats his stomach. "I was told that the way to a man's heart is his stomach, you sure do have a hold on mine." He can wash, she can dry and put away. Locking the wheels in place, he shifts, able to 'stand' on his stumps, and is nearly as tall as Rachel.

His attention turns to Julia. "She's a sweetheart, Julia. I could see showing her how to play catch. Has she ever shown an interest in sports?" he asks curiously. "I wouldn't want to push something on her."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Rachel grins and gives a nod. She'll carry her plate into the kitchen and scrape any remains into the garbage can before giving Julia a hug and Eugene a high-five on her way back to the living room. Soon enough, the sounds of Pokemon can be faintly heard coming from the living room.

Julia returns the hug from Rachel and watches her head off before looking back to Eugene with a smile, "That would be great, thank you. And don't worry, if we don't eat it tonight, we'll eat it another night." She gets the sink filled, soap added, then takes up the station for drying and putting away. Laughing at his remark, she nods, "I learned to cook pretty early on, and it became something I enjoyed doing. Something I can do with Rachel, when she wants to."

Chuckling, Julia gives a nod, "She actually does really well in PE. She hasn't come out with any particular sport that she's interested in yet, but I expect it's only a matter of time." Glancing towards Flash, she smiles, "But if you want to try to engage her interest, go for it. I'm sure she'll have fun, and maybe we'll find out what sport she likes."

Flash Thompson has posed:
Eugene laughs lightly as he finishes helping with the dishes and he considers Julia's words. He wants to say they're moving a little fast, but it feels so natural and right that he can't help himself.

"I keep thinking I'm going to wake up any second, Julia, and I'm going to be back at the school, having just gotten your phone numbered and dreamed all this up. I wouldn't mind being a part of your lives..."

He looks over at her, and his hand brushes across her shoulder before pulling back slightly, tempering himself. Don't rush. Let Julia set the pace. "If that's something that you would want."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Julia pauses, looking over at Eugene with a smile. She considers his words for a few moments, then nods, "I don't want to jump the gun, I can't. Not with Rachel involved. But... I've greatly enjoyed your company. I'd like to explore what relationship we could have."

She wipes at a tureen and murmurs, "I haven't dated anyone since my husband. I can't say that it will be easy. Or that we will always have time together when we want it. But.. I enjoy spending time with you, and Rachel does too." Julia smiles at Eugene, "So until that changes... I think it's safe to say we'd like you in our lives, too."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"I'm not going to make you jump the gun, Julia." Eugene responds. "And yeah, this has been great." he agrees, before settling back in his chair with a breath. "Your gorgeous and I know I'm out of my league." he admits quietly.

"I haven't dated since I lost my legs. So we're both treading in unfamiliar waters. But yeah. I want to spend more time with you. I admit, going to be hard getting home tonight without wondering." A smirk at that, before he shakes his head. No rush.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Chuckling softly, Julia shakes her head, "What I look like has nothing to do with what 'league' you think I'm in compared to you. What matters is how we get along, that we find each other.. pleasing.. and that all three of us enjoy the company and time we spend together." She offers a soft smile and sets aside the dish she'd been drying, flipping the towel over her shoulder.

Turning, she leans against the edge of the counter and crosses her legs, watching him, "I think I should warn you.. I'm not simply saying that I haven't dated for a few years... I have only ever dated one man before now. That man became my husband. This is the first date I've been on in... ten years? So... I'm rusty on this." Julia smiles at him, one brow lifting, "Wondering what?"

Flash Thompson has posed:
"You're right, and I shouldn't have put it like that." Eugene admits with a laugh as she corrects himself as he leans back in his chair to consider her. "You two are amazing. I feel welcomed and safe here. Far more than I have in a wild. It makes me reluctant to go home."

"I had a girlfriend in high school. She's the one that dumped me in Germany. I think we're playing on the same field.

"It's nothing... just. Not wanting to leave your company tonight, Julia." he admits, his hand running against the back of his head. "Wouldn't mind being here to help with breakfast." Perhaps a bit daring.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"Good, then we're doing something right. People should feel safe here," Julia smiles at him and gives a nod, "You've been pretty amazing yourself, Eugene. A lot of men... they either don't see Rachel, or they view her as an obstacle to overcome. She's been so happy to be involved in.. all this." Chuckling, she adds, "Rachel's is the best endorsement you could have, so.. congratulations."

Her head tilts to one side as she watches him, a faint blush hitting her cheeks and highlighting the otherwise faded freckles from her childhood. "I... will admit.. I've been.. very much enjoying tonight, and I'm not eager to see it end." Julia glances towards the living room and bites her lower lip, "Tell you what.. let me talk to Rachel for a minute and if she doesn't seem upset then..." She glances back to Flash and smiles, "Well, then it looks like you'll be having breakfast with us."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"I'm happy to know here. And her opinion is important. And even if she says no... I would still want to be part of this." Eugene admits to her. "I gladly accept her endorsement."

When she mentions needing to talk to Rachel, he nods. "That's fine. It's important. And a big step. For all three of us." However, before Julia leaves, Eugene considers and lifts up, placing a light, fleeting kiss against her mouth.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Returning the kiss, Julia smiles at him and murmurs, "I'll be back in a minute." Pulling away, she heads into the living to have that chat. The sound of Pokemon halts from the other room and he can pick up the wordless murmurings of mother and daughter.

The conversation is fairly brief and the sounds of Pokemon resumes. Julia returns to the kitchen and approaches Flash. Rather than say anything immediately, she leans in and kisses him, firmly. "Do you prefer bacon or sausage with your eggs?"