16485/Rainy Days and Barns

Rainy Days and Barns
Date of Scene:	04 December 2023
Location:	Wayne Estate - Bristol Township
Synopsis:	What begins as Damian and Phoebe discussing what to get their significant others for holiday gift giving devolves into a Dragon Bat having an Ugly Christmas Sweater, a date planned to a fish market, and Talia drinking poison.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Damian Wayne, Gabby Kinney, Talia al Ghul

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Rain is no stranger to Gotham City or to Bristol Township, where the expansive Wayne Estate is located. And on that estate, warm from the bodies within (and an on-site heating system to keep all the bodies within comfortable), is a Barn.

    The barn is awash with the smell of animals and straw, leather tack and conditioner for it. And the scent of roses and black pepper with that bite of citrus, which means that Phoebe had probably recently used magic in the barn.

    Up in the loft, Phoebe was laying back in the straw with a blanket, wearing a flannel overshirt against the chill of the outside beneath a black sweatshirt. Jeans and fluffy socks tucked into good quality boots complete her ensemble, with her hair pulled into two braids along the side of her head.

    She's got her guitar in-hand, and she's strumming thoughtfully, looking over a tablet set on a bale of straw.

    She picks out the notes, a tale of adventure. Of heartbreak. Of love and treasure.

    And for some reason the movie was inspired by a themepark ride.

    https://youtu.be/e_k-yLShHC8?si=Qd18w-KAxZbVrfuF

Damian Wayne has posed:
As the rain continues to fall, there's a rattle at the door, and then the big barn door swings open with a loud creaking noise. "Come on, you big lug!" a voice, belonging to Damian calls out, "Get in here and out of the rain!"

The sound of Goliath bemoaning the situaition is not helping as the large - soaked to the bone - bat dragon reluctantly moves forward.

"Oh, don't give me that. It is your fault you got stuck outside in the rain." Damian grouses, completely soaked, his jacket and jeans drenched as he continues to lead the large creature in.

Once they're inside, Damian makes a note of the smell and the guitar chords and... "Phoebe, if you are having sex with Robbie in here, play a G!" he calls out before Goliath decides to shoe his appreciation for being dry by shaking out and spraying water /everywhere/.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    TWANG. Not a G Chord. It was that tuneless strike of accidental, awkward fingers.

    "/WHAT/." Phoebe calls out, tucking her guitar to the side where it's not about to be smooshed by wet dragon-bat.

    "That'd be a challenge considering I've never brought him to *your father's house*." Phoebe calls back as she waits for Goliath to shake off, covering everything (including Damian, hopefully) with shake-off.

    She swings her legs over the edge of the loft, looking down at Damian and Goliath.

    "Aww, who's a good dragon-bat? So handsome and strong and smart?" she coos at Goliath, and then, stting one elbow on her knee, she looks to Damian.

    "Want a hand in drying off?"

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Never knew you to back away from a challenge." Damian responds with a smirk. And yes, he's getting dragon bat all over him because Goliath is so much fur! After the dragon is done, it snuffles and then /sneezes/, a small gout of flrame escaping it's mouth.

"Ghesundiet." Damaian offers and then looks at Phoebe as if she's grown a third eye. "I can dry myself off, but if you want to help..."

He balls up a towel and flings it up at Phoebe. "Goliath! Fetch!" he calls out and the large dragon perks up and is suddenly rushing towards Phoebe and the towel, because he knows he's going to get her to dry him off and wet cold dragon bat just LOVES attention.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "It's not as much a challenge as it is Robbie being comfo--" Phoebe was beginning to grouse before Damian throws in the towel! ... well, throws up the towel. Throws the towel up. And the Dragon Bat is now leaping at Phoebe.

    She side-rolls the towel and grabs onto the edge of the loft and dangles a moment before she raises her left hand up at Goliath!

    "Hauriat pluvia de furrure et creaturam redire ad siccitatem!" she calls out. There's a spark of magic, a warmness in the air as Goliath goes from soaked through red fur to suddenly having a blow-out to dry him. And much like those cows that get blow-dried, he is now super fluffy and looks a bit like a very large and concerning looking stuffed animal.

    Plus side is that he, and any tack he may still be wearing, *is* completely dry.

    Potato also errupts from the straw, and returns the wet towel by adding dog slobber to it, grabbing it from where it fell, and drops it towards Damian, tail wagging.

Damian Wayne has posed:
There's a blink from the dragon and then words and *POOF* there is a very suddenly puffy dragon in the middle of the loft! Goliath blinks a few times and then nose nuzzles at Phoebe in gratitude!

"Magic is cheating." Damian deadpans, but she can probably make out the hint of humor that most people would miss. When Potato arrives, Damian, who is already soaked, kneels down, ruffling the dog to the point when he's on his side and plays with Potato's belly before doing some light tugging play on the towel. "You's the best dog, you are! Such a good fetcher! Oooh, look at you fight! Who's the strongest, you are!"

But he feels a shiver and sighs. "I have a stash of fresh clothes around here, I think."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a grin at the nuzzle, and then she lifts herself back into the loft.

    She smooths back some of Goliath's fur so that it's out of his eyes, completely unafraid of the huge and very dangerous creature.

    "Potato is happily playing, and flops to his side for both belly rubs and attention as his tail wags, thumping against the floor of the barn before he grasps at the towel gently in his teeth and terries a bit, head whipping back and forth.

    Phoebe settles a little against Goliath, and then she raises her hand to Damian as well: "Vestimenta eius ad pristinum statum redi"

    And, if Damian is willing, his clothes are not only returned to new condition, but are also dry and warm.

    "As long as you don't mind a little cheating. I found doing the little stuff doesn't hit on the wards."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Great, now I'm gonna stink of spice and oranges." A wink, before Damian gives Potato one more ruffle before he does a couple of quick acrobatic moves and swings himself up to land in the loft near Phoebe.

"So, you were right. He is not here. What has you out here?" he asks as he sits down. "If you don't mind the company." he adds as he brings his arms up around his knees.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "It'll wear off you in a couple of minutes. It *is* weird that my magic has an olfactory quality." Phoebe remarks quietly, and she gives a grin.

    Potato shakes off below, and makes to climb the ladder. Carefully. ANd looks rather accomplished as he makes it up all on his own to bodily lean his eighty pound self against Damian happily.

    "Yeah, Robbie doesn't feel comfortable coming up to the manor. He's... actually really concerned people are going to be judgey. About him, I mean."

    Phoebe rubs at her left wrist, which still has a wrap around it.

    "And I don't mind the company. Or his rider." she jokes, referring to Goliath as the company.

    She motions to her guitar.

    "Just didn't feel like being inside. Didn't feel like being outside. Didn't feel like being at the Curio and didn't feel like practicing alone. So, play for Batcow and the animals out here."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Someone's listless." Damian responds, recognizing the symptoms for what they are. As Potato leans into him, Damian rests his arm around the large dog to idly pet.

"Out here is nice. I sometimes feel way more comfortable out here than inside." he admits as he glances down at the large dragon, who has gotten enough love and attention for the moment and gone to flop into the hay and curl in on himself.

"Got any big plans for the holidays? Know what you want to get Robbie?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe chooses to continue to lay against Goliath for the warms, scritching idly against him.

    "Ugh. He's harder to shop for than the family." she mutters crossly. "Last year I gifted him a titanium ring he was eyeballing at a concert we went to on a date, and a scarf and a hat. And a scarf and a hat for his brother who I hadn't met yet. He made me cookies and Mexican hot chocolate -- which is superior to most American hot chocolates." Phoebe comeplains, and she scritches at the red fur of Goliath.

    "I have to balance something that isnn't so expensive that it's going to embarass him but not so cheap that I don't feel like I'm being cheap. I'd thought about like, those race tracks where you can test drive super cars, but I could just *buy* him a super car if he wanted one," she motions with her hands, worked up about this clearly "but how do you buy someone a super car when they live in government housing and they don't want your help and you have to respect that they want to do evyerthing on their own but any time something good happens on their block that stems from a Thomas and Martha Wayne grant they might suspect that you had a hand in it even though you swear you don't and I am overthinking this horribly and why don't you tell me what you're getting Gabby."

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian considers this for a long moment, hand idly patting Potato in thought. "Get him something for his car?" he suggestes. "A new radio? A holder for a cell-phone? Or something more heartfelt. One of those little air freshner things, but magicked so that it always smells like your magic when you're with him?"

"I'm trying to figure out what to get a girl that I know has money to support herself. And I know I really like her. But I don't know if she feels the same. We haven't really gone past kissing. But she brought me to where her sister is buried. I thought about asking her if she wanted her moved... because where she is is not ideal - but I realized she has the money to do that herself, if she wanted." he shrugs. "So any idea I have is either lame or... suggests something that may suggest that I want more than she's willing to give. Like a motorcycle."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... she brought you to where one of her sisters were interred?" Phoebe questions quietly, her eyebrows drawing up. She draws one knee to her chest and she sits her chin on it.

    "I've known Gabby for years. And we've had a couple of rough patches, but I've never known her to do something like that. Not even to me or Tim." Phoebe reflects quietly.

    "She must put a LOT of trust into you for that... and I think in you she kinda sees a reflection. You were both trained from young ages to be unquestioning combatants. You both escaped that life, as much as youn can, and have overcome a LOT of trauma in order to become who you are right in this minute." Phoebe remarks, holding out a hand in thought.

    "But seriously. Gabby loves pretty much unconditionally and ferociously. You could get her a heart-felt plushie from Build-a-Bear and she would love it as much as she would an updated motorcycle. It's not the *cost* of the gift she receives, but the value of the person who gives it to her." she considers.

    "You could always paint her a picture. Commission a portrait of her and her sisters. Take her on an adventure to hug penguins?"

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I think she did it because she found me one day tending to the family graves and preparing them for the holidays." Damian had left a little holly wreath on each of the graves after making sure they were cleaned up. And scolded Essix on copying grave markers.

He is listening to her ideas though and gives it a nod of his head in thought. "The motorcycle sounds /really/ bad though. And it's my fault she's putting the miles on it because she makes the effort to come visit. I mean, I do the same. But yeah, I can do one of those other things - she took me to see otters at the zoo. It was really fun."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... you know, I've never been down to the Wayne graveyard. It... doesn't feel like it's my place to be there." Phoebe reflects quietly. "My adopted dad's buried up in Rose Hill. I haven't been up there for a while to see him, and down to the Potter's Field to tend to those ones."

    She leans her head back a moment.

    "When we went to the West Coast with the Team, she kept on trying to convince me to let her hug the sea lions. It was so hard to say 'no, Gabby, do not hug the sea lions' because it's like -- what would dissuade her?" Phoebe asks, her shoulders rising with a shrug as she brings her hands up "She feels no pain and loves hugs!"

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I'll make sure to at least load up on the hugs." Damian responds with a smirk. "I need to take care of something real quick. Keep an eye on Goliath for me?" And with that, he's hopping down, pulling on a rain slicker that is hanging up next to the door and heading out into the rain.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Is he gone?" Comes a suspiciously familiar voice from the other entrance to the barn once Damian heads out. Gabby sticks her head through the door flashing a wide, toothy grin as she steps inside. A large over-stuffed backpack is worn and she doesn't seem to mind the rain TOO much. She had on a rain hat at least.

"Totally need to retake that trip, by the way. Sea lions need hugs too. Did he tell you I took him to swim with some sea otters at the zoo?"

She picks up the conversation as if she'd been there the entire time and hadn't just ninjaed her way in so Damian woudln't know she was there. The large pack is carried over to Goliath who she reaches up to greet with a hand, "Hey Golly how you doing pretty boy?"

"Okay, Phoebe, I'm going to need your help to set this up."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's eyebrows rise up, and she looks to Goliath.

    "Apparently, you need a babysitter." she comments, and she pauses a moment when a familiar voice comes through. Phoebe gives a wry smile, and turns over her shoulder before she leans down from the loft, where she was sitting with Goliath and Potato (WHO WAS SO PROUD OF CLIMBING UP THE LADDER HIMSELF but is gonna need help coming down)

    "The fact that you were able to sneak in on *Damian* being here is nothing short of impressive." Phoeb states, and she laughs.

    "All right. What're we setting up?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Kind of a pain, had to walk here through the woods on foot so he wouldn't hear the motorcycle," Gabby admits as she tips her head up the ladder area. "Also had to talk my plan out loud so whoever was watching any security cams would get the idea not to tip him off."

She reaches for the ladder to start hoisting herself up only to end up face-to-face with Potato. "There better be cameras at least, otherwise I'll feel real dumb talking to myself for like fifteen minutes. Hiiii tater!" Leaning in she smooshie kisses his face not minding any doggy kisses. At least until she gets fully up.

The bag is slung off her shoulder and she announces proudly, "*I* have cute clothes for Goliath to try on!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    !!!

    Potato launches himself happily at Gabby, covered with straw and dragging a now slightly tarried towel with him he shakes it impressively before accepting smooshie kisses on his face, and defnitely adding a few of his own, tail wacking against another pile of straw, from which a rather grumpy looking Idu raises his head, snorts dismissively, and dives back down into the straw. He was not digging the cooler weather and was not about to show the sweater he was wearing.

    "... you... brought clothes. For Goliath. For a massive, extremely dangerous dragon bat."

    PHoebe makes a :| expression.

    "Let's do this."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney grins wide and without shame. "Hey the dogs and crows shouldn't be the only ones that get to enjoy wearing clothes." Speaking of, she pulls a very large yellow rain hat that was obviously not doggy-sized to plop ontop of Potato. "Hang onto that, buddy." It was like a turtle shell on him but with little ear holes. Hopefully he wouldn't end up thrashing his way down from the loft the hard way.

The OTHER thing she pulls out from the bag is a green, fuzzy, sweater-like thing. "It's secured with velcro so it's easy on and easy off and don't have to worry about straps. I mean I could do some leather stuff but then I couldn't do THIS."

Arms stretched wide she holds up the 'sweater' to show off the Christmas tree design, with large puff balls attached for ornaments, and the like.

Approaching Goliath she coos, "Hey Goliath I got you a present! You wanna sit up?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe stares, and her mouth drops open with glee.

    "... you made Goliath an *ugly Christmas sweater*." she whispers.

    Potato, meanwhile, is dutifully sitting and holding the giant rain hat. His face is sticking out one of the ear holes, and there's a steady 'whapwhapwhap' of his tail against the material.

    "I'm not sure if this is going to horrify or stupefy Damian."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney winks at Phoebe once she realizes exactly what it is. "Yep! Rain coat, too," she admits with a tip of her head toward the behatted Potato. But THIS is much more awesome."

It only takes a little cajoling on her part to get Goliath to sit up, and she reaches up to pet his nose as Damian had taught her. "Okay, I promise to get you some yummy fish for this, but it'll be nice and cozy warm too I promise!" She assures him.

One end of the sweater is offered to Phoebe, and she takes the other to step to the opposite side of Goliath to reach up around his thick neck to get it to reach. There's plenty of material there--Either she'd snuck in and measured him at some point or she just got really good at guessing sizes for animal outfits. It leaves plenty of room for wings and paws and other appendanges while also covering over his usual reddish brown chest fur with a cheery Christmasy green.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Have you ever considered using that clothing shot Da Costa gifted you to do pet clothing? I mean, bougie as Hell --" Phoebe comments as she scritches Goliath gently and helps get him into the jumper.

    Potato is just happy to be here and is keeping up with the tattoo of his tail against the material of the rain hat.

    "... but not going to lie it would be amusing as a ll get-out to see like, the Oriole suit on someone's dog."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"I thought of it, but it's really not a great market when you look at it. Generally most pet stores have to throw away like 80 percent of the pet clothes they get. Which is kinda sad. Though..." Gabby drawls out thinking on it as she stretches further. It requires a little hop up onto Goliath's back to get the back secure. There was no pulling over his head though, it was a wrap-around and secured with the velcro. Once ON it looks as if it's all one peice. Satisfied she slides off to her feet again and leans in to give Goliath's side a big hug.

"What a good boy! You look so handsome!" The thought she'd begun is finished as she looks back to Phoebe grinning anew. "Maybe custom stuff. I could definitely make some Potato and Idu clothes. I smell you over there, Idu."

Damian Wayne has posed:
There's a sloshing noise outside that is announcing the return of Damian, having found what it was he was looking for. The creaking of the door further announces his return as he works to open it.

This is mainly to warn Gabby and Phoebe that he's back and giving them a chance to finish their surprise.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Nah man, I meant MTO. And it's so hard finding stuff that fits Idu or Potato well. Fast fashion even for pets is --"

    Idu's head pops out of the straw. His ears radar.

    <<Hello Gabby. Damian's back.>>

    And then his head disappears again as he ducks into submarine mode.

    But, Goliath is dressed. Potato is snuffing around the loft while wearing Goliath's brand new rain hat like a poncho, with his head sticking out, but his ears pulled back as he gives that goofy grin.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Maybe MTO. I might put something up on the website stating requests are made, but it's mostly me doing it. For the pet clothes." Dropping her voice when Idu greets her she responds, "Thanks buddy!"

Then she steps to the side and throws her arms up open wide. "C'mon Goliath, wings wide! Let's show off!" She prompts unsure if he would do it or not. If he does? Great. If not? It'll still be her standing there with a gesture of, "SURPRISE! Look who got all festive for the holidays!"

Damian Wayne has posed:
The door opens, and there's the rattle of china on a tray. "I've been wanting to share this." Damian announces to Phoebe as he returns, "It's a hot chocolate made with white chocolate, pistachios, heavy cream and rosewater. Like a Turkish Delight in a cup." He sets down the tray next to the door so he can get off the rain slicker that was obscuring his view. "I think I made too much though." he admits.

Slicker off and hung up, he's returning to pick up the tray and turns to behold... a Christmas miracle?

He's not sure if he'd call it that - but there's the girl he's realized that he's developing deeper feelings for. His sister. A dog with an oversized poncho, he just needs the sombrero and twin revolvers.

And then Goliath, the Greatmas Tree Dragon. Damian looks over the massive bat-dragon, his wings spread majestically. Instead of the smashing leather and metal armor that Goliath usually wears, the sweater does everything but light up.

And Damian kinda... BSOD's. He doesn't know what to make of it. But he's clearly not unhappy. He may just be experience an emotion he rarely feels. Surprise. And shock. That Gabby would do this, he feels his heart record scratch and then get back on track, his bright green eyes wide enough to be dessert plates.

Give him a moment.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe was not paying attention, and gets whacked backwards into the straw by a spread wing with an 'augh!' -- and ends top over tea-kettle in loose straw before she digs herself out. She now has straw on her sweatshiert, overshirt, in her braids, and she's hopping on one foot as she pulls some from her sneaker.

    "That sounds amazing, Dams." she calls out, "And coincidentally we have an additional person to share it with!"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Entering on in, Talia Al Ghul would glance about at the impromptu festivities. She's got a large goblet of wine with her, and is sprinking a powder over into it. An odorless powder that when it comes into contact with the drink, instantly fizzles away and vanishes. "It appears that you all are doing rather well. I hope that the start of the season brings with you joy and enjoyment."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney winces a little when a wing flips poor Phoebe over. Looking toward the felled girl she standsd with arms still up, and Goliath likewise has his wings spread up. "Sorry Pheebs. Uh, duck?" She states again only to reach out and pat Goliath's side with a quiet, "Good boy, Goliath! You look so handsome!"

The grin she wears is so wide it might hurt her cheeks if she could feel pain. It was just... This was something she'd planned since first meeting Goliath. Having it done, and managing to sneak it in so Damian can see, that was just icing on the cake.

Turning her green eyes back toward the frozen Wayne she watches waiting for his brain to parse exactly what she'd done. She already said surprise so it's not said again, but she does add, "Oh heck yeah I'm down for trying new stuff."

Then Talia enters earning a momentary stiffening, and relaxing, from Gabby. There was always going to be a kneejerk reaction when 'PARENT AROUND' now that she was seeing Damian. "Hello Talia. Working on your poison resistance?"

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I... uh. Wow." Damian finally starts to speak again. "How...?" he asks, looking to Gabby in complete shock. And she's smiling. She's excited by what she did. And he can feel it.

He doesn't even notice his mother's arrival - even if she had followed him out to the barn. Instead, the tray is set down and without anymore words, he walks towards Gabby.

And when he gets to her, he pulls her into a hug and without any type of preamble, dips the young woman into a kiss hard enough to make her lift a foot off the ground possibly before moving to settle it back up. "I love it!"

He looks to Goliath. "Comfortable? Are you okay? It looks super warm and comfy!" he says, ruffling the bat dragon's face. A little affectionate headbutt is given and then back to Gabby. Oh! She wants to try the hot chocolate. That's fine! He returns to the tray, pouring the two mugs full, carrying one to Phoebe to lift up to her before bringing the other one to Gabby. "I...I hope you like it." Why is he nervous? He has no idea. But he wants her to like it!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks at the substance being added to the wine and makes a face. "If that's Iocaine, I'm going to be severely disappointed." she states to Talia, but she seems content to sit to the side, giving a smile to Damian and then -- as Damian appreciates the gesture Gabby's made, her shoulders relax. She gives a brighter smile, and she rubs the back of her head a moment as she breathes out a 'good job Gabs.'.

    Though she wrinkles her nose at the dipkiss. SHMOOPY.

    "I don't think Goliath would have let us put it on unless he was okay with it." she replies to Damian, but accepts the mug of hot cocoa. And then she looks at Damian, and asks playfully:

    "This isn't poisoned either is it?" she jokes.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would smile over at Gabby, "Yes, it's good to not let it get too far out of your system. And I have to ensure that I'm keeping up with the likeliest array of the ones that I could be targeted with." Given the vast, vast array of poisons that could be used by any of the major threats in the world, that would be a vast spectrum. And most of them were far too lethal to ever build up a full resistance to.
    "I see that some of those in the family are gathering their gifts first. It seems appropriate however. I'm glad that you're enjoying the season." Looking over at Damian with a smile, and then over at Gabby. "And I hope that you haven't broken my son too much. You're supposed to spread it out so that you can string him along and ensure you retain power over him and full manipulatory capacity." That was the way that relationships worked after all.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
How? Easy enough to answer! Gabby beams brightly with a quip of, "Velcro! And a lot of fabric. I sewed it--" She begins only to end up caught in that hug, and kiss. The hug she expected. Maybe the little quick peck of a kiss they'd been sharing on greeting one another lately. The dip that sweeps her off her feet has her instinctively wrapping her arms around him to keep her balance even though right now that was entirely up to him.

Shmoopy indeed.

A little flip-flap of her feet occur before they find the ground again when Damian puts her down once more. She looks more than a little red-faced and rumpled over the event, and gives Damian's hair a ruffle against the back of his neck too.

At least until he steps away to start offering out the hot chocolate which she accepts with a little laugh. "It smells really interesting," she assures only to lift it for a quick sip. Her eyes light up, and she nods quickly, offering the cup out toward Damian now as well. He said he wanted to try it too. No need for her to hog it all!

"Oh that's ... Try it!" She urges only to shift glancing over at Phoebe with eyes sliding half shut. "It's not poisoned, I'd warn you about that. Also not sure iocane is a thing to be honest."

For Talia? She just grins wickedly. "Well, not too much. It's still newish between us again." Again? Yes again.

Once again her attention shifts back to Damian to smile softly at him. "I'm glad you and Goliath like it. I wanted to do some others, too." A look down at Potato seems to indicate what. "But I wanted to make sure the more flexible material one worked first before going with something weather proof."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Mother is also fond of starting land wars in Asia." Damian says dryly, before his attention is fully back here and he has successfully rebooted from the dragon sweatering. "Totally deserved more than a peck." he manages to say quietly to Gabby before she offers the mug to him. "Oh!" Well, from direct kiss to indirect kiss as he takes a sip and passes it back to her. "It's really good, did it right this time."

To his mother, he explains. "...same relationship from the shop. Just... moving at Gabby's pace." Because that's the best way to put it. "Which is fine."

"But when did you get here?" he asks Gabby. "How?" he asks again, because now he needs to know how much she may have heard what Phoebe and he were talking about before she arrived!

"Were you in on this, Phoebe?" he asks, frowning slightly as he tries to puzzle it all out and figure out how he got surprised.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "That's not how Gabby works, Talia." Phoebe states, gently defensive of both Gabby and her 'little' brother. "Equal power dynamics work best for long-term. How can Damian take over the world if he doesn't have someone equal to him?"

    She does not want to bring up her own relationship.

    "I don't expect Damian to poison me. He knows better." she responds to Gabby, and she sits on a straw bale before she looks to POtato, the huge white bully having gotten lost in Goliath's rain jacket bumps into a wall, and sitsdown. One of his ears pokes off.

    She briefly switches to Arabic before saying to Damian <I had no part in this other than to help get it on. The badger is in the dark.> and sipping the cocoa... and then she straightens. She looks down at the cup, she sips it again, and then straightens up.

    "Damian. This is *amazing*."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would glance over at Damian, not getting the reference. "One doesn't start a war. That inflicts immense destruction and also means that one has not accounted for all variables. One does not start a conflict, one finishes it. When all things are perfectly aligned and one has prepared for all contingencies they can. One does not engage in something unless they have an endgame, and can accomplish it." She goes to play that up in a rather relaxed statement. Not a correction, merely just keeping her persona engaged.
    "Can you not take the fabrics that some of the.. More technologically enhanced groups use?" SOmething like unstable molecules. They can probably get Bruce to procure some - even if Bruce would not, Alfred would find such a thing adorable no doubt and would nudge on it.
    Listening in Arabic to Gabby highly amused. "I'm glad that you two are doing well together." To Gabby and Damian. There's no veil of protectiveness or threat along things that might normally come from a parent talking to a child's significant other.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney lifts a hand to point upward toward the ceiling or perhaps beyond it. "Parachuted in," she states matter-of-fact. It's a jest she manages to hold onto for a moment longer before cracking another grin. "Nah I parked my bike like a half mile away and hiked through the woods into the manor grounds. I didn't want to give you any prior warning that I was showing up. I *can* be sneaky, you know." Leaning in she gives a little nudge of her nose to Damian's cheek followed immediately after by a kiss. Just a peck, nice and chaste for the sake of their poor audience.

"Hmm. I guess? I've never really had access to those fabrics myself." A bit of a lie. At one point she did, when she was at Xavier's, but that was a long time ago now. Getting just fabric was difficult. "I guess I could ping Valeria online and see if I could snag some from her folks. Or, yeah I'm sure a billionaire could get some too," she reasons when of course Bruce is mentioned. He just wasn't the first person SHE thought of.

"I got here just as you were leaving to go get cocoa," she finally admits to Damian so that he doesn't wonder TOO much about how much she may have overheard. "Just caught the tail end of Phoebe mentioning how she wouldn't let me hug sea lions." The explantions are given, and poor Potato is turning into a potential danger for himself, so she moves over to start extracting him from the raincoat material. "Okay Tater this is too big for your booty."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Yes, but I thought I could hear that motorcycle at a mile away." Damian muses thoughtfully as he leans into the cheekkiss. "I could help with the fabric, but I figured you had the funds saved up so that you could be pretty comfortable with whatever you wanted."

"Anyway..." his hand runs over Goliath's sweater and gives it a pat. "I like that it's old-fashion. It means she used a lot of effort to make it and is showing affection that way." he points out. "I can appreciate that."

With that, he's looking to Phoebe. "Thanks, I learned it when I was young and going through the various trainings that my grandfather put me through." Which means the poor man that taught him the recipe is dead now.

"I'm not sure about allowing you to hug sea lions. They are very aggressive." he agrees with Phoebe on that. "And I like having you around in one piece, even if you could recover from being in many pieces."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Even I could hear that motorcycle a mile away at one point." Phoebe pipes up, and sips at the mix again, and gives a soft 'hrm'. She looks to Damian... she might not be the detective some of their siblings are... but she gets the gist of it.

    And she gives a small nod.

    "Potato, let Gabby get that hat off you."

    Potato backs up a little, and then gives an unsure 'rruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu' noise. Sits back down. And begins to wag his tail again at hyper speed the closer Gabby gets. Because, in all honesty, he loves everyone. Including you.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would look amused, "So, whom is the one that purveys all the darlings that you bring here to visit? Is it a combination of you two?" Gesturing between Gabby and Phoebe. "Or mostly you?" A gesture over at Phoebe. Talia looking quite content over as she would listen to the trio bantering with one another. "They are quite darlings."
    On the whole question of fabrics, she would muse, "THer'es no reason that one could at least look into making the request. It's something appropriate for the season." She would watch the back and forth with amusement. The mention over of the recipie would get a distant nod over in recollection. She would pause just a little bit in being caught in a memory.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"What's a little face chomping among cute wild animals?" Gabby protests, though it's far less of a protest than when there was actually an OPTION for her to hug them. That had been a couple of years ago at this point. Right now she was working on wrangling a wiggledog free of some yellow slicker material trying to pull it off over his head while likely being attacked with licky kisses. Somehow she survives.

"That's not me, I don't live here," she assures with a laugh. Finally standing she pulls the piece free, and quickly folds it in on itself so it's a more managable size. Also so she couldn't get jumped by Potato trying to come after her in case he thought she was playing now.

"The velcro fasteners are on the left side of Goliath's sweater, by the way. Doesn't velcro TO him though," she assures just in case there was some concern about that. She knew he didn't like his fur getting brushed. Pulling it with velcro would be straight out.

"And yeah that hot chocolate was really good. Sorry to hear about the teacher part."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Oh. No, Mother. Goliath..." Damian gestures to the bat-dragon, "Is mine. You may not remember him, I brought him home when he was a cub, right after my baptism to adulthood during the year of blood." Everyone here by now knows the story. There's no reason to hide it.

"And I am also responsible for..." A gesture to a pin, where a cow with brown fur covering his eyes like a mask resides. "Bat-cow. She is the reason that I am a vegetarian now." comes the proud explanation.

When Gabby explains how to remove the sweater, he nods. "Probably should take it off now, before it gets too hot." And as he approaches the dragon, it shuffles away, closer to Gabby. It makes a snorting aroo noise like 'no'.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Potato followed me home from the shelter after I borrowed his leash to tether Killer Moth who tried to kidnap me and Jason." Phoebe comments breezily. "And Idu was a gift from my biological family." Phoebe replies. "Then there's Dorito, Austin and I found him."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Making sure taht everyone is doing well, Talia gives them each a nod and smiles. "WEll, I wish you a festive time then with your friends." SHe means the assembled collection of doggos and the planned costuming that they're all getting. Wine still in hand, another sprinkling of poison powder into it, the Dauhgter of the Demon goes to depart.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney grins when Goliath eases over toward her. It wasn't exactly subtle given his size. Stretching her arms wide she leans in to give him a biiig hug before looking up at him and saying, "Sorry, Goliath, it should come off for now. I'll have more for you to try later okay? Tell you what, I'll even rig up a big blanket you can adjust yourself okay?" The cajoling comes at the same time as one arm sneaks over to zrrrip some velcro off.

"Oh I also promised him fish for putting this on sooo we owe him some fish," she informs Damian with a grin. "I didn't think that would be too bad a prize for him."

"See you later, Talia! Happy Holidays!"

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Sounds like we're going on a date to the fish market." Damian responds with a smirk, and since even Gabby betrayed him, the dragon bat gives in, allowing the sweater to be removed.

"We'll take one of the cars in the garage, no need to take you back to the motorcycle yet."