17248/Not Even Any Aliens This Time

Not Even Any Aliens This Time
Date of Scene:	22 February 2024
Location:	Luke's Bar
Synopsis:	Kitty drops by Luke's bar, assuring no aliens have gotten him since the last time she checked on Luke Cage.
Cast of Characters:	Luke Cage, Kitty Pryde

---

Luke Cage has posed:
It's late in the evening on a Thursday, which means the bar is going to close fairly soon. But Luke doesn't look tired behind the bar. He's currently wiping down glasses, watching the last of his patrons fumble their drinks and their wallets as they start getting ready to either leave or get tossed out.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Working at Stark Tower, Kitty isn't all that far from Harlem. At least compared to the days she works from home, down in the X-men base below a certain school for gifted youngsters. Which makes it easier for her to stop in and check on a certain man she knows with impenetrable skin who has a bar in Harlem.

The last time it went this long without seeing Luke, Kitty had made a point of coming to check on him after an alien invasion had taken place. She pushes open the door and makes her way inside. Smiling over at Luke whenever he spots her taking the corner seat at the bar.

"No aliens this time, but figured I'd stop and see how you're doing," she says with a grin. Kitty is wearing a dark grey turtleneck and a sweater, with a pair of slacks. There's a bag slung over her shoulder, making her look like one of the many people heading home from work.

Luke Cage has posed:
"Well if it isn't my favorite brown-eyed girl." Hazel is a kind of brown. Luke leans his elbows on the bar and smiles at Kitty, raising his brows high. "I appreciate the concern, Kitty. What'll it be?" He gestures to the drinks behind him, then back to her. "I'm closing up a bit, but I got one more drink in me for you."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
"Something smooth. Whiskey?" Kitty says, unslinging her bag from her shoulder and setting it in front of her by her feet. "I haven't heard that song in a long time," she says as Luke mentions a brown-eyed girl, grinning over at him.

"How's the bar doing? I think that might actually be the same window as last time I was here, so I take it that's a positive sign?" she asks in a teasing voice. She pulls out some money and sets it on the bar for the drink, plus a tip.

Luke Cage has posed:
"Window's the same, those two tables are new though,"Luke says with a laugh, pointing. He looks at her money and then pushes it back at her. "Nope." He smiles at her. "Your money's no good here, you know that." He turns around and grabs a top shelf whiskey, pouring her a drink. He slides it over to her, and puts the bottle back.

"It's going all right. Enough to keep the lights on. How's your job over with Stark?"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives Luke a grateful smile as she pockets the money. "Can't blame a girl for trying," she tells Luke, grinning over at him. "The job is good," she says, taking the glass and taking a sip from it. "Working on AI. Not related to Iron Man's armor, before anyone thinks to ask," Kitty says. And not knowing it will probably end up a set of armor, but not for Tony.

"Really interesting, cutting edge stuff," she says, taking another sip. "So what's new with you? Bar's going well. Got a new lady? A dog? One of those carnival goldfish who either dies in 2 days or lives forever?" she asks, grinning at him with a lighthearted smile.

Luke Cage has posed:
"Oh no, not for an armor? How horrible." Luke's voice is deadpan until he smiles. "I'm glad you're enjoying it." She asks, and he shakes his head. "No dog. No goldfish. No lady, right now." He shrugs. "I have kind of been wanting to see if I should get a kitty." He folds his arms over the counter. "But I'm afraid it'll just bail if I let it loose around the bar."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde breaks out in a warm laugh. "Smooth as always. Luke, and his whiskey," Kitty says, lifting the glass in a little toast before taking a sip of her drink and then returning the glass to the bartop.

"I need to get over to see Colleen. Been since the holidays since I saw her. We bundled up on the couch with takeout and watched a bunch of Hallmark movies," Kitty says, before she pauses and looks thoughtful. "Actually it might have been the same movie, again and again. It's kind of hard to tell them apart, you know?"

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke winks at Kitty when she calls him and his whiskey smooth. He waves his hand a little, large fingers spreading a little as he gestures to her. "I'm not particularly surprised about you two cuddling and watching a Hallmark movie over and over. Nice visual, even."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde grins over at Luke. "Yeah, she's pretty cool. Met her in a market. I was in Chinatown looking for something for my friend Shan. Colleen saw me looking perplexed, asked what I was looking for. Suggested a paper lantern, red because the color was significant, meant good luck if I remember right. Shan loved it. And you know how it is, sometimes you just click with someone," Kitty says.

She takes another sip of the whiskey. "So anywhere around here open for food this late, still?" she asks.

Luke Cage has posed:
"Colleen is good at being helpful, yeah." Luke wipes the bar down and then glances past Kitty at his patrons, then lowers his eyes to her. "Sure. Upstairs. I've got a canole I've been preppin', if you're willing to wait while I close up."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde slips of her stool to her feet. "Canole? Shoot, that's all you had to say," Kitty says with a grin towards Luke. She grabs her glass, tipping it back to sip the last of the whiskey from it, returning it to the table.

She goes over to the door to the back room where the mop is. "Mop's back here, right?" she asks, apparently planning to help the man close down the bar.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke raises a brow and smiles at her. "Yeah, right behind that door." He turns away and tilts his chin up. "Alright, guys. Time to close tabs and close doors, I got a warm dinner waiting for me."

There's a series of grumbles, but they start shuffling their way out.