1811/Of Olympians and Olympic Distributors

Of Olympians and Olympic Distributors
Date of Scene:	23 May 2020
Location:	Washington Square Park
Synopsis:	Elliot and Alexander bond over misfortune, mad science, and kosher hot dogs.
Cast of Characters:	Alexander Aaron, Elliot Hayes

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Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Last night there had been a storm, a rush of a wild thing that had jolted and zapped the park with a few cracks of lightning, even starting a small fire for a time that quickly faded. Though it did leave a small bit of wreckage for the weekend there in Washington Square Park. Perhaps unnoticed by most save for those who take the stroll around the fountain in the morning, but definitely noticed by the blond-haired youth who now stands there before it, hands on hips.
    Alexander Aaron, formerly of Happy Harbor High, currently of Olympus, and eventually of Empire State University... stood there in front of the twisted wreck of the park bench he'd usually sit on. The one that he'd left behind the other night. The one that he had forgotten and left his cellphone on, yet there it was. Scorched and blackened and blasted apart. A small sigh slips from him as he reaches over and picks it up, dusting some of the carbon off of its broken frame.
    Thankfully not that many people were around to witness his brief moment of mourning the item. Considering yesterday had been the last day of the semester, the campus was quiet. Though there was a hot dog vendor down the way, and a few people playing frisbee in the quad.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    The semester may have ended but certain projects and experiments continue. Elliot attends NYU but she's had to come to Empire State repeatedly for a joint engineering project- and somehow, with summer encroaching, she's been the only one free to keep track of whatever miniature marvel they had been creating. It's funny how that tends to work.
    Elliot is a tiny thing, five feet tall with honey blonde hair pulled back through a cobalt blue tie, sweatpants, and a t-shirt that reads, "Never trust an atom. They make up EVERYTHING." She's currently walking with her eyes turn downward and her shoulders curled in, hugging a messenger bag that is obviously stuffed over full as she stampedes past the wreckage. She comes to a stop not too far from the destruction in the middle of the pak and turns slowly.
    "...Oh, wow." The blonde spends a second gaping, unable to articulate herself more clearly for the moment. Lightning had also struck out at her the night before, though thankfully without causing a terrible amount of harm. It's still something sobering to consider when seeing the damage that was wrought around the same instant. Elliots aren't as well reinforced as most benches.
    "...Hard to believe this was just a storm, huh?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The other blonde in front of the messy and damaged park bench turns his head to look over his shoulder at her and spares a small half-smile. At a glance he's just like any other student. Casual, at ease. He's wearing white sneakers, some blue jeans, and a black t-shirt that depicts a kitten hanging on the side of a cliff with the phrase, 'Hang in there!' prominent.
    But he murmurs in reply, "Yeah, bad juju." He offers as he continues to poke and prod his scorched cell phone, turning a little to shift his weight to the other hip. "Got my phone." He offers as he tries to dig out the SIM card with a fingernail. But no going, melted.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    Elliot winces visibly when she sees Alex pop open the case in order to retrieve the SIM card and shakes her head slowly. "Did yo uhave insurance at least?" There's a sheepish half-smile involved, and the young woman inches closer. Slowly, the messenger bag slides down from her shoulder to land on the ground beside her.
    "Someone told me it was, um, worth a look. Even if it's just- you know. Sorry about your phone." Ellie reaches up and drags her fingers bakc through her blonde tresses then, adjusting them in a perhaps slightly self-conscious way. "Pretty unlucky. But you can keep it and it'll be a fun story to share later, right. Going to be okay without it, though...?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    There's a tilt to the youth's head, and to be fair he has a handsome curve to his features, if only he'd take a comb to that wild mane of blond hair. But he turns his gaze to her and smiles easily enough, just sort of lop-sided as his curious hazel eyes meet her gaze. "I have a back up. I think with most of the stuff..."
    He turns and adjusts the hang of his backpack with the roll of one shoulder, taking a few steps to the side but lingering to talk to her. "I think..." He tilts his head toward her, "I might have lost a phone number or two of friends. And they'll be all mad and think I ghosted them or something."
    He grins to himself and takes a few more steps, then sits down cross-legged upon the edge of the bench that mirrors this one, just closer to the fountain there in the park. "Somehow don't think they'll believe me when I'm all, 'no really it got struck by lightning.'"

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "Tell them you dropped it in the toilet," Elliot advises in a sage tone, "Everyone will believe that." Elliot is pretty enough but the real draw from her is that smile. It lights up her features, showing off faint dimples and warming her green-eyed gaze as she meets Alexander's. She blinks once when he breaks that gaze to perch on the bench beside the fountain.
    "Or you can show them the pieces, if that ever comes around." Elliot shrugs, circling the bench and perching lightly on the edge of the fountain, folding her hands into her lap in the process. "At least you know what happened to it, I guess? So the healing can start. So.... What's your name? Are you always this unlucky or was last night a special occasion?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    A slow blink as he ponders the phone, but then without further ado he pockets it as best he can without leaving too much of a charcoal residue on his blue jeans. Then those strange pale blue and jade green irises meet her gaze and he replies, "Last night was a special occasion I think," Considering that the bad luck might have been due entirely to a particular person.
    His lip curls and he lets his eyes wander, taking in the area, then back to her. His gaze drops to her t-shirt and she'll see a small half-smile light his own features up as he bites his lower lip before answering her.
    "I'm Alexander, Aaron. Alexander Aaron." He leeeeans over and extends his hand towards her for an introductory shake.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "When Alexander's gaze travels downward to see Elliot's shirt hers follows suit. Another easy smile follows as she reads it. She's distracted for a second, and when she looks up Alexander is looming benignly over her to offer a handshake. A pause, a blink, and then Elliot takes the offered hand carefully as she cants her head slightly to the left and studies Alexander's gaze. Elliot squints very slightly.
    "Nice to meet you, Alexander Aaron. I'm-" Elliot's words trail off mid sentence and she smiles sheepishly before adding, "Your cellphone looks like one of my lab experiments. But at least it's a nice day out. Air is always cleaner after a storm. All the ionized particles... Um." She withdraws her hand carefully.
    "Going to school nearby?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The youth's handshake is firm, but gentle. Business-like in the three light pumps. Yet she'll notice the subtle ridges upon his hands and knuckles, hints of the same callouses that her instructor might well have as well. He draws his hand back and retakes his seat with an easy-going smile, "Empire State, next semester. Though I might sneak in a few Summer classes," His eyes drift to the side toward the wrecked and ruined bench, then back to her.
    His lips twist up as he murmurs, "I like the scent of it after a storm, with the dust of the day being washed away. Petrichor and all that." Though his eyebrows climb slightly as he considers her.
    "And you're already a student here right?" His smile slips towards the wry as he looks at her and markedly those sweat pants. For sweat pants are the required uniform these days of all dedicated college students. His nose crinkles as he goes on to explain why he thinks so, "Just a vibe I got from you."

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    Elliot's grip is stronger than one might expect of someone her size, though it is a slight thing. Her hand isn't particularly calloused, however. If she trains she takes step to keep her skin soft. She nods a couple of times in response ot the question, taking a deep breath as she withdraws her hand and settles backward slightly onto her her fountain seat.
    "I am. I'm on campus keeping track of some science experiments and I heard about what happened ot the bench, so..." Elliot shrugs lightly once more and slowly begins to relax. Visibly so. "So. Starting ESU soon, hm? Awesome. What are you studying? I started with music, but- um."
    Abruptly, Elliot averts her gaze and she too spends a second contemplating the wreckage. "Now all my class projects turn out like that. It's pretty fun, actually."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The young Olympian watches her calmly, just a casual slow blink as he listens to her words, his eyes following the shift and movement of her lips for a time before returning to her eyes, though he doesn't seem deaf. He gives a nod and lifts his chin a touch as eh explains what brings her there. But then she asks her questions and he smiles.
    "I have no idea." He tells her honestly, about what he may well be studying. "I'm sort of existing on inertia at the moment and will probably fall forward into... something." He shakes his head a little, chewing on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. "Maybe archeology? But really main reason I'm doing this is I promised my father."
    That said he turns on the bench to face her more directly, pulling one leg up almost in a half-lotus posture as he watches her levelly. He glances at the wreckage, then back at her. "So your major is Mad Science then I take it."

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    Elliot giggles and nods a couple of times quickly, a couple stray tresses bouncing free of her hair tie as she does so. "More or less! I just get kind of carrried away with some of my personal experiments and-" she gestures vaguely at the wreckage. "Behold the power of electricity, right?" She twists a little and then orients herself on Alexander again, nodding. "I get it. My mom made me promise to get a nice degree and become a doctor or something when I was little. She's not sure if she's happy with the mad science thing, but at last if I take over the world I can probably get dental, right?"
    Elliot allows her gaze to drft afte t his, before finally settling on the cart meters away. "After the shock of losing your phone you're probably hungry. Want one?" She jabs a finger at the nearby cart. "My treat. Just this once."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well," The youthful deity seems to hem and haw a bit as he looks at her and then looooks away toward the hot dog vendor. He draws his lower lip between his teeth a little, looking amused but perhaps playfully admonishing as he murmurs to her. "I've always been told not to take food or candy from strangers. And I told you my name..."
    His blond eyebrows lift as he looks at her pointedly, nodding as if to tell her, that indeed she had been caught in a hint of a faux pas.
    But then his grin lights his features again and he gestures with a hand toward the vendor, "But sure, just this once. I'll live dangerously." And that said he looks in that direction, then he sniffs and adds, "And a soda."

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "A bit of danger can be what you need to liven up a bad day, right? ...Fine. And a soda." Elliot briefly looks stricken but it turns to a sly smile and then she hops down from her perch to begin a long-legged, somewhat lackadaisical walk toward the hot dog vendor. She reaches toward her back pocket for her phone- then releases it and lets it slide back into place and out of sight.Instead, Elliot yells, "Hot dog wizard!"
    "Elliot! Welcome back." The grinning man behind the cart seems unsurprised to see the blonde moving toward him. "Brought a friend? Your usual, right? Pastrami, grilled onions, brown mustard, sauerkraut?"
    There's an emphatic nod and then Elliot indicates Alexander with a tilt of her head. "This is Alexander. His phone blew up last night, so... Whatever he wants is fine."
    "Another experiment?"
    "I'm not the ONLY one blowing things up here. Jeeze."
    After a pointed look Elliot adds, "...For once."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Strolling along behind her, one hand in the pocket of his baggy jeans and the other under the loop of his backpack, Alexander flashes an open and friendly smile to the hot dog vendor and gives a nod. "I'll have the same as she's having, sir." Polite to people, so nice.
    But then he steps lightly to Elliot's defense and says, "Was just some lightning sir, not necessarily." He stops and turns to her as he emphasizes her name, "_Elliot's_ fault." His eyebrows lift as he stares at her for a moment as he nods as if saying, 'oh yeah, I now know all your secrets.' But then he looks back to the vendor and murmurs, "And a coke, please."
    That said he'll await the prep and for them to get their food before he'll hold his carefully and follow after her wherever she plans to go.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "Now you know my most dreaded secret," Elliot relates in a quiet monotone, having accepted her hot dog and held it fairly close. She'll walk along, apparently choosing to circle the park while she goes. It's a slow enough pace that the girl easily unwraps the steaming sausage so she can prepare to eat. "And no what will you do wiuth that forbidden knowledge, Mr. Aaron?" For now, Elliot doesn't look up again.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well, if I had a phone..." He mouthes that last word extra elaborately, giving it a few extra syllables. But then Alexander grins sidelong as he murmurs, "I'd add it into it, when you inevitably ask for my info and we exchange numbers." With that he gives a single nod, so sure of himself. The jerk.
    But then he's tearing into his own hot dog, pulling the wrapping apart and enjoying a bite or two, and then popping the cap on his can of soda and taking a swig. He strolls along and glances at her thoughtfully.
    "Though I appreciate a good hot dog. Thank you, _Elliot_." His lips twist, amusing himself if no one else.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"You're welcome, Al," Elliot replies breezily, pointedly refusing to acknowledge the baiting. She eats her hot dog a bit more reservedly but it is disappearing quickly enough, especially considering how much larger Alexander's mouth is than hers. "Archaeology, hm? Brushing dust off of pieces of pottery and spending months reconstructing ancient bowls from the shards you find. I can dig it. Big into history...?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "You could say that," He replies as he steps along the path, eating at times, drinking others. Alexander lifts his eyes upwards as he ponders the sky, some aspect of him shifting his expression to a faint look of annoyance. Perhaps still holding a grudge for that lightning bolt that cost him his phone.
    But then he tilts his head back to her and murmurs, "My father was big into it, and by the nature of transitive properties..." His smile twists, perhaps trying to 'speak her language' to her. "I became a history buff too."
    Then his nose twitches a little as he adds, "For proof, I mean, my name is Alexander Julius Aaron. After all." A few more steps then he adds, "Elliot." As if an afterthought to still tease her about that.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "Parents who like pretentious names." Elliot grimaces faintly at that, but then she's lauughing. The hot dog is briefly wrapped again, the edges of the paper crinkled oer it to keep the toppings safe as she lowers it. "Elliot Melissa Hayes. Elliot Hayes after the playwright. Among... Other things."
    Elliot pauses for a moment before asking slowly, "What's the historical origin for your name then?" She finally settles down onto one of the benches that haven't been destroyed by lightning from above, and leans back, drawing up her knees and laying the second half of the foot long beef hot dog across the left. The spot beside her is indicated with at tilt of the petite blonde's head.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Ah," The youth takes a seat on the bench next to her, but not too close, so he can turn and face her and talk to her while he enjoys the free munchies. Another bite though and he's mostly finished it, perhaps saving the last for a bit as he turns to consider her.
    "Alexander, the greatest Greek general of the time. Julius, for Julius Caesar, the greatest Roman general of the time."
    He nods once and then after a beat he adds, "Though I always sorta liked Sulla more." A small shrug is given as he takes a sip of soda.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "I'm partial to Scipio. So your dad is really big into military history, huh?" Elliot spends a moment eating, quickly polishing off the rest of her hot dog. She seems to be content with letting silence rain while she does so, though she nods when Alexander sees fit to continue speaking.
    "My mom is... About as obsessed with religious history. I guess I could've been archaeologist, but I'd rather electrocute stuff. 'm a rebel." As if to emphasize the point Elliot blows a stray strand of hair away form her mouth, tracking it with her eyes. before they shift back to her companion.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well," She'll see those hazel eyes distance for a time as he gives thought to her question. But then his attention returns to her and he tells her casually, "It's always sorta been my dad's... thing. For like, a long time." Which, to be fair, isn't a lie. But then again it isn't the entire truth either.
    And then she elaborates about her mother and Alexander nods again, "Yeah that's..." But he doesn't' explain more, perhaps not wanting to make light for whatever reason. "I hear electrocuting things has it appeal."
    But the 'rebel' comment sort of gets him to smirk a little and look at her all over again, curious, but a small chuckle slips from him. "Such a rebel. I bet sometimes when you're doing mad science, you don't even put on the white evil scientist lab coat."

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "I totally do wear the white lab coat when I'm doing science," Elliot rplies hotly, shaking her head as she does. "It's pretty much a requirement for lab work anyway. ...Which means the real rebellion would be wearing normal clothes? WEll, damn." Then she's laughing a little and bouncing slightly in her spot on the latest banch. The trash from her lunch has been balled up in her left hand and she seems to be eyeing a nearby trashcan.
    "Elliot Hayes from center court. Lining up the perfect shot. She shoots, she-" the paper is thrown into the air. It arcs gracefully toward the meters distant can and bounces off the rim to land on the ground. "...Has to go pick that up." So saying she hops down from her perch and begins the short trek to deal with her litter. She also extends a hand, offering to take Alexander's refuse with her on the journey.
    A rebel indeed.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Chuffing a little with disbelief, Alexander shakes his head as she proves or disproves her rebelliousness, depending on one's point of view. But he smiles all the while.
    So as to not spurn her offer he quickly eats the last bite of the hot dog then balls up the wrapper to give to her, smiling a little at her manner. But when she wanders over to the trash bin he'll turn to watch her, head tilting to the side curiously.
    A sip of soda is taken and then he murmurs, "Thank you for sharing lunch with me, that was a kindness." He gives her a nod of thanks.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "Sure thing." Elliot glance s back over her shoulder as she deposits the trash in order to share one of those luminous smiles she seems to wear so easily. Watching Elliot walk reveals she's more athletically inclined than Alexander might expect, both from her build and how she comports herself. Soon enough, however, she returns to the bench.
    "No problem. It seemed like you could use a lucky break today and I had a couple of bucks, so... Why not, right?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    To be fair, there is a moment or two where Alexander is indeed considering the way Elliot walks, just a slight tilt of his head to the side and his gaze wandering along the subtle lines of the sweat pants and perhaps the play of movement as she turns. She'll see his eyes return to hers as his lips twist into a half-wry smile.
    "Mmmhmm, are you sure it's not you secretly trying to make me owe you for a favor down the line?" He shifts in his seat, drawing a leg up to his chest and curling his arms around it. Just enough for the sleeves to ride up a lot and to be fair, she might notice the subtle swell of his arms, and the fact that... he might be hiding a rather nice physique under that t-shirt. But if that's so why the baggy clothes?
    "Like you could be in the middle of a wild experiment and need someone to go find a human brain and then out of nowhere my new phone rings and it's Ellie reminding me about that time she bought me a hot dog."
    As he talks he keeps a semi-serious expression, as if entirely believing what he's saying, but then a small 'heh' slips from him at the end as a smile threatens to break forth.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
    "You caught me. By accepting the hot dog you signed a binding contract to donate your brain to experiments with transplants and reanimation. You'll get to be Dr. Frankenfurter's monster." Elliot blinks once, as if something about her own comment surprised her but hen she forges onward, rolling her eyes as she does.
    "Don't worry. There are perks. The pastrami dogs are amazing and if you visit on saturdays mom will pass the manischewitz," Elliot notes in a sage tone. "Plus you don't even have to actually do anything and it pays as much as a job at Walgreens."
    Elliot's gaze is somewhat more circumspect, but Alexander does have all of her attention. The occasional sheepish glance at the surrounding areas aside.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    When she conjures forth the name of Dr. Frankenfurter she can see she too has brought forth the presence of the side-eye given to her suspiciously as if not entirely belieeeeving her. But he hrmmmms to himself and watches her lips for a time as she speaks, then meets her eyes again. His own smile curves toward the amused but balefully so.
    "Mmm, why do I get the feeling we're both only sort of half-way kidding." But as he says that he pushes himself to his feet. "Well, if I had my phone I would ask to share information. But I do not."
    He then slings his backpack over his shoulder and unzips the pocket, reaching into it and digging around for a time, frowning a little to himself. A pencil is procured easily enough, one that's apparently been used for a time. But a piece of paper, he ends up with a ticket to a concert for Kaminari that's been used and he extends them both to her, "So if I may?"

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"...Okay, I I guess." Elliot takes the concert ticket and pencil both then begins to quickly scrawl out a series of digits. A phone number, presumably. Her handwriting is remarkably neat despite being script and she twirls the pencil between her fingers before offering it back along with the paper. "Let me know if you want to volunteer for some kind of crazy experiment. Promise not to electrocute you your first time."