2160/Flowers and Sympathy

Flowers and Sympathy
Date of Scene:	19 June 2020
Location:	Penthouse - Kord Co
Synopsis:	Dinah quit. Scene is finished. Period.
Cast of Characters:	Ted Kord, Dinah Lance

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Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord is up early one morning, a bowl of Captain Crunch (Crunchberries-Score!) in one hand, his phone in the other. "Yeah, Bea, Dinah. Well she left the JLI just when you and Ice came aboard. She's staying here a few days... what do you mean? Why would she be worried bout her rep? Oh hahaha. Very funny. Anyway, it's nice to have her around. She's about the only beautiful women I can really talk t... hello? Hello? Bea? South America must have shit coverage. This isn't the first time this happened to use."

He reflects on how Dinah... unlike most women was just one of the guys. It was very relaxing to treat her like... Booster or Vic. Nothing girly about her at all.

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance wanders out for breakfast, wearing a loose t-shirt and what looks like a pair of boxing shorts. Not boxer shorts, boxING shorts. "Morning, Ted." she offers, making her way into the kitchen to forage for breakfast. At least she missed most of the call, but she sees him still holding the phone.

"Business call?"

She checks on the coffee before looking for a bagel or danish or something.

Ted Kord has posed:
An ever present drone catches the bowl before Ted spills more than a drop. "Call?" he asks before he notices the phone in his hand. "Call... no nothing like that... old friend." He walks over to his laptop and notes that the web page for Dinah's flower shop(pe?) there half finished. What is he paying these people for? He sits down on the sofaand studiously begins setting up the features and graphics, with a couple of mistypes but fairly quickly. Make that very quickly! Take that HTML! He starts pondering a better language system as he works. The longer he looks away from Dinah the calmer he seem and the faster he works.

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance manages to find a bagel and an apple, starting the former in the toaster. She takes a bite of the apple, walking over to where Ted is working. She's SOOOO not going to peek over his shoulder! Honest. "Mm hmmm." she replies. Okay, so her hand rests on the back of his chair now. "I like the page so far, by the way. And I really really appreciate this."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord turns around to talk, finds he is eye level sit an interesting loose t-shirt indeed. He gives a smile and turns back. His fingers are not quite flying now. "I haven't done web design since college, looong time ago. I was twelve when I went to college. I forgot that this was fun. I'm glad we got those photos of your flowers for the site." No one has a right to smell that nice in the morning, almost like... apples and coffee... oh wait. "Uhm you can look, feedback is good. This is your flower shop.' He slaps the sofa next to him a little too hard. Finish the web site... then a thorough work out. Yes.

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance moves a little, leaning her butt against the table while he works. She takes another bite of the apple, watching him while only occasionally glancing at the screen. "Well I honestly have no clue what you're doing or how you're doing it, but it looks really good." she replies. When he slaps the seat she holds up an index finger and retrieves the bagel as well. Both hands full, she settles beside him.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord ponders the new web language as he works, which oddly settles him down and gives him focus. No one likes current weblangs. "I worked on websites all through college to supplement my allowance. Not like anyone was going to date me. A lot of girls got their IT homework done for a peck on the cheek or a hug," he shuts up. Great, she'll think he's begging. "Thanks for the compliment. I designed the company website, the first one. But again, I'm doing this for you," he points a finger at her. "Tell me what you want to change and I will. You want some canaries among the flowers? Or like your mom's old emblem... I have the JSA emblems in a file... somewhere. It was a nice emblem. I always thought you had a cool codename. I was never crazy about 'Blue Beetle' but... I have to honor the previous Beetle. He saved me." He nervously rubs the scar on his scalp saying that.

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance nibbles on the bagel, putting the apple core neatly aside as one leg crosses over the other. "Yeah, I know a few girls like that." she replies, watching him work his magic with the hieroglyphics on the screen. Dinah brightens a little, then chuckles softly. "Maybe work some canaries into the background somewhere, yeah? Discreet. I'm not ready to spill my costumed cover-ID just yet."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord hits a button and several different species of birds appear. Another few clicks and they flit from flower to flower. "I figured something like that. Here's a few bees." More animation. "I was also a about a hunnerd eighty pounds at 12. At thirteen I got myself in shape... I thought. then I learned there is a whole other level of fitness to do what you do. I'm not quite up where you are or Batman. Nowhere near Batman. I... don't want to be Batman. I want people to know where to find me if they want my help. I want friends. besides... not one. fucking. card or email! I... wanted his respect when I first met him. Then a very good counselor asked me why? I didn't have an answer. Took me nearly dying but... I figured out I like me. I like the Blue Beetle. If other capes have a problem with? Who cares. I faced Goddam Doomsday. I'm not scared of anyone at this point." Another click and he seems to be done. "Done! Unless you want to do something else with it." He rubs the scar again unconsciously.

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance watches the work on the computer, then smiles a little as Ted launches into the diatribe on Batman. "Don't judge anyone until you've walked a mile in their shoes." she offers, adding a sprinkle of Eastern wisdom. "But whether you have his respect or not, shouldn't matter to how you do your job. And how you answer your calling." At least so long as you're not doing it in Gotham.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord shakes his head. "I'm sorry if I sound judgemental. there is a lot I respect and admire about him. I do not intend to lead the way he does, though. I am a leader. I run Kord Co. My people know they are valued, they can come to me for anything... like web design." He leans into her a little at that and bumps shoulders. "I did learn a lot from him too. I will give him that... and when he decked Guy Gardner... dear Lord... your face. "Batman punched Guy and I missed it? Oh wow! I'm going to be seriously depressed," he does a passable Dinah voice and then bites his lower lip. He's not nearly as cute at it.

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance chuckles softly at the shoulder-bump, reaching for her coffee. "And hey, I don't talk like that. And if Batman punched someone he probably had a good reason." Not that Dinah's ever been punched by him, of course. "But listen. Nobody's perfect, and I don't care what scary moniker or costume they use."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord puts his hands behind his head and locks his fingers together. "Hey... do you think I could meet Wildcat? I always looked up to him. No gadgets, no powers, just a regular guy who'd go up to a bad guy and smack him in the head. Wildcat is awesome sauce. What is he like? Would he come over and have a coffee or a beer? Or I could fly over to Gotham. I do contribute to the JSA headquarters fund here in New York. I figure it's historical in our line of work. I haven't been down there yet."

Dinah Lance has posed:
Dinah Lance smiles wryly at that, nodding. "Ted, -everybody- looks up to Wildcat." she quips back, rolling her eyes upward. Of course Dinah 'looks up' to most people, for that matter. "He's just a regular guy, like you said. A regular guy who happens to hit like a freight train. But he's definitely a beer and pool-hall kinda guy. I still work out at his gym, and he's an inspiration to a whole new generation of aspiring fighters."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord nods. "The original Green Lantern, Jay 'Flash' Garrick, Hawkman, they were like gods and Wildcat hung with them. I saw old footage of him, his moves, his acrobatics... I have to train up more. Till I can spar with you and it'll take 2-3 punches to put me down. I mean, you're amazing too. Bothe Canaries are. I mean you... you're not tall but you have mad hard little hands. They hurt! I mostly fought thugs. A half dozen or more and held my own. But you plant me every time. I'd love to meet Wildcat... I'll buy a pool table... what color is good?"