3278/Old Furniture Is Still New Furniture

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Old Furniture Is Still New Furniture
Date of Scene: 08 September 2020
Location: Stephanie Brown Apt - University Apartments
Synopsis: Cassandra parachutes into Stephanie's apartment (don't ask) and Barbara joins them to watch Dirty Dancing, compare wounds and talk about men
Cast of Characters: Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Barbara Gordon




Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie had sent a message over to Cassandra's phone. A picture of herself patting a spot beside her in an apartment. There's a map that comes through next, and then a picture of a building with an arrow pointing to a specific balcony on the top floor. Also a picture of the door to her room. Apparently figuring Cass is more likely to just show up on her balcony than knock at the door. But you never know.

Stephanie slices up some fruit and cheese, grabs some grapes and adds some peanut butter to celery to make a little platter. She goes over and takes a seat on the couch. Yes, there's furniture in the apartment now. Facing the TV, which is a small one by 2020 standards, and sitting on an entertainment center consisting of some pieces of wood stretched across cement blocks.

You know. College student furniture.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
It's quiet for a bit. A nice evening, happy company expected, some one-sided chatter. Then an odd ruffling sound comes from the direction of the window. Ruffling, an awfully familiar noise. Doesn't seem to make sense HERE though, and really there would be some other sounds to go with it.

Suddenly, a THUD against the outside wall knocks a piece of fruit to the floor, and the ruffling changes significantly. Something on the balcony is being loud, way too loud to be Cass. Unless...

A released parachute shows up in the window, and the ninja's back appears as she comes into view, gathering it into a grabbed up armful. Oh no, she couldn't just WALK over. She had to do a HALO jump.

She comes inside, face red with windburn and smile beaming. She's clearly already having fun, and she spots Steph and waggles fingers! Her arms are full of 'chute.

And she seems to think nothing of it.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown can't quite decide whether to laugh or face-palm. So she does both, shaking her head but with a grin as she moves over. She left the sliding glass door unlocked. Thank goodness Cassandra's control is such that she landed on the floor of the balcony instead of going through the glass!

"Come in, come in," she says, moving to help Cassandra with the chute, and get her inside before any of her neighbors might stick their heads out to see what the noise was. Once they are in, Stephanie slides the door closed. "Working on installing a trap door to the roof," Stephanie says, motioning up towards the ceiling and moving her hand as if something traveling up that way.

Stephanie will help Cass out of the chute's pack, and then offer a tight hug to her bestie if allowed. After that, Stephanie turns and motions towards the furniture. "What do you think?" she asks with a smile.

The furniture has all seen better days. But it's functional. And Stephanie has some posters and pictures starting to go up on the walls to make the place look more homey. A blanket thrown over the couch for now helps the colors to match. There's an old coffee table with some obvious nicks on it, but Stephanie has been polishing some life back into it after years of neglect.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Pff. If she's allowed. Stephanie is -met- with an answering hug, almost before she's begun it! She takes the help of course, and takes her good sweet time with the warmth and smiles. Hugs are a language she speaks well, but has too few opportunties to practice.

Lifting her head Cassandra looks about the room. Her eyes tell a story, glancing from chair to couch to table without moving her head. The linger, they judge. She looks back to Steph, trying to gauge what the response is supposed to be. Then she slowly gives a thumbs-up, but her face is questioning and uncertain. ?

She stops though, then walks around the place. She moves with purpose, looking down the hallway and into any doors she can find that open. She returns to place her hand on the back of a chair, then seems to lean on it just a little bit.

There's a faint sound, and the wordless one retracts her hand swiftly. She might, or might not, have just almost broken the chair. From the way she's now keeping her hands to herself I'd be leaning yes.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Good answer. Stephanie breaks out in a smile as Cassandra gives her the thumbs up. "I know right?" she says of the furniture, looking back to the mismatched items. "Picked up the coffee table from a curbside. Was being thrown out. The rest I actually bought. Neighborhood holding garage sales and I was able to haggle people down," Stephanie says. While she throws in plenty of non-verbal communication, she still talks to Cassandra normally. Both to try to help her pick up verbal communication, and knowing Cass will still read far more of it than Stephanie expects.

It's pretty clear Stephanie is proud of it though. She tosses her arm back around Cassandra's shoulder as she looks back to the room with a sense of pride. "Tim and Dick, and maybe even Roberto might not get just how much it means. I've never had a place of my own, not had much STUFF of my own," she says quietly. "It's like... I'm part of the world I was always excluded from now. Even if it's second hand or throwaway," she says.

As Cass leans on the chair, Stephanie peers at it. "Hrm. Thought that was more sound than that," she says. "That, or you are putting on weight!" Stephanie says, the last part her smile easily readable as being something said in warm teasing towards Cassandra.

"Speaking of, I got food! And a movie you may like," she says, motioning to Cass to join her on the couch. There's the fruit and veggies, also two fruit juices. Stephanie uses her phone to start the movie playing.

Dirty Dancing.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
There's a lot to what Stephanie isn't saying. Cassandra watches, listening through her eyes, and she tries to understand. It's almost a thing in itself, watching her watch people sometimes. Especially when she cares about them.

She looks around the room a second time while Steph is talking. And she stops by the table. She looks up at Stephanie, reading her face as she, Cassandra, approaches it. The anticipation, the effort put into it. And she leans down to touch the surface with her fingers. There's a reverence in the motion this time, something that wasn't there a minute before. She looks up and smiles, and it's with a meaning that she's figured out. Something new.

Stephanie turning to put on the movie makes her stand. She knows these things, they're broken-up jumbles of people talking, most of the words are out of order, but sometimes it's fun. So she snags a bit of fruit, bypassing the cheese entirely, and looks expectantly on.

The girls in the car at the start? She doesn't get it.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown's face beams with a little pride as Cassandra picks up on the hard work that Stephanie has put into the coffee table. She takes a seat, and slides an arm about Cassandra's shoulder to sit close with her as they watch.

Stephanie gets a bit of cheddar and then an apple slice to nibble on. "You'll like it I think. There's dancing. And good music. Just takes a little bit to get to it," Stephanie tells her friend.

She looks thoughtful for a moment. "Roberto figured out I'm Spoiler," Stephanie says, looking over to Cassandra. "Roberto," she says, touching the gold and diamond charm in the shape of a compass that's on the necklace she's worn every day since Roberto gave it to her. Then she adds, "He figured out I'm Spoiler. I helped save his mom and others from a fire. And the necklace broke and he found it and realized I'd been the one in costume," she says.

She lets out a sigh. A fairly good sounding one. "I couldn't have revealed it to him. But, I'm not upset he found out. I just need to keep the rest of your identities safe."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra nods instantly when Steph identifies who she's speaking about. She's not having an issue following that much it seems. She's always had a bit of an issue with the whole 'names' thing, so Steph telling her that he's found out that Steph is Steph (spoiler) gets her to shrug, not really on board there.

Still, she's made a wish recently and she's decided that it takes work to get to that goal, and she moves her lips with the noise of that odd word, the one that means two things. Spoiler.

She smiles then and taps Steph on the forehead with a fingertip, just one time. She leans back a little bit and scritches herself on the head, then looks up and left. Thinking. A moment later she spreads her hands, then touches herself. "Cassandra," she says, her voice the usual blend of disuse and gravelly.

She proceeds to thumb over her shoulder, behind her, and then makes a half-smile. Reaches out and touches Stephanie on the lips, if she may. Then a nod of acceptance.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Cassandra will have little trouble telling Stephanie only caught part of her meaning, but hearing her friend speaking a name she rarely, if ever, does brings a huge smile to Stephanie's face. "Yes, Cassandra," she says, touching over Cassandra's heart lightly.

She touches herself in the same spot. "Stephanie," she says. And then she sits up and touches herself and then raises her hands in what would be a fighting stance if she weren't seating, and throws a punch. She moves a hand to cover her face much like her mask she's been using lately that leaves her eyes exposed, then touches her chest again. "Spoiler," she says as she does.

She leans back then, sitting lightly against her friend. "He's ok with it. I mean, he'll worry some, but he's not going to freak out," Stephanie says, obviously content with that outcome.

Stephanie sits up more. "Oh, here," she says, as some of the first good dancing of the movie comes in the screen, Stephanie pointing towards it.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cass sighs. She knows, of course she knows, that her 'words' weren't coming across with great effect. For all their abilities she does sometimes pose the greatest challenges, and her affection for Stephanie is in part because the blonde puts up with her anyway.

She looks at the words as Stephanie speaks them. They matter; something about her, Cassandra, saying them matters. And she doesn't really know why. But she moves her lips to the words, a soft but audible practice that she'll do again and again overnight. The fact that she tries to do the sentence and it comes out 'Hayscol Outet' is, well, still a better start than she had.

She turns to the movie and her focus shifts, and she tilts her head. Then again, and again. It's a brilliant scene, the dancing and motions are eloquent...it's the scene cuts that seem to make her react most. When the camera shifts. To her, it's like hearing a conversation that keeps switching to a new voice.

But she slowly smiles, getting used to it.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie shines one of those big, beautiful smiles at Cassandra, all encouragement for her. She nods her head along with the smile. "Keep it up, you're doing well," Stephanie tells her warmly.

She looks back to the television, alternating between it and Cassandra. "It's kind of an older movie, but a really good one," she says. "He's passed away, the actor. Patrick Swayze is his name. He was well liked. Will have to show you Ghost sometime, but after you're better with the words," she says.

Stephanie and Cassandra are sitting on the couch of furniture that was freshly liberated from curbsides on trash day, and garage sales. The TV is mediocre at best, and sitting on pieces of wood across cement blocks for an entertainment center. But the place is starting to come together, some artwork on the walls, just printouts from the computer that are still in need of frames. But it's progress!

There's also fruit and cheese on a plate on the coffee table, which has nicks in it, but has been given a lot of love and polishing lately from the looks of it. Stephanie had sent out a text inviting Barbara over if she was feeling up to moving around.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Up to moving around is really the critical part. She got her ass beat when she and Stephanie ran into the Court of Owls less than a week ago. Only some of that was from saving Stephanie from a potentially lethal blow without hestitation.

The small cut on her shoulder wasn't a big deal, just some careful stitches and a bandage no probem. The sword through her midsection and out the other side was much worse. It didn't hit any vital irreplacable organs but it does suck severely. It took more medical care than some stiches and she is on some fabulous painkillers and antibiotics now.

Still she does show up, taking the normal Barbara Gordon path though not wanting to risk a run in on a roof top with a Talon. Knocking lightly at Steph's door.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Steph's smile is, as it will always be, a light in the room and it makes Cassandra seem so normal, soft, and human. Because she stops being a demon of the night for a moment whenever it happens and lets a little of the girl shine through. Words from anyone will get her to look; it's a habit and one you expect after spending a short time with her, so she's missing bits of the movie.

Too bad she's not getting a lot of the content. 'Swayze.' 'Ghost.' 'canteloupe.' Seriously, what even is that stuff? It tastes so wierd.

Then the door knocks and Cassandra's hand is on Stephanie's leg. She seems calm, her body tensing for a second, then relaxing. She looks left, right, then grins. And makes a bat ears with her fingers over her head. She's recognized the knock, and it's one of us.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie doesn't jump at the knock, but does jump slightly at Cassandra's reaction. Though it just leaves her laughing softly as Cass tells her who it is. "Yep. Barbara. Invited her too," Stephanie says with a grin, nodding and giving the bat ears sign back.

Stephanie stands up. She's doing far better than she was, the ointment from Alfred doing wonders with her multiple bruised ribs. There's still a bandage on her forearm from the sword cut, but it's just precautionary at this point, she could probably do without it.

She hurries over to open the door for Barbara. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't make it, but figured you might want to get away from, you know..." she says. Medical treatment. Stephanie is there to help Barbara if she needs it, closing the door behind her. "Cass and I are just watching Dirty Dancing. She likes the dancing. Mind the parachute by the balcony door. Tripping hazard," she says.

Stephanie will get Barbara some fruit juice like she and Cass have already. "How's the healing coming?" Stephanie asks. Her concern is obvious, and even more heartfelt given the major wound was taken protecting Stephanie.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara smiles when Stephanie opens the door, pupils just the tiniest bit dilated from the painkillers. "I figured it would be good to get out and get some fresh air." which is a joke considering the air quality index for Gotham on a good night.

"Hey Cass." she wiggles her fingersand moves much slower inside now. "Good movie.. and why on earth is there a parachute by the balcony door?" I mean she definitely picks up the joking Stephanie is doing about it, but it is still very odd.

"It... as good as can be expected. Just need to make sure no infection and will be just fine. Nothing vital hit.. which you already know. So just extra painkillers and antibiotics for some time."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra, as chatty as ever, is standing when the door opens. She looks at Barbara quietly and her brow furrows as she takes in injuries with her eyes; the way a person stands, the things that Babs -doesn't- do. She looks at Stephanie again and gets a look on her face of suspicion.

The words about the parachute are waved off, ignored. Moved past as unimportant, as she ignores the movie with concern clear on her face. She didn't notice and it bothers her. She wasn't THERE.

So when she's then trying to usher both Babs and Steph to sit, it's almost motherly. Clearly worried. Then she points to the movie sternly.

Oh lord, she's feeling guilty!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"Oh, I sent Cass a map, picture of the building with my balcony pointed out, and of my door. Kind of thought she'd swing down from the building next door. It being such a great way to the roof is one reason I got the place here," Stephanie says. "But, she parachuted in, instead." Thankfully it's dark out. "Haven't had time to repack it yet."

Stephanie helps Bab to a prominent place on the couch before she relaxes as well. She smiles over to Cass reassuringly and says, "We got attacked by Talons. Barbara saved my life, took a hit for me, and knocked us off the roof to get away from them," she says, the smile sliding to a more serious expression.

The blond's eyes go back to Barbara. "But tonight, let's just relax and forget about Owls? Oh, this is a good part you'll like, Cassandra," Stephanie says as the music starts up for another of the dance sequences, as Jennifer Grey is learning to dance.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"What Steph said, it was a painful lesson. These Court Assassins are definitely no joke... I knew they fought like zombies based on the others reports but knowing it and experiencing it are definitely two different things." she puffs her cheeks out and then nods. "Also I feel like I should give some lecture about always packing your chute quickly and well... something..something but I can't be bothered tonight. a grin.

She makes her way over to the couch with the pressure to join them and just sit with the good show. "This is an excellent movie choice.. " she comments and settles in "how are you both doing?"

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra's eyes are upset, annoyed, and guilty. She makes certain that both OTHER ladies are comfortable. No question, it happens and she's ready to fight them if they want it to be otherwise, which makes no sense but she's in a mood. She actually winces slightly when she's told about the fight, the wounds. The assassins that she wasn't there to help with.

She walks around behind the couch and puts her fingers on Barbara's shoulders. She glances to Steph, to make certain that this is socially an OK? Then starts to rub, deep into the tissue of the shoulders. And the movie plays, and Cassandra's eyes have nowhere else to go.

And after a few moments the fingers slow. Then tighten, maybe a little too tight. She's no longer massaging. Her eyes are globes in her face, watching the young Frances Houseman learn to dance. She hasn't breathed. Hungry Eyes is not just the song, it's what she's taking from this.

And she seems to be drinking it all in, a desperation in her. And her hips move, so very softly. She would love to dance.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie responds to Barbara, "I'm doing ok. Wounds are healing up." She glances to Cassandra as the Asian young woman moves behind Barbara. The questioning look gets a little nod from Stephanie and a soft smile that seems to appreciate what Cassandra is offering to do for the redhead.

Blue eyes go back to Barbara. "Yeah, and speaking of wounds... the injured ribs I had already? So, ah, short version? The apartment of my boyfriend's mother caught fire. The whole building. I was bringing a fresh costume back here and was in the area so I suited up and... ok I said short version. So I got blown out of the building by a backdraft. And Roberto came to Spoiler's aid. And then I disappeared on him. But my necklace broke and he found it there, and realized it was me," Stephanie says.

She continues quickly. "He's ok with the idea of me being a hero. And he's not going to say anything to anyone. Doesn't know about anyone else and I'll keep it that way," she says.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Babs eyes track Cass moving around behind her then she glances over her shoulder to see what he NinjaBat is up to. "Ooh!" not a bad sound but it is followed by a chuckle as she glances back towards the screen now. "I had no idea you knew how to massage, but I guess it makes sense. It is very theraputic after workouts or heavy fighting..." and she just enjoys it. She needs it reallly her muscles a mess from the injury, fall, and then having to heal.

There is a bit of a hss of breath when the grip tightens a bit surprising. Then Stephanie drops her own bombshell about her boyfriend. "Wait.. what...." a bit strained as she looks to Stephanie clearly distracted then looks up at Cass "Ease up..." glancing at the screen then back to Cass "Have you not seen much dancing?" concerned tone.

Yes she will get back to Stephanie's bombshell there. She looks over "I did a light background check on him to make sure he isn't a villain in disguise.. I'm going to need to go really invasive now Steph..."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra's hands leap off of Babs, signaling a moment when she realizes what she's doing. She slowly, slowly returns them and...with caution, works on Babs' shoulders again. She's...she's untrained, but she goes instantly to the right spots. The places where pain moves in the neck get pressure, and she pulls down the nerve. Eases up when it's right to do so. She's reading Babs' body...to heal.

The conversation going on around her is lost, because if anyone were to look they'd see that her eyes are closed. She's not listening at all! Except to what she's getting through her fingertips.

Slowly she kneads into the deep muscle and the soft, rotating motions pull out pain that Babs might not even have known of. Then makes it hurt worse, and makes it go, the hell, away.

Not too shabby, girl!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown glances back at Cassandra as Babs gives the little sign of distress. But it seems like it goes back to normal. Stephanie relaxes again, grabbing the plate of fruit and cheese to bring it to Babs so she can reach it without having to lean forward and ruin the healing massage.

After the plate is set back down, Stephanie retaining some orange slices and a few bites of cheddar for herself which she nibbles on. Stephanie doesn't try to talk Barbara out of the background search, knowing it would be akin to resisting the Borg. Futile. "I know his dad is... ah, kind of your stereotypical CEO. Not in the good sense, like Bruce. And, his grandfather on his mother's side is Judge Montes," she says, naming a prominent Gotham family known to be mixed up in the wrong kind of business.

Stephanie gives a quick shake of her head. "But, his mom isn't like that. And he isn't either. One of those... seeing that kind of stuff growing up made him want to be different," she says. "I mean, he told me about that stuff. And, one of his teachers is an Avenger. Henry McCoy? I can tell how much Roberto looks up to him. So, yeah, he's a good guy. But I understand, need to be careful."

Stephanie looks at Cass a moment, seeing her eyes closed, then over to Babs. "If I'm honest, I'm glad he found out. I'd have never told him but for he had me so red-handed. The necklace, and he saw me holding my ribs after the fall. Anyway. He's good with it. He understands the people of Gotham need help."

"I'm proud of him."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara slowly relaxes again when Cass settles back into the massage and not the vulcan nerve pinch rendition. "Seriously we should all go dancing sometime."

Then she looks back towards Stephanie, keeping only half ann eye on the show. She does pluck up an apple slice and some chedder to match with it now. "I know all that, but I'm still going to dig into it now, it is protocol when anyone knows our identities. Bruce expects me to do it and be thorough. I just want you to know it isn't because I am protective of you, though I am, it just has to be done."

"He sounds fantastic Stephanie."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
It doesn't last forever. The massage ends after a bit, and Cassandra is a quiet person for some time, letting the two ladies chat. She can be seen for a while, behind the couch, standing there with her left hand touching her own cheek. She occasionally sways, her eyes on the crappy little second-hand television.

She looks so peaceful, as if she's lost in a story. And her hips move, as she pretends for a moment. Pretends to be learning to dance.

Not a bad apartment, Stephanie.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie gives a nod. "I understand," she tells Barbara. Cassandra, if she pays attention to Stephanie instead of the movie, would be able to tell her mind is racing. There's a little worry in her. "Just, you know, his privacy, don't need to share anything if there's nothing wrong, right?" she says finally.

Stephanie reaches over to give Barbara's arm a soft little squeeze and smile at her. "So, things are great with him though. He's started up at Columbia. We were talking about the good stuff he wants to do with the family company whenever he finally is able to take the reins. Yeah, just a really great guy. I get the feeling he's grown a lot this last year especially."

Stephanie turns back to the TV as they enter the finale. The big dance number at the end of the movie.

Nobody puts Baby in the corner.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"Absolutely, it will be a standard dossier with nothing solacious unless something is worng. Like his dad being a supervillain."

"Billionaires" which is ironic.

She watches the show and occasionally glances back to look at Cass as she dances with herself slow like that. Then she looks back down to Stephanie and flicks her eyes back to Cass. They definitely need to get Cass out dancing. Then she settles in to watch the show.