3402/An Old Person Tries to Relate

An Old Person Tries to Relate
Date of Scene:	17 September 2020
Location:	Josie's Bar
Synopsis:	Daisy hassles Alex and he makes fun of her.
Cast of Characters:	Daisy Johnson, Alexander Aaron

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Daisy Johnson has posed:
To say it's been a difficult time at SHIELD would be an understatement, friends gone missing. Missions getting more dangerous.., getting through by the skin of their teeth. Yet one thing was constant, a nice afterhours drink at Josie's was a balm that Daisy certainly welcomed..

She had sent a message to Alexander earlier so they would meet here. It's conveniently close to home for her! So there! Perks from being the one actually arranging things, the other person adjusts. They had much to talk about afterall, the latter missions, the way the young man was adjusting to a new period of his life.. It was quite different from those times at Happy Harbor.

She had already found a seat within, over at a corner table in that position she can see the whole room (she is a spy ok?), dressed in jeans, a black top with matrix lettering and absent of her gloves. Hopefully there would be no dreadfully bad attack happening at Josie's today.. It would just be her lucky day!

> I am inside already. Arriving soon?

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Close to home for her as the Olympian youth had sat in his apartment and read the message, sprawled there with his college texts spread all around him. He read it once, then again, then looked at the addy for the place. Josie's. Yah close to her, not so close to Greenwich. Still...
    It'd be nice to get out and about and his head out of the books. So he lightly tapped out a response with his thumbs.
    << Josie's got it. >>
    And with that he rolled up off the couch, grabbing his gear as he slipped his feet into his shoes,s lung his backpack over his shoulder and with little further ado was out the door and off on the way.
    It was when he was climbing out of the subway that he got her next message, swiping his phone to life and reading it as he walked, then tapping out his response as he strolled.
    << Yup. Shortly. Impatient. >>
    A small jab that caused him to smile though he tucked the phone back into his pocket and strolled around that corner in Hell's Kitchen only to find that indeed. There was Josie's. Into the bar he strolled, visible from her place of observation she'd see him a moment or two before he spotted her. But when he did he lifted a hand in greeting, smiled across the way. Then made his way over.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
> Is that any way to speak to a SENIOR OFFICER?

Well, not that Daisy is a senior agent exactly..., just senior in relation to Alexander! Ahah! But then again she is already on her second beer by the time Alexander comes by. On hindsight, perhaps a bar with alcohol was the best place to meet the young man.. She just shrugs it away and waves at the bartender.

"Refill. And these are good today, not the pissy stuff you sometimes get." A wink, but she was starting to be a regular by now so those little pokes were becoming recurring. It's just before she spots Alexander and lifts her beer in greeting and also as a signal that she is already in!

"Hello Alexander." she slides a chair back with a foot so Alexander can sit. "Come and sit. How have you been?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    When he had entered she likely saw him smiling at the response but then the phone was pocketed easily enough into his jacket as he stepped into the room. And sure he got some eyeballs looking his way, young for sure, but maybe because he's handsome to some, or those weird eyes might stick out a bit at Josie's. Then again weird folk do tend to hang out there in the first place too.
    "Heya, Ms. Johnson." Even after the various things that had happened, that was his default setting for thinking of her. That woman administrator who gave him a talking to at Happy Harbor, on some level she'd always be Ms. J to him. But at least he remembers and corrects by adding, "Daisy."
    Into the seat at the table she chose, to the side and against the wall so they both have a vector to bracket and eyeball if people come inside, but she's got the more secure seat. The first few seconds he's there he sets his backpack down and turns his chair a little to face her more.
    "Good, you seem to be doing well already." And decently on her way with the drinking.
    A glance to the tender and he waves, "Soda?" Which likely gets a slight scowl and a nod but it'll have to do for now.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
A roll of her eyes is note enough what she thinks of that name. Ms. Johnson. Pfff! But Daisy then grins at the correction. "Ah, good. And I am. Well, at least hopefully so." She lets out a brief sigh..

She pauses when that interaction with the bartender is done, indeed a scowl being delivered but the soda as well, slid across the counter which a waitress picks up and places on the table. All bubbly! The drink, not the waitress.

Daisy then leans back on her chair, thoughtful. "Been a while since we had a talk. Since HH?" she purses her lips together. "Besides when you actually got into SHIELD."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Not, you know, actually in SHIELD." Alexander says as he looks to the side, gaze distancing for a moment as his brow knits. As if not sure it was alright to talk about this out in the open, but then he shifts his gaze back to her and blinks slowly a few times as he likely imagines that if she's talking openly about it then it must be ok for him to at least answer the questions... if not direct the conversation in that regard.
    "Though I do owe you guys, so it is good to help out some when I can." And with Agent May and Clint using him at times as operational back up, he can do that decently enough, even if the big picture eludes him. He seems fine with that.
    "But yeah it's been a while since we had a chat. Since, you know, the whole. Island thing." Which set him on that path after all.
    "Been working on classes though. And trying to stay grounded, going out and doing things somewhat." Yet he seems not quite as animated or open as she likely remembers him. More subdued in some ways perhaps.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy wrinkles her nose at the 'not actually in SHIELD', then a shrug. She's very expressive, you see? "Details. You work with us so you are part of it. That's how it rolls with our gang." gang. But then she smirks. "Fine, group." then she adding. "And I chose this table for a reason." good vantage point to the room, noting if anyone is trying to listen in too. All figured out!

She listens to the explanation, nodding her head slowly and expression sobering up a touch at the Island part. Yes, she remembered it well. "Have you figured out anything further about it?" She then asks.

Yet it's not as if she doesn't notice that change in the young man, all that training in noticing small social cues coming to the fore. "You are somewhat more somber than before. What happened?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The youth's smile returns a little and his head bobs as he understands why she chose that seat, looking toward the clear line of sight to the door and the mild distance from others. Mix that with the steady room noise and it'd be hard for anyone to eavesdrop on them too easily. But he takes a deep breath and murmurs to her in response about the question of the island.
    "I've sort of, looked into it a little. I have some ideas of how I could try to find out more. But also not sure if I should." Which is a strangely honest thing for him to say. Those hazel eyes slip away as he only then finally seems to settle into his seat. Not exactly slouching, but granting himself the freedom to lean back.
    But it's at her final question that his smile twists up a little and he gives a small shimmy of his shoulders that's not quite a shrug, letting his head tilt to the side away before he looks back to her. "Went on an adventure to help a friend. Sort of made me realize a few things. Made me think about how I..."
    A hand lifts and uncurls as he gestures to the side and murmurs, "About how I sometimes try to be how I think people want me to be. So I'm..." He pauses to chew the inside of his cheek and murmurs, "Trying to find what part of me is sincere. If that makes sense."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
A brow furrows at the youth, arms folding about her waist and for now her own drink being left unattended. "Unsure if you should." she echoes, "Because you do not know what you'd be capable of if you found out more?" she questions. "How far you'd go?" a beat. "Or because of something else?" well, no small talk with Daisy!

The next part makes her again reach for her drink, taking a swig from the beer. The brown eyes continue their study, she shaking her head. "It does. You are trying to belong because you do not think you fit anywhere if you act naturally. Is that it?" she asks. "Because of the legacy you carry, and what it entails to you. It makes connections harder to achieve."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Because of what happened, I don't have the same frame of reference as some people." Alexander says with a small smile, but then shrugs a little. "But yeah, then again maybe this is something everyone sorta goes through right? Figuring out who you are and what makes you you?"
    His nose crinkles a little and then he back tracks to her first few questions, answering those now as perhaps they take a little more thought. "As for the island, the people from there. Well those things sure, not sure how I'll react when something like that comes up, but also because to sort of follow up on them, I would probably need to use some of my father's contacts. And they are sorta shady." In a lot of ways.
    Then he straightens up in his chair and takes a sip of his soda. "But here I am dominating the conversation again. It's your turn. Tell me what you've been up to. And I don't mean work stuff." Though chances are they'll end up talking about work stuff since it's a point they share.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Let me get this straight. You won't want to follow up on a lead you may have because the contacts are ..., shady?" That makes Daisy shake her head again! "News flash, Alex. A lot of what we do at SHIELD is shady too. Heck, I was an hacker trying to break into shield before I was taken in." hey, it's a long story ok? "So I don't think you should worry about shady contacts, if what you think you are doing is right." a pause. "But you seemed rather adamant when we spoke about it before. Unless it changed."

As for the rest... "You shouldn't think of what happened to you as too much of a big deal. I mean, it is. Just .., you can't do anything about it, so might as well make it do with what you got. And you are still young.." a grimace. "I don't even want to remember what I was doing with your age..." then a narrow of her eyes. "And no, it wasn't that long ago, I am not old." Daisy! Old! Ha!

When Alexander asks about what she's been up to she mmms, "Settling down a bit, or at least was hoping to. I live here in Hell's Kitchen now and it's been proving to be an interesting challenge." then she raises a brow. "Also, I have a cat now."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Mmm," Alexander says as she tells him about the shadiness quotient inherent in being involved with SHIELD and she can see him nod his head as he gives her a thoughtful look before he murmurs, "I'm not meaning like shady in that I find it distasteful. More shady in that I would have to go to them as a friend in essence. If I invoke my father's name and draw upon them to help me, then I'd owe them. Which might damage that connection they have with my father. It would be like... burning an asset, and not sure if I should do that, and be indebted."
    But then he takes a deep breath and a smile peeks out as he murmurs, "When you were my age? You probably were taken with the novelty of the talkies when they added sound to moving pictures, right?"
    His lip twists a little, and sure it's teasing a little, but he does so gently. "A cat though?" He draws his lower lip between his teeth. "Weird, I for some reason imagined you as a dog person."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Spy training 101 says contacts are to be used. No point in having them if you won't be taking advantage of those assets. But I understand, if you think it's not something worth burning that bridge for." Daisy dipping her head, understandingly, again taking that drink from her beer, other hand brushing through her hair and she sliding it out of the way of her face. "Shield may be able to help with it." she then says, just to immediately frown at being compared at having lived during the time of mute film pictures!

"That's low, Alexander." she says it in a solemn manner, "I am not a day after ...., well a lady never says her age." hmph!

"I -am- a dog person. But our lives don't really let us have a dog so we went with a cat. Not regretting it. He's a little superhero too. We rescued him out of a shelter."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I dunnoooo," Alexander says, smiling as he swirls his drink a little with the straw, causing the ice cubes to clink softly against the lip of the glass. He then places a finger on the end of the straw and lifts it up, then sips from the other end as he lifts the finger. "Now that I'm looking, I'm more and more seeing the Cat Lady aspects I might have missed before."
    There's a slow nod there, "So maybe you /are/ a cat person. Poor pups, stuck with someone that should be knitting sweaters and changing cat litter."
    But then he shifts gears with a grin, perhaps expecting some smack talk right back and hoping to divert it. "But what kind of pup is it? Is he cute? Of course all pups are cute." Even Cerberus, and the litter of pups where he came from.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Yes, yes. Maybe I will knit you a sweater for your birthday or something.." Daisy replies with a lift of her shoulders, not hiding some amusement on her expression, "And joke's on you, I don't have puppers, I have a cat." she confirms with a shake of her head afterwards, "So no, no dogs in our lives so far."

A pause and then she speaks up. "But enough with that. What about -you-? Getting into some more missions I have seen..." she states, leaning back on her chair and now leaving her beer alone for a bit.

But for some reason I feel you have yet to find that .., focus you have been looking for."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I..." Alexander continues to fiddle with his drink, and nods a little. "Like to be useful. And I've sort of come to trust the people I've met in SHIELD." Then he looks up at her and adds with a hint of a smile, "Well, most of them." As he teases and she can feel him slip a little back more to his playful self, less somber than when she found him at the beginning of the evening.
    "And that helps me. I feel like I can trust the things we do are good things. And should be done. Even if it's tough at times." Like jumping onto a moving train from a quinjet. He takes a deep breath, "Though..."
    His lip twists as he looks away and then back, "It's sort of given me a lens through which to view other things? Does that make sense? Like I found myself looking at these new high tech helmets for motorcycles and thinking, 'Wow I can use that to help be better on those missions.'"
    His eyes distance, "But maybe it's a... career path I'd like to pursue, eventually. Down the line. When I'm older."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Trust.." Daisy considers the word for a few moments, a brow quirking in perhaps some surprise that's the word Alexander would use. "That's quite the word to use in the spy business." She takes her beer again, fingertips tapping on the rim, "But I am glad you have found a place with us."

"Not all we do are good things." She then says in an honest manner. "Sometimes we need to do choices. Hard ones. It's perhaps for the greater good but sometimes .., it's hard enough to digest. But that's what family is about." a smirk. "You should know how that feels." Yep, she knows about Dad.

"What of the now? What are you wishing to pursue?" She asks. "Continuing your studies at the uni?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    A small shrug is given, "I know that the business is..." Alexander looks to the side, gaze drifting to focus on the window toward the street, then over toward Josie as she cleans some glasses before putting them back on the bar. The youth turns his hazel eyes back to her and says, "Spycraft and all, that it's often about manipulation, trickery. I think my little corner of it is... well maybe you guys are using me in some ways to further your own goals. But my general reading of most of you guys is that you and your connection to me is on the level. So I trust your motives. If that changes I'll let you know, if you care."
    He pushes a hand through that blond hair and frowns, "But I've found it easier to... listen to people who have gained that trust. Otherwise I'm often confronted with the feeling that my initial kneejerk reaction to things isn't always the best reaction."
    Which might speak toward a lot of things. He takes a breath then answers the rest of her words, "As for now? Yah school. Though I still feel like that's a pantomime in some ways. But it's a good experience. I think it grounds me. Like Happy Harbor was a good thing, you know?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Just because you have the heritage you do doesn't mean you know everything.." Daisy says about college. Not that she ever went there, but Alexander doesn't have to know! "But in a way, yes, it's often more about the experience than what you learn. Unless you are one of those nerds that lives for the books and all that.." a small eyeroll given and she drains the rest of her beer. She signals Josie.

"Refill, please." then a look back. "Everyone is always using someone in this business. That's how it is. I have used SHIELD, they have used me.. It's the way things go. But we all got what we wanted out of it.." a beat. "Well, most of it at least." she taking in a breath, faint smile on her lips. "And now they are family, so it turned out for the better."

"Are you saying that listening to your elders may be a good thing? I am astonished." Yes, there's a rather amused tone to her voice now.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Yeah, I think... yeah." Alexander says as he listens to Daisy but then smirks at the last comment she makes, casually flicking his straw wrapper across the table at her in response to her meanness. But he shakes his head while grinning and murmurs, "I know that some people sort of view me just as an asset. And I'm cool with that. But also there are some people there I genuinely like. Or respect. So it's like, I like to do what I can for them. If that makes sense. And if at some point down the line I'm taken advantage of somehow, I mean sure that'll suck. But it'll be just... more of a loss for them in a way. Since I think the friendship is the more important thing. So yeah, I'm trusting. So sue me."
    He slouches to the side, propping up one shoe on the seat beside him, crinkling his nose. "I can see myself helping for a while. But I also sort of see myself leaving eventually. Since that's just how things go."
    A glance back, "Have you thought about leaving SHIELD? What you'd do afterward?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Sue you? You are sort of mixing me with the corporate guys high up on Shield clearance levels." Daisy replies with a low chuckle. Eyes leave Aaron for an instant when her beer is brought up, she lifting it up in cheers to Josie and then attention is back on Alexander. "Always drifting at the favor of the wind, is that it?" she asks, canting her head to the side.

The wrapper gets brushed aside with she not even touching it, simply exerting just the tiniest fractions of those powers of hers, making it so it diverts back Alexander's way..

"Leaving SHIELD, mmm.." She shakes her head. "No, not sure I have.. It's not like I have been here all my life and that I wouldn't be able to be independent of it." she notes. "But I feel it's where I belong. Though I have options if it happened. The main one would be helping others, those young people who may have trouble in controlling their powers. It's happening more and more these days.."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "You could do that," Alexander says as he lifts his drink back to her, but then takes another sip. "You'd probably do that well. You get along with people my age pretty well."
    There's a small twist of his smile as he adds, "Even if you do give off a sort of Steve Buscemi 'Hello fellow kids!' vibe." He says, invoking that meme so meanly at her. But he looks to the side and rests his arms on the tabletop, fingertips lightly poking and picking at a piece of the plastic surface that is peeling up a little.
    "Though on some level I feel like..." He looks around, "Everything, is going to end up being some sort of pantomime. Like everything I'm doing and who I am is going to just disappear when it somehow becomes time for me to join the Olympians."
    His brow furrows as he looks back at her, "I've been thinking a lot about free will lately, if it exists, if it matters."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Woah, what the fuck?" Steve Buscemi?! Daisy looks affronted. AFFRONTED! But then just lets out a sigh. "My days of being cool are over I suppose. I will just the one with the rebel punk attitude of a decade ago.." but then she rolls her eyes. Kids these days.

Yet she does sober up quickly, squinting her eyes. "Why do you think you will be losing your experiences and what you have learned so far?" she inquires.

"Is that part of the process? And of course free will exists." She murmurs, "We aren't all following the mandate of some cosmic entity or something like that..."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    His smile grows a little at her reaction to the meme dig, but shifts that smile to a grin and looks away. He spreads his fingers as if trying to tell her it's not his fault she's so uncool, but then laughs and shakes his head.
    "You're ok, I mean. For an old person." Damned in the eyes of the young!
    But then the shift of gears and he shakes his head, "I don't mean it like... a literal thing. Like my brain gets put through a wringer or whatever. I more mean like..."
    Alexander pushes a hand through his wild mussed up hair and makes a face. "All of them have to have started existence at one point in time. And proceeded from there. And you look at them," The Olympians, "And almost all of them like almost to a man and woman, they're all assholes. So I don't know. I figure like... maybe that'll turn for me. Like with time, some switch. Will I recognize the me from fifty years in the future? What will I be like? Will I be a total asshole?"
    Then he pauses and points at her, "Don't answer that."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Well, news flash Alexander, some people are just that... Assholes. Or grow to become one, either because of how they grew up, or their experiences are when they become Olympians, or whatever else they can use to justify it." Daisy replies, taking a good swig out of her drink. Yea, she doesn't like those types.

And of course that she answers the question, in a way.."You already are a bit of an ass..." a brow arched in amusement at the young man.

"What can I tell you is that instead of worrying about what may be in fifty years you should worry on the now and making sure you do the best you can. And in fifty years if you still have this same philosophy then you're doing alright." Simple but effective!

"I believe there's always a choice. If anyone tells you otherwise they are lying or they simply cannot see it."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "You're so wise, Ms. Johnson." Alexander says as he peers at her and sloooowly affects a little wide-eyed adoration look, as if she was just soooo awesome, his eyes widening, his lips curving down, oh so wonderful. It's truly a jerkish thing to do, and to see it, so mean.
    But it only lasts for a moment as he laughs, likely hoping she laughs too then takes a deep breath. The smile he gives her when he looks back up at her is a little more genuine. "But thanks, it helps to talk to people." There's a pause then he adds, "It helps to talk to you. You've been a..."
    His brow furrows as he looks down at his drink, pondering what word there is to say, then back up. "A touchstone? Is that right. But it's good."
    That said he crinkles his nose at something, thoughts shifting a little but he says nothing more for the moment.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Yes, yes. They call me the Wise One in many circles." Daisy says in jest, "I just need my long grey beard and my pointy hat..." and then she finally gets to drain the rest of her drink, setting it aside on the table and ufffing. A look to Josie. "Put these on my tab, Josie."

"And a touchstone? What exactly i that?" maybe she just isnt too sure about that expression.

Regardless, she starts to get up to her feet, sliding her chair back.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Rising as well, he pushes himself to his feet and starts to gather his things, his jacket, his backpack, slinging them over one shoulder as he looks for a moment to Josie, then back to Daisy.
    "Someone that helps keep me grounded and that I can sort of turn to for advice. I guess. You don't really want anything from me, and you just want to be a friend." There's a pause then he adds, "I mean, I suppose you could be a deep cover agent and this could be part of your plan to do something evil, but I don't think so."
    He starts to slip his jacket on and then moves towards the door with a step or two, "Anyways... thank you. For the drink and the time and the words."