6262/Coming Home

Coming Home
Date of Scene:	18 May 2021
Location:	Brookstone Apartments
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	James Proudstar, Nicole Adams

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James Proudstar has posed:
It's early in this ecletic Brooklyn neighborhood, most people are still sleeping off what they were doing last night, but the sun is up and the more industrious have opened shops and started commerce. James has been gone for around a week, just a cryptic text as warning and then gone. The occasional bad connection call from a strange international location. He was supposed to be back yesterday but you knew that there would be administrative things to take care, a debrief he called it but bright and early, there is a knock on your door, the firm solid knock that nearly rattles the door in its frame.

Nicole Adams has posed:
     Thankfully, Tuesday was one of Nicole's days off from the Good Room, as they were generally not open at that time. So she's had the luxury of a good, solid bit of sleep, a hearty breakfast, and--if it could be termed that--a semi-leisurely tending to of chores and tidying up around the small apartment she kept within walking distance of her job.

     The rattling of the small mirror on the wall near the doorway drew a grin from her, and she called out, "Oi, keep your shirt on, I don't need seven years bad luck!"

     Chortling, she headed for the door, unlatching the chain lock and unbolting the door, and opening the door just a crack. "What's the secret password, you?" she said, just to tease a little bit.

James Proudstar has posed:
James let's out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, when he sees you, when the crack in the door lets through the waft of our scent, strawberries and sunshine. He smiles and leans his head head against the door, chuckling, "I mean if you /really/ want me to keep my shirt on, I guess but previous experience tell me that is a losing battle and the that mirror has survived far worse rattlings. Password? There was a password? I- Please? I brought prezzies?" James apparently drove the motorcycle down as he he's holding the saddle bags and is dressed in his casual riding leathers."

Nicole Adams has posed:
     Nicole just laughs and opens the door wide, stepping aside to let James through. In the narrow entryway it can be a bit of a tight squeeze, but as small as the apartment is, it's home. "We'll worry about the shirt later, then. Damn, though, I've missed you." Even knowing she doesn't have to, she reaches up to help relieve you of the saddlebags. The smell of fresh coffee is in the air, lingering from breakfast. From her open window, the sounds of a hustling, bustling city waft in, the simple, white lace curtains fluttering in a balmy morning breeze.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar slips the saddle bags off his shoulders, but then reaches down and picks Nicole up giving her a proper hug and kiss, easily lifting her into his arms and letting the kiss linger, before breaking it to speak again, "Back at you, that coffee smells amazing." He smiles and sets you down, lightly, still holding your hand as he wanders into the apartment in your company. The bags are a bit heavier than usual. Jmes generally travels pretty light, it might be the aforementioned prezzies, but he seems lighter, even with the stress that is still washing off him from his recent business trip. James makes himself a cup of coffee, sugar, and milk, when he's not being a tough guy.

     James sits and opens one fo the bags, pulling out a few items from his travels, a wooden bowl, a woven container, a stone knife, a decorative hair comb, and some earrings, bag of coffee, an intricately carved wooden lion. He sets them out on the table, "I did have a little shopping time in a few of the places I went, some were gifts."

Nicole Adams has posed:
     Nicole returns the hug and kiss in full measure, her eyes twinkling as she looks up at Jimmy. As soon as he lets her down to the ground, Nicole is getting a bit of coffee herself, in what looks like an earthenware mug that might have been picked up at a yard sale. Well-worn, well-loved, but still serviceable. She's just drizzling a little bit of cream into her mug from a small carton, as she's peering over at some of the items being withdrawn from the bags. "Oh wow! Those are all really beautiful!"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar smiles and laughs. He takes a long sip of coffee, from a mug similar to yours, maybe a set maybe a coincidence but comfortable and well matched to yours. James sighs. "Thank you. The lion was a gift from a cheiftain's mother. A rogue lion got into camp and i took care of it. They offered me the pelt but I said it wouldnt fit in my carry on. He offers you a wry grin, "The queen mother said I should hive this my lady, so she would know what a hero I was." He looks up at you a wee bit sheepishly, proud but also embarassed.
    The container is a good size to hold fruit or vegetables and it breaths, the Apache made some like this long ago, but we lost the skill in the great migration. This tribe kept it, the weave breathes and the material is durable." The pattern is an intericate herringbobne but the effect is an X, you wonder if James noticed.
     The bowl is next, the edges are charred, the bottom is an tricate but chaotic pattern taken from the whorl of a tree. "This tree stood for over 4,000 years. They counted the rings, it was struck by lightning once causing the whorl whennit was just 150 years old. Then again in its 3753rd year, that's what the char is. Apparently lightning really does strike twice." James smiles.

Nicole Adams has posed:
     "I don't need a lion to know you're a hero," Nicole replies, sitting down next to him and resting her head against his shoulder. One fingertip traces the intricately carved lion's mane, following the grain of the wood and feeling the silky smoothness. Her cheeks darken as she hears what the chieftan's wife called her, but her smile grows wide, lighting up her eyes. "Even without knowing me, they know I'm your lady. I like that." Each item is admired in turn, with the bowl cradled gently between her palms as she listens to the tale behind each one.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar nuzzles and basks in the attention. "Yes, they had three daughters but she would not let her husband introduce me, arrange a courting, "'His heart is taken, it was broken but she has healed it and made it her home.'She nodded and that was that." He kisses your forehead. "The hair clip was pretty and matched your eyes." The earrings are peridot as well, simple but elegant with pearl inlay woven through. The stone blade is simple and saved for last. "This belonged to a chietains fathet, he made it as a child. He gave it to me to remember their children." James takes a breath and shakes his head, "There's so many missing children Nic, all acros Africa, the pacific. Its the same story over and over these kids show powers and theyre being scooped up, theyre getting bolder, they started hitting the communes now."

Nicole Adams has posed:
     "You know, I've never had my ears pierced," Nicole muses, smiling as reaches out to pick up one of the earrings. She holds it delicately between two fingers, watching it sway and glimmer in the light, as if it were woven of living sunlight and wind, with a touch of the Earth itself to hold it all together. "Guess that's something I'll have to do now." The earring is laid back down next to its mate, with the hair clip held within her palm next. She smiles, turning it over and over, looking at it from every possible angle and admiring the workmanship. Holding it out to Jimmy, then shifting about so her back is against his chest, she says, "Would you mind...?"

     A deep sigh escapes her as well, as she listens to the tale of the missing children. "What can we do to help stop that from happening? How can we be there for those kids? They need someone."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar leans in and kisses Nic shoulders as he collects her hair his voice is quiet. danderously so, "The stories are the same, scarily so, these are professionals, they are dangerous and well funded. It's not easy to hide a mutant population that size, much less, feed them, keep them contained. it looks like one group, one group we can hunt. We know theyre out there, we cant see them but we can see their shadow, we have to wait for the shadow to move."
    Jim leans in and takes a long sliw breath taking in your scent. He braids your hair and laughs, "How did I miss that all the tine I spent nibbling you. He goes for a casual short braid working quickly and slips the hair comb into the base of the braid where it xan catch the light and shine.

Nicole Adams has posed:
     Nicole laughs softly, holding still as Jimmy works his magic on her hair. It was always such a calm, peaceful moment, when she could convince him to put her hair in a braid, and they could just talk for hours on end. "Well, that's something I'll have to take care of, then. Think there's a place not too far from here that does piercings. I should be able to go there and get it done." She simply holds still and silent for a few moments more, just breathing in the peace and calm.

     "At the Spring Festival I went to over at the Hellfire, you recall asking me to pass along your greetings to Erik, should we ever meet?" Smiling a bit, she takes a breath, before continuing. "As it turns out, I actually did run into him, and he requested that I send his regards to you in kind. He recalled you as, and I quote, 'a most impressive young man'. He also recalled your brother as a hero, and expressed regret at his loss."

     Her brows crease with thought and concern, as she finally leans back against Jimmy's chest. "I can't imagine he doesn't know about the children disappearing. Is that someone who -should- know?"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar chuckles mischievouslyas he nuzzles against you. "They only do ears?" He straightens as you mention Eric, "I'd be lying to say I hadnt considered that. Hed brwak the word in half to bring them back and that cost is what worries me. Erik is very charismatic, and a useful tool, but one of last resort. we dont know anythjng about this enemy or who msy be in the crossfire, yet.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar is still thinking as he moves to rubb your shoilders, Down your spine, the small of your back. "I'm going to find them, Nic. I'll bring them home. Were working the problem.I may br go e again. "Oh, I built up some miles." He lays downbtwo tickets to Arizone on the table. "My parents left me a ranch. I need to go check it out, thought uou might join me?"

Nicole Adams has posed:
     Nicole smiles, almost purring as she leans into the backrub. "If anybody can help find them, it'd be you. You and your friends. Just wish I could help, too." But her words trail off as his hands work along the muscles of her back, which has a predictably relaxing effect. It's not till the massage stops, and the tickets to Arizona hit the table, that she almost squeals with delight. "That'd be great! When's this going to be, so I can put in for the time off from work?"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar grins andctakes you in his arms. "We leave this Sunday come bsck Tuesday of the week after. i eas going to stay here until then. I wanted to spend some time here. I- its over, it's justvyou and I. So, I'll be startung Columbia in the fall. Taking some courses over the summer. Its too long to commute from Westchester. So, I wanted to ask you about moving in together?"

Nicole Adams has posed:
     Nicole nods, turning about to nestle a bit closer to Jimmy, resting her head over his heart. "I'm sorry things didn't work out with her. But I'm not sorry it means you'll be here more. I miss you when you're gone... wha....?" The last catches her a bit off-guard, and she looks up at him. Slowly, her smile widens, melting into a grin a mile wide. "That's great news about Columbia! Oh... wow, moving in together... wow. That's a pretty big step, but... I like it. Where will we go? I mean, we could find somewhere a little more central to my work and your classes."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar chucklrs and runs his hnds over the hair that he just braided. He kisses you, like a lot , and then rests his foreheaf against yours. "I am too, but we're botb happy and thats good."Theres a long sigh like letting out a brasth held for too long. and then a laugh, and a quiet, "I know but I want to start thinking about a future together. I mean Betsy is re-opening Sion which is in midtown, I can commute from here but with the Ranch, and a small trust from my brother, I can throw in some money towatds rent and expenses? I mean, Im majoring in Social Work, we'll nrver be flush but we can have something nice."

Nicole Adams has posed:
     "Hey. As long as we have each other, I'll be happy. Let's see where that all goes," Nicole says. She laughs, reaching to hold his hands and squeezing them gently. "I never thought when I met you in Central Park, we'd be talking like this by summer. This is crazy, but I like it."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar smiles and raises an eyebrow, easily, "Nor did i, but here we are, I cant thinknof pja e id rather be. ...Well, maybe obe." He smiles