793/Talking Someone Off a Ledge, Literally

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Talking Someone Off a Ledge, Literally
Date of Scene: 27 March 2020
Location: Ryker Heights - Founders Island
Synopsis: Roberto and Stephanie help a depressed man under the influence of The Straw Man.
Cast of Characters: Roberto da Costa, Stephanie Brown, Straw Man




Roberto da Costa has posed:
As promised, Roberto did call Steph for a second date, if one calls escaping a lame party and then falling to sleep together a date. Roberto did, but there were differing opinions on the subject.

Today though was definitely a date. Roberto was even wearing a sports coat! That definitely meant date! In this case a grey one, expensive (natch) over a white button down and a pair of black jeans. His shoes were still Jordans, but a black and white Air Jordan 12 retro, which fit the chosen colour scheme.

The location of the date? Skylines, one of those trendy rooftop place with a great view of the city, and from what his mother told him, had a great lunch menu.

Shown to their table, Roberto pulls out Steph's chair, ""So, what do you think?" he asks the blonde. "This count as a date?"

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie was ready outside of her mom's townhouse when Roberto came to pick her up. Wearing a pair of slacks and a nice blouse this time, and feeling entirely too nervous. But so far they've dealt with the queen of the gymnatics team clique and a surprise appearance by Roberto's mother. So either they already are past the rough stretch... "or else that was foreshadowing for how this whole dating thing might go," Stephanie says to herself, her inside voice slipping past her filter once again.

Stephanie walks into the restaurant with Roberto, moving to seat in the chair that the Brazilian pulls out for her. "Wow. I mean. Wow," she says, looking out at the view. "So, since seeing my pictures from up high, you're really doing a nice job hitting on something I enjoy," she says of the picturesque view of Gotham. Sunny but for a few scattered clouds that send patches of shadow playing about the buildings. "I think... this definitely counts as a date," she says.

Then she holds up a hand. "Wait, wait." She looks around the restaurant carefully. "Ok, no Tinsley," she says of her teammate that Roberto was out with on their previous meeting. "Official date then," she says with a teasing smile.

Straw Man has posed:
    The waiter arrives, pleasant and professional to give them their menus, and give them an opportunity to peruse at their leisure. The view is quite good. Even the rooftop view is nice. A sky bridge connects to another building which has a balcony carved out of it, part of a business of some sort. Lush plants are cultivated there, a nice sitting space. The glass door to that balcony opens, and a man in a yellow shirt and gray slacks comes out, sitting down. He looks exhausted. He slumps his shoulders, resting his elbows on his day. Looks like it's been a long day for him.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto grins widely as she notices why he picked this spot, knowing her love of heights. "Figured it'd be alright, might even be able to snap a few pictures over the side," he says. "This side of the glass though, okay, Spider-girl? I'm just getting to know this town, I'm not ready to start ruining the da Costa name down here yet."

He grins, when it's officially declared a date. "Good to know, and yeah, picked a restaurant with a strict no gold digger policy," he says regarding Tinsley.

He takes the menu when offered, "My mum says they do a good chicken salad here, but I'm gonna need something more substantial," he says perusing the options. The guy in the yellow isn't noticed at all, he may as well be another plant.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's attention is largely on Roberto. She does the man come outside, though for the moment he just looks to her like someone taking a break from a stressful day. And she can't blame him. The view today is just beautiful. Stephanie is glad to have Roberto here today, a chance to try to overcome some of the stereotypes about Gotham for him.

Even if she has seen firsthand how many of those stereotypes are true.

"Chicken does sound good though," she comment as she picks up a menu to look at it. Though after a brief perusal, her eyes lift back to her Brazilian date. "So I did mention the gymnastics thing," she says with a little humorous look and flash of blue eyes. "Though...ah, I've never actually done that one before. Just, couldn't think of anywhere else to go. Glad that most people don't tend to look up and you have high ceilings," she says of her River Tam impersonation up on the ceiling.

Straw Man has posed:
    The man across the skybridge stands up, and begins pacing, and rubs his face. He looks over the edge of the railing at the street below, and then paces the balcony some more. The waiter of course comes back to take their orders while the man in the yellow shirt slaps his own face a few times, as if trying to wake up. He looks to one side, saying something, as if there was someone present that others could not see.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto was beginning to see the better side of Gotham, he supposed like New York and Rio it had it's good and it's bad, you just had to know where to step. In this case the Skyline was definitely one of those places.

"That was pretty great actually, I thought for sure I'd still be gaping at that and get busted," he says of Steph's bit of gymnastics to get away from his mom. "Anyhow get what you like, on me, no going dutch today, and hmm yeah, chicken sounds good, I think I'll do the wrap and fries."

This time he does notice the man, but he still doesn't register as a person really, more like an annoyance, like a fly or something in his ice water. Though trained as he was with upper class manners, his response to reach across the table and take Steph's hand, rubbing it with his thumb. "It's good to see you," he tells her, both because it's true and because he wants to keep the sick man out of her attention during their date.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie spots a chicken sandwich topped with a chipotle mayo on the menu. "Oh, this southwestern chicken sounds good. I think I'll go with that," she says. She sets down the menu, and her eyes end up drawn briefly to the man on the opposite building. His behavior stands out enough to her to start to draw a little concern. Enough she wants to keep an eye on him at the least.

Though her eye, both actually, get pulled back to Roberto when he takes her hand. It draws such a smile. The girl that isn't used to much attention like this is feeling very caught up in the warmth she feels from Roberto.

Her eyes go to his neck, and she reaches over with her other hand to brush her fingers over a chain there. "You wore it?" she asks with a smile. "I was a little worried what your mom would think. With Tinsley's mother being her friend and all," Stephanie says. "I guess it sounded like she trusts your judgment on 'nice girls' or not, though?"

Straw Man has posed:
    The man becomes a little more frantic, pacing more angrily, and then turns to yell at the invisible person near him. Through the windows its not quite clear what he's saying, but he's mad. He flails his arms around, then points at the unseen presence in an accusatory manner.

    Gun.

    A gun is pulled from a holster inside his pants. The young businessman doesn't look like he'd be the sort to carry. He doesn't carry himself with a particularly intimidating edge, he doesn't look like any sort of mafia. He points the gun at whoever it is he is in argument with, which to all appearances is the glass door.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto mms as Stephanie spots the necklace. "Yeah, well she didn't know how things went down at the time," he says about his conversation about Tinsley and Steph, that Steph had been privy to. "When Tinsley's dad called her and told her what happened she was a bit more pissed, left you out of it, told her you gave this to me before the party and I just left Tinsley because she was after our money."

He gives a little shrug. "She calmed down eventually, besides I'm 19 and my dad pays all my bills, there's not a lot she can do to me."

That's when the guy with the issues pulls a gun. "Shit," Roberto says standing up. "Wait here."

Then he's sprinting towards the sky bridge with an eye to getting to the guy before he shot anyone.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's expression falls a little bit as she hears about how things continued within Roberto's family over his aborted date. "Oh. Well. Maybe, I mean, when I actually meet her, maybe things will go well and she'll end up glad. And you know, The Thing could sprout wings big enough to carry him aloft. I figured that was a more telling metaphor than 'when pigs can fly'. Not that... oh shoot, I just called a member of the Fantastic Four a pig, didn't I?" she asks.

Which is about the moment the man starts to get irate over on the other building. Stephanie is already getting concerned, and then the gun comes out.

She hops to her feet, saying, "Crap, wait-" but Roberto is beating her to the line.

Stephanie only hesitates a half a step before following Roberto. Glad she went with slacks instead of a dress, though her heels are impractical and she pulls them off as she runs after him.

Straw Man has posed:
    There is a pop, a second, and the sound of falling glass. "Just leave me alone!"
    The man swings the gun wildly, and then flops back into the chair, the gun still in hand. He stares back at the railing. "Not going to happen again> I can beat you," he says, looking aimlessly at the edge. "I can beat you and you can't do anything about that..."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto rushes forward, crossing the skybridge in a sprint calling back to the restaurant, "Call 911!"

Then he joins the man on his own little rooftop, flinching at the pop and the broken glass. Roberto extends his arms forward, fingers spread wide, "Hey buddy, you want to put that thing down? Gonna make you and a lot of other people safer."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie has her phone out soon as she hears Roberto, dialing it. The other side connects and she says, "There's a man with a gun on the rooftop of the east most tower at Jenkin's Plaza. He's agitated and-"

And there's a shot. For a moment Stephanie has a horrible image in her head of Roberto with a hole in him. Her eyes quickly reveal this isn't the case as the gun wasn't pointing his way. "And he shot it, but I don't think at anyone," she says.

Stephanie shoves the phone back into her pocket as she hurries, barefoot, across the skybridge. Figures. She goes nearly a year without batarangs, and now she has them again, she's without one when she really needs it.

Straw Man has posed:
    The gun swings to point at Roberto as he speaks. "Who're you?" He has tears in his eyes. "Shit. Shit shit!" he rubs the side of his face. "I'm not crazy. I look crazy. I'm not crazy," he tries to justify. "I just have to get him to leave me alone. Tell him to leave me alone!" Of course, there's no other person on this balcony.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
"I get it, we've all got rough days, but tell you what man, you put down the gun, I'll tell anyone you want to leave you alone. Sound fair?"

All the same Roberto readies a concussive blast of heat, the air waving slightly around his right hand, his eyes beginning to illuminate, he couldn't hold this and hold an entirely human form. "Just put the gun down and talk. And trust me, it'll mean a much better day than otherwise."

He glances back to Steph, checking on her, unaware this was as a 'normal' thing for her as it was for him.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie winces at having Roberto there, both for the fact it will put him in danger, and because it'll be tougher for her to act if needed. Though as she draws nearer, she slows, not wanting to spook the man.

Stephanie sees the gun pointed Roberto's way. Her eyes widen and fear grips her heart for a moment. She watches the man, looking for any sign he might be about to fire, and ready to tackle Roberto to the ground if he does.

As Roberto starts talking to him calmly, Stephanie hangs back, worried too much might set the man off. She just stays near enough to try to get Roberto out of the line of fire if need be.

Straw Man has posed:
    "No, you DON'T get it," the man snaps back. "Nobody would get it." He takes the gun and taps his temple. "Not until you met him. It's all straw houses and sticks. It's the worst part, he's right. I just wanted to make something that lasted. I just wanted to care for my daughter." He walks over to the railing to put a greater distance between him and Roberto. "Now I'm going to be the show, right? Choppers come in, people crying for me not to jump, I got all sorts of life to live. Right? Is that it?"

Roberto da Costa has posed:
It was days like these that Roberto wishes he had developed telepathy instead of the powers he got. Just show the guy what a dumbass he was being and move on, but that was not how things went so, he moved on.

"Not if you put the gun down now you're not," Roberto says. "No need to become the show, just put down the gun, see the doctors, get to go home to your kid. No cameras, no choppers, no brains splattered all over this nice garden. "We all get to go back to our lives. Sound good?"

Roberto da Costa has posed:
It was days like these that Roberto wishes he had developed telepathy instead of the powers he got. Just show the guy what a dumbass he was being and move on, but that was not how things went so, he moved on.

"Not if you put the gun down now you're not," Roberto says. "No need to become the show, just put down the gun, see the doctors, get to go home to your kid. No cameras, no choppers, no brains splattered all over this nice garden. "We all get to go back to our lives. Sound good?"

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie finally takes another step forward. She puts on her bestest face possible, one of compassion and caring. "You know what daughters want most from their fathers?" she asks him. "To have them there. That's what matters most in the world. Just to be together. I think she'll be proud of you for just wanting the best for her. And for doing the best thing," Stephanie offers to him, as gently as she can while making herself heard at the distance apart they are.

"Like he said, if you just it down, there won't be any show. And she'll get to give you a hug when she sees you. I know. I know how it is to not have a father there. You don't want to do that to her," Stephanie tells him.

Straw Man has posed:
    "Yeah, right behind bars. I can't believe this," he says. He sits on the railing, only needing to tilt back to fall to his death. "You ever read the Three Little pigs?" he asks. "They have the three houses, one of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks." He quickly continues, "-And the first two, they built shit houses, right? The wolf comes and blows them down and eats them. Only...that's now how wolves scare people. They attack and bite and devour. And it got me wondering, What sick fuck wrote this story? Wolves don't come down chimneys. They come at you when you leave the house. When you leave where you are safe." He shakes his head. "But then who lives in a house fo bricks. You follow? Like, metaphorically? We all are living in straw and sticks."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
"Better than dead," Roberto counters the man. He was too close to the edge for Roberto to take a shot. So it was time for talking now. He releases the heat building up around his arm and his eyes dim. This was going to have to be settled by words damn it, either that or Roberto was going to have to fly, in public, in a place his mom just moved to. That was going to be put in his back pocket. A break glass in case of emegency sort of situation.

"I get it man, the world's a shitty place and it feels like you can't hide, but you can't see all the angles, nobody can, there may be one that plays out for you, but you don't know until you try. Thing is, that angle," he nods at the gun. "Is always a loser."

He glances over at Steph with , 'am I even making sense?' sort of look. This was so not what Scott and Jean trained him for.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie gives Roberto a reassuring look. She glances down the building below where the man is, getting a good measure of what's down there below him, all the way to the ground.

Though she doesn't really let on she was checking that as she takes another step towards him. "There's a lot of bad in the world, yeah. But there's a lot of good too. There's people that help each other. That stand up against the wolves. And we can use more people like that. More people like you, who care enough to try to make it a better place. That's how we win. We stand together," she says. "We keep trying, until we find what works," she says, adding to what Roberto said.

Straw Man has posed:
    "I don't wanna lose," the man says. "I just want things simple. Maybe I'd lose anyway, this just cuts out the trauma leading up to it." He puts the gun up to his head suddenly, screams, and then...he doesn't pull the trigger. Instead he throws it down on the ground. It goes off. The untrained bullet explodes from the barrel, striking the man straight in the left foot, dropping him to the ground. "Agh!" he yelps, grabbing for his foot. However, now he's disarmed and no longer in a position to throw him self over the edge at least.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto jumps a little as the gun goes off, he dives on the man, holding him down making sure he doesn't make things worse for himself. "Steph, how are you at first aid?" he asks, his date.

As for the guy, he's not going anywhere short of being able to lift a ton.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie rushes over, sliding the gun away with a foot and then moving over to join Roberto. "I'm ok," she says, "But, well, not like you'd expect me to know how to treat a bullet wound. Guess the same as anything else?" she says. Lying through her teeth and hating it. How many bullet wounds is this she's treated? All inflicted by bad guys shooting each other, but still.

She applies direct pressure. "All you're gonna have is a little limp for awhile, but your daughter will just be happy to have her pappa back," she promises him.