9387/1-2 Checker. Microphone Checker.

1-2 Checker. Microphone Checker.
Date of Scene:	31 December 2021
Location:	Luke's Bar
Synopsis:	Daisy and Alexander catch up since last year.
Cast of Characters:	Daisy Johnson, Alexander Aaron

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Daisy Johnson has posed:
The year's end is coming in a rush. Sometimes a year just goes too fast, and with so much happening with her life Daisy has barely had time for social. But who has these days? Still, there are things she tries to do, and that's to catching up with a few friends she has made. One of those being Alexander.

To that avail a message was sent, for them to meet at Harlem's. Luke's Bar? Perhaps not the most usual of choices but at the appointed hour here is Daisy, settled on one of the corner tables, dressed in jeans and sweater along with a leather jacket. Pretty standard fare, nothing out of the ordinary. She has a small laptop in front of her, because of course she does. Work follows her wherever she goes apparently!

A mug of coffee is to the side of the laptop but judging by how cold it looks seems like it's been forgotten for a while now.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    It was a message he wasn't expecting. Though they had been friends, comrades a little, helped each other. He'd been in town once again for a while, and really it was his fault that they didn't contact each other earlier. He should have let her know he was around again. But she messaged first.
    Which likely meant she might have gotten word from surveillance of a sort.
    Which might well mean he was in trouble for not messaging her.
    Doh.
    The message was received however, and one was sent back her way. Offering a smiley and a greeting and agreeing to meet her. Because SURE. Why not?
    She got there first, but only had to wait a few minutes. Perhaps five or so before the doorway to Luke's was darkened with the young man's silhouette there. He's stepping in, holding the door first, however, for a couple that are passing outside. Once they're through he enters and casts his gaze about the place. Finds her.
    A hand lifts in greeting as his smile eases to life. He walks across the distance toward that corner table. And perhaps, albeit briefly, she might not recognize him. Considering his hair is a bit long now, almost to his shoulders. And he's got... a beard? Madness! And was he taller now? That pea coat he wore did make his shoulders seem a little broader. But the smile. It was Alexander.
    And when he greeted her all doubt would likely fade. "Guidance Counselor Johnson, so good of you to check up on me."
    And with that he slides into a chair opposite her.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Taptapping like she is on that keyboard means Daisy isn't paying too much attention to who comes and goes. So some bloke with beard? Eh, disregarded. It's only when the man comes closer that she glances up, taking a better look through squinted eyes. "Look at that. Decided it was time to grow, was it?" as if people could decide when they would get taller!

A brief smirk and she closes the lid on the laptop, sliding it to the side, "Also, call me guidance counselor again and we may be having troubles, Aaron." she faux threatens in a good humored way. "Been a while since I have been back to Happy Harbor actually." she admits with a faint sigh. "Not after SHIELD went dark." but she then eyes him a bit longer.

"But .., it's been a while. How have you been? Figured your place in life by now?" She asks.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The aging of Olympians is a curious thing, for they do grow somewhat normally, but when they hit certain stages in life, it's only then that their forms change. Perhaps connected to their self-image, how they envision themselves, how they feel their roles have changed or their offices have been altered. It's why Eros can look younger than Alexander despite his age being ancient, and why Zeus looks so much older than his brothers Hades and Poseidon, because his role of an all-father. Difficult to tell with magical beings at the least.
    Whatever the reason, Alexander smiles and crinkles his nose a little at Daisy then murmurs, "I figured you short people were getting too uppity."
    He slips fully into the seat and starts to pull off his coat, sliding an arm out of the sleeve, then the other as he hangs the garment over the back of the chair. It reveals a bright red sweater that he's wearing, very Christmassy despite the holiday having ended a few days ago. "Hey you were the best guidance counselor I had." And perhaps the only one, to be fair.
    She mentions Happy Harbor and he nods, "I was there a bit ago, have a cousin who goes there now." Perhaps a small tidbit of intel. Then his brow furrows. "SHIELD went dark?" Clearly not in the loop. At all.
    Yet it's when she asks her questions that he replies. "Oh I've been good." His eyes unfocus a moment, looking past her, then back as his smile eases. "Things have been... looking up. Been taking classes again."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I mean, isn't it hard for us shorties to get uppity? With us being short and all...? I mean, we can't even reach the top shelf..." Is Daisy's response, simply quirking a brow up at the young man and shaking her head a touch to herself, "I see you are still keeping your sardonic outlook at life..." she then finally comments. At being called the best guidance counselor it breaks a faint smile on Daisy's expression at least.

"Well, I will take it as a compliment then!" She reaches to take her mug of coffee, taking a taste before bleerghing to herself. "Too cold.." a gesture to find a waiter and she pointing to her mug. Clearly a new mug must be procured. "Do you want anything?"

It's when Alex asks about SHIELD going dark. It makes her cant her head to the side. "Ok, you've either been dead to the world in the last year or ..., somewhere with your father?" she would bet on the latter. "And yes, high officials in the government pulled strings to have us be seen as a terrorist org. It wasn't easy. But we have cleared our name now." a look around. "Which means I *can* be out here again without the fear of being hunted down. It's good."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    As she checks him on his teasing he smiles, not his normal at ease smile, but the smile she'd seen on him when he was caught out on something or another during his time at Happy Harbor. His eyes slip away, then back as he murmurs, "I do my best." To keep that sardonic outlook.
    She takes it as a compliment and he solidifies that choice, "You should!"
    She asks if he wants anything and in the same glance he catches the waiter's eye and signals with two fingers he want a cuppa for himself as well.
    Then she looks at him curiously about SHIELD and he nods as he murmurs, "Yah, Olympus. There was a contest. Of sorts." His gaze follows along with her however as she relates matters about SHIELD, then his lips part. "Ahhh. That must have been tough. But I'm glad it's over. See if I'd been around clearly I would have saved the day."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"A contest." That has Daisy mmm in thought. "Well, I hope you won. It wasn't one of those, win or die contests, was it? I know how your people are often fond of those." hey, she knows a bit of mythology! "And then there's that whole 'lets go to Hades to bring their souls back' kind of thing." she takes a drink from her newfound HOT cup of coffee and grins, now certainly happier. "Yet that never really goes well, does it?"

The matter about SHIELD has her nod, "If you were around I am sure you would had been welcome to help deal with the matter." the tone is serious for once!

"What are you thinking on doing now that you have returned to the big city?" she puts the cup aside, eyes settled on the young man.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Nooo," Alexander says, clearly not exactly dissuading her of that notion that the contest was severe. But he doesn't reaffirm it. Instead he clarifies a little by murmuring, "It was more... team building, I suppose you could say."
    Then his smile broadens a little, "Though yes, there was a situation, a cousin named Veronica. Her soul was stolen, we did have to get it back." So there was at least an objective! Then he adds, "But it was more... I don't know, dick measuring contest for our parents."
    He takes a deep breath, looking thoughtful for a moment. Then he looks at her sidelong as she suggests he could have helped. "That's kind of you to say." Since he was mainly joking. He does nod, however, and murmurs. "It would have made me feel good to help you guys. Pay back some of what you've done for me."
    Then she asks him the /hard/ question. What is he thinking of doing?!
    A faintly pained look touches his features. "Well, tonight going to a party with my..." His brow furrows, "Significant. Girl. Other. Friend. So that's a thing."
    Then he lifts a hand to rub at the back of his neck, "Planning on going to school. And well. I have... a quest. Of sorts."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Oh, I know how -that- is." About the measuring contest, "Well, not literally dick swinging and measuring but you know ..., SHIELD has it's own bureaucracy. Sometimes it can be a jungle." It's a known fact Daisy was never a great appreciater of the fine, efficient machine that SHIELD can be sometimes with all it's rules and regulations! Rebel to the core and all that. "And they make me do reports in triplicate sometimes..." a roll of her eyes.

"Ooo, significant friend." A wolf-grin coming to her features, "I see how it is. Well, do have fun, don't do anyhting I wouldn't do. All of those things. And ..., lighten up some, will you?" she suggests in the end.

"And to school as in college? Have you figured which one you are going to?" She asks, "I am probably not the best to advise you on those matters though, I skipped college." she admits, "Or rather, it was more that I wasn't allowed in." her shoulders rising in a shrug. "Never did great in school."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Yah, my father once told me..." Alexander takes a deep breath and then confides in Daisy as he murmurs, "That the moment you put three people in a room, you create two factions. So yeah." He doesn't doubt at /all/ that SHIELD has its own contest of phallus measuring.
    Then his eyes widen, "Triplicate?! Those bastards." He tries to keep a straight face, but he's smiling by the time he murmurs the word 'bastards'. But when she hassles him about his significant person he crinkles his nose at her. "I am completely lightened up. Your face needs to lighten up."
    Swish, two points. Good one Alex.
    "I am going to attend ESU I'm thinking. My AP credits transfer well there so I figured, why not?" But then she admits to her own difficulties in life and he smiles a little. "Hey yeah, I know it's sort of a big scam in a lot of ways. You're mainly doing it to get a piece of paper that says you're willing to go along with the big lie so you can continue on to the next phase of your expectations." He makes a face, "Meh."
    Then he sits up a little, "But how are you doing? Life wise too?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"ESU. I see." Daisy nods her head slowly, "Can't say I know much of it but ..., good luck! Just light up the SHIELD signal if you need any help while in there." a wink in the end to show she's joking. Mostly. Is there a SHIELD signal? Who knows!

As for her own life. Daisy presses her lips together, "Well, I moved in with someone." she starts, "I got to actually meet my mother and she's alive. Or as alive as an Inhuman with a few centuries of age on her back can be.." she murmurs. "But that felt good. Inhumans are finally finding a place for them. Which had been one of my goals so ..., this was a good year for me." the smile on her face seeming to testify to that.

"Hoping that the next year will be even better."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The SHIELD signal, that earns her a snort as he gives a smile and waves a hand to the waiter's return in greeting. "Cream and sugar, please."
    He'll wait until their drinks are settled and proper amounts of flavoring are added to his cup, stirring a little with a spoon. His head tilts to the side as he listens to her about her trials with her parental unit and dealing with the Inhuman situation.
    "That sounds good." Alexander's smile is warm as Daisy speaks to her own life, "Good you helped her."
    Then his smile shifts a little toward the wry as he murmurs. "It's so good that someone your age can still get out and about and do something productive. I hope when I reach your age I'll be as mobile." Of course as he says this he makes sure he's /juuust/ out of punching reach.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
No answer out of Daisy. Nope. She has quietly set the coffee aside, fingertips joining together as she regards the young buck across from her. A brow quirks. "There will come the day..." she then starts...

"... that someone will call me old and get away with it.."

And then she reaches over. Time to get noogied, Alexander! She's small, so it will be a tough hill to climb. But she's tenacious!