Owner	Pose
Stella Roundtree	Not drunk but very revved up on the nearly empty can of Red Bull in her Bailey-manicured hands, Stella is strolling over to Hella's place to crash. She's been muttering a little to herself as she makes her way over, guitar case and a duffel bag in hand. Her eyes are a little red from crying, but she perfected her make-up on the ride over, and now she's almost hopeful. Yes. Things could work out. And so she rides up the elevator to the penthouse (hey, from penthouse to penthouse, not too shabby,) giving one last sniffle and wipe of the eyes before she readies herself and all the taurine now in her system to be a good guest. And thus, she knocks.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella does the necessary buzzing in of Stella when she gets the notification that she's downstairs. She buzzes, waits, buzzes again. Then, Stella is on her way up. Booster is in the master bathroom, but she calls out to him through the door that 'Stella is on her way up, so please behave.'     Then, she's at the door and opening it wide with a big, bright smile to welcome her eagerly awaited guest. "Stella!" she says warmly as the freight elevator's grate and doors open, revealing her new-found friend. "Please, come inside! My home is your home!" she says, stepping back and sweeping an arm at the large, open floorplan of the main living area.
Stella Roundtree	"Hey, that's so nice of you. I hope it won't be for too long, I do need to get a place of my own," she says, giving Hella a hug as her bags slowly drift to the floor. She picks them back up, "Man, I feel so shitty. I just need some time away from Ted. He means well, and he's sweet. Also hot," Stella says, thinking it over. "But he was just too close, and I moved in so fast so- SO!" she declares. "I figure I'll get my own place, and then I can ask him out all nice like, "Hey Ted, let's go do mini-golf, no pressure... then we can try like normal people," she laughs. "I felt so bad. He said he wanted to keep trying but I- ugh, I'm talkin' too much," she says. "Your home is beautiful. Thank you so much, again," she says, much happier now to be in good company.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella embraces Stella carefully, not wanting to accidentally bruise her. However, when Stella goes to grab her bags, Hella stays her hand, "No, please, let me." She will take the bags, if Stella allows her. It's nothing for her to lift them, literally. She follows Stella in and swings the door shut with a socked foot. She gestures for Stella to explore as she will, walking into the apartment. There's a kitchen space just to the right and the dining area to the left. Further in, the living room space, and doors to the gym and the hallway to the bedrooms. She listens to Stella talk and smiles softly, nodding her head. "I totally understand, yes," she says. "It sounds like good idea! Take break, have space, clear mind," she confirms, fully agreeing with the sentiments.     Because she isn't sure which room Stella will want, Hella just places her bags next to the hallway door, against the wall, and gestures for Stella to have a seat on her very nice couch. Hella's penthouse has a very different look and feel from Ted's place. Much more homey, softer and feminine, no bots buzzing about -- Skeets isn't in the room, right now, anyway.     Hella lifts a hand toward the kitchen island, "If you're hungry, is pizza. Please, my home is your home." Hella looks just...so pleased...to have Stella there, her eyes bright and sparkling. "Thank you for compliments on this place. I just got everything just right. I hope one of the guest rooms will be nice for you!"
Stella Roundtree	Stella happily lets the hostess take her bags for her. She peers around the home, smiling all the while, a little pep in her step. "I think so! I'll think of somethin' sweet to do later, maybe make a list. Make him let me plan the dates," she says. She hasn't had a Red Bull in a while, so she's a little twitchy. "Well, unless he sweeps up another lady in distress, then maybe I'm out. Hm." She thinks on that, peeking into each guest room.      "Pizza would be wonderful. Oh! But tell me about you an' Booster, huh?" she says, having picked a room and nudged her bags in. She settles in on the couch. "I was thinkin' about that on the way over here, how you get warmed up? And maybe finding ways to dissipate that... oh! But Booster," God, she's all over the place thought-wise. " Seems like you guys really hit it off. It was sweet to see," she says with a contented smile.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella smiles at the comment, the talk of letting her plan dates. Now...this is ringing a kind of warning bell in Hella's head, but! She has no idea if Joan has any plans to /actually act/ on her feelings for Ted. She seemed so hesitant, so...squirrelly. Hella doesn't know, yet, if she should mention Joan, but...she feels obligated to let Stella know that there's someone else who's interested in Ted. She just has to...find the right way to do it, the right moment.     So, she grabs a plate and two big slices of pepperoni pizza for Stella, uses her hand to warm the pizza before she puts them on the plate. Way, way better than a microwave! She brings over the food and a bottle of soda for her new friend, placing the meal on her heavy-duty glass coffee table. "Booster," she says with an affectionate, breezy sigh, a grin on her face as she sinks into a seat near Stella. She shakes her head and laughs a little, "Is new thing, our..relationship? I met him very recently when he...came to my terrace to conduct interview for superhero discount for Kord Co phone," she explains.     Sitting back in her chair, watching Stella with the food and drink, "We...seem to like each other, right away. He is so cute -- awkward, sometimes, and so adorable, endearing. I just," she shrugs a shoulder with a grin, "...find him like teddy bear, so huggable. I want to play with his hair and see him blush. But, also?" she leans in and whispers the next bit. "I want him to push me up against wall and kiss me like I have oxygen he needs to breathe inside me." She covers her mouth and laughs quietly.     Belatedly, she adds, "He's in bathroom, /right./ /now./" And, she puts a finger to her lips in a shhhhh gesture.
Stella Roundtree	"New can be fun. All the butterflies," she says, gesturing to her stomach. Which will soon be full, as she watches the pizza heat up in a most magical way! "It's nice to be wanted. Most of the time, anyway," she says with a girlish giggle. She listens, nodding away. "I am happy for you, though. Very much," she says with a nod, her braid bouncing. "But I can also get out of here for tonight if you need a little private time. I've been meaning to check out a few late-night places in town, anyway," she says. "You can just text me an all-clear and I can slip back in like a ghost, no one need know," she says, before starting in on her meal. "You likin' the phone?" she asks, but then reroutes, "Oh no, he's not in there taking a dum- uh, a bath, is he?" she whispers. The sound of her last words wrap around Hella's head, like she's sitting much closer.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella grins as the two exchange girl-talk of the best kind -- about boys! This is the first time she's ever had the opportunity to /do/ this kind of thing. Stella is her first real friend since she left Russia, despite having met plenty of pleasant acquaintances and all.     Hella shakes her head, suddenly blushing and laughing nervously. "No, no. I..." she hesitates for a second, trying to find the least embarrassing way to say it. There just...isn't one. "I've never...y'know," she bobbles her head, "...done it." She flicks a swift glance toward the hallway door, which remains closed. But, is Booster listening in behind the door? Can Skeets pick up this conversation and report back to Booster that his new romantic interest is a pathetic VIRGIN?! She grimaces at the idea of it.     "There is no need to disappear. You are welcome here," she promises, trying to get back on the subject. "As for phone... I dunno. Haven't really been able to use, because no screen. He said he is working on it, and I am patient until is complete. I wish phone could be like regular smartphone, but special needs mean making sacrifices, like not having ancient-seeming flip phone from early 2000s, yes?" she smiles ruefully.     To the last question, regarding Booster in the bathroom, she laughs! "I...maybe he is taking poo! No idea. But, he felt itchy from chlorine in suit, so I told him to make use of bathroom," she grins and lifts a shoulder. "No other reason." Then, Hella's brow furrows and she feels the weight of her knowledge about Joan bearing down on her. Gently, she probes, "Before, you said you make mistake, moving in with Ted. He is lovebombing you?" She asks this quietly, not whispering, but definitely a more intimate tone, between friends talking about things that concern them.
Stella Roundtree	"WHAT!" Stella says, remembering to keep her voice down after the fact. "Really? Well everyone has to go at their own pace, I didn't do any of that until my senior year of highschool, cuz my sister hooked up with a guy in highschool who decided we should be called the "Get-Around-Tree" sisters. Which was very mean." She takes a sip of her soda. "He's divorced now. I sent his ex-wife Facebook messages from his girlfriend." Moving on.      "But you're young, right? What, early 20's? Normal, normal, nothin' to worry about. Though wait, how old is Booster?" she considers. "Everything about him seems to indicate that he wants us to think he could get laid all he likes but other... factors... might keep that from being a reality," she says with a little laugh. "He seems like he could be a lot. But it sounds like you're into it!"      "A phone with no screen, huh? Is it all voice activated?" she asks. "Ooh. I wonder how much of a charge it holds, that's always good to know," she says, one piece of pizza packed away.      "Oh yeah! Ted!" she says, back to the topic that brought her in here. "I think he just..." she lowers her voice. "Wants to be loved. And sometimes I think it can be hard for people to loosen up if they're worried about not findin' love. But hey, even on the first time I met him, and we were shootin' the breeze, he didn't seem like he'd mind mutant kids. I always kinda ask about that when I meet a guy, before I even go on a single date. Honestly, him talkin' about that was one of the things that made me sorta... let him keep giving me all that stuff and takin' me all over and doing all... that," she says, shaking her head. "See? Don't feel bad about not having done too much romantically. I have things I'm embarrassed about, too. I think I got carried away. And hey, maybe he's not the one. But I still like the dude," she shrugs.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella's eyes bulge as Stella's initial response cracks the air like a whip! She holds up her hands and waves them, making a silent 'shh' face, glancing in the direction of the hallway door, again. She laughs, covering her face, sitting back and shaking her head, "Yes, really. I grew up very secluded, surrounded by only family. Very remote. No boys or anything to distract from training, practicing, learning to control strength and all."     To the story about the asshole, Hella's expression is a mixture of shock and anger, "How dare he! Such a fat turd!" She can't help but grin at the fact that Stella may have had a part in the man's subsequent divorce, years later. "Is evil, but if he hadn't done bad things, there would be no problem for him," she offers, lifting a shoulder, again. Hella is a good girl, but even she isn't immune to thinking revenge is healthy and cathartic!     "Honestly," she says, sounding a little nervous, "I have no idea how old Booster is, though he seems close enough to my age, no? Do.." She trails off and bites her lip, something clearly concerning her. "Do you think he is womanizer? Serial romantic? A..fuckboy?" she asks, crossing and uncrossing her legs nervously. "I met fuckboy recently who led me on and hurt my feelings. Before I met Booster. Don't want to go through /that/ again." She exhales, shaking her head, rubbing her temples. "How do you mean 'a lot'? I am new to all this, romance. I only know what I watch on TV shows!" she sounds as though she feels hopeless.     "Again, I have no idea. Ted says some things rapidly like they are normal, simple words, but... I don't follow, so. We will see, when phone is done. I hope he doesn't ignore me again and paint phone pink. I want white phone with silver accents! I said so every time, but because I wear pink and do, admittedly, love pink a lot. You can tell, I'm sure. Favorite colors are white, pink, and silver. But, men! Trouble listening. Or, maybe is my accent?" she sighs and shakes her head, again.     She's grateful for a chance to just listen to Stella talk about Ted. As Stella goes on, Hella begins to feel discomfort in her tummy. It's not hunger. It's...guilt. "But, I thought...you said was mistake. You seemed uncomfortable. Ted was so..." she waves her hands vaguely. "No breathing room for you," she says with a concerned uptick of her eyebrows. How much should she say? If Joan doesn't plan on talking to Ted about how she feels for him, Hella telling Stella about Joan would make everything more messed up. She looks very caught up in her internal computing, trying to figure out what she should do. "I thought you were unhappy," she says softly, "Is why I invited you to stay here."
Stella Roundtree	"Sorry, sorry!" Stella replies. "I didn't mean to be so surprised, that was rude, I'm sorry." So many apologies. "But you're here now. And meeting new people, which is great. You seem to have control, so even better since you're around people. As for assholes and fuckboys... eh. You get 'em back when you can," she says. "There's joy in making them squirm," she admits.      "As for Booster..." so many girly whispers, "I honestly have no idea. But he'd be very stupid to do that to you, considering. And I really can't lead by example. You didn't move in with him right away, you have your own place, you're not relying on him for anything. So I think you're okay." Her plate empty, she tucks her legs under her body and leans a little closer, braid sliding over her shoulder and swaying for a few pendulous seconds.      "Didja tell him that it's new to you? When you're not all smoochin'?" she asks, trying to break the tension. "And I'll help you with the phone if you need a minute, we can test call and see if we can get it to work. I don't suppose you got a manual or anything?" she asks. "Because yes, men often do have trouble listening. So we must tell them again, but harder. And then take a break!" she chirps, as if this is all very normal and not at all passive-aggressive behavior she is describing.      "Yeah, I'm sorry if I made you feel like you were in the middle of the Ted stuff!" Stella says. "He was indeed suffocating me with his very... intense kind of love. But now that I can breathe... huh. It was a lot, huh," she says, conflicted. "I did feel really bad about having gotten myself into that. I felt a little like... a pet. I didn't like that. But maybe time apart from him will be good. It was my fault for letting it escalate, okay?" she says, leaning to rest her forearms over the arms of the couch.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella nods her head agreeably as Stella talks, feeling a little better about some things. And, beginning to feel worse about others. She inhales thoughtfully at the question about whether or not she's admitted to Booster about her...inexperience. "No, I haven't told him. But, I think is easy to guess because I know he heard me say he is my first kiss. When I told you, earlier this morning," she says, looking embarrassed. "I didn't think he was awake, but he heard. I didn't think about what else it would tell him," she looks a little miserable. "That said," she makes the Kombucha girl's 'mmm, maybe not so bad' face, "...he's kissed me at least two more times since then!" She grins shyly, remembering those kisses. Only a short while ago!     Then, Hella's back in her own personal hell with the Ted conversation. Her stomach is instantly knotted up and she looks almost pained as she hears Stella talk. "I DID SOMETHING BAD," she blurts out in a response. She slaps a hand over her mouth and looks agonized. She parts her fingers to whisper, "I think."
Stella Roundtree	"Aw, it's kinda sweet," Stella says, resting her head in her hands as she watches the buff lady get all flustered. Like it's just a nice girly sleepover (with some dude in the bathroom?) and nothing could possibly go wrong. "If he's not pushin' you for anything beyond what you're comfortable with, then why not enjoy yourself? Just throw him out the window if he doesn't take no for an answer," she laughs. "That'll teach him. And... wait? Something bad? Come on, you said it didn't get too far, that's okay!" she says, completely sure they're still talking about Booster.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella shakes her head, trying to clarify, "No, no." She looks positively pathetic. "Not about Booster. I did something bad about Ted," she sits forward, her elbows planted into her thighs as she leans her head down and holds it between her hands. She's looking at the floor, though, of course, it's easy for Stella to hear her, no matter how softly she talks. "There is woman, Joan. She..." Hella trails off, trying to pick the right words for a no-win conversation. "Ted and Joan have will-they-won't-they relationship for long time, she work for him, he work with her... Booster talked with Joan. Told her she should be honest with Ted about her feelings," she chews on her lip.     "Is perfectly okay for Booster to comment on things, he knows everyone for long time. But, me? I know nothing! But, what do I do? I open my big mouth, because I think you are unhappy and feel trapped. But...now, I find out you aren't unhappy, just needed space..." She rubs her face, "I ruin everything with stupidity."
Stella Roundtree	It is a little strange to see someone so jacked openly crying.      "Huh? No, that doesn't sound right. Both Ted and Joan told me like a buncha times that there wasn't anything going on and that I didn't have to worry. She didn't really seem to like me that much, but I thought maybe I'd get to know her and we'd eventually be friends." She's frowning while she says this.      "That fuckin' liar," she hisses. Though about which one of the parties is unclear. The lights in the room dim for a second, and then return to normal. Stella mutters something, which seems to be, "... put the feelings into the box, and then put the box in the closet and deal with it later..."      She does not seem to be actually doing this. Her gaze snaps back up. "Wait. Booster was also there? And when the hell was this? NO. NOOO." Her eyes go wide. "You did not do this while I was passed out on the couch, did you?"
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella looks like a kicked puppy. A really muscular one.     She's quiet while Stella goes through the stages of realization to anger to...embarrassment. Hella is embarrassed, too. "I am so stupid," she manages to say, her voice broken with emotion. "I thought...I was helping you. Helping everyone," her voice cracking as she stares at the floor. She can't even face her friend. Who...might not be her friend, anymore.     Instead of saying it aloud, she just...nods her head. "Is all my fault," she rasps, sniffling. "Nothing I can say will help, but I have to tell you how sorry I am. I am worst kind of friend. I understand if you hate me," she blubbers a little, keeping her face turned down, though her hair is still in her tight french braids, so she doesn't have the curtain of white-blonde tresses to hide her shame.
Stella Roundtree	Perhaps Stella is imagining her box of anger, resentment, and betrayal being kicked into a closet of emotional stability, where it's then clawing to get back out. She takes a deep breath. "Let me try to reframe this. We are both fairly new to the city. Swap Ted and Booster, you and me in this... shit scenario," she says. "Say I did that to you with Booster and Joan. While you were asleep. In the same room. Just how angry and hurt would you be, and with who? Because you just made new friends, and possibly a romantic interest. And you're gone for FIVE FUCKIN' MINUTES and suddenly everyone has made decisions without you." Well, more like five hours, she was out for a while. But who's counting?      "I'm not happy with you on this, but I will get over it after I maybe... have a night out. With myself," Stella says. "It was not okay. I understand that you wanted to help, but I don't like being left out." She's giving quite the mom voice.      "I don't hate you. I am angrier at other parties, and you can guess who. One of them is in your bathroom." In a bathtub, theoretically. A bad move around someone who can zap. Not that she'd drop a toaster in, but she might not be opposed to a little jolt for his trouble.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella just nods and cries, trying to be as quiet as she can while Stella rails, turning the situation into one that puts her sin in much starker relief. She hugs a pillow to her chest and dips her face into it, trying not to cry aloud. "I know, now. I'm so sorry," she says into the pillow, her voice muffled. She keeps nodding her head as Stella talks, her body language so visibly miserable.     When she brings up Booster, Hella lifts her head to defend him, sniffling as she tries to make her words come out more calmly, "Booster only wanted to help Ted. Ted, his best friend. He likes you, he doesn't want to hurt you. He likes Joan, wants her to be happy, too. Is just...terrible, mixed up situation!" There's a pleading note in her voice.     "Booster is good man, with good heart. I can feel it. Even if he is fuckboy? He still loves his friend and wants to see him happy. Maybe Ted be happy with you, if you can work things out! Maybe not. I want you to be happy, too. I fuck up, but I swear, is because I'm stupid. I try to help but make things worse," she groans, burying her face in the pillow, again.
Stella Roundtree	"Joan should have just told me she was into him. She had an opportunity and she lied. That's shitty," Stella says. "I would've backed off, because this always happens with people who work together. I have hard drives full of it." She pauses, thinking about how that sounds, back to hunching in the middle of the couch as she seethes. "Evidence, not porn. Well, sometimes it kind of- nevermind."      She wiggles back up as she decides, "I'm not going to get in the way of two people who have known one another from workin' together. Otherwise they'll just make googly eyes at each other and wonder, 'oh, what if!'" she says, flicking her hand in a dismissive gesture. "And I'll be the idiot thinking that he loves me for me, and oh no, he'd never absolutely humiliate me," she says, rolling her eyes. Uh oh, is someone cutting onions in here? Her eyes seem misty for some unknown reason.      "Hella, seriously, it's not your fault. Some people only do this when there's competition around. She probably wouldn't have said a damn thing if I wasn't seeing Ted. If it wasn't brought up now, she probably would have gone into his office all big-eyed and sobby at some point about how she didn't know she loved Ted until someone else was seein' him and all that happy horseshit."      She gives the burly demigod a pat on the shoulder. "You obviously feel bad. This has soothed me," she laughs, sniffling a little. It's just a sort of comical sight seeing someone who could throw this whole building be upset over the loss of female friendship. Stella is now ALSO crying a little bit, and dabs one eye with the back of her hand.      If Booster comes out of the bathroom, he might be in for it.
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella listens quietly, trying to get a handle on her crying. Really, she just feels like a big piece of poop. She should stop crying so much because it's pretty selfish of her to be wallowing in her guilt and mourning the potential loss of a friendship when Stella's got /plenty/ of reason to cry. She forgot, briefly, about how much infidelity Stella's witnessed, and things make even more sense.     She sits up a little straighter when Stella kind of absolves her, despite the fact that she knows she should've kept her nose in her own business. There's a note of hope on that pale, cry-splotchy face, her eyes wet with tears. "You think you can forgive me?" she asks, her heart beating faster. "You...are my first real female friend in America. I will kick myself if I have ruined that forever. But, I understand if you need time away from me, now," she says, accepting her fate, whatever it might be.     When Stella gives her a pat on the shoulder, she sniffles and stands up suddenly. Without asking, she lifts up Stella in a hug of support, apology, and comfort. It's not too hard, but she definitely lifts Stella a little off the floor. "I feel very bad, promise. I am very sorry and will always be sorry for what I have done. I will try to make up for it in future, if you let me," she promises. She smells of chlorine, coconuts, and vanilla. She is quite warm, but not uncomfortably so. She holds Stella a little longer, "I'm sorry you are suffering, no matter what reason. Do you want more pizza? Something sweet? How can I help?"
Stella Roundtree	Stella is a durable woman. There's a small feeling between them of force pushing back out as she's startled by the hug, but then she relaxes. "I accept your apology. Just no secret guy stuff, okay?" Stella says, sniffling a little more. She's warm and softer than her muscular counterpart, and smells like her cupcake hair conditioner and her perfume- pear, jasmine, greens. Admittedly, Hella is a good hugger.      "I think, actually, what I need is to get into a fight. My mom's not here to yell at me," she laughs, eyes beading up with tears. "I heard about some places where I might be able to let off some steam, so... I think I'll do that? You should probably check on Booster and see if he's drowned himself in your bathtub, or if he has his ear pressed to the door. I'll be back later, if that's okay?" she asks. "Just don't surprise me with anything, please."
Hella Rokkurdisardottir	Hella doesn't force the hug on Stella, but her embrace becomes more fully felt when Stella gives in to it. She tries to make it a real, secure, comforting hug. She nods her head obediently at the caveat. "I promise. No secret guy stuff, at all," she says fervently. "Also, your hair smells good, and your perfume. So nice," she says, then sets Stella back on the floor, not wanting to over-do it.     Hearing her friend's words, Hella nods her head slowly. "You can fight me, if you want. I won't fight back. Hit me as hard as you can, pretend I am Ted. Maybe I can make a mask with his face on, wear that," she offers. Goodness knows she understands the need for a good knock-down, drag-out fight. "But, okay. If you want to go out, you are free to. Let me, though..."     She trails off, then goes over to a little desk in the living room, opens a drawer and pulls out a spare key. She hands it to Stella, pressing it gently into her palm. "This is for when you come home," she says. "Use on door, then on elevator." She pauses, then adds, "Don't bring surprise guest home or Brimstone eat them." She smiles softly and hugs her friend, briefly, again. "Thank you for giving me another chance. You have your pick of guest rooms. One is slate and blue colors, other is mint and cream. But, can easily redecorate to your tastes when you want!" she smiles, her eyes still a bit red-rimmed, her nose a little rosy.     As for Booster, she glances toward the direction of the bathroom, "I think he fell asleep in bathtub."
Stella Roundtree	Female socialization activated! "Aw, thank you! I really do like this perfume," she says. "And yours smells nice, too. Or your shampoo." She settles back onto the floor, giving a big stretch to shake off tension. "Let me get a little practice in with other mutants before I go up against you," she says. "Because I think I can get there. Or kinda there. I uh... well. I've had a little practice in the meantime, and I seem to keep getting more." Voluntarily or not.      She takes the key, back to smiling, "I really appreciate this. I can serenade the two of you with music later if you like," she teases. "Annnd I'll text if I, uh... end up sleeping over somewhere. Kinda in the mood for that if I find a big strong dummy who won't ask me too many questions," she says. "Seems like everyone else has moved on, so may as well do it myself. And... I like the mint. Give Booster a smack in the back of the head for me," the brunette says. She moves her things into the green bedroom and closes the door before she waves and heads out to see what or who the city can provide in terms of entertainment.