Owner Pose
Sara Pezzini It had been a long night, but a fun one. Although Sara had opted not to drink, she had in fact watched almost everyone else drink until drunk, and at least one curled up and passed out. Jon and Cael had fallen asleep, though that could have just been the slow pass out instead of the fast one.

After finishing up her coffee in the Velvet Room, she took the time to move the couple back to the Brooklyn apartment. That wasn't enough though, no, she had to make sure that she put them both in the exact position they had been in on the other couch. Placing a large plastic bucket by the couch, she then covered them, took Bear for his walks, and went to bed.

Morning has her up, quietly in the kitchen making scrambled eggs, toast and coffee... most likely it was the smell of coffee that reached the living room first.
Cael Becker     It's actually a small miracle that Cael has slept this long - but when she wakes, she wakes suddenly, but not completely. She registers that she's in her apartment - but it doesn't even occur to her that that should be a surprise. She's lying on Jon - that also shouldn't be and isn't a surprise. But she has a pressing, and immediate concern - dealing with her rebeling stomach. She rolls off the couch, and practically finds herself positioned over the well-placed bucket - which she immediately empties her stomach into. It's not pretty, or pleasant, and Bear crawls his way over - whining and concerned.
    "No, Bear-" she gags, one hand propping herself off, and the other hand trying to fend off the approaching dog. "Bear..." At least her hair is short, and doesn't need to be held back.
Jonathan Sims     Jon wakes shortly after Sara starts cooking, and blinks up at the ceiling of the Brooklyn apartment. If they'd astrally projected to the Velvet Room, he wouldn't be remotely surprised, but they went to the place physically, so how...?

    Then Cael's rolling off of the couch and he sits up, frowning. "You okay, love?" A pause. "Bear, get /back/." He's been learning that firm-but-kind voice to use with dogs, who really don't respond to negative attention or reinforcement all that well. He points over a little ways away from Cael and the bucket.

    He peers up and around at the kitchen. "Sara...? Do you have any juice? Juice and toast, and maybe some ibuprofen." He frowns, and reaches up to rub at his head. There's only the faintest lingering bits of a headache there, and the subtle pressure that he hasn't had a statement in a while.
Sara Pezzini From the kitchen Sara emerges with a tray in hand, on it is a plate with both white and wheat toast lightly buttered, and two large glasses of orange juice. There is a smile on her face, as if this was like any other morning, but the twinkle in her eyes says other wise.

"Wasn't sure on the toast, so made both," she comments softly, setting the tray on the coffee table. "Apple juice would have been better, but only have orange... no pulp."

She glances to Cael, recognizing the pain of the hangover all over the woman. "Toast is a good choice no matter the juice though."
Cael Becker     Bear is immediately compliant to Jon's commanding voice, retreating to the indicated spot, and lying down, letting out a quiet whine. He inches forward- then at the slightest glance, backs up quickly.
    "Apple juice... is gross," Cael mutters under her breath, staying perched over the bucket for the moment, and trying to ignore her pounding head. "I'm fine. I'll be fine," she adds, while squeezing her eyes shut. "Just... gimmee minute." She makes no attempt to reach for either food or drink just yet.
Jonathan Sims     Jon frowns at the tray for a moment. He reaches out to take wheat toast and orange juice, and says, "I can run out and grab something... pineapple, maybe? Coconut water? You need electrolytes." He smirks, then. "Though admittedly, drinking that much Asgardian mead, as a completely normal mortal, and coming out with nothing worse than a hangover... well. I'm sure Hope was impressed."

    He eyes Sara. "Get any pictures? Videos? I don't recall doing anything /too/ terribly embarassing, but then the bar is pretty high given the time at the Fringe that I--" He stops, cheeks darkening, and stuffs toast into his mouth. Must have been /something/, whatever it was.
Sara Pezzini Heading back to the kitchen long enough to get the carafe of coffee, a bottle of Gatorade, and her eggs, Sara meanders back to the coffee table ands sits down on the floor across from the couch. The Gatorade is slide toward the two, it had electrolytes, it was right there on the label.

"I got video of you singing, of Cael singing, of the two of you sleeping, of Terry curled up, Robbie playing the piano..." she pauses there to add a little cream to her coffee. "There was one point were Terry was screaming do me... but I didn't get that on video."
Cael Becker     "No OJ," Cael groans. "Too acidic. No pineapple either." Though it is delicious. "Uhhh... green tea. Ginger... anything. Ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger chews, whatever. Gatorade, or pedialyte. Uhh..." She sort of peeters out there, without noticing the gatorade pushed towards her just yet.
    "I did not sing!" she adds in protest - before spitting into the bucket. After a few more moments poised there, she finally turns away from it, leaning back against the couch and finally taking in the offers.
    "...you buttered the toast?" she asks. "It needs to be dry." Look - she's gotten hangovers after any number of nights on the job. She knows how to deal with this. But this was... bad. Particularly bad.
    Reaching for the orange juice she just scoffed, she sips - swishes it around her mouth, and leans over the bucket to spit - before put the glass down. THEN she opens the gatorade.
Jonathan Sims     "Cael," Jon says evenly, "I am a medical doctor, and have had /many/ hangovers. Pineapple juice can work, but if that's not appetizing... ginger, yes, tea's good. Coffee's good. And you sang, love. Even if only briefly."

    He nods to Sara as he settles back with his toast. "I remember. I remember /everything/. Other people get blackout drunk... I do not. If I experienced it, it's up here." He taps the side of his head. "Forever. Never fades, either." He sighs. "Terry is a bad influence. If I /had/ read his mind, I'd probably not be coherent today. As it is... no hangover, really. Or maybe I slept through it? My body processes these things faster these days."
Sara Pezzini Pulling her phone out as she stands back up, Sara pulls up the video, turns the volume way up, then sets the phone out of Cael's reach with the video playing of her singing as she goes to make a new set of toast sans butter.

"White or wheat?" is asked just as she hits the play button, and moment later... yep Cael was singing alright. "I'll put on some water to heat while I'm here, there still some ginger tea in the cupboard and you have a pretty voice Cael."
Cael Becker     "...Doctor. Right. I- knew that," Cael mumbles under her breath, shifting her head just enough that it touches Jon's leg on the couch behind her.
    There's video evidence of her singing. //Why//? Cael lets out a groan, and takes a cautious sip of her gatorade. "Wheat," she requests, before immediately adding, "Delete it. I don't //sing,// Sara. I just- don't. Please." She lets her stomach absorb the small amount of liquid she'd cautiously drunk, waiting to see if it'll rebel before adding towards Jon, "You're the worst. //Why// are you fine after that?"
Jonathan Sims     Jon finishes the toast and sets the plate aside, then reaches down to run his hand through Cael's hair, gently. He's only got the one arm just now; summoning up the other is an effort he's not sure he's up for just now. "Not /fine/... I need a statement. Ugh. And I think I /wasn't/ fine a few hours ago. But... I'm not entirely mortal anymore, remember? My body is... Ma'at's body, really, just toned down to be mortal... ish." He frowns. "Well, the Archivist's /always/ had accelerated healing, but this is... sometimes it's a lot more."

    They look over at Sara, then. "How're you doing? You seemed... melancholy last night, but I was too out of it to check on you." They sigh. "I have a lot of people to check on."
Sara Pezzini Water on, wheat toast plain on a plate and Sara returns the living room, collecting her phone along the way.

"I will not be deleting that," she states, looking at Cael as she offers the plate. "But I won't show it to anyone, unless the need arises... if you catch my meaning."

Sitting back down on the floor across from the couch, she picks up her fork and looks like she might eat the eggs, but really she starts shoving them around on the plate. "Told you already Jon, you don't have to check up on me. You've said if I need to talk, you're there, and I know you mean it," she says quietly, then looks up at him with a slight smile. "I was just... last night was a celebration, meant to be shared, and... let's just say it felt empty to me because neither of guys I'd celebrate with could be there."
Cael Becker     "It's fucking cheating is what it is - your Royal Godliness," Cael mutters - while tilting her head just slightly towards the touch. It's soothing, and reassuring, and very much welcome.
    She risks another sip of the gatorade while Sara is finishing with the toast - so far, so good, though she doesn't trust her stomach not to abruptly revolt. "Don't fucking show it to anyone," she replies - her tone lacking energy, given her current state, but also carrying not a single trace of humor. "Delete it," she repeats.
    She lapses into a brief silence before adding, "Both them assholes'll probably walk through the door - pretty much simultaneously."
Jonathan Sims     "Martin wasn't there either," Jon says, and the pain in his voice is... palpable. "He hasn't been there, and I don't know if..." He sighs. Shakes his head. "I know how you feel, I suppose. But I'm trying to check in on everyone, just... get a feel for where we're at, with the angel business winding down. Part of what I took on when I offered to lead."

    He frowns, evidently thinking on something. Opens his mouth. Closes it, and shakes his head. Instead, and clearly /not/ whatever he meant to say, he comments, "Yes, it's cheating, because I'm /meant/ to experience horrific trauma and then heal it so I can experience it all over again." He says this blandly, and then takes a sip of orange juice. "I'll take 'fewer hangovers' as a welcome side benefit."
Sara Pezzini Instead of eating the eggs, Sara pours herself some coffee, adds a little sugar and cream and ponders, just watching Jon and Cael while she thinks.

"Not deleting it," she says first, takes a sip of the coffee and moves right into the other part. "Cael was there though, so you had someone at least... but I think it's all in my head, the fear of losing someone else even with all the crap over, with the angels gone, and this wouldn't be a losing someone to death, this would be losing someone to... moving on."

She takes another sip of the coffee. "But there is one thing I know for certain, and that's you two are my family. Others may come and go, that's how life works, but you two... always family, which means by extension, Martin is family, as is Agnes."

For a moment she looks toward the door, then swings her eyes back to the two of them. "Johnny will never walk through that door, unless I call him and tell him to come over. I told you before Cael, I'm not inflicting him on you. As for Wade, I think," she shrugs slightly. "I guess he's busy, but that's the nature of the mercenary life I guess."
Cael Becker     Cael's jaw tightens, and her shoulders tense as Sara continues to refuse to delete the file. "I want it fucking gone," she insists, still without offering any context or explination beyond what Sara and Jon already know.
    Which is next to nothing.
    Bear, meanwhile, lets out a quiet whine and starts inching forward again, his eyes going to Jon, then back to Cael.
    "Yeah, yeah, Bear. Okay. Com'ere."
    Tail thumping furiously, the dog pushes back up to his feet and practically pounces into Cael's lap before she adds, "Whoa, whoa. Gently. Geeze, Bear..."
Jonathan Sims     "It's not... Cael isn't a replacement for Martin, which she knows. And... admittedly the Justice League Dark isn't his... thing. But it's..." Jon bites his lip, and shakes his head. "Mmm. It's not important, except that... I think it's entirely reasonable to be worried about things shifting, and changing, right now. Nobody who dealt with this came through it totally okay and happy. Everyone had to give things up, suffered, and now we have to... figure out who we are, in the wake of it all."

    He frowns down at Cael, and ruffles her hair again gently. Thinks back through his memories, of the times Cael's sung for him, then says, quietly, "Sara? I think... maybe it'd be best to delete the video." He might not be putting two and two together /precisely/ correctly, but if his guess /is/ correct, that particular song is painful for Cael.
Sara Pezzini Pulling her phone back out, Sara pulls up the file and deletes it, then tosses her phone onto the carpet by her leg, not saying a word about it.

"I never said Cael was a replacement, I said she was there so you had someone there," she states softly. "There's no such thing as replacing someone. I could never replace Jake or Daniel, my former NYPD partners, and trust me the NYPD has been trying for two years to do just that... but yeah, everything may be settling, but nothing is normal, nor is there even such a thing as normal."

Picking up the plate of eggs she offers it to Bear, then takes a piece of the toast to nibble on. "I'm sure it will work out, but that's what was on my mind last night... no big deal."
Cael Becker     "The NYPD isn't trying to //replace// them either, Sara," Cael points out with her eyes closed - some of her tension immediately easing the moment Jon backs her up. "You really think your Captain's think like that - about their people?"
    Even with his vest off - Bear is on duty, nudging at Cael's chest and making sure he's alright. He looks at the eggs - then looks up at Cael, waiting for her permission - not that Cael notices with her eyes closed against the pounding in her head. Poor pup.
    "We'll all make it through this alright," she adds in a quiet voice. "We just need a little more time." She takes another cautious sip of the gatorade, obviously taking her time with her recovery.
Jonathan Sims     "Sorry, I think I just... I know I /seem/ okay, so reasonably people presume it's enough that Cael's around, or dying wasn't a big deal, or losing my arm wasn't life-changing, but I'm... not. Okay, I mean." Jon frowns, and shrugs.

    "I'm sorry Wade and Johnny are being... distant. I'd be glad to call up the former and remind him this is the only universe he knows you in." They smirk. "The latter... well, I doubt he'd listen to me. I'm glad that's... I don't want to say /all/ that it is? Because that hurts, I know it hurts. But at least there's some kind of playbook for dealing with distant boyfriends. And I'm honored you think of all of us as family." They smile.
Sara Pezzini A slight frown touches Sara's lips. "Of course your not alright, Jon," she states bluntly. "Which is why you need to stop trying to help everyone else, and take time for yourself now. This is the perfect time to do that. Let us worry about ourselves, hell I'll go check on people for you, gotta be better than stressing over the most moronic crap possible."

She takes another drink of her coffee then chuckles, "And no, you don't need to call Wade, and you're right that Johnny wouldn't listen to you. Life keeps going, day by day, and tomorrow is another day full of possibilities. Last night was just me feeling sorry for myself over, as I said, the most moronic crap. I nearly died, you /did/ die, and I'm worried about whether or not my boyfriends still give a fuck. What is that? Some sort of mini stroke?"
Cael Becker     At Jon's words, Cael's hand pulls away from Bear's neck, and reaches behind her, seeking out her boyfriend's hand - or at least flopping back onto them. She knew they weren't alright - she kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, while simultaneously feeling so weak that she hadn't kept things together as wel as they'd seemed to do.
    But she was here.
    "They give a shit, Sara," she remarks, risking another sip of gatorade before asking, "Hey - your Royal Godliness?" She will always love calling Jon that - just to be an ass. "...don't suppose that magic healing water of yours can do hangovers?"
Jonathan Sims     "It's a reasonable thing to worry over. Life isn't just about... existing. I didn't come back just to come back. I needed a /reason/." Jon frowns, then takes Cael's hand as she reaches back toward him. "Anyway, I'm going to check in on people, see how everyone is, because that's part of my job and my duties. And then I'm going on vacation."

    He peers down at Cael for a moment. "I... actually, it... might? Actually, it /should/. It refreshes and invigorates, and could probably be rid of poison, so why not a hangover...?"

    They reach out to grab an empty coffee cup nearby and focus for a moment, filling it with magical water. Then they hold that out to Cael. "Here... see if it helps?"
Sara Pezzini Sara offers Cael a smirkish grin. "I know they give a shit, it's just in the grand scheme of things and everything that's happened, I feel like a moron for being worried about it, which is so human its almost laughable really. A reminder that at the root of Witchblade, there's a human woman pining for the men she loves." She shrugs slightly with a chuckle. Taking another sip of her coffee, she munches more of the toast.

Normal was never going to happen, nothing resembling normal either, not with the way the world was. She knew that, she knew from the start that both Wade and Johnny had things to do, places to go, people to maim... she just hadn't realized she wouldn't be a part of those things.

Standing up once more, she heads into the kitchen to make the ginger tea, which really is all about a tea bag, hot water and bringing it back to Cael. The tray with the coffee already has sugar and cream, so just one quick little jaunt and she's back to sitting across from the two on the couch.

"If that works Jon, never tell another living soul or drunk will become the state of being because hangovers will no longer be a worry," she offer with a grin. "Where was your water when I was living the hangovers every morning?"
Cael Becker     "Really?" Cael asks - surprise leaking into her voice as she's handed the cup. She- honestly hadn't expected that. Her eyes open, and her head tilts back to look at Jon for a moment, but she doesn't hold the position long - the awkward frame of reference is not helping with her dizziness and nausea.
    She sets the gatorade aside for the moment, so she can sip at the water intead - starting slowly and cautiously, just as she had with the gatorade.
    "There's always silly... stupid things to worry about, or be upset over. I was upset for a while that my hands //weren't// burned. Then I got handed a sword that helped me overcompensate."
    The sword in question was no longer anywhere to be seen, though.
Jonathan Sims     "It's not like I could bottle it and sell it," Jon replies with a wry twist to his mouth. "It disappears a few minutes after I stop concentrating on it. But the effects remain, just like damage from a bolt of magical energy would. That's how I first thought it up, actually. Almost all of my magic works by conjuration, and I needed to think of how to /fix/ something... and the item in question was a ruined skirt, so I was actually thinking of both washing the thing and mending the rips." A pause. "More complicated than that, really. At first, the water was pulling the idea of the original fabric of the skirt out of the Astral Plane, but that doesn't /quite/ work with humans? So... water that speeds up your natural healing processes."

    The water in question is cool and refreshing, the perfect ideal of water, the sort that might make one wonder why anyone bothers to drink anything else. Jon watches Cael drink intently, curious. "I think it's a mistake to think something like pining for a lover or worrying over the scars--or lack thereof--from damage is... silly. All that human pining, that's... the /point/ of life. I mean, down in the Underworld the grand focus of almost everything the 'Great God Ra' did was bringing people food and thanking them for their hard work. What else are we saving the world /for/, if not all that messy human stuff?"
Sara Pezzini Sara finds herself watching Cael as well, never having really seen Jon's magic water at work before. A thought crosses her mind, that Witchblade would likely get bent and pissy if she let someone else try to heal her, which he responds to with a snort... that's it, and it makes her laugh. This of course means she is sitting there, watching Cael and just randomly laughs at something.

"I have to get used to the idea of human," she says after clearing her throat and acting like the laugh never happened. "The past three years I've been living in a state between humanity and Witchblade, so I'm relearning to actually let myself feel things. That's both my fault and Witchblade's at the same time, a fifty-fifty thing. He should have told me more, and I should have demanded to know more, so the adjustment to having him took less time."
Cael Becker     It was hard to keep that first, cautious sip to just a sip - and each subsequent time she lifts the glass to her lips, she takes a little more, and more as the nausea subsides, and the pounding in her head relents. "Fuck, remind me not to hit the Asgardian mead in the future. That shit's- just... fuck." The water is disappearing with large gulps now - as she squeezes Jon's hand gratefully.
    "I never got un-used to the idea of human." There's a brief pause before she adds, "So, uhh, other than singing, did I do anything that...?"
Jonathan Sims     "It's meant to get very powerful people drunk," Jon notes with a smirk. "Asgardian mead, I mean. I'm glad I tried it, and it was delicious, but... it's a /lot/. But... it looks like the water's helping?" His expression brightens. "Good! Good to know that works. And that you don't feel as awful."

    He looks to Sara and nods, more seriously. "I'm trying to make sure I don't fall into that, with all this Ma'at business. We talk in my dreams, mostly, she doesn't feel... separate in waking life. Or maybe it's more that I don't hear her?" He shrugs. "I'm glad that you're more balanced with him now, though."
Sara Pezzini "Asgardian, as in Thor," Sara comments with a chuckle. "Which is part of the reason I didn't touch it. I was pretty sure that stuff would get Witchblade drunk, and that happened once, that was enough."

Sliding the tea toward Cael, now that it was stepped and ready, she looks between the two of them. "Alright, enough talk about what if, and maybes... tell me where your going on vacation."
Cael Becker     "I think it's working," Cael confirms, finishing off the last of the water, before she accepts the tea. This she takes in smaller sips - but it is hot. Bear is more relaxed in her lap now that she seems neither ill nor distressed.
    "We were thinking, uhh... Maybe Hintertux, Austria? I mean - I've never really left the US. I mean - I've gone on missions and the like a few times, but I've never just- well. I don't kno if //ever// had a vacation in my life, so... It'd be nice to see some of Europe."
Jonathan Sims     "I think we agreed on skiing. Enough activity for Cael, and the lodge will be nice and cozy for relaxing. And Hintertux has 10 feet of snow even at this time of year." Jon sighs and shakes his head. "/My/ idea of a nice spring vacation in Europe would be backpacking or going 'round museums or something, but admittedly backpacking isn't 'relaxing' and who knows what problems we might run into, pulling statements off the museums of Europe? I doubt there'll be any ghosts hanging about Hintertux."

    Famous last words, right? There's totally going to turn out to be ghosts in the Austrian Alps.
Sara Pezzini A smile touches Sara's lips for a moment, her mind playing mental images of Jon, Cael, Martin and Agnes skiing, or just playing in the snow, sitting by the fire in the lodge, and Cael slowly but certainly going insane with boredom. Another quick shake of her head to clear that thought, and another sip of her coffee.

"Bring me a souvenir, that's all I ask," she finally says. "Something you think I'd like, even if you aren't certain. Even a post card would work." She takes another sip, then reaches for the carafe to add more coffee to her cup.

"And take pictures," she adds with an even broader grin. "Lots and lots of pictures, so I can enjoy your vacation after the fact."
Cael Becker     "It'll be nice. But I mean - I'll probably lose my mind if we try to go over two weeks." Cael takes another sip of tea, and frees her hand from Jon's grasp to start patting down her pockets. "And you know - we COULD hit a museum or two - maybe one on our way to Hintertux, one on our way back... I'll be able to last a few hours before I lose it completely."
    She finds what she was looking for, as she pulls out a bracelet woven in blues and gold, which she offers to Jon. "Speaking of souvenirs - picked this up in Wakanda. It's okay if you hate it."
Jonathan Sims     Jon settles back on the couch, commenting, "I... think I actually figured out how to make portals, though nothing as easy as what Terry or Blink can do. Put a door in a wall and go somewhere I want to go. /But/ that does imply I could pop off to the Louvre or something if I felt like it." He grins at Cael. "Or I can send /you/ somewhere while I get explore the ice caves. I know you don't like caves."

    Then, to Sara, "You should take a vacation too! Everyone should, really, at least relax a bit. Take your boyfriends somewhere warm."

    The bracelet they take with a blink, looking it over curiously. "This is... lovely. Why would I hate it? Even if I didn't like it, which I do... you picked it out."
Sara Pezzini Sara starts chuckling at the mention of her taking a vacation. "According to the NYPD, my time off to deal with the angels was my vacation," she comments, still sort of chuckling. "That said, they'd give me more time off now, due to being an Avenger. That blew Siry's mind, but then god-father's never expect their god-daughters to be Witchblade. He took it well, after a shot of whiskey... better than my aunt took it really."

Folding her legs up now, she adjusts how she's sitting and leans on the coffee table. "I considered taking a vacation, considered actually asking Johnny and/or Wade... but I don't see that happening. Johnny's clearly busy with whatever it is that has him gone, and the same applies to Wade. If they can't take the time to call or drop by, can't think they could take the time for a vacation." She eyes her coffee, for a moment wishing it had whiskey in it. "I might take one alone though, I've been considering it."
Cael Becker     "I just- ...don't have a lot of experience with buying gifts, at all," Cael admits - a little embarrassment creeping into her voice. "But I thought you might like it. I'm glad that you do." She frowns slightly before she adds, "Maybe I should have picked up something for Agnes and Martin? Didn't even occur to me..." Does that make her awful?
    After another sip of tea, she finally frees herself from Bear enough to return to sitting on the couch next to Jon, leaning up against their presence. "You won't know for certain unless you ask them," she points out simply.
    "...so. Seriously. Portals? To... anywhere?"
Jonathan Sims     "That's rather part of the point of a vacation," Jon notes, still looking at the bracelet. They summon up the magical glowing arm and use that to place the bracelet around their left wrist. "Get away from work, focus on yourself or your family or friends. I'm hopeful that Martin and I can... get along better, without the distractions of our separate lives. But, yes, you'll never know unless you try."

    With the bracelet on, Jon wraps his arm around Cael and says, "I... think anywhere? I'm not certain. I haven't tried it myself; Ma'at made one to return from where Michael had us, during the whole thing in Heaven. She knew I could... now /I/ know I can. It was almost as if she was trying to show me that." He smirks. "I don't know yet whether others can use those doors or how far they can go. I'll need to experiment a bit."
Sara Pezzini Sara eyes the bracelet, noting the colors and construction. Lovely thing, simple and yet beautiful and made in a country that until recently, she had no idea existed. "It's a really nice bracelet," she offers then immediately had to add. "Yes, the bracelet you are is beautiful too, stop being jealous." A slight eye roll. "Who would have though he was that fickle?"

Shifting gears she adds, for Cael's sake, "I'll bet we can go back, find something really nice for Martin and Agnes."

And another subject change. "Can anyone pass through the doors once you make them? So like I could request a portal to the Bahamas, and if you're able, go through to those beaches? Now I'm jealous."
Cael Becker     "I dunno. T'Challa might not want me back in his country," Cael remarks in a dry voice. "We got into a disagreement. Guy's made calm an artform but- ...I think I made him a little tense. So." She gives a shrug of her shoulders, seemingly content where she is, as she continues to sip her tea. After all - a cup of magic water can only provide a certain amount of hydration.
    "So... that's what Michael meant? I told him to bring you back - he said you had the power to do that. I was- ...pretty annoyed with him," she admits dryly.
    "Fucking angels."
Jonathan Sims     "It's fine that you didn't get them anything, I'm sure. You didn't come back laden with gifts for a whole bunch of people and only left them out, after all." Jon grins. "So I take it we /shouldn't/ get you a second bracelet to offset Witchblade on the other wrist? Maybe a nice watch? Hintertux is near Switzerland, we could pop over, get you a Swiss timepiece." Is he teasing /Witchblade/? Maybe, evidently.

    "Like I said, I've no idea how the portals work precisely. Could I go to Wakanda, say, or do I need to know where I'm going? Is it 'you need to have been there before' or would a satellite picture be good enough?" He shrugs. "I'll have to do some experimentation and find out. But I think that's what Michael meant, yes."

    A quirk of a brow, bemused. "How did you anger the King of Wakanda, then?"
Sara Pezzini Although the other two can't hear Witchblade in Sara's head, she most certainly can and just starts laughing. "Watch is acceptable," she offers first, as if listening to a list of things that are okay and things that aren't. "No bracelets, and also apparently a smirking fuck you, Jon... so that's something. He's actually... joking."

The realization of that makes her laugh a little harder, shaking her head in disbelief before she takes a drink of coffee and looks to Cael. "Of course you ticked off the King of Wakanda, it's what you do... but how, exactly?"
Cael Becker     "Uhh..." Cael should have anticipated the question, but there it was - and she really can't answer it. Fuck. "I questioned his moral integrity. Basically. I've love to tell you more, Jon - I really would. And hopefully I'll be able to, soon, but right now-" She shrugs her shoulders helplessly.
    "Apparently I lack tact and don't know when to hold my tongue," she adds, as if this were news to //anyone// in the room.
Jonathan Sims     Jon grins back at Sara. "Evidently making snarky comments at gods is part of my job. I suppose I should be flattered that I get a 'fuck you.' Anyway, watch it is."

    Looking back to Cael, he winces. "Ohhh, yes. Questioning the moral integrity of a king, if Wakanda's anything like other African nations have been... a lot of the kingship rests on the integrity of the king himself." His expression grows curious. "Actually... I do wonder, do they have something similar to Egypt? How the pharoah spoke the law he conceived in his heart? Hmm. I know... basically nothing about Wakanda, not that that's surprising. But there's some degree of shared history there, even if it's just a line from ancient enemies."

    He smirks down at Cael and ruffles her hair. "Of /course/ you lack tact. I have to know... does Wakanda have noodle dishes, or is that a big secret too?"
Sara Pezzini Sara blinks once, then almost falls over laughing. She may not know exactly what Cael was referring to, but she knew what there was in Wakanda that would make Cael be tactless... and no, her best friend could /never/ hold her tongue. It started a thought in the woman's head and was spilled out of the mouth without hesitation. Sometimes, it worked out, other times it pissed off the King of Wakanda.

"Oh man," she breaths. "I can only imagine which thing it was, but she's right... we aren't allowed to go into details."

Sitting back up, wiping her eyes, she continues speaking with mirth in her tone. "Cael, you are tactless and if you have ever /not/ said what passed through your head, I haven't seen it. Maybe Alis knows of a time, but it's who you are, and one of the reasons I love you. So you pissed him off, or upset him or whatever... big deal, he'll get over it. After all, he's a King and has far better things to do then worry himself something you said."
Cael Becker     "Hey!" Cael protests as Jon ruffles her hair, and Sara bursts into laughter. "I hold my tongue sometimes! I've been sitting on this shit since Sam, Barnes, Cap, Shuri 'n me all went to 1943! Shuri told me and- well, she was defending her brother, and I told her exactly what I thought about //that//, and- well. She agreed with me. I've been sitting on this shit for //months//."
    She lets out a frustrated sigh. "...I'm really not okay with it. But there's not a fucking thing I can do about that other than give T'Challa a piece of my mind." Which... she already did.
    After running her fingers through her hair she adds, "They had some noodles. They seem to have a thing for... ramen-ish noodles. But spicy. And with goat. I dunno - it's not bad, but not my favorite thing."
Jonathan Sims     "Ohhh, yes, I know what you're talking about. But you prefer wide noodles, hmm? Wide and flat." Jon ponders for a moment. "Have I made you koshary? I don't... I don't think I've made you koshary. I'm going to have to fix that." He looks over at Sara. "I should let you try it too, Egyptian food has a lot in common with Italian. Mediterranean, and all."

    He sighs, and then adds, "As for whatever was going on... I know from experience that most people don't really like outsiders coming in and telling them how to live their lives or run their nations. Even if Shuri... the King's sister, I take it? Even if she agrees with you... it'd be harder to hear coming from an outsider, in a lot of ways. There are probably reasons she hasn't expressed herself to him, reasons we might not be able to understand or comprehend. Even if you're entirely right. Hard to say without details. Which I'm /not/ pushing for." Though he /is/ curious, but of /course/ he's curious.

    Then he sighs, a bit wistfully. "It'd be nice, to go and see an African country not... ravaged by colonialism and all the rest. Shame they're not more open to visitors."
Sara Pezzini "Maybe in time," Sara offers, regarding Wakanda. "Nice thing about life is that every day is a chance to do something new, to be better, to take a new risk that might pay off. So maybe it'll happen, in the mean time... tell me more about this koshary."

She grins broadly. "My aunt would tell you that that Egyptian stuff has /nothing/ to do with real Italian food, but then again my aunt is so Italian she bleeds marinara, and she's more stubborn than a pack of mules. That said, I'm all for trying new foods."
Cael Becker     "Oh, she's told him," Cael answers with a laugh. "Didn't make hearing it from me any better, I imagine. But- well. One of these days, I'll tell you, Jon. And one of these days... you'll see Wakanda. It really is- well. There's no where else like it. I think Sara'll agree with me on that."
    After another sip of ginger tea, she rests her head against Jon's shoulder, adding, "We should visit Sara's aunt - and tell her that we only eat pineapple pizza."
Jonathan Sims     Jon rolls his eyes. "I can't say that, because that would be a /lie/, Cael. I prefer a proper New York slice or else supreme, and I certainly wouldn't argue over the original Italian way to make pizza."

    He grins at Sara, and adds, "Oh, I won't pretend it's the /same/, but the basics of koshary is 'pasta and tomato sauce.' It's just that we add lentils and rice and chickpeas, and of course the lemon sauce. And a /lot/ of garlic. I've got Gran's koshary recipe up in my head now, and I..."

    They stop, and frown, shifting their jaw. "Well. The, uhh... the one person I've made it for turned out to be a demon, so I haven't... tried it again. It takes some time to do it all properly. And I ought to... I don't know if Agnes has ever had it, but it's... traditional, you know?"
Sara Pezzini "Cael!" Sara laughs, almost spitting out the last bite of toast she'd just taken. "My aunt would murder you, verbally of course, but physical threats would be real!" She continues to laugh, while trying to chew, the combination making her cough a little.

"As for the koshary Jon, I'm willing to help out in the kitchen. You'd have to tell me how to do it and such, but it would be fun. And then Cael could burn some water to feel like she's included." She gives Cael a coy grin, clearly teasing. "Or melt a plastic spatula to the stove top?"
Cael Becker     "If I tell her - you won't have to lie," Cael points out. "You just have to... not call me a liar." She grins at Jon, giving him a nudge, and listening to the description of koshary with a curious, yet puzzled expression.
    That only last until Sara speaks, though. "ONE TIME!" she protests. "One time! It was one spatula - one time! Geeeeeeze, never live it down..."
Jonathan Sims     "It's not hard to make, it's just, like, two different sauces that have to simmer and rice and lentils and... I don't know, maybe Gran did it by magic." Jon chuckles and adds, "I'd be glad of the help, though. And Cael actually made noodles the other day! Boiled them according to the package directions and everything."

    He smirks down at Cael. "I'd be obgliated to call out the lie. I am an Avatar of Truth, I cannot allow my girlfriend to live a lie. I'd have to tell her /exactly/ how you like your pizza."
Sara Pezzini Winking at Cael, Sara nods once, "Damn right you'll never live it down. Melted to the stove top."

Looking back to Jon she says, "I'm not a great cook myself, I can do some basics because my aunt would never have let me out into the real world if I couldn't make some things. I know Cael can also make some thing, but teasing her is way more fun when you have actual proof to back it up. Would you like to see the spatula? I kept it as a war trophy."
Cael Becker     "I //like// pineapple pizza. Genuinely," Cael points out with amusement. As for her ability to cook - she gives a shrug of her shoulders. "I... grew up putting together very basic sustenance. Cereal in a bowl. Microwaved packets of oatmeal. Spaghetti O's with hot dog stirred in. Cheese sandwiches." Not grilled cheese, mind you - just cheese. White bread, with Kraft singles. Or- well. Store brand singles. "Or PB&Js. That... sorta stuff, for both me and mom. It's what we could afford, and it's what I could make."
    She takes another sip of her tea then adds, "And once you're in a group home - well. The staff cook for you. Lots of frozen pizzas and the like."
Jonathan Sims     "There's nothing wrong with not knowing how to cook," Jon says in a softer voice. "It's not your fault. Schools ought to teach those kind of basic life skills, in case children don't learn them at home." He shakes his head. "For me, it was... the only time I really /connected/ with Granny. I hated to sit still, unless I was reading, and she wasn't a big reader. But she managed to convince me to stand still over a pot of curry because that meant I got to taste the curry as we made it. So it was the only time I didn't feel... lonely." He sighs.

    "You could learn to cook, if you want to. Even if I /am/ tempted to ask Sara to see the spatula." They grin down at Cael. "I'm sorry if we upset you. But... just think. You could experiment with your own noodle dishes." Teasing her about noodles is fair game.
Sara Pezzini Sara cants her head slightly, chewing a little at her bottom lip. "He's right, there's nothing wrong with not knowing how to cook... I'm only teasing Cael, it really isn't that big of a deal. I'm also sorry if it upset you, and I didn't really keep the spatula, I tossed it."

Looking into her coffee cup she realizes she forgot to add more cream, to reaches for the little pitcher and pours a dab in. "I... I could teach you how to make your own noodles," she then offers. "From scratch. Pasta makers are miracle workers."
Cael Becker     "I'm not upset," Cael promises them both. "I just- I'm just explaining," she answers, letting out a sigh. "That's just how it was, and I never- I guess I never really felt motivated to change it. And Alis wasn't any better off than I was. We always called mint chip ice cream 'eating our greens.' ...it was a stupid joke, even when we were kids." With a shrug she adds, "I don't really need to learn - it's fine. There's enough take out around here, anyways.
    But there seems to be something else on her mind as she stares into her tea cup for a moment.
    "My mom - she loves music. She sang all the time. She wanted to be a Broadway star. I'm not sure if she failed, and turned to drugs... or if she failed //because// she turned to drugs. I used to love listening to her sing, though - and we sang together... every day.
    "I just- I stopped singing after I found her dead." She never looks up as she talks - or moves from her position tucked against Jon, while the pup at her feet lifts his head to regard her.
Jonathan Sims     "Oh, Cael," Jon says softly, and pulls her in closer. He closes his eyes for a moment, considering what to say. "You were... 12, right? Old enough to remember her clearly." Unlike him, though he doesn't say that aloud. Instead he rests his head on hers, opens his eyes, peers over at Sara.

    "I'm sorry," he manages finally. He's not a family therapist for a reason. Talk like this just rears up all his own pain around being orphaned, and he never quite knows what to say. Maybe just sitting there will help.
Sara Pezzini That explained a lot. Sara had always wondered why Cael, who had a lovely voice when she did sing, refused to do so. Now she knew, and it was a very justified reason. Sara didn't sing because she sucked at it. She could dance, probably could have been a professional dancer, but singing? Not at all. There were so many things about her own mother that she didn't know, didn't remember. She had died when Sara was eight years old. Her aunt had tried to keep the memory of her sister-in-law alive, but Sara's father had made it difficult with how he handled his wife's death. It was a mess really, so she totally got why singing was a thing Cael just didn't do openly.

"That's your memory to hold on to Cael," she says softly. "I'm sorry that you had to live through losing her, and thus that special connection was taken away. I could tell you to honor her by singing, by not letting her death take that away, but that's just my own therapy talking, the crap they told me would help deal with my mother dying from cancer. Truth is, you have to decide for yourself, and if not singing is how it is, then that's how it is."
Cael Becker     "I'm alright, Jon," Cael promises quietly, but she doesn't protest to being pulled in closer, and tucked under their chin. It felt good to be held again - to have someone that wanted to hold her, and that she could allow to do it.
    "No singing's just- how it's going to be," she confirms. "But it's- I don't mind so much when it's just- when it's in private. Especially if it helps you." The 'you' in question being Jon this time - or at least, it's always been thus far.
    "I just figured I- I mean. You both might as well know why."
Jonathan Sims     "If I were your therapist I might suggest, yes, re-learning your love of singing with new positive memories and the like. But I am not. So I will only say that sounds like something you /should/ tell your therapist, and refrain from encouraging you to sing in public." Jon sighs and strokes Cael's hair. "And you don't even have to do it in private unless you want to."

    Then, they add, "But I think you /should/ learn to cook. If not for the ability to have basic knowledge to care of yourself, then at least so you don't melt spatulas to stoves." They grin, teasing on purpose to help lighten things a bit.
Sara Pezzini "Singing in public is never a requirement," Sara comments, lookin back into her coffee cup. "Singing in private or in the shower, that's enough, if you ask me." There was something in the back of her mind, relating to her own mother, but it was just out of reach as to what it was she was trying to remember.

"Start with making your own noodles," she adds on, looking back up with a grin. "No spatulas required for that, just forks."
Cael Becker     "I don't mind singing for you, Jon," Cael answers in a barely audible voice. "From time to time."
    Her voice rises as she adds, "But now you're ganging up on me - like a bunch of bullies," she points out in an amused tone. "I'll... think about it. But seriously, living in New York - who needs to know how to cook?"
Jonathan Sims     "And what happens if you're stranded in the desert and have to rely on cooking fish to get by, hmm?" Jon smirks at Cael, knowing she's likely to counter with 'yeah but why would I be.' "That reminds me, though... I need some protein. Maybe eggs. And there's things to do."

    He looks at Cael. "Are you alright? Ready to get moving on the day?"
Sara Pezzini "There's eggs in the fridge, along with some sausage and bacon," Sara comments, finishing off her coffee. "Feel free to have it. Also, the little diner on the corner delivers breakfast, menu's on the fridge."

Picking herself up, she stretches out her legs and back. "I wanted to make certain you two were alright before I headed to work," she then adds, glancing around for a moment then back to the two on the couch. "Gonna shower and get my butt to the office, where more and more of the other officers are whispering behind my back thinking I can hear them, about my being Witchblade." She snorts at that.

"Give me a call later? Maybe we can plan a dinner out, all of us, just to hang out."
Cael Becker     "I'd finally learn to love sushi," Cael answers Jon with a grin - but without moving from her comfortable position, her free fingers moving up to start toying gently with Jon's hair.
    "How about... We just enjoy this for five more minutes?" she suggests. "And //then// we get on with our day. Cool?"
    As Sara moves away she adds, "Sounds like plan. I'll text you about it later."
Jonathan Sims     Jon sighs. "Alright, love. Five more minutes." He leans in a bit as Cael plays with his hair. "But then... eggs, and sausage, I think. Or we can order in. But I've got to get 'round to my office and start moving files. As much as I'm not looking forward to Rosie griping at me about making her find another job... I'm even /less/ looking forward to her griping at me for being /late/."

    He looks over toward Sara. "Thank you!" he calls. "And, yeah, let's have dinner. It'll be nice to just... hang out."

    Now that nobody's hung over anymore, right?