Owner	Pose
Cael Becker	Un-gunning Cael went about as well as can be expected - which is to say that Cael willingly, if grudgingly handed over all of her weapons, while every inch of her body telegraphed her discomfort with the notion. And as soon as that task was accomplished... she excused herself brusquely, to visit the gym.     She ran to new exhaustion on a treadmill, and beat the stuffing out a punching bag (literally - she'd managed to split a seam on the thing). It's only after she's showered that she returns to the apartment, with Bear walking beside her, occasually bumping his head against her leg to remind Cael he's there.     "Yeah, yeah. I know, mutt," she mutters as she fumbles with her key for a moment- and then finally lets herself back into the apartment, hair still damp from her shower.
Jonathan Sims	Jon's cooking when Cael gets back, as if by way of apology. He's been pondering the idea of making /his/ style of curry but atop noodles. He chooses some thin rice noodles, and works on coating them in the curry sauce while he separately cooks chicken in the same sauce. The whole apartment smells of cumin and coriander.     "Hey love," Jon calls. "Just in time. Are you feeling better?" He's been doing his best to radiate calm since last night, though he can't do the emotional aura thing anymore. At the very least, 'calm' is less likely to trip Cael's anger issues, one hopes.
Cael Becker	"Yeah... a little," Cael confirms. She makes her way towards the kitchen, hestitating a moment just out of reach, befoe she steps in to wrap an arm around Jon, trying not to interfere with his cooking. "I know you're just helping. I know you're doing everything you can to help me." She doesn't have to like it, though.     "It's just been so long since I didn't have access to a weapon. It feels... strange. Exposed, vulnerable... I don't like it."
Jonathan Sims	"Hey," Jon says softly, "you're not exposed, nor vulnerable. There are wards on the place, remember? And I'm not going to leave you alone here if I can help it." They wrap their green arm around Cael while stirring the noodles with the other. Pull her in close.     "Also... in terms of the Alhambras... there might be some movement on the problem. I... sort of told Wade what happened and he snapped right into 'I'm going to go cause carnage amongst their ranks' mode." A snort and a shake of the head. "He took Rien and Robbie along... and Rogers, too, evidently. Stealth mission, to take out as many of the leaders as they can find."
Cael Becker	"w-what?" Cael asks in surprise. She's not sure how to feel about this news, and her confusion is obvious. She hadn't wanted anything like that. But- didn't they fucking deserve what they got? And not just for going after her? //Steve// went?" she asks.     They're killing people. Killing people she knew - that she used to look up to, and all she can feel... is a sort of grim satisfaction."You think it'll work?"
Jonathan Sims	Jon shrugs. "That's what I hear. Or, that's what Wade planned. I don't know if it's what happened. Is happening, really." He sighs. "I suppose we'll see. With any luck, those four will be enough to take out the whole gang and you won't have to worry about them anymore."     He looks down at her. "If not? We'll go down and make a bit of a more... public stink about the whole matter. Make sure they know /never/ to come at you again. Alright?" He kisses her, gently, on the top of the head.
Cael Becker	"I could've gone. I could've-" Grounded, Cael. Completely sidelined. She grits her teeth, and lets it out as a heavy sigh.     "I trust you," she repeats quietly to herself - reminding herself that there's a reason for these restrictions. That she isn't thinking clearly, and she can't even see it - and Jon isn't the only one who sees it, and worries. After a deep breath in, she says, "We'll figure it out, one way or another. They were idiots to ocme after me."
Jonathan Sims	"I didn't go either," Jon points out. "I'm bad at stealth, and I might have balked at things they'll need to do. But... maybe if you're doing better by the time I go down there? If I do go down there. Although I thought you said you were mostly done with them?"     He sighs, and squeezes her close, then gives the noodles a final stir and turns off the burner. "You're safe, love, is my point. I know... I know how terrible being helpless feels. I'm going to do an extra layer of wards tonight, short-term, fueled by the power of the full moon. So you'll be safe here if I have to go out or anything."
Cael Becker	"I am," Cael confirms. "I was. I just-" Just what? She's silent for a moment before admitting, "I want the fight. I want the blood. I want the... satisfaction." It's completely different from what Cael had said before, of course.     "I want them to feel what I felt, and Alis felt," she adds, cruel anger coloring her tone for the moment. She grits her teeth, then adds softly, "But I'll stay here, for now. You don't need to worry."
Jonathan Sims	Jon frowns down at her. "Cael... that's not..." A pause. "That's not what you said, before. But I have to wonder... is this what you wanted all along, and you just weren't willing to admit that? It's what /I/ wanted. I wanted them to suffer, to hurt. For you, and Alis, and... for myself. For the way it felt when you were dying in my arms."     They sigh heavily, and pull away just a bit, to stir the chicken and sauce one last time and turn off that burner, too. "But... you're alive, and you're... you'll be okay. We'll fix this, whatever's going on. And in the meantime... curry noodles, see?" They smile, but there's definite worry beneath the expression.
Cael Becker	No steak?     But she doesn't ask it. She just leans in to give Jon a kiss, putting one hand behind Jon's head to hold them to her. She parts eventually, only to add, "It smells delicious. Thank you." She moves to get out some bowls and silverware - and with them in hand, she turns towards the bar, shrugging her shoulders uncomfortably, and rubbing her head back towards the back of her shoulder - they're itching incredibly, though she doesn't voice her discomfort as she starts setting things out for their meal.
Jonathan Sims	Jon responds to the kiss quite well, letting himself stop worrying for just a moment. It's still Cael. She still likes noodles. She still likes to kiss him. It's still her. He's not losing her.     But as she pulls away, the knot of worry tightens in his gut. /Is/ he losing her? What if--     No. He promised he wouldn't give up. So he won't. So he smiles, and says, "I mean, I know already did 'curry noodles' but I really meant /this/, so... here's hoping it tastes good and my Mum doesn't roll over in her grave." He chuckles as he starts plating up noodles and then sauce and chicken over them.     "Agnes!" he calls. "Dinner's ready!" A pause. "Damn it, that girl, she probably has her headphones on, d'you mind...?"
Cael Becker	"Yeah, I'll get her," Cael promises, smiling at Jon. For the moment, she just seems like... Cael. Confident, relaxed, casual Cael.     But as she turns away, she first directs Bear towards his doggie bed - apparently no begging for treats today - and then she reaches back with her hand to rub at the back of her neck as she steps into the hallway leading towards Agnes' room. As she does, the shirt gets pushed down, irritated little red tendrils color her skin, showing the top of a rounded shape... That disappears from site once more when she lifts her hand from scratching, to knock at the door instead. "Come eat!"