Owner	Pose
Alexander Aaron	Some time ago...     After the brief rush of that conflict and then roiling wildness of the young man known as Alexander Aaron facing the myriad of creatures that set upon him, he was confronted by Ms. Minerva in her own inimitable way. Advancing upon him in such a way that rendered it utterly useless for him to deny any of the craziness that had occurred around him and his own participation in it. For he was there with sword flashing, facing the curious skeletal and decayed creatures...     And surviving.     So when she had approached him, did he lie? Try to wiggle his way out of it? No. He just had looked at her and suggested that they head off and talk.     And it was here at the Coffee Bean that they had decided to have that talk. Settled in the corner booth just across the street from the school he is going to attend next semester. Two cardboard cups set on the table and now with him facing the redheaded woman across the table he found his attention wandering albeit briefly. As if trying to conjure the appropriate words to bridge the gap between what had happened and her understanding.     Yet he had no idea really who the woman was opposite him, nor her intentions. Nor how he would play into them later. For Fate ever enjoyed having a laugh at the youth's expense. So when those hazel eyes returned to hers, the handsome young man's gaze meeting those curious irises or her own. He tilted his head to the side and confided casually.     "So, my family is weird." And that is how it begins.
Cheetah	Coffee spurts out of Barbara-Ann's mouth followed by an explosion of good-natured laughter. Thankfully, her cardboard cup was close at hand (and mouth) to catch the sudden downpour of Juan Valdez's finest brew. Still trying to rein in her amusement, Barbara-Ann dabs her mouth self-consciously with a napkin. "You don't say." She raises her ginger eyebrows in an exaggerated expression of shock. Perhaps realizing this sounded a tad harsh, she reaches across the small table between her and Alex to gently touch the back of his hand with the tips of her fingers. "Everybody's family is weird." She smiles and makes a show out of puckering her lips for Alex's examining eye. Turning her head slightly from side to side she wordlessly asks her companion if she got all of that coffee with her napkin.
Alexander Aaron	There's a slight crinkling in the corners of Alexander's pale hazel eyes as his lips twist, amusement but feigning a hint of umbrage at the casual teasing sent his way. But he looks away for a moment before checking back. There's a casual and leisurely blink given then he leans closer just a little. Fingertip lightly brushing across the supple curve of her cheek, clearing a small bit of that coffee that she may have missed.     Then he takes a deep breath and lets his eyes wander off to the side, "Mine has a bit of a history." And as he begins to speak she can read him easily enough, can likely tell by the subtle play of expression across his features that he is trying to be clear and honest as he feels he can.     But he has no idea that with her senses she can tell so much more with just that casual appraisal. No idea that she can almost taste the faint tang of sweat and effort upon the air that comes from him and the conflict she witnessed not long ago. Can feel the palpable warmth of his form near at hand. Can likely tell with the brush of her fingertips the small ridges and indentations of what would perhaps be callouses.     Turning back he murmurs, "They're not very kind people, though they're magical. They enjoy exerting their power over each other as they can. And that was sort of what you witnessed."
Cheetah	Barbara-Ann is positively rapt as Alex recounts his tale. She sits, ram-rod straight with a half-finished paper put hovering just beyond her ruby-red lips. At least outwardly. Inwardly, she's resisting the urge to smash Alex with the stainless-steel napkin dispenser sitting on their shared table. The woman has two degrees in archaeology! She knows most of this stuff already! Finally, the tension becomes too much to bear: stand back! "Oh, Alex." It appears they're on a first name basis. Was there a memo? "That's terrible." Minerva's voice positively aches with empathy. She places her cup on the table and takes Alex's hands in her own. Bewitching green eyes stare into his. And the award for "Best Performance by a Sociopath" goes to...
Alexander Aaron	It hadn't been too wild of a tale, filled with hemming and hawing, speaking around the topic in some ways, while guided more to the details with precise and graceful nudges by her verbally. It was easily drawn from him the truth about his father, his family, and ultimately with a hint of hesitance he confesses that they may well be considered Olympians. The G-word doesn't come up too easily though she might and once it's broached he won't shy away.     But then the admission of himself, "But yes, so when I'm with them, I'm Phobos." His head tilts slightly, "But I prefer Alexander."     She takes his hand and he doesn't draw back. But she can see in those eyes a slight tilt, perhaps a marginal inclination of one eyebrow. She seems sincere, and he has e'er been a strong read of people. But she does not have that small worm of worry, that whisper of fear in the back of her thoughts that others would have in such a situation. Witnessing nightmare creatures, being at a table with a self-proclaimed God of Fear.     "It's not that bad," He then offers, but then it might surprise her as he tells her directly. "Not that I mind your efforts to mourn my plight." As he says that he gives her hand a small squeeze, but there's a gleam in his eyes, suspicious. But playfully so. As if he didn't care at what danger she might represent if he was that suspicious at all.
Cheetah	Minerva sits back in her chair. Her hands withdraw from his with no particular urgency to rest pensively on her cheeks. "This is bonkers." This marks the first time the word 'bonkers' has ever come out of Barbara-Ann Minerva's mouth. "I'm sitting in a coffee shop with an Olympian god!" She shakes her head slightly as though trying to come to grips with the situation. A thought suddenly occurs to her, "Do you know Hercules?" Another thought occurs at 'random' and she leans forward sharply, "Omigod, do you know Wonder Woman?!? She's so amazing!" The only amazing thing is that Minerva didn't choke saying those words. "Wait, don't tell me! I don't want to know." She leans back again. Pick a lane, woman!
Alexander Aaron	There's a slight crinkle to his nose, perhaps the adoration route isn't the way to get at the youth, she can likely tell it's making him a bit uncomfortable, just in the way the tension ratchets up in the lines of his shoulders. His head tilting one way, eyes drifting away, then back as he chews upon the inside of his cheek thoughtfully.     His answers are easily given, no hint of dissembling as he murmurs, "Yeah. My uncle." He exhales slightly what might be a laugh if given more energy. Then she mentions Diana.     "Ehn, she's okay." Grudging faint praise, but no venom at the least.
Cheetah	'Okay' is the weakest compliment Minerva has ever heard anyone say in relation to Wonder Woman. Alex is a good egg, clearly. She pretends not to notice Alex's body language and appears to drift off into a reverie of her own. After a beat or two she breaks the silence, "So...," Barbara-Ann pauses again as though groping for the right words, "...do you ever get to be normal? To just be Alex? Or does all this family /stuff/ just...follow you around everywhere you go?" A shiver visibly runs its unseen fingers across her shoulders as though the memory of those skeletal attackers has just passed by her mind's eye.
Alexander Aaron	There is something to him as he meets her green irises, his own gaze drifting back and forth between hers. Curiousity is there, even as he blinks slowly in an almost lizard-like manner. Then his eyes follow along with that shiver as her shoulders tense and for a moment she might catch a subtle flaring of his nostrils, as if trying to take in her scent as well. Perhaps puzzlement, or suspicion, or attraction. Any one such thing might fit that bill.     But then he murmurs calmly, "Often." A beat, then he adds. "Probably more than you think."     A glance away as he rests one hand at the base of his coffee cup and casually twists it in place, turning it so she can see the logo now of the Coffee Bean, but then he looks back. "But it's kind of nice to tell someone about it ahead of time. Get all the crazy of the way."
Cheetah	Barbara-Ann smiles ruefully and holds up her hands as though being mugged, "Oh, I know crazy. Believe me." Like, literally. She stares at Alex for a moment and then lowers her head, chuckling. When her gaze returns, she hastens to explain herself, "Sorry. It's just...It's a little surreal to be sitting next to a, well, y'know a...god," She says the 'G' word in a hushed tone, "and...I dunno, you're just very easy to talk to." She grins sheepishly. "That's not the stereotype. You know? It's all lightning bolts and plagues of locusts on TV." The last of her coffee vanishes and she dabs her lower lip with her tongue. She watches Alex with some 'affection'.
Alexander Aaron	Lip curling wryly, that young God returns Cheetah's look and there is something about her that doesn't sit entirely right. Something subtly off that whispers to him in the depths of his mind that she doesn't lend her voice to the chorus of the world's fear and so that draws his curiousity, flares it a little further to life than just the attraction of one who might find a deity interesting.     His eyebrows lift, "Lightning bolts are my grandfather." He leans forwards, resting his arms upon the table and giving them his weight, causing his shoulders to hunch a little as he slouches a bit there, so terribly at ease as he looks upon this Minerva likely in a similar way she may well look at him. Like some feline with a new toy.     His head tilts to the side, perhaps feeling a hint of some aspect of kinship. Likely not due to their shared heritage in some ways. And more... to how each may well see the world.     And then, as if out of nowhere, he simply says to her, "Are you attracted to me, Barbara-Ann?" No question about like, about some shared empathy or feelings in that regard. Attraction, however...
Cheetah	It's a good thing Barbara-Ann's coffee is gone. It's bad form to spit more than once on a first date. She rocks forward with a half-silent giggle, "Really?" Her tone is playful. Very playful. Under the table she pokes his leg with her foot. "You just roll up with your god-pants on and turn on that million-dollar smile?" Her own smile is wide and there is a mischievous glint in her eye. Minerva taps the back of Alex's hand with her finger, "I've read the stories. You guys think earth girls are easy." Her touch lingers and she looks away coquettishly. Her hands finally retreat to her lap and she mumbles, "...Maybe." At that moment one of the baristas appears at the table. Smiling, the young woman nods toward Minerva's empty cup. Thankful for the interruption, Minerva hands it to her. Then she and Alex are left alone again.
Alexander Aaron	"Oh I didn't say I'd do anything about it, more just..." Alexander pauses to nibble at his lower lip thoughtfully as he tilts his head to the other side, watching Minerva in her own way tease back, giving him the side of her she likely wants him to see. But he gives a small shrug and murmurs, "Just curious."     He takes a sip of his drink and lifts his chin and indeed in that moment /flashes/ such an oh so casual and utterly easy-going ever so gently handsome smile to the barista, having it even reach his eyes with such a warmth and sincerity as he gives the young woman a nod.     And then when she leaves he looks back to Cheetah and it just /clicks/ off, like a light switch was flipped and those curious eerie eyes meet hers again. "You remind me of an old friend. One that I did sleep with, but still."
Cheetah	"Not Medusa, I hope!" Minerva flips her red tresses and strikes a mock glamour pose. She stops short and turns her full attention back to Alex, "Seriously, do you know Medusa?" As if for the first time she becomes cognizant of those strange eyes and shrinks back a little, "What. Why are you looking at me like that?" The realization that sitting with a god might not be all fun and games starts to take hold This is all a skillful affectation of course. Minerva has had more than a few brushes with gods -- actual and self-styled. Few of them ever got the better of her. As affectations go, however, this one is particularly artful.
Alexander Aaron	"No, wasn't Medusa." At that Alexander's smile sort of cracks a bit and he shakes his head, perhaps indeed Barbara is exactly as she seems, though that is still... a rather attractive redheaded older woman. "Though she was pretty dangerous, to be fair."     That said he flattens his hands upon the tabletop and starts to push himself to his feet. "I was just reminiscing is all." And as he says that he reaches into the pocket of his jacket and produces his cellphone, swiping it to life with the brush of a thumb and then extending it towards her.     "Here, if you'd like to get in touch with me later." And should she wish she can take his phone information or bluetooth it up or however she'd like to exchange numbers if she's so inclined.     "I should probably mosey."
Cheetah	The return to frivolous normalcy is a welcome one. Minerva smiles again. "Oh. Sure." She fumbles in her handbag for a moment before retrieving her phone. "Here's mine, too." Numbers are exchanged. "It was nice meeting you," Barbara-Ann pauses but briefly before deciding which name to use, "Alex." She smiles. Not Phobos. Alex. Just Alex. "Maybe I'll see you around." Most definitely. Above them the soft strains of a Simon and Garfunkel tune waft around the café. Why, Mrs. Robinson...