Picnic in Central Park

Summary:
July 18 2014: Bobby and Nancy celebrate her birthday with a picnic in Central Park

Central Park

As close as you can get to getting away from it all without actually going anywhere.


Characters

NPCs

  • None

Mood Music:
[* None]


It's later in the afternoon, actually closer to evening now and Bobby has an actual basket full of food and is sitting on a bench, grinning at a tupperware container inside a backpack. Yep. That was kind of the only way to do birthday cake for Nancy. Just crying out to be done. He had to guess at the type of cake, of course, but there's a variety. Nancy herself should be long soon enough.

*

Nancy, looking more like her Tabitha Greene self, is smiling from ear to ear. She decided to try and get herself a job again, only this time in her field of study. She had an audition for one of the shows on Broadway. And on her birthday, so that should give her extra luck. And so, she walks along the path towards where she and Bobby agreed to meet, her cello in hand. When she sees him on the bench, she starts to smile, wondering if he'll recognize her with her silly blonde hair.

*

It takes a moment for him to do so. He might have had a harder time ith it if she hadn't been carrying her Cello with her. His Fender is leaning on the bench next to him because if she was gonna bring hers…

"N-… er Tabby!" Bobby stands up as he sees her, grinning broadly. "You made it. How did it go?"

It's actually quite pleasant out and the addition of a smiling Nancy? Well that's just makes everything right about perfect.

*

Nancy/Tabby walks over to Bobby and stands on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss, her hand resting on his upper arm. "It went really well. I might not be able to get it since Tabby's qualifications aren't as good as my real ones, but… we'll see. How was your day?"

She puts the large case down and uses her now free hand to snake about his waist and hug him.

*

Hugs are good and everyone should do them more. Bobby hugs Nancy back, and returns her kiss. "Lots of music in this town. I'm sure you can find something." He says quietly. Nancy's good though and it won't take long for someone to realize exactly how good she is, so he's not that worried about her employment, prospects, really.

"Are you hungry?" He says, glancing back at the basket full of sandwich meat, crackers, cheese and other fun picnic food.

*

Normally, she would be telling Bobby that she's really not as good as he thinks, that no one is going to hire her for her music acumen, but today, she is just too happy. She's twenty-one and she's having a wonderful day. She even went to visit her mom and it was almost pleasant!

Nancy bends down to pick up her cello again and nods. "I had a light lunch so I would be okay for our picnic dinner. Lead the way."

*

Bobby offers his arm and picks up the basket with his free hand, guitar and satchel already slung over his back. "This way, then." There's a few good spots for watching a sunset in Central Park and Bobby knows that while odds are good a few of them will already be occupied, he's never ever seen them all taken.

"How did your trip to your Mom's safe house go?" He asks as they walk.

*

"Well, she didn't actually recognize me, so it went really well. She thinks I'm her new social worker. Jericho and I just felt it was best to let her have her delusion. It meant no stress with her, so it's actually better." She links her arm with Bobby and walks along with him.

She looks about the park and smiles, wondering just where Bobby is taking her.

*

There's a very tall tree on a hill that provides a good view of the sunset, and good shade during the day. That's the spot Bobby's making for and as they approach it, it seems unoccupied. "Ah here it is. Well that sounds… at least not negative. Maybe we can find something in the raid that'll help her? I mean there's a chance right?" He starts to spread the blanket and unpack the food.

*

Setting down the cello case at the base of the tree, Nancy lifts her shoulders in a shrug. "To be totally honest? I don't know. Hydra doesn't really care about anyone by themselves. I think, in their opinion, my mom is just collateral damage. But, Jericho knows a doctor that might be able to help her, once this is all over."

She tries to peer into the basket, wondering what is for dinner tonight.

*

Dinner appears to be cold cuts - black forest ham, smoked turkey, salami - a selection of cheeses, fresh fruit of several kinds, fizzy fruit drinks, a couple types of bread, some handmade spreads and… an opaque tupperware container that Bobby assures her contains dessert.

"If it's that Doctor diLucci guy, I hear he's really, really good. Kind of one of those guys who has a gift and really is in it just to help people."

Getting a couple fruit drinks, Bobby hands one to Nancy and raises his to her. "Happy Birthday, Nancy."

*

Nancy looks over the selection and smiles. It reminds her a lot of the picnic they had at Nova Roma, though it's a little fuzzy. She taps her fruit drink against Bobby's and leans in to give him a kiss. "Thank you. This is… wonderful." She takes a sip and then rests her head on his shoulder. "So, tell me about yourself. You've sort of mentioned that things at home were…. rough. You willing to tell me what happened?"

*

Bobby thinks for a few moments before answering, not because he's unwilling to talk about it, but because it's kind of depressing birthday conversation.

"Sure, if you like. It's kind of a downer though. You sure you want to hear the story?"

While he's asking he puts a sandwich together and hands it to her.

*

Taking the sandwich, she nods. "I want to get to know you, Bobby. What you like, don't like. Your hopes and dream and fears. I've never actually cared about anyone else's wants before. Been pretty self centered. Probably just me being all selfish cause of my mom taking all of my give-a-damn. So… yeah, I wanna know. All the good and the bad."

*

Bobby nods and takes the opportunity to gather his thoughts while he constructs himself a sandwich. "Alright. Well I grew up in Fort Washington, which is a bit north of here. It's… really rural. Like, surprisingly so for not being real far from the city. In fact it was so rural that it didn't have a proper school and us kids were all bussed into the city for it."

He takes a bite and chews for a moment in thought. "Hrm. Anyway growing up was normal Ish. I guess there were always kind of tensions between mutants and non-mutants in town but as a kid you don't notice it. It all seems normal or you don't even know about it. I got a scholarship out to UCLA so I moved when I was eighteen. When I came home for the summer, it was to catch up and visit an old friend who'd stayed in state to go to college. We were getting some ice cream at our old favorite place when… well, someone tried to mug the two of us as we left. It went bad… real bad."

*

Nancy turns so she is facing Bobby as they talk. She listens, nibbling on her sandwich. "Your powers manifested? And explosively?" She sighs and frowns, leaning in to nuzzle at his shoulder. "How bad was it. Did you… well… did anyone… "

*

"Almost. My friend, she was sort of a sweetheart. I mean, personality wise. Wouldn't hurt a soul. Pretty cute, but we'd never dated. Anyway, it was gonna go from mugging to maybe something else. I'd already gotten kind of beaten up…" His arm curls around Nancy and tugs her close as he tells the story. "So I wasn't really in any shape for anything, really. I was scared for me and scared for her and just kind of… lashed out. Felt a chill run down my spine and my blood go cold and felt this thing in the pit of my stomach that's been there ever since. I froze him. Like, almost encased his head in ice. He still almost died from hypothermia before the paramdeics got him thawed." He sighs

"Anyway word got around pretty quick. People were scared and angry and… well I mentioned some of them already had pretty strong opinions on mutants. I was 'dangerous' and a 'menace' within an hour. I'd gotten home and was having the arguement of my life with my parents when the mob arrived. My folks… they didn't… do anything when they broke in and took me outside to hang me."

*

Nancy listens, her meal forgotten. She wraps her arms around him and looks appalled. She runs her fingers through his hair and then hugs him close. "Bobby, I doubt I'm gonna tell you anything that you hadn't heard before but… that mugger was gonna do something nasty. That mob… they had the wrong person for the lynching. And your parents? I don't know if I'd ever be able to be a parent, but if I did, I would move heaven and earth to keep them safe." She kisses his cheek. "I'm sorry if this hurts too much to talk about."

Bobby gives Nancy a small smile. "I used to be really, really angry about it. Three years gives you some… distance, though. I don't know what I would have done. I never asked them why they didn't do anything. Maybe they were scared of the mob. Or of me. It was all really… sudden. And surreal. Anyway, the sherrif came just in time with an actual posse. But by that point the worst part of it was not that I was almost hanged, it was the people I saw screaming at me in that mob. Old football buddies and teachers and neighbors and the nice checker from the local grocery store. You know, friends and people I waved at when I saw them in town. That's who was gonna kill me…" He shakes his head. "You know most of the rest. The sherrif kept me in protective custody for two days while things calmed down and then released me quietly. When I got outside, someone from the Institute was waiting for me. I ended up there for a summer learning control and then went back to UCLA. I had my scholarship and such so I was okay… but I never did go home again. Didn't even write or call. At first it hurt too much… and after a while I just… didn't have anything to say."

*

Nancy continues to hug him close. "Is that why you like being around me? My power? You don't have to worry about control?" Her voice sounds sad, worried. She runs a hand up and down his arm, her forehead leaning on his shoulder.

*

Bobby smiles a bit more and hugs Nancy a bit tighter. "I like being around you because you're fun and cute and nice - I promise the secret is safe - I like being around you because you're you. The fact that I can let myself relax a little is just a bonus. I don't really have accidents anymore. Three years is a long time to figure out something you have to do every moment of every day."

He cradles Nancy a bit and strokes her hair.

*

Nancy can't help but smirk. She looks up to meet his eyes, nipping at his cheek. "No telling people I'm nice. They will expect me to be that way with everyone." She runs her fingers through his hair, quickly steals a kiss and then lays her head in his lap. "Peel me a grape," she says with a grin, reliving that moment in Nova Roma.

*

The ice nerd grins broadly and begins to peel one for her, dropping it into her mouth. "Mmmmm. Nice to be doing this with an awake Nancy." Not that it wasn't insufferably cute then. "And no, no telling you're nice, promise." He says with a grin as he gets a grape for himself. The sun is edging toward the horizon, not properly setting yet, but getting close.

*

"The colors of the sky are so pretty as the sun sets. And I'm glad I'm spending it with you." She turns her head to watch the colors change in the sky. "I like spending time with you too, Bobby. And… I'm sorry if I have ever made you feel that I was settling for you because I couldn't have Hank. I… I really like my time with you."

*

"Thanks you, Nancy." He says, turning to watch the colors as well. Another peeled grape finds it's way to Nancy's mouth. "I know things were… well, didn't work out the way you'd hoped. I'm kind of sorry… but then if they had, you wouldn't be here, and I really enjoy my time with you too." Another grape for Bobby now.

"For the record, I think Hank missed out big time." He smiles. Ah well, more Nancy for him.

*

"He kept saying he was too old for me, so… that means I have a younger science nerd. One that enjoys pranks as much as I do, so it's all for the best. Speaking of which, Jacky is moving out west to some vet college. We're not gonna be able to prank him the way we had hoped." She nibbles at the grape that finds its way to her. "You know, you don't actually have to peel them. That was just me being silly."

*

"Yeah I heard him talking about that. Too bad. Well, good for him, but too bad." Bobby smiles and eats another grape. "Mmmm. I don't mind. I kind of like it. Reminds me of you in that stola and strappy sandals. That was a good look on you." Bit odd for around New York though and there are plenty of other good looks for Nancy, it must be said.

*

Nancy laughs, keeping her eye on the changing colours of the sky as the sun sinks down. "You liked me in that, did ya? I was thinking you looked pretty nice too. You have a nice set of legs." She looks up at him and then sits up. "Okay, I have to know what's for dessert, because it's killing me. Please?"

*

Bobby grins and gets that tupperware container out of his backpack, opening it sloooooowwly. Inside are… twenty one cake pops, perfectly round and frosted and everything, each wrapped in wax paper to keep it from drying out or sticking to the others.

"Ta-da. Took me a while to get it just right, but I think you'll like these. Flavored with bailies and a few other things…" He cants his head and watches her to see how she reacts.

*

Nancy eagerly tries to see what is in the tupperware container, trying to maneuver herself to see it sooner. As the pops are revealed, she laughs. "They're like lollipops! Same size as the ones I make too." She kisses Bobby's cheek. "These are awesome. You know me so well."

*

Bobby's grin widens into a smile. "I hoped you might like them. The first set turned out too dry, the second kind of fell apart. Turns out pinterest makes this stuff look way easier than it actually is." He lifts one up and offers it to her. "Happy Birthday, Nancy. Shall I sing you the song, or shall we just have cake?"

*

Nancy smiles even brighter as she takes the cake pop and nibbles on it. "I love them. And I especiall love that you made them yourself. You win, hands down as the best boyfriend I've ever had. Actually, I think you're like the first real boyfriend I've ever had. Most of the guys I've dealt with weren't so much boyfriends as… convenient."

*

Bobby takes one for himself and bites the top half off. "I like winning." He says with a wink, squeezing her against his with his free hand. His smile goes even wider as she, apparently, upgrades him to 'boyfriend'. She had, a while back, been… agonizing over whether to a name to it. "I've dated here and there but not… you know, really for more than fun. And this is, at least to me, more than fun. Never been on a picnic before you… and I don't think I'd have enjoyed it as much as I am without you."

he pauses to watch as the sun finally begins to dip below the horizon, turning the sky brilliant red and purple and orange.

*

"Well then, I will have to find some more things you can win at," she teases and then brings his lips to hers for a kiss as the sun sets. "Thank you again, for a wonderful birthday."


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