All Bleed Red

Summary:
August 25 2014: X-men Red Team members gather at the Da Costa building to discuss many things.

X-Men Red HQ

Accessible primarily by a dedicated express elevator, the two-floor headquarters of the X-Men Red Team combines the amenities of an ultramodern office with the homey, communal quality of a college dormitory. A small, well-appointed waiting room gives way to a grand, two-story central hub. There, the team can meet for briefings at a ring-shaped conference table with built-in computer consoles and a central holographic display. There are also smaller tables, couches, and armchairs scattered through the room, easy to reposition for meals, close conversations, or movie nights. One entire wall of the hub is lined with windows, offering a view toward Central Park.

The other walls of the hub are split into two levels, with the upper accessible by a U-shaped walkway and two grand staircases. Above the waiting room, one can find a bullpen with dedicated work stations, offering the latest software for a whole host of productive tasks. A patio balcony off to one side offers a taste of the outdoors, as well as a small landing pad for fliers or one-person vehicles. Living quarters line both floors: full-fledged apartments offering balcony views and a decent level of privacy. The X-Men also have a private underground motor pool, kept separate from the garage for the rest of the building's occupants.


Characters

NPCs

  • Simon, Roberto's assistant

Mood Music:
[* None]


Through the grand windows, the sunset off to the west tints the entire hub of the headquarters its team's signature color. The room is bustling as day staff switch out for the much smaller crew that is monitoring the nighttime goings-on at the Burning Human festival in M-Town. Roberto is meeting with a small group of people over a number of merchandising plans: illustrations of action figures, bamf plushies, and fashion items based on some of the mutants' signature visual effects are scattered across a tabletop. The meeting is just wrapping up: handshakes all around. Roberto looks tired, but energized for whatever the night will bring.

*

Bobby arrives via car and takes the elevator up. It's longer and less direct than the ice-ramp but he hasn't particularly felt up to blithely using his powers again yet. Not since the Festival incident a couple days back. He's mostly here to check in on 'Berto and make sure his help isn't needed in M-Town before getting some rest. It's been a full day over at the other place he spends a fair amount of time. Which was good, it helped him clear his head. Now he's ready to check in, see what's going on and get back to work. Well, what passes for work when the job is 'be a chill dude.'

*

Amara has been spending some time with some of the construction contractors already on the company payroll, studying the things she doesn't already know about moving earth. The science of it, for the most part. Which explains why, when she returns to the tower, she looks utterly exhausted. Moving tons of earth on a regular basis will do that to you.

*

Since talking to Berto, Simon hasn't been to the building yet so it's about time he's done so. The elevator takes a bit to return to the ground but once it does, he heads up as he thinks about what he's seen so far. Impressive. Lots of money. He always knew Roberto's family was rich but it's different seeing it. When the doors open, he steps out and looks around.

*

Roberto offers his compatriots a grin as they arrive. "Meus camaradas!" he greets them all. Easy for him to say: being bathed in sunlight, even while it's setting, is like mainlining guarana for him. "How's it going? Amara, you need some coffee? I'll have Other Simon get you some."

Roberto's bespectacled assistant, who is wrangling the merchandising designers after the meeting, gives his boss a lidded glare at the new modifier.

"That goes for the rest of you as well, of course," he adds. "Are you having any trouble with your tasks? Need any support? Want to look at your action figure designs?" He picks up his own, with a laugh: judging by the illustrations, plasti-Sunspot turns all black when dipped in hot water, and punches wildly when you spin his torso around.

*

Bobby looks down at the one for him when he passes the table. Seems like the 'Iceman' moniker is decided on by the marketing folks even if he's not yet sure it'll be his actual code name. It… doesn't look anything like him. And it's made of clear blue plastic to make him look like an ice cube, despite the fact that he can’t do that. And comes with 'authentic battle damage', part of which is a spring loaded part of his chest that explodes outward. "Good lord I hope I never look like that…" the physicist says with an amused chuckle. "Kids might like it though. I guess."

He straightens up and goes to look at the M-Town monitors. "I just came back to make sure everything was still okay at Burning Human. I'll head there soon to go do some night security before turning in. Sorry I've been away I just needed to get my head clear." If Simon and Amara haven't heard about how he accidentally flash froze forty Jamies while on an artificially induced drug trip… they may be a bit confused.

"All good now though. How is everything on this end?" That question is asked of Amara and Simon as much as Warm-Twin.

*

"I'd rather have something to eat, 'Berto," Amara answers wearily, pushing a hand through her hair as she drops her bag on a bench near the door. "A lot of somethings to eat. And maybe a drink," she admits, rubbing at her eyes. "Do you have any idea how much control it takes to move three tons of earth precisely? I think my X-gene is sore." A slight frown furrows her brow as she looks at the action figures, perplexed. "These are…us?"

*

Simon lets loose a silent whistle as he sees the HQ. Wow. Money. Between the mansion and here, he could get used to this. Which might be a bad thing. And hey, look who's here? "Amara!" he says as he walks over then grabs the young woman to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "It's good to see you again. You've been good?" Stepping over to Berto, he gives him a hug too, though a bit harder and lacking the kiss on the cheek. Glancing down at the action figures, he shakes his head and taps Roberto's. "Hot water? Guaranteed lawsuit no matter what disclaimers you put on it." Bobby gets a smile then, after a moment, he walks over to hug him too though since he's last there's plenty of time to avoid it if he chooses.

*

"Food! Food is doable," Roberto answers Amara first. "Human Simon" — he noticed the look, and tries an alternative — "call out for Chinese or something, will you?" Human Simon looks even less pleased with his new title, but glances at Amara to see if she wants anything more specific before he goes to make the call.

The wealthy heir returns Simon's embrace with enthusiasm, then turns back to the plans. "They're us, alright. And you really think the hot water thing is a problem? Maybe it can be warm water instead. I thought it was neat. They did something similar for Amara's transformation."

Cool-twin gets a sympathetic look, but 'Berto doesn't bring the topic up. Better to let Bobby deal with it on his own terms. Simon's hug might be needed there, though. There's nothing too troubling on the monitors, fortunately. "Take all the time you need. We set our own hours here." A quiet cough. "Well, so long as you meet your minimum."

*

Bobby does not, as it turns out, object to a hug between friends. He is, though, quite cool to the touch even through a tee shirt and a work shirt. "Right, 'Berto. Or should I say 'certo'." He smiles a little and leans back on a wall not far from the monitor bank so he can keep an eye on them. "What happened while I was away? Hopefully nothing major at the Festival?" He glances around. They'd know better than he, certainly. No one out where he was kept track of the news. And it was outside town so it's not like anyone would know.

"Food sounds good here too." And Chinese would be nice. He can even laugh at whatever ridiculous thing his fortune cookie says this time. Last time it was: 'You have a bright and warming presence.' Clearly they got the wrong Bobby.

*

"Simon!" Amara exclaims in surprise as he arrives, returning the hug and tipping her cheek to the kiss. "I didn't know you were going to be here. 'Berto really has gone all out with this, hasn't he?" she says, bemused, before the talk of an action figure of her catches her attention. "Oh, 'Berto, you didn't?" she groans, moving to the table and completely forgetting about what kind of food she may or may not want. "I am- This is- Really?"

*

"You'd be good for someone to cuddle with on a hot summer night." Simon tells Bobby, giving him a quick grin as he lets go. "Make it the reverse, Berto. Start out dark then have it fade as it cools off? Make the hot for mugs where shirtless Sunspot turns black when hot coffee is poured in then fades back as it gets drunk." He's pretty sure there's a market for one for Magma too but no way is he going to suggest it. "He didn't need to do much convincing." he tells Amara. "I was hoping some of you would be at the school when I got back but it turned out you're all here instead."

*

"You should say 'certo,'" Roberto agrees with frosty Bobby. "Everyone should say 'certo.' It's a much nicer-sounding word than 'right.' Estou certo?" He laughs, then answers the serious question: "Everything has been mostly low-key since the Madrox thing," he says, not mentioning that Bobby was involved. "Your standard festival scuffles, but nothing we couldn't handle."

He smiles apologetically at Magma as she casts her anxious gaze on the plans. "It's all totally preliminary. And you're all welcome to opt out if you wish. There's a royalty for use of your image, if you are interested, and of course you get veto power on anything that sounds too risqué." This last is said with a glance at Simon: he heard the unsaid suggestion. Roberto may be pretty uninhibited, but the same cannot always be said for his technically-countryman from Nova Roma. Not that he doesn't file away the idea of some kind of swimsuit spread. Maybe something really classy for Vogue or GQ or one of those…?

*

"Nancy says that a lot these days." Bobby laughs and then trails off for a moment. "Mmm. Sorry. I don't remember if you've met her. She's not at the School anymore."

The ice nerd watches those monitors and nods at Warm-Twin's news. "Right well, that's good. Hopefully this'll all end without incident." Heh. that'd be nice, right?

"If it helps, Amara, at least your action figure doesn't encourage small children to imagine what you look like with your chest turned inside out."

*

"No, only the adults," Amara snorts softly at Bobby, reaching for the action figure and giving it a long, searching look. "I am…not sure what I think about it," she admits to Roberto, shaking her head. "Are we selling ourselves? How much of this is profit, and how much is something we're doing so that we have the opportunity to help people as we intend to?"

*

"Certo." Simon says but when he says it, it's Italian and not Portuguese. Fortunately, there hasn't been time for anyone to design an action figure for him. Not that it would do anything and tiny collapsible batons are a choking hazard. "I'd hope all profits go to charity."

*

Roberto nods. "That's integral to the campaign. After overhead, money from merch sales will go into a fund that will pay for property repairs and, deus me livre, hospital bills after superpowered battles. But the overhead does include licensing fees for the IP — in other words, a bonus for allowing us to use your face. Which you're free to donate or keep." The Brazilian smiles, but then adds: "That said, a lot of our missions are going to be profitable. Paying for staff and electricity and that sort of thing. The profits on this are going to be narrow at best, but I do hope it will eventually pay for itself."

*

It makes sense. The economics of heroing have always been… kind of wonky. That's why a lot of the higher profile ones are either sanctioned, like Superman, or else widely suspected of having extensive financial assets. "Makes sense. I don't have a problem with you using my face and such. You know, tastefully. Not that I think that'll be an issue." Because frankly he doesn't look like either Amara or Illyana or indeed Roberto himself. "Speaking of likenesses by the way did you end up bringing Mike in? 'Cause I don't see a Transformer here?" He's teasing though as Roberto well knows the quip is quite apt.

*

Amara eyes Roberto for a long moment, then just shakes her head. "Every time you start going on about profit margins and the rest of that, I think my ability to process logic simply shuts down," she says, setting the action figure down carefully. "So long as we are being responsible, then I suppose I have no objections. It's just…an adjustment, after spending so long not telling people who we are and what we can do."

*

Simon grew up poor. He's still poor. Talk of marketing and finance just goes right over his head. And interests. All he needs is the end result. "I haven't met anyone named Mike yet." he says then "Oh! I almost forgot. I did meet someone though who calls himself Vorpal. He is a member of the Titans. You all read about their tower getting destroyed? He told me of this woman named Amanda Waller who is untouchable for some reason even though she decided to destroy their base. I admit I'm a bit worried about that happening to us if she decides to. Or someone else."

*

"Mike and Simon are too new to be immortalized in plastic just yet," Roberto answers with a grin, putting his palms on the tabletop and leaning casually against them. "But rest assured, they're both being worked on. And Amara, you are giving the business world entirely too much credit. It is not logical at all. The fault, dear lady, is not in ourselves, but in our stars."

Simon's comment about Amanda Waller gets an odd look. "This is a privately owned building with offices and residences for all sorts of people in it. We're on the Upper East Side, too — our residents are staggeringly rich and powerful. There's a blasted Verizon store on the ground floor. If, as you're implying, she has some kind of legitimate authority, I would very much like to see her try to explain using it to attack this building."

*

Bobby doesn't know about such things, beyond the news. "We'll risk attack on the building at some point, sadly. Just going to come with the territory. For which reason actually - thank you for reminding me Simon - we may want to start considering our eventual defense of the place Warm-Twin. Maybe keep a reserve here or… I dunno make some friends? The other Xers could do it I'm confident but there's no particular guarantee they'll be around to help. You know, could be busy investigating and saving folks."

That's what had been nagging at Bobby. All the way on the drive here. The thought of food had driven it from his head.

*

"I read about that," Amara nods to Simon, moving over to a couch and stretching out to lounge comfortably there, tucking a pillow beneath her head. "But I heard that everyone was all right, at least. Also, I don't believe the Titans are mutants. None that I've met, at least. Attacking us would open up any number of discrimination issues as well."

*

"And I read their tower was owned by the King of Sweden." Simon points out. "That didn't stop her. I don't think she'd be worried about civil rights violations either if blowing up a building wasn't a concern. But you can get the details from the source. He'd like to meet us all. Suggested a get together between us and the Titans. Networking could be a good idea. And fun. He claims to be a Cheshire cat. Like in Wonderland."

*

Speaking of food, Roberto's assistant returns to let them know the Chinese will be here in just a few minutes. He shoots a glare through his horn-rims at Phase, then departs. Why can't the Simons just form a beautiful friendship, like the Bobbies?

"That's a good thought, Simon," Roberto says thoughtfully, glancing upward and folding his hands behind his back. "Building ties with the other super-teams will be a smart thing to do on any number of levels. We can have a party in the penthouse, so as not to interfere with work here."

His expression becomes a bit less perky as he continues, "But Cool Bobby brings up an important concern as well. Obviously we have a deck for fliers to use to defend the building, if they need to. But powers like mine and Amara's aren't extremely great shakes at this height. I'm hesitant to arm the building itself — this is a civilian structure, not a military base — but we should take some sort of precautions against attack."

*

"Making friends might well solve part of the problem, if we find folks we can trust with that kind of thing." It goes without Bobby having to say that this'd not only be good for the team, but it would be very good for the civilians who share the building. Seems like the only ethical thing to do if they're going to operate out of it.

*

"We don't have to arm the building, just give it defenses. People would probably object to weapons anyway." Simon suggests. He gives the other Simon a puzzled look but then goes to sprawl on the couch next to Amara. "Even if we were all here, I don't think there's a lot we could do about a dozen missiles. I could phase us all so we're safe but not the building."

*

"I doubt my powers would be particularly helpful should the tower itself be attacked," Amara chimes in with a faint grimace. "Though I could dig a lovely trench all the way around it. On the other hand, I think it probably best not to disturb the foundations. I understand, though, that the attack on the Titans was a missile-" She pauses, pointing to Simon as he fills in the blanks. "I have no particular skill with missiles."

*

"I could probably fry a missile. A missile," Sunspot speculates, still contemplating the ceiling. "Maybe a few. But my blasts are not incredibly accurate, and at night, I've got a limited supply. Illyana could use her disks to ward off missiles, but then they would be flying around in Limbo. Maybe she could 'port them right back out — I'll be sure to ask. Sam's our best aerial defender, although Bobby could create ice shields. I'm sure Mike would have all kinds of useful devices available in a pinch."

Roberto flops into a handy chair. "But in the end, Simon, you're probably right. Some kind of projected shield is definitely the way to go. I'll ask all the science types I know if anything could be put together."

*

Bobby sighs. "If my research with that superconductor bears fruit I might be able to generate a defense of some kind. I'll look into it. Energy transfer is kind of my thing. It'd have to be subtle… and comply with the building code. Unless we want to just not tell anyone about it." Thermodynamics. How do they work?

"I'll look into it. Maybe get Mike's take too."

*

"Is there an official building code for missile shields?" Amara counters Bobby with a wry smile. "I was not aware of these, and yet, it seems like it would be a useful thing. Probably involving licensing, so that government agencies maintain the right to shoot missiles at you if they choose to."

"If you tell people, they can say no and tie things up in court." Simon points out. "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission." And while you're equally likely to get punished either way, you at least got to do what you want first.

*

"We've just climbed out of one pit of secrecy; let's not dig a new one," Roberto answers his cold twin with a grimace. He is not eager to break any laws and make the team a legitimate target as well as an inevitable one. "We don't have to notify anybody, necessarily, but let's not install anything that isn't legal to have."

As for Simon's point: "I know you haven't seen me operate in a few years, Simon, but here's the thing. I have certainly heard that it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission. But I don't know firsthand, because I always get both." He smirks, but it's a self-deprecating expression. "Given that my mutant talent is mainly kicking things really hard, that's what I really offer this team."

*

Bobby chuckles. "I'll look into the science and let you know what we come up with. I'm less worried, now that I think about it, about anything we make violating any laws so much as I am them… spawning new ones. In any case, hopefully we have time. In the meantime, as many friends as possible couldn't hurt. Though I suppose we have to ask ourselves what kinds of friends we want. The Titans are above board, but most folks like us… just aren't.”

*

"And also, a team of lawyers," Amara adds on the subject of what 'Berto offers the team. "Which it mostly needs to handle the sexual harassment lawsuits." She grins, nodding thoughtfully to Bobby's words. "I went to a party the Titans were having. They seem…mostly normal, like us. More normal, even. But I'll admit I don't know much about their philosophy about what they do."

*

And Simon's taken is to avoid things and get away quickly. "I don't think it's against the law to install anti-missile energy shields?" Because no one thought to make it illegal. "I only met the one but he seems okay. I thought he was a mutant at first since he looks like a catguy but he says he's magic. I don't know much more than that except I read the tower is back now. Something weird in the area around it according to Twitter though."

*

"I do not draw sexual harassment lawsuits!" Roberto protests to Amara, his tone wounded. "I am very, very respectful of the word 'no.' I just don't happen to hear it very often. Simon! Have I ever sexually harassed you?"

The Brazilian's personal assistant is entering with an armful of Chinese delivery boxes. "Not sexually, no," he responds without missing a beat.

"See?" Roberto crows triumphantly to his teammates, popping open a box of chicken and Broccoli and accepting a pair of chopsticks that Human Simon dutifully snaps apart for him. "I am a perfect gentleman, as I'll happily prove at this Titans mixer.

*

Cold Bobby laughs and selects some egg foo young. Mmmm. "Nice. Is this from that place down on the first floor?" Such a good restaurant, Hunans. He grins as he watches 'Berto, Simon (both of them) and Amara interact.

"Strangeness around the Titan Tower… I'll be sure to keep an eye out. Actually at present I'll probably just be sure not to go there unless I'm needed."

*

"Or so the lawyers tell you," Amara teases Roberto, slipping off the couch to claim a carton of moo shoo pork and a pair of chopsticks. "Illyana seems to have some of their numbers," she notes on the matter of the Titans and a party. "She ever so kindly provided a surprise introduction to one of their members. Only an actual god," she mutters, blushing.

*

"Not yet." Simon answers at the same exact time as Human Simon. Oh. That one. Never mind. "Thank you." he tells the assistant as he takes a carton and a fork. No chopsticks for him. "Didn't you say something about meeting with SHIELD? Maybe you should ask them about this Waller woman." At Amara's blush, he grins. "A handsome god? Did he smile at you?"

*

"Yes, it is," Roberto's assistant answers Bobby, knowing perfectly well that his boss has no idea where the food came from, beyond the unknowable bounty of Simon the Second Banana. He gathers up the materials from the merchandising pitch, so that they won't get food on them, and carries them off into Roberto's office before the young mogul can asexually harass him about anything else.

"Look at it this way, Amara," Roberto says, gesturing with his chopsticks after swallowing his first mouthful of food. "If I were to ask you on a date, would that be harassment? I mean, technically, the whole Red Team is on my payroll now. But I would never dream of using that to pressure any of you." Simon and Amara get slightly suspicious glances. "Unlike, from what I hear from mythology, your typical 'gods.'"

*

Bobby chuckles and rolls his eyes a little and loads up one of the plates, then sandwiches another plate on it and freezes it shut with a thin band of ice. Poor Amara. He thinks maybe she's about to get some attention from a couple team members. Ah well. She seems like she can handle it.

"Gods?" Wow, heroic types really do come in all stripes. That's pretty… well impressive or frightening. Flip a coin. "I should be getting back to my apartment though and M-Town. Stand watch a little while till it quiets down. I'll see you three later okay." He starts to go and then turns back halfway to the elvator. "Oh, and before I forget, we should set up some sparring matches. I know Amara and I had spoken of it before but really I'd be happy to spar with anyone. Time comes when we have to use our powers we'll be that much better for knowing each other's and maybe knowing how they might combine or clash."

*

"He was very polite," Amara says with a pointed look at Roberto, clearing her throat as she moves back toward the couch. "And yes, he did," she answers Simon, smile flickering briefly as she stares down into the paper carton. "I'll call you, Bobby," she nods to the suggestion of sparring. "After I've finished with the construction teams."

*

"See you later." Simon says to Bobby. Frowning, he stands back up and gets some napkins before returning to the couch. "Well, maybe you can ask him out when we see him. Which god is it? Another one of those Norse ones? I wonder if any of the ones responsible for those lines in South America are around."

*

"Good thought, Cold Twin," Roberto calls with a wave. "We should all get in some Danger Room time, when we can. I may be a little rusty, myself. Haven't had to do anything more difficult than break up a bar fight in quite a while."

He's not quite ready to let this showoff 'god' out of his sights, though. "Oh, sure, he's polite at first. But then it's all 'I'm a swan! I'm a golden rain! If you don't like me, it's curses for you!" He gives a disapproving grunt. "Now that's a man who doesn't know how to take no for an answer."

The reminder of the Norse pantheon does settle him back a bit. "Hm. Well. The Asgardians are… hm." He smiles sheepishly over at Amara. "I guess I couldn't blame you for that. Good people, and their creative approach to the concept of 'armor' sure doesn't hurt."

*

Amara arches a brow at Roberto's about-face on the matter of gods when the Asgardians come up, shaking her head. "Phobos," she answers Simon. "But his name is Alexander. And I don't- I can only imagine that it would be terribly inappropriate to ask him out on a date. Besides, you know how planning things goes for us. Inevitably something happens to get in the way."

*

"I bet Berto would ask him out before you could blink." SImon points out. "Assuming he wanted to ask out a guy. So there's no reason you shouldn't if you want to get to know him better. I don't know who Phobos is though." He looks to Roberto to see if he knows.

*

The Asgardians are a race of honorable but hard-partying warriors, as uninhibited in celebration and song as they are in their affections. Roberto would have loved them even if he hadn't been hailed as a worthy drinking buddy by a trio of their most renowned and fearsome warriors. Just the memory is enough to bring a smile to his face.

But speaking of fearsome… "Phobos?!" Roberto blurts out, nearly sending a bit of broccoli flying across the table in his dismay. "As in 'phobia'? Amara, tell me you're not going to run off and date some nasty old aspect of fear. Is he a skeleton? Amara, you had better not be wasting yourself on some rotten old skeleton."

*

"First of all, no, he is not a skeleton, he is one of the sons of the god of war," Amara rolls her eyes at Roberto. "And second of all, it is none of your business who I do or do not date, Roberto da Costa." The last comes with a stab of her chopsticks in his direction. "I have very politely said nothing about your lady friends." Not even when Simon handed her such a straight line for it…

*

"A skeleton wouldn't be handsome." Simon points out. And while Amara didn't agree that he was handsome, she didn't say he wasn't. And really, who'd be blushing over a skeleton? "I'm sure he's a very nice god of fear, Berto. Wait till you meet him before making judgments. That's what we want humans to do about us." Strange how he forgot what bizarre conversations being around Xavier's led to. Maybe he blocked it out.

*

Roberto is about to toss a flippant rejoinder at Amara and Simon, but thinks better of it and settles back in his chair, looking dejected. "Certo. Fine. I have no right to try to boss you around or make snap judgments about your boyfriends," he admits reluctantly. Then, lifting a finger, he adds, "But! You deserve the very best. He had better be good to you and not try any stupid god tricks. For his sake!"

Roberto sits back again, looking sulky. "I don't care if he ''is'' a god; I picked up Volstagg once, and I will kick this 'Phobos' to the moon if he wrongs you."

*

"He is not my boyfriend, 'Berto," Amara sighs, leaning against the arm of the couch again. "I met him once, that is all." She points the chopsticks at him again. "I am only saying that if he was, then- Oh, never mind. Simon, are you going to be staying with us?" she asks the other mutant, reaching for a change of subject.

*

"Well, I hadn't decided but what are the odds of Mister Summers and Ms. Grey arguing about her dating some Greek god?" Pausing with his fork raised, Simon suddenly looks thoughtful. Probably pretty good. And he certainly doesn't want to be there for that. "How could I miss this and staying with my friends? I should get my stuff from there if there's room?"

*

"Whatever you say," Roberto answers Amara glumly. When he's locked in boardroom negotiations, sure, he has a poker face to rival the greatest on Earth, but among his friends his thoughts are as blatantly written on his face as they've ever been. So it's not hard to see that, in his mind, he's already babysitting a bunch of spritely brats at the palatial Aquilla-Phobia manor while the Nova Roman runs off on a romantic weekend getaway. At least he won't have to suffer the indignity of being their godfather — that role will be taken.

Simon's question perks him back up, a bit. "There are plenty of apartments, yes," he says. "Illyana, Bobby, and Mike will be living off-site. Possibly Doug, too. And of course, you can have a place in the city and crash here whenever you want. The living arrangements are all very up in the air."

*

"Mister Summers would much rather say nothing and make everyone work five times harder to assuage his feelings than actually ask her about it," Amara points out with a rueful smile, plucking a piece of cabbage out of the carton and tossing it at Roberto's sulky face. "Why is everyone living off-site? I thought the idea was for us to all be together."

*

"Well, it's live here or live at the school. And while I was going to try to get a job here in the city, it looks like this is going to be a job so there's not much point in commuting from Westchester." Not that it's all that long a trip for Simon. He just needs to do it in legs. "It's the quiet ones that eventually explode." he says to Amara.

*

Amara overshoots slightly: the glob of watery vegetable matter lands in Roberto's curly hair. His eyes cross as he looks up at it, then suddenly, the Brazilian breaks into laughter. "Stop that, Amara," he says, gingerly picking it out and tossing it into an empty carton. "How am I supposed to sulk with you making me laugh? Not fair."

To her more serious question — although he still can't really repress his grin — he answers: "Well, opinion is divided. I thought that it would be fun to live together again, too. But we will be seeing a ton of each other during the day as it is, and some others think that living out among humans rather than sequestered here will advance the mission, too. I can't really argue. It's everyone's individual decision to make." Like their dating lives, he pointedly does not add. He's already flogged himself over that one enough.

*

"That was the idea," Amara smiles crookedly at Roberto's laughter, popping the next piece of cabbage into her mouth instead. "Anyhow, I will be staying here," she informs both Roberto and Simon. "We are a team. And besides, there is plenty of time to spend in the rest of the world."

*

"I can understand why." Simon says quietly in between bites. "I'd probably feel a little strange bringing a date here." But it would be impossible to bring one to the school so it's definitely a better option. But he also can't afford to get an apartment yet either. "Berto, I don't want you to do any construction or demolishing but do you think you could open up some walls in here, the room I'll be staying, ground level and the roof to expose the steel girders? That way I can move around if I need to." Like if Waller attacks them from the air or ground.

*

"Hm. Girders I don't know, but most of the apartments do have modest balconies. Would those work?" Roberto asks. Then with a dismissive wave of his chopsticks, he adds, "You know, if not, we'll make it work. I am not going to start pinching pennies on this project. It could very well be the most important thing I ever accomplish."

He grins around the table. "And even if it's not, it's going to be the time of my life, surrounded by my favorite people in the world. I look forward to having both of you as neighbors."

At the question, Simon shakes his head. "No, balconies mean nothing. Remember, I don't fly. I phase into things. And while there are steel girders everywhere, I can't use them unless I can touch them. Same for exiting them, especially if I'm taking others with me. But if there are door sized girder exposed, then we can move around freely."


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