Summary:Anya and Gwen hang out at Gwen's appartment for a night off of hanging out, chatting, and watching movies. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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"I love you."
"I know."
Operation: Take the Night Off is now in full effect. On the TV screen in the Stacy apartment, Han Solo is being lowered into the carbonite, all to the satisfaction of Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Gwen, dressed in a cropped top and damaged jeans, is lounging on the sofa with her feet up on the coffee table (Hey, what Dad doesn't know won't get her in trouble), amongst an array of popcorn, soda, chocolate, pizza, corndogs, and all the good stuff. Her spider costume (with two bullet holes in the hood) is stashed away under her bed, right where it should be for the Night Off.
"Love this part," Gwen comments. It hasn't been an evening for watching movies 'politely', they've been on mostly as a backdrop for chatting and having fun. "Apparently they couldn't get it right until they just let Harrison Ford do what he wanted to do and just act." She bungs some popcorn into her mouth, and clasps her hands behind her head as the scene progresses. "This is still the best movie," she adds, "I don't car what anyone says."
Gwen, you nerd.
"Why does he have to be so dreamy?"
Anya is curled up on the other couch, wearing black tights, short denim shorts, and a black NIN t-shirt. Her shoes were flopped over in the corner, and she wiggles her toes at the epic line, positively swooning. "It's too bad he's, like, all old now and shit."
Slurping on a soda, she looks on as the carbonite is slammed into the ground and checked. "I don't hate the Ewoks though. And I didn't hate The Last Jedi. Honestly, people get so uptight about franchise movies, it's kinda stupid."
A pause, before she realizes that she does have an opinion about the other Star Franchise. "Cumberbatch as Khan was kind of a huge let down though." She's quick to recoil. "Not, like, him, you know? He's amazing. Just… really? Khan? Like it should have been that one guy with the glowing eyes, from like, the original series. Oh God, what was his name? My trek cred is seriously at risk here!"
On screen, the heroes are having a really bad day; but it's all in the name of entertainment, and Gwen has stopped paying attention for the moment. (It's not like she hasn't already seen this movie a hundred times, but it never gets old.) "Well, yeah, but I guess the benefit of being in a movie is we always get to see his younger, more beefcake look," she points out. "And he is pretty hot as Han Solo, no doubt about that." She pops some more popcorn into her mouth, before reaching for a fresh soda to crack the can open and down about half of it in one gulp.
"Mmmph? Cumberbatch, Khan? KHAAAAAAAAAN!" she laughs, and shakes her head, "Yeah, Into Darkness was kinda just… dim. Zoe Saldana as Uhura will always be awesome, though." She pauses, narrowing her own eyes. "The one guy with glowing eyes, from the original series? You're gonna have to be a little more specific, there was more than one of those. Unless you mean the Tholian Commander, from 'The Tholian Web'. …He had glowing eyes." She sips the coke again, "And… a rocky exoskeleton, and some really dated special effects, too."
"No that wasn't it GARY MITCHEL." She doesn't miss a beat between the recollection. "See, that would've been rad. Like, you're still doing the gag of bringing in some rando from the original series, someone who is just as awesome and just as badass, but… you know, you aren't replaying a story or trying to pass off some British dude as being from the East."
Anya pauses, and turns to peer at Gwen. "Wait. Was Gary Mitchel from Tholian Web? Are we thinking of the same episode?"
"Yeah!! That's him. And no, he's not from the Tholian Web, we're thinking of different episodes. I was thinking of the one where the meany-pants aliens were building a web around the Enterprise, but like, very very slowly, so you wonder why they'd bother." She giggles softly, and shakes her head. "But, yeah. I totally agree. Ricardo Montalban as Khan was awesome. Cumberbatch is awesome, but they should have used him for something different." Gwen pauses, purses her lips. "And, like, they should have done literally anything but what they did with Beyond. Idris Elba is completely awesome and was completely wasted in that movie. As was the rest of the talent."
Oh dear, it seems Gwen has gotten started; and judging by the light blush that creeps up her cheeks, she knows it, too.
On screen, the duel between Luke and Vader is just beginning. The lightsabers are out, and Jedi Hopeful faces off against Sith Lord.
"So what's your favorite?" she asks, grinning. "Trek? Or Wars?"
Anya can not help but grimace a little. "I, Uh… kinda… liked Beyond?" She shrugs. "Then again I love The Rise of Skywalker. Maybe I really just love it all except for, like, Jar-Jar and Cumber-Khan."
As for which she prefers, the young woman leans forward to snatch up popcorn. "Depends on my mood," she answers truthfully. "I mean, have you seen that Picard pilot? I can totally get it for you. It's gonna be so good. But Picard won't have Baby Yoda. But the Mandalorian won't have Seven of Nine."
Its an impossible call to make! "Phasers and Batleths or Lightsabers, you know?"
"Hey, fair enoug." Gwen holds her hands up in mock surrender, "I didn't like Beyond, but I can't and won't stop anyone else from liking it. We can watch it after this, if you like." Because they're totally watching it. Mostly! "The Picard pilot? No, haven't seen it yet… but if you can get it for me that'd be awesome. I meant to tape it, but forgot to set it, and I was kinda… out stopping a couple of muggings on the way home when it was on."
The soda is polished off, and the can sails through the air and into the garbage can in the kitchen, that normally sits under the sink but has been brought out for upgraded duty today.
"Yeah, it can be hard to pick sometimes," she agrees. "You know… I heard once that in the original script, it was all about Leia? Luke was the prince of Alderaan they were rescuing, but Leia was going to be the main hero of the whole thing. …Studio didn't like the idea of a woman hero though, so it got switched around."
"Seriously?" Anya exclaims, and turns around in the sofa to stare at Gwen. "I thought I knew everything about Star Wars!" She then grins. "Kinda reminds me about how Shatner cock-blocked the networks from being able to censor that scene when he kissed Uhura. You ever hear about that one? It's kind of epic."
She considers web slinging, and sighs dramatically. "It's been too long since we've all, you know, gone off and busted some heads. I don't think I've even seen Peter around since before New Years."
"Yeah… I'm not sure what Peter's up to right now," Gwen replies. "I think he broke up with Helena. I'm not sure what happened there, either." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Haven't had a chance to talk to him about it." She pauses, staring off into space, while on the screen Chewie, Leia, and Lando are in a running gun fight with Stormtroopers on their way back to the Falcon.
"I adore Luke, but I wish they had stuck to the original idea," she muses. "There's… I mean seriously, there are not enough girl heroes on TV by any stretch. Right? I mean it's not like we can't do it, look at us."
A bit more popcorn is sacrificed to satisfy Gwen's munchies. "I knew that kiss was epic, but I don't know the storry behind it," she adds, sitting up straighter and leaning forwards. "Please, do tell."
"Really??" Anya is momentarily shocked, then seems sad. It doesn't last long; a mischievous grin shows on her face. "So, I can totally start trying to hook him up with hot chicks again? Natch!"
As to the kiss, well. Story time! Crawling to sit cross legged, she leans forward, grinning. "So the networks wanted them to do a version without the kiss, because they were worried it wouldn't get aired in the South. Shatner's like, well that's stupid. Canadians, you know. So, it comes time to do the shoots, and they didn't have a way to review what's captured on film back then, not until the film gets developed. So Shatner keeps making them do the kiss take over and over and over and over; for one thing, he said he just liked kissing her. For another… well. He pushed them until they were literally running up against actor's guild limits for work day hours, and they had to do a take without the kiss. So, The Shat does a take without the kiss… and when he does it, he looks right into the camera, breaking the fourth wall, and crosses his eyes. Totally ruined the shot so they had no choice but to air the kiss."
Gwen laughs at the end of Anya's story, "That's awesome and I love it. Okay, Shatner get bumped up a few notches in the awesome book for that one. Proof that not all heroes wear capes."
The blond spider sits still for a moment, tilting her head to one side. "You know… honestly, thinking about it? That really does make him a hero, in a big way. I mean we go out and punch muggers and stop bank robbers and all that, and what we do is real and it matters, but… What he did? That was an act of defiance against racism. That's something I… I mean I don't think I've ever done anything on that sort of scale. I mean, what am I gonna do… punch someone for having a bad attitude?" Gwen scratches the back of her head, "I'm glad there's people out there willing to stand up and make those kinda statements," she says at last. "And I'll support them every darn time."
Anya flops back over on the couch, resting her head in her arms and staring dreamily at the television. "I know," Anya agrees. "Apparently Nichelle Nichols almost left Star Trek after season one. She ran into Doctor King, and he convinced her not to leave. Told her that she was allowing people to see not only a black person, but a black woman the way they should be seen." She looks over to Gwen with a grin. "You don't say no to Doctor King."
"No, no you do not." Gwen chuckles softly. "I've seen his speeches. We had a teacher when I was in junior high who made us all do a project on him. It wasn't actually on the school's curriculum, she just had us do it anyway. Best school project I ever did, I think. Or maybe just the most important." She rolls her shoulders, "Well, maybe I can't go out and march, but I'll keep wearing my pride button everywhere I go, just to show support."
Gwen perks an eyeborw upwards. "Uhm, I know this is the night off, but while it's in my head; keep an eye out for a lady who's black and white? Has a circle around once eye, likes guns, and put two bullet holes in my hood, which would'a been in my head if I didn't have my danger sense working that night. She's like some kind of demented oreo that's out for blood. …I may've… made her angry… but that's totally off the point."
A brief look is given to Gwen when she mentions the description, and her eyebrow shots up. "What, like, a tattoo?" she asks. Why on earth does that sound familiar? It's gonna bother her now, for a while. Her eyes go back to the television for a moment, when suddenly she bolts upright, knocking over the popcorn in the process.
Fortunately, a webline shoots out to steady it, and Anya catches the box with her stockinged toe, and it sticks. Only a few kernels spilt! "Gah! Damn. Sorry!"
Her eyes then settle on Gwen. Out for blood? "You don't think…."
Gwen just about bounces to her feet as well, being accustomed by now to having friends who know when something's about to go down before it actually does! But, her danger sense isn't goig off, and it turns out that all that's happening is a bowl of popcorn almost goes everywhere. Well, a few renegades make it, but that's what a vacuum cleaner is for. To be applied to the carpet vigorously. Before Dad gets home.
"Uhh… Dunno if it was a tattoo or just her skin," Gwen admits, "She might have Vitiligo. And I didn't mean out for blood literally, I… don't think she's a vampire, she was just trying real hard to shoot me in the face, which I usually take as rude."
"So rude!" Anya's voice lacks the bravado that might have been, had they been dealing with an actual vampire. Again. Seems she's less than impressed now, on all fronts.
"I'll keep an eye out," she promises, then scoots back into the cushions as the credits roll. "So, I moved into this place." She casts a look Gwen's way, and its hard to tell whether she's excited about the news, or possibly worried about what Gwen might think. "You know, so I'm not -" Up come her fingers, making quote marks. "- 'homeless' anymore."
"GOOD." Gwen pops a thumbs-up, and offers a big grin. "But you know, you've always been welcome to come here any time you need to, and you still are. I'll never turn one of my friends away, and especially not another Spider who's in need." She moves the popcorn to a more… safe location, while she's still got the presence of mind to do so.
"NOooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo!" comes from the TV screen, as Darth Vader gets around to telling Luke just who his father is.
"So… tell me about it! Apartment? House?" She grabs a piece of cold pizza. "Got lots of room? Need any help moving or decorating?" She finally gets around to biting off the end of the pizza, and chews as she watches Anya with rapt attention.
"Okay, so." Anya scoots around to face Gwen, and her eyes are twinkling with excitement. "There's this warehouse that the city condemned. Not because it's unsafe; because it's on the MTA power grid. Some kind of electrical mistake, and the company that ran it got busted for basically stealing a shit ton of power from the city. It's all tied up in red tape, and the city's just letting it sit. They're not gonna even try to deal with it for a few years."
She pauses to slurp some soda, and of course, to breathe. "So a bunch of beatniks, socialists and activists I know from NYU kinda took it over. Keeping it way on the down low, because, we don't wanna get busted. But, they were worried about gleaning enough power from the MTA grid that they'll get noticed." She grins. "Which is where I come in. I've got the whole building regulated, so the city won't notice a thing. There's ten of us living there; we're concerting this big space into a huge common room, kitchen, tables, a stage for bands and DJ's to play on.. and our bedrooms are huge. I might build a lab there or something."
"Anya, that sounds completely awesome. It sounds a lot more awesome than anything I was picturing in my head, I can guarantee you that." Gwen shifts around to face Anya, mirroring the other Spider's position, after snagging the pizza box with a webline of her own and depositing it between her and Anya.
"The city has got enough power that they can spare a bit for some activists and whatnot. And, heck, you're a superhero; you do enough work for the city that you don't get paid for, they can afford to cough up a little electricity." She shrugs lightly, "Lots of people would tell me that's not how it works, but whatever."
The blond Spider flashes a grin. "Huge bedroom though, hunh? Mine is barely big enough for my bed and a desk. …Sounds like you need a ginormous TV so you can watch cartoons in bed."
"I don't really care," Anya remarks in a point blank manner. "Capitalism is broken anyway. Beyond repair. We're just a bunch of harmless anarchists, y'know?"
As for the TV, to that she grins. "Or… an HD projector I found in a dumpster over on 132nd. Just needs a few things repaired and all, then I'll have her up and running."
Gwen snappoints towards Anya with both hands. "Right on both counts," she replies. "Capitalism sucks, and… an HD Projector is a lot more awesome than a big TV. Can you hook up an X-Box to it?" Gwen leans sideways against the back of the couch, and goes all dreamy for a moment. "You know… I've thought about moving out, before. But being at home while doing Univeresity always just seemed too good… and since Mom died, if I left then Dad would just… be alone, and I dunno if I can do that to him. I mean, I know I gotta get my own place eventually, just… I dunno."
Gwen stuffs another bite of pizza in her mouth, and mmphs. "So… how'd you find the place?"
"Oh yeah," Anya says. "It's got all the ports, HDMI, component, even has those old school RCA ports. And really, if it didn't, I could mod it."
As the conversation turns to Gwen's living arrangements, her excitement wanes a small bit. "I mean, if you don't have to, don't. The whole 'being on your own' thing is just a made up, Western expectation. A totally unrealistic one, if you ask me. Do it when you can, when it's right. And don't move far away, or I'll personally kick your ass."
To that she grins, then casually answers the other question. "I didn't find it, one of my friends did. They already had a party there. Couple of hard rules; no hard drugs. Weed and psychedelics are okay, but if you're gonna fuck with the latter, you gotta take care of your friends. No bad trips in The Collective."
Thats right. Her little off the grid, artists beatnik society is named after The Borg.
Gwen giggles softly, and shakes her head. "Don't worry. I can't imagine I'll ever leave New York. I've been to see other places, but… New York is the best city in the world. Maybe not the cleanest or the biggest or the most futuristic or… anything else, I guess, but it's just… the best. I don't know how to explain it."
The blond finishes off her slice of pizza, and lobs the crust for the garbage can without looking. She gets it, of course; is this stuff even a challenge anymore?
"Tell me the warehouse is cube-shaped," she asks, her tone shifting to something mischievous again. "Anyway. I'm really glad to hear you all have rules to look after each other. Honestly, those are the best rules, and the only ones that make sense." She pauses, and rubs her chin. "So… speaking of awesome… did I show you the anonymous Christmas present someone sent me?"
"It's more of a rectangle," Anya admits with a certain sadness, before snatching up another piece of pizza. "That's really the golden rule. Good vibes, and if someone has bad vibes, they're welcome there as long as they aren't toxic."
When word of an anonymous present comes up, Anya is clearly bitten in the ass by the gossip fairy. She raises it, perching on her toes in a position that would be uncomfortable to anyone who wasn't a spider. "You did not!" she exclaims. "Spill it, Gwen Stacy!"
Gwen bounces up to her feet. "Alright! One moment." Rather than walking around the couch she just jumps, touches her fingertips to the ceiling, swings her legs forwards, and lands… well, mostly on the other side of the room, after which she just disappears into her bedroom. "Wanna see the whole thing?" she calls out, "Yeah, you do, you do…"
There's some rummaging around for a couple of minutes, before Gwen reemerges. She's no longer wearing jeans and a shirt; now she is literally dressed up like She-Ra (from the new series), and is carrying a sword. Yes, that sword, or at least a replica of it.
"For the honor of Greyskull," she declares, before holding the sword out hilt-first to Anya.
Anya literally shrieks; it's a quiet shriek, but a shriek or excitement. "Oh my GOD!" she exclaims, and throws the pizza unceremoniously upon the coffee table before pouncing over it. "That is… someone got you that? ALL THAT??" She reaches for the hilt of the sword, fully expecting it to weigh like plastic.
The sword is metal, and while it's clearly intended as a show piece, if someone like say a Spider were to go swinging it, it would definitely hurt. A lot.
"You have no idea how surprised I was," Gwen confirms, blushing and grinning simultaneously at Anya's reaction. She glasps her hands behind her back, letting her friend have a proper look at the sword. "I think I know who did it, but I shouldn't say. But there were a couple people present when I mentioned how keen I am about the new She-Ra, once, in the presence of Angela Carpenter, who makes the best stuff and you should definitely go check out her workshop."
The sword almost drops; Anya is accustomed to holding back, one might say, and the actual weight of it takes her by surprise. "Holy…" she starts, and lifts it to inspect it with a critical eye.
"This is good," she starts to say, but when Gwen name drops Angela Carpenter, her eyes go wide. "Waiwaiwaiwait. I totally know her. She does a mean karaoke. Voice of an angel, I swear." She fixes Gwen with a critical look. "She definitely made this," she surmises. "Is it's like, a… favorite cocktail waitress thing, or, do you think…" Her eyebrows waggle in a suggestive way.
Gwen chuckles softly, and shakes her head. "No, nothing like that; this happened while I was still working at that tech-place, before I got the job at Luke's. So I'm not someone's favorite waitress… and I have absolutely no romantic prospects on any horizon." She pauses, and rubs her chin. "At least… none that I'm aware of. Haven't met any boys since… that one guy I dated in High School, which was a mistake, and which people tried to tell me was a mistake and I didn't listen. Anyway, the person that I'm pretty sure is responsible is already dating someone."
Gwen shrugs her shoulders lightly, and grins like a true, slightly awkward geek. "But, yeah, Angel made it and it's so awesome."
Well, Anya doesn't know quite what to make of that. It's not a romantic prospect… is it someone who knows she is Spider-Woman? Either way, she is easily distracted. The sword is offered back, and she sighs. "Tell me about it. I got so desperate I went to a swingers club and got with this couple. It was… alright." She shakes her head. "Sometimes I think I'm totally aloof to when people are flirting with me. Other times, I'm feeling flirty, and I think I intimidate people."
She slinks back to the couch and reclaims her pizza, admiring Gwen's outfit. "So like… who is it?"
"The costume? She's She-Ra. She's a cartoon show for kids… she's like… He-Man, but for girls." She shrugs, tossing the sword up behind her back and catching it with her other hand — a move that might be dodgy for anyone else, but is perfectly legit for a Spider. "She-Ra's awesome. The new show is on Netflix, and it's all about girls being cool. There's even a gender-fluid character in the latest season, and even the MAIN VILLAIN has no problem using they/them pronouns for them." She grins, "I mean, seriously, when even a cartoon villain can get pronouns right, everyone else should be able to follow suit."
"I'm gonna put my other clothes back on before I get pizza on this," she adds, placing the sword on a side table. "Be right back."
And she is, returning moments later back in her jeans and crop-top. "So… I know how you feel, about flirting," she adds, vaulting over the back of the sofa to land back where she was sitting. "I've never been very good at it, and I think I'm worried about it since highschool." She pauses, and quirks the corners of her lips up, "You don't intimidate people. Well except for when you actually want to. I wouldn't want to get in your way when you're in full Spider mode, you'd kick my butt."
"I mean, I recognize it," Anya admits, before listening to Gwen's description of the show. "Okay, I have got to check this out." Add it to the list, one might say!
As for flirting, she sighs and leans back into the couch, dramatically. "It's weird. Like, I love the way I dress, you know? I don't wanna be objectified, but I do. Like, from the right person. Does that make sense? But sometimes I dunno whether someone is being creepy, or just… into it." She leans toward Gwen, chin in her palm. "I'm just as likely to show up in ripped jeans, combat boots and thus old Nine Inch Nails shirt as I am to show up in full body latex and six inch stilettos. It's hard to get a read on people when I'm all over the place too. And the fact that I'm pansexual… that just makes it even more confusing."
"Don't ever change the way you dress over trying to find romance," Gwen replies. "Or… well, for any reason other than 'I want to'. The way you dress is an expression of you, and that's what it should always be." She pauses, and sighs herself. "But yes, I get you, completely. It totally is creepy when someone is staring at your chest and isn't coming up for air, or the first words out of their mouth are about your looks, or something. Like, just because I'm showing cleavage, doesn't mean I need your thoughts about it, buddy."
Gwen scratches the back of her head, and gets that lopsided 'I'm thinking' look for a long moment. "I… I dunno, Anya, I wish I had an answer for you. But I think all I've got is solidarity. My boyfriend I was with in High School treated me like a trophy. And I promise if I ever think anyone's treating you like that, I'll tell you."
"I don't," Anya defends. "But like, sometimes I want someone to appreciate that part of me. For what it is. Maybe something more? Just… not to a creepy degree."
She snaps her fingers and points at Gwen to her second point. "I don't want someone to ignore it. I dress that way for a reason. I just want it to be… genuine appreciation. Not some shit they saw on PornHub."
There comes an expression of genuine appreciation at Gwen's promise. "Don't tell me," she says. "Just web them in the face if it ever happens." To that she giggles, before grabbing a blanket. "Is it cool if I crash here? It's a long trip back to The Collective."
"I can one hundred per cent guarantee that they will be webbed," Gwen decrees. "They won't even see it coming. It'll be a long-range webbing; they'll be walking down the street and then suddenly" She waves her hands in the air "They'll be all AUGHwebWAThappenedTOME There's WEBONMYFACE."
Gwen winks, "It is totally cool if you crash here, Anya. That's always on the table. Dad's always been cool about that, if I have friends in the area and it's late, he'd rather they sleep here than walk home in the dark alone when it might not be safe." She pauses, and then in a wry tone, "Of course… takes a lot for it to be unsafe for us but he doesn't know that."
Anya laughs aloud at that, truly enjoying the camaraderie that only spiders can enjoy. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him," she quips, before pulling the blanket around herself. "Thanks, Gwen. I'll sling home at sunup," she says, before cuddling up in the warmth of wool.
Gwen smiles, "Well, stick around long enough to have some breakfast," she points out. "I have Rice Crispies, Frosted Lucky Charms, Cheerios, and Pop Tarts. Dad has Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran. You're welcome to any of 'em." She grabs a blanket of her own, and drapes it over top of herself. "Tonight has been a great night. We should take a night off slightly more often."