Summary:Angela and Kurt have Hank over for dinner! Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's been a few weeks from the fallout of the RESCUE operation in the Ukraine, and Angela's been a bit busy with catching up on commissions. Fortunately, angels of the Lord don't need to sleep. Though it is nice once in a while.
At the moment though, the angel is not working, as she actually invited another guest over. Both for the purposes of knowing more of Kurt's friends, but also talking about RESCUE with Kurt in more detail since… well, she doesn't pay attention to the mortal world as much as she would like. And having someone who does around might help a bit more. Currently, Angela's working on a thai peanut stir fry, practicing a style of cooking that she hasn't had a need of in… well, it's been a while. But conversations always go better with food, anyway.
For Kurt, he doesn't know whom it is that Angela has invited over, just that they are having a guest. He is in the process of setting the table, setting out a bottle of wine to decant, and porting around the studio just making things neat and tidy for the soon to be arriving guest. "What do you think? Red or white with stir fry? I'm thinking a nice Pinot? Maybe a Sangiovese? I never know with these things."
Hank's a -little- surprised by the dinner invite, but sees no reason to decline. Not having any idea of the menu, he brings over a small box, white, wrapped by a white string, clearly a bakery box. He parks his beloved Bessy ('78 Ford Grenada he's reinforced and lovingly restored). Eyes of yellow study the studio, and then he unbuckles and moves to the door before knocking.
Angela hrms, "Considering it's pork… let's go with the Sangiovese, to be honest, I never really thought too much about that." She grins, "I'm about done here, but I think he'll be arriving soon."
Sure, she didn't tell Kurt who it was, but she does have a bit of a sense of humor. And besides, it's always the ones you least suspect for these kinds of surprises. She then hmms, "Did you want to get the door? I'm just finishing this up…"
"Sure…" says Kurt as he sets the Sangiovese down onto the table and ports over to the door. Taking a brief moment to straighten himself to look presentable, the demon-looking mutant opens the door with as pleasant a smile he can muster on his face, before blinking at the person standing on the other side of the door. "Hank?!"
Poor Kurt, Hank at least knew that Angie and Kurt were dating and is thus unsurprised to have the doorman be the Fuzzy Elf. Eyes of yellow greet…/glowing/ eyes of of yellow, and then he chuffs a short laugh. "She didn't tell you who was coming, did she?" A bow. "Hello Kurt, is good to see you." He stands with arms folded behind him, one grasping the other's wrist, and that hand in turn holding the small bakery box. Wryly. "May I come in?" He queries, eyes merry.
Angela isn't laughing, but she is grinning a fair amount as she shouts from the kitchen area, "Come on in, Hank! Kurt can show you around the private gallery for a bit."
She does, however, keep that smile as she finishes plating the table, getting everything done just so as cooking and food preparation is a form of art unto itself, and she does like it when everything lines up properly.
Kurt Wagner says, "No…no she didn't." the Fuzzy Elf says as he glances back to the angel, an amused look on his face. He steps aside, to let Hank come inside, "I see you have had some…changes yourself? What happened? Last I saw you your attempts to make yourself look less…like this were successful."
Kurt moves into the room, and walks over to open the wine. "How have you been, mein Freund?""
"Hello, Angela." Hank answers, and then nods to Kurt. "Oh, well, little bit of a tiff led to reversion, and then some." Hank's smile is a bit lessened as he speaks of this. And then grips Kurt's shoulder. "All is well, now, though." A rather fangier toothy grin. "Come, let us not keep your girlfriend waiting, mm?" He squeezes. "And you didn't say anything? For shame."
Hank enters and offers Angela the box, scenting the air with a brief flare of his nostrils, and then a smile of approval. "I did not know what to bring drinks wise, so I thought 'I'll just bake'." The box is offered to Angela, inside are a half dozen fresh baked chocolate eclairs. In the thick band of chocolate are chibi faces - fuzzy elf and adorkably cute angel.
Yes. He's a brat too!
Angela sighs, "It's alright Hank, I think he doesn't like to have it known he's dating an older woman." She grins, "I hope pad thai is alright? This is a stir fry version I've been working on for a… while, I always find something new to tweak with it, so here you go."
Then she sees the eclairs and can't help but laugh, "Oh, those are precious… I'll feel horrible eating them though!"
"Well, it isn't like I have seen you to tell you…" Kurt smirks to Hank, "And yes, she is such the cradle robber. I don't know how she lives with herself." Beat. "I'm sorry, I know that your breakthrough was very meaningful for you. To see your progress reversed must be hard. Why didn't you call?"
Kurt pauses as he looks down at the eclairs, and the chibi faces on them with a chuckle, "I won't. Do I even need to have dinner?" the elf says as he starts to reach a tri-fingered hand towards the box.
"Oh, I understand, been spending a lot of time in the city, working with the universities, SHIELD, and most recently with RESCUE, including an overseas mission just a couple weeks ago." Hank grins. "Roughly 571.42 times your own age if my research is accurate." A grin. "Granted, I had to make some extremely rough guestimates, but…" A shrug. "At that point, really, I'd say the wheel has turned enough to be irrelevant."
The more serious question draws a sigh. "Been wrestling with my inner demons, haven't bene spending time with /anyone/, possibly I've wrecked my relationship with Betty, we're working on it, but…rough patch, and all on me."
A smile to Angela. "I'm happy to say it smells /amazing/, Angela. And please, DO eat them, I took digital photos I can email if you like."
Angela laughs a bit, and swats Kurt's fingers playfully away from the box lid, "Oh no, I've spent about three hundred years tweaking this recipe, and you're going to enjoy it mister." With that, she gives Kurt a peck on the cheek, then smiles at Hank, "That… sounds about right, really. But yes, the mission to the Ukraine was definitely interesting." She pauses, and gives Kurt a wry look, "To be honest, that's one I definitely wish you were there for love, because it would be nice to have you there. And not just to lean on for the long flights."
Looking between the two, "Ow! Ok, ok…I'll eat!" Kurt withdraws his swatted fingers away from the box and mockingly placing them in his mouth for a second like they actually hurt. "Oh? What happened? I didn't know Henry was part of RESCUE, you didn't mention his name when you told me teammates, or if you did I must have been tired because it didn't register."
Kurt looks back to Hank, a look of sadness on his features. "I'm sorry, Hank. I hope things work out with you and Betty. I mean, if it would help sooth anything I still have that image inducer around. I can let you have it. I've gotten more comfortable 'just being me', since I have been with Angie."
"I confess, I am gratified…I had given up at that point, Angela, it became…meaningless." The age calculation, he just happened to stop at about the right time - ish. "I am sure we'll all enjoy it, Angela." Hank sighs, a little growl thrumming through him. "It was…a fluster-cluck, you mean?" A firm nod. "Still, it would have been a massacre without our intervention." He follows Angie's gaze to Kurt, and then nods. "You'd have been invaluable, and I think that the top brass at RESCUE are very much intrigued at the thought of a teleporter, I'll introduce you sometime if you've any interest. I wasn't actually part of the team then — that changed just recently, in fact."
Hank blinks, then chuffs a soft laugh, though…bittersweet. "Oh, the fur doesn't bother her, it was that I basically went awol /after/ we'd agreed I should move in with her." A sigh. "She met me originally as fuzzy Hank, and that's when we first started to hit it off." A fond smile. "And then I tossed a sabot into the works myself."
Angela nods, "Yes, I didn't know Hank was on the team until I was along for the Ukraine trip. And yes, that was definitely a Charlie Fox, I believe is the technical term. Otherwise I would have mentioned Hank being on the team sooner, but after the Ukraine trip I've just been so busy…" She smiles a little over at Hank, "Though I do hope that things work out for you there. If you need any advice, well… I'm not sure I have the right perspective, but I could try."
She then looks over at Kurt, giving him a warm smile, "Well, you really are the best when you're you, and not someone else. It's one of the reasons why I feel about you the way that I do." And she definitely looks like she means it, as she sits down at the table.
Kurt Wagner says, "The more Angie has told me, the more it sounds like you could use someone like me. Not that she has told me all that much mind you. You know me, Hank, if I can help, I will. As for the fur, well, I never said the image inducer was for her benefit Henry. I know it has been a bit of…frustration for you. I don't know, I just thought that maybe if you looked in a mirror and saw something else, it might help. But maybe not."
Kurt's quiet for a uncomfortable moment, and then moves to open the wine. "So, what happened in the Ukraine?""
"Much appreciated, both of you, but we'll manage. And…I'd know I'm still fuzzy, the image inducer should stay right where it is, in case of emergency. /I/ am known to be fuzzy, Kurt, you need not be." And Hank is a famous scientist, world renowned in a couple of fields even. He does pause. "Though, I'll remember to try and be less closed off."
A soft 'Mmm'. "You'd be of great aid, Kurt. Redefining rapid response." He ponders a bit that last question. "We were there to pick up an 80's era Russian designed 'super jet' for RESCUE, we just happened to be there during a raid by rebels led by Titanium Man, and two iterations of the Crimson Dynamo. Long and the short, innocent lives were lost. Fortunately we were there or it would have gone from 'lost lives' to 'total massacre including civilian refugees'." A sigh. "Bit of a debacle, but not an utter disaster."
Angela nods, "Well, you're more than welcome to visit here if you want. As I mentioned on the plane, Toni hired me for my ability to fix things, not for busting out flaming swords and carving through Crimson Dynamos." She chuckles, "No mortal armor yet has been forged that can stop my blade, thank you."
She then hmms, "Honestly, the reason RESCUE took me on in the first place was, well, as an Angel of Creation, I can just intuitively know how to fix things. I mean, I might not understand what it is, but I can repair it so it works." Which is quite a gift, really, though one she doesn't always show off.
Kurt frowns, listening to the recant of the trip to the Ukraine. "I wish I was there, I could have helped. People don't tend to like it when I port them, but I think they would much rather I port them out of danger than die." The Elf sighs, popping the cork on the wine bottle and pouring out glasses, offering one to Hank, another to Angela. "I should have been there." he mutters, taking a sip.
"I am truly grateful of two things, Angela - first, that a person with your gifts exists, and second that those gifts are not mine." Hank smiles. "I don't think I could stand /not/ understanding what I was doing, it would drive me mad." A soft laugh. "The flaming sword bit, though, /that/ could be fun. Though Kurt is a far better swordsman than ever I could be."
He looks to Kurt, accepting his glass of wine, and then grips the fuzzy elf's shoulder. "You couldn't have known, and I will be happy to introduce you to Doctor's Kelsey and Ho, mm?"
Angela nods, "Yes, we should definitely introduce you, and there's no way you could have known, love." She smiles warmly at Kurt, "Trust me, there's nothing to be gained by kicking yourself on things beyond your control."
She then gives Hank a wry look, "Though, well, Kurt is a far better fencer than I am, by far. I just have more… all around knowledge. Not quite so specialized."
Kurt Wagner says, "It's doesn't hurt I have a third appendage with which to use a sword in." Kurt smirks, "Gives me a slight advantage."
He looks between the two, and lifts his glass to his lips for a sip, "Yeah, I think I would like to meet these people. See if I can help, if they want it." The Elf looks to Hank, "You not knowing what you were doing would drive you absolutely batty, Hank.""
Hank doesn't waste any time, he takes out his phone and sends a pair of texts off, then emails Kurt with the location details. "I'll let you know when they are up for meeting you, Kurt." And then he adds. "Besides, kicking you is something for Angela, or myself to do."
A sip of his wine, and then winks. "Ape-excrement batty, yes." He agrees. "I guess a bona fide Angel of the Lord is better wired to take things on faith than a hyper curious monkey boy."
Angela snickers, "Oh, I don't kick people, unless it's absolutely required. I stopped being an active Angel of Vengeance around three thousand years ago, in favor of my current job." She tilts her head, and nods, "And yes, we should definitely set up a meeting with the others."
She then grins a little, "It's a bit easier to take things on faith when faith is what you are, more than anything else." She winks at Kurt, then takes a sip of her wine.
Kurt smirks, "Don't make me kick both of you almost simultaneously, because I can do it you know. Don't make me prove it, just take it on faith…" Kurt grins, coiling and using his tail as a makeshift stool. "Maybe I should just do it to spite the two of you."
"Well of *course* not, Angela." Hank splutters, though…yeah…deviltry is afoot by the look in his eyes. "You tend to cut them up into seared chunks when you have to." There it is. He laughs, chuffs, then laughs again as Kurt threatens double kickery. "Actually…I've seen him do it, in fact if I recall correctly you then did a back flip over a third target, wrapped your tail around their throat, and then tossed them into two more thugs rushing in where…" Slyly. "…angels fear to tread."
Angela chuckles, "Don't think your teleportation tricks can keep you from being bamfed to the couch, Kurt." She winks at Kurt with that, looking quite amused at the exchange as she passes a sidelong look at Hank, "I would prefer not to resort to violence, but well, if it is being forced upon me…" A slight shrug, as she seems to embody 'won't start nothing, won't be nothing.'
The Elf might blush a bit as the blue tinged skin/fur around his cheeks darken a bit as he clears his throat. "Well, er…yes. I am sure the kickery might have me banished…but maybe it's worth it. Probably not, " Kurt mutters quietly. "I'd much prefer the nice Angie to a vengeful one."
Hank takes a moment to don his reading glasses, and then taps the side, before typing on air after they morph into a yellow visor. The outline of a 'screen' appears in the air and he smirks as calls up some image files of a 'Bamf', a chibi-Nightcrawler. It then slides over to one side of the screen, rotating, and then he programs a swarm of them dragging Kurt off to the couch. All the while Hank smirks, and fights to control his giggling.
He succeeds too…mostly. Kinda."
Angela snickers at the display, then looks wryly at Kurt, "Well, to be fair, the Assyrians felt the same way." She winks, then looks over at Hank, "That is an amazing piece of equipment. Holographic display?" She does know a little bit of more advanced tech, just because she works with Toni and the others.
Kurt folds his arms over his chest as he glowers at Hank, a smile hiding behind the scowl on his lips. "Henry McCoy, and here I thought you were my friend. With friends like you, who needs the Brotherhood!"
Hank just can't help it, the glower just has him giggling. FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS of giggle is both mind-boggling, and infectious. "I…I am sorry, mein freund." He snickers a few moments more, then wipes at his eyes. "I promise not to post that on YouTube." He smiles then to Angela, and activates two more screens, and a projection also of the keyboard. "Thank you. My own design." He removes the visor, then offers it to her after he does some really rapid typing. "There, you have access to the systems…nightvision, thermal, micro and telescopic vision…onboard computer, comm system…the best I could cram in."
Angela blinks, "Well, that is quite impressive…" She hmms and tries on the visor, tilting her head curiously as she murmurs, "Incredible." She then glances over towards Kurt, "Brotherhood? Guessing that's a patriarchal organization of villains or something?" She pauses, then grumbles, "Very patriarchal, from the sounds of it."
"No your not," Kurt says with mock anger. "You are not sorry in the least, but that is ok. I'll just add hair dye to your shampoo when you aren't looking. I'm thinking puce. Maybe lime green, or if I am really feeling adventurous maybe a firehouse red. OH! Royal Purple!"$R$RKurt nods to Angela "Something like that, yeah."
Hank beams as Angela checks out the visor, Hank even had it setup with a small tutorial window so she could get the full experience. Once she's done, he reclaims it, dons it and then morphs it back to reading glasses, rather nerdy ones at that, which he tucks away.
He grins at Kurt, and then nods. "Well, maybe a /little/." A snort at the thread. "Make sure the dye chosen is unscented, I'll notice otherwise." He taps the side of his nose.
And then Angela. "A group of…ne'er do well Mutants, led generally by a cadre of men, yes."
Angela hmphs, "Well, that would explain why they aren't terribly successful." She grins a bit, handing the visor back over to Hank, then considers, "Actually, I think a nice chartreuse would be perfect for him, Kurt. If you would do such a dastardly act anyway that I would in no way support, that is."
"Of course you wouldn't, Angie. You wouldn't condone such a thing ever, I am sure." Kurt says deadpan, as he grins over at Hank. "Heck, maybe I will just port to the ceiling and dump it on ya. Can't smell that coming…until it is too late!"
"Oh my stars and garters…" Hank mutters.