Summary:An evening at Luke's Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's been a low key sort of day. Thea's been busy keeping up with a bunch of errands and family visits. But it's time for dinner, and today that means meeting up at Luke's. A burger and fries sounds good after the soggy socialite salad she'd had to settle for at lunch with her stepmother and her paternal grandmother.
That bright red-gold of her hair has been done in careful styling, and her makeup is perfect. She's at least changed out of the designer duds into a much more comfortable pair of jeans and a simple silver blouse under her black leather jacket. Her eyes are their natural silvery-blue, and that silver scheme is continued in the simple hoops and pendant she's still wearing.
She'll push the door open and stroll for the bar with the comfort of someone who feels they're becoming a 'regular', scoping out the other patrons and their placement with a casual seeming glance.
Frank Castle told Thea he would meet her and Frank Castle is a man of his word. His head is freshly shorn, dark hair tight to his scalp. He wears a black jacket over an AC/DC t-shirt, jeans and boots with steel toes. He spots the pretty woman and approaches her with a grin spreading over his face.
"Fancy meetin' you here. This seat taken?" he asks, joining her.
Entering from the street comes a gentleman dressed in a EMT uniform 'C. McCormick' over the left breast pocket, a duffle carried over one shoulder. Eyes of deep green study the place, and then he finds a seat at the bar, not too close to anyone. The bag dropped by his feet, he spends a moment indulging in a stretch, and hen shakes hismelf as if to shed the day just passed and start afresh. Dark hair short, cheeks a bit scruffy with dark stubble, the man looks to the bartender. "I think I'd like some single malt, and a pint of draft please. Also…the nachos."
He's not paying too much attention to the others present at the moment, but he did at least note where they were seated.
There's a glance up, a hint of a laugh as she smiles. "I know, what are the chances?" She'll tease him back, a shift on her stool. "It's completely open for the taking." She's got just a bit of rising color in her cheeks. "I see you've been to the barber." She will signal for a bourbon, before eyes slide back to Frank. "But no straight razor shave?"
She lets her eyes slide over, taking in the face she doesn't know from her increasing visits to the bar. She nods in his direction, silvery-blue eyes sharp as she takes him in - noting the uniform. She will make a signal to the bartender, intimating without words that she'd buy his drink.
Frank Castle shakes his head, "I never let another man put a blade on my throat. I'll do it myself later," he says. "Plus, I hear some chicks dig the rugged look."
He notices Cain and especially eyes the duffel bag. He often transports weapons in such innocuous looking bags, so part of him wonders just what this guy's got in tow. He's worn an EMT uniform now and then to alleviate suspicion. But Frank…well, Frank is always suspicious. "You know that guy?"
The 'tender pours Cain's single malt, and draws him a pint, and then chin points to Thea. "Courtesy of the lady, sir." Cain perforce turns to follow that chin point to see both the lovely lady and the solid looking gentleman both eyeing him. He offers a truly friendly smile. "Thanks, miss. Curious…why?" His voice is moderately rough, but not -too- gruff, and his accent is pure upstate New York.
The duffel doesn't /appear/ to have anything that is likely to be a weapon, it looked pretty light, and didn't thump or thud when he dropped it. Still, could be something small? If it is anything more than just a duffel.
"I'm sure you'll do it in some overly macho way. A Bowie knife or something." Thea teases Frank, before she's chuckling. "So long as you avoid beard burn, I suppose it could be a look." She will tip her head, before she's /not/ looking Cain's way. "No. I was just checking him out." In her own special way, of course, is left unsaid.
She will turn her head, looking at Cain. One eyebrow lifts. "You /are/ an EMT, no? The uniform isn't just for picking up ladies, is it, Mister McCormick? People always thank the cops and the firefighters as heroes, but I think EMTs often get short changed." She sips at her bourbon, calm as can be before eyes flick to Frank. There's a low whisper to him. "More like me than you. I think he's legit."
Frank Castle watches Cain carefully nonetheless, "I can pull off a beard," he mutters as an aside to Thea.
Frank can't help but be menacing, it's somewhat built into his DNA, but there's no expression of hostility from him, just cool assessment as he lets Thea do the talking. He's not exactly super social.
Oh, that's okay, Cain is more than social enough for at least three people! Maybe four on a good day. His single malt is raised to the lady and her intimidating tablemate. "Well then, cheers and thank you." He toasts. "Yeah, I'm an EMT for three years now." He tosses back his scotch, and then leans back on the bar with his elbows, beer left sitting for the moment. "Cain, please…never liked the sound of 'Mister McCormick'." He takes it in stride she knows his name, he's wearing a jacket with his name on it for goodness sakes!
Noting their side conversations, he smiles then. "Anyway, thanks for the drinks." He turns about then and takes up his pint, taking a healthy draught from the tall glass, and sighing softly as he lets some tension out.
She will give Frank a sidelong look and a smile. "I'll be the better judge of that, if you let it grow in, I think." Frank, menacing? Not if you judge by the strawberry blonde he's sitting next to. Despite her black leather jacket nd straight bourbon, most people probably would not consider Thea threatening. She's not the girl next door, unless you live in the pricier uptown areas.
"Well, I'm sure you've taken your fair share of ribbing, with a last name like that." She says with a smile to Cain, a lift of her glass before she sips more bourbon. "You're welcome." She's studying him, just a bit.
Frank Castle nods, "Not a great name if you've got a brother. Make a man watch his back," he says with a grunt.
He takes a sip from his beer, a few long swallows. "But yeah. Doin' the good work, fightin' the good fight. Good for you, pal," he says. Of course, the last time he saw an EMT, he had to choke the guy out and jump out of the back of the ambulance. Cain probably knew the poor dude.
Cain doesn't judge anyone by the company they keep, and with his speedster senses he's scary good at reading folks, micro-expressions, tells…those are /so/ obvious to him that he has to consciously make an effort not to look if he wants to avoid seeing them. That said…both of these two are /really/ good at controlling them, he can sort of get a read, but not a good one. More than most, but not nearly what Thea's getting with her biokinesis. His body thrums with energy, his metabolism rapid, his body temp elevated as side effect of that, oddly, his his heart rate is very low, about half normal - but that would track for a phenomenal athlete. Most telling of all is his body chemistry is just plain off.
A snort. "Spice Boy, Spice Rack, Chili…no brother, nope, no sibs or family." He's clearly amused, still, they're talking to each other in asides and low tones, Cain doesn't want to intrude on the seeming couple.
Looking into one of the mirrors behind he bar, he raises his glass to Frank as he sort of compliments him, and yes, he did know that guy, Francis Sorrento, and really…CAIN has wanted to choke him a time or three.
"See, me? I would have gone with like… baby spice, or sporty spice." Thea says, eyes widening to attempt at a sort of innocent expression." She will let Frank's comment just slide without comment, finishing her bourbon. She will politely request another, and a burger - medium rare, with fries.
"I mean, that's a rough thing. Famous spice company /and/ a biblical name of less than stellar connotation? Rough as a kid."
Frank Castle smiles, "You ever hear that Johnny Cash song, 'A Boy named Sue'? That sort of thing can toughen you up awful good. I bet Cain here handled himself just fine. Probably still can, can't you, son?" he says.
His own food arrives, a salmon steak with a few steak fries on the side. Almost healthy, if it wasn't slathered in garlic butter. He casually stabs it with a fork and gives a nod at Cain's gesture.
"I kind of like Mel C." Former Sporty Spice, and yes, this said drily indeed. Ooh, NACHOS. Cain eats with unabashed good appetite, not /quite/ inhaling the massive nacho platter, but darn close. He does need another beer about half way through though. "Don't worry though, miss…left the ass's jawbone in my other duffle, so nothing to worry about."
Turning about again, he snags his duffel, grabs the rest of his nachos, and his second pint and just takes a seat with the two. "Easier to chat this way." He explains. The duffle is dropped again and still no thump or anything amiss sounding. But hey, he definitely doesn't lack for cheek. "Anyway, yeah, I can handle myself I guess. The biggest thing I've noticed? Keep your cool. you do that and you're already better'n most."
"…That was sporty, right? I liked her. Totally not stuck on herself." Thea says, a hint of a smile. "Ass's… oh, the Cain and Abel thing. I've not been big with church stuff in a long, long time." She will eye Frank's plate a moment, and he may see the idea to steal a bite. She won't move on it yet, though.
She will eye Cain again, as he moves closer. "Keeping your cool is generally a good life rule for everything, every day, isn't it?" It is if you ask Thea, who is at least usually cool and calm. Shut up, Frank.
After finishing his nachos and the second pint, Cain wipes his hands clean, and then offer Frank and then Thea a hand. "Nice meeting you, hope you have a great rest of the night, me…I'm going to call it a night." He smiles to Thea. "Staying calm is /always/ useful, no question." He zips up his jacket, and the grabs his duffle. "Night. Do nothing I wouldn't." *beat* "Which leaves a *lot* of options." He quips before heading to the exit, and then heading out.
Frank Castle nods, "Cool is a hard thing to learn. Most times you either have it or you don't. The ones that don't have it don't tend to live very long. Well. If you're in dangerous situations a lot. Which I imagine you are,' he says.
"Careful out there, man."
Thea will wave. "Take care of yourself." She'll offer to Cain, watching him go. Then there's a look at Frank. "See? Totally harmless. I don't know what his deal is, exactly, but he could eat like that seven times a day, and never gain an ounce. Super high metabolism, and energy like I've never seen." She'll shrug, as her burger arrives. Which is good, because Frank's salmon was starting to call her name.