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It's winter, and that means it's cold outside. Which means that, for a few months at least, Ava is less likely to be wandering the streets of Manhattan and more likely to find a place where she can stay inside. It doesn't hurt that a SHIELD salary means she actually has a little bit of money for things like buying drinks, even if that usually means nursing a coca-cola for several hours.
The Cigar Factory is is one of the few places not in M-Town where it's known that mutants and metas can come and have a drink, maybe do a little training, and by and large be left alone. Which means it's an excellent place to keep your ear to the ground about the local meta community. That's going to be Ava's excuse if anyone asks her why she was here all day, at least.
The redhead is currently seated at the far corner the bar, a now-warm bottle of coca-cola sitting in front of her as she idly watches the people starting to trickle in for the evening. Jeans and an oversized coat mean she fits in well enough just by scruffiness, though she looks a little on the young side.
*
The fall semester ended for Teddy with his last final earlier. He celebrated by going to Central Park and enjoying the snowy landscape while eating hot chestnut's and a salty pretzel that he bought from a cart. Dinner of champions. To wash it down, he looked for a place to get a cheap drink or three, settling on a place called the Cigar Factory. He didn't mind if it was filled with negroes, though that doesn't mean they wouldn't mind that he wasn't one. But surprisingly, it doesn't seem to be an issue and he's parked near the end of the bar with a drink.
*
Even though he's moved his stuff out of the Shepherds' respective houses and in with the Maximoff twins, Tommy still goes back to his… adoptive? Birth? Whatever they were, the people who occasionally called themselves his 'parents' (Like, y'know, especially on April 15th when he meant a deduction) still had (now mostly empty) rooms for him to sleep… and he'd stop in for visits.
He'd also visit his best friends at these houses; Frank's wallet, and Mary's purse. For one thing, if he stopped coming by and money stopped disappearing, that'd clearly be proof that he was the culprit. Can't have that can we? More importantly, it was the holidays and there was /someone/ in his life who would probably start moping eventually that they were missing a certain boyfriend who may or may not exist anymore.
So Tommy's decision was simple; introduce Billy to the Tommy Shepherd School of Forgetting All The BS. Which meant telling his brother to get dressed, waiting the MILLIONS OF YEARS (read: few minutes) it took for /that/ to happen… and then slinging the poor guy over his shoulder for a run through the streets and to the Cigar Factory, where Billy is set down on the oak floor. "Alright, bro." Tommy starts, pushing those ski goggles back up on his forehead, and straightening out the collar of his leather jacket. "Lesson number one. You're going to drink. This isn't negotiable, or I'm gonna tell Steve that you turned a puppy into a chicken because you wanted fresh eggs for breakfast or something. Got it?"
Meanwhile, /he's/ going to check out the talent in the place. That way he'll know which direction to shove Billy, and which one to wander himself once he's talked the dark-haired twin up enough.
*
Billy was dressed, like, nice. I mean, not super nice or anything— but he did not look like he just rolled out of bed and had wrinkles and a mess of a hair. Then suddenly he's yelping and Tommy is vooshing them and by the time he comes off of Tommy's shoulder, he tries for a slug at his brother's shoulder— and not gentle, either. Of course, successfully hitting Tommy is fairly hard if he decides he doesn't want to get slugged. He's panting and a little wild eyed. "You jerk, god, my hair." He tries to get his hair patted back down into place, and he's protesting about him NOT going to be drinking, then Tommy makes that threat. Its a perfect threat. 'Steve' would exile him to the Mirror Universe to be grounded for a week or something.
He narrows his eyes upon Tommy, his fingers wiggling a litlte it, and for exactly two seconds he gives serious thinking to turning Tommy into a rabbit. But he sighs, giving in. "I suppose I could try a beer." He sounds very dubious about this, "Uhh, I have no idea what kind of beer isn't gross." It might be that Billy is more an 'appletini' type, but since those haven't been *invented* yet, that particularly froofy drink won't be available.
*
Ava reaches the end of a little bowl of peanuts, picking it up and giving it a few shakes to check if any shell has been left unturned. No such luck. "You know," she notes to the bartender, taking a spare sip of her drink. "You should hire a real cook. Make…I don't know, sandwiches or something. Hot dogs, even. People would drink more. And if they were also eating, then they would stick to beating up the punching bags," she adds with a faint smirk, tipping her chin toward a bar stool that's been repaired with a couple pieces of pallet taped around one of the legs.
The bartender snorts, taking the empty bowl of shells to toss it behind the bar. "Sure, but then what kind of charm would the place have?" he smirks back, earning a grin from the young woman.
As new arrivals step inside, Ava sits up a little straighter, taking another drink along with their measure. Not quite the usual crowd here. Interesting.
*
Teddy looks up as he hears some magic words. Hot dog. He could go for a hot dog right about now. He should have got one when he got the pretzel. Maybe there's a cart nearby. He still has half a bottle of beer so merely looks toward the doro in speculation, his gaze passing over and then lingering on some twins.
*
There was a brief temptation to run off when he noticed the punch, visit a bakery, steal a pie, return and let Billy punch the pie /instead/… but instead Tommy stays put and braces instead, taking the hit.
"Okay, I deserved that one. If another one comes, though, you're waking up bald." Tommy replies with a smug grin. "..and yes, you /can/ try a beer. They're all gross until you're on… you know, the third one or so. That's when," Hey, that redhead's cute. He'll keep her in mind. "…it starts to…" wait, that blonde guy over there. There's something /familiar./ Tommy's staring, and waving a hand over in Billy's direction to try and pull his attention in the same direction as his own.
He'll likely end up smacking Billy in the face a few times in the attempt, though, since he's not /looking/ at the dark-haired one.
"Yo, over there. See anything interesting?" he asks, dropping his tone low.
*
"Mess with my hair and I'll let Steve ground me as I open up the properties panel and turtle your speed, Speed." Billy mock-glares at Tommy, even as he claims a seat and eyes the bar for a long moment, "Wait, you have to drink two before you even start LIKING them? Maybe there's something that's not gross. I like me some virgin eggnog, but don't you traditionally put.. something in it to turn it into a party juice? Maybe that's a better plan then— will you stop waving at me, what?"
And with that, Billy glances all covertly over towards the blond guy, and he hesitates. He does look vaguely like someone he used to know. Or. Will know in the future. Or did know. Augh, time. But, trying to grab at Tommy's hands and restraining them from doing anything absurd like flapping his face a few times, "Yes, he looks interesting. But you can't stare at dudes here, they apparently like kill you for that." is added with a very quiet tone, "Instead of just beat me up. I lear- hey." He notices Ava, and blinks, "I know her. Well, not know know, but there was this fight and she does electricity too"
*
Ava, SHIELD agent, with years of Red Room knowledge in her head, has been made. By the dorky looking kid.
The shame will never end.
For a split second, her eavesdropping results in one hell of a surprised look when Billy spills the beans. And then she gets control of herself again, hiding her expression with a long drink from the bottle that actually leaves it empty. The bartender smirks when she sets it back down, arching a brow back at her and earning himself a grumble as she hops down from the stool.
"You do not want to drink the beer here," she announces as she reaches the twins, smile wry. "Stick to the liquor."
*
And… the twins look over his way. Teddy's gaze briefly meets Billy's and he's quick to drop his eyes. No, he wasn't checking out the twins thankyouverymuch. He was… looking at Ava. Yes, that's it. The girl. Who conveniently is walking over to the twins. That's why he was looking, yes indeed. "It's not that bad." Which is hardly a glowing review.
*
"I dunno. You with pink hair in pigtails /could/ be worth it." Tommy replies, reaching up to rub at his chin as he considers the fellow who shares his face. "For the sake of all the babes I'll impress by running off to Berlin for some /real/ chocolates? You probably should make sure you never have hair long enough for pigtails. Just saying. Because you'll never find all the polaroids." Tommy replies, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't care. Let 'em try." …and yes, that hesitation was noticed. Billy saw something too. Tommy's had the same thing happen before; but he was the only one around. It's that feeling when the two sets of memories just don't want to play nice together, and Tommy's had no way to explain it, and finally Billy notices it and he's going to have an answer to all the questions that have bothered him for so—
…wait, girl? Just like that, Tommy's focus shifts to Ava. Can fight. Electricity. Electricity's fast. He can relate to that. Can he outrun it? It might be fun to get zapped just to try. If a girl were capable of zapping him, Tommy's mouth would probably get him zapped… and then she's talking.
Putting on one of his well-practiced smiles and tucking a loose strand of platinum hair back into place, Tommy gives a nod in Ava's direction. "Thanks for the tip, sweetheart… I'll admit, I was kinda hopin' to see him keep drinking until he decided taste was a color and that purple polkadots were his. Anything you'd recommend for the virgin here?" A thumb's jabbed over in Billy's direction, before a glance back to Teddy, and a laugh. "It's cool. I probably shouldn't put him through /that/ much torture anyways." …just enough to forget the troubles. "I'm Tommy, he's Billy, I'm guessin' you two have names too, right?"
*
The look that Billy has for Tommy is sour to the point of fondly vexed, "I. don't. do. pink. I'm not that gay." And as that word currently means 'happy' and won't mean homosexual for like a decade, its strangely safer to use then anything else. "Almost, but not that much." He adds after a moment's hesitation and evaluation. "I need to work on my range, I can't pop off to Germa— Oh hi." He finally notices Ava's coming over, and blinks a moment, and Tommy's introducing him and wait calling him WHAT?!
Billy flushes, and under the table an arc of electricity zaps over to strike Tommy in the knee: assuming he doesn't zip away to dodge. Not that its a lightning bolt, just a zap. No one noticed the bit of flash of light under the table, right? He leaves the question of his virginity OFF THE TABLE, though his face won't un-red, and he takes a much longer thought to consider turning Tommy into a six legged mutant turtle. "Now we have mixed reviews. The lady says the beer is bad— though I'm not entirely clear what the definition of liquor is if beer doesn't included in it, while the gent says its fine. And Tomtom here says all beer is bad until number three. Maybe I'll stick to a soda pop."
*
"It's not that bad if you get something in a bottle," Ava edits her statement on Teddy's comment, lowering her voice as she leans in a bit. "Do not drink from the tap, though." Tommy may be playing it smooth, but Billy's the one who recognized her, so it's Billy who gets the considering look, and most of her attention when she introduces herself. That zap under the table probably contributes to that.
"I am Ava," she introduces herself, and while she doesn't seem to have much of an accent in general, there's the slightest touch to her name that says she isn't from around these parts. Not originally at least. "And personally, I would stay with the vodka. Very hard to ruin vodka."
*
"I didn't say it's fine. I said it's not that bad." Teddy corrects, lifting his bottle to reinforce what Ava says. He hesitates a moment then slips off the stool and walks over to the twins' table so they're not talking across ten feet. "I'm Teddy. I like Manhattans." he tells Billy. "I was going to have one next. You should try one."
*
Nope, Tommy /doesn't/ zip away to dodge this time, having been thoroughly distracted — but when he gets zapped? That's when he moves too fast. Kinda like Jim Carrey in one of his fits of animation, except played in fast forward. So much for subtlety. Not that Tommy cares, though.
"Damnit. Wasn't a punch. You keep your hair today." Tommy replies, grumbling — although the tone is fond enough. They're brothers (now). They pick on one another. It's how things work. "Well, there you have it, Bills. You've got two recommendations from our new friends. Me? I'm thinking the vodka because a girl with green eyes that look like /that/? Doesn't tend to be wrong. But the question of the hour is… what's in your glass?" ….and he might be humming the Jeopardy theme. About three or four months too early.
*
"Manhatten." Billy says quickly: come on, he's going to go with Teddy's suggestion for the exact same damn reason as Tommy was going to go for Ava's. Just tuned opposite. He nods his head, and rises up, "First round's on me." Meanwhile, he gives Ava a dimpled look of pure innocense: he didn't zap anyone, you didn't see anything. Then again, she already knows he can do things. His 'innocent' look is almost impossibly bad. It would likely not fool a kindly old lady. "So, two Manhattens and two vodkas?" He looks between them all for confirmation.
As an aside he glances over to Tommy, "Ixnay on-yay irgin-vey, ickday headyay." is murmured with a narrowed eyes, before he looks between the blond jock and Ava, "Nice to meet you, Teddy." Beat, "Oh, and Ava." But he's NOT LOOKING AT TEDDY at all except a little. ~ 1963 sucks ~ he repeats as a mantra in his mind.
*
"Vodka tonic," Ava chimes in with a look to the bartender and a tap of her finger on the bar. Which means there isn't actually going to be any vodka in it, but he's going to get paid like there is, which means everyone gets to be happy. Including Ava's paranoia. She glances between Billy and Teddy, marking a few things before she lets Tommy have the attention. Because clearly he wants it.
"You two are new here," she observes, smile crooked. "So is Teddy, I think. Why this place tonight?"
*
Teddy glances upwards a moment, lips moving silently as he translates the pig latin. And then he grins. "It should have been 'eadhay'" he says then looks over at Ava. "I was nearby and it didn't look expensive." Because college students don't have a lot of money. At least most don't. "The semester is over and I want to go explore different parts of the city."
*
Oh, yes. Tommy wants the attention. Tommy wants everyone's attention, generally, waving his plumage around like a mighty peacock for all to see. Billy gets a subtle (for Tommy) thumbs up. Benefit for Ava? She's a redhead. So far only brunettes have ended up being long lost relatives. So she gets to see him in his natural glory. "I know, I know. You'd remember a face like mine if you saw it. Even under his hair." Tommy replies, winking towards Ava. "We're from out of town; just recently moved to the city." Partial truth. /He's/ from out of state. Or was. "Billy here needed to get out of the house, and loosen up a bit, so I figured I'd find the nearest place that looked interesting in order to make that happen."
Teddy gets a most mature sticking out of Tommy's tongue once he realizes what the moving lips are doing, though. "Which college?" he does ask; it's a topic that's come up recently. Hearing different viewpoints could be good.
*
"See, since 'h' is such a soft sound, when its followed by a vowel, I figured I should use the vowel-default yay sound. Heck, 'h' is hardly a sound! Its like just an exhale." offers Billy up with a quick dimpled grin and a little shrug even as his voice waxes philosophical, then he heads to the bar and pulls out some cash. He makes the order, and leans on the bar, watching the folk over there as he waits for them to be finished. "I'm starting college next semester." he offers up, "I've been accepted to a couple, but don't know which I'm going to go to yet. Which… is sorta bad, since I keep putting it off. I'm either going to be a math major and solve the mystery of the universe, or a chemistry major and make the most awesome drugs ever." Pause, "By 'drugs' I mean non-recreational." He coughs a moment. The drinks done, he eyes them a moment, and grabs all four with his hands, and manages to carry them over to the table in a terribly unlikely display of dexterity, balance and poise. Of course, he's cheating and really carrying them with telekinesis.
He does protest, "I don't need to loosen up! I'm like, totally chill."
*
"You just debated the linguistic requirements of pig latin," Ava points out with a smirk at Billy's protest. "That is not chill." She reaches for her glass, the one with a circle of lime on the rim, to take a sip once the drinks have arrived. "Which is for the best, if you plan to be making drugs and solving the mysteries of the universe. What about you?" she asks Teddy. "What are you going to school for?"
Tommy, notably, does not get the school question. It seems she's assumed that's not exactly his speed. Not that she seems bothered by the idea herself.
*
"Just the city college." Teddy answers, shrugging a shoulder. "It's cheaper than most and I'm not really sure what I want to study so my mom thought I should get the beginning classes out of the way there while I figure that out. Plus I can get my grades up." He's not really the best student though he's not the worst either. Once Billy and the drinks arrive, he downs what's left in his bottle and swaps it out for a Manhattan.
*
"Non-recreational. Codename: Party pooper." Tommy points out with a cheerful smirk. "But, y'know, I guess there's a market for curing cancer and stuff, and if you do that you'll make lots of money, then come the big fancy hours and cars and the good stuff like that." Tommy replies. Ava gets a grin, and a thumb pointed in her direction. "See? She's on my side in this one. It's like she's known you all your life, Billy." Tommy adds, reaching for his own drink as well.
He drinks, and starts by drinking more than he should in order to impress… and having his eyes bug out /just/ a little. It's not his first, not bad far, but it was stronger than he expected. He's not going to complain about it, though. "Nothing wrong with saving some green, especially if you're having trouble with the books. Means you can hire a smart tutor to help you out." Beat. "Like him." Thumb towards Billy, and green eyes /might/ be watching for the reaction.
*
"Just because I'm a nerd doesn't mean I'm not chill." counters Billy to Ava with a dimpled grin, not even kind of bothered by the nerd label. He takes his own Manhatten, and eyes it warily, and doesn't quite drink it yet. He nods encouragingly to Teddy, "Nothing wrong with city college, especially not for the first year or two. Dad's a doctor and mom's a nurse so I'm lucky, they've been putting away money for a college fund since I was born. So I don't have to worry about money. I'm very, very fortunate, I do understand."
He harumphs at Tommy, then takes a gulp of his drink, and his eyes practically bug out. Coughing and wincing, he has difficulty breathing for awhile— and hey, a Manhatten is actually a bit on the sweet side. Wheezing, "That's..good." he lies, wiping athis eyes, and adding distractedly, "I used to tutor kids in high school, can totally like help out. Math and science are my best subjects, though the humanities are … okay you know how I mentioned nerd?" he waves at himself with a quick, faint flush.
*
Ava watches Tommy play up his brother with a glimmer of amusement in her features, taking another sip of her drink. She can appreciate the work that goes into playing two people into where you want them. Possibly more when it's not actually intended to hurt anyone. "There is nothing wrong with being intelligent," she chuckles to Billy. "My parents were doctors as well." Doctors, as in both? Unusual in this time period.
*
Teddy can't help but grin at what Tommy says. "Yeah, I'm all for saving some green." he agrees then glances sidelong over at Billy before taking a sip from his glass. "Math and science have always been my worst subjects. I like history. And art. I've been thinking of maybe film making. I like movies, especially old movies and the futuristic stuff. Did you see The Time Machine a few years ago?"
*
"Nope, nothing wrong with being smart at all. Some people are better at it than others, and those people are usually the ones who go on to be rich. If they're /really/ lucky, rich /and/ famous. Though that usually takes some good looks and a better agent." Tommy points out — the fact that both of Ava's parents are doctors? That's noted. Definitely so. "So how 'bout you, Ava? You doing the school thing?"
*
"Oh yeah." Billy enthuses to Teddy, nodding his head, now sipping the Manhattan. And wincing a little bit. "It was great. I've seen every sci-fi movie and read every sci-fi book or anthology ever put out." Including a few that haven't been written yet. "Have you read Stranger in a Strange Land? It won the Hugo award last year. It was… transcendent. Made me want to convert from Judaism to the Church of All Worlds, except my parents would both have an aneurysm." He does nod over to Ava with a quick grin, "Oh, I didn't say anything was wrong with it. I embrace my nerdism. I used to get beaten up at school for it, but no one messes with me anymore." For obvious reasons. Well, probably obvious to everyone but Teddy.
He reaches over to gently shove Tommy's shoulder, "The only difficulty you have with smarts is that school is so slow you get bored. You're smarter then most people, bro."
*
Okay, there's nerd and then there's nerd, and as Billy goes on about science fiction books, Ava takes a long sip of her drink and slowly starts to turn more toward Tommy. The nerd is all yours, Teddy.
"No school for me," she shakes her head to Tommy. Not since she broke out of SHIELD custody when she was fourteen, for that matter. "And not because I am waiting to find a husband, either," she smirks. "School did not make my parents' lives better. I think it is perhaps not for everyone."
*
"You have? You do?" Teddy asks, interest obviously engaged as he unconsciously leans toward Billy. "No, I don't read much but I've seen all the films I could either on television or in the theater. There's this place down in the village that plays an old science fiction film every Saturday at midnight. Sometimes one before it too, depending on what's come out recently. They're playing Forbidden Planet this Saturday."
*
"Well, it /is/ boring." Tommy points out, shaking a finger at Billy. "They expect you to /sit there/ and /listen/ while they go on and on and on for hours at a time… I tried that. It made my hair go white." A point up. "See? Now, granted, I rock the white hair like nobody's business, but trying it again? Who knows what would happen."
Then looking back over to Ava, "Nothing wrong with not looking for either of those. I thought about college. Mainly as a way to get out of my house, but I found another way." A weird, magical way that works for now, at least. "…and you really shouldn't be looking for a husband at your age. Unless you're like, secretly thirty and just ridiculously good looking." Because there's always that possibility. "Hell, I'm not running around looking for a wife. Just fun. It's important to have while you're young so you don't regret it later."
…this is about the time where he's honing his focus on Ava, to let Billy and Teddy talk. It sounds like it's going well so far, from the parts of the conversation that he's catching here and there.
*
Nodding emphatically, Billy grins, his best, high-powered dimples on the highest setting, "Reading's not for everyone, I understand, but you have to read Stranger. It's the kind of book which will never— ever— make it into a movie, its got too many… frank themes. Heinlein has a very libertine view of sex — the book isn't graphic but the topics are there — and sexuality plays a very big part of the evolution of the main character and the quasi-religion he founds." He sips more of the Manhatten, sort of continually sipping now, "Oh! I love that movie. Robbie was fascinating and believable even though it was obviously a guy in a suit. And I always wondered what The Machine was really for— I don't think Morbius's usage of it was the original intent."
He glances sidelong at Tommy and he laughs, "Green hair. Your hair would turn green. So let's keep you out of school and let you watch movies on fast-forward while reading a book a minute." Okay so he's a little too free with his lips there, but he's drank half his Manhatten. And its going STRAIGHT to his head.
*
"At my age?" Ava echoes, amused. "You might be surprised. From what I've seen of the colleges here, there is a healthy percentage of the female student body whose main goal is to find a husband. Which is fine," she shrugs. "If that's what you want to do with your life." She glances back toward Billy as he lets things slip, quirking a brow. "So you are…fast…then?" she asks.
*
"I'll have to read it then." Teddy does read now and then. "It's by Robert Heinlein, right? Did you ever see Destination Moon? It's based on one of his books." He's forgotten about his own drink and it sits forlorn on the table as he nods his agreement about Forbidden Planet. "It's such a great movie. I've seen it a few times already but I'm going to go see it again Saturday. Why don't you come too? We can meet at the theater." Wait. Replay that. It almost sounds like… "All of you." he adds.
*
Billy lets things slip, Tommy glances around the bar. Well. They /are/ in the city that's seen it all. Billy said the girl could handle herself, There's Teddy to think about… but this is as much of a test for him than anything. "Nah, not fast." Tommy replies, before flashing a wide grin at Ava. "Fast/est./ You know, when I wanna be. Other things I can take slow." Pause. "So how about you? You're not seeking education, you're not husband-hunting — lucky for me, no offense for you — what /are/ you wanting to do with your life?"
…and then comes the invite. Teddy beats him to the punch. All the better. "Count us in, chum." Tommy replies; speaking for as many people as he's allowed to.
*
"Yep. Heinlein. And yeah, Destination Moon is good too: I actually liked the movie a bit better then the books. The really early Heinlein books were less… sophisticated. His early work was meant for a young-adult audience, and while that's fine, its a bit lacking in cerebral impact." And before he can say anything, Tommy is agreeing for him, but Billy's nodding and saying immediately after, "Yeah, sure, sounds like fun. That'd be great. Cool even." he pauses: he's sounding like a dork. So, he sips his drink some more, because clearly its having NO EFFECT AT ALL on him, and he leans over to murmur only slightly too loud to Tommy, "She probably wants to save the world like we did. Will do. Then. Now. Are. Do now." Someone is having a serious case of temporal wtfery.
*
"I…think I will be busy." Ava is so not signing up to go see some science fiction movie. Or be chaperone for Billy and Teddy. "Work." Which she hasn't explained yet, has she? "I do pick up work here and there," she adds, half answering Tommy's question. "Help out at a few places. Deliver for a place in Chinatown. Do a little work with a group of private investigators." She drinks, wrinkling her nose. "What to do with your life. It is a very big question, no?"
*
While Teddy's might be focused on Billy, he's not deaf and there's certain implications - if not outright statements - that cause him to eye the other three without actually giving away his interest. At least he's trying to do that but no one's ever accused him of being subtle. Still, attempts at subtlety or not, Billy's statement has to be questioned. "Save the world?"
*
These were the things that Tommy would do for his brother. Of course, with Ava backing out… he can easily use the excuse of being sick in order to whittle the crowd down to two. After talking to Wanda to make sure she doesn't try to blow his cover. Because this way? Billy's already agreed to go. It makes it harder to back out. Tipsy when accepted or not.
Then a look over to Billy. A look to Ava, and then to Teddy. And suddenly? Tommy's not at the table anymore. He's gone for a good five seconds, and just as suddenly, he's back. Holding a little stack of take-out menus. "Which place? It might have just become my new favorite."
…and now he waits for the reaction.
*
Nonchalant, Billy gestures to the vanished-and-reappeared Tommy with a slight nod, "My brother, Speed. I am Aether. We're not from around here— though that's a little complicated to explain, because we— well, I— am, but anyways." He makes a vague gesture of dimissal, and finishes his Manhatten. Blinking a couple times, he shakes his head, "We're kind of a team. We used to have other members but don't anymore— so we don't exactly have a name." Really, he can't REMEMBER the name. "We're all about saving the world. Fighting evil and you know, there were these giant evil bugs the other day— and there's some evil nazi occultists— and really, the world's going to hell. Someone's gotta do something. That's us." He really is not usually this forward. Whose idea was it to get Billy drunk?
*
Tommy's gone. And then he's back before Teddy thinks of something to say. Which ends up being the obvious. "You're mutants." Though stated, it's as much a question and he looks from one brother to the other at the talk of saving the world. Picking up his glass, he drinks half the Manhattan in one swallow. Unfortunately, alcohol and other toxins don't affect him but it gives him a moment to think.
*
"Something tells me you do not need your food delivered," Ava drawls as Tommy appears and disappears, laughing low. She's more serious, though, as Billy explains, looking between the pair. "Fighting evil is a good thing," she agrees quietly. "There is too much to simply let it build." She takes a long drink, leaving her glass empty save for ice before she shakes her head. "You should be careful, though. Evil fights back."
*
"Nope. Santa Claus is real, we're his kids. You wondered how he hit every house in one night?" Beat. "Yeah, we're mutants. Got a problem with it?" Tommy replies, bracing himself now. If he needs to, he knows he can dodge or better, make an absolute fool of this seemingly normal guy. If he doesn't and the guy turns out cool? Rock on. But he's ready.
Then a grin over to Ava. "Need versus want. One thing I learned in school. Just because you don't /need/ something, doesn't mean you don't want it. I didn't /need/ to get Billy here sloshed, but I sure wanted to." Still, her reaction is definitely in line with what he's looking for. Another added to the list. "They do. They have. They can't touch this. It's pretty great that way."
*
"Yeah." Billy nods to Teddy, eying the blond jock a moment. It might just be an excuse to stare for a bit since he's been avoiding looking at him directly, "Our mom was a twin, too. One was a speedy like Tommy, one was… like me. So it runs in the family." There's a hint of a challenge to his voice then, "Got a problem with it?" he echoes Tommy's question. But, there's very little heat behind it. He nods to Ava, "Well, yeah, that's why teams are important. I can do some things, Tommy can do some others. Together, we're stronger, more prepared, better. And since we're used to working together, we can predict our actions in any particular situation and set eachother up. Obviously, Tommy's the confidence of the team— but we're not un-careful. Yeah… we might wing it a lot, but, hey, how else are we going to learn? Its not like there's a school for superheros or anything. We have eachothers backs. And push comes to shove, if Evil somehow against all probability manages to get a leg up on us, we have a backup plan. That's top-secret."
*
At the confirmation of mutant-hood, Teddy watches Ava for her reaction as he considers what his own should be and replays in his head the conversation they've been having. Last name? Not given. Address? Nope. Not even a neighborhood. City college but not which campus. Nothing that can be used to identify him or track him down. "Me too." He finishes his drink then asks Billy "Like you how?"
*
Ava tilts her head, considering Billy's words. "Teams help," she agrees slowly, pulling out one of the menus from Tommy's pile. "You can meet me here," she says with a faint smile for the speedster. "It'll be a starting place, at least. Maybe after the movie for these two." She points a thumb at Billy and Teddy, stepping back from the table.
*
Test passed, with flying colors. The guy who's been chatting Billy up? Also a mutant. That's more than win enough in Tommy's book, and enough to make him untense easily. Meanwhile, the menu chosen by Ava is noted, and memorized; it may have been part of a pile, but at least he nows which one it is! "Sounds like a plan… and sounds like we'll definitely have more to talk about."
Noticing Ava pulling away from the table, "How about I walk you out, Ava?" Because. It means the others can hang out together for a bit, without him /leaving,/ because he'll need to see Billy home eventually.
*
Billy hesitates a moment at Teddy's question, thoughtful, "I don't know how it works exactly." he admits, "But I'm a reality manipulator, apparently. Like. I can fly, and throw lightning, but those aren't my abilities, those are… applications of a core ability I don't have control of yet, that goes off from time to time. I change reality. I, uh, once, accidentally edited the world so that my parents didn't know any language but english, because I was a bit peeved at them for talking over my head in another language consantly. Man, let me tell you, Papa Strange— the Sorcerer Supreme— was seriously pissed off at me about that. He keeps going all blah blah Billy you can not just alter reality to suit your whim." He gives a long suffering sigh, "When I'm like, hey? I'm saving people, you know? Fighting the good fight. If I see someone being hurt and don't act, its my fault they are hurt. I won't stand for that. I was bullied…"
Billy hesitates, glancing away, looking both angry and ashamed all at once for a moment, "Before the power manifested, I got beat up so often. And even my friends ust watched. They bullied me for being smart. For being a nerd. For being… me. And people watched. I can't just watch and see people get hurt. I have to act."
But then Billy's blinking, eyeing Teddy, "Wait, you too? A mutant? Do you shine? You look shiny. Like, I knew someone who looked like you before and he was perfect— I mean like what I mean is like you know anyways hey ummm what was I saying?" He looks to Ava picking the menu of a place to meet, and he sees the possibility of this, but becomes distracted by the idea of sitting in a movie theatre with Teddy. "Right, yeah, meeting there. That'd be cool. I mean, Forbidden Planet is cool." He lifts a hand with a grin to Tommy and Ava, though he isn't quite leaving yet. Mostly becaues standing might be a little bit of a problem. With one whole drink. "I think probably I should go. I'll see you saturday, Teddy?" His voice, it is wistful.
*
Teddy just kind of gazes at Billy for a few moments. Damn, the kid can talk a lot. And what with all the talk about leaving, he decides it's a good time so he can think about whether what he just admitted to was a mistake or not. "Yeah, Saturday. Down by Bleeker and Thompson." Standing, he looks after the other two a moment before looking back to Billy. "Show's at midnight but I can be there a couple hours early if you want to hang out before it."
*
"See you then." nods Billy easily, waving a hand a bit, "See you before, I mean. Hanging out before the show is better then showing up. We can debate favorite sci-fi movies. Though the one we're seeing is high up on my list." He takes a deep breath and rises, and grins with dimples, then runs a hand through his dark hair, "Anyways, see you then."
*