It's been a cold day, as usual, in the city. And the windchill certainly hasn't helped. Most people are bundled up quite warmly as they scamper from one location to another, hoping not to stay outside too long.
The one person the cold doesn't seem to bother too much, however, Benjamin Grimm. While he's dressed in shoes, pants, a shirt, a jacket, and a hat, he doesn't otherwise seem to bothered. At least, that's how it seems. Walking through the Park, he doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry. All his chores for the day are done and he now has time to just enjoy himself.
*
Betty was one that never enjoyed the cold so much, but she found winter to be a beautiful seasons. Her favorite, infact; it was a horrid dichotomy. The heels of her pumps click with each step as she keeps to a concrete path that weaves from one section of the park, to another. Regardless of the chaos that happened in Times Square a girl still had to get to work, even if it means a late nighter.
Rolling her shoulders, she grips the front of her long jacket around herself, her gloved hand bunching up the slack fabric and making sure the garment is around her as tightly, and snuggly, as possible. Every now and then, the brunette offers a soft, cherry smile to those in passing, even speaking a kind 'hello' when spoken to. When she notices the larger figure of Grimm on the path, she stalls, at first, before progressing forward. "Excuse me," she greets kindly, offering up her other hand in a wave, the purse dangling off her arm rolling back into the crook of her elbow. "Are you…you're one of the Fantastic Four, aren't you?"
*
It's not unusual to be noticed. Especially when you're a large rock of a fellow, quite litterally! So when Ben is recognized, it's taken in stride. He slows down and looks around to find the voice. He offers a little bit of a smile to Elizabeth. "That's right. Ben Grimm." He states, though he quickly follows that up with, "'The Thing'." Stating his more 'superhero' name.
He offers a large rocky hand to her. "Pleasure to meet ya!"
*
"I thought it was you! The city's been pelted with superheroes as of late, I didn't want to seem rude." She explains, offering out her hand in return, ready to accept the shake, even as his hand will easily swallow up her own. "The pleasures all mine, Mr. Grimm. My name's Elizabeth Brant. Call me Betty." Introductions made, the woman pauses, studying the massive collection of stone before speaking again. "Thank you." She says. "Thank you for all you've done for this city." Though some might think those words would be in mockery, Betty's voice is soft, sweet, and genuine.
*
"Betty." Ben acknowledges, nodding. "You can call me Ben." He smiles a little more. "You're welcome. It's really my pleasure. I'm just glad to be able to help however I can. Use what I've been given for good." He continues to smile. "With all the superheroes around, as you say, I don't exactly expect to be thanked." He clears his throat. "Not that I expected to be thanked for what I do, mind you. But, everyone who does good deserves their own thanks."
*
"That's true, Ben, and I agree. Sometimes, it's hard to be heard saying 'thank you' behind all the yelling of anger and hatred." She frowns, briefly, and then returns to her normal, bubbly persona. "It's ok to be selfless, too, just be sure to accept thanks when it's given. The people mean it, boy I know I do." Reaching a hand up, she brushes back some of her hair, only to feel that sharp prickle of cold wind as it weaves around them. "Christ, it's freezing. I'd, well, this may sound odd, but I'd enjoy speaking with you more, Ben, if that's ok? Maybe ask you a few questions and buy you a coffee to sweeten the deal?"
*
"Fair enough. A good 'thank you' shouldn't be dismissed. So…thank you for your thank you." Ben chuckles a little bit. "The yelling and the hatred doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, either, which is a shame. But hey, I can only hope that the example that my team and I attempt to show is followed." He shrugs slightly.
At the comment of the temperature, he looks around, as if that will give him an indication of how it is outside. "Yeah. I suppose it is a little bit cold, isn't it?" Looking down at Betty, he tilts his head inquisitively. "Coffee? Well I…" He pauses as he ponders the offer. Finally he shrugs and nods. "Yeah, sure. Why not? Coffee and questions!"
*
Elizabeth grins and gives a soft clap of her hands. "Ben, you've just made my day. Com'on, this way." Assuming he follows, the much smaller of the pair walks down the path all the more, until she comes across a small cafe off the main connection between the park and Times Square. Once inside, she waits for Ben to join her, and reaches up to remove her hat, her hand up and brushing at her hair to make sure it still looks presentable. "Evening, Joseph. How's Mary and the boys?" She greets the man behind the counter, as he grins he way and eyes Ben for a moment. "He's with me. Two of your /best/ cups of joe, please." Pausing, she looks back to the massive collection of stones. "Would you like something to eat? My treat."
*
Once at the shop, Ben takes off his hat and looks around. His head is bald and as rocky as the rest of him. "Joseph? Mary? Boys?" Names that sound overly familiar, not that he says anything more than that. "Pleasure to meet ya, Joseph." He gives the man a nod and a little wave. Gently taking a seat at a table, he shakes his head at Betty. "No, thank you. Just the coffee should do me fine."
*
Betty nods to Ben, making idle chit-chat with Joseph before stepping away and joining Thing at his chosen table. The coffee arrive soon enough, with a small pitcher of cream and bowl of sugar. After brushing down her skirt, Betty pulls at her gloves, peeling them off her delicate fingers and starts doctoring up her drink with a healthy amount of both sweetener and milk. "Thanks for joining me." She begins, offering a warm smile Ben's way. "I meant what I said earlier, too, about thanking you. May I ask, how do you feel about what you do? Who you are now and how the city has changed?"
*
Gently adding cream and sugar to his coffee, Ben carefully lifts up the cup and takes a little sip. "It's my pleasure, Miss…Betty." He says softly. "You're quite welcome. I'm glad I can help others, I honestly am." He chuckles at the questions. "If I didn't know better, I'd say those are the questions of a reporter. Or of someone generally interviewing another." He grins. "But, to answer you, I feel good about what I do. It's not exactly how I saw my life going, but it's not bad. I was a pilot when this happened. I expected to be doing that for the remainder of my life." He shrugs. "I still get to pilot for my team, but in different scenarios than before." He frowns a little. "My feelings on the city are…complicated. It's my home. Always has been. The way it's changing…there are more superheroes, yes. But with more heroes, inevitably there are more villains. Or so it seems. Or maybe there were always plenty of villains, and now they're just being brought into the light because of the heroes. It's hard to say."
*
"Reporter? Noooo, I'm just a secretary, Mr. Grimm. It's not everyday a girl gets to sit down and talk with a hero. Forgive my curiousity?" Smirking, playfully, dimples press into her cheeks before she lifts her mug, and blows lightly across its top. Sipping, she nods, keeping her stormy eyes on the man across from her. "There's a connection between light and dark. You can't have one without the other, they say." Another sip, she rests her head to the side slightly. "Are you proud of what you do? Do you enjoy the work you put into this city, and protecting it's people?"
*
"A secretary, huh? Now there's a tough job. I mean it, too! What you all have to take care of in an office, you're a hero in your own right!" Ben sounds sincere, truly believing what he says. "Of course! Curiosity is a good thing, they say. I've learned that, more than ever, living with two scientists!" He chuckles. "Dr. Richards and Dr. Storm have taught me to keep my curiosity in life." At the following questions, he nods. "Oh yes, I take great pride in what I do. I can't imagine, now, doing anything other that helping people."
*
"Y'think. Mmm, maybe. The Bugle is a bit hectic at times." She muses with another smirk. "I'd like to meet with Doctor Storm sometime. A woman in her position is just…inspiring." She beams before taking another sip. "I'm glad to hear that, Ben. You seem like a guy on the up-and-up. I, well, with everything happening in the city, I think it'd be good for the people to hear that their heroes like protecting them. That this is something they enjoy doing, and even look forward to. Knowing someone cares for you, even the littlest guy, means the world to most." Some silent thought crosses her mind, as her fingers brush over her mug and she takes yet another sip, leaving behind a curved stain of her bottom lip on its brim. "Here's one you probably get all the time; If you could go back to before you became the man you are today, would you?"
*
"The Bugle, you sure you ain't a reporter instead of a secretary?" Ben laughs a little. "Just kidding with ya." He sips his coffee and nods. "Doctor Storm's a great woman. She really is. She's one in a million, wouldn't trade her for nothin'!" He offers a shrug. "As long as I'm around, I'll be here to help protect the people." He smiles a little. "If I could go back before I became the man I am today, would I?" He repeats the question as he thinks on it. After a moment of thought, he shakes his head. "No. I don't think I would. Don't get me wrong, I was happy with my life back then. My life now, though? I think I'm a better man for what's happened."
*
"I promise. Can you imagine, women reporters?" She murmurs and rests back, keeping her cup cradled between her palms. Teasing or not, she eyes over to Ben, her smile more muted. "Wonderful, I may have to request an official, not official, 'meeting' with her sometime. You know, ask curious questions. Curiously." She nods and finishes off her drink, setting the vessel aside. The more he speaks, the softer her expression becomes. "That sounds wonderful. Very…progressive. Optimistic. I hope the rest of the city could take a page from your book, Ben. See through your eyes, with your outlook."
*
"If I can imagine a woman scientist, like Doctor Storm, I can just as equally imagine a woman journalist." Ben chuckles and grins. "But that's neither here nor there." He says finally. "You know, I've found that the best way to ask curious questions is to ask them curiously. If you ask a curious question uncuriously, it's rather confusing." He sighs softly, putting down his coffee. "If I were the man I was before, I wouldn't be able to protect people the same way. I want to help and protect the people of this city. The people of this world. Being 'The Thing' is the best way for me to do that."
*
Elizabeth glances down at her empty cup, then back up and over to Ben. Leaning forward, her arms cross casually atop the table and she keeps her silence, studying him attentively. When he finishes his thought, a fresh smile settles on her now less than vibrant lips. "You're a wonder, Mr. Grimm. Say, oh, down the road, some article pops up about the heroes of this city. Would you be upset if your name appeared?"
*
Finishing off his own cup, Ben leans back and grins at Betty. "You know, Ms. Brant, I doubt I would be upset by my name being in an article. Of course, it does depend on what the article says." He shakes his head, amused. "I just hope it's all good things!" He laughs. "In all seriousness, I'd never stop someone from writing something, good or bad."
*
"The news needs a bit more 'good' in it lately. Especially if that good is also true." She offers, still leaning forward, now resting her cheek in the palm of one hand. "I'm sure you'll see it sometime. Granted, won't be my name there, but…you'll know it's me." Scrunching up her nose, she giggles melodically and sits back, now resting her hands on her lap. "I'm horrible at secrets, I guess. Don't know if I could be a hero, especially one trying to keep their true self away from their known self."
*
"Fair enough. Good news is in high demand and short supply, I suppose." Ben doesn't seem too happy at that thought. "But any good news is good to have." He nods a little. "Hey, you didn't pretty good there for a while, keeping the secret." He chuckles. Sure, she seemed rather reporter-esque from the get go, but he'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Could be new at this. "You're definitely better at keeping secrets than I am, anyway. It's pretty hard for me to hide my true identity." He laughs. "But I can understand the desire for some heroes to hide who they are. With all the hate out there, including to people with powers, sometimes it's better to keep your identity hidden. I can respect the decision."
*
"I wonder if supers would do well with support groups." She ponders aloud, passing along the idea to Ben as if it were a real one. It could be, after all. "Hmm, maybe that's too dangerous, though." Tapping at her chin, she glances out the window and then back across to her companion. "Tell you what, Mr. Grimm…Ben…I'll get the word out and pass some happy print your way. Hell, I'll even dedicate it to you. Thanks for giving me a smile today, and most of all, hope."
*
"Probably too dangerous, I'd imagine." Ben nods. "All those superheroes in one spot? It'd make 'em an easy target. Not good." He leans back, ever so slightly, and nods. "It was my pleasure, Betty. I'm glad to have been able to help. And thank you for spreading the hope through what you write. The world could use more of that."