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Lorna sighed as she settled into park bench, she'd settled not for Central Park but a park between NYC and Westchester. It was out of the way of where her father might run into her and Julian but it was close enough that her father wouldn't question where she'd gone all afternoon. A sigh escaped her as she leaned back, closing her eyes briefly before her attention was stolen by petals tumbling down from the trees above.
Green eyes opened and she giggled slightly, catching a flower that fell down to litter the ground in pink and white petals like snow. She'd donned a spring dress, colored in pinks and yellows. She looked like a tulip or some other May flower.
The sky was bright, with only a hint of clouds above. The wind whistled through the trees above, and birds sang happily.
*
That damnable black car is once more being driven by Julian, although as prior he's quite responsible with it. Primarily because it's his fathers and he would be disowned if a scratch came upon it, but also it's just not got the horsepower to impress anyone even if he cared. Settling near the park and slipping out of the vehicle, he picked his way over quietly, trying to approach Lorna from behind unaware. It's liable to fail given the presence of metal on his person, but he's keen on trying…!
*
Lorna did notice the presence of metal coming up behind her, but she remained relaxed as she was. Flowers tangled in her hair and she kicked out her feet from the bench as she reclined. Green eyes alighted on Julian's figure as she tilted her head back, and smiled at him. "You'll need to get rid of those snaps on your jeans and buttons if you want to sneak up on me." She grinned.
"Hey," She held out her hands toward him, fingers wiggling. "I hope traffic wasn't too bad?"
*
A sigh leaves Julian, before he places a hand on the back of the bench and vaults over to settle beside Lorna. Ambling in close enough for hips to touch, an arm slips behind her. "I coulda been a mugger, y'know." he challenges. "But I read you loud and clear. Next time, pantsless without a rolex. Drive was fine, if boring. Hopefully you'll make it worth the trip!"
*
A laugh escaped her as he vaunted over the edge and tugged her close. She grinned up at him, leaning close to peck at kiss on his cheek. "If you were a mugger, I'd have made you regret it, and you know it." She teased right back, eblowing him gently.
"And I dunno about making your trip 'worth it'. I'm not exactly up on if I'm worth two goats or a sheep yet." She drawled, arching a brow upwards. "What do you think my value is on the market, hmmm?"
*
A mild grunt follows at the elbow, but no reciprocation follows from the older boy. "Long as I was about to whack you with a metal weapon." he allows, simply. "But… market value, eh? Last time I visited you, we ended up with a broken bed. Most guys I'd tell that to would agree it's very much worth it!"
*
A laugh escaped her at that, and she clapped her hands over her lips, a blush staining her cheeks. Then slowly, she shook her head and sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder as she hooked her arm through with his. "Pfft, most muggers use knives, or guns. What are those made of? Metal. I've never seen anyone try to mug someone with a tree branch or a stick." She drawled.
A glance was spared for him and she poked him in his side, grinning. "Tell me I'm wrong."
*
"You aren't wrong, assuming the mugger isn't a desperate mutant. Just saying to be careful. The universe likes doing bad things to you! You ought keep me around more, to divert that sorta thing!" He looks down across Lorna's dress with quiet appreciation. "Aww. You look so innocent in that…"
*
A flush crossed her cheeks again as Julian spoke, and she poked him again lightly. "See? I get that you mean to want to be there for me because you care, but I can totally handle myself too you know." She glanced away from him as he looked at her dress and she bit her lower lip.
A self conscious tug at her skirt followed as she fidgeted beside him. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
*
A bit of a puff to Julian's chest follows at that. "I won the last game of tag." he clarifies, with just a touch of smugness. "If you can't handle me, then I can help!" Although he sort of gives a helpless shrug. "It means you look innocent? I like it. It suits you! Since, like. You ARE innocent! Right?!"
*
A blush deepened on Lorna's cheeks as she squirmed beneath his gaze and fidgeted, her hands falling to her lap. "That's uhm, I mean, I guess.. I just.. gah, Julian no one says that outloud. Like I dunno. Gosh. It's awkward." She mumbled.
And glanced at him side long. "And uhm, I ah. I gotta tell, er warn you.. that er…" She trailed off, biting her lower lip.
"I told my father about you."
*
"Whaaat?" Julian says, wrinkling his brows a little. "I'm—" He almost says something before clacking his jaw shut. No, better not say he isn't used to innocent girls. Some topics really have no good place they can go. "I like it!" he finally repeats. At the mention of her father, Julian perks. "Good things, I hope!"
*
Another blush deepened over her cheeks and she fidgeted under his gaze. She bit her lower lip, and reached up to tuck her hair back behind an ear. She didn't say anything for a long moment, seemingly too embarrassed to hear that he liked her demeanor. Finally she swallowed thickly and glanced at him. "I tried to, but I mean, he asked after a few things. And if I hadn't told him about you meeting Wanda before, she'd tell him. And uhm, well, he wants you over for dinner." A fidget.
"He said that."
*
"Well, I've not done anything bad." Julian offers matter of factly. "I did flip out when I thought you died, but that's pretty reasonable in my opinion…" Fingers scratch at his cheek curiously. Although then he smiles at that, apparently in good spirits. "Oooh? Great! That's a good sign! He wants to scope me out, and stuff! Better than hurling a tanker at me, right?"
*
A shrug follows, and she squirmed, picking at her skirts. "He might've been floating several little things in the room as he said that." She mumbled, biting her lower lip.
"I told you, he's over protective. So, uhm, yeah." A wince and she glanced toward him.
"I don't think it'll actually be a good idea to meet him at all. Miss Crystal said to not bring boys over before. Gosh, I feel terrible saying that." She clapped her hands over her lips and hung her head.
*
Julian's smile fades, and he glances down towards the grass and petals. Slowly he draws his arm out from behind, settling both into his lap. "I see." he says, after some long moments. "I told you if you didn't want to see me, not to… I thought we had this conversation already…"
*
Lorna reached out, trying to seize his hands with both of her own. "It's not you Julian! It's my father! Do you realize that Miss Crystal is his girl? She knows him better than I do and she suggested to not bring any boys around my father. He just got back from hunting down rumors about Nazis in Poland and Germany for over a month. He .. I love my father very much, but… ugh, I'm worried about how he'll react." She flushed.
"It's not you, it's just.." She sighed, deflating. "I told you my family is over protective.."
*
Julian's hands are not difficult to grasp, but he's turned his head away despite it. "Your sister doesn't want me around. This Crystal girl doesn't. Your dad might just be humoring you… it's fine. I mean. If you'd rather not add this headache. We've never even like… kiss-kissed." Some cheeks and a couple incidents of distraction hardly count. "Obviously your family means a lot to you… so. I get it." From the pained look in his face, he truly does.
*
Lorna squeezed his hands, and she leaned her frame against his, settling her cheek against his shoulder. "Tata wouldn't just humor me. He came up with the idea to invite you to dinner. My father doesn't humor anyone anyways. He's.. I don't think he has that concept." She laughed weakly.
"An-and I just.. I want him to approve of you. I want you two to get along. And I'm just scared what .. what might happen if you didn't. I want his approval, but I like you Julian. I'm not .. I'm not going to.. to.." Her heart thumped painfully in her chest.
"Just up and leave 'c-cause I do.. and.." Her voice climbed in pitch and she swallowed hard as he spoke about having never 'kiss-kissed', her cheeks turning hot.
*
A slow sigh leaves Julian, before he finally reaches up to ruffle Lorna's green hair. "Okay, how about this. I'll meet your dad. If it goes nuclear, then we'll split. Amicably! We can still be friends and stuff. I mean… I don't wanna be the random twig in the cogs of your family. You want this life, right? Being with all of them, a hero-type, mastering your powers…? I don't think there's any other better way to do it…"
*
A stubborn twist of her jaw follows and Lorna's blush cools as her stubbornness takes hold. "Oh no, no, no. We've been through this before. And no. If my father doesn't approve then he doesn't approve. He knows that I don't need his permission to date someone. He's agreed. Would I like his approval? Yes. Do I need it? No." She sniffed, once and grumbled, fixing her hair that he ruffled.
"So that settles that." A pause and she blinked, realizing slowly that she just agreed to setting up the dinner that she'd swore she would find a way to get out of.
A groan and she dropped her eyes, pressing a hand over her forehead. "Oh gosh. It's gonna be a nightmare."
*
"Well." Julian says, scratching the back of his head. "I don't really mind if your family hates me, honestly. That's kinda your issue. Uhh, if you can deal with it, then… hey. I mean… I do have some things to tell you. Maybe they won't surprise you, but…" A little bit of a sulk at that. "E,either way, I'm gonna TRY to get him to like me!!"
*
A blink followed as she considered him, "Something to tell me? What? And I know you'll try your best. That's all anyone can ask for." She reached up a hand brushing against his cheek with a slight hesitance dancing in her gaze.
"And seriously, you were willing to give up everything and stop … going steady just 'cause we .. we haven't 'kiss-kissed'? What was that even about I don't get what you mean?"
*
"…later." Julian mumbles after giving it some thought. Randomly settled into a park at the evening doesn't seem to be his desired environment for whatever the revelation might be. "What?" Genuine surprise in Julian's green eyes. "No!! I-I mean… we've not had a… very physical relationship. Which is fine! But—I mean like. You didn't waste anything with me! So if you… wanted to keep all that stuff special…" Is he actually turning red? That is unheard of.
*
A blink, and Lorna arched a brow upwards at him. "Uh okay…" She trailed of f as he continued on, seeming shocked by her questions. His blush causing one to occur on her own fair skin. "W-waste?" Her voice lurched upwards in confusion. "What?" Confusion ran riot over her features and she bit her lower lip as she scanned his features.
"Uhm.. I'm.. I'm not sure what you're talking about Julian." She mumbled, blinking up at him.
"I uhm.. remember how I said I'd never really been on a date before you took me out?"
*
For long moments Julian just keeps staring towards Lorna, as if waiting for something to sink in that never comes. "Uh." His gaze shifts all around, as if distant trees and tufts of grass became suddenly interesting. "I dunno. I mean, we've gone out… a fair amount of time. Right? Most people…" He kicks at the ground, audibly scuffing his shoe. "Like… do more physical stuff by now. …third date, usually…"
*
It took a long moment, and when it finally dawned on Lorna what he meant. When it hit finally, she turned beet red, her hands rising to clasp on her cheeks. "Oh!" Her eyes went wide and she looked away from him, staring hard at her lap.
"Oh." She mumbled, her shoulders rising as she curls inwards on herself.
A heavy silence descended on them, the only sounds the trees and the whisper of the wind between the branches above. "Do.. do you not want to do.. t-that stuff with me?" Her voice high pitched and awkward.
*
It seems for whatever reason this topic of conversation has made Julian rather embarrassed too, which is utterly insane in his mind, given he's been around the block many, many times in the last few years. Yet it's been the extent of relationships, as opposed to something openly discussed in addition to something else. "Of course I do!" he blurts out, before wincing to himself. "I,I just know you… haven't dated…!! Usually I rush into that… so…" He scratches the back of his head.
*
A glance was snuck toward Julian as he spoke and fumbled for words as she did, and she glanced away just as quickly as he spoke and winced. She bit her lower lip, her heart thumping in her chest as she crinkled her skirts between her fingers. "O-oh." She mumbled faintly, wincing faintly.
A dry swallow followed as she kept her gaze leveled very pointedly at her lap. She seemed to be thinking, processing his words for a long moment before she glanced back toward him.
"I.. I don't know exactly uhm.. I don't know at all.. actually.. a-and.. if you.. you wanted.. t-to try s-stuff.. I.. uhm. ah.." She turned redder if at all possible, her eyelashes fluttering hard before she looked away.
"I, we, could, t-try.." She mumbled. "Stuff." She added, grimacing.
*
This is definitely the reddest that Julian has ever been. Normally he is the one to tease, after all, but it's rarely been anything of this nature. He's wringing his hands together, one foot bobbing at a hundred miles per hour. Maybe he can try to count the number of leaves on that distant tree. "A kiss." he finally says, simply. "L,let's try a kiss. Y'know. A proper one. Then we can… uhh. I dunno. See how you like it…?"
*
Lorna turned, her gaze flickering over him and she stretched her hands out before her against her skirts. Fingers crumbled the the fabric and she swallowed down the thumping of her heart. Her cheeks were a matching red as she listened to him, and then quickly glanced away. She exhaled a shaky breath and nodded, sneaking a glance his way through a curtain of green hair.
"O-Okay."
*
Coughing into his fist, Julian shifts over, knee bumping against Lorna's. He then makes to face her directly, looking into her eyes. "Alright." he agrees, reaching up to lightly take her chin. And then he turns, pressing slowly into a kiss. Well, it might be Lorna's first, but it's hardly Julian's. And he really only knows a certain type… deep, sensual, almost wicked, pressing forward as he maintains it for long seconds before drawing back with an exhale. "U,uhh… maybe that one isn't too romantic…" he mumbles.
*
Lorna let him draw close, tilt her head up toward him and take her chin in hand. Her eyes were open, fluttering closed awkwardly as she realized she had no idea what she was supposed to do. Other than a quick peck, she'd never had a kiss quite like this. She squeaked in surprise against his lips as he drew a more sensual kiss from the green haired mutant. Her hands rose and fell awkwardly as he held it for a moment, before drawing back and she exhaled a breath of surprise as he pulled back.
She blinked, green eyes that matched the hue of her hair flickering over his features as he mumbled. She blushed furiously and glanced away. "S-sorry! I'm not.. I don't know what I'm doing." She bit her lower lip, exhaling a shaky breath. A hand rose to press at her lower lip.
"I'm terrible at this and awkward and I can't be very .. a very erm.."
*
"Huh…? You were fine. I liked it." Julian states, matter of factly. Oddly, he finds it true. Normally, that would be the introduction to a tangle of tongues and aggressive hands, but there was something nearly refreshing about it instead. "I mean… it's a kiss! Right? …You'll get better with practice…" A light cough into the fist follows.
*
A blush and Lorna bit down on her lower lip as she looked over him. "Y-You did?" She squeaked and glanced away from him. "Oh." She smiled weakly, and shrugged as she glanced him over.
"Okay. I-I.. I liked it too.. I guess. I was surprised a little.. I didn't.. I mean, I know, er knew that uhm.. it'd be different and I just.. uhm.." She coughed lightly, and pressed a hand against her burning cheek.
"Oh my gosh. I sound so stupid."
*
"Yeah!" Julian agrees, readily. "Just like… let it happen!" Certainly, the kiss that most girls dream of is rather more soft and romantic, but he's never really had much experience with those himself. Again he makes to turn Lorna's head towards his, making a shushing noise. And then… bam. Another kiss. This one burns a little hotter, lingering for long enough to cause slight shortness of breath before he pulls away red. More furious coughs into his fist. "I-I should probably head home. Before your dad gets suspicious… or something…"
*
"Just let it happen? Oh!" She blinked repeatedly as he slipped hands against her cheek and drew a longer kiss from her. She was suitably breathless as he pulled away, her hands having found that clutching his shirt for balance worked rather well. She flushed as he drew back, letting go of his shirt. A glanced was spared around the park, but they weren't in a particularly crowded area and there were no gasps or mutters from matrons or older folk.
As he spoke about leaving she deflated some, and grimaced faintly. "Uhm y-you don't have to.. to go.. yet.."
*
There's a bit of tension within Julian right now, although it doesn't seem to be due to an actual antsiness to leave. "A-alright." he states, also looking left and right around the almost entirely empty park. He shifts to slip an arm behind Lorna once more. "I mean. You know when you gotta go home, right…?"
*
Lorna curled up against him, her head settling against his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Well yeah. I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to not go home at all and get in more trouble for that.." She murmured, rolling her eyes as she tilted her head up to consider him.
"But we can sit here and just enjoy the weather, and each other's company for.. for a little while more."