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Ford knew Hell's Kitchen was a bad site. He made it a point to not go through it very often, and especially not at night. Not that he really had much, if anything, to fear from the residents. Considering he was bullet proof a great deal of the time, there really wasn't much that could threaten him outside the extraordinary. It was just a habit he had developed growing up, so it stuck with him, even after months of being super powered
But, he had been to visit his mom earlier, and needed to get home so he could rest for work tomorrow. The quickest way was through the Kitchen. Unfortunately, it was unfamiliar territory, making him a little lost. Which is why he's parked on the side of the road, his mini-map of the city streets unfolded as he tried to decipher where exactly he was. He was without his typical Ford 300 this time, instead using his older motorcycle from his teenage years when he was in full Greaser mode. Kick stand up and leaning between his legs, Ford studied the map as he looked around. Bloody city was a maze, even after 25 years of living there.
*
She really had to stop pulling doubles. Yes, Claire needed the money. Yes, it was more chance to sneak a few goods out of the hospital, back to her closet, to help the people who REALLY needed it and had no insurance to cover such items. But it also meant she was so fried by the end of the day she could hardly walk straight. Still, finally off 16 hours and her bed just a few short blocks away, Claire Temple can now see light at the end of the tunnel.
She's walking slow, not drunk, just bone deep exhausted and even her feet hurt after that long running around the ER. The weather is abnormally warm for this season, so she's in nothing but a light jacket over her classic blue scrubs, one end of her stethoscope hanging over the collar. She was definitely some sort of nurse or doctor — good money is on nurse, considering the color of her skin and her gender. She steps a bit farther to the side on the sidewalk, giving the man on the motorcycle a wide berth. Habit after so many years living in the kitchen. One didn't give a random man any excuse to come near.
*
Ford hummed as looked at the map… and realizing he wasn't getting anywhere fast. At this rate, it would simply be faster to pick a direction, drive in it, and wait until he saw something familiar. Sighing, he shook his head before hearing the footfalls nearby. Perking up, he looked up to see… a nurse? A latina nurse… a CUTE latina nurse! A smirk crossed his face as he sat up straighter and canted his head to one side. "Pardon, miss. Hate to bother you, but maybe you can help me. I don't typically travel through the Kitchen, so… I'm kinda lost. And I can't read this map for garbage. Think you could lend me a hand and point me in the fastest way to East Village? I think if I can reach the fringes, I can find my way from there."
He paused, noticing her slow gait… and the way her feet walked. Same way he walked when he was heading back home after a long night at the garage. "You, ah… look a little ragged there. Long day? Ah… if you'd be so kind as to help me find my way, I'd be happy to give you a ride the rest of the way to… wherever you're headed. Take a load off?"
*
A slight wince crosses her features as the guy STILL decides to talk to her, Claire's brain now running the mental calculations of how likely he is to try and mug her or worse. The same calculations any woman does alone at night in this area. But the tone of his voice seemed too damn genuine, and too lost, for him to be that type. She sighs, turning back around to study his face a few moments and try to read if she could get anything skeevy off of him. She was, generally, a good judge of character. The offer of the ride and the slight wideness of his eyes didn't so much read skeevy as innocent young man who was going to get himself mugged.
"…East Village? Damn, you're a long way. This isn't the most safe of areas, you know? Especially this time of night." Claire takes a few steps closer, but still not in grabbing range. She isn't going to trust him THAT much so fast. "Uh…if you go down this road and take a left, you'll hit Broadway. Take another left and just keep riding it south. Traffic shouldn't be too bad this time of night."
*
"I know, I know. I was visiting my mom and aunt. Needed help getting her meds, so I knocked off work early to go lend a hand. Normally wouldn't cut through here, but it's the fastest way back home. Or… should've been. I think this map is a bit old." Listening to her directions, he nodded, blinking and looking in the direction she was directing him. "…wait, seriously? It was that easy? Dammit!" Ford sighed, folding up his map and shaking his head.
"Welp, deal's a deal." Ford said, scooting forward on his seat and nodding behind him. "It's a little close, hope you don't mind… I certainly don't~." he said. Not exactly the… safest thing to be saying to a woman in Hell's Kitchen. Force of habit. "…sorry, I know it's a bit sketchy, but honest. I'm not gonna try to mug you. Truth be told, you'd probably be safer than you've ever been around here with me." A decent point. You'd be much less likely to be targetted with a tough guy like him by your side. "Besides, if I /really/ wanted to kidnap someone, I don't think a vehicle where you can just tuck and roll off is the best choice, you know?" Oddly thought out, but again, decent point.
[17:10:58]
The woman just *stares* at him, arms folded across her thin chest as she tries to decide if he's the most EXPERT mugger or the biggest dope she's ever met. She really cannot tell, because her brain says the latter and that also says it's dangerous. She coughs out a little laugh, finally giving a small shake to her head, "Uh… as much as I like hearing about your sob story, getting lost, ways you could kidnap someone, and how close it is on that seat, uh… I think I'll just walk. Not too much farther and I know the area. Thanks, mister…" She gives him a half wry smile, shaking her head with a deeper smirk and beginning to turn around on sore feet again so she can keep going. He knew how to take no for an answer, right?
[17:18:16]
Ford smiled back, but it seemed more… relenting. As if he was willing to let it go. He normally wouldn't.. but he needed to get home. "Well. Alright. I get it. Disappointed, but I get it. Thanks for the directions, though. Good night." About to start his engine, he paused and pulled out his map, consulting it again. Seems he had something else he wanted to check out.
As Claire continues down the street, she'll pass a few more figures. Much more of the thuggish figure, but seemingly minding their own business hanging out on a set of steps and jabbering about meaningless nonsense and tough talk in Spanish.
Of course, when Claire starts to approach, one of them catches sight of her and like a sheep, the rest follow suit, calling out and wolf whistling as she approaches.
*
The woman gives him one last wave, "Drive safe!" And then she is off again, continuing her exhausted half limp down the road. SHe doesn't see the group of guys in time to totally avoid them. Of course it had to be one of those nights. The warmer weather brought the idiots out, as it always did, without many of the nicer guys around to help mitigate the issues. Claire sighs and tries to step to the side, around their group, doing her very best to stay out of arm's distance from them all. "Fuck off." Claire mutters to them as they call out louder and whistle that way. Hopefully it will be left there. She speeds up her walking to a double time step in efforts just to get beyond them as quickly as possible.
*
A bad move on her part.
The rude comment quiets the them, but one, seemingly the apparent leader of the bunch, stands up and scowls at her. "Whachu say, puta!?" he demanded angrily, stepping down the steps as the others started to stand up. "You wanna say tha' to muh face, puta?" he asked, clenching one of his fists.
[17:34:56]
It's not worth it. She KNOWS it's not worth it. Claire as just super smart and safe with that other guy and there is NO REASON she should court trouble here. But she's tired, insulted, incredibly cranky, and just has had it up to here. So, still keeping back as best she can, she turns around and gives them all the double middle finger, her dark eyes blazing with that latina fire of a woman who simply isn't taking this bullshit any more. "I said. Fuck. Off. Do you KNOW what I do for this street? Fuck you, buddy. There's twenty people on this corner alone who'll break your legs for starting shit. So just go back to your little stoop and fuck right off." Claire half growls at them, before turning to go again.
[17:43:10]
The entire group goes silent for a moment, before their head honcho snarls and reaches into his pocket, drawing a switchblade and unhitching it with a *SNIKT* "You made a big mistake, puta." he growled, before immediately walking ahead of her to halt her retreat. The rest of the gang seem to follow suit, circling around her, a couple others drawing their blades. "I think we need to teach you some manners, bruja. Maybe they not gonna like me… but is gonna be a while 'fore they coming. Plenty time to make you regret those words…" he threatened, leveling his knife at her.
As if on cue, the whole group is overpowered by a revving engine approaching, a headlight shining directly on the gang, who turn and shield their eyes from the bright light. A familiar voice calls out, but this time, speaking impeccable Spanish. "<Beauty! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Pardon me, boys, gotta take my lady home and get her some sleep. She's had a long day, not in the best of moods… not that I mind.>" The thugs being blinded do seem to have instinctively parted, giving Claire a small gap to slip through, should she choose.
*
That's really the moment where Claire realizes that her temper, which was going to get her in trouble some day, finally may have hit that day. Her dark eyes go wide as he pulls out the knife and she's just about to turn to run, hoping that she can dash HARD down the street, faster than them, but then there is a flash of light and she winces just a bit deeper at what is going on. What in hells…
The too-perfect Spanish and that now slightly familiar voice gains a momentarily shocked look, but Claire doesn't waste it. She should have taken the kid up on his offer in the first place. He certainly read WAY less dangerous than these idiots. Cutting through the shocked crowd, she steps up to Ford and slings herself smoothly on the back of his bike, "Sorry boys. Seems like you'll have to commit a felony another night." She still can't QUITE check her smart-ass tongue, but she's got one arm around Ford's waist and she whispers in quick Spanish, "<Go, go, before they figure out what the f*** an idiot you are!>"
*
Ford smirked as Claire hopped on his bike, whispering to him to get going and quick! If only she knew… "<Cover your ears.>" he instructed, gunning the engine as loud as he could and causing most of the gang to recoil from the loud noise, instinctively covering up their ears before he pulled away quickly, gaining more than enough distance to outpace them before taking a turn. "Just gonna take a few zig zags to keep them guessing! Not to worry!" he explained, immediately taking a wiiiiiide U-turn around the next block before repeating the pattern, making sure he had good and lost them before pausing on the side of the street and smirking back at the lovely latina on his bike. "Now then… about that ride home…" he said, evidently waiting for her to point the way to go.
[14:51:21]
This close, she smells, well…Like a woman coming off of work at a hospital. The sting of antiseptic, some musky feminine sweat, and iodine. Fortunately, there's a lot of wind to cut the hospital clinging to her and soon enough she's nothing more than a warm, light body pressed in against his back as she hangs on for dear life it comparison to his wild weaving through the streets, zig zags, and slightly too tight curves. SHe's a woman who can handle a lot of stress, but she ALSO knows the damage that a motorcycle can do to a body, so she's never ridden one before. She's a line of panicked tension against him, heart beating like a rabbit against sternum and shoulder blades. SHe doesn't bother watching the city, she just holds on tight, "You… you better damn well know how to drive this thing." She breathes out, not trying to sound as scared as she is. This was far more frightening than facing off with a gang. Then he's pausing on a side street and pulling back enough to speak. She stares at him a bit too wide eyed, breathing hard, "Ah… just… two lefts… the building at the end of the block. 556 West…125th street…" She's a bit too overwhelmed to think about lying about her residence. Fortunately, she's not far.
[15:01:18]
Ford smirked back as he looked to see her a bit too stunned to really process anything he was doing. "Have a bit more faith~ I have never crashed one of these things before. Been driving these for…" he paused, actually thinking how long he'd been driving these things. "…10 years now, actually." At her directions, Ford nodded, revving the bike and driving slower back towards he apartment building as he looked around to make sure nobody was on his tail.
Finally, after a minute of driving, Ford smoothly came to a stop in front of the building she indicated. "Home sweet home! Thank you for riding the Ford~ We hope you had a pleasent trip and wish you luck in your future travels! Please remember to take all loose articles with you as you exit."
*
"Well, you're lucky, you don't want to know what these things can do to a body when you crash. You really should be wearing a helmet. It'll save your life when things go badly, I promise. And, inevitably, they always go badly." Claire states in a tone that is all worried mom, despite her age, but then she's spent a decade being the worried mom of Hell's Kitchen so it's just habit now. Still, she settles back in against him and closes her eyes as they start driving once more. Fortunately, it wasn't too far to home.
A breath of pure relief escapes her lips as he comes to a stop outside of the tenement building she's lived in all of her life. She cannot get off the back of the bike fast enough, all of her slightly shaking as she pulls herself free, adjusts her coat around her and shifts her back pack on her shoulders. She's finally looking put together and proper enough again, nothing like the fact a motorcycle ride shook her. "…Well…Mr. Ford, it… it was much appreciated, truly. You should be careful, those thugs won't take nice to what you did but…. I appreciate it."
*
"Just Ford. Mr. is so informal, you know?" he replied, leaning up into the handlebars. "Oh, don't worry about me. Gentleman should help a lady, after all. I take some risks, but where's the fun in life if you just stay in your little corner, safe and sound? Where's the excitement?" He sat up, quirking a brow. "Or wait… are you saying you were… worried? About little ol' me? I'm so touched! See, we are getting along great!"
As she hopped off and seemed ready to head inside, he drooped a little. "Aw, no kiss for the rescue? Phooey… like I always say, a hero's job is a sucker's errand." He was teasing her, naturally. Though there was some truth to his words. To him, anyways.
[15:26:35] Danny arrives from Nelson and Murdock.
[15:26:35] Danny has arrived.
[15:26:37] Danny has left.
[15:27:15] Colleen arrives from Nelson and Murdock.
[15:27:15] Colleen has arrived.
[15:27:28] Colleen leaves, heading towards Greenwich Village [S].
[15:27:28] Colleen has left.
[15:29:46]
"Ford, then… Very well." The question of a kiss gives him a levelled glare and a deeper smirk from her full lips. "…I promise you that trying to extort a kiss off of a girl just for giving her a ride home might be tradition now adays, but it's not endearing in any way. No. No kiss for the rescue. You want a kiss, you'd take me out to dinner proper and earn it for a few proper dates, not because you showed off on your motorcycle. … As thankful as I might be." Claire huffs, not entirely able to deny the fact that he's handsome, but also not going to give him such things when this mess all started because she would give in to OTHER people's sexual pressuring. A modern, femininist minded woman, that certainly is Claire Temple. WIth that, she gives him one last little wave and moves for the front door. But something makes her pause, looking back to him. "Look, uh… If you ever are… hurt. Bad, bad enough you need a doctor, and you can't afford the hospital or can't go there for some reason, I'm in 3F. Just… just knock on my door. I'll help."
*
Ford pouted a little, shaking his head. "You'd better be careful, bonita. Or I just might take you out on a date you've never seen~" Ford replied, leaning back forward on his motorcycle and twisting the ignition. But then he stopped as she spoke again. He looked back, folding his arms over the handles and arching a brow.
"Oh? Is that an invitation to your place, I'm hearing~?" he asked, tapping the handle a bit before his smirk transitioned into a genuine smile. "Well, that's mighty generous of you, Ms. Claire. I'm very appreciative… and I know you obviously don't have a vehicle of some kind… but if you ever need a mechanic… or a cook… or just some muscle, some time… look me up in East Village. Just call Tannenworth Garage. I spend a good deal of my time there, so odds are, that's where you'll find me. I'll be looking forward to it~"
Theeeere it is. Evidently, it's less flirting and more a natural instinct he simply can't suppress for very long. Men…
*
A deeper smirk paints across the woman's heavy lips and Claire cannot resist rolling her eyes straight to the sky. "That is NOT an invitation to my place unless you are bleeding or dying. I help people who are hurt, that's it. If you're hurt, fine, I'll stitch you back up. But if you come to my door, drunk, flirting, or with some other idiot idea in your head, half the people on this block will kick your ass so hard you don't be able to sit down for a week. Understood?" Oh yes, she had that fiery Latin sort of passion in her eyes that said she really could yell him deaf if he pissed her off properly. And would also protect anyone who needed it, especially from this area of the city, with the feriocity of a mother lioness. She lingers at the edge of her door, staring hard at him to make certain he's understood her words, before she moves to shove her key in the lock.
*
Ford simply stared back with a smile on his face, eyes half-lidded. Was he considering what she said or eyeing her figure? That's… hard to tell, honestly. His face is so motionless. But as she turns to place the key in the lock, he speaks up again.
"I'm serious."
Turning back will show he's canted his head to one side, clearly trying to check out her rear. But he speaks up again, repeatingly what he said. "I'm not joking. If you need a hand with something - or someone - I'm all ears. I know I'm not the most sterling guy in the city… never will be. But if you need a place to fall back to or whatever…" He smirked, not finishing his sentence, but leaving it to be interpreted that he wasn't being fake. He… might not be such a terrible guy after all.
"All it'll cost is a kiss~" Aaaaaaaaaaaaand there it is.
*
The woman simply cannot put him together. Was he the same kind of sleeze that most of the men in New York City acted like around a woman with her skin tone, or was he actually halfway decent? The tender offer of help gets a slightly softer gaze from her, shoulders softening, the consideration of his words. She's about to actually ask something, maybe there is help that she needs. But then he puts the cost on it and she half groans, half growls. "God, you know what? You can fuck off too. I didn't shove off those guys just to be exorted by someone else. Forget my name. Forget my apartment. I'm not some whore." And with that, Claire stalks inside and SLAMS the door behind her.
*
Ford winced as the door slammed behind him. Well… guess she didn't need his help anyways. Sighing, Ford revved his bike again, about to drive off. But he paused… hopping off of it, he moved swiftly up to the door and knocked on it again, before speaking up. "…never said you were!" he called out, before hopping back on and calling out a bit louder. "Offer is still open! If you ever need it!" he yelled, before revving and driving off down the street and out of sight.