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Kai sits on a stool in the corner, playing guitar in a wending, Mediterranean style, because for a guy who claims he refuses to work, he's sure got enough side jobs. He's coming to the end of his set, though, and his mouth is watering. It's almost face-stuffing time, and he's earned his lunch well with his playing. The elf is talented and entertaining while still remaining mostly unobtrusive.
Speedball bounced on in. Even without ability making him a humanoid blur there was a energy to Robbie Baldwin. In his world he was stranger to no one, but only in the process of still meeting everyone. Dropping down in a seat he saved the waitress a trip noting, "Flamey cheese, gyro, an'a coke? Right on!" The elf playing music though warmed a grin on his face. "Man, that is far out. You're really good at that."
Kai glances up, and he grins. "Thank you," he says. "My set's almost over, though." He continues to play while he speaks. "Gonna get me some saganaki and juice." More playing, some tricky finger work. He plays it incidentally, not really payig attention. He's done this dozens of times before. "I'm Kai," he says, "and you're one cool cat."
Speedball might be the easiest going soul in New York City. He looked up and flagged down the waitress like he was landing a plane, "Hey can you get a juice… thing for him please and another flamey cheese? I'll be your best friend… Naw really maybe later? Yeha no's cool too. Thank you though." The blush and the polite rejection of other offers later he was still undaunted in his good mood. "I got'chu. Supporting the arts and all. You're pretty groovy too man. Finish up, stay a bit." As if he weren't already.
"Art is what I do," Kai says. "It's what I am, man." He finishes up his set, and he gets a scattering of applause. Leaning the guitar against the stool, he hops off and ambles over to Speedball's table. "Hey, man, can I join you? Eating alone is a bummer." Then he sits at Speedball's table, across from him. It wasn't really a question. "So what's your wavelength, man? What's your thing?"
Speedball chuckled "Yeah totally. Already grabbed your order so you didn't have to wait or nothin, Man." It didn't take too long to arrive. Ordering ahead does wonders and man he was in his prime to be a callorie killer. Metabolism: 1, Gyro: 0. "Me? Whaddo I do? Save the world from one bummer drag at a time, man. And try to finish school without condemning myself to a life of wearing a tie."
"You're the best," Kai says. The saganaki comes with homemade bread, so delicious. Kai helps himself to the bread with a smear of fried cheese on it, and his eyes practically cross with pleasure as he munches. "Oh my god," he says. "I'm a friend of the owner, and I still can't get over how good his food is." Then he perks up and says, "You save the world? So do I. I'm part of a team."
Speedball replied glibly, "I DO try to tell people this." He sighed with a feigned lamentation. "Sadly few believe me. But yeah. I got hooked up with one recently. Tryin somethin new." He meant it as a figure of speech but Kai, obviously a tad on 'different', took it right into teh driveway of their wheelhouse. "Was hooked up with some folks when I was in Connecticut. Tried to hold down the fort insce going to NYU but making the meetings was soooo haaaard." He winced at the total lack of timliness on being able to make those meetings. "Good guys though. Couple ladies too. I missed it. I missed workin with peopple, ya know?"
Kai nods quickly. Oh yes, he gets it. "New York will keep you more busy than Connecticut anyway," he says. Then, leaning in, he lowers his voice and confides, "I'm an Avenger. You'd never know it, but that's kind of the point of a secret identity." He winks. Then stuffs more fried cheese and bread in his face. It's a good thing he gets plenty of exercise.
Speedball arched an eyebrow and laughed, the grin warming and going wide. "Heeey me too man. That's amazing. Yeah, they're bringing me on to help wihth training and prep. That's," He looked around and people were busy with their own things. He chuckled shaking his head, "That's wild. What'chu do? What's your gig, man?"
Kai holds up a hand to deliver the crispest of high fives. "Hey, so am I," he says. "I was away for awhile, but I'm back and ready to put paid to evil-doers." With his English accent and the way he speaks so proudly, it's hard to tell if he's being facetious or sincere. He takes a drink of his juice, then says, "I manipulate water, and I can do illusions, just small ones. I can also glow with for-real moonlight." He pauses, then admits, "That's not very impressive, but I'm also strong and can take a bazooka to the chest from a distance and walk it off."
Speedball looked, well honestly impressed. "Faaaar ooooout! That's pretty wicked, man. Did you take a rocket to the chest to find out? I mean that's pretty rude. What decent person runs around with a rocket launcher, ya know? Ruuuuuudeness man." He shook his head and sighed. "Illusions sounds way cool. How'd you learn that?"
"This guy shot me at a distance," Kai says. "It knocked me back, I won't lie, and it hurt, like, wow. He was a baddie who attacked us in an ambush. We managed to get the guy we were after, though." He puts down food long enough to make a spidery gesture with his fingers, and they distort, and for a moment it looks like a spider is in fact climbing over his knuckles. A big one. Were one to blink it away, it would disappear, but it's certainly a distraction. "Elvish trickery," he says wryly.
Sounds from the kitchen, clanking. Smells, too - the saganaki was ready, but there is the scent out the back of honeysuckle and wine. Sweet and good things. The place is homely, with white and blue table cloths, and then one can hear a brief discussion in Greek, raucous and loud.
Speedball took a bite of his gyro and his eyes went big big. "Woooooooah" heedless of having a mouth full of food. He blinked a few times, and finished the bite. "Man that's far out!" He looked up and tilted his head, "So they got you teachin trianin too? Sweet. This'll be so cool. We can totally have some fun witht hat. An," He paused furrowing his brow pausing, "Yeah being blown up really knocks the wind outta ya don't it?" He sounded a bit like there was some experience there, or guessing. Really really good guessing.
Kai's eyes are crossed with bliss when he takes another bite of saganaki with bread. "How does he do it?" he asks. "How?" He sighs with bliss. He shakes his head then and says, "No, I think they're going easy on me right now because of a recent, uh, setback. I'm fighting fit though! It's just that most of my abilities are inherent to what I am. Can't teach them." He squares his shoulders a bit. Not everyone is lucky enough to be an elf.
Another clatter, and then Lambert steps out of the kitchen. His relatives tend to show up, order him around, and assist, and right now there's a woman in there with shoulders like a freight train and a tall chef's hat that does not fit around…something on her forehead. Lambert himself heads on out, huffing to himself about something or other, and then he is over at the table "Nice set, eh, Kai?" he says in a sunny voice. Pretty much all-American jock, but with a residual greek accent left "Who's your friend?"
Speedball chuckled and shook his head. "Ain't about making them like us or teaching them what we do. Trust me in my case I'm pretty certain that'd get super messy pretty fast. But it's about helping them be more…them-y." He was apparently not afraid to butcher teh English language for spare parts. Looking up to Lambert the blonde fella warmed a grin, "Robbie. Robbie Baldwin.I know, I know I can't believe it either." The crin was one of amusement and not arrogance having more fun than ego in the greeting.
Kai gets to his feet so he can clasp Lambert around the shoulders. "Lambert," he says warmly. "It was a good set, and being paid in fried cheese should be the basis of our economy." He slings an arm around Lambert's shoulders and turns toward Speedball. "This is… right, Robbie Baldwin." Sure, he knew that. "This is Lambert," he says. "He's the owner of the place and head chef." He glances back toward the courtyard. "When his family isn't in town. Woof, they've got you on your toes, don't they."
Lambert says "Hello." He offers his hand to Speedball with a bright smile "Yes, how are you! Do you like the food?" Because _that_ is the important thing. And as he is clasped, he smiles at Kai "Haha! You would all be as plump as me!" and the grin spread and he says "Yes, they do. That is one of my aunts, so she cannot come out here, eh, or at least she does not speak English so feels uncomfortable. Well, they all like to help!" He coughs "They found out about the mead recipe," he asides to Kai, low-voiced "They will not leave me alone! Tell me how you met your good friend here!"
Speedball watched the pair and gave the chef a hale and hearty handshake with a warm grin, "Hey, when you have a metabolism like mine that demands a good gyro you come here I'm told. Really you're killin it in the kitchen. I came for the food, seems I stayed for the company." He paused and offered to Lambert with a glance to Kai and back, "Seems, by some stroke of luck we're gonna be workin together on occasion."
"Yeah, we just met," Kai says. "Come sit with us, Lambert, take a load off. I speak Greek, sort of. I could talk to your aunt. You know, if she needs a charming fellow to brighten her visit to America." He tears off another piece of bread. So good. "We're teammates, Robbie and I. Robbie, Lambert really is the best." He asides to Lambert, "Stay strong. You've got to keep it to yourself."
"Working together?" asks Lambert of Speedball, curiously "Have you ever been dead?" After a moment, he eyes Kai, a bit direly "Do not sleep with my aunt," he tells him firmly, and then he pulls out a chair "I can take a moment, I think! The thing is, too many people in the kitchen, and nothing works right, you know?" A little shake of his head, and then he is plonking a bottle of…well. Plonk. Down on the table as well "I know, I know," Lambert frets "At least until I have replicated it properly! But they keep giving me the sad eyes."
Speedball shrugged, "I was reduced to atomic particulates once… I mean I got over it. That count?" He was curious and seemed to be putting some thought into the math on that one. Huh. It may. He blinked and did a doubletake to Kai, "Woah, you die? Wicked. What's it like?"
Kai's eyes widen at Lambert. "Lambkins," he says, "I'm gay as the day is long." A glance back at the courtyard, and he adds, "But with shoulders that broad, I could pretend." He reclaims his seat and takes a drink of his juice. "Erf, sad eyes are the worst. Be strong, my friend." Then he pulls a face at Speedball. "Yikes. Death is pretty bad. People like me go to a very boring place. I'm not a good elf, so it's Niflheim for me. Imagine a featureless plane where nothing ever, ever, ever happens."
"Er. Yes. I think that counts," says Lambert, who gets a week off if he breaks a rib. And then he starts opening the wine "Tch. So many of you look very normal, and have all those powers! And then there is me, and…wait. I do have the power of cooking." He nods at that a bit, and pours three generous glasses of thick, red wine. This one has bitter notes, with an almost molasses edge. Thick, syrupy, and a dark, dark colour. Then he snorts at Kai vaguely "I won't tell her. That way she won't see you as a challenge." He settles down with his own glass and says to Speedball "Tell me all about yourself!" Lambert himself is just a somewhat rolly polly happy looking man, with a slightly wry smile.
Well, and those odd eyes.
Speedball arched an eyebrow and just watched the show with a chuckle. ""Just don't call him Lambchop. He doesn't quite look like Sherry Lewis' sidekick." Niflheim. His eyes got big and he looked… concern, "Ugh and you can't even die of boredom? Man that sounds painful. Got caught between dimensions once. That was a wiiiiiild ride. That said? Still don't recommend it. At least as compressed atoms I didn't have to worry about finding a john though. You know how hard it is to find a decent public facility interspatially? Not ok."
"I like her already," Kai says. He eyes the wine being poured, and as he takes one of the bowls, he says, "You are the best, Bert." He takes a drink, and his eyes lid. "This is the stuff. Luckily my atoms seem to be happy with being cohesive, and now that I'm back…" He plants one foot on the floor, then the other. "I'm not going anywhere. I like being alive way too much for more of that nonsense. The best part, though? The best part is that folks like Lambert here and some others came and got me. They just walked into Hel and said give him back. How groovy is that?"
"I eat lambchops," grins Lambert. For the first time, his teeth show. White and sharp. There are some near-incisors at the front, but most of them are designed for tearing meat, apparently. He waves a hand "I make a good sidekick though! If you need food, being patched up - alright, I can only put a bandaid on - but I can also play Greek guitar! And talk to people." He laughs as Kai drinks "You know how strong it is!" And then Lambert actually colours up in a tight blush, and asides to Speedball "The others, uh, did most of the fighting. I am a lover, not a fighter!" He spreads his hand and puts it on his breast "But I am good at taking care of people. Also! If you want somewhere you can talk freely, or are uncomfortable, out the back in the Courtyard? Is for different people to be open. Mutants. People like me. Or gay people. Or black people. Or any people? The only rule is that everyone must be kind, or I will throw them over the back wall."
Speedball chuckled and warmed a grin to Lambert shaking his head, "Naaaaw I'm indestructible. I'm very no muss, no fuss." He considered this and offered with a wry grin looking around and having a certain amount of pride in that cracking a grin to Lambert and back to Kai. "You heard of the Masked Marvel?" He waggled his eyebrows "Admittedly I liked how the amazing Speedball sounds buuuuut my mom said that sounds a bit much." That grin would not be suppressed. They were pretty forthcoming and he'd be working with Kai already and Bert had food! "Hey having a place where people can be groovy is important. I can get behind that."
"The courtyard is great," Kai tells Speedball. "It's cooler and less crowded, and sometimes Lambert brings us some of the good stuff that's not on the menu. Besides, we could go ogle his aunt." He takes another drink of wine, giving Lambert the most innocent of looks. "Hey, can I bring Captain America to the courtyard? If anyone needs some saganaki and strong wine, it's Cap." Then he grins broadly at Speedball. "You're mom knows about you? Aw, that's kind of sweet. Mine is… I haven't seen her in a long time."
"I was in a very small town before this," Lambert has to admit "Small enough that there were, uh, no real. Mutants or things - the powered family around was mine. And it didn't always go down well? I don't know all the names and people - but I like listening to the stories! I do hear about the Greek superheroes though." He gets up and heads to the kitchen window and there is a sudden explosion of "Ch%<225>nete v%<225>ros, tha limoktone%<237>te!" from his Aunt in the kitchen and Lambert saying "Aunty Lucy, e%<237>nai ora%<237>a, %<243>la e%<237>nai ent%<225>xei - den chrei%<225>zomai %<225>llo fagit%<243>!" The aunt - she _is_ tall - ruffles his fleecy hair, and he grumbles, pulling his chef's cap down as he comes back "You can't ogle the willing," he says "None of my relatives are shy. Oh! Yes! I would like to meet him!" Poor Speedball - of course the Greeks have heard of Captain America! Lambert says "I saw my mom last week! She's great. She told me I was very…you know, never mind." He has returned _with_ food of course - rare roast beef with sea-vegetables, a big plate of more bread, some rice with fish.
Speedball paused and his smile faltered a hair before admitting, "A, um, this guy wanted to get some notoriety and my mom's kinda known. Thought it'd give him some villain cred or something. Almost um, almsot killed her. So she wasn't… okay with it but she's like my biggest supporter. My dad…" He shook his head and the smile disappeared. The hippie's eyes drift to teh back where the courtyard was and he said with regret in his tone, "My dad's trying to get legilation passed to get all of us rounded up and tagged like they did the Japanese. Won't even talk to me."
Kai grimaces and says, "I don't feel so bad about my dad now," Kai says. "In all fairness, I'm a lot like him, so how much can I hate the guy, dig me?" Lambert returns with food, and he regards the satyrkin with an adoration that might put a frown on his beloved's face. "That's a bummer about your mom. I'm glad she's alive and, I hope, well." He sighs softly, and he says, "I want to see my parents again. I don't know if I'll be happy or want to throttle them, but I want to see." He tucks in to the food brought around, a little bit of everything. "Lambert, it's so nice to know someone who has the right idea about feasting."
"Oh, dear, you poor boy," says Lambert, who has never met someone he does not want to take care of. It has to be said! He even reaches out for Speedball's hand and squeezes it, and then he says "How, uh, do they. Resolve that as a married. You know. Wait. Not my business, not my business!" He lifts his hands up, and then he says "Well, maybe we can work on something, Kai! I mean, er, who knows?" Lambert dusts his hands up, and then he grins and he says to Kai "You have a fast metabolism - so does he." A thumb is jerked at Speedball. "Me, not so much. I should show you my trick sometime though. It is a pointless one, but fun. I can drink poison."
The restaurant is busy! And some of Lambert's meddling relatives are present, which means that the somewhat plump caprine chef is serving Kai and Speedball personally. There is wine laid out. The kitchen is bustling. And the smell of good food permeates the air.
"Saganaki?" Steve says as he enters through the large doors and looks to be seated. "I thought this was Japanese." Well, it's too late to go now, and he's really hungry, and Greek food is really really good. He knows, because he ate it. In Greece. He waits patiently at the server stand, scoping the crowd.
Speedball shrugged like what are you gonna d- and his hand was taken and being patted? He blinked and Robbie looked up to Bert shaking his head ruefully. "They just got a divorce. S'why I moved to New York and went NYU. Thought I'd rather be with her than someone who'd rather see me arrested like he dunno me ya know?" The comment about his metabolism got a chuckle out of him. "Yeah about that… Any more of the pita? The bread's amazing" Killer of calories.
"Good for her," Kai says, "leaving that dirt bag." Then he catches sight of Steve and he waves his arm wildly. "Steve! Over here!" No code names in public, nope. Gosh, but he looks happy to see the man who's just come in. "Come join us! Do you know Robbie here? And this is Lambert. He owns the place." And he's just laid out a bunch of food at the table. Saganaki (fried cheese), roasted meat, sea vegetables, rice and fish, fresh bread. Kai seems to be well into a cup of wine, too.
There is a woman at the stand called Marcie, and she smiles at the Captain, and gestures him to one of the nice tables. Which is to say - there are eight tables total, and the place is crowded, but full of cheer and music. Marcie has a little nameplate, and looks rather American herself, and the chef at the table with Speedball and Kai pushes back his chef's hat a moment to show platinum blonde curly…fleece. Not really hair, as such, though it is brushed and maintained "Whow-wee," he says to Speedball "What a maroon. Well, she's better off without him, I say. Take my Aunt in there - she's divorced too. Onto number five. Er. I think she tires 'em out." He coughs, and then he blinks at Captain America, and glances at the wine on the table. The wine that came from an obviously home made bottle "Errrr. Yesssss. Come and have a cup of wine. Hello! I am Lambert Petropolous. I am the chef here!"
"Hey!" Steve says, happy to see a familiar face. He speed walks over, smiling the whole way, before he gives Kai a clasp on the shoulder, happy to see him alive. "No, I don't. Hi, Robbie. I'm Steve." He takes a seat. "Lambert, hey. I'm Steve."
Speedball looked to Kai and tilted his head and looked faintly wounded, "Still my dad. Can we not… call him names at least?" Ad then, Steve? Well, hey that at least cheered him up. IT was something else to focus on and the warm earthy grin was restored, "Heeeey we was just talkin about you. Pull up a cheese." He went back to stuffing his face apparently having no hard feelings over the opinions on his family.
"Sorry," Kai says. "I call my dad names all the time. In my defense, I'm a horrible son." He grins at Steve though and returns the shoulder clasp. "I've been meaning to bring you here," he says. "You work too hard, you need some fried cheese and alcohol. Steve, Lambert, you're both good people, and Robbie, you seem to be, too. I like seeing my friends together stuffing their faces." To that end, he nudges some of the dishes Steve's way. "Lambert here went the distance helping me get back to New York," he says. "I mean he really went the distance."
Lambert offers his hand across, and then glances at the table. Maybe doing a little financial calculation - he was clearly happy to pay for his minstrel, but then he started handing food out and, well…Lambert shrugs contentedly. Sometimes? You have to. He rises to collect another plate, and he pops it down, and gestures to the spread in the middle "Serve yourself," he says, before clicking his fingers "Warmed olives! Forgot the warmed olives!" He bustled off, and returns, all over again, comfortable in being busy "We must all be good people," he decides, the wine warm on his tongue, and then he grins "I like exercise," he says "Long distance hiking is always good!"
Steve quirks a brow. "He was? I hope he was talking about something good and not embarrassing." The Star Spangled Avenger takes a bit of cheese—he's been very hungry. "This is really good. Kai, good choice and Lambert, my compliments." He turns to Kai, "What sort of mess did you get into this time?"
Speedball shook his head and tried to clear Kai's name on this one. "Nothin bad. Just my dad's sorta a … jerk." Why he filtered his language he didn't know but it seemed prudent. "Ooh we have olives? And the spinach pita? If we're gettin up I'd like to add one- two! Two of those…please?" Oh he could look like the golden boy when he wanted to. Food, he could be entirely moved to do so when motivated by food.
"I'll play another set tonight," Kai tells Lambert with a warm smile, hitting Lambert with golden boys in stereo, him and Robbie both. He takes another swallow of wine, then tells Steve, "This isn't to be messed around with. It's made by satyrs." Since they aren't in the 'anything goes' Courtyard, he keeps his voice down, trusting the general din around them to maintain privacy. "It's almost as strong as Asgardian ale. And I died, man. It was this whole thing. I got to come back for a little while, and that's why I sent you that picture. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."
He takes another drink, hoping to get at least tipsy tonight. Mortal booze just never does the trick. "It's how I see you, see. The first time I really saw you. You're the guy who cares more about the other person than you do yourself." Is the elf getting misty-eyed? "Anyway, long story short, Bertie here and some others came and got me."
Ahhh, then _this_ shoulder help. It is _not_ mortal booze, as Kai says. The wine is dark, and has a faintly bitter hyssop edge on it. And Lambert serves it with an innocent smile. Many a horrific migraine has been felt the next day, but the chef just keeps on serving it - contentedly. He then says to Speedball "I can get a few more of those, but I might need a dollar or two, eh? I have wages to pay, you know!" He grins, and he nudges Kai "Even you, freeloader, though you have brought more people in. Yes…you died." His easy going smile fades, suddenly, and he then shakes his head suddenly and coughs "I am not designed by nature to be a hero. I just like to help a bit."
Steve laughs at Lambert's joke before turning to Kai, "Well, I'm glad you made it. Looks like you and me are part of a rare group. Captain America. Kai. Comic book characters. The son of God." He nods to Kai, "That's good company." Going back in the conversation now, Steve gives Robbie a nod. "I had one of those too."
Speedball cracks a grin and shook his head. "Oooooh Kai, this is gonna be fun ain't it?" He dimpled a grin noting to Cap, "Kinda worth coming out to New York for. Wait what? Son of a god? Like little g one or this something I really need to get some ducks in order for? Kai can we use you to swear at people?"
"There are worse clubs to belong to," Kai says, raising his cup to Steve. He gives Lambert a nod when the satyrkin goes off to deal with restaurant things. Helping himself to some roasted lamb, he says in a low but conversational tone, "So Robbie here's part of our crime fighting club, speaking of good guys." He sounds glib, though his quick eyes take in where everyone is, gauging how best to keep his voice from carrying too far. "Dear man," he adds to Robbie, "the greater question is how could you stop me?"
Steve raises an eyebrow, "Is that so, Robbie?" His words are quiet, but as Kai has come to know, he seems particularly interested in expanding the network of allies. If this kid is a friend of Kai's, that speaks highly.
The Shadow enters not with drama, mad laughter, and the swirl of black silk. No, he's in his civilian guise - white linen shirt, khaki pants, and a panama hat in hand. Lamont seems sure of his welcome, even if a little surprised to see some of his fellow Avengers. He's no public figure like Steve, and not often found socializing with his team-mates. "Gentlemen," he says, calmly, offering a little smile. "Evening. Not interrupting, am I?"
Speedball grinned a bit wider as Kai seemed entirely on board with his name being taken in vain and spite! Oh what fun he could have with that. He chuckled dipping his head in a nod, "Yessir. So seems to be the case. I'm comfortable with my resueme aaaaaand I dare say the uniform photographs well in the paper if I may say so myself." He paused and admitted, "I might know a guy, but still. It counts."
"He's bona fide," Kai tells Steve, and he claps Speedball on the shoulder. "I'm a good judge of character." Says the man dating Loki. Then Lamont comes in, and Kai grins at him broadly. "Lamont Cranston, sit yourself down. You just missed the head chef. He might bring around more food." That said, there's already a generous spread before them, plenty for one more. "How are you these days? You know Steve, and this here is Robbie." Kai, unlike The Shadow, is a socializing machine.
Steve smiles up at Lamont, "I swear, I thought it was a Japanese Restaurant." He shrugs his shoulders as if he had no idea it was Greek and it was cheese and it was fried. "Takes more than a uniform, Robbie. But I'm sure you know that."
"No, it's Greek, and it's absolutely excellent," Lamont, the eternally reserved, shows enthusiasm. "And t hat's unfortunate, I count Lambert a good friend. I'm sure he'll show later." Without further ado, he seats himself. Then he's extending a long, beringed hand towards Robbie. "A pleasure. Do call me Lamont," he says, warmly.
Speedball arched an eyebrow to the Cap and grinned earnestly, "Well aware. You kiddin I was born for this stuff." He paused and cracked a wry grin, "Really not jokin. My dad's in legal. Kinda had it drilled into me as a kid just not… quite like this. Lil… very not like this I guess. But still, c'mon, tell me if you had any other oppotunity you still wouldn't choose this." Oh he has so drunk teh kool-aid
"You know Bertie? Heh, he's everyone's friend," Kai says. He pours himself a little more wine, and this satyr brew isn't for the weak of constitution. He's cheeks are a little flushed, something that never happens with mortal booze. He raises his cup, and he says, "Gentlemen, I want to propose a toast. To us, to the times we live in, and how we're going to change the world." He starts to sip, then adds quickly, "For the better."
"It really is, Lamont," Cap responds as he takes another bite of the cheese. He chuckles at Robbie's exuberance and tilts his head, "Believe it or not, but there have been days that he wished he didn't get the serum. The day Jack almost died because an assassin was after him? That was one of those days. Steve gets a glass of this brew that Kai is having and holds his cup up and begins to sip. "Wonder if this could actually do the trick for me or not."
"It is very powerful," Lamont agrees. He pours himself a measure of the wine, and then raises it as Kai proposes a toast. "Here, here," he says, in agreement. "And I imagine if anything brewed on Earth can outrace your metabolism, it will be this, Captain," he says to Steve.
Lamont adds, after a beat, "And yes, I do know Lambert. Fairly well, I should say."
Speedball warmed a grin to the cap and he tilted his head, "Yeah but then jerks are gonna go after someone, I dunno. I'd rather it be me than them. Besides, why let everyone else have all the fun? No tot mention they could get hurt. Suuuuure there's responsibility. Okay and people going after our loved ones. Aaaaand terrible auto insurance." He held up a finger and noted, "Granted! But I'm sure creepole are going to do creepy bad things to someone's loved ones and they might not be equipped to do something productive about the situation… or get to ride dinosaurs in teh street." He added biting into his gyro. "It was pretty excellent. Don't knock it til ya tried it."
Kai eyes Speedball. "You're missing a toast," he tells him. Then he clinks his wine cup to others' and takes another drink. "This is the kind of wine that causes bacchanalias to break out," he says. "Not quite as strong as some of the really good Asgardian stuff, but it's still pretty potent." And Kai's facing down the bottom of his second glass. By Earth standards, he's unsinkable, but given real booze, he's feeling no pain. He grins at Lamont. "I play here sometimes to justify freeloading off of him. I've got another set tonight but I'm taking a break."
"Can't knock the riding dinosaurs. I live for the dream," Steve responds to Robbie with a chuckle. He takes another big swig from the drink and gives Lamont a "here's hopin'" wink.
That's a pleasing idea. "What do you play?" Lamont asks Kai, turning that gray gaze on the Asgardian. He's nodding along, attending to Speedball with only half an ear. It all sounds like a recruiting pitch, and who is he to interrupt Cap? Then he's watching Steve with interest, as if to see how the booze hits him.
Speedball sighed and took the glass and held it up and aquint at Kai. "Alright alright alright. To making things much improved. FOr the… greater good… that really needs like a better catchphrase. I think kingdom and country are taken though. We should work on this." That said he drank.
Kai nods toward the guitar leaning against a stool in the corner. "I play a little of this and that, but guitar, mostly. I just kind of provide some background noise for people to listen to while they're eating." He taps his cup to Speedball's and says, "Thank you. You can't drink real wine without a toast." He considers, then adds, "To justice, and living for a purpose greater than ourselves." Now he's just looking for excuses to get to the bottom of that cup.
"To the death of fascism, totalitarianism, and vegetarianism. Peace in our lifetimes," Steve says with a knowing and slightly sarcastic nod aimed at getting a quick laugh.
"To justice," says Lamont, very firmly indeed. "And to the death of pernicious ideologies and the horrors they spawn. There will never been peace in our lifetimes." His eyes gleam, that fanatic's glint. Kai and Steve has seen him in battle, and it sure as hell isn't the fighting style of someone who gives a damn for sparing his enemies.
Speedball lifted his glass again and paused confused. Laughing he had to ask, "Vegitarianism is a cult now? Well crap. Uhhh, to all our enemies, you missed. Neener neener." This seemed to amuse him though he commented to Lamont, "I didn't think parsnips were so sanctimonious to HAVE an idology much less drink to its demise."
Kai laughs. "The way I think of vegetarians, that just means more meat for the rest of us." He picks at a little roasted lamb on his plate. "I mean don't take the steak off my plate, man." He peers at the bottom of his cup, but really, he's had enough. By Asgardian standards he's laughably a lightweight. "Feels good to be back," he says. "Don't let me get maudlin. I'm feeling a lot of things." He smiles. "It's just good to be back and doing what the living do."
Steve gives a nod to Lamont as if to say that it's working. And it is. Just a bit. He's having some more of the food before he smiles at Kai. "It's good to have you back, man."
He laughs at that, unoffended, waving a hand. "Well, the vegetarians we'll let live. Dealing with the fascists will take up enough time." Then he eyes Kai, thoughtfully.
Speedball grinned and checked his watch. "Ooooh I'm late. Aaaaagain. It was way neat to get to run into you all." He paid up his tab to teh table. He pointed ot them in no discernable order. "Here's to running into you soon. Gotta bounce!" And with that he was making his way out of the diner with enough speed to hit the alley and make it across town before he was too late. again. again.
Kai grins at Steve. "I'm ready and fighting fit," he tells him. "The moment the call goes out." As Speedball heads out, he calls, "Good to meet you!" He then admits to Steve, "I only just met him today, but I'm right, aren't I? He's a good guy." Lamont's thoughtful look gets a slightly crooked grin. He doesn't seem all that uncomfortable being looked at, but then again wine.
Speedball goes home.
"Seems like a good guy to me," Steve replies and checks his watch. His eyebrows lift. "I'm late. And with that booze you have, I'm going to have to walk." He pulls some money out from his pockets and puts it on the table. "I'd better run, guys."
"Go well, Captain," Lamont says, quietly. "Got you, didn't it?" He, apparently, intends to wait until the chef reappears.
Kai tips his empty cup toward Steve and drawls, "You're welcome." And he's pouring himself a little more. "Captain, it's a privilege as always. Take good care of yourself." He drinks to that. Because what he really needs before his next set is to be soused.