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[SUP][SUB][H3]Recluse Incident[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]September 1st, 20XX | Streets of New York/Reyna’s Apartment | N/A[/color][/sup][/INDENT]

Everything burned, her eyes watering as she leaned over and harshly puked out the contents of her stomach. She continued to hack and cough violently, her body desperately trying to relieve the irritation that filled her mouth and throat. It felt like her neck glands were swollen and ached as if she had been sick for days. Her head was pounding and her vision felt blurry at best as she glanced around, trying to figure out what had just happened. Everyone around her was screaming, trying to get away in a blind panic or in just as bad shape as she was and a red mist hung in the air around them. Reyna had simply been on her way to work, eating breakfast on the go and tempting her co-worker to cover for her with the promise of a treat in return since she was sure that she wasn’t going to make it in time. It was when she opened her mouth to take a bite of her pastry that her senses were assaulted as if she had gotten pepper spray directly to the face which lead to where she was now. 

She wanted to claw at her skin and rinse her mouth out repeatedly which meant work suddenly was a hell no. She found herself turning around, stumbling weakly in the opposite direction of where she had been headed. All she wanted to do was go back home, to rest and not feel any of this anymore. Reyna’s eyes wanted to close, her limbs screamed at her to stop and rest but she pushed on. The darkness at the edge of her vision was getting worse with each step and she felt chills running down her spine as if a fever was setting in. It was a miracle she made it to the door of her little studio apartment, her mind on autopilot as she moved through the streets. She made her way inside, not even bothering to lock the door as she went straight to the bathroom. She wanted out of these clothes and to get rid of that horrible burning so the shower was her first thought. Sadly, it hadn’t helped a damn bit and the warm water had felt like a bucket of ice on top of the fact that the irritation to her skin had stayed. She pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt, hopping under the covers to take a nap.

Reyna awake to a little paw tapping on her face, Jiji meowing at her. She groaned, her throat feeling like it was on fire and just wanting more rest. She sat up slowly, shakily moving out of bed to fill the cat feeders as Jiji rubbed happily against her feet. It only took her leaning over to pet him to cause instant regret as she rushed to get to the bathroom, only to trip and puke all over her hand as well as the floor. Her nose scrunched, not really happy with the thought of having to clean that up when her eyes caught red. Chestnut eyes widened in horror, blood covering her hand and the wooden surface of the floor. She shook in fear as raw panic gripped her, the vague memory of her mom and the times she had seen her cough up blood. It made her gut twist, the thought that she might be just as sick without realizing it. It wasn’t like she went to the doctor often. There was no way she could afford it but she wasn’t dumb to ignore a sign like this. Reyna dragged her way over to the dresser, grabbing her cell and calling a number she never knew she would need or would want to call for. 

[b]”9-1-1, what is your emergency?[/b]

[color=red]”Help....coughing blood....”[/color], she rasped out as her eyelids started to droop down once more. She vaguely thought she heard a reply but she was already long gone and into the land of dreams. She didn’t hear when the paramedics had arrived, didn’t feel when they had strapped her onto the gurney, or even flinch when they started hooking her up with IVs and checking her over.

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[SUP][SUB][H3]New York City[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]September 5th, 20XX | Greenwich Hospital | N/A[/color][/sup][/INDENT]

She slowly opened her eyes even though they felt heavy and her vision equally unfocused. The blankets around her felt like sandpaper, too rough against her skin and everything around her was far too loud. The world around her felt sterile and far too clean to her senses. She wanted to speak but she felt like her mouth was full. Reyna blinked a few times, her hand reaching up to her face and going into full blown panic as she tried to yank at the tube on her mouth. Alarms started going off, nurse rushing in to stop her and keep her calm but it was having the opposite effect. Reyna tried to remember how she got there but instead was hyperventilating at the tubes sticking out of her body and the face that she was in a hospital. Hospitals meant death. They meant something was wrong.  She shook in fear, letting the nurses do what they needed to as she stayed in shock. Once some of the tubes and equipment had been removed, the doctor started in on some test while happily chatting how wonderful it was that she had woken up. He explained how lucky she was to be alive, apparently that weird gas had effected a large amount of people which had caused a good amount of deaths. It appeared that the ones alive were on lock down in various hospitals for their own safety and the safety of others though it wasn’t outright stated.

Reyna only resisted a bit, getting annoyed and scared over being picked or prodded at but ultimately let them continue. She was relieved when they left her alone once more, her gaze instantly looking toward the window so she wasn’t looking at the sterile prison she had found herself in. She just wanted to be home. She wanted to cuddle Jiji and be out of this hell. It was just looping pain and a crawling feeling in her veins, not that she would tell them that.  She sighed, turning her attention over the items that had been returned to her and pulled out her cell, not even holding her breath that there would be anyone caring about her sudden disappearance. It wasn’t like she had anyone waiting on her. She noticed a few calls from her work and listened in on the voicemails, a twisted smile on her features before she laughed pitifully and tried holding back tears. Reyna found herself tossing the phone on the bed, eyes back on the view from her windows as she held back tears. [color=red]”Of course on top of all this bull that I would lose my job. It’s like the nightmare that won’t end....”[/color], she whispered to herself, turning on her side and curling into a tight ball, trying to block everything out.

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[h2][color=silver]September 1st | Within The University | NYC / NY | 20XX


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Waltzing down the hallway, Adalbert was simply heading to his class. A successful man needed to be successful in school, so it was only ideal to ensure he wouldn't be late by arriving early. As he brought himself into the classroom, he simply picked the place he found most optimal; Setting his bag between his legs only to pull out his laptop and take a moment to browse his work.

The Sticky Hook™ design was nearly perfect. He tested it out, found a few kinks with the retraction that caused some close calls, but otherwise he was swinging around like a movie hero. He wasn't doing this in public, of course: This was a private project, in his own private work environment. He intended to keep it under wraps, maybe sell it off to gain a boost in approval from his father at some point, but for now it was his. And he'd have fun with it.

The silence in the class was deafening.

While he was successful and had a good future ahead of him, Adalbert never found much peace with his peers, or even his own father. Silent days, weeks even, seemed to be the norm. He wasn't exactly 'friends' with other students, or a 'son' to his own father. More like a pupil, a person to take over and push Rugard Hardt's fame a step above even the Osborn family. 

It was depressing. All he was seeking was approval; To be told he was worthy of the CEO chair. But his father was more of a person for backhanded compliments and disregard, despite keeping great appearances in the public eye. And when the regular students eyed him, they saw him more born into success, not even knowing why he was there: Not realizing the burden of having such an expecting parent was perhaps something that made him not get along with others well; Even when he searched for companionship in some manner.

He shook off those thoughts, typing away at his laptop. He'd make his own fame, gain his own appreciation. He'd go above Hardtcorp, his father. Even Oscorp Industries. Fame would find its way to him, one way or another. He'd earn it by working for it; He wasn't one to keep his hands clean. He'd get as dirty and greasy as he had to in order to prove his genius. This little toy was just the beginning.

[center][sub][i]...?[/i][/sub][/center]

He felt a stir; Sort of like a momentary blackout. He had been staring at his computer, but when he snapped back he was staring upwards; Head resting on the wood behind his head. A whiff of the air gave off an impulse that something was wrong: Everything itched, ached. His nostrils were blazing, his throat was burning. He quickly stood up, panicked, letting out a horrid sneeze that shot blood straight from his nose and mouth forward onto the table in front of him. 

[Color=silver]"What--"[/Color] He paused, feeling something in him; It wasn't just irritation, it felt like things ceasing to function. The blood got worse; His view started stirring red. His attempts at words were shut down by choking on his own blood, using the last of his strength as an attempt to scramble out of the class and into the hall. The time... The time! Someone had to be coming, right? They'd see him. Help him. 

He felt like his heart stopped as he stepped out into the hall; Witnessing chaos around him. The screams barely pierced his plugged up ears, but the sight of people on the ground, running, panicking... Blood everywhere. Everyone was getting affected by this. A helplessness washed over him as he fell to his knees, forcing his view to the ground as more blood insisted on coming out. If he looked up, it'd make him choke. He couldn't stop; He felt the crimson coming down his cheeks from his eyes, and before he knew it...

He fell in the hall, slumping from his knees to full-on collapsed.

[Color=silver][sub]"Please... Help me..."[/sub][/Color]

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[h2][color=silver]September 5th | Greenwich Hospital | NYC / NY | 20XX
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God. Damn it.

Laying in his hospital bed, Adalbert was furious. A terrorist attack, on the university? What the hell was that about? It wasn't just some damn bomb; It was a chemical weapon. He could perfectly recall what had happened; The red in his view, the pain he felt. His brain replayed it over and over, hoping for answers. But all it did was make him angry, and more eager to get out of here.

His grip on the bed railings tightened as he grew frustrated, wanting out. He had work to do; Classes to take. If the University was shut down because of this, that'd be even worse. He needed to work, to improve. Not be weak in a bed. He already knew what was coming; The nurses had informed him he had a visitor coming up, who was just getting dressed to be allowed inside. 

It'd be his dad. And that wasn't a good thing.

He dreaded seeing the curtains open; But he somehow dreaded the sight more than he expected. That wasn't his dad; It was one of his cronies. Dressed in black, with a mask over his face. He had a laptop in his hands, and as he approached, he spoke simply to the hospitalized playboy.

[Color=Black]"Mister Hardt wished to speak with you, sir."[/Color]

[color=silver]"Just put him on."[/color] Adalbert huffed, rolling his eyes. The laptop being placed in his lap, Adelbert found himself watching it open, only to see a webcam shot of his father on the screen. His look tried to fake concern, but the boy knew better; Glaring at him with contempt.

[color=silver]"Couldn't even visit me in person, dad?"[/color] Adalbert questioned, irritation audible.

[color=silver][b]"Son, you know the business world doesn't stop for one terrorist attack."[/b][/color] Rugard Hardt commented from the screen, shuffling through papers and signing off things as he went along. He didn't even seem terribly invested in checking in; That would've stung more if Adalbert wasn't used to it already.

[color=silver]"Oh, I know. You have to find the best way to mark up the situation. What's it gonna be? Charity cause to families in need from the attack? Opening a building to use for temp classes? Kissing an infected baby on live television?"[/color] Adalbert knew he wasn't the concern: It was to drag the boy into something. Some sort of scheme. Nothing worthwhile.

[color=silver][b]"You must've learned something at this point, to make guesses like those."[/b][/color] His father said, chuckle following. [color=silver][b]"I couldn't drop you out of your schooling; The temporary building was a good option. You'll be returning to classes right after you recover, won't you?"[/b][/color]

This bastard... Adalbert kept his composure, exhaling from his nose.

[color=silver]"Of course. Just so I can eventually handle this company in a decent manner."[/color] Something felt off; Maybe it was the way the goon was staring, or the way his father spoke, but something else felt like it was going on here. [color=silver]"So where do I fit into your plot?"[/color] He questioned knowingly.

[color=silver][b]"Not anywhere particular, you can focus on your studies! Though I will make sure to be there when you are released; There is surely going to be a bit of publicity upon your release."[/b][/color]

[color=silver]"So you can look like the caring father you never actually could be."[/color] Adalbert spat, and quite literally, he spat at the camera; Slamming the laptop shut and shoving it into the goon's arms with aggression. [color=silver]"Get the hell out of here, and tell my father I'll be informing the nurses to not allow any visitors."[/color] His command was strict, rude, to the point: Vile, even. The man simply left, taking the laptop with him.

In a small fit of anger, Adalbert slammed his fist down on the bed railing. While he didn't take notice of it, he had bent the railing somewhat with his strike. He decided to simply rest and recovery; He'd deal with his dad's bullshit in time. He always had to deal with his dad's idiotic schemes for higher regard…

Would he ever escape that?

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[SUP][SUB][H3]Collaboration[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]September 7th, 20XX | Coffee/Tea Shop | N/A[/color][/sup][/INDENT]

The blankets rustled as the single occupant rolled over with a soft moan, blinking against the sunlight that filtered in through the thin curtains. A hand shot out of the cocoon of warmth to snag the digital clock off her dresser which caused genuine surprise to light up on Reyna’s delicate features when she read the time. She was on verge of a mini panic attack at the thought of being this late to work or not calling in sick when reality hit her. [i]’Right, they fired me....shit, what do I do now? I have enough saved but it isn’t gonna last.’[/i], was her thought on the matter. She haphazardly placed the clock back into its position as she crawled out of the comfy bed, stretching as soon as she was on the edge and forcing herself to join the world even if it was tempting to just stay there for the rest of the day. 

A loud purr snagged her attention as Jiji slowly moved out from under the covers, obviously having been snuggling with her while she slept. He instantly hopped onto her lap, standing in his hind legs to place little paws on her shoulders with a light mewing. She hugged him gently with a light chuckle before picking him up to hold him close. He had been like this since she got home as if he feared he had been abandoned or maybe he realized she needed the extra love. Either way, she was happy to spoil the baby boy with snuggles and treats. She carefully readjusted Jiji, using one arm to hold him while the other one pulled open different drawers so she could get dressed. It was a simple task that she had perfected over their time together since when Jiji was little, putting him down  when he was like this wasn’t an option. She could still feel the memory of him literally climbing up her body to meow in your face at the injustice. 

She sat the black cat back onto the bed, fishing out some treats and placing them there to distract him while she pulled on a simple pair of faded jeans, a black tank top and a baggy red zip-up hoodie. Reyna snagged her laptop bag as she headed for the door, pausing only for a moment to slid on her sneakers before making her way out. She wasn’t in the mood to cook or make her own drink so why not go to the local coffee shop and use that free WiFi to get some stuff done. Life didn’t pause and she wasn’t going to let the weird days since the incident stop her from focusing on what she needed to do next. 

The walk was short but refreshing, the trees slowly readying to change color and the fall air just chilly enough to be pleasant without being miserably cold. Reyna pushed open the glass door, the bell above it chiming as she entered the shop. She had passed by this place many times but had never really had the time to stop or would forget, already having stopped elsewhere and telling her herself ‘oh, I’ll do it next time’. She happily took her place in line, changing the position of her bag as she leaned and tried to get a look at the menu so she would be ready before getting to the counter. There was nothing worse than waiting in line behind someone that went over the whole menu at the counter. The only thing that could possibly be worse were the ones that insisted on making a million different changes and details for one cup of coffee. You don’t see people who drink tea doing that crap.

Suddenly, her view ended up being blocked as the tall blonde in front of her shifted. A pout formed on her lips for a moment but she shrugged it off and tried to get on her tippy toes, secretly thanking ballet and skating that she was able to do so. Sadly, the still didn’t seem to help so she scoffed, moving in the other direction and thinking that for sure would work. Guess what? She had been dead wrong. She knew it wasn’t his fault but he was indirectly thwarting every attempt to see the damn menu. [i]’You have got to be kidding me! This tall ass blonde! For the love of all things good...move it or pick a spot but you can’t have it both ways![/i], Reyna hissed in her mind, trying to keep her cool on the outside but she just found herself pouting, arms crossed and foot softly tapping.

Adalbert scratched at his arm irritably, but was attempting to enjoy his release from the hospital. Yesterday has been so busy with the newscasters and his father when he left the hospital; He was worn down from all of the questions, and tension, and his father's speeches on opening a temp building for college classes. He figured classes would start up again soon, but he wasn't feeling it right now. Maybe he'd take some time off; Though if he did that, the punishments could be more than he wanted...

His father in general was a pain in the ass. Adalbert needed this time away to relax a little bit; Not be told of new business strategies or how this all worked out for the company. He was being used again, his father was using the whole situation to the best of his ability. Though if you were to try to compete with Oscorp Industries you'd need to be effective. So in that regard, it was fair enough... If he wasn't involved personally.

How long had he been standing here? The line hadn't moved yet; His mind often went faster than the time he conceptualized it'd take for him to think so much. He was drawn from his thoughts by a small, somewhat obnoxious sound: [sub]Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap...[/sub] What the hell was causing that? 

He turned his head out of curiosity, glancing slightly downwards to notice a woman in line behind him. His mind did that fast thinking thing again; Putting pieces together quickly. Short girl, tall guy, in line to order... He glanced back at the menu, then it all clicked: He was in the way of her figuring out what she wanted. No wonder she looked like a little puffed-up peeved red smurf; She just wanted to look at the menu.

[Color=Silver]"Oh, my apologies."[/Color] He spoke, standing slightly to the side, gesturing an arm towards where he was standing. [color=silver]"You can go ahead of me if you need to."[/color] 

She glanced up to look at him, the tapping stopped instantly and the pout she had been sporting fading fast to instead flash a nervous smile. She hadn’t meant to be rude and she certainly didn’t want to move in front of him when he had waited for who knows how long. She had just been frustrated at not being able to see and how to get around the issue. [color=red]”Oh, no thank you. I appreciate the offer but I just trying to see the menu. I’ve never been here before and didn’t want to keep anyone else in line waiting longer than necessary.”[/color], she answered politely. Reyna quickly turned her attention to the menu board, trying to quickly and effectively pick from the options so he could go back to where he was before. 

She did a small nod to herself once she found the things she was looking for before stepping back a bit, letting him know she was done without saying so. She had already thoroughly embarrassed herself without really meaning to. It wasn’t his fault that her life was shit and this was probably gonna be the only joy of the day. She couldn’t afford to do things like this if she didn’t find a job as quickly as possible. Reyna pushes those thoughts out of her mind, doing her very best to not look at or acknowledge the blonde man.

Adalbert stepped back into his space after offering her a small nod. Thankfully the line started moving, so it wasn't long before he was at the front. He was quick to put in his order, seeming to have an expertise of what exact request he wanted to make; Thankfully, they delivered. Within moments he was sliding his card to make the payment and the transaction went flawlessly.

[i]"Name, sir?"[/i] The girl at the register asked.

[color=silver]"Hardt."[/color] Adalbert answered plainly, going with his family name which was easier than his given one. The girl's eyes widened momentarily, and a few heads turned that happened to hear what he said. Quickly it turned to chatter among those people.

[i]"Right away, sir~!"[/i] The girl chimed, seemingly more enthusiastic suddenly. Adalbert took his receipt and stepped to the side, so that same girl from before could have her go at making an order.

Reyna raised a brow as the chatter picked up, at least the people close to the register and their eyes were suddenly focused on the blonde. Was it really that strange to give a last name for an order? [i]’People are so weird. They should mind their own damn business and go find some brains cause obviously they have lost theirs.[/i], she thought, trying not to roll her eyes. She stepped up to the counter as she dug in her pocket for her wallet and simply stated,[color=red]”Earl Grey tea and a blueberry muffin, please.”[/color]

The girl behind the cash register in an annoyingly preppy voice for her name which caused Reyna to reply with a quick,[color=red]”Rowe.”[/color], before she handed over some bills and adding in [color=red]”Keep the change.”[/color]. She really didn’t want to be bothered with it and shoved the wallet back into place before moving out of the way of other customers. She pulled the strap to her laptop bag in a more comfortable position and looked out to the sea of people, just trying to see if there was even an open spot. It would be unfortunate if she had brought her laptop with her only to have it turn out that she needed to go back home.

Adalbert tilted his head at the girl, watching her order but quickly retreating from the idea of gawking as the transaction went through. A tea girl, hm? He was impressed with her; He absolutely thought she'd be a caffeine freak. Turned out he was wrong, however, and he was willing to admit (to himself) he was incorrect. Good for her.

He shifted his attention to finding a table; Yes it was busy, but he wanted to lounge and enjoy himself in the small place. He caught side of a two-seated corner table, to the left of the store and right by a window. Without hesitation he marched over, and planted his bag; This spot was [i]his[/i] now. Though, as he heard a call for his name, he was quick to head back; Leaving his bag momentarily as a claim to the table. 

He claimed his cup of rooibos with vanilla, noticing that same red smurf from before still looking for a place to sit. A small smile crossed his face, an amusing thought coming to mind as he didn't socialize all too often: He approached her slowly. [color=silver]"I managed to claim a table over by the window. Looking for a place to sit?"[/color]

While he intended to mind his own business for the most part, some absent chatting wouldn't hurt to pass the time.

She lifted an eyebrow as she was approached by mister tall, blonde, and polite, having no clue why he would want to continue conversing with her on any level with the whole in line incident. She bit the inside of her mouth lightly, her newly sharp canines still slightly piercing the skin there as she debated over his offer. She wasn’t one to usually like company and she doubt she was the best conversationalist but at the same time, he was subtly offering and it looked like it was either agree which got what she was hoping for or denying and trekking home. Reyna sighed as if in defeat and nodded softly, [color=red]”Actually, I am. Would it be too much trouble if I sat with you?”[/color] she asked.

Adalbert smiled, shaking his head. [color=silver]"It wouldn't be a problem."[/color] He replied, taking a short sip of his tea, a light hiss escaping him from the heat burning his lips a little. [color=silver]"Once your order is ready, it's right over here."[/color] He explained, gesturing to the empty chair across from the chair occupied by his bag. He wandered back over, picking his bag up and sitting down; Deciding to pull out his laptop and lay it on the table for use. 

As he waited, he turned on his screen; Going through a few of his design documents. He had a few ideas to explore; Specifically to do with personal safety. He wasn't wanting these secrets to get out, so perhaps a public wifi-network wasn't the greatest place to gawk at his work... But he felt like nobody would know he was coming here: It wasn't a usual place for him, he went to more... Sophisticated areas, usually. This place was great for not wanting to be found.

Reyna stood, waiting for her order which didn’t take very long to complete. She snagged both items once her name was called, carefully making her way over to the table and taking a seat. She tucked her laptop bag next to her, not wanting to bother him by playing a balancing act with space and two computers. It wasn’t like she couldn’t wait till he was done and she could simply enjoy her brunch till that time. She left her tea alone for now, figuring it was too hot to drink just yet and decided to take a bite of the simple muffin. She found herself trying not to scrunch her nose in disgust at the taste, finding it was just off. She chalked it down to maybe not so fresh berries and just set the treat down in front of her.

She turned her attention to gaze outside, watching people as they walked by. It was a nice little shop and it was popular if the amount of people were any indication. It wasn’t like she would fault a place because they didn’t have great muffins, just made a simple note not to order it again. Reyna turned to look at her new companion but noticed that people were staring which was a bit creepy. The second her eyes met theirs though, they quickly looked away like nothing happened. [color=red]”So, do you come here often?”[/color] she asked, knowing it sounded more like a poor pickup line than a conversation starter but what was she supposed to say? How’s the weather? What are you working on? It all was just awkward as hell.

Typing away, Adalbert shot occasional glances at the girl he only knew as 'Rowe' as he worked. His designs for the hooks were fine, yes, but he needed more. Something to help in a bit of a... Further calling, perhaps. His wrist-mounted swingers, they needed a little extra... Oomph. What about tranq darts? Easy buy on the market. Fire's a huge hazard, too; Look into extinguisher goods. And, maybe something for self defense: A taser? No, that didn't sound terribly practical. What else was good?

He found his thought interrupted by Rowe, the smurf. His eyes peeled away from his laptop, looking at her as she dropped a question on him. Cheesy line, but kind of cute. Sitting with him and delivering a line like that was gutsy; He could appreciate someone willing to go through with an idea. [color=silver]"Never been here before."[/color] He answered truthfully, chuckling.

[color=silver]"I usually visit less populated locations, but I found myself wanting to get away from the usual people whose attention I draw. So I chose this small, random place. I have to admit, the tea is spectacular."[/color] He lifted his cup to take a drink, slowly lowering it back down as to not damage his laptop. He hadn't expected her to accept his offer, honestly. This was actually kind of fun; Talking to a random person he just met. He wanted it to continue, and hopefully she'd oblige.

[color=silver]"How about you? Frequent this... Quint little den?"[/color] He tried to find a polite way to compare it to the fancier places he usually went to... Maybe if they had proper amounts of seating he would have a higher approval in an overall regard.

Reyna nodded slowly at his answer, taking a sip from her cup as she did so. For as bad as the muffin was, the tea made up for it in spades and just hit the spot. She definitely would agree that the place was a little crowded but she usually was one to grab and go on a usual day. It was kind of nice to change up the pace to dine in and she had been leery about sharing a table as well as a conversation with a stranger, it was turning out to be quite pleasant. 

She tilted her head a bit when he asked ‘how about you’, not really knowing what he meant until he continued. She wanted to be polite, honest....she did, but had he really just asked her that? She found herself laughing softly before she could even stop herself from doing so. [color=red]”I-I’m sorry. I-I don’t m-mean to laugh b-but it’s just cute that I was appreciating your kindness and you didn’t even listen to my answer.”[/color], she stated in between laughs and took a deep breath.[color=red]”The funny part is, I would have never realized if you didn’t just ask that. No, I’ve never been here before but I do have to say I’m enjoying the company. Dining in is not really my norm.”[/color] Reyna smiled brightly, taking another sip from her cup.

He felt a small embarrassed heat fill up his face as she laughed; Becoming self-conscious and being uncertain of where he had gone wrong. He played it through his head multiple times in quick succession, but continuously missed this detail. Had he... Goofed? She said 'cute'? He admitted, to himself at least, he wasn't used to conversing with people that much. But enough to cause this? He offered a small laugh, uncertain of what to do but play along. But inside he felt anxious; A bit of a wreck. What the hell did he miss? What did he do? He wanted to get to the bottom of it, but there was seemingly no chance of him discovering what it was.

[color=silver]"Hah, it's-- It is kind of funny."[/color] He faked, trying to keep with her as much as he could on this, as he sipped from his tea.

Following along as best he could, he nodded. They were both in new terrain; How interesting. She was smiling, so he assumed he did things decently; The way she was praising the situation marked it as a positive, or at least he so hoped it did. It was kind of flattering, honestly: Talking with a person so casually, having a laugh. She was treating him normally, and despite the confusion, he was really... Liking it?

[color=silver]"I usually am not fortunate enough to have such excellent company."[/color] He commented, glancing away momentarily as if to brace himself to continue the conversation. After a moment, he looked back at her, trying to return the smile she had. It just came out more awkward looking on him. [color=silver]"Most are a bit... Rude? Rude's a good enough term, yeah."[/color]

She was glad that she wasn’t the only one enjoying the conversation and having a good time. It wasn’t like she was the most versed. Work didn’t count since those are the times you have to shut your mouth and stay polite after all. The smile in her direction was awkwardly adorable but she would keep that one to herself, feeling she had probably done enough with her unexpected laughing. [color=red]”Rude, huh?” [/color]Reyna questioned with furrowed brows before she broke out into a cheshire and stated,[color=red]”Then next time, you should smile politely and in the sweetest tone, tell them to stick their comments where the sun don’t shine. I promise, their faces will be priceless.[/color]

[color=silver]"Hah! I like that!"[/color] Adalbert responded, almost squeezing his cup too hard and causing a spill. This girl was wacky; Truly a sight to behold with such attitude. He'd have to keep that phrase in mind; It definitely wasn't bad. He'd use it, and he knew a few people he wanted to use it on. He couldn't help himself but continue to smile; He was having such an enjoyable time. These were the moments he wished he had more often; But those around him weren't exactly willing to be that friendly with him. Most of his peers tended to be off-putt by him as well... This was something heartwarming for him, and after days of discontent and stress... This was the relief he needed.

And then it all got ruined by a bright flash to his face, and hers. 

[color=silver][sub]"Son of a..."[/sub][/color] Adalbert hissed, head turning to see a man, reporter's cap and all, scurrying out of the building. Of all places,the press followed him here? He knew they were relentless, but he thought he had been careful: Damn it! He'd just made everything go back to how they always were; Troublesome, a pain in his ass for other people's gain. He slammed his cup down, quickly rising from his seat. [color=silver]"Son of a bitch!"[/color] He snapped, rushing towards the exit: His legs carried him faster than he expected, and before anyone knew it, he was out the door.

He had left everything; His bag, his laptop. His goddamn tea, even. If the bag was bothered to be checked, it'd have numerous pieces of information on a card directly on the inside of the bag's main compartment.

[center][b][u]Adalbert Von Hardt - 718-881-9273 - Please Contact, or Return To The Address On The Back Of This Card[/u][/b][/center]

She chuckled, her smile never fading as she replied,[color=red]”I’m glad you like it.”[/color] This had been exactly what she needed. Just some good company to get rid of the shitty last few days. She could focus on the day, knowing that it at least had one silver lining. The nice moment though was sadly short lived as a flash went off causing her to hiss, covering her eyes and rubbing. What kind of asshole takes pictures with a flash during the day!?! Reyna was still trying to blink away the light spots in her eyes while the man before her cursed, slamming down his drink and disappearing. She just took a moment, still sitting there in complete confusion. What just happened? And did he really just forget his stuff? It didn’t seem really safe to just leave it here and lost and founds weren’t the most reliable. 

She decided to wait but after about thirty minutes, it was clear that he wasn’t coming back. She stood, grabbing the cups as well as the muffin she wasn’t planning to finish and dumping them in the trash. Reyna carefully closed the laptop, picking it up and placing it into the bag. She noticed the card but didn’t have her phone on her and there was no way she was going to the address. One, she wasn’t a freaking stalker and two, it was not close by which meant it had to wait. She picked up both laptop bags and placed them on each shoulder before heading out of the little coffee shop, feeling much better than when she had entered.