[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019b6781-ae3b-76f0-87f4-d8921a6601aa.webp[/img] [center][h2][color=mediumpurple]S O W H E R E T O N O W ? [/color][/h2][h3][color=mediumpurple]SDN Office by James’ Desk[/color][/h3] [color=gold][sub]Interactions- [color=#40B4C4]| James l[/color] ([@FourtyTwo]) ||[/sub][/color][/center] [hr] [url=https://youtu.be/he16ctlqAgU?si=7erWnVdsO4isKGgo]Lampshades on Fire - Modest Mouse[/url] Asteroid was fully suited up in his normal uniform, Rey had dropped him off at the front door like a parent nervous for their kid’s first day. It’d been one hell of a week, Jet spending the majority of it stretched out on his best friend’s couch. At one point on the second day, Rey’s mom had dropped by. That old woman scared Jet on a good day. But when she came in and saw a beat and bloodied Jet on her son’s couch? Oh she was an unhappy woman. Her son, she’d only relatively recently gotten back from the prison system? Jet’s almost sure Ms. Margrove did more damage with her purse than most of the clowns could do with a baseball bat. The thought made him shiver and refocus on the present. From the shared work terminal he watched as James rounded a corner headed for his desk. Quickly- he hits print. He’s hoping to catch up with his supervisor and check in. Last week he didn’t get to his timesheet after the clown-tastrophe. With three broken ribs, how could he? James hadn’t ribbed him about it yet, and he was still trying to make up for his slip of judgement with the old knitting ladies. Like sure- it probably was harmless. But as a person from the UK- he wasn’t sure just how familiar James was with MJ as a substance. So- regardless of the habits he may have had in the past- he was an SDN hero now. Which- like James said during the briefing- carried a lot of weight. That weight felt heavy on his body in general since the fight. He didn’t know where that left the team. He’d been going through the team slack when a photo had appeared. A selfie of an- Egyptian Goddess-like figure? They were working with demigods now? Where did that leave the rest of the team? As he hurries after James, his eyes catch on the leaderboard in the common area. His name hasn’t moved a ton on the board since the team’s comments at the bar. But, did that mean anything when your team couldn’t prevent what was likely the largest mass casualty event in recent memory in L.A.? He hoped so. He needed this job. Turning away from the board, he sees Raul standing in front of a weirdly smudged looking wall. He makes a mental note to stop by to see if he needs any help. But first, the timesheet. He approaches James’ desk- and in real time he can see his soul die- just a little bit. James’ is peering over the wall to glare at Martha- the HR lady in their section of the building. A chuckle rises in his throat. [color=mediumpurple]”What’d Martha do to you?[/color] He’s smirking, but he’s wearing his mask so what does it matter? Their team’s tiny kitten bumbles around James’ desk, getting comfortable- and surprisingly ignoring the new plushie desk ornament he’s got. Jet leans over, cooing at Felix, rubbing between his ears with three fingers. Jet pulls out his paperwork from under his arm, and sets it in what he presumes is James’ incoming mail slot. [color=mediumpurple]”I put the values in too- but I know they like to have paper copies of stuff, so I just hit print while I was standing there.”[/color] It’s an overexplanation. A desperate plea to be taken seriously by the person who was the first line of defense for his job. Asteroid takes advantage of his full face mask, and really looks at James up close for the first time. He looks like someone who takes himself just a bit too seriously- Jet can relate- but that because of that has really made it. It makes his chest squeeze. Would his father be proud of him if he had a fancy consulting job like James’? No- the only career his father approved of was banking. Afterall, how else was Jet supposed to take their family to the next level of wealth? Not that they needed any more fucking money. Memories of his mother draped in beautiful gowns adorned with- her favorite- pearls. [color=mediumpurple]”What’s the- mask situation for the gala? I wasn’t really sure how that would go-” [/color] Jet trails off awkwardly. He knows that a lot of guys would look at him sideways for worrying about something like that so far ahead of time. But there was something about the way that James dressed himself that made Jet think he might not even blink twice at the question. Plus- this is the kind thing you were supposed to ask your supervisor- right? Asteroid turns to face the breakroom, remembering that his sewing kit is stashed in one of the upper cabinets. With- directions to the next payphone he’s supposed to take his mother’s call. Strangely- it was probably the safest place he’s ever put a print out like that. [color=mediumpurple]”You meet Ikret yet? She’s got a really interesting- look?”[/color] He very nearly says costume, but then becomes immediately worried disrespect like that would cause a smiting of Jets of sorts. [center][h3][color=mediumpurple]Breakroom[/color][/h3] [color=gold][sub]Interactions- [color=#40B4C4] | Ikret [/color] ([@Ezekiel]) | [color=gray]Blackstar[/color] ([@cosmiccowgirl]) | [color=gold]Lightning Girl[/color] ([@FourtyTwo])| [color=lightblue]Jamesl[/color] ([@FourtyTwo]) |[/sub][/color][/center] [hr] Asteroid is the first one in the breakroom, he’s after his sewing kit. He reaches above the fridge, and finds the solid clear blue case right where he left it. Inside is a folded up print out of google maps- directions from the post office by his place to the payphone he should expect a call at. He pops the case open [color=mediumpurple]”This weekend, good thing I had a shift today.”[/color] His tone is anything but jovial. Tossing his meal prep in the fridge, he takes a chair beside the table. That’s where he starts counting safety pins inside the kit, doing mental math on the number of people who were going to need their pants hemmed at the last minute before the Gala. [quote][color=gray]"Lightning Girl found our stash,"[/color] she explained, trying to sound casual about it.[/quote] When Blackstar lands in the chair beside him, he is surprised that he doesn’t jump at the new intrusive presence. He’d been a bit jumpy since he was in prison. The realization feels a little like the feeling of driving down a large hill fast. A swoop starting above his heart and landing in his gut. His mouth opens and closes at the sight of the bear he’d fully intended to give to her. It looks different. Its black and red fur looks extra stuffed, and a new- gold chain? Hangs from its neck. Being in the building, his gloves aren’t on, so when he reaches forward to touch the chain he’s able to hook the tip of his finger into one of the links. [quote][color=gray]"Better take good care of him or I'll take you to court for custody."[/color][/quote] Jet can’t help it, he tries, but a laugh breaks out of him. It’s bright, happy, and it lasts- for about a second before he doubles over. His left hand presses against the right side of his rib cage, the act of laughing being a bit too much muscle activity for his not-quite-mended bones.[color=mediumpurple]”And here I was filling out paperwork for child- er- bear support. I wasn’t even expecting joint custody.” [/color] He wishes he was looking at her- at Alaine’s eyes. Not the expressionless portals of her mask. He hopes she understands- but presses because he can’t afford it. He can’t afford her to get the wrong impression here. The man beneath the Asteroid costume leans forward, close enough to whisper, but not close enough to alert suspicion if anyone were to come in.[color=mediumpurple]”Alaine- I won this for you.”[/color] His voice is steady- but quiet. Soft- but sure. [color=mediumpurple]”It reminded me of you. But now- he reminds me- of me?”[/color] There is surprise and may just a little bit of embarrassment in his voice as he examines the chain. Whatever she says doesn’t really matter for what he says next- [color=mediumpurple]”You’ll just have to give me the opportunity to win you another.”[/color] Jet leans back slowly when LG walks in, but he finds himself examining her in every gravitational equation he can come up with in the room. If he wanted to pull her chair closer to him- he’d only have to apply this much force, in this vector, and apply this much to account for the friction of the chair legs. That would cause one of her thighs to land just between his. And if he moved the table in tha- His brain is a mess of Alaine flavored equations when Ikret walks in. The new face shakes him free for a few moments. [color=mediumpurple] “Hey- welcome to the team.”[/color] He reaches forward and offers them a fist bump. He hopes their casual nature extends to expressions of greeting like this, and he’s not about to learn that a fist bump is some sort of grave error against a goddess. James’ speech knocks Jet off his footing for a moment. [quote][color=lightblue]Enjoy yourselves when you go. After what happened last week....heroes don't always get the recognition they deserve, but you all absolutely do.[/color][/quote] Asteroid is a joke when stacked up next to the room of heroes around him, and fuzzy memories of clowns beating the shit out of him seem to prove that to his subconscious. But he nods along and offers a bit of a clap in response to James’ pep talk. [color=mediumpurple]”Must be quite strange for your first day on the team to end with a Gala dinner?”[/color] It’s genuine- he’s pretty sure he’d have had a heart attack if it were him. He’s sure he would have shown up out of costume, and that makes him sweaty.