Baltimore, Late Monday Night

[gunslingerpose]

So it was the ass end of a long weekend, which Nikolai figured was going to be as good a time as any to hit up Baltimore to do his part to keep whatever peace there was to keep. And he'd done pretty well along his usual beat as Gorgon, catching a couple of break-and-enters. Hell, apparently he was starting to get a bit of a rep around the areas he frequented most, because one dumbass purse-snatcher outside of a bar actually pulled up short, gasped as he realized who had just stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of him, and then babbled an apology before shoving the purse at Nick and running off in the other direction.

Yeah, he was feeling pretty damn okay near the end of his beat, up a few tiers and burning off some excess energy by doing crazy parkour across the rooftops while he kept an eye on what was going on in alleyways below. He was no Banzai, no, at least not riding tier three the way he was, but what he lacked in crazy gymnastics, he made up for in strength and speed and, apparently, the ability to clear an entire rooftop in a single leap.

Sometimes he hated his powers, having to hide his eyes all the time, not being able to look at people without worrying about hurting them with his uncontrollable energy-vampire bullshit. And some days, like today, he wouldn't trade being Gorgon for anything.

[OOC: Open to anyone out in Baltimore that late at night!]

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

"I don't think so," Kathy said, shaking her head. "Pretending to be nice if you're really not isn't going to be good for anyone. At least, if you don't plan to keep it up much past snagging your princess."

Which was probably a more serious answer than his question had been intended to elicit.

"Too bad there's no pretending to be a princess," she said, settling back against the blanket. "I'm pretty sure most little girls spend a lot of time wishing to be one. Going to school with an honest to goodness princess can give your ego a bruising, even if she doesn't mean to."

But who could compete with a princess? Especially a princess with ice powers?

[gunslingerpose]

Yeah, Nick hadn't really anticipated such a serious answer, so he actually took a moment to mull over her statement in turn. The best he had when he replied was a shrug.

"I think for a lot of people, the trick is finding somebody who'll treat you like a princess regardless. I guess most people don't actually go to school with one, though."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy stuck her tongue out at Nick. "There's more to being a princess than just the hope of a prince, you know."

[gunslingerpose]

"Okay. Find friends who'll treat you like one, too," Nick replied, smirking faintly and holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Or are you accusing me of being shallow when what you're really looking for are servants and pretty dresses?"

Because, hey, pretty dresses could be arranged, too.

But pretty much nobody had servants, these days. Who the hell could afford them?

[spin_kick_snap]

Uhh, princesses could. Keep up, Nikolai.

"What's wrong with servants and pretty dresses?" Kathy asked. "Cinderella never asked for a prince, you know. All she asked for was a night off and a nice dress."

[gunslingerpose]

"Huh. Serves me right for thinking you were looking to be cherished or something, I guess."

Nick leaned back against the blanket, making a reach for the popcorn again. It was pretty good, for something that came pre-buttered in a bag.

"I must be missing something here."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy thought about that for a good long time. On the one hand, cherished sounded great. Isn't that what every woman wanted? There was a Madonna song about it, even!

But at the same time...

"I'm not saying I'd turn it down or anything like that, but...I guess I feel like there needs to be more to it? Being cherished always sounds like there's a pedestal involved, or kid gloves. I don't want that. I'm finally in the thick of things and I love it. I don't want a prince to come and whisk me away. I want someone who is willing to fight with me, by my side, you know?" She snuck a glance at him while she said that. For, y'know. Reasons. "Someone who trusts me to handle myself. Maybe to even sit back and watch me kick a little butt."

She looked away, up towards the rooftops which had become her own private playground over these past few months. "I still want to be a princess, but I want to be seen as fierce, not fragile."

And then she realized just how stupid she probably sounded right now. "I--sorry. I didn't mean to talk your ear off about stupid kid stuff."

[gunslingerpose]

Stupid kid stuff? Really, Kathy?

Nick was looking at her a little sideways, shrugging his shoulders. He clearly didn't mind. He hadn't chased her off the fucking couch or anything, after all.

"Standard presumption about princesses is that they are delicate, baby. Sleeping Beauty was taken out by a spindle. Snow White choked on a freaking apple. You want to be regal without becoming a damsel, you aim to be a queen. Going by the ass you've been kicking lately, I think you could handle 'queen.'"

[spin_kick_snap]

Look, she'd talked. At length. Clearly she needed to apologize for that.

"Maybe I'll do that then," she said, straightening up a bit as his praise warmed her. She smiled without even realizing it. "I just don't want someone who's gonna treat me like spun glass. I mean, I'm out here, getting down and dirty, chasing down and tackling bad guys. I don't wanna go home to a guy who expects me to cry out when I see a spider or something."

[gunslingerpose]

Somehow, Nikolai really couldn't picture her doing that. Not after seeing some of the shit she handled for fun in Baltimore.

"If anything with most guys your age, I'd say you're outta their league, baby," he mused. "But then, if Barry's good enough for a princess, maybe there is some guy out there who can hold a match to you. Pick up another hero or something. It's not like there's a shortage of those."

[spin_kick_snap]

Oh, believe her, Nick. She'd loooove to pick up another hero. There was even one she currently had her eye on.

Who'd just called her baby. Eeeeeee.

But, you know. She had to play it cool. Play it casual. "Maybe," she said with a shrug. "I dunno. I'll probably give most guys my age a pass."

[gunslingerpose]

"Not a fan of high school boys?" Not that, you know, Nick was interested or anything, really. Though he had to ask, "That date not go well?"

You know, with Matchstick back there?

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy shrugged again, thinking briefly about Anders and deliberately deciding not to bring him up.

"Oh, the date with Johnny went fine. Like, as my first official date ever, it gets an A and everything. We had dinner and then came out to Baltimore and he was really fun. Johnny's just..." She trailed off, trying to figure out how to word this. "...Not for me, I guess. He's too...facile, maybe?"

[gunslingerpose]

That was a more charitable word than Nikolai would have used, but he didn't bother sharing that one.

"He's proud and he's looking for a good time, and you were cute and looked good on his arm?"

Never mind that Nikolai often picked possible dates for much the same reason.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Pretty much," Kathy affirmed. "Which is pretty flattering. I've never been arm candy before. It was nice to be seen that way. I mean, he flirted with me pretty much all night." Which was also a first, but she wasn't going to admit that, too. No reason for Nikolai to know just how inexperienced she really was.

...Not that there was any reason he'd care one way or another, either. Really.

"And the way he flirted, it was sincere, too. He wasn't just feeding me lines or anything. But while I think he's great and I'm pretty sure he likes me, too, it's not the kind of liking that'll lead to more dates, I don't think."

[gunslingerpose]

"Fun, but empty." Nikolai nodded. He knew the type. He kind of was the type, after all. "Probably better for a casual friendship than any sort of serious thing. Yeah, I can see that."

Not that he really knew the guy, outside of that one run-in on his birthday, granted. But the Human Torch really didn't strike Nikolai as a kid seeking out commitment.

"Teenagers." He shrugged, and then added, "Guys in general."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Yeah." Kathy gave him a rueful half-smile. "Maybe I should embrace my inner lesbian and run off with Barry's princess. Clear the way for you and your deathless romance."

[gunslingerpose]

"Oh, for fucksakes," Nick laughed, throwing a piece of popcorn at her for that. "You know, tragic as that might be, I'm probably not Barry's type, anyway."

[spin_kick_snap]

"That's probably true," Kathy said, catching the popcorn in her mouth. "You don't shimmy well enough for him to be interested."

[gunslingerpose]

Oh, and now Nikolai had to take a moment to look properly (if jokingly) offended.

"I'll have you know, I am a master of the shimmy."

He had an awesome ass, Kathy. You just didn't know yet because it was usually hidden behind a duster or facing the other way.

[spin_kick_snap]

Oh, don't you worry on that score, Nikolai. Kathy had spent a fair bit of time unobtrusively ogling your rear end, even with the duster.

And before she could talk herself out of it, she blurted out, "Oh yeah? Money where your mouth is, Gorgon."

[gunslingerpose]

Oh, Nikolai would happily take that bet.

"Oh, you doubt me? Okay, then." He tilted his head to the side, smirked, and spread his hands. Bring it. "Everything I pulled from the last wallet I liberated if my shimmy doesn't reach at least 'pretty excellent shimmy' standards."

[spin_kick_snap]

"You're on."

The world could be ending down the street and there was no way she'd budge from this seat.

[gunslingerpose]

Nick smirked as he started to pull off his duster, and then stopped, turning a glance toward her in question. Hey, he was pretty damn sure he had this covered, which meant he wasn't the only one who should be putting something into the pot, here.

"And if it does? What do I get for the show?"

[spin_kick_snap]

If Kathy were just a little more confident, the answer would be something along the lines of 'my panties thrown at your feet'. It would be an honest answer, if nothing else.

Sadly, Kathy was not that brave. Instead, she replied, "I--I'm not sure. I don't empty wallets. What do you want?"

You could maybe feel free to answer that however you wanted, Nick.