Getting to Know You Over Chinese Food
Summer 2021, Week 5
Tuesday evening
Anchor Park, Port Victoria
Percival Palomo
He had made his plans with the (tentative) assumption he'd stick to them, no matter what. Plans to Percy were flexible, they came and went with his migraines, really. The less people, the more tolerable. It wasn't fun for anyone if he came to chill in the midst of a migraine- they got particularly bad, and then he was basically a dead weight in public, blood streaming from his nose like a leaky faucet. Overall? Not fun. That being said, despite the drizzly weather, Percy had decided to finally emerge from his apartment and head into the world for a few hours, keeping away from more crowded places. Evos were tolerated here, sure, but at the same time, there was a certain risk to walking into the open without concealable powers. A combination of flying as quietly as possible and walking through quieter sections of the city guaranteed a certain level of safety- plus the gun he always carried at his side. Couldn't miss that. With a few flaps of massive feathered wings, he touched down in a quieter spot of the park where he had proposed to meet up with Club Dude, as he had been calling her. She definitely had a name. He knew that. But, with how loud the club was, there was little way he could catch it. Thoughts, emotions, loud conversation, and deafening music? It was sensory overload for people who weren't Pathers. God forbid you happened to be like Percival. He folded up his wings, stretched out, and ran a hand through almost sparkling opalescent hair- reflecting a little of the moonlight from above. It was a waiting game now, wasn't it? Yep. Golden eyes settled on the path, and then the stars above, starting to loosely make out constellations as he took a comfortable seat on the bench beside him. Hopefully she showed. Who knew. He wouldn't blame her for not.Vale
Fear, silence, yet overwhelming thoughts of the world all watching her. How was it so easy to stand up naked on stage, twirl around for hundred of different men and women. Strutting every inch of her unnatural form for all to see. Flashing lights turning her into a star. Yet walking down the street with a jacket pulled tight, tight jeans covering her long legs, and even gloves over her hands to keep the lights on her fingers from drawing to much attain she felt terrified. It was just a walk... Just a walk Every click on the pavement she whispered this in her mind as she drew closer and closer to Anchor park. This was easy, just a quick walk and maybe a soft hello. Its not like she hadn't met men in the middle of the night before. He probly just wanted a quick ha- no She didn't do that anymore.. The nice owner said so. But still, maybe a talk would be nice. Her stomach gave a small growl and the thoughts of food filled her mind. "That's how dates normal go right?...He buys me food?" She giggled softly and the idea of free food caused her legs step just a bit faster. Entering the park she looked side to side, pale blue spotlights covering the ground around her as she looked for the man she planned to meet.Percival Palomo
Silence, silence, silence. This part of the park was quiet enough and isolated enough. Not so isolated that it was creepy (Not that he knew what was or wasn't creepy- growing up in relative isolation did that to someone)- but enough that it guaranteed reasonable privacy for both Percy and Vale. It was more important to Percy, if anything. His various... quirks... typically caused a fuss, either in one direction or the other. It was impressive, really, to see just how asshole-y people could be. Not to mention the varied reactions. Some who were religious gave him a look at though he was some ethereal being. Some couldn't give less of a shit. Some glared at him as though he had committed a moral sin. And maybe he had, by daring to talk around his own damn neighborhood. And beyond that, the fact he could hear every damn thought was a pain in its own right. His wings drew closer to him, and he blinked, lifting his head to look at someone approaching. "Hey," He called out, lifting an arm and giving a little wave. Something subtle. "I brought some cash- figured after a long day of work, you might need something to eat. I know I do." Percy, despite all of his evo-ness, was admittedly a rather dashing individual. His outfit matched that. He had very clearly cleaned up nicely for this meeting- wanting to make a good impression on a possible connection. A nice jacket, layered with a button-up, a nice shirt, and nice slacks. For once in his life, the evo dared to wear contacts. Even his wings and tail were much better groomed than usual, feathers and hair alike glistening opalescent in the moonlight above. Despite all of that, he still looked tired to a certain degree, faint bags under his eyes. Seemed the pather still wasn't able to attain the level of rest he desired. Sucks to suck. "So, whaddya think? Dinner sound good at all?" He asked, offering a gentle shrug and a tired, but warm, smile.Vale
The sound of the hey made vale perk up, Twin spotlights locking onto the... Evo. Oh yeah, That's why I agreed... He is like me. Thinking back to the dance were this poor, kinda shy man had ran up to her and tossed his phone number at her she shook her head. It was rather cute if she did say so herself. Walking right up to him with nothing more then a steady click of her elongated heels on the floor she stopped just before him. Her eyes being brighter then the lamps that were over head at this closed distance lighting up his face while keeping her in the shadows. A soft blue light pulsed on her forehead.Percival Palomo
Yeah, maybe he had run up to someone and tossed his number at them. In retrospect, it was awkward and silly, but he really couldn't fault himself. He was socialized about as well as a nervous dog, and anxiety about anything caught up to him like a wolf to a herd of deer. Ever-present, ever-threatening, and in an instant, can snap one up, ready to consume. Beyond that, trying to hang out in a club when there's people and music was the worst- he mostly stuck to the corner, feathers ruffled in agitation. It was nice, hanging out with another evo. Truthfully, he found her interesting- it seemed as though people only saw her one way in that club. He'd much rather get to know the person, rather than the performance. Even if the person seemed torn in a way- there were two distinct voices he could hear from her. One genuine, one... manufactured. It was odd- confusing- but something he could manage, to a degree. Still- there was a prominent curiosity that poked at his mind, and he couldn't help but be intrigued. "Well then, what're you in the mood for?" He asked, raising a brow as he began to walk- giving a gentle gesture with a wing for her to come join him. "And how was your day? Anything fun?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder and slowing his pace as he waited for her to catch up. While he was unsure if it was a rarity, his gaze stayed on her face- unwavering.Vale
"What am I feeling? Ummmm I mean you can't go wroung with chinese I guses?" Honestly it had been sometime since she thought of food. One of the few adtvantages of her form. She barely ate unless she needed to grow/heal. She just wasn't hungery anymore. A small flutter i her heartrate was reflected on a pulse of her lights gling a soft pink. Steping up to walk side by side with the wanna be angel boy. My own angel hu?...Percival Palomo
"You're not wrong. Honestly, some lo mein sounds fantastic right about now." The man replied calmly, looking up through the rich green leaves of the trees to the sky beyond. Stars would have twinkled above, had it not been so cloudy. Hell, he was glad it wasn't drizzling right now. Flying in the rain was awful- but the clouds were an asset- it masked his flight, making it much easier for the Evo to fly in the city. On a clear night, he likely wouldn't attempt such a thing. Still, the clouds hung heavy, daring to dump out their contents at a moment's notice. He brushed those odd thoughts from her aside, but found himself understanding them. Being used. That was something he was all too familiar with. What little time he spent in the public eye was generally for political reasons after he was introduced to the world. It wasn't surprising. People getting used. People getting discarded. It was something nobody should have to go through, and yet, so many people did. "Hah, same. Or- at least the Youtube part. Just doing some research for my job, that is." He hummed. A lot of the day had been evenly spliced between relaxation and work- finishing some preparation for tomorrow's interview. It was a big deal, and after a good few hours of making sure he had questions and prompts written up, doing research on his interviewee, and getting together a nice outfit, he felt pretty prepared. "Eh, well, I'd say Chinese is a pretty good ending to a quiet day. Wraps everything up pretty nicely, in my opinion." He hummed, beginning to walk. Another moment of silence, and he spoke up again. "...Now, which way is the nearest Chinese place? That's the real question." He hummed, his wings shifting as he looked over the various paths around the quiet park- lit only by the moon and the few lampposts that dotted the path ahead. "Might as well pick a direction and go, hm? Want to go on a park adventure?" He asked, offering her a warm, friendly smile.Vale
"That, That sounds wonderful. Lead the way Angel boy." She spoke with friendly soft tone. Her voice coming off entirely human. Something that wasn't always true when she spoke. Yet she only appeared calm on the surface. Her mind was racing a thousand miles a hour. For someone with hundred of "Dates" under, and often in her belt. She couldn't kick those stupid nerves. Like something was different. Is someone fallowing us?Percival Palomo
"Can do. How about... This way," He spoke smoothly, taking a look around before beginning to walk. Eh, a random path would work. It was a quiet night in the park, and Percy was fine with wandering. Especially when there weren't that many people around. The less minds, the better. He could still here numerous ones from a distance, as well as the one (two?) beside him. Still intrigued, he brushed it aside. Outright asking someone about that was rude. Besides, he was enjoying his time, and she seemed to be, as well... apart from the nerves, that was. Or, well, at least from what his empathy could tell. "True, true. It's only fair, and I only want to keep my mystique for so long." He joked, a friendly smile on his face accompanying a teasing wink. "I'm a journalist. I do a bit of podcasting here and there, but I mostly write columns. I actually got with a local pro-evo news network recently, and they asked me to interview someone tomorrow. The prep took almost all day, I wanted to make sure I have everything down on the guy. Plus, this is my first major responsibility. I've written opinion pieces and minor news bits here and there, but this has to be the biggest interview I've done yet." An big smile crept onto his face, a flash of excitement obvious in golden eyes. "It's actually been a little while of making sure I have the right, unbiased sources, and planning what I want to say. I've been running on coffee for the last few days, truthfully." He let out a gentle chuckle, only stopping when Vale cursed. "Ah, shit. It's okay. We can get them cleaned off when we stop. Maybe walk where I'm walking, I'll take the muddy path." He offered, stepping aside to let her take the cleaner cobble. "Besides, I could use a little mud. It builds character, you know." He smiled softly, gesturing with a wing.Vale
Of course he thought it was cute! Bah there was mud between her toes. Between her fucking toes. Fucking cross I swear if there is a single fucking bugPercival Palomo
Raising a brow at her thoughts, he mentally moved on again- stopping when she did to sit on the bench and brush off the mud. As she began to speak, he stayed silent, simply listening to her talk and letting her get it out. Yeah... He knew the feeling of mud, and how awful it was. Admittedly, it grew more tolerable over time. But, he still couldn't deny that dirt anywhere on him was awful, and he hated it. He smiled the smallest bit. Admittedly, complaining about mud was endearing. Especially when he held similar sentiments. "Agreed. I've never been the biggest fan of mud either. Then again, I'm sure you can assume that- white feathers don't mix well with dirt and grime." He chuckled, shifting his wings. His tail was another story- almost impossible to keep clean. He had to go out of his way to make sure it didn't drag in any mud. Not fun at all. Her suddenly grabbing his hand was something he didn't expect, golden eyes widening the slightest bit before she started tugging him. "Really looking forward to that Chinese, huh?" He asked, smiling a bit more. Well, he couldn't blame her. He hated being unclean- it seemed she shared similar sentiments. So, the sooner the two neat evos were out of the muck, the better.Vale
"Hungery! No wanting to get out of the open...Yes.. I took a sniper round recently so. .Standing under tall buildings are kinda scary."Percival Palomo
For a moment, his eyes widened. Sniper round? What? While he had never taken a sniper round, he had definitely been shot before. Not fun. While he didn't voice his concerns immediately, he gave a nod, following her without hesitation. He was no stranger to the discomfort that seemed to pulse off of her in erratic, panicky waves. He himself had panicked similarly many times before. He barely had time to blink before he was pushed into a booth, suddenly seated beside Vale. Well, that wasn't exactly the type of excitement he had been hoping for. He had hoped to give her and himself a nice, quiet night of relaxation and strolling through the park, not panic. Then again, it's hard to just simply not panic. "No need to apologize," He started, looking over at the waiter- who awkwardly pushed some menus onto the table before strolling off- "I get it. This is supposed to be a fun, comfortable night. If you're not enjoying yourself, we can always do something different, whether it be hanging out in here all night, or something else." He shrugged offhandedly, reaching over to grab the menus and offering one to her. "We've still got the rest of the night, let's make the most of it as comfortably as possible."Vale
"Sorry if I ruined your plans, honestly the walk in the park sounded lovely on paper. But I just couldn't handle. I mean its not like I have a fear of outside.. I love being outside and I " Her nerves were showing as she started to ramble like a little girl talking to her crush. The lights on her arms going a soft embarrassed orange. She quiet littertly wore her emotions on her sleeves. "But if you want, we can eat then see a movie? or maybe head down the water. I heard the stars are beautiful Maybe some ice-cream.?" She asked the last little bit almost sheepishly as if she really. Really wanted that ice-cream. Resting back agsint the both she would shrink down her shoulders and look up through long lashes towards him.Percival Palomo
"Don't worry about plans, I didn't make many. I thought it might be more fun if we decide what we want to do together than go by some schedule." He gave a nonchalant shrug of his wings, giving one a small, loose wave in a so-so-like motion. "Figured it'd be better to wing it." A tired smile slipped onto his face, letting out a little huff at his own joke as he looked up at Vale from the menu, leaning against the table. "That sounds like a great plan. Movie, stargazing, and ice-cream? There's an ice cream place with a covered patio around here, if I remember correctly. Perfect for stargazing, but not having the open sky above you." He suggested, looking back at the menu briefly. He finally closed it, pushing it aside to imply he knew what he wanted. Would a patio ease her worries? Even if he wasn't an empath, he'd be able to tell that she was feeling flustered and awkward. He knew how rough triggers could be- he had no issue adjusting plans and things to make it so that they didn't have to be faced. "Do you have a favorite flavor?" He asked after a second- "...Of ice-cream, I mean."Vale
"Favorite flavor? Hm Mint. Mint is the best by far. Something about it allows me to still taste it properly." Vale paused for a moment setting down her menu as the pun that he said actually washed over her. He small smile grew large and she rolled her eyes while shaking her head. "You so did not say that. Come on" She may have been complaining but the smile on her lips said she thought the joke was at the least cute, if not actually funny. A warm red flooding from her eyes as the lights on her body changed to a softer calmed, almost lovely color. "The patio isn't necessary I swear... Its not that bad as long as I can't see the tall buildings or dark alleys..which..is kind of funny cause I spent months living in a dark alley now they terrifies me." She shook her head slowly hating showing the slight weakness, she knew weakness had uses, but it had uses both ways. Against her and for her depending on how she used them. Showing it and admitting it was very much against her in this case. She would set down her menu with a warm smile clearly ready to order as well.Percival Palomo
By now, the double-minds were something he had adjusted to. It was an odd feeling- two minds from one person- but it was present all the same. Maybe he'd learn about it eventually, or maybe he'd stay unknowing. Either way, it interested him. Not more than getting to meet her, but it was definitely a footnote that he found himself intrigued by. The man let out another little snort at her reaction, golden eyes tired, but a prominent smile on his face. Her body changed color- as to be expected, from what little he could tell about her between the club and here. "Sometimes more time spent with something just makes it harder to deal with," He pointed out, tipping his head a little, "Just whatever you're alright with. I'm good with anything, just as long as we end up with good ice cream by the end of the night." Percy smiled a bit brighter as the waiter wandered back over, looking at the two. "What would you two like?" The man asked, holding a pad to take notes on. The fact that the man was unfazed by his appearance almost shocked him almost as much as the double-mind trick Vale seemed to have. Maybe this establishment was alright with Evos? Then again, he was fairly sure the waiter himself was an Evo with how relaxed he seemed about their presences. "Just some shrimp lo mein for me," He smiled, giving a thumbs-up, "And a coke." He dropped quiet again, giving a little nod to Vale, "And you?"Vale
"Ummm can I get. Some generals Zhao's chicken? Extra spicy? And a lemon water." She spoke with a gentle, almost soft and frightened tone. Like she was nervous about talking to the random waiter. Kind of odd considering how open she seemed to be about everything else. She gave a small shift in her chair and looked to the left almost wanting to order something else but choosing not to. I should get egg rolls... She didn't want to come off as a burden who ate more then her wait. through in truth her body required a lot of calories to run properly. Leaning against the wall of the booth she slowly tapped her fingers against the table giving off a small drumming noise while she waited for the waiter to leave with their orders before speaking up to her date. "That sounds kind of lovely. I..umm Sorry.. Not the best at this whole thing. Most people don't really take me on dates you know. What do you do for work?" She looked nervous, and it irradiated off her skin. Lights glowing a soft green like she was radiation. "clearly you know what I do. Well I kind of do but Like specifics Sorry... Umm Maybe your favorite movie?"Storyteller
The two continued to talk while enjoying their meals and each others company. Numbers were exchanged along with possible social media before the two went their seperate ways into the night.
Type
Record, Historical
Medium
Digital Recording, Text
Authoring Date
July 20, 2021
Authors
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