2014-02-17 - Revelations

Tony and Stretch had already opened up the gym though Stretch had gone to the back to deal with whatever else needed dealing with. This left Tony temporarily in charge of getting the front set up. He was diligent about things at least and was currently cleaning over the equipment with a bottle of antiseptic spray and paper towels.

Carrie was already here in the same disguise as before with dark hair and brown contacts as well as a few fake piercings that you really couldn't tell were fake. She sits on a stool at the cafe counter sipping at coffee that was likely given to her by Stretch for her wait on Ted.

Ted comes walking in the front door wearing a well tailored suit and sunglasses. He loses the glasses when he enters and heaves a sigh of relief. "Hey ... New York! You call that place a club? It sucked! Don't waste your paycheck on it kid. $50 to get in and $10 for a mineral water? Come on ..."

Tony looks up from where he was crouched beside a weight bench cleaning off the padding to grin over at Ted when he enters. "It's a bit pricey but it's more about the eye candy. Usually a good crowd in there depending when you go." Shrugging he stands and tucks the roll of nearly used papertowels into the back pocket of his jeans managing, somehow, to squash them in there. "Did you have fun at least?" He grins with a shake of his head as he moves to start tending to his area giving a little swing off the pole.

Carrie glances toward Ted when he comes over tipping her head at him with a smile. "I can come back another time if you need," she offers trying to be helpful. "You kind of look like you could use a cat nap." Okay so she had to make a pun once in awhile. "Stretch is in the back if you need," she adds.

Tony gives a shrug as he spins around to face to the back door setting off at a leisurely long legged walk. "Fine by me," he assures with a good natured grin only to vanish into the back.

As soon as Tony is gone Carrie glances aside to Ted swallowing a mouthful of her coffee while regarding him with a rather difficult, peculiar face. Drawing a deep breath she keeps her voice low, "Ted? You... do know that Tony is gay, right?" For a moment she lets that sink in, slowly, before asking hesitantly, "How tall were those women and did they have adam's apples?"

Ted looks at Carrie.

Ted really looks at Carrie

Then Ted looks some more.

"Naaaaaaah! Whatever gave you ..."

"Naw ..."

"TONY! STRETCH! Get out here!"

Carrie spreads her hands at Ted with a helpless shrug simply allowing him to catch up to where everyone else was in their deductions. A sip of her coffee is made when he yells for the others.

Tony comes ambling out before Stretch does already tucking away into a scone that he'd snagged to munch. "S'up?" he asks simply while stepping to the side to allow Stretch room to come out as well.

Ted says in a more normal tone of voice, "I'd like a word with you. Uh Hiram, you remain right there." Stretch bolts at the sound of his Christian name for the door. Ted watches him run. "I'll deal with him later and the average IQ of Dogpatch will go up several points. Tony ... are you a gay guy?"

Tony finishes the bite of scone he'd taken giving a quick wipe to his mouth when it seems that things are going to be serious. Nothing good ever seems to come of the phrase 'we need to talk' even in the workplace. "Yeah?" And then 'Hiram' bolts for the door causing his head to snap over in the mans direction. "Subtle, Stretch." With another shake of his head he looks back to Ted only to freeze in place. "Uh... Yeah? Thought you knew." Now he starts to look a little tense. Ted WAS a big guy after all.

Carrie for her part isn't certain what will happen either and she watches Ted with a curious caution.

Ted looks at Carrie and says, "I'm surprised neither 'a you cornballs told me this. D'ya have any idea how embarrassing this could have been for Tony? What'd you think? I saved the country, Hell the frigging world, just to tell boys they can't kiss each other? I'm old kid but I'm not a bigot." He turns to Tony and says, "Sit down and finish your scone for God sakes. Listen young man, the rules are the same for all of my employees, 'Don't shit where you eat or where I make my living’. Are we cool with that?"

"Stretch said he wanted to wait and see how long it'd take for you to figure it out," Carrie tattles relentlessly though she grins with bemusement before turning more serious. He was right--it could have ended badly for Tony. Looking toward him she sheepishly nods and murmers, "Sorry. Didn't mean any insult by it."

Tony just lets out a breath along with a smile of obvious relief. "Man give a guy a heart attack." His free hand lifts to press to his chest giving a shake of his head. The hand drops away as he looks more seriously at Ted after that. "We're cool. Thanks, man. Not everyone's okay with it after all." Nodding again he heads to the back room once more. "And since Stretch isn't here to complain I am going to help myself to another batch of these scones..."

Ted grins and makes a fist that looks the size of a batcycle. "Listen kid, anyone has any complaints about ... the team you play on let them take it up with my complaints department. Uhm listen Tony ... I might have said some stuff about me you might have taken the wrong way ... as long as we're coming clean I may as well tell you about my what do you call it ..." He looks to Carrie for help sturggling to recall the term.

Tony at least doesn't tuck away into the scone again while the conversation is still going on. Ted's remarks actually cause him to look... touched? He doesn't cry or anything like that but his eyes do get a little damp until he glances away to keep that from happening. "Thanks," he adds again before looking back to him with sincere interest in what's being said.

The prompt for Carrie to give a proper term for what he was searching for causes her to grin and blurt out, "Alternative Lifestyle?" It's a joke though perhaps a bit accurate only for her to clear her throat. "Other persona, perhaps would be more accurate."

Ted says, Alternate lifestyle is fine, which I know the meaning of short stack. I'm a member of a small minority too. We were persecuted back in the 50's and again in the 70's. Even today many of us are misunderstood and harrassed by the authorities ‘n some places for no good reason. So Tony, believe me when I say, anyone starts with you they better be ready to start with me. But I digress. My ... lifestyle is not a complete secret. Anyone who knows a little history and applies themselves could find out who I am. If you're going to work for me you need to know too." Ted reaches under the bar and fiddles with a control. The concealed door he came through the night one met Carrie opens wide.

Inside the room is a grand gold and blue banner saying JSA in red letters. A small round table takes up some space. Behind it on a rack stands his costume. Behind that his motorcycle. The walls ... the walls are covered with almost every melee weapon imagineable.

Tony goes from curious to suspicious even at the teasing that goes on around them. Mention of being persecuted earns a knowing nod from him as well. The last bite of the scone is pushed into his mouth by thick fingertips only to dust his hand off on the side of his pants as he watches the secret door swing open. "Holy shit, Ted. You've got a secret room?" When led inside he looks around as well finally letting the peices click into place when the JSA banner is spotted. "Holy shit," he repeats finding himself at a loss for words. "Did I just step into a comic book or something?" The look he flashes Ted is difficult to read but perhaps a bit impressed if nothing else. "This is pretty amaze-balls, you know. Shit." At least he seems to be taking it well!

Carrie follows in only to clear her throat lightly. "Speaking of persecution... The 'No More Heroes' rally is tonight," she points out in case that wasn't known by the way it was in every newspaper in Gotham at the moment. "Could be a dangerous time for you coming up again."

Ted cracks his knuckles and works a kink out of his neck with an audible pop. "Yeah ... dangerous for them."