2014-03-24 - Stark Expo: Early Morning Coffee

The rich, pleasant smell of coffee fills the suite. The balcony door was open allowing in the fresh, warm breeze of the California spring air. Such a pleasant difference than what was on the East Coast currently. America stands out on the balcony resting her arms over the railing as she holds a cup of the coffee in her hands simply regarding the cityscape. The breeze tugs at her hair sending the curls swaying behind her but she pays it no mind as she simply... watches.

"You look like you're putting in a lot of thought for what's supposed to be a vacation." Julian Keller's voice comes from behind America, as he moves out onto the balcony with his own cup of joe. "The old home town." Julian notes with a smirk as he studies the cityscape, but his wry expression fades to something more pensive after just a moment. "Feels different."

America glances over her shoulder when Julian comes out only to nod silently at him in greeting. Her attention turns back to the city itself a long moment. "I think a lot more than I let on to people. I've been taking care of myself for a decade. You learn to think a lot. Lot to think about." The mug is raised to take a sip of her coffee, and in spite of her tough nature, it's muddled with cream and sugar making it more of a relaxing drink than a race to caffeinate. "Just trying to figure out where to go from here with things. The team. Myself. Things like that. I'm sure Stark would be proud--he always annoyed me wanting to know what my plans were."

"Heh. We're teenagers. Isn't it our job to avoid having plans until we're at -least- 25 or so?" Julian comments with humor lacing his tone, but it's muted, and he frowns again while he sips the coffee, "I think about it too. A lot since Clara was killed. I just don't seem to come up with any answers." He leans on the railing, though he's facing in towards the suite instead of looking outward for now. "This superhero business makes you grow up fast, doesn't it?"

“Been at it since I was seven," America concedes as she takes a sip of her coffee with a small nod. "I chose that life in an instant. All I ever wanted was to be a hero like my moms and..." And someone else she won't speak of. She'd become far too chatty since staying here in this universe. A deep breath is taken enjoying the warm air. "Hmm. I like to just get the job done and not worry about being a celebrity or icon. You guys are flashy though. So it's starting to come down to deciding if I want to leave the team in someone else's hands or... start being public about things, too."

"Seven?" Julian blinks in mild disbelief, "Hanging out with flashy people doesn't mean you have to be flashy too." Julian shrugs, "I've been in the public eye since I was about as old as you were when you started superheroing. Not to the extent of a full-fledged celebrity or whatever, but when your parents have the kind of money my parents have...people are interested. Then I hit my teenage years and I basked in it. Did a lot of crap to attract it and...just sort of got used to it." He shrugs, shaking his head, "I mean, I figured I live in a world where anybody with a cell phone is a paparazzi waiting to happen...why bother hiding?"

Julian shrugs, "Don't want to see you leave. If you want me to be the face for the team while you mostly call the shots, I don't have a problem with that. A year or two ago I would've been shit at that job, but..." He smiles a little thinly, "I've learned to control my temper and attitude a little more since then. Can't promise I won't call out some bullshit when it gets tossed in my face, but if we're a team, you don't have to do -everything-."

"I don't call all the shots. I'm just the one with the real experience. Finesse, she's good at training. I let her do her thing. Helps the others out a lot and there's a lot that needs work. Especially with Adam," America has to admit. "He's got talent, working on the skill. I couldn't teach him that though--she can. As for the rest?" She shrugs a bit. "Yeah. I've been a co-leader of a team before. It's honestly since Cap..." She trails off not needing to fill that in much. A sip is taken, again, and she glances over to Julian with a shrug. "My name /is/ Miss America. I wouldn't worry so much about it if not for the whole 'no more heroes' shit going on."

Speak of the purple-haired devil, and he appears. Adam steps out onto the porch area, carrying a large cup of coffee and a bag of pastries tucked under his arm, yawning. Spying America and Julian, he waves and plops himself down at the table, dropping the bag there. "Doughnuts. A bearclaw. Couple'a danishes. I think something strawberry." And he swigs his caffeine looking like a zombie.

Oh yeah. Jeanne did get him a new Holo S-Play and the game she had been working on-- apparently Adam had taken the night before to try it out.

In its entirety.

"I don't think any of us would argue that you're the leader, America." Julian grins a bit, "Not even me, and I'm not exactly known for being totally cool with authority. Jeanne may have the tactics but she doesn't have the right personality. I might have the right personality, but I don't have the experience, and besides, I'm usually so focused on trying to do ten things at once with my powers that trying to tell people what to do would probably just put me over my limit. You've got the best mix of all three." Julian reaches over and gives America's shoulder a squeeze, "This No More Heroes bullcrap comes and goes like the wind. Hell, this time I can even see it's not having has much an impact as the last few times. That other world that merged with us...they -love- their heroes there, mostly. And those folks aren't really paying much attention to this noise. We're more sensitive because well...our world's people always seem to be swayed by whichever billionaire dork wants to throw some money at a media campaign." Julian shrugs and sighs, "Anyway..."

Then Adam appears, and Julian grins, a green flicker appearing around his eyes and a pair of doughnuts floating from the bag, one towards America and one to himself. "Dude, you look like hell."

"Hmm." America smiles faintly at Julian's encouragement only to look over when Adam walks in. The smile broadens though it's for an entirely different reason--she knew that rumpled, sleep deprived look rather well. "You're going to be falling on your face today if you keep that up. So how hard did you break the game?" She had heard him up having stayed here the last night instead of going back to the room with her and Clint. They did need some bonding time as a team after all. The donut brought over by Julian is snagged out of the air with a thankful nod, and she takes a bite.

"Elves. Swords. Giant fuckin' dragons," Adam mutters, snagging a danish and taking a bite. "Found a bug, though, Jeanne's going to be pissed. Apparently you're /not/ supposed to be able to jump on the dragon and ride it around the world and set things on fire accidentally while it's trying to throw you off." What? Ugh, you've never seen him or Clint 'exploring' games. These things /just happen/. "Realized it when all the questgivers were too dead to give me quests. Also, nuclear winter. Not sure how that happened, not my fault."

His eyes flit between the two, at least marginally awake enough to notice that they were having a serious conversation. "Something up? More bad press or something? Supervillain stealing Starktech? Something we can do besides listen to science?" Yeah, other than the video games, Adam /might/ be bored. A tech conference isn't his thing.

"No, nothing like that. Just considering my own role in things. Might talk to Jan about it," America admits with a shrug. A phone goes off in the other room with a particular jangly tune, and she glances over her shoulder with a grunt. "That's mine. Think it's time for one of the showings or something." Pushing off the balcony edge she heads back in. "Thanks for the donuts, and the talk. You guys behave."

"Us. Behave. "Fish, stop swimming!"" Julian grins towards America as she excuses herself, moving over towards Adam and shaking his head as he munches on his donut, taking a seat across from him, "Wait, are you describing the game or what you did for real last Saturday night?"

"Ugh. Don't remind me. I only vaguely remember it." Adam actual turns slightly red, but smirks. "But what I remember was pretty... anyway, yeah, the game. Gotta let Jeanne know about the bug, she wanted me to look at the game before the... show... thing. Something." He's obviously sleepdepped.

"Yeaaah, might want a little more of that coffee, bro." Julian polishes off his doughnut and sips at his coffee, "So...like I told Tommy last night, if you want to tell Molly the whole party thing was my fault." Julian shrugs, "I knew what kind of party it was going to be. Always is with Dev. I'm sure my TK-shields can take a hit from Molly...once." He grins just a bit, finishing off that first mug of coffee before moving over to pour himself another.

Adam glances furtively to the side. "Uh. Yeah. /That/." He leans forward, making sure America is /well/ out of sight. "Sooooo. You know how I went down to one of the hotel rooms to 'pass out'?" he asks with an all-too-innocent look.

"Yeah." Julian finishes pouring his coffee, starts back towards the living room, then pauses, tilting a brow as he sees that look, "Oh geez. I am -not- taking the blame if you told some girl to meet you down there in five minutes."

"Two?" Adam says in that half-amazed with himself, half... absolutely terrified... tone. "And no. Uh. Not... blaming you." He rubs the back of his neck, then takes a swallow of coffee.

"I am /so/ dead, bro."

"I'm calling dibs on your video game collection." Julian says nonchalantly, but he grows more serious, "So...yeah. I mean, I won't say anything...it's your business, but...yeah." In other words, it's up to Adam what kind of bad boyfriend he wants to be. The kind that cheats and fesses up or the kind that cheats and lies about it. "I mean...how serious -are- you and Molly, anyway?" He adds, "And I don't mean like -that-. You're not -that- bad. I just mean...you know. I kinda got the impression she was way more into it than you were."

Adam rubs his temples. "She is. A lot more. She's... really clingy. Kind of scary. I'm not sure-- serious? I'm still..." he grimaces. "You know. Eileen. And Molly's sweet, and cute. When she doesn't look like, six, because she dresses like a kid." He winces. "But I'm really, /really/ not as into her as she is to me. And trying to talk with her? Jules, she's scary clingy and I'm honestly worried she's /literally/ going to punch me to the moon."

"Whoo." Julian shakes his head, "Yeah bro. I dunno what to say. I mean, I figured it wasn't all that serious on your end." He drums his fingers on the arm of the couch he's sitting on, "Just didn't know she was -quite- that clingy." He considers, "I dunno. You might have to resort to bribery. Not for forgiveness. Just to avoid dead-ness."

Adam lets out a deep breath. "Yeah. I know. I mean, I /tried/, you know? I really did."

"What? To talk her out of her crush?" Julian laughs, "Maybe you shouldn't have played hard to get." He grows more serious almost as soon as he makes the joke, "Sorry." He sips the coffee once more, "Better stock up on cute little hats. You might need a whole crate to get you out of this."

Adam snorts. "No, to be the good boyfriend. Clint... his stupid comments about her being his 'not-daughter-in-law' and shit... didn't help. She mentions stuff like marriage. And forever. And..." he sighs. "Hell, Jules, we don't even know if we're not gonna be punked down by some sort of insane supervillain tomorrow. I'm not thinking about forever just yet."

"I dunno." Julian shrugs, "Sometimes I think we -need- to think a little further ahead. Yeah, we do dangerous stuff, but if you don't have something to look for -after- the fight...you just keep looking for fights." Julian shakes his head once more, "But she's young. Probably her first real crush, for all I know." The dark-haired teen considers, "I know it sounds like trying to climb Everest without any gear, but maybe you just need to...y'know...talk to her?"

Adam gives Julian a dry look. "I tried that. She basically started the waterworks and the 'you hate me!' and 'you're breaking up with me?'... I had to backpedal just to stop everyone from thinking I was being a complete..."

Perhaps this bit of logic only works in the minds of certain people. "Wait. I can just tell her about the cheating, and /she'll/ dump /me/. It's brilliant. I may spend a couple days in medbay, but whatever."

Julian gives Adam a considerably skeptical look, "Uhhh...maybe?" He frowns, sipping the sweet, sweet caffeinated nectar once more, "I dunno man. I mean...I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but sometimes you have to power through the waterworks. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been a jerk about it sometimes in the past, but sometimes it's also for -both- peoples' own good. Sometimes you just know when it isn't right."

Adam slouches. "I hate looking like I fucked up, especially when I didn't." He stops. "I mean, this time, I did, but before the party I didn't. I did everything right, and I just know it's going to end up my fault somehow."

He mutters, "So, might as well have been. Especially with Tommy making fun of me all the time."

"I like Tommy, but he -is- kind of a dick." Julian notes, "Sometimes you just have to tune that stuff out." Julian sighs, "Hell, I'm probably the last person that should be giving any kind of advice on this stuff. I've spent most of the week so far trying to decide if I should tell a girl that it looks to me like her often-mentioned boyfriend is taking her for granted, and not just because I'm looking out for her, either." Julian grimaces, sipping the coffee again.

"Manwhore," Adam replies, but it's good-natured. "Kara, eh? I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole, truth to tell," he muses. "What about you and Jeanne? Or, really, anyone else-- I mean, I know you were messed up about Clara, and I'm not exactly holding you to being broken up about her, but man. Don't downgrade. No offense to Kara-- but she's like an older, more book-smart Molly."

"Yeah, I know. She's...like the walking picture of "book smart and street dumb."" Julian shakes his head and smirks, "But don't lie, you'd go after her in a second if she offered." He teases, but grows more serious, "Clara -did- mess me up. Still does. I wasn't sleeping with anybody at that party, and believe me it wasn't for lack of opportunity." He sets his mug down, staring at it a few moments, "Jeanne and I have never been a thing...not like that. What happened with us was...well, it wasn't an accident...I'm not ashamed of it, either, but I think it was a one-time thing. She thought she was helping...and hell, maybe she did." Julian glances towards Adam and smirks, "I know you and America think she's creepy and weird, and well..let's face it, she -is-, but she's a good friend, if you can see past the whole super-analytical side of things. You just have to learn to remind yourself that she's not trying to hurt your feelings when she starts critiquing. She honestly thinks she's helping you to get better."

"Jeanne? Nah, I actually kinda like her. Just don't tell her. She'd give some sort of robot speech as to why that's illogical or something. Futzing Vulcan." He grins wryly.

"And no, I wouldn't fuck Kara. Not with someone else's dick." Adam begins flicking fingers off, starting to count with his pinky as he lists his reasoning. "One, she's nosy and always up in everyone's business about everything, even when it doesn't concern her. Two, she may dye her hair, but that flighty, not-paying-attention shit is the real blonde deal--which is insane considering how much point one applies, right? It's like she only pays attention to shit that's not her business and she's completely oblivious to everything else. Three," he sighs, "she means well, but her 'I'm a superhuman with super intelligence bow before my superior knowledge' thing gets old after about twenty minutes, and no amount of staring at her tits makes up for it."

Adam finishes the last swallow of his coffee, shrugging. It seems the miniBarton is actually a little smarter than he lets on, most of the time. "Four, the eugenics stuff is understandable coming from Jeanne-- she's a robot, right? But it's borderline frightening coming from someone who can rip your head off, literally, if you don't smile, nod, and agree with her. And, most of all, she zooms all over the place and shows up to save the world or just be in your face and in your business like she has the right to be. She's as bad as Molly, as far as the clingy and 'has to be the center of attention' shit, just... more powerful." He shakes his head. "No thanks. Even if Clint hadn't pointed out that Super-sex probably ends with a crushed dick, my crush on her was limited to about ten minutes. Then she started talking."

"Heh. You didn't grow up in California. I guess I have a higher tolerance for ditzy. But yeah, I doubt anything's going to come of it. Not really my business anyway." Julian shrugs, "There was another girl I met but..." Julian shakes his head, "She an Irish redhead, which hits a little...as in -way-...too close to home right now...-and- I think she's never even so much as dated a guy before which...yeah." Julian shakes his head, "Plus she's a new student at the Institute, so she's got power issues she needs to get in check before she should be worried about any of that kind of stuff."

"Seriously," Adam shakes his head. "I don't know what to tell you. Except..." he shrugs. "Not my business, but... you know, if you and Jeanne... maybe she'd be less of a robot. Think about it."

Julian frowns, "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure Jeanne's problems with figuring out emotions aren't based on her needing to get laid." He considers, "I do like her, and I've learned to understand her well enough that I don't freak out at the stuff she says, and I'm not going into any detail but...-damn-..." And that's all he'll say on that before adding, "But...I don't even know if she's capable of being interested in a long-term relationship, unless you can explain the scientific need for it."

"Hmmm." Adam gives Julian a flippant grin. "Then you don't mind if I make a go at it?" he teases.

Julian tilts a brow, smirking back towards Adam, "Maybe a little, but good luck. I mean...I guess you're not looking to get Molly to kill you by halves, are you?"

"Eh," Adam chuckles. "If we're done... and I'm pretty sure we will be when I get back... really, what does it matter?"

"If you're seriously interested, I'm not getting in your way." Julian notes, "You know....once you're out of the body cast Molly's going to put you in."

Adam laughs at that, genuinely. "Ah well. From one bodycast to another. Pretty sure if I bothered trying to touch Jeanne, she'd break every bone in my body."

He pauses. "And call it foreplay. I mean, seriously. Ow. Sparring with her feels like taking a turn in a clothesdryer with a bucket of bricks."

"You get used to it after a while. I've been sparring with her for two years now. I even manage to tag her once or twice, maybe three times a session." Julian chuckles, "Not that she doesn't make me pay for it. I know I'll never catch up to her, but at least now I feel like if my powers got shut down I wouldn't be completely helpless against the kind of stuff we usually come up against." He laughs, shaking his head, "It took a lot of adjustment for me. I was used to pretty much being the best at everything, but I was playing in the minor leagues."

"Again," Adam grins, "I like it. This has been the most relaxing I've done since starting with the Academy. I get in an hour of sparring with Finesse every day, a run in the morning with Lucky, and Clint and I do both target practice and sparring practice for at least three hours every afternoon-- well," he allows, "when Clint's available. Otherwise, I just do archery on my own for the whole three hours."

What? Adam's been doing more than video games? Apparently he's been working overtime on keeping in shape.

"I just wish Doc Pym wouldn't give me so much schoolwork. I'm barely keeping up with it-- I don't want the CPS mooks to take me, you know, so I'm trying to get A's. I mostly do, even though Doc's a nightmare." He muses, taking another bite of his danish. "But That takes me at least a couple hours a day, though he gave me off for the Expo, at least. Then still have to fit in time to play games. Clint's really cool, I guess he didn't have much when he was my age, so he's been kinda awesome and coming home with new stuff fairly often. Mostly when he's gone for a bit."

He shrugs. "So, I guess... it's kinda nice, not having so much to do all the time. Maybe afterwards, we can get the rest of the team and hook up, hang with the Titans for a couple days? I got to go on a mission with them a few months back, they're pretty swank. Do some cross-hero-pollination and make new friends, right?" He lifts a brow in askance.

"Cross-hero-pollination sounds like a horrible euphemism for sex." This is from America who returns from having answered the phone, taken a long hot shower, and finally changed into something that was a bit more presentable for dealing with crowds. Jeans, sneakers, her usual favored blue t-shirt with a star on it. Better than the rumpled clothes she'd slept in last night at least. Her hair was still damp and there's a towel draped over her shoulders as she glances over. "Any donuts left?"

Julian TKs the bag of donuts back towards America while he smirks at Adam, "The Titans seem pretty cool. I hung with a bunch of them in Hawaii about a year ago. Been a while since I talked to him, but Kon-El's pretty much a bro." Julian shakes his head, "I'd ask when you sleep, but I think I can get my answer by looking at you." He adds towards America, "And as for pollination...have you -seen- Starfire? -Damn-."

Adam raises a fist to Julian to brofist. "I /have/ seen her, and... yes please, thank you sir, can I have another? Have you /seen/ what she /wears/?" Or rather, doesn't.

America snags the bag of donuts out of the air to fish inside grabbing the bearclaw that was down near the bottom. An eyebrow raises though at mention of Starfire. "Yeah. And have you seen what she /eats/? Mustard on everything. On pizza. On icecream. Nooo thank you. And yeah," she has to agree before taking a bite of the bearclaw. "Kon's cool."

Julian brofists Adam and grins, "I like mustard. Don't you like mustard?" He turns his gaze towards America mock-imploringly, "Got something against Mustard, America?" The joke is betrayed by the grin that spreads across his face, though. "So anyway..."

"Yes, anyway..." Adam smirks. "Yeah. So," he glances to America, "can we see if we can arrange a thing?" Yep, he's looking at her like she's the boss.

"If you want to taste mustard while making out," America tosses off as she lobs the bag of donuts back at Julian with a smirk. When Adam does the puppy dog begging (sort of) she looks at him with a shrug. "Sure, why not. They don't seem to have terrible press out here. Maybe pick up a thing or two, and it would be nice to get away from the frozen-east for awhile," she has to admit. Another bite is taken as she glances off into the distance in thought trying to figure out how to arrange this as well as a place to stay for everyone.

"If you need any help setting it up, just let me know. I can talk to Kon and we'll figure something out." Julian notes, moving back towards the kitchen and putting his mug in the sink, rinsing it out. See how much he's learned at the Academy? He had people to do that for him once. *cough* "What's the plan for the rest of the week, anyway?"

America has decimated the bearclaw and continues to nibble away at the remaining portion though she turns to follow back into the suite partially. Her abandoned cup of coffee, now cold, is taken up to gulp helping wash down the mouthful. "Sure. I have Kara's number still, but never got Kon's. Too bad. Kind of hot for a guy." Pausing she glances aside at Adam, then back to Julian as she adds, "Not that it matters." She and Clint /were/ kind of an item.

"See, you go and get my hopes up and then send them crashing down. You're a cruel woman, America." Julian teases as he steps back into the living room, leaning against the back of the couch, "So...gonna wear that one dress to the Gala at the end of all this? I might've almost missed out but no reason Clint should..." Julian actually winks at America at that.

Adam /might/ wrinkle his nose at that, but says nothing otherwise regarding America and Clint. Ugh. Chipmunk noises. He follows Julian in, moving to the kitchenette in the suite for more coffee. "Man. I /really/ don't want to wear the futzing suit again, but Clint's gonna expect me to clean up nice for the gala and pretend I'm having a good time." He sighs.

America rolls her eyes just a bit at Julian. "Just because I have to admit I'm curious what it'd be like to do stuff with someone I don't have to worry about breaking doesn't mean I'm actively looking," she starts to protest only to falter when Julian mentions the dress. She'd forgotten about that. It had been so long since she'd done something to try and appeal to the guy she was seeing--Clint was just one of those 'casual, relaxed, take it as it comes' sorts. "That's... actually a good idea," she mutters while biting into the mostly eaten bearclaw. Adam gets a LOOK. "Yeah, maybe Julian can help you find something that fits better."

"I do have 'em from time-to-time." Julian notes, looking over to Adam and nodding, "I think I can find you something you'll actually like wearing, Adam. And that fits. I know a place...totally custom, fully tailored in a day. Shoes too. My treat." He chuckles, "Figure I probably missed a birthday or something in there somewhere."

Adam twitches, but nods in agreement. "...thanks, Julian." He grumbles something about not understanding why he can't just wear jeans and a t-shirt, but... gala. Then again, he didn't grow up a rich kid around such things; nor was he a girl, so the idea of dressing up made no sense to him.

"No problem, we'll hit it up tomorrow afternoon, unless you feel like going today." Julian looks at Adam skeptically, then nods in affirmation, "Tomorrow it is." He grins a bit, then heads towards the door, "I'm gonna go find Jeanne. I'll let her know you found a bug in her game." And with that Julian's outta there for the time being.