My Brother's Keeper: Rise of Halo (Closed)

The Patriot couldn't help but let a grin crack about her fashion statement. He was a bit impressed with himself to be honest. He owed Sean a burger. Make that two. He mentally took note. "Well even if I wasn't as Italian as I am, that yelp app told me it was pretty good." he winked playfully.

Listening to her tale he almost felt sad. This woman so smart, clever and beautiful called herself not much. "I think being related to Zell might make for one heck of a story, but let's save that one for another time. You aren't just a secretary. Your smile is literally lighting up this room. You told me the genus and species of flowers that my silly brain just went 'they pretty', I can relate to the one long what the heck. Your inhale after a long day told me all I needed to know about that one."
Andrew spoke kindly and gently. His voice while complimenting her trying to raise her up.  

Andrew looked at the waiter and smiled
"Avremo un ordine di una bottiglia del tuo vino rosso preferito, per favore. Oh and I'll also take a water with lime as well that sounds refreshing." he said as the man spoke back to him in Italian letting him know their red wine would be right out with the waters.

"I figured this was a special enough occasion to crack a bottle of red wine. I told him to pick his favorite. I trust his taste." Andrew said turning back and looking At Vira.

He shifted in his chair slightly and smoothed his pants down. "You want to know about me? Well I'm a bit of an open book. I'll tell you though since you asked nicely." he said with that kindness still lingering in his eyes.

"So my mom and dad are..." his eyes changed for the first time from kindness to pain. He cleared his throat a bit. Catching himself. "My um. My mom and dad were your average middle class Bostonians. My dad ran a painting business and my mom was a nurse for old people. I had a younger sister too. Dad and My Pa were big on respect and being a gentleman. Old school Italians. The Talons kinda became my family, and as most people saw I blew up over New York when we were invaded, trying to hold that family together." He looked deep in her eyes, the pain subsiding seeing the kindness she had in hers.

"I like to think if my old man were still here he'd want me to be the kind of guy holding doors, and pulling out chairs for a lady kind enough to share dinner with me." he smiled.

"I hope I'm making him proud, y'know, up there. I went to NYU on a football scholarship and majored in psychology. Lastly, the Phoenix isn't who I am anymore. I recently took the moniker The Patriot, but if Phoenix is easier to remember I won't be mad, seems Zell fills your head with enough info as it is."
He chuckled as their wine arived.

"So sorry Mr.Jones I left the ring in the kitchen. I'll be right back."
Vira clearly heard that. Andrew laughed and put his hand on the man's shoulder.
"I'm not Mr.Jones, please make sure you don't bring me some guy's most important night in a box, Guiseppe." The waiter laughed at his mistake and looked at Vira almost shrugging. "Well thank you, the wine is on the house for your kindness." The man was off quickly and dropped fresh bread between them and placed menus.

"Excuse the hectic night, our GM is out sick."
"It's not a problem friend. I just don't want this beautiful lady thinking I'm Mr.Jones, or I'm proposing to her on a first date" he jested with Guiseppe.
"Ah, well I hope the date is fantastic."
He was off again.

"So...that certainly would've been awkward." Andrew smiled. The candle had gone out as the waiter was rushing. He took care of it. Staring at the wick his beautiful white fire began to dance atop the wax with the golden sparkles flickering like small heartbeats. It made her eyes even more captivating.

He continued to keep his eye contact. "Con artist brother and related to Zell Atterrius. That's got to be interesting... and again certainly a ball of what the heck." he smiled bright again. The light catching his own eyes making them pop a bit. His square jaw more pronounced as the candle flickered. "It's not always saving the day though. Since you asked who Phoenix is. I've had my share of whoopings and lessons. Some cuz of my own arrogance when I was younger. Some because some people truly just want to watch the world burn. I just want to make it a little bit better than when I got here."

Vira cocked her head to the side with the revelation that Andrew was speaking a different language. She nodded slightly, seeming impressed for a moment. All she could catch from the statement was “please” and “Lime water”. The reason being was the likeness of the word “please“ in both Italian and Spanish. The other part because it was in plain English. She was counted as impressed, though seemed enraptured as Andrew began to speak about his past.

It was a strange thing to witness. From the time he had stepped into the office he had been collected. Head been kind, he had been funny and he had been respectful. But in almost an instant his kindness turned to pain, and it was the type of pain Vira knew to identify. The pain that came with Truth and honesty. He shared a little about his Mother being a geriatirc nurse, and his father having been an entrepreneur within the painting business. She wasn’t entirely sure if that meant he was an artist, or if he painted buildings and rooms. Either way it was a humble profession, and Vira knew those kinds of jobs were the ones most often taken for granted.

Andrew went on to explain that he would like to think that his parents were proud of him. She smiled, acknowledging that pain herself. She would hope that her mother were proud of her, and her father as well. Unfortunately with both of these figures removed from her life she was left to wonder, just as he was. Hoping to say the least. She nodded along with the story. Pain like this was not something one could feign, and the feeling of familial bonds being forged was always a subject of interpretation. But she found him to be honest, and in a way imperfectly pure with himself. He stated about how he had a scholarship for football, which VIra automatically couldn’t help but look questioningly.

”I can’t see you in a football uniform. Honestly.” She said with a small giggle, shaking her head. She then cleared her throat and just as she was about to speak the waiter seemed to approach again with a look of panic all over his face. She immediately found herself on edge, thinking the worst was happening. Then suddenly she heard him say about leaving a ring in the kitchen, and referring to Andrew as a Mr.Jones. She was puzzled beyond all belief, and then actively began laughing, the tension melting away for a moment as she covered her mouth, silencing herself. ”Oh you poor thing.” She seemed to almost whine, feeling terrible for the waiter as he seemed to scramble for his mind.

Andrew certainly handled the waiter very well, and he was truly sympathetic to Mr.Jones and his bride to be, but Vira felt so bad for the man that had just fumbled this event for those two. The waiter returned after just a moment, still frazzled as he explained that the GM was out sick. It truly wasn’t her problem, but she felt the need to stop him there, wanting to help him as best she knew how. Andrew had informed him that this was their first date, and the young man wished them well. But Vira then stopped him.

”Giuseppe, I need you to do me a favor, okay?” She asked. The waiter looked to her, he was certainly frazzled from the chaotic demands of all around him, he was looking a little more diaphoretic than most people did. ”I need you to NOT tell the man you forgot the ring, okay? That would be a horrible way for her to find out this was happening. Instead I need you to remember, what is the woman eating?” She asked, it seemed like a very strange request, but as he seemed to squint, trying his hardest to recall he stated.

“Uhm, she ordered lemon pepper fish, because something about deep fried is not an option anymore?”

“Okay, so she isn’t a Vegan or a vegetarian, because she is eating fish. But maybe the oils are something she is allergic to. I need you to go and have the finest dessert WITHOUT any of the nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, anything that resembles the oils you use to deep fry. You have that dessert made and you place the ring in it, and you take it to them after their meals. Since the wine is free, I’ll pay for the dessert. If he asks you why you waited, you tell him it was the best way for him to tell her he was the sweetest part of his life.” She said as she leaned back. Looking over to Patriot she couldn’t help her smile from cracking wide open as she shook her head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment for the man. Andrew had stated that things would have been awkward, to which she smiled and nodded.

“Look, you’re...amazing. But on the first date. THAT would be more bold than Zell’s move. And he ended up accidentally almost getting Sean arrested during his proposal.” She chuckled, the candlelight was a nice touch for the moment as she tried to decompress the internal stress that had been building since the waiter came by in a panic. She reached down and picked up the glass set before her, she noticed in the shadow that the water glass had a small wedge of citrus fruit within, though the color was not at all what she was expecting. The yellowish skin made her sigh. It was a very common mistake, but she wasn’t about to make a scene. She simply reached over and took the wide-necked glass and took a sip of the deep crimson wine. The taste was quite sweet in some fashion, though the linkering tingle it left on the tongue left a bittersweet aftertaste. It was sublime, to say the least. She listened as Andrew continued to share more of himself with her, he eventually acknowledged the “Ball of what the heck” comment and then shifted immediately back to his conclusion. It was an enrapturing story to say the least.

“Well I think that’s a rather...simplistic goal. More people should think that way.” She said with a smile, the fire danced across the table and cast strange shadows as Vira had taken her menu and turned it sideways. ”Andrew...I have something to tell you...” She said after a moment, suddenly a smile cracked as she closed her eyes.

”I’m allergic to garlic...I don’t know what I was thinking.” She said, seeming to have genuine humor over it. She placed a hand on her face and began to rub it slightly. ”Since you’re so honest and open with me...I have to say. I am FORGETFUL. I have to carry a daily planner everywhere I go. It’s terrible. The waiter’s little fumble is me on a daily basis. Just with plant genetics and appointments instead of wedding rings.” She said with a small chuckle. She was both embarrassed and somehow relieved to put it out there that her mind was chaotic and unorganized. She couldn’t even remember the last time she openly admitted the fact she couldn’t follow a straight line of thought for more than thirty seconds. She leaned onto the table slightly and seemed to search for a moment within her mind.

”But for what it’s worth. I’m a good judge of character. I’m a terrible judge of distance and time, but I am great at character. I think, given everything I’ve seen and heard about you. Patriot, or Phoenix or, whomever you say you are. Andrew is the one your parents would truly be proud of. A mask is a mask at the end of the day. The man behind it; that’s the one that matters. You’re a good man, Mr.Jones.” She said as she raised her wine glass for him to meet with his own glass and a playful smirk.

He laughed and jokingly flexed his muscles. "You mean you can't picture a helmet on this goofy mug catching a ball. I was number 85. I'd even show you photos if you'd like." he he said pretending to gesture throwing a football.

He stared at her like time might never move again while she perfectly explained to the waiter how to make up for his goof. The detail she gave. The kindness in her voice. Almost like she was pulling this straight from a movie. Andrew's eyes widened and he nodded along agreeing her idea was fantastic.

"I'm far from amazing, but yes that would be bold to say the least." he smirked shaking his head and sipping his water. Which he nearly spit out."You are?!" he whispered planting his hands firmly to his face. "Of all places, of course I take you to the one that probably puts garlic in their water!" he whispered through his hands still embarrassed.

"Believe me I get how hectic life can be. I just got lucky and have a really good memory. I don't think I could forget tonight if I tried at this point, and I don't want to."

"Yet early I saw how you worked. I don't think you give yourself enough credit. So if I'm to take your compliments here's some of mine. This is possibly the most fun I've had in years. You're smile is absolutely gorgeous. The way you can type and insult Zell at the same time is almost a super power, and you're a good woman yourself Ms.Lee." he raised his wine glass and clinked hers before taking a sip.

It was dry but tasty. Went down smooth. "We can go to another restaurant, there's like 10 around this area. I'd rather you enjoy a first date than it end up you just getting allergy filled food." he joked at her. Sipping the wine once more. He looked at her and looked down shaking his head. "Of course I pick the garlic capital."

”A helmet? For Footba-OH! Right. American Football! Yes!” Vira said as her head shook slightly. This entire time she had imagined him in what would have been a soccer uniform. She couldn’t see him running the field and playing Soccer at all. But the concept of a rugby styled game. That she could definitely see him at! ”Absolutely, at some point I’ll want to see!” Vira stated, not imagining that he had any pictures on his phone at that moment.

She laughed at Andrew’s reaction and her own stupidity when it came to the remembrance of her Garlic allergy. At least he had a great sense of humor and didn’t mind laughing about it. Though she felt bad that he almost seemed to try and take the blame. How could he have known that she had a garlic allergy? He did nothing wrong, this was something they had to laugh about.

“Type and insult Zell? When did I-?” She began thinking back, her brain internally making a small dial-up noise as she tried to span the work day. Most of it was too anxious and excited to actually go on a date for the first time in several years. But then her mind plopped down and there was nothing but black. “Exhibit A...I can’t even remember dissing my boss.” She said with a small chuckle. She placed her water aside towards the edge of the table, being particularly careful to not let it spill.

The wine was a good vintage, well aged and fermented. The taste was sweet, but then shifted to an almost bitter taste. Most importantly it seemed to flow smoothly. Vira was wondering if that would be the moral of the story. If maybe the sweetness in her life was offset by the more bitter moments. It was hardly the time to be contemplative of the past, or the future. Now was strictly a moment to be lived NOW, not to be wasted with fleeting memories or endless possibilities. She set her glass down and seemed to lean backwards a little, relaxing into the ciar with the same formal posture she had since she arrived.

“This is fine. I forget about it so frequently that Zell had an Epi attached to my keychain. A little glowing green light.” She said with a smile and a slight shrug, playing off the fact that this was perhaps the most garlic-filled place. ”You picked good. Now I just need to make sure that I don’t order anything with Garlic.”

”So do you have any recommendations?”

Well that was a bullet dodged. Not the kind he was accustomed to dealing with, however rewarding nonetheless. "I'd love to show you what I looked like in college, scoring on the other team."he continued goofing around. Something about this felt so organic. It was just like talking to someone he's known forever. From the lists of "how to get back out there" he would never admit to reading...this was going so much better.

It seemed like him trying to make her feel less bad worked.
"Example A noted, but it's ok. You are clearly pretty talented at organizing if you gotta deal with your boss stuffing that brain of yours full of info. I imagine most of his meetings go more like the guys with the suits than with me. I guess being his husband's best friend for the better part of a decade has it's advantages of a smoother get together."

Sometimes he didn't have to literally save the day to save the day. Their waiter came back by him with a smile. He laughed "I guess your idea worked well, look behind my left shoulder." Andrew smiled wide. He could hear the man proposing to the woman. His heart warmed. "One day I want to be that kind of happy." he laughed quietly so the freshly engaged couldn't hear him. The restaurant clapped and Vira's date clapped like it was a golf event nodding his head.

"What do I recommend? I would go with a white sauce. They don't add garlic in those and they're yummy. Other than that I'll make sure... actually one second."

He grabbed the waiter's attention once more. "Giuseppe, so che il tuo manager non è qui. È imperativo che l'aglio non tocchi il cibo. È terribilmente allergica. Per favore, rendilo molto chiaro. Grazie."

"Oh of course! No garlic at all sir! I promise!"

"Well I suppose that solved that." he crossed one leg over the other and looked at the clock on the wall. Only an hour had gone by. Perfect. He wanted as much time as possible.

"Anyways, yea Guiseppe will make sure you're set so I'd suggest seafood or chicken with a white sauce. People are iffy about mushrooms but that pairs well with chicken and pasta with a wonderful cream sauce...I sound like my Papa." he exhaled out of his nose with the comedy.

"Oh!" he pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly flipped and slide it across the table. It was him flexing in his football uniform with the punter on one arm and the kicker on the other. Number 85 across his chest. and helmet in front of them. The three laughing in the photograph. "If you swipe left you can actually watch me score a touchdown and not goof around. I'm horrible at soccer if that's what you were thinking of"he giggled. "You said you wanted to see it." he raised his eyebrows playing around and taking another sip of wine. Refilling his glass a bit. "Would you like anymore?" her eyes were like a melting sunset he wanted to stay lost in. He felt himself slip for a second before waiting for her response.

He must have loved American Football. She had never tried to even follow the sport before, but she was beginning to think that maybe she should try and watch a game of it. Try to figure it out. The way he seemed to reminisce about it almost seemed to have an infectious level of joy. Though not everyone was like her, not everyone wanted to forget the past. In fact a lot of people were happy to have the past they did. Even with the suffering they’d endured. The man she was here with seemed to understand and embody that rather well.

Vira didn’t seem to know how to take a compliment as well as she should have. She was always difficult on herself, mostly because the life she had lived up to a certain point was all about serious, and difficult goals ahead. There was never a time when you were “good enough” it was always about climbing up the ladder and being better today than you were yesterday. So having someone recognize things such as her smile, and her intelligence was very heartwarming, but it was so strange and foreign to her. Then Andrew pointed something out, and Vira turned her head.

A smile crept on her face as she watched the proposal play out in front of her. The couple seemed to be happy, which was an amazing sight to see. Her mind was almost immediately clouded by a sense of pessimism. She was so happy for them, but she was scared at the same time. This world was going to hit those two hard. She could see it already. So many people found their happiness like this, but eventually time forces it to fade away. Be it from personal issues, haunting pasts or even just the fragility of the life we all take for granted. But by the time she had even begun to feel sad, her heart was uplifted again. It was the sad, scary things that made moments like that one matter. It made them so beautiful, and she was happy that she got to witness it. Andrew added that one day he wanted to be that kind of happy. She simply clapped for the couple in a quiet fashion, happy for the two in that moment.

”They’ll be happy for a long time.” She said in response to Andrew’s comment about wanting to be that happy. But she seemed to daze off for a moment, until the time came for her date to dip into his Italian speech once more. She couldn’t stop shaking her head with a smile as he spoke. One of the languages she never learned a lick of. She could catch certain things due to their French aspects, but it was a struggle. ”That is still so cool. I’ve never been able to learn Italian.” She said

Her date seemed to channel his inner “papa” for a moment and gave a small tid-bit on the food she might want to pair. She smiled at the way that he had phrased it. He missed his family, and she had no doubt that they would be proud of him at this moment. Especially because he was well-rounded in the culinary advice as well. She smiled and contemplated the nature of what she should pair with the cream sauce and pasta. By the time the waiter came around she had decided on a cream and cheese sauce with shrimp and angel hair pasta. There were tomatoes, basil and onions, but oddly enough onions didn’t seme to affect her the way garlic did.

Andrew’s sudden movements caused her eyes to jerk slightly as he removed his phone, she smiled as he brought out a small flip phone of some kind and then slid it across the table to her. She tilted her head and shifted off to the side slightly, to line her vision up. The school colors bright and vibrant white with a bright oxidized red to compliment it. The numbers 85 across the chest, thought he smile was for the camera, it had a story behind it. This was a particularly good day for these three. She couldn’t help but smile in response. She looked up to Andrew with lips curled to a smile. The way she was looking at him was the way that a woman looked at a small child that was just adorable.

”Ohh! Look at the baby face!” She teased him before swiping the phone, the screen projecting the next thing in his gallery, a touchdown for his team. It was interesting to watch the way he aggressively pushed through the other line and seemed to stumble, but not fall. He dove into the endzone and as the whistle went the noise of the stadium seemed to consume the phone. She smiled and nodded. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was looking for, but she was just happy to share a moment of his past and his life with him. ”I’m not sure what’s more impressive. You’re determination for getting through those big slabs of meat on the other team….or your dedication for still having the same phone.” She said, trying her own little bit of humor before realizing that he was offering her a refill on her wine. She looked to her glass, realizing that she had been slowly working at it. A top off wouldn’t hurt. But she wasn’t one to drink frequently. She looked back to her water and the incorrectly colored wedge before smiling and nodding to him, a sweet little mile on her face.
”Absolutely. This doesn’t happen often. Might as well enjoy, right?” She said, almost as if she felt the need to explain ehr logic to him. She knew she didn’t but she still did. She looked into his eyes for a moment longer and let out a little sigh of relief. ”It’s odd...I wouldn’t be at work tomorrow. I wasn’t there yesterday either, I was in Beijing. I was lucky you came today of all days.”

Andrew tilted his head slightly and grinned nodding with glee. "Couldn't agree more. I always love watching proposals. It reminds me that all the insanity I've gone through, maybe I get a happily after to my own story y'know?" he looked at her with hope on his face.

He never thought much about being able to speak Italian. "Oh I'd be happy to teach you some. Most people assume I'm just good at fighting bad guys" he laughed sipping his wine. "To be fair no one ever really wants to know beneath the suit. I mean they know whose under it. They just never ask about that guy. It's funny you get some fame for being a hero and people forget that feelings, hopes, and dreams. Things I think transcend human and metahuman." sipping his wine a little more.

"I did however promise you some Italian. So here you go. la bellezza di quei fiori viene meno ai tuoi occhi"


"That means those flowers fail in comparison to the beauty inside your eyes." He smiled genuinely. "I remember my Pa taught me that one back...softmore year of high school maybe? I never thought I'd get to use it. I suppose it came in a little handy." he spoke pouring her wine and winking in playfully. His sentence in Italian sincere, yet he knew taking compliments was not commonplace for her.

"You had to bring up the baby face!" his laugh almost infectious. "Yes I once was a wee little lad smashing through those slabs of meat. To be fair my super strength hadn't manifested yet so I wasn't cheating. That was just raw determination. I guess tenacity comes in handy sometimes. But...if we're going to make fun of my cell phone.... at least it has a feature even the newest tech. doesn't come with. Your number." he smiled. She was right he was certainly due for an upgrade.

"You think YOU'RE the lucky one? Vira I can say truly I've been to multiple dimensions which is absolutely too long of a story than you'd want to hear right now. However, none of them have had a woman who just captivated me so quickly. Must've been that water you guys have at genetech." he played a little more. "To be fair I have zero idea where Zell is dragging me to besides knowing it's the capital of a country I've never been to. This was as serendipitous as it gets. I'm truly grateful you said yes to joining me for dinner tonight." the light flickering set the mood perfect. His eyes getting lost in hers again for a moment. It was ok. He enjoyed the warmth.

The night was going well so far, she had been pleasantly surprised and her expectations were already met. Though the one thing that hadn’t happened yet was her making a fool of herself. That one was heavily anticipated, and she actually contemplated self-sabotage in order to at least have some control over how bad she fumbled. Though she figured at this rate she would just have to roll with the punches. It seemed like that was something that the present company was familiar with.

He decided to wow her with his Italian. She only had half an inkling of what he was talking about, though that was because some of the Italian words seemed to coincide with Spanish. This was something to do with eyes, that’s all she knew. Then when he went to explain it she couldn’t help but smile and shake her. Though of course she had to bring up the baby face. It was only fair, and the fact he laughed only kept her smile with a sense of satisfaction. ”That is a VERY strange thing to decide to teach someone in high-school. How many other hearts have you stolen with that one?” She replied, it was clearly playful. She didn’t actually believe he did this to every girl, but it was part of the witty banter she seemed to love so much.

His conversation of having been to multiple dimensions and it seemed to pique her interest. Though he finally caused her to blush at the comment that she was the one who captivated him the fastest. She had been trying incredibly hard to keep her composure, just sighing and shaking her head as she began to rub her face. He attributed it to the water in a playful way, leaving a sense of disdain in her sternum. Not for him, but for the fact she was incapable of handling this in a way she would expect of herself. He added in this cute little statement about his old phone having her number. This was far from a bad thing, and after all it was a harmless change of color but she seemed to almost glare at him in a playful way. She had to settle herself as he then thanked her for joining him for dinner. His eyes lingered on hers for a moment before she let out a sigh and nodded.

”Thank you for bringing me, Andrew.” She said with a smile, taking a sip of her wine and then clearing her throat a little. ”But uhm...that would have been so much smoother if my boss didn’t have a 2 million dollar phone that has my number on speed dial.” She countered, needing to just give him a little bit of a hard time. The truth was the fact he was able to endure the jokes was one of his biggest assets and one of the most attractive qualities about him. He had quite a bit working in his favor, but the fact she was able to give him a little bit of a hard time and they could still have FUN...that was the greatest. It made even the fastest moment memorable.

”You are honestly one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met. And in a way it makes you the most strangely amazing person. Don’t change. Ever.” She said as she moved her wine glass and tapped it against his. She then took a long sip of her wine as she began to look across the room. The waiter was en-route to them, but he seemed to have misplaced himself just a bit.

”Tonight is literally perfect. I haven’t had this much fun since Sean and Zell’s reception. I’m actually sad I didn’t know you then. But of course now that I know you my boss is going to whisk you off to the middle east. This is my luck.” She teased him a little before watching as the waiter seemed to figure out where he was bringing his tray. He seemed flustered, and while Vira felt for him, she was glad she wasn’t the only one who was clueless. ”May I ask why you’re headed out there? Not something dangerous I hope?”

"To be fair he was quite the charmer in his younger years. Moving to Boston from Italy I guess charisma was required. He thought I'd be a ladies man, I fought crime on my prom night to paint a little picture." he let out a small chuckle. Her question made his eyes widen when she asked how many hearts he's stolen with that one.

"Hm... let's see here how many hearts...?" he pretended to start counting on fingers and then looked up grinning "Well after I carry the 2, approximately just you." he winked continuing their back and forth she seemed to be enjoying just as much as he was. Sure a good ol' fashioned crime patrol was nice. Traveling the cosmos was interesting. However exploring this woman's mind had him completely at a loss. She was so free and so buttoned up at the same time. Almost like she wanted to let loose, but a lifetime of that need to be great seemed to have an effect on more than her ability to take a compliment. That's ok. Patriot was determined to show her how excellent she truly was.

She finally blushed. "Is that the wine making your cheeks a little rosy or did I finally get a compliment through that stuck?" he played back. He then grabbed his chest pretending like she shot him. "Aw no from as smooth as butter to as smooth as bricks" he laughed holding both hands over his heart.
"....wait did you say a two MILLION dollar phone? That's insane!" he sipped more wine. The decanter now empty. Guiseppe now heading back.

"Funny I feel like I'm from another planet sometimes. I appreciate it. You're quite easy to talk to yourself. I promise not to change if you do too." a gentle smile followed as she clinked his glass.

"Truth be told I have no idea WHAT exactly we are doing. There's a lot coming and as a resident protector of this place I'm trying to stay ahead of the weather."

The waiter now in front of them. "Another bottle of wine." Andrew looked to Vira grinned and nodded. "Grazie"
The man filled the wine holder up once more.
"And what will we be having to eat?"
Andrew nodded to Vira as to let the lady go first. Once she completed her order, he ordered eggplant parm over risotto. Making sure to reiterate no garlic.

Once the waiter left he cracked his neck and looked across letting himself get lost in her eyes once more as he spoke. "I would've loved to be at my best friend's reception. I was literally battling dragons. That's how I have some uh. Scars." he frowned for a half second before letting the warmth take back over.

"Well if you're feeling unlucky I'm leaving, despite me feeling rather unlucky myself... I promise I'd absolutely love to do this again. Literally anytime. I won't be there long. You're truly a special lady Vira. It'd be my honor." he spoke gently not breaking eye contact, and smiling softly and welcoming.

”Just me? Must be beginner's luck.” She seemed to give a playful jab back to the man. He then happened to bring up the fact of her blushing. Normally she would never be caught dead, she was normally poised and in control of herself, most things couldn’t breach that mental wall she placed up. Though today it was a bit in disrepair as it would happen. She knew she’d get called out on it, though she actually didn’t mind. It wasn’t as if she were at work, and frankly she didn’t care if he saw her blush. What she did care about, was him attributing it to her not being able to handle wine.

”Don’t try to put this on the wine. This right here...” She said pointing to her cheeks a bit with a circular motion. ”This is all YOUR fault. If you’re gonna do it, take credit for it m’kay?” She said a serious look on her face, breaking into a smile as she shook her head and sipped from the wine again. The waiter returned, and Vira smiled slightly as she looked to Andrew. She had been hoping that she was going to say the dish correctly….

”Alfreedo dii game-berry af-fumy-caty?” She said as she attempted to spell the words out. She then shook her head, realizing how badly she just butchered everything about that sentence. She then turned the menu and pointed to the one picture. ”I am so sorry. This. This please.” She said with a slight chuckle at her own incompetence in the field of this language. It was so much easier to listen than it was to read and translate. She watched as Andrew ordered and opened into another bottle of wine. He made mention of how he would have loved to be at Zell and Sean’s wedding reception, though he was a bit preoccupied. Though his statement of him battling literal dragons caused her to almost spill the wine she was sipping from, her eyebrows furrowed a little as she reached for a napkin.

”I’m sorry, Dragons? Like Yamm, Jordan, Typhon, S.T.A.R.K or Apep?” She asked, being sure that Andrew was speaking of literal dragons, and hoping that he would go into a little more detail about that whole endeavour he had taken upon himself. ”As long as a scar has a story, it’s well earned. Wear it with pride, Mr.Defender.” She said with a smile, just looking at him, trying to read his face and his eyes, though ultimately releasing her habits for a moment and just enjoying the natural ebb and flow. He said that he would love to do this again sometime, or rather anytime. She couldn’t disagree, this was a fantastic evening so far, and had been nothing like she had feared while she was growing up.

“Absolutely. You have my number, we can set up another one anytime after Monday, when the next schedules come out.” She said before setting her wine glass down and rubbing her hands slightly. ”I’ve asked a lot about you so I guess it’s only fair to give you a chance to ask me. So if you wanna know anything, now’s the time to ask. Sure I'm not a superhero like you but hey, it's not too boring.” She said with a slight smile, realizing that in many ways people must have assumed her role to be very boring, something that was inherently deceptive when working for a large company like she did.

"I'll take beginners luck over rookie mistakes." he jabbed back keeping eye contact. He finally had cracked that steel wall. The beautiful woman was blushing and he knew from the get go it wasn't the wine.

"Oh that's all me is it?!" he played. He conjured a tiny ice soccer player and net with a ball, the little ice figure kicking it into the net. "He shoots, he scores!" he played before snapping his fingers and the ice vanishing without a trace. "I'll not only take credit for it. I'll pay interest. You have the most enrapturing smile my eyes have ever laid upon. It caught me off guard in the elevator." he smiled softly and watched her response.

After they ordered he looked at her and let out a little laugh. "You did WAY better than most people I see try and read an italian menu." he clapped like attending a golf game. if she wanted to poke fun he would. He sipped his wine.

"I don't know who those are, but yes like real live fire breathing dragons. It's how I mastered my fire."  he thought about the training and his lip quivered a but. "Some scars are earned. Some even a healing factor can't fix." he shifted the sail back to fun mode.

"I sure am glad my little sixty dollar cellphone has your number." he stuck out his tongue once more before clinking his glass off hers.
"I'll make sure you're the firstperson I call when I get back." he smiled with sincerity.

"Not a super hero? You deal with Zell on the daily. I may have saved the world 2 times and "died" twice but that blows me out of the water. The boots and cape are ALL yours." he grinned.

"Not too boring? Vira I don't think there's a boring bone in your body. You are truly one of a kind. So I'll ask this. What are three things I don't know about your life? Also, what is your favorite color? Your job doesn't define you and look I don't think that place could run the way it does without you. However I think you could be anything you want. You called yourself just a secretary to an executive? He's lucky you don't take over." he played. Sipped more wine. He was feeling the wine a little more now. Letting the vibe wash over him. This was something he hadn't experienced in a long time. Peace. If she looked in his eyes she just might catch the tired warrior at peace.

Vira couldn’t help the way her eyes rolled at the almost child-like enthusiasm her date had. It was genuinely infectious. Especially as he began to apparate and animate ice from seemingly nowhere in order to do a small football skit. She smiled and arched an eyebrow, it was more clever than she wanted to admit. Using the “soccer” player as a playful jab at her previous misunderstanding. Witty, polite and just a little bit of a show off without the arrogance that most people had. She was beginning to wonder if he murdered and ate people for a hobby, or what skeletons were in his closet because this date put a strong, and steady foot down and it was looking all aces. Vira smiled when her attention snapped to her date, who said that he didn’t know who any of those beings were. She arched an eyebrow at him almost not believing it.

”Yamm? The Primordial of Chaos and the endless abyss. He’s a dragon that makes Godzilla look like a teddy bear. He was a popular when that OCEAN group was around helping people and being heroes before - OOH! Ow!” Her voice began to trail off, though realizing that leaving something open ended would incite questions. Andrew was polite enough to leave things alone she was sure, but to have to deny him answers was not fitting of a first date. Before she had even finished talking she shifted her foot and slammed it into the foot of the table, causing the whole thing to shift slightly. The look on her face euded pain, primarily because she actually kicked it harder than she intended to.

”If the boots fit, and the cape sinches. I’ll wear it.” She chuckled as she seemed to smile wide, looking down at her foot with a slight glare. She suddenly realized how foolish she must have seemed, glaring at her feet as if they were somehow responsible for her own plan. Her smile returned and she listened as Andrew explained that he had thought Zell was lucky that she didn’t take over. She chuckled at that, knowing there was a lot more to that story than she had already had the chance to tell.

”Thank you. Really that...has to be the nicest thing I’ve heard from someone who ISN’T my family.” She said, soaking in on what he said about her being more than a secretary. How she wasn’t defined by her job, or at least her job alone. Truth was he was right. She seemed to nod before she let out a long, tired sigh. The tension in her melted away a little bit and she shook her head. He was tired, he was broken in some ways, but he was still here. She couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment. “Don’t forget that the wisest advice you can ever give, is the advice you can use. You’re more than a Hero, and I would say arguably what you are is more important.” She nodded to him, taking in the totality of what he was. She was notoriously bad at reading signals from people, but it always seemed to be the truth. Everyone who was a good person always seemed to be so concerned with being a good person that they forgot that they in fact a real person. The person they were was far more important and far more powerful than any ideal they could fight for, and in that sense they needed to be the ones to define their ideals and their goals, not become defined by them.

"I absolutely HATE philosophy, and yet somehow you made it worth thinking over. So thank you for making my most hated subject sort of interesting. Maybe I can finally start that paper later." She said with a rather warm and sincere smile. She reached down for the water and stared to the edge of fruit on the bottom of it, taking a sip slowly before placing it back down, her nose wrinkling slightly.

Much to his joy he could tell from Vira's look and eye roll she enjoyed his little show. Thoughts of an impending apocalypse. Broken promises. Dead family. They all kinda vanished. Who was this woman? She had this ability to take all the best pieces of Andrew and make him act like himself. No crime fighting. She didn't care that he was a famous person. She was Vira. He was Andrew. That was all it had to be. In this little moment of infinity he once again just let her speak while swimming in her eyes. Undivided attention.

"I'm not exactly sure. I know about the vegetable yams, but nothing like that. I know about some dragons myself that made Godzilla look like a teddy bear. I try to avoid them now that I'm not training against them. Realm Walker was...strict and helped me unlock my purest fire, but it was not a walk in the universe. Well not one Dragon in particular. He was my good friend."

She seemed to shift while talking about OCEAN. Andrew was more concerned with her well being after she booted the table than a group that was gone.
"Woah heck of a kick there. Remind me not to get on your bad side. Those Dragons and Ocean should fear that leg strength! Are you ok though?" He tried to make it lighter as to not embarrass her while showing care.

"If the cape fits? It most certainly does in your case." he chuckled taking another smaller sip of the wine. It was certainly letting him loosen up more.
"You deserve to hear nice things. I promise to tell you more, y'know next time we have a date, and definitely before. You're quite incredible and I've known you just today. If you find someone special in this world, it's important to tell em'. No tomorrow is promised." he smiled as she complimented him. "I don't know about all that. I just like helping people and making sure this world is little bit better off when I leave it than when I got here y'know?" he spoke blushing himself a bit.

"Philosophy was not a class I thrived in, but you're welcome for making it less mind numbing. I was hoping maybe we could hangout after dinner near that beautiful fountain in the center. I really liked it there. Who knows! Maybe it'll give you more inspiration for that paper." he winked. Looking towards the kitchen. He could see them all dashing around like insane people. Another job he didn't envy.

Vira continued to listen as Patriot spoke. He touched on the fact that Yamm’s name had something to do with the tubers. She cringed and hoped that the portent being hadn’t overheard this. Granted at the moment he was currently entrapped in the clone of his true vessel. Though her mind raced the possibilities as to HOW that could actually manifest. If one was a true vessel for one creature, how did it make them compatible with a second entity? It was actually a distracting thought, but she put a tab in it. She may have just caught the thread of a thought that could solve many issues for the entirety of her brother’s issue. As she seemed to snap away from that thought, recognizing the look on Andrew’s face.

He had the look of someone who was relieved. Someone who had a burden off of his shoulders. It was almost calming to see, it was a contagious effect to be sure. She herself felt more at ease in reaction, not as tense and not as concerned with the thoughts that raced through her head. She couldn’t help but relax a little, and let her thoughts release from her mind. She only hoped she could recall the thoughts later. But for now she had to actually enjoy herself. His concern for her was appreciated, it was actually quite sweet, but not necessary.

”I’m perfectly fine, thank you for asking.” She was flattered, but the past had certainly settled. He took another sip of the wine while Vira would seem to mirror him, taking one for herself. He then proceeded to compliment her again, to which she found herself taken back. It was nice to hear such things, but all the same it was very surreal and strange. The feeling of being complimented almost didn’t sit right with her, but she didn’t mind it coming from someone she trusted. Maybe that was the key, but even then. To be complimented so much, it was almost like being placed on a pedestal, almost held to a higher standard. Something many people would love, but a very contrarian thing to the very fiber of her being. Her appreciation for this didn’t wane though, she found herself appreciative that someone could be so kind.

This is...true. Tomorrow is a hope, Never a promise.” She said as she seemed to recall those words being stated by her nephew not all that long ago. Granted he was going through his good-boy-pretending-to-be-a-bad-boy phase, so while it was always cringe worthy when he had said it she couldn’t refute that it was oddly applicable here. The child never ceased to amaze her. Looking at Andrew was like looking at a linear conclusion to such a thing. Especially when the goal her date revealed was almost word for word what the boy had said. It was almost unnerving at first, but the feeling reconciled itself quickly, leaving her with a smirk on her face. Good people can exist she reminded herself, trying to process her lack of response and quickly formulate some manner of response. Thankfully he seemed to continue on without mind, keeping the moment organic and fluent.



“Absolutely, I love the Alai fountain!” She agreed with a small level of surprise to her voice. Many people never took the time to ever stop and look at the fountain, let alone appreciate it as a whole. It was just another object that people saw in a vast area of beauty and scenery. The fountain was all too easily lost in transition, though from what she had recalled this was a detail that was done purposefully. The intent was to provide a lot of knowledge in a beautiful way, though make it almost impossible to notice as an actual object of interest as it blended in with the grandeur and beauty of the surrounding world. Within the chaos of everything, Vira felt strangely calm, especially for a person that couldn’t handle crowds without some level of alertness. The waiter even managed to sneak up on her as they delivered food to the table.

”Thank you! It looks wonderful.” She stated as she looked down to the dish. It was very well presented with a flavorful mixture of colors from the diced red onions and some peppers covered in the sauce and mixed within the pasta. She could tell by looking at it that this was going to be delicious, and that was a great thing. She would be horribly embarrassed if she had a rumbling stomach. She looked over at Andrew’s entree to see what he had gotten, and if it was what he was expecting. She couldn’t lie, she was excited to dig in.

Andrew smiled while Vira spoke. Her face hard to read but her eyes told it all. He wasn't there to over analyze her. He was there to enjoy his time with her.

"Yes! That Alai fountain. People get so caught up in the shopping. The hustle and the bustle. They forget to take a moment to stop and appreciate the simple, beautiful things in front of them. However some people have had the lucky lives to not have to enjoy the little things. I just wish sometimes people could appreciate a wonderful structure, a shining nights sky with stars that light up like a universe of fireflies. A field of sunflowers. Y'know? The true gifts life hands us. Far too often people look that gift horse right in it's mouth and complain about not having a pony." Andrew finished chuckling a little.

"Wow this looks fantastic. Yours came out almost like my nana cooked it in herself back in the kitchen!" He smiled and nodded at the waiter. He placed the napkin over his lap. "It's totally ok if you're ready to smash this food down. I'm starving and I assume Zell worked you crazy today so let's enjoy this delicious feast!" Andrew played cutting into his eggplant. "Malto bene!" It was perfectly cooked and seasoned as he took his first bite and washed it down in harmonious pairing with their wine. "That... That is irresponsibly delicious."

He waited to see how she liked it and Guiseppe filled their canter again without Andrew asking. He laughed and said that would be plenty. No more was needed.

Now Andrew looked through those kind doorways once again hoping it was just as good for Vira.
God she was breath taking. He was calm. Guard completely down. She succeeded in something no one has ever done and that was getting his wall down. That was enough to know this girl was going to be important to his life.

Vira smiled as Andrew seemed to vocalize her very beliefs regarding the beauty of the world around them. Sadly she could easily see the other side of the coin too. The world was a place of hustle and bustle. If more people had the time to enjoy life, they may not feel as pressured to complain regarding the type of horse they received. It was not a lack of empathy on his part, she could understand his point entirely. He was right. The food was placed before them, and Vira smiled as her date seemed to have a moment of reminiscence regarding his grandmother.

”Well she must have been quite the cook then.” She said as she gave a slight smile, trying to imagine what it would have been like to have a grandmother cook for you. What was a home cooked meal like? Zell was a decent cook, his friend was a great cook. But she hadn’t had food from either of them since...a long time. They had a time when she and Zell made food for Thanksgiving, but that ended up a wreck. She shook her head as Andrew stated that it was okay for her to smash the food.

”Well thank you for excusing me of my lady-like expectations. But I find food is best enjoyed slowly in good company.” She said as she watched the decanter of wine refill. She looked curious at it before shifting and looking to the water. She then looked toher waiter. ”I don’t mean to be a bother but...may I have a water with lime, please?” She asked. The waiter looked confused for a moment before looking to her full glass of water. He had already brought one to her, but then he realized that there wasn’t a lime wedge in her water, it was a lemon wedge. He nodded and apologized. She understood entirely, so many people ask for lemons that it’s a very easy mistake to just reach for a lemon.

Finally partaking of the food over the little moments of conversation, she actually enjoyed it. The taste of the oils wasn’t too strong but helped slide the pasta through the different spices and flavors. It was a nice meal and a great change of pace. They even managed to not trigger an allergic reaction in her. She smiled and nodded to Andrew, taking the napkin and dabbing her lips after a moment.

“Well I have to say this is...amazing.” She said. She wanted to say more about it but she didn’t want to say too much. At the same time there was only so much words could do. She looked to the man sitting across from her, wondering what it was she did to deserve something like this. She was confused, but she was too content here in the moment to care. She had a kind and generous man, with good morals and a nice sense of humor to keep her company. The fact he wasn’t bad to look at was a bonus, and the fact he had good tastes was just the icing on the cake.

”It’s not a date until you learn something new about someone. So I have to ask….what made you WANT to become a hero? Don’t feel you have to answer...but. I know that you want your parents to be proud but...What made you want it? This life?”