MV. Korma Sultan and /Ark/ Base. Hot Food and Surprising Starts

[microbots]

Javan: *went out to the new Indian place with the police chief and Pietro. Is sitting and eating naan between slurps of yogurty sauce*

Pietro: *using his knife to cut his pieces of butter chicken into more manageable pieces*

Police Chief: *fiddling with the pieces of chevon in his goat pashoo since they came on the bone*

Javan: *has another bite of naan and munches happily* You cats should try this.

Pietro: *looks up from cutting chicken* Try what?

Police Chief: *looks up too* Huh?

Javan: *points to the plate of naan* Bread. *grin* It's great.

Pietro: *will reach for a piece, which he notes isn't very big* *cautious bite of bread and filling*

Police Chief: *does likewise, will have a big bite, because he thinks the paste inside is some kind of fig paste*

*seconds later*

both men: *frantically reaching for water as the paste reveals itself to be VERY spicy and hot*

Javan: *watching them with bright eyed curiosity as he slurps a little more yogurt to reset his taste buds*

Pietro: *wheezing and in pain*

Javan: *blinks, his bright eyed look fading* Pete?

Pietro: *reaches for his mango lassi, chugs it*

Police Chief: *doing similar!*

Javan: *suddenly understands and offers his yogurt!* Here. Have some've this.

Pietro: *finishes off his lassi and gasps, looking rattled*

Javan: Seriously. Eat some'a this.

Chief: *ready to try anything. Spoon in yogurt!*

Pietro: *ditto, is still wincing*

Javan: *quiet apology* Didn' realize what was goin' on. I really like this stuff, 'n Stella does too.

Pietro: *drinks some water after his taste buds have reset and takes a few deep breaths*

Chief: Wow... That stuff was hotter than mi madre's gumbo! *gives himself a shake*

Javan: *unhappy frown, and then gets up and goes to the smorg. Comes back with mild butter chicken and rice* Here, try this.

Chief: *curious* What is that?

Pietro: *quietly* Butter chicken.

Javan: Patty likes it. It's real mild.

Pietro: *nod of agreement*

Chief: Huh. *will try a bite* Heeeeey. *grins and begins nomphing*

Javan: *shoves Pietro's plate back toward him, dark eyes asking for forgiveness* *then grins as the waiter comes over with coffee*

Pietro: *will work on eating slowly, nodding when he's offered coffee* //C-Can you distract, Jazz?// *still sounds a bit shaky*

Javan: *worried* //The coffee ain't gonna help it?//

Pietro: //About to fall out of alt mode.// *trying to hide it with a sip of his favorite drink*

Javan: *on his feet and gently hustling brother and coffee into the men's room, talking about jumpy guts all the way*

Pietro: *once he's safely in the men's room, he's transforming and hunkering down, circulating rapidly* .>_<.

Javan: *contrite* You gonna be okay, Prowly?

Prowl: *gives himself a good shake, and reaches to bap himself upside the head before reaching for the cup of coffee*

Javan: *gives coffee, which has sweetener and thick cream added*

Prowl: *will drink slowly, circulating between sips* //Didn't realize the spiciness would jangle my circuits so badly... Didn't used to have that problem.//

Javan: //No. Ya didn'.// *hunkers down sympathetically, watching his brother with concern* *sudden meep as he gets yelled at over comms*

Prowl: *pauses drinking to bap himself upside the head again, trying to get things to reboot properly*

Javan: *apologizing to Xiaobei! Fluently! With much charm!*

Xiaobei: *grouch mode is a go! And it's similar to how Prowl used to scold!*

Javan: *eyes so wide* //That was mean!//

Prowl: *confused, startles when someone knocks on the men's room door*

Javan: Hello?

Chief: *from the other side of the door* You guys okay?

Javan: *gets up despite scolding and cracks the door open* He ain't holdin' his alt. That really jangled 'im.

Chief: *worried now* *quietly* Need me ta cover your exit?

Prowl: *head ducked, is talking to Xiaobei quietly* *is also sipping coffee as he tries to convince his mate to stop yelling at his brother*

Javan: *hesitates* I ain't sure yet. If anybody asks jes' say he's urkin'?

Chief: Gotcha. *nods and moves to return to the table*

Prowl: *one last whap upside his own head* ...

Xiaobei: *one more grumble at Javan, then she's disconnecting from the conversation*

Javan: *closes door and comes back to hunker down again* Prowlie?

Prowl: I need more coffee. *going to try and transform to alt mode* *quietly* Taiyou's helping the Chief eat his lunch. *manages to make it back to alt mode*

Javan: *stands* D'aww. Baby lovin''ll help ya feel better. But when we git back tonight yer seein' Ratch.

Pietro: *small nod as he moves to stand as well* *frowns after trying to take a sip from his cup, only to find it empty* And I need more coffee.

Javan: *gently herding him out of the room* Yeah, y'said that...


Elsewhere


Jake: *opening his backpack, looks for his lunch. Umeko packed it for him this morning, and he's been thinking about it all morning* *blinks and grins when he sees the panda head-shaped drawstring bag that holds the bento box*

lunch bag: *cute smile!*

Jake: *chuckles* *moves to unpack his lunch*

bento box: *is brand new, and matches the bag!*

Jake: *blink blink* Th's 's new... *will open the box, and then he's laughing as he sees the nigiri made to look like panda faces, complete with cute grins. Suspects they're filled with umeboshi paste* *will check the rest of the contents, making a pleased sound as he sees the peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich, also panda-shaped, and tiny pick/forks shaped like bears, and little rubber leaves between things, and sausages that have been stamped to be bear shaped too!*

Raoul: *opening the lunch that he grabbed that morning from the base mess* What'd you get, man?

Jake: A sandwich, rahce balls, sausages... *grin*

Raoul: Sounds like 'Meko's usual, so what're you laughin' for? *looks over at his cousin quizzically*

Jake: *shows Raoul the bento box*

Raoul: o.0 What the *bites off the word of shock*.

Jake: Ah'm guess'n' th's 's wh't w's 'n 'er ordah fr'm th't stoah.

Raoul: Everything's grinning!

Jake: Yup. *chuckles*

Raoul: *shakes his head, and then is distracted by chili and spaghetti on the hot dog in his own lunch* ...The heck?

Jake: *more chuckle, noms lunch. As he eats, his thoughts go to the two tiny houses that share a housing space on the base. Also thinks about how much work he and Raoul put into the houses between his design work and the hours of building that the two of them did*

Punky: *quiet "prrawr?" from the skinny little orange cat as he asks Jake if he might have a bite of rice ball*

Jake: *shares some of the rice ball* *thinks about how he's built a loft and put a good futon up there in the front half for when Umeko visits, and how he hangs his hammock below the loft in his living room. Still thinks Raoul's nuts for just having a couch bed that folds out of the wall*

Raoul: *absently, as he beeps his little constant companion's nose* You askin' 'Meko tonight if she wants to do the word thing?

Punky: *kisses nose beeping finger*

Jake: *blushes a bit and nods* Y-Yeah.

Raoul: Can I see the ring?

Jake: *nods and goes to get the box out of his jacket pocket*

Raoul: *expression has gone a little pensive as he sits and thinks of Jake's fast coming wedding, and of the day that Beau and Carter are planning together. Shakes his head at himself a little for feeing sad that there won't be any girl for him*

Jake: *back with the box* *quietly* W-went t-to the N-Nexus f'r 't.

Raoul: *perks and leans over to look*

Jake: *opens the box and shows the ring. It's a delicate and pretty band, with intricate engravings all around it*

Raoul: Whoa. What's that made 'a?

Punky: Prrrmau? *studies thingie that peeps is lookin' at*

Jake: 'T's m-made'a s-silver.

Raoul: *softly* Sweet. She's gonna love it. *rubs his hand down Punky's back to hide the fact that he's feeling a little bit sorry for himself*

Punky: *holds on so back rubbin's don't rub him off the table!*

Drift: *PINpoints in, looking a bit flustered and confused*

Jake: *awks and quickly fumbles to put the ring box away*

Raoul: *startled at the awk, then turned to see who'd arrived. Blinks as he sees Drift's expression* Do I wanna know what you broke?

Drift: I didn't break anything.

Raoul: *uneasy frown* Then what's that face for?

Drift: Little Anna told me I had to do the guy's duty since I'm family...

Raoul: ...What?

Drift: She said it's my job to tell you that she wants to move into your house with you.

Punky: *sound of protest as Raoul pinches him with surprise*

Raoul: *stares at Drift*

Drift: I didn't know that was even a tradition for the Clarksons...

Raoul: *turns his eyes without moving otherwise, looking at Jake to see if his cousin is hearing this*

Jake: *boggling*

Drift: I mean, I'm used to Destron girls taking the initiative and claiming a guy, not asking to be claimed.

Raoul: *squeaks, and then finds his voice* I don't even know the girl, man! *face so red*

Drift: I tried explaining that to Little Anna, but she wouldn't hear any of it!

Jake: *not even sure how to react*

Raoul: And she doesn't even know me.

Drift: ... *quiet clicks*

Raoul: *sees the Destron boy's expression and narrows his eyes* Drift... what'd you do?

Drift: *ducks his head a bit* I was telling her about some of the single guys on base, 'cause she's been asking...

Raoul: ... What did you tell her about me?

Drift: *hunkers down slightly, repeats what he told Little Anna about Raoul, and the things the Latino teen has been a part of since Drift's arrival on base*

Raoul: *brb. If he blushes any harder his chili and spaghetti dog will be coming back* *inspiration!* Tell her she's gotta talk to Tracks 'n Col. Mac.

Drift: ... *boggles* I didn't even think of that!

Raoul: *relaxing again and petting Punky nicely* Dork.

Drift: *razz. PINpoints back to base to inform Little Anna that she needs to talk to Tracks and LT. Col. Trach*

Raoul: *sags and puts his head on the table* That was weird.

Jake: ... Yup.

Raoul: I don't even know that girl.

Jake: *shrug. He has no idea who Drift is talking about, other than that she's a Clarkson. Will offer Raoul a sausage bear*

Raoul: *perk* *sausage makes many things good*


back at base


Darian: *comes into the mess with a little black-haired human goth girl holding onto his arm and talking a blue streak. Just ran the girl into a door post for fun and was cussed and laughed at for it, and now he's interested in her recounting of her visit to a heritage slaughter house and witnessing of the death of a bison*

Xiaobei: *was talking to Prowl over comms and their bond, looks up* *dots visibly*

Darian: *brings the interesting little squishy over to his favourite place to sit and asks her what she wants to eat*

Nat: I ate already. Gotta keep it all balanced. *shrug* Am I boring yet?

Darian: No. Tell me about how they dismantled the bison. *leans on his fist, eyes lazily focused on the plump thirty year old's face*

Nat: *laughs and starts telling the story of the processing of the carcass*

Xiaobei: *blink. Blink. Not sure how she feels about seeing Darian talking to someone and not being an aft about it*

Darian: *eyes Derrick as that worthy mockingly asks the name of his "girlfriend", then smirks* Why don't you ask her yourself?

Derrick: *leans over the table and sticks his face right up to Nat's* Hey, you. What's your... AWK!

Nat: *popped him one* Outta my face!

Xiaobei: ...

Darian: *smokes his brother one when he fails to move as requested* Stop bothering me.

Derrick: *so confused. Turns and walks away*

Xiaobei: ... *will ping Darian's comm* //Who is your friend, Darian?//

Darian: *leaning back in his chair now and lazily eying the tray of energon loaf that's going around* //I have no idea what you're talking about.// *and he doesn't, because he's so focused on the story of guts and blood that he didn't listen to his mother's question*

Xiaobei: ... //The human that you're listening to.//

Darian: //Oh... Natter Davis. She's Captain Davis' daughter.//

Xiaobei: //... Very well.// *trying to keep her confusion out of her voice*

Darian: //She was frightening her carrier with her story.// *lazy amusement in his voice* //So I offered to bring her here.//

Xiaobei: ... //I see.// *slight frown* //Why didn't she bring herself here?//

Darian: *absently* //She's blind, deaf, and her gyros are shot.//

Xiaobei: //...And she just slapped one of your siblings.// *not sure whether to be impressed or not*

Darian: *sudden amusement* //She slapped me too on the way here.//

Xiaobei: ... *one with her facepalm*

Darian: *has energon loaf! Refocuses on Nat, and lo! She's started talking about the death of a killer robot in a movie. Totally forgets his mother was talking to him*

Captain Davis: *gets a ping from her CO just then and pokes herself in the ear* //Yes, Major McHale?//

Maj. McHale: //What does your schedule look like for the rest of today?// *doesn't sound so good right now*

Captain Davis: *surprised* //The usual. Why?//

Maj. McHale: //I need someone to cover my shift... Got clocked a little while ago, and Doc Anderson wants me off duty for the rest of the day.//

Captain Davis: *worried wince* //I'll be right there.// *steels herself for an afternoon of making sure the office has enough supplies and running files and inter-office mail to different parts of the base* //Will I need to do Mrs. McHale's part, too?//

Maj. McHale: //No... She'll catch up later.//

Captain Davis: //Alright. I'll bring my daughter home and get started.//

Maj. McHale: //... Okay.// *just a bit bewildered. Has never heard of Captain Davis' daughter leaving the house*

Captain Davis: //She went to the mess to meet people today.// *quietly proud and worried, and a bit exasperated by her girl*

Maj. McHale: //Oh. Okay.//

Captain Davis: //How long will you be down, sir?//

Maj. McHale: //Doc Anderson said no working for the rest of the day, and light stuff tomorrow.//

Captain Davis: //Alright. Is that all?//

Maj. McHale: //Yes. Thank you for your help, Captain.//

Captain Davis: //Yes, sir. I'll see you tomorrow. Rest well.//

Maj. McHale: //Will do. McHale out.//

Captain Davis: //Davis out.// *quickly finishes her wrap, and then gets to her feet and walks over to her daughter* Nat, it's time to come back now.

Nat: *looks around with surprise* What? It hasn't even been an hour, Mom.

Captain Davis: *gentle tug on the younger woman's arm* I know, but I have to step in for the Major, so come on.

Nat: *soft squeak as she feels herself pulled over onto Darian's lap and held firmly*

Darian: No. Mine.

Captain Davis: *startled gape at the emo slacker*

Xiaobei: *boggling at what her son just did*

Captain Davis: *gets her wits together and frowns* Knock it off. She's got to come home so I can get to work.

Darian: No. She's staying right here with me.

Captain Davis: Nat, come on.

Nat: *blinking and thinking* Darian can take care of me.

Captain Davis: Don't be stupid. He's a Stunticon. I don't know what he's trying right now, but it's nothing good for you.

Darian: *scowls and puts a hand on Captain Davis' chest, then shoves her* Shoo.

Captain Davis: *staggers, and then pings Darian's CO*

Xiaobei: //I see what he's doing.// *sounds just a bit confused*

Captain Davis: //I've got to bring Nat home. Major McHale's hurt and needs me to stand in for him.//

Darian: *examining Nat's bobbed, black-dyed hair*

Nat: 9.9 *not too sure what she wants to do here*

Xiaobei: *moving to get up*

Darian: *glances up. Sees Captain Davis still there, and makes a shooing motion* Go away. We don't need you here.

Nat: *frowns and thinks. That arm around her waist feels pretty protective and warm*

Xiaobei: Dead End, what are you doing? *frown*

Darian: *glances toward her* I'm trying to get this annoying squishy to go away. It's bothering me.

Captain Davis: |:/

Xiaobei: That's not what I'm talking about.

Darian: *irritated frown* Then what are you talking about, Warlady?

Xiaobei: *seriously* [She's not a pet, Dead End.]

Darian: *sticks out his jaw* She's mine.

Captain Davis: *scowls, but lets the superior officer speak*

Xiaobei: *eyes narrow* *is trying to determine how serious Darian is about Nat*

Darian: *attention back to the aforesaid young lady as she shifts* Is that too tight? *awkward camaraderie in his voice*

Nat: ...No. *peers quizzically at his face*

Xiaobei: *quietly* Let her go.

Darian: *eyes go to his mother and narrow* No.

Xiaobei: *eyes narrow further* That wasn't a request, Dead End.

Darian: *face goes blank, and then he's raising to his feet and putting Nat behind him. Raises his chin and shifts his stance so as to be ready to meet any move the Warlady should make* No.

Wallace: *looks over from where he's getting his wife some soup as she gently bonks him on the head with a packing tube. Snigger* Dead End is scary. When did Dead End get scary?

Xiaobei: //Enough, Wildrider.// *frowning and considering her options*

Darian: *watching her. His dark eyes are fully alert for the first time since she's known him, and they're also sharp with anger and determination*

Nat: *pokes him* You know you can't own people, right?

Darian: *jaw gets firmer* I won't give you up.

Nat: *pleasantly* Are you bat*stuff*?

Darian: *can't keep the corner of his mouth from twitching at that show of brazen courage*

Xiaobei: *decides this battle is not worth fighting* *pings Cpt. Davis' radio* //Nat will be safe with Darian.//

Captain Davis: *look of protest* Sir, she's a fragile diabetic. She's got to be at home with her monitors if I'm not with her.

Darian: *voice hard* Do you think I can't sense her condition? She's safer with me than she is with you.

Xiaobei: *was about to comment that Darian could monitor Nat's condition* *sharply* Dead End, do not disrespect Nat's mother.

Darian: *yes, that was a growl. But he's backing down this time. Eyes are still hard and watchful, though*

Captain Davis: *look of distrust and even disgust for Darian as she thinks of what she knows about him* Till you get bored.

Darian: *shoves his smokeless cigarette at her face* I'll get tired of her when I get tired of tobacco.

Captain Davis: *swats it*

Xiaobei: *deep breath, lets it out in a slow sigh* Three days. Then I will witness.

Darian: *pauses with one hand gripping his cigarette and the other grasping Captain Davis' swatting hand, his eyes brightening as he looks at Xiaobei* Good. *lets go of the hand and sticks his cigarette back in his mouth*

Captain Davis: *quiet protest to Xiaobei*

Xiaobei: Why do you want to keep Nat, Darian? *so serious*

Darian: *shifts the cigarette and smirks, though his eyes are serious* She amuses me. *smirk grows as he gets another firm jab to his side* And she's finally told me a good reason for living.

Nat: *sing song amusement* Youuu are baat*stuff*.

Xiaobei: *small nod. Will move to gently usher Captain Davis out of the room*

Captain Davis: *protest in every line of her body as she's ushered out*

Darian: *laughs just as the two women exit*

Xiaobei: *calmly* Darian will protect and care for her until the Greatest Creator calls her away.

Captain Davis: *disbelievingly* That's Dead End we're talking about, sir. He doesn't care about anything.

Xiaobei: He cares about Nat.

Captain Davis: *quietly* I don't believe that.

Darian: //Warlady, what's the frequency for that JD lout that calls Flashpoint kin?//

Xiaobei: He would have gladly fought me physically to stay by her side. *sends the requested frequency* //Constable MacRiley is not a lout, Dead End.//

Darian: *airily* //Yes. I'm sure.// *click*

Captain Davis: *angry and worried mother* So?

Xiaobei: *quietly* He'd fight any threat to her well being. He asked me for Constable MacRiley's frequency. I have a feeling I know why. *pings Darian's comm* //Why do you need that information, Dead End?//

Darian: *grumbles at being interrupted* //If you must know, I'm tracking down pre-made rations that are specially formulated for her needs. If I carry those in my subspace then eating won't be such a drag for her.//

Captain Davis: *alarm* He's not taking her off the planet!

Xiaobei: *soft chuckle* //Very well.// *disconnects* He's tracking down pre-made meals that are specially formulated to meet her dietary needs. He intends to store them in his subspace, for when she needs to eat. He asked for the Constable's frequency, because JD-created pre-made rations are very nutritious, and very pleasing to eat.

Captain Davis: *mouth open, but the words are gone* *shuts mouth* You're joking.

Xiaobei: *headshake* I am not. I asked him why he needed the Constable's frequency. And the rations are very pleasing. I intend to get some more to surprise my mate with for his creation day celebration.

Captain Davis: *bewildered scowl* Why is he taking such an interest in her?

Xiaobei: Shared interests, to begin with. She also slapped one of his siblings, which amused him, and showed him that she is not one to give into fear easily.

Captain Davis: *exasperated sigh* She's not afraid of anything, even the things she should be.

Xiaobei: Which is part of why Darian likes her.

Captain Davis: *frowns as she thinks of everything she's seen of the Stunticons since they came to the temporary base those years ago. But then her brows go up as she looks down the hall toward the sound of a click storm that's approaching* ...?

Wasp: *hurrying along from the elevator, clicking away to the dark haired bitty in her arms*

Kagerou: *fuzzy hair standing on end as he chews his fist and listens to what Waspy is saying*

Wasp: *clickstorm*

Xiaobei: ... *both brows up, moves to talk to Wasp*

Wasp: *pauses and shows Baby Bubby* Deadhead wants babby.

Kagerou: *burp. Lifts brows. Fist stays in place*

Xiaobei: ... Did he say why?

Wasp: *thinks* o.0 Nope.

Xiaobei: ...

Wasp: *looks at Baby Bubby and clicks at him*

Kagerou: *nommafist, listen intently*

Xiaobei: How did you get Kagerou away from Shadowmaru?

Wasp: *buzzes wings with amusement* Bap. Take.

Xiaobei: *one with her facepalm*

Wasp: Bring Bubby now?

Xiaobei: Yes. *sigh*

Wasp: *click storm resumes as she carries the serious bitty into the mess*

Captain Davis: ...

Xiaobei: Darian asked Wasp to bring Kagerou to him... Wasp hit Shadowmaru, and took Kagerou with her. I see I have to have words with the Seekers again. *no, she's not amused, not her... okay, yes she is amused*

Captain Davis: Why does Dead End want Kagerou?

Xiaobei: *asking the Stuntie that now*

Darian: *sounds irritated about being pinged again* //Nat mentioned that she rather liked the idea of family, and told me about a baby sister who died in the accident that damaged her. So I decided to show her one of my baby brothers. Is that alright with you, Warlady?//

Xiaobei: *calmly* //Do not take an attitude with me, Dead End.// *relaying the information to Cpt. Davis, tone a bit cold as she tries to mask her irritation with her son's rudeness*

Captain Davis: *goes pale* O... oh.

Darian: *absently and aloofly* //Of course, Warlady.//

Xiaobei: *disconnects soundlessly* *quietly* I think Dead End is overdue for combat training.

Captain Davis: *swallows and nods without looking up* I'd better get to work.

Xiaobei: *small nod, will head to the gym to work out some tension so she doesn't make Pietro feel any worse than he already is*


back in town


Javan: *leaning over his plate curiously* ...What's so funny, Pete?

Taiyou: *watching Daddy pinch his nose and chuckle*

Pietro: *quietly* Darian's courting Captain Davis' daughter.

Chief Figeroa: ... Who?

Javan: *one of the few people on base who knows about Captain Davis' daughter* How'd he meet Nat? Did her ma finally let 'er out?

Pietro: Apparently. Darian was ready to fight Xiaobei.

Javan: *blinks* Holey socks.

Taiyou: SOCKS.

Chief: *snerk*

Pietro: Xiaobei is going to the gym. Darian was being disrespectful when he spoke to her a short while ago.

Javan: *snerk* Pete, Darian always disses. *grin* Nat'll give 'im a run for 'is money.

Pietro: *as he moves to have more butter chicken* Wasp also successfully stole Kagerou from Shadowmaru.

Javan: *snorts tea out his nose. Sniggerfitdie*

Chief: ... Why is that funny?

Javan: *as he wipes his nose he describes Shadowmaru and the young mech's attitude toward his baby brother*

Pietro: *after he finishes a bite* And this was Wasp's first time absconding with one of the sparklets.

Chief: ... *gives both Autobots a Look* People on your base do that?

Javan: *chuckling* Usually, the kids gank themselves.

Chief: *confused now* What?

Javan: We gotta nursery, 'n some 'a the kids make a hobby 'a escapin'. *has more tea*

Chief: Oooh. *gets that*

Pietro: Marcia is also being courted.

Javan: *tea goes across the table*

Pietro: ... *calmly uses napkins to wipe his face*

Javan: o.<. I missed that.

Pietro: It happened shortly before Darian's courting of Nat was discovered.

Javan: Who's the guy?

Pietro: Nullfire.

Javan: Ohhhhhh. I should'a realized that's what 'e was doin'. *snerks and drinks more tea*

Pietro: I don't think anyone realized it. *noms more lunch... and feeds Taiyou*

Chief: ...Nullfire's the one that doesn't really talk, right?

Javan: He talks more'n Harrison.

Chief: ... Which one's Harrison?

Pietro: The one who sleeps a substantial majority of his daily cycle.

Chief: ... That don' tell me a thing, Morimoto. *frown*

Javan: *glances around, and then pretends he's using his cellphone to show the holo of Harrison passed out with his face in his plate at meal time*

Pietro: Him. *goes to feed Taiyou more butter chicken, confusion coming to his face as he sees that he and his son have cleaned his plate*

Taiyou: *looks up at Daddy* Nom.

Javan: *frowns with concern* What's wrong?

Pietro: ... *blink* Right. I shared with you, Taiyou.

Taiyou: Yup.

Javan: *chuckles as he understands* 'N he shared with you.

Pietro: ...I think I need to visit Rachel.

Chief: *frown* *quietly* You okay, Morimoto?

Pietro: *quietly* I'm not even sure anymore.

Javan: *chuckle fades back to the frown* *quietly* Maybe you should go home, Prowlie.

Pietro: *small nod of agreement*

Chief: Get goin'. I got yer tab.

Taiyou: *gets Daddy's coffee cup in both small hands and sips*

Pietro: *quiet fussing as he moves to relieve Taiyou of the coffee cup*

Javan: *looks at the Chief* Should I drive 'im?

Chief: *nod* 'N call when ya get him home.

Javan: *nods* I'll get back as soon as I can. *pushing his chair back after dropping bills next to his plate*

Chief: *nod* *moves to get his billfold out as well*

Pietro: *quietly fussing over Taiyou now*

Taiyou: *little frown of concern for Daddy as he offers food covered tiny hands* Abuh? Moo?

Pietro: *quietly* Let's go see Rachel.

Taiyou: *little face lights up* Maeve! Eeeee!

Javan: *really worried now, but he hides it with a wisecrack* Can see Taiyou's got 'is daddy's taste in women.

Chief: *snerk* Yeah. *has met Maeve. And been slugged by her*

Pietro: ... Maeve is not like Xiaobei.

Javan: More like Grimlock, but you know what I mean. *rogue grin for his brother*

Pietro: *frown*

Javan: *can't keep from letting out a relieved sigh at sight of that frown* Let's go, man. Your lady's waitin'. *hand out to urge his friend up*

Pietro: *small nod, moves to get up* *pause* No. She's gone to the gym.

Javan: She still knows yer comin'. //And I ain't PINpointin' us. Not with how you feel.//

Pietro: *another small nod* *sigh* //That may be for the best.//

Javan: Come on, les' go unplug Betsy 'n get goin'. Taiyou's seat's in the back already.

Pietro: Alright. *moving to head for the door*

Taiyou: *waves to the Chief* Ranga!

Javan: *laughs as he follows* English, little dude. English.

((Written with random_xtras))