riverviewlogs | It's a party, ya'll

Entry tags:

It's a party, ya'll

who: Everyone's invited!
what: That potluck he mentioned
when: Saturday afternoon
where: The park
warnings: None so far!

[True to form, Remy pulled out all the stops for this particular potluck. He has it on good authority that Rogue's bringing cornbread, but he's got what seems to be a wireless two-burner setup that he's brought along to the park, one of which is dominated by a very large pot of fragrant and spicy gumbo, and the other by a very large pot of cooked white rice, on warm. There's a small table with plastic-seeming (but totally biodegradable) bowls and utensils, two large coolers (because people might be bringing drinks), two big folding tables (for all the things that might be brought) and a big expanse of the park to cop a squat in and have some good grub, place some outdoors-y things, and have some fun! The park as a grill too, if someone wants to fire it up!]

(OOC: Feel free to post your own starters and have a ball! This is meant to be fun, after all. If you want Remy specifically, let me know! He'll be wandering around.)

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[That makes Alex laugh, she can't help it.]

I suppose I could keep going, but you threw this awesome party, so I really don't need to butter you up anymore.

It really was a great idea, though.

[The frown on his face seems to grow. Alex couldn't know how wrong she is. How that one gesture had shown so much, explained so much to him. Something that he couldn't and wouldn't give her. The answers to the questions that he knew she had. Alex was, after all, nothing but a bundle of curiosity.]

You know there's more than just that, Alex. Coralee, my -

[The pause is abrupt before he looks away. He'd almost mentioned Howard, and that was certainly a conversation they hadn't had. In her memories, they hadn't found out about Coralee and Howard's kidnapping yet.

The mention of Coralee, of course, could be chalked up to the fact that she was still his wife, that he still loved her and always would. Even the fact that she had, in her own way, caused the hangups that he had now about trust and intimacy. Even without her in his life (which she seemed to be popping in and out of recently), she still held a firm hold on who he was today.]

Myself.

[When he referred to himself his words were low, eyes looking downward. It was a cover for almost mentioning Howard, but it was also true. He wasn't the sort of man that could be loved, that could understand exactly how to love. Not anymore at least. He was still learning to express the emotions he kept bottled inside for twenty years. It was hard, and when dealing with someone who was so expressive and emotional, it was a spot where he feard he often disappointed.]

But eventually.

[When he looked at her, his eyes seemed to hold a small amount of hope. Eventually he'd get through this, they'd get through this, together.]

[When he frowned, Alex's own mirrored his, but she didn't look down. Instead, her dark eyes were fixated on his face because she knew how his posture and expression could tell so much more than he might have otherwise with his words, however many or few he happened to be using that day. Sometimes she expected that he could say the least when he used the most amount of words, especially when he was trying to talk around her.

That said, Alex did brace herself when he brought up Coralee. It wasn't a flinch, it was more of her holding herself a little more straight instead. Coralee was always going to hold onto a part of Strand's heart that Alex could never touch and she didn't blame him for that. But she also didn't want the specter of her life with Richard, and the way she disappeared to act as a shadow that stunted the growth of what Alex and Richard could have.

Her thoughts stopped when there was that my. Whenever Richard mentioned his father, it was that same biting tone, sharp and hard and with all of the anger that Howard Strand was due. Despite how he choked the word off and tried to change it, she knew that anger for what it was and who it was directed towards. Whatever had happened in those weeks, Howard and Coralee Strand were a part of it, she was certain of it now.

The fingers on his cheek moved down to cup his chin, and she held it for a second when he finally looked at her, and the questions were written all in her eyes. Alex was Alex and there would always be questions whether or not he was ready for them to be asked or for him to answer them. The most important of which, because Alex jumped into all of her more wild thoughts like someone trying to do a belly flop from a high dive:]

Richard. [His name was soft and the concern for him was evident.] Is Howard alive?

[Before he can answer, Alex just wrapped her hand around his and tugged him away from the din and towards a waiting bench so they'd have some privacy.]

Edited 2018-05-12 03:18 (UTC)

[There's no use trying to hide behind her sunglasses, what with them up in her mess of hair, not when he's already on the trail. His voice alone told her that much even before she noticed his brows.]

Ah ain't about to be a burden at your shindig.

[Of course Alex would pick up on the subtle nuances of the tone he took when talking about Howard. The inflection, the deep-seated anger toward the man was too ingrained, even if it was Richard's fault that he and Coralee had been kidnapped. The bite came out without him even knowing it, and he'd hoped that Alex would have taken the tone as his self-deprecation.

She knew better than that, though. Which would always feel strange; Richard always thought he was good at keeping his emotions hidden and not expressing them, yet Alex seemed able to figure him out in an instant. At least that had been the case in the latter part of the last two years.

That may have been because he'd stopped running away. There had become an understanding that, no matter what, Alex would be by his side; even if he tried to push her away. It was an understanding that he once thought he had with others, with Coralee, but that had not been the case. With Alex though, it was different. She'd proven time and again that there was no way she would budge.

It wasn't hard to let her drag him off to the bench, the back of his mind noting just how ridiculous the scene must have looked to any onlookers. It was at least some time to decide how to phrase what he was going to say.]

Howard isn't part of this, and I already told you I wouldn't say you what you don't remember.

[Once they had collectively agreed to trusting one another (despite what misgivings she'd admitted to on her podcast, and the way that Nic had frowned at her when she made them) and after she had gotten back from Turkey, the two of them spent more time in one another's company than outside of it. But even before then, Alex had been working to understand 'The Strand Institute's Enigmatic President and Founder' for three years. There were certain subjects that she knew him well enough to predict things for, and this was one of those circumstances.

After all Howard Strand (that bastard even though Alex would never say it to Richard. Probably. This is Alex after all.) held a singular level of ire in Richard's life, one so far only out done by Thomas Warren. There was no way for her to miss the cues that came around him. She still remembered how much convincing she'd needed to do just to get him to read from a fifty-year old journal of his father's.

But that was in the past, and now there was this. And this, whatever this was felt very current and very now. And important. It was so important that Alex's gut was actually doing flip-flops over itself in an effort to grab her attention. So, of course when he dismissed the notion of him not being a part of it, Alex made her typical groan of disbelief.]

Seriously? Jesus, Richard. What happens? What are you so afraid of?

[Alex moved to sit next to him on the bench, and some of her anger settles into a deeper concern.]

Does something happen to me? To them?

[ Steve has brought along potato salad for his contribution, as well as some oatmeal cookies, almost out of intentional irony (although he'll never admit that). He does spend time at the grill, so if anyone wants some cookout food, Steve can provide. He takes a break at points to mingle and play games if anyone wants to toss around a ball or do some rather extreme Frisbee catching. And while he doesn't necessarily show off, Steve likes a good challenge. Powers or non-conventional means to spice the game up are always welcome.

As the afternoon turns later toward the evening, he can be found drawing people around the park. Quick sketches in a book he has with him to fill in later as he saves little snapshots of the people he's spoken with and noted enjoying the potluck with friends, new or old. ]

[ooc: hit me up if you have any ideas you'd like to jump on for this that I didn't provide for. I'll roll with it!]

Nothing happens to you.

[The words are immediate and with conviction. Something does happen, and Alex is involved, but it isn't anything bad, not for her.

That's reserved for, everything else. For Geneva. For being told that he's some sort of key to opening a door that brings about the demon apocalypse. Or at least, Warren and Simon Reese think so. It's not true, but that truth doesn't countermine the fact that people he cared about were in danger; that he was probably going to walk into a trap, that he had to know what was going on with all of this. Just because of that belief.

Still, he didn't understand why Alex would have thought something happened to her. Why she had jumped so quickly and with such dread to that when he had mentioned Howard. Howard had never been part of her life. ]

I promise.

[For a long moment, she just looks at him, and then she looks down and realizes that she's still holding that stupid solo cup that seemed so much more fun a few minutes ago. God, how the hell did this manage to go so far south in less than an hour? In less than a week? Without thinking about it, Alex just drained the cup of bourbon with a wince and then slid her empty cup underneath the one that he was still holding.

A sigh followed, and Alex was tempted to reach over and steal his whiskey as well, because this wasn't a conversation that she wanted to have sober. Or at all really, but the two of them didn't do well when they kept things secret. Every time they tried, in the end it always turned into a giant fight that threatened to scorch the earth around them until one of them inevitably provided and non apology apology and they moved on.

She didn't want this to be another one of those times.

So, Alex just drew her legs up, sitting cross legged and facing him, her chin being held up by her palm when she does find words. Soft, worried, hesitant, but Alex Reagan wasn't the sort who was ever quiet.]

But there's something. [Her voice was insistant, despite his promise.]

Otherwise you wouldn't have looked at me like you had looked when Coralee left.

Edited 2018-05-12 05:50 (UTC)

[He let her slide her empty cup under the two he was holding, waiting for her to respond. For this to blow over and her to return to the picnic she so wanted to go to one. He really was bad at things like this. The next time she tried to bring him to one he'd remind her of that.

He didn't remember looking at her that way. The same way he'd watched as Coralee got into the car, ready to leave his life. The yearning to follow her, the knowledge that he couldn't. That realization that he'd probably never see her again.

So he looked at her questioning, brows tightening in confusion as he waited for more clarification. Something that he could grasp and compute. That would enable him to explain without giving away that time this place had taken from her.]

[Alex was very tempted to steal his drink again, but instead she just decided to wrap her arms around herself instead. Letting out a long sigh, she just closed her eyes for a minute and considered how much she'd really like to punch Thomas Warren, Coralee Strand and Howard Strand for putting all of them in this complete and utter clusterfuck of a situation. And honestly, the a clusterfuck was really what this was.

When her eyes opened, Alex just frowned at him, and she pulled one hand loose from the other arm to reach out and twine her fingers with his again. She was well aware of how insane this entire thing sounded (even before one added in the idea that everyone and everything around them was a delusion) and she just wished for once the two of them could not have to worry about what the rest of the world outside had waiting for them.]

Before, after I kissed you. [Which may be there first and last kiss at this rate, cause they might kill one another with longing first.] When I didn't remember Geneva. When I told you when I was from.

[He looks down at their hands, fingers tightening against the back of her hand. A firm press that reminded him that she was there, that she was herself. Even if he kept believing in this being a delusion that Thomas Warren had created to get something from him, he'd never be able to think that Alex was anything but herself.

Wherever he was she had to be there with him.

To be fair, he'd almost forgotten the kiss. It'd been pushed out by the fact that Alex had lost weeks. That, someone, had messed with her memories and taken those weeks from her.]

I'd just found out that you were missing memories. I was, concerned.

[He still was. But now, he was more concerned that he would slip up, that times like this would happen more frequently and that he would eventually tell her everything.

Some things were better for her not to know. Like what was happening in Geneva or her Black Tape.]

Richard, I've seen the way you look at me when you're concerned for me. Or concerned for whatever stupid thing I've done or belief that I have. I know what that looks like, and I know what that sounds like when it comes from you. At this point, I'd like to think that I know you well. The look you gave me wasn't concern. It was loss. Like you'd lost something of me.

[Alex's voice dropped a bit, sounding softer and sadder.]

Or maybe I'd lost something of you? I don't know. But whatever it is that you're not telling me, it feels bigger than just a lecture, and just dinner and just something small involving Coralee and Howard. I can feel it, in my gut that there's something else...

[Alex let out a soft sigh, and stood up again.]

Let's go home, okay? I don't want to keep doing this in the park.

So I was told.

[She hasn't exactly gone looking for them, though there was a time during the exploration mission she'd been on that she'd wondered if they'd find any.]

Well all right. Putting aside the flooding but from what I hear that wasn't all down to the weather, either.

[Being part of the Guard, she hears things even if she's not on those missions.]

You mean like the flowers.

[She still hasn't forgiven the place for that one. Even if she did manage to avoid spilling anything she'd have good reason to regret, now.]

Then that's all the more reason to make the bars bring-your-own. Even if you don't want to risk anything else, you know you haven't tampered your own.

[Not that she's suggesting anyone here would do something like that. This isn't city-hosted so that probably means they're safer.]

There's that, too. Though even that seems a little more unpredictable than I expected.

Yeeeaaah, [Alex draws the word out with a shake of her head.] Like the flowers. I mean, it wasn't bad competitively but I'd rather not be my precocious eight year old self who can't even see over the counters of stores. It's bad for my image.

[A grin followed that, and she nodded. Of course, it could come tampered with from the source, but Alex wasn't going to mention that. Everything they had seemed to largely come from the natives anyway, so it was probably a moot point. At least at parties they could predict something would be up anyway.]

Yeah, I agree with that. I thought they would have been able to put me right back to where I was instantly but they're still working on it. I check in with them about once a week and nada.

[But now she would be staying until whenever they found Strand's way home too. She wasn't going to leave him here alone.]

[Remy followed the man's gaze to the young woman and smiled. He liked Alex. She had that sort of bubbly personality that made people like her, and she was smart on top of it. In a way, she sort of reminded him of Kitty, which was a pang of sadness a bit, seeing as she wasn't around, but she'd go crazy with boredom here pretty quick regardless.

Nodding, he didn't take his eyes off Alex as he responded.]

She's a good one, eh? Smart, pretty but you can tell she don't know it. [And it was then that he looked back to Richard.] You two work friends, or is this pleasure?

[Placing the cups, top one still full of whiskey on the bench, he reached out to take her hands, letting his run along her arms till he reached her hands. She hadn't lost him, she never would. At least, not unless she chose to. There was just a lot more that had happened in those few weeks than she could know, and he wasn't going to put that on her. He'd never do that to her - or at least he'd try not to.]

You haven't lost me.

[It seemed strange, but he thought he needed to give her reassurance that they were still at their status quo, at least the one that they were at after the weeks she lost. He loved her and, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Everything else, regaining her lost memories could come later.]

Go, enjoy your picnic.

[To emphasize the point he squeezed her hands reassuringly.]

[As Remy talked about Alex, Richard couldn't hide the small glare. There was something about the description that he didn't like. Maybe because it contained a physical analysis of her. Then again, Alex was an attractive woman. Richard couldn't deny that.]

Alex is well aware of her own intelligence.

[That seemed to need to be addressed. After all, he didn't like the idea of people shortchanging the fact that Alex was well aware of how persistent and intelligent she was.]

And we're,

[He paused on the answer. Richard knew what he and Alex were, it was just a matter of explaining it.]

Together.

Losing years will do that, I guess. At least I managed to avoid that trainwreck - not sure this place is ready for younger me.

[She's not ready to be younger her again, though she's not going to get too far into why. Either way it sounds like they'd both had their separate run-ins with what was supposedly an innocent part of the festivities.

Her lips quirk into a slight smile at the rest - she has to admit, she hasn't thought to try that but then that's probably a good thing.]

Not sure I could handle that more than once or twice before I started getting fed up of the same answer. I figure if they work out getting me back to my place and time, I'll know about it one way or another.

[Even if she never remembers being here, she won't be here. That'd be enough.]

Sometimes I get those.

[He nods, still smiling.]

So, what's with the smile, eh? I know it's a pretty day, but you look like Santa just gave you all you asked for for Christmas.

[He heaves a sigh, shaking his head.]

Yo' not, Rogue, but maybe you should be back home restin', non?

[It's not that Remy dislikes Steve, far from it. The Avengers had every reason to do exactly what they did when the things with the Phoenix force went down. Rogers was a good man, and even though Remy had strong feelings about the people who were hurt, and even stronger ones about the people they lost, he doesn't blame Steve for it.

And it's with that spirit Remy finds a basketball and a Steve to challenge, a cocky smirk on his lips when he finds the Cap on the green, not far from the paved basketball courts.]

It ain't a Frisbee, Cap, but you up for some 1 on 1?

True, I heard dat, too.

[And as interesting as that might be, that also wasn't the point of this gathering.]

I know ya ain' been here long, Shalimar. How's the Quarantine treatin' ya?

[And as Richard glared as Remy talked about Alex, his suspicions where confirmed as to the status of their relationship, at least from Richard's perspective. He might have pointed out her physical traits to see how the man reacted to it, after all. He liked Alex, he didn't know this guy. He was a protective bastard most of the time.

He nodded at Richard's response.]

Ain't doubtin' that for a second, homme. She's a sharp cookie, non?

[And he nodded, raising a hand to stay any challenge.]

I ain't tryin' ta step on toes, Richard. She's a fine catch. [And that was enough about Alex, now that he had an idea of who this guy was.] So, ya showed up a few days ago, eh? They offer you a job?

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It's a party, ya'll

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Steve Rogers (616) | OTA

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