Random Girl's Night Who: Carol and Cosima When: After their network posts here Where: Carol's Apartment What: Cosima and Carol hanging out Rating: Low
After swapping a few messages with Carol on the network, Cosima looked up where she lived and made her way over to the other woman's apartment. They'd spoken once or twice on the network and the woman seemed friendly enough, so why not? It seemed like they could both used a friend. After about fifteen minutes since she sent her last message, she rapped on Carol's front door. "Heeeey, it's Cosima."
Having just been chilling for the night, Carol answered the door in a pair of little black nylon shorts and a white wifebeater tank, her cat, Chewie, purring in her arms. "Hey. C'mon in. Nice to see you in a more informal environment, you know?" She asked, leading the way to her living room and curling up on the sofa. "Help yourself to anything in the kitchen..."
"I might take you up on that later," Cosima said with a lazy smile as she shut the front door behind her and followed Carol into the apartment. She took off her black hoodie (she'd accidentally left her red jacket at Angela's last time that she saw her) and plopped down on the sofa across from Carol. "So, what book were you reading earlier, anyway? Anything good?"
"World War Z. Much scarier than the movie. On the minus side though, the book had 100% less Brad Pitt." Carol quipped, setting Chewie on the ground so he could walk over to cautiously inspect their guest. "And yes, I really AM that shallow."
Cosima laughed. "Well, that man IS an Adonis, so I can't really blame you." She wrinkled her nose cutely and extended a hand out for the cat to inspect. "Oh, now this is a little CUTIE."
"Amen, sister." Carol laughed, already taking a liking to this woman. She was definitely a free spirit, and so full of life. She reminded Carol vaguely of a more... cheery version of Jessica Jones, actually. Ok, a more chipper version who didn't have a foul mouth. Ok, so maybe not all that much like Jessica. Shh. "Yeah, Chewie's my pal. Rocket insists he's some kind of deadly alien, but... I think he's a little touched in the head sometimes."
When the cat started to rub up against her hand, Cosima took that as invitation to lift him up and set him down into her lap, scratching under his chin. "Oh, yeah, completely deadly. I mean, look at this face?" She laughed. She let the cat get used to her, but he seemed to be putty in her hands. "I'd totally be a cat person back home if I had the time."
"Is it hard for you? Being here, I mean." Carol asked, having been wondering for a while what it was like for the refugees. "I admit, I haven't really gotten close to many of you... the ones I have gotten close to are basically alternate versions of people I'm already friends with. The kind of people who are basically used to this cosmic crap. But folks like you... God, it must be hard."
"I come and go on it," Cosima replied, sobering up as she thought about it, the smile on her face fading. "On the one hand, I miss my family. My friends." She paused and watched Chewie get settled in her lap. "But I was... really sick before I got here. First day here I meet an angel and suddenly I can breathe again. I've been able to work and see and do things that I wouldn't have been able to back home. And I've met some.... really cool ladies here." She smirked wryly. "...But I miss home."
"Things can be very.... different here. Overwhelming." Carol told her, placing a hand on one of Cosima's. "I'm just glad you're managing. I mean, I miss my home, and it's literally right down there on Earth, for me to go visit any time I like. I can't imagine what it must feel like being trapped somewhere like that. Hell, It's weird for US, having people we know from movies, and literature, and so forth popping up every bit as real as we are."
Cosima smiled lopsidedly. "Who's the weirdest person from a book or TV show in your universe that you've met?" She couldn't help it but ask curiously.
"For as much as I love Star Wars, a big part of me was squealing like a little girl when Darth Vader and Princess Leia showed up..." Carol admitted with a light blush, laughing. "But for sheer weirdness? I'd say Tony Montana from Scarface. Not gonna lie: I laughed for two days over that one."
"Are you serious? Tony Montana is here?" Cosima couldn't help it but laugh at that. "Jesus, you wouldn't want to fuck with him, would you?... But Han Solo isn't here? That's a shame. Young Harrison Ford." She let out a cute little growl sound. "Yes please."
"You kidding me? I grew up idolizing Princess Leia... but I would WRESTLE HER TO THE GROUND for a shot at that man." Carol said with a hilarious lack of anything resembling joking.
Cosima couldn't help it but laugh. "Well, if that should EVER happen, I'm getting a front row seat for it." Seems she had a bit of cheek in her!
Carol had to giggle there, with a roll of her eyes. "You are such a perv. I swear though, if an alternate version of my on-again off-again boyfriend shows up here? I'm gonna scream."
"Do I dare ask for details?" Cosima asked with a quirk of an eyebrow. She stopped petting Chewie, since he'd fallen asleep, but was content to keep him in her lap for now.
"Down on earth, I've been KIND of seeing a guy named Jim Rhodes. We end up dating for a bit, then we're not, then we are. It's a little confusing. So... if a new version of him shows up here? GOD it'll only make it worse." Carol explained, with a little bit of a grumble to her voice. "Sometimes I just think the fates enjoy watching us all have relationship drama, you know?"
"No matter WHAT universe we're in," Cosima agreed with a nod. "Still, if YOUR Rhodes came around, would you give him another shot?"
"Huh. If he dropped his work and made the effort to come up here just to see me? I think I'd be impressed enough to." Carol answered, honestly, after thinking about that. If Rhodey dropped all his military and Avengers-related duties and came up here to volunteer, just to see her? She'd have to be a horrible person to not see where this went. "The weird part is that right now? I'm also kind of digging an alternate version of his best friend. I just fail at life, I'm telling you."
Cosima made a face as she listened. Relationship drama seemed to be putting it lightly, huh? Still, this was a new friend and she wanted to support her. "Who's his friend, and what's he like?"
"Tony Stark. The version of him that's from this world is one of my most respected teammates. I've always been very loyal to him. But this version..." She shook her head, a little ashamed of herself. "God this sounds immature, but... the way he looks at me, and talks to me... it feels good to know someone so obviously is into you, ya know?"
Cosima didn't know all of the details, but she wasn't a judgmental person. She grew up with a healthy outlook on life and respect for others. "And is Rhodes the reason that you're not pursuing that, or is there something more?"
"No... if we're being honest the reason is that his longtime girlfriend popped up here a few days before I was gonna talk to him about it." She barked out a laugh, realizing how ridiculous this all was. "It's like 90210 in space. Swear to God."
"Except without all the terrible acting." It was probably more like a space opera, than anything, but Cosima didn't feel the need to add that. "So... do you still feel like it's something to talk about, or do you not want to rock the boat?"
"I think I'm just gonna keep being friends with him... and if HE chooses to pursue me? I'm here. If not? No harm done. It doesn't help that I genuinely LIKE his girlfriend. She's a decent person, you know?" Raising an eyebrow, Carol rolled her eyes. "GOD I hope you never have to go through this kind of drama."
Cosima nodded... then made an "aww" sound when Chewie stretched up in her lap. Oh yeah, deadly killer there! "At least you're being an adult about it." When Carol made the comment about drama Cosima rolled her eyes. "Yeah, too late there."
"Oh GOD. Then I better not be the only one giving details." Carol asked with a snort, unable to help herself. "If someone else is having as much drama as me, I gotta hear about it."
Well, Carol had been honest, and ... well, for the most part Cosima considered herself honest as well. "I have someone back home, but... I'm also interested in someone here. Dra-maaa." She did jazz hands.
"So in a way... you're in the same boat as me." Carol laughed, burying her face in her hands. "This SUCKS! So... who are your dueling suitors?" She asked playfully.
Cosima scrunched up her face cutely. It felt like her life had been nothing BUT drama lately, even before coming to Knowhere. "Delphine." Whom admittedly she had some trust issues with, but shh. "She's... well, we share a lot of common interests. We're both very scientifically minded and she, well, I was--" She couldn't bring herself to say it, but she was Delphine's first, as far as a lesbian relationship went, "and then there's Angela, who I have very little in common with, but... she's also very amazing. But it's not fair of me to pursue anything with her, I think."
"Well... as someone who works with Angela on a daily basis around here... I'll say this: physically at least, I can see the appeal." Carol told her, trying to understand. She was as straight as could be... well, except for the occasional flirting with The Jessicas. But that was harmless. "I mean, I feel like a bag lady next to her half the time. But she's like a robot emotionally, you know? I mean... if she shows you something besides that? Damn. Consider yourself special."
Cosima fell silent for a moment. She had seen that other side to Angela, but couldn't help it but think of Delphine. She obviously still held a torch for her, even after all of this time. Would she ever really be able to let go? And at this point, did she really see a future with Angela? Despite how awkward they could be around each other, she felt that there was something there. Relationship drama sucked. She sighed and stroked her fingertips over Chewie's head lightly, smiling when she felt and heard him purr. "Ultimately, I think, at this point I need to do what's right for me. And so do you." She blinked and gave Carol a wry smile. "I didn't mean to get so deep."
"No, no... I agree. I mean... I'm admitting at this point that if Tony shows interest? I'll go with it. The heart wants what it wants, you know? Like you said: you can't worry about other people, you have to do what's right for YOU." Carol repeated, before finding the need to add some levity to it all. "Unless the heart is telling you that you're in love with Groot. Because he's really sweet, but those branches would HURT. And the splinters you could get? YIKES."
Now THAT made Cosima laugh. "Lauren told me that someone was working on a communication system for him. I have to admit that I'm curious. I mean, who knows WHAT he's really saying. He could say that he has a craving for figs or fish tacos or something equally as silly and we'd have NO idea."
"You... pick things up after a while." Carol explained, trying to make sense with what she was saying. "It's like when you have a dog, and after a while you learn what some of it's different barks mean? After a while you pick up on some of Groot's inflections. To the best of my knowledge, only Rocket understands him on a literal, translational level. Quill seems to sometimes... but I think he just picks up on the inflections a little more than most."
Cosima moved her mouth to one side thoughtfully. "That honestly just makes me want to talk to him more," she admitted.
"Trust me. He'd love it." A smile spread on Carol's lips as she thought about the big tree-creature. "Of everyone on this station... Groot's probably got the biggest heart of us all. He's probably the most kind soul I've ever met."
"Do you think that Rocket would mind being a translator for the time being?" Cosima couldn't help it but ask. Suddenly she found herself very curious about the tree creature. About his opinions and views about the world that they lived in.
"You could ask him..." Was the only reply Carol gave there, a tight smirk threatening to erupt into full-blown laughter. "Just be aware that depending on the mood you catch him in, he can be either a total dick or... well.... slightly less of a dick."
That made Cosima think for a moment. "Does he have any weaknesses that I can exploit?"
"Well... he has a weakness for two things: guns and Six." Hey, at least she was bluntly honest about it, right? "Rocket has a 'tude and a half, and sometimes? He can be a real prick. But underneath it all, he's actually a loyal friend. But to find that, you gotta connect with him. And really, the only things he's passionate about are weaponry and the hot blonde that came back here with him."
"I can't even make fun of that. If anything, it just makes me want to meet him MORE." Cosima was the kind of person that saw the best in everyone. It was part of the reason why she loved Delphine from the beginning, even after their shaky start. She wanted to believe that she saw the best in her. ANYWAY. "You know, I haven't been able to find a Thai place, but... I have found a Chinese place that does amazing dumplings. I think we should get in on that."
"Now THAT'S a plan I can easily back." Carol said with a cheery grin. "Just me, you, and MY DEADLY FLERKIN." She said with a laugh, all while Chewie just looked up wearily at her. Oh.... she'd find out eventually.