InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I like him. he says okey-dokey"

Heather Cameron // Lifeguard (legendarygirl) wrote in timerift_log,
@ 2022-03-15 19:25:00

Entry tags:

mcu: steve rogers, ₴ inactive: heather cameron

Who: Heather Cameron & Steve Rogers
What: Trying so hard to assimilate
When: Early evening
Where: Near Hobknob's coffee
Warnings: TBD

It had taken so much out of her to even think about leaving the Enclave. The people that lived there seemed to be... Very nice. And Kate was nice even if it was awkward having a roommate with this body. She couldn't sit on chairs, so her feet were on all sorts of pieces of furniture. That was impolite so she felt bad about that. Her wings had knocked many things over when she turned but she had very quickly learned that, in the magical world, shatterproof glasses meant that they just reversed themselves and put themselves back together... So that was neat.

That morning had started a little differently. She had left their particular domicile to peer outside from the building's front door. Nothing terrible had happened but she'd seen someone she didn't know and had rushed back to her bedroom before she could stop herself. It had taken her all day to work up the courage to go back out again. By the time she managed it, the sun was starting to set.

She was shaking like a leaf as she stopped outside of the local coffee-and-tea joint. Heather had never been afraid to be out in public before this but now it was the looks she was getting as people passed that bothered her. So far, most of them had been just curious and while being stared at in general was nothing new, it just felt wrong now. And there wasn't really a place to squeeze in between buildings to hide. Some strange passerby touched one of her wings in a way that was definitely on purpose and she quickly turned to press her back against a wall. "Don't--"

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

_onyourleft_
2022-03-17 08:21 am UTC (link)

"Yeah," he acknowledged ruefully of her reaction. Because it was about how this place seemed to go with the curveballs it liked to throw. Granted, there was the good with the bad. Having Tony and Nat back was incredible, and not something he'd be taking for granted in a hurry. There was no way of knowing how long they'd even be here. They could lose all of this in a heartbeat. He'd already exhausted himself dwelling on the less positive aspects of the place, so for now he was determined not to focus on them.

"No. No X-Men. Not that I know about, at least. Which isn't to say they aren't there." Given how incredibly uncomfortable she looked, it wasn't hard to imagine anonymity was a key mantra of theirs. Whoever 'they' all were. "Were you coming to get coffee?" There was no getting past the look on her face. Once your attention was away from...well, it had to be armor, there was no missing it. She really didn't want to be where she was, that much was clear.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

legendarygirl
2022-03-17 03:48 pm UTC (link)

So far, Heather couldn't say that she'd met with any good. Right, well, that wasn't entirely true but she was so paranoid about everything that it was difficult to see the forest for the trees. That, and her quest to find her brother was thoroughly put on hold. Davis really was gone this time...

"Right. Of course. That would be too easy," so he probably didn't know anything about mutants either though it was easy to piece together why he'd been so comfortable. There was, after all, a Hulk in her world too. "Um!... No. Yes?" She exhaled softly, trying not to roll her eyes at herself.

"Kate's been feeding me pizza like a... I dunno. There's only so much a girl can take," she rubbed the back of her neck, lightly ruffling her feather-like hair. "I'm in your-am I in your way? That's... Really easy for me to do."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_onyourleft_
2022-03-18 12:23 am UTC (link)

"And we couldn't have that." It was a hell of a thing to wrap your head around, though. That in her world, there was a version of him. "So you've got a Tony as well? Natasha? Bruce?" He had to wonder if there actually were X-Men in theirs. Not that it would mean much now, since that was definitely not where they were.

He smiled in understanding. "I get it. Pizza's great, but everything has its limits. Kate seemed very concerned I'd ever had a bad pizza, when we spoke. She's obviously passionate about it." Her uncertainty was rolling off of her in waves, and he didn't know the best way to help her beyond not eyeballing her the way so many people walking past seemed inclined to.

"So that's a yes on coffee? Maybe something not Italian to eat?" He pulled open the door, assuming she'd be able to duck through it. "You're not in my way. I figured it was about time I stop sitting back in the unit every night. Wouldn't mind the company, if you're up for it?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

legendarygirl
2022-03-19 03:52 am UTC (link)

She snorted faintly, the only sign of her agreement. No, they couldn't have anything easy. They were superheroes and it was hard or nothing at all. "Yeah. Yep. Avengers have been around for fuckin' ages at this point." She couldn't even guess how long they'd been around, honestly. Long since before she was born.

Heather huffed a soft laugh, "Worse things to be passionate about, I suppose. Pizza's fairly wholesome in that department." Honestly, she noticed that he wasn't quite staring at her like the few passersby were and while she appreciated it, it still made her self-conscious.

"S'long as you're buyin'," she managed with a small smile, ducking into the coffee shop. The inside of the building seemed to stretch a little to accommodate her but the doorway hadn't been prepared. Her wings tucked in tighter against her back so she wouldn't knock anyone over or spill a cup. "Mates back home wouldn't believe it - a coffee date with Captain America. And there'd be no way you could deny it." She could be awkward and tease him, right?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_onyourleft_
2022-03-19 04:27 am UTC (link)

There was definitely more there to talk about, that was certain. Not because he expected it would achieve anything, but purely for interests sake. It prompted more questions than anything, but he wasn't about to bombard her for the sake of his own curiosity.

He thought he actually caught the glimpse of a smile as she ducked down to enter the shop, and he considered that at least a small win. "I think that can probably be arranged," he answered as he followed her in, making note of the way she was being so careful of everything around her. He laughed again when she mentioned not being able to deny a date. "Now why would I want to go and do that? Doesn't sound like any fun, Heather." Once upon a time that would probably have had him floundering, but he'd grown fairly accustomed to that kind of teasing by this point.

He considered her for a moment once they'd reached the front of the shop to order. "So is there something they call you? A title I should be using?" With a name like 'X-Men', he could only assume there was. He'd only actually been in here once so far, and didn't know a lot of what they offered. "What are you having?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

legendarygirl
2022-03-20 12:01 am UTC (link)

Alright, she hadn't actually expected him to pay for anything for her. She ate and drank more than the average person now just because of her size. But also when she genuinely used her powers, they ate up energy more than she would've liked to admit. Thankfully, she hadn't been in any sort of fight recently.

"Shut up. You're not supposed to actually agree to that," she managed a proper laugh, shaking her head slightly. It felt weird to hear him say her name though. They weren't ever supposed to cross paths outside of what had happened in Madripoor - and this wasn't even that Steve. None of those Avengers were probably the ones that were here.

"I mean, we got codenames, if that's what you're asking but I don't figure they matter much now," but he supposed since he asked, she could tell him. "Though I guess if it comes up... Lifeguard." It wasn't the most creative in the world but it was something.

They were the only ones at the ordering counter so while answering him, she addressed the witch waiting on them. "Do you do an iced latte but like... In a big cup?" The witch's eyes widened a little as Heather gestured with her bird-like hands and then picked up a cup and thrust it out. "Hold this with your other hand out like how big you want it," said the witch so Heather did as she was told and the witch took out her wand. A quick engorgio! and the cup was growing until it fit Heather's hands.

"Huh," she offered Steve with very wide eyes as the witch cheerfully took the cup back.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_onyourleft_
2022-03-20 12:46 am UTC (link)

"You probably shouldn't have said it then," he chuckled, amused to no end at her reaction. It seemed like the kind of response only someone actually beginning to relax, even a little bit, would be capable of. He'd take the victory. And it wasn't as though anyone's appetite would really shock him at this point. He had his own to contend with, as it was. He didn't mind paying for one meal.

"Don't see why they don't matter here any less than at home. That's entirely up to you. I figure it depends on the circumstances, personally." He wasn't going around introducing himself as Captain America. Not that he did back home, but he didn't really have to, either. People tended to just know. But just because people didn't know him here doesn't mean he'd be content to spend his days buying coffee or training people at the gym. That felt too much like going along with the idea that they were stuck here, and he wasn't quite ready to accept that yet.

His eyebrows rose of their own accord when the witch made the cup grow in size. "That's uh...helpful," he settled on, not sure what else he could say of it. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, honestly. "I wonder if they could do that with the doors, for you." He turned his attention back to the witch. "I'll have the same. But, one of those," he indicated what looked to be their regular 'large' offering.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

legendarygirl
2022-03-20 02:41 am UTC (link)

It was a good thing they both knew it was a joke otherwise, she would've been headed down a terrible lack-of-self-esteem spiral and no one needed that for a lighthearted joke. "Expect the worst and you won't be surprised, huh?" she asked him with a wry smile. "Heather casually. Lifeguard in a situation where superpowers are the only solution." That seemed like a decent compromise.

The witch winked at Steve, ringing up the order. "That... Harry bloke offered so I guess that's a thing they can do. He really felt, mm, overeager?" She wasn't sure. It just felt strange to have people wanting to help now that she'd been changed. It was different when it was Neal. He'd been there from the start. He'd seen her as a regular person, watched the changes fluctuate and destroy every last thing that had made her human, then chose to stick it out with her to find Davis.

Heather's expression was becoming a little darker, losing herself to her thoughts. Her jaw was set and there was an angry sort of aura developing around her. No. Breathe. She had to breathe. She had to keep control of herself, on that thin wire that had developed. She could be awkward and sweet or just angry and no one needed the latter. "Um. I. I'll pick a table," and without much ceremony, she turned to find one with an alright chair for the weird positions she had to sit.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_onyourleft_
2022-03-20 04:34 am UTC (link)

"I don't think it's as bad as all that." Sometimes expecting the worst was the right move, strategically. But where people were concerned? He never had. He put too much faith in others for that. "I get Cap regardless of the situation, from some." Even if it wasn't a superpower situation, as she'd just dubbed it. Not that he minded. It was familiar, now.

"Oh yeah?" He asked rhetorically when she mentioned Harry. That was something, at least. She didn't need to spend her whole time here ducking under low door frames. It wasn't hard to pick up on the change in her mood, and he was about to suggest they sit down when she beat him to the punch. He waited for her to get settled before taking the chair opposite, glancing around the room as he did. It was a pretty popular spot, or maybe that was down to lack of selection. It was hard to say. "I've only spoken to him briefly. And the Doctor. Doctors," he corrected himself. Still a strange concept however you looked at it. "They're about as enthusiastic as you could imagine a person being."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -