Who: Scott and Jean What: Date, take two When: Two weeks ago Where: Scott's new apartment Warnings: Nothing serious. Adult content PG13, tl;dr
Scott was nervous as he stopped his car and waited at the portkey for Jean to arrive. he was taking her to his place and cooking, and there was already food baking in his oven, being watched by a neighbor while he ran out to get Jean.
He felt odd about it, even if he already thought she was nice and beautiful and wondered what the night would bring.
Jean had spent a good chunk of the afternoon getting ready for anything the night might bring. Having learnt her lesson from last time, she wore new, stiff jeans an a relaxed button-up shirt.
Seeing him at the portkey made her smile. "Hey!"
He got out of the car to greet her and smiled.
"Welcome to Genosha. Hop in. How was your port?"
His grin was warm.
"Jarring, like always. But faster than flying, so there's that bonus, at least." She smiled and hugged him. "Thanks for picking me up."
"Well, it is good of you to come. I hope you like roast beef."
He grinned as he hugged her and then held the door. This was going well, so far!
"How have you been?"
"That sounds really good. Being able to cook is an important skill."
She slid into his car, laughing a little. "Nice car." He'd always been interested in cars. Probably. "Are you mechanically inclined?"
That sounded dorky, but you're supposed to be yourself on dates, right?
He blushed.
"Thanks. It was self defense against anyone else cooking back home. I wanted my food to be edible, so I made it."
He grinned.
"Yeah. I love to work on them, to get my hands dirty under the hood and keep the purring."
he blushed as he realized how that sounded.
"Ah, the cars, that is."
He started the car and drove, glancing aside at her.
She giggled and nodded. "There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of a job well done, whether it's a diner or a an oil change."
She smiled at him. "Or your spring line. Unstable molecules are easier to work with than fabric. I don't know how I'd do this without them."
He nodded at her as he turned a corner.
"Very true. I like doing both, and doing them well."
He chuckled.
"So are you making unstable molecule outfits to sell, or just using them for your models?"
"Just the models for now. I need a way to mass produce them before I can sell that instead of cloth."
She looked out the window at the city. It was very pretty. "Was there a Genosha in your world?"
He nodded, listening.
"Yes. It was not much, but it was there. Not even as pretty as this one. Mostly desert."
He smiled.
"I prefer this."
He drove quietly for a moment.
"How was yer week?"
"Interesting. I am glad you called. I was afraid you wouldn't want to talk to me after what happened last time."
She sighed. "I'm really sorry about that."
He smiled at her.
"Everyone needs more than one chance. I was pretty freaked out by it, but you are not a mean person, and I know you did not do it on purpose."
he swallowed.
"Were you okay?"
"Yeah. I just still find it hard, sometimes, to separate you from him, and I didn't want to have sex with you when it was because I wanted him."
She sighed. "Alternate universes are weird, but I'm glad to be having dinner with you. You seem like a good man, and I'd like to get to know you, and at least be your friend."
She smiled a little. "The babies are fine, by the way. Both mutants, apparently."
Scott nodded.
"Thank you... I did not like it then, and it hurt, but thank you."
He shivered.
"Good. Good news is good."
he was silent for a moment.
"What is your favorite food?"
"Gingerbread." She said, without hesitation. "I'm looking forward to Christmas just for that reason, though I like snow, too."
She eyed the scenery. "What's yours?"
"Strawberry cheesecake."
He grinned and made plans.
"This place has an abundance of it. I have to watch, or else my training would be ruined."
Jean laughed. "Awww. When's your birthday? I'll need to know when to ruin you diet."
He blinked and laughed. "March 3rd."
He pulled up outside his building and hopped out. He held her door for her and waved a hand.
"Welcome to my side of town."
A much better one, and with his building right next to the woman's gym.
She noticed the location of the gym and laughed. This Scott was more mischievous. That was pretty cool.
"Oh, this apartment is much nicer than the other one." Jean looked around, and inhaled the scent of food. "Wow, that smells awesome, Scott."
he led the way in and the neighbor smiled. He kissed her on the cheek. She was a woman old enough to be his great grandmother, and incredible nice.
"Thanks, Mrs. Koninsky."
She tittered and headed out the door. He turned to Jean.
"Thanks. It should be done within the hour."
Jean smiled at her and watched her leave, closing the door behind her gently. "That's good, I'm going to start gnawing on furniture the way dinner smells. What else are we having?"
"Vegetables steamed and layered over thick noodles with cooked from scratch alfredo sauce and a white wine."
he grinned.
"It's a special recipe from back in my world."
He went to work on dinner, moving around the kitchen with comfort and familiarity. It felt kind of like the one in his old world.
Jean stood in the doorway, watching "You seem to be really confident. That's a rare thing, especially in a young adult."
She liked to see it. "How is your training going?"
He blushed.
"Thanks. I had to be, I guess. Everything fell apart. No Professor, no leaders who had a clue, and everything I knew needed me. You grow up when you fight a war."
He smiled, and shrugged as he cooked.
"Pretty good. I am slowly getting into better shape, and learning about further things I can do to get more toned. It's amazing what you can learn."
"That's good, though. Compared to the life you led before, this should be a vacation."
She leaned on the counter, watching him. If he got any more toned he'd be able to grate cheese on his stomach. And that ass. . .
"I've been slacking in my training. I'm all soft and squishy."
She poked at her stomach a little.
He nodded.
"Most of the time, it is. I feel a little odd about people here, sometimes, and the whole getting to know them, but it's cool."
He turned off the oven and bent down as he pulled out the beef. His shorts and clothing were well fitted. An unconscious choice.
"Hm? You are not! You look incredible!"
"You too." She blushed brightly and floated out of the way, not wanting a repeat of the previous night's fiasco. "Your hard work is really paying off. I don't think I've ever seen anyone in such good shape."
Well, she knew what that night's mental stimulation was going to include.
He blushed.
"Ahm, thanks."
His next move, still unconscious, was to reach for plates from a top shelf.
Then he nodded.
"Want to help set the table?"
Jean nodded, watching him with longing.
The plates floated out to the table with no apparent effort from her.
"I can't wait to taste the fruits of your labor." Her voice was a little huskier than it had been before.
He finished and turned to her, holding a chair.
"Ready to eat?"
He smiled at her, happy she was here. This was nice!
She nodded and sat gracefully in the chair he offered. "Yes. It smells delicious."
She inhaled deeply. "I'm sure it will taste as delicious as you, er, it looks." Her face was nearly as red as her hair at that point.
He blushed.
"Uhm... oh, ah... I am sure it is?"
His voice squeaked there a little and he nodded,
"Thank you."
He took a breath.
"I am sorry if this is hard for you."
She shook her head. "No. You're not my late husband, and you're a magnificent man in your own right. I was an idiot not to see it before."
She smiled at him. "Sorry about the Freudian slip. I'll try to contain myself better, if you want."
"Thank you. And... I want to know you, as you, before anything else. If that is okay."
He blushed and smiled at her.
She nodded, smiling at him. "That's probably a good idea. I'd rather be your friend than just another source of sex."
She picked up the bowl of noodles and put some on her plate, followed by vegetables and some of the sauce. "Are you doing one on one training, or training in a group?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, exactly."
He didn't doubt the sex would be good too.
"Both of those, and also some individual training, the running and some aerobics on my own, some group running and relay running, and stretches, and some one on one overall workouts. The training team for Team Genosha is good, and nice, even to mere hopefuls."
Scott nodded.
"It does seem so. I did note one weird thing geographically... did your world have a Latveria?"
He smiled at her words and served himself some food, inhaling the scent and digging in.
"Thanks."
The word was a little garbled around food.
Jean started on her meal and took a few healthy bites. "Yeah. That was another not so great place to live."
He nodded.
"Well, there appears to be a big inland sea in this world where that country was in my world."
He shook his head.
"It's a strange thing."
"I noticed that. I figured Dr. Doom did something to it, launched it into space or something. Asteroid Doom."
She chuckled a little, going back to her food. "Between you and Bruce, I don't have to learn how to cook."
She probably would, but she didn't have to.
He chuckled.
"I suppose so."
he blinked, then nodded.
"Well, I'd be glad to show you, if you like. I am sure you would pick it up fast."
"That would be nice, if you ever have time. Your schedule is so full already."
He chuckled.
"Well, then, come over again, in a week, and next time, I will show you a dish, I know, and see how you like it."
"Awesome. I'm looking forward to it."
She smiled and continued to eat.
He nodded.
"Good."
He ate a little more and smiled.
"So, what kind of movies do you like?"
Jean thought for a moment. "Comedies. I love a movie that can make me laugh."
He smiled.
"Then we should watch one, after dinner."
"Sounds like a plan."
She stood, taking her empty plate to the kitchen. "Do you need a refill on your drink?"
She was still used to eating at the Institute.
"No thanks."
He led the way into the front room and popped a movie in.
Then he settled back for comedy watching, and quiet friendship.