Corazon is not just a girl. She's Spider-girl. (beat_and_break) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-06-12 20:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, anya corazon (spider-girl), nathan summers (cable) |
WHO: Nate Summers, Cora Mallory
WHAT: Going to the Movies
WHEN: following this text
WHERE: out and about
WARNINGS: fluff & cuteness!
Nate was excited and bouncy, his eyes dancing as he breathed in the crisp air that driving just under the speed limit was shooting into his car. He hummed happily as he drove along, the rather beaten up, but utterly strong car purring along as it went, the sound something really like a tiger’s purr. He smiled as he drove it, loving how it worked.
Next to him, on the passenger seat, the driver’s handbook sat, and he hoped he could help her learn without any problem! He smiled as he pulled into their driveway and parked, then hopped out, his white shirt and pressed new jeans making him grin as he walked up to the door and knocked.
Cora had bounced back from the previous week’s growing pains; happy, and excited to be spending time with Nate. She knew he was busy with his new job, and preparing for the start of his college classes, but he always seemed to find a way to make time for her, no matter what. She had new clothes, and she was feeling good enough to actually enjoy showing them off. They were pretty; they fit her, as Grandma Mallory would put it: well enough to show that she was a young woman, but modestly enough to show she was a lady; and they were perfect for summer weather. Her grandparents had taken the news surprisingly well, but they, they’d been in Orange County since Elaine had been a girl. They probably knew all about this sort of thing.
All in all, Cora was feeling very fine as she answered the door, her face lighting up like it did every time she saw Nate. “You look spiffy.”
“Wow... so do you! You look even more pretty than normal!” Nate smiled as he saw her and drew her into his arms for a huge hug and a tight one. And his eyes were wide. The idea that she might dress up for him hadn’t really sunk in. She was just pretty. She was Cora. Those two went together in his head, in some low, and unconscious area of his mind.
“Wow.”
Cora hadn’t consciously connected the dots of dressing up and going out with Nate yet, even if that was a part if her motivation. She just knew that it made her feel good when she was around him, and that she wanted to look nice too. She hugged him wholeheartedly and without reservation, feeling beautiful inside and out.
“I had a spa day last week,” she said, “They gave me something called a salt glow, and a conditioning treatment for my hair, and everything.” As if somehow that explained her looking extra pretty.
“You definitely glow. You look awesome.” He smiled at her and hugged her again, grinning. Wow, she looked amazing! That was new, wasn’t it?
He felt a little thunderstruck. “How has your day been going?”
“It’s okay,” she said, “I’ve got some things to study, to see where I’d place in highschool, and I’m thinking about redecorating my room.” She shrugged. “How are you?”
“Pretty good. Took the test, got you a present, wandered a bit, then came here.” He grinned at her. “A pretty good day really.”
Cora smiled, bouncing on her toes a little. “Good! You deserve good days. Lots and lots of them.” She nodded. “Do you want to come in for a while, or should we go right to the movies? Do you know what you want to see?”
Nate smiled softly at her. “So do you. You’re an awesome person.” He hmmed. “I was thinking we could head out and grab a bite on the way, then choose when we get there. There are several good movies starting all about at the same time.”
“Okay!” Corazon agreed enthusiastically. “I’ll just let mom know we’re leaving now. You can come in with me if you want.”
“Cool! And sure!” He smiled and headed toward the door with her. He always was glad to see her mom. “How is she?”
“She’s okay,” Cora said, “I think she was a little freaked out at first. She probably still is. But we had some good talks.” Cora smiled, and added, sub-vocally, She went ring shopping for Dad, and showed me what she picked out. The girl was fairly bursting with the news, but she didn’t dare say it out loud, lest Harry overhear.
Nate nodded, hugging her. “Makes sense. Mom and dad were freaked out too, both with the dreams and the growing. I’m glad I haven’t gotten metal parts.” And not just for himself. His dad would angst into oblivion.
ooooh! Awesome! I can’t wait to see what happens when she asked and he accepts!
"We laughed a lot when mom accidentally broke a plate, and I tucked my head into my shell like a turtle." She grinned. She still couldn't quite control it, consciously, but it worked just fine on instinct, and that was he important part. The rest would come with time and practice.
She's planning to surprise him, but I already know he'll say yes!
Nate smiled at her, eyes dancing. “Good, at least you know it happens fast! We could talk to Dad about training?” He blushed. “Or, ah, I could train you.”
Yeah? Awesome! I had a feeling he would! Lemme know when it happens?
“We could do both,” she said, nodding. Then she darted through the laundry room, and poked her head down the stairwell that led to the massage studio, listening to see if her mother was busy with a client, or just cleaning house. “Mama? Harry? We’re ready to go now.”
Harry smiled and peered up the stairs. “Yeah? You be careful now, okay? And, ah, no staying out late, young lady.” He waggled a finger at her, trying to be a sternish dad. “Call us if the movie runs late or you stop to eat after.”
He glanced at Elaine. “Anything else?”
Elaine exchanged one of those knowing looks with Harry, and said, “Be safe. And have a good time.”
“I think we’re going to eat before the movie,” Corazon said, just so they knew that up front. “But I will call if we get hungry again after.”
Harry nodded. “Okay!” When she had gone, he shook his head. “Is this a date?”
Elaine looked at him askance, and pursed her lips. “I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be the precursor to a date,” she said, “But I’m not sure how I feel about this.”
Harry sighed. “I’ll need to have the talk with him, huh? It’s weird, these two. He is smart, and yet, ancient and young all at the same time. He seems nice, but... “ Harry growled low and grumbled. “I barely got used to having a little girl. Then a big girl. And now a date?”
“But he’s been married at least once already, in his mind’s eye?” Elaine sighed. If they thought their own families were complicated, that was just the tip of the iceberg when the Summerses were added to the mix. But they were good people, in spite of their complications. Or perhaps because of them. “He won’t push her. He’s too empathetic do try anything that would upset her like that.”
Harry nodded. “All we can hope is that they are both smart and can resist temptation.” Harry shivered and hugged Elaine. “They are both growing up faster than I had hoped they would have to.”
Elaine nodded; rubbing Harry’s back in slow, comforting circles. “We’ll just have to do our best to make the transition as gentle for her as possible. But whatever happens, she’s still our Corazon, deep down. She always will be.”
“She is, yes, and I love you.” He kissed her, then smiled. “At least they will have an adventure.”
And sure enough, meanwhile, Nate was showing Cora into his car, and starting her up. “Welcome to the Magellan.” The seatbelts were car racing harnesses, which would fully secure them to the seat. As he started the car, the dash lit up and he punched a button, bringing up a holographic display. “Magellan, recognize Cora Mallory, aka Anya Corazon. Add to authorized operator list.”
“Acknowledged. Miss Mallory, please speak for voice recognition.”
The voice was a calm baritone, hardly sounding like a computer at all.
“Hello, Magellan,” she said, not quite sure what exactly she was supposed to say, but excited to learn more. “How are you today?” She didn’t necessarily expect the vehicle to answer back, or hold a conversation, but that should be enough for it--him?--to recognize her voice. Right?
She glanced over at Nate to see if there was anything else that she needed to do or say.
The voice replied. “I am quite well, Miss Mallory. Welcome to the Magellan. Voice recognized.” Nate grinned as he nodded and tapped the screen, putting his hands on the wheel. “Drive, Magellan. To the theater on White Rock, please.” “As you wish.” And the car headed into traffic.
“I’ve been working on this for awhile.” Nate grinned over at Cora.
“That’s awesome!” Corazon exclaimed, bouncing a little in her seat. “It even drives itself?” Nate was a genius!
“It’s got an artificial intelligence program that runs most of the time. It’s wirelessly and wiredly shared between the car, my computer and walls at home, and my desk at work. Oh! And my psimitar.” He smiled. He had designed it much like Professor.
“Your walls?” Cora’s eyes got big. Bigger. “I didn’t know you had an AI in your walls. Like a smart-house, almost? Is that new, or did I just get my security clearance upgraded?”
“Well, it’s just in a box in them for now. I am trying.to expand them and make, ah... well, with my parent’s permission, make a holo room.” He blushed at the look in her eyes. “New, and the second, too. I didn’t want to say anything until now, when I had him done. But, well, I would never keep secrets from you, not when they were done.”
“It’s okay,” she said, “It’s nice to be able to show off a finished project. I know.” Cora’s projects might never be quite this grand, but she knew how excited she had been for Nate to see her dance performance. “It was a good surprise.”
“Thanks. I just wanted to share with you. “ He loved sharing things with Cora. He smiled at her as Magellan drove. One of his hands sought hers out as the car drove and he kept the other one on the wheel to maintain the illusion.
Cora slipped her hand into Nate’s, unconsciously threading their fingers together as she gave a gentle squeeze. She loved sharing things with him, too; and was happy to be included in this aspect of his life, as well as the more mundane side. “I hope we get to share many, many things together.”
Nate smiled and squeezed her hand, bouncing slightly. He loved this new life of his, slowly growing warmer. “Me too. I like sharing things with you, sharing my life with you.” And yet he still didn’t make that leap in his head. Not yet.
“How have things been for you?”
“I think I’m okay, now that I’m not...you know. Icky and sore.” She shrugged. “I’ve been trying to exercise, and test my new muscles a little.”
“Good. Sounds like fun. We should try to do that some together, too!” He nodded. “I’d love to do that with you. And oh-!” He handed her the driver’s ed book.
“Oh! Thanks so much!” Cora tucked the book into her bag. She was excited to read it, but not so excited that it couldn’t wait until after she had visited with Nate. “What sort of exercises do you do? Besides dancing with me.”
“Ones I learned in karate and jujitsu classes, as well as one my future self learned from the Askani. I’ll have to show you. It’s easier than describing them.” Magellan slowed and Nate grinned. “The theater is just ahead. I thought we could eat at the restaurant in the food court after buying tickets, so we would know how long we have, if that is cool with you?”
Cora recognized karate and jujitsu, but of course she didn’t know anything about Nate’s future world except what he had told her. Still, she was eager to learn as much as she could, in case she ever did decide to don the uniform. “That’s cool,” she said, “We can eat wherever you want.”
Nate bounced some as the car slid into the parking lot and parked and he slid the keys out, and smiled. “Magellan, sleep.” “As you wish. Have a good time, Cora, Nate.” And then the car went silent, and the doors popped open.
“C’mon then. I hear this place makes awesome food. You can have whatever you like!”
Cora stroked the dashboard admiringly as she slid out, then turned her admiring smile upon Nate instead. She didn’t care that he’d probably had help from his brilliant super-friends in putting Magellan together. Nate was the only one she really knew to care about.
“What kind of food do they have?”
Nate blushed and smiled at her, leading her out and then toward the theater and food court. “They’re a buffet, and have everything from steak to Italian food, and some pretty good Spanish food, too.”
“Oh, nice!” Cora exclaimed. She had her favorites, of course, but she liked buffets, and being able to sample a little bit of everything. It was entirely possible that the idea of sampling from one another’s plates might have crossed her mind as well. “You have all the best ideas.”
Nate blushed and grinned at her. He was doing that a lot with her, he thought idly. But then he was leading her toward the buffet entrance and the thought fled. “Thanks, this place felt good, felt right, really. It’s run by a family and they all look alike.” He thought it cool and funny both.
“How much alike?” Cora asked, curious. She knew she looked a little like her mom, and her mom looked a lot like grandma Mallory. She wondered if this family looked even more alike than Mom and Grandma. But she supposed she would find out!
When they walked in, she would see. The maitre de was a small woman, with a big smile, who introduced them to their waiter., a polder man, also small, who smiled an almost identical smile. He led them to a table, and then showed them the buffet tables,. where two more people in uniforms, one woman, one man, both tall, and both looking like the other two, moved about. The place was busy, but not packed.
“Mmm, smells great!” The scents floating about made Nate’s stomach grumble.
“It really does!” Cora agreed, unable to help but smile big, herself. The family who ran the place looked like friendly people, and the food all looked amazing. “I don’t know where to start!”
Nate glanced from one end to the other, then pointed. ”There.” He headed for plates and then for cheese wontons, and the little doughy donuts beside them, and pork baos too! And soon food and the eating of it was all that was happening.
A little over an hour later, Nate was sitting back grinning. “I think I can’t ever eat again.” His belly felt that just full sensation that meant he had barely stopped in time to avoid upset.
“You say that now,” Cora teased, rubbing her contented tummy. “But I’ve seen how much you eat since you started growing. I’m sure you’ll find somewhere to put it, and then you’ll be hungry again.” She’d noticed the muscle he was gaining, too, and she knew exactly where he was packing all that food! And that was a good thing. He’d been so thin when he’d first changed.
Nate blushed and grinned at her. “Maybe so. Maybe after the movie.” He held out a hand to stroke one of hers, then squeeze it. “For now, I flop with you.”
“I think it’s good for you,” she said, though whether she meant the eating, the muscle-building, or the flopping, she didn’t say. She just held his hand, and gave a soft sigh as she sipped the last of her peach iced tea. “How long until we have to move again?”
Nate smiled at her. “Thanks.” He checked his watch at her question. “Well... just depends. We don’t know when the movies start, but whenever we go, I am sure something will be starting soon. So we have as much time as we want, probably.” He smirked at her. Hanging out with her was fun!
"okay," she said. "Just a few more minutes, and then I think I'll be ready to walk that way."
.
Nate grinned at her, and squeezed one of her hands. “Which way? waddling? Skipping? Hopping? Or maybe a slow walk?” Okay, he was being silly, yes.
“Like an Oompa Loompa,” Corazon said, blurting it out off the top of her head. She giggled, and squeezed back. “Or maybe the Oompa Loompas will have to roll me to the movie theater.”
"That's a good one, too. Nah. I'll carry you." Nate was glad they had come out tonight. This was cool. Being out with Cora was always cool.