[closed] If I stop asking people how they are doing

[valr]

WHO: Kara + Kate Bishop, Will Graham, Abigail Hobbs, Saul Goodman
WHERE: Mostly bars in Heropa + Will and Abigail's cabin
WHEN: Late September
WHAT: Making new friends, strategizing, trying not to punch Saul
WARNINGS: Kara. Will. I'll update if anything else comes up


→ Kate Bishop

[This isn't usually how Kara works, sharing information with people; she'll take it or give it when necessary, or when paid enough, but working together with someone always leads to a mess, in her opinion. At least since Asgard closed its gates. But she's come to realize that her usual methods aren't going to work in this world, not when the whole damn government is against them, along with fuck knows how many other secret organizations.

Which means she might even have to work with superheroes, loathe as she is to admit.

It's what has her heading into the bar she told Kate Bishop to meet her at, ordering a drink and looking around for the girl; if she isn't here yet, Kara will grab a seat and wait, but she isn't expecting to be kept waiting long.]


→ Will & Abigail

[After the discussion with Jesse, Kara had been planning to keep her distance from Abigail, just in case Will reacted badly to it, but an invitation to come meet her is a different thing. For anyone else, she might still have declined the invitation, but Will isn't anyone else; he's the only person here that she never has to censor herself with, which means a lot to her.

Enough that she'll drag herself to Will's new cabin on an afternoon that Skye and Jesse are planning to spend together, so she doesn't have to worry about keeping an eye on either of them. She sends him a text beforehand like promised and brings a bottle of whiskey, because even if manners aren't really her thing, there are certain rules and expectation that she likes to follow, and one of those is bringing gifts to a housewarming.

It's good whiskey, but Kara's got the money for it, and she owes Will after he shared his good booze with her, so its tucked under her arm as she knocks on the door, Vinr sitting on her shoulder because the damn bird didn’t want to be left behind.]


→ Saul Goodman

[Lawyers.

They aren't her favourite thing in the world, like tricksters and used car salesmen. Unfortunately, if this guy is involved in Jesse's life (not to mention Jesse's business), it means that Kara has to make sure he isn't some asshole planning to take advantage of Jesse's damn soft heart. One of the last things she wants is this guy fucking things up for them all, especially Skye, when so much else is going to shit.

She has no idea how much Goodman knows about what Jesse's business even is, but she's guessing it's enough, considering that he is Jesse's lawyer, and she hopes that means he knows how to keep his mouth shut. But she needs to be sure, so she's agreed to meet him at one of the least shitty bars in Heropa.

Kara gets there early and settles into one of the corner booths with instructions for the bartender to send anyone asking for her over. It saves having to keep an eye out, leaving her to nurse her beer.]


→ Skye

[It's been a long fucking month for everyone, but for all that Kara has been putting up with shit she doesn't want to, she knows it's been a lot worse for Skye.

Sympathy isn't easy for her, at least not up close; she can be a sympathetic figure at a funeral or talk someone down when they're scared, but she isn't a shoulder to cry on, she isn't someone who can deal with messy feelings, and she knows it. But what she also knows is a good way to avoid all those messy feelings and still offer some sympathy, or at least a distraction.

Which is why Kara is walking into Skye's room with a bottle of tequila under her arm.]

We're going somewhere that isn't this shithole.

[By 'this shithole', she of course means the government assigned housing, and not Skye's room in particular. She isn't that mean.]

Comments

[hackitude]

[Skye looks up from her laptop when Kara walks in and smiles. She eyes the tequila and closes the lid of her laptop.]

Okay. Count me in. Got any place special in mind?

[valr]

Found a quiet beach. Tricky to get to, but I've got that covered.

[With a gesture to her back, since - wings, before she offers a hand to Skye to help her up.]

[hackitude]

Flying again? Yesss, I'm so in.

[Skye hops off the bed, taking Kara's hand lightly.]

[valr]

Just don't start thinking I'm a taxi service. We're driving most of the way.

[As soon as Skye is up, Kara lets go of her hand, because physical contact isn't really her thing.]

You want any more booze than this?

[hackitude]

I just want to get tipsy, not drunk off my face. This should be enough.

[valr]

[With a shrug, Kara heads towards the door, going slow enough that Skye has time to grab anything she might want.]

You can get drunk off your face if you want. You're safe with me.

[And not just because Kara is her unofficial bodyguard; she'd keep Skye safe anyway.]

[hackitude]

... I know. But some of us have to work in the morning.

[Skye grabs a towel and some flip flops... and, as a last minute thought, a packet of potato chips.]

[infomodder]

[It's nice, the one he managed to get the two of them for the weekend, small but not cramped, isolated instead of in a neat line with a dozen more. Kara could fly out to it and not have to deal with gawkers nearby when she landed. A kitchen, a main room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a set of stairs that goes up to the roof, in essence—it's a balcony of sorts, more like part of the roof has been flattened to serve as its own porch. For the purpose of getting Abigail and himself out of the way and alone, it does the job pretty damn well. The thought of contacting Freddie Lounds and Frederick Chilton about it (for different reasons) came and went without being acted on, so only the people who really needed to know, in Will's mind, did know.

At least, on his end. Abigail might have told others without mentioning it to him, which he didn't mind. He's never been able to control what doors she opens, though in a more literal sense, he can control this by being the one to answer the physical door. A bit of surprise, a Captain Obvious she's here, something scattered to him despite knowing it was happening before he does that little half-jog to get there.

Will's still in his overwhelming plaid, even though Kara seems to have done a little sedation to her wardrobe, which isn't what gets his attention the most. It's the bird on her shoulder that draws his eye the second he opens the door—the bird gets the slightest hint of confusion, Kara's face gets something like a smile, and then the bottle gets a short laugh.]

You didn't have to do that. [But it's appreciated is in his tone, the words themselves cut off, door swinging fully open. He doesn't imagine Lecter would have any problems with Abigail having some wine at the dinner table, but whiskey? That's different. And as long as it stays in the house, so to speak? Will doesn't mind it. He doubts Kara will care, knows that three can keep a secret as long as two of them are dead, but there's someone he thought dead already in this little party of three, and as far as what might be deem bad paternal behavior goes? Letting an eighteen-year-old drink while supervised isn't shit on what she knows. It'll be fine.] I'm glad you're here. Come on in. There's a bunch of fried fish and some salad and coleslaw out on the counter in the kitchen, if you wanna make yourself a plate.

[Everyone likes free food when it's actually good, don't they. He's careful not to mention that there may be a bagel or two involved—at least one of Abigail's powers might make itself known whether she wants it to or not, no need for him to go giving it away. As long as she doesn't bagelize the whiskey, they'll be good to go.]

[lurings]

[ almost perpetually hesitant, like a skittish lamb around people she doesn't know, abigail stays ensconced on the couch while will gets the door, legs tucked underneath her and her plate tenuously balanced on her knees. while she's in her usual standard of jeans and a sweater, she's barefoot, boots dumped by the back door, and her neck is bare for the first time in nearly two months, scarf draped over one if the chairs in the kitchen. blue, the same one she almost always wears. her hair is even up in a ponytail, kept out of her face while they were filleting the fish and never taken down, all her scars on display. it says a lot about will that the girl who usually keeps her disfigurements both so carefully hidden would flash them around like that. it says more that when she hears will cheerfully inviting kara in, peering past him to see the woman that will is clearly comfortable with, abigail doesn't reflexively tug the elastic out of her hair.

if will trusts her, abigail can... not distrust her. baby steps ]

[valr]

She gets lonely.

[It's the first thing she saws, noticing where Will's focus goes and knowing that most people find a raven tagging along with her a little bit weird, so the explanation was ready before the door even opened.]

And it's a housewarming gift. [There's a shrug there, which earns a nip on her ear from Vinr that Kara completely ignores as she makes her way inside.] Thanks for the invite.

[It's the first time in a while she's been invited to a quiet dinner; parties are a different story, but this is a lot more personal, and it's strange, but she can deal with it.

As soon as she's inside, Vinr jumps off Kara's shoulder and starts hopping around on the floor to investigate the place (at least her manners are good enough that she knows not fly in a stranger's house), while Kara makes her way over to Abigail. Shaking hands isn't really her thing, so she doesn't get close enough for that, just gives a little nod in greeting, the scars not drawing any attention.]

I'm guessing you're Abigail.

[infomodder]

[A little bit weird, a little bit reminiscent of that which he doesn't quite like, but ravens and crows and their ilk are a constant, a necessity. He sees them on his property back in Wolf Trap, he sees them here. He sees one hopping around a cottage floor and finds it strange, but in a world where he can breathe underwater and see at night, one that brings the dead he knows back and contains an undead who can turn into a wolf? He can get over it.

He takes the bottle with a nod of his head, a quiet yeah in acknowledgement of the thank you, and it's that strange bird he ends up letting his apparent focus wander to. Abigail's important to him, but staring at her every move probably does less to show that and more to work towards something unnerving. So he hangs back, eyebrows furrowed as he checks the raven out, offers her an almost inaudible you having fun down there? like he might a dog, and lets them get on with it. For all intents and purposes, Will appears completely distracted, hands turning over that bottle idly as he engages in human-bird bonding time.

It's well done, but there's no way in Hel he's not actively tuned into every word that comes out of either of their mouths.]

[lurings]

Hi.

[ wow will u r listening so intently for... that. it's not like abigail is often loquacious, it takes a lot to get her really talking. but she looks up at kara with blatant curiosity, not even bothering to tone it down in the name of politeness. ]

I like your bird.

[ slam dunk. is that a smile? maybe a trick of the light. we just don't know. her eyes dart over to will briefly, like she's checking to make sure he is still there, but for the most part, abigail keeps most of her attention on kara. ] Sorry in advance if my cat tries to...

[ eat her. ]

[valr]

Hey.

[Vinr croaks in response to Will's question, casting a glance at the food on the bench in the hopes he might give her some so she doesn't have to steal it and get in trouble.

The bird struggle is real.]

Her name's Vinr, and don't worry, we used to live with a fox.

[And Rebecca in fox form was probably a lot smarter than any cat. And more likely to win if a fight goes down between her and a bird.]

[selfequipped]

[Since Kate doesn't know what to expect from the bar, she tries to dress simplistically and hope that her read on Kara's attitude is clear: that this is a good bar, but still a dive bar. Kate has a few of those she likes herself, but she's keen on not standing out overly much, and a pair of blue jeans and a hoodie could make her do exactly that.

She's only a minute or two late, not having much difficulty in finding the place. Once she spots Kara, she goes to join her, offering an easy smile as she sits down.]

Hey. [There's only a beat before she's studying the bar from afar.] Have any recommendations? [On drinks. She doesn't want to be not drinking, anyway.]

[valr]

[It's a good guess; the booze is cheap but good, and the other patrons in the bar don't pay any attention to each other, which is exactly why Kara likes it.]

Depends what you like. [Kate gets a nod in greeting, but smiles don't come easy for Kara.] Beer on tap ain't any good but they've got some decent stuff in bottles. Spirits are good, but the wine's shit.

[selfequipped]

[Kate offers a roll of her eyes at the bad wine. Of course they have bad wine. It's her usual go-to, and while she's drank some bad wine in recent months, she'd rather spend her money on a full bottle of it.]

I'll try their spirits. [It's stated before she heads over to the bar. Her finger raises up toward Kara, just to indicate that it would only take a minute.]

[valr]

[Kara gives a little wave to let Kate know it's fine and settles back in to wait, watching the girl as she orders her drink, trying to weigh her up.

Maybe she should've asked Loki about this Kate Bishop, but she needs to make her own judgements about people, rather than relying on a damn trickster god.]

[selfequipped]

[Even though Kate's just twenty one, it's obvious she's been in enough bars. In fact, it's obvious that she's been ordering drinks in a bar for a while. Her way of carrying herself across the room and how she handles herself around the bar speaks to training. Even if Kate is trying to seem more casual, it comes through in her body language. Kara would probably be able to spot it: Kate grew up with money. She grew up with people telling her how to behave. She has too good of posture for a girl of her age. And somehow, she seems taller than the way she actually carries herself, her physical way of launching herself across the room seeming to give her two to three extra inches.

She returns with a Bloody Mary, rim properly salted as she slides back into the seat.]

Where do you wanna begin?

[valr]

[It's all filed away for later; Kara doubts she needs to worry about Kate too much, she seems too much of the hero type to get them in trouble, but it's still useful to know as much as possible about people she's working with.

And she's glad that Kate is cutting straight to the chase.]

What do you know about Narga?

[5055034455]

[Saul's not expecting someone who looks like Kara, but he's really not surprised once the bartender points her out. She's definitely more Jesse's type than Skye is, which makes him wonder — except that's not really the point of this meeting, and really, he could care less who or what Jesse's sticking his dick in.

He adjusts the knot of his tie, then pulls at his sleeves and brushes his hair back.

And then he's at Kara's table, smiling pleasantly.]

Kara?

[valr]

[Kara, meanwhile, is expecting someone who looks exactly like Saul Goodman, because she took the time to search through the network to see what she could find.

She isn't exactly impressed, but she knows better than to judge by appearances.]

Goodman. [She doesn't smile back, but she does raise her glass in greeting, then uses it to gesture for him to take a seat.] What can I do for you?

[Small talk is for people who aren't her.]

[5055034455]

[Actually, he'd rather just get right down to business — she doesn't strike him as the bullshitting type, which means he already likes her.

Or maybe he's just been missing Mike.

He shrugs off his jacket and sits, then laces his fingers together.]

I think you and I should get to know each other, on account of our involvement with Mr. Pinkman. What is it you do for him, exactly?

[valr]

[This is a half decent surprise, because he definitely seemed like the type who needs to talk a lot before anything productive happens, so she's glad they can skip that.

She's also glad she talked to Jesse about this beforehand, so she doesn't have to worry about saying anything she shouldn't.]

Bodyguard. Enforcer. Haven't actually had to do much, he's got me watching Skye at the moment anyway.

[5055034455]

[So she's Mike, is what Saul is hearing. He presses his lips into a thin line and mulls that over for a moment: on the one hand, it's smart that Jesse thought to find someone to play that role for him, but it's still cause for concern.

Finally:] It's good he found someone he can trust.

[He looks like he's about to say something else, but switches gears mid-thought.]

What'd he tell you about me?

[valr]

[She doesn't comment on the trust thing; its true, but she doesn't see the need to make a fuss about it.]

Told me what you do for him back home. [and that's all she feels like saying on that.] Hope you're gonna help him do something with all that fucking money he's sitting on.