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Like a date?

[ She could point out in her flattest tone of voice that usually people go out to dinner before sex, and that they've got this all backwards, but frankly, she's a little too charmed by the offer to quibble with it, even in jest. ]

When are you picking me up?

Yeah, pretty much.

[Should he be worried by that question? Scott almost sits with baited breath as he waits for her answer-- with said air leaving his lungs in a whoosh when he hears her full response. He can't stop himself, he chuckles, something with full relief before he responds back to her.]

Did you want to do this tonight then? I believe the elevators prevent me from meeting you exactly at your door, but the lobby around 6?

Well, I had big plans to get drunk on my beach and draw, but I think I can squeeze you in.

[ Does he like double entendres like he likes puns? She kind of hopes that's the case. ]

Six it is. If you want to meet me at my door – [ And Nami's beginning to suspect he's the type who would. ] – There's a passage up from Red Cardinal that'll take you right to me.

Those sound like some pretty good plans. Sure you want me to interrupt them?

[It takes him a moment to get the double entendre and Nami will hear a small cough on his end, the sound a little embarrassed as he clears his throat to answer her once more.]

A passage by the Red Cardinal, understood. I'll be there. Not a minute late. [To keep his date waiting... unheard of.]

Head into the storage room, there's an empty table that's a trap door, it'll take you right to me.

[ And maybe her voice grows progressively warmer, and just a bit smug the more she speaks. ]

Maybe you'll get lucky, and I'll let you get drunk on my beach with me after dinner.

Almost feels like I'm infiltrating a base.

[He likes it though. Almost reminds him of being back home, but this is far more easygoing. He can only imagine the endless teasing he'd get from his teammates about going through a secret route just to pick up his 'date' though. Well, they're not here, are they?]

I'll try to push up my odds by giving you a good time during our dinner.

Oh?

[ Not exactly the kind of comparison she'd expect such an upstanding seeming guy like Scott to make. ]

That kind of experience something we have in common?

[ She'd bet money if it is, they were motivated by drastically different reasons. ]

[Oh right, sometimes he forgets that people really don't know him here. It's nice, he prefers it. One good thing about this place is that he doesn't have to watch his every move and be 'good representation' for the media.]

Possibly. Sounds like an interesting dinner conversation to have.

[He's interested hearing about her... experience. Undoubtedly it'll be for a different reason, but it's just one extra thing to really learn about her.]

Really into this date stuff, huh?

[ It's cute. As far as she can tell, Nami's only ever been on a handful of real dates, how intent he is on making the evening good is as thoughtful as the rest of him has been so far. ]

Should I start getting ready, or are you going to make me wait?

I wouldn't dare to. See you then.

[It's a promise and one that Scott doesn't intend to fail on. ...Is it a bit much calling a relatively simple date a 'promise?' Maybe, but as soon as that thought enters his mind, he's really unable to dislodge it. He's always sort of taken these things seriously, because the thought of disappointing others has always been a driving force for him. He doesn't want to ruin people's expectations. At least Jean was always so understanding when it came to him...

But yes, getting dressed. Following her instructions and meeting her in front of her door.

About 5 minutes until their chosen time, Scott stands in front of he suite and raises a hand to knock. Never hurts being just a little early, right? Shows that he was excited and that he really wants to do this. Dressed in a blue dress shirt and black slacks, the mutants with a small amount of anticipation for her to answer.]

[ Though she'd normally take her time, leisurely trawling through all the cute outfits waiting in the utterly massive closet the queen's suite came with, she's a little too charmed by Scott to want to linger. When it doubt, a little black dress can do no wrong, and that it strikes a good contrast with the bright shade of her hair a happy bonus, one that keeps her feeling confident in the face of Scott's unexpectedly soft, thoughtful invitation.

Having space in her life to do more than be extremely careful about who she lets in and how close they get to come, is new. The friends she's made here have been eyeopening in more ways than one, the encounters that the casino thrusts her into something of a crash course in intimacy she would have otherwise never planned to take, but dates? Because a cute, respectful man wants to get to know her? It's still unexplored territory in a lot of ways, something she meets with that flutter of nervousness in her stomach carefully tamped down, and an easy smile on her face as she heads across the walkway spanning her water garden and meets Scott by the door from the passage. ]

You want the tour now, or later?

[ Marine-colored eyes narrow almost fondly as Nami slips her arm into Scott's and tilts her head towards the private elevator, curious whether he'll choose to linger here or get whatever he's got planned for their date going. Whatever he decides, something tells Nami she'll be enjoying his company either way. ]

[While he doesn't care much for the rank system in this casino, he is glad to know that she is living in relative luxury. Not that anyone deserves to live in the basement or be compelled to have sex just to live, but... ah, it's complicated. He's happy for her while still being angry at the system itself? There, something like that.

At least he draws himself away from his thoughts when she opens the door and greets him, a warm smile forming as he takes in her appearance. She's cute, beautiful, as always, even if his shades hide the full colorful picture of anyone he looks at. He can still say that people are attractive and he's been attracted to her since the day they met. Granted, they met in rather unusual circumstances, but isn't that how this place runs.]

You look beautiful, Nami. [He says it so sincerely, almost openly, as he lets her arm slip into his. While it's tempting to explore her suite, doesn't the normal protocol dictate that he first take her out to dinner and maybe he can go inside? He wants to stick with that.]

Tour later, assuming I'm still good company. [Scott lightly remarks while guiding her back to the elevator so they can get started on their date.] Dinner sounds good right now?

[ Using her appearance to her advantage has taken her a lot of places in life, Nami knows she's attractive. Still, how genuine the compliment sounds is enough to make her pause, leaving her privately grateful for the color of the visor he sees through, as it means the light flush that rises to her cheeks when she's caught off guard will hopefully go unseen. ]

I'd say you're off to a pretty good start.

[ Her lips brush against his jaw in a brief kiss hello after she draws herself up alongside him, holding onto his arm loosely as she guides them both towards the elevator. ]

So, what did you have in mind? [ She may secretly be asking because she honestly has no idea what sweet guys like him do on dates, but the cool, relaxed tone to her voice covers that up fairly well. ]

[It's nice to know that he still has it, taking a lovely lady out to dinner and having a good time. As her lips brush against his jaw, his heart beats just a little faster, the small contact drawing out a smile that is almost shy. He's certainly pleased though, happy in a way that seems small, but significant still.]

Ever been to the Gilded Cage? I got a reservation for us there.

[A table that is away from the main hustle and bustle of the restaurant, just so they can have a more 'romantic' or 'quiet' dinner just between the two of them. He figures that she might like something like that.] If you're up for it later, would you want to talk a walk around the Cloud Dwelling Gardens?

Only once for dinner. The rest of the time, I'm sneaking in to get my friend out of the cage they toss him into for stealing food.

[ Everybody's got their own weird routines in this place, and even though they're stuck on land, she and her friends are still pirates, swiping food is just part of the gig.

Nami shrugs, her arm relaxing as it settles around his. He's easy to be comfortable around. It's just dinner and a walk he's suggesting, but it's enough to make her turn her head, hiding a smile under the guise of paying slightly more attention to her elevator's controls than she needs to, to call the car. ]

Something tells me I'll be up for it.

[ Because she's a sucker for the good-hearted sort. The elevator doors slide open and Nami steps on, sending them down to the lobby as she lets her weight shift, leaning comfortably against him now that they're not walking. ]

We never did the tell me about your life before the sex casino thing, did we?

[ Her eyes crease at the corners as she looks up at him, aware that's probably a topic set to come up over dinner, pleased that he was left curious enough to want to know after they parted ways the first time, ]

[Between the admittance of her sneaking around here and infiltrating a base, his curiosity about his current companion really only grows. He's enjoyed Nami's company since he met her, but he is genuinely looking forward to learning more about her and who she's really like. Someone that seems fine with bending a few rules, someone that cares about her friends. It's already a nice picture.

Scott chuckles lightly as they wait for the elevator to come. He likes to think she's comfortable in his presence as well. He's not sure if he gives off that demeanor often, especially in this place, but... working on it and everything. It's not like he wants to appear entirely closed off and distant. He thought it would be beneficial, but it's been exhausting. It's okay to trust humans in this way, he knows that. Not to mention that he does feel better when he's open with others.

Guess he's pretty human himself after all.

As they step inside, he gently wraps an arm around her, wanting to show that he's more than fine with her leaning against him. He enjoys this closeness.]

We haven't. [Scott admits with a wry grin.] Although, we haven't talked about your life either. A story for a story?

[ The gentle weight of his arm settles around his shoulders, and as silly as she feels about it, Nami can't help but smile to herself, doing what she can to replace the softness in her expression with gentle dubiousness as he suggests trading a story for a story. Considering everything that's already passed between them, she probably shouldn't be so pleasantly thrown by how casually affectionate he is, but the move is as charming as the rest of him, her arm looping around his lower back in return before she gives herself enough time to decide not to. ]

It's gonna take a couple drinks to get me to tell some of my stories–

[ The understatement of the century? Perhaps.

Life is different for her now. There's less at stake when it comes to what she keeps to herself and what she doesn't, but much like dating, Nami's new at sharing, and having people to share with beyond her crew and the heated exchanges that a person falls into while just trying to exist in the casino. Though she would never admit it out loud, Scott's sweet enough to make her want to figure her way through this, there's a lot she doesn't want to talk about, but it's not like she's never steered a conversation into more favorable conditions before. ]

How about we start small before we get to dinner?

[ The arm around his lower back slackens enough for her to reach up and rest her hand against his back, blue eyes narrowing slightly at the corners, roguish, but just barely. ]

Tell me something easy while we get there, like – where are you from?

Just a couple? Not a bad exchange still.

[He sees some of the caginess on her end though and honestly, he understands. Maybe he should still hold his cards close to his chest but he just... feels tired. And it's not like he's telling everything to everyone as soon as possible, he's just trying harder with being more open in the first place. He can't fully expect people others to be open with him if he keeps himself distant and polite.

Plus, it's been stressful, just being emotionally distant from everyone while the weight of Jean's death holds him captive. Not to mention that it has been nice to trust humans in this way once more. Having humans and mutants mingle like this... it's what he and the X-Men always wanted.

So, even though he knows she's putting him on the spotlight first, Scott rolls with it. He smiles, understanding hidden behind his sunglasses as he starts walking with her to to the restaurant.]

Really letting me off easy, huh? I'm from New York-- Earth. [Right he shouldn't assume everyone is from the same planet here. Funny how things work.] Familiar names at all?

I've heard of Earth. Japan's there too, right? [ There are a few places on Earth that have come up in conversations with others, but Japan's the name she's heard the most while talking with other casino dwellers. ]

Is New York an archipelago as well?

[ There's a lot to boggle the mind when someone takes into account the idea that all these worlds exist at the same time, while simultaneously occupying different wheres and whens – but it's how different the land and waters themselves are that captivates Nami, even if it does put a nerdy spin on what qualifies for small talk with her. ]

I'm from the East Blue. The Conomi Islands, but I bet you have no idea where those are either.

[ As soon as they reach the restaurant, they're led to a table, something Nami easily rolls with, too preoccupied with stealing glances in Scott's direction while they speak to notice the swift way they're ushered to their table. ]

Yeah, Japan's around. Visited a couple of times in the past, but I'm probably not as familiar with it compared to others that you've spoken to.

[Usually he's only been to Japan for official X-Men business, so he really has a different perspective compared to the people that actually live there. Maybe he can say that about America as well, in some sense, given his status as a mutant, but Scott decides to save that sort of conversation for another day. That's not really the point and he understands that.]

New York's my home and it's part of the United States, a large country that's part of the North American continent. So, not quite an archipelago.

[He smiles, his tone almost teasing and lighthearted. That good mood continues as he listens to Nami talk about her own world, a place he's definitely not familiar with. It's really nice though, hearing about other worlds in this manner. Maybe years ago, he would've been extremely excited hearing about people living on other planets and 'aliens,' but.]

You got me there, I haven't heard of those islands before... and I'm not terrible with geography.

[As they are led to their table, Scott can't stop himself from pulling her seat for her.]

[ Not an archipelago, but a continent. She's seen some substantial landmasses while working for Arlong, but nothing more than one country could fit on, while what Scott's describing sounds much larger–

It's a good thing he pulls her chair out like that. The unexpected gesture is surprising enough to get her thoughts out of the geography gutter before she starts asking questions about the climate or the terrain. Instead, another uncommonly unguarded smile softens her face as she meets his eye briefly before sitting with an almost bashful nod of thanks. ]

If it's any consolation, there aren't that many people where I'm from who have heard of the Conomi Islands either.

[ Looking up, Nami watches Scott long after he's helped her into her chair, quietly working out how she's supposed to get through this if he's this hellbent on being quietly charming. ]

Your turn. [ A dangerous offer, potentially. ] What do you want to know about me?

[Scott thinks it's a shame that she almost appears surprised by what he considers to be basic levels of polite mannerisms. Unless she's just shocked that he'd do such a thing, in which he really needs to step up and be better. But he has a feeling that it has more to do than just that, the knowledge only making him smile in support before taking his own seat across from her.]

Something nice about being relatively unknown.

[There's a wistfulness to his voice. He misses that, back home at least. Here? He can be on the down low to some extent, if it wasn't for his rank. At least people aren't looking at him as Scott Summers, the mutant leader that can't make a mistake or cause mutant rights to set back ten years or so.]

Leading with that? Pretty dangerous. [He raises an eyebrow at her, head almost cocking to the side as his smile increases.] Did you want to talk about sneaking into a base at all? Or shall I pour this wine for us first?

You seem like you're into being known to me. [ She shoots back, quiet and wry, arching a playfully appraising eyebrow at him across the table before she settles back in her seat, lifting her shoulder in a passive shrug. ] Or maybe I'm just lucky.

[ That he seems intent on wanting her to know him, and vice versa, though Nami can't say if that part makes her feel lucky. Not for the first time she reminds herself of how different things are now, how there's no need to keep people away to protect them, back home, but especially here at the resort. That thought it makes it easy to laugh when Scott picks up the gauntlet she's thrown down, and goes with it to surprisingly shrewd places. ]

You pour, I'll talk.

[ There's a fondness in her voice as she says it, a warmth that reflects in her eyes even as she glances off to the side in thought before beginning to speak. ]

It's a pretty straightforward story, though. [ Nami sits up a little more, smiling quietly. ]

I snuck onto a Marine Base to steal a map to The Grand Line. Waited for a guy with the right proportions and took his uniform, got close enough to the guy in charge to steal his keys. [ Fell out the window with an idiot who she later attempted to betray, very standard stuff.

Waiting for him to finish filling her glass before she lifts it, Nami takes a sip of her wine before peering at him over the rim. ]

What about you? Have you snuck onto any good bases?

[ He brought it up, after all. ]

Edited 2024-05-31 01:39 (UTC)

I make a couple of exceptions here and there.

[Especially if the present company is as charming as her, but he feels almost embarrassed saying that bit out loud, so he keeps it to himself for now. Besides, the sentiment is still there, and he continues to smile as he starts working on pouring that wine for her. Honestly, he really doesn't mind talking about himself in front of Nami. Maybe not everything, but everyone keeps a couple of things to themselves anyway.

He's sure that she plans on keeping some stuff to herself too and that's fine. It's enough seeing that warmth in her eyes, the way she fills the quiet atmosphere with her retelling of her adventure.]

Oh? Are you a pirate?

[He throws that theory out. His curiosity has already increased hearing the start of her story and while there are many reasons why someone would sneak into a marine base for a map, it's the first thing that pops into his mind. Maybe it's just because he knows a couple of pirates here already.

But to answer her question in return...]

I snuck into a secret military base when I was 16 years old. Mostly to do an impromptu rescue mission. [Almost ten years since that moment... probably the day when his life completely changed. Scott's not sure if he can look back at it fondly, because a lot of bad things happened then, but.]

I'm still kind of surprised that my friends and I survived that.

That's right. How could you tell?

[ He's right, but she's still surprised that he's right. As common as the assumption might be for her world, there have been enough people who look stunned hearing that she's a pirate for Nami to assume it wasn't exactly a typical career choice in most of the worlds the other casino residents came from.

Eyes bright, creasing in the corners with faint amusement, she sits forward, resting her chin on her hand while Scott tells her about his own adventure. That it was a rescue mission doesn't surprise her in the slightest. He's already made it obvious that he's good, being noble is a big part of that. ]

But it worked. [ Some part of her that Nami wasn't aware was worried, relaxes after he marvels over surviving. She wanted everything to have ended up okay for him. ]

You did all that at sixteen? Are you a pirate?

Edited 2024-06-01 02:52 (UTC)

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did you wanna take this cuteness to action?

yes :>

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wow i need to stop tagging at midnight fjkal;nef ignore all those errors

shhh i see nothing, ignore how long this took me

i see nothing

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