ArchivedLogs:Collecting Needy

Collecting Needy
Dramatis Personae Micah, Corey	28 October 2013 Catching up over lunch, plus a request.
Location <NYC> Baohaus – Chinatown
Despite its unlikely name, this restaurant dishes up some of the best hot pot in Chinatown. A great place to go with friends, come pick a broth, pick ingredients, and enjoy the Chinese version of fondue, cooking meals yourself in the steaming soup. And, of course, don't miss the signature buns the place is named for! Micah's text the previous night inviting Corey to lunch today was full of /profuse/ apologies for being a neglectful friend (anyone who isn't in the Lofts on the regular lately has probably been receiving much the same, considering), promises to buy lunch in attempts to make up for such, and a few general catching-up questions. A full hour of lunch break has been set aside for the purpose of Chinese food with Corey. Having left notice with the hostess that another party member is expected, Micah is already seated at a booth table with two glasses of ice water and a pot of green tea with two cups. He is dressed in his typical workwear: a TARDIS-blue polo shirt and khakis, his auburn hair arranged /slightly/ better than a completely tousled mess. He has one menu in hand, and another waits at the seat opposite him. Showing up in a much less professional looking attire, Corey is wearing a navy blue hooded sweatshirt emblazoned with New York on it, and a pair of jeans and boots. At the very least his beard has been shaved recently, and his hair isn't too long, though it has been ponytailed back for neatness sake. Glancing around the place when he comes in, he's about to ask the waitress if his party member had already arrived when he sees Micah at the table already. With an apology to the lady, he heads over to join the fellow with a smile, nodding his head in greetings. "Good afternoon there my friend. It's been awhile, though I can't say that hasn't been the case for most of my friends. Seems the fall is a busy time in the city, I guess colder weather wakes everyone back up." A teacup is to Micah's lips, mid-sip, when Corey arrives. He swallows, sets the cup on the table, and stands to offer the other man a hug in greeting. “I got a pot of green tea on the table already, and an extra cup, if y'like? S'nice t'have somethin' warm straightaway with as cold as it is out there now.” His smile, though warm, has a sheepish quality to it at the reminder of his preoccupied nature lately. He gestures Corey to the other seat before settling back into his own. “Sorry about that, again. Been terribly caught up in some serious business lately. Seems like I been fallin' out of touch more or less with anybody as isn't dangled right in front of my nose anymore.” Corey hugs back then slides into the seat gesturing to the cup. "Please, and it can be sugared up. I would feel weird listening to a southern accent and drinking less than sweet tea," he says with a grin. "And its not a problem, between work and studying I barely get time to exercise, let alone do the normal things like dinners and chats." He offers a shrug, and gives the man a friendly smile to show theres no hard feelings. "You'd be proud, I got my CPR certificate, and I'm studying emergency services stuff. Might as well make myself useful after all." At the gesture, Micah lifts the teapot to fill Corey's cup. He slides the container of sweeteners back over to the other side of the table. "The white packets are the real stuff. Pink'n blue ones are various fake...things." He chuckles at the accent commentary. "Life does find a way of fillin' all your minutes, doesn't it? That's /excellent/ news, though! EMS is a real callin'. I'm glad y'found somethin' you wanted t'pour yourself into. Are you enjoyin' the classes so far?" His eyes flit back over the menu during breaks in the conversation. "Not sure what else, but I definitely want t'get an order of the taro fries. Don't have 'em like that anywhere but here. The seasonin' is amazin', if y'haven't tried 'em." Taking the real sugar, Corey pours two packets into the tiny cup and sips from it with a contented sigh. "I'm pretty sure the fake stuff won't hurt me worse than I can recover from, but I think I'd rather just burn the extra calories." He bobs his head at the further comments and excitement. "The classes are good, just expensive. I didn't exactly plan on shelling out the equivalent of another college go. An officer I met said that his department pays for classes if they want 'em, but yeah its harsh paying on your own. I would prefer not to get any student loans on this." He makes a face at that, then glances to the menu. "Sure that sounds good, and a couple bao would be nice, you can pick though so I don't end up just saying I want to try all of them." He grins at that and tilts his head back inhaling the air. "Cold weather builds up appetites." "Real kind tastes better, besides," Micah adds on the topic of sweeteners. "Yeah, though. School is kinda ridiculously expensive. I had scholarships for undergrad. an' worked straight through an' /still/ had t'take out loans for grad. school. Got some of 'em forgiven for stayin' in-state workin' with kids with disabilities for a few years, though." Micah's grin widens at Corey's ordering woes. "That's because y'/do/ wanna try all of 'em, if bao's what you're in the mood for. There's only the four different baos on the menu. Pork, chicken, beef, an' tofu. May as well get 'em all an' the order of fries an' just split the lot. Get t'try more that way." "I would rather not rely on having some forgiven, but we'll see how it goes. If nothing else, it feels like the right thing to do." Corey shrugs at that, then chuckles at the ease that the order comes together. "That does make things easier. Whole spirit of friendship and sharing, etcetera. Also, excuse to eat more. And should be easy enough to add more to the order if we still hunger after, course could get soups, those fill you up pretty well." He shrugs and sets the menu aside now that they knew what they were planning. "So how are things with you, aside from ridiculously swamped?" Once things are decided, Micah lifts a hand to summon back the young gentleman server he had sent away earlier, after getting his tea and settling in to wait for Corey. He relays the order with smiles and thanks, requesting to hold on to his menu in case it is needed again. "Swamped. Insane. Dealin' with all manner of...unique situations for the 'enhanced ability' crowd. Gotta whole apartmentful of people waitin' on placement at homes an' schools an' work right now, it's a little...swamped." His fingers rake through his hair at that, mussing it further, before a bright smile suddenly springs up on his face. "Oh! Oh, I prob'ly didn't even tell you yet. I'm the /worst/ at tellin' things. Jax'n I got engaged a coupla weeks back. He'n his boys've asked me t'sign on with their adoption papers once they're finally goin' through...prob'ly before the year's out. So not everythin' is /just/ crazy." "Collecting needy youths?" Corey raises a brow at the talk of having an apartment full of youths. Sipping his tea, he smiles at the talk of engagement. "Congratulations on that. Got yourself a ready made family then if you're signing adoption papers. So are they going to call you papa?" He gives a wink at that and chuckles and shakes his head. "Doing a big fancy wedding? Or something more sedate and calm? How much time is there to go and get a present, and where are you registered?" He seems genuinely happy about the engagement announcement either way. “Youths an' not-youths. Just collectin' /needy/,” Micah corrects with a chuckle. “An' thanks. It...it is a family, yeah. They're callin' Jax Pa already...don't mind whatever they're comin' up with for me, or not.” A faint pink blush dusts across his cheeks. “Twins called me Ba once. They speak Vietnamese from when they was little.” He sips from his teacup again, shaking his head as he returns the cup to the table. “We ain't so much as set a date for the weddin' part. An' as for plans...I think the phrase 'somethin' simple' might've been the extent of it so far. Not /just/ crazy lately, but a lotta crazy,” he admits. "Well, if they want to call you Ba go with it. Assuming Ba is a good thing in vietnamese? " Corey offers a shrug at that, not particularly knowing himself. "You can always do a courthouse wedding? Can't get simpler than that, unless you want to go gaudy, tacky and simple and then I'd say Vegas. Course, the other option is get a friend to register online to be able to perform weddings and grab yourself two witnesses. Then you do an Do you, I do sorta wedding and just send in the paperwork." He nods as he sips the tea, then pours himself another cup, adding sugar again. "And sorry to hear about the crazy, but considering the past year? I doubt anything would be less than crazy unless you completely avoided the entirety of of, ah, how did you put it? Enhanced ability?" “S'like Dad,” Micah confirms with a nod. “Simple, but I can't imagine /too/ simple. Knowin' Jax, he's gotta wanna chance t'get everyone dressed up pretty an' dancin', I would think. An', ugh /no/ Vegas. That place is horrible. I was there for a prosthetics convention one time an' it's just...creepsome. Glittery! But creepsome.” His nose crinkles at the thought. “Yeah, it /has/ been quite the year. Speakin' of which, I had a thing...t'ask about. Y'told me once that y'wanted t'try an' use your ability t'help people, if there was folks as needed it?” Glancing over towards the kitchen to see if there's progress on the bao, Corey looks back to Micah. "Well, then go with that if that is what they are calling you anyway." He has a chuckle at the talk of Vegas being creepsome, and he gives a nod. "That sounds about right from what I've heard. I hadn't made my way there yet mind you, but its not exactly high on my list. Kinda goes against most of the things that I prefer in life." Tilting his head at the question, he glances around at people nearby but shrugs. "I would like to yes, though with helping out Hanna, we found out it still takes some time. Only took a couple weeks for her arm and all. If they aren't too much in a hurry, I would be glad to help out however is needed." Micah nods. "I figure, whatever they're comfortable with. They ain't had a whole lot of people just lettin' 'em make their own choices an' do what feels best t'/them/ in their lives." He pauses rather than moving on with the other topic of conversation as the server returns with plates of steamy-hot bao and another full of seasoned fries with a cup of sauce on the side. Given further nods and thanks and assurances that nothing else is needed for the time being, the server wanders away once more. Micah continues with a slightly lowered voice. "Well, with this...I'm not entirely sure it's somethin' as would fall under what your abilities do? But we got no other real options. It's a friend's...enhanced ability. Messes with his own brain chemistry without 'im meanin' it to. Don't know if that's somethin' that y'could /fix/, but figured it'd be worth spendin' a couple meals in proximity or the like? He was okay with the idea of tryin'." "Yeah, best to just let them choose then. Even if you just get to be Micah to them and not dad." Corey pokes at the steaming bao a moment, before lifting one up to take a bite out of the top to let some of the steam escape, with an audible air intake to handle the hot hot food. "Ahm nahtt shure," he says before he pauses to swallow the bite down. "I mean, its not like I can sit around with a doc doing blood work every day or so to find out what's different? But if he's willing to try I don't mind spending time nearby. If it starts improving, I could always bring a sleeping bag and spend some nights just in case. Though, if anyone is around like Jayna, well... anyway. It can't hurt anyway, at least." He noms a bit more at the bao, mmming happily. "It seems to have a pretty big radius though, at least based on what I saw with Felix when we were testing. But he's been eaten by the world as well, dude's damn busy." Micah claims one of the shredded pork bao, setting it on the plate in front of him and breaking it in half with his fingers (carefully!) to let the steam out and save his mouth a scalding. "He'd be able t'tell you if it were makin' a difference, I would think. I'll let 'im know you're willin' an' get 'im t'set up arrangements on the rest of the where an' how, make sure everybody's comfortable with it. He's in a single-family home, so there's not a lotta risk of accidental collateral-type things if y'end up there." He lifts his teacup to drain it, reaching for the pot for a refill. He adds just a touch of sugar from an already-opened packet resting on a spoon. "Thank you. I know /you're/ busy just as much as the rest of us." "Yeah I'm busy, but its not like I have to /Do/ anything aside from being there. Thats like eight hours of sleeping and two to three meals where I wouldn't be doing much good for anything else aside from it." Corey shrugs and continues bao consumption. "Hell, I could sit and study for classes and still be of use. Sorta makes me feel like a bit of a doofus mind you, but better a useful doofus right?" He looks a bit embarrassed by it and shakes his head. "Still, its worth a shot right? I mean if he's hurt himself then maybe it will make him get better." “Still. Goin' t'places at appointed times an' such. Volunteerin' t'help. Is somethin'.” Micah scoots a small pile of taro fries onto his plate along with a dollop of the sauce, proceeding to munch on a few of these while he waits for his bao to be sub-lava temperature. “I'll let y'know what he wants t'do. Or pass your numbers t'each other if y'wanna communicate directly. Keep everybody posted for now.” He makes a decidedly yummy-face at the fries, then pushes the plate closer to Corey. “You have /got/ t'try these things, they're excellent. An' not made of lava.”