ArchivedLogs:Eye Candy

Eye Candy
Dramatis Personae Corey, Emma, Selene
In Absentia	2014-01-26 '
Location <NYC> Montagues - SoHo
Montagues harkens back to the day when SoHo was filled to the brim with artists, with its mismatched furniture, all plush and decorated heavily with carved wood, but remains trendy enough to keep its newer patrons by making sure that furniture is clean, in good repair and inviting. The antique tables all have been reinforced to seem less creaky. The real draw of the cafe is the smell: fresh roasted coffee mingles with perfectly steeped teas. Spices from crisp pastries mingle with the tang of clotted cream but don't overwhelm too much the scent of chalk on the menu boards. Cold weather leads to plenty of individuals seeking a hot beverage, more so the influence at meal times since they are already out. The evening dinner rush is just coming to a tapering down period, the air of Montagues filled with the scent of coffee and sandwiches that have been heated up and squished into paninis. As it tapers down, the large and friendly man wipes crumbs and stray flung whip cream from the apron, glad of it protecting the black turtleneck he was wearing this evening. He was glad for the gift he kept him from getting as tired as he ought to by this time of day, but he still had work to do and that meant cleaning up the tables for more guests. Going around the tables with a damp towel, he wipes off the crumbs and neaten things for those coming in. Like an ice princess coming in out of the snow, Emma Frost enters in a bluster of chilly wind, wrapped from head to knee in shades of white. Her feet are more practically shod with black, the better to keep the rough of the city from showing. She is wearing a knee length, cream wool coat, with pleating in the back to give it a little more of a dress appearance, stretches of knitted leggings peeking out underneath. Her pristine white slouch hat hangs from about her head, keeping most of her hair, aside from the fringe that frames her face, hidden from the elements. Her hands reach up to wrap the fluffy lengths of cashmere pashmina around her neck, letting the warmth of the restaurant start to sink in. Off white leather gloves are plucked from her fingers as she approaches the register, getting ready to order. Apparently, the handsome sandwich server catches her attention, veering her gaze in his direction for a moment, before she focuses on the register. "Yes, please, I would like a whole milk chai, no water, as large as you have - also, one of those delightful tomato, basil, mozzarella sandwiches. They smell amazing." Entering a few minutes after Emma, Selene is reversed in her colors. Black peacoat, trousers, and boots, dark black hair hanging behind her. She is starting her surface scans, eyes briefly darting over to Corey before darting towards Emma, as she steps behind her in the line. After Emma orders her meal, Selene orders next, a calm smile on her face. "One coffee, black, medium. I'll also take a tomato, basil, and mozzarella sandwich, thank you." She's then turning to Emma, a smile in her face. "Oh, Madame Frost. It is a pleasure to see you again. I like your outfit." And then she's looking around for a table, her mind mainly blank to telepathic intrusions at a normal scan. Blinking at the sudden appearance of the lady in white, Corey smiles and heads to the station on hearing the order. Chop, chop, slice slice he goes to put the sandwich together, little bit of salt and such forth to bring out the flavors. Glancing up at the sound of another entering, he seems slightly amused by the appearance of the lady he had seen before at the other coffee shop, and her opposing color coding of the lady who had come before. The same exact sandwich order is a bit more amusing as he puts the order together the same, glad for the restocked supplies. "Tomato, basil and mozzarella one and two complete." He sets the sandwiches on the plates neatly and cut to eat, and takes the time to try and remember the name of the one he had at least met already. Emma pays and heads over to the sandwich station to wait for her food, turning to raise an eyebrow at Selene when she is addressed, amusement in her mind at the sight of her. "And you, yours, Ms. Gallio," she replies, her eyes scanning her up and down. Her eyes try to pick the different aspects of European styling in her garments, curious as to what season they are and where they might have been purchased. She also still finds that sandwich maker very attractive and when Selene heads over to a table in the nearing empty restaurant, she hovers near the sandwiches. Her eyes dance as she watches him work, enjoying the nimble movements of her fingers. Her thoughts are still clean, despite the appreciation, for now. "Thank you so much. I bet you get a lot of these orders today. It's so bitterly cold out." As her sandwich is made, Selene is grabbing it, but doesn't approach her table yet. Her eyes dart over Corey, as she makes a facial expression of rememberance, addressing Corey. "Haven't I met you before? I think..Caleb? Christopher? Corey?" She smiles, nodding. "I think it was the last one, Corey. Quite funny bumping into you again. What a small world." Selene then nods to Emma, smiling. "Thank you. As I said, it truly is a small world." "Well, that one is popular year round specially for the vegetarian guests. I hope you enjoy it." Corey smiles warmly to the woman in white, mentally filing the Ms Frost part, then looks over to Selene as she greets him. "Corey it is. We had met at the book store slash coffee shop in East Harlem." Mentioning the bookstore brings to mind the creepy voice that had come to him, though his face remains placid. "New York is a big city, it is always amusing finding similar circles where people move through. I can't say as I recall your name though, please forgive me." He inclines his head with the apology, glancing between the two since they seem to know each other, at least on the last name basis. "Well, Manhattan is small," Emma replies, taking her sandwich and nodding her thanks, a gleam of appreciation still in her eyes. Her fingers are warmed by the heat seeping through the plate, much to her pleasure. She is interested in Corey, given his frame and the shape of his lovely face, but such overt interest - oh some people and their gushing, she hears lines like that all the time at the club when older men are trying to get on her good side - leaves her less than interested in the pursuit. The reminder of her of how she has to put up with that kind of stuff when she's on the clock reminds her how much she doesn't like it leaves her wondering if Corey feels the same. She gives up pursuit and turns away. "So, I am sure to see you around again. Enjoy your dinner." She smiles and nods to Corey and goes to find a seat, curious to watch the other woman flirt. "True, true." Selene smiles, waving to Emma as she walks away, reading her thoughts with a bit of humor in her mind, before speaking to Corey again, moving aside for customers. "Selene, Selene Gallio." She tips her head, examining him, though there's definitely something she wants from him she isn't saying. "It is. I know few people, but I also know many. Is that strange? I may be..saying it incorrectly." "That would be nice to see you again indeed. Hopefully it will help warm you up some." Corey inclines his head to Emma as she turns away to go eat, and directs his attention back to the remaining Selene. "Nice to meet you again then Selene." Tilting his head slightly at the comment, and the lack of confidence in the statement, he offers a reassuring smile. "They say one is most alone in a crowd after all. I work in the food industry, so I see plenty of people every day. Some I even get to know by name, mostly by order. But you don't really /Know/ a person right? Course you can be friends with someone for years and still be surprised, perhaps a commentary on the superficial nature of society." He nods slightly at the comment, his mind pulling up the paper he had written on the subject back in college for the moment, before returning to the present and those in the establishment. "Mm, I understand." Selene's nodding, before turning Corey's thoughts into the conversation at hand. "Oh, yes, did you ever get that book you were looking for? What was it on..for your EMT work, I believe?" Whilst Selene is /attempting/ to play a more naive role, and is doing fairly well, she's trying to play around him, his life force drawing her in. But no psychic voices this time, too risky. "How is that going, by the way?" Selene's attempting to make conversation as easy as possible without interrupting his work, doing it inbetween customers. "Book? Oh the anatomy one. Yeah I had to order it online, and I started my note taking. It's going pretty well, but I feel like I'm singing a bad version of Dem Bones that goes on forever," Corey says with a chuckle. "It's going okay, the night classes I can get in winter are only a few days a week, but you do what you can right?" There aren't too many other customers at the moment requiring him, and the ones that have come up he's handled well enough with a smile for each. Seeing Selene still there, he gestures to the sandwich. "Might want to eat it soon, otherwise it will cool down. Seems your friend is enjoying it at least." He nods in Emma's direction, his mind seeming to be getting more in line with remembering his general range as he looks over whom may be within the field of it, recalling the conversation with his boss and fertility. Emma is definitely enjoying her sandwich, the way the bursts of basil interact the acid of the tomato and the tang of the fresh mozzarella, the heat warming her up inside. Soup might have been a good choice too, but the sandwich is large and filling, so there may not be room. She does look up, coincidentally when Corey nods to her - or perhaps she was looking up periodically anyway (he is a looker), and she smiles at him. Her eyes shift to Selene, wondering how long she is going to keep trying with the man, as she seems to be latching on to him like a high school student with a crush. Corey's thoughts of range, field, and fertility wash over her, with very little response. Mostly thoughts about how she is still sitting close to him, hoping he might drop his number when he's off. Maybe she'll wait that long. Maybe she'll just be a beauty of mystery and disappear while he still has happy regards for her. Selene nods, taking her sandwich to a table close by, and begins eating it. Unlike Emma, she's not looking at him at all, instead maintaining scans to see his reaction when she leaves, and also curious in what happens between him and Emma. As she finishes her bite, she calmly speaks to him from her table. "Oh, thank you, this is delicious. You're very good at your job." As customers finally seem to taper off in needing sandwiches made at least, Corey stretches up a bit to loosen muscles, perhaps distractingly so for anyone actually watching him at the time. Perhaps as an oddity to the telepaths, his mind seems completely empty at least until he hears another customer come in. Still no one seems to be coming his way, so he decides now would be good for a break away from the station and he steps out from behind it as Selene compliments him. "Ah its not too hard a job. Mainly you just need good ingredients and try not to screw it up, and that mainly comes from a good supplier and experience." He doesn't seem that old, but skimming through his mind are the barrage of jobs he's had over time. Emma watches him stretch. He niiice. She looks away and continues enjoying her sandwich, amused by the interaction between the two. "Sounds like you have a lot of experience yourself." Selene says this calmly, as she turns towards him, watching him stretch as well, but solely because she's conversating, no actual interest in him. "EMT, sandwich maker extraordinaire, superhero, what others things do you have up your belt?" "I can make a mean cup of joe or a fancified caramel machiatto. I've been a short order cook, worked in catering, gardening, hung drywall." Corey offers a shrug, moving closer to the women so he doesn't have to speak too loudly and disturb anyone else. "I've done pretty plenty of things moving up the coast, all good experience to figure out there was more to life that needed figuring out." Running a hand through his hair, he lets out a sigh. "Mission to find myself, the whole walking the earth thing like the guy from Kung Fu. But with more car rides involved." Emma is just finishing her sandwich, delicately cleaning her fingers on her napkin and dabbing at her mouth. There is still a hint of oil on her lips, but it only serves to make them healthy looking, a little fuller, a little more welcoming. The heat of her chai also adds to the flush in her cheeks. She might be imagining him shirtless, hanging drywall like some of the men who rebuilt her apartment after the recent plague. Oh, and then there's the hair thing. Really, this guy is utterly unfair. "What have you figured out so far?" she asks, curiously. Selene grins slightly, it quickly fading, as Emma's various thoughts. "Kung Fu? Is that a movie?" She takes another quick bite of her sandwich, chewing before speaking. "Catering, gardening, and drywall. And sandwich making, superheroing, EMTing. A lot of stuff up your sleeves. I'm impressed." Corey watches Emma distractedly a moment, before chuckling at her question. "Mainly that I still had a lot to learn, but mainly that I wanted to help people. I found I had a knack for helping people feel better at least," he says with a straight face, though his mind goes through the scene where he learned of his aura of healing. "But, that requires more education. As Selene said, I'm looking into being an EMT, er, Ms Frost was it? I am afraid I didn't get your first name though." Selene's question on Kung Fu, causes him to blink. "Oh, uh, I used to watch the repeats of it. David Carradine had done it when he was younger. Basically, he went around searching for enlightenment in the world. But, mostly he ended up beating up jerks who messed with him." He gives a little shrug at that, a motion he seems to prefer, but at least it does interesting things to his shoulders. "I can't say as it didn't also inspire me to take self defense classes, but it was a pretty neat show." Emma rises to take her dishes to the clean up point, starting to wrap her scarf around her again now that her hands are free. "It's Emma. It was very nice to meet you, Corey, and to see you again, Ms. Gallio, but now I should head home." The sights and the warm food and drink have left Emma more than warm enough to face the outdoors again. Delightful meal, she'll have to come here again. "Thank you again," she repeats, turning a little to cast her voice in the correct direction. Then, she heads off into the night. Selene continues eating her sandwich quietly, giving a quiet nod to Emma as she leaves. Selene isn't quite ready to leave yet. Getting to know the target, after all, requires some time. Watching Emma go off, Corey offers her a smile. "Nice to meet you as well. I hope to see you again." Cricking his neck, he checks the time and figures its time to get back behind the counter. "Let me know if you need anything else Selene. Hope the sandwich is to your liking," he proffers before attending to the next customers coming into the store.