ic Girls, Interrupted (IC)

[Gizmo]

Late afternoon in Greenbank saw a crimson and black blur darting from warehouse rooftop to rooftop, acrobatically picking its way across the city. The days had just started to get perceptibly longer again, enough to light the way, but it wouldn't have done for Ellie Espadas to be spotted walking about the admittedly sketchy area, so it was the masked medic Jill O'Cure who finally arrived at the side of one warehouse in particular, messenger bag slung over her shoulder. Making certain there was no one else about, she rapped quickly on the door, humming absently through a small smile and brushing her unruly bangs out of her eyes.

[Fox]

There was only a short pause before the door opened, revealing a Mara that had - apparently - dressed up a bit for the occasion. In lieu of the normal jeans-and-t-shirt she'd opted for a black skirt and dark blue hooded blouse, both of which looked new enough that one might suspect she'd gotten them recently - if not for this date specifically, at least in anticipation of dating activities. but no makeup - don't fret that much over dates - wouldn't even know where to begin anyway

"Ellie!" she greeted, standing aside so the young woman could step inside. She moved to hug her...and paused, glancing at the screwdriver she'd forgotten she was holding. That got put on a shelf by the door before she accidentally stabbed someone with it, and she tried the hug again.

[Gizmo]

Ellie laughed briefly at the momentary delay, a melodic, surprisingly throaty sound, taking the opportunity to slide off her bandanna mask once the door closed behind her before returning the hug. "Hey, Marbar," she greeted with a broad grin that was almost immediately suppressed by the quick kiss she leaned down for. Seeing Mara made her happy, and seeing seeing her make Mara happy made her happy, too, and it was all pretty fantastic even if she had a little trouble following her own train of thought. "Mm, te ves grandioso, muñequita. I'm just going to run up to the bathroom to change, okay?"

[Fox]

Mara ducked her head a little at the compliment, pulling some hair back behind an ear. "T...thanks. Could just use the bedroom...." She gestured to the lofted area at the top of the spiral staircase. "More room. Sort of...cluttered, though. Sorry. Clothes. Need to buy a dresser. Wardrobe has...expanded. Lately." The engineer tugged a little self-consciously at her skirt, but shook her head. "Want something to drink before we leave?"

[Gizmo]

"Well, I'd say that skirt was worth the clutter," Ellie grinned, giving the black garment an exaggerated leer that was equal parts suggestive and teasing. Stepping out of the embrace with considerable reluctance, the taller girl moved toward the kitchen and the stairwell up to the loft. "Bedroom works, I won't be long," she promised, skipping up the steps lightly. "Something to drink would be great after running over here; just water, even."

[Fox]

Mara blushed, but smiled a little. "Thank you. And mostly just want an excuse to see you climb stairs in those pants," she teased, pausing on her way into the kitchen to do just that on her way to pull a bottle of water out of her fridge for Ellie. That got set on the counter, which she leaned forward on while waiting for her girlfriend to change.

Puppy was rolling around on the workshop floor, and paused to whir and click at her for a moment. "Will be fine," she assured it, though it hadn't asked (and wasn't really capable of asking) anything. "Just a nice date. Will be back later. Worry too much."

[Gizmo]

"I swear, you and these pants..." Ellie sighed good-naturedly as she made it up to the raised area of the warehouse and lifted the messenger bag's strap over her head as she stepped into Mara's bedroom. Closing the door softly behind her, the young woman walked in a short arc as she looked about the room before sitting down on the foot of the bed, her hands placed palm downward on either side of her lap. Biting her lower lip lightly, she allowed herself a moment of contemplation before standing up again and retrieving the clothes from her satchel.

A few minutes later, she descended the stairs again, wearing slim khaki pants under a loose, light cream coloured blouse, held tight by a fitted vest with a distinctly vintage look to it. Ellie brushed absently at her dyed black hair, which she'd let regain a little of it's former length, causing her customary bangle bracelets to clatter as they slid further down her wrist.

[Fox]

She looked up as Ellie made her way back to ground level, and just...smiled. "Belle," she complimented, fidgeting a little and trying to get the butterflies in her stomach to quiet down. But they were happy butterflies, at least. adrenaline - endorphins - mmh - dopamine? - can't remember - doesn't matter "Like the vest. New?"

[Gizmo]

"Aw, see, and I actually know what that means, now," Ellie noted with a lopsided grin that was a touch too shy and pleased to pull off sardonic wit. "Old, actually," she answered the question as she reached the bottom of the stairs and smoothed the overlapping fabric of the vest's front with both her hands. "Christmas gift. Grim found it in a vintage shop." She shrugged as she moved over to the kitchenette and picked up the bottle of water set aside for her. "I know, you wouldn't think she'd celebrate it, but it's honestly any excuse for a party with her."

[Fox]

Mara snorted a little, pushing herself back upright and shaking her head. "Led to believe that Christmas isn't a very religious holiday anymore anyway. Not so strange. Chance to decorate, give gifts, meet friends. Save Santa Claus. ....last one might not be too common." She shrugged, moving by habit to put her hands in her pockets before remembering she didn't have any. "Not...too much a party person, but can at least understand the impulse. Looks good on you, regardless. ....most things would, I mean. Of course. But...mmh. Know what I meant."

[Gizmo]

With another small laugh, Ellie took a sip of water as she nodded. "Oddly enough, I do know what you meant." Mara's unique cadence took a little getting used to, but there was something surprisingly appealing about someone who said exactly what they were thinking without carefully choosing their words or veiling their meaning. "So, y'know. Thanks," she added a little more quietly as she took another drink. "You're right about the holiday, too, but I am a lapsed Catholic. Mama tried to get us to start going to mass again right after I got my powers, but mi hermano and I ended up fighting off a weird monster thing with an angel, so she sorta gave up on that one."

[Fox]

Frowning, Mara tilted her head. "Not...religious, myself. Met an angel, once, though. Gossamer was holding auditions for a charity concert. Heard him sing. Very...moving. Made me rethink my belief in...deity existence, if not desire to worship them. Was very interesting."

She shook her head, once more catching herself as she tried to put hands in pockets that didn't exist. "Should probably leave, if you're ready. Too easy to stay here talking all night. Not...a bad thing. But not...the plan. I guess."

[Gizmo]

"Ha, well, plenty of time for that later," Ellie noted with a short laugh, pulling a nondescript handbag out of her satchel before setting it down on the kitchenette counter and extending her hand to Mara. "You're right, we do have reservations. Don't wait up, Puppy," she instructed the rolling mass of circuitry and motors. "Y'know, I think I heard about those auditions. Is it true Dr. de Havilland is... y'know. On the company softball team?"

[Fox]

Mara blinked, grabbing her worn but loyal cloth messenger bag, along with a couple of helmets that got tucked under her arm as she took the offered hand. "Company...." She tilted her head, raising her eyebrows. "Aahh. Euphemism. Mmh. Maybe? At minimum...did flirt with Divine. For...given definition of 'flirt'." Her mind went back to groping tentacles of hair for a moment, and she shook her head. "Not sure if she...plays softball or just enjoys all sports."

She paused, having led Ellie over to her motorcycle...and glanced down at her skirt. "....did not think this through. Not used to skirts. .....cab? Should really buy a car."

[Gizmo]

"I was kinda wondering about that..." Ellie admitted with a sly look. Admittedly, she liked the confidence Mara showed when she rode the motorcycle, not to mention the excuse to slide up close behind the petite inventor, but she like the new black skirt, too, so it pretty much evened out. "A cab works," the medic agreed easily, "although we should probably get a bit away from the warehouse first, being a super secret headquarters in a sketchy part of town and all."

[Fox]

Sighing, Mara put the motorcycle helmets on the bike and patted it, almost apologetically. "Pants next time," she noted, walking with Ellie back to the front door, grabbing her jacket and letting the young Ms. Espadas exit first. "Or...mmh. Could design pants that turn into a skirt or dress. Morphing fabric...risky. Wardrobe malfunction would be...literal. Entertaining in private. Public...not so much."

She gave the door a quick mental command to lock behind them, looking out over the streets. She tilted her head. "Good idea to put distance between us and the warehouse. Good thinking. Not bad weather for a walk."

[Gizmo]

It was still cold enough out that Ellie slipped into the black pea coat she's folded into her larger bag before leaving the warehouse, not that that stopped her from taking Mara's arm and pulling her closer against the supposed chill. "I don't suppose you've considered zippers?" she asked innocently, knocking her hip playfully into the engineer's side as they walked down the street. Twining her fingers into Mara's, she noted, "You know, I love that you have your own place, but the location is kinda skeevy."

[Fox]

Mara snorted, pulling her jacket closed with her free hand. "Zippers. Too easy. No fun without a challenge." That last bit was apparently directed at Ellie rather than zippers, as she gently knocked back with her hips. "Neighborhood...yes. Wanted something isolated and useful...didn't consider having anyone visiting. Am...actually considering starting a company. Funds...success might mean spare money for a better place to live. Somewhere I don't have to teach gangs to avoid the blocks around my home, anyway."

[Gizmo]

"Well, if you want to design a line of formal wear that spontaneously dissipates into loose molecules, I promise to be nothing but supportive," Ellie assured Mara with a deadpan that quickly gave way to a grin. "I'm just a terrific girlfriend like that." Keeping pace with the shorter girl's stride, she slipped their linked hand into the pocket of her coat for warmth. "What kind of company? Consulting? You could pretty much just choose whatever you wanted to do and clean up," she noted confidently.

[Fox]

Raising an eyebrow, Mara glanced at Ellie as the corner of her mouth tugged into a grin. "Glad to know you volunteer to model," she noted. "Am sure it would take repeated testing. Am willing to put in the observation time. For science." She squeezed the pocketed hand, slipping her other into her own jacket as they made their way toward better-populated areas. "Consulting, probably. Not...comfortable selling my own inventions. But very good at solving problems with others' work, or improving existing items. Do it, in my head, whether I want to or not. Might be able to fund...mmh. Extra-curricular activities, at least. Current money won't last forever."

[Gizmo]

"Well, if it's for science," Ellie allowed agreeably, shirking down a bit into her coat and leaning lightly into Mara's shoulder. The mild chill on her exposed face contrasted with the inventor's presence against her side. Even as they got left the area of the city given over almost entirely to warehouses and storage, they were afforded a considerable amount of privacy. The medic smiled approvingly as Mara described her business plans. "I for one definitely sleep better knowing the creator of the gender ray is so responsible about her engineering."

[Fox]

She grimaced, making a good-natured grumbling sound. "Am never going to live that down, am I," she asked, though it really wasn't much of a question and she wasn't able to keep her amusement out of her voice completely. "Only major concern with starting a company is time commitments...not worth giving up too much time from other things, and not worth giving up any time with you. Will take some...balancing. But can hopefully do okay. Hire other engineers, maybe...mmh. Still working out details. Slowly. Seem to have lost time to pleasant distractions lately," she added, rubbing against Ellie's shoulder a little. "Very strange. Haven't tracked the source yet."

[Gizmo]

"Well, you should probably get on top of that," Ellie advised sagely, recognizing the double entendre only after the words had left her mouth, but deciding she was alright with it anyway. "Seriously, though, if you need some time to get stuff sorted out or if I can help with it, let me know, alright?" she continued, looking over to meet Mara's eyes. "I don't want you to feel like, y'know, I'm holding you back or anything." The comment had come out a little more self-conscious and uncertain than she'd meant it too, and her cheeks coloured a little bit in the cold air.

[Fox]

Mara just shook her head, squeezing Ellie's hand reassuringly. "No. Not holding me back, I mean." She stretched up to give her companion a quick kiss on the cheek, smiling a little. "Never. Besides. Have probably done wonders for my state of mind. Too easy to lose myself in work, or...grudges. End up doing things like building gender rays. You keep me...grounded. Let me relax more often. Worth any amount of time."

[Gizmo]

Ellie's cheeks turned a little redder at this peck but she smiled ruefully. "Hee. Good to know." Her expression turned a little more somber as they walked on. "Sorry, muñequita. Didn't mean to go all needy on you there." Sighing, she leaned back into Mara's shoulder. "Guess I just start worrying when things are going so well." Neither she nor anyone else in her immediate family had what could be considered a successful track record when it came to relationships. It was startling to realize just how much the thought of messing up this time scared her.