2012-06-29 Sweet Things

The expo has been chaotic. Fans and people of industry alike have flocked to the days-long event, making it less than enjoyable to be at the venue for more than a few hours at a time. Hence why Selina decided to forgo the convention events for the afternoon and do some shopping instead. Already having been at it for awhile, the Gothamite-turned-tourist is already bogged down with bags, the dark-haired woman bearing a content expression while she wanders from shop to shop.

"Perrrrfect," Remy purrs as he checks the balance point on a throwing knife. "I take two."

He politely declines to have the items wrapped, instead tucking them somewhere in the interior folds of his coat. When he has paid and left the cutlery outlet, the Cajun pauses to smooth his hands down the front of his simple maroon button-down. Paired with matching tinted glasses and a pair of dark, crisp jeans, he's dressed down for a day of light work. For him, light work means picking pockets. One-two, he lifts a businessman's wallet and a very well-dressed woman's expensive-looking watch.

The misfortune of having one's arms so full is that they don't exactly see what's around them, thus being the case with Selina who seems to be on some kind of collusion course with the pickpocketing Remy. "You know, Sel," she comments to herself, trying to keep her voice low enough so she won't be over-heard and thought of as crazy. "You've been a good girl and totally deserving of a treat. There is that chocolate shop down the way..." Now she's distracted as well as unable to see well. This does not bode well.

Locked in on his next target, Remy is oblivious to any danger. He's on the verge of making his move when he's knocked into. Surprised, he twists his body and flails to regain his balance, sending shopping bags flying in all directions.

It's the owner of the bags who has his attention. He drops to his knees and stretches his arms out to catch her. "Oof. Bonjour, belle," he greets, a casual smile pulling at one side of his mouth.

Selina gets tripped up slightly, making Remy's kneeling a good thing as she finds herself in need of holding on to him. This is remarkably easy to do as the good majority of her wares go flying. Most stay in their proper bag but a few more... delicate items are now on the dirty New York sidewalk. "Oh... oh, my. I am so sorry! I... are you alright?" A quick look is given to the man before she crouches down, her own kneel assumed so she can start gathering her belongings.

Remy's smile widens and he nods briefly. "Not to worry, m'fine," he replies. One by one, he starts gathering up the scattered items, bags and unmentionables alike. He manages to keep all but a hint of laughter from his voice when he makes his next comment. "Dis is a nice piece. Shame to see it on de groun', no?"

Normally she wouldn't be so quick to fluster but between the mishap and Remy saying what he does when he notices a particularly lovely undergarment made of lace Selina finds herself thrown off of her game. "Yes. I am glad I had plans on washing everything before wearing it..." Sighing a little, she gets the last of it put back into the bags and then she tries to pick them all up again. "Thank you for your assistance, sir."

This might be the first time the Cajun has ever freely let go of his spoils. He bows his head gracefully as he releases the bags. His untidy shock of hair falls across his face, obscuring his ever-growing smile. "Remy LeBeau," he introduces himself as he straightens from the impromptu bow. "An' is my pleasure. Damsel in distress, an' all dat."

"Remy. That's a very nice name. And I can honestly say you're the first Remy I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." Weighed down, Sel can't return the polite gesture so she merely smiles instead of curtseying in response to that bow. "I am Selina Kyle. And..." Face going red, Sel smiles sheepishly. "I really am sorry. I normally am not such a klutz."

"Red's a good color for you," Remy replies without missing a beat. He clears his throat and composes himself, fixing his eyes on Selina's through his smoked lenses. "Ahem. No need for apologies," he continues. "But if you really wan' make it up to me, you can join me for lunch. Right dere," he gestures, pointing across the street to a Cantonese tea house.

There's a moment where Selina hestiates, not sure what to do. On one hand, she is hungry and lunch sounds wonderful. But on the other she does have chocolate on the mind as well as dropping off her bags at her hotel so she can do more shopping after a nap. Hunger eventually wins over everything else and Selina nods. "That sounds wonderful... but only if you let me pay for myself. We just met, after all, and I'm not sure I'd feel right if I were to allow you to pay for me."

"Remy nice, but he not dat nice," he replies, his lighthearted tone erasing any potential sting from his words. "We could do somet'ing else, eh? My mama tell me dat women love chocolate." Faux-innocent, he tucks both hands behind his back and holds a straight face as best as he can. Admittedly, it's not very well. "Dis is true? I do not know."

'Well, at least he's honest. That's refreshing," She can't help but to think. "Oh no. I am more than fine with lunch," she adds hurriedly, out loud, although the mention of sweets gets her to sigh inwardly. "I'll be more than fine with..." And now it dawns on her. He heard her mention the candy? Must have very good hearing. Either that or she spoke a lot louder than she realized.

Remy tips his head a fraction to the side and winks, breaking his innocent facade. "You look like you be more dan fine if you have somet'ing sweet," he observes. "An' why not? I like sweet t'ings, too." Though he's too much of a gentleman to turn the words into an implication, they've still been said, and he still keeps his eyes locked on Selina's. Past that, he's not easy to read.

He's suave. Not as smoothe as Bruce or as boyishly charming as Steve but Remy has his own charm which gets Selina to relax further and even smile. "Perhaps something little," she agrees. "But then I will need to return to my hotel, sadly. I got more shopping to do and only two arms."

"I never argue wit' a lady," Remy responds, his patois winding around and through the words. Deftly, he plucks a few of the bags from Selina and lightens her burden. Chivalrous to the point of being old-fashioned, he pauses to ensure that his companion is properly balanced. Once he's satisfied, he steps sideways until he's situated between her and the street. "Ahh. Better, no? Now lead de way."

The burden lessened, Sel's able to juggle what has been left in her arms, further easing her load until she's able to see over the bags as well as use her hands. "Thanks." Quick to quirk a smile at Remy, the woman plays tourguide and leads the way to the chocolate shop that's only a block or so away from where the collusion took place. While a 'chain store' the confectionary is modled off of the stores back in France, insuring that the chocolate will be both heavenly and expensive.

Remy has seen places like this before. Everyone has seen places like this before. That doesn't mean they aren't lovely. He opens the door and holds it for Selina, savoring the first whiff of chocolate and pastry-scented air as he does. "Mmm," he comments eloquently, closing his eyes to better appreciate the sensation. After a moment, he indicates that Selina should precede him with a subtle jerk of his head. "Smells nice. In you go, chaton."

The smell of chocolate and other sweet treats has her closing her eyes, a soft smile quick to find its way to her face as well. "This is so nice," Selina half-purrs just as one of the employees comes by, truffle samples on a silver tray held out. It's a temptation some women would have enough willpower to turn down but not Selina who is quick to take one for herself. "Thank you," she intones warmly as the truffle-bearing woman holds the tray out towards Remy.

Shamelessly, Remy captures three of the treats between four fingers. It's a nimble move, a fact he's very aware of. He grins roguishly at the woman carrying the samples. "Merci," he murmurs.

Then, without further ado, he gobbles down two of the chocolate bites. "Mmmmm," he says again, clearly approving. The final sample is balanced on one fingertip and offered to Selina. "Vous?"

Selina just at the one she got for herself but just can not resist the lure of another one, the sugary treat luring her in with its siren's call. "Thank you, Remy." The balancing act is observed for a few seconds before the truffle's taken from the peak of that digit. "So... I am not exactly good when it comes to accents but I am under the impression that you're somewhere... in Cajun Country."

"New Orleans," Remy confirms. For a moment, his charming, boyish expression is displaced by something very different. Something cold and sad and wistful all at once.

And then it's gone. His easy, lopsided smile is back in place. "Been a long time since I was dere," he admits. "But I t'ink I always sound like a river rat. Seem like that accent never go away."

She catches the sadness and she frowns, her joy over being here dampered. "I am sorry. I did not mean to bring up unpleasant memories or whatever." Sighing, she reaches out as much as she can, pats Remy on his arm and then drifts further into the store. "I have been there a few times. I can see why someone would love living there."

Remy peers down at Selina guilelessly. "Sorry? Don't be." There's a pause as he weighs and measures his words. "Dere be t'ings I miss and t'ings I don't," he elaborates. "But I'm a free spirit. Who has time to visit de swamp? Dere be a whole world full o' adventures to have. I plan to have every one I can, me. Starting wit' dis chocolate."

Sel chuckles some when her apology's dismissed, relieved that she did not offend. "I travel as much as I can myself," she admits. "Sadly the majority of it is done for work but it still gives me a chance to see places I might not have..." Her eyes dart to a particularly lucious looking display of chocolates which she starts to drift towards, now slightly distracted.

By the time she looks back, Remy has somehow acquired a cup of hot chocolate. He shrugs, smiles mysteriously, and blows across the top to cool it down a few degrees. He's on the verge of taking his first sip when he pauses with the cup an inch from his lips. Then, still smiling, he offers it to Selina. "Work can be an adventure, too. 'least for me. Go 'head, mimi. Take de poison off de top for me."

Turning to face Remy, she looks at him oddly before she glances at the drink, a brow arching up as she does. "Poison, huh?" The cocoa is taken from him and she sips from it, not believing for the life of her that he'd do her harm. Is it fool-hardy, sure, but Selina has been known to take risks that could have very well ended her life before. Why should now be any different. "Hmmm. It is very good."

"Is an old family joke," Remy explains as he takes the cup back. "Is... actually kind of a long story." His smile wavers briefly, but he shakes his head and an instant later it's back in full force. He takes a deep breath, inhaling the aroma before he finally drinks. "Mmmm. Been awhile since I had proper drinkin' chocolate wit'out de little dry marshmallows in it. I t'ink I forget how good it can be."

The fading of Remy's smile is missed as Selina's bumped into by an enthusiastic child, undoubtedly the spoiled offspring of one of the city's socially elite who is too excited by the thought of being allowed to spend an unreasonable amount of money (for a child of their age which is perhaps six or seven) on candy. "Oh... yes. Well it is very good," she comments, that spoken on the auditory heels of a grunt.

"Glad you like," Remy replies easily. He plucks a chocolate-filled croissant from a low table, breaks it in two, and again offers a piece to Selina before indulging. When a woman moves to the edge of his vision and fixes him with a piercing look, he dismisses her with a chuckle and a crisp bank note to cover the little treats he's been filching.

And of course Remy is caught just as Selina's starting to eat, not exactly the most flattering of times to be caught. Her face colors slightly and she reaches into a pocket to extract some money for their (unknown to her) ill-gotten gains but he has it covered and she's able to breathe easier. "Very smooth," she quips, grinning.

Remy shrugs again, but this time there's no mystery for him to hide behind. "It worked for a while," he drawls, accepting his losses as readily as his gains. Selina's money is pocketed, then he bites into his half of the croissant. For all his rough exterior, he handles the delicate pastry gracefully and with great manners, though he misses a few crumbs that have landed on his lapel.

Selina reaches over and brushes the crumbs off of the Cajun's coat, doing so without even thinking as it's almost reactive. "Thanks for taking care of that." Okay, so it is the 21st century here and she's more than fine with paying for a guy's food and stuff, but his willingness to pay for the felched goods himself was... surprising, really.

"Is only fair," Remy replies dismissively, as if this is a regular ritual for him. "She catch me, I pay. She don't, I don't. At what she charge, she can afford it. Is a fun little game. I normally not stick around and wait for somebody to see me." He glances down at his lapel, then back up at Selina. "I got distracted by a pretty lady, though."

"Well, I will have to find a way to repay you for your kindness at some point." Even if it is a game - one Selina's aware of and has played more than a few times herself - she is willing to at least try to do that. "Excuse me a second." She steps over to where the cases of chocolate is and speaks lowly with one of those who works here, putting in an order to have chocolate sent to her house via mail. It is paid for and then she returns to stand by Remy. "I should return to my hotel. It was very nice to meet you."

From the look on his face, abrupt departures are a reaction that Remy has seen before. He doesn't quite frown, but he waves dismissively and lets out a short sigh. "Yeah. Same, mimi. Watch your step. Not every stranger as nice as I am."

He winks and blows her a kiss just as a young couple runs to meet in a warm embrace. When they share a kiss of their own, they briefly obscure Remy from view. When they part, he is nowhere to be seen.