2013-01-27 Did she just ask him out?

H&M. Home of midrange clothing for him, her, and various other options. Expensive enough to be a contender, but cheap enough that humans walk the aisles. Well, okay, not /all/ humans.

Like nearly everywhere else, H&M is in the midst of a holiday sale on wonderful, sensible things like sweaters, cardigans, suit jackets, and slacks. The catch is that, like every other sale happening for the next two weeks, it's a Valentine's Day one.

And thus, all is red and pink, hearts hanging everywhere. Kory Anders, professional model and wearing all of her clothes or a change, walking around with an ungodly pile of textiles on each arm -- somewhat obscuring her vision, meaning that she can't quite see where she's going--

Scott Summers is looking at a pair of slacks and a sweater and is inconspicuously hidden behind a fixture He grabs a few options, intend on heading for the fitting rooms. It's that time of year again. Year? Decade, almost. Scott despises shopping and tends not to go unless absolutely necessary. He has no idea Kory is coming; it is somewhat more difficult to see given his glasses and the reds and pinks.

There's a whumpf, and a bump, and a slow camera shot of clothes flying everywhere, if this was a television show, which it isn't. What it ends with is Kory on the floor, clothes everywhere, pooled around her and hanging from her giant hair, as she blinks a few times and tries to register what just happened.

"Oh! Oh, no! I'm so sorry, are you okay?!" Kory suddenly starts, once processing is complete. She tries to get to her feet to help Scott up, not quite recognizing him yet, and with a pencil skirt hanging from her shoulder.

Scott does a quick double-check to ensure that his glasses are affixed well to his face. He takes the hand, and while she does not notice that she's met him, he notices that he's met her. "Kory," Scott says as he gets to his feet. "I'm not sure if you remember me, we met at a function in Gotham for Selina Kyle's philanthropy." He shakes his head, "Sorry I knocked you over." He nods toward the skirt on Kory's shoulder.

Starfire's big green eyes flutter once again -- Selina Kyle's... She all but mouths along to the thought process of drawing the man's name. "Oh! Yes! Of course I remember!" Kory goes from helping Scott up to yanking him into a big old hug, right there in the store, with zero shame whatsoever. "It's good to see you again, Scoot!"

Scott's eyebrows raise as he's nearly devoured by the Tangerine Princess. "It's...it's uh...Scott." He chuckles, "It's good to see you too, Kory. How have you been?"

Kory gives Scott a look like maybe he's the one misremembering his name, but smiles regardless, willing to indulge him. Then, and only then does she release him. "Oh, but we've made a mess," Kory says. "Or... at least I did. I think most of this is mine." She says it as if it's possible that some substantial section of it isn't. Then again, Scott probably isn't buying many women's tees.

"That's not a problem, we can clean it up," Scott says with a chuckle. His clothing choices are easily taken up and set aside and he begins to help her. "So what are you doing here in New York?"

Again, Kory flashes an odd look at Scott. "Shopping...?" she says. There's no sarcasm in her tone -- rather, she sounds like someone taking an oral exam and not entirely sure of her answer.

"I guess I just assumed you lived in Gotham. New York seems like a long way to go for shopping." Scott bites his lip again as he helps her pick up the final article of clothing. Not knowing what else to say, he asks quizzically, "Do you shop here often?"

"Oh! No, I live... nearby," Kory says, not quite wanting to say 'in government-funded Titans Tower' to someone who is only a few degrees away from a stranger at the moment. "I just like to travel. Why, do you not live in Gotham?"

Kory shifts the messy pile of clothes in her arms, a tangle of sleeves and tags. "I don't shop anywhere all that often, actually. I get most of my clothes for free, from my job... but stores like this are full of such interesting things! Oh! Did you know that I'm going to be on television soon? I'm excited!"

Scott shakes his head, "No, I actually live in a place called Westchester, just outside of New York city. I live at a school where I teach." Scott smiles, "Television? Great! I'll have to watch. What type of show is it going to be?"

"A promotional film, during a sports football game called the Super Bowl. I found the name very strange, considering that no super heroes are involved." Kory shrugs with a smile, and nearly drops some clothes off the top of the pile. "I'm not sure you'd be interested in watching it, though."

Scott laughs, "You're going to be doing a promotional film during the Super Bowl?" Scott nods, almost sarcastically, "Yeah, I think I'll probably be able to fit that into my schedule." His chuckle becomes more genuine, "I watch it every year."

"A lot of people have said that lately! I didn't think organized groups of gladiators would be so popular... well, with as many pauses as they seem to take. It seems to defeat the purpose of combat." Kory shuffles over to a table display to set her pile of stuff down and re-organize it a bit, folding a few things so she's not just lugging a big heap. "I found it equally strange that my film would show during it. What does team sports combat have to do with underpants?"

Scott erupts into a fit of coughing, "A...a what? You're doing a film regarding underpants?" He just sort of stands there, dumbfounded. "Are you doing the Victoria Secret show?"

"Yes! You've heard of them?" Kory really does seem to come from another planet. As if some parts didn't make that really obvious. She grins. "Myself, and Heather Danielson. Do you know of her?"

"I only know her photographs," Scott says with a chuckle. Something feels slightly wrong about watching someone you've met parade around in their underwear. He's not clear yet whether or not that will stop him, but it definitely gives him pause, "I'm sure there will be...many...people tuning in to watch you."

"I would hope so!" Kory says with a firm nod. "I would hate for their investment in me to go to waste, if no one was interested..." Her clothes seem reorganized enough, and she collects them once more. "Although I find it very strange that you would look at her photographs, since they're not meant to sell anything to you..."

"Yeah," Scott says with a slightly embarassed tone. "There are a lot of people who know her photographs. She's pretty famous." He almost looks like he's blushing.

Kory's expression firms into a mild frown. She reaches out and presses her palm to Scott's forehead. Her skin is /very/ warm, as if she's constantly sitting in direct sunlight -- in August. "Are you all right, Scott? You seem to be getting flush, and you sound strange."

"Fine," Scott says regaining his composure just a bit. It's a somewhat ridiculous sight, this young woman putting her hand on his head in the middle of the store, but he seems to have a good attitude about it. "It's tought to explain."

"Oh," Starfire says, understandingly, withdrawing her hand. Then she stands there, silently, and after a few moments, it probably becomes clear: she's waiting for that tough explanation.

"Kory, you're not like a lot of other girls, right?" Scott's eyebrows come together and he's got a wry grin. "Men like to look at the pictures because they think that you and she are beautiful."

Kory nods, slowly, as if she was learning from a mentor -- it's the sort of gesture and expression common amongst the /better/ students at the Xavier school. "That's very flattering, but everyone on this world is beautiful in their own unique way! You must have your own beautiful one-of-a-kind woman in... West Chesting?"

"Uh...no," Scott shakes his head and laughs. "I don't. I'm single at the moment. And it's West..." he laughs and his voice becomes quieter, "Westchester."

"I find that surprising!" Kory says, eyes widening -- she seems to very sincerely mean it, and show some astonishment at the fact. "I am, as well, sadly."

"Surprising?" Scott shakes his head, "Why's that? And how is it that an international model finds herself single? That's a travesty.

"You're very handsome and well-spoken," Kory says, ending the sentence with a firm nod, as if to reinforce the factual nature of her statement. "And you appear to be in excellent physical shape, from what I felt when we hugged." Again, she seems to have no shame in saying things like that aloud. "But I think I just have bad luck! It's just as well. I'm still getting used to things around here."

"Well I think you have fantastic physical shape yourself, Kory," Scott says, slightly jumbling his words. He's only getting more red. "I hear you, sometimes I think it's better being single. Probably the best way to go."

"I strongly disagree," Kory says with a shake of her head. "There are few things as truly wonderful and special as sharing an intimate bond with another person, and knowing each other's hearts on a level that can't be found in knowing oneself." Kory pauses. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Scott nods, "Yeah. Sorry. It's just a bit disconcerting and slightly awkward when a supermodel tells you she likes how your body feels. I hope you'll pardon me." He then discusses the first part of her statement, "You may be right, but I've never really experienced things quite to that level."

Now it's Kory's turn to blush, very mildly. She laughs. "Oh!" she says, as if Scott had done something to fluster her. Once more, she's working from a different playbook as the rest of Earth -- forget a different page. "I'm very flattered -- I'll have to give you my telephone identification number..." She can't get her phone out of her purse with the armloads of clothes, though she certainly tries.

"I can just put yours in mine if you wa...or I can take some of those," Scott reaches into his own pocket and produces a StarkPhone he got at the Expo this past summer.

"Oh! That would work," Starfire says, but doesn't relinquish the clothes -- instead, she just recites her phone number (NYC area code, even) to Scott. "Will you pick me up sometime on Saturday? I don't think I'm needed for the promotional work until Sunday..."

"Pick you up?" Scott asks stopping mid entrance. "You mean like a date?" He tilts his head, considering and wondering if just being straight up honest with this woman is probably the best route to avoid confusion.

"Well, yes," Starfire says, once more giving Scott That Look, her green eyes lidding very slightly. "Were you not inviting me on one?"

"I didn't realize that's where you were headed, but I'd love to take you out on a date. Saturday, you say? I think that should work for me. What sort of things do you like to do?" Scott asks with a half smile. This has been the most confusing attempt to pick up digits he can ever remember. Digits? Oh, right. He finishes putting in the number and stuffs it in his pocket.

Starfire looks elated, grinning broadly -- after all, who doesn't get all giddy when a mysterious sunglassed stranger is confused into agreeing to a date? "I'm still very new here," she says. "Your people still have many interesting customs that I'm yet to discover -- and so many of them are such fun!"

Scott laughs, "Where are you from? Brazil? Something like that?" He's fairly sure she's some type of mutant, and that's the sort of girl he's in to.

Starfire looks left and right -- it's hard to tell exactly, because her eyes don't have pupils. Sure that no strangers are eavesdropping, she says, bluntly, "The planet Tamaran."

"Pl...planet?" Scott looks shocked, "You mean..." A sudden look of understanding comes across his face. "You're an alien..."

Starfire frowns -- it's a sad little expression like a lost puppy's. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Scott nods and smiles, "Not at all. I hope you don't care that I happen to be a mutant. It's good to get these things out of the way right at the beginning."

"Not in the least," Starfire says, with a shake of her head that reverberates throughout her hair. "And I agree. Total honesty is something my people live by." Deep within her purse, Starfire's phone begins bleating some kind of alarm tone. "Oh, no--! That's a reminder I set -- I really should be going, since ringing these up will take a while... I'll see you soon, Scott!" And, without asking if it's okay, Kory takes Scott by the shirt and pulls him into a surprisingly long kiss. Then lets him go and sashays off along her merry way, as if that was the most normal thing in the world.

The leader of the X-Men may be in over his head here.