2014.02.17 - So NOT a Date

After visiting the Academy of Tomorrow, Jean shortly after received a message from Emma Frost following up on that idea for lunch. When day arrived Jean would find a limousine had come to retrieve her, and drove her all the way out to Metropolis.

It took Jean to the final destination called "The Black Pearl", Emma apparently rented out the entire restaurant so save for the staff they were alone. When Jean arrived Emma stood, and kissed both of her cheeks in her oh so European way.

Emma herself was poshed up as per usual. She was dressed in a longer metallic silk tank top, with white leggings, and very high silver sandals. Her neck was adorned with various silver necklaces, and wore chunky bracelets on her wrists. She smiled to the redhead, "Rented out the place, hope you don't mind! I was thinking two telepaths, wouldn't it be nice if it was just /quiet/ for once?"

Not ever since she dated Warren that Jean witnessed such luxury in a single meeting, as she wouldn't call her encounter with Emma a date. No. A meeting, a quick gathering, maybe even an adventure, but certainly not a date. Still, the limousine has Phoenix arching her eyebrows and looking down at her own choice at clothing.

Jean Grey is wearing a simple, dark-red dress that clings to her curves and stops just above her knees, black heeled shoes and some jewerly being the best Jean can offer to match what she Google'd to be a pretty impressive restaurant in The Black Pearl.

As she arrives the X-Woman notices the empty restaurant, and a wry thought almost chuckles in her head 'No witnesses. How quaint!', but she kisses Emma aswell, allowing the blonde to lead her in. Jean avoids commenting on how lavish the place looks and about money, even though she worries a bit. She imagines Emma would laugh at her.

"You... shouldn't have, Emma. This must have been a lot of trouble!"

Well it could be a date. This place did look like the perfect date-place. Oh dear.

Emma led her to their table, which had a very impressive flower centerpiece, "No trouble at all. Sometimes I need a nice quiet meal now and then. Thank you for coming out all this way!"

The tuxedo-wearing waiter came out to take their drink orders and left behind their menus. Of course all of the items were very pricy, but likely delicious.

It does look like a date, and if Emma has let Jean learn anything about her so far is that the blonde is never casual, even when she wants to look that way. The place and the clothing make it clear that the beautiful telepath isn't just trying to fit the ambient around them: she wants to be main attraction of an already impressive exposition.

As Emma manages to do so perfectly. Jean Grey is intrigued, from how the other woman looks to her voice, to her habits and her success, the redhead looks at Emma as if any word or gesture could be something to be learned, but unlike someone as guarded as the Professor or the men and women in the Hellfire Club, there is some naivety about Jean. She looks like a student more than a hunter looking for weakness.

As she takes a seat Phoenix smiles some, keeping her eyes from popping in surprise at the prices in this place. When Jean does order, she makes sure it is not something she will regret forever, nor that it's something from the cheaper end: she is not going to let Emma walk all over her everywhere.

"So... do you always empty restaurants when you feel like having a meal by yourself?", she asks humored, looking at the other woman with amusement "Don't you ever... order food?"

Emma let out a laugh as she pondered the menu, while Jean might be a bundle of nerves at the moment, Emma was completely relaxed. She mentally summoned the waiter back inside with their drinks, so they could both order and added, "And please, give no thought to the bill this is all on me. Besides, the owner is one of my old business associates."

She took a sip at her Bloody Mary, "I have on occasion. Sometimes, it is good to have privacy especially considering my social circles. However I find the week of Valentine's day, in general people have a lot on their minds. So it gets noisy. "

She looked to Jean, and played with the celery in her drink, "And thank you again for having the students and I at your lovely school. How long have you been there?"

Jean smirks some at something that Emma says, but otherwise takes a sip of her drink, her nose wrinkling softly, a tell of someone who isn't all that used to alcohol. Still, she smiles and frowns, and Frost wouldn't need to be a telepath to read a very obvious 'That's GOOD.' in her face.

"Me? Well, I've been there almost my whole life. The Professor was my first teacher, and he was also my psychiatrist after my X-Gene activated.", she answers truthfully, but not without feeling like she is talking more than she should. Looking at Emma there are so many questions she wants to ask... and looking into those blue eyes Jean lets out a random one.

"When did you decide you wanted to open a school, Miss Frost?"

"Please." Emma rolled her eyes but with a smirk on her lips, "Call me Emma. Only my students or Employees call me that, otherwise I feel old. I'm only twenty-"Cough.

But to the actual question, Emma re-crosses her legs and looks to the side, "A few years ago, but since I was a child I wanted to be a teacher. I always kept the dream at the back of my mind until the right time came up. While you are in town I'd love to give you a tour. It's a little crazy at times, admittedly, but unique."

That cough was charming, and Jean is smitten by it, a grin on her lips showing she enjoyed it more than she should. So even the perfect Miss Frost had her share of very normal insecurities. Jean re-crosses her leg aswell and finishes her drink while looking downwards, riding the warmth of that smile down until she raises her gaze to meet Emma's.

"I would love to. Our schools should benefit quite a lot from the experience, and I am very curious to see just how incredible your academy must be, given it's headmistress.", teases Jean, looking at the blonde searchingly.

"Why since you were a child? Were your parents teachers?"

Another laugh, "Darling if my father were still alive he would disown me all over again. Not teachers, thank goodness honestly. But personally."

She sat up and had an excited look about her eyes, "I adore it. When I was younger, it always gave me confidence. And today, it feels good to do so. Even if some days it's like talking to a brick wall. But they are all bright, in their own ways."

She took a bite of her celery, and swallowed before continuing, "I think that would be a marvelous idea. And you are /far/ too kind, Jean."

The mention of Emma's parents being dead strikes a nerve at Jean, and she tilts her head to the side as the blonde laughs. There's some quiet judging, although it is hard to tell if it's good or bad without going into the redhead's mind, those green eyes peering at Emma as she listens.

When the subject is teaching, however, Phoenix sounds far less passionate. "The kids are great, yes, but... I feel terrified most of the time. It's a lot of responsibility to shape such young, trusting minds and... half the time I am not sure I am shaped myself. If that makes sense. I feel like I am still in this discovery process, it's hard to teach when you feel like you know nothing.", she admits with a sigh, knowing she shouldn't be just saying this, but surprisingly enough, Emma might be the only one who will listen, and maybe understand it.

"I am just curious.", she grins at the last comment. "Everything you do is very purposed, filled with intent and... I cannot imagine a school run by you that isn't mindblowing.

She understood it quite a bit, in fact. Emma listened quietly as Jean explained her current worry in teaching, she nodded as she finished. Her voice softened as she spoke, "I understand. There are days when I fail in my personal life, or in teaching specifically where I really question whether I really should be doing this."

She recalls a moment with one of her personal favorite student, where she failed him so much that the night actually ended in tears. Emma hasn't thought about that day in quite some time.

Emma ran her fingers through her hair as she made eye contact with Jean, "So there are still bad days. However, if not us, then who? Especially these mutants, and others with unique abilities, need someone to guide them so perhaps they won't repeat our mistakes and live the lives we've had to."

A smile, as she takes another sip of her drink, "My. We got serious all of a sudden didn't we? Well you are quite easy to talk to."'

"Quite easy to talk to and quite the bummer, huh?", jokes Jean, smiling wryly as she still has a bad taste in her mouth, something she can't quite put into thoughts, but that spiked the moment Emma wondered about who would help these children if not them. ALthough she nods, this matter seems to be very important to Phoenix, as she nods somewhat aimlessly, looking at Emma's neck and shoulders absent-mindedly.

"Do you think it's fair it falls to us to be these kids parents, mentors and friends?", Jean muses, her green eyes suddenly snapping to Emma's pools of blue, her question serious, but very confiding. The blonde will realize Jean's voice lowers some, as if these thoughts are a secret.

For a moment the redhead questions herself being here. Emma and her couldn't be more different, but there's some rapidly growing admiration from Jean's part as she can't help but smile, even if she talks about something very important to her. "I'm glad you asked me out, Emma."

Emma gives Jean a look, in regards to calling herself a bummer and adds, "Oh hardly. You have genuine concerns."

But she does give a thought as to her question, in Jean's life especially she could see how that would be a concern. Emma touches the end of her celery to her lips, as she thought, "Hm. Nature of the beast, really. Especially in boarding schools such as ours, the schools essentially are their /lives/. I don't have many students who would consider me their friend but...I am always friendly, and my door is always open to them. And goodness knows I have my favorites."

Emma's plump painted lips spread into a grin at Jean, "As am I, this has been an excellent date."

Jean nods at the woman, her gaze dropping slightly as Emma plays with the celery, those green eyes curious, her attention focusing for a moment on Emma's lips and the vegetable.

"You can say that again... had I been your student I would have a hard time approaching you.", and she grins some, shaking her head "Honestly, it's hard to approach you right now. You are so... full of confidence it's really distracting!".

At Emma wording the blonde will notice Jean's cheeks color slightly, but she smiles, shaking her head at Emma as if she takes her words as a tease. "It has, hasn't it? And I thought I was rusty!"

Emma arches a perfectly shaped brow, "Is that so? I've been told I can come across as a bit of an...Ice Queen, but I find that a bit uninventive."

She looked Jean over and placed her suddenly sexy vegetable back into her glass, "Well, that is something I'd just /love/ to tutor you in."

Jean leans back, holding her hands defensively before herself "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. At all! You are just very intimidating. You don't project h... well, don't take me wrong, you don't project humanity like most people do! You have this... very detached, above us feel?", and wincing, Jean craddles her face on her palms, sighing.

"I am so sorry.", and parting her fingers to let one of her green eyes look at Emma, Jean quirks a brow "Tutor me in what?", her sense of ridicule finally catching up and allowing Phoenix to rest her hands on her thighs.

Emma covers her mouth as she lets out another laugh, just then their food has arrived and the waiter quickly asks if they need anything else before shuffling off to the back, "Darling I learned it from Charles."

She gave the woman another wink, surely adding more questions to add to Jean's already likely long list. Emma looked to the side, her chin tilted slightly to the air playfully, "And I prefer to think of it as regal."

She tried a bite of her lunch, and of course it's fantastic, "Mm. Delightful. And I mean dating. I should take you out on some more, I do /love/ to teach after all. That is unless...you only tend to go for mutants that look like angels."

Jean does grin at the mention of Charles, and yes, he does send those vibes aswell. One thing pickets her interest, and it's what Emma says... about learning from Charles. What does that mean? And just as Phoenix is quirking a brow to ask something, a worried/curious look on her face, Emma winks, and Jean shakes her head, grinning.

Emma knows how to defuse her worries, and just like that Phoenix is laughing softly at the regal joke, feeling at ease, as if the comment about Charles shouldn't be worrying, but just a very fun anecdote.

Although Jean looks down at their food, she does take some time to actually taste it, subtly (or not) watching Emma not to commit any egregious sins against the place's cuisine. The blonde's statement, however, does get Jean to look at her with a mix of surprise and amusement, as if she is not sure Emma is messing with her.

Is Emma hitting on her? Hard to tell, everything about the woman is nobility and sex appeal, iron wrapped in silk. Still, the very thought of it gets Jean blushing lightly, even if she finds it funny, as she would. Taking a slice of their lunch, she just nods, agreeing with being taught, silencing the suspicions in her head, but agreeing to what can only be very fun.

Well that was perhaps the most accurate description of Emma ever. But still, she could be all charm and subtle manipulation. But sometimes you could be as blunt as a hammer. However Emma had skills with a few different types of weapons, thankfully.

She gave Jean the chance to eat for a bit, without embarrassing her some more or making her head spin just to enjoy the meal. It wasn't an overly long silence, just a nice break. The sounds come from their plates and the soft orchestra music in the background.

After some bites were had of the lunch Emma spoke again, padding the cloth napkin at her lips, "Pardon the intrusion, I wasn't trying to read your mind but sometimes it's hard to avoid, plus body language. Yes I was hitting on you, I think you are very beautiful."

She reached out to touch one finger along the back of Jean's hand, in one slow motion down to her longest finger, "And an exceptionally powerful telepath, so we have more in common than you might expect."

Jean cannot say enough good things about the food in this place. Never one for the fancier side of things, mostly due time and money restrictions, but Hank, Bobby and Scott were also always to blame for KFC nights and Dunkin' Donuts breakfasts. As those green eyes dart up to meet Emma's Phoenix just smiles, enjoying herself, feeling exactly how she was hoping to feel: like she was exploring possibilities and getting in touch with herself.

As sad as it might be, Emma might turn out to be Jean's only friend that none of the other original X-Men know, so as she looks at the blonde the redhead winks, mimicing Emma's actions earlier, as if it's 'their thing', so at ease she is starting to feel with the headmi-

What?

No, seriously, what!? Wait! WHAT!?

Jean's eyes go slightly wider as she seems to freeze in place, looking at Emma. Mustnotrunmustnotrunmustnotrun... she doesn't want to leave, to say something stupid, but in her rush Jean erects her mind-shields so fast it might create some ripples in both their minds.

Jean visibly shudders as that finger runs on top of her hand, and she is nervous, it is obvious, her cheeks flushed, her face as colored as her hair now. Thank you? I'm not gay? I should be going? All these things go through Jean's mind, but as she slowly wets her lips the redhead just whispers, trying to force a smile.

"You are quite beautiful aswell. Thanks.". God she is frozen, nervous, her body temperature so high she feels like bursting. Bobby can't know. Bobby can never know.

A grin from Emma, well that was quite the adorable reaction. And she could feel almost a ripple in her own mind when she lets up the shields, not that she was going to pry...too much. Physically Jean was very expressive, she barely needed to be a telepath.

She took her finger back and ran her fingers through her hair again. She continues, "Thank you. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. It was just a thought. At the very least I'd like to be friends, we can get together and bitch about how annoying the children can get and can read strangers minds and judge them harshly."

Huh? (Type "help" for help.)

There is a part of Jean that just stares as that sole finger withdraws in slow motion, the fire the Phoenix has stoked ever since it touched Marvel Girl long ago. The fires of promise, of potential, of possibility, of freedom, and Emma might be the physical representation of those things to Jean right now.

Emma could be a merciless rival. Emma could be the most perfect friend Jean could ever have. Emma...

And Jean frowns, letting that touch recoil, unable to grasp it. A lifetime of holding herself back doesn't just changes in one dinner, but if there was any doubt then, there is not one now: Jean is hooked on this woman. She really likes this better version of her, the version she wishes she was.

Still blushing, Jean just waves her hand dismissively as if Emma is being silly, and lets out a nervous chuckle, "N-No, it's fine. I... yes. I would like getting together.", she admits with a smile, reaching forward to VERY awkwardly grasp Emma's hand in hers. "I mean it. I really enjoyed today.", her voice throaty and unsteady. She is such a prude!