| Respected Captain Fuzzybutt | |||||
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| What: Kurt and Bobby stop by Anita Bella when Fern's working. | |||||
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Scenes from an Italian restaurant...[]
The lunch rush is over at Anita Bella, and Fern is going about her favorite mid-day chore: changing out the salt and pepper shakers for full ones. She's just gathering up the last pair, setting them into the plastic box and putting the fresh onto the table. There are a few customers, but the other server, Jerry, has them well in hand. He would rather wait the tables than do the chores, and they pool the tips anyway, so it works out for them both. Fern hums lightly, some song she heard on the radio this morning, and pauses to straighten her uniform. Mustard yellow with a mis-spelled nametag, the dress looks like something straight out of a 70's sitcom. Her black and purple paisley tights do nothing to improve it.
Kurt is all about sharing. Experiences, anyway. Particularly good ones. Some are greeted with lukewarm responses (like the holy water blessed by the new Holy Father) and some.. maybe will be greeted with a little more enthusiasm? It's truly hard to find someone with whom to share those little things. Outside a couple of people, anyway.
Opening the door to the little restaurant in Brooklyn, Kurt holds it open; the closer he gets to the place, the more.. exuberant he gets. "This is it, mein freund. A little bit of Italy.. und this is where I got the cannoli." Beat. "Cannolis? Cannolum? Cannola?"
Stepping in, Bobby smiles as he looks around. "Thanks," he offers to Kurt quickly. He's in long sleeves again today, leather jacket on as waits for Kurt to join him before going further than the entrance. "So you're sayin' we can get more here, huh? Think they take bulk orders?" no, he hasn't forgotten his prank plans.
The little bell over the door draws Fern's attention first, curious eyes shifting to see the new arrivals, and her smile comes suddenly at the very distinct sight of the blue elf. She steps quickly to put the tub of shakers away, then moves to the pair at the door, her dingy white sneakers squeaking softly as she walks. "Hey, Doodle," she offers, her voice warm with the greeting. "Didn't expect to see you today." Her eyes slip past him to his companion, and Bobby gets the same friendly welcome, "Hey, nice to see ya." Kurt gets a quick hug before Fern steps away, "C'mon, lets get you two a table. Kurt, Anita just went out to do some shopping, she'll be so sad she missed ya."
Uh.. yeah. Kurt's entire tray wasn't 'bulk', really.. it wasn't. At least not from the looks of the leftovers! Judging from his position on the couch, however.. he'd had quite a bit.
Bringing a three-fingered hand up to his stomach, Kurt grins. "Ja.. they may very well.."
Catching Fern, he actually pauses a moment, a little guilty perhaps in catching her actually doing work.. at work. Go figure? But, when she leaves it for a hug, who is he to say 'no'? Certainly, he won't!
Kurt returns the hug, and lets her go as he gestures in her direction for Bobby. "Bobby, Fern. Fern.. Bobby."
Turning about again, Kurt looks disappointed that Anita isn't around, but perks up soon after. "I will leave something for her that I've been practicing." Little origami demons. Complete with tails! Following, he allows her to pick a table. "I would have been about yesterday, but.." and here, yellow accusing eyes turn towards Bobby, though it's all in good fun. "Friends have been keeping secrets from me."
"Well, that's good to know," Bobby grins impishly. When Fern comes over, Bobby pauses and then turns that grin of his on Kurt. "Doodle?" he asks, getting that 'you know I will tease you later' look on his face. He steps forward when introduced and flashes his best charming grin. "Nice meeting you," he says.
The cryokinetic follows along to the table, sitting down and giving Kurt a little exaggerated sigh. "I told you before, Kurt. We thought you already knew," he chuckles.
Fern flashes Kurt an apologetic look, having used the nickname she gave him without thinking, even whispering to him, "Sorry, Doodle." Which probably doesn't help him any. She pauses, returning Doug's smile, although she can't match that level of charm. "Nice to meetcha, Bobby." She leads them to a corner table, snatching up a couple menus as she goes by the hostess stand. Each get a menu placed in front of them, and Fern looks between them curiously. "What kind of secrets?"
"Ja.. Doodle." Kurt stares at Bobby for a long, lingering moment. He knows that look on his friend's face, and he'll try to cut it off at the pass. "Ja.. Fern und I were talking about dogs. I asked about Labradors.. or Dobermans.. or Chihuahuas. She told me about a.." and he looks to Fern. "A.. " Beat. "Something or other." The apology gets a brief wave, and taking a seat at the given table, he looks back at Bobby. "Don't even think about it.." About anything. Doesn't matter!
"As for my knowing? Do you think for a moment I'd have been so silent about it? Mein Gott.. you know you will have to pry my cold dead hands from those spars." Aaaah, how he wants one of those!
"Mystic Seaport. The old sailing ships. We went out yesterday und had a tour of a whaler." Thus, the little ship in the bottle left this morning for her. "I had more fun in the sails.." Taking the menu, Kurt looks over it at their lovely red-headed waitress. "No one ever told me that it was there."
Bobby just snickers a little as Kurt tries to cut him off. The attempted explanation only makes his smile grow. "I don't know what you're talking about," he declares in his most innocent way. "I'm not thinking anything but thoughts as pure as the driven snow."
"Clearly we overestimated your self control," Bobby laughs a little. "Don't worry, we'll go back. We'll bring plenty of people to pry your hands off the spars too."
"Labradoodle," Fern offers... helpfully? Or maybe not so much, as she adds, "I just like the way he says it." Her grin takes an impish cast, and one might just get the idea she is purposely adding fuel to the fire. She rests her hand on Kurt's shoulder for a moment, brows arching as the secret is revealed. "Oh yes, Warren mentioned something about a certain someone who likes to play pirate." There's a brief squeeze of her hand before Fern lets it fall away, laughing softly. "That sounds neat. I sometimes take the Staten Island Ferry just because it's a free boat ride." Again, she looks between them, "Can I get you guys something to drink?"
"As pure as snow that's been driven through more than once, ja?" Kurt returns in kind.
As the word is supplied, Kurt exhales, but nods his acknowledgment. "Ja.. labradoodle.." Which does sound a little odd with the thick German accent. "Who would have thought to mix a fine Labrador mit a poodle?" A poodle!
Putting his hand up to touch hers briefly as it lays upon his shoulder, Kurt cants his head up to look at her again. "Ja.. und there was no way I could contain myself. Forgive me, leibchen, but I had too much fun." Bamfing all over the place! "Warren is right. I do enjoy it so. Which is why he humours me by keeping a boat on the lake, where I can have access to it."
He, too, allows his hand to drop, freeing it.. making it look a very natural gesture. "The boat had been destroyed last year.. not my fault. Und he'd replaced it in time for winter months. I can't wait to sail her.."
And here is something learned! "You do? One day, I should.." But wait.. he can't. Maybe if he picks her up on the north shore of the lake with the boat? Away from the Institute? Kurt looks hopeful a moment, then is lost for the following as to how to work it all out.
"Drink? Ja.. um.. coffee, bitte."
Bobby just smiles at Kurt. And then Fern 'helps'. Bobby barely contains his snickering, imagining a blue Labradoodle. "Oh man," he murmurs, adding this information to his plotting and planning. It's all good natured stuff, his way of showing he cares. "Same people that mix all kinds of dogs together," he shrugs.
As Warren is mentioned, Bobby perks up a bit and glances towards Fern before giving Kurt a quizzical look. He wants to know if Fern is the woman he mentioned Warren trying to date. "Yes, Kurt is our amazing Captain Bluetail," he replies. "Coffee sounds good to me."
Fern just looks delighted as Kurt says the magic word, her nose wrinkling at him. Lucky for him, she doesn't put together that 'fun' equals bamfing all over the place, so he's spared 'that look' and a long-suffering sigh. She can't help a soft laugh, "Oh, not your fault, yeah?" A glance to Bobby, his amusement is noted. (My work here is done.) "Captain Bluetail?" Again those brows lift. "Well, it's certainly fitting. Two coffees, coming right up."
- squeak*squeak*squeak*
Fern disappears into the kitchen to fetch the coffee, leaving them for a minute.
Barely contains the snickering? As far as Kurt's concerned, he knows his friend well enough that there's a welling of amusement coming, and it'll only be so long that the younger man can contain himself. "Hoping to find a good breed out of it? The least they can do is not give them a silly name." Labradoodle? Then again, what else could they have made?
"Nein.. the boat wasn't my fault. Of course, there are some that would find a way to blame it on me, regardless. But.." Kurt shrugs easily, not really too terribly bothered. Friends.. they're as good as family as far as Kurt is concerned.
At the moniker of 'Captain Bluetail', well, as told to Fern, Kurt straightens in his seat a little. "Bobby told me that I would not be a good Dread Pirate Roberts. Told me I couldn't fill anyone with dread." Hmmph.
As she turns away for their coffee, Kurt turns back towards Bobby, answering that unasked question. "Ja.. that is she. Warren likes her as well.. und now, it's a matter of who she prefers, though she has said that she is hesitant because we're good friends. I have tried to convince her that regardless of the choice, we will both continue to be annoying to each other." And Kurt can be pretty annoying- bamfing into rooms with closed doors and such..
"Trying to combine the best parts of both breeds," Bobby shrugs. "There might be another name for them and labradoodle just being the one that stuck for the general public," he adds.
"It really wasn't Kurt's fault. We can put the blame on a mutual friend of ours," he chimes in, sticking up for Kurt. "Though she'll claim it wasn't her fault either," he chuckles.
He reaches across the table to give Kurt a playful shoulder push. "Dude, you could. It just wouldn't be right. Like calling Logan sweet or Scott fun," he grins.
He waves a bit as Fern goes to get the drinks and then looks to Kurt. "And you're not worried she'll prefer me over you two?" he asks playfully. He won't try to get in the way if both his friends like Fern but he'll still joke.
When Fern returns, it's with not only coffee, but several slices of fresh rosemary bread on a plate, a small empty plate for each of them, and butter. The wrapped silverware is already at each place setting. "You're in luck, there's bread left. Not much, either, it sure goes fast." Now that the tray is empty she pulls it against her, arms wrapping around it in a light hug.
"I was thinking about it," she offers, returning to a weighty subject. "Yeah, I'm not really feelin' the whole 'Dread' thing with you either, Kurt. Sorry." Again, that apologetic look and her shoulders shrug lightly. Her smile immediately turns to Bobby. "So Kurt and Warren know each other through a school. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say same for you?"
"Ja.. that was a consideration," Kurt begins dryly. "No.. really." Does he sound more convincing? He's teasing, of course, and it clearly shows in manner and mien.
Keeping his voice down, Kurt starts again. "She was in a little bit of a mess because of someone she was seeing. So, I was part of the rescue crew. Since then, I've been checking up on her, und.. well.. Warren had met her without my interference. So.." And here comes the shrug, and something of a smile. "It will be a difficult choice.. but then again, you know that girls will say everything, und when they realize what I am?" They back off, and quickly. "It took some time for Katzchen to even touch me."
Fern's arrival with coffee brings Kurt's slouch back, though he's got a wide smile on his face. He can smell the bread.. and moves things around for the coffee. "Komm her und setz dich," is followed closely with, "Come und sit down.. if you can."
Bobby rolls his eyes but laughs silently at Kurt's dry reply. Listening to the explanation, Bobby nods. "Yeah, I'd say it's a difficult choice," he gives Kurt a little sympathetic look, reaching out to give him a supportive shoulder squeeze. He never had issue with getting as affectionate and goofy with Kurt as he did anyone else himself.
Coffee time prompts Bobby to lean back and grin. "Ah, precious elixir of caffeinated goodness," he declares. He nods to Kurt's offer for Fern to join them and gives the waitress a quick snap-point finger-gun gesture. "Bingo. All three of us know one another from the same place," he says. Kurt's huffing gets a smirk and Bobby gives Fern a quick smile. "Okay, Respected Captain Fuzzybutt."
Fern doesn't waste any time as she glances around, twisting until she spies, "Jerry? Hey, you mind if I..." Jerry interrupts, "Go on break? Knock yourself out, Red." Even from the brief exchange, it's obvious the pair have a rapport, and Fern almost tosses the tray onto the next table and slips into a chair. "Don't mind if I do."
Immediately, her elbows rest lightly at the edge of the table (don't tell her mother!) and she leans forward. At the newest moniker bestowed upon their fuzzy blue friend, Fern has to bring one hand up quickly to stifle her surprised laugh. "You two." She just shakes her head at the pair.
Everyone she's met from the school has had some sort of ability, so she feels pretty secure in the thought that Bobby does as well. Tamping the laughter back down, Fern looks to Bobby, "Are you a teacher, like Kurt and Warren?" Doesn't quite look like a student, like Jubilee.
Kurt offers his friend a genuine smile; one of the reasons he'd returned to the Institute.
Watching Fern grab her seat, his smile widens and he, too, leans on the table, playing with the coffee cup. "We are impossible, ja. Or, rather, improb-- was?" Kurt looks to Bobby, his expression.. priceless. Jaw dropping, eyes widening a little, and before he knows it, his hand meets his face. "Respected Captain Fuzz--" Fuzzybutt. And, thing is, he can't deny it! "What happened to 'Bluetail'? That was perfectly acceptable." Blue. Tail.
Sigh.
Giving Fern a long stare, Kurt shakes his head theatrically ruefully, knowing full well she's enjoying it too. "I will never live these nicknames down."
Bobby Drake ends up laughing at Kurt's reaction, head thrown back for a loud and happy laugh. "Oh, nothing. Just thought you could have more than one moniker," he jokes. He nods to Fern at her question. "I'm a teacher. In charge of math classes," he replies.
"My poor Doodle," Fern says sympathetically. She brightens as Bobby mentions math classes, "Oh yeah? I was always good at math. Except I hate it." There's a grin with this, but it's patently true. As they're talking, Anita pokes her head out from the kitchen, obviously returned from her shopping. "Help in the kitchen, please," she calls, her Italian accent strong but her voice warm. Fern is slipping back to her feet at once, hand again resting briefly on Kurt's shoulder. "Let me go help her, and I'll let her know that you're here, Kurt. I'll be back," she promises, slipping away.
Aww.. poor.. and Kurt exhales in a theatrical sounding long-suffering sigh. "More than one? I think by the time I reach 30, no one will remember my actual name." He bobs his head, "It will be 'elf', 'blue', 'fuzzy', 'teddy bear'.." He's not going to confess to 'Blueberry muffin'. "I don't mind fuzzy blue elf, though. Sort of makes me sound as if I should be employed by Keebler.. und I love their cookies."
Now there's a reason.
Kurt nods at Bobby's quick CV. Math teacher. "Und practical joker.." though Kurt is pretty good at that too. Being a master of infiltration and such.
Fern being called away brings Kurt to his feet in courtesy, and the hand is given a squeeze. He likes the contact; she's got to know there's fur under there too.. right? Right. "Ja.. please give her our regards, leibchen?"
Retaking his seat, Kurt drops his voice. "Ja.. that is her. I think I will gain 50 pounds by eating here.." Just to see her. Raising his coffee mug, he chuckles, "Here's an an exercise regimen." The Danger Room.