OPEN | Paint Yourself A New Life

[helpdesk_hero]

Who: David Alleyne helpdesk_hero, Mina Ashido pinkxeno, Harry Osborn nepotis, Bucky Barnes sinistral
What: David Has Many Meetings (Including Open Post)
When: [Forward Dated] April 1st through 5th
Where: Excelsior - Guild Housing #1, Excelsior - Connoisseur Coffee,
Content Warnings: Only in Thread Labeled V - Seeking Comfort: discussion of murder of children, attempted suicide, David's death, hate crimes

I. A Home Of Clashing Styles | Closed to Mina Ashido | Excelsior - Guild Housing #1
David had been living in the guild apartment for a month now, or just a shade over, and all that time he'd been holding his tongue. Beyond introducing himself to Mina when he'd first moved in at the start of March, he had not engaged with the young woman much, and definitely didn't stay long in the public spaces of their shared home. How could he when he was faced with the absolute disaster of the appearance? A living room painted electric green with zebra stripes? Horrid. A kitchen filled with insanely colorful and not always matching touches and appliances? Oh god. Even the small touches of decoration in the public spaces made David try not to wince.

Honestly, he hadn't even invited his boyfriend over because of the state of things. Most days he just came home from work or other things, walked in the door, visibly winced, and went right to his room or attached lab. But today, as he came back from the office in full business wear, vest and long sleeve shirt and tie and all of that. And walking in like that, with his back pack and a bag of groceries for him to cook dinner, he just couldn't take it anymore.

"Just... do it like an adult," he told himself before lifting his voice, hoping it would carry to wherever his housemate was.

"Mina, can we talk for a moment?"


II. Looking At The Moving Pieces | Closed to Bucky | Excelsior - Guild Housing #1
The weekend. David made a hard and fast rule to not go into the office on weekends, which made it the perfect sort of time for outside consultations. Today was one of those instances. After a previously successful first meeting with one Bucky Barnes (because of course David had recognized the man for who he had to be) back in March, today was going to be the first full check over, for the two of them to determine if David would be a good emergency tech for the man.

David waited in the living room for the knock at the door, knowing he'd have to let the former Winter Soldier choose his own pace at being comfortable with his arrival. What what little first hand knowledge that had been shared with him by people back home, he imagined the man would be... nervous. But David couldn't be certain. He'd met people from other versions of his world, and they didn't always line up personality wise.

But he was going to do his best to support the guy, and try and hide that he might have pre-formed opinions based on a whole other man. So he kept himself quiet and patient until he heard the knock at the door. David rose quickly and moved to it, opening the door to meet the other man.

"Mister Barnes, good afternoon. Come on in. Would you like any refreshments before I guide you back to my work room?"

He had no intention of calling it a lab. Not with a man no doubt tormented by his universe's Hydra.


III. The Coffee Conundrum | Closed to Harry Osborn | Excelsior - Connoisseur Coffee
Coffee. It was something that mattered to David, quite a bit actually. Caffeine was part of his diet, perhaps more than it should be. And, until he had the money to properly kit his kitchen out with a good brewing set up, David found a local coffee shop to indulge his needs. The world had blessed him with a great coffee shop between the apartment and his office, and it was here that David appeared multiple times a day. A quick stop in first thing for a coffee on the way to work, a trip in the evening for a cup to take home, and of course this, his lunch break.

David was currently settled in the cafe as he was most afternoons, in a table near a wall that normally wasn't the most desirable area of the care. His back was to the wall, and in front of him on the smaller table was a laptop. The other chair at the table was taken up by a back pack, and taking up the rest of the room on the table was another laptop, sitting closed, which was a weird thing, unless one knew David. Truth was the two laptops were interfaced, and he was using his technopathy to boost the processing of the one he was currently working on.

Thing was most days David did this, and it wasn't a problem. But today? Today there was a convention in town, something David wasn't aware of, and the cafe had packed to almost bursting when David wasn't aware of it. He'd been too engrossed in his current design project, his attention flicking back and forth between his typing and the medical journal at his side, opened to a recent article about a new study on regenerative rates of the nervous system. Truly, he had no idea how rude he was being taking up a table that could be used by others, especially after he'd finished his packed punch and coffee just a few minutes ago.

Perhaps someone should go and shuffle the man out of the space.


IV. Wildcard | Open to all
[OOC: I'm open to anything here, giving David a chance to hang out with his standing CR or meet new people. My only rule is that interactions would happen in Excelsior. If you have an idea that the above open post doesn't allow for, either private message this account or hit me up on plurk at churbooseanon or discord at Churby#4290. OR throw your own starter out in here. I'm happy to do many things.

IF you're looking for things that may be good hooks, David's a technopath, associated with a company that makes prosethetics and assistive technology, an accomplished chef that will be hitting up stores around the city for quality food and cookware/appliances, a technopath that will be around many computer shops, and honestly? He's a hockey nerd so you might find him at sports bars sometimes. Other than that, he'll likely often be out reading books in parks, or even just scientific journals. Guy has a spread of interests and we can talk it out to figure what might best hook a character into paying attention to him or coming over to say hi.]

Comments

[the_caped_crusader]

Heh. Sounds like you come from the kind of world where discretion is appreciated. [ maybe necessary. ] That's fine, I get it.

[ he already established that jean knows erik, knew josh, etc. he could elaborate times he's seen them together, but only because he's... paying attention. he sets his bags aside and sits. ]

And maybe I just really like rice and canned tuna.

[ two can play at this game, david. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

[What he is happened to make that very true. Once he's settled down in a seat he rolls his eyes at that before gesturing to Bruce's shoulders.]

That physique doesn't come from rice and canned tuna. Your whole body screams high protein, low fat diet. What you're buying instead of that, and what I've seen you doing around, combined with having seen me with Jean, means that you're another outsider.

[the_caped_crusader]

Look around, David.

[ he turns his head purposefully, noting that there are some discrete stares from patrons who quickly look away when they feel they've been noticed. also, it would be pedantic to argue that carbs are protein sparing and build glycogen reserves to reduce muscle loss, so he moves on to the more important point. and more to the point, he's rather cavalier about all of this. either he's been through this before, or he appreciates a little healthy suspicion. or both. ]

There's been a confluence every month since we arrived. We're all outsiders here. [ he tips his coffee cup towards him. ] And you're the one who sat down.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Don't get nutrition analysis on him. He's a doctor.]

The natives aren't. And you're in the public eye. Some of us keep our heads down.

[Not judgemental, just an observation.]

[the_caped_crusader]

[ that's fair, david... but he's batman. ]

And some of us want to be seen. But I'm just out for coffee today.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Yeah? So what?]

I can't imagine why you would.

[Still, he is pleased enough to sip his own coffee.]

You know, your jawline reminds me of the pet of this woman I used to live with. Also named Bruce, hilariously enough.

[the_caped_crusader]

[ FUCK AROUND AND FIND OUT!!! ]

I'm sorry, are we flirting now?

[helpdesk_hero]

Gods no, you're so far from my type it's impressive. It was more being amused that your jaw looks so much like that of Harley's hyena.

[the_caped_crusader]

He's named after me.

[ he replies simply after a long pause, a blink, eyes on his cup as he sips. steam masks his face for a moment. he doesn't intend to elaborate. ]

Anyway, I have to say, for someone who professes to keep his head down so much, you did start this conversation. As thrilled as I am with this tête-à-tête, something tells me you might have more to ask about than just inquire about my eating habits.

[helpdesk_hero]

[David freezes. He knows a lot of people, and is a very good detective. But that is a final puzzle piece he isn't expecting. And then he goes from frozen to grinning.

Now he sees it.]

I spoke to you because I was intending to help someone who seemed to need to carefully budget for food who might not know the tips. I didn't expect to meet someone I'd heard both so much and so very little about in the past.

[the_caped_crusader]

[ bruce's brow knits a little and he sits back, setting down his coffee. though he doesn't open his mouth, david might notice his tongue touch one of his molars. he's thinking. ]

You don't know me, but you know Harleen Quinzel. Did you... come from another world like this one?

[helpdesk_hero]

Another world. I spent a few months living with Harley and Joker.

[And he knew other people too. He has to smirk as he tilts his head.]

You don't chew on scarves do you? Because that would make you more polite than the hyena.

[the_caped_crusader]

It depends on who you talk to.

[ he has not always been regarded as the most polite person, scarf chewing or not. ]

But you met the both of them and lived. I don't know whether or not to apologize or congratulate you.

[helpdesk_hero]

Harley was a doll. Joker learned within the first week that I can cook really fancy meals. He was on the outs with Harley and was trying to impress her, so I was making two-hundred a week, plus expenses, just to make sure he had at least two casseroles and one NICE dinner for her each week.

[Extra spending money had been ncie.]

[the_caped_crusader]

Mm.

[ he shouldn't have pushed that. he's certainly not ready to entertain stories of a mass murderer and abuser wanting to make dinners for a victim who found it difficult to stay away from him. clearly, there's a lot of unpacked history there... ]

I guess that leads me to my follow up question: how did you escape that world?

[helpdesk_hero]

[IT is. But to David's knowledge, she'd finally left the guy. So applause there.]

We didn't. We tried to. To stabilize the dimensional tear and go home. A lot of us ended up here instead.

orz for the wait, i brainfarted hard on a response

[the_caped_crusader]

That's not very reassuring.

[ the line of his mouth tightens more into the rim of his cup as he sips. ]

Do you think they're related? The tear and the confluences, I mean.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Related? David shivers at the very thought.}

Pray that we aren't. Because we'd be in a lot of trouble if it was. The Fates are very very cruel. We set them free, and if they come for us, they will assume it was another capture attempt. And this universe might well be destroyed.

[the_caped_crusader]

Great. Sounds familiar.

[ he sets a hand on the tabletop and raps it with his knuckle once, maybe twice. ]

Time doesn't run linearly here, so I couldn't even say for certain that the first Confluence before us was unrelated.

[helpdesk_hero]

You believe time doesn't run linearly here?

[That's definitely the wording he uses. 'believe'. Because David feels like he's seen plenty of evidence that it does.]

[the_caped_crusader]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that not all of your friends are your friends. Not just from different worlds, but different places in time altogether. It's been the same for me.

[ bruce sets his coffee down. ]

Just because the first Confluence happened years before any of us arrived here, doesn't mean it didn't come from the same dimensional tear that you experienced.

[helpdesk_hero]

That observation, while it serves as a viable conclusion to prove the existence of the multiverse, which I was already certain of, it doesn't prove time isn't linear here.

[He does think that is a relevant point. This place snatching from different points in different timelines and dimensions does not mean it's own flow is not linear.]

Given the history of the other tear, and the fact that the Fates were not subtle, I would disagree. Besides, one would find more dimensional instability if that was true. Imports were basically fueled by dimensional rift energy and could cause issues. That this place isn't tearing apart at the seams means it's likely not the same issue.

[the_caped_crusader]

You're sure about that? Because tears in dimensional space that gives people metahuman abilities sounds a lot like what's been happening here.

[ his jaw tightens a little, remembering the batman who laughs and how close their own multiverse came to extinction. and maybe it would have, too, if it weren't for diana... ]

[helpdesk_hero]

[Is he sure? David reached into the bag at his side and pulls out a silver bracelet with one flattened side. He touches the side, using the hidden mechanism and causing it to spring open. Then he holds it out.]

Put this on. When it closes and the flat side lights up, punch in 3772. That's your proof.

[The suppressor has been made to block powers in the other world. Powers caused by that rift, fueled by them. It didn't work here. Therefore, to the best of David's knowledge, this was a whole other thing.]

[the_caped_crusader]

[ he considers the bracelet for a minute, turning the repercussions over in his head before ultimately deciding to do it. when he locks it on, he types in the digits and waits. ]

...am I supposed to see something?