>>”Where?... I’ll buy.”

"Liquor store" Svat said curtly, moving over to the fire escape and looking down the street "One block down dat way."

It was her neighborhood, or rather, the neighborhood she most often patrolled as a vigilante, and even had a spare apartment to be used as a hideout. Going down the fire escape she could feel all of her muscles aching and bruises starting to form.

The guy working the counter was about to lock up, and looked positively scared when the two of them walked in. Sveta was wearing her mask, and could imagine what went through the guy's head, especially in this neighborhood.

"Buying customers" she said, holding up her hands "Had a rough night keeping the streets safe."

She glanced at Sam.

"Pick your poison."

Sam followed Sveta silently down the fire escape and then down the street to the liquor store. Most of the sirens were further off in the distance and any trouble they did see on the way an ice shard found itself covered in a massive cloud as it struck a monster. Whatever they were they seemed to be more and more obvious than the ones he and Sveta had to deal with. A few zombies, a werewolf and then some alligators crawling out of the sewers. Basically it just wanted him to forget tonight even more. Once they made it into the liquor store Sam stepped around Sveta who was still wearing her mask. Sam almost forgot she was until she saw the look on the storeowners face.

Nodding his head Sam picked up a fifth of his choice whiskey and then looked back to Sveta, ”Vodka for you I take it?” he asked her pulling out money and putting it on the counter as he walked out of the store unscrewing the bottle and taking his first swig. ”Back to your place? Or would any roof top do?” Sam asked curiously.

>>”Vodka for you I take it?..."

Sveta was one step ahead, picking up the good kind of vodka before they walked out, ignoring the confused glances of the cashier.

>>"Back to your place? Or would any roof top do?”

"Aren't you supposed to not drink on the street in dis country?" she asked with a smirk as they walked "I have a place close by, we can go dere. You shouldn't get trashed where there are minors around."

She led him back to the apartment buildings and up a couple of flights of stairs in one of them, until they got to the apartment. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing a small space with a bed, a tiny kitchen corner, a bathroom, and a set of drawers.

Sveta set her bottle down on the counter and shrugged out of her jacket, gun holster, and took off her mask. The gloves stayed on, though. She opened the bottle and set two glasses on the counter, filling one of them.

"Cheers."

Sam reached into his pocket and lifted a badge as he took another swig of the whiskey ignoring the banter as they walked to her place. He wasn’t really in the mood; he still had the sour taste in his mouth one that his dead family brought when they resurfaced. Still he wasn’t even sure if they were dead, were they ever alive to begin with? He took another sip of whiskey to get his head straight and focused for the most part on the hear and now. He still didn’t feel like talking too much, but then again he didn’t want to be alone.

When they got to the apartment clearly Sveta’s appearance made him think she had a more luxurious place. Not one this small. Still it was more than enough for him. Just he was surprised is all, but he kept his thoughts to himself and winched slightly when Sveta said cheers. Nothing against her it was just he didn’t really feel cheerful. ”Yeah, cheers.” he said slightly reluctant.

Taking a sip of the whiskey from the bottle he slowly walked over to the counter and poured some of the contents into the glass. Filling up the glass all the way he looked to the freezer then remembered who he was. Ice formed above the glass then plopped into the drink. Sam took a big swig again then leaned on the counter not really feeling like he wanted to move for the moment. Normally he’d take the first chance he could get to hop on the bed but this wasn’t what normally happened.

Sam looked from his glass in silence to the gun and mask, ”Don’t like guns.” he said sipping his glass again this time tying to lighten his features from dark and brooding to less dark and brooding.

Sveta took some time unlacing her boots and kicking them off; suddenly she lost a few inches of height, especially standing next to Sam. Talking about the X-man, he looked positively brooding, and well on his way to drink himself senseless the fastest way possible.

>>”Don’t like guns.”

"Well, not everyone has magic Disney ice powers" she said sarcastically, and held out her glass, arching an eyebrow at him, waiting for some ice in her drink.

"You can pass out on the bed if you wan't, but if you throw up you clean up. I want my deposit back on dis apartment when I'm done using it."

It was a hideout, pure and simple, a place to lay low without bringing down villains and cops on Jude and his family. She didn't know if Sam got the idea, or if he thought she was just this trashy, or if he didn't care at all.

When she mentioned the Disney movie he stifled a small chuckle and then looked to her glass and filled it with two balls of ice which fit perfectly into her glass. It was clear he had a little practice with it. ”Still waiting on the lawsuit to go through. I had my powers first.” he said looking back to his glass before he took another sip. He’d need to refill soon but he did fully intend on going home. He had Bruno and Cammie to look after. At least that’s what he told himself.

”More of a day after throw up kind of guy.” Sam said with out much thought, ”But thanks, not sure if it would be best if I crash here. Doesn’t look like you got enough room for two.” he looked to the bed then shrugged, ”I don’t sleep much anymore anyways.” Sam said into his glass taking another swig filling the glass once again.

”I did expect you to have a larger place. You don’t really look like the small place low key kind of lady.” Sam nodded his head to boots she had just taken off.

>>”Still waiting on the lawsuit to go through. I had my powers first.”

"Can't wait to see little girls cosplaying as you."

She twirled the ice in her drink and took a sip. She was not usually the person to sip vodka, but she did not want to get trashed too fast. This time.

>>”More of a day after throw up kind of guy. But thanks, not sure if it would be best if I crash here. Doesn’t look like you got enough room for two. I don’t sleep much anymore anyways.”

She only acknowledged that with a nod. It was not hard to guess why he would have trouble sleeping. They had just gotten a glimpse at each other's nightmares, and his was definitely worse than hers.

>>”I did expect you to have a larger place. You don’t really look like the small place low key kind of lady.”

"It's definitely a step up from what I grew up with" she noted with a smirk, sitting down on the edge of the bed to rest her legs "But it's not my normal apartment if that's what you're asking. I just don't like bringing my work home to the clinic, so I usually spends some time here instead. So, yeah, I'm the vigilante kinda lady." she added, chuckling at him.

Sam wasn’t sure what clinic she was talking about but he nodded his head slightly sniffing then rubbing his nose. It was smart to have multiple places to lay low however you always had to be careful if anyone was following it wouldn’t matter when or where you go. Someone if they had the resources and the means could track you no matter what. Sam knew that the hard way, his work had followed him home to the mansion a few times. Not the thugs or crooks in the city but his other work the one he used to do the one that gave him the nightmares they had to face on the roof.

”I have a few places in the warehouse district as well, one with tunnels to different locations and some security systems. Kind of like a halfway house for any under my protection and or employment. Guess you’d fit under that as well.” Sam said sipping his glass, ”I’ll get you the address. Never hurts to have a few more spots.” Sam said into the glass as he took another swig. It was definitely safer and the warehouse safe house was in a less populated area meaning if a fight did pop off there would be no innocent bystanders.

She was chuckling meaning he should lighten up a bit as well. It was difficult but her forced a slight smile as he looked up from the glass. He tried to think of some things other than the chaos in his mind as he blurted out without thinking, ”So Daddy issues?” he realized what he said and then poured himself another drink shaking his head in the process. ”Errr… sorry. You don’t have to respond to that.”

>>”I have a few places in the warehouse district as well, one with tunnels to different locations and some security systems. Kind of like a halfway house for any under my protection and or employment. Guess you’d fit under that as well. I’ll get you the address. Never hurts to have a few more spots.”

Sveta nodded. Another hideout might come in handy. So far she had dealt with thugs more than actual criminal masterminds, but she could never know when she would run into someone who had the brains to follow her. Apparently Sam was thinking the same.

>>”So Daddy issues?... Errr… sorry. You don’t have to respond to that.”

"Guys like dat don't they" Sveta smirked, taking a swig of the vodka, then shrugged "Mother had a series of boyfriends. Some better dan others. The one on the roof was... one of the others. We ran away, my little sister and I. Dat was before the Matchmaker found us and helped me come to the States." she looked up at Sam for a while.

"I'm sorry about your family."

It was true normally his type of girl had a lot of daddy issues in fact Athena might have been the only one without any sort of daddy issue. Maybe that was why it didn’t last as long as the others. No they were too busy to see each other Alexandra on the other hand. His ‘not-real’ wife was a poster child for daddy issues as well. ”Yeah, well some are better than others.” Sam said sipping his glass before waving his hand at the mention if his family.

Pouring another glass and feeling a little fuzzy in the head Sam shrugged his shoulders, ”Technically they didn’t even exist. Lot of **** happened.” Sam said with a sigh, ”Wasn’t ready for tonight.” Sam took another sip of his whiskey then looked to Sveta this time actually making eye contact with her instead of averting his gaze. ”Sorry about your step-dad.”

There was an awkward silence Sam thought that lasted a moment before he looked from his glass to her, ”So you have a sister and a matchmaker? Like a dating site?” Sam asked this time trying to be a little more like himself.

>>”Technically they didn’t even exist. Lot of **** happened. Wasn’t ready for tonight. Sorry about your step-dad.”

She expected him to brood more the drunker he got, but Sam actually seemed to lighten up as he processed the events of the evening. She nodded, not really wanting to discuss the stepfathers any further.

>>”So you have a sister and a matchmaker? Like a dating site?”

"Something like dat" she nodded "She picked us up from the streets and helped me get my act together. Den she helped me find an American man online that wanted to marry me. You call it a mail-order bride, I guess. Dat's how I came here, to start fresh."

She drank the rest of her vodka and refilled the glass. She seemed to be holding her liquor pretty well.

"Except, de guy they ordered me for... well, I was a surprise to him too. And den I found out about my powers. And dat he was also a mutant. It was a long day."

Probably the longest day of her life, so far.

"We decided a guy who has acid saliva and my boosting are not a good match. So. Not married." she finished her story with a smirk.

When Sam was talking to Sveta about her past he was distracted long enough for a smile almost pushing the events that had happened earlier tonight completely. ”People actually do that?” Sam asked surprise that you could actually order women online for a marriage. He knew that there were far darker ways to get a woman into the country but from the sound of it Sevta didn’t have to deal with anything similar to that. ”Saliva?” Sam asked slightly surprised now forgetting the things that happened tonight the more he drank.

Sam took a sip, ”I had a student like that. Fausto… great kid, a little violent when I first started teaching him but I think I beat it out of him. Think there was any relation?” Sam asked curiously but then decided that Fausto would never do something like that. ”Thought you had to get married when you met him?” Sam asked even more curious now. ”Not asking for me of course, just curiosities sake.” Sam said setting his glass down as he waved his hands defensively, ”I never needed help from the internet.” Sam said.

”I mean, your evil twin.” Sam smirked, ”Come’on, she seemed to like me. She kissed nice as well.” Sam said taking another swig of his drink emptying another glass again, ”Though I got to say, yours had a bit more of a kick. Sure you get that a lot though.” Sam said laughing slightly.

>>”People actually do that?”

"Yup." the stereotype of the 'mail order bride' seemed to be pretty prevalent in the US, especially when people were dealing with Eastern European women. She didn't expect Sam to know a lot about it, though.

>>”Saliva?... I had a student like that. Fausto… great kid, a little violent when I first started teaching him but I think I beat it out of him. Think there was any relation?”

"It was him" Sveta said with a shrug. She had met Fausto last so long ago she was even surprised at herself how much she did not feel anything about their failed marriage attempt.

>>”Thought you had to get married when you met him? Not asking for me of course, just curiosities sake. I never needed help from the internet.”

Sveta rolled her eyes but smirked anyway. It was good to see some of Sam's usual swagger back coming back. Maybe it was just the alcohol.

>>”I mean, your evil twin. Come’on, she seemed to like me. She kissed nice as well. Though I got to say, yours had a bit more of a kick. Sure you get that a lot though.”

"Yeah." she nodded, ignoring his attempt to flirt "You are lucky she didn't have my powers, though. Too much of kissing and you would flash freeze everything around you." she noted "Dat's why I am careful about who I kiss."

Sam started to giggle when she said it was indeed Fausto to think one of his first students decided to go for a mail order bride route and what’s more it was Sveta who arrived. Sam started to shake his head in disbelief for another minute until he gathered up enough composure to take a sip of his whiskey. Waving his hand was the signal for he had enough on that, but he figured he’d bring it back some time later just for another laugh. ”Thought there was an age limit for that stuff.” Sam shook his head.

>>>>“You are lucky she didn't have my powers, though. Too much of kissing and you would flash freeze everything around you." "Dat's why I am careful about who I kiss."

”As you should be!” Sam said agreeing with the last bit as he pointed at her. He took another sip of his whiskey, ”A lady as good looking as you! Way hotter when she doesn’t go around kissing everyone!” he smirked, ”But I appreciate your concern for the masses, you don’t have to worry however. I won’t be freezing anyone anytime soon. That kiss you gave me was stolen and seeing as” Sam cleared his throat with a sip of whiskey, ”I’m a classy broad you’d have to at least buy me a drink first before you try to kiss me again. Even then we’d have to go somewhere where my powers wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone or anything. Not like I know the access codes to get into a place like that.” Sam said sarcastically as he raised a glass and took another sip.

”So…. What is just enough kissing? This concept is unfamiliar to me…” Sam smirked again sipping his drink.

>>”Thought there was an age limit for that stuff.”

"Dere is. His mother organized the whole thing, and she lied to both of us." Sveta summarized, glossing over the fact that she had also been lying at the time, about pretty much everything but her age.

>>”As you should be!A lady as good looking as you! Way hotter when she doesn’t go around kissing everyone! But I appreciate your concern for the masses, you don’t have to worry however. I won’t be freezing anyone anytime soon. That kiss you gave me was stolen and seeing as I’m a classy broad you’d have to at least buy me a drink first before you try to kiss me again. Even then we’d have to go somewhere where my powers wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone or anything. Not like I know the access codes to get into a place like that.”

"You mean, anyone or anything other dan me?" Sveta grinned. He seemed to have forgotten that in order to get overboosted, she also needed to be present, up close and personal. Although she was not entirely sure why anyone would ever want to do that.

>>”So…. What is just enough kissing? This concept is unfamiliar to me…”

"Anything dat stops before anyone gets hurt?" she suggested pointedly, sipping more of her vodka, then rolled her eyes at him again "You just like challenges don't you."