With a pen she fished out from a little pocket in her dress, she jotted down information on the back of the price card before stashing both items back into the same pocket. She was pleased, really... This wasn't the first painting someone other than Roach had purchased from her, but it was the first one she felt might actually find a good home.

"You kidding me?" She replied in response to his offer of coffee, "I'm originally from Seattle. Coffee flows through my veins instead of blood." She quickly abandoned her wine glass, before turning to Max. "Give me a second, okay? I have to run and grab my shoes."

She vanished briefly, scooping up a few of her belonging from a backroom in the studio reserved for operations. When she hurried back out she was in flat black sneakers with her heels stashed inside a patchwork backpack slung across one shoulder.

The artist grinned slightly, in the process of trying to ger her hair out of its messy rats nest so she could re-do her bun.

"Have you got a place in mind already? Cuz I know a place not too far from here that makes a killer mocha."

Max let out a laugh at Shelby's statement and noted the fact she was from Seattle for later conversation. He was only slightly surprised that she had agreed. He figured normally a request like he had made would have came across as a line, and a rather bad one at that. The fact that she had agreed meant she really was enjoying his company, sometimes you couldn't tell with artists, or at least she wasn't so annoyed with him to refuse the glorious java.

Either way Max was pretty content as he gave a little nod as she asked him to hold on.

"Take your time." He said off handedly.

See, there was always something to do in the city. As he stood waiting he decided Shelby was good people, he didn't know her all that well true, but he was usually good at gauging people. It was also when his chivalrous side started to step up to the plate.

If Max had one weakness it was women, not in the pervy way, more in the "women are beautiful creatures that deserve respect and protection". It was a somewhat outdated mentality, and logically made little sense, but whenever Max met a woman he couldn't help himself, he would walk through fire to have their back. It gotten him in plenty of trouble before, but for tonight it seemed like things would be fine.

She returned a quick moment later, sneakers in place of heels and her hands were at her hair attempting to do something with it. He grinned.

"Have you got a place in mind already? Cuz I know a place not too far from here that makes a killer mocha."

Max gave a deep playful bow and swept his hand towards the door.

"Lead on, Madam Mocha," He said with a playful laugh.

He rose and began to follow her out, keeping in step with her but out of elbow range as she put her hair up.

"So what triggered the move from Seattle to NYC?" He asked not wanting to let conversation lull.

Heh... Madame Mocha. Maybe that could be her superhero name

Second thought, ew. Why did that keep creeping into her head? She wasn't going to pretend to be a hero. Not in any fashion. Even though she'd recently discovered that she apparently carried the x-gene, she did not, and would not, allow herself to grow a big fat ego and get herself into trouble. She had enough as it was, and that was pre-power!

"School, of course." She replied while casting a sidelong look at him. "I wasn't impressed with very many of the art schools around my hometown, and I'm too lazy to uproot entirely and head over to Paris or something. New York has some pretty reputable schools, and everyone still pretty much speaks my language... so it was a good compromise."

Out on the street, it was considerably less quite. The road was pack with cars due to some kind of typical traffic jam, and the sidewalk was crowded with people hurrying to and fro from various places.

"You a native here?" She asked back, while carefully maneuvering herself into the foot traffic. The place she liked was just down the street a bit. She often made regular trips there before and after hangings and showings.

Max gave a sagely nod as he followed Shelby as she explained her motives for moving to New York. It made sense, the city had some top notch schools.

"Makes sense. Though I could see the appeal of Paris, went once as a kid. Beautiful city. With your keen eye for color you'd love it." He said as they made it to the door.

"You a native here?"

They had begun to move through the crowded street. Anyone who had lived in New York for long developed the ability to weave through a flowing river of people with ease out of necessity. It was one of those things that at first feels wholly unnatural and difficult to do but quickly becomes a subconscious act.

"Nah, I'm a good Southern Belle. Virginia." He said as they walked, "Moved to the city to take up performance. The community theaters at home are nice but I want the real deal ya know? One day I'm gonna be on Broadway, even if I have to spend my time off, off, off Broadway for now." He chuckled.

"Plus it pissed off my parents." He said with a tone that clearly said that was reason enough on its own.

She chuckled slightly, "Yeah, Paris is pretty... but unfortunately filled with other snobby artists are struggling with the language and room n' board. At least here I still have a healthy dose of normal people to scoff at my career and keep me from developing an ego."

She listened to him as he explained his own story. "Oh? I've never been to Virginia. Heard a lot of songs about it, though." Him talking about wanting to be on broadway diverted her attention quickly.

"Are you going through classes for it, or winging it on your own?" She could relate in some ways to the parent comment. Though, her's was more from just needing a bit of space away from her parent's antics for a while than anything else.

"I don't know a whole lot of people in the performance art area, but I do know at least one or two people who might be able to hook you up if you'd like. I went to the University here for my B.F.A degree for a few years."

She'd just finished up her degree outside of the school a few weeks prior and was waiting for her documents in the mail. It was still bittersweet to think about it though... About how only a few months back she'd been in classes, in the dorms with her roommate.

... Everything had changed so fast in such a short amount of time.

keep me from developing an ego."

Max chuckled as he passed by a few more pedestrians.

"True. Can't put a price on pessimistic criticism. Keeps you honest." He agreed.

Her response to his home brought on a scoff and he shrugged.

"Virginia is pretty, and perfect if you want to live back in 1940. Chock full of sexism, good Ole boys, and beaches. We had beaches at least," He said.

She asked about his plan for making it. Currently he'd been to busy with Haven and solving his own death to work towards the long term.

"Kinda winging it at the moment. I've been in a few shows since I got to the city, nothing spectacular I promise." He continued.

She offered to hook him up with some people and talked about college. Max had wanted to go to school starting in the Summer, but he technically was listed as deceased which made getting admitted and FAFSA even more of a nightmare than usual. He hoped the mess would be sorted soon though.

"That be great. I kept thinking about school. I'm hoping to start in the fall. Double Major in marketing and theater. You know, gotta have those backup plans." He said.

They continued their walk and Max had no idea where they were going.

"So when you aren't painting or going to galas what are you into?" He asked.