>>”That’s awesome! If you have her email or something, I’d love to be able to message her and thank her for her help.”

"Sure." Sveta nodded. She had Miss Taylor's work email for emergencies, although she had never really used it. She was sure that the counselor was going to enjoy meeting Booker, especially if he told her how much her internet presence helped him with figuring out who he really was. It was no doubt going to be a nice encounter.

Their drinks arrived, and once Sveta was done explaining what it was like to live with her powers, she was glad she had something alcoholic to sip. Booker looked deep in thought for a moment as he considered her answer, and she hoped she did not offend him.

>>”That sounds like a lot to have to watch out for... Svetlana…may I…shake your hand? You know…with the glove off? If you want to, that is.”

Sveta blinked in surprise. Booker's smile was, once again, both genuine and endearing, and he looked like he had just chanced on the best thing ever. She could not help but smile back, a little bit touched by his considerate offer. She did miss skin to skin contact with people... it had been a long time since she had been that close to anyone she could not hurt with her powers.

Smiling, she set her drink down, and then peeled the glove off her right hand, setting it on the counter next to her glass. She took the handshake then, and she was surprised how a simple thing like that could feel so nice. Booker's hand was warm, and larger than her own, and the moment their skin touched, Sveta was tensed for the reaction, she usually got when her powers were working... but now, it was just a handshake. She probably held it longer than she'd intended to, and after a few moments, she pulled her hand back with a slight blush.

"Sorry."

Okay so maybe it was a little presumptuous of him to ask to shake the woman’s hand, but after hearing everything she just described, Booker simply couldn’t help himself. This was a woman who scarcely could ever touch someone without feeling like she needed to flinch or be scared of their reaction; deep down, he couldn’t stand that. She had every right to be happy and it simply wasn’t fair that she was denied that happiness. Not that one handshake from him was going to correct all the issues that Svetlana has had! He wasn’t magic, mind you, but it was a simple gesture, that was all.

So, boldly, he asked. He was fully prepared for the woman to say no. Even though the pair of them had only an hour before been throwing punches at one another, the man knew this was different. It was, for lack of a better term, far more intimate. This wasn’t training, this was human bonding, it was the touch of skin-to-skin that wasn’t fast or tensed, it was gesture that meant family, friendship, love. He would understand if she said no – but she didn’t.

There was a smile on her lips. The way she looked at him, the look of both surprise, amusement, and excitement that danced in her eyes was intoxicating. She seemed to taken his question in carefully before she finally straightened up and started to pull her glove off. Booker smiled, encouraged by this, straightening up his own posture too. It was very reminiscent of teenagers playing Spin the Bottle and preparing for their first kiss. They were slightly awkward, they tried to be proper and not too eager, and they both had one another’s full attention; anyone passing them would have thought the scene was utterly adorable.

Her glove removed and carefully set on the counter top, Booker watched as the woman reached out, placing her hand out for his own. A small smile on his lips, he kept his eyes on hers as he reached out, and very, very gently slipped his hand into hers.

Her hand was so soft to the touch, clearly smoothed by the placing and removing of gloves over time. Compared to his, much larger, tanned from the sun, calloused in a small spot or two from work, there was a clear difference. But it didn’t really matter at this time, did it? There was some sense of honor in Booker at the fact that he was one of probably only a select few who ever hand skin-to-skin contact with this woman. As his hand grasped hers, he gave it a tiny squeeze, not too much pressure of course, and gave the hand a few pumps.

Svetlana seemed to be somewhat distracted by the touch. He couldn’t really imagine what she was thinking or feeling as she shook his head. Her eyes drifted to his hand, the want to flinch was there but so long as she was within his aura, there was no reason for her to. It was understandable that she would still feel that way, though. She was so used to shying away from touch that even though she couldn’t hurt him, it was a hard habit to break. That was why, when she held his hand longer than she meant to, he didn’t say anything. It seemed that this was a handshake that they could both enjoy.

Her cheeks colored when she finally realized that she had shaken his hand for longer than was probably appropriate. Booker smiled, but not in a mocking or teasing way, but a sweet way. He let her retract her hand, he pulled back his own and set it upon his leg.

”Sorry.”

”No…no need to apologize,” he said gently, earnestly. ”It was a pleasure.” A small bow of his head. ”An absolute pleasure.”

The next morning. Booker's apartment.

That. Had been one damn good handshake.

Booker was a snugglebug. Sveta made that observation when she woke up, late in the morning, and found herself safely cocooned inside the warmest hug, courtesy of one hot (and very much naked) librarian. His larger frame fit neatly around hers in a classic big spoon, and as much as Sveta was not one for cheesy moments, she found that this one was... pretty nice, for a morning after.

Okay, so it had been a while. There was Jude, and then there was... pretty much nothing, safe for a few one-nigh-stands here and there, but given that her kissing could accidentally trigger dormant mutations, she had been fairly sparse with those ones too. Booker being quite the catch was one thing... but what did it, in the end, more than the rum and the flirting, was his adapted aura. The complete surety of touching being safe, paired with the sensation of warmth and the lack of the coffee buzz was a magical mixture that made Svetlana throw her usual caution to the wind, and abandon herself to a long night of exploring all the things she had been missing. And Booker had been more than eager to oblige her, even when her explorations of almost-forgotten things had gotten a little out of the ordinary.

It had been a good night. It was, for sure, a one time thing, but that did not mean that Sveta had to hate herself in the morning. It was a fun thing between two mostly sober adults, and if things went well from now on, it could become a really nice memory.
But for now, she needed to get to a bathroom.

Sveta basked in the warmth as long as she could. Booker had a very cute sleeping face. But eventually, she managed to wiggle out of the hug and slide out of bed, wrapping herself in a towel lying nearby, and, as quietly as her vigilante experience allowed, she tiptoed out of the bedroom, and went in search of the bathroom.
And possibly some coffee.

It was a commonly held but incorrect belief that alcohol allowed someone to sleep like a baby the next morning. Alcohol actually disrupts sleep patterns, and will often force your body awake earlier, preventing a long, restful sleep. This effect was one of the few reasons Vanessa would be awake in the morning when she had the day off.

Truthfully, it was her job’s fault anyway! A new fighting game came out the day before, so they spent hours making new videos. Gian, being the responsible boss he was, brought gin, rum, and beer, hoping to make his employees more of a spectacle, which would naturally guarantee more views. By the end of their last video, Vanessa was drunkenly screaming and cursing and losing, and everyone else was laughing so hard, they nearly forgot to breathe.

Vanessa actually planned to go from work to her friend Kitty’s house for the night, but the plans fell through. The plans fell through because Vanessa was in no condition to be social after work, and Kitty made the wise executive decision that the inebriated brunette could use a good night’s sleep in her own bed. It was well-intentioned, and desperately needed, but as previously noted, “a good night’s sleep” rarely follows a long day of drinking.

The alcohol did make her dead to the world for most of the night, obliviously sleeping through any… sounds that may have been filling the apartment from another room. Until dawn broke through her window, there was no evidence she was even home.

Once she accepted returning to sleep was an impossibility, Vanessa grabbed an oversized sleep shirt and cotton shorts and tossed them on. (Evidently, drunk Vanessa hated clothes.) She emerged from her room, sluggish, and still unsure if she was actually sober. There were no signs of a hangover, so she could appreciate the little victories.

The Keurig was heating up, but Vanessa was already pouring milk over her corn flakes, not waiting for her coffee to be ready. Something needed to be in her stomach as soon as possible, and until she ran out to buy bacon, cereal would do.

The hallway of the apartment could be seen from the kitchen table, so out of the corner of her eye, Nessa spotted a figure walking through the unlit space. Whoever it was proved too quiet to be Booker, whose footfalls Nessa could recognize at this point. ”Hey, Darren.” It seemed like the logical guess; Booker’s friend Darren crashed at the apartment occasionally after a night of gaming or being nerdy.

Vanessa’s eyes looked up, and logic failed her, because Darren was not standing in her hallway. Instead, a blonde goddess in a towel stood, likely looking for a bathroom. The gamer girl’s jaw hung open for a second, before she realized more words might be warranted. ”Not Darren. You’re different. I mean, not different, just new. I mean, good morning. I’m Vanessa.” Vanessa words good.

Looking away from the woman’s eyes would have been the smart choice, but Vanessa’s brain was stalling out, and they were both far enough outside of Booker’s aura for Vanessa to get a peek of what might be on the blonde’s mind. God help her.

There was really no words to describe what happened that night. Good alcohol. Amazing food. Pleasant company. It was apparently the recipe for success as, when the night began to grind to an end, the both of them discovered other means to occupy themselves. It was just a flirty suggestion, once that was spurred on a little by alcohol that had loosened his tongue, but it was a suggestion that seemed to sit well with the gorgeous blonde. The next thing Booker realized, the two of them had just stepped inside his apartment where lips found lips and he led her by the hand towards his room.

Even though alcohol was had, it was a night that he would not soon forget. Svetlana was engaged and Booker was all the willing to bring a smile to lips. The two had made a rather clear mess of his room, his bedspread half popped off the mattress, clothes were strewn about, and at least one box of his comic collection had been knocked over (a sacrilege he was willing to let slid this time).

Sex was both such a simple and such a complicated thing. Humans were made for sex but it tended to elude many when it was needed. Most simply didn’t realize how needed it actually was. That chance to just break down to your most basic, to simply feel, to breath, to move…to simply be. It was an intoxicating sensation, one that kept both Booker and Svetlana up until the wee hours before the two of them were finally tired enough to simply fall asleep in one another arms.

It shouldn’t have come to a surprise that Booker was a cuddler. While he didn’t think that this wondrous evening with the blonde was going to last more than a single night, at the end of the day, all that mattered was the now. If the morning they should part ways never to see one another again, then so be it; he was going to get his cuddles now. Therefore, at some point, the man had found himself with his arm draped around the very nude woman he shared his bed with, holding her close to his tight chest. And thus he slept in comfort and serenity.

As the sun broke, its rays fell through the window, illuminating and lightening his hair. The scruff around his chin and cheek was a little scratchy, but not enough to fully pull him from his comfortable and well-earned sleep. Not even the feeling of the smaller woman’s form wriggling free from his managed to really stir him into the realm of the waking, but it did start the process.

A wince of his eyes trying to close tighter, the lightening of the blackness in front of his vision, and a deep, drawn in breath. The man sighed, burying his face deeper into his pillow, but not before he reached out and noticed that something was wrong – why was his butt hanging out of the blankets? And why could he feel that? He was nude? Remembrance started to flood in as Booker grabbed the end of the blanket and draped if back over his posterior. Turning in bed, he finally began to remember that he had shared it with someone..and now they were…gone?

Svetlana. That’s right, the mutant, boxer chick he had met at the gym. But where had she gone? He didn’t think she would just sneak off like this.

Momentarily confused, Booker sat up in bed, sighing, blinking his eyes, and shaking his head. Looking about the room through squinting eyes, Booker stifled a yawn and noticed the mess that had been made. However, what was more significate, were the women’s clothing he spied still sprawled out across the floor. The sounds of footsteps outside his door must have signaled that Sveta had stepped outside. He gave a small, little smile, and was about to lay back in bed for a second before donning clothing to see about making breakfast and coffee for the two of them.

Wait…he smelled coffee, though. If Svetlana just left and coffee was already brewing…shit!.

>> ”Hey, Darren.”

He was a blur. Throwing off his covers and picking up a pair of stray, cotton boxer shorts with the insignia of Arachnid Adult, he started to pull them on and he made his way to the door. A very interesting sight met him as he stepped out into the hall. From there he spied a still very nude Svetlana dressed in nothing but a towel wrapped around her body, and, of course, his sister Nessa in the kitchen, looking a little lost for words. Oh, and it didn’t help the situation that standing just outside his door, Booker had only managed to lift his boxers to just an inch or two below his bellybutton, leaving quite the view of his happy trail.

Looking between them, Booker started to blush a little. ”Uhhh…hi…Nessa…” he said, his hands on his hips. ”I…kinda thought you had plans with Kitty last night…” A gulp and he turned to Svetlana, only imagine how the situation looked. A explanation was needed ASAP. ”Svetlana…” he gestured to the brunette. ”This is my sister, Nessa. Nessa…” back to the blonde. ”Svetlana…my new...friend...”

Talk about awkward.

>>”Hey, Darren.”

Svetlana froze a distinctly female voice called out from the kitchen. She turned, holding the towel close to her chest, and stared at the young woman for a long moment. It was clear that she was just as surprised to see Sveta as the other way around. Which kinda made sense. Sveta was not called Darren, or likely to be mistaken for anyone who could be called Darren. She also did not expect to see a lady in Booker's apartment... but in retrospect, duh, it would have stood to reason that the guy had a girlfriend. Maybe he was really called Darren?...

>>”Not Darren. You’re different. I mean, not different, just new. I mean, good morning. I’m Vanessa.”

Okay, so she was not Darren, and the girl was not attacking her yet. Sveta nodded slowly, acknowledging the introduction. Before she could say anything, however, Booker skidded into the kitchen, gloriously underdressed.

>> ”Uhhh…hi…Nessa… I…kinda thought you had plans with Kitty last night… Svetlana… This is my sister, Nessa. Nessa… Svetlana…my new...friend...”

Oh. Sister. Good. She could deal with sister. Sveta felt relief wash over her at the same time Booker's aura did. It lasted for about a moment before she realized that she was still only wearing a towel, and probably had hickeys, and probably so did Booker, and the situation was sort of self-explanatory anyway. Sveta blushed a little, not sure how to handle morning-after sister encounters. This was uncharted territory.

"Nice to meet you, Nessa." she nodded finally with a small smile "I'm sorry, I... was looking for the bathroom." It was needed, and also it would give her a few moments to get her head in gear. She was still more than a little sleepy...

It was important, as a mind reader, to remember to keep a straight face when using her telepathy. People’s thoughts could be surprising, particularly when Vanessa was meeting a person for the first time. Sveta quickly jumped to the conclusion that Vanessa might be Booker’s girlfriend and that Booker might be the mysterious Darren. The impulse to snort and say, “Absolutely not,” was strong, but all Vanessa could do was hold her tongue.

Fortunately, Booker must have heard the interaction, because he and his aura burst forth from his room, cutting off any additional thoughts in Svetlana’s eyes. Unfortunately, to make such good time, Booker only had the opportunity to grab a pair of boxers on his way out of the room. Growing up as siblings, and now living together, it was a sight Vanessa was used to, but it did not make him look less ridiculous as he explained himself.

Vanessa tried not to smirk as Booker introduced the women to each other and asked his sister why she was even home. ”Plans changed,” she explained bluntly. Why explain her drunken day of work when she was not the one on the spot?

Knowing Vanessa was not a rival for Booker’s attention, Svetlana’s tension seemed to ease and she greeted her kindly, despite her towel-clad state. ”Certainly a pleasure, Svetlana,” she replied with a smile. ”The bathroom is the first door to your left.”

Waiting until Svetlana retreated into the bathroom, Vanessa turned her focus to her brother. ”First of all: very nice job.” Her voice was not particularly quiet, and Svetlana might have been able to hear her through the bathroom door, but it was too early in the morning for Vanessa to be anything other than shameless. She had not just been caught in her skivvies after all. ”Good to see you bouncing back.” Vanessa was the most recent Bookman sibling to deal with a painful breakup, but Booker was still in the final stages of recovering from his ex-boyfriend.

”Does Svetlana like coffee?” Vanessa asked, walking toward the Keurig. ”Do you know?” The last question was more accusatory. Booker had never brought up a pretty Russian blonde, (and if she had been around, he would not have been able to resist,) so the smart bet was that this was an unexpected hookup.

>> ”Plans changed,”

Cursed plans! They have made a powerful enemy this day. Now, granted, this wasn’t the first time that Nessa had come across one of his lovers first thing in the morning. Chris was definitely a sight she got used to as the man always found himself doing push-ups or jogging in place first thing in the morning. Beyond that, there had been a one-night stand or two who could be found sneaking out of his bedroom, hair all askew and clothing battered who came across her snerk-filled smile. But for some reason, this one was a little different.

Svetlana was nice and while Booker knew that this was just another one-night stand, after his break-up with Chris, Booker had been pretty…for lack of a better term, chase. The man had been still recovering from his failed relationship so he was taking things slow getting back into the dating scene. There had been a date or two but nothing that progressed to the bedroom. This, however, this had certainly gone to levels far beyond just meeting for coffee, and it was still a state that Booker felt a little self-conscious about.

Thankfully he had explained quickly enough that Nessa was his sister and not some other conclusion for Svetlana to jump to. She seemed to take the news in stride, greeted Nessa, and then asked where the bathrooms were. Booker felt bad for not pointing that out to her sooner, but she his sibling took the reins from there…

>> ” Nice to meet you, Nessa…I'm sorry, I... was looking for the bathroom."

>>”Certainly a pleasure, Svetlana…The bathroom is the first door to your left.”

”Um, yeah…” Booker said awkwardly as he pointed off in the direction of the bathroom. God he was lame.

When Svetlana had finally disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind her, Booker breathed a small sigh as he turned back to face his sister – who was staring at him. He winced, already feeling where this was going, so he started to awkwardly shift his footing. Booker wasn’t normally the shy type, but considering how intimate and naked this all felt…he glanced down…Oops! Quickly he reached down, pulling up his boxers so that the once revealed happy trail was not so visible anymore.

Lifting his gaze again, he watched as Nessa prepared to speak but he quickly raised his hand. ”Nessa…don’t even…” But it was too late. When she got on a roll, it was difficult to dissuade her.

>>First of all: very nice job…Good to see you bouncing back.”

Booker rolled his eyes, narrowing them at the creature that called itself his sister. ”Yeah, could you say that, oh I don’t know, a couple decibels higher? Don’t think she actually heard that last part.” He sighed.

Shaking his head, Booker briefly popped back into his room to grab his brown Jedi bathrobe. He didn’t mean to be so embarrassed about the whole thing but he had certainly not been prepared for Nessa to be home. He had hoped that hanging out with Kitty would mean he had to evening to himself (not that he was expecting to being Svetlana home). But now that he was caught red-handed, it was difficult.

Slowly he approached the kitchen, sighing as he grabbed a chair at the table, pulled it out, and plopped down onto it. Last night had been so incredibly…incredible, how did he get from that feeling to the embarrassment that he was feeling now. He knew he would shake it off, it was just too early in the morning. He sighed as he eyed his sister milling around the kitchen and heading to the coffee machine. That would be a good right now…

>> ”Does Svetlana like coffee? Do you know?”

Ouch. He knew it was just a tease, but still, ouch. Nessa was too good at reading into these kinds of things and being able to pick apart the fact that this was most certainly an unplanned occurrence, she immediately pounced. Again, it was too early for this so Booker did his best to defend his position by answering her question…

”I…am…reasonably sure that, like most of the world populace, she may enjoy a cup of ground up, brewed coffee beans, yes…” He stopped, staring at his sister for a minute before he rolled his eyes. ”Just…you know…make one…just in case…” he sighed. ”Dammit…I’m bad at this…” He placed his forehead on the table for a moment, shaking his head before lifting to look at his sibling. ”I…didn’t plan it. Just…kinda happened…” He then shot her an accusing look. ”And the next time your ‘plans change’ maybe trying giving me a call or something?”

Yeah, it was Nessa fault. He’d try to stick it out with that train of thought…

Everyone seemed to be taking the encounter in stride. Except for Booker, who had apparently teleported out of bed somehow. That was more than stride.

>>”Certainly a pleasure, Svetlana. The bathroom is the first door to your left.”

"Thanks." she nodded, carrying the remaining dose of her dignity with her to the bathroom. She did need to pee, and clean up, before she could handle any more conversation with Booker's suddenly materialized sister. Well, it could have been worse, anyway.

>>”First of all: very nice job.”

Sveta rolled her eyes and chuckled in the safety of the bathroom. The sister's assessment, while a bit questionable on the gender equality front, was definitely flattering. Obviously she couldn't know that it was mostly Svetlana who had fished Booker out of a pool of hot men - not that he had been unwilling. It was not her first one night stand, and probably would not be the last either, but it was one of the rare ones where she did not regret a single instance of the day (or night) before. It felt nice, having that as a memory. Hopefully the morning was not going to ruin the picture.

Sveta eventually re-emerged from the bathroom, having taken a folded (and apparently clean) bathrobe to provide a little more... coverage. Booker was wearing one now too, and there was a scent of coffee in the air.

"I hope it's okay if I borrowed dis" she said, smoothing her bathrobe down "I'll get dressed in a minute..."

The moment Svetlana was out of sight, Booker was preparing to stop Vanessa’s inquisitive interrogation, but it was futile. He knew as well as she did that her role as a little sister required her to be a pest in all situations where he was caught with his pants around his ankles (or on his bedroom floor.) He only made it worse by subjecting her to a haunting look at the fuzzy patch leading down to that-which-must-not-be-named. (Though, being the dork he was, he probably had named it. The thought made her shudder.)

He pointed out that Svetlana could probably hear her, but that only made Nessa grin. ”I could always repeat myself,” she said with some sass, watching as he retreated to grab himself a robe. Vanessa did have a habit of following in her brother’s footsteps, particularly when it came to women. Of course, she had no actual intentions of charming Booker’s conquest.

She also saw no harm in dropping a hint of what team she played for. Juuust in case.

Booker returned, hiding some of his shame, just in time for Vanessa to prod at him with her question about coffee. There was nothing wrong with not knowing the woman’s coffee preferences, just as there was nothing wrong with an unexpected hookup. As she grabbed her mug and reloaded the Keurig for Svetlana’s coffee, Vanessa beamed at her brother. He was trying too hard to justify something he did not have to. ”Book, you can shut up. You’re an adult. It’s cool. I just wouldn’t be your brat sister if I didn’t mess with you.”

She was not even going to dignify his “plans changing” comment with a response. “Next time you want to sleep with a hot Russian model, shoot me a text,” came to mind, but she held her tongue. She had just done so well un-shaming him, it would be rude to undo that. Also, Svetlana was emerging from the bathroom, and Vanessa did have some tact.

Vanessa turned away when she bit her lip, because once again: tact. She looks better in my robe than I do, Vanessa thought to herself, unsure if she was more annoyed or impressed. ”It’s totally fine. Be comfortable. Do you drink coffee? You two must be tired, right?” She looked from Svetlana to Booker, then back, before realizing what she might sound like she was implying. ”Because it’s still early. Not because of… other… nighttime activity things.”

Where did she put that tact again? It was not in the sugar jar she had shifted her attention to immediately.

>> ”I could always repeat myself,”

Booker rolled his eyes SO hard at his sister. The last thing he really needed right now was her copious amounts of sass. He loved his sister but sometimes she really was just too much, ESPECIALLY when he was had a pretty girl over that kinda fell onto Nessa’s extensive list of women to hit on. Svetlana definitely fit onto that list, and considering that this was just a casual fling, the last thing that Booker needed was to watch Nessa fawn and hit on Svetlana. He didn’t need to see that at all.

Then again, considering his state of dress when he first walked out of the room, Booker realized that he was probably owed some payback. God he hoped that Nessa wasn’t going to cash in early.

He didn’t know why but part of him was embarrassed by this. He liked Svetlana, sure, and she wasn’t his first one-night stand, but the majority of them he tried to ensure happened when Nessa wasn’t around. They were sanctioned to stories and tidbits that he would possibly tell her about later one, maybe when they were drunk or feeling morose. There was something a bit awkward about meeting family so soon, especially if the evening had all the earmarks of being a fling. He was embarrassed, he was worried about scary Svetlana off, he was irritated with his sister a tiny bit, and, yeah, somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered just how long it was going to take to recognize his comic books that had been toppled over.

In the end, part of him tried to find a way to blame his sister. Usually that worked to help alleviate a situation, but try as he might, it definitely sounded forced. She didn’t need to really message him anything about her changes in plans, she was an adult. They both were. And really he shouldn’t be embarrassed because he had sex with someone. He just needed to breathe and relax.

>> ” ”Book, you can shut up. You’re an adult. It’s cool. I just wouldn’t be your brat sister if I didn’t mess with you.”

He sighed, nodding his head. Slipping over to the counter, Booker picked up the cup of coffee that Nessa had just finished making for herself and took a sip from it. She hadn’t drunk it yet so he, using his older brother veto powers, he claimed it as his own and returned to the table, grabbing a packet of sugar along the way. Settling again on the chair, he poured the sugar into the coffee, swirled it, and took another sip, satisfied with the taste now.

Just as Booker took a sip, though, he turned back hearing the sound of the bathroom door open. Svetlana was done, fixed up a little, and was wearing a bathrobe – his sister’s bathrobe. Ugh, this day couldn’t get any more awkward but he just smiled and went along with it.

>> "I hope it's okay if I borrowed dis…I'll get dressed in a minute..."

Booker nodded his head, giving her a soft smile. ”By all mea—“ But Nessa, thanks to both her inappropriateness and her ability to still try to hit on any girl that caught her attention, jumped at the answer. Of course…it wasn’t the most thought out…

>> ”It’s totally fine. Be comfortable. Do you drink coffee? You two must be tired, right? Because it’s still early. Not because of… other… nighttime activity things.”

Slowly, oh so slowly, Booker turned his head towards Nessa, but he didn’t just turn to face her. His head tilted, tilted like an owl’s getting ready to turn completely upside-down. His eyes narrowed in an unbelieving stare as he watched the woman whom he called his sister shove inch after inch of foot into her mouth with every passing second and his disbelief in her was clearly apparent on his face. She could easily charm a crowd on her gaming videos, but this right now was certainly not her shiniest of moments.

Shaking his head at his sister and mouthing some kind of unintelligible threat that Svetlana couldn’t see, Booker turned back to the Russian beauty, smiled and stood up, pulling out a chair for her. ”Um, have a seat? You know, before my sister shoves it into her mouth along with the rest of her foot?” He said with a small smile. He gave the woman a grin, sipping his coffee but feeling a little color on his cheeks after thoughts of last night started to bombard his mind. Those were pictures and feelings he would never forget – a fact he was glad for. But, highly inappropriate thoughts aside, he turned to Svetlana, smiling a bit shyly. ”So…um…s-sleep well? Are you hungry? We have…food…stuff…”

He was losing it already…

There was a bit of awkwardness in the air between brother and sister, and Sveta could not blame them. If she had found out that she had been having sex loudly and... thoroughly, with her sibling in the next room, she would have felt like sinking into the ground too. At least Nessa seemed to be taking the whole thing in stride.

>>”It’s totally fine. Be comfortable. Do you drink coffee? You two must be tired, right?... Because it’s still early. Not because of… other… nighttime activity things.”

Sveta couldn't help but snort a little, as she chuckled against her better judgment. It was an easily misunderstood question, but Nessa was not wrong. Coffee was definitely welcome, especially around Booker, where she could not rely on her own buzz to keep her awake.

>>”Um, have a seat? You know, before my sister shoves it into her mouth along with the rest of her foot?... So…um…s-sleep well? Are you hungry? We have…food…stuff…”

"I did sleep well." Sveta noted with a straight face as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She was not lying, either. "Food would be nice..." she glanced at Nessa curiously. Might as well start a conversation about something other than the previous night. "So... are you an adapted too?"

Well, if Vanessa was going to make a fool of herself, at least Svetlana could appreciate the humor of her awkward question. Booker, meanwhile, dealt with the embarrassment by stealing the mug of coffee clearly meant for her. Vanessa was not going to make a fuss in front of Svetlana, though Booker could be sure they would have words about the sanctity of morning coffee. She started another one-cup container and passed the next mug to Svetlana. Booker could have the oldest coffee in the room; Vanessa’s would be the freshest. Yes, she was that petty.

Booker offered food to his blonde paramour, and Vanessa returned to her bowl of cereal. If he was actually going to cook, she hoped he might include her in the meal, since a homecooked breakfast would always trump corn flakes. "Good choice. The man can definitely cook." She was not going to press her luck and ask; she was surely in enough trouble with him. Instead, she would talk him up, hoping that might earn her a waffle or some eggs.

Svetlana turned her attention back on Vanessa, surprising her with a question. Vanessa arched her brow and glanced over at her brother. His status as an adapted was something she knew about before he did, and before either of them knew what an adapted was; back then, she assumed he was some anti-mutation mutant. The fact that Svetlana knew about him and the fact that she knew what an adapted even was made her wonder…

”Nope, garden-variety human, sadly. So… does that mean you’re a mutant?” Her voice had a hint of nervousness, but it was not because mutants made her nervous, (though it might be interpreted as such.) Vanessa’s life was slowly starting to involve more mutants by the day, and each time she met one, she wondered what she was still keeping her mutation a secret for. She also wondered if she was bound to run into a mutant who would “detect” her somehow at some point. ”Not that there’d be anything wrong with that,” she added hastily, realizing how her question sounded. ”My ex-girlfriend was a mutant. Apparently, New York’s just filled to the brim with pretty mutants,” she added, hoping a little bit of flattery could make up for her constant need to say the wrong thing.

Really everyone else seemed to be doing fine with this whole thing. The only person who seemed to be firmly in the awkward pool was Booker himself. He didn’t know why but there was just something about this situation that seemed funny to him. Maybe it was because it had been awhile since Nessa had to actually deal with one of his morning-after conquests, or maybe it was just because Booker wasn’t expecting anything from Svetlana and was wholly unprepared for her to meet his sister, but whatever the case, Booker was stumbling over his own words and trying to find his center as he sat with both woman at their tiny kitchen table.

He didn’t want to be a bad host, but it was feeling like that, especially when the cup of coffee he stole from Nessa should have gone directly to Svetlana. Thankfully the next cup that Nessa made went directly to the blonde, while a third was made for herself. Oh he knew he would pay for this later, but he was fine with that so long as it wasn’t in front of his new friend. The last thing he wanted was for things to get extremely weird between them, especially since this was just supposed to be something fun.

But he could still remedy his behavior.

Breakfast. That was something he could do. While Nessa had already poured herself some cereal, Booker had offered Svetlana breakfast. That could surely make up for his extreme ineptitude, couldn’t it? So after making sure she slept good, he inquired as to whether she would like a bite of breakfast.

>> "I did sleep well… Food would be nice..."

He nodded happily. ”Okay. Perfect.” A broad smile and Booker moved to stand. Sadly, even though she was already shoving milk covered pressed oats into her mouth, Nessa had to interject.

>> "Good choice. The man can definitely cook."

Standing, out of sight from Svetlana, he eyed his sister with the most suspicious and slitted eyes he could manage. He knew her game. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to garner a crumb of sympathy breakfast from him. Of the two of them, Booker knew that he was a better cook. Even though she was a vegetarian (most of the time, #inserteyeroll), Booker still had mastered some of her favorite dishes and, upon promises of doing his laundry (something hated), he would cook for her when she was far too lazy to attempt it herself. Now she was trying to gain breakfast after that display? Hmph.

”Ah sis,” he said sweetly behind Svetlana’s back but glaring at his sister. ”Don’t lay it on too thick now.” With a sigh, he placed his hand on Svetlana’s shoulder and smiled. ”I’ll just be in the kitchen. If this one sticks her foot any deeper down her throat, be lamb and give her a Heimlich, will ya?” He the shrugged. ”Or just punch her in the stomach at will. Both work.”

He slipped away from Nessa’s stare and slipped into the kitchen adorned in only his robe. As the man opened the fridge, he stuck his head in, shifting things left and right as he looked for ingredients for breakfast. He didn’t hear half of the conversation that was going on out there on the table, but as he pulled back with his arms laden with milk, bacon, eggs, and cream, the man carefully moved across the kitchen so that he could lay each piece on the counter without dropping any. He was finished just in time to hear Nessa reply to a question of Svetlana’s with…

>> “…My ex-girlfriend was a mutant. Apparently, New York’s just filled to the brim with pretty mutants,”

For half second, he was suspicious. Was Nessa really trying to already ask Svetlana out simply by stating that she had been in a relationship with a mutant before? Ohhh she acted fast, didn’t she? But for as much as the man wanted to believe that was what fueled his sister’s words, he kept his composure and whistled to himself as he started to prepare breakfast, even breaking out the waffle iron. Would Nessa be getting any (breakfast, that is)? Well, he’d decide that by the time he was done.

He started to mix batter but stopped as he looked up and called to Svetlana. ”Hey, Svetlana, are you allergic to anything? Last thing I want is to make you something that will kill you.” He then paused. ”Nessa…your usual rare, bloody steak and deep fried chicken?” A snicker and he continued to mix the waffle batter.

>> "Good choice. The man can definitely cook."

The man was definitely a goddamn catch is what he was. Sveta arched an eyebrow as yet another detail about him came to light, only adding to the frustratingly perfect image he already had. It was almost like someone was playing a joke on Sveta. The one good catch she found was the one she had no interest in dating. Go figure.
Not to mention the nosy sister.

>>”Nope, garden-variety human, sadly. So… does that mean you’re a mutant?... Not that there’d be anything wrong with that. My ex-girlfriend was a mutant. Apparently, New York’s just filled to the brim with pretty mutants,”

Oh, there. They had something in common after all. The flirting. Svetawas not sure if it was intentional or not, but Nessa was definitely appreciative of pretty mutant women. She reminded her of Agnes for a moment there...

>>”Hey, Svetlana, are you allergic to anything? Last thing I want is to make you something that will kill you. Nessa…your usual rare, bloody steak and deep fried chicken?”

"Not allergic, no." Sveta chuckled, shaking her head at the banter between brother and sister. She had always been too protective of Bo to have this kind of a relationship with her... although she could not tell what it would be like now, if they met again. She had tried to contact her sister once or twice, but all she got through to was the Matchmaker, saying her sister was well cared for, as per agreement...

"I'm a mutant, yes." she nodded as Booker walked to the kitchen, trying to recall what she had told the guy about her mutation, as to not get caught in a lie "I have an aura... if he gets far enough you'll feel it. It's like coffee."