Scottish. That was it. Her accent was Scottish. Definitely Scottish, and not Irish. It was so obvious, once she stopped trying to hide it. It had a nice lilt to it, her voice, and she pronounced certain sounds differently, with a bit of a rolling sound. She was extending a bit of trust his way, dropping masks all over the place. He felt a wee bit touched. Benji listened to her, and her question.

How best to answer that question? Why had he stopped what he was doing, followed a group of thugs, and stuck his neck out for her? It hadn't just been for a pretty face. That much, he was certain of. Not that her face wasn't pretty. But there had been far more to it than that. Which was good. There is no reason ever to be ruled by that.

Benji thought for a moment, silently considering his reply. There was no false bravado on his face. He wasn't giving some show off answer. "I just... saw what was happening, and it made me angry. Here you were, out doing something that makes a difference, something i'm not sure I'd ever be able do on my own... and they wanted to hurt you." He shrugged his shoulders, and played the whole thing off lightly, just loud enough for the two of them to hear in the privacy of their booth. "I'd like to say it was courage, and that I'm some brave hero... but really, I just did what I did because I didn't want to see a good person getting hurt. I was playing it by ear. Honestly, I don't think I even remembered I was wearing my helmet at the time." He smiled. There went his cool image. Whoosh, off into the distance.

"I'm not going to lie and say I'm a hero. You're trusting me enough. I don't want to disrespect that. That was the first time I've ever done anything like that." He laughed, mostly to himself, and unconsciously ran a hand though his hair. "Never really considered actually doing something like that. But someone needs to. And I respect that."

Cait stayed quiet and paid close attention to the man as he talked, not just the words but his body language and facial expression. While it was true she general took people at their word and gave people a level of trust, this was just far to important to be that naive. It chafed her to think this way, to be that person but risking her friends lives over a potential recruit was a push too far. After their last mission together there was no way she would do anything to but them in danger by being....her.

His answer was good though and she didn't get the impression he was going for false modesty or downplaying his own thoughts, he was being genuine, a rare trait. And he was a good person, even if he was selling himself a little short in that regard and to be honest, that was the most important thing. Sure the guy could fight and had an interesting power but doing it for the right reasons was what mattered. Christ she'd joined the team as a scrawny teenager with no skills whatsoever because Becca believed she wanted to help. Seemed only right anyone she considered should be there for similar reasons. But still, he was an unknown, best to keep the plans to herself for now.

"That's all any of us really do to be honest. We don't see ourselves as hero's, just people who have the ability to make a difference. If we can help, we should, you know?" They all had powers that could be used positively, it was their duty to help. "But thanks for giving me a proper answer, I do appreciate it and frankly, it goes a lot further than one you could have made up."

"Theres so few of us that having people around we know are solid and dependable, as a fighter or a source is always needed. If you're wanting to help a bit more we can always use more information gathers and people with their ear to the ground." Start off small, even if he didn't want to join up eventually they were in desperate need of even small things, having another resource added to the pile wasn't something to sniff at.

Looking up as their tea was brought to the table and thanking the young woman warmly, she gave the tea an experimental sniff and immediately relaxed. The sweet fragrance had such a soothing effect, she would have to thank Mako for recommending it. "God I needed this. Don't think there's anywhere in the city that does fresh tea this good." 

Shiv hadn't stood up and walked out once he'd ruined her illusion. That was good. He hadn't really thought she would, but you never know. Some people want you to be something you aren't, no matter what you do or say. Would he be opposed to this sort of vigilante work? That depended on a lot of things. Danger. Injury. Cost. Time. Support. And also, everything else that came with it, like knowledge and understanding and intelligence about criminal groups and areas. If he broke his hands, it'd hurt his music career. And if he broke his neck, that'd hurt.

Her thoughts on his 'not a hero' status were fair. Making differences is important. You don't have to do something extreme to make a difference. Cue the big brothers of America ad and cheesy music. Just being there for someone can be the biggest thing. Cops are heroes, sure, and firefighters... but a parent or sibling can be a hero, too. His uncle was a hero, and all he'd done was give him a roof. She was also saying something else.

The woman was saying that if you had power, it was your duty to use it wisely. It wasn't quite the parable of talents from the Bible, but only so far as wording was concerned. Intent was clear as day.

"To whom much is given, much is expected." Benji said thoughtfully. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Her words had struck home. He got that, really he did. It resonated with him. Part of his malaise with society today came from exactly that. People saying all these things, having the ability to make the world better, and failing to do just that. Or someone seeing a crime happening, and not doing the simple act of calling someone. Letting neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn turn into war zones due to fear, or being so calloused you don't do anything at all. Letting people make laws to place mutants in internment camps, because you're afraid. Or because you refuse to stand up and speak when something is wrong.

He nodded at her, when she thanked him for giving an honest answer. "No problem," he said mildly.

The hint of something bigger than 'information gatherer' or helper was there, beneath her words. Again, she was being cautious because what she was doing was dangerous... and dangerously illegal. Even if police often looked the other way. He was sure some people in the media liked blaming vigilantes when they intervened, for any failing, large or small, that they saw or made up. They got heat from people, criminals, and the police. That is, if she was a part of whatever group it was that was active in the city fighting crime. Which it seemed like she was. His lack of reply was covered up expertly by their teas arrival.

He took his tea, thanking the person, and carefully blew on it then tasted it. Perfection. He mmmd quietly to himself. "Excellent," Benji agreed. "I should get your number." He smiled at her in what he hoped was a disarming smile. "In case I see something." He clarified innocently. "Lot of crime in New York." Lots of crime. Yep. No other reason.

I bible quote, that was interesting. Pretty applicable too given the context, they all had a heavy burden with their powers. Not just to use them wisely, but to use them to help people wherever they could. That just made sense to her and it seemed, he was also on that page of thought. Good, it meant he could be a very valuable ally. With everyone seemingly agaisnt them they needed some friends. "That's pretty much it. No point being able to make weapons if don't do something constructive with them." Wait.....that was a pun. A bad pun.

Suppressing the groan, maybe he hadn't noticed it. Well, she really hoped he hadn't because no way she was getting into a pun off, not while her brain was a little mushy after that fight.

Grinning, looks like he had the idea but the guy was so sweet. Was he flirting with her? Was she flirting with him? Probably to both questions but it was harmless for the time being. If he stayed an info source he was fair game so it definitely couldn't hurt to let him have a number. "Good idea, although I'll need yours as well. Can't be only me having all the fun." Becca wouldn't want to do some checking up on him. Best to make it easier for her. "Just in case we need your help with, crime."

He was fun to talk to, even if she ignored everything else he'd helped her with there was a fair chance she'd have pegged him as a good guy. Which was awesome, way to few of them in New York recently, even fewer willing to go agaisnt popular opinion.

Pulling a pen and paper pad from one of her pockets, she jotted down a number for one of her 'work' phones and handed it over, before offering the pen to him. "Can't just me giving it up, you gonna make a girl feel left out?"

He had no problem with sharing his digits. Heck, he honestly had no problem sharing his name. He'd only kept it quiet to go with the flow, and because ultimately, it was safer.

On an average day, he would have avoided fighting. He'd have sought a peaceful resolution. Talked them down. Violence isn't the only option. It's the last option, after all others are exhausted. But they'd been raring for a fight, and his options had been limited. They'd exhausted their choices. So, he'd stepped in. If he ever did step up as a vigilante, it'd be an entirely different method than her, he imagined.

With his powers, it was better to keep fighting as the last response. With information gathering, there was far less of a chance that he would accidentally hurt someone. He was sure Shiv understood that angle. Her knives would have that constant risk, with her constantly walking the razor's edge between life and death, nonlethal and lethal. Constructive and destructive, to use her bad pun from earlier. The one he'd thoughtfully ignored.

He nodded at her comment about numbers, then smirked at her when she gave him a hard time, about crime. "Of course," Benji said.

Out came pen and paper. The Korean man chuckled at her commentary. Yeah, she was flirting with him. He could give good as he got. "That'd be no fun." He smiled. "If one of us got left out. Can't be having that." He picked up the pen and wrote down his number on the pad for her. Next to it, he wrote 'Cheshire.' Then, for good measure, he wrote Benji in parenthesis. If they looked the number up to research him, he had a good feeling they'd find out his information anyways. He didn't have a 'work phone', and certainly wasn't going to give out a fake number. What did he have to hide?

After he was finished with that, he pulled his phone out and added a contact. 'Shiv Scot.' Under notes, he put 'Work phone'. Then, he slid the paper back across the table to Shiv. "There you go," he said. All nice and in order.

If she looked at his name, she'd have to question whether the stylized lower case i merged with the right parenthesis to form a sort of smile... or it that was just unintended, not intentionally cute.

He was definitely flirting back, not that she was about to complain. It was like her natural state of being so someone picking it up and running with it just added to the fun of the situation. So many of the grumps in the base just shut her down cold on it, having someone else smiley on hand was a great idea.

Glancing down at the paper she was pretty surprised he'd gone right ahead and given out his real name straight away. Sure, she would use the various resources at the base and her training to track it down anyway but the level of trust was interesting. New, to her at least. She was usually the one to be the naive trustee so being on the other side of it, having to be suspicious and careful gave her a horrible pit in her stomach. How much had she changed in the last few weeks? Was she becoming someone else?

Even his writing was erring on the side of flirtatious. The boy was a good laugh at least, couldn't fault him that. Happy too, which was a great bonus, it was too nasty a world right now. A little joy here and there was awesome.

"I hope you're not mad I can't extend the same courtesy but secret identity and all. Can't go giving it away to just any handsome lad with a pretty smile." If one thing had been drilled into more times than she could remember it was that. Tell no one. If she couldn't even tell her parents there was no way she'd give it out to someone not on the team.

And now she was reminded of how much she was lying to her friends and family. Guilty conscience away!

"But thank you, for the name. I appreciate the trust, we all do to be honest." Hard not too, "and the save, but I have to be reporting back in. The boss'll want to know what happened."

Another day, another failed mission. It was getting very common nowadays annoyingly but it wasn't a total bust. "See you around, Benji."

">>"I hope you're not mad I can't extend the same courtesy but secret identity and all. Can't go giving it away to just any handsome lad with a pretty smile." Shiv said.

"I understand," Benji said mildly, and nodded at her. He'd figured as much. He chuckled lightly at her comment. Handsome lad? Pretty smile. "One can never be too careful," he agreed. "When you're dealing with things like you are."

She appreciated the good faith gesture. The trust. It was a risk, and one he'd taken willingly. Hopefully it wouldn't come back to haunt him.

Benji took a drink of his tea. It was nearly done now, and it seemed like they were wrapping up. She thanked him for the assist, and said she had to go. Had to report to the bawss.

"See you around," he smiled, raising his tea in a little salute.