On one hand, Juliette's comment might have been viewed by some as insensitive. Too fast after talking about an awful subject matter to bring up a joke like that. Booker still took it in stride, responding with a comment in stride and a smile. Only after it came out did Juliette realize how poorly he could have taken it. She was thankful that he was the person that he was, though, and her rudeness was taken well.

"Hey, I'm sorry, the girl was cuter than you," Juliette said cheekily, thinking back to when Booker had tried to win that dance off with the girl at the hospital. In truth, they were a different kind of cute (Booker was very cute), but when pressed, she would still pick the sick little girl every time. Anything she could do to make her life better, she would.

She said her piece on the fact that she was a mutant and then waited. It was unbearable to do so. Absolutely unbearable. She'd just admitted something deeply personal, and he was giving her nothing. Absolutely nothing. She took a bite of her lasagne instead, trying to focus on something else. It was good, God, it was good, but it really wasn't what she wanted to be thinking about in that moment.

His face was completely impassive. What was he thinking about? Did he completely hate her for saying that? Juliette was sure that the date would be over that second, and there was a sinking feeling in her stomach. She was ready to grab her purse and make a mad dash for the door if he suddenly got angry. Maybe she would take the lasagne with her as consolation.

>>”J-Jesus Christ…”

Juliette looked up, bracing herself for an angry or disgusted expression, but she saw neither. Instead, he was looking at her in awe. That, she had not been expecting. Surprise, sure. Maybe a little bit of curiosity, but of all the good emotions, awe was not the one she'd expected.

She opened her mouth to say something, but decided to let him finish. She closed her mouth with a grin. He really was as good as he seemed.

>>”…y-you’re Firefly. Oh… my god…you’re THE Firefly.”

Talk about unexpected. Juliette just blinked at him for a second.

"Wait, you know my codename? That's... never happened before," she admitted, feeling her face grow warm. Sure, she was an X-Man, but she was a really recent X-Man, and in the scheme of things, she hadn't done all that much. She was very surprised that he was up to date enough on his lore to know who she was, of all people.

She might have expected it if she'd been on the team for a long time, like Ghost or Alchemist, but that really wasn't the case. She hadn't done anything important yet, and as far as she knew, the thing that she was most famous for on the gossip sites was dating Cold Steel...

Juliette really hoped he hadn't read all of that.

>>”I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to nerd out… I just…wow…I mean…I’m such a big fan and I respect what you guys do and… …I’m sorry. Really. I…jeez…I feel like I’m making a complete spaz out of myself…”

Juliette laughed. "No, no, it's okay! I've, uh, never really met someone who's a fan before. It's kind of cool," she grinned. She felt famous. Was that what being a celebrity felt like? If so, she wasn't quite sure how she felt about it. It was a bit strange, but it was very flattering.

More content with the situation than before, she decided to take another bite of her lasagne. It was delicious. If she wasn't careful, then it would get away from her and she would forget to share.

>> "Wait, you know my codename? That's... never happened before,"

He scoffed. ”Well, I do follow news on the X-Men pretty closely,” he admitted. ”TOT-ally not stalker wise, but, yeah…”

Booker was gushing. He didn’t mean to, but being around one of the actual X-Men, and they weren’t Rebecca, just meant that he was in for a rather big treat. It didn’t immediately dawn on him the gravity of the fact that he was actually on a date with on at the moment, he was immediately more concerned with the fact that he was sitting face-to-face with one. Of course he had known Rebecca, otherwise known as Lodestone. She dated his sister and he considered her a very close friend but once you walk in on an X-Man flossing pot roast out from between their teeth, well, the novelty loses some of its allure. That was not to say that Rebecca was a bad person or that he didn’t respect her as an X-Man, but it was just…different.

Then again, the same could be said about what was happening right now. He was sitting at a table with Firefly herself! He had danced in front of her! He had his head examined in front of her! He gave her a tour of his library and kissed her! Wait…that last one. Booker’s eyes widened as he placed his hand on his forehead, suddenly realizing what else was going on here, something that made the situation just a tiny bit awkward for him – he was on a date with Firefly. Suddenly his awkwardness seemed to click up a few degrees.

He had gushed, he had spoken like a star-struck child, and Booker was already starting to feel the heat as it formed on his cheeks. Booker B. Bookman was not someone who was easily embarrassed by his actions (as clearly evident by his actions) but when he was embarrassed, boy did he feel it. God, he must have made himself sound like an absolute fool. The only thing he could do was to try and apologize and reclaim at least some of his dignity back.

However, it seemed as if Juliette was actually a little enamored with his behavior. The smile on her lips immediately started to calm him down, way before she actually said anything. That was a good sign…

>> "No, no, it's okay! I've, uh, never really met someone who's a fan before. It's kind of cool,"

He calmed. His pulse eased. A smile spread across his lips again. He felt a little better about his nerdgasm back there but the librarian still felt a little self-conscious about carrying on the way that he did in front of her. He really needed to make sure to reel himself back in just a little bit. She was an X-Man and the last thing she needed was for some star-struck fanboy to be all over her with stupid questions and commentary. A sigh of relief fell from his lips as he grinned.

”Well, I’m glad that it is and that I didn’t just completely scare you off,” he breathed. Though he had to add in that, ”Though I honestly wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to sneak out after that. Heh, n-not my finest moment.”

He titled his head as he watched her take a bite out of her lasagna. It seemed like she was truly enjoying it and that was his second relief for this date. He was glad he had picked out a place that she seemed to like. Hopefully their date could get back on track without him totally screwing up again. Still, there was the weight of the fact that she was actually an X-Man, a genuine mutant superhero.

Though she was not as relatively known in the city yet, his tracking of the X-Men had afforded him enough information to at least know which of the X-Men that she was. It was just logic, really. He already knew Lodestone, she wasn’t whitehaired so she wasn’t Ghost, the only other candidate he could think of that fit the bill was Firefly. Plus it helped that she confirmed it herself.

After a few moments, Booker realized that he needed to stop looking at her with such awe. She was still Juliette, the attractive, funny, and sassy nurse that he had met at the hospital. She was still the same woman he felt such chemistry with (even now), and she was still the woman whom he had already kissed once before thanks to the incredible attraction that they shared for one another. He just needed to get out of his head.

However, one thing did snag his attention – she told him this herself. He didn’t discover it on his own, she revealed it. X-Men were supposed to guard their identities (well, most…REBECCA) and the fact that she actually revealed this to him on her own must have been quite a risk for her. Did she already trust him that much? He took a second to consider this, realizing that, indeed, she wasn’t the only one with secrets.

Moistening his lips, Booker knew he would have to tell her something rather important about himself too. ”Umm…well…s-since we’re being so honest…” he said in a low voice that matched her own from before. ”…I…have something I should say too.”

He shifted a little in his seat. Part of him was worried. He was an adapted, he could turn off powers, wouldn’t that be a problem for a mutant, especially if they were an X-Man? Svetlana was different, her powers botherd her. But Firefly? What if she was turned off by the idea? But as scary as that was, the librarian knew that he had to risk it and give her the benefit of the doubt – she did for him, after all. After taking a second, he proceeded…

”So…a-about that explosion I survived…” he started. ”For a while I honestly thought that I was just, you know, lucky. But sometime I caught this AMA after with a staff member from, you know, Xavier’s, a Ms. Taylor…” he said her name in a way that would imply that Juliette should know her and therefore lead her to where he was going with this. ”…um it was then that I learned I was…special too. Just…you know…in a different way.” He said with a smile. ”…in the adapted way…”

[/i][/div]

It hadn't been a thought of Juliette's to protect her identity in any way other than just not telling people who she was. Sure, she didn't wear a mask, but people didn't typically follow the lives of the X-Men close enough to be able to tell who was who. At least, she didn't think they did. She thought that they did a good job of remaining in the public view, but still keeping to themselves and living lives outside of the work.

Of course, she also didn't have an awesome precedent to follow in terms of keeping her identity hidden. Cafas was a movie star, and it was well known that Ghost was his girlfriend. She was actually amazed that neither of them were recognized more. Then, there was Rebecca. Again, she ran a ViewTube show and had impossibly recognizable features, so the odds weren't looking great for her either. Sam had kept anything from her, either. Hell, by their second date, he had brought her into the danger room. She didn't need to dwell on that, though.

So, really, telling him about the fact that she was a member of the team had her more worried that he would react poorly to that fact. His reaction had shown her differently.

But, as adorable as Booker was, Juliette had to admit that it was getting a little strange to have her date fangirl over her. It was endearing at first, but as the realization that he, among others, knew things about her life that she hadn't given them permission to know was a little unsettling. Hell, she kept MyFace and Speedigram accounts as private as she could possibly manage.

Then again, she couldn't blame him for it. She was a part of the team, so she didn't really know what it was like to watch from the outside, to imagine what it was like to fight on a team like that. She knew first hand that it really wasn't glamorous at all. Especially living at the mansion; she'd seen sides of people that she had not been prepared to see.

To Booker, she was The Firefly. Shiny, new, and a super cool X-Man. To him, it was a novelty. To her, she was enjoying a first date with someone she really liked. It felt a little unbalanced.

Still, she wasn't about to ruin things with her weird reluctance to step into the role. She kept her smile up and nodded along to what he was saying. Surely he would get over it quickly and the novelty would pass, and then they could go back to how it was before. She'd liked how it was before.

>>”Umm…well…s-since we’re being so honest… I…have something I should say too.”

Well, that was a worrying statement. Juliette blinked at him, waiting for another bomb to drop. Her mind flashed with a thousand possibilities of what he could possibly be gearing up to tell her. There was no shortage of weird images that her mind managed to draw up. She hoped for none of them, but she had to wait.

Really, she couldn't be angry at him for starting the topic like that and leaving her guessing. She'd done the same thing just minutes before.

>>”So…a-about that explosion I survived… For a while I honestly thought that I was just, you know, lucky. But sometime I caught this AMA after with a staff member from, you know, Xavier’s, a Ms. Taylor…um it was then that I learned I was…special too. Just…you know…in a different way…in the adapted way…”

She grinned, somewhat relieved. That was certainly less weird than anything she had thought of. "So you are an adapted," she nodded. "I thought that might be the case, but I didn't want to pry it out of you."

That explained why the walk had felt strange. The sun was uncomfortable because she wasn't yearning for it like she usually did, and she couldn't just absorb it if it got too intense. She... couldn't absorb energy at all. That was a weird thought, actually. She held her hand up ever so slightly to the low-hanging lamp just above their table and gave it a subtle test. Nothing. So weird.

"Yep, completely shut off," she mused, letting her hand fall back down. 'That's cool. Has it affected your life much?"

Booker was admittedly a little worried about admitting that he was an adapted to the pretty X-Man. This date was turning into a revelation free for all, but since she trusted him enough to actually tell him that she was part of the X-Men, he would have felt like dirt if he didn’t share in kind. That was how this kind of thing was supposed to work, you know, when you trusted someone, when you wanted to get to know them. You told them the things that you may be just a little uncomfortable sharing and hoped that they would understand. Additionally, it was important for him to know things like this, especially if their relationship went on beyond just this single date.

With a smile on her lips, Booker breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t seem all-together freaked out that he was an adapted, but more seemed to be accepting of it. Maybe even anticipating it at this point. He could imagine. From his experiences with mutants, whenever they were around him, if their powers were turned off, most seemed to immediately know that fact. It was like having a part of yourself just switched off; he was just thankful that she wasn’t completely freaking out over the fact. That was a plus for their relationship.

While it was nerve-wracking for him to admit this to her, it did come with the added benefit that he could stop looking at her with such awe. Part of him still couldn’t get over the fact that she was an X-Man and, because of that, he could feel himself wanting to fangirl and treat her far differently. But he didn’t want to do that. He could only imagine what that kind of attention would do to her, and could even drive her away if he wasn’t careful.

He would do his best to reel himself in but, still, there was that tiny barb in the corner of his mind who knew what she was and he was fascinated, gleeful, and just a little self-conscious. What could he possible offer someone who made it their job to save the world?

No, it was too early to get into thoughts like that. Instead the man took another bite of his pizza, smiled cheerily, and kept his head in the most important fact here – he was on a date with a woman that he really, really, really liked.

>> "So you are an adapted…I thought that might be the case, but I didn't want to pry it out of you."

He chuckled, mimed wiping his hand across his forehead, and flicked off faked nervous beads of sweat. ”That’s a load off. And kudos to you for deducing that, Detective Nurse DJ DIzzle.” Another grin and to took a bite of his pizza, finishing off the slice that he had started. Jesus, it was good.

>> "Yep, completely shut off…That's cool. Has it affected your life much?"

He watched in awe as she lifted her hand and began to turn it in the light. He didn’t know what he was expecting to see, but nothing came of it. That was slightly disappointing but it was another reminder of what he was. Some people thought it was cool to be able to turn off a mutant’s powers; as a matter of fact, it gave him a kind of power of his own. However, being an advocate for mutants, it was a bit sad. Some mutants depending on their abilities to live and what happens when he walks by them? His presence is essentially denying them the chance to be what they are. That wasn’t cool. But, from the look on Juliette’s face, she didn’t seem too bothered.

She posed another question to him; had this affected his life? Aside from Jamal, clearly, there hadn’t been much for him to be able to recognize. To a lot of people, he was just living a normal life. It wasn’t as if he were always glowing or living with a mutant or anything like that, right? But there had been a few instances that popped up in his mind.

He took a second to consider before he returned his gaze to her. ”Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have noticed at all if it weren’t for a few instances; college being the biggest one.” That was a given. ”Mostly it’s just been little things. Mutant street performers tripping or losing their rhythm. Though there was on incident where this kid got…well…really upset in the library because of the ending of a book. He…” Booker twisted his lips for a second. ”…started lighting things on fire. And I mean, like, with his body. Just, engulfed in flames. So I walked over, I calmed him down, and the second he was in my aura, well, he was extinguished. He was scared but I sat with him and I read to him and that seemed to calm him down a bit.” He smiled. ”But really, other than a few minor things, I can be as normal as anyone else.”

Remembering that they were supposed to be sharing, Booker squeaked as he grabbed his knife and carefully freed one of the remaining slices from the round dish. Slipping his knife underneath the flat piece, he picked it up and smiled as he reached over and set it on a napkin next to her dish. He gestured to it.

”Please, try it. I didn’t forget…unlike sooooomeone…” His goofiness flared as he grinned and eyed her lasagna. He then opened his mouth, like a baby bird, waiting for her to deposit a chunk of it. She did say she would and Booker always held people to their word.

"Hey now, that's Detective Nurse DJ Firefly Dizzle to you, sir," Juliette joked. Since they were in the process of coming clean about everything, she figured it would be a good place to poke a little bit of fun. She loved that she felt comfortable enough in that situation to be able to do so.

Typically, her codename didn't matter enough to make jokes about. When she was with the X-Men, her codename was just a fact of life. Everyone had one, so it wasn't something that people made a big deal about. Then, when she was anywhere else, she tried not to bring it up for so many reasons. It was strange to be able to talk openly about it to someone who wasn't also on her team.

Her hand had done nothing when held up to the light, which was something that hadn't happened since she was very small. Her mutation was just an expression of herself, so having it turned off was slightly unnerving. It had been so long since she had lived without it that she couldn't imagine what life would be like. In a way, it was like losing a limb or an organ. It was just so present that she, like most mutants, didn't think of what it would be like without it.

Still, if she was going to be entering a relationship that went beyond a date with Booker, then it was something she needed to consider. While her mutation was a part of her, it wasn't the only part of her. She had other things going for her, and she didn't need her mutation to feel useful or alive. Not only that, but she wasn't dependent on her mutation to survive, so losing it while around Booker didn't seem like a horrible trade off. If it meant that she could continue spending time with him, then she didn't mind the idea of not being able to use light for that time.

Of course, her power still came with drawbacks, just as every mutation she'd seen did. If she didn't absorb light, or she absorbed too much, then there were consequences. What would happen when her mutation was shut off? She had no idea. She was willing to find out, though.

Her began to explain to her what it was like to be an adapted on a regular basis and a few tales of how his ability had impacted his life. "Poor kiddo," Juliette mused. She liked kids. She really did. It was also encouraging to see that Booker clearly did too, but that was a thought for other times. Still, she knew first hand how tough it could be to deal with mutant children, so she commended him for his efforts. "It's cool that your ability can be used like that, though."

>>”But really, other than a few minor things, I can be as normal as anyone else.”

She nodded. Much like non-physically mutated mutants, he could get away with leading a regular life without too much hardship. If Juliette had chosen to continue down that path, that was what her life could have looked like too. She had chosen to join a team of mutants and fight for what she believed in, which negated that choice, but she still stood by that decision.

She watched as he handed her a piece of pizza on a napkin, to which she responded by placing a hand over the majority of her face.

>>”Please, try it. I didn’t forget…unlike sooooomeone…”

"I'm sorry!" she enthused with a grin. She really had forgotten. "But in my defence, it's really good. I doubt you'll want to stop eating it either."

He held his mouth open for her like a baby bird, which made her laugh. "Close your mouth!" she laughed, only slightly serious. She cut a piece of lasagne and held it out for him on her fork, holding it with just a few fingers so he could take the utensil from her. Then, she slid the plate forward for him to take more while she picked up the piece of pizza.

>> "Hey now, that's Detective Nurse DJ Firefly Dizzle to you, sir,"

The grin that painted on his lips was pure and honest. Juliette just had a way of making Booker feel good. Maybe it was because she had her own high levels of sass and wit to compete with his own. Not everyone he dated did and, honestly, that ended up being a detriment in the relationship. Being sarcastic and quick tongued was just a natural talent of Booker’s, it wasn’t as if it were something that he could just turn off. However, he was inherently a nice guy so his antics rarely delved into the utterly obnoxious. It was just good to sit across from someone who actually could speak on his level.

When she had inquired as to how being an adapted affected his life, Booker had to take a second to think about it. In truth it really didn’t affect him all that much, and he told her that. Still, there had been some instances where his unspoken abilities had been proven to be of great use. The example he gave of the young boy who was throwing a rather fiery tantrum had come to mind and immediately elicited a compassionate reaction from the nurse.

>> "Poor kiddo,"

He sighed, taking in a deep breath, and nodded his head in agreement. The rest of the librarians thought that maybe the kid had snuck in some matches and had pyro problems. But Booker and the few witnesses who had managed to stay knew the truth. While most were still terrified of the kid, Booker on some level understood that he was just an angry kid who didn’t know how to control himself. That required a calming presence, not an accusing finger.

But such was the way with Booker B. Bookman. He was an adapted, a rare breed of humanity. He took some pride in that, and what he could do when it was necessary, but now he was beginning to wonder just how this would work with Juliette. She was not only a mutant, but an X-Man! Her powers were a requirement to have access to 24/7, right? Still, even after the revelation, she was still here. Maybe she didn’t think it would be that much of an imposition? Part of him wanted to ask but now didn’t seem like the most appropriate time.

Again. This was date one.

Switching gears, Booker couldn’t help but allow himself to get a bit silly. He apologized for not sharing his slice of pizza like he promised and carefully removed a slice from the pie to hand it over to her. He did slip in a small jab that she had apparently forgotten to share with him – a wrong that she immediately seemed to feel bad about.

>> "I'm sorry! But in my defence, it's really good. I doubt you'll want to stop eating it either."

In truth he understood. The pasta here was amazingly good and he knew the addictive quality it possessed. Part of him was certain that the restaurant was under investigation by the D.E.A. but as of yet nothing of importance was found. Still, a promise was a promise so, after making her feel bad about her slip-up, he leaned forward a tick and opened his mouth, wide, waiting for her to actually share the lasagna with him, as she said she would.

>> "Close your mouth!"

The words sounded like those of a chastising mother towards her child, but the grin and the laugh she tried to hide showed that she wasn’t all-together serious or embarrassed by his move. When he watched her cut off a chunk of the delectable pasta and hand her fork over to him, the librarian closed his mouth and grinned. Reaching up, he didn’t take her fork, but instead gently slipped his hand over hers and turned it so that her fork was pointed towards him. It was then that he leaned him, wrapped his lips around the food offering and tugged it off gentle from her fork. His hand still held onto hers as he leaned back and nodded his head.

”Mmmmm…yummy,” he teased playfully. He chewed the chunk more thoroughly before he finally swallowed and sighed. ”See? I told you it was good.” he smiled proudly, again pleased with his choice in venue. He had finally released her hand, returning to his own meal and picking up a slice. ”What about you?” he finally inquired. ”I mean, from what I’ve read about your powers, they sound pretty amazing. But how does that affect your everyday life?”

Juliette held her fork out in front of her so that Booker could take it from her and try her lasagne. She was not about to put it in his mouth for him like a baby bird. There were... too many weird connotations associated with that. Not to mention the fact that they were in public.

It seemed that her date had other plans. Rather than taking the fork from her and eating the piece himself, he took her hand along for the ride. She didn't have to reach far, but it was far enough to make her lift her arm off of the table. She grinned a little bit, feeling her face flush as she watched him. There was something about him that made her willing to keep her hand like that for as long as he wanted her to.

It was apparently longer than she had been anticipating, though. Even after he had leaned back to chew, he held her hand. She didn't mind; it was an unorthodox, but very Booker way of getting a little closer to him. Everything about the date seemed to be very 'Booker', in fact. She liked that.

"That good, huh?" she asked teasingly. She grinned at him from across the table, wanting to remember that moment.

When her hand was released, she set it and the fork back down on the table. With two hands, she picked up the slice of pizza that he'd given her. She bit into it and chewed, nodding toward him as she swallowed. "You were right, it's all really good."

>>”What about you? I mean, from what I’ve read about your powers, they sound pretty amazing. But how does that affect your everyday life?”

She paused for a minute while she thought, setting the pizza back down on her napkin. It was less of a question of whether or not her mutation affected her life, and more of the fact that her mutation was in every faucet of her life. It was hard to go on living and ignore a part of her that was so large. Just as she wouldn't be able to do anything without subconsciously working in the fact that she had two arms and two legs, the same was true about her mutation.

"This is usually the part where I show off and make some tiny ball of light in a public space, but I don't think that's going to be an option," she chuckled quietly. It wasn't going to be as fancy, but she could still explain with words. "Uhm... I guess you could say that it affects everything. I mean, I wouldn't be an X-Man or a health teacher without it, and it's mainly why my mom and I would never stay anywhere for very long when I was growing up. She didn't want anyone to find out."

She took another sip of her drink as she thought of what else to say. Talking about her mom was always bitersweet, but she tried to do it often enough that she wouldn't forget parts of the woman that raised her. Of course, it then made it difficult to think of anything else. It took her a minute before she realized that she was leaving out one of the biggest parts of her mutation.

Juliette took another bite of her pizza, swallowed, and then continued. "My mutation also needs a bit of special attention. I can absorb light and use it, but I have to be careful about how much I absorb. It's almost like it exists on an equilibrium; too much on either direction and there are consequences. Basically, I just have to make sure that I always fall in a safe range."

She shrugged and turned back to her meal. It was strange not being able to feel her powers. In that moment, she wasn't even sure where she fell on the scale.

Mmm, the lasagna was far too good. Booker chewed on it thoughtfully for a few seconds and in that passage of time, he felt as if maybe he had made the wrong decision. Maybe he should have ordered the lasagna instead of the pizza. However, he knew that it was just a momentary regret. The pizza was equally amazing, he was only lamenting right now because he couldn’t really have both. He would have to sate his unreasonable hunger with just the small offering Juliette passed over to him. It was only a morsel but it was still enough to make the man breath deep in satisfaction. It really was good, a point which Juliette would bring up.

>>"That good, huh?"

He grinned as he finished chewing and swallowed the piece. ”Primo,” he said as he gave her a thumbs up.

Booker then eagerly awaited as he watched his date reached for the slice of pizza that he had offered to her. She took it up in her hands, delicately, and lifted it up to her lips where she took the first bite. It was only a few seconds after that he could see the satisfaction cross her features. It was a good slice of pizza and she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Maybe she was having the same moral conundrum he had had a second ago, lamenting over the path not taken. But there was always next time.

>> "You were right, it's all really good."

He beamed proudly. ”I told you. I stumbled across it one day. The other two restaurants,” he pointed out the window to the others that were embedded in nearby walls, exactly like this. ”Are just as good. Just…” he leaned in to whisper to her. ”Don’t say that outloud. Remember, they’re all still rivals.”

He leaned back in his chair and went back to his meal. Now that she knew all about him and how his gift had affected his life, he wanted to know about her. This was new information, after all, that she was a mutant, so exactly how did being a mutant affect her life? He knew it was different for a lot of people. Example, the Russian woman he had met some time ago, Svetlana, she always felt her powers on and she had explained the difficulties of it. It managed to affect people around her in some negative ways. Was that the same for Juliette? He had to wonder.

>>"This is usually the part where I show off and make some tiny ball of light in a public space, but I don't think that's going to be an option…Uhm... I guess you could say that it affects everything. I mean, I wouldn't be an X-Man or a health teacher without it, and it's mainly why my mom and I would never stay anywhere for very long when I was growing up. She didn't want anyone to find out."

Booker listened attentively. Quietly he sipped on his soda, he didn’t munch too loudly, instead he just wanted to be in the moment and not interrupt from. From the sounds of it, he was missing out on a light show (which would have been amazingly awesome) but she seemed to owe a lot to her gift. Booker could respect that and nodded his head understandingly. However, it did seem that when she started to speak about her mom that she got a little quieter. Apparently her mom wanted it to remain a secret.

He lifted his eyebrows at that revelation but the man wouldn’t judge one way or the other. While it was unfortunately for a mutant to hide their abilities, honestly it might have been for a very good reason. In some ways he understood but also his relationship with his own parents was very different. Juliette may very well thank her mother for doing that, while Booker disliked his parents immensely for what they did in trying to hide his sister’s orientation and want to transition. It was a slippery slope and, until he had more information, he simply remained passive and gave off a neutral, ”Wow…” in response, to at least show that, yes, he was listening.

>> "My mutation also needs a bit of special attention. I can absorb light and use it, but I have to be careful about how much I absorb. It's almost like it exists on an equilibrium; too much on either direction and there are consequences. Basically, I just have to make sure that I always fall in a safe range."

So her powers did require some attention and maintenance. For a second there Booker felt a little bad. Just sitting with him, even across a table, was depriving her of her abilities. If she needed to actively keep things at a certain level, then what was sitting near him doing to her? His head was a confusing beehive of thoughts as he tried to quiet the voice that was telling him this was a bad idea. That he should just end things here and spare her the trouble later on. After all, the last thing he would ever want to do is put someone in harm’s way just by being around.

However, despite all that, the man knew that he needed to give her the benefit of making up her own mind. This wasn’t something he could just decide on his own, they both were attracted to one another. She had a say in this too, didn’t she? If she felt like she could handle it, then who was he to tell her otherwise?

”Sounds a little exhausting,” he said finally, taking another bite of his pizza. This was definitely not making it home (sorry sis!). Still, for as much as he wanted to respect her and her decision, he had to inquire about something. Taking a breath he cause her gaze with his luminescent eyes and gave her a small, comforting smile. ”I have to ask, so please forgive me, but…” he gestured between the two of them. ”If…you need to take such care about how much you absorb and don’t…will…we be an issue?”

It was the elephant in the room. And it was one that needed to be addressed. Though this was only one date, chemistry was clearly there and with that would come with the want to spend more time together. But, if it was something that would be detrimental to the hot and amazing X-Man-Nurse-DJ-Dizzle, then that needed to be discussed.

>>”I told you. I stumbled across it one day. The other two restaurants... Are just as good. Just… Don’t say that outloud. Remember, they’re all still rivals.”

Juliette nodded and placed a finger on her lips. "Mum's the word," she nodded. They wouldn't be kicked out of there on her account. "Maybe we'll have to try the other places at some point." She very much liked the idea of an encore engagement with him.

She had gone through the parts of her life that were tied directly to her mutation, good and bad. Talking about it always brought up memories of her mom, though, which could be hard. While she didn't always completely agree with the decisions that she'd made, she understood that everything her mom had done had been with her best interests in mind. Juliette could walk around freely as a mutant if she wanted to, but that hadn't always been the case.

Parents could either make or break you, but no matter what, they were a part of who you were. Juliette was thankful that she'd had a parent that cared enough to make sacrifices for her, even if she'd been far from perfect. She'd been lucky enough to have her for a while. Not everyone got to say that about their parent.

She'd gone on to describe the problems that her mutation gave her, though she didn't go into great detail. It could be tricky, but for the most part, she'd learned to manage it. Though it had been giving her more problems of late...

>>”I have to ask, so please forgive me, but… If…you need to take such care about how much you absorb and don’t…will…we be an issue?”

Juliette blinked. Would they be an issue? She was sitting there, in his adapted field, and she had no idea what state her mutation was in. Was she low on energy? If she was, she couldn't feel it. Perhaps, when she stayed in the adapted field, her energy level just stayed as it had been before. That would be the best case scenario, anyway.

Of course, there were still other options to consider. She hadn't spent a ton of time around adapteds before. Sure, she'd stayed in the adapted field around Gemma's office for a time before, but not long enough for her to figure out what effect it would have on her. She was essentially flying blind with Booker.

"I... have no idea," she admitted, smiling shyly and shrugging her shoulders a bit. "I'm willing to find out, though." She reached across the table once again and took Booker's hand in hers. It felt right to be holding it again.

Whatever came, she was willing to try it. It couldn't possibly be that bad, right? Either way, it would be worth finding out if it meant more time spent with Booker.

Honestly he felt a little stupid for having brought up such a serious subject in the middle of their date. However, the logical part of him was sure that this was a question that really needed to be considered if they were actually going to see this thing through. If being around him was going to prove bad for her, well, Booker didn’t want to cause the lovely woman any harm. And if that were the case it was better to find out now, before they got too involved. It would hurt if it were decided that it was too much to bear but it was better than him actively putting the woman’s life into turmoil.

So he asked. He felt his stomach toss and churn before dropping as he looked over Juliette in thought. He could see that she was taking his words into careful consideration. For a moment he actually figured that maybe she would admit that this was probably a foolish idea, but instead she reached over and placed her hand over his again. The words that came from her lips couldn’t be been sweet…and more hopeful…

>> "I... have no idea…I'm willing to find out, though."

He smiled. Genuinely he smiled as the light and glee filled his eyes. It was a risk. He understood that. Juliette understood that. But if she were willing to see where this would go, then so was he. With a careful grin the man turned his hand to take up hers. Gently he lifted it to his lips and pressed them against her knuckles.

”Me too…”

---

The rest of their late lunch / early dinner had gone on very well from that point. The two of them enjoyed their respective meals and continued to chat and share. Before they knew it, the two of them had spent enough time for the light outside to begin to die down. They occupied that table as if it were their own personal space; they were the only two who existed in this space and, within it, they laughed, they joked, Booker made silly faces and Juliette made her cheeks sore from grinning. However, eventually, when their meals had ben fully devoured, the two of them had finally decided that they should leave; and yet neither were willing to end the date before twilight.

A walk. That would use up some more time, wouldn’t it? Maybe a walk at night in New York City wouldn’t be the most advisable but with Juliette’s combat experience and Booker’s impressive stature, that should have been enough to scare off any would-be mugger or crystal winged demoness. So, with only the breeze of the night to guide them, the two set out from the tiny, hole-in-the-wall restaurant (promises made to one another that they would return to try the others) and towards the only place they could think of walking off such a meal – Central Park.

Booker was all smiles as he started to explain his latest exploits at a recent comic book convention. He showed her a picture on his cellphone, fawning over the costume that he had designed. Of course it didn’t occur to him to feel any shame given the fact that his costume was that of The Atlantean, which really only consisted of coral bracelets, fake ears, and a very small, green scaled speedo. The costume actually did a fairly good job of showing off Booker’s impressive physique, but that wasn’t his purpose in showing it off…

”Those bracelets are amazing, aren’t they?” he said with a proud smile as he showed his phone to the nurse. ”Made them myself out of plastic and foam. My friend was soooo impressed. I actually think she was a bit jealous…” he beamed.

Shaking his head he sighed and took his phone back, slipping them into his back pocket. They had just walked onto one of the many paths leading through Central Park. All around them could be see the sprawling green grasses and the clumps of trees with their thick foliage. People jogged on these lit paths, other were gathered together having fun with on-going parties, and still others just reclined upon blankets and stared up at the dying light in the sky above. Surrounded on all sides by the towering structures of the city, each darkening obelisk filled with the starlight of offices and rooms with lit up windows; truly it was an awe-inspiring and beautiful sight.

Booker sighed heavenly as he strolled alongside Juliette. One hand holding onto the strap of his bag and the other slipped into his pocket, idly turning his phone from left to right. It amazed him to believe that so much time had passed since he and Juliette first met up. Where had the day gone?

He smirked as he turned glance at Juliette. Even in the dimming rays of light, the woman looked radiant. ”Umm…I’m…having a good time…by the way…” he said a bit shyly. He chuckled awkwardly and turned his head. ”Just…wanted to say that. I know you’ve been on pins and needles wondering.” A sassy grin. He couldn’t help himself.

The meal seemed to move too fast. Booker made jokes, Juliette laughed, and the more they talked, the clearer it became to Juliette that she was in the right place. She'd made the right decision by putting herself out there and risking everything, and this was the payout. She got to enjoy Booker's company.

Sooner than she would have liked, they were out of food, and thus, reasons to take up one of the sparse tables at the tiny restaurant. With the help of a subtle glare from the waitress and the placement of their check at the table, the two made the obvious decision to leave. Leave the restaurant, anyway. Neither was ready to go home yet.

They were walking through Central Park, Booker with his phone out, explaining a recent trip to a comic convention. While Juliette didn't know a ton about things like that, she really didn't mind listening. Or looking at Booker's costume for said convention... it was very small...

>>”Those bracelets are amazing, aren’t they? Made them myself out of plastic and foam. My friend was soooo impressed. I actually think she was a bit jealous…”

"That's really cool," Juliette enthused, still looking at the picture. The speedo was doing only good things for Booker's image. She was surprised that he was able to leave the convention single. And by the fact that his friend had arrived as his friend and left as just his friend. It must've been a room of people with amazing willpower. "Did they take you long to make? And do you go all out for all the conventions that you attend?"

He put his phone away, making Juliette look up at the sky. The sun was lowering on the horizon, meaning that the sunset would be following it soon enough. Usually, that would be the point in time when Juliette would consider calling it a night and locking herself in a brightly lit room. Staying out in the dark was not something that she liked to do, no matter how many streetlights New York boasted.

Why was she scared of the dark, though? Was it part of her mutation? A side effect? Or had it just spiralled because of her abilities? What did she really have to be afraid of if she didn't have her powers?

That notion didn't stop her from being less terrified of it, but it gave her a new bit of resolve. She was going to stay outside longer than she usually did, and she wasn't going to let herself freak out. She was going to stay out with Booker and enjoy the night, not worrying about the fact that it was dark outside. Well, she would try to, anyway.

>>”Umm…I’m…having a good time…by the way… Just…wanted to say that. I know you’ve been on pins and needles wondering.”

"I was. I was really, really worried," Juliette played along with a grin. She let her hand hang at her side, trying to signal that it was alright if he wanted to hold it. It was harder to make a move bigger than that when he had his hands doing other things. "I'm having a good time too."

The park was filled with other people that evening, which was to be expected. Tourists tended to flock to the area, and there were always locals doing something there. Juliette didn't mind, though. It was hard to notice them when her attention was being so entirely monopolized.

Something else did catch her eye, though. A street performer was setting up their instrument just in front of them, meaning that they would soon be able to watch some live music while enjoying the scenery. "Do you want to stop and watch?" Juliette asked. It seemed like it would be a good addition to what they were already up to.

At the time Booker honestly saw nothing wrong with sharing the photo with Juliette. Somewhere he understood that she was basically seeing him in no clothing except for bracelets, winged sandals, and a speedo, but he mind was just set on showing Juliette a part of his life that was important to him – conventions. Booker had always been a big fan of them, throwing himself fully into the experience. Not everyone liked to piece together costumes and dress up like he did, but it was still an important part of him. It was only fair that Juliette know that now...if they were going to continue to date, she was going to have to be in costume.

But she was an X-Man so hopefully it would be a state of dress she wasn’t too annoyed by.

Watching her expression as he explained about the bracelets seemed to be fairly encouraging. Clearly she knew craftsmanship when she saw it.

>> "That's really cool…Did they take you long to make? And do you go all out for all the conventions that you attend?"

”Thank ya!” he grinned wide. He then turned his attention ahead, almost side-by-side with Juliette as he went into explaining the process. ”Oh it didn’t take too long? Two, maybe three weeks? But that was only because I was busy at work. We were getting ready for a new display and we were all running around like chickens with our heads cut off.” He chuckled. ”But, yeah, just plastic molding, foam, and paint. OH and a patience.”

Before long the duo found themselves strolling through the green spaces of Central Park. The sounds of the foliage rustling nearby, of the people as they laughed and chatted away. Covered under a blanket of dying light, Booker found himself unable to really look away from the woman near him. When he caught her eye again, the man smiled a bit shyly, looking just a little awkward before he admitted the one thing he had been really wanting to say for the last bit that they were together – he was having a good time.

That was a big step for Booker. Of course he was often free with his feelings but there seemed to be a bit more gravity to this. While it should have gone unsaid just judging from their laughter and smiles, the librarian still wanted her to know, without doubt, he was enjoying his time with her. He could only hope that she felt the same way.

>> "I was. I was really, really worried,.. I'm having a good time too."

The words were amazing to hear. His smile broaden and he found himself feeling an infectious giddiness creep up his spine. He actually wanted to dance a little. But, he managed to control himself, for the most part, there was still a slight skip in his step but it only momentary. What he did notice, however, was her free hand suddenly hanging by her side. Part of him wanted to overthink this, to analyze it and ensure it was the best move to make – but other side of him simply just told him to go with the flow.

It wasn’t all that hard of a movement. Releasing his phone into his pocket, Booker let his hand hang by his own side as he strolled next to her. One second there was an expanse of space that felt eternal, and the next his hand slipped into hers, his fingers curling around to hold. Just like before he could feel that strange spark that emitted whenever the two of them touched. It was such a soft and gentle gesture, but still it cause a small fire to course just under the surface of his skin. He smiled, not looking at her, but looking down, still walking, but this time, hand-in-hand.

They only made it a few more steps in this manner before the sounds of someone setting up equipment began to draw their attention. Booker lifted his head, along with Juliette, as they turned off to the side. There they could see that one of the park musicians was seemingly setting up.

>> "Do you want to stop and watch?"

Booker nodded. ”Of course,” he gave her a grin as the duo came to halt. Still he held onto Juliette’s hand in a tender manner, his eyes drifting over to the musician. ”I love coming here on days off. Sometimes they have some pretty great artists.” He then paused, thinking back to the last time he actually watched a bad street performer, he juggled chickens while playing the cymbals with his knees. ”God I hope it’s not that chicken guy again…”

Booker was a passionate guy. Nothing that he did was half-done or poorly thought out. Everything that he got his hands on received the same attentive care that he had demonstrated with just the few things that Juliette had seen him do. It was inspiring, really. She wished that she had the kind of resolve to be able to put that kind of effort into everything she did.

Case and point were the bracelets. Three weeks was a hell of a long time to be working on something like that, in Juliette's opinion, but clearly, the work had paid off for him. The costume looked really cool. Not to mention all the great things that it did to display his physique.

To Juliette's relative disappointment, he put away the phone. It was probably a good thing, though. The picture was far too distracting, and she might not have been able to look away if he kept it out. Her face felt a little bit warmer, though. She just hoped that it didn't also look warm.

Like she'd been hoping, he took her hand in his, which made a shiver run up her spine. She looked up and smiled at him, only to find that he was looking at the ground already. Shyly, she did the same, having only blushed a little bit. She ran her thumb lightly over his hand as they walked forward.

>>”Of course... I love coming here on days off. Sometimes they have some pretty great artists. God I hope it’s not that chicken guy again…”

She laughed. Central Park was a great place to run in the early morning, so it was a place that she visited somewhat often. the chicken guy was not something that she recognized, though. "What did the chicken guy do? Don't tell me he was dressed like a chicken..." she groaned. That would be an image. Really not one that she would want to see, though.

The performer was not the chicken guy. It was a young woman that looked to be in her early twenties, who, within seconds, was joined by three other performers. Quickly and quietly, they set up two violins, a viola, a cello, and four stands, and they were ready to go. The first girl counted them in for four beats, and they began. Juliette recognized the song that they played, but she couldn't quite place it.

"This is lovely," Juliette smiled, taking in the scene. The music was the perfect accompaniment for the surroundings. Despite the fact that it was about to be dark out, Juliette couldn't help but realize how gorgeous it all was; the green foliage that had peeked out for the summer, the people that were beginning to stop to listen, hell, even the geese seemed less awful.

The hand holding was nice. Unlike before, it wasn’t some quick little graze or touch that they experimented with doing, but it was full on holding one another’s hands and it felt absolutely amazing. Booker was all smiles, looking down to the ground, feeling her thumb as she ran it across the sensitive skin. It felt just so right and perfect and the librarian hoped that it wouldn’t end any time soon. And, judging from the shy glances that Juliette was giving him, it didn’t seem like that would be the case any time soon.

He was fine with that.

Onward they strolled, the two of them surrounded by nature, civilization, and the impending night. It was truly a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight. As they continued on, however, the both of them were pulled to a stop thanks to their curiosity. There was a musician, setting up some equipment as she prepared for an impromptu show. Juliette inquired if he wanted to stay and watch; being a great fan of music, how could he possibly say no? Besides, he was always interested in street performances – well, most of them.

He was immediately taken back to an instant several months back where he had taken an extra long lunch break and was strolling through this very park. Some ways in, he came across a similar performer setting up, with several other people milling about, waiting to see would come of it. It took a few minutes for Booker, and the rest of the people gathered, to realize that yes, this man with cymbals attacked to the insides of his knees was also pulling three very large, fat hens from cages under a cloth.

Oh it was a most terrible sight. The clucking, the cymbal crashes, the flying white feathers, Booker, like everyone else, ran when the chickens had finally turned on their handler. The humanity…

>> "What did the chicken guy do? Don't tell me he was dressed like a chicken..."

Shaken from his memories, Booker sighed, looking a bit disturbed but smiling down at the nurse. ”Worse…” he grumbled. ”He juggled them.” A visible shudder shot through his body

Watching in awe, Booker grinned a bit when the women who was setting up was joined by three others, each of them producing classical instruments such as a the violin and the cello. This was turning into a very, very interesting time. He tilted his head, curious as to what they were going to play, but did note that given their setting, it would be a perfect fit. He glanced to Juliette, smiling softly; yeah, absolutely perfect.

Once the performance started, it was hard to not get swept into it. The performers played with such majesty and elegance that Booker just had to close his eyes. He swayed a little bit, still holding onto Juliette’s hand. The tune was so beautiful and so familiar at the same thing that he tried to recall why it sounded familiar. The seconds ticked away before he realized that he did know this song; however this rendition was his new favorite. He would never forget it as it would forever have a place in the corner of his mind.

>>"This is lovely,"

”It is…” Booker agreed warmly. He still felt entrapped by the music as it unfurled and curled around like him a serpent pulling him closer. His ears tickled, but it only caused him glee to fill his eyes. This really was a perfect capstone to his evening with Juliette…but there was a way to make it just slightly better.

Still swaying, Boooker finally tore his eyes away from the quartet and turned his attention back to her. Her attention seemed to be solely upon the music makers. Taking advantage of her distract, the librarian pulled the strap of his bag off his body with his free hand and set it carefully on the ground next to him. He didn’t have fear of it getting stolen as everyone was focused solely on the musicians. Free of his bag, he turned his body to face Juliette, holding up the hand he held and giving it a soft kiss on the knuckles.

”M’lady…” he said with tenderness in his eyes. While the music still played, bowed his head and spoke. ”…may I have this dance?”

"Wait, he juggled real chickens? Or just those plastic ones?" Juliette asked, raising her eyebrow at the thought. There were some weird things on the streets of New York, but she'd never heard anything quite that weird. It was amazing what the city could still surprise her with.

The music was distracting enough to make her completely forget about the chicken man. The performers began to move along with the flow of the music, swaying and dipping their bows as they went. It was truly an incredible performance.

Juliette had been content to stand there, holding Booker's hand as they listened. She would have been content to spend the whole night like that, just listening and enjoying. In fact, she was sure that she could have stayed in that moment forever and watched the sun go down. Of all things. She wasn't even worried as much as she usually was.

Contentment wasn't always the best approach, though. Sometimes, there were better things in store.

She turned slightly when she heard a bag drop, but didn't think too much of it when she saw that Booker had just taken it off and set it down next to him. She figured that he likely just didn't want the extra weight on him as he listened to the music. It didn't make a lot of sense in a crowded park, but she wasn't about to stop him from doing it. She would, however, try to stop anyone that tried to take it.

It was when he turned to face her and kissed her knuckles that she realized why he had dropped his bag. He was asking her to dance. In the middle of a park. To live music. Against a sunset. How was she supposed to say no to that? (And why would she want to?)

"Of course you may," Juliette smiled, her cheeks flushing. She was hardly a dancer, but she would make do. Especially if he was going to lead. So long as it wasn't something that required an intimate knowledge of dance steps, then she was good to go.

She placed her free hand on his shoulder and looked up at him with a grin. "This is almost too perfect," she commented as she looked from him to the surroundings and back. It was so rare that everything worked out like that; a perfect evening that seemed to be only able to move onto better things. Maybe it was all just a dream. Or a Binge movie. "Are you sure it isn't planned?"