She had nothing to do. Today was looking up by Jude's estimation. Sure, the Mansion trip had taken him longer than he'd initially wanted, but there'd been some unexpected perks... He tried not to grin too readily at the biggest perk he'd found so far.

> "August 30th. What about yours?"

"July 25th." They were hardly a month apart. And he was older. Not older by how old he felt inside, but actually, legitimately older in physicaly years. That was new. He didn't feel like some pervvy old man or that he was skating some line he shouldn't have. They were the same actual freaking age. "I turned 18 not too long ago."

He snorted, but reserved comment about the 'professional training' she might encounter here. "They actually teach powers pretty well since most teachers are powered. Get some time in the danger room. You're old enough, all you have to do is sign up and sign some permission forms. That'll be your best safe space."

When Jude backed into a sea of flowers, he knew he had to turn around because they were almost to the back porch. It wasn't the door they came out from, but it was a pretty central hub since it connected to the space between the kitchen and the living area. It was a good thing too that he had a moment to turn around and get a handle on himself after Celestina asked about why he'd been gone. He supposed that he'd walked right into that one.

"My X-men team leader took me up to some kind of wilderness in Canada for a test? I guess?" He skimmed his hands along the tops of the flowers which were almost waist high in some places and all colors: blue, orange, white, purple, red...

"I trusted him to do some things. He let me down time and time again. So I quit the test and walked home. From Canada. It... took a while. Some of the things he wanted to teach me about survival I had to learn on the way back anyway, so I guess he got his point across in the end. I just hope he got mine."

You are sick. Go get help. was what his final communication with Sam had said, if the team leader had even bothered to read it.

She grinned, "Awe, you're only just a hair older than me." That was good. He wasn't 17 or anything, which was nice. It probably made him comfortable knowing she was 18, too. The whole 18-17 got into some sketchy lines sometimes, at least when it came to governments it seemed. She giggled, "Happy belated birthday." 

She gave him a timid grin and she laughed, "Hey, don't judge me too much, I've only practiced on plants and it was... depressing, to say the least. Anything has to be better than that. Preferably without having to kill a bunch of plants..." Hopefully, at least. That was how she learned to control her powers - she focused on weeds and flowers. One time, she focused on her mother's garden in retribution to how she was treating her. When her mother saw her radioactive wasteland of dead plants, she was furious. At least it elicited a reaction out of her though.  A pretty bad month for Celeste, to say the least.

She watched as they walked, she saw the mansion getting bigger and bigger until they were pretty much at the back porch.

Celeste wasn't really prepared for that. She arched her eyebrow, her face became very serious. He took him to Canada for a survival thing? What kind of school was this, actually? That was really jacked up. Then he walked back here from Canada? That had to be a journey, a fairly terrible journey honestly. Did he have any money? His IDs? No wonder he didn't have good opinions about the group. Celeste didn't really know the circumstances but there was no excuse to bring a kid into the middle of nowhere and then expect them to just live. 

"That... Is insane." She had to think about what to say next because she was fairly surprised. She was expecting work, or exploring, or anything but getting sent into the wilderness for a 'test'? This wasn't Boy Scouts and it sure didn't seem like a reasonable test, at least in our time frame. The school literally had a holographic danger room, simulating environments for that type of stuff. "Just wow... That's really jacked up, pretty disgusting, honestly... I hope he did, too. That wasn't right." She really wasn't sure what else to say about it, "But I'm glad you made it back safely." That was the important thing, though. He didn't get physically harmed at least. 

She walked up onto the back porch and started to open the door to go into the Mansion, before pausing to wait for Jude. Looks like things definitely weren't exactly what they seemed at the school.  

> "Hey, don't judge me too much, I've only practiced on plants..."

"Honestly, I'd be afraid to practice anywhere outside the Danger Room until I had some answers. Radiation is some pretty scary stuff, uh, but maybe because I don't really understand it, you know?" He probably walked that back a bit late, but he tried at least.

> "That... Is insane."

"Yup." And he popped the 'p' on his yup just because he was feeling saucy about the whole thing. Saucy was better than angry. "That was after I got shoved out of a plane too. But, honestly, I wouldn't have had the guts to strike out on my own if I hadn't had such a terrible time and nothing helps you make up your mind like a couple weeks of walking."

Jude tapped up the deck stairs but was too slow to grab open the back door for Celestina. Instead, she got it for him and it easily kicked him out of what was setting up to be a good brood. Just seeing her smile reminded him that of course she'd been on his side. She'd only heard his side of things.

"Look. I don't want my bad experience to impede what might be a cool thing for you. I guess... keep an open mind in classes and stuff?" Not everybody was all bad. Or all good. That was his lesson hard won.

And, to walk faster when there were doors to be opened. Jude got the next one, the door that separated the eating area from the administrative hall where DocProf's clinic was and grinned about his triumph. DocProf was in.

Since the door was already open, there was no need to race for that one.

"Thank goodness."

The geezer glanced between the two of them and noticing that nothing appeared out of order, he resigned himself to the usual. "High five?"

"High five." Jude and DocProf high fived which was one of the safest ways for Jude to make sure he got the correct power when multiple mutants were around. Clearly, they done this before. "DocProf, please meet Celestina. She may have questions for you...?" He opened the floor in case she wanted her answers now.

>> "Honestly, I'd be afraid to practice anywhere outside the Danger Room until I had some answers. Radiation is some pretty scary stuff, uh, but maybe because I don't really understand it, you know?"

She giggled quietly. It was a bit amusing to Celeste how he tried to spin that comment. People tended to get freaked out, scared, or feel some type of way about her mutation. It was a reasonable assumption - radiation isn't a safe thing to be around, after all. "It doesn't seem like it leaves any permanent damage, at least from what I can tell. Unless, you know, it kills first. I don't have enough power to actually kill someone. I can make them really sick for a little bit, but that's about it." She shrugged. "It's really good at stopping someone in their tracks, though. Not to mention, it's kinda pretty too. Sparkles on my arms."

Celeste was pretty upset over the treatment of Jude. There really wasn't any excuses, at least in Celestinas mind, that someone should be subject to that kind of situation. It honestly made her pretty pissed off at the idea of a teacher doing something like that. Jude seemed to be at least okay with the situation - he saw the good in it and that was the first step in anything.

>> "That was after I got shoved out of a plane too. But, honestly, I wouldn't have had the guts to strike out on my own if I hadn't had such a terrible time and nothing helps you make up your mind like a couple weeks of walking."

Really, that shouldn't have surprised Celeste considering he got left in the wilderness in Canada and had to trek back. Celeste shook her head, "You're going to have to give me more details later about this stuff because this is just crazy." Celeste just couldn't get over it. She respected that he learned from it though. She nodded, "That's good... I mean, sometimes it does take a pretty traumatic event to kinda push you over the edge. To give you that strength that you need to just get on with your life." Her breaking point was when her sister asked her why her parents would always keep them separated. Not nearly as how brave or dangerous as Jude's story. She scoffed playfully for a minute, "You're definitely the brave one here." She meant that. She couldn't imagine being shoved off a plane or trekking from Canada back to NY. She got on a bus and hoped for the best.

>> "Look. I don't want my bad experience to impede what might be a cool thing for you. I guess... keep an open mind in classes and stuff?" 

Celeste gave him a warm smile, "I won't. I'm open to most things so long as it's reasonable. It's just insane what happened to you. If they expect me to do any crazy stuff like that, no way Jose." She shook her head. She was not about to go out into some wilderness, living with the forest, bugs, and bears and golly knows what else. Celeste liked civilization and she intended to stay in it. She gave Jude a quiet "thank you" when he opened the door for her - what a gentleman.

Celestina chuckled at their exchange - no hellos, nothing, just 'high five.' Made sense, really. Jude was coming to nab his powers, Doc Prof was fine giving it to him. Celeste wasn't ready for the sudden introduction and the Q&A Jude thrusted on her. She gave a timid wave to Doc Prof, "Hi, yes, nice to meet you, Doc Prof. Ummm... So... I have a mutation which is basically radiation. So, my insides are all full of it, I can release it and absorb it, that kinda fun stuff. I was wondering how it'd effect everything inside." She motioned around her stomach to emphasize her point. "So I did have a few questions regarding it, but" she glanced over to Jude, "I can come back another time when we have more time and stuff." 

OIe' Doc Prof nodded and listened intently. He rubbed his chin with his hand, "Well, first things first I gotta get my rad suit out. Make sure it'll still fit me. Come back later today or in a few days and we can see what's going on in there." He glanced over to Jude, "I only have one suit that would fit probably only me, so you'd have to wait outside if you come back with her. To be on the safe side. Anyways, is that all? Bye now." 

Celeste gave a smile, "Thanks, Doc Prof." She turned her attention back to Jude, "Well... Now that that's out of the way... You have his powers now..?" She presumed the transfer happened when they high fived. Pretty awesome way of transferring powers, honestly. 

Sparkles, huh? It really was all about the bling. It was a general comfort to have his assumption confirmed that Celestina wasn't a danger to the kids here. Or to anybody else, via ehr power. Some powers were practically self-destructive while others learned to compensate for what might cause them issue. He supposed that was all a part of evolution. Not every permutation of species survived, after all.

> "You're going to have to give me more details later about this stuff because this is just crazy."

"Yeah pretty crazy." But he'd probably deflect her attempts to wheedle more information, at least until she had a chance to form her own opinions. It was never cool to be the guy that just complained all the time. He was sort of over it. At least, he wanted to move past it, so that meant leaving all that behind.

> "You're definitely the brave one here."

That made him laugh. "Pretty sure no one has ever said that about me before. Ever."

She was worried that something similar might happen to her and that too made him laugh. "Well, there's one big easy way to avoid it: don't join the X-men. Simple as that. I wanted to help people. Seems like I should eb able to, right? They do that sometimes at great personal cost and a few heart attack moments. That's supposedly what I was learning out there. I guess I kinda did? Anyway, it's not all celebrity brunches and movie deals. There's a reason why we have DocProf..." Who was the very man they both needed to see.

Jude watched Celestina and DocProf's exchange. The way DocProf watched him. The way Celestina said "we"... Even DocProf was expecting him to come back with her. Maybe that was a hint or a dig? Jude was perfectly fine not being here thankyouverymuch.

"I'll be good and stay outside if I'm here, but you know I do have a job." Which had set his phone off in his pocket a few times and which he'd staunchly been ignoring since ice cream was put on the table. "I can't just be hanging around here all the time."

DocProf's sassy mhmm was nothing short of expected. Jude was just glad he hadn't pulled him aside to talk hypothetical mutant birds and bees in relation to a girl he'd met like 5 seonds ago.

> "Well... Now that that's out of the way... You have his powers now..?"

"Yeah, it's ice cream time. Uh. Would it be totally lame to take the bus into town? Our other option is to steal a car from the garage and drive without a license."

A softly chiding "I heard that." came wafting from the good doctor's office as they walked away and it only made Jude smile all over again as they made their way toward the grand front entrance.

His reactions to her powers was well enough, even though he didn't seem to understand it completely. Well, she didn't really understand them either. She could control them but she didn't really understand the underlying mechanics. Come to think of it, it would be a little weird to get poked and prodded by Doc Prof. She was use to doctors wearing radiation suits around her, but they never really looked into it - it was get her basic and then out, out, out. Which, really, was fine with Celeste.

Celeste nodded. It was pretty crazy. But everything happens for a reason, right? At least that is what she always tells herself.

>> "Pretty sure no one has ever said that about me before. Ever."

She giggled, "Well, consider it a first. Maybe someone has but you just weren't listening," she teased. Worst case, he was a strong person. There's no argument about that, at least from what he had told her about his... situations.

>> "Well, there's one big easy way to avoid it: don't join the X-men. Simple as that. I wanted to help people. Seems like I should eb able to, right? They do that sometimes at great personal cost and a few heart attack moments. That's supposedly what I was learning out there. I guess I kinda did? Anyway, it's not all celebrity brunches and movie deals. There's a reason why we have DocProf..."

She nodded, a bit more serious. She wouldn't say no but she definitely wouldn't say yes. She had never really thought about it until their earlier conversation. She wouldn't mind to help them out in certain situations, but she wasn't attached to the X-Men in any serious way. She was here to finish school, hone her powers, and then probably move on. Maybe still help out of the school after she graduated. At least if they let her, anyways. "Very fair points." 

Celeste chuckled at their exchange, but she wasn't prepared for the sassy mhmm from DocProf. It took a second, but it hit Celeste that she had presumed that Jude would be coming back with her... To the doctor? That was kinda weird. Oh well, it'd be a fun to find out how a human nuclear rod functioned without breaking out in massive cancer. Speaking of work, though, she furrowed her brow, "Wait, don't you have to work today? Do you have time for ice cream and stuff?" 

>> "Yeah, it's ice cream time. Uh. Would it be totally lame to take the bus into town? Our other option is to steal a car from the garage and drive without a license."

She shrugged, a big grin across her face, "I'm trying to avoid getting expelled before my first day of classes. Of course... Doc Prof just stopped that idea..." She chuckled and gave a smirk. She didn't really like buses but she tolerated them. At least she wouldn't be alone on a smelly bus. "To the bus stop!" 

Back through the hallways and back to the grand entrance. What a day today was turning out to be! 

"DocProf is a classic meddling old man," Jude made sure to talk loudly enough for his voice to carry down the hallway. "He loves poking around in people's love lives so be on your guard otherwise you'll land in an embarrassing conversation about why you and so-n-so haven't kissed."

Jude pulled open the front doors with more than a little dramatic flair. The breeze had the last lazy bit of summer heat which made it all the more delicious to step out of the gloomy over wood paneled Mansion and back into the light.

"We weren't even dating." He offered the information voluntarily, lest Celestina get the wrong impression of him and his lips. "She probably wasn't even interested."

> "Wait, don't you have to work today? Do you have time for ice cream and stuff?"

His smile spread to something on the edge of mischief as they made their way down the front porch and across the front lawn.

"I do have work, but I can make time. I have some flexibility in my hours, especially since just about anything is closer than here." The Mansion was tucked pretty far out of the way and hell on his bus budget. Arriving by wing helped some, but only one way.

"I also have some latitude because I helped heal my boss out of the hospital recently." He waggled his fingers at Celestina and then had to use them to get through the pedestrian gate. "I needed him to sign papers." He insisted, as if that had been the only reason to do such a thing.

> "To the bus stop!"

"To the bus stop!" He echoed. "What borough are you in? We could find an ice cream spot somewhere between you and me."

Celeste giggled as Jude talked down the hallway to Doc Prof and shook her head, "He seems like a sweet guy. Plus, he seems like he cares, too. Also, nothing wrong with pushing two people to a little kiss." She shrugged. He fixed people's bodies, she was sure he probably helped mend hearts every now and then too. Or maybe the guidance counselor helped more with that? She shrugged. She didn't hear Doc Prof make a come back so either he didn't hear him, he didn't bother replying, or she didn't hear Doc Prof. She imagined she'd probably have plenty of embarrassing conversation with Doc Prof when he actually examined her anyways. Doctors tended to be freaked out over her - unsure if they're safe or not. Completely understandable, but Doc Prof seemed like he didn't care that much. Well, he did want a rad suit, so he was prepared for starters. Surprisingly, doctors typically don't have radiation suits. Maybe that isn't that surprising...

The outside air was still warm. The climate here was pretty enjoyable - it got pretty cold in Regina fairly quickly, seeming to skip the autumn sometimes. The continental of being in the upper middle of the North American continent. The weather here was a nice change. Warm weather, soft breezes, beautiful ocean. The smell of cut grass at the Mansion. It had nothing to do with the cute guy hanging out with her. No wayyy.

>> "We weren't even dating. She probably wasn't even interested."

She arched an eyebrow and her face flushed and she muttered, "Well, I was the one that asked you to ice cream..." Not that she was saying it was a date or anything. If someone wasn't interested, it was probably him. She wasn't exactly sure if he would hear her or not but either way, she made her point. He probably could at least piece together what she had said. Not to mention her fumbled wording of it not being a date, but a 'friends gathering.' It was literally two of them. It was a friend gathering, not a friends gathering. And what the heck is a friends gathering anyways? Clearly, she had wanted it to be a date but it just seemed to soon - they had just met, after all. But in the movies, don't they always just bump into each other, knock some coffee over, and then boom there on a date somewhere? It just seemed like they had a crazy connection - especially considering their history. She realized she probably shouldn't compare their situation to a movie after the fact.

>> "I do have work, but I can make time. I have some flexibility in my hours, especially since just about anything is closer than here. "I also have some latitude because I helped heal my boss out of the hospital recently. I needed him to sign papers."

She grinned and shook her head, "Tsk, tsk. So long as I don't get you in any trouble." She laughed when he waggled his fingers at her and then stepped through the gate once it opened. "Well, someone has to sign the paychecks, right?"

>> "To the bus stop! What borough are you in? We could find an ice cream spot somewhere between you and me."

Good question. She was pretty sure she was in Brooklyn, since her and Norma's apartment were very close to the airport. Annoyingly close to the airport. She sighed, "Um, I live near the La Guardia airport, so I think it's Brooklyn. I don't much about the city yet, to be honest." 

"DocProf is good people." Jude confirmed. "10 out of 10 Mansion grumps agree."

> "...nothing wrong with pushing two people to a little kiss..."

It was weird. Jude hadn't thought like that since he'd been a grown up. Mostly he looked at people his age as children when they should have been peers. For all the horrors that came with being a mutant, the kids at the Mansion were blessedly unaware of what the world was like. They lived in a little protective bubble and did nothing to change what had put them there in the first place.

And then, in walked this sweet blonde. From somewhere else. Who thought he was worth something. Who was on his side. And, as she reminded him, she invited him to ice cream.

Jude wanted to scoop Celestina up in a hug and spin her around as they waited for the bus. Instead, finding himself feeling shy and out of his depth, he edged close and tried not to come off as a creeper... or desperate. His knuckles touched the back of hers.

"You are unlike anybody I've ever met before." Oh. He may have started saying that while looking at her eyes, but he was totally looking for the bus before the end of it. That was a completely legit reason to not want to see her reaction or get all flustered and embarrassed.

"Brooklyn's perfect, actually. Work's not too far from La Guardia, actually." He smiled, finally seeing the bus chug their way. Jude always wondered who the Mansion had to bribe to get such frequent drive bys. "Didn't you say you hate the bus?" He let her go first and found seat for the both of them, letting Celestina have the window if she wanted so that he could be between her and most of the rest of the bus.

Celeste did not expect to find herself going on a bus ride to get ice cream with a cute guy today. Her initial plan was simple - scout out her classes so she'd know where she'd be going tomorrow. Well, she did complete the first goal with an amazing guide - and they were actually going to get ice cream together now. Today was turning out to be a pretty great day. It was wild how life goes sometimes. And it was definitely a wild she liked.

She watched Jude from the side of her eye, occasionally pretending to look for a bus but instead looking towards him. She had watched him edge closer to her. So, she edged a bit closer to him. There arms were almost touching. Not quite, but she could feel the heat from him. And then she felt his knuckles touch the back of hers. Oh gosh, their skin was touching. It was barely, just the touch of their knuckles, but it still sent what felt like little shock waves through her. Did he want to hold her hand? Should she just go for it? She did offer to get ice cream first, so it wouldn't be that surprising if she decided to grab his hand. 

She turned her hand around and stretched her fingers out. That was an unspoken compromise, right? If he wanted to hold her hand, it was offered. If not, he could just keep bumping the palm of her hand. No harm, no foul. 

>> "You are unlike anybody I've ever met before."

Oh. Eye contact, for a little bit anyways. He had looked away from her. Sweet words. Butterflies were literally all inside her. Her face flushed and she looked in the opposite direction he started looking but she had a big smile on her face. After a couple seconds and some courage that her voice wouldn't betray her, "I have never met anyone like you before, too, and... I'm really glad I have met you."

>> "Brooklyn's perfect, actually. Work's not too far from La Guardia, actually."

Oh good, the bus is here. Gross, nasty buses. She nodded, "Oh? If it's not too far, I could bring you lunch or dinner during your breaks!" Celestina wasn't one to brag but she was a mean cook - a totally foodie. One of the many things she'd tried to perfect about herself to make her parents somehow love her. 

>> "Didn't you say you hate the bus?"

Celestina nodded. She had actually had an initial phobia of them when she first arrived in NYC. She did her best to walk everywhere but it just took too long and her poor legs were just too sore to keep it up. Once on the bus, Celeste definitely accepted the window seat. The bus didn't seem as bad this time - but it was probably because Jude was sitting beside her. Pretty close - there arms just barely touching. Celestina leaned a little against him. 

Once they arrived at their destination, she not very patiently got off the bus with Jude. "It wasn't too bad this time but typically, yes, I hate buses." 

She opened her hand to him and it felt like the best thing that'd happened all day. He woke up that morning expecting nothing to change and somehow just a few hours had made all the difference. Jude slotted his fingers between hers and felt like his heart was galloping away without him. Nothing wrong with holding hands. People did it every day. Didn't mean anything. He glanced back and offered her a conspiratorial smile. It totally felt like they were getting away with something. Which was silly. People held hands every day.

"I'll be surprised if I haven't walked past your building. I must have walked all up and down that area." So weird how their lives kept having these moments that felt like connections. Like, even if they hadn't met here today, maybe they would have met on the street or in so many other ways.

> "Oh? If it's not too far, I could bring you lunch or dinner during your breaks!"

"The building we're in is in the really crummy part of that area, by the west docs? But it's security. Nobody's going to mess with those guys." They might, however, mess with a sweet girl walking alone. "I wouldn't say no to food. There's a park that's close that might be easier. Here." Jude fished his phone out and dismissed all the notifications before he opened a new contact for Celestina. He did have to let go of her hand to manage the maneuver, but once she'd input her information, he had every intention of reclaiming her hand.

"What kind of food do you like? And, you said you're into language, right? What others do you know? I started in on Russian a few years ago, but I wasn't all that serious..." Once off the bus, they just had to find a place. Jude was perfectly okay wandering around for a bit before they had to resort to phones to find a spot. Had he seen an ice cream place? Plenty. It was more a matter of where that'd been...

She felt his fingers slide in between hers and she was pretty sure her heart was trying to jump out of her. She felt her butterflies intensify. Maybe it would be more appropriate for her radiation to intensify? Hm... Another question for Doc Prof. But the emotional shock waves it was sending through her skin made her tingle all over. It was just a hand hold, though. Friends held hands all the time - she had held plenty of her friends hands... Usually when something bad was going on, but she did. She avoided his gaze but there eyes caught as he gave her that conspiratorial smile. She gave one right back.

>> "I'll be surprised if I haven't walked past your building. I must have walked all up and down that area." 

She smiled and nodded, "Hm, you probably have actually, then. Its on Astoria Boulevard, close to Humphrey Street. It's also right beside a tire shop." She smirked at the last little bit of information. It got a bit noisy, even though they were in the mid-stories. It seemed to be a popular place to live, but that was probably just about anywhere that was as cheap as their little apartment was.

>> "The building we're in is in the really crummy part of that area, by the west docs? But it's security. Nobody's going to mess with those guys. I wouldn't say no to food. There's a park that's close that might be easier. Here."

Celeste chuckled. Seemed like a lot of the places around New York City had some pretty sketchy areas. But he did have a point - it probably wouldn't be too safe for her to go walking around some sketchy place she didn't really know. She didn't have a good sense of direction and she didn't have a smart phone, at least not yet. She had this stupid, little flip phone. "A park works fine, picnic during the breaks." It would actually be really sweet, "Well, at least until it gets colder." It was getting close to autumn.

She took his phone when he handed it over and typed her number in, "Send me a text so I can add you?" 

She grinned, "I like pretty much everything. I'm a bit of a foodie. The only thing off the table is octopus. What about you?" She could never bring herself to eat that kinda junk. She shivered even thinking about it. Languages, though, that was something Celeste loved. "I know French, as you know, Spanish. I'm pretty good at Latvian and... I'm actually just starting with Russian, I can do basic sentences but nothing complex." He had started Russian too? Wow. Were they somehow connected telepathically but never knew about it? "I can't believe you were looking into Russian too, that's so awesome! Maybe we could look into it together or something, if you're still interested in learning a bit of it." Wow, the universe sure is funny sometimes with all the coincidences. 

Off the bus, Celeste was a bit more relaxed. She stretched a little. She had no idea where an ice cream shop was, plus she had a flip phone. No maps for her. "Well.. I can't even search with my rinky dink flip phone, so I guess we can just explore until we come across one?" She offered, and as they began to move, she sneakily moved her fingers in-between his again and locking them in.  

The more that Celestina described where she lived, the less Jude knew where it was. Ah well. Someday. Probably. Maybe.

"I live in a co-op waaaaaay more south in Brooklyn proper. Sad, but my work is the halfway point if you live in the area where I think you are." He was running a tally of subway stops in his head because the bus would take ten million years to cross the river. "Maybe... like 12 stops?" That was a heck of a lot better than any trip to the Mansion. For one thing, the subway didn't go up that far.

Jude made sure he texted her number. Winking emoji and all. After that, it was time to make sure they were keeping their eyes open when looking for ice cream. The carts wouldn't be out since it was early in the day and fall was fast approaching, but there should have been a shop somewhere. It was all too easy to fall into conversation and handholding which were, to be fair, more than a little distracting. Even if she was just commenting on the weather.

"Don't you like the cold? You're from Canada." If Jude could wear a scarf every day without looking like a pretentious buttface, he would have. "I love the cold because that's when you get to wear all the things and crunch in all the snow. I mean, being cold sucks, but then there's coffee and hot cocoa to make up for it." That more than made up for it in his book. Yum.

> "I like pretty much everything."

"I don't love raw celery, but it's never said anything bad about me so it's not like I can hold a grudge." Ohhh. Was that an ice cream logo he spied across the street? He hit the cross walk and waited impatiently to get closer. "I love trying all the weird ethnic foods around town. That's why I've walked all over. You can't find the hole-in-the wall places on the internet. They're too busy spending their money on ingredients and stuff."

> "I know French, as you know, Spanish. I'm pretty good at Latvian and... I'm actually just starting with Russian, I can do basic sentences but nothing complex. I can't believe you were looking into Russian too, that's so awesome! Maybe we could look into it together or something, if you're still interested in learning a bit of it."

"Ahh. I was learning Russian because I lived with someone who spoke it fluently." That someone being his first love and one party to the breaking of his heart. Jude couldn't lay all the blame for that at her feet, but he sure as heck wasn't gonna take all the blame either. He did have the grace to look embarrassed about being vague.

"It's kind of a long story, but I dunno. I haven't really looked at it in a few years. I guess it doesn't hurt to know more languages and it's always best to have someone to practice with." He might tell her the full story later, but on the first not-even-a-date? Guh. Jude was more than okay with letting that one go.

"Cherry on Top Ice Cream Shop." That had a fun rhythm to it when he read the sign outloud. He stopped them in front of the chalkboard sign which boasted a ton of weird flavors, including sweet cream lobster. He pointed it out. "At least it's not octopus."

Celeste didn't really know where anything was in New York yet. Her primary places were her apartment, Xavier's, or the NY Public Library. There was little deviations besides grocery shop, cute little restaurant here and there, maybe some clothing stores. 

>> "I live in a co-op waaaaaay more south in Brooklyn proper. Sad, but my work is the halfway point if you live in the area where I think you are. Maybe... like 12 stops?"

She shrugged. She honestly had no idea so there wasn't too much she could say, "Nice, nice... A co-op? That sounds pretty fun - private bedroom but shared living space kind of thing? Well, that's not too bad I think." It didn't sound too bad, at least. Not that it mattered how far it was - if he invited her there, she wouldn't mind a little bit of a subway ride to see him.

Celeste giggled at his emoji but tucked her phone away back inside her purse. She was really enjoying the moment, feeling the energy from their hand holding, and the walk along the streets. She had never really taken the time to just walk and look the city over. She event felt kinda like a tourist again.

>> "Don't you like the cold? You're from Canada. I love the cold because that's when you get to wear all the things and crunch in all the snow. I mean, being cold sucks, but then there's coffee and hot cocoa to make up for it."

Celeste bumped into him playfully, "Just because I'm Canadian doesn't mean I have some die hard love for the cold." She chuckled, "I don't mind the cold, though." She grinned at him and how he phrased how much he loved the snow - 'all the things' and 'crunch in all the snow.' It especially endearing and even elicited a small giggle from Celeste, "You're super cute." And he was. He was right though - Celeste had a mean fall/winter outfit that she was itching to wear, "But yeah, you're right - there is some pretty amazing fall and winter clothes that I can't wait to break out. Add in some cuddling with hot cocoa and coffee, and it's nearly a perfect picture." Wait, did she just say cuddling? 

>> "I don't love raw celery, but it's never said anything bad about me so it's not like I can hold a grudge. I love trying all the weird ethnic foods around town. That's why I've walked all over. You can't find the hole-in-the wall places on the internet. They're too busy spending their money on ingredients and stuff."

She laughed, "Well, you got me beat there. I don't think I would eat celery raw... Ever. Well, maybe with wings... So I guess there is some exceptions." She nodded - she hadn't really tried that many places - she'd mainly stayed in and cooked or ate from her diner where she worked. There was a few places here and there that she had been too. Ultimately, she just didn't really have anyone to go to restaurants with. That made it weird and a bit lonely to go sit at a table, all by herself. Maybe that would be changing now, though. Maybe.

>> "Ahh. I was learning Russian because I lived with someone who spoke it fluently. It's kind of a long story, but I dunno. I haven't really looked at it in a few years. I guess it doesn't hurt to know more languages and it's always best to have someone to practice with."

Long stories are always exciting - something drama filled? Maybe it was the homeless person he let live with her? She decided it wasn't worth to pry on this one - his 'long story' and general vagueness seemed like it wasn't something he wanted to share, at least not yet. "Do you know Spanish? Spanish is a lot more useful here." She actually had been using her Spanish very frequently - especially at her diner. It turned out to be a great asset. French was great in Regina and Spanish was kinda getting more popular, but here Spanish won out. 

She took a look at the chalkboard sign and perked a brow, "Huh... You got a point, there. Well, what's the weirdest ice cream you're willing to try?" She wasn't sure if she would be willing to try something that had perverted ice cream flavors - she was all about her vanilla and strawberry ice cream. Plain, basic, delicious. Plus, sea food and ice cream didn't seem like a good fit... At least in her mind. 

A Canadian that didn't love the cold!? Jude's mouth flapped open uselessly for a moment. How did that even work?

> "You're super cute."

Oh. He cleared his throat and inspected the sidewalk while he scrambled for a non-lame way to say that she was cuter than cute. "Tch. You're spun sugar and whipped cream. If I'm cute, you're a walking, talking confection, the kind that Japanese school kids squeal about."

And apparently she was a cuddler. Oh yeah. Winter was gonna be awesome.

> "Do you know Spanish? Spanish is a lot more useful here."

"No. It's a romance language, though so it's in the neighborhood of French, I guess. The guy I work for is as Texan as they come and I think he knows Spanish. Or maybe only the swears..."

Jude had heard that lobster ice cream was good. It sounded fancypants. Jude liked to be fancypants, but he was worried about risking his entire ice cream.

> "...Well, what's the weirdest ice cream you're willing to try?"

"Oh man. I feel like I have to take a risk because there's some crazy stuff here. I've already had black goma flavor somewhere else and it was only meh. I had to try it, though 'cause it was black." Jude put his hand at the small of Celestina's back and ushered her through the door. "How about this. You go safe and I'll go crazy. That way, if mine's bad, I can steal from you."

A bell sounded loud and clear over the door and a man with massive forearms and a greying mustache greeted them both with a hearty welcome before going back to cleaning.

Jude hmmmed, but when he found it, he knew. "Caramel corn and bacon ice cream for me. In a cone. And whatever the lady wants." He was fishing out his dinosaur velcro wallet, ready to pay despite this being a friendly whatever gathering. Friends sometimes covered each other's food and she'd done the hard part of asking.