Pre-barbeque

[24d_245t_tcdd]

Even aggressively under-socialised heroes with virtually no external hobbies or entertainments have certain chores which they must do, regardless of inclination, time, or other pressing matters. Chores such as the utterly mundane need to go shopping. For food. Plain, ordinary, food.

So, of course, Agent Orange is not dressed as himself, but rather as his secret identity, which is rather more secret than most. He is wallpaper; about as ordinary as it is possible for a man to get with virtually no feature standing out sufficiently to be a starting point for a description should he be witness to or suspect in something.

He was standing in the vegetable section of the store, a Whole Foods because he found the price an equitable trade for the quality of foods, doing meal planning for the week as he judged the benefits of asparagus versus those of bok choy.

Comments

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He offered them a very faint nod and then turned to follow Rachel to the car. This was certainly...an experience. That he had had.

[futures_of_ash]

Yes, 'an experience' was one way to describe it at least? "Thank you again for coming." Rachel offered after kicking some leaves along the path. "Not your thing huh?"

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"There were a lot of people." he said neutrally. And they expected him to be social. He didn't do social. He did...controlled, calm, collected, professional. Not sunshine and volleyball. "Dr. McCoy seems very accomplished."

[futures_of_ash]

"There were four people, not counting us." She chuckled softly lifted her face to the breeze for a moment. "I'm glad you tried." It was a step in the right direction!

"Hank is, bar none, the smartest man I have ever met. And one of the kindest too."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"It seemed like more, somehow." Probably the teleportation. Teleporters made him nervous. He didn't know how to react to her other statements, and so let them pass.

[futures_of_ash]

"No, I won't take you out into a crowd if I can help it." She knew she saw crowds very differently than most, small gatherings were nice though. "No more people than the fingers of one hand. Promise. Unless we end up walking through the mansion sometime."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"I am fine with crowds if I do not have to be social." If he has to be social, he's a log. Just flat. Even for him.

[futures_of_ash]

"I meant social-wise," she admitted. "Otherwise it's just people in an area, not a crowd. Not really. If there is no expectation of social a gathering is just...background noise." A real crowd was interactive.

"Though...I'm weird. My definitions are different."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Ah. I did not know that." he said, "It isn't a matter of you being weird, it is simply a matter of seeing things differently. I see things differently as well, and if we do not see them the same it still doesn't make either of us weird. There are too many people for any given definition to truly be weird."

[futures_of_ash]

She tilted her head to the side, mulling that over, then chuckled. "Are you trying to make me feel better or trying to convince me normal doesn't exist?" She was probably teasing?

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Does it have to be one or the other?" he asked, seriously.

[futures_of_ash]

"...no, I don't think so." It could be both, it could be neither, she was only guessing after all! "How do you define a crowd?" Why not learn new definitions? She could learn to speak Agent Orangish!

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"For me a crowd is any large gathering of people. Because I am always ready to become who I am," it made sense to him, "I keep an eye on everyone in the vicinity regardless of their relation to me. This is also why it is somewhat difficult for me to attempt socializing; I cannot stop paying attention to everyone else around."

[futures_of_ash]

She tilted her head sideways to peer at him as they walked, possibly not getting exactly the words he was saying but picking up on the..."So James is a mask?"

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"In many ways, yes." It was honest, if not particularly encouraging. Another way that he wasn't exactly sane.

[futures_of_ash]

"Everyone I know has some kind of mask," she admitted. "At least I know which is which with you, and James is nice."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Inoffensive, at least." he said after a moment of thought.

[futures_of_ash]

"Nice," Rachel restated. "You are allowed the word you know."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"It is, however, inaccurate." he said stubbornly, "I am inoffensive, nice requires a different motivation."

[futures_of_ash]

She tilted her head back and laughed at that. "No, nice requires you keeping others in mind, as you do for whatever reason, and not going out of your way to bring them discomfort and harm. Far otherwise in fact. You're a protector, a paranoid one, sure, but still. That leans toward nice."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Hmm." He didn't agree, but he wasn't going to argue with her. Somehow he didn't think it would go over well by either of them.

[futures_of_ash]

"Hmm," she echoed cheerfully. "I will probably call you many things you don't agree with. I seem to do that."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"So it seems." he agreed with a short nod.

[futures_of_ash]

"You can tell me to stop talking to you. It's always an option you know." She might even listen if he truly meant it.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"I enjoy talking to you, even if we don't always agree."