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[It's dark inside Penny's room above the Welcome Center. The dim light from the network device is enough to illuminate Penny, who looks even more frazzled than she usually does when the Centers are understaffed. In fact, she looks outright panicked.]

Hey, City? I know I'm not the only seeing things in the mirrors, but is it getting worse for anyone else? Like, are the images getting more... I don't know, vivid? Like they're getting ready to crawl right out? Or am I going crazy?

I mean, if I'm going crazy, I'd really like to know about it. And I'm not totally ruling it out, either. I've just been freaking out all month and nothing's even happened.

[She pauses, turning to her right as if there's something there. Whatever it is encourages her to turn her attention back to the device.]

Okay--um. If... I don't mean to sound totally needy, but is anyone free? I get that it's Saturday and you all probably have plans, I just... you know, if you don't--

[Penny interrupts herself with a terrified squeak. She glances off to the right again, and... off goes the device.]

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I'm not so big on the frying, but--

[Neil's arrival sets off the dogs. They barely reacted when Lucy arrived, but Neil's holler sends them tumbling down the stairs, barking urgently. They won't jump on him, though--just wag their tails and nudge his hands until he pets them.]

Come on up to the apartment, Neil!

[Lucy's smile gets wider with Neil's arrival. He really is one of her favorite people. She makes herself at home, turning on Penny's oven to pop the fried chicken in and warm it up. ]

HI NEIL!

[ She yells it back down.]

It's good you invited him.[ To Penny] We'll have fun.

Hey-hey! Slow down there. I'll pet'cha.

[Neil doesn't have pets back home, but he's used to Penny's dogs by now. He holds the bag of chip bags up so they can't stick their noses in and uses his free hand to pet them. Then he's encouraging them to head upstairs and chases them, taking two steps at a time. He's happy right now. Happy to be invited, happy to be with people he likes, happy there'll be food.

He bounds into the living space with the dogs, a big smile on his face, and addresses the ladies in a similarly civilized manner to how he spoke downstairs.]

HI! I BROUGHT CHIPS!

[Penny nods, agreeing with Lucy--outwardly, at least. Her nerves are still on edge and she's not exactly in a partying mood, but acting happy sometimes leads to being happy. Besides, Lucy and Neil are good company.

Sam and Tumbles gallop up the stairs in front of Neil, all worked up over company (you'd think they'd be used to it). Penny catches Neil in a hug once he gets up to the apartment. He's civilized enough.]

Thank you! You know bringing you is enough though, right?

[ Lucy is a big fan of 'fake it 'til you make it'. ]

She's right. [ Lucy agrees with Penny ] However, chips make excellent movie food. [ She'll wait her turn to hug Neil. ]

[Neil hugs Penny back, lifts her off her feet, and spins her around once, bag of chip bags swinging at her back. He's in a good mood.]

I wanted to contribute.

[She laughs, glad that Neil's in a good mood, if nothing else. Once her feet are back on the ground, she goes to pop in a movie.]

Well, thank you. How about drinks? Can I grab anything for anyone after this starts?

[ Lucy opted not to bring alcohol because she's never known Penny to really enjoy it. She sweeps in to hug Neil once Penny is free. ]

Soda works for me.

[Neil hugs Lucy and does the same thing he did with Penny, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around.]

Yeah, soda for me, too...

[Though beer would be awesome, he decides to pass. Besides, does Penny even have beer?]

What movie are we seeing, anyway?

[With the video starting, Penny goes to dig through the fridge.]

Two sodas, coming right up.

[She does keep a certain amount of alcohol on hand for certain friends...]

I don't remember. Something horror-y.

[ The hug is appreciated. Lucy kisses Neil's cheek before he sets her down and whispers to him ] You really are one of my favorite people [ Once she's back on her feet, she sets about putting the cupcakes on the coffee table and getting out plates for the fried chicken. ]

Resident Evil [ Lucy provides the movie title. ] I've brought the first four. We can watch Alice kick all the ass. I thought it'd be comforting.

[Dammit, you guys are making Neil blush and without the bangs being so prominent with his hairstyle anymore, the colouring of his skin is more noticeable. Lucy adds a kiss, too, and says something sweet and so typically her. Shit. He's secretly pleased, though.]

Okay, fried chicken and cupcakes! This is awesome!

[He drops the bag he's carrying on the counter and flops into a bean bag chair, staring at the ceiling, limbs spread out like a starfish.]

Who's Alice?

[Sorry, Neil, but you're in the company of two very affectionate people.]

No chicken for me, please.

[She pops down the sodas and curls up in another bean bag chair, not all that hungry in spite of the presence of cupcakes and chips.]

[ Neil is adorable when he blushes. ]

I should've brought something more vegetarian. Sorry, Penny! [ Lucy apologizes while she's making plates of chicken for her and Neil ]

Alice is the completely bad ass chick that kills zombies.

[ She carries the chicken in, hands a plate off to Neil and plops down more gracefully in the chair next to Neil. She looks over to Penny from an upside down sort of perspective. ]

Come join us, Pens. There's room!

Bad ass is good,

[He smiles and accepts the plate of chicken, which won't be on the plate for long.]

You can't eat chicken, Pens? How 'bout cupcakes? I mean, I could eat them all, but I'm supposed to share.

[She waves off Lucy's concern.] It's totally okay. Just an excuse to eat more cupcakes, right?

[Penny drags her bean bag chair closer (and makes a mental note to, someday, consider investing in real furniture).]

I'm all for cupcakes. No one had to die to make them. Oh--not that I'm judging people who eat meat! It's healthy, and the real problem is the way that the animals're treated before-- [Ah, movie and food. This is not a good time to get a soap box. She shrugs and smiles.] Well, you know. It's just a personal choice.

[ Beanbag furniture is so cool though! ]

No. I mean, I kind of agree. I don't eat veal 'cause they never get to grow up. Or lamb. It's sad. Basically, I don't eat babies.

[ Which isn't really the same thing, but Lucy is just kind of babbling. ]

[Lucy gets a look from Neil that silently asks 'Babies?']

Uh, yeah, Pens. A choice, just like I choose to live mostly on 'junk food', but I don't call it that. I'm a carnivore.

But I... don't eat 'babies', either...

Hey, there is no judgment in this room about diet choices. Judgment-free zone.

[Because a part of her really wants to launch into a WHY YOU SHOULD BE A VEGETARIAN TOO rant and she's trying to suppress it.]

Fun, cupcakes, and movies. No baby-eating talk allowed, right?

[ Okay, Lucy should probably think about her words before she says them. Penny's comment makes her giggle though. ]

Definitely fun, cupcakes and movies.

Okay.

[Neil picks up a piece of chicken and takes a big bite.]

Let's watch this Alice kick some ass.

[Though it sounds less coherent than that, because he has a mouth full of chicken. Then he smiles, mouth closed.]

Edited 2013-10-25 14:14 (UTC)

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