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Hey, Momo.
I would've texted you sooner, but the Porter was rude and kicked me out for a month. :(

Anyway, this is Lester. I was wondering if we could catch up? Maybe over lunch and/or coffee?

[ !!! The prodigal boy returns!

Momo stares at her phone for a good long minute, not knowing how to reply. She's thought about Lester a lot in the past month or so, since their kiss at the swearing-in ceremony. In that time, she's learned that he has a significant other, and come to the conclusion that the kiss probably meant a lot more to her than it did to him.

SO she doesn't want to come off in her reply text as overeager, or too needy. BUT she doesn't want to come off as too standoffish either!! She wants to find a happy medium. ]

Lunch or coffee sounds fine.
Where and when shall I meet you?

[ And then, belatedly, ] I'm glad that you're back.

I'm glad to be back too. :)

[ Apollo can't say that he's keen to be here when he's left so much unfinished business, but he can't do much about it now. Best to focus on the life he left behind, and therefore, the friendships he had left in the lurch.

Like, say, making it up to Momo since he pretty much kissed her and ran. ]

What city works best for you? I'm more familiar with Heropa and De Chima, but I can pretty much head anywhere.
Beyond that, lunch hour? 12-1 any weekday, or anytime on the weekend?

Edited 2018-12-01 23:47 (UTC)

De Chima would work with my schedule. I am often there in the afternoons for work with the Justice League.

Shall we say noon on Sunday?

Whoa, you're part of the League? That's really cool :O

That works for me! If you don't have a place in mind, there's a great one downtown near the Porter.

[ he attaches directions plus a menu; it's fairly standard fare, but the place is rather nice, and technologically-themed, given that it's in De Chima. ]

I'm only a provisional intern member, but yes. I work with the League in my hero training. It's the best I can do to replicate my course of study while I am here.

[ She looks over the menu, finding nothing disagreeable there. ]

That works for me. I will see you there!

"Only," she says. Still a big deal from where I'm sitting. ;) Give it time and you'll be a full-fledged member for sure.

Sounds good. See you then.

[ Momo is there on Sunday precisely at 11:58am, checking her hair in the reflection of the window as she waits for Lester to arrive. ]

[ Given the weather, Lester's opted for something a little warmer in addition to his usual 'uniform' of jeans and a band t-shirt. Arriving promptly at noon, he waves at Momo, giving her a bright smile - ]

Hey! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

[ She turns, and all the trepidation she had felt melts away in the face of that warm smile. She smiles back and waves. ]

Oh, no. I only just arrived myself. It's good to see you again.

It's good to see you too. [ He gives her a quick hug, because that's how you greet friends, pulling back and turning his attention back towards the menu. ] Have you been here before?

I like pretty much everything, so - [ he leans in, conspiratorially: ] You can't go wrong. Not with anything.

[ The combination of that hug and the lean in just makes Momo all flustered again. Lester has to know how he is playing with her heart! She can't take it!!!

But, she was raised to be ever so polite, so despite her massive blush she just places a tight smile on her face and shakes her head. ]

I haven't, no. But it looks wonderful. Shall we go inside?

Of course. After you -

[ Because "ladies first," and Apollo is nothing if not a gentleman. He holds the doors open as they walk in and get seated by one of the waitresses. She asks for their drinks, and Apollo asks for a water before looking back at the menu.

He's been here a thousand times (or what feels like it), so he's not really looking - but he's gauging Momo's reaction. Was this place okay? It's not too fancy, but it's not a simple sit-down place either, so was it... maybe too much?? ]

[ Momo orders a cup of Earl Grey tea because she is nothing if not predictable. She glances over the menu, showing no particular reaction to the options listed or their prices. She comes from a wealthy family, so money really is no object to her. She would feel just as comfortable in a Michelin-rated restaurant. ]

What do you recommend?

I know I said everything, but I usually grab a crepe. Something on the more savory side. [ He brightens, taking her lack of reaction as a good thing. Apollo hadn't goofed up this time! ] If you like Nutella, though, the sweet crepes are just as good.

It really depends on what you're feeling, I'd say.

Edited 2018-12-29 04:04 (UTC)

A crepe sounds lovely. [ She tends to favor sweet over savory, so when the waitress returns to take their order, Momo orders the nutella and strawberry crepe with whipped cream. ]

Thank you for meeting me. I did worry, when you were gone without a word. I thought... I thought maybe I had done something wrong.

[ And given that their last meeting was the fateful kiss... She'd thought the worst. ]

[ He orders something savory - a spinach and pesto crepe - and hands over his menu. Once the waitress leaves, though, he frowns. ]

What? No, of course not.

[ He could see how she'd come to that conclusion, but... ]

I was ported out. Didn't really have a choice in the matter. [ he draws in a breath, ] I'm... I'm so sorry I worried you like that.

Yes, of course. I see that now.

[ It's not her first experience with someone porting out all of a sudden, after all. She still remembers Midoriya torturing himself looking for Bakugo after he disappeared. ]

It's alright. I'm just glad you're back.

[ She pauses, unable to hide the hint of jealousy in her voice when she says, ] Your boyfriend must be glad as well.

[ wait.

She mentions his boyfriend, and Apollo can't help staring at her, trying to discern if he'd said something wrong at any point in time – ]

Yeah, but so was my roommate and - [ "my son." ] my relative. He's not the only one who matters to me. Or even the first person I saw when I came home?

[ She tries her best to make her face as impassive as possible, cold and polite, giving nothing away. ]

I'm not sure I know what you mean. Surely he's the most important person in your life.

[ The most important person in his life... As it stands right now, that would be Will, and Andy as a close second. His son, and the person he proudly calls his older sister. He can't remember the last time he's placed a lover above his family. Which means... as much as he loves Max... maybe it's not enough by mortal standards?

Apollo swallows, staring back at Momo with blank horror. ]

Um... yeah, I think that's how it's supposed to be, but... [ he's already in this deep, he might as well commit, ] that's not how it is for me. My family. They're more important than anyone else here.

[ There's a dawning realization in Momo's eyes, and her face softens. She looks down, laughing slightly. ]

Yes, of course they are. If I had known...

[ If her parents were here, it would be the same for her. More so than her teacher or her classmates, they are the people she is closest to. ]

Who of your family is here?

[ whew, crisis averted. Apollo laughs, placing a hand over his heart - ]

My sister and my son. [ beat. wait, hold on- ] My son from, uh, the future.

[ Momo's eyes widen. ] Oh, wow. I imagine that must have been very strange, meeting him for the first time.

[ You could learn all sorts of things about your fate, from a child from the future. ]

Are your relatives demigods as well? Or... I suppose your son would be a quarter-god...

Usually, yeah, children of demigods are legacies. [ Though that's a whole different tangent, and one Apollo wouldn't want to purposefully lead Momo down for no good reason. ] But Will's pretty special.

He's a demigod, [ and gods, Apollo is beaming like such a proud parent - ] and also one of the best healers you'll ever meet.

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