That Slippery Slope Though

[Gabriel Mendes]

He knew he should have gone to the gym where the heat was controlled and there was music blasting through the whole place and there was no chance of him knocking people out of his path. Especially since the weather was getting to a biting temperature. But no, Gabriel had to get out of the house, away from his very doting caretakers who kept smothering him every end of the year because they both didn't have children of their own to dote on. He loved them dearly, he really did but sometimes, it got too much. They made him miss his parents.

A twenty-eight year old fully grown man, missing his parents. It was a little sad, to be perfectly honest.

As it were, there he was, in a grey sweats ensemble, complete with a beanie, running through the forested area with his own music blaring through his ears. He had been doing so well the past hour and he thought he would do another lap when his foot slipped on a particularly icy trail, causing him to lose his balance, knocking down a person coming from the other direction.

"Shit, I am so sorry! Are you okay?" He asked after scrambling to get up to see how the other person was doing.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina loved the cold. Having grown up in the high altitude of Santiago, the bitter temperatures weren’t something that had surprised her when she’d moved to Montana. Sometimes she’d still feel an ache deep in her bones to return to Chile though, but she’d adjusted relatively well to Montana by now, and she had both friends and family here. Selina sighed, briefly wondering if she shouldn’t take a trip back to her home town the next time she had off. She could certainly afford it nowadays.

    She glanced at the iced over water and grinned, tempted to go back home and get her skates… but for now she was content merely being alone at the lakeside. It had been a while since she’d come out this way, and she was enjoying the quiet that only ever seemed amplified when there was a thin layer of snow on the ground. Her jeans weren’t the best for keeping out the chill, but the warm hooded sweatshirt she’d thrown on and the scarf wrapped around her neck did a decent enough job. Selina turned back to the path she had found earlier, content to wander aimlessly for a bit longer and walking a ways in silence before she was slightly surprised to notice a runner on the trail.

    She made way for him, but was startled when he fell into her. She hadn’t been expecting it and found herself tumbling with him. At his rushed apology Selina chuckled, remaining where she was on the ground and smirking up at him, “Perfectly fine. You can run into me any time you like,” she teased, giving him a playful once over… though now that she did, he was a handsome fellow.

[Gabriel Mendes]

Gabriel ripped out his earphones once he got ahold of himself and when he heard the girl's response to his apology, a surprised laugh escaped and he made the stupid move of scooting his butt off the icy trail to some grass that wasn't covered with the sleek surface. Once he was sure of his footing, he got up and reached a hand out for the girl to take.

"Now see, you saying things like that is gonna give a guy like me ideas. Not very nice ones, I might add." He responded.

He looked her over and couldn't help noting exactly how attractive she was. And also a little too familiar. "Did you go to Bellefonte three years ago?" He asked, suddenly feeling just slightly queasy for having thought what he thought about the young woman.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina took his hand in hers and got up off of the ice, taking a moment to get her bearings before she glanced up at him and smirked, "Good. I have few ideas myself," she shot back with a heated glance. He seemed a bit familiar, though she couldn't exactly place him... oh right. Bellefonte. Selina had graduated though, and she couldn't force herself to give much of a damn about his position there. 

    "I might've. But I've graduated," she offered with a grin. "Working in security, as a matter of fact," she admitted easily. Selina couldn't help but let her eyes roam a little, "You still at the school?" she asked. The years had definitely been kind to him... 

[Gabriel Mendes]

That she had graduated didn't make much of a difference, though at least his earlier statement didn't actually sound creepy. At least she didn't think so.

When she revealed that she was in security had him raising an eyebrow. That was different. She looked to be the same size as his baby sister who was studying to be a nurse.

"Still a recruiter. Don't see myself anywhere else." He shrugged. "But you're okay though, yeah? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

[Selina Taylor]

Selina noted his reaction with amusement. It wasn't uncommon for people to do a double take when they found out where she worked, but she didn't mind. It merely meant that she was underestimated and could use that to her advantage. 

Selina laughed and shook her head, she was a bit sore, but she would live. Training alone had left her with far worse, "I'm fine. No need to worry. Besides, I'm not as fragile as I look," she teased wryly. 

"What about you? You took quite a tumble," she asked as she absentmindedly gave him a once-over, this time searching for anything that would indicate injury.

[Gabriel Mendes]

It wasn't so much an underestimation as just plain surprise that of all career paths, anyone would ever choose the private security sector. He supposed the draw would be the money. Huh, he probably would want that gig too. Maybe he should look into it.

"Apparently not but still. Can't hurt to ask." He shrugged before looking himself over, shrugging once more. "Nothing's bleeding. My face is alright, right?" He made a show of touching his face, feeling nothing is hurt. He had been through worst tumbles before.

"Yeah, so now I feel bad. Let me make it up to you somehow?"

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed as he felt for injuries on his face, "Your face is as sexy as it was before the fall, so I think it's alright," she teased as she brushed off the snow. As he mentioned feeling bad, Selina studied him with a slightly wicked glint in her gaze, "There are so many ways you could make it up to me..." she offered suggestively. 

    Selina then smiled a bit more sincerely, "However, I think a hot coffee will suffice?" she asked with a lighter tone. She didn't want to scare him away or make him feel uncomfortable, besides the collision was as much her fault as it was his. 

[Gabriel Mendes]

The forward response from the younger woman had Gabriel smirking, shaking his head. He wondered if she realised just how forward she was being. Not that he minded, but this girl was a student from the school he was still working in. He would always think of the people who were students while he was working there as students, even when they had children of their own who went there as well.

What a way to think.

Her suggestive words that came next though made him look at her with surprise obviously etched on his face. It almost made him regret asking her if he could make it up to her. Almost.

There was no denying she was attractive. There was no denying that had she not been a student from Bellefonte, he wouldn't have hesitated. But it was what it was. He did want to make it up to her, regardless, so coffee it was.

"Great. I'm done with my run anyway. The walk to the coffee shop would be my cool down. You didn't actually have anywhere else to go though, did you?"

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed and shook her head, "No, I didn't. Besides, hot coffee sounds really good right about now," she admitted. She glanced up at him and grinned, "And sorry if I came on too strong, it's a habit I'm working on... sort of," she added with a wry grin. 

    Selina had always been forward, it wasn't truly in her nature to play coy. Either people wanted what she had to offer, or they didn't, and this man clearly didn't so she wouldn't push the issue any further. If this man was as surprised as he seemed about her willingness to fuck strangers... wait didn't he say he'd taught at Bellefonte? Selina absently wondered how far her reputation had spread. Most of the students had been aware of her forward ways, but then, the teachers probably had other things to focus on. 

    Besides, she hadn't spent much time around Gabriel, so there was a high possibility that he knew next to nothing about her. "How've things been at the school?" she asked. She was genuinely curious about how they'd handled the recent anti-mutant sentiments that had rapidly grown in the once small town.

[Gabriel Mendes]

Gabriel laughed sheepishly when the younger mutant apologised for coming on too strong. "Don't worry about it, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have minded..." he paused before he realised it must be super inappropriate to finish his sentence.

Admittedly, Gabriel didn't know a lot of students. Most of whom he knew were the ones he recruited. He heard rumours but they were never attached to names. And if they were, Gabriel never met the kids. This girl's reputation did not precede her, at least not in his eyes.

"Some of the kids are a little panicked but the teachers are doing a perfectly good job of keeping them calm. Security is at an all time high though. Curfew is getting tighter. Not that the kids are following it." Gabriel shook his head in amusement. "Whose body are you guarding anyway?"

[Selina Taylor]

Selina smirked at his admission but kept quiet, as she knew better than to press the issue. Bellefonte teachers, staff, etc. as far as she was concerned, had nothing to do with her anymore. She was done with the school and she wouldn't ever be returning if she could help it. However, she could understand the way he saw it, even if she was slightly disappointed that she wouldn't have his handsome ass in her bed tonight. 

Selina listened to him and nodded. It sounded about like she'd expected, and she couldn't blame the school or the students for how they were reacting. She was just glad she wasn't a part of it. At Gabriel's question, she hesitated for a brief second. If anyone who wasn't a mutant had asked her, she would merely answer that she worked for Helios. Her job wasn't exactly a secret or anything, but advertising her employer could get mixed reactions nowadays, and she preferred avoiding trouble when at all possible. People were usually willing to let grunts employed by a corporation have some slack, more so at least than someone who protected the head of Helios directly. But, since Gabriel was from Bellefonte...

"Drew Conner." 

[Gabriel Mendes]

Hearing the name of her employer had Gabriel raising both his eyebrows. The heir to the Conner empire. He was the one who was involved in an attempted assassination, wasn't he? He was all over the news. Had this young woman been there? Was she the reason why Drew Conner was still alive?

"Are you the reason why he's still alive?" Gabriel asked, a little awed grin on his face.

[Selina Taylor]

At Gabriel's question, Selina shook her head and laughed, "Me taking credit for that would be similar to a minor teammate claiming she won the game alone. Besides, it's not exactly a fond memory," she added simply. His inquiry was harmless enough, she supposed, but it still wasn't something she enjoyed focusing on. She may not have been as deeply affected as her dear friend, Alistair, but Selina wasn't one who reveled in the violence and the harm that had come to so many innocents that day.

"He's a generous employer," she offered as a slight change of subject.

[Gabriel Mendes]

"I wouldn't think it was. I'm sorry I brought it up." He smiled sympathetically. She didn't need to relive it obviously, but a hero was a hero, no matter how small a part they played in the grand scheme of things. "As he should be. You can't be any older than he is." Gabriel noted. "Are you thinking of continuing your studies?" He asked as they walked towards town.

He still actually wanted to continue his run but his butt was sore and he actually didn't mind that cup of coffee. "Or are you thinking of this as your career?"