I owe you more than just dinner

[innameof]

And now Griffin is trying to decide if he wants to cook dinner for Mary or take her out. It takes him some time but he decides he spends a great deal of time in the lab and that going out seems like a good plan.

So he finds his favorite place. They served great Greek food and he thought Mary would like it. He got her flowers and called to make sure tonight was still good for their date just to be sure.

Comments

[innameof]

"Thanks." Oh God he's trying so hard to not kill the flowers. "Um.... I brought these. For you."

[stormy_skrull]

"Oh! They're wonderful!" Mary said. "Thank-you!"

She took a moment to secure them in a vase with water. "All set," she said.

[innameof]

He finds that he can't help but smile. "You're welcome. I know there's supposed to be a language of flowers but..."

He sheepishly smiles. "I'd rather give you something nice and talk directly."

[stormy_skrull]

That got a little chuckle out of Mary. "'s all right. Pretty sure I don't speak flower. According to my high school teachers, I barely speak English."

[innameof]

"I think you speak just fine," Griffin says seriously.

"I mean you sound very.... Mary-like."

[stormy_skrull]

That was good for a giggle, but it also got a smile.

"Thank-you," she said.

[innameof]

And he offers his hand. "We're going to have to take a cab... I,um."

He looks so embarrassed now. "I don't drive."

[stormy_skrull]

She took his hand. "'s okay. Neither do it. Well, except for the Fantasti-Cars. Uncle Ben tried to teach me once, but I think I scared him."

[innameof]

"..... Those look fun but.....No." His fear of cars is still there. The idea of driving just freaks him out. Taxis are okay because it's not him who would be driving.

[stormy_skrull]

Mary giggled. "Taxi's fine, Griff. Let's go."

[innameof]

That right there? Has him beam. Then head for where they can hail for a taxi.

[stormy_skrull]

Apparently, it's not too difficult to get a taxi in New York City.

"Who says you can't get a cab in New York?"

[innameof]

It really isn't. Griffin is a near expert at it.

"People who haven't actually tried," he says with a smirk then tells the driver the name of the place he had picked out. He gets a confused look so he rolls his eyes and gives the man the address.

[stormy_skrull]

Another giggle. "Well, then they obviously weren't cut out for the city then."

[innameof]

"Some aren't," he agrees. "Me? I was born and raised here. What about you?"

[stormy_skrull]

"Likewise. Hatched and raised. Left for a few years, after Uncle Reed and Aunt Sue disappeared... Uncle Ben stayed, but Dad just couldn't take it. So we headed to Chicago. They're probably moving back now."

[innameof]

"I've never even left New York before joining the Foundation," he says with a laugh. "Well.... There was this one time I almost got to go do an experiment in Antarctica but..... Dr Cooper beat me."

[stormy_skrull]

"Yeah, well, you were probably lucky. Antarctica's real close to the Savage Land. And nothing good every happens there."

[innameof]

"Considering who else went? I was lucky. I hate those guys. They're even more socially retarded than I am. And they think they're smarter than everyone else too," he gripes.

"Besides. I wouldn't have joined the Foundation. I think. I was.... surprised to be recruited."

[stormy_skrull]

"Hey, the Foundation's all about recruiting the best and brightest," Mary said. "Which doesn't explain how Ryan got in, but I think they just felt sorry for him..."

[innameof]

"Maybe Jacob wouldn't join without him?" He shrugs as the taxi pulls up to the resturaunt.

[stormy_skrull]

Mary shrugged. "Could be. We all love Ryan. Even when he's sparkly."

[innameof]

"At least he tries. He does that very well," Griffin says with a shrug. "We deal with scary stuff."

[stormy_skrull]

"Okay, yeah," Mary agrees. "Definitely some scary stuff."

[innameof]

"But we do okay," he sheepishly offers. Time to go in, right?

[stormy_skrull]

"We do," she agrees.

Time to go in!

[innameof]

And then they go in!

"O'Niell, table of two," he offers to the man in charge of seating.

[stormy_skrull]

"Nice place," Mary told him. "You come here often?"

[innameof]

"Used to," he admits. "They do a good lunch and always treat everyone like family."

[stormy_skrull]

"Sounds good," she said. "Good when places are like that."

[innameof]

"Yeah."

It doesn't take them long to get a seat either. Griffin looks pleased to see a few people on the wait staff and nods happily to them as they're seated. Griffin makes sure to pull Mary's seat out for her.

[stormy_skrull]

"You're a gent, Griff," she told him as she took her seat.

"So tell me more about yourself, Griff. I know you're an egghead and a cutie-pie...."

[innameof]

"Well.... My Mom was a Chef. So I like cooking. My Grandpa ran a meat market and a fish market. He owned both and I got to hang out there when I was a kid," he explains. "It was..... good times."

He won't mentioned his Dad if he can help.

[stormy_skrull]

"Sounds nice," she agreed. "So how come you're here, and not some fancy super-chef or somethin'?"

[innameof]

"Because I've always been really smart. And I like science. It's just my.... Thing. And becoming a butcher never appealed to me," he says with a slight wince.

[stormy_skrull]

"I know whatcha mean. Dad was always trying to teach me how to fix cars and stuff. Never had the head for it."

[innameof]

He tenses for a moment then just relaxes a bit. "I had other reasons but.... Granddad was a very nice guy. Helped me get into college early."

[stormy_skrull]

"Oh," Mary said, but didn't push the issue. "That's good, though," she added.