Though it ain't for me lately it don't faze me

[centralsgreatest]

WHO: Wally West sans costume and YOU
WHERE: All over town, on the streets, in stores, in restaurants of every kind
WHEN: Today
WARNINGS: None
SUMMARY: Wally goes for a walk. Yes, a walk.
FORMAT: Whichever you prefer, I’m not picky!

For all that he hates waiting for anything, there were some things that Wally liked to take slow. Enjoying good company was one of them. Going on a walk through town. Enjoying life when there weren’t any disasters. As he walked through the city he wore a small smile, taking deep breaths of the polluted air and occasionally catching a whiff of flowers, or something cooking in a nearby restaurant. He stopped often for food. He didn’t have to eat as much when he hadn’t been running, but the hunger was always there.

He would need a job. There was no easy way around it. Even with an allowance and the apartment provided him by Stark Industries, his food bills were going to put a very large dent in his lifestyle. He kept an eye out for help wanted signs as he walked, for anything from food service to retail. What he really wanted was to get a job in the forensics lab like back home, but he imagined that was a whole lot easier said than done. Oh well. Times were hard and beggars couldn’t be choosers. He would have to make do.

Wally would make conversation everywhere he went, talking to cashiers and the homeless and even the occasional stranger waiting in line. As long as he kept the topic away from ImPorts and politics, he did alright. Otherwise, he was getting to be very good at making a polite escape.

Comments

[centralsgreatest]

"Perfect," Wally answered with a grin. Hopefully they'd be able to get the rest of her groceries home without any more problems.

"I'm Wally, by the way. Wally West."

[gevurah]

She'd offer her hand, though she needs it to scoop up the rest of the items. Finding a suitable balance for the groceries in her arms, she stands up and begins walking.

"Kate Kane." Since she can't be sure if he's an imPort or native... "Hopefully I'm not prolonging any plans of yours."

[centralsgreatest]

Even if she offers her hand he doesn't have any free to shake it with because of how he's cradling her groceries.

"Oh, I don't have any plans. I'm just out for a walk anyway."

[gevurah]

Kate sizes him up as discreetly as she can; he looks fit and active. Probably out for exercise.

She holds the carton of eggs carefully, trying not to let any of the yolk leak onto her own clothes. "Well, thanks again. Honestly, it's the first time in the City a bike's almost clipped me."

Either she's still got something on her mind or that was a stroke of bad luck.

[centralsgreatest]

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," he assures her, shifting the contents of his arms a bit to make sure everything is stable. It is.

"People really should be more careful if they're going to be biking in the street, you know?"

[gevurah]

It's possible the person on the bike was aware Kate was an imPort. She's been up and down these streets enough and seen with Nill, so maybe they didn't care.

"At least it wasn't ongoing traffic."

[centralsgreatest]

There's a possibility Wally doesn't even want to think about. He winces at the thought of Kate being hit, whether or not it was intentional. He wouldn't have let that happen.

"Do you always go shopping alone?" He was actually starting to worry about her, if this was such an ordinary happening.

[gevurah]

She smirks, amused. "Do you worry about everyone who goes shopping alone?"

[centralsgreatest]

He chuckles, flashing her a cheesy smile.

"What, that's a common thing? I guess I do now." He's just being paranoid, he knows.

[gevurah]

She's never worried about going out on her own, anywhere, at any time of the day. She knows she can handle whatever mugger comes her way. She's dealt with it back home and Gotham's a special brand.

"Well, you don't have to."

[centralsgreatest]

"I'm sure I don't," he agrees gently. "But you know, it wouldn't hurt if somebody knew to keep an eye out for you."

[gevurah]

"Are you offering?"

Is this going where she thinks it's going? Oh, men.

[centralsgreatest]

"To keep an eye out for you?" As the Flash he protected everyone, of course, but Wally West had other things to worry about.

"Nothing personal, lady, but you just met me. Don't you have friends who can make sure you didn't get hit by a bus on the way home from the store?"

[gevurah]

Ah, so it isn't. She still looks entertained by all this, though. "I can handle something like cyclists, thanks." She then adds, "And I have a roommate would notice if something was off."

[centralsgreatest]

"Well there you go," he laughs, relieved. "At least I know you're not going to end up a number in the paper." Everybody needed someone to worry about them every now and again.

[gevurah]

She pauses, rolling a shoulder. The chance of her returning to life is high in this place. The Porter brought her here for a reason-- why would she let anyone in this place stay dead if they're supposed to "help"?

"I don't think we have to worry about that."

[centralsgreatest]

"You can never be too careful," he decides cheerfully. Caring about people is just what Wally does.

[gevurah]

"The City doesn't really compare to home," she says. Gotham toughens most people up or at least keeps them on their toes.

[centralsgreatest]

"Where's home? Anywhere I'd have heard of?" Little does he know. Of course, with so many people from other worlds, it's equally likely she's from some place foreign sounding and strange to him but well known and infamous to her.

[gevurah]

She continues to survey him. Kate's not worried about how negative his reaction may be if he's a native, but it still draws her curiosity.

"A city called Gotham."

[centralsgreatest]

Lucky for her he's no such thing. He's no stranger to Gotham.

"No kidding?" He laughs, surprised by the answer even though it explains so much. "Geez, no wonder you're so blasé about all this."

[gevurah]

She arches a thick eyebrow, surprised by his reaction. "Where are you from, Wally?" She's certain if he was from Gotham she would have noticed something on the Network. After all, it's her job to keep an eye out for who's coming in from there.

[centralsgreatest]

"Central City, Kansas," he answers easily. It may not be as infamous as Gotham, but it's home. More than that, it's home to the Flash - that's more than enough to put it on the map.

my flash knowledge is non-existent :( googles everything

[gevurah]

And where the Flash Museum is. She's never been but she knows enough about it. Maybe someday she'll have the chance to see it in person for herself.

"Seems like people from our world run into each other at some point." What are the odds, even in a city as big as this? It's too convenient.

*gasp* for shame! /shakes head sadly

[centralsgreatest]

"There sure are a lot of us," he agrees with another cheery smile. He has a lot of those.

"I guess it's an old favorite."