𝒶 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 ▸ 𝒻𝑒𝒷𝓇𝓊𝒶𝓇𝓎 𝒷𝒾𝓃𝑔𝑜

Themed nights came at all days of the week at the hotspot. The artsy to outcast all had a place to flock to for post-work libations and socialization. Lola had been no different and doing so extended an invitation to Stella. Not for the extra work it would take to blend in but because it's been a while hanging out with someone solo rather than in a group setting. Sometimes it was a work event or a friend's gathering. Even the collective rallying of superheroes to thwart a threat, it all amounted to exchange of words and ideas to see that a time had would be one that got them home safely right after.

The coordinates were given a while ago and Lola had emerged from the rest room with her clutch in hand. Eying a server for a drink but also a place to stand without being bothered by the younger jackals on the prowl. It wasn't any interest of her own, not in that setting but she did find that her penchant for being nosy, let alone curiosities of dating and mating rituals fellow humans partook in, dictate an interest of friends' and or associates' alike dating life. Eyes piercing blue behind the veil of dark brown contacts zeroed in on the blonde that seemed to be looking around her. Lola moved swiftly through the small crowd. Not as condensed as she expected and held her hand up in a wave to signal being present without getting lost in the sea. "Hey, you made it!"

Going out wasn't what Stella would consider a norm in her life. Actually, she wouldn't really consider it an occasional happening, either. She was always so focused on work and then the past couple months had thrown their own complications her way which made spare time even less available - but she was glad Lola had asked her. It was nice to get out, to be somewhere that wasn't the hospital or her house, be around people who weren't found either of those places either. The place was crowded but that wasn't a bad thing, other than it taking her a second to find Lola in the warm of people.

"Hey!" She worked her way that last distance over to move in next to Lola, offering her a smile as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "Hi, how are you? You haven't been waiting long, right?"

There was a fix of faux hair. Blowing the row of bangs from her The entangled lengths to hide who she truly had been. Giving the woman a beat before nodding in response. "Not long at all. Thanks for coming." She offered a smile in return and gently motioned for her to follow as to get out of the way of the moving crowd. Some were aimless, seeking validation in small conversation to fishing compliments undeserved. She heard many private talks in passing but never enough to pry too much. That wasn't what her intention was with them. As far as Stella was concerned, the woman wanted to know how she had been and feel things out from there.

A wall just near one of the outposts used as a bartending station, looked like a nice place. It had a high table with a menu placard in its center along with typical items to use for drinks or the bar food that was served. She left her purse on the top and leaned comfortably. A moment to breathe in a sense despite not necessarily needing the unfiltered air to do so when an entire ecosystem followed about. "What's been new with you? Find a new hobby? Meet a new person?"

Stella gladly followed, happy to be away from the jumbled mass of people, where they might actually be able to have a conversation without having to shout at each other. She was definitely going to want to snag a drink once there was a chance to do so, but she wasn't in any kind of rush. Well, not until Lola asked what was new with her, to which the answer was a lot but that was too complicated. Not to mention, Stella still didn't understand enough about what happened to her to feel comfortable discussing it with just anyone. Mostly she stuck to her brother and Reed, because they'd been there for it since the start and were dealing with it themselves.

"Me? Oh, not much," she replied instead with a soft laugh. "Work keeps me so busy I don't know what I'd do as a hobby if I had the time. I think the only 'hobby' I have is collecting bath bombs and putting them to use." Her nose scrunched and she shook her head. "Same when it comes to meeting people. It's so much time and effort to even get to know the basics and then what if they're a dud? All that, wasted. That's probably not the best way to think about it. Ignore me, what about you? You manage to do so many things, I'm always in awe."

If her radar had been alert enough even during the assembly of powered persons, she would've recalled seeing familiar faces. Since it wasn't the case and her memory was still intact. She had to think about the factors that led others to remain shielded from the unordinary when their counterparts were taking over for the short time out of a month. Listening in closely, she generally kept her eyes and ears open. Mostly out of habit and to eliminate a possibility of a threat. The paranoia part of her instincts wouldn't allow one to be as comfortable as she had been around company. Turning her attention when the read of heat signatures or the auras of others, were completed, she nodded intently.

"I feel you there. Maybe that's just enough to get by for another day, especially if the job is demanding." Her respect was there for medical professionals especially ones that put their care for patients at the forefront. "It is. I try not to look at the daunting level of maybe it wouldn't work if just going with little expectations besides ones of respect, aren't met. You know, just plain ol' conversation may do the trick."

Fear and other reasons could put people off, and she understood it. Used to hold it close as a form of protection but as at an age that didn't want to upkeep the same status quo. Lola half smiled and gave a soft shrug. "Nothing new exactly. Just hoping one day is utilized better than the next, while routine has its place. It might be time to step away from it. The juggling can be a lot." Admitting to it was more than she could ever do a few years ago. Not wasting much time to train her sights to a slew of lonesome gents that were either out of place or settling in themselves. Lola smirked before watching Stella again. "One day at a time."

It didn't help that Stella had been focused on everything but her personal life for so long. Year after year of school, each one closer to her end goal but just as intense as the last, if not more so. She'd had friends, colleagues, but there hadn't been time to forge out any kind of relationship beyond that. Dates had happened infrequently, rarely more than a few with the same person before it fizzled out. She was a busy person, always had been. At least, that was a good excuse to go with. If she kept busy, made it so she didn't have time to deal with things like dates and whatever else, then no one could question why. Not that she'd given thought to that strategy, but subconsciously it made sense.

"One day at a time," she echoed, smiling across at Lola. "Do you mean stepping away for good, or just taking a break? Either way, you deserve some time off - vacation or something, even if it's only for a weekend. I feel like all I've been doing lately is telling people to relax for a little bit."

Forgetting the rigid and demand of socializing at an age where career took up most of the time, was complicated as it were but told a deeper tale. The hiding away behind it. Using it as a crutch when expectations were never actually met. Certain needs left by the wayside like it had been made to be that way. She followed even in its minimalist ways but it did grow old. Weary in fact, and when it did, there were smaller steps to make sure it all was handled to better focus on the needs of self even with disappointments that lingered in the forefront. The signal was met as she kept her eyes in different directions.

From one point of the exits to the guys that were probably interesting candidates, and back to the woman who posed a question that she did think about at times. "Taking a break. A small one until Marley is out of school. Spring break comes to mind." It felt such a long ways away.

"Though you should probably take some of your own advice. When was the last time you've had a break?"

Stella's expression softened when Lola mentioned Marley. She didn't have any kids of her own, obviously, and wasn't even around them much often, but she liked them. Honestly, there wasn't much of a reason why because she wasn't even particularly good with kids once they were old enough to talk, walk, do more than cuddle and sleep. None of that mattered, at least not when it came to her friends' kids. "How's she doing in school? Does she have any favorite subjects?"

Learning was something Stella enjoyed immensely, which was probably why she'd gone to school for as long as she did. That and it was necessary for becoming a doctor. But learning she loved, and she didn't have to be in a classroom to take in new information. So taking a break? Not exactly something she'd done in recent memory. "Okay, now that's not fair, turning my advice against me," she said, scrunching her nose. "Let me be a hypocrite in peace!"

Lola was becoming one of those parents that brought up their children and found it odd not to in some capacity but attempted not to focus solely on it as it was just a part of her life and not the entire whole, despite feeling as it were. Her intentions of flagging down candidates was on pause as she thought about the strides, interests and growth the child had going for her prior to answering. "She's doing well. Had a rough time when we were quarantined last year but got into a groove there after. She's a science and art head right now!" The lightness in her shoulders, power in her smile emitted, as thinking of where her daughter was going.

Much like anything, it all was a curb marked by learning even what helped situate the place they ought to be. "Fine, I won't push it but keep it in mind. You deserve some 'me time'" With that and a pointed gesture she slid from the table motioning to hold on. Her destination plowed effortlessly through the closely dense crowd, finding one of the aimless wandering gents to pick at before moments later the tall and favorably handsome man anxiously followed behind. "Hey, I'm like you to meet Chuck, Chuck this is Stella. Who I was telling you about?"

Art wasn't something Stella could speak to, but science was a different story all together. She had to remind herself that 1) Marley was a kid and enjoying science out of the available options at school didn't necessarily mean it was something she was super into on a deeper level, and 2) Lola probably wouldn't enjoy her going off on a science based tangent while they were there to enjoy a night out. Some other time, maybe, she might ask a few questions to find out exactly what Marley's interests were, because it wouldn't hurt. As someone who enjoyed school, Stella found it especially important to nourish and support that drive for knowledge. Then again, she was still getting ahead of herself.

Her attention was drawn away from that line of thinking at Lola's comments, and her movement away from the table. Stella's gaze followed her friend through the crowed as best she could before losing her, though it didn't take long for her to reappear - not alone. It wasn't as though she didn't appreciate the attractiveness of the man Lola plucked from the crowd, she had eyes, and it would have been rude to be dismissive, both to Chuck and also Lola who was clearly trying to set her up, a decent and nice friend move. Besides, it wasn't like she had a reason not to talk to him.

"Hi Chuck," she replied with an easy smile, holding her hand out to shake and shooting a brief glance at Lola before turning her attention back to him. "I don't suppose you'd like to get me a drink?"