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Owner Pose
Stanley Padgett     Stanley sighs a bit under his umbrella. It was a cold sleety night in Lampport, and young Mr. Padgett is looking at his phone as he waits outside the front door of his adoptive house.
    No, not adoptive. Just where he's living. DOn't think that, Stanley, you'll only get your heart broken again. Not like the last time. The Murphy's didn't want you. Aunt Greg didn't want you.

    Why does Caelan want you? Stanley paces back and forth at the door a bit, staring at his phone and responding.
Caelan Stuart Cold and sleety is nowhere someone should be standing outside of the house that they're living at, even if they're 'just boarding there for now'. Or however it is that Stanley wants to spin it.

Of course, who could really blame the guy? He's been through a lot for someone his age. But that's exactly why Caelan Stuart, An Actually Decent Human Being, can't exactly leave him adrift.

The door swings open, and the cop in question is standing in the frame with his arms crossed over a "COOK KING" apron. "You coming in? Food's all ready, and Alice is hungry after a long day at the pitch." Beat. "It's shepherd's pie tonight."
Charlotte Newman     A pickup truck from twenty years ago slides to an alarming but ultimately safe stop on the sleety, icy road. Judging by all the stickers in the window and the sign on the roof, this is someone who does a lot of Gig work, despite the beat-up look of their vehicle. The occupants have a brief conversation before the passenger door opens and-- an umbrella emerges to unfold.

    A second later, Charlotte disembarks, shutting the door behind her. It takes her a moment to collect herself after what must have been a harrowing Uber, eyes following the truck as it Tokyo Drifts around a corner at the end of the block.

    She hurries up to the stoop, dipping her head to greet Caelan before checking on Stanley with a glance. Her attention returns to the detective, holding up the bag dangling in her other hand, "I hope I'm not imposing, but I brought cheesecake to make up for it."
Stanley Padgett     Stanley blinks a bit as the door opens and he puts his phone away. He sighs and smiles, and shakes off that umbrella. "Hey, I... okay..." The words aren't working so good tonight, which is why he probably went back to texting, to be honest. The ORANGE is fading in his hair, he'll have to sit down with Charlotte to fix that at some point. "...I'm glad she's back on the team. I uh.... I know it was tough for her after..."
    He shifts a bit. "...Sorry I've been avoiding you." Though Charlotte shows up with Cheesecake, and Stanley blinks. "...Did you two plan this or something?"
Caelan Stuart "I think she wanted things to get back to normal more than I did," Caelan says with a shrug, "I can't say I'm not worried, but I'm glad that she's doing her best to pick herself up." And will probably need OODLES of therapy down the road. The cop shakes his head slowly, then. "It's fine. I'm sure you've been trying to figure stuff out on your own. But next time, try to ask for help earlier, alright? I worry for you kids--"

Charlotte appears! With cheesecake! "Oh, Alice will be happy to see that," Caelan nods, "Come on in. There's plenty for everyone."

Just means he's not getting as many leftovers. But that's fine, too. Probably better for his gut.
Stanley Padgett     Stanley takes a breath...

    And there's the 'Stanley is typing' look on his face as he follows the others towards the dining room. There's words that want to come out of Stanley, thoughts that are bubbling up in the young man, that... he's trying to figure out if he's allowed to say any of them or if it's okay to say them or-

    "...Sorry." Maybe if it were anyone else, any other situation, there would be Brat Behaviour, but right now, the Stuarts are Stanley's home providers and he doesn't want to upset that. "...I'll say something sooner."
Charlotte Newman     "Plan this?" Charlotte tilts her head a bit while shaking out her umbrella, "No, I'm kind of crashing it, to be honest." Once inside, she sets the umbrella aside and properly addresses Caelan, "Thank you, Mister Stuart." She allows one little laugh, "I haven't visited with Alice in a bit, either, so it's a convenient time to catch up."

    Unbagging her gift, she places it on the kitchen counter, then dispenses with the bag. It's a boxed store cheesecake-- but from one of the higher end bakeries in the South End, presumably around where she lives.

    "You had a real adventure the other day though," Charlotte's trying to change the mood, having picked up on Stanley's apparent impression that he's being scolded, "Those pictures looked so cool, I'm a little jealous."
Caelan Stuart "You're welcome to come by any time," Caelan says to Charlotte, "I'm sure Alice will be glad to see you. Come on in."

SPEAKING OF PICTURES!!

There's one in a frame on a counter in the Stuart's dining room. It's... it's an adorable candid photo of Alice and Stanley passed out on each other's shoulders on the family couch.

It is heart-stoppingly cute.

The dining room is, like much of the rest of the Stuart House, rustic and homey. There's an antique hardwood floor under the table and kitchen set-up, the kind that is only found in homes built before the changes came to Steelport. Sitting at the table, WAITING VERY PATIENTLY (you can tell because she's kicking her heels against her chair) is one Alice Stuart--

"Big bro! You're back!" Who immediately perks up at seeing her Favorite Older Kids. "Big sis too! And you brought cake!?"

"For after dinner," Caelan reminds his daughter as he steps into the kitchen. "Help me set a spot for Charlotte, would you please?" Alice hops off her chair and (after a lightning-fast hug for both Charlotte and Stanley) scurries after her father-- there was, tellingly, already three plates and silverware sets on the table. When the pair return, it's with an oven-mitt-grasped casarole dish full of bubbling meat pie covered in cheesy mashed potatos, a basket of croissants, and a table setting for Charlotte's use.

All three, naturally, go to the table.

"I'd heard you'd been out hunting," he says to Stanley, doffing his mitts and apron, "You meet with some success out on the trail, eh?"
Stanley Padgett     Stanley looks to Caelan and to Alice with a bit less of a worried expression, especially after that hug from Alice. "...hey you, how's it going, little bit?" A ruffle for Alice, and the lanky boy sort of inhabits the chair on offer. It's been a while since an actual family meal here, probably since Thanksgiving at Caelan's folks place. "...This shows me for just sorta sneaking out to school in the morning."

    A beat, as Stanley looks to Charlotte about spilling the beans on the hunt and then back to Caelan, and... He looks to Alice, and then back to his Not-Dad. He's still not sure how much he wants Alice to know about Stan and Char and her dad being Elites now. "Yeah, I went out to help Miss Remee and some of the others handle some rampaging critters on another world."
    He stuffs some shepherd's pie in his face, and then bites his lip. "Pretty successfully, actually. Which is why uh... i was surprised at no pay."
Charlotte Newman     It's unclear whether Charlotte's more formal behavior towards Caelan is borne from respecting an adult or from still being on-edge around cops, but she does relax visibly when Alice enters the picture. The swift hug is briefly returned before the girl scurries off to help her father.

    "Still not used to 'big sis'," she remarks quietly while Alice is out of the room, "But it's still a little cute."

    She seats herself across from Stanley, thanking Alice quietly for the plate and cutlery. When she serves herself, she actually claps her hands together once and says a quick, "Thanks for the meal." before digging in.

    It's not something she's ever done before. Then again, nobody here has ever been at a sit-down family style meal with Charlotte before.

    "I was shocked to hear that," she tags on to Stanley's surprise, "All you can do is learn from it for next time, I guess... As bothersome as it is right now." She reaches for her silverware, then pauses. The girl bites her lip a bit, then out of nowhere, asks an entirely unrelated question.

    "Mister Stuart-- Would it be alright if I took a picture of all of us? I don't-- have meals like this, very often. With other people."
Caelan Stuart     "It feels like it's been forever," Alice answers with a bit of a pout. A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE HEART!! How dare you make Alice pout, Stanley Padgett!? "You're not sneaking out on us again. I'll be watching you like a hawk, mister!"

(Target acquired - Stanley's lonely morning voyages to school are in danger!?)

"Sounds like you guys kind of got taken for a ride," Caelan adds, spreading his steaming pie out to vent some of the pent up steam. "Too bad, that. I would have liked to try grilling a fresh catch. Ah well, maybe next time." Caelan Stuart: Dinosaur Grillmaster!?

Little does Stanley know that Charlotte has already absolutely spilled the beans about the whole 'dad and new friends are all superheroes' thing. Too late, Stan! Now Alice is going to grow up having larger than life dreams about what her dad gets up to at work!!

"Mmm? Of course," Caelan nods to Charlotte's request. "Did you want me to take the picture, or is this one of those new-fangled timer cameras?"
Stanley Padgett     Stanley grumps a bit at being called out, but it's not like, angry grump, more like a 'oh no i've been spotted' or something. He can't possibly be mad at Alice (yet give it time)

    "I mean, yeah? I have to admit when I heard 'hunting', I was expecting a different sort of thing, like the sort of hunting I had to take hunters safety for, when I was with my auntie and her boyfriend." Stan shoves more pie in his face, before blinking. "Oh, It think it's probably.... Charotte's got it, she's got the neatest stuff. Though..."
Charlotte Newman     "Oh, no, I'd like all of us to be in it," the girl unbuckles her purse and produces her phone. Switching it to wide-lens, she positions herself and holds it out, adjusting until both teens, tween, and adult are in the frame. She gives it a moment for the others to smile, smiles herself, and snaps it with the distinct artificial shutter noise smartphones still use.

    Lowering her device, she checks the result and eventually decides she's happy with it, holding it out for Stanley, Caelan, and Alice each to see before she puts her phone away.

    "Cooking it..." She chews on that term for a moment. When it clicks, she closes her eyes with a laugh, "That'd be something to see." She doesn't spoil it but she did see the picture Stanley shared the other day. That's an I Know Something You Don't rich girl laugh if Caelan's ever heard one.

    This is... Nice. Warm company, good food, chatting about the day, the weekend, whatever. Throughout the evening Charlotte's quite happy to be here. A welcome distraction from that lonely home life she's mentioned before.