anomaly_research_nerd | MHA #13- Tuesday Evening

Connor was not at all nervous as the evening approached. Pffft what was there to be nervous or worried about? It wasn't like he had spent most of the day cleaning up the apartment and making sure everything was in order. And he certainly had not actually gotten the vacuum out or anything. It was just Michael, coming over, to his apartment, for a date.... Nothing to be nervous about at all!

"Shit, did I put the gin in the fridge yet?" Connor muttered as he ran to the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief to discover yes, everything was in the fridge nice and chilled and good to go.

"Get yourself together mate," Connor said shaking his head. "It's a date. You have had those before. This is fine... this is good... you got this."

Never mind that Connor did not have the best track record with dates- regardless of who they were with or what the pretense was. That was neither here nor there. No point in jinxing anything!

Glancing at the clock, Connor did one last rundown on his checklist- Gin and ice for the drinks were ready to go in the kitchen. There was (hopefully) enough pizza that had been picked up and was waiting on the counter. The dining room table was covered with papers, maps, and a couple of boxes of documents. The TV and game system was set up with several ~~handwaved~~ games just in case. And the couch was even clear of the seemingly ever-present pile of laundry.

Connor knew the date was more than just 'research' at least, he hoped it would be more than anomaly talk and research some of the time. He was human after all. He had eyes. And right now those eyes were looking at himself in the mirror, making sure he looked ok. Or ya know, as decent as Connor Temple could. He had gone with a semi usual look, for the most part. Minus the fedora.

And with everything in place, and being as ready as he could be, all Connor had left to do was wait for Michael, and try not to wear a hole in the floor in the process.

(Waiting for the guy...)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

canondisasterbi

Michael, for his part, was less nervous about the "date" part than the "when and how to reveal I'm really an alien" bit. He'd already told a couple people in town, and so far no one had tried to abduct him or experiment on him -- or even tell him he couldn't possibly really be an alien.

It was very, very weird.

And, okay, there was a little bit of worrying if Connor would still like him after finding out he wasn't human. Or if spiking any drinks with some of the nail polish remover he kept in his jacket pocket would come off as rude. It wasn't his fault that alcohol just didn't taste as good without a bit of acetone in it. He was a slave to his biology.

Either way, he was here, in his cleanest button-down flannel and jeans, cowboy hat left behind at home for the evening. Knocking on Connor's door.

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

"Hey, Michael. Good to see ya" Connor said as he opened the door, almost looking surprised that he actually showed up.

Could Michael tell how nervous he was? Dang it, he was probably seeming pretty pathetic already.

"Glad you made it," he said with a grin as he stepped aside. "Come in, make yourself at home."

From:

canondisasterbi

"What can I say? I'm a man of my word." Michael gave him a lopsided grin and stepped in.

The nervousness was adorable.

"Nice place you got here."

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

"A rare breed indeed these days," Connor said with a crooked grin of his own.

"Eh, thanks, still getting everything set up and unpacked. And admittedly, Rex has already claimed most of the space for himself."

Just be sure not to go opening any closets.... might end up buried under an avalanche of clutter. Just saying.

"Got food and drinks ready and of course the Gin for whenever" Connor offered as closed the door.

From:

canondisasterbi

"Yeah? How does a dinosaur claim a space?" Michael asked, looking around.

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

Ah, that would be all the plants and repurposed cat climbing towers, and hammocks, and such that covered nearly half the apartment.

"He pretty much has free reign when I'm here. Rex spends a lot of time out on the balcony in the little garden area I made for him."

Connor looked at Michael, hoping this next bit didn't put too much of a damper on why he had wanted to come over in the first place.

"Rex is actually next door. Professor Cutter is a friend of mine and knows Rex. Figured might be easier for tonight than trying to keep the little guy from getting into everything."

From:

canondisasterbi

"That does make it easier to get drunk without worrying the dinosaur will try some gin, too," Michael said, nodding. "I'm guessing that gin probably isn't great for the little guy."

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

"Yeah probably not," Connor said with a laugh. "A while back, before we came to the island, Rex got into some grapes that had started to go a little off. It was not good... poor little guy couldn't even fly straight."

Connor paused for a minute before continuing.

"Speaking of getting drunk, shall we break into the Gin or attempt to be somewhat responsible and wait at least a little before hitting the booze?"

From:

canondisasterbi

"Hey, I get that. Some of us can't do anything straight."

*rimshot*

"I'm in no rush to get sloppy. Let's hang out for a bit."

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

Nice one there, Michael. Connor gave a small slow clap and an approving nod over that pun- way to win the guy over even more.

"Ah, man after my own heart there. Want a fizzy pop or something in the meantime?"

From:

canondisasterbi

Michael couldn't contain a smirk. "A fizzy pop? As opposed to . . . still pop? Doesn't pop imply fizz to begin with?"

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

"Eh you Americans just drop all the fun descriptors off things," Connor said with a laugh as he headed to the kitchen.

"Make yourself comfortable. Couch is in there," he said with a nod towards the living room. "The papers and research I promised you are all on the table," he said with a nod in that direction.

From:

canondisasterbi

"Ooo." Michael went over to grab sift through the papers, bypassing the couch entirely. (He still didn't feel entirely comfortable existing in non-transitory spaces. Like if he sat on the couch he might break it or ruin it somehow.)

But scientific research into so-called "fringe sciences"? Those were his jam.

"You said your neighbor works on this stuff too?"

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

Research did have a certain appeal to it didn't it? (And there was plenty of time, and drink, and talk for now. Maybe the couch would seem less intimidating later on.)

"Aye, Nick Cutter. He was my professor back home. And the leader of the research time studying the anomalies and all."

Connor was about to say former leader but that would get into a whole can of worms he wasn't sure he was ready to hash out just yet... especially after the weekend.

"I pulled out most of the papers I could find relating the anomalies themselves and the research I did for our gear and tech."

From:

canondisasterbi

"Yeah?" Michael looked up with a smile. "You bring any of that tech with you? I'd love to poke around with it."

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

"Actually I did. One of them is sitting right there as a matter of fact," Connor said with a big grin and a nod towards the radio-looking device sitting among the papers.

"That's the ADD- Anomaly Detection Device. Handheld version" Connor said with a proud grin. "Designed it myself to detect anomalies based on the radio frequencies they emit when they are opened."

From:

canondisasterbi

"Really!" Michael picked up the device and turned it over in his hands. "And you never pick up cross signals from, you know, radios?"

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

"As far as we have been able to tell, the Anomalies, when open, produce radio disturbance on the frequency 87.6 FM. The ADD detects the anomalies when they open by picking up that interference" Connor explained.

"I know different places have different radio frequencies in use. I had planned to try and do some tests to see how they worked over here and if there's a similar phenomenon with the portals here on the island."

From:

canondisasterbi

"Hell yeah," Michael said. "Assuming the squirrels don't broadcast on the portal frequency just to mess with people."

He had happily picked up on the idea that squirrels were being terrible, yes.

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

They really were quite terrible with the boundaries and personal space, weren't they?

"Well, we can probably bribe them if it seems like they are trying to mess with us any," he said, having heard from a few people about the rum shot bribes.

He gave a glance over at Michael before continuing. "We... we could do some tests and such for that. Come up with some experiments we could to test things out and all. If... if ya wanted."

From:

canondisasterbi

"Are you kidding?" Micheal flicked him another grin. "I love it when people talk science to me. Especially when they're not already claimed by my brother."

Sorry, Liz, but thanks to Max's moon-eyes, you had never been on his potential date list.

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

Aaaand there was that pink flush, right on cue.

"Ah well.... I... I'll go grab those 'regular pops' now," Connor said with a somewhat awkward laugh. "And we can go over things and see what ya think we should start with."

Connor personally was going to start with a quick run to the kitchen before his face got any redder.

"I'll be right back!"

From:

canondisasterbi

Michael watched him go with a chuckle, well aware of the effect he could have on people (who didn't know him well enough to notice he was a feral fuck-up).

He could damn well enjoy that effect while it lasted, at least.

"Take your time," he called after him, and sifted through the papers again. "I wonder if Summer'll let us borrow her portal gun. . . ."

From:

anomaly_research_nerd

(Habitual fuck up meet habitual mistake-maker let's be honest)

"I'm not sure she would let us use it or anything mate," Connor said as he walked back and handed a can to Michael. "She might be fine with bringing it out sometime and letting us take some measurements and such while she uses it though."

Connor thought for a moment as he took a drink of his own pop.

"The gnomes might even be ok with us taking some readings when someone uses the portals over there too!"

From:

canondisasterbi

"Gnomes," Michael muttered. "Those guys are so rude."

They refused to let Michael poke at their machines to try and link up to his Roswell himself. So, in his opinion, rude.

"Are there any, like, regular portals? Ones that show up all the time?"