Miles hops back on without skipping a beat. He's rushing through the vision in his head with expert precision. He couldn't sound or look any happier. "Nice to meet you, Frank. And thanks for helping me out with this. Not every day Captain America gives you a mission, you know? This has to be great." The sad part is he hasn't even figured out Steve is paying him via his dad to avoid getting the money back. This is purely a passion project for Miles.
"Trust me, I get it." A smile works its way into his tone despite himself, watching the flowers start to really pop once colors are added around them. A wanness enters his expression, remembering Frank Jr. painting at the table. And then on the table, and then on the wall... "You won't let him down. He picked you for a reason."
He doesn't know this guy at all, but Miles has gotten better at accepting feedback. He had to after losing the guy whose word he trusted most. A warm smile crosses his face as he continues on. "Thanks, man. I appreciate that." He keeps at the grind until finally Miles' sunflowers are complete.
He is hyped up by this point. Miles taps Frank's head before asking to be let down. "Come on! Let's take a look at this." The excitement jumps out of his voice. It's practically screaming, 'Let's do this!!!'
He rolls his shoulder to launch Miles off to the ground, a big mitt of a hand immediately going to his scratchy chin as he surveys the work - like he knows a damn thing about art.
He lands smoothly on his feet. "Showing your age, viejo." Miles quips as he hurries to shuffle back to get some space. His mood doesn't get any less brighter as he surveys his creation. "Yeah-! That's...." The teenagers is swiftly returns to Frank's side to clap his arm with a surprising amount of strength for such a small kid. "I think we pulled it off, Frank! Take a few steps back. We gotta big picture this!" He'll just helpfully drag the giant man with him. No big deal!!! Hormones or something. Lala. Just move!!!
Frank shoots him a glare, but doesn't bother countering. Nor does he try and fight being shoved around. Once Miles eventually puts together who he is, this whole night will probably be hilarious in retrospect. Once he's a few steps back, the true artistry does take form and he's silent for a long moment, admiring it.
"You do this kinda shit a lot?" Tag buildings. Seems like a good way to keep a kid out of trouble, to Frank.
Miles watches for his reaction. The silence seems like a good thing so he's happy. He shrugs at the question. It is a little loaded even if Miles isn't the kind to dwell. "Yeah when I can find a place that'll let me." He tacks on gently. "My dad is a cop. I can't even get a sticker on a street sign past him. Everything I put up has gotta be approved by whoever owns the buildings or you know where no one would ever find it." He laughs it off but, haha that's what he did. :) #Anywherecanwearthemask
"Yeah? I get it. My old man was tough too." Though he'd needed to be, to deal with Frank. It's more a reflection of himself being hard on his son, when he truly analyzes it, but as usual he tries not to. There's surely no judgment in his tone when Miles admits altering some out-of-reach places. It does give him an idea, however... "I might be able to find you some more real estate, if everything you do is this good."
It sobers him up that Frank can relate. Things have gotten better between the two of them, but their damage can't be erased overnight. He is right back to being hyped up at the possibility of more places to hit up. Miles smile is bright as can be as it sinks in that this guy may really hook him up. God he loves Captain America so much for setting this up. "Are you serious? Because I need you to be serious right now. My hopes are way up!" He pauses a beat before adding in smoothly. "The next one will be even better, you know. Cap didn't hire an amateur." Except......... he literally did. Shut up, Miles!!!
"You mean you didn't save your best work for the vets?" he asks, leveling Miles a look. He isn't serious, because he never is, but it's not like he ever lets on either way. This kid is just too damn wholesome, he has to give him a hard time. It's like, required. "Let me see what I can do." For some reason: people like him so it shouldn't be too hard to convince a few slumlords to let some free work get done. That's pretty much business as usual for him anyway. And he also knows a lot of sketchy places Miles probably hasn't been to yet that no one would ever find.
Edited (we were due for a one letter edit people) 2019-09-05 04:22 (UTC)
Miles opens his mouth, keeping it that way for a few seconds before snapping it shut. He points at Frank only mildly annoyed. He is getting what he wants. Something tells Miles that Frank is the kind of guy who gets things done. "You're messing with me." He lowers his hand and mumbles something along the lines 'I hope he's messing with me' under his breath. A quick look at his work confirms that no one has reason to doubt his commitment to the cause here!!!
Miles is scrambling to catch up with Frank on the way back to his own house. Go figure, right? "Hey, wait up!" He collects his cans along the way and tosses them into a school backpack. Tomorrow he'll back to seal with it, but for today it's all good to go.
He falls a step ahead of Frank since it is his house they are heading toward. "I appreciate you wanting to walk me, but I'm a big boy. I can handle myself." Not that he's kicking Frank out by any means. He hopes dude is ready to handle the fact Miles will have to say hi and charm basically everyone once they get closer.
And no he does not see the irony of calling himself a big boy. He's totally grown up!!! He grew an inch last week!!!!
"Uh-huh," he grunts noncommittally, not rethinking his course at all. Now that Miles is actively walking home, it's not like he can stop Frank from following him anyway. He takes one hand out of a pocket to gesture at his face. "If you think this is bad, you don't wanna see what Cap would do if I didn't see you home safe."
Miles studies it with a wrinkled nose. Damn he looks bad. He's not the kind of kid who runs to his dad for everything, but yikes. This dude needs help. He's Cap's friend so Miles' will stay in his lane. Probably. "Yeah, okay. If he ever got serious, you wouldn't even have a face left." He snorts. It sounds ridiculous, but actually Ganke did look into that. The force of most of the Avengers' fists would do some serious damage if they weren't holding back.
"And I did tell Mami I'd look out for my elders." :') Haha, get it? You're so old, Frank. :)))
He shrugs a shoulder. "Would probably be an improvement." And like, it's probably true enough. Frank doesn't worry about it for obvious reasons. Bemusement morphs into apparent offense in an instant though. Come on!! While his hand is still free, he shoves Miles towards the edge of the sidewalk. No wonder Steve likes him so much, what a punk ass. "Did she also tell you to stop callin' 'em old all the time?"
Miles breaks into a winning smile at that shove. He lets himself move a little before falling back into step with Frank. He got a rise out of him and what more can any teen ask for? "She might have mentioned it, yeah." He ducks his head. He is the model of innocence clearly. "But, you did start it by calling me kid." Miles retorts. The argument of all super mature people.
That gets a full-on eyeroll from Frank even while he hunkers back in on himself and focuses on matching Miles' pace. He's fast when he wants to be, but he does fall just a step behind him intentionally, keeping his eyes on every alleyway and door on the way down the road.
"You are a kid." But he knows this path bears no fruit. There's really no point arguing with a teenager, something he's intimately familiar with by now. "How old do you even think I am?"
Miles, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be paying attention at all. He's off in his own world like any kid. It's probably very worrying if you didn't know he can literally sense danger.... so basically everyone in his life is in a constant state of stress. Welcome to the club, Frank.
"Uh...." He studies Frank's profile. It is rough to age a guy whose face is ten different colors with a jacked up nose. Miles thinks for a second this is what Ms. Marvel's nose would look like if she didn't have healing powers. "I guess you've got to be in your forties, right? No white hair yet. You don't seem like the kind of guy who dyes his hair." He isn't even covering up bruises for crying out loud.
Frank understands troublemaking kids because he was one and he gave life to one- one and a half. And then he mentored two. He gets that and isn't fully worried, but the whole son of a cop thing is... weird. Familiar. He can't stop thinking like maybe if Frank Jr. had lived these two could've gotten in it together. Or maybe Miles could've kept him out of trouble sometimes. He swallows thickly, carrying on though all he honestly wants to do now is turn around and walk away, and not because Miles guessed too high. That barely even registers.
"Not yet, punk." But close, close enough being the implication. "You wanna be a detective like your dad?" With observational skills like that, he'd probably be decent at it.
He grins. Miles will take close enough!! The question is sobering. Miles looks around as if searching for the answer. After a few seconds, he just shrugs and gives what he thinks is a disappointing answer. "I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm just trying to keep up at school, you know? You have to literally win the lottery after doing all this crazy stuff to even qualify for that lottery to get into Visions. Once you're there, you're pretty much buried with schoolwork. It doesn't leave a lot of time for thinking past the next due date." Which isn't honestly a great system. Miles is too young to see that. He just knows it's a great opportunity and he has to work hard to keep it like everyone else at the school. Luckily he's so bright that he can meet that demand and still go out to help people every day.
He tacks on softly after a few more seconds of consideration, "I wouldn't mind doing something to help people. Keep them out of trouble or make sure guys like Fisk stay in jail so they can't hurt anybody else. You know... make a real difference." He shrugs. "It's cheesy, I know. That's how I feel."
He listens, knowing he can't truly relate to the private school struggle. But if Miles is smart enough to get all that work done and still come out here to paint for the veterans, Frank thinks he'll do alright. His earnestness is devastating, but he's used to covering up his near-constant state of heartbreak by now.
"Maybe it is." Cheesy, but a tiny smile belies his true feelings. "Nothin' cheesier than dressing up to fight evil." A dig at Cap, naturally. So of Miles thinks it's lame, he might want to pick a different idol.
Miles nods for like a half a second. It's not really a career so that's off the table. His fanboy does slip out a little. As time goes by, he does appreciate the other heroes more and more. None of this is easy. They inspire Miles by the way they keep going.
"Yeah, but it's kind of cool at the same time. Sure, Cap has had some really lame looks. Like that one he used to fight the aliens. I'd have burned that." Miles makes a face. Even remembering it years later doesn't make him cringe any less. "But, that navy blue suit? And Thor's whole thing? Those are cool looks. And you know everything Luke Cage wears. That's a guy who always looks on point even wearing a hoodie." He barely resists the urge to plug himself. He knows he looks cooler than Queen's Spider-Man. He shouldn't be too obvious or something.
Frank would beg to differ, but he's an even worse role model than Steve so there you go. "Pretty sure he already did." Burn that abomination. The fact that he's so touchy about it tickles the fuck out of Frank though. "Never saw the point in costumes, you know? If you're gonna do a thing, just do it."
Of course he would say that, but no one's taking his skull away from him. Over his (literal) dead body.
"So yeah, maybe Cage's got the best idea of 'em all."
Miles has to give Frank a double take. He is about to use his fancy education on Frank. He really has no one, but himself to blame. "Man, my English teacher would have a field day with you." He gestures with his hands while he explains. "It's about what the costume symbolizes. Even Luke Cage is saying something when he wears a t-shirt and hoodie while he's fighting crime. Yeah, he's a regular guy minding his business, but he's not going to put up with nonsense while he has the power to shut it down. Or Daredevil. You want to act like a monster? Okay, he'll be a scarier one back at you. They've all got something to say if you're willing to pay attention." Which clearly Frank isn't!!! You're gonna fail Introduction to English at Brooklyn Visions Academy, Frank.
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He is hyped up by this point. Miles taps Frank's head before asking to be let down. "Come on! Let's take a look at this." The excitement jumps out of his voice. It's practically screaming, 'Let's do this!!!'
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"It's bright," he points out helpfully.
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"You do this kinda shit a lot?" Tag buildings. Seems like a good way to keep a kid out of trouble, to Frank.
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"You live around here? I'll get you back." He makes it sound like something Miles doesn't have a choice in, already heading back the way he'd come.
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He falls a step ahead of Frank since it is his house they are heading toward. "I appreciate you wanting to walk me, but I'm a big boy. I can handle myself." Not that he's kicking Frank out by any means. He hopes dude is ready to handle the fact Miles will have to say hi and charm basically everyone once they get closer.
And no he does not see the irony of calling himself a big boy. He's totally grown up!!! He grew an inch last week!!!!
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"And I did tell Mami I'd look out for my elders." :') Haha, get it? You're so old, Frank. :)))
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"You are a kid." But he knows this path bears no fruit. There's really no point arguing with a teenager, something he's intimately familiar with by now. "How old do you even think I am?"
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"Uh...." He studies Frank's profile. It is rough to age a guy whose face is ten different colors with a jacked up nose. Miles thinks for a second this is what Ms. Marvel's nose would look like if she didn't have healing powers. "I guess you've got to be in your forties, right? No white hair yet. You don't seem like the kind of guy who dyes his hair." He isn't even covering up bruises for crying out loud.
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"Not yet, punk." But close, close enough being the implication. "You wanna be a detective like your dad?" With observational skills like that, he'd probably be decent at it.
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He tacks on softly after a few more seconds of consideration, "I wouldn't mind doing something to help people. Keep them out of trouble or make sure guys like Fisk stay in jail so they can't hurt anybody else. You know... make a real difference." He shrugs. "It's cheesy, I know. That's how I feel."
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"Maybe it is." Cheesy, but a tiny smile belies his true feelings. "Nothin' cheesier than dressing up to fight evil." A dig at Cap, naturally. So of Miles thinks it's lame, he might want to pick a different idol.
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"Yeah, but it's kind of cool at the same time. Sure, Cap has had some really lame looks. Like that one he used to fight the aliens. I'd have burned that." Miles makes a face. Even remembering it years later doesn't make him cringe any less. "But, that navy blue suit? And Thor's whole thing? Those are cool looks. And you know everything Luke Cage wears. That's a guy who always looks on point even wearing a hoodie." He barely resists the urge to plug himself. He knows he looks cooler than Queen's Spider-Man. He shouldn't be too obvious or something.
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Of course he would say that, but no one's taking his skull away from him. Over his (literal) dead body.
"So yeah, maybe Cage's got the best idea of 'em all."
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