Wendy is still semi-dragging Theo by the hand, but is trying to push past the odd looks this gets. It's for his own good.

"Heyo. Fistbump us?"

"That's what I'm here for. Well, also an excuse for a little sightseeing but mostly this."

Fistbump!

"Oh, that's not bad. Though I seem to have a lot of 'not bad' and no 'great' reactions..."

Fistbump... Blinkblinkblink.

"UM. Is that what it's supposed to feel like?"

"Oh wow. Yeah. Hi, I'm Kuroko, nice to meet you."

"You should check out the Field Museum, it's great," Wendy says, trying to bash the sudden feeling that she is INTRUDING in the head. "I'm Wendy, nice to meet you, too."

"I am going by Netlink. Um." Is it possible to not un-bump the fist, while also not seeming too... Awkward, about that? "Nice to meet you too?"

"Netlink and I aren't partners, uh, the combability is pretty low. Just ordinary friends, more or less. Fellow nerds."

(She lets go of his other hand and continues to try not to feel Some Way.)

She nods at Wendy "I'm planning on doing some sightseeing after this so maybe I'll check that out. "

How about if they maneuver so they can hold hands in a slightly less awkward (and conspicuous) position?

"Are you two locals?"

Yeah okay they can do that. And maybe go to one of the tables at the side of the room? If he kinda half-gestures towards it? Why is he so nervous.

"Um. More or less? I'm from Oswego, and Wendy is from Naperville."

"Both of those are, like, suburbs. Half an hour apart and a bit over an hour from downtown here. So yeah, I think that counts as locals. We're also both really new espers. I dunno if I even want to touch dungeons yet. The- Netlink's power is really great, and mine is cool, but like, not as absurdly in demand. I can fling stuff. Railgun style, turn a penny into a bullet. I mean... Not that I've done that, I juggled potatoes and splattered one against a wall to test it... And that's one that, uh, aaaam I rambling? I'm rambling. Shutting up now."

"I've been doing dungeons for a year now. I have a stealth power. Not technically invisibility, just being unnoticeable to monsters. Or people if I wanted to but that doesn't really come up. I can cover another person, or two in a pinch if they stay close by. So It's really useful for getting a victim out past roaming monsters. Also I can like, sort of ignore gravity. I think of it as sort of like those old cartoons where the characters run off a ledge and don't fall until they notice that should be falling. It's pretty expensive though so I save it for emergencies."

"I have... Telepathy. Sensor telepathy. They say, uh, it'll be really useful. But I didn't want to go in another dungeon until I know for sure I have, um. A partner with better compatibility than Wendy. And a bunch of accommodation stuff figured out."

"Sensors are really in demand yeah. If you can find victims quickly that saves lots of time searching especially in really complicated layouts."

"I can get direction and distance of people precisely without even looking at them and also see what other people are seeing and also push that information to other people in intuitive ways."

Pause.

"...I don't know what your current partnership situation is like or anything but um. I would like to start helping once it is reasonably efficient and safe for me to do so."

"I might keep circling, Net, there's fists I haven't bumped yet. Give her my contact info too when you get around to it? In case a weak match is ever better than none."

"-Uh, sure. You don't have to go?"

"Don't have to stay either! Have fun."

With a little wave and a tiny bow, Wendy turns back into the milling crowd.

Wave

"My current partner just does 'professional partnering" so I don't really have any obligations there, if that's what you're wondering. And the compatibility isn't as good either. Uh, I should have said I'm based in Toronto currently."

"I haven't really thought about moving. There's nothing really... Locking me here, I suppose. I work entry level remote IT. Or, uh, used to. And it's not like I'm attracted to downtown Chicago specifically."

It was really cathartic to quit, actually.

"Suburb life is probably similar most places. I mean, as long as I can get really great internet. I'm just... Very nervous in general and unsure about... Stuff and things. And, um, hellweek is pretty recent still."

"You make esper money you can get great internet...basically anywhere."

She winces sympathetically, "it took me a bit to recover from hellweek. Emotionally I mean."

"I don't think it would be productive to try to, um, compare hellweeks. And I am trying to keep my backlash sort of secret so I really should not tell you here and now. There's... My agency has a non disclosure agreement and stuff... I'm not too attached to them though. I might prefer one that's present in Toronto, with a different agency culture, if I am going to move to Toronto to be close to you... Uh. It feels kind of premature to be talking about that though, somehow? I think I'm feeling awkward about how esper partnerships are sometimes conflated with... Other stuff."

"Any esper agency can help you draw up a non-disclosure agreement. It comes up a lot. And uh, no time pressure or anything. Or pressure about other things. Why  don't we just exchange contact information and you can think things over?"

"I don't mind talking about things? I kind of even prefer to do it now rather than later if all else were equal? I'm just. I don't know, I am new to all of this. Please correct me if I make mistakes. But if you want to go now and talk later that is also fine?"

They are still holding hands and he doesn't want to let go even though he's zeroed now. But he also doesn't want to be weird.

"I don't have any plans. I'm not flying back home until tomorrow evening. So we can talk now if you'd rather get it over with. There's some side rooms for quiet conversations if that's easier."

"-Yeah, let's go to one of those. Thanks."

"No problem."

They can go into one of the side rooms.

He does seem less nervous in here!

"My real name is Theodore, you can call me Theo. I'm being much less aggressive about concealing that compared to my backlash. Um... I think I felt more comfortable around Wendy when I got to know her a bit. Anxious is my default state. I'm probably theoretically open to a lot of ways for an esper partnership to work but I would hate ambiguous or unclear expectations, if that makes sense?"

"I'm Meghan. It does make sense yeah. I'm also open to a lot of things. I've just been doing snuggling shirtless and in shorts and we're compatible enough that if we just keep doing that it'll work more than fine and I wouldn't mind. But I don't think I'd mind other things. I...already got the IUD. Just in case. And assuming you can put up with me while I'm backlashed.

She flushes slightly

It's a still a little embarrassing to talk about but I should warn you up front, I get really desperately attention seeking, and I  can get...pretty obnoxious sometimes.You've heard the saying 'there's no such thing as bad publicity?' it's like that, when it gets bad enough. I'm getting better at...managing it but..well... Uh, it's not even slightly a secret because I'd rather be a little embarrassed about it then have people think I was being obnoxious on purpose.

"Backlash is such a way. Um." He also flushes a bit and glances away.

Guiding sex would be a very good way to get and keep his attention shut UP brain. This is serious esper business.

"It seems hard to tell how well we get along while backlashed without... Doing that. I'll want to get the NDA sorted before telling you mine but you should probably know mine before we spend time significantly backlashed together. It could go pretty smoothly with yours or... Not... Hard to tell. Um. I think general lightly clothed snuggling is a good place to start? And consider anything else, uh, later."

"Sounds like a good plan to me. Did you have any other questions or anything?"

"Hmm. Would you like to experience my power or demonstrate yours briefly since we're holding hands already and will guide back to zero? I think I said it before, but I have sensing and communicative telepathy. I think you said you have an unnoticeability power, right?"

"A-and, would you like to go sightseeing somewhere together while you are here? As a get to know each other thing? Or would you rather do that alone and... Let me arrange agency things, and then I fly to Toronto some time and, I guess, wait for a dungeon to happen where we can do the test guiding session thing with more of a medium amount than just a tiny bit of backlash...?"

"I do have an unnoticibility power. It won't really...work if we're actually touching,because of the guiding, and  I'm told it's a bit disorientating if I trigger it right in front of someone and it's also more expensive if somebody is already paying attention to me. I could do it anyway if you're really curious. Or I could just leave the room and sneak back in.  I'd be interested in yours.

"your friend mentioned the Field Museum. We could go there if you aren't already bored of it. Or if you have another favourite place we could go there."

He nods.

And then-

He hasn't been to the Field Museum in a year or so, which makes it new and fresh enough to be interesting. 

It's different in character to hearing someone talk. But still obviously communication, and not her own thoughts.

And, This is what sensing people feels like; Embers in the dark, dots on a RADAR screen, whispers in silence.

And, It's up to her if she wants to demonstrate her power.

"That's pretty cool. Why don't I just sneak back in here?" 

She gently reclaims her hand.

"See ya in a bit?"

...He lets go easily and restrains the urge to keep an 'eye' on her with his sensor.

"It messes with sensors too, by the way. You could maybe test it some other time if you'd like, but I think not today."

she slips out

And about a minute later he will be quite abruptly aware of her standing about a foot away from him.

"Boo."

He jumps.

"-Hi. God, esper powers are weird."

Handholding again?

"At any rate the Field Museum sounds fun. It's kind of a hybrid history and science museum. A lot of natural history. They have a room full of shiny gemstones, and an egypt exhibit, and some dinosaur exhibits, and some dungeon stuff..."

Handholding again!

"Sounds interesting."

She's maybe leaning on him a little bit.

Did he do something wrong? Misread the mood? No. It's just initial-grade backlash, same as he's got... Probably. Leaning is fine.

"Um... I'll call for a taxi there?"

"Sure."

She's a little fidgety while he's on the phone but she won't interrupt.