aubergines | ( #002 ) FAKE MARRIED AU

Shit.

[He doesn't mean to say that out loud but he does and there it is. That was a stupid thing to say, offering Laurel free reign of the mini bar. Which is full of alcohol and she's a recovering alcoholic, that's a stupid thing for him to have even suggested. There's probably ten dollar macadamia nuts in there too but still.]

It's-- you're right. It's not bad. I just have a bad track record, as you know. Really, it has to be horrible to be married to me.

This kind of behavior is what drives me into Sirius's arms, I hope you know that.

[Give him a minute or two and he'll always pick up on the joke. And then just carry it on forever.]

But he never gets me scones so maybe I really will be faithful from now on.

How nice of you to make an effort. Maybe now we won't have to get a divorce, and little Henry and Harriet can live normal, unbroken lives.

[ with their alcoholic parents. ]

Great, they'll just grow up to murder us in our sleep with names like that. Brilliant.

[ defensively: ]

What's wrong with Henry?

[ A quick glance in the direction he calls attention to makes her aware of the watchtower guards. Definitely an odd mode to be in for the haven this place makes itself out to be, but both Kasumi and Peter already knew that there was something fishier going on beneath the layer of luxury and respite from war being advertised.

Mrs. McClain smiles and gives a light pat to the arm of her husband's that's around her shoulder; Kasumi is trying to call her partner's attention to a few patrolling guards who, alike the watchtower guards, appear to be more suspicious of their guests than welcoming. ]

It's so nice, how they're making sure nothing gets in through the defenses for people like us. Oh, I think we'll be very much at peace here.

[ The other way to interpret that, of course, is that nothing gets out. And by "at peace," she means, "Looks like there's going to be a lot of work for us to do."

Before any of said work can be done, however, they have to get in, which shouldn't be a problem given the extensive backgrounds and documentation she's fabricated on their fake identities. Kasumi does, however, pick up on a guard passing by, making sure the line is kept in order. More specifically, the almost unnoticeable pause he takes when he looks at the McClains. It doesn't take much, just a minuscule delay in his movement and a slight quirk of the brow. Kasumi is frankly surprised at this point that the guards weren't in full-on armor with helmets as was typical for Cerberus drones, but she figures that this must have been one of their modest efforts at appearing like a safe refuge as opposed to, say, a prison. Her hand gives Peter's arm an oh so light squeeze, just to let him know, "Okay, I might be attracting some attention." ]

[ Peter gets the message and carefully glances around, as though taking in the scenery again. When his gaze just so happens to fall on another patrolling guard, this time staring outright at Kasumi's garb, Peter sends him a withering look; the guard immediately turns and continues on his way.

Perhaps James McClain may be shy around his new wife, but around the help is an entirely different matter.

The line starts moving, finally, and Peter releases his hold on Kasumi in favor of picking up their things. He continues to point out the oddities under the guise of small talk. Cameras at 3 o'clock, alarm triggers there, suspicious door along that wall.

It's not too long before they're at the front of the line, now, and Peter deposits their bags on the scanner (and he's desperately hoping that Rocket's tech doesn't malfunction, though he shows no outward sign of his nervousness). When the technician stationed there doesn't immediately pull a gun on him, Peter allows himself to be scanned.

He really wants to say something smart-assed, like "Don't wrinkle the suit, boys," but he keeps it to himself.

Peter gets through, at least, and collects their bags with a polite nod as he waits for Kasumi. ]

It's... fine. [ She gives him a brave smile, although really, it's not so bad. Just a little lonely and sometimes boring. Although she has been watching tv and movies to catch up on what she missed.]

More disagreed than truly hated. But not the point.

[She shakes her head.]

Only if you think it'll make you more convincing, Sparky.

That's fine. All you have to do is be yourself.

[He doesn't have to hide that he's not used to it because she's the one who has to put on the convincing performance. Wanda reaches over to lay a hand on his chest, affectionate, and pats lightly. On camera, it would look teasing perhaps, but her tone is meant to be more reassuring.]

Well, that and look at least reasonably pleased to be in my company of course. But otherwise we'll live it up while we're here. Room service food and drinks. Movies on television. Spa treatments.

[If it's any comfort, he gets a reasurring smile as a way of forgiveness. She gives up on sitting in the chair, and wobbles over to the bed, lying down ontop of the covers. She was right, it's big enough that they won't even touch; however weird that'll be. The last time they were together in a bed, he'd been... And she had been...

She inhales through her nose, exhales slowly.] I wouldn't know, Ollie. We're not exactly doing anything of the conventional honeymoon things. [She pushes herself up to rest on her elbows. Wiggles her toes. Distraction mechanisms.]

Besides, you're the one married to the difficult, stubborn recovering-alcoholic.

[ When it's Kasumi's turn to be scanned, she takes in a sharp but nearly inaudible breath. Her suit underneath has built-in masking tech for these sorts of scans, of course, lest she set off scanners everywhere (which would be particularly troublesome if she was cloaked). The problem was that there was so much mystery shrouding this entire operation on Refuge that she didn't know exactly what she was up against. They could have more complex scanners, for all she knows, or they could catch her neural implant on the scan, or worst of all... they could make her take off her hood.

She gives the technician a respectful nod to send a cooperative message, and the scan thankfully seems to be going by without a hitch. Or at least, it does on the surface. The way that one of the guards (the one that had given her a look earlier) started a low, quiet conversation with the technician does not escape Kasumi. She's at least, however, been at this long enough to be able to pick up on lip-reading and dissecting whispers.

"That lady in the hood, what do you think?"
"I don't know, the scans aren't picking anything up."
"No, I meant, what do you think she looks like under there?"
"...Get back to work."
"Just saying, she's probably either really ugly... or really hot."

It takes nearly all of Kasumi's strength not to either burst out laughing or roll her eyes--she does, however, take that liberty when the scan is completed and they instruct her to move and she makes her way over to Peter, definitely rolling her eyes. ]

[ Erik had been off in his own world; he always is when it comes to Charles dealing with the niceties of their travels. He walked in, stood to one side with a stoic, grouchy expression on his face and waited for Charles to sort out their rooms before they went out to scrounge something up to eat. It was as simple as that; there wasn't normally much thought to it and he was glad for it, considering how exhausting travel could be no matter how used to it he was.

He's jerked out of his thoughts when he hears the word husband and he looks down with wide eyes before he looks back at the woman behind the counter, the people around them, and then back down at Charles. He has to physically bite back his smile as he moves, reaching into the inside pocket of his leather jacket and pulling out his book, writing out numbers he's barely paying attention to before he reaches to grab Charles' bag.

If they were going to play a game he was going to play the part. ]

I'll take our bags upstairs, darling. [ This was almost fun. He was sure Charles was going to punish him for it later and he hums, heading down the hall. ] Get the key.

[ The presence of the guard at the scanner definitely makes Peter narrow his eyes, and he has to keep himself from clenching his fists -- it would be dead giveaway of his nervousness to anyone who's watching. Instead, he fiddles with sleeve, brushing invisible dust off his coat as he watches the two men chat. Maybe they found something suspicious. Maybe Kasumi was recognized. Maybe they're realizing that the scans of their luggage had been faked.

Peter really fucking hopes not. It would kind of suck, after all, if they got caught so early in the mission.

But then they're letting her through, and Peter wants to sigh with relief, but he restrains himself again (and whoever said he doesn't have any self-control could shove it up their asses, booyah). For a second he envies Kasumi's oversized hood -- at least she could make any face she wanted under there. He offers his arm, then ducks toward her, smiling affectionately. By all appearances, it's a husband sharing a cute moment with his wife. It's a good thing only Kasumi can hear him, as his voice is just a hair above a whisper. ]

Do we need to worry about that guard?

"You think something's happened to him." It's not a question. If Pepper thinks something happened to Tony, then he believes her. After all, Pepper knows Tony just as well as Rhodey himself does. They might be a little overprotective at times, but there were reasons for that.

And, honestly, it's not like Tony to not respond to Pepper in any way. Not for two whole days. It's worrying enough that he doesn't blame her for wanting to find him. It could be nothing. It could be Afghanistan all over again. If it is nothing, Pepper going alone wouldn't be a problem. But if it's not...

"I can be there in thirty minutes. If we're going to be "married", we might as well go together."

Technically I'm supposed to be taking you with me. It's not your fault I've got practice keeping myself from getting caught. I know how good I am at flying under the radar. It's gotta mean something that I keep coming back.

[Well, Sam had the blade anyway so there was no chance of him giving into blood lust again. Going cold turkey was harder than he'd ever admit to. Some vices and habits filled the void pretty good. Like burgers with extra "onions."]

[he takes a moment, to purposefully lean into her hand, part for the sake of the act, part because, yeah, the reassurance is nice. when he leans back, he starts to make a comment about how looking pleased to be in her company shouldn't be too hard, all things considered, but it dies on his lips. mostly because -- ]

Spa treatments?

[ -- isn't that kind of a girl thing?]

[ why wouldn't the reception be a week long? we are vikings, obviously. ]

In the realm of drunken Debaucheryheim.

[ he says all too seriously. ]

[...

Hey!]

Watch your tongue, wife. If this must be endured, I will not have your mockery ruining my drinking.

[ Loki really really tries to keep a straight face with that, but there's a little he— that escapes his lips that threatens to turn into a full-fledged laugh. ]

Is that meant to be an insult? When you start drinking I hardly think that anything I scheme will bring it to ruin.

[ everyone had truer and darker natures, and Loki would be the first to vouch for that. but he knew that he wasn't the only one, everyone had their darker sides. ]

You know my suggestions box is always open if you'd like to make use of it.

[Thor misses his own Loki who was less talky than you are. Norns help him get through this without murder.]

Odin's wrath or no, slaughter seems more and more like an appealing escape.

[ the way his expression softens, the tone his voice takes — it's the first glance steph gets at his acting when he's being serious about it, or as serious as peter quill ever will be about anything.

he's a better actor than she is, that's for sure. (but then, steph's always been more of a soldier than a spy. she's not great at undercover, but there's nothing to be done for it now.)

she lets self-deprecation colour her tone. ] Which was unfortunate, seeing how you're the better dancer of the two of us in the first place.

[ why did he have to pick dancing? is there a biography of her somewhere that mentions the conversations she used to have with peggy carter, how she'd been waiting for the right dance partner —

maybe it was just a lucky guess. ]

[ She gladly hooks her arm around his, also placing her other hand affectionately on it. As a wife shyly talking to her new husband might, she leans in and whispers into his ear in kind when he lowers his head to whisper to her. ]

You might need to worry about him trying to seduce your new wife, darling, but it's fine. I'm devoted.

"I hope not, but I think it's a possibility." She answered, even though she knew it hadn't been a question, not really.

The fact that she'd relaxed a fraction more was probably audible in her tone, if only a little, "Thank you. That should give me time to work out travel arrangements." Because that sort of logistical puzzle would calm her down some as well. Taking visible steps always did, "I'm at the office, not the Tower." She added, just in case.

( #002 ) FAKE MARRIED AU

no subject

no subject

no subject

i cannot write long tags anymore sorry

me neither this is why I love you

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject