aubergines | ( #002 ) FAKE MARRIED AU

[ Peter returns the look and smile in kind. ]

That we did, sweetie. I remember the knocks on our door, asking us to keep it down.

[ For his part, Peter shakes his head, both in amusement and as a signal to Kasumi -- Don't see anything. ]

[ She nods in response; I don't see anything either. ]

So, it looks like our quarters will do just fine for us, hmm?

I'd like to think so. [ He shrugs. ] But, as always, I'll defer to your tastes. You always did have the better eye than I did, sweetheart.

Edited (accidentally a word) 2014-11-03 01:25 (UTC)

[ She gives her husband a playful but loving swat on the arm. ]

Oh, you are such a flatterer, darling. Why don't we take a walk? I'm feeling a lot better.

[ Let's check out what else is going on here. ]

[ He laughs, then takes her hand in his and leads them to the door. ]

If you're up for it. It would probably do us well to meet with our new neighbors.

[ She knows it's all part of the act, but Kasumi can't help but let herself smile a little bit at the gesture. ]

You're right. Maybe they can show us around.

[ And maybe they'll know something about the rumors about this place. ]

Just be sure to tell me if you get tired. [ Tell me if you spot anything. ] I don't want you to exhaust yourself on our first day.

[ He leads them out again, walking back toward the elevator. ]

I think the courtyard may be a good place to begin, unless you have other ideas?

[ She nods her head in a way to let him know she got the message. ]

Courtyard sounds perfect, darling. Let's go.

[ And to the courtyard they go, Peter leading them, hand-in-hand, along the pathways, passing by people having picnics or families playing games. For a second he kind of sees the appeal in pretending none of the shit beyond this little planet is actually happening, and wouldn't it be nice to just flip the bird to the galaxy at large and just say, "Not my problem"?

Maybe a year or two ago, Peter would've been in the same boat. Maybe he would've conned himself into a place like this, or maybe he would've taken himself and his ship and ran as fast and as far as he could. Or maybe not. Maybe he would've helped where he could, at least to save his own ass. Self-preservation is a pretty big motivator, after all.

They're stopped along the pathway by another couple -- evidently, the couple recognize Kasumi and Peter as "newbies," and decided to introduce themselves. Several minutes of mindless smalltalk about the weather and how this place has done well to weed out the "riffraff" later (the majority of which Peter spends most of the time wanting to blow his brains out), they finally hit upon something useful.

"Be sure to stay away from the west wing."

Why? Is there some issue there?

"It's restricted."

It takes several more minutes of mindless chatter before the couple finally say their goodbyes, and once they've walked away, Peter turns to Kasumi, eyebrow raised. ]

They seemed nice, didn't they?

[ On Kasumi's end, the allure and luxury of the place make her cringe. These are people who truly, earnestly believe they're safe from the Reapers behind these walls. She could never turn her back on everything and live here--it would drive her nuts. Everything was too "perfect," and as the haughty couple they meet points out, there's no "riffraff." Kasumi just happens to like being part of that riffraff, so at the end of it all, when this mission is over, she'll look back and give them a huge "no thank you."

She gives Peter's hand a light, reassuring squeeze a few times during the conversation, just to let him know, yeah, this conversation blows, and gives it another when the west wing comes up to say, finally, something useful.

When the conversation finally comes to an end and Peter turns to her, she raises an eyebrow back and smiles. ]

Yes, let's invite them to dinner sometime, shall we?

[ He hums his agreement. ] I'm sure there's a directory we can access.

And how are you feeling? Do we need to head back up? [ They'll need their gear, after all, if they're going to tackle the restricted area. ]

[ She feigns a sigh of exhaustion, leaning onto her not-husband for a moment. ]

Let's do that, darling. I'd like to relax for a little bit; maybe we can find something else to do later tonight.

[ Let's gear up and do something that's actually fun. ]

[ He can't help it -- he smiles and thinks, Finally, as they head back up. ]

As you wish, sweetheart.

[ When they make it back into their quarters, Kasumi watches the door close behind them before almost immediately turning to Peter, a glimmer of wild excitement in her eyes (or what he can see of them, anyway). ]

Excellent job, darling Mr. James McClain. I think we've found the perfect little place to call our own.

[ Now let's go crash this party. ]

[ He's grinning by now, heading for the suitcases containing their gear. He's thanking every god available that there aren't any cameras in their quarters as he plops the cases on the table, popping open his own and running his hands oh, so lovingly over his blasters. ]

Why, Mrs. Elena McClain. You act as if your gorgeous, charming, stunning husband never delivers.

[ While Peter has his moment with his blasters, Kasumi's taking off her disguise, revealing her usual catsuit underneath. Then she's on her omni-tool, pulling up schematics of the building she had gotten before they began the mission. Sure enough, it had been easy enough to get blueprints of the complex, but it left a huge empty void where this west wing would be.

That, of course, didn't stop Kasumi, and it only took a little more extra sabotage and hacking to get what she needed, and while she wasn't quite sure what it was at the time other than the missing piece of the puzzle, she realizes now that it's a schematic of the west wing. It's not quite as detailed as the rest of the map she's got, which details each sector of residences, recreational areas, and offices, but it's enough for them to go on. Then she's popping open her suitcase. On most heists, Kasumi doesn't even bother to bring a gun; hand-to-hand combat usually suffices, if she even needs to engage an enemy, and she loves stealing guns out of her enemies' holsters without them even noticing. But this is Cerberus, so she picks up her trusty M-5 Phalanx and holsters it on her hip. ]

Oh, right. Best husband ever award goes to you, of course, for being so "gorgeous, charming, stunning, and really good at delivering things."

I'll expect my trophy in the next couple of weeks, Goto.

[ Even as he's saying it he's slipping his helmet attachment over his ear, and Jesus Christ he feels a whole lot better having it there. Maybe not safer, but certainly a great deal more comfortable. Next come his boots (because fuck trying to do anything that involves fighting in fancy shoes) and the jet attachments and yep, feeling about 50% more himself.

Last come his blasters and oh man, their weight at his hips reassure him far better than anything else could. He even sighs a little in relief once they're holstered. ]

So. Plan of attack? We crawlin' through vents or something? 'Cause I'm thinkin' that going through the courtyard's out of the question, seeing as how I doubt my outfit meets dress code, now.

Yeah, no kidding. Same here--the catsuit is kind of a dead ringer for "not here to get a two hour Shiatsu massage."

[ Meanwhile, she pulls up a holographic projection of the schematics she has using her omni-tool, showing a three-dimensional diagram of the entire complex. The entire west wing, however, shows up as something like a wireframe outline, whereas the rest of the schematics have everything from door locations to--yep, ventilation. ]

You know, vents are probably our best bet. I could get through most anywhere cloaked, but with these guys--it's probably best that we stick together.

[ He's peering at the schematics, and he's-- yeah, okay, he was actually joking about the ventilation vents thing, and his stomach sinks. ]

You sure I can fit through those things? I'm not exactly built like Gumby, you know.

I know--

[ With a few keystrokes on her omni-tool, another projection is superimposed onto the schematics. ]

--which is why this conveniently extensive network of underground passages are our second best bet. I'm sure we'll run into trouble, but at least we won't be tipping our hand too early on.

[ Oh, thank God, those passages look a lot roomier, and he sighs with relief. ]

Alright, sounds like a plan. I'm in the mood for punching some guys, anyway -- someone has to be punished for putting us through smalltalk.

[ She laughs and says in an obviously joking tone, ] Aw, but I'm going to miss being your pretend-wife.

--Anyway, like I said: let's stick together. They've done a surprisingly good job keeping the layout of the west wing under wraps, seeing as I can't get to them without probably setting something off, so once we get there, we'll have to be a little spontaneous but careful.

Please, Goto. Spontaneous is my middle name. Along with Danger and Handsome. It's hyphenated.

[ He checks his gear one more time, and as an afterthought, he shucks his coat and rolls up his sleeves for more freedom of movement. ] I'm gonna leave the careful part to you, though. That's more your wheelhouse.

[ It's then that she shuts off her omni-tool. ]

Yup. Just--seriously, be careful, okay? And don't get grabbed by the mechs.

[ She knows Peter's more than capable of holding his own, but something about this whole thing is so unsettling, she can't help it. ]

[ There's something in her tone that catches him by surprise. There's another joke on the tip of his tongue, but-- he decides to go for reassuring instead. ]

It'll be fine, Goto. It's not my first time at a rodeo -- and I've got you watching my back anyway, right? We'll be in and out in no time.

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