forhawkeye | [Homeplot 2009] Decompression

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[Homeplot 2009] Decompression

See, what it all boils down to is simple: it’s been a very long twenty-four hours. Between the invasion and my own personal drama, it’s something of a relief to just relax, even if it’s only for a little while. There are still too many unanswered questions -- Why am I back? Why did they come with me? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? -- but there’ll be time to answer them later.

There are about twenty different kinds of pizza lying around -- ranging from pepperoni and cheese to some ridiculously organic vegan thing -- and the amount of junk food piled on the kitchen counters could feed an entire college dorm for at least a semester. Despite all that, Felix insisted on making enough of his 'famous chicken cardarelli' for everyone. Admittedly, it’s sort of nice having some real food to balance out everything else.

And as for Alice, well, I sent Tommy to go get her some bunnies.

It’s not a party by any means, but that’s just about the last thing we need right now, anyway, especially for the people who got a crash course in war yesterday. Copious amounts of alcohol, maybe, but a party? Yeah, not so much.

"I'm federal agent Jack Bauer, and today is the longest day of my life," voice overs Kiefer Sutherland from the episode of 24 playing in the background.

"Yours and mine both, Kief," I mutter under my breath. "Yours and mine both."

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"Oh come on, man." Nate rolled his eyes and got to his feet, not because he wanted to fight but sensing that things could get more heated and he didn't want to be stuck on his ass then. "She's been living a completely different life for eight months. If she doesn't want to be with you, that's her decision, and you can shove this possessive bullshit up your ass."

Being back home has me just the tiniest bit overwhelmed, but probably not in the same sense that Felix means it. Felix Unger is a lot of things, but Killer of Skrulls is not one of them.

"But you got to use a microwave oven," I point out with a smirk. "That's gotta make up for it a little, right?"

Oh. Dear. God.

I'm fast, sure, but I'm not Tommy. Eli already has a fist in the air and rearing to go before I even have a chance to take another step, and he aims a punch at Nate's face while I'm still too far away to do anything except yell.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"

"I'd give you the grand tour, but half the city's destroyed," I tell her, and it says a lot about our lives that this is the kind of thing we can discuss over a bag of chips.

"I'm not sure anyone would even notice at this point," I admit. A good chunk of New York's in ruins. A missing cougar would be the least of anyone's worries. "But, uh, I don't think the guys would be too happy with having a cougar in the house." I wait beat. "Not that kind of cougar, at least."

He should have been expecting it, but fuck, the guy was a superhero. Even if Nate had expected it, he wouldn't have been able to stop it. His face exploded with pain and the punch sent him reeling, falling back against the couch. Catching himself on the arm, Nate shook his head. The pain didn't exactly subside, but he still had that alcohol working in his favor. Which also might have been why, before he was even standing straight, Nate had his arm cocked back and threw a punch right back at Eli.

Maybe the alcohol or maybe he just really wanted to punch the guy.

It's the shock, I think, more than anything else, that sends Eli back a few steps. Honestly, though, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm incredibly pissed off at both of them, I might've found it almost hot. But I am incredibly pissed off, so that thought goes the way of the freaking dodo in record time.

Eli's going back for another punch, but I'm between him and Nate, now, and I block his arm before he makes contact. He might have the strength, but I'm the better fighter out of the two of us, and he knows it. Trying to get past me, he makes to shove my shoulder, but I drop quickly to the ground, kicking his legs out from under him so that he ends up landing on the table.

Too bad it wasn't made out of glass.

"On. A. Plate," I grit out, just a bit breathless.

"That was--"

"A little badass? Why, thank you."

"--totally uncalled for."

Okay, even though Nate knew his girlfriend could kick his ass with both hands tied behind her back, having her fight his battles for him was a little more than he wanted to deal with. Even if it was a battle that would probably end in his ass being handed to him. He hung back, trying to swallow his annoyance and let Kate deal with the dick, gingerly holding his face in place. Or that was what it felt like.

"Are you making a statement about the level of observation amongst your fellow New Yorkers?" she says casually taking up her best professorial tone as she reaches for another bunny. Alice coos softly at one, scooping it into her lap. "I'm technically the other kind of cougar. All by my little self."

Possibilities are never the problem. Decisions are.

But Alice decides not to say anything. That is a future made all by itself. "It's not the world I'm from either. It's not like I can call up my husband and be like sweetie, I'll be home for tea tomorrrow. Let's make like Rosie and Emmett in Fort Worth."

Mikal lets out a laugh, though it's uncharacteristically sad for her, an edge of something sympathetic in the sound of it. So she isn't the only one who's alone here. That doesn't make it any easier to think about, especially considering that Kate is here and so happy, with the friends she missed.

"Any ideas what you're going to do yet?" she asks, honestly curious, drawing one knee in to her chest. It's crossed her mind that maybe she should see if at least her parents exist in this world, but it doesn't seem worth the disappointment.

"Yeah, see, this is the kind of thing that gets in my way," I sigh, as though it's just another day on the East Coast. Granted, it kind of is. "I'm never actually gonna just wander Central Park without being there on a mission or something."

"Uncalled for?!" I echo, and even after all that, I extend a hand to help him get back onto his feet. That's just how we roll here. "You punched him! He doesn't have powers, Eli, what part of that didn't you get?!"

"Neither do you!" he says, letting go of my hand the second he's standing, and he starts brushing himself off. Strangely enough, I almost missed our arguments, though they generally never came to blows. It's familiar. Like riding an extremely cranky bike. Anyway, I wave him off. When he sees I'm not listening to that argument, he changes tactic. "Are you just going to ignore the fact that he punched me back."

I hold up a finger -- my index, though, yeah, I thought about using my middle one -- to shush him, and I say in a deceptively calm voice, "Oh, we'll be getting to that shortly, no worries." I turn to face Nate, and the first thing that comes to mind is that it's a good thing nothing looks broken. "You...just punched a Super Soldier," I tell him, and for a second I sound almost impressed. Probably 'cause I kinda am. Stupidity aside -- and that's a helluva thing to set aside in a situation like this -- it's amazing he's standing at all. Eli sighs irritably, and I whip around to say, "Oh, come on. Sure it was the most idiotic thing I've ever seen him do, but don't tell me you expected him to actually land a hit."

"I was distracted."

"Ah, but a girl can dream," I say wryly, lifting a hand in a vague gesture. "If you ever do decide to wander around New York, though you'll have a place to stay. Mi casa su casa."

"Don't let Tommy hear--" But it's too late, he's already sitting next to me on the couch, like he's been there this entire time. He looks about as fazed as I do about Alice's dietary choices, which is to say, not at all.

"Someone say cougar?"

Nate rolled his eyes when Kate pointed out he didn't have powers. He got it; everyone did. It was a fact, but the more it got repeated the sorer Nate felt about it.

"Whatever," Nate snapped irritably, a hand still cradling his face. He was going to need way more aspirin for this. "Super Soldier or not doesn't change the fact that he was being a dick and he punched me. I don't care if it was idiotic. He deserved it."

And cue the inferiority complex. See, I skipped out on the whole 'oh no, I have no powers' thing because the first time I met the YA I saved all of their asses. I press a hand to my forehead.

"Yeah, he did," I agree, and if it weren't for the fact that Nate's still holding his face, I might yell at them both some more. Ignoring Eli for the time being -- not the easiest thing to do, given that he's staring daggers at me -- I very carefully place my hand on top Nate's and peer up at him. "Let me see."

Even Kate's concern was annoying him right now. It had little to do with her and more to do with the fact that once he'd finally found a little peace after the most insane day of his life, Nate had to deal with the same petty bullshit they served up in the Upper East Side. Only with super powers.

He bit back his sigh, but still looked annoyed and uncomfortable as he dropped his hand for Kate to see. He couldn't tell how bad it was, just that it hurt like hell.

I roll my eyes, and just barely stop myself from pointing out that I never punched Vanessa -- and she'd actually been his girlfriend. Whatever Eli and I had, I can't say it really qualified as a relationship. But for all that the damage doesn't look good, I know it could've been a lot worse -- one of the many benefits of Eli being off MGH.

Not wanting to wound his pride too much -- that's probably what's suffered the most, judging by his attitude -- I take a step back and say, "You'll live."

Eli laughs quietly, and I turn around, all signs of concern gone from my face. "And you owe him an apology." His eyes widen, but I cut him off before he has time to protest, throwing my hands in the air. "Or at least, I don't know, some grudging respect."

Tommy's suddenly beside us, all smiles, and he claps Nate on the shoulder. "Dude, nice going." He leans in conspiratorially, and adds in a stage whisper loud enough for half the room to hear, "I think we all wanted to do that at some point."

"Thanks." I appreciate the offer, not just because we can't exactly afford a hotel without backing. It's just, it's nice to know we have friends. "Maybe when the city's in better shape."

Gaping at her in open horror, Felix wavered slightly in his resolve at her response. How could she be so chipper while perpetrating such atrocious acts? It was... oddly disarming.

"You just- bite and- a straw?!" he sputtered in disgust, eyes wide. "But it's so barbaric! And so messy! And they're so cute!"

"I did, didn't I?" Felix grinned, nodding enthusiastically at the memory, all previous weariness seemingly disappearing in an instant. "It's nothing I'd trade for my old stove, of course, but gee whiz, what a riot!"

Just then Nate could have cared less about an apology. What he wanted was an ice pack or alcohol. Or both. Still, having that white-haired guy back him up wasn't that bad at all. Nate cracked a grin -- on the side of his face Eli hadn't punched. "Thanks, man," he said, wanting to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all more than anything. That was enough. He wasn't going to hold his breath for an apology from Eli.

There was no way Billy was letting that go, especially when he had a pretty good idea of what Kate had been about to say.

"Aaaand you what?"

"Oh, look, Alice is eating bunnies!" I say cheerfully, pointing over towards Alice who was, in fact, eating bunnies.

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[Homeplot 2009] Decompression

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