[Homeplot 2009] Decompression

[forhawkeye]

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."

Comments

[forhawkeye]

"See, Kate? Even he agrees with me on this," says Eli, looking ten different kinds of smug, and I already know this is gonna go bad. Way bad.

"Yeah...no. Having a word is secret guy code for let's break out the ruler."

He frowns, crossing his arms. Well, there goes that casual posture. "I could pull rank, you know."

"Because that's worked oh so well before," I point out, rolling my eyes. "This isn't exactly team business."

"I disagree. He and all your other...friends are staying in the Young Avengers' base, and consequently know all of our civilian identities. I can't think of anything more team related than that, can you?"

I'm impressed. He actually has a point. Sure it's just a ploy to debrief my boyfriend, but presented like that, it almost seems rational. Rational enough that, against my better judgment, I actually get up.

"Fine," I say, throwing up my hands. "You guys want to have a conversation, be my guest." Then I step in towards Eli, close enough that I can whisper in his ear, "You try anything, and I will serve your super soldier ass to you on a plate, we clear?"

He's not looking at me, though, but at Nate, the smug expression back on his face. I'm not a mindreader so I can't say I know exactly what he's thinking, but I can definitely make an educated guess. "Crystal," he says, and I make a disgusted sound in the back of my throat as I walk away.

Not that I go very far -- I don't even go out of earshot.

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Knowing that trying to interrupt or hold back Kate would be a lost and idiotic cause, Nate sat back and let her and Eli bicker it out. You didn't have to be a genius to see that this was more about history and personalities than Nate knowing a handful of secret identities. He just wished he knew more about the history part.

Feeling probably too relaxed and numb, Nate cocked his head and looked up at Eli. "I'm not going to snitch on you guys or anything," he said straight off. "But you gotta know that, so what's up, man?"

[forhawkeye]

Eli doesn't sit down. In fact, he doesn't so much move at all save for arching his eyebrow. "'What's up,'" he says, parroting Nate's choice of words with something of a sneer, "is that you're dating my girlfriend."

Oh, $#(!. I'm heading back before I even realize I'm heading back. "WHAT?!"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"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."

[forhawkeye]

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?!"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

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.

[forhawkeye]

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."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

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.

[forhawkeye]

"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."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

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."

[forhawkeye]

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."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

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.

[forhawkeye]

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."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

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.