[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]

I'm sprawled on the couch, one leg draped over the armrest, and I'm holding a piece of pizza -- my fourth -- in a napkin. I'm exhausted enough not to care about what I look right now, in an oversized Dazzler sweatshirt left behind by one of the old Avengers, and with my hair tied back into a messy bun. At this point, though, I don't think anyone's going to begrudge me my happiness, even if said happiness includes looking like the personification of Sloth.

And if they do, I'll reintroduce them to my sword.

[like-arrows.livejournal.com]

As weird as it is to be in what was once the home of the Avengers, it's been a while since I've been so relaxed. We're all safe, at least for now, if a little the worse for wear, and it's been way too long since I had actual honest to goodness pizza, the greasy delivery stuff they can't make in some weird little jungle pub.

Curling up on the couch in front of the TV, I settle in with a plate on my lap and a soda in my hand. It might be the little things in life, but indoor plumbing and a hike to the shower that's under five miles aren't little by a long shot.

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

While Kate and the others were relaxing, Cable still had things he wanted to do.

He had managed to get hold of a mobile phone, which was admittedly something of a downgrade for him, and so spent the best part of four hours deep in conversation in one language or another.

If anyone was trying to listen in, and was well versed in multiple languages, they would hear detailed discussions of contingency plans, politics, money, technology, weapons and information to be leaked to the press, a few death threats, a rather awkward apology and one conversation about the merits of facial hair in porn.

He felt that had been a decent enough start and so had put his phone down for a little while while he started on a pizza and some beer.

He had missed this.

[asinglechange.livejournal.com]

The bunnies are kind of cute. Then again so are calves and lamb and that doesn't stop them from being delicious.

Holding one of the bury (http://mfrost.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/02/08/leap_bunnies_rer.jpg) in her hands, she wiggles her nose at it. "Are you just the cutest, most delicious things I've ever seen?" she murmurs to it.

It isn't exactly cougar, but finding one of those that isn't working her way through her fourth husband would be kind of a stretch.

[halfscarlet]

Billy sits down next to Kate uninvited. She's had a lot to explain amongst all the craziness and while Billy still thinks her story's a little crazy, the tagalongs Kate's brought with her are sort of proof.

But Billy's only interested in one of them.

"Talk to me," is all he really needs to say, and he takes a large bite of his own pizza.

[forhawkeye]

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say you don't mean you want a recap of the last episode." Tilting my head back and to the side so I can see Billy out of the corner of my eye, I ask, "What do you want to know?"

[halfscarlet]

"Everything," Billy replied, but that was probably stretching things a bit. She'd already told them everything, but it wasn't what Billy really wanted to know.

And if he knew Kate, she probably needed to talk about it without realizing she did. That's what Billy was around for, honestly.

"This Nate guy, tell me about him."

[forhawkeye]

"Well, we've been dating for about four months, now," I say slowly, and while I don't embarrass easily, I can tell I'm blushing a little anyway despite myself. "And we've known each other for...six? The days sort of blend into each other when you don't have to worry about anything, honestly." I press my teeth against my lower lip, and I pull myself up so that I can sit cross-legged, facing Billy. "He's from New York, too, just...not this version."

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"I can't believe you're actually eating those," Mikal says, wrinkling her nose a little as she takes a seat beside Alice, though there's a wide smile on her face. She'd known already about her, of course, and she can hardly have a problem with what Alice can't help. "Good?"

[asinglechange.livejournal.com]

Sniffing the bunny in hand, Alice makes a quiet shushing noise before taking a bite out of the tiny thing. The simple act causes her to feel filled with a delightful sort of warmth and she feels the best she's felt all day.

Pulling the now-deceased rabbit from her mouth, she nods. "It is. I kind of missed this," she admits guiltily, wiping the sides of her mouth.

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

Given that Cable had yet to have any kind of long term relationship, either social or professional, that didn't include either physical violence or screaming matches, you would think that he'd be very good at apologies and reconciliations.

He wasn't. Normally when he upset someone, the next time he would see them they'd be trying to kill him.

Cable didn't really want that to happen this time. It got old fast.

So he sat down in the couch next to Kate's and held out a can of beer for her to take.

"According to their customer services," he told her, "Walmart don't actually sell Time Machines."

"So you needn't worry about suddenly fading out of existence."

[forhawkeye]

I snort, and wave off the beer -- not because I don't appreciate the gesture, but because I'm really more of a Red Bull girl. Setting down my slice of pizza for a sec, I turn to face him, drawing my legs to my chest, and resting my chin on my knees.

"Is that what you were on the phone about?" I ask, arching an eyebrow. With a weary sort of smile I add, "I'm pretty sure I had enough of the whole fading in and out of existence thing when we took down Kang the Conqueror, anyway."

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

When she turned down the beer he shrugged and cracked it open so he could drink it himself.

"I imagine the novelty wears off very quickly."

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

It probably isn't a good thing, that Mikal can watch this and not be incredibly disturbed, but it isn't something she's going to dwell on. She's seen a lot of really weird shit, and is pretty sure this isn't the weirdest, especially after the freaking battle earlier. Besides, it's Alice; it would just be fucking dumb to hold something like this against her, and rabbit is definitely preferable to human.

"Well, after so long, I can't say I blame you," she says with a shrug, biting back a laugh and decidedly not looking at the bite mark in the rabbit. "Crazy, isn't this? All of it."

[forhawkeye]

"You would imagine correctly."

I catch Vision -- Jonas -- out of the corner of my eye, and I frown a little. He's a good guy, he really is, but Iron Lad was a good guy, too, even if he did grow up to be Kang. He gives me a quizzical look, but I just shake my head and manage a smile.

Looking back at Cable, I ask, "So, is this your version of an apology?"

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

"As close as I ever get," he told her and he scratched his head with his left arm as he spoke.

"I was hoping to just have a beer and avoid dealing with the whole thing altogether."

[forhawkeye]

"Ah, avoidance," I say, lifting my chin from my knees long enough to nod. "As far as tactics go, it's a classic."

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

"It's worked pretty well for me in the past," he agreed. "In our line of work if you put something off long enough then, sooner or later, the whole island is exploding, you're about to die and all the awkwardness is forgotten."

[forhawkeye]

Or you have Central Park ninjas attack in the middle of the Most Awkward Date ever. It's a really good thing Clint knocked Eli out. I'm not sure what else would've made that night get any worse.

"I'll be sure to find you next time something's about to explode, then, make it easier on both of us."

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

"I'd appreciate it," Cable told her and then took a deep drink from his beer.

"I don't expect you to like me," he started again after a brief pause. As much as he would have honesty preferred to avoid a serious talk, he had decided that he probably shouldn't. "I'm well aware that I'm not an easy man to like."

Kate was hardly the first person to lose her temper with him, after all.

"But, and I mean no disrespect when I say this, I still have a lot more experience then you do. So I think you should still train with me, even now we're no longer on the island. I would hope that you're still willing."

He still wasn't convinced that their return was both what it seemed and permanent but there was no harm in planning in case it was.

[asinglechange.livejournal.com]

Human isn't something that Alice has taken a nibble out of in a very long time and she'd like to keep it that way. She's got a streak to maintain and all of that.

Eyes widening she nods. "I know, totally crazy! But fun crazy not ohmygod zombies crazy."

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"I miss my boyfriend," Mikal confesses before she can help herself, letting out a mirthless huff of a laugh. "Is that weird? It's like... it's like someone trying to show me something, or something like that. I'm here, and, you know, really alive, but I miss where we were."

[forhawkeye]

I'm quiet for a second, mulling the offer over. The Avengers have never been particularly forthcoming with the whole training thing, and for all that Luke and Jessica have sort of watched over us, they haven't been much help in that area, either.

"I'm not leaving my team," I say slowly. "Which isn't a no, by the way, but I just wanted to be clear on that. I'm open to it. I want to learn, I just...don't want to leave my team."

[mutant-gi-jesus.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't ask you to," he replied. "It's good to have people watching your back."

[asinglechange.livejournal.com]

Alice giggles. "No. It's not weird. I mean, I miss things all the time."

Like Jasper. But that was someone that she's not certain she's ever going to see again so she's starting to learn to not think about him. It's probably for the best anyways.