Oh look it's another mingle

[padadin]

Who: The Blameless crew and anyone that wants to visit! You don't need established cr, just come by and say hello!
Broadcast: If anyone wants to, sure.
Action: Yes!
When: Through July.

[Welcome to the SS Blameless! The crew is small and two of them will be invisible to most people, but hey, we have a dog. That alone makes us the best ship. No, really.

Come in, come in! Congratulate the two new captains! (Marriage jokes? Oh, those go on that table over there, thank you.) Also we have a motherfucking lounge now, which will come with all the games bought in a waystation.

It's time for strip poker. Or, you know, space Uno. Whichever is less dangerous.]

Comments

[padadin]

But you've been Hawkeye for longer than that. He may've paid for the arrows, but it was you and your ability that put them to good use.

[The way he sees it, and no matter her comments about those movies, she has been some kind of Robin Hood, in a certain way. Take the money of the rich evil guy to help the people that needs it.]

Fighting for independence is still a great decision. But do superheroes even get paid?

[ladybro]

Some do. [ she gives her head an uncertain bob. ] SHIELD agents get paid. And I can't imagine anyone active on the Avengers roster not getting compensated for their time these days. They got room and board if they want it at the tower. But plenty of us moonlight. Being a private investigator isn't just for the sweet trench options.

[ she shrugs. ]

But I get paid in other currencies. Satisfaction, for one. I get to run with the smartest and the best. I get to be the greatest at what I do -- and I get to prove it, to boot.

[ she exhales, rubbing the back of her neck. ]

I just gotta pay rent, too.

[padadin]

[It's interesting to hear all this from someone who honestly chose the hero life instead of just being thrown at it because there aren't many options left. He can understand those feelings, even share them a bit if you change them to piloting. One though, one he truly gets.]

Satisfaction is a great currency. Although that's probably easier for me to say, I've never had to pay rent. That counts as being an adult, right? Maybe your personal life isn't doing that badly.

[He's just trying to... be comforting and encouraging. Kinda hard when your dad sucks.]

[ladybro]

[ kate's laughter is abrupt. heartfelt. it's enough to prompt lucky to lift his head and turn to glance in their direction with his one good eye. ]

Shiro. [ she shakes her head. ] Are you worried about me and my 'personal life'?

[padadin]

[While usually her daughter is fantastic to hear, this time it makes him look down, a little lost in thought. He doesn't want to be a downer in this new little joint activity of theirs but... well, they have been sharing, haven't they?]

...I lost mine, and not by choice. Same for my team. [Four teenagers, caught in war. He loves them dearly, but it's still so unfair to them.] Unlike us, you do have a choice. What you do as Hawkeye is amazing and you shouldn't stop but... don't let it take over Kate.

[ladybro]

[ a choice, he says. but it's never felt like one. more like a calling -- something deep beneath her ribs that urges her onward and upward.

but instead of explaining so, she waves his concern away. ]

All my best friends are heroes. Plenty of them are neck-deep in crap way crazier than what I do. I don't think it's the sort of thing that can be separate. God, I haven't even dated someone who wasn't also fighting the fight -- not since before I became Hawkeye, at least.

[padadin]

[Everyone she knows is fighting the fight and-- gosh, how can he relate to that. He has no doubt now that they both need this break, which is kinda disturbing considering the cameras and Atroma.

It's the last part that makes him look up, though he isn't sure why. If that's the only people she surrounds herself with nowadays, it makes sense, he supposes. So he doesn't comment on it.]

I guess I'm not helping with the whole "all your friends are fighting the fight" part.

[ladybro]

Helping? Nah. Not one bit.

[ yoga forgotten for the time being, she twists her body to better face him where they sit. ]

But I'm not complaining. Sometimes it's easier when the people around you get it. Otherwise you have to worry about keeping secrets -- and I don't like keeping secrets.

[padadin]

[That makes him smile a bit. It's good to hear he can provide some kind of-- comfort? Understanding? Especially after how caring she was during his panic attack. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to give back even a 1/10 of that but... this is something.]

I agree. It does make it easier. [No comments on secrets - he doesn't like keeping them, either, but lately, after everything that has happened, well-- some stuff he doesn't want to reach the others. He notices her change of position and feels a bit guilty about it.] ...I interrupted your yoga with all the questions. Sorry.

[ladybro]

It's alright. [ which is true enough. kate wouldn't lie about it -- even to spare feelings, at this junction. ]

If you think about it, it's kinda nice. We've been cooped up on this ship for so long -- it's probably a good thing that we still have stuff to talk about. Together.

[ she rakes her fingers through her ponytail before deciding to untie it and retie it. ]

Better than being bored of each other.

[padadin]

[Together. That word alone has him talking before he even notices.]

It really is. I enjoy our conversations. [It's as sincere as he can be, but that will never stop him from being a worrypants, so of course he had to apologize for the interruption.

He stretches his arms behind him, chuckling at her last comment.] From the sounds of it, you aren't the kind of person that lets life get boring.

[ladybro]

[ things are getting a little bit -- what? sentimental.

so kate stretches her arms again. intent, it seems, to get back to their yoga.

but not before: ] From the sounds of it, you aren't either.

[padadin]

[His arms drop and he looks at her with surprise, not sure what to do with this information. Blink, blink...]

...you have to be the first person that has ever told me that.

[ladybro]

Dude. You fly through outer space in a giant lion. And there's a castle -- and aliens? No part of that is boring. No part of that could ever be boring.

[ ... ]

Unless you're saying you'd rather things be boring. Which, I mean, I can respect.

[ respect, if not understand. ]

[padadin]

It'd be much better if all that wasn't happening in the middle of a war.

[He leans back on his arms and looks at the ceiling, thinking about the state of his life, or-- lack of therefore, maybe.]

Don't take me wrong - space is what I've always wanted. I love my team, I love seeing those planets, the Altean technology is a wonder, and Black - I'll never fly anything like her again. But it all happened to me. After the war is over...

[A funny thing to say. He isn't sure he's gonna make it, and he wonders if she got that from the memories she saw.]

If you leave me to my own devices, you'd probably think I'm boring.

[ladybro]

[ -- she supposes she can understand. sort of. certainly, there are folks back home who choose not to get involved in the conflicts plaguing not just new york, not just america, but the world. people with powers, even, who reserve the right to live their own lives on their own terms.

but as she bends elegantly into a new position, she can't help but ask: ]

What do you think you'd do? You know -- if you weren't a pilot.

[ not just if he wasn't involved in whatever this war really was -- but if he hadn't even taken that path to begin with. ]

[padadin]

I-- I don't know. Flying is what I've always-- ah, but you saw.

[The little nerd on the beach with his dog... no point in repeating the story. He takes his time to copy the new position so he can think what to say without looking too much like a-- what to call it? A loser? Though it's probably a bit late for that.]

I practiced martial arts when I was younger, I had a couple of medals for that. Does that count? [A pause.] And-- war is awful, but protecting people... the satisfaction you mentioned is real. Something smaller like what you do sounds actually nice. I guess fighting experience has brought me a new perspective of a context I didn't have as a kid. [Kate comes from a world of superheroes. What an inspiration they must be.] However... I am tired.

[The last part escapes him before he notices. It's too easy to get caught up in conversations with her, to share. Especially after everything she saw.

He sighs a drops the position to rub the back of his neck.] ...have I bored you yet?

[ladybro]

[ kate holds the position -- feeling a deep and pleasant ache as her muscles work to maintain her balance. it's a good pedal note to the conversation. a distraction, of sorts, while she absorbs his explanation.

and as for his question? well -- she smiles. god, no, he's come nowhere close to boring her. she doesn't dignify the concern with a response. ]

Burn out is a real thing. In war -- in anything, really, where the work is hard and taxing. I don't blame you for getting tired.

[padadin]

[The lack of answer to his question worries him a bit, but then he sees that smile and he knows it's fine. Funny, how that is something he's learned when it comes to interacting with her.

He answers with a little smile of his own - she always has a way to comfort him, and for a guy that usually does the comfort? That's pretty big.]

Thanks. And that takes us back to needing a break, huh. [A break in a reality show may not be the most ideal of breaks, but it's not like they have a choice. So he goes back to copy her position - this is what they're here for, right?] Breaks with yoga. When you forget the cameras, it isn't a bad break.

[And because he still feels the mood needs some stupid comment--]

Just make sure not to pop many more muscles - we still have to move your stuff to the captain's room. [Yeah, he's already assumed that will be her room now, not his. Why would it?]

[ladybro]

My stuff...?

[ she hadn't quite considered it before. although she'd been assigned the role of captain by chance, much as anyone else might be, kate had never really thought about taking the room that had once been hank and raven's.

god, they'd not even been able to hold their wedding. kate can only hope things work out for them back home. ]

Why not your stuff? I'm settled in my quarters. It seems like a pain to go moving now.

[ -- she tries to hide her politeness under selfishness. ]

[padadin]

[And just like her, this isn't something he considered for himself at all either. So he returns the same look.]

I don't have much stuff, and it's not like I need the extra room. Besides, you were assigned captain first.

[This is unbeatable logic, right?]

[ladybro]

Exactly. I was assigned captain first -- so it's my call.

[ and she calls not it, apparently. ]

[padadin]

Or we could reach an agreement like proper co-captains. [He sits up all ready to be his leadery self.] What would I even want the room for?

[ladybro]

The bed's bigger.

[ and so are you. but she doesn't spell it out for him. ]

[padadin]

[Oh, he gets it alright.]

Which means more room for you and Lucky.