driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Natasha Romanoff + Anyone
Broadcast: NA
Action: Vanquish, Iskaulit & Planetside
When: 8/15-8/22

Window Shopping

[They won't be hanging around here much longer. Natasha's been here over a year now, she knows the rhythm of these things. Before long, they'll be dragged off to drift for a while before they end up who knows where next time.

Seems like a good time to take advantage of what they have, while they have it.

That means shopping—at least seeing if there's anything she wants before they leave. Bookstores get special attention, and boutiques, but that doesn't mean Natasha won't slip into any number of stores looking at everything from snacks to weapons. If she spots someone she knows while she's out, she's not above dragging them along for opinions. She'll pick up a pair of shoes or a novel or a knife flashing it for inspection.]

What do you think? Worth it?

[She probably won't actually buy it, but it'd be a waste not to at least consider.]

Beach Trip

[Natasha does, in fact, wear a bikini. She just wears strategic cover ups to disguise the major scars on her hip and shoulder. Works well enough, as long as she doesn't get in the water.

It's busy, but she does a pretty good job of not paying attention to the ads. She divides most of her time between a book and watching other people enjoying the sun and surf.

Toward the end of the day, she'll decide it's time for some company.]

I'm pretty sure there's a bar up the beach a little? Looks tacky, and I bet the drinks are watered down.

[She stands, brushing the sand from her wrap.] Coming?

Vanquish

[After weeks of laying low and spending most of her time off ship, Natasha seems to have finally decided to stick around. At least, more than she has been. This morning, she can be found in the kitchen, sitting on the counter and sipping coffee. There's more for anyone who wants it; she made plenty.

She doesn't seem inclined to start a conversation herself, but there's a sense of her paying more attention than she has in a while, quietly marking the coming and going of the crew, maybe doing some kind of mental calculus or maybe just people watching.

It's hard to say with her.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There's a reason Natasha doesn't read much for fun.]

It's worth it if you have the time. If you don't... Well, I've been thoroughly lectured about it, but you can still get away with watching the movies for a lot of these things.

That I disagree with. I would rather be a stranger to Dostoevsky than acquainted with him only through movie adaptations.

Oh no, if it's worth reading, it's worth reading. But if it's not...

[She's been shamed already for watching the Harry Potter movies and not reading the books.

Her life is hard.]

Edited 2017-09-06 03:58 (UTC)

What isn't worth reading is worth watching?

[He sounds skeptical.]

The Godfather. Jaws? I was thinking of children's books mostly, though.

[There is no sign of recognition for either of those titles. Chekov never did get into classic films.]

Ah, children's books. As much as I liked A Comprehensive Overview of Quantum Physics in the Twenty-Third Century when I was a child, I think that it would have been a bad movie.

Is that what passes for a children's book in the future? Doesn't sound like the things kids read where I'm from.

[Generally speaking. Natasha wasn't exactly a reader of fairy tales. Though she knew some, mostly from ballet.]

I wouldn't know. I have known very few children.

Oh! No, I remember one that my father would read to me--a Russian story. [Because of course it was.] Do you know the one about the sick princess and the servant boy?

Edited 2017-09-17 03:43 (UTC)

I don't think so. Tell me about it?

[He's so visibly pleased (and surprised) that she's at least pretending to be interested. That doesn't happen all the time.]

That story is about a princess who was always sick and never allowed to leave her room and one of the boys who served the royal family. The servant boy saw that the princess was lonely in her room and began to bring her gifts--very small things from outside, flowers and stones--and the princess grew healthier because she was happy and happiness is an effective cure for most things in this story. Her family was displeased with their friendship, of course, because servants and princesses were not allowed to be friends. They had the boy imprisoned and tortured almost to death. The princess became sick again but she, intelligent and resourceful as she was, made an elaborate plan to free him. In the end, the princess and the servant boy were reunited and they were both healed by their love for each other.

...A ridiculous story, I admit, but I liked it.

That sounds nice though. I like it.

[Her smile is genuine.]

That does sound like a Russian fairy tale to me. We like our clever princesses.

[She has absolutely made his day. Listening, smiling... all of the things that Chekov could possibly ask for in a conversation.]

Clever princesses are vital to a good Russian fairy tale. Just as vital as needless suffering, I would say.

If it weren't for needless suffering, the clever princesses wouldn't have any way to show of that they're clever.

This is true. They would be comfortable and content and no one would have any reason to be clever.

We can't have that now, can we?