update: video & action

[outstandingbalance]

Who: Natasha Romanoff + you
Broadcast: video
Action: Vanquish + Heron
When: now-ish?

Video

[Natasha's been out of sight for about two weeks now—anyone who pays close attention might have found her in one of the strange comas that sometimes grip passengers on occasion. When her face appears on the comms, the difference is stark. Not just her suddenly shock blond hair, but she worn, tired.

There's a hardness around her eyes and her mouth.]

Sorry about that. [She starts, her voice firm, tightly controled.] Looks like I blanked out there for a while. There might be some catching up to do.

[It's obvious that she's gotten more time from home. More memories. There's no hiding that. Natasha has no desire and, for the most part, no intention of sharing all she's remembered. The best way she figures to do that is to get ahead of the questions, control the narrative.

Not that she's going to start airing what happened on air, but she can control how she appears to people, how she makes herself available.]

Did I miss anything?

[And she can deflect.]


Action

[After Natasha's broadcast, she forces herself to get moving. At first, she moves around Vanquish, going through the motions of eating, doing a quick check over the ship and crew, making sure everything is in order.

It's a quick round. She makes herself do it before she heads over to the Heron. Or maybe she forces herself to go through the motions to get herself moving, to keep from staying frozen in her own bunk. Either way, before long she's on the other ship, doing another quick survey before she invites herself into the captain's cabin.

It's about the first place she starts to feel safe. There's still an anxiety in her that won't settle, though. It keeps her tense.]

Comments

video

[sassy_assassin]

[ sara debates replying. she doesn't really know this woman very well, but it has been weird that she's been gone ]

Welcome back. Loving the new hair. And we're back to traveling in space, but otherwise, not much.

[outstandingbalance]

Well. Seemed like time to change up my look. [Red hair was the Black Widow's calling card. On the run, Natasha didn't want to be recognized.] Not sure how much I like it. Glad to hear someone does.

[sassy_assassin]

I mean, I'm just glad I had that much of an impact on you.

Did they do it while you were sleeping?

[outstandingbalance]

Short answer, yeah.

Long answer, it happened back home and carried over.

[ video ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Slowly. ]

You do realize changing your hair colour does nothing to disguise you, correct?

[outstandingbalance]

[Ha. There's almost something about his jab that puts her at ease.]

I don't know. Not if people know me, but it sure helps get me through airport security.

[dothelokimotion]

[ And this is the planet Thor wants them to live on. He huffs. ]

I suppose having powers of observation is not a strong suit among humans.

[outstandingbalance]

If you want to see it that way. [It's not in Natasha to talk up her own skills. She could say there's more that goes into it. She won't get into psychology. It is what it is.] You're not wrong that most people aren't paying all that close attention most of the time.

[dothelokimotion]

I visited New York several times over the years.

[sassy_assassin]

I'm not sure I get it.

[outstandingbalance]

Not surprised. You look different when you're not surrounded by an army of aliens.

[outstandingbalance]

Sometimes we remember things from home. It's like life kept on going even though we were here.

Two sets of memories. One here, one home.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He shrugs, nonchalant. ]

I suppose there is that.

So I take it you remember something new.

video;

[ragingbanner]

I feel like maybe we should ask you that.

[The comment starts out with the cadence of humor but settles into a soft fall to quiet.]

Is everything all right?

[outstandingbalance]

Some. A couple years worth of new.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Well. That's a long amount of time. ]

You don't seem too pleased.

[sassy_assassin]

Oh. No thanks. I'd really rather not do that.

So, remember anything big?

[outstandingbalance]

[Her lips flatten into an unhappy line.]

Yeah. [It is, isn't it? She's here. What happened at home is a universe away.] Just... caught up on some time back home.

It's been rough.

[outstandingbalance]

That can't be too surprising. It's been a rough couple of years.

[dothelokimotion]

Most of which you caused yourselves. Though it did make for an entertaining watch.

[outstandingbalance]

That's all relative. [Natasha doesn't look away, her gaze level.] Two years on the run. So there's that.

[That's about all Natasha is looking to admit. That's safe. Bad enough to be convincing, interesting enough.]

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha hums, noncommittal.]

Been keeping an eye on things, or just a guess?

[dothelokimotion]

For a while. My father was on that planet and New York seems to attract destruction.

video.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Changes like this rarely happen without cause. Maybe he's projecting, due to his own forced change in appearance not so long ago. But the tense set to Natasha's expression says enough for Thor to think there's more to it than just his own biases.]

Nothing worth mentioning.

[Departing the planet notwithstanding. Thor figures Natasha can work that one out easily enough.]

A coma?

action;;

[reconstitution]

[ He's been worried about Natasha while she's been asleep. How could he not be? Something like that usually meant more remembered memories, and it was always a toss up whether they were going to be good or bad. He'd gone over to the Vanquish a few times to check on her, but didn't sit and wait by her bedside this time. She'd come over when she was up and ready.

When she opens the door and comes in, relief floods him. Of course he'd heard her broadcast, but he wanted to give her space and time. He's up in an instant, wrapping his arms around her. ]

You're here- and you're blonde.. [ His fingers thread through her shorter hair fondly. ]

I like it.