[ Luckily most supernatural beings knew to keep their heads low in an unkind world. Many of them living by less than legal means, or hiding out in packs to survive. It was almost amazing they hadn't been rounded up into armies by now.
Nodding a bit at her reply. ] I know, call if I need help. I got it, love.
[ He lilted in reply, before shrugging a little. ] Gamble, watch the tube, read more than most expect. [ He chuckled when he said that, most of his friends didn't realize he was half as smart as he is. It helped him survive. ] Pretty dull life, but I get by. So, turn 'bout is fair play, what do you do when your not pallin' around with hustlers or doin' the whole James Bond gig?
Not to be a nag, you just give off 'I might not even call for help if I'm bleeding out energy.' [Not that Natasha frequently found herself in cahoots with people that that operated that way. Or like she'd been known to shrug off a broken bone. Not at all.
Her mouth curled in a grin as she listened to his answer.] Can't say I'd think to call your life dull. [People that liked it dull didn't end up trapped in the kind of intrigue he seemed to on a regular basis.]
I love James Bond movies. I can recite most of them from memory. [What? They were flashy and funny. Spy comedies.] I don't get too much downtime, but I like trying new food when I'm on the road. A fair amount of sparring practice. And I do ballet. [It had taken a long time for her to get back into the practice, but she was glad to have it in her life. To reclaim something the Red Room had once used as a training tool.]
I confess I might be that type. [ He admitted with a bit of a shrug. ] But I'm also a coward, an' have a feelin' if I ended up in the ICU you'd show up an' wallop me one good for not callin'.
[ Not that he'd let himself be taken to the hospital if he could help it. His blood would certainly set off some alarms and get eyes on him he doesn't want. ] I'd be more scared o' you pissed, than any o' the loan sharks.
[ He chuckled some at her come back.] Well, maybe not. But life's short, why not have some fun? I'm sure you get that, darlin'.
Bond is amazin', right? I can' do that, but I know some o' the lines pretty well. I've always liked Magnum PI better. [ His clothes, kinda scream that.] A super spy, an' a ballerina? Never would'a guessed that. Also never been t' a ballet though, my ex tried t' get me too go a life time ago, but I had obligations.
[ Harriet had loved those kinds of things, but the young Francis Doyle back then was more focused on his work than having fun. ]
I'd never wallop someone in the ICU. I'd sit in silence in your room with my feet on your bed and stare at you with disappointment. I've been told it's much worse than a walloping. [The twitch at the corner of her mouth contrasted with her dry delivery made it hard to tell whether she was being serious. She didn't plan to give it away. But his comment about being more afraid of her than a loan shark elicited a low laugh.]
Gotta find the fun where you can. I like Magnum PI too. It's a great example of how to play up the way people tend to underestimate others. [She shot him a look as she arched her eyebrow pointedly.
One shoulder lifted in a shrug as she mulled over how much to say about ballet. Best to keep it abbreviated.] The organization that raised me trained us in ballet before anything else. It teaches discipline and grace. But I always liked it. I wanted to take it back for myself.
Jesus Christ. [ It came out in pure brogue and more like he said 'jay sis' than how it was spelled, but there was a laugh in his tone. ] You an' me mother both. The lot o' you. That disappointment crap works too well.
[ Oh if he woke up in the hospital with both Natasha and his mother giving him the look, he'd know he'd messed up. He couldn't tell if she was serious or not, and that made it all the more fun.]
Learned quite a bit from it, an' they say TV doesn' teach y' a thing. [ That grin widened a bit, bringing out his dimples. Though he let it fall as he listened. ] Makes a certain amount o' sense there. Might as well take it back, write new memories over the bad ones an' such. Hey. [ He looked up in the rearview to catch her eyes. ] Maybe you can show me sometime, see if this old fool can find the beauty in it.
[ Granted, he wasn't old. Despite his looks he was only twenty five. ]
His comment about TV made her laugh a little, though it trailed off into a thoughtful hum.] You can learn a lot from just about anything. Even TV. Just depends on whether you know where to look. [A not insignificant portion of her career revolved around knowing not only where but how to look.
She glanced over at him with a quick smile at his suggestion.] First of all, you're definitely younger than me. Get out of here with that 'old fool' thing. And I'll show you, but only if you're ready to put on some work out clothes and try it yourself.
[ That melancholy from earlier chased away from his voice again. Nodding to agree with Natasha.] Not 'nough people be knowin' where t' look. Once your eyes get opened, its hard not t' see, ya know? TV, the streets, an' what not.
[ Four years ago he certainly wouldn't have believed he would know now. He idly wondered how true that was for her too. ] Fair there, I'd ask how old y' are, but I know that one's a quick way t' a slap.
[ Humor was in his tone before he shook his head.] Woah, woah, I meant like seein' a show. Me an' workout clothes are strangers an' plannin' t' keep it that way, darlin'.
[Natasha wasn't sure there had ever been a time before, for her. But there had certainly been a few - or more than a few - horrible revelations over the years. Still. She had the skills she had, for better or worse. She might as well use them.] It is. Hard to begrudge people that haven't had that experience, though. It's the whole point of doing this. [To make sure people could lead a better life than she had.
She grinned when he said he wouldn't ask how old she was. Smart man. The grin turned into a laugh when he protested the idea of trying ballet. One hand lifted from the steering wheel and she transcribed a line with it before veering the hand off to the side.] I know. I just took it in another direction. You might surprise yourself, though.
[ Doyle nodded, watching as the city lights appeared in the distance, not that one was too far from the city without a hell of a drive. Still, it was always lovely to see the city lights. ] No, I get that one completely, love, use what y' can t' save those that can't save themselves, an' such.
[ One of his dark brows arched watching her lift her hand and making the motions. Curious. He gave her a look, as if trying to figure out if she was kidding or not. ] I know me pretty well. Workin' out's never been my schitck, ya know?
[ He shrugged some. ] We'll see if y'can change me mind, though. You game?
[It was a beautiful sight, the way the city was all lit up from a distance. Quiet and remote. She could think of worse things to be driving toward.
Even so, she spared him a quick look when she could feel him studying her. She maintained her poker face, though there was a gleam of mischief in her eyes.]
Oh, I'm always game. If nothing else, maybe you'll learn a new and exciting way to kick someone in the face.
[ Doyle could never live in a quiet and remote place. He'd been in big cities his whole life. The bright lights always called to him and that would never change.
Studying her didn't do a lot when her poker face was so much better than his. Only that gleam of mischief was noticed as he grinning and shook his head some.]
I knew there was a reason I liked you, love. [ He chuckled, reaching into his inside jacket pocket taking out a deck of cards and slipping them from the box. He was fidgety by nature shuffling helped keep his hands busy. And that was exactly what he started doing. ] Y'know, I could probably use that. We'll see. Which comes first though? That poker game or kicking people in the face?
Was it not my willingness to jump into a fight with very few questions? [She sounded amused even as she said it. At this point in her life, she was pretty good at recognizing when someone was looking around for back up for the right reasons. She traded in secrets. Most of them tended to come out sooner or later.
She could hear the sound of the cards in his hands, and her mouth quirked into a little smile.] In my experience it's almost always the poker game. [Or the dinner. Or the business meeting. Or interrogation. She was flexible in how she got her information. And in how she got herself back out of the hot water.] Though I did an off books mission once that went really south. Once I had everyone tied up, we had over an hour to wait before my extraction team could come through. One of the guys tried to get me to play poker to pass the time.
I didn' say it was the only reason. Plenty o' reason's t' like y', love. [ He quipped back with ease, truth be told though. She was right saving his tail that first night they met had been the biggest part of it. Getting to know her and start to make friends with an actual Avenger? That was just a bonus. He knew a lot of people, but friends were in small numbers.
Looking up from where he was shuffling with another chuckle.] Well, that checks out. [ AS she told the story, he grinned a bit shaking his head some.] Well, don' leave me hangin', did you humor the fella? Not that I blame him, its a great way t' pass time.
[Backup was one thing, but friends were another thing entirely. There was a different level of trust inherent in a friendship that was hard to come by. But she was never one to turn down the promise of a new friend.
A secretive smirk curled the corner of her mouth and she turned her head to shoot him a quick look. Her brow arched as if to say what do you think?] It was too much of a risk to untie him completely. So I undid one arm and we played war.
[ It was an interesting path they were both one. Even if their journeys might not even lead to the same place. At least it was sure to be an interesting adventure along the way.
He shook his head and laughed when he saw that quick look. The arched brow said it all.]
Damn, see now that's a fun way t' spend some time, love. I bet I could beat y' at war.
[ Always a bet with this one. ] Next time, anyway.
Oh, I think I know better than to make a bet with you. And you should definitely know better than to make a bet with me.
[Her voice was amused as she said it, the sentence capped off with a low chuckle. Look, she wasn't opposed to letting people enjoy their vices. But it seemed like his particular vice had a real grip on him, and she tried not to be in the business of leading people into temptation anymore.
She was hardly a card shark, but she was slippery. And her aim when she played those kinds of games was almost never to win. It was information.]
I should know better, but doesn' mean I wont do it anyway.
[ That was two thirds of his financial woes. He used to be so good with money, and the bets he placed when he first ended up in this life style. Years and bad choices had changed that. Yet, he still somehow makes his rent every month. His vices certainly did have a grip on him, but he had chosen the path he was walking, and yet yet to find a reason a half demon like himself deserved better.
No matter how hard he hides that demon side.
Still, he let free a mirthful chuckle before nodding. ]
[Natasha certainly had. It had been a long road to find herself in a good place. A long, winding road. Definitely a bumpy one. And the way he'd phrased that said a lot about the things that he hadn't said. About how he'd ended up in the place he was in. They'd get around to that conversation one day.]
I'll make sure I've got cards on hand once the bugs are planted.
T'is the greatest joy o' life. Just toein' the line.
[ He chuckled as he shuffled the cards a bit more to keep his hands busy. They would get to that conversation one day but it would certainly take time.]
Even if you don' I always got a set on me. Force o' habit an' all.
[ A good way to fleece money from tourist with cheap magic tricks, or get an impromptu game going with some of his drinking buddies. Plus that fidgety nature of his being the biggest reason. ]
Oh yeah? How many of the cards in your deck can you tell what's on the face just by the way the back looks?
[She shot him a quick, pointed look, though it was clear she was amused as she said it. It clearly wouldn't be the first time she'd seen a trick like that. Nor was she entirely above using a trick like that herself, under the right circumstances.]
Now, see, I can't just give away trade secrets like that.
[ That grin that crossed his face, pure amusement. She was right though, Doyle had a lot of tricks up his sleeve and sometimes it was what lead to his troubles. ]
That you'd make a decent spy or that people get offended when I tell them that? Because both are true.
[She got it, more or less. There was a certain amount of...compartmentalization involved in spy work that people didn't like to think of themselves being capable of.]
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Nodding a bit at her reply. ] I know, call if I need help. I got it, love.
[ He lilted in reply, before shrugging a little. ] Gamble, watch the tube, read more than most expect. [ He chuckled when he said that, most of his friends didn't realize he was half as smart as he is. It helped him survive. ] Pretty dull life, but I get by. So, turn 'bout is fair play, what do you do when your not pallin' around with hustlers or doin' the whole James Bond gig?
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Her mouth curled in a grin as she listened to his answer.] Can't say I'd think to call your life dull. [People that liked it dull didn't end up trapped in the kind of intrigue he seemed to on a regular basis.]
I love James Bond movies. I can recite most of them from memory. [What? They were flashy and funny. Spy comedies.] I don't get too much downtime, but I like trying new food when I'm on the road. A fair amount of sparring practice. And I do ballet. [It had taken a long time for her to get back into the practice, but she was glad to have it in her life. To reclaim something the Red Room had once used as a training tool.]
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[ Not that he'd let himself be taken to the hospital if he could help it. His blood would certainly set off some alarms and get eyes on him he doesn't want. ] I'd be more scared o' you pissed, than any o' the loan sharks.
[ He chuckled some at her come back.] Well, maybe not. But life's short, why not have some fun? I'm sure you get that, darlin'.
Bond is amazin', right? I can' do that, but I know some o' the lines pretty well. I've always liked Magnum PI better. [ His clothes, kinda scream that.] A super spy, an' a ballerina? Never would'a guessed that. Also never been t' a ballet though, my ex tried t' get me too go a life time ago, but I had obligations.
[ Harriet had loved those kinds of things, but the young Francis Doyle back then was more focused on his work than having fun. ]
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Gotta find the fun where you can. I like Magnum PI too. It's a great example of how to play up the way people tend to underestimate others. [She shot him a look as she arched her eyebrow pointedly.
One shoulder lifted in a shrug as she mulled over how much to say about ballet. Best to keep it abbreviated.] The organization that raised me trained us in ballet before anything else. It teaches discipline and grace. But I always liked it. I wanted to take it back for myself.
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[ Oh if he woke up in the hospital with both Natasha and his mother giving him the look, he'd know he'd messed up. He couldn't tell if she was serious or not, and that made it all the more fun.]
Learned quite a bit from it, an' they say TV doesn' teach y' a thing. [ That grin widened a bit, bringing out his dimples. Though he let it fall as he listened. ] Makes a certain amount o' sense there. Might as well take it back, write new memories over the bad ones an' such. Hey. [ He looked up in the rearview to catch her eyes. ] Maybe you can show me sometime, see if this old fool can find the beauty in it.
[ Granted, he wasn't old. Despite his looks he was only twenty five. ]
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His comment about TV made her laugh a little, though it trailed off into a thoughtful hum.] You can learn a lot from just about anything. Even TV. Just depends on whether you know where to look. [A not insignificant portion of her career revolved around knowing not only where but how to look.
She glanced over at him with a quick smile at his suggestion.] First of all, you're definitely younger than me. Get out of here with that 'old fool' thing. And I'll show you, but only if you're ready to put on some work out clothes and try it yourself.
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[ That melancholy from earlier chased away from his voice again. Nodding to agree with Natasha.] Not 'nough people be knowin' where t' look. Once your eyes get opened, its hard not t' see, ya know? TV, the streets, an' what not.
[ Four years ago he certainly wouldn't have believed he would know now. He idly wondered how true that was for her too. ] Fair there, I'd ask how old y' are, but I know that one's a quick way t' a slap.
[ Humor was in his tone before he shook his head.] Woah, woah, I meant like seein' a show. Me an' workout clothes are strangers an' plannin' t' keep it that way, darlin'.
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She grinned when he said he wouldn't ask how old she was. Smart man. The grin turned into a laugh when he protested the idea of trying ballet. One hand lifted from the steering wheel and she transcribed a line with it before veering the hand off to the side.] I know. I just took it in another direction. You might surprise yourself, though.
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[ One of his dark brows arched watching her lift her hand and making the motions. Curious. He gave her a look, as if trying to figure out if she was kidding or not. ] I know me pretty well. Workin' out's never been my schitck, ya know?
[ He shrugged some. ] We'll see if y'can change me mind, though. You game?
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Even so, she spared him a quick look when she could feel him studying her. She maintained her poker face, though there was a gleam of mischief in her eyes.]
Oh, I'm always game. If nothing else, maybe you'll learn a new and exciting way to kick someone in the face.
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Studying her didn't do a lot when her poker face was so much better than his. Only that gleam of mischief was noticed as he grinning and shook his head some.]
I knew there was a reason I liked you, love. [ He chuckled, reaching into his inside jacket pocket taking out a deck of cards and slipping them from the box. He was fidgety by nature shuffling helped keep his hands busy. And that was exactly what he started doing. ] Y'know, I could probably use that. We'll see. Which comes first though? That poker game or kicking people in the face?
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She could hear the sound of the cards in his hands, and her mouth quirked into a little smile.] In my experience it's almost always the poker game. [Or the dinner. Or the business meeting. Or interrogation. She was flexible in how she got her information. And in how she got herself back out of the hot water.] Though I did an off books mission once that went really south. Once I had everyone tied up, we had over an hour to wait before my extraction team could come through. One of the guys tried to get me to play poker to pass the time.
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Looking up from where he was shuffling with another chuckle.] Well, that checks out. [ AS she told the story, he grinned a bit shaking his head some.] Well, don' leave me hangin', did you humor the fella? Not that I blame him, its a great way t' pass time.
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A secretive smirk curled the corner of her mouth and she turned her head to shoot him a quick look. Her brow arched as if to say what do you think?] It was too much of a risk to untie him completely. So I undid one arm and we played war.
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He shook his head and laughed when he saw that quick look. The arched brow said it all.]
Damn, see now that's a fun way t' spend some time, love. I bet I could beat y' at war.
[ Always a bet with this one. ] Next time, anyway.
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[Her voice was amused as she said it, the sentence capped off with a low chuckle. Look, she wasn't opposed to letting people enjoy their vices. But it seemed like his particular vice had a real grip on him, and she tried not to be in the business of leading people into temptation anymore.
She was hardly a card shark, but she was slippery. And her aim when she played those kinds of games was almost never to win. It was information.]
But I'm down for a game without a bet.
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[ That was two thirds of his financial woes. He used to be so good with money, and the bets he placed when he first ended up in this life style. Years and bad choices had changed that. Yet, he still somehow makes his rent every month. His vices certainly did have a grip on him, but he had chosen the path he was walking, and yet yet to find a reason a half demon like himself deserved better.
No matter how hard he hides that demon side.
Still, he let free a mirthful chuckle before nodding. ]
Sounds jus' as fun, love. Count me in.
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[Natasha certainly had. It had been a long road to find herself in a good place. A long, winding road. Definitely a bumpy one. And the way he'd phrased that said a lot about the things that he hadn't said. About how he'd ended up in the place he was in. They'd get around to that conversation one day.]
I'll make sure I've got cards on hand once the bugs are planted.
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[ He chuckled as he shuffled the cards a bit more to keep his hands busy. They would get to that conversation one day but it would certainly take time.]
Even if you don' I always got a set on me. Force o' habit an' all.
[ A good way to fleece money from tourist with cheap magic tricks, or get an impromptu game going with some of his drinking buddies. Plus that fidgety nature of his being the biggest reason. ]
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[She shot him a quick, pointed look, though it was clear she was amused as she said it. It clearly wouldn't be the first time she'd seen a trick like that. Nor was she entirely above using a trick like that herself, under the right circumstances.]
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[ That grin that crossed his face, pure amusement. She was right though, Doyle had a lot of tricks up his sleeve and sometimes it was what lead to his troubles. ]
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[She gave him a grin.]
I'd tell you you'd make a decent spy but people tend to take offense when I tell them that.
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[ He shook his head again. Before looking shocked. ]
You're kiddin' right?
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[She got it, more or less. There was a certain amount of...compartmentalization involved in spy work that people didn't like to think of themselves being capable of.]
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[ He shrugged some then looked to her. He had that compartmentalizing down pat. ]
The me bein' a decent spy bit. Never considered it.
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