catchatting | IC Inbox

( Christmas is past them now and, as McCoy predicted, Dean's gift of mistletoe everywhere is still in the process of being removed. He hadn't even intended on taking part in this unforeseen ritual. As the other decorations started to come down, the little sprigs of green began to droop, curling up brown along their edges, and after getting a faceful of the falling stuff when he'd intended to go for an evening walk, he's had enough.

So if he looks a little silly in sweats and a tee, holding a handful of greenery while reaching for another sprig above his head--standing on a chair, no less--here in the common area, well, shit happens. )

Come on, ( He complains to himself, ) How the Hell did he get you all the way up here?

Hmm. Maybe he stood on a chair.

[ Yeah, she's been standing by the door for a moment, but she hadn't wanted to distract him. Or maybe she enjoys watching a man stretch. Can anyone blame her for that?

Either way, now that she's announced herself, she's going to move closer with her heels clicking on the floor now that she's not sneaking. Once she's closer to him, she reaches her hand up and twists her fingers in the air. The totem on her wrist lights up and a little wisp of air twirls around the sprig caught in the ceiling until it drops easily into Leonard's hand. ]

Or maybe he did that. I can put it back if you want to keep struggling, though. It's kind of cute.

( He turns on the seat at her voice, startled, pressing his empty hand to the wall to steady himself. Leonard huffs a short, dry laugh. )

Probably jumped, too.

( Though he's contemplated that, he'd rather not risk breaking his neck if he falls, wondering if he ought to find that ladder Quill was slinging around a couple weeks ago. Zari, of course, makes things entirely less complicated altogether, and he stands there for a second, sprig in the palm of his hand, looking at her with open appreciation, and a slight smirk. )

Thanks. Only 'kind of cute', though?

( Giving the hem of his shirt a tug where it's ridden up, McCoy twirls that bit of green in his fingers, and steps back down from the chair to meet her. )

That should be the last of them for now, but I'm sure we'll still find more down the line. Think they still work? ( And here he's just flirting cheekily for the sake of it, lifting that sprig over his head with a playful air. )

Edited 2021-12-30 05:53 (UTC)

I don't know. Magic's not really my expertise and it's possible all the magic's worn off by now.

[ She pouts, stepping closer into his personal space and looking up at his hand, which also happens to put her face very close to his. Her cheeks are warm and she has to bite her lip to keep from smiling. ]

Come to think of it, you might just be even cuter up close, but if I kiss you now, how will you know if it's because you're cute or because the mistletoe made me do it? I don't know if I could do that to you.

( Very few times in his adult life has Leonard McCoy been called 'cute', much less more than once in a single setting, but he wouldn't even think to object to it now, now when Zari sidles in close to him like that, pouting like that. She can call him whatever she likes. )

Hmm. ( The sound rolls up warmly from his chest, low and deep, as he contemplates this minor crisis of theirs. ) I'm sure I'll survive the blow to my ego somehow, but--

( Here he drops his hand behind his back with the other, wrapping his fingers around his wrist in the small of his back. Clearly defenseless, vulnerable, though the corner of his mouth threatens to twitch up. )

What about now?

Edited 2021-12-30 06:57 (UTC)

[ Zari's not quite used to this--something playful but not juvenile, a show for just the two of them and not millions of followers. She's only recently had anything other than fame and internet attention to focus on, but she likes it. She likes the person that being around the Legends has turned her into and she likes the person she can be here on this ship.

The smile that's been threatening to break out on her face takes over now. ]

Yeah, still cute.

[ She twists her fingers in the front of his shirt and tugs him down for a kiss. ]

( The playful back and forth is very welcome, as his short laugh goes muffled in that kiss.

Guided by Zari's fist in his shirt–impossibly hot, okay, he likes it–the press of his mouth is sweet, inquisitive, a breathless surrender to the heady taste of her lips, a far cry from the chasteness of Christmas morning. Leaving the collection of mistletoe tucked against his other palm, McCoy brings his other hand around to her shoulder, thumb sweeping the crown. )

[ It's a nice kiss, neither shy nor demanding, and Zari lets herself enjoy that. It's an aimless pursuit of sensation for now, because the flirting is nice and there is no reason that two attractive people can't have a little fun if they want to.

She only pulls back once she needs to breath and even then she stays close, face a little flushed and clearly pleased with herself. ]

See? You earned that kiss all on your own. No magic required.

( So he's been a bit of a stranger since his self-imposed release-and-rest, and he's playing catch-up with his friends– which means knocking on Zari's door that morning, leaning up against the door frame perfectly recovered, and greeting her with: )

I heard you were yelling.

[ Zari answers the door barefoot and without makeup. Her face brightens the moment she sees Leonard standing upright and without visible holes, but it only lasts a moment until she's shoving at his shoulder and scowling. ]

Yeah, because you got shot!

( Her shove has all the effect of hitting a brick wall, his mild humor evaporating in the heat of his sudden, outraged shock. )

Like I planned that!

Well of course not, but how did they even get that close to you?

[ It's possible that Zari is feeling a little guilty that she hadn't been in the right place to defend her friends. She'd been trying so hard to keep danger away from their non-combat teammates and she'd still failed. ]

Next mission, we're putting you in some kind of armor. And one of those little army helmets that says "medic" on it like in the movies.

By accident! I was trying to get away, you know.

( Bones sets his mouth in a line. )

I'm not wearing armor, that's ridiculous.

No, not wearing some kind of vest after you already got shot once is ridiculous.

[ She can't stop thinking about her brother, cold and bloody on the floor of the Waverider. It doesn't matter that they'd brought him back later, because it had still happened and she'd been right there and she hadn't been able to do a damn thing. ]

I mean at least if I get shot, I might have a capable doctor to deal with it. What the hell am I supposed to do if I'm there and you get shot again? I am sick and tired of watching people die around me, Leonard.

( And that takes the wind out of his sails, realizing that he's doing the same thing he finds obnoxious in others. )

Zari... I'm so sorry.

[ The wind is Zari's sails follows his and she just stares at him. ]

Don't apologize for getting shot, you dummy! You're supposed to roll your eyes at me or something and tell me that I worry too much.

[ She groans in frustration because how dare he actually be reasonable when she's on a good rant?. Then she flings her arms around around his neck. This man is getting a hug whether he's ready or not and it's going to be a good one and she's going to cling. ]

Just... try not to do it again, okay? The men around me tend to not have the best rate of not dying on me.

( He has a brief expression like a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs, so scolded he just hugs her close when she clings to him. )

I'll try, ( he promises, knowing he shouldn't, knowing that they don't know what's coming next, but he promises her anyway. ) You don't have to worry about me, I'll be more careful.

Well, I'm going to worry a little, because that's what friends do, so deal with it.

[ She kisses his cheek and then pulls back enough to look at him, looking a little sheepish about the outburst herself. ]

Sorry, Leonard. I didn't mean to dump all that on you. I guess I got kind of used to being on a team where I have to yell to be heard.

[ Her love for the Legends is immeasurable, but she can't deny that they dismiss her a lot more easily than Leonard tends to. It's funny, because if anyone was going to dismiss her as a total airhead, she would have expected it to be two brilliant space communists who haven't heard of a freaking Sephora, but Leonard and Jim have always treated her kindly and with respect and it's part of why they've both so firmly been placed on her list of friends who she trusts here. ]

Dealing, alright, ( McCoy insists, his hands low on her waist as he leans back too. One comes away, waving off her apology. )

Look, Zari, it's fine. I get where you're coming from.

( He leans in to kiss her cheek. )

Thank you for telling me.

[ ooc: Set in the second log of "The Fox and the Hare." ]

[ Keeping the guards from leaving the towers is as complicated as Peter expected. There are a lot of them, and they all carry plenty of weapons, and blunt objects, and they don't like being locked up. But they are still people, not super-powered gods or people with magic abilities, so it's not as terrible as it could be.

Peter has done this all his life, and it feels almost natural to step into the line of danger and aim his blaster -set to stun- at the nearest guard who was ready to fire at a teammate. It sends him flying against the wall of the corridor, and then the man slumps on the floor, unconscious. ]

I can't believe these guys use bullets. Actual bullets! That's so last century. [ One of them graced his shoulder, and he's none too pleased with that. ] Are you okay, Zari?

[ one morning on the station, on each orber's door, the following hand-written note (in fancy calligraphy) will be taped:

the orber can choose to attend or simply listen in to the meeting when it occurs, or they may ignore it altogether. ]

IC Inbox - Ximilia

;action

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

action; 2/17

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(tw sibling death)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Action

no subject