16245/I Know What You Did And Saw That Haircut

I Know What You Did And Saw That Haircut
Date of Scene:	07 May 2024
Location:	Converted Safehouse, Brooklyn
Synopsis:	Alexander is insane. And Natasha is busted.
Cast of Characters:	Black Widow (Romanoff), Phobos

---

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
It was a rare day off for Natasha. She had spent the day being a homebody, something she had learned she liked these last few years. Earlier in the morning she'd worked out, had something to eat for brunch, then settled on the couch with a book. No music. No tv. Nothing but silence since the house was pretty well insulated against exterior noises. Though that was more to hide the interior noises than the opposite way around. When they were sparring, which they did almost daily, they didn't need people thinking there was a fight going on and calling the authorities. Especially since they generally did not hold back when sparring. After all, the bad guys didn't hold back in a real fight so why should they in their training.

She had a cup of tea on the table next to her that she sipped once in a while. But her eyes were stuck to the pages as she read through the tale. No tablet, this was a real book. Paperback but still real instead of digital. She was dressed in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants. Socks covered her feet, which allowed her to skid into the kitchen if she opted to get a refill of tea at any point, thanks to their hardwood floors. Not that anyone but Alexander would ever know that little detail about her.

Phobos has posed:
    Her gentle respite against the hustle and bustle of life was in part aided by the absence of the Olympian who had caught her eye. He had his own obligations to handle which on this day primarily focused on doing what his father requested of him. At times such things could be of little import, something connected to Ares' collection of antiques or perhaps his position as the head of his construction workers union. Today it had been to put in an appearance at a local meeting with some of the union reps, to present the illusion of a normal home life with his father since apparently there was to be a vote soon for the leadership of that union...
    Which meant it was horrible boriing. Which also is why Alexander spent most of that time on his phone, when after a bit of time diving down variou rabbit holes. He came upon somethiing that he couldn't believe.
    Which is why when he came home he did not greet her with his customary declaration of a false identity involved who might be possibly attacking their home. Instead when she head the jangle of keys, the thump of the door, then his voice... it said something else instead.
    "You are in trouble!"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The sound of the door drew her attention in that direction momentarily. She knew Alexander had been helping his father today, something that she didn't want to interfere with since it generally was something very boring. Since this time it was union related, it probably didn't need an actual celebrity showing up. Because that would potentially polarize the votes. After all, not everyone loved costumed heroes, even the Avengers. Besides, she could read this way. Without commentary on what she was reading by the peanut gallery.

She waited for the customary greeting, wondering what he would come up with today. Generally it was something silly that made her smile. Keys. Door open and close. Keys in dish. Bag on floor. Then that voice she knew but not at all words she could've anticipated.

"And why might that be?" she called back ever so calmly as she put the bookmark into the spot where she stopped reading to close the book without losing her place. The book was set onto the coffee table and she picked up her cup to sip her tea, watching the top of the stairs as she waited for him to appear there.

Phobos has posed:
    There was the clink and clank of keys being deposited into a tin dish, then the shuffle of sound of a jacket being taken off followed by the thubba-thubba-thump-thump-thummp of his ascent up the stairs, appearing at the landing, one hand gliding along the hand rail idly.
    No answer is given to her, not at first at the least, but when he reaches the second floor where she is, she will espy his features held in that slightly narrowed aspect to the eyes, as well as the hint of wariness in that gaze. No commment is given, though when he starts to step in front of Natasha's line of sight toward the television, he points at her as if accusing her of something.
    Then he grabs the remote and flits through a few channels while dropping onto the seat. Still saying nothing he brings up the web interface and starts to type out a particular url that leads them toward... a video channel of some kind.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
There was curiosity in her expression as Natasha watched Alexander closely. The expression on his face, the way he was moving, everything a little clue. Then he was blocking the tv, which she wasn't even watching, and her brows were lifted in response to the finger pointing.

The silence was amusing. It shouldn't be but it was so different for him. She waited for him to sit as she pondered. He didn't seem really upset but there was definitely something going on for him. Patience was the key though. She waited. He got the tv up and was moving to some website he had in his brain.

Nothing thus far was ringing any bells for her as to why she was in trouble.

Phobos has posed:
    The screen changed to a clip that he had embiggened, perhaps to prevent her from seeing the title of said clip. He sits down on the edge of the sofa, gesturing with one hand when she spares a glance at him as if to indicate silently, 'No! Watch the TV!' Just that emphasis in those slightly widened pale eyes.
    Then the clip starts to play, fading in from dark into a hot tub scene that begins with a slimy looking 80s man leering and chortling with multiple models in bikinis who are giggling with him. Then a third woman enters the scene... whose face is obscured.
    Of course that woman draws the attention of the 80s business man who chortles as he gestures for that newcomer to join him in the hot tub, which she does...
    Only for moments later that newcomer _flips out_ and just starts to kill people in very brutal but... poorly implemented special effects focused ninja weapon techniques!
    Though then the scene transitions to a montage of fight scenes, though now with the whomever it was in weird mystic ninja garb, eyeliner included...
    Which has Alexander pointing at Natasha as he holds up a VHS tape case that on the cover declares, 'Ninja III: The Domination!'
    His eyes narrow, and then he tells her, "J'accuse!"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
As the screen comes to life with the video, Natasha does indeed glance over to Alexander only for him to emphasize where she should be looking. Her lips twitched slightly as she fought a smirk but she did turn her attention back to the screen to see what was such a big deal. The fact it was something from online had her less concerned that this was actual some big deal.

The hot tub scene was bad enough. About as cliche as they come. She wasn't even sure what she was watching or why as the clip continued to the newcomer arriving. Then the killing started.

That's the moment when Natasha got her inkling what this was about. As the montage started to play, she knew. In her heart, she knew. But what she said was "Bozhe moi. Are you still blaming me for the bad ninja movies of the 1980s?"

Phobos has posed:
    When she delved into the Russian language to retort his eyes narrowed slightly as he pointed at her, "Don't try to distract me with your devil language of temptation." He bites his lower lip, probably to stop from smiling, then redoubles his slightly eye-widened growliness as he gestures to the screen. "There are four different people in those clips playing that ninja, one of them is that actress who was in Electric Boogaloo. Two are male stunt men. But the fourth..."
    He uses the remote to scroll back and in the freeze frame image he points at a point where the ninja is apparently slaughtering two men on a golf course, her body twisted into a smooth turning sword-slash. Alexander points at it again and then says, "That. Is you."
    Which is when he tosses the VHS to her and says simply, "We are watching this tonight. I bet you've never even seen it. And yet you are partially responsible, in a much more _direct_ way than I first imagined. Only fair you should feel this pain."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
And that accusation broke her control. Natasha giggled and quickly slapped her hand over her mouth to stop it, but in the most demonstrative way possible to make sure he got the full effect. It was particularly funny because she hadn't slipped into Russian to use it as a ploy. This time. Yet then he started to outline what she already knew. Far too well. She turned her attention back to the screen, schooling her expression back to neutrality.

"I think you've been looking at these movies far too much lately," Natasha said. "Maybe you should switch to old musicals? Some Rodgers and Hammerstein perhaps?" She looked at him all innocent eyed as though she had no idea what he was talking about. "You're starting to see things. I worry for your health."

And all of this said in a completely serious tone when she knew damn well he was right.

Phobos has posed:
    Her answer? A slow nod accompanied by a slightly twisted look to his face that one might imagine was held many times by Columbo after having caught his criminal. He then says with a calm just as cultured and neutral tone, "Be that as it may, it changes nothing. For we are watching this, all of it, through the credits. And you will have to suffer as I have suffered."
    But then his facade breaks ever so slightly as that warmth sneaks into those pale irises as he murmurs, "You could have just told me."
    But then he clears his throat, "I... am going to go find a VCR." He pushes himself up to his feet, perhaps making the risky decision to leave her in possession of the video tape, "Think I saw one upstairs." On the mystical third floor of their home which still has much of the gear and loot that his father hid in this place.
    He turns around as he's walking back to the stairs, walking backwards as he points at her, "If anything happens to that tape I will take that as a confession of your cultural crimes against humanity."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Tell you what? That you are delusional and seeing things?"

Natasha was going to try to play this as long as she could. Especially since he was trying to be so serious as well. Though he almost broke there but he managed to keep it under control. Could have just told him? That she'd done some stunt work in relation to an undercover position back in the day? The movie was released in 1984, when she was out in LA already. Which led to an entire thing with the Olympics but that was neither here nor there. The movie was obviously not made the same year it released yet she had already been in her role in the city at the time. Worked out well for the Olympics.

As he started to walk backwards toward the stares with his threat hanging in the air, she finally looked at the actual VHS tape that he had tossed her way. The cover was what one expected at the time. But how the hell had he managed to find this particular one?

"I mean, if 80s ninjas came in here and stole it from me, that couldn't be my fault..."

Phobos has posed:
    He was already disappeared up the stairs, but she heard his answer as he yelled back over his shoulder, "You would have to fight them off to preserve your innocence!" Though after a few moments there was the sound of cardboard boxes being opened, equipment being tossed around, and the search being conducted.
    At the least apparently the course for this evening was decided, whether or not she liked it!