12893/It's the Final Countdown

It's the Final Countdown
Date of Scene:	26 March 2021
Location:	Safehouse, Bronx, NYC
Synopsis:	Natasha is going to space. Whether she likes it or not. She talks to Alexander about the upcoming trip.
Cast of Characters:	Phobos, Black Widow (Romanoff)

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Phobos has posed:
    The glamour that is a life in SHIELD never stops. Today it was paperwork and cataloging, the filing and identifying of inventory entries from the assets seized from part of the Czech operation. It was required work to create that frame of reference and basis of knowledge for the ensuing research, otherwise nobody would know exactly what everyone was working on and it would be all higgledy piggledy. Yet still, not exactly something to keep a twenty-something Olympian engaged mentally.
    And that mindset continued when he returned 'home' to the safehouse that had been the hub of his world this last month and some. When he entered he lifted his voice to shout, "KGB, we are here to look for nuclear wessels!"
    Only for those words to fall in silence with no reply, the Widow was not in residence. Which, to be fair to consider the strength of his 'joke' it might be fortunate for him.
    Though it then let him wander around the house and he did. Getting out of his civilian gear, putting on the loose t-shirt and sweat shorts, puttering around the home, starting up a pot of mac and cheese and having some then slouching onto the couch.
    Which was where he was in this moment, curled up there and watching the History Channel broadcast a marathon of Shark Week even though it wasn't Shark Week, but just a bunch of sharks because HISTORY! Before him rested the half-empty bowl and he relaxed, and waited, perhaps at some point he even started to drift off to sleep.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Today had been Natasha's day on Avengers duty. Staying at the mansion, answering any calls for assistance, monitoring. Even answer the door if that came about but honestly, that was a rarity. Most of the exterior security measures took care of everything and referred them to the right authorities since most people didn't really /need/ the Avengers for their issues.

Which is when she had gotten the bombshell.

Her penthouse wasn't even considered as she headed for the safehouse. It offered company and comforts, since they had been spending a lot of time there and adding a few things to make life better as the weeks passed. She opened the door then secured the key in the hidey spot and locked the door behind her. There was no calling out cutely although thinking of how he does something like that most days has her grinning to herself.

She could hear the tv going so headed that way, finding him on the couch. "Was hoping you'd be here. We need to talk."

Wait, that didn't really sound good. "It's not bad. I think. Or I hope." That should clear it right up.

Phobos has posed:
    When he heard the door and the sound of her steps, albeit light ones, on the stairwell he had sat up slightly and wiped the sleep from his eyes with two fingers. His voice raised as he called out, "Hey."
    But then he waited for her to appear and arrive before he leaned over the side of the couch to peer at her, "Hm?"
    And then she approached which had him sitting up a little and folding his legs under him. His brow quirked as he answered her words with a wise and sagacious, "Oh?"
    Though curiously enough he didn't seem too perturbed with that rather poorly worded opening, to be fair. Most men would likely go instantly to an 'uh oh' state of mind expecting a Talk with a capital T but he looked at her with that casual ease of his, the corner of his mouth curved up a bit.
    "Something up?" He asks then pushes himself fully upright into a seated posture while he leeeeaned over to grab the remote and click the mute button, turning off the British wild-life expert who was telling them all about the horrors of the Great White Shark.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
She was dressed in casual clothes, having changed out of uniform before coming here this time. Wouldn't do for the neighborhood to see SHIELD agents wandering in and out. Kind of ruined the whole safehouse aspect of things.

She was in jeans with an emerald button up blouse. A pair of black boots on her feet, laced up. Her jacket had been left in the foyer, hanging on a hook there. She sat on the couch next to him, giving the television a glance as a diver in a cage watched great white sharks swimming around them. Then back over to Alex.

"I will be out of town for a few days. Avengers business. I've been assured it's only going to be three days or less. Of course, considering space travel is involved, I wouldn't make any bets."

Phobos has posed:
    Those pale eyes watch and consider as she settles down and speaks, listening with that attentive gaze. He cocks his head slightly to the side and then his brow climbs as she tells him of her likely plans. His lip twists as she tells him about space. And what is his instant thought in that moment? Concern for her, a fearful worry about what could possibly happen?
    "Can I come?"
    Which has those eyes vibrant with unvoiced laughter, though he gestures to the side. "I mean, prolly not of course. But, I could hide in the luggage. Leap out at an opportune moment."
    Looking to the side it's likely he's already lost into imagining what circumstances would entail such an 'opportune' moment. He half-grins then looks back, "Are you taking a rocket or something else?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
That was not the reaction she was expecting. To be perfectly clear, his reaction was what a lot of people would probably have. It was something people would like to experience.

Then there was Natasha.

"Pretty sure they wouldn't allow me to take you along as sparring equipment or the like. And the whole Avengers clearance thing." Besides how would she explain /that/ one to the team? Oh just want to bring the guy I'm enjoying spending time with along, that okay?

"No space ship. Well until we get there. Seems Thor's got the bifrost working. Sort of. Sometimes." She sounds about as thrilled as Doctor McCoy in Original Star Trek at the prospect of the teleporter.

"So we will bifrost to...somewhere. Hire a ship. Go to where Asgard once was to search for an item then return back to the space port and bifrost back."

Phobos has posed:
    "That sounds... adventurous." Alexander sits up a little more, then rests his hands upon his calf, looking at her curiously. He glances towards the bedroom, thoughts meandering to how one would prepare for going into space, what does one pack, does one need a sweater in space?
    Looking back he takes a breath and makes a small 'hrm' of sound before he murmurs, "Do you need any help preparing? What can I do to help you?" One moment he's sitting there and then the next he rolls up and to his feet, starting to look around the room with his hands on his hips, considering. "You can take anything here if you need to, but..." He probably realizes it's not like the Avengers are strapped for gear.
    "I suppose you don't really... need anything here. So I should just wish you good luck, huh?" His smile lifts a touch, just at that one side.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"I have no idea what one packs for space," Natasha admits with a helpless little shrug. "I mean for us we think space suits and everything like that. But for Asgardians, space travel sounds like it's going to visit the rental car place and get a ship then toodle out for a little jaunt and return it at the end."

She takes off her boots so she can tuck her sock-covered feet up on the couch, hugging her legs a little to herself as she talks.

"I am not looking foward to this. I never wanted to go to space. Everything can go wrong. But I'm not going to let a teammate down."

Phobos has posed:
    As quick as he's up he's down, settled upon the sofa beside her and leaning forward, head turned to watch her steadily. "Hey, you know I bet if you wanted to have been a Cosmonaut you probably could've been one. Yuri Gagarin, bah. Natalia Romanova, Princess of Space." The youth gives a single nod and smiles a little.
    "You'll handle this like you handle everything else, impeccably. I have complete faith in you." And when a god has faith in /you/ that's saying something.
    A hand rests on her knee for a moment, and then he eases to the side to take her into an embrace, his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in close. He's warm from whatever magical foundry keeps the Olympians going, belief-based or otherwise.
    For a time they share some quiet, then he smiles as he murmurs in a tone of voice that has a hint of gravity to it, of portent. "Besides, if we care for each other, and ours is a tale of romance for the ages, then should one of us fall it will not be in the absence of the other. It will be together so one of us will mourn while the world weeps."
    Something about how he says that, as if there was such a strong conviction to it, that he truly believed it.
    And then he ruins it by saying with a little sardonic edge, "The Fates are assholes like that."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"If I wanted to be. If. I didn't." Natasha says simply. But she has agreed to go along for the trip, despite the fact she really has a lot of discomfort. Not afraid. She wasn't scared, not exactly. She just didn't like the idea and fully expected something to go wrong.

As he put his arm around her, she leaned in comfortably and closed her eyes as that heat came off him. It was very comforting, at least at the moment and it was certainly nice during the chill of winter. During summer? Maybe she might change her mind. As she rested her cheek against his shulder, she suspected she wouldn't change her mind.

When he gets that gravity to his tone, she does lift her head to look at him. The words probably would've made her laugh if he hadn't delivered them in that manner. The concept of being a romance for the ages was about as likely as her turning into an actual black widow. Not something she figured was even possible, considering her track record. She was rather jaded about such things.

With his final words, there was no stopping the laughter though. "Good to know. Course calling them assholes, isn't that--well as the saying goes--tempting fate?"

Phobos has posed:
    "Ehn," Alexander says with a casual shrug as he murmurs, "I like to think they've grown to grudgingly respect my charmingly rebellious in your face attitude." His lip twists a little at the last and leans over enough to kiss her temple with just a brush of his lips before he drifts a finger or two through her hair.
    "C'mon, let's go and take a look at what we can scrounge up. Maybe you'll be in the middle of space and realize, 'I should have brought that survival knife that Ares bought 48 of and left in a crate in the bronx for several decades.' Or something like that."
    That said he pushes up to his feet and casts his gaze toward the storage area. Perhaps they'll find something, perhaps not, but having something to do might well distract her from what was in the offing.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
She follows, climbing to her feet but there is an amused smile on her face. "He actually bought 48? Why? I mean there is prepping and then there is just losing his mind."

Something she would actually say to John's face. If it happens to be relayed to him by his son, so be it.

She started in the direction of the storage. "Three days so a couple of changes of clothes. I'm taking my guns because I feel more comfortable with them. May take an Icer, just cause. Not going to be taking anything that stands out as a team or the like so no SHIELD gear."

And the distraction works as he intended as she focuses on what might actually be useful.