16162/ChooChoo!

ChooChoo!
Date of Scene:	02 April 2024
Location:	Bergen, Norway
Synopsis:	Alexander gets his birthday present! Slow Train through Norway!
Cast of Characters:	Black Widow (Romanoff), Phobos

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Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The trip overseas had been quick though not the easiest of passages since Natasha had chosen to take the Quinjet into the thin air at the edge of space to reduce resistance and thus speed up the flight. Why? Because they could? And it was fun! There were not a lot of people in the world who could say they had visited there. Then the rollercoaster ride of returning to the normal atmosphere and finally landing at a government run airtstrip. From there, they had a car waiting to take them to their lovely hotel in Bergen. Probably that ride took as long as the flight over to be honest. But in the end, they had gotten settled into the Floating House Bergen, a houseboat that could sleep up to 14 but they had all to themselves.

Likely, he thought the trip and the beauty of the houseboat tehy were staying was his birthday present. That was only the start.

The next morning, it was time to head to the train station. Bags were packed, though only enough for two days since they would be returning here. Just in case. And they headed out to the waiting car for the drive over. It was only once they were in the car that Natasha handed over Alexander's ticket. It was for a train ride from Bergen to Oslo. A cabin in fact, front facing, at the front of the train under the area used by the conductor. It would give them a view equal to if they were running the train, but in far more comfort.

"Happy Birthday, baby. I did some research and, while it's not the same train itself, this is the same trip that the first SlowTV took. From Bergen to Oslo. We have four others lined up through the week as well."

Phobos has posed:
    "Hahaha, oh my god." The young man's voice was rich with a warmth that was rare in his voice, or rather rare when he was out in public. She had heard it enough, often enough, but now those pale hazel eyes twinkled with amusemment as he stood there at the entryway to that cabin, one hand on the strap of his backpack, the other on the handle of the door.
    Shaking his head he smiles. The houseboat had been lovely, and he had watched a few trips down the river on that aforementioned SlowTV. Yet he hadn't suspected this particular 'theme' to his birthday celebration. The train though, and her revelation, it did catch him off balance. She could tell by that laugh.
    Stepping into the room he slipped an arm around her waist and touched a small kiss to her cheek in passing, though his footsteps carried him toward that viewport ahead. He laughed and shook his head again, looking back at her.
    "You are so... thoughtful." His lip curls, "And a little goofy. But thoughtful mainly."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Thoughtful? I think you are mispronouncing 'you are the best girlfriend ever in the history of the world' or maybe 'no other wife on the planet is as amazing as you'."

There was no hiding her delight. Natasha had tried to think of something outside the box that he might enjoy. And he loved that silly show. She even found herself watching it sometimes now thanks to him. Though, in her mind, it was more because she was trying to understand his fascination. It couldn't be that she liked it. Perish the thought.

Natasha had a slightly goofy grin on her face though. "You really like it? I mean is it too goofy?" And that grin faded a little as she wondered if she'd done too much. Or not enough. Because of course she would have doubts since this was very out-of-the-box thinking for his birthday.

Phobos has posed:
    "No it's great." He drops his backpack gently to the side, half-kneeling a little to the side as if afraid of breaking the fabric of reality. Then he turns and steps back toward her, slipping an arm around her again to turn and look out the window ahead with her at his side. "I've... never had such a good gift, or someone who gave so much thought." Then his lip curls as he squeezes her hip gently.
    "I mean, the sushi one was great. But... yeah." He bites his lower lip looking still out the window distantly. Then he exhales slightly and murmurs, "You really are the best... paramour. Wife. Girlfriend. Significant Other."
    Then he laughs a little, "Though I feel like such a dork since this is like... a thing I'm into. Not exactly like... romantic or admirable. Alex likes a tv show, what a nerd."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
She felt better when he wrapped his arm around her but then led him over to the comfy seats set up where people could just sit and stare out that front window. Not that it was showing anything impressive yet as they weren't in motion. Just he area around the train station and the tracks ahead that would lead them off on their adventure.

"Actually, it's not nerdy. I mean, sure, it might be. But it's more than that. If people like a star, they want to see them. If people like a music group, they try to go see them in concert. How is this any different? You like watching the view out of the train. Here we are doing just that. And I get to spend hours alone with you which is the best gift for myself. And...maybe...I like it a little bit too." Then she brought up a hand. "You repeat that, I'll say you are lying."

Then a grin. "Sushi will wait until we are home. Unless you want to fly over to Japan at the end of the trip." They did have a Quinjet and a reckless disregard of authority, after all.

She did purse her lips slightly. "We might as well use wife. I mean in most places that have common law, we'd qualify by this point."

Phobos has posed:
    "If we start doing that..." Alexander moed those few steps with her, sweeping down to settle onto the seat. Outisde the window the station was active with passengers coming and going as well as luggage handlers transferring baggage into the cargo compartments.
    "You're going to get some grief from your peoples." Which peoples he was meaning she likely knew, considering the main person to hassle her about her relationship was Tony. Likely he imagined that all of the Avengers gave her grief on some level. But Tony was the most... obvious about it.
    "Though there's part of me that wants to for..." His lip curls as he squeezes her hand a little, "Purely selfish reasons. So people know? I guess? Is that strange? I want to take pride in it. But is that conducive for our lifestyle. I mean... we work for an intelligence agency."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Natasha settled in with him, taking a moment to kick off her shoes so the she could tuck her feet up on the seat beside her, to the opposite side from him which would allow her to lean closer to him when she wanted to. Optimal snuggling position but allowed for polite conversation as well without the snuggle.

"Valid point. Would kind of mess up the mystique thing about me that seems to be all over the place. I'd become a normal person. Sort of. You get what I mean I think.

"It isn't like people that work for SHIELD never get married or have partners in their lives. It's actually pretty normal. So it's more do you want that hassle of it being public? I know that a few already are aware, your friends obviously that we've shared time with. And there are whispers we are dating that I know are all over the Triskelion. But people are too scared to ask me and I don't know if they ask you," she admitted.

Phobos has posed:
    "There've been a few people who have asked and I've played it close to the vest." A slight smile eases into place as he rests an arm around her shoulders, looking toward the window, his pale eyes distanced as if they were already traveling along the rails. "I usually say something along the lines about how there might be a small chance you might be interested in me, but I know that if I started talking about it would make it less likely to happen. Which usually gets people to back off." A nod is given then he adds, "Of both genders, so it's a good answer."
    He chews on his lower lip as he looks to her sidelong, "There's also the thing if we decided to start down that path of like, it being out there." He rubs the back of his neck and considers...
    "Well then there's part of me that if it becomes public, I sorta would want a... ceremony. Maybe?" He scrunches up one eye. "Not entirely sure why, but feels like that would be a... landmark we pass together."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
They'd already made vows to one another. Not a ceremony. But a private thing between them, which had felt earth shattering at the time in its sincerity. They both had no doubts they were together and would always. That was never a question.

But taking that actual step to the legal process of becoming married? It felt strange to even consider. It wasn't something either of them really needed but for them to become publically husband and wife, she could see the appeal. To have that moment together standing before all their friends and...well, perhaps not family. Outside his father. She wasn't sure she'd trust the rest of the Olympians to play nice. It was strange that the God of War was the one she did trust to behave in that circumstance.

"Something to perhaps talk through, think about. I would have no problem with officially being your wife. Though, admittedly, the whole marriage thing didn't work out so well the last time." That whole husband becoming the enemy and his ultimate fate at her hands. "So the concept of officially being married has that odd taint to it. Yet, I know that we would last. Ceremony or no. So it's really more about do we want to step into the light that way."

Phobos has posed:
    "Maybe..." Alexander entwines his fingers with hers and scrunches up one eye as he looks at her sidelong, "Something we should consider later, maybe at a different phase of our careers?" Then his smile shifts slightly, "Well really, your career. Mine is not quite as monumental. As it were." Since she had quite the history in the Intelligence Community.
    He chews on the inside of his cheek, giving it some good weight of thought as he looks back toward the window. "Or down the line we don't know what might come about, or might occur. Something might push us into the light. And then that's when we do it. After the dust settles."
    He leans his shoulder against hers, brow furrowing slightly as he considers. "We did talk about what life might be like after SHIELD, though it's hard to imagine what form something like that would take."
    His eyebrows rise then, "Though I understand how that might be a bit displeasing to consider, after your time past." With her former husband.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Displeasing doesn't really fit. It's more just that was more like many marriages go. It failed." Monumentally in her case. "But that doesn't define marriage. And it certainly doesn't define us. We are completely different.

"I've never felt about anyone the way I do about you," Natasha said softly, squeezing his hand and smiling up at him. "I would be thrilled and proud to be your wife. When the time is right. Not rushing things. Not pushing. We'll know when we know."

Though he did mention one thing that made her purse her lips slightly. "I still have no idea what I'd want to do after SHIELD. I've been in espionage for longer than most people's lifespans." A sobering thought.

"It's not like I'd just stop and become a pre-school teacher or something."

Phobos has posed:
    "I imagine there's a career in security consulting." Alexander says as he smiles sideways at her, then he nods. "Really though, when I sit back and think about these things... I'm comfortable how things are. The thing that matters most is we know, how we feel and all." A hand lifts to rub at the back of his neck as he considers, "The rest of the world doesn't matter."
    Which at its core is their shared outlook when it comes to each other. There are few things that would get between them. Then he leans in and touches a small kiss to the corner of her mouth, "But when you do something this nice, I do get this small vibe in my heart to sort of sit somewhere high and crow to the world how awesome my woman is." As he says those last few words his tone deepens a bit, as if affecting a hint of a growly accent. And as he says that last word he leans in and this time the kiss is not quite so fleeting.