Who: Natasha Romanoff + John Grimm When: Thursday, July 23rd Where: John’s apartment What: Talks and discussion of some canon events Warnings: Nah Status: Completed gdoc
The rest of his shift at the Clinic had flown by uneventfully, which was a blessing since John found himself distracted ever since Natasha had showed up. For the last few hours he played over the events of the last week or so in his head; her confession about having been a spy in that other life tracked with odd little things his accountant/agent self had noticed too. Oh he should have been angry that she had played him, but he wasn’t that man. Well..he was, and he had been a little ticked off for a bit after she left, yet after processing it all that anger was quickly resolved. The fact remained that John and Natasha, the real ones, barely knew each other at all. There was so much to sort out and discover about one another. And while their little open and honest sharing helped immensely, the former soldier knew the rest would unfold with time.
After spending far more time then he’d care to admit, trying to sort out what they should do for dinner at six, Reaper finally settled on something simple. Taking her out to eat at a restaurant was fine, but a public outing might not have been the best given she’d need to relax...and having a waiter accidentally bump into her slinged arm just didn’t sound right. A stroll had been considered too, but again the woman had just been stitched up so moving around a lot wasn’t the best option. So in the end the man settled on something else. Something simple, private, and that didn’t require a lot of traveling or moving.
When she stopped by at six John offered a smile, before leading the way straight to the grocer. Twenty three minutes later, with the bag in hand he unlocked the door to his apartment and invited her in. The place was...well sparse was about right. He owned little in the way of furniture. No art, no pictures on the wall. Just a couch, coffee table, and a folding table in the living room. Upon which his tactical gear was carefully laid out, since Grimm used the space to clean and maintain his service weapons.The only real bit of non functional things that he seemed to own was the fern sitting in the corner of the room, and a few milk crates that held old paperback books of all genres.
Without saying much Reaper headed into the kitchen; pulling the ingredients from the shopping bag, and settling in to grill up a few lemon salmon fish fillets, that were lightly seasoned. With pan seared esparragos It took only a few minutes to finish making dinner, but at last he brought the plates out to the coffee table, offering her the couch while he took a seat on a metal folding chair. “Hope this is uh, this is okay. It’s nothing fancy, but I’ve got beer and...well and water...to drink.”
--
After leaving the clinic, for her part Natasha was just as unsteady mentally, second guessing herself in many ways but also feeling a little hopeful. She hadn’t expected anything like this to happen when she first woke up in Madison Valley, and in the weeks that followed she had felt rather at a loss as to what to do with herself. Having plans with someone she hadn’t fought side by side with that wasn’t drinking or commiserating over sad events from a mutual universe was nice, and a step forward.
She’d spent some time iceing her shoulder and took the pills she’d been prescribed, then done a few yoga stretches that would help keep her muscles from locking up. By the time she returned to the clinic at six, she was refreshed, and ready to see what the night had in store. The trip to the grocery store was a little surprising, but she didn’t comment, instead watching with interest what he chose and following when they left to go to his apartment. Their silence was comfortable, and she didn’t have a problem with it as she studied the apartment while he cooked, with special attention made to the tactical gear. Most of it was familiar, but there had been a few obvious enhancements made that she made a mental note to ask him about later.
When dinner was ready, Natasha settled on the couch and gave him a perfectly innocent smile. “I’m pretty sure my doctor would say ‘no’ to mixing beer with my prescription, so water would be great.” Not that it would actually affect her, but she couldn’t resist the teasing. Her eyes fell on the plates themselves and Natasha waited until John had fully settled into his own chair before picking up her fork and trying a bite.
“This is fantastic,” she told him honestly.
--
He had never been great at...well a lot of things. Small talk, social settings, spending time in the company of others. Really anything that wasn’t mission related, or about training, just never had been a strong suit of John’s at all. He was a private man, who rarely spoke, and favored spending his time in quiet solitude. But since arriving in Madison Valley a lot of that has changed. Slowly to be sure. Yet still Reaper had begun to come out of his shell a little. Weekend fishing with one or two friends. Sparring and training with Rey in the forest every few days. And the Doc...she had gotten him out of his comfort zone more and more.
So as he found himself sitting across from Natasha, a soft but real smile tugged slightly at his lips when she teased about not mixing beer with her meds. A single nod of his head followed before the man pardoned himself back to the kitchen; returning a moment later with a glass of water for her, and a can of beer for himself. “You’re right about that. Best to avoid drinking alcohol for a few days until you are off the antibiotics.”
After cracking open the beer and taking a sip, he turned his focus to digging into his meal. Oh the retired Marine was no chef at all, but he could handle a few simple dishes. Plus having fresh fish made it an easy choice for what to cook as well. When her voice was heard anew his gaze drifted back up, and he blushed a little. “Thanks. It’s nothing fancy. Just caught the fish yesterday, so figured some fillets would be decent for dinner.”
--
“Not my first injury, probably won’t be my last,” she replied to show that she was aware, but was still teasing all the same. Natasha smiled when he blushed - it was oddly sweet, and another fact that she was filing away, since he seemed to do it so easily. “Well it tastes great. I don’t get fresh fish very often.” But it seemed that getting to know him might have a lot in her future, and she was willing to accept seafood easily enough.
After a few more bites, Natasha lifted her gaze to him again. “So, you’ve told me a few thing about you. I’m guessing you have questions about me?”
--
For a moment he sat there in silence as he listened, picking up that playful tone when Nat spoke of her injuries. After considering it for a moment Grimm picked up the knife from his plate, and suddenly drove it right through his hand that he rested on the coffee table. There was no cry of pain, nor even more than a slight flich, yet a moment later he pulled the knife free and held up his hand...that hole that went all the way through instantly healing up right before her eyes. “I train a bit hard, and get my fair share of wounds, but none of them really last long at all.” With a warm chuckle he just shook his head and cleaned off the blade with his napkin.
“Fresh fish is easy enough to come by I guess. I picked up fishing as a hobby when I first got here, and spent every Saturday just sitting down by the lake with Colonel O’Neill. We’d sit there for hours, barely saying a word, sipping beers and just seeing which of us would get the bigger catch for the day.” Even after the Colonel had been sent back home, John still kept up the ritual. A case of beer. A lawn chair. And him sitting there by the lake. It was peaceful and relaxing. No crowds, no gunfire or combat. Just nature and solitude...even when another friend would tag along from time to time.
Oh he had thousands of questions to be sure; yet sorting out where to start was a whole other matter. “Tell you what, Red. How about we take turns. One question a piece, one honest answer as well. So...I guess I’ll start if that is okay.” Once more the retired soldier went quiet; focusing on taking a few bites of his meal as he tried to figure out just where to start. At last though he smiled again, before his voice was heard softly speaking up. “Between the injuries, and that scar I spotted back at the Clinic I take it you’re no stranger to combat?”
--
To her credit, she could tell that he was about to show her something interesting and as a result she didn’t move so much as a muscle when he drove the knife into his hand. When he held it up, though, she did set down her fork and reach out to take his hand so that she could watch the healing process herself, and was fairly impressed at the lack of any scarring. Letting it go after a moment, she picked up her glass to drink and studied him as he talked about fishing with another name that was familiar from what Wanda had told her.
“Taking turns works for me,” she replied before setting down the glass and returning to her food. The question wasn’t an unexpected one, and she gave a small smile of her own before she replied.
“You’d be correct. I told the truth when I said I wasn’t a current KGB spy. I am a former spy who defected a number of years ago, and an assassin. And back in my universe for the past five years I’ve been leading what is, essentially, a team of superheroes though most of them probably wouldn’t really like that word.” It was a simple way of saying she’d been trying to keep the Avengers and the Guardians together for half a decade while they dealt with issues that came up since the Snap, though most of those issues weren’t as serious as events before. “Before that, I trained others on the team, and worked for a government organization that handled unusual events and the occasional spy work around the world.” She took another bite of her fish before meeting his eyes again.
“Where are you from? Originally.”
--
Her admission to being a former KGB spy was met with a slightly quizzical expression; not because John didn’t believe her, but because he wasn’t really sure just what the KGB actually was. It sounded vaguely familiar, yet when Natasha continued on a few things became clearer. The fact that she worked for any ‘government organization’ at all meant that she wasn’t from his world or timeline. No, back home for him it was 2046, and all the world’s government’s had long since collapsed, only to be replaced by corporations like the UAC. Even the nations militaries had fallen, and been folded into the private armies too.
The fact that she had been an assassin didn’t phase him in the least, since Reaper had done his fair share of ending lives too. Oh that brow of his arched slightly at the mention of superheroes though. Had he never arrived in town Grimm would’ve thought her a bit mental, but he knew this place brought in people from all over. Some that were clearly on the superhero variety as well. Sure, those sorts of things only existed in comic books back in his world...well unless John qualified given his abilities and no longer human status.
Through it all though the man just heard her out; processing what was said and nodding slightly, yet never once looking wary of the red head at all. When she asked her question he just took a sip of his beer, before chiming in at last. “Originally, I guess that would be Olduvai. It’s the UAC research facility on the Mars base. I grew up there with my sister, since my folks were both scientists stationed there until they...well until they died in the accident when we were kids. After that, I stuck around until I was old enough to enlist, and I lived in the barracks ever since.” For a moment or two he went quiet once more, focusing on taking another bite of the lemon fish fillet before finally turning his gaze back her way. “Favorite hobby?”
--
It was surprising to find out that he was from Mars, but she didn’t question it. Obviously his world was from a point in time further along from her own, but after having time traveled once herself, there was a lot that Natasha wasn’t really surprised by any longer. He’d mentioned a sister earlier, but it was interesting to hear him mention her again, but since they were taking turns she saved her questions for the moment.
“Dancing ballet,” she responded after a minute of thinking about it. “I don’t do it very often and it has some...interesting memories associated with it, but I still like it.” If anything was a favorite hobby of hers, that was probably it, though she also liked doing a few other small things. “What’s your sister’s name?”
--
There was no rush, no urgency to unload everything all at once. Not when Reaper found himself earnestly enjoying sharing a meal with her again. Or...well for the first time. Sort of. Oh he wanted to know everything about her. About the beautiful woman sitting there so close. Yet taking turns to ask a single question while they ate gave them a chance to ease into it all. Which was nice, given how rough it had been to process that strange week. When Nat mentioned ballet his eyes lit up and that smile grew so bright too. “I knew you had a beautiful figure, but I hadn't really considered that it came from dancing. Well dancing, and combat, but still...I’d love to see you dance some time, Red.”
The question of his sister’s name caused a bit of that smile to falter and fade. Not because John had any problem with the question itself, but because just thinking about his sister stirred up concern and sorrow. “Her name is Samantha, though I’ve always just called her Sam. I think you’d like her, and she’d like you. She’s a pain in my ass, and far too serious at times but she’s family.” For a second he paused to take a breath, and with a sigh the man nodded to himself before quietly speaking up again. “I enlisted, but she followed in my folks footsteps and became a scientist herself. Even stayed on that fucking base long after I left...the last time I saw my twin, I was holding her in my arms and trying to get her to the medics, but I woke up here before knowing if she’d make it or not.”
Some part of him knew she had to be alive. That he’d just know if she wasn’t. Yet being in Madison Valley meant he’d never know for certain. Not until he was sent back to his world. Which in and of itself was a source of worry...since the UAC would likely turn him into a lab rat once they learned of his abilities and condition. It took a few moments to shake off the sadness, but when he managed it last John gazed back up at her and smiled anew. “You want to crash here tonight with me?” It was all a mess, but the thought of not having her in his arms as he slept...that was worse than anything else.
--
Her eyebrows climbed slightly at the comment of wanting to see her dance, and she gave a small nod. “We can make that happen once I’ve healed up.” It wasn’t something that she did often, but she could make an exception for him, Nat decided. She wanted to spend more time with him, after all.
As he talked about his sister, she watched his face, taking in every detail and emotion that flitted across. When he finished, she set her fork down and reached across the table to give his knee a soft squeeze. “I hope she did,” Natasha said sincerely, before sitting back again as she waited for him to go on. His question had her lips quirking in a tiny smile and she took her time answering, pausing to drink some more water first.
She shouldn’t want to do this. Logically, Natasha didn’t know him and she should just leave after dinner and go back to her own place. But there was something working against her mind, and in short it was her emotions and her body. She could remember building months of memories with him and the emotional connection that they shared, despite everything, was an important factor. If it wasn’t, she would have walked out of the clinic the moment she saw him.
“Yes, I do,” she replied at last while meeting his eyes and grinning a little. “Do you have a shirt I can borrow for sleeping?”
--
When she agreed John smiled once more, and nodded his head when she spoke of healing. There was no rush, no wish to push her at all. After all he had treated Natasha’s injuries, and had no wish to see her accidentally hurt herself or pull a stitch by trying anything like dancing before her body had fully mended. “Sounds good, Red. Just be sure to take your time to recover fully. Don’t want to have to stitch you up again.”
Talking about Sam was hard, and it was something he rarely ever did at all. Yet John trusted the woman sitting across from him; trusted her despite only really getting to meet her for the first time today. When she offered that comforting touch Grimm gazed over at the woman, and nodded his thanks for the comfort and the kind reassuring words. “I hope so too, Red.”
His heart nearly skipped a beat when she said yes. And when she grinned at him and posed the question Reaper found himself chuckling warmly for a moment. “Oh I think that can be arranged...though I hope you can avoid wearing the shirt in the shower this time. Unlike my other self, I don’t nearly have as many shirts to spare.” With a grin he playfully winked over at Natasha for a moment, freely laughing as he recalled his poor dress shirt’s fate. Knowing that it had been perfectly happy to sacrifice itself for the greater good. “Guess it’s my question again. So...what’s your favorite dessert or snack food, Red?”
--
“I’ll do my best, but like I said before - can’t make any promises.” Considering his own job before arriving here, Natasha had a feeling he knew what it was like to suddenly have to leap into action despite an injury. Sometimes you didn’t have the luxury of waiting, or of letting it slow you down - though it seemed that wasn’t really as much of an issue for him any longer. “Remind me to introduce you to Steve Rogers sometime soon. You two have a lot in common.”
Smirking in response in regards to the shirt, she finished off her food, then sat back on the couch, making herself comfortable as she met his eyes. “I think I can manage that this time around.” Not that she was going to be taking a shower that evening anyway, considering the bandage over her wound. It would be annoying to have to worry about the stitches or changing the dressing this soon after it had been applied.
“Don’t laugh,” she ordered first, pointing a finger at him. When she was sure he wouldn’t, Natasha went on. “I like vanilla. But only the vanilla in neapolitan ice cream.” She’d endured enough teasing from Clint about it, and a couple of the Avengers when they had found out, so she knew it was strange, but Nat didn’t really care. “Favorite song?”
--
For a brief moment he nearly protested, almost mistaking her for the police dispatcher he had known, yet even as the memories jumbled together John held his tongue. Knowing that she was far more like him, the sort to ignore one’s own safety when the lives of others were on the line. Thankfully the town wasn’t a warzone, and danger wasn’t lurking in every shadow. “Fair enough, Red. Then instead of making that promise, just promise me you’ll come see me to get patched up should anything happen.” When she spoke of Steve Rogers he paused for a second, scratching his head as he tried to place the name. At last though John smiled easily again before shaking his head. “I’m still catching up on a lot of stuff from this time, but I already know Mister Rogers. Not sure how much we have in common, but the show is pretty neat and the guy does know how to rock a sweater.”
Reaper had missed that little smirk of hers. Had missed a lot when it came to just being close to her. For months, real or not, he could remember the redhead always being around. That laugh and smile brightening his days, and the warmth of her body so near at night. Oh his alter self had always had his damn head stuck in those boring files, but from time to time she was a breath of fresh air when he needed it most. “I missed you...which I know is silly. I know it wasn’t real, but it...it felt real to me. All of it.”
When she told him not to laugh that eyebrow of John’s arched a little, but he gave her a nod all the same. Just hearing that she liked the vanilla ice cream only found in the middle of the neapolitan kind didn’t make him laugh at all. If anything Reaper just grinned and made a mental note to pick some up from the store. “I don’t have any of that in the freezer, but I’m sure you’ll find it there tomorrow after I get off of work, Red.” The question of a favorite song didn’t stump him at all, though had she asked two weeks ago...before his adventure as a regular guy stuck in the 80’s, well that would’ve been different. “Oh Another Bites the Dust by Queen is probably my favorite. Don’t laugh, but I...well the other me...used to sing that to himself while going over all that god awful paperwork. What about you, Red? Favorite song?”
--
“Mister - oh, right. No, that’s Fred Rogers and he passed away some time ago. Steve’s a friend. He was in the army, volunteered for an experiment, was injected with a serum, and ended up a super soldier. You two would probably get along well,” she said with a smile, swallowing the laugh that wanted to bubble up at the mix-up between Captain America and the children’s television show host. She’d have to mention this one to Wanda. “He showed up here just after me, and is still staying at Wanda’s.” Which was really Clint’s farm, but she didn’t think he’d mind.
When he said he missed her, she arched a brow, then shifted a little more to the middle of the couch, leaving him room to sit on either side of her - and figuring he’d choose the right so as not to bump her shoulder. “I’m right here,” Natasha said softly, her eyes on his.
“You don’t have to do that - the ice cream, I mean.” But she truly appreciated that he would. Still, they’d have to set up some kind of boundaries, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave Valkyrie alone too often yet, not after just having moved in with the woman. But staying at John’s a few nights here and there should be okay.
“That doesn’t surprise me. It seems like the kind of song he’d choose - and you too, considering what I know about you now.” She smiled warmly at him, then tilted her head as she thought over the question herself. “Honestly, I don’t think I have one. Are you going to sit over there all night?”
--
That flush of embarrassment swept across his face for a second when Natasha spoke up, but when she explained who her friend was that look gave way to earnest surprise. Oh John knew that all manner of folks were pulled into the town, yet to hear of someone else who had been injected with a serum that turned them into...well something else altogether, that honestly caught him off guard. “So there’s another soldier like me around? Did they use the alien DNA found on Mars to create his serum too?” Dozens of different questions swirled around in Grimm’s head, and there was no denying that he really was curious to meet her friend.
Just the way her eyes held his gaze when she spoke those words so softly had John’s heart melting almost instantly. All that worry, the guilt and tangled emotions faded back into the ether when he saw that she meant it.
“I know, Red. But I want to.” If that ice cream was what she enjoyed then he already knew he’d pick it up. Both to try it for himself, but also because he wanted to make her happy. To make Natasha smile. Plus...well, really Reaper had no real junk food around either. So keeping something sweet in the freezer wasn’t a bad idea. When she asked her question John set his fork down and slowly stood, moving over to the couch and carefully taking a seat beside her on the right. A single hand reaching out to brush across the side of Natasha’s face before he leaned in and gently kissed her at last.
--
“I honestly don’t know what exactly they used in the serum. It happened back in the 1940s, during World War 2,” she replied, amused at his excitement at finding someone similar. She did mention she had friends who had abilities, after all. “I don’t think it was alien DNA, but you’d have to ask him.” Certainly not from Mars, at least. Maybe Carol would have some idea.
“Okay,” she said about the ice cream, fine with him doing it if he really wanted. As he sat, she adjusted herself so that she was facing him, and Natasha tipped her head up to catch the kiss fully on her lips. It didn’t take long for her eyes to slide shut as her right hand reached out to rest on his chest, content to let things take their time for right now. They were essentially getting to know one another all over again, an experience that was only slightly unique for her, and Natasha found herself relaxing against him faster than she typically did with a person.
Breaking the kiss slowly, she leaned her head back against the couch cushion as she gave him a faint grin. “It’s your turn.”
--
Once again there was a perplexed look seen on John’s face as he tried to mentally picture just what a hundred year old super soldier would even look like. Oh Grimm knew, thanks to the tests that Doc had run on his behalf, that he wouldn’t really do much aging himself. Not with that synthetic compound having altered his very genetic makeup. His cells just divided too damn fast; keeping him healthy, immune to disease, and healing his body far faster than humanly possible. So to hear of another like him...just had Reaper reeling. “...maybe I’ll see if your friend is up for talking and grabbing a cup of coffee sometime.”
All those thoughts drifted away when her hand reached out and rested on his chest. The feel of her soft lips, that sweet kiss too, just drew a soft moan from the guy. And when she relaxed against him at last John carefully rested his arm on the back of the couch. Letting Natasha snuggle closer without risking putting any pressure on her shoulder or the bandaged side. As he sat beside her on the couch, reaching out to let his free hand drift across her fingers and arm, the retired Marine found himself relaxing at last too.
It was only when her voice was heard that he chuckled once more. “Right. Better make it a good one then.” Pausing for a second to think of a question, Reaper finally giggled brightly when one sprang to mind. “So is this version of you a blanket thief too? Or was that only your alter self that liked to steal the covers at night?”
--
She liked the sound of that, him and Steve talking - but she knew that she would have to talk to her friend first. Since she was such a private person, John suddenly being in her life would...be a surprise, for starters. And probably not just to him. That was a concern for tomorrow, though, and Natasha took full advantage of the fact that he was willing to let her lean against him, finding that she was enjoying this more than she would have expected.
When he chuckled, she gave him an attentive look, and waited patiently for the question, which earned him a mock-glare. “As I recall, you stole them back almost every time, when you actually stayed in bed. But...sometimes I am. Under the right conditions.” Natasha knew she could have left it at that, but the whole point of all of this was to be honest with one another. “When I’m comfortable enough. There have been times where I’ve slept fully dressed on top of the sheets, one hand under my pillow on a gun or knife.” At that, she smirked again. “Honestly, there’s almost always a weapon under my pillow even when I’m comfortable.”
Something he’d need to know if they were going to be sleeping together. “If we’re talking bed habits...does this version of you still get cold feet that you press against your partner’s legs while you’re asleep?” She asked dryly.
--
That mock glare of hers caused him to chuckle anew, but when she pointed out the fact that his other self rarely stayed in bed John had the decency to offer up an apologetic smile. “Yeah, sorry about that, Red. I still want to slap that guy upside the head for ever leaving a bed with you laying in it.” Oh he understood why that other John had been so keen to work the case so hard. Why he spent countless hours pouring over those boring files too. It wasn’t for the glory or praise...but because his other self wanted to close the big case, all so he could get a promotion that would give him the chance to start building a future with her.
Hearing about her preference for sleeping with a weapon on hand didn’t shock Grimm in the slightest. If anything he laughed warmly for a moment and nodded over to the card table with his own weapons laid out on top. “Oh I get that. Used to crash fully geared up in the barracks, since there was never any telling when we’d be called up for deployment. That’s changed a little since coming here, but I still keep my sidearm holstered behind the headboard when I sleep. And maybe a few ST grenades tucked beyond the nightstand too.” It never hurt to be prepared for a fight, even when he was retired. The only time John wasn’t packing a gun or knife was when he was working at the Clinic, but beyond that...well better to have it and not need it.
That blush returned with vengeance when Natasha asked about his cold feet, and for a moment Reaper just scratched his head. Honestly not sure what to say. Yet after a few seconds he freely chuckled once again, and reached out to rest his hand against the side of her face. “That might have been the case before, but I run a bit hotter than my human self did. Not sure why exactly, but I don’t think you’ll need to worry about my cold feet.” It was getting a little tougher to come up with questions when he had a lovely distraction snuggled up against him. Still after thinking it over Reaper spoke up again. “Morning person, or night owl?”
--
“He made an interesting challenge,” she pointed out while grinning, shaking her head at the exasperation her other self often felt when she’d awaken to find him in the other room. “They were both quite dedicated to their work, so it….worked out, I guess.” Considering the fact that she and John were now nestled quite neatly on his couch.
As he talked about his own weapons, she nodded in appreciation. While Natasha knew how to kill a man a dozen different ways with her body, she liked having a weapon nearby. Even now, she was armed even if it wasn’t visible to him at the moment. “I’d like to have a look at some of your weapons sometime - out of professional interest, of course.” She liked things like that.
Tilting her cheek into his hand, she gave a slight nuzzle even as she kept her eyes on his. “I think that’s the best thing I’ve heard all day,” she joked, before turning her face just a little so that she could brush his palm with her lips as she thought over his question. “Both. Either. I don’t really need a lot of sleep. I like to get up early to train.” Unless she was in bed with someone who gave her good reason to stay put, which she had a feeling was going to happen with him. “What’s your schedule look like the rest of the week?”
--
It should have been too strange; them being together, after having been together in an alternate 80’s sort of situation while both were technically on opposing sides...but as the two rested there on the couch together, it felt right. “Yeah. Not sure how, but it did work out and I’m glad you’re here with me now, Natasa.”
There was no chuckle this time around when she asked to see his weapons out of professional interest. If anything John just nodded in agreement, already having figured she’d want to see his gear. “Go for it, Red. Just mind yourself with my service rifle. It’s got a genetic lock that will shock anyone who tries using the trigger.’ There was no need to warn her about the rest of his armory; since the side arm was standard issue, as was the knife, and he doubted she’d try playing with the grenades or his medic gear either.
Oh there was no stopping the laughter when she teased him again, and with a wink Grimm playfully stuck out his tongue at her before chiming in again. “I guess you missed the news about the two for one pastry deal they’ve got going on at the coffee shop then...because that was the highlight of my day for sure.” The more she spoke, and the more he learned about Natasha, the more Reaper found himself thinking just how much they really did have in common. When she inquired about his schedule there was no need to think it over.
“It’s pretty much the same schedule I always keep, Red. I’m up and out the door by five in the morning to go for a run and train in the forest just on the outskirts of town. I wrap that up by eight-thirty, grab a cup of coffee and pastry by nine. Then I head back here to shower and get ready for Clinic duty. I’m there during the week from ten to six, and after work I usually just come back here to clean and check my gear, do a bit of reading and fix myself dinner. Then I crash to do it all over again. On the weekends I’ll head down to the lake to fish for a few hours, but the rest of the time is pretty much open to either training or just taking a stroll.”
It was a regimented schedule to be sure; and a lonely one too since he seemed to spend most of his time alone. Yet he wasn’t rigid about his routine, not when it came to making time for someone else. “What’s your weekly routine like?”
--
The mention of a genetic lock on the weapon piqued her interest, and her eyes flickered over to the table. “Maybe one day we can find a quiet spot and you’ll show me what it can do.” If anything, the thought of checking out his gear almost made her want to untangle herself and head over, but instead she just settled again, determined to save that for another time.
There was a faint smile on her lips as he went over his schedule, because it sounded familiar, if only because it was a lot like what she’d seen other SHIELD agents do, or soldiers. Even she on occasion had used a very strict routine. These days, her days were more fluid, if only because too much strictness was too much like her training.
“Well, like I said I haven’t been in town long. I haven’t found a job yet…..partially because I haven’t really looked for one, and partially because I’m still working through a few things.” She had money, though. The Madison Valley bank couldn’t stand up to even a basic hacker, and her skills were well beyond the basics. “So for the time being...I’m usually up around five and do some yoga or tai chi, or a mix, then head out for a run and a swim. Sometimes I’ll head to a gym or combat therapy, or the flight academy.” She was thinking about possibly teaching at one of them, and knew that her previous self had actually run the academy.
“I might meet someone for a meal, or pick up a book somewhere. I’ve also been exploring the town and memorizing it,” she told him. She didn’t like feeling trapped and still thought there had to be some way out of the city, through or underneath the dome. “Not quite as strict as your week,” she said wryly. “Today’s routine ended up with me taking a trip to the town clinic and running into an attractively scruffy doctor.” Lifting her right hand from his chest, she brushed her fingers across his jaw with a smile.
“Do you miss your home...universe, I suppose?” She didn’t just mean his sister, but in general his life there. --
There was no need to try and sort out where a decent place to go, to offer up a demonstration of his rifle, because the man had already long since set up a makeshift shooting range out in the woods. A decent clearing that he used on a regular basis. Not just to keep his marksmanship skill sharp, but where he went to train and spar with Rey melee and unarmed combat. It had been the perfect location; remote enough to avoid any unwanted attention, but close enough to the town that it was easy to jog to and from the spot as well. “I’ll tell you what, Red. After that shoulder and side have healed up, I know the spot where we can go. I will even tinker around with the lock and see if I can’t override it so you can give it a shot. Pun intended.”
It was easy to see that Natasha understood what it was like to have a structured schedule, and that she was a lot like him in some other regards too. Early to rise, spending time focusing on training and honing her skills, comfortable and used to weapons too. Hell when he first arrived in town John made a point of exploring every inch of the place and memorizing the layout too. “Great minds think alike, Red.” With a soft smile he blushed all over again when Natasha called him attractively scruffy, and all but purred when her fingers moved along his jaw.
The question of his home gave the man pause, but there was no real trace of sorrow in his gaze, like before when he spoke of his sister. “Not really...I mean, beyond Sam, there’s nothing left for me there anymore. I’m the last surviving member of my squad, and the UAC will try to turn me into a lab rat when they learn what I’ve become. So I can’t really say I miss it much. Well..except for maybe one thing. The barracks where I lived had a decent mess hall, and the kitchen staff made some of the best bread pudding I’ve ever had. Guess I will really miss that too. What about you, Natasha? Do you miss being home back in your world?”
--
“It’s a date,” she agreed, truly happy to hear that she’d get the chance to try it out. Not that weapons weren’t her only focus, of course, but it was always interesting to learn about others she was unfamiliar with.
The comment about great minds eased a grin out of her, because she wasn’t that surprised. Eventually she’d find something to do here, but until then she would spend a fair amount of time figuring out Madison Valley. While he didn’t actually purr at her touch, Natasha could feel the faint rumble and she rested her hand in place, liking the feeling.
Nat nodded her understanding as he talked about his world, and she wasn’t too surprised when he asked her the same - even if a part of her wished he hadn’t. “Back there….there isn’t anything for me to go back to,” she said quietly. She hadn’t told Steve about this and as far as she knew, the only others aware were those who had come from a point after her, like Wanda and Scott, and one or two other people.
“This place is my life now.” And while she did want to stay, she would rather they weren’t forced to be in one town for all time. “What’s something new you’d like to try?”
--
There was no missing that look in her eyes when she spoke of there being nothing for her to go back to. That hint of sorrow and pain. Yet while he could have pressed further, or even used his own question to ask her for details, John let the matter rest. This wasn’t the time for that; no, he knew sooner or later Natasha would share that pain when she was ready, but here and now he had no desire to push her further on the subject. After all this was a...well not a first date exactly, since they had already had countless dates together. But it was a chance to connect, and to truly get to know one another again.
Still despite not asking, Grimm wanted to do something to help ease that pain and sadness away. To offer her a comforting touch or a bit of distraction. Just hearing her talk about how this place was her life made perfect sense to the man, since he felt the same way too. And with a warm smile he let his own hand slowly move until it was resting on her leg. Nails gently and teasingly raking across the fabric of her pants, up and down along her inner thigh as he contemplated an answer to her question.
“I think it’d be fun to try learning how to drive a car. I’ve never done that before, so it would be new.”
--
Natsha was grateful that he didn’t push further right now, because the last thing she wanted was to dive into that particular emotional roller coaster. The soft caresses on her leg soothed her a little, and her hand drifted back down to his chest, resting comfortably.
“You’ve never driven a car?” She said with a small smile. “Let me guess. Where you’re from, there’s nothing but flying ships and hoverboards?” Natasha asked it with a hint of teasing, before going on. “I can teach you that too, if you like. It’s not difficult.”
--
For just a few minutes he sat there in comfortable silence; content to focus on the feel on her hand against his chest, even as John’s own hand continued to drift up and down along Natasha’s thigh. Never slipping too far up. Yet merely taking comfort in the physical connection...and maybe offering the faintest little playful squeeze before his fingertips tickled just beneath her knee. Careful to not startle the redhead though, since the last thing Grimm wanted was for the woman to move too quickly and risk further injury to her side or shoulder.
When she posed the question, and teased him about flying ships and hoverboards, Reaper flashed her a warm smile before quietly speaking up at last. “I was a ‘Space’ Marine, Red. Flying ships came with the territory. Though really it’s simpler than that. I was a boy when I moved to the Mars base, and didn’t leave till I was eighteen. But when I did leave I enlisted right away, and spent the next ten years on active duty. So I was either living at the barracks, or being deployed. Either way there just wasn’t a need for a car, or a need to learn how to drive one. I did learn how to fly a dropship, chopper, and I can drive a tank though. So that’s something I guess.”
Oh he had seen the world, and a bit of outer space too while assigned to posts aboard different UAC fleet ships, but his range of experience when it came to living a regular civilian life was pretty limited. “Do you have interstellar space travel or off world bases and settlement outposts where you’re from?”
--
The physical touch was nice, even comforting, but Natasha didn’t really react to it except to lean her head against the couch cushion as she studied him through lazy eyes, which sharpened when he answered her question. She didn’t miss the fact that they’d skipped him asking one, but at this point that didn’t really matter too much any longer. When he asked about her universe’s space program, Natasha gave a faint smile, then shook her head.
“Not exactly. I’ve been in space a total of one time, on an extraterrestrial ship that Rocket flew. No off-world bases or settlements, but there are thousands of other species out there that do have those. Most of the people on Earth aren’t too aware of the different ones, aside from those involved in the attacks we’ve endured. Carol Danvers would know more about it, though. She’s fairly adept at intergalactic travel - so are Drax and Rocket.” She offered their names as a source, because while she knew some of what they did, even Nat wasn’t fully aware of all the universe had to offer.
“But I know how to operate most flightcraft on Earth, as well as land vehicles. Standard and enhanced, in both cases.”
--
Grimm frowned ever so slightly when he noted her lack of reaction, finding himself wondering if his other self had gotten it wrong when Agent John thought he recalled her being ticklish. Still when she relaxed a bit more against the couch he did the same. It was interesting to hear about her world; though it was a little hard to wrap his head around a talking racoon that flew a spaceship. Still Reaper wasn’t exactly human anymore, so he couldn’t judge. The name’s she offered up were tucked away in his mind, but there were no faces that he could recall having seen that belonged to either name.
When she spoke of being able to operate so many vehicles the man knew she wasn’t bragging, but chuckled all the same. “Well there you go, Red. If you wanted a job you could always try your hand at being a student driving instructor.” With a playful wink he stifled a slight yawn, and gazed back at the beautiful woman beside him. “Ready to turn in? I’ll see what I can do about finding a tee shirt for you to wear to bed.”
--
Natasha gave a short laugh at the suggestion. “Somehow, I’m not sure that would be a good fit for me.” She could have the patience of a saint, but she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to teach children how to drive. At the question, Natasha shifted and stretched a little, or as much as she could with her minor injuries, and sat up.
“Sure. It’s a little early, but...it’s been a long day for both of us.” Emotionally, at least. Leaning over, she brushed her lips across his gently, then untangled herself carefully to move to her feet and help out by picking up the plates one-handed.
“Since you cooked, it’s only fair I take care of these this time around,” she told him before smiling and heading to the kitchen herself, leaving him to go find something for her to wear.