The Universe's Mixer

The rooftop garden was an inspired idea, and James was glad to help Steve turn his best girl's dream into a reality. So it was that Steve and James were up on the roof of Agreeable Apartments, sweating in the mid-day sun as they constructed flower boxes and the frame for a couple of green houses. James had long ago abandoned his shirt. His torso was covered in grime and sawdust. He didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, his face had so few shadows these days that it seemed strange that he was the same man who'd attacked Steve months ago.

"My stocks account is here," James said, passing Steve a board he'd just measured and cut before reaching for the nails. "My savings account, too. It has accrued almost 90 years of interest." James shook his head at that. He was a very wealthy man, and had only just realized it when he picked up the smattering of mail in his mailbox and found the monthly statements waiting for him beneath a few flyers for dentistry and City restaurant coupons.

The money wasn't strictly necessary, especially in a place like the CitThe City was providing, and providing well, for everyone here. He wanted to work. Only -- until very recently (until Castiel, until that night on the beach with Ariel), he'd been afraid to take a job at all. Working now on Agent Carter's rooftop garden was a way for him to contribute, and he liked that he was allowed to do so. He'd find a job soon, maybe something that kept him close to Ariel...

... But no, the money wasn't really necessary. Not really, unless you just wanted to buy something.

As it turns out, James did. He stuffed a few nail heads in his mouth and knelt down, helping to position the board that Steve had in his hands, before positioning a nail to drive it in. He was having a hard time spitting out exactly what he was trying to get at with Steve. Still, he needed to tell him. He needed to get help.

((Backdated to just after this thread))

With her hand loosely linked with Errol's, Beauty hummed a meandering tune on the walk back to the cottage from the bowling alley. Megan, Peter, Kitty, and Piotr had all gone their separate ways after the game was called, and that was all right with her. Swinging her hand lightly between the two of them, she punctuated the humming with a couple of words here and there.

"It was a nice time," she said to Errol, then started humming again.

And no one had yelled at anyone else. No one had gotten angry. There was that point in the night where she really wanted to shake the pixie for what she not-whispered about Errol, but Beauty had all but forgotten about it at this point. Her skin was flushed and warm, and her eyes were fever bright. The alcohol in her system had begun to work its way out of her, but she still felt cocooned in a warm blanket, a little floaty, and most decidedly happy with everything about the night.

The scent of jasmine floated around them as they walked up the path to her cottage. Her humming dropped off again, and she took the steps up onto the porch, turning into Errol's path when she got to the very top. In this way, she was almost as tall as him, and the extra height was enough to have her grinning. Looping her arms easily around his neck - no strain necessary at all to reach him - she did her level best to keep him there. He was always so proper with her, and she loved that he respected her enough to be concerned for her in that way. But tonight, she wanted him to stay. And she was just tipsy enough to ask him in the most straightforward way.

"I can make tea."

Maybe not the most straightforward.