Suit up (Literally!) It's a Birthday Bash! (For Verity and Clint)

[smartass_captain]

Guess who's back in the Nexus. Well, mostly back in the Nexus. Jim is standing outside his world's door and calling Verity's phone.

What? Genius level repeat offender remember? He bought a phone in the Nexus and got her Number from Clint's phone a while ago.

It's the morning of October first. The Nexus' resident lie detector is getting a call from an unknown Nexus number. Does he have to leave a voice mail message?

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

"Better," she confirms. "No, no plans tonight. Why, what's up?"

[smartass_captain]

"Awesome. Suit up, we're taking you out tonight." We? He and Clint, Obviously.

"Clint's gonna come get you and we're all gonna meet up at six Nexus-time." Where and what he means by suit up is not going to be explained.

"You're gonna love it Ver! Talk to you later, okay? I've got some prep to do yet. Kirk out."

Jim that's not how you say goodbye on a phone. That's rude and kind of annoying. Jim? Oh. He's hung up already.

Well then.

[brave_heart_verity]

"...what?"

And he calls her bossy.

Looks like she has some shopping to do.

[aw_hawkguy]

Around six, Clint will come knocking. He's got an actual tux on, and everything. He's actually shaved, combed his hair, the works. And he's got a wrapped package under his arm. Knock knock.

[brave_heart_verity]

"You know it opens if you ask nice," Verity points out after answering the door. She's looking pretty amazing: sharp suit and epic Viking braids. And then she sees Clint and an eyebrow raises. "I was told suits."

[aw_hawkguy]

"You were-?" He facepalms. "Aw, Jim. You look amazing, by the way. Really wow."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thank you." She's not one to demure and pretend she disagrees. "But if you're in a tux I'm probably underdressed. Should I change?"

[aw_hawkguy]

"If you want," he temporizes, "I think you look great. Jim was supposed to tell you about tonight."

[brave_heart_verity]

"He did. He told me to suit up, so I went out and got a suit." It all made perfect sense to her at the time. She never considered it might be an idiom. "I have no idea where we're going or what we're doing, but I don't want to embarrass anyone so I'll go change."

She waves a hand at the living room as she passes through it to another green crystal door. "Wait here, I won't be long."

[aw_hawkguy]

"Aw, Jim." He sighs, but follows Verity in, taking a look around the living room while Verity changes. That is... quite a room.

[brave_heart_verity]

All stone and green crystal. Her furniture looks a little odd. And just. Don't ask about the throne.

She hasn't shut the door entirely, but no peeking Hawkguy. "You know, it's a good thing the world is ending, I wouldn't want to get this credit card bill I've racked up." Gallows humor is a sign things are going really well, isn't it?

She doesn't keep him waiting long before she comes back in a more appropriate dress. Her jade necklace is her only necklace, so it'll have to do. "Okay, ready."

[aw_hawkguy]

Clint's not peeking, no worries. Her joke gets a laugh, and he chimes in, "of all the times for the Republicans to be right."

That furniture is unusual enough to keep his attention until she's back, and, "wow!" It's very sincere. "You look great, Verity."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thank you. And now we're probably late, so. Do you know where we're going?" She's headed for the door now, so he might want to follow before he's stuck in there.

[aw_hawkguy]

"I think the term is 'fashionably late,'" Clint supplies, quick to follow. "Out to eat, I know. We'll meet Jim at his door, or just through it." Or that was the plan. How long will Jim's patience survive?

[smartass_captain]

Considering Clint's phone is ringing?

It's not.

"Where are you?!" He forgot the Thing with the Thing again. It's probably for the best since he's yelling.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Speakerphone, Jim. We're on our way. You told me to suit up and that doesn't mean wear a fancy dress." Changing took her three minutes tops, chill dude. They're not running that far behind.

[aw_hawkguy]

"We'll be there in a couple minutes, you can relax. Verity looks great, by the way."

[smartass_captain]

"Of course Verity looks great. She always looks great." Okay, he's clearly fixed it. Maybe it was better left the way it was before.

"The question is, where are you? I went by your door already and had t'give Barney the finger for sassin' off t'me."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Yes, I do." So modest. The boys can figure out their own miscommunication. "You don't need to yell, Jim. Just talk normal, we'll hear you just fine."

[aw_hawkguy]

Sigh. "Aw, Jim. I went to pick Verity up--I thought we were gonna meet at your door. We're headed back there now."

[smartass_captain]

"Oh."

Beat.

"I knew that, i was just going to surprise you two." He's not fooling anyone with that. "I'll be there in a sec. Kirk out."

Someone needs to tell him to stop doing that.

[brave_heart_verity]

"We need to tell him to stop doing that." Thank you Captain Obvious!

[aw_hawkguy]

"I dunno, it kinda reminds me of Kate." Beat. "Okay, Jim can never meet Kate." Like he said, they weren't far from Jim's door when Jim called. There it is, now.

[smartass_captain]

"I can't ever meet who now? I thought you were dating a Jessica?"

Jim rounds the corner right after them, looking like someone's magazine cover model in the casual way he's wearing the suit he'd bought. He's also holding a single red rose in what can only be described as the perfect almost in full bloom status which gets handed to Verity. He's also carrying a small wrapped parcel under one arm.

"You can't keep two women from me Clint. That's not fair. Happy birthday Verity." Jim grins and gives her a wink to show he's only teasing Clint.

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity smiles when she hears Jim coming, and gives him an approving once-over. "You two are too handsome for anyone's good, you do know that. And thank you."

The rose gets him a hug. Clint could have had a hug if he'd brought her flowers. Now he knows.