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]

"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.

[aw_hawkguy]

"Kate's still a girl, Jim. No dating kids, that's gross."

He can't help but preen just a little at Verity's remark, but gives a quiet "aw" when Jim gets a hug and he didn't. Not fair.

[smartass_captain]

"Oh. Well then yeah, no thanks." Jailbait's not worth his career or getting his ass kicked by superheroes. Jim scoops Verity up into a big hug, dipping her just slightly and grinning down at her.

"You ready for a night on the town with two willing chaperones? We are here to cater to your every whim, madam~"

[brave_heart_verity]

You could hug her, Clint, you're all family now remember?

Whoa, okay, she was not expecting the dip. But it does get a laugh from her, so, mission accomplished?

"Oh, are you? Lucky me. Okay, first whim: tell me what the plans are." Note none of this is 'put me down' or anything.

[aw_hawkguy]

He doesn't come from the huggiest of backgrounds, sometimes he needs to be reminded he can do that. "I would answer, but, uh, Jim made all the reservations. So, Jim?"

[smartass_captain]

"Of course." Jim pulls her back up and twirls them both around before passing Verity off to Clint.

So he can take his cheap flip phone out of a pocket and check the text he'd copied over from his PADD before he left.

"We have about half an hour--plenty of time--to get there. I promised Scotty a bottle of top shelf if he'd get us where we need to go." Jim grins at them both and flips his phone back shut and slips it into his pocket. He'll brush up against the door to his world to let them in. He still doesn't linger near it, but he's no longer shaking when he uses it.

"We're heading to a classy Old Earth specialty restaurant out on Sulari Cetna. I'm told the view and the wine list are to die for." Jim turns to give Verity a half smirk. "I was told you liked wine, so."

[brave_heart_verity]

The twirling gets another laugh and she moves with him easily. Does it surprise Jim that she's a good dancer? Most people wouldn't guess that. She settles into a hug with Clint readily enough when she's passed off. The galaxy is in no way ready for the two of them like this. It's a good thing they go to dive bars together instead of trying to seriously charm people.

"I wonder who told you that." Clint gets elbowed playfully as they follow Jim into engineering again. Did Clint mention how much she likes to dance? Because that would be an amazing night for her. "Where's Sulari Cetna?"