ic contact (mask or menace)

[hackitude]

"Hey! You've reached Skye. Leave a message. I mean, if you want to. Or uh, don't. Whatever."

Comments

[ action ]

[hostage]

[This will make the first time Jesse's packing heat around Skye, but in this case, at least he has a good reason for it. There's a pistol tucked into the waistband of his jeans, not very well concealed by his jacket.

His knock at the door is a little urgent. He wants to make sure she's okay.]

[hackitude]

[Skye looks through the peephole first to check that it's Jesse, and then lets him in quickly with a sigh of relief. Once inside, she hugs him tightly and doesn't let go.

On the bed behind her lies a gym bag with her clothes, a hand gun, and a shot gun. So. Hey.]

... Thank you.

[hostage]

[Jesse's relieved to see the guns. But more relieved to find she hasn't had to use them. As her arms encircle him, he cups her face with his hands and kisses her, then presses his forehead to hers.]

If this is where you want me to be, this is where I'll be.

Are you okay?

[hackitude]

... I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm just a little... shook up.

[hostage]

That guy's an asshole. I mean, I know you said he was a Nazi, but he's, like, got some major damage. Jesus. The way he was talking about you...

[He sighs and kisses her again, palm stroking her cheek.]

Just so you know, I don't care about any of that stuff he was saying.

[hackitude]

[Skye just sighs.]

He's... I don't know. After he betrayed us, he said... despite all the lies, his "feelings" for me were genuine. I think he thought that maybe I would forgive him, or something. I don't know.

Anyway, none of it's true. I mean, sure, the bit about me being a SHIELD agent is, but... you know I'm not big into secrets. Every secret I've got, you already know. And he was the one who had to try and seduce a guy. I was just giving him instructions from behind a computer. [She snorts, remembering it.] ... It was actually pretty funny, at the time.

[hostage]

...Gross.

[He's not going to think too hard about the forgiveness thing.]

Hey, I mean it, though. Even if you were, you know, keeping secrets. Or whatever. It ain't really any of my business what you guys were up to before. He's got it seriously wrong if he thinks he's gonna be able to use that shit to turn me against you.

[hackitude]

[Now it's Skye's turn to kiss Jesse, giving him a small smile when she pulls back.]

Have I mentioned lately that you're the best boyfriend ever?

[hostage]

[Haha, no.]

I dunno. I still think I'd be a better one if I was pounding his face into the dirt right now.

[hackitude]

Believe me, it's already been done. By someone a lot more suited to it than you, I might add.

[hostage]

Man, you seriously think I'm a pussy.

[hackitude]

[Skye laughs, letting go of him to wander further into the room so they're not just standing awkwardly in front of the door, looking back at him as she goes.]

I don't think you're a pussy. I just don't think you're suited to take on a guy with over a decade's worth of special forces training. Besides, even Special Agent Grant Ward comes up short in comparison to Melinda May. She's the original bad ass.

[hostage]

[Jesse trails after her, sort of idly taking stock of her guns.]

I'll take your word for it. But it's my job, you know? Defending your honor is like basic boyfriend stuff here.

[hackitude]

[I know absolutely nothing about guns, but let's assume they're decent. You know, reasonable models, good condition, bought legit. Serial numbers still there and all.]

You're cute. I appreciate it. But I'm perfectly capable of defending my own honor.

[hostage]

I sure as hell can't argue with that.

But you know how it is. It ain't a good feeling just standing by and watching some asshole talk shit about somebody you care about.

[hackitude]

... Yeah. I know. If it was you in my place, I'd probably be itching for a fight too.

But it's gonna be okay. I've... I've got a plan. I'm not dumb, I know what he's like now and I'm gonna be prepared for him this time.

[hostage]

What's your plan?

[...he asks as he picks up one of her guns to examine it more closely. Look at that. Legitimate and everything. He pops the magazine to check if it's loaded and ready.]

[hackitude]

[It SURE IS.]

Boy have I got two little words for you:

Power. Nullifier.

[hostage]

[He raises an eyebrow and looks over to her.]

You got one?

[hackitude]

Yep. Not on me-- it's at work, with StarkTech. Kara salvaged one from that shitty Hunger Games rip-off. It was broken when she gave it to me, but she thought maybe I could reverse-engineer it. Figure out a way to null the nullifiers.

We haven't been able to do that yet, but we did get it working again. It shouldn't be too hard for Tony to replicate it on a small scale, so its' area of effect is only the person who's touching it directly.

[hostage]

So... Okay, so you nullify his power - whatever that is - and then what? 'cause he's still got the whole soldier thing going on, right?

[hackitude]

His power is super strength. Just f-y-i. I know, whose genius idea was that, right? Why couldn't it have been something stupid, like mending broken teacups.

That should be enough to at least keep him subdued. He doesn't know what my power is and I haven't told him. The trick will be getting the nullifier on him without him realizing. If Tony can make it small enough, I might be able to stick it inside his gun. He never goes anywhere without it. If his powers suddenly stop working in a city full of superpowered superheroes and he has no idea why, he'll think twice about doing anything rash.

[hostage]

[Jesse frowns.]

Power like that, you pretty much gotta use a nullifier just to get a bullet in him.

You don't think he'll figure out it was you and try to get back at you?

[hackitude]

He might. He might not. He's always underestimated me. And even if he does figure it out... I don't actually think he'll hurt me. He's had numerous opportunities to do so, now. I'm not... sure he actually can. And I'm not above using his feelings for me to my advantage.

... Though to be honest, I kind of hope he does. The second he comes after me, I'll be ready with my gun and micro-camera to get the whole thing on tape. If he sets so much as one foot out of line, I'll be there. Waiting to bring the whole force of this world's law down upon him.

[hostage]

Okay, but...

[Jesse sets the gun back down. How does he put this gently?]

If he thinks you're the one who controls whether he's got his power or not, then it won't be you he goes after. It'll be somebody he can use against you. He's not stupid, right? So he probably knows you won't do what he says unless he's got a gun to somebody else's head.