are you going to age with grace? [OPEN]

[assembles]

Who: Steve Rogers and YOU
Where: Throughout Wonderland
When: 03/17 - 03/24
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A "day in the life" scenario with the star-spangled man!
The Story:
I.
Steve's always preferred the diner to the dining hall. There's something about the personal touch that's put on the food. It's not quite like home, but it's definitely better than the formal setup of the dining hall, with its long tables and lavish decorations.

On any given day, Steve can be found camped out in one of the diner's booths, picking at an enormous plate of food while he works on one project or another. Depending on when he's found, he might be scribbling down names into a notebook (names like Black Widow and Hawkeye, among others), or reading a novel, or even doodling in his sketch book.

While he doesn't mind eating by himself and never has, finding the alone time to be relaxing, he certainly won't turn away anyone who might decide to join him, gesturing them toward the opposite side of the booth with a brief smile.

II.

As much as Steve enjoys jogging around Wonderland's grounds, particularly now that spring has sprung and the weather is so nice, from time to time he prefers to switch things up, which is how he finds his way to the swimming pool located on the mansion's second floor. As far as he knows, people don't often make use of this amenity, and so he usually finds it empty when he heads down in a pair of trunks with a towel in hand to swim some laps.

Steve's instincts might be good, but with his head mainly submerged underwater while he swims, he isn't likely to notice if anyone does happen upon him during his workout. On the other hand, he might be finishing up and pushing himself out at the edge of the pool to dry off as someone walks in.

Either way, it's going to involve him wet, dripping, and shirtless -- and who would want to miss that?

III.

With Natasha and Clint having arrived in quick succession, the pressure on Steve to restructure the Avengers is stronger than ever. He's been putting it off, which isn't like him, probably because it's another way in which he has to make a change because Bucky has left. That, and there haven't been any threats on the mansion as of late. Most people can put up with some talking plants without the aid of a superhero team.

Still, it needs to be done, and that means getting back into the swing of his title. He can't just be Steve here, not when he's got people relying on him, and so he's in full uniform as he takes out the robot drones that Tony set up for them in the training room.

He crashes into one with his shield, throwing it off balance, and then flings his leg up high enough to slam his boot into its head, which knocks it clear off the thing's shoulders and sends it rolling across the floor. Then he spins around and flings his shield out to clip two more of the drones, racing after it to slam into the metal dummies with all his strength. This is entirely different from watching Steve spar -- he isn't holding back right now because he doesn't need to, instead making full use of the serum.

IV.

Wildcard! Want to interact with Steve in some other place or setup? Go for it! If you need to check anything over with me, hit me up at demonology.

Comments

II because prepare for trouble and make it double

[araneidal]

The operative word is: usually. Natasha isn't averse to water, or relaxation, but it's been on the less sunny side lately, and she's not a creature to be found at poolside parties on the regular. The first hint of a warmer day? There's no harm in spending an hour or so with a chilled glass of lemonade, a good hat, and some company. She's been remiss lately.

It helps to have a partner-in-crime. They are just there when Steve emerges from the water, and lower their sunglasses in a smooth, identical motion.

'I have to say, darling,' she says, a little smugly to Natasha at her side, 'I was in two minds, but the view convinced me.'

she objects to being Team Rocket, Nat. People might mistake them for the furry rodent.

[widows_kiss]

Natasha hums mildly, taking a sip of her very fruity-looking drink to hide the smile that tugs at the corner of her lips, her eyes tracing over Steve as he pushes out of the pool before glancing knowingly over at the other woman beside her.

"It is rather nice, isn't it?" she teases with a knowing smile and a hint of a dimple peeking out at the corner of her lips as she stays reclined on her chaise, posture lazy and indolent.

[assembles]

To Steve's credit, he doesn't startle too much at the sight of them. He's baffled, most definitely, because they've somehow set up in recliner chairs with drinks and sunglasses, as if they're outside at some hotel pool rather than one that's more suited to a gym.

But he's also resigned to this. It's a part of being Natasha's friend, and now he has two of them to contend with.

Steve stands there, dripping at the poolside as he starts to towel off his arms and chest. "How long have you been here...?"

[araneidal]

'You have excellent judgement,' she says, mirroring the other Natasha's smile, sharing a joke only they really find funny. 'Remind me to listen to you in future.'

She winks at Steve. 'Long enough.'

[widows_kiss]

"I'll do that. Everyone should listen to my excellent judgement. I'm still trying to enlighten him to this fact," she informs Natasha with a long-suffering sigh and a faint shake of her head as she leans back against the back of her chaise once more and shoots Steve a knowing smile.

"We could do with longer, if you'd like," she supplies him with a faint smirk. "I doubt you'll hear either one of us complain."

[assembles]

Neither of them are shy about their reason for being here, which is supposedly to enjoy the view, although Steve suspects the real reason is simply to give him a hard time. It doesn't seem to matter what universe Natasha is from -- she always enjoys doing that.

"Hey, I listen to you sometimes," he says to his Natasha as he continues to towel himself off, dragging it through his hair. "You two are getting along swimmingly, I see."

Yes, he did just go there. If they're going to come and bug him while he's working out, they can put up with a bad joke or two.

[araneidal]

Natasha gives him a brief expression of exaggerated horror, and turns to her alternate to flash a the nerve of him look. The joke book is from the forties, Steve.

'Oh, ha ha,' she says, dryly. To Natasha, 'Please tell me you're going to train this out of him.'

[widows_kiss]

Natasha merely sighs heavily, as if she's the most put-upon Avenger ever.

"I'm trying. He has a very hard head, you see. Along with the rest of him. It's a work in progress."

It's said dryly, but she casts a bemused smile in Steve's direction all the same.

[assembles]

Steve lifts his hand to point accusingly at his Natasha. "Wait a second, you can't pull that. You're the queen of bad jokes." Remember when you called him a fossil, Natasha? Because he does.

Since he feels kind of awkward just standing there in front of them, Steve pads over barefoot to grab another chair and drag it closer to them before he flops into it. "So, how do you two feel about Clint being here?" Steve has no idea if the alternate Natasha is as close to her Clint, but it's hard to imagine that she isn't.

[araneidal]

'Or that's what we want you to think,' Natasha says, very sweetly. Her shoulders shake; as though she's holding back laughter. She very well might be.

Clint is as expected, but she's also not about to speak for both of them on the matter when she's not sure how her alternate wants to present it or how much Steve knows about Clint. Natasha looks over at her, and sips her drink to hide the brief quizzical upward tick to her mouth, not the eyebrows. How did they both feel about Clint?

[widows_kiss]

She has no idea what you're talking about, Steve, and the nonplussed look she gives him when he jabs a finger at her states exactly that. She turns to give a commiserating look with the woman beside her. "His memory, you know. Not what it used to be."

She meets Natasha's look with an answering quirk of an eyebrow, something silent and unspoken flitting between them before her lips curve. "Both relieved and irritated, mostly. As happy as I am to see him, taking a man away from his newborn shows a terrible sense of timing on Wonderland's part."

[assembles]

All they're doing is proving his point, but Steve also realizes that isn't the sort of argument he's going to win. Not when they're both here and sharing those looks, like they know something he doesn't. Which... to be fair, they probably do. Multiple somethings, in fact.

That being said, Natasha offers an honest response about Clint, one that Steve can agree with. Clint had taken some time off from the Avengers for good reason, and now Wonderland is messing with that. "Yeah, Wonderland's never had much consideration for what it might be interrupting in someone's life," he says with a sigh. He levels his gaze on his Natasha. "Do you think he's taking it okay?"

[widows_kiss]

She thinks about that for a moment. "He's taking it like Clint," she finally answers, before slotting a gaze sideways at the other Natasha, wondering if she'll pick up on the meaning of that. She suspects that's all she'll need to say. "So mostly, we're going to have to watch, and wait, and see."

[araneidal]

Her head inclines a fraction. She's going to keep an eye on Clint anyway — a newborn is interesting information. There might not be an ineffectual escape attempt, but there will always be something idiotically heroic on the horizon. He has that tendency.

[assembles]

Steve has no doubt that Clint will adapt to this place, even if it does mean being separated from his family. The fact that he isn't actually missing out on his third child's earliest days probably makes it a little easier to bear.

With a nod, Steve glances between the two of them again. "So, were you really just here to watch, or did you two ladies need something?" Usually there's some deeper motive for anything Natasha does, and Steve suspects that applies to both of them.

[widows_kiss]

Natasha merely glances over to her counterpart for a moment, as if some silent bit of conversation passes between them, before turning back to smile knowingly at Steve.

"We needed to watch, obviously."

[araneidal]

'Obviously,' Natasha echoes, with the hint of a smirk. 'If you're feeling adventurous, Steve, you can always take a guess.'

[assembles]

"Are you kidding? No, no, no," Steve intones with a shake of his head. "I know a trap when I see one." He may be reckless, but he's also not completely stupid. When the Widow is spinning her web, he knows better than to get near it, and in this case he'd end up caught in two of them.

[widows_kiss]

Natasha just grins and threads her fingers together over her stomach once more, watching him in satisfaction, a hint of a smirk still playing about her lips.

"Look at that. He can still learn new tricks." her tone is warm beneath the teasing humor, however, as she eyes him. "What about you? Other than the very noble purpose of giving us such a delightful show. Thanks for that, by the way."

[araneidal]

Natasha offers her a pleased little smile. Glad to know they haven't lost their touch, even when all they're doing is sitting by the pool.

'She speaks for us both,' she adds, and openly smirks at him.

post-hiatus tag, totally okay if you drop!

[assembles]

The fact that the alternate would say that is proof enough that the two of them are getting along just fine. Steve's honestly relieved. If they hadn't hit it off, it could have gotten ugly.

It makes him wonder how he would get along with the other him, but so far Wonderland hasn't been interested in finding that out.

"I just wanted a change of pace," Steve says, shrugging one shoulder. "Swimming works out more muscles than jogging, and it's refreshing." Besides, if he can manage it without thinking of sinking into the Potomac, then he can pretend that he's over that particular trauma.

[widows_kiss]

"And he can do it with minimal clothing," Natasha comments mildly, glancing over at her other, her expression giving almost nothing away, other than a faint twitch at the corner of her lips. "I'm certainly not going to to complain about the change in pace. Are you?"

[araneidal]

'Absolutely not,' says Natasha, very primly. 'I hope this'll be regular, I might consider making a habit of coming down to the pool.'

[assembles]

Objectify him all you want, ladies. Steve only rolls his eyes. He knows they're just teasing, which is why it doesn't rub him the wrong way.

Besides, he's had to accept what he looks like, and the effect it has on other people.

"Maybe if I'm lucky you'll join me in the water sometime," he addresses to both of them. Though then he looks at his Natasha a little more closely. "I've yet to see you in a bikini so I can make a final judgment on whether or not you look terrible in them." A tease of his own. Of course she'd look great, scar and all.

[widows_kiss]

Her lips just curve knowingly at his tease as she tilts her head in thought for a moment before glancing over at Natasha beside her.

"I think that could be arranged. What do you think?"

She does point a finger at him, however, humor still glinting in her eyes. "I'll be expecting you to be polite about it regardless." As if he would be anything but.