( closed )

[araneidal]

Who: Natasha Romanoff & John Blake.
Where: The garden.
When: 7/3.
Rating: PG; warnings will be added where needed.
Summary: A walk in the park.

Comments

[oversight]

Shit, yeah. Can't even—

[ A shake of his head. Blake would go a little crazy, he thinks. It's a bit different from meeting a Mirror, at least from what he can tell. ]

Look, just goes to show you there's no such thing as too much of a good thing.

[araneidal]

[ Natasha's not startled into an abrupt smile, it's a near thing. ]

Is that how you see it?

[oversight]

Definitely.

[ He's certain. Because Blake might do a remarkable job of being just a generally normal guy, but beneath all of that is a strange devotion that doesn't always come with defined borders. ]

Is that not how you see it?

[araneidal]

[ It's devotion, which he is properly careful not to turn into worship. Natasha doesn't value the latter. The Black Widow can twist anyone to her whims, one more lovestruck man doesn't become special in her heart unless he knows where the line is. ]

If you had the chance to meet yourself as a boy, what would you do?

[oversight]

[ Blake snorts in a somewhat undignified manner, baffled at the question in an unexpected way. Hell, he's almost delighted by it, although he has a hard time pinpointing why. ]

What would I do? Ahhh... Guess maybe I'd tell him to get good at baseball. That pays the bills.

[araneidal]

John.

[ She elbows him. It's a light reprimand, but it's done the trick, her mouth has pulled up in a smile but that's not really what she asked. ]

[oversight]

[ Is it his fault he's pedantic? Yes, absolutely, but that's really not the point. ]

What could I do? Not that diff'rent, not really. [ He thinks he's not really that different, but it's not the truth. ] Counsel, maybe.

[araneidal]

About baseball.

[ It's only funny now. ]

She's a different person than I was.

[ Natasha is much, much older, and the threads are woven in two different directions. Yes, they both are the Widow, and she sees echoes of shadows that could be hers, but for someone like her they might as well be miles apart. ]

[oversight]

[ He smirks. Cheeky. ]

And you're surprised? They broke the mould.

[araneidal]

[ Natasha reflects it. ]

Oh, someone's pouring it on. Any special reason?

[oversight]

Is it your birthday?

[ And then one of those characteristic shrugs. ]

When you're 'round, I feel good. Think that means you're my friend. Dunno. It's weird, right?

[araneidal]

No.

[ Once upon a time, the answer might've been it could be. ]

Pretty weird.

[ She smiles warmly at him. ]

You think you'd be up for waffles with her, sometime?

[oversight]

I'm always up for waffles. Anywhere, anywhen, with anyone.

[araneidal]

It's a date, then.