maskormenace | 001

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So. It's come to my attention that we are like-- [he squints off-camera for a moment] three days away from Valentine's, and I've only got two questions: Where's the party, and who's in the market for a date? For the record, I am a Capricorn with exceptional taste in music, poetry, cars and alcohol.

[-- a slight pause.]

And, I mean. Come on, look at me.

[The most ridiculous, devil-may-care grin imaginable. Hear ye, hear ye, ladies and gents, Jim Kirk has the floor. But after a moment it fades and he clears his throat, going back to 'business', so to speak.]

Name's Kirk! Friends call me Jim. I'm new, but don't worry about the welcome wagon. Got that sorted out on my own. My kingdom for a good hamburger.

[And with an airy little wave, he disconnects.]

[ooc; 4th walling info for the curious!]

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I'm sure I will, people from outer space are clearly my jam.

[ As evidenced by Jim, giving him a raise of her brows. A piece of pasta is pushed around her plate as she shrugs, head tilting in a subconscious parody. ]

It used to be quiet until a certain God of Mischief moved in, then everything started livening up.

[He stabs his fork into another mouthful of salad and makes short work of it, washing it down with the dregs of his beer. He is definitely going to need another one of those, so he set it near the edge of the table to summon the waiter. That's how you do it, right?]

Sounds like. How'd you meet him, anyway?

[ Jim, are you made of burgers. ]

The same speed-dating night I met all those creeps. He was wearing an illusion but I saw straight through it, didn't even know he had one on, which is why he stayed to talk to me at length. [ Ordering another drink off the waiter while they're around, she lets him take her plate. Jim is welcome to keep eating, but she's done. ] Then he decided to move into the same building not long after.

[You try working with a suddenly enhanced metabolism and see how you feel about burgers after, Ver'. He shrugs and takes another bite of his burger, but he's been talking rather a lot and hasn't made that much headway on it.]

Well, I can't blame him.

[ Trying to look exasperated while blushing, she sips her drink just for something to do. ]

Really, Jim. You'd move in next to a girl who can always tell when you're lying?

[ Doubting it somehow, sir. ]

[Oh that is adorable, and Jim bumps her knee playfully under the table.]

I like secrets. But lying is way too much work most of the time. It's like-- you have to keep track, and juggle, and there are just... a lot more thing I'd rather think about. Like-- are you a breakfast in bed kind of girl, or more of a go out early and find some kind of cafe?

[ Don't mind if she bumps back, or hooks a knee behind his. And, fine, he may as well know just for the sake of it. ]

I'm a Bring Me A Bagel In Bed girl, definitely. Getting out of it before ten AM? Not a superpower I inherited but one I could definitely do with. You?

I'm useless if I sleep more than six hours a night. 'Course, I have no idea what my sleep schedule looks like right now. Sunlight can mess a guy up, and we keep nonstandard hours on the Enterprise.

[He also has no idea how many hours he'll need now. Used to be he was good on six, functional on four and manic on anything less than two, but his mind definitely drifts to that dossier with some suspicion.]

Guess I'll figure it out as I go.

[ The Enterprise. She watches him for a moment, a slow smile curling as she imagines a life aboard a starship where sunlight is something quantifiable as a luxury, a planetside indulgence. The fact they've been kidnapped doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot when they can't do anything about it, especially not tonight (or even tomorrow, she'd be willing to bet), and it sounds like a certain captain needs a real night off besides pandering to a date.

Standing up, she shrugs on her coat and drapes his on the table, flashing him a grin. ]

Come on then, let's wear you out enough to sleep.

[ However he chooses to take that is his business, but there's something canny in her eye as she drops enough money to cover the bill and doesn't wait for him as she heads out, a purposeful direction in her stride. Up, up, up!! This way. ]

[WOMAN HE WASN'T DONE HIS BURGER this is the story of how he shoves the rest in his face so he doesn't have to carry it out, either way he looks a bit like a chipmunk as he chases after her still chewing.

Sometimes he is such a guy.

At least he waits until he swallows before speaking again.]

Are you at least gonna tell me where we're going?

[Not like he's going to object to getting dragged around by a woman (presumably) for sex at some point but at least give him a heads up, jeeze.]

[ CAPTAIN CHIPMUNK, it's a thing. Laughing, she snags his hand and hauls him mercilessly upstairs to ground-level, a light jog in her step as the cool air insinuates itself into every gap of her clothing. It won't be for long, thankfully, and she looks both ways to check the hovercars before crossing the road with him. ]

Nope! Breathe, Jim, you're going to bring up half a cow.

[ But they're definitely heading toward a neon sign and loud music. ]

Okay, first of all it's like a fifth of a cow, and if I puke you are directly to blame.

[HE JUST POINTS AT HER SO ACCUSINGLY but lets himself get dragged because why not. He can hear music, bass vibrating up through his bones even at this distance. It's been a while since he's been anywhere even remotely nightclubby. He'd tried it a couple times after the Enterprise was tossed into drydock, but his heart wasn't in it. No time like the present though, right?]

[ At the doors, and ignoring the bouncers, and turns on her heel to cup his face in her hands and plant a kiss on his (slightly greasy, ew) lips, chaste and firm. ]

Stop talking about puke, Jim. In fact, shut up and dance with me.

[ Into the cavernous dark she pulls him, exchanging the night sky for a tall ceiling of multicolored stars courtesy of gobo-lights. Making a b-line for the dance-floor as she raises one of his hands above her head, Verity glances at him to see if he wants out from a room made of churning bodies and murky illumination that could belong to any world, anywhere, anytime. ]

[YOU MENTIONED IT FIRST WHY IS THIS HIS LIFE NOW? NEVER MEET UHURA, PLEASE. OR SPOCK.

Still, he goes willingly enough. Keeping his shoulders from trying to crawl up around his ears is, okay, maybe a little harder than it should be which is exactly why he decides right there he's going to stick this out. Deep breath, and he lets his raised arm fall gently against her shoulder just to pull her in a little closer.

In a tone that'll be heard over the bassline,]

We don't do much dancing in the future!

[Lie. Mostly so he can think a thing or two about how good she looks dancing with a completely unabashed little grin.]

[ BROHURAAAA.

The reticence acquires one arm draped over Jim's shoulder and a hand lingering at his hip as they dance in the flurrying lights. He moves like he should have a drink above his head in a fist, too cool to really be on the floor, yet his lying sparks her telepathy easily to let loose a wide smile. Instead of ignoring her gifts he draws them into sharp relief and even makes her relax about them, which is ...

Jim is very efficient at endearing himself in a short amount of time, it has to be said. ]

I can tell! You're really boring.

[ Poking at his burger-belly through that tee, she hopes the brightly colored club will hide the return of her blush. ]

I am the farthest thing from boring and you know it.

[Well, he doesn't seem to think it's a lie.

-- Also she's blushing and that's adorable. Jim laughs - but let's pretend it's at the fact she's poking him - and ducks his head against her neck. Which is not nearly as suave as he'd like to pretend because he gets a face full of brilliantly pink hair but points for effort, Kirk.]

Lies, all lies!

[ His face at her neck sends pink hair rustling in an awful tickle and Verity's fingers comb through his own scrub-brush as she laughs, tugging lightly in a token attempt to stop him that does nothing of the kind. She can't remember the last time she went on a date with someone remotely normal and able to cope with her lie detection, hardly even aware of it now as loosening up around Jim becomes second nature.

In retaliation, she nips his ear at the same moment her nails flutter under his top, seeking out a soft (vulnerable!!) waist to dig into. ]

[Excuse you he runs like ten miles a day you calm down with that 'soft', girl. You'll damage his unsinkable ego.]

Hey, who told you you were allowed to tickle me? That's practically a declaration of war in at least six different cultures. And that's only the ones I know of!

[He tugs her hair out of the way, kisses playfully at her neck, and then once along the line of her jaw.]

[ She laughs anew as his lips coast along her neck, too sensitive after a long dry spell of no relationships to avoid the way she squirms. It's less ticklish on her jaw, and there she holds him with her fingers woven through his hair, a pleasant warmth melting her from the inside-out. ]

I never said we were at peace, Jim ...

[Well if you're going to keep him in one place, you better be prepared for him to kiss that, too. He does just that, and pulls back against her grip in his hair (which he likes, so by all means continue) to nuzzle at her cheek.]

See, I like peace. [not a lie.] Peaceful trades, prosperous economics-- casual [he drops one hand down against her hip, nothing she can't step out of if it makes her uncomfortable] intermingling of cultures and social mores. Big fan.

[ Where was he months ago at that last dating arena where she had to drink just to handle the guys there? His touches don't bother her, in fact they feel like a tall glass of water after the longest, driest spell of her life, prompting Verity to itch through his hair since he likes it so much. She certainly welcomes the cozy nuzzling, a hip rising into his large hand under the pretense of dancing.

Music is good. Music drowns out the liars around them, it helps her feel connected with other people by severing that link to them in bright lights and bass. ]

Casual intermingling of cultures is a very important duty for the captain, right?

[ So he won't mind when she tilts her head to seek out a brief albeit very fond kiss, a hand sliding down to cup the back of his warm neck. Jim can't tell her absolute truths about his home, but he isn't lying about why and who he is, his responsibilities that define his character better than the dumb jokes and sweet teases. He's a good man. Also, gorgeous. Verity has never felt like she's wasting her twenties so much if their lips aren't connected right now.

Romance is charming but it's not what either of them, both a little too logical to fully indulge when coming from different worlds, came out tonight for. ]

Super important. You might call it the most integral duty we have.

[And kiss her he does, lingering, one hand cupping her cheek and the other shifting to the small of her back so his fingers can dig in a bit against the cloth of her shirt. ]

You wanna get out of here?

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