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Natasha Romanoff ([personal profile] outstandingbalance) wrote in [community profile] undergrounds2016-04-12 07:06 pm

[open] somewhere after midnight

I. Drinking, Conversation & Light Blood Sport

It's not strange for Natasha to end up in a bar at some point in the evening. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later, but at least a couple of times a week she ends up in one. Tonight is notable not because she's found herself in a new bar—that could be any night—but because she breaks out of her routine of taking a seat at the counter and nursing a drink or two for hour or so, maybe chatting with a regular, then going on her way.

This time she's found herself in a bar near the institute, and she has a drink sitting on the a table off to one side, sure, but instead of sipping it without appetite, she's standing facing a dart board, throwing set after set of darts and landing them in tight clusters in the cork. First around the bull's eye then the triple twenty, the triple nineteen, eighteen, seventeen... and so forth.

Maybe she's relaxing. Maybe she's getting used to being in London and the new job. She'd like to think that's the case, though mostly she's been keeping her head down and her eyes open.

It might be going a little too far to say she's in a good mood, but she's starting to feel a little more outgoing. Enough to turn to someone near by and ask, "Care to give me some competition?"



II. Light Blood Sports & A Drinking Problem

Another night, another bar. This time Natasha is more to her normal script. Or at least, she was for about the first third of her whiskey sour. That's when a disagreement down the bar turns violent. At first, Natasha isn't too worried about it. It isn't her problem, just a couple of drunks knocking over stools and raising their voices.

Then one of them pulls a switchblade and it goes from not her problem to to very much her problem in a matter of a fraction of a second when the blade slides through the other man's jacket and into his forearm. The smell of blood fills the bar room, stronger and more intoxicating than any of the alcohol on the shelf.

It's been over two months since Natasha had human blood, and all in a rush it seems like every second of it was screaming at her. For a moment she freezes, afraid of what she'd do if she moved, afraid of what someone might see if she drew their attention. Her jaw tightens and her nails drag across the top of the bar in a slow, tense scratch. She stares at nothing, her attention narrowing to pin point.

The fight doesn't last from there. The bartender yells at both of them to get out, the bouncer appears. Both of them are kicked out.

And Natasha covers her mouth, shaking.



III. Streetlights, Shadows & Night Owls

Let's call it work. Natasha thinks of it that way. It's not exactly patrolling—nothing that formal. It's more just being out, keeping her eyes open, paying attention and being around. Most nights, it doesn't lead to much. Not wasted time since she's getting used to the city, but she doesn't accomplish a whole lot.

Sometimes, though, she runs into something interesting. Someone she can help? Who knows.



IV. Wildcard

((Don't see something you like? Hit me up at [plurk.com profile] sarosaron and we'll figure something out.))
iustitiae: (04)

[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-05-22 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
Connor laughs hollowly. "No, and my friend skipped town, so we're back at square one." There's a beat while he considers, "Want to meet them sometime? Can you, uh, I don't want to be insensitive here, but with your whole..." he vaguely gestures. her whole undead thing. "Do you think you'd be able to see them?"
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-05-24 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, then, if you ever want a real party..." He makes a face. Sarcasm. The most exciting party ever, truly.
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-05-26 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Ghosts. Plural. Like I said, a real party." he shakes his head, though, he doesn't really intend to make her have a chat with them, he's just trying to distract her with his own misfortune. "They're a great crew. Getting good at turning on the radio."
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-05-27 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Connor laughs morosely, "Yeah, you got it." He tacks on flatly, "One one of them is really into country but the other is into rap."
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-05-30 05:44 pm (UTC)(link)
This is why he likes Natasha. Neither of them may be feeling great, but they can make quips. And that is an excellent substitute for real feelings. "You're right, that's probably it."
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-05-31 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
Connor is just beautiful and deserving of attention and wrapped up in some shady shit, what can I say?

"Same. At least it's not too bad, not usually. I mean, not that being haunted is ever fun but on a scale from like one to the exorcist I'm probably at a solid 3.5"
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-06-05 03:50 am (UTC)(link)
Nice job, Natasha. Granted, he has no idea how old she is, but he figures this i an accomplishment nevertheless. "Yeah, totally, just get tired of my place and move on."
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-06-11 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"I have been trying to be aggressively boring since day one, believe me." Life just keeps having a way of getting into him. Life has gotten Connor's number and wants to make him suffer.
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-07-12 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"No kidding." As soon as he says it, though, he kind of realizes the bit here. She's probably got it way worse than him. He can acknowledge that. Maybe. "I bet you know all about that -- are you feeling any, I don't know, less?"
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[personal profile] iustitiae 2016-07-17 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay, cool. We have one thing going for us." Better than nothing, right?