El!
El has been with the site for nearly two years now and has continued to prove her value. Currently, she is heading up our site event, Battle for Liberterram, on top of keeping up with her own personal plots.
CHARACTER
SPOTLIGHT
Peggy Carter!
Lux's posts are all wonderful to read. She has done a wonderful job of grasping the new universe and incorporating Peggy into it.
CHARACTER
SPOTLIGHT
Peter Parker!
It's good to see Spidey back on the site. Watching him deal with the universe shift in his own snarky way has been nothing short of entertaining.
THREAD
SPOTLIGHT
Eight O'Clock on the Dot!
El and Lux are making magic in this thread. Straight up fireworks, and the way they've played with drawing out the reveal is top class.
A thunderstorm flowed, thousands of miles behind him, but its destination was clear. He brought it with him, conjured it in his wake through pulling at the sea and gathering the air like a shroud until it was thick enough, dark enough, charged enough to generate the system he needed it to be. It was slow--far slower than he, as it was limited to nature in some regards, but so were his forces. It would move with them, over them, blanket them in a downpour that they desperately needed.
But for now, the only charge in the air was his own. Purpose swirled about him like the clouds he'd generated, and the smell of salt and ozone haunted his step. His hair was plastered back against his crown, nearly dry but tacky enough still to adhere to the style he normally opted for. His form glistened with water particulates the wind did not instantly sheer from him once he slowed enough for his descent into the city. In his hand was the trident, griped unabashedly. Oftentimes its stature made it unwieldy in human buildings, but he did not care. He had met with Fury as the King that he was, and honored the pledge that he'd made years ago. Thanos was sending his forces over the earth like a wave of insects, and Atlantis was going to serve as cavalry to the humans in their time of need.
Ten thousand homo-mermani would flood the streets of New York, and with them, the charge, intellect and magical prowess of the Lady Dorma, the raw, brute force of his failed mirror, and the thunderous abilities of the young and talented Victoria Matthews. There was no doubt in Namor's mind that not only would the combined armies of the world defeat the Mad Titan, but that they would do so so spectacularly as to eviscerate his reputation across all the cosmos. Even humankind could not waive away their advantage in this moment. And though Director Fury was many things, a fool was not amongst them. Nor had their conduct suggested that he would take an uncharacteristic turn for the imbecilic. All that he was detailed on seemed sound, reasonable, and though they could not go into detail until his forces arrived, the initial plans were more than sufficient.
With their meeting concluded, Namor left and moved with swift, but regal strides to the elevator so he could leave the bloated hover-bug of metal and concrete. Stepping into an elevator, he was not overly surprised to find that it was occupied. But he was surprised to learn the identity of the sole individual who occupied it. Angled brows raising to express this sentiment, he paid her a small nod of acknowledgement. "Natalia," the depth and richness of his voice was nearly velvet in the moment, lilt going over to the language they both shared.
Pressing the button to take them to the surface, an insufferable expression cracked his otherwise stoic visage, lilac eyes aglow with triumph as the elevator doors shut neatly, perfectly fitted. The elevator doors themselves were not the only perfectly fitted things in the vicinity, if memory served. "I seem to recall another encounter of ours in an elevator..." he explained the cause of his suddenly humored spirit.
Post by Natalia Romanova on Mar 25, 2016 5:22:47 GMT
Natalia grimaced as a speck of pain flashed through her arm. The needle was sharp and slid through her flesh easily. By the time she inserted it into the next section, she was braced for the sensation and managed to keep a straight face. There were dozens (if not more) of medical staff on board the Helicarrier, but she had insisted on taking the supplies necessary to tend to her wounds and deal with them herself. Compared to some of the men and women in the Med Bay, she may as well have made it out of the attack with nary a scratch on her.
As it was, the extent of her wounds consisted of a few lacerations needing stitches, a handful of bruises, and an overall ache that she was certain everyone who’d been on the ground currently felt. The whole situation was reminiscent of the attack a few years previously, but there were clear logistical differences. There were no portals to close. The enemy was knocking at their front door right now - hovering outside the atmosphere, from what she’d gleaned. Clearly, Thanos meant business.
It didn’t take long for Natalia to finish patching herself up. She’d been in worse conditions with less medical tools before. Groaning beneath her breath, she stood from the bench, popping stiff muscles with every movement. Both hands drifted down, easing the catsuit back up and over her shoulders before zipping it back nearly to the top. Her footsteps echoed quietly as she moved across the large space towards the containment unit’s open door. It wasn’t terribly private with its see-through walls, but the new “green” room on board wasn’t exactly a popular place - especially with no Banner on board.
Dropping the medical kit off onto a crate in the nearby hangar, Natalia turned towards the elevator. She’d already made sure Steve was okay, and been debriefed. Now the only thing left to do was wait for the next attack. A part of her wanted nothing more than do so in her office where she could keep tabs on worldwide events via her computer, but when she got onto the elevator, she paused.
Before she could decide, however, the doors slid shut and the elevator began to lift her upwards. Once it stopped, she’d hopefully have her faculties back and make her choice on where to go. Perhaps she’d head up to the deck before shutting herself into her office. A bit of fresh air would do her some good. Things had been hectic lately - she could do with some more time to clear her head and relax before the next wave hit. And there would be another wave, of that she was certain.
The arrival of someone else on the elevator summoned Natalia’s eyes forward and she stood up straight from the slouch her body had inadvertently fallen into. Snapping to attention, instinct kicked in and her expression hardened instantly. She hadn’t spent much time on the Helicarrier lately, but she still had a reputation to uphold.
But not with him.
As realization dawned on her, Natalia’s stature relaxed once more, somewhere between her original slouch and the readied stance were it anyone else joining her on the elevator. “Namor,” she breathed, his name almost a sigh of relief as it tumbled off of her lips. Her eyes danced over to the panel, noting which level he’d selected and she couldn’t help but smile gently. Even without saying a word to him, he knew where she’d decided to go. Or, more likely, perhaps he was simply on his way out.
“I seem to recall a few,” she purred, stepping to the side so that she was not rudely standing directly in the center of the small cubicle. The hardness in her face melted away, replaced by a faintly amused expression. "We weren't always the most patient, if my memory serves correctly..."
She was about to ask what had brought him on board, but they were in the middle of a world war against invaders and Namor had promised ten thousand Atlantean troops to bolster SHIELD’s defenses. If ever there were a time to call in for that favor, it was now. Natalia knew she should focus her energies on recuperating before the next wave, but she found herself incapable of caring, at least for the time being. And so, rather than comment on the current state of the world, she let out a quiet breath and turned to look fully upon her former lover.
He was dressed in his normal attire - that is to say, not much - and carried the trident with him. Even if they weren’t on the brink of a full-scale invasion, she knew he only carried that with him when he truly meant business. Canting her head slightly, Natalia offered the Atlantean monarch a sad smile. “I’m sorry I missed your birthday. I’ve hardly had time to go shopping for me lately. Perhaps I’ll really splurge next year for your hundred and first.” By the time she finished speaking, the beginnings of a playful smirk were hiding at the corner of her lips. He hated receiving gifts as much as she did, if not moreso. And yet, in all her years, she’d never met anyone as thoughtful and truly generous with the gifts they gave as he was.
Nay-more. He had long grown accustom to the human pronunciation of his name, but it wasn't particularly often that he heard his name sighed, and in relief, at that. Usually when it was sighed it was with a great deal more exasperation, or when his arms were tangled in flesh and sheets alike and his lover was spent. Natalia was one of the few humans that say his name with the venom of a curse, or the reluctance of surrender. But she was one of a few he trusted and considered friend, so he supposed it stood to reason.
Moving to settle on the opposite side of the elevator from her, he place his hands behind him and on the railing, leaning back into as casual a stance as he could manage. For a man in full, tight gloved sleeves and metal pauldrons, he looked surprisingly comfortable.
"Patience has never been a virtue of mine," he replied dryly, his mouth teasing into a lopsided grin. But patience was never one of the Greek virtues, and for that, he was grateful. Although he suspected that piety would be a hard thing for him to achieve if he could not see his Gods for himself, know of their interaction, see the benefit and wonders they could achieve. A deity that hid in the shadows and worked through abstract, unknowable actions sounded less like a deity, and more like a scheming manipulator.
"Even less so when we were together." Which, even by his memory, seemed so long ago, now. Much had happened in the time since their separation. He only knew a little of what transpired for her, but even by that measure and what he could surmise from being SHIELD's top agent, he'd no doubt she was almost as busy as he was. And all that she'd endured at the hands of her captors... the thought still cooled his blood. She'd not even been given much time to recover before she was undermining her own morality on his behalf. He truly appreciated her actions, perhaps more than she would ever know, but he knew the damage it had to have done. And that was, in part why he'd given her shelter. She could stay in his home in Greece for as long as she wished and he would not have said anything, and seen to providing her with a comfortable life.
"You needn't apologize. I would have been happy to see you away from public eye for far longer than you were," he did not know why she had departed, or even participated in the trial. Justice in her country was nonexistent. Perhaps it had been out of guilt? It was not a thought he wished to humor overlong, and was grateful that she'd managed to be absolved. "Now, now. You needn't ruin our friendship by doing anything like that. Else I may be forced to lavishly gift you this year." Though he'd ever intention of doing such, anyway, and was certain the same was true of her.
Post by Natalia Romanova on Apr 2, 2016 6:12:56 GMT
Natalia watched as Namor settled himself against the railing on the right side of the elevator. Her eyes skimmed over every inch of him, calculating and methodical, as she made certain he was in good health. She hadn’t spoken to him in a few days (or perhaps it had been weeks?), and as such, wasn’t sure whether he’d been safe in Atlantis when the attacks hit the East Coast, or if he’d helped to send the Chitauri back from whence they’d come. Once certain he seemed not only healthy, but comfortable, she relaxed further and smiled.
Generally speaking, she was a creature of patience. Her job entailed a great amount of detail and precision. If she treated every mission like Timothy Dugan did, she would have flopped as a SHIELD agent - and more importantly, an assassin - decades ago. Long before she had time enough to build herself a reputation, that was for certain.
A quiet chuckle brushed past her lips at his next sentiment, and her lips quirked up in a knowing smirk. Yes, they’d acted impatiently like teenagers, sometimes. And yet, she’d felt a deeper connection to him than she’d thought possible in such a short span of time. “We did make quite the pair, didn’t we?” She echoed Director Fury’s words and noticed a hollowness beginning to fill her chest. Damn him for even bringing it up all those months ago.
Part of her wanted to tell Namor about the Director’s nefarious scheming where their personal lives were concerned, but she stopped herself and tried to force an easy expression onto her face. Now wasn’t the time. Another attack was imminent; the last thing she needed to do was saddle Nick with Namor’s disfavor in the middle of a war. SHIELD agent or no, she’d never hear the end of it until the day Fury died.
Natalia’s face softened and her chin began to bob in a slight nod of understanding. “Sometimes staying quiet is good… but other times, I think our mutual friend Timothy might not be as daft as he appears.” A hint of amusement danced in her emerald orbs as the smirk returned for a brief moment. “I had nothing to gain by staying silent for long, and everything to lose. The quicker I made my appeal, the swifter the sentence, and the faster I could return to…” She faltered, uncertain of just what she’d wanted to return to.
James had been taken while she was still neck-deep in the trial. Try as they might, she and Steve had yet to track him down. She didn’t want to admit defeat, but she knew they were chasing a ghost by now. If HYDRA hadn’t killed him outright for slipping out of their grasp, he would reappear someday, probably intent on killing them both. And when he did, they’d be ready for him. “..some semblance of normality.”
Not that she’d ever had that to begin with, of course.
“Mm, is that so?” she asked, a teasing lilt to her husky voice. “Come now… You know I have far too much affection for you to let something like excessive gift-giving ruin my opinion of you. Everyone is allowed to have their flaws, after all, and that’s certainly not one that would turn me away from you.” And now that she knew the truth, it would take more than Nick Fury’s order or a SHIELD mission to force her to break ties with the Atlantean, too.
No, she’d put everything she had on the line for him six months ago. Perhaps it had been a subconscious way of apologizing for the way she’d left things between them all those years ago. Whatever the reason, it was in the past now. They were friends - albeit, each of them busy with their own lives - and in the end, that’s all that mattered to her.
WORDS: 661 || TAG: Namor Bleugh… My turn to be short… Sorry. =/
"Some of us are able to make any pair a winning combination," the Atlantean began with teasing smile and a little glimmer in his eye. "I would certainly say that you're amongst them." She seemed to benefit from working in pairs despite her obvious independence. At work, she made quite the team with Timothy, if he word was anything to go by. And though he would forever question her taste, she seemed to be quite the match for Clinton. And the other romantic relationship he'd seen her in seemed to be nearly flawless. Pity, then, that she so often was on her own.
And though he could relate, he benefited from not an extensive network of allies and friends as she did with her little... Avengers, but also family, and an unyielding love of his country and culture. So while there were times that he yearned for greater companionship, he never felt lonely. From what he knew of her, he doubted that she could say the same, or had been in a position to say as much in a terribly long time.
"I absolutely agree. It is not your spirit nor your courage that I disagree with," were he in the same situation, he would have done the same. But it was not secret that he was a vocal man, and did not abide by something that he disagreed with. When the whole of the world stood against him, he pressed against the earth until it came around to his side. "But I was, and still am, concerned. The surface world is hardly rational. As pragmatic as it seems to be in some ways, it is oddly sentimental in others, and mired in politics," his lips curved into a slight sneer at that. Though he was good at the political game and even enjoyed playing to some extent, there were levels. Deception was far more common on the surface, as was cowardice. And there was a great deal more loyalty to things he did not care to understand. Loyalty to one's country and ideals and family he could abide by. Loyalty to some faction merely united by a flimsy front, less so.
"What is normalcy for you? Will they even have you back at SHIELD?" Namor asked, uncertain if she was actually with them or merely here to aid them in this attack. With that, the elevator doors came open and the sweet air of the top deck billowed in. Stepping out, he let the wind wash over him as he turned to look at her, curious as to who she would be without her employment. He wondered if she even knew, considering how much of her life she'd given to them.
"Perhaps you'll change your mind when you see how many gifts I am willing to give, and how creative I may be in their form and delivery." He could overburden her with his generosity long before he ran out of wealth. On this he was certain. "And I can spread them over months at a time, so you've no reprieve. I can send them to your Avengers to pass them off to you, and through your employment." The hybrid continued, looking increasingly triumphant.
And then a thought occurred to him. There was something he needed to give her. Something that had slipped his mind on the few occasions he'd seen her, but the current line of thought brought it to the forefront. "After this battle, I think you'll find I can be exceedingly generous." He did not know how it was that she would react, and in truth, only part of it was for her... but it needed to be given.
Post by Natalia Romanova on Apr 5, 2016 7:23:35 GMT
Natalia’s lips pressed together, the beginnings of a grin forming upon them as a hint of warmth spread up into her cheeks. “Do you want to know my secret?” she asked, the question clearly a hypothetical one. Leaning forward ever so slightly, as if he needed the distance closed to hear her soft voice, she gave him the answer.
“Compromise.”
No matter how perfectly people aligned with each other, there would always be something they disagreed on. How the pair handled that disagreement would determine the strength of the bond. With Alexei, it had been… God, she didn’t even know… Had she ever disagreed with him on anything? Perhaps he wasn’t a good example. Or perhaps her seemingly perfect cohesion with him had been not only engineered, but a precursor to what was to come decades down the line. Clint Barton shared many of the same views as Natalia, and yet sometimes it was clear to see just how different they were, and wonder just how they’d worked so seamlessly together for as long as they had. One of life’s mysteries, she supposed.
The expression on Natalia’s face hardened slightly as she waited for Namor’s verdict. He was the reason she’d done the things she had, the reason she’d gone to trial to begin with, and the reason she’d do so again if she had the chance to go back. Needless to say, his opinion on the matter weighed heavily upon her. When, instead of addressing what it was he disagreed on, he mentioned concern instead, her mask of stoic intrigue softened. Slowly, but surely, a tiny smile built its way up, finally coming to life as the sneer found Namor’s lips. “Humans are not, as a general rule, rational beings. Lucky for us, the men and women in charge of my trial valued logic over all else.” Logic, and perhaps money. She had a hunch there were some greased palms amongst the lot as well, but she didn’t bother mentioning that here and now.
Natalia opened her mouth to respond, but closed it as the elevator doors parted to let in the breeze from on deck. Following him out into the cool air, she inhaled deep and took in the change of scenery before returning her mind to the question she’d left unanswered thus far. “I.. don’t know,” she admitted finally. Work had always been her go-to if she needed something to do. She’d thought perhaps James could help her try to take a stab at a normal life - home-cooked meals, vegging on the couch, a warm body to sleep beside. It had been a nice week, but now with him MIA, he was simply one more drop of blood on her ledger.
“As for SHIELD, I’m sure Nick will jump for joy the day I decide to return. Well… He might smile,” she corrected, a slight grin forming on her lips. “I’m not even sure if I will return.” She would. “Maybe I’ll get my real estate license and sell beach front properties in Maui.” SHIELD didn’t pay excessively, but there was always a certain satisfaction when the money hit her accounts, that she’d at least done a job. Convincing people to purchase something they were already clearly considering splurging on didn’t seem entirely productive to the workaholic.
“You’ve got almost eight decades’ worth of neglected birthdays to make up for,” she retaliated, smirking up at the Atlantean despite herself. It faltered slightly at his mention of utilizing the Avengers as delivery boys (and girl), and she shook her head as the smirk slowly returned. “Just don’t let Stark near any of them is all I ask. The man doesn’t trust me as far as he can throw me, I think. Can’t guarantee he’d refrain from peeking.” She doubted he would. Natalia had a certain dislike for the genius, but he was still somewhere between acquaintance and friend. Close colleague, perhaps. Namor, on the other hand, seemed to harbor less love for the billionaire - and so far as she could tell, the feeling was mutual between the men.
One thin eyebrow arched at Namor’s next statement, and Natalia fought to keep a lid on her curiosity, lest it boil over. Try as she might, there was no hiding the curiosity in her eyes, unfortunately. She’d been through two Chitauri invasions so far and come out alive, but only time would tell if she’d survive a third. He should have no issues, she imagined. If it took Carol’s best work to even sear his flesh, she guessed he’d be nigh unstoppable against the significantly lesser might of the Chitauri. “Shall I meet you at Oracle, or will you be attending the debrief here?” she asked, impressed at the level tone of her voice. She herself should probably attend, but she’d learned recently that sometimes, there were more important things than SHIELD debriefs.
Namor stood his ground, brow arching in a display of genuine, albeit exaggerated interest. Letting his gaze study her coolly collected features, he smirked ever-so-slightly as she leaned in a fraction of a degree, murmuring her reply. "A truly wicked word," the Atlantean offered dryly, expression tight as though she were suggesting some form of betrayal. It was in love that compromise was most acceptable, but even then it was not often a tactic that he employed. "I am personally fond of complete devotion and utter worship, but I suppose your tactic may have some merit to it." The monarch continued, the small smirk from before returning.
And when disagreements arose... well, he had difficulty maintaining an impassioned debate. Usually witnessing opposition in his prospective partner simply whet his more carnal appetites, and he was happy to abandon arguing altogether in favor of slow kisses and tender caresses.
"Believe me, I've long since noticed," not that he was often a beacon of rationality. He was well aware how passionate, tumultuous and destructive he could be when the mood took him. But he was rationally irrational. He maintained his composure for his country, people and society. And in his personal life, he was unbridled, unrestrained. What was the point of living if you could not live freely, and feel fiercely? Why resist your emotions when all resisting them accomplished was a slow rot from within? Humans were baffling. They were emotional at the wrong times and restrained at the wrong times. "I'm rather glad that they saw some reason. I was not prepared to let you fall into their hands. And my company could hardly stand another war so soon," the Atlantean deadpanned.
Turning to Natalia, he watched the breeze pull at her loose curls as she seemed to struggle for words. Stopping, he watched her carefully as she admitted she was uncertain what normalcy was, or what she would even do in her life. "Living for something for so long only to have it taken away is no easy position to be in," he offered. He had something similar in his life, though it was brief-lived. He always knew that he was going to inherit his position, but when his mother and grandfather were killed, his life had been about war and vengeance. When the war ended, he was left scrambling, forced to figure out how to rule during a time of peace. "I rather think you would make an excellent teacher." She thrived best when she was working for a cause for others. She was intelligent, had walked many different paths in life, and was acquainted with many different cultures and viewpoints. Teaching--whatever field she wishes--seemed natural for her. He believed she would find a sense of fulfillment in seeing her students grasp what she offered. "And if you need someone to listen, I'm available when this battle's over."
Snorting softly, the brunette proffered a devilish grin. "Good. I appreciate a challenge." At the mention of the Junior Stark, Namor erupted into a short laugh. "As though I would trust that man to guard a paper bag. He threw a rather impressive tantrum when I favorably referenced his father's ability to recognize what needed done." He was tempted to continue and to say that Anthony was nominally better than that Clinton creature she was so fond of, but refrained for her sake. "Steven, Ms. Danvers and Robert would suffice. Perhaps Virginia, as well. The two of you are close, are you not?" Any of those four would work, he was certain.
Seeing her curiosity, he smiled in consideration, though it gradually dissipated before he proceeded, with an even tone. "I believe what I am going to give would be better given away from the eyes of your former superiors and current allies. Oracle would be best, a week after the Mad Titan's been handed his defeat." He would need to bring it to her, so that she could see for herself that what he was offering was real.
Post by Natalia Romanova on Apr 12, 2016 15:55:20 GMT
Natalia’s head tilted slightly, her eyebrows flickering up for half a moment. All in all, the expression looked almost to say “isn’t it, though?” while her lips remained shut firmly in a smirk that matched his own. The smirk didn’t last long, slowly easing into an all out grin at what the monarch said next. He certainly wasn’t lying. So long as she’d known him, he’d always been prone to giving his all, even when it seemed a bad idea. The memory of him suggesting he offer her his throat on the beach in Greece should she prove to be in the relationship for no other reason than to get close and assassinate him should the need arise had stayed with her over the years.
Even now, her eyes fell to rest upon the point of his Adam’s apple before lifting to his face once more. Harming him had never been a part of the job - not with SHIELD, and not with the KGB. Perhaps with the latter, she might have tried, had the order been given, but if Fury had asked it of her after that first dinner, she’d have told him where he could shove the order… politely.
“So I’ve noticed,” she chuckled in response. Namor had been quite the force to reckon with back in the day, when he’d started his campaign for bettering the world with violence, rather than words. The world had been submerged in one international war or another then, which had been the cause for his arrival to the surface, if she wasn’t mistaken. It was lucky for the Allied Forces that it wasn’t their weapon that had caught the Atlantean monarch’s attention, and that he’d deigned their cause more worthy, or else she imagined things would be considerably more red nowadays.
What Namor said next caught Natalia almost off-guard and she furrowed her brows as her mind wrapped around the comments. There had been a hint of his humor in the tone he used, but she knew a genuine statement when she heard it. “Thank you,” she smiled after a moment, the expression light. “Truly. That means a lot to me.” Having him on her side meant more than she could properly express, so that would have to suffice for now.
Swallowing past a lump in her throat, Natalia watched the clouds off the side of the deck as they drifted lazily along the starboard side of the Helicarrier. When she turned back to face Namor, there was an easier expression on her face and the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “I don’t regret any of it.” She’d come to that conclusion while sitting at his vacation home in Greece, tending to her wounds and resting. “What I did in Triji, taking a step back from SHIELD and the Avengers… I’d do it all again, for the right reason.” For the right person.
Namor and his cause had been right, of that she was certain.
“A teacher?” she mused, one eyebrow arching in contemplation. She had been training SHIELD agents for quite some time now, but there were plenty of other subjects she could teach. Her own mentors had all made profound, positive impacts on her life. Perhaps when all of this was said and done, she’d look into the prospect. Even if she didn’t take up a subject at a school, there were other ways to teach. She didn’t respond vocally to his offer of being a sounding board should she want one after the battle, but her smile and nod spoke of her gratitude easy enough.
Natalia’s grin widened as one appeared on Namor’s lips. It disappeared at the mention of Tony throwing a tantrum, and she shook her head lightly. “Funny… He never mentioned his own tantrum when he regaled us with the tale of your meeting. He did have some colorful words to describe you, though. It’s lucky for him Steve was there, or else I think he may have become considerably more colorful himself,” she chuckled. Perhaps she’d been out of line, getting as physical with Tony as she had. She’d done nothing but jab his shoulder, but the fact that two Avengers had actively stepped away (or behind Carol, in Clint’s case), should have been a red flag to signal a need to dial her ire back.
“We are.” Pepper was one of Natalia’s only friends - and one of the only females, to boot.
Had she not already been curious, Namor’s next comment would have sparked her curiosity for sure. What could he possibly have to give her that was so secret? Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, she racked her brain for any kind of present that SHIELD might find unacceptable. When she came up blank a few heartbeats later, she sighed in defeat and let out a soft chuckle. “Alright, you’ve got me hooked,” she drawled, a small smile appearing on her lips. “One week from then.”
A shout from somewhere across the deck dragged Natalia’s attention away from the Atlantean for a moment. One of the pilots was beckoning towards a quinjet preparing for takeoff, his motions suggesting they move away from the air strip. He received a curt nod for his efforts before Natalia turned back towards Namor. “Suppose that’s my cue to head back in. I’ve got a weasel to find before the next attack. Don’t want her drowning in the chaos of SHIELD at war without me,” she grinned, inwardly amused at her own joke. Namor would have no knowledge of Sofia, or Natalia’s pet name for the ex-HYDRA asset. Stepping forward, she leaned up so that she could place a chaste kiss upon Namor’s cheek before stepping away and turning to head towards the door leading back inside.
Something stopped her, and she turned halfway to face him again, a grin hanging on her lips. “Hey Namor,” she called out, her voice carrying on the wind. “Give ‘em Hell.”