au meme } running from the law | blythe

[piqued]

from here.

She isn’t His Consigliere. He isn’t her Soldier. But when it’s time to run, it’s Time to Run, and it doesn’t always get to be Clean and Simple as would be Convenient.

There will be time to sort themselves out properly. Until then, well, at least the di Spade and the Coppe families are more Allied than not these days. It means driving just a Hair above the speed limit down a dark country road with her in his car isn’t a Problem.

Just not the Most Convenient.

“I’m sure we’ll be there soon, Miss.”

Somewhere Safe. Relatively, at any rate.

Comments

[piqued]

His nod is slow, thoughtful.

"...like bowling?"

He's trying.

[somuchheart]

... she's not laughing.

Yes, the corner of her lip is twitching. But she's not actually laughing. She's just... letting a little giggle slip. Just a tiny giggle.

"... sure. Bowling." And then the idea hits her. "What about bowling and laser tag?"

[piqued]

"...laser tag?" The incredulity in his voice is Obvious, but then again, he's got no legs to stand on.

He just suggested Bowling, for fuck's sake.

[somuchheart]

"It'll be like the rush of the job, except without the actual stress. What's not to like?"

[piqued]

"D'you still get a rush from it?" Then again, maybe a tiny bit of Action would be a good thing. The last month's tension needed to be relieved somehow or other.

[somuchheart]

"Don't you?" Her fingers trail briefly to his hair, run through it affectionately without disturbing it too much. "We have to go, then. You'll feel that first time rush all over again. There's nothing like it."

[piqued]

The shake of his head is slight, hopefully manages to hide the slight leaning into her touch. He hasn't felt a Rush from much of anything in years. "If you wish it."

[somuchheart]

"Let's go, then. I'll find somewhere." She pulls out her phone and pulls up the GPS. It won't take long before she's pointing out directions again.

[piqued]

And he'll resume following her lead rather than moving at random. He'll smile just slightly again, fingers tapping against the steering wheel.

He'll probably pull them in to a motel first. He should leave his actual guns in a safe deposit box before they do something like shooting.

[somuchheart]

A motel is good. Having a bed for the night - even if it's just one queen bed - is good.

But as soon they're settled in, Blythe will bounce a little in the sneakers she's changed into. "Ready?"

[piqued]

He doesn't have anything but neatly tailored suits. He'll have to make the slacks and shirt without jacket work, rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to be 'at ease.' He's not certain it's working.

But it Works to put his hand at the small of her back. It Works to tile into the car again and have her in the passenger seat.

[somuchheart]

She's had him procure all sorts of clothing for her over the last month. Now, she's wearing jeans and a tube top (and definitely a smile when his fingers rest gently at her back).

Maybe they can start out the car ride with her head on his shoulder. "We need to find you some unprofessional clothing at some point. Not today, but some day."

[piqued]

"What for?" Objecting to the Fashion Suggestion, of course, is far from objecting to the Contact between them. It's... comforting, having her head on his shoulder. "I do well in my suits."

[somuchheart]

"You'd do equally well in something less formal. Besides, it's harder to move around in slacks. It's just unfair that I'm going to beat you so easily."

[piqued]

"I rather expect you'll beat me because you've played the game before." No helping that sort of Advantage, slacks or no.

[somuchheart]

"Well, considering it only requires skills like stealth and a good aim, I doubt I'll be much better than you," she muses. "Even with you in slacks."

[piqued]

The creep of his smile is entirely unconscious. "'ve got very good aim, Miss Blythe."

[somuchheart]

She can hear the smile in his words, but looks up anyway, an answering grin spreading over her lips. "Well, then. May the best soldier win."

[piqued]

Swinging into the lot to park makes it a good time to look at her Properly. "In bocca al lupo, tesora."

Too Familiar, true. But she wanted him to Relax, didn't she?

[somuchheart]

That makes her pause for a moment, watching him speculatively before getting out of the car. "You too."

Registering is easy. Before long, they're suited up in the bulky vests with fake guns in their hands. The first round is Blythe against Declan, and she gives him a grin as the timer starts to countdown. "Ready?"

[piqued]

There's an amused hum on his lips as he nudges her ribs with his elbow. "Born in such a fashion, Miss."

[somuchheart]

She only has time to wink before the timer rings. In a heartbeat, she dashes behind a black barrier, rolls as best she can in a thick vest, then fires from a hole in the wall at his suit.

She takes this very seriously.

[piqued]

She's a Consigliere. True, she couldn't have gotten there without being a good Soldier first, but she likely hasn't spent as much time in the field since the promotion.

She's good. But so is he. And he's spent the last ten years perfecting the art of hiding and taking headshots. Luck will have something to do with the hunt, but so will his skill with a firearm.

Even a little plastic one.

[somuchheart]

And so she's disappointed when the final score is 56 to 64, but not very surprised. Her hair sticks to her forehead as they emerge from the room, and she laughs as she holds a hand out to him, just a little short for breath. "Good game. I let you win, of course."

[piqued]

Maybe he's smiling. Not from the victory, not from the joke, but from the simply Joy of having been Moving again. Having been Active and almost Useful for a little while.

"Of course."

They can live in that reality. They can hopefully also live in the reality of him taking her hand and pulling it to his lips rather than shaking it.