knightsoflegend | LAS VEGAS ♔ DON'T THREATEN ME WITH A GOOD TIME

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LAS VEGAS ♔ DON'T THREATEN ME WITH A GOOD TIME

One of The Drunks - Panic! At The Disco

WHO || Kenzi, Paige, Bo, Groot, Rocket, You? ~~Gatecrashers~~ Others welcome.
WHAT || Vegas Baby!
WHERE || Pandora in Vegas, Nevada.
WHEN || March, 2018
HOW || Action Spam.

[ Kenzi had threatened Paige with a ladies night and of course, if anyone needed a night out it was Bo. The fact that there's also a talking Tree, a drinking Raccoon and... Drax? It's Kenzi. Why is anyone shocked by the people that she spends time with? She has ideas and they spin out of control and you just sort of hang on for the ride. It's her way. She may have casually mentioned they were coming here to a few other people, so if you happen to show up as well? The more the merrier.

The location itself isn't exactly filled with the garish glitz and glamor that a person generally associates with Vegas. Pandora has a British Pub meets modern day speakeasy feel to it. It's known for its signature cocktails with names like Panty Dropper and the Hot Little Mess and you can always count on live entertainment in the form of dancers, magicians, a band and of course, a DJ. It also happens to be one of the few clubs that has an open door policy where Shadowkind are concerned. Whether they'll be rethinking said policy after tonight? We just don't know. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ down in the hotel bar, peter grabs a back booth with kenzi where he can watch the door for malina. he's markedly on edge, trying his hardest not to show it, but he's bouncing his access card against the table so she gets to put up with the tap tap tap ]

[ Try as he might, her sense motives are ridiculous so Kenzi casually allows her hand to settle on top of his leg, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to remind him he's not alone. She won't try and poke at the obvious swarm of thoughts in his head though. She figures nothing will really help with that until he finds out what Malina knows. ]

[She arrives not long after, moving directly to the booth and sliding in across from them, before cutting to the chase because she doesn't want to drag it out for him and make him wait.]

Coulson is going to give it back.

[ the words are hardly out of her mouth when the hand holding the card slams on the table in irritation, the card flicking free of his fingers to land on the table as he shakes his head with practically prepared anger ]

Dick. I knew it. A bunch of bureaucratic jerkwads who don't care about anybody but themselves. You know what? I'm glad we're gonna rob 'em, they deserve--

[ he stops ranting as her words actually catch up to him ]

Wait. Did you say "is" going to give it back?

[ behold peter quill and his crit failed wisdom checks]

[ Her own head jerk of surprise likely goes unnoticed as Peter launches into a rant that would have been worthy of pride... ya know, if he hadn't just... missed what Malina just said.

She's not going to derail that train, however, just slide her hand up to cover her mouth to conceal the grin that's now playing on her lips. She'll just, give him a moment. He'll get there eventually.

There we go.

Allowing her hand to slip from her mouth once again, Kenzi gives his leg a gentle squeeze beneath the table, leaning into him to stage whisper: ]

She did.

[Malina is also amused at his tirade, but she let's him reach the right conclusion before she nods.]

I don't think you're wrong though. I think he overheard us and wanted to make sure we did the least amount of damage to whatever infrastructure SHIELD has as possible. It was way too easy for me to get him to say yes, like he had already made the decision before I even asked.

[So yeah, he's not doing this out of the goodness of his heart. He's doing this because it's a strategic move. She's just not sure what the strategy is.]

He said it would take a few weeks to get here, from where they shipped it to, but if you want, we could just have them send it right to the Milano and cut out some of the trip time.

[ it's not that he's not concerned about those strings that she's talking about, the ones likely attached to all of this. but there's still a disbelieving smile that slowly stretches over his face, as he looks between the two of them, eyes lingering on kenzi's for a moment, given how much she now understands about what this means to him, before he looks back to malina ]

That's it? They'll just send it right to England? No heist required. [ he sounds like he can't quite wrap his head around that this is happening, but it's impossible to miss the hope in his eyes ] They've got to want something.

[ She would be more concerned herself, but it's hard to truly care about the details when she sees that smile touch his face. The first flicker of hope and he'd find nothing but warmth to greet him as he lingers on her. It hasn't even crossed her mind just yet, what this will inevitably mean. She's just happy for him, because she understands.

She has nothing to add, but there is a sense of relief about her. Clearly, she hadn't thought this was how the conversation would go. It doesn't last, however, caution immediately slipping over her features because apparently everyone at this table is in agreement. There's gotta be a catch. ]

They do. But according to Coulson it's not conditional, they're just hoping you'll do this out of the goodness of your heart.

[Which, she's reluctant to bring this up at all but she's an all cards on the table kind of person.]

Coulson wants to run tests on you. He claims they're non-invasive but he wants to study how you survived in space and how your body adapted, I guess? He's giving the engine back either way, but that's what he wants.

I told him not to hold his breath.

Tests? [ that seems to take him entirely by surprise, and he glances between the two of them as if to be sure he heard that right ] What kind of tests? I'm not here to be anybody's science experiment, if that's what they think. And my body adapted just fine, thank you. [ he thrusts his shoulders back a little, as if to subtly puff his chest out or something ] Better than fine, in fact.

[ now he looks to kenzi, as if for her to vouch. i'm so sorry, kenzi. this is what you've now signed up for ] Definitely above average. Compared to most people. Right?

[ She stiffens beside him throughout Malina's explanation of what S.H.I.E.L.D. want. The word 'Tests' causing her expression to darken and it's only Peter's voice that causes her to slip another mask in place, wanting his feelings on the matter before busting out with the 'aw hell no' that wants so badly to rise up. (Will Save Nat 20)

It's that puffing out of his chest that makes the anger slip momentarily, Kenzi's mouth falling open and oh my god, Peter Quill... How are you the most ridiculous human being she has ever met?!

She has to press her lips together to keep the smile from playing across her lips, more than a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes before he's looking at her for confirmation and she manages to wrestle those lips into something that resembles a serious expression because just... bless. (Sense Motive 45). ]

Average wishes it could be that good. [ All sass and sincerity as she reaches over to pat his hand. Don't worry Peter, she thinks you're very attractive please stop talking now. ]

I don't know. He also mentioned something about alien technology like he thinks it has some kind of radiation. I honestly don't know what he's looking for, but he thinks it could "save lives."

[And that's complete with air quotes.]

He's super hard to read though, so who knows how honest he's being about what he's looking for.

Radiation? He gets that people up there live with technology every day, right? It's not like everyone's growing third eyes or extra-- [whatever he was going to say, he reads his audience and amends it] limbs.

... I mean, some of them already have those. But you know what I mean. [ but now he's looking worried, deep down, and doing a shitty job of hiding it ] If it wasn't safe, I'd have figured that out by now. Or have gotten sick or-- [ excuse him having an internal panic remembering his mom dying of cancer and how fast that happened kthanks ] Obviously, I'm not. [ he looks at kenzi as if somehow she is an expert on this ] I mean, I'd know already.

Right?

[ Malina could have said literally anything else and she wouldn't have been worried at all, but the second Radiation passes her lips, Kenzi is painfully aware of the dangerous territory they're dancing into. (Wis 21). She watches Peter in her periphery, the slightest hint of concern breaking through her mask as she tries to read his reaction and the very second he looks at her like he's quietly trying to find a lifeline? Her hand is immediately closing the distance again to cover his. ]

Of course, you'd know. [ It's overly casual, yet confidently dismissive of the idea that anything at all could be wrong. ] You'd totally know.

[ Her fingers curving around his hand as she tries to offer some form of comfort and reassurance without drawing attention to any need for it. ]

Dude has seen one too many SyFy shows, amirite?. [ Looking to Malina now, almost like she's trying to silently encourage the other woman to agree with them here.

Then her gaze flickers to Peter again. ] Besides. You don't owe them shit.

She's right, you would absolutely know. With the amount of exposure you have, if there was something more dangerous involved you would have felt it a long time ago, and we would have noticed something on your ship when you brought it to the castle.

[Unless Coulson knows something they don't, but she honestly feels like he's just fishing for information about something else.]

She is also right about the fact that you do not owe them shit. The only reason you should do this is if you really want to.

Why would I want to? All they've done is jerk me around, and now they're gonna act like I'm supposed to be grateful for it?

[ It's subtle, but it's there: The way Kenzi's gaze flickers back to Malina just as she exhales a breath. The tiny flood of relief and gratitude as the conversation spins back into safer territory. ]

Pshh. Douchebags. I'd tell them to go shove their tests.

[ Really just echoing what Peter seems to be feeling at this point so that he has another voice to reassure him he's allowed to make this decision. ]

Exactly what I told him. But I didn't want it to come up later and make it seem like I was trying to keep something from you so ... you now know everything I know. I'll tell Coulson you want the engine to go back to London and that will be that.

[She's personally glad they're not going to risk their jobs to steal it, though at the same time somewhat disappointed because she could have used something fun to do. It's a complicated thing.]

Edited 2019-04-28 23:34 (UTC)

[ you're tellin' him. and all his thievey pals ] Actually.

Maybe it is a better idea to bring it here. [ his hand twitches a bit against kenzi's as he glances at her ] You said you know a guy who could probably fix it. And Rocket knows the ship. Between the two of them...

[ The corner of her mouth lifts up in a small, half smile. Kenzi bobbing her head as she gives his hand a little squeeze. ]

I'll talk to my guy. [ And by her guy she means the dude she's being Lab Bitch, for. ] It'll be worth it just to see those two working together.

[She nods.]

Okay. Then we'll arrange to bring the rest of the ship here, and you'll have a whole ship again in a few weeks.

Thanks, Malina. [ his fingers lace through kenzi's at the pressure, and he gives malina a warm smile that's half relief and half... something else. maybe even a little uncertain, now that so much is opening up in front of him. ] I owe you one.

[ Kenzi, for her part, manages to completely miss that 'something else'. She's too busy staring at their entwined hands to notice. Her gaze flickers from them, to Malina then Peter - almost like she's gaging the temperature of the table before a small smile plays across her lips and she brushes her thumb along the side of his hand.

Wait, where were we?

... ]

I just... owe you a name. [ She gatecrashed their meet up she can do manners?!

Lifting her free hand in a wave - shut up, yes she waved, deal with it. ]

Hi. Kenzi.

[That's okay. Waves are cool. She does the same before nodding.]

Malina. And I was happy to help. I'm just glad I can at least make this right.

[She can't fix Kali's feelings about losing her best friend, or anything else that this situation but she can get Peter his ship back.]

Not that that actually makes things better.

Doesn't make our friend unbetray us, you mean. [ still bitter tho ] Have you talked to her again?

Hotel ★ Peter & Kenzi & Malina (closed).

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