The Soul Bond Meme

[disassembling]

"I can't live without you...literally."

Wake up. Do what you have to. Work. School. Save the world. Avenge your father's death. Go back to sleep. Average day, for human, demon, sailor scout, angel, slayer, what have you. Though there's some part of you that wonders, in the back of your mind, if this is the day you'll meet your bond.

Because your world is just like ours - or how yours was, in another universe - but with one addition: the soul bond. The soul bond is a concept as old as time itself. People don't question the process, it just is. Some say that it comes from the beginning of time, where each soul was created in a pair, and throughout the lifetimes those souls are reborn into, they search for each other. This is the soul bond. Even if that's mostly faded into myth, it's generally excepted that there is only only one person for anyone. So, soulmates.

Not exactly. Soul bonds are more. They are about the joining of bodies: sexually and psychically. The bond isn't necessarily about love, though the close connection facilitates that emotion growing, and some fondness does appear in almost every case. It's bigger than love, bigger than hate, bigger than anything else; it's finding yourself in someone else, and your never wanting to lose that. Needless to say, the soul bond is the cornerstone of life and society. Marriage is reserved for the bonded, and you're expected to be searching for that other half. There's a good biological reason for that, too, as the unbonded cannot reproduce and those who have not found their bond are doomed to die extremely early in comparison to their peers and in a most painful, withering fashion. Who would want that?

In this world, sex is had with those who are not the other half of your bond, even if society considers that frivolous. For the truth is, sex with any other will never be as good as sex with your other half. When you make love to someone who isn't yours, you'll know it. It's a disappointment.

When you so much as see your bond for the first time, or at least for the first time after you've reached sexual maturity, you'll know, even if you're already "with" someone else. The signs are inescapable. You'll know it's them. You'll become hyper-focused on them, your heart will race, your muscles tighten, your brain shoot off every signal it nose...and you will become aroused beyond belief. Any arousal you've had prior pales in comparison. So go ahead, if you don't want a bond, ignore it. Try. It won't work. The more you ignore it, the more control you'll lose. Did I forget to mention? In this world, sexual drives are a little more animalistic than usual. They would have to be when the mainstay of the races is a sexual-based bond. Those who try to ward off the desire to become one with their other half can achieve mild success - until they absolutely lose themselves. It's not uncommon to see bonds going at it in the streets, unabashed and unashamed, for trying to hold off the inevitable. Sex between bonds in public, generally, is not looked down upon.

You've given in. Of course you did. But what now? The first time you have sex with your bond, it will be beyond compare. You will share memories with each other, as this is the opening of your psychic connection with them. Yes, psychic connection. How would you expect to be truly bonded otherwise? How strong this link is depends on how often you have sex. Even at baseline, though, you'll know if your bond is hurt or in trouble. Fair warning: this will pull at that animal brain, and you will go into a beserker mode to get them back with you. Similarly, you will behave in a territorial manner if you feel the bond is threatened; jealousy often results in shameless public sex, in hopes to re-establish the strength of your connection and make your bond realize that YOU'RE the other part of them, no one else. In addition, bonds don't handle separation well and each partner will be antsy and on edge. It can be done, and most pairs do because of work, duties, and life in general, but returns are usually accompanied by sometimes days-long sex sessions.

Aside from those quirks, the bonding process can be quite useful. A bond can calm you down, and sex with your bond can serve as the ultimate relaxer. Your bond is the one who can heal you, and sex boosts your strength and power. Yes, those of you looking to achieve your ultimate goal...or ultimate form. Being a bond makes you stronger. Don't resist, no matter how surly you are.

The bond is no respecter of person. Outside of sexuality such as straight or gay, types or species don't matter. You could be bonded with someone as different from you as night and day. However, no matter what the case, you'll begin to care for them in some fashion. You'll feel the need to be with each other as much as possible, both sexually and otherwise. They'll become the most important person in the world to you. Of course, this is assuming your bond is someone you can feasibly be with. Perhaps there is some truth to that reincarnation business, as sometimes, those souls are reborn into people who are never meant to be bonds - warring tribes, at-odds species, and even relatives or people with a great amount of age between them.

The bond is permanent. This is the person you were meant to be with, after all, until you die (and soul bonds usually die within years of each other). Theoretically, though, it can be broken. Mostly, this is done when one side betrays the other side somehow. As the bond is initiated through sex, it's broken in the same way. What happens next is rarely pretty. Police reports usually find the bodies of the dead bonded, cause of death specifically unknown.

Head spinning yet? It shouldn't be! This is the world you live in.

rules
- Comment with your character, preferences, what you're interested in, and what you're not interested in.
- Crosscanon tagging is expected and encouraged. Mention if you want to make some kind of canon-insertion AU with one of the characters or just have a nebulous AU.


prompts

Meeting - You see your bond in that way for the first time, and it's done. You're done. You have to have them to be complete.

Trying to Fight It - No, you're the type who rebels against this whole "soul bond" system. You're the master of your own design, and you won't give in despite the fact that you could just start masturbating right now.

Failure to Fight - The whole fighting thing didn't work out, and now you're going at each other like you'll die of thirst.

First Time - The legendary first time with soaring sensations, amazing orgasms, and the sharing of memories.

Not the Sharing Type - You're a private person and don't want your brain in someone else's. How can you reconcile this? Maybe doing the act can change your mind. Or maybe you just want relief so badly, you don't care.

Feedback - You feel all of your partners pleasure as well as their pain. If you can't come up with something kinky, I can't help you.

Dirty Thoughts - You know what's naughty? Sending mental images of what you'd like to do to your bond through your connection. It's like mental sexting - or a fun way to torture them.

Learning About Each Other - You're learning what both of you like and don't like and sharing as you go.

Jealousy - Someone tried to approach your bond and it made you a bit miffed. Now it's time for some affirmation of the connection and to make sure that you're still on their mind.

Rough Bond - Your bond is more hate than love sometimes, but it's a thin line. Besides, you still care more about them than anyone else, and god forbid someone hurt them. Besides, rough sex is fun.

Separation - You'll be apart for a while. You need one last hurrah

Reunion - You're back together. Now to make up for lost time. Not just because you want to, either.

Public - Remember how I said sex in public is accepted for bonds. Why not take advantage?

Chasing That High - You keep having sex with people, trying to find you bond.

Chasing That Low - In contrast to the above, you're trying to keep away from a bond by desensitizing yourself to sex.

Bond Party - Some young people throw "mixers" where, hopefully, you may meet your bond. Experimentation is bound to happen...even experimentation with multiple people at the same time, trying to find that one.

Can Never Be - Your bond is with someone you shouldn't have one with. They're your sworn enemy, your teacher, or your sibling. Your body and soul says yes, but your mind says no.

Strengthen - You need energy to defeat the big bad or rule the world. Go to your bond and recharge.

Comfort - A bond is often the only one who can calm their other half down, and that sometimes happens through a grounding via sex, bringing the upset party back to what really matters.

Healing - Healing wounds and healing the connection all comes down to body pressed against body. Just be careful of blood.

Long Time Bond - You've been together for some time now and you know each other like the back of your hands. You can make them come in ten seconds flat if need be, but it's more fun to drag things out, isn't it?

Ritual - You want to make your bond official in the eyes of the government. Unsurprisingly, the marriage ceremony is ritualistic sex.

Impregnation - There's no fertilization between the eggs and sperm of non-bonds, so one surefire way to make sure everything's on the up and up is to get pregnant.
Mind Games - Being psychically connected is all good until they fuck with your head.

Dependency - It's not always easy, being for, all intents and purposes, addicted to a person. You need them like you need breathing, and you'll take what you can even if you're ashamed.

Already with Someone - You love someone, but they're not your bond. Can they keep you when you meet your real bond?

I'm Not Yours, You're Not Mine - You know you're not bonds. Still you want them to stay with you and you'll do anything and try to be better.

False Bond - You thought you were bonded, you really did, until you met them

Faking It - There are benefits to faking a bond, including for safety, financial gain, and to secure alliances. Of course, you can't fake it in the bedroom.

Manipulating - You'll get what you want, even if you have to lie and pretend you're bonded to them...how you can fake that, no one knows, but it's worth a shot.

It's Not Me, It's You - Sometimes, mistakes are made. They're your bond, but you're not theirs.

Break the Bond - Because you have a death wish or a snuff kink.

My Ex-Lover is Dead - Your soul bond is gone and you're trying to fill the gap.

OR MAKE UP YOUR OWN


Now made with 10x more awful because Brock Rumlow is involved in it. I regret nothing and neither should any of you.

Comments

<3

[infligere]

Rumlow didn't believe in the bullshit about bonding with a single person and having his entire world focus on that. He didn't have time for it, didn't want it, and he wasn't the type of man who ever thought that it would happen to him. He even guarded himself against it, keeping to himself and relying mostly on members of HYDRA and little else than that. He had avoided the complication as best that he could, but it came all the same and he hated it t he moment that he sensed her. He wanted to hate her, but it was impossible with a bond, so he instead hated the situation more than anything.

He had avoided loading her personally into the vehicle, keeping his eyes and attention focused on keeping Rogers contained, not that it was really necessary given that the guy was in shock. It was going to mess up their plans all the same, but he had his part to play and so he would or die trying. God did he want to look at her though, to catch a closer look, maybe tighten the restraints just shy of painful.

The parting was worse, knowing she had gone away to fight another day. They would meet again, and then he's show her something of what being bonded to him was like. When he found her again as he ascended to deal with the Widow and council they had met and he let her know right then and there what it was to be close to him. It would be a beautiful mix of pleasure and pain as a bond was supposed to be. Perhaps it was the bond tugging him along, but he was two steps out of the window after her as the helicarrier almost crushed them both. She hit the helicopter dead on; he managed to slide a hand down her leg before he hit the leg of the helicopter and dropped into the waters of the Potomac, alive, bruised and wanted but alive.

He went into hiding as HYDRA and SHIELD imploded. He was growing his hair out and let a beard grow for the time being, moving from safe house to safe house for months until he happened to be returning to his current one with a bag of groceries. He waited until she had wandered onto a relatively deserted street and then stepped out down the way from her. "Long time no see, babe. You gonna avoid me forever and hurt us both with the separation or are you going to admit you need me?"

[imadebreakfast]

She didn't stagger, she barely even stumbled, but she did definitely backpedal a half step, and one could almost, almost hear the cartoon sound of squealing tires as she did so. Just enough to square her own position a little, despite the fact that her pulse had kicked up and the only reason that her breathing hadn't started to go short was because she wouldn't let it.

Remembering to breathe, learning how it had to work while in motion in the atmosphere alone was one of the first things they'd had to do with the wing packs and it was something she'd never un-learned. So even though her pulse was thudding away strongly enough that she could feel it in her chest, her joints, even under her tongue, her breathing remained stable.

As did her voice, when she replied: "It's worked so far, hasn't it?" Except for the part where it hadn't, not completely, not anywhere close to as well as she would have liked. There had been more than one day where she'd crashed out for at least twelve hours just to recharge her batteries, and even then it hadn't been a real fix, she'd been getting distracted more and more easily the past week or so, enough so that she'd almost cold-clocked Steve for sneaking up on her. Except for the fact that he hadn't, he'd already been in the room and her mind had just been elsewhere.

[infligere]

It was everything that he had left not to cross the distance that separated them to be closer to where she stood. Somehow, the twisting need kept him rooted on the spot to enjoy the discomfort that it caused him, and especially because he knew that she would be dealing with her own discomfort at the same time. It was a nice thought really... she suffered when he did. There were very few people who could appreciate and still hate that reality, but he did and relished the hate he felt for the situation.

He refused to let any of that show as he stared at her like they were in some kind of stand-off. Perhaps they were. He was curious which of them would break first, and he liked to think himself a better man than that or just more used to enduring pain the longer that they were separated. The pounding in his head to get closer and not further was very much present after all.

"You know we can't do this forever or even more than a few more months," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders, shifting the bag of groceries to his other arm. "Eventually, we're going to have to get a little close to avoid agony. Of course... acknowledging a bond makes it worse, doesn't it? You haven't told Rogers yet, have you?"

[imadebreakfast]

She knew that she was going to crack first, just the same as she knew she should already have walked away. But she wasn't to the breaking point yet, and had no plans on reaching it today, even though she actually had to bite her tongue to keep from answering that first question.

Besides, it wasn't like they didn't already both know the answer to it.

She did, however, answer the second, shaking her head just once, "No. I haven't. He doesn't need the stress." Because she knew that while he wouldn't drop everything, he would at least drop some of it to find a way to help her, or at least look for some way to make it easier. Or maybe to find someone to try and knock Rumlow off before either of them gave in.

She could still leave. She should leave, before either of them got any ideas. But she couldn't quite make herself do it. Just like she couldn't quite make herself hate him, hell, she didn't even know him, and while she definitely hated who he'd stood for, and more than hated the fucked-up situation, hating him personally was another matter.

"How's your concentration been this week? I'm going to guess pretty crappy, yeah?" Lord only knew hers had been, and she couldn't imagine his had been that much better.

[infligere]

He shifted his weight on his feet, aware that it was dangerous for him to be out in public like this. There was no telling when a camera was going to flash and accidentally catch him, displaying his face for recognition programs that the government and HYDRA would be running. He did't move away nor did he try to hide himself into the shadow of a building, not yet anyway. The risk seemed much less when he was facing her down like this, and so he was able to pass it off.

"I'm not sure how you finding a bond would be stressful on him. It's between us, isn't it?" Oh he knew that it would cause stress and limit a bit of what the pair could do without him when it came to the Soldier. It was just funny to think that Rogers couldn't lay a hand on him too hard without it coming back to hurt her in response. He couldn't be killed or she'd be condemned to meet a similar fate it not right away but soon after.

He vowed that he wasn't going to leave until she made the first step to abandon this encounter. He had started it after all, so he was going to see it through to the end. There was nothing else entertaining to do for the day after all, and he found her very interesting. He chuckled at her question though.

"It's been the shits. I can't seem to stay on any one thing for long," he replied casually as if it didn't really bother him. "I get distracted easily too." Not now; if anything, he was hyperfocused on her.

[imadebreakfast]

She just arched a brow at that first question, because she knew where they each stood, respectively, in Steve's circle of trust, herself well on the inside, and Rumlow somewhere miles off the far edge. And with her being sidekick and outside viewpoint both on the whole 'track down Barnes' project, any bond would prove dicey. Moreso one between them. Which honestly she wasn't entirely thrilled at the prospect of, either.

Honestly it probably wasn't all that great an idea for her to be alone out in public either, which was part of why she had Steve on speed dial, and hadn't been an idiot about where she was going. Until now. She honestly hadn't realized why she was using the alley as a cut-through until she was already there, and now of course she knew why, goddamn biological GPS.

"Until now, right?" She huffed, something that might have been a laugh if she'd actually been amused by the situation, because she could focus on him just fine, she wanted to, except at the same time she really really didn't, "Guess that's just more proof of what we already know."

[infligere]

Oh he knew very well where he stood in comparison to her when it came to Rogers' good graces. However, he ironically knew where he stood in the good graces of the man that Steve was bumbling around looking for as well, and that could just make a wonderful reunion if they learned how to get along at all. Of course, no one else knew that, and there was no point in letting that slip in the streets. He prided himself on keeping some important information to himself.

"Yeah, now everything is clear and clean by my eyes," he agreed with a smirk because it had been similar to how it had been before the helicarrier broke up the moment that they had been trying to have on the forty-first floor together. "I haven't been this clear since jumping out of a building with you. You sure know how to get the adrenaline pumping."

He glanced to either side of the area they were standing in before he gestured a little with his head. "You want to come over and have a sit down. I think we have some unfinished business and since you haven't walked away yet, I figure that you're not going to."

[imadebreakfast]

"No I haven't." And that was an actual laugh, which surprised her as much as anything, "I should. I really should. But I haven't." She shrugged then, but she did step forward, moving carefully and keeping her arms free just in case she had to pop him one and make a break for it.

Not that she had any confidence that she'd actually be able to, but she was going to have to try at least, "What can I say? I like living dangerously." This was at least partly true, it would certainly explain why she'd signed up for para-rescue in the first place, why she'd volunteered for the EXO program, and also why she was riding shotgun on Steve's quest.

"But between you and me? I'm happy keeping that business unfinished for as long as possible." He was even less her type than Riley had been, but she knew biology didn't give a damn, something that was becoming increasingly more obvious.

[infligere]

No, she hadn't and just like he had planned, she was the one to move to him and not the other way around. He watched her come closer, aware that this could end in a fight of some kind right in the streets, though he was hoping to avoid the attention that it would draw. He liked watching her move though, a soldier's walk, confident in one's own skin and no wasted energy to unnecessary motions. "Yeah, you should... but you haven't."

He shifted when she was close enough, reaching into his bag of groceries slowly and with a disarming smirk if there ever was one. He made certain that his movements were clean but unhurried so she didn't think he was going to pull a knife or a gun on her. Not yet anyway. That might come later. For now, he instead pulled out an apple and offered it to her. A gift, a show of being able to provide. It overrode any disgust he might have felt for doing so.

"You know that's only going to happen so long, babe," he replied. "Sooner or later, we're going to mess up. However, to be fair, if we plan this right, no one has to know about it and we don't have to see each other that often. It's all about the contingency plan though."

[imadebreakfast]

"Ariel." She said, eying him a moment as if to assess any potential treachery before actually accepting that apple, "My name's Ariel. Which is usually hilarious, because of the wings. I know." There was actual amusement in the tone, she was generally the first one making jokes about finally living up to her name. Right at the moment, though she couldn't be entirely sure if the amusement was the usual amount or if it was combined with the relief of finally being close to him.

"You say things like that I'm going to wonder if you're worried about my reputation or your own." And that was mostly a joke as well, she knew full well that he couldn't afford to be found by either side and there was part of her -a part that was slowly getting bigger- that wanted to make sure he wasn't found. She couldn't be sure just yet whether or not she was disgusted with herself for wanting to keep him safe.

"So," She said, rubbing the apple on her sleeve before taking a bite out of it, "What'd you have in mind?" Because if they could figure out how to not go crazy and leave no one else the wiser for it, well, that would be best for everyone involved.

[infligere]

He raised an eyebrow at the official offering of a name, aware it was kind of personal. They had never been formally introduced, though he had no doubt that they knew one another's names. He inclined his head slightly. "Rumlow," he replied because he didn't go by his first name to many people and all those who had previously were dead. Maybe he'd offer it later down the road if this went anywhere other than mocking and anger. "Do I sound like I'm laughing?" He wasn't; he must have left his sense of humour in another jacket.

"Well, considering my reputation is blown wide open and if anyone sees or recognizes me, I'm pretty much a dead man... let's just go with keeping your reputation intact," he said conversationally, though the corner of his lip formed a smirk all the same. He had no problem ruining reputations after all. "Yours will be pretty screwed if anyone finds out your bonded to me after all."

He shrugged at the question, glancing around to make certain that they were still alone. He really didn't trust exposed positions like this. "We're both soldiers. We can come up with a contingency plan on how to go about our lives with this sticking point in min." And he wouldn't mind seeing how long it took him to annoy the shit out of her and steal at least a kiss in the process.

[imadebreakfast]

He'd definitely have to try harder if annoying her was the goal, mostly because right now she was too busy enjoying being able to think about something without getting distracted every few minutes. Granted, it would have been nice to be thinking about anything other than their current predicament with that level of concentration, but she'd take what she could get.

"Guess the first question is if you're going to be sticking around here for a while or going to ground somewhere else." Which really was a question even despite the fact that she hadn't actually asked it. She shrugged one shoulder as she took another bite of the apple, talking carefully around it, "I'll be back in town more often. Be easy enough to do my own thing while I'm here." Because if she told Steve she was visiting friends he'd actually believe her, and while she didn't like lying to him, it was bound to become a necessity.

"Unless you've got a better idea." She added, honestly curious as to what he'd had in mind, if it was any different than what she'd come up with.

[infligere]

He was also enjoying the new freedom to think long and hard about something rather than flicking his thoughts all over the place. It made grocery shopping a pain when he couldn't remember what he wanted to eat. He'd never had to rely on a list before this had all happened, but here he was knowing if she left, he'd be back to a list just to function in his life or at least to focus enough to get things done.

"Well, they probably won't allow me to use my passport anymore, so I guess I'm stuck around this area," he replied dryly. He also had a relatively safe place to stay in, so he would milk that for a bit longer until he could better find out where active HYDRA cells were in motion. "Well, if you wanted to stay in town more often, I could possibly arrange something." He didn't really want to, but it would be nice not to have to flit around like some ADD kid.

"The only other idea would be for me to go with you, but I don't see that happening with how my history goes," he replied with a smirk.

[imadebreakfast]

She snorted, amused as much as anything else at the moment, "Oh that'd go over like a house on fire." She shook her head, "Even if I was the one presenting the idea. That plan's definitely not gonna fly."

A nod then, looking just a little tired even despite the clarity of thought that being this close to him brought on, "So, clandestine meetings every couple or three weeks is going to have to work. For now." She knew that the plan was, eventually to actually move into the Tower, at least that was what the plan was for Steve, her status as an Avenger was still unofficial, and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to give up her apartment anyway, even though she hadn't even seen the place in months.

"I can live on that." It wasn't a long-term solution, she knew, because the time apart would get worse the more often they were actually together, "You?"

[infligere]

"Depends how you presented it really. I mean, if you reminded Steve of my skills and how much of an asset they are, he might eventually agree after he punched holes in some bags," he replied with a smirk. He could be very useful in the hunt for the Soldier, though he didn't mention that specifically. It was a bit too obvious.

He shrugged, figuring he would be better off with meetings every once in a while to stave off the usual restlessness and inability to concentrate. It was also going to tie him in one place, and he wasn't certain that he wanted to do that. "As long as I have enough concentration to keep myself alive and out of the hands of those who'd like to see me dead, I'm fine with this arrangement."

It definitely wasn't going to be long term. "You know this will be worse if we ever cement the bond, right? How long do you think we can avoid that?" Him, as long as freaking possible.

[imadebreakfast]

"I know it, but let's worry about one thing at a time, because between you and me? I can avoid things for a long while." Of course, the longer they avoided it the harder it would be to avoid it, but she wasn't going to think about that too hard just yet, not while there was still a chance of living in denial.

A nod followed, "And yeah, presentation'd be the important thing. Just not at this stage of the game." Which was probably revealing too much, but she couldn't quite care right then, mostly for the sole fact that it was nice to have someone who wasn't directly involved with Steve's quest to talk to, as strange as that was considering just who that someone was. Suffice to say the hunt wasn't going well, which was why the more frequent visits to the Tower were going to be a thing, Stark had resources and Steve at least had enough sense to know that planning one excursion at a time was better than stringing three or four together.

She rolled her shoulders then, stretching, letting her spine decompress a little, which was something she hadn't really been able to do for at least a week. She had a feeling it would last a while, probably not a long while, but long enough. She eyed him a moment before she asked: "You have a phone?"

[infligere]

"Yeah, no offense, but I'm not looking to cement it," he said simply. He liked to have a life that was not full of the complication of having to be close to someone else, have to constantly think about them and all that nonsense. He worked better alone in the circumstances that he found himself in.

He could be useful in that hunt, but he wasn't about to actually suggest they bring him in for it. That would be a complete betrayal to HYDRA, and he liked to keep all of his options open. He could only imagine all the crap that Rogers was going through, and that was enough to assure him that he wanted as little part in it as he could. He liked to watch ol' Cap squirm after all.

After she had rolled her shoulders, he gestured for her to follow and began to make his way out of the alleyway that they stood in. "I do, but I don't keep it long. SHIELD and HYDRA have vocal recognition technology," he said as a way of explanation. "I keep clear of cameras for the facial recognition tech they have," he added as he walked down the street, changing his usual arrogant swagger to that of a shuffling tired blue-collar worker leading a woman to his home. "It will be safer at my place."

[imadebreakfast]

"None taken, you're really not my type." She replied, finishing off her apple and turning to toss it overhand into the nearest dumpster as she fell into step beside him, "Smart." She added, a reply both to not keeping a phone and keeping away from the cameras. She refrained from asking which of them his place would be safer for, though the snipe was right there on the tip of her tongue all the same. She knew she'd be safe enough all things considered, because actually bonded or not he wouldn't want her dead. At least in theory.

If that theory was disproved, she wasn't harmless, helpless, or unarmed, but that was the sort of thing she'd only worry about if she actually had to.

She was actually a little impressed by the easy shift in his gait, there weren't many people who could pull off a change in physicality like that, at least not as easily as he'd done. She kept pace beside him, only just within arm's reach, close enough so as not to come off as a total stranger to anyone who might be paying attention, but not close enough to put herself at risk, either.

[infligere]

He wasn't surprised that he wasn't her type, and he took no offense to that either. It was better that way as there would be no real pressing need to get into bed together and figure things out from there. He wasn't allowed to defend his place in a very obvious way or it would attract attention and all his efforts went to not doing so. He was very, very good at if after years hidden inside of SHIELD.

He took her back to his small one bedroom apartment that he was renting, cash only, and it was clean and well-ordered. He had two couches in the living room, a small television, a radio, but no obvious phone. He move to the kitchen with a knowing ease and began to put away the groceries.

"You want something to drink or something?" He supposed he had to at least be cordial to a guest who was going to have to stick around him more than he would have liked.

[imadebreakfast]

It was second nature, even a reflex to check her lines of sight and potential exits, something she did without even really thinking about it anymore. She shook her head at the question, "No, I'm good. But thanks." She replied as she went to sit on the end of the nearest couch as it had the most open space around it should she need to make a dive for freedom, though even despite that she was still at ease.

"You know," She said, tone utterly conversational, "As far as lairs go, this one really isn't that bad. You could definitely do worse." And the tidiness was a point in his favor, as much as she hated to admit to anything of the sort, even to herself. Though she did suspect that mostly it was so that he could pack up and leave in a hurry if he had to, and she didn't blame him for that in the slightest.

[infligere]

He didn't need to see her to know that she was still in the apartment that he had. Even if she decided to make a jump out the window, they had been close enough and associated long enough where he would be good to avoid having contact for a little while and for that he was thankful. He put away his groceries and folded up the paper bag. No point wasting those. They were dead useful for certain things.

He padded out of the kitchen and regarded her sitting on the couch with a clear line to getting out quickly. "I've done much worse, so this place isn't half bad. It will suit me a little longer." He certainly wasn't going to stay here long term, couldn't risk it. He moved to the couch and sat on the opposite side to her. "Your welcome to stay for however long as you want. I don't murder guests in their sleep, just so you know."

[imadebreakfast]

"Appreciate it. Can't make that kind of promise myself." She shrugged, then, settling back just a little, though one foot was still braced to lever herself upright again should she have to, "I've still got an hour or two, might as well get as close to a full charge as we can while we can, right?"

Another one of those crooked little smiles, "And I don't figure you would have invited me in if you were just planning on kicking me out again right away." Which he'd as much as said in saying she could stay as long as she liked, "Y'know, if I was the kind of person who believed in that kind of thing, I'd say fate has a really fucked-up sense of humor."

[infligere]

Ah well, he didn't think that she would get too close with him knowing about it, at least not close enough to slit his throat. He wondered if she could or if like him, she was a stuck by the bond as he was. He hoped so and that that knowledge made her uncomfortable because there was nothing more attractive than watching her squirm. Okay, maybe punching her in the face had been pretty attractive too.

"Yeah considering all that's happened, I would say that fate has a really fucked up sense of humor and just likes to torture people on principle," he said as he folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. "This wasn't actually supposed to happen to me. I never took a second glance at anyone, and now look at me? Slumping around inviting a woman to stay as long as she likes."

[imadebreakfast]

Honestly she wasn't sure if she'd be able to kill him. A swipe to something non-vital as a warning to keep his hands off, probably, but she wasn't even totally sure of that, or if she'd even want to in the first place.

Fucking biology.

She huffed, partly amused and oddly partly commiserating at the statement, "Yeah, and I was supposed to find a nice girl, settle down somewhere with a good HOA, invite the neighbors over for holiday parties and barbeques. Instead I got Riley, and turns out that wasn't even true." If he'd actually been listening, that was the first real confirmation as to why he wasn't her type.

[infligere]

Brock snorted at her reply to set up a scenario of what ifs and dream world that had clearly come crashing down. Neither of them would clearly have what they wanted in this, but it was enough that they had come to some kind of agreement to knowing they needed to at least at times have to be close to each other. It was the only way this was going to work, so she could hold on to her what ifs and long gones all she liked.

"Life is a bitch, and you get used to it or just learn to dull your disappointment," he said with a shrug of his shoulders as he laid his arm across the back of the couch. "At least you aren't dead, so there's your only bonus."