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[det_jules]

Occasionally, the power of suggestion was a very strong motivator in making Juliet's decisions for her. Someone implied that she could dress her best and maybe she went out and empowered herself. She woke up every day on a beautiful sunny Island with a beach and eventually she was going to go dip a toe in the water

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[anger_sideways]

There were many good things about living by the beach. Being soothed to sleep by the sound of waves, the fresh smell of briny air - and, of course, the view. Hawkeye was just getting ready to head out anyway (and he'd fight anyone who said otherwise) when he caught sight of the pretty blonde coming out of the waves.

He waved at her just as she was drying off, somewhat impressed by her flexibility.

"I've always said my life would be improved by singing birds to help me get dressed in the morning. That, and a rabbit who could mix cocktails, and life would be perfect," he said. "Do you need any help?"

[det_jules]

"Care to lotion up my back?" Juliet asked, using the sunscreen bottle as a prop to gesture at him in a 'Uncle Sam Wants You' want, arching her brow hopefully. She was pretty sure that her one-piece and the whole 'wet rat' thing made it the least sexy offer ever, so she was feeling pretty safe on that count.

[anger_sideways]

If the girl thought she was safe from being hit on, she clearly underestimated Hawkeye's overactive libido. He grinned, and took the lotion bottle from her hands.

"Turn round, then," he said, squeezing out a generous amount onto his hand and starting to smooth it into her shoulders. "So," he said, leaning over her shoulder, his face not far from hers, "What's your name? And I hope it's not Ariel, I'd hate to think those legs were only a temporary deal."

[det_jules]

"I am not Ariel, I promise, and you will find no scales on me!" Juliet swore with an emphatic hand gesture, turning over and brushing her wet hair forward over her shoulder. "I'm Juliet. And no bad Shakespeare jokes!" she warned. "I've heard them all, I promise you."

[anger_sideways]

"Aw, spoilsport," Hawkeye said, somewhat disappointed at being pre-empted. "I'm Hawkeye, and if you've got any bad Last of the Mohicans jokes, I'd be glad to hear 'em."

He took the bottle of lotion and started dabbing some on his nose and ears, which were already reddened by his daily exposure to the tropical sun. "I live in the hut just up there," he said, jerking his head in its direction. "And my door's always open, if you ever feel like dropping by."

[det_jules]

"Hawkeye and Juliet," she said aloud just to hear how it sounded. "It's like we're two genres of books smashed together in one of those really strange crossover novels," she mused thoughtfully, blinking the weirdness away and paying attention to him again. "Well, I've started swimming more regularly, so maybe I'll have to stop by and say hello."

[anger_sideways]

"If there's one thing that could improve Shakespeare, it'd be more gunfights," Hawkeye said, nodding, and handed back the lotion. "And do! It's been a long time since I lived on my own, it's kind of spooky how quiet it is. Not to mention how large the bed feels! It's a wonder just being able to sleep in something where I can stretch out my limbs without falling out."

[det_jules]

"So where did you come from that you're used to being all squished up in one tiny bed?" Juliet wondered with genuine curiosity. One of the things she found about this place was that everyone had a really interesting story to be heard and they were from just all walks of life. She'd never get bored so long as she had people to interview.

[anger_sideways]

"The Korean war," Hawkeye said. "Don't get me wrong, it's better sleeping in a tent than in a foxhole, but even so. The only person who could be comfortably accommodated in an army-issue folding cot is an anorexic dwarf. Everybody else had to suffer."

He looked up at the sun, shielding his eyes, and concluded that it was snacktime. "Wanna go to the Compound and get something to eat? I don't know about you, but swimming always makes me hungry. And on the way, you can tell me all about where you're from."

[det_jules]

"If you promise I can grab some dry clothes and you won't say a word while I have an argument with an inanimate object, you've got yourself a deal," Juliet agreed with a sunny smile on her face. "And wow," she added, slightly stunned. "The Korean war? I'm definitely feeling a little bit young now."

[anger_sideways]

"Oh, don't! I look older than I am as it is, I don't need all these whippersnappers reminding me that I'm ancient history by their standards," Hawkeye said. He hadn't a clue why most people here seemed to be from fifty years ahead of him, asides from to deliberately make him feel more disorientated.

"But yeah. I was there. Somebody had to be, apparently. But I think I'd rather watch you arguing with inanimate objects than tell war stories." Well, actually, he was just getting hungry, but he might as well be polite about it.

[det_jules]

"I'd actually really like to hear those stories," Juliet admitted honestly. "I'm a police detective back home, so I promise I'm not even going to shy away at the talk of murder and gruesome deaths. Trust me, I see plenty of those in my job," she swore.

[anger_sideways]

"The gruesome deaths don't make for good stories," Hawkeye said, mood darkening slightly. "They're always the same - some kid was unlucky, we did our best, but it wasn't enough. At least you get to catch the murderers and put them away; send a hundred guys to their deaths in Korea and all it gets you is another star on your helmet."

He scowled, but shook himself out of it, forcing the grin back onto his face. He hadn't come out here to get himself all annoyed and gloomy.

"C'mon, tell me about your best case," he said. "I love mysteries."

[det_jules]

"Oh god," Juliet said with a desperate scoff, trying hard to think of her best case. "I mean, I've been a part of so many now with the Santa Barbara police department and given the tendency to bring in outside help from ... unique sources, our cases aren't very run of the mill." She thought back to at least one example. "There was one criminal, a robber actually, trying to pass off his crimes as the Mummy Did It?" she offered.

[anger_sideways]

"And he expected you to buy that? On the other hand, maybe he was telling the truth, and right now, Boris Karloff is counting his money, knowing that nobody would ever suspect him," Hawkeye said, laughing. "That's really pretty special. I can't think of anything like that... though I did share a tent with a man who used to check under his bed for communists. Frank never could get the hang of metaphors."

[det_jules]

"Well, we had run of the mill crimes, too," she assured. "A man who had a disorder and had a female identity, he was innocent, but she was slightly more under suspicion. And then of course, your typical robbery and open-shut murder cases. At least, once Shawn got involved they were pretty easy to shut," she added, not wanting to withhold credit.