004 -- voice/action;

[duplicitas]

[ natasha sounds irritated what else is new. ]

This place gets more ridiculous by the day. Must we play out every cliche Christmas tradition?

[ ooc: feel free to run into nat wherever you please, she's out and about! ]

Comments

[repeatshimself]

[Usually, Billy is prepared for this.

Usually he wouldn't come to walk on a day such as this one.

But he's distracted and also he needs to go in the store when he sees Natasha, and he knows her, she's the Black Widow and he needs to be nice to her or she'll kill him with an eyelash curler or something.]

Hi, Ms. Romanov.

[repeatshimself]

He's my boyfriend.

Um, he goes by Hulkling? My twin is here, too. I'm surprised he hasn't hit on you, yet.

[duplicitas]

[ there are entirely too many children in this equation. natasha is fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. ]

And you're all powered?

[repeatshimself]

Um.

Why don't we go in the bookstore? It's warm in there, at least.

[He unlocks the door for her. He's opening today.]

Tommy is a speedster and Teddy is a shapeshifter.

[duplicitas]

[ what a gentleman. ]

And you're all teenagers?

[repeatshimself]

Well, yes. I mean Teddy is a year older than Tommy and I.

[He goes behind the counter and starts the opening stuff. The bookstore is full of very old books.]

[duplicitas]

[ natasha trails a fingertip along the shelves, skimming the titles. ]

How long ago was I here?

[repeatshimself]

[There are first editions of famous books and rare bibles]

About a year ago, maybe?

[duplicitas]

[ she makes a soft, thoughtful noise. for a few moments, her fingers drum on the spines of the books before she turns back. ]

Thank you for telling me.

[repeatshimself]

[Pause]

Oh man, sure. Anytime.

[duplicitas]

Keep in touch.

[ and there she goes, out of the shop. ]