Along Came a Spider ...

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Were Han another kind of man, he might be concerned that "the plaza" is not all that specific of a meet up point. The thing is, he has all types of rendezvous with people where he comes from that are planned only in light details. Sometimes on even less than what he and Nat agreed upon yesterday. At least he got a time in this case.

One of the few instances where the Captain puts faith in something beyond himself ... when two people are meant to find each other, they do. And when they aren't meant to, they won't. A lot of bitter pills of all kinds were swallowed in learning that particular lesson, but it's one he knows to be true.

She said she would be there. With the strange qualifier that she might be busy needing to 'save the world'. Something he didn't really know how to interpret truth be told - a joke maybe? Hard to tell when nearly all the things she says comes in that difficult to discern tone. Even then, she said she would find him later.

That makes him generally more optimistic that he'll see her here, then not.

Han is trying to look casual, while leaning on the outside of one of the shops in the plaza. His eyes weaving though the crowd looking for that person he found drifting in and out of his thoughts ... like wisps of smoke since he met her.

Comments

[red_room]

His actions are expected. Like a moth to a flame the spider sets her web. Her gaze is amused, but not surprised. Not until he speaks.

The first part of it isn't anything special. It's common sense after watching her for longer than a minute. It's the last bit that shakes her. That brings to mind a soft spoken man saying the same thing before slipping on headphones and drowning out the monster thrumming just beneath his skin.

Natasha blinks and the moment is gone, proud that her expression hardly shifted at all. Only her eyes had given away any sort of emotion shift. Should she be concerned that the two people she keeps comparing Han to are the two people that have gotten closest to the True Natasha?

It's a fluke. They hardly know each other, and Natasha is lonely. Has been ever since she made the mistake of opening up to someone. She needs to salvage this situation. Get control and know where she stands.

So she closes the distance and presses against Han's lips gently, carefully. And then pulls away.

"Someone protected, someone else dead." Natasha agrees, letting a bit of her Russian accent trickle into her voice. Wrapped around her finger. That's where Han is. Natasha can live with that. It's something she understands.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Han sinks into her kiss completely. How could he not? She's absolutely gorgeous and easily the most intriguing person he's met here in the Nexus. He finds her toughness fetching and he likes that she'll push him around.

He'd compare her to anyone he knew if there was someone. Everybody seems to be a pale comparison to her though. Which is fine by Han. He likes the uniqueness of her.

Her lips feel good against his and it's been a while since he's had any kind of closeness with anyone. With another girl, he might have been more daring, but with Natasha, striking out might be the least of his worries. So he lets the kiss be completely on her terms. As deep as she wants it to be and as long as she wants it to last.

Damn if he wouldn't love another taste though.

"That's the way of the gun isn't it?" Someone protected by the extermination of someone else. Nobody has to explain that to Han Solo. He's familiar with the concept.

[red_room]

"You're a bright one."

Natasha's voice is quiet now, teasing but somehow softer. This she can understand, handle. It feels wrong in more than a few ways that her primary reason for acting was to regain control of the situation, even if interest has been a smaller reason.

Wouldn't be the first person whose emotions she'd manipulated though. Won't be the last either, in her line of work.

She can hate herself later. Han's not a disappointment when it comes to kissing and it would be a waste not to enjoy it for what it is.

"So by that logic, you're easy with an endurance and I'm deadly and protective?" The smile is in her words as much as it is on her face.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It's not the reason that Han would prefer for the two of them to get closer, but this scoundrel is going to take what he can get. She might find herself trusting him more when she gets to know him. Or that Han has found a way to make her care about him despite her best attempts to keep insulated from him.

"Sure." He says with that lopsided smile of his. "If you want to keep it that simple for now, but there's more to both of us then the weapons we carry."

He's not trying to pressure her into disclosing anything. On the contrary, what he wanted to suggest is that he's not in a rush to unravel her every mystery. He hopes that puts her at ease on some level.

[red_room]

One of the interesting things about Han is that he isn't completely transparent. He surprises her just often enough to put Natasha off of her surest footing. It's a good thing for his interests, but a feature that rubs at some still open wounds and raw emotions.

She needs time.

"Don't be so sure about that, in my case." It does reassure her, the breathing room. He doesn't wrongly assume he has her pegged, but nor does he try to pry too deep. There's a probing interest but it's sedate enough that Natasha doesn't feel threatened.

"As charming as all of this is, I need to get back to my place pretty soon here. Think you'll manage to not starve and learn about the phone on your own until later?" There will be a later, Han. you've earned that reassurance, at least.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"You know." Han says, pursing his lips to keep from smirking too hard. "I have managed to keep myself alive for a number of years despite some very enthusiastic attempts from other people to sabotage that streak."

"I think you should keep an eye on me, though. Just in case."

The impishness fades from his smile just a little bit to add this serious note. "Thank you for everything, Natasha."

[red_room]

"Good, I intended to."

Having his approval just means it's hopefully less weird when he eventually finds the first recording device she puts on the Falcon. Of course she has to plant it first. She's only known him for a little over a day he hadn't warranted observation before now. It's less about spying on Han and more being able to know the moment anything happens to him. Chris has one on his phone and there's at least one in that hobo hut Chris's friend calls home.

None of them are aware that these things are there. It's just how Natasha operates. She doesn't know how to be any other way. She means well, but it's a huge breach of privacy and something that's going to come back to bite her one of these days. A problem for Future Natasha to deal with if it ever comes up.

She smiles back, friendly and sincere and altogether pleased with how the day has turned out.

"Thanks for getting that rust bucket stuck in the Plaza and giving me a reason to do any of this." She replies before heading back to where the guns are uprange so they can take care of cleaning up after themselves. "You might be a lot of fun even, Solo. JUst don't get sick of me too quickly."