Paige and Forge

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

Forge comes downstairs to see Paige after this email. Things go downhill from there...


Forge wandered down to the lab, trying to figure out how to respond to Paige's rather harshly-worded email. That, and how to get the taste of Catseye's sardine-flavored ice cream out of his mouth.

Pausing at the corner of the hall, he could see a blur of blue reflected in the stainless steel wall. That meant she was standing opposite, by the door. Probably with her arms crossed, hair pulled back, with what was undoubtedly a pissed-off look.

Rounding the corner, Forge tried not to visibly wince at his imagination's accuracy. "Okay," he started, "I can explain..."

"Shut up. Just shut the hell up," Paige snapped, launching herself off the wall as Forge came into view. Her choice in clothing was rather odd – blue silk pyjama bottoms and a white tank top – but it did nothing to distract from the terrifying set of her jaw, nor the way she had managed to come within inches of Forge's nose, finger to his chest. "How dare you. I'm your lab partner, John Henry. Your lab partner! And I'm not sure what that means to you, but it means a hell of a lot to me. I don't work with just anyone, I don't trust just anyone! So how do you think I felt when I learned that you were doing work, private work, behind my back? Especially now, and especially you!"

Forge's jaw tried to work, brain thinking how he could both explain and shut up at the same time. "Terry's power... I mean, sonics are one of my... didn't know if you were cleared... um... I, er... sorry?"

"I include you in everything! I copy all my notes for you, you know where all my research binders are, we share a locker for Christ sake. I know we have things we do by ourselves, that's inevitable, but that you wouldn't even tell me! And the worst part is, I don't know if it's because you don't think I'm smart enough, or strong enough, or... I don't know why!" Paige yelled back, shoving him hard in the shoulder, hard enough that he toppled into the wall. Making an angry noise in her throat, she spun on her heel, storming into the sanctuary of her labs where she could be heard making crashing noises within.

Blinking back shock and surprise, Forge staggered back. Do not screw this up, do NOT screw this up, you are screwing this up...

Hell with it.

Forge set his shoulders and snapped his fingers, signalling the door's opening code. The metal-and-plexiglass portal slid open, then slammed back shut.

"She shut me out of our lab? Like hell..." he muttered, stabbing at the keypad with an override code. "I'll be damned if she gets the last word here..."

The door slid open and Forge practically bolted through, pointing a finger in indignation, "Now just you wait! There's a perfectly reasonable explanation and if you're too pig-headed to... to..."

"Happy birthday."

The lab, their lab, had been transformed; red and white check blanket spread out across the linoleum tile, Tupperware containers stacked about filled with an entertaining amount of country food, a large box wrapped in sparkly paper with a large bow on top, and smack dab in the middle, a very amused Paige, now in the second half of her pyjamas – a silk button up shirt. "It's a little belated, but I didn't think you'd mind. Hit the lights, would you? I spent a lot of time getting Leo and Virgo on the ceiling."

Forge just stood completely frozen, finger in mid-point, jaw completely agape. Absently gesturing, he dimmed the lights, noticing numerous strings of white Christmas lights arranged on the ceiling in... a very accurate and current star pattern.

"You..." he finally croaked out, "you are devious. And ... and deceptive! And utterly brilliant and I cannot believe I didn't know you were doing this down here and just... wow." Finally cracking a smile, his eyes fell on the food and he laughed. "And you made a picnic. I... I have no words. I am a speechless dork. Thank you."

"Well, as you mentioned, I am quite brilliant. And you're quite skinny. It was very easy math after that," Paige teased, thumping the pillow beside her to indicate his spot and to sit-now-please. "You're most welcome, partner. I'm glad you're...pleased." A slight blush managed to creep up onto her cheeks, and it was suddenly very obvious, at least to herself, how much this had meant to her. How much she needed it to go right. "In other news, did you know I am a faaabulous actor?"

"I do NOW," Forge agreed, dropping cross-legged next to Paige and reaching immediately for a tupperware container with small sandwiches. "You just... okay, you had me going. And for the record," he said quickly and defensively, "working in the sonics lab was a touch risky since the shielding chamber was experimental, and until the docs clear you medically..." He shrugged. "I worry, is all. Wasn't trying to shut you out and I certainly wasn't not thinking of you... was not not thinking... no, wait, I wasn't thinking that I was not..."

"Shush, hon. I'm not cleaning up a brain explosion after all the cooking I did today." Searching, Paige found her potato salad – she was obnoxiously fond of it, but couldn't have it often, what with the mayonnaise – third in a stack, and pulled it out, spooning some on a plate for herself. " I worry about you too, y'know. I get it and may even survive, somehow."

Already arranging multiple servings on a neatly-arranged series of paper plates, Forge finally let everything sink in. "Brain's not going to explode or leak out my ears, don't worry. I'm just floored, is all. I thought you were seriously mad at me, and then wa-BAM, whiplash. I mean, you're good. In ways that, like, amaze me."

Taking a bite of a tuna salad sandwich, Forge's eyes rolled back in pleasure. "And this? This is good. This... you have no idea how much I've been needing something like this."

Paige smiled warmly, brilliantly even, watching him eat contently with her empty fork still in her mouth. Sliding it out from between her teeth, it paused half way between herself and another bite of salad, distractedly. "You'd be surprised. I may not have been around much, but I do recognise whatever you've been going through. The hurt, anyway." Reaching over, she tucked a piece of hair that had fallen out of it's pony tail, probably when she'd shoved him, behind his ear and let her hand rest on his shoulder. "And hey. An excuse to spoil you rotten while getting you all to myself at the same time? How do I lose?"

Her hand was on his shoulder. Physical contact. That was good, right? Good in a friendly way and friendly was good, Forge remembered from his talks with Amanda and Hank, and right now friendly was what everyone needed and man, she really smelled nice.

Say something, say something smart and witty and don't be a dork because this is a really cool moment and you don't want to overthink it and be a dork

"It hurts less once the pain fades," he said, trying to nod sagely but only managing an awkward twitch as he winced inwardly as he realized how stupid that sounded.

Hail Forge, his inner voice chided, Emperor for Life of Dorkovia.

"Well said," Paige replied with chuckle, lightly chucking his arm. "Food, friends and pres- Presents! I almost forgot! I got you a gift." Leaning forward, she got on her hands and knees to crawl forward and grab the wrapped box, dragging it back to them. "It's not much, I'm afraid, on top of being late and especially compared to Catseye's awesome t-shirt, and all the stuff you already have here, but..." she trailed off, shrugging with a small, almost embarrassed smile. "I'm not much of a saleslady. Just open it so we can get back to my food and the possibility of cake."

Mouth full of potato salad, Forge washed it down with a quick swig of apple juice. Shredding the wrapping with one hand, he lifted the lid off the box. To anyone else, it would look like someone had kicked in the front of a TV and dumped the innards in a box, just random junk.

To Forge, it was like the city of El Dorado. "Micro-ohm capacitors, triple-phase relay transformers, oh my god, I didn't think they MADE these anymore, do you know how hard they are to find? Of course you do, you found them, you're brilliant. I... this is stuff I can use, it's perfect. Thanks, just... thanks."

Sliding the box to the side, Forge pivoted, facing Paige. "You really didn't have to go to all this, you know. But I'm glad you did."

"I wanted to. Just seeing you smile is more than enough thanks, cheesy cheesecheese, etcetera." Beaming bright enough to nearly outstrip her lightshow, Paige launched herself at him, hugging tight enough that it was possible she might have selected not to hear a little squeak of surprise out of Forge. "Happy birthday, emphasis on the happy, and to another year of the super team, huh?"

"Happy," Forge agreed, thinking to himself that right now? That was the understatement of the decade.

OOC: teehee. Fooled you!

Comments

[x-jubilee.livejournal.com]

*snickers* Okay, this was so cool.