Lil and Garrison

[x-diamondlil.livejournal.com]

After a long day at work, Garrison heads to Harry's and ends up giving Lil a bigger tip than she expected. Or wanted.


It seemed like Fred Duncan had specifically piled up all the work he'd missed during his supposed death, and then stacked it neatly in his inbox to welcome Kane back to the FBI field office. The agency had only gotten partial news about what really happened, a mostly fake tale about a kidnapping in order to explain Garrison's absence, and the wondering looks followed him around the office. Coming home at nine-thirty, exactly thirteen hours after arriving into the office was the perfect capping to a long, dull day.

He pushed open the door to Harry's and found himself a seat to settle into. For once they had the hockey game on, but it was Boston and New York, which held no real interest for him. Kane pulled over the stained page that held the bar's late night menu, a collection of food which required nothing more complex than an oven and a deep fat fryer to make. He yawned hugely as he considered if his future involved a basket of cholesterol.

From her spot behind the bar, Lil watched her fellow countryman all but drag himself into the establishment. With a shake of her head, she grabbed a glass and filled it with Moosehead then plopped it down in front of him. "You look like you've just come back from the dead. Again," the blonde told him bluntly through her signature smirk.

"Yeah, thanks Lil. Needed that pep talk to cap off my day." Kane said sourly, before taking a deep swig from the pint. He had been fighting ninjas a couple of days ago.. ninjas, for god sake, and now he was buried in paperwork and getting snarked at by his sister's giant friend.

"What you need is to go to the mansion, talk someone into cooking you a real meal and then drown yourself in a bottle of whiskey. Or get laid. Your preference," she added with a one-shouldered shrug. "Guaranteed cure-all. For tonight, at least."

"I don't think any of those options are terribly likely right now. I might be able to convince one of the kitchen obsessives to make me something, and I'm sure Logan's got a bottle of whiskey, but I just can't see him and I going to town. It's a body hair thing." Kane said flatly, taking another long pull from the pint. "And it's be so long since I've been laid that I'm pretty sure my penis is for ornamental purposes these days."

The blonde woman snorted and tossed a rag onto the bartop. "You're telling me not a single woman in that mansion's going after your ornament? Fuck, times have changed if the mighty Beaver Boy has fallen into a dry spell." Lil shook her head as she cleaned up then nodded to the menu. "If you ain't gonna take my advice, what can I have them whip up for you?"

"There were issues after Marie and I broke up, which kind of put any physical relationships on hold for a while. And then I got killed, so you know, yeah, it's been a dry spell. And don't call me Beaver Boy, Brickhouse-- oh, wait, you didn't want to use your old Beta Flight name as a trainee here. It's, what, Bubba now?" Garrison smirked at her, and tapped the wings. "I'll take them suicide, Bubba."

Green eyes narrowed slightly and she considered whapping him with the towel. "Brickhouse was not my Beta Flight name. Diamond Lil was; just because some jokers got drunk one night and hacked a few files to read otherwise doesn't change that." There was amusement in her voice even as she snatched the menu from his hands, glaring the whole time. "Seems to me being alive's a pretty good reason to grab a bedmate for a night or two," Lil told him before sending his order back to the kitchen.

"Uh, I beg to differ. Other than Madison, who was trying to get in your pants at the time, no one ever called you Diamond Lil. Hell, even Mac Hudson used to put 'Brickhouse' on your training documents." Kane grinned, and barked out a laugh. "You remember when they tricked you into karaoke on Marie's birthday at the Black Bull, and when it came on, you tried to throw Judd out the front window, but you couldn't shake him off your arm. So you were running around the bar with him locked on your arm with one hand, and drinking a Blue with the other?"

The look on her face made him grin even wider. "Maybe it was funnier for the rest of us. So, if I'm supposed to be picking up in the mansion, you got any suggestions there, love guru?"

"Yeah, it was fucking hysterical," she all but growled at him, flicking the towel so it snapped against his arm harmlessly. "You know, I'd almost had that blocked out completely. Thanks for the trip back down memory lane. Ass."

A quick glance down the bar, Lil offered him a little smile and set up two shot glasses. "I've got a woefully inexperienced roommate who could use a good time. Brazilian and blonde and one hell of a baker. Other than that," she shrugged, filling up the glasses with Crown, "don't know many of the womenfolk. Jennie's fun... Adrienne hit on me while we were playing Wii then left me a shirt that says 'Canadians Eat More Beaver' across the tits. Take your pick as I, how unfortunate for you, have more than enough man in my life to keep me satisfied." She pushed the shots towards him. "On the house if you swear to never tell anyone about that night."

"Nah, a secret like that is too good not to spread around. Besides, if I don't, either Logan or Marie will." Kane downed the shot of Crown Royal and picked up the second pint. "As for your choices, man, you suck at this, Lil. I used to teach Amara self defense, so I don't think that the whole former student vibe is really appropriate, Jennie and I get along about as well as two cats stuffed in a sack, and Adrienne's about the last person in the world interested in casual sex. However, you tried, so I wouldn't tell them about you and Madison singing 'Summer of 1969' badly later that same night."

"You're so lucky I can't hit you while I'm working," Lil told him. "But as soon as I'm off, I'm emailing Vikks and getting the copy of your award winning performance of 'Like A Virgin.'" Two could play this game and would if he insisted on wagging his tongue around the mansion. "I'm gonna point out, though, that that I had a serious crush on my self-defense teacher and that she's no longer your student. Former," she emphasized, using her fingers to point to the window. "As in no more. Ain't nothing wrong with that, Gar. Didn't figure you for Jennie anyway and well, Adrienne wanted to sleep with me. Guess I'm gonna steal your title as Hottest Canadian in the mansion, especially if you can't get laid."

"Sadly, that's likely true. It's pretty unlikely that I'm going to be picking up anytime soon, and not before you." Kane said, taking a sip. "You talked to Madison about any of this? The fact that this is about the twentieth time you've broken up and you always got back together before. You sure he's not thinking that'll be the case now?"

The blonde woman shook her head, the last of her smile fading away. "Dunno what he's thinking - or if he's thinking at all - but it's not like the other times." Lil picked up and glass and began to wipe it down just so she could have something to do with her hands. "First time since we said vows that things fell apart this bad and I've parked my ass much further than my usual spot on Vikks' couch. If he doesn't realize that, he's got his head so far up that robot's ass he probably can't tell if it's day or night, either. Last words I said to him were the words that came outta my mouth as I stormed out the door almost four months ago."

"Have you decided that it's finally over? Again, I've watched you swear up and down that you're through and you'll never go back to him a couple dozen times at least. Are you sure that this is really walking away for good?"

"You suggesting that I go back to him?" Lil asked instead of answering his question. She didn't know what the future held for her marriage especially considering its past. "I'm here because I wanna make Alpha, Gar. I'm here so I can straighten out my head while getting my body back into shape because I'm done making changes in my life for him; it's his turn."

"I'm not suggesting one thing or another. What I am saying is that you need to be sure about your decision before you do something that makes it final." Kane shook his head. "If you're just pissed about Madison, and deep down, you still want to be with him, don't start looking at the guys around here as a way to cheer yourself up. It'll get back to him, and he'll make the decision for you. Make sure you're honestly done with him before you get involved here, eh?"

"He made the decision when he started fucking around with that damn robot again after promising me he wouldn't. I'm done giving him chances and more time because what I want isn't as important to him as spending time with the BoxBot. I ain't gonna be second in his life, in a marriage to anyone."

She tossed the rag onto the counter and set the glass aside as she continued to frown at him. "I told you, it's up to him now. I ain't going back until it's for Alpha and I ain't gonna stop living my life while I'm here. If that includes finding someone who makes me happy for the time being then..." Lil shrugged and spread her hands in front of her, palms up. "Let it get back to him. Let him find out that I ain't gonna roll over and die or sit around and play the happy housewife for him when I've got other options."

"No, but it means that you aren't going to be married to him any longer." Garrison held up his hands. "Like I said, Lil, I don't care whether you get back together with him or not. You're old enough to make your own decisions and you've got every right to have walked away. But that means you're not going to be able to change your mind a couple of months from now, so make sure you're being honest to yourself about what you need and what makes you happy."

Her face went stony and the Amazon straightened herself up to her full height. "You didn't get enough Big Brother Tme with Vikks on your vacation so you gotta turn it on me? I don't want it, Kane and I don't need it. This isn't another 'Mads and Lillian blew up last night; bets being taken now on how long 'til they're making out after self-defence again' fight. Spending weeks at a time not talking to Madison didn't make me happy. Coming home to an empty bed after work didn't make me happy. Worrying that fucking robot's fried his brain didn't make me happy. The time I'm spending now with the person I choose to? That makes me happy. And you know what? I think I fucking deserve after what I've put up with. Now, you got any other advice you want to share or should I go check on your wings?" Lil bit, knowing she needed time away from him and all the things he forced her to think about or she was going to end up doing something that could very well cost her her job and get her shipped back to Canada.

"Yeah, stop trying to convince me." Kane picked up his beer and stepped away from the stool. Sitting at the bar probably wasn't going to be the best idea in a few minutes. "Because making me believe you've already made a decision you're comfortable with isn't the same as convincing yourself, Lil."

The Canadian shrugged and switched the pint to a table. "There's a new girl named Cammie. Needs a sparring partner who isn't going to be effected by poison. I already signed up Logan, but I could use an alternate. Drop by the gym tomorrow afternoon if you're interested."

Giving him a look that could have killed had she manifested differently, the blonde woman disappeared into the kitchen and stayed gone for a few long minutes. When she returned, she dropped the wings in front of him along with another shot of Crown as an apology. "I might. Dunno if I'm up to taking a third girl; already got Inez and Yvette as maybes but Cammie's alright. I'll let you know; I gotta get my own sparring in with Logan."

Lil ran her hand under her nose and gave a toss of her ponytail. "You know, you don't have me fooled. I know the real reason you turned down my suggestions for possible lays is because you're pining for me and are afraid Maddy would find out then get in his suit of armor and come down here to kick your ass. Or Vikks," she added with a hint of a smirk.

"Yeah, obviously my unrequited lust for your body or something." Kane took the shot and tossed it back. "Cammie just needs someone to practice with that she can not worry about hurting. I've got Inez in my lessons too, so you might be able to pair them up."

"I'll let you know," she repeated with a roll of her eyes then shook her head again. "I didn't sign up to do all of this teachery stuff. It's not natural; kids looking to me and stuff." Lil gave a dramatic shudder. "And you're only interested in my body? Fair enough, I guess 'cause I don't got much going on upstairs for me and I hate to disappoint."

"The last thing I want you doing is teaching them. I want you to let them hit you, and get comfortable with the skills they're learning from me. Besides, you'll be too busy with Logan getting your program going again to think about passing on all your bad habits to impressionable young minds." Kane said, although the amusement in his tone took any sting out of the words. "You know, you're the one that keeps bringing up sex around me, Lil. Some deep crush starting to slip out there? Getting that tingle there, where on everyone else is about neck height?"

"Good. Just so long as we're on the same page. I've been getting funny thoughts ever since someone made a crack about m becoming a teacher if I stick around long enough. That's the shit nightmares are made outta." Again, she shuddered then planted a hand on his table and leaned forward with a Cheshire cat grin. "You caught me. That's exactly it. Figure my promise to Vikks to leave her big brother alone doesn't count when we're in another country. All you gotta do is put that together with the fact that I'm trying to get you drunk and hell yeah, I'm all for us sharing the 'Hottest Canadian in the Mansion' title tonight."

Garrison sipped his pint and regarded her with a dry expression. "Yeah, I think I've heard more believable lines from strippers. Tell me that isn't what you used on Bishop, eh?"

"Didn't need a line with His Excellency. One look at my ass and he was done," Lil chuckled. "Me hitting the mattress with you would piss Maddy off more than Bishop though. But not as much as Logan." Her eyes sparked with impish amusement as she stood up and wrapped her knuckles on the back of his chair. "I should get back to the bar."

"Yeah, because this is a succession of mental images almost certain to drive me to suicide." Kane said, although before she left, he leaned forward. "Lil, please just think about what I said. Surprisingly enough, it's you that I'm trying to help here, not Madison. Regret sucks, so just take any decisions seriously, eh?"

The blonde woman nodded both in appreciation and understanding before managing to work up a small but sincere smile. "Yeah, I know. It's just a hard time of year." Three years. She was not looking forward to the following week and what it would - or wouldn't - bring. "Contrary to rumors, Bishop and I are taking it slow because I don't wanna see either of us get hurt and I still need time to clear out my head." And heart. "S'only been four months so who the hell knows what's gonna happen. Besides the barrel full of fortune telling monkeys running around the mansion, I mean," Lil added, trying keep it light.

She gave his fingers a squeeze then bent to press a sisterly kiss on his cheek. "Always told Vikks she had a good big brother. But you start pulling this crap with me daily and I'm kicking your ass all the way back to Toronto, got it?"

"You wish, Brickhouse."