Lex & Vanessa | Sunday afternoon

[x-copycat.livejournal.com]

While on her way to find some friends at the mansion to pester Vanessa happens upon a moping Lex and detours.

Lex sat on the back porch with his last knife playing through his fingers, between Vee and the deer he'd lost both of his hunting knives and was left with a ceramic punch dagger. It wasn't ideal for what he was doing but it worked well enough to distract him from his sheer boredom. "Man, I wish I was back in a warzone... At least death waits at the edge of boredom out there. Here, I'm stuck pretending I have nothing better to do than lie about bitching about the good life." He slid the blade into position between his fingers, punched and twisted in a liquid silver motion. "God, I'm pathetic."

"I don't think the air is going to fight back," Vanessa told him, catching the last bit of his monologue. She had mostly stopped by to harass Jean while she was workless and momentarily boyfriendless. A long lock of hair was brushed off her face and tucked behind her ear as she watched him. "You should really find yourself some hobbies, soldier boy. Work out more. Build things with popsicle sticks. Learn to whistle jonty tunes. Build model airplanes. Or, you know, you could get a job that actually takes up more than an hour of your time a day."

Lex knew the voice and for a moment his heart fluttered. After he regained his composure he turned to her. "Yeah, a real job? What would that be like? I am a soldier, I know how to kill and how to protect people. As I'm on probation I cannot be a bodyguard and I can't get a job for the CIA or SHIELD. So, what does that leave me?" He leaned back on the chair and said, "I suppose I'm on a semi-permanent vacation until they start coming for us." He didn't know if he believed his words, but they felt right.

"Aren't we just a barrel of sunshine," Vanessa chirped without her usual sarcasm. She fell into place beside the ex-soldier and a finger attempted to push the corner of his mouth upward into a smile to match her own. "Of all the things to be happy about and you're really going to sit out here and mope? They could have thrown you into a military prison, but they didn't. They could have killed you and called it a casualty but they didn't. You've got a pretty sweet place to live, all things considered, you're one of the good guys and you're still trying to help people with the leather brigade. You teach kids who will really need to know how to defend themselves against bigoted assholes how to do it. Maybe you don't have all you want to have, but you've got a hell of a lot more than loads of people have. Once your probation ends - when does that end? - you could be a bodyguard. You could be a security guy. You could be a mercenary. You could teach people how to shoot, knife fight or hunt. You could go to school to be a forest ranger. You could find a log cabin up in the mountains somewhere and learn how to be completely self-sufficient because you're the sort of guy who would love that." She leaned over and nudged him with her shoulder. "So cheer up, Sunshine, it's not so bad really."

The laughter came as a shock to him, but he couldn't help himself. "What's gotten into you, you seem too cheery to be the Vanessa I know?" He let her try to push his lips into a smile and found himself smiling despite himself. "As for everything else you said, which I could only catch about half of, I don't think my probation will ever end. I was remanded to the Professor's custody indefinitely. I know my current state is plush, but that's what I don't like about it." He stroked her hair casually as he spoke and kept laughing quietly.

All the hair stroking had Vanessa leaning her head onto his shoulder and relaxing quite contentedly into his side. "I had a lovely two week break from my life. I sorta a bunch of stuff out, mellowed out and learned the zen life from ponies and gardening," she told him brightly. Her eyes flicked up to look at him, a beaming smile on her face. "It did a world of good for my mood and disposition out there. As for your probation, I doubt it can possibly last forever. Maybe you should have a chat about it with Charles. People have done worse things than save their guys and gotten off with it. Or maybe they will just forget about you." Forgetting about him could be a possibility, right?

"Went abroad? Well, that makes so much sense. I don't know about zen ponies, but I like this change in you." He smiled, letting her get closer to him. He still felt the love he would always have for her, but the past few weeks without any contact had made it clear that he could be himself without her. That made being close so much easier. "I'm not sure I want to talk to Charles about it, I'm not sure that I want to put a finite date on it as it would make me feel even more like I'm in a prison - even if it is a beautiful one."

"Aye, went to Wales to see Da. He was mostly useless for the sanity search, but his lady was quite helpful." Rhiamon was still e-mailing her tips on creating a rooftop garden. Vanessa was slowly trying to figure out where to put everything since she had more to work with than she had initially anticipated thanks to Warren. "I think knowing's the better. It may feel a bit like prison but if you know when it will end then you've got something to look forward to, haven't you? You can make plans for what to do when you've got your freedom. And if you never get it again then you can figure out what you can work out within the boundaries of your internment."

"Wales, eh? Sounds fun." He was glad she'd gone and sorted everything out. "I suppose you're right about the probation, I do enjoy the thought of being independent of anyone else's responsibilities. That way when I fuck up it will only be on my head. And if it never ends then I will probably commit myself to a life of servitude to those who live here."

"Oooh, servitude." Her eyes lit up along with the grin on her face. "I could get you a pair of little white gloves and a little hat and maybe one of those old English guy ties with the pin and all. What are they called? No mind. You'd be so dapper in your little butler outfit. I'm sure there's a niche market for that sort of thing," she said with a very brief eyebrow waggle but none of the innuendo making it into her voice which was an excited babble at the moment. "You could use a fake English accent and pretend to be Lurch or something. You could stand around looking conspicuous and being silent and just have that look like you know things because, clearly, you do from all your inconspicuous eavesdropping."

"Me, as a butler? That would be hilarious, though I'm not sure that I could ever wait on someone hand and foot." He thought about the outfit and laughed. "I would make a terrible penguin, and if I speak with an English accent people are going to laugh me off the face of this planet." Lex patted her on the head and then and smiled, "It's a good thought though, I'd wait on you if you had the money to afford my services."

"I wanted to strangle Laurie for helpfully rearranging my desk; I don't think me having a servant is a good idea." She could probably afford one, for a time, but Vanessa liked to keep her savings in her various bank accounts, all nice and cushy and waiting for when she retired or really needed it for something. "It's possible I have something very wrong with me that the idea of my own personal underling doesn't appeal to me, huh? Far too used to being the low rung, I suppose."

"Low rung. I thought you might just like being on your own. I personally don't want minions, I'd rather have comrades." He smiled as he shifted slightly to look into her eyes. "So, what brings you to the mansion today? Come to torment some poor unlucky bloke, maybe have a happy beer with Jean?" He didn't really care why she was there, he was just happy that they were there in the sun together.

"Just checking in with a mate, actually. Found a mopey one en route and figured I should needle a bit." Vanessa grinned and poked Lex in the ribs lightly, finger wiggling as if trying to burrow itself into him. This, clearly, was her idea of needling someone. "I've obviously got a new goal to spread daisies and sunshine everywhere I go, but since I'm all out of daisies for the moment I figured on forcing some sunshine on you. Has it worked yet? Because I could attempt to break out the cartwheels if it hasn't. Fair warning, I'm fairly certain I never learned to do a cartwheel properly."

"As amusing as that would be, I don't think it's necessary. Your charm has definitely brought a smile to my face," he paused for a second, "though if I am keeping you from a friend then I should probably let you get to that. There are people who need cheering up much more than I do." He smiled at her and attempted to gently lift her away from him, his body moaned at the loss of contact but he ignored it. From his perspective he didn't know if he'd ever fully be over her, but he could not hold onto a past that no longer existed.

Vanessa painted the most pathetic, pouting expression onto her face possible. She never had figured out how well that came off in her natural form. Aoife seemed more like the face that could pull it off to proper effect. That didn't mean it wasn't worth trying, though, right? "Are you lying to me? Are you going to drown in mopey once I leave? Because a smile for a minute and a half isn't worth much if your mood tanks again. My friend will still be harassable an hour from now if necessary and my visit was not announced so I'm hardly expected." Her eyes narrowed and she leaned into Lex again despite his best efforts to the contrary. "Are you just trying to get rid of me so you can sulk?"

"I'm not trying to get rid of you at all." He said simply, letting her work her way closer into him. Wow, he thought, feeling more than a little angry at himself, looks like I have sucker written right across my forehead. He leaned back and let the sun wash over him as he held Vanessa close. "Not sure if I'd go back to moping if you left, but it wouldn't be your fault if I did. It's not like either of us can afford to have you constantly casting your sunshine my way. That, would be unhealthy." He closed his eyes and started petting her hair.

"However, I could definitely lie here like this all day and be content..."

There was probably a line being crossed here that Vanessa should have been aware of and avoiding. Ex-boyfriend was a particular classification of friend that should have made her less affectionate than usual with someone. But that just wasn't the sort of person Vanessa was. She regularly cuddled up to and fell asleep with at least two of her friends. She wandered around half-attached to Warren even when he had been the guy she was first and foremost sleeping with and becoming friends with secondarily. Laying her head on Lex's shoulder and cuddling up to his side didn't even register as something she shouldn't be doing. Besides, he was comfortable. "Showering you with my sunshine would also really get in the way of me doing my job. But it doesn't mean I can't afford a bit of time to hang out with a mate." She reached up and patted him on the head, not unlike one would a puppy. "Unless you've recategorized yourself recently and not informed me."

"The only category I belong in is lost cause," he said with a rueful chuckle, not wanting to push her away or keep her close. She had clearly moved on and he had also moved on - at least he kept telling himself that every morning - so this was just two friends lying on a recliner in the sunlight. He could do that. "I am still your mate, and you have to be careful about showering me with sunshine otherwise I might grow to big for you to handle, like a sunflower."

Vanessa grinned, the sudden image of Lex's face ringed with sunflower petals in her head. "I think I could manage you being a sunflower. I'd never get to take you inside without killing you, but I could come out and water you often enough. Sniff you, maybe." Now she was laughing softly. Something about wandering up to Lex to sniff him was just so wrong. Especially since he was more likely to smell like a sweaty guy than a flower. Ah, nostril full of sweaty. Just what she wanted.

"Yeah, well this flower might wander off if neglected in such a way. You'd have to prop me up in a window or something... I'd never be good at sitting around in the mud all day." She had taken the metaphor quite literally, which was much better than he'd expected. "Well, I'm glad I could make you laugh. Now the favor is returned, I have brought some sunflowers to your day. Just don't expect me to be one for Halloween."

The frown came first. Then the puppy dog eyes. "But, but, but....would you be a daisy?"

He looked at her, his facing tensing into what appeared to be a serious expression. "Would you really want me to be a daisy," he asked, as though honestly considering her proposal.

Vanessa kept up the puppy dog eyes and nodded. "You'd be such a pretty daisy."

Leaning in close, his lips inches from her ear, he spoke in a soft whisper. "You have no idea." He let his face linger there for a moment and then leaned back to stare at the sky, "and now you never will." He couldn't keep himself from grinning; his imagination going wild with images of her laughing at him as he stood in the window of his room with nothing but a daisy bonnet on.

He got the most pitiful frown and big, sad eyes for that. "But, but, but...who will be my daisy?!" She threw in a little sniffle for good measure and everything. Vanessa already had images in her head of Lex in a daisy costume, though. Face painted yellow, white flower petals sprouting from around his face. The green leotard with leaves for his arms really completed the look.

His hand found its way up to her cheek to assuage the hurt look she was providing him with; he knew it was for his benefit. "I'm sure you'll find someone who can be your daisy. I didn't really think that was a requirement, but I'm damn glad I never had to fulfill that one." He closed his eyes and let his hand gently fall to the back of her neck, massaging it at the base of her skull.

She sniffled, but was quickly distracted by the fingertips massaging up high on her neck. Was there a memo going around to the guys she knew that such tactics were useful in distracting and disarming her? Clearly she had to make sure the various men in her life didn't associate. Vanessa's head fell forward until her chin came to rest on her chest and a contented little, "Mm..." followed quietly enough that it was easy to not hear it at all. "You'd be a miserable daisy anyway," she murmured. "Wilty. Bad posture. Drunk, depressed daisy in the corner..."

"That I would. Now be quiet and enjoy yourself. No more trying to emasculate me with your talk of flowers, we aren't discussing the birds and the bees anymore." He continued to stroke her neck and let his other hand fall gently on his chest. Under different circumstances he would be truly content, for the moment he was simply happy not to have driven off a friend.