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[dysmorphics]

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@wintered

[dysmorphics]

◜continued from here◞

There's this hole in the wall Sam took me to once, with a mostly military clientele, so we shouldn't get hassled too much. If you wanna try it.

[ It's mostly for his sake than hers. She's more used to dealing with people, as evidenced by her hanging out so openly in the park. Then again, the public's image of her is mostly the suit and shield, not a walking Barbie in a dress, ballet flats and a sun hat. ]

The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. It's the book club pick. A bit slow, but I like it. And the book is thick and heavy enough to fight with, if needed.

Not a secret, just a low profile. Don't want your approval ratings to be influenced by it, you know? Though it probably helps having a trophy wife at those galas and things.

[ She's no trophy and she's also not a wife, but he knows what she means. ]

Re: @wintered

[wintered]

Yeah, let's go. I could use an excuse to let off some steam. [ Not that alcohol does anything for either of them. Not that he can actually let loose the fight that's been building up in him for months now. He'd taken for granted how easy throwing a punch was when they'd been kids. Though it had always felt especially good if it was for or to back up Steph.]

I'll trade you. I haven't tested it, but I think the manilla files could do some slicing in a pinch.

Being seen with you would be a favor to my profile and my approval. [ And he doesn't want this to be that. He's waited too long to let something stupid like politics complicate things. ] I like having you all to myself. And if my constituents can overlook my past, they can overlook me being single. I hate those things anyway.

[dysmorphics]

Sounds like you need more than just dinner. We can spar afterward? Or if you'd rather get hammered I do in fact have an emergency stash of Asgardian booze. [ She'd done a bit of drinking in those five years, but didn't get as bad as Thor. It helped having Nat around; the redhead had gotten obsessed over running what was left of the Avengers and saving what remained of the world. ]

Deal. Paper cuts are painful and annoying as shit.

I'm pretty sure I remember a viral TikTok about how they were voting for you because, and I quote, you have a nice smile, great posture, and you're single.

[wintered]

[ She knows him too well, sometimes. ]Which one sounds more romantic?

Yeah, but throwing around classic literature is more fun.

Great posture? Seriously?

[dysmorphics]

[ That makes her laugh. ] Hmm, I'm not sure. If we spar, I can let you beat me and pin me down and we end up having sex, but if we get wasted, you might wax poetry in French while we have sex. Decisions, decisions.

I should get you Tolstoy's War and Peace then, in hardcover. It's like over 1,000 pages or something.

Seriously. I think I still have that reel bookmarked in my account, hang on.

[wintered]

Let me beat you? When have you ever let me beat you? And you're fully capable of pinning me down too. And I'm never going to live that down, am I?

As a weapon, I like it. As something to read, I'll pass.

Don't bother. I don't need to see it. Just didn't think posture was so appealing to the general public.

[dysmorphics]

You know what, nevermind. [ She almost reminded him of, you know, that time he tried to kill her, since that technically counted as letting him beat her. Quite literally, in fact. ] The important part is, when you pin me down I get a great view of those thighs, hence my dilemma.

And nope, never. God that was so sexy.

You'd be surprised by what the general public finds appealing. There was one that said he was gonna vote for you because you were his grandmother's favorite Commando.

[wintered]

Alright, you win, as long as you pin my face down later. [ He shifts slightly in his seat, lowering his phone. As much of a rite of passage having illicit texts caught out might be for today's congressman he's not going to do it willingly. ]

Asgardian beer it is, then. You know I know five other languages, right? We could try them all.

[dysmorphics]

By sitting on it?

[ That's not how you're supposed to talk to your congressman, ma'am. Especially during work hours. ]

Oh, we should. You're gonna get rusty if you don't practice and you might need one of those languages one day.

[wintered]

That's the idea.

[ Listen, he'll do whatever it takes to secure your vote. ]

Practice makes perfect. Though my poetry collection might be a even more rusty.

[dysmorphics]

I could give you a clearer picture, if you like.

[ Stephanie Rogers this is not the time to be drawing nude art in the park—

Oh wait she actually has nothing to do until he's off work, so. ]

Hey, you know I'm a good, old-fashioned gal. Besides, you can read me the phone book or recite the Pledge of Allegiance and you won't hear any complaints.

[wintered]

Clarity is always good.

[ He reaches up to wipe the smile from his mouth, running his eyes over the congress floor. Still uneventful.]

There's always War and Peace. Should last us a while.

[dysmorphics]

Oh, yeah. A good long while.

[ She doesn't reply for about ten minutes. When she does, it's to send a snap of a pencil sketch on her pad. It's a quick one, mostly just the outline and with minimal shading, but the picture is clear: he's lying flat on the bed, she's sitting on his face with her head thrown back in ecstasy, his vibranium hand is squeezing her ass.

Don't ask her how she can draw something like this so quickly. ]

[wintered]

[ His pulse definitely jumps as his eyes trace the lines of the sketch quickly, even if he doesn't dare look at it too long in case anyone behind him can see over his shoulder. He glances around the floor again before grabbing his folder and slipping out the door. ]

[ He texts with quick metal fingers as he passes security with a nod. ]What do you know? Early recess. Do you want to come over earlier?

[dysmorphics]

Oh? Well, I don't have the booze with me, but we can just grab it after dinner. Gimme 10 mins.

[ She can be there in about 30 seconds if she runs at full speed, but keeping a low profile means acting just like everyone else. She stashes her sketchbook and pencils into her bag, throws on a pair of sunglasses, and starts to make her way over to him in a leisurely stroll. ]

Where do you want me?

[ ... yeah, that's absolutely a double entendre. ]

[wintered]

[ He doesn't think he actually needs the booze, they both know she's got him wrapped around her little finger. But then again, he can't make this too easy for her. ] After is good. Start at mine, end at yours?

[ Yeah, she definitely knows she has him on the ropes. He reaches up to loosen his tie as he waits for the next cab. ] Everywhere, but I'll meet you at my place in twenty. [ It'd be closer to ten if a congressmen riding a motorcycles wasn't so frowned on. As it is, he's just hoping they don't hit traffic.]

Don't forget to bring your sketch. Wanna get it right.

[dysmorphics]

[ Does she, because she seems to think it's the other way around. He's always been able to make her do the craziest things in a heartbeat — like ride the Cyclone, or launch a solo rescue mission in the heart of enemy territory despite having zero experience in fighting in a warzone — for him.

She crosses the street to hail a cab instead of walking all the way to his building, since they're now meeting at his place. She still takes her motorcycle most days, but public transit's easier sometimes. ]

I'm on my way. Good thing I've warmed up in pole dancing class.

I actually have a couple more sketches in my pad. [ Oops, secret's out? ]

[wintered]

Is that your way of telling me to stretch before?

Oh, really? Well, having options is always good. Anything else you want to share?

[dysmorphics]

Nah, all you gotta do is lie down and enjoy 😘

[ He probably won't, and she's not going to stop him, but you can bet she's going to try to pamper him since he's been stressed and all.

Once in the cab, she takes a pic of another sketch and sends it to him. The level of detail and completeness indicate that she's sketched this beforehand. She has his back to his chest. His dress shirt is unbuttoned, his metal hand tilting her head back by the hair so he can kiss her neck. Her skirt's hitched up and his other hand's disappeared beneath it.

It's only in these kinds of sketches that she actually draws her own face, and always with an expression that the public never sees. Vulnerable, and in this particular instance, moaning in pleasure. ]

How's that?

[wintered]

Or you could show me some of those pole moves. Cardio is cardio, right?

[ He studies the picture for a long time, always amazed at her talent and her new form of mind control. He swallows, licking his lips before glancing up at his driver in the front seat. ]

Strong lines and shading. Art in it's highest form. How long have you been holding these out on me?

[dysmorphics]

Oh, I could. Prepare to be impressed.

Honestly? I've been sketching them here and there since after you got back, but I thought of them before. It just didn't feel right to set them to paper without knowing you felt the same. [ A long-winded way of saying she got off to fantasizing about him, and that it's started way, way before. ]

[wintered]

I'll try.

Might have to get them framed. For my private collection.

[dysmorphics]

You're gonna need a lot of frames.

[wintered]

Might have to find a bigger place, then. Wall space is kind of limited here. Too many windows.

[dysmorphics]

I guess we can afford one if we combine your paycheck and my art commission income.

[ ... yes, she just casually suggested they move in together. ]