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MHA #8, Thursday night
Yesterday had been extremely odd, and exhausting, even for here. Today had been fine for Stark though. Much less chaotic. He hadn’t turned into anyone or anything he shouldn’t have, for one thing. That was always a positive. His mask had stayed where it was meant to, which also helped make for a more pleasant day. Wine class had presumably been fine as well but now he was back in his apartment and settling in for the night.
He’d eaten (a meal not entirely made up of sugar, even) and cleaned up the kitchen. It could be an early night, he thought, or maybe he would curl up on his couch and watch a food program, or look for recipe inspirations for class tomorrow. Maybe even both.
For now, he’d shower. Perhaps shave. It would be better to have a freshly shaved head before facing paintball tomorrow in case Anakin tried (or accomplished) anything. That sounded good to Stark. A shower, a shave, and a quiet night in.
So that’s where he was, in the shower (without his mask, because it was easier not to get the straps wet than to dry them after) in his empty and locked apartment. At least, the door was locked the last time he checked.
[Stark is clearly expecting nobody. I am expecting 1 or 2 neighbors for maximum awkwardness! :D]
He’d eaten (a meal not entirely made up of sugar, even) and cleaned up the kitchen. It could be an early night, he thought, or maybe he would curl up on his couch and watch a food program, or look for recipe inspirations for class tomorrow. Maybe even both.
For now, he’d shower. Perhaps shave. It would be better to have a freshly shaved head before facing paintball tomorrow in case Anakin tried (or accomplished) anything. That sounded good to Stark. A shower, a shave, and a quiet night in.
So that’s where he was, in the shower (without his mask, because it was easier not to get the straps wet than to dry them after) in his empty and locked apartment. At least, the door was locked the last time he checked.
[Stark is clearly expecting nobody. I am expecting 1 or 2 neighbors for maximum awkwardness! :D]
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She'd been home by herself and staring at the ceiling for awhile -- like she did a lot of nights, when there wasn't anything on television that would distract her sufficiently.
But you know. There were other means of distraction. Stark had said to come by, and there was that whole suggestion of pancakes, and all. That would be distracting. (And being around Stark in general just tended to make Faye feel a little better, so -- that was stupid, but it was also a factor.)
So, again: Faye had knocked. Not especially loudly, no. And when she didn't get an answer, she did totally go ahead and start picking the lock.
Who didn't like surprises, right? He'd think it was sexy and fun. Most normal people would love a surprise Faye!
"Stark?" she called softly once she'd let herself in. Because despite appearances, she didn't actually want to scare him. That would be super counterintuitive, considering why she was here.
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Luckily(?) he didn't tend to take very long showers so the water shut off fairly quickly. Of course, he still wasn't expecting company, especially company that just opened locked doors to let herself in. If he were expecting company he might have had clothes ready, rather than just a towel.
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The towel wasn't exactly at odds with why she was here, either, so. You know. All of this was pretty much going according to plan (or whatever functioned as a "plan" with Faye involved.)
So when she heard the water shut off, she figured out where he was (like a detective) and took a moment to artfully arrange herself against a wall near the bathroom door. And then considered whether lounging out on the bed might be good? No, no, leaning against the wall was the way to go. Then there would be no missing her.
Again: everyone liked surprises, right? Especially hot ones, like her.
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So even when he heard a noise that might have been a person outside the bathroom he didn't think it would be Faye. Or anyone. Maybe a squirrel?
Even though he didn't think anyone was there he still took a moment to settle his mask back into place and wrap a towel around his waist. Just in case there was someone, or something, out there. He really didn't want there to be. Someone or something breaking in couldn't possibly mean anything good.
"Hello?" he called out softly. Not leaving the bathroom yet. Just in case.
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She thought it was a cool and seductive tone of voice, but you know. She wasn't at all startled by her own presence, so it might have been a lot more unsettling and spooky than Faye was really willing to consider.
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When someone answered him he responded in a perfectly reasonable fashion. He screamed. Just a little.
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That was not the reaction she'd wanted, no.
"Calm down!" Faye yelled back, totally abandoning this idea of being cool and/or seductive. There was screaming now, okay? So she had to respond appropriately.
(Because that was Faye, through and through: appropriate.)
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Why should he be calm? There was someone in his apartment! And he was wearing nothing more than a towel! There was no way this ended well!
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Identifying herself beyond 'me' was apparently too much to ask. Also, Faye was also yelling, so.
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Sorry, neighbors.
But the voice did sound familiar so he was going to open the door and look out into the rest of the apartment. Still just in a towel. Like you do.
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Because it really had been quite easy to get in, yes.
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"Why are you here?"
Stark, you idiot.
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It was because she'd been lonely and lacked any real boundaries. Or patience, which was why she'd broken in.
"I did knock." Just not loudly. Or more than a couple times.
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"I was in the shower," he said finally. In case that wasn't obvious from how he was still wearing only a towel.
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Obviously.
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In case the scream and the yelling wasn't a clue there.
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Yeah, Stark, you were the unreasonable one, here.
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"I wasn't...I..."
If Stark started flailing he was going to lose the towel so he was just going to keep a death grip on it with one hand.
"I didn't even have my mask on and you could have been anyone and I..."
"I'm not used to nice surprises," he finished after a moment.
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Because that just made her want to make sure his apartment was more secure in case people who weren't her did break in. (This was a bad idea, considering how secure her ship was and that Faye herself slept with a gun.)
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"Not usually here," he allowed. He usually felt safe here. Maybe not at this exact moment though.
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"Well, we should fix that, too," she decided, shrugging. "If someone who was actually a danger to you broke in, I'd be over here to help, you know."
Perhaps this was not the reassurance Faye thought it was.
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"How are you going to fix it?"
Honestly, Stark. How do you think?
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Look, she could maybe make this work, still.
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Oh, indeed.
Stark was just going to hold that towel a little tighter, thanks.
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Which is why a very much not-entirely-dressed Liam burst out of his own apartment and, noticing the door to Stark's was ajar, went inside.
Definitely frowning despite the icon"Stark?" he called out.no subject
"Great," she said, exasperatedly throwing an arm up at this new, shirtless addition. "Way to get the cops involved, Stark."
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"You're the one who picked the lock!"
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Also, Liam, no one invited you.
(...no one had invited Faye, either, per se.)
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Stark let go of the towel for a moment to gesture at the bathroom door, then realized what he'd done and resumed his death grip on it.
"I'm fine," he added to Liam. "Didn't mean to worry you."
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Also, damnit, Stark, that briefly dipping towel distracted him from frowning at Faye. For a moment, anyway.
“It’s generally bad practice to pick the locks on someone else’s door,” he told her.
Never you mind that he’d barged in. He thought someone was in trouble!
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Much less this addition of a third person. Though, like...she could make that work, potentially. She had stupid feelings about Stark, sure, but like...there was a lot of male nudity going on here. Maybe this could turn out really well for her?
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"I was startled." And scared. Maybe still fighting an urge to flee. But he felt REAL bad about it, if that helped?
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Which, like, to be fair...she could have totally been there to murder him. It wasn't like she had announced, 'HELLO, STARK, I'M HERE FOR THE SEX WE TALKED ABOUT.'
But Faye also kind of figured she hadn't needed to, either.
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"How was I supposed to know you weren't here to murder me?"
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Okay, that was neither remotely comforting, nor was it actually true. Faye was kinda sneaky, not, like, a ninja or whatever.
"But also I've never acted like I was going to murder you before, have I? I wasn't even gonna throw you over the balcony in Japan."
See? Because she liked you, Stark. And she was super good at showing it.
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"You never acted like you were going to break in and fri-... startle me, either!"
He had not been going to say frighten, how dare you.
"You didn't threaten me in Japan," he allowed. "But I didn't know you were you until I saw you! You could have been someone else!"
There was literally nobody else on this island who wasn't a raccoon or squirrel who had any reason to break in. That was beside the point.
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...no, no she had not, she had been deliberately obtuse, actually. But Faye was all irrationally mad at about five different things right now so it was unfair to expect her to make any sense.
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Stark tightened his grip on the towel because that kept at least one of his hands still.
"I...I didn't think you were serious! The other day."
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Look, Liam was a very worldly almost-nine but sometimes he was still a little oblivious.
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So annoyed that she was actually going to cross over and grab Stark by the face to kiss him. Because seriously. How dense could you be?
...sorry, Liam. She totally still knew you were there, she was just. You know. Faye.
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He was however, very aware that he was still only wearing a towel (that he had miraculously not dropped when Faye kissed him) and that Liam was still there. He made a very small regretful noise before leaning back.
"I can see that now," he said, sounding only slightly dazed.
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"I...thank you. For checking on me. Shouldn't have screamed." Except for how he had definitely been frightened because someone broke in to his apartment and a little scream was a perfectly reasonable reaction under these circumstances!
"I think I'll be all right."
Faye was definitely smirking at Liam right now.
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