Log Title:
More Than Just Games
Characters:
Black Widow, Wonder Man
IC Date:
01-06-11
Location:
Game Room, Avengers Mansion
Brief log summary::
Black Widow confronts Wonder Man about the recent changes in team roster.
Rating:
pg13
There is no TS in this log::
Yes
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The man of the hour, B Movie Silver Globe Nominee Simon Williams is found within the game room at one of the arcade games. He's striking the buttons with his left and working the joystick with his right. Along with shaking his bottom to some elusive beat, he mutters the words to the classic arcade song, defender; "defender sees lots of alien ships, defender sees lots of radar blips, ever blip is a ship, on this body snatching trip."
Currently Simon is wearing his black and red uniform, his dark red shades, and looks as if he's ready for action - then again, isn't he always?
Black Widow is also dressed for work at the moment. She seems to just be having a walk through the mansion, though certainly she must know who is in and where they are. She stops just inside the room, apparently not wanting to distract Simon while he's playing. Patient, she waits instead as she watches him play.
After several more minutes of 'pew pew' Simon is gotten the better of and he says, 'nooooooo!' as the sound of his ship exploding resonates through the room. Which is followed by a few explicitives and then he turns and takes note of someone watching him. Shocked, not realizing that he was being observed, he smiles and says, "Oh hi 'Tasha." trying to regain his composure from being so involved in the game.
Black Widow smirks slightly as she watches him take the defeat with such grace and dignity. She just waits patiently until he finally notices he has an audience, then smiles. "Simon." she returns his greeting. "I hope I'm not intruding?"
Knowing that he cannot cover up the immaturity he was just a party of, he smiles and moves away from the video game toward a large leather sofa (seating area near a bar). While he does, "Oh no, not at all. What's going on?"
Black Widow replies "Just taking stock of the team at the moment. We need to know who we can rely on, and who just can't answer at the moment." She watches him again, then walks over to join him on the couch. "How're you doing? Everything alright?" With Cap gone for now, it leaves her in charge.
Sliding into the leather, he doesn't sit upright, rather he lounges at an angle facing her, with a knee sideways on the cushion between them and his back to the corner and arm rest. "I'm great. Getting out of Hollywood has been good for me. Keeping it on the QT, and it makes my fans think I'm hittin up for some role on Broadway."
Black Widow's posture is much more straight than Simon's, but she's not bolt upright, either. She faces him as well, then nods. "Are you? Looking for something on Broadway, I mean. I know how important it can be to keep busy."
"The only thing I'd ever look for on Broadway is …", Simon stops short of saying something off color and smiles as he corrects, "Nah. I'm just taking a break. But it's great PR." His right arm goes over the back of the sofa as he makes himself a little more comfortable.
Black Widow arches a shaped eyebrow at where his reply was likrly going, though she doesn't remark on it. Her lips purse a little, then she says "I don't know if you heard, but Steve's left the team." Leaving her in charge for the time being.
That brings a cloud to the game room as Simon's expression darkens and he looks to the nearby coffee table and tightens his lips. "Yeah."
Black Widow continues to watch him. "I'd like your thoughts on that. I know you're one of the people who upset him."
After a sigh, and a shifting in his seat, Simon swallows and says, "He took a vote, and then he went against the vote. I mean, I love Steve like a brother. Look up to him as a mentor. But if we didn't take out the SI, then he would have just come back and wiped out the Earth. He would have stopped the NegaBomb and we wouldn't be here right now."
Natasha nods as she listens to him. She doesn't seem at all to be just dismissing his words. "We all know I'm not the one to throw stones. I'm hardly the poster girl for mercy." The only reason she stopped killing was because it was against Avengers policy. "But we all know how Steve is about it. He sees any compromise as… a compromise. Not living up to the ideal he created for the team."
"Steve is a man out of time. That's not to say his values are wrong. I don't know. It just seemed the right thing to do and I'm not sure I regret it. I do regret the schizm it's put between he and those of us who did it." Simon answers reflectively.
"He is a man out of time." Natasha agrees. "But then I understand something about what that's like." She wasn't exactly born recently, either. "I've just had the advantage of not being asleep for decades. "I'm not going to say it was the wrong thing to do. It might have been necessary. I just hope we can find a way to get him past this. I know he'll answer the call if we really need him, but that isn't the same as him being one of us."
A moment of silence while Simon processes and thinks on her words, "So you're in charge." is relayed - not as a question, but just a statement of fact, maybe indicating that he understands that there may be new avenues she wants to take or wants to add something to that reveal.
"I'm in charge." Black Widow echoes with a nod. She was Steve's deputy, after all. "And as far as I know, no one else wants to have to do the paperwork." she offers with the slightest of smiles. "Which is why I need to know where everyone stands. I know that this was an extreme case. I do believe that otherwise, none of you would have taken an extreme course."
"Well, if you need me, I'm here. Clint's given me leave and nothing is really going on out west. And down time really bores the crap outta me." Simon notes where he stands.
Nodding to him, Natasha replies "I appreciate that. It's been a little quiet recently, but we all know how quickly that can change." Too quickly, sometimes. "And in the meantime, there's time to improve." She's always felt that no matter how powerful someone is, there's room for improvement.
"Improve?" Simon questions with a smile then hand motions over his chest/stomach, "Baby, what's to improve on this?" - he knows he's going to get grief, but loves to generate attention and fun.
Natasha can't help a laugh. "I know. Hard to believe, isn't it?" she replies to him. "Nevertheless, there's no reason we can't try our best. Just in case there's a little more we can squeeze out of your awesomeness, Simon." she says, her tone dry.
"Oh baby, squeeze all you want." Simon taunts with a wry grin becoming more casual with the new conversation thread and draping his arm across the back of the couch while settling back into the comfortable position.
Grinning, Natasha says "Don't say that to me, Simon. You might get more than you can handle." She can be really hard on people in training. "I've got quite the grip." There's really no harm in the banter. They've all known each other a while now.
With the -OOOOH- shocked expression on his face Simon laughs and places his hand across his stomach. Then with a little more composure, "Wow, okay then." then as he rolls forward to stand, "Guess when you need the Wonder, give me a call."
There's another chuckle, then Black Widow nods. "I'll get the training schedule put together, and get you a cope." she says to him, apparently planning to stay on the couch for a little while.
