alnifolia | OPEN POST;

[ "Dinner and dancing, Goto. You and I have a date after this." Those were Peter's precise words in the last moments as they stood by the Milano's airlock, weapons unholstered and at the ready before they dove into the thick of the fight. Kasumi knew, at that moment, that it was his own version of parting words--not a real goodbye, but a see you later.

Kasumi had done the same thing, herself, after all, when Shepard contacted her before the battle. "Drinks are on me,” she'd told the Commander, because she knew Shep would stop at nothing to end the Reapers, knew she would give her own life if it meant ending this damn cycle once and for all.

So when Peter had said something much to the same effect, there was a sinking feeling in her stomach, but she put on her best smile for him, pulled him down by his jacket, and gave him a kiss without regard to their company or to the situation.

"I love you," were her parting words to him just as the airlock opened and they were immediately greeted by the sounds of warfare.

And those are the words that Peter whispers to her, now, and goddamn it, hearing them makes her cry even more, even as she wraps her arms around him, holding onto him like she doesn't want to let go ever again, because there's no describing her gratitude for the fact that she's even alive to hear him say those words.

Thankfully, her sobbing slows eventually, and she even manages to speak again, her lips curling into a smile even as her brows knit together and she has to blink to let the tears welling in her eyes fall so she can see him clearly. ]

I love you, too.

[ He doesn't even notice the protesting ache of the injuries along his chest as she clings to him, because he's too busy trying to soothe her, still carding his fingers through her hair like his mom used to do for him when he had a nightmare (and what was this whole fucking mess but one giant nightmare?). He hates to hear her cry, hates hearing her hurt, and for a moment he feels so guilty when she sobs all the more after he says those three little words.

But he doesn't apologize. He doesn't try to take them back. Because like hell is he going to feel sorry for loving this goddamn woman.

When she finally calms and pulls away, he brings a hand to her cheek, wiping away a stray tear or two with his thumb. Peter leans forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead, and returns her smile with one of his own.

Then, softly, ] You alright?

[ She nods, silently, letting go of him so she can place one of her hands atop his, holding it at her cheek, not realizing how much pain she's in from her injuries, either. Because being next to Peter brings her such warmth, in spite of it all, and while she's not the most religious person, she can't help but thank the gods or whatever beings exist on a higher plane of existence that they're alive and safe and just, everything. ]

Yeah. I'm sorry. I just... I can't believe it's over and we're alive. Everything we've worked for amounted to something after all.

[ She grows silent at the thought for a moment. All of her raids on those Cerberus bases, running around the galaxy to steal tech for the Crucible, the Guardians' traveling and helping the Nova Corps and attending to the colonies that might otherwise have been forgotten--the Crucible actually worked, for one, though Kasumi still isn't sure what exactly it did, and those colonies can keep existing now thanks to the Guardians and thanks to the success of this last stand. In time, her smile grows brighter. ]

We pretty much deserve a vacation.

[ Never mind that they're essentially being forced into one, anyway, what with their injuries. And that they're pretty much stuck here, anyway, with the Relays being severely damaged. ]

[ He rubs small, gentle circles on her back, and when she smiles, he feels relief flood his system.

He fucking loves that smile.

When the Ravagers took him in, Peter was raised to be a selfish guy. It's a hard habit to break at this point, after twenty-some-odd years of conditioning, so he doesn't think about all the good they've done. He doesn't think about all the people that are still alive or the planets and colonies they've saved from running around the galaxy, stealing devices and blueprints or whatever the hell. Making supply runs and bolstering defenses and breaking up the crime rings of people taking advantage of a shitty situation.

Peter's thinking about this. He's thinking about his stupid little ship housing his stupid little family of assholes and criminals. He's thinking about how they're lucky to be alive and how lucky he is to have them. He's thinking about Kasumi and her laugh and her smile and the press of her body against his. He's thinking about all the days they have ahead of them.

(And that's funny. Peter never did used to think about the future, but he's tired of living in uncertainty. Sure, they never know what tomorrow might bring, but it's not dangerous to hope anymore, is it?)

So he smiles, too -- a crooked, tentative little thing, but it's earnest. It's genuine. ]

Yeah -- once you and me are healed up, I'm thinkin' somewhere warm. Beachy. Sand and ocean and collecting sand dollars.

[ On Kasumi's end, tomorrows are new. She's someone who's made of yesterdays, and that much has slowly changed over the time that she's met and then been with Peter. Still, there has been uncertainty, fear that there aren't that many more tomorrows to have with him. Now?

She would agree with him. Hoping is something they can do, something they should do. Victory has come at a great cost, the extent of which Kasumi isn't even sure of, herself. Apart from her elation that she, Peter, and the Guardians have come out of this alive, she's waiting on word from the Alliance on where the rest of the Normandy crew are. They've essentially declared Shepard to been killed in action, unanimously declaring her a hero in the process, but there's a part of Kasumi that refuses to believe it until she personally sees the Commander's corpse being lowered into the ground or her ashes scattered across the sea. That woman has been brought back to life once, already. There's no way she could just be dead.

But she pushes those thoughts away, saves them for the times when she's up with nothing to do, because right now all she wants is to just be with him. There's no more "let's see if we live through this," now.

When he smiles at her, honestly, she feels like that's all she needs to keep on going. She's sure that even though they've won against the Reapers, everything's gone to shit, but none of that matters as much as the way he smiles at her, the way he holds her, runs his fingers through her hair, whispers I love you. ]

Yeah. That sounds perfect.

[ Sure, they're injured, and tired as hell, but there's nothing in this galaxy that's going to stop her from leaning in to kiss him, and god, now that they don't have to worry about whether or not it would be their last? It's fucking amazing. ]

[ She can probably feel him smile as they kiss, arms wrapped around one another, and if it were up to Peter, they'd stay like this all day.

But it is not, in fact, entirely up to him, and when his broken ribs protest this time, it's with a sharp ache that races up his sides, makes him gasp in pain and pull away. ]

Fuck--

[ He screws his eyes shut, breathes through it until the pain dulls to a throb, and by then the mood may or may not have been thoroughly killed. ]

--Sorry.

[ Concern lights up in her eyes the moment she hears him gasp, and when he pulls away, she pushes herself up as best as she can, fingers reaching and threading through his hair in an attempt to soothe him, the other hand reaching to hold his hand. It's her turn, now, to lean in and whisper reassurances, it'll be okay, love, you'll be okay, I'm here, as he rides out the pain. When he apologizes, she offers him a gentle smile, although the concern in her eyes remains. ]

Don't apologize, love. We got a little hasty there, huh? Do you need me to get you anything?

[ He shakes his head. ]

I'm fine. Sorry-- [ The last syllable is clipped. She did say not to apologize, so he casts her a slightly apologetic look. ] I'm fine. Just stay. Please.

[ She leans in to give him a kiss on his forehead, and when she pulls away, she looks down at him sweetly. ]

Of course. I'm pretty sure you're gonna be stuck with me for a while, anyway.

[ She might have really meant forever, but. ]

[ He huffs out a quiet laugh and falls silent for a second, then-- ]

When you-- a while ago, you said you were thinking about staying--

[ He hesitates, then his gaze moves down the collar of her shirt. ]

--with us, I mean. You probably don't remember, but-- not that you have to, but I-- I was wondering--

[ Again he falls silent, then exhales slowly. ]

Never mind. Sorry. Forget I said anything.

[ She tilts her head at him and keeps running her fingers through his hair even as he stumbles through his words. When he's come to a stop, her expression is a bit bemused; she's pretty sure she knows where he was trying to go with that, but-- ]

You were wondering... if I'm still thinking about staying, right?

[ She moves her hand under Peter's chin, and gently (very gently, given their injuries) tilts his head just enough to try and catch his gaze. Hers is locked firmly on his eyes with an unspoken determination. ]

Peter. We just survived through the galactic apocalypse. I thought I was going to lose you when that Banshee got you, and then the medics--they said you were going to be okay, but I was still worried, you know? I couldn't even think about my own injuries. But we pulled through. We're alive.

So there is no way in hell that I'm going anywhere unless you're going to be right there with me, Star-Lord. Not when neither of us thought we'd even have this chance.

[ And then she raises her brows and tries for a silly little smile, leans in to press her forehead against his, and although her voice is tired and raspy and tired, she sings softly, ]

Please, go all the way, just hold me close, don't ever let me go.

[ He laughs a little, quiet and relieved. ]

Intergalactic Karaoke Queen.

[ He pulls away only long enough to kiss her on the forehead again before pressing his brow to hers. He admits, silently, that he figured he was a goner when the Banshee had lifted him up, teeth bared and claws at the ready. After all, they'd seen more than their fair share of soldiers slaughtered in the same way -- and he remembers seeing the Banshee's arm was coated in viscera up to the elbow.

He swallows. Just another bad dream for the vault.

But he'll live. He lived through everything else, after all, defying every single odd in the galaxy. ]

Good. [ It's whispered, though. ] Can't imagine goin' anywhere without you, either.

Your Intergalactic Karaoke Queen, mind you. I wouldn't inflict this on anyone else.

[ She nuzzles his nose with hers, because goddamn it, she just wants to be grossly affectionate with him--because she can, and she doesn't care anymore. Right now, they're not Star-Lord and the galaxy's best master thief, they're just Peter Quill and Kasumi Goto. They're just two people who happened to meet one day in the middle of a galactic crisis, happened to become fast friends, then partners; they're just two people who fell in love.

Which is why she says it, once more for good measure, just a hair above a whisper, I love you, Peter. ]

Hey, inflict nothing. I like your voice.

[ He laughs a little when she rubs their noses together -- the gesture is one that he's only ever done with Kasumi, and he's come to relate it to something strictly hers. It helps that he's one of the privileged few who actually gets to see her without her hood, after all. His own reply is near instant: ]

Love you too.

[ That earns him another one of those genuine smiles, although she pulls away just a little now, if only to give Peter some space given that he'd just been in a lot of pain. ]

So--this beach idea. You think the rest of the guys would be game for it? We can get Rocket some tiny little board shorts. Hell, Groot, too.

[ The mental image is priceless. ]

I don't see why not. If nothing else, we can get Groot on board with it pretty easy -- guy loves basking in sunlight -- and he's got Rocket wrapped around his little-- finger? Twig? Whatever.

So then it's four against two, if Drax and Gamora aren't game, and majority rules. Democracy at work.

[ she chuckles softly. ]

Gotta love the democratic process.

We can tell them we need them there for 3-on-3 beach volleyball, too.

[ He wrinkles his nose at that. ]

If you're gonna bring volleyball into this, you're explaining the rules. And buying all the volleyballs, because I guarantee they'll destroy at least ten of them before they get the hang of it.

[ Kasumi looks thoughtful for a moment, then: ]

Okay, maybe we skip beach volleyball and build sand castles instead.

[ then she reaches over, running her fingers through his hair again. ]

And maybe we lump dinner and dancing in then, too. Which I guess means the others are going to have to keep themselves busy somehow.

As long as the night doesn't end with us bailin' them out of jail, they can do whatever they want. I'm sure they can keep themselves entertained for a night.

You'll have to pick the place, though. My expertise lies entirely on where the cheapest and seediest bars are.

[ she quirks a brow at him. ]

Honestly, Peter? I don't care what kind of place we go to so long as we go together.

[ and the winner of the "biggest sap in the galaxy" award goes to... ]

[ Sentimental though she may be, it still makes him grin.

All the same-- ] Careful, dude. Gettin' kinda cavity-inducingly syrupy, here.

[ Well. That makes her smirk, and she leans in to whisper into his ear. ]

You wouldn't be saying that if you knew just what I think about you and I being alone at the beach, Star-Lord.

[ Oh.

Well, he doesn't need to know what she's thinking, because now he's thinking about it, and, yeah, okay, some of these mental images are pretty great, but what if--

He groans a little, moves in to rest his forehead against her shoulder. ]

... So not cool, Goto. I'm literally hurt.

[ She lets out a breath that sort of doubles as a little laugh. ] Yeah, well, so am I.

But it's something we can both look forward to, right? We can take a nice, long, walk on the beach at sunset and in the distance behind us, Rocket blows something up, but we just keep going to a nice, secluded part of the beach...

[ Wiiiiink. ]

❖
OPEN RP POST ① Pick a character ② Pick a prompt (or DIY) (shamelessly and selectively pilfered from bakerstreet's Random Scenario Meme) ③ Do the thing!. table code by betterdolphin

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