[ They've both careened their way across the galaxy and had some memorable nights and some disasters together, and so H doesn't question it. Just accepts the gift for what it is, and doesn't miss a beat: ]
Who's not scared of birds? Used to be dinosaurs, you know. They're all terrifying, swans are vicious
But yeah, great, thanks mate. Merenzane Gold. Got it. In exchange, I'll distract her enough that she forgets all about you 😉
[ Peter really appreciates having another human around that gets his awful jokes and doesn't question the weird things that constantly happen around them. ]
Do you think that swans remember? maybe that's why they're always so angry.
No problem, dude. Distract her, uh? Yes, I bet that will be a huge effort on your part. I'll get out of sight just in case, besides there's a lovely Shi'ar by the other side of bar that I want to talk with.
Don't go too far though, remember you're my ride home at the end of the night. Not planning on being trapped in this backwater station and having to beg and barter my way back to Earth
[ The MIB weren't technically allowed their own ships -- hence all the flying cars that could only go into lower atmosphere -- but hitching a ride into space from a friend, when H was off-the-clock and sleeves rolled up and very much not here in an Official Capacity? Totally fine. ]
You know which dock the ship is parked, if we lose sight of each other we can meet there at the end of the night. I wouldn't leave you stranded here, not even for a pretty Shi'ar.
[ He knows how terrifying space can be. Peter might be an ass on occasion but he wouldn't leave a friend stranded in such a hostile place. ]
Besides, you're pretty too. If I let you on your own then you will get in trouble.
Oh, they most absolutely have. Both the fun and the not-so-fun ways. I once had to blast my way out of one's jelly-sac once. Not entirely unlike the Abilisk that ate the big muscly fellow on your ship
Aww, dumping me for a dangerous & pretty girl, I see how it is. Have fun, man. See you in a bit.
[ It is! Peter goes to focus his attention on the Shi'ar and they pretty much dance and chat for the rest of the hour. it's going nowhere but he talking to other people for the sake of socializing alone and the Shi'ar has a sense of humor, which is rare enough. They take a picture together making a silly face, that Peter sends to H so he has an excuse to check on him. ]
[ Agent H has outright disappeared -- Peter hasn't seen him around the crowd in the bar for a while -- but by the time he gets back to his phone and sees the photo, he laughs. ]
You absolute nerd 😂
Got all my limbs and one satisfied Rajak, but when she asked about coming back to my ship I hemmed and hawed too long, for..... obvious reasons so now I think I need to make a quick run for it too
[ Any other time Peter would have been more worries but he knows H was in good hands. Hands that sadly were connected to a very jealous type of girl, so he's also unsurprised to see the last message. ]
Everyone loves nerds nowadays 😘
Get out there before she grabs any pointy silverware, that's all I'm saying.
I can meet you at the fountain in front of the bar in five minutes.
Alright alright alright don't get your knickers in a twist
[ Another few minutes, and then a disheveled H has fled the intergalactic bar, readjusting his half-undone tie and straightening his jacket as he slips it back on. There's a few hickeys on his neck; evidently his interlude has been pretty successful. Once he spots Peter waiting by the fountain, he waves and breaks into a loping, cheerful run. ]
[ Knickers, really? It made him smile, though. By the time H shows up, Peter has somehow acquired a bottle of...something. The alcohol is blue and purple, and taste like gin and blueberry, and it's great. ]
H, my man! I cheer to that...I didn't want to have to drag your sorry ass to the nearest hospital. I don't think they have those here.
How in the hell can they not have hospitals here? People get injured in space just as well as anyone.
[ A beat, a pause. He reassesses. ]
Actually. Any medical attention they have probably... won't apply to humans, now that I think about it. So. What d'you have there?
[ H isn't quite drunk yet -- he's stayed merrily tipsy instead -- but there's a curious glint in his eye as he catches sight of the bottle Peter's carting around. ]
Because people comes here to have fun, not to think about their well being. It's not exactly a planet suited for the faint of heart. There's probably doctors somewhere but I wouldn't trust their abilities or the quality of their tools. Whe're pretty close to another colony with better facilities, I'm sure they'll have a hospital there for all your sanitary needs.
[ But good point on the human doctor things. Peter makes a face and then gives a nods. ]
Better not to think about it. [ He sees the look in H's eyes and grins, wrapping an arm around the blond's shoulders but not yet handling him the bottle. ] Me? Oh, nothing, just a bit of Ambrostine. Ever tried that one?
Hm. I haven't, no, although I've heard it's strong as hell—
[ He twists within that companionable sling of Peter's arm, craning his head to get a better look at the notorious bottle. It's hard to get a hold of, enough that even with all his proclivities and playing fast-and-loose with alien drugs and liquor, he hasn't actually tried it yet. If they'd been on Earth, he was even supposed to report its very presence to the authorities as contraband. Technically. Agent H hasn't followed the regulations to the letter for a while, though. ]
On a scale of 1-10, how much will this fuck us up?
[ He's grinning, though, which means he clearly doesn't mind. ]
Uhm...12? It IS safe for human consumption. It won't melt our inside or anything, but I've heard it does make people feel funny. And relaxed.
[ Peter takes a sip of the bottle, tipping his head back, the column of his throat visible for a few seconds. He pauses after that, blinking at the taste in his mouth and then smiling at H and offering him the bottle. ]
See? I didn't explode or anything and the taste is great. Give it a try as we walk back to the ship.
Yeah, but you're also not exactly human, as you're so fond of reminding me. Your digestive system is not my digestive system. Me, I'm weak and frail and horribly mortal. [ He takes the bottle, swings it up to take a deep swig — and the strength of the alien liquor hits him like a blow, right in the chest, driving the breath out of his lungs. ]
God. You weren't kidding. That's strong but delicious.
[ As they trade sips of the bottle and start heading back to the ship, there's already a slight cheerful wobble in H's step. ]
I'm not but I don't have any power left now. He doesn't think that his genetic would make him immune to cursed alcohol. They sure never helped my hangovers before.
[ He smiles brightly when H takes the bottle form him, in a way that scream 'TOLD YOU SO, FRIEND'. ]
See? I wouldn't lie to you. [ It's a slow and slightly uncoordinated walk to the ship, passing the bottle around among them, but the ship is still in one piece when they get there and Peter considers it a win. He's even more cheerful and relaxed than a few minutes before if such a thing is possible. ]
Hmmm...we should do these things more often. [ His arm is once again around H's shoulders but he can't remember when he put it there. It's comfy and his faces are close, so Peter isn't moving it. ] You are busy too often. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy...
[ He'd started answering lazily, automatically, but he cuts himself off sharply with a kind of horrified laugh. The liquor's taken a harder hit than he realised. They're not supposed to have names anymore. Filed off along with their fingerprints. ] Christ. That would've been bad. I'm not supposed to. I would've had to neuralyse you if I'd said, and trust me, you don't want that. Not a pleasant experience all around. Speaking from personal experience.
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Who's not scared of birds? Used to be dinosaurs, you know. They're all terrifying, swans are vicious
But yeah, great, thanks mate. Merenzane Gold. Got it. In exchange, I'll distract her enough that she forgets all about you 😉
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Do you think that swans remember? maybe that's why they're always so angry.
No problem, dude. Distract her, uh? Yes, I bet that will be a huge effort on your part. I'll get out of sight just in case, besides there's a lovely Shi'ar by the other side of bar that I want to talk with.
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[ The MIB weren't technically allowed their own ships -- hence all the flying cars that could only go into lower atmosphere -- but hitching a ride into space from a friend, when H was off-the-clock and sleeves rolled up and very much not here in an Official Capacity? Totally fine. ]
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[ He knows how terrifying space can be. Peter might be an ass on occasion but he wouldn't leave a friend stranded in such a hostile place. ]
Besides, you're pretty too. If I let you on your own then you will get in trouble.
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Don't get stabbed by a Shi'ar. Judging by your track record this is a legitimate concern
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I would take offense on that but... [ Well, it is not a lie. ] You say that as if no alien ever tried to eat you. And not in the fun way.
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How is it going with the Rajak ? has she slapped you yet? :P
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[ Really enjoying your best friend's conversation can be a problem sometimes!! ]
So alright off I go, wish me luck, back later
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[ It is! Peter goes to focus his attention on the Shi'ar and they pretty much dance and chat for the rest of the hour. it's going nowhere but he talking to other people for the sake of socializing alone and the Shi'ar has a sense of humor, which is rare enough. They take a picture together making a silly face, that Peter sends to H so he has an excuse to check on him. ]
Still with all your limbs attached?
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You absolute nerd 😂
Got all my limbs and one satisfied Rajak, but when she asked about coming back to my ship I hemmed and hawed too long, for..... obvious reasons
so now I think I need to make a quick run for it too
where are you at
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Everyone loves nerds nowadays 😘
Get out there before she grabs any pointy silverware, that's all I'm saying.
I can meet you at the fountain in front of the bar in five minutes.
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But also, wait. Pointy silverware? What DID you do to this woman?
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It's what happened a day later what she got pissed about, and it was a misunderstanding. Wellkindasorta.
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[ Another few minutes, and then a disheveled H has fled the intergalactic bar, readjusting his half-undone tie and straightening his jacket as he slips it back on. There's a few hickeys on his neck; evidently his interlude has been pretty successful. Once he spots Peter waiting by the fountain, he waves and breaks into a loping, cheerful run. ]
Good news! I escaped with all my bits.
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[ Knickers, really? It made him smile, though. By the time H shows up, Peter has somehow acquired a bottle of...something. The alcohol is blue and purple, and taste like gin and blueberry, and it's great. ]
H, my man! I cheer to that...I didn't want to have to drag your sorry ass to the nearest hospital. I don't think they have those here.
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[ A beat, a pause. He reassesses. ]
Actually. Any medical attention they have probably... won't apply to humans, now that I think about it. So. What d'you have there?
[ H isn't quite drunk yet -- he's stayed merrily tipsy instead -- but there's a curious glint in his eye as he catches sight of the bottle Peter's carting around. ]
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[ But good point on the human doctor things. Peter makes a face and then gives a nods. ]
Better not to think about it. [ He sees the look in H's eyes and grins, wrapping an arm around the blond's shoulders but not yet handling him the bottle. ] Me? Oh, nothing, just a bit of Ambrostine. Ever tried that one?
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[ He twists within that companionable sling of Peter's arm, craning his head to get a better look at the notorious bottle. It's hard to get a hold of, enough that even with all his proclivities and playing fast-and-loose with alien drugs and liquor, he hasn't actually tried it yet. If they'd been on Earth, he was even supposed to report its very presence to the authorities as contraband. Technically. Agent H hasn't followed the regulations to the letter for a while, though. ]
On a scale of 1-10, how much will this fuck us up?
[ He's grinning, though, which means he clearly doesn't mind. ]
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[ Peter takes a sip of the bottle, tipping his head back, the column of his throat visible for a few seconds. He pauses after that, blinking at the taste in his mouth and then smiling at H and offering him the bottle. ]
See? I didn't explode or anything and the taste is great. Give it a try as we walk back to the ship.
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God. You weren't kidding. That's strong but delicious.
[ As they trade sips of the bottle and start heading back to the ship, there's already a slight cheerful wobble in H's step. ]
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[ He smiles brightly when H takes the bottle form him, in a way that scream 'TOLD YOU SO, FRIEND'. ]
See? I wouldn't lie to you. [ It's a slow and slightly uncoordinated walk to the ship, passing the bottle around among them, but the ship is still in one piece when they get there and Peter considers it a win. He's even more cheerful and relaxed than a few minutes before if such a thing is possible. ]
Hmmm...we should do these things more often. [ His arm is once again around H's shoulders but he can't remember when he put it there. It's comfy and his faces are close, so Peter isn't moving it. ] You are busy too often. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy...
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[ He'd started answering lazily, automatically, but he cuts himself off sharply with a kind of horrified laugh. The liquor's taken a harder hit than he realised. They're not supposed to have names anymore. Filed off along with their fingerprints. ] Christ. That would've been bad. I'm not supposed to. I would've had to neuralyse you if I'd said, and trust me, you don't want that. Not a pleasant experience all around. Speaking from personal experience.
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