Vasquez is in the process of packing for the coming day, clothes and toiletries laid out on the bed in her and Jason's bedroom, alongside a duffel bag. She's fresh from the shower judging by the hot air and foggy mirror in the bathroom and the damp hair that she hasn't gotten around to drying yet. She's wearing a black top and underwear, and her favored gray military-style pants are hung over the back of the couch, yet to be put
#RedrockAgency – January 15, 2019
Jason's arrival is announced by the sliding of the bedroom door. As is to be expected, he's still in the clothes he wore during his visit with Oxaris. Black military pants, combat boots, and a long sleeved white shirt. He shrugs off the brown canvas jacket draped over his shoulders and hangs it near the door before he catches sight of Vasquez. The tired look on his face shifts to some semblance of a smile as he watches her. "Hey
Vasquez ' head turns at the sound of Jason's voice, flashing a half-hearted smile when her gaze meets his. "Hey." she says, although it comes out more like a sigh, her gaze returning to the array of items on the bed. "How was Ortoratus?"
Jason draws in a breath at the question, his gaze turning towards the bed to try and get a look at everything as he approaches. "Seemed to be in good spirits." he says before qualifying his statement with a tilt of his head and an added, "...All things considered. She'll be back on her feet in no time." As he reaches Vasquez, he brings his hands to her sides and nestles against her, peering over her shoulder. "How about you?
Vasquez leans back a little against Jason, crossing her arms. She falls quiet as she considers the question. "More or less." she says after a little while, although there's a hesitation to her voice.
Jason presses a brief kiss against the damp hair in his face and brings his arms around Vasquez' waist as he looks over the clothes she has laid out. "I feel like we need to set some ground rules for this trip. Honeymoon dress code, at least." he says, seeming unbothered by the wetness seeping into the neckline of his shirt as he casts a brief glance towards the pants slung over the couch's backrest. "No fatigues. No combat
boots." he teases, lopsided smirk returning to his face. It applies to him every bit as much as her, of course. "What do you think? Think you can manage that?"
Vasquez lets out a quiet snort, a faint smirk briefly crossing her lips, but it doesn't last long. "I don't know, I-..." Her gaze turns towards the window, outside of which daylight is starting to fade. "...maybe we should rethink this. I mean, can we just... leave, right now?" She shrugs to create some space between them and turns around to face Jason. "With everything going on, maybe... maybe we should postpone?" she suggests,
Jason's gaze drops a bit at the comment. He loosens his grip on Vasquez as she turns, one hand coming to a rest on her side. Not exactly an unfamiliar thought. But it seems like that's what they've been doing ever since they met. Postponing their lives as they desperately try to keep everything from crashing down around them. He props up that lopsided grin of his in an attempt to ease her concerns and tilts his head back slightly.
"And then what? Wait for the next disaster?" he asks sarcastically, giving a small but sincere snicker despite the grim implications. "It feel like that's all we've been doing since we met, Linda. Spinning plates and plugging holes. Running in circles to get all of our ducks in a row and promising ourselves that when we come out the other side we'll finally get a chance to live our lives. Right? I mean, hell, we barely got
through our wedding before things were falling apart again." he snorts. He gives a shake of his head. "I need this." he continues, a heavy honesty slipping into his tone momentarily. "A break from the rest of the galaxy. Just-... lock the doors and spend some time away with my incredible wife." The word causes his smile to grow, as if it still hasn't quite sunk in yet. "Things will be fine here." he assures with a small
shake of his head, "Ilyna will take care of everything while we're gone. And, I promise, everything will still be going to hell by the time we get back."
Vasquez sighs as Jason begins to speak, no longer meeting his gaze. His mention of how things went to hell almost immediately after the wedding causes a faint nod, but it's the honesty of the next words that cause her to look back to his face. A soft smile crosses her lips as her hands come to rest on Jason's neck. She studies his face for a moment before leaning in for a quick kiss, nodding as she pulls back. "I-... yeah, you're
right. We... both need this, I think." she admits, a hint of guilt in her eyes as her gaze leaves Jason and she steps back a little, hands moving to his arms. "It just... feels so wrong to go on vacation when there's so much going on. So much to do." she says, hands pulling back as her arms cross with a shrug. "Feels like we're leaving with the house on fire."
Jason's gaze turns to Vasquez' hands as they travel down his arms. He still hasn't grown used to that lack of sensation. Maybe he never will. But the pressure still brings with it a sense of comfort. Her admission comes as no surprise. As a matter of fact, it's just nice to hear her say it out loud. His body might be black and blue from their last outing, but his role in Redrock is pretty much a flash of lightning compared to
hers. He goes out, does his job, and then comes home and tries to pack it away. Admittedly with little success most of the time, but still. There's time to decompress. To attempt to decompress. Her job never seems to end. Long nights in her office. The constant stress of trying to bring in new clients just to keep them afloat. She carries the entire company on her shoulders. All while pregnant. The thought causes him to
give a small, dismissive shrug of his shoulders. "Fuck it, then. Let it all burn." he says, propping his smile right back up. He steps in closer, widening his stance slightly as he looks her over, his expression growing a bit more sincere. "It's just a few days." he begins, bringing both hands back to her sides, "We've earned that much, Linda. You've earned that much."
Vasquez ' shoulders drop as she lets out another sigh, moving into Jason's arms and wrapping her own around him, letting her forehead rest against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to-... I don't want to sound like there's not a part of me that's looking forward to getting away for a bit." she says with a tired chuckle. "Just... feels weird to even be thinking about time off right now. Like we're doing something wrong."
Jason gives a sigh of his own as his arms come around Vasquez and he rests his chin atop her head, his smile slipping away. The Collectors could be on their way to Aite as they speak. Hell, maybe kicking the hornet's nest all but guaranteed they pay a visit to their planet. The thought carries with it some guilt that settles into his chest. But he doesn't care. Not really. If the alternative was to just let them take Li? Take
Ilyna's daughter? Then it's guilt he'll gladly shoulder. Unfortunately, any consideration of the Collectors means his thoughts are only a stones throw away from that pod and it's not long before tehy begin to shift that way. To that yellow fluid. No, that wasn't even the worst of it. It was waiting to be put into the pod. Paralyzed. Taken out of the fight. Forced to watch as- what he could only assume was to be his demise-
slowly approached. Forced to consider everything he was losing. The thought causes him to double down on just how important this trip is. An opportunity to allow himself some semblance of happiness, no matter how small, in the face of what he has little doubt is to come. "I know." he says softly. "But I-..." he stammers, "...Linda I need this." he repeats and swallows hard. "I need you, okay? Just-... just for a few
days. Recharge our batteries. Then we come home and we-..." another sigh, "...and we get back in the fight. Spin more plates. Plug more holes." Again. And again. And again.
Vasquez pulls her head back to look at Jason, lifting one hand to the side of his neck, thumb brushing across his cheek as she looks up at him. A faint, sympathetic smile crosses her lips as she nods. "I'm here." she assures. "And you're right. Don't-... don't listen to me." she says with a soft snicker, shaking her head a little and leaning in for a kiss. "Let's focus on packing."
Jason forces a smile into place as he meets her gaze. "I never do." he says simply with a shrug of his shoulders.
Vasquez suppresses a snicker, putting on an unamused look as she pulls back, staring him down. "Divorce is still an option." she warns, crossing her arms as she does her damnest not to smile.
Jason furrows his brow, giving a loud snort. "Really?" he says, unconvinced. "Sorry, not buying it. If my bullshit hasn't sent you running yet, I'm pretty sure that means I'm stuck with you for the long haul." he teases, lopsided grin making a return. "And you..." he continues as he leans in to press a quick peck against the attempted serious expression on her face, "...are stuck with me." He gives her a playful nudge as he
moves towards the couch and takes a seat on the backside of the backrest to begin removing his boots. "Besides. It'd just be too damn messy. I mean-... who'd get custody of Vicky?"
Vasquez allows her grin to manifest, shaking her head to herself and turning back to the bed once Jason slips out of reach. "Mm, you're right. Too messy." she sighs, spirits seeming to have been lifted a bit by Jason's insistence that they go. It's not just a selfish escape. It's for both their sakes. They both need this. That thought helps ease the guilt brought on by the thought of running off for a honeymoon in the middle of
everything. "Need to finish up my packing..." she mutters, glancing back towards Jason. "Have you even started yet?"
Jason glances up from his boot removal, kicking one off. "Uhhh-...." he manages, eyes widening slightly. "Judging by your tone I'm guessing the answer you're looking for is-... yes...?" he winces. Nope. Hasn't packed a thing.
Vasquez sighs, head turning back and looking up at the ceiling for a moment before shaking her head and leaning down to resume putting clothes into the duffel bag. "Just get started." she says, fond exasperation in her voice.
Jason gives a brief shake of his head as he tugs off his other boot and sets them both aside. "Running shoes, jogging pants, and a t-shirt for the gym." he begins to list as he sits up straight, both hands resting on each side of him against the backrest he's seated upon. "Pair of dress pants, shoes, and a button-up for a nice romantic dinner? A shirt and a pair of jeans for everyday use? Toothbrush. Sidearm. Holster. Spare
thermal clips. Done." He gives a smug look and a nod of his head once he's run through his checklist. "Give me ten minutes to stuff it all into a bag and I'm ready to bug out."