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Ford sighed as he closed up the garage on time for a change. Bidding his boss and coworker goodnight, Ford rolled the door to the work's garage closed, turning out the lights and locking up. It had been a bit busy couple of days… and if what rumblings he's been hearing are true, he was in for a bit of a rumble soon enough. Lord knows when that would happen… he'd best enjoy himself while he could…
Ford turned and walked around the front of his Ford 300 (you expect him to drive anything else?), pulling out the keys and hopping in. Where to head for the evening? The Scene was close by, but with it being a weeknight, might not be busy… the bay was always nice… perhaps towards Harlem, to see what was brewing? Switching on the engine, he shrugged, giving the engine a bit of gas. He'd just drive and, well, see what he found…
*
Leaning against a lamp post is a single woman in jeans and a jacket, back against the black iron, arms folded, looking up at the night sky, apparently just minding her business. Cinnamon tan skin, long black hair that catches the light in smokey tones, and a devious little smile - she's pretty, but she looks kind of wild.
And then there's the eyes. Copper eyes. No one normal has that color. Contact lenses haven't been invented yet.
*
Ford paused as he moved down the street. Slowing to a crawl, he took a moment to appreciate the tan beauty on the sidewalk. Minding her business. Clearly, she was up to something. And Ford, being him, would like that "something" to be him! Window rolled down, he leaned closer, smirking his trademark grin. "Well, hellooooo vixen~ You wouldn't happen to have any plans for the evening, would ya?"
He blinked a moment, noticing the copper eyes now that he was closer. Wait… he's seen her before! "Oh hey! Yeah, you're the lovely lady from the diner! Well well, small city, huh? A pleasure to see you again. You've been skipping my dreams lately, you know~ Glad to get a fresh look~"
*
"That's because I only show up in nightmares, Nort'Americano!" Mariah teases back with a big grin. "This is a bad part of town, chamo. You sure you wanna be driving out here and making eyes at strange women? Someone might come and give you a necktie out here," she warns affectionately, comfortable against the lamp post.
*
Ford smirked, leaning back in his seat. "That's what makes it fun. What's a lovely lady without a bit of danger to her?" he replied, placing a hand on the wheel. "Not that I worry. I can handle myself. I just had to slow down and get a good look. I have to say, though, I think you'd look better in my passenger seat."
…is… is that an innuendo? It's hard to tell with him at times.
*
"Oh is that so? You comin' here to pick up strange women on the street corner, eh?" Mariah laughs, appreciating Ford's boldness. Feels more like home to her. "So what happens if I get into your truck? Do I have to make good with some repayment?"
*
"Only the ones I think are cute enough to be my gal for the night~" Ford replied, smirking a bit wider. He quirked his brow a bit at her repayment comment. What would she have to pay for… unless she was expecting something out of it. "'Repayment'? Well, that all depends on what you ask for. A ride through the city? Might cost ya a kiss or two. Dinner and a movie? Might be a bit more~ The real question is, how much are you willing to pay if you hop in?"
*
"Mono, you have no idea what you are f**king with," Mariah beams. "But sure, let's talk. Last time someone tried to pick me up, a hotel went up in flames. You think you're man enough to handle that?" she asks saucily.
*
"That's the point of the pick up. So I know who I'm f**king with. /Very/ intimately~" Ford replied, leaning over to open the door for her. As she comments about the hotel going up in flames during her last pick up, he laughed. "Then I expect you not to disappoint me tonight, foxy~"
*
Oh yes, he just called her bluff.
*
Mariah looks over Ford, and taps her chin. "Hmmm. You look like you might survive without too many broken bones. Deal." Hahaha… she's kidding, right? Right. She walks right up to the truck to get in if Ford lets her.
*
Ford smirked, nodding for her to hop in. "You're gonna have to try real hard to break any of my bones… especially now that I've got you for the evening." He wasn't joking either. He counted this as a victory… meaning he was tougher now than he was beforehand. "Mariah, right? I remember you had four, but that one stuck in my head the best. Probably because it suits ya."
Once she's in, Ford pushed on the gas to head on towards a drive-in he knew of. A favorite of his. "We didn't get to talk much last time. Hate to dash like that, but sometimes that's how it goes. But obviously, fate has other plans." He laughed a bit at that. He never did believe in fate. Took away a bit of his treasured freedom. "So, where's home for you? I mean, originally."
*
"Colombia, edge of the rainforest," Mariah answers, crossing her legs at the ankles and relaxing in the seat of the truck. She's set her backpack between them. It sounds heavy and full of metal. "And yeah, you got it chamo. Mariah Isadora Garcia Fox." She grins a little and laughs before asking, "You know what the name Mariah means, don't you?"
*
"Is it a Columbian way of saying 'drop dead gorgeous'? Cause if so, score one for me, and a bonus for your parents for picking a damn good name." Ford replied, smirking as he rounded a corner. The bag gets a curious quirk, but, for all he knows, could be her make up kit. Maybe that's how she looks so good. "That means you're a loooooooong way from home. What brings you so far up north, foxy?"
*
"It means 'bitterness'," Mariah answers. "Which is a pretty good way to describe my life." Whoops, a bit of a downer there. "I'm up here because it's better than being in a cage back home. You Nort'Americanos probably don't care what you caused in my country during the big war, but after it was over, everything went bad. People who wanted fair wages fair labor - the government, the church? They accused them of being Communistas. Traitors. They took machine guns and fired them into the striking workers. It started hell on earth for us down there that's been going ever since I was born. We just call it la Violencia. The violence. Because that's all it is, the revolutionistas and the government killing each other in new and creative ways." She glances over at Ford. "I give people the green eyes, so I keep moving. Otherwise, I'll be pretty and dead."
*
Ford listened to her story. It was certainly a downer… but he kept a stoic face. He shook his head, sighing. "That bad? Had no idea… never even heard of that kind of thing going on down there… sounds like Colombia needs heroes more than we do right now." Shame he wasn't one… he had the speed and the ability. He might could actually make it down there and dispense a bit of proper justice. Maybe… nah…
Put a bit of a damper on the evening, didn't it? "Well, I suppose that's a good reason to leave home. So what about you gives folks the green eyed monster? Your looks?" He wasn't being cute with that question… not intentionally, anyways. He was genuinely curious now what about her made folks… envious?
*
Mariah loves risk, so she has no problem telling Ford. She's kind of proud of how much trouble she cause. "I turn iron into gold," she explains. "That's why they killed my parents, killed my little brother, and put me in a cage to make them rich. Two years I spent in a pit in the jungle until they got careless. I found metal in the ground, and pulled it up. Sliced their skin into little arepas," she murmurs, very pleased with herself, looking at Ford and smiling like the cat that ate the canary.
*
Ahhhh, and there it was. "Aha. So you've got the Midas Touch, huh? Yeah, I can see that causing folks to get a little… advantageous." Ford pulled up to the drive in he was looking for, finding an open spot and glancing at the menu. "I'd recommend the hot dogs. The supreme puts the /best/ toppings on it." he advised, as if they /weren't/ talking about something terrible a moment ago. "Normally, I'd frown on that kind of revenge… but after all that they put you through, I imagine you're entitled a bit of payback. So your family is gone, your country isn't exactly Home Sweet Home, and you can turn metal into gold. You're… certainly the most interesting date I've had for a while." He smiled. "Not to worry, though… I don't get green eyed. Don't have to. I'd much rather work for my pay than have it handed to me. Always much more satisfying when you've earned it, you know?"
*
"Damn straight," Mariah nods, approving. That's the way it's done. Hard work was a Fox family tradition. Just don't tell grandmama that Mariah isn't exactly living the good Catholic lifestyle she would be expected to be living.
She softens a little, "It was for the chinos," she adds, a little quieter. "They were taking other little kids, ones with powers like mine, gonna make them into soldiers to kill the governors. I couldn't let it happen. I took them all back to their homes."
*
Ford smirked as he seemed to strike a good vibe with her. And then she mentions helping little kids, and his smile turns a bit more genuine. "…sounds like Colombia does have its share of heroes… could do with a few more, I imagine… but it sounds like you did good. You ever heard the phrase 'The measure of a man is what he does with his power?' You're more man than a fair number I know of… so… good on ya."
A waitress came up to take their order. Ford leaned out the window. "Cheeseburger with fries. All the way. How about you, foxy?"
*
"Sounds good to me. The food here is way better than back home," Mariah agrees. She looks out the window away from Ford for a moment, thinking about what he said. That's the second time someone's talked about being a hero, doing something with their life. It nags at her and pains her conscience. She's completely free, owes no man anything. She's not sure she wants to give that up just to help total strangers … and yet, not helping hurts. The inner conflict is becoming more and more uncomfortable.
*
Ford looked over, waiting for her to make her order. She seemed a bit lost in her thoughts though, so he turned back and nodded up at the waitress. "Supreme dog. Few extra fries, if ya don't mind, sweet heart." he said, opting to order for her. Once she was gone, he looked back, letting her sit a bit more before speaking up. "…wishing you'd done more?"
*
"No," Mariah answers simply. She hehs softly and shakes her head. "I'm free. Free from all of it. No cages, no fighting, no revolutionistas, no one to worry about. I go where I want to go, I do what I want to do, and no one tells me 'no'." She looks back and grins. "How can that be a bad thing? Everyone else? They got bills, they got kids, they got people to nag them about what they should be doing with their life. They got worries from sun up to sun down. Not me."
*
"…that's a fair answer. Nothing really bad about being free, honestly." Ford replied, smiling back at her. He knew what she meant. "I respect it, in fact. I do value freedom above all. S'what I love about this country. Freedom and liberty and all that jazz. I'm that way too. Free as a blue bird."
Ford tapped his fingers and looked at the front of his car. "Well… from your perspective, that might not be true. If I had the chance, I'd like to explore a bit… but who would help my aunt Carol take care of my mom? Who would keep my boss in business? Who would keep my street safe when the bad guys come knocking?" He smirked wider. "And who would keep the lovely ladies of this city company if I wasn't here?"
*
"Someone else," Mariah answers with a smirk. "There's always someone else." She reaches over and pats his leg with one hand. "Buuuut, maybe they don't do it so good as you, eh?"
*
"You're right about that. Nobody does it quite like I do. So I guess that means you've got someone back in Colombia keeping up with the chinos, huh?" Ford replied, leaning back in his seat. "Maybe that's why folks dress up in garish colors and colored undies and run around saving the day. They don't think anyone else can do it like they do." He placed his hands behind his head, closing his eyes. "Let 'em. They've got it handled, right?"
*
She's heard this schpiel from Logan before. "I tell you what I tell the wild man I met in the park: You save everybody, you make their life too easy, and they become your pets, not your people. Suffering is what makes us learn, makes us strong. You take away all the suffering and then you have fat weak chickens ready for the snakes to come eat when they roost."
She closes her eyes. "Back home, everything's crazy. Papi taught me how to make molotovos when I was five and how to shoot a gun when I was six. I killed my first bandito when I was eight years old. In Colombia we are not like you soft Nort'Americanos that sit and let your eyes fall out watching television. We fight to live, and we live smart."
*
"Oh, I'm not telling you one way or another. Just asking. You said there's always someone else to do your job if you leave." Ford replied, shrugging. "I agree. I have no intent of swaying you to save folks. Or be a hero. I believe you should use your powers however you feel is the best way. You have to live with yourself the rest of your life. Might as well do what you want."
Ford tapped his fingers, looking out the window for his food before speaking again. "You go out, save the world, ends up getting in trouble the next day. Why bother? The only obligations I have are the ones I want to have. I want my mom, who's taken care of me and worked herself sick for my sake, to be taken care of. I want to be able to have a street to walk down when I go to work. That's all I care about. Why make myself crazy solving problems that will just come back the next day?"
*
"You almost make it sound like I'm selfish. I just don't wanna go back in the cage," Mariah murmurs, looking forward. No, that's not what Ford was talking about at all - what he's getting is a moment of the South American arguing with her conscience out loud.
*
"Oh, I wouldn't think of that! I'm a gentleman, after all. Would never call a lady names… unless she wants me to~" Ford replied, smirking sidelong at her before shaking his head. "I don't blame you. I don't want you to be in a cage either. I just know that /I'm/ selfish. I have no illusions about that. And irresponsible."
Ford perked up as the waitress finally returned with their food. He reached up and passed the hot dog to Mariah, with a slightly larger portion of fries in the basket than him and his burger. "Here. Eat something. You'll feel better." He encouraged, taking a good bite into his cheeseburger.
*
Mariah took the offered food, noticing the differences between. Selfish, huh. Yeah, the selfish person takes the smaller share, riiiiiight. She says nothing, but laughs a little. "If I eat all this, I'm gonna be too full for fun, and I don't think you want that," she teases. "But, gracias, mono." She takes a deep breath, looking at the food, and prepares to swallow her feelings along with the first bite.
*
"We can get a to-go bag." Ford replied, nodding up at the waitress as she skated off to get one. "Don't worry about that. Nobody says you have to have your pants off to have fun. Unless you and I are talking about two different types of fun~" So… which one was he talking about again? He took a hefty bite of his burger and ate a few fries. "So where to after this? My place, yours, or somewhere else…?"
*
"My place is not a good place for you to be, trust me," Mariah casually answers. It's an unfurnished apartment she only uses for contacts, storing metal and sleeping out of bad weather. Not really a good place for relaxation. "I dunno, chamo, you trust me at yours? I might be a bad girl, after all. You're taking a risk." She winks, and is glad for the change of conversation, feeling playful.
*
"If you weren't a bad girl, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun, would it~?" Ford asked, taking a few more fries before speaking. "The risk is what makes the reward worth it. Besides, my flat isn't that much better. It's hardly furnished. But it has a bed… and table… and a few other things~ But it works."
*
"Usually I just rent a motel for this. Maybe they won't to me now, last time this happened the room caught fire," Mariah nonchalauntly admits before popping a fry into her mouth.
*
"Oh, but a motel is so impersonal! This kind of thing needs a more personal touch, wouldn't you say?" Ford asked, taking another bite of his burger. "You set fire to the motel? Now that I have to hear. What exactly were you doing to set the place ablaze?"
*
"Well, after I got done rolling my partner for the third time, he lost control of his power, broke the bed and broke a gas line. After that… well…? You get the idea," Mariah grins. No shame at all.
*
"Only 3? Man, you got some weak fellow, didn't you?" Ford asked, finishing off his burger and shaking his head. "So it wasn't /you/ in specific that caught the place on fire? Luckily, losing control of powers won't be an issue for me." So… does that mean he doesn't have powers, or he has better control over them, or…?
*
Mariah just takes that to mean Ford has powers. "Eh, not everyone can keep up. Besides, you don't wanna do that too often. Otherwise it's a pain in the chucha." She takes a bite of the hot dog and sighs happily. "Mmmm! This is kind of like back home but with different flavors. Different food is kind of nice, sometimes eating the same thing because you have to makes the flavors bland."
*
"S'why you have to shop around. That true love notion is marlarky. Just gotta find a partner who can keep up with you. Though that way you talk, I might have found one~" Ford finished up his fries, smiling and chuckling as she spoke of the food. "I agree. That's why I try to keep myself unpredictable - never know what you're gonna get. Keeps the 'flavor' interesting~"
He paused a moment, letting Mariah eat and enjoy before canting his head to one side. "…listen. I know you probably won't take me on this - probably why I'm bothering offering. But… if you ever need a place to go if you're /really/ in trouble… you're welcome to come by my place. No gold necessary. You can even keep your pants on… though I certainly won't complain if you took 'em off~"
*
He doesn't realize it, but he's being charming. Maybe he -does- and he's just good at hiding it. Whatever the case Mariah has decided she likes this guy. He's okay by her. "Are you sure you want that? I can be plenty of trouble. There are still revolutionistas that would come after me. They call themselves Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia now, and since they are attacking the government openly, there are a lot of my countrymen coming to America. They might come too, and look for me."
She looks up at Ford, serious. "These are not people you wanna mess with. They slice your throat and pull your tongue out of the hole. They stab babies with bayonettas, cut open pregnant woman and stuff a chicken in their belly," Mariah warns. Lovely dinner conversation. "I see them do this since I was little. I don't want that coming to your door, if you got people you love with you."
*
Ford always thinks he's being charming. It's rare when he actually is. He smiled, shaking his head at her comment. "Let 'em come. I'm not so weak that I can't handle a few cutthroats, or cowardly that I'd leave a woman in need to her fate. It's part of why I live on my own anyways - well, that and a close proximity to work." He smirked back at her. "So, invite all the trouble you want to my doorstep. I'll push it right back out onto the street. Like I said, my place isn't much… but it's my castle. Gate's open, if you ever need it."
*
"Ahhh, you better be careful, chamo. You keep leaving food out for the cat, she's gonna make herself at home at your doorstep," Mariah chuckles. She finishes the hot dog, and has damn near finished the fries. She can eat when she needs to - probably out of a feast or famine habit.
*
Ford smiled as he watched Mariah eat, leaning back in his seat a little more. "Maybe that's the goal? Maybe I want that 'kitty' to find my place homey and welcoming? Never could stand to see a stray left to the cold world. Just doesn't feel right… leaves your stomach a little empty." He shrugged, looking forward again. "But I look at it this way: if someone finds my dinky little flat a good place to call home, I must be doing a good job with it."
*
"Yeah, but do you want to risk the fleas?" Mariah's finished everything, and wipes her face with a napkin, the cat metaphor going to a new level as she grooms herself. She takes her backpack and slides it into the floorboard, where it lands with a soft thunk and a jingle of metal on metal. Just what -is- in that thing, anyways? "Why me, then? You could pick anyone. I'm just trouble."
*
"Because not anyone else has the troubles you've faced." Ford kept facing forward as he spoke, closing his eyes. She reminded him of Elektra a bit. "People like you are tough. Have to be. You're hardened by the garbage the world has thrown your way, and you're used to it. I get that. But… isn't it nice just knowing, at least, that you have someone who'll catch you if you fall off the tightrope?"
Ford smiled, sighing a bit as he shook his head again. "Maybe you are trouble. Maybe lending you a hand would bring nothing, but psychos and nutjobs to my door. But I can handle that. Sometimes, the people who bring trouble - or ARE trouble - are the ones who need help the most. And maybe even they don't realize it until they have someone willing to stand up and square with that trouble head on."
"Or maybe I'm just talking out my rear. Who knows." Well… he had /something/ going there. He quirked an eyebrow at the metal jangling. "Seriously, what have you got in that pack?"
*
"Iron," Mariah replies. "A few supplies, some tools, a gun, some chains, some ammo, other stuff I need," she responds. Congrats, Ford, you picked up someone carrying a weapon. She sits back in the seat, comfortably full, her body finally able to get a little more energy to replensh life force lost.
"I dunno, chamo. I always figured I'd just enjoy the tightrope until I fell. I always figured I'd fall anyways."
*
Ford eyed the bag. Well… that would explain the jangling. "I guess that would make some sense… you turn iron to gold and all." The gun doesn't seem to bother him. He's bulletproof (now, anyways). "…you remind me of a friend of mine. She's so convinced that she's going to fall eventually, and doesn't want anyone to help her. Fate, I suppose." He sat up, looking sidelong at Mariah a moment before shaking his head. "Maybe that's why I want to help you. You both seem to think you'll eventually fail. That you won't live to see old age or that your enemies will quit hounding you. And I just want to help to give the concept of Fate the biggest middle finger I can. Because I don't believe in that sh*t."
*
Mariah laughs softly. "Yeah, well, I scare off people that wanna save me, because my idea of being saved?" She leans in and wiggles her fingers, spooky! "Makes men -run- in terror!"
*
"Yeah, well, I'm a stubborn jackass. Get it from my mom. What exactly does your idea of being saved entail? Can't be terrible - it's saving, after all." Ford replied, looking back at Mariah. Clearly, the spooky fingers had no effect on him. How couldn't they? They were SPOOKY FINGERS!
*
Mariah leans over, placing both her hands on Ford's close thigh, getting in closer to look him right in the eye. "Because my idea of being 'saved' is a house, a wedding ring, and a least half a dozen ninos. Maybe a garden and some pollo I can chase down for sunday dinner."
*
Ford stared back at her a moment, before smiling wide and shaking his head. "And here I was thinking it was going to be something bad." Ford chuckled and leaned in a bit closer, evidently not scared off by the prospect. "And for the 'hero' who can get that for you?"
*
A man that wasn't terrified of commitment? Well, there's a first time for everything. "He doesn't have to be a hero. I'm pretty good with villain. Or even just in between," Mariah answers, smiling in earnest.
*
Ford faced nothing with fear. It was part of what made up his charm. Or, so he believed. "That's good to know. Because I am a /lousy/ hero." Ford replied, sitting back in his seat again. "So… have a dozen, eh?" Ford replied, smirking a bit before glancing back at Mariah. "You know that's gonna take a whooooooole lot of… 'fun' to make that many~, don't ya?"
*
"Of course," Mariah replies, showing a tad of ego. "The problem is whether or not my man can stand up to the challenge." And then she pushes the issue. As she is wont to do.
*
"Isn't that always the way?" Ford replied, smirking and placing his hands behind his head. "Welp, you've found a candidate, if you're willing to give it a shot. Buuuuut, perhaps before we start house shopping and picking names for the ninos, we'd better finish the date we're on first, eh?"
*
Mariah sits back and laughs, a genuine, merry laugh right from the soul. She's probably more relaxed than she's ever been, and the toothy look of a predator waiting to strike has given way to an actual, genuine woman underneath. "You are something else," she appraises. After a moment of quiet thought, she adds, in a softer, gentler tone, Gracias."
*
"Like I said, I pride myself on being unpredictable." Ford replied, smiling as she laughed heartily. It was gratifying to see her looking up on the matter. But after her gratitude, he smiled genuinely himself, nodding. "De nada. Me alegra ver que ests viniendo, azcar." he replied. Huh… so he CAN speak Spanish! He turned the ignition as he put his foot on the gas and shifted gears, pulling out of the space. "So, still wanna head back to my place, or shall we just enjoy the drive a little while?"
*
Mariah says, "Hablando el idioma es un buen comienzo, pero tendre que ensenarte a hablar como un verdadero Colombiano," Mariah quips, folding her arms. "What would you like to do? I can think of plenty of good ways to get into trouble in either direction."
*
"In that case, I'm gonna have to teach you have to speak like a Yank." Ford replied, smirking back at her. At her handing him the reins, he smirked and steered the wheel around, taking a street on the right. "Well, given the choice, I'd drive us right back to my flat and see if you can keep up with me~" Ford chuckled, shaking his head. "No setting fire to the place, though… my landlord would have a right fit."
*
"As long as you don't break a gas main, I think we're gonna be okay," Mariah states, smugly satisfied. "So drive on. I gotta see what kind of place my new part time hero lives in."
*
Ford chuckled, shaking his head. "Preeeeeetty sure there's no danger of that." He scrunched his nose a little at being called a "part time hero". Hero of any kind didn't sit with him. "Full time… in that, I work full time. Never got the appeal of being a hero." A patent lie, if Mariah ever saw Ford's old memory box absolutely /stuffed/ with Captain America memorabilia from when he was a kid. Always said if he grew up to be a super hero, he'd want to be like the Captain himself. "Don't get your hopes too high, now. She's pretty bare bones, but considering I'm not there a fair bit, it suits me well…"
*
"My apartment has a mattress on the floor. Can't be worse than that," the Colombian comforts. It also has munitions, hacksaws, trash bags, bleach, and knives in strategic locations.
*
Ford arched his brow, but said nothing. Made him feel a tad better about bringing her back. Driving in quiet for a bit, Ford finally pulled down his street in East Village and parking on the street outside a small apartment building only 3 stories high. "There she is. My castle in New York." He cut the engine and stepped out, walking around to open the door for Mariah. "Milady~" he offered, before leading the way upstairs.
Stopping at the second floor and heading towards the end of the hall, Ford opened the door at the end to reveal a modest little space behind it. "Here she is. Casa del Ford. Mi casa es su casa." Inside is a small kitchenette area and dining room/living room combo. A simple table and four chairs decorated the kitchenette while a couch in the back with a cofee table served as the living space. To the door on the right, one could see into Ford's bedroom, surprisingly tidy with the bed made, clothes put away in the plain dresser and chest of drawers. From there, one could access the small bathroom area with a single shower, sink and toilet. It was small… but still cozy.
*
"You have a great home, Ford," Mariah appraises, and she sounds like she means it. Stepping in she sets her backpack on the floor in an empty corner, turns around and faces him, arms behind her back. "So what do we do now?"
*
"Oh, it's not bad. Just simple. She's a tight fit… but I wouldn't have it any other way~" Ford replied, smirking as he tossed his keys on the counter and reached up to pull his shirt off. "What happens now is you get those pesky clothes off and hop into bed while I get myself cleaned up. I'll be following suit in a minute~" He replied, nodding at the bed as he made his way to the sink in his bathroom to try and make himself a bit more presentable. Get the engine grease out of the nooks and crannies and all that.
*
Mariah admires shirtless Ford. Well, a mechanic's life definitely agrees with him, that's for sure. "Y'know, I might want to freshen up too, so don't get too ahead of the cart with that big horse of yours~," she purrs. She does take off her jacket at least, hanging it on the back of a chair, as Ford goes to de-grease himself.
*
"Fair enough. I'd hate to disappoint my lady. Gimme one sec and it's all yours." Running the water and cleaning himself up, Ford grabbed his comb and wet it down before stepping back out. Not too long, after all. "They say patience is a virtue… but only in certain instances~ All yours, foxy~" he noted. Apparently, he's gotten used to that title. Hard to tell if he's speaking of her figure or the play on her last name. Kicking his pants off, Ford combed his hair a bit smoother in the mirror over his dresser before claiming the bed for himself. FOr now. "Sorry for the small space, but at this point, I presume you don't mind the close quarters~"
*
"I grew up in a one-room house on stilts with mama, papi and ermano, this is luxury about space," Mariah comments, slipping into the bathroom. She shuts the door behind.
Inside, she looks at herself in the bathroom mirror, a moment of introspection. She can't explain why this feels different, but it does. She can't explain why she feels nervous and vulnerable now, but she does. She turns on the water, and takes a deep breath, sighing, and glancing over at the window. There's an escape if she was really desperate, even if she had to leave her gear behind. It would be a setback in money and defense, but not an unforgiveable one. She's gone with nothing but the clothes on her back before, she can do it again. There's always someone willing to buy gold.
She looks at the door, and thinks about the man beyond it. Usually when she mentions the dreaded "c-word" (committment, natch), men run like boys. Normally she can shock or bluff her way into getting a reaction out of a man, any reaction she wants. She has control over them in one way or another, which makes things safe. Like imagined ability of a snake to hypnotize its prey, she could find a man's weak point in a few sentences, usually just a look, and strike. Take what she wanted. Be on her way.
She couldn't find a handle on Ford. There was no gap in the armor. There was no psychological hand-hold she could find. She'd run into Rikki Tikki Tavi and she wasn't sure if her Nagina had what it took to handle him. This time, he had the very real potential to hurt her. Physically, sure, he was bigger and stronger but so were many others and she wasn't concerned about that kind of harm so much. No, he could hurt her heart, because for once in her miserable stray dog life, it was creaking open.
She leaned on the sink, and hehed softly to herself, smirking. Well, Mariah, are you a woman or a mouse? And are you going to stop using so many animal references in regards to yourself?
Probably not.
She slipped off everything, letting it make a neat pile on the floor, freshened up, and stepped into the bedroom, bare in more ways than one.
*
As Mariah contemplated the man behind the door, the man contemplated her as well. Though, perhaps not as deeply as she was in return. She was trouble. He knew that. Than again, what woman wasn't? Least in this day and age. Every one of them seemed to have some kind of string or twelve that one needed to deal with. In her case… it was Colombian revolutionaries and whatnot. Slightly more costly… but at the same time, he couldn't just leave her to her fate. Something about that just didn't sit right with him. It wasn't heroism (not in his mind, anyways). Heroes go out and save the day for everyone. He was just some jerk-off making everything in his corner of the world secure. That's all he could do. Let everyone else worry about their corners… he'd keep his under control.
But this was different, for him anyways. He always extended the offer to have someone find a bit of peace in his world. This was arguably the first time someone had actually taken him up on the offer. Should be interesting.
Hands behind his head, Ford perked up as Mariah stepped out, naked as the day she was born. He smirked, patting the small space beside him on his bed. "So did you freshen up, or do you always look that good?" (This was comic book world. They always looked that good.) "A shame we're about to undo all that and get right back to being dirty~… shall we?"
*
Mariah strode towards the bed, hips gently swaying, crossing the moonlight streaming in from the window. "Oh, I'd say we're evenly matched. Hold onto something, chamo. I ride hard." She climbs up onto the bed.
*
Ford smirked as Mariah proclaimed a love of riding hard. "Good. Because I buck like a bronco~" he replied.
After a couple of rounds, Ford took a moment to catch his breath, panting slightly as he smirked, laying back on the pillow. "I would… hazard a guess… that the physical part of… all this… isn't gonna be… problem..~"
*
Mariah pulls her hair away from her neck, letting it fall to one side, faintly glistening with a sheen of sweat. She has to catch her breath too. "Definitely not." She kisses his cheek, his neck. "Madre de dios, I can't think of the last time I had that much fun."
*
Ford smirked, wraping an arm around Mariah and tugging her closer as she kissed at him. "Neither can I. Definitely picked a good 'un with you. If it's like this every time we hit the hay, I can put up with anything you throw my way~"
*
"That's a good thing, because if you keep this up, I won't want to leave," Mariah murmurs, enjoying being close. This is nice. This different than the usual - by now she'd be planning how to get her clothing and backpack and exiting stage left.
*
Ford smiled, hugging Mariah close as he adjusted himself. Ford was used to his ladies sticking around… but usually, the prospect of breakfast in the morning was enough to keep them around. "That's the idea~ Usually, free food in the morning they don't have to make is enough to keep folks around. But if this is enough to keep ya around, I won't complain~"
*
"I would like to see what you have for breakfast up here," Mariah agrees. "And if I can find what I need, I'll make you something nice in return." She is just comfortable… she could get used to this. She tries not to let herself get too attached, but the hook is definitely there.
*
"Eggs, bacon, coffee. I should have some OJ left. The usual." He paused, realizing that perhaps "the usual" meant something different for her. "Anyways… maybe we should take a moment to catch our breath before round three, yeah?" Not that he wasn't looking forward to it, but it was nice to just enjoy her company a bit. And perhaps having a bit of downtime would be what Mariah needed. One had to think of the lady's needs, after all. Gentleman and all that.
*
"Do you want a round three? I can, but to be perfectly honest…?" Mariah reaches up to smooth some of Ford's bangs away from his face. "… I'm pretty satisfied."
"First time for everything, I know."
*
"…no. I'm good if you are." Ford replied, pushing his face into her hand slightly before nudging a few strands of hair out of the way. But he did note her satisfaction on the matter. Curious… she mentioned a round three the last time, but than again… guy sounded like a snot. "…you okay? You've gotten… quiet? No, not the right word… you seem… different. Can't tell what it is, just… different."
*
Mariah leans up and looks at Ford. "I do?" She is amused by the statement, since they both don't exactly know each other that well. "Yes, I'm okay. I'm just still feeling good, all the way down to my toes. I'm enjoying it," she murmurs, contented. Which is a first in a very long time, that.
*
Ford smirked back, wrapping his other arm around Mariah and tugging her closer. "Then get some rest. We'll pick things up later." he murmured, closing his eyes and lulling off to sleep