|
  |
Today Janet finds herself with some free time, and she decides to go something wild! Shopping, but after oriental fashion! Nothing gives a unique flair like walking into a high society party dressed in a qi pao, and Janet is just the sort to cherish the thought. She'll have to make it a reality, and walking among the stores she eventually finds one with marvelous qi paos on display. Her eyes opening wide, she rushes to touch the fabric and examines the variety closely. It's like a colorful playground!
*
Bobbi was leaning against the counter, chatting up the young lady behind it with ease. It was the usual small talk, how's your mom, the weather is awful, and you wouldn't happen to have seen anything odd the last few days? No? Oh, good.
The blonde looked at ease with everything around her, beat up jeans, boots and a leather jacket slung over a button up shirt (the seemingly only nice thing the woman wore). She had a quick smile, stepping aside as a customer game up to ask about the price of something or other.
Her blue eyed gaze landed on Janet and she eased away from the counter in an idle manner. "You know, she has more colors in the back if you don't see something you like." She thumbed backwards toward the young woman running the front. "Sweet kid, her mom doesn't speak any English so she runs things out front."
*
Janet's active research about the selection is disrupted when Bobbi steals her attention from the clothes by talking to her. But she doesn't reply, at least not immediately. Her eyes widen even more, and she has a shocked expression on her face, as if she's just witnessed a car crash in real time. She blinks, stares at Bobbi, or more accurately her outfit, and then lets go off the selection entirely as she walks up to Bobbi.
Janet couldn't help herself, being a hero was in her nature. Sometimes it meant saving the innocents from idiots like Absorbing Man, sometimes it meant zapping ugly idiots like M.O.D.O.K. right in the face. But every now and then being a hero could have a much more mundane definition, such as right now, in the form of the crisis that is Bobbi's attire. And Janet was up to the task of saving this poor victim.
"Ahem…funny you should mention more color, because, you know…" she looks over at the young woman running about as she works the store, "much as the kid is sweet, she didn't try to help you, which is a shame. Do you realize that you're doing your absolute best to pass for a guy in this rugged outfit? Was there a fire in your wardrobe? I can help restore it! It's what I do! I help people."
*
Bobbi folded her arms, her smile turning fixed. "I'm sorry?" She hitched a brow upwards as she glanced down at her clothes and tossed a lock of long blonde curls backwards.
"I'm not trying to pass as anything. I drive a motorcycle. Skirts don't fly when you crash and get road burnt and die of shock." She offered dryly, not seemingly too put out by the woman's abuse over her choice of clothing. If anything, Bobbi looked amused.
"What are you a fashionista? Follow trends like ol' Jackie Kennedy or something?"
*
"Oh…you're a greaser, huh? Wouldn't take you for such…sorry," Janet mumbles, sounding a bit confused, perhaps because she thought this was a fashion disaster, but turns out that maybe something is off with the whole woman. "So…you're kinda into the tough lifestyle? Do you ever get into fights?" Janet asks, wondering.
When asked about Jackie Kennedy, Janet gestures with a flourish at her dress and pillbox hat, "of course! Jackie has impeccable style!"
*
Bobbi grinned, and rolled her shoulders back as she stifled the need to laugh. "Oh no. Hell. I work with the government. Really boring desk job, so I gotta have something to keep me occupied yeah?" She eased her crossed arms back to settle her hands on her hips.
"And you caught me on a day off." She eyed the woman's clothes once more, a smile still on her lips.
"She certainly can afford to dress to the nines every day." She added in regards to Jackie.
*
"So…you're mostly just a bike afficiando?" Janet asks with a note of uncertainty in her voice, the entire concept a bit puzzling, though she seems to lean on accepting it. Janet giggles when mention of Jackie's funding is made, and quips, "true, I'm Janet Van Dyne, so, if you follow any tabloids at all you'd know I don't want for much myself…" albeit Bobbi is much more likely to know about the name from her father Vernon Van Dyne, the great scientific mind. Though if she reads all the files and such, and is familiar with the Avengers, well, there's a more direct link.
*
"I supposed you could say that, yeah. I like 'em. Makes life easier to get around in this city."
Bobbi held out her hand in offer as Janet introduced herself, "Bobbi Morse." If Janet did take her hand, she'd find the grip firm, solid and confident. Bobbi's skin was certainly not that of a desk-bound secretary in the government.
"Van Dyne.. Mmm, I think it sound familiar." A hooked smile remained, as if downplaying how much she'd read over her father's scientific papers and essays. And she winked. "I read my fair share here and there. But that certainly helps to explain why you can get a dress to match Jackie's."
*
"True, true," Janet concedes the point in regards to getting around the city, but her gaze is still set with grevious concern at Bobbi's outfit, "if I might make a suggestion? I mean…sure, you want to do your tough biker thing, you do that…but at least some color? Maybe add orange as a wonderful complement to the blue?"
Janet grins as a quip is made in regards to her affluence, and she adds, "you'll be surprised, but I don't always shop for clothes, I'm a fashion designer, so I'm also wearing a lot of my own designs. But you got me, this one is certainly Jackie-inspired, the woman has refined tastes!"
*
A laugh and Bobbi glanced down at her shirt with another raised brow. "Orange? Damn, never considered that." She mused lightly, as if she had never truly even thought of the color. Perhaps it was an act, perhaps not. Either way, the blonde still remained in good spirits. "I'll event take your advice into consideration, since it's your job." She then glanced back to Janet and shrugged easily, shoving her hands into her pockets.
"So long as you agree to hit up a place for me to eat at first, I'd even be down for letting you go wild with it. Since, clearly it was quite the affront to you."
*
"You should try it, I promise it'll look great!" Janet is all excited at the prospect that she may just get Bobbi to improve her fashion, even if by a minuscule amount. Then comes the part where Janet wasn't sure if Bobbi was jesting or being serious, "hey, if you let me do it, I'll totally get you one of these qi paos for yourself," she motions at the Chinese dresses she was coveting today, "it's a groovy new look, nobody would expect it!"
*
A shake of her head followed and Bobbi eyed the dress side long. "I've no where to wear it, trust me. There's better stuff to spend money on." The agent had already spent time in one years ago on assignment and wasn't going to be quick to donn another one anytime soon.
"But otherwise, sure. I'll let you go wild, so long as I can grab some noodles across the street. I'm starving and missed lunch. That sound fair?" She hooked an eyebrow upwards, and shifted her weight back on her heels.
*
"Well, I guess it wouldn't carry as big of a spark just walking the street, I mean, people would probably give funny looks…but I don't care," Janet notes, finally moving back towards the dresses on display, as she looks back at Bobbi, "the black one with the violet flower design, right? Or maybe the blue and gold?"
Her eyes then open wide in excitement, "wait! Do you want a Jackie style dress like mine? I can get you one! Precious in blue!" Apparently she's accepted the deal, even if she didn't explicitly mentioned it.
*
Bobbi eased a glance over the various dresses and hmm'ed under her breath. "The black one is meant to be formal. Red would traditionally be for good luck, but that's pretty formal too. The violet one would be good for every day wear without drawing too many eyes I think. Well besides those that haven't seen one before." She mused, glancing back to Janet with a quirked brow.
"And honestly, I said go wild. But food first. I'm allowing you to do your job, Miss Fashion Designer."
*
"Oh…?" Janet has a rather impish grin on her face, as she takes a card out of her purse and hands it to Bobbi, it reads "Janet Van Dyne - Fashion Designer" with Janet's contact and address, "you schedule a session with me. For now, noodles! Got a favorite place?" Janet asks, she's too happy to have someone who isn't a model to play with. Models always have comments and need to be managed, she's sure it'll go far smoother with Bobbi.
*
Bobbi turned an amused glance over the card, reading it over before she shoved it down into her pockets. "Groovy, I'll hold onto that." She glanced at the dresses again and back. "Are you going to get one or have I distracted you with my demands for getting food first? Please, if you're planning to get one, get one. I can wait. The noodles place is across the way. I get food there pretty regularly, so it won't take long." Front entrance to Shield Headquarters too, and a safe place. Bobbi didn't have many of those.
"Everything is pretty good over there actually, so if you want anything, you're well off." She added after a moment's thought.
*
"You don't mind waiting a moment? Great," Janet rushes in excitement to the sweet girl working the register, and immediately begins to bombard her with her requests, apparently Janet buys in bulk when she buys, and she settles the address for delivery as well before paying the lady. The whole affair doesn't take more than 15 minutes, before Janet is back at Bobbi's side, practically glowing. "Ahhh, shopping is so great for feeling energized! Let's go eat…you know all this Chinese stuff, don't you? Maybe you can order something delicious for me."
*
A laugh as Janet returned to Bobbi, who had occupied herself, somehow. Whatever the blonde had done, she didn't look annoyed by the length of time she'd waited. And she was right where the other woman had left her by the time Janet came looking. She propped the door open as she led the way outside and toward the crosswalk at the end of the street. "I've never been one for shopping. So I'll take your word for it." She offered lightly, stepping down from the sidewalk and toward the Chinese resturant.
"And I was stationed overseas a few times. I've had more chances than a few people to get the real deal." She nodded to the door, and held out again. "These guys come close enough."
*
"Who are you!? What is wrong with you!?" Janet laughs as Bobbi turns out to be the person Janet is least likely to hangout with, and yet, somehow, it's been interesting for Jan to meet her.
Janet gladly lets Bobbi decide where they'll eat, especially now that she knows Bobbi really knows her Chinese stuff. "That's great. Are you with the Army?" Janet asks curiously, wondering how else Bobbi would find herself stationed overseas. It couldn't have been a business, Bobbi doesn't look the secretary type.
*
"I said I work for the government. I started out as part of a science divison but now? I kinda get shipped around as needed, you could say. A little bit of everything here and there. Nothing big." She shrugged easily, smiling as she offered the hostess a wave as she approached, earning an answering one as she went up to her. A greeting, a little light chit-chat and the hostess asked if Bobbi wanted the usual. A nod and the woman was darting back to the kitchens.
"Like I said, I get far too much food here than is likely healthy, but eh. It's pretty good." She shrugged again.
*
"I'm sorry, thought all military people work for the government…" Janet murmurs, unsure of her statement now, but it made sense to her before. "I wouldn't know what to order in a Chinese place, not really familiar with their food, is it good? What did you order for me?"
*
A shrug, "There's more than just the military, that's still run by the government. Trust me in that there's more odds and ends to how the machine runs than most cars." She smiled again, that same easy going smile as she made to lead Janet to the nearest table.
"I just ordered you what I normally get, I'm not sure about your tastes and what not. So it's nothing too extreme. Just some spiced chicken, rice and what not." She was vague, intentionally so. The blonde settled into a chair with the wall to her back.
A waitress came out with water and some rich smelling tea. "So, how'd your work for the Avengers work out for you? Good team dynamics?" She asked, as smoothly as if she was asking the woman if she liked spicy food or not.
*
"Oh, I believe it," Janet isn't even trying to argue that one. She has a moutful she wouldn't share with Bobbi just randomly about the government.
As she settles in her seat, she looks confused at Bobbi's explanation about what she ordered for them, but she doesn't try to understand better, the food will be there soon enough after all. It's the question about the Avengers that catches Janet off guard, "what? Huh? I didn't say anything…how would you know?"
*
A smile as Bobbi leaned forward, sliding the water to the side easily. Her voice lowering, "I've read your files, I was impressed. But I never trust files for my own impressions. I prefer to make those myself. So when I saw you, I thought why not make one?" She leaned back, still at ease.
"Don't worry, there's no official word out on you or anything. I just happened to have had a chance to see them myself." She added. Bobbi had indeed lucked out when Peggy Carter had been taken by the Skrulls. It's how she'd read every file in the Director's office.
*
Janet looks a bit flustered, notably straightening her posture, as one hand move surreptitiously to make sure her dress is all neatly straightened, "I didn't know I was being tested just now, you know you should give a hint for things of this nature, I would have prepared much better for it! Besides, I do thing different when I'm…you know, on the other job."
*
Amusement glittered in her eyes, "That would defeat the point." She reached out a hand though, "Let me introduce myself properly. Agent Sixteen, Bobbi Morse, Mockingbird. Senior agent of Shield." She offered simply. It was more than most people knew about her and lived to tell the tale when they weren't in Shield proper. But given that Bobbi knew the young woman's files, it seemed fair to put them back onto equal footing.
"I also couldn't just gab about that in the store over there. But never mind that, food is here. We can talk after."
*