Tired of the Dark.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Almost everybody's got something else to do at the moment.

Spidey's got an itch in the back of his mind, though. Morph and Nocturne are handy fonts of information... but he has to admit that he's getting a bit tired of always being in the dark. Seems everything that needs fixing is a century before his time, and he never seems to know who the players are.

So, time to see if he can't do something about that, and catch her before she goes out nightcrawling or something.

There's a knock on her hotel room door.

"T.J.? You there?"

Comments

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

Amazingly, TJ had opted for an early night. She figures that sleep in an actual bed is a luxery these days, and intends to indulge as much as possible while she can.
Light creeps out into the hallway from the crack under the door as she turns the bedside lamp on. There is shuffling from inside her room as she makes her way to the door.
"Yeah, hey, c'mon in," she says in greeting when she opens it.

The nightgown she's wearing is sleek and silky and... probably covers more of her body than her daytime wear does.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Still - something to be said about what's left to the imagination. Ahem.

"Hey, I didn't mean to wake you up. It's not pressing..."

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"Can't sleep anyways," TJ insists, moving away from the door to let him in. "What can I do for you?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Well, then.

He steps in and looks around idly to see how she keeps herself.

"Well, honestly, I'm sick of being the dumb one, and I'm hoping you can help me with that. It doesn't have to be now, but... I'm hoping maybe you could give me a rundown of the major players in your world, because we seem to run into people you know no matter where we wind up, you know?"

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

The room isn't overly messy, though it looks most certainly "occupied." There is a small pile of clothing on one chair outside the bathroom, and a terrycloth robe hanging on the door.

"Sure," she agrees. "Where did you want to start?" she asks him.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

She may remember the appraising looks from the last time they were alone together, back at Patriot's Avenger base. That geneticist's curiosity about how her superhuman body actually functions.

Not that the looks are betrayed by anything but his eyes, as he studies, perhaps oddly, her feet... and is trying not to look at how that tail disappears under her nightgown.

Closing the door behind him, he leans against a wall, neutrally.

"Well... let's see. I know there were Avengers, pretty legendary but never really my area of interest. The whole hero thing was like a fad, and it was like everybody learned their lesson and settled down after the cataclysm hit... not that I know what that WAS. It's a huge blotch in the historical record."

"But anyway... I know that a mutant activist named Charles Xavier had his day... I know enough about Doom and a little about Captain America... but other than that it's wide open."

Completely oblivious to any possibility of double entendre...

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"Xavier died when I was a kid, but I did know him," TJ shares, sitting down on the ledge of her bed. "I grew up living with the X-Men, but Mom was an Avenger, so I know a lot about both of those groups. Um, I guess I'll need a pen and paper to try and go in to any detail," she says.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Lyla suddenly materializes for a moment, with a notebook.

"It's okay, I'm writing it all down for you!" And she sounds extraordinarily happy to do it, before she vanishes back into his wristwatch.

He just smiles and shrugs.

"The glories of turn of the century technology. Just so you know, my ex-girlfriend programmed her that way. Her own was modeled after John Kennedy. She... she's weird."

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"So... she's always listening to everything you do?" TJ asks, then shakes her head. "Nevermind. Um, I guess I'll start with the X-Men, since they're what I know best. Unless there's something else you'd rather hear about first?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"No. I turn her off most of the time, to save her power source. Taking notes, monitoring communications, stuff we can use her for."

Still, he's a little uncomfortable.

"Should you.. do you want to get dressed or something first?"

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

She looks down at the silk "you've seen me in less," she says with a bit of a laugh. "I can put the robe on though, if you want." She nods the white bathrobe on the bathroom door.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"Well... it's sure as shock not what I want. It's just..."

His eyes are drawn to those three-fingered hands again.

"I dunno, I guess you're right..."

A slight blush.

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"What was that you said back on Bucky's world? That you'd like to have a better look at me?" she asks, smiling. "Or should we stick with the alternate history lesson?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

That catches him a little off-guard.

"Well, I did hope to have a chance to study your - wait... what are you suggesting, exactly?"

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

TJ laughs, "You're cute when you blush," she tells him.

"So, I'm about to tell you what ammounts to my family history. Do I get to know your name?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

This is weird. He probably has ten years on her, maybe, but somehow she's got him feeling off his game. Or maybe it's this random time jumping thing that's doing it.

Still... the name. The last vestige of his secret identity... but there's no telling how long he'll be stuck doing this with these people, or when he might be cut down like Alison was... and he certainly doesn't want his tombstone to read 'Here Lies Wrestlemania.'

Fine.

"Miguel. Miguel O'Hara."

A quiet admission. Not entirely convinced of the wisdom of it.

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"Hello Miguel O'Hara. I'm Talia Josephine Wagner," she says, standing up to offer him her hand. It is just as blue and peach-fuzzy as it's ever been.

"It's nice to put a name to the face."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

The hand is taken instinctively, but the shake is different from any other he's had.

"It's still a secret, though. If my name gets out to anyone in 2099, everyone I ever tried and failed to love is dead."

He doesn't even notice he's got both hands on her three fingers, exploring the texture of her hand.

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"My lips are sealed, Miguel," she assures him. She does not stop him from touching her hand. She keeps it very still, just in case moving it will make him stop.

"Promise to only use the name... in private," she adds, and her yellow eyes flash with a hint of mischief. Her tail swings out from under her hemline to brush against his leg.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

That tail move straightens his back instantly.

And he immediately decides that he doesn't care about propriety or ramifcations.

"Talia Josephine Wagner, are you hitting on me?"

Fingers move up her arm just a little.

It's been a long damn time.

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"I was hitting on you," she answers. "Now I'm quite openly putting the moves on you. Are you objecting?" she asks him, letting the tail do a little wandering (it is such a very useful appendage).

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Good lord, the possibilities with the tail... with their shared ability to stick to walls... their agility and flexibility...

When's the last time anyone actually put the moves on him? Hell, he hasn't even allowed himself to think about this kind of thing in so long...

"Not at all. I bet your moves are incredible."

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you have no idea- well. Actually, you might have some idea," she says quietly.

"Want to compare notes?"

She runs a fingertip along his jaw before leaning in to kiss him, biting very gently on his bottom lip with pointed teeth.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

She wasn't kidding about how she wanted to kiss him for these rooms... guess that wasn't all.

She feels strange, as he wraps his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. Slightly fuzzy, but it's an inordinately pleasant texture, even on his lips.

Something in his mind knows it's not wise, but he's never managed much in the way of wisdom.

He's also never had a chance to be with anyone without trying to keep his powers a secret.

Well, he's still holding one of them back - the temptation is to echo her fangs with his own, but he resists it. Instead, it's time to turn his age into an advantage - experience and ingenuity.

She'll feel his smile form against her lips. Figuring she's usually the one that does the surprising... so maybe this will prove she made the right call in indulging her libido.

"Sure... note number one, you have the tail..."

With a flick of his wrists, two weblines hit the ceiling, and he quickly yanks them both upwards, pinning her between his body and the ceiling... and it's a warmly tight squeeze.

"... and I've got the webs."

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

There is a moment of confusion, along with a quick yelp of surprise before she realizes just what he's doing.

Okay. That's... really creative. And pretty damn hot, in a very strange way.

"This is a new one," she tells him, grinning wide.

She presses her palms flat against the ceiling's surface, along with the bottom of her feet to secure her position. Her tail, however, is free to wander as far as it will reach.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

His smile grows sly and a bit wicked.

"I'm super-strong. You don't have to worry about holding yourself up," he offers, quietly, into that big pointy ear of hers.

"I've been wanting to try this for ages. All you've got to do is... whatever you want to me."

[tj-nocturne.livejournal.com]

"That's quite the invitation," she replies, releasing her hold on the ceiling's surface to put her weight on him. She's been with a man with super-strength before, so she is at least familiar with that aspect.

It takes some creative positioning and lots of wiggling (admittedly, a little more wiggling than necessary), but she does manage to get the nightgown off (and she is so glad she opted for it over the pajama set- tiny buttons and big hands are never a good mix when in a hurry to undress).

"I like the way you think, Miguel," she whispers, running a bottom fang along the tip of his ear. "I hope I don't run out of ideas."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Every wiggle is electric... her skin texture as well as her skill in undressing them both from this position - the tail really is handy.

"Don't worry... I've got plenty to spare. And I'm sure what you lack in creativity, you'll make up for in sheer talent."

A rare, genuine smile across his face, before he sinks them into a strong, deep kiss.

It's been way too damn long...