MHA #2 | Wednesday Evening

[defenderofdesmoines]

No one had specifically asked Annie to try to stick to the island as much as she could lately, but she'd been doing her best. Partly because she wanted to, and partly because some things didn't need to be explicitly asked.

She had taken a quick trip to the tower earlier this week for some meetings she couldn't move, and seeing her teammates -- seeing one of her teammates, because let's be real, she really only had one teammate and then several assholes she also worked with -- gave her an idea.

An idea that she'd been working on via text message ever since, and was about to come to fruition here and now as she half-watched American Ninja Warrior and casually convincing herself that she could totally beat the dude on the screen's time (and she and Diego would absolutely destroy at the team version of this show, thanks for asking), and her phone gave a little buzz.

And when Annie looked at her screen, she couldn't suppress her smile at seeing that begrudging, all-lowercase answer. fine. "We're gonna have a visitor this weekend."

And now to convince her she didn't have to wear her breastplate.

[for the guy!]

Comments

[knife_bender]

"When people think Diego Hargreeves the word 'classy' definitely comes to mind," he said with a grin.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I mean, I could go in the other direction," Annie replied, lifting a brow. "Karaoke. Get a piñata. Hire a clown to do balloon animals. But I thought a grown-up party was more your vibe."

...actually, a piñata wasn't a bad idea at all.

[knife_bender]

"You really want me and Five to be armed with bats?" he asked.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"...I would be willing to supply one bat," Annie said carefully, "because that's how piñatas work. And it's your birthday."

Surely everyone could put aside their disagreements and resentment for a day, right?

[knife_bender]

...sure they could.

"It's still Five." Because Diego wasn't the problem here at alllllllll.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"And it's still you," Annie replied with the sincerity of someone wearing some serious love-goggles as she draped her arm around his midsection. "And I think a reason to relax might do you both some good."

It would do something, all right.

[knife_bender]

"Relaxing would be nice." He wasn't really sure if a birthday party was the way to achieve that, but he had had a pretty nice time at the Christmas rager. "And you're having fun with this too, right?"

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I mean, I'm having fun planning something nice for you, yes." This party wasn't really about her so much as giving Diego something nice to focus on and relaxing him, and if Annie thought about that for about a second longer she'd realize that if that were really true, then a birthday party wasn't really the answer here. "And it's giving me a little project since I'm off work."

Off work for no reason that had nothing to do at all with her sticking around the island for his benefit. (And as it was, Ashley had been sending her remote projects to do. She had photoshoot proofs for Wish to look at, at some point.)

[knife_bender]

"I'm glad you decided to stick around." Because, yeah, he knew the reason she was really off work.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie gave him a soft little smile, trailing her fingertips lightly along one of his arms. The actual, physical clinginess hadn't really dissipated much in the last couple of weeks, either. "It probably won't last," she admitted. "Especially once the video's done. But I'm glad I've been able to shuffle stuff around as much as I have been so I can be here. It's worked out well."

And by 'worked out well,' she meant that she personally had fought with her manager on no fewer than five occasions regarding how many days per week they needed her in New York, and whether she could Zoom into meetings at that V-shaped table.

[knife_bender]

"I can't wait until that video comes out." Look, he saw the costume and heard the song separately. He needed to see it all pulled together with the CGI Translucents.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I can," Annie replied, but that was probably obvious. "Once it's out there, I'll probably have to do it live. Starlight in concert. You'll probably get to see the wig again."

And the butt pad.

[knife_bender]

"Really?" he asked. "All that over someone like Translucent?"

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Oh, it's less about Translucent himself and more about Vought getting that song stuck in everyone's head and monetizing me," Annie replied, shaking her head. "And my voice. Like, A-Train has a song coming out soon, too. It's a whole thing."

[knife_bender]

"Ugh. That dude doesn't deserve a song," Diego said. "I hope it flops."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"If it flops, that'll at least hopefully guarantee there isn't some kind of Seven group number." If that ever happened, Annie would be deeply jealous of Black Noir.

"If I had to do a concert, would you come?" she added, tilting her head up to kiss his jaw. "Be my groupie?"

[knife_bender]

"Absolutely," he said. "I'll wear my Starlight shirt and try to get backstage in hopes of meeting you."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I'd maybe be able to hook you up with a VIP pass," Annie assured him, nuzzling lightly at his neck. "Which includes an autograph and a photo."

Because Annie for sure needed more excuses to take pictures of the two of them.

[knife_bender]

"Oh wow, that is VIP," he said, tilting his neck toward her. "I'm flattered."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I'd even let you touch me in the photo," Annie added generously, smiling against his neck. "Maybe put your arm around me if you play your cards right."

Most photo ops with her male fans these days, she stood as far away as she could get away with and still be in frame.

[knife_bender]

"My arm is already around you," he said, running his hand down her arm to prove that.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Then maybe I already think you're a very important person," Annie replied, tilting her head up for a real kiss.

This, right here, was most of why she'd stuck around the island as much as she could the last couple of weeks. Distracting flirting and kissing and compliments. It was all she had to offer.

(Well, those things plus a terrible-idea party.)

[knife_bender]

The party could turn out great! Maybe.

Diego was well aware she had probably driven Ashley nuts with her schedule changes the last couple weeks, but he was grateful for it. He didn't think sitting by himself brooding over this would have gone well.

So he was very appreciative of the kissing, flirting and compliments.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie just kind of wished she could do more. But that was apparently what the guest room was for.

(Ignoring the guest room was also an act of love, if you asked her.)

You know what was also distracting and good for staving off brooding? Having Annie in one's lap, which she also couldn't do from New York. So don't mind her just shifting her way there, Diego. It was for everyone's benefit.

[knife_bender]

It was hard to brood while Annie was on his lap, it was true. He placed his hands on her hips, looking up at Annie with some definite heart eyes. "Hi."