2989/Infinite laps in the pool

Infinite laps in the pool
Date of Scene:	19 August 2020
Location:	6A - Janet's Condo
Synopsis:	A quiet evening of introspection for Steve and Janet.
Cast of Characters:	Steve Rogers, Janet van Dyne

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Steve Rogers has posed:
This late at night, many decades ago, it used to be a hassle to try and breathe much less sleep in middle-August. The thickness of the heat clinging to the city like a gauze hasn't abated in memory or in present times. There are few ways to beat it and at the moment, Steve's indulging in one of them.

It's technically not supposed to be used for laps, the infinity pool set onto the stretch of balcony at Janet's condo in SoHo, but the Captain is attempting it nonetheless. He's not at any strenuous pace and not at any particular stroke, shifting between them at whim as he circulates in a large ovaloid path within it. His drink, a dark beer frosted in its glass bottle, has been left off to one side on the pool's wall.

A twist and he slips underwater to powerfully swim along the bottom. Rather gracefully for someone of his build, he sleeks along and returns to his drink. There's a dog-like shake of his head when he surfaces along with a puft of water from his lips. It's sure to splash someone seated nearby, if anyone is.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Mmmrgh!" Janet was not *quite* asleep but she was certainly dozing comfortably in one of the fixture chairs built right into the pool itself. It's meant for sunbathing in the briny shallows of the pool and it's perfect for sliding up and down and getting just the right amount of immersion for properly regulated body temperature.

"Hey, I'm working on my tan," she protests with a foggy voice. It takes her a few seconds to remember what time it is and she blinks owlishly at the city lights. "Well, I was earlier, anyway."

The fashionista's in a brief red bikini, minimalist halter strings tied behind her neck and a gold loop bridging across her sternum. She stretches her lower back with one arm straight up and her other forearm braced behind her head.

Steve Rogers has posed:
A quiet laugh slips from the man nearby as he runs his free hand from his forehead and back to slick damp golden hair away from his face.

"Must've been comfortable," murmurs Steve after he sets aside his beer. He'd taken a deep slug of it and now swims over to the semi-immersed lounge chairs. Minimal rippling might shush up upon her as he arrives and stops in an underwater furling of reverse-paddling. There's a lean-in across one of the arm rests as she finishes her stretch and, of course dripping water all along her likely drier skin, he kisses the fashionista. "'s'about seven or so, you thinking about food at all? Could order something in?" he asks, smiling almost...cheekily at Janet as he pulls back, running his fingers through his hair again.

Yes, it's a deliberate gesture on his part sure to accentuate physique.

"Red's a good color on you," the man also notes in the deliberately mild way of his which only serves to underline the compliment more.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Ack!" Janet's getting *dripped* on and squeals in protest, but it sounds more like a laugh as she fruitlessly tries to push the dripping wet soldier away. Her efforts avail her not, mostly because her other hand wraps around Steve's neck and pulls him in for a kiss.

When he breaks away, her fingernails trail down his neck and chest and her eyes follow the same blatantly appreciative path. "Is that a line?" Janet teases Steve. "'That color looks good on you, it'd look even better on my floor?'" she quips. The fashionista stands up in the shallows, enjoying a few moments of towering over Steve, and brushes very deliberately past him as she walks into waters deep enough for treading water. "I'm not hungry, but if you want something, go ahead and order. I'll just have a few bites off your plate," she suggests.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Gravity's got a way of making everything end up on the floor at one point." It's certainly not a denial in any way that his compliment was a line. Steve grins as she joins him in the water and he in his height circles lazily around her in water-slowed steps until he can wrap arms about her from behind. It's a gentle, warm hug and he noses into her dark hair until it's obvious he's attempting to make her laugh again.

Regardless, there's a sigh. "Stumped on where to order from. Haven't had Pad Thai in a while, but there's also something about the idea of a deep dish pizza with all the fixings. Lots of vegetables or a salad on the side. Garlic bread." He sounds like he's half-convinced himself this is the way to go as things stand.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet giggles softly in Steve's arms, and leans into the brush against her short, curly hair. When he sighs she turns in place and starts lazily treading water with her arms, and locks her calves around his waist so she's not drifting away. "Kind of a heavy sigh for someone on the verge of garlic bread," Janet points out. "It's still staff hours; call down to Henri and see how long it'd take him to bake a pizza." A hand gestures vaguely to the suites under Janet's condo where her personal staff work and live.

The petite Wasp tilts her head at Steve curiously, looking up at him from her lazy treading. "Is there something on your mind, honey? Or is the eternal debate of pad thai versus garlic bread really taking that much of your emotional brainpower?" The corners of her lips twitch aysmmetrically, fighting to hold back a teasing grin.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Caught out at his musings, Steve blinks now at the woman facing him. Her heels can be felt at the small of his back where she's anchored them; he reaches about to interlace fingers at the middle of her own as a backstop.

"Always things on my mind," he replies at first, cajoled into his own half-smile in turn. It showcases a dimple. "Though it's a challenge, figuring out whether or not garlic bread's better'n Pad Thai. Something about the peppers." Still, his smile softens into something more introspective as he glances away and off towards the sprawl of the city lights. It's beautiful and odd both to see the infinity pool's edging drop away into the scenescape beyond it.

"Guess I got caught spinning wool in my own memories," he finally replies, looking back at the Wasp. He's still smiling even if it's nearly vanished now. "Thinking hard about what once was 'nd comparing it to now. Funny how there're days that I...miss things I'd never have guessed I'd miss. 's'not that 'm ungrateful, more..." Broad shoulders shrug as he continues looking into her face. "Things've changed 'nd it's boggling to think about it sometimes."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet loosens her grip around Steve's hips and floats a little away with a finger uplifted. An intercom's built into the side of the pool, underneath one of the tables by the dry lounge chairs. She rests wet fingertips against one of the buttons and leans over the speaker. "Henri? I think we're ready for dinner," she tells her chef. "Steve's torn between pad thai and pizza, and he knows for sure he wants garlic. Think you can come up with something?"

"<Ahh... yes, oui madamoiselle Janet,>" comes a French accent male voice. "<I think so. Yesyes, oui, I can. Perhaps forty-five minutes?>"

"Wonderful Henri, thank you." Janet closes the intercom up and paddles back out to where Steve is at, in no particular hurry, and brushes up against him to nudge him along in her wake. The socialite rests her forearms on the edge of the pool and puts her chin atop her slender wrists to look out to the glowing lights of the City that Never Sleeps. "What kinda stuff are you missing?" Janet says over her shoulder, not quite looking back at Steve. Synthetic starlight from the city's high towers illuminates her face, a contrast to the filtered lights of the pool's illumination. "This is the city that has it all, y'know."

Steve Rogers has posed:
Already, Steve's attempting to come up with his own culinary creation involving the elements of Pad Thai and pizza. So far, it's all been intriguing to him, especially with garlic involved. Keeping up his lazy paddling in place, not truly necessary at his weight, he watches Janet return. Her slink past him in the water is something he knows as a missive to follow and he does, stroking over to join her at the edge of the infinity pool.

To the west, the sun's long-set, just a faint glow on the horizon's edge. More and more city lighting comes to life out and beyond in the sprawl of urban humanity. Steve stands up, his palms coming to rest on the edge of the pool as he arrives.

"It's certainly got a lot going for it. Did back when as well. What'm I missing?" There's a long minute where he thinks. "Guess it'd be something like the familiar. The known. Thing is..." His laugh is quiet, eyes downcast briefly then rising back to the city-scape again. "Never gonna get that back. Funny how things like noisy neighbors 'nd foghorns on the river're things that can be missed. Annoyances that made life what it was back then."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Food's better now than it was," Janet points out with a gently encouraging tone. "Bucky's still around. You've got a better job. Air's cleaner. Jersey still sucks," she allows, "but some things never change."

The Wasp nudges closer to Steve, worming up against the underside of his arm. "You've got me," she prompts him, and flashes a warm smile up at the Captain. "So is it missing something in particular, or just fondly recollecting how things used to be?" Arms wrap around Steve's bicep and she rests the point of her chin on his shoulder, looking at his profile.

Steve Rogers has posed:
By the subtle cant of his profile towards her, Steve is listening as she speaks. The night breeze blowing by isn't too cool, not yet, and when she bumps into his arm, he glances over at her in full. A small, grateful smile appears on the man's face.

He tilts in to press a kiss against her temple. "Still think the best way to define it is the familiar. One second, 'm in the middle of a war in the first half of the century. The next, I blink, 'nd 'm here 'nd now. Not a lot of time to recalibrate or get used to things." His true-blues search her face and now the little smile goes softer. "But 's'not useful to be wool-gathering in a pity puddle in the process. Gets the wool dirty," he deadpans. "'ve got you 'nd the Avengers 'nd yes, against all odds, Buck as well -- others who've managed to make it into the now. Nice to be able to acknowledge what've got here."

Leaning in more, he nuzzles his nose against hers. "Found a diamond in you, <<Seillean>>."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet returns the nuzzle, then lids her eyes and rests her forehead against Steve's.

"Steve, I..." She wets her lips, eyes flickering. "I know where you're coming from. I do. But ... we've been together two years. It's been three since you got thawed out."

She gestures at the city; Stark Tower, the Empire State building... landmarks to navigate a plane by. "I know Brooklyn's changed, but you've changed too. At some point, honey, you've gotta stop comparing who you were to who you are now. And what the City was to what it is now. This is your home," she says, with gentle stress on the last word. Eyes search his, then flicker with amusement. "I've even seen you use your cell phone to order pizza. If that's not a sign of progress, I don't know what is."

Steve Rogers has posed:
A soft snort from the Captain. It bounces his lingering lean against her lightly. "'m not afraid to use the technology of the times. 's'useful if sometimes its utlity is a little...astounding," Steve decides fairly of the vast and sometimes useless information available via the Internet. "But I hear you."

Another peck against her temple and he then looks out across the city's expanse again. "Times change. Some things do, some things don't. Sometimes, 's'useful to back-check on what I knew. To dwell on it? Like I said, muddy wool isn't good wool."

A glance over at her and now a cheeky little smile that so few see from the generally stoic Captain. "Maybe I should start texting you like I do Buck, like good ol' telegrams."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet rolls her eyes with a tolerant, barely-suppressed smile at Steve's chivvying. "Maybe you should think twice if you can accurately translate my emojis," Janet suggests, and kicks off him with a foot on his hip. She paddles lazily backwards in the water with a slow undulation of arms and legs. "I've been *very* good about texting you things you can, y'know. Comprehend. Because you're oooooold."

"Isn't that kind of making my point? You and Bucky using modern tech, but *still* acting like hidebound old dinosaurs?" she teases. One hand rises and flicks a palmful of water at Steve.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Been told 'm a national treasure who belongs in the Smithsonian. Figure that's a compliment," the man fires back with a return swat of water that's admittedly more than enough to splash entirely over Janet's head. Steve's just as quick to swim over and see about scooping her into his arms so she's slung across them.

"'sides, you really want me to start acting like the 'gentlemen' you've dated before?" Steve clears his throat. "Whoa, my dude, look at her, do you think I can score on the first go?"

A shake of his head follows as he laughs, "Can't change my stripes, <<Seillean>>."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet kicks and tries to swim back but Steve's more agile in the water. Also, she doesn't want to get her hair soaked, and in the end makes it a bounding step back before Steve captures her. Her grin persists until his attempt at emulating modern vulgar slang, and Janet goes limp and rolls her eyes skywards again.

"God, Steve, I don't mean it like that," she tells him. A finger pokes his sternum. "Getting with the times isn't 'changing'. It's adapting and evolving, just like everyone has done for all of human history. You and Bucky pretending it's the '30s isn't 'fighting change', it's you two being doofuses because you two have always been that way. Your stripes have changed, buster," she tells him, "whether you like it or not. And it's not a bad thing to do things you wouldn't have done before."

An impish expression crosses her face and she hooks her calves around his waistline, teasing. "Besides, it's not been -all- bad, huh? Being a little... adventurous?"

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve smirks knowingly as the brunette shifts about and ends up face to face with him rather than slung across his arms. "You wanna talk 'adventurous', pretty sure that's the word of my life -- 'nd besides, Buck 'nd I aren't pretending it's the '30s. You should see him play those app games on his phone. Think he doesn't know how to disarm all the protocols in this building?"

His lifts his eyebrows obviously at Janet, his smile shifting to something more serious if not disappearing entirely.

"Believe me, we live in the now, Janet, even if we take the time to acknowledge where we come from. Still...adventurous, is it?" He leans in past her cheek and whispers in her ear in the most sensuous manner he can manage, "...maybe I should duck you since your hair's still dry."

And then tries to do it!

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet yelps and kicks backwards when Steve tries to dunk her; she almost lands on her rear, but then rapidly grows in size to nearly four feet over Steve's height. It's enough to keep him from dunking her in the shallows.

"Oh my god, you are the -worst-!" Janet declares, and backs up quickly until the water's just a foot or two deep. "Don't get my hair wet, then I have to *dry* it again before bed," she scolds him. Just as fast as she grew she shrinks once more to a normal, dainty 5'4". A foot rises from the water and lazily pushes out at Steve's chest to try and ward him off of her rather than putting any real effort into propelling him away.

Steve Rogers has posed:
She'll get the push-off from the plating of muscle she presses her foot against, but she'll also get a gentle grip around her ankle. "Is that really such a hardship? Drying your hair before you go to bed? I sleep with it wet all of the time." And Janet's seen the resulting blond ducktails and cowlicks that came of it, no doubt something she wishes to avoid.

"C'mere," Steve growls playfully and gathers her up close again. There's a solid kiss before...his stomach also growls. Yes: his ears pink at their tips. A glance over at the pool-side comm and back at her clearly asks whether or not //she// thinks dinner's near to being ready.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Yes, and you wake up--" Janet struggles with feigned reluctance in Steve's arms. "You wake up looking like a haystack."

Janet follows his gaze to the comms unit, then looks up at Steve rather winsomely through her lashes. Arms encircle his neck.

"Probably a good half-hour until food's ready," she says in a sultry voice. "I wonder, -what- could we do to entertain ourselves for half an hour?"

Steve Rogers has posed:
"You don't wonder at all." The accusation is followed by another solid kiss. "Let's see about drying off a little 'nd heading back inside," the Captain suggests with a teasing waggle of his golden brows. He then slogs out of the shallows and towards the stairs, taking them at a speed to be mindful of slippery soles. After all, he's still carrying Janet.

It's not terrible trouble to grab up a towel where it's been slung off to one side on one of the deck chairs with one hand and then Steve continues on inside, heedless of dripping water. The pool settles to stillness and back to reflecting the glow of the sprawling city lights, only disturbed by breaths of evening air. Dinner will be ready...eventually.