Owner	Pose
Finley Ellison	Here they were: in the middle of who-knows-where, with a crew if murderous cheats. But that's not the problem. No the problem is that Ava Starr is the Protector of the Universe. And Finley doesn't know how to help her. Not with Q-bands. Not with the responsibility. Not with the dramatic shift her life must have taken as soon as they appeared on her wrists. But Finley can be her friend -- she hopes, she's never had much luck with friends. And that means when Ava dashes out of the crew lounge, Finley follows. With Peter's stolen red alien alcohol. That's what friends do, right? Help you get drunk?
Ava Starr	Ava moves through the lower decks to find her QEC. She doesn't actually *need* it. She's feeling pretty stable, right now. But she knows that it's *her* place. Early on, she draped the outside of its glass walls with a tarp to keep it from being a fishbowl. That makes it a really great place to go hide. She knows Finley is following her. That's fine. Finley, she can handle. Finley, she knows. Finley, she trusts. Finley, even now... is welcome. Yanking the door to the chamber open, she enters the chamber and leaves the door gapped so the other woman can follow her within, where she throws herself onto the bed across from the bench she bolted in to replace the desk and chair she once kept in the small space. She throws her arm over her eyes... except that puts the bands against her forehead, which only elicits a growl from her as she flings her arm back down on the mattress. Being told they can't be removed unless she dies does *not* make her happy.
Finley Ellison	Finley pauses in the open door. "What'll this thing do to me?" she asks. While it's not on, she knows the answer, nothing. She just wants Ava's assurances that she's not going to get bombarded with quantum particles. And maybe to distract her from her situation, just a little.
Ava Starr	"Nothing," Ava says, her tone a trifle surly. "You know that. It's off." She shifts, sitting up so that Finley can sit on the end of the bed if she wants, instead of the metal bench. Her eyes fall on that jug of red juice. "Did you bring that to share?" She hopes so.
Finley Ellison	Finley comes in to sit on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs underneath her. She hands over the bottle. "Of course," she says with a small smile.
Ava Starr	Ava chuffs out a rough breath and her shoulders fall some. "I'm sorry," she says suddenly, reaching for the bottle. She slugs back a couple of swallows. "I didn't think, dragging you into all this. This... isn't what I expected." She offers the bottle back wordlessly.
Finley Ellison	Finley ignores the bottle for the moment, opening her arms. Just in case Ava can admit that she might need a hug. "It's okay," she says.
Ava Starr	Ava looks at the open arms. Her eyes meet Finley's for a moment. The Englishwoman isn't much of a hugger. But right now... she leans forward to accept the embrace, her head leaning against Finley's. "I'm not really sure it is."
Finley Ellison	Finley reaches up and strokes Ava's hair. "It will be okay." Ava's weight is warm against her chest. And maybe it's the alien booze, but Finley's starting to feel a little warm too. She lean's in and kisses the top of Ava's head. "We'll figure this out," she murmurs. "I promise."
Ava Starr	Ava sighs some, closing her eyes. Her arms slide around the other woman. "We're stuck a million lightyears from home with a bunch of insane aliens and a manchild who hasn't heard of any band later than 1989. We're heading to a world that's full of talking cybernetic animals, no where near where we should be. And now they're telling me I'm the replacement Phyla-Vell. That's not okay. It's bullshit."
Finley Ellison	"You're not a replacement," Finley says softly, planting a gentle kiss on Ava's temple. She holds her close, and Ava feels...solid. Finley runs her fingers through Ava's hair. "Maybe you're exactly what the universe needs. And maybe it needs them too. I know it sounds absurd. But, you know what? I'm glad I'm here."
Ava Starr	"Then, you're as crazy as the rest of them," Ava retorts. There's no venom in it, though. She's glad the engineer is here, too. Just sorry she dragged her into all this. Especially since she knows she just committed them to fighting this Thanos again. Why the hell did she do that? What the hell was she thinking? "I'm no hero," she complains, settling her head against Finley's shoulder. There's comfort in the stroking of her hair she hasn't felt... since she was a very little girl. "All I wanted was to not hurt any more."
Finley Ellison	"Does it hurt now?" Finley asks. She pets Ava, reveling in her tangibility.
Ava Starr	It hasn't even occurred to Ava how easy it is to hold that tangibility. Not until Finley askes her if it hurts. She sits up a little and looks at her hands. "No," she admits. "Not really." She frowns faintly. "I can... feel all the energy pulling at me. But whatever Phyla did, it's still working."
Finley Ellison	"Then it's worth it," Finley says grinning. Her smile is soft and sweet and earnest, and just a liiiiiiiiiiitle bit intoxicated.
Ava Starr	Ava blinks at her. She chuffs a breath, still uncertain about that, though she won't argue with the results. She reaches out for that bottle and takes a long pull from it. Finally, she turns, studies Finley's face for a long moment and reaches out to brush a strand of hair from her forehead. "I'm still sorry I dragged us into this. But... I'm really glad you're here."
Finley Ellison	Finley takes another drink. Then looking sincerely into Ava's eyes, she says, "I'm not. Sorry, I mean. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." She bites her bottom lip, still grinning.
Ava Starr	Ava's lips pull into a wry half-smile. "It's the fact we're in space, isn't it?" she says, taking the bottle back for another pull. "Because it sure as hell isn't Captain Wannabe America."
Finley Ellison	Stealing the bottle, Finley raises it in a toast, "To space!" She drinks and giggles. And then... "Ava?" she asks hesitantly. "Hypothetically -- I mean completely theoretical --what would you do if I kissed you?"
Ava Starr	Definitely not Captain Wannabe America. Ava blinks at the question, unexpected and awkward as it is, growing still. Then, she reaches out for the bottle, and ends up wrapping her hand over Finley's on its neck. She opens her mouth to speak, but then closes it again. Her lips press tightly together, apprehension on her face. Finally, she pulls the bottle and Finley towards her. When her lips part again, her hand laces gently through Finley's hair and she pulls her in for that kiss.
Finley Ellison	"Oh thank goodness," Finley breathes before her lips meet Ava's. But then she's all dreamy, blissful enthusiasm. Her ever tumultuous thoughts banished by her focus of the physical. Ava is real and whole and touchable. And kissing her.
Ava Starr	The relief Finley feels is met by the trepidation that is Ava's response to all of it. Willing as she is... it has been a very long time since she pursued anything like this. And, thanks to constant pain and intangibility... never successfully. So... really, it's probably a good thing the room is tarped... and reasonably soundproof, too. Because, hell... who knows how good alien senses are? Some things, like the the booze and the intimate moments that follow, really don't need to be shared with the class.