video; @gamora

[godslay]

[ When the camera switches on, Gamora is in her apartment, Godslayer across her lap (diligently cleaned and freshly oiled), and she’s holding her communicator with her usual unreadable expression in place. ]

I want to expand my training opportunities. Those looking to spar or test their abilities – I want a challenge.

[ And with a slight lift of her brow— ]

Or let me know if you simply want others to practice with. Tell me how you prefer to fight, and we can work something out.

[ What a friendly and welcoming message.

… Except definitely the opposite of that.

Gamora is working on that “reaching out” thing, on trying to get a better idea of who and what surrounds her in the city, and she might as well use it as a chance to stretch her legs and potentially come up against a worthy opponent or two. ]

Comments

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He studies Gamora for a second. Then looks back to the pillow.

Gamora. Pillow. Gamora. Pillow. Gamora. ]

Maybe if you take back those hurtful words, I won't have to test you.

[godslay]

[ Challenging, unamused, she eyes the pillow once more, then focuses on Peter's face with that flat look. ]

And what did I say that was hurtful?

[ Clearly, she was just being honest. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

Oh, I dunno. Maybe the part where you said I live to distract you?

Hurtful.

[ he hardly seems wounded for it, though. ]

[godslay]

Do you not purposefully distract me?

[ ... said in that tone that means she definitely doesn't believe him. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He opens his mouth to respond. Then closes it as he thinks better of it. Then, ]

Not purposely. All the time.

And that’s totally not fair. Sometimes I need to ask you a question, and that’s technically a distraction.

[godslay]

But you are constantly distracting me.

[ Whether or not she minds or is bothered by it is up for interpretation, clearly. ]

I could be focusing on these responses, but instead, you're threatening me with a pillow.

[ ... Like she didn't drop it on him first. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

I am not.

[ with all the petulance of an eight year old. ]

If you wanna go back to your messages, I’m not stopping you. I mean, I’m just trying to take an interest in your interests. Since when is that a crime?

And also? [ He uses the pillow to point at her accusingly. ] You started it.

[godslay]

Are you interested in my sparring or in making money off of it?

[ And she may have started the pillow thing, but she can definitely finish it too.

Just... gonna reach for another one. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

In your sparring. Of course.

[ he does, in fact, like watching Gamora fight in the same way someone else likes watching ballet.

... But if he can make money off of it, why the hell not?

When she reaches for a pillow, Peter props himself up on an elbow, tucking a foot under the pillow and kicking it up closer to himself and away from her grasp. (It figures he’d use his quick reflexes for stupid shit.) ]

Whaaaat are you doing?

[godslay]

[ Damn it. ]

Did it seem like I was doing something?

[ With all the innocence in the world (if somewhat unimpressed, even by his reflexes), and she's still going to reach for it all over again – though with a little more agility than before. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ His eyes narrow in the face of that feigned innocence. ]

Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I know that look. I perfected that look. Hell, I invented—

[ No, okay, he’s being interrupted when Gamora’s hand darts out. He yelps a little, reaching out to grab her wrist. ]

Hey!

[godslay]

[ She lets him catch her wrist without immediately moving to break his hold, looking down at him with a raised brow.

Luckily, she has two hands, and she's going to reach to take the pillow she's captured with her free hand. ]

Is there a problem?

[nostalgiabomb]

Gamora, no.

[ With the sharp, warning tone one might use when a kid is reaching for a cookie on a pan fresh from the oven, and he grabs for her other wrist. ]

Cut it out.

[godslay]

[ There's instant disapproval on her face to make it clear how much she appreciates that tone.

(Even if she's absolutely used it on Peter, herself.) ]

Then drop your pillow.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He glares up at her, challenging. ]

Only if you stop trying to arm yourself.

[ pillows are weapons, apparently. ]

[godslay]

Maybe I'll be more inclined if you disarm as a gesture of good faith.

[ It's less of a glower on her face, but equally challenging, though she really should be considering why she's indulging Peter in treating the pillows like weapons. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He holds her gaze for a few breaths. Then, slowly, ]

How am I supposed to trust that me putting the pillow away won’t just lead to you taking another cheap shot while I’m unarmed?

I mean, you’re the one who fired on me while I was defenseless, after all.

[godslay]

You have my word that I won't.

[ And her word is worth quite a lot, after all. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter still looks skeptical, maintaining his hold on her wrists. He studies her for a few seconds, waiting for some tic that’ll give it away, but at length, his glare loses some of its edge. ]

If I have your word, then we both back off on the count of three. Got it? No funny business.

[godslay]

No funny business.

[ Though she's mostly just repeating him, at this point.

She glances at his pillow, then back to his face, and: ]

One... Two...

[ And on three, like a good sport who gave her word, she releases her pillow. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter counts aloud with her, watching her warily. He’s always been at least a little paranoid – a quality instilled in him by Yondu, who liked to remind him how rough and unforgiving the galaxy could be – so when they reach three, he waits a bare half-second longer to see what Gamora does.

But of course she drops her pillow, and being a man who keeps his word – at least when it comes to folks who could snap his arm like a brittle twig – he lifts both hands, palms flat in a gesture of concession. ]

Satisfied?

[godslay]

[ With her wrists released, Gamora sets her empty hands on the back of the couch instead. ]

Yes.

Now are you going to wait for me to tell you when you can come watch me or simply find out for yourself?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He points out he could just snoop scope out whenever she made her arrangements, what with this still being a public forum, but he also knows that’s weird and creepy to just show up without her leave. ]

Tell me when, and I can be there with pom-poms and an aggressively sunny disposition.

[godslay]

That would be another distraction.

[ No pom-poms, clearly.

Though she really can't do much about whatever disposition, sunny or otherwise, he decides to bring along for the ride. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Blandly, ]

The sunny personality is too much, huh?

[ yes pom-poms. ]