Rebuilding Bonds

[notthatcrazy]

It's been a few months since Face's rescue, and everyone's still tensely looking over their shoulders. They've split up for the moment, hoping to better evade potential pursuers, but no one's exactly thrilled about it.

Face's memory is slowly returning, bits of it coming back like pieces of a patchwork quilt. There's still a lot missing, though,and it still hurts that it's gone. Which is why they're standing in a pawnshop on a dingy side street looking for a deal.

It's not what either of them want, really. They should get to have something special, something theirs. But they just...can't, right now, so they make do with what they've got. Just like always.

Comments

[notjustaface]

"Well... the lady did say 'all kinds'..." Face trails off with a shrug, looking up to the proprietor with a flash of his best smile as Murdock looked over the rings.

"You must get a lot of people through here looking for something special."

[notthatcrazy]

She shrugs, Face's charm apparently not making much of an impression. "Mostly we get a lotta people showing up panicked 'cause they gambled away the rent money."

Murdock's still checking out the selection. There's a few likely candidates among the cheap and gaudy.

"Come here and check these out."

[notjustaface]

Figuring maybe his game's a little off, Face straightens up - trying to get a good read on her but nothing sticks. Improvising, he returns to Murdock's side and loops an arm around him from behind - leaning closer to the rings. "Sure thing babe, which one says... 'Vegas shotgun wedding'?"

[notthatcrazy]

He leans into the embrace, blushing but happy enough to play the doting significant other. Which, of course, he is.

"How about that one?" He points out the plainest of the available options, a simple white gold circle.

[notjustaface]

"I don't know... white gold?" He half-shrugs, looking back up the owner with a wink.

"You can do better than that. Only the best for my baby."

[notthatcrazy]

She rolls her eyes, but brings out another tray for them to inspect.

"You see anything, hon?" He wraps an arm around Face's waist as they look, the sappy grin on his face only partially exaggerated.

[notjustaface]

This tray's a little easier to glance over, more good among the trashy bling. A small gold ring with a diamond chip is tucked in between what looks like a class ring and a drag queen's pinky ring. He can spot authentic fast enough, but no less shakes his head.

"Too bad it's a fake... but I think this might make a good temporary..."

[notthatcrazy]

He grins to himself, knowing exactly what Face is up to.

"Welllll... if it's the best we can do..."

[notjustaface]

"I dunno..." he leans in closer, sliding the ring on his finger. It's a little loose, but a few more months without having to go without and it'll fit like a charm.

"Does it scream 'I wanna plant you face down in the mattress?' to you?" He can't help but grin.

[notthatcrazy]

"You usually scream that well enough yourself."

He attempts to hide his laugh behind an innocent smile as the woman behind the counter continues to try to ignore them.

[notjustaface]

Damn. She's good - by now most normal people would be squirming their socks to get them out of there regardless of the astronomical discount he's gonna ask for.

"So, uh... how much for this little slice of fake Heaven?" He slides back from around Murdock, the ring still circling his finger as he lean across the display counter.

[notthatcrazy]

She's not squirming - and he's pretty sure she sees through the whole 'fake' charade - but she looks like she'd rather have them gone sooner rather than later.

"How much ya got?"

[notjustaface]

Cash is a little strapped, but thanks to some luck at the tables and odd jobs here and there they're getting by well enough he could lay out the rather high sticker price without hurting too bad.

That said, he's obviously gonna low ball right out the gate. "I could do... probably forty." He shrugs, wiggling his fingers to catch the slight glint of the dirty gold and tiny diamond. "It looks good on me, don't you think?"

[notthatcrazy]

There's a hint of a smirk on her face now. "Not sayin' it don't, but if you think you're getting it for less than half price, you're crazy."

"Aw, c'mon." Murdock gives her his best 'look how adorable and in love we are' puppy eyes. "Help a guy out here."

[notjustaface]

"Well... in all fairness... he kind of is..." Face chuckles, tilting his head Murdock's way before murmuring; "And I guess I'm kind of crazy in love... you know that feeling, don't ya?"

He licks his lips, dragging a finger across the glass. "Maybe, forty-five percent?"

[notthatcrazy]

Her eyes narrow. "Fifty's as low as I'll go."

Murdock's still making puppy eyes at Face, sort of forgetting that they're supposed to be conning. Luckily, it's not too much of a stretch to do what they're doing.

[notjustaface]

It's also pretty much a better deal than he'd expected they'd get. "You drive a hard bargain."

He shrugs, and manages his wallet out of his front pocket - peeling off a few bills. "But, I think that's fair."

[notthatcrazy]

"Yeah, sure." She takes the bills and tucks them into the till as Murdock slips his hand back into his partner's.

"Think that should take care of us, right hon?"

[notjustaface]

"Oh, we are so taken care of..." he purrs, offering the lady one last smirk; "thank you for your time, Miss."

She barely glances them over, giving Face more than a passing look that he might actually consider flattering if she wasn't clearly not taking his bait. "Hey, you been in here before?"

[notthatcrazy]

"Uh, no. Pretty sure we haven't."

That gets a raised eyebrow in Face's general direction.

[notjustaface]

His brow crinkles and Face shakes his head negative; right - defer to the guy with memory loss, great idea!

"No, nah... I mean, maybe on a wild weekend or something." He laughs nervously. "Come on babe, let's go show off the new shiny."

[notthatcrazy]

"Sounds good to me, sweetie."

He gives the woman a passing nod before pressing a kiss to Face's cheek.

[notjustaface]

He can't help but giggle, just a little bit - leaning heavily against Murdock until well out of the pawn shop and down the street toward - well, who knew where. One of the benefits of transiency was not having anywhere particular to be.

"I swear... I haven't been shot down that hard in... ever." He shook head head, stopping at a crosswalk; "I'm not losing my game, am I?"

[notthatcrazy]

"You still got us a deal, baby. I'd say your game's still good."

He nudges him in the ribs affectionately. "Besides, you got me, so it's pretty much like you won the game."

[notjustaface]

Grinning ear to ear, Face settles down on a bus stop bench and pulls Murdock down with him. "Mmmm, I like the sound of that deal."

He lifts the ring up, turning it a little on his finger; "Gonna have to fatten me up a little bit... guess I'll have to get a job or something."