[ in all honesty, emma has to treat that odd little dalliance like it's nothing; it has to be, because otherwise, she'd be admitting to herself that she'd enjoyed what they'd done, and that...that is not a mental trail she can follow.
especially not right now, when they have more important things to deal with.
of course, that doesn't mean she misses the tone he's adopted, and as he fixes her with that look, she just stares right back, her eyebrow cocked just a touch in one of her more unimpressed expressions. ]
Not sure you did yourself any favors there.
[ her tone is bland, because of course she's going to say something, but she gathers up the rest of her clothes, carrying them towards the bathroom (she's not going to change in front of him after all).
...ignoring the fact that she'd already been pressed completely against him earlier and that he'd had his hand on her bare thigh, and—
[ Her observation is met with one of his customary, crooked smiles, and he snorts out another laugh as she leaves. He decides to end the argument there, considering there's work to be done, and he figures a bickering match wouldn't help matters much. He slips on one of the headsets, keeping one of his ears uncovered. The software taps into the devices at last, and catches one of the men mid-sentence.
"—their linguini. It's quite delicious."
Oh, good. Small talk still. He and Agent Cullen are sure to save the day with this riveting information. He slouches back into his seat, resting the back of his head on his chair's back to regard the ceiling.
He purses his lips as he listens, then, he calls out, ]
You'd better get in here soon. [ He says it dryly, though, without enthusiasm, which belies the apparent urgency of his words. ] You're missin' some awfully important stuff. Like how Rivera's dabbling in Bikram Yoga.
[ emma closes herself in the bathroom, unzipping her dress and letting it pool at her feet. she checks the mirror, now that she has the chance, and starts cleaning off her face, the last of the lipstick, getting back to how she usually looks. it's a relief to step out of the persona of a doting wife (because she left that part of herself behind years ago now), and it's easier for her to find comfort in herself, in not being mrs. brennan.
she glances towards the door when she hears faraday, and just scoffs, rolling her eyes. ]
I assure you, I already got more than an earful about Mr. Rivera's yoga.
[ her tone is just as dry, but instead of thinking about the absurdly mundane things bogue and rivera must be discussing, she tugs on some dark pants, a comfortable long-sleeved shirt, and then proceeds to pull the bobbypins from her hair. there's far too many of them, but it's at least a relief to let down the pain in the ass updo, and when the soft red curls fall around her shoulders, she decides to leave them that way. she can put it up later when she has to.
turning from the mirror, she lets herself back out of the bathroom, going to take her seat beside faraday. ]
Charmin' men, aren't they?
[ she doesn't sound even remotely enthused about this part of the surveillance, but she pulls up her own headset, ready to listen with faraday.
bogue's voice instantly fills her ears, and she tenses all over, fingers clenched — until she remembers herself, remembers her focus, and then she just reaches for the mouse, clicking through a few screens as she listens to the useless babble. she can't let herself get swept away in her own emotions right now, because she has work to do here with faraday, and that's what matters. ]
[ He glances up when he hears the bathroom door open (the hinges don't creak, though; this hotel is too swanky to let the hinges do anything so terribly mundane), and part of him is relieved to see Emma back to her normal self. Nice as she looked before (and damn, had it been nice), he's familiar with her being dressed-down. She looks more like herself.
He purses his lips at that strange series of thoughts and refocuses on Bogue and Rivera.
More of the pointless chatter. More of them dancing around whatever it is they're meant to be discussing, because it's tacky to jump straight to business, Faraday guesses. Never mind the fact that Bogue was the one to arrive at the party with guards as his plus ones. Plus three, more accurately. Rivera does most of the talking, which doesn't surprise Faraday in the least, but when Bogue pipes up—
He senses more than sees the way Emma tenses, there and gone in a flash. Small enough that, were he not so close to her – physically and professionally – he may not have even noticed. But he casts her another look, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed, and he finally takes the gamble. ]
[ emma's shoulders tighten when faraday pipes up again, this time drawing attention to her, to what she'd thought would be an imperceptible and unintentional reaction, but...faraday knows her, at least knows her body language and reactions, far more than she'd like to give him credit for.
happens, when you work so closely and so long with someone. ]
This is neither the time nor place, Faraday.
[ her words are clipped, her expression stony as she stares determinedly at the computer screen instead of him. ]
We're supposed to be listenin' to them, not chatting away.
[ even if now this is pertinent; it's relevant because this scumbag, bogue, is within reach, and emma can't let him slip through her fingers again. ]
[ Faraday observes her for another long moment, utilizing some of that focus she often accused him of lacking, before he nods once, turning his gaze back to the equipment. ]
Not now, then.
[ An agreement, but also another one of those half-promises. Not now, sure. Now wasn't the appropriate time. But afterward? Once Rivera and Bogue have inadvertently given themselves up and the information is secured? Faraday intends to yank on that thread again and unravel whatever that mystery is.
Emma was focused at all times, certainly, but this focus was dangerous. This focus was the type one uses when sighting down a sniper rifle with a clear shot on a target, trigger finger itching to squeeze.This focus promised violence and retribution, was an inferno raging below the surface.
It had something to do with these two men. Bogue specifically, if Faraday had to make a wager – and he's reasonably sure it's a safe one.
At last the chit-chat ends, and Bogue is the one to say, "We're both busy men. Shall we get to business?" Faraday perks up at that, resists the urge to throw up his hands and grumble, Finally, and instead shifts the headphones so they're securely over both ears. ]
[ there's a note of relief in the way emma exhales, because the fact that faraday is going to drop it (at least for now) is a bit of a weight off her shoulders. she doesn't have the emotional wherewithal to deal with dragging this up verbally, to tell him why she's so intensely driven by this particular mission (and why she's also so thrown by it). she needs to focus all of her energy into her work right now, especially when she's so damn close to getting what she's wanted for years.
bogue is right there. within reach.
(she could walk downstairs and shoot him dead right now. and god, if that isn't all kinds of tempting, but she can't let herself think like that. by the book, that's what this has to be.)
and then—
there it is. these men can hardly go too long without finally getting down to the real reason they've come together, because it surely is not to discuss horse breeding and yoga.
there's negotiation of prices, of what's reasonable, what they'll settle for, and while they're extremely careful about their language while going over the deal, what they do finally give away is what emma and faraday really need:
a time and a place.
emma doesn't even hesitate to pull up the specified location on her screen: a big shipyard, filled to bursting with warehouses. more than good enough to load weapons and take them immediately out of the country.
the rest of their talk involves some underhanded pleasantries, but then they're clearly wrapping up, and emma finally slides one headphone off an ear to look over at faraday. the fire in her eyes is near vicious enough to set a man aflame, but there's that determination she's so known for. she's ready to finish this. ]
Maybe that fancy party was worth an evenin' after all.
[ because they have what they need, and while the drop is days away, they know the where and the when, and that's so much more significant than going in blind. ]
[ Faraday listens intently as they plan. Mostly, he's just glad the two of them aren't bullshitting anymore, impatient as Faraday can be. His gaze flicks over briefly to the screen when Emma sets to pulling up the location (she always was quick on the draw), and he thinks to himself, Right. That looks appropriate.
Then as they're wrapping up, Emma directs that heated gaze to him, has that look that signals something boiling beneath the surface. Familiar, for the most part, but given those little slips he's seen tonight, he wonders if this isn't something more dangerous. Reckless.
So his answer is little more than a noncommittal little hum, as he continues listening to Rivera and Bogue politely talk their way out of the room. Little barbs coated in fancy words – the kind of talk Faraday hates engaging in, but likes listening to. Faraday is a straightforward man – he'd rather tell someone to their face if he doesn't like them – but the sort of circuitous ways these folks go about it is at least mildly entertaining.
Once they're well and truly gone from the room, Faraday pulls off his headset. Then, mildly, as he's standing from the desk and going to his pack to find a change of clothes, ]
[ emma's already set to seeing to their travel arrangements, checking in on safe houses close to the drop, preparing to report what they've uncovered, but she actually stops in her furious typing when faraday speaks. she turns, that fiery anger melting away just long enough for her to look skeptical instead. ]
Are you tellin' me you actually wanted a dance?
[ then her eyes narrow slightly. ]
Or were you just hopin' for an opportunity to rattle my chain a touch more?
[ because she hadn't missed how much faraday had been enjoying making her uncomfortable; their daily routine tended to involve all manner of his aggravating antics, and she hadn't been even remotely surprised that he'd been taking advantage of a perfect moment like this mission.
...except for the part where they'd been making out on the table. that...hadn't seemed to be all about flustering her. ]
[ Unsurprisingly, his pack is... kind of a mess. Just things tossed in that he felt he'd need, without any particular mind to organization or easy retrieval. So it takes a bit for him to fish out a worn tee and some sweats; as he's searching, he says lightly, ]
Maybe I just like dancin'.
[ but, that's a lie. He doesn't mind dancing, but he definitely wanted to see how far he could push, at the time. And a slow dance seemed to be a reasonably safe risk, at the time.
Safe in comparison, anyway, considering the giant goddamn gamble he took later that evening. He considers himself lucky that Emma isn't currently chucking his body into a dumpster. But best not to bring that up, any time soon.
Once he has his clothes in hand, he moves toward the bathroom to get changed. ]
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no subject
especially not right now, when they have more important things to deal with.
of course, that doesn't mean she misses the tone he's adopted, and as he fixes her with that look, she just stares right back, her eyebrow cocked just a touch in one of her more unimpressed expressions. ]
Not sure you did yourself any favors there.
[ her tone is bland, because of course she's going to say something, but she gathers up the rest of her clothes, carrying them towards the bathroom (she's not going to change in front of him after all).
...ignoring the fact that she'd already been pressed completely against him earlier and that he'd had his hand on her bare thigh, and—
no. not thinking about that again. ]
no subject
"—their linguini. It's quite delicious."
Oh, good. Small talk still. He and Agent Cullen are sure to save the day with this riveting information. He slouches back into his seat, resting the back of his head on his chair's back to regard the ceiling.
He purses his lips as he listens, then, he calls out, ]
You'd better get in here soon. [ He says it dryly, though, without enthusiasm, which belies the apparent urgency of his words. ] You're missin' some awfully important stuff. Like how Rivera's dabbling in Bikram Yoga.
no subject
she glances towards the door when she hears faraday, and just scoffs, rolling her eyes. ]
I assure you, I already got more than an earful about Mr. Rivera's yoga.
[ her tone is just as dry, but instead of thinking about the absurdly mundane things bogue and rivera must be discussing, she tugs on some dark pants, a comfortable long-sleeved shirt, and then proceeds to pull the bobbypins from her hair. there's far too many of them, but it's at least a relief to let down the pain in the ass updo, and when the soft red curls fall around her shoulders, she decides to leave them that way. she can put it up later when she has to.
turning from the mirror, she lets herself back out of the bathroom, going to take her seat beside faraday. ]
Charmin' men, aren't they?
[ she doesn't sound even remotely enthused about this part of the surveillance, but she pulls up her own headset, ready to listen with faraday.
bogue's voice instantly fills her ears, and she tenses all over, fingers clenched — until she remembers herself, remembers her focus, and then she just reaches for the mouse, clicking through a few screens as she listens to the useless babble. she can't let herself get swept away in her own emotions right now, because she has work to do here with faraday, and that's what matters. ]
no subject
He purses his lips at that strange series of thoughts and refocuses on Bogue and Rivera.
More of the pointless chatter. More of them dancing around whatever it is they're meant to be discussing, because it's tacky to jump straight to business, Faraday guesses. Never mind the fact that Bogue was the one to arrive at the party with guards as his plus ones. Plus three, more accurately. Rivera does most of the talking, which doesn't surprise Faraday in the least, but when Bogue pipes up—
He senses more than sees the way Emma tenses, there and gone in a flash. Small enough that, were he not so close to her – physically and professionally – he may not have even noticed. But he casts her another look, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed, and he finally takes the gamble. ]
You need to tell me what's goin' on.
no subject
happens, when you work so closely and so long with someone. ]
This is neither the time nor place, Faraday.
[ her words are clipped, her expression stony as she stares determinedly at the computer screen instead of him. ]
We're supposed to be listenin' to them, not chatting away.
[ even if now this is pertinent; it's relevant because this scumbag, bogue, is within reach, and emma can't let him slip through her fingers again. ]
no subject
Not now, then.
[ An agreement, but also another one of those half-promises. Not now, sure. Now wasn't the appropriate time. But afterward? Once Rivera and Bogue have inadvertently given themselves up and the information is secured? Faraday intends to yank on that thread again and unravel whatever that mystery is.
Emma was focused at all times, certainly, but this focus was dangerous. This focus was the type one uses when sighting down a sniper rifle with a clear shot on a target, trigger finger itching to squeeze. This focus promised violence and retribution, was an inferno raging below the surface.
It had something to do with these two men. Bogue specifically, if Faraday had to make a wager – and he's reasonably sure it's a safe one.
At last the chit-chat ends, and Bogue is the one to say, "We're both busy men. Shall we get to business?" Faraday perks up at that, resists the urge to throw up his hands and grumble, Finally, and instead shifts the headphones so they're securely over both ears. ]
no subject
bogue is right there. within reach.
(she could walk downstairs and shoot him dead right now. and god, if that isn't all kinds of tempting, but she can't let herself think like that. by the book, that's what this has to be.)
and then—
there it is. these men can hardly go too long without finally getting down to the real reason they've come together, because it surely is not to discuss horse breeding and yoga.
there's negotiation of prices, of what's reasonable, what they'll settle for, and while they're extremely careful about their language while going over the deal, what they do finally give away is what emma and faraday really need:
a time and a place.
emma doesn't even hesitate to pull up the specified location on her screen: a big shipyard, filled to bursting with warehouses. more than good enough to load weapons and take them immediately out of the country.
the rest of their talk involves some underhanded pleasantries, but then they're clearly wrapping up, and emma finally slides one headphone off an ear to look over at faraday. the fire in her eyes is near vicious enough to set a man aflame, but there's that determination she's so known for. she's ready to finish this. ]
Maybe that fancy party was worth an evenin' after all.
[ because they have what they need, and while the drop is days away, they know the where and the when, and that's so much more significant than going in blind. ]
no subject
Then as they're wrapping up, Emma directs that heated gaze to him, has that look that signals something boiling beneath the surface. Familiar, for the most part, but given those little slips he's seen tonight, he wonders if this isn't something more dangerous. Reckless.
So his answer is little more than a noncommittal little hum, as he continues listening to Rivera and Bogue politely talk their way out of the room. Little barbs coated in fancy words – the kind of talk Faraday hates engaging in, but likes listening to. Faraday is a straightforward man – he'd rather tell someone to their face if he doesn't like them – but the sort of circuitous ways these folks go about it is at least mildly entertaining.
Once they're well and truly gone from the room, Faraday pulls off his headset. Then, mildly, as he's standing from the desk and going to his pack to find a change of clothes, ]
Never did get that dance, though.
[
no subject
Are you tellin' me you actually wanted a dance?
[ then her eyes narrow slightly. ]
Or were you just hopin' for an opportunity to rattle my chain a touch more?
[ because she hadn't missed how much faraday had been enjoying making her uncomfortable; their daily routine tended to involve all manner of his aggravating antics, and she hadn't been even remotely surprised that he'd been taking advantage of a perfect moment like this mission.
...except for the part where they'd been making out on the table. that...hadn't seemed to be all about flustering her. ]
no subject
Maybe I just like dancin'.
[ but, that's a lie. He doesn't mind dancing, but he definitely wanted to see how far he could push, at the time. And a slow dance seemed to be a reasonably safe risk, at the time.
Safe in comparison, anyway, considering the giant goddamn gamble he took later that evening. He considers himself lucky that Emma isn't currently chucking his body into a dumpster. But best not to bring that up, any time soon.
Once he has his clothes in hand, he moves toward the bathroom to get changed. ]
We'll save it for next time, then.