The Old Year Passes (IC)

[Electra]

“Took me years to get rid of the goddamned accent,†she groused, helping herself to a hot wing. “Every time I drink a lil, it just comes gallopin right back in. Voice synther- synthesizer usually takes care of it, or just not talking. Your voice always sounds the same,†she told him. “Even though you’ve drunk way more’n me.†She carefully set her bottle next to his, cocking her head to compare the levels, then poured another tot into her cup. “Gotta catch up.†She knocked back a swallow, shuddering at this taste. "This is acshully kinda gross," she confided.

[Avenger Assembled]

“My accent is not like yours. Language is not in the Terminus as it is here. So I speak very precisely when I am drunk or otherwise intoxicated, so that I do not sound strange. I have not been drunk before.” He did not want to dwell on the Terminus, so instead he poured himself another drink too, this time watering it with Mountain Dew. “You should not try and compete with me in drinking,” he offered without any real force behind it. “My stamina is far greater than a human being’s. But there is no one else I would rather be drinking with,” he offered. “Not tonight. We earned this bottle, these bottles, and all that comes with them!” On the television, a Burl Ives Christmas special was coming on now that it was so late, and Murdock raised his glass. “Here’s to-oh!” He’d spilled Mountain Dew on the glass while pouring it, and the mug slipped from his fingers and spilled, pouring all over his shirt and immediately soaking through. It was cold, and he stared at his wet torso in baffled surprise for a moment, sitting up to keep from spilling on the couch.

[Electra]

Gina sat up and cursed reflexively, looking to see if anything had gotten onto the couch. She wasn’t sure whatever the hell they were drinking wouldn’t eat straight through upholstery and maybe the floor as well. The mess seemed contained to Murdock’s shirt, at least for the moment. “Well, you really screwed that up,†she told him, then laughed raucously at her own witticism. “Lemme get you, like, some paper towels or something.†She stood up, which made the world revolve in a couple of lazy spins, and staggered off towards the kitchen.

[Avenger Assembled]

When she came back, Murdock had taken the hint and removed his shirt, leaving it on the table after several failed attempts to fold it neatly. “Thank you,” he said when she came back with the towels, dabbing distractedly at the big stain on his shirt. Gina’d seen his scans, she’d seen his scars already, and knew what lay underneath, but she hadn’t had a chance to see his solid, muscular build underneath except in a clinical setting, not right there in her living room. “I think...I think it is mostly caught,” he said, tongue stumbling over the words. Normally he’d hardly have taken the shirt off, but he couldn’t get the stuff on Gina’s couch. Besides, she’d seen him before. “I suppose I can wear it back once it has dried. Or go without.”

[Electra]

“I can have Emerson put it in the wash,†Gina told him, patting at the mess on the table with a handful of paper towels. “He loves laundry, ‘s his life.†Summoning the little robot with a whistle, she had it cart off the soiled shirt. “Find him something to wear, willya?†she called after it as it trundled away. Taking another handful of paper towels, she continue mopping up mess, wiping off the liquid still on Murdock’s chest, as nonchalantly as she would've wiped oil or coolant off the chassis of any of the humanoid robots she worked with every day. Until, of course, she realized what she was doing. Dropping the towels like they’d just caught fire, she stared at him and giggled nervously. “You’re a mess,†she told him, tucking her arms in against her sides tightly.

[Avenger Assembled]

“So I am,” replied Murdock, feeling an unaccustomed warmth that had nothing to do with the strong Farsider drink. Or perhaps it did; he wasn’t nearly sober enough to judge. “You know, Gina...” His voice trailed off, licking his lips awkwardly as he obviously puzzled out the next thing he would say. “I am sorry for the mess in your house.” He reached out and awkwardly patted her on the arm, his hand not going away afterwards, instead just resting above her elbow. “How...can I make it up to you?” he asked her warmly.

[Electra]

Gina stiffened for a moment, tensing at even the comradely touch, but at least she didn’t look afraid the way she had when he’d cornered her in the storage room. Instead she looked nervous, wary, like an animal trying to decide if it was being coaxed into a trap. “You don’t hafta do anything,†she told him. “It’s not a big deal, jussa spill. I can always get a new couch. I’m rich, y’know. Stupid rich.†She grinned crookedly at him. “You wanna new couch? I can get you one.â€

[Avenger Assembled]

“Why don’t we just...just sit down,” said Murdock, who couldn’t quite make his tongue spell out how he felt about Gina buying him new furniture. So instead they settled onto the couch together, his shirt still gone, as Christmas movies played on the television. It was late at night now, late enough that the abstract puppet shows about the war between the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser were at best a distraction from the woman he shared the couch with. He wasn’t sure of what to say, so instead he simply settled in next to her.

[Electra]

Emerson came back within a few minutes, having failed in the mission to find clothing of any sort that would fit Murdock’s muscular frame. Being a resourceful little robot, it instead brought a large chenille throw blanket, soft and pale blue as a cloud, that would at least keep him from getting cold, if he were the type to get cold. Gina let him drape it over himself, then promptly stole a corner of it for herself. “Le’s have some cocoa, Emerson,†she ordered the machine. “Gotta drink something not alcohol tonight, prolly.â€

She blinked at the screen as an advertisement came on for a new Nintendo game. “I bought that tonight,†she informed Murdock. “For my neffew. Gonna send it hannon... anona... without my name on it. Kick inna ass, huh?â€

[Avenger Assembled]

Between his own intoxication, and Gina’s, it wasn’t easy for Murdock to wrap his brain around the concept. “Children deserve enter...games. I am sure he will enjoy fighting dragons. Perhaps it will ed...be good for him. Combat training is always a sensible decision for young people” He blinked, catching himself rambling and not sure how to stop. “Why no name? Won’t your nephew desire to want to know that it was you who gave him the present?” He didn’t mind sharing the blanket with Gina; sharing body heat was an intimate gesture he appreciated. He certainly was warm to the touch, slightly warmer than a human being thanks to his internal power cells. His hand came down on hers, a gentle touch. “It is very important,” he informed her, looking deep into her eyes, “to be connected to the people you want to connect with.”

[Electra]

"‘Fraid they’d send it back if I put my name on it,†Gina admitted with a frown. “Family an’ I are on, mm, tenyurous terms, as they say in the South.†She drawled the words mockingly. “They know it’s from me, but this way they can pretend if they want. Usedta send gifts just so’s they’d know I’d made it, got out and got stinkin’ rich.†She rubbed the back of her neck, looking suddenly lost. “Kinda wish now that maybe they get it and think nice things about me. Haven’t seen any of ‘em or talked to most of ‘em in five years or more. Wouldn’t recognize the kids if I saw ‘em on the street. But maybe they kinda like their Aunt Gina, if they know I sent them cool presents.†Her fingers flexed under his, as though part of her wanted to turn her hand and clasp his, but she couldn’t bring herself to make even so simple a connection.

[Avenger Assembled]

“I like you,” said Murdock, giving her that same intent look. “You are a very likable person. You are a hero, you have a nice house, and nice robots, and you have fine drink.” He held up the bottle in his hand and took another drink, straight, then set it down to take the arrival of the hot chocolate from the ever-helpful Emerson. “And good hot chocolate!” he added. “I can drink chocolate whenever I want. It is wonderful.” He stared off into space for a moment. “I have no one to give presents to. Not the sort that they...they do on those shows,” he added with a wave towards the television. “Not to family, or friends like that.”

[Electra]

“Can’t live with ‘em or without ‘em,†Gina opined, ignoring her hot chocolate and letting Emerson put it on the table. “If you got them, all they do is screw you up, screw you over. Make it so's you can’t even live with yourself. But if you don’t got 'em, then you miss ‘em and wish you had what everyone else seems to jes get without trying. Being alone sucks balls,†she declared with a firm nod that made the room spin around. “I mean, it’s better than putting up with everyone giving you crap all the time, but you’re never really happy.â€

[Avenger Assembled]

“We’re not alone now,” replied Murdock, automatically comforting an unhappiness he didn’t really understand. He saw her wobble, and put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling over. “We’re here, we’re together, there’s drink and food, and company...” He fell silent, looking at Gina again, marshalling his thoughts into words. That was getting tougher, and it wasn’t because of the drinking. Murdock was not one to indulge his impulses, but tonight in a friend’s company, with both of them alone inside, it was tougher not to. It had been so long, and when he was truly honest with himself, he was so lonely. “We’re together tonight. We don’t have to be alone.” It was very warm under the blanket now, and it had nothing, and everything, to do with the body heat they were sharing.

[Electra]

Gina stared at him, able even in her mentally foggy condition to understand immediately what he was offering. Her first and strongest impulse was to recoil, to run away, seal herself in bedroom or basement where she was safe. Safe and alone, she reminded herself, and with no one but herself to blame for it. She’d gone that route for years now, and what had it gotten her but lonely and drunk on Christmas? He couldn’t be as bad as her one previous partner, and when would she ever have the nerve again? Certainly not while she was sober. When she was sober, she was sure she’d regret this, but for the moment she didn’t care. What was one more regret?

With regrets on her mind, she tilted her chin and looked him in the face. “You have to promise,†she told him, carefully enunciating every word, “never to tell. Not ever, not anybody. Promise.â€

[Avenger Assembled]

“I will never tell anyone,” promised Murdock. “Not anyone, not ever.” His heart was beating fast, and he was very drunk, but he tried to focus on the mechanics. “I weight six hundred and three pounds and I have a mutated genetic structure. I have a condom.” He had several, actually, pressed on him by Satyr during his former roommates unsuccessful attempts to get him to socialize. Safe sex classes had been part of what had gotten him able to live in the ‘real’ world, as irrelevant as they’d seemed at the time. “You’re beautiful,” he added, leaning in and kissing her on the lips for the first time. He was gentle with her, almost overly so despite his great strength, his lips brushing against hers as he held the contact.

[Electra]

“You’re lying,†she murmured against his lips, but the words made her feel warm inside. This was a big mistake, a huge mistake, but she kissed him back anyway, clumsy and unsure, with her fingers digging into his shoulders. This was going to improve her resume, she reminded herself. It was embarrassing to have gone without sex for eight years. A night of protected drunken insanity that they didn’t talk about later couldn’t hurt that much. Except the six hundred pounds part... “You better be careful,â€she cautioned, but didn’t bother to get more specific than that.

[Avenger Assembled]

He returned her kiss with passion, his arms very strong around her waist, his skin almost fever-hot to the touch as they began the urgent business of undressing each other, the television having shifted to the late night Yule log and gone completely out of both of their attentions. Finessing the details of sex would have been challenging enough when they both were sober, as it was it took some rearranging of furniture and some drunken planning to figure out what they were doing and how they would go about doing it. It might have been easier to find Gina’s bedroom, but neither of them could break from the urgent intimacy of the moment as they pulled away clothes and tossed them aside, exploring each other for the first time. It was ultimately easiest to try the heavily carpeted floor, with the blanket beneath.

Murdock was very gentle with his big, strong hands, and very careful with his body, having gone a lifetime without physical intimacy he didn’t want to ruin the moment, especially with Gina. It helped that he was strong enough to hold his weight up with one arm, and tall enough not to crush Gina in the process.

[Electra]

--------

She was right about one thing, Gina decided some time later, close to drowsing on the living room floor, chenille blanket tucked around her. It was definitely better than the last time, if only because an open floor was less conducive to charley horses than the backseat of a sedan. It hadn’t exactly been an earth-moving, angels singing experience, but who cared? Imagine what her mother would say if she saw Gina now. Gina opened her eyes at that and pulled the throw a little closer, reminding herself that her mom had no influence on what she did or who she did and didn’t see anymore. None at all. Catching Murdock looking at her, she turned her face and closed her eyes again, figuring that maybe he’d assume she was sleeping.

[Avenger Assembled]

She hadn’t turned away at the sight of him; he hadn’t hurt her as they were intimate. It was a good day, and a good night, even if you omitted the intimacy he hadn’t had in a lifetime. Despite all that, Murdock felt a moment of guilt tugging at his conscience, but as he lay close to Gina, his arms around her on the floor, he was able to push it away, along with partners past and lives lost. The guilt and responsibility of his life would be waiting for him in the morning, much less any consequences from tonight. Tonight, he had the memories of what they’d done and a woman’s body against his in the cold night. It was enough. He put his arm around Gina and closed his eyes, feeling sleep coming in. “Thank you,” he murmured softly to her in the night.

[Electra]

It would be much wiser to tell him to go home, Gina knew dimly, or have Emerson drive him home, anyway. Sleeping on the floor was stupid, and she should be drinking water before bed, and what was going to happen in the morning? But with the haze of alcohol still metabolizing in her bloodstream, it seemed so much easier just to give in. For one little moment in time, she could cuddle next to someone in the dark and pretend it meant more than it could. For someone who’d given up on even fictional romances years ago because they depressed her with what she couldn’t have, the idea was more seductive than anything that evening. “All lights out,†she said aloud, turning her body to his as the house settled into darkness. And for a few moments, before sleep pulled her down, it really did almost seem real.

[Avenger Assembled]

Murdock awoke in the very early morning hours, his enhanced physiology having burned through the alcohol in his system fast enough to give him nothing more than a mild headache as he sat up, taking a few moments to remember where he was and why he was naked. Memories of the night before came flooding back, and he turned to see Gina still sleeping next to him. On the other side were his clothes: Emerson, he realized after a moment, had come and gone in the night, having washed and dried his shirt and returned it. Thinking back on the night before, he had no regrets about what they’d done, but he still blushed in a way that made his scars discolor as he began discreetly dressing. He had no idea what the etiquette was here, but his own nakedness was more embarrassing for him than anything else. Perhaps if he could get to the kitchen and make breakfast, as he’d seen on television was the right idea after nights like this...

[Electra]

Gina barely stirred when he stood up, rolling onto her stomach and pillowing her head on one of the cushions tossed aside hours ago, then dragging the blanket up further. If Murdock had a mild headache this morning, the apparently human Gina would probably have a monster hangover when she did greet the day. A few strategic nightlights made it easy for Murdock to find his way to the kitchen, despite the fact that blackout curtains on all the windows prevented more than a few brave beams of sunlight from getting inside. The kitchen was exceedingly tidy, with appliances and cookware he recognized from television as being expensive and high quality. One entire cabinet was given over to kitchen gadgets, another was devoted entirely to alcohol. The refrigerator was full of fresh foods and soda, its doors decorated with a few novelty magnets and a large sign warning “SHARL-KEEP OUT!†Emerson rolled into the kitchen as Murdock explored, apparently ready to play sous chef.

[Avenger Assembled]

Of course, Murdock really had no idea how to prepare breakfast using this kind of equipment. He considered for a moment, then settled for breaking into the fresh food. Within a few minutes, he had two big bowls of fresh fruit set aside, as well as two big glasses of the Mountain Dew Gina seemed to prefer to drink. He thought for a moment about Gina’s potential hangover, then spent some time searching her refrigerator before a careful study of labels gave him some of the electrolyte-heavy sports drinks he’d heard so much about: what he’d recovered from would surely make her sick, and that wouldn’t work at all. He carried the peeled oranges and bananas into the living room and sat on the couch, looking down at the sleeping Gina a little awkwardly. With her asleep, and no doubt waking up with a hangover, crawling back onto the floor with her seemed like an invasion of privacy. It was easier to watch her, and not think about what lay outside the house. He was a very patient man.

[Electra]

Gina wasn’t a morning person at the best of times, and despite the discomfort of the floor, she remained unconscious for quite some time after Murdock woke up. It wasn’t until Emerson began his timed daily maintenance routine and stole the cushion out from under her head that she woke up. Instantly, she wished she hadn’t bothered and had gone straight to “dead†instead. Jesus Christ, what had she done last night to deserve the kettledrum chorus echoing through her head? And was she on the floor?

Gina opened her eyes to see Murdock sitting on the couch just a few feet away, staring at her with an air that suggested he might have been there for hours. She shrieked in startled alarm, then immediately wished she hadn’t done that either when the kettledrums redoubled in intensity and were joined by an enthusiastic monster truck rally in her stomach. She raised an arm, though even that felt like too much of an effort, and shielded her face. She was so not ready to deal with this.