Jason "Tech" Landon (thisismyweapon) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2011-08-14 15:25:00

Entry tags:

Happy Birthday, Not really (Sammy)
Once they got back from the mission, Jason had been looking forward to a long nap, and maybe a cold brew or two for his birthday. No crazy drinking this year and no fuss made about his getting older; he just wanted to relax and maybe convince Sammy to have tea with him, rather than coffee.

His father's death changed all of that.

Gran called him the morning after he'd gotten home a few days ago to give him the news. Jason didn't know how he should feel; on the one hand, it was his father who had passed away. On the other hand, his father had dropped him off at Gran's house one night when he was three years old and he only heard from him on the rare Christmas or birthday. Jason was ashamed to admit that, short of his grandmother's photos of their family, he couldn't really call Carter Howard's face to mind.

And now, on his birthday, he was going to hear from his father ever again. He'd have to tell Jake.

He sat at the table in his quarters with the first bottle of beer in the first twelve-pack he'd purchased for his twenty-fifth birthday. He wasn't sure he could drink all of them, but he figured he'd give it the old college try, even if he'd never been to college.

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	sammyfury 2011-08-14 08:05 pm UTC (link)
	Sammy was up on birthdays this year. The problem of what to give Jason was doozy, but she thought she might've hit on something he didn't already have and was mighty pleased with herself for the idea. She knocked at Jason's door. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-14 08:27 pm UTC (link)
	Jason is about to take that drink when he hears the knock on his door. He rises and goes to open the door. "Oh, hey baby." Jason smiles, letting her in. "You feelin' okay?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-14 08:34 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm feeling fine. What are you doing in here and..." she peered around him, "drinking alone? You know people will talk." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-14 08:46 pm UTC (link)
	"You mean you haven't heard 'em already? I'm either the most awesome guy on the Helicarrier, if you like guns, or the creepiest guy SHIELD has ever hired, if you don't." Jason says. "It's my birthday. Wanna get drunk with me?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-14 08:53 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh please, SHIELD has lots of creepy guys, you just haven't read their files. You're hardly the creepiest." She leaned into the doorway and kissed his cheek. "Happy birthday. Now, open your gift." She handed him an envelope containing a handwritten invitation to spend a weekend with Dr. Pym in his lab. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-14 09:01 pm UTC (link)
	Jason opens the card and takes a good look at it. And he looks. And looks some more. It's a full minute before he looks up at Sammy, then back at the card, then up at Sammy, then back at the card. She may have just handed him the Holy Grail. "Sammy, honey, how did you...? Thank you!" Jason says, pulling her into a kiss. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

sammyfury
2011-08-14 09:07 pm UTC (link)

The guy asked a question and then kissed her so she couldn't answer! Not that she was complaining.

She was smiling when the kiss ended. "How? Have I neglected to mention that I was an active Avenger for three years and that I'm still a reserve member? Or that Dr. Pym's intellectual curiosity is so great that I only had to mention a few of the things you've brought to the team since you joined for him to be interested in hearing your ideas?"

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thisismyweapon
2011-08-14 09:24 pm UTC (link)

"You talked about me to Dr. Pym?" Jason asks happily. It was weird for him, sometimes, to think that Sammy spoke to other people about him. Their relationship wasn't planned and he would have understood if she didn't want to talk about him to more people.

They hadn't really defined what they were, but all the time they spent together meant something to him.

"You did mention the Avengers. I guess I just forgot that it meant that you really know Captain America, Dr. Pym and so many other august personages." he says.

"Thank you so much. I can't wait to meet him and talk with him. I'm gonna have to buy a new suit and put together a few of my best schematics and drawing for him to see." Jason says, going over what he'd need in his head.

"Wait, hold on. I can do that later. Right now, spendin' time with you is what I'd really like for my birthday. We've been goin' kinda non-stop since the mission." Jason says nervously.

He took a deep breath, because he knew what he was going to say next might not go over well, but he had to get it out.

"I know you were nervous about the mission, about all of us comin' back. After lookin' over a file or two by accident...I learned a little bit about a past agent or two.

It's been a little over a year since Qamar." Jason says quietly.

"I asked a couple of people about him and got some raised brows. A few more who didn't want to discuss the situation, and quite a few who said he was a good guy. I'd been going over weapons taht various agents on the team either used or recently started using, trying to figure out what I could upgrade or discontinue workin' on.

I thought about askin' you once I heard more, but...there wasn't time before the mission. I just wanted to tell you that you're the best field commander I know and you brought us all back safe and sound, Boss Lady.

So, if you were ever wonderin' inside that pretty head of yours about your job performance and the higher-ups ain't said it, I am.

You're the best, Gorgeous." he smiles.

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sammyfury
2011-08-14 09:54 pm UTC (link)

"It's been busy," she agreed. With a gentle push, she had him back inside and closed the door behind them. "The mission was a win for all of us. It's good to hear you have faith in me as your team leader. Sometimes I really need it."

She took a look at the case of beer and the open bottle. "I know it's been a year. Qamar was an extraordinary person and he's gone. It was my fault. I was too green and we were up against odds we weren't ready for on a simple transfer job. Every second since that day has been me doing anything I can to prevent it ever happening again." She picked up the open bottle and handed it to him. "Even to hiring the best damned tech I could get my hands on. Except I didn't really intend to /get my hands/ on you. It just happened that way. I'm glad it did."

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	thisismyweapon 2011-08-14 10:59 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm glad you did, in both ways." Jason smiles. Sam has been very good to him over the past year, and he's grateful for her presence in his life. "I joined SHIELD for one reason and ended up stayin' for others. The access to information wasn't the big one, but it's gonna come in handy." Jason says. "How long can you stay tonight?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-14 11:47 pm UTC (link)
	"I have no plans. I thought I'd see if I could lure you out for dinner and a movie, but if you have things you want to do, we can always rain check it." She took a beer from the case and opened it for herself. "I don't want you drinking alone." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-15 01:22 am UTC (link)
	"I could do dinner and a movie...if you don't mind goin' out for cheeseburgers. I haven't had one in weeks and I don't think I can do a fancy restaurant tonight. Just not in the mood for it." he says. "Then we can come back and drink together. How does that sound?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-15 01:37 am UTC (link)
	She eyed him over her bottle. "We don't have to go anywhere if you're not in the mood. How about I get some burgers delivered and you can tell me what's on your mind, or not if you don't want to do that." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-15 01:40 am UTC (link)
	"I do have some stuff on my mind that I'd like to talk with you about, if you don't mind. Somethin's happened and I guess I need some advice." Jason says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-15 01:53 am UTC (link)
	"C'mon." She reached for his hand to lead him over to the sofa. "Sit. Talk. I'll listen. You're in good hands, babe." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

thisismyweapon
2011-08-15 02:58 am UTC (link)

Jason does as requested, sitting on the couch and looking to Sammy with a pained expression on his face.

"I found out after we got back that my father died. Well, I shouldn't say died. He was murdered. That's what the evidence seems to point to. Gran called and told me." Jason says.

"I don't really know how to feel about it, since I haven't seen him in twenty-plus years. But part of me still wishes I could have done somethin' to help.

And Jake doesn't know. I gotta be the one to tell him." Jason sighs.

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	sammyfury 2011-08-15 03:05 am UTC (link)
	Sammy squeezed his hand. "Is that why the case of beer?" she asked. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-15 11:55 am UTC (link)
	"Yep. I don't know if I'd have drunk all of 'em, but...I would've had a few." Jason says. "I don't know how to handle this, Sammy. I worked in a business where people died all the time. I should be used to the idea that people die." Jason says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-15 02:14 pm UTC (link)
	"He's your dad, Jason. Of course you feel it. You're not a soulless monster and no one should take death casually in any circumstances." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-16 02:45 am UTC (link)
	"But...he wasn't there for me, not like your dad is there for you. My mother passed away, but my father /chose/ to leave me an' Jake behind. Some days, I wonder who we would've been if he'd been there." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-16 07:58 pm UTC (link)
	"You would still be Jason," she said firmly. "You're a good man. That wouldn't have changed." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	thisismyweapon 2011-08-17 12:51 am UTC (link)
	He smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the lips. "You really do believe the best about me, don't you, Sammy?" Jason asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sammyfury 2011-08-17 01:06 am UTC (link)
	"You haven't given me a reason not to believe." She smiled and touched his face. "I'm sorry about your father, but don't torture yourself for his choices. You make your own." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

thisismyweapon
2011-08-18 11:42 pm UTC (link)

He let himself relax under her touch for a bit.

"Thank you, Gorgeous. I needed the pick-me-up." he says.

"So...about those burgers? Those and a few beers before bed ought to do the trick. Don't worry about cake, though. Gran will be sendin' us one in the next day or so. I heard her bakin' when she called to wish me happy birthday, but she tried to pretend she wasn't." he grins.

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	sammyfury 2011-08-19 07:41 am UTC (link)
	"I know just the pub." Sammy finger combed his hair back from his face. "The team is in downtime now. Have you thought about visiting your grandma for a few days?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)