by Diamonde
DISCLAIMER: None of the people in here are mine (except for the extras), they belong to Marvel, and I'm borrowing them with little knowledge of what Marvel is currently doing with them. The lines from movies belong to other people. The title originally belonged to Hawks, who knows where the copyright is now. The story is mine, don't MST or pop-up. As I recall I've never said no to an archive request, but I like to know where so I can see my name in lights.
RATING: Some naughty language (I'm Australian, I have no problem with using the f word) and, um, adult interaction. ;) Let's say PG-15.
DEDICATION: For my three goddesses; Lynxie, DuAnn Cowart and Alicia McKenzie. Darn you all, you made me like Cable! Now every time I read a story with him and Stryfe having a fight I get all confused about which one I should cheer for. But I love you to bits anyway. :) Special thanks to Dyce, Mitai, Falstaff, Persephone Kore and the Goddesses again for their help, and the people of #plotting for listening to me whine.
Oh yes, and watch out for the obligatory Stryfe cameo appearance. If he wasn't in there, people wouldn't believe I wrote it.
Domino was brooding. It wasn't that she didn't like being with X-Force, she wouldn't still be around if she didn't. But sometimes she got tired of being the Jean-Grey-den-mother type, and spent a few hours pining for the old days. Risking life and limb, doing all sorts of stupid things and knowing that nobody relied on you to come back. Sure the Pack would have missed her, and been a lot more boring for lack of her witty insight and good looks, but they didn't need her. Not even Nathan had really needed her in the way X-Force did. With them she was supposed to be the experienced, cynically responsible one. Cable's greatest needs were someone understanding to talk to and provide the occasional angry kick in the rear.
She blinked and sighed. GW, Cable, her... they'd all somehow found responsibility. And no matter how many times they vaguely promised meet up somewhere and drunkenly reminisce, it never happened. Busy this week. Alien invasion next week. How about January? Oh, I'm going to be kidnapped by madmen then, what about March? Hah. Only in a crisis, when there's no time to just sit down and say 'hey, I missed you'. Domino paused and frowned. What happened to my life? I'm sure I used to have one. Deciding that moping was counter-productive, she stood up swiftly and headed off the roof. She'd find someone like James to work out with, that would make her feel better.
"Domino?"
She blinked, wondering how the hell Sam had managed to sneak up on her. He grinned at her, but didn't offer any explanations. Just preoccupied. "What? No, wait, don't tell me. The rest of the team got kidnapped by Genoshans and we have to go on a suicide mission to save them."
"If they did, it was very inconsiderate of them to be watchin' TV when Ah looked in."
"Just mind-controlled then, huh?"
"Yup." He nodded with a perfectly straight face.
Domino smiled, feeling a little more relaxed. "As long as there's no orgies or property damage."
"Ya think I would have left if there was?" Sam winked at her. "But seriously... Ah have an important question to ask."
"Shoot. Figuratively."
"Wanna come to a costume party the day after tomorrow?"
Domino blinked. "What?" she asked intelligently.
"Well, it's when a whole heap of people dress up like idiots and act about the same. They're called 'fun'."
"I know what they are." She looked suspicious. "Why me?"
Sam gave her the whoa-she's-paranoid look. "Because you're mah friend and you never seem to have any fun? And we could both use a night off." He grinned. "Besides, nobody else around Ah'd want to take right now."
Domino opened her mouth, then closed it again and thought for a moment. Tabitha was obviously out... "I see your point."
Sam did the huge blue Bambi eyes he knew never fooled her a bit. "Please? Nobody else would be as good at it as you."
"Hah!" Domino poked him in the side. "Like you'd know."
Sam laughed. "Come on. Remember when Prosh was making the TO virus go nuts and you convinced us Cable was hiding because of a bad hair day? That was inspired."
"I didn't convince anybody."
"True, but it was funny. And you did make us shut up about it."
"That's just because you knew I'd kick your puny asses if you didn't." She sighed. "Okay, I'll go." She held up a hand. "But only if I get to wear whatever I want."
"Of course. As long as it's a costume. And not an X-Force costume because that would be a bit obvious."
"Trust me."
Sam winced.
***
Domino looked at the costume spread out on her bed and grinned. She understood the importance of looking good, and she certainly wanted to make Sam happy, but she wasn't about to break character and sacrifice basic comfort to do so. Of course, make-up first.
She looked thoughtfully at the small jar of what was essentially acrylic paint. Nice though it was, the spot over her eye just didn't match her costume. But at least I don't have to try to darken my skin up. Which was a relief. Trying to look 'normal' usually resulted in her feeling as if someone had taken a trowel of concrete to her face. This time she even hummed a little as she reached for the dark gray eyeshadow.
The hair was next. With a wince at the memory of 'There's Something About Mary' the hair gel was avoided, and she used mousse to slick it back instead. It looked... different. The ongoing argument of long vs. short tipped in favour of short again, and Domino winked at her reflection. If Sam wanted her to have fun, she'd go ahead and do it. Besides, given the time and secrecy he'd devoted to his costume, she wasn't about to look underdressed.
It took a while to get into the 'costume' without wrinkling it or putting smudgy marks on her beautifully shiny shoes, but eventually she was done. The mirror showed a tall image out of a 1930's black and white movie. Black patent leather shoes, black and gray pinstriped suit, black tie and a white dress shirt. Her pale face smiled triumphantly. Perhaps the firm fit of the shirt emphasized her femaleness, but if Bogart had been born a woman... She plopped the hat (black with a white band, of course,) on her head and struck a slouch. Bogart with a touch of Garbo, but definitely Bogart. She left the jacket unbuttoned and went to find Sam.
***
"Guthrie? Finished primping yet?" Domino's voice drifted through Sam's door, sounding very pleased with itself.
"Ah do not primp," Sam said firmly. "Ah'm just... looking for something." This was true. He was, in fact, looking for Samuel Guthrie. There seemed to be someone else standing in the mirror looking puzzled. A very striking person.
It wasn't that Sam didn't know what he looked like, he was sufficiently accustomed to himself to run around in spandex all day. In fact, he was so used to himself that the change in his appearance had been something of a shock. I meant to surprise other people, not me! he thought with a faint smile. The Greek God in the mirror smiled back, and Sam Guthrie flashed to the surface. "Found it." He opened the door with a warm feeling of anticipation.
Sam blinked when he spotted Domino holding up the opposite wall, hands jammed into her pockets. "Ya look..." he stamped on the word 'cute' before it threatened to come out of his mouth, "mighty fine, ma'am." Marlene Dietrich, he decided.
Domino raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking the same thing." She looked him over from golden helmet to winged sandals, the other eyebrow joining the first at the expanse of bare chest. "Does your mother know you're going out dressed like that?"
"Ah'm sure someone will tell her." He rolled his eyes. "What else are second cousins for?"
"If you don't like him, why did you agree to go to the party?"
Sam frowned in confusion. "It's a party."
"Silly me," Domino sighed, taking his arm. "Are we going to go, or stand around here all day?"
***
"See, isn't this fun already?"
Domino hid the smile and gave Sam an old-fashioned hairy eyeball. "Just because they have free wine and free food doesn't mean I'm having fun."
Sam grinned. "The yogurt in the corner of your mouth says otherwise."
Domino licked the herb-tasting droplet off with a shrug. "There's Lebanese food over there. Try the little meatballs." She snagged a glass of wine from the table. "But some guy grabbed my butt a few minutes ago, which kinda detracted from the experience."
"Which guy?" Sam gripped his caduceus firmly and looked heroic.
Domino sighed but jerked her head towards a less-than-sober example of middle-aged masculinity. "I'm sure he thought it was a compliment."
Sam burst out laughing. "Ah'm afraid I can't hit him for ya. That's mah momma's cousin."
"Don't worry, kid, I'm quite capable of looking after myself." Her eyes glinted, and Sam decided not to ask. Funny, she thought, that hasn't happened in a while. I guess when you've got a six foot five muscle-bound guy standing next to you people are more inclined to keep their hands to themselves...
***
Cable sighed and went in search of coffee. San Francisco was the last place he wanted to be, especially at 8 PM in an area which was all wrong for coffee shops. Maybe if he walked up to someone's door and asked nicely (or telepathically induced acceptance, one or the other) they'd give him some.
He reached out just a little, trying for directions, and blinked in surprise as a very familiar thought-voice thumped through his mind. Probably because it was thinking about him. Bastard. I hope Apocalypse eats him for breakfast. Well, at least chews him a little. Domino? Domino was right over there and thinking nasty things about him? The idea hurt.
Maybe I- Before he'd finished the thought, his feet were turning him towards the source of that thought, and coffee was almost entirely forgotten.
The light and sound pouring from the open doors made him pause for a for a moment, but the strange appearances of the people visible was reassuring. He probably wouldn't have to bother trying to convince them all he was dressed normally, he'd fit right in as he was. If someone looked to closely at the psimitar he'd just be terribly immoral and push their thoughts in other directions.
Why are you doing this to yourself, Nathan? Better just to leave it alone for now, and then... Then what? You left too much unfinished, there are too many things you never said. And if you can't say it now you might as well forget it, because you never will.
Goal firmly in mind, he slipped inside. The mixture of costumes was almost surreal and certainly confusing, but Cable was looking for the familiar feel of Domino's thoughts and those shone like a little beacon. Turning a little to his left to track them, he immediately bumped into a staggering werewolf.
The werewolf, who appeared to be in his early twenties, blinked owlishly up at him and then grinned. "Hey, great costume." He frowned at the large X on Cable's chest, which was about on level with his eyes. "X-Man, huh... gimme a second, I'll get it... superheroes are like my thing. Hmm... ah." He patted Cable's shoulder. "Ya got it a bit wrong. 'S the Indian chick in X-Force that's got the spear, Cannonball or whatever his name is the one that flies." He frowned at the techno-organic shoulder he'd just patted. "Hmm, dunno about robotics. That looks really... real, though. Um, good job."
Cable stood frozen as the man tottered off. That... that... BAD RAHNE KNOCK-OFF. I'm not imitating Cannonball, he's supposed to be imitating me. He's my... The word he wanted was 'protege' or even 'student', but all that came to mind was 'little person'. My little person, whispered the parental part of his brain. Mine. Not Scott's, not Xavier's... mine. Domino's and mine.
The little person in question suddenly leaned into his field of view, apparently only wearing some artistically draped white cloth, a golden helmet and winged sandals. Even as Cable's eyebrows hit maximum elevation he spotted the woman Sam had resumed talking to. It was obviously Domino... but he'd never seen Domino dressed quite like that before. She looks so...
Sexy? Stryfe suggested. Delectable? Infinitely screwable? The other presence in Cable's head had been getting very restless in the last few weeks. Not because he was attempting to take over, more like a cat on hot bricks. Or a cat in a cage that was expecting to get lots of very large bricks thrown at it.
Cable KNEW that Stryfe really had little interest in Domino, and the comments were just another symptom of his general unease. That didn't stop him mentally turning around with a ferocious snarl that sent his unwelcome 'guest' scurrying back to the subconscious muttering 'flonqing possessive Askani brat, no sense of humour'. The burst of anger pushed him forwards, and he must have looked rather annoyed when Sam spotted him. Nathan saw him jump out of the corner of his eye, but was looking straight at Domino. Domino narrowed her eyes and looked pissed.
Sam coughed. "Oh. Cable. Nice to see you again. Um.... Domino, Ah'm just gonna... ooh, Sailor Senshi! Ah'll be over there." He winced as he exited the awkward moment with all diplomatic speed and headed towards the three girls in sailor suits. Mercury, Venus and Jupiter... nice variety. "Hi," he said with deliberate southern softness. "Mind if Ah just talk to y'all for a minute? The two people Ah just left have serious issues and if she doesn't think Ah'm busy then she's going to drag me back so she can escape."
Sailor Jupiter looked interested. "What's goin' on?" The repressed accent made her sound a little like Paige.
Sam smiled. They'd asked him a question with a long and interesting (to a woman) answer. "Well, they've know each other for around eighteen years Ah think. They're the worst on-again-off-again types Ah know. Then a little while back Nathan picked up and left to follow some old commitments..." He frowned as Domino turned and stormed out. "Dammit. Go on, go after her..."
The three Senshi watched covertly, already caught up in the intrigue. Sailor Mercury sighed with relief as Cable muttered something and followed Domino out. "You think they'll make it up?"
"They'd better." To be honest, he couldn't really imagine them apart. In his mind, Domino being alone meant that Cable had gone to the bathroom. And he wouldn't put it past her to follow him in, she'd done it before.
"Hey, I'm sure they will." Sailor Jupiter winked. "Don't you worry, hon. We'll keep your mind off it."
Venus blushed and laughed. "Don't listen to her. She's a got no shame." She mock-glared at Jupiter, who shrugged and drank the last of her wine. Venus held out a gloved hand. "Let's try this again. I'm Tanya, Miss Mannerless is Christine and this is Annie."
"Sam Guthrie." He shook the hand politely.
"See now we know each other." Tanya looked at him thoughtfully. "So, from one acquaintance to another... nice costume."
Sam grinned. "For mah friend's benefit, really. Just wanted to show her Ah'm a big boy now."
"Re-"
Christine was cut off by Annie. "DON'T say it, Chrissie."
"Wasn't gonna say anything," Christine smirked.
***
Domino marched towards the car, already berating herself. Coward. You shouldn't have let him ruin it for you, you should have stayed. But she knew it wasn't Nathan, all he'd done was ask to talk. It had been that she didn't want to face him, as long as he was somewhere else her anger wasn't threatened and she didn't have to face what was behind it. That when he'd left it had hurt, her fierce independence stopped at his door and she didn't want to be left behind... She didn't care about the danger, when had that ever bothered her? It was being left alone and not knowing that scared her.
She reached the car and jerked on the handle. I'll show you designated driver- DAMMIT! She slammed her hand against the roof, ignoring the stinging in her palm.
"Locked the keys in the car?" Nathan asked quietly.
"No." She didn't so much as look behind her. "Sam forgot to give them to me."
He was right behind her now. "I doubt it. He probably just didn't want you running out early."
"Figures." Domino turned around angrily. "Fine. What do you want, Nate?"
"I want a rational conversation! Is that too much to ask?"
"From us? Probably." She crossed her arms and leaned back against the car. "Go ahead then. Give me another earful of self-justification and Askani rationalization. But don't kid yourself that it means anything, because it doesn't."
"Then what would you like me to say?" He glared at her, obviously irritated.
"Maybe what's actually going on inside your head? Just for novelty value."
"Oath, Dom! It's not that easy."
"Why not?"
"Because if I can't figure out what I'm doing, how the flonq can I tell you what I mean?" He dragged a hand through his hair in exasperation.
"I'm not going anywhere, take your time." Domino checked her watch and looked challenging.
"Maybe if you actually listen, instead of getting angry."
She lifted her chin. "I can if you can."
Cable looked at her for a moment, then laughed ruefully. "Look at us. We can't even agree to talk without making it a declaration of war.
Domino sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I know. Look, Nate... How about we just pretend we're not both stubborn, distrustful assholes for a few minutes, and you can get over your 'me Tarzan' complex and tell the truth."
Nathan turned and leaned back against the car next to her with a sigh. "Just like that, huh?"
"Just like that."
"The truth? I feel like a cat in a thunderstorm, Dom. I don't know which way I'm going to jump from one minute to the next... but I can feel it coming. This is it. What they've been pushing me towards all my life is going to be over and I'll be... something. Maybe dead. Maybe me." He took a deep breath. "I'm not even sure I know how to do that. And the idea of being free, really free... it's scarier than Stryfe on a bad day. I don't even want to think about it right now. But it there, so close I can almost touch it, and once I get there I'll never have to leave. Does that make any sense at all?"
Domino nodded, and felt a few emotional knots begin to ease. She did understand. That didn't mean she liked it, but she understood. "Sure it does. Just don't do it again."
Cable laughed, a sound tinged with relief and surprised humour. "If Blaquesmith thinks I'm going to do anything he tells me again, I'll-"
"Wring his nasty little neck?" Domino suggested hopefully.
"I just might."
Domino looked at her shoes for a few seconds. "We all miss you, you know. The kids don't talk about it, especially when they think I might hear them, but they do."
"That... thanks. I wouldn't have left, but... Apocalypse is my demon to fight. I don't have any right to mix you or them up in it, and I won't put you in that much danger because I miss having you around."
"We know that, Nate. Just... come back soon, okay?"
A familiar little hand reached out and slipped itself into his. It felt good having it there again, and he stroked the back of it with his fingers, trying to hold onto the feeling. "If I can, I will." Not much of a promise, but it was all he had to offer. "I don't know if I'm going to be alive this time next week, but it'll take being dead to stop me."
Domino laughed, but it sounded more like a hiccup. "You think so?" she asked shakily. "I mean, your 'mother' has come back from the dead what, three times now? Your other mother did it twice, even Stryfe's managed it." She finally looked back up at him, and there were tears in her fierce violet eyes. "Nate, if you DON'T come back you'd better have a better fucking excuse than only being dead!"
"I guess I must be coming back then." He stood up and pulled Domino into a hug, breathing in the well-remembered scent as she sobbed into his shoulder. Strangely, he was more prepared for the possibility of him dying fighting Apocalypse than she was. He'd had years to get used to the idea, it was a risk he'd been facing all that time, through all the preparation... somewhere along the line he had stopped being afraid of it. #Shh... no matter what, I won't leave you. Ever. Even if I have to haunt you for the rest of my afterlife, you aren't getting rid of me.#
But I'd miss you too much...
#Stop worrying about things that might never happen.#
What is, is and all that bullshit.
#Maybe it is bullshit. But right now I have to believe it, otherwise I'll go mad. If I concentrate on what I'm doing in the now, I don't have time to worry about what might eat me for breakfast tomorrow.# He couldn't resist the gentle dig.
Domino froze, then looked up guiltily. "You heard that?"
"Nothing gets my attention like an insult." He brushed her face with his normal hand, wiping the tears away carefully so her makeup didn't smudge even more.
"I didn't mean it. Well, not completely. You do deserve a bit of chewing, but I'll let you off this time." She smiled wanly.
"If you're offering, a few nibbles in the right places certainly wouldn't go astray."
She snorted. "If I didn't love you, you'd be so dead." The smile was surer this time. "Testosterone-fueled bastard."
"Moody bitch," he murmured back. #I love you. You're the only thing that keeps me going.#
"Oh yeah? Well, you're too tall to nibble."
"Easy to solve." He picked her up easily and sat her on the edge of the car just above the tire. "See?"
"What a genius." There was an unspoken question hanging in the air between them. Domino answered it, gently tugging him closer for a soft but thorough kiss. When they broke for air she was grinning. "In a carpark of all places. I feel like such a teenager."
Cable laughed softly. "Sam would be terribly shocked."
"In that case, stop talking. He'll come looking for us eventually."
"Yes ma'am."
"Heh. The Askani do train 'em right." Domino leaned up into another kiss, more passionate this time, then wandered along his jawbone for a little earlobe-nibbling. As always, it worked like a charm. Cable gasped in a breath, and under her hand his heart started beating faster.
The buttons on her shirt undid themselves, and she shivered as the still-human hand brushed over her stomach. "You know Nate? I really doubt Bogart ever had sex on the bonnet of a car with an older man. Naughty me, breaking character."
He looked up from her neck. "Bogart? I thought you were going for Sinatra."
"Hmm, good idea. Sinatra did all kinds of things." She grinned.
Cable gave her a reproachful look, which then transmuted worryingly into total innocence. What she assumed was a telepathic poke into her mind, however, was so determinedly sensual she shuddered and had to grip Nathan's shoulders to stay up. "Doubt either of them ever did that though," he said with smug self-satisfaction.
"I agree," she gulped. And I really don't do it often enough... when did you learn that?
#I made it up just now.#
How clever. Why don't you kiss me and do it again?
Somewhere between the much-needed release and the tentative touches down the psi-link, they lost track of reality. It was only the moment that was important, the closeness of mutual pleasure and shared bodyheat. Because when you lived in the moment, it didn't matter that it wouldn't last... But it doesn't, and eventually the moment passes.
Still breathing heavily, Domino rested her head against Cable's shoulder. "It doesn't change anything, does it? You still have to run off on your little quest, and I still have to babysit X-Force."
Cable stroked her hair, an absent-minded old gesture she'd missed terribly. "You don't have to babysit."
"Aw, you know they'd be lost without me." She fought the urge to cry again. Mercenaries didn't cry. Well, at least not twice in one night. "You don't have to chase Apocalypse either."
"You're right. I don't." There was no debate of the fact that he still would.
Domino knew there would always be that part of his life she couldn't touch, and those debts whose payment had nothing do with her. Cable was the one who dropped atrocious deadpan jokes on her in public so she laughed herself sick and looked like an idiot, the one who guided her back to whatever bed she was temporarily inhabiting when she'd drunk too much, the one she woke up next to... She knew Cable inside out and back to front, he was hers by long friendship if nothing else. The Askani'son was an acquaintance at best. One she recognised and respected, but not a friend and certainly not a lover she had any claim on.
She knew equally well that if she asked him to, he'd stick around. At least for a little while. But she had no right to demand that, and if she did it'd be a little piece of her Cable that died. "Go do it then," she whispered. "Do what you need to do. I'll try not to get too much of X-Force killed or maimed while you're gone."
"This is the last time." He cupped her face in one large, callused hand. "I promise."
"Yeah yeah, that's what you always say." She smiled as she said it, wriggling as she tried to get her clothes back into their correct places. "Don't make any promises you'll end up having to break, Nate. Just next time... let me come too, okay? I don't want to turn into some dried-up old bag worrying about kids that aren't kids anymore."
"You? Never. And they're still kids. I refuse to admit that they might have grown up at all." He grinned briefly. "They have, but I'm not going to admit it."
"You did get an eyeful of what Sam wasn't wearing, didn't you?"
"Oath yes. He's..."
"Big," Domino suggested helpfully, refastening her belt.
"I was leading the Clan when I was younger than he is. It seems too young now."
"It was." She pinned him with that violet stare until he admitted it. It didn't take long. "We're all too young, that's why you're going to fight Apocalypse with that glorified pitchfork of yours. And while you do that, I'm not about to let X-Force become some commando army fighting an endless war. Don't worry about Sam. He's not naïve, just an optimist. And I want to keep him that way."
"He's still a kid."
"He'll still be a kid when he's forty by your measurements."
"Of course. Otherwise he'll make me feel old."
There was no more clothing to be found or refastened. The neutral, safe subject had run out of steam. "Go on, get out of here before I change my mind." She pushed at him with a miniscule fraction of her strength, if he'd been made of paper he might even have moved.
There was a flash of gold and he kissed her hard one more time before backing off a few steps. "Dom..."
"I know." There was a pause. "Well.... if you want me, all you have to do is whistle." She grinned. "You know how to whistle, don't you Nate?"
"You just put your lips together... and blow," he finished for her. They'd seen that movie together, sitting at the back of the old theatre with their feet on the seats and throwing food at anyone who told them to shut up. "Bogart, huh? Well, someone's going to have to say-"
Domino tipped her hat with a little
of the reckless impudence she'd had in the Wild Pack days. "Here's
looking at you, kid." She did her best resigned, unemotional
Bogart as he walked away.
end