[Karen doesn't have a lot of experience with aircraft. Pretty much just the very few number of times she's hopped on a commercial flight. Which is, as it turns out, very different to the way it feels to sit in a helicopter. Not in a bad way. It's more that she can logically understand that they're about to lift straight up instead of coast down a runway, but experiencing it for the first time? It's somehow wildly unexpected, the way the ground just starts to smoothly ebb away below them.
And she can't help but laugh a little, alternately looking out the windscreen and over at Joaquin, just so she can get a sense of - how much fun he's having (visibly a lot) and how much he's doing to keep the helicopter in the air. She's pretty sure that answer should also be 'visibly a lot,' but he makes it look effortless. Joyful, even.
It's not that she's afraid of heights, really. Well - the idea of him carrying her while he's in the wing suit does admittedly still give her pause. She's just still fairly unfamiliar with what it feels like, to be this high up. To see the way the world falls away, in a way that makes her think about how small and busy everything looks with a little bit of perspective. It might just be too that this is less nerve-wracking because she's not packed into a pressurized metal tube with hundreds of strangers with worse social skills than anything she ever sees on the mornings she has to ride the train.
It's quiet for a moment as she lets herself take in the way the city is sparkling below them. Those streaks of pink and purple in the sky reflect off of panes of glass, turning the upper floors of the skyscrapers into crystals reaching for the skies. It's easy to see, with his enthusiastic explanations so fresh in her mind, why he loves being up here. Turning at his question, she smiles and reaches over to squeeze his arm.] I'm good. This is amazing. And I meant to say earlier - you're good at this. Making the mechanical part accessible. Sharing how much fun you're having just being in the helicopter. You'd be a great flight instructor.
[ He smiles when he feels that squeeze of his arm, and glances over at her again for a moment as she speaks - pleased to see that she looks like she's really enjoying the moment. There's no tension on her face, no signs of fear creeping in. He'd been a little worried over that, if only because he wanted this to be something positive and memorable for her - rather than an 'oh my god take me back down now' kind of deal. It's another reason he's glad they're doing this first. Because if he does ever need to scoop her up and out of danger one day wearing his wingsuit, well, at least she knows she can trust him in the air based on today. That's the goal.
It's easy enough for him to manage a conversation while operating the helicopter, after so many years of flying, it becomes a little bit like driving a car - he barely has to think of where his hands will go next, what adjustments he'll need to make, and what to look out for; it's all second nature at this point. ]
I was set up to start that actually, back before I wound up in Germany helping Sam and Bucky out. Then you know, things turned out the way they did, and I can't really complain. [ Having been given Sam's old wingsuit to fix up as his own, as well as the mantle of Falcon was a dream come true. That being said, ] I've got a cousin that wants to become a pilot. Just flying commercial airlines, he's not a military kind of guy. [ He chuckles. ] So I told him I'd give him some lessons before he enrolls in training. Just small stuff, let him see what it's like to be in the cockpit while I'm flying us. He's really excited. [ And given Joaquin's tone, it's easy to see that he's also enthusiastic to have a family member share the same passion.
He guides them over a few spots that might be recognizable to her even from the air, and soon enough they're approaching the the border of the city and the ocean beyond it. The water below looks picturesque with the way the colors of sunset reflect off of it. ] Damn, that is gorgeous. [ He stares with unchecked awe for a few moments, just soaking it all in. Then he hands her his cell phone. ] The only favor I'll ask is that if you're my passenger you've gotta take some pics for me. [ He grins over at her. ] I want to remember this.
[Karen's not sure whether it's just - the timing, or the fact that they got to know each other really well that first morning he came to her place. But she feels like she already trusts him. It's an odd thing to realize, for a woman that spends a not insignificant portion of her time having to look over her shoulder. He might still surprise her, but if she's learned anything over her years in New York, it's to follow her gut. And her gut is telling her that he's absolutely someone worth placing her trust in.
It doesn't surprise her to find out he'd been planning to start as a flight trainer before life brought him on a different path. There's just - such a natural ease to the way that he talks about the helicopter. She would have been content just letting him take her on a tour of various aircraft.
Still, she smiles to herself, listening as he talks about his cousin.] Look at that. The best of both worlds. [It's nice, to think that he can still get a taste of things like this. Sharing his love of flying. And without having to compromise the other work that she knows is just as important to him.
Once they hit the bay, all she can do is look out through the windscreen with a smile. This had been her favorite part of flying in and out of New York. Seeing the way the ocean sparkles and catches the light, shifting with the ebb and flow of the waves. And she can't help but sneak a peek over at him too, just to appreciate the undisguised awe on his face. Which just means that she's already looking at him when he turns her way with the phone, but she just smiles and takes it from him.] I think I can do that.
[And she does - centering the camera in the windscreen so she can take a few shots, changing the angle each time to get a different view of the city before getting a final shot of the distant horizon. She turns it to take a shot of him in profile at the controls, and then finally takes a selfie, beaming at the camera with a thumbs up.] My only favor is that you send those to me once we land.
[ He'd be very touched to know that he's earned her trust in such a meaningful way; as it's something he doesn't ever take for granted. Ever since that morning they shared together, he's felt different overall. Happier, in general; which was saying something considering his default was already pretty damn content. Hell, even Sam noticed. There was definitely some good natured teasing as a result. ]
You got it. [ He grins at her request, having glanced over to see that she'd included a selfie of herself - which he's very glad of. His phone's storage is massive, purely because he likes to take tons of pictures at any available opportunity. And he's still absolutely going to put together a slide show reel for her, music included, of the places he's traveled - which had started off as a teasing thing until she'd shown genuine interest. And clearly he needs little encouragement. But, he also wants to take a lot of photos of today with her, having visual reminders of moments like this were really important to him.
Which reminds him - ] Oh and if you don't like having your picture taken, you should probably tell me now. I'm kind of uh... what's the word I've gotten... [ He takes a moment to scan his memory, landing on - ] insufferable, yeah, that fits. [ He chuckles as he guides them over the bay, flying above the shimmering water at a steady pace as the sun continues to bathe everything in it's warmth. The lower it dips the more vibrant the colors higher in the sky look - darker purples, pinks and blues streaked across the horizon. ]
I just like having visual reminders, things I can go back and revisit. Kind of like keeping a journal of the day, just with pictures. You ever do anything like that? Write in a journal? [ He glances over at her again for a moment, thinking he could picture her writing in one; and in general just wondering at those small habits of hers that he has yet to discover. ]
[Karen will absolutely be delighted when he puts together his slide show reel. Especially if it includes music. Part of her suspects that he'd just been joking about that, so to find it actually happening will be a pleasant surprise. As she hands him his phone back, she shoots him an amused look, smiling a little when he says he's been told his picture taking habit is insufferable. There's clearly a memory behind it, something lighthearted and teasing, and she makes a mental note to ask more about it.] I don't mind having my picture taken. And I promise I will let you know if it's starting to feel like I'm out with a paparazzo.
[He would have to be pretty over the top with the pictures for that to happen. She doesn't have much of a personal social media presence by design, but she's not mad about it when other people get their phones out to take pictures. There's no one from home that she wants to catch up with, and she's not keen on the idea of making it easy for people to find her, given the nature of her work. She has social media accounts, but by and large, she uses them to round out the profiles of the people she's hired to investigate. She could see him being into social media as a hobby, but it doesn't surprise her to learn that he likes to look back at pictures as keepsakes.]
No - I wish, though - journaling has always seemed like it was something more for working through things. And I always felt weird putting that down on paper. I like to buy books or records or - little pieces of artwork, things at second hand stores to commemorate things. Or I'll keep tickets and programs, things like that. Tuck them away somewhere. [She looks fondly nostalgic as she takes a moment to drink in the beauty of the bay spread out below them. It's a nice reminder, from this far up, how much magic there is in the city. It can be easy to miss it when you're right in the thick of it. Her head tips a bit so she can look over at him.] Have you ever tried taking pictures with an old school camera? The kind with different lens filters?
I'm not that bad! [ He remarks on the end of a laugh, because the thought of being potentially compared to a paparazzo was pretty funny. ] I mean, yeah, if you made that comparison around any of my friends or family members they'd laugh and side with you immediately, but... that's beside the point. [ The smile lingers on his face as he reaches over to give her thigh a squeeze; then his focus shifts back to the controls. He definitely wasn't that level of annoying about picture taking, but given the teasing/bickering back and forth that was commonplace between himself and those he's closest to, they definitely wouldn't hesitate to affectionately give him shit about it at any given moment. It was all light hearted, though.
He listens to her response with curiosity, guiding them gradually back toward the border of the city. When he glances over at her and sees that look of nostalgia his smile returns. ] I like that. [ The idea of getting a book or a record to commemorate something. ] I've always relied on pictures, but the thought of having something tangible that you can look at, or touch; to remind you of a moment... I may have borrow that tradition from you.
[ As they're approaching the edge of Central Park, the lights below almost mirror the way the water had looked - little dots here and there that shift and shimmer. Making the traffic below look far more peaceful than the reality it would be if stuck in a cab at this hour. He shoots her a look when she asks about using an old school camera, something between faint surprise and wondering if she's somehow plucked a memory directly from his mind. Not literally of course, but he grins as he responds. ]
Yeah, that's what I started with actually. I use to develop the pictures and everything, my friend had a darkroom set up. Man it's been ages since I've done that, now that I think on it. I miss that element of it, you know? The phone's definitely handy, but it takes a lot out of the process too.
This is starting to get into 'doth protest too much' territory. [Karen interjects with a grin. She can tell it's all in the name of playful teasing, and she can't resist adding to it. Especially now that she knows the other people in his life will join in on gently ribbing him about it if the opportunity arises. It's easy to recognize when ribbing like this is borne of affection, and it's always something that she likes seeing when she gets to know people. It makes her think about the early days at Josie when she, Matt and Foggy had still been new to their dynamic as a trio.
When he says he might borrow that tradition from her, she glances over at him, clearly charmed by the sentiment. And it gives her an idea that make her eyes light up.] You're welcome to borrow it. I think there's - isn't there a shitty tourist souvenir place not far from the karaoke bar that's open late? We should run over there after karaoke and pick something out for each other. [Which means they're both going to end up with crappy little trinkets, but there is something about the notion that she likes. Like it's something she can see them continuing to do each time they see each other.
It's fascinating to see Central Park from above like this. That big rectangle of natural space, bordered all around by traffic. They look like lightning bugs from this high up. Albeit bugs with remarkably organized flight patterns. There's a smile lingering on her lips that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
When he answers her about the cameras, she looks back over at him, chuckling a little at the surprise on his face. She can picture him in a darkroom, working studiously to develop his shots.] So we have to go on an old school photography date, right? Take a couple of cameras out in the city and then end up in a darkroom? I think I know a professor that can get us access to a darkroom if you'll teach me how to use it.
See I knew I shouldn't have said anything. [ He lets out a sigh for emphasis, but he's smiling all the while. He thinks to himself that she'd fit in great with his closest friends, and his family members. They'd appreciate her sense of humor, and they'd probably all bond over teasing him - he doesn't mind, that kind of teasing only comes from the people he's closest to, and he gives as good as he gets. ]
There is! [ His face lights up at her mention of the tourist souvenir shop. ] I feel like a running theme here is me telling you you're full of good ideas, but it's true. [ He chuckles, thinking he's lost track of how many times he's said it by now, and the number is only likely to increase. ] That's perfect, I know just the thing I'm gonna get you. [ There's some slight mischief in his tone as he thinks of a couple items in his head, the more ridiculous the better. But he does genuinely like the idea on a sentimental level as well, and because he's never done it before it gives him plenty of ideas for surprising her in the future with equally unique (sometimes ridiculous) trinkets from their various outings. He likes the thought of bringing something like that to his office space where his many screens are set up when he's doing surveillance - a sometimes long, dull, grueling task; and the thought of glancing over at something to remind him of today is just... well, special.
The park below stands out - the only stretch of solid green for quite a distance; and he does a loop around it once just to fully appreciate the view before navigating them further into the city. ]
If you can get us a darkroom, I will absolutely teach you. [ He smiles broadly over at her, thinking this is yet another instance of her being full of good ideas. ] There's not much to it, once you get the hang of figuring out lighting and the right settings. The developing part is the most fun though, watching the images come to life with the help of a few chemicals. I get how it works logically, but it always seems a little bit like magic.
The fact that you did makes me suspect that you secretly like it. [Or not so secretly, really. She's pretty sure it would be more accurate to say that he's borderline delighted by the opportunity for playful back and forth. Which is definitely something she likes about him. He life has a tendency towards being serious, and it's nice to have the opportunity to balance it out with something lighter. Thinking about that makes her smile to herself, knowing that she has a surprise waiting for him at the karaoke bar. She really can't wait to see the look on his face.
When his own expression lights up at the mention of the souvenir shop, she finds her grin widening. It's sweet that he clearly already has something in mind.] If you buy me Yankees condoms, just know that I'm going to insist on you wearing them. And there will be baseball puns. [It's a playful warning, and she nearly starts laughing as she delivers it.
It does help that the park below provides an unparalleled view and distraction. It's a true emerald nestled right at the heart of the city and she watches avidly as it gives way back to the city blocks. She hums thoughtfully when he makes his point about the chemicals.] I think I've heard people say 'magic is just science we don't understand yet,' especially give all the...wizard and witch shit that's been happening lately. Wouldn't it hold true then that science is magic we do understand? [Turning her head back to look at him, she can't help but smile as she reaches over to run her hand over his arm.] Capturing an image with a flash of light and transferring it to paper using a chemical bath sounds pretty magical to me.
[And something about the use of the word magic makes her think of a question she keeps meaning to ask. Maybe it's just that this has been a magical start to their evening.] Wait, what kind of favors did you have to pull to get a helicopter to take out over the city?
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And she can't help but laugh a little, alternately looking out the windscreen and over at Joaquin, just so she can get a sense of - how much fun he's having (visibly a lot) and how much he's doing to keep the helicopter in the air. She's pretty sure that answer should also be 'visibly a lot,' but he makes it look effortless. Joyful, even.
It's not that she's afraid of heights, really. Well - the idea of him carrying her while he's in the wing suit does admittedly still give her pause. She's just still fairly unfamiliar with what it feels like, to be this high up. To see the way the world falls away, in a way that makes her think about how small and busy everything looks with a little bit of perspective. It might just be too that this is less nerve-wracking because she's not packed into a pressurized metal tube with hundreds of strangers with worse social skills than anything she ever sees on the mornings she has to ride the train.
It's quiet for a moment as she lets herself take in the way the city is sparkling below them. Those streaks of pink and purple in the sky reflect off of panes of glass, turning the upper floors of the skyscrapers into crystals reaching for the skies. It's easy to see, with his enthusiastic explanations so fresh in her mind, why he loves being up here. Turning at his question, she smiles and reaches over to squeeze his arm.] I'm good. This is amazing. And I meant to say earlier - you're good at this. Making the mechanical part accessible. Sharing how much fun you're having just being in the helicopter. You'd be a great flight instructor.
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It's easy enough for him to manage a conversation while operating the helicopter, after so many years of flying, it becomes a little bit like driving a car - he barely has to think of where his hands will go next, what adjustments he'll need to make, and what to look out for; it's all second nature at this point. ]
I was set up to start that actually, back before I wound up in Germany helping Sam and Bucky out. Then you know, things turned out the way they did, and I can't really complain. [ Having been given Sam's old wingsuit to fix up as his own, as well as the mantle of Falcon was a dream come true. That being said, ] I've got a cousin that wants to become a pilot. Just flying commercial airlines, he's not a military kind of guy. [ He chuckles. ] So I told him I'd give him some lessons before he enrolls in training. Just small stuff, let him see what it's like to be in the cockpit while I'm flying us. He's really excited. [ And given Joaquin's tone, it's easy to see that he's also enthusiastic to have a family member share the same passion.
He guides them over a few spots that might be recognizable to her even from the air, and soon enough they're approaching the the border of the city and the ocean beyond it. The water below looks picturesque with the way the colors of sunset reflect off of it. ] Damn, that is gorgeous. [ He stares with unchecked awe for a few moments, just soaking it all in. Then he hands her his cell phone. ] The only favor I'll ask is that if you're my passenger you've gotta take some pics for me. [ He grins over at her. ] I want to remember this.
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It doesn't surprise her to find out he'd been planning to start as a flight trainer before life brought him on a different path. There's just - such a natural ease to the way that he talks about the helicopter. She would have been content just letting him take her on a tour of various aircraft.
Still, she smiles to herself, listening as he talks about his cousin.] Look at that. The best of both worlds. [It's nice, to think that he can still get a taste of things like this. Sharing his love of flying. And without having to compromise the other work that she knows is just as important to him.
Once they hit the bay, all she can do is look out through the windscreen with a smile. This had been her favorite part of flying in and out of New York. Seeing the way the ocean sparkles and catches the light, shifting with the ebb and flow of the waves. And she can't help but sneak a peek over at him too, just to appreciate the undisguised awe on his face. Which just means that she's already looking at him when he turns her way with the phone, but she just smiles and takes it from him.] I think I can do that.
[And she does - centering the camera in the windscreen so she can take a few shots, changing the angle each time to get a different view of the city before getting a final shot of the distant horizon. She turns it to take a shot of him in profile at the controls, and then finally takes a selfie, beaming at the camera with a thumbs up.] My only favor is that you send those to me once we land.
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You got it. [ He grins at her request, having glanced over to see that she'd included a selfie of herself - which he's very glad of. His phone's storage is massive, purely because he likes to take tons of pictures at any available opportunity. And he's still absolutely going to put together a slide show reel for her, music included, of the places he's traveled - which had started off as a teasing thing until she'd shown genuine interest. And clearly he needs little encouragement. But, he also wants to take a lot of photos of today with her, having visual reminders of moments like this were really important to him.
Which reminds him - ] Oh and if you don't like having your picture taken, you should probably tell me now. I'm kind of uh... what's the word I've gotten... [ He takes a moment to scan his memory, landing on - ] insufferable, yeah, that fits. [ He chuckles as he guides them over the bay, flying above the shimmering water at a steady pace as the sun continues to bathe everything in it's warmth. The lower it dips the more vibrant the colors higher in the sky look - darker purples, pinks and blues streaked across the horizon. ]
I just like having visual reminders, things I can go back and revisit. Kind of like keeping a journal of the day, just with pictures. You ever do anything like that? Write in a journal? [ He glances over at her again for a moment, thinking he could picture her writing in one; and in general just wondering at those small habits of hers that he has yet to discover. ]
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[He would have to be pretty over the top with the pictures for that to happen. She doesn't have much of a personal social media presence by design, but she's not mad about it when other people get their phones out to take pictures. There's no one from home that she wants to catch up with, and she's not keen on the idea of making it easy for people to find her, given the nature of her work. She has social media accounts, but by and large, she uses them to round out the profiles of the people she's hired to investigate. She could see him being into social media as a hobby, but it doesn't surprise her to learn that he likes to look back at pictures as keepsakes.]
No - I wish, though - journaling has always seemed like it was something more for working through things. And I always felt weird putting that down on paper. I like to buy books or records or - little pieces of artwork, things at second hand stores to commemorate things. Or I'll keep tickets and programs, things like that. Tuck them away somewhere. [She looks fondly nostalgic as she takes a moment to drink in the beauty of the bay spread out below them. It's a nice reminder, from this far up, how much magic there is in the city. It can be easy to miss it when you're right in the thick of it. Her head tips a bit so she can look over at him.] Have you ever tried taking pictures with an old school camera? The kind with different lens filters?
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He listens to her response with curiosity, guiding them gradually back toward the border of the city. When he glances over at her and sees that look of nostalgia his smile returns. ] I like that. [ The idea of getting a book or a record to commemorate something. ] I've always relied on pictures, but the thought of having something tangible that you can look at, or touch; to remind you of a moment... I may have borrow that tradition from you.
[ As they're approaching the edge of Central Park, the lights below almost mirror the way the water had looked - little dots here and there that shift and shimmer. Making the traffic below look far more peaceful than the reality it would be if stuck in a cab at this hour. He shoots her a look when she asks about using an old school camera, something between faint surprise and wondering if she's somehow plucked a memory directly from his mind. Not literally of course, but he grins as he responds. ]
Yeah, that's what I started with actually. I use to develop the pictures and everything, my friend had a darkroom set up. Man it's been ages since I've done that, now that I think on it. I miss that element of it, you know? The phone's definitely handy, but it takes a lot out of the process too.
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When he says he might borrow that tradition from her, she glances over at him, clearly charmed by the sentiment. And it gives her an idea that make her eyes light up.] You're welcome to borrow it. I think there's - isn't there a shitty tourist souvenir place not far from the karaoke bar that's open late? We should run over there after karaoke and pick something out for each other. [Which means they're both going to end up with crappy little trinkets, but there is something about the notion that she likes. Like it's something she can see them continuing to do each time they see each other.
It's fascinating to see Central Park from above like this. That big rectangle of natural space, bordered all around by traffic. They look like lightning bugs from this high up. Albeit bugs with remarkably organized flight patterns. There's a smile lingering on her lips that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
When he answers her about the cameras, she looks back over at him, chuckling a little at the surprise on his face. She can picture him in a darkroom, working studiously to develop his shots.] So we have to go on an old school photography date, right? Take a couple of cameras out in the city and then end up in a darkroom? I think I know a professor that can get us access to a darkroom if you'll teach me how to use it.
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There is! [ His face lights up at her mention of the tourist souvenir shop. ] I feel like a running theme here is me telling you you're full of good ideas, but it's true. [ He chuckles, thinking he's lost track of how many times he's said it by now, and the number is only likely to increase. ] That's perfect, I know just the thing I'm gonna get you. [ There's some slight mischief in his tone as he thinks of a couple items in his head, the more ridiculous the better. But he does genuinely like the idea on a sentimental level as well, and because he's never done it before it gives him plenty of ideas for surprising her in the future with equally unique (sometimes ridiculous) trinkets from their various outings. He likes the thought of bringing something like that to his office space where his many screens are set up when he's doing surveillance - a sometimes long, dull, grueling task; and the thought of glancing over at something to remind him of today is just... well, special.
The park below stands out - the only stretch of solid green for quite a distance; and he does a loop around it once just to fully appreciate the view before navigating them further into the city. ]
If you can get us a darkroom, I will absolutely teach you. [ He smiles broadly over at her, thinking this is yet another instance of her being full of good ideas. ] There's not much to it, once you get the hang of figuring out lighting and the right settings. The developing part is the most fun though, watching the images come to life with the help of a few chemicals. I get how it works logically, but it always seems a little bit like magic.
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When his own expression lights up at the mention of the souvenir shop, she finds her grin widening. It's sweet that he clearly already has something in mind.] If you buy me Yankees condoms, just know that I'm going to insist on you wearing them. And there will be baseball puns. [It's a playful warning, and she nearly starts laughing as she delivers it.
It does help that the park below provides an unparalleled view and distraction. It's a true emerald nestled right at the heart of the city and she watches avidly as it gives way back to the city blocks. She hums thoughtfully when he makes his point about the chemicals.] I think I've heard people say 'magic is just science we don't understand yet,' especially give all the...wizard and witch shit that's been happening lately. Wouldn't it hold true then that science is magic we do understand? [Turning her head back to look at him, she can't help but smile as she reaches over to run her hand over his arm.] Capturing an image with a flash of light and transferring it to paper using a chemical bath sounds pretty magical to me.
[And something about the use of the word magic makes her think of a question she keeps meaning to ask. Maybe it's just that this has been a magical start to their evening.] Wait, what kind of favors did you have to pull to get a helicopter to take out over the city?