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[controlledvariable]

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[werewolfing]

That's another solution, sure.

[he shrugs, and then he laughs.]

Shit, don't we all? They're so shiny. Wouldn't jewelry from another man make your boyfriend jealous?

[controlledvariable]

Probably, but it'd just be incentive for him to buy me more. You should see the stuff we got from Tiffanys.

[look okay shes's only human

and sometimes it's nice to be spoiled]

[werewolfing]

Ooh, fancy. Not that I'd have any idea what I was looking at, but I bet it's shiny.

[not quite true, but the extent of peter's expertise in jewelry is being able to tell what's costume from what's real, at least as far as metals and pearls go.

because there's no point in stealing costume jewelry.]

You'd look good in gold.

[controlledvariable]

Shiny is one word for it. Expensive's another. I gotta admit it was kind of nice to just - pick what I liked without even thinking about the price tag.

[It's not something she's ever really done back home. Even after things got better, they were still primarly living on her mom's wages, and she never quite lost the mindset of penny pinching.

And Peter is one of the few people she's comfortable talking about that sorta thing with, because she knows he'll get it better than most people might.]

How'd you know that's what I picked?

[All three things she got where gold.]

[werewolfing]

Yeah, I bet. Lynda's talked like that sometimes, and she doesn't even wear fancy things.

[peter pulls one of the rings from his fingers. it's simple and silver, with a black cabochon stone (so much for werewolf mythology), and holds it up like he's pretending it's an earring. then he holds it near her hand so she can see.]

Because silver doesn't look quite right.

[controlledvariable]

Fancy things are weird, even when you can afford 'em.

[She doesn't even have her ears pierced, and she only breaks out any other jewellery for special occasions. She's only worn one of the pieces they bought in Chicago, the other two just got safely tucked away with the rest of her stuff.

The demonstration makes her smile.]

It doesn't, does it? [weird] Not sure why that is.

[werewolfing]

Damn straight.

[he slips the ring back onto his finger. there's a smooth space where it goes-peter only takes his jewelry off to bathe and transform.]

Shit, Destiny explained this to me. Something about skin tones. Fashion.

[he passes a hand over his head and makes a woosh sound. because that isn't hideously obvious from the fact that you wear only earth-tones purchased from goodwill, peter.]

[controlledvariable]

[Aww, Peter. She laughs, but it's sympathetic.]

My fashion knowledge is mostly limited to clothes. Jewellery is kinda beyond me, same with make up.

[werewolfing]

Jewelry's easy. Wear what you like, if somebody says it's too much, give 'em the finger.

[as far as peter's concerned, makeup is something that women wear because somebody made like they weren't pretty enough without it.]

[controlledvariable]

It always feels kinda weird to me, I can always tell it's there, you know?

[She's a little too hyper-aware.]

[werewolfing]

You get used to it. Feels weirder when I'm not wearing it, actually.

[controlledvariable]

Not sure I could deal with it for long enough to get used to it. I spend the whole time worrying how someone might take advantage of it.

[steph pls]

[werewolfing]

...you are maybe a little too paranoid sometimes.

[controlledvariable]

Kinda comes with the territory. There's a reason I always keep a knife and a lockpicking kit on me.

[the reason is paranoia.]

[werewolfing]

I carry a pocket knife, but it isn't for people.

[controlledvariable]

Ever been kidnapped and chained to a bed for two weeks?

[the most casual question, as she sips her tea]

[werewolfing]

Nope. Just tranq'ed with the intent to kill and held at gunpoint and nearly choked to death by cops. Light stuff.

[and then there was the vargulf, but whatever. wolf stuff is wolf stuff. he keeps his voice as casual as hers.]

Not a pissing contest, girl wonder. I get why you do it at home, but why here?

[controlledvariable]

I didn't mean it like that.

[It was meant to be an explanation, because that wasn't even superhero stuff, it was before she really started being the Spoiler. It's why she never really feels safe.]

'Cause here's even more dangerous. Back home I knew what was there, not everything, obviously, but I knew all the big bads and all the things lurking in Gotham. Here I have no idea what - or who - the Transporter could spit out. And I don't have a secret ID anymore, I don't get to switch off.

[Not that she ever really did anyway, but there's no hiding as Stephanie like she could've done back home.]

[werewolfing]

[peter gives her a long look.]

Who knows what the Transporter's gonna spit out, sure. Who says it's gonna come after you? You keep talking about how you knew what was out there in Gotham, but it sounds to me like what was out there in Gotham knew about you, too. Believe it or not, you don't have to paint a target on your ass. You don't have to take everything on all by yourself.

[controlledvariable]

[Something about that stings a little, but she's not entirely sure why, so she tries to ignore.]

I'm not painting a target on myself, but that isn't suddenly gonna make the world safe, and I'd rather not get caught off guard.

[werewolfing]

[he shakes his head and reaches out, pushes a piece of her hair behind her ear. peter knows when to give up. he's never going to understand steph's need for responsibility and control.]

Gonna give yourself grey hair and an ulcer.

[gonna give them to other people too.]

[controlledvariable]

I'm gonna quit one day.

[It's an admission, and it sounds like one, especially when Steph realizes what she's said and ducks her head like that might hide it.

She tries not to think about the future too much, vigilantes have short lifespans, and she's definitely never told anyone that she'll give it up.]

[werewolfing]

Yeah?

[it's a question, but not a skeptical one. he's surprised, because she's always talked about it kind of fatalistically before, as though this is what she is and she intends to be it until it catches up with her.]

[controlledvariable]

If it doesn't kill me first.

[Normally there might be a smile there, to make a joke of it, but now she just shrugs and tilts her head towards where he touched her hair, like she's belatedly leaning into it.]

But I don't think I can do this forever.

[She's not even sure if she actually could retire, or if she'd just feel too guilty, but she hopes she could.]

[werewolfing]

That's the thing, innit?

[he scratches under the right side of his chin.]

Nobody can do anything forever. Not that we get forever in the first place.