Boundaries

[notjustaface]

They were fugitives. Somehow just saving the fucking day wasn't enough - and sure, breaking out of prison was against the law but in Face's mind that didn't make it right to end up headed back into custody when they should be celebrating.

So they ran until the Colonel told them it was time to stop for a few days and get their bearings. Face was left with the distinction of scamming a place to stay - which led him to a small house by an oil refinery that had been on the market over a year with no takers.

A quick trip to the realtor's office to get the lockbox key led to a gorgeous new agent named Lynn or Linda or maybe Lori... But she was cute and unhappily married and fell right into Face's trap.

Dinner led to drinks and by the second martini he was feeling like his old self again. The Faceman... Smooth player that gets what he wants. The man that has no problem flirting, kissing her and when she starts leaning closer against him and touching his chest he's the man that leans in and murmurs against her ear; "We should go back to your place."

And two hours later, smelling of sex and cheap perfume mingled with cigarettes and gin, he lets himself out of her condo with the key and couple 'borrowed' fifties to pick up some burgers for the guys to make up for being late to their seven o'clock rendezvous.

"Dinner delivery," he grinned, knocking on the equally 'borrowed' van's sliding door.

"Took you long enough", Hannibal frowns as he takes his styrofoam box. "You're the only con who needs four hours to book a hotel room."

Face clicks his tongue, sliding in beside Murdock with a subconscious distance between them. "Hannibal, I'm hurt. Cons get you a two-star single occupancy..." He holds up the key with a self-satisfied smirk; "Artists get you a house."

Comments

[notthatcrazy]

And that's the thing that's difficult for him, really. Allowing himself to get mad without worrying about breaking this thing between them.

"Yeah," he says cautiously. "We are."

[notjustaface]

Hannibal lowers his eyes and nods slowly - he'd feared as much. Not that it would divide the team, but that would only end in the pilot being broken. It'd been close enough over Sosa...

"I'll tell you a secret about working with people like him." He licks his lips, withdrawing a cheap cigar, "Expect them to make mistakes, a lot of them, but be prepared to address every single one of them because that's what he understands - results."

[notthatcrazy]

"Right."

There's something utterly strange about getting relationship advice from a superior who knows at least a dozen ways to kill people.

[notjustaface]

"Just don't forget, we're on your side. You and I both know he slept with a woman, and if I were in your shoes... Not that I would be... He'd end up with a broken nose tonight."

[notthatcrazy]

That gets a raised eyebrow, but he lets it go without comment.

"Yeah, I know. He had that scent of booze and desperation on him."

Apparently it's not as hard to be mad at him as he'd thought it was. There is one thing, though...

"You know he thinks he's just doing his job."

Seduction is a tool for Face, and they both know it.

[notjustaface]

"There's more than one way to get things done, and lines need to be drawn."

Ending the conversation, he gets out of the van to finish the practical job for the night so they can have a hot shower and a place to sleep.

By the time Face makes good on being able to talk alone, he's headed from the master bathroom shower toward a fresh pair of boxers laid out on the bed.

"Your turn, babe." He flashes a smile at his lover on the bed before leaning over him to press a kiss on his lips.

[notthatcrazy]

He raises a hand, forestalling and further distraction from the important issues.

"We need to talk."

[notjustaface]

Talk. Right, with the capital T that meant it was important.

"Sure," he replies easily enough, combing out his hair after settling onto the edge of the bed. "What's on your mind?"

[notthatcrazy]

"Who'd you sleep with to get this place?"

No preamble, no nonsense, just getting it out there.

[notjustaface]

Most guys probably would have lied, clearly Face has never associated himself with most guys.

"The real estate agent," he replies matter-of-factly. No sense dancing around the subject like he'd done something wrong. "Lynn... Lori... Lana - something like that."

[notthatcrazy]

"Was that really necessary?"

His tone of voice indicates that he's pretty sure it wasn't.

[notjustaface]

His brow furrowed, he finished a rake of the comb through wet hair.

"It's a classic move, I do it all the time."

[notthatcrazy]

"Yeah... it's kinda your default."

He crosses his arms.

"That's the problem."

[notjustaface]

"You say that like it's a bad thing... it gets the job done - what's the problem?"

He's not stupid, he knows technically it was probably over the line, but in the interest of clenching their goal he'd taken the easy route.

[notthatcrazy]

"Do you even think about these things before they happen or does your brain just go on autopilot when the other parts take over?"

[notjustaface]

That'd sting if he didn't think Murdock was totally seeing it the wrong way.

"I was thinking about what it would take to get us a decent place to crash for a while." He responds, smiling when he looks back at his partner. "What, you think I do this for fun?"

[notthatcrazy]

"Might not be why you do it, but you can't tell me you don't enjoy it."

[notjustaface]

"Is that a little bit of jealousy I hear there?"

He chuckles, leaning closer. "Believe me, man... There was nothing to be jealous of. That was just a little sex."

[notthatcrazy]

He turns away, avoiding looking him in the eyes.

"C'mon, I've seen you pull off plenty of scams without sleeping with anyone. When you do it, it's because you want to."

[notjustaface]

"You've seen me run scams with a lot more resources, I was going in blind - man. I don't even have an ID."

He shrugs; "I did what I knew would work. It was a sure thing."

[notthatcrazy]

He lies back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"I don't know what to do with you sometimes."

[notjustaface]

"Who says you have to do anything. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

He shoots back a frustrated look that softens slightly, seeing him shutting down.

Huffing, he shakes his head and pushes up off the bed; "Whatever, man."

[notthatcrazy]

He reaches out to grab his wrist.

"Fine. I have to watch you go off and sleep with random women and you don't see anything wrong with it, but can you at least notice that it bothers me?"

[notjustaface]

Squaring his jaw, ready for more when he feels the strong grip on his wrist, Face turns back toward him.

"One, she wasn't random. She was a mark. Two, I get that it bothers you and I'm telling you it shouldn't."

[notthatcrazy]

"You wanna know why it bothers me?"

His voice is low and even, almost dangerously so.

"Every time I see you go after a mark it reminds me that sex is just this thing you use to get what you want. And it makes me wonder if this-" He raises the hand that's still clutching his wrist - "means as much to you as it does to me."

He pauses. "And I know that's not fair and I know it's irrational but it still fucking matters."