therearenostringsattached | WE HAVE NO IDENTITY HERE, NOT FOR US.

This is what Grant Ward remembers.

He remembers agent 33, Kara. SHIELD agent level nine. It's enough that he could put a gun to the head of an enterprising hacker and make him find out enough about her to hold over her head. To help her find strengths and weaknesses. She's not level nine anymore, she's expired and neither of them are good people. Budapest, Sudan, hell there were protege moments with people that John Garrett despised.

Here's what he doesn't remember. John Garrett's face.

The good, the bad, the ugly, the desperate. It fades. It all fades. He remembers the name, he knows there are confusing feelings associated with it, but he can't remember his face.

Face, faces there's agent 33 and that's her face that's important here. Popping three vicodin pills he resisted the urge to embrace satisfaction over how his body was performing. He had to compartmentalize it and not share it with the woman going under the knife today. Zemo's doctors were working on her.

They had been for several hours.

He leaned against the window, arms crossed over his chest just in time to watch her buck against the bed frame. The doctors worked rapidly, yelling at each other in German before he pressed a gloved hand against the glass just in time for a nurse to slide a curtain over it.

minutes passed before a nervous man appeared in the doorway, ringing his hands.

"She's stable sir, we're going to attack it again tomorrow. There was...a complication."

"What kind of a complication?"

"It's ... in short the agents used have fused to her skin. We can take the time to detach it but it will take several surgeries."

He'd expected something like that he supposed (had he?) This was payment for her skill and his, for his...burden and hers. For taking Zemo's men and training them to be something better. It was easier to think about that, to think tactics and military and..." Hell I could probably perform the surgery if I'd been watching closer.

"I'll see her."

It's easier to live in the now. That's what Grant Ward knows. Sitting beside his partner's bed, attention divided between the television and her bed, watching the monitors and her bandaged face.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

wolfintheherd

I locked the doors and blew up the building with everyone inside. No one double crosses me. [He stares at her] ...Us.

[Looking at her furrowed his brow.] How does your face feel?

From:

facemyenemy

Good. Wish I saw those fireworks.

[her hand came up to touch the gold side of her face]

Feels stiff. Doesn't move. It's really like a masque. But it doesn't hurt as bad now. Just a bit sore.

Do you... think it will stay like this? A scar and half a mask, as if I wasn't already ugly to begin with. [she snorted. They just needed to fix it, to make it all go to default.]

From:

wolfintheherd

[It takes a moment before he puts a hand on her shoulder and shifts himself to face her, tucking one leg under the other before he moves with surprisingly gentle hands to touch her face. Telegraphing his movements.]

...Does that hurt?

Tilt your head towards me.

From:

facemyenemy

[She blinked, looking at him as he came closer. Orders. He was giving simple orders, not only just and order, but something she felt like doing anyhow. Lean into someone for a change. She shouldn't; must be strong, but she wanted to.]

[Tilting her head to the touch her eyes were slightly narrowed, soft, tired maybe, and watchful.]

No, that doesn't hurt.

From:

wolfintheherd

[He has used these before. His fingers remember the motions but it's almost become embedded. He presses a button on the side of it, heedless of causing her pain.]

From:

facemyenemy

[she looks at him, unsure still, but sits there, still, letting him do as he wanted.]

[When the button was pushed she flinched, her reaction to pain, trying to hold back from it. The little bits of 'flesh' that were Agent May still started to pull a bit, shift, like it was stuck. Her eyes closed tightly now, and it looked like it smarts, but she bit her teeth together and felt the mask grow, cover over.]

[He'd forced it to move to a full default. Her breathing had picked up the pace, short and staggered, fast. Her face felt covered over now, instead of how it was before. She felt, as she opened her eyes, that she was looking through a mask.]

[She said nothing at first, trying to catch her breath and calm down. Don't panic. Nothing to panic over.]

From:

wolfintheherd

[He withdraws his hands and tries to find patience, or fear, or annoyance but she looks - well. It's terrifying.

And perfect.

Rising, he fetches a shaving mirror and passes it to her.]

....Your thoughts.

From:

facemyenemy

[When it was done she slowed her breath, eyes closed, and starting to calm her mind. This has got to be better then wearing that witches face.]

[When he draws back, she looks through at him, both eyes almsot glaring but not. Sharp.]

[The mirror handed to her was held a moment longer then needed. Before raising it to her face. An intake of breath as she stared at it. So golden. Sculpted, beautiful. It's not her face, but it's not the scared monster face she had before.]

[Her thoughts?]

It's horrible. [a beat] And perfect.

Madame Masque... [she whispered to the reflection, like she was greeting it]

From:

wolfintheherd

[They're both monsters. His scars just don't show. His darkness is buried and seeing her face he knows that.

He can't share it.

What he does do is raise a hand to her face.] Own this.

This is who you are now, not SHIELD. Not HYDRA. Own this, and the world will be ours.

From:

facemyenemy

[her head was tilted down from where she was looking in the mirror still, but as he touched her face (and didn't really feel it) she looked, with just her eyes, up at him. The mask made her look dark in general, but her thoughts made her feel dark, powerful.]

[She then raised her chin, tilting just a bit into the hand that touched her face. A soft smiling sound and hum could be heard, even her eyes seemed to smile faintly]

I can own this. I may look like a monster but... I don't mind anymore.

From:

wolfintheherd

That's my partner. That's the partner I know.

[He withdraws his hand slowly and puts it on her shoulder.] ...Identity is important, and now you have one. Not that woman's - [He turned away for a moment breathing heavily. Not that woman's indeed. That had been bothering him and to see her at least more complete and whole was...good?

Really he felt indifferent.]

We have a week here before we fly to Puerto Rico. [His gaze was blank, distant before he looked out the window.] Rest up.

There are still artifacts there. Apparently something happened.

From:

facemyenemy

[she looked in the mirror again. She felt prettier this way asa well. BUt yes, she had a name. Her own self now. It felt better. More empowering. Strange how that worked.]

[She leaned back into the couch seat and rested the mirror in her lap, watching him.]

I should be much better in a week. Give me a bit and I'll get over this... this... being weak thing. [she sounded disgusted, no longer the robot tin sounding voice, but something a bit more regulated. Something stronger feeling as she spoke, less broken (though once in a while it would fitz bit. She would still need to have it fixed properly, maybe she could use it then).]

From:

wolfintheherd

[that sounded wrong. It felt wrong, not being weak but he nodded.] Can you move your mouth? Talk well?

From:

facemyenemy

[She feels weak. She feels like she needs to train more, to get stronger. Be. Strong. And right now she feels less then strong]

It's not like having a face. It feels... above my face. Like a mask. It looks weird, doesn't it? To talk without moving my lips.

[it feels weird too. Stifling.]

From:

wolfintheherd

Get used to it. The path to strength comes from rest.

[His mouth fails on her name.] ...In Puerto Rico we'll pick up your training. Weapons this time.

...There are ways to heal you faster.

[The serums.]

From:

facemyenemy

I've rested a week. [No she was passed out a week. Over her face. How weak. Hurmph.]

[But she gave an obedient nod, frowning behind the mask. She liked weapons at least. And was good with them. A sharp shooter and dead eye with guns.]

Faster? You mean like the serum you tested? [The one where you forget things sometimes?]

From:

wolfintheherd

No. You're not going near that. [He's snappish, angry and there's still a blast of lightning across his vision.

What he does do is cross the room again to remove a plastic box and set it on the table. There are several vials.]

This is the same serum they used on the Winter Soldier.

From:

facemyenemy

[he was snappish, and she glared, about to snap that she didn't want to touch that stuff and not to assume she would.]

[But he walked off to a box, and she pushed herself to get up, stand steady a moment, and come over to look, curious.]

Do you think I need... something like this? That I am not strong enough on my own? [a curious tone, not accusing, but wanting to know. Did he think her weak? That to better herself she needed a serum? She would take it if he said she should. Maybe. ....Maybe maybe. But she liked to think she was skilled on her own.]

From:

wolfintheherd

[It was hard to think.

He faced that, he faced it head on and hard. Did he think that?]

.....I don't know.

[His voice is soft.] I don't. I'm...sorry. I don't know you're strong aren't you? Can you?

Edited Date: 2014-12-24 03:50 am (UTC)

From:

facemyenemy

[She frowned, rubbing her arm with her opposing hand, staring at the serums. She didn't trust gifts like these. They gave great power, but they took things as well.]

I... want to know if you think I could be stronger. Can you make me stronger? We've already trained. I'm a fast study. I'm good at what I do, aren't I? [more firmly now.] I'm weak right now. This... [she waved a hand at her face] This has me weak right now, but I can own it. Train me. If... I let you down, maybe I can... try this.

[her eyes studied them though, watchful. They were amazing, if they worked.] Where... did you get them anyhow?

From:

wolfintheherd

[He closed them.]

...I've been selling them. [Someone is dodging the question because he can't remember.] That's how I made the money for this place. Let other eggheads figure them out.

[He looked pained, reaching out to touch her hair before withdrawing.] ....You'll train. I'll push you hard and you'll...

We'll do it.

[And then if she didn't want that she could join him.

He smiled weakly.] Go back to bed.

From:

facemyenemy

[She nodded. Good. Selling them was good. That's what they were in the business for, right? taking things and selling them to highest bidder. Morally that was... wrong, but she didn't care anymore.]

Good, keep doing that. I'll train. I can prove to you that I'm worth your time.

[she wanted to impress him. Make him proud of her. She felt useless right now. She had to make that up to him later]

[The touch was a surprise, but as he drew away she nodded to the order. Frowning behind the mask.] Alright...

From:

wolfintheherd

[He smiled at her face]

I think you're beautiful Masque.

From:

facemyenemy

[She baked up, headed back to the bed she woke up on, but she was smiling under the mask. She spoke lightly, as if brushing that off.]

You say that now, but I know it's a lie. Thank you anyhow.