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 Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:07 pm
The text had come about an hour after Rylan had gotten off his shift. A quiet shift, so he and his crew had spent much of their time cleaning the fire engine and playing basketball out back - a sport he was decidedly not spectacular at. By now, Ry was used to the playful jabs about how someone his size should at least be able to tip the ball into the basket at a mostly regular frequency. To which he always answered that rowing did not exactly require hand-eye coordination. Anyway. Now he was off, and rather than go home for a nap, he'd driven to the coffee shop next to Jo's work, bought a couple of coffees, and made his way over to the bakery. "Your text sounded inexplicably urgent," he said as he pushed the door open.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:00 pm
She was a touch more 'prim' at work, dressed smartly in her double-breasted chef's coat and her hair braided to stay out of her face (and the subsequent sweets). Jo was known to be polite, warm, and damn near affable with her customers; part of the experience of the bakery was interacting with her, after all. It all went entirely out the window when Rylan came in. Green eyes brightened and her grin that she tried so hard to keep under wraps, bloomed without her permission. "Taking my break!" she called into the back, not even waiting for someone to take her place before she was skirting around the counter and trotting over to the Lieutenant with her hands outstretched, taking a hug since his hands were too full to protest otherwise. "Of the utmost urgency," she agreed, smiling up at him happily. "Top secret stuff. I found something of yours."
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:51 am
The bakery smell wafted over him when he opened the door, bringing to him the scent of cakes and cookies and pastries. It would have made anyone else's mouth water. Even for Rylan, though, the smell was thoroughly pleasant. "Top secret stuff, huh?" he said, returning the hug and setting the coffees down on the counter. "I don't remember losing anything top secret." He hardly even remembered owning anything that could remotely classify as top secret. Knowing Jo, whatever she'd found would probably be well worth a laugh. "Do enlighten me."
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Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2016 1:02 pm
"Mm, no, can't say it out loud, in case someone is listening." Clearly, Jo was teasing the Marine and it wasn't going to stop until her point was made. Picking up one of the coffees, she would wait for him to pick up the other, grabbing his freed hand. "Follow me, soldier~" A woman on a mission, she used brisk steps to lead Rylan out of the bakery through the employee entrance and to the back parking lot, only pausing when they got to her truck. Her grin, which she'd kept under wraps for most of the walk, was beginning to show as she put the coffee down and fished out her keys. Unlocking the door, she leaned in and pulled out the supposed item from her passenger side -- a Captain America shield. And it was a good looking one, aged with use and time and obviously sturdy by the way she had to heft it up to show him. "You're lucky I found it!" She tried to comment gravely, but her grin was so wide it came out chipper and gleeful. "Your shield, Cap~" Chances were, she made the damn thing herself, or at least modified it. Jo was just that type of special.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:32 am
Her secretive smile had his curiosity piqued. Jo usually didn't behave this way unless she knew she had something good on hand. Rylan was happy to play along, following her through the bakery and into the parking lot with a mildly puzzled expression on his face, until... "Whoa! Damn, where did you get this?" He took the shield with eyes wide with wonder, hefting it in his hands. It was certainly sturdy, felt like it could actually take a hit, but not too heavy. And perfect for putting up somewhere in his house. He turned it over, inspecting it front and back, grinning as he ran a hand down the paint on the front, the stars and the stripes that always managed to elicit that patriotism that was built into him from his days in the Marine Corps. "Come here, you!" he added, grabbing Jo and wrapping her up in an enthusiastic bear hug. "Next, you're going to tell me you found Stark's suit."
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:40 pm
"I might have a friend who specializes in weaponry and replicas," she commented in an off-handed, nonchalant manner, "and I might have had a hand in it, myself. A girl's gotta keep some secrets, Ry." Jo literally rocked on her tip toes as the Marine inspected the shield, cheeks dimpled under her smile, eyes bright. She didn't often get to spoil people with gifts but after the date, she had to and no one could fault her for it. And the grin returned as his eyes turned to her, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugging him back just as fiercely, even if the force of his embrace easily squeezed the breath out of her. "Oh I have, it's probably still on my floor," she teased, pressing another friendly kiss to his cheek. "You know I'd do damn near anything to make you smile, even if it is giving you what was always yours to begin with."
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 1:11 pm
"Well you've certainly done that, haven't you," he said, not even trying to hide the grin on his face as he cradled the shield in his arms. He'd never been too attached to items, but when they came with special meanings like this one, it was hard not to place sentimental value on them. There were many Captain America shields in the world, but this one was his for a very specific reason. "Man, I can't believe you did this. Looks like I don't have much of a choice in who to dress up for this Halloween, huh," he said, shaking his head. That was just fine by him. "Now I just have to find myself a costume." October was rolling around soon, after all.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 8:20 pm
She was beyond pleased with herself, grinning and smoothing her fingers over the curve of the shield with familiarity. "You should believe it. And you just wait until I find a proper car for Cap's time period, you're gonna have a big gift on your hands at some point." Jo laughed; whether she was joking or not wasn't entirely clear. "No choice at all," she agreed, patting Rylan's arm and picking up her coffee, sipping from it with a content look in her eyes. "I'm sure your boyfriend can help with that. But," she plucked up her phone from her pocket and glanced at it, "my break is about over. As much as I'd like to geek out with you, Cap, we mundane civilians have a nine-to-five to keep."
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 8:26 pm
Rylan laughed and tucked his arm into the shield, leaning over to plant a kiss on her forehead. "You talk a big game, Pepper," he said. "But I'll believe it." Leaning back, he nodded at Jo, still amazed by the gift. "That's right. You've got a whole town to fatten up. Better get back to it."
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