All-Purpose CMO

[in4apounding]

A Call-Me-Out post for all the sweet Penny action you need.

Comments

[tinygreen]

[Hi I'm here for some monster fun!!!]

no monsters here, only modern au shenanigans, you can't prove otherwise, shh

[in4apounding]

[Penny had been avoiding Pidge for the last week or so. Avoiding all her friends, really. Which was still mostly just Pidge. None of their usual between-classes chatter or afternoon and evening Snipjabber messages trading homework questions and advice. Not even one of Penny's frequent forwarded cat memes with a 'thought of you, lol' text. Radio silence.]

[It was probably fine.]

[But regardless, it had come to an end - Penny gave a small start as she noticed Pidge approaching, before giving a short, slightly jerky, too-energetic wave. The sunglasses she was wearing weren't that unusual for the approaching summer weather, but the knit wool cap looked a little warm.]

Pidge, salutations!

[At least the wide smile at seeing her friend was the same as always; or at least it was for the brief instant it crossed Penny's face before she clamped her mouth tightly shut.]

[tinygreen]

[Pidge didn't know what she did to make Penny avoid her. It hurt. Penny was one of Pidge's few friends, and the tiny brunette couldn't think of anything she did to make there be distance between them. It was depressing. None of her messages were returned which was worse. At least she wasn't blocked. Yet.

Pidge has her head in a book, but it snaps up when she hears her name.]

Penny?

[Was she hearing things? Penny had a hand over her mouth. Pidge isn't sure what to do... She wants to ask about the hat...] I'm on my way to class, so I don't really have time to talk.

[in4apounding]

[Ah, the warring urges to flee or speak to her friend. Good old anxiety. She slowly dropped her hand, mouth still firmly shut as she gave another jerking wave.]

Oh-! Oh- okay.

[And. Pidge hadn't actually been approaching her. This was fine.]

That's- okay. Have you been. Well?

[tinygreen]

[Penny, Pidge won't approach someone she thinks hates her. Even if curiosity was killing her.]

I've been okay. What about you?

[It seems only polite to ask how Penny was.

Why is conversation feeling so awkward right now? This should be easier!!]

[in4apounding]

[What, no, why would Pidge think Penny could hate her, all she did was break off all contact for like a week.]

I'm. Okay? [hic]

[She rocks a little on the balls of her feet, tugging at the straps of her backpack.]

I've. Just- been. ...Okay. [hic]

I'm glad you're okay too. Everything's okay. [hic]

[tinygreen]

[That's exactly why Pidge thinks Penny hates her.

..........]

Why do you keep hiccuping?

[studentbody]

[This is it. The bus ride home to all their different universes. In a way, Cleo is relieved. She can just go back to her normal life, and not worry about murders and executions anymore. Maybe she won't be the same heartless bitch as before, but she thinks that's probably a good thing?

In another way, she's feeling a lot of trepidation. Most of it is down to the person sitting beside her, the person whose pretty, pale hand is resting just inches away from Cleo's own manicured brown one. Out of the corner of her eye, Cleo can make out a blur of curly copper hair that she keeps finding herself wondering after the scent of. Does it smell like hers, like shampoo and strawberries? Or something different, something earthy and sweet?

At this point, she should probably accept that she's not exactly straight.

Cleo lets out a loud, long-suffering sigh, banging her head against the shitty, dirty glass window of the bus.]

[in4apounding]

[The past months have definitely been rough, putting it mildly. But despite her own failures to stop anything, stop anyone from dying, they'd found a way out. Not just for them, but for the dead, brought back by. Um. Groundhog magic, apparently.]

[Reunions done and apologies made, Penny's a bit more subdued than usual, as the interdimensional partybus carries them home.]

[And then Cleo audibly hits her head on the window.]

[Not the best move, if the goal was avoiding conversations.]

Oh no, are you okay? That sounded like it hurt!

[studentbody]

[Cleo startles a little, pulls her head back, and blinks at Penny. She gives the redhead a smile that's more cringe than anything. On the vinyl seat, her fingers twitch.]

Yeah, totally fine. Um, Penny?

[in4apounding]

If you're sure?

[That smile seems unconvincing, but she's not going to question it. Still, she frowns a little, concerned.]

Yes?

[studentbody]

[Cleo's never really seen someone be concerned about her before. Not genuinely. Her foster mom certainly never showed concern, and if anyone at school felt that way, it was mostly out of a false sense of obligation. But Penny...

Cleo studies her knees for a moment.]

Do you think, like...we could ever visit each other? After this?

[in4apounding]

[Oh. Penny blinks at the question, face dropping a little. She looks back out over the rest of the bus, watching everyone else in various states of rest or celebration as the ever-present music throbs away.]

...we have to be able to. Right? I mean- that big wad was able to figure this out, we should be able to to. If we ask Mister Bill, maybe.

[She looks back to Cleo, uncertain.]

There's- ...I don't want to not see you again. I want to see your world. Everyone's.

[Dot dot dot.]

...Mostly everyone's.

[Not Wabuu's. Probably not Mister Wonka's.]

[clickclickbloom]

[Look Penny. It's been a hard day of huntressing and Ruby's all tuckered out. The two of them were going to watch a movie with another but those plans might have been foiled when Ruby's head slumps against Penny's shoulder.

She's out like a light.]

[in4apounding]

[Oh come on Ruby, she made popcorn and everything for this.]

[-which Penny carefully sets down, looking over at Ruby as the movie menu plays on repeat in front of them. This is a disappointing turn of events, but Ruby's been working hard and Penny knows sleep is important for humans. And this is still technically spending time together? Or close enough. So she sits perfectly still, not wanting to disturb Ruby.]

[...her neck looks very uncomfortable in this position. That could be very sore when she wakes up.]

[Slowly, gently, Penny reaches over and adjusts Ruby's position as lightly as possible, putting an arm behind her for support so she's not sleeping at such an awkward angle.]

[Perfect.]

[clickclickbloom]

[Ruby would feel just awful about ruining their hang out or date night if she wasn't completely passed out. As it stands she just looks super peaceful as she slumps against her friends arm.

She hardly seems disturbed when Penny adjusts their position. Once Penny's arm is around her she doesn't seem to waste any time cuddling into the crook of her arm.]

Mmmmnn....

[Being this close Ruby can hear the light whiring and hum of the mechanical bits that make Penny work and it's awfully soothing. An arm lazily wraps around Penny as she looks to keep that gentle white noise close.]

[in4apounding]

[This is not ruining, it's just a sudden shift in plans.]

[There's no actual ticking, but there is just a faint spirit of clockwork to the sounds of the cooling systems and processors keeping her running, even as she stays as still as possible.]

[She shifts a little, adjusting to Ruby's position, the arm supporting her wrapping around to rest on Ruby's arm.]

[clickclickbloom]

[Ruby makes a pleased little mumble when Penny's arm wraps around her. Her cheek presses a little further into Penny's side. Her hair flops over to cover her eyes from the angle she's leaning at.

Then there's silence save for her own light breathing and a quiet mumble.] </I. This is... nice... mmmmm....

[in4apounding]

[Penny freezes as Ruby mumbles in her sleep, worried she's disturbed her- slowly relaxing as Ruby continues to snuggle in and breath deeply.]

[This really is nice.]

[She absentmindedly brushes Ruby's hair from her eyes, hesitating for just a second afterward, realizing that might be another disturbance.]

Superheroes in danger because that idea was cute

[clickclickbloom]

[Look. Ruby or the Scarlet rose probably should have recognized she was about to walk into a trap but her eagerness to bring criminals to justice got the better of her. She just felt a little bad that she got her partner in crime fighting dragged into this too.

The whole death trap was over the top but she had to give the bad guys credit for it. Stuck between Penny and a giant magnet while hanging over a car compactor in an old junkyard was an interesting way to go.]

I just want to go on the record and say that I don't this is all my fault and I think we've been in worse spots.

[Just going to smile all sweetly.]

[in4apounding]

Why would it be your fault?

[Penny, Winged Victory, whatever you called her at a given moment, twisted to look over her shoulder at her partner. The magnet was pulling painfully at her heavy metal armor and the cybernetics spread through her body that let her wear it, keeping them both pinned as they were slowly lowered towards the waiting compactor. It was taking all her strength and focus to pull away enough to keep from crushing Ruby before the death trap did it for her.]

Getting captured is a hazard of the job, it happens to everyone sometimes. And you're absolutely right, we've been in worse. This death-trap isn't even custom built, it's barely been customized. Sloppy work, you know?

[clickclickbloom]

Well I mean you wouldn't be in this mess if I didn't get used as bait to get you too.

[She knew Penny was doing her best to make sure she didn't get crushed. So Ruby was just going to have to find a way to get herself untied before they hit the end of this ride. She turned to meet Penny's gaze. A nervous smile poking over and touching the corners of her mask.]

I don't know. I kind of like when the traps have that homemade feel to it. It's like petty gangsters first baby steps into supervillainy. It's kind of cute.

[in4apounding]

Okay, but they wouldn't have used you as bait if they didn't want to get to me! It's part of what being partners is about.

[...That is technically correct, probably.]

Hm. Maybe? It doesn't seem like they put a lot of effort into it though.

[Is there at least a villainous logo painted on the sides? She can't see from this angle.]

Can you get your powers to work like this?

[clickclickbloom]

Okay. I hadn't really thought about it like that. Maybe we should just stick together from here on out?

...Not that we have a choice right now?

[Magnet problems, right?]

Maybe not, but they at least through how to get the job done. It would be pretty embarrassing if they couldn't get that right. Give 'em like another shot or two and they might make something actually cool.

[Ruby's looking for the logo. It must be on the other side of the machine. She hopes.]

Not right this second. I could get out but I'm not going to be able to pull you off the magnet with me.

They're going to have to drop us into the compactor. Once they do that I'll be able to get us both out of here.

[in4apounding]

Okay.

[Maybe if she could get to the controls and shut everything off- but no, that's almost definitely where any remaining guards will be. She's not sending Ruby into that alone, as much confidence in her abilities as she has.]

Once they drop us, you go high, I'll go low. Keep moving fast, keep them off-balance.