#saintscientist

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Wip Wednesday| Every Face A Different Shade | Introduction 2: Well, you might just be the prettiest fish in the sea| The rewrite: 1

Truth be told, it hadn't taken much persuading. Emma had missed Shae. They had been thick as thieves[make it a simon joke?] before the siren song of research had Shae to Ireland. The absence had hurt like a pulled tooth and Emma was a little embarrassed about the way she'd pined for her friend. Emma didn't have many friend in England. Well, Emma didn't have many friends in general, especially not after she started her focus on cold fusion. Any friends she had managed to make in the physics department had been quick to distance themselves, back when cold fusion was considered an improbability. She wasn't entirely sure how to handle her colleagues who decided they were now the best of friends. 3-4 years ago, Emma would have loved the interest in her research and the offers to guest lecture. Now the overtures felt… Fake? Somehow, or maybe insincere would be more accurate. False, perhaps. It didn't help that the lectures she did give ended up horribly side-tracked by questions about Russia and her new found fame. She wished they'd be nearly half as interested in the physics behind the spectacle as they were with the spectacle itself. At least she had support from other avenues now days, even if they were over thousand miles away. 1591 miles to be exact, she'd looked it up once. Botkin was eager to swap interesting journal articles, ideas, and updates from their respective labs. Emma was now deeply invested in the ongoing saga of the tea lady and her apparent feud with management. Supposedly its over the pigeon she feeds the after-tea crumbs too, but Botkin is certain there's more to the animosity than just wild animals and hygiene standards. Emma had enjoyed her visit to the facilities, even if she had been forced into an interdepartmental mixer thrown in her honor on the first day. It had been a little flattering, if unnerving, how eager Botkin was to introduce her around the room. It had been interesting to hear about all the different research underway in the labs. So many projects and so much passion; although the language barrier did get worse with as the vodka continued to flow.

[greenglassmountain]

🎧!!

Meant for this to be a short little warm-up and then got carried away 🤡 400+ words later, hope you enjoy this ficlet lmao

Lyrics: "just 'cause I look like an angel / don't mean I won't get down in the dirt" from Devil's Worst Nightmare by FJØRA

Emma’s always been protective of her research.

Simon knows this. It’s why he was hired. And yet, Emma – earnest, optimistic, and as far from deceptive as it’s possible to be – manages to surprise him on an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday evening.

Emma’s watching her fish flit about in the aquarium, her head pillowed on her arm and a book forgotten in one hand. Blue light from the tank filters onto her face, kissing the planes of her nose and cheeks before dissipating into the lamp’s warm glow.

A sight for sore eyes, Simon thinks fondly. He scrubs a hand over his face and continues flipping through his surveillance files. President Karpov had offered to pay for his notes on Tretiak’s gang from the cold fusion job, and Simon may be leaving the business, but he’s not about to turn down easy money.

“Go back one,” Emma says suddenly.

Simon obliges and tilts the screen towards her with a questioning look.

“I know him.” Emma frowns. “He was hanging around outside my lab for a while.”

Simon sits up, alarmed. “Recently?”

She shakes her head. “A few months ago, before I met you. The doctors said, um... well, they said he shouldn’t be back for a while.”

His eyebrows inch up of their own accord. “The doctors?”

Emma’s expression hovers somewhere between embarrassed and unrepentant, like she knows she’s meant to be sorry but can’t quite manage it. “He was after my formula. Aggressively. I said no.”

“...Also aggressively?”

A hint of pink appears on her cheeks. “I thought he’d dodge.”

“Tretiak said you were cagey and difficult.” A delighted smile creeps across his face. “Should I be glad my reception was much less ruthless?”

“You’ve never seen a PhD student face down peer review if you think I’m ruthless,” Emma says, but she’s starting to smile, too. “And at least you bought me a drink or two—”

“—or four,” Simon says cheekily—

“—before stealing my notes.”

“My ruthless Dr Russell.” Simon presses a kiss to one cheek, then the other, then all over her face until they’re both laughing. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Emma’s smile slips into something soft and shining. “I love you, too.”

He nudges his nose against hers. “Simon.”

“I love you, Simon.”

Warmth unfurls in his chest, as dizzying and breathtaking as the first time she said it. She always feels a little unreal in these moments. Or maybe a little too real. Freckles on her cheeks and clipped-short nails. Details he rarely bothered with, tricky and technical and superfluous for most of his jobs.

But loved. So loved.

And if he can’t quite say the words out loud yet...

Her fingers tangled in his says she knows anyway.

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Wip Wednesday| Every Face A Different Shade | Introduction 1: You have the most adorable chin~

Of all the libraries in Oxford, the Old Bodleian Library was Emma's favorite. The Radcliffe Science Library might have more useful literature, but there was something about being in one of the oldest libraries in Europe. How many of her predecessors sat where she sat? How many students have had their quite conversations in these dusty halls? The susurration of whispers blended with the gentle scratching of pens and rustle of gently turned pages created a song unique to the Bodleian. Emma could spend hours listening, cosseted by the dark ancient wall. She has in fact spent long hours in the library, sun shifting to cast longer and longer shadows, focusing on her research and the glowing screen of her laptop.

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Wip Wednesday| Every Face A Different Shade | Introduction 2: Well, you might just be the prettiest fish in the sea| part 1 2 3

Breathing deep of bracing sea air, Emma shoved away from the deck rail and set off in search of the [captain?skipper?]. Shae had recommended [him?the man?] as quite knowledgeable about the area and its marine life, not to mention being a grand teller of tales at the local pub. Emma pretty sure Shae just wanted her out of the house for a bit and was using fish as a distraction. Emma hoped that meant [there was finally movement with that green-grocer.] She was pretty sure she'd never seen Shae eat a vegetable before this visit and now Shae would spend at least an hour a day amongst the fruit and veggies. Daily shopping and cooking was another thing Emma had a hard time getting accustomed to in England. What was wrong with making a pot of soup and just eating that for the week?[too off topic?]

I've seen other people have a tag list on their WIP Wednesday, so please let me know if anyone wants to be tagged in future updates.

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Wip Wednesday| Every Face A Different Shade | Introduction 2: Well, you might just be the prettiest fish in the sea|

It was good to get away. To escape the city and the bustle and the people and, most importunately, the heat. Emma couldn't understand how summer in England could be hotter than her hometown in America. Maybe it had something to do with Oxford's commitment to keep its historical building, or maybe it had something to do with England's general distaste for air conditioners.

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Wip Wednesday| Every Face A Different Shade | Introduction 1: You have the most adorable chin~| Previous parts: 1 2 3 4

She squinted at the man's hands. She thought she saw a scar bisecting one of his knuckle. A very familiar scar. Emma looked up to study the 'strangers' face. The man wore an implacable expression. She squinted harder and tried to look past his different hair and nose. His mouth twitch. "You know," Emma started, effervescent hope starting to glow behind her sternum, "I don't believe I caught your name." He smiled at her; curled and bright, and every inch Simon's smile. "My name is Bruno Hautenfaust. I was named for a saint who was born a very wealthy man. He could have been anything! Even could have been a Bishop." He- Bruno gestured dramatically with her pen, "Instead, he went off to live in seclusion," His eyes twinkled suppressed mirth. "in the nude." Holding back laughter, Emma reached out to shake his free hand, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Bruno." She couldn't help but put a teasing spin on his name. He was here! Emma couldn't believe it. The fact burned bright with joy in her chest. She hadn't even knew he was on the continent. They shook hands. Emma felt the familiar pattern of callouses on his hand. She'd spent a lazy morning in bed with Simon, tracing the dips of scars and ridges of roughened skin that were scattered on his hands. That had been in April and the last time they had been able to see each other in person. His thumb brushed the underside of her wrist as his hand lingered in hers; both reluctant to let go and break their link.

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Wip Wednesday| Bruno vs Emma’s Fashion Taste

Emma very deliberately walked to the directory. Simon hid his wince behind Bruno's [disinterested?avid?] people-watching. He might have to suggest some… slightly more subtle queues for potential rendezvous points. He give it a ten count and wandered over in Bruno's easy gait. Bruno perused the list of shops with idle interest. There where a few good options for business or professional clothes, and a halfway decent perfume shop that Bruno himself wanted to visit. When ever he visited a new locale, Bruno liked visiting malls, rail stations, and other hubs of local activity. It let him indulge in his favorite hobby, people-watching. If it also helped Simon get the lay of the land and track his targets habits. Well, that's neither here nor there.

Previous parts: X X

[philcoulson-redtapeninja]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Saint (1997) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Emma Russell/Simon Templar Characters: Simon Templar (The Saint), Emma Russell (The Saint) Additional Tags: Fluff, Shopping Malls, Reunions, Long-Distance Relationship, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Simon is absolutely smitten, I'm Bad At Tagging Series: Part 2 of tales from the shopping mall Summary:

Simon, or Bruno, or maybe Simon-and-Bruno, waits for Emma at the shopping mall. He worries, a little, that he ~might~ be getting in over his head.

I figured we all could use some fluff right about now, so I kinda rushed on the edits. Please let me know if you see any errors.