#the way they own my brain cells and heart ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmg

[grahamcarmen]

Something i really like about RC is the small ways they break through their professional bravado's.

gray comes sauntering in like a true professional VILE agent and carmen immediately reminds him that they're friends and there's moments where obviously gray can't help but get caught up in that again; laughing at the memories together, being intrigued at the idea of hearing her story, feeling something when she says stealing isn't a game when you're stealing lives, just the words "come home" being how he asks her back, and not a hint of that bravado in his voice makes it to his face when he finally has to tie up a loose end

carmen tries to bring in gray with a professional reason in the opera caper but its just not happening so instead a personal and romantic reason to be with him is given to her and she's ready to take it. she's given a logical reason not to trust him again and she chooses a personal reason to actually be keeping her distance; while looking at him sad that he's forgotten, grinning knowingly when he asks her out, soft and yearning when she decides to stand him up

the kiwi caper has every means to an end start." we need an electrician. we know one." and while carmen tries to approach it as professional as possible, a "fortunately for me" slips out and gray offering again a more personal meaning to their meeting again [another chance at that cuppa] she smoothly accepts it as part of caper. and then the panic in her face as she chooses to save gray when bellum is near, can't hide how happy she is to have him on her side, and oh the soft soft way she says his name when she thinks he might have been hurt. she manages to end it on a professional (?lmao?) note but not before enjoying her date, and being so openly happy with gray after keeping up her mysterious orphanage spy lady disguise I CAN'T. IN PUBLIC CARMEN ?IN FRONT OF MY SALAD ??

the himalaya's has so many moments of her making it personal. VILE could poison him with lies she says. or tell him the truth answers shadowsan. she...probably always knew that she was going to lose him to VILE. but she still goes to save him. she tells him he's not that guy anymore but reminds him of the date instead of the way they took down VILE together. she's still losing him but the way she smiles knowing that its ...not personal.

gray starts out like he did. a VILE agent who regrets nothing, they're enemies again, his time as graham meaning nothing apparently. except he is ready to admit something he did regret.

and then its carmen's turn to be brainwashed and gray's ready to be a professional again. annnnnnnnnd immediately lets carmen nickname him again, telling old stories from school again (*cough cough* it was a carmen story *cough cough* it was the story where he ended up doing selfless for her), being upset not just that carmen ran off but that she didn't confide in them him to help, following her to help with her mission to kill zack, looking less than pleased throughout the whole thing, and eventually choosing to collude with ACME to return her to herself. no strings attached. he has a chance to abandon this mission when its obviously derailed by carmen being spontaneous, a chance to free sheena instead, and sticks to his choice. he holds onto carmen without fighting her back. he tells her this isn't the real you. lbr everything about it is so personal what even...