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[color=962929][b]#962929[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]hell's angel[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/iSBHkTI][color=808080][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]descendant tower[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]...........................[/color] [color=feffb5][b]#feffb5[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]redback[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/wAh5lG7][color=808080][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]descendant tower[/b][/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]

[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]Manhattan had quickly become a mess with the absence of some of its most predominant heroes. The average crime rate was hard enough for Myla to handle alone, but then the audacity of criminals only seemed to rise with each new disappearance. When things really started going sideways was when her and Redback kept crossing paths enough that they eventually just teamed up. Still, with just the two of them it was nearly impossible to keep up with the crime rates, but having a companion through it all made things a little more bearable. 

Myla had been so focused on trying to help pick up the slack, and keep New York safe, that her work suffered. Until, eventually, she lost her job... Which caused her to lose her apartment as well. Luckily, her Uncle Foggy had been spending all his free time helping her search for her father and he let her stay with him rather than be homeless. For several months Myla hadn’t been doing anything beyond fighting crime 24/7, so she was rarely home enough to call it that. His apartment became more of a glorified base camp to eat and shower before she had to leave again.

The only other heroes she had heard of that were still... [i]around[/i] were the mutants on Krakoa, and Redback, of course. Tony Stark was no stranger to the media, and whether or not Myla would call it smart, he had been using it to his advantage. It wasn't hidden knowledge that heroes were more myth than fact those days, but civilians were happy in their ignorance rather than accepting the truth. She had tried on a few occasions to contact him, but she also couldn't help but worry if it was a ploy to pull more heroes out of the wood work. That was until he went missing too. She even tried reaching out to the U.N. and I.H.A. to no avail.

It was the anniversary of her father's disappearance and crime in New York was at an all time high. Myla was exhausted. She couldn't remember the last time she got more than a handful of hours of sleep before she heard more sirens or police scanners in the distance begging for her attention. Sometimes her and Redback would take turns taking a brief nap but it was always just that… [i]brief.[/i] Without the Avengers, Defenders, or Fantastic Four, and half of the New York Sanctum empty, whatever heroes remained were pulled in several directions at once.

They had stopped five separate crimes in Midtown Manhattan already that night and the sun had barely set. Myla made a detour back to her Uncle Foggy's just for a quick bite to eat and to address some wounds. With no sirens or distant cries for help, she allowed herself a moment to collapse on the couch. Just a minute of rest. No sooner did her head hit the pillow than she heard a foreign beeping.

With a groan, she sat up and followed the sound to a box shoved in one of Foggy's closets. It was full of what they could muster up of her father's belongings before his apartment was seized after his disappearance. Myla had all but forgotten about it. Neither herself nor her Uncle had the heart to sift through its contents. But if she had hoped to get any sleep before she was needed again, she had to silence the damned beeping.

Hidden beneath a jacket, a few braille books, and trinkets she had given him as a child, Myla found a small device the noise was coming from. It felt like a pager, of sorts. But if there was a screen, there was no way she could read it and her Uncle wasn't home. She cursed under her breath, trying to understand the device best she could. There seemed to be only a single button, so she pressed it. Then a robotic sounding voice spoke out from the small box. 

[b]41.158558, -73.166693 September 23, 18 00 hours[/b]

Myla's eyes widened. Was this a message from her dad?! Could he be at those coordinates?! She quickly searched the apartment trying to find her phone or a recorder, repeating the information over and over in her head so she wouldn't forget it. As she felt around, her hand accidentally pressed the button again. [color=962929]"No. No. No,"[/color] she panicked, thinking she erased the information. But like before it repeated the data.

She let out a sigh of relief, clutching the pager close to her chest like it was the saving grace she had been praying for. [color=962929]"I’m coming dad,"[/color] she whispered.

[center]* * *[/center]
Theodore didn’t know how his dad did it, juggling work and being New York’s web-slinging vigilante. It was exhausting in a way that he was unfamiliar with, showing up to shifts in the lab only to turn around in an alleyway and go to the closest police sirens. He’d been cutting back at the lab more than usual too, dropping to part time and working the bare minimum of hours in order to scrape by so he could focus on what was really important…stopping crime, and making sure Hell’s Angel didn’t get herself killed. 

The chocolate brownie was in two ziplock bags, held as gently as possible as Theo swung between buildings, worry sitting in his chest like a balloon filled to the brim with cement. He was supposed to meet up with Angel at their usual spot, an ill lit alleyway that seemed to be a magnet for petty thieves, but she hadn’t shown. It wasn’t common for either of them to miss a scheduled meet up, not with heroes going missing left and right, and she’d seemed excited to try some of his homemade baking when they’d worked together yesterday. 

This was the downside of secret identities, they had limited ways of contacting one another. He had the impulsive thought that he should upgrade the batteries on the web-tracers and stick one on her permanently, but it was a fleeting idea. She would probably punch him for even thinking about it. 

It took Theo twenty minutes to make it home, mostly because he had to stop a bank robbery, a kidnapping, and help control traffic for a car accident on the way. He tossed the brownie on the table, it was already crumbled to bits from his less than fun activities, head full of what-if’s and guilt about having left her to go to work, and was heading to his room when he heard it. 

[i]Beep...Beep…Beep[/i] 

He paused outside his dad’s office, mask off and in hand. He hadn’t been home since the day before yesterday, having spent most the day at work and then most the night with Angel. He knew his mom was out of town at a convention, and neither of them went into the office anymore. Theo hesitated a moment longer outside the door, frowning at the dull mahogany, before pushing aside his concerns and shoving into the room. 

It was in utter disarray, just as Peter Parker had left it. The sight was nostalgic and it hurt, the faint smell of his dad’s cologne lingering in the office. Bookshelves had been built into the walls, filled to the brim while papers littered the desk and even the floor. One of his sweaters was slung haphazardly over the back of his chair, a bag of cheetos left open and half eaten. The beeping was coming from the desk, one of the bottom drawers, but when Theo tugged on it, it was locked. 

[i]Beep...Beep…Beep[/i] 

The sound was relatively quiet, and it wouldn’t bother him if his senses weren’t constantly dialed to one hundred. It was setting him on edge, the desire to grind his teeth together so strong that it took all of his will power to push it aside, it would only give him a migraine. [color=feffb5]"Fuck it."[/color] Theo muttered, giving the handle of the drawer a sharp jerk, but instead of the lock popping loose and the drawer actually opening like he’d hoped…the handle broke off. 

[color=feffb5]"Right, fuck me then, my bad."[/color] He chucked the handle over his shoulder, the rounded metal lodging into the wall behind him with a solid [i]thunk, [/i] he silently apologized to his dad, before he pressed the tips of his fingers into the wood of the drawer and dug them in. Wood splintered beneath his grasp, slivers digging into the suit but not penetrating, and after a second of working at it, Theo managed to brute force the thing open. [color=feffb5]"Ha! Desk drawer, zero, Thedore, one. I won, dumb piece of..."[/color]

[b]41.158558, -73.166693 September 23, 18 00 hours[/b]

Theodore stared down at the pager blankly for a long moment, face riddled with surprise at the sight of it. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, maybe some sort of tech with a dying battery, or a cleverly placed pipebomb, but not this. The drawer had been locked, there was only one person that could have left it there, and…

His eyes slid up, to the little yellow sticky note that was pressed against the pager, his dad’s familiar and messy scrawl was on it. Only one word was written, nothing that would have been incredibly helpful, but it made all the difference to Theo. 

[i]”Promise me, no matter how bad things get, that you’ll always hold on to hope. Being a hero isn’t easy Teddy, we have to be greater than what we suffer. I know it’s a lot of me expect of you, and I’m sorry for it, but my wish is for you to become hope. People need that.”[/i] 

His dad’s words rang in his head, and Theo clutched at the side of the desk until the indent of his hand was pressed into the wood. On the sticky note, the same color as his favorite raincoat, was the word [i]Hope.[/i]

[color=feffb5]"Dad…"[/color] he sucked in a sharp breath, and pushed up abruptly. There were things he needed to do first, pack a bag, call his mom, leave a note for Angel, but his mind was made up. [color=feffb5]"I’m coming."[/color]


[center]* * *​[/center]
Myla could smell the sea salt in the air as her taxi turned down a drive towards the coordinates. It felt different than the city. Everything was more open and quiet. She could hear the sounds of the waves against the shore and the wind whipping around a singular sky touching tower. To the best of her ability, she couldn't sense any other buildings in the general area. So, she could only assume that that was her destination.

She hoped that she would step out of the taxi and there her dad would be, like nothing had changed and it was all part of some elaborate ruse to fool some big bad that was threatening the world or something. But she knew it was wishful thinking. She still found herself saying a silent prayer before the car came to a halt and the driver announced that they had arrived. [color=d6d6d6]"That’ll be $92.65, miss,"[/color] he said, turning around in the front seat to look back at her. 

Her left hand reached out to the seat beside her, feeling around for her handbag. Once in her grasp, it was like muscle memory unfastening the zipper, slipping her hand inside, and pulling out her wallet. Her fingers ran across the few bills that remained, each one folded differently to identify the denomination. [i]One, two, three…[/i] Myla only had four twenty dollar bills left in her wallet. She had emptied her bank account a week ago and that was all that remained. Her breath caught in her chest as her hand started to tremble.

[color=962929]"I’m—I’m sorry. I seem to be a little short,"[/color] she confessed sheepishly. Myla didn’t even think to check how long the drive would take or ask her Uncle for more money. She was so used to always having enough money to get by that poverty was a foreign circumstance for her.

[color=d6d6d6]"You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me?!"[/color] the man exclaimed. [color=d6d6d6]"I drive yous over two hours out in da middle of nowhere and you don’t even have enough money?!"[/color]

Myla flinched as he spat his words, literally and figuratively, at her. She had been strong, putting on a brave face for so long that the small inconvenience seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. She could feel the knot tightening in her throat and the heat rising to her cheeks. If she were Hell’s Angel she would have broken this guy’s nose in two seconds flat, but she wasn’t. She was just Myla Murdock, a jobless lawyer, lost in the middle of Connecticut… Or so that was her plan if this all turned out to be a trap. 

Her right hand fell to her left wrist, toying with the cuff of her shirt when the cool metal of her bracelet brushed her fingertips. It was a lightweight 24 karat gold tennis bracelet her father bought her when she graduated law school. It was one of the few things of value, and from her dad, that she had left. 

The driver’s hungry gaze fell to the bracelet and a sinister grin crossed his face. His thick sausage of a finger hooked around the golden chain and tugged her hand closer to him. [color=d6d6d6]"Gimme the bracelet and we’re square."[/color]

Myla’s eyes widened. It wasn’t rare for people to try and take advantage of a seemingly naive and innocent blind woman. Her father’s Yggdrasil batons sat beside her on the seat begging for her to crack him over the head, but the last thing she wanted was to accidentally reveal her secret identity over a measly thirteen dollars. [color=962929]"No—Sir, please—"[/color]

Theo liked to think he was a calm and rational person, his temper was slow to rise and he liked it that way. There were moments that tested him, though. It almost always involved women or children, there was something about people taking advantage of the innocent that set him on edge. Maybe it was because he just didn’t understand it, kindness went a long way and sometimes it was just baffling to Theodore that other people didn’t know that. 

He was exhausted, there were no buildings to swing from and having to use the trees was tiring in a way he wasn’t used to. He hadn’t eaten in two days, unsure if this was some weirdly elaborate trap he’d been unwilling to risk anyone else’s life in traveling here, and his brain felt a little foggy. He blamed all the surrounding circumstances on his reaction to this scene, it wasn’t like he was eavesdropping. The cab driver’s window was rolled down and he was pretty loud, it was really the other guy’s fault.

[color=feffb5]"Here’s an idea,"[/color] Theo said, tone falsely cheerful as he leaned into the window, uncaring about personal space or the other man's questionable hygiene—seriously if he could swing from trees for days and take baths in a fucking river with a bar of soap, you’d think a cab driver could take a shower once a week—because the sight of the fat man’s fingers curled around the woman’s wrist made him feel cold with anger. [color=feffb5]"I pay what’s left, and you let her go before I break your nose. Just a thought, though the breaking of your nose bit is less than negotiable if you don’t let her go [i]now."[/i][/color] 

It didn’t matter that he wasn’t in his suit right now, and it never would. If Theodore saw an injustice, he wouldn’t let it go. He’d acted before really thinking about it, but it wouldn’t change the outcome, he wasn’t letting this loser steal some girl's bracelet over a few bucks. 

Myla’s anxiety left her distracted to the point she didn’t notice the other man’s arrival until he spoke up. The threat rolled off the man’s tongue as calmly as it would if he was asking for directions. His tone was upbeat, almost friendly, like he was waiting for the cabbie to give him a reason to smack his head against the steering wheel. Myla raised her right hand and slapped the fat sweaty finger, maybe a [i]little[/i] harder than the average damsel might, but it got the man to release his hold. 

Freed from his greedy grasp, she didn’t hesitate to gather up her handbag, batons, and long white cane and scoot toward the door. With her hands full, Myla slipped out the opposite side of the car and slammed the door shut with a swing of her hips. She hopped up onto the curb with the ease of someone who knew [i]exactly[/i] where it was, temporarily forgetting to pretend to be a little less aware and fumble. She clutched her items haphazardly against her chest as she turned to face the taxi, but more specifically her white knight.

It was strange being on the other end of the equation. Myla was always the savior, not the victim. It made her uncomfortable in a way she hoped to never experience again. Vulnerability was not a state she often let herself be in. She’d chastise herself for some time over her own blunder. She couldn’t recall the last time her own nerves caught her off guard like that. But the man that paid the rest of her fare made her feel calm, in an odd, familiar sort of way. She lingered on the edge of the walkway, the pointed toes of her stilettos hanging just barely over the edge of the curb as she waited, listening to their exchange.

[color=d6d6d6]"Hey, this don’t concern yous, she—"[/color] Thedore was officially distracted by the sight of the woman who had jumped out of the cab, eyes darting up as she moved, getting herself out of the other man's grasp and leaping to the curb in a move that was graceful and familiar. The familiarity of the movement was lost on him though, because she was [i]beautiful.[/i] There was a moment where alarm bells rang in Theo’s head, the sound akin to something like: [i]Pretty Woman! Pretty Woman Detected! Keep Foot Out Of Mouth!![/i] but he was able to push it away just long enough to fish a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and shove it into the cabbie’s mouth. 

The fat man sputtered, spitting out the bill to cuss Theo out, but he was already out of the window and crossing—behind the cab, he didn’t want to get run over today—so he was beside the woman, a hand tentatively rising to her elbow. [color=feffb5]"You’re a little close to the edge, here."[/color] He guided her back a few steps with an air of utmost gentleness, only moving her when her body responded to the soft nudge. 

Myla barely managed to free one of her hands without dropping everything she held to push up her sunglasses and tuck a wild curl behind her ear. She didn’t pull away from the light touch that guided her backwards a step or two. Her head turned slightly toward him [i]very[/i] aware of their closeness. She could feel the heat that radiated from him like a beacon amid the cool damp breeze rolling off the shore. He smelled like fresh rain and leather, with the faintest hints of lavender and lilac. He smelled like…

[color=feffb5]"Can I help you carry anything?"[/color] Theo let go of her elbow, adjusting his backpack and shoving up the sleeves of his sweater, feeling ridiculously flustered for no reason. There was something about the woman though that made his chest feel warm, he’d been so angry before that he hadn’t really focused on who she was, or what the sound of her voice had been. It was strange, standing beside her, she almost reminded him of… Angel. His chest felt tight because he’d been trying not to think about her that whole time. 

Theodore was most likely tap dancing into a trap right now, and all he’d done had been leave Hell’s Angel, the person who felt most important to him those days, a note on a receipt for pizza with an apology scribbled on it. He hadn’t been willing to risk her getting involved, hadn’t wanted to put her in any more danger than she already liked to throw herself into head first, but he missed her in a way that was uncomfortable. Though, Theo had to wonder if he was waltzing to his death with open arms… Why the hell was a blind woman doing the same? 

[color=feffb5]"Are you… supposed to be here, ma’am?"[/color] Worry colored his tone, and he beat down the desire to fidget. Was there any way to get her somewhere safer without giving away why he was there? [color=feffb5]"I could call another cab if he brought you to the wrong place, and pay in advance for you."[/color]

The man was speaking, asking her questions, and trying to help, but Myla stood frozen. [color=962929]"No… I-I couldn’t ask that of you. I’m embarrassed enough as it is,"[/color] she finally spoke up, letting out a soft, awkward laugh. There was a comfort in his presence but also a tingling, knotting sensation that twisted in her chest. Cloudy eyes shifted back and forth behind the dark tinted lenses as her mind raced, collecting the tiny little pieces, weaving them together into a large image. His immediate action, helping without expecting something in return, his smell… his [i]voice…[/i]

Myla took a slight step forward, tilting her head upward as if she was able to look right through him, into his soul. Her eyes squinted as she whispered, [color=962929]"... [i]Pineapple?[/i]"[/color]

Theodore’s brain felt as if it were short circuiting, the soft, warm breath of her whispered word brushed over his throat, rising goosebumps across his skin. He swallowed hard, blinking down at the woman, taking in how her hair curled around her shoulders, the familiar cupid’s bow of her upper lip, how her cheeks were ever so slightly flushed, how her lashes brushed over her cheeks when she blinked, and then the word she’d spoken registered. There was a five second pause, a strange, sort of strangled sound leaving his throat. 

[color=feffb5]"Angel?"[/color] There was so much relief in his voice, it was practically oozing from his pores, and he wasted no time in scooping her up and pressing her against his chest. Arms wrapped securely around her, as if he was scared she’d vanish from his hold, he spun them in a short circle as a brilliant and golden laugh ripped from his throat. She was there, she was [i]safe.[/i] The thought brought tears to Theo’s eyes, and he held her tighter, bowing his head until their foreheads were touching, breath mingling, a smile tugging his lips upwards. 

Everything fell from Myla’s grasp and clattered to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight hug. He lifted her up, her feet slipping off the ground as his always contagious laugh made soft chuckles escape her lips. She was no stranger to being close to him or in his arms. How else could he swing her around New York to get from one crime to another in the blink of an eye? But this was… [i]different.[/i] More vulnerable… More raw. There was no mask hiding her face. She could feel the warmth of his skin on the back of his neck when her hands brushed against it, embracing him. There was no leather or spandex between them… no walls.

A familiar body, lean but strong, melted from a single word. He was so close. His forehead touching hers sent a foreign tingle down her back that made her hot and cold at the same time. A new anxiety she wasn’t prepared for tightened in her chest and stole her breath. Firm muscles pulled her in tighter, pressing into fresh bruises from the night before. It ached, but it was a pain she’d happily accept. 

Myla wasn’t sure how she knew, perhaps it was the slight change of inflection in his laughs, or a small shift in his breathing, or maybe she heard the faint moisture beading against his eyelashes with every blink. But she leaned back, just enough to be able to cup his face in her hands. His jaw was square with a gentle curve and covered in the short stubble of a couple days’ old shave. Her thumbs tenderly reached up to wipe beneath his eyes before he dared to shed a tear for her. [color=962929]"Hey. None of that,"[/color] she chided him softly with a little laugh.

For a moment, nothing else mattered. His Angel was here, he wasn’t alone, she hadn’t vanished, everything was okay. But then, several things clicked at once. If she was here, and Theo was walking into a trap, it meant [i]she[/i] was also walking into a trap. Angel was beautiful, but without her suit there was something so delicate about her, it made his hands start to tremble. Her eyes, the eyes he’d always wondered about, daydreaming that maybe they’d been like a soft and warm chocolate color, were grey and blank as he stared into them, and Theo’s breath caught in his throat. 

[color=feffb5]"Angel?"[/color] His voice was agonized now, and it took everything in Theodore to not shove her back into the cab and throw the man a hundred dollar bill, if it meant she could get as far away from this tower as possible. [color=feffb5]"What are you doing here?"[/color]

She tensed and her hands fell, pinned between them, as she felt the shift in him. [color=962929]"Myla,"[/color] she corrected him quietly. At that point, what was the harm in him knowing her name? He could see her and they were likely two steps away from falling into a trap. The least she could do was let him know her name before they died. [color=962929]"What am [i]I[/i] doing here? What are [i]you[/i] doing here?"[/color] she asked, shoving him gently as she spun the question back around on him. 

Trying to hide the rising panic that clawed up her back, Myla crouched down. Her hands fumbled around on the ground trying to gather her things. [color=962929]"I didn’t tell you on [i]purpose.[/i] I wasn’t going to lead you into a trap… New York [i]needs[/i] Redback. They need [i]you.[/i]"[/color] One of the batons attempted to roll away several times before she managed to get her trembling fingers around it. Her heart raced in her chest making it hard for her to focus on anything but the constant thrum of the blood pulsing through the veins in her ears. 

[color=feffb5]"Myla,"[/color] he said her name like he was tasting it for the first time, something slow and sensual in the way his lips wrapped around it. There was something reverent in his voice, he’d never thought that he’d get the chance to know her name. [color=feffb5]"Theodore, but just… Theo."[/color]

[color=962929]"[i]Theo,[/i]"[/color] she repeated his name softly, like the whisper of a secret that only she knew. It was weird calling him by his name. It was weirder hearing her own name uttered in his voice. She had wondered what it’d sound like coming from his lips… if she was [i]just[/i] Myla. She liked the way it sounded… probably more than she’d admit to herself. But it was greedy for her to enjoy the tenderness of sharing something as simple as their names. He shouldn’t be there. He needed to leave while he still could. 

The joy of learning Angel’s name, of finding her here and getting a chance to know she was alive and well, of feeling how her heart had fluttered in her chest like the wings of a hummingbird when he’d swept her into his arms, it all faded away like watercolor on a canvas, drowned by the very element that gave it life. [color=feffb5]"I wasn’t going to lead [i]you[/i] into a trap either, and I’m not the only one who New York needs, I–"[/color]

His breath caught in his throat, the words [i]I need you,[/i] choking him for a moment. His mouth hung open for a second, and then it clicked shut, the sound of his teeth snapping together louder than he would have liked. Theo bent down, easily and carefully gathering up her discarded things, muttering an apology as their hands brushed and heat filled his face. [color=feffb5]"I’m happy you’re here, Myla. I just, "[/color] the man stood up after everything had been gathered up, one hand curled gently around her upper arm to help guide her back upright, fumbling a little to give her the white cane but stubbornly holding onto everything else. [color=feffb5]"You scared me."[/color] 

The admission was softer, timid and uncertain. Theo wasn’t used to speaking with Myla like this, no masks to shield themselves behind. It all felt so vulnerable, but he wasn’t upset about it. The relief was still there, lingering like smoke in the air, but so was the fear. How could he walk into a trap with her by his side? Was he even strong enough to protect her if things went sideways? The unknowns were the most frightening part, it felt like too much to admit to himself too soon, but if he lost Angel, Theo was certain he would lose something fundamental in himself, too. [color=feffb5]"Just, please don’t vanish on me again."[/color]

Myla’s hands froze as her finger tips found the leather of her handbag. Her head tilted slightly, taking in each of his words carefully and slowly. Then he stopped, not finishing the thought. What was he going to say? Why was she so desperate to know? Instead he lowered himself to her level, gathering her things before she could. She sucked in a sharp but quiet breath when their hands brushed. Her head was spinning, trying to piece together the puzzle and make sense of it all. What the hell was wrong with her?

When he spoke up again, he didn’t continue his thought but filled the silence with lighter words but a heavier confession. Her heart sank. Guilt festered inside of her as he took her arm and helped her back up. She didn’t fight him or pull away, but followed his guidance like a bewildered animal lost in their own thoughts. She never considered how her leaving would affect him. All she knew was if she left a note behind Redback—[i]Theo[/i] would follow her and she refused to be the reason something happened to him. She selfishly kept him in the dark to keep her own conscience clear. Myla was disappointed… in herself. 

She absently took the cane when he held it out to her. She attempted to take some of her other things from his arms, but he was stubborn. Something she could relate to. Myla sighed softly as her head fell and she clutched the handle of her cane in both of her hands. [color=962929]"I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,"[/color] she confessed, tapping the stick on the ground beside her feet. [color=962929]"I mean, I [i]was[/i],"[/color] she continued with a weak laugh. [color=962929]"But I was just trying to keep you from doing something… [i]impulsive.[/i]"[/color] She turned her head toward him slightly with a raised brow. [color=962929]"Like following me here."[/color]

Myla mulled over his last words. [i]Don’t vanish on me again.[/i] She knew they had clung to each other like a lifeline as the world around them tried to swallow them whole. But she hadn’t realized how deep it had gotten until that moment. [color=962929]"I…"[/color] she started but found herself at a loss for words. How could she promise not to vanish? Given everything that was going on, that was the one thing that was coming for them both. It was only a matter of time before they disappeared off the face of the earth like their fathers. [color=962929]"Ok,"[/color] was all she could bring herself to say with a nod of her head.

She turned slightly toward the imposing skyscraper that reflected the warmth of the setting sun. Between her elevated heartrate, the strong breeze, and the distance breaking of the waves against the shore, Myla struggled to focus. But she could have swore she heard a couple indiscernible voices coming from the tower, one being louder and more boisterous than the others. [color=962929]"You know—"[/color] she cleared her throat before once again trying to steal her things back from Theo’s grasp, [color=962929]"—Normal people exchange phone numbers so when one of them [i]vanishes[/i] they can just [i]call[/i] them,"[/color] she teased gently. 

Her jaw dropped and head cocked slightly to the side when she realized she might have just asked for Theo’s number. Myla cleared her throat and awkwardly tapped her thumb against her cane. A rush of heat started building in her chest, flowing up her neck and across her face. [color=962929]"Because we’re [i]totally[/i] normal."[/color] She tried to play it off as a lighthearted joke, but everything about her anxious body language betrayed her. 

Theodore couldn’t help it, a laugh fell from his lips. It was an unapologetic sound, filled with actual mirth. [color=feffb5]"I didn’t follow you here, I found this weird old pager in my dad’s stuff, sort of ripped his desk to shreds. Sometimes, I forget my own strength."[/color] He paused, rearranging everything in his arms very carefully so it all was in a more orderly fashion. 

[color=feffb5]"You’re right though,"[/color] Theo muttered softly, knowing full well that she’d still be able to hear him clearly. [color=feffb5]"I would have followed you."[/color] 

Myla couldn’t help the soft laugh that fell from her lips as she twisted the cane in her hands. No matter how hard she fought it, just his presence and laughter always seemed to bring some levity to her clouded mind. [color=962929]"I knew it,"[/color] she whispered, poking his chest with her index finger.

It was an undeniable fact, if Myla had vanished from his world everything else would have fallen to the wayside. He wouldn’t have been able to rest until he found out what had happened to her, he just couldn’t stand the idea of a world where she didn’t exist. The very thought made him feel sick to his stomach, and he had the sudden urge to pull her back into his arms and not let go. It was ridiculous, but she was his…his best friend, and most trusted comrade. 

[color=feffb5]"I’ll make it fair though, Angel"[/color] the endearment fell easily from his lips, voice warm and filled with something that was equal parts undeniable and uncertain. [color=feffb5]"I won’t pull any vanishing acts on you either, I promise."[/color] 

Theodore meant it with every fiber of his soul, nothing short of a God would be able to rip him away from her, not after the fear and uncertainty he’d held like a loaded gun all week as he traveled to answer this message. Myla simply meant too much to him, and he couldn’t leave her when the world around them was already filled with disappearances. He [i]wouldn’t.[/i]

[i]Angel.[/i] Hearing Theo call her that after knowing her name felt… [i]different[/i]. Intentional. She swallowed as a small fluttering stirred in her chest. It could have been a slip of the tongue. [i]It probably was.[/i] There was no other reason for him to call her that. Or that was what she told herself anyway.

[color=feffb5]"My number?"[/color] The man grinned, teeth a brilliant white flash against his tanned skin. He hadn't been able to tear his eyes away from her this whole time, except for when he’d scooped up her belongings. He tried now, glad that she couldn’t see how his eyes seemed to commit the curve of her cheek bones, how one of her cheeks dimpled when she smiled, or the color of her eyes, to memory. [color=feffb5]"I thought you’d never ask, want a key to my house too? I have fruit snacks in the pantry."[/color] 

A soft chuckle rose from her chest. [color=962929]"I just spent my last dollar on an asshole cabbie. I might raid you for everything you own,"[/color] she teased him. Although the lack of hesitation and willingness to just give her a key caused the heat to return to her cheeks. [color=962929]"Maybe we should start with phone numbers?"[/color]

Theo grinned down at Myla, trying not to get distracted by how her cheeks flooded with color, the soft shade of ripe strawberries. How had he never realized she was so beautiful beneath the mask? It didn’t really matter, he’d cherished her even before he’d realized that looking up Myla’s name in the dictionary would lead to the definition of [i]beautiful,[/i] but it was an added facet to the woman whom he knew and considered very important to himself. 

Her smile grew as she took a step toward him and tucked her cane beneath one of her arms. Myla didn’t fully realize until she was closer to him that she [i]wanted[/i] to be closer. She cleared her throat as her hands reached up to open her handbag clutched in his arms and pulled out her archaic flip phone. There was a time when she tried a smart phone but the lack of buttons made it nearly impossible for her to master. She carefully traded her batons and bag in exchange for placing her phone gently in the palm of his hand. [color=962929]"Here."[/color] Her voice was quiet and a bit apprehensive in the off chance he was only just joking.

Myla wasn’t certain where this new found confidence was coming from. Maybe it was because, underneath all the reintroduction nerves, Theo was still [i]Redback[/i] and her best friend. Or maybe it was the unknown stirring in her chest that made her want to hug him again while also wanting to bury her head in the sand. Or [i]maybe[/i]... maybe it was because exchanged phone numbers felt like one more tether that would keep him from vanishing too. 

[color=962929]"Make sure you send yourself a message too… So you have mine,"[/color] she added with a sheepish smile as she slid her purse up onto her shoulder.

This time, he relinquished her belongings without complaint, but a silly little smile set on Theo’s lips. Somehow, he wasn’t surprised to see that she had a flip phone, though he did wonder for a moment if she’d ever given a smart phone a chance, and if so just how long did that last? He’d put his money on no less than two days, despite the added features. He understood it, though, and couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic as he looked at the phone, remembering the first phone his dad had given him and how similar it was to this one. 

[color=feffb5]”As you wish,"[/color] Theo said, swallowing loud enough that it was audible when her fingertips brushed across his palm and trying not to bask in the warmth that lingered. They’d never touched like that before, his suit always created some form of barrier, and he’d never been one to initiate physical contact with anyone else. His sensory issues always caused problems, with all his senses dialed to one hundred sometimes it could be too overwhelming, but there was something about Myla that brought more comfort than discomfort. [color=feffb5]"If this isn’t some horrible trap that gets us both killed, I’ll be sure to call you and arrange a pizza date."[/color]

Had he said date? Fuck. Theo resolutely, but gently, as he remembered the desk, tapped his number into her phone and then navigated, sending himself a text from her number. [i]Olive and pineapple pizza, please![/i] He grinned at the text before handing her the phone back, feeling his own phone buzz in his pocket. 

[color=962929]"Promise?"[/color] she asked, tentatively. Her fingertips unintentionally brushed the palm of his hand as she took back her phone. Without the fabric of their suits between them, the brief touch of his warm skin electrified her nerves. Everything always felt like… [i]more[/i] for her. With her enhanced senses something that was no more than a fleeting moment of contact for one person was like listening to a song on full blast to Myla. Her nerve endings were heightened, aware, and receptive. She noticed every crease and every callous. While the touch of his skin was foreign, the size of his hand, shape of his palm, and the length of his fingers were familiar. Myla didn’t know how to describe it, but it was like she was meeting him all over again, but also like coming home after spending what felt like forever away.

[color=feffb5]"I promise,"[/color] Theo’s tone dropped an octave, and the promise hung between them for a moment as if it was suspended in the very air they breathed. It was more than a promise for a pizza date, it was a promise that even if they both died today, he would find her in the next life. Theodore wouldn’t say it out loud, couldn’t, but he knew what he meant when those two simple words fell from his lips. She was his best friend, the closest thing he had to any form of family other than his mom. They were probably walking into a gruesome death, and it felt like the time for such declarations, privately done or not. [color=feffb5]"It’ll be the highlight of my week."[/color]

[color=962929]"Just the week?"[/color] she teased. Her cheeks remained flushed as her smile grew bashful, but no less genuine. Myla couldn’t help but [i]hope[/i] that a pizza date with her would be a little better than a weekly highlight. A month at least. 

Theo’s smile was back, as bright and warm as the sun, and though Myla couldn’t see it, it was very likely she could feel the heat nonetheless. It would probably make his year, actually, but he didn’t want to come across wrong. Their pizza parties were just some of his favorite meals, that was all. [color=feffb5]"You know me too well."[/color] He laughed.

Myla’s laugh mirrored his as she slipped her phone back in her bag. She slowly pivoted on the balls of her feet, turning to face the tower on the far end of the walkway. [color=962929]"So… Are you ready to go die?"[/color] While there was a light sarcasm in her tone, there was a looming sense of dread that hung on every syllable and made the last word catch in her throat.

That jerked a surprised laugh from him, and he stepped beside her, one of his hands sliding to curl around Myla’s free hand. [color=feffb5]"Absolutely, I’ve been looking forward to it, actually. Hold my hand though, won’t you? Not because I’m scared, of course. It’ll just give me a boost of confidence, that’s all."[/color] And, he could yank her out of the damn building if needed. Not that he was going to tell her that, though. 

His hand was warm against her own chilled skin. The intentional touch caught her off guard and pulled a faint gasp from her lips. Myla hesitated a moment before allowing her fingers to slowly curl around the sides of his hand. She slipped her batons beneath her arm where her cane previously resided then held out the long stick and began tapping it back and forth, more out of habit than actual necessity. She let Theo guide her toward the looming building as silence hung between them. Waves crashed against a rocky shore ahead of them and wind whistled as it hugged the tower. Theo’s steps were light like a skilled acrobat ready to move at a moment’s notice. They thudded softly against the cement in sync with the sharp clicks of Myla’s heels and tap of her cane. 

Halfway to the entrance with a sweep of her cane to the right it bumped something sturdy and unmoving. Myla’s head tilted as listened to the breeze that curved around the large, square structure and rustled the thin branches of the bush within it. [color=962929]"Give me a second,"[/color] she whispered before slipping her hand from his grasp. She sidestepped toward the large planter, placing herself so the bush hid a majority of her from whomever or whatever could be watching from within the tower. She placed her hand on the cold concrete to steady herself as she lifted her left foot and feigned fixing her shoe. As she did that her other hand shifted from the planter and sneakily slid her batons into the bush. A little backup plan. Even if it was unassuming they were still weapons. She could recall them if needed. So rather than walking into a potential trap already armed, she opted to keep up the innocent facade.

Myla stepped out from behind the bush, keeping up the charade by twisting her foot in her shoe like she was wiggling her heel back inside. When she returned back to Theo’s side, she flashed him a small smile as her hand slid back into his. She wasn’t entirely sure if it was subconscious or not, but one moment their palms were cupped together in a relaxed hold then her fingers slipped between his. It had to be for confidence in the likelihood of death… nothing else. That would be ridiculous. 

As they grew closer, her heart raced and adrenalin pumped through her veins. Her grip on his hand tightened as the voices from within grew louder. Just as she went to focus on what was being said something louder and closer crunched under foot. Myla’s brows furrowed as she twisted her shoe on the ground studying the sound and the feel of it grinding under her weight. [color=962929]"Is that glass?"[/color] she asked, turning her head slightly toward Theo.

He hadn’t questioned her, more interested in whatever Myra’s plan was than anything. It was something Theo had always admired about her, she [i]always[/i] tried to plan ahead where he was more of a… well, swing in web’s-ablazin fellow. It was a good balance, reminding him to think before he acted instead. He blinked slowly at…uhhh…[color=feffb5]"Well, yes. That would appear to be glass, and the doors are…um…do they have a Hulk?"[/color]

It felt like a fair question, because the doors had been absolutely destroyed, the metal frame twisted inwards. [color=feffb5]"It looks like someone crashed in through the doors, which isn’t a good sign, right? It doesn’t make me feel good."[/color] Theo squeezed her hand, trying to reassure himself that it would be okay, that whatever they were about to step into, they would be doing it together. It helped. 

A dry, bordering on pessimistic laugh escaped her lips. She couldn’t fight a hulk! The fuck was she going to do? Climb on its back and smack it in on the head? Nausea boiled in her stomach. There was a part of Myla that wanted to turn back but she knew if she didn’t see it through she’d forever wonder. She had to remind herself she got coordinates from her dad’s pager. That had to mean something… [i]right?[/i]

Myla took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as she took a step forward. Heels, shattered glass, and blind made a bad combination. Even with her heightened equilibrium, she wasn’t exactly prepared to traverse anything that wasn’t [i]flat.[/i] That was her first mistake. They stepped through the set of destroyed doors, dipping slightly beneath the mangled frame. She held the handle of her cane wrapped between her index finger and thumb while her other fingers held the dislodged doorframe to balance herself. Her focus was split between the sounds of crunching, shifting glass and not cutting her hand on any places that remained.

She nicked her finger while shifting her hold from the broken frame to the glass wall in the breezeway between the broken door and intact second set of doors. Myla’s eye twitched slightly at the sharp sensation, but she forced herself not to wince so she didn’t alarm Theo. Annoyed at the wobbling of her heels and ankles on the uneven glass, she stopped and started scooting as much of it out of her way without cutting her foot in the process. 

Theo followed Myla for fifteen seconds, could see her struggling, and decided that the bloom of crimson and smell of blood that filled the air was as close as he wanted to be to seeing her bleed. [color=feffb5]"Nope."[/color] He said, tone firm and unflinching as he let go of her hand and unceremoniously scooped her up into his arms in the typical princess hold, mindful of her cane. 

[color=feffb5]"I’m sorry, Angel."[/color] He whispered close to her ear, mindful that there were other people just on the other side of the doorframe. Something warm coiled in his stomach as his lips brushed over the shell of Myla’s ear, the soft scent of what was either her perfume or shampoo filled his senses until all Theo could smell was her. For the rest of his life, the smell of cashmere, roses, and the woods he’d just spent a week hiking through, would remind him of [i]her.[/i] It was both too much, and not enough all at once. [color=feffb5]"It’s not that I don’t think you could have made it, I just don’t like watching you struggle."[/color]

A mix between a gasp and soft squeal escaped her lips as Myla was swept up into Theo’s arms before she could make heads or tails of what he was doing. Not knowing what else to do with her arms, she wrapped them around his shoulders trying whatever way she could to help the shoulder the burden of… well, her in his arms. Even if he had super strength and she already knew she weighed little to nothing for him. While her finger was barely bleeding worse than a papercut, her hand rested precariously on his shoulder making sure she didn’t get any blood on his clothes. They both might have had more than their fair share of each other’s blood on them, that didn’t mean she wanted to ruin his sweater.

Her heart fluttered in her chest when his whisper warmed the side of her neck and tickled something at the back of her mind. The faintest touch of his lips along the edge of her ear made her breath hitch in her chest and her hold on him tighten slightly. It wasn’t the first time he carried her. Hell, it wasn’t the fiftieth either. But she usually half supported her own weight as one of his arms held her close and the other swung them through the streets of New York. This was different, closer, more intimate. They weren’t racing against time to stop another crime. It was just them, which triggered all her nerve endings and left her senses alert. His hands were hot against her waist and the bare skin of her waist. His face was inches away and radiated warm magnetism. She had to focus to keep her head turned away from him… Just to hide the flustered redness of her cheeks. [i]Nothing else.[/i] 

[color=962929]"I was ok,"[/color] she finally spoke up, barely above a whisper. Her constitution caved, for just a second, and her head turned toward him briefly. Myla quickly caught herself, cleared her throat and turned back away.

Theodore stepped over the threshold, holding Myla close, curving himself ever so slightly over her so that none of the broken glass at the top of the doorframe could fall on her, and it was only once they were both over the obstacle and away from the broken glass did he very carefully set her down, eyes bouncing around to take stock of the room they’d entered and the other people within it. If he very intentionally placed himself in front of Myla, he wasn’t going to make a comment of it. 

When she was set back down a different wave of nerves and embarrassment washed over her as Myla could sense all eyes on them. Theo stood protectively in front of her prepared for the ambush they both expected. She brought the tip of her right finger up to her lips to stop it from bleeding before awkwardly smoothing out her skirt… Which she quickly realized was unnecessary because it was leather.

It was in that silence that she got a proper count of everyone in the room. There were six heartbeats beside their’s, all but one of their pulses raced nearly as much as her own and Theo’s. Two people had stronger scents than the rest of them. One had the faint smell of almond and jasmine mixed with a freshly brewed cup of coffee which led her to believe the person by the Keurig was a woman, most likely. And the other’s perfume was richer and more lavish laced with hints of various fruits, florals, and bergamot. Among the rest of them she caught faint traces of deodorant, after shave, bourbon, aspercreme and a strong metallic smell like the air after lightning has struck. 

[color=a8f9ff]"Well would you look at that,"[/color] a voice like the velvet on rose petals spoke up from the left side of the room. [color=a8f9ff]"Chivalry isn’t dead after all. That’s the kind of love women want,"[/color] the woman added, pointing a finger at them. [color=a8f9ff]"Take note TJ. You could learn a thing or two."[/color]

Myla’s face somehow managed to grow more red as she stood up straight, clutching her cane. She tried to wipe the emotion from her face to appear more confident and brave than she felt, hoping the act would convince even herself. 

Heels clicked against the tile of the large room as the woman made her way toward them. She extended her hand out toward the both of them in greeting and a handshake. [color=a8f9ff]"Imogen Frost."[/color] Myla had heard that name before, on the news or something. She was some heiress or something, but she couldn’t remember how exactly she knew the name Frost.

Myla reached around the side of Theo to accept the handshake but caught herself just before she did and clenched her hand. [color=962929]"I—Sorry,"[/color] she apologized. [color=962929]"I nicked my finger on the glass. I don’t want to get blood on you."[/color]

Like a magician, Imogen slid two fingers between her cleavage beneath the cup of her bustier and pulled out a linen handkerchief. She took a step around Theo and held out the small piece of fabric as an offering with a smile. [color=a8f9ff]"Think nothing of it, darling. Us women are used to blood,"[/color] she quipped as she took Myla’s hand and shook it gently. 

[color=962929]"I… Don’t know if I should say my name,"[/color] she admitted out loud as she withdrew her hand with the handkerchief tight in her grasp. 

Theodore coughed, trying not to feel flustered and awkward. It had nothing to do with Imogen, sure the woman was beautiful, but having Myla in his arms like that had been different from all the other times. It felt more intimate, and he could still feel the heat of her body lingering against his chest. His heart was fluttering, and he could very faintly hear that he wasn’t the only one, even Myla’s heart was beating faster now…most likely from the adrenaline. Yeah, that was why his heart was beating so hard. 

[color=feffb5]"Theodore,"[/color] he shook her hand, not too hard because he didn’t want to hurt anyone if they weren’t planning to hurt him, but firm enough to be considered respectful. Imogen had trusted them with her name, it was familiar in a way that was distant and fuzzy, but that was all really. [color=feffb5]"You could call her…A, until she feels it’s safe to share her name. Were you the one that sent out the signal?"[/color]

Straight to business, because he hadn’t hiked through the damned countryside for a week to beat around the bush. Theo shifted to the left some, moving back only ever so slightly so he was more beside Myla than in front of her. He was resolutely respectful, keeping his eyes on Imogen’s and very pointedly not following the movement of her fingers sliding into her bra. Was it normal for women to hide things there? Did Myla—Theo squashed the thought before it could fully form. 

The other woman in the room shifted behind Imogen, and his eyes automatically jumped toward her. She’d seemed to have placed herself in front of one of the men, the movement jarringly reminiscent of how Theo had stood in front of Myla just a moment ago. There was the sharp glint of something between the knuckles of her fingers in her left hand, and the sight had Theo’s eyebrows rising. Were those…bat shaped knives? [i]Cool.[/i] She didn’t say anything, but her gaze met his and there was a steady, calculating look in her gaze. 

A shiver rolled down Theodore’s spine, and he quickly looked away. Jesus, these people were intense. Then again, it made sense to be on high alert. They were all tense and ready for someone to make the wrong move, he himself felt as tightly strung as a bowstring, his eyes bouncing between each face and then back to Imogen’s. [color=feffb5]"Where did the pagers come from? Why did my…where did Spider-Man get his?"[/color]

Reflexively, Myla’s left hand reached forward and grabbed Theo’s again when he nearly called Spider-man his father. It was respectable that he was comfortable enough to give up his name, but until they knew what was going on… [i]fully[/i], secrets like that needed to be kept close to his chest. While they all seemed [i]tame[/i], for the time being at least, she wouldn’t be too quick to trust. 

[color=a8f9ff]"We sent the signal,"[/color] Imogen waved her hand toward everyone who stood opposite Theo and Myla. [color=a8f9ff]"Well, everyone but the oaf who broke the door. Sorry about that, by the way. You handled that exceptionally well for a blind woman in heels,"[/color] she commended her with a slight smirk that said she knew more than she let on. But she did not say. The blonde turned slightly to face the dark haired woman standing protectively in front of one of the other men and gave her a gentle calm down hand motion. [color=a8f9ff]"We’re all friends here, right?"[/color] she asked with a quirk of her head. 

Theodore tried not to laugh, because the other woman didn’t look like she agreed with that sentiment in the slightest and to be fair he wasn’t sure he did either. No reason to jump the gun though, no one was attacking them, there weren’t like…weird zombies rising from the pits of hell, or whatever. Beggars couldn’t be choosers and considering the fact that he had been prepared to die right away, he was feeling pretty jazzed with the whole still being alive part.

[color=a8f9ff]"Why don’t you both have a seat while we wait to see if anyone else arrives. I’d rather only go over everything once, if possible."[/color] Imogen chuckled in a soft, genuine way someone did around company they trusted. 

Myla nodded her head slightly. [color=962929]"Sure,"[/color] she replied before giving Theo’s arm a gentle tug in the direction of the seating area. [color=962929]"Come on."[/color] Her senses were on such high alert she forgot to use her cane as she led them toward one of the farthest, more isolated leather sofas without bumping into a single thing. She turned to face the small crowd and took a seat on the edge of the cushion. Her hand gently tugged him down beside her, sitting close enough that the entire left side of her body pressed against Theo’s right. Myla’s ears were tuned to the faintest sound of a pin drop as she attempted to look a little more at ease, crossing her right leg over her left and rested their interlocked hands in her lap gently.

[color=feffb5]"Thank you, Imogen."[/color] Theo murmured as they passed, following Myla without a single complaint coming to tongue. Actually, he sort of liked how her warm hand curled around his, pulling him exactly where she wanted him. Once they were seated, her hand held securely in his, Theo tried not to smile. It would be utterly inappropriate, but a small, private part of him was unfathomably pleased by the new arrangement. He kept her close, eyes moving from the other people in the room to the busted door, and then back again. It would get exhausting, waiting for the other shoe to drop at any point. At least he wasn’t alone.[/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

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[color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] imogen [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] june, jim & magni [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] [@Sleepy Tani][/color]
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