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[color=808080][color=962929]#962929[/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] hell's angel [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/iSBHkTI][color=808080]outfit[/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [color=feffb5]#feffb5[/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] redback [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/wAh5lG7][color=808080]outfit[/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [color=375a87]#375a87[/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] nightinggale [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/nmvqlk4][color=808080]outfit[/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] descendant tower[/color]
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[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]Myla slipped off her heels, pressing her bare feet into the cool concrete to try and ground herself. The chill through the bottoms of her soles and the back of her thighs helped distract her mind from her erratic heartbeat and the panicked breaths that made her chest rise and fall. She followed the cryptic message in hopes of finding her father, not to be exposed in a room full of strangers. Her dad wasn’t there, that much was obvious. So why the hell did she linger outside? Why didn’t she just… [i]leave[/i]?

She left her purse inside, not like a cellphone and empty wallet would solve her dilemma. What was she going to do? Walk all the way back to Manhattan? Myla sighed. Her sunglasses slid down the bridge of her nose slick from a cold sweat. She was trapped in that fucking place whether she liked it or not… At least until Theo was ready to leave and she wasn’t going to force him to go without answers, even if she was checked out and shutting down slowly with every breath. 

Her toes dragged against the rough and cold cement seeking the discomfort to settle her mind and bring her back down. She didn’t notice the approaching footsteps until they stopped before her. Thrown off kilter and unfocused, Myla couldn’t focus enough to tell who it was. But if it was that Stark fucker she’d break his nose the second he went to speak. No words were spoken as a hand gently tucked a loose curl behind her ear. His fingertips curved under her earlobe and ran along her jaw. Her chest tightened and caved under his touch, unable to remain strong in his presence.  

[color=feffb5]"I’m here, Myla. Whatever you want to do, I’ll follow you."[/color]

Myla’s head rose to face him. The ghost of a single tear stained her cheek with the faint black smear of her mascara. She leaned into his touch, seeking his comfort and to prolong the connection until she heard the subtle shift of feet behind her. She went rigid like someone walked over her grave, defeated and slouching posture snapping to a robotic like composure. Her head turned away from the person while her left arm shot out, summoning her batons. The pieces of Yggdrasil wood flew out from their hiding place in the bush, zipped through the air, and then slammed into her open palm. A silent threat that whatever pretense of good behavior had flown out the window with her secret identity.

[color=962929]"Fuck off,"[/color] was all she said. Myla didn’t care who it was or what they wanted. The last thing she needed was another stranger seeing her weak… vulnerable.

[color=feffb5]"One of them wants to talk to you first, before you decide. That’s all I’m asking, just listen to her, okay? This one and the other lady gave that asshole hell, and if by the time she’s done you want me to go back in there and punch him I will. If you want to leave we will, but if you want to stay, I’ll be there too."[/color]

[color=962929]"What if I want to punch him?"[/color] she mused under her breath with a weak, exasperated laugh. Splitting her knuckles across that asshole’s face sounded pretty cathartic at the moment.

Theo grinned down at Myla, his fingers twitching as he resisted the urge to reach out and touch her again. He wanted to hold her, that single tear had made something inexplicable in his chest tighten until each breath felt like a struggle. His hand rose on its own accord, fingers sweeping gently around the wrist to her hand that held her baton. [color=feffb5]"Then you punch him, and I’ll hold him down."[/color] There was a hint of laughter beneath his serious tone. 

Myla sighed, and caved under his touch, letting her head fall slightly as she rested the batons in her lap. [color=962929]"Fine… What do you want?"[/color] Her voice was still sharp and defensive. Whatever walls she had lowered were firmly locked back in place. Her face was blank… vacant, besides the protrusion of her tense jaw muscle and the slight flair of her nostrils. 

It took everything in June not to react to the weapon soaring through the air, to the threat that was presented to her as if on a silver platter. It wasn’t her fault, Jim was his own man and made his own choices, but she felt the responsibility of it all the same. What would her dad say, if he were here in her place? She took a half step forward, and then paused again, frowning. 

[color=375a87]"I’m [i]sorry,[/i]"[/color] and she meant it with every fiber of her being, the words fell from her lips before she could stop them or think better of it. To apologize for it was to undoubtedly take responsibility for it, but June had been taking on so much that wasn’t hers to carry lately, what was one more thing. [color=375a87]"He should have never done that, and I know apologizing on his behalf means less than nothing but I’m going to do it regardless because you deserve to hear it."[/color]

[color=375a87]"We’re all here for the same reason, someone we love is missing and we don’t know [i]why.[/i] Jim may not care about allies, but [i]I[/i] do."[/color] Her voice cracked, and June shifted uncomfortably. Myla and her had a lot in common, at the end of the day. Neither of them wanted to be vulnerable in front of strangers, but the other woman had been stripped of that courtesy so she pushed aside her pride and made no attempt to reign in her emotions. [color=375a87]"I’m sorry, let me start over. My name is Juniper Wayne, my father was Bruce Wayne… But he was also Batman."[/color] 

She let the words hang there for a moment, and June realized that it was the first time she’d ever had to say the words aloud. Tony Stark had told Imogen and Jim with her father’s permission years ago, she’d never had to admit it, never had to bear her family's burdens to anyone else before. She wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt, wondering wildly how her dad had ever managed to have conversations like this without falling into a mess of nervous laughter.

Myla’s head turned a fraction of a degree toward the woman, hanging on her words but saying nothing. Bruce Waynes was Batman… [i]Huh.[/i] She supposed it made sense when she put all the pieces together. The masked vigilante had to be from some sort of wealth to afford all the gadgets, vehicles, and whatever else he had. Her dad sure as hell didn’t have any of that. Daredevil was lucky to have a bulletproof suit and the batons he received from Heimdal that now rested in her lap, an heirloom that felt like they were in the wrong hands. But there was no [i]devil mobile[/i] or fancy utility belt. It was just… [i]him[/i], a mask, and a billy club. Even in hero circles, wealth discrepancies were still a very real thing. Myla and Theo lived in an entirely different world.

[color=375a87]"He’s missing, so is my brother."[/color] She sucked in a breath, wincing, but forging on anyway. [color=375a87]"So are your fathers, and almost everyone in that lobby… I’m pretty sure they’re all missing someone too. This isn’t just a job, not for me at least, it’s personal. I’m not going to ask you to stay, not after what Jim did."[/color]

Her eyes bounced between the two of them, taking in the shock of the man's face and the careful mask the woman wore to hide her own feelings. She focused on Myla, because it was an expression she was familiar with, a practice to protect oneself above all else.

[color=375a87]"I chose this life, just like my dad did. I know what I'm doing, what I’m getting into. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either."[/color] Juniper steeled her nerves, and closed the distance between them with slow, measured steps. She paused just in front of the other woman, pressing a small, batshaped metallic device in Myla’s palm after a moment of hesitation. [color=375a87]"You can walk away if you want, and I would understand. If he did that to me… Well, I would have punched him. Just, don’t think either of you have to do all this alone. I [i]won’t[/i] ask you to stay, but I will ask you to reach out if you ever need anything. Not from Jim, but from someone else who understands [i]why[/i] people like us have to keep our names a secret."[/color]

Myla’s hand slowly rotated in her lap to accept whatever cool metal the woman placed in her palm. The tip of her thumb lightly pressed into the sharp point of one of the bat’s wings. Her brows furrowed as she sat in a pensive silence. She wasn’t alone. For over a year, her and Redback… [i]Theo[/i] were all each other had. No matter how hard things got or how much the burden grew or the pain festered, they survived, persevered. Maybe it was her own stubborn independence, but she struggled to see what difference another cook in the kitchen would make when everything was already up in flames.

Juniper backed away a few steps, half turning to go back inside. She’d said what she needed, did what she felt she could to try and save the chance they had at forming a reliable ally. There wasn’t much more she could do, she wanted to flee from the emotionally driven scenario, but she knew she couldn’t. 

[color=feffb5]"Well, damn."[/color] Theo muttered, voice a little awed. [color=feffb5]"Batman? Bruce Wayne? Is that a bat shaped cell phone? [i]Dude.[/i]"[/color] He leaned over Myla a little, one hand absentmindedly rubbing at her shoulder as he squinted at the device. It was simple, sleek black and no thicker than a smart phone, there was no screen though, just a little red button in the center. [color=feffb5]"What does it do?"[/color] 

[color=375a87]"It’s an emergency button, it won’t activate until it’s pressed but once it is, its location will be sent directly to me."[/color] There was a pause of hesitation, the sound of June tugging nervously at her sleeves filling the air. [color=375a87]"I developed them after my brother went missing, I’ve only made three so far."[/color] 

She’d given one to her mom, and one to Alfred. She’d planned to give the other to Imogen, but something about this felt right to her. Theo looked up at her, his eyebrows rising up some. His fingers rubbed at Myla’s shoulder, working some of the tension from her. 

[color=feffb5]"You really do care, but I don’t get why. We just met, it has nothing to do with who your dad was."[/color] His voice was challenging in a way that it rarely was, and his impromptu massage paused. 

[color=375a87]"It has [i]everything[/i] to do with my dad,"[/color] she said, before the words even registered to her. June frowned, and sighed. She really, really didn’t want to be here anymore. [color=375a87]"He taught me that it's not who you are, it's what you do that defines you."[/color]

The tip of Myla’s thumb absentmindedly traced the edges of the bat shaped device in her hand. She found herself wondering what her dad would do if he was in her shoes—her bare toes curled against the rough concrete—[i]place[/i], she corrected her own thoughts in a way that would have made him laugh… If he was there. Her father, Matt Murdock, was a kind, trusting man, but the Daredevil rarely trusted anyone beyond himself, her, and God. But where the fuck was God? All of Earth’s defenders kept going missing and not a single ounce of divine intervention has spilled from the heavens. That signal was supposed to be her sign from God and what did she get for it? Not her father. Not answers. Just a dick striping her of her secrets and dignity. 

Her faith was failing. Her faith in God… Her faith in father being alive… Her faith in others. 


She sighed softly. [color=962929]"Can I… Have a minute alone, please?"[/color] Myla finally spoke up, turning her head toward June. She came outside to get away from the unfamiliar voices, to fall apart in the safety of silence and solitude. Theo was welcome… [i]always.[/i] But she needed peace, if only for five minutes, to quiet her mind and rein in her emotions that were slipping through her fingers like water. There was a part of Myla that appreciated June’s attempt to relate and sympathize, but no apology would fix what had been done, and she wouldn’t believe Jim even if he did. 

[color=962929]"I’ll be back in… In a minute."[/color] She wasn’t sure why she made that promise. The last thing Myla wanted to do was go back in there. It wasn’t like her father was lurking around the corner to surprise her. If he was, he probably would have punched Jim before she had a chance to be properly offended. There was just an indescribable nagging at the back of her head telling her to see it through or she’d regret it. She really fucking hated her conscience sometimes. It was exhausting being the bigger person. But she’d swallow her pride to see it through. If nothing else, hear them out before swearing to never speak to another Stark again.

[color=375a87]"Take all the time you need,"[/color] June said, turning around to head back inside. She’d done her part, and it had left her with more complicated feelings than before she’d followed Theo out here. This was an awful start to everything, and Jim had been the one to initiate it. [color=375a87]"Thank you, for hearing me out."[/color]

Theo was silent as the woman disappeared back inside the building, the quiet stretching long after he heard the last crunch of glass beneath her feet. He slowly sat down beside Myla though, arm wrapped carefully around her shoulders. [color=feffb5]"Batman, Iron Man, son of Thor…looks like they’ve got some bigwigs in there already, I don’t know if they need little guys like us."[/color] 

He was thinking aloud, trying to offer an out to her even now. It was just a clusterfuck now, and Theo, like everyone else, was wondering what his dad would be doing in this scenario. Not Spider-Man, who would stay and help because it was his responsibility, but Peter Parker. Would he risk staying if it meant being away from New York? From Gwen? Yes, he probably would. Peter Parker and Spider-Man were one in the same, no matter what it was, his dad would be self-sacrificing about it. 

That left Theo with a thought that lingered like tar on his hands… Did he have to be just as self-sacrificing to live up to his dad’s name? If Myla decided to go, he couldn’t see himself staying behind. 

[color=feffb5]"What are you thinking, Angel?"[/color] He whispered, tugging her into his side a little, giving Myla something to lean on. 

June strode into the lobby without a word, bypassing Jim without even so much as a glance in his direction. She stopped beside Imogen and Magni, holding her hand out for the bottle, with a downward twist of her lips. Tension lined her shoulders, and there was the slightest tremble to Juniper’s fingers as she stared at Imogen. The conversation was playing over and over again in her head, and she couldn’t decide if she wanted to cry or punch something. 

[color=375a87]"I won the diplomacy girl scouts badge,"[/color] she finally said, voice wobbling traitorously. She hadn’t been ready to admit who her dad was to [i]anyone[/i] yet, hoping to leave it to Alfred or Imogen, but Jim had forced it all. June felt like one big open wound, flayed and bleeding for the whole world to see. [color=375a87]"Please, Im."[/color]

Imogen pivoted on the balls of her feet turning to face her newest company. A sympathetic smile crossed her lips as she caught glimpses of the turmoil that was bubbling up in June’s mind. The blonde nodded her head and grabbed that half empty bottle of vodka, then held it out to her. [color=a8f9ff]"Go ahead, take it."[/color] Imogen sighed, sparing a glance toward Magni before looking back at June. [color=a8f9ff]"I probably should be cut off anyway. Can’t be that persuasive if I’m slurring my words."[/color]

[color=375a87]"As long as you’re taking over the persuasive bit."[/color] June took the bottle, pressing the cool glass to her lips, and tipped it back. A second passed…and then five, ten, fifteen. The contents of the bottle was dwindling, and she finally pulled back after there was less than half of the half remaining, a drop of the clear liquid trailed down her chin. 

The warmth of liquor spread through her from her throat, down to her stomach, until it reached the tips of her toes. Juniper grimaced at the flavor, pulling the bottle back a little to squint at the label. [color=375a87]"Did you steal this from Phil’s stash?"[/color] She swirled the last of the liquor, looking as if she was considering going in for the last bit of it as her tongue trailed across her bottom lip, reconsidering the flavor. No, it was pretty awful. Nothing like the aged bourbon she had up in her room. 

[color=a8f9ff]"I don’t know. I just grabbed the first bottle I saw,"[/color] Imogen confessed with a soft laugh. Before June could drink the last bit of liquor, the blonde reached out and gently pried the bottle from her hands. [color=a8f9ff]"If I can’t get drunk,"[/color] she continued as her free hand reached up and she hooked her index finger beneath June’s jaw. Then, with a tender swipe, Imogen’s thumb ran along the woman’s chin, wiping up the drip of alcohol while carefully avoiding smudging her lipstick. [color=a8f9ff]"Then neither can you."[/color] She brought her thumb between her lips and licked clean the bit of vodka that clung to her skin with a smile. 

Without another word, Imogen turned slightly, catching Magni’s gaze from the corner of her eyes before setting the bottle back down on the table. 

June’s brain slowed, stalled for a moment, and chocolate eyes widened as Imogen’s finger caught her chin, the woman's nail grazing her bottom lip as she wiped the liquor from her skin. A flash of heat swept across her body, color that had nothing to do with the alcohol flooding to her cheeks, as her gaze caught Imogen’s thumb dipping between her own lips, and— 

[i]The fuck?[/i] Her mouth fell open, then snapped shut. There was a brief moment where her mind wandered to other things she could press against those lips, before she neatly redirected those thoughts and tried not to squirm where she stood. These fucking Starks were going to be the end of her, Imogen was doing it on purpose and Jim didn’t know what affect he could have. June bit her bottom lip, her mind slipping to fantasies about Jim and [i]his[/i] fingers, before she very quickly shoved that thought aside as well. 

Imogen’s brows rose slightly, tilting her head in amusement at the various thoughts and images that crossed June’s mind. Glimpses of lips on flesh and a tongue between rouged lips encircling—Then the picture shifted to wiry strong hands and… [i]Jim?[/i]. Imogen grimaced and made a noise of audible disgust. Thankfully, the fantasies ceased before she had to give herself an ice pick lobotomy. 

[color=375a87]"Christ,"[/color] she muttered, eyeing the bottle on the table. [color=375a87]"If you’re the voice of reason, why the hell do I have to be sober?"[/color]

Wayne’s did [i]not[/i] pout, and it was something Juniper had found herself trying to remember more often than not these days. The liquor was strong, even if it was shitty, and she could already feel it affecting her thought process. Her eyes wandered toward Magni, starting at his broad shoulders and then dipping lower at a leisure pace. Her mind was half strategy and half appreciation, but she paused for a moment, noting how he was angled toward Imogen, how she’d subconsciously mirrored the position of interest, and a slow, lopsided grin pulled at June’s lips. 

[color=a8f9ff]"Because it’s about—"[/color] 

[i]I wonder if what they say about big feet is true?[/i] It was an innocent question, little more than a soft internal monologue, but her eyes intentionally caught Imogen’s gaze with an air of mischievousness.  

If Imogen was drinking something, she might have choked. Instead a deep redness flooded across the pale skin of her chest and cheeks. Before she could stop herself, she looked over at Magni, her heart rate quickening as her gaze traveled down—[i]No. Stop.[/i] Her head quickly turned away, her narrowed gaze snapping to June. [color=a8f9ff]"You’re lucky that we’re supposed to be on our best behavior right now."[/color] 

June’s expression was that of the cat who had caught the canary, a flash of victory crossing her mind like lightning in the sky. She’d been trying to fluster Imogen back, it was strictly a matter of pride, but the flush of red blooming over pale skin was satisfying for more than one reason. Her eyebrows rose a little at the other woman’s words, sensing a challenge and trying to resist the urge to rise up and meet it head first. Naturally, she failed miserably. 

[color=375a87]"Or what? I can’t tell if you’re threatening to rub my chin again, or to break out the tape measure."[/color] She felt a little more brazen thanks to the liquor, helpfully picturing Magni in some grey sweatpants, perhaps after an intense workout, and all but screaming the images in her head at Imogen. Now that June had noticed their mutual attraction it was too good an opportunity to pass up, Imogen looked at the man like she wanted to climb him like a tree. She reached for the bottle again, feeling entirely too cocky about her chances in success at snagging it.

Imogen’s gaze remained fixated on a spot on the wall, refusing to look at June or Magni. A small smirk crossed her lips as she lightly crossed her arms over her chest. [color=a8f9ff]"Or I’d give you a taste of what you want… my lips… [i]and tongue[/i],"[/color] she replied quietly, letting the tip of her tongue linger against her bottom lip for just a second. She made sure to only speak loud enough for the three of them to hear. No need to cause a scene… [i]yet.[/i] [color=a8f9ff]"Really make you and my brother squirm."[/color] Her grin only grew as she spared a glance toward June, waiting for her inevitable reaction or response.

June, who had successfully snagged the bottle and was mid-sip, [i]did[/i] choke. The woman sputtered for a moment, dignity falling to the wayside as she struggled to remember how to breathe with cheap vodka filling her lungs. She ought to have known not to get into a pissing contest with a Stark, but once she got air back into her lungs her pride returned with a vengeance. [i]Fine, if we’re playing dirty.[/i] 

[color=375a87]"Did you know we have a pool, Magni?"[/color] June’s tone was devilishly delighted, and she capped the liquor bottle once more. Imogen had a split second warning of what she was thinking, flashes of wet, bare skin screaming across her mind's eye, before she plowed onwards with all the grace of a bull in an antique store. [color=375a87]"Imogen [i]loves[/i] swimming, not a huge fan of bathing suits though. She’ll have to show you where it is, after the meeting maybe. I’m sure you’ll [i]love[/i] it."[/color]

And so would June, but that was beyond the point. What a ridiculous tease, if June had known all it would take to get Imogen to relax like this was booze and a hot blond she would have called a stripper service earlier in the week. At least she didn’t have to pay for it this way, and the stray thought of asking Phil to take a bet with her on how long it took for Imogen and Magni to get past the fuck me eyes phase crossed her mind. She’d have to ask him, before she stole his car again.

Imogen rolled her eyes and cocked her head toward June, honestly a little disappointed at her attempt to turn things back on her. [color=a8f9ff]"Magni attended the academy, June. He [i]knows[/i] where the pool is."[/color] She looked over at the towering God for a moment remembering he wasn’t always the ripest apple in the bunch. [color=a8f9ff]"It has been a decade. But still."[/color] She shrugged her shoulders. [color=a8f9ff]"And you’re right, I [i]don’t[/i] like bathing suits. But I feel like Jim would threaten me with homelessness or something if I swam naked. Although we both know you’d enjoy that view."[/color] Her comment wasn’t directed at either one of them specifically. They were both welcome to think what they wanted, [i]especially Magni[/i]. Imogen kicked herself mentally over that diverging thought before bringing her attention back to the current game of wits.

There was a little glint in her eyes as she let an innocuous memory of seeing herself in the mirror, naked, flow from her mind and into June’s. The vision showed Imogen standing before a steamy full length mirror, her skin glistening and flushed from a hot shower. Drips of water fell from her damp hair, trailed down the valley between her breasts, and slipped into her navel. One foot was propped up on the edge of a bathtub as she used a towel to dry off, rubbing the fabric against her abdomen and down along her thigh. [color=a8f9ff]"Should I continue?"[/color] she asked, her smile nearly stretching from ear to ear. 

Flushed, damp skin, steam rolling into the cool air in soft waves, the temperature change clearly affecting her— [color=375a87][i]"Imogen!"[/i][/color] June’s voice was strangled and shrill, little more than a whisper as she slapped her free hand over her eyes, as if that could stop the sudden vision from overwriting everything else she had been thinking about. The muscles in her abdomen tightened, a fierce blush rising up her cheeks. No amount of alcohol would cleanse that image, it was going to be stuck in her head for days, but she wouldn’t be the only one walking away with imagery that was going to haunt them in more ways than one. 

She shoved a memory of [i]Jim[/i] to the forefront of her mind, his sleeves pushed up his arms as he leaned over a desk, an expression of intense focus set upon his features as he stared at something on one of the screens. The memory rippled, distorting at the edges, more fantasy than reality. She’d imagined it before, his hand curled around her hair at the base of her neck, the soft noises he’d make, how his dark eyes would be focused on [i]her[/i] alone as she showed him there were more interesting things than computers and AI. She would drag the experience out, until his hands trembled and he [i]begged.[/i]

Juniper grinned at Imogen, all smug satisfaction. 

At first the blonde laughed at June’s freak out and little scream. She was half surprised that she didn’t get slapped for her little stunt. It would have been worth it. In the end, it was all in good fun and lightened their moods… In a kind of fucked up way. There was a moment where Imogen thought that was the end until images of Jim flooded June’s mind once again. At first it was nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe a little too focused on his scrawny forearms but he was hunched over a desk like he normally was most of the day. Then the scene shifted, taking the hazy glow of a less solidified thought, more like a dream for fantasy. The second she heard a noise that she never [i]ever[/i] wanted to hear within a mile of her brother, Imogen immediately flipped the switch, shutting off her telepathy. It was only then that she noticed how truly quiet and tense the lobby was. 

[color=a8f9ff]"That’s cheating,"[/color] Imogen said, wagging her index finger at June with a disapproving shake of her head. She turned her attention to Magni, lightly slapping his chest in a playful manner. [color=a8f9ff]"Do me a favor, handsome. Think of me pornographically again so I don’t have to throw myself off the top floor of the tower. [i]Please?[/i]"[/color] While there was some sarcasm in her tone, there was also a desperation to think of literally [i]anything[/i] else. Visions of Magni fucking her across half of the academy was pure cinema compared to that nightmare.

June rolled her eyes with a playful grin, jabbing herself in her chest with her pointer finger, shoving the bottle into Magni’s hands. He could probably finish it and not feel a single thing, damn Asgardian’s. [color=375a87]"Batman,"[/color] She said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the room. [color=375a87]"We don’t fight fair, in fact I don’t think the word [i]fair[/i] is even in my family's vocabulary."[/color] 

Imogen shook her head back and forth in a mocking manner. [color=a8f9ff]"Call me old fashioned,"[/color] she conceded with a sigh and an involuntary twitch of her eye. She plucked the bottle from Magni’s hand before he got a chance to take a drink. Whether or not it was smart for her to have another drink at that point was irrelevant. A manicured nail flicked off the cap and brought the bottle back to her lips. She chugged an ill advised amount of liquor before handing the vodka back to mister tall, beefy, and blond. There was enough of the transparent alcohol to let the Asgardian get a few good sips before the container was officially drained of every drop. 

Her eyes flitted around the room, taking in the many tense and waiting faces. It was only because of the vodka that she’d managed to lighten up, which was probably for the best. Jim had made things undoubtedly tense, the blonde woman with the sheer top on one of the couches tensed when he started blabbing names and she hadn’t relaxed yet. The sooner this all started, the better. [color=375a87]"You might want to finish that bottle and pitch it before Phil gets back, Magni. He gets fussy about his liquor, I’ll have to buy him something to make up for it…"[/color]

Back outside the tower, in the chill of the evening breeze, Myla remained quiet and stoic. She let Theo pull her in closer without a fight. In the tense silence, she brought her knees to her chest, resting the heels of her feet against the rough edge of the concrete garden wall. Her arms wrapped around her legs, pinning her batons between her thighs and chest as she rested her head on her bent knees. Curls fell from behind her ears, hiding her face behind a curtain of brunette hair. Her grasp on the metal bat tightened, digging the sharp points of the wings into her palm to the point it might have drawn blood. She didn’t know… Nor did she care.

Myla sighed. [color=962929]"I don’t belong here,"[/color] she finally spoke up. Her voice was muffled by the cocoon of her body and full of doubt. [color=962929]"Batman, Iron Man… a [i]God[/i],"[/color] she repeated his words back to him. [color=962929]"... Spider-Man,"[/color] she added softly, hinting at his dad… At him. [color=962929]"This isn’t my world. This is [i]yours.[/i]"[/color]

She slowly lifted her head from her knees and pulled off her sunglasses with her free hand. The earpiece was clenched in her last three fingers as her thumb and index finger pinched the bridge of her nose. [color=962929]"A blind woman with heightened senses does [i]not[/i] belong in a room with [i]super[/i]heroes. I have nothing to offer."[/color] She wasn’t seeking pity or reassurances. The facts were all there, laid out plain as day. Everyone in that tower could obliterate her in a second without breaking a sweat, including Theo. And [i]maybe[/i] June and Jim were normal people under their billions and gadgets, but she couldn’t even meet them on that field either. Myla wasn’t a stranger when it came to her utility and mortality, she was reminded of it almost daily fighting alongside Theo, but among people like that… She was just a liability. If they were trying to make some sort of team, the last thing they needed was her.

His eyes felt warm, and his arm reflexively tightened around Myla’s shoulders. Theodore suddenly felt like she’d already left, like she had one foot out the door this whole time and had been waiting for a chance to slip away. What could he do to change her mind? What could he say that would make her pause? He didn’t let go, refused to let his arm move even an inch. 

[color=feffb5]"Do you remember that time in East Village when that guy had a gun to my head?"[/color] His voice was soft, little more than a whisper. His eyes had slipped shut, and his arm relaxed some around her shoulders. [color=feffb5]"I think about it all the time, I thought I was done for, I could [i]hear[/i] him squeezing the trigger, but then you were there. You knocked the gun out of his hand, [i]you[/i] saved my life."[/color]

Theo stood up, turning so he was facing her fully, one hand curling around her shoulder, the other catching her chin between his calloused fingers. Theo tilted her head up, so he could look into her eyes even if she couldn’t look into his. [color=feffb5]"I never asked to be Spider-Man, I never asked for these powers. The only reason I am who I am is because some random bug bit my dad when he was our age, and that changed everything. He was just a normal kid, he didn’t want to be a hero."[/color] 

He leaned closer, until their noses were almost touching, his words just a breath across her skin. He needed her to hear him more than he’d ever needed anything before, needed her to [i]listen[/i] and understand what he was saying. Because without Myla, without Hell’s Angel, Redback wouldn’t be at this tower today. 

[color=feffb5]"With great power comes great responsibility. Just because you don’t have powers like me, just because you don’t have money like them, doesn’t mean you aren't a [i]superhero[/i] and it doesn’t mean you haven’t chosen to shoulder this responsibility too. You’ve saved countless lives, and Myla I believe… I believe there’s a hero in all of us, even if we didn’t ask for it. There is something in each of them, in me, and in [i]you[/i] that makes us stand up and fight back even when it seems impossible to win."[/color] He could feel tears gathering in the corners of his eyes, his throat tightening up as he spoke. It would be so much easier to just be normal people, to take her away from all of this, to live their lives outside of this fucking mess. But were they the kind of people to choose the easy way out? Theo didn’t think he was, and he didn’t believe Myla was either. 

[color=feffb5]"This [i]is[/i] your world,"[/color] he squeezed her shoulder, a gentle reminder that he was there with her, no matter what she chose. If this was his world, then she belonged in it. [color=feffb5]"You won’t be able to convince me that you aren’t part of this."[/color]

She blinked slowly. Cloudy eyes flicked around like she was searching to see his face through a thick fog, but it was only an empty void of nothing. Myla didn’t move, didn’t speak. She listened as he fought so hard to prove how she belonged there. But he only managed to name one time she saved him versus the countless times he protected her. One victory didn’t tip the scales. She wanted to be swayed by his valiant effort. She believed that he saw the truth in his words and that he was genuine. She just didn’t agree.

Myla was as stubborn as a bronco that refused to be broken. When she set her mind to something it was nigh impossible to convince her otherwise. Not even the closeness of his face or the warmth of his words tickling her skin was enough to make her falter. Even if it made her cheeks flush and her breath seize in her chest. It only made her feel more guilty that she was incapable of seeing herself the way Theo saw her.

[color=962929]"Ok,"[/color] she conceded barely above a whisper, letting her breath mix with his in the small amount of space between them. She let him win. She refused to break his heart with the dark truth that festered inside her. Myla would let him have that one white lie. If only to calm his panicked mind and stop the tears that formed in his eyes. But she wouldn’t let him die to protect her if it came to that. He could do more good for this world than she ever hoped to accomplish. So if her goal was playing along just to keep from doing something stupid and to keep him alive, then that was enough for her.

She didn’t believe him, he could tell from the inflection in her voice, and Theo didn’t know how to feel. Part of him was hurt by it, he’d practically poured his heart out for her, tried to make her see from his point of view, to understand why he fully believed she belonged here too, but it hadn’t mattered. Theo let out a soft sigh, his hand dropping from her chin. 

He didn’t understand why she was agreeing, women were so [i]confusing[/i] but he knew that she was stubborn, it was nothing new, he’d just hoped…[color=feffb5]"Ok,"[/color] he said, stepping away fully. He shoved the sleeves of his sweater back up from where they’d fallen around his arms, paused to consider it, and then moved to pull the sweater off. It would leave him in a white T-shirt that hugged the muscles of his biceps. [color=feffb5]"I understand."[/color] 

Myla could immediately tell her white lie fell dead on the ground between them. She was never good at lying, especially not to him. Her heart sank when Theo pulled away his hand. She hadn’t been cold the entire time she was outside, but his defeated [i]‘ok’[/i] and the way he retreated ripped away whatever warmth she had. He was the sun and her own stubborn fatalism cast a shadow between them. Her bare feet slipped from the garden wall’s edge back to the ground as she stood abruptly, seeking to close the space between them. Everything she was holding fell from her grasp and scattered across the walkway, but she didn’t care. 

[color=962929]"I’m sorry,"[/color] she whispered, pleading. Her eyes were closed as she grabbed a hold of his shirt in both palms and lightly bumped her knuckles against his abdomen. Myla didn’t want to hurt him. That was the last thing she wanted. She broke it, the meaning behind his kind words, the comfort in his trust, his spirit… And she desperately needed to mend it.

[color=962929]"I love the way you see me,"[/color] the words slipped out, nearly catching in her throat at the heaviness. She didn’t mean [i]that[/i] word… Or maybe she did. Either way it filled the air between them and Myla wasn’t going to take it back. [color=962929]"I [i]wish[/i] I could see myself in the same light you do. I just…"[/color] her voice trailed off as she tried to find the words to say what she meant, but her head was an indiscernible cluster of emotions and thoughts she could barely sift through. He held her on a pedestal. It felt impossible to live up to the image he painted of her but she’d try if it kept him from pulling away again.

[color=962929]"I’ll do whatever you want. If you want me to stay and fight, I will. If you want to go back to Manhattan and the lives we had before, I’ll do that too."[/color] A sad, defeated laugh escaped her lips as they pulled into an apologetic, heart breaking smile. [color=962929]"We can run away and hide in the mountains if that’s what you want,"[/color] she added barely above a whisper. It didn’t matter, she just wanted to erase the sadness she caused him and make him the same happy and optimistic person he always was. He shouldn’t have to suffer at the hands of her dark thoughts like she did.

[color=feffb5]"Myla…"[/color] Theo’s eyes widened, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. There was an emotion he couldn’t quite place stirring in his chest as her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt and pressed into the muscles of his stomach, he could feel his abdomen tighten in response, a thrill rolling down his spine at having her so close. [color=feffb5]"I already told you, I’ll go wherever you go. I’m not leaving you, not for anything. I just… I don’t think you could forgive yourself if you walked away now, some part of you would always regret it."[/color]

Before he could stop himself, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was brief, just a fleeting flutter of his lips brushing over her forehead. It felt right though, natural in a way that made Theodore feel unsteady. [color=feffb5]"I won’t let you regret anything, if I can help it. So I can’t let you walk away yet, not until we understand what’s going on."[/color]

The old stirrings in her stomach and pinkness of her cheeks that the Stark had stolen away return when Theo’s arms immediately wrapped around her and pulled her in close. Myla inhaled softly when she felt the foreign softness and warmth of his lips pressed against her forehead. Her eyes closed as her head leaned into the touch. [color=962929]"I know,"[/color] she said, forcing herself to speak. [color=962929]"You’re right…"[/color] Her voice trailed off. 

She didn’t know what else she could say. The world was going to shit without heroes and the two of them were barely keeping a hold on things in Manhattan already. Each day was only getting worse. They could hardly make it through a night without gaining more injuries and more close calls with death. Myla had lost count of the number of times they had been at the wrong end of a gun or they weren’t fast enough to help someone in need. Their efficiency was waning. How much longer before it claimed their lives too?

Theo pulled back some, his arms still securely around her, but he smiled down at her, all soft affection and understanding. He wished she could see his face, maybe then she’d understand the true depth of how he felt right now. [color=feffb5]"If you want to run away and live like hermits after we know what they want, then we will. You have to decide this, though. I can’t make this choice for you Angel, but I’ll be there either way."[/color]

Looking down at her, feeling her warmth with how close they were now, the strangest thought crossed Theodore’s mind. His eyes strayed lower, hovering on her lips for a split second, before warmth flooded his cheeks and he looked away. Now wasn’t the time for such a ridiculous thought. 

Myla focused on the heightened silence between them as she felt his eyes on her like a phantom touch that grazed the vellus hairs along her skin. She could feel his heart racing through her hands that were still pressed to his chest and hear the way it made his soft breaths stutter. In that moment, she wished she could peek into his mind and hear his thoughts. A sigh escaped her lips, her own nerves threatening to match his. 

[color=962929]"We both know you couldn’t be a hermit while the world was burning,"[/color] she filled the silence when their faces grew dangerously close. Myla’s knuckles lightly bumped against his chest a second time before she released her grip on his shirt. It was one of the many things she lo—[i]liked[/i] about him… His inability to turn away when he was needed. It was also one of the things that terrified her. How much could Theo give until it was too much? She shook the thought off, not letting her mind wander to that dark, scary place. Thoughts like that made her a dangerous person, someone that even she didn’t recognize. 

Myla slowly pulled away from his embrace, sacrificing the comfort, safety, and warmth of his embrace to try and compose herself. She rubbed her arm at the sudden chill of his absence. Her bare feet lightly slapped against the concrete as she wandered after a stray baton that rolled several feet away. She slowly leaned over, wrapped her fingers around the piece of wood, and ran her thumb along the etched runes with a soft sigh. When she returned back to him, she crouched down, collected her discarded items and put back on her sunglasses. 

Feeling Myla slip from his arms was reminiscent to a punch to the gut, and for a moment he just watched her go. That strange feeling that had been building in his chest was stronger than ever, heavy like a steel beam he was trying to hold up. Theo watched her rub at her arms before she went to collect her discarded things, trying not to laugh because Myla was so fast to throw everything on the ground, and stepped toward her so he could start to pluck everything she’d picked up from her arms. 

[color=feffb5]"Put this on before you catch a cold,"[/color] he was trying to distract himself from how having her so close left him so flustered, the thought of how her lips would feel pressed against his own still fresh in his mind's eye. [color=feffb5]"And for the record, if it came between you or the world burning…"[/color]

Theodore laughed, but it sounded sort of strangled. He glanced down at her purse that he was holding again, and her batons, and shrugged before shoving them into the bag. That’s what it was for, right? Or did she have snacks in it, he was actually pretty hungry. [color=feffb5]"I’m only one guy, and my bucket isn’t big enough. Sometimes, you have to prioritize."[/color]

[color=962929]"I’m fine—"[/color] Myla started to argue against the sweater, even though her hands were already dipping into the sleeves when his words finally hit her like a ton of bricks dumped on her chest. Her head snapped up to face him in a way that was eerily like she could see him, if only for a passing moment. [color=962929]"...What?"[/color] she asked so quietly that her words slipped away in the wind. Her life was not worth the rest of the world, yet she didn’t doubt Theo’s words or meaning for a single moment. She wanted to tell him not to think so rash, but she also knew nothing she said could sway him. And while she should have been chastising him for thinking in such a way, her heartbeat was in her throat and her entire body, down the tips of her toes on the cold concrete, felt like it was on fire. 

She wasn’t entirely sure what came over her. Maybe it was the cacophony of emotions and thoughts that spiraled in her head. Maybe it was the way her stomach couldn’t stop twisting and turning in Theo’s presence… Or maybe it was simply because he confessed to letting everything burn… [i]for her.[/i] But whatever caution and logic that usually guided her actions was a quiet murmur shoved to the back of her mind. 

Myla took a step toward him, closing whatever space remained between them. She reached up and cupped the sides of his jaw in her warm, trembling palms. The tips of her fingers dipped into his hair while her thumbs rested before his ears. The sweater hadn’t even made it over her head, the sleeves bunched along her forearms, and the bulk of it hung between her elbows. Her chest lightly brushed against his as she shifted her weight to the tip of her toes. She gently guided Theo’s head towards her, making him travel the remaining distance until her lips pressed against his without a breath of hesitation. 

His arms opened automatically to accept her embrace, head tilting down so he could look at her, but then her hands were cupping his face, the tremor of her fingers as they slipped between the strands of his hair making his stomach jump and lurch. Theo didn’t pull back as his left arm curled around her waist, pulling her flush against his body, the fingers of his right hand catching around the nape of her neck, thumb sweeping over her cheek. 

Her bag and belongings clattered to the ground once more, and maybe that’s where they just belonged. 

Myla tasted like mint and cinnamon, she was all he could smell, hear, [i]feel.[/i] Theodore pressed into her lips gently at first, as if he was scared he would break her. She felt so delicate in his arms, he couldn’t think about anything other than her warmth. Her lips were soft against his own, and the amount of times he’d pictured this moment couldn’t compare to how it actually felt. 

He hesitated for only a second before deepening the kiss, the gentleness falling away as a fervent sort of desperation reared up inside of him. He could feel how her heart was hammering in her chest through the swell of her breasts as they pressed against him, and Theo kissed her like she was the answer to every prayer he’d ever uttered, as if the taste of her lips needed to be imprinted into his memory, and he only pulled back when his lungs began to burn for oxygen. 

Theo’s lips were a tender embrace that melted away the rest of the world and all of her worries, if only for a second or two. The kiss was affectionate in a way that expressed their innermost feelings where all words failed. At first he was careful like she was made of glass and one wrong move would shatter her into millions of pieces. But it only lasted a few seconds in that delicate balance before his arms pulled her closer, nearly lifting Myla off the ground. His mouth pressed deeper into hers, passionate and hungry. His lips tasted like the first glimpse of sunlight over the dark clouds of a thunderstorm, his warmth radiant, drawing her in like a moth to a flame. He was the summer to her winter, the sun in her endless night.

When Theo pulled away her body followed, leaning in further until she had no choice but to sever her lips from his. Their heavy breaths mixed in a cloud of hot air in the small expanse between their mouths. Her lips tingled from the prickles of his scruffy 5 o’clock shadow. Myla’s fingers slowly detangled from his hair as her hands slid down to rest against his chest. [color=962929]"You can’t say shit like that—"[/color] her right hand lightly bumped his chest for emphasis [color=962929]"—And not expect a girl to swoon,"[/color] she chastised him with a playful levity.

Whatever heaviness had weighed on her not a moment before washed away in the hurricane of a kiss that was long overdue. A weightless smile spread across her burgundy smudged lips. Her hand subconsciously found his jaw and the tip of her thumb lightly ran along his bottom lip in a way she imagined someone’s eyes traced another’s mouth, desperate for a second kiss. Myla wanted to do it again, but also knew it was bad enough that she did it in the first place. Their current situation wasn’t the best circumstance to explore whatever pent up feelings she had been repressing.

Reluctantly, she pried herself from his arms, dazed and a bit dizzy from her own impulsiveness. After finding her bearings, she finally pulled Theo’s sweater over her head. Although, to be honest, Myla went from being chilled to wanting to peel off half of her clothing just to feel the cool breeze on her skin. The knitted fabric was thick and hot, but when she moved her head just right it smelled like him: rain, leather, and lavender. 

Fuck, he wanted to kiss her again. His eyes were wide as he looked down at her, breathing too hard and too fast for the kiss they’d just shared. A small, proud sort of smile tugged his lips upwards. He’d made her [i]swoon?[/i] Well, today was turning out to be pretty damn good. [color=feffb5]"I don’t think that’s the warning you think it is."[/color]

Myla’s cheeks flushed to a red that nearly matched her smudged lipstick. She turned her head away slightly, but was unable to wipe the smile that continued to grow across her face. The tips of her fingers, barely visible beneath the cuff of his sweater, gently grabbed his upper arm to brace herself as she stepped back into her heels. His bicep was strong and firm under her touch like the contact made him tense or he was steeling himself to support her, maybe both. Her already racing heart fluttered as her mind wondered about… [i]No. Stop that,[/i] she told herself as she tried to shake off the thoughts. Myla was already kicking herself for getting swept up in her emotions once already, she needed to rein herself in and focus.

Heat was crawling up the back of his neck, spreading across his cheeks. Theo had to clench his hands into fists to stop himself from reaching out to pull her back to him, desperate to feel how her body pressed against his own like a missing puzzle piece. Instead, he bent down to pick up all her stuff [i]again.[/i] He didn’t feel too bad about dropping it all this time, he'd have thrown it across the yard as hard as he could if it meant she’d kiss him again. 

Uncompromised in his masculinity, he put the purse over his shoulder and stepped toward Myla once she’d gotten the sweater on fully. He was gentle as he helped tug the hair that had been caught beneath the fabric free, his fingers ghosting along the side of her neck. Theo liked how she looked with his sweater on, though it was too big for her and she was practically swimming in the fabric. His voice came out huskier than he’d meant it to when he spoke next, hands lingering on her skin. [color=feffb5]"You’re lucky I have good self control, Angel."[/color]

Because if he hadn’t, he’d still be kissing her, everything else be damned. Theo was going to be riding the high of feeling her lips pressed against his own for a [i]long[/i] time.

Myla tucked her bottom lip behind her teeth, attempting to bite back the sheepish grin that threatened to grow. [color=962929]"More self control than me, apparently,"[/color] she replied quietly, laughing at her own inability to remain [i]professional[/i] given their current situation. At least one of them had a handle on their emotions, she just never thought it would be Theo who had shit under more control. Crazy times. 

Remembering she had been wearing lipstick, Myla slid up the baggy sleeve of the sweater to reveal her own shirt beneath it. She tugged the sleeve over the heel of her hand and wiped the fabric across her mouth, trying her best to remove any smudged make up. [color=962929]"Sorry, I don’t have a mirror,"[/color] she laughed softly as she took a step toward him. [color=962929]"Let’s not give Tony Stark Jr. another reason to be a dick,"[/color] she added barely above a whisper as her left hand lightly cupped Theo’s jaw under his chin. She slowly used her sleeve to wipe any lipstick from his mouth. There was no way for her to know if there was anything there or if she made it better… [i]or worse.[/i] But she tried.

[color=feffb5]"I couldn’t care less what he thinks,"[/color] Theo muttered, raising his own hand to swipe at a small bit of the lipstick that had smudged just under her lip. Would it be wrong to kiss her again? She was sort of in the perfect kissing position, could she blame him if the temptation was so strong? He instinctively leaned in, and then caught himself before he could press their lips together. [color=feffb5]"...We should go inside soon, or I’ll kiss you again."[/color] 

Theo took a semi-large step away from Myla, grinning to himself as he rubbed a hand over his own lips in an aggressive manner to try to erase any evidence of their kiss. He didn’t want to, though. He was practically walking on cloud nine, it all felt unreal. How was he supposed to go back in there and pretend none of this had just happened? Though…why had it happened, exactly? 

Did Myla…like him? It hadn’t just been because it had been an emotionally charged moment, or had it? Damnit, now he was confusing himself. Maybe kissing her again was the answer, but that could come later. [color=feffb5]"Are you…feeling better now? I mean, after our talk and after Batgirl’s peptalk?"[/color]

Myla laughed softly as he took a step away like she had the plague or something. Her cheeks flushed a bit more at the mention of a second kiss. Maybe it was good that he put a little space between them… Even if she hated it all the same. She tucked loose curls behind her ear before taking a slow step toward him with her hands help up innocently. [color=962929]"I won’t [i]attack[/i] you again,"[/color] she muttered under her breath with a soft chuckle. [color=962929]"Just figured I could… Grab my purse."[/color] Her voice trailed off as her hands hesitantly reached up to grab a hold of the strap that rested on his shoulder. She swallowed a lump in her throat as the tips of her fingers brushed his arm as she slowly slipped it free. 

She then turned around and searched the soil in the garden behind where she sat earlier, looking for the bat distress button thing. It took her a little bit of time, running her fingers across the dirt, but eventually she felt the familiar prick of the wing and scooped it up. Myla slid it into her bag, then faced him once again with her purse white knuckled in her grasp. [color=962929]"I do feel better,"[/color] she admitted. [color=962929]"... But not from the talks."[/color] The confession fell from her lips before she was able to catch herself. She cleared her throat and awkwardly tapped her thumbs against the purse’s handle. 

Well, that filled him with entirely too much unwarranted confidence. Theo’s grin stretched, but he attempted to reign it in. If he’d known the secret to getting Myla in a good mood was to kiss her, he would have been doing it months ago. It wasn’t that she was always in a bad mood, more so that she seemed to have a perpetual rain cloud hanging over her head. He had to work for every smile, every laugh, and he loved it but he also wanted to see it more often. 

[color=feffb5]"Well, just let me know anytime you need extra cheering up."[/color] He said, the grin on his lips practically audible in his voice. Theo ran a hand through his hair to distract himself, ruffling his already wild fringe even further. He couldn’t wait to get a shower with some hot water, even if it was in a cheap motel. Anything would be better than the days of cold rivers. 

[color=feffb5]"Don’t think that I’ve forgotten that I haven’t seen you in a week. You’re going to have to tell me what you’ve been doing this whole time after we’re done with this weird meeting."[/color] Theo closed the distance between them again, but this time he let his left hand catch one of her own, giving it a soft and reassuring squeeze. 

Myla’s smile grew, a hint of white teeth flashing from behind her naked stained lips. Theo’s eagerness to kiss her again sent a nervous jolt up her back. If she had known he would have accepted her making a move so favorably, she might have been impulsive months ago. But, who was she kidding? She could sense he had those feelings for a while between the lingering touches, how excited he was for their meet ups, and the way his heart raced whenever he had to hold her to swing them through the streets of New York. She was more in denial about her own feelings than his… Part of her still was. Her own demons loomed overhead threatening to ruin any speck of light she found and Theo was the sun. 

She had a habit of ruining most things in her life. Her lifestyle stripped everything from her… Her job, home, friends… love. Myla had accepted her loneliness, just like her dad had. Redback was a friend she cherished deeply, but she knew that someday, somehow it’d slip through her fingers like everything else. But now he wasn’t just Redback, he was Theo. Knowing the person behind the mask made him more tangible, more real. Her feelings multiplied in a matter of minutes, and that terrified her. It felt like his happiness now rested on her shoulders and she couldn’t even manage her own. She was so… mortal compared to him, with her life on a trainwreck of a downward spiral. If she was smart, she would have kept him at an arm’s length and let him find solace in another’s company.

Kissing him was selfish and she shouldn’t have done it. Her mind kept screaming it on repeat. Yet when Theo’s had squeezed hers, Myla let her fingers slip between his once again, nestling into his grasp like that’s where they belonged.

[i]Fuck. What was she doing?[/i]

[color=962929]"Preparing mostly,"[/color] she finally replied. Not a shred of the turmoil in her mind visible across her face as she smiled, genuinely, clinging greedily to her moment of brief happiness before it faded away. [color=962929]"I had like twenty back up plans if this went south,"[/color] Myla confessed with a chuckle.

Myla hadn’t pulled away from his hand, hadn’t hesitated for even a second to slip her fingers between his, and it felt too much like a piece of himself clicking into place when she did it. A tenseness he hadn’t even recognized drained from his shoulders, his smile turning into something a little softer, a little sweeter. Theo reminded himself for what felt like the hundredth time that she was here, safe and beside him, and the knot of tension that was sitting between his shoulder blades eased. 

[color=feffb5]"Back up plans,"[/color] his tone gave away his own thought process on the ordeal, a little bashful now. [color=feffb5]"Oh, yeah. I totally had back up plans too, like… So many of them."[/color]

Actually, he hadn’t had a single one. It was either he was going to get answers, or he was going to get killed. Theodore had been startled at first by how little he cared about the latter option, death was something that had been looming over his head ever since his dad vanished. Nothing and nowhere felt safe anymore, if it had been a trap it wouldn’t have mattered how he felt about it all. 

[color=feffb5]"We’ll have to uh, share our backup plans after this weird meeting. For scientific purposes, though you should share yours first."[/color] He tugged her gently toward the tower’s entrance once more, his thumb absentmindedly sweeping across her knuckles. 

Myla laughed softly, knowing full well that he was lying through his teeth. He often did that whenever he wanted to appear smarter, or just make her laugh. Usually the latter. She wasn’t dying to step back into the tower, but she let Theo tug her along regardless. With every step she took a fraction of her smile faded away and the knot of dread twisted tighter in her stomach. She would have preferred to remain in their own little bubble rather than go back inside. But she promised she would see it through. 

[color=962929]"That’s not some innuendo is it?"[/color] she teased Theo quietly. It wasn’t until the words left her mouth that the full implication of her joke set in and the warm flush climbed up her cheeks again. She cleared her throat and turned her head away slightly. She didn’t know why she said that. Maybe to lighten the shadow that was clouding her mind and weighing on her conscience. It was almost like she was trying to cling to the last few seconds of their moment before it slipped away when they stepped through the doors. 

Theo couldn’t help the abrupt and sharp laugh that snapped out of him, his fading smile reappearing almost instantly. He hadn’t been expecting the joke, it came so far out of left field that it could have been a baseball that hit him in the eye. [color=feffb5]"Well, that depends on if you want it to be an innuendo."[/color] 

Her eyes widened as she bit on the inside of her cheek. Myla was surprised enough at her own joke, but Theo’s response caught her off guard, making her heart skip a beat and her hand subconsciously twitch against his. She tried to think of a sarcastic response to play it off, but her attention drifted to the farthest recesses of her mind. Thoughts of another stolen kiss, wandering calloused hands… [i]Jesus Christ, Myla,[/i] she scolded herself. Her palm started to sweat against his as she struggled to find something to say to fill the silence. [color=962929]"Now’s not the time,"[/color] was all she could bring herself to say under her breath. It wasn’t a yes… but it wasn’t a no either.

[color=feffb5]"Later then,"[/color] Theo chuckled, feeling it was a fair stance on her part but still a little disappointed. Maybe if he threw her purse into the fountain…no, that would just get him a black eye, probably. [color=feffb5]"Noted, Angel."[/color]

He paused just outside the doors, noticing how fast Alfred had worked to clean up the space. No glass crunched underfoot now, it made their soon to be entrance much quieter than it had been before. He found himself pulling her a little closer to his side, until her warmth radiated against him. No matter where things went from there, he was happy she was by his side. They’d been working together so often lately when Myla wasn’t there he felt off kilter, like he had a blind side that only she could fill. That…wasn’t even a pun, she was always there when he needed her and vice versa. 

[color=feffb5]"I’m really glad you’re here. "[/color] He blurted out the words before he could stop himself, heat crawling up the back of his neck like a damn spider. [color=feffb5]"I’m serious, Myla. You’re the only one I…I missed you."[/color]

Myla’s heart sank when they hesitated, the uncertainty one pane of glass away. The smile had fallen from her face, replaced with her emotionless stoicism. She let herself be tugged in closer to Theo, quietly reveling in the comfort of his presence and warmth. The dying flutter in her stomach returned like a whirlwind, spinning at the unfinished thought he nearly confessed. She didn’t ask, even if the curiosity would nag at the back of her mind for the entirety of the coming conversations. Her thumb lightly stroked the side of his hand. [color=962929]"I missed you too,"[/color] she confessed quietly, as if speaking too loud would make it all shatter and come crumbling down. 

She sighed softly then reached out with her other hand to pull open the door. Whatever fleeting happiness Myla might have found beyond the tower hit an invisible wall, refusing to cross the threshold into the lobby. She said nothing as she guided them both back through the growing congregation. As she passed them by, she noted two more that joined at some point during her borderline panic attack. One smelled like vanilla and roses, while the other carried a faint metallic scent of coagulated blood.

Before taking her seat, she tenderly pulled her hand from Theo’s wanting to present herself as strong and not dependent on another person for safety or support. She tried to gather her courage as she slowly turned to face everyone in the room. She hated public speaking. No matter how many courtrooms she stood in, Myla was never fully able to master the rise of anxiety and the tremble in her hands that came from standing before a room of people. Her fingers toyed at the cuff of the sweater as she cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention.

[color=962929]"I want to set the record straight… Since I was [i]unwillingly[/i] exposed."[/color] Myla forced herself to stop fidgeting and dropped her hands to her sides. [color=962929]"My name is Myla Murdock. I’m also known as Hell’s Angel… A no name vigilante from Hell’s Kitchen. I’m sure most of you haven’t heard of me. My father, Matthew Murdock, is…"[/color] Her voice trailed off as a reluctant lump formed in her throat. She tried to swallow it down and push onward. [color=962929]"[i]Was[/i] Daredevil. He’s been missing for over a year. I answered the signal because I thought… [i]maybe[/i] it was him. Obviously I was wrong."[/color]

Myla turned her attention directly toward Jim for a long silent moment. [color=962929]"My secret identity [i]isn’t[/i] to protect me. I don’t care if people know who I am. It’s to protect my loved ones from the consequences of my actions,"[/color] she clarified, in case someone like him couldn’t grasp the concept. [color=962929]"But if something happens to someone I love because of [i]your[/i] loose lips—"[/color] her mom, Uncle Foggy… [i]Theo,[/i] [color=962929]"—I’ll fucking kill you,"[/color] she whispered the threat like the slow release of venom. Each word was the sharp prick of her fangs digging in deeper. It wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. God be damned and take her soul straight to hell for all she cared. Without another word, Myla slowly returned to her seat on the sofa and let her head fall slightly to hopefully turn attention away from her as soon as possible. 

Theodore’s hands had slipped into his pockets as Myla pulled away, making no move to reclaim her hand, though there was an air of faint smugness about him as he watched her give a threatening speech all while wearing his sweater. The sight alone made him feel a little too hot below the belt, mouth going dry as he realized Myla was [i]scary[/i] and that was fucking hot. He cleared his throat, trying to steady his sudden indecent thoughts. 

[color=feffb5]"For the record, no one ever knew to connect the name [i]Parker[/i] with [i]Spider-Man[/i] so I’m not really sure what you were looking to accomplish."[/color] His eyes flickered to Jim, unwillingly parting with his view of Myla. He’d tried to work out why he’d done it, what he could have gained from it, but hadn’t been able to sort it out. Was it just first meeting jitters? Or was the man just an asshole? Hard to tell. [color=feffb5]"Obviously I don’t have to worry about anything happening to my dad, but I still have my mother and I intend to protect her as long as I’m able to. Blabbing my name doesn’t really help with that, so let’s jot that down for the future."[/color]

He followed Myla to the couch without another word, turning his back pointedly on Jim. It was a shitty way to make connections, and the entire thing left a bitter taste in Theo’s mouth as he remembered how she’d gone rigid and cold with fear beside him. That wasn’t something he could forgive easily. 

Once Myla felt like eyes were off her, she let herself relax, if only slightly. She crossed her right leg over her left and sunk back into the leather cushions, a little less concerned with her usual pristine presentation. Her hand, with an almost subconscious magnetism, slipped beneath Theo’s arm and into his lap, seeking his own hand. Regardless if she looked a little more at ease, she still sought the comfort and safety that came from his touch. She had her moment of angered bravery. If possible, she wanted to slip into the background and silently observe.

Their hands clicked together in a way that felt too practiced and natural for this being like, the third time they’d held hands. Theo realized, with a jolt of clarity, that he had never felt so whole and secure like he did with Myla. It was a strange feeling, foreign and confusing, but he didn’t shy away from it fully. It was something he’d have to think about, the uncertainty that she felt the same was all consuming, but it was a start.[/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[center][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img]
[color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] magni [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] jim & everyone else in the lobby [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] [@Sleepy Tani][/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]