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[color=cb6b06][b]#cb6b06[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=d13b00][b]#d13b00[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]ghost rider[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/w58Ii65][color=808080][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080][b]his penthouse[/b][/color]
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[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]James was in no hurry to get up and rush for the apartment kiosk thing. He wasn’t picky when it came to a place to sleep. Anything was better than roach motels or leaning against his motorcycle in the desert. The others could fight over which one was [i]aesthetically[/i] up to their standards and bullshit. He was tempted to sink back into the warm, soft hug of the leather cushions but a nudge from Aria jarred him from his sleepy haze. He yawned, watching her hop to her feet like her little power nap was ten hours of sleep. 

[color=00674f]"I’m going to pick a…house…thingy. Then I’m going to sleep for fifteen hours, see you in the morning Judge, James."[/color]

[color=cb6b06]"[i]Hmm?[/i]"[/color] He forced his half lidded eyes open enough to look up at her. [color=cb6b06]"Yep. Ditto."[/color]

There was a strong possibility he wasn’t going to be able to pull himself up from the couch. The cushions felt like they were swallowing him and who was he to deny comfort? But as the weight of sleep hung from his eyelids like cinderblocks, the spirit shifted restlessly in the back of his mind, snapping his eyes open. An unknown blonde who was [i]not[/i] present during the meeting strolled out of an elevator into the lobby. James watched her as she introduced herself as a [i]former[/i] cat burglar. That must have been it. He eased back into his seat slightly, but his gaze remained trained on her. 

[color=d13b00][i]That one carries a lot of guilt,[/i][/color] the spirit whispered in his ear, tentatively observing through his eyes.

James moved his elbow to the armrest, resting his chin along the curve of his thumb, masking his mouth behind a half closed fist. [color=cb6b06]"That doesn’t mean anything,"[/color] he whispered into his hand, low enough for no one to hear. He might have told them he was possessed, but that didn’t prepare people for when he started talking to himself. Plus, he didn’t want to set off any alarms… Not yet anyway.

[color=d13b00][i]When is the last time you felt guilty for doing something good?[/i][/color]

He didn’t say anything in response. The spirit wasn’t wrong but he didn’t like the implication either. So far everyone there had seemed decent and ticked the boxes. Even the overly tatted son of Magneto didn’t trigger any alarms. If Aria and Tobias didn’t stir the spirit, then why did she? Unfortunately James was [i]not[/i] Imogen, so he couldn’t read her mind to try and find out. But if he was a betting man, he’d think Theo had something to do with it based on the pure rage that radiated from him.

Once he was out the door after Myla, the woman—Ronnie—set her sights on Aria. James adjusted in his seat as he watched her and another blonde close in around her like vultures, picking at her like fresh prey. He grew uncomfortable watching but also had a strong urge to step in and push the other women away. He barely knew Aria and she wasn’t his to protect, but he still had the urge nonetheless. He rubbed the back of his neck and bounced his leg trying to distract himself. Occasionally he spared them a glance, but once he saw a triangle of shared kisses, he inhaled sharply and resolved not to look back. 

[color=cb6b06]"Yep, alright,"[/color] he muttered to himself as he slapped his thighs softly and prepared to stand. 

James barely got to his feet when Aria was back in front of him, but only to grab her things. She was grinning from ear to ear and gave him two thumbs up before throwing her bag over her shoulder. [color=00674f]"Change of plans, see you in the morning boys."[/color]

While she looked like a kid about to raid a candy store, James’s face contorted somewhere between confusion and slight concern. He took a step toward her, reaching for her arm. [color=cb6b06]"Aria—"[/color] She slipped out of reach, giddy with the prospect of [i]whatever[/i] sapphic daydreams she was about to fulfill in her penthouse. 

[color=d13b00][i]Looks like you missed your shot, Jamesie,[/i][/color] the spirit taunted him in the back of his mind like the weird tingle from a fever dream. 

[color=cb6b06]"It’s not like—"[/color] James sighed and rolled his eyes out of frustration. [color=cb6b06]"—[i]Shut up,[/i]"[/color] he grumped as he weaved through the group of people to head outside. He could worry about picking his penthouse later. Maybe by the time he got his bike into the garage it’d be a lot less crowded. 

James didn’t bother putting on his helmet, instead tucking it under one of his arms as he straddled his bike. He turned it on, revved it once, then followed the signs into the garage. The corners of his lips turn downward into that weird expression of being moderately impressed when the door automatically opened. As he slowly rolled inside he noticed one of the blondes that was, presumably, about to make her way up to Aria’s penthouse. The spirit stirred and at that point James couldn’t tell if it was something serious or his own paranoia. Rather than humor it, he shook his head and focused on parking in an empty spot next to a white EV Porsche. 

After cutting the engine and flipping down the kickstand, James intentionally took his time getting his shit together. He didn’t really want to ride the elevator with the woman, so he did whatever he could to outlast her in the garage. He left his helmet on the seat and crouched down beside the saddlebag off the side of his bike. It only took him unbuckling a couple straps then the bag slipped free from the motorcycle’s frame. He refastened them, creating a makeshift backpack and stood back up. By the time he adjusted the bag on his back the blonde was gone and he could stop stalling… [i]Thankfully.[/i]

When made his way back to the lobby, James was relieved to find that it was empty. He made his way over to the apartment catalogue and tapped the screen to illuminate it. He skimmed through the various layouts and styles pretty quickly, noting how even the more basic penthouses looked nicer than anywhere he’s ever slept in his life. He felt like there had to be some kind of catch… Getting a place like that for free? Well… there [i]was[/i] a catch. Superhero bullshit that would likely get him killed. But how was that any different from what he was doing before? 

Eventually he settled on some industrial looking apartment that was a little dark and moody, with a motorcycle chilling in the living room. James couldn’t help but wonder what superhero used to call that place theirs, who they were… And if they were single. An exhausted chuckle escaped his lips as he wandered back over to the elevator. He must have [i]really[/i] been tired. He never got delusional enough to even joke about dating unless hadn’t slept in over two days, skipped at least four meals, or lost more blood than he cared to count. It had been awhile since his shit got wrecked in a fight without the spirit popping in and he ate that morning, so it was definitely exhaustion. 

Luckily, his penthouse was on one of the lower floors, so he didn’t have to ride the elevator for too long. Although, honestly, that shit moved fast enough it could have been a rocket. Fucking Stark tech. James exited the lift into the foyer-like space of his apartment and whistled. Somehow it looked nicer than the pictures. But he could explore it… [i]later.[/i] He bee-lined for the spiral staircase and climbed it to the interior balcony.

As he made his way down the long catwalk hallway, he noticed the bed on the other end. His legs buckled at the sight and the wave of exhaustion slammed into him like a tsunami. James dropped his bag where he stood and kicked off a boot with each step. He barely managed to peel off his leather jacket before collapsing onto the mattress. He was laying diagonal and the wrong way, but not two minutes after he sank into the plush comfort he was out cold. 
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[color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] zaria [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] ronnie, theo, myla & jules[color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none[/color]
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