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[color=808080][color=a8f9ff]#a8f9ff[/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] prism [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/0198967d-1a17-74f6-8cfa-40da92e7e1c5.webp][color=808080]outfit[/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [color=00aeef]#00aeef[/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=808080]tights[/color] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [color=375a87]#375a87[/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] nightinggale [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/MeRueZX][color=808080]outfit[/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] imogen's penthouse[/color]
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[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]Everything was okay, until she was alone. Jim and her had gone their separate ways, the intention of sleeping on both their minds, time alone to process their conversation and the mutual feelings that had been shared. Everything felt heavier with each step she took though, she could hear her heartbeat echoing off her bones, and dread was rising up over her head like the swell of the tide. June stumbled, arm rising reflexively to press against the wall as she caught herself, eyes tracking the twitch of her fingers. There was dried blood beneath her nails, it didn’t matter that she’d taken two showers, she felt raw and dirty like an infected wound left to pulsate with rot and puss. 

Her breathing was picking up, her heart hammering in her chest, she couldn’t fill her lungs properly, her side ached with every breath. There was blood under her nails, the sight of it bringing back the memories of how she’d forced the man’s face beneath dirty rain water, how she’d felt the death rattle in his own lungs when he took his last breath. The world felt as if it was melting away, the hallway shrinking in on where she stood. She needed to get away, she needed to— June felt like she was suffocating, she was dying, surely she was dying. The panic clawed its way up her throat, wrapped around her larynx until not even a sob could break free. 

Where was she? Her senses felt as dull as a mistreated knife, the pain medication they’d given her making her feel slow, sluggish, she needed to leave. Her eyes snapped toward the end of the hallway, she’d gotten off the elevator? There was no exit sign, everything felt so far away. There was a panel on the side of the wall, it took a minute of June frantically prying at it, and then she was curled up at the end of a cold, dark vent. The stitches in her side ached, were they close to tearing? She’d felt his thumb tear through her skin, sinking into the hole, he’d been so desperate to live. 

She’d been desperate to die, hadn’t she? She twisted in on herself, pressing forward until her forehead was against the cool metal of the vent. Something in her side tugged painfully, and a sob that had been caught in her throat finally escaped. She sounded like a wounded animal, the noise reverberating around her. Had she really wanted to die? No, she’d just been tired, and scared, so scared. She hadn’t wanted to leave Jim, or Imogen, or her mom, but a thought lingered with all the sticky persistence of molasses. She wished she did not know that the definition of ending was synonymous with goodbye. 

Twenty six minutes, June spent twenty six minutes crouched in a vent, sweaty and shaking as the night played on repeat over and over. The darkness pressed in on her with the oppressive weight of a bullet cutting a hot trail into her side, like a dead man was blanketed over her, condemning her for her sins. She couldn’t tell anyone, she’d already told Imogen, she couldn’t breathe. It was a spiral, a broken cycle that went on and on. Juniper wasn’t made for this, she was an artist, not a murderer. She felt like her home had been caught up in a forest fire, but it was the next morning and all that was left was the smoke and the sun trying to shine through. 

Where was the sun? June crawled out of the vent, eyes heavy as she looked at the blood on the wall, she’d ripped a nail prying off the panel. It took her another ten minutes to put it back, hands slippery and shaking, time slipped through her fingers needlessly, and by the time she found herself in front of a familiar penthouse door the anxiety had coiled in her stomach like fingers in her gut. It was still there, on the brink of suffocating her, and her thoughts weren’t coherent. She’d promised Imogen she’d tell her when she was back, right? Maybe it was a bad reaction to the medication, maybe it was just everything else catching up to her. June pushed into the door without knocking. 

Imogen never went back to sleep after the phone call. By the time the sun was up she had tried to get out of bed and make them food at least twice, but Magni seemed to have [I]other[/I] ideas when it came to breakfast. 

She never heard the door to her penthouse open or the approaching footsteps. Imogen could be seen over the headboard of her bed wearing a familiar [I]I love NY[/I] t-shirt. Her eyes were closed and lips parted while she looked to be rocking back and forth slowly. Then a large hand appeared from somewhere out of sight behind the headboard, running up the weathered shirt to grab a hold of her breast. Imogen's hand moved to rest on top of it, slipping her fingers between his in an intimate grasp. A soft moan escaped her lips before her eyes opened… and to her horror she was met with June standing in her doorway. [color=a8f9ff]"[i]June?[/i]"[/color] Imogen gasped and panicked. She went to roll off of Magni’s face but didn't realize how close she was to the edge of the bed. She lost her balance and tipped over. 


It took a long moment for her brain to process what she was seeing, she was mentally stuck somewhere between fight or flight, which June supposed was the secret third option, freeze. So she stood frozen like a deer in headlights, eyes wide and horror struck as the scene unfolded like a bad play. [i]I need therapy.[/i] She decided, but the idea of sitting on someone’s couch and discussing the trauma of seeing her maybe boyfriend's sister getting—yeah. No. 

June’s hand slapped over her eyes so hard it hurt but only in that fuzzy, far away sort of sense that someone who had been heavily drugged could register. Her nail was still bleeding sluggish, wet warmth sliding down her cheek, but she ignored it in favor of trying to decide on which funeral home she should put in her will for herself because there was no way she’d survive this embarrassment. 

[color=375a87]"I didn’t see anything!"[/color] She blurted, after very clearly having seen some things. Her voice was several pitches too high, verging on hysterical. Funny how seeing something so very far away from what you’d originally been having a panic attack could re-trigger the panic attack. She could feel it swelling up in her brain with all the force of a battering ram. She’d never, ever tell Jim what she saw here today. No, she has to die, clearly that’s the only solution now. [color=375a87]"Nothing, nothing at all."[/color]

Magni's hands were quick. As Imogen began to tumble, his hand unlatched from her chest quickly and slid to her side. His other hand remained firmly planted on her hip, helping to keep her rooted in place. It was very hard to hear the arrival of a stranger as his head was vigorously being shoved down into the pillows. But as it became clear they were not alone, he let out a sigh. He brought Imogen back into her kneeling position, and ducked his head out from between her legs to crunch himself up into a sitting position. His head peered over the headboard, his face slick from what June certainly must have hoped was sweat. He ran a hand down his face, trying to wipe off the moisture. The woman, June, was clearly in some distress. His voice was soft, but still seemed to echo about the room as he spoke. [color=00aeef]"Thou hast committed no offense… I was unaware that Lady Frost had prior engagements this morning."[/color] He dipped his head slightly in deference to June as a small way of apology.

Imogen’s face was as red as the heart on the shirt she wore. She quickly scrambled out of bed, trucking her messy blonde hair behind her ears as she searched for something to cover her lower half. [color=a8f9ff]"Pants, pants,"[/color] she muttered to herself as she stumbled about briefly, her legs unstable like jello as her body struggled to catch up with the change in plans. She sighed and finally settled on her thong from last night. Keeping her bottom half hidden from June, she quickly shimmied into the underwear trying to make herself descent… Or as descent as she could be. 

She started to beeline for June, but stopped a few feet past Magni, pivoted and went back to him. Imogen lightly ran her thumb along his upper lip, wiping a stray bit of wetness that clung to the stubble of his mustache. She hooked her hand beneath his jaw and tilted his head up to face her so she could give him a quick kiss. [color=a8f9ff]"Don’t go anywhere, lover,"[/color] she whispered down to him before turning to walk away. Imogen got about two steps away before the gravity of what she said hit her like a sledgehammer to the chest. [i]Oh my god.[/i] Well… She could… Unpack that later. 

Imogen got close enough to June only to notice her bleeding finger and absence of a nail. [color=a8f9ff]"Jesus, June."[/color] She grabbed the woman’s hand to study it. Rather than letting her go she dragged June to her bathroom. She pointed toward the toilet. [color=a8f9ff]"Sit,"[/color] she commanded before opening her medicine chest and started searching for a bandaid, gauze… Something.

June peaked open an eye when she felt Imogen’s hand on her own, wordlessly letting herself be pulled into the bathroom but keeping her eyes diligently on the ceiling instead of looking at Imogen or Magni. Her mind was cycling through useless facts; deuterium, tritium, fusion fuel, lithium deuteride, uranium-235, plutonium-239, components of a hydrogen bomb which, conveniently enough, could kill her in a jiffy! She blinked down at her hand, raising it some to get a better look at where her nail had been torn. She opened her mouth, and then shut it again. 

She’d always gone to enclosed and dark spaces when she had a panic attack, usually under her bed when she was younger, never in a vent before. It had been surprisingly comfortable, even if her side throbbed in agony now. June leaned to the side, checking her stitches and nearly toppling off the toilet. [color=375a87]"Sorry,"[/color] June finally sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. [color=375a87]"I wasn’t thinking, I shouldn’t have come up here."[/color]

[color=a8f9ff]"Ah ha!"[/color] She cheered to herself as she found some bandages and medical tape. She set them aside on the counter before wetting a towel in the sink. [color=a8f9ff]"It’s fine, June,"[/color] Imogen reassured her as she knelt on the ground before her. She took the towel and gently tried to clean up any blood, as well as wiping away the smudge on her cheek from her panic. [color=a8f9ff]"I’m glad you’re ok,"[/color] she commented while putting a small bit of ointment in the crevice where June’s nail used to live. [color=a8f9ff]"It would have been nice if Jim called me, like I asked. But when is he ever considerate about my feelings?"[/color] The comment was harsher than intended but her grievances weren’t with June. 

Imogen methodically began wrapping June’s finger being careful to add a little pressure but nothing that would be uncomfortable. When it was finished she ripped the gauze with her teeth then taped it into place. [color=a8f9ff]"Do you wanna tell me what’s going on in here or over coffee?"[/color] Her voice was patient and gentle, showing she was prepared to sit on the cool tile floor or make June a three course meal as long as it meant she’d talk. While Imogen could pry into her mind for answers, she’d rather not.

June stared blankly down at the bandage wrapped around her finger, perfect white fabric unblemished by the stain of her blood. She swallowed around the sudden wave of nausea, she hadn’t eaten in…how long had it been? One day? Two? She couldn’t recall eating before the meeting yesterday, or after, unless you counted vitamins which she was fairly certain Imogen didn’t. [color=375a87]"Coffee, please."[/color] Her voice sounded weird, even to her own ears, a little too hollow. Part of her wanted to defend Jim, he’d been exhausted after helping her, but another part of her knew he was never exactly eloquent when it came to other people's emotions. 

The memory of their brief conversation resurfaced, and Juniper winced, smothering it before Imogen could catch too much even as tears filled her eyes. She just wanted her brother, he always knew the right things to say when she was upset, and the wave of grief that came with the realization that he wasn’t there was enough to almost drown her. She held it in for exactly thirteen seconds, and then June promptly burst into tears. She stared at Imogen in horror as the sobs started, the careful control she’d kept over her emotions all morning falling apart like a badly assembled Lego set. It wasn’t like when she’d cried a week ago, these sobs were gasping, broken, ugly things that choked her over and over again. Hysterically, she found herself wishing she was back in that damn vent. 

[color=a8f9ff]"Woah, woah. Hey."[/color] Imogen quickly stood up and wrapped her arms around June. It wasn’t the best height to hug her, inevitably ending up with the girl's head resting on her bosoms, but honestly crying into some boobs sounded better than the alternative. Her hand gently stroked June’s head as she tried her best to calm her down. Imogen kept her breaths steady hoping that she would eventually try to match the rhythm. [color=a8f9ff]"Do I need to carry you to go get coffee?"[/color] The tease was tender and warm, and a cheap way to try and elicit a small laugh or smile from her. [color=a8f9ff]"Because I can. I’m sure it’d make Magni laugh."[/color] Looking down at her, she gently ran her thumbs along June’s cheeks trying to wipe away any tears.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d cried for, couldn’t have been very long, but she did manage to laugh at Imogen’s comment, the tension bleeding from her shoulders. She had too much remaining pride to allow herself to be carried like that, even when she was in the midst of a full blown mental breakdown. They likely both knew it, but it worked in calming her down enough to get her tears under control. [color=375a87]"I’m okay,"[/color] she lied to the telepath, because that [i]always[/i] worked, and stood up unsteadily. June looked down at her side where the stitches were, a discolored bruise crawling along the side of her ribs. [color=375a87]"It looks worse than it is."[/color] Another lie, actually, and she didn’t know which of them she was trying to fool. 

[color=375a87]"Imogen, I…"[/color] the words she wanted to say caught in her throat, and she couldn’t bring herself to look into the blonde's eyes. [color=375a87]"Coffee, please. I’m sure Magni will want to hear about the fight anyways."[/color] It was deflection, but a decent one considering everything. 

Imogen’s brows furrowed at the lies. She shook her head and chuckled softly. [color=a8f9ff]"Didn’t your mother ever warn you about lying to a telepath?"[/color] She took June’s other hand and helped her to her feet. Then slowly led her out of the bathroom and through the bedroom, strategically blocking Magni’s naked body until they were already stepping out of the room. [color=a8f9ff]"If you find some clothes I’ll make us all breakfast, handsome."[/color] She flashed him a wink before disappearing into the next room. 

She pointed at the bar height chairs around an ornate dining table that hung from the ceiling by chains, signaling for June to take a seat and get comfortable. [color=a8f9ff]"Are we feeling eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, pancakes or…"[/color] Imogen opened her fridge taking stock of the ingredients she had available. [color=a8f9ff]"Cinnamon Rolls?"[/color] Before she even finished asking the question she started pulling out the bacon, sausage and carton of eggs. It was a safe bet that Magni could eat all of that and still be hungry, but she could at least save June’s favorite from the Asgardian’s hungry grasp. 

[color=375a87]"Cinnamon rolls."[/color] Her bottom lip wobbled a little, but she swallowed around the tears that threatened to raise up once more and instead settled in one of the chairs, though she had to kind of hop up into it, her side twinging in pain, a groan dragging from her throat before she unceremoniously settled her head onto the table with a solid [i]thunk.[/i] [color=375a87]"I don’t know what they gave me, but it wasn’t strong enough."[/color] Her voice was muffled by the surface of the table, but it still carried well enough. Telepaths sure made the whole master spy thing more difficult. 

Her mind was not a kind place, aided by morphine, anxiety, and exhaustion, she couldn’t help but to let her thoughts wander. Did the man she’d killed like cinnamon rolls? The thought made her feel sick to her stomach, so June desperately sought an alternative thought process. [color=375a87]"I totaled Phil’s car."[/color]

In the background, Magni had taken to stretching as he crawled out of the bed. He opened the balcony door, aiming to get some fresh air and to feel the cool ocean breeze on his skin. It was a later start to the day than he was used to of late, but a bit earlier than he would have liked to be torn from his companion’s side. Most importantly, he wanted a moment to think. He wasn’t sure if Imogen was listening, but he mulled that word over in his thoughts. [i]Lover[/i] had a bit of a connotation, but the word itself was not bad. If he had to describe Imogen to a stranger, lover was a fitting word. It was an accurate one, in regards to their physical affection for each other. But the way she said it to him had him concerned. He had not believed Imogen the type to fall quickly, though she might think the same of him. Regardless, he had been burned before. It was best to ignore the comment, in the hopes it was just a slip of the tongue.

When clothes were requested, Magni quickly set about to searching for his undergarments. It did not take particularly long, they were still discarded by the wall near the front entrance. Squeezing into his tights when thinking of their night together was a hard task, but he was able to get them on before turning around and making his way towards the dining table. He had heard much of their discussion since entering the kitchen, giving a nod towards Juniper. His eyes quickly noted the stitches and bruising at her side, still smelled faintly that scent of iron he knew so well. He had seen the looks of pain, anguish, and guilt before. [color=00aeef]"Automated steeds are trivial compared to thy own well-being."[/color] He took a seat across from June, eyeing her carefully as he spoke. He would dance around the subject first. [color=00aeef]"How does thee fare? I have seen pearls less pale than thee."[/color]

[color=375a87]"Feel like I got shot, which…funny story,"[/color] June snorted into the counter, twisting her head up so her chin was resting on the counter instead. She eyed the raw cinnamon rolls with a forlorn expression, licking her lips like she could already taste the sweet goodness on her tongue. [color=375a87]"Can I eat one now?"[/color] Her stomach rumbled in agreement at the idea.

[color=a8f9ff]"No,"[/color] Imogen laughed softly as she got a pot of coffee started before turning on the various burners on the stove and the oven, then retrieved multiple frying pans from a cabinet. [color=a8f9ff]"Magni’s right,"[/color] she agreed as she grabbed a baking dish and began prepping the cinnamon rolls. [color=a8f9ff]"Phil is under the same roof as three of the richest people in the world. I [i]think[/i] we can afford to buy him a new car. I do [i]not[/i], however, have enough money to buy a new June."[/color] She glanced over her shoulder toward her with a warm smile. [color=a8f9ff]"Plus, if you asked Phil I’m sure he’d say the same thing… In his own grumpy way."[/color] 

By the time Imogen finished lining up the rolls in the pan, the coffee was finished brewing and everything was up to temp. Imogen slipped the cinnamon rolls into the oven and set a timer. She grabbed three coffee mugs and filled them. She left one behind on the counter for her to sip at while cooking, then took the other two to Magni and June. [color=a8f9ff]"Cream and sugar,"[/color] she snapped after passing off their drinks. She ducked into the fridge to grab… milk was the best she had, then scooped up the sugar bowl and two spoons. Imogen returned to the dining table and set them down for them. 

Her left hand rose to rest against Magni’s back, thumb stroking his skin tenderly. Even seated, he was still around the same height as Imogen as she looked into his eyes. [color=a8f9ff]"Do you prefer waffles or pancakes?"[/color]

[color=375a87]"Tell her both."[/color] June mock whispered, covering her mouth so Imogen couldn’t see her speak even though they were both right there. She let her hands drop after a moment, a lazy smile set on her face as one of her hands wandered toward her side. It was easier to push aside the anxiety that felt all consuming earlier when she was around other people, but it was better to talk about it than bottle it up. Her fingers probed along the bruise, small sparks of pain crawling down her side like spiders over her skin. 

Magni gratefully accepted the coffee, being very delicate in holding the mug. As Imogen placed a hand on his back, he leaned into the touch, turning his gaze to face his newfound partner. He took in June's suggestion, but simply shook his head. [color=00aeef]"To make demands of a host would be dishonorable. Make what thou wilt, and ‘twill be a fine feast."[/color] He lifted the mug to his lips, knocking back the cup and downing the contents swiftly. As he gave a relieved sigh and set down the mug, his mind drifted to memories of his childhood. He and his brother had always made a mess in the kitchen when preparing the batter for Sunday breakfast. He remembered the small pride he had when his mother had finally let him flip the pancakes all on his own when he was six, and how he had gotten one stuck to the ceiling when he was eight. Pancakes always reminded him of that shabby apartment in Brooklyn.

[color=375a87]"Do you know any…any mutants that can control emotions?"[/color] The question was tentatively posed, the hitch in her breath the only give away to how June actually felt.

While Magni might have refused to answer her question, his memories did instead. Imogen contemplated giving him a kiss before drifting back to the kitchen, for no other reason than she wanted to and had the freedom of tasting his lips as much as she pleased, but she refrained. June might have stumbled upon them while in the middle of intimacy but that didn't mean she was going to intentionally make her uncomfortable with displays of affection either. She gave Magni's back one last stroke of her thumb before slipping her hand free. Imogen grabbed the pot of coffee, then returned and refilled his mug. 

[color=a8f9ff]"I don't,"[/color] she replied to June's question after some thought. [color=a8f9ff]"I can erase memories but…"[/color] Imogen sighed, looking her in the eyes with concern. [color=a8f9ff]"I don't recommend it. Our memories make us who we are, even the bad ones. Erasing a memory erases part of what makes you [I]you[/I]. And I can't reverse it once it's been done."[/color] 

Reluctantly, Imogen wandered back to the kitchen, grabbed a mixing bowl and started prepping the pancake batter from scratch. The entire time she added ingredients she had to fight the urge to sift through June's mind like a filing cabinet in search of her meaning. After finishing whisking and pouring out the first set of pancakes she turned to face the dining room table. [color=a8f9ff]"What aren't you telling me, June?"[/color]

[color=375a87]"Wasn’t going to ask you to erase my memories,"[/color] she sighed, pressing her cheek against the cool surface of the table. The thought hadn’t occurred to her, but now that it was in her head…no, she wouldn’t have asked even if she’d known. The man had brought her to a brink she hadn’t been able to fathom before, what if it happened again? It couldn’t happen again. 

What was it she wasn’t telling Imogen? There were several things, most of them began and ended with Jim, but she was trying to spare the other woman that. So, she focused on the vastly less pleasant memories, squeezing her eyes shut. The anger was evocative and had a  visceral reaction even now, bubbling inside of her bloodstream in a way it had no right to. He’d twisted her emotions, brought it to the surface of who she was on a fundamental level, but he hadn’t fabricated any of it. The anger was hers, and it scared her. 

[color=375a87]"I could have killed him with one shot,"[/color] she said instead of giving life to those darker thoughts, admitting to what she’d done was easier than admitting to her fears. [color=375a87]"I had it lined up, but I chose not to. He took parts of myself I buried and brought them all up…"[/color] Juniper shuddered, and she could practically taste that anger on her tongue with all the sweetness of a cinnamon roll. She pressed her fingers into the bruise, let the pain wash over her, refocus her, she used it to drown out everything else. [color=375a87]"Everything feels all wrong now, like he sunk his nails into my emotions and now I can’t control them as well."[/color] 

She let her voice trail out, not able to say everything else when Magni was there. She didn’t know him, didn’t trust him like she trusted Imogen. It was easier to just surrender the memories of it all to the other woman, she knew she was tempted to just look for them anyways. They came in fluttering snapshots of moments, rain sliding down the collar of her shirt, fingers slipping in hot blood, twisting his neck until his face was submerged in that murky water. Doing it over, and over, and over again. The pain of his desperate struggles, his fingers digging into the wound in her side, how her anger had kept rising until he was dead and then it all snapped back in on her like a rubber band. Laying on the ground in the rain, those few moments where everything felt so far away. Crushing uselessness, how [i]tired[/i] she’d been. 

By the time it was done, June had gone sort of limp at the table. The surface was warm beneath her face now, sticky and uncomfortable. June mentally pulled back as much as she could, and she began to recite chemical compounds in her head as she spoke next. [color=375a87]"Also,"[/color] her voice was a little strangled now. [color=375a87]"I slept with Jim."[/color]

Imogen listened to June’s words intently as she began plating up food while the cinnamon rolls had a few remaining minutes to cook. The images of June torturing the unknown man flashed through her mind as she slowly approached the dining table. She silently slid a large stack of pancakes covered in melted butter and maple syrup in front of Magni along with a second plate that was half bacon and four fried eggs. Her gaze fell to where June’s dug into the bruise on her side. Imogen slapped her hand away as her brow knit together in concern. [color=a8f9ff]"Don’t do that,"[/color] she practically hissed. 

She lingered there for a moment with an angered, but compassionate grimace until she was certain June wouldn’t try hurting herself again. The ding of the oven’s timer was the only thing that pulled her away. There were several things Imogen wanted to say. She had no experience killing. Hell, she didn’t even have experience fighting outside of training during her days at the academy. That was something Magni could relate to more than herself but she did think that there were times where it was necessary to kill, especially when it’s you or them. An argument could even be made for torture in some circumstances but she didn’t know if she was capable of that with her own hands. She had never been pushed to those extremes to know what she was capable of. 

Imogen turned off the timer and opened the oven when June’s words cut through the silence like a rusted blade over flesh. The admission caught her so off guard that she reached for the cinnamon rolls with the wrong hand. It wasn’t until the baking dish was out of the oven that the burn registered. [color=a8f9ff]"Son of a bitch!"[/color] She dropped the pan on the counter and hurried to the sink to submerge her hand under cold water. Before she could hear any of June’s thoughts over the rushing water Imogen shut off her mind. The last thing she needed was those images scarring her for the rest of her life. She’d rather not have to kill herself just yet. 

[color=a8f9ff]"About time… But Jesus, June. Warn me next time,"[/color] she groaned through clenched teeth as she looked down at the pink flesh of her palm.

Magni moved quickly, swiftly rushing into the bathroom at the sound of Imogen’s pain. He plucked out a small bandage and a small salve that looked familiar, before striding back to her side. He wrapped his arms around Imogen, standing behind her as he held her hand in his. He observed the burn and grabbed a dish towel to help dry the wound. He was quick and deliberate, applying the gel over the forming blister, before securely fastening the bandage around the area. He was silent as he did so, but hovered behind Imogen for a moment after he was finished. He squeezed her biceps before taking a step back, his thoughts shifting back towards June’s confessions.

He was confused by the surprise Imogen showed towards the reveal of June and Jim’s passionate tussle. Surely she had seen the woman sitting in her brother’s lap and hanging all over him at the pool the day before. Regardless, it was not his place to comment on love-making in this scenario. There were more pressing matters that he was more fitting to address. He turned his attention to Juniper, his eyes narrowing as he observed her. His words were slow and deliberate. [color=00aeef]"It is a great toll on the soul to take the life of another. To have thy emotions twisted in the process…"[/color] His words trailed off for a moment, refocusing his thoughts elsewhere. [color=00aeef]"The choice was made by thy foe. Violence is messy, unfocused, chaotic. There is no shame in losing oneself to it, especially when thou recognizes it… and when someone twists thy thoughts."[/color]

June had jolted upright at the cry of Imogen’s pain, eyes wide and wild for a moment before it registered that it was accidentally self-inflicted. Guilt shot through her, and she hastened to soothe the other woman emotionally as Magni worked on the actual burn with quick efficiency. [color=375a87]"I wasn’t thinking of it! I was going over the chemical compound of a hydrogen bomb, I’m not trying to scar you for life."[/color] June’s voice was a mix of wounded and worried, and she rubbed a hand across her face, keeping her hands clear of her side in fresh memory of Imogen’s sharp reprimand. [color=375a87]"I’m sorry."[/color]

Her eyes slid toward Magni and then bounced away, shame churning in her stomach like acid. She looked down at her hands instead, braced against the table, one of her fingers wrapped in the white bandage that was now spotted with red, there was still blood under her nails. Juniper looked back up toward Magni, offering a wan and fragile smile. [color=375a87]"I…"[/color] She sank back into her seat, letting out a slow breath. [color=375a87]"I haven’t killed anyone before, my dad…he didn’t believe in killing, so I especially tried to avoid it in Gotham. It feels,"[/color] she hesitated, swallowing around the sick that swelled up in her throat. [color=375a87]"Sacrilegious."[/color] 

Imogen was a bit dumbstruck at the speed Magni sought to alleviate her pain. Her heart fluttered in her chest as his large arms wrapped around her making quick work of bandaging her blister before it finished forming. When he squeezed her shoulders she tried to shake off thoughts she shouldn’t be thinking about at a moment like that. She cleared her throat and, far more cautiously, went about prepping two cinnamon rolls for June. Once they were iced and on a plate, Imogen carried them over to the dining table and set them in front of her. [color=a8f9ff]"I’m probably the worst person in this tower to give advice when it comes to being a hero. I’ve never killed, let alone been in a fight. But…"[/color] She sighed, running her thumb over her bandaged palm. [color=a8f9ff]"He tried killing you and was after Phil. That’s reason enough for me. That man doesn’t deserve your guilt."[/color]

She gave June’s hand a gentle squeeze before wandering back over to the kitchen. Imogen made an inventory of everything she prepared, even sparing a glance to June and Magni’s full plates. [color=a8f9ff]"Did you need anything else? More coffee? Juice?"[/color] It seemed once Imogen ran out of things to busy herself with she sought something else to keep her mind from accidentally slipping the tendrils back out and catching a glimpse of June’s thoughts. Rather than sit down, she started collecting the dirty pans and dishes.

Magni moved back to his seat as they spoke, settling himself in as he looked over the meal prepared for him. He listened to June’s confessions and inner turmoil, letting Imogen speak and do her thing. He gave a slight shake of his head as she asked if there was anything he needed. He wanted Imogen to join them, to sit down and eat beside him, but he knew that moving and keeping busy could help to ease the mind. He would save her some food. In the interim, he spooned up a big forkful of pancake and quickly shoved it into his mouth, letting out a grunt of pleasure. They were better than he remembered. As he swallowed down his first bite, he spoke softly. [color=00aeef]"To carry a title, a mask, or a cause is to bear responsibility greater than thy individual desires or code."[/color] He scooped up more of the fluffy pastries, shoving them down and swallowing with all the gusto of a man who had not eaten in a week.  [color=00aeef]"Sometimes, the choice is beyond us. Circumstance can make us an audience of our own lives."[/color] He gave a knowing look towards June. Her description and injury made clear that even if she had lost herself to rage, the outcome had been set by those attempting to slay her.

And yet, he would not coddle a warrior.  [color=00aeef]"It does not get easier… the memories, the faces, the final moments of those slain by thy hand."[/color] He scooped up another forkful of pancake, his content expression and always jovial tone in sharp contrast to his words.  [color=00aeef]"To kill is the greatest burden, when done with sound mind and body."[/color] He took in the bite, chewing slowly as he mulled over his own words.  [color=00aeef]"And yet… ‘tis always the simplest action, the easiest course."[/color] He left the remaining quarter of his pancakes, turning his attention to the eggs and bacon he had stacked up. He shook his head slightly, doing his best to tamper down the brief flashes that threatened to overwhelm his thoughts for Imogen’s sake.  [color=00aeef]"It helps to talk about it… to not let it fester in thy soul."[/color] His eyes did shift to his partner, the creeping realization that he may need to follow his own advice burning at the edges of his thoughts. Another time, another place, perhaps.

Luckily for Magni, Imogen's mind was still shut down for fear of a temporary slip up where images even bleach couldn't remove got seared in her memory. Even without an ear to his thoughts, she could tell by the way he looked at her that he wanted her to sit down and relax. She sighed, finally gathering herself a single cinnamon roll and her coffee before slipping into the seat beside him. She absently tore a piece from the gooey pastry but never actually took a bite. Imogen was thankful Magni was there. Killing and fighting was something she knew nothing about. Her mind couldn't help but drift to the thoughts she had in the darkness of the night but she tried her best to push them away and focus on June. 

June shook her head to Imogen’s question, but she stared at the cinnamon rolls blankly for a long moment. She took in what they said, and she appreciated it, but…[color=375a87]"I didn’t just kill him,"[/color] her voice was soft and empty, she sounded like a broken doll. [color=375a87]"I strangled him, over and over. I was so [i]angry[/i] and I couldn’t stop, I…I didn’t even try though, all there was…was me, my anger, and [i]him.[/i] I didn’t just kill him, I tortured him, but it wasn’t useful. I didn’t even—"[/color] June choked on her words, and she pressed her hands over her face instead of digging them into her side like she wanted to. Her fingers were trembling, there was so much shame and guilt inside of her, and she was sat at Imogen’s table having a fucking therapy session with her and a God. Everything was so fucked. [color=375a87]"[i]Damnit.[/i] I didn’t ask him any questions, I just tortured him, and then I held his head in a puddle of fucking rain water until he died. It didn’t feel easy, it felt cruel."[/color] 

June couldn’t look at them, wouldn’t. She was terrified that she’d find the disgust she felt for herself reflected in their faces. She hasn’t been able to tell Jim, either. She shouldn’t have told any of them, should have locked it up somewhere quiet and private and let it fester, advice be damned. But some part of her valued their opinion more, she didn’t want to turn away even if it made her feel weak and uncomfortable. [color=375a87]"After he died, it all just stopped. It was like…I don’t know, like someone had been holding my hand against ice until the feeling in my fingers drained away. After I could pull back, everything was just numb. I almost—"[/color] she swallowed the last confession like it was bile that needed to be kept down. No, that last part, she would keep it to herself. [color=375a87]"I feel like a burden, talking about it."[/color]

[color=a8f9ff]"I understand wanting to suffer in silence. I do it a lot more than people think,"[/color] Imogen admitted as she crossed her left leg over her right. [color=a8f9ff]"My problems are a lot more trivial than things you both go through but… Someone recently told me I should share my burdens so I don't drown in them alone. And they were right."[/color] Her hand slowly reached out under the table to rest on Magni’s knee while her thumb gently stroked his skin tenderly.  

The idea that Imogen thought her own burdens were trivial, that she’d choose to suffer in silence too, it sat wrong in June’s chest. It was the first thing she had been able to focus on properly since the panic attack had started, giving her a metaphorical point of narrowed vision. Her hands, trembling still, slid slowly from her face so she could focus on the other woman properly. Her vision had been fuzzy around the edges, but now it felt as if everything was clear again. This was, undoubtedly, the first time June had allowed herself to be vulnerable like this in the midst of a panic attack. She just…felt safe with Imogen. Her gaze stuck to the tabletop, a surreal feeling rising up in her. All of the friendships she’d made in college had felt superficial, Jim had been her closest friend for as long as she could remember, it was jarring to realize she was capable of forming actual, tangible friendships.

[color=a8f9ff]"June… Honey,"[/color] Imogen reached her other hand out across the table, hoping she'd take it. [color=a8f9ff]"Those fuckers took all of our dads, your brother and hundreds of other innocent people. Don't feel guilty for doing to them what they've undoubtedly done to someone else."[/color] She sighed softly. [color=a8f9ff]"They probably wouldn't have given you anything if you questioned them anyway."[/color] She tilted her head to the side, leaning down slightly to try and catch June's gaze. [color=a8f9ff]"If you want us to judge you for what you did, you're in the wrong apartment. And if someone says something I'll choke slam through the wall."[/color] She smiled innocently but there was a dangerous glint of truth that sparkled in her eyes. No one, not a single person in that tower had a right to judge someone for killing. These were desperate times and they were beyond the point of playing nice. 

Imogen’s hand slid on the table in front of her, and June automatically took it. She let her words wash over her, glancing up to meet the woman’s gaze in a way that was timid and unlike herself, mulling over everything Imogen said for a long moment. [color=375a87]"Your burdens aren’t trivial,"[/color] it was the first coherent thought that she could give voice to, because it had been the loudest in her head. She squeezed her hand weakly, offering a shaky smile. [color=375a87]"Thanks for listening, I…didn’t tell Jim."[/color] June looked back down at her cinnamon roll, and added, in a voice bordering on sheepish— [color=375a87]"Sorry for going to the bank when you told me not to, I wasn’t thinking clearly."[/color] She’d do it again though, given the opportunity, because that was the sort of Hero June was turning out to be, and maybe that wasn’t too bad a title to claim, after all.

There was a second where Imogen’s lips parted to argue with June, but in the end her mouth slowly closed and she nodded her head. Her burdens being how she feels unloved by her brother and useless compared to everyone in the tower felt like one of those self deprecating conversations people had to fish for compliments. She’d rather remain silent than dig thoughts back out after the sweet things Magni said to lull them away. [color=a8f9ff]"Whatever you tell me in confidence intentionally or through your thoughts remains our secret. I promise."[/color] Imogen laughed softly at June’s apology. [color=a8f9ff]"I knew you weren’t going to listen to me. But it’s ok, because you’re alive. If you weren’t I’d have to find a necromancer just so I could kick your ass myself,"[/color] she teased but her smile remained warm and comforting.

June laughed, feeling her shoulders slowly relax. A lot of what Magni had said was still rolling around in her head, and it was with a heavy heart that she realized he was right. She’d taken up the mask, the title, [i]and[/i] the cause, her personal desires had to fall to the wayside now that she was shouldering such responsibility. If she hadn’t killed him, he would have very likely done worse to someone else. She’d need to adjust her personal training to better compensate for emotional vulnerabilities, more time meditating, more time working out. She had to eliminate that weakness as much as possible, because if she didn’t the next time would be worse. She simply couldn’t afford to allow herself to go to the edge of that abyss again, because the fallout was too much. 

Though, there was a quiet part of Juniper that felt like a caged tiger, pacing the length of her enclosure. That level of rushlessness, the relentless way she’d worn him down like he was the prey and she the predator, maybe that was the sort of all person she’d need to become if they were going to find their fathers, her brother, and bring them home. 

She slowly slipped her hand from June’s and pointed at the uneaten food in front of her. [color=a8f9ff]"Eat,"[/color] she instructed. Following her own advice, Imogen finally took a bite of her cinnamon roll. Even after a decade she found it a bit difficult to have breakfast, but she tried. Her other hand ran along the top of Magni’s and hooked beneath his palm so she could slip her fingers between his, subconsciously seeking support before she opened the next can of worms. [color=a8f9ff]"Ok,"[/color] she sighed and pointed to her head. [color=a8f9ff]"It’s [i]off[/i]... What happened with Jim?"[/color]

June obediently took a bite of her cinnamon roll, basking in the taste of the cinnamon in particular, before she nearly choked on her bite. She coughed a few times, swallowing hard, before eyeing Imogen wearily. [color=375a87]"Uh,"[/color] she said, color rushing to her face. Quite a lot had happened with Jim, but considering this was his [i]sister[/i] there was only so much June could share. [color=375a87]"Well, I was bleeding out on the floor and he was trying to stitch me up, after he got the bullet out."[/color] Her eyes slid up to the ceiling, once again finding it easier to talk without looking at either of them, but for entirely different reasons this time. [color=375a87]"I may have convinced him to kiss me…then passed out, total accident, only half my fault really."[/color] 

It was 100% her fault, but she wasn’t admitting to that, thank you very much. June, feeling that eloquence was evading her, proceeded to shove the rest of her cinnamon roll in her mouth. The silence stretched as she chewed, a touch aggressively, eyeing the second cinnamon roll like it could receive the same treatment at a moment's notice. Once she’d swallowed though, the rest of it whooshed out. [color=375a87]"We didn’t…I mean, we uh…Christ, we didn’t sleep together until this morning. We had a conversation about it on the way back, and a uhh, a date planned, kind of? It’s a little confusing, actually."[/color] She shrugged in a way that was self deprecating, deflating a little as she picked at the second cinnamon roll. [color=375a87]"Jim seemed happy,"[/color] June’s voice went gentle, gaze softening some as she recalled his open excitement and how it had made her heart flutter. [color=375a87]"That makes me happy."[/color] 

June looked up then, meeting Imogen’s gaze, before her eyes flickered to Magni and back to Imogen, raising an eyebrow as if to say [i]Well, what about you?[/i] 

Imogen laughed finishing her cinnamon roll as June panic explained everything that happened between her and Jim… Sparing her the gory details. [i]Thank God.[/i] She licked the remaining icing from her fingertips before finally speaking. [color=a8f9ff]"Honey, I don’t have to read your mind to know it was your doing."[/color] She laughed softly. [color=a8f9ff]"Jim has the emotional maturity of a twelve year old. He wouldn’t understand social cues if they hit him over the head with a frying pan."[/color] The deja vu of June’s fantasies from the night before flashed across Imogen’s mind at the faint thought of her seducing her brother. The muscle in her jaw tensed as she quickly tried to murder the images with any horrible thought that could come to mind… Dead babies, Phil in a speedo, Donald Trump naked. She blinked a couple times and then her smile returned with ernest. [color=a8f9ff]"But I’m glad you both are happy. That’s all I want for you both. I’d tell you not to break my brother’s heart but I think we both know if someone is going to fuck it up it’ll be him."[/color]

June snorted, that soft smile still on her face. She wasn’t sure if she’d let Jim fuck it up, now that they got to a point where they were both mostly on the same page. She’d stick by him, unless he explicitly told her he didn’t want her. It was different than it had been with Liam, a relationship of convenience compared to one with mutual desire were drastically different. 

Her brows raised as June’s insinuating gaze flicked between herself and Magni. [color=a8f9ff]"June, I’m not opening back up my mind until relationship talk is off the table,"[/color] Imogen laughed before taking a sip of her now lukewarm coffee. [color=a8f9ff]"If you have a question, you’ll have to ask it."[/color]

She huffed, embarrassed at the direction of the conversation because the elephant was quite literally in the room with them. [color=375a87]"You have no faith in the control I have over my mind,"[/color] she muttered, taking a bite of the cinnamon roll instead of asking her question right away. She allowed herself to actually enjoy this one, the sweetness of it spreading across her tongue. [color=375a87]"Well,"[/color] her smile turned a little devious. [color=375a87]"Magni is having second breakfast, and you guys were making out at the pool last night, soooo…"[/color] she dragged the word out, wiggling her eyebrows playfully at Imogen. [color=375a87]"Can I be a bridesmaid?"[/color]

Magni nearly choked on his sausage, having nearly cleaned his plates entirely. June's teasing bore a word that he was not expecting. He knew what a bride was. He did not recall sharing breakfast being a part of the act of betrothal in Midgard. The thought of marriage was something he hadn't even considered at this stage. It seemed wrong to drag Imogen away from her own realm to help rule in his domain. Even then… It was far too early for any of that. He would not be made a fool of again, not until he was certain that this was not all just another trick. The other word June used did raise some questions. He was not entertaining marriage yet, but he would not settle for a low quality of service for a partner. [color=00aeef]"Dost thou have experience in housekeeping?"[/color] His expression was serious, his tone genuine.

[color=375a87]"Do I [i]what?[/i]"[/color] June sputtered, her joke backfiring in a fantastically miserable manner, her previous laughter choking into a sort of wheeze.

Imogen’s face went bright red. She slipped her hand out of Magni’s grasp and buried her face in her palms. [color=a8f9ff]"Oh my God, June."[/color] She took a minute… or three, to try and gather her thoughts. There were a couple times where her lips parted to reply but then her mouth snapped shut and she swallowed the thought. She sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears before looking over at Magni. [color=a8f9ff]"Maid as in an unmarried woman, not a servant."[/color] She laughed awkwardly while her cheeks remained a vibrant shade of pink. [color=a8f9ff]"In Midgard, or Western culture here specifically, when a couple is married the bride will have bridesmaids. Umm…"[/color] Her brows furrowed as she tried to find the words to describe it. [color=a8f9ff]"Usually a couple of friends or family members that stand by her side in support during the wedding ceremony."[/color] She scratched her head feeling exceptionally awkward explaining this to her partner of what?... Twelve hours give or take. [color=a8f9ff]"There are groomsmen who perform a similar role for the groom."[/color]

She sighed softly, turning her attention back to June with a less than amused expression. [color=a8f9ff]"It happened fast, I know. I… Don’t know what to say."[/color] Imogen anxiously bounced her crossed leg while picking at the bandage wrapped around her palm. She gave Magni a brief sideways glance then looked back at the woman across the table. It was [i]very[/i] uncomfortable being put on the spot when the man in question sat right beside her. If it was just her and June her response would have been entirely different, but in his presence she found herself floundering. She cleared her throat. [color=a8f9ff]"Magni is kind. He trusts me with his thoughts, and cares about my feelings… I…"[/color] Her voice drifted off when she was at a loss for words again. It was odd listing the reasons she agreed to be exclusive with him less than a day ago where they then spent most of the remaining time barely leaving bed. [color=a8f9ff]"I guess old crushes die hard,"[/color] she admitted with an awkward smile without looking up.

Magni's eyes remained fixed on Imogen as she spoke, soaking in her explanations carefully. It was an interesting tradition, one he could see purpose in. As her leg began to bounce and she fumbled over her words, he set down his fork and knife and slid a hand under the table to her knee. He gave it a soft squeeze, but did not hold it in place. He did not want to cause injury or let her feel trapped, just trying to offer some silent reassurance.

June reached out instinctively, patting the top of Imogen’s hand gently, smiling gently at the woman and trying to be as reassuring as possible, as it seemed to be her turn. [color=375a87]"I was only joking,"[/color] she soothed, ducking down some in a similar manner to what Imogen had done in order to catch her gaze. [color=375a87]"I’m happy for you, really. It doesn’t matter how fast things happen, if the connection is genuine."[/color] 

Imogen’s gaze slowly lifted from her lap to meet June’s as she patted her hand. A fraction of her smile returned even if her cheeks remained flushed at the sudden attention. She knew June was joking but something about it triggered the subconscious defensiveness inside her, like she was waiting for someone to make a comment about it… Someone like Jim. She shouldn’t have to explain what makes her happy. No one deserved an explanation behind her decision beyond Magni, but even so, she felt like she had to explain herself for his sake rather than her own.

June glanced at Magni, still smiling, but there was an edge to her gaze that could only be described as dangerous. She squinted at him in an assessing manner, before huffing out a breath and squeezing Imogen’s hand one more time, letting go to lean back in her seat. [color=375a87]"I’ll do the whole threatening sibling thing, since Jim would sooner eat glass than say how much he cares about anyone aloud."[/color] June’s voice was deceptively pleasant, and she smiled at Magni a little too widely. [color=375a87]"If you hurt her, I’ll find a way to lift that hammer so I can throw it at you."[/color] She clapped her hands together, as if suddenly remembering something very important. [color=375a87]"And get that thing [i]out[/i] of my Batmobile, please."[/color] June nodded to herself, feeling as if she’d covered her bases quite nicely.

Magni laughed. The table and chairs and cutlery shook slightly from the thunderous cackle. His eyes were bright, and he gently slapped the table. The chains rattled violently at the move. He shook his head as the laughter died down. [color=00aeef]"A warrior's spirit resides in thee, but it is beyond mortal means to do as thou wishes with Mjolnir."[/color] The light in his eyes remained, though his smile faded. He leaned closer, his lowered tone still more than clear. [color=00aeef]"I will hurt her, as she will harm me. It is the nature of being close."[/color] 

A quiet laugh slipped from Imogen’s lips at Magni’s own jovial reaction. There was a warmth that grew in her chest when June attempted to threaten a literal God to keep him from hurting her. The image of her attempting to lift his hammer and beat his ass with it was an entertaining thought. But some of the levity was shadowed by June’s comment about Jim. Even though she knew her brother would implode before showing any concern when it came to her well being, there was a part of her that wanted him to return at least a fraction of the love she gave him. She sighed softly but made sure her smile remained unchanged. At least June cared, that was something.

A spark lit up in Juniper’s eyes, a familiar one for Imogen but its significance would be lost on Magni. She [i]loved[/i] a challenge, it was something she’d inherited from her father, the itch to meet the challenge head on would live beneath her skin, the desire to try and best it by whatever means necessary beat within her chest like a second heartbeat. Was it beyond mortal means because Magni believed no mortal was capable, or was it because no mortal had managed it before? Her smile turned a little wild at the prospect, but she kept her thoughts to herself on it. It would amount to nothing, she was sure, given the fact that the hammer was some Godly artifact, or whatever, but the challenge took up a new residence within the crevices of her mind, something new to ponder over when sleep evaded her. 

He turned his gaze towards Imogen, his hand still resting on her leg. The smile returned as he looked at her, even if his tone still remained serious. [color=00aeef]"She bears remarkable empathy and care in her demeanor. She went out of her way to ensure we were fed and our thirsts were quenched, she tended to thy wound without hesitation."[/color] His thoughts wandered. There were smaller things, more vain things that came to mind. She was gorgeous, but saying such things seemed inappropriate. He also did not think it wise to speak on their compatibility in lovemaking, even if he had no shame in sharing such details.

When he turned back to face June, he took a deep breath. He needed to make one thing clear. [color=00aeef]"I would not wed so quickly, there is much to discuss in the process of courting Lady Frost before such a topic would be broached."[/color] He cleared his throat, feeling a heat begin to burn his cheeks as he refocused. [color=00aeef]"I… do not believe I will have much interest in other suitresses for quite some time. She hath spoiled such desires."[/color]

While Magni spoke more sweet words about her, Imogen’s lips tugged in a flattered and faintly bashful smile. Her fingers slowly ran across the top of his hand that rested on her knee. She looked up, noticing the soft flush that crept across his cheeks. His reassurances, although spoken toward June, made her stomach flutter and her heart skip a beat. Her hold on his hand tightened slightly in a tender squeeze as silent acknowledgement and gratitude at his words. [color=a8f9ff]"It’s ok,"[/color] she spoke softly, taking her turn to reassure him. [color=a8f9ff]"June is teasing us. [i]Marriage[/i]—"[/color] she cleared her throat, [color=a8f9ff]"Is a [i]far[/i] off conversation that I’m in no rush to address."[/color]

Magni seemed content with this answer, turning his attention back to his own plates of food. She sighed softly, slowly turning her attention back to June with a sheepish smile. [color=a8f9ff]"I’ll make sure he grabs his hammer before training."[/color]

June’s brows furrowed, and she leaned back in her seat some. [color=375a87]"We have training?"[/color] she glanced down at her side, grimaced, and then shrugged. She would heal regardless, but if her stitches popped it would suck. She dragged a hand across her face, wiping away what was left of the moisture from her earlier tears. [color=375a87]"Phil planned it, didn’t he? Probably some retribution for me wrecking his car, or for you waking him up in the middle of the night."[/color] She grinned at Imogen, before shifting in her seat with a touch of embarrassment, looking down at her empty plate. [color=375a87]"Thanks, both of you."[/color]

Imogen sighed softly. [color=a8f9ff]"I texted you about it… Right after I told you Phil was ok."[/color] While her voice was soft because she understood June was indisposed for various, and some life threatening, reasons but there was also a tinge of annoyance. [color=a8f9ff]"For how much you and Jim have your noses in tech, you’d think you both would be better at checking your phones,"[/color] she mused with a tilt of her head. [color=a8f9ff]"He pushed it back to noon because I lied and told him I was drunk… He doesn't know what happened."[/color] He chewed on the inside of her cheek while the tip of her thumb mindlessly ran along Magni’s knuckles. 

[color=375a87]"Oh,"[/color] June patted her pockets, but didn’t find her phone. She frowned for a moment, trying to remember where she’d left it. Most likely it was still down in the infirmary with her purse, she’d need to back track to grab it. [color=375a87]"Sorry, I’ve always been awful at remembering to check my texts."[/color] She gave the other woman an embarrassed shrug, June was notorious for not replying to texts for days at a time, most of the time it was because she forgot to text back.

The blonde slowly looked over to meet June’s gaze with a faint smile. [color=a8f9ff]"Sure. My door is always open."[/color] Imogen’s eyes squinted slightly as she raised her free hand to scratch her head. [color=a8f9ff]"Well… Enter at your own peril I guess,"[/color] she laughed softly as the warmth returned to her cheeks. [color=a8f9ff]"Maybe check with J.A.R.V.I.S. first."[/color]

[color=375a87]"Trust me,"[/color] there was an edge of humor in her tone, and she was trying not to smile. [color=375a87]"I’ll be checking in with J.A.R.V.I.S. for now on."[/color] It was a good thing she was as drugged as she was, because the mortification of having walked in on them in the way she had would likely last for days otherwise. The pain medication let June, more or less, gloss right over it in her head. A true blessing.

[color=a8f9ff]"I’m glad you came to see me,"[/color] Imogen commented with a subtle smile. [color=a8f9ff]"I wasn’t able to sleep the rest of the night and seeing you is far more reassuring than a text from H.E.L.E.N."[/color] The last word slipped out a bit more venomous than the rest but her calm demeanor didn’t shift. Her anger wasn’t at June, it was at her brother… So nothing new there. [color=a8f9ff]"Might have been nice if you waited five minutes so I could have finished, but…"[/color] She shrugged with a guilty and slightly teasing expression. While the circumstances might have been a little embarrassing for all of them, Imogen always found humor to be the best way to make light of those kinds of situations.  

June winced at the mention of H.E.L.E.N. knowing that Imogen’s argument with Jim was still relatively fresh. She wasn’t sure if there was any way to soothe that, it was very much so out of her hands, but… [color=375a87]"Jim mentioned he understood how you felt now, a little."[/color] She offered the other woman a tentative smile, knowing she was broaching a sensitive topic. [color=375a87]"Because I called you first…I told him I wasn’t planning to call him at all."[/color] The smile turned a little vindictively smug there, but it had been the truth. 

A weak laugh rumbled in Imogen’s chest in a bit of disbelief but also pettiness at knowing he might know a fraction of the shit he put her through. [color=a8f9ff]"You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe it unless I hear it from his own mouth."[/color] She rapped her fingers gently against the top of Magni’s hand as her thoughts drifted for a moment. [color=a8f9ff]"You didn’t [i]mean[/i] to call me, June. You thought I was Alfred."[/color] While her voice was quiet, and maybe even a little guarded but she made her words sound factual, not angry or hurt. She made sure to lock away the darker thoughts that plagued her in the middle of the night. Sharing those thoughts with Magni was one thing, but she didn’t want to unpack that, not right now.Magni gave Imogen’s knee a light, reassuring squeeze as he picked up on her change in tone.

She pushed herself to her feet, clenching her teeth, face twisting some in pain as the stitches tugged and pulled at her side. Juniper wasn’t new to pain, when she was sixteen her dad had taken her to train with Shaolin monks for a year, and a lot of that training had involved some form of pain. Though, none of the bamboo sticks that had been broken over her stomach during those training sessions quite compared to being shot. She steadied herself with a hand on the table, letting out a slow breath through her nose. 

[color=375a87]"I’ll be sure to ask J.A.R.V.I.S. how close you are, next time."[/color] June laughed, letting the pain slip to the back of her mind not unlike she was shutting it away inside of a box. It was good that the two of them could cope similarly, she just hoped the fact that it was a joke didn’t go over Magni’s head. [color=375a87]"I’m going to go change and…find my phone. I’ll see you both in training. Thanks, really. It did help."[/color] 

Imogen smiled softly as slipped out of her seat and started collecting dishes. [color=a8f9ff]"I’d recommend you rest and don’t train, but I know you won’t listen to me. I’ll let Jim fight that battle."[/color] She nodded her head toward June before carrying a stack of plates over to the sink. Magni helped to stack up a few and brought over the mugs of coffee.

[color=375a87]"I wouldn’t know what rest was if it snuck up and bit me in the ass."[/color] June chuckled to herself as she headed toward the elevator, giving Magni a jaunty salute as she left. He gave a wave back, a small look of concern washing over his face as he watched her leave. She had a drive that seemed to outmatch her limitations in a way that often led to tragedy.

It took several minutes for Imogen to clean up their mess while also offering Magni any remaining food which consisted of three cinnamon rolls, two pieces of bacon, and one sausage link. As she wandered about the kitchen she hummed to herself subconsciously. She was lucky enough to have one of the penthouses that did have a dishwasher, specifically because her dad knew how much she enjoyed cooking and knew she’d rarely eat in the cafeteria like everyone else. Magni handed each dirty dish and pan one by one to Imogen. She diligently scraped food waste into the trash, rinsed the dishes and placed them neatly into the washer. After setting the machine to run a cycle, Imogen carefully unwrapped her hand. The skin on her palm was pink and irritated but Magni’s fast acting looked like it might have staved off some more serious blistering. She tossed the bandages in the trash, making a mental note to rewrap it [i]after[/i] she took a much needed shower. 

Imogen turned back to Magni and took his hand in hers. [color=a8f9ff]"Come on,"[/color] she spoke softly while giving him a gentle tug. [color=a8f9ff]"We [i]both[/i] could use a shower."[/color] Her fingers slowly slipped between his as she guided him through her apartment toward the bathroom. She only released her hold on him once they stood on the stone tile and she was able to close the door behind them… And locked it for good measure. She wasn’t really in the mood for two surprise visits in one morning. 

After reaching into the shower and turning on the water so it had time to get warm, Imogen started undressing. Her hands crossed at her waist, grabbing the hem of the large t-shirt and pulled it over her head. She then hooked her thumbs around the strings of her thong that arched over her hips, tugged them down and let the fabric fall to the ground around her ankles. [color=a8f9ff]"I’m sorry we were interrupted,"[/color] her voice was quiet as she took a step toward Magni. She rested her hands on his hips and slid her fingers beneath the fabric of his tights. [color=a8f9ff]"I want to make it up to you,"[/color] she whispered, holding his gaze as she started undressing him slowly. 

Once his clothes found their home on the ground around his feet, Imogen led him into the shower. Her hands pressed against his abdomen, pushing him back into one of the walls. She likely would have stolen a kiss if she could [i]actually[/i] reach him, but she settled for pressing her lips to the bare skin of his chest. Looking up at him from beneath her lashes, she trailed kisses down his body, interspersed with the occasional soft bite. His eyes met hers, and he reached up to bunch up Imogen’s hair tightly in one meaty fist. She slowly lowered herself until she kneeled on the ground before him in the cascade of water. Her hands hooked around the back of his thighs before she leaned in with every intent to return the pleasure he had given her.[/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

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