Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
“Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede - I FUCKING LOVE DANCE BATTLES!!!!” America screamed. She punched up into the air, a brief crack in the universe forming. She didn’t have a destination in mind for the portal, she had just felt a sudden swell of energy and needed to let it out. And with Vicky adding in an anti-gravity effect, a wide grin formed on America’s face, as she reached out and took Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede’s hands. “Are you afraid of heights?” she then asked, and without missing a beat, she flew the pair of them up, just high enough that they could see over the rooftops of the nearby buildings, but not so high so that way they couldn’t hear the music. “We need to crush Kate and Cassie,” she said very seriously. America had decided that obviously, she and Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede were on a team together in this sacred war.
They weren’t the only two electing to defy gravity, either. Billy and Teddy had both let their feet take them where they may, Teddy’s wings and Billy’s innate powers providing the necessary escape. They weren’t so much dancing to the jazz as they were dancing to some rhythm innate to the two of them, spinning and twirling and yet always ending up together once more, curled into each other’s embrace.
“Viiiiiicky you have to come daaaaance if you’re going to do thiiiis!” Cassie screeched. “Don’t make me grab you!” She stuck out her tongue. Would it be stupid to rapidly increase in size here? Yes. Would she do it to bother her sister? Absolutely.
“Please don’t, this is why we’re banned from iHop,” Kate groaned.
Eli hadn’t always been a good dancer. He had been rather rigid with it once, stumbling about and crushing the toes of anyone who had dared to go near. But during his first year at Margaret Carter, his workouts were brutal, leaving him sore and prone to injury. The school’s physical therapist had suggested dance as a way to loosen up his limbs and muscles - to listen more to what his body needed, rather than forcing it into submission. He probably would have ended up an asshole if it hadn’t been for that advice - if he hadn’t unironically proclaimed to his friends toxic masculinity is dead, I dance now.
“You got moves, HotShot,” Eli whistled slightly in appreciation. “But so do I,” he added, smirking with bravado, as he joined Danni in the fray. “And of course I know the Lindy Hop!” He felt a little bad that he hadn’t commented on the cuddle piles or the romanticism, but he had the sense that Danni wouldn’t be offended. He talked a lot. It was impossible to follow every tangent.
As the night continued on, the small courtyard of the Court of Two Sisters became somewhat more crowded, with new guests and loved ones of the Margaret Carter teams arriving. Percy’s mother, Dominika, came in alone, looking somewhat frantic - even her signature ruby red shades could not conceal the tired lines marring her face. She glanced around, smiling fondly as she noticed her son, standing with his boyfriend. Things had been so hard for him - and it broke her heart that they were only going to get harder. She and her wife had planned an intervention for him in the morning - and then in the weeks to come, they would inform him of their pending divorce.
As she went to locate where the adults had gathered, so as to not crowd Percy, her eyes widened with astonishment - and delight - as she saw a ghost. Chase O’Brien. He looked like shit, yes, but if he were to be in Percy’s life again… He needed his friends now more than ever. She gave him a somewhat friendly wave, before finally heading onto where the other parents were located - she needed to speak with James some tonight at any rate. She had more questions for him to prepare for what came next.
Not too long after Dominika arrived, so too did Billy’s mortal parents, Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan, the Scarlet Witch and Vision, and Hope Pym and Scott Lang. Wanda was deep in conversation with Jeff and Rebecca, but as they moved through the space her footsteps gravitated towards her fellow sorcerer, Max. Scott was immediately impressed with Cassie’s gravity defying dance - “it’s like Wicked!!” he eagerly told Hope, who could not help but roll her eyes as they too made it towards where the parents had gathered.
That left the Vision, the synthezoid standing in the midst of the celebration and revelry. For a moment, he just let the scene wash over him - let himself look on with fondness as these young heroes… as these young children laughed and danced and played. It was all too easy to forget that they were still kids, as blessed as they all were with extraordinary talent and power, and the crushing weight of responsibility that accompanied it all. He wished that they would never have to use a single thing he taught them - that they could remain like this forever, innocent and free.
He brushed a synthetic tear from his eyes, and signaled to the band. The music stopped at once, as he cleared his throat. “I wish to say a few words, if that is alright.”
“I am in the unusual position of being the coach for both teams… My only regret is that I did not have the opportunity to give both groups the time and attention that you deserve. To my Young Avengers - I am so very proud of you and all that you have achieved, both in the arena and beyond. America, you bring such joy to your fights, celebrating your opponent’s skills as well as your own. Teddy - while your strength is by no means in doubt, your vulnerability and heart is what astounded me today. Kate, I have said as much to you before, and I will say it again. It is a fool who goes to battle with gods and mutants armed with a bow and arrow - it is a legend who does so with your bravery and skill. Cassie, you stood by your teammate’s side until the bitter end, protecting them when it would be easier and strategic to cast them aside. Eli - you have inspired me as well as your team, urging them onwards with love and hope, and never fear and anger. And my dear sons - Tommy, I am so proud of how you use your speed to protect and aid your allies, that you choose their defense over brutal attacks. Billy - you fought a war on two fronts today, between your powers and your opponents - and while you may not have emerged the victor in both, you did so in the one that counted.”
“Now for Excelsior… I realize these words may ring hollow, as I am not the one who trained you. I am not Lady Nimue or the late Ser Nemo. But I am as fiercely proud of you as I would be had I worked with you from the start, and I know that your mentors would be overjoyed to see your triumph today.
“Danni - for a student with no psychic training, you handled the situation with the Entity masterfully, leading with the empathy and compassion of a true hero. Leah, your ability to manipulate the terrain of the battlefield is incredible, complimented by your grace under pressure as you stabilized the arena before others could be seriously hurt. Sabine, you chose to follow your conscience and moral code, even when the entire world was expecting you to continue on - and the bravery you showed in the face of mightier foes was commendable. Dorian, you similarly used words to shape the flow of the battle, changing the hearts and minds of your opponents without landing a single blow. Percy, you may have been the least experienced of your team, but you consistently came to the aid of your allies, shepherding them from harm. April, your joy and conviction as you chose to take a stand was palpable, as was your creativity in using your surroundings when your resources dwindled. Lastly, Andy - the young hero who landed the decisive blow. I have known many who chose to become consumed by their trauma, to give into bitterness and hate. You have chosen compassion and strength, and I see no limit to what you might one day achieve.”
“Now, I know you all do not wish to hear me continue to ramble on, when you have food and dance to return to, so I will conclude here. It is true that your actions in the contest will draw the eye of the Avengers and other groups around the world. But your victory here today is not what makes you heroes. It is your actions in the real world that do. So I ask you this - you have proven that you are strong, capable, and powerful. Go show the world that you are virtuous, compassionate, and good. A true hero fights to protect the innocent, to save lives, and to redeem those who need us most. You all have what it takes to be heroes. The choice to rise to the occasion is up to you.”
“Thank you.” He nodded to the band, and once more, the Court of Two Sisters was filled with the swing of jazz.
Location: Two Sisters Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)
Unaware of the chaos and mess they had missed, Sunshine and Marrow reentered the Court of Two Sisters. Marrow had a hand loosely wrapped around her wife’s waist, the other partially tucked into the pocket of her jeans. Exposed bone spikes jutted out of her back, piercing through well worn holes in a dark leather jacket. On her hip, a chain belt dangled, and her steel toed boots were scuffed beyond saving. Her appearance was a sharp contrast to her wife’s attire - not by Sunshine’s choice, of course.
If Sunshine had been able to dress the way she pleased, she would have been in a tank top and short shorts, every random bruise and scrape from her adventures on display. Her hair would have been unkempt and matted, her face bare of any makeup, and her clothes very well may have sported blood stains that belonged to other people. Her life was rough and messy and her style reflected it.
However, her older brothers were extremely annoying. While James insisted on weekly check-ins and information on where she and Marrow were headed to next, Max had insisted on enchanting her clothing while she was in New Orleans. So instead of being dressed as she would have liked, she was dressed to the ex-model’s standards: her hair was in neat curls, her makeup professionally done, and her garb a long, golden gown that hugged her curves with black heels. She’d flipped Max off the moment he’d done it. She’d never admit that she secretly liked it.
“Want to go sit down and get some food, Sun?” Marrow asked, pressing a kiss to the side of her wife’s head. Food was always an easy win with Sunshine.
And it would have been, had Sunshine not locked eyes with Andy. It had been seventeen years since she’d seen her last. They’d been almost the same age, then. And now, now it was like she was staring her childhood in the face.
“I’m gonna go say hi to Andy,” she decided. “Before she can vanish again,” she added quietly.
Marrow shook her head a bit, but nodded, as she went off to rejoin the other adults.
Sunshine didn’t waste a moment, as she headed on over to the table where Andy and a butch girl with red hair sat. No Zari, she noted. Had that crashed and burned already? “Hey there, loser,” she said with an affectionate grin - unconsciously mirroring what she had said on Genosha, when Andy and the others woke up from the ice. “Did you miss me?”
It took Andy a moment to recognize the woman in front of her. Seventeen years had been kind to Sunshine. It was her voice that made it clear who she was, and that Marrow was there too, though she went off to chat with other people.
”Holy shit. You’re here too!” Andy bounced up to her feet. She was smiling. She didn’t hug Sunshine, not that she was against it. But the two of them hadn’t been that close. Andy was still getting used to the idea that she could hug people.
To Andy waking up on Genosha was not all that long ago. Not even a full year had passed for her. She recognized the phrasing and the smile and the way Sunshine held herself. So much had changed. So little had changed.
”Honestly, yeah. I missed everyone. Though I did it the short way and it’s only been a few months for me. I heard you all thought I was dead or something.”
Sunshine didn’t have Andy’s trepidation around a hug. They hadn’t been particularly close, but she was family regardless. She’d stood vigil by her rigid corpse, screamed and cried and cursed the world as she waited for those eyes to open up again. That sort of pain didn’t come from an absence of love. So she pulled Andy in close, hugging her as fiercely as she wished she had all those years ago. She should have hugged all of them - shouldn’t have been so afraid that if she embraced them, they’d shatter like glass and leave her alone again - that she would find her family just to lose them.
“Blame Max for the outfit, he still fucking sucks,” she explained, pulling away from the hug to raise a middle finger in Max’s direction again. “And duh, of course I’m here. How else am I supposed to spoil my favorite nephews and niece? Don’t go anywhere too soon, I’ll have something in my bags you’ll like, I’m sure of it.” Was it all stolen? Yes. But she prided herself on being the aunt that gave the kids things the parents would never allow. She’d gotten some tech off some loser to give to Dorian, a jeweled ring that she didn’t know the value of for Danni, and a vintage Dazzler record that had just been collecting dust on a shelf for Millie. There was probably something she could give to Andy - maybe a keepsake from Genosha.
“I mean… Casper couldn’t find your spirits, so… we didn’t really know what happened to you.” Sunshine’s smile was tight. “I’d hoped Marrow and I would find some trace of you. That’s kind of our thing now. We go look for mutants who need help, all over the world.”
”Don't sell yourself short. You clean up good.” Andy felt her eyes misting a little as she hugged Sunshine back.
”You never seemed to sit still so that makes sense. And don't worry. I don't think I'll be disappearing again.” She stepped back from the hug.
”Zari really was from the future. And another reality. She went home the other day.” Andy wasn't mad she had been left behind. It gave her this family back. But the implied “and left me” hung in the air answering the unasked questions.
”Magneto lives next to Max and I found out around Halloween that Max was a parent to one of my new friends at school and the last few weeks have sort of been a wild whirlwind.”
“Fuck her,” Sunshine immediately said, not giving a second thought to her audience. If the kids didn’t know swear words by this point, it was her duty to inform them. She’d been the one Dorian had picked up flatscan from, after all. “You can do way better,” she then eyed the silent butch that Andy had been with. “And are doing way better, it seems,” she teased. For Sunshine, love was about finding someone who wouldn’t leave you - who would choose to stay with you, no matter what. If Andy’s ex hadn’t been able to do that, then she wasn’t good enough for her anyway.
“Ugh, I knoooow. They all decided to become dads, like, right after we left the island. I guess James and Cas had already taken in Danni, but then Max and Ben did the same exact thing. Not that I’m complaining, y’know? Fucking love my nephews. But they’re all so boring and mature now,” she sighed. “Like, they know how taxes work and stuff. Real flatscan behavior. They used to be cool.”
”So far so good. This is Gideon. I also kissed America a bit ago and so now I think we are a throuple but America is also dating Katie and Cassie so I'm going to need a flow chart I think.” Andy laughed. It was a soft honest thing. Nothing that Sunshine would have ever heard from Andy before. Andy had been a scared kicked puppy before. She wasn't now. Even if there was still fear, it was buried under the happy feelings she had right now. It slithered there, but wasn't her focus. Not with so many reunions that had just happened.
Gideon flashed a peace sign at Sunshine. “Sup?” She’d been absorbed in her phone for the moment, deleting a certain app off of it - and she hadn’t wanted to really intrude on Andy’s conversation.
“Sup,” Sunshine replied with a laugh. She shook her head slightly, more impressed than anything with the complex web of relationships Andy had grown. It was a far cry from the girl she remembered, struggling to tell Zari her feelings or even define their relationship. “Good for you, man. You seem happy. Maybe Harry can give you some advice on juggling multiple relationships,” she mused. “You told him you’re back, yeah?”
”Thank you. I haven't talked to him yet. I did see him. Though but got distracted talking with Valerie,” Andy admitted. ”I should though. God I feel like everyone I ever knew has just appeared.” She laughed, though it wasn't true. Many people were missing still.
”So world traveler, what is that like?”
“You see a lot of cool shit,” Sunshine answered. “It’s pretty awesome, most of the time. We try to help whoever we can - things are better for mutants now, but that isn’t true everywhere. And not every mutant can make it to the French Quarter. So Marrow and I fuck up every asshole that we can, and I’m not nearly as good a healer as James, but I do my best,” she shrugged slightly. She blew a bit of air through her lips, letting them puff out for a moment. “I don’t think I’ll do it forever, though. I miss them when I’m not here. And if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll kill you.”
“Bet,” Gideon chuckled.
”My lips are sealed.” Andy grinned. ”That does sound nice. I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do and I might open a gym. A place like the Drummonds was. It was a good place.” Andy had never given much thought to the future before. She had never thought she’d make it to adulthood anyway. Now that there was some hope, plans had started to seep through.
”I don’t really remember what your powers were. I thought it was something to do with disease? Can you heal too?”
Gideon’s jaw dropped. “Dude. Can I go in on that with you? I’d fucking love that. Think of all the thirst trap content I could make. And the gains.”
Sunshine giggled. “You sound like Marrow,” she noted. “Nah, not with powers - I mean, I can’t mend your broken bone, but if there’s an infection or something then I’m your gal. You’d be surprised - or maybe you wouldn’t be - how many people are dying across the world from disease just because they don’t have access to medicine. Mutants and flatscans alike. So I help them out as I can, and James taught me enough that I’m basically a paramedic for everything else. And my other thing is more useful for violence - the near perfect aim trick.”
Andy laughed and nodded at Gideon’s request. ”Totally. I think Leah is interested too.” She squeezed Gideon’s knee, and then looked back up at Sunshine. ”Yeah, not super surprised. I was pretty stuck in my own little world growing up, but I wasn’t blind to how fucked up everything around the whole world was. Everything I do is good for violence.” Andy shrugged a little. ”Fast reflexes, and lighting at my fingertips.” She knew that there were less scrupulous ways to use her lighting than she had. Andy didn’t plan on using them in such ways. The human body required a certain amount of it to survive and Andy could turn it off just as easily as she could turn it on.
Sunshine scrunched up her face for a moment, thinking. “Have you thought about learning CPR?” she suggested. “You could be a defibrillator essentially - delivering the pulses to bring someone back. It’s not as cool and flashy as breaking someone’s fucking knee on TV but… I dunno. Maybe I’m old and lame now, but saving lives is pretty sick. Much more fun than taking them.”
Andy had not thought about the reverse. She blinked for a moment thinking. ”It would be good to know. Definitely.” Andy’s way of saving lives had always been to beat the shit out of the person causing problems. This was a nice change of perspective.
In that moment, Sunshine knew exactly what she was going to gift to Andy. “James is a good teacher. Since you’re going to be hanging around in New Orleans for a minute until school again, right? So lame you’re going to school. Should’ve had the Genosha telepaths just download math for you like I did,” she stuck out her tongue slightly.
”Math has not been the issue. I basically lost seventeen years doing the time travel thing. Besides, if I hadn’t gone to school I wouldn’t have met Danni and Dorian and if I hadn’t met them I’d probably be hiding in a well or something.” Andy laughed. ”I’ll ask him. He’s like my neighbor now.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at that. “A well? You can do better than that,” she tsked. Losing seventeen years was something she could empathize with, however. Her life hadn’t really begun until she landed with the Mutant Underground - everything before that was a blur, shivering in the streets and dodging patrols, with the occasional stint in juvi to keep things fresh. She wasn’t dyslexic like Andy, but she hadn’t been able to read until she was eighteen. “At least pick something with style like… a bridge. Be a bridge troll. Scare flatscans as they come across and take their money.”
”Oh I was thinking of that movie, The Ring. Where the girl comes out of the well and through the T.V. I could probably pull off the look. Let my hair grow longer and a little grosser.” She reached up and pulled her hair so it covered her face and leaned a little so it dangled. ”Seven days.” She intoned, making her voice a bit crackly like T.V. static.
Sunshine stared at her blankly. “There’s a movie called the Ring? And it’s not about, like, some stupid breeder wedding?”
Andy pulled her hair back. She loved movies, horror especially and the more ‘b’ the better as far as she was concerned. ”Yes! It is a classic Japanese horror film. It is about a cursed VHS tape. If you watch it you get a phone call that tells you ‘seven days’ and then you die on the seventh day. There is this creepy girl who climbs out of a well and through the t.v. to do the murdering. There were a couple remakes and reboots but the original Japanese and honestly I enjoyed the original American one too are where it's at.”
Sunshine cackled. “Okay, I have to watch this. I love seeing stupid bitches get theirs. Do you text? Maybe we do an Underground movie night. I’ll make Maxie get us popcorn with all the fixings. Before everyone leaves town.”
Andy nodded and pulled out her phone. It now had more phone numbers in it than ever before and that filled her heart with a bit of joy. After Sunshine had entered her number she listened to Vision’s speech. She didn’t want to dance so she was happy that America had someone to dance with. The speech was sweet. She was surprised that he called each of them out personally with things they did during the fight. Andy leaned against Gideon again.
Location: The court of two sisters Equipment: Multi-field generators Skills: N/A
The way Cassie talked about grabbing her followed by sticking her tongue out at her gave Victoria a brief flashback of XCOM's vipers. And Cassandra would be thinking about making use of her powers to force Vicky to the dance floor - Vicky was using hers to stay away from it, and they were sisters. Of course she would. "Cassandra Lang, if you grab me with an oversized tongue, it won't be a dance battle on your hand, it will just be a battle." she said with a shudder. That'd never clean off of the suit.
She was content to just sit and watch as more people made use of her shenanigans. Did she feel like a piece of furniture at this party? Yes. Did she mind? No. She was used to being in the background, and helping the rest have their fun was fun for her.
That thought made Vicky think about where she belonged in this ecosystem. She now knew she was more or less free to pick her own path. Her own mission. With the scene in front of her, the decision seemed simple. She would work to protect those in need, as was her original purpose, yes. Unlike the original scope of the ASTRA project though, she wouldn't limit her actions to just one subspecies of human, or humans altogether. The original mission would have her sacrifice her classmates if that resulted in a net gain of human lives saved. Victoria could not do that. Not anymore.
As her eyes ticked from Cassie, to the newly arrived Hope and Scott, to Leah, Sabine, Danni, Dorian and others, the mission statement collapsed to individual names like a wave function when observed. She was built to grow to care about humans. Anonymous, statistical. Now that she was looking around her, it looked like that idea might have been flawed from the start, too. Because that didn't come without the ability to care about some of them more than others. So yeah, above all else, I will do my damned best to take care of the people that matter to me. I already failed once. she winced as she remembered that day. Blasting Andy out of existence. Stepping in front of April as the biggest mistake of her life tried to end her too. It didn't leave her trembling as it did weeks before, but that day would never go away. She was beaten, thoroughly and absolutely, in her own native environment.
But before I can do that, I'll need to patch a few security issues. with that, she leaned back against the chair, observing the dance floor, while delving to her code documentation in the background, annotating what she needed to patch over the winter break.
Holy shit, Sabine was really fucking hot when she started acting like that. It made her giant little heart flutter. Chase couldn’t see it, but she had a diabolical grin on her face. There was no need to step up, pound her chest like an animal and act possessive. Granted, she would if he was a creep, but Sabine just had to look at him and he’d be screaming at hallucinations for the rest of his life. She stood up and looked back at Chase with that same expression.
”Watch yourself, Chaser.”
There was no reality in which she didn’t wake up the next day, go through her morning routine, grab herself a fresh mug of coffee blacker than charcoal, and internally cringe at the fact she had just said that. But not today.
Thankfully, she didn’t get a chance to think about it. Vision got everyone’s attention, and… He had some awfully kind things to say about them. For someone who hadn’t really been there and coached them, Vision was pretty damn proud. Which was good, since all of them should have been. They fucking won, they worked tirelessly for it. And there was so little hurt after it that Leah felt like a fool for thinking it was a big deal.
Leah could get used to this.
She turned around and waked over to her smoking hot girlfriend.
”I have no idea how to dance. Show me?”
Location: Court of Two Sisters Gear: Skills:
Marlena followed April over as a dance party broke out. There was a lot of energy in here. One might’ve assumed there’d be hard feelings from the earlier fight. Marlena had watched America Chavez (who was so hot. Like, god damn.) get her leg bent like a plastic straw. That rock girl was snarling like a pit bull the whole time, and there was a huge cash prize involved. And yet everyone was laughing, falling over each other and mingling. That was a pretty good thing, in her opinion. It gave her a bit of confidence for the time she’d be spending at the same school as all of these people.
She was dreading it, if she was being honest with herself. The idea of having to become a hero in a world full of dangerous people spooked her, but if the people she was going to be a hero alongside were like this? It wouldn’t be so bad.
”Looks like somebody’d got a few moves,” Marlena commented, glancing up at the floating Young Avenger. ”Didn’t know superheroes could dance on air. I’d ask if it hurt when you fell from Heaven, but I guess you didn’t land, huh?”
Then she turned to April. ”Not much of a dancer, but I can learn pretty quick. Need a partner?”
Chase took Sabine's hand as she extended it. Standing up to be with her (and Leah) as they began to make their way near the dance floor. A smile crept up at the corner of his lips at Sabine's speech as he followed her over. ”And when you find out I'm not lying? Can we still do dirty, nasty things that will leave me a piddling mess?” She was hot, she was dangerous, and that made everything even hotter. She could break his mind, back, and bed if she so wished it so long as he got to have his fun in the end. Chase didn't bother hiding any of his expressions from Leah. He was an open book if the giant even knew how to read.
Chase tried to ignore the horrendous comeback of Leah's. Chaser? Really? He fought the urge to roll his eyes as she spoke, waiting for his own opportunity to strike. His power slipped into Leah unseen, unknown, as his own wrapped around him to aid him. ”Im not the best at it, but this is swing. We did a segment on it back at my old school. If I may” Chase cut between Leah and Sabine, grabbing hold of Sabine's hand gently while his other arm moved to her lower back. ”No stuff movements. It's all fluid, feeling the music. Basic step as you feel it goes like this.” Chase marched in place, feet shoulder width apart and at an angle to Sabine. It was a simple 1, 2. He then took a step back behind his left foot with his right, and rocked forward onto his left before moving into the 1, 2 step. ”Once you get comfortable enough with it you just.”
Chase continued the dance, this time on beat to the music, to the rhythm of the song being played. He moved Sabine further away from Leah, more into the dancefloor yet still close enough for Leah to be able to join them. He just needed the space for the next move. Chase rolled Sabine into his arms, holding her for a beat before throwing her out towards Leah and pulling her back into him as she made a pass under his arm for a full twirl. ”You're really good at this, but I think your girlfriend's getting jealous. Ready to spin towards her so she can join in on the dancefloor?”
Danni's eyes lit up as Eli jumped in and kept paced with him. The Lindy Hop was a difficult dance, lots of complex moves and shifts, and he was having a great time. The music was fast, the dance was faster, and everything was a whirlwind of noise and colors. “‘eck yeah you do! Damn boy, keepin’ up wit’ me ain't no joke. Gotta do this more often! Ooooo, we should do t'is everytime we ‘an'out!” Danni laughed breathlessly as Eli reeled him back into a three step sway. Danni pressed a kiss to Eli's cheek, but whirled at the sudden lack of music and Vision's appearance. Danni was ready to pout and whine but he stayed silent as Vision spoke.
Danni beamed with pride and let out a loud whoop as the music returned. “Ta t'e Youn’ Avengers, ta Execlisor, ta Avengers Acadamey!” Danni cheered, happily returning to Eli as the dancing resumed. Danni felt the partner shift coming so he winked at Eli, blew him a kiss, and spun away into the arms of the next lucky person to have him.
As Chase let Sabine twirl away to Leah, shifting partners and freeing himself up for the next bout of dancing, he turned and quickly grasped hands with the pyromaniac from the Contest. His outfit was garrish, but the boy himself was cute. Instantly Chase moved into the swing of things, dancing along to the beat of the music as he watched how well Danni kept pace. ”You sure know your stuff Hot Shot.”
Danni blinked at the unfamiliar face he'd landed in the arms but beamed after a moment, happily following the new boy's lead. He giggled at the compliment. “Been dancin’ for years ya know. Gotta ‘ave somet'in’ stick! Plus its fun as ‘eck! Ya know, gettin’ t'e blood pumpin’, meetin’ cute guys and gals, and it's great exercise! T'e gym just gets so boooorin’ t'at I just zone out ya know?” Danni laughed as Chase spun him into a twirl.
“Ya know, t'is whole aesthetic really does it for you! Poppin’ up mysteriously, cute, and def know ‘ow ta move. ‘ave ya considered moisturizer? Like, it's a shame t'at a face t'is pretty isn't gettin’ t'e love it deserves.” Dann brought his hand up and cupped his cheek, rubbing a thumb just under the dark circles. “I got a couple o’ recommendations! Good ones for t'is whole look you're foin’ for too - nothin’ too light and refreshing to kill the mystery.” Danni winked.
Chase raised an eyebrow as Danni mentioned cute girls and guys. Interesting. Doubly so when he called him cute himself if not for the southern backhanded compliment that followed after. He turned his head slightly to get Danni's hands away from the circles I'm under his eyes. ”I'm sure someone as flawless as you could recommend me a few things but I doubt it'll stick. The circles came when my powers awakened, didn't realize some powers had an aesthetic change to go with them.” Chase tried to shrug off the comment, even if it was beginning to eat him inside a little. ”So you think I'm cute?”
“Oh! I t'ought t'oss were intentional, tbh. I meant t'e size of your pores silly. If we run inta each ot'er again, let's do a spa day! I t'ink it'll be great and even if t'is is all part o’ your powers, you give me t'e vibes of a guy who could use a chill day wit’ t'e best company around!” Danni bopped Chase on the nose, preening under his attention. Flawless was the perfect way to describe Danni, if Danni did say so himself. “T'e siblings and I do t'em aaaaall t'e time. Def why I'm so relaxed. Just me, my peeps, and the lovely feeling of restoration. Sometimes, it's a burnin’ sensation but beauty is pain, t'ey say!”
Danni gave him a shy smile. “‘ope t'at's okay? You are cute and I t'ink you're teasin’ me for sayin’ t'at.”
Chase leaned in to Danni's ear whispering just enough for Danni to hear. ”Oh I am most certainly teasing you for it.” He pulled away with a mischievous grin. ”But in a good way, you're obviously cute yourself so hearing you call me that just makes my cold heart flutter. Maybe if we see each other again we can plan that spa day. Just…you and I.” Chase offered Danni a wink.
Danni giggled as Chase whispered in his ear, flushing pleasantly. It’d been a while since someone had given him this kind of attention and he was certainly enjoying it. “I run plenty warm so I’ll get t’at cold ‘eart melted soon enough; just can’t go slippin’ t’rough my fingers when my back is turned, stranger.” Danni’s eyes lit up at Chase’s suggestion. . “Omg, yes, bondin’ time! You, me, and my army of creams, powders, and maybe a sauna? Yeah, def a sauna. I need a little ‘eat after all t’is, ya know? Ugh, pleaaase tell me you’re not a person t’at ‘ates saunas.”
”Suppose you'll just have to find out another day Hot Shot.” Chase twirled Danni back out and towards Eli as he once again made his way through the dance floor, the next closest partner being the one he'd wanted from the start.
April’s chest fluttered with excitement for a moment. Danni and Dorian had told Millie Broadway about her? She knew how much her brothers loved her, but every now and then a reminder of it took her breath away for a moment, as she felt that love for a moment. She returned Millie’s hug tightly, giggling with the building feelings of ecstasy. They had gone through so much bullshit, so much drama and suffering this year - and now, now they just got to be happy, they got to celebrate and enjoy life, with no existential dread crushing them, no pressure of performing on a global stage on the horizon. “Oh, absolutely, I’d love to show you around!!” she squealed, already thinking what Millie would want to see the most on campus. April had never really spent a lot of time in the performing arts center, but she knew that it was supposed to be gorgeous - she bet Millie would want to see it. She’d want to see everything. Maybe she could give her the full tour.
“Okay, have fun!!” she waved a bit, as Millie was whisked away by America Chavez to the dance floor - or the dance air space? Everyone was leaving gravity behind now, whether they were aided by their powers or by Vicky’s gravitational lift.
She was about to head to join in when the music went silent for a moment, as Vision arrived and gave a speech, praising each and every one of them individually. She didn’t remember the last time an adult had praised her - didn’t remember the last time an authority figure had told her that she did well. Her parents certainly hadn’t. Nothing had ever been enough for them, when excellence was held as the baseline, the standard. So as Vision paid her a compliment for her efforts in the contest, April couldn’t hold back the tears - they weren’t sad, however. They were tears of pride, of happiness. That same giddiness latched onto the drinks in the courtyard, not freezing them but violently sloshing them about, spilling them over onto the tables.
She dried her tears on the back of her sleeve, before beaming at Marlena as she asked if she needed a partner. She wanted to dance with everyone she loved tonight - wanted to dance with her team. The style of dance seemed to be partner swaps, so she could begin with Marlena - and then see about getting Leah, about getting Danni and Dorian and all the others. “Yeah, let’s do it!!” April grabbed Marlena’s hand, and dragged her to the dance floor, where the lack of gravity let them start to drift pleasantly upwards into the sky.
Percy bit back a grimace. He didn’t like dancing. They had assigned dance units at Gates and he had been conveniently ill during every lesson. The touching, the social rules, the noise… it was a perfect symphony of everything that made him want to scream and tear off his skin. But he had already skipped out on a lot of the celebrations that day, sitting in his room in complete silence in the dark rather than joining the others. And then, he had caused Dorian to miss the start of this event too, having a public meltdown worse than any he’d had in a while. He could be uncomfortable for a moment. How long could dancing last for?
He nodded, as Dorian asked if they could dance - enticing him with the idea that it would be like Pride and Prejudice. Percy loved Pride and Prejudice. It had quickly evolved into his comfort movie.
“Very well, Mr. Darcy,” Percy acquiesced, following Dorian’s lead. He did his best to mirror and match his boyfriend’s steps, as they left gravity behind - and despite never having danced before really, he managed to hold his own.
”Enchanté Ms. Swan.” No matter how many times Dorian had watched Pride and Prejudice, he still called Elizabeth Bennet, Kieran Knightley's character, by Elizabeth Swan, another character played by her from the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He led Percy in the dance, knowing full well that his boyfriend never had much of a want to dance, and full happy that he agreed to even do so right now. ”You're a natural Perce.”
Percy blushed, even as he protested Dorian mixing up franchises again. “Her name is Elizabeth Bennet,” he corrected. He had told Dorian this a thousand times before, and he would probably tell him another thousand times, if not more. They weren’t dancing quite like in the movies - Percy didn’t know the name of the dance they were doing, but it was a bit too modern for Bennet and Darcy - or for Elizabeth Swan and Will Turner. Although… he wouldn’t mind if Dorian decided to dress as either Turner or Darcy for a bit.
For now the pair had been establishing a basic dance in swing. A stance Percy was more than likely not used to, as instead of having their feet directly beneath each other, they were almost shoulder length apart, a basic two step march that moved into a rock step. Nothing crazy, nothing too fancy. They stood almost at an angle to each other, making a V shaped pattern with their bodies, and Dorian's hand was on Percy's lower back. A clearly more relaxed stance to take as opposed to the ballroom dancing shown on period dramas.
Dorian wanted to add a bit more flare into it, after all this was swing, he quickly (and without warning) threw Percy out, extending his arms in such a way that was meant to lead into the turn in and back to the basics. Unfortunately Percy had gone too far out too quick, their fingers grazed each other as they slipped away and Dorian quickly extended the telekinetic field around Percy to grip his hand now before pulling him in. Giggling as they rejoined with Percy curled into his arms before he let go and went back into the basics.
Percy yelped as suddenly, he was thrown out - he didn’t know this style of dance, he had a vague idea of small, controlled spins in period pieces but nothing quite like this - he’d panicked, trying to get a better grip onto Dorian’s fingers, only to meet nothing but air. But the next thing he knew, a familiar sensation enveloped him, like a weighted blanket, and he was pulled back in, his back to Dorian as he was pressed against his chest. “Don’t do that!” Percy protested, as he bit back a smile - or at least, attempted to. He couldn’t help himself, a lovesick grin forcing its way to the surface, as he started to giggle. And as they went back into the basic step, he couldn’t stop looking at Dorian with adoration, missing more and more of the movements as they went.
”You can't even ‘ide it! You're ‘avin’ fun.” Dorian continued, watching Percy's feet to try and keep him on step and rhythm. ”Now kick ball change and 1,2,3 and now we do a twirl!” Dorian pulled Percy inwards this time, having him move underneath his arm as he then twirled him out before coiling him back in and throwing him out. His free hand and matching foot extending outwards in the opposite direction to add some flair into the move.
“I am not having fun!” he argued, giggling between each word. He couldn’t help himself, it was like his body had decided to betray him in that moment, years of suppressed laughs and snarky comments just evaporating. He had no idea what a kick ball change was - was he supposed to kick? But the tempo was fast enough that he couldn’t even question it, before he was spun around and thrown out again, his vision swimming a bit as more laughter escaped him.
”T'en we should ‘not ‘ave fun’ more often.” Dorian was also now in a fit of giggles. He'd never seen Percy this happy, this free. It made his heart melt and his love grow. Sure he'd seen him smile or show his affections in ways only Percy could, but this? Unbridled emotion with no walls to hold them back? Never in a million years did he believe it possible.
“I never have fun with you, ever,” he swore, even as he was starting to struggle to breathe from the joyous laughter. If he hadn’t just cried his eyes out, he probably would’ve been brought to tears. If Dorian hadn’t been holding them up in the air with his powers, his knees might have given out. He spun into Dorian’s chest again, holding himself there for a moment as his body trembled.
Dorian gave Percy a kiss as he held him close, fully enraptured in their dance to notice anyone else that was on the floor. When it came time to spin him out once more, where normally a partner swap out occur, he extended out just as he'd done last time. Flourishing with his free hand and leg out as he turned to face away from Percy, but when he turned back again to grab and pull Percy in, he was in the hands of another.
Chase had taken the partner swap and began to dance swing with Percy. There was nervousness inside him, from what felt like a thousand eyes staring right back at him. As he turned their angle slightly he smiled and waved at Dominika, before turning Percy to see who he was saying hi to. ”Percival…you didn't tell her?” His tone clearly surprised at the news.
Percy had been having a really nice time - he’d been having fun, feeling giddy with happiness and joy. He didn’t know that he had been jinxed - didn’t know that the universe itself was conspiring against him, that even with 1 in 400 odds, he was doomed, doomed to be swung out from Dorian’s grip - and into Chase’s. He was stunned speechless for a moment, falling out of the rhythm of the dance - and stumbling out of Vicky’s anti gravity field, face first, destined for his next kiss to be with the pavement about ten feet below.
Chase watched as Percy immediately lost his grip on the situation. Shadows pooling around Percy's lower back as he caught him in a low dip and pulled him back up with a smile. ”I always told you skipping Dance Lessons wasn't a wise idea. Just, follow my lead?”
Dorian looked towards Percy, asking him if he needed help, if he needed them to get away. He needed no words, a simple look conveying it all.
He swallowed, the only thing keeping him from screaming as Chase touched him being his boyfriend’s telekinetic barrier. He studied Chase’s face as he had a thousand times before. He hadn’t been able to understand their classmates, but he had been able to understand him - or so he’d thought. A tremble went through him as that pain crawled its way back to the surface. He wanted this to be genuine, to be real - wanted this to not be an act to save face, to avoid social embarrassment. He wanted Chase to regret what he’d done and apologize - even if Percy himself didn’t know if it was too late, didn’t know if he could ever forgive him.
And for a moment, he thought he saw in Chase’s eyes what he wanted to see.
He looked at Dorian and shook his head for a moment.
He switched into Spanish, as his gaze hardened. “Y que te hizo pensar que yo le hubiera dicho algo? No voya, si eso es todo lo que estoy es. No se los digo.”
Chase rolled his eyes at Percy. Difficult of course he would be. And why shouldn't he? Chase was a monster, a murderer, and a million other despicable things. ”No pensé por un segundo que tu me ibas a dar el chance para pedir disculpas. No es solamente para ellos. Pero…” Chase got quiet, debating on if he should even say or ask about this. This dance was already so fragile it may break it, but when else would he get the chance? ”Fui un cobarde. Pero tú me dejaste sólito en esa clase del infierno. Me dijiste que me amabas y solamente porque yo no tenía las palabras para responder tu me abandonaste primero.”
There was nothing in Chase’s eyes that he wanted to see - no glimmer of remorse, no regret. His best friend had died a long time ago, and this was just the thing wearing his corpse. Percy stopped dancing, his hands shaking as they folded into fists. He wanted nothing more than to lash out and scream, to punch Chase as hard as he could, to split his lip and watch him bleed - to make him feel just an ounce of what he’d put Percy through. That was what all of this had been about? That was why his life had been made a living hell - because of a class? The tremors in his hands traveled to the rest of his body, and he was livid, seeing red.
Chase hadn’t changed. Couldn’t change, maybe.
And it was only because he knew that beating the lights out of him right now would ruin the party for everyone else that he restrained himself.
“I wasn’t going to tell anyone here. I was going to keep your secret,” Percy spat. “I wasn’t going to tell them how you threw me into every locker I’d fit into, every trash can - that you were my friend and you threw it all away because you were, what - scared? You’re right. You were a coward. And you still are one. You care more about what everyone else here thinks of you than the rot inside your soul. You think you’re Arthur, but you’re Mordred.” You’re the reason I drink. “And if you ever touch me again, it won’t be social suicide you have to worry about.”
Chase had let go of Percy. He wasn't going to fight him, he wasn't even trying to start an argument. All he'd wanted was to have the chance to apologize. His hands tugged at the cuffs of his sleeves, taking a step back as Percy held up a mirror to who he had become. ”I never said I was Arthur, I've known for a while who my counterpart was. But you're wrong about one thing Percival, I wasn't worried about what everyone else here thought about me, only what you did. I simply wanted to apologize, and I knew you'd never forgive me, but I thought maybe the Percival I knew was still there, clearly it's just Perce now. Don't worry about me seeing you again.” Shadows pooled around Chase as they opened up behind him and he began to slink in.
“The Percival you knew was beaten out of me when you decided being a monster was more important than being my friend,” he snarled. “And I don’t worry about you. That would require thinking about you.”
Y que te hizo pensar que yo le hubiera dicho algo? No voya, si eso es todo lo que estoy es. No se los digo = Why would I tell her? I won’t, if that’s what this is. I won’t tell them.
No pensé por un segundo que tu me ibas a dar el chance para pedir disculpas. No es solamente para ellos, Pero… = I didn’t think for a second that you would give me the chance to apologize. It isn't just for them, but…
Fui un cobarde. Pero tú me dejaste sólito en esa clase del infierno. Me dijiste que me amabas y solamente porque yo no tenía las palabras para responder tu me abandonaste primero. = I was a coward. But you left me alone in that class from hell. You told me you loved me and because I didn't have the words to respond to you you left me first.
Location: The Court of Two Sisters Gear: N/A Skills: N/A
It had been a long time since Sabine danced with someone like this.
If she were being honest with herself, it made her heart flutter. Granted, it seemed Chase was enjoying himself, playing around, but he knew his moves. She glided to the beat as he highlighted Swing to her. She had never done swing before. Chase knew his stuff. On her periphery, she could see Leah. Chase had noticed too and, after displaying some more moves, spun her over to Leah. Sabine quickly grabbed hold of Leah, both to ensure she didn't spin out of control and fall as well as to invite Leah to move. Leah asked her how to, after all. "Hey sexy. Let's dance!"
Sabine began moving along with Leah, taking it upon herself to lead in the moves she just learned. But either way, she just wanted to forget about the world outside and just...be here. With Leah. With her team. With people who cared for her and supported her. With new friends. With a night of magic and wonder.
The music died, and Sabine grew worried the party was over, but she looked and saw Vision take the stage. She was curious what he wanted to say and he began noting how many teachers they lost, including Ser Nemo. But then Vision highlighted each member of the team. Sabine still felt low, still felt down about how she was during the contest, but Vision's words warmed her. She fought off tears, not willing them to come on when she should be happy and enjoying her night. But his words were true; each of them showed true strength and courage.
Soon, the music began again and Sabine laughed, spinning Leah a bit and nearly falling over herself, drunk on happiness. "I love you, Leah," she said as she kissed her deeply. Audience be damned.
Millicent Broadway
Location: The Court of Two Sisters Gear: N/A Skills: N/A
Millicent felt herself pulled, both figuratively and physically, by America through the anti-gravity effect. If it was a dance battle they wanted, then a dance battle it shall be! "Oh heights never bothered me anyway. I've done a few aerial stunts during a show. Let's boogie!"
Millicent's moves were more pop-centered. A few twists here, some breakdancing, spins and stunts, nothing she wasn't used to during a show. It was nice to see the Young Avengers letting their hair down despite their loss. It was commendable.
Millie looked around at the new people she met, the ones she knew, and those she has yet to meet. A new school with new opportunities. She allowed herself a moment to bask in how she got here. If she wasn't attacked, would she have even known she had powers? Would she still be in the dark? And would she have been relying on her aunts and uncle to help? Or held back by her father, or worse, attacked outright?
Now here she was in New Orleans, having a dance battle, about to take part in a new school to help her.
The moment was broken up by kind words from Vision who spoke of each member of Excelsior. Millicent was proud of them. She hadn't known what happened before they got to the contest, apart from Internet rumors, but they made it. She was happy to be a part of them now.
Her eyes wandered to Danni, who was dancing with dark and dangerous, and then to April, who, she had to admit, sparked a lot of interest.
Millicent let the music, once it continued, to take her away. Losing herself in the beat. Win or lose, she was happy to be amongst others like her. It was scary, but oh so satisfying, to see what the future held.
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
“I could eat,” Gideon agreed, as Andy leaned up against her. She leaned in, nibbling lightly on her ear. “But I think the food here will have to do, then,” she added with a chuckle, before getting up and heading over to one of the waiters, and placing an order for more food than the two of them could possibly eat together. Then, she went to where a buffet table of sorts had been set-up, grabbing plates of appetizers and bringing them back to Andy. “Dig in, princess,” she added with a wink.
“You know that kid?” Eli asked, as Danni was twirled back to him on the dance floor. He’d taken advantage of the partner swap to dance with Cassie for a moment, before sending her back into Kate’s arms. He hadn’t recognized the boy Danni danced with, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him. He’d shown up here, ended up covered in food, and there was a haunted look to him that he couldn’t quite shake. There were kids like that on campus - kids who had suffered more than they should. He seemed like the sort who needed a friend. “It’s good on you, dancing with him. He probably needs it.”
And then, his jaw tightened slightly as he noticed the shadows pooling. He definitely needed a friend. Eli made a mental note to keep an eye on this kid, maybe reach out to him when they were back on campus - but with the Mother, he didn’t even know if that would happen. Everything was so up in the air.
America was laughing, giggling with glee as she danced with a veritable pop princess. “You’re so talented - you go, girl!!!” she squealed. She’d never done swing dance very much before, but she was quickly falling in love with it - with the music, the rhythm, the beat. Maybe she’d learn to play saxophone next semester! Or the trombone! The trombone seemed fun - she could imagine sticking a knife or a glove on the end of it, letting it double as a weapon. “How do you think we know if we’ve won, btw?” she then asked. She didn’t know if swing dancing came with a point system.
Sexy? Sexy? Leah Rose Jordan, daughter of Luz Pavon and Earthbending, Asskicking Badass? Sexy?
She could get used to Sabine calling her that.
Leah caught Sabine as she stumbled into her. Chase had some moves, that much was certain. She let her girlfriend lead the dance, and quickly picked up on the pattern. It was like boxing, insofar as the placement of feet were critical. This was nice, this whole aftermath of the biggest fight of their lives was something to behold. Barriers she had for years were now gates now wide open. She had a family again, she had friends. There was a weight hanging off her shoulders for so long, she had feared allowing this to happen.
There was a time when nothing made her smile. And standing her, kissing Sabine, made her forget those times existed. She leaned forward, grabbed her girlfriend by the waste and did not let the kiss break for several seconds. Onlookers be damned.
”We’re going to be good heroes, Sabine.” There was nothing but light in her eyes. ”I know it. The best damn ones to ever put on a cape, one of these days… I love you so much.”
And Leah kissed her again.
Location: Court of Two Sisters Gear: Skills:
Marlena let herself get dragged along. This place had a great vibe with the fairy lights, the sexy ladies and zero gravity. She rocked forward on her feet, and let the momentum carry her upwards with April. By no means was she a dancer, but if there was ever a time to try a few moves, it’d be now. When would she ever have this kind of opportunity again, dancing on air at a party of this nature? Maybe they had them pretty often at Margaret Carter, maybe they didn’t. She’d worry about that tomorrow.
She rocked her hips left and right, swaying in the air like a balloon. It felt natural to her. She swept her arm over April to twirl her and hold her close. There was a smile plastered over her face. Marlena loved to meet people and have a good time. The thrill of seeing a new place, a new friend, or having a new experience meant a lot to her. She wanted to fucking live.
”I can get used to this,” She commented, sweeping her arms down and curling into a ball to start spinning. ”If you ask me, Miss America, whoever had the coolest moves wins the dance battle. And I think that, because I’m winning!”
In zero gravity, she was just rolling and rolling like a tire. Then, after about ten loops, she spread her arms wide and let drag stop her. Her puffy hair looked a mess, suddenly.
”Come on, Cascade,” Marlena teased, taking April’s hand again. ”Time to win another battle today.”
Location: Two Sisters Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)
Andy giggled as Gideon nibbled on her ear. Her cheeks felt warm, and her insides felt like they were on fire. She was not against a round two. When Gideon came back with the food, Andy dug in. She was very hungry. It had been a long few days. Today had been physically and emotionally exhausting too.
Though in the end she was still happy. Her anxiety had faded back and was not overwhelming. She wondered, as she ate and watched her friends dance, how much of her stress had been about her mom. How much of her brain was constantly thinking about how Selene could and would cause the end of the world if given half a chance. As she ate Andy decided she'd let Max keep Selene for now. She'd finish school and then take her back, but until then she needed to focus on herself. Focus on learning, focus on her relationships. Focus on not being overwhelmed by a weight of something beyond her comprehension.
When she was full, she asked Gideon, "Do you dance? I'm not any good at it, but willing to be dumb for a bit with you."
“Noooooope, didn't know ‘im at all! ‘e was flirty t'ough, it was fun!” Danni laughed as Eli caught him again. “And ‘e said we could ‘an'out too! We're gunna do a spa day; ‘e said we'd ‘ave ta find out if ‘e likes t'e sauna but I def wanna go relax t'ere so it'll be an excitin’ experience! ‘e can find out if ‘e likes saunas and I can relax in t'e ‘eat! I also told ‘im I'll put my army of creams and staff ta work for ‘im and ‘e seemed ta like t'at! ‘onestly, wit’ ‘ow tough Spicy was on ‘im, I t'oight ‘e'd be worse!”
With the music loud and friends all around, Danni couldn't think of a better end to everything they'd gone through. Arcade, Halloween, C.A.G.E., the Contest, and his baby girl Amélie, Danni couldn't help the bubbly feeling come up and out and he laughed as he spun around the dance floor for the rest of the evening, swapping partners until the music stopped and he nodded off, nearly face first in a bowl of gumbo, only to be carried back home and tucked into bed by an amused James.
Location: The Court of Two Sisters Gear: N/A Skills: N/A
A moment of pure bliss betwixt perilous scenarios and future bad decisions. What did it matter in this moment? Sabine was not perfect, by any stretch. She still worried she was not enough, the contest in the back of her mind, the decisions (or lack thereof) playing on her mind constantly. But she had a plan. She would reach out and ask for help, something past Sabine would never have considered.
And to have friends to do it with when her life had been filled with mistrust and wariness. The ups and downs she had faced made her who she was here and now. And Leah was right; they would be heroes. Sabine had given it a lot of thought. She wanted to pave the road for future psychics and telepaths to not be immediately distrusted, to not be painted as villains and, instead, given a chance to prove they can be good.
She also wanted to further herself, to learn how to defend herself and others with her powers. To see them grow, expand, possibly be shaped and given the potential to be more.
But that was future Sabine's problem. For now, she just wanted to dance, eat, and forget she was anything but a teenage girl, kissing her girlfriend and spending time with her friends. Tomorrow, the plan starts. Today, we celebrate.
Millicent Broadway
Location: The Court of Two Sisters Gear: N/A Skills: N/A
Millie slowed down some, but the moves kept on coming. She was unsure who was scoring this impromptu dance battle, but she had to assume she was absolutely killing it along with America."I dunno, but I think it's safe to assume we won? At least, that's the story I'm going with when I talk about this night. Oh! Let's take a selfie!" She got into position with America, holding her phone out and posing cutesy. She would show the photo to America for approval before posting, of course. Gotta get the good angles.
Millicent scanned the scene, eyeing the people she would be going to school with, their respective adults, and her own family. In a brief moment of reflection, she worried about the future. Ever since she got her powers, things shifted. She had known about how mutants were treated. Of course she did. You couldn't be a popular performer and not be up-to-date on current events. At least, if you wanted to maintain said popularity. But she was never embroiled in it. A sound clip here, a video there, expressing how sad it made you to think that there were people out there who, for one reason or another, justified or not, just hated others for things beyond their control.
And then she was attacked and her world changed. She was now receiving messages of support, from other mutants and those who supported them, as well as calls for her to either recede into the background or to....well do something dark to herself. She had received death threats before, but things escalated since then. To their credit, her aunts and uncle did their best to shield her from it and teach her how to better control her new abilities, but she still wanted to perform. Music was a light in the darkness for her. It was a way of expressing herself beyond the scope of what others did. She put all of herself into her music. To stop now was unfathomable.
She let the thoughts slide away. Now was a moment for joy and wonder. "Let's get fucking wild!"
He could make another person the target of his wrath, channel every negative emotion he had into them, all while avoiding reckoning with the ones he held of himself. It was readily applied, easily suited to any situation. His jacket was burned and his body possessed on the first day of school? Yell, scream and accuse the culprits of being bullies, of knowingly and willingly going out of their way to make him miserable - set aside that it had been an accident with good intentions - and do not grapple with the knowledge that while others look for heroes, he searches for monsters. A cute boy in his room confessing how he feels? Misinterpret it, let the jealousy curdle and choose to wallow in it. His tormenter from middle school appears, offering a hug and professing his desire to make amends, even offering a portion of his side of the story? Threaten him, smother the painful memories in rage, do whatever it takes to have the last word.
The hard part was what came after.
It was only ever a temporary fix. The pain always won out, always came through. The urge to curl into a ball and cry that first night of school, to message his mothers that this wasn’t going to work out, that he wanted to come home and maybe try online courses instead - that no matter where he went, he was different in a way that was punishable. The panic that had crept in after the boy had left his room, as his mind tried to devour itself with possibilities and what-ifs - if he was just Icarus in that moment, flying too close to the sun, and his fall was past due.
He’d been lying when he said he didn’t think about him.
The energy surged within him, and he tried to suppress it, to stay present in this moment on the dance floor - to choose to be happy as his team celebrated, instead of consumed with anger, bitterness, and regret. He’d been so happy just minutes ago - why couldn’t he get back to that feeling? Try as he might, he couldn’t stop it though - couldn’t stop as he dematerialized, reappearing on the opposite end of the courtyard at the same height, elevated above the ground. But there was no anti-gravity field here to catch him, and he fell the ten feet, landing on his ankle with a sharp crack.
He hissed as the new wave of pain hit him, instinctively cradling his ankle with his hands, as he tried not to scream - tried not to cry - and only managed to be successful on the former.
James was out of his chair at the sound. It took him half a second to figure out where the signature sound of broken bone was and he frowned as Percy cradled his ankle defensively, tears coming down. James jogged around the dance floor of floating teenagers and knelt down next to Percy. “Hey, hey it's okay, I've got you. May I see?” James spoke softly.
Percy froze, every muscle in his body tensing as James came and knelt down next to him. He wanted to tell him to leave him alone, to go away and that he was fine but… he didn’t need to have taken combat first aide classes at AA to know that it was broken. He bit his lip, before nodding slightly, letting go his his ankle and yelping in pain.
James clicked his tongue as the sight. Definitely a break, but easily repaired. “Okay. We're going to get you all fixed up, okay? I'm going to start.” James reached out, one hand on the foot and another stabilizing the ankle, and let his power flow in, the bone mending. “There, quick and easy. Feeling any pain?”
He gasped as James gripped his foot and ankle, flinching from the contact - but then all of that faded away. He could feel James’ heart synchronize to his own, each beat a little pulsing wave of calm. It wasn’t just the pain from the ankle that was eased off, but the emotional turmoil, too. “What… did you do to me?” he asked, more relaxed than he’d been in ages with someone else touching him (besides, perhaps, his boyfriend).
“We sync up when I heal - you use my healing factor. I can keep physical symptoms of stress under control and it typically helps calm people down.” James explained. “It helps that most associate it with pain relief.”
Percy was quiet for a moment. It’d been more effective at dampening down the feelings than anything he’d ever tried before. He slowly got back up to his feet, testing his ankle - it was like nothing had ever happened. No wonder Danni and Dorian went about life without fear, when any injury could be healed. “Erm… thanks,” he mumbled, a little embarrassed at how much better he felt. Did James know that too, when he touched someone? Was that how touch was supposed to feel?
“Anytime, Percy. I'm always available to help.” James smiled softly and gave him a wave before jogging back to the adults.
He took a breath, feeling far steadier than he had a moment ago. He wasn’t going to let Chase O’Brien ruin this night. Not this time. He forced a smile onto his face, as he returned to the dance floor he had fled, and returned to Dorian. “Я тебя люблю.” He spent the rest of the evening feeling like he was floating.
April
April giggled and laughed, letting herself be swept up in the moment - and into Marlena’s arms. The environment was intoxicating, everyone was enjoying the moment, dancing and twirling around in the safety of the anti-gravity field and the varying telekinetic powers. It was more intense than any high she’d ever tried with Chi Mai, an exhilarating rush of euphoria and endorphins. And her body was more than happy to oblige her joy, as she didn’t miss a step, moving along with the music and with Marlena.
As her joy came to a crescendo, she leaned in, urged by impulse, and placed a kiss on Marlena’s cheek. “This is so fun!!! You’re so good at dancing!!” Maybe Marlena would want to hang out at the Valentine’s Day Dance at school - April didn’t have a date to it currently, although she’d been planning on going with friends, maybe even asking Danni to be a platonic date to it. It was so nice, having dates to the dance being the only thing to worry about on the horizon - to not have this looming stress, all of the anguish and the tears. The future looked bright and she couldn’t wait to see it.
She spent the rest of the night dancing with her friends, and by the time she crawled into bed at the Kingston-Gray house, her limbs were still vibrating with the residual beats of the music.
Location: The court of two sisters Equipment: Multi-field generators Skills: N/A
As the evening progressed, Vicky found her head bobbing side to side with the rhythm of the music despite herself. As more people took advantage of her field, she decided to leave it up, despite the joke having run its course. Or, well, she would have, had there not been an Ultron in her head nagging her about sensible real world stuff, like the conservation of energy.
WARNING! Power at 5% capacity. Seek recharge immediately.
Oh, fine! I suppose it would ruin the evening if I keeled over... she rolled her eyes at the voice in her head, and did the most logical thing an android would do: She shoved off of the table, causing the chair she was on to slide to the wall. And then, without any pretense of acting like a normal person, stuck her fingers into the nearby power socket to recharge. Show must go on.
Dorian watched as Percy danced with, and dealt with, his past bully. Present bully? He was unclear on exactly what was going on, but it seemed like a battle that his boyfriend wanted to handle alone. The whole time he focused on keeping the shield for Percy up, making sure that guy never got to touch him again. He didn't deserve it. It killed him to stay off in the sidelines, killed him to see the change in Percy's face every time they turned. The anger, the frustration, the pain. Dorian hated it all. But almost as quickly as it had started, it ended. The bully was gone, having left the same way he came in and leaving Percy alone on the floor. The music was still blaring and everyone else seemed to be in their own worlds, then again Dorian was in his. He'd hardly noticed when Chase and Danni danced, or that April was still with the new girl and Millie with America. He was so fixated on Percy he had hardly been present for the party. If Eli wasn't there to keep him company, Danni would've been mad.
Beyond all that Dorian needed to check on Percy. He vanished and he wanted to know where, his eyes scanning the dancefloor like a battlefield before he finally saw Percy making his way back to him, happy, alone, and wanting to dance some more. Dorian smiled, pulled him in for a hug, and then continued where the pair had left off. It was goofy, nerdy, and so stupid. But he gave a quiet and short affectionate growl that sounded like a wookie. ”T'at meansI love you too in Wookie.” He teased his boyfriend with the ability to understand any language. Dorian spend the night trying not to worry about Chase, and the damage he seemed to manage to do in such a small amount of time. He tried to focus on the party, the excitement, and introduce Percy to Millie, and hang out with Danni and the rest. And after a while he could, after seeing enough of his boyfriends smile, his genuine smile, he was finally able to ease up and have fun again.
Battered, broken, and defeated, Ser Nemo did not strain against the iron chains suspending him in his cell. His arms and legs were shackled, his neck collared, and his clothing left in wet, bloodied tatters. On his lips was the familiar golden stain of Blightswill, the poisonous liquid trailing down to his chin. The marks of lashes had kissed his scar-marked skin, and his fingers were more akin to bloodied stumps, the nailbeds having long since been peeled away. He did not hold his head high, instead allowing it to slump, his shoulders hunched, and his eyes closed. Would that he had more tears to shed.
But Ser Nemo was alive and his heart, while shattered, remained beating.
“You ought to have been more careful, lover.”
Darius FleshShaper, second husband of Ser Nemo, stepped out of shadow. With a wave of his hand, a mortal attendant opened the iron cell door, permitting the fae to enter. He still looked exactly as he had the day he and Nemo first met, the day they had fought to save all of Otherworld. His dark skin and rich, purple hair did not know the passage of time. He was youthful, and forever would be - even as Nemo found himself caught in twilight.
“I told you that the White Witch was watching. Do you not remember? The night of that silly little dance?”
Ser Nemo did not raise his head. He did not open his eyes. He did not need to travel through time to know what would happen next - to know his beloved husband’s intentions. For thirty years, they had been wed. For thirty years, he had loved no other. And he would love no other ever again. His lady was not forgiving, and in her mercy, she left none unchanged. This was how it must happen. This is how it always would happen. A circle could never truly end.
“No?” Darius chastised. “Perhaps you are having difficulty remembering. I am told this happens even to witchbreed mortals, that as your life begins to dim, so does your essence. However, as your loving husband, I have vowed to help you in all things, and so, I will aid you here.”
He made no perceptible movement, nothing more than the tensing of muscles in his already weary body - but not even that could be hidden from his beloved’s watchful eyes. Ser Nemo knew the fae too well to be surprised. He knew that the torture had been nothing more than a game, a preamble to this. There was no need to demand answers, to promise an ease in suffering for cooperation. His lady held them all in chains - his were merely visible. And yet, it was one thing to choose this path, knowing its end, and another to experience it, to live through it.
He did not need to see to know who stood a few paces behind his lover - to know that the Sevalithi had been summoned.
It was what he would have done himself, after all.
“Tell me that you are grateful, lover.”
He would not, even as he felt the sear of the lash - as his husband left yet another mark upon his skin, the flesh tearing as fresh blood began to flow.
“I said - tell me that you are grateful, lover,” Darius hissed.
Another lash, another kiss. Darius gripped his hair, yanking his head back - and with his other hand, he peeled Ser Nemo’s eyes open, forcing him to look - forcing him to obey, to submit.
“Another tactic, then,” his eye twitched. “Perhaps I shall go pay your witchbreed friends a visit. Perhaps this time, Dorian Gray meets his end by my blade, and not his own. How does that sound, Percy Novikov?”
The name was a crueller touch than any instrument, any weapon - so enchanted by the magic of the fae, its application was like a flame, consuming him from the inside out. Someone was screaming in utter agony, a bloodcurdling cry that left Ser Nemo - that left Percy dazed and disoriented. He did not even recognize it as his own.
“I… I am grateful.”
Darius grinned, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Oh, you are too kind, Percy. Now! I believe you two are already acquainted. I wanted you to have the very best. Finley, love, would you come in here? My poor darling cannot seem to remember some events of import, and he is so eager and desperate to please. Will you not help him?”
He did not need Finley’s help to remember. He did not need her to ride his blood for it all to come back - for his mind to drift to where this had all started, so many years ago…
Then - the Ruins of Genosha
Sacrificing yourself isn’t heroic. It’s not beautiful.
At best, you will devastate them; at worst, you’ll become a liability.
He had long since run out of tears to shed.
It was sunny. The leaves moved gently with the breeze, filling the air with a soft, patient rustle. The native fauna of the island went about their daily business, snakes slithering through the undergrowth, birds chirping out calls to summon their brethren, predators stalking their prey. The waves lapped at the shore, renewing the sand, erasing the footprints of those who had come before - of the two inhabitants of the once great mutant nation of Genosha. The temperature was not harsh, the glare of the sun not punishing - there was no tropical storm to ruin the lovely scene, no oncoming danger, just peace, silence, and tranquility.
He dug his hands into the ground, dirt filling in underneath his fingernails as he scooped a portion together and tossed it aside. He could have used a tool - could have made this process faster. He could have abandoned these efforts, as before long, there would be no one to know - no one to tell what had happened here. But he did not know what he would do when this task was done, did not know who he would become. The familiar words offered him no comfort, even as he whispered them, over and over again - begging for any respite from this pain, but clinging to it all the same. It was all he had left.
“Baruch dayan ha'emet,” he murmured.
His hands shook, as he plunged them into the funeral ground once more - as he excavated a final resting place for his beloved. The corpse was not yet cold. He knew the traditions, knew the rites. He needed to be buried. It was the last thing that could be done for him, the last chance he had to do right by his other half. He had failed him. He hadn’t been enough. He had not been worth living for.
“Baruch dayan ha'emet.”
The grave was dug on the same slope as the others. They had carved their names into stone together - had stolen their ashes, bringing them here. Leah, April, Sabine, Danni, Vicky, Marlena, Andy, Millie, Chase, Ben, Gideon. They were all here. He shut his eyes for a moment, remembering that night - remembering the dizzying lights, the music, the joy - and how quickly it had become a smoking crater, how quickly he and his beloved had become the last ones alive, the survivors of a massacre not by skill or fate, but by luck.
He choked back a pained cry, as he rose to his feet - choked back a scream, choked back his anger, his grief. Mechanically, he stumbled forwards to where he had left him - to the small blanket the two of them shared, now serving as his shroud. He knelt, his heart breaking as he felt the heat lingering in his beloved, as he lifted him from the ground, his arms falling limply to his side - as he held him for the last time.
“Baruch dayan ha'emet.”
He had failed him. He had not been strong enough to fix this - his powers had not been enough. He had not been enough. And now, even if he were to go back - even if he were to regain an hour, to regain two, it would not change his beloved’s fate. This had not been the act of a monster, of an invader - there was no villain here to thwart, no foe to best. His love had chosen this - had chosen that this life was not enough, that it was better to slip away and become a memory.
Percy lowered Dorian into his grave.
“Baruch dayan ha'emet,” he prayed, as he removed his coat. He held the sleeve of it with both hands, knowing what was to be done - that he was to rip it and accept the end, accept that Dorian was dead and gone. Severing its threads would represent severing the cord between them.
But he could not do it.
He was not strong enough.
He staggered to his knees, leaning forward as he rested his forehead against the soil, and he screamed.
He screamed until he thought his throat would bleed, screamed until he became deaf to his own voice, screamed until he found that he did, in fact, still have tears to shed.
“Why did you leave me?!” he cried.
His chest shuddered, as he struggled to breathe - as he struggled to find a way to continue living, when all the world was dark.
“Why was I not enough for you?” he sobbed.
He punched the ground - punched the dirt.
“What could I have done?” he begged, he pleaded.
He forced himself to his feet, forced himself to look in the open grave - forced himself to see those eyes, forever closed.
“Why couldn’t you have lived?”
“I would do anything for you. I would carve the sun out of the sky and present it to you if you asked. I would leave a trail of blood across this entire world just to satisfy you. I would have killed the Emperor myself, no matter the cost. I would have died for you, Dorian. Why couldn’t you have lived for me? Why?!”
He took another agonizing breath.
“I love you,” his voice broke. “I love you more than anything.”
His knuckles were white, his hands shaking from the tension.
His eyes fell on the graves.
“I will fix this. I will bring you people worth living for,” he vowed, even though he didn’t know how - even though he knew that the White Witch would be on his heels, that any change he tried to make to the past would just as soon be undone. He would find a way. He would give Dorian a life worth living for.
Even if it meant that he would not be in it.
Later - the Margaret Carter Institute
He had not touched a bottle in nearly sixty years.
He remembered the taste as if it had been yesterday.
It scorched his throat as it went down, a fiery coating that clung to his lips with an intensity that matched the gnawing pit in his stomach. His limbs and joints still ached from the way he had concealed himself, compacting into a corner of the training room, a simple glamor cloak perfecting the illusion. He had watched the entire time, had been present as Arcade gleefully attempted to murder his friends - as Andy’s body had been dragged away - had gagged himself with his own clothing to stop the screams, the cries. His angle had allowed him to look at the monitors, to see the games his old friends struggled through - a front row seat to tragedy.
Reliving it all, being present but powerless to change it, powerless to act unless he was prepared to whisk them all away, to teach them to hide from the White Witch and her minions - the Captain, the priestesses, the TVA. It wasn’t their best chance - that had yet to come. But if his meddling had altered things enough… if Arcade was one bit quicker on his code, Andy one second slower to revive…
So he had watched.
He had seen them through.
He had placed the alert with the Avengers, summoning them the moment he could - the moment the tables had turned on Arcade.
And then he had left, the space around him rippling and distorting as he vanished - as he felt the Scarlet Witch’s eyes pause on where he had hid.
He flickered, reappearing first at a liquor store, and then finally in a park he hadn’t been to since he was a boy - since he had been Percy Novikov.
It had been his safe space, then. A place where he could let his imagination run wild, where heroes fought valiantly against legendary creatures and were blessed by the gods for their efforts. He’d played with wooden swords and foam shields, skinned his knees more times than he could count, and jumped off the swings without fear. Anything had been possible.
He sank to his knees, the damp wood chips smushing beneath him. It had taken every ounce of self control left to him to not intervene, to not stop Arcade before he could lay a hand on any of them. He had none left to stop himself from resorting to his own worst instincts, from swallowing the poison in hopes it would quiet the storm within him. It wasn’t enough, though. It was never enough.
Drinking would not rid him of the White Witch’s gaze - would not help him to save these children, just these children. It did not numb his pain either, only serving to feed it as he sobbed, as he cursed his patron, cursed the world and every person in it. None of this was fair. None of it had been right. They were children. Just children. Inconsequential in the greater scheme, just a blip in the timeline, a rounding error in a spreadsheet. But they deserved to live - all of them deserved whatever chance he could give them, whatever he could create for them.
He would do whatever it took, pay any price, battle any foe - all for them, so that they could live.
He would burn his life to make a sunrise he will never see.
Baruch dayan ha'emet = Blessed is the true judge.
April Flynn is now April Kingston-Gray, adopted after a natural disaster at age 8 by Max Gray and James Kingston.
Percy Novikov is now the son and only child of Dominika Novikova and Naomi Levy. Dominika never married a SHIELD agent from the Secret Warriors team.
Casper Kingston and Ben Gray are now foster brothers, having been in the same home as teenagers. This home was abusive, as the parents wanted powerful mutant children to exploit. Ben’s biological parents are now immigrants to the United States, and Casper’s biological father is now unknown. Casper has no biological siblings.
Sunshine’s backstory has been simplified to restore the original con artist father concept. She is not the child of Jack Theriot.
Matt Moss did not get married to a fellow SHIELD agent.
Bonnie Chase and Niah Bautista are married and have been a couple since the end of the Secret Warriors team of SHIELD.
Avery Spellman was never romantically interested in Carolina Reed.
A French Quarter staple, the Clover Grill offered a look back into earlier days where soda was a nickel, a burger was a dime, and everything came with a healthy side of racism. The narrow, rickety building boasted threadbare seating along a counter sticky with decades of spills and gum and 60s plastic McDonald’s chairs crammed beneath wobbly tables with spiderweb cracks all over. Despite its dilapidated and dated appearance, it did offer some of the best southern cooking on bourbon street. Everything heavy, fatty, and fried, it was exactly what someone needed after a long night of drinking and debauchery or after a long night (and afternoon) of dealing with family drama.
Or preparing to deal with someone else’s family drama.
James sent the text late last night. Casper had finally succumbed, although fitfully, to sleep and James intended just to grab a drink, check in with Max and Ben, and slip back into bed with his husband but when he’d gotten caught up on the evening’s events, James remembered he still had a problem to handle. Percy’s alcoholism wasn’t something that could be ignored, even if the events of the evening demanded it be delayed, and James would rather have it dealt with than looming over him all through the Contest of Champions. It was an open invitation to join him for breakfast to discuss Percy away from the kids somewhere comfortable and Clover’s biscuits and gravy were a delicious way to drown bad news.
So James waited, a steaming cup of black coffee at the back corner table next to a defunct jukebox, and chatted softly with the waitress.
Dominika looked like death. Her silver roots were growing in, her hair hastily pulled back into a sloppy bun. The lenses of her ruby quartz glasses were visibly smudged, and the majority of her black nail polish had chipped off. She was dressed in a I <3 New Orleans t-shirt that she’d clearly acquired from a gift shop, having not brought with her a change of clothing, focusing mostly on the many tasks at hand and forgetting the little things - like taking care of herself. She slid into the seat across from James.
“So. You wanted to talk.” She glanced briefly down at the menu, before returning her attention to James. The last time she’d seen him had been under… unusual circumstances. “Is this about the entanglement or something else?”
“Max caught me up on the entanglement stuff and honestly, it is so wildly beyond my expertise I can't even begin to help with that.” James laughed softly, taking a sip of the scalding coffee. The last time they'd been face to face they'd been enemies, not in their right minds but enemies none the less, and now they were sitting in a run down diner about to talk about their kids, parenthood, and all the trials and tribulations in between. “You're the expert on that and none of us want the entanglement to worsen so I trust your judgment as the parent of Dorian's boyfriend. But in the meantime, do you want anything? Coffee, biscuits and gravy, or something else? Danni made breakfast for the house this morning, but please feel free to eat.”
Her expression tightened into a grimace. There was something else, then. If it hadn’t been for Max’s mention that it was a dry house, she would’ve ordered an Irish coffee before hearing whatever news it was James wished to discuss. She didn’t know if the house was dry because of him, however. And she was aware that drinking this early wouldn’t inspire confidence, even on Bourbon street. ”Coffee would be great,” she said. She hadn’t had much of an appetite the past few days for anything else. She paused for a moment. ”I’m not good at being patient, James. I also do not like surprises. So please. Tell me what it is you have to say about my son.”
James nodded at her insistence, but paused as the waitress bustled by with all the southern hospitality in the world. One more coffee, and James topped off to boot, and he took one more sip to stall the conversation he'd called for. “Percy is drinking and it doesn't seem like the first time. When I shook his hand, I noticed the hangover. I spent just a few extra seconds to confirm, but it seems like he's used to handling his alcohol. I'm not his parent so I didn't approach him, especially with everything else going on, but I am concerned about his health and the influence it'll have on his social circle.” James laid everything out directly as requested. Dominika was clearly going through a lot; Percy's sister being disqualified for drug use and now discovering Percy's own substance abuse. He sipped at his coffee again and gave her a moment to disgest.
Dominika was speechless. How could she have been so blind? Her job as a mother was to protect him and clearly she’d failed. Why was this all happening? She’d tried to do her best for him - tried to let him know how much he was loved, that he could always come to her and Naomi for support. She tried to be everything her own parents never were.
She took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself, but she was too overwhelmed. Tears fell as her shoulders slumped. ”I… thank you for telling me,” she said, her voice trembling. ”Fuck… I thought he was past this…”
James reached out and loosely rested his hand on her arm. It had been a long time since he'd deliberately slowed down his ability and he sunk into the feeling of connection. Dominika's uneven breathing, pounding heartbeat, and tenseness seeped into him with a fury and James soothed it with even breaths and a steady mind, bringing her back from an edge. He kept them connected, in sync with every breath. “You and Percy will get through this. I understand it's overwhelming, but just remember you can still be a good parent and Percy can still feel whatever it is driving him to drink. You clearly have a lot on your plate right now so just breath with me for a moment.”
James couldn't imagine how he'd feel if he faced anything like this with Danni and Dorian. The Kingston-Gray parents had absolutely smothered their kids with affection and did everything they could to give the pair as carefree a life as they could. They'd fought and survived to make a better day and they may have failed so many times before but at least for them, James felt like they'd succeeded. But to consider pouring every bit of love, sweat, and tears into their children only for them to still feel… James's heart hurt for Dominika.
The touch from James was unexpected - nice, grounding, but unexpected. The divorce had ended contact with Naomi, and Percy was not particularly big on touch as well. Dominika couldn’t remember the last time someone had reached out to her like this. It probably saved the French Quarter from a bit of structural damage too - it hadn’t happened in years, but her powers made a major incident always just one lapse of control away. It was somewhat fitting that she’d settled in California - Earthquakes weren’t as much of a surprise there.
”Mm, I am not a good parent. A good parent wouldn’t be about to tell their kid they are getting divorced,” she admitted. ”A good parent wouldn’t have their child abusing alcohol and not know it. A good parent wouldn’t have let their child get entangled on a quantum level with their first boyfriend, without having even given him the talk yet. So no, I am not a good parent… I am just the one he has,” she sighed, pinching her eyes closed. She didn’t want to cry again. She also didn’t know why she was offloading all of this onto James - not that she really had anyone to talk to in her life. ”I’m sorry, I shouldn’t trouble you with all of this.”
“You've got a lot going on and you clearly need someone to vent to. I'm here and happy to listen.” James reassured her. “And hey, I've got plenty of experience in this. Casper, my husband, did every drug under the sun to escape his powers. He's been sober for years now, but it was… rough even with three of us helping him through it. If you need help with the conversation or resources, I'm here to help. At the end of the day, I want both our kids safe if they're going to be together.”
He was certainly one of the last people she’d expected to offer to listen to her. But she was not in a position to refuse. And the stability he was offering her, that feeling of connection, it was sorely needed. The weight of the world was on her shoulders, but he was helping her to bear it, just for a moment - to escape her fate as Atlas for just one meal. “I know he’d done this before… Some boys at school had bullied him, saying vile things, shoving him into lockers… But we had talked about it. I thought he’d understood. He’s smart… and he’s been so much happier, he’s made friends, he has a boyfriend I just… I don’t know where to start. Do I send him to a facility? Do I bring him home and pull him from school? I don’t even know where home will be anymore, I’m losing the house, Naomi is in New York… A broken home doesn’t seem ideal for recovery…”
“I don't think changing his life drastically like that is going to help. The first thing you need to do is find a professional. I can give you the number of who Casper went to and maybe they can help you find some help in California near the school? Or with therapy set up for the kids, maybe the school can help you explore those options.” James suggested quickly. “Just, for the time being, we definitely don't want to take him away from what support network he’s managed to establish and it sounds like our kids are that. There are outpatient options that you can explore so that he can get the help he needs without staying at rehab.”
Dominika nodded, her mind running through the options. She’d have to discuss them with Naomi - and with Percy. The thought of neither conversation filled her with joy. Just this meeting in the diner with James and she already felt a thousand times more support from him than she had from her wife in years. And Percy, he was too smart for his own good - if he didn’t want to be at rehab, it would be difficult to stop him from leaving. He’d rather burn himself alive than admit he needed help. He was too much like her. It terrified her. She held her head in her hands for a moment, wanting nothing more than to crumble, to let the world fall away around her.
But she couldn’t fold. She had to be strong. She was his mother. Even if her own world was ablaze, she had to do what she could for him. She had to be there for him before it was too late. “Okay. Outpatient options. Casper’s contact. The school’s resources,” she affirmed, committing those to memory. “If you are serious about your offer of aid, I am in no position to refuse. I would appreciate your expertise.”
She looked down at her coffee. She didn’t want to make eye contact - even as her shades concealed her own.
“And perhaps a friend, if our history does not deter you.”
“Don't worry, Dominika. We'll be there with you.” James promised, wrapping his hands around his own mug and taking a sip. He blinked in surprise at her second question. The Dominika he knew would rather pull her teeth out one by one than ask for help, let alone a friend. Still, it was her child and a good parent should be willing to put their own comfort aside for their child…
“You don't even have to ask. Considering how close our kids are, I'd think it'd be stranger than not. Welcome to the family, Dominikia.”
Dominika burst into tears.
She hadn’t really had family before - her parents had been near strangers to her, her wife had been wooden and distant, all she’d had were her children. To have someone so freely accept her as family, someone who she had once fought tooth and nail… It broke down every wall she’d put up, every wall she’d unknowingly taught Percy to put up. And she couldn’t stop it, she couldn’t keep the ugly rush of tears, as she just nodded - trying to say thank you, but the words failed her. A nod was the best she could do.
James reached out again, a hand placed gently back on her arm, and he gave her the space to cry - it was clear she'd needed it for a long time.
Percy felt so much better than he had the day before.
He had spent the night snuggling with his boyfriend, watching Pride and Prejudice as they drifted to sleep. All of the worries and anxieties, the overstimulation and the noise, all of it had left his system. They had won the Contest of Champions, there was no more school until the new year, and his mothers were both in town. They’d asked to have breakfast with him in the morning, suggesting that they meet at a diner Dorian’s father James had recommended. He was looking forward to having a strong cup of coffee, and some eggs and potatoes. Even the stress of knowing his old bully, Chase, was going to be attending the same school was distant, a problem he could deal with another day. For right now, things were good. Almost perfect, really.
He didn’t notice the way his mothers had quickly insisted on a table instead of a booth, or that neither of them were wearing their wedding rings. He was just focused on reading through the menu, deciding what sounded good. The specials looked intriguing.
Dominika shot a glance over at her wife, before clearing her throat slightly as she looked at her own menu. “How did you sleep last night?”
“He was with his motek, how could it not be perfect.” Naomi reached over and pinched Percy's cheek. Naomi pushed her glasses up as she looked over the menu, lips pursed as she eyed it. “Goodness, this New Orleans fare seems so greasy, so simple. Where are the schmears? I wouldn't expect them to have a decent bagel but my Oytzerl deserves a proper latke after winning his championship. I ought to have brought some from home. Now Oytzerl, why have I not met your motek yet? Your letters skirt around this Dorian, but I did not expect to be the secret parent. I only want to show him your baby pictures. You were so cute, always poking around in my skirt at the temple. To see you standing on a world stage so everyone can see the man I knew you would become.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. I gave Dorian one of his baby photos already,” she was frowning ever so slightly. She knew what Naomi was trying to do. She wasn’t going to let her win.
Percy’s face flushed at his mother’s affections - and her questions about his boyfriend. Dominika had already met Dorian, and it had gone about as well as could be expected, given that the meeting was to discuss how they’d become entangled on a quantum level. He shifted slightly in his seat, pointedly looking down at the menu. His mother wasn’t entirely wrong, either - he did miss proper bagels and latkes. “Do you want to meet him, Mame?” he asked. “I think you would like him. He’s very…studious,” he landed on. Dorian was studious - when it came to superheroes. Not so much when it came to reading and writing and academics, the sort of things his mame cared deeply about.
Naomi didn't offer Dominika a response, but her jaw tensed as she realized the opportunity Dominika took. “He's studious? That is a lovely surprise! I know the youth of the day are all about “bad boys”. I should have known that my Oytzerl wouldn't have been taken by such trends. Does he have an opinion on Hades and Persephone? How does he feel about the nature of the conflict between Demeter and Hades? And is he Jewish or are you taking after your mame?” Naomi asked, flagging down a waiter. “Make sure you get milk and orange juice. You're a growing boy and you can't be skipping out on essentials. Actually, don't worry. I'll order them for you. What else would you like? We'll have coffee after the meal, I think.”
“Coffee after the meal?” He raised an eyebrow. Almost every family gathering he could remember started with coffee. He had been drinking coffee since he was five years old - maybe even as long as he could really remember. He did want coffee now. He could feel the pinpricks of exhaustion in his eyes. He was usually on his second cup by this time of day. “And erm, yes. He does. He has a pretty strong opinion on them,” Percy made a mental note to educate Dorian about Hades and Persephone as soon as was physically possible, just in case his mame somehow got her hands on him. “He thinks Persephone went with him willingly and it was her choice.”
He then fidgeted his hands slightly, twirling one of the beads on the Dorian bracelet. “He’s Genoshan,” he offered, trying to sidestep the question of religion. “Genoshan diaspora, him and his siblings.”
“His parents are nice people,” Dominika said. “I met three of his fathers a long time ago - you remember the stories I told you about the Scarlet Witch’s world. I think I will get drinks with his father James soon.”
“Genoshan, did you say. How fascinating. It was a shame. Effectively a new civilization cut off from the study of its development by their infighting. Sad.” Naomi sighed, her smile a little more forced than it was a moment ago as her retort to Dominika was cut off by the waiter's arrival. “My son will have this meal with the seasonal fruit, an extra piece of toast, and over medium eggs with a glass of milk and orange juice. I'll have the same actually and mayn ketzel… actually, I think we'll just have three of those. Thank you.” Naomi handed her menu to him and waved him away.
“It's interesting, tayere. I remember a James from your stories and… Are you sure you didn't misplace your glasses? I know it's confusing sometimes without them.” Naomi asked, all innocent concern. “Well mayn Oytzerl, I'm glad you've found yourself someone to keep you grounded. I know with all the changes over the last few years, it's been tough and you've been so strong through it. You cannot understand how proud we are of you, right mayn ketzel?”
Dominika frowned sharply, clenching her fists under the table. Each tayere grated on her nerves - and the way that her wife had ensured she had gotten in the last word… It was absolutely infuriating. But she held her tongue. “Incredibly proud. It’s not often that a freshman wins the Contest of Champions. If you want to be a superhero, Percy, the world is your oyster.”
Percy’s eyes narrowed slightly. Dominika never ate the continental breakfast - she preferred breakfast tacos. And the way the conversation had taken a sudden shift… He wasn’t great at reading people, but he knew his mothers. This was beginning to feel like somewhat of a trap - like he was about to be assigned lines to do as a punishment for something. His anxiety raised for a moment, as he considered what it was about. Probably the entanglement, if he had to guess. “Am I in trouble?”
“Keynmol nisht, likht fun meyn hartsn. Du bist perfekt in yedn veg.” Naomi reached out, cupping Percy's cheek in one hand and taking his hand with her other. “But you remember how it breaks my heart when I can't help you, when it feels like I'm on the edge and can't quite reach in. And now, I hear I have failed you again and my heart hurts, meyn oytzerl. They told me you are drinking again and Percy, I don't know why.” Naomi heard her voice crack with emotions and she cursed inwardly at herself. Percy needed her stable right now but she'd cried herself to sleep when Dominika had called her, too devastated to even bicker.
Percy bit his lip, and looked down at their hands. His heart sank. Breakfast had been a trap - just not for what he had been expecting. He didn’t know who had told his mothers that. He hadn’t told anyone - the most he’d done was mention to Dorian once that he had bourbon in the room, but he… And then he winced, remembering when he had met James - how James’ powers had activated, healing him of the hangover.
“Welcome to the…family. I'm James. If you're ever hurting, don't hesitate to let me know. Even if you can't figure it out, I can.”
He swallowed thickly as those words came back to him. Dorian’s father then. He’d ratted him out. Anger flared up inside of him first. His privacy had been violated. It wasn’t any of James’ business. He clenched his jaw. But the anger was soon replaced by shame - seeing the way his mame was barely holding it together, the crack in her voice - and knowing that it was all his fault. His mom was harder to read, the ruby red glasses a shield - but he knew that she was probably dying on the inside, too. He felt nauseous and ill - he felt the energy beginning to build up in his body. He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to be having this conversation. He wanted to be absolutely anywhere else. He would have preferred to hug Chase a thousand times to this.
He would have lied if he thought he could have gotten away with it. But his mame didn’t need superpowers to read him like a book. “It’s nothing bad, I promise,” he said quietly. “Just a little here and there. It’s…”
Percy’s voice died. He didn’t know how to finish that sentence.
“I thought we talked about this, Percy,” Dominika said, her voice a bit sterner than she meant for it to be. She had crumpled in front of James, had done her best to hold it together when she called Naomi - and now, face to face with her son, she felt almost hollow, empty, defeated. She couldn’t fix the entanglement. And she didn’t know if she could fix this, either. It was her job as a parent to protect him and she’d failed on multiple occasions. “You said you understood - that it was a mistake and that it was dangerous - that drinking won’t solve your problems.”
Naomi shot a withering look across the table at Dominika. Percy didn't need their anger right now; he needed their support and their love and their understanding. “We just want to understand, Oytzerl. You're seeing a therapist the school said, your team seems so close, you don't…” Naomi ran the interactions with his teammates on the field back through her head. She hadn't thought of it in the moment; the world stage was no place for personal business to come to light and Percy, despite some of the sharper comments she would like to discuss with her son that he made out there, composed himself with perfect professionalism with his teammates and that made sense to her. But now, putting the pieces together…
“Mayn Oytzerl, zey mash deyne freynt, ya?”
Dominika’s face pinched with concern. She didn’t think Naomi was doing this to isolate her from the conversation - she knew her wife switched into Yiddish to give Percy a sense of privacy, particularly when they were in public spaces. But she wasn’t thrilled to find herself on the outside of this conversation - even though she did agree that Naomi was the one more equipped to handle things. Whenever Dominika tried to work with these more delicate, emotional matters, she seemed to have all the grace of a sledgehammer. And much like her son, she had little to no idea where Naomi was going with this conversation. But she held her tongue. For now.
Percy pulled his hand away from his mame, somewhat nervously rubbing his thumbs against each other. Were any of them his friends? Dorian was, yes, but he was his boyfriend - it felt almost like cheating to say yes to that. Andy had defended him yesterday against Chase, and he had gotten along with Sabine early on when the team first formed, but… If he were to be honest with himself, he wasn’t really friends with any of them. He shook his head slightly at Naomi’s question. “Zey zenen nisht shlekht tsu mir,” he mumbled. “Endi hat zikh nekhtn far mir aoyfgeshtelt. ikh meyn aber az di andere zargn zikh nar vegn mir als a farlengerung fun Doryan.”
Naomi inhaled sharply, but nodded. “Sorry, Domi. I asked him if he… If his team was his friends. Percy doesn't think they care about him past his relationship, but that an Andy stood up for him.” Naomi explained. So Percy still felt excluded, even at a superhero school. Naomi would absolutely have words with Dominika after this; Naomi hadn't been sold on separating him from others on his intellectual level and it seems she'd been correct. “Oh, Percy. I'm so sorry that's what you're feeling and I am so sorry we couldn't see it. We thought a new environment for you would… would solve the challenges you were facing. We didn't think about the support you'd need. Will you tell us what else is making you drink again, Oytzerl? I heard you when you said it's just a little here and there, but I just want to understand what is even making it that often.”
“Are you being bullied again?” Dominika asked. It had been the problem last time - one she thought they’d solved by getting him away from those boys. And she had been so sure he was happier at Margaret Carter - he had a boyfriend, he was on the team that won the Contest of Champions. Yes, he had gotten into trouble with the Framework, but she was hardly one to talk when it came to skirting the rules. She was about to suggest that they could move him to a new school again - maybe the Future Foundation in New York, he’d be able to live at home with Naomi potentially - when she recalled James’ advice. Even if Percy didn’t think those kids were his friends, she didn’t want to separate him from them. “We can talk with your counselor, switch your class schedule for the new semester.”
Percy shook his head. He wasn’t being bullied again - not yet, at least. His jaw twitched slightly at the thought that Chase would be at his school again. “My school is fine,” he said, still looking down at his hands. He didn’t want to risk that they’d try to take him away from Dorian. It might have been silly, but he genuinely couldn’t imagine life without him anymore. And he didn’t want to, either. “It’s just… it’s just when I feel overwhelmed,” he explained softly. “If one too many people bump into me in the hallway, or things start feeling too loud… It helps me quiet it all. I… I did it this time because I was scared Dorian’s parents wouldn’t like me.”
Naomi ought to be given a Nobel peace prize the way she restrained herself from flipping the table on Dominika. But she'd agreed on a united front because Percy needed both his mothers. Naomi just wished one of them wasn't the human embodiment of ChatGPT. Their son needed to be heard, not solved. “Oytzerl, it's okay to have those feelings. You came from a bad place and you're still recovering so don't feel bad that you feel this way. It is entirely understandable and even if we didn't, you'd still be valid for those emotions. Is there anyone you've told about any of these feelings?”
It wasn’t bullying, then. A different cause from last time. Dominika clenched her jaw, studying her son. She didn’t want this for him - this wasn’t how his life was supposed to go. His biggest challenge was supposed to be deciding what he wanted to wear in the morning, not dealing with what sounded like an assault on her senses. And she couldn’t help but continue to problem solve - to wonder if maybe they ought to invest in some noise canceling headphones for him, ones he could wear around school to help with the noise level. Maybe she could look at the routes to classes and help him identify one that had the least amount of cross traffic. There had to be a strategy here, an approach… something she could do to help make this right.
“Have you talked with the therapist about this?”
He shook his head again. He hadn’t talked about any of this with Dr. Whitehall. He’d only seen her once, and the biggest takeaway he recalled from the session was her suggestion that he looked to his boyfriend for cues to navigate social situations. He hadn’t really talked to Dorian about these feelings either. It felt like something he was supposed to keep hidden - something to be ashamed about.
“Okay. I don't know why you haven't spoken to the therapist the school has for you, Oytzerl, but we're going to be a little more involved this time. I understand these feelings can be scary and big, but you can't let the things in your head tell you to keep them inside. It's hurting you, Percy. You're 14. 14. You should be worried about acne and dates and remembering to do your homework, not chasing relief at the bottom of a bottle.” Naomi struggled to keep her composure, but she wasn't certain how long she could if she kept going. She took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter. “Oytzerl-” Naomi fixed the water with a glare that could curdle milk as he tried to deliver food and he quickly turned away.
“Percy-look at me when I say this-you are more important than anything in this world to us. And it hurts that you felt like you had to hide your fears and struggles from us. Nothing matters more than you. Will you please tell me why you couldn't tell us why you felt this way?”
He had to force himself to move his eyes away from his hands, to look his mame in the eye as she requested. His heart nearly broke from the guilt. He didn’t know how to explain it to her, and he wished that he did. He tried to reach for the words that he needed, but they kept on slipping between his fingers like sand.
“You can tell us anything, okay?” Dominika prompted as gentle as she could. “We won’t be upset with you, Percy.”
Percy swallowed. He wished his mame had allowed the waiter to drop off the food. He could have used the time to stall. He lowered his gaze again - it was easier to talk to the table. “I… I didn’t want to burden you,” he finally said. “I thought I could handle it on my own.”
“You are never, ever a burden Percy.” Naomi reassured quickly. She left her hand out on the table in case Percy wanted it. She knew he didn't handle touch well and this was a lot for him. “When I carried you and everything in me ached, the only thing I cared about was meeting you. When you fussed and needed our attention at all hours of the day, the only thing I cared about was seeing that pretty smile and hearing that silly laugh. When you threw a tantrum the first day we left you at day care, I had to pull the car over and cry because all I wanted to do was go back and pick you up. Every last minute project, every scraped knee, every little thing you may have thought was an inconvenience, I was happy because at least I had you. And even now, knowing this is happening and this is the decision you made, I can only be glad we found out because at least it means we have a chance to keep our baby with us.”
Naomi grabbed a napkin and dried her eyes, dabbing away the tears tracks on her cheeks. “I'm not an expert on this and neither is you mom, but I need you to know what we're going to be there for you every step of the way, okay? You're not okay right now, mayn Oytzerl, and that's alright, but we're going to help you better this time.”
His chin was wobbling now, and each breath was shaky. He could feel his heart beating faster, and for a fleeting moment, he felt like a small child again - like he had skinned his knee on the playground and all he wanted was to cry on his mothers. It broke him to hear all of this, to see his mame in so much pain. He knew his mom was hurting too. Hurt he could have spared both of them if he’d made another choice.
He took another shuddering breath. “ikh veys nisht vos iz mit mir. ikh bin... ikh bin dershrokn. ikh veys nisht vi es aoyftsuhern.”
Dominika’s knuckles were white underneath the table from all of the stress, all of the tension. And as much as she couldn’t stand Naomi these days, she couldn’t help but remember for a split second why she’d fallen in love with her. She was able to understand people and emotions in a way Dominika struggled to - able to hear them out without a compulsive need to solve anything. And she could see the results now - could see the way Percy was listening, rather than arguing and fighting back. “We love you, kiddo. More than you’ll ever know. And we’re never going to stop loving you.”
“There is nothing wrong with you, Percy. You got hurt and now your brain is trying to protect you. That's all. It just doesn't care that it's hurting you in the process. And it's okay to be scared. Everyone gets scared. And when you're scared and frightened, you have to reach out to get help. That's what we're here for.” Naomi, overwhelmed and trying to stay focused on Percy, hated herself for needing it but reached a hand across the table, palm up in invitation to Dominikia. “Will you let us help you, mayn neshumele?”
Dominika was surprised for a moment - she and her wife hadn’t touched each other in a long time - but she understood. She had the same impulse to wrap Percy up in a tight hug, the sort of hug she used to be able to get him, before the touch aversion grew worse. She took one of her hands out from underneath the table, small crescent moon indents on her palm from where her own nails had dug in, and she gripped Naomi’s hand. She rubbed the back of it gently, just the way she used to.
Percy couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They weren’t wails like they had been in the astral plane with Dorian - but the pain wasn’t any less. He nodded, absolutely terrified of what it would mean - of what his mothers had in mind for helping him. “bite makh mikh nisht farlozn doryan.”
Naomi squeezed Domikina's hand, the familiar glide on the back of her hand more comforting that she'd care to admit. At Percy's plea, Naomi smiled. That at least she could do. “Don't worry. We- Your mom has already spoken with a few people who had people important to them go through this and that was the first thing they recommended, not to take you away from your support system. Your motek will still be there for you to be sweet on, Oytzerl.” Naomi teased. She'd stalled for long enough and she glanced at Dominika, a moment of hesitation in her face, before her steely determination came back full force.
“You're going to rehab, Percy. Next Monday. ”
“It’s near your school, the program is really highly rated. You’ll be there for a few days inpatient to detox, and then you’ll go for outpatient a few hours after class each day,” Dominika elaborated. “They even have a shuttle that will take you there.”
Percy was silent for a moment, his death knell having rung. They were sending him to rehab. It felt surreal. As scared and terrified as he was, as much as he didn’t understand his own feelings… rehab was for people who had serious problems. Did he…? He took a peek up at his moms, and his body trembled again. Maybe he did. He remembered the way during the contest he had wished for a drink when he was panicking - the same way he had wished for one after running into Chase.
“O… okay,” he sniffled, before nodding again. He wasn’t thrilled by the idea. But he also knew it wasn’t an argument he could win. “I’m… I’m really sorry, Mame, Mom. I… I thought I had it under control but… I… “ He shook again, his voice breaking, “am I an alcoholic, Mame?”
Naomi's heart broke and she looked up for a moment. She prayed quietly for strength. Every prayer she'd said for him at night, at the temple… She'd need every ounce of it to get through the rest of this without hating herself. “I don't… I don't think you're there just yet, Oytzerl, but I think… I think you're too close for comfort and that's okay! We're getting you the help you need and we're going to make sure you have more support even afterwards okay?” The world didn't deserve their son. She wished for the days where he was small and nervous, where her skirts were enough to shield him from the demons that drove him to drink now. But there wasn't a skirt large enough that would keep him from this and she drew in a shuddering breath. “I'm taking a sabbatical and moving so I can be there with you as well. I love you so much, Oytzerl, and we're going to get you what you need, okay?” Naomi waved at the server, who skittishly slid food onto the table and vanished.
Percy had lost his appetite as the food arrived. He dried his tears on his sleeve, still sniffling slightly. He did a double take as his mom said she was going to take a sabbatical, that she was moving back to California. She’d been in New York since he’d changed schools. “But… what about Columbia? And your research?” he mumbled.
Dominika’s jaw had dropped too. She knew how much her wife hated California - there hadn’t been a week where Naomi hadn’t complained about the academic scene, or even about how the bagels didn’t taste right without New York water. She’d never taken a day off work in her life, and here she was, announcing a sabbatical? She’d been prepared to be the boots on the ground so to speak.
“You're more important, Oytzerl. Columbia, and my research, will still be there when I return. I want to make sure you will be too.” Naomi replied quietly, halfheartedly taking a bite of food. “I know you're feeling a lot, but that's no reason not to eat. Eat your hash browns at least. You'll feel better with a little bit of food in your stomach and potatoes, even with this much grease, have a myriad of nutrients in them. Good for a growing boy.”
Percy hesitated for a moment. He knew she was right - and that he needed to eat. He’d burned so many calories training and competing in the contest, and he was underweight already as it was. He slowly took a bite of the hash browns, before glancing at Naomi to see if she approved of how much he’d taken.
And then slowly, carefully - moving almost like a spooked, wild animal - he slid his hand across the table to his mothers.
1 - Motek: Sweetheart 2 - Oytzerl: Little Treasure 3 - Mame: Mama 4 - Mayn Ketzel: My little kitten 5 - Tayere: Beloved 6 - Never, light of my heart. You are perfect in every way. 7 -Mayn Oytzerl, zey mash deyne freynt, ya: My little treasure, they are your friends, right? 8-Zey zenen nisht shlekht tsu mir: They aren’t mean to me. 9- endi hat zikh nekhtn far mir aoyfgeshtelt. ikh meyn aber az di andere zargn zikh nar vegn mir als a farlengerung fun doryan: Andy stood up for me yesterday. I think the others only care about me as an extension of Dorian, though. 10 - ikh veys nisht vos iz mit mir. ikh bin... ikh bin dershrokn. ikh veys nisht vi es aoyftsuhern: i don't know what's wrong with me. i'm... i'm scared. i don't know how to make it stop 11 - Mayn Neshumele - My little soul 12 - bite makh mikh nisht farlozn doryan - please don’t make me leave Dorian
Percy’s mothers had agreed to give him some time to talk to Dorian and explain to him what was going to happen. Afterwards, he was supposed to go with Dominika and Naomi for some family time. He wouldn’t be able to stick around with his boyfriend in the aftermath of this conversation - he wouldn’t get a second chance to have this confession in person if he screwed it up. And it wasn’t one he was at all prepared to have. He hadn’t expected to be looking at brochures for CAGE’s rehab program when the day began. He didn’t know what to say - didn’t know how to tell Dorian this without breaking his heart.
At that moment, he hated himself for ever touching the bottle.
Dear Dorian,
Might we talk? I am outside your home.
Sincerely, Percy
Dorian lazily stretched within his own bed, the sound of his phone signifying a text woke him up. He looked towards it, calling it over with his powers before it fell onto his face with a soft ‘thwack’. ”Who in t'e world is messagin’ me t'is early in t'e mornin’.” Normally he'd be waking up before the sunrise to start his morning workouts, but having just won the contest and spending the night before partying as long as he could, he wasn't exactly in the mood. He checked his phone, seeing a text from Percy before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and checking it again.
”Perce, why are you standing outside at this hour? You don't exercise and today was my day off from it.”
Percy frowned slightly. That wasn’t an answer to his question. He stared at the house from the sidewalk, his stomach filled with buzzing bees of anxiety and dread. He texted back a reply, his hands suddenly cold and clammy.
Dear Dorian,
My mothers asked if I would accompany them for breakfast this morning. I need to speak to you about something important. May I come in? They will expect me back before long.
Yours, Percy
Oh, that made sense. Dorian hadn't heard anyone leaving this morning, but then again he was fully knocked out.
Well which is it? Am I going outside or are you coming in? You know you're welcome in, heck you're supposed to be in right now.
Percy bit his lip, as he read the message. He supposed Dorian was right - he hadn’t technically needed to ask to go inside and see him, but… He had felt the need to do so anyway. His stomach churned and he took a breath, trying to steel his nerves. He imagined what he would say to Dorian. Hello, I am an alcoholic. I understand if you wish to never see me again.
It was all too possible that would happen. Dorian’s family already had their own struggles with sobriety. This could disgust him, push him away. He might never want to talk to Percy again, he would move on and find a new partner - maybe convince Billy and Teddy to give polyamory a try - and it would be over. Maybe Dorian would scream at him that Chase had been right to bully him so severely, that he was a waste of potential and space.
So he tried to teleport, he tried to jump from the sidewalk into Dorian’s room, but he remained frozen on the spot. His knees were shaking and fear had wrapped its tendrils around his heart.
Dorian sat in his room, waiting, staring at his phone to see if the bubbles would start. To see if a text would begin to form or any semblance of life would emerge to show him Percy would answer. But he sat there being left on read. He waited and waited and finally he decided he couldn't wait any longer. Maybe it had only been a minute, but to him it felt like an eternity. Wondering what it was that got Percy so worked up after seeing his mothers that he felt the need to talk. He tossed his phone to the side, grabbing an oversized sweater and throwing it on to help fight the cold. Not that it would help much in the short shorts he had on with knee high socks. His thighs were still very much exposed to the elements and from the looks of it it would seem as if he was only wearing the sweater and socks.
Dorian phased out of his bedroom and floated down the house and outside to where Percy was standing. He crossed his arms, not in annoyance or anger but simply as a way to help stave off the cold and keep in his body heat. ”Perce, what's goin’ on?”
Percy swallowed as he saw Dorian. Ordinarily, he would have appreciated the view of his boyfriend in his short shorts. But right now, he could barely make eye contact. He could barely bring himself to speak. He swallowed again. Tried to picture the words in his mind. And he forced them out, squeezing his eyes shut so he couldn’t see Dorian’s reaction.
“I’m being sent to rehab,” he whispered, before taking a shuddering breath. “They’re worried I might become an alcoholic. I’m so sorry, Dorian. I…. I understand if you want to break up with me or never see me again, I… I am so so sorry.”
Dorian’s heart fell into his stomach. He felt cold, not from the weather, but from what felt like his body starting to fade. The urge to retreat, to hide away in the Astral as Percy kept speaking, spewing words like bullets. He took a half step forward, wanting to reach out, to hug Percy, but as he did he could see the translucency in his hand and hid back beneath his arm. ”Perce I…what're you sayin’? Why are you goin’ to rehab? Why would I break up wit’ you? Why wouldn’t I wanna see you again? I just – I…” He shook his head in disbelief. Dorian hadn't had so many emotions coursing through him like this in a long time. He was wracked with sadness, for Percy, for his situation.
He'd heard of how this sort of thing could affect you, ruin you, it's why his house was a dry house. Overlaid was fear for Percy's future, glad that he was trying to get help but worried because he knew how stubborn he was when it came to it. Finally he was broken, hurt that Percy hadn't come to him sooner, said something sooner. Thoughts ran through his mind, replaying scenes in his head of interactions together or alone, had Percy truly passed out from the day's events yesterday or was he drinking alone in the room? Would he break that sort of trust amongst his family?
Percy didn’t open his eyes, even as tears started to well up in them. He hated crying. He tried to never do it. He had already fallen apart in front of Dorian yesterday, and here he was, on the brink of doing it again. He didn’t dare look at him - couldn’t cope with the possibility that he would see horror, that he would see pity, that he would see disgust, that he would see disinterest on his face. He wanted to run and hide, wanted to jump back in time without a care for the dangers and find a way to stop all of this - to keep himself from meeting James Kingston and having his secret blown - or to find a way to go even further back and keep himself from ever opening a bottle.
“I drink,” Percy sobbed. “I drink when things are too much. Your father caught me and told my moms and… I’m so sorry, Dorian. I - I messed up. I never should have - but - I - I was so scared they’d hate me and that they wouldn’t approve and I…I didn’t want to wake you the night before the contest so I… so I…”
Dorian wanted to ask Percy if he had drunk the night before, he wanted to ask about so many things, and it hurt him not to know. But he wasn't here to question him, Percy needed comfort, he needed assurance, and he needed to know he was loved. So, Dorian reached out once more, hand still transparent, and as he went to pull Percy into a hug he managed to will himself back to being corporeal. Dorian wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, one positioned on his middle back as the other swept up and held the back of his head. ”But you're gettin’ ‘elp now. You're doin’ t'e right t'in and takin’ t'e steps needed to get better.” Again he wanted to ask why it hand come to this? Why couldn't he tell him sooner, gotten help sooner, but this wasn't about him, it was about Percy.
Percy buried his head into Dorian’s chest, echoing the same position he had been in yesterday. He hated this - he hated feeling so weak, so small. But he mostly hated the way he had hurt his mothers - the way he was certain he had hurt Dorian. He didn’t deserve this comfort right now, didn’t deserve to be held in his arms and told he’d done the right thing. If he had done the right thing, he wouldn’t have drank at all. He wouldn’t have ever touched that bottle, he wouldn’t have had the hubris to think that he was smarter than addiction. He felt so lost and terrified, and so undeserving of love, of affection. His mame was going on sabbatical from Columbia for him, putting her dreams on hold. He didn’t want to make Dorian do the same - didn’t want to see him have less than he deserved just because he had the misfortune to choose a terrible person for a boyfriend.
He tried again to teleport them, to move them off of the sidewalk and into Dorian’s room for some privacy, but his powers failed him. He might as well have been just human in that moment, powerless. “I’m so sorry,” he mumbled over and over again. “I thought I had it under control.” His legs felt like they were about to give out, and his entire body was trembling. It had been hard to hear from his mothers. It was harder to say this to Dorian.
Dorian felt Percy's familiar energy as he tried to jump, noticing they hadn't moved at all. He squeezed his boyfriend tighter as he began to apologize to him, as he began to give his excuses and reasoning for why he had done so. It wasn't that Dorian didn't believe him, more that he knew those who struggled truly believed these lies they told themselves. That they could quit whenever they wanted, that they didn't need it they simply wanted it, all of these excuses they told themselves to make it seem alright. Dorian just thought he'd never have to hear them himself. He pulled on the power they shared as he picked Percy up into his arms before gently moving them into the kitchen.
He placed Percy on the counter to sit and wait, as Dorian went through the motions, his mind far away as his powers kicked in almost on instinct. Cupboards quietly opened and closed as cups, beans, presses, and more came out one by one from different locations and settled down before him. Percy had mentioned he went to have breakfast with his mothers, so he likely wasn't hungry, but there was always room for coffee; and what better way to have this conversation than with something warm and soothing as they spoke. In moments Dorian almost looked like Max all those days prior, using his powers to get everything ready, making coffee and multitasking for the people he loved. He was quiet through it all, until finally as he began to pour in the hot water, he spoke. ”Everyone believes t'ey ‘ave it under control, even grown ups. But you're doin’ t'e ‘ard part now and workin’ t'rough it. So, what's next? What steps are we takin’ to move forward in all t'is?” He pushed himself up on the counter opposite Percy, facing him as he waited for the coffee to brew.
Percy didn’t meet Dorian’s gaze, instead looking at the kitchen floor, his eyes following the seams in the tiles. He gripped the edge of the counter with both hands, his knuckles white. If he let go, he felt like he would fall apart all over again. The tears had mostly stopped as his boyfriend had brought them into the house and went about making coffee - but the deep sense of shame, of remorse, of fear lingered. The silence had been unbearable. He wanted to know what Dorian was thinking, and he was terrified at the idea that his guess was correct - that his boyfriend’s love for him might not be enough to weather this storm.
“They’re taking me to rehab Monday morning. Supposed to be there for a few days before I can leave and just go a few hours each day… my mame is moving back to California so she can be there for me… beyond that I don’t know…”
”T'at's good. T'e more you ‘ave in your support network t'e easier t'is will be for you. Do you…know where re'ab will be? Will you still be goin’ to school or…?” Waffles flew out of the freezer and into a toaster, clicking down and warming up as they spoke.
Percy flinched slightly at the sound of the waffles clicking down. He nodded at Dorian’s question. “I’ll still be going to Margaret Carter,” he confirmed. “It’s… it’s at CAGE. So I can’t just… just blink myself away.”
Dorian felt a tightness in his chest as Percy mentioned CAGE. He barely liked doing visits to see April there, the dampeners felt…wrong. The whole facility felt wrong. But he doubted he could visit anyways if it was only for a few days. ”T'en I guess t'at means I'll just ‘ave to write to you everyday. I doubt I can visit, but I'm sure letters ‘ave to be allowed right?”
Percy lifted his head up, his eyes misty. “You’d write to me?” he asked softly.
”Well CAGE doesn't exactly allow cellphones and outside contact like t'at from what I remember wit' April. So, letters. I t'ink letters can be allowed.”
He didn’t want to cry again. He really didn’t want to cry again. Blue energy flashed around his body as he reappeared in Dorian’s lap, doing his best to avoid the coffee. “I… I would really like that,” he mumbled. And then he swallowed, shutting his eyes tight. “… I’m so scared, Dorian…”
Dorian held his boyfriend, trying hard not to have them fall off the edge of the countertop. He looked towards the French Press, slowly pushing it down with one hand while the other held Percy. ”It's ok to be scared Perce, you're not alone in t'at.” He floated a cup of coffee towards Percy, trying to place it in his hands as he grabbed his own. ”You'll make it t'rough t'is, and when you do I'll be right on t'e ot'erside waitin’ for you.”
Percy opened his eyes again, as he felt the cup brush up against his hands. He stared at the coffee inside of it for a moment - and in his mind’s eye it flickered, turning into bourbon. His stomach churned. Even now, he felt the urge - felt the urge to go drink to make everything a little quieter, a little easier to manage. He hadn’t even realized things had gotten this bad, that it wasn’t even just a strategy to use anymore, but something his mind craved.
“I can’t drink this right now,” he whispered, feeling nauseous. He never turned down coffee. He took another breath. And shifted his gaze to look up at Dorian. “How are you not angry with me - not furious? How are you…. still so kind?”
”You don't need my anger, my fury, you don't need to be scorned right now mon cœur, you need someone to listen, love, and care for you. T'is ‘as not'in to do wit’ ‘own I feel. Only you.” Dorian placed Percy's mug beside him on the counter, close enough that if he changed his mind it would be there for him.
Percy nodded slightly, before he bit his lip. “… How do you feel?”
Dorian took a sip of his coffee. Trying not to speak. ”It doesn't matter right now.” He was furious. Not with Percy, not fully, but with himself.
“It matters to me,” he said quietly. “I… I’m scared I hurt you. That you won’t… that you won’t…” love me anymore.
”Well, I'm not and I do ok? My families been t'rough tougher spots, you're still in a good spot to change your ways, besides, I know you wouldn't want to ‘urt me by continuin’ to do so knowin’ full well my families ‘istory.”
Percy looked down at the floor again, as a fresh wave of guilt hit him. He hadn’t known about Dorian’s father’s struggle with addiction until recently. But even knowing that… knowing how much it had hurt him and his family… he still made the choice to find comfort at the bottom of a bottle rather than talking to his boyfriend or pursuing any other option. He’d already made the choice to hurt Dorian knowing this history. He clenched his jaw, barely keeping a fresh wave of tears at bay. He usually felt like a villain when held up against his boyfriend’s heroism - but now, he felt like a monster. Like some wicked, vile, twisted thing.
“But I did,” he said hoarsely. “I did it the night before we left for the contest.”
The cabinet doors rattled as Dorian tried hard to suppress his powers. He'd always had them as an emotional outlet, but he was trying hard not to show it. Otherwise every dish within the kitchen would've been trashed upon the floor. ”Perce…”
Percy lifted his head, looking at Dorian in the eye. He couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, his vision quickly blurring.
Dorian didn't know what to say, what to do. He felt powerless, conflicted in the face of this new enemy. He wanted to hold Percy, tell him it was alright, but it was taking everything in him not to wake the others, not to ruin the kitchen as he held back his own emotions.
It was worse that Dorian didn’t say anything. Percy’s mind supplied a thousand horrible things that could have been said in that space - a thousand different ways he had hurt and betrayed the person he loved the most in the world. He wanted to take a knife and carve this disease out of himself, if that would be what it took to make things right. “I’m so sorry,” he pleaded again. “I thought - I didn’t think - I…” But what could he say? That he thought only weak willed people could become alcoholics? That he thought he was smarter than addiction? He tore his gaze away. It hurt too much to hold it. “I’ll never have a drop again,” he swore. “Please, I…”
”You're right, you didn't t'ink. T'at's t'e problem wit' addiction isn't it? But t'ere ‘ad to be somet'in’. If t'is was a Greek tale you'd be akin to Iccarus, you're own ‘ubris blindin’ you to t'e dangers of t'e Sun. Or t'e likes of Achilles’ wit’ t'is bein’ your ‘eel. But t'is isn't one of your Greek tragedies, t'is isn't t'e world of stories you love so much, t'is is real life, and t'ese mistakes dont ‘ave to define you. You just need to work past t'em and do better. So please…do better…”
He swallowed, falling silent for a moment as he listened. He’d always idolized Greek heroes - for their wits, their strength, their adventures. He thought of their tragedies as narrative devices, not so much as moral failings. And he’d wanted to be like them, he’d wanted it so badly that he’d named himself Odysseus when they asked for a codename. A flare of anger shot through him. He’d named himself after someone who was separated from their loved one for over a decade, subjected to trials and tribulations, forced to struggle and to endure… but in this moment, he couldn’t see anything noble about that. He didn’t want some great epic. He just wanted Dorian.
“I will,” Percy promised. “I will. I - I don’t want to be like them anymore. I don’t want to be Odysseus or any of them. I just want to be your boyfriend.”
