Despite the victory, things were winding down. Sabine was still getting messages and notifications, but they were more manageable. She had taken a night after their party with the Young Avengers to turn social media off for the day and just…exist as a kid. Sabine had decided to stay at the hotel for that night, not wanting to rock the boat more with the Kingston-Gray family. Despite Danni’s protests and Dorian’s insistence, she felt like it wasn’t fully her place. One day, in the future, distant though it may be, it might be.
Plus, that was also April’s home. It didn’t feel right to insert herself into a loving environment crafted to take care of those within when she had nearly disrupted it.
But before she went back to the school, she needed to speak to April. There was too much unknown swirling around internally. The break-up, the fight, the reconnecting, the kiss, the other kiss, Sabine nearly beating April to a pulp, the victory. A lot of unanswered questions and Sabine could not rest so easily without at least trying to talk to her.
So Sabine walked up to the KG house and waited to see if April could talk. If not, Sabine would just head home and hope she could speak to her later. Sabine had a lot she needed to address anyway.
The last few days had been a whirlwind - one both good and bad. April hadn’t fully had time to process everything that had happened, and if she were to be completely honest with herself, there were certain subjects she’d avoided thinking about entirely. It was easy and fun to think about how they’d won the Contest of Champions - how they’d made a freshman year dream come through, defeating the very best teams of heroes from around the world. The attention was a lot, but there were moments where April was truly subsiding off of it, floating through the world - times where everything that was a little more shitty seemed to fall away - where she didn’t have to think about being bipolar, about Ser Nemo’s death, about kissing Sabine twice just weeks after the break-up, about her increasing confusion with her body and her identity… None of that sparked joy to think about, instead just inviting more stress and indecision.
So as she heard a knock on the door, April set her crochet aside on the couch, quickly adding a stitch marker to keep track of her place, and she jogged on over to answer it. It was probably just one of her friends, doubling back for some forgotten item. And yet, as she swung open the door, her jaw dropped slightly in genuine surprise. “Sabine! Did you… did you forget something in your room here? I can help you go look, if you’d like? Or… did you want to come talk to Danni or Dori? They’re around here somewhere, I can always go grab them or… Sorry, I’m rambling. How are you? What’s up?” Her face had flushed bright pink.
Sabine was hoping Danni or Dorian would have answered the door first. Hell, even James or Casper, but instead she faced April. No time like the present. ”April, hello! Um….no I didn’t forget anything here. I actually wanted to talk to you before I head back to school and figured this would be the best time since we won’t see each other for a while. Are you free? I can come in or….if maybe I’m not invited anymore we can go elsewhere. Up to you.” Sabine was unsure if the KG household welcomed her anymore and she didn’t want to put April in a weird predicament of inviting her in when she shouldn’t. But even then this felt awkward and weird.
April tilted her head slightly, her face scrunching up a bit in confusion. “Why wouldn’t you be welcome here?” And then, she hesitated for a moment. She knew that Pops could be… a bit strong. And the event with him and Papa that night… That had been a lot. But everything had been worked out - Sabine hadn’t been thrown out of the house, as far as April knew she wasn’t banned or anything. Or was she more referring to the fact that they’d broken up? Or had something else happened April wasn’t aware of? Was Sabine fighting with Danni? “But if you’re not - if you’re not comfortable here, there’s a park not too far from here we can go to. Um. What did you… what did you want to talk about?” she asked, as her face went from pink to crimson.
She didn’t need to be a telepath to know what Sabine wanted to talk to her about.
She barely understood her actions herself, and now Sabine was here, ready to demand answers - to probably chew her out over it, chastise her for playing with her feelings, for being so inconsistent and flaky and… April took a breath, trying to stop the mental train of thought before it completely derailed. “Is it… is it about you-know-what?”
Sabine waited a beat. It was best to not beat around the bush. ”Yes April, it’s about the kiss. Or rather, both of them. Let’s get inside and sit down.” Sabine made sure her ring was still on as she moved to walk in, allowing April to lead to a good place to sit.
Once there, Sabine got into it. ”The first one I can understand, somewhat. Heat of the moment. Hell, I didn’t hate it. The second time was….a bit unorthodox. I had just punched you. Granted, I thought I was someone else, but still. And it was during an intense match with tons of people watching. With our friends watching. And I can’t help but be…confused? We broke up. And for a good reason, I know that now, and eventually I was okay with it and we started talking more and I felt like we were connecting again. And then you kissed me and it….made things feel wobbly. Good wobbly, but still. I’m not putting you on the spot, but what even happened?”
April bit her lip so hard she thought it might bleed. Her heart was pounding faster and faster the more that Sabine talked, and even though she understood that Sabine was indicating she actually enjoyed the kisses, her mind still distorted it into something she ought to feel remorseful for - something to feel ashamed about. She glanced down at the ground, wishing it would swallow her up. Pa could probably make that happen. She doubted he would, though. She’d texted in the family group chat letting the parents know a friend was over already. “Um, well… Is it totally crazy of me that I don’t entirely know either? Like um - well the first one was we needed a distraction and it reminded me of that old YouTube recording of Black Widow talking about how kissing makes people uncomfortable so I just - I just kinda did it - which is really shitty of me, since we broke up - I mean I’m the one who even started the breakup and I don’t… Um, yeah, and then the second time - I just - the thought popped into my head and I just… I just did it? Which I liked it - I always like kissing you, you’re very good at it - but I also - we had been in such a weird place and I don’t want to go back there and I don’t - I don’t think I’m good for dating anyone but… But maybe if you wanted to kiss sometimes, that would be okay. With me, at least. I don’t know how you feel about it. I’m kind of - I’m kind of a mess right now?”
Sabine had known her own thoughts were a mismatch of disjointed lines, but it seemed April was worse off than her. Still, that didn’t excuse it. Sabine knew all too well what it was like to make a decision for someone without asking them. ”So, first off, please take some deep breaths. I am not mad and you should not be feeling as bad about this as you are right now. If I was truly upset I wouldn’t even be here. I don’t think we should be dating. For multiple reasons. But before we even dip into what else we can do with each other I think we both need to get our heads on right. I can only speak for me but I am not in a good place at the moment with everything going on. I haven’t even spoken to Leah about the contest and what happened after. So I am not in the best place to be making decisions on who to kiss and when. It’s not a no, but it’s not a yes. Just…communication needs to happen more. For both of us.”
April’s shoulders slumped - not necessarily from disappointment, but more from relief. She nodded, and took a few deep breaths, counting as she did so as they had taught her in CAGE. Gods. CAGE felt like a lifetime ago, but it had only been a few weeks, and already so much had changed. They had all changed. She hoped for the better. She really did. “I’m sorry,” April started. “And I do mean that - I… I shouldn’t have kissed you, either time, without asking you about it first. I don’t know why I did it again, but that’s not an excuse, and I’m going to work on it. It won’t happen again. I promise.” She then frowned, leaning forward slightly as she clasped her hands together. “If you… if you want to talk about the contest, and what happened, I’m here - I know I tend to ramble, but I can listen. If that would help you. I do - I still - I care about you a lot. Maybe we can be friends? We never-we never really were friends before.”
”No, we sort of jumped into things. Which was a mistake. A good mistake, but one regardless. I’d rather be friends anyway. Can’t have enough of those.”
Sabine thought about the contest, wondering how to approach the topic with April in mind. She wasn’t upset with April, not really, but it was still a mix of feelings. ”Part of me feels guilty for leaving the contest early. I was in a bad state and wouldn’t have lasted much longer, but I also couldn’t continue after what happened with Dorian and Billy. And Danni. I saw how it impacted the Young Avengers, and it didn’t feel right to just carry on like it didn’t happen. It felt wrong somehow. And perhaps part of it is due to the fact I am constantly wondering if my actions will paint me as the villain everyone sees me as. Like if I decided to continue and attack Patriot or Hulkling, people would assume I was some heartless freak. But I couldn’t in good conscience continue. I wanted to win, but I was never in this as heavily as you all were. I knew I could be a hero even if I didn’t win the contest. But you all fought so hard and I wanted to be there, but it felt wrong.”
She nodded, fidgeting into more of a cross-legged position as Sabine spoke. She knew how badly Sabine had wanted to win - how badly all of them had wanted to win. Even a week ago, April couldn’t have imagined a situation where she would have surrendered, couldn’t have imagined that the gestalt would form, that Hulkling - that Teddy would look at them from across the field, with so much pain in his eyes. She glanced down at her hands. “I get it. After what happened… I was frozen. I didn’t know what to do. Attacking them… it didn’t feel good. Especially not Teddy or Billy. I don’t blame you for deciding you didn’t want to continue - and… I’m proud of you for making that choice. I know you worry a lot about how people see you. I do too. I think… One thing that’s come up for me a lot in therapy is setting boundaries and being honest with yourself. I think that was your boundary - your limit - and the fact that you saw that, and made a choice for yourself and not based on what others want you to do… That’s rad. That’s cool as hell.”
April shifted in her seat again. “If it helps - I didn’t keep on fighting for other people. I love them, but I didn’t even do it for my brothers, and we’d been talking about this for years. I did it because I wanted to. I let what people think of me and expect from me rule my life. I don’t want to live like that anymore. And I don’t think you should either.”
Sabine should have known April could relate. ”Easier said than done, but I’m trying. It’s hard when you don’t have people to look up to that should be modeling the behavior you want. Hell, I don’t think I’ve spoken to my father since the thing with Arcade. He hasn’t messaged me about the contest victory.” She thought of Max, of their conversations. One of few people in her life she wanted to impress, to make him proud. It was silly, he wasn’t her father.
”We all have to make a choice and sometimes that choice will be hard and not make sense, but it’s better than making the wrong one or one that hurts people. And I have to learn to give people that chance to choose good.”
She nodded, her face falling slightly as Sabine explained her challenge. She had spent half of her life in this house, with four incredible fathers, and she still had struggled so much. All the love and care and attention hadn’t been able to fix what was wrong with her, hadn’t been able to keep her from hiding her thoughts and feelings away or making decisions because she thought it was what other people wanted. April didn’t know how long she had been like this, if the craving for desire and approval had been a part of her when she was little, before she’d met her second family. She didn’t know what to say to Sabine to make any of it better, however. She didn’t know how to give Sabine the role models and guidance that she wanted.
“Fuck your father,” April said instead. “He hasn’t talked to you since we - since we technically died? And nothing about you winning the freaking Contest of Champions? He’s not being a father to you. He can go to hell and rot,” she insisted. “Blood isn’t always family. Family isn’t always blood. I know things are - I know things are weird, and they’re tough, but we’re all here for you. Everyone on Excelsior is here for you. If you want a family… maybe it can be us.”
Sabine smiled warmly. She had felt closer to the team than ever before. The contest win was great, but the fact they bonded together, came through for each other in the midst of such difficulty, that was what family did. ”You’re right, fuck him. It’s times like these that make me miss my mom. She always knew what to do or say to make me feel better. She never just threw money at me or sent me off somewhere when she didn’t want to deal with me. I wish she was still here, she’d be proud. And she would love all of you.” But that was not the case. She was gone. Right?
April nodded. She could relate to this - wishing that people who were gone were still around. She didn’t remember her birth parents, but she remembered her grandmother. She sniffled a little bit, before offering Sabine a sad smile. “I’m sure she’s incredible. I don’t know if you’d ever want to but - I know the seance with Nemo didn’t work out but… Papa - Casper - could try again, with your mom. I’m sure he would if we asked.” She’d never asked him to show her her grandmother or her birth parents. It was a door she was scared to open.
Sabine shook her head. ”After the last seance, I think I’m done. And even if it went well, I think I’d rather just keep the memories I have of her.” Sabine waited a beat. ”I’m glad we talked about this finally. And I am glad we are friends again. I hated not talking to you for so long. I admit part of it was my anger, but I also felt guilty. Now I just need to talk to Leah and things will be better. Hopefully.”
“Things are going to get better,” April said. “They can’t get much worse, right? Between CAGE and Arcade and the drama at the Contest… I think we’re due for a fresh start and some good luck. Things are going to turn around for us. They have to.” She didn’t doubt either that Leah and Sabine would be able to sort things out. Even when she had been dating both of them, she’d been able to see how strong their bond to each other was. It had been intimidating back then, but now that she could just be friends with them, it was sweet. It was good to see how they were ride or die for each other. They deserved it.
Sabine hoped that was true, but in her experience things often got worse before they got better. But maybe there would be a few moments of bliss before the other shoe dropped. ”Thanks April. Sorry to drop in on you, but I am grateful we spoke. At least before I went back and we wouldn’t see each other for a bit.” She stood up, wanting to give her a hug, but not wanting to invade her space. She didn’t know if they were there quite yet.
“You know, you can always message me,” April teased slightly. “I privated my accounts to get away from all the social media fame stuff - but I didn’t delete them since I wanted you all to be able to keep in touch. So give me a holo whenever, okay?” She stood up as well, and hesitated. She didn’t know what they were supposed to do now. And she’d already overstepped boundaries twice.
Sabine made the choice then. Good for now, but who knows what the future held? ”Yeah, I get that. I took a social media break after the contest. I can only handle so many messages. But gotta get into the swing of things now that we are all famous!” She walked to the door and stepped out. ”Let’s talk later? And when you come back we can go get some boba or something. My treat.”
Location: Two Sisters Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)
School would be going on break soon. Andy had plans to go to Magneto’s...her home. She had plans to go home. She’d hitch a ‘ride’ with Dorian and Danni. It was very convenient that they lived next door to her. Andy was determined to spend some time with them over the break. She had a lot of plans.
Andy had made an appointment with Dr. Whitehall as soon as she could. There was a lot she wanted to talk about. It was nice that the feeling of ‘you can’t talk about this’ was completely gone. Meeting Max, the others and more importantly Magneto had made it feel less like she had to hide who she was. When Andy thought about it she had been hiding who she really was basically her whole life.
Now that Selene was in Max’s hands and not Andy’s responsibility anymore she felt it was safer to talk about. Divulging that your mother was personally responsible for genocide was not something she had wanted to get into before learning that Max, James, and Casper had brought back almost everyone that had been lost. That was a relief. It also was now completely public knowledge that she had been on Genosha and fought for it. She had revealed that during the Contest.
Andy knocked on Dr. Whitehall’s door and waited for permission to enter. She was a couple of minutes early for their meeting so she didn’t expect to be let in immediately. It was possible Dr. Whitehall was with another student. Andy hoped not. It could be awkward if she was.
Dr. Whitehall had watched the contest. She promised she would and she was always one to keep her promises. She didn’t make them lightly as that could break the bond held between therapist and client. So she watched Excelsior wipe the floor with the Hex Girls and watched, in mild concern and horror, during the Young Avengers fight with the Entity. She could only imagine how some of them were feeling. She didn’t expect to hear from any of them, it was always their choice and she made it clear the first time, while mandatory, did not mean they had to continue.
So when she received word from Andy about wanting a session, she felt a touch of pride, especially in her. Admitting you need help, wanting to talk about tough subjects, it was brave. She was preparing for said session when she heard the knock. Andy was early. ”Come in!” Dr. Whitehall stood up in preparation for Andy, allowing the girl to sit where she wanted. The office was different than last time. This time it was what Dr. Whitehall’s office normally looked like. Warm colors spread throughout, two comfortable armchairs and a sofa, a small coffee table with some magazines, fidget spinners, coloring supplies, and books. A large bookcase that held heavy subjects in psychology, psychiatry, and sociology as well as some fiction books, some self-help novels, and a few children’s books about gender identity, bullying, and other various subjects.
”Nice to see you again Andy. Please, take a seat anywhere.”
”Hi Dr. Whitehall.” Andy greeted and sat down in one of the armchairs. She had looked over the room as she sat, picking up one of the quieter fidget toys. She liked having the things to play with but didn’t like the noise some of them made.
”It is crazy a lot has happened since the last time I talked to you. No joke. I need to do some explaining before I can even get into what I finally feel like I can talk about.” Andy was smiling. Maybe it was the joy of winning the contest or something else, but she looked relieved. Like a huge weight had been taken off of her shoulders. She still had the nervous energy about her, and worry and fear were bubbling in the back of her mind, but it wasn’t like before. Before it seemed like she was waiting for a grenade to go off.
Dr. Whitehall sat in the other armchair, one leg over the other. ”Yes, a lot has happened. Congratulations on your win. You all should be very proud of yourselves. You seem to be in great spirits which is wonderful to see. So, please, the floor is yours.”
”Thank you! I am very proud, of everyone on the team. Alright, first some context. So, as I mentioned the first time I came that I had time traveled here from 2021. That was from just after the fall of Genosha. My mother is Selene. She’s the one who tried to basically destroy the world. We stopped her. Then I came here with Zari. Well when we left we didn’t say anything to anyone. We just had to go. Right then or never. So I joined her. Probably not the best choice, but I am happy I came. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t come and I don’t really want to think about it. Not important. But I had my mom trapped in some sort of magical rubix cube thing. But she changed into this doll. She could sort of interact with the world. I was always afraid she’d get out somehow. Anyway, at first I was hiding all of that. I wasn’t telling anyone. But after I talked with you I did tell Dorian. His parents are friends of mine from Genosha, and before. So we go to the contest right, but we’re staying at Dorian and Danni’s place in New Orleans. So both of their parents, are old friends of mine, and it is the first time I’ve seen them since the fall of Genosha. Turns out they thought I was dead. No one had really believed that Zari was from the future. Well Max, he’s a big shot wizard guy now, was able to trap my mom so I don’t have to worry about her right now. Oh, she’ll definitely come back and be an issue in the future, but right now, I am not worried some powerful wizard is going to show up and sacrifice people to her to free her. Or something equally unhinged.” Andy paused and took a few deep breaths. During her little speech she had been playing with the fidget or kicking her feet.
Dr. Whitehall listened carefully. This was clearly important for Andy to unload and, from the sounds of it, a lot of pressure and stress had been on her shoulders for a while. Once it appeared she settled, Dr. Whitehall spoke up. ”That is a lot to process for myself so I can only imagine how you are feeling about it. I know we talked a bit about you time traveling and coming here with Zari, but it is nice to get further context. I am happy to hear some pressure has been taken off of you. Maybe you can share a little insight for me. How does it feel to have that pressure from your mother taken off your shoulders, albeit for some time?”
”It is like I was Atlas and suddenly that weight is all gone. I was so afraid. All the time. I couldn’t do or think about anything but the possibility of her getting free. When the thing with Arcade happened. We died. I mean that. We all died. I only came back because Ardere touched me. I was an energy vampire and I ate her soul to save my life. I don’t feel bad for it. Not really. But good news! Turns out that was a curse mom put on me and Max took me to this voodoo guy in New Orleans and he removed the curse. I am no longer an energy vampire. I cannot eat souls anymore. I was so afraid of becoming like mom because of that. That’d I’d be willing to do that to people, not just accidentally, or anything, but want to do that. Because I came back though, Zari and I were able to go back in time and save everyone. So I don’t regret it, not really. I’m sorry she died, but I didn’t have control over that. And I saved everyone else. The point though is if I hadn’t come back. If I had died. Who would have protected Selene? I don’t mean she needs protection. The world needs protection from her. We have to keep her contained. But this was before Max and them knew I was alive. They wouldn’t have known. It was stupid of me to leave without saying anything, but I didn’t have a lot of a choice. I should have reached out as soon as I was here though. I feel like yeah I’m still scared that Selene can come back at any moment. But with MU we stopped her once we can do it again. Alone...I can’t. Just like the contest. I couldn’t have won that fight if I had been the only one to stay. Without April and Dorian we wouldn’t have won. I can’t do things alone. I was trying to do that.” Andy admitted. She hoped that answered the question. She hadn’t even finished telling Dr. Whitehall everything yet. She wanted to tell her how she had reunited with Magneto, but she was already bouncing around a lot in her explanation.
”Admitting we need help can be a heavy burden, especially when you have had to shoulder a lot of things by yourself. And it is never a bad thing to admit it later in life. I am happy to hear you have such strong supports behind you. It sounds like you’ve processed a lot of this already, but having this space to have it settle is important. Please, continue. I get the sense there’s more you want to say, but feel free to take a moment if you need it. I can also get some tea or coffee if you want.”
Andy nodded, ”There is more. So I reunited with Danni and Dorian’s parents, which was a big thing. I missed them a lot. But it turns out that their neighbor is my adoptive father.”
“While on Genosha, before I knew that Selene was mother, Magento adopted me. I was in a bad place at the time and just going with the flow. The Drummonds had...” Andy paused and took a deep breath. ”Actually let me start there. My last Christmas was 2020, just before M-Pox. I was living with the Drummonds. They had taken me in two years prior and they were planning on legally adopting me. It was a bit of a battle because legally...I was a runaway. They were really struggling to get it to work, but that Christmas they finally had the paperwork approved. We were going to finalize it.” Andy’s hands were shaking.
”Some Purifiers broke into their Gym. They burned the gym down. With the Drummonds inside. I got out. I fought them and ran. After that I met up with the MU. Everything just was in so much chaos. I didn’t have any breathing room. I was just going from one insane thing to another. But here, with the MU, I was somewhere safe. Somewhere that wanted to protect me. I had seen Magneto fight for his daughter, Polaris. He had tore the building we were in down around us to get to her. No one had done that for me. Not ever. The Drummonds probably would have.” She paused again looking up at the ceiling.
”I haven’t told anyone, not a single person. Not even Zari. About what happened to the Drummonds. But there I was on Genosha. Finally feeling a little bit of security and Magneto offered to take me in. Offered to be my family. He swore to protect me.” Her eyes watered and tears fell.
”This was before anything had even happened on Genosha. Before we ever had to defend it. Before I knew who I was. He didn’t care. He saw some scared kids and took them in. Later, during the fight with Selene.” She smiled at the memory. ”He yelled at her to unhand his child. He defended me. He protected me. I felt so bad for leaving and not saying anything. I was so afraid I’d find out that he had died. He was old back then. But he is alive. He is healthy. He lives next door to Dorian and Danni. I saw him. We talked. I’ll be going home to him.” She started crying again. This time instead of the intense grief that she had over the Drummonds it was relief and happiness that she cried with.
Dr. Whitehall reached over to move a tissue box closer to Andy, if she needed it. Dr. Whitehall knew of Magneto, knew the polarizing views on him and mutant-kind. Despite the progress made, there was still hatred. ”I am so sorry to hear what happened to your family, Andy. Given how young you were and going through that, no child should ever, but the world is unkind, especially to mutants and the like. But you powered through it and found a home. And found family. To have someone willing to stand not just by you, but for you, can be so rewarding, especially after so many hardships. And in all that time you were never able to just be a kid. So I hope with your mother being safely squared away for the time being and you being reconnected with your adoptive father you can make time to enjoy yourself and let yourself breathe. You deserve that.”
Andy took some of the offered tissues and dabbed at her eyes, trying not to mess up her make up. She nodded at what Dr. Whitehall was saying. She hadn’t been able to feel normal since she was eight when she found out she was a mutant. She had lived in fear for so long. Andy wasn’t even certain she knew what it meant to be a kid.
”I remember when he showed up for Polaris I was jealous. I wanted that. I wanted someone who cared that much about me. The Drummonds tried. They really did. And in a world where they survived and I never left Rochester I would have been happy. God it would have been a good life. A quiet life. I’m sure there is some universe where it happened. I am okay not being in that universe though. Because I’ve worked for this one.” She then bit her lip.
”There is one more thing I think I should tell you. I never talked to Zari about anything. She left before I could. I shouldn’t be surprised. She left Genosha without saying goodbye. So I figure she sort of broke up with me. Now...well I’m trying out some things. I won’t say anything is serious, but it is nice to try things.”
”Sometimes we have people in our life for brief periods and that doesn’t make it any less valuable. And being open to trying new things is great. And it is within your power to define what that looks like with others. Boundaries are still important and communication is key, but I don’t have to tell you that, I’m sure.”
Andy smiled. She had had a bit of a roller coaster of emotions during this session, but she seemed settled now. Like telling someone everything had made it something she was past and done with. There were still bits of doubt, worry, fear, and guilt, but in general Andy was happy. Originally Andy had had a ‘kicked puppy’ look about her. Maybe it was finding her family and friends, maybe it was winning the contest, who knew what actually had made it happen, but she wore the confidence of the ring outside of it now. She was comfortable with who she was. Something she had never been before.
”Thank you Dr. Whitehall. I will keep that in mind. I don’t think I could have quite figured it all out without your help. I didn’t have anyone that I felt would listen to me. I do feel like I have those people now. Between the Kingston-Gray household and having my dad back in my life. I know that I have people who would stand by me through literally the end of the world. But I don’t know if I would have gotten this far without your help. I don’t think I would have told Dorian that his parents were my old friends. That was a delight.”
”I am glad I could be of help, but this was also very much your achievement too. Being able to ask for help and then use the help can be difficult and you made those choices. And now you get to enjoy your time with your friends and family. The door to healing never closes fully, either.”
Andy nodded. ”Yeah, but I figure I should still say thank you to the people who helped me get here.” She stood up. ”I’ll come back. I know I sort of just went over a lot of context today, but it was important. You had to know certain things to understand. I probably should have told you some of it the first time. But I wasn’t ready. I’ve also been talking with my dad. He’s helping a lot. I’m thankful I found my family again. We may have only been a family for a short time, but that is okay. Blood isn’t what makes family.” She smiled and left.
TuHo's Mega Market was Danni's favorite place to shop for food in the area. Filling up an old warehouse, TuHo barely paid enough to have the mandatory equipment in the place: at least one cooler was always broken, the restrooms were poorly maintained, there were sixteen ceiling fans and only one worked, the AC blew hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and the list went on. Thinking about it only made Danni want to look closer so Danni chose not to think because in the year he'd known TuHo's, Danni had never been disappointed in the quality. The seafood was always fresh, meat properly cut and sealed, veggies and fruit were plump and perfect, and if it was an international delicacy, TuHo's was guaranteed to stock it. Danni had his doubts when he was first introduced to it. A stray comment on a video he posted where he had only found old stale Ajwin to work with directed him to TuHo's. A little research and a lot of support from local followers and Danni had braved the certainly roach infested supermarket.
Now, Danni didn't shop anywhere else if he could avoid it.
And today was a particularly special trip. Danni's plan to showcase his awesome friends started off with Leah who, without begging Danni would like to state for the record, reached out to him about hanging out in the kitchen. He hadn't expected her to agree when he put out recording a cooking challenge video and when she added spicy to the challenge, Danni could have fallen in love. So, here he was to see if he could get his hands on some of the spiciest peppers on the scale: The Carolina Reaper, The Dragon's Breath, and The Trinidad Scorpion. Danni was practically shaking with excitement when he approached, nearly running into the automatic door before he realized it wasn't working. A shabbily written sign pointed to the regular door next to it. Danni shrugged and opened it.
As expected, the holiday music over the speakers was tinny and low. The place smelled like produce and burlap bags and grease. Danni could feel his pores clogging but it was worth it. TuHo's hadn't failed him before and it certainly wouldn't fail him now. He beelined it first for produce. It was unlikely they had them fresh since they technically required special handling, but this was TuHo's. They probably didn't care!
Matt had dragged Ben out of the house. This had included a series of requirements and promises in exchange for coming shopping with him. First Ben had to take a damn shower. Second Matt promised that once everything was put away back in the fridge and freezer at home Matt would take Ben to a skate park. Ben was itching to get out and about on his skateboard again. Matt for some reason didn’t think children should be unsupervised.
Matt, however, was busy comparing ingredients of some canned food. Ben had found that when Matt got distracted in such ways he could slip away. This store was massive and Ben wondered how the heck someone who did not grow up or live in Los Angeles had found this store. Matt and Ben were both from London. Matt had lived in the US for some years, mostly while working with S.H.I.E.L.D. To Ben’s knowledge Matt had spent most of that time in San Francisco.
They wouldn’t even be living in LA if Matt hadn’t met an ex-coworker of his while at the Contest. Ben, hands in pockets, wandered the isles trying to find anything that looked familiar. All the food in this store was so different from what he was used to. He just wanted some Jammie Dodgers and tea. American tea was unhinged. They overcomplicated it. Just heat up some damn water and put a tea bag in it. Why the heck was there ten ingredients in tea?
Ben ended up in the produce section. Even that was weird. There were some veggies and fruits he had never heard of. His home store had had plenty of variety but this place had several types of things that Ben hadn’t even been aware had different types. Like what was even a plantain? It looked like a banana.
Danni frowned at the typical assortment of pepper red and yellow and green to spare. He didn't want dried stuff, he wanted fresh stuff! He didn't want Leah to think he was lame ‘cause he got bad peppers. Danni huffed quietly to himself, continuing on and staring intently at each and every label just in case and only barely caught himself as he nearly ran into someone standing and staring at plantains. Danni went to apologize but stopped short, peering at the kid in question. He seemed familiar, but Danni couldn't quite put his finger on it. Maybe it's because he was looking at the side of his face so Danni leaned in front of the plantains and then beamed.
“‘eeeeeey! You're t'at guy I almost ran into at t'e Contest! Fancy runnin’ inta your ‘ere! It's like you're stalking me!” Danni laughed. “You live ‘round ‘ere t'en? You already know where I'm stayin’ most of t'e year. You t'inkin’ ‘bout doin’ somet'in’ wit’ t'ese? Pretty good all fried up. Not too sweet, a little better t'an a potato chip, t'ough tostones are delicious too. T'ough, if we're talkin’ chips, I prefer beet chips tbh, so pretty and delicious! ‘a you ever ‘ad t'em? They sell a good brand of t'em ‘ere so you should get t'em! My taste is fire so you'll like ‘em, I can tell!” Danni sneezed softly, a high pitched, soft sound.
“Oh gosh, and let me know if you want some cologne tips. I don't like it too much, but Dee really does so I can get ya some recs so you don't ‘ave ta wear t'at stuff. It's genuinely a terrible product, Axe, but everyone's gotta start somewhere. I'll ‘elp ya get ahead. Say, ‘ave ya seen any Carolina Peppers? Or Dragon's Breath? Or a Trinidad Scorpion? I gotta guest on my channel t'at likes t'e spice and it'd be lame if I got t'e dried stuff and not t'e fresh stuff. I know, I know safety but I ‘andle fire on a regular so I should be fine wit’ t'is yeah? I t'ink so and even if I'm not immune I'm tough. I won t'e Contest! Oh, ‘ey, did you like it? What did you t'ink? Where you t'ere just ta watch? Oh, do you watch my channel? Oh, are ya gunna come join t'e school too?”
Ben took half a step back when HotShot leaned into his personal space looking at his face. He did recognize him immediately. He tried to follow what he was saying, and asking him but between the strong accent and talking faster than Ben thought anyone had any right to talk he wasn’t totally sure what happened.
Ben had attempted to say something at least three times and finally gave up. He didn’t even know where to start with answering any of the questions that HotShot had asked him. Ben wasn’t certain what the guy’s actual name was he just remembered the lineup. And even that had been a vague memory. It was easy to place this guy though because of how he had almost collided with him in the stands.
”Yeah. That was me. I’ll be honest I don’t know what you’re talking about since you seem to be talking at two times speed. But uh...there were some peppers over there.” Ben gestures to a few bins he had passed. While near them his eyes had watered.
”Yeah, I live near here. Just moved here. I knew my Uncle moved us close to the school, but I didn’t realize it was so close you could just come here. I will be starting there next year. ” Ben shrugs not sure how to explain everything without going into more detail than anyone could actually care about.
“Yeeeees, t'at's exactly what I'm lookin’ for!!!” Danni cheered, dragging Ben over with him. He donned the gloves provided and started sifting through peppers. “Don't worry. You'll get used to it. I know, t'e accent makes it ‘ard for people ta keep up wit’ me so it's chill. And you'll love t'e Institute! Super fun. It was our dream school as kids and t'en once we got in, we knew we ‘ad ta do t'e contest toget’er. We've only ‘ad a villain try ta kill us once and even t'en, we won! And ‘onestly, club accommodations are ten outta ten would in fact, recommend. It's a blast!” Danni settled on two of each, sealed them away safely, and plopped them into his basket.
“Oh, ya know, idk your name. You know mine, obviously. Danni, ‘otShot, Cutest member of Excelsior, most photogenic, best cook, etc. Its funny runnin’ into ya again.” Danni chuckled at the joke, elbowing the other gently.
Ben allowed himself to get dragged along, though he didn’t care for the intense nature of the peppers that he was now standing near. Danni, thank god he finally knew the guy’s actual name and not just the code name. He really hadn’t remembered what it was. Ben didn’t want to come off as rude, aloof sure, but rude wasn’t really what he liked to be.
”I’m Ben Moss.” He paused and then looked at Danni really confused. ”I’m sorry did you say a villain tried to kill you already? I was supposed to go to Braddock, but because of...moving here I’m obviously not.” Ben seemed to have changed what he was going to say.
“Oh, yeah, totes. It kinda comes wit’ t'e territory, ya know? Powerful ‘eroes, powerful villains, and t'en everyone t'inks t'at just ‘cause we're kids, we're easy push overs. We got sucked into a virtual trainin’ machine, trapped ina deat’ game, and timey-whimey stuff ‘ad ta ‘appen or we would be dead! And a buncha t'e group got upsetti ‘bout it but we're all briethin’ and t'at's what counts!” Danni wrapped his arms around Ben's shoulders and steered him to the pasta isle.
“So, what's your deal, Ben. Tell me ‘bout you. Wantcha want for t'e future, whatcha see yourself becomin’, whatcha do in your free time, whatcha t'ink about angel ‘air pasta and standard spaghetti?”
Ben was confused. Why in the world was this guy who he barely knew dragging him around the store? He glanced around and didn’t see his Uncle Matt anywhere. Hopefully he still hadn’t noticed that Ben had left him alone. Ben didn’t want to admit it but he liked Danni. It wasn’t like when Chase had sort of forced himself into talking with him at the Contest. Danni was nice. Even if he did talk a mile a minute.
Ben was still processing the whole actually died part of what Danni had told him. Ben had almost died. Had gotten so close and if he hadn’t gone through terrigenesis he would have. Thinking about the future hadn’t really been something he had considered, even before that.
He shrugged. ”Honestly, before moving here I didn’t have a lot of plans. I was just going to go to Braddock with some of my mates. We were all supposed to go through terrigenesis together. But that didn’t work out. Now I live with my Uncle.”
”Free time though.” Ben smiled. ”I’m really into skateboarding, parkour and insects.” He said the last one a little nervous. ”My mates back home, we all skateboarded and did parkour together all the time. London was perfect for it. We sometimes got into trouble because we were in places we weren’t supposed to be, but we didn’t care. We just wanted to have fun. We weren’t trying to mess with anything.” Ben spoke with a bit of longing. He missed it, missed his friends.
”Uh...angel hair pasta is good for lighter sauces. If you have a heavy sauce you should use the standard one.”
“Oooh, good answer, good answer! Someone knows t'eir stuff!” Danni booped Ben on the nose. “Skateboardin’? T'at's cool! I got good balance in t'e air and on t'e ground, but add wheels inta t'e mix? Yeeeeesh, can't even rollerblade and tbh, bikin’ is also a spooky t'in’ ta me. Thankfully, parkour isn't really a t'in’ I gotta deal wit’ since airtime and all. Barely ‘ad any control at t'e beginning of t'e year and now ‘ere I am, zippin’ ‘round wit'out a care in t'e world. Except in specific airspace. Didn't realize people owned t'e sky, but ‘pparently lots o’ cities don't like it too much when ya fly around over'ead. Or military bases. Or t'eme parks, which I t'ink is wierd. Why can't I fly over and just drop in for photos wit’ a character and t'en blast back out? Disappointing. And little creepy crawlies is your jam? Back ‘ome in New Orleans, we got lost of people who like ta sell pretty beetles, butterflies, moths, and stuff all pinned up, you mean like t'at.”
Danni grabbed a thing of angel hair and a thing of spaghetti and, just for fun, some penne pasta. “Also, I realized ya said Braddock but idk what Braddock is and t'en you said a really big word, Teriogentresis or somet'in’ like t'at. Sounds spooky tbh.” Danni peered at the different rice bags. “Hmmm, big bag or small bag. Do you t'ink a giant will make a big spicy dish or a small spicy dish, Ben?”
Ben was starting to get used to the flow of how Danni talked. Not just his accent, but also how he bounced around in the conversation. He didn’t always respond in order, but that was okay. Ben realized that he might be responding in the order he thought was most important. He couldn’t be sure. Danni definitely liked food and cooking. The nose boop had been weird and Ben had almost tripped over his own feet when Danni had done that, but he hadn’t and he was proud of himself for that. He considered what order to respond to Danni in and decided he would respond in the order he cared about most.
”I don’t like dead insects.” Ben harrumphed. ”That’s just sort of cruel. I mean I suppose it can be fine if you find them dead, but if people kill them to do that it is messed up.”
”I’ve always been into entomology. But after I went through terrigenesis,” he said it slowly so that Danni could hear the word right this time. ”I could sort of control insects, which is really neat. I can talk to them now. Terrigenesis is how inhumans get their powers. I don’t have an X gene. I’m an alien sort of. I mean my grandparents and their parents were all born in London, so not like actually from another planet, but my grandparents are inhuman and my mom was. So is my uncle. I’m not a mutant. We get exposed to the mists and that causes us to change and get our powers.” He explained.
”As for Braddock Academy it is in Wales. Our team was the Knights of X.” He paused, ”Their team... They were in the contest. I never went there so not really ‘our’ team.” He had spent so long planning on going to Braddock that thinking of it not as his school was something he needed to get used to.
”Uh, giants like a lot of food right? So a big dish?” Ben didn’t like spicy food so he was glad he wasn’t going to be eating this dish made by a giant.
“Big bag, big bag, big bag…” Danni eyed his brand options, picked a familiar one, and threw that in the cart before continuing down the next aisle. “‘ow did I make anot'er friend t'at says so many big words? Its wild ‘ow I find y'all. And I don't t'ink we went against an X team. I would ‘ave def remembered an X team. And- Oh, shit, sale on spices yeeeees.” Danni shook Ben in his excitement as they neared the wall of jars, a Buy 2, Get 1 Free sign. He grabbed paprika, cumin, thyme, coriander, cumin, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne, and several more off the shelf.
“Okay spices aside, I never really t'ought ‘bout it. We don't ‘ave any bugs in our ‘ouse at ‘ome and I t'ink most places just bug spray everyt'in’ so much t'at t'e buggies just don't come ‘round. I see your point t'ough. I don't want Dee or Rillie or any of my friends ended up in a picture frame wit’ a big ol’ needle t'in'y t'rough t'em.” Danni replied thoughtfully. “And you can talk wit’ t'e bugs? Gosh, you gotta ‘ave all t'e best gossip. When you spill tea, it's gotta be scaldin’! T'ough, startin’ off wit’ t'e somet'in like t'e alien/not-alien t'in’ is difficult ta top. I just - gettin’ all gassed up is onet'in’ but t'at process sounds scary. You like, good besides your powers stuff?”
Ben took a moment to parse through what Danni had said. ”Well your team didn’t go against them because they were eliminated earlier in the bracket, they were on the other side of the bracket anyway. You basically never would have gone against them unless for some reason Young Avengers hadn’t won their bracket. The Young Avengers beat them in the second round.”
”Who are Dee and Rillie? And a lot of people spray for bugs. I get it. But bugs are super important for the environment.” Ben had gone over the rant a dozen times but he bit it back right now. ”Anyway, maybe I’ll start a business where I just ask all the bugs to leave people’s homes. Though it won’t work for spiders because they aren’t insects technically.” He shivered. ”Spiders freak me out. Can’t talk with them. Honestly, bugs are not the best conversationalists. I can get basic things out of them but they don’t like have long memories or remember stuff.” Finally Ben was at Danni’s last question and he really didn’t totally understand it.
”I don’t really understand what you’re asking. I mean I was raised here on Earth. Technically my Uncle helped with the moon stuff or something. He almost died during the M-Pox stuff fighting to stop it, but that’s how my parents met so we always tried to be positive about it. And my powers are good. I like being able to talk with bugs and have them do stuff for me. I also can use my parkour skills really well. Like I got a huge boost in doing it after I went through terrigenesis.”
Danni's eyes widen at thought of a bug removal business. “OMG, t'at's such a great idea I love it! Et'ical bug removal services. Would ya keep all t'e bugs or would ya just like, relocate t'em ‘cause t'en I feel like you'd just ‘ave keep showin’ up but I guess t'at could be a "good" way ta keepin’ doin’ you're t'in’. Feels kinda villiany ya know, so def keep t'em. Or put t'em in t'e woods. Bugs like t'e woods so t'ey can snuggle up and make little bug ‘omes.” He swung by the meat section, grabbing chicken, some beef, and a chunk of pork belly. He peered into the basket and clicked his tongue disapprovingly before heading back to produce. “I didn't know spiders aren't bugs. T'ey look like bugs and t'ey actually like bugs. T'at's kinds wierd.”
“T'ey're my siblin's! I mean, obvi we're like ‘dopted and all t'at, but ya know! Dee's been wit’ me since I could t'ink and Rillie joined up a few years later and bamp, power siblin's! Alt'ough, ya did see t'em! Dee was t'e g'osty boy i’ t'e fights! Jumped inta Cassie and t'en made t'e big glowy t'in’ wit’ Billy. Which I ‘ad ta ‘ave a long convo after t'at. T'ere was a lotta flirtin’ before t'at when t'ey poofed away and I needed like, a gallon o’ brain bleach ta get t'at outta my head. Wild stuff, tbh. Need some onions… Should I get…” Danni grabbed a few, peering at them intently. “And t'en Rillie was t'e water girl, who ‘ose down people and made t'e bubbles ta keep everyone up and rockin’. She's was datin’ Joutunn and Amenesia, Leah and Beanie, and seems like ta be gettin’ a little messy wit’ t'em. Idk exactly what's ‘appenin’ but t'ats a poly t'at needs a little less action and a little more yappin’, ya know? And t'en Andy's gettin’ in wit’ t'e YA polys and Gideon. Everyone's gettin’ inta sitches wit’ each other, it's kinda wild. What do ya t'ink, t'is onion or t'is onion?” Danni offered Ben the two he was considering.
”This onion.” Ben pointed to one of them on instinct. It was the one he recognized more.
”Oh yeah I remember them both from the Contest. Your team was really good. I didn’t think you’d beat the Hex Girls. That last fight against YA though was wild. No one expected any of that to happen. Andy was the girl who broke America’s leg right? They are dating now? That’s a choice I suppose.” He wasn’t sure how to respond to Danni’s obvious aversion to people dating each other.
”Are you just against relationships in general, or the ones your siblings are in?” Ben decided to ask.
Danni stared a little longer at the onion Ben hadn't picked before putting it back and bagging up the other. “Oh god, I know. T'e ‘ex girls were… a lot. And after dealin’ wit’ t'e whole glowy t'reesome t'in'y, I don't really know ‘ow t'ey ‘andle magic all t'e time ‘cause I touched it for like ‘alf a second and it made me feel inside out, for real. I wanted ta nap for as long as I could. And t'at was apparently like five minutes ‘cause t'en t'e show down ‘appened and we beat the YA! And ‘onestly, t'e others were complainin’, but we ‘ad five hours of interviews and photos and all t'is other stuff and I was livin’ for it. What can I say, I like attention and I look good in the spotlight so-” Danni laughed before turning Ben's question over in his head.
“I mean, I'm not??? I mean yeah, I t'ink t'at just ‘cause you get in a relationship you shouldn't abandon your friends and stuff. Dee's boi has a list of insecurities taller t'an me and Dee flirtin’ wit’ Billy, who is also taken, is not great. Percy wouldn't stab t'e shit outta someone. He's gotta real nasty axe and I like ‘aving Dee ‘round, even if ‘e did kinda throw me aside for a bit ta ya know, do t'e ‘anky panky wit’ ‘is boyfriend. T'ough, Spicy and me are bestie now so it's all chill!” Danni pushed the cart with one hand as he talked, gesticulating wildly. “And t'en Rillie ‘ooked up wit’ my ot'er friend Beanie, who t'en also got wit’ Leah t'e giant on our team, and t'ey were in a poly for a bit and bot’ of t'em again didn't ‘ave time for me anymore ‘cause t'ey were too busy canmoolin’ or whatever it is and t'en Rillie tried ta take an early left, ‘ad a grippy sock vaca, and dumped t'en and t'in's got reaaaaaaaal awkward ‘cause like, wanna be supportive of Rillie and t'eir stuff but like, Beanie is a great friend too so like t'en I was caught in t'e middle and it was a mess. And t'en Rillie made out with Beanie in the stands after Beanie punched Rillie? Idk. Sometimes I just t'ink ta myself, ya t'ose are t'e people I choose and roll wit’ it. And I've dated. T'is girl Momica when I was a freshmen, could see in t'e dark and like thermal images and stuff and really liked photography like me and was like, real energetic and bubbly and fun, but we kinda got into it a few months in an decided ta split. We still hanging out and talk about shoots tho! She's usin’ ‘er t'ermal vision ta do some wicked landscape night shots.” Danni paused at the coolers in produce, picking up heads of lettuce.
“And t'en in sophomore year, I joined ‘ome econ club ‘cause I was a little overwhelmed wit’ just class and trainin’ and I dated Javier for a few months. Guy spoke French too, so we could ‘ave whole conversations wit'out anyone else listenin’ or buttin’ in. Laid back, a little messy tbh, but real good control over ‘is power. Used electrostuff ta power his own stuff, charge ‘is phone, power ‘is scooter, so one and so fort’. When I was ‘avin’ some trouble perfectin’ my ‘otShot actually, ‘e's t'e one who suggested I try usin’ my powers ta cook instead, ‘old t'e ‘eat of t'e fire and all t'at. Still, fizzled out a bit of t'e way in l. Still friends t'ough. Can't really avoid ‘im at club, so we still chat, just we don't ‘an’ out.” Danni shrugged as he picked up lettuce, a few bags of spinach, leaks, and green onion. “So like, don't get me wron’. I like datin’. Its cute, its fun, its nice ta ‘ave someone, yadda yadda yadda. Kissin’ is fun too, ya know? But why am I gettin’ cut out ‘cause someone else wants ta go roll in t'e ‘aye, ya know?” Danni sniffled as he felt the feelings from the beginning of the year come back and he stopped, waving his hands to dry hia eyes.
“But t'in's were talked out, we're good, I still get involved, and t'at's what matters!” Danni looped Ben into a one armed hug. “‘as anyone every told you you're a great listener ‘cause you're doin’ a great job so far! Ten outta ten, would recommend Bennie Boy. Sooooooo, I spilled my guts ta you, now ya gotta spill t'em back. Any special friends you're leavin’ back ‘ome ‘cross t'e pond?” Danni teased, pinching Ben's cheek.
Ben did not know why he was relieved. He pushed that thought aside. ”No, not like that anyway.” He rubbed his cheek where Danni had pinched it. ”I have my mates. There were like six of us, we all lived in a flat complex together. All of us are inhuman too, so we all knew eventually we’d go off to Braddock. We just had to get permission to go through the mists. The change is dangerous. It can kill so officially it is only done in controlled situations.”
”I get where you’re coming from though. One of my mates, Ricky, he got a girl friend and we barely saw him for months after that. They broke up though and Ricky came back to skate with us. We told him if he got another girl friend he wasn’t allowed to do that again. He had to skate with us. We wouldn’t let him back if he left us for a girl again. Two of the guys dated each other for a while, and then had a big fight and both almost stopped hanging out with us. For a while they’d switch days who was with the group. We got annoyed with that and told them to get over themselves. They started dating again after a month. At first they tried to hide that from the rest of us but they were really bad at it. We told them that if they wanted to date that was fine, they just couldn’t break up the group. No one wants to be the person that breaks up the group.” Ben looked at the ground and scuffed his foot at the flooring. ”Guess that ended up being me. I barely got to say goodbye. Cause my grandparents took me in at first and I was living with them and they have a house. Not even in London or anything so I wasn’t anywhere near my mates. I couldn’t even visit them; it'd take an hour to get there. Then my Uncle came and they all had a big conversation about me and what to do with me. Gran said she was happy to keep me there, but she wasn’t sure how to deal with all the super power stuff. She had grown up before too many people were out and definitely was afraid after Cardiff got destroyed. Not that she lived there. But she figured if one giant purple guy was willing to destroy Cardiff she had no idea how to help or protect anyone. She said she was too old to deal with it all. So my Uncle who has been active in super power stuff for years said he’d take me, but he needed to live in the US for work.” Ben shrugged. He realized he had said a lot more than he had planned to. It had just sort of all come out once he started.
”You’re a good listener too.” He admitted quietly. He missed his friends and his flat and what he thought his life was going to be. Now he felt adrift.
Danni came to a full stop as Ben spoke and stared. “Omg, t'ats so sad!” Danni wailed, throwing himself at Ben and wrapping him up tight. “I know its not t'e same, but ya can ‘an’ out wit’ our group! All t'e people in Excelsior are real nice. Idk if anyone skates so we can't ‘elp ya wut’ t'at, but we can show ya new stuff! I can't image ‘ow awful it would be if I couldn't see Dee and Rillie and Beanie and Leah and Spicy and Vicky and Andy and everyone! I mean, Pa can just ‘port us around but in t'e event ‘e couldn't, t'at be terrible! Omg, what's your favorite food? I'll make it for you. You ‘ave ta be so ‘omesick! It's okay, we gotchu now. You're gunna love ‘an'in’ out wit’ us if it kills me!”
Ben hugged Danni back. He was a little hesitant about it. His friends weren’t the touchy feely type much, but it was nice. ”Thanks. Uh, I suppose my favorite would be bangers and mash. Are you sure your friends would be okay with it?
“Yeah, obvi! T'ey'll love ya, it'll be great!” Danni sniffled, straightening back up and plucking out a few tissues from his pocket. He offered a watery laugh. “I'mma bit of a crier, sorry. But bangers and mash are your favorite? Let's see what's goin’ onot'ere.” Danni wiped his nose and tossed the tissues in the trash, his phone in his hand at light speed and immediately reaching how to make Ben's dish.
“Okay, okay, sausage, gravy, mashed potatoes… Yeah, t'is looks easy enough. Okay, cool yeah, I can totes just come over and make t'is no problem. You got plans for dinner already? My cookin’ is probs better so like, you should just cancel. Unless its a real nice restaurant and that'll I'll understand I guess. I need stock for t'e t'in’ tomorrow anyways and t'en I need ta get more garlic and onion for t'is and t'en I need ta add sausage to the cart and let's see what else do we need…” Danni started heading back to the onions as he scrolled through the recipe.
”I think my uncle is making dinner. He is really getting into the single dad thing with me.” Ben rubs the back of his head. ”I can talk to him though and see if there is a day he is alright with that. He’ll probably be happy I made a friend. He’s been going on about how I need to make new friends. He said it is a skill. I don’t think I have that skill, but you do.”
“Oh. Okay, we'll reschehule, I guess.” Danni pouted. He still.kept the ingredients so at least he could do a test on Bangers and Mash. He'd never tried to make it before so it would be a fun experiment. “Let me know if t'ere's anyt'in’ different ya like ‘bout it from like a normal recipe so I can add it in. Keep me updated on when ya wanna do it; wanna put your number in my phone?” Danni offered his phone for Ben to take.
“Eh, I guess it's a skill. Just gotta wanna make friends and t'en you will, super easy! And now t'at you got me, you're gunna get a whole lot more so your Uncle is gunna be cryin’ wit’ joy!” Danni laughed, circling once more to get potatoes. “And you're an easy guy ta talk to! Don't know why ya don't make many friends. Skate parks always seemed like one of t'ose place you make lots of friends like, automatically. T'at's ‘ow t’ey always show t'em in TV and movies. You don't just get inta a skatebattle and t'en t'e bonds of brot'er'ood and friendship just ‘appen?”
Ben took Danni’s phone and put in his contact information. ”I’ll also give you my snikt!.” Ben said, adding that to the contact page. ”I post mostly vids of skateboarding or parkour, and otherwise it is pictures of cool bugs I find.” He hands Danni his phone back.
”Yeah, I was sort of hoping to find some people that were into skating too when I went later. But my friends were the best cause we were all inhumans too. It was perfect.” He shrugs. ”I’m sure I’ll meet some people still. But I promise I’ll hang out with you even if I make other friends.” Danni had expressed how upset he was about being left out of his friendships and Ben didn’t want to start a new friendship by hurting him.
“Aw, see a little sweetheart right ‘ere.” Danni giggled, pinching his other cheek. Danni immediately took his phone back and started scrolling t'rough Ben's Snikt!. He saw exactly what Ben suggested, skating tricks and parkour. “Dan’, t'is is super cool! You're gunna do great in phys practice and combat sims. T'at parkour- omg, ‘ow did ya not die t'ere, t'at's crazy! Damn, you really know you're stuff, ‘u’? So cool! You should check out mine too! It's not as cool as flippin’ off stuff and ‘oppin’ rails, but my cookin’ is pretty good and I got flyin’ stuff on t'ere!” Danni sent a follow request to Ben on the site and pocketed his phone.
“Okay, well plans on ‘old for now so what ot'er random stuff should I get for t'is video? Got a decent chunk o’ t'e basics, but I kinda wanna get some real funny stuff for Leah ta see if I can shock t'em. What ya t'ink I should add? It's a spice challenge once we vit’ make our dishes, btw. I'll give your account a shout out if ya want one too!”
Ben opened his snikt! and accepted Danni’s follow, he followed back and then blinked at the follower number on Danni’s account. Ben had only a little over two-hundred. All of his followers were friends and other skaters or parkour people he had met or were following people he knew. The number of people who followed Danni was wild.
”I don’t know spicy foods very well to be honest. I don’t really eat it. So I'm not sure what to suggest there. Sorry. And um...you can I suppose. I don’t want you to feel like you have to or anything.”
“It's lit no big deal. Takes less t'an two seconds! So, we need some wierd and random stuff… Not t'at its for t'e actual dish, but as like… an option? Like, ha ‘here's whatcha can use in your dish and see if t'ey can get creative wit’ it, ya know? I wonder if t'ey ‘ave Duran. I ‘aven't used it ‘cause it stinks but its super vers t'e internet says, ya know? Like, some people make ice cream outta it and t'at throws me for a loop. Ooooo, t'at reminds me ta get ginger and ‘eavy cream. Idk if she'll wanna make an Indian dish and t'ey always want a really good cream sauce in t'em.” Danni muttered to himself before setting off. “Oooh, you know what. I def wanna get tamarind and anchovies now t'at I t'ink about it.”
“Hm… bugs. You ‘ave any funny prank stories? Dee loves possessin’ objects and stuff to spooky people. T'ough its also real useful when he slides inta me and I just get ta enjoy t'e ride when I'm a little overwhelmed.”
Ben’s jaw dropped at the phrasing that Danni used. He coughed and recovered. ”Uh, not really. I only started being able to control bugs a few months ago, and it was... after I moved. Well just before I moved in with my grandparents for a bit. So I didn’t really get to mess with my friends with it.”
“You need some water? I can get ya some!” Danni offered when he heard Ben cough, as he inspected the prickly Duran fruit. “What a missed opportunity. You'll ‘ave ta prank some people when you get ta t'e Institute! There are some many little ‘idin’ places; t'ough, don't send them after me. I am a reflexive fire starter and I don't wanna burn your bug friends. Oh…” Danni paused.
“Do you t'ink bugs are afraid of dragons? I don't t'ink I've ever seen Amélie eat a bug, but I don't really know. Can you ‘ear a bug die if it guts munched up? Should I carry around ear plugs for you?”
”Uh, no I’m fine. I don’t need any water. Thanks though. You just... uh... that was some odd phrasing is all. And noted don’t prank you with bugs.” Ben paused, ”Wait dragon?” The rest of the questions that Danni had asked got lost behind the DRAGON.
“Oh, yeah! Amelié! She's on all my socials! Isn't she adorable? T'e best baby in t'e world.” Danni, never on to miss an opportunity to gush about her, suddenly had his phone out and was pulling up a folder with almost 3,000 pictures in it. “Okay, okay, okay. I'll show you my favorites. T'is is ‘er first time seein’ snow. She really liked t'e idea of snow and t'eeeeen she touched it and I ‘ave never seen a dragon move t'at fast or ‘ave claws t'at cold. She was under my sweater in a ‘eartbeat. And t'is one is us, snuggled up in bed. She likes ta sleep on my chest, under the blankets, and even t'en sometimes she still grumbles if I don't give ‘er a little fire for a bit, just ta make it extra cozy. Man, t'e the first week she slept in my bed t'ough, she tore clothes left and right. I stopped wearin’ a sleep shirt ta bed for a bit ‘cause Pa wasn't always around ta fix ‘em.”
Danni swapped to another one and a giggled. “‘er first time chasin’ a butterfly. Funniest t'in’ ever. Barely ‘atched and she was stumblin’ all t'rough t'e fields tryin’ ta get t'is t'in’. Was right after I ‘ad a good convo wit’ Andy ‘bout judgin’ ‘er clothes since she's somwt'in’ outta time. She was friends wit’ t'e rents and now she's ‘ere, lookin’ still like a kid and is still a kid. I dunno, t'e timey stuff is confusin’ and it make my ‘ead ‘urt so I don't t'ink ‘bout it!”
Ben was a bit confused, but it seemed like Danni was so he just listened. He’d ask the others for clarification later. For now he enjoyed the pictures of Amelié. She was in fact an adorable dragon.
”Okay, that is wicked cool. How did you get a pet dragon?” Ben accepted the possibility of dragons existing. Why not? Aliens did. Who knew what other things that were supposed to be stories weren’t. He sure didn’t. So he went with the flow.
“Oh, okay, okay, so we ‘ad t'is Professor named Aggie, like Aggie ‘arkness, and she was transferrin’ ta Strange Academy ‘cause magic prof teachin’ at t'e magic school makes a lot sense, riiight? So Aggie was all like ”You're all so cool and t'e best students in t'e world and Imma reaaaaally miss ya, so I'mma give you some stuff. So she sent up a tent and did a whole readin’ for you and she said I was gunna be a knight who charged ahead wit'out t'inkin’ and… ‘u’, yeah t'at sticks tbh. Anyways, t'en she went on ‘bout omega mutant fire burn always and forever and its super important you get a hold of it and I was like duh, t'at's why I am school right? And t'en she said t'at t'ere was someone equal but opposite and t'ey could ‘elp me and idk what t'at meant so I kept talkin’ and t'en Aggie was like You're t'e best so ‘ave a dragon egg.” Danni explained, struggling to remember everything in order. Honestly, he was proud of how much he did remember! “And t'en I ‘ad t'e egg for a ‘ot minute. I kept it nice and warm and safe and I tried ta do research, but t'e Academy ‘ad like (1) one raggity old book t'at just said go ta a different dimension ta learn more and I was like, I ain't got time for t'at. Like, who ‘as time for a casual cross dimensional jaunt just ta read books? I was busy trainin’ for t'e contest! But t'e I got real upsetti at Dee ‘cause he casually dropped on me and Rillie t'at ‘im and Percy rolled in t'e ‘ay and I maaaaaaay ‘ave set t'e dorm and myself on fire, but I ‘ad t'e egg in my bag and ‘cause it got so ‘ot, Amelié decided ta come out and boom, dragon daddy!”
”That is wicked cool.” Ben was a bit jealous. He wasn’t sure if he even got a pet dragon what he would do with it. His uncle would likely not let him keep it. Not that Matt was against pets, but a pet dragon seemed like a lot. ”How do you care for it?”
“Oh! Really easy tbh ya just gotta watch out for t'e teet’ and t'e claws and t'e real ‘ot but not actual fire breat’! So, Amélie likes t'e real savory stuff. Like, just straight, heh, meat ya know? But she likes it wit’ a little charcoal so I'll blast it a little bit too. T'en, we ‘ave ta give ‘er a bat’ like every few days ‘cause she likes ta roll in gross stuff like dirt and mud and roadkill but she doesn't sweat, she just-” Danni let out a little puff of fire from his mouth and blew it away. “Ya know? Super cool, alt'ough she ‘ated t'e cold so you always gotta ‘ave somet'in’ warm for ‘er. T'ankfully, can't get much ‘otter t'an me so she normally just cuddles up wit’ me and if it gets too cold, I just breathe a little fire over ‘er! T'e playtime is a big one. She's got soooo much energy, it's great!!! And she's tryin’ ta get ‘er little wings ta work, bless ‘er ‘eart, so she's constantly hoppin’ off stuff ta get ‘er t'at bit o’ air. Def my favorite wittle menace! Ah! I guess, t'e answer you are lookin’ for young palawan is t'at you take care of a dragon a lot like a vicious, lovin’ puppy! Feed t'em, play wit’ t'em, keep t'em from teet'in’ on t'e furniture, ya know t'e whole nine yards! You wanna meet ‘er when we ‘ang out on campus? She stays wit’ me!”
”I’d love to. Sounds like she’d be way too much for me to handle. I can’t use fire magic at all. That’s alright, I’ve got basically all the insects in the world as my friends.” Ben smiled. He was impressed at Danni being able to handle such a creature. Ben was actually starting to look forward to the new school. He would miss his friends no matter what, but at least now he had something to look forward to.
Danni picked up a duran fruit and turned it back and forth, but snapped back up to look at Ben. “‘ey, ‘ey, ‘ey, Mister. You gotta ‘ave some confidence in yourself; ot'erwise, you're just settin’ yourself up ta fail off t'e bat! I believe in ya. If you can ‘andle t'e bugs t'en ya can ‘andle a dragon! ‘owever, I would stay far, far away from magic. Lemme tell ya, waaaaaay too much. T'at was wild.” Danni advised Ben on before returning to staring at the Duran fruit. “‘ow do you tell if one of t'ese are good? I ‘ave never tried ta deal wit’ one, ya know. Like, its so spikey and fleshy. Idk if t'at means its good or bad. I could always just risk t'e biscuit. But I kinda want my biscuit wit’ jam, not duran. Eh, lets not stress I guess! No stressy wit’ my spagetti!” Danni plopped it into his cart before continuing on.
“Okay, so you're goin’ ta be a ‘ero school so why ya wanna be a ‘ero, my Benny boi?”
Ben stared at the Durian. He knew what the fruit was. He had never seen one in person. But he could smell why it was notorious. Not even cut, it smelled intense. He frowned when Danni asked him why he wanted to be a hero. Ben didn’t really have a straight forward answer. Braddock was just always where he was going to go. Once he and the others went through the mists they’d all go to Braddock together. Now he was alone here in California.
He thought about it. Ben had always looked up to his uncle. He remembered holidays hearing stories about things Matt had done. But it was what his parents had done that had been more important. Their work on the cure for M-Pox had saved lives. It had taken a lot of work and they weren’t the only ones who had worked on it.
”My parents were scientists.” He said quietly. ”Not heroes. Not like my uncle. I’m never going to be the type of scientist they were. I’m never going to be the type of hero my uncle is. If anything I’ll just work with bugs. It was all I was really interested in doing even before I got powers. I figured no matter what my powers I’d study insects still. I got kind of lucky, I guess, that my powers matched that part of me. But my mom and dad, they were pathologists. They didn’t fight anyone. Dad was human. He was never a super hero, not at all. Not like you’d imagine a super hero to be like. He worked in a lab. But he saved lives. Sure he was just one of hundreds working on cures for all sorts of things. He helped though. I just want to help. I don’t care about being recognized or anything. I just want to know that the things I do make the world a little bit better.”
“Pat'oltists? What are t'ose? Seems fancy. Did t'ey travel a lot? Did t'ey leave you at ‘ome a lot? Oh, but t'ey made cures! T'at's so cool t'ough ‘cause like sure I could totes like, burn up a tree t'at fell over on t'e road, but someone is sick? I can't really do anyt'in’ ‘bout it. Not like I can go inta someone and just burn out t'e sickness. T'en I'd burn t'e person and t'at would not be great.” Danni threw his arm around Ben's shoulders again and bonked his head against his. “Sorry your ‘rents are gone t'ough. I can't imagine losin’ mine, t'ough technically I'm adopted so I guess I already did, but I was less t'at a year so like idr t'em at all and I'm ‘appy wit’ Pops and Papa and Pa and Appa so like I'm all chill wit’ t'at ya know? But if you're ever real sad, I'm your friend now so give me a ring or just come on over and I'm happy ta make ya laugh or cry wit’ ya. I'm real good at cryin’. And t'en once ya meet everyone else, it'll be just like t'at too! We'll all be t'ere ta ‘elp!”
Ben leaned into the hug. He hadn’t really talked about his parents. Not since they died. His uncle had tried to get him to talk. But it was weird because Matt missed his sister, it wasn’t the same as losing your parents. Ben was a little surprised to learn that Danni was also adopted. Interesting, but how different was it when you had been your whole life.
”Guess we have that in common then. Both being adopted. I will, call, if I’m sad.” Ben promised. Maybe Matt would get off his case about making friends now for sure.
The PA system crackled to life. “THIS IS A CODE ADAM. ATTENTION ALL STAFF THIS IS A CODE ADAM. THE CHILD IS A 14 YEAR OLD MALE, HE IS 5’4”, HIS NAME IS BEN MOSS. THIS IS NOT A DRILL, THIS IS A CODE ADAM.”
Ben face palmed. ”Bloody hell he didn’t even text me. Just went straight for, obviously he has been kidnapped. I gotta go find him. I’ll text you later.”
“Do you want me ta come? Explain t'at I accidently snatched ya up?” Danni offered.
Ben paused mid-step, ”Actually, he might go for that. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”
Skyler Ravenloch responded almost immediately when Sabine reached out, eager enough to set up a meeting with her. Only three of the Hex girls would be in attendance: Thuy, Skyler, and Tatiana. The venue? Mureil's Jackson Square, a creole restaurant in the heart of New Orleans. Known for its historic ambiance and spooky history, the restaurant itself held nothing of import for the group. Upstairs, Sabine would find a seance room quietly sequestered on the opposite end of the building that, although the crooked sign said closed to the general public, no one seemed to stop her from ascending the tight stairs and arriving at the dark mahogany door. It was barely cracked and the Hex Girl's laughter spilled out.
Beyond the door, red fabrics and brown leather chairs dominated the room. It was sectioned off with heavy red and gold drapery that was currently drawn shut. A red and gold tray sat on a small coffee table in the center, a candle warmer lit next to a small arrangement of cheeses, crackers, and fruit. A sofa took most of the space on the right and three arm chairs took the left. Thuy sat in one of the arm chairs, typing away on her phone, while Skyler tossed a grape up and tried to catch it with just his mouth. However, Tatiana snatched it out of the air just before it landed and shoved it in her mouth. She cackled as Skyler made a noise of protest. Thuy snorted and shook her head, sending Tatiana and Skyler into a laughing fit.
At first, Sabine didn’t know what she wanted when she reached out to Skyler in hopes of speaking to them as a whole. She mainly wanted to speak to Thuy, especially with some of the information she found out. When Skyler responded with a place and time, Sabine had to admit she was nervous and a little scared. She knew they were powerful magic users and this was New Orleans. If they wanted, they could take her out easily. Sabine didn’t think they would, but the thought still persisted.
She got near the door and heard them laughing with each other. Perhaps they were just friends hanging out and not incredibly scary witches. She knocked gently as she opened the door. ”Sorry to interrupt, but thanks for agreeing to see me. It’s….nice to see you all.”
“Hey, you're here! Kinda thought it was a prank or something.” Skyler laughed, gesturing across the table to a chair. “Take a seat if you want! We got some snacks, tea, a sandalwood candle, the whole nine yards. You eat cheese, yeah?”
“If she doesn't, it's just more for us.” Tatiana shrugged, leaning back into the couch and kicking one leg up. “Shocked you reach out to be honest. Y'all were pretty intense even after the contest. And then you didn't even show to get wasted with us. Missed opportunity, really.”
“Now, now. Let's play nice with the Princess.” Thuy flipped her phone and slid it in her bag, which hung off the back of her chair. “After all, we won't bite unless we're asked.” Thuy smirked and leaned back, one leg over the other.
Sabine walked in, already feeling the intensity of this situation. She sat down and took some cheese that was offered. ”Can’t say no to cheese.” She savored it a bit before she pressed onward. ”Admittedly, I think the contest brought out that intensity in us, but there was also a lot going on beforehand. I won’t get into it, not that important. But that’s not why I wanted to talk. I guess I am here for clarity, if nothing else.” She took a breath. ”So, contest is over, results are in. Nothing to be done about it, so let’s put all the cards on the table. Did you all cheat?”
The three looked at each other for a moment and then Thuy snorted. “Well, yeah. We cheat every year. Little uppers, pumps our magic up. Too much use makes your magic start to eat you inside out, but it's not really a secret we cheat every year. Your goodie two shoe buddies didn't tell you? They figured us out the first time, but didn't care enough since they smoked us.”
Skyler nodded in agreement. “Wil and Ava stay clear of it. They actually wanna use magic to better the world, the rest of us…” He shrugged.
“We just want to do magic, make out, and get high.” Tatiana offered.
Sabine hadn’t expected that reaction, but she supposed it made sense. The fact they did so and got away with it every year was a little concerning, but also the fact they cheated and then lost, multiple times, was funny.
But that’s also not fully what she meant. She knew about the drugs. She had found that out easily. It was more than that. ”No, that’s all well and good. You do you. But there’s more. One of my team members got a message from their father, a very bad man who has caused them so much trauma and hurt that it nearly messed with their head, right before our fight. They were given a way to find out who exactly it was, but as far as I know they haven’t bothered to check. So, was that any of you?”
Tatiana shook her head. “Nah, we only just got your number and we had Bubble’s from from before. Haven't texted y'all at all.”
“We don't sabotage other teams. Just bump ourselves.” Skyler agreed. Thuy just nodded.
“We knew that she had some parental issues. The coach gave us some deets on y'all, but no way to get ahold of you.” Tatiana continued.
It very well could have been all lies, and Sabine could have easily found out, but for some reason, she believed them. So she nodded in understanding. ”Fair enough. I had to check. It really messed with their head. If anything, it made them fight all the more harder in our battle.”
“But while we are on that subject, why do you all cheat and boost yourselves? Your skills seem incredible and I have no doubt without the…uppers you would have given us a run for our money no matter what.” Sabine made a mental note that their coach gave them details about all of them for later. That might be something to check up on.
“No real reason other than we like the rush. Not only are we getting magic juiced up, its also a challenge to figure out how to get it past the examiners. Fuck up and you get outed, your name dragged through the mud, and all that jazz. Get away with it and you look way better than you are “ Skyler explained, Tatiana nodding behind him as he took a sip of her tea. Thirty sighed.
“And this one specifically makes it a little easier to keep this demon on a leash, Princess. Blood and brawling makes it want to come out and it genuinely would have been a second before they could have reigned it in. Between Thelms and the drugs, low chance of tearing that giant girlfriend of yours in half.”
Sabine processed the information. If Thuy had something that chaotic and dangerous within her, it was hard to see how she walked through life normally. Sabine knew April struggled with holding in her power, but that was different. ”I mean if it’s a necessity, then I wouldn’t quite call that cheating. Have you tried some other ways to manage it? A friend of mine got in contact with a powerful sorcerer and was freed from a burden she had. Though I suppose being at the magic school, you would be surrounded by experts in that area.”
“Well, either way, you lost.” She directed this mainly at Thuy. ”I told you not to underestimate us. If I am being honest, the main reason we all didn’t come party with you is that you all kind of acted like major assholes, deserved or not. Plus, the cheating thing, though I don’t think any of my team knew the reason behind it. But, I am woman enough to admit I was wrong about you all. You guys are really good and kind of decent people. Still assholes, but tolerable assholes.”
“Damn, ice fucking cold.” Tatiana cackled. “You can blame Thelma for fucking everything up. She got sentimental and she knows it. If she'd stayed on the field, would have been a different story. The sunshine brigade woulda still handed us our asses on a plate, but we wouldn't have come in third.”
“Chill on Thelms, dude. Its growth, we should be encouraging it.” Skyler shot back. “You remember our first practice sesh when she fucking ran me through just to get to the imp that used me as a meat shield? Ugh, I still have that stupid scar.”
Thuy smiled and adjusted her glasses. “Yeah, she's come a long way from who she was. Tati, go get me a drink. I think you're the only one who brought a fake ID.” Tatiana rolled her eyes but hopped to her feet.
“Sky, what you drinking? And Powerpuff girlie what's your poison?” Tatiana asked.
Sabine let the nickname slide. ”Something strong and sweet. Dealer’s choice.” Once Tatiana left, Sabine continued. ”Do you mind if I ask how that came to be, this ‘thing’ in you?”
“Death cult. This fucker got a bunch of people thinking they were going to bring about the end of the world and then rule whatever remainded and convinced them to make me, a mortal host or whatever nonsense they call it.” Thuy shrugged, a flip of the wrist signaling that it wasn't a big deal. “Instead, they all got either eaten, dragged to limbo, or their brains fried after Mẹ popped me out. Mẹ and Bõ were fine because they ushered in the glorious coming of this bastard. Now they spend all their free time plaguing the museums of whatever shitshow city they settle in for the season. So much for the cool death cult parents.”
Skyler tossed Sabine a grape. “So what about you, what's your story. Telepaths get shit on pretty regularly outside magic society. You gotta have some crap on your plate you wanna offload.”
Sabine caught the grape and twirled it in her fingers as she thought and responded. ”Oh you know the classic tale. Girl born with rich parents. Mother dies when girl is young. Father doesn’t know how to parent at all let along single parent so he throws money at the problem. Marries horrible woman clearly hell bent on spending said money like its going out of style. Meanwhile girl develops psychic abilities early on which scares parents leading to father outright distrusting the girl. Mother is the only one to show support and understanding but as mentioned before, dead. New mother hates girl so forces father to send girl to new country and then to new school to get rid of her, all the while blaming girl for things she does like spending money at multiple stores in a single day. Girl is not trusted in school, blamed for things she never did, then girl gets sent to superhero school where she initially hopes they would be understanding of her struggles only to find that they, too, do not trust her. After being labeled a villain for so long the girl decides she is going to be said villain. And then girl meets a good group of people who like her and want the best for her and she learns she can actually do good work and show the world she isn’t the villain her powers make her seem. Despite this, she still struggles making choices for herself, constantly worried about being judged for her powers, her looks, her words, her actions, and has to fight every day to eat something or avoid slashing lines along her wrist to let the pain that’s swelling inside out for god damn once.”
Sabine takes a beat and eats the grape. ”So you know, we all got issues.”
There was a beat of silence. Skyler snorted just as Tatiana hip checked the door open and stared at Skyler, who had slid to the floor from laughing so hard. “Aight, who brought shit and isn't sharing ‘cause I got two friends for you to meet.” Tatiana offered Sabine a hurricane, a mojito to Thuy, and a rum and coke to Skyler.
“Girl, the way you-HA!” Skyler wheezed as he accepted the drink. Tatiana settled in with her bourbon and kicked up one foot on Skyler's shoulder where he was sitting on the ground.
“Sabine was just telling us the woes of her life. Said that shit funny as hell.” Thuy got herself under control quickly, mixing the mint in and sipping. “But yeah, people suck. Gotta stick with the good ones, even if they are cheating assholes. As someone who knows something about not letting shit out, you sure you don't want something to take the edge off? Don't have to take what we do, but we got options. Take that urge to slash away, let you eat what you want, gives you a decent chunk of your life back to you. Won't be able to stop taking it, but at least shit won't hurt anymore.”
“Oh, you looking to hook her up with Fell?” Tatiana blinked, seemingly surprised. She considered it for a second and nodded. “Yeah, that's some good shit honestly. Got clicked in the face once while I was on it and I didn't throw a knee in the guy's dick before he had a chance to apologize so I'd say it's pretty solid.”
Would it be that easy to just take something that would allow her to feel everything without the hurt involved? Sure, that was an easy way out. It was an option. But it wasn’t her option. ”As much as I appreciate the offer, I am going to have to decline. I’d rather feel like this and find decent people to unload it all with. Possibly while underage drinking.” She said as she sipped her Hurricane, letting the alcohol do its work. ”Fucking decent assholes, actually. Let’s not be strangers in the future. Fuck knows we could use all the allies we can get.”
“Amen to that, sister!” Tatiana raised her glasses in a toast. “To drinking with decent assholes and fucking up anyone who gets in our way!” Thuy and Skyler raised their glasses too, clinking them together and looking at Sabine expectantly
Sabine raised her glass, clinking it with the others and then she downed the entire thing, slamming it to the table. ”Fuck, I needed that.”.
“Heeey yo! You actually gonna hang with us, fuck yeah!” Skyler cheered. “Alcohol makes all those pesky problems disappear for a bit! Like when that dick dumped me last year, uuuugh. I was dead for like three days after. Called outta class and everything, til Croan dragged my ass outta bed and locked me in with one pissed off spirit. Haven't missed a class since.”
Thuy took another sip. “And like when Ava got the flu for the first time. Devils below, you'd have thought the world was ending. But if she's gunna hang with us…” Thuy's eyes flashed, literally, and she grinned. “Tell us about that giant. Does she treat her princess right where it counts?”
Sabine didn’t drink much so she knew her tolerance was low. She would have one, otherwise who knew what she would be admitting? ”Hits just right everywhere it counts. Girl knows what she’s doing. Hard when she needs to be, soft the other times. Just…that hair…hard to pull when it’s like gripping and pulling on sandpaper.”
“Yeah, she that good? Kinda thought it'd be worse. Nearly broke my hand when I threw a punch.” Tatiana shook her hand out just remembering the flare of pain that came along with the memory. “If everything is rough, is her tongue like a cat's? All sandpapery and callous.”
Skyler made a face at that. “God could you imagine gettin’ eaten out by something that rough. Just thinking about it makes my ass hurt.”
Thuy kicked her legs up on the arm of the chair. “How'd you all get together? Giantess and a Princess seems a little fairytale to me and the people in this room ain't living in one that's for sure.”
”Um, no, her tongue is fine. She’s not literally made of rock nor is she a cat.” Sabine shook her head, more so in amusement than disdain. ”Would it blow your mind to say enemy-to-lovers trope? We butted heads almost instantly when we first met. I was a snarky bitch, hold for shock, and she was trying to prove something. We sparred and it got heated. And then we became roommates. Yes, I know the joke. But one thing led to another and we bonded over terrible dads and terrible memories and…yeah. We were also with April for a bit, but we sort of jumped into that part of the relationship too quickly. I actually need to talk to her about all of that.”
“Hm, seems complicated. I'd just leave that to hang as it is.” Skyler offered. “Like, you broke up, did your team stuff, just go your separate ways, play nice when you have to hang out. Doesn't really need to be more complicated than that, does it?” Skyler yelped and groaned, glowering at Tatiana after she kicked him in the ribs.
“And that's why you're still single. Emotional range of a god damned spoon, I swear.” Tatiana rolled her eyes.
Sabine chuckled softly, the team dynamic between the Hex Girls was different than her own, but there were noticeable similarities. ”I’d argue most of the relationships formed in our team were spur-of-the-moment. But also we’ve been put through a decent amount of trouble. Like, we all died essentially. But through some time-hopping shenanigans, we were all brought back. That changes the dynamics.”
“So everything's just a trauma bond? Rock grounds for a relationship. Though, far be it for me to judge.” Tatiana laughed. “Prue cast a bad spell once a few years back and we all had a full time telepathic link for like, two months? Took the profs forever to figure out and then break. That little guy in Thuy's head was fueling the damn thing, slipping in behind all our eyes.”
Thuy groaned at the memory, rubbing at one temple. “Nah, fuuuuuck that shit. A fantasy I was really into was like, astral fucking you know? All of the pleasure felt in tandem, none of the mess, but now I just think of when Wil had Charhagen's and how we all fucking felt it every time they threw up. Mood killer immediately.”
Skyler looked at Thuy concerned. “Hey, when's Thelma redoing your wards btw. I know she's in a mood after all that, but you got pretty work up out there.”
Thuy shrugged. “I'm good. Besides, the spell is a bitch and I don't really wanna get messed up cause her head isn't straight.”
Tatiana snickered. “Bitch, there ain't one straight person in this group so good luck.” Thuy flicked her off and Tatiana winked at Sabine. “So, how you all doing after that last magic? That shit was wiiiiiild.”
”Oddly enough, I have a telepathic link with someone now also. Happened when I was attempting to enter someone’s mind and things went wonky. She sort of got roped into the memory also and now we hear each other’s thoughts. Incredibly annoying, but also useful. She wasn’t part of the contest but I guess she’s part of our team still? Hard to say anymore.”
Upon reflection, Sabine had noted she was doing better than before. Perhaps it was the dynamic the Hex Girls had with each other: unparalleled support but also not afraid to call each other on their bullshit. She imagined doing so with someone like Danni and getting waterworks instead or doing so with Leah and her going off to punch some rocks. ”I think everyone is fine for the most part. I think it rocked the Young Avengers more than it did us. In fairness, I think a lot of us went into the contest super messed up anyway. I am truly surprised we won, if I am being honest.”
“Yeah, same. Absolutely no one thought you were going to win. A lot of people got blackout drunk after you won.” Skyler laughed. “Thankfully, gambling isn't one of our many, many vices so we did not in fact lose anything. Did win a lot of drinking contests though so I guess we did win in the end.”
“Probably want to be careful with that link then. Ours was full blast all the time - every bit and piece got sent through to everyone else all the time. Made it really hard to get out of a fight when you were just eating everyone's anger out of it.” Tatiana warned. “It's was a rough patch and even after, we thought the group was gunna break up. We worked it out in the end but not having secrets can be a deal breaker.”
”Yeah, we’ve been practicing a bit more with it. Seems distance makes it harder to hear, though I imagine with practice that would get easier. I also have a ring that blocks my powers and when I wear it we can’t hear each other, so I am allowed some privacy at the cost of my own abilities.”
Sabine hadn’t actually considered just how much people expected them to lose. It made sense; the Young Avengers were the darlings of the contest. And here came a group of disorganized messes all dealing with their own battles internally that shook it up. People were going to be mad. Hell, she had gotten death threats but she chalked it up to incels being mad at her for whatever reason. It might actually pay to start reading them. She wondered if everyone else was the same.
She was good at social media. She knew how to handle the waves of cancel culture and insincere apologies. Danni was good at it also, so was Dorian, but she didn’t think either of them could handle the incoming storm.
”Shit, that explains the sheer number of death threats I got. More than typical. I’m going to have to do damage control. Another headache to add.”
“I do not envy you. And with your group, yeesh. It's going to be like wrangling cats.” Thuy laughed. “Some of the shit your friends do, woof. Better let them know it's going to be a few weeks before the media gets off their asses. They sneeze too hard and it'll be on the front page the nextnext day.”
Someone has to though. ”They’ve been through hell and back and still showed up and won. It will be hard but they deserve the win and don’t deserve people harassing them. So yeah, I’ll do what I have to do.”
She stood up, a little wobbly, but she had all her faculties. ”It would be a lot better if we could count on the Hex Girls’ support. Things got heated but you all aren’t bad people. We’re better as allies than enemies.”
“Support? Girl, we ain't promising anything.” Tatiana snorted. “You reach out and we'll see if we're bored enough. We're happy to hang anytime but that sounds like work and I can tell you I ain't here for that.” Skyler raised his drink in support and then downed it.
Thuy stared at Sabine like she wanted to say something, but made no move to do so.
Sabine stared back at Thuy. She wasn’t so much surprised at Skyler or Tatiana’s remarks, but she hoped Thuy would be different given her history. ”Fair enough. When shit hits the fan that’s when you know who your real friends are. Thanks for the hang and the alcohol. We’ll hang in the future once I get this media storm off our backs.”
It was a few moments after Sabine left the room that the door opened and shut once more. Thuy stood alone in the hallway, the door shut on Tatiana and Skyer. Her usually sassy smirk was turned down and a nervous energy rolled off her. “Hey, I just… I don't know who was texting your girl, but I know who tried to mess up her head. We found out after the fact that Prof A hired the Macleod twins to fuck with you all at the hotel. I don't know about the texting thing, they hate most modern stuff, but we didn't know, I promise. She let it slip when she was chewing us all out for being pathetic bitches. Whatever they did, they're illusionists so it wasn't real at the very least. I know it doesn't make up for what she did but if you need some help, Thelms and I will rally the rest. Just let us know, aight?”
Sabine felt a small sense of satisfaction knowing she read Thuy correctly. ”I appreciate you telling me. For what it’s worth, you all aren’t pathetic bitches. You fought hard. Granted, cheating is not great, but knowing what I know now I think it was better for your’s and your team’s safety. I’ll let you know if we need help, but hopefully we can manage. I mean, we all were killed in some video game program and came back so how bad can a social media hate barrage be?” She joked, but a small part of her knew it would get worse before it got better.
”Take care of yourself Thuy. And if you need help with your situation, let us know. We got some capable people on our side also.”
Sabine had given it some thought. The contest showed that her abilities, while beneficial in certain contexts, were not offensive enough. She had done relatively well with her force field sword, though she was untrained in how to use the actual weapon part. It was clear she needed more training with her abilities and her skills.
But who could she ask for help? Ser Nemo was dead (or was he? Hard to say anymore), none of the other staff seemed willing to step up or they left, and she didn’t trust her father to offer any assistance. Vision was a possibility but he was juggling his duties for the school as well as screening any resistance the team was getting from their win. She-Hulk was also a contender having been there for Leah but Sabine felt awkward going to her for help. Plus, She-Hulk was brawn, did she understand mental abilities and psychic knowledge?
That left one avenue to pursue and Sabine hesitated even then. The Kingston-Grey family was…well things were still not good. They were better, especially after their win and she hoped Danni helped pave the road with her good intentions, but she didn’t want to rock the boat. So when she reached out to Max, again, for help, she fully expected to be shut down.
”It’s Sabine. I need help. It involves my psychic powers and learning how to use them in combat situations. I’d understand if you refuse to help, but if you know of anyone who could help me, I’d appreciate it.”
Max had been sat at his desk, hunched over scrolls, papers, and holocrons that his students had sent in for grading. His forefinger and thumb massaging his temples as he wondered where these kids got the idea that any of these formations were appropriate, let alone a good idea. His phone went off and he glanced to see what emergency the kids had gotten into that he may need to fix, he was surprised to see it was Sabine.
”I know many who could help you, but I can aid you in whatever ways I can if you wish. Just say the word…and your location.”
A text came back almost immediately.
”In my hotel room getting ready to pack up and leave. And word :P” Sabine had a good talk with April before, but before she fully left New Orleans she wanted to see if she could get some help from Max. She knew he was busy and it bothered her to take up more of his time. He could have said no, she would have understood.
A portal opened in Sabine's room, though on the other end of it wasn't Max, his home, or his school office. It was a location wholly unfamiliar to Sabine, a run down mansion, tattered and old, yet still barely holding on. It was condemned, and nothing surrounded it as far as the eye could see. ”I'll be with you shortly. Head on through and I'll meet you there, and yes, the location is right.”
Sabine eyed the portal and, by extension, the location Max had picked out. She fought off the instinct to turn back, but Max surely knew what he was doing, right? So she stepped through.
She eyed her surroundings, unsure. Was this a training ground? That must be it. Could have picked a nice field or something, but rundown mansion was certainly a choice.
A few minutes passed, the portal having long since closed after Sabine stepped through it, before Max finally showed up. He donned his yellow wool coat that he wore back when he was a teen, a matching felt hat atop his head as he stepped through his own portal before motioning towards the location. ”Quite the site isn't it?” Max looked towards the opening he'd used years ago, making his way towards it before looking back at Sabine. ”Are you coming?”
Sabine followed slowly at first, but picked up the pace, following Max forward. ”It is definitely a site. What, was a run-down funhouse with animatronics taken?” She joked, but she felt like even that place would be better than here. ”Does this place hold some significance or are we here for the ambiance and the vibes?”
”Both.” Max jumped down and into the building. ”This was one of the first places I called home. One of the places I attempted to make a difference, and a place in which I made many mistakes. Lost good people here.”
Sabine looked crestfallen. ”Sorry, I didn’t mean to make light of it. Thank you for sharing this space with me.” She waited a beat and followed Max down. ”I kind of like the aesthetic, honestly.” Admittedly, she was chomping at the bit to see what Max was about to offer, but she didn’t want to be rude. She was taking up his time. She wanted to be respectful.
Max led her down a hallway, turning the corner into what should've seen like an empty room, but when he opened it inside was a state of the art Danger Room. ”I made this when I was 18. Crazy right? I really thought back then that it could rival Xaviers. I think I did pretty good.” He stopped and turned to face Sabine, a nostalgic smile across his face. ”If I could make this at that age, think of what you could do with your powers now.”
Sabine was impressed. She had heard of the Danger Room, of course. This set-up was impressive and if Max made it at 18 he was more powerful than she gave him credit for (which was a lot, to be fair).
”Please, I’m no Charles Xavier. This isn’t in my wheelhouse. For you though, impressive work. Does it run just like the one at the X-Mansion? Is that why we are here?”
”No idea. Soon after it was made a terrible virus swept across mutant kind killing us slowly. We got attacked by my wonderful neighbor because some selfish prick amongst us stole his daughter, and then I was frozen in space as time pressed forward. So…never even got a test run. As to why we are here, its to show you a very important lesson. Most who seek guidance and aid go to Kamar Taj, or the Halls of Strange Academy. They seek temples and locations of power in a hope to find some truth amongst it all. But you don't need any of that. Most don't. Most people simply need to see that they have to think beyond what they're given.”
”I have a feeling you're here, asking me for help, because you feel you didn't do enough, didn't have enough, to help how you wanted to within the Contest. I know what that feels like, and sword training or combat training isn't something you just pick up, you understand that, that's why you asked for help with your abilities and the answer to that is to expand your mind. So, explain to me how they work, what you currently can do.” a cane materialized from Max's hand as he began to lean against it.
Sabine took in the information, slowly realizing there was a lot of history she was unaware of. She knew of some mutant history, but it wasn’t like it was taught at school. To be standing here in a spot that should have been a haven for them that ended up being a battleground was not lost on her. She could sympathize, even if she could never fully understand what they had gone through.
”Well, memory manipulation is the main thing. I am able to rewrite memories, manipulate them, control them, make a person forget something. It can be as light as just forgetting a recent conversation or, if I put full force behind it, I could make a person forget who they are entirely. Shave them down to nothing but a breathing husk of who they were. I can make people forget they have powers so they don’t use them, I’ve inputted memories of something to make them think they were a different person. With Arcade, I shone a light on some bad memories and made him think of good ones which altered his state. I am also able to recall memories from objects and I am able to bolster or weaken a person’s skills by altering their mental state.”
“And you’re right. I felt like I could have done more during the contest. Don’t get me wrong, I recognize the importance of having utility heroes in helping out in fights, providing support and weakening enemies, but there were so many moments where I could have done something and either failed or forgotten. Hell, for the first couple of fights I forgot I even had a sword. Chalk it up to a lot going on in the background, but I still feel my powers can be used more in those situations.”
Max’s eyes hardened as Sabine spoke. A simple tongue click showing a tinge of disapproval. She was young, but she needed to learn to grow. ”There's your first problem. You've fallen into the telepaths trap. You focused so much on how you can manipulate others, take away from them and leave them nothing, that you didn't stop to think of how you could bolster yourself. You can see memories of objects, that's good. You can view memories of people or implant some, that's better. Now why haven't you tried that on yourself?” Max stopped leaning on the cane, hitting the bottom of it hard against the stone flooring as the sound echoed across the room.
”Versatility is the key to any good fight, if you cannot have a versatile team, you cannot achieve anything. And if you yourself can't be versatile, then you can fall just as easily should you ever get caught alone. For me I took martial arts when I was younger. I learned to use a weapon with some reach and that could be readily found anywhere should my magic fail me.” He twirled the cane in one hand before catching it with both. ”I have two ways I may be able to help you, and they both involve a lot of trust, and may involve a bit of pain. But know this Ms. Bassard, on the battlefield there is no ‘things going on in the Background’. There is only you, your team, and the enemy before you. If you're distracted even for a second, forgetful for just a moment, you could die…or worse, someone you love will. Take it from a person who's been distracted. So, do you think you can handle this?”
The words may have been harsh, but Sabine stepped into this knowing she wouldn’t be hand-held. She needed someone who cared enough to tell her when she was being stupid, but kind enough to know how to help. ”I can do this.” She said this to Max, but she needed the reassurance to herself too. A reminder she was doing this for her team, her friends, her loved ones, but she needed to do this for herself. To show she could be more than everyone’s expectations on her shoulders.
”What do we do first?”
”There are two way I can think of helping you. It is up to you which we will do first, which you feel more comfortable doing. One method is using your powers to create an illusion within another's mind. Nothing complex or elaborate. For now as it's just you and me, you will try and supplant the memory of yourself in my mind. Make me believe that there are more than one of you do that my target is harder to hit. I, will attempt to attack you.
Sabine hadn’t considered this avenue before. She had implanted memories before, but usually for things in the past, never for what was going on. And memory was an ever-changing thing. We constantly learned new things, processed it, and then stored it.
Sabine took a battle stance. She reached out her mind into Max’s. Once inside she shifted herself to the present rather than the past. It was a new feeling. Weird, but also good. Inviting. Like something unlocked. She formed an image of herself in her present state and put it on the field with her that Max could see. She tried to do so again, and again, but she noted that some illusions were shifting, some looked a little bit off. She shook it off and tried again. The more she did so, the better the illusions got.
She broke off once she was somewhat satisfied, leaving five illusions surrounding herself. They began to move and so did she, hoping to confuse Max.
She opted to stay silent this time, but she would need to practice it in the future. If she spoke now it would be a dead giveaway.
Max watched, waited, as Sabine began to create her mental tricks. Noting each time one failed in one way or another as he stood there. Finally she locked in, five illusions, each moving with her but none of them speaking. Good. But still it took her too long to conjure, too many tries to succeed. Of course she was new to it all, but he'd need to reel it in a bit. ”Not bad, but it was slow and more importantly, overzealous. Try and limit yourself to three only. It may not offer as much chance for cover but it'll be more consistent, harder to spot the differences.”
Max moved in an opposing fashion, shooting magic towards one of the illusions. He'd meant to send off a bolt of fire, but instead sent an array of streamers towards it. He didn't let on that wasn't his intention. Either way it pointed out one of the fakes to Sabine before he shot another stream of confetti towards a second illusion. ”That's two.”
Even when she succeeded, she still failed. Par for the course really. With two of the illusions down now, she focused more on maintaining the two that were left. She moved around, allowing the illusions to get closer to her, almost touching her. Each one looped around, trying to confuse. ”So, do I attack you or is it just practicing this?”
”That is up to you. Do you feel you have fine enough control over it to attack and keep them up already?” Fire began to build up in the palm of his hand, when he remembered she was just a kid, one he is meant to look out for. If she came back flame-grilled Max would never hear the end of it from James. So the flames quickly became currents of water, spiraling in his hand. ”Pulling them in is smart, confuses the target on a different level. Good, you're already adapting, but remember this…the closer they are to you the easier it'll be to hit each one.” Max flicked his wrist towards Sabine, the marble of water colliding against her and exploding as water hit her and the other two illusions.
”Let's try that again. This time I won't stand still. Try and create the three illusions simultaneously. Attack me if you wish to, whether thats before, during, or after you create them is up to you. I will fight back, use whatever weapon you wish. I'll also be adding something to simulate a bit more of a challenge for you.” Max swiped his hand in the air, a digital panel appearing in its wake as he began to type something out before the pair of them were scanned in. A portion of the wall opened up, a mixture of short range and long range weaponry inside it for Sabine to choose from. ”When you're ready.”
Sabine scanned the weaponry in front of her. It was equal parts thrilling and unnerving. She didn’t want to hurt Max, though she suspected it wouldn’t be so simple. She opted for a rapier-like weapon. A bit on the nose for her, but she had done some fencing in the past. Once selected she readied herself.
She entered Max’s mind again and created her illusions. Each one holding their own rapier. Three illusions surround her, close enough to cause confusion but not so close to allow for easy differentiation. She then strode forward, but the scene around her changed. Suddenly she was no longer in the run-down manor. Instead she was on some battleground and surrounding her was her team. Leah and April. Danni, Dorian, Percy, Andy, and Vicky. They all appeared in varying states of offense and defense. So this is what Max meant. It meant she needed to focus more too.
She would need to be able to do multiple things at once. She noted that April was on the ground with Leah over her, checking to see if she was okay. One of the Sabine’s ran over to check while the other three went forward towards Max. One of them lashed out her rapier towards him while the other two flanked him on either side.
Interesting. Max hadn't expected for one of them to break off and head towards the injured. He'd merely wished to help steel her mind with things that could be so that she was prepared for the worst. Three of them broke towards Max, attacking him with rapiers. One (an illusion) had swung in an unnatural way, the elbow bending backwards inhumanely as Max went to block another's blow now that he knew the first was a fake. He'd meant to teleport away from the third shot, but she was quicker than anticipated. The blades edge lashed out against his side as the fabric of his coat tore moments before Max vanished and appeared between the Sabine running towards Leah, and Leah. ”I really liked that coat.” He quipped before quickly taking it off and tossing it to the side, revealing a small ribbon of blood against his otherwise white shirt.
Sabine didn’t mean to hurt him. She had thought that this system would have it where the participants were unable to get hurt. One of the Sabine’s was by Leah, tending to her while the other three stood in front of Max, rapiers at the ready. ”Didn’t mean to hurt you, sorry,” the Sabines said, in unison. She was getting better at that.
Still, it was far from over. Two Sabines ran up towards Max, striking forward with their rapiers. The third remained back, hand to her head, looking like she was about to do some mental psychic attack.
”Don't apologize Ms. Bassard, we are in combat. One of us was bound to get injured. After all, I cannot train you properly if you become distracted by pain, by injuries.” The clones came rushing towards Max as he began to weave a complex spell. His movements fluid, not only in the way he had begun to cast, but also in the way he dodged each attack. ”Now put all your effort into it. Everything you have, everything you are, you've got to give on the battlefield, when everything is chaos. And you have nothing but the way you feel, you're strategy and your mind. You just think about the life you'll have together after the war, and then you do it for her, thats how you know you can win.”
As Max spoke, the scenery began to shift, adding more atop the battle that was already happening. Scene's depicting Sabine giving it her all, her new skills fully realized, some he'd already began to show her, some he had not, hinting towards the next lesson as she fought her way to Leah. That scene vanished, replaced by a new one, showing moments of the Contest in which Sabine had forgotten something or been overwhelmed by the opposing team, all the while continuing to weave a spell.
”Deep down, you know, you weren't built for fighting. But that doesn't mean you're not prepared to try and what they dont know, is your real advantage, when you live for someone youre prepared to die.” Sabine had seen Dorian fight many times now, in training, in the Contest, practice. He was always calculated, scoping out the enemies and figuring out the best angle for each. But there were moments, times where he was brash, and did whatever it took to win the fight and help his friends. This was where that side of him came from, this was his ability to self sacrfice for the greater good. The spell began to click into place, a small mote of fire surrounded by rings of thin flames, bright blue that swirled around it. Max was about to wipe the field, if Sabine wanted to protect herself she'd need to put up her shield or take cover, or she could take the brunt of it.
Sabine saw the spell formulate. She didn’t have her sword with her here so she couldn’t create a force field around her. She scanned the area for cover. She spotted some debris from the battlefield and dove behind it. What had she seen? Images of her, from the Contest, from times not yet witnessed, what was this doing apart from confusing her? But she had to trust the process. As Max said, the battlefield would not wait for her to get ready. She needed to take action.
The rings came out first, encompassing the area as a dome shimmered around them, and then a blast centered on Max. Flames engulfed the arena, the heat licking at Sabine but never harming her as she hid behind the rubble. When it finally cleared, the simulation had ended. They stood in a white room once more, Max holding a hand over his wound as he began to heal it. ”Good choice, I'm not as good a healer as James is. When overcome with options the ability to make a split second decision is important to both your life, and that of those you care about. You seem to be getting a handle on your mental illusions too, by the end it was hard to distinguish which was which for me without using my third eye.” He made his way over towards her and held out a hand to help her back up.
Sabine took the hand offered and stood up. ”If I had my sword I would have used the force field, but I get it. I won’t have it all the time. So, what was all that back there? I saw images of the past as well as things that haven’t happened yet. Is that part of the simulation?”
”Part of your training. You've seen your flaws. Understood them and are trying to grow. But I need you to open your mind to seeing your potential as well. You're already picking up on training tips without my need to say so, you're smart, clever, and decisive. Now I want to show you a possibility that goes beyond defense, how to use your powers to aid you in battle without harming another's mind. You pull memories from objects, you can also supplant memories. Combine the two, pull the muscle memory from my training in combat, duplicate it, and supplant it to yourself. It won't be a permanent change, but it'll be enough to help you in a pinch during a fight.”
That was something Sabine had never considered before. She knew she could boost others, possibly herself, but to take memories attached to skills and put them into her own psyche, it was honestly genius.
Sabine stood ready and sent her mind out into Max’s. She scoured his cerebellum for the memory he spoke of. Since he brought it up it would be easy to find. She saw some images of Max training, combat ready and focused, and latched on. She struggled a bit; this was something she never did before. But she grappled the memory and pulled it out, reeling back into her own mind where the memory attached itself to her memories.
It felt…odd. Like a warmth internally that started in her gut and worked its way throughout her body, through her nervous system. It felt both sticky and welcoming, like a new sweater. She tried it out a bit as she lowered herseff into a combat stance. It was finicky and weird, but her body moved on its own almost, though she stumbled a bit.
”Holy shit. Pardon my French, but wow. This feels….weird, but good weird. Right weird. I never knew I could do this.”
”It is hard for us to know what we do not know.” Max tossed his cane towards Sabine for her to catch as he produced a new one with his magic. ”Let us see how reactive you are with it.” He knew she wouldn't be 100% reactive. It was like running a game through a streaming system. There would be latency issues and she would be a few seconds off, but better to react slightly slower than not have the skill to react at all. He rushed towards her, swinging at her with his staff.
Sabine grabbed the cane, though it bounced a bit off her palm, but she latched on. She surprised herself, so much so she didn’t catch Max’s movement until he was closer to her than she’d have liked. She lifted the cane up, but it didn’t deflect the blow all the way as she felt the cane smack into her upper arm. She bounced the cane back off of her and backed up, getting ready. ”Okay, I felt my body react but my mind wasn’t as quick on the uptake.”
”That'll happen. This isn't natural for your mind or body, so there is a bit of a lag when reacting. But you managed to fend off a bulk of the attack that would've otherwise left a lot of damage. A better outcome wouldn't you say? Try attacking.”
Sabine, as quickly as she ever did, swung the cane in her hands directly at Max’s midsection. It was like her body acted on its own, like it had trained night and day to learn how to move with the weapon she had in her hand. Again, her mind lagged, but she felt it catch up quicker.
Max took a step back, moving his body backwards as the cane quickly moved to block Sabine's attack. He swung for his own and her body reacted quicker than he expected, not quite blocking it fully but it was the closest that Sabine had gotten. Mere milliseconds of reaction that staved off most of the attack. ”You're getting quicker.”
Sabine felt her body and mind connect in a way it hadn’t before, as if someone else was controlling it, but she still had autonomy. This skill, if she practiced it more, would be invaluable. She could easily switch from defense to offense and back. ”Yeah well, I had a great teacher who I stole a memory from,” she joked.
Max actually laughed at Sabine's joke. It had layers, and was well enough to be a good quip in battle. If there was anything Max loved beyond his family, it was a good quip and conversation during battle. ”Stealing my ability to quip as well? That's just downright diabolical.” He joked back.
Sabine chuckled, feeling more at ease than when she first started. ”Two for the price of one, can’t beat a good deal.” She put her arm down, handing the cane back over to him. ”Two new skills to help going forward. Thanks again. Vision’s words during the party were great, but I didn’t fully believe it then. I am starting to now.”
”I know the feeling. James always said such beautiful things about my powers, and all I could see was the destruction I wrought. But we cannot see the forest for the trees, and we must trust in those around us to help guide us when we ourselves can't see the path. You'll do well Ms. Bassard, you've proven that.” Max took back the cane, having it vanish into cosmic dust once more.
Sabine felt it now, deep down. It took her a bit, but she was starting to feel like she could be the hero she wanted, the one she hadn’t believed in before. She also felt that if her mom was here, she would be proud. ”Thanks Max. Truly. You’re a great teacher.”
Back at Margaret Carter, Leah sat in her dorm. Everyone was winding down from the contest, the general chaos of the aftermath, and the sudden buzz about them. Leah didn’t care much for it, being around that many people and the center of attention. She had more important things to worry about. Like, for example, the mental well-being of her ex and childhood friend.
She texted April.
Earthbender: hey. are you busy
April was currently splayed out on her bed in New Orleans, tossing a small ball of water up and down, up and down, up and down, as she stared up at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed and she rolled over, grabbing it and squinting to see who the SuperLink message was from. Leah. She still got butterflies whenever she texted. And a little bit of dread. They hadn’t really talked since… well, since the contest. And even then, they hadn’t gotten to spend any time alone. She regretted that. She missed the way things had been, before they’d gotten so complicated and messy and real. She missed her friend.
RainieDays15: nope!!! 🤩🤩🤩 whats up???? are u at shulkies place yet??? u gotta tell me if u find evidence of spidey there!!!
Earthbender: no just some other lawyer guy. im still at mci for a few days.
Earthbender: can we holo. wanted to talk soonr but everthinf happened
Earthbender: also hansd
Hands? April tilted her head, trying to decipher the meaning - and then it hit her smack in the face. Hands. Leah’s hands were too big for her phone’s keyboard. She felt like such an idiot. She quickly sat up in her bed, running a quick hand through her hair to make sure it wasn’t too scruffy, and she grabbed one of her pillows to hug to her chest as they talked. And then, she opened up her phone camera, quickly ensured she had nothing in her teeth, and hit the holo call option.
Leah did look a bit scruffy. But she always did. The little hologram of Leah appeared on her phone in brassy orange, slightly buggy from the way cameras didn’t seem to like her.
”Hey. Been a minute, hasn’t it?”
April couldn’t help but grin like a fool as Leah came into view. They used to holo more often during breaks - and text, too, back when that hadn’t been an issue. She’d missed this. “I know, it’s fucking wild, right? I feel like we just started our junior year and it’s winter break already?? Absolutely insane.”
”Yeah. Yeah. It feels like just a few days ago, I met Andy and tried to pick up Mjolnir. Now we’re basically real superheroes, almost. What the hell happened, right?”
It really did feel like a blur with all that training to beat the Young Avengers.
“Exactly! Gods, I’d forgotten about that at the carnival - Dorian’s birthday was good but yikes… I was such a mess,” she grimaced slightly. She’d spent so much of the fall semester being unhappy, letting her misery eat her alive rather than doing anything about it until she couldn’t take it anymore and she exploded. “And not only are we kinda superheroes, but we’re famous too? I had to private all of my accounts, the attention was too much. I don’t get how Danni and Dori and Sabine manage it all.”
”Well… I don’t even have accounts.” She sat up, balancing her phone in her lap. ”Used to be scared to death my dad could use that to find me. And now no one’s blowing my phone up for autographs and brand deals. Not being plugged in is good, you should try it, sometime.”
April raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to try it now by hanging up on you?” she teased.
”Would you?”
She twirled her finger around in the air, and slowly moved it towards her phone, ensuring that Leah could see her approaching the end call button.
”Okay, okay, point taken. You got me. I’m just saying, though… I’d go crazy having that many people pay attention to me.”
“You used to like it,” April poked.
”What, having everyone on the planet know me?”
April rolled her eyes. “Uh huh.”
[color=ffcb00]”...Since when? Wait, you’re joking. [i]Wait a minute.[i] Hey! What do you mean I used to?!”[/color] Now she understood. ”I still like talking to you!”
A wild grin went on her face, and April started cackling. She loved Leah. But she loved teasing her playfully even more. “Suuure you do, that’s why I haven’t had a holo call from you in aaaages.” She stuck out her tongue.
”Yeah, well…” Her face felt warm. ”Everything happened. And we’ve been busy and we had the Contest and… And you had CAGE and they didn’t let you have your phone. And then- Yeah.”
There just wasn’t much time for them to sit down and talk, lately.
”You didn’t call me either.”
The smile vanished from April’s face, as the mood suddenly shifted. A blur of images flashed through her head - of that night at the pool, when she’d considered ending it all - the ambulance ride to CAGE - crashing out in front of Dr. Whitehall - breaking up with her girlfriends. The shame sat heavy in her chest. She opened her mouth for a second, wanting to excuse herself from this, to say that she hadn’t thought Leah would want her to call, but it would have been a lie. The truth was harder to face.
She looked down at her hands. “I thought you’d be upset with me,” April admitted. “Or maybe I was just upset with myself. And the longer it got to be… the worse I felt about not reaching out.”
Oh.
”I… Thought you were upset with me.”
“... What? Why… why would I be upset with you?”
”Because you were in a bad place, and we were dating and I still had no idea. I didn’t know you were in that much pain, and you’re my best friend. I thought I was the problem.”
April blinked, and swallowed. Somehow, this conversation was always the hardest one - even harder than admitting to Dr. Whitehall that she needed help. Telling people why she had hidden it all from them, it hurt. She hated it. She hated confronting the ramifications of her choice - and hated herself even more for knowing how much worse it would have been if she had died. That night, she thought everyone would have been better off without her around. But all she had really done was make things worse.
“No, no, no - you weren’t the problem. No one was but… well, me,” she paused, and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “I - I thought everyone would be better off without me. I hated myself so much that I thought everyone else did too… I think I still hate myself, sometimes.” Leah could’ve been fine with April telling her that she was just so emotionally inept that it hurt being around her. But what she actually said was worse.
”I’d never hate you, April. Ever, okay?” And she meant that. ”You can say a lot of dumb things, do something really stupid, and it wouldn’t be enough to make me hate you.”
She blinked again. Took another deep breath. Shifted so she was sitting on the palms of her hands. Anything she could do to try to keep herself from shattering, from falling to pieces in front of her ex-girlfriend - in front of her friend. “I - I… I was a fucking terrible girlfriend to you. I’m not - I’m not as compassionate as Sabine, or as comfortable with my body, or as attentive. And I’m not - I’m not even a good friend to you now, you said it yourself, I didn’t call you,” she shut her eyes tightly. “I kissed Sabine twice after the breakup and I don’t even know why. I’m a mess. If you don’t hate me, then you should. You have every right to. I’m… I’m a monster, Leah. I’m a fuck up. The literal crazy ex-girlfriend.”
”Hey, no!” She leaned forward, and the hologram of her flickered. ”That- No, April. No! You’re not…” God, she couldn’t even articulate how that made her feel. She noticed she was stammering a lot, lately.
”Damnit, April fucking Kingston fucking Gray. You are not, never have been, and never will be a fuckup!” She shouted. ”You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met, I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have crazy, dumb, messy, complicated feelings about you, okay? You’re- If you were here, right in front of me, I’d hold onto you and not let you go for hours! I would’ve flown off back into the desert by now if it weren’t for you.”
Her chest and face felt hot. Her hands were jittery.
”I still love you, and I always did.”
April’s entire body shook, and she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. She wished that Leah was here - that she wasn’t on the other side of the country right now. She wanted to curl up into her and be the little spoon, just like they used to. Hearing that Leah wanted to hold her, that she was the nicest person she knew, that she still loved her… It hurt. It hurt so much. ”Really? A-after… after everything, you still love me?” she sobbed. ”I - I never stopped loving you. Even. Even when I was in CAGE and I - I broke up with you - I - I still loved you. That’s… that’s why I had to stop. Because I - because I wasn’t good for you.”
”Who cares? We don’t have to be girlfriends. That’s okay, you know that, right? I’m- This is gonna sound a bit weird, so you can laugh if you want, but sometimes I feel like I love all my friends. Not always the way I want to date and kiss them, but…” She shrugged. ”Maybe we’re both just people who aren’t always perfect, you think?”
“Why would - why would I laugh at that?” April sniffled, before nodding. She did understand that. She really understood that. If she were to be honest with herself, it was part of why she had jumped into a relationship with Leah before she’d been ready. She loved her friend. She’d thought that love would be romantic, too. “Y-yeah. Maybe. We’re just both a little fucked.”
”Yeah…” She almost laughed. ”I don’t know, there’s something wrong with my head and the way I handle that stuff. She Hulk thinks I’m autistic but I really wouldn’t know. Whitehall would, and when I can, I’ll ask her.”
April couldn’t help but giggle slightly. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your head. I love your head.”
”I do. I think there is, I feel like there is. And it turns out that pretending there isn’t doesn’t do me a lot of favors.” Leah fidgeted with her hair. ”I’m pretty sure I’m not going to CAGE, unless that’s where Whitehall does her thing now. But- But I should go back and talk to her. Like when Arcade happened.”
“Pretending is how I got into this mess,” April admitted. “CAGE isn’t… it’s not that bad. I didn’t - I didn’t like that they neutralize your powers, I hated feeling like I was trapped in a cage, no pun intended. I really thought it was the kind of place where they’d take mutants to be experimented on and tortured. But… they helped me a lot. I’m sure Dr. Whitehall can help you too, if you give her a chance.”
Leah winced.
”I’ll let her try. But, uh, the powers thing is freaky, yeah. I may or may not have thought she was secretly a terrorist or something.” She said something to that effect when April broke up with them in CAGE. ”Places like that always rubbed me the wrong way. Didn’t they take away your phone, too?”
April nodded. “Yeah, I mean… I think they wanted me to focus on getting better, so… no phone. But, um, it doesn’t have to be Dr. Whitehall, you know. You can find a different therapist. I used to see one when I was younger who I really liked - my dads are getting me set up with them again.”
”Nah. Whitehall. I already told her a bunch of stuff already. She’s nowhere near as bad as I made her out to be.”
Leah stood up, and carried her phone over to her desk. ”How’s things over there after the Contest?”
“Mm, not too bad! It’s been good to be with the dads - I think it kinda stressed them out that I went back to school after CAGE, so being around now I hope is helpful. It’s kinda weird though… We spent so much time working and training for the contest and now it’s like… what do I fill my free time with? If I’m not obsessing over it, do I just… vibe?” April bit her lip, trying to reason out how to communicate this without sounding ungrateful - or incredibly privileged. “It’s kinda like we reached the top of the mountain on a hike, and I don’t know what hike we’re supposed to do next. Is that silly?”
”I don’t know, maybe. The Contest was pretty dumb, but look at it this way. You won, and now you’ve got the time to sit around and wonder what’s next. You can afford to not worry about what happens tomorrow, or next week. That’s not a bad thing.”
She nodded. “I do have some ideas about what might be next… but they’re a secret! If I do it, you’ll find out when we’re back from break,” April said enthusiastically, a grin on her face. It wasn’t anything as grand or world renowned as the contest, but it was something important, and something she really wanted to do.
”That sounds like you’re going to announce you’re a supervillain, or something,” Leah commented. ”You’re not secretly a bloodbender from that old TV show with the flying thing, are you?”
April shook her head. “Nah, I’d be too worried about accidentally exploding people like a water balloon.”
”That’s not a no.” Was Leah joking? She was probably joking. Besides, April just couldn’t bloodbend, right?
Right?
”What about before then? She Hulk probably wants to do something for Christmas, and I have no idea what that actually involves.”
“Oh, yeah! My family does a bit of a big thing at Christmas. Pa enchants the house and everything to have snow and stuff, Danni makes a fuss about getting the perfect pic so we usually go to some fun location for it, and then they invite over a lot of the extended family and friends over for a huge meal. The presents are also pretty killer - Santa gives amazing gifts, he’s a mutant, which is wild, right? I hadn’t really believed in Santa when I was adopted - but he’s real! So he should bring you something!”
”He’s- What. You mean he’s not actually Odin just on eight reindeer instead of one horse?” Leah had been reading about Norse myth a lot lately, given her whole situation. And she came across a few things that suggested they were the same person.
Now it was April’s turn to be confused. Her parents had told her that Santa was an omega level mutant. And here was Leah, saying that Santa was… Odin? “I have never heard this before in my life and I need you to explain immediately, because that’s absolutely bonkers if true… If Odin delivered me my PS-14… Do I need to pray to him to say thank you? Am I a bad person because I haven’t been thanking Odin?!”
”Eight reindeer, horse with eight legs. Old guy who flies over the world in December, when people leave things for him and get something back?” It wasn’t confirmed. And it wasn’t like anyone could just ask him. ”The Wild Hunt is a thing. And he’s never alone, and elves are real…”
Leah shrugged.
April was quiet for a moment, sitting back in her bed as she processed this information. Maybe it wasn’t actually the craziest thing she’d ever heard. Tons of mythological beings were proven to be real, Odin was real. And while she trusted her parents when they told her that Santa was a mutant… her jaw dropped and she gasped. If both things were true, then… “Is Odin a mutant? Is he even Asgardian at all?!”
”Actually…” She pulled the chair out and sat down in it. The poor thing whined against the weight of a giant who used to be smaller. ”Depending on who you ask, he made Asgard. He might be a mutant and just a really old human, instead of an Aesir. I dunno. He lives in Asgard, close enough, I think?”
“... Okay, crazy idea, but hear me out. We do a stakeout at our separate homes and try to get proof that Odin is Santa. If we both do it, we have double the chances to catch him. Photographs are weird on you though so… we can use you as our test subject, see what conditions you show up under, and then apply those to Odin/Santa.”
”You want to kidnap a god of war and knowledge?” It didn’t pick up on the glitchy hologram, but Leah was cracking up. ”I dunno, he’d see that coming.”
“Not kidnap, just get proof that Odin is Santa!” April reiterated. “I’m not going to kidnap Santa and ruin Christmas for everyone - besides, we’re too young to play out the plot of a bad Hallmark movie. And if he sees it coming… hmm… Maybe we just need some sort of protection from his sight? I could see if we have anything around the house that would work, Pa’s got loads of random stuff.”
”Heimdall sees almost everything in the universe. He knows we’re talking about this right now.”
“What if Heimdall wants this to happen?”
”What makes you think he does?”
“What makes you think he doesn’t?”
Leah stared down at the little hologram. ”...I’m pretty sure they’ve got more important things to do. Like waiting for a ship made of nails to come flying across the universe or for the sun to go out. The stuff that Ragnarok happens after.”
“Maybe that’s what we’ll do next,” April said, almost wistfully. “Ending the apocalypse sounds fun. Or preventing it might be a little bit better. Help more people than just kicking the shit out of other kids does, y’know?”
”Sure. But it’s not gonna happen any time soon. There’s supposed to be a five year winter before it… I’ve been reading a lot of stuff lately.”
April nodded, shifting her position entirely - so that way she was laying on her stomach, holding her phone out in front of her, and her face was propped up on a pillow. “Mostly stuff about Asgard?” she asked, curious. “Anything exciting so far that you’ve found?”
”They had a war with the Vanir, there’s at least three different interpretations of everything, and apparently there isn’t a lot about me in there.” It was mostly Thor’s fanservice and the occasional embellished retelling of the “real” myths. ”There’s some magic stuff in there, too. But… Yeah, it’s all mostly just Asgard. Which is fine for now, but I’ve been trying to learn stuff about things other than Asgard.”
“Oh? Like what? Maybe we could do a book club or something - it’d be a fun way to do stuff when we’re not at school, could call and talk about what we’ve read?” April suggested. She hadn’t really read books that weren’t for school in a while. She liked to think of herself as the kind of person who could get really into them, instead of just doomscrolling on social media in her free time… so maybe this would be a good place to start. And doing anything with Leah would be fun.
”That’d be nice. I’m trying to find stuff about Jotunheim. That’s apparently where I’m from, instead of Earth. It's not going great so far.” It would be great to do stuff with April again. The thought made her smile.
“That’s the one Loki’s from, right?” April hadn’t taken any Asgardian study courses. She knew that they had some offered at Margaret Carter though - they even had a former Valkyrie on staff. “You could try taking, like, Asgardian studies maybe? They might cover giants and stuff? I need to fulfill some GenEds, I could message my counselor and switch into it with you?”
”You know, that sounds like a good idea, actually. I’ll look at it. The library here really doesn’t have a lot for Jotunheim, but I guess a Valkyrie would know more, right?”
April nodded. “They might even know some giants that you could talk to - or even bring in some as guest speakers. That’d be pretty cool - I don’t know where on campus they’d do it, because they are kinda gigantic, no pun intended… Or maybe there’s other giant kids here on Earth that we just haven’t met yet?”
Were there? She never thought of that.
Other giants who’d been taken from there for reasons that, like her, weren’t clear? Or maybe they just came here for some reason or another and actually remembered being there?
”Maybe there are. I’m not sure where they’d be, though. Never met anyone like that here or over in any other country I’ve been to.”
“Hmm. What if we try looking through SuperLink? Oh! We could ask Sabine maybe, if she’ll post on her socials that she’s looking for giants, maybe some other kids will come forward and you all could be, like, pen pals or something. Maybe you even have siblings!”
”SuperLink? Oh good lord. I’ve, uh, never messed with that before. I got asked about that a lot when we won the Contest. Do people seriously use it that much?”
April nodded. “Yeah - it’s how most people that are, like, street level and all get started. There’s even a jobs board on it for things that are suspicious going down in your areas, it uses the same map location tech as GrindHer, believe it or not,” she added, giggling a bit. They had the same parent company. “But you probably don’t need to use it - you’ve got connections now, Leah. You’re famous, your mom is one of the most popular Avengers… if you want to go help people, I think people are going to bring their problems to you. You won’t need to go hunting for it.”
Why did that make Leah nervous? Lots of people showing up to her metaphorical doorstep for things they used to go to Captain America or Iron Man for, needing her help? She was supposed to be a hero, but people were complicated.
”I thought it was just something people used to post weird hot takes about superheroes. Or post pictures of them they took when no one was looking. I didn’t know people got work from it.”
“I mean, they do that too,” April agreed. “If you want, when we’re back at school, I can help you set up your profile on it? Mine needs a lot of work - it’s super outdated. I think it still says my superhero name is Princess Cascade - from before I shortened it down. We can take new photos - see what settings look nice for one of you - and put stuff in your bio, like what your interests are and everything. And I’ll show you how to lock it down so you don’t get any creeps or randos involved.”
”Please. I’ve got no idea how to work that stuff. I pretty much swore it off thinking my dad could find me more easily that way. You think there are fake celebrity accounts pretending to be us?”
April blew out a bit of air, vibrating her lips as she did so. “One hundred fucking percent there are,” she confirmed. “In fact, lemme look right now…” She then switched to a new tab in her phone, pulling up SuperLink, and she typed in Leah’s name. “There are… two accounts pretending to be you, and at least eight that are dedicated fan accounts. Your fans are calling themselves the Earth Kingdom. Kinda lit, not gonna lie, I like it. Very Avatar.”
”Earth Kingdom… Okay, now I’m curious. What are they posting?”
“Hmm. Good question. Let’s see!” April clicked on one of the first fan accounts. “Ooo, love this. This one posted what looks like a Filterella board all about your biceps - just a bunch of different blurry photos and screenshots from the contest. Ooo and they also made a video compilation of your best attacks - followed by one that seems to be just your facial expressions as you react to the stuff happening.” She then clicked out and went to the next account. “This one seems to be all thirst traps - and fanfic about you? Like, I dunno how much you know fanfic tropes, but there’s one common trope where the reader is sold to someone famous to, like… honestly it’s super unclear. But they’re posting I was sold to Jotunn fanfics.”
It wasn’t easy to tell through the bugged-out hologram, but there were several emotions rapidly swapping places on her face.
”What… I- What the fuck does- April. April. What the fuck. Thirst traps? I’m fucking seventeen,” She groaned, indignant. ”Joder, jódeme, Internet fue un error.”
April hit follow on the thirst trap account on her fake SuperLink. “You look good in them,” she offered with a shrug. “Oo, this one seems to be doing Just Girly Things but it’s Just Jotunn Things - so like there’s an aesthetic photo of someone balancing on top of some rocks and it has that text on it. There’s another one that’s photoshopped you into the Rosie the Riveter pose. Honestly, it’s really well done, too. Might save that.”
Leah sputtered. April was being unusually thirsty about her right now.
”I’m beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, all this celebrity stuff was a bad idea. Maybe I would’ve been better off living underground, away from the terrors of civilization.”
“But then you wouldn’t get to hang out with me,” April countered, sticking out her tongue at Leah. “I think you’d miss me.”
”Yeah… Yeah, I would. I’d be a different person without you, you know that? I do miss you. And- I’m glad you’re still here. After everything. I’m glad we both are.”
April beamed at Leah. “I feel the same way about you,” she admitted. “I love you, Leah. Always have. And I always will.”
There was a pause. Leah looked out the window, not really sure what to say next.
”…I should call Whitehall. Wanna talk again tomorrow?”
April nodded. “Yeah! Definitely. I’ll be around, so give me a call whenever, okay?”
”Will do. Bye for now.”
She hung up, stared down at her phone, and sighed.
Leah was staring at her phone, with an incomplete message waiting to be sent.
She went out, did the basic motions of the days before the break began, and made sure she wasn’t forgetting some big and important assignment that had to be sorted out before January. Next, she went back to her dorm and read a book. She meant to before the break started, since it was one she’d taken from the school’s library. And just when she had time to schedule that talk with Whitehall, she contemplated finally looking into the SuperLink stuff April was telling her about. She didn’t.
She was procrastinating. Leah wanted to do it, but her heart and mind were on two different pages. She wasn’t quite sure why, and thinking about it wasn’t doing much. So she just sat at her desk, with various things strewn about, staring down at her phone. With a message she really, really needed to send.
She felt tempted to organize her rock collection, suddenly.
”Ughhhhhhhhhhh.”
Sabine had gotten to work a bit on managing the social media for the team. It was hard given that some of them had never used it before, some had but to varying levels, or the ones who had were not equipped to bear the brunt of the impact of their win. She had also managed things with April and the Hex Girls and she felt she was in a better spot.
But she had still not spoken much with Leah after the party. And there was definitely still some awkwardness there. A hole that needed to be filled or it would give people twisted ankles until filled.
She had situated herself with school stuff, booked an appointment with Dr. Whitehall, and made her way back to her room to drop off some stuff before she went to go get some coffee when he heard the telltale groan of her girlfriend.
She swung into the room, setting her bag down on her bed. ”I recognize that groan. I’ve let off a few myself since our win. Want to talk about it?”
”Huh-” Leah whipped her head around and visibly relaxed a bit when she saw her girlfriend. ”Hey… Do you ever feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall just to get yourself to do something you really should do?”
Did Leah read minds now? ”Every day since I started my period. Probably even a bit before. Comes with being a woman on Earth. Possible even outside of Earth. I’m sure Asgardians and the Kree and all of them deal with it too. Why, what shouldn’t you do?”
”I should be talking to Whitehall. I shouldn’t be dreading it. But I am. No idea why, even though this was my idea.” It felt like she was just being lazy, and she recognized that, and yet was still too lazy to stop being lazy.
”I’m, uh, apparently not nearly as fine as I think I am. Sort of had a moment when we were in New Orleans where I almost couldn’t breathe, and… Yeah. Dumped a lot of shit on She Hulk about it.”
Sabine had known something was up, but perhaps she was too focused on other matters. ”I mean, therapy isn’t for everyone, but if it helps, why not?” Leah had been dealing with things and rather than be there for her she went off and did her own thing, focused on her own matters, and took on things for the team overall. She hadn’t thought to check.
”I’m glad She-Hulk was there for you. I know a lot happened after the contest, but I don’t know what happened during. I was sort of being worked on and comforting Danni. I should have checked in on you. But I am here now if you want to share.”
She did.
”When I stormed out, before they won the Contest, I ran into the locker room. And I guess that was a panic attack or something like it, because I was just really tempted to dig a hole in the ground and not come back up.” Leah may have had them before, and she wouldn’t have known. That sort of thing was new to her. ”I genuinely, seriously expected the Young Avengers to make a move, and after Dorian gave his little speech… It felt like I just fucked up really bad. I get paranoid too easily.”
”For what it’s worth, I shouldn’t have gotten angry. I cared about the contest, but not like Dorian or April or Danni did. I haven’t been training for this for years. Hell, I spent many years hating the idea of being a hero because no one ever saw me as one. So when all that happened I felt it wasn’t the right moment to hit them when they were down. But that was my decision, not yours. I can’t imagine what you were dealing with and I should have been there for you. I know what panic attacks are like and they are scary, but they don’t make you a failure. I know I sound like Whitehall, but it’s valid to have those feelings.”
“Plus it sounds like there’s no hard feelings with the Young Avengers. And at the end of the day, we won, in large part due to you. So feel your feels, but also enjoy your victory.”
”Doesn’t really feel like mine,” Leah admitted. ”The only reason I was there at all is because you guys deserved to win. It wasn’t personal for me. You were right, though. They were in pretty bad shape, there wasn’t any reason for me to keep pushing. That’s why I left before they finished.”
”Leah, it is just as much yours as everyone else’s. Regardless of what happened after, you fought hard against the Hex Girls and the Young Avengers. We would be in worse shape if you hadn’t been there.”
“But you are right. This fight wasn’t for me either. I was there for the team, but I was going to be okay whether we won or lost, and I definitely didn’t expect to win. That just means you need to find something you want. What is it that you want Leah and I don’t mean for others. What do you want for yourself?”
Leah didn’t have anything immediate to say to that. She spent most of her life just making compromises and pushing people away, hoping things would work out.
”I… Don’t know, I guess. You guys are happy, aren’t you? That means I am too.”
Sabine shook her head. ”I am glad you want what’s best for us, but it is okay to want things for yourself that are outside of what others want. I know this is new territory for you with your dad and the school, but seriously you have to start thinking about what it is you ultimately want for yourself and your future. It isn’t healthy to put all that on someone else’s shoulders because that’s when you start chucking rocks at people accidentally. You also don’t need to decide now, but at some point I want to hear what it is you want for yourself Leah. Outside of me, outside of April, outside of the others. It’s not selfish to put yourself first sometimes.”
April?
”Well, uh. Hmmm.” There were things Leah liked to do. She wanted to learn more about magic and about where she came from. Did those count? Probably, but those things were a bit harder than winning a contest. Magic was complicated, and she hadn’t found a damn thing about Jotunheim that wasn’t told in three different versions.
Yeah, maybe she did need a life.
”I’ll think about it. Is it cheating if I say I want to be a hero with the rest of you one day?”
”I’ll allow it, but was that decision made because you want to be a hero or you want to be there when everyone else becomes one? And maybe not everyone wants to be a hero. Or perhaps what a hero looks like is different for everyone. I mean gods, I’m starting to think what that looks like for me is vastly different than everyone else.”
But that was her own mess, this was Leah’s time. ”We have plenty of time to figure that out for you also. I’m there for you. You have a lot of people there for you and I know you are there for them. But allow yourself moments to be selfish and do what you want to do, not because someone else wants it, but because you want it.”
”Fuck, now you’re a therapist.” Leah sounded amused. ”I’ll try. But I do want to actually be a hero. That’s what brought me here. Came for that, stayed for other things.” Like her friends. Her new life was built here. She cared about these people, and it was starting to dawn on Leah that, yes actually, she should take more time for herself. Therapy was one way she was trying.
”What can I say? Whitehall knows her shit. As long as you try, that’s what matters most to me.” She walked over and hugged her girlfriend. ”I am sorry I got so angry at you. I think part of it was anger at myself. I biffed it during the contest. I wasn’t at my best and there was so much going on. But I think I found my groove. Max helped me, April helped me, and weirdly enough, the Hex Girls helped me too. So onward and upward.”
Leah squinted. And wrapped arms around Sabine. ”The Hex Girls helped you? Those assholes? Didn’t they cheat?”
Sabine debated on telling Leah everything, but she also felt like it wasn’t her secret to share. ”Yeah, they did, but it was for a good reason. Reasonable. They admitted it and admitted they do it every year, but I think part of it is the pressure they get from their teachers. Apparently one of them called the entire team a bunch of pathetic losers and I don’t know about you, but they fought hard. Also, they weren’t the ones that pretended to be your dad. I am 100% positive about that.” She knew Leah had the means to find out who and she didn’t want to admit she knew who it was. Let Leah determine that for herself.
”Well, I trust you. So if I ever see them again, I won’t kick their asses.”
Leah spun around in her chair to face Sabine, and pulled her into her lap. ”They did fight pretty hard. That girl with the hands almost got me as hard as America did. They had a decent chance of winning, you’d think being wizards would mean they had a bit more imagination though. I’m surprised they didn’t summon demons or zombies or something.”
Sabine had to laugh, Leah was closer to the truth than she realized. ”I think we dealt with enough summons to last us a bit. That reminds me, I know you don’t really use social media, but there’s going to be some blowback for our win so I want to prepare you. Do not let it get to you, I will handle it. I need to get with Danni and Dorian to figure some things out.”
”Hey, I’m not scared of some nameless armchair superheroes.” She was smiling. ”Fuck them, if they ask, I’ll tell them they’d lose too. Wasn’t one of the Hex Girls hitting on you in the fight? I’ll be surprised if no one asks about that.”
”Yeah, Thuy. I am sure there’s a bunch of theories going rampant on those sites about it, but as you said, fuck them. There’s no one else that compares to you.”
”They were… Okay. Hot, kind of.” Leah felt a bit warmer admitting something like that. ”But yeah, you’re way hotter.”
She hugged Sabine a little tighter.
”I know. They asked about you also. I told them you satisfy all my needs and then some. Could tell they were a little jealous.” She leaned into Leah more, embracing the warmth she felt. ”The holidays are coming up. We should do something festive. Watch a bunch of cheesy holiday movies and eat tons of ice cream and popcorn. Make it a tradition. What do you think?”
”I think that would be fun. Would you believe me if I told you I’ve never done Christmas before?”
Sabine mocked a shocked face. ”What? No way! You mean to tell me daddy dearest never dressed up as Santa Clause with a bag full of gifts? Well, that just means we have to make up for lost time. I want hot chocolate, I want presents, I want mistletoe. The whole nine yards!”
”You’re too short to hang that over my head. I might do it for you if you ask me nicely, though.”
”I could tell you where to put it if that’s how you want to be,” she said, sticking her tongue out. ”We can even do something with She-Hulk if you want. I’m not about to spend my holiday with my own family.”
”I bet she’d love that, actually. I know she’s gonna want to do something for Christmas. I’m not sure what, though. I bet Murdock might show up, at some point.”
Leah paused, then continued. ”That would be fun. She’d like you.”
”Well, I think your heart just grew three sizes this day!” She chuckled. ”Oh, that’s a holiday movie reference. We’ll add it to the list. But yes! I would love to do something with her. I still need to shop for presents! I’ve been so busy, but I have gotten some good promotional stuff from businesses working with me after the contest win, so that makes it easier.”
”I haven’t given any businesses or corporate rats the time of day, really.” That was Jen’s field of expertise, not hers. ”We’re all pretty much rich now, I can go shopping with you if you want.”
”You want to go shopping with me? It’s a Christmas miracle!” She kissed Leah, savoring the moment. ”I’ll even treat you to some hot chocolate. Or maybe some egg nog. Have you ever had it? It sounds gross, but it is actually delicious.”
”I don’t think so. You’re spoiling me, really. I’m being treated right now-“ She leaned up and returned the kiss. With interest.
”Well, Santa is going to have to avert his eyes because I think we’re about to be put on the naughty list.” Sabine waited a minute. ”Are you getting these references? Whatever, kiss me again.”
She did. For numerous slow seconds.
”…I am so fucking glad you’re my girlfriend, you know that?” She pulled Sabine closer, until there was no space between them. ”Everything been so stressful and crazy lately, and I’m learning a lot of things thanks to that- You and April and Andy and- And everyone makes me want to be a better person. Fuck. I love you so fucking much.”
Sabine nuzzled into Leah’s neck, letting everything else outside this moment fall. Forget it, this is what mattered. ”I am so happy I have you. I love you too.” The contest didn’t matter, the problems didn’t matter. Right here and now, the moments of joy, is what mattered most. Sabine forgot it, but was happy to be reminded.
Sabine made Leah’s heart thud in her chest like a hammer against an anvil. It always did, and she was a bit more aware of that given the closeness they had at the moment.
”…You know how we were just talking about me speaking up when I wanted something?”
Leah stood up out of her chair, and lifted Sabine up with her. She was suddenly carrying the shorter girl like a small dog.
”About time. Get what’s yours!” Sabine may have been a little off-put by the princess comment the Hex Girls leveled at her, but she had to admit, it was nice to be taken care of.
She walked over, hot blonde girlfriend in her arms, and swung the door shut. And then she locked it.
April yawned, her hair pulled back in messy braids as she shuffled her way down the stairs. It was barely six o’clock in the morning, and she was still dressed in her old Harry Simmons concert tee, Shark Girl pajama bottoms, pink frog slippers, and glasses. Her only plan for the day was the most important one - to drink her weight in coffee. Everything had been so chaotic and stressful lately, between Arcade’s betrayal, her suicide attempt and stay at C.A.G.E., Nemo’s death, and the Contest of Champions. She’d barely had a moment to catch her breath. So instead of scheduling out every minute of her day, she was just going to vibe and see where her mood took her - maybe she’d go to the library and find some new books, maybe she’d continue to crochet presents, maybe she’d go for a swim, or maybe she’d watch terrible Christmas movies and eat way too much chocolate.
As she made her way into the kitchen, she saw that she wasn’t the only one up this early - and that the coffee was already brewing. “Have I told you that you’re in my top four favorite dads?” April squealed, as she threw her hands around James’ shoulders, and gave him a quick hug. She opened up the nearest counter and stood up on the tips of her toes, straining a bit to reach until she snatched out her mug. It was from a trip she’d taken on her first birthday with the Kingston-Grays, where they had visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
James let out a soft oof as the patter of feet and a sudden weight on his back broke the morning stillness. James laughed under his breath, not disturbing the softness that the early mornings blanketed the house in, just a smidge on the cold side so that Max's enchanted snow didn't melt immediately, and reached up to help April get her mug. He caught the handle with his pinkie finger and offered it to her. “And you're in my top three favorite children, so I guess we're on the same page.” James teased back, an arm around her shoulders to bring her into a tight squeeze before he was pulling out his own mug.
“You're up early. You sleep okay?” James asked, the back of his hand against her forehead to feel her temperature.
“Thanks, Pops!” She was the shortest in the household by several inches - and even with the mugs on the bottom shelf, it could be a bit of a struggle to reach them. She snuggled into his hug, letting her head rest on his chest. April scrunched up her nose slightly as he felt her temperature - she didn’t really mind it, but she was a teenager and had to protest at least slightly. “I’m fiiiiiine,” she protested. “I don’t sleep in as much as Danni,” she stuck her tongue out a bit.
“Mhm.” James, satisfied with what he found, pulled his hand back and instead ruffled her hair. “The only person who sleeps more than Danni is your Papa, that's true.” James shook his head fondly, eyes drawn back to the coffee machine as it beeped. He let April go, snagging both their coffee mugs and pouring coffee. “Whatcha got going on today? Racing off anywhere right now or you got some time to hang out with your old man?”
April shrugged. “I was thinking I was going to chill today and do… I dunno. But I guess I can hang with Papa when he wakes up,” she giggled, before nodding. “Whatcha wanna do? I was thinking maybe watching movies and eating a bunch of chocolate? I probably burned like… a million calories in the contest, gotta replenish.”
“Yeah, a movie before everyone gets up sounds good. Let's head to the living room; I'll bring the coffee.” James filled his to the brim, nothing in it, and he poured April's just past halfway - cream and sugar filling the rest. James picked the two mugs up and followed April out of the kitchen, placing them down neatly with coasters on the coffee table before he settled into his corner of the couch. “Pick one out and we'll have an easy morning in, yeah?”
“A Knight For Christmas?” she asked immediately. It was predictable trash, but still warm and comforting. And she could’ve sworn that the lead actor in it was Pa’s long lost twin brother. She popped the movie in, before opening up the ottoman and grabbing her favorite two or three blankets from in there. She’d learned this sort of nesting behavior pretty soon after meeting her family, and she tossed the blankets onto the couch, before flopping down next to James and getting settled. Was she liable to fall asleep? Sure. But it had been ages since she’d had a quiet moment with her Pops and a cuddle and a movie sounded amazing right now.
James threw his arm along the back of the sofa as April flopped onto the couch and got comfortable. Whether it was Casper or one of the kids, James was used to settling into this position for long hours. James let his arm drape across April’s shoulders once she settled instead and he laughed as the title screen popped up. They always joked that one of the characters looked just like Max, even though he denied it until his last breath. Casper had brought up the clone idea and James had very quickly shut that down - he didn't know which one of his overactive children would want to investigate but he wasn't going to let that happen. It was a familiar movie, so James turned the volume down a little so it'd be back ground noise.
“So catch me up with life, kiddo. You had a crazy semester. How you feelin’?”
“Honestly, I feel really, really good,” April leaned forward for a second, grabbing her mug and taking a sip of her coffee - it was just the way she liked it, almost purely sugar and cream - before setting it back down. “Like kinda night and day, y’know? Just - we won the Contest, aced all our classes, and now I just get to vibe and not stress about stuff. Yeah, a bunch of bad stuff happened but… I dunno. Is it weird that I feel kinda incredible?” The meds were getting better, too. The tremors in her hands had mostly settled out. And she was going to get to see her old therapist again, someone she was really comfortable with. For the moment, she felt in control.
James nodded along and offered a thoughtful hum. “Yeah, that does sound pretty good. But I'm a little concerned. I mean, a near death experience into a complicated relationship into the Contest, making out with your ex on the global stage and then flirting with a new girl barely six hours later? It seems a little much for your normal, kiddo.” James offered softly, squeezing her into a hug for a moment. “You've been through a lot, especially with your trip to C.A.G.E. and a hard conversation with Vicky in the friend group during that bad time period, it's okay to be a little off balance. And I think your upswing might be a little too aggressive, kiddo. Its feeling a little manic. What do you think?”]
She squirmed slightly, her face turning red as James listed out a summary of the last few weeks - and it didn’t even include everything she’d done. She’d kissed Sabine twice after they’d broken up. And if she were to be completely honest with herself, as much as the Hex Girls had been a struggle to fight, she would have kissed any of them if they’d asked her. She knew what depression felt like - knew now how to identify that deep sorrow and some strategies to manage it. But they hadn’t really talked about the manic half of being bipolar when she worked with Dr. Whitehall at C.A.G.E. “I don’t know why I kissed her twice… It just felt right in the moment?” she bit her lip. “I don’t even like her that way anymore… Um. But… how would I know what mania feels like?” she asked him. “I just - I just feel really good. Isn’t that good that I’m not feeling sad anymore or thinking about… you know…?”
“It's definitely better than dwelling on all those things but-” James blinked as exactly what April said settled over him. Twice, okay. Maybe more of their kids took after Casper than he thought. “But I think that if you were a little leveled out, you probably wouldn't be making some of these decisions, yeah? I don't know what mania feels like but I do know it still affects your judgment making skills and that's fine, we just have to make sure you can stay safe while you're navigating this part of your life and your identity you know?” James couldn't let it pass by though.
“And twice? You're going to make your Papa proud with that.” James laughed.
Her face was positively crimson at the last comment. She didn’t know all of the details of her Papa’s past, but she knew that he slept around a lot before meeting Pops. Was she being slutty…? She’d never had sex before. Dorian was the one who fucked his boyfriend every minute that he could. But… if she were being honest with herself, the urge she had to kiss girls - and maybe even a little more - had skyrocketed over the past few days. “It’s just kissing!” April protested.
But there was something else that stuck with her - what James had said about navigating her identity. She peeked out at him for a moment, taking her gaze away from the movie - even though it was at her favorite part, where Sir Cole met the Old Crone. “Pops what if… what if I’m like Papa in another way, too?” she asked tentatively.
James pressed an apologetic kiss on his daughter's head, even as he was still laughing. James made a mental note to have Casper give April the talk again. If his daughter is starting to be more active in exploring that side of relationships, James wanted to make sure she was as prepared as possible and Casper had the most experience with all of the extremes. “Well, I think that's just fine. Your Papa does have me wrapped around his fingers after all.” James reassured her. “But what's on your mind? Your Papa's a lot of things so you'll have to be a little more specific.”
April pulled the blanket over her head, so that way she wouldn’t have to watch James’ reaction. It was something that had been on her mind for the past few days, something she hadn’t really admitted to herself, just considered as a possibility. But snuggled up with her Pops, she felt safe enough to at least pose the question. “What if I’m not a girl, Pops?” she whispered. Her heart started beating thunderously fast.
James let April hide herself away for the moment. He let her question hang in the air a moment and forced himself not to rush and reassure her. This was clearly something weighing on her, even if he himself thought it wasn't a particularly big deal, so he gave it some more thought. “Then, you aren't a girl. Gender and how we express it isn't a big deal - I mean, your Papa doesn't even answer the question anymore if someone asks. He just tells them how long he tapped dance on my nerves. And both your brother and your Papa wear whatever they want, even if we do have to remind them that means underwear too. So if you aren't a girl, then you aren't a girl, kiddo. Girl or not, you're still my kid.”
She poked her head back out from under the blanket, holding back tears. It felt silly to her - Pops was right, she knew that her Papa didn’t have a concrete gender and Danni never passed up on a chance to wear a skirt or a dress - but she still had been terrified at the idea of it. Coming to terms with being a lesbian had been easier, almost a foregone conclusion. Everyone in this house was gay. But the gender of it all was harder - she didn’t understand, really, what it felt like to be a girl. She didn’t know that not everyone hated the way they looked in the mirror, that not everyone felt like tearing their own skin off, that not everyone felt trapped in their body. It was a way she’d felt for as long as she could remember, even back when she was little, living with her grandmother.
“I don’t think I’m a girl,” April said slowly. “I don’t… I don’t like my body, Pops. It doesn’t feel like it’s mine. I look in the mirror and I don’t recognize the person looking back at me. I don’t even know if I like my clothes. I… I thought that was how everyone felt but… it isn’t, is it?”
James let out a sympathetic noise and pulled April a little closer. “I'm sorry you're going through this kiddo and that we didn't know to be there for you. I can't say that I've experienced that but it doesn't mean I can't support you in whatever healthy way you choose to make your reality come true. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to make who you're seeing in the mirror fit what you're feeling inside; clothes, make-up, surgery, magic - we have all sorts of options to explore and some of them are more intense and need some discussion, but whatever you need, we're going to help you feel good in your skin again, okay?”
She shook her head slightly. She hadn’t let them be there for her. It was one of the lessons she’d learned in C.A.G.E. - that hiding it only made it worse and made it so her family couldn’t help. How could they have known if she didn’t tell them? But she cuddled closer to her Pops, the sniffles turning into tears. She nodded. Magic was an easy solution but… it scared her, too. What if she got it wrong again? What if she chose surgery and then realized her body still didn’t feel right? “After the movie… could we try some clothes, maybe? I don’t - I don’t know if I know what it feels like to be a boy either, but… maybe it would feel better.”
“Of course. If you want, we can pop out into New Orleans proper and do some shopping around if you want to try on some newer stuff or we can get your Pa to copy over some of your brother's clothes so they fit you. You think about it and let me know.” James paused. He knew there was something he'd been missing. “And since everything has been a little big and overwhelming this semester, the rest of your fathers and I decided that it's best for you to spend some time at home with the family. If only to get a break from everything and focus on yourself for a bit, okay? You'll be able to go around New Orleans just fine, but anything further than that is off limits until you're back at school. That's not because you're in trouble or we're upset; we just want to make sure we can smother you with love until you have a little bit to bring with you to school, okay?” James hadn't wanted the kids to go to superhero school in the first place and this only made him feel that stronger. Yes, they won the championship but what did they suffer to reach that?
“Y-yeah, can… can Papa come too?” she asked. She wasn’t as fashionable as Papa or Danni - although as soon as she asked, she realized that meant they wouldn’t be going until the evening. “Or maybe Pa?” He would be awake. He used to be a model. Maybe he’d have some ideas. She was pretty certain that James knew as much about fashion as she did.
Her ears burned a little bit at the news that she was grounded. She wasn’t exactly surprised - it had been weeks since Arcade (where they definitely had been grounded) and CAGE (where she’d had to beg them not to pull her from school immediately). She’d probably given all of her fathers grey hair, had Pops not kept them from aging. “… I’m not going to be able to convince you otherwise, am I?” she pouted.
“Of course they can. We can bring all the parents if you want.” James agreed easily. He laughed at her last question. “Well, you should thank your Papa and Pa. If it was up to me, it would have just been the French Quarter so I've already compromised for you. Definitely not budging any further, kiddo.”
She glanced down at her hands for a moment, a sudden wave of guilt hitting her. “... I’m sorry for scaring you so much lately…” She bit her lip again, and tried to blink away the fresh wave of tears hitting her. “I didn’t mean to.”
“It's okay, sweetheart. You got a lot going on in that head of yours.” James reassured her, keeping her close. “But we're getting you the support you need to make it so you can make it through without scares like that. And being a parent means we do nothing but worry about our kids. You're going to be 62 and I'm still going to worry about how you're eating and if you're going outside enough and all that. You're stuck with that forever, kiddo. Ain't going away any time soon.”
April really didn’t want to cry again. She felt like all she did some days was cry. But it still meant the world to her every time she heard that Pops and her other dads weren’t going anywhere. She didn’t remember her birth parents, but she remembered her grandma - and remembered the pain of losing her. James was something constant, something she couldn’t lose. So a fresh wave of tears hit her as she hugged her dad tighter, completely missing the scene where Sir Cole was hit by a car. “This is top tier dad behavior,” she sniffled, trying her best to lighten the mood a little bit, so she could stop crying. “I love you, Pops.”
“I love you too, kiddo.” James accepted the affection easily. “Just remember that the next time I tell you you can't stay out late: Top tier dad behavior and all that.”
In a few days, everyone would be leaving the school to head home with their families. Normally, Leah would have just filled a backpack with a few important things and gone north to the Cascades, and minded her own business among the mountains and volcanic ranges. She got caught hiding under the school her first year, but Mount Rainier was always nice this time of year. It was cold during the Big Dark, but the volcano was always pretty likely to erupt, so she usually just camped out near a hot area and used her powers to smooth things over when it was time to go home. Depending on what time of year it was, she might not even go that far. But now that Jen had taken her in, doing that wasn’t so easy. Now, she had an actual home to sleep in. Four walls and a roof in a city.
No more fucking off away from civilization, into the cold and bitter wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, with the hope that no one would actually notice the fact she legally didn’t exist. Not that it was terrible, even if her rock collection was missing a few pieces of tephra.
So instead of quietly preparing for that, Leah sat in the library. In front of her were two stacks of books, one visibly taller than the other, since she’d been here a while. Her runes, a notebook and a pen were on the table in front of her.
She had no idea what time it was, and didn’t think to check.
It had been a hard day for Percy. He was still ruminating over the conversation with his mothers, and the decision that they’d reached. But if he was going to be going to rehab, he wouldn’t be arriving empty handed. He had read all his books and would need more. Especially given the power blockers in effect at the facility - they’d need to be in English or Russian… a limitation that upset him almost more than the prospect of treatment. He had pursued most of the library’s mythology section for Greco-Roman, and as much as he preferred things that were closer to primary texts, he could make do. He’d barely scratched the surface of Norse myth, and given the abundance of Asgardians who walked this world, it had the added benefit of being practical.
There was, of course, just one problem. He had come armed with a list of twenty books he wanted. And five of them were missing. He blinked in and out of the stacks, double and triple and quadruple checking, but it was no use. They weren’t there. He was about to ask the librarian if she could confirm for him again that they even had those titles when out of the corner of his eye, he saw them. Sitting neatly in a stack, just for him!
Sitting neatly in a stack in front of Leah.
His jaw dropped slightly. He didn’t know she read.
He stared at her for a moment. And then at the books.
Could he just ask her for them?
Why did she have them?
He clutched the fifteen books he had found a little more protectively in the tote bag he used to transport them. What if Leah asked him for his books?
He blinked. And then, slowly, he walked forward. He stopped right in front of her. Cleared his throat. And with all the social grace of a worm, asked, “why do you have those?”
Leah glanced up over the books and gave Percy a look. ”They’re called books. They contain words in different languages, and sometimes people read them for the information they keep. And- Why do you have those?”
Percy frowned. “I know what a book is… Is that new information for you?” He then shifted his grip on his tote, holding onto it a little tighter - as if he could beat Leah in a contest of strength if it came to it. “They’re for reading. They cover Norse myth and examine how Asgardian lore departs from it. For example, one of these titles is entirely dedicated to tracing Odin’s lineage and its many mythological discrepancies - for instance, Loki and Odin are sworn blood brothers according to myth, rather than adopted son and father. Furthermore, Loki is held in chains and would not be freed until the events of Ragnarok, which have not yet come to pass - he isn’t meant to be terrorizing the Avengers.”
”And, furthermore, neither are his kids,” Leah added. ”I’m reading these things because apparently there’s a whole other world I’m from, that I know next to nothing about. I actually like reading, Percy. I just don’t usually broadcast it.”
Percy stared at her for a moment.
And then he opened up his tote bag, placed his books on the table, and sat down next to her. “Do you know where the debate comes from on whether Hel - or Hela - is his sister or his daughter? I’m much more versed in Greek myth. This is a new area for me. I dislike most translations, but I’m attempting to prioritize texts written in English or Russian for today.”
”...Depends on where you look.” Leah slid one of the books from the bigger stack to him. ”A long, long time ago, people didn’t really know the other eight of the Nine Realms existed. They were just gods and monsters and things that people didn’t physically meet. Back when Vikings still existed, the stories weren’t written down until Snorri’s time.”
She was awfully quick to jump on the chance to talk about this with someone.
Percy had to fight the urge to pounce on the book, instead allowing himself to instead just eagerly grab it. The harder urge to fight was to immediately begin reading it to digest all of this information. Why hadn’t he talked to Leah about this before? He was kicking himself for lost time. They’d won the contest of champions and defeated Arcade together and he couldn’t remember a single one on one conversation. “Where would you look, then?” he asked, before pulling three books in particular out, “I found these in the school’s collection, but I’m not familiar with these scholars - I’m not sure if they have any real merit to them or if it’s just sensationalist drivel designed to push Thor merchandise at the end of the day.”
”That’s… Yeah, that’s the problem. There’s actual history, the myth, and there’s Thor. A few of the books I found were just about Thor himself, but there’s also Thor the god who stories were passed down about. So… I’d just look in this library for now. That’s not helping me much, though. I’d hoped there’d be more about Jotunheim, but it’s mostly Asgard. Most of what I found was general Norse myth and history, and some stuff that actually separates them but- It’s still a lot to sift through.”
Leah flipped a few pages in the notebook she had. ”I wrote a few down. The myths and what actually happened are different, but there’s some overlap.”
Percy frowned, and tapped his fingers on the table. Leah had a good point. The collection here wasn’t sufficient by any means. Ostensibly, the most accurate records for not just Asgard but also Jotunheim would not be found on Earth. He scrunched his face up. The logistics were hard. His teleporting was better than before, having been so proven by Dorian during the contest, but a jump to Asgard seemed exceedingly difficult still. However… they did happen to know a wizard now. Or perhaps America would be willing to help them, albeit she’d likely have to take them to another universe first. Or… could Leah use the Bifrost? Was that travel available to giants?
“Do you think Heimdall would answer you if you called out for passage to Asgard? They must have better books and records there - I don’t know if Jotunheim has any libraries, but I’ve seen mentions of Odin’s archive - both as a collection of knowledge and a site of battles.” He then stopped tapping his fingers. “Or we could ask Mr. Gray if he could send us.”
Leah’s face lit up. ”...Heimdall? I mean- I dunno. Lots of what I’ve read so far suggests Asgard doesn’t really like giants, but I really don’t see many books here about that. It’s all mostly Asgard-centric. But we could try. I- Do you want to? I guess if we can get there, we can get back, right?”
Percy nodded eagerly. This definitely wasn’t at all motivated by the fact he was supposed to report to rehab in the morning. A spontaneous trip to Asgard - or even Jotunheim - sounded absolutely fantastic. “Hmm. Maybe we should ask Mr. Gray then, if Asgard isn’t fond of giants. But I am definitely interested in this, Leah. I think we should go as soon as possible - right now, even.” And then he hesitated. Would Max see through this? But then he decided he didn’t care.
”Right now? As in now? Well… Oh, damn, what time is it? Yeah, I guess that’s okay.” Leah eagerly stood up, grabbed her things and then collected some of the books. ”We can’t stay too long, though. I have some stuff I need to do, and I still need to call the Scarlet Witch about that thing. Let me put a few of these away- You think we can get copies over there? They surely have a bookstore or two, maybe.”
“Oh we should keep them. I’d like to read them anyways - even bad scholarship can be of interest at times,” Percy excused quickly. He wasn’t going to tell Leah that it was motivated by the fact that come tomorrow, he wouldn’t be able to read Asgardian texts - he imagined that the All Tongue didn’t translate to paper, or perhaps it would?
I’ll text Mr. Gray and see if he can make us a portal now then?”
”Uh…” She looked at the empty shelf, then back at the books.
”Yeah. Do that.”
Percy pulled out his phone, and shot off two texts in quick succession -
Dear Mr. Gray,
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to inquire whether you would provide a portal from the library of the Margaret Carter Institute to Asgard - specifically, its finest accessible archives. Ms. Jordan and I are hoping to pursue the records located there, as the ones at our school are unfortunately insufficient.
Kind regards, P. Novikov
My darling Dorian,
Would you do me the honor of accompanying Leah and myself on a brief adventure to Asgard and perhaps Jotunheim? If you find yourself too busy, then perhaps you might find some time for us to be with one another before I must depart in the morning.
Yours truly, Percy
Leah sent her own messages.
Going to jotunheim adn asgard beback soon wont be longbring you back a cool rock bye
Me adn percy are goingt o asgard and jotunhiem. be back before tomorrow bye
have fun be safe!!! Lemme know if you need money for food or anything!!!
im rich remember
lollll do you know rhe exchange rate
do you
lmao nope
Back at the Kingston-Gray House, Max was in the kitchen grabbing himself a small snack as he heard his phone buzz against the wooden counter. He spied the message as his magic moved his phone closer to him. ”Hmph.” His free hand waved across the air as a calendar was moved from one section of the house to the wall before him. Circled in red was the next day.
”Novikov's first day of Rehab.”
A reminder to keep an eye on his son given how his emotions may run. Curious though that they would be asking for an adventure out into deep space just a day before. Fine. But not without some due precautions, otherwise Novikova may actually murder him. He cleared some space in the kitchen for some extra travelers before opening a portal beneath Percy and Leah's feet. The pair of them would drop down, instantly, briefly seeing the rainbow bridge of Asgard before magic swept across them again and landed them within the kitchen of the Kingston-Gray's. A small taste of what they would witness should they comply with his demands.
From up above a squeal could be heard coming from Dorian's room, the sound of thunder roaring down the stairs as he began to speak a mile a minute asking his father if he could go to Asgard with Percy before noticing that both he and Leah were standing in their kitchen. Dorian cleared his throat, waving meekly at the pair of them embarrassed.
Leah was really, really not used to teleporting. She felt the ground disappear and nearly fell flat on her face.
”Jesus Christ- That’s worse than when Strange does it… Uh- Hi… Dorian.” She shook her head, the portal made her dizzy.
Percy’s eyes were still a bit wide with wonder at the sight of the rainbow bridge - and unlike Leah, he didn’t suffer the same sickness from the teleport. His heart had fallen slightly when the sight was taken away, but the moment he saw Dorian his face flushed, almost in shame. It was embarrassing how much he missed his boyfriend already. He nonchalantly tried to signal that he wanted very much to hold Dorian’s hand, but it came across almost as more of a nervous tic.
“Erm… Bonjour, Monsieur Gray. Comment-allez vous aujourd’hui? J’espère bien?” he asked, the sudden nerves of seeing the mage hitting him, as his language stumbled into French.
Max waved the calendar away from the kids before picking up a drink from the fridge. ”I'm doing fine Mr. Novikov, though I am curious about this most…daring trip you wish to go on. The famed Halls of Asgard? Very interesting location to wish to see. Had I more time i could've called in a few Asgardians to aid in whatever it is you wished to see. I have two students, brothers, at my school right now. There is also a wonderful kid from Jotunheim taking course there, I'm sure at least one of their parents wouldn't of minded helping teach more youth about them. Actually I believe we have a school trip planned later to visit the Realm of the God's, would only that you could wait.”
Max took a sip before sitting up on the counter and giving Leah a warm smile. ”Ms. Jordan. Apologies for the rough portal, I'd had meant to send you straight there but there are a few formalities that must occur first before I could. I assume you're looking to find more information about who you are or where you came from?”
”Yeah. I wasn’t born here, apparently. Or if I was, I don’t remember it. I’ve been reading what I can, but a lot of the stuff I find’s Asgard-centric or just… Not much. Which makes sense, because this is Earth.”
She had always thought she was a mutant, until recently. ”Going there was Percy’s idea, and it sounds like a good one. I would’ve just found a way to open a portal myself instead of troubling you, but he’s in a hurry for some reason.”
Percy shifted uncomfortably. He was beginning to wish they had just gambled on Heimdall’s cooperation. He hated the way that Mr. Gray looked at him - as if every action he made was painfully transparent. So he stared at Max’s nose instead, mimicking eye contact yet avoiding it. “Leah’s waited long enough for answers,” he offered. “And the Margaret Carter library doesn’t have a single volume on Jotunheim, which is absolutely criminal - they might as well stock the shelves with Little Golden Books, they would amount to the same substance.”
”They make those you know? Little Golden Books for Jotunheim.” He teased.
Dorian looked at his father. ”Pleeeaaaasssseeee? We'll be super careful! I doubt we'll start an intergalactic war! We'll be good, I promise!”
Max let out a small sigh. ”Unfair bringing my son into this, it makes it so much harder for me to deny your request. But Leah does deserve some answers, not until after I bestow some gifts. If anything was to happen to you, your mothers would kill me.” He stepped forward, placing an enchantment on each of them, one by one. Dorians and Leahs would allow them to contact Max should they need a quick escape back, but Percy's would forcefully teleport him back into this kitchen after 24hrs were up. ”You get one day, no more no less.” Andy hourglass appeared on the kitchen counter, sand falling down slowly. ”When the last grain falls, you will be here. That is all I can offer you for now. Sound fair?”
”Huh. You going to jail tomorrow, or something?” Leah asked.
Percy looked at the floor, his jaw clenched.
She looked at Max. ”...He’s going to jail.”
”Nothing so harsh as that. He's going on a trip, one his mother worked very hard for and I believe she deserves him to be there. I do not tread on family matters, thats how one ruins relations.”
He balled his hands into fists. He wished he had said yes, he was going to prison. In many ways it felt like he was. “My mothers are sending me to rehab tomorrow,” he muttered.
”Oh.” Leah felt bad for asking. ”Oh… That’s- Uh. That’s rough. Sorry. Wait a damn minute- Is that why we’re going?”
Dorian was grateful that his father had tried to save face for Percy, but his jaw dropped as Percy came out and said exactly what it was. Then again, the first step to fixing your problem is to admit that you have one.
”I mean- I get it. I don’t like admitting I need help either. But you could’ve said something. Actually, no, I wouldn’t have said something either. Are we actually going, or…”
Percy’s eye twitched. He contemplated teleporting as far away from everyone as he could and crawling into a hole from which he would never emerge. This all felt like a mistake. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor. “It’s fine. I’m not an alcoholic, so I will be able to leave quickly.”
Dorians jaw clenched as his boyfriend said he was fine. His gaze dropping down to the floor as well. ”T’e first step is admittance, you know t’at right? You ‘ave to actually admit and believe you ‘ave a problem ot’erwise it can't be resolved…”
Leah wasn’t good with people. She was wondering if she should just wait outside for… This. But Percy said something she didn’t like.
”Percy. I used to tell myself that a lot, you know. Not sure what you’re dealing with, but problems don’t go away when you pretend they aren’t there,” She said, fidgeting with her hair. ”It took me longer than I’m gonna admit, but I’m working on it. If- If it helps, I’m going somewhere soon too. Not rehab, but probably to CAGE to talk with Whitehall. Remember her? If you’re going there… I’ll come see you.”
His eye twitched again.
He should have kept his temper under control - but he was terrified. And hearing Leah name the very place he was being sent to… the same doctor who would doubtlessly be talking to… and the disappointment in Dorian’s voice. He felt like the walls were closing in around him. Like everyone was about to go against him.
And he broke.
“I do not have a problem,” his voice was desperate, rather than angry - and in a flash, his powers ejected him from the house and placed him in the middle of the street outside.
Leah just knitted her fingers together and gave Max an unsurprised look.
”He’ll get there. I wasn’t any different.”
Max gave Leah a knowing look. He stared off towards the direction Percy was likely to have gone before looking back towards Leah again. ”I've no doubt in my mind that he will. This isn't the families first struggle with consumption, it's always hard at first, but having friends and family to lend a hand, people he can rely on to stand up to him the way you just did, that will help immensely in the coming days. You're more than welcome to enjoy the lands of Asgard if you wish. It would do good to have one last adventure before his world changes.”
”Yeah. I think you scared him. Let me go talk to him… He’s acting like me.”
Leah walked over to the door and looked back at Dorian. ”You coming or staying home?”
”Coming!” Dorian said before stopping a few steps in and looking at Max. ”Dad?” Max smiled and waved his hand once more, Dorian's pajamas he had been lazing in all day changed to more appropriate clothing before Dorian began to follow Leah back out. She swung the door open and walked out to where Percy was.
”Hey. I’m not going to push it, but no one’s angry with you, okay?” That was all she was going to say about it. ”If you still want to go, we’ll go right now. We won’t talk about tomorrow for a second if you don’t want to, and we’ll bring back enough books that they’ll have to put a new wing in at the library. Sound good?”
He was quiet for a moment. He’d expected Leah to chastise him - to tell him that he was throwing his life away, that he was going to make everyone who cared about him suffer, that he was a failure and a disgrace. He didn’t expect her to offer to leave it be. He bit down on his lip hard, still looking at the ground, before he said very quietly. “… I’m just scared to go…”
”Yeah.” She felt that. ”If you had told me two months ago that Whitehall wasn’t secretly a terrorist who killed mutants when no one was looking, I’d call you crazy. That’s why I’m getting help, among other things. I get it, it’s terrifying. But that’s because it’s different.”
“That’s where they’re sending me,” Percy murmured. “CAGE. I won’t have my powers - I… I won’t be able to read,” his voice cracked. “Or - or feel Dorian. I’ll be… I’ll be all alone. And they’re telling me I have a problem but I’m fine, okay? I’m - I’m fine.” His entire body was trembling. He wanted so desperately to believe it.
It pained Dorian to see his boyfriend look and feel so defeated, so broken. But watching Leah talk to him, actually speak to him…it felt as if She-Hulk had done an amazing job in helping her grow in such a short amount of time. Maybe he just viewed Leah as the Himbo Jock for too long, maybe she was always this wise for someone living under a rock, or maybe she finally got the parentage she deserved. Either way, Dorian was content with letting her handle this field of mines for now.
”Who says you can’t read?” She almost asked him how hard it could be to cut one’s self with the paper in books, but that would’ve been awful. ”If they let us, we can visit. It’s easier with friends, and I’m learning that a lot lately.”
“… I will only be able to read in English, Russian, Hebrew, and Yiddish. Everything else will just be… gone…” He then set his jaw, daring a glance up at Leah as she said she would visit. He didn’t know if he wanted anyone to see him like that. He didn’t want to know what they would think of him.
”Well.. Okay, how did you learn those? Your powers weren’t always there, were they? What if… What if I bring books in- Okay, okay. I have an idea.” One could see the gears in her rocky skull turning. ”I’ll bring books. Some in English, some in Russian, and some in Spanish. That’s my first language, kind of. I’ll help you learn those while you’re there. That way, once you get out- And you will- You can impress Dorian.”
Then, she added, ”And if you get sick of it, you can force me to learn some Russian for revenge.”
”Maybe Asgard ‘as a language book to ‘elp teach Asgardian? Could learn t’at too? Oh! Or we can both learn Spanish toget’er and try and quiz each ot’er and write to each ot'er in it!”
Percy flinched slightly - Dorian had been so quiet, he hadn’t realized he was there. He - he didn’t want - he didn’t want Dorian to think that he was fragile, that… The words struggled to form in his mind. But… at the same time, it was good. He was genuinely touched to hear them both offer to learn languages with him, Dorian was almost expected, but Leah… ? She was the last person Percy would have expected this from. He was doing his very best not to cry. He didn’t like having people see him cry. “…. Okay…” he sniffled. “It… it won’t feel the same but… the words… knowing what they say is part of me… so… I… I would like that very much.”
”Good. Great. And you can even call me names if you see me backing out, too.” She looked back at Dorian. ”We’re going to both Asgard and Jotunheim, I bet there’ll be plenty of language books… And probably some pretty cool rocks.”
”I know you aren't a ‘uge fan of them but…this feels like a group ‘ug moment, t’en we're off to Asgard!!”
Percy nodded slightly. He hated hugs. But he did want to touch Dorian. And it would feel rude to tell Leah she wasn’t allowed to join.
”Sure.” She put an arm out around the small axe murderer wink, and avoided turning him into mush. ”You’re tiny, but I don’t normally have problems accidentally killing people like this.”
Dorian beamed at Percy's agreeance. Hugging his boyfriend tightly before feeling Leah's slight arm around him. Both to aid in Percy's touch aversion, Leahs manic hair, and to give a better hug, Dorian enveloped the trio in telekinetic energy, pulling them tighter and closer so that it was more like a bear hug.
Percy squirmed slightly, feeling his stomach churn at the close contact, the sensation of ants running up and down his skin - and then it lessened, and a bit of the tension left his body. He felt the telekinetic energy forming a bit of a barrier, and he could breathe a little better. “Don’t get used to this,” he grumbled weakly, even as the trembling stopped due to the embrace and the care.
Leah let the hug last a few seconds, feeling glad that she’d stopped being as shitty lately.
”Okay, he’s only got twenty four hours. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Watching from the window in the kitchen, Max felt satisfied with the growth happening before him. Taking a sip of his coffee, and having already sent off notice to Asgard of their new arrivals, he nodded towards no one in particular knowing full well Heimdall was watching for his signal. Rainbow lights erupted around the trio as the Bifrost opened and pulled them out of his lawn and into Asgard.
Percy was used to teleporting.
He was not used to the Bifrost.
It felt like he was flying, yet at the same time his skin being pulled in a million different directions - a cascading rainbow blur of images his mind could hardly process, and instinctively he reached out and snatched Dorian’s hand - and then, a second later, tentatively hooked a finger onto the fabric of Leah’s sleeve. By the time they landed, Asgard rushing into view, his breath completely knocked out of his body as he fell to the ground from the abrupt and sudden change in momentum.
Heimdall, dressed in gold armor, his hands resting on his sword, smiled ever so slightly. “Welcome, children of Master Gray, to Asgard.”
Leah landed knee-first, feeling like she hit the ground with the force of a meteor. Just like that, they were on the other side of the damn universe. Just moments ago, they were so close to home. Now… Wow.
”...We’re actually here.” Slowly, she stood. ”You’re him- Heimdall. If someone told me I’d be standing in front of you last week, I wouldn’t have believed them. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You need not say anything, Safjel Grintadottir,” Heimdall assured her. “Your passage to this realm is long overdue. And when you are ready, I shall see you safely onto Jotunheim.”
The rush from the Bifrost was absolutely outstanding! It felt as if every cell in Dorians body was humming with power. He wanted to reach out and touch the walls of energy but felt as Percy took his hand in his. As they landed, Dorian let himself hover just above the floor before finally stepping foot in Asgard. Looking towards Heimdall as he said…something.
”Bless you!” he said as he decided it must have been a sneeze.
Heimdall stared at Dorian.
Percy’s face flushed in second hand shame. And then as soon as that was processed, his jaw dropped. Was that… was that Leah’s name? He knew Leah was a name she had chosen for herself, that it wasn’t the one she’d been given on Earth. This one was… it sounded different. It sounded like flowers and love and care and warmth. And as much as it was different from the tough persona she carried, it sounded like her.
He wanted to say something - but he wanted to give Leah the space here. This was her past. Her name.
”I don’t know who that is. My name is Leah,” She told him. ”I might have been here, or there, once. But I was raised on Earth.”
Heimdall bowed his head slightly. “My apologies. Welcome to Asgard, Leah of Earth.”
”Thank you. I’ve heard stories, but we’ve come hoping we could learn more here. I’m a little surprised you’re even letting me in, from what I’ve read.”
“Aye. Master Gray has seen fit to grant you passage. I do not agree with the hatred shown by some here to the giants, but there are those who hold it as truth. Tread carefully in these hallowed halls.”
”We will. I can handle being hated, but you probably know that already.”
She looked down at Percy, then at Dorian. ”Ready?”
”You've got it Surf-gurl! Funny, did t’ey not know you ‘ad eart’ powers? I feel like Surfgurl is more an April name.” Dorian remarked as he began to make his way towards the Rainbow Bridge.
“My eye is upon you,” Heimdall’s voice echoed off after them.
Percy had to run a little bit to catch up with Leah and Dorian. Surf-gurl? The name hadn’t sounded anything like that. That was one issue with his powers - everything translated for him, and in that translation, nicknames sometimes became unrecognizable. He had genuinely no idea how the name related. “The name is more floral than oceanic,” he pointed out. “Flower Child would be a better translation.”
”Flower Child? It doesn’t sound familiar to me at all.” The bridge was… Well, “beautiful” didn’t do it justice. She walked down it quietly for a moment, contemplating things.
”I don’t have any memories of being out here. I always thought I was just a mutant like you two and my dad, that’s what I was raised with. My mom named me Mayra, but I gave that name up after I tried to kill my dad. I’ve never heard the name he used.”
”Flower Child…sounds retro. Somet’in’ Casper would definitely t’ink up or say. Maybe you don't ‘ave any memories of ‘ere but…t'at doesn't mean we can't make some of our own while we're ‘ere right? I mean c'mon! ‘ow many of our classmates get to say t’ey went to Asgard for Winter Break? ‘ow cool is this?!”
Percy bit his lip. There were definitely a few memories he had in mind to make. But now wasn’t the time. Instead, he refocused on what they’d come here for - the archives! He hoped there were museums too! “Yes, think of all the books we will find!” he enthused. “I think we can dedicate a good twelve hours to the libraries alone, and between the three of us, we can amass a great deal of information and understanding.”
”Yeah, but let’s not get separated. I don’t want to trouble Heimdall or Dorian’s dad. Or have to find one of you when I’m bringing a whole stack of books- I wanna find some we can take home. Not just read in a library.”
And, while she was at it, she could add them to the school’s library system.
”Booooooorin’. I say we do maybe 4 ‘ours max at the library and t’en explore and speak to the people of Asgard and Jotunheim. T’ey'd know better t’an some dusty tome anyways. Oh! Maybe t’ey'll have a play!”
Percy pouted slightly. Only four hours? That was… barely any time! He thought twelve was already a bit of a crunch, he could have spent weeks in the libraries of Asgard before being satisfied. Four hours?! What were they supposed to accomplish? They might as well not go to the library at all!
“… Eight hours,” he countered.
”Eight hours,” Leah repeated. ”We don’t actually know what’s where and who’s who. Eight hours here and eight hours on Jotunheim is sixteen hours, and that’s eight for actually finding our way around. If we have time left, we’ll figure it out later.”
”Nerds. Fine, what're we lookin’ for anyway? Percy didn't say much beyond trip to Asgard and well…somewhat Asgardian fun.” Doriam winked. ”I can try to ‘elp locate t’ing’s and read but my Asgardian is very rusty.”
Percy’s face flushed as Dorian brought up his other request. He was very much happy to hear that it would be fulfilled. If he wasn’t finding it hard to sit or walk when he went to CAGE the next day, he’d be crushed. “I would say items relating to the giants of Jotunheim and Leah’s lineage. In addition, we were interested in finding more accurate records on the pantheon in order to determine divergences in the Norse myth,” Percy summarized. “In essence… we want to read every book they have here and more.”
”Yeah. The library back at the school didn’t have much, we were hoping they’d actually know a few things out here. You said something about an archive, earlier. You wanna try that first?”
”Prioritize Leah's lineage and if we have time then we can work on the inconsistencies within mythology. That I feel like we can gather from the locals even after we leave the library.” Dorian stopped for a moment, the Rainbow Bridge bright beneath his feet as he turned to face Leah and Percy. ”Wait…T’e Archive?! Why didn’t you say so! I ‘eard it ‘osts t’e Crown of Surtur, oh oh and a small boat t’at grows in size! Maybe we'll even get a chance to try on the Infinity Gauntlet!!!” Dorian grabbed both their hands as he began to float up in excitement before bolting forward and attempting to drag them with him. ”Why are we wastin’ time? Let's go let's go let's go!!!”
Percy had never seen his boyfriend so excited to go to a library before. It was the hottest he’d ever been. He would have teleported them there, had he been there before - a blind teleport was just asking for a disaster. So instead, he let himself be dragged along by Dorian, not fighting it as he didn’t want his arm to be pulled out of its socket. “Maybe now you’ll be more interested in spending twelve hours there,” Percy said somewhat wistfully. “But yes, we should hurry. We don’t want to arrive and find out someone beat us to the records we are interested in.”
”Woah- Hey, hey!” Leah was dragged forward like an old grandma being dragged away by a rottweiler on a leash. ”God, you’re worse than April.” She sounded amused.
”Well we don't ‘ave a lot of time and I wanna play with the infinity gauntlet.” He said as he stuck his tongue out. He had half a mind to try and teleport them all across the bridge, but he didn't even know where the Archive was, only that it existed.
Percy rolled his eyes. “And what are you planning to do with the Infinity Gauntlet?”
”Im not takin’ it if t’at's your worry. Even if it would look cool next to my Spidey-Web blasters and repulsion gauntlets…” he pouted.
He shook his head. “It grants wishes, right? I more meant - what are you wishing for?”
”If the Infinity Gauntlet could actually be used by someone, do you really think they’d let people near it?” Leah interjected.
Dorian rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe the pair of them. ”It doesn't grant wishes Perce, and its virtually useless unless you ‘ave t’e stones. I doubt t’ey ‘ave t’em all ‘ere and on display wit’ t’e Gauntlet. T’at would be irresponsible and stupid. Chances are it's just t’e Gauntlet itself. But if I could ‘ave a wish come true –” His greatest wish had already been fulfilled and yet…another haunted him. If he could truly have one wish, it would be that the vision he had didn't come to pass. That everyone he knew wasn't dead in a years time. But he didn't want to say that out loud. ”Its a secret.” He said with a wink.
Percy’s ears burned. “I thought you wore it with the stones, snapped your fingers, and it gives off immense power that’s shaped into your wish,” he explained. He didn’t know as much about superhero lore as Dorian did. But the embarrassment was quickly replaced by frustration. He loved secrets - and he hated not knowing what they were. “Maybe my greatest wish is a secret too, then,” he pouted. “And maybe it involves Doctor Strange.”
”That sounds like way too much power for someone to have,” Leah observed. Maybe she was biased for having clinical levels of authority problems, but being able to reshape reality on a whim? No. ”You could raise the dead, rewind time, snap people out of existence… Imagine.”
”You just listed somet’in’ my uncle can do, somet’in’ t’at ‘as ‘appened, and murder.” Dorian countered.
”Your uncle kind of freaks me the hell out, no offense. There are time cops, and murder is usually harder than that. Speaking from experience.”
”When did you meet Uncle Spellman?” Dorian let go of their hands as he turned to face them, still moving, just floating backwards now.
”When we were all at your house?” She told him. ”Everyone went upstairs to talk to a dead guy and I sat it out, remember? Don’t like thinking about that kind of thing.”
Dorian couldn't help but laugh a bit as the confusion cleared away. ”You mean Casper? No no, Avery Spellman is a close friend of my dad from ‘is days back at Xaviers. ‘e actually raises t'e dead, Casper just speaks to t’em…and sometimes calls upon t’eir spirits but rarely.”
”Oh… Well, it still creeps me out either way. If he can speak to Nemo, he could find my dead mom and- Yeah, no. Not opening that one up.”
He grimaced slightly at the mention of Nemo. Heading about him made his body itch - like a rage that wasn’t his own was threatening to take over. “… How many necromancers does your family have?” Percy asked, intrigued. He knew that Dorian’s family had a unique relationship with Death. He just didn’t realize it extended beyond Casper. Even Dorian’s own powers seemed somewhat necromancy like at times.
Dorian's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. If he could contact the dead, he could contact my mom. Here she was, in another realm searching for answers about her true parents, and still having some mindset towards her mother who had passed. Not once in all the years of being with Casper did Dorian ever consider asking him to contact his deceased parents. Hel he didn't even know who his deceased parents were. As far as he was concerned his parents were Ben and Max. He was a Gray. Yet…was he a bad person for not caring about those who birthed him? Those who gave him life and sheltered him from losing his too early?
”Sorry what?”
”What? She wouldn’t even recognize me like this. She didn’t always recognize me then, either. It’s complicated.”
Percy frowned. He didn’t quite follow the sudden distance from Dorian. He tilted his head slightly, and stopped walking. “Is something wrong?”
”Duh! T’e fact t’at you've stopped when we still have so much more to go!” Dorian said with a wide smile before he zipped down the bridge.
Percy glanced at Dorian, then back at Leah, and he shrugged. “See you at the end,” he said with a slight wave, before teleporting himself to the very end of the bridge.
”Hey! Hey!” Leah took off running. The nice thing about being incredibly strong was she could run pretty fast. But not that fucking fast. ”Fucking wait, you fucking twink! You couldn’t have taken me with you?!”
”Cheater!” Dorian cried out as blue energy formed around his eyes and he vanished, reappearing at the end next to Percy before flicking his ear.
“Hey!” Percy protested. “There’s nothing cheating about using my gifts,” he argued, before teleporting in rapid succession around Dorian just to irritate him back.
Leah ran like there were demons behind her, trying to catch up with the two teleporters who conveniently left her behind.
”Some of us can’t just teleport, damnit!” She bellowed from afar.
”I t’ought t’ere was like…teleportation runes or something. Weird. T’en again not my area of magical expertise.” Dorian shrugged before sweeping his foot where Percy would appear to trip him.
And sure enough, as Percy appeared he collided with Dorian’s foot, the sudden change in his momentum sent him crashing down, face first, into the Rainbow Bridge.
Dorian reached his hand out, snagging Percy's body with his Telekinesis just inches above the bridge before letting him go softly onto the ground. Sticking his tongue out at him.
“I hate you,” Percy grumbled. He didn’t like having his clothes pressed into the ground everyone walked on, but he decided to remain on the ground to be dramatic.
”Oh, quit being a brat, Percy.” Leah caught up to them, feeling pretty dramatic herself. ”Maybe next time we walk somewhere far away, I’ll just throw one of you.”
Percy repeated Leah’s words right back at her into the ground, somewhat mockingly.
”Yeah, yeah, brat all you want when you’re alone, whatever. Come on, get up. We’re here.” Leah stepped over him, and walked forward. Asgard was just up ahead, and she’d never seen a place so big and elaborately built in her life.
He huffed slightly, before standing up to his feet and dusting himself off. His clothes were wrinkled now and his hair was an absolute mess - one he didn’t know if his reliable 5-in-1 could salvage. And then Percy continued on, trailing in Leah’s wake.
Dorian gawked at the mere sight of it all. The golden structures, massive buildings, even the floor dazzled with its own form of beauty and glory. ”Do you t’ink t’ey'll let us dine wit’ t'em in t'e great ‘all?”
”I have no idea. I don’t really know how that works here.” Would she even be allowed in the same building as someone like Odin? Did he know she was here?
”So… Books.” Words momentarily failed her.
Percy nodded slightly, “books,” he affirmed. He felt so small as he craned his neck up at the gleaming structures, as the sense of surrealism struck him. He had seen photographs and descriptions of Asgard before, but actually being there… That was something else entirely. He could have spent a lifetime here and still not have scratched the surface of this place. And as he looked at the bustling streets, he was struck by the realization that while not all of the people here were recognized as such, they were essentially gods.
”Ohmygod! Wait!” Dorian crackled in blue energy once more as he appeared right next to Heimdall, who undoubtedly already knew he was coming. ”Sorry to bot'er you Mr. Heimdall! But is photography allowed wit’in t’e city and ‘alls of Asgard? I'd ‘ate to break a rule.”
Heimdall sighed softly. “Flash photography is not allowed. Otherwise, do as you wish.”
Dorian hugged Heimdall quickly. ”T’ank you!” Before he vanished once more to Percy and Leah, instantly whipping his phone out and taking a selfie with Asgard in the background. ”No flash photo's”
Leah didn’t smile in the picture.
”…So. We ready to go in? The doors are right there. And Percy looks impatient.”
Percy didn’t smile either. He hated having his picture taken. Instead of looking happy, the camera captured a clear deer in the headlights look. “Yes, yes, let’s go,” he insisted.
”Stop! No one smiled. We go again.”
Percy’s shoulders slumped. There was no use resisting this - not with the limited time afforded to them. When it came to getting a picture, there was no reasoning with Dorian. He had done this for hours before. Percy took a deep breath, before plastering a big, fake smile on his face. “This hurts,” he complained, his cheeks straining.
”Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” Leah put on a smile. It wasn’t as fake as Percy’s.
”Perfect! OK, to The Archives!”
“Thank… er, I suppose that’s not appropriate to say here. Thank Odin?” Percy shook his head slightly, before moving in the direction he assumed the archive was.
”Yeah. Let’s go already.”
The archives were not hidden within the city - rather, they were celebrated. A part of the royal palace themselves, their entrance was at the end of a row of hedges, whose occasional opening would allow admittance into the royal gardens. Here, young Asgardians tended to the blooms, the light reflecting perfectly off of their braided locks, and the laughter they shared as they went about their tasks had the merriment of bells. Wagons filled with garlands and wreaths passed the trio on by, as some sort of celebration was doubtlessly in preparation - and perhaps almost ominously to some, mistletoe featured in a fair number, with almost equal amounts of sunflowers. But beyond the greenery, the doors to the archives loomed, gigantic and imposing - easily fifteen feet tall, blue and beige stonework with elegant, golden accents. The occasional robe scholar slipped in and out, hands adorned with rings, their sandals clicking slightly with each step, and ancient tomes tucked away carefully underneath their arms.
While most were able to arrive unimpeded, as the trio approached the entrance, an ancient, wizened woman smiled at them most kindly. She was missing half of her teeth, and her skin seemed to almost have the texture of parchment, and her hair was so matted it resembled the feathers of a crow. “Leah, daughter of Jen; Dorian, son of Max; Percy, son of Dominika - I have been expecting you,” the crone greeted. “Come. I am Huginn. You have much to see and little time to do so.”
Percy had no recollection of such a figure - he assumed that Huginn must have been an archivist, one he suspected had a connection with Mr. Gray. It set him on edge, how much Dorian’s father had already managed to do in Asgard. His influence was uncanny. With someone so powerful, how could Dorian ever hope to really be on his own, to be independent? Would Max’s shadow be lurking over them for their entire relationship? It was like dating the child of a celebrity - although, Max essentially was a celebrity. Percy wouldn’t have been surprised to learn he had his own wikipedia page.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Percy said, inclining his head slightly.
Leah had thought Huginn would’ve been a bird. But then again, they were here because they didn’t actually know much. Maybe that was just one form she took.
”Did Heimdall tell you about us?” People here in Asgard had a way of knowing lots of things, and Huginn was one of the watchers who Odin used to spy on the world. It didn’t surprise her that they were expected. Especially not if Max had sent a heads-up.
Huginn laughed slightly at that idea. “Mm. From a certain point of view, perhaps he did,” she answered unhelpfully. “And yet from another, it is I who told him about you.”
”I’m going to pretend I understand that.”
Huginn playfully booped Leah’s nose, before opening the door to the archive. “Follow me.”
”What's all t’e festive decorations for? I assume some sort of Winter Celebration, but I always get t'em all mixed up.”
“Aye, the decorations are for Jól,” Huginn affirmed. “We are celebrating the return of Baldur’s light.” Her robes swept the ground as she walked. Inside, the lighting was provided by glowing, golden planetary spheres, with long blue shadows darkening the carpets. Books were safely tucked away on every wall, and as they walked, various artifacts were placed out on pedestals, without any labeling or indication as to what they were. “Shall we begin with Jotunheim?” she asked.
“So Baldur has died then?” Percy asked, oblivious to the fact that such a question might have been highly insensitive. He was already musing over different light festivals and traditions. Most religions tended to acquire them if they didn’t have one already - Hanukkah was a prime example in his opinion, as its origins had been tidied up into something a little more respectable for the goys. He remembered one of his tutors at Hebrew school growing up, who had explained it was a holiday more appropriate for the likes of Magneto, but held as one for Charles Xavier.
“Yes. No. Perhaps.”
”Death is different for them, Percy,” Leah explained, quietly. Her eyes were wandering over everything in the surroundings. Every detail, every entrance, every exit. ”Dying doesn’t always turn out to be permanent, and sometimes, it isn’t physical… Jotunheim- Yeah, can we start with that?”
The return of Baldurs light? Why did so many cultures have light festivals at this time? Dorian wondered as they wandered the halls of The Archives. Seemed they were starting off with Jotunheim, lucky for them to have a guide to the section. Dorian had feared they could easily get lost within the building. He wanted to ask Huginn a question, wondering if Leah's parents, her giant parents, were still alive. Or if they knew of how or why Leah ended up on Midgard. But that felt like a question she should ask herself if she wanted the answers at all.
Percy’s eyes narrowed slightly - not in anger, but in interest. He was beginning to notice a pattern with Huginn - she seemed incapable of giving a straight answer. Everything was vague and cryptic. Either she didn’t know the answers to their questions, she enjoyed being unhelpful, or the truth was complex like this. With what Leah said, about death not being permanent… He could not help but wonder what was permanent here in Asgard? Were things fixed? Or was the source of so many inconsistencies just that things were constantly in flux, unable to be described in any definitive terms? It was fascinating, if true. He loved and hated the idea in equal measure.
“Well put,” Huginn praised Leah. “The light cannot be reborn without death. There can be no beginning without an end. Just as the Nine Realms move in a circle, adrift in cosmic harmony around the roots of Yggdrasil, so too do we dance without end or beginning.” She then paused, having approached a reinforced door, one made out of crude silver metal, lacking the ornate designs of the others. She merely stared at it, and slowly, gears began to turn and click, mechanisms undoing themselves as the door drifted open - and immediately, a blizzard of snow spewed out, covering them all from head to toe.
“Please, enter. The lore and relics of Jotunheim prefer an arctic chill.”
Leah flinched and shielded her face from the wind. She wasn’t used to the cold, and it felt really damn inconvenient all of a sudden.
”Right, okay… Huh.” She dusted some snow off her head and walked through. It was a damn good thing she had a jacket on, at least.
Clearly Max knew where they would be heading to, and the jacket Dorian was wearing now made a lot more sense. He pulled it closer together, closing it up before proceeding inwards as the cold air cut across his cheeks. The roseyness beginning to come up already as he wished he'd brought a hat to help with the cold. ”I ‘adn't realized ‘ow much you knew about Asgard and its Realms Leah. Or is it more like it's all comin’ back to you slowly?”
Percy was not at all dressed appropriately for the weather. His legs were fully covered at least, but for a top, all he had was a short sleeved button up Dorian had gotten for him, with the collar popped open as the first few buttons were undone. The sudden influx of snow and cold should have been excruciating, his teeth should have been chattering right out of his skull. He was a California native, he’d never known anything but sun and warmth.
Maybe it was shock at the extreme drop in temperature, maybe he wasn’t aware of how the tip of his nose and his exposed skin were reddening from the biting chill - or maybe a hoe could never truly be cold. But somehow, he shrugged it off. Maybe it was the sheer amount of information and novelty allowing him to ignore it. “I hadn’t realized either. I think earlier was the first time I’d ever seen you with a book.”
Leah stuck her hands in her pockets, and tilted her head forward. Her thick hair fell around her, hiding some of her from the snow. She took in a deep breath, and the cold air in here felt strangely right to her.
”Been learning a lot, ever since I learned I wasn’t a mutant,” She explained. ”I used to not care that much about stuff like that. Identities, and where I came from. But then it turns out I’m not even from the same planet as everyone. So… I spent a lot of time digging for information where I could.”
There it was again, the same feeling as before back on the bridge. Dorian followed suit and shoved his hands within his pockets as well. He looked at the space before him, only offering a glance towards Leah before he spoke in a somewhat low voice, as if he didn't want the words to reach anyone's ears. ”What made you want to start? What do you ‘ope to learn?”
”The way it was explained to me, back before I tried to kill my dad and ran away, I was just his mutant kid. It made sense, because he’s a mutant, so maybe I got it from him. That was before I stopped looking like I could’ve actually been born on Earth.”
She reached into the pouch of runes she brought with her, feeling around for one of them. ”He always got up to crazy things, so… I wanted to learn how the hell this made any sense. If I’m not from Earth, what am I doing here, you know? Why’d I look mostly human the whole time, and how did I even get there? I want whatever answers I can find.”
”Right…and we'll ‘elp you every step.”
Fuck, it really was nice actually having friends, now.
”…Thanks, guys.”
Percy nodded, even as he felt guilty. He hadn’t suggested this trip for the selfless motivation of shedding light on Leah’s heritage. It had been a stalling tactic, purely self serving. “Of course.” He wished he could have said that his motivations were more genuine. And the more he sat with this feeling, the more it made his skin crawl. So instead, he walked to a frost covered wall of books, and began to examine the titles.
Dorian gave Leah a side hug, phasing enough to where she could feel him but also so that her hair couldn't damage him. Just the mere presence of a hug before he moved forward to search the shelves for anything that could help them identify what type of giant she was. ”Don't worry about it, t'at's what friends are for. I keep tryin' to tell all of you t'at.” He said as he removed a book and began thumbing through it quickly before placing it back for another one. This one seemed to be more in line with what he had hoped to find. Given that they knew the existence of Frost Giants, that meant there had to be other kinds with a different prefix before them. Boy where there a lot.
”Based on the index in this book, there are at least…Eight to ten different types of giants within the Nine Realms. We've got…Frost, Storm, Ice, Fire, Mountain, Rock, Cloud, Wind, Shadow, and Brine. Which means…Leah could fall under any of these. Though I'm inclined to think Mountain, or Rock based on your powers.”
Leah picked up one of the books, and stared down at the cover. Then the looked at a few more, and she realized she couldn’t understand the letters on them. ”I could see Percy understanding this, but why the hell do you know what any of this says? I have no idea what I’m looking at.”
“He’s borrowing my powers,” Percy explained succinctly. He had found a book detailing the societal structure of Jotunheim and was quickly becoming absorbed with it, kneeling in the snow as he flipped through the pages.
”...You can do that?”
Leah pulled out one of the runes. Ansuz, for knowing and communicating. She held it up to the book.
”Show me what it says.”
The rune glowed, and a light shone on the cover… And it only lit up the words, it didn’t magically translate them.
”Damn… Okay, doing this the hard way.”
Dorian looked over towards another shelf, his thumb holding his place within the book as he saw another that was on Runic structures. He held his hand out and pulled on the book so that it floated towards him. The pages flicking open as he looked towards Leah and showed her the Runic pattern. ”Try these with the encantation ‘Reveal unto me secrets bound by ink.’ Language should he as flowery as the stories they come from.”
Leah studied it. It was a combination of a few. ”Okay- let me just…”
She stuffed the rune away and reached for a pen in her pocket. Then she carefully dragged it across her hand. A Perthro rune, with a smaller Ansuz in the middle. A line went upwards off of it, linking a Kenaz to it. It started to glow orange against her skin.
”Reveal unto me secrets bound by ink.”
It felt like someone was squeezing her eyes. Magic flowed into them, and suddenly every word on every surface of the shelf was in English, and glowing orange. It felt strange, but… It worked.
”Woah- Is this how you two see things? This feels weird…” Leah looked down at the book she was holding, and saw it was about the wars between Aesir and Vanir.
Percy was quiet for a moment, before he nodded. He hadn’t had his powers very long, having developed them in middle school, but he already could barely remember life without knowing what every word meant, or at the very least, what it was supposed to mean. The secret meanings people put into their speech and prose still eluded him. “You’ll become accustomed to it,” he reassured her. He then realized her earlier question had been skipped. “Ah, erm… There was an… Dorian’s powers and my own had an interaction, and entangled.”
Dorian rolled his eyes at Percy. For an man who had language at the tip of his tongue, he sure was unable to use it alot. ”I think it may be a bit different? Percy's ability more so let's me see meaning versus just a regular translation. As for how I am able to use them, we didn't see the warnings at the end of the Mutant Kama Sutra and in using our powers while we were experimenting, we became entangled on a quantum level.” His speech was very matter of fact as he began to dive deeper into the types of giants.
Percy was now a violent shade of red, as he pointedly hid behind his book.
Leah gave Dorian a most incredulous look for a moment, and then quickly regained her composure.
”Dorian.” She leaned in closer, and put an arm on his shoulder for dramatic effect. ”The fucking what?”
”Which part?”
”You’re telling me there’s a book about how to fuck mutants?”
Dorian couldn't help but laugh, a frosty tear forming on his cheek before it froze halfway down. ”No, not how to fuck a mutant, more like…how to fuck like a mutant. It takes into consideration power sets, the dangers between them, ways to combine them, all of that and some kinks too like température play with elemental powers.”
Leah looked over at Percy, then back at Dorian.
Then back at Percy.
Then back at Dorian again.
”...Does it say anything about super strength?”
”Only one of the most common tropes. So yeah duh. There's tons on it.”
Percy was half tempted to teleport. He didn’t know where he’d end up. But he didn’t care. He wanted this conversation to end by any means possible. And it didn’t help too that whenever he thought about these things, it caused parts of him to stir. “Do we have to talk about this?” Percy half whined.
”I mean… Not really.” She shrugged. ”Just asking.”
”Its fine, we are on a bit of a time crunch. So we should focus a bit, we can talk about t'at when we get back.”
Percy relaxed for a moment, before doing a double take. They would talk about that when they got back…? He would rather hug Danni than talk about sex and kink with Leah right now. The color in his face drained.
”Relax, Percy. I’m not gonna spy on you two while you fuck in the Astral or whatever,” Leah deadpanned, putting the book about wars away and reaching for another.
“… We don’t fuck in the astral, our parents aren’t exactly thrilled about the entanglement.”
Leah gave him a look.
Percy had no idea what the look meant.
He stared back at her.
”Did I ask?”
“No,” he furrowed his eyebrows somewhat. “But what you said was incorrect.”
”I said I wasn’t gonna watch you two fuck. That’s- Okay, new subject.”
She dusted off the cover of a book she picked up. ”…The Ironwood of Jotunheim.”
”I t'ink t'at's what's in Percy's pants right now.” Dorian chuckled out before clearing his throat. ”Sorry new subject.”
The color rapidly flooded back into Percy’s face… and he hated that Dorian wasn’t entirely wrong. “Rehab doesn’t seem so bad now,” he grumbled under his breath, before doing his very best to go back to reading, looking over a diagram that traced giant lineages.
Leah cracked the frigid book open and started reading. The text briefly described Jotunheim with an analogy. A planet with continents like North America, Asia and Antarctica. It then compared a place called Jarnvidr to one or the other. A forest larger than anything seen on Earth, trees big as mountains that touched the sky. It was said to sit high above the clouds, where few could pass.
With the silence of study finally rolling over the trio, Dorian decided to focus a bit more on why they had come here. Luckily the information being given was more interesting than some of the subjects back at school. He'd turned over towards the section for Mountain Giants, beings of the Earth who dwelled within forested mountains that sat atop the clouds. The trees themselves so large and sturdy their canopies could hold cities atop them with a single tree being capable of supplying enough wood to make an entire bridge to cross the gaps between peaks. It was said that they reached so high the sky was crystal clear and the stars shone bright and vibrant each night. This connection to nature, to its elements and soul, is what allowed them to manipulate and work with runes with ease. Harnessing the power of the Earth around them and using that connection to expend the energy needed. The more that Dorian read, the more he wondered if this was the kind of Giant Leah hailed from.
Meanwhile, Percy had finally stumbled upon something relevant for Leah. The book so far had detailed different giant clans and houses, outlining the ones who had ties to royalty and other significance. He didn’t see anything for Leah’s father, but there was plenty of material on her mother, Grinta. She was from a line of witches who worked with runes, with Grinta being attested as a seer. The reference was more concerned with tracking the line rather than giving context, but Percy couldn’t help but wonder how much Leah’s gifts with runes directly related to her giantsblood. “Leah, you’re from a line of witches,” Percy said rather matter of factly. “This title for your mother I am reading as She Who Speaks to the Mountains. Another one listed is Stone Whisperer.”
”What?” She bent over to one side and looked down at the book he had. ”She’s in there? She just happens to be a famous witch, seriously?”
“You and Dorian have more in common than we’d thought,” Percy mused, as he offered the book to her.
” What's more I t'ink i may ‘ave found what type of Giant you are. Although it seems almost like a no duh sort of answer but it means we ‘ave a direction to go at least.”
”Yeah? Let me guess, I’m a water giant or something.” She leaned back the other way, looking over Dorian’s shoulder.
”T'at would be a Brine Giant but aye, you ‘ail from t'e depths of t'e ocean. Explains why youre so short, all t'at atmospheric pressure.”
”Wait, did I get that right? Or are you fucking with me…”
”You're a Mountain Giant, though they don't say anything about being able to actually Earthbend, but apparently they're very good at Runic magic.”
Was there a reason for that? Leah’s magic came from runes, and if she wasn’t actually a mutant, then how did she make rocks move? Maybe giants had something like the X Gene, maybe?
”Does- Is there anything in there about other Giants who can do something weird? Like flying when no one else can, or something like that?”
Dorian quickly flipped back and forth between the pages on Mountain Giants and the Index of the book, seeing if there was anything about specialties within the species or mutations but there was nothing within this particular book. ”Not t'at t'ey outline wit'in t'is text but t'is seems to be a very straight forward book simply talkin’ about t'e differences in Giants and not much beyond. I'm sure somewhere amongst t'ese t’ere may be more on Giants wit’ furt'er abilities.” He passed the book to Leah, making his way around the Archives in search for something that detailed Mountain Giants (or any Giant really) with unique abilities beyond the ones they were typically born in.
Leah brought both books over to a table and pulled a chair free from the snow. She took a seat and rubbed her eyes. This spell she was using to understand the language was giving her a headache. ”I know Mutates are things, and sometimes they’re not human,” She mused. ”Unless I’ve been using magic this whole time without knowing.”
Percy tapped his fingers on his knees, thinking for a moment. “Where do Thor and Loki get their powers from that distinguish them from your common asgardians and giants? Perhaps you have a status similar to Loki - a giant, but something more,” he speculated. His teeth were chattering now from the cold, as he got up from where he had been sitting to read, and started to pace. “I would love to spend more time here reading, but perhaps it would be in Leah’s interest to go more directly to the source - to go speak with a giant.”
”Mutates are different, t’ey gained t’eir powers t'rough some external source. T'e Fantastic Four got it from Cosmic Radiation, Spidey got bit by a radioactive spider, t'ing's like t'at cause a mutate. Whereas mutants gain t'eir's from t'e X-gene. Loki and T'or are bein's of myth, so t'at's ‘arder to define, as would anyt'in' to do wit’ Giants.” Dorian spoke yet his eyes never left the pages before him. His brows furrowed as Percy suggested they leave to speak to a giant. ”T'ere's a passage ‘ere, but I don't know if it means anyt'in’...it's titled ‘A Rose in Midgard' But Rose is written more like a name t'an t'e flower…”
”In Midgard? Does it say anything about who they are? What’s the book actually about?” Leah had gotten to a part about how Loki, the monster children, and his wife traced their origins back to the Ironwood. She’d never met another Giant, and suddenly felt very interested in Dorian’s book.
Dorian turned the book in his hand to try and get a better idea on exactly what the book was. ”Its a collection of stories best I can tell. Prophecies maybe? It contains the stories like Loki and Baldur but seems to predate t’e event but also…post date it? Wit’ t'ier world bein'so entertwined in story and legend it's ‘and to tell where one begins and anot'er ends.”
Wait.
”...That’s my middle name, what the fuck?”
”Your middle name…is Rose?...Shut up. No way.”
”I’ve got… I don’t even know how many names at this point. But… After I ran off to California, Leah Rose Jordan is what I started calling myself. There’s no way… Am I in that damn thing?”
Dorian turned the book for Leah to see, written on the page the title of the poem set before them. ”You tell me”
“Bastard of air and brood of earth, suffer heavy the melodies of your dearth.
On turbulent clouds find false haven, 'stead guised in flesh and bound by blood shall midgard quake in madness's wake. Not one but two, a shadow to light, will find their way through brutal fight.
But blood of two does rise once more, futhark bound with steel and stars. Rise, you who carry burden deep and with strength and steel may your future keep.”
She read it, read it twice, and then a third time.
False haven, madness. Not one but two, was that her past identity? Or the new one she had?
It reminded her of a certain witch in a tent.
”Fuck. Agatha once told me about facing what had already happened. She warned me if I didn’t, it’d happen again. I’d have to pack up, leave, start over again and again. That sounds like me.” Why the hell did someone write a book about her?
Percy had peered over Leah’s shoulder, contemplating the prose. He wished that he had a pen and some paper with him. Or at the very least, some sticky notes. It was the sort of thing that needed to be read multiple times, broken down by individual lines so that way their meanings could be deduced, and then added up to the overall part. The added context from Agatha was intriguing. “Do you remember Agatha’s exact words?” he asked. Witches tended to be unhelpfully cryptic - it could be useful to compare them more directly. “Perhaps though we should take this one verse at a time. Bastard of air, brood of earth - this clearly indicates you. The melodies of your dearth… the songs of what you lack. Hmm.”
”Not really. She was doing tarot readings, and I don’t know a lot about that. But the cards she pulled for me were nasty. That’s where the warning came from, she didn’t actually mention anyone specific, just what the cards meant together.”
”Guised in flesh is obviously whatever was ‘iden you and makin’ you appear ‘uman. But I don't know what t'e ‘ell a futhark is.”
”Runes. That’s the name for them. The word “Rune” can mean anything, Futhark is the word for the Norse ones.”
Percy nodded, before sneezing. Once he recovered, he resumed his thoughts. “Do you remember the cards, then?”
”Yeah.” Leah nodded. The Ten of Swords. Temperance, Reversed. Queen of Wands, Reversed. Wasn’t very good, according to her.”
Dorian looked over towards his boyfriend, watching as he began to shiver and sneeze. He pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of the page before closing it and putting it back on the shelf. ”Out, before Perce dies of ‘ypot'ermia. We can discuss t'is in a warmer climate.”
“I’m fine,” Percy protested, before he sneezed again. He made a mental note of the cards Leah had indicated. He didn’t know much about tarot. But he was certain he could find a book on it, maybe Dorian’s family kept one around. His father seemed the type to practice that sort of divination.
”I’m not.” Leah stood up and shut her eyes. ”This translator spell’s giving me a migraine. Let’s get out of here.” She picked the books up and went to place them back on the shelves. Maybe quantum fucking was the superior way to read books after all.
”Could be t'e spells too strong for you at t'e moment? Usin' too much energy. As for t'e Tarot Cards, my Pa does Tarot, but I won't fess up on what t'ey mean till we step out of t'is Winter Wonderland.”
”Could be.” She slid the book about Jarnvidr onto the shelf and rubbed the ink off of her skin. To her, it looked like all the words in the archive shifted back to their usual language.
Then she walked back out.
Percy had half a mind to stay and read, just to be stubborn. Yes, he had suggested leaving a bit ago so they could look into Leah’s heritage more directly, but now he felt like Dorian was trying to tell him what to do. And his natural response to that was to be an ass. “A-a-after you,” he said, crossing his arms.
Dorian rolled his eyes before he began to walk towards Percy, phasing into him and making him move out of the room before phasing back out. ”Don't try and be stubborn it ain't cute if it ‘urt's you. Besides, we need t'at brain of yours to defrost so we can work on solvin’ t'is damn riddle.”
Percy huffed a bit - even as the warmth outside the room hit him, and sent his body trembling, as his skin rapidly began to warm back up to a healthy temperature. But then he eyed Dorian, glanced back again at Leah, and took a step to be closer to his boyfriend. He wanted to use him to warm up. He wasn’t going to ask, though. “So. Shall we flag down Huginn to look at more sections, or should we go speak to Heimdall about moving to the next realm?” he asked Leah.
”Hm… I think we should see if there’s a way to bring some books home. Copies, though. And…”
She looked back in Heimdall’s direction. ”And I wanna bring something back for Sabine. Gift shop time?”
”I t'ought you'd never ask!” Dorian grabbed Leah's hand and looked towards Percy to do the same. ”We jump on trois?”
Percy stared back at Dorian. And then he stared at Leah. He knew the utility in having them both hold Leah’s hand. But the thought of holding her hand made his stomach churn. It wasn’t anything about her in particular. It was just… touch. He hated it. So instead, he held onto a bit of fabric on Leah’s sleeve, touching it rather than her.
Along the landing point of the Bifrost, a straight shot from Heimdall’s post and then to the right of where the three had gone and met Huginn, there stood an ornate building. A vaulted roof crested by golden arches, crowned with a curious stone at the top that glittered against the starlight. Its doors stood tall, with murals of figures from human beings to demons all surrounding an oval-shaped gemstone.
A gift shop. It was a fucking gift shop.
In a flash of blue light, they all appeared before its hallowed doors, a wonderful Sanctum Dorian and Danni knew all too well, a store. A place where someone could acquire a list of all they wanted and more. Dorian ran straight inside, leaving the other two as he focused on looking for something he could take back home. T-shirts, Keychains, a faux Mjolnir on a pedestal with a sign that said ‘Let he who is worthy…’ for either a photo op or an attempt to pull the fake from its resting place. There were plush goats that scrame when you squeezed them, a ‘Bifrost’ kaleidoscope, and so much more. Off to the side in the back was a discount section with a couple shelves and a bin, that was where all the Loki and Hela merch was kept.
Percy did enjoy shopping. He liked seeing the latest creations in fashion and such, and the money they had received from the Contest of Champions certainly helped. He wasn’t quite adjusted yet to shopping with Dorian though - where rather than buying anything, he just took pictures and sent them to Max, requesting the wizard to just generate the item. Percy assumed that wouldn’t be the case here, but… he frowned. There was a problem. “We don’t have the correct currency.”
”We- Oh… Damn, no we don’t.” Leah had money in her pocket right now, but it wasn’t Asgardian money. ”I didn’t think about that. You think they accept human money?”
”Wha‐? Perce…first you tell me people use t'is money t'in’ now you're tellin' me t'ere's more t'an one kind and we dont even ‘ave it?! Whats t'e point of it t'en? What do Asgardians use?”
Percy had no idea if they accepted human money or not. Possibly? It was a gift shop. Sometimes gift shops offered exchange services or were simply willing to accept the currency of tourists. “Dorian, sweetheart… we spent two hours looking at Greek coins in a museum,” he reminded him gently. Although it occurred to him Dorian might have actually been looking at the statues’ asses instead. Hmm. “We can ask the shop attendant.” Percy then corrected himself. “Dorian, can you ask the shop attendant?” He didn’t want to and he imagined Leah didn’t want to either.
”Yeah. We’ll wait.”
”Yeah but t'ose were ancient coins in an ancient museum. Obviously t'ey evolved passed t'at currency after paper Perce.” Dorian corrected as he rolled his eyes and made his way up to the counter. ”Excuse me mon ami! I was wonderin’ what kinda money you guys take? I only ‘ave t'is paper money from a contest I won.” He pulled out some cash to show the Asgardian manning the counter.nter.
The Asgardian almost perfectly resembled the shop owner from a Disney classic, Frozen. He was large and cheerful, with a gigantic mustache and small, kind eyes. “Ooo! Travelers from Midgard! Welcome, welcome - I am pleased to say that we now accept your realm’s official currency - V-bucks! So…. Oh. That’s not a V buck. Hmm. This is awkward. If you have those, I would be happy to accept that instead of this… paper?”
”Finally someone wit’ a bit of sense! I ‘ave loads of em, hold on.” Dorian stashed the cash before pulling out his phone and showing the shop his account loaded with V-bucks. ”Guys! T'ey take V-bucks! We're all good!” He didn't waste a moment as he began to go through the shop to figure out exactly what all he wanted to get. Oh he'd need something for Danni and April obviously!
Leah awkwardly accepted… Whatever the hell these were. Was this some gamer thing? ”Hm. I’m not gonna ask.” And she immediately started looking for stuff.
“… If I want something, will you buy it?” Percy asked. He had absolutely no idea what a V-buck was. He paid attention to Dorian’s gaming about the same amount of attention that Dorian gave to Percy’s books.
”Duh! Now come on! I t'ink Danni would LOVE t'ese screamin’ goats! Oh! And t'is Valkarie calender! I'm sure t'ey'll love em both! Oh and t'is shirt for me and…” Dorian made his way further and further into the shop, grabbing as much as he and Percy could carry.
Leah quietly looked up and down the shelves, wondering what to bring back. There was a rack of magic rings that gently glowed in a box. They looked like those cheap mood rings that didn’t actually do the things they were supposed to do. They looked small, but when Leah stuck one on her finger, it fit flawlessly. In fact, more than one did. They were enchanted to fit anyone.
That was pretty cool. Sabine would love one of those. She found a shirt big enough for her, and… Oh! They had books about space rocks.
For a little bit, Percy followed Dorian around the shop… until he saw one wall, covered in books. He couldn’t resist the siren song. He gravitated over towards them, inspecting novels about the best hiking trails in the Nine Realms, Odin’s autobiography, and more. All of them somewhat trashy, but as he picked them up, he couldn’t help but read the descriptions, the reviews. There was one on Asgardian fashion that he held onto, figuring he would suggest it to Dorian for Danni - although he had never seen Danni read a book before, he hadn’t seen Leah read one either. Maybe everyone was secretly into books.
The most incredible books he found, however, were a collection of trashy romance novels. He’d gotten into the genre somewhat recently, and Percy grabbed about ten in total, almost too much for him to carry - the pile almost rivaling him in height.
Dorian finished off his shopping, a crown of Loki on his head as he held the other items in his arms before placing it all onto the counter. He'd gotten everyone an Asgardian shirt, and was going to change into his before the day was over…barring anymore cold lands.
Percy headed back to Dorian, and fixed him with his most sheepish look. “Is this too much? The one on top I think your brother would like.”
Dorian grabbed the book, quickly flipping through it to see how many images were inside. How much fashion could actually be seen vs read about. A good amount it seemed. ”’e'll love it.”
Immediately underneath was the original novel that had caught Percy’s eye - Brokeback Jotunheim.
Dorian spied the book, picking it up and immediately turning it to the back. ”Prepare yourself for an epic tale in t'e frost covered Jotun mountains? ‘e may not be giant but ‘is love is?” He looked back at Percy, then Leah, then placed the book back onto the pile before placing Dannis on top.
”Do not ever, ever say that around me again.”
Percy was quiet for a moment, before taking another three books off the shelf, and wordlessly handed them over to Leah. The titles were A Realm of Our Own, Two Girls One Chalice, and But I’m a Valkyrie!
Leah accepted the books, not knowing what the titles actually were. ”I should probably actually learn how to read these. You want to do that together?” She asked, eluding to the fact that he’d be powerless in CAGE.
Dorian looked towards Leah in a bit of awe. ”All I did was read t'e synopsis! Why am I gettin’ punished for it?” He finished paying, placing everything he didn't want to keep around in his bag before stopping at the books. ”Yeah Perce, want Leah to learn t'ese books wit’ you?”
“....Oh,” Percy hadn’t even realized they were in Asgardian. It took a bit of conscious effort on his part to recognize the language he was using. To him, all languages almost blurred together, into one unique blob. If he almost let himself go cross eyed, he could figure out what one he was looking at. He had intended to bring these with him to CAGE, figuring it would help him with his inevitable boredom there - and maybe a bit of missing his boyfriend. “... Dorian, can I get these in English and in Asgardian?” And then, he blinked a bit, realizing the last question his boyfriend had asked him.
Did he want to read sapphic smut with Leah?
Percy vanished from view, reappearing on the other end of the store, where he shook his head no emphatically.
Leah blinked slowly. ”...Uh. Okay, not bringing those, I guess.” She passed the books she didn’t know were smut over to Dorian. ”What’s his problem?”
”Beats me. Mind ‘elpin ‘im find t'e English ones? Wit’ ‘is sight its ‘ard for eit'er of us to tell which is which.” Dorian lied.
”Sure.” She looked around through them, picking them up and combing through each. It looked like they were all the same, as if someone had just dropped a whole box straight from a press into the gift shop.
”It looks like they’re all in Asg-” She found a few at the bottom. They were actually in English, and Leah wished they weren’t.
She looked up, over at Dorian, with the most unimpressed look imaginable.
Percy strategically hid behind a bookshelf.
”Did you find em? Gotta check out soon if we want to get to Jotunheim wit'in time.” Dorian grinned.
”Yeah, I found them. Here. You’re gonna give him a heart attack, Dorian. Look at him, he’s like a wet dog.”
”If ‘e can pick up t'e books and read ‘em t'en ‘e should be able to talk about t'em unashamed. Besides, its gonna be seen one way or anot'er.”
Percy went to pull out his phone and started typing out a text to Dorian.
Dear Dorian,
Fuck you.
Love, Percy
He hit send on the text.
The text did not, in fact, send. There was no signal in Asgard. He groaned, and moved out from behind the bookcase. “Fine, let’s talk about it then! What do you want to talk about specifically?” he then asked in a huff, marching right up to Dorian, craning his neck up slightly to look him in the eyes.
Dorian looked down at Percy and smiled. ”Well we ‘aven't read it yet so not'in at t'e moment.” He replied as he paid for the remaining books and placed them in his bag. ”We ready?”
Percy’s eyes narrowed, and he put his index finger on Dorian’s chest, pushing against him. “No, we are not ready. You’ve been teasing me all day and now it’s your turn to be teased,” he spat.
”Uh.”
Dorian crossed his arms. ”Do it.”
“Are you okay if we take five minutes?” Percy asked Leah.
”You realize Heimdall’s basically omniscient, right? And also right over there?” She waved in the general direction of the Bifrost.
“He can close his eyes.”
”Just-” She just sighed. She thought they were about to fuck behind the building or something. ”Just don’t get caught, I guess. Or phase into the Quantum Realm while his dad’s waiting for us to get home.”
Percy nodded slightly, before grabbing Dorian by the arm, and teleporting them into the storeroom of the shop. He then shoved his boyfriend up against the wall, and held him there - very well aware of the illusion that he was strong enough to hold Dorian anywhere that he didn’t want to be.
Dorian looked down at the arm pressed against him. His eyes slowly looked up to Percy's eyes before leveling back down to his lips. He wrapped one arm around Percy's waist, pulling him in closer, inches away from a kiss…before he phased through him and out the other side. ”We don't ‘ave time for t'is Perce. Leahs countin’ on us to find ‘er families mojo or somet'in’ “
He hadn’t intended for them to actually do that here. His entire plan had been to get Dorian riled up, but like always, it seemed to backfire - as Percy felt his body do a little more than wake up as Dorian pulled him close… only to phase through. “Must you always be the one on top?” Percy grumbled.
”You know I don't always top. Now come on.” He said as he left the storage closet.
Percy remained there a moment longer, before he cursed and kicked a box of books, stubbing his toes. But he didn’t care. He then teleported back to where Leah was, his arms crossed and a sulking, pouting expression on his face.
”That was fast…” She observed. ”Now what?”
”Which is weird. ‘e usually lasts much longer. Anyways, to Jotun'eim? T'at was out next location right? Maybe ask ‘eimdall if ‘e knows where t'is poem takes place.”
A dark, mischievous look sparkled in Percy’s eyes, as he glanced at Dorian, before looking at Leah. “He couldn’t get it up,” he whispered to her, yet was loud enough to ensure his boyfriend could hear. “Old age.”
”Before you ask, the answer is no.” She didn’t elaborate. ”Anyway, yeah, Jotunheim next… Heimdall?” She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to signal him, say his name, or… Maybe just walk back to him?
”Heimdall, if you can ‘ear me. Take us to the location of for A Rose in Midgard. We t'ink its somewhere in Jotunheim. Oh wait, should we step out first so we don't trash t'e gift shop?”
If Heimdall cared about not trashing the gift shop, he had a funny way of showing it. One moment, the gift shop was fully intact, a peaceful shopping experience for those who had the local Asgardian currency and Fortnite’s v-bucks. The next, the roof had a brand new hole in it, as a blinding beam of rainbow light hit the trio and their various purchases, flinging them through space until they collided with the icy realm of Jotunheim, the temperature somehow even more frigid than it had been in Odin’s archival vaults.
Leah fell face-down into the snow.
Dorian's silhouette made a perfect X as he was buried deep beneath the snow, the sounds of screaming goats coming from beneath him as a few had traveled alongside them. ”I take t'at as a yes, we should ‘ave stepped out first…”
Percy stumbled forward, almost tripping over Leah as he narrowly jumped over her, falling to his knees in the snow. The momentum kept on carrying him forward though, as a minute later he had to throw his hands out to stop himself from eating shit… for the second time on this trip. He huffed a bit, and then cursed under his breath. Not about his boyfriend. But he’d meant to grab something warmer to wear in the gift shop, and the books had distracted him so much that he still didn’t have a jacket. “I-I-I h-h-hate s-s-snow,” he muttered, his breath looking more like smoke.
Dorian got up, shaking the snow off of him before realizing part of why his landing had been so soft. Aside from the screaming goats, there was a pile of sweaters with a retro asgardian print on it. He quickly fished for his own size before tossing one to Percy and then looking at Leah. ”Do you need a sweater or are you like…winter proof?”
”No, I am damn well not. Holy fuck…” Her skin felt numb, she wasn’t convinced they wouldn’t catch hypothermia in minutes her. Leah batted the snow off her body and blew a cloud of dense fog. ”Give- Give me one of those.”
Ordinarily, Percy would have protested as Dorian threw clothes at him. He would have been dramatic and forced Dorian to have to possess him to get what he wanted. However, he did not want to die of hypothermia, so he quickly pulled the sweater over his head. It was a little too big for him, meant to be Dorian’s size, and he hugged himself, trying to get his body temperature up a little higher. “M-m-maybe there’s a w-warmer cl-climate here s-somewhere,” he wished. “I-it can’t all b-b-be ice.”
Dorian rummaged around finding Leah's size and tossing it to her. He bundled himself up as best he could as he tried to go astral to avoid the cold all together. But the icy wind was already biting and making it harder for him to go ghost. ”M-m-merde.”
”Yeah, whatever the fuck that means.” She pulled the sweater over herself and pulled her hair free. Her hands were fucking shaking. ”Where- Holy shit. Fuck, I can’t feel the ground. There’s so much ice and snow under us. Where the fuck is the fucking ground?”
It felt like trying to reach for something while blind. Was it just the sheer cold distracting her? There was no damn way… Her feet sunk into the snow, trying to feel around for something solid. It must have been ice, because she didn’t think she could move it with her powers.
”J'aimerais que Danni soit là.”
”Yeah, if only- Wait. My pen, where’d it go…” She reached under her sweater and fished it free. The air was so cold that the snow wasn’t even melting against her body. So she uncapped it and put a Kenaz rune on the back of her hand.
”Keep… Keep me warm against the cold.”
The rune glowed brighter, brighter and brighter still. And then it crackled.
Her fucking hand and arm burst into flames. Bright, golden flames that, for a brief second, didn’t actually burn. And then Leah felt the flame bite her flesh.
”FuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK!” She swung her arm down into the snow, and kept it there until steam stopped rising up into the air. Her hand felt numb, and she wasn’t sure if that was from nerve damage or the cold.
This was awful.
”Fuck, I guess we’re doing this the hard way…”
Was this really where she was born? Leah, the California-dwelling, desert-acclimated denizen of Earth? Born on a planet this cold and frozen. They hadn’t even been here five minutes and she already didn’t want to be here.
”Leah!” Dorian had called out as soon as her arm went ablaze. He tried rushing towards her side to aid her, but the snow made it more difficult without his powers, and that brief yell into the abyss allowed enough frigid air to enter his throat, causing it to burn. He coughed a few times before speaking hoarsely. ”Maybe – M-maybe a navig-gational rune instead Ch-chere.”
Percy hadn’t even managed to take two steps towards Leah before she’d extinguished the flames - she’d been pretty quick about it, but the terrain here was so difficult that with each step, his foot pushed on through the snow all the way up to his knees. The cold was excruciating, and the longer they stood there, the more a very real fear gripped them. It had been different in the library, as while it had been frigid, the exit was easily accessible. But here? They could die. They could die in a frozen waste, millions of miles from home. He tried to see if there were any distinguishing landmarks, any indication of shelter or civilization, but the blizzard was blinding them. “I c-c-can’t see enough to t-t-teleport us,” he said. His heart was beating faster and faster. They needed that navigational rune from Leah. His terror was only growing.
She could probably do that more easily than fire. She didn’t exactly feel great about it, though.
”Where are we supposed to go? An ocean, a city, a damn bonfire? Heimdall put us here. He-“ Leah pulled her arm free from the snow. The skin would probably blister. ”He could have just put us anywhere, but no. He chose- chose to- he chose to drop us here.”
All that enthusiasm about finding some answers, all that curiosity was just gone in the moment. Leah wasn’t used to this. How could she have hoped to survive here if she never came to Earth? Did other Giants just go numb and endure it? Did they all use magic? Did they live underground?
Leah stared down at the snow. At the bright, reflective snow that glittered beneath their feet.
”Why?”
”I-I-I…” The cold was cutting deep, the wind didn't do them any favors either. He could hardly think as he wrapped his arms around himself tightly. He tried to look around, but Percy was right, the white flurry surrounding them made it difficult to see five feet ahead. Dorian took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to think back to his training with Strange at Kamar Taj. It was hard, but slowly he steadied his breath, evened his breathing, and held his arms out to either side of him, palms out in a modified T-pose. The wind stopped, sound around them muted as a dome of telekinetic energy surrounded them and cut off the on-going assault from outside. ”I don't know ‘ow long I c-can ‘old t'is. But I asked Heimdall to take us where A Rose in Midgard was meant to be, t'is must be near t'at. M-maybe t'is storm is part of t'at ‘Brutal Fight’?”
”Maybe he thought he was being funny.” She didn’t seem to enjoy whatever joke was being played. ”If it was just me here, this wouldn’t be so bad. You two shouldn’t have to be dealing with this. If I knew we were gonna get fucking frozen, I would’ve just gone ahead alone.”
Leah reached for her runes and pulled out the Raidho stone. ”Where are we going?”
Percy shook his head slightly. “It would actually be worse if it was just you,” he corrected, grateful for the slight shield from the cold Dorian had constructed. “You did set yourself on fire a moment ago.”
”I guess. I think…” She had an idea. So she held the rune out.
”Lead us to where I came from.”
It floated up, and rather than spin around like it did back on Earth… It fell back into her hand pointing straight down. She must’ve been running short on magic power after all those earlier rune tricks.
”Damn. I don’t know where we-”
Leah felt the icy ground beneath them crack.
”Ohhhh fuck…”
The trio fell through the crack in the ice, plummeting down into dark, misty depths. Had it not been for Dorian’s quick application of telekinesis, mimicking a feather fall spell, the landing would have been disastrous. Instead, the three hit the ground somewhat gently, the ice further cracking from where they landed, as the impact set deep bruises into their bones.
The light from the surface could not penetrate down here, and while the bitter cold remained, there was a strange warmth coupled with it - as if the beating heart of this realm was attempting to break on through, turning the unbearable chill into something a little more survivable. All around them were twisting, icy caverns, a veritable maze deep within the ground. The only light was provided by faintly illuminated crystals, and when the air was still and silence reigned, their soft song could almost be heard, echoes of past, present, and future. And on the walls, as if they had been carved into the ice only moments ago, were runes. The depictions were easily twenty feet tall, if not larger - the very bottoms of the runes well above Percy’s head.
The frozen ground cracked as Leah landed, making a tiny crater around her. When she looked around, she recognized those depictions. The heat coming out of the caves wasn’t exactly hot, but she wasn’t going to turn it down.
”...Anyone think this is a coincidence?” She asked, and her voice echoed.
Dorian sat up, slowly making his way up before he rubbed his butt and back from the fall. ”I t'ink t'is is well past a coincidence Leah.” He looked around the space, watching the almost mirror like walls, the crystal glow, and runes that surrounded them. ”What do t'ese mean?”
Percy studied the runes for a moment, as their shapes slowly seemed to morph into something that he could understand. It was strange, though - they looked almost fuzzy to him, an odd haze lingering around them, as if he wasn’t meant to see this. “Bastard of air,” he translated.
”Its not t'at cold anymore Perce, calm down.”
Percy glared at his boyfriend.
”That’s what it means.” Leah dusted herself off. ”That prophecy you showed me. Bastard of air, brood of earth. I was starting to think that was referring to my dad, since he liked to use some really stupid flying suit with wings, like Iron Man.”
Dorian couldn't help but let out a chortle. ”A flyin’ suit wit’ wings? What is t'is t'e 80s?” He caught himself before almost continuing further, clearing his throat. ”Sorry. So…it's a line from t'e prophecy t'en? Guess t'at means we're on t'e right track non?”
“Leah… Who is your father?” Percy asked. They’d never spoken much before. He knew that she’d been adopted by She-Hulk, but that was the extent of it all. He didn’t know how a giant’s child had ended up on Earth, her past, her history, none of it.
”Mutant terrorist who kills people for money. His powers make him learn things really fast, like learning new weapons or something scientific. Tried to kill him before I came to California, starting to wonder if he actually did survive.”
She used to be terrified of sharing that information. ”I haven’t actually run into him yet. Or, if I did, I wouldn't have noticed. Not sure I want to find out anymore.”
The room felt tense, Dorian wasn't sure what to say, what to do. So, he tried to break the tension, punching Leah on her biceps. ”T'at's for earlier now t'at I'm not freezin my nips off. We're your friends, we'd never let you go off on a dangerous journey of self discovery in a foreign realm all by yourself. Even if it means freezin’ to deat’, catchin’ a cold, or fightin’ a retro flyin’ dad who ‘as some serious explainin’ to do.” He gave her a hug, squeezing her as tight as he could. ”So don't t'ink you can get rid of us t'at easy”
Well, that caught her off-guard.
”Yeah, that was pretty ridiculous, I guess.” She sat a hand on his shoulder, instead of returning the hug. She’d kill him, doing that. ”Working on it, sorry.”
”Good. Now let's work on findin' our way t'rough t'ese caves…caverns? Is there a difference? Anyways it seems like a maze.”
”Yeah.”
“I will not be hugging you, and I would not have considered us friends when the day began,” Percy said bluntly. “But my sentiments are the same.” He then took a moment, surveying their surroundings. A mysterious prophecy etched onto the walls, a maze with no discernable direction, and only their wits to guide them. He pulled his compass out of his pocket, before glancing back at Leah and Dorian. He then grabbed his phone, and took a few pictures of the room. This would be easier with a map, but not impossible. And the runes were very good landmarks. “Let’s go,” he said, before blazing a trail forward.
”Oh. Uh, ok? I guess we're going t'is way.” Dorian looked at Leah, confused.
”…He just happens to carry a compass with him.” Leah ran after him. ”Are you sure that it even points north, here? There might not be a magnetosphere or any poles.”
”Magnetosphere? Sounds like a weapon Erik would ‘ave used back in t'e day.”
“Why wouldn’t you carry a compass?” Percy raised an eyebrow. “It is possible it won’t work, but that is why I am documenting as well our route.”
”Molten ocean of metal under the Earth’s crust that gives the planet a magnetic field. That’s why a compass wouldn’t work on the moon, maybe it works here,” Leah explained. ”Never needed a compass before. The sun, moon and stars are usually good enough for anything I’ve ever needed.”
Dorian blinked slowly. ”What? You're kiddin’ right? I t'ought magnets worked based off t'e Nort’ and Sout’ Poles. Figured Santa ‘ad somet'in to do wit’ it and ‘own t'e Poles affected em.”
”The poles are the magnetic field. You ever seen a drawing of flux lines? There’s one of those around Earth, that’s why compasses work.”
Dorian simply shook his head no. He had no idea what Flux Lines Leah had been talking about. ”So…t’e candy cane striped Poles create t'ese flux lines?”
”...Percy, what’s he talking about.”
“I’m Jewish, how would I know?”
”Well, if you don’t know, I definitely don’t. Dorian, what the hell are you on about?”
”Santa? You know, t'e Jolly Red man who delivers gifts every year durin’ Christmas? Everyone knows t'at at t'e Poles t’ere are large red and white candy cane striped Poles t'at mark where t'e Nort' and Sout' are. AND t'e stripes swirl in different directions dependin’ which Pole you're at.”
Percy stared at Dorian blankly. “You mean the character made up to encourage people to buy things?”
”Santa. Is. Real. ‘Ow dare you say ot'erwise. Everyone knows t'at ‘e's an Omega level mutant. T'at's ‘ow ‘e gets around so fast.”
”Actually, if you read enough books, you could argue he’s not a mutant at all. But actually, Odin.”
“Santa isn’t real,” Percy scoffed. “If he was real, how come I’ve never received a present from him?”
”Cuz you've obviously been on t'e Naughty list Perce. Anyone could've told you t'at.”
”Did you ever ask?”
”True! Did you even make a list for Santa? Leave out Milk or Cookies?! ‘ow is ‘e suppose to do it all wit'out a snack? You've seen ‘ow much Speedsters eat.”
“Fine. Then I’ll leave a list for Santa, and milk and cookies, and I’ll prove to you that it won’t happen. Because he’s not real. He’s just your dads pretending that gifts from them come from someone else.”
”You know, you really remind me of Sabine, sometimes.” Leah fucking smiled. Watching them bitch at each other was funnier than it had any right to be.
Dorian gasped. ”You take t'at back Percival Heimlech Novikova!”
Percy smirked, crossing his arms. “Absolutely not. I won’t tell lies. Santa is not real. The realest thing about Santa is that there used to be someone matching his description, centuries ago, and he is very much dead now.”
Dorian went through several facial reactions before finally he just huffed and began walking ahead of Percy. Trying to mess with the compasses needle with his electromagnetism, but hardly causing it to tick any which way.
“Also - it’s Percy Theov Novikov. No a. I’m not a girl.”
”When the guy with the language powers tells you that, you’ve probably fucked up,” Leah commented. ”Also, maybe you’re both wrong. Maybe he’s in Asgard.”
Dorian decided to ignore Percy, the other option was to kick him in his jewels and tell him he was a girl now. ”Still wrong. You'll see. You'll both see.”
Percy rolled his eyes. Both of them were being ridiculous. There was no magical man distributing presents once a year, not a mutant or an Asgardian. So he decided to ignore Dorian as well, and started inspecting the new set of carvings on the wall.
Leah studied them too.
”Someone was down here, wrote these on the walls, expecting us to find them. How long was this here? This kind of thing happens in movies and comic books, but… This is weird.”
”Who says anyone wrote t'em? If t'e deat’ of Baldur is cyclical and time shifts oddly in t'is realm, maybe t'ese Runes were always ‘ere or will be, maybe a you from t'e future comes back to carve t'em so you now can see t'e pat’ you needed to move forward wit' ?”
The thought did occur to him that they could just time travel to the future and see - his powers had been growing rapidly, he could potentially pull it off but… There was just as great a risk that he would strand them in some desolate apocalypse, without a way forward. “I think it’s more likely that someone did carve these,” he posed, siding with Leah. “As fantastical as your idea is, the truth is usually the simplest explanation. Someone wanted you to come here, Leah. It’s written in ice.”
Dorian gently shoved Percy. ”Well? Which way now navigator? Clearly we're headin’ t'e right way but…” Dorian looked back at the walls of Ice, seeing his reflection amongst them, repeating. Beyond the runes, this place felt as if it held magic. Like they were walking on sacred grounds or something, and it gave him the chills.
Leah had gone quiet for a moment. It didn’t feel real. The notion that somebody out there in the galaxy wanted something good for her, long before she’d ever got control of her own life. Or was this even anything good?
”As long as we don’t move too fast, or get lost, we’re still making progress. Not sure if we can stay down here and linger, though. It’s still pretty cold.”
Percy purposefully didn’t react to his boyfriend shoving him, instead documenting the next set of runes they had stumbled upon. They were through the first two verses of the prophecy, hitting approximately the halfway point. And that was when they ran out of ice - when the end of the corridor they had walked down abruptly terminated, revealing a gaping cavern. Dim light barely reached from its base, and Percy knelt down, picking up a loose ice crystal. He dropped it over the edge and counted the seconds until he heard its impact.
“Can you feel any earth down there?”
”If there’s any down there, it’s too far or too deep.” Leah shook her head. ”You could maybe teleport us down, but I don’t think that’s a safe move.
She wasn’t about to jump, either.
”...You think we could climb down?”
”I could try and fly down t'ere and see ‘ow deep it is and maybe what to expect.” Dorian wasn't sure if he could pull the telekinetic trick again. Especially given they couldn't even see down there from this vantage point.
Percy got down onto his knees, going as close to the edge as he dared to see if he could make out any features at all. Teleporting blind was risky - they could end up impaled or partially phased into something. He scrunched up his face, as a plan came to him. If Dorian flew down there, it was possible to use the entanglement as a beacon. Percy could then teleport himself and Leah. He stood up and turned around, about to make this suggestion, when the ice beneath his feet began to crack - and within seconds, it gave way, sending him plummeting as he screamed.
”Shit!” Leah couldn’t grab him in time. ”Dorian!”
”On it!” Dorian went to grab Percy with his Telekinesis, wrapping a part of it around Leah's waist to use as an anchor. As he reached out, trying to feel for his boyfriend, he slipped off the broken edge and began to fall, panicking and attempting to pull himself back up, he instead pulled Leah with him and the telekinetic tether broke. All three of them falling.
Falling…
…Falling…
………Falling.
The three of them crashed into the ice, the force of their fall shattering the cavern floor. Beneath the ice was water, dark and cold - and what grips they managed to maintain on each other were sundered, as Leah was sent spiraling farther and farther into this watery abyss. The speed of her descent was barely altered by the depths’ resistance, and as she plummeted, water filling her lungs and scrambling her senses, any hope of knowing what direction to travel was vanquished. She was disoriented, spinning through inky darkness - until suddenly, she smashed through the water’s surface, washing ashore in a large, empty cave.
Yet rather than walls made of ice, they were made of mist - mist that seemed to shape and morph, a thousand reflections all staring back at her, with eyes as piercing yellow as her own. In these women, she would see her own features, her own traits - her hair, her smile, her nose, her lips, her anger, her rage. All except for the one in the very front, who rather than merely being similar was identical - and holding a gigantic runic sword.
She was so cold and dazed from the fall that, for just a moment, she thought she’d fallen hard enough to crack her head open. It wasn’t until she brought herself to one knee and inhaled slowly that things made more sense. Above her was a void. Below her was solid ground.
She didn’t feel quite so cold here.
Leah blinked the rime from her eyes and… Stared into her own reflection.
”...What is this?”
What is this?
What is this?
What is this?
Her own voice, ringing back into her ears. Because that definitely made enough sense.
She stood, numb as she was. The sword “she” was holding looked massive in her own hands. Taller than her, which was saying something. Leah saw the indents along its blade. The perfect size for the runes in her pocket.
She walked forward, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
They were all her. Mayra Pavon. Safjel Grintadottir. Leah Rose Jordan.
Agatha’s prophecy told of the day she’d have to stare back at herself. The cycle would repeat, and it was one of her own making. Now she was confronting it.
“You need to know yourself, child, re-forge your identity. And then the cycle will repeat. Over and over again..."
And -
“Bastard of air and brood of earth, suffer heavy the melodies of your dearth.
On turbulent clouds find false haven, 'stead guised in flesh and bound by blood shall midgard quake in madness's wake. Not one but two, a shadow to light, will find their way through brutal fight.
But blood of two does rise once more, futhark bound with steel and stars. Rise, you who carry burden deep and with strength and steel may your future keep.”
Strength and steel.
Every movement she made, everything around her had some reaction. Leah didn’t know what was going on here, she wasn’t well-versed in magic enough to even consistently string runes together, let alone tell what this was.
Fuck, maybe this was all a trap of some kind. Who the hell was behind all this?
Leah stretched out a hand, to grab the sword.
Her other self wasn’t moving, and there was a shadow cast along the ground. Of the other Leah, holding the blade against a backdrop of a light source she couldn’t see.
”...What if…”
She put both of her hands up, in a pose to hold that massive sword. She mimicked her other, and then reached.
It flickered. The metal warped and the light bent in odd ways. The weight of the sword didn’t move into her hands, but rather, it simply was in her hands. It fit her hands perfectly. The hilt was solid stone, smooth as glass and yet her grip on it was unshakeable. It didn’t feel heavy, even though it looked like something even she couldn’t easily lift.
A faint, bronze flicker of light raced up the carvings in the blade. Half a foot wide, seven feet long if she had to guess. The blade came to a crescent point, no sharp tip for piercing. It looked more like the blade of an axe than the tip of a sword.
She was taken aback by how familiar it seemed.
Back when Andy had used her curse on her, Leah had been overwhelmed by the changes. The pain of her bones popping and her lungs breathing air she didn’t know she could breathe. But then, when she got used to it, it felt like stretching atrophied muscles. It felt more like her.
This, too, felt more like her.
Leah inhaled air, and exhaled fog. Her bones felt lighter. Her skin felt warm.
”Someone left you for me,” Leah concluded.
She raised the sword and saw her reflection in it. All of them. The scared and pitiful Mayra, dreading her father. The proud Leah, daring the world to strike her and break for it. The nameless child she never was, whose face she now showed the world, after the loss of a mask she didn’t know she had.
”Every time I look backwards, there’s something new, isn’t there? I keep finding new names, new history, and it’s all so different.”
The reflections along the blade were like a kaleidoscope. They overlapped, and yet they didn’t occlude one another. They were all her. All of them.
”Agatha… You were right. But I think you were wrong, too. The cycle I’m in, it’s not just me reinventing myself over and over.”
Leah brought the blade closer to herself, and rested it on her shoulder. The metal rang through her bones, and it made her think of forests that touched the sky. It was part of her, and it, too, had a name it preferred.
A quaint brick and mortar shop with ivy growing up one wall and a small black iron stairway climbing up the other, the Hideaway was an upscale steakhouse and wine room and offered its namesake to its patrons: privacy. The main dining room was actually ten feet beneath the street and offered both main dining room seating and private rooms to those willing to pay the excessive fees. The main dining room was an elevated wine cellar: large shelves with elegantly labeled bottles creating winding paths across lush carpet and around gorgeous artwork on walls. A five string quartet played soft, rich, and complex music that floated across the space and the thrum of conversation filled the rest.
Dotted around the room, various mahogany doors offered deathly or influential patrons privacy in their meal. Each room offered access to a dedicated waiter, their in-house sommelier, personalized music and cable viewing selections, and artwork purchased out of decaying museums. The table was simple but well made, flowers arraigned in a crystal centerpiece, and the chairs matched the black and gold trim of the room. Whoever arrived and offered the name Bassard found themselves escorted to the room quickly, the family's wealth and name easily removing whatever concerns the staff had permitted three underaged children access to a private room. It was there Sabine had summoned her commanders to wage the war that started the second the Contest had ended.
Sabine had ordered herself a fancy mocktail and was nursing it as she waited for Danni and Dorian to gather. She had been plotting and planning ever since her conversation with the Hex Girls. In front of her was a giant purple binder. Not intimidating, but enough to cause a double-take. Inside was information on all of them; social media handles, old accounts, pictures found (intentional or not) on the internet, etc. All gathered to prepare for Social Media War.
The portal shut behind them in a flare of sparks and Danni bounced on his heels. It was only a few days and Danni'd been texting his friends all weekend but the high of the contest made him want to stick to them all like glue. Danni adjusted the belt around his waist, thrilled to show off thefun suit he'd stumbled across when he'd been out window shopping. “Wow, is t'is t'e right place? Ya t'ink Pa got mixed up? T'is seems a little…” Danni gestured at the quant exterior. “Ya know? Yeah, ya know. Well, not'in’ like good food and great company!” Danni slung an arm across Dee’s shoulder and dragged him down into the restaurant.
Danni offered Sabine's last name and it was quick enough they'd been shown to the room the family often found themselves enjoying, with the very person responsible for this meeting laying in wait. Of course the second Danni laid eyes on Sabine, Danni was off like a rocket. “Omg, Beanie! It's been so long! Well, I mean not really, but ya know, it's t'e sayin’ people say even if we saw each ot'er like t'ree days ago! And what's t'is drink? ‘Cause I wanna try some, can I try some? It looks good, does it ‘ave alcohol? I ‘aven't tried alcohol ‘cause ya know, it's bad in t'e fam and I really don't wanna so maybe I won't try it. ‘Ey, what's up wit’ t'e fancy place? I feel like a super spy or like a mafia boss down ‘ere. Also, ‘ave you ever considered what ‘happens if t'e ceiling collapses ‘cause like an oil tanker crashes and explodes? Idk, just t'inkin’ about is kinda…. Okay, no, can't t'ink about that… wait what's t'is binder? Are you makin’ us do school work? Ugh, nooooooo Beanie, I got A's for one semester and I'm never doin’ it again. Cs make degrees is what Papa always says. Or maybe its Appa. Idk, Papa is more like drop out and ‘ave fun wit’ t'e life.”
Dorian had been a little busy since the days following their win. He was certain everyone had been in some ways or another, but the heavy conversation he had had a day or two prior still weighed on him. Part of him wondered if he should even be here right now, if perhaps he needed to be by Percy's side if at least to ensure he wasn't a flight risk. Then again, he needed to trust that he wouldn't be. Dorian was quiet as they made their way in, not that his outfit didn't speak loud enough for him as he wore a vibrant red turtleneck with a royal blue wool peacoat. He'd already ordered two drinks for the table, one of whatever Beanie was having for Danni, and something pear inspired for himself as well as two glasses of water. He waved Hi at Sabine, not wanting to cut into Danni's barrage of questions as he pulled his chair out and sat down.
Sabine chuckled lightheartedly at the barrage of questions from Danni. She expected it, of course. ”Hello Danni, Dorian. It’s nice to see you both. This is a mocktail so no alcohol, but feel free to try some Danni. This is a restaurant my father frequents a lot and, as such, is open to me for my personal use. The bill has been paid so, please, order anything you want.”
“As for the binder and why I invited you both here: I need help. With our recent win at the contest I am sure you boh have noticed a recent influx in messages on our various social media accounts. The standard business opportunities, sponsorships, and praise mixed in with the other side of it, horrible messages, death threats, and perhaps a doxxing attempt or two. I know you both are familiar with this as we all have significant numbers on social media. However, our team has been pushed into the spotlight and with our win we have angered some people. Those who bet money on the match who expected the Young Avengers to win, those who are big fans of them who wanted them to win, as well as some powerful people in high positions who may have expected them to win and, as such, have made movements, financial or otherwise.”
“It came to my attention that, while we are all familiar with the highs and lows of being famous on the internet, the rest of our team is not. Hell, Andy only recently got into social media and Leah is famously internet-averse, for the most part, though I have made strides in tha area. So, I need both of your help. I want to get in front of this, maybe construct some ideas to help boost our image and put off any potential damage from our friends. In the binder I have some notes, some graphs, some potential areas of improvement as well as areas where I think, should the worse come to pass, a person might target us or the others. Do either of you have any ideas for things we can do to help?”
“Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Me! Me! Me! Me! I want ta- Oh, t'ank ya!” Danni accepted the drink Dorian had ordered him, took a sip, and hummed happily, kicking his feet. “Oh t'is is so yummy! I wonder what t'e recie- No! I need ta ‘ave ideas! Cause I do! For one, we need ta post more content for Spicy ‘cause ‘e was uh…. ‘e was Spicy. Like, Dee ya got photos of ‘im bein’ like cute and stuff, not t'rowin’ insults like bombs, right? And I can get everyone on t'e channel! Cookin’ videos are super pops when ya make t'e silly! Ooo, and we ‘ave some fun stuff wit’ ‘merica and Eli comin’ up and t'en maybe we can do like, a group ‘an'out somewhere public, let t'e ‘razzi sneak some fun shots of us all chillin’ and ‘avin’ fun!” ]
”I ‘ave a few pics yeah…but most of what I've put on ‘is socials is t'irst traps and edits if us toget'er. I can try an see if I can work a different angle and make it more of a soft boy era. Id say a public apology video but not only would ‘e ‘ate t'at but I don't even t'ink ‘e can play a ukulele.” Dorian grabbed his drink and took a sip before holding his hand out towards Sabine. ”Mind if I see aht you ‘ave planned? Or do you wanna tell us personally instead of read it? Some of t'e normal stuff I can ‘andle. T'e doxxing, and social media stuff is fine enough for me to navigate but fixing public image? T'at's…a bit trickier especially wit’ Perce and ‘ow ‘e acted. I'm desperately open to ideas.” A darker part of Dorian wanted to use Percy's stint at CAGE in a more positive light to grab the audience's sympathies. Maybe even blame the harshness of social media trolls and say they themselves drove him to do so which would help alleviate some pressure off of the others for public fear of driving another teen down a dark road. But it felt gross to even think about it.
Sabine pushed the binder closer for Dorian to look at. Inside would be files on each member of Excelsior. Their social media handles, some photos, some highlights of their strengths that could be used as well as areas where less desirable people might target them (Leah’s father, as an example). ”I am all for using cute videos and pictures. I was thinking of getting a Team Excelsior social media handle going. A place where we can put team photos and videos on. I think with Percy, admittance is a good first step. I wouldn’t necessarily suggest he blame anyone, but maybe we can coordinate with Dr. Whitehall on that. Maybe she has suggestions on what he could say? For the others, I think a team photoshoot or something could be cute, possibly with the Young Avengers. Danni, any way you can coordinate that with them if they are willing? I know you and Eli are close.”
“Ooooh, tots my goats! I love ta! I'll def wrangle t'e ot'ers! Is t'ere any time we want? Actually, don't stress. You asked me ta do it, I'll get it done for ya!” Danni saluted, still sipping on his drink. “And a group social? T'at'll be fun! Can we make t'e rest of t'e group do costume shots? I want ta see Leah in a kitty cat outfit. She'd be so cuuuuuute! And we can give Percy… Oh! An armadillo costume! Wouldn't ‘e be a cutie patootie in t'at? Hmm, Beanie needs ta be like… a super zoo person cause she is wranglin’ t'e ‘erd and actually, you and Spicy needed ta be rats ‘cause t'en you can be a couple o’ Fred's! And t'en I can be a… peacock! ‘cause I'm so pretty! Rillie is def a dolphin ‘cause she so smart and Andy can… what can Andy be? A ‘eron? A snake? A raptor? Deeeeee, I t'ink she should be a panda, a ku-fu panda ‘cause you gunna catch t'em paws!”
Dorian flipped through the document, mostly skimming it to grab the surface intent of everything that was inside of it while listening to the conversations being had. He had to give Sabine credit, she really did her homework on this. He wondered if this was How she managed all of her socials or if it was just for the intensity of having to deal with so many varying ones that she had done this. He mostly just kept a notebook with repeat offenders in his chats to keep track on bans or potential bans from his community. ”Apology videos are always such a pain, and it ‘as to be a video because if it’s just a statement or text t’en people will say its just a PR rep doin’ it on ‘is be’alf which, ok it is but still.” Dorian let out a sigh before taking a large swig of his drink. He waved for the waiter to enter back in and ordered a few plates of food. He needed to be munching on something if they were going to be here a while, especially with such stressful topics. He needed emotional support food. ”Perce should be a Pangolin, wait wait no! Make Leah a Kangaroo and Perce a little Joey! It’d be so cute ‘ow could anyone stay mad?”
Sabine had seen her fair share of apology videos and, more often than not, they are done terribly. Either pulling out a musical instrument or blaming others. No accountability held, it was always to avoid more people getting mad and them especially wanting things to stop so they can continue to make money. ”An apology video is a must, but we should still coordinate with Percy and Dr. Whitehall. It needs to be sincere. For the photoshoot, I love the idea of animal onesies! Though Leah is not gonna be a cat. A kangaroo would be cute though. Okay, Danni can set up tha photoshoot. Dorian, do you want to get in touch with Percy? Make sure he’s doing okay and is comfortable with this? He should have a say in this also. And I will get the social handles going for our team. What about Vicky? She opted out of the contest so she might be safe, but she’s still part of our team, in a sense.”
“‘eck yes! it’s gunna be- Wait, a kangaroo?? I guess, but Spicy is gunna eat ha alive for t'e idea of bein’ Leah's kid. Maybe Spicy can be t'e kitty cat - ‘e is a smol and it would probs look good on ‘im. T'e whole femboi t'in’ is still a big craze and t'at might ‘elp ‘im win some solid support.” Danni agreed. He took his phone out and started a little notepad with just names and animal outfits. “I'll pin’ Vicky! I'll get ‘er ta wear… oooooo otter! Yeah, I t'ink she's an otter! It'll be so cute, get ‘er in a comfy otter - omg, its animal pajamas! All animal themed onsies. Omg, omg, omg Beanie pleaaaaaaaase.”
”T'ey're called Kigurumi's. Also love Perce as t'e cat. Everyone loves a spicy femboi, soft but wit’ an attitude. No worries Beanie I can get in touch wit’ Perce about all t'is and walk ‘im t'rough why it's all necessary.”
Sabine felt a lot better. ”I think the team should be made aware of the reason for this. We don’t have to be all ‘doom and gloom’ about it, of course. We’ll be there for each other as a team. Kigurumi’s sounds cute so let’s push that. Once that’s all concluded we can prepare a party with the Young Avengers and post that on the social to show we are all on good terms. I can probably coordinate with the Young Avengers also, make sure they are good with their socials. It’s going to be rough, but we’ll get through it.”
“Yeah! We got t’is!” Danni cheered, almost sloshing his drink over the rim in his enthusiasm but quickly took a long sip.
”Sounds to me like we need to ‘ave a slumper party. Equal parts sharin’ Intel and fun. Could even turn some of t'e do's and dont's questions into a bit of a party game to keep people more engaged.”
Sabine liked that idea. She knew she would eventually have to share with the others, but she felt more confident with Danni and Dorian’s aid. ”A sleepover sounds like the best idea. We can coordinate with everyone in a comfortable setting. Plus, I need to see Leah and Andy’s socials, make sure they have protections put up.”
Three days ago, the new champions of Margaret Carter flew home, along with everyone else who had gone to watch them. Marlena was one such person. It was fun, for more than a few reasons. Among those reasons was the one where she immediately, without any preamble, snagged the number of a pretty blonde thing who just recently hit galaxy-wide fame. One April Kingston-Gray. The Waterbending hottie who seemed like her type from their brief interactions a few days ago.
Marlena was sitting in her dorm, having just sat a few tasks aside. There was this really cool top she’d been stitching together by hand since before her move across the country. She brought it and her DIY stuff with her, so she could finish it. It was noon, and she figured April would probably be up and about over in New Orleans by now, right? So she texted the girl.
TGPS: Yo.
TGPS: Any chance you’re awake yet?
April was indeed up. She was a relatively early riser among her family, and she was currently taking advantage of the quiet house to work on Christmas presents for everyone. She liked to make something for everyone, and this year she’d had the idea to make everyone stockings… a task she was horribly behind on. She was in her room on the bed, surrounded by yarn as her phone vibrated with a text - from Marlena.
She screeched.
She’d been beginning to think Marlena would never text her. And while she had been riding the high of victory after the contest, she’d come off of that emotional rush since then. She’d never gotten a you up? text before. She set her project aside, and stared at the phone screen, typing and deleting a series of messages before she settled on -
Maaaaybe. What’s up?
Marlena smirked.
TGPS: Not much, just thinking I owe you a day out on the town. I would love to get to know you better, if you’ll allow me.
April screamed and threw her phone across the room.
Marlena was asking her out?!
She had meant what she said to Leah and Sabine - that she wasn’t really ready to date anyone right now. She was still figuring things out after her visit to C.A.G.E., still working through the feelings that had landed her there in the first place. But the past few days, she’d felt so good. The rush of endorphins had quieted down from the contest victory, yes, but she hadn’t cried her eyes out or fallen apart in days! It felt like she’d been reborn - that she was a brand new person - and yes, she knew it could be a spot of mania, but at least mania felt fun if that was the case. She was tired of being sad and gloomy all the time.
April leapt up off the bed, kicking the yarn projects aside, and she retrieved her phone. Her thumbs twitched thoughtfully, before she shot back a reply.
You wanna show me a good time? I could be persuaded 💙
TGPS: That so? What’s it gonna take, then?
TGPS: I’m all the way in California, so there’s no rush.
She bit her lip, scrunching up her face as she stared at the message. Should she play it cutesy and tell Marlena that she needed to treat her like a princess? No, princess felt… felt gross. Prince maybe? A little bubble of excitement shot through her, one that she didn’t entirely know how to explain. Or maybe did she need to play things a little more hard to get, really let Marlena chase her, pursue her? She’d skipped through most of this stage with Leah and with Sabine, she’d put her foot in her mouth at the carnival in the worst possible way. Did she make Marlena work for it?
She groaned slightly, flopping on the floor of her room and staring up at the ceiling.
This wasn’t going to really go anywhere, though, so… maybe it was safe to play a little - to try out some new things.
Well first, you have to treat me like a prince 👑
TGPS: Bit specific but I can work with that, I think.
TGPS: Disclaimer. I don’t know about you, but I’m not asking for something long-term. A good time together for a day or two, maybe we come out of it a bit closer in the long run, sure. But I don’t come with strings attached. Just so we’re clear on that now, if that’s cool with you?
Was it too much to immediately tell a hot girl she’d been in the psych ward and thus was relieved that she also didn’t want something permanent right now? Of course… she’d never been with anyone before. The idea of having casual sex was as scary as it was exciting. Ordinarily the idea of being present in her own body was disgusting, but the past few days… Things had changed following that conversation with Sabine. And an image had begun to take shape in her mind, one that she would need her brother’s help with, but one that she was becoming increasingly certain she wanted.
tbh im too mentally ill to date rn🫠 so something low key and chill sounds fun. fair warning tho - i’ve only ever kissed a girl before 😳
Marlena could work with that.
TGPS: Well, it’s a good thing I am a girl, isn’t it? I’ve had things get upended a lot lately, so a relationship isn’t in the cards for me at the moment. I’m just a social person, and like treating pretty girls. Besides, no need to go a certain distance. I know I’ve got my own boundaries.
April frowned slightly as she read the message. Something about the treating pretty girls part of it bothered her - like an itchy, ill fitting sweater. The rest of it was fine - more than fine, really. No strings attached, no need to worry about being expected to put out. Just something fun and casual. She set the misgivings aside, and refocused on the buoyant feeling. This could be something good - something that she didn’t need to stress about, didn’t need to overanalyze. Just a person she could go and make out with, no feelings attached. And maybe do something more, if it felt right.
Bet! 💙 That sounds incredible to me😘
You sound incredible to me
And look incredible, ofc
TGPS: I try.
TGPS: I know there’s a great pizza place not far from MC. If we figure out a weekend I bet there’ll be some good movies playing. I can’t fly with my powers, so I can’t really get to you over in Orleans either.
Would her dads let her pop on over to Margaret Carter over the break and get pizza with Marlena? Maybe if Dorian and Danni had been going too, but… She bit her lip, thinking back to the conversation she’d had with her Pops earlier. It’d been less than a month since the suicide attempt that had landed her in C.A.G.E. She wasn’t grounded, strictly speaking, but she wasn’t not grounded, either.
How about the first weekend we’re back at school? It’d take me ages to get to the west coast, even with my surf board 😂
Marlena grinned. First weekend, no classes, and by then, she’d surely have a few more ideas for where they could go.
TGPS: I can do that. Gives me plenty of time to finish this project I’m working on.
TGPS: You wanna see it?
hell yeah i do!!!💙show meeeeeee!!!
And then, April screamed. If the project needed to be finished in time for this date… was the project… for her??? It couldn’t be… right? Right???
TGPS: Alright, one moment.
A moment later, the unfinished fashion piece floated over to her as she hit the button to video call the girl. Her phone floated up and in front of her, as she used her powers to straighten it out.
”Sup. Take a look.”
It looked pretty simple. Solid black fabric sewn up in the shape of a shirt, with the front made in a wrapped pattern, coming up into a voluminous hood. It was pretty simple right now, no details worked into it yet.
April frantically threw a beanie onto her head to hide her hair as quickly as she could - she hadn’t been anticipating a video call, she wasn’t dressed particularly cute or anything, just wearing some jeans, a tank top, and a blue flannel. “Oh woah - you made that?? That’s so sick!!” April’s eyes were wide. She could crochet - but she was hopeless when it came to sewing and constructing clothes. The best she could do was make a pair of gloves or some socks - maaaybe a vest if she really pushed herself and stuck to a simple granny square design. “Is it going to be your hero costume?”
Marlena chuckled. ”Don’t think so. I didn’t know I’d need one by the time I started this. I’m from Brooklyn, and it gets a lot colder there than it does here in the winter. I was thinking I’d wear this when it snowed, to keep the wind and weather out while I’m skating. I had to put it on hold, so I’m picking it back up.”
April nodded. “Oh, Brooklyn - that’s so cool! Do you miss it? I bet New York is beautiful this time of year, with all the snow and all - I’ve been meaning to go ice skating, I need to find where I put my skates last…”
”I do miss it…” Being forced out of her home, sent all this way, and being told she had to flip her life upside down because she could move things with her mind sucked. She was meeting new people, sure, and that was always fun. But… It was rough.
”I think you’d like it there, though. Maybe one day you’ll be there, and I’ll show you around.” She smiled.
April’s heart fluttered. A trip to New York together? It sounded so romantic - and even though she wasn’t ready for a serious relationship, she still craved a pretty girl showing her around a big city, doting on her and acting like they were the last two people on Earth. “I’d love that! What are your favorite things to do there? Besides skating, obvi. I’ve always wanted to go in winter - maybe see the Thanksgiving parade or there’s the big tree, right? I think the last time I got to go was when Pa took us there for fashion week.”
”There’s an arcade still running, a few blocks from where I live. Or lived. I always did love going there and wasting a few hours on the games there. It’s a big tourist destination, but you can still find plenty of places to eat there that aren’t packed. Lots of hidden places where you’d have to know someone to even find them.”
Her smile faltered slightly as Marlena mentioned an arcade. “They don’t do any, like, virtual reality games, right?” she laughed somewhat nervously. “No Mario Party or Legend of Zelda stuff that’s bizarrely immersive?”
”They’ve got a few, but it’s the kinda place where you go for normal stuff. Like what you’d see at a carnival. Did those once or twice, but they’re not my thing.”
“Yeah I don’t - I’m not really into those things!” She tugged a bit on her hair. Carnival games seemed interesting, though. She wasn’t fully sure how that worked in an arcade. “Like the game with the rope ladder where it twists as you try to climb up it?”
”Yeah, it’s a big place. Lots of physical stuff too, there’s even a dodgeball area, you’d think they’d call it something other than an arcade. But nope.” Marlena shook her head. ”They insist it’s an arcade, because of all the old games there. They’ve got the original Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter… It’s fun.”
“People love calling weird things Arcade,” she agreed, before shifting again. A dodgeball arena? Old games? Dori would’ve loved it - he probably could’ve filmed hours of content there. “So, um, new topic,” she said abruptly. “Do you know what sort of classes you want to take at AA?”
Marlena made a pff sound. ”You know, that’s been rough. If I can get away with it, I definitely don’t want to take a bunch of fighting classes. I know I gotta pick something though. I’m gonna see what they’ll let me get away with, as soon as someone’s available.”
April tilted her head, a little curious. Marlena didn’t want to take fighting classes? She’d assumed that the other girl would be excited to train in her powers, to grow stronger and be able to protect people, to save lives. It occurred to her then that she’d never asked Marlena why she’d decided to come to Margaret Carter. Everyone had a different reason, and while most people wanted to be heroes, others wanted to be something hero-adjacent. “Do you not like fighting?” she asked. “Or are you wanting to be more a girl-in-the-chair sort of hero?”
”Don’t really want to be a hero. My old man found out I’m a mutant, I told him I didn’t want to be on the news for it. Rather just keep my life the way it was going, he felt different.”
Granted, it was working out so far. Marlena liked making friends and seeing new places. But she was dreading the whole… Vibe that came with places like this.
”Not a fan of having to rough people up, never been in that situation.”
April frowned, not really sure what to say to that. There were people at Margaret Carter who actively didn’t want to be a hero, but they usually had a horrible time. Some of the freshmen on the outskirts of her social circle had really struggled with it last semester, and none of them were coming back to school. “Well… It’s not all about beating people up, being a hero,” she ventured. “It’s about saving them, too - whether it’s from a Big Bad or a natural disaster. You don’t even have to be on the news - like, maybe you use your powers on a small scale, helping people in your community. Those people are heroes, too. My family’s Genosha diaspora and like… I dunno. I’d feel so shitty if I knew I could do something, even something small, to make someone’s life better and I didn’t do it. It becomes my fault then that people are hurting.”
Marlena leaned back while her phone stayed floating. Sure, she could save lives. But that mindset was the problem. Why did she have to be blamed for letting people get hurt, just because she was a mutant? Why did she have to be called a bad person for choosing not to get involved in disasters?
”Who said it’s your fault?” Marlena asked her. ”Sounds a little harsh, putting that on someone just because of their powers.”
April scrunched up her face, trying to think about how to explain this. She had a feeling referencing Spider-Man’s famous line wasn’t going to be super helpful here. And even if she were to answer that with great power came great responsibility, Marlena would still ask why - still ask why that had to be the case. “Maybe fault’s not the best word. But like… imagine your neighbor is starving, and you have extra food. If you don’t give them some of your food, you’re making a choice - and maybe you wanted to save that extra food for a rainy day, maybe it’s your favorite and you want to gorge a little bit on it, maybe you were starving two days ago and just got a stable supply of food, but… You’re still making a choice to not help your neighbor. You’re choosing to let them starve - and maybe someone else comes to help them, maybe your other neighbor brings them groceries, but if they don’t and you could have done something… I’d feel horrible. I’d feel shitty. Being a bystander is just siding with the bad guys.”
Marlena wanted to tell her why there were problems with that. Like the fact that doing those things she was describing had no bearing on superpowers. Anyone could share food, but did being a mutant, a sorcerer, inhuman or mutate mean they had to?
Marlena didn’t like that distinction. It just felt forced, being shoved into a box that was right for so many people her age, but not all of them.
”We’re gonna have to talk about this some other time,” Marlena decided. ”I need to get a few things done, didn’t mean to keep you for so long.”
“... Yeah, me too,” April agreed, a sudden pang of anxiety shooting through her. She’d definitely messed this conversation up. She liked Marlena, she did. They didn’t have to agree on everything. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to push you or make you uncomfortable. We don’t have to feel the same way about this. I just… never mind.” It would have sounded cheesy, saying that she’d hate to see Marlena leave Margaret Carter, when the two of them barely knew each other. Marlena was hot as shit, yes, but that was as deep as their connection had gone so far. “Um, text me whenever, yeah?”
”Sure will, still owe you a date.” She was smiling when her phone floated back into her hands. ”Soon, don’t you worry.”
She closed out the call, sat her phone back down and sighed. Yeah, that was gonna be rough to get into one of these days. Maybe she could get away with just one, possibly two classes that involved fighting. They’d definitely want her learning how to properly throw things at people with her powers.
The year hadn’t even properly started, though. Either it would be a good one or she’d make it one.
Earlier that day, Percy had bade his mothers farewell, as the cold gates of the California Asylum for the Genetically Enhanced closed around him. He had felt the last pieces of his powers ebb away, an aching void left behind in their place. There would be no teleporting to escape, no ease of communication with every language at his fingertips - no borrowing the astral from Dorian, no panic attacks that mimicked the behavior of a Poltergeist. He was just like everyone else in this place; incomplete.
The first few hours consisted of orientation to the program - a unique approach to rehab, primarily after school outpatient, with just a few days of inpatient at the start. If all went well, he would be released before the holidays had ended, and be able to spend a few nights of Hannukah with his loved ones. The medical examination had proceeded relatively quickly, as while he was theoretically supposed to spend the next few days detoxing, James Kingston had already purged his system of any lingering toxins. The last thing on his schedule, before he was due to eat lunch and have an hour to himself, was to meet with his therapist.
Unfortunately for him, they had already met.
Percy knocked thrice on the door to Dr. Whitehall’s office, and waited nervously. The clothing standards in the asylum meant that most of what he normally would wear was unacceptable - so instead, he had on a pair of loose fitting sweat pants, a simple t-shirt, and a rather oversized light blue Kirby sweatshirt.
Dr. Whitehall had been a bit surprised to hear that a former client of her’s had been admitted to CAGE. She was a bit more surprised to hear that it was Percy and that part of his treatment plan had been rehab. While she was thankful organizations like the ones she worked for offered substance use aid for minors, it was still surprising to hear of a youth who used substances as a means of coping.
She read the literature, of course. Adolescents were using drugs or alcohol far more than in past years due to ease of access. Marijuana was a major one given its legality and plentiful avenues of obtaining it, but it was also just as likely to see one use harder substances. Alcohol was also freely accessible given that the youth’s parents more often than not had cabinets stocked with the stuff.
Dr. Whitehall finished her notes when she heard the knock. She stood up and maneuvered herself over to her sitting area. Two comfortable armchairs and a couch were situated in the middle and a coffee table with various things on it like magazines, books, and some fidget toys. ”Come in,” she stated warmly. Once Percy walked in she gave him a warm smile. ”Welcome Percy, please take a seat where you like. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Isn’t that why I’m here?” Percy said a bit sharply. He entered the office and noted that it was somewhat different from the last time he’d been there. Whitehall had redecorated. He took one of the armchair seats, and shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.
Dr. Whitehall noted the sarcastic response and let it slide. If it had been another client she may have called them out on it. Defensiveness disguised as humor. She sat down on the other armchair. ”All right, why don’t you tell me why you’re here?”
“My family believes I’m an alcoholic,” he said succinctly. He didn’t go into the details about how he had been caught hungover by his boyfriend’s father, and he had told his mothers during the week they were competing in the Contest of Champions. He didn’t say why he drank, or why he didn’t believe he qualified as an alcoholic…. Or at least, he desperately hoped that he didn’t. He hoped that his mame was right - that he wasn’t quite there yet. He hadn’t meant to come in defensive and abrasive, but it had happened all the same. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to go home.
”Well, we don’t often admit people here based on beliefs. Typically, there is evidence of something going on. The quicker we admit that, the quicker treatment will go, and the sooner you will be out of here. So, why does your family believe you are an alcoholic?”
Percy raised an eyebrow. “You don’t often?” But he shifted in his seat uncomfortably. She was right, though. He wanted to leave. So he needed them to decide that his treatment was complete, which should be… well, he could handle it. He wasn’t an alcoholic yet. This was no different than going to the doctor for something preventative. He had done harder things during his time at Margaret Carter, and he would do harder things still. This was just a blip, just a bump in the road.
“My boyfriend’s father caught me hungover. He told my mothers… and they decided to send me here. But I’m not - I’m not an alcoholic. Not yet. I have it under control. I can… I can stop.”
Dr. Whitehall made some notes on the tablet in front of her. ”Ah, I see. You have complete control of your consumption of alcohol despite being well below the legal age limit of it. Tell me Percy, how often do you drink and, when you do, how much do you consume?”
He glared slightly at the comment. He did, in fact, have complete control. He was smart enough to be able to use it as a tool. There was no danger in becoming addicted. His risk was low, and he could stop whenever he wanted to do so. But… he winced internally as he realized where he had started - just a shot or two - and where he was now… “Once a month or so,” he estimated. “…A third of a bottle of bourbon.”
”And what is your goal when drinking? Do you do so to get drunk or do you use it as a way to cope with what you are feeling, like stress or anger?” Dr. Whitehall needed little help to ascertain how Percy was feeling. He knew, deep down, this was a problem, but his strong emotional denial was overpowering it. He also felt nervous, most likely because he was in a facility that would, in fact, call him out on his bullshit.
Percy paused for a moment. He didn’t really see the difference between those two options. He would get wasted in order to manage feelings that threatened to overwhelm him. It allowed him to dull his emotions, to shut them off for a while, and escape. “It’s a tool for when I’m overwhelmed,” he said, sidestepping the two options. “It… it dampens things down.”
Dr. Whitehall nodded. ”That makes sense. Alcohol is a downer, which means it dampens things like emotions. But it also means it dampens other things like our ability to reason and make informed decisions. It doesn’t solve anything, it is merely a bandage and not an effective one.”
“I want to revisit how your moms found out. You mentioned you were caught hungover. What prompted you to drink then?”
He pointedly looked away from her. It had been a week or so since the incident. A week or so since he had been so consumed with nerves and anxiety over meeting Dorian’s family, whether or not they would approve of him, whether or not he would be acceptable, that he had been unable to sleep. The fear had kept him wide awake and moving, a sea of emotions he had threatened to drown underneath the waves of. It had been easier to drink, easier to dull things out so he could let his mind slip from that space, to refocus onto gentler things.
“My ability to reason was fine,” Percy grumbled. “I was meeting my boyfriend’s family the next day, and I was… I was nervous that they wouldn’t approve of me. I couldn’t sleep. So I drank. Nothing bad happened. I didn’t get hurt. No one else got hurt. I don’t drive a car, so I didn’t need to worry about getting into accidents. I just stayed in my room. It was perfectly safe.”
”I notice you got defensive almost immediately, as if you expected me to judge you for that decision. Despite appearances, I’ll grant you, this is a judgment-free zone. It is understandable to be nervous when meeting a partner’s parents. A lot is riding on that. You want them to like you, but you want to be sure they like who you really are and not some image of someone they expect for their child. I imagine that was a lot of pressure.”
“Have you ever had a panic attack before Percy?”
He frowned. Had he ever had a panic attack? “Can you define it?”
”It looks different for everyone, but some common signs include feeling a tightness in your chest, difficulty catching your breath, an increased heartbeat which could lead to sweating or headaches or shakiness. People find it difficult to control the worry they are feeling. They may feel cold or hot. It typically doesn’t last long but I know some people say it feels like they are having a heart attack. Similar symptoms.”
Oh.
He had definitely had a panic attack before. He had had one during the last fight of the Contest of Champions, when Dorian had merged with Billy and Danni to become some sort of cosmic deity. He had had one later that same day, when a figure from his past had suddenly appeared, and given him a hug. There were others that came to mind too, ones that were less public. He had had one the night after Arcade attacked them all, in the quiet of his room. He had had many in middle school, usually spiking after a particularly vicious bout of bullying.
He nodded to Dr. Whitehall.
”It’s very common for people who have panic attacks to get worried about having another one so they often look for quick solutions or fixes to it. I am not suggesting that is what you are doing, but a common one is using substances. The thing is with those quick solutions is that it might be good at first, but it isn’t permanent. It’s like with medication. Our bodies grow adjusted and then it becomes less effective.”
“While there is no cure for panic attacks, there are ways to minimize them, to use different coping mechanisms in the moment to help mitigate the symptoms. That is, if you want. Having panic attacks is scary, but it is a natural way our bodies react to stress. It doesn’t make you weak or a failure. It makes you human.”
“Technically I’m not human, I’m a mutant,” he mumbled. He didn’t know why he felt the urge to be such a contrarian, to criticize every little detail that he could. He knew that Dr. Whitehall meant well by him, and knew that she had helped a lot of people he cared about before. It should have been simple to just cooperate with her - but being honest with her felt suffocating, felt like the walls in the room were closing in around him. Lashing out, even just a little, helped him to feel a little more in control - a little more like he could leave whenever he wanted, that he wasn’t being held here. That he didn’t have a problem - that it wasn’t too late. “But I don’t drink all the time. So I don’t need to escalate it,” he argued, lying to himself. It was easier to pretend it had never changed, that he was still the master of his own mind.
”I’m a mutant too. And oddly enough we share a lot of similarities with the average human being, such as panic attacks. Drinking doesn’t always look like how it does on tv or in movies. You know, the person at the bar every night getting drunk and stumbling off or the ones in the parking lots screaming at every person. More often than not those who have drinking problems tend to look like every other person on the street. Some hide it better than others. Some make excuses for it. Some even convince themselves they need to do it or that it isn’t as bad as it seems. And maybe it isn’t. But it gets bad. And it continues to spiral until that person is at the edge and either stumbles forward and gets hurt or is able to pull themselves back.”
“But the only way to work on it is to admit there’s a problem. Otherwise there’s no amount of talk therapy or medication or what have you that will do any good.”
He was silent for a moment, thinking. He knew his mothers believed he had a problem, his boyfriend’s father believed he had one, and his boyfriend, too. The pained look in their eyes as the subject was ventured had crushed him. Even if he didn’t believe there was anything wrong, they did. And he never wanted them to look at him that way again. He didn’t want to make his mothers cry, he didn’t want to break Dorian’s heart.
But… could he really be an alcoholic? He was too young for that - too smart, too careful. He… wouldn’t he know if he was addicted? He fidgeted in the chair again, remembering what the ice caves in Jotunheim had shown him, when Leah had been separated from him and Dorian. The vision hadn’t been one he wanted to take in. It sent a shiver down his spine just to recall it. He had seen himself, angry and alone - lashing out at the people he cared about, becoming angry and violent - the increasing need, the bottle whose bottom would never be drained. It consumed him, bleeding his soul, aging his body prematurely. And when his life came to an end, there was no one there to mourn him - he’d died in an alley, his fingers still clutching the bottle. He shut his eyes for a moment, taking a steadying breath.
“Wouldn’t I know?” he asked, his voice very quiet, very small. “If I’m addicted?”
Dr. Whitehall took a moment. ”You might think so, but addicts don’t see themselves as addicts. If they did we would have a lot of people in rehab or treatment. Addiction is unlike other mental health diagnoses because it relies more so on the person going through it to admit they have a problem versus any doctor or therapist telling them. If someone is depressed, they may not know and go seek out help and are then diagnosed with it. An addict may be told they have an addiction, but it is up to them to determine if that is correct or not. And though there is empirical evidence of addiction running in families, we are also noticing a large trend of it coming up in people with no history of it. Likely due to ease of access as well as stress.”
He nodded slightly. And then Percy frowned again. There was a contradiction there he wasn’t fully comfortable with - that addicts didn’t see themselves as addicts, but needed to affirm that they did indeed have an addiction. The idea caused his stomach to twist up into knots. His thoughts flickered back to the conversation he’d had with his mom, his mame, back in New Orleans - how his mame’s voice shook as she asked him what was happening, as she confessed to him that she had failed him once again, and how much it hurt that she could not reach him. He shut his eyes once more, and kept them closed. But all he could see was the heartbreak on her face.
“So… if I am an alcoholic… what am I supposed to do?” his voice shook.
Dr. Whitehall paused a moment. The first step was always admitting there was a problem. Even tentatively. ”If you were an alcoholic, I would recommend starting to find ways to cope with high emotional moments that alcohol was the go-to, with the understanding that quitting cold turkey never works. Gradually we would wean you off alcohol. I could also gather a lit of places that offer AA services or AA-adjacent if you wanted to find support there, though I recognize that’a hefty step. But there are groups that allow for family and loved ones to join so if you wanted I could find ones where your mothers or even your boyfriend could come with, if you wanted.”
“But I’m underage - isn’t that illegal?” Percy asked, surprised. The legality of the situation hadn’t stopped him from drinking before, but he hadn’t expected the therapist at CAGE to tell him he could still drink. He doubted his mothers or boyfriend would be thrilled about that idea. He had come here anticipating that he’d be told he could never consume alcohol again, that he would spend the rest of his life as the designated driver - or teleporter - at parties and holidays.
The idea of being able to bring his mothers and boyfriends to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings was also surprising - but intriguing too. He didn’t know if Dorian would want to come with him to those meetings. He hadn’t taken the news he was going to rehab very well. Percy tensed at the memory - how crushed and disappointed he’d been. His interest in bringing Dorian to an AA meeting was selfish. It would make it easier for him. But he was afraid it would make it harder for Dorian.
His mother Dominika would go if he asked, he knew as much. And yet, he also was aware that he wouldn’t find much comfort in her presence. He loved his mother dearly, but she approached the world as problems to be solved. He didn’t need her trying to fix him at an AA meeting. So that left his mame, Naomi. She would want to go, even if it broke her heart. She would set herself on fire to keep Percy warm. He wanted her there. He did. He wanted to be able to hide behind her, just as he had when he was small.
But it wasn’t fair to her, just like it wasn’t fair to Dominika or to Dorian. He couldn’t - he wouldn’t ask that of them.
“I don’t know if I can ask them to go with me to an AA meeting,” he said quietly, looking down. “I already hurt them too much.”
”Let me be clear, I am not advocating for you to continue drinking and I think we are already beyond concern for legality. The fact you got help before potentially being arrested is a small blessing. That is why I encourage finding ways to manage your emotions using other methods, but addiction is not a one-size-fits-all-solution methodology. It works different for everyone.”
“And I think you may be underestimating your loved ones. They may be hurt, sure, but I am willing to bet their love for you outshines any potential harm that may have occurred. But it is your choice.”
Percy’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Hadn’t she just said the plan would be to wean him off of alcohol? A small bit of frustration bubbled up within him. He wanted to protest that he never would have been arrested but… all of the alcohol he consumed had been stolen. And while his powers had only achieved consistency now due to the intense training for the contest, they had never failed him before when it came to swiping a bottle. The realization made him feel nauseous. Alcohol had been enough motivation to give him fine control when other things had failed. He felt the sudden urge to scream.
He bit the inside of his cheek, and then tried to take a steadying breath. Maybe Dr. Whitehall was right. Naomi had gone on sabbatical from Columbia just to be here for him, and Dominika was spending every waking hour in the lab, researching quantum entanglement. Dorian had even been writing letters for him, filled with flowery language on wax sealed parchment. And of course, he’d accompanied Leah and him on the impromptu trip to Asgard and Jotunheim.
He scrunched up his face, as his heart began to pound. “Okay,” he mumbled. He took another breath. He felt the familiar energy swirling up inside him, but there was no power to direct it to - no teleport that would let him run away and reject this reality. If mutant powers shaped personalities, his had shaped his avoidance. “So I am… an… alcoholic.”
Dr. Whitehall set her tablet down on the end table next to her. ”I am very proud of you Percy. Admitting it is always the first step. If you want we can get into what next steps would work for you or we can take time and process things, give you the space to be where you need to be to move forward. Afterwards we can discuss next steps and the time frame so we can get you on a good treatment plan and out of here as quickly as possible.”
Percy was quiet for a moment. It had been harder than he’d realized to say that - he felt so fragile all of the sudden, so vulnerable. As if a crack had started to form underneath the pressure, and one good blow would be all it took to force him to come apart. He didn’t know what he wanted to do. He felt like all of his nerves were shot and fried, like he was about to collapse.
He extended his silence for a while. Just breathing and avoiding eye contact with the doctor. It might have been seconds, minutes - he didn’t really know - before he spoke again.
“I don’t know how I move forward from here,” he admitted, and his voice cracked. “I don’t… I don’t know…” He felt so very small.
Dr. Whitehall moved a bit closer, not enough to invade Percy’s personal space, but enough to provide support in case it was needed. ”Percy, I want you to take five deep breaths for me. After that I want you to do another five deep breaths. Then the first step towards getting better has begun and the only way to go is forward. You have help, you have support should you need it. And if you stumble, then we pick ourselves back up and we keep going.”
Percy scooted slightly over, to maintain the distance between them. But he did as the doctor instructed. He breathed in. He breathed out. He breathed in. He breathed out. He breathed in… and he crumpled, his chin wobbling as tears began to flow, tears that he couldn’t stop, that he couldn’t handle.
Dr. Whitehall pulled a tissue box closer to them and allowed Percy to let it out. The fact he was so young and dealing with this was an emotional gut punch, but it still gave her some hope, especially knowing his family and friends were behind him in his support, that he would pull through, even if the journey itself would be ongoing.
The next morning, Percy was due back in Dr. Whitehall’s office. He’d had the unfortunate pleasure of having gotten to know one of his fellow patients, a deranged twink named August. So in some respects, he was glad to be here in Maeve’s office. At least the danger of being licked was greatly reduced. His eyes were a little red and puffy. He’d spent more time the previous day crying than he would have liked to admit.
Dr. Whitehall finished typing up some progress notes in time for the next session with Percy. It was a rough go at first, but he got there in the end. Deep down she figured he knew it was a problem, but it can still be scary to admit it. No one likes to admit weakness, even ones that can be understandable.
The room was the same as before as she waited for him to arrive. Hopefully this next session they could get into some of the root causes for why the addiction even started.
He knocked on the door thrice, before slowly heading inside. His eyes swept around the room, noting that its decor had not changed since he’d been here last. He remembered what Dr. Whitehall had told him before, how she changed the room’s environment to suit her patient. He looked much the same as the day before too, still wrapped up in his boyfriend’s gaming hoodie like a security blanket.
He didn’t know if Dr. Whitehall wanted to speak first or not, as he took the same seat he had in the previous session.
”Hello Percy, welcome back. A lot happened last session so I’ll leave it up to you if you want to process anything we discussed or anything you felt or if you want to move on to something else. Also, if you have questions about what this treatment process will look like I am happy to answer. First things first, though, how are you feeling today?”
Percy nodded slightly, taking in the information from Dr. Whitehall. He had quickly realized a significant amount of his time in rehab was spent going over logistics - what treatment would look like, when it would happen, who was appropriate to reach out to, and so forth. He suspected that was the primary reason they had for holding him there for a few days of in-patient - just to speed run through the bureaucracy.
As for how he was feeling… the word that came to mind was itchy. He could still feel the remnants of August’s tongue on him, as well as every accidental bump and brush from patients and staff. Their voices were too loud, their stares too long, and the insistence some of them had on making eye contact was excruciating. It didn’t help either his difficulties in absorbing himself in a book, given the limited languages he had to draw on - or the pins and needles feeling of being exposed to power dampeners for this long. He was lucky he would only be here for a short period of time. He didn’t want to know what would happen if he was subjected to them for years.
His automatic answer would have been to inform the doctor that he was fine.
But he had gotten into this mess by lying to others - by lying to himself.
“Not great,” he admitted, focusing on Dr. Whitehall’s ear rather than her face - a trick he’d learned to make people think he was maintaining eye contact. “The power dampeners make my body feel numb, but in a sharp way, almost. And I find the constant touches and chatter here at the asylum overwhelming, like nails on a chalkboard.”
Dr. Whitehall was not surprised by the power dampeners causing irritation. For those not used to such things, it could feel like a part of you was being actively suppressed. There was a reason for them, though. ”The dampeners do have that effect, I apologize. They are a necessary evil here. If you want I can see about prescribing something to help. Nothing major, just some medicine to help mitigate their impact on you. Up to you, of course.”
“When you say touches and chatter, what do you mean exactly? Is someone touching you that shouldn’t be? The staff or some of the patients? The staff should be respecting personal boundaries if that is the case, but we can only do so much about the other patents unless we are told. Have you had this feeling before outside of CAGE?”
He didn’t want to take any medicine from here. He’d seen enough of his fellow patients to want to steer clear of it all. If he couldn’t have his powers, he at least wanted to keep his wits. As for Dr. Whitehall’s question about who was touching him… his thoughts flashed to August. The licking, placing his head in his lap, pressing up against him, slapping his crotch. He could have told her right now and ratted him out, but the way the other boy had seemed almost… scared? He’d told Percy he needed help. He was also fairly certain he wasn’t supposed to have brought in erotic books to CAGE anyway, so he stayed silent. Mutually assured destruction.
“They’re just accidental brushes,” he lied. Some of them had been, yes. The head, not so much. “It’s no one’s fault.” He wasn’t a snitch.
The other question was easier to answer. “Yes. My entire life.” It hadn’t been as extreme the entire time, of course. He hadn’t always had to take a deep breath before hugging his mothers. He hadn’t always felt like he’d been shot when someone gave him a clap on the back. That had come later - that had come with Chase.
Dr. Whitehall noted the emotions coming off of Percy. He wasn’t being honest with her, but there was probably an underlying reason for it. Worry, concern, fear. She made a note to have staff keep an eye out more on who interacts with Percy moving forward in terms of the other patients. She had a feeling she knew who it was, but left it at that. ”Can you give me a sense of what it feels like when you are physically touched. What emotions are drawn up? Any physical manifestations? You mentioned feeling itchy. Is it an actual itch or just an internal feeling of it?”
Percy frowned. It was another question where he really didn’t see the difference between the two - an actual itch or an internal itch. He felt itchy either way. He didn’t know how to decouple them. “It depends. Sometimes it’s like I’m being set on fire - like all of my nerves are screaming. Sometimes it’s like an electric shock. Sometimes it’s just an itch, one that builds until I’m ready to jump out of my skin to avoid it. Sometimes it feels like being struck, even if the touch was light. The light touches are the most painful ones.”
”It sounds like allodynia, which is more medical. However, from what it sounds like it sounds like stressful things maybe increase it or make it more prevalent. In which case, touch sensitivity makes sense too. Especially if you are relaying that it feels painful or like burning. The next steps then would be to help mitigate such things for the mental side. Lower stress so touch doesn’t become as concerning, but also lifestyle changes if that matters like wearing gloves. The other side would require going to see a special neurologist to help with the medical side. I can make some recommendations for you and your family.”
“And I would encourage you to be fully honest with the staff here, Percy. If someone is bothering you, whether intentional or not, it won’t be fixed by staying silent. We don’t punish people harshly here, but if another patient is touching you and you do not want them to, then we can see about separating you and them. We don’t want to withhold you from interacting with others if it's helpful, but when it stops helping, that’s when we need to step in.”
Allodynia. He’d never heard that term before. Irritation flashed through him again - he ought to have been able to pick apart its meaning. There were root words in it, he knew, but he had become so accustomed to his powers over language that he hadn’t thought about them in a while. The word rattled around in his head, and his fingers clenched. He tried to force the irritation aside, and instead focus on what Dr. Whitehall had suggested. Lower stress and gloves. Alcohol had been his means to lower stress. And while gloves were nice, he knew he’d be constantly taking them off for Dorian.
“No one is bothering me,” he reiterated. “… What does allodynia mean?”
”Well, truthfully, I don’t know. I’ll admit I am not well-versed in neurological disorders, but I am sure we can have someone find out for you, if you think it would be helpful.”
Dr. Whitehall marked down to go speak to August after this. She didn’t need confirmation to know he was the most likely culprit. He wasn’t in trouble, but if Percy was unwilling to mention anything, even stuff that wasn’t pushing physical boundaries, it meant August was extending himself too much. He was doing better, somewhat. A gentle reminder to ask permission first and when people said no, they meant no.
”And no, alcohol does not count as a stress minimizer since that is how we got here. You need better ways to manage it in the moment.”
He frowned. Dr. Whitehall suspected he had allodynia but couldn’t tell him what that meant? He ran through her words in his head again, trying to see if he had just misunderstood her. “If you think I might have that, I would like to know what it is,” he clarified.
Percy tensed as the doctor suddenly brought the conversation back to his alcohol consumption. He hadn’t been about to suggest it as a way to minimize stress - even if that had been how he used it in the past. The comment stung. He clenched his jaw slightly. He didn’t know what to say to that - nothing kind, at least.
[color=998dd5]”Then I will seek out a specialist in that field and they can come talk to you. Apart from that is there anything that comes to the top of your mind on how to make you feel more comfortable here regarding that sensitivity? “[/colr]
He blinked slightly. He was just going to have to let it go, then. He forced himself to consider her next question. Besides alcohol, the newest strategy that had presented itself had been Dorian wrapping him up in a telekinetic barrier. But his boyfriend couldn’t always be there. “You mentioned strategies to reduce stress. What did you have in mind?”
”It depends on what you are most comfortable with. I know of some mindfulness techniques that can help that involve deep breathing and centering yourself, but not everyone enjoys doing that. We could do some grounding. If you are fine with it, we can even do some body reset exercises. Those are little things you do, like rubbing the middle part of your hand between your thump and pointer finger or the bridge under your nose that reset your body. That would depend on you being okay at your own touch.”.
His own touch had never bothered him. He didn’t want to imagine what his life would be like if even that started to feel too much - if his own skin made him nauseous, ready to curl into a ball and cry. The thought of it filled him with dread. He hadn’t always been like this. The notion of an even harder life… He did his best to set it aside. Breathing and centering - it sounded like meditation then. He was never very good at keeping his mind still, his thoughts tending to race, working themselves up into a frenzy. The body reset might be more achievable. “Do you need to quiet your mind for centering? I’m not very good at that,” he admitted. “How does the body reset work?” He didn’t understand how rubbing the middle part of his hand would be soothing - or the bridge under his nose.
But he couldn’t rely on alcohol. He’d promised his mothers and Dorian that he would get better. So he had to try these strategies, even if he didn’t see the point in them.
”A quiet mind would help, but that’s what mindfulness is for. The practice of it is supposed to help you learn to turn your brain off for a bit. It doesn’t mean you won’t have thoughts or reactions, but it is more accepting of them and moving on anyway. As for the body reset, it’s part of the body’s regulation. Part of it stems from areas like acupuncture and others its neurological. There’s points on our body that connect. One of the things I sometimes encourage clients is the use of senses to reset the mind. Like taking a hot shower or holding some ice or sucking on a sour piece of candy. Those can all help reset the mind when you feel anxious as it gets your mind to think about something else.”
Percy couldn’t help but feel skeptical. He had always seen acupuncture as part of a spa treatment, the sort of thing the idle rich would spend their money on at the same time that they had their eyes covered in cucumbers. He had never really thought of it as an actual treatment method, or about how it would operate in the body. But he had seen feats of magic and alien technology before him, so he couldn’t dismiss it entirely. Maybe Dr. Whitehall was right and there were points on their bodies that connected, that there was energy that moved and pulsed. So the use of senses, then. He didn’t really like to suck on sour candy. But there were other things he enjoyed sucking on.
“I see,” he was willing to give it a try, even if he didn’t feel enthused at the prospect of mindfulness. “If mindfulness doesn’t work for your clients, what else do you try?”
”There’s other options depending on what interests you. Journaling can help relieve stress by allowing you to vent emotions, but not everyone enjoys writing. There’s music with some interventions to help relieve tension. We can explore schools of theory within psychology to find what suits best. I often use Cognitive Behavioral therapy which states that there is a cycle between thought, behavior, and emotion and that breaking the cycle can help ease behaviors we don’t want. We can also explore some Dialectical Behavioral Therapy also. I’ll be honest, a lot of therapy is trial and error because every person is different. What works for one won’t necessarily work for the other. That’s why it’s important in the work we do that you inform me if what we do is helpful or not. It won't hurt my feelings if we try something and you don’t like it. This is about what’s best for you.”
Percy did, in fact, enjoy writing. It was his preferred medium for communication. He had been non-verbal in his early childhood, and found that it was easier to express himself with a pen and paper than with his voice. He regularly wrote letters to his mothers, and the margins of his favorite books were covered in cramped, scrawling notes. He’d never specifically done journaling, however. Music was also interesting. He hadn’t played his piano as much lately as he would have liked to, but he always found it calming to lose himself in the notes. He didn’t know what dialectical behavioral therapy meant. Cognitive behavioral therapy seemed too abstract from the description for him to have a deep opinion.
“I am interested in journaling - I really like to write,” he offered. “I also enjoy playing piano. Those seem… those seem more achievable to me than rubbing my thumb on the back of my hand, and I do not know what dialectical behavioral therapy is.” But the first two options felt possible. He could journal until his hand gave out, and he had a keyboard at school due to the impracticality of having a piano in his dorm room. If he was lucky, he wouldn’t be assigned a new roommate too, so he could play whenever he pleased.
”How about this: we start with some journaling prompts and some music interventions and next session I can go over the types of therapy there are and if one sounds more preferable, we can explore it together.”
He nodded. What sort of journaling prompts was she going to give him - list ten reasons why you drink?Describe a time in your life you felt broken and sad? As much as he had just said that he was interested in journaling, his stomach still churned at the thought of it. It was so much easier to keep using the strategy he had been using - even as it threatened to consume him. “What are the prompts?” Would she be reading his journal entries? Would she grade them the way his mame graded his essays before he could even hand them in at school?
Dr. Whitehall stood up and walked over to the bookshelf and picked up one of the books there. It was a book about a man’s journey through addiction, one that started when he was 8 years old. It walked through the struggles of engaging in drinking so young, the impact it had on him, the toll on his friends and family, and the perseverance of struggling everyday with it and learning to overcome it. ”This is a memoir about addiction told from someone who had it when he was very young. I happen to really like it because it’s equal parts dramatic and hilarious, he uses a lot of humor throughout. But it’s insightful. For your journal prompts I would love it if you can read the first two chapters, but you can read more if you want. Then I want you to write about how you feel about his experiences. Then I want you to write some thoughts on what you think his friends and family are going through. After, if you’d like, you can write some thoughts about the similarities and differences between the two of you. If you like the book you can borrow it and finish it. If not, we’ll move on, but I happen to think you’ll get some enjoyment from it.”
Percy was visibly surprised. His assignment for therapy was to read a book and journal about his thoughts on it? He already did that for fun. There was a reason he owned multiples of all of his favorites, his annotations had made some of them practically unreadable - and he had quickly filled up at least five notebooks just this semester alone at Margaret Carter with further thoughts and musings. So his immediate reaction was that this assignment was easy. Therapy wasn’t going to be challenging at all if it was like this! If he’d known this was the assignment, he wouldn’t have been so terrified to come here, so insistent that he didn’t need it. He could get through all of those tasks in an hour, maybe a little more if the book was really engaging, really stimulating.
He took the book from her, studying the cover as the rest of the assignment really sank in. The purpose wasn’t just to read a book and write about what he’d read. The prompts were reflective, deeply personal - a style of analysis that he did not often partake in. Sure, he’d made notes about his feelings on love and romance and how they were reflected in his favorite heroes, but never about his pain - never about the things that drove him to drink - never about how they might affect others in his life. He swallowed slightly, as he turned the book over. Maybe this task actually wouldn’t be so easy.
But he had to try. He had to try to get better.
For them. For everyone who loved him and cared about him.
He nodded, before looking up at Dr. Whitehall. “I think I might, too.”
For the past day, Percy Novikov had been a captive of the California Asylum for the Genetically Enhanced.
And he was about to lose his fucking mind.
His time had been filled with medical examinations on how his detox was going, individual therapy sessions with Dr. Whitehall, group therapy sessions, informational sessions on the dangers of substance abuse, so called ‘unstructured free time’ that was definitely structured as there had been a required activity, and meals that resembled animal scat more than they did food. He was already tired of the periodic room checks throughout the night, where orderlies shined flashlights on him to make sure he hadn’t killed himself or attempted to. And the numbness that had settled into his bones from the power dampeners was infuriating. Not only could he not text or see his boyfriend, but he couldn’t feel him either - couldn’t feel the tiny traces of Dorian lurking within him.
The largest offense, of course, was that he could not read.
He could only read in English, Russian, Yiddish, and Hebrew. It was cruel and unusual punishment unlike anything he had ever heard of before. How was a person supposed to live with only four languages at their grasp? Yes, he had a large stack of Asgardian erotica in English that he had acquired on his trip with Leah and Dorian, and yes, he hadn’t finished more than three of them, but it was the principle of it all. He wanted to be able to read without limits - not be forced to experience the fall of Babel!
And as his stay was due to be so short, he wasn’t allowed any visitors, either.
His jaw was clenched as he paced back and forth, angrily turning the next page in his book as he read in the day room. When he got out of here, he was burning this place to the ground. He knew an excitable pyromaniac who probably wouldn’t ask too many questions.
There seemed to be no shortage of new and younger supply at CAGE recently. August watched as the tiny new inmate paced back and forth, spying the cover of the book he was reading as he saw the photo of a muscular Norse looking guy embracing another more slender man. It looked like the trashy romance novels he'd see in bookstores in a bargain bin, except more…exotic, as if Thor himself was the star of it. All that smut and no outlet would make anyone mad enough to pace. So he decided, as he did will all newcomers, to introduce himself and help him out.
August made his way over to Percy, silently, stealthily, as he began to keep pace and pace alongside him. Hands behind his back and staring at the pages Percy was reading, though he couldn't read it himself.
For longer than Percy would have cared to admit, he didn’t notice his shadow keeping pace by his side. He was so absorbed in what he was reading, the words flowing from the page to his mind and painting the scene with little to no effort. Bjørn was about to find Magnus in Einar’s bed, and his pulse had quickened with anticipation. It was trashy slop, yes, but at least it was engaging garbage. He turned the page, about to reach the climax of the encounter when he finally noticed the other boy.
Immediately, Percy took several steps back, and snapped the book shut.
“Can I help you?” he snapped.
August stepped closer, clearly unaware of what personal space meant. Looking down at the book, back at Percy, and then lower than the book, before finally his eyes met Percy's once more and he smiled. ”I don't know can you? I mean, I certainly could help you. You seem pent up, are you? Is the book any good, got any pictures in it? Id loooove it if there was some photos to go with the story you know what I mean?” August winked at Percy.
Percy’s eyes widened, as he quickly adjusted his hoodie. It was too big for him, which helped with camouflaging a certain area. And then for good measure, he held the book below his waist as well. He was speechless for a moment though at how forward the other boy was. Had it been Dorian, he would have said yes in a heartbeat. “I am not,” he huffed. “And there are not any pictures, it’s a book.” There were definitely pictures.
”What? That's so lame!” August reached forward at the books new location, snatching it out of Percy's hands as he quickly began to flip through it. Spying a few pics within the pages. His eyes widened a bit at the graphic content before looking back at Percy. ”Yo, its ok slow reader, there's pics later on look.” He turned the book for Percy to see, a steamy scene depicted one the pages about what had been written on the page next to it. August whistled, impressed at the sight. ”Hot stuff. Papi”
“Give that back!” Percy demanded, his face rapidly turning bright red. He tried to grab the book back, but August was a little too quick for him. He huffed. If he’d had his powers, he would have teleported with his book as far away as he could - or even borrowed Dorian’s to telekinetically grab it back. “That’s not yours.”
”Hey no worries. Id only use the pics anyways. Between you and me, I cant really read. Words keep flying off the pages, makes it hard tk understand any of it. But this? I could get behind this. Or you. Or both.” August smiled, handing back the book with the page still open to the pseudo pornographic image.
Percy was sweating as he took the book back, and practically slammed it shut. He should have just read in his room. He shouldn’t have come to the day room to see if they had anything more interesting to browse through on the shelves. Maybe this was his punishment for being a teenage alcoholic. “I have a boyfriend. He’s the jealous type.”
”And I have Depression. Whats your point?”
Just depression? Somehow Percy doubted that was everything wrong with this kid. “It means I’m not interested.”
”Riiiiight. So how long you in for? What're you in for?”
“Why would I tell you that?” He took another step back away from August.
August took another step forward, a little too close as something pressed against him and his eyes darted down before meeting Percy's again. ”Why wouldn't you? No one here judges, we'll except the orderlies. But we're all in here for something, me its more fun than anything, and they supply so it's not all bad. Besides, was curious how long you were here cuz you may be doing a one handed salute for a bit then.”
Percy practically jumped backwards, feeling like he’d been electrocuted as August pressed up against him. He tripped over the table leg, landing onto the beaten up old couch. “You’re deranged,” Percy muttered. But August was between him and the exit. “I’m here because I drink.”
”You might be more skittish than April was, and that's saying something. She grew a whole birds nest overnight atop her head.” August held his hand out to help Percy up if he wanted to. But as Percy mentioned why he was here, he got in close, really looking at Percy's face, inspecting it. ”What is your skincare routine. I thought you were younger than drinking age. That's, well we don't like to use the C word around here.”
“I don’t like being touched.” Percy refused the offered hand. Of course this kid knew April. He was mentally kicking himself for not asking Dorian to ask his sister for a list of people to avoid at CAGE. And as August got in closer, he felt the familiar swell of energy build up in him - only it had nowhere to go. No blue energy to release and escape. He was pressing himself into the couch as much as he could to increase the distance between them. “That’s because I am younger than the drinking age. Are you happy now? Will you leave me alone?”
”Why didn't you say so! I didn't know you were no touchy my man. It's cool.” August pulled back his hand and plopped onto the couch, his legs crossing over Percy's lap but never actually touching it or him as he kept his knees bent. ”So you're younger but drinking and reading smut? Wild work papi. You're like, so cool.”
Percy shifted as far away from August on the couch as he could. His thoughts flashed back to how hurt Dorian had been, how much pain his mothers had been in. Drinking didn’t feel cool. Not anymore. Maybe a month ago he might have agreed with the other boy, but not now. The thought of liquor made his stomach churn, as much as he still craved it. It was desperation for poison. “It’s not cool,” he argued. “The drinking. The erotica isn’t a problem. It didn’t break my boyfriend’s heart like the alcohol did.”
”May have broken his back with the tent you're pitching. But that's true, I guess if it was cool you wouldn't be here huh?” August was quiet for a second, which was a miracle to anyone who knew him. ”Hey, sorry it hurt him though, that had to be rough for you both.”
He was practically on the armrest of the couch now. Percy glared slightly at the comment about breaking Dorian’s back. He didn’t really like talking about his sex life with other people - of course, it was different when his boyfriend would tease him and rile him up, but otherwise he liked to keep that behind closed doors. They’d already been unlucky enough to have another student walk in on them during their first time.
“… Yeah. His father’s an addict, too,” Percy said quietly. “I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to forgive me.”
August lifted his legs and spun in place, leaning back so that his head now rested atop Percy's lap, fully ignoring any extra movement he may find from literature. ”Damn, I mean they do say you end up with people who resemble your parents. But I'm sure he'll forgive you, i mean you're putting in the work here right? Doing all your little activities and checking all the boxes, you're trying to make right and that's got to be worth something right? Me? I've got nobody, last anyone knew of me I was doing clinical tries before the whole lab exploded. Next thing I know I'm here for my Depression. Not that I mind but…none of my families even visited me. I miss my sister so much. Now she was the coolest.”
Percy gasped sharply, and immediately sprung up off the couch, not caring if it sent August tumbling. He moved so quickly to the other end of the room that for a second, he thought his powers had managed to break through the dampening field. He wasn’t finding it particularly hard to believe that no one wanted to visit this boy. “You don’t seem depressed,” he snapped. “You seem insane. Do you do this to everyone who comes here - harass them until they run screaming? No wonder you have no one.”
August lay there on the floor, a smile partially still on his face but a deep set sadness in his eyes. He rubbed the back of his head as he sat up on the floor and remained there, legs crossed over one another now. ”I'm not depressed. I have Depression. Very different things. But yeah…I guess it is no wonder why huh? Parents never thought much of me, I couldn't do well enough in school, and the only person who ever truly believed in me was Gideon…but she's too busy playing hero now to care about me I guess.”
Dorian wanted him to try to be nicer to people.
Percy sighed slightly.
He didn’t feel super bad - but… he did feel a little bad. A tiny singular atom’s worth of guilt. The other boy was clearly unwell and he didn’t need Percy’s tongue adding to his issues. It felt like kicking a sick dog. So as much as he wanted nothing more than to flee from the room with his book and continue to read about the complex relationship between Magnus and Bjørn in peace, he knew his boyfriend wanted him to try to be a better person.
Being a hero was annoying.
“Wait… Gideon?” He frowned. There weren’t that many girls named Gideon. “Overtly sexual, incredibly dim, always wears glasses? Obsessed with swords and muscles? That Gideon?”
”Yes! I mean she has a light sensitivity so the glasses thing isn't really her fault, but its still dope! Wait, don't tell me, she's made it big?! She's an honest to Cap superhero already? Oh I'm so proud of her! No wonder I haven't seen her she's too busy saving the world.”
“Erm, no. She was disqualified for failing her English class… despite the principal giving all of us A’s for the semester after a near death experience.”
August slumped back down, practically melting into the floor. ”Oh…”
“… She has a girlfriend though.”
”Oh? That's good, I'm happy for her. I'm glad to know she's doing ok.”
“Well… she did almost die. But she seems fine.” Percy didn’t know almost anything about Gideon. He considered for a moment if he ought to just lie to August and tell him a list of incredible things his sister had done.
August laughed at Percy's comment. Wiping a tear from his eye. ”Awe man, thanks I needed that Papi. Things were getting a little too serious around here and we can't have that. Oh man, almost died, you're so funny.”
Yes. August was definitely deranged. Percy almost pitied him. At least he seemed to be feeling better.
He cleared his throat slightly. “My name isn’t Papi.”
”Be weird if it was. Who names their kid daddy?” August studied Percy's face for a second, wondering if he truly thought Gideon had almost died. Then again, he figured if this kid didn't know he wouldn't tell him. Maybe Gideon wanted it to be a secret, like some upper hand shit that would make villains go ‘Woah so cool totally thought you were dead and you're still standing! Wha-? No way!’
For a moment, a pang of sadness hit Percy as he heard the translation. The two words shouldn’t have sounded different to him. It was like a prick of pain in a phantom limb. “My name’s Percy.” He did not want August calling him daddy. He didn’t want anyone calling him that. He didn’t even call Dorian that.
August snapped his fingers and finger gunned Percy before clapping his hands. ”Moanable, love it! But I'll stick with Papi, it's less syllables.” It was not.
Percy’s jaw dropped.
He didn’t know how to respond to that.
”Close that mouth papi, you have a boyfriend remember? Unless you're open, then keep it open please.”
Percy had never shut his mouth so quickly in his life.
”Rude. Your little friend seemed to like me earlier.”
“Absolutely not!” he protested, his face positively burning up.
”Geeze relax, you're wound up tighter than…than…something that winds up super tight! I'm only messing with you, and it finally got you to actually say words. Besides you seem more…ah nevermind.” August waved it away.
Percy’s eyebrows furrowed. “I seem more what?”
”Ya’know” August gestured to all of Percy.
“I don’t…know.”
”Oh. Well now thats awkward. I thought maybe, I mean you just seemed so…and you read too so…”
Percy frowned. “What?” If there was one thing that drove him madder than not having his powers, it was the feeling of information being withheld from him - even if that information came from a lunatic twink.
August looked to his left, his right, then at Percy. His hands hand been grabbing his ankles as he sat criss cross on the floor, one of his hands moving up to motion for Percy to come closer to him.
He stared at him for a moment.
This was stupid.
Percy took a single step forward.
August motioned more frantically, clearly indicating he needed to be right next to him.
“No. You can tell me from here.”
”I guess you won't know then.”
He huffed. He really thought about leaving. It would be so easy. He could go back to reading his book. He wouldn’t have to think about whatever was going through this kid’s head. He could be free.
But as stupid a mystery as this was, it was still a mystery.
“No touching,” he said, before walking up to August.
”Just a little touching. You cant not touch when whispering a secret. Also…maybe a little lick, technically I should've done so waaaaay before to make sure you weren't an enemy, I mean that alone would tell me your problems based on your flavour, Depressions really good about figuring those things out like that.” August was smiling wide as he nodded happily.
“A… a lick?!” Percy practically screeched. “Do you know how disgusting that is?! My flavor?! No, no, absolutely not. Never in a million years. Never in a million lifetimes! Keep - keep your tongue in your mouth and away from me!”
Percy flinched back, a slight move that August instinctively locked into like a predator to its prey. He hadn't meant to, not fully, but the sudden motioned caused his tongue to lash out quickly, an easy 12 inch clearance of a gap quickly closed in on as his tongue elongated and licked the side of Percy's face. ”Shit, sorry P–” August stopped mid sentence, who knew if he'd've say Percy or Papi, the word lost on his lips as he began to smack them for a moment. A full body shudder as the taste of Bourbon overwhelmed him for a moment.
”Bourbon…but what's…what's underneath it, something…no, someone else.” August gasped. ”Do you also have a Depression?” He whispered to Percy as he tried to make sense of the other person's flavour coming in before it faded away and revealed a third flavour. Such a complex profile Percy had. ”Oooo wait, there's a third flavour too, it's sort of like, you know those mystery flavour bags? Kinda like that. Oh! Puzzling!” He looked back at Percy and nodded. ”No yeah that last one makes a lot of sense. Especially with the no touching. You probably don't like certain textures huh?”
Percy screamed as an inhuman tongue shot out and licked him. He immediately tried to scrub any residue off of his face with the sleeve of his hoodie, sacrificing poor Kirby for his own comfort. He was frozen in place, startled like a deer in the headlights. Not only had he been licked, but the other boy was… he didn’t even know where to start. How did he know bourbon was his poison of choice? And another person… Dorian? Could he taste quantum entanglement?! And what did he mean that that last one?!
“I… what… yes? I can’t - I can’t stand burlap,” he stammered. “What - I - explain. Now.”
”Buuurlap. That'll do it, yeah. Oh! Yeah, it's my Depression. I can figure things out about people when I lick them, especially if they're a threat or not to me. You're…undecided.” August beamed, smiling brightly as if he'd done a good job.
Percy stared at him for a good, long while. Ordinarily, he would have dismissed what August was trying to tell him. Even a cold reader might have gotten lucky with bourbon. And jumping from touch averse to sensory issues? Hardly a lucky guess. The someone else was more intriguing than the rest. Even with their newfound notoriety, Percy doubted the details of the entanglement had been made public. Not that it seemed like August kept up with the news. Otherwise, he would have known that Gideon didn’t compete.
“Tell me more about the someone else you tasted.”
”See, normally when there's a split with people they're like a creamsicle, or sometimes way more than that, like an everything milkshake. But you…it was a distinctly different taste, like there was a different person inside of you. Your very own Depression, like I have, another being within you. The taste was faint though, and these things work better if I lick the other person instead. Its like youre asking me to figure out a dish that's already been licked clean off the plate. I can get pieces but not the whole.”
He was quiet for a moment, contemplating. “Tell me about your Depression, then.”
August scooched closer to Percy. No one had ever been interested in hearing about Depression, not earnestly. ”I could just hug you! But i won't because you're mystery flavour, but I could. I haven't always had Depression, not till my last clinical trial. It was weird and I mean weird weird. There were tanks with people in them, jars full of who knows what, the drugs were great, made things a bit fuzzy though, then an explosion, I was gonna die…lots of glass in me you see? But then Depression merged with me and it turns out he likes the drugs too. I must've made it just outside the building when a van came and took me away. Next thing I know Im here. They supply me with the food he needs and the drugs I like, and…everyone's happy I guess? He's just overprotective of me, takes care of me. I mean, I'm nothing like Gideon, I have no powers, talents, I'm not even immortal. Everything special about me came from a jar.”
Percy scrunched up his face. Yes, August was in an insane asylum. But at the same time, there were tons of heroes who got their powers from unethical lab experiments. Dorian went on about them all the time. He couldn’t dismiss this at face value. And at the same time, he was curious… Was August entangled with something? Just a further stage than he and Dorian had reached?
“Is Depression a name? Or are you referring to the mental illness characterized with profound sadness?” Percy asked, as he stood up and started to pace.
August cocked his head to the side, his smile still wide and on display. ”Papi, do I look depressed to you? It's a name. Keep up.”
“I’d say you look clinically insane, but I digress. Can I speak to Depression or can he only speak through you?” he asked, continuing to pace. “How big is Depression? Does Depression consume energy? You mentioned the medication here is good for him.”
August placed a finger on his lip as he began to think. ”Yes/No, variable, technically, and yes it gives him the nutrients needed to survive. Technically I can find it in two other places but this is the cheaper and more…humane option.” He scooted even closer.
Percy walked a little further away from August. He didn’t want to step on him. The first answer wasn’t much of an answer at all - although, it implied some sort of conditions or change in state in Depression. Variable size? He frowned. Was Depression liquid or a gas - did he take the shape or size of his container? August had mentioned tanks. Perhaps he was a fluid. “What’s the less humane option?” He wished he had one of his notebooks with him. “Can other people see Depression?” And then he blinked slightly, realizing that this didn’t have to be a game of twenty questions. “Forgive me. What is Depression? I should have started there.”
”Can't say, technically yes but we don't allow it. Aaaaaannnd I couldn't tell you. There was a label on the jar but again, I can't read.” August had taken to grabbing his toes, legs still crossed as he sat on the floor and rocked front to back and side to side on his butt. ”Unfortunately you're an unknown, no real threat level but something I can fully toss aside too sooo I can't really tell you much. Not that the orderlies here even listen to me but sometimes, I feel like people are watching me.” The last part was a whisper, August having quickly gotten up and whispered it in Percy's ear step enough his breath could be felt. He then pulled away himself as he giggled and laid across the couch.
He flinched as he felt August’s breath on his ear, and immediately, his temper began to flare up once more. He was about to lash out when he caught himself, a new volley of insults on the tip of his tongue, and he stopped. T’ats not w’at ‘eroes do Dorian would have said - or something along the lines. The accent was more difficult to parse without his powers and it infuriated him even more. He took a deep breath. He kept oscillating between being intrigued by August’s mystery and angry about the blatant lack of respect for personal space and boundaries. He still hadn’t gotten over the fact that he licked him.
“Is Depression hurting you?” he decided to ask next. There were a lot of questions that August couldn’t fully answer. “What is Depression afraid of?”
August had moved to laying upside down on the couch now, hair gently brushing against the floor as he blew raspberries at Percy. ”No he isn't hurting me. He protects me, are you not listening? It pays to listen. I never said Depression was afraid, I…a lot happened at the last trial ok? I'm not ready to face those people again. I can't. I won't. I tried hard to get money to help my family, that's all I wanted, I couldn't even do that right.”
He frowned. The response was… unsettling. Percy stopped in his pacing, and sat down next to August on the couch. “Do you need help?” This was all Dorian’s fault.
”In more ways than one.”
Percy nodded. “Okay. I am leaving here in a few days, and I will get you help. What’s your name?”
”August Perlman. But you can call me anytime Papi.” August went to go pat Percy's knee, but being upside-down really messed with his perception, making him miss completely and patting Percy's crotch instead. He giggled ”Weird knee man.”
“Nope, nope, no - absolutely not - I wanted to try to do the right thing but no - I can’t do this - this is… no,” Percy leapt off of the couch once more, regretting every choice he had made that brought him to this place. He took his book and practically sprinted to the exit, throwing one last glance at August over his shoulder, before rushing off to the safety of his next appointment with Dr. Whitehall.
Andy had gotten a financial advisor. That alone was something she had never considered a thing she would use. But she was rich. She had sat down with them and quickly laid out some ideas. One of which was what she wanted to do right now. She was determined to get her friends some good gifts this year. Andy had never done that before. She also wanted to update her wardrobe. So she had part of the award money set aside for Christmas shopping.
It felt a little weird asking Percy, who she barely knew, to get Sabine and Leah to her. In exchange though, he got to hang out with Dorian. So it seemed to be alright. Andy wanted to spend some time with both Sabine and Leah. She was closer to Leah of the pair, but the friendship there was almost always in the ring. Not that Andy had an issue with that. But she was trying to build up better friendships and deeper bonds. Asking Percy had been Leah’s suggestion. So they asked and he said yes. She now stood on the porch and waited for him to show up with Sabine and Leah.
A second later, the trio materialized out of thin air on the street in front of Andy’s house. It was by no means Percy’s smoothest landing, as he was sent stumbling forward from residual momentum. His body was used to the strain of teleporting, even if cross country was a relatively new thing for him - but he eyed his two passengers, a little worried that he might have made them ill before they could begin their shopping trip. It wasn’t that different from a sudden, jerky landing from a plane.
He straightened himself up, fixing the collar of his shirt, before he cleared his throat. “Erm. Hello, Andy. Where am I taking you three next?” He didn’t particularly mind serving as a taxi for them. He and Leah had become somewhat close during their time in Jotunheim, and it was as good an excuse as any to come see Dorian, and a chance to practice his powers. He hadn’t meant for them to land in the street - he’d aimed for the sidewalk - but given the distance they went, he considered it to be within margin of error.
Leah ate the pavement.
She fell face-first into the concrete like a bug going splat on a windshield.
”Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh.”
Sabine had, meanwhile, managed to stay upright, if somewhat woozy upon arrival. ”Give us a minute. That was….are you sure you’ve done that before Percy?” She took a few minutes to gather herself as she eyed Leah on the ground. ”We still got somewhere to be Leah, so suck it in and suck it up. We’re are we going?”
”I know… Fuck-” Leah clambered up to her feet and dusted herself off. She hated teleporting. ”I know there’s a pretty fancy mall here. I don’t really shop a lot, so I don’t know a lot about where people with a lot of money buy stuff.”
”Hey Percy.” Andy winced as Leah hit the pavement. Sabine did look a little green too. But the pair of them put themselves back together. As they did Andy said, ”Not sure yet, but just so you know, we’re going to be doing a big party for the last day of Hanukkah if you’re available.”
As for shopping options Andy would be little help in deciding on where to go. She had little experience when it came to shopping. She had both grown up poor in the foster care system and had lost seventeen years of time due to time travel. She had no idea what options there were.
After a few minutes of ensuring she was not about to unleash today’s breakfast, she considered. She was used to shopping, but both Leah and Andy were not. If they were going to do holiday shopping, they would do it correctly. ”Well, if you want your quintessential holiday shopping, you can’t beat New York City. Tons of holiday decorations and any store you can think of. Or if you are looking for a place for high-end gift giving, we could go to Rodeo Drive or the Champs-Élysées. Could also go to Michigan Avenue in Chicago or Regent Street in London. There’s tons of options.”
”Okay, let me think…” Leah did want to grab a few gifts for people other than herself. She fully intended to give them fancy rocks that fit them. But now that she had money to spend? She could do better than that. ”If Percy’s willing to make more than one trip, New York first and then Rodeo Drive? Then if there’s still time, do the other places?” All of the above, she figured.
Percy sighed slightly. He’d wanted to go spend time with Dorian without interruptions. He could make extra jumps, and at least staying on the East Coast for New York would be a little less taxing. He’d definitely need more caffeine. “Fine, I can do that. I won’t stay with you, though. You’ll have to call me when you need to be chauffeured to the next location.” He then paused for a moment. He hadn’t asked for any money for doing this - this was just a favor. “I also want coffee. Nice coffee.” He ignored Sabine’s comment about whether he was sure he’d done this before. She probably didn’t want to know that he’d only made this trip a handful of times before. He did, however, make a mental note of the Hanukkah party. That would be nice.
”You’ll get coffee so fancy that I’m not the one picking it,” Leah agreed. ”And books, because I’m nice like that.”
”I’ll help pick the coffee. I may not be as picky as Dorian, but I’m sure I can find something you’ll enjoy.” Andy was tempted to ask him what flavor profiles he liked. But decided against it, for now. ”So it sounds like we are going to New York first? I’m going to get a warmer jacket then.” Andy popped back into the house real quick and grabbed a thicker jacket, a puffy black one. She had no desire to wander around a place with actual snow on the ground without a jacket. The jacket still had her gloves in the pocket too. ”Ready.”
Sabine hadn’t been to New York in a while, but she remembered enjoying it, especially around the holidays. The decorations everywhere, the sheer number of stores within a few miles of each other. It would be perfect. They may not even need to go anywhere else.
Percy pulled out his phone, going into the maps function and pulling up views and photos of where he was taking them. He’d been to New York a few times before to visit his mame’s family, so it only took him a quick refresher. “Alright. Hold on,” he put a hand on Leah’s arm, avoiding direct skin to skin contact, and waited for the others to hold onto Leah. Once they were all making contact, he displaced them in space-time, the group of four emerging on a bustling New York street - with another bumpy but successful landing.
He wiped away a bit of sweat from his forehead, feeling for a moment the strain of moving himself and three others a few states over. “Call me when you are ready for the next place,” he requested, before he vanished.
”Thank you, Percy,” Andy said just before he disappeared. She pulled her gloves on and looked up and down the street. ”Alright, I don’t know New York City very well. Where do we want to be?” she asked Sabine.
Leah stumbled into a street lamp, and looked around. She hadn’t ever been here either. ”I’m guessing wherever has the most Christmas decorations lit up around, it right? Or the most traffic.”
Sabine merely shrugged. ”I can direct you to the wider area, but I want you both to decide where to shop. There’s literally stores for anything you can think of and there’s nothing wrong with going in to a place, looking, and walking out with nothing if there isn’t anything that catches your interest. I am open to wherever you want to go.”
”Well let’s go this way then.” Andy pointed as a large group of shoppers exited a store. ”We can start there.”
”Yeah, let’s do that. I’ll pick something after. Or try to.” Leah blinked the dizziness out of her eyes and ignored the stares of people who had never seen grey skin before. Then she took off in the direction of the store.
Sabine eyed the store. It was well decorated for the holidays with lots of lights, tinsel, and well-accentuated windows. The store itself was Bergdorf Goodman, a department store. As far as choices went, this was a good one. ”A good choice. They’ll have lots of stuff in here. Clothes, gifts, toys, you name it. They’ll probably even have a coffee place inside if you want to grab it for Percy. Lead on then.”
Andy’s shoulders relaxed a little at Sabine’s approval. She had no idea about the store at all, but with all those options it might even work as a single stop. Andy wanted to do Christmas shopping, but she didn’t want to stress about it. She led the way into the store and almost tripped over her own feet as she took the place in. It was fancy. Like fancy fancy. She was having sticker shock and hadn’t even looked at any of the price tags yet.
”Holy smokes. Uh, I suppose... Let’s look at the gift section first.” Andy looked around for signage that would indicate where they could find stuff like that.
Leah’s eyes were big as full moons for a minute. Everything was so shiny and glittery, it looked like she’d walked into some rich guy’s mansion. She was suddenly glad to not be the only person here. How did people do this?
”Yeah… Where is it, though?” That was a lot of signs. Holy shit, that was a lot of signs. Oh, there it was. Leah pointed off to the side. ”That way.”
Sabine was enjoying coming along for the ride. Seeing Andy and Leah fumble over themselves was all she needed this holiday trip (though she would, of course, be doing some shopping). ”There’s directories on every floor if you get lost. Or you can always ask someone who works here. But with it being Christmas they definitely have an area specifically for gifts for the holidays. You can tell because it will be the place in the store with the most decorations.”
Leah gave Sabine a most inscrutable look. ”Floors… As in there’s more than one? Oh, fuck me.”
Andy looked in the direction that Leah had pointed, there was a lot of extra holiday decorations there, and what looked like gift boxes. She started moving toward it. There was a lot of people. Her attention started bouncing around, keeping track of people, and the exits, she felt a little dizzy. Maybe she could blame that on the teleport from Percy. Her stomach twisted a little and she shifted from trying to pay attention to everything to focusing solely on the display.
A memory popped up, a winter day in DC, avoiding those machines that scanned people as they entered and beeped if the person was a mutant. That wasn’t here. She had hated those. It made everywhere unsafe.
Andy approached the display and looked it over. There were boxes of perfumes and bath kits and so many other boxes of mixed and matched things. It felt... impersonal. She was breathing a little fast.
”Who all are you guys buying for? I’ve got to get some Hanukkah gifts too.” She figured she should get something for everyone on the team, and all the old MU peeps she had seen, and of course her girlfriends.
”April, She Hulk, you two, Percy, pretty much everybody.” Leah squinted at some of the labels on this fancy stuff. Why would someone want to throw a bomb into a bathtub? That sounded dangerous. ”I’m gonna grab some stuff for myself too, but after.” She assumed a place as big as this was likely to have a bookstore, Percy would love that.
”I’m buying for everyone on our team, including Vicky. I’ll get something for the Kingston-Grey’s also. My father and stepmother can suck it for all I care. Apart from that, no one else really. And yes, buy for yourself too. You have treat yourself money now.”
”Yeah I want to get everyone on the team something. I was thinking something unified for that. Not sure yet. I should get something for Vicky too. Then my old MU friends, including the Kingston-Grey’s. God I know so many people suddenly.” Andy laughed, it was a nervous laugh as she was clearly either hyper focusing on something or her eyes were darting around the crowd. It was like she couldn’t decide how to deal with being in the building with so many people.
”Maybe avoid getting the same thing as someone else? Like I don’t know say I get the bath bomb for April, no one else do that? Not that I think I’d get a bath bomb for April. I barely know April I don’t know what to get her.” Andy was rambling a bit.
”April loves camping and anything pertaining to the ocean,” Leah offered. ”Board games are a good one, too.”
”There’s also no rules to any of this. If you get someone the same gift as someone else that’s not a bad thing. Bath bombs are nice but they are a single use item so if someone else got April a bath bomb, say, she’d have two, which is better. Look, I am happy to help you both along with this, but it’s shopping. No stress involved if you don’t want any. Like I said, look around, buy something if you think it will be a good gift, and if you don’t see anything we leave and go into a different store. Simple as.”
Leah nodded. ”If we get separated and can’t find each other, and the WIFI in here happens to suck, wanna meet at the front doors? I’m gonna go look for stuff.”
Andy nodded. No stress. Sure. Yep. She could do that. There was not going to be a Purifier coming into the store and trying to kill her. Did the Purifier’s even exist anymore?
”Can do. Front doors.” Andy nodded again. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the sounds of all the people. ”If we’re splitting up I might listen to music.” Music made crowds tolerable. She liked concerts. If she just pretended this was a really weird concert, it would work.
Splitting up seemed like a good idea, but she hoped that Leah or Andy would be all right with shopping. ”All right, we split up. Meet at the front doors in, what, an hour or so? Should be enough time to look around at a few floors and so on. Plus, you know, phones. Good luck and happy shopping!” Sabine turned and made her way to the elevator. There was a floor she wanted and a gift she had in mind immediately.
”Sounds good. Also means I can get you two gifts without you knowing what I got you.” Andy smiled, it was a shaky smile. She put her ear buds into her ears and stepped around the table. She opened a note pad and wrote down everyone’s names that she could think might expect or want a gift or she thought might be giving her a gift.
Several people on the list she wasn’t certain on what to get them. She didn’t know a lot of the team well. Part of that was her fault, part of that was just that everyone had been thrown into the same team at the last minute. There was no going back now. This was their group for the rest of the time they were at AA. She smiled. She had a group of friends. She had made most of the friends by herself.
Andy started picking through all of the things that were around the store. She found a silk scarf that was various shades of pink that made her think of Sabine. She found a board game that was about different species of marine animals that made her think of April. She already had a gift for Dorian and Danny. She found a book, an updated version of Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton; it had a lot of annotations by modern scholars. That was for Percy. And so on she went looking until an alarm she set for one hour beeped. At that point she headed back to the entrance. They could hopefully wait in line together. The music had helped with keeping calm and as she had gotten into the flow of things she had sort of lost herself in the shopping. She could see why people liked this when they weren’t in the Christmas crowd.
Leah took off and spent a great deal of time pondering her choices. She considered herself a strategist, and applied that here. She knew Sabine’s favorite color was red, that she was far better at being fashionable, and she enjoyed dancing. So she snagged a few pretty things. There was an aisle that had posters from dance performances she recalled Sabine talking her ear off about a few times. There were even a few with that Broadway girl Sabine couldn’t get enough of. For April, she found a rare edition of Twister. It was She Ra themed, and Leah knew other people understood that. Then she found herself surrounded by the clothing section. And that part haunted her.
Leah was awful at fashion. She wore Carhartt to the beach. But she definitely knew a thing or two about what did and didn’t fit Sabine. She’d seen that on the floor enough. Granted, she didn’t fuck most of her friends, so she played it safe: Ugly Christmas sweaters. One with a ghost on it that said Never Too Late for Halloween. A reindeer drinking eggnog. A joke about gingerbread houses and gingerbread men. They were corny and she actually found herself amused by them. Then came books, quite a few books. Then came pastries and snacks and other edible things Leah would not have dreamed of touching before she had this kind of money.
Sabine had made her way up to the jewelry department. She had decided she would get Leah something, but she knew Leah did not care about fashion and name brands. Sabine wanted to get her something though, something that said she thought about Leah. As she looked around the various necklaces, bracelets, and rings she saw something that caught her eye. A charm bracelet. Leah may not care much for jewelry, but she knew Leah cared about making memories, deciding for herself what she chose to memorialize and what she would forget. This way, Leah could add to it whenever she pleased. She had the salesperson grab it and opted for the silver one. She chose two charms with it: one was the French flag (a symbol of Sabine) and the other was a waterfall (a symbol for April). Despite them no longer being together, Sabine wanted to remember the good times. If anything, the relationship was formative for their future. She had the salesperson wrap it up nice. Once she was satisfied she made her way to the front doors. She had other gifts to buy, but she knew which stores she would go to to obtain them.
Andy smiled as the others rejoined her. She paused her music and pulled the ear buds out. ”I still need to check out. But otherwise I think I’m done at this store.”
”Yeah, got all I’m getting from here. ‘Bine, you weren’t kidding. They had damn near everything.” Leah had a lot of shit by the time they met back up. ”Let’s go pay for stuff then grab Percy.”
Sabine chuckled softly. ”I paid already. Department stores have registers on every floor. You guys go on ahead and pay, I’ll wait here. Also decide if we are continuing to shop in New York or want to move elsewhere. I am good either way.”
”Let's stay in New York for now?” Andy said before moving off to find a register and checking out. It did take some time because there was a line. Though because of there being so many operating it went faster than Andy would have expected.
”Sounds good.” Leah sauntered off with her pile of gifts and rang up. The total was about $1000, which was actually less than she expected out of this place. She wasn’t gone long, some people actually let her go ahead of the line because of how easily recognizable she was from the contest.
She quickly spammed a text at Percy before meeting back up with the others.
Earthbender: weres taying in nuc fkr ow so if you got something planenr wndorian gonabead
Earthbender: thankd for tp btw
”Okay…” Leah stuffed her phone away and hoisted some rather heavy-looking bags. ”Ready to look for somewhere else?”
Dear Leah,
I have the mutant power to comprehend easy language. I only need to hear or read a few words in order to speak it. This includes dead languages, as well as invented ones. In my life, I have only encountered one language that I could not comprehend: the inscription on my watch, gifted to me by Agatha Harkness.
And now, I have the good fortune to have encountered a second one.
What in the world are you trying to say?
Sincerely, P. Novikov
Once all three of them had re-gathered at the door, Andy pulled her gloves back on. She didn’t need them to protect her from touching someone on accident. She did however need them to keep her fingers from freezing off.
”Ready?” Back out into the blistering cold the three of them went. So many of these stores seemed like just clothing stores. She supposed that shopping at a clothing store was fine for herself. But since she wanted to get gifts and clothes often felt... impersonal to her, she wasn’t sure where to go next.
”I picked the last place. Someone else’s turn.”
”Go for it Leah. I know my way around here, but I am curious what store speaks to you. There’s tons to choose from.”
That legendary stonefaced look found itself on Leah’s face. How was she supposed to know where anything was?!
Normally, she might have just gone to a damn Goodwill or something. But… She didn’t want them to think she was being difficult. So she sat down on a bench and grabbed her phone once again, and started looking at stuff in the area. As she thought about it, she came to the decision that she’d want to go to another place with a lot in one area.
”Hm… Herald Square’s not far from here. Let’s do that.”
”Alright, sounds good.” Andy smiled, she didn’t know the way. She had only lived in upstate New York. ”Which way?”
It was like babysitting toddlers. ”You both have phones. You know you can get directions on there right? Thankfully, I know the way.” She started walking, allowing for them to follow. ”If there’s a store you see on the way that you want to go in, just say so. There’s tons of places to check out. Plus, we need to keep an eye out for some coffee for Percy.”
”I did just look up the directions on my phone,” Leah sassed. ”Next block over.”
Andy stuck out her tongue at both of them. ”Sure I’ll just look at my phone when I know that Leah did just look and Sabine knows the area.” She teased. Andy followed Sabine. ”The last time I spent any time in New York it was 18 years ago, and I was in Rochester.”
”Yeah, I’ve been here a few times. Family came every year during the holidays until recently.” She was used to the hustle and bustle of the city. Every major city was like this even outside of the holidays.
”I used to get dragged around the planet a lot,” Leah chimed in, walking with them. ”Never to places like this, though. Mostly places a few dozen floors off the ground or somewhere that everyone was wearing a suit that cost six digits. This is the first time I’ve been to New York in particular.”
Andy considered both of these new data pieces about her friends. She had not told people a lot about herself until more recently. She decided to open up a little.
”When I first came to New York state I was sure I’d eventually come to the city. That I’d be able to melt into the crowds and get forgotten in the hustle and bustle. But I never made it here. And soon there were these machines at the entrance to most high end stores. They were like metal detectors but they’d scan people and if you were a mutant it would go off and then law enforcement would show up. I was so afraid of getting picked up and put back in the system or ended up in a high max place.” She shivered at the thought.
”That’s pretty fucked up. No wonder you did the time travel thing with Zari.” Leah imagined she’d just beat someone over the head in that situation, but then again, she was neither a mutant nor in that situation. It was probably way worse than she imagined.
Sabine had known about this, of course. In her conversations with Max he had mentioned that sort of thing. Plus, she grew up around people who made horrible comments about mutants. The fact she had abilities of her own, somehow connected to mutants but apart from them also, made her never want to have a voice in the conversation. ”I would like to say things have gotten better, and they have to an extent, but like all bigotry, there’s still horrible people around. But today, we are with friends and celebrating a wonderful time of year.”
Andy nodded in agreement. ”I am happy here. This is a good time. I don’t think any time is perfect, but there have been some pretty great people here.” She gently bumped Sabine’s shoulder and elbowed Leah.
”Yeah, I’m glad you’re here and not whenever the fuck that was.” She grinned.
Sabine approached their destination, but left it up to Leah and Andy to determine where they wanted to go. This was their shopping trip. ”All right, we’re here. Leah, it’s still your turn so, go nuts.”
”I’m going to Macy’s, then Sears if I don’t forget. You know, maybe we should’ve bothered Max about one of those magic bags that Dorian has. He has something that just teleports things he puts in it back home.”
”Damn that would be useful for this. I was also thinking Macy’s It is another department store, like the last place we were just at. We can split up again.”
Sabine merely shrugged. If Macy’s was what they wanted, then Macy’s was what it would be. ”Fair enough, I will probably find the coffee place there and get a pick me up. The rest of my gifts are more specialized. But you two go nuts. Check out the holiday shop. It’s full of cute decorations for all the holidays.”
”I’ll go there too. After I buy two, maybe three huge tote bags to dump all these smaller bags into.”
”That’s a good idea.” Andy nodded and headed into the store. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to get here. She still hadn’t gotten gifts for Leah or Vicky. She had no idea what to get either of them really. Vicky she didn’t know super well. Leah she at least knew, but the things that came to mind for her weren’t something Andy thought she could find in a Macy’s. But there was likely to be something.
As she stated, Sabine headed for the coffee place within Macy’s, located on the ground floor. She ordered a caramel macchiato and made her way to a table. She scoured a catalog she saw on her way there in case she was wrong and could find something for the others here. As she did, she remembered spending time at various stores when her parents took her. Sitting on Santa’s lap, watching the windows, and marveling at the themes every year. Now she was in a position of finding new holiday memories to form.
Leah went straight in, a bit comfortable doing this now. First came some reusable tote bags, she got three of the biggest ones possible. Then, several of the smaller bags she was carrying went straight in. She spent ten, maybe fifteen minutes looking through clothing racks and was pleasantly surprised to find that some things were actually made for people as tall and huge as her. Normally, fashion didn’t matter to her, but these days, it wasn’t easy to wear her old stuff without something being torn. She told herself she’d make some effort to be considerate towards herself today, and that consideration was now fulfilled. As she walked out of the clothing section, she found herself surrounded by the jewelry. Someone gave her a poorly disguised look of tension, seeing someone so damn massive just strut around all the glass cases. But, thankfully, Leah wasn’t that airheaded. Her eye was caught by some of the pretty things, though. They were by no means the sort of thing she paid much mind to, but a thought occurred to her.
So she got someone’s attention and had them box up a metal chain with a pink-red hue. Rose gold, according to him. He asked Leah if she’d like it to be decorated, but she declined. She had an idea for that, and it made her a bit giddy to do it. A surprise for Christmas day. Next was Sears, where Leah got herself a pair of winter gloves, because her hands were actually really fucking cold. After the Jotunheim situation, she was taking that a bit more seriously. And, one day, she wanted to go back a bit more prepared. Leah swung by another aisle near the front and saw some coffee packs. She did say someone else would pick that, but then again, it looked like the fancy stuff.
So Leah walked over and grabbed three different packages of completely different ones. Then she checked out and turned down the street. Only to find a small music store just two spots down. Leah’s curiosity got the better of her and she went in. It was a lot of old stuff, and immediately she thought of Andy and Vicky. They had fucking CDs and cassettes. Leah got several, since she miraculously recognized a few of the labels on them. And she knew those two would as well.
A little over an hour went by before she met up with them, loaded up on stuff.
”I never want to hear anyone say money doesn’t buy happiness again.” She gave Sabine a devious, ominous grin.
Andy’s wanderings took her up and down through the stores. She found herself buying random things that she thought people might like, and even a few things for herself. Andy hadn’t had a lot to spend on herself most of her life. Since she grew up in the foster system. The closest she had ever come to being able to get whatever she wanted was while she was living on Genosha, and there money didn’t even exist. It was a nice change of pace. When the hour was almost up she headed for the cafe, knowing that that was where Sabine had gone to wait for them. She had decided what to get Leah, but that was a special order, not something Macy’s carried.
”Hey,” Andy sighed, she looked a little on the tired side. ”I think I’ve gotten everything and everyone covered now. Do you still want to keep going? Or head back to New Orleans?”
”I think it’s Sabine’s turn.”
Andy turned to Sabine and raised an eyebrow, ”Up to you then.”
Sabine wanted this moment for the two of them, not for her. She was content as she was. ”Well, I can do the rest of my shopping back in California, so if you both are done why don’t we go do something fun to end this trip? We can go ice skating in central park or go see all the lights in Time’s Square? Also, did anyone pick up something for Percy as thanks for all this?”
”Of course I did. Speaking of, here…” Leah shook one of the tote bags she had, and another one fell out, into her hand. She tossed one in Andy’s direction. Then another in Sabine’s. Way easier to carry stuff with these, she found. ”Got him a bunch of fancy ass coffee packs. I have no idea how to ice skate. Anyone willing to laugh and watch me fall on my face?”
”I got something for him, yes.” Andy placed her stuff into the extra bag from Leah. ”Thank you, Leah.” Andy smiled, she had never gone ice skating either. ”I’m down for ice skating. I’ve never done that before either so we can fall together.”
Sabine kept her mouth shut that she had been ice skating multiple times, ”All right, let’s head over there.” It wouldn’t be a long trek, but the foot traffic and cars would make the journey a little bit annoying. ”After this we can go back to New Orleans.”
”Sounds good. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I cannot wait to go home, wrap stuff up and celebrate goddamn Christmas by giving people stuff.” If someone told her she’d be doing this a year ago, Leah would look at them like they had three heads.
”Heh, isn’t that a wild thing.” Her last Christmas had been... awful. This year was shaping up to be basically perfect as far as she was concerned. She had a roof, a family, and friends. She had never had all of that before. It felt so good.
”When we get back, I’m sitting next to the heater for an hour.” She was cold, and very glad that she had picked up a heavier winter coat, and had her gloves on.
Central Park was always bustling, but today it was more so. The cold kept some people away, but the skating rink had a decent amount of people there. It was also decorated to celebrate the holidays with lights all over the trees and a big Christmas tree in the middle. ”Ok, let’s rent some skates and get going. I’ll walk you through it. It’s like riding a bike!” Which, as far as she knew, neither Andy nor Leah knew how to do also.
”Oh, good, I’ll just learn that real fast,” Leah snarked, heading over to the rental place and finding some that she could wear.
Andy snorted at Leah’s comment. She was, in fact, in the same boat. She didn’t know how to ride a bike. She found a pair of skates a lot easier than Leah though. It was easy enough renting them, handing over her current shoes, and then getting those tied on. She watched the kids and adults already skating, trying to get an understanding of the movements involved in skating. Andy could tell she would definitely hurt herself at some point during this little excursion. But that was okay, it was going to be fun.
”We’d have to find a bike big enough for you. I don’t even think mountain bikes would work.”
”Probably not. I’m only six-one, not that big, but it took some getting used to.”
Sabine had entered the skate park and moved around some, gliding through. She made her way back as Leah and Andy got ready. ”Want to hold my hand through this? It’s easy! You just have to distribute your weight without going too far forward or back.”
”Fair enough,” Andy shrugged at Leah’s comment. Andy raised an eyebrow, unsure if Sabine was offering her hand for both of them or just Leah.
Leah waddled over, skates on, like a damn penguin. ”Maybe. I might be able to…”
She leaned forward and planted one of her feet on the ice, and let momentum carry her in. She floated forward and kept her arms out. And, surprisingly, didn’t eat the ground.
”There you go! You got this!” The fact Leah was upright was a Christmas miracle. ”All right Andy, offer is still there if you need a hand.”
Andy was competitive at heart. She grinned as Leah stepped onto the ice. ”If I eat it, I eat it.” She shrugged and joined Leah on the ice. Andy wobbled a little, but apparently her paying attention to the other people on the ice had paid off. She was surprisingly good at it despite having never ice skated before.
”Oooookay. I’m on ice and not on the ground…” Leah looked over at Sabine. ”Now what?”
”Now we skate!” Sabine started moving around the rink in a circle, slow enough for Andy and Leah to catch up. ”You got the hang of it, now you just need momentum.”
Andy laughed, it was a bright and clear laugh. She started to move. The simple attempts of someone who had never skated before. She was surprised at how quickly she picked it up though. Andy had always been a bit of an athlete. It hadn’t been until she had met the Drummonds that she became a trained athlete. But even as a kid she had been quick on her feet. She had mutated at eight, that probably helped a lot.
“This is delightful.” She wondered if there was another place like this in L.A., indoors obviously, that she could skate at more.
”Momentum. Okay…” She looked over at Sabine, then turned one foot perpendicular to the other. Then, she pushed forward and put all her weight on that leg. It worked, and she started gliding forth.
”Woah- Oh fuck, fuuuuck-”
She collided with a wall and nearly tumbled over. She pushed off again, and this time tried leaning to one side to steer. ”Am I doing this right?” This was fun, actually.
”Well, you aren’t supposed to run into walls typically, but yeah, you got it. Eventually you’ll be able to move more easily. Now, get ready to turn. Lean a little towards where you want to turn and make sure your feet move in that direction, putting a bit more weight on the foot closest to the turn.”
Andy started carefully trying to find balance on one foot as she moved. She was wobbly, but after a few practice attempts she was able to slide along on one foot. She listened to Sabine's directions as well, leaning into the turn of the ring. She was being passed by superior skaters and that made her want to improve even more.
“How much ice skating have you done, Sabine?”
Leah nodded and tried to do exactly as Sabine instructed. Lean forward to the left, then push her foot left… And it did work. She leaned left and went swerving left. A smile was plastered over her face. She was basically standing still, yet moving anyway. It was new, odd and pretty damn fun.
”Holy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.” Leah’s voice tapered off as she disappeared into the other end of the ice like a dog in a park.
Sabine laughed, shaking her head at Leah’s antics. ”Quite a bit. We came to New York a lot for the holidays growing up so I learned young. Apart from that, I’ve gone every now and then back in France. Haven’t done much since moving here.”
”If none of us break a limb and have to go visit James, want to do it more often? I’m sure we can find an indoor rink that rents out to dumb teens.” Andy giggled, watching Leah zip off.
While they were shooting the shit, Leah was just going in circles. Long, lazy circles as she worked on getting the hang of this. She was moving awfully fast, too. As if eating a chunk of ice wasn’t on her mind. She was racing around the rink like a mutant speedster that got their powers days ago.
If one listened closely, they could hear laughter.
Sabine thought she heard something, but figured it was some child enjoying the ice. ”I’d like to do it more, sure. I’m glad you both took to it. This time of year can be hard, but I’m grateful to have people to spend it with.”
Andy smiled sadly. This was her first Christmas in this time, in the future. She had lost so much and left even more behind.
“Yeah, it is a rough time of year. Thank you for spending it with me.”
The trio spent some time skating, enjoying themselves. When they were finally worn out enough, Leah messaged Percy that they were ready for pick up. They gave him coordinates and after a bit he transported them back to New Orleans. In New Orleans, they exchanged gifts for the ones that were there. Andy gave Sabine the multi-colored pink scarf and let Leah know that her gift was shipping, it was an extra durable punching bag. Sabine gave Leah the bracelet. Leah’s gift for Sabine is an amethyst that she shaped and set on the necklace she had bought, however, since her rock collection was back in L.A. she couldn’t give it to Sabine right now. Sabine let Andy know her gift would be later. Percy was given a metric ton of coffee. The group ate a meal and warmed up, before they headed back to L.A., Andy staying behind at home.
It was early Christmas morning in the Kingston-Gray house, and April couldn’t sleep. She was jittery and restless, as if she’d drank her weight in energy drinks and iced coffees. She kept on looking at her phone, watching the minutes slowly tick on by - waiting for it to be acceptable to go and begin the day. It felt like agony, and no activity she attempted could distract her from what awaited - no amount of doomscrolling, or crocheting, or TV, or games - none of it could take away the maddening adrenaline of anticipation. Not for gifts or holiday fun - she was incredibly excited for those, of course, but not as much as she was for this. It was finally time. She made up her mind. She’d found a dozen reference images, and had sent them to her brother.
It was time to cut her hair.
The minute her phone’s clock read six, she threw the blankets off and flung herself out of bed, clad in sleep shorts and a Harry Simmons t-shirt. She rushed out of her room, before doubling back and grabbing a pair of scissors, and then making her way one door over, and knocked on it incessantly.
“Danni, Danni, Danni, Danni, Danni, Danni, Danni!!!” She didn’t wait for him to answer, instead opening the door, and jumping onto his bed. “I need your help with something really really really important! It’s going to be a surprise for everyone!”
She held out the scissors to him. “Can you give me a boy’s haircut?”
Danni knew he was just about perfect. Sure, could his fire control use a little more refining? Sure. But at the end of the day, he was the perfect child, friend, sibling, dancer, cook, beauty guru- the list was endless. However, perfect took energy and Danni enjoyed getting that energy from sleep. The warmth of three or four blankets, a pile of pillows all comfortably tucked around him, soothing music playing soft rain on glass through the evening, and a purring dragon settled neatly on his chest while his face mask worked wonders on his skin and a sleep mask kept unwanted light from disturbing him the perfect way to wake refreshed and ready for anything the day may throw at him. Truly, who could be grumpy, upset, or frustrated when warmth and heat soaked into all of their bones and the cutest little pet gave the cutest little yawn and the cutest little tongue blep every morning? Home was a safe place to sleep – everyone knew he needed his later morning start.
Which was why, when rapid fire knocking and a sudden bounce on his bed startled Amelie awake, the resulting scramble by dragon and boy was violent. Amelie let out a puff of smoke in April’s face and tripped in her hurry to stand, claws digging into Danni’s blankets with a nasty tearing sound as she toppled. Danni screeched and struggled, surprise tightening his blankets as he thrashed, and the scent of burnt cloth filled the room as the center of another blanket smoldered. Danni yanked an arm out of his cocoon and finally shoved his sleep mask halfway up his head, peering both sleepily and irritably at his sibling. He looked at the offered scissors, eye wandering over to the clock, blinking sleeps out of his eyes as it focused, and whipped his head around so fast his neck cracked.
“It is… 6AM.” Danni croaked, disbelief at April’s betrayal shining like tears. “Rillieeeee, why do you ‘ate me?” Amelia, flopped halfway onto Danni’s stomach and got a wheeze out of him for her trouble. She eyed April and huffed in agreement.
April was not deterred. She knew that Danni liked to sleep in a little longer, but she had waited as long as she possibly could. If she hadn’t come to ask this now, she would have exploded - and that definitely would have ruined Christmas! She scooched on over as Danni and Amelie thrashed, blankets smoldering and smoke filling the air, and once she could see Danni’s eyes, she moved back on in. “I don’t hate you, I love you!” she corrected, before reaching out to take one of Danni’s hands. “What I hate is looking like a girl so I really really really need you to fix it. Pleeeeeeease? For meeeeeee? Danniiiiiiiiiiiii? I’ll owe you forever if you do iiiiiiit.”
Danni pouted. Everyone knew he was a pushover when the fam needed help and he let out a pathetic whimper, mirror quickly by Amelie as she too realized there would be no more sleep. “Fiiiiiiiine.” Danni groaned and batted April away, sleep leadened limbs untangling the mangled mess of blankets. He’d ask Pa to fix them when he woke up anyways. Danni shivered as a rush of cold air flooded into cocoon and it took a significant, a momentous, an enormous effort of will not to cuddle back into his bed. He kicked a pillow off the bed and shimmied out of the little nest he’d made, groaning as he stretched.
“Why do ya ‘ave t’ose scissors? I ‘ave t’at kit t’e ‘rents got me last year, remember?” Danni yawned through his question, picking up Amelie as she clawed at his thigh and Danni huffed with the effort. She’d started putting on weight over the break – not just because gingersnaps were apparently her favorite cookie, but she’d grown quite a bit over the past few months. She let out a sleepy grumble and curled up against Danni’s neck. He placed a kiss on her head.
“Okay, okay. Where we doin’-“ Danni yawned again. “T’is? Do we ‘ave time for coffee? I don’t t’ink ya want your ‘air cut wit’out coffee in my tummy.”
“Oh,” April had completely forgotten that Danni had actual supplies for this. She had been too excited when the idea solidified in her mind to do much more than grab an implement that would do the job. She had absolutely no idea at all how hard it was to cut hair. She would have done it herself, but she didn’t think she would have been able to cut the hair at the back of her head very well - and she knew Danni had been interested in this sort of thing at one point. She could have asked Pa, but she wanted to surprise everyone. “Uhhh…. We could do it in the bathroom? Do you have… one of those hair vacuum things to clean up with? Pops and Appa would lose their minds if we just left the hair on the floor. Or I guess we could just use a broom?”
At the prospect of having to wait for coffee, she pouted, her lip curling. “Fiiiine fine we can have coffee and then hair?”
Danni nodded and shuffled out of his room, gesturing in some vague direction of the upstairs bathroom. “Brin’ t’e chair ya wanna sit in. I’ll drink some of t’e cold- “ Another yawn interrupted his sentence and he didn’t bother picking in back up. Amilie snuffled, drifting in and out of sleep because Danni was moving, and Danni rested his head on hers for a moment. It was quiet in the house – Dee would be walking up soon, if he wasn’t already, and Pops was probably already out on a run. Papa was definitely still snoring and Appa would be getting up to make breakfast soon. Danni shivered as cold drifted up off the snow enchanted onto the stairway railing and he made an agreeable noise as Amelie curled into him to avoid it.
“Gunna ‘ave ta move or suffer in a sec. Gotta get t’e cold brew and t’at mean’s a whole lotta cold. Whatcha… Ope, okay.” Amelie puffed out an irritable huff of smoke and Danni got the point. He blew a stream of candle light across her back and it flickered against the dark hours of the house. Amelie hummed appreciatively and settled back down, eyes flickering closed. Danni hoped it would be enough because he was not awake enough for those claws in his shoulders this morning. He stopped in front of the kitchen, prayed to whoever was listening (and yes, he knew he could trim the claws more often, but dragons did not like personal care and a dragon was a dragon, no matter the size!), and gently opened the fridge. Danni was not prepared. Much like himself, Amelie was cold adverse and the second the fridge opened, she was off like a shot. It took everything in Danni not to scream bloody murder and Amalie clambered up his shoulder, leapt off, hit the ground hard, and scrambled back upstairs hissing and grumbling back into his bed. She didn’t even look back to see where Danni lay, thrown off balance by the sudden movement, and he stared at the ceiling for a long moment.
He was too tired for this.
Back of his head throbbing and choking back tears, he popped open the fridge and fished out the pitcher of ice coffee. He considered the cabinet for a moment. It was too far away and he really didn’t want to move, so he instead drank straight from the pitcher. The coffee hit his tongue and he sighed contently as he gulped down mouthful after mouthful. Everything was better after coffee in his entirely correct opinion. Even the heartbeat in the back of his head felt better. Kinda. Danni considered calling Pops but he really didn’t need a lecture on dragon safety early in the morning. Instead, he shoved the pitcher half empty back into the fridge, grabbed a plastic bag, and filled it with some ice so he could at least numb out the pain for a bit. Far more awake than he was earlier, his shirt’s shoulder torn to shreds, Danni made his way back upstairs, his usual bounce back in his step as the caffeine (or at least the thought of it) hit his system.
Upstairs, April was becoming increasingly aware of how little she had thought through this plan. On some level, she’d expected Danni to already have a chair in mind. She definitely didn’t. So when she went back to her room and saw her gaming chair, she almost grabbed it to drag to the bathroom - the only thing stopping her being the realization, as it was already halfway to the door, that it had too high of a back for this. So she needed another chair.
Maybe one of the chairs from the kitchen?
She left her room again, about to go bounding down the staircase into the hallway, only to hear a modern tragedy. A symphony of thuds and hissing and tearing fabric and shed tears. With each noise, April winced, praying desperately that would be the end of it - but it kept on continuing. Her excitement about the haircut gave way to remorse, shame, concern, and dread. She’d known Danni would be sleepy… she didn’t know he would be a danger to himself.
Her face was bright pink as she stood frozen in the hallway. “Danni… You okay? … You can go back to bed if you want to?”
Danni laughed softly and poked April on the nose. “Naaaah, t’e coffee’s been drank, t’e dragon is awake, and its time ta cut some ‘air. Just gotta change my shirt, tbh. Gunna be distractin’ wit; all t’is. Grab t’e chair! Appa’s gunna make breakfast soon and I want first dibs!” Danni a Christmas song as he headed into his room, dug out another sleep shirt and pants, and changed. Danni didn’t bother closing the door as he did and he giggled at the dragon shaped bundle under his blankets. “Aw, my little baby all curled up. I’m jealous; I ‘ave ta brave t’e cold and dark all by my lonesome, what am I gunna do?” Danni laughed as Amelie popped her head out, gave him an unamused look, and licked her snout. He pressed another kiss to her head.
“Go back to bed, sleepyhead. I’ll wake ya for breakfast.” Amelie purred in contentment and did just that, but not before Danni could snag a photo on his phone. He bit his lip for a second as he positioned a little cartoon Christmas hat on her head and set it as his background, fired it off to everyone in the family chat, and beelined it back to the bathroom before stopping, whirling around, digging out the barber kit he was gifted (that he definitely used for longer than a week and anyone who says otherwise is a liar) and then beelined it for the bathroom.
In the meantime, April had hurried down the stairs, making a mental note that she owed her brother a thousand favors, and snatched up one of the chairs from the dining room. She then sprinted back up the stairs, worrying more about speed than noise - she didn’t care if Pops came back from the run and heard her moving around, but if he got wind of what they were doing and the surprise was ruined? Christmas would be a disaster and that was absolutely not allowed! She didn’t get many chances for a shocking haircut and she didn’t want to let this one slip through her fingers. She nearly slammed into Danni as she made it to the bathroom with the chair, before fixing him with a euphoric grin.
“I’ve told you you’re the best, right?” she asked, before squealing slightly. “Ahhh I’m so excited!!! Should I sit in the chair now or is there something we need to do first or…?”
“Chair, please, and t’en let’s look t’rough whatcha sent me.” Danni instructed as he laid out the stuff from the kit. Danni propped up his phone and with a few taps, Christmas music blared out of the speakers and he was swiping through the reference pics. “Daaaaaamn, Rillie. You really goin’ in ta t’at 80’s rocker vibe, huh? I love it!” Danni shimmied along with the music as he played with April’s hair. Buzzing down along the side, partition and scissors along the top, should be easy enough! Although the kit didn’t come with them, there were enough people in this house who needed them that with a pull of a drawer (and another and another and another because Danni could have sworn he stashed some around here), he produced a few hair clips and he started pinning the hair he didn’t want to buzz off out of the way.
“Should get some fun stuff for your ears now t’at everyone’ll see t’em easier. Oh, maybe some ear cuffs if ya don’t want piercin’s!” [/color] Danni commented. Even as he prepped April’s hair, he didn’t stop dancing and picked up the buzzer, clipped on a short guard, and sheared off everything along the sides. It was almost hypnotic, watching as hair fell off pass after pass. Danni got why people cut hair – it was kinda fun, changing how people looked! He could imagine it was annoying if people made bad choices, but this would suit Rillie well! It wasn't long until he was done with steps 1 and 2 and he put the buzzer on the counter and just ran his fingers tips along fine hairs. Everything was even, everything was clean shaven.
“‘ow we feelin’ the cut so far? Still wantin’ ta go wit’ t'is style? T'is is t'e last stop!”
Every time April had had her hair cut before, she’d never really known what she wanted to do with it. And every time she’d looked in the mirror when it was done, this sense of unease and disappointment would fill her. It was to the extent that April had assumed that everyone hated getting haircuts because it was impossible to like the outcome. (And of course, the itchy feeling afterwards didn’t help). It hadn’t mattered before if she went to a hairdresser or if Papa had taken the scissors to it - it hadn’t mattered if it was styled into braids or curls or pinned up or let down, it had always just been… blah.
But as Danni paused in the cut, and asked her how she was feeling… For the first time in her life, she didn’t have to lie. She blinked back the tears that were forming in her eyes as she stared in the mirror and saw herself looking back - not a stranger, but her. Really her. “I-it’s so so good!!” April screeched. And then nodded frantically. By no means did she want Danni to stop here. Even the ticklish sensation of her now dramatically shorter hair being touched didn’t bother her. She reached a hand up to feel it, and it was trembling - not from her medication, but just from sheer joy. “I never - I - I didn’t think anyone was supposed to like - to look at the mirror and see - see me. It’s fucking in-in-incredible,” she choked out.
“Rillie, you gotta ‘old it in if you want t’is ‘aircut. If you cry, I cry, and we end up on the floor again and t’en t’e ‘air doesn’t get done and it’s breakfast time and-“ Danni took a short step back, waving the tears out of his eyes. He was a reflexive crier, sue him. Once he felt a little more in control, Danni set about to portioning their hair again. Using scissors would be more difficult since they still wanted the length but considering how smoothly Danni handled it so far, he was brimming with confidence. He did a quick check of the reference photos again, questioned the mullet decision, and then decided it was fine – Rillie could pull it off with the right product. “Oookay, we’ll cut the larger sections off dry, add a little moisture, trim up, dry you out, and then style! Sounds good, yeah?” Danni didn’t wait for a response, instead starting to cut larger sections of hair off. His noise wrinkled as it hit his sock, but he powered through it – it wasn’t like Danni was going to be seen in this for Christmas anyways.
April shut and reopened her eyes firmly several times, attempting to stop the near flow of tears. “Sorry, I’m trying!!” She was a crier through and through - an instinct she had spent much of her life trying to deny, trying to suppress. It had gotten harder to hold back the tears since her time in CAGE, since she was forced to face the reality of the black stormcloud inside her mind. But those tears had been born of pain and insecurities, fears of failure and disappointment, and anguish each time she looked in the mirror, seeing someone else in the reflection. She had convinced herself it was better to hide and suppress how she felt instead of being honest - to manage her burdens alone instead of allowing her loved ones to help - that if she let them see who she really was, they would leave her in disgust.
The tears now weren’t from that pain, though - or rather, they were, yet in a fundamentally different way. The water pooling in her eyes was from joy and relief - from a rapidly swelling happiness that threatened to send her floating away. Somehow, she managed to keep them at bay. “Sounds amazing!” April agreed, resisting the urge to nod enthusiastically - she knew to keep her head as still as possible. “You’re doing such a good job, I can’t wait to see it!!! And everyone is going to be so surprised when we show them!!”
The larger cuts came out as close to perfect as Danni could make happen in their bathroom at 6:15 in the morning. He turned April’s head left and right, just to confirm, and pushed her head over the sink. “I don’t ‘ave a spray bottle so uh… just gunna try ta get t’is just damp and not a touch more.” Danni carefully flipped the faucet and, guarding the hair from the direct stream, took handfuls and shook it gently across her hair. After a few times, Danni pulled April back and worked the water through their hair so it was relatively even and damp. “’onestly, worked way better t’an I expected so let’s keep t’is success train goin’!” Danni cheered, grabbing his comb and scissor and singing along with Jingle Bell Rock.
April had giggled a little bit about Danni’s frets over the water. If it had been too wet, she could have fixed that in a heartbeat. She probably could have dampened it for him, too, but he had already pushed her head into position over the sink and she wasn’t about to argue with him. He was in his element here.
It came out… fine. Everything was kinda even, nothing was incredibly janky, and Danni wasn't certain how it would be when it dried but he put down the scissors. “So, uh, t'ere it is! Tada!”
April looked in the mirror.
Really looked at herself. It wasn’t someone else, it was her. It was her face, her eyes, her hair. She didn’t look pretty or beautiful. She looked handsome. She grinned widely, taking it all in for another moment, not wanting to look away - as if somehow, the long hair would come back the second she did, and it would all have been a dream.
She wished she’d been born a boy.
“Danni, it’s AMAZING!!!” April screeched, getting up out of the chair and giving him the absolute biggest hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” She couldn’t help herself, jumping up and down even as she embraced him. “We gotta show the ‘rents!!! And Dori!!!! It looks so good - professional even!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
In the French quarter of New Orleans, there was an unusual home unlike any other. Its strangeness was not solely due to its appearance - two houses connected through an upstairs hallway, with gorgeous trees and flowers that seemed to be perpetually in bloom, regardless of the season. And it wasn’t necessarily either due to the extensive magical warding on the property, designed to let the mage of this land know exactly who had come to visit and their intentions, and protect his family from harm. It wasn’t even due to the people who lived there, odd as they were - three omega level mutants, a part-time ghost, a former ghost, a sentient water cannon, a master of the mystic arts, and of course their pets, a baby dragon and a baby dinosaur.
No, the unusualness of the Kingston-Gray residence was that everyone who lived there genuinely loved each other.
Inside the home, enchanted candles gently hovered in the air, as artificial snow fell from the ceilings and dusted the mantlepiece. Pictures covered the walls of loved ones past and present, the shimmering lights casting them in a warm glow. The living room itself was almost dominated by a gigantic tree, nearly twelve feet tall, under which a mountain of presents lay freshly wrapped - and only a few of them had the telltale teeth marks of a teething creature.
Ben Gray, the husband of the mutant mage Max Gray, and father to Dorian, Danni, and April, was currently busying himself in the kitchen. He had gotten up early that morning, in order to go visit some of his foster siblings who still lived in the area. The visit hadn’t been long and when he arrived back home, he had set out to make a sweet breakfast treat for the rest of the family - cinnamon rolls. They were just about done, steaming hot as he layered the icing on top, stepping back to admire his work and clad in an apron. “Kiddos!” Ben called out. “Cinnamon rolls!”
Casper Kingston, husband to James Kingston, foster sibling of Ben Gray, and father of three (the lines in their household were incredibly blurred), was still sprawled out in bed. He’d been up late the night before - not necessarily doing anything special, he just had poor impulse control and scrolling through Snikt! was just way too easy. “Ben, it’s too early,” Casper grumbled, rolling over as Ben’s voice carried. “Five more minutes…”
Unbeknownst to the adults, however, two of the children had already been up for a while. April was still preening over her new haircut, using the mirrors in Danni’s room to admire it from each and every angle. She’d changed from her PJs into some clothes for the day - a pair of acid washed jeans with holes in the knees and doodles up and down the sides in sharpies, and a blue holiday sweater with jellyfish and snowflakes. On her feet she had pink Jeff the Land Shark slippers. “Okay, okay, okay, they’re awake!!” April squealed. “How do I look? Should I use sparkle spray to make myself glitter? Or is that too much? Do you think it takes away from the haircut? Ooo - what about a really dramatic eyeshadow?”
Normally, Danni would be grumbling much like his Papa downstairs and would be more than happy to rally against his Appa's crazy morning schedule, but someone had rolled him out of bed before that. So he'd cut Rillie's hair to perfection, showered all the hair off him after they'd finished cleaning up, and now was debating. Yes, it was Christmas and that should mean soft and flower and fluffy but… he'd just gotten this lovely leather jacket and pants and he kind of wanted to wear them…
“If ya wanna do any makeup, keep it chill. Your ‘air is t'e star, not'in’ else silly.” Danni said from the closet, towel still wrapped around his waist as he considered his options. He's put them on hangers to consider. “Riiiiillie. Which should I pick? T'is one gives t'at classic, homey Christmas vibe but t'is one matches you a little better, bit idk what Dee is wearing?!” Danni held the two options out.
Downstairs, James returned from his morning run and paused to take a deep breath. Cinnamon rolls, cold morning air, and the smell of Christmas trees made it difficult to resist the holiday spirit. James toed off his running shoes and put them on the shoe rack before jogging into the kitchen. “Morning, Ben. Those smell amazing. Just us up so far? Let me get coffee started. That usually gets the stragglers moving.” James chuckled, pulling Ben in for a side hug. “Merry Christmas, by the way.”
Dorian was up before Danni. He was always up before Danni was. He had already showered and gotten dressed into his Christmas outfit, a deep wine red long-sleeved shirt, forest green pants, and a pair of olive green converse along with black Rayban fake glasses. He had a red Santa hat on with white fluffy trim and a ball at the end, the works. He'd managed to wrangle a small santa coat onto Amour so that she could join in on the festivities. He snapped a photo of himself with Amour worthy of a Christmas Card and sent it to Percy after adding a few snowflakes on with an editor. ”You're probably still asleep but I can't wait to see what Santa brought you. Merry Christmas Babe. Xoxo” The scent of cinnamon rolls wafted up into his room and Dorian couldn't resist it. He'd have one now and one when coffee was done brewing. ”Already awake! Last one down is Flatscan!” Dorian yelled back as he phased through the floors and went straight into the kitchen.
”Oi, what did we say about using Astral Powers during Christmas? I don't want to see you peeking inside of the gifts Santa gave you.”
”I won't Promiiiisssseee”
Max was busy adding the finishing touches around the household. Having made the kids decorate it by hand without the aid of magic this year. Now he just wanted to give it a little sparkle. He snagged the first cinnamon roll off the tray, using his magic to cool it down instantly before taking a bite. ”James if you want I can handle the coffee, Casper getting up is a full time job. Besides, we are apparently getting a surprise today so we need to make sure everyone's up and ready.” He said before conjuring up the day's newspaper in hand.
“Mm, merry Christmas, James,” Ben said, wrapping one hand around James’ waist to return the hug, smiling softly. He was one of the quietest members of his family, but he didn’t adore them any less. Doing little things for this was one of the ways that he could show them how much he cared - in a way that he often struggled to do with words. He’d made a lot of progress since his resurrection, grown a lot and been through at least five different therapists before he’d found one he liked, but this was still how he expressed himself best to the people who mattered. “Good luck,” he then added, not wishing having to wake Casper up on anyone - he had decades of experience with it and didn’t miss a single moment.
Upstairs, April was studying the two outfits Danni presented very seriously. One of them was giving old wealth, fortune, and grace - the other was a little more punk rock, featuring a leather jacket. She scrunched up her face, going back and forth between the two of them, before finally deciding on the one he held up on the left. “It stands out more from what you normally wear,” April explained. “More of a statement, y’know? Like you could wear the leather jacket any day and rock it, ‘cause you always dress like a badass, Danni. But this almost academic, home for the fancy Christmas party look? That’s niche.”
James laughed quietly to himself. “Yeah, it is. But I'd hate it if I didn't get to do it. Thanks Max. And merry Christmas, old man.” James ruffled Max's hair before pulling Dorian into a quick hug. “Merry Christmas to you too, Dorian. Don't forget to text Percy.” James reminded, disappearing past his doorway and into his bedroom to get Casper out of bed, into the shower, and tied properly.
Danni nodded along with April. “Makes sense, makes sense. Pops and Appa and Pa are all probs gunna be nice and proper too, ‘u’? It's make t'e photos nicer.” Danni muttered after Rillie's input. He shrugged, put the punk rock back and hung the various pieces of his chosen outfit. He'd have to adjust his make up plan, a little more rose and sparkle, so he'd need a bit more time. He stripped off his towel, tossed it to the side, and then realized he hadn't considered underwear. Since it was Christmas, he pulled on a cute pair of red briefs with Christmas trees and candy canes and then popped himself into each part of his outfit. He did a little twirl in the mirror and beamed at himself.
“Okay, I gotta go do my hair rq!!!! Danni bolted to the bathroom and did some quick work on his hair and just a dusting across the cheeks, gave himself a little wink, and held his arm out for his sister to take. “Ready ta show t'e world?”
For a second, April was gripped by the fear that she was underdressed. But most of her Christmas-y things were dresses and skirts, and the idea of wearing one right now made her nauseous. So instead, she went to take Danni’s arm, only to scream. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait - it needs to be a reveal!!” April ran back to her room, tearing through her closet until she found what she was looking for - and then she sprinted back to Danni’s, showing him. It was a Christmas tree hat. “Then when everyone is downstairs, we can remove the hat and - tada! New hair!!” She then took Danni’s arm, putting the hat onto her head. “Now I’m ready! Let’s go before Dori eats all the cinnamon rolls,” she whined.
”Old?! I'm the youngest one out of all of us.”
Dorian gave James a hug back before snagging his own roll, a plate, and another roll. ”Already did! We're gonna see if Santa visited ‘im last night! T'ough I'm not sure ‘ow well it'll work since ‘e needs to believe for it to work. Pa! Where's coffee?”
Max returned the hug. Standing back up as he went to go take over James’ job on coffee. He flicked his wrist, snapping the newspaper with a crisp sound before it vanished from his hand and appeared at an armchair in the living room for later. Max began to make his way through the kitchen, stepping over the Amour as he tried not to get in their way before starting on the coffee. ”It's coming, be patient. So, when can we expect the young Novikov? And when are you heading over to his place for a night of Chanukah?”
”He's comin over before dinner for a little while. And we are goin’ to Eriks t'e 29th for ‘is annual one. Figured it'd be nice to spend it wit’ Andy too since it'll be ‘er first year.”
Ben nodded slightly, going to undo the knot on his apron to take it off - only to find it stuck, as if by magic. He shot his husband a glance from across the counter. “You want to keep your present wrapped, then?” he murmured, as he crossed the space and kissed his husband’s ear. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” He then went over to Dorian, giving him a hug - and shooting a tentacle out to wrap around Max’s wrist gently. “Merry Christmas, kiddo. Did he send the daily Chaucer yet?” he asked Dorian.
James made his way to the bedroom, pausing in the doorway to admire his husband still sleeping despite the ruckus outside. “Come on babes, time to wake up.” James made his way over, shifting the blankets to press a kiss behind his husband's ear. “And if you get up quick enough, we can shower together. Missed you on my run this morning.”
Slowly, Casper opened one eye, mentally weighing the pros and cons of staying in bed longer against having fun doing certain activities with his husband. Pros - the bed was soft, warm, and filled with his favorite blankets. Cons - he liked doing those activities with his husband, and he might not get another chance until later that evening, with how busy things were for Christmas.
Like a cat, Casper stretched out his arms and legs, yawning dramatically as he sat up in bed. “Fiiiiiine,” he pouted, dramatically flopping against James. “Carry me?” he then asked, with pleading eyes.
James chuckled, sliding his arms under Casper and lifting. “Anything for you, love.” James promised, pressing a slow kiss to Casper, and maneuvered around the bed to the bathroom. “And I picked out an outfit for you; I want to get you suited up myself after we're done.” James stepped into the bathroom and kicked the door shut, the sound of running water a second later.
Danni grimaced at the hat. “I mean, I guess but t'at is deeef a piece t'at we should repurpose. Full time.” Danni guided April down the stairs and towards the aroma of cinnamon rolls and coffee. Danni shook with the effort but it wasn't enough; Danni bolted forward, holiday excitement buzzing through him and burst into the kitchen screaming “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” He hugged everyone in the kitchen, telling them he loved them and then snatched up a cinnamon roll with his bare hands and shoved over half of it in his mouth, groaning with satisfaction as he settled in to wait for coffee.
“Where is Pops and Papa?” Danni asked around a mouthful of cinnamon roll.
”Ones sleepin’ as always and t'e ot'er's tryin’ to change t'at.” Dorian said with a laugh. ”Merry Christmas! Not yet, no Mornin’ poem or anyt'in’.” He was so excited for the surprise they had come up with for the rents. ”’ey save some for April!” Dorian used his powers to pull the tray away from Danni's unending maw.
”Oh just one thing.” Max said as he moved away from the coffee, the pot having been enchanted now to finish the job as he made his way towards his husband Ben. Wrapping his arms around him and giving him a kiss in between each word. ”Merry. Christmas.” He began to make his way back over as he flicked his wrist and a bit of magic smacked Ben's ass.
”eugh grooossss. Not while I'm tryin’ eat guys. Get a room.” Dorian said before running over and giving Danni a huge hug, practically squeezing the air out of him. ”April! ‘urry up! Danni's eatin’ all t'e buns!”
Ben rolled his eyes at his son’s antics. “Consider this payback for when you and your boyfriend reappeared from the astral,” he teased. He and his husband didn’t do a lot of public displays of affection, not nearly as much as James and Casper did. His son could handle his dads sharing the occasional kiss - it was Christmas, after all. “Where is your sister?” he then added with a frown. She was usually up well before Danni.
“I’m coooooming!!” April called out. She had been about to rush off after Danni, when an incredible idea occurred to her. Not only was she going to make a grand reveal with her hair, but she was going to make a grand entrance! She darted into the nearest bathroom and turned on the tap, pulling out enough water to work with, wrapping it around her hands like gloves. She rushed back to the hallway, and shot the water outwards, coating the ground and freezing it, turning it into ice. This was going to be incredible!
She sprinted forward, and for a moment, she felt like she was flying - she let out a joyous screech - “Here I come!!!!” - but it soon turned to terror. She was going faster and faster, she didn’t know how to stop, and her Jeff the Land Shark slippers didn’t have any traction! She screamed as she ran out of ice, and the momentum carried her legs forward, but not the rest of her, as she crashed spectacularly, about to land on her back when four tentacles suddenly shot out, grabbing her.
“... Hi Appa!”
Ben stared at her. “Hi, April.”
“‘ey! What are ya doin’?!” Danni grabbed the tray when he noticed it wiggling away, getting into a tug of war with Dorian's telekinetics. However, the fact that coffee suddenly became available made Danni lose interest in the buns and he snatched up his mug and poured eagerly. “I can't ‘ave anyt'in’ nice. I ‘it my ‘ead t'is mornin’, Dee won't let me ‘ave cinnamon rolls, I ‘ad ta wait for coffee - oh, woe is me. My life is so ‘ard.” Danni sighed dramatically, tipping over and slumping against Ben with a hand to his forehead.
Dorian busted out laughing as April came barreling down the stairs. ”T'e fabled Ice Princess makes t'eir appearances down a very slip n slide.” He looked towards Danni and rolled his eyes.
Max however quirked up an eyebrow. He was up early? He hit his head? Clearly if he had gotten himself awake without some form of warfare. ”How did you hit your head?”color]
April didn’t think through what she did next, giving her brother the middle finger. However, hearing Dorian use they made her heart twitch for a moment. But she was too deep into the holiday and the big reveal she’d planned with Danni that she didn’t examine the feeling, letting it pass with the moment. “My own brother, being so mean to me, on Christmas?!” she gasped.
“April…” Ben warned, less than thrilled with her choice of hand sign. “We don’t flip each other off, sweetheart. Apologize to Dorian.”
“But–”
“But you feel really sorry, I agree, so tell him that,” Ben folded his arms.
“... Sorry Dori,” April mumbled, before going to go grab her mug from the cabinet. She opened it up, and went to jump up a bit to be able to reach it, only for Ben’s tentacles to beat her to it, offering the cup to her. “Thanks Appa.”
“Mhmm.”
Dorian stuck his tongue out at April when Ben wasn't looking. Snagging another roll as he finally got himself a cup of coffee and sat down on one of the kitchen counters. Dropping a bit of Cinnamon Rolls on the floor for Amour to enjoy. She perked up, sniffing the air before she made a mad dash towards the fallen roll and began hacking away at it with her teeth. Excited chirps in between each tear.
”I do not think that sugar treats are a balanced food for a prehistoric pet Dorian.”
”Sugar is energy, and energy is fuel, and she need ‘er fuel!”
Danni pouted at being ignored. “Appa!!! I was bein’ dramatic and ya didn't even say anyt'in’.” Danni grumbled. He couldn't stay upset for long, not with it being Christmas, and he popped open the cooler where Amour and Amélie's food was stored. “T'at's a secret for soon, Pa! I'll tell ya all ‘bout it, but everyone has gotta be ‘ere!” A loud bang, thud, and nails on the ground could be heard as Danni giggled. Amour finished the bits Dorian offered but quickly scampered to Danni, making cute little tips at the prospect of meat. Danni pulled out two bags, already portioned for ease of feeding, and dropped the chunks into the two bowls neatly named for each pet.
A surprised yip, nails on ice, and a screeching dragon made a whizzing appearance through the door, wings flapping in distress as she slipped and slid on the ice left behind by April's entrance. “Rillie! T'e ice!!!!” Danni screeched, lunging to grab Amélie but he he didn't put any fire behind it and instead hit the floor as his baby flew over him.
April screamed, having completely forgotten she’d left an icy trail in her wake. “Amelie!!!” She flung her hands out, the ice shooting up from the floor to form a half sphere, almost like a baseball bat - but the dragon smashed on through it.
“That’s because I was saving my reaction so I could— “ Ben had been about to wrap his tentacles around Danni and playfully throw him around, but instead he sent them out to try to grab onto the dragon - and while his reflexes were fast, they weren’t quite fast enough, as his tentacles just grazed the dragon, barely slowing her down.
A small portal opened before Amélie as she came crashing down, opening back up to send her ricocheting into Danni's arms. ”Do pick up your toys April. I don't need James to be healing any broken bones on Christmas.”
April’s face turned bright red, as the rest of the ice melted and flew itself into the sink.
Danni let out a heavy oof as Amélie crash landed into his chest as he was sitting up, hitting the ground and groaning. Amélie took a moment to recover, trembling and cuddling into Danni's neck. He cooed softly at her, whispering reassurances into her ear, until she finally hopped off and galloped off to her bowl and tore into the pile of meat left for her before Amour could steal any. Danni sighed.
“Ya know, I've never looked at t'e ceilin’ t'is many times. ‘ow lon’ ‘ave we ‘ad webs up t'ere?” Danni wondered aloud and then shoved himself to his feet. “Ooookay, I def need waaaaay more coffee. What a wild mornin’. Uuugh, I wanna show you your present!!!!! It's gunna be t'e best Christmas present ever! Dee, did we figure out ‘ow ta show t'em, btw? Idr, tbh.”
Dorian grinned triumphantly as he fetched out a sling ring from his pocket. ”Sure did.” He spun the sling ring around his finger, showing it off a bit before catching it in his palm and putting it back into his pocket.
Max looked unamused at his sons antics. ”Where did you get that? And what do you plan on doing with it? You know you're can just as me to take us where you want to go, I do it every year.”
”Oooook but t'is is a surprise so I cant tell you where. Obvi”
Ben’s eyes narrowed slightly. Had Dorian stolen Max’s sling ring? He knew the children had gotten a little more rebellious lately, but he thought they’d have the sense not to mess with magical artifacts they didn’t understand. “I also would like to know where you got that,” he prompted, crossing his arms. “Do you know how to use that? It’s not a toy.” He had half a mind to snatch it with his tentacles, but he also knew Dorian’s reflexes were faster than ever - and as loath as he was to admit it, he didn’t know if he’d be able to take it from him.
“Yeah we have a surprise!” April preened, before tilting her head in confusion. Dorian didn’t know about the surprise. “Wait, what surprise do you have? ‘Cause Danni and I have a surprise, and there’s no way you know about it…” She frowned. Were they keeping secrets from her? She wanted to be mad about it, but she and Danni were also keeping a secret from Dorian, so she supposed it made them even. “Unless you told him? Danni, did you text Dori already about the you-know-what?” she whined slightly.
Dorian shot a look towards April, equal parts confusion and anger. Did Danni ruin the surprise already by telling April?! He crossed his arms and huffed in annoyance.
“Wha… Oh. OH! No, no I ‘ave a surprise wit bot’ of you. Muwhahahaha, my secret plan is coming toget'er! I ‘ave all t'e secrets ‘ere!” Danni cackled as he picked up his mug and went to refill it. “Rillie and I ‘ave a reveal t'at we gotta do before Dee and I'd reveal ot'erwise, Rillie and I's surprise will be suuuuupeer overshaded!!! And Pa, Appa truuuust us pleaaaaase? We pwomise t'at not'in’ bad is ‘appenin’; if ya know where we are goin’ it ruins t'e suprise! And Dee knows ‘ow ta use it! ‘e studied wit’ Strange!” Danni looked out of the kitchen as he heard footsteps on the stairs.
“Who studied with Strange? Should I be concerned why this is relevant? I feel like spells start flying anytime that comes up.” James asked, carrying a freshly showered Casper with him to the kitchen table. “Babes, I'm putting you down so you can eat, okay? Do you want coffee?”
“Your mom studied with Strange!” Casper shouted gleefully, before immediately pouting at the prospect of being put down. He wanted to be carried at all times, except for when he was trying on clothes or dancing or lounging in bed. And it was Christmas morning! He tucked his head underneath James’ neck, whimpering. “Nuuuuuuuuuuu,” and then he paused in his whining. “Yes pleeeeease.” He did want coffee.
”It's a loan ok? And I do know ‘ow to use it. I've ‘ad more trainin’ ‘ere t'an anyone besides Pa in t'e mystics arts.” Dorian whined. ”I'll give it back after Christmas is over.”
Max raised an eyebrow at all the antics being brought out at once. ”Two surprises already? It must be Christmas morning then.”
James tilted Casper's head back and pressed a kiss to his mouth before fetching his husband his breakfast. His Christmas mug was filled three quarters with milk and sugar, a splash of coffee, and whip cream, chocolate syrup, and rainbow sprinkles finished it off. James plated up a cinnamon roll and slid the combo in front of his husband, before settling in next to him and sliding his hand to Casper's thigh to run his thumb along the inside seam. “These surprises didn't damage anything, right? I would rather Christmas not have any surprises that take longer than 5 minutes to fix, please.”
“Okay, everyone is ‘ere!!! Let's get rollin’!!!!” Danni announced, sticking his tongue out at his Pops and then spinning around. “Ladies, gentlemen, and all our nonbinary friends, get ready for t'e show off t'e year! T'e show of t'e season! Be prepared ta lose your socks and… I don't know what us but ‘old on ta everyt'in’! Be prepared ta be blown away by… Drum roll please!”
Casper leaned over, doing a drum roll on his husband’s thighs. He didn’t know what was happening but he was so excited, cinnamon roll held between his teeth!
Ben looked like a vein was about to burst in his forehead from stress and anticipation.
Danni beamed at his Papa and gestured dramatically at April.
“Tadaaaaaa!!!” April threw the Christmas Tree hat off of her head, revealing her new haircut. It was short, vaguely resembling a mohawk. But the more one looked at it, the more horrendous it became. It was drastically uneven and choppy, there weren’t any bald spots but there were areas of varying thickness. If someone were to shut off all the lights and hit their head, it would look to them like a world class haircut; but to anyone else, it was a dumpster fire not even worthy of Great Clips. “What do you think?”
Casper immediately choked on his cinnamon roll, as he gasped and the sweet, sugary goodness shot into the back of his throat. His hands went immediately to his throat, his legs flailing.
Ben shot a worried look at Max and James, before smiling politely at April. “Oh, I love it, sweetheart,” he lied through his teeth. “But do you love it?”
Max shot a glare to Dorian. ”And you say there are…two surprises? I dare say I don't know if I can handle a second at the moment. April sweetie, what style is this? Is it new? It's very Avante Garde.”
Dorian tried to keep it in, he really did, but every cabinet flew open at the same time as the food for Amour flew into the air and around the kitchen, causing the little raptor to sprint from one place to another nipping at each piece before Amélie could get to any. He didn’t say anything, but his chest was in so much pain as he held back laughter.
James swore and immediately got his husband out of the chair, working to keep him standing while he flailed. James couldn’t get Casper to cooperate so instead, James kept two fingers jammed into his jaw and reached in with the other to grab the cinnamon roll and yank it out. Thankfully, it hadn’t been chewed much so it was one solid piece. James tossed it in the trash and pulled Casper to him. “Okay, you take a second to catch your breath, babes.” James hadn’t had an opportunity to look at April’s hair for longer than a second and now that he viewed it in its full glory…
“I definitely remember you having more hair yesterday. Who did you go to? They certainly have talent - we want to make sure we can get notes from them for the future.” James sent a hopeful look at Max.
Danni beamed at that. “It was me! Rillie woke me up at 6, I came down ta get coffee wit’ Amélie, got knocked on my butt and ‘it my ‘ead, drank a little cold brew, and t’en went up ta cut Rillie’s ‘air! Doesn’t it look great?”
“You hit your head?! Come here.” Danni scooted over and James gently ran his hand across the back of Danni’s head. A little bump was there and James sighed, healing it away. “Next time, you wake us up. Head injuries are no joke, kiddo.”
Max spoke into his mug, low enough so no one else could hear. ”Hit your head? That explains the cut.”
Casper didn’t give himself a moment to recover and catch his breath, as his beautiful, talented, amazing husband saved his life - not for the first time, and not for the last time. He tucked himself back into his favorite position, flush up against James - and his eyes widened. “Danni, baby boi, love of my life, the sweetest kiddo there ever was - if you hit your head too many times, you’re going to end up like your Papa!” he fussed, before pulling his son into a tight hug. “We gotta protect those brain cells, okay?”
And then, without thinking, he looked at Max. “Can we get her a beanie? Pleeeease?”
Ben immediately glared at Casper, his tentacles thrashing a bit as they threatened to force their way on out. “Because this hair cut would look even cuter with a beanie, right? Right?” he practically hissed. It was a terrible haircut, yes. But he didn’t want to see their kid have a meltdown, especially not on Christmas morning. And it wouldn’t be just April having a tantrum, it would be Danni, too.
He then shot an intense glance at Dorian, a very clear dad gaze that translated to: be nice to your siblings and I will make it worth your while.
“Right, Danni is so good at this!!! We should all just start having Danni cut out hair, tbh, like he’s a natural!!” April gushed. She was too swept up in the moment to notice the truth behind her family’s reactions. Dorian was so in love with the haircut he couldn’t control his powers, he was shaking with love and adoration! The cut was so good that her Papa had almost choked to death! Her Pa thought it was Avante Garde - and he was a model, so he knew what he was talking about! Even Pops and Appa both really liked it, talking about how much they loved it and how they wanted to compliment the lucky stylist on it!! It was the best Christmas ever and she couldn’t keep herself from fidgeting, almost overwhelmed with joy.
”Non, J'aime ma coiffeuse en France. Merci beaucoup.” He took another bite of his meal before he continued. ”But you did really good! I didn't even know you couldn't get up at 6 am.” Dorian joked with a smile.
”A beanie would help to accent the haircut very well. Make certain pieces pop, if you wanted one April. We use hats and toppers like that a lot in modeling to help frame and showcase styles and hair all the time.”
Danni basked in the attention, joining Casper and James in the cuddle fest. “But Papa, everyone wants ta be like you! T’at make me lucky!’ Danni giggled and turned to frame April with his fingers as people made suggestions. “Ooooh, I love t’at. A beanie would tots make t’at look perf! Maybe one t’at matches ‘er eyes t’ough. Yeah, def t’e eyes!” Danni stuck his tongue out at Dorian’s tease. “Truuuust me t’at was not willin’. Amélie was a spicy burrito, but ‘ow could I pass up an opportunity for t’is masterpiece.” Danni sighed dramatically, bending down shortly after to pick up his baby dragon. Amélie, hearing her name after eating, had scampered over immediately upon realizing Amour was willing to fight for the food and settled contently into his arms.
“What have I said about talking poorly about yourself, baby?” James murmured firmly. He didn’t like it when Casper did it to himself, all the jokes he used to make, and he wouldn’t tolerate that on Christmas of all times. He smiled at his son reassuring his Papa and James smiled softly at the little family in the kitchen. Even when it was chaos and things weren’t perfect, he always thought about the times in the MU or in the rubble of Genoshia and couldn’t be more thankful for these people here. “Well, why don’t we get April her accessory and we can figure out who is Santa’s helper this year so our kiddos can get to open their presents. Unless you want to show us the other surprise next?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, bae,” Casper apologized, a little sheepish. “I can choose to be kind to myself. I am worthy of love and respect, especially from myself. I am proud of who I am becoming,” he repeated. It was part of their morning routine, something they’d say into the mirror together before getting ready for the day. He turned and brushed a kiss to James’ jaw as a further apology, before placing one on Danni’s head, too. “I want to see the other surprise!!” He somehow stopped himself from adding - it can’t be worse than this one!!
There were stars in April’s eyes for a moment. Pa really liked her hair! She squealed excitedly, kicking her feet a little from where she was sitting. “Do you think I could model with this hair, Pa? That’s so cool!! Danni, you could be my stylist - do my hair and I can wear clothes you design and stuff!! And Dori - ooo Dori you could model too!! We’d be a power trio!!! So yeah, Pa, I’d love a cool hat!! Can you pick one out?” she asked. The Christmas tree hat had been mostly a silly joke - she wanted a cool one, like what her Pa was talking about.
“If there is a secret third surprise…” Ben muttered under his breath. He had almost forgotten his concerns about Dorian with the sling ring, but given how the hair had already been a disaster, he was expecting that the next surprise was a trip to the center of the sun.
Max gladly created a hat to help cover up Aprils hair. Allowing a tuft of the psuedo mohawk shave to pop out from beneath it. He also (with a lot of magic) styled it in a way that the unevenness was hidden amongst curls and volume anywhere the hat didn't touch.
Dorian jumped out of his seat, sling ring at hand and ready. ”OK ok my turn!” He held his hand out, making circular patterns like how his Pa did every time he'd opened a portal. Sparks began to fly, but nothing formed just yet. Dorian kept at it though, now sticking his tongue out to help with the concentration, and then finally, a portal opened to what for some was a familiar land, to others brand new and a place of myths and legends. ”I can't ‘old it open for long.”
It had been over a decade since anyone had been to Genosha.
The bloodbath of the Hellfire Gala had been stopped, lives saved and lives taken by those who had sworn to protect their mutant brethren. But even averted, Selene’s magics came with a heavy cost. She had not paid it - and would never pay it, sealed within Max Gray’s acheron. So the island and its inhabitants paid for her. It consumed its victims, bleaching their skin to a chalky white, their eyes milky and unseeing, as their bones cracked and reshaped into horrific blasphemies, compelled to bring their fate upon others - to feed and to multiply. There was no logic, no justice as to who was taken - as to who was lost to them. No reasoning with them, no reversing their fate, their very essence consumed.
A fate that spread to the island itself - the skies occluded with a white haze, the fauna devolving and the flora dried to a brittle crisp. The mutants of Genosha had no choice but to flee, to abandon their home and search for a place elsewhere, congregating in the grounds of the Massachusetts Academy, of the French Quarter of New Orleans, of a station in the stars. But the tragedy of Genosha did not end there - did not end after human opportunists raided the island, stealing its memories and its wealth, taking the bones of the dead all to turn a profit. No, the sickness of Genosha spread, the white haze pushing ever outwards, turning the surface of its waters to an icy glass, until its mages were forced to act, until Max and Pixie and so many more cast a spell, isolating the island until the day that it was safe again - until the day that Selene’s price had been paid in full, and its curse lifted.
As the Kingston-Grays stepped through the portal, they found themselves in a place all too familiar - at the site of the last stand they had made against the lunar goddess. It had been a gala, and the wreckage of those final moments remained - dresses, gowns, and other attire littered the ground, bloodied and torn. Glasses still sat on tables, where the survivors of the Mutant Underground had once gathered and laughed - where Casper had curled around James, where Max and Ben had first kissed, where Sunshine and Marrow had bickered, Harry had begged his sister Val to relax, Andy and her girlfriend had sampled drinks and food from around the world - where Selene had compelled James to kill Casper, where the infection had spread to Max and warped his mind, where Val had spilled the blood of innocents - where Casper had risen from the grave, where Ben had stood against a goddess with just four tentacles, where Harry had broken her trance with a song, where Andy had traded spell for spell. It was nearly silent, but the screams could still be heard, ringing in their minds - where images of joyous dancing and celebration were interpenetrated with gross tragedy.
But through it all, the signs were true - the heaviness in the air had begun to lift - the trees and the plants were a little more vibrant, a little more lush - and almost imperceptibly, the cries of animals could be heard, chattering in the brush.
When Dorian had opened the portal, James had no idea where they could be going. There wasn’t anywhere in the world off limits to the family and he couldn’t imagine the kids had been asking Max or Stephen to ferry them around without hearing about. So when Danni danced through first, chattering a mile a minute with some sort of introduction, and James caught sight of a moment frozen in time, he nearly threw up.
He could see Casper’s gown from that night, caught up in a lazy dance. He could remember the moment Selene sat with them, the concern he’d felt but ultimately waving it away. The music as he’d pulled Casper into his lap, chatting without a care with the rest of the MU, the teasing and grumbling they’d always got when James had shown his affection for his then boyfriend. He’d remembered planning the rest of the night, taking Casper somewhere alone, a ring tucked away in his pocket, and expecting to beg Max to fix Casper’s gown when James decided it was in the way.
He could hear the screams when the music changed, the chaos that erupted in the aftermath. James could remember the rag, the all consuming need to hurt and kill and tear the people he cared so much for into pieces. He remembered he got his hands on Casper and… his eyes were drawn to the spot all those years ago. His feet carried him, stumbling, to the spot and the strength left his legs. James hit his knees silently and reverently touched the ground. He could remember when his heart shattered and his world ended when he’d shaken free; he’d been in a haze back at the Mutant Underground where everyone was safe and sound and Casper was just sleeping and he’d come out of it with his husband’s blood on his hands. James let out a broken sob and tears poured down his face, hand over his mouth to stay silent, but his whole body shook as his other formed a fist and he pounded it against the ground once.
Casper had been so incredibly excited, thrilled for the surprise. As much as Ben hated surprises, Casper adored them. He moved through the portal with an open mind, unable to comprehend what their kids wanted to show them. Was it a secret land in the arctic (or the antarctic? He always got them mixed up) where dinosaurs still roamed? Was it a fantastical castle, where brooms moved by themselves and the corridors always shifted, complete with a spooky dragon for the family to befriend (he did not realize, of course, that he was just picturing their house)? Or maybe they were leaving Earth behind entirely, going on a holiday in space! Was the photoshoot going to be done in zero gravity this year? He was about to turn back to grab a wig - there was one that would look amazing with the hair billowing about - when their destination came into view.
His heart dropped into his stomach.
His memories of that night were patchwork, little flashes of scenes out of order, out of context. Jumbo Carnation designing a dress for him - Casper wearing it for James for the first time - Casper taking it off for James for the first time - Casper putting it back on again for James - curling into his boyfriend’s lap at the table, feeling like the luckiest man alive - sampling exotic foods and drinks, but knowing there was only one thing he wanted to taste - dropping Danni off with his mother before the gala, as his son needed his rest - taking a photograph of their tiny family, Danni’s fist curled around the fabric of his dress - a cold, all consuming darkness, a void - waking up on the ground, covered in blood, in his own blood - merging with his fellow mutants - scrambling back to where his mother lived on the island, clutching Danni protectively to his chest as he clung to James for hours - screams and tears, whose, he didn’t know, he didn’t know.
“What… did…” Casper’s question died before it could be asked. He wanted to let himself collapse, to let himself be weak.
But James had always been strong - had always been strong for him. His body felt numb as he made his way over to his husband, quiet for perhaps the first time in his life as he knelt down next to James, and put his arms securely around him, pulling his husband into himself. “It’s okay, baby, let it out,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.”
Ben hated surprises. He hated this one, too - hated it for the way that it broke him, the punishing cocktail of trauma and hope. Hated the way his tentacles started to trash and strain, the apron ripping as they violently shot out of him, desperately searching for something to latch onto, something to grab and to break. A scream tore its way from his throat as he had the faculties to get away from his family as his monstrous self writhed, ensnaring long since abandoned tables, snapping them into two and compacting them down, adding to the destruction and the debris. He didn’t face them as this happened, turning away. He didn’t want his kids to see him like this - didn’t want his partners too, either.
He’d been born here, on Genosha - reborn, really. His partners had defied Death herself to bring him back. It was a question that had always haunted him, one that he never voiced - one that he lived with, day after day. Had this been their punishment for stealing fire from the gods? If James, Casper, and Max had never brought him back, would this have happened? Would Genosha still be alive if he were still six feet under? Had it been hubris that condemned them? The tentacles continued to reach out, crushing anything within reach - anything that dared to stray too close.
“Kids, stay away from me for a moment,” he managed to get out through gritted teeth.
Max strode through the portal slowly, tentatively, unable to believe the sights set before him. The sounds, the scenery, the way it all perfectly encapsulated the moments before, during, and after the storm that was Selene. His hand gently grazing the top of the table as he walked past, dust from the years rubbing against his fingers as he did so. He could hear the band, the music, how The Blob greeted guests at his bar and the taste of food from a culture born within this very island. He could see the ghosts of the people they were, of his friends and family at a time they truly believed nothing more could happen. Even after the attacks from The Vault, the pure sense of safety at the gala that was meant to usher in a new era of mutant kind.
As all these feelings came rushing in, Max was unable to control it. A single tear dropped from his eye, imbued with magic he could not hold in. It dropped against the island's ground and a wave of illusions came rippling out from it. The band music began to play once more as the MU stood around their table with their drinks and food placed atop it. The Blob could be seen several feet away tending to people with no faces, a young Ben in Max's arms as he had finally discovered the way to bring back mutants. Every good memory he had of this island, every person he met, soul he touched, each one of them locked in a memory that now replayed for all to see. ”This…shouldn't be possible…” Max's words barely a whisper.
While James lowered his head into his husband’s lap, tears staining his pants as he clung to him and cried, Danni shifted from one foot to another awkwardly before sidling up to Dorian and April. “Uhm, I really t’ought t’ey’d be a little ‘appier.” Danni muttered nervously, poking the tips of his fingers together and on the verge of crying. “Do ya t’ink we did… bad? Maybe we shouldn’ta done it. Oh gosh, we ruined Christmas, we are t’e worst!” Danni started breathing faster, tears in his eyes, and wringing his hands as he watched his parents all break down and the fascinating display of magic in front of them.
April was still processing everything she was seeing. This was Genosha? This was their family’s home? Dorian and Danni’s surprise was an entire island? And all of their dads seemed to be on the edge of a panic attack, if not fully in one?? Pops was broken, clinging onto Papa like a lifeline?? Appa was destroying anything he could grab?? Pa was projecting his memories out?? None of their training had ever told them what to do here. And then Danni looked like he was freaking out, claiming that we ruined Christmas even though April hadn’t been involved - and the intrusive thought to go no, you two ruined Christmas crossed her mind.
“Uh, guys… what did you do??” she shook her head, hoping they’d catch her up to speed. “This is Genosha - the Genosha? How…” Her eyes fell on their dads, all of them in varying degrees of distress. “Should we call Auntie S? Like… I think you broke our dads??? I don’t… do we give them lithium??”
Dorian blindly reached out and grabbed Danni's hand, squeezing it tight. ”No we did…good, right? Bringin’ back t'e island was a good t'in’...i t'ought…” His throat hurt as he felt a lump forming in it. Trying hard not to cry. ”We are t'e worst aren't we…” Dorian's eyes began to wet, unsure of what to do in this situation before them. He expected jumping and hugs and glee and merriment. Laughter and Joy, all things that encompassed a good Christmas present not…this.
Casper took a deep breath. He wasn’t usually the adult on call. In fact, he was never the adult in the room. He lived in a house with three capable, type-A gays. He was the last line of defense. His children were on the verge of a meltdown, Max and Ben were struggling to control their powers, and his husband was crumbling into his thighs, sobbing. “Kids, stop,” he said sternly, rising up slightly from his crouched position so he could make eye contact with all three of them. “You did not ruin Christmas. You are not the worst. Your dads just need a minute. You’re going to go sit at that table,” he pointed to one out of Ben’s warpath, “And you are going to repeat the same words your Pops had me say earlier. Five times each, slowly, and you are going to mean each and every one of them. No arguments.” He held eye contact with each one of them, a serious, stern expression on his face that they’d never seen before.
It was shocking enough that Danni’s blubbering stopped. His Papa wasn’t really a parent. Danni loved him to death, but Papa was much, much closer to his best friend than his parent. But now, as Casper took a stern voice and took control of the situation, Danni blinked at his Papa and mechanically followed the instructions. He felt a little numb and floaty, like he wasn’t really there and things seemed so far away and so close all at the same time, and he sat hard into the chair and stared at the table top. I can choose to be kind to myself. A sniffle. “I am worthy of love and respect, especially from myself. His voice broke. “I am proud of who I am becoming.” Danni finished the first one in a whisper, taking a moment before continuing.
April hunched her shoulders slightly, almost defensively as Papa of all people decided to step up and be a parent. She couldn’t remember him ever disciplining any of them - if anything, he was usually an ally in their shenanigans, helping to distract Pops or talk him down from a punishment. He didn’t show up to the grueling training sessions, but would sneak them candy afterwards, even if they weren’t supposed to have more sugar that day. She shuffled on over to the table, sitting down next to Danni, as her eyes kept on darting over towards their dads. Her hands were cold and clammy, as she sat on them to try to warm them up a bit - and the anxiety in her body was continuing to build and build. “I can choose to be kind to myself,” she mumbled. It was a mantra they had her repeat since she’d been adopted, when she was struggling and scared, jumping at her own shadow. “I am worthy of love and respect, especially from myself.” She swallowed. That one was always hard. “I am proud of who I am becoming.”
She looked over at Danni, and reached her hand out to take his, before going onto her next repetition.
Dorian was shocked. Shocked that Casper had been so stern, shocked that he even could be stern, and most importantly shocked that anyone had listened to him during his morning ramblings. Danni and April seemed to know exactly what he was talking about as the three of them made their way over towards the table, but Dorian only muttered along mumbling words in time with April and Danni but having no idea what he was meant to be saying.
The tone. That's what pulled James out of the pit he'd been drowning in. Casper's voice was never… stern. James took a steadying breath, the familiar smell of his husband reassuring, and blinked through red puffy eyes at whoever Casper was speaking to. He must have been hallucinating because he could have swore that he'd seen the kids, at Casper's direction, settling in at a table to repeat mantras and calm down. James chuckled, a little watery and a little broken, but a smile still played at the edges of his mouth. He pulled himself back onto his feet, dusting himself off, and pressed a kiss under Casper's ear. “Thanks for taking care of them, babes. I appreciate you stepping up like that. Sorry I didn't give you a heads up.”
“Mm, I’m taking care of you, too,” Casper murmured, before effortlessly scooping up his husband bridal style, and holding him close to his chest. It was his favorite position when he was upset, and he had a feeling James needed this sort of comfort right now. He then captured James’ lips in a kiss, before returning his attention to the others. James was back with them, so that left Ben and Max. Previously, his strategy when Ben was upset had been to avoid him at all costs, take enough drugs that he couldn’t manifest, and by the time he’d come down from the high, Ben was usually fine. Maybe working it out of his system was enough here. If it escalated, however, he would restrain him. And Max, too, if needed. So he turned his attention to Max.
“Max, are you in control?” he asked. “Do you need me to handle you?”
The thought alone of Casper handling him was enough to bring Max away from his past and into the present. He didn't need the immortal twig of a twinkle carrying him Bridal style. Max waved his hand as if to dismiss a foul odor, washing away the illusory memories as they each turned into a fine mist and rolled away. ”I am fine. Thank you.” He looked over towards where the kids sat, reciting lines, and gave a sigh. ”I owe you a new outfit for stepping in. I…should've been –” Max cut himself off, afraid that if he continued that line of thought that Casper and James would force him with the children somehow. ”Regardless, Thank you Casper.”
Max conjured up a Happy Meal Box, full with chicken nuggets, dipping sauce, apple slices, fries, and a toy. He made his way over towards Ben, maneuvering around the tentacles with caution as he went to hold his husband's hand. ”Care for a bite?” He said with an awkward smile as he squeezed Ben's hand, offering him the first meal they shared together back when he was dead.
Slowly, the tentacles began to still, as the debris and wreckage they had ensnared fell to the ground unencumbered. Ben took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment and focusing on the sensation of his husband’s hand in his - on the palpable reminder that they were alive, all of them - and that even Selene’s destruction, as devastating as it had been, was only temporary. They were mutants. Death was not the end. He opened his eyes again, as the tentacles retracted into him, his body trembling from the effort. His clothes had been ruined, torn so that way his midriff was exposed. He rested his forehead against Max’s for a moment, murmuring. “Can we talk about this later, when the kids have gone to bed?”
And then he pulled away slightly, holding his husband’s gaze as he reached into the familiar Happy Meal Box, grabbed a nugget, and bit into it. “You know very well I always care for a bite,” he then added, keeping his voice low. That would have to wait for later, too.
He then looked at the kids, sitting at a table and reciting lines, somehow managed by Casper. He blinked a bit. “Since when could Casper parent?” he whispered, stunned, before raising his voice. “Kids - did you do this? Did you… did you fix our home?” There was still a bit of strain to his voice, as he struggled to keep his tone even and calm.
Danni finished up his lines, eyes shut and hands grasping April and Dorian's like a strange prayer circle. He peeked one eye open as their Appa spoke to them, eyes red and cheeks stained from the tears that had managed to come out. He shrunk into himself, making himself look smaller than he was as he looked at the four parents. It was certainly strange that Papa was carrying Pops, normally it was the other way around, but Danni didn't wanna point that pit and get yelled at more than they already were. “Ye- yes?” Danni said quietly, not certain how to navigate the mine field they'd found themselves in.
“Well, um you see- um, well, ya know- t'e whole um, Entity t'in'y? Well, we realized everyt'in’ it could do and t'en we were like gasp Genosha, so… tadda?” Danni offered awkward jazz hands, one stiff breeze away from having a complete breakdown. “We just wanted ta get ya a good Christmas present? We didn't mean- we didn't- we… I'm sorry!” Danni blurted out.
James was still equally shocked and impressed with his husband. He… he'd never been picked up like this, but he felt safe in Casper's arms and breathed in his husband's scent as he brushed the soft skin of his neck with his nose. It was so close and so tempting… James resisted the urge to bite it before settling a kiss in the crook. He tapped Casper twice, unfurling himself. “Yeah, you are. Thanks, baby.” James murmured in his ear, catching him in one more kiss, and turning to the kids. “This is amazing, kids. I'm sorry we scared you. We just… there was a lot we left and clearly, we have more hang ups than we thought. We just… I never thought we'd see this place again.” James made his way to them, placing a kiss on each of their heads.
Max laughed at Ben’s remark towards Casper. He raised an eyebrow at Ben’s forwardness with the food before the children but decided not to remark on either of them as he noticed Danni appeared ready to cry. ”I am with James on this one. I am both in awe and in wonder at how you actually had achieved this, or what I was even seeing. I, me and the other Mystic’s ensured this place was locked up, ensured the plague couldn’t spread out more to the rest of the world, it claimed so much and yet…you have somehow managed to make it in such a way as if it never even existed. An island frozen in time, a home long lost behind the white fog of war now found and brought back to us…” Max had a hard time finding any of the words for how he felt. He made his way over to his kids, wrapping his arms around all three into a group hug. ”You’ve made this old sorcerer very proud, and very happy. Merry Christmas kids.”
Dorian squirmed within the hug. Glad they didn’t have to recite whatever it was that the other two were saying, but also in an emotional whiplash from how their parents were behaving. ”We’d been ‘olin’ on to t’is gift since t’e contest…we t’ought…we t’ought we could…I don’t know…”
April felt incredibly awkward being wrapped up into the hug - she hadn’t done anything for this, she hadn’t known that Danni and Dorian had brought the island back. The kisses and the hugs and the praise, they were unearned.
“Group hug? Without meeeeeeee???” Casper whined, before dashing over to Max and the kids, and throwing his arms around them to add them into the cuddle pile. He then gasped, as an idea occurred to him. “Wait! Babes! Do you think my dress is still here somewhere??” He’d process the trauma of this all later. For now, he was just so happy to have his family together and his home back - even Ben was struggling to be grumpy.
“Danni, kiddo, you gave us the best Christmas gift of all time,” Ben reassured, as he ruffled the hair of each kid. “I knew you kids were powerful but… I never imagined you were capable of all this.”
Danni did break into tears as Casper and James joined the hug pile, relief that they hadn't ruined Christmas making him sag against his parents. “W-we-we wanted ta te-tell you s-s-so ma-man-y times.” Danni sobbed out, still feeling a little small in the embrace. “It w-wa-was ju-just t'ere, wit’ t-t'e spa-pacey power. I just…” Danni took a few seconds to breath and collect himself, rubbing the tears off his own face and onto Max's shirt.
“T'e demicolon… No t'e whatever Wiccie is, we ‘ad all t'e power and just wanted ta get a big gift for Christmas and t'is was t'e biggest one we could t'ink of.”
James laughed and pressed a kiss to each of the kid's heads. “Well, it's an amazing gift and I think maybe it's time we get back home so we can give you yours. None of them are as big as an island, though.” James admitted sheepishly before pulling his husband into a kiss, Danni gagging. “Maybe it is. We can come back tomorrow and look for it.”
Dorian squeezed into the hug even tighter. Tears threatening to spill out from how happy he was that his parents did actually like their gift as relief washed over them that they did not in fact ruin Christmas. ”Oh! I'd almost forgotten we ‘adn't gotten ours yet! I can't wait to see what Santa brought!” He went to go open a portal as Max placed a hand over Dorian's to stop him.
Max laughed. ”I can take it from here.” He opened a portal back into their living room where enchanted snow fell, a Christmas tree was perfectly framed, and wrapped ups boxes were delicately placed around it.
For the next hour, the Kingston-Grays exchanged presents, as the fireplace roared, hot chocolate was shared, cookies consumed, photographs taken, and stories and squeals swapped. They drew lots for which one of the kids was Santa’s Helper this year - and St. Nick picked his strongest defender to be the one to distribute gifts (Casper, to his regret, had been deemed ineligible once the kids were old enough to participate). Dorian passed out the gifts one at a time, allowing the drama of the reveal, the ooo’s and ahh’s of admiration, and the conversation to continue to flow. And with the size of the family, this was by no means a short ordeal.
From Dorian, Danni received something he had always wanted and failed to find in the libraries of Margaret Carter - a book on dragon rearing, one that Amelie eyed with a look that clearly said chew toy? April gifted him a new stocking, intricately crocheted with his favorite colors, and HS embroidered on for HotShot. Santa left him instructions for the hot cocoa recipe from the Santa Clause movie. Pops surprised him with a new set of lenses for his Polaroid camera and film, as well as dragon themed slippers - which Amelie definitely was already drooling at the sight of, ready to gnaw on. Appa gave him tickets to see one of his favorite musicals on Broadway, Kinky Boots. And then from his Papa, a floor length mirror that allowed him to preview different outfits and styles. Lastly, his Pa gave him a gift that made Danni nearly burst into flames - a Vogue spread all about him - HotShot: The Boy on Fire.
As for Santa’s Helper, he also came away with a more than decent haul. April had made him a stocking as well, crocheted with purple yarn and embroidered with ghosts, designed to glow in the dark. A P for Poltergeist was stitched in as well. Danni gifted him a K-Pop themed horror board game, where you played as a stalked K-Pop idol, as well as a two sided locket - one frame featuring the family, the other with a thirst trap from Percy’s social media account. Papa gave him a vintage gaming console - a PlayStation 5 - complete with games that were almost impossible to find for it anymore. From Appa, Dorian received limited edition merchandise from one of his favorite K-Pop groups, as well as a signed poster. Pops gave him an antique silver pocket watch, Astral resistance training weights that made it more difficult to go ghost, as well as a new sharpening kit for his sword. And perhaps the most shocking gift of all, possibly as it technically involved kidnapping… A trip to the Himalayas to ski, unsupervised, for two nights, for Dorian and his boyfriend. There was also an odd note addressed to Dorian, sitting on top of a gift bizarrely addressed to Percy from Santa Claus. The note read simply: To my truest believer - you are welcome.
Dorian gifted April a punk rock patchwork jacket, where all of the patches were punk edits of Shark Girl - she squealed, immediately putting it on over her sweater, even though it was far too warm for it. Danni gave her Oceans, an oceanic survival board game, and a tiara - she removed the beanie and put the tiara on, squealing as she looked in her phone’s camera at how it looked, especially with the shorter hair. From Pops, she got a pair of heavy tread steel toe combat boots, a new wetsuit, and a quartz diving watch - the slippers were similarly shucked and replaced with the shoes. Appa gave her a new surfboard, with the Excelsior logo painted onto it, and her Pa got her a comb, enchanted to dye hair any color she could imagine. From Papa, a mirror like the one he gave to Danni, allowing her to try on new styles and aesthetics with ease. The last gift she opened was from Santa Claus - a pair of ice skates, with blue wave details and Cascade stitched onto the side.
The parents received gifts too, of course. April had made Appa a stocking with a soft pastel color-changing yarn, looking almost like water colors, with an R for Revenant stitched on. Danni gifted Ben a smart watch, preloaded with photos of Ben with each of the family members, and an alarm tone set with a prerecorded message of the family saying We love you, Appa! He immediately wept upon receiving it, mumbling something about allergies or dust in his eyes. Dorian hadn’t realized Danni was giving the parents presents beyond resurrecting the mutant nation of Genosha. Casper had gifted his foster sibling a series of books Ben had been wanting to read, while James continued to pull on the heartstrings, giving him a jigsaw puzzle. When assembled, this puzzle revealed a picture of the family all hugging Ben. He ugly cried into the silly socks James had thrown in as well, and sniffled through his thanks for the aftershave that matched his favorite cologne. Max, ever the romantic, gifted him a year long vacation for just the two of them.
As for Max, he received a set of five green books, embellished with gold, that detailed the myths and folklore of Ireland from Danni. April crocheted him a stocking with topaz yarn, with little arcane sigils meant for luck and protection embroidered into the work, and a W for Warlock to complete the project. Ben gifted his husband a collection of handwritten letters done in calligraphy and sealed in wax that he had written each week of the year for Max, detailing his love. Casper gave him a set of tickets for a viewing of a private collection of clothing from witches and other practitioners of the arcane to be held later in Salem that year. And from James, he received a shrunken head, a gold painite ring, and a definitely not stolen Macallan Fine & Rare 1926.
For James, Danni gave him a Guns & Roses record, signed by Izzy Stradlin. April crocheted him a green and soft yellow stocking, with tiny flowers embroidered along the sides, and a C for Caduceus. Max gave him coffee beans from an exclusive pre-release, whereas Ben gifted him a series of Lego kits, each larger and more complex than the ones before. As for Casper, his gift to his husband was a decoy, the true one too inappropriate to be opened in front of the children, so for now James received a custom calendar, each month a sexy photo of Casper, wearing the outfits he knew James loved the most (February was him as a nurse), chocolates, and a bouquet of fresh roses.
The last member of the Kingston-Grays, Casper, screamed with each gift he opened, loving them all more than he could have ever imagined, and being genuinely surprised. His darling son Danni custom bedazzled a pink 4 slice Smart waffle maker for him. April crocheted him an impossibly fuzzy soft pink stocking, with CC for Cassie Caskets in hot pink thread. Max gave him a jumbo snap hand, enchanted to never get dirty, lose its stickiness, or break - not to prevent Casper from breaking it, but from one of the family members “accidentally” destroying it. Ben gave him a year’s supply of makeup from his favorite line. And his loving husband, James, gave him a thigh length dress (he immediately wanted to go try it on), tickets to the Las Vegas EDM festival for the two of them, and a simple silver key. He gasped, holding up the key.
“What’s it for? Jaaaames you gotta tell me!!! Wait no, I wanna figure it out - ooo it’s like an escape room, right? I need to go find what this key is to and then I get another present?” he gasped, pulling James into a quick frenzy of kisses, before jumping out of his lap. “This is so cool!!!” he squealed, as he rushed off to try the key in every door he could think of.
“Wait, babes, no come ba- And he's gone.” James sighed, fondly shaking his head as Casper went wild with the key.
Ben had finally gotten his Uncle Matt to drop him off at the skate park. He had been hoping he could go to Venice Beach, but Matt hadn’t wanted to go there. Another day he supposed. This skate park was near the school.
Danni had suggested that Ben could probably make friends at the skate park, but so far he hadn’t had much luck. He had gotten some time on his wheels, which was what he wanted more than anything. He had also started asking around for what the parkour scene in the area looked like. There were some options, which he was thankful for.
To Chase, there was nothing more freeing than feeling the wind against his face, the ground beneath his wheels, and the sound of them rolling against the pavement. It was one of the few pleasures Chase had nowadays, especially at night when the world was asleep and he was unable to doze off like the rest of them. His eyes were closed as he fell down the bowl, using the sounds and feeling to help him navigate when to open them next. But just as he did, he spotted a familiar looking Bug Boi off to the side, board in hand though all alone. The second Chase's board went airborne, a shadow opened up before him and he vanished, the sounds of his wheels and board appearing behind Ben as he pressed back to stop and twirl around him. ”Sup Bug Boi? I didn't know you skated.”
Ben did not know what to think of his luck. This guy was from the stands at the Contest. He hadn’t expected to meet him here. He had sort of hoped that the guy was going to go to Strange Academy or something. Of course he was transferring to Margret Carter. He frowned, realizing he had never gotten the guy's name.
”My name is Ben. You know you never told me yours.” Ben moved up in the line as it progressed forward for the next person to have their turn in the bowl.
Chase held his board behind his head, hands dangling from over the top of it as he walked backwards to keep Ben in sight. ” Oh Riiiiight. Big Ben the Bug Boi. I'm Chase by the way.” He said with a sly smirk as if his name was some sort of secret.
From out of the bowl came Marlena, riding on a board that went down, then up, and over the entire park for a brief moment. She practically flew overhead, her feet miraculously sticking to the board as if she had stuck magnets in her shoes earlier that morning. In the air, she lazily turned 360 degrees, and came falling back down. The wheels hit the surface of the bowl, and she went back the other way.
She flipped again, only forward this time, then caught the board in her hand, and landed on one knee. That was a trick she was still working on, and she’d made progress with it so far. With a satisfied smirk on her face, she walked away from the rim and into the direction of the line.
Ben ignored Chase for a moment as he watched Marlena do her trick. He was in fact impressed. He did wonder if she used powers to get it to work. But couldn’t be sure. He turned back to Chase.
”Alright,” Ben said. He wasn’t sure what else to say about it. At least now he knew what to call Chase. Other than annoying popcorn guy.
Chase let out an impressed whistle as he turned to see what had snagged Ben's attention so fiercely. He recognized the girl, she'd been at the victory party after the contest, something Bug Boi was oddly not present for. He ruffled Ben's hair before motioning for him to follow. ”That was a sweet trick, I've gotta know how she did that. C'mon I wanna talk to her.” For some reason he didn't wanna leave Bug Boi behind. He looked a bit pathetic all alone waiting for the bowl, and a skate park was no place for lonely bullshit.
”Who, me?”
Marlena flipped her board around, rolling the desk across her wrist like a stick and letting the momentum carry it up into a resting position against her shoulder. Marlena was wearing a black button-up shirt t-shirt, printed with roses all over it. Half a dozen bracelets of different varieties hung off her wrist, and a pair of sunglasses were draped around her neck, suspended by a yellow rock necklace.
Ben seriously considered staying in line for his turn. He was a few people away, but it was a short enough line that he didn’t mind losing his spot. If he had gone to Venice Beach he probably would have cared. He also wouldn’t be dealing with Chase.
Ben sighed and followed him. He nodded at the girl. His own board held sideways tucked against him, wheels in, at a slight angle. He wondered briefly if Danni would consider this making friends. Back in London his friends had all just sort of happened because they all lived in the same complex. They were the same age and all inhuman. Their friendship had been one mostly of convenience. But he still missed them. He dropped his board, wheels down and put one foot on it, rolling back and forth.
”Ain't he just a man of many words? That's Big Ben by the way. We were admiring the trick, definitely had to have a bit of power coming behind it yeah? So how'd you do it?” Chase dropped his board from his shoulders, placing the tip of the it onto his shoe with the bottom of the deck outwards to show off the designs and stickers he'd placed on it over the years.
”Give you three guesses.” Marlena held her hand up a few inches away from her board, and the whole thing began to float out in front of her. She swiped a finger left, causing it to pivot on its side like someone had spun a top.
”Name’s Marlena.” She flashed a smile at the quiet dude.
”TK.” Ben said in almost a half whisper. His powers, while he liked them, weren’t that flashy. Mostly he had ended up with increased proprioception and the ability to talk to insects. If it weren’t for the fact that the insects obeyed him his powers might have been dismissible. Telekinesis was wicked cool though. He wondered what the limitations were for Marlena.
”Nice to meet you. That is a rad power.” He did not want to explain what his powers were suddenly. He felt a little small. Not just the height difference between him and the other two. They were both about 16 centimeters taller than him.
”Sweet. That's Telekinesis right? I just got shadow powers, no idea if they have a name for that or not.” Chase held up his free hand as shadowy smoke began to dance in his palm before he snuffed it. ”It comes in handy at times. Especially for traveling, its much quicker than walking, and quieter too if I need to be stealthy.” He did of course neglect to mention his other power, but no one needed to know about it.
”That’s the one. I like pushing forward and keeping the board to my feet with it. Good practice. You do anything fun with that? As in not sneaky or walking.” She pointed at the shadowy smoke.
”I think that is just Shadow Manipulation or Shadow Teleportation,” Ben said. He was thankful that no one had asked what his powers were. It was cool that Marlena could use her TK to control her board.
Chase shrugged. He didn't pay much attention to the naming of powers really. His own were fairly new, but a major part of him now. Especially with how drastically it altered his body. ”Oh shit, aren't you also going to Peggy Carter's School for Mystical Delinquents?” He asked as he looked towards Ben. ”Bet you've got some super cool power, the quite kids always do. What is it? Super strength? Laser eyes? Wait hold on…you can morph into a massive kaiju!”
”Who’s Peggy Carter? I know there’s a Margaret Carter…”
”What?” Ben looked at Chase confused. What he was confused about was not the most apparent thing.
”Peggy, Margaret, Maggie, who gives a shit. It's just California's call to heroism. Nothing more nothing less.” Chase rolled his eyes.
”You guys are going there, too? I’m pretty new myself, just got here a few weeks ago.”
”Yeah I’m going. I don’t start till the new year. I just moved out here.” Ben’s accent indicated he was British. He did not answer Chase’s question about his super powers.
Chase crossed his arms, dropping his board to the ground and placing his foot atop it as he rolled it back and forth. ”Same. New rents are making me go, says it'll be good for me. Feels more like community service than anything, but at least it'll be cool to learn powers I guess.”
A part of him wanted to ask them how they got their powers. Were they born with it? Given them? Or were they like him? One of the many other kids taken and experimented on. His face soured for a brief second before he pushed the thought away. Deciding to himself he wouldn't want to bring the subject up, if only because it would mean they'd want to know the same of him.
”Pretty much how I got here, too.” Marlena grabbed her board out of the air and leaned on it like a cane. ”My dad sent me here, thinks it’ll be good for me. Hoping he’s right, since I’m a long way from home.”
Ben shifted, looking at Chase fully. ‘New rents.’ Implying old ones. Meaning Chase was either a foster, or adopted. Like Ben. He wasn’t sure about Marlena. She said ‘my dad,’ which probably meant her actual father, but not necessarily. Were all three of them orphans? Were all three of them in the same boat? Struggling to figure out who they were in a world where their parents didn’t exist any more. He had felt so lost and unmoored since his parents’ deaths. They had been so instantaneously removed from his life, and he was expected to just keep going. To change everything around him completely and still function like a normal human when he barely found reason to breathe.
“My uncle adopted me. He brought me here.” He nodded in agreement. He was here because someone else decided it was the best plan for him. Uncle Matt hadn’t even considered staying in London. Hadn’t considered letting Ben go to Braddock. Just moved him to the USA, to California, to LA for some other place and school and people Ben didn’t know or care about. Braddock had been the place he was going to go because his friends were going there. Now they were going to go without him. If they saw each other again, like in the contest next year, they’d be on opposite sides of the field. Ben sighed. He didn’t want to skate anymore.
“Do either of you know parkour?”
Chase looked towards Ben. Debating on if he should say what he wanted to say. It was weird, all three of them seemed to have a few things in common, skating and some parental figure said this school was ‘good for them' and dropped them off. ”Least your uncle took you in. My new rents are total strangers, they're cool though. Even if they put me here.” He wanted to ask Marlena how far was far? He knew from Ben's voice he was at least from across the pond. But Ben's question took him by surprise.
”I know you have to yell it before you do a trick or you'll fall. Aaaaand that a skate park may not be the best place to do it, but…that can change. Could try and make everyone else here vanish, or make us scarce and head somewhere else.”
”I think I’ll stay in Cali for now, maybe another time.” Marlena liked the occasional adventure, but she knew better than to run off with strange boys she just met. ”Never did much parkour, unless you count the board and wheels. Must be different, climbing building instead of sliding off them, yeah?”
“Pft. I mean kind of. It’s cool if you don’t want to right now.” Ben shrugged. “It’s the other thing I do. Other than skating.” And talking to bugs. He didn’t want to pressure Marlena. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to hang out with just Chase. With three of them the situation could be a little less intense than it was during the contest. He was warming up to Chase a little. He had no idea about Marlena yet, but she seemed chill. “I think I’ll get back in line for a turn.”
Chase raised an eyebrow towards Marlena's comment. ”I wasn't exactly planning on taking us outside of Cali. I figured just another location or maybe an In'N'Out or something.” He looked towards the line before them and back at Ben. ”Wanna skip the line Big Ben? I'm sure they'll let you if I ask.” He grinned.
”There’s gotta be something around here that’s less packed. It’s December, did everyone in town just get a board for Christmas?” Marlena joked.
Ben's uncle was sitting in his car waiting. So Ben didn't want to leave either. The incident at the store had made Matt happy in the end, but he had laid down some ground rules.
”Nah, no need to break skate park etiquette.” Ben shrugged. He just wanted wheels down. He wanted to move. “This isn't the biggest park. I think it is just busy because no one has anything else to do. At least it is near the school. It'll be easy to visit.” Ben was glad the conversation had drifted away from heavier topics. He didn't want to talk about his family or his powers. He just wanted to skate or move. Parkor was his usual way of doing that.
”Skateboards and Puppies. The only two acceptable gifts that people give each other this time of year.”
”Clearly, you’ve never been given a copy of Mortal Kombat,” Marlena sassed. ”Good to see there’s a skate scene in this city, I’ll be content. How often do you guys plan to come here, in the near future? I bet you’ll see me around a lot.”
”It’s close enough to school I’ll be here on weekends and probably quiet school days. It is close enough to home that during the break I’ll swing by as often as I can. Just to get out of the house. It is chaos right now.” Ben shook his head. ”So yeah, I’ll see you around.”
”I skate everyday, only time I don't come is when I'm told something bad gonna happen. Kinda have to listen to someone who can see the future you know? Beyond that…its how I clear my head, especially at night.”
”See the future? Got some psychic in the family?”
”If that’s the case I’ll keep that in mind. If I don’t see you here, just leave.”
”Is it really a psychic if its just a mutant power?” Chase joked. ”You're cool enough I'd shoot you a text if I knew to avoid it. Can't spend all my life here anyways, and I do skate around.” He pulled out his phone and went to toss it towards Ben before he stopped and simply just handed it to him. ”Feel free to add your number.”
”Mutants can be psychic, can’t they?” Marlena leaned over the short boy’s shoulder, pulling her phone out.
Ben held Chase’s phone. He had to think to remember his number since he got a new one when he came to the US. Then he typed it in with his name Ben Moss. He could tell Marlena was leaning over him and he glanced up, waiting for her to copy the number before passing the phone. He offered it up to Marlena if she wanted to put her number in too.
”Thanks.” His phone now had two local people in it. ”Shoot me a text to let me know who you are. Not many people have my number yet here but I don’t want to mix you up.”
Chase shrugged. ”Beats me, I'm not mutant so I don't really get all of that.” He took back his phone, quirking an eyebrow towards Ben before texting him so he knew who he was. Hey Big Ben, it's your boyfriend from the stands.
Marlena put her number in next. Then she sent a text from her phone, just a skateboard emoji to verify it actually worked and that she wrote it in properly.
”Uh...” Ben’s face was red hot. ”No. I...” He cleared his throat. ”You’re joking right?” He asks Chase.
Chase looked at Ben, a smirk on his face. ”You tell me Big Ben, do you want it to be a joke?” He handed his phone over to Marlena so she could input her number too, not once breaking eye contact with Ben.
”You guys need some privacy, or…”
She typed her number into his phone too, and just gave Ben a knowing look.
”I... I don’t know.” Ben admitted, answering both Marlena and Chase. He hadn’t really thought about it. He wasn’t even sure if he liked guys that way. He felt very hot. And crowded. He took a step away from both of them. They were so damn tall. It was a little frustrating. He needed to move.
”I don’t know.” He said with a bit more surety in his voice this time. ”I’ve known you for like five minutes. Maybe. I’m not against the possibility of that kind of relationship. But I don’t know.” He was repeating himself. He had seen the text from Marlena come in. A simple skate emoji. He’d know easily it was her now.
”I’ve never been in any sort of relationship.” Ben told them. ”I don’t really know what all is involved in that.” He felt like he was spiralling a little now and shut up.
Chase grinned as Marlena asked if they wanted some privacy. Chase may not have minded it, but he wasn't going to push the subject. He ruffled Ben's hair with one hand before wiping it back off on his pants. ”Hey no worries! We can take it slow little bug, I'll let your rent know I may take you out to a burger joint some time, see how you feel. The real wine and dine experience…minus the wine I guess. Maybe a Coke.”
Ben fixed his hair. He nodded nervously. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. He didn’t even know what to do with his hands now that he had fixed his hair.
”Nice.” Marlena was not a hypocrite, she could hardly judge the quick jump to hitting on someone just after meeting them. After all, she did have a certain waterbender’s phone number in her contact list as of a few days ago.
”Speaking of Coke, I don’t think the line’s getting any shorter.”
”Right, skating.” Ben mentally thanked Marlena a dozen times and moved back into the line. He needed the distraction from the conversation. He had been annoyed with Chase in the beginning but he had grown on him a bit. They had stuff in common.
”Don't sweat it. Future boyfriends got you covered.” Chase looked towards the line before him, feeling as the luck around him rose. ”Hey, new kid here's trying to use the bowl, y'all mind letting him go first?” At once the crowd looked towards Chase, then Ben, then decided to disperse to other ramps and grinds at the park, leaving them the only ones waiting. ”See? Just gotta ask nicely sometimes. Now go skate your little heart out.”
Ben looked up at Chase a little surprised, but smiled. ”Thanks.” He moved forward and dropped over the edge of the bowl, a proper acid drop. All the stress and freaking out that he had just gone through disappeared as his wheels hit the concrete. Ben had a regular set he liked to do, he had already done it once here before he had run into the others. But the comfort of the moves felt right, it was almost a form of meditation. Up and down the bowl he went. It wasn’t too long, not so as people would get annoyed waiting. He hit a couple of his kickflips better than normal. And he did a full 360 instead of what would normally be a 180, that had almost thrown him off but he was able to finish his set. He landed and was grinning. Feeling better with it. Of course it had been less spectacular than Marlena, but he didn’t have the powers to make the tricks she did work.
”Nice, man!” Marlena called out when he landed. She remembered struggling with kickflips once, they were always a good trick to see someone else pulling theirs off with ease.
”Kinda cute right?” Chase commented to Marlena as Ben began to skate. He watched him, focused, in his own world. It reminded him of…well himself. How he felt when he was on wheels. When Ben finished, Chase held out his hand in a fist bump. ”Sweet moves my Big Ben, I didn't know you could ride like that.”
Ben grinned and fist bumped Chase. ”Thanks. I’ve been skating for years, so I'm just new to town.” He looked over at his shoulder as the line started moving again the next person dropping in.
”How did that work? I’ve never seen a group of people lined up move aside like that before.”
”I never said what you were new to. Not my fault if they think I mean skating.” Chase flashed a smile at Ben, kicking his board up into his hand as he held them both up in a surrendering motion towards Marlena. He began to walk backwards, trying to pull on Lady Luck's might, but struggling to do so at first before he finally felt it click. ”No idea what you're talking about Mar, I simply just asked.” He dropped his board onto the ground stepping on it with his left foot as it hung off the edge of the bowl, facing away from it and towards Ben and Marlena.
Chase dropped down backwards, arms out wide as he let the momentum take him for a bit before he placed more weight onto the back, lifting the front of the board in the air as he swiveled out of fakie and into a normal ride. To those watching they'd see that Chase rode Mondo style, not typical or widely accepted, but neither was he. He ramped up the speed, flying off the side and grabbing his board as he got some air, performing an airwalk into quick kickflip before landing back down. Keeping momentum he shot back up into an Alley-Oop, landing just off where he'd wanted to and having his board snag the corner of the bowl and causing him to fall backwards. Shadows quickly enveloped him and spat him back out at Ben's feet. ”Look at that, already falling for you.” He managed to get out through winces before he laughed at his own failure.
”You do that often?” Marlena watched him teleport and eat dirt, and an amused grin was on her face. It was cool that superpowers could be used to ride in unique ways.
Ben rolled his eyes at the cheesy comment. But he offered his hand for Chase to help him back to his feet.
”With that landing I doubt it. Though, the rest was good.” He wondered if his own power could be used more for skating. He had found that it mostly was focused on combat while doing parkour but maybe he could expand it. His friends had messed around with that sort of thing but he hadn't gotten to test it out.
”Only when there's a cute boy around, so I guess there must be. Unless you mean slink in the shadows, that's a new trick and one I am very very fond of. It's helped me out more times –” Chase froze for a moment as fresh memories flooded back before he blinked them away. ” than I can count…Sorry must've hit my head harder than I thought. I'm gonna have a sit, go board if you'd like. Bowl’s all yours.”
”Going next.” Marlena dropped her board to the ground, gave it a kick and leapt onto it. Her knees bent down, pushing momentum into the board. Then, she popped the board up, and careened down the side of the bowl. She kept most of her weight low to the ground, and rose up as she neared the other end of the bowl.
When she began to ascend, Marlena let the laws of physics take the wheel. First, her momentum pushed the board towards her as she grabbed the nose. Second, she started to spin wildly. Like a tire rolling away, backflip after backflip. She pulled three before the wheels of her board hit solid ground once again, rolling away slowly.
As Marlena skated, Chase tilted his head up and looked at Ben, still standing behind him. ” Man she's so good. I haven't really been in my game lately, mind keeps wandering.” He paused, watching as invisible gears seemed to turn within Ben's mind. So…no relationships before huh?”
Ben watched Marlena, impressed again by how smooth she was in the bowl. He stood near Chase and when he spoke Ben looked down at him. ”She is good. Kind of wish I had seen her before she had powers. Just to compare. I’m sure she was still good though. That skill isn’t coming from any power.” He nodded to the question.
”None. Just my mates and I hanging out. There were some relationships in the group that went beyond just friends. But I never had anything. Not even what I’d consider a crush really.” He thought of his mates, he thought of the schoolmates. None really were interesting in that way. Danni came to mind.
”Not against a relationship. Not really. I just never found anyone I liked that way.”
”Makes sense I guess.” Chase stared forward towards the bowl, a part of him wondered what that was like, having no crushes. He'd had a few, gotten his heart broken a fair share of times and broken others as well. ”Yeah, she's got a good set, both for powers and skill. I wonder what else she can do.”
”Well, we all go to the same school now. I’m sure we’ll be seeing her around more. That competition was intense. Maybe next year we’ll see her on a team.” Ben was glad he hadn’t been in the competition. He would not have held up as well as the others. He wasn’t as good at fighting as half of them. The only thing he could have hoped to do was freak the competition out with bugs.
Chase laughed ”What? You don't want to compete in it too?” He leaned back onto his hands, staring up once more at the dark curly haired kid. In some ways he reminded him of an old friend. ”Suppose that means I'll be seeing you around more too. Maybe we'll even room together.”
”Not really. I believe there are other ways to be a hero. You don't have to fight to be one. My parents were heroes in their own way. My dad was completely human, but he saved lives.” Ben shrugged. Chatting with Danni had helped him realize this. He hadn't ever wanted to fight not really, but knowing there were other ways to be a hero felt right.
”Maybe. I won't know till the semester starts.”
”I don’t know, seemed fun though. Being able to let loose with your powers, hero or not. The money is certainly nice at least.” Chase knew Ben was adopted, recently too from the sounds of what he'd said back at the contest. He wondered how fresh that wound was, how vulnerable he would be willing to be? He didn't have any love left for his own late parents, not anymore, but it seemed Ben still did. ”What'd he do? Your dad I mean.”
”He was a pathologist,” Ben said after a moment of hesitation. Maybe if he hadn’t met Danni and already talked about this he wouldn’t have said anything. Or maybe since he knew Chase was adopted too he was willing to talk about it.
The only pathological thing about his parents was that they were liars. Chase's eyes darted away to the ground. ”A doctor? Damn, that is hero material huh?” It was clear he must've liked his father quite a bit, he wondered what that was like. ”What was it like going to school in Britain? Got funny uniforms or something?”
“He had a doctorate, but he considered himself a scientist.” Ben was wishing Marlena was done with her run. She was a buffer. But the change in subject was easier. He could talk about school.
”Yeah we had uniforms. They were pretty standard. Modern outfits. The school had a lot of normal people and a mix of students that might be something else. But the education was good. Better than what I've heard about here.”
Had Ben been holding Chase's hand, he would've felt how cold it ran the moment he mentioned his father being a scientist. A bit of panic ran in him, illogically asking himself if he was one of the ‘scientists’ he'd slaughtered. One of the many who poked and prodded and experimented on him. But it couldn't be, he was from England, too far away to be connected, yet his mind raced all the same. He realized he'd stayed quiet for too long, stayed in his own memories for too long. Chase cleared his throat. ”Yeah, the programs here can be really weird. My last school, the one I'm transferring from, has some weird ass program. They asked a lot of odd questions, made us watch videos for what felt like hours sometimes. Some sessions I barely remember. But, I bet you looked adorable in those uniforms.”
The sound of Marlena’s board cut in, as she swerved back over to them. She put one foot down on the ground and knelt down on the other. ”Are we sharing tragic backstories? I just got sent here from Brooklyn, personally. The weather's rough this time of year.”
”What was Brooklyn like? So far I’ve only been here and in New Orleans.” Ben hadn’t seen Marlena as he hadn’t gone to the after party. The different parts of the United States were so different. The place was massive. Each state almost a country on its own. Ben had seen so little of it he couldn’t be sure about any other part of it yet.
Chase scoffed at Marlena's interruption. Nothing against her, he actually found her (and Ben) nice to be around. ”What's so tragic about that? Brooklyn can't be all that bad and Cali's real nice. Skates great, Surfs great, got everything you could want. “
”Oh, Brooklyn’s nice. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Imagine LA, but it snows more and there’s an island. It’s New York, so it’s bigger. Louder, but you get used to that.”
Chase looked towards Ben, then Marlena, then back at Ben, as a wicked idea formed within his mind. ”Maybe we can visit it sometime. No rents, no distractions, just us three and Marelna's usual spots for food, skate, and fun. Could try and go cross country, may take a bit but I think I can swing it.”
The idea of traveling cross country to go to a city Ben had never seen was a little thrilling. He had taken the tube and in general had a lot of freedom back home. His uncle was a bit stricter about things but maybe he would settle down. The US was new and different so he was willing to let some of the new restrictions stay for a while but Ben knew he would chaff under it eventually. His eyes widened at the prospect and he found he wasn't against the idea. It sounded cool and fun. And the US was so big there could be things to do as they made their way.
”That sounds wild. I'm in.” He agreed. It would have been something him and the mates would have done. Maybe a back packing trip eventually. They never wanted to be totally tethered. And there were so many new bugs to learn and meet in the US.
”Sounds fun. We’ll have to do that sometime, not soon though. My dad will lose his mind if he calls and I’m off in Narnia or suddenly back home.” Marlena did enjoy a good adventure. Her dad already had a few conniptions about the way she was out late at night. She didn’t want to give him a stroke.
Chase was dumbfounded. He hadn't exactly expected either of them to say yes. He worried if his powers could even take him that far given he'd never tried to jump states before. But he could always drive if he needed to, or hitch a ride in a train going the direction he'd wanted. There was one that took them from one coast to another. ”Sweet. Well let me know when soon is soon enough ok?” He looked towards Ben, thinking about how he may want to see some sights between locations too. National Parks maybe? Those were always cool, and it helped with orienteering a bit, not that he'd done so since the fall out.
Chase pulled out his phone, quickly typing a text over to Ben.
”If Marlena can't make it, you wanna visit some National Parks over break? My treat. ❤️”
”I would have to get permission too. My uncle is here, waiting in the car for me. But I doubt he’d let me go right now anyway.” He pulled out his phone when it buzzed and looked at the text, he hadn’t been surprised that it was from Chase considering he had just used his own phone. He felt a little bad about texting a separate conversation right in front of her. He thought about it, it was still early in the break between Christmas and the start of the school year. That was in mid January. He sent a quick response.
”Yeah, I still gotta get the green light. I'll hit you up after I chat with him.”
Marlena pulled her phone out to check the time. They were here a while, it seemed. ”I’m thinking… Maybe after things wind down at the school? Because it’s gonna be January soon, it’ll be a lot.”
Chase leaned back onto the palms of his hands, looking back up towards the sky. ”True. Guess there's a lot to do before then huh? Don't really got much time.” He ignored the buzz of his phone, Chase hadn't expected Ben to be so obvious and reply right away but here they were. While he was starting virtually a brand new life, he didn't have much to do if he was honest. Being incapable of sleep gave you an extreme amount of time to do things, he was also still within the same area of where he used to live to now so the ‘transition’ had been fairly painless.
”We’re still moving in and settling. My uncle moved too, he was in San Francisco before. But he can work from here.” They had unpacking to do.
”School starts on the 15th right?” Ben wasn’t sure what else to talk about with them but he did want to talk still. Chase obviously wanted to do something else. Ben couldn’t tell what Marlena wanted to do.
”Think so. I still need to figure out what I have to take and what I can get away with putting off.” Marlena sighed. ”Not looking forward to fighting someone, but I’m guessing that’s what they’ll make us learn.”
”Please, that's the easy part. Besides its probably fighting dummies or something. I don't think they'll condone kids fighting each other.”
”I dunno, the whole world watch some kids do that a few weeks ago,” Marlena noted. ”Should probably head back soon.”
”We literally met at a place where they summoned a god basically. They have some science stuff I’m going to take, not just fighting.” He glanced at Marlena, ”It was good to meet you and hang out. We should hang out again.” As awkward as it had been, he did like her company.
”We should. Won’t be hard to find me.” She grinned. ”Guess I’ll get moving. See you guys around, maybe?”
”See ya, Lena. I'll stick around a bit.” Chase looked over towards Ben to see what he'd do.
Ben waved, ”See ya.” He looked over to Chase. ”I’m down with sticking around a bit longer. Probably can’t be too much longer though, my uncle will want to go soon.”
Chase stood up and gave a gentle punch to Ben's bicep. ”Sweet. Wanna roll?”
”Yeah.” Ben grinned, wheels on the pavement was why he had come here after all.
America was so incredibly excited!! She’d already done a livestream earlier with some of her followers, telling them that she was about to do a multiversal photo shoot extravaganza! It was different from her usual content, where she jumped off of buildings and went to junk yards to see how big a car she could throw. Ordinarily this was the sort of thing Kate would arrange - she was the branding expert for the Young Avengers - but doing this with Danni and Andy? So fun!! She was on her fifth ice coffee and raring to go, having thrown just about every piece of clothing she owned into a set of five suitcases. She had some nice pieces, too - things Kate had purchased for her.
Eli was excited too - but for a different reason. The photo shoot aspect was a fun idea, he just wasn’t as interested in that sort of thing. No, he was much more keen on spending time with Danni and Andy. He hadn’t known either of them very long, but Andy was now dating one of his best friends, and Danni had quickly wormed his way into Eli’s heart. He’d packed a single suitcase with options matching Danni’s requests, and slung over his shoulder was a garment bag containing his tux.
“Let’s fucking goooooooo!!!” America squealed, dressed in a denim jacket, matching jeans, and a red, white, and blue star hoodie. She punched a hole in the multiverse, and dragged Eli on through to one of her favorite in between points - a universe where unicorns were the dominant ruling species - before punching again, a portal opening to a quiet street in New Orleans - the very street where Andy and Danni lived.
America and Eli hopped on through, Eli dressed in a black cargo jacket, V neck shirt, and jeans.
“We’re here!!!!” America shouted, bouncing up and down. Eli had pulled out his phone to text in the group chat that they’d arrived. “¡Apúrate!”
Danni blasted music in his room, the oldie Funk Rave blasting in his room. He didn't know Spanish but he loved the club vibe and that was enough. He picked outfit after outfit and tossed it caringly into the bags the parents had brought to their post-win goodie round up. If he was going to multiversal travel, he wanted as many hands free as possible! Now, he'd only thrown out a winter wonderland photoshoot but they'd had the brilliant idea of a beach shoot too and Danni nearly caught fire he was so excited. On that note, he grabbed sunscreen and threw it into the bag as well. He frowned as he considered his swimsuit options - he had soooo many and he wasn't certain which one would look best, especially in other universes. Danni hopped back and forth with indecision and threw his hands up.
“I guess I just gotta brin’ one of every style.” Danni sighed. If he was like Uncle Harry, then he could wear them all. He grabbed a speedo and top combo, clown fish themed in color, a pair of gray cherry blossom swim trunks, and a black one piece swimsuit with pink stripes down the side. “Ugh, but what if t'ose styles don't vibe wit’ t'e dimension? Uuuugh, I'll just grab a few more styles…” A few more turned into a lot more and half Danni's closet ended up in the bag before he was finally satisfied.
“Ugh, do you t'ink t'at's enough?”
”Is your bag specially expanded so you can fit everything?” Andy's own bag was a duffel, more than she would have brought if she hadn't had a list from Danni including everything she should pack. In most cases she had outfits that were several of the required ones just shifted around. She did not have enough clothes to have multiples sets of anything.
“Hm? Oh, yeah. I mean, it's gotta ‘ave a limit, but its got a ‘ealt'y stretch. It can't fit everyt'in’; ot’erwise, I'd just bring everyt'in’, ya know?” Danni hoisted the bag over his shoulder, pressed a kiss to Amélie's head, and scooted her over to Dee's room for playtime with Amour. He shrieked as he heard America shout outside and took the stairs two at a time, slammed the door open, and threw himself at Eli. “Omg, I'm so excited!!!! I ‘ave so many ideas and poses and- Eeeeeewk!” Danni shrieked and giggled.
“Okay, so which one we wanna do first? Winter? Punk/goth? Letterman? I t'ink we should ‘ave t'e beach last so we can ‘angout and swim! I wanna play in t'e water!”
Andy laughed and followed Danni. He definitely had enough packed, at least in her mind. She felt like she had packed too much but putting together something “formal” was a bit difficult.
”Let's do winter, so we have time to warm up and don't do a temperature jump.”
Eli laughed slightly at Danni’s tackle, gripping him firmly and spinning him around, so that way Danni’s legs dragged in the air. He then set him down gently. “That sounds good to me, I figure this is your show, Danni. I’m here to take direction.”
“Winter…. Hmm… Hmm… Oh! Oh oh oh!! I know EXACTLY the place!!” America squealed, jumping up and down for a moment. “I haven’t been there in ages, but it’s one of those universes where everything is permanently a single season - so it’s always cute and wintery year round, and they build most of their houses and all out of ice. Lots of furs and hot chocolate and igloos - you’ll love it!” she preened. She then leaned back and threw out a punch, shattering a hole in the fabric of space-time in the French Quarter. She then hesitated, glancing over at the house. “It’s just me, Mr. Gray!” she shouted out, just in case the resident sorcerer caught wind of her antics.
“¡Sigume!”
Danni hooped through the portal, landing in the snowy multiverse.
Andy, bag slung over her shoulder, gave America a quick kiss on the cheek and jumped through. She was excited about this. Andy could live without the picture taking, but she figured it would still be fun. Hanging out with Danni often was. The world on the other side was beautiful. She gasped, taking it all in. Andy giggled a little.
This wasn’t Andy’s first time traveling to another universe. Technically it was her third. That she was aware of. The second had been during the Contest. Thank goodness America had brought them back before the pain of the broken leg made her pass out.
”This place is gorgeous!”
Danni leapt through the portal without a second thought, hitting the ground on the other side and staring around with wide, sparkling eyes as he took everything in. “T'is is so ‘eckin’ cool! It's so pretty and t'e ice is beautiful! I ‘ave soooo many ideas!!! I gotta go t'rough your stuff and see if we got t'e right colors but even if we don't I can probs make it work. We def got t'e potential and Andy's electricity will make some super cool shots possible t'at we couldn't-” Danni shivered violently.
“It's so coooooold. I didn't t'ink ‘bout t'aaaat!” Danni whined as he wrapped his arms around himself. “Eliiiiii, ‘ow am- Oh wait, I got fire!” Danni snapped his fingers, trying to conjure a few orbs of warmth, but he missed and a spark instead bounced off his shivering fingertips and onto the icy road they stood on before vanishing. “Okay, nope, gotcha. Do you think they'll get grumpy if I get changed ‘ere? I gotta snow outfit but its in my bag.”
The universe was as beautiful as it was cold. An aurora borealis lit up the sky, dancing greens and blues and purples dotted with tiny pinpricks of starlight. The buildings and dwellings were carefully constructed of pink and blue ice, with ornate carvings of runes adorning them. What lighting the borealis could not provide was given by eternal flames, softly glowing from braziers that had been affixed near every home and gathering site. The snow was crisp as it crunched underneath their feet, with well-worn paths showing where others had come before, compacted ice peaking out beneath the footprints.
“Clothes are free in most universes, so if we don’t have what we need, we can get it!” America affirmed. She giggled slightly as Andy gave her a kiss on the side of the cheek, and nuzzled her nose against her girlfriend’s. “After the photos, we need to have a snowman building competition!! Did you know it’s an Olympic Sport in like every world except for ours? Ours is so lame sometimes! Ugh! So we definitely need to do it!!”
Eli’s teeth were chattering, and he stared at Danni blankly for a moment. He was about to remind him that he was the pyro here, the one who had bragged about how warm he ran, when Danni figured it out for himself. “Any c-chance you wanna try to flame on again?” he asked, rubbing his hands on his arms for added warmth.
“Oh! Yeah! That should be totally fine. Your world has a lot of hang ups about nudity, tbh. So go for it!”
Andy trusted America would know. She had only seen two universes, well more than that but two she had spent time in. Both had been fairly similar so she wasn't sure how true what America said. But at least if they did get arrested for public nudity it would be as a group. She was not getting naked right now though. She added layers quickly.
”This place is way colder than any other place I've been before.” Andy shivered. Even a winter in Colorado and two in upstate New York didn't match this chill.
”You know Danni I mostly own black clothes so I don't know if I even have the colors you might want.” Her teeth shattered a bit as she dug out a thick winter coat. And she was thankful for it.
Danni felt the chill getting into his bones and one, two, three more snaps all failed miserably. He could feel his face heat up with embarrassment as the embers just wouldn't take. It was an easy trick, a few bits of fire just to keep the worst of the cold at bay, and he couldn't even manage that. His whole thing was fire. He normally couldn't get the fire to relax and it typically rolled with his mood but now that American, Andy, and Eli needed it? He couldn't pull it out of his pocket.
“Um, uh, I g-guess I ca-can't?” Danni muttered, eyes on the ground as he mimicked Eli. He'd probably start crying if he wasn't afraid it would freeze on his face. Or worse, freeze his eyes shut! “May-maybe it's just a li-little too cold. Lemme get changed and t'en I'll t-t-try again.” And it was. The appeal of this place was quickly disappearing as he shook, no fire and not dressed properly, and he quickly dug into his bag, pulling out this and that. He passed them to Andy to hold.
“Don't worry! I got t'at covered! You're pretty consistent wit’ your fits so I figured! I brought some stuff ta give ya a little pop when we need t'em but you make all t'at stuff look good so you won't need much.” Danni said as he stripped off his shirt and tossed it back into the bag. He shivered and grabbed the orange, long sleeve turtle neck he'd brought and wiggled into it, quickly stripping his pants and pulling on the light fleece pants he'd brought. Finally, he shrugged on his Winter Coat and wrapped the equally colorful scarf around his neck. All comfy for the weather, Danni tried for another spark and watched as the cold snatched it from his fingers. He blinked and stared at his hand for a long, cold moment.
Andy laughed. Danni had her number alright. She had pulled out a simple black puffy jacket, now she pulled this assault of colors on too. The double jacket felt like she was a puff ball but hey she was warmer this way. She also had an assortment of gloves and pulled out a pair too. These didn't have metal in them like her fighting pair. She used to wear them all the time but didn't anymore.
”Thank you, Danni”
America bit her lip, worried for a moment. “It’s not too cold, right?” She’d started going through her suitcases, pulling out different puffy coats, before selecting one that was a soft grey, with small blue stars itched into the patterns. She put it on and immediately felt better, pairing it with an adorable pair of fuzzy earmuffs, and fur lined snow boots. “If it’s too cold, I can take us somewhere else - it won’t be as pretty for the photos but it’ll be pretty good! Or maybe - or maybe we just try to do this one pretty fast, before we go to the beach to warm up?” she offered.
Eli was shaking like a leaf, as he dug through his bag for his heaviest winter coat - he was holding the bag with his suit in his other hand, not wanting to let it drag on the ground and get wet. “Th-th-th-this is f-f-f-f-fine.” He didn’t care if his look was particularly fashionable, as he shoved a fur lined aviator hat onto his head, struggled into a pair of snow pants and a black ski jacket, swapped his shoes out for snow boots, and then put on gloves to keep his fingers from getting frostbite. His shield he strapped to his back - he didn’t want to feel how cold the metal had become in these conditions.
“No, no, no. We're gettin’ pictures ‘ere even if it kills us!” Danni declared, rubbing his hands together to build up a little heat. He focused on the building warmth and pulled his hands apart, a handful of embers flaring outwards and growing into softball sized flames that swirled around in a lazy circle. “T'ere we go! Now, before I go boltin’ off… Anyone t'ink t'at t'e city's melt if we explore a bit before photos?”
Andy shrugged. ”I doubt it. My understanding of how Igloos work says probably not.” Andy had never built a proper igloo, but the basic understanding of the science behind them was something she had learned. She definitely wanted to explore. It would be insane to not explore a whole other universe when given the opportunity.
“M-m-maybe we can exp-plore a cup of hot ch-chocolate,” Eli whimpered, as he stood as close to the flames as he could without setting himself on fire.
“Yeah!! Let’s go!!!” America did a small flip in the air, before reaching down and taking Eli’s and Andy’s hand - and without a moment’s notice, she launched them into the air, flying them towards the town. “Last one there’s a rotten egg, Danni!!!”
“‘ey! T'at's cheatin’!” Danni shouted, a blast of fire under his feet and he was roaring off towards the town. It was a pretty sight, firelight softened as it bounced between the serene buildings, but Danni agreed with Eli , They needed a hot chocolate infusion stat! He laughed with the rush that the cloud air whipping around him brought, the familiar swopping feeling in his stomach making him giddy, and he caught up to America with ease. “I see why ya needed t'e ‘ead start. Danni shouted over the wind and then blasted off again, doing a barrel roll into a back flip, before hitting the ground with practiced ease. He stuck his tongue out at America and whipped out his phone, taking a quick victory selfie. His cheeks were all flushed with the cold and the wind and the excitement and Danni nodded his approval. Cute AF.
“Okay okay, okay. T'is ‘as a little ice sign wit’ a cup on it so I figured t'is is a good place for drunk?” Danni pointed above, a round shaped cup with rolling steam carved above the door in the middle of the runes. “T'at or its poison if we're goin’ by cartoon logic and I really wanna believe its somet'in’ yummy.”
Andy typically kept both feet on the ground. This was terrifying and exhilarating. She screamed, but the scream of someone on a roller coaster. Hopefully it didn't disturb the locals.
When they landed she placed her hands on her knees to catch her breath for a moment before kissing America lightly. ”A warning next time please.” Andy didn't consider herself an adrenaline junky, but maybe she'd have to give it a bit of a go after this.
”Hopefully they have a warmer climate somewhere on this planet so they have coffee and chocolate beans. Maybe they have a good mocha.”
America wasn’t one for a light kiss. She let go of Eli’s hand, and wrapped her arms securely around Andy, before dipping her into a more passionate embrace. When she pulled away, she held her gaze for a moment, before giggling like mad. “Wanna go again, Danni? This time without me hauling dead weight?”
“Hey!” Eli protested.
America winked at her girlfriend. “His shield weighs like a million gazillion pounds, it’s soooo annoying. I don’t get how people are throwing them around like frisbees, gotta hurt your wrist or something you know?”
Eli wasn’t going to engage with his argument - not again. He’d made that mistake before. And ordinarily he would have been a little more cautious about entering a place they had no idea about, but he was pretty sure what hair remained on his head was about to fall off, along with his ears, lips, and nose from the bitter chill. So he took the lead, heading into the establishment, and pausing for one second to look back at Danni. “That was cool as shit, man,” he added with a grin. “Maybe next time you carry me instead of ‘Merica - felt like my arm was going to be pulled out of its socket.”
Danni rolled his eyes at Andy and America's display and followed Eli in, offering a sympathetic noise. “Aw, poor Eli. Want me ta kiss it better?” Danni offered making obnoxious kissing noises to mock the pair behind them.
“Yes, that might help,” Eli said with a slight eye roll - even as he clinged a little closer to Danni.
Danni laughed and obliged, pressing a kiss to Eli's shoulder. “But, uh, we can def try. Again, please note t'e exceptional noodle-ness of my arms so if I drop you, I'm blamin’ your shield.” Danni laughed, winding their arms together and rushing to get out of the cold.
The inside of the shop was cozy, a little short but wide and roomy. Lanterns hung from the edges of the room that cast flickering light across the tables. Made of the same purplish blue material, they were covered in a fine red tablecloth and a few people were scattered around. Behind the counter, an older woman with grey frizzled hair and thick heavy glasses pattered between long metal tubes. What seemed to be a menu was carved up behind her and she served drinks from the tubes in cute wooden cups. The scent of chocolate and pomegranate filled the air and periodically, a vent opened in the room and warm air hissed out. The woman looked up as the door opened, a whisper of a bell echoing around the room, and smiled at their appearance.
“Oh deary me, another set of lost ones, eh? Well, you all settle right over there and I'll be right over. Anyone hurt this time or just the usual bumps and bruises?” She pointed to a table in the corner and grabbed cups. She scooped out a strange little paste into them with a flat spatula and then shoved them into the tubes, pulling a nearby lever that caused the tubes toto hiss and shriek.
Andy blushed, enjoying the deep kiss from America. She returned it with enthusiasm. And giggled as she was set back on her feet upright.
Entering the shop made her almost freeze in place. It seemed almost like a magical alchemist shop instead of a coffee shop. She was only slightly aware of the dangers a magical shop could offer. She hadn't been one for fantasy stories. But she was nervous about the place. Like she had been of Agatha. At least this time she didn't have her mother in town. She looked to America hoping her previous travels to this place would guide them.
America didn’t recognize this person at all. She’d been to this universe before, and loved this location, but it had been ages. “Nah, no one’s hurt!” She kicked up into the air, flying over the table before sliding into the chair. “Wait, actually, no one is hurt, right?” she glanced around at her traveling companions. She was more durable than the rest of them, and it occurred to her she might have been talking out of her ass.
Eli scanned the room for a moment, taking his surroundings in. He was surprised by how different the people here looked - like they too were made of ice or crystal. But at the same time - it was just a really aesthetic coffee shop. Nothing to worry too much about. He offered Andy and Danni a compassionate smile - traveling to other universes was hard at first, before pulling out a chair for both of them at the table. “‘Merica, do you have money to pay for this?” he asked.
America shrugged her shoulders. “Food’s free in most universes.”
“Nah, we're all good! We popped in on over real easy.” Danni replied before seeing Eli pulled chairs out for them and he felt his face flushed a little before skipping over a settling in. “T'anks, Eli. So what we drinkin’? What's all t'is writin’ mean? Or like, what language is it? Do you know? Waaait, pictures! Ah, t'e camera!” Danni pulled out his camera bag from the bag of holding, popping it open and starting to assemble it.
The lady pulled the cups out soon enough, steam hissing out of the pipes as she placed them on a tray, and bustled out from behind the counter. She plopped one in front of each of them and laughed at the sight of Danni's camera stuff strewn around. “You Vagrants and your toys. I swear, always something new. If you all need help finding your aurora foils, let me know and I'll see if Gokthil is hanging around. You just relax and drink for now and you'll be back in the sky in no time.” Danni snatched up the cup and sniffed at it, nose wiggling as he took a careful sip. He beamed and sipped a little more.
“It's so good! It's like chocolate and pomegranate and passion fruit, but like dark, dark chocolate!” Danni took a heavy sip, the liquid staining his top lip.
Andy sat down next to America. The idea that food in most places was free was astonishing and she hoped it was true here. She wished it was true in her home universe too. That at least made her feel like this was likely a place of safety.
”Aurora foils?” Andy asked, eyebrows raised. The comment about being back up in the sky made her think it was some sort of conveyance method. She hoped it was and that they could get their hands on at least one to try out if she was right. Andy sipped the drink and was impressed. She did hope it contained some caffeine too. But for now she wrapped her hands around the cup.
America let out an excited scream. “AURORA FOILS!!!” She then paused, seeing the looks some of the other patrons shot at her. “... aurora foils…” she whispered, her cup immediately forgotten in front of her. “Okay, so there’s this movie that Billy showed me, because he was low key thirsting over some guy in it - wait, actually, no, sorry, that’s not this movie. It’s the other one. But he probably liked the guys in it too. So. Have you seen Treasure Planet? Aurora foils are kinda like that - you skateboard in the fucking sky, basically! The light becomes your pipe, basically. I have some videos of me doing it on my Snikt, it’s what I usually come here to do.”
Eli took a long sip of his drink - it was nice, nicer than most beverages he was served on their adventures. They didn’t always include a pitstop in a cafe, so he savored the moment, letting the liquid warm him up from the inside out. He let out a soft exhale, a bit of fog coming from his breath - it wasn’t as cold as it was outside in here, but it was still freezing. “Do you know who Gokthil is?” he asked.
America shook her head. “Nah. But that’s not an issue, the lady said she’d help. And think of how sick this would be for the photoshoot! Hmm. We might want to find someone to take the pictures for us…”
Andy’s jaw dropped. ”You’ve seen Treasure Planet, that was one of my comfort movies when I was little. I loved it. Oh we have to get our hands on a few of those. I need to try.” Andy had never gone skateboarding before, but she was confident in her balance and general proprioception.
“Are you not some of the vagabonds from across the Lip?” The lady asked, growing more confused as their conversation continued.
“No, we're from anot'er universe, just doin’ photoshoots and ‘an'in’ out!” Danni explained excitedly, having returned to setting up the camera. With a soft click, the lenses popped into place and Danni held it up at America and Eli. “Say cheese!!!”
“Oh dear. I'd better call a medic as well. They're delusional.” The woman sighed and busted away across the room.
“Cheese!!” America grinned, flashing a peace sign.
Eli smiled, throwing an arm around America.
Once the photo was done, the two of them relaxed. “Pffft. If I had a piece of cheese for every time someone called me delusional…” America sighed, before chugging her drink. She half-slammed the mug back down onto the table. “Oh my god that’s fucking good. Some universes have the worst food - there’s a bunch where, like, they don’t season anything. Total nightmare fuel. But this one has the best bevvies. And we are abso-fucking-lutely going Aurora Foiling!! I’ll warn you though, I look hot as shit when I’m doing tricks on my board.”
“As hot as HotShot here?” Eli joked.
“Maybe!”
Andy hummed and looked at America appreciatively. ”I definitely think we need to do this sky surfing thing.” She wiggled her eyebrows to be silly.
”We can possibly ask a local to help with the camera as we do this.”
Danni took several photos in quick succession, tongue poking out as he reviewed and deleted a few. “Aw, you t'ink I'm ‘ot? I knew I liked you!” Danni blew a kiss at Eli and took a long drink from the drink. “Where do we even get t'e equip for it? I'm so fuckin’ ‘yped! And t'e best part is even if we bite it, we can fly and save each ot'er!” Danni blinked and put a little alarm on his phone, reminding him to send some photos to Ben and call him to tell him about it!
Eli exchanged a look with Andy with the we can fly and say each other comment. That required both Danni and America to be focused and attentive enough to notice if he and Andy needed help - required the two individuals who were walking poster children for ADHD to pay attention. He’d heal from a bad fall, though - probably. His super soldier serum wasn’t top of the line, but it got the job done. Andy however didn’t strike him as nearly as durable.
“You make fire, that’s pretty hot,” Eli replied with a chuckle. “And your name is HotShot. How’d you come up with that, by the way? Did you pick it or did someone else get it? I’ve been wanting to change mine, but Patriot is unfortunately stuck at this point,” he sighed slightly.
“I’ll go ask for that Grimly person or whatever their name was, brb!” America leapt up, launching herself in the air again over the table, as she then skipped happily over to the waitress. “Hola!! Can you help us find Gizmo so we can get some foils?”
Andy rolled her eyes, sharing a flat look with Eli. She figured there was a small chance if she fell one of the others would notice in time to catch her.
When America stood up to go find Gokthil, Andy finished her drink quickly. She wasn't super excited about the cold. But the extreme sport sounded like fun. Maybe this place had some safety measures in place. Or she would just stay as low as possible.
”You do remember I can't fly. I usually keep my feet firmly on the ground.” She bumped Danni softly.
“Oh yeah, def! I worked t'rough a few before I settled on t'at. I was gunna be Salamander, Inferno, Pyro Shot, Pyro Boy, Perfect Blaze, but ‘otShot ‘ad t'e right vibe in t'e end. And ‘ey, Patriots paints a good picture of whatcha stand for, but I'm ‘appy ta ‘elp if ya wanna change names! Its your identity, do whatcha want wit’ it!” Danni reassured Eli eagerly, waving as America rushed away. He laughed at Andy's comment. “Yeah, ‘course I know! T'at's what ‘merica and me are for! T'at catch ya if you fall!” Danni beamed and then snapped a quick photo of her.
“Pyro Boy? Would you have changed it to Pyro Man?” Patriot asked, a bit curious. He did smile slightly as Danni said his name painted a good picture of what he stood for - and maybe he did. But there were more and more times lately where he felt conflicted about it, where he wondered about staking his entire identity on a nation’s pride.
“Oh, he'll be here in a moment deary. You just-” The bell rang and a gruff old man stomped in, heavy clothing over a hunched, heavy frame. “There he is! Gothkil, over here!” She waved at him.
“Bah, how you always find these vagrants, I don't know. Why you tolerate them and pamper them, even more confusing.” He muttered as he stomped over, snow tracks left behind. He stared down at America with beady, mistrustful eyes. “So, where's your kit? Can't haul it outta the snow if I don't know where you crashed.”
America paused for a moment. The right thing to do would be to be honest with Gizmo and tell him that they didn’t have foils at all. But that wasn’t how they got free Aurora foils to use. “Uh, we crashed, like, a mile that way!” she pointed in a random direction. Hopefully there were some random foils people had abandoned there. “They’re kinda crashed in deep, is there any way we could, like, get some loaners while you dig them out? We don’t wanna miss the, uh, peak shredding time.” She then flashed double peace signs at him, hoping she seemed hip and cool.
Andy shifted quickly as she realized Danni was about to snap a photo of her, she went from the pouty face she was making to a smile, holding up her empty cup. There weren’t a ton of photos of her, but now that she had them to look back at, it felt nice to know there would be mementos of her now. Once the camera went down from taking the shot she stuck out her tongue.
”You better.” She looked over to where America was trying to convince the guy to lend them foils for the day. She wondered briefly how someone could bounce between worlds like America did. It was a good thing she was so friendly.
Gothkil sighed. “This is how you idiots die. Just keep your feet on the damned ground.” He grumbled, stopping back across the room. “The few who crashed didn't make it. Was going to ask you to take ‘em back anyways. Peak shredding season, unbelievable.” He pulled open the door and waved for America to follow.
“You sure you don't want a medic deary? Your… colorful friend seems a little lost.” The woman offered again.
Danni hummed thoughtfully. “Eh, probably? But t'e word man makes me feel wierd, ya know? Like, people put a lotta weight and expections behind it and it kinda makes my skin crawl so tbh, probably wouldn't ‘ave gone wit’ boy either.” Danni shrugged. “Gender is dumb. I just wanna look cute, kick butt, and ‘an’ out wit’ all t'e people I love.”
Eli looked at Danni thoughtfully for a moment. He realized how often he used man and a bit of guilt hit him. He’d make an effort going forward not to use that with Danni - or bro either. Maybe fam could work? “Are there pronouns you want me to use for you, babe?” He wasn’t sure how that felt either. Some of his friends used babe for each other. “Any terms of endearment you like?”
“Guys, c‘mon!!! Gilear is gonna help us out!!” America shouted, waving her arms wildly to get everyone’s attention. “We’re gonna miss peak shredding season!!!”
Andy laughed, stood up, and placed her empty cup on the table. She turned to the woman and smiled. ”Thank you for your hospitality. The drink was delicious.” She bounced over to America, wrapping her arm around her.
”I’ve never done skating or anything like this, you’re going to have to help me learn.” She whispered.
America paused for a moment, before nodding. “I’ve got you, babes, no need to stress,” she reassured Andy, before pressing a kiss to the side of her face. “Just follow my lead,” she added with a flirtatious wink.
Danni rested his head on Eli's shoulder, looking up at him with warm adoration. “Eh, I don't t'ink ‘bout it t'at ‘ard. If you come wit’ good vibes, I'm ‘appy, ya know? I'm real easy ta please, don't go stressin’ you're pretty face. You'll get wrinkles.” Danni giggled and bopped Eli on the nose, a quick hug turning into a yank as Danni hopped to his feet and quickly slammed all his things back into his bag, threw back the last of his drink like a shot, choked as he realized it was half a cup, and leaned on Eli as he wheezed. “Omg, my life flashed before my eyes.” Danni wheezed out.
Eli shook his head fondly. “Uh huh. Next thing I know you’re going to get me onto a skin care routine, aren’t you?” he complained. “I think wrinkles look kinda hot, though, not gonna lie. Proof that I was around for a minute, y’know? So many people don’t get to go old so… I’m excited that I get to. Or I hope that I get to.”
Gathkil watched the disaster train that the strangers were, huffed in irritation, and stomped out of the building. In the middle of the road, a six legged beast with snow white fur and four pairs of horns along the center of its skull stood attached to a heavy stone cart. Two metal poles sat in the back. “Here they are. You'll hafta see if they still open up or if the last impact broke em. Up on Shira's Spire's the best launch point for ‘em. I'll go scrounge out your foils in the meantime. Just don't leave them behind.” He gestured at a tall spire just behind the opposite end of town, hoisted the poles out, and tossed them both at America.
The poles offered a variety of runes carved into them, with the one nearest the top clearly able to depress.
“Thanks, Gilligan!!” America preened, as she caught the poles. “I hope it doesn’t take too long for you to find our stuff!!” She then handed a pole to her companions, and studied it for a moment. She didn’t really remember how this worked. But there was a button and she knew that buttons were meant to be pressed… so she pressed it.
Andy had given a concerned look to Danni when he drank way too much of his drink at one time. She was a little worried he had half drowned himself. But he was breathing and talking. He couldn’t be that hurt then.
There were two poles. That meant they’d have to share or take turns. That was alright as far as Andy was concerned. If they shared she could be on one of the foils with America and wouldn’t be worried about falling. If they took turns then that meant the two who could fly unassisted would hopefully be paying attention when the pair of them who couldn’t fell.
She watched as America took one of the poles and waited to see how these things operated. She did not realize that America did not remember how to operate the foil. Andy had faith that someone as well traveled through the multiverse as America was, would know these sort of things.
Long spindles popped out from the sides of the rods and then an ethereal rainbow energy filled the space between them to create a semisolid board. Two smaller spikes popped out of the bottom of one side like foils and the whole thing hummed softly. One rune glowed a pale red, indicating it wasn't close enough to an aurora to operate.
“We def ‘ave v. diff takes on t'at but don't worry. I'll keep ya nice and smoot’ so at least ya age like wine and not cheese! ‘cause you're not bouncin’ on me anytime soon!” Danni reassured Eli as they walked outside. He lit up at the pretty board, passing his hand through the lights and giggling at the tickling sensation. “I love t'is. I've ‘ad t'is for less t'an a day but if anyt'in’ ‘appened ta t'is, I would cry. T'is t'in’ tickles!” Danni tilted his head very confused.
“But, ‘ow do you fly wit’ t'is? You can't even stand on it.”
“Might be one of those things where you have to leap off a cliff for it to activate fully?” Andy dearly hoped not. If it was, she was not participating.
America clicked her tongue for a moment, trying to remember. There was something about the red rune. Something important. Something… “OH!” America screamed. “We need to be close to an aurora, come on!!” she then took the board with one hand, and Andy with the other, and kicked off into the sky. “Last one to the aurora is a rotten egg!!!!!”
Eli was too mesmerized by the board to be annoyed by America’s antics. He’d never quite seen anything like it, either. And as Danni mentioned that it tickled, he started passing his own hand through it, twitching slightly at the strange sensation. “Well… We racing up after them, HotShot?” he asked, mentally preparing himself for Danni to try to fly both of them on up there - although… “Can you lift me?” he asked, a little concerned. America had super strength. Danni did not.
Andy gave a little yelp of surprise, and then latched onto America. She had no desire to be dropped. This wasn’t as bad as leaping off a cliff she supposed, but only marginally so. Andy did not close her eyes though. She let the rush of adrenaline wash over her. It was exciting. It was thrilling.
Danni sized Eli up and down, hands on his hip as he considered it. “Yeah, you are a big boi. I don't… Yeah know what, t'e ‘eck wit’ it!” Danni couched down, gesturing for him to get on Danni's back. Danni let out a little grunt of exertion and he felt his knees protest. Danni's lack of super strength was never more apparent than now. “Okay! Everyone on t'e Danni train! Next stop, t'e moutnain!’ Danni Felt fire catch but he barely moved so he took a deep breath, careful to avoid burning Eli, and pushed. Danni gingerly took to the sky, getting a little faster bit by bit until finally, he dropped and let Eli down. His knees trembled a little.
“See? No-not a problem!” Danni held up a victory sign, panting hard. The runes on the foil had fully lit up, the rainbow colored energy solidifying. The board tugged towards the aurora in America's hand.
Eli clapped Danni on the back, shaking his head. “This is why you gotta start lifting, fam - I get it, you wanna zip around and everything, but flyers get asked to carry people all the time. Do you drink protein shakes? Lemme get you some recommendations, we can add a little meat to your HotShot,” he offered.
“ISN’T THIS THE COOLEST SHIT YOU’VE EVER DONE???” America screeched, deploying the board this time as she and Andy reached the aurora. “I HOPE YOU LIKE GOING UPSIDE DOWN, WE’RE GONNA FUCKING SHRED!”
Danni's nose wrinkled at the mention of protein shakes. “T'ey're grooooooss. I don't like t'em. T'ey're all powdery and iffy, ya know?” Danni sighed, hoisting the other rod and clicking the same button. It popped out and formed. Danni offered it to Eli. “Go first! I gotta get t'e equip set up for photos!”
Andy was white knuckle holding onto America. She screamed, but it was the scream of someone enjoying a roller coaster.
”LET’S DO IT!” she yelled back. Andy spared a little attention to the aurora, it was a beautiful display of light. If Danni was going to be taking pictures of them zooming around like this, those would be fantastic pictures.
Eli hesitated for a moment. He never loved leaving someone behind to set up for photos. It felt mean and inconsiderate - he’d been asked to do it a few times, and there were moments where he’d looked at all his friends having fun without him, and a bit of jealousy would strike. But they only had one foil between the two of them. “You sure?” he asked. “I don’t mind waiting - we can go together.” If he insisted, though, he’d go on ahead.
“LOOK AT THOSE LOWERS, SO FUCKING SLOOOOW!!!” America taunted, riding out the waves of the aurora lights, shredding back and forth like it was a half pipe. “ELI, DANNI, GET YOUR ASSES UP HERE! ¡¡¡¡Apúrate!!!!/ BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF LIGHT!!!! CAN WE RUN OUT OF LIGHT?? FUCK! WE SHOULD HAVE AAAAASKED!”
Danni whooped along with America, his things forgotten for a moment, and bopped Eli on the nose. “Go ahead! ‘ave fun! I can catch up wit’ you whenever I want. I'm not real strong, but I'm quick in t'e air! Just don't be surprised when I pop on wit'cha!” Danni reassured him. There was definitely a time Danni would have freaked out about being left behind but… This semester settled something about him with his friends. He didn't always feel like if he wasn't the focus, he'd be left behind. They'd gone through death, villains, the contest, and relationship troubles (yes, his siblings giving up his precious time to their partners counted thank you!) and Danni felt a little more settled in his skin. Danni blew a kiss at Eli and shooed him up into the air, the tripod coming out and the camera following, Danni snapping a few shots as he had the opportunity.
Andy was laughing. ”OH MY GOD! I thought you had been here before!” Andy’s eyes were dry, but somehow tears were coming out the sides, she squeezed them tight. But the sensation of flying around without seeing was worse.
“I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE!”
If asked later Andy couldn’t have said exactly what happened, but she lost her grip. It was in the middle of a flip or a swoop. And she fell. Tumbled right off the small platform. Her scream followed her all the way to the ground.
The fall should have hurt, should have killed her even if she landed wrong. But it didn’t. She blinked.
”I’m fine!” She yelled and waved.
America dove down after her, all too used to her squishy friends insisting that they were fine when they were anything but. The foil lost the ability to glide as she got too far from the aurora, but that was fine, as she flew down under her own power. “Holy shit, you actually are fine? I thought you were lying to save face, and we were about to have a teary moment where I have to rush you to a hospital or something - def not one back home, fuck paying for healthcare, there’s one universe I almost exclusively go to for injuries but… yay! You’re okay!” America beamed, before offering Andy a hand up.
Andy took America’s hand and used it to help pull herself up to her feet. ”Thanks.” She dusted herself off and checked for any pain or injuries. There was nothing. Wild.
Eli blinked for a moment, the spike of adrenaline causing his heart to pound as Andy fell - and then got right back up, as if nothing had happened. Cool, cool, cool. He hadn’t known she was durable. But that made sense. She’d gone toe to toe with America in the contest, durability was an asset there. He just hadn’t known she had that power. He took a breath, before smiling at the others, and launched himself and his foil up off into the sky, a scream of bewilderment and joy escaping him as he defied gravity.
“It’s meeeeeeeeeeee!” he sang to himself.
When it happened, Danni had just finished setting up the tripod with the little remote clicker in his pocket. He'd been half a second away from heading up himself when he jumped out of his skin and watched as Andy plummeted to the ground, America in hot pursuit. He caught fire, one foot already in the air, when Andy popped out of the snow, totally fine so instead he turned his camera at them and snapped a handful of shots he'd send them later. Danni laughed as Eli took to the sky and a few snap shots later, followed suit.
Danni loved flying, feeling free and uncovered by whatever happened beneath them. The rush of air in his face, battling the crosswinds that kicked up and sent him spiraling sometimes, the brief drop in his stomach as he hit the peak before a dive - as energetic as his everyday life was, mastering this aspect of his power gave him access to an entirely new world and he genuinely feel alive in the sky. He laughed and flew loose swirls around Eli in all directions, sometimes turning off his flames just to experience the free fall and hit it again barely twenty feet off the ground. Danni followed the skaters through the sky, clicking shots periodically as they passed the camera.
Andy had gotten back on the device and back into the air. She still felt the thrill, but she was digesting what had happened. That fall, it was too far. She didn’t know exactly how far she had fallen, but looking down, even at the lowest point of their flight, she knew it was too far. She let it go, for now, and focused on having fun with America and Danni and Eli. She enjoyed not being afraid. Enjoyed the moment.
The four spent another hour in this universe, delighting in the lights and skating along the aurora. They came back windbitten and a little dizzy from the altitude, but the flush on their cheeks matched the laughter and the easy way they leaned against each other breathlessly. However, Danni had his eye on the prize. He’d planned four more outfit changes, four more universes, before they found their way home: Championship jackets, Goth & Punk, Formal, and Beach Day! He’d demanded beach day last of all so that they could relax, have fun, and warm up before heading back to their universe.
Championship jackets came next, a universe experiencing an autumn like season with leaves made of synthetic light and beings who shimmered a little more than the four were used to. Danni walked them through pose after pose: Back to back, jacket swaps between Andy and America and Eli and Danni, Andy and Danni balancing on America and Eli’s shoulders, and several more before they were off to the next.
Formal and Goth & Punk settled into the same universe, a night time world where the moon glowed on its own accord and no stars broke the dreary darkness. It was a dangerous and feral place, but what civilization flourished found itself sheltered in a glass like material that they built their cities from and their fauna glowed in the perpetual gloom. Danni dressed the four in their nicest formal wear - America in a formal jumpsuit that left her shoulders bare and swept down into a long, flowing piece, Andy in a shorter dress, leaving her collarbone and shoulders revealed, Eli in a well pressed suit, and Danni in a split fabric suit with shoulder pads - and had them pose and preen for his camera: Young Avengers dancing with each other, Excelsior dancing with each other, a swap, America dipping Andy, and Danni and Eli pressing kisses to America and Andy's hands. Danni swapped the theme after and America hunted down a club they could sneak into, the flickering, ethereal lights set against the night sky a striking contrast. Danni’d done up America and Eli’s make up - heavy blacks, purples, and blues to match with their outfits of torn black jeans, a sleeveless mesh studded shirt for Eli and a black tank top with metal studs following the neckline, and a pair of studded fingerless gloves for Eli and Andy’s jacket held artfully over one shoulder by America. Meanwhile, Danni shoved himself and Andy into artful black outfits, more formal than their punk counterparts, with understated oxblood makeup. Their photos reflected the difference: America and Eli depicting violent, feral bodyguards to a haughtier, more reserved Excelsior.
And finally, Danni’s favorite set - the beach! Although discovered and fleeing the dimension as quickly as possible, they found themselves on a faint purple beach with greener water than back home. America and Danni took no time at all swapping into swimsuits, the pair looping Andy into begging, pleading, screaming for Eli to dress in the matching speedo America had slipped into his bag. The first photo was the four of them - Eli and Danni in matching orange and white speedos, America in a bikini with a mesh cover up, and Andy in boardshorts and a bikini top - before the next series was an impromptu volleyball game where flying had to be banned after the first round that Danni and America were on the same team, Eli popping out of the water, America cannonballing from sixty feet in the air, Andy splashing someone off screen, and the four of them playing chicken with Andy on America’s shoulders and Danni on Eli’s.
When the four finally made it back home, the sun was nearly beneath the horizon in New Orleans and Danni and Andy collapsed into their respective beds, exhausted.
Andy had helped decorate. She had never decorated for Hanukkah before. She hadn’t celebrated it before this year. All the families she had ever lived with had been Christmas families. A part of her was relieved. She didn’t feel like a Christmas person. Not when the last gift she had been given for Christmas had been the Drummonds adopting her. The paperwork had never been filed. She carried their name anyway. They had been her family for two years. It hurt to think about them, and Christmas made her think about them. Hanukkah didn’t. Hanukkah was a new holiday with a new family. She could make memories that didn’t hurt.
Magneto had spent the days teaching her. She was doing her best to soak it all in, and working on learning Hebrew. Reading was hard no matter the language, but for once she didn’t feel like scratching her eyeballs out when she tried to read.
Today was the last day of Hanukkah. Magneto was hosting a large gathering. Lots of mutants and lots of Jewish people. Andy felt a little awkward about it since she was just starting to practice it and basically everyone that would be here had been born into it. But she had thrown herself into it. She wanted to do the right things and say things the right way. She had seen the guest list and knew that Percy was coming.
Andy didn’t know Percy very well. They had a class together and had fought together in the Contest, but the team had been cobbled together at the last minute so they had never practiced together. He was also one of the youngest of the group. She knew he was dating Dorian, and had been there when Dorian had found the photo of Andy on Genosha. He had never said anything about it. Andy sort of hoped that Dorian would come to the party too. That would add a bit of a buffer between them. She didn’t want to avoid Percy, but wasn’t sure how to be friends with him. They had barely spoken to each other all year.
She didn’t have time to worry about it. People started to arrive and Andy greeted them as they came in.
Percy had just finished texting his mother that he had arrived safely in New Orleans. He had spent most of the nights of Hannukah celebrating with his mame and her extended family. He had missed the first three nights due to his time in rehab, but having transitioned from the inpatient portion to the outpatient component, he was now free to spend the holidays as he pleased. It helped that he had gone through a bit of a growth spurt with his teleports upon leaving CAGE, meaning that rather than wait for a flight to New Orleans, he had been able to travel somewhat instantaneously.
He was somewhat nervous as he approached the door to Magneto’s house. He wasn’t particularly certain why he had been invited, although he suspected Dorian had something to do with it. In his hands, he held a small casserole dish, covered up in tinfoil. His mame had insisted that he couldn’t show up to Hanukkah empty handed, and as much as he loved latkes, he hadn’t wanted to grate pounds of potatoes by hand that day. So instead, he had followed her instructions to make matzo crack - matzo crackers layered with chocolate and toffee, and sprinkled with salt. He hadn’t known if anyone was allergic to peanuts, so he left those aside.
He took a breath, checking to ensure that he looked presentable - he was wearing a fishermen’s sweater and dark slacks - and he knocked thrice on the door.
Andy opened the door, she had a presentable smile on her face, the one plastered and ready for whoever was on the other side. Once she realized it was Percy it grew.
”Hey Percy. Come on in. The kitchen is to the right through there. You can put the dish down anywhere you can find space for it.” There were several people already gathered, but they were older and talking among themselves. For as much as Andy saw herself as separate from her classmates because of the time difference in birth, she did not see herself as fitting in with the adults. The only adults she felt she fit in with were the ones from Genosha. Those were family.
”How’s your winter break been so far?”
Percy nodded, stepping inside and pausing for a moment. He saw that shoes had been placed off to the side of the entrance way, so he knelt down, setting the dish aside, and untied his shoes. He set them aside neatly, before picking up the dish and standing back up. He went into the kitchen as instructed, and set the container down on a free spot. Almost immediately, he spotted latkes, and his heart skipped a beat in anticipation. He really hoped they would be good. He’d be devastated otherwise.
At Andy’s question, he grimaced slightly. His winter break had been… eventful. The trip to Asgard and Jotunheim had been fun and exciting - his time in rehab, not so much. “Long,” he decided on. “How about yours? Are you and Gideon and America still together?”
”Yeah,” Andy smiled, surprised that Percy was aware of that. It had mostly happened at the Contest Celebration and he had been distracted because of that one new guy.
”We have a date planned. Gideon doesn’t text much, but mostly uses [snapchat/Marco polo]. I kind of like that over texts. You can see the person as they talk so you get facial and tonal information, and also I don’t have to try to read the jumble of a mess that texting is. I literally do not understand Danni when he texts me about 95% of the time. There are more numbers than full words.”
”I assume you and Dorian are still together otherwise I’d probably have heard about it...just through the walls.” She joked. ”Do the two of you have any dates planned, or anything?”
Percy was a little surprised - and curious - about this other service. He was very old fashioned when it came to communication, sending actual letters to his mothers, and then texts styled like letters to everyone else. But receiving facial and tonal information… albeit, he still struggled when it came to that interpretation, it was interesting. He might have to give it a try. “Could you show me some time?” Percy asked, before nodding vehemently at Andy’s assessment. “I realized that my powers have started to interpret Danni’s texting as its own unique language,” he shared. He didn’t know how to use emojis really, except for when it came to receiving messages from Danni - and sending ones back in response. Then it felt intrinsic, innate. But it was easily the hardest language he had ever operated in.
He blushed slightly at Andy’s mention of Dorian. “We’re going to a ski lodge soon - just the two of us.” His eyes lit up slightly, and he couldn’t help but smile. He was very much looking forward to the trip. He still needed to figure out winter clothes, as he had grown up his entire life in California, and he’d never even really seen snow before this winter, but he could manage. It was a problem he had been procrastinating but he still had time.
”Oh! A ski trip sounds fun. I skied when I lived in Colorado. It’ll be one of the greatest work outs you ever do. You’ll be super sore after.” Andy paused, ”Wait, have you skied before? Don’t want to tell you about it if you have done it. I know there are some places not far from here, but when I lived in California I lived in San Francisco so I never saw snow then. Not till I lived in Colorado.” She was glad the conversation went to a topic that she felt comfortable with. She could talk about snow. Andy had caught how excited he was about the trip so she figured it would be a good topic.
Percy shook his head slightly. He wasn’t an incredibly athletic person. He wouldn’t have picked skiing himself - it was mostly the prospect of spending some time alone with Dorian that excited him. “I’d never seen snow before this winter,” he explained. “My mame is from New York, but we always went to visit her family when it was warmer.”
”Okay, one of the most important things you should know is to wear sunscreen. It seems dumb, but the snow reflects the sun and you can get the worst sunburn. Make sure you drink water and you have to stretch before and after skiing. Trust me. The before is important so you don’t mess up any of your muscles, and the after is good because you’ll recover faster. No offense but you don’t seem like the work out type.” She had never seen Percy while she was training. She suspected the heaviest thing he picked up was books. Though she had seen him carrying around the team when pulling rescues.
”When you teleport, do you keep the movement you had before teleporting? I realized I’ve never seen you moving and teleporting at the same time? And I suddenly imagined you doing that to avoid a tree.
Percy’s eyes widened a bit, as Andy started to info dump on him - but then he nodded, taking the information to heart. He hadn’t considered that he would need sunscreen at the ski lodge. Snow seemed like the opposite of summer and sun to him. As for the issues about muscles, he didn’t foresee much of a problem here - he didn’t really have any muscles. “I don’t know if I will actually ski. I might just read at the lodge while Dorian skis,” he admitted. “Hmm. I’m not sure. I would imagine that I would maintain the movement.” He hadn’t done very many tests with it. Most of his practice with controlling his teleports had been stationary, with a few exceptions that were… somewhat difficult to recall the finer details of.
”Hmm, probably best to not test that while on skis then. Unless you do it in a safe spot. Probably good to know for battlefield maneuvering though.” Andy smiled. Her mind off thinking about all the ways the teleport could be used if his movement was sustained, or even more interestingly if it wasn’t.
”And that’s fair. Do you know how to make hot chocolate? I bet if you make it for Dorian while he is skiing he’d appreciate the hot cup when he gets back. It feels really good to drink something hot when you’re half frozen from being in the snow.”
Percy nodded again. He’d gone through a bit of a growth spurt with his teleports, so to a certain extent his powers felt brand new. Weeks ago, he hadn’t been able to teleport across campus - and now, he was able to go across the country. The largest change he’d noticed was that he was starving all of the time - the calories his powers were burning had increased exponentially. There were a lot of things that he needed to test, and even more things that he needed to relearn.
“Erm, yes. I do.” And then, a sudden wave of doubt hit him. He’d always made hot chocolate by using a mix and some microwaved milk. Did Andy mean something fancier than that - making it from scratch? Did Dorian expect that from him, if he wasn’t going to be skiing himself? “From a mix, I mean. I don’t - I don’t really know how to cook or bake,” he admitted. He only knew how to make a few family recipes - hence the matzo crack he had brought.
”That’s fine as long as you aren’t making coffee.” Andy hoped she was right. ”Dorian will appreciate the thought. He can be a bit... epicurean at times.” A new word. Andy had committed to learning a new word a day and that had been a recent one. She wasn’t sure if she said it right.
”But if you add a bit extra to it, it is hard to tell. I’ll be honest, I'm not good at cooking or baking either. Jamie had been teaching me some, he was a great cook.” Her heart panged a little and her smile faded. Andy cleared her throat.
”Just use the mix and add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to it. That’ll make it great. And maybe he’ll make a Cafe Borgia for you.”
Percy nodded again. Coffee was something he knew how to make. He had been drinking coffee since he was small, and while his standards had been somewhat high before he’d begun dating Dorian, they had only risen since then. It helped that Dorian was able to import the beans directly - and that he had access to high quality equipment in his dorm room. Percy had been thoroughly spoiled. Of course, his attention was more piqued by the word Andy had used. Epicurean.
“I didn’t know you knew about Epicurus.” He leaned forward slightly, his eyes sparkling again. He had already been surprised with Leah’s interest in mythology and here was Andy, referring to Greek philosophers! “Have you read On Nature? It’s on my reading list for the new year. I’ve only read references to it so far, so I’m excited to dig in on the primary text. It’s a shame we don’t have more of his writings still. I could lend you my copy once I am done, if you would like?”
Panic shot through Andy. She did not know who Epicurus was. She also struggled to read. Percy was leagues ahead of her when it came to reading. She regretted using the word and now she was going to have to explain.
”Oh, does it not mean... someone who has high standards for food? Like a food snob? The book I am using to learn new words had it. I didn’t realize it was after someone.” The book in question, 1100 Words You Should Know, was sitting on her bed.
”Honestly, I’m... I don’t read really well. I don’t even know the book you’re talking about.”
Percy’s face fell. “Oh…” He was silent for a moment, as the thrill slowly left him. He had already been so hopeful, so ready to have intellectual discussions and debates about Epicurus with one of his peers. Talking about Greek philosophers with Dorian never really lasted - he was far too sexy when doing it, and Percy wasn’t able to help himself. And while he could always have these scholarly debates with his mame, it wasn’t quite the same as with a peer.
But then, he frowned slightly. Andy said she didn’t read well. He couldn’t imagine a world without reading - literature was his first love. Andy didn’t deserve that. “Can I help you?” he then proposed. “There are audio books, if the issue is reading the text. And if the issue is the words themselves, you can select books appropriate to your reading level and train up to higher levels. You’ll learn more if you’re interested in what you are reading, I think. I could read something with you.”
Relief flooded through Andy. ”I think I’m dyslexic.” She admitted. Andy had been looking into it since Thanksgiving and was now pretty convinced that that was what was wrong with her. ”I haven’t really done audiobooks yet. But I’ve been trying to read better. Here follow me.” The guests coming in had lulled down. She led Percy to her room. On her bed was the 1100 words to know book, a bookmark about a third of the way through it. The Lightning Thief its bookmark at about half way through, was on her nightstand.
”I never really realized what was wrong. I just couldn’t read well. I’m working on the vocabulary thing,” she gestured to the vocab book. ”But finding books that interest me has been tough. I like the Percy Jackson stuff, it feels a little... young for me. But because of those books I learned about dyslexia and I looked it up. But otherwise I don’t even know where to start.” She took a slow breath and then started talking again.
”I know you don’t know a lot about me. But before coming here. I hadn’t attended the same school for a whole year since I was eight. This isn’t the longest I’ve been at a school, but it is getting there. I barely was at any school longer than two years. And after... After I ran away from Colorado I went to New York and I didn’t go back to school. I was home schooled a bit during that time, but I struggled a lot. I just don’t have the education. Hell I was surprised they didn’t put me in more remedial classes.”
Percy followed Andy back to her room, and he picked up the books with interest. He always had a soft spot for the Percy Jackson series - he shared a name with the title character, after all. The earlier works were more cohesive than the later ones, and the continuity issues in the Sun and the Star had driven him mad, but… He could understand Andy seeing herself in them. Nico di Angelo had been a large part of his gay awakening.
He frowned again as Andy described her lack of education. Education had been such a priority for his mothers, he’d had to attend Hebrew school on the weekend. He couldn’t imagine the absence of it - and the more he thought about it, the more it upset him. He knew Margaret Carter was focused on making heroes not scholars, but they had so clearly failed Andy. He gripped the books a little tighter.
He didn’t know how to help someone with dyslexia read, but he knew he could find out. “I can’t believe the school isn’t helping you. It’s the point of a school. To educate people!” he set the books down and started pacing. “The way I see it, we have several options. The first is to ask Sabine if she can give you memories of the education you missed. This is the easy path, but lacks in integrity. Hmm. No. It won’t do. If we are going to do something, we are going to do it properly. The second is to make the school do their goddamn job and teach you. We would need to show a united front with your guidance counselor, possibly threaten that you are going to leave for Xavier’s - they won’t want to lose a contest champion. But they have failed you so utterly I would not give them a second chance. The third option is we devise a curriculum ourselves and work through it after classes. Hmm. We would need to call in assistance, as I have treatment for now. But once that concludes, my time can be yours.” He then stopped pacing, and took out his phone, sending off a text rapidly.
Dear Mame,
I have a friend who has been utterly failed by the disaster that is the current education system. She is dyslexic and at an eighth grade reading level, possibly lower. Would it be possible to receive copies of the supplemental education plan you had crafted for me? I would like to adapt them for her.
Love, Percy
Andy was a little surprised at how vehement Percy was. He was so upset at how much the school had failed him. ”Nemo always gave me extra time,” she said. Nemo had been the only teacher who seemed to be aware of Andy’s problem. The only one who had done anything to help her.
”Thank you, Percy. I do not want to do it the easy way. And if I changed schools I’d probably come here to Strange, since they do magic and my magic studies are... not very cohesive yet. Baby steps I guess.” She shrugged. ”Also, it’d be kind of weird, because could Sabine even give me memories like that? All my knowledge would be her knowledge. Right?” Andy wasn’t sure how that would work, but she wanted to learn it herself. She was happy to have help, but wanted to do the work.
Andy did not miss that Percy had said something about treatment. She decided to not pry. She had just opened herself up to him, but he was a much more closed system. Andy would let him tell her, or she’d piece it together eventually. She didn’t need to know, not unless he wanted to talk about it.
Percy grimaced slightly as Andy brought up Nemo. He didn’t want to speak ill of the dead, but he had never liked the time travel studies professor. He hadn’t shed a tear when they learned the news of his passing. But it seemed he was the only one who held that opinion. And he was not keen to learn who Margaret Carter would dig up to be his replacement.
“I don’t know if she could transfer them permanently, but essentially yes. You would have a copy of her knowledge, for better or for worse. It would likely not be without flaws. But I agree. This way is better.” He then started to pace again, only to pause as he realized what else Andy had said. “Would you leave for Strange Academy? They’d accept you. They’d have to.”
Andy wrinkled her nose. ”No, I think it is better to work for it.” She considered what Percy was asking. Would she leave AA to go to another school? Max taught at Strange Academy, but so did Agatha and that old witch made her nervous.
”Percy, I am from Genosha. I am seventeen years out of date. I spent the last four months trying to figure out this world and the people in it. Dorian and Danni and the rest of the team are basically the only people I know, except people from Genosha. I don’t want to transfer. I would have to figure out how to make friends all over again and I wouldn’t have Dorian dragging me into those friendships. It’d be a nightmare. I just got my feet under me, and that is with Zari leaving me like that.” She paused, knowing that Percy and Zari were friends too. ”If you think forcing the school’s hand is necessary and me threatening to leave to go to Strange Academy is what will do it, then alright, but I don’t want to.” She had seen Percy’s face, she didn’t know his relationship with Nemo but she sort of wished that Nemo was still around. He probably would have helped back her if she went to Coulson.
Percy nodded. He knew of Andy’s history with Genosha - none of the sordid details, but the rough scope of it all. He’d been there with Dorian when they had found the photograph of her and Zari at the museum - one where they hadn’t visibly aged a day. He bit his lip for a moment, considering what to say to her. They hadn’t really spoken about Zari and the others who had left so abruptly. She had supposedly been his friend, but Percy could not remember the last time he had a meaningful conversation with her - the last time he felt that friendship was made of more than the friendship between their parents. “I imagine she was just as good a girlfriend to you as she was a friend,” he said softly. “You seem happier now.”
“But I don’t think we need to force the school’s hand. Primarily because I doubt they would stick to a new routine for long. No, if you will let me tutor you, I will.” He then paused for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing. “We might as well be strangers to each other. I understand if you do not want my help.”
Andy let out a soft sigh at Percy’s comment. ”It isn’t just that that changed.” She shifted uncomfortably. A lot of what had changed had been giving Selene to Max and taking that weight off of her shoulders.
”But I do feel a bit freer. I’m sorry she wasn’t a good friend for you. She told me about you and then we never hung out. I expected the three of us would, it just never happened.” Andy cleared her throat. ”I would appreciate it if you would tutor and help me, Percy. That would mean a lot to me. You’re probably one of the smartest people I know.”
He smiled somewhat bitterly. It was a topic he did not want to dwell on much more. Some things were better left in the past. He would rather look towards the future - to think more on how he could help Andy to make up for lost time. “We can start after school in… I believe my treatment schedule shouldn’t interfere by mid February. Until then, I can meet with you on weekends. I’ve messaged my mame if she has some resources we can use - she used to give me supplemental exercises for my schoolwork.”
At her compliment, however, Percy shook his head. A few months ago, he would have accepted it, and readily told her how right her observation was. “Mm. The secret to intelligence is being stubborn,” he argued. “And I’ve been told I’m a stubborn ass.”
Andy shifted, the mention of treatment again, was he okay? She bit her lip wondering if she should broach the subject. Andy decided not to.
”The weekends are fine.” She thought that it wasn’t just being stubborn, but it was access. Something she hadn’t had a lot of.
”We should head back out now. Dad’ll be wondering where I am if too many people show up without me answering the door.” She smiled and headed back out. ”Thank you again. I didn’t know what to do really. I saw the vocab book at a book kiosk but that is only going to help so much.”
He shook his head, a sly smile gracing his face. “Don’t thank me yet. You’ll need to learn Hebrew, too.”
Dorian had been waiting outside the door for a few minutes now. He had a long dark coat on, beige turtleneck, black pants, and knee high leather boots. His hair was well coiffed, a small baby curl near his sideburns, and light pink blush that mimicked a fair skinned person in cold weather, coloring his cheeks and the tip of his nose with frosty highlights and shiny lip gloss. Snow lightly dusted his hair and clothing, having just come from his house that was always enchanted to have snowfall inside during Christmas times. Dorian looked to his left and right, standing nervously before he knocked again.
”’ello?”
Dorian looked down at his offered gift of food for the party. Would they like his Walnut Rugelach? Would they think he hadn't tried hard enough? Or worse, made them bad. Danni had been helping him try and perfect the recipe, teaching him methods to make them even though at times it seemed he just wanted to make them for him. But Dorian had insisted he had to make them himself. Around his arm was the strap to a bag that held gifts.
Andy heard the knock at the door and winced. She hoped she hadn’t missed someone. Or at least that it hadn’t been too long. She dashed to the door and opened it. The fake smile broke into a big genuine smile.
”Dorian!” Andy pulled him into an awkward hug around the items he held. ”Food goes into the kitchen, find any open counter space.” She pointed in the direction of the kitchen. There was an assortment of people gathered there chattering. They had overflown into other rooms. It wasn’t a massive party, but Andy couldn’t have identified more than half the people there.
”Percy is here. We were just chatting.” Andy was a bit embarrassed to explain what they had been talking about since she hadn’t told Dorian about her issues with reading yet. He was bound to find out though. ”He’s going to start tutoring me.”
Percy appeared behind Andy a moment later, and he didn’t need blush to have his cheeks flush the moment he set eyes on Dorian. He had become so accustomed to seeing his boyfriend every day at school, and even then he was still routinely mesmerized by him. He was silent for a moment, his eyes sweeping over Dorian’s form from top to bottom. With the snow dusting his hair, he wanted nothing more than to run his hands through it, to gently tug on each and every curl…
He cleared his throat slightly, trying not to be so easily flustered. It hadn’t been that long since they’d last seen each other, even if it felt like 300 years, right down to the day. “Happy Hanukkah,” Percy said softly.
Dorian hugged Andy back enthusiastically. Normally he would have attempted to float the dish and bags away to give her a proper hug, but he was worried he'd mess it all up and have nothing to give them. ”Perce, did you rope Andy into one of your discussions about Whoreowhodawatty from Ancient Grease, Andy you don't ‘ave to placate ‘im really im so sorry.” He added as he stepped in and realized shoes were neatly placed beside the door. His boots took long enough to get in, getting out would require help if he wanted to do it before food was dropped off. ”Sorry, didn't realize no shoes. Uh, Perce mind takin’ t'is to t'e kitchen for me? I'll meet you t'ere after these boots are off.”
”Not quite.” Andy laughed. ”I think I'm dyslexic. Also, my education prior to coming here was weak. I expect I'll probably learn some things about Greece. That isn't the reason for him tutoring me.”
”Happy Hanukkah. Have you had a good winter break so far?”
For a split second, Percy felt embarrassed. He had been really excited to talk with Andy about Epicurus. Did people find it annoying when he wanted to talk about Greek philosophers…? Did Dorian dislike it? But the gnawing shame was quickly replaced with annoyance, as he realized that his boyfriend was butchering the words on purpose. It irritated him to no end when Dorian did that. Especially for words that he used that sounded similar - the meaning became totally distorted thanks to Percy’s powers and he had to make a conscious effort to focus on what Dorian had said, only to be upset all over again.
He clenched his jaw. “It’s Herodotus,” Percy corrected, before he took the container from Dorian and headed to the kitchen.
Once Percy had left, Dorian placed the gifts onto the floor and knelt down to begin undoing his shoes. ” ‘e is so easy to rile up sometimes. I made some Walnut Rugelach, ‘eard t'at its meant to represent the oil for t'e lights. I ‘ope t'ats ok?” He undid one shoe before standing up and decidedly just phasing out of the second one. ”Dyslexia huh? I never really understood ‘ow t'at worked out…but my breaks been good so far. Been doin' some readin’ , exercising, been more on my socials now t'at I get t'e chance to be. Chat ‘as been crazy wit’ t'e fact t'at im datin’ Percy. T'ey knew somet'in was up when some of my dorm streams ‘ad uh…odd backgrounds. T'ese snoops spot a speck of dust from a mile away if it proves t'ier t'eories. What about you?”
”Basically the letters jumble up and it sometimes takes me way too long to figure out what it actually means.” Andy shrugged. She had always struggled with reading and wouldn't have been able to put it into words until recently. ”Break has been good so far. I've been here mostly.” Andy had gone out a bit but she was just enjoying being home. She still had her date with Gideon coming up.
”Also don't be mean to him, he is trying to find something to talk about. Okay. So socials. I have a Snikt! And it blew up with followers but I haven't even posted anything. I don’t know how they found me.” She also had the super hero chat thing but she hadn't logged into since day one. She was a little afraid of what she'd find there now.
”How are people supposed to manage all of this?” she felt like she needed a PR person just to deal with the wild amount of semi-stalking that had started. If she had known that was going to happen she wouldn't have fought in the dang contest.
”Its easier to manage if you started before you knew.” Dorian laughed. ”Green screens, fake backgrounds, whole fake rooms sometimes, never use your real name or give any indication where you may live, anyt'in’ t’at'll dox you really. Even t'en t'e biggest fans may catch somet'in you missed and suddenly its a whole t'in. People noticed I didn’t wear my gamin’ sweater two streams in a row, I tried to play it off but every one found out I ‘ad a boyfriend t'en. Question t'en was, who?” He began to make his way over towards the Kitchen. ”And I'm just teasin’ ‘im. ‘onestly I love when ‘e talks to me about Greek ‘eroes and myths. Even if we ‘ave differin’ opinions on some of t'em.”
In the kitchen, Percy had done his best to make room for the Rugelach - and had taken some time to sneak a latke quickly. If they were all gone before he’d have a chance to grab one, he genuinely may have cried. He overheard the very end of Dorian’s conversation, and he was facing away from the kitchen entrance, smiling slightly.
”Well I haven't posted anything still.” She pulled her phone out and opened Snikt! Her profile was empty, no photo, but they username was Andy123456. The follower count had hit 10k.
”At least no one can comment, but I have a stupid amount of DMs I haven't even read any of them.”
The food in the kitchen smelled great. Andy's stomach rumbled. She glanced around and saw people had plates of food. She had probably missed something but at least it meant she could grab some food too.
”I'm going to get a plate. You should too.” She grabbed a plate, it was metal, and filled with bits from everything. She didn't know most of the dishes, but she was willing to try.
”First mistake was leavin’ your DMs open. We'll make it so only close friends can message you, t’at'll cut down on ‘ow much traffic you get.” Dorian made his way around the corner and kissed Percy on the cheek as he grabbed himself a plate. The food looked amazing, and smelled even better. He ensured to grab at least one of everything, including his own dish to guarantee it came out alright.
Percy tilted his face so that way as Dorian went in to kiss him on the cheek, he got his lips instead. He then got himself a plate - he’d been eating more calories since his time in CAGE, and he grabbed a separate smaller plate just for the sour cream and applesauce. “The secret is to have someone else deal with it all for you,” he advised Andy. “Dorian handles mine. I’m not sure what he posts on it,” he then added with a shrug. He was about to get himself some of the brisket and a jelly doughnut when he paused, eyeing Andy’s and Dorian’s plates.
“Unacceptable,” he shook his head, putting his plates down. “Your latke to sour cream - or applesauce - ratio is atrocious.” He then spooned more onto Dorian’s plate, before waiting for a moment to see if Andy would also let him fix hers.
Andy laughed and nodded at the offer of more sour cream. ”I didn’t even know that was a setting. Do I hire someone for that? I don't think either of my girlfriends do social media.” She frowned. Did America? Gideon didn't seem like the type. Though Andy did know she had Grindher. ”Well America might because she already has a couple years of winning the Contest.”
She bit into some food and melted a little. It was delicious. She was very excited to eat all of this new stuff.
Dorian scooped the sour cream off his plate and onto Andy's before Percy could give her more. ”No its jist a settin’ I'll get it all set up after if you want me to. Maybe even show you how to make some edits.” He pulled his phone out and pulled up Percy’s account, scrolling to an edit he'd made of them with Percy being Hades and Dorian Persephone. Percy's images were ones pulled from throughout the year, times Dorian was able to catch him unaware of the camera in dark or broody looks, especially when reading. Dorians were more curtailed, blushed cheeks that accentuated his eyes, plum colored backgrounds and pomegranate seeds, the red of which were used to stain his lips a natural purple pink. All of it playing to a love song about the two gods. ”Good right? Doubt Percy's actually looked at ‘is account to see t'is one.”
Percy huffed slightly as Dorian removed the sour cream - it was a key and vital component of the latke experience! But his protests immediately died as Dorian pulled out his phone, scrolling through what he had posted to Percy’s account. He hadn’t looked at the account very often. Its entire creation had been Dorian’s suggestion, and while he had used it at first to look at photos and videos of Dorian before the two of them had started dating, he received the content he was looking for directly now. The explosion of interest in their lives on social media following the contest had made it seem overwhelming as well.
“That’s what you’ve been posting?” he asked, a little stunned. “… Can I see that again?”
Andy whistled at the video.
”That’s good.” She was surprised. Andy hadn't spent a lot of time on Snikt! But some of the edits she had seen had been impressive. Basically what she would have considered professional quality.
”Please fix it.” Andy asked Dorian. She didn’t use the app because of how frustrating the incoming messages had become. Andy had been tempted to delete the account. She wondered if it was too late.
Dorian had caught sight of Andy's ‘account’ ”We're skimmin’ t'e inbox, seein’ if anyt'in of import is t'ere t'en nukin’ t'e account and startin' new. T'at means a better ‘andle t'at is more t'is timeline.” He teased. He closed his phone and lifted Percy's jaw up with one finger. ”Drool over t'e food not me, im starvin’ right now.”
Percy rolled his eyes at Dorian, and shifted his posture slightly. “I’m not drooling,” he protested. “I just wanted to double check your work for misconceptions,” he protested. “Fair warning on the handle - he made my gaming account Whoredotus.”
”That's got to be better than Andy123456.” Andy shrugged.
”Anything good in the DMs?”
DELETE. DELETE. DELETE. Oh? ”Actually youre DMs aren't ‘alf bad. Tons of praise, lots of nice comments, some offers for sponsorships, collabs, fights?” Dorian did have to delete a message that said ‘Break me like one of your French girls.’ ”Also Andy gets to ‘ave a cool ‘andle Perce. Somet'in t'at matches ‘er style while givin’ anonymity.” He pressed a Latka to his lips, taking a small bite of it as he thought. A few chews later ”🌩Rhapsody🌩”
Percy had already finished his own latkes, and Dorian had been teasing him earlier, so… he took a quick step forward, going to bite the latke out from Dorian’s grip - only for his boyfriend to phase out of the way, leaving Percy to pass through harmlessly. He huffed slightly. “Rhapsody? Do you sing?” he asked Andy.
”Not really. Like I can, but I wouldn't go on stage for it except karaoke.”
She hadn't expected a nice DM box, which was why she had never really opened it. Andy remembered to never read the comments because that was a dangerous place.
”Wait did you make a new account or just change the name?”
”Making a new account. Keep this one as a fake basically, already shut off t'e ability to get more DMs. T'ough you're not far off about t'e singin’ bit Perce. I was tryin’ to t'ink of names for ‘er account, somet'in to do wit’ lightnin’ or fightin’ and originally t'ought Queen of Lightnin’ or Lightnin’ Queen. But t'at is bot’ bad and too on t'e nose. But it reminded me of t'is ‘it song from Andy's time! Pa sings it all t'e time, its by a retro band named Queen, called Bohemian Rhapsody, and in t'at song t'ey sing ‘T'underbolts and lightnin’ very very frightenin’ ‘ Hence, Rhapsody. I know, I'm a genius.” Dorian said before taking a bite from his Latka in admiration to his own self. ”Also t'ese are delicious, Perce why dont you ever make me these?”
Percy raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to cook for you?”
”If it's t'is, t'en yes.”
Andy snorted at their exchange. ”Better him than me. I can technically cook. But it is the bare essentials of food. Jamie was teaching me.” she frowned, this was the second time she had mentioned him.
”Okay you do realize that Queen is from the 1980s. I wasn't alive yet. I was born in 2004. I'm younger than Google. Gen Z not X or boomer.”
“You’re two years older than Taylor’s debut album. Hmm,” he was about to ask Andy what that was like, growing up in the Swiftie golden age, but he remembered Dorian’s comment about his urge to infodump so he held his tongue.
Andy couldn’t help but to wince and groan. She did not like pop music and Taylor Swift had been the goddess of pop music growing up. It was everywhere. She hated it. She had fortunately, living with the Drummonds, been able to avoid all of that as they were into punk rock, a lot of Irish punk at that. Andy had adored that type of music. It wasn’t until Gideon had told her that Eva and Harry were also pop stars. She had known Harry since the MU days, and Eva was like... an aunt now. She was going to have to learn to put up with some of it to an extent.
”You were born closer to t'e 80's t'an now, besides I read t'at it was super popular in your time.” Dorian huffed. He'd noticed the slip up of a name, a frown, and immediate change of subject. But he wasn't about to press for it, after all it must've been someone from a time before all this, someone she couldn't go back to see. ”So t'at makes it what? 21 years before she became a massive flop?” Dorian teased.
Andy opened her mouth to contest Dorian’s math, but as she did Andy realized he was right. There was about 24 years between her birth and 1989. And she’d be 34 if she had gone the normal slow route. “Wait, she flopped?” Andy redirected. “What happened?”
Percy saw red. He was a diehard Swiftie, and yes, he did prefer her works pre the Life of a Showgirl - he could even stomach the Tortured Poets Society. But his boyfriend calling Taylor a massive flop was still unacceptable. “She’s allowed a bad album! With her output, it’s bound to happen! And Travis Kelce wasn’t doing her any favors as a muse - and not to forget, the sudden reemergence of conservatism and the existential threat of Sabrina Carpenter it’s no wonder that album was terrible! She was doing her best!”
”Huuuuuge flop Andy. Which was embarrassin’ given some of t'e shader t'ings she did pre t'at album t'at re-emerged when t'at album came out. Honnêtement, I t'ink she fell for t'e pressure of competition t'at she didn't ‘ave before. A new Supreme rose wit' Sabrina while t'e faux Showgirl tried to be someone she was not.” Dorian shrugged before finally trying the Latke with some applesauce, audibly enjoying the new flavour combination.
Andy didn’t know who Sabrina Carpenter was. She made an assumption that she was another pop star and left it there. A part of Andy was pleased that Taylor had fallen off her pedestal. She kept that to herself as well.
”Alright then. I'll stick with my punk rock,” she shrugged. There was always a risk of nazis but punks hated them so kicked them out... violently of their spaces.
”Anyway. How about we go sit down. Instead of standing blocking the latkas?” She grabbed another one adding it to her plate.
Percy wanted to protest and defend Taylor - but that era was a bad look. It wasn’t one he could even defend against. He listened to albums from Debut to Midnights, and nothing beyond them. It was heartbreaking to see how badly things had turned out for his favorite pop star. And he imagined Dorian was trying to egg him on, so he huffed and nodded at Andy’s suggestion. He grabbed a few more latkes as well, before waiting for those two to lead the way to where they’d be sitting.
”Ooooo wait, I know a but of Punk Rock, like T'e Mighty Mighty CrabJoys.” Dorian said as he began to hum the lyrics their theme as he danced a bit behind Andy, swiping a latke off his boyfriend's plate instead of grabbing one for himself. ”Oh and Iggy Pop. Which you'd t'ink would be pop?”
Percy shot Dorian a glare.
Andy gave Dorian a flat look. ”I am talking about bands like Agent Orange, which while a terrible name, has great music.” Andy found a spot where all three of them could sit, and she could keep an eye on the door.
”How did we end up talking about music like this? You were freeing me from the chaos that is a public Snikt! account.”
“Hm. Dorian suggested an account for you named after a song you weren’t a contemporary to, leading us to discuss music,” Percy summarized. He took a seat next to Andy.
”Whats wit’ t'at look? Are t'ey not punk?” Dorian crossed his arms, sitting next to Percy as he dropped his Latke that he stole back onto Percy's plate.
”Thank you, Percy. Iggy Pop, yes. The Mighty Crabjoys are a fake band from a dumb movie. I'm going to make you a mixtape.” Andy hadn't made one since Ash had taught her how. Both ways on a CD burner and the way Ash had grown up doing it with a cassette tape recording from the radio. But she'd make a CD for Dorian with some good music on it.
“Do people still make mix tapes?” Percy asked. He put the stolen latke back on Dorian’s plate, along with a second one. He then rested his left hand on Dorian’s knee.
Dorian actually quite liked that movie, he'd even scoured the internet for a real vintage shirt from that era that said ‘Punk is Cool’ on it with a small emblem in the hem of it. Granted he never went ‘full punk’ in the sense of how Andy dressed, but he'd wanted to a few times. ”Most people just make Playlist but I'm sure I can get a CD to work just fine. Oooo or if you want a cassette tape! T'en I can ‘ave my pa make me a walkin'man wit' matchin’ ‘eadphones. It'll be a whole vibe!” He grabbed the latke Percy put back onto his plate, taking a bite and smiling before leaning in more on Percy.
”Is Spotify still around?” Andy wondered if she could still access her account she had used back when living with the Drummonds. That had all the best music.
”Huh, I wonder if that old email still exists” she murmured to herself.
”Play list, mix tape whatever you want to call it. I'll make you one so you can listen to some good punk rock.” Andy chewed on some of her food.
”So tell me about your ski trip you've got planned.” She smiled brightly.
Percy nodded slightly. He hadn’t been one to make playlists, usually listening to a single album at a time. He’d taken a break from Taylor lately, and had been shifting into Harry Simmons. His curiosity had been piqued when they ran into the pop star during the contest, and he found himself really enjoying some of Simmons’ earlier work. “Erm, Dorian knows more of the details than I do. I’m not quite sure where exactly we’re going,” he admitted. His boyfriend had done most of the planning for the trip - whereas Percy’s free time had been consumed with family commitments and rehab.
”Well…it was gonna be a surprise, but I guess I can tell you a little bit about it. We are ‘ended to t'e ‘imalaya's. T'ere's a wonderful resort t'ere oh and Tigers! Bagel Tigers!!!! And Blue Goats, or sheep, or somet'in’ t'at goes baaaa.”
Andy raised an eyebrow. Was there skiing there? Her only knowledge of the Himalayas was where mount Everest was. She could be wrong about that.
”Do you mean Bengal Tigers?” She was certain he didn't mean bagel as that was a type of food.
“Are you hungry, sweetheart?” Percy asked. “There are some bagels in the kitchen, I can go grab you some?”
”Oh is it Bengal? T'at's weird. Why would t'ey call t'em t'at? Eit'er way t’ey're sooo cute! I wanna pet one while we are t'ere.”
”I don’t know why they are called that. Also, those bagels are the bomb. There is a whole set up for it with fish and stuff.” She had never had bagels and lox before. But now that she had she was going to have that whenever it was the option.
”Is petting them allowed?”
Percy then blinked. He’d been so focused on the bagel vs bengal of it all, he hadn’t really processed properly what Dorian had said. They were going to the Himalayas? They were going to the Himalayas! He tried to bite back a grin, but he couldn’t help it, beaming from ear to ear. “I don’t think a rule against petting the tigers would stop him,” he said with a slight chuckle. “He’s too persistent.” He scooched a little closer to Dorian, and tapped his arm twice, a subtle request for him to put his arm around him.
”I Love a good bagel spread! Oh and schmere! I'll ‘ave to snag some in a bit. T'ere's t'is great bodega in New York, always makes my favorite bagel, t'ough t'e breakfast sammie I like is in a different part of New York which feels a bit like cheatin’ but t'is was I also get to pet twice as many Bodega cats!” Dorian frowned for a moment, his eyes wandering around the room as he realized that in all the excitement of the Contest and Christmas break, he hadn't had a chance to go and see Goose. He felt as Percy tapped him, putting his arm around him almost instinctively as he tried to figure out how he'd make it up to that wonderful fluff ball. ”It's just a small pet, can't be too bad right? I'm not ‘urtin’ t'e tiger.”
Andy tilted her head. She was midway into a bite. Was Dorain joking? Or did he not know what a tiger was?
”Dorian, I have to know... Do you know how big a tiger is?” She had never seen a bengal tiger in person. She had been to a zoo. Andy doubted that Max hadn’t ever taken them to a zoo at least... right? Or did he have some moral reason not to? She could understand that. But suddenly Andy was very concerned that Dorian was going to try to pet a very wild creature. He’d probably be fine, just phase out and all would be good, but she still didn't think it was a good decision. Even if he wouldn’t suffer any apparent consequences.
”Oh yeah! T'ey're t'is big roughly.” Dorian approximated the size of an actual tiger's height. ”T'ey ‘ad some in t'e San Fran Zoo, I t'ink in Disney World too? But I've only seen t'em be'ind glass or cages and I wanna see one up close and no bars. Just t'em and me in t'e wild. Why do you ask?”
Andy let out a small sigh of relief. ”I don't think the wild ones will let you pet them. If you've never been scratched by a cat you might not realize how dangerous they can be. People have been killed by large cats. And these are some of the largest if not the largest cats. The ones in zoos are trained and used to people. The ones on the wild might just want to eat you. Also are probably protected by the government.”
Ordinarily, Percy would have sided with Andy on this one, and dismiss the desire to pet a wild tiger as stupid. However, it wasn’t just anyone who had this urge. It was Dorian. Sweet, beautiful, stupid Dorian. So instead of ridiculing him, Percy sat there in thought for a moment. “What if you approach the tiger while phased?” he suggested. “Minimal risk of injury, and you can get as close as you like. Hmm. Can you possess animals, Dorian? Could you become the tiger?”
Dorian couldn't help but laugh at their concern. Sure Tigers were large creatures, dangerous even, but he'd managed to win over another feline far more dangerous than a tiger. ”Guys, I t'ink if I can get Goose to love me I can get a tiger to do t'e same. And Goose is way scarier t'an any ol tiger. ‘is scratches lead to permanent damage and ‘is bite can swallow a tiger whole. I'm not worried about an oversized ‘ouse cat. And yes Perce, Animals are able to be possessed by me, t'ough I usually prefer not to.”
“Do you mean… a goose or something named Goose?” Percy asked, frowning slightly. He knew that geese could be pretty vicious, but he didn’t imagine they were any more terrifying than a tiger. “Emus are far more horrifying than geese. Did you know that Australia waged a war against them in the 1930s and ostensibly lost?”
”Not a goose, The Goose. ‘e's an alien species t'at is also just t'e most adorable t'ing! Oh wait ‘old on!.” Dorian pulled out his phone and showed his new phone background. He always had last Christmas's image of him and Goose together as his wallpaper this time of year, usually changing it when he took the new one until the new year.
Andy leaned forward to look at the image. She too had been confused. And the cat looked familiar. She thought she might have seen a photo or something of the cat before. But couldn't be sure. She was not surprised about the cat actually being an alien. Aliens were common enough. Technically she had until recently been dating one.
”Well if you get away with it, let me know.” Andy shrugged. If Dorian was able to pet a tiger, more power to him..
Percy studied the photo for a moment. It was just… a cat? Was the cat particularly violent? He frowned. Surely a better point of reference for a tiger would have been Amour or Amelie? He supposed it was an alien but… it was a cat. Was he missing something? “Dorian… that’s just a cat,” he asserted.
Dorian rolled his eyes. ”No, common misconception. Goose is a Flerkin. ‘e's a race of alien's wit’ extradimensional stomachs t'at shoot out tendrils and claws t'at decay matter or somet'in’.”
“What happened to the photo of us?” he pouted slightly.
”What?”
“Your phone’s background used to be us.”
”Perce, I changed it every ‘oliday season. T'is is Goose from last year, I…couldn't see ‘im t'is year so I guess i wont ‘ave an up to date pic for next year…but, it's kind of like a tradition. “
Andy leaned back in her chair and let the tiff pass around her. She could feel the jealousy from Percy. He did not like to share. He did not like to be ignored. She considered these traits of Percy’s and tried to fit them into how she would deal with him going forward. Andy already knew not to touch Percy. Now she filed these new tidbits away. Joining them with the rest of the picture she had of him. Still obviously incomplete, but a little more detailed from today than she had known of him a day ago. Her phone background was the most basic one that came with it.
Percy sulked slightly, and took another bite of latke. He liked being the background on Dorian’s phone. It was silly to be jealous of a cat, he knew, but… he was a little bit jealous of a cat.
Silence fell over the three, over the photo of a cat. Dorian decided on how to break it, he hovered his phone up and above the three at a flattering angle as he snapped a picture of all three. ”Time to make memories.”
Andy smiled as the photo was snapped. It was her usual smile, not the bright one that came spontaneously. This was the easy smile that she used most of the time.
”I don’t think photos are necessary to make memories. But they are good to look back upon.” She thought of a photo album that didn’t have a picture of her in it, but contained so many people and bits of her past jumbled all together. That album had broken her heart a little. To know that these people had thought she was dead and that there had been no proof of her life among them had been painful. She had cried. Dorian hadn’t understood why at the time.
”Thank you for sharing your photos with me,” she added suddenly. Her smile grew a little, but was sadder than before.
Percy had gotten somewhat better at smiling for photos. He didn’t enjoy taking them, feeling a little on edge whenever a camera was brought out. But the people in his life now enjoyed taking them, giving him opportunities to practice forcing his face into a smile. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy Andy and Dorian’s company or that he was unhappy - yes, he was a little jealous of a cat, but it wasn’t a huge deal. He just hated photos of himself. If anything, he felt a little self conscious, too. He hadn’t meant to shut down the conversation. He smiled for the photo as Dorian took it.
Dorian looked at the picture, smiling. He then realized what Amdy had meant, how that album, or well pancakes, had made her cry that night. ”Now I can finally add t'e elusive Andy into my photo album! You'll need to sign it of course once I print it out. I t'ink…I t'ink I'm finally findin’ what I've been lookin’ for.”
”Sure thing,” Andy said. ”Ohh, I should get a photo with your dad’s. Dang, should have gotten one with Val too.” She had left barely any evidence of her passing through the world. It was good to know that there was proof of her now.
”Speaking of old photos though. Do you want that one that the two of you found? I don’t really want to carry it around still.” It felt a little weird to keep it. Dorian had his book of photos.
”If you don't want it, I'd love to add it to my book! And we can get one with Val soon I'm sure, just gotta ask em to come back down for a little photo op, or we go up to t'em. Neit'er is very ‘ard to do.”
”Yes, that’d be nice.” Andy smiled. A little relieved. The photo was of her and Zari on Genosha, some day before the final one. Andy wasn’t exactly sure when the photo had been taken. She didn’t even remember it being taken.
”I’d love to spend more time with Val too. For me it hasn’t been that long since I met everyone, or even since I saw them last. But that whole group, they are why I am alive. I owe them more than I gave them in the end. It’d be nice to show that appreciation.” She had gotten a holiday gift for Val, technically it was for Eva too, but she didn’t know Eva very well.
”Is it just me, or is it weird Val and Eva got together? Val doesn’t seem like the type to marry a literal pop star.”
Percy did not know these people. This seemed to be a conversation between Dorian and Andy. So he pulled out his phone and opened up AO3, navigating to his bookmarks and resuming a plot heavy Achilles/Patroclus Song of Achilles omegaverse longfic he had been reading.
Dorian shrugged. ”I mean it makes sense to me. ‘er brot'er is a pop star too, and t'ey spend a lot of time toget'er given…stuff. So she met anot'er Pop Star, t'ey liked each ot'er, and next t'in’ i know I'm walkin’ down t'e aisle given t'em a ring. I was so nervous I felt like t'e sweat from my ‘ands would make t'e ring fall and vanish away. Luckily I ‘adn't ‘ad my powers yet so I couldn't phase it away.”
Andy laughed. ”I guess that’s fair. It is just funny to me that someone who disappears like Val does would end up with an actual pop icon. I forget that Harry is one too. So it makes sense once you look at it that way.” She gave a little shrug.
”Gideon had me listen to all of her albums. I won’t say I enjoyed it, she’s not my style. But she’s good.” Andy could respect someone talented.
”She is a bit more of Percy's speed I guess. So is ‘arry if ‘e ever gave ‘im a try.” Dorian grumbled out the last bit. ”T'ough I guess now I'll ‘ave a whole new genre of music to listen to once you give me t'e mixtape. So excited for t'at!”
Percy glanced up from his phone, hearing his name. “Who’s more my speed?” he asked.
”Eva Moore,” Andy told Percy. She smiled at Dorian. ”Alright, I’m stuffed. Let’s do something.”
“Who?” Percy slipped his phone away.
”I'll show you ‘er later. You'll like ‘er.” Dorian polished off his plate before looking towards Andy and Percy. ”What's t'ere to do on Hanukkah?” He knew different families did different things, traditions, during each holiday. But had no idea what might happen for these.
”I know there are games, but I don’t know them yet. We’ve been busy and I haven’t had time to learn them yet.”
Percy groaned slightly. He had been afraid this would happen. His last friend had been much the same way, wanting to learn the games you played on Hanukkah. “They’re not fun games, but I will teach you if you wish,” he conceded. “I can show you how to play dreidel.”
”Well, we can learn, and then laugh about how un-fun the game is,” Andy shrugged. ”There is a few sets over there, let me grab the box.” Andy went over to a cabinet and pulled out a metal box with several of the dreidels.
Dorian watched as Andy began to bring over a box of what looked like tops. He wondered if this was anything like Beyblades, but he didn't want to voice that thought out loud.
As Andy went over to get the dreidels, Percy collected their plates and returned to the kitchen, setting them aside. He’d spotted the familiar candy earlier, and approached the bowl of chocolate gelt. He took out thirty pieces - enough for each of them to start with ten pieces, and not so many that the game could drag on forever. He returned to where they had been sitting, and distributed ten of the candy coins to Dorian, and another ten to Andy. “There are four sides to the dreidel, each with a Hebrew letter on them,” he began to instruct.
He picked up a dreidel and showed the first side. “This side is nun - it means nisht or nothing. If you spin and land on this one, you do nothing.” He then turned the dreidel. “This one is gimel - it means gantz or everything. You take everything that is in the pot. The next side is hey - it means halb or half. You take half of what is in the pot. If it’s an odd number, we round up. And the last side is shin - meaning shtel or put in. You put a piece of gelt in the pot.”
“We each start off with ten gelt. At the beginning of the round, we each then put one piece of our gelt into the pot. Whenever the pot is empty - or just has one piece - everyone will put a piece of gelt into the pot. The first person then spins the dreidel and follows the instructions for the side it lands on. Once they resolve that, play moves to the next person, and we continue on. If at any point you are completely out of gelt, you are out of the game. The objective is to win it all. Any questions?”
”Nope, that’s straightforward enough.” Andy slid one of her gelt into the center of the table. ”Oh, let me do a practice spin real quick. I haven’t used a top since I was like five.” Andy twisted the dreidel and it spun perfectly for a moment before toppling over and landing on nun. ”Alright, perfect. I can do this. Ready?”
”Wait wait let me try!” Dorian grabbed the dreidel and attempted to spin it, having it somehow just immediately topple over with a thunk. ”Wha– no…Andy ‘ow'd you do t'at?”
Percy tricked not to snicker.
Andy did not try to not laugh. She laughed. ”Like this.” she repeated what she had done previously but slower for Dorian to watch.
Dorian tried to mimic Andy's movements, but it just wouldn't take. Sure, it spun a little this time, but it still virtually fell after three rotations. He huffed, tackling this problem the only way he knew how. ”OK driedel, it's time for you to let it rip!” He wrapped telekinetic energy around the dreidels top, like an invisible string that he then pulled on to make it start to spin. And it worked. ”It is a beyblade” He whispered out loud.
“It’s a… what?” Percy tilted his head, confused. He was about to protest too that it was cheating to use telekinesis, but he couldn’t actually think of a rule against it.
Andy giggled. ”Only if you pit it against another one.” Tilted her head thinking of how to explain bayblades.
”Uh, spinning tops that hit each other til one stops spinning,” Andy said with a shrug.
”Is pittin’ t'em against each ot'er Kosher?”
Percy couldn’t really visualize what Andy and Dorian meant. He stared at his boyfriend for a moment, before deciding that he didn’t actually need to explain what Kosher meant. He put one of his gelt in the pot, indicated for Andy and Dorian to do the same, and he spun the dreidel. It spun and spun and spun, before landing on gimel. Percy took the three gelt from the middle. “I take everything. And now that the pot is empty, we all contribute again,” he added, as he tossed in a single gelt.
Andy did not know the answer to that question and decided to not answer. Andy slid another gelt in and waited for Dorain to do so too. Then spun the dreidel. The nun came up. ”Do we add another gelt or does Dorian just spin it now?
“You only need to add gelt when you roll shin or the pot has one or fewer pieces left in it. Right now there’s three pieces again, and you rolled nun, so you are fine.”
Dorian placed a piece of gelt atop his thumb and forefinger and flicked it up into the air and down into the pot. ”Let it rip.” He whispered as he made the top spin, waiting for it stop until it finally landed on…nisht. ”Perce is cheatin’”
“I’m not the one using their powers to spin a dreidel. And if I were cheating, what would you do about it?” He raised an eyebrow, before going to take his turn. The dreidel spun and spun, almost landing on nun before it finally settled on shin. He tossed a gelt in, bringing his count to eleven.
Andy raised an eyebrow at the teasing but didn't say anything about it. She spun the dreidel and it landed on gimel she pulled everything in the pile toward herself leaving one coin for the next pot. She now had 12 pieces.
”This sort of reminds me of that terrible card game War. Have either of you ever played it?”
Dorian raised an eyebrow at Percy's goad. What would he do? Financially ruin him in a game of dreidel that's what. Thankfully Erik had had metallic dreidels for them to play with, no doubt making it easier for him to spin as well. A little shift here and Percy pays more, a smaller shift there and Andy gets it all. It was simple. ”War gets intense t'ough.” He threw another coin into the pot before going to roll. Another Nun, he groaned.
Percy shook his head. He hadn’t played very many card games. He used to be really into Magic the Gathering, but he hadn’t touched it in a while. He didn’t really have anyone to play with, so his G’raha Tia Commander deck was gathering dust. He tossed in a gelt, refilling the pot after Andy’s victory, and he spun the dreidel again - and again, it landed on shin. A little annoying to happen twice in a row, but he didn’t think anything of it - there were only four options, after all. He tossed in another gelt. He now only had nine.
Andy spun the dreidel and it landed on nun. ”It is a terrible game at as soon as the cards are dealt the rng is over and who wins is determined. Basically with a deck of cards two people pull the top card of their half face up. Whichever number is higher wins and takes both cards adding it to the bottom of their deck. This goes on until one person wins. It takes forever, and is kind of boring.”
”T'at's because you probably aren't playin’ wit' an enchanted deck.” Dorian spun the dreidel, getting what he had now deemed the ‘gimme’ side as he pulled the pot towards him. ”T'e cards we use are all RNG. The number and suit constantly shift until t'ey are flipped over.”
“Hm, your luck seems to have turned,” Percy noted, as he tossed a gelt in to the center, bringing him to eight. He didn’t mind that he was losing - if it meant the game ended faster, he would gladly throw every chocolate coin back inside. And his own luck seemed to agree with him, as the dreidel landed on shin again. He threw another gelt in. And then he paused. There was something he needed to tell Andy about. He’d been waiting until Dorian was here. “I met Gideon’s brother.”
Andy slid another coin in, making her amount 10. She spun the dreidel and ‘nun’ came up, she leaned back and titled her head at Percy's comment.
”Gideon told me she had a brother, but that he was dead. She didn't mention there was a living brother. Where did you meet him?” Andy would have to tell Gideon. This was probably someone lying, but Andy wanted to make sure she had all the details before she told Gideon. If she had a sibling she had presumed dead and wasn't she would want to know. She would also want to know if someone was pretending to be her sibling even if it was just to punch them in the face until they stopped.
“At…” Percy cut himself off. He took a breath for a moment. He picked a spot on the wall to stare at, to memorize as he spoke. “I met him when I was at CAGE for rehab a little over a week ago.” He swallowed slightly, his nerves temporarily skyrocketing, as a faint blue shimmer appeared around his hands. He had told himself he didn’t care if Andy knew. He had told himself that. He didn’t care. It was fine. Gideon deserved to know her brother was alive. He had told August he would help him and this was part of it.
Andy paused, she watched Percy, then gave a small nod. ”What is his name? Not that I think you would lie to me. I just want to verify with Gideon. If I tell her this, it changes a whole lot for her.”
Andy did not dig deeper into Percy’s situation. Addiction was awful and she didn't want to pick on him for it. He didn't deserve, no one did, to be picked on for such things.
“August Pearlman,” Percy said, recalling all of his antics - and the very real fear he had glimpsed. “He’s… he’s very much like Gideon.”
Andy nodded again. ”Yeah, that's his name. Alright. I'll tell her, in person.” Should she wait for school to start? Or tell her during their upcoming planned date? Or should she call and tell her right now? The last didn't feel right. This was an in-person conversation. So right now was out of the question. She felt a little light headed suddenly. If this was Gideon’s brother what had really happened?
”Wait? Tall lanky guy? Licks people? Talks to ‘imself? T'at August?” Dorian asked, finally speaking up after having already peeled and eaten 4 gelt coins while the pair spoke.
Percy nodded. He grimaced slightly. “Erm, excuse me. I need to use the restroom.” He got up off of the couch they’d been sitting on, and headed towards the restroom he’d spotted earlier. He needed a moment to breathe. Admitting that he had been in rehab had not been easy, even if it had been the right thing to do - and the noise of the party was starting to grate on his nerves.
”Wait do you know him too?” Andy asked Dorian after Percy left the table. She was fairly certain their game was over. She had seen Dorian eat at least one of his chocolate coins. She picked up one of hers and ate it.
”Kind of? I met ‘im when I visited April one time. ‘e uh…licked ‘er. ‘e seemed well enough…I guess? It's ‘ard to tell especially in CAGE. I felt so on edge t'ere I dont remember a lot…sorry.”
Andy chewed on her lip a little thinking. ”That’s a weird thing to do to people. Seems a little... invasion of personal space. Should I ask April about him? Or just tell Gideon? I don’t know how to tell someone that their dead brother is possibly not dead.”
Dorian chewed on another coin, trying to think more on what to say. ”Mon ami, you've got me. I don't know any which way in where you tell someone t'at. Maybe, I mean did Gideon say ‘ow ‘e died? It may ‘elp if it isn't somet'in’ crazy like natural causes.”
”He didn’t die of natural causes,” Andy admitted. ”It’s weird, he died... Hmm, I don’t know if I should say. Gideon isn’t the most share-y type person and this isn’t my story to tell.” Andy cut herself off. She didn’t want to spread stories that weren’t hers to tell.
”Wha-? No! Now you ‘ave to tell! You can't be a tease like t'at please? Besides ‘ow am I suppose to ‘elp you when I don't even ‘ave a full story to work wit’.”
Andy shifted, a little uncomfortable. She would prefer to have this conversation in private if she was going to tell Dorian. ”Can I ask Gideon if I can tell you?” She lay her head down on the table. ”Wait, that’s dumb. If I ask that she’s going to ask why. God what the hell?”
”T'at…I cant ‘elp wit’. Sorry”
”It is fine, she’s supposed to come by later. We’ll just go to my room and chat there. I think we should come up with a reason why we know this other than Percy meeting him. If you met him too, can we say that? I don’t want Percy to be more uncomfortable than necessary.” She didn’t want to lie, but this would technically be true, without outing why Percy met August. Andy lifted her head and leaned back in her chair again.
”Yeah, I'm ok wit’ t'at if it makes you feel better to tell ‘er t'at.” Dorian realized that meant that he wasn't going to find out the brotherly lore. Laaame.
A moment later, Percy reappeared from the restroom, and he eyed the state of the pile of gelt. “I see the game was abandoned, then?” He took a seat down next to Dorian again, tapping his arm again twice.
”Thanks.” Andy looked up at Percy as he rejoined them, ”Yeah, sorry. The chocolate is better than the game I think.” She tried to give him a reassuring smile.
”But you know what's better t'an gelt? (But not the mystery of a dead brother) presents!” Dorian beamed looking towards the two.
“I told you the game was bad,” Percy reminded them. On the subject of presents though, he tensed up slightly. He had brought gifts for both of them, yes, but he didn’t know if they would like them. He had very little idea what Andy would like. “I’ll go grab them,” he then dematerialized, and reappeared a second later with two presents in hand.
”Oh, let me grab yours. It’s in my room. I’ll be right back.” Andy stood up and dashed to her room.
Dorian just sat there, alone, for the briefest of moments as Andy raced off to grab her gifts and Percy his. In that moment, Dorian scooted all the gelt to himself and opened up a few, shoveling them in his mouth as he used his powers to float another latke over.
“Do you actually like gelt?” Percy asked as they waited for Andy to return, somewhat surprised.
Dorian took a bite of the latke, still some chocolate in his mouth. He waited to swallow before speaking. ”Its like, sweet and salty if you mix Latke and Gelt. So not bad.”
“… I’m not kissing you with a latke-gelt mouth.” The chocolate and potato combination wasn’t the problem - it was the metallic taste the gelt wrapper left behind, combined with a cheap, poor quality chocolate.
”Your loss.” Dorian said as he stuck his tongue out.
Andy was half jogging when she came back from her room carrying two packages. One was wrapped in Christmas themed paper, the other in Hanukkah paper. She handed the Christmas one to Dorian and the Hanukkah one to Percy.
”Happy holidays. I don’t know if you’ll like it or not Percy, or you might already have it. I don’t know. If you do, feel free to tell me.”
Percy had no idea at all what Andy would have given him. He handed a present back to Andy, and then the other to Dorian. He’d already given him a Christmas present - a song he’d composed for him on the piano. He had struggled a bit to find another gift that felt appropriate for him. He hoped both of them would like them. He opened up the present from Andy, and immediately, he recognized the book. He already had a copy of it - not this exact edition, though. But most of the books he owned, he had at least three copies of.
“I don’t have this,” it wasn’t technically a lie. “Thank you very much.”
Andy sighed, a little relieved that Percy didn’t have the book. She smiled and opened her gifts. First the one from Percy. It was a Star of David pendant. She didn’t have one yet. Andy had been a little nervous about it. Unsure of what order to take steps in. But this was a gift. It didn’t feel inappropriate.
”Thank you, Percy. This means a lot.” She put the necklace on. Then turned to the small package from Dorian. She froze. The old weathered deck of cards that was revealed from the packaging was something she had thought lost. She couldn’t even remember the exact last moment she had held or seen the cards. Andy was certain she had gotten it back after being frozen, but she didn’t remember where she had left the cards after that.
Her eyes burned as she looked at the deck. She opened it. The cards were weathered. They’d be terrible in any sort of game where someone didn’t want Andy to cheat. She knew them all. Could tell them apart. She shuffled them. Her hand movements were smooth, practiced, nearly perfect. She moved cards with intention. One staying exactly where she wanted it no matter how much she moved the others.
”Thank you, Dorian. These cards were Jamie Drummond’s. He taught me how to fight, and he taught me a couple of magic tricks.” She slid the cards back into their box. ”How?” She asked, her voice quiet, staring at the deck. The box was primarily green with an Irish knot looping over it.
Dorian looked at what Andy had gotten Percy, smiling knowing full well he owned three others of the same variety but happy his boyfriend was being nice about it and lying. When Andy opened hers, he wasn't sure how well she'd like it. ”Oh…it was sort of a secret until well…Christmas. But, remember back at t'e Contest? When Billy, Danni, and I merged. T'ere was t'is…power inside of ‘im and I wanted to do some good wit’ it before we dissolved back to ourselves. I told Danni we should bring back Genosha, make it how it once was, and well…we did. Took t'e rents t'ere for Christmas and while I was t'e I saw t'e retro deck and t'ought…you may want it back.”
”How did you even know it was mine? I left it, god where? Magneto’s place? I was there like a month. Unless the [gift from Max that we never decided] was there too? I really only left with the clothes on my back when I got there. When I left with Zari, the pillow followed me because it is magical. Pixie made it for me at Magneto’s request because I had the worst nightmares.” Andy was rambling. She held the deck of cards like they were breakable, close to her body. Magneto and her had talked about what happened to Genosha. How they had to leave, why they had to flee. Danni and Dorian had fixed it. They had fixed her home. Andy had struggled with that identity. Didn’t feel that she deserved it. She wasn’t born there like Danni. She hadn’t been conscious during its construction. But she had defended it, twice. She had lost people she had known and bled there. It was her home. She was Genoshan.
”I was lucky I even had these. I left the Drummonds’ in a hurry. It was on fire and we were being attacked. I literally had my jacket and the few possessions I had on me.” The tears that had burned at her eyes spilled and she wiped at them.
”Sorry. Crying... again. I just realized how much of the last year for me was running with what I had on me. I haven’t had stuff in so long.”
”Eriks place was a little ‘and to miss. ‘E may be in Louisiana now but ‘e sure as ‘eck ‘as same taste in decor. Metal. Somet'in’ just I don't know…spoke to me about ‘em. Like when you go antiquin’ and you see somet'in’ t'at doesn't appear old it appears well loved, faded sure, but loved. So I took a gamble and snagged t'e cards up.” Dorian was fidgeting with the wrapping paper of the gifts on his lap as he spoke, nervous but excited.
”Thank you, really. This means a lot to me.” Andy stood up and hugged Dorian real quick. ”Okay, sorry, open your presents.”
Dorian opened up Andy's gift and screamed. ”No way!!! T'is is so cool! Oh we ‘ave to do anot'er movie night soon now! Where do we even start? I mean obviously we can do –” He'd realized he hadn't opened Percy's gift yet, tearing it open to reveal a thoughtfully crafted coupon book. ”Awe Perce! You shouldn't ‘ave! I'm gonna cash em in dont you worry. Even if its finals week.”
Percy smiled slightly, seeing how thoughtful Dorian’s gift to Andy had been - it had been the perfect thing to get her, to restore something she’d lost. He didn’t fixate on the fact that the Entity had been brought up again, when his boyfriend had merged with his old crush. No, he definitely didn’t feel a pang of jealousy go through him at that. Not at all. Not one bit. He was just happy that she had a nice Hanukkah gift - and that his guess about the pendant had seemed correct.
Andy had crushed it too as it came to Dorian - as was evident from the scream. He couldn’t help but feel a little bit self conscious. Was his gift good enough? He rolled his eyes at Dorian’s reaction. “Oh, I’m so very worried.”
”Glad you like it.” Andy did look genuinely relieved. She was sure Dorian would appreciate the box set. But she didn’t know for sure if he had all of the movies already or what.
”We def need to watch them. Percy, do you like horror movies?”
Dorian began to flip through the coupon book again. ”T'ere may be a coupon ‘ere t'at says ‘e ‘as to watch one anyways.”
Percy did enjoy horror - although his preferred medium was in a book, as it was for most things. He’d seen one or two when Dorian put on a horror movie, but he’d found his boyfriend a bit too distracting for him to fully focus on the movie. “I haven’t seen very many. I like Stephen King, though. And the classics - Frankenstein, Dracula, Carmilla, and so on.”
”Have you seen the original Nosferatu. It is a classic horror film. Also, super important role in the history of film. When it came out it was not far enough away from Dracula and they got in trouble. So it was ordered destroyed. But people kept copies of it and pirated it anyway. It’s one of those, the people refuse to be censored sort of things.”
He shook his head. “Is that in the collection?” he asked, looking at Dorian’s gift. He could appreciate a struggle against censorship - the most important books were the banned ones, after all. “Could we watch it?” He was a little jumpy when it came to horror in film form, but in a group setting he figured it couldn’t be that bad - people would probably be talking the entire time and ruining the suspense anyway.
Dorian phased the plastic wrapping off of the movie collection and began to search the titles within. Pulling out Nosferatu.”Bingo. Maybe we can watch it tonight when Gideon gets ‘ere? T'ink Erik would mind?”
”Perfect. That should be fine. If I get called away for something you’ll be fine. I’ve seen it before. It’s also chill cause it is a silent film. There’s not any of the usual jump scares.” Andy pulled out her phone to see if she had a message from Gideon about her arrival time.
am outside
Percy nodded, a little relieved to hear that there weren’t any jump scares. He was a little concerned it would cause him to reflexively teleport all the way back to California. He noticed Andy take out her phone, but any possible subtext of the choice was lost on him. So instead he opened up the present Dorian had given to him, revealing a pendant necklace. He gasped slightly, recognizing what it was immediately. “This is a pen,” he said, his voice thick with giddy glee as he tugged on the pendant, revealing it was indeed a writing implement. He looked at Dorian. “Will you put it on me?”
Dorian giggled. ”Sure.” It was a genuine antique, and he was worried he may damage the clasp if he fiddled with it too hard. So instead, Dorian grasped the back edges of the necklace and made himself and it phase briefly as he wrapped it around Percy before bringing it back into solidity. ”It’s like you were made for it.”
”Speak of the devil, Gideon is here. I’m going to get the door for her.” She looked over at the necklace. ”How is that a pen?”
Percy blushed deeply, as he decided he was never going to take the necklace off. He immediately went back on his earlier rule of not kissing Dorian with latke-gelt mouth, giving his boyfriend a soft kiss. “Merci beaucoup,” he whispered. “Je l’aime. Je t’aime.” He then pulled away, before putting his fingers around the pendant and tugging, the pen coming away. He showed it to Andy. “It’s effectively a cap, here, on the necklace.” He then put it back on.
”Huh, neat. Be right back.” Andy went to the front door and opened it. She grinned at Gideon.
”Hey, welcome in.” Andy waved Gideon in and then hugged her. ”Percy, Dorian and I were talking about watching Nosferatu you interested?”
Gideon gave Andy a hug back, before tilting her head slightly. “What’s that?” The movies she watched were in two categories: gay and gayer. And sports. She loved a good underdog movie, preferably about female boxers. And while she dressed in black and occasionally painted her face to look like the visage of a skull, it was more for the aesthetic than for actually being goth. She was a jock at heart.
”Classic horror. Basically the first Dracula film.” Andy pulled her the rest of the way in and shut the door. She held Gideon’s hand as they walked back to the table where Dorian and Percy were.
”We just did gifts. I still have yours.”
Gideon nodded. “My gift, uh, you can’t show them,” she said, her usual cool persona faltering for a moment. She held a bag in front of her, black with rainbow tissue paper concealing its contents. She then nodded at Percy and Dorian, and went in for a bro hug. “Sup!”
Dorian bro hugged her back. ”Sup.”
“Dude, have you been working out? Your biceps look a little bigger,” she praised, before going in for one with Percy.
Percy tried to teleport in time, but it was no use. He froze.
“And you seem smaller. Sick!”
”Gotta keep up wit’ t'e sword trainin’ cant rely on my powers all t'e time you know?” Dorian flexed his arm for Gideon before using his powers to set her a plate of food and bring it over. He stole a latke off it. ”Gotta carbo-bulk.”
“Why haven’t we fucking fought, man?” Gideon tapped the two hander she kept slung over her shoulder. “Can we fight now? I haven’t been to temple in a minute, is that allowed?” She looked at Andy, as if asking for permission. “Have you ever fought to the floor?”
”I think as long as we do it outside.” Andy thought back to the first time she had trained with Magneto. It had been inside but there hadn't been guests. He did sort of look down on the contest though.
She peaked into the bag and smiled. ”I can put this in my room and grab your gift. Then we can decide which to do first. Movie or spar. As for fighting to the floor, I don't know. I've done a lot of fighting so maybe.”
“If we can’t fight to the floor, can we fuck to the floor? Me and you, obvi. Sorry Dorian, but I’m not into twinks, even ones packing muscle like you.”
Andy got very red in the face and she nodded. ”Just us, no uh... witnesses. Unless it is America. And I just realized how weird that sounds.”
Gideon pumped her fist into the air. “Hell yeah!!”
”Im not big on to t'e floor anyways. I prefer makin’ my opponents forfeit once t'ey realize t'ey're outmatched. Also I don't t'ink Andy would be ‘appy if I killed ‘er girlfriend.”
”Do not kill my girlfriends. Either of them.” Andy stood up and gestured the others to follow her. She stopped in her bedroom, placing the unopened present from Gideon on her nightstand. And the deck of cards next to it. She had put on the necklace. She picked up a wrapped box and handed it to Gideon.
”I honestly wasn't sure exactly what to get you, but I hope this is something you'll use.”
“Pffft, you can’t kill me. I’m immortal, bro. But fine, be a lame coward,” Gideon sighed. “My brother would’ve fought me to the floor, y’know.”
Percy was a little sad he wasn’t going to get to watch Dorian sword fight. Despite not knowing how to use a sword himself, he really admired watching his boyfriend train with one. He used to play with wooden swords with his best friend when they were younger, just hacking away at each other in the random parks they’d find their ways to in the area. He missed that. And Gideon wasn’t the only one who’d noticed improvements to Dorian’s physique. “You could spar without going to the floor… it would be good training for both of you…”
Gideon shrugged, before ripping open the present from Andy - and she screamed. “LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOO!!! THE THIRSTING BLADE IS GONNA LOVE THIS!!!!” She wrapped Andy in a huge hug, spinning her around before putting a kiss on her jawline. It was a sword care set!! She’d lost hers!! She needed one desperately!!
”Fine. Pops is on standby, Andy can get ‘im if it gets bad. We fight to t'e floor, no deat’ as you can't die so only until one of us is unconscious.” Dorian decided to remove the turtleneck as it would impede his movements, leaving him in a simple white tank top as he unsheathed his sword.
Andy wanted to say something when Gideon mentioned her brother, but Percy told Dorian to fight and Gideon opened the gift. Thank god she liked it. Andy smiled and kissed Gideon back.
”Back yard.” Andy reminded them and led them out to the back yard area. She hadn’t spent much time there. Magneto liked sitting on the front porch so when they were outside it was usually there. She’d tell Gideon about the chance her brother was alive later.
Dorian and Gideon stood on opposite sides of the yard, Gideon with her bastard sword and Dorian with his longsword. He quickly closed the gap as Gideon attempted to block with their blade, Dorian's own sliding down the flat of it and leaving a small cut on Gideon’s cheek. She seemed to…smile? Dorian went to back up, give some distance, but in that moment Gideon took advantage. She locked her leg behind Dorian's, making him begin to fall and as Dorian caught himself with telekinesis, she baseball swung her sword against his skull and knocked him out.
“THREE STRIKES, YOU’RE OUT!” Gideon screamed. She didn’t actually know how baseball worked.
Percy immediately went on over to Dorian, freaking out as he dropped. He knelt down in the ground next to him, trying to assess if he was breathing okay, if there were any wounds or blood from the contact. Meanwhile, Gideon was running laps around Dorian, holding her sword above her head like a gladiator. “YOU CAN’T BEAT ME, BITCH!!!! I’M THE FUCKING KING OF SWORDS!!!!”
Andy watched the fight. She was impressed. She needed to do more sword practice. Lady Nimue had given her one. Andy checked that Dorian was going to be okay, and gave him a thumbs up.
”Okay, so that was super hot. My room?” She asked Gideon with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes! Fucking absolutely!” Gideon stared at Andy for a moment, before doing the chest-slam-jump at her that football players enjoyed doing. “Sorry losers, better luck next time!” she then called out to Percy and Dorian, before eagerly heading inside. She knew where Andy’s room was.
Andy laughed, “See you guys later.” She followed Gideon back to her room. Two things on her mind. First she did want to spend some time... making out with Gideon. Then she was going to tell her about August.
Once they were into the room, Gideon set her sword down on the bed carefully, and then turned to Andy. She put one hand on each of Andy’s thighs, hoisting her up into the air so that way her legs could be wrapped around her, and pressed the two of them up against the wall. “Mm, you taste like… batteries?” Gideon asked, a little confused as she kissed Andy the way she always did - leading with tongue. Once she was certain Andy had a secure grip on her, she took one hand off of her thigh, sneaking it underneath her shirt and letting her nails brush up gently on her back - and a slight growl escaped her throat. “Fuck, I missed you.”
Andy wrapped her arms around Gideon to steady herself, not that it was needed much. Gideon was impressively strong. She tilted her head trying to figure out why she would taste like batteries. She gasped at the touch of Gideon’s nails on her back.
“I had latkes, and gelt. Not together. But the gelt was the last thing I ate. I missed you too.” Andy slid one of her hands into Gideon’s hair, tugging at it gently.
“I have been thinking about seeing you again since the last time I saw you.”
“Mm, harder, princess,” Gideon instructed, as Andy started to pull on her hair. “Must be the gelt.” She then started trailing kisses from her lips, to her cheeks, to her jawline, to her neck. “Hickey okay?” she then asked.
”Probably. I’ve definitely had better chocolate.” Andy pulled harder on Gideon’s hair, she nodded at the question.
”Yes.” There was enough time before school started, and also she didn’t really care. If any of her friends saw it she’d shrug. And if anyone else saw it she really didn’t care about their opinion.
Gideon gasped slightly at the tug, taking quick little breaths as she sucked on Andy’s neck, leaving little bites behind as she went. “Need everyone to know what I’ve done to you,” she muttered, before pressing her hips even harder into Andy.
Andy giggled a little, ”Yes.” She liked this, liked being touched, and loved. She moaned as Gideon pressed against her.
An appropriate amount of time later, Gideon took Andy away from the wall, laying her down onto the bed next to the sword. The two of them were covered in sweat, their hair disshelved, but Gideon was on cloud nine. She’d gotten to fight Dorian and Andy to the fucking floor. “Happy Hanukkah, gorgeous,” she murmured into Andy’s ear. “When’s movie time?”
”Happy Hanukkah,” Andy had a shit eating grin on her face, she moved so that Gideon had space. ”I’ll text Dorian in a bit and ask when he is free. I have something potentially very important to tell you first though. Your brother, August, you mentioned him.”
“What about Auggie?” Gideon asked, unconcerned. “Is he in a doll?”
”Oh god no. Uh, Dorian said he thinks he met him. Well he met someone claiming to be your brother.” That was the truth. August may have told Percy that he was Gideon’s brother, but Dorian had met him.
“Well, that’s fucking weird,” she said, shrugging slightly. “I didn’t know corpses could talk.”
”He is at CAGE. Apparently alive, and licking people.” Andy gently rubbed Gideon’s back. She wasn’t surprised that Gideon wasn’t reacting intensely. Gideon tended to be fairly nonchalant.
Gideon paused. He was licking people? Her brother had always loved to lick people. It was his way of saying hello. She didn’t know how to feel about this. Even in a world of superheroes and monsters, her life was simple, easy, straightforward. She fought people with her giant ass sword. She fucked hot girls like Andy. That was it. She didn’t have brothers who were secretly dead and now licking people as an undead.
“Is he a zombie then? I thought zombies bit people.”
”Uh, honestly, I don’t know. If you want you can ask follow up questions of Dorian, and Percy. Or if you want we can go to CAGE and visit him?”
“Nah!” Gideon put her sunglasses back on, getting up out of the bed and going to find her pants from where they’d been abandoned. “I think I’m good.” Her brother wasn’t alive. He was dead. It was simple. Easy, really. She didn’t - she didn’t need anything complicated in her life. “Wanna text them about the movie now?” She grabbed her sword and put it back on her back, and then shimmied back into her pants.
Andy grabbed her phone and sent Dorian a text.
”Sooo Gideon doesn’t seem to care? Also when do you want to watch the movie, we are ready.”
It was a few days past Christmas, and April stared at her phone, her finger hovering over a contact. Her time at CAGE had been somewhat of a blur, the memories hazy from the changes in her medication. But with the Contest of Champions over, she finally had the time and space for self reflection. She’d flipped out on Vicky back then. She didn’t want any antagonism hovering over her head when she returned to school after break, and she didn’t want to put her friends in a position where they’d feel like they had to pick sides.
So she took a breath and decided to follow her father’s advice.
Hey Vicky - hope your Christmas went well! Do you have time for a call? I wanted to apologize for CAGE
Victoria lifted her face out of the books she was tunnel visioning on when her phone buzzed. She did not expect the name that showed up on the screen. Curiosity won over apprehension in the end and she read over the text.
Not wanting this particular conversation to simmer out lest it would make things worse, she dialed back immediately before she even made up her mind how to say what she wanted to say. ”...hey, April-” the rest of her words froze halfway up. She wanted to say that the apology was hers to give, but at the same time felt like it would be hijacking the contact April initiated. Her mind finally resolved to continue with something neutral. ”-Christmas went well, thank you. How about yours?”
She hadn’t anticipated a reply back so quickly. April had expected she’d get to stew in anxiety over how Vicky would respond - or if she would respond at all - for hours, days even maybe. Not everyone was as chronically attached to their cellphone as she was. The time she had spent with an old flip phone at the start of the school year, following her phone’s tragic accident in the flooded bathroom, had been a nightmare. So when her phone started to ring, she almost threw it across the room, so startled as she saw Vicky’s contact ID.
She hit accept on the call, and placed it on speaker phone, and set the phone down on the bed. She wanted to be able to pace during this call if she needed to - just to keep her body moving, help her process any of the feelings that came up. “Um, it was good, yeah - it was really good, we had a nice time, Danni was super sweet and cut my hair for me, our Appa made cinnamon rolls and - yeah, it was, it was good!”
April bit her lip, her heart practically ready to burst from nerves. “Listen, like I said in my text… I’m really sorry about how things went down at C.A.G.E. I was in a really bad place mentally and I lashed out at you to feel better. We don’t have to agree on things, but I shouldn’t have treated you like that. So… I’m sorry.”
”Is Danni ever not sweet?” Vicky answered, her tone carrying a hint of fondness, before sobering up. ”Hey. You don’t have anything to apologize for. I kind of deserved all that. I saw something that I either don’t understand or like on a system and I made you a lightning rod for airing it out. You didn’t deserve that, so… I'm sorry, too.”
At first, April had believed that. She’d told herself that she hadn’t started the conflict with Vicky, that she hadn’t asked for any of it. It had taken her a while to realize that it didn’t matter if she had been the one to throw the first stone - that she had still participated in it and escalated it. She struggled when it came to treating those she felt had wronged her with empathy, more than either of her brothers did. She didn’t know if Vicky’s apology made her feel any better, if it fundamentally changed things between them, but she was tired of the fighting. She was tired of feeling like her relationship with Vicky was a problem that needed to be managed every time they’d hang out in a group setting. She still didn’t understand why she’d been singled out, why she had to be the lightning rod that caught her wrath. A month ago, she would have asked.
But now, she just wanted it to be over. “He’s always sweet,” April admitted. “Even when he’s upset, it’s always from a place of caring. He doesn’t - he doesn’t get angry the same way I do.”
She was silent for a moment. “Thanks. I appreciate it. Um. You cool with starting over?” she then asked. “Not that we ever really started to begin with - I dated your best friend for a few months and I don’t think we ever really said a word to each other until… yeah. So. I’m April. It’s nice to meet you. Again.”
”I’m-” Tenth of a second pause. If Victoria was honest with herself, she didn’t see the point of making acquaintances with everybody. Maintaining a larger social circle was taxing, even. She was content never speaking to Zarina either, before she dipped. But perhaps, in this case, she should make an effort, if only to make it easier on the DDs, so Danni wouldn’t have to look over his shoulder again before acknowledging Vicky’s existence. ”-Yeah, okay. I’m Victoria. Guess I’ll be seeing you around?”
April couldn’t really tell over the phone whether Vicky was just humoring her or not. She tried not to fixate on it too much - tried not to care about the opinion someone else held about her. The phone call had been short and not as terse as she’d expected - honestly, she hadn’t really been sure how Vicky would react at all. She’d sent her a Christmas present, though, so maybe that meant something? But she didn’t know. She didn’t understand the other girl now anymore than she had before. She tried not to overthink the last line - there was nothing meant by it, there was no sinister motive, no hinting at some crisis to happen… They were just kids deciding not to fight anymore. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Um, yeah, sure. We go to the same school and you’re friends with my best friends and brothers so… would be hard not to. That’s part of - part of why I wanted to end this stupid fight between us. So um. Yeah. That’s… that’s all I wanted to say. And um - thank you for the gift. I didn’t expect it.”
1x Thank
