Hey there guys, I'm back again with another chapter for all you fabulous readers.
I hope you enjoy it. Just some nice fluffy friendship.
I don't own Marvel. Sadly.
Welcome back, you absolute arse
The key was cool against Astraea's fingers as she dithered outside her apartment door, debating whether or not she should go in and brave the wrath of Madison, her best friend. She'd been away for nearly two days, unplanned, but Madison was a worrier. If she had so much as a cold, Madison would be there with all the supplies needed and more. Astraea had been out for nearly two days and she was honestly surprised Madison hadn't declared her a missing person. It wouldn't be too far out of the way.
On top of that, Astraea had missed a whole day of lectures. She'd have to find someone from her class who made good enough notes and hope they'd be kind enough to lend her the notes. She wasn't paying thousands of dollars to miss classes and potentially fail her exams. Astraea might already have two degrees but that didn't mean she could just fail this one. It'd be a huge waste of money and Astraea really didn't want the debt. She worked in a café on Saturdays and in a bookstore in the evenings. The only free time she really had was Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. One of which she had just slept away.
Ridiculous.
Taking a deep breath, Astraea unlocked the door and stepped in. "Hey. I'm … I'm home, Mads." The feeble call fell into a whisper and Astraea moved forwards silently. She couldn't see Madison in the living room, or in the kitchen.
Suddenly, 5"4 of blonde-haired fury launched herself out of Astraea's room, tackling her into a hug that sent both girls thumping onto the wooden floor. Madison was crying and punching Astraea – a mixed response.
"You. Absolute. Arse." Each word was punctuated with another punch. "I can't believe you were … I was so … so worried and you come back … and say hey? Hey?! What kinda of response is 'hey'? How about 'sorry I was out for two days and worried you sick'? And 'I won't do it again'. What about that? You're an absolute bastard, you know that, Rhea? I was worried … and scared … and worried … and frightened … and … and …" She trailed off into tears, glaring at Astraea intensely. "I'm glad you're okay."
Astraea gently prised herself free, pushing her and Madison back up. She hugged her again. "I'm sorry, okay?" Her hands rubbed small circles on Madison's back. "I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I did kinda get kidnapped by the Avengers and had a pizza party with them. The first bit was terrifying, the second bit even more so." She pulled back from the hug.
"You had a pizza party with the Avengers? Why didn't you invite me?"
"Because it was like 3 a.m. you twat. Did you want to be woken up at that time?"
Madison crossed her arms, stubborn. "I would've if it might I knew where my best friend was when she just suddenly decided to disappear. I'm going to paraphrase a certain magical mother and say: Bed empty! No note! Supersuit gone!'" She waggled a finger at her. "'You could have died – you could have been seen!"
Astraea gave a watery smile. "Well, it's a good thing I'm not a group of underage teenage wizards then. I'm sorry. I really am … I just – well, I was asleep for a whole day so I guess that bit wasn't entirely my fault. And …"
"I'll be deciding the fault part, Missy." Madison raised her eyebrows at her, casting her a stern and withering glare. "You were the one who decided it was a good idea to dress up in a costume and fight crime at night. Which, is pretty cool I must say, but a smidge irresponsible." She waved a hand. "Continue this thrilling tale."
"And I got offered a job? Sort of?" Astraea shrugged as Madison gasped. "Um … yeah, well they had me show off my 'abilities and skills' for some sort of assessment thingy. I'm not sure. Anyways, I don't think I'll get it and I don't want to. What am I supposed to do if they call and I'm in the middle of a lecture? Run out? I can't do that and I refuse to quit college. I have a life and I'm perfectly comfortable in it."
"Yeah … but think how much you could get paid? There's always doing online courses to finish your degree, and the paycheck I'm sure you'll get will counter-act the need to stay in college. You can go be a superhero, Rhea. There's plenty of people who would leap at the chance. Go for it, girl!"
"But … but what about you? I don't want to leave you here by yourself. It's not fair. You're my best friend and I refuse to abandon you."
"Gurl, I'm cool with that – well, more like lukewarm with that – if you want to go save the world. I'll be best friends with a superhero. How many people can say that? Plus, you'll be able to get me into all sorts of awesome Stark parties."
"It's more trouble than it's worth … I can't do it." Astraea shook her head. "It's not … not what I ever thought of doing or even something I want to do. I can't just … just disappear off to save the world whenever. I have a life that I love the way it is. I don't want to change that … I don't want things to change … "Tears pricked at her eyes and she raised a heavy hand to wipe them away, "Things change and then they go wrong. I like things the way they are."
"Hey there, Rhea, it's okay." Madison stepped forwards, wrapping Astraea in her comforting grip. "You don't have to do anything. If you decide against it, Rhea, just tell them to stuff it. Saving the world is great and all, but sometimes all you can save is one person. It's okay if that person is you. You're important too, to me and your family and that's worth more than throwing away your life on something you'll regret." She gave a tinkling laugh, stepping back from the hug but still gripping Astraea's hand. "I still think it'd be cool to have a superhero best friend. It's an opportunity this, and you need more than ten minutes to think about it."
Astraea sniffled, leaning against her best friend. "You … you're the most amazing person ever, you know that, right? I'm just selfish and stupid and … you always put everyone else first. I don't need superheroes, Mads, you're the best hero for me. I don't know how I'd function without you."
"I wouldn't call dressing in a supersuit and saving people 'selfish', you silly idiot. It's better damn brave. I couldn't do that – even if I did have superpowers. You know I'd just chicken out and run away."
"I'm not brave, either." Astraea insisted, nibbling on her bottom lip. "I just think about the other people – they need me to stand up and save them so I do. It's that simple. If I had to be brave for me … Anyways, you girl, are the fiercest person I know. You always help the underdog and support anyone regardless of an impact on you." She tilted her head, casting Madison a thoughtful look. "Are you sure that's not brave?"
Madison blushed and nudged Astraea's shoulder gently. "Shut up, you. Come then superhero, time for food and sleep." She wrinkled her nose up, smelling Astraea's borrowed clothes and her 'Nemesis' suit. "And a shower. You absolutely stink."
"Hey! I had a shower when I was at the Tower."
"Yeah? What did you wash in – Eau de sewer? Come on, smelly-welly, bath time for you." Madison pushed Astraea into the bathroom, ignoring the other girl's protests. "And don't come out until you smell like flowers and meadows."
oOo
Now freshly showered and dressed in her own jeans and t-shirt, Astraea was sat leaning against the sofa eating toasted sandwiches with Madison. Astraea had decided to make lunch for Madison, all of her favourites even though she hated the smell of spring onions for Madison's special stir-fry sandwich. They were munching in silence, engrossed in the next episode of Merlin, but Madison broke it with a tentative statement.
"Um … I did actually sorta know about your, uh, abilities before you told me." Madison stammered into silence and Astraea spun round to give her a questioning look, brown eyes wide. "Well … not exactly all the stuff about the super-y stuff but – I did, kinda, suspect that you were … were in some kinda fight club of some sort."
Astraea sat there in stunned silence.
"I mean, you would turn up in the morning with loads of bruises, cuts barely hidden by long sleeves, and all kinds of tiny injuries you never seemed to mention. I just thought you went to some sort of boxing or Kung Fu or whatever place – I never expected the badass skills from that night. You seemed to, like, know a lot more than I thought you did, considering all those bruises. Not so secret after all, Rhea."
"Wait – "Astraea opened her mouth before closing it again, like a fish gasping stupidly, "you knew – well, sort of – and let me stew without ever letting on about anything. Damn girl. That is some seriously good secret keeping; I shall be ringing you up if I ever need to hide a body," she joked, earning a small laugh from Madison.
"You know it." Madison for silent for a few heavy moments, seemingly weighing up her next words. "I hope you're not going to call me out for keeping my own secret."
"Uh, Mads, my secret was crazy selfish of me to keep and yours was just curiosity. I think you get to keep another ten secrets from me before we're even. Or maybe one really big one." She gave her best friend a sly glance from the corner of her eye. "You don't have any of those do you?"
Madison gave a laugh that sounded more nervous than joyful to Astraea. The other girl's features twisted into a wry smile and her tired green eyes seemed clouded, smudged with day-old mascara and dark bags for nights worrying for her best friend. "Maybe. Maybe not."
oOo
Astraea had fallen asleep and Madison was watching her, a fond look in her eyes. One hand snaked out to stroke back the dark looks from Astraea's forehead. The poor teen needed the rest if the meagre knowledge Madison had of her friend's night time activities was in anyway accurate. Sometimes the local radio would run a story from another group of witnesses – either those who had been attacked or ones who had merely been nearby. The accounts may have been glorified by the media and dramatised by the witnesses but they still made Madison terrified for her friend's safety. She might see herself as dispensable, but Madison would never regard her friend in such a way. Now she sat beside her, guarding her as she slept, wishing she could do something more to keep her safe for the things she was intent on fighting by herself. Madison sits on the other end of the sofa, tucking a little of the blanket around herself as keeps watch.
After half an hour, Madison can feel the sofa she slumps on moving as her friend squirms and thrashes, trapped by whatever her head is showing her. Then Astraea screams, a heart-wrenching sound of utter sorrow. Her limbs go rigid and Madison is up, anxiously trying to wake her friend. Madison is just contemplating throwing a jug of cold water over her when she stills once more, seemingly peaceful again.
Then it starts. The panicked words blurting out in English, Spanish, German, and the other three languages that Astraea speaks. Madison knows now that her friend's brain can learn rapidly, attributing to her ability to pick up languages with relative ease. It also explains the two decrees Astraea already has; Madison doesn't think Astraea knows that she knows about them. She never brings them up in conversation.
"Please … por favor no los lastimes ... fue mi culpa," Astraea muttered in her sleep. "Es waren nicht sie ... zu ihnen nicht weh ... bitte ... verletze mich stattdessen, ich habe es verursacht …"
Madison could only pick out a few words; the last time she had done Spanish and German had been in High School, and it had been a good few months since she'd even spoke it to anyone. But she knew a little – Astraea was begging someone not to hurt others, saying it was all her fault. Madison didn't want to know what kind of people would act in a such a way that could cause nightmares for her normally stoic friend. Then again, Madison was a deep sleeper and was usually asleep before Astraea. Maybe her best friend had always had nightmares – Madison had just never heard them.
Stepping closer to her slumbering roommate, more confident to do so now Astraea wasn't flinging her limbs around, Madison laid a gentle hand on the other girl's shoulder in an act of comfort. It jolted the sleeping girl awake and she leapt forwards, rolling into a standing position and knocking Madison a few steps backwards. Guilt made Astraea's brown eyes blurry and she stuck a hand out to help Madison to sit beside her on the sofa.
"Hey …" Madison spoke carefully and gently, trying to soothe her friend, "you can tell me anything, you know that, right?" Her lips quirked up into a sad smile.
Astraea just leaned against her friend, wrapping arms around her neck and crying onto her shoulder. The other girl patted her back, uncertain and cautious. There was no telling as to how Astraea's mind was working at this moment.
"It's just so … so horrible … and I can't … can't … " Sobs fractured her words as Astraea cried, "people just like to hurt other people … they didn't deserve it … it was my fault … and they just … like they were mere flies on the wall … as though they didn't matter." She pulled back, staring right at an unnerved Madison with steely brown eyes that seemed to boil with hidden lava. "But they did matter. To the world they just somebody, but to somebody, they were the world. Now they're gone and I'm here and … and … Why is that way around?"
Madison felt as though she'd been slapped. Then proceeded to actually slap Astraea. The taller girl blinked back at her, surprised but undaunted.
"Hey! Enough of this talk. I'm not going to talk if this is what you discuss. Astraea, you are my friend and the world to me. You matter as much as anyone else. But I can't keep telling you this unless you tell you it. You need to take a better look at your mental health and say 'this isn't okay, and I want to fix it'. Because this can't continue. Maybe this has only happened once, but the look on your face makes me think otherwise. It's okay if you only want to tell me at first, but you've got to tell someone."
Astraea nodded vaguely before collapsing back on the cushions with Madison watching carefully. After a few moments she was gazing in disbelief – her friend had fallen asleep again! Well, she thought with a wry grin, that was one way to avoid talking.
oOo
A few hours later, and Astraea was keeping guard over Madison as she slept. Though she couldn't recall the conversation they'd had when Astraea was half-asleep, she knew Madison had been looking after her, just in case. Astraea welcomed it but also wanted Madison to forget about her friend's problems. She doesn't need Astraea keeping her awake at night.
The thought has barely entered Astraea's mind when a scream interrupts her train of thought. Madison is pushing herself awake, tangled in blankets and covered in sweat. Astraea rushes to her side, taking her hand. It was something she learnt, after the first time Madison had a nightmare with her around, that holding hands with another helped her feel more grounded. There was something in her past that had to have made her like this but Astraea had never asked. It wasn't fair to bring up traumatic memories for her best friend. But it was something Astraea had always wondered about.
"Hey, hey … it's me, Mads. Astraea." She gripped Madison's hand tighter, smoothing blonde locks back from her forehead. "You're perfectly safe here. There's just us. You're safe."
Madison gulped, struggling into a sitting position. "I'm safe," she repeats, body shaking, "I'm safe. It's just us."
The words seem to help and soon Madison seems to have relaxed her breathing. Astraea crouches beside her, happy to help out Madison in her turn. It's part of their friendship; each of them helps the other in whatever way they can.
"It was you." Madison starts, ignoring Astraea's quizzical look. "You were the one in my dream today … falling away … too far for me to reach. I couldn't grab your hand and … you fell. Into nothingness, into everything. It's just so … so terrifying. I know you're here, but then you weren't over the last few days. Rhea, I … I can't stop worrying about something, anything happening to you."
"Hey," Astraea strokes her friend's hand, speaking slowly and soothingly, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. See, no wounds or anything? I promise to tell you where I'm going in the future now, yeah? And if I end up taking a, uh, detour, then I'll send you a message. I've got a burner phone and I'll call or … or text and … I'll be okay. You don't to worry, daft-y. That's my job."
"I-idiot …" Madison sniffs, wiping her eyes with her free hand and giving Astraea a blearily smile. "I'm the worrier, and you're the one who gets into trouble." She laughs before turning more serious, looking into Astraea's eyes with a gaze of steel. "Promise me you'll think about being an Avenger, and that you'll come home safe every time."
Astraea nods.
"Say … say it. Say that you promise." Madison sounds on the verge of tears.
"I … I promise. I'll think about it, and I promise to come home safe."
Madison nods vaguely, slipping back into sleep. "G-good. Remember to get me autographs and an apartment in Avengers' Tower when you get in."
"I … I will - don't worry about it." Astraea gives a watery laugh as Madison goes back to sleep, still clutching onto her friend's hand.
oOo
The new day found the duo curled against each other, collapsed on a pile of cushions and blankets, and holding each other's hands. Protecting each other in sleep as much as they did awake. An inseparable pair of fierce friends ready to fight the world to keep the other safe. Or to be a guardian against the terrors of nightmares. Best friends until the last.
Thanks for reading, as always. A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or favourited this humble story. It makes me smile.
I hope you are all having a wonderful new year (so far!).
Translations:- (courtesy of google translate)
Spanish
por favor no los lastimes ... fue mi culpa - please do not hurt them ... it was my fault
German
Es waren nicht sie ... zu ihnen nicht weh ... bitte ... verletze mich stattdessen, ich habe es verursacht … - It was not them ... do not hurt them ... please ... hurt me instead, I caused it ...
Look-for-the-miracles
