Hello hello all! Sorry for the delay! Finals have been exhausting! Add that to the stress of Holidays and working and I've been to busy to do much but study and work and take those short naps most of you would call sleep. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! It is a slightly shorter one than normal, but I have my reasons!
Oh! And of course we need our quotes!
"We lie in each other's arms eyes shut and fingers open and all the colors of the world pass through our bodies like strings of fire." - Marge Piercy
If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent and you will have given your children the greatest blessing of all.
Brian Tracy b.1944
Chapter 9
She pulled into the garage, climbing from the car. She noticed the silence first. A pair of brainbots floated in, greeting her before rushing off to the living area of the Lair, more than likely going to inform the boys that she was home. But no one else came to greet her…that was odd. Maybe they were just busy?
"I'm home!" …nothing. "Mykael? Minion? Where are you guy-aii!" Roxanne let out a yell of surprise when a pair of arms swooped in from behind, grabbing her around the waist and spinning her around. Her shout of surprise turned into a laugh and he set her down, spinning her about to face him. His smile spread across his entire face, his eyes alight. He kissed her swiftly before moving back to capture her in his arms once more.
"You wonderful amazing beautiful person you!"
"I should leave more often if you're going to be my welcome wagon every time." She smirked. He placed her back to her feet, his bright eyes meeting hers.
"I was watching the news Miss Ritchie. You do of course realize you publicly announced our relationship." He gave her that old familiar smirk that she had seen so many times before. Smirk wasn't even the right word to describe it really; if anything it was more of a smolder.
"Well why not? There's nothing to hide. And I figure it will really get everyone excited for you're debut and the museum and everything." Anything else she was going to say was stopped as a hand rested on her hip and he pulled her forward, bringing her into his chest.
He moved in, capturing her mouth in a kiss. The weeks they had spent together had awakened a dormant hunger in the pair of them and it was growing ever harder to control. She returned with fervor, and as they wrapped themselves around the other they felt a shift in their kiss. It had moved to something more sensual and heated. Her hands were glad for the casual shirt they were curled into; sweaters were so much easier to grasp than leather. His own hands were occupied as well, one cradling the back of her head while the other gripped her hip. Slowly he trailed his lips from her mouth and down her jawbone before coming to a rest on her neck. The hair of his goatee ticked her as his lips nipped at the skin of her neck. Hands twisted themselves into clothing and hair and a hungry growl escaped his throat. His arm wrapped around her back, bringing her in closer, tipping her back. She couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped her throat as his lips continued to play along the skin under her earlobe and-
"Sir! Miss Ritchie! Dinner is ready!"
The pair of them sighed, slowly pulling away from one another, blushing furiously. As much as they both regretted pulling away from one another, it was probably for the best that their piscine pal had called for them.
It was late, and Roxanne was still seated at a table in the lab. Her laptop was open to the document she had been working on for hours and she sighed, erasing a few lines and retyping them. She rubbed at her tired eyes, knowing she was going t regret staying up so late in the morning.
"Hard at work, my lovely reporter?" he kept his voice soft as he stepped into the room; he didn't want to spook her.
She turned to him and smiled, nodding her head.
"I just want to finish up my bit for the opening of the museum. It has to be perfect." She turned back to the screen, noting that it was now the middle of the night.
He smiled at how she strived for perfection and bent his head down to place a kiss on the top of her head.
"With all the intelligence and work ethic you possess you would have made an excellent evil queen." He chuckled teasingly into her ear.
He seemed intent on continuing exactly where they had left off earlier and moved to kiss her neck in that same spot. She felt that familiar heat in her stomach ignite once more and their insatiable hunger for one another was reborn.
"If I had known this is the treatment I would have received I might have taken you up on that offer long ago." He chuckled against her neck, nipping at her earlobe. She turned her head to find his mouth, their lips meeting with an instant synchronization. He shifted to sit down, swinging her so that she could sit across his lap. His un-gloved hand met the bare skin that had been uncovered between her shirt hem and the waist of her jeans and she could hardly suppress a shiver as his breath tickled her neck once more, his cool fingers tracing along her skin. Her arms tightened around the back of his neck, her breath escaping her throat. Oh the things he was doing to her. Slowly though, her brain was diverted to a sound that had not been there before. She felt him sigh against her neck, resting his forehead on her shoulder. It was one of the alarms going off, alerting him to trouble in the city.
"Blast…" he slowly unwound himself from her, turning his head to look at one of the many screens. He looked back to her, clearly struggling with the desire to stay with her and his duty to the city. He grudgingly untangled from her, shifting to set her back onto the chair as he stood. He looked at her with that old theatrical look he had used so many times before, his voice deep and serious.
"It would seem that once more I must be torn away from you temptress; the city needs me once again. But I will return to you."
"I'll be waiting." She smiled to him as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, her cheeks bright with the blush she couldn't fight away. His smile changed then, his eyes full of such love and admiration for the woman before him. He leaned down slowly, gently placing his fingers beneath her chin and tilted her up into a gentle kiss.
"We shouldn't be long." He kissed her forehead and stood straight once more, turning to call out for Minion to gather their things and start the car. He stopped at the door, turning back to look to Roxanne, who was sitting still in her chair, her fingers resting lightly on her lips, her eyes dreamy. He felt proudly smug at the effect he had on her. "And as for you Miss Ritchie, get some rest. We can't have you falling asleep during the interview tomorrow."
When the duo returned much later that night they shuffled off towards their respective rooms, an exhausted wave their last exchange. When the hero entered his room he was greeted with a most unexpected sight. Roxanne had not turned in for the night as he had expected, but had instead taken to laying on the bed, on his side no less, and had apparently fallen asleep reading. He crept over as quietly as he could, lifting her arm enough to remove the book from her stomach and marking her spot.
He tried as gently as he could to shift her and retrieve the blankets from under her to cover her up, but she stirred; her eyes opening slowly as they came to focus on him.
"You're back…I must have fallen asleep."
He smirked to her, "As you should have."
"What took so long?"
"Just a simple bank robbery; one of them tried to run for it though."
"How'd you catch him?"
"That can be discussed in the morning. But for now this bed is calling my name, and it clearly is calling you back." he smirked as he watched her eyes fighting between sleep and awake.
Finally Saturday had arrived, and Roxanne awoke not to the normal sounds of the alarm clock blasting or of brain bots flying in to greet her with coffee, but to panicked voices. Well; one panicked voice and one trying to calm it. She stretched as she left the room, following the voices down into the kitchen. It was there she found Megamind running around frantically and speaking rapidly. She knew when he was like this that it wasn't very likely for anyone else to get a word in edgewise and she instead looked to Minion, who was standing near the stove, hands busied with a pan of eggs.
"What's going on?"
"Sir only just realized that the opening of the Megamind museum would entail he make a speech." The fish rolled his eyes, handing the reporter her breakfast. "Omlette?" he offered casually as if there weren't currently a screaming blue alien running about the kitchen.
"Thanks Minion." She sat at the breakfast bar there, her eyes moving to the frantic man. After a few patient bites of her food she sighed.
"Megamind? Hello?" he continued to pace around, his words about completely unprepared and being thought of as a sham of a hero carrying over hers. "Mykael!"
That snapped him out of it. He turned, taking a deep breath in an effort to regulate it.
"Sit down and eat would ya? We have to get going eventually." She smirked to him, shoving his own plate in his direction.
"Oh I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting to need to give a real speech!"
"Well what did you think would happen?"
"I thought I'd go out there, say a few short words, and leave it at that. What more do they need to hear?" he flicked his hand in frustration.
"You realize you'll need to speak during the interview too, right?" she teased him. "And since when do you get nervous? Aren't you all about presentation?"
"Well this is different! This is the first time I'll really stand up before them as a hero…" He paused, seeing the expressions on their faces. "It's not the same as well..Speaking live in.." his eyes darted between his two friends, looking at their amused smiles and he sighed, slumping back. "Oh fine."
It was nearing noon and Megamind was finally calmed and dressed in his new suit, compliments of Minion. It differed from his normal suits of capes and high collars. If anything it resembled that of what his parents might have worn. A thin collar was fitted halfway up his neck, with a comfortable slit in the front, while the rest of the smooth black material clung to his body, the blue accents lining his arms and legs. His trademark lightning bolt was set across his chest. Even his boots were different; slim and tall as opposed to the spiked chunky ones he usually wore. Roxanne would have said he looked handsome, if said reporter hadn't been occupied with tearing apart her closet. It was funny really, how she had moved so much into the Lair without realizing it. She had practically shifted her entire life here.
Megamind stepped into the doorway of her room, and had to duck as a dress went sailing over his head. He looked around and smirked.
"You know Roxanne if you wanted your room to have looked different you only need to have asked."
"I can't find it! Where did it go?" she stepped deeper into the closet, continuing her search.
"Where did what go?"
"The outfit I was going to wear today! I just got it back from the dry cleaners and it was all set and now I can't find it." she huffed in frustration.
"Well why not wear this?" the voice was Minion's. He stepped into the room, wearing an oddly guilty smile. Roxanne turned to see him holding a garment bag.
"What?" she stood, looking to him with a curious expression.
With a smile Minion unzipped the bag to reveal a dress of deep blue, with a belt and straps of black. Roxanne stepped forward to reach for the dress, momentarily speechless. When she held it up against her she realized it would end at her mid-shins, a perfect tea-length. It was, in a word; perfect. It was just the thing she needed to go from the opening, to the interview and then the inaugural ball.
"Minion. It's perfect! Thank you!" she couldn't stop herself from hugging the large robotic body before she turned around, practically skipping to the bathroom. No sooner did she have it on that the words "fantastic fish" floated through the closed door.
Megamind paced behind the brick wall that had been set up for him to burst through, his hands wringing behind him. He was all about presentation, but he was not a particularly patient person when there was such a loud crowd cheering for him. Especially when that crowd used to hate him.
"You look nervous kid." Said a gruff voice. Megamind turned and was surprised to see the Warden standing there. The white-haired man approached him, his eyes looking him up and down. "You look good Blue."
"Thank you Warden." He swallowed nervously to which David laughed, clapping his shoulder.
"I'm proud of you Megamind. You may not have had the easiest of times growing up- a lot of which I blame myself for."
"Sir-"
"No, I'm taking the blame for that one." He put a hand up; silencing anything that Megamind was going to cut through with. "I should have realized the sham that school was before it was too late." He looked to Megamind and his expression softened.
In his mind he was re-imagining that vivacious little boy with the bright green eyes and a curiosity for life. When that little blue baby landed in the yard of the jail he knew he wouldn't be able to give him to a foster family or an orphanage; he feared too much what the government might do to him. And though he would never have admitted it openly, one look into those round green eyes and he was sunk. So he kept the boy in the prison, giving him his own "room" and supplying him with all the books and the few toys he asked for. He always attempted to keep up his same tough exterior as a warden, but there were times when that wall broke and he became a father, soothing a sick stomach or comforting fears in dark thunderstorms.
He had always blamed himself for the bullying Megamind had gone through in school; and he had always kicked himself for not taking him out sooner. If he had, who knows how differently things may have turned out? It had nearly killed him the first time he had to put him behind bars. He had fought before then to get Megamind second chances, to lessen the severity of his "crimes"; but eventually the courts and the city wouldn't take no, and he was forced to lock the boy up. It was only after the multiple times Megamind continued to break out and land back in jail that David began to grow sterner with him. He felt like a parent with an out of control teenager; always worrying about his well being and his best interests, even when he knew that the punishments were required.
"I'm not one for words Blue, but I'm damn proud of you. You've turned yourself around, and you're finally being yourself again. And just look at you now; a hero!" the man chuckled, clapping Megamind's shoulder again. The pair's eyes met for a moment and the warden chuckled once more, shaking his head. Megamind returned his smile, feeling once more like a small child who had impressed his parent. He remembered fondly the words his own father had said just moments before his pod had taken off, and finally knew the word he had missed… "You're destined for greatness." Funny how it all came together now. David gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze, ruffling his sleeve.
"Now go out there, and show 'em what you're made of kid."
"Yes sir." He smile to the man as he turned, walking away to head back into the crowd.
Megamind turned now, looking to the wall. From the speakers he could hear the mayor's voice, introducing him. He reached down for his pistol, and took aim at the stark white brick in front of him before bursting out into a sea of deafening cheers.
"Hello Metrocity! Put your hands in the air!"
So clearly I couldn't put this a/n at the beginning of the chapter.. it would have ruined the surprise of the ever-building sexual tension! Mwahhaah! Anywaaayyy… I've never really been a fan of when people make Megamind out to be this inexperienced embarrassed little virgin. I mean yes, it would make sense for him to be nervous in some instances after never really having had much (intimate) physical contact before… Would he be shy at first? Of course; he has that fear of people running away from him. But clearly the man can kiss without fear! (hello restaurant scene?). And yes, there are people from darker corners of the world who will do anything for a price. And then again, the biggest of them all: instinct. We have all been at some point where we've had firsts (first kiss, first deep kiss, first time). How did we learn that? Instinct and movies. Before movies it was all instinct! We learn from what has happened before (I study this stuff.. its true. How else would we have learned to survive, reproduce, etc? instinct from prior experiences.)
Also; yes this is a transitional chapter. I know they're not always a fan favorite, but they are often a necessity. Also I felt it was important to continue to build on the relationships between our friends.
There is another chapter coming soon! So hang tight, enjoy, RxR and enjoy whatever holidays you may or may not celebrate! And if I don't see you before then, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!.
(oh, and this chick has a tumblr now. you can find the link on my profile. its a bit empty now but i figure its good for shooting quick notes of updates and etc!)
