Megamind, Minion and Roxanne were on the top floor of the building sharing their lunch together. They were sat at the taller table right up against a window, which gave them a beautiful view of Metro City. The rest of the cafeteria room was mostly smaller tables where other workers were eating and naturally there was the fridges, sinks, and bench top where most people made their lunches.
It was rare for anyone to spot the two aliens up here but it seemed as though today that Roxanne had talked the two into eating away from their desks and upstairs. She had forced Megamind to ignore the Internet kiosk in the corner and had him sit between herself and Minion.
"Megamind I was wondering," Roxanne started, "Minion mentioned that you're really good at Rock Band but I've never seen the stuff in your apartment. Do you practice at arcades or something like it?" she asked.
"Hm? Oh, no." Megamind looked up from his chicken Cesar salad and set his fork on the table. Naturally the salad had been bought from the cafe downstairs. "We have the set up at home." he said.
"Where?" Roxanne asked.
"In my room." Minion said "I don't have a bed since I sleep inside my suite. We have the whole Rock Band set up in there, with the guitars, keyboard, drums and a spare television. It's where we practice and just hang loose. We haven't played it in a while though because..." he glanced at Megamind, then looked back to Roxanne. "...because we didn't want to bother you, since you came up complaining on that first night because of Halo."
Roxanne smiled, and tilted her head slightly. "Mm. That's sweet of you."
"Not my idea." Minion replied before there was a soft clang that was Megamind's elbow coming into contact with Minion's chest. "Well it wasn't!" he grinned.
Megamind, rubbing at his nose nervously, spoke up. "So why are you asking?" he asked.
"Well I want to see you play." Roxanne said simply enough. "That's the long and short of it."
Megamind was quiet for a moment, before looking at her as if she had just grown a second head. "You want to see me?" he asked, unable to help but focus on the fact she said 'you', not 'you two'. She wanted to only watch him, and him alone. This made the hearts within his chest flutter like butterflies caught in a cross wind out in a field somewhere. She wanted to watch him sing and perform solo. He fought the urge to ask foolishly, 'Really?', and smiled at her before looking down at his salad to hide his blush.
"Well. All right. You know," he said as he sat up, his confidence returning, "I've created some of my own challenges. The game is simple enough so I simply programmed some levels for myself. Any song I really like gets added."
"That's impressive. You should be working in the game industry if you can do that, and I saw your computer. You really love technology don't you?" she asked, folding her arms and resting them on the table.
"Of course!" Megamind said enthusiastically, before gesturing to Minion. "I made Minion's suit when I was only eleven years old! I had to say it was to pass my metal works and technology studies to be able to work with all the material but I made it and I've only made a few upgrades since then!"
"It's true. Sir does have a way with metal." Minion said, sounding like a proud parent of an A+ their child had received.
"so tell me, why are you here?" Roxanne asked. "Why stay in a job where you're ordered around and pushed around by everyone?"
"Nobody else would hire me. Or us." Megamind said with a simple shrug, picking up his fork and stabbing a piece of chicken. "It's one thing to hire people of different race and creed but... a whole different species? Not everyone is as open minded as you are, Roxanne."
"Hmm. I hate that things are like that for you." she said before reaching out and placed a hand to his shoulder. "You're so talented, you should be in a job that really suits you."
Megamind found himself incapable of saying anything outside of a small 'thank you' squeak. Sadly it wasn't long until their lunch half hour was gone, and Roxanne waved them off as they returned to their cubicles. She felt sorry for them, in a way. Roxanne had heard that because they were aliens, they were paid at a lower rate then even a casual worker. That was the reason behind them starting earlier, and having shorter lunch breaks then the others. Course, they had refused to work later at the end of the day so their pay, once again, wasn't as much as it could be.
She found this terribly unfair for the two of them but knew that complaining about it wouldn't get her, or them, anywhere. Megamind and Minion had apparently applied for so many positions in so many companies but none had hired them based on the fact that they were a blue alien and a fish in a mechanical body. This, Metro Cover, was the only company daring enough to hire them. They had been working here five years now, and it looked as though they would be here until they retired, whenever that would be.
Yet despite their bad situation, in a job they hate, getting low paid, and how those around them treated them they were genuinely happy. They had a place where they could be themselves, and it was wonderful to see it. Maybe she was distracting them, if just a little, by being their friend but after meeting with them a few times she had genuinely begun to enjoy their company. They talked about all manner of things, nerd related and otherwise, and she found herself laughing with them far more then she ever had with other people.
"Can you believe it, she wants to see me perform!" Megamind gushed as they headed down the elevator to Minion. "Me, Minion! Me!"
"I know Sir, it's wonderful." Minion said happily, smiling warmly. "What are you going to perform for her?"
"Oh I don't know, I don't know. I should have asked her when she wanted to do it! I need to prepare! I need to plan!" the blue alien, once the elevator doors opened, dashed out and hurried through to his cubicle and instead of focusing on the work at hand he began thinking over what he could sing for Roxanne and when. He could email her, asking her when, that would be suitable right? Yes, yes...
It was Thursday night when Roxanne made her way up the stairs to find Megamind opening the door to her, obviously excited. He was wearing some baggy pants and a grey, well worn looking shirt. "Roxanne, there you are! I was wondering when you'd arrive for the concert."
"Ha ha." she grinned as she walked in, then glanced around. "Where's Minion?" she asked, glancing around and found it strange to not find the fish sitting at the couch or with his head in the fridge.
"Oh uh. Minion said he had some over due library books to take back. Said he'd rather walk then take the car so he'll be a while." Megamind explained, even though he himself highly doubted that the books his friend had showed him were library books at all. They looked suspiciously like books Minion had owned for a fair few years but he had been out of the door and down the stairs before Megamind could ask any further questions.
Roxanne nodded, and made her way into the apartment as Megamind closed the doors behind her. "So, show me through to my seat?" she asked with a grin.
"This way my dear." Megamind gestured and walked her through to the green colored door. Inside was the Rock Band set up Minion had mentioned. It looked second hand, but very much cared for at the same time. "Behold! Rock Band. Impressive no?" he asked.
"Is that a stage?" she asked, amused at the small white raised platform where the microphones stood.
"Yes." Megamind said.
"You're such a nerd." Roxanne smiled.
"I know." replied Megamind, before taking the stage.
Roxanne moved to the single chair that was set in the middle of the room and took a moment to look around. Compared to Megamind's room, this room wasn't nearly as clustered or nerdy in appearance. There were some framed images on the wall of sea life, obviously Minion's idea, and some showing album covers by Queen, David Bowie and the Beatles. She smiled. "You know I really like your taste in music."
Megamind nodded as he turned on the machines needed and set the microphone in the centre of the stage after moving the spare one to the side. Minion wasn't here to sing back up, thankfully the track had the back up singers included. He scrolled through a fairly plain looking list on the television screen, showing that this was one of his custom made parts of the game. Once she was settled, she waited.
She knew the song straight away even before Megamind opened his mouth and spoke the first opening line. "I wanna talk to you."
Unable to help herself, Roxanne piped up. "The last time we talked Mr. Smith you reduced me to tears. I promise you that won't happen again."
The two shared a poignant little smile before the song properly started.
It was fairly standard at first, Megamind sang the opening verse to the song to the best of his abilities, just like she had seen him do at the company BBQ Picnic. He was certainly going all out, grabbing at the mic and gesturing to himself and going so far as to smiling in a manner, which reminded her of Hal. But then came the line about trying a little Freddie, and Megamind gave off a confident little grin that she only really saw on his face when he was pwning some noobs on a video game.
At the line, "I've gone identity mad" sent her into a squeal of delight and clapping her hands as she laughed. The skinny alien in the baggy clothes had grabbed at the buttons and ripped it open revealing he was wearing a yellow jacket under the grey. Another few pulls and rips and Megamind was standing there not in a tacky grey number but an outfit she had seen Freddie Mercury photographed in countless times. It was those white figure-hugging pants with red and yellow stripes, a white shirt and a yellow jacket thrown over that.
He really did belt the song out and just how he was capable of hitting those high notes and holding them there for as long as he did impressed Roxanne so much she almost missed out on the other speaking part of the song where she piped up "Getting angry doesn't solve anything!" to him, to which he grinned and even dared to wink at her. It was like she was in a private performance, a VIP for which a famous singer was only singing to her, and her alone. Never before had she really felt this way, and she wondered if he would ever go out of his way to plan and plot all this if she was anyone else.
Then he got to that long last stretch of vocal magic as he held the last word of the song even going so far as to kneel down but then tilt his body backwards with the microphone clasped tightly in his grip as he did.
Instead of clapping though, Roxanne got to her feet and put her hands to her hips. "Humphrey, we're leaving." she announced, in time with the songs back up music.
Megamind, panting and grinning, got to his feet and held up his hand for a high five. She gave it to him just as he all but purred "Kachiiiiinnga~"
"Wow I must say that was impressive!" Roxanne grinned, retrieving her hand and giving him a small round of applause. "Nobody's ever serenaded me before."
"Well then you've never met any decent men." Megamind replied with a confident grin before realizing that was probably a bad thing to say, and smiled sheepishly. "Ah hah... yeah..."
Roxanne chuckled, then tugged at the yellow jacket he was wearing. "So you bought this? Especially for today?" she asked.
"Heh, yeah... yeah..." He wasn't about to tell her that he and Minion had stayed up most of last night sewing the outfit together as well as the removable grey stuff he was wearing beforehand. That would be too pathetic to admit.
"So, what's next?" Roxanne sat herself back down on her chair, crossing her legs and watched him expectantly. "Come on, wow me some more!"
And he did. Grabbing the guitar for the game he turned so he was only just able to see the screen of the television out of the corner of his eye as he selected the next one. Roxanne, having never watched somebody play the game with the guitar, scooted closer in her chair to watch. On the screen above the playing image of the virtual band were the vocals, about how high to pitch your voice, and underneath the image were the chords that Megamind would have to hit at the right time.
"Welcome to the Jungle?" she asked.
"Nothing wrong with a bit of rock." Megamind said with a grin as the game started. Already he was hitting the buttons in the right order and without even having to look over his shoulder at the screen yet. The whole scene was surreal, for here was a blue alien dressed as Freddie Mercury performing the song Welcome to the Jungle by Guns 'n Roses. Of all the things Roxanne had done while over at Megamind's apartment, this was the last thing she would have ever expected to happen.
And so he sang his heart out again into the microphone, his voice matching up with that of the singer and his fingers deftly pressing the right buttons and only having to look to the screen a few times when reaching a more tricky part of the song but only then it was to check the guitar buttons, hardly bothering to even look at the vocals.
Roxanne watched Megamind, eyes drifting to the television when 'Star Streak Ready' would crop up, or the announcement of 'Note Streak!' normally accompanied by a number in the hundreds and when it reached 800 she was wondering how Megamind's fingers weren't melting the buttons on the guitar at all since they were moving so fast.
Then that last push came and Megamind jumped in the air and for a second she was fearful he was going to try to do a stage dive on her, instead he landed on one knee and stretched out his other leg in front of him, still playing out that last long chord. Then he was done, and the screen on the television erupted with 'You Rock!' and the virtual band were taking bows while the crowd applauded. Roxanne was on her feet at the same moment, clapping her hands wildly and cheering. It all took her back to her days as a teenager, seeing her first rock band performance, and being lost in the excitement of the crowd.
Despite it being only her in this room with the skinny blue alien, she could feel that electricity in the air.
Megamind was on his feet, and ignored that feeling like he had torn something in his groin, and grinned wildly at her. She loved it! He had gotten his usual Expert scoring, five gold stars and a note streak of 937 on the song and the rating was 100%. One of his favourite songs to perform, that much was obvious.
"Wow, just wow." Roxanne finally said as she moved closer to the stage, still clapping but slower now. "You're amazing on that thing."
"I know." he replied smugly before laughing, cheeks flushing purple from the exhaustion and embarrassment he felt. "Thank you. Comes from hours of being a shut in and playing it, before neighbours complained about the noise." he added with a grin.
"Tch." she rolled her eyes. "How rude." but then she was up there besides him on the stage, looking at the guitar in his hands. "Show me how to play."
"You want to?" he asked, surprised.
"Of course I do. It looks like a lot of fun, sure I'll probably suck at it but-"
"You will not!" Megamind gasped as he unshouldered the guitar and strung it over her shoulders, "We'll start you on something easy, I'll show you how it's done..."
Roxanne watched as he shifted through the available titles and he ended on the Beginner listing, "So how about this... Say it Ain't So by Weezer? I can set it to easy." Megamind explained as he did just that.
What followed was Megamind positioning himself in front of her and showing her what to do when, as in what buttons to press with the same colors on the screen, and when to tap the guitar here, or there. Megamind seemed to be so excited over the prospect of showing her how to play the video game, and hoping one day they could play together with Minion on drums, he didn't seem to notice how he brushed up against one of her boobs as showing her how to work her hands. Once he did though, he froze in absolute shock, incapable of moving for a few seconds.
She, however, didn't really seem that phased or disgusted. That sent mixed signals to him of all shapes and sizes but he pushed past them and concluded his small lesson before backing away from her so she could see the screen clearly. Feeling a guitar in her hands again, Roxanne felt grateful for the fact she had learned to play the guitar in high school in order to pass music class. While a lot of her knowledge had vanished over the years, it was like getting back on a bike after not riding one for many years. Some things just felt natural.
Megamind was impressed by just how well she did, granted she wasn't a master at it straight away. Very rarely was somebody a natural and got video games right their first time playing them but she did relatively well. He sang along with her, helping her keep the beat as they made their way through not one song, not two, but at least six.
It was some of the best fun Megamind ever had, you could almost forgive him for forgetting that Minion had still not come back to the apartment yet.
"I been meaning to ask," Roxanne said as they were sharing a drink in the kitchen after most of the singing was done with, "Just how is it you can afford all the things you have on the salary you've got? I mean, I saw your room. Most of that stuff would cost thousands!"
Megamind smiled weakly, looking down at his glass in his hands. "Well. A lot of my uncles back... back in prison knew they'd never be getting out. A lot of them were masterminds at crime and had been deemed too dangerous to return to civilized society. A few of them were even up for murder." he explained quietly, since his childhood and his uncles were rarely a thing he openly spoke about. "A few of them have passed on by now, either... either from fights or illness, or... hm." he looked down, unable to say that the two who had been up for murder had met their end at a needle tip. "But they left their things to me. I have savings but I fell in love with this apartment, with the... I don't know..."
Megamind glanced around the kitchen area, at the 1950 style tiles and coloring. There were some cracks but they had been seen to, and painted over. You could see the lumps in the plaster. He smiled.
"It's home. I feel safe here. So," he looked back at her, "I bought the apartment with Minion and made it our home. It took a lot of talking to get the guy who owns this building to sell it but when I gave him twice the value he didn't argue."
"But if you have so much money you could... you could move anywhere." Roxanne said. Even she hadn't thought much of her apartment.
"It's home." he echoed, smoothing his hand over the counter top. "My home." It was at that moment that his hand brushed against some of Roxanne's fingers and he stopped, his body freezing at the contact. Roxanne hadn't pulled away when he brushed against her before, and even now she didn't move to pull her hand away from him. Inside his chest, his hearts were beating wildly. He lifted his gaze and looked at her carefully, reading her expression.
She was smiling softly, seemingly understanding his desire for a safety in a home, even one on the tenth floor of an apartment block most would over look. Roxanne glanced down at the way his hand was now playing with her own, and she let out a shuddered breath she didn't realize she was holding.
When had he suddenly gotten so close to her? She didn't remember. His blue nose brushed against her freckled one, and his beautiful green eyes were staring at her intently before they slipped shut. His lips just barely brushed hers before she suddenly pulled back, removing her hand, and herself from him. "Wait. Stop." she said, holding up her hands.
Megamind stopped. His hearts, his breathing, the blood in his veins, absolutely everything came to a grinding, screeching halt. He stared at her, waiting.
"I..." she started, before stopping and putting a hand to the bridge of her nose and looked down at the floor. "Sorry I. Hm."
"No no no no," Megamind said shakily, unable to uproot himself from his seat. "It, it's fine. I overstepped. I didn't mean to I just- you just looked so gorgeous and I thought-no, wait. Forget what I thought. I'm sorry. Please. Forget it. Just forget it." he shook his head, before looking down at his hand where he could just feel the fading warmth of her hand beneath his fingers.
"Wayne asked me out. I said yes." Roxanne blurted.
The silence in the room was now deafening, and Megamind knew he was incapable of looking at her now. Anger swelled in the pit of his stomach, and his hearts clenched together so tightly it felt as if they would form one whole heart and then sink even more, trying to dodge the pain that was now ripping through his body. He wanted to demand why, why she would agree to go out with that jerk. Didn't she know he was a low life who did this to women all the time? How could she pick Wayne over him? Yet no words left Megamind's mouth at all. The rage just burned away, eating at his insides and his heart, and he said nothing.
"I'm sorry." Roxanne was saying softly, soothingly, trying to calm the anger she knew he must be feeling. Nobody, hearing news like that, could become so still and quiet without a storm raging inside them. "He just... we've been phoning a lot and... well. He only asked me yesterday."
Now it felt like he could well and truly drop dead on the spot. A day. A single day? If he had done this to her the day before yesterday, would she have pulled away from him? A small part of him said no, of course she wouldn't have. A larger part said yes, for who would want to kiss him? Who in their right mind would want to kiss a blue alien?
"It's okay." he heard his voice say despite the yearning to scream no at the top of his lungs, that it wasn't okay. "I understand. I do."
"Megamind," Roxanne started, moving towards him with arms out as if to embrace him.
He leapt away, finally able to move, and held his hands up, stopping her where she stood and gave him some more space between the two. How cruel that moments ago he was celebrating at being so close to her, yet now it only felt painful to be near. "Please. Please don't." he begged, voice now shaking, cracking at the corners. "Why would you, why would anyone... when Wayne..."
"It isn't like that." she said softly.
"So what is it like?" Megamind suddenly snapped, looking at her, rage and sadness emblazed upon his face. "How is it? Huh? No, no. You know. I don't want to know. I can't know. I don't... I don't..." he put his hands to his temples, and shut his eyes as his chest began to rise and fall. "Leave me alone."
Roxanne, feeling all manner of feelings about both herself and towards the poor man before her, couldn't. What had she done?
"Leave me alone!" Megamind shouted, now pleading and begging with her to leave him, and the quiver to his voice startled Roxanne so much she backed away from him.
"Sorry. I'm sorry." she said again and again, despite a part of her feeling like he should be the one apologizing, but luckily her guilt was smothering that voice to silence. Her hand found the doorknob and she pulled it open and backed out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. Shaking still, Roxanne stood out in the hallway and felt as though she had just made the worst mistake in her life.
And then it got even worse.
"Ms Ritchi?" it was Minion. Had he been out here all along, or had he just come home? She hadn't noticed. "What happened, you're as white as a-" he stopped talking since from within the apartment came the sound of something smashing against the wall. Roxanne watched as the fish's expression turned from curiosity to concern as he pushed past her and opened the door, closing it behind him.
If she could have, she would have stood there and listened. She would have heard the uncontrollable sobs from the blue alien, and Minion's soothing tone as he tried to calm him. But she couldn't stand there. Instead she turned and hurried down the stairs, but instead of stopping at her apartment she kept going.
She soon exited the building, and went to the only place she could go at a time like this.