Previously:
"Yeah about that, do you mind if I move in with you?"
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"What happened?!" I said tip toeing my way through the garment bags that were strewed over the hallway and pulled her to her feet.
"Well the flatmate situation has gotten out of hand. Way out of hand. She was going through all my stuff in hopes of getting proof of my 'satanic rituals'."
"But doesn't she do that once a week?" Yes, Magenta had a crazy roommate but she had gotten used to her roommate's brand of crazy even if she didn't particularly like it. Although it may have had more to do with the fact that it was the best apartment she could find in her budget.
"Yes but this time was different, trust me, you don't want to know." She shuddered while Warren and I exchanged a look.
"Do you want me to talk to her?" I said sympathetically only to have Warren snort.
"How would that help?" He asked shoving his hands into his pockets. He seemed to be a lot more sullen then he was before, I wonder why?
"Well, I am sweetness personified and that makes it a bit of a revelation when I go into attack mode." I tell him with a bat of my eyelashes before turning back to the problem at hand. "So do you want me to sit her down, perhaps give her a talking to?"
"No it's okay, I was an idiot to put up with it for such a long time in the first place. I was going to stay with Zack but he doesn't have enough space for all my things."
"So you'll leave your luggage here and stay over at Zack's every other night for fun bouncy times?" I ask innocently and have the satisfaction of watching her turn red as a strangled laugh sounded from Warren before reverting to her unaffected pretence.
(Muahahahahahahaha!)
"For the most part."
"Okay then."
"Great, Warren can you help us with the luggage?"
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"Okay, why'd you really move in with me?" I ask once Warren has helped lug all the many suitcases into the house and Madge and I are sat in the middle of the living room unpacking every single thing she owns into the guest room.
"What?" She could have moved in with Layla and Will, hell she could even have bunked at my parent's place it's even close to work and yet she chose to stay with me. Suspicious.
"No seriously, why are you really here?"
"Well I thought it might be fun to live with my most favourite person ever." That actually made sense, I am pretty awesome. "And this way I get the dirt on you and Warren and get to be the catalyst you need to make your move on him." That did not make sense...
"What?!" I said spluttering and flailing my arms around wildly.
"Okay fine, that's what I told Layla because she kept on asking why I didn't just bunk with her for a bit, plus even Zack is only a fifteen minute drive away so I figured I might as well as live with you."
"Oh. Okay then." I have never experienced relief that intense. But of course Madge wouldn't be sucked into Layla's match-making ploys. Even if it interested her, she wouldn't blatantly manipulate my life like that... right?
RIGHT?!
"So tell me more about your date with Peace."
"What?! Pssh, that wasn't a date!"
"Was there flirting?"
"I don't think so?"
"But you're not sure are you? Food was eaten?"
"Yes. That's kind of the point of eating. To eat food."
"And you exchanged a lot of talk while waiting for the food?"
"You could say that."
"And who paid the bill?"
"I paid for what I ordered he paid for what he did."
She leaned back apparently disappointed with what I said.
"You didn't share any part of the food?"
"Not really. I don't think the bread basket counts, does it?"
"No it does not. I guess it wasn't a date after all."
"I hope not, if this is what counts as a date then you and I have been dating for a loooong time now."
"Wait did you have cheesecake?"
"Yes, why?"
"Because you make sex noises when you eat cheesecake." She said and leaned back apparently very satisfied with what I just said and went back to unpacking.
"WHAT?!"
"You do, you make all these raspy 'Ummms' and breathy sighs and the way you lick the spoon too. I remember last time when we were out with Dan and you had cheesecake, he couldn't stop staring and said that it was like watching porn."
There was nothing for me to do but splutter in indignation.
"Don't worry, now that I'm here everyone is probably going to hang out over here from now on and that's going to add some momentum to... whatever you and Warren have." And the spluttering continues.
"Why would everyone hang out here?!"
"Because Layla will want to hang out here and play matchmaker and she can be very persuasive. Besides, your living room can fit us all comfortably."
"I feel so used."
"When do you not?" She said and resumed unpacking ignoring my sulking.
When did I turn into such a pushover?!
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"Are you okay?" Warren asked apprehensively eyeing me and edging away just that little bit as we stand in front of the elevator doors waiting for it to arrive and I jab the button over and over again mercilessly. "You seem a bit... on edge."
"No, really? What gave it away was it the frantic pushing of the elevator button, the fact that my spectacles are crooked and only staying on my face because of the duct tape holding them together or that every single one of my blazers have been stolen by Magenta and I have to wear a freaking trench coat to work?" I must admit that all the other times I have sounded crazy in front of Warren paled in comparison to the sheer high pitched panic in my voice at that point.
"...That's not a blazer?"
"How can you confuse a blazer for a knee length flared trench coat?!" It was only after I said it that I realised that it sounded incredibly snotty and sighed. "I'm sorry, I just feel like I've been on a three day bender."
He tilted his head as if to say continue and I did.
"She's rearranged the furniture thrice already, left the sugar out on the counter and now there are ants everywhere, stolen all of my blazers and broken my glasses 'accidentally'. It's like she thinks it's an unending slumber party but there is only so much girl talk I can take, not to mention the constant cookie dough eating, board games, eating out every day and the utter lack of sleep. Even then I can take all of that but then she constantly..." I stopped there considering that what I was going to talk about was how she kept on bringing up my crush on him and he just raised an eyebrow but thankfully didn't pursue the topic. "This is the second day in a row that I've woken up late, I'm a teacher I can't arrive at school the same time as the students!"
"...I was actually asking about the big yelling match yesterday."
"You heard that?" I asked subdued, surely we hadn't been that loud?
"Oh yes."
"Okay so we had a slight disagreement about my blazers, it kind of blew up and we wound up having a big fight. But that's okay because today we are going to sit down and have a mature discussion wherein we both argue the pros and cons of my blazers to reach a proper decision. If we don't manage to reach an agreement then I steal them back at night while she's away at Zack's place having fun bouncy times."
"Big plans?"
"Oh I intend to sleep."
"And?"
"Sleep some more. Have dreams of sleeping. Actually make the food myself instead of eating from The Paper Lantern every day, I mean that's just pure unhealthy, how can a person live on takeout?!"
"It's not that unhealthy." He said sounding a bit sullen and that's when I realised.
"You live on take out don't you?"
"Yep. That and grilled cheese sandwiches."
"Really? Not even Spanish baked eggs? Maybe a simple pasta dish? Nothing?"
"Well maybe you can make something for him as well while you're celebrating my absence." A sarcastic voice sound from behind me and I turn around to see her leaning against the wall with folded arms, luckily she looks more amused than angry. "I didn't realise that I was so annoying."
"You're not annoying, you're just running things according to your schedule, you may not have to leave for work at six but I do. Also you stole all my blazers!"
She sighed and pushed away from the wall, walked over to us and swung an arm over my shoulder.
"Layla called," She said in between yawns, "She needs help."
"What now?! I have to get to school, my students need me!" In retrospect that was not the best thing to say and I did fully deserve the mocking look she gave me.
"No not now, apparently Will managed to invite, and I quote, 'Every single superhero in the northern hemisphere and then some' and she's wondering if we could help out with some of the party stuff."
"Oh okay. I guess."
"I'll go tell her then."Madge turned away to walk back and stopped right before entering. "By the way, you are aware that the elevator's come and gone three times while you two were talking right?" And then she left us there standing in an awkward silence when the elevator dinged and appeared for what was supposedly the fourth time.
Needless to say this time we took it.
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"Are you guys okay back there?" Layla's voice filtered over from the living room where she ran around busy as a bee.
"We're fine." Magenta and I yell back.
We'd been there for a few hours, helping Layla set everything up. Well I'd been helping set up everything, Magenta was busy preventing Layla from having a panic attack.
"So how much do we have left to do?" Magenta said, sat atop the counter watching as I chop veggies into a million pieces, presumably in awe of my amazing knife skills.
"Not a lot, most of it is done."
"So this is the help that Layla needed?" The gravelly voice of Warren Peace filled my ears and I turned to see him leaning against the doorway casually lounging around in a smoking hot black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off those lovely flame tattoos on his wrists. I would have swooned and melted into a puddle but that would mean Layla and Magenta would have to finish cooking (after they finish scraping me off the floor of course) and that would not be good.
"Yep, she said cooking in large batches is scary so I'm doing it for her." Upon hearing which Magenta cleared her throat. "I mean we're doing it for her." I looked at him, rolling my eyes and he cracked a slight smile.
"And Layla sent me in here to?"
"Taste and judge." Magenta said, pointing him towards a pot that was steaming away on the side that had me jumping up to stop them.
"Oh be careful it's really hot!"Magenta and Warren turned to give me a look of annoyance and badly concealed amusement. "What?"
"You do realise who it is that you're talking to right?" Magenta says while Warren leaned against the counter and watched the conversation unfold with a look of amusement.
"Warren?"
I blinked in confusion and Magenta sighed."And?"
"Warren Peace?"
Which is when Magenta sighed and Warren began smirking.
"Warren Peace the pyrokinetic, I really don't think a little bit of heat concerns him!" She deadpanned and moved the pot to Warren with a defiant look and handed him a spoon.
"If you say so." I said and went back to chopping, wondering how I managed to forget that about his powers, only to hear him curse and cough just a few seconds later.
"It's hot." He said sheepishly and Magenta shook her head in disappointment while I laughed.
"It's like with dragons Madge, the inside isn't usually fireproof. Besides which I put three whole bird's eye chillies in there. That, my friends, is a heat even flame starters can't handle. Also, I was right and you were wrong." I said the latter in a sing song tone.
Magenta threw me a dirty look and Warren said thanks as I handed him a glass of water (in the past hour I had become very familiar with Layla's kitchen) and asked, "You do realise that was the curry base and you weren't actually supposed to taste it, right?" His blank expression said it all.
"Madge could you help me get ready?!" Layla yelled again, this time from the doorway itself. The pointed look she gave me as she left made it ridiculously obvious that this was them meddling again. I still don't understand why they're so intent on Warren and me getting together.
"You have flour on your nose." He said while I stirred.
"Where?" I begin rubbing my nose like it was a lamp and a genie might come out of it. Not particularly graceful but come on, who wants flour on their face?
"No it's just-" He reached out and I had a mini heart attack wondering if he was actually going to brush it off himself, watching in slow motion as his hand crept closer and closer to me but he stopped just before his hand touched my face he stopped and pointed it out instead. "It's right there." I brushed it off and we sat in awkward silence before the bell rang.
"I'm going to go-"
"Yeah, me too."
Aaaaawkward!
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"Why so serious?!" My voice rang out on the empty roof in a low menacing tone as I held a knife poised and ready to slash. "Let's put a smile on that face!"
"What did that pumpkin ever do to you?" My dearest neighbour's voice shook me out of my thoughts, I whirled around, startled, only to find him climbing up the ladder that lead to the rooftop. "What are you doing here all by yourself?"
"Oh, well Magenta and Zack are off sucking face, Will and Layla are socializing, I already played wingman, well wingwoman, to Ethan and set him up with this girl and I don't really know anyone else here. What about you?" I asked him as he settled himself next to me on the brick ledge of the terrace.
"Magenta and Zack are off sucking face, Will and Layla are socializing, Ethan didn't ask me to be his wingman and I know too many of the people there. Making Jack O' lanterns?"
"I got bored of blowing kisses at the moon so Layla gave me some pumpkins to carve." I said with a shrug, "You can do it too, I have five pumpkins that are wonderfully blank.", and handed him a pretty little pumpkin to destroy.
"I don't have a carving knife." He said throwing the pumpkin around from one hand to the other.
"Here, you can take mine." I handed him mine and picked up my coat from where it was thrown on the floor and got my switchblade out of the pocket.
"Why do you have a knife in your coat?" He asked incredulously. I don't know why people think it so strange, a knife is an incredibly useful tool to have, and my knife only more so.
"This isn't just a knife, it's a Swiss army knife that Professor Medulla modified for me. Apart from the usual attachments like the screwdriver, tweezers, corkscrew, scissors, saw etc, it also has a lock picking set and a miniature set of the usual ray guns attached." When I first got it I stroked it and called it my 'Preciousssss' in Gollum's voice. It's fairly safe to say that I'm a little bit in love with it.
"What no grappling hook?" He said it jokingly but the fact was that Professor Medulla was working on adding the grappling hook function. When I told that to Warren he just gave me an amused look before going back to carving the pumpkin, shaking his head at me. "How long until I get one of these?"
"These aren't for field heroes, your utility belts already have most of these functions, they're mainly for the ones working undercover who need to pull their weapons out of thin air. Speaking of pulling things out of air," Apparently aware of where I was going with this he groaned and began glaring at me. "Where'd you learn your magic tricks?" I was of course referring to the time when my niece was with me at the mall and he got her all happy by pulling flowers from behind her ear.
He stiffened when I said that and looked away from me, staring pointedly at his pumpkin. "My Dad taught me." Ah yes, the ever sensitive topic that was his father.
"My Dad taught me how to make a bomb out of regular household materials. That and the manufacture process for penicillin."
"You're kidding?" Utter incredulity replaced the stiff awkwardness and normality was resumed.
"Oh, I never kid about penicillin, I take it quite seriously." Soon the final touches were added to my pretty pumpkin. " And I'm done!" I leapt up in excitement and put the candle into the pumpkin with care. Warren had stopped carving his pumpkin (that's what she said *insert eyebrow waggle here* ...get it, get it? Fine, screw you!) to see my masterpiece. "Behold the Orange Squash of DOOOOOM- Oh crap, I forgot the matchbox!"
"What, your knife doesn't have a flame thrower?" He asked sarcastically
"No." I have to remember to tell Professor Medulla to add that. "I'll just go get one from downstairs I guess." I pout before brushing all the pumpkin shavings off my jeans but before I could get up, with a little flick of his finger Peace lit the candle in my pumpkin.
"I keep forgetting that you're a pyrokinetic." We share a look then turn back to the glow-y orange vegetable and the urge to sing overcomes me. "C'mon baby, light my fire."
Oh look, he blushes!
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