May 27th
Greenup Kentucky
1430 EST
"You've been quieter about things than I expected." Barbara said to Maddie once she'd swallowed her bite of roast chicken, peas, and sweet potatoes. "I'm beginning to believe I've been thinking about you all wrong, and I'm sorry if that's the case."
"No, you're probably right on track chick." Maddie said, making a face at her own sweet potatoes. If she'd known that's what Babs had planned on making, she would have politely declined their early dinner. "But since you're offering, I'll go ahead and satisfy my curiosity."
Deke looked at Barbara and gave her a sly smirk. She had just opened Pandora's Box after all, and it was obvious that Maddie was considering where she wanted to begin, based purely off of her facial expressions.
"Okay, so I got the polite history from Mustang one night last month. One thing led to another, yadda yadda, but what I want to know is, were you crushing on Ash or something beforehand?" Maddie asked, cocking an eyebrow at Babs, who was sitting there trying to shake the feeling of being interrogated.
"You know, not until that night actually. I thought she was cute but," Barbara said, showing Ash the tip of her tongue." But when I started crushing, I really started crushing. Redhead's curse I suppose."
"What she's failing to mention is that I let her feel me up an hour after getting to our apartment." Aasha said, sipping at her water. "Showing the work off and all as an excuse. I was the one that actually had the crush first." She added with a shrug of her small shoulders.
"See, I wasn't there for that." Deke said. "I was taking my sweet time getting food. I could feel the attraction between them before they even realized it, and Babs had already asked me if I was comfortable with her experimenting with a girl, so I figured I'd clear out and give them some space."
"Is that why you took so long?" Barbara asked, eying her boy. "You said there was a huge line at the pizza place."
"There was, I might have just let a few people cut ahead of me too." Deke drawled, still wearing that smirk. It was rare he pulled one over on Barbara, so he tended to relish it when he could. "This is one of those instances that are hard to explain to a non-psychic, but there was pressure in the air from the minute Ash and I got back to the place. I half expected to walk in on you both going at it when I got back home."
"Well okay then." Maddie said, her face still thoughtful. "Who gives better head?" she asked, looking directly at Deke.
"We don't discuss that." He replied. "Though if I'm being perfectly honest they're so different. There's no making me try and guess who's who, it's obvious. Mostly I'm just laying there too dumbstruck to think."
"Fair answer, I get that. So, one more for you then. When Ash was roofied at that party, which I'm still sorry about, she said psychics were fun. What's your opinion on what that meant? I've been genuinely curious about that one, y'know, trying to figure out exactly what she was getting at."
"I think I can answer that." Barbara said, putting her fork down. "He spoils us. The minute I decide I want to speed up, or slow down, or change positions, or whatever, he's already reacting to it. His psychometabolic powers also mean he has full control of his body too. Plus, sometimes he links us together. It's really intense so we save it for special occasions."
"Is that why you don't link with me?" Aasha asked, looking at Deke. "Is that something that's only for you and Babs? I don't mind of course, I'm just curious."
Deke shook his head. "Ash, honey, I don't try it with you because I'm kinda worried it might really hurt you. Like, no joke, for real, damage to your whole system. You know how Babs gets after one of us in rare form, right?" he asked, and when she nodded in blissful memory, he continued. "So imagine how you get after that, but then crank it up about five hundred times."
Aasha looked to Babs, who sat there with a faraway look, slowly nodding in agreement. "Yeah, it's powerful. I can't handle it more than once or twice a year, and I was entertaining the idea of asking him to link us when we chose to start trying to conceive. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to handle it."
"If it's all the same, I wouldn't mind judging that for myself one evening." Aasha said, brushing her fingertips across Barbara's hand. "If you're okay with it, that is."
"Suit yourself. I'm done being selfish." Barbara replied, and then looked at Maddie to properly elaborate. "For most of the time we've been doing this, I asked them not to play without me, since they were together so often in the Hacienda. I was feeling a little insecure, which I know is unbecoming, but that's what it was. I offered to keep my hands to myself too, but Deke was okay with letting me play without him."
"I noticed you and Ash seem closer." Maddie said, sharing her observation. "I suppose that's why. I gotta tell you though, when they're at the Hacienda or we're doing something, they're awfully cute though." She cracked a wide grin at Ash and Deke when she said it too, knowing how much Ash hated being called cute, and how not-manly that description had to be. As expected, their looks were a little less than sweet.
"I can imagine it." Barbara said, diplomatically avoiding mentioning the cute word. "Anyway, one day I decided that I'd been insecure long enough and got them to go to bed while I watched on a video call. I was satisfied by what I saw, and yes, I did mean that both ways." She said, showing the tip of her tongue.
"I don't think you're the only psychic in the room Mustang." Maddie said, looking at Deke. "She's good."
"You have no idea." Deke muttered around a mouthful of chicken. He swallowed his bite quickly and gave their guest his attention. "Anything else you want to know? You kinda earned it."
"Yeah, actually." Maddie began, trying to think how to word the question. "Like, do you all share the same bed and everything? Whole nine yards cohabitation and all that?"
"Yes we do." Aasha replied. "We play Monkey in the Middle so everyone has a turn being inconvenienced in the middle of the night in the event of having to go to the loo or something. It's been a small miracle that we so rarely have to be ready for work or anything at the exact same time. Maddie, if I can turn this around though, why are you so curious?"
Maddie paused for a minute at that, giving Ash a long look. "Honestly, when I first met you and Deke, I wanted you both, which I know comes as such a shock. When I couldn't control him with pheromones, even just to show off that I could, I felt a little challenged. Then, I find out its Batgirl here that's got her hooks in him and I'm not so upset anymore, especially since I think she's way hotter than me. So, imagine my surprise when I find out that you're getting what I wanted. I'll admit, I was jealous as hell. I still am, but less so now that I got a chance to watch you three. And the other reason, and if you repeat this, I will have trust issues with you until the day one of us is dead, but I genuinely like you all and I want to know you better."
"That's something you don't want to admit?" Barbara asked through blushing cheeks. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that." She wanted to make a comment on Maddie's opinion about who she felt was more attractive between the two of them, but the weight she'd added to her last sentence was enough that Barbara really only worried about clarification on it, not who seemed hotter.
"Oh, don't take it wrong chick, I'm not ashamed to admit I like you as people. It's just, Ash came with me to my family's summer house in Cali when I really needed someone. Deke showed up that same night to help me handle more of my business when I asked, and then took a mission that got his ass kicked just because I was having a good night. And then there's you. I flat out looked you dead in the face and asked if I could swallow your boyfriend's cock, and you not only forgave me, but you trusted me enough with your wedding. Babs, I can make a lover out of anyone I want, without my powers, but real friends are a lot harder to come by. It's been that way for a long, long time. I don't like admitting I have a hard time with it." Maddie said, her expression both more sincere and earnest than any of them had seen on her before.
"Ohana, Mads." Deke said simply, gathering the empty plates and taking them to the dishwasher manually. He was going to say more, but it felt like he didn't need to. Instead, he loaded the dishes and set them to wash, letting the girls talk more.
"Yeah, he's not wrong Maddie." Barbara said. "I've been doing the job for eight years now. Making friends can be a nightmare, especially when you have to lie to them. It's what makes us a fairly tightly knit community, even if the people you meet under the mask are still withholding who they are otherwise. That's why I was so quick to forgive you. If you remember, you gave me the lecture the day I met you all."
"Yeah, I did. I'll admit, I was hoping you were just using him for sex so I could too, but the answers I got worked." Maddie explained, gearing herself up for the next statement she planned to make, it requiring more courage than she was worried she possessed.
"Look, you're right too Babs, it's a lonely gig, the superhero business. It's hard to trust, and I think, coming up sooner rather than later, I'm going to need the people I do trust. My mom isn't doing well. I'm sure Ash mentioned something about it, I never said to keep it secret or anything. I expect I'll be going to her funeral soon, and I wouldn't mind the team coming with me for support. While you're all there, you're going to meet someone. A little boy named Drew." Maddie said with a braced tone.
"Your little brother! He's such a doll, I love him dearly." Aasha exclaimed, accidentally interrupting her teammate. When Maddie kept that uncomfortable look on her face though, Aasha shushed herself quickly and let the woman finish talking.
"He's not my little brother, he's my son. I had him when I was sixteen, and the family thought it was best if I pretended to be his sister. Outside of my actual relatives, you three are the only ones who know." Maddie finally said at length, and took on a surprised expression when Barbara placed her hand on her own and gave a gentle, reassuring squeeze. The kind expression in her ocean blue eyes was a far departure from the professional iciness she'd been so used to seeing, or the derpy-in-love that was her other expression around Mustang.
"I can't express how I feel that you put that much trust in me, but, thank you Mads." Barbara said, squeezing the woman's hand again. Her opinion had shifted considerably in the last hour or so, which was interesting because it was the longest she'd spent around Maddie in honest conversation.
Maddie sniffed and looked away. "What're you making me cry for Babs?" she said, trying to sound tough. The truth was though, just being able to talk about things was cathartic as could be, and something she didn't realize she'd needed as bad as she had. "It's just, you all trusted me with something that intimate, and I can't stress enough you picked the right person for that job, I couldn't not give back. Ignoring my attitude, I'm not that much of a bitch."
"Despite being one of the people allowed to call you bitch, I don't think I ever have." Deke said, finally speaking up. "And if I'm wrong about that, I'm certain I've never used it any reference except good. About Drew though, what are you going to tell Will?"
"I don't know. I don't even know that we'll be together when mom passes, or if I'm okay with him coming with me if we are. It's one of those wait and see things. I won't lie to him, especially after you read him the riot act about being honest to me." Maddie said, cocking an eyebrow at her teammate.
Deke shrugged. He wasn't going to apologize for caring about someone. "The riot act is strong words Mads. I just asked him to be honest is all. I'll definitely be there for you though." He added, digging into the freezer to acquire ice cream.
"I think I'm speaking for Babs as well as myself when I say, we'll be there too." Aasha said, noticing Babs still hadn't taken her hand off of Maddie's. A quick pang of jealousy crept up her spine, but she put it away, this wasn't the time or place to get territorial, especially for such an irrational response given the subject matter of their conversation.
"Thank you all. You have no idea how good it felt to get that off my chest, and I'm used to carrying these things around all day." She said, gesturing towards her rather impressive bust. "Can we talk about sex more though? I'm sorta heavied out for the day I think."
"Certainly. Speaking of sex though, if you'll pardon me, I need to clean up." Aasha said, making a face at the decidedly un-sexy feeling between her legs. "I wasn't as thorough as I would have liked apparently."
"Awww, is someone leaking out of you Ash?" Maddie asked, receiving quite a face from Aasha in response, and a similarly horrified look from both Deke and Babs. Despite their living arrangements, apparently their discussions weren't quite as frank as Maddie liked to keep things.
"There's not much room in there, what do you expect?" Aasha said, trying to play it cool, despite the mess of things she needed to see to. Quickly, she scurried off into the bathroom next to the kitchen and shut the door behind her.
"Well she has a point." Maddie mused, looking at Barbara and Deke. "So you two, how'd that happen? I mean, he's a good looking guy, and don't let that go to your head, but you're absolutely gorgeous Babs, you could've had anyone you want. What made it him?"
"I liked him pretty early on." Barbara said, poking her boy in the side lightly. "He treated me the way I wanted to be treated, he wasn't sexually aggressive, and honestly, I liked how he touched me."
"Oh yeah, a lot of people don't even pay attention to that. I should've expected it from you though. What about you though Mustang? What got your switch flipped for her?" Maddie asked next, enjoying finally getting to ask these kinds of things.
"She's a force of nature Mads, I don't think I had a choice really." Deke said with a snicker. "It's why I gave her that ring. Being around people, I hear what they think, and so many people seem to believe there's some magic around the number of people you screw, but I never really understood that. What I did understand was what she was willing to be a part of, and I wanted that."
"Psychics are so weird." Maddie said, making a face at her teammate. "If I could do what you do, my God the things I'd try."
"Oh, he experiments," Barbara said wryly. "I thought Ash and I were going to kill him once when he decided to tangle us together so she could feel what she was doing to me, and vice versa." She punctuated the point by poking him in the arm, but she softened it by showing him the tip of her tongue. "Of course, he also let me feel what getting head feels like for a guy. That was a fun experience."
"Seriously? I gotta know, fess up." Maddie asked, prodding for more details. The embarrassed look on Deke's face told her all she needed to know about his mindset where this was concerned, and it only made her want to know more.
"Well, I have nothing to compare it to, but Ash is very talented so far as I'm concerned. It was a whole other experience; I really have no words to be honest. All I know is; I get what the fuss is about." Barbara explained in a distant voice, trying to recall every detail.
"Okay, that's it. You." Maddie said, pointing at Deke. "Give me some chores around here. I have to know what it's like and I'll work to earn it."
"Maybe later Maddie." Barbara said, seeing the mortified expression on her boy's face, and fighting to keep that same look off of her own face. "Earlier was kind of a big deal experience and all."
"Yeah, you're right, but you better hope I don't have to pull your ass out of the fire or something." Maddie said, smirking. While she would certainly enjoy the experience, she was largely joking, not that she'd fully admit that. "Babs, were you serious about that hood piercing by the way?"
"About fifty percent serious, why?" Barbara asked, glad the conversation had moved away from esoteric sex acts with someone new. She'd sucked it up and tolerated Maddie nibbling on her boy's neck for Aasha's benefit, but that needed to become a new definition for iron will so far as she was concerned. "I think it's attractive, not sure if it's for me though."
"I was just telling Pacifica about this, but I had to pierce my own since there weren't any artists who were strong enough to break my skin. I dated one for about a year when I was sixteen and I learned a lot. I was going to offer to do it for you if you wanted." Maddie said offhandedly.
That gave Barbara pause, she hadn't expected to be called out on something she'd mostly said to get a rise out of Deke and Aasha. "I'll have to think about it. The costume gives enough allowance for comfort but I can't exactly go to Batman about getting the pelvic armor adjusted because I wanted sparkles on my clit."
"So what about your tits then? Surely you had to do something about those." Maddie pointed out, digging the knife in a little. Babs had enjoyed watching her squirm before, it was fun giving back.
"I was benched for a couple of days after getting my wisdom teeth out. They had time to heal some, and I wear a really good sports bra. I could actually get the chest armor taken in a little bit but I keep it just in case I don't have time to change, like during the earthquake. I had to fight Merlin with literally nothing on under the costume." Barbara said, shifting the conversation. She could tell Mads was having fun, and a little was acceptable, but she had a limit of how far she was willing to give up in fairness.
"Awesome costume then. I had Kris build cups into mine, but I like a little jiggle, it helps with the pheromones if I need to use them. They're crap for support if I don't wear a sports bra though." Maddie explained, giving Deke a glance. He was standing there quietly, listening to the two of them verbally spar a bit, and he had a distant expression on his face. Just to test him, she mentally pictured herself kissing Barbara again. As expected, he blinked and shook his head before giving her a look.