Still trying to stay weekly, but no prewritten chapters now. Wish me luck balancing school, work, and 5k words a week. A little Red X this time! Yes he is a perfect cinnamon roll here, but in the comics he's really just a burnt cinnamon roll with a gun. I hope everyone is having a good week! Let me know what you think!
I had not wanted to end my night glued to the cage, but I lost my choice in the matter quick. I had gone to pick up my money and hopefully Ember, when I had been ushered into my match. They changed the order and it was nothing I could help since the bar wouldn't let me leave with my keep. I understood some gadgets or add ons, but a full 11 foot mech suit felt like it was against the nonexistent rules. The dude was certainly compensating. It was definitely stocked with traps and artillery, my original tech disrupting X had whiffed which left me more vulnerable as it became obvious my injuries were sapping my strength. I had been ready to just be done with this shit when he pointed that shoulder gun of his at me. Fuck it. Fuck this. Though the buzzer had rung way not a second too late and I'd live to hate this shit another day.
"Hey, are you okay?" I heard Ember before I saw her. My neck had been stuck at an awkward angle with the line of vision lessened by the mask. I also felt her before she came into view as she reached into my belt and pulled a sharp X out.
"I didn't die." I said though the pressure of the tape trap made it come through raspy.
"I am wanting to keep it that way." She said and came into my view and I saw her expression was more of a snarl than was normally directed my direction though I appreciated the slack her cutting off my bonds provided. She turned towards Gizmo and did some sort of hand gesture I couldn't see. Though as she turned her attention to the closer bonds I felt the warning of heat coming off her.
"Hey gorgeous can you turn the stove down." I was feeling it as she freed my neck. It was nice to have that range of motion back. Though I felt the burning of nerves as I twisted it wrong. I fell off the wall as the final supports were cut and I gasped as I landed into her arms. Well I certainly had reason to trust how easy Jinx was able to nap here. Too bad I still felt the heat of my pinched nerves to properly enjoy it.
"Can you walk?" She asked though she seemed to be more concerned with something else happening as she was not facing me. I shifted my head carefully to not make my neck worse and saw the ends of her hair were white. "Can you stand?" She repeated again and I realized she needed a verbal answer.
"Yeah, I think so." I said and shifted my weight off her. She turned to me and kept trimming the tape that was in attaching my arms and legs to themselves. Her hands were running down the lines as she found places in the tape that could be cut without stabbing me. "You okay?"
"I am mad. Use alcohol to get the adhesive off your suit, you will want to doing it sooner rather than later. I would do it, but I do not want to burn you." She said, her hair was white on the ends. Hotter than normal and I noticed that her standard bangles had become a puddle not far from us only the two silver ones that she received tonight remained. "I need to cool down before we leave, you should go handle that."
"What are you going to do?" I asked since I wondered what her idea was if she wasn't bolting into the ocean and there was not liquid nitrogen. Dr Freeze might help her, but he seemed antisocial in here.
"I believe the expression is blow off some steam. I'll find you when you have everything you need done." She said and turned back to Gizmo's mech. I got the hint that she was going to throw down and left on somewhat steady feet. I went to the bar and was handed a bottle of rubbing alcohol. The first few moments I was given looks, but as soon as the buzzer went off signaling a new fight I was ignored. Mad Mod was laying the commentary thick going with a scary girlfriend narrative. I just focused on getting to the bathroom since it became obvious the tape was an ordeal. I was happy she trimmed the stuff down since it was incredibly strong and smelled nasty. I'm sure that was just an extra Gizmo gag, but it really sucked. It wasn't able to be pulled off due to its strength which made me glad she recommended the alcohol. It would have taken me longer to recall that from my chemistry classes. Would of came eventually.
I was able to hear the sounds of impact from the bathroom though at this point I stopped doubting her. She was pissed and seemed rather unkillable. I knew the electricity might be an issue for her, but as long as I kept hearing conflict I could focus on peeling off this nastiness. Gizmo was such a shithead, though I knew he wasn't the entire reason she had been pissy. I was a little surprised to see Fallen drive off, but I didn't really have the whole picture of what they had been saying. It was unsettling to have people talk in a different language you had no chance of responding too. I hoped they weren't talking shit about me in front of me, but I got the sense that it had to have been something bigger.
There was plenty I knew about Ember from what she told me, but the list of things I didn't know was much longer. I didn't know her favorite color, but knew she had the knowledge to prevent a nuclear meltdown. I didn't know how her eye color, but knew she had a homicidal sister. I knew she liked fries, but I didn't know what she even was. It sucked being out of the loop, but I only saw her once a week, wouldn't see her if I stopped coming. This was just a fucking crush, but it was the most I had felt in a long time. I could handle being in the friendzone, if it meant I just got more of her time. Pathetic, but wasn't the first time…
"Did you get it all off?" I heard her voice come from the doorway and then her boots as she entered what still had to be in the top ten worst bathrooms in the city. I had a little fear of getting cornered in here, but I had been lucky to find it empty. She had to be luckier. I knew she was fearless, but I doubt she's want to risk getting accidentally flashed.
"Almost, it fucking reeks though." I said as I saw her reflection in the mirror. She had little circles on her chest that reminded me of the animated octopus marks.
"He was using a more chemical approach. I assume its laced with some toxin. He used paint balls filled with acid." Well that was what the gatling gun had in it. "He was intending to sap my strength before crushing me."
"Well that didn't work, are you good?" She seemed calmer, but I didn't know where her head and health were at.
"It is not strong enough to do permanent harm. Though I might have marks for a day or two. You have missed a spot." I watched from the mirror as she grabbed the X she had taken from me out of her bolt and used it to peel back a piece that ran up my spine. Her expression softened as she tended to me. It was interesting to watch in the mirror since it seemed almost like a scene in a movie.
"Thanks, are you sure you should be touching it?" She didn't have gloves on.
"I have already been exposed whatever reaction I may have will happen. I doubt it will. You did not touch it with your skin?" She asked as she pulled the final piece of strip off my suit.
"I didn't, are we out of here? You seem less inferno mode." She gave a little laugh at my attempt at humor, but it didn't come from anywhere deep. She washed her hands and steam arose from the basin as she shook them dry. She had cleaned herself off a bit so her octopus marks were faded, but definitely burned into her skin.
"I am feeling less inferno mode." She said as she glanced around as if acknowledging finally she was in a mens bathroom. "I am jealous of this." She said and tapped the mirror before turning to leave. What the hell did that mean? I rinsed my suit up to me elbows before going to join her. She was less white hot fury, but she was still off. I wasn't sure I wanted my invitation to be open with what my gut was saying. Though I couldn't abandon her after trashing Fallen. I just felt fear and I didn't completely understand where it was coming from. I knew Ember was dangerous this whole time, but tonight she just wasn't having any shields.
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I had thought about Ember running away with me a number of times especially since the night on the roof. Though it was awkward with it happening in actuality. My back hurt from the bullet wounds, she noticed the flinch and shifted her hands to the seat off my body entirely. The duffle bag they gave me with cash also through off the balance of riding. Though every close swerve or near loss of control seemed to magically right itself. I didn't want to take her home, it just would be too intrusive and honestly I didn't want her to let off a fire alarm. If I couldn't even have candles in the college apartments I doubted a fiery super villainess would go over well.
At first I just took her straight along the shore line, until finding a spot that seemed secluded enough to park. She seemed to be able to calm down with the Ocean last time she had been upset, it made sense to stay near one now. Though I could not describe the waves as soothing, I hadn't really been around the beach at night so I hadn't seen the tide act so aggressive. Duh nearly full moon. Though there was still enough sand and rocks I figured it was as good of a place as anywhere else.
"This okay?" I asked getting rid of my helmet, I had offered it to her originally where she had given a real giggle stating she had a harder head already.
"Perfect, X." She said her tone still stunted and moved with the bag towards the beach. It was a bit of a cliff to get down so I decided to skip that step and teleported both of us to the safest looking rock. I had originally went in for the side hug grab to teleport us, but had not anticipated it to be so slippery and could not find a foothold. We were going down until were weren't. Ember had somehow managed to twist us upright and find a foothold. I was now in a full embrace and my feet deemed useless were hovering as she clutched me. I didn't know what to say, this entire night had felt like a dream both like a nightmare and finally getting what I wanted. I just didn't know what to do now that it was happening. I didn't think she knew either as the air began to grow tense yet she didn't move.
"So what do you want to do now?" I asked hoping it would create some sort of opening. Though I couldn't help like feeling like a B list Netflix overage teen actor while saying it. It did get her to sink down to the rock with me going along for the ride.
"I did not think very far ahead earlier, I just wanted to punch things and not go home. Can you flip your mask up a little I prefer your actual voice." She said as she scooted the bag behind me farthest from the water. She placed herself as a wall to the wind and waves that just gave her such an interesting image. Her head was given a halo by the moon with the waves and wind giving her an appearance like a Goddess of night. Maybe this was like one of those really lucid dreams, maybe I had died doing that job and this was some twisted purgatory rollercoaster. "X did you hit your head?" She asked and her hand went to cup my face. I had been sluggish and slow to respond all week. I hadn't went to move my mask.
"I don't think I'm fully recovered from my concussion, sorry. The strobe from earlier wasn't very fun." She frowned and then slid her thumb to the bottom portion of my mask to drag it up. It was slightly nicer being able to breathe fresh air.
"You should have stayed home too." She said a little wistful which had been absent in her for most of the night. " I am selfish for keeping you out when hurt."
"I really don't think I'm much better off there, Nurse Ember. At least here I get fresh air and a lack of trapp music blaring from my neighbors. Just don't fry me when I eventually say something stupid… Not feeling poisoned ?" I asked not entirely prepared if she was. Though warning would be helpful if she was.
"Topical based poisons don't always work as efficiently, maybe if he had used the acid first and then the tape…" She trailed off as she touched one of the little marks on her sternum. She was wearing the jacket so I couldn't see how many places she had been hit only the light peppering around her neck. Her face was unscathed so I assumed it was not a lasting fire. I had seen Gizmo's unconscious body on a table though when I did the dead finger motion she shook her head. His mech was absolutely obliterated. It had five big chunks, but I couldn't tell which one had been the torso from a leg.
"Let me know if that changes, he's such a little dickbag. I was going to leave before the fight, but they didn't let get my money without that send off. " I was bitter, but I knew once I counted out all the cash in my bag my tone would change.
"I have a feeling it was a play against me. Miss Friday was extra smug tonight and self indulgent when you were losing. I am still unsettled." She said and toyed with the bangle at her wrist with some force. "I wish I knew what was happening so I did not have to play nice."
"This has been you playing nice?" I said incredulous before my brain could think about a million better things to say. Though it got her to smile for a second before it faded back.
"I admit I could cause less injuries, but I only feel guilt that I injured Control Freak beyond my intent. I could have done worse. Would you have been mad if I killed Gizmo?" She leaned forward so her head was resting on her hands as if enraptured in whatever my answer would be. I wished again I could see what her eyes looked like.
I don't think mad would be the right feeling. I wouldn't mourn the little creep and he hadn't done me any favors. Though I would be disappointed he would of ruined her no kill streak that seemed important to her. Not all people made the world a better place. I would rather plenty of people live than him for sure. He purposely made the world a worse place. Did I think I was the right person to take him out? No. Was she? Probably more than me.
"I would have been worried, since that would of likely fucked you up. The troll gets to live another day, I don't really give a shit about him." I answered after probably way too much time, but she did not seem bothered.
"You say so many right things. Are you real?" She said with wonder and tilted her head still resting in her palm.
"Are you real? I've wanted to ask that same question for a while." A hand reached out without having consulting the brain and touched her nose. I poked twice just to confirm that the first one wasn't a fluke. She didn't move so I did it again.
"I am mostly real, though right now I am with you... The potential of me biting you increases with every poke." She said as a warning as I missed and poked right on her cupids bow.
"Maybe I want you to bite me." I said though I wanted to keep this finger. I decided fuck it and poked her nose once more before retracting my hand quickly I accidentally smacked myself.
"Humans are weird." She said and rose up so she was less in easy distance to touch. There was less tension in the air as she shook her head as if clearing it.
"Another question what are you? It's obviously not human since you bring it up so often. My current theory is Atlantean or moon goddess though I have less evidence for moon goddess." I was really just going with my thoughts right now. I just wanted to keep her talking and smiling even if it was calling me weird.
"Moon Goddess? I admit that would be glorious if I was. Though it is closer than Atlantean. I am not from around here." She got that cryptid tone in her voice near the end. She had taken that tone a few times and it felt like she was giving me puzzle pieces each time. Though when her face turned skyward it clicked.
"You're an alien?" It was so fucking obvious now that it had been all been said. My crazy theories had glossed over the simplest. She wasn't from around here, this planet. Though she passed for human which lead me to assume all those subhuman categories. Though she did not say anything for an answer I saw her face smile. I was big dumb she had left so many bread crumbs and I had only found it when she smacked me over the head with a baguette. "You don't look like an alien."
"Do you know many aliens?" She asked still not giving me a verbal answer of yes.
"Well no, not really. I've only met one, Starfire. Wait are you like her sister or something?" I was big dumb as I saw her scoot farther back and her hand went to her throat.
"No, I am most certainly not her sister. Please do not ask questions I cannot answer." Her tone had gotten dark and exactly what I didn't want.
"Okay okay, I won't ask any more about your identity. Sorry." I remembered her sister had stabbed and attacked her and I couldn't picture the ditsy, overly friendly Starfire stabbing Ember. Punching and eye beams yes, I had been on the receiving end, but a knife didn't seem right in her hands.
"Thank you, X. I would hate to hurt you." She said though I knew I had disrupted our fragile moment of exchange. She stayed her distance.
"Would you hurt me?" This was on my mind for a while when we would finally make it to the cage. Would she hurt me? Would she just lose like she had offered previously.
"I do not want to, but it is inevitable I will say or do something that will hurt you. If I have not already?" Her pitched changed signaling a question. Though I didn't know what to say since she had certainly put me through an emotional rollercoaster in the short time I knew her, but it was the most I'd felt in a while. I had been grieving and going through the motions. I wanted the money just to stay floating on my education and started the matches, but I didn't really have a draw besides that until she showed up. Though the feeling of rejection had made my heart and stomach drop, it wasn't like I was heartbroken. Maybe because I was still falling even though I should of pumped the breaks.
"It's okay, I rather feel pain than what I had been." I said in the end since like that over used lyric from my angsty period, I rather feel pain than nothing at all.
"Human emotions are interesting." She said and the conversation stilled again as we both looked up at the sky. "Thank you for just sitting out here and distracting me, it helps." She started tugging on her bracelet. Maybe I should have gotten her one of those fidget rings or something.
"Do you want to talk about it? It seemed that speaking to Boss Bitch didn't help." I wanted to let her get out whatever she needed while I was here so we could move on to lighter topics without so much tension. She took off her jacket and tossed it over my lap as sort of a blanket. It seemed like a caring habit, but I also knew she was probably afraid of melting it. I felt a lump of the burner phone which felt intact and unmelted.
"If it involves you, would you still wish to know?" She said and I felt prickles down my neck that warned me the answer out of my mouth should be no.
"Yes. What about me?" I asked anyway. She started to shift her bangles from wrist to wrist.
"I have still not provided a desired reward for my job and she offered to buy me you." Her hair glowed white and her hands clasped tightly as if holding back.
"Huh that's kind of a sucky deal when you can have me for free." I said hoping to break the tension. It certainly did not as an expression of anger was directed at me.
"I do not tolerate the notion that people can be bought or sold without their consent. I was not even comfortable with the HIVE Five exchanging money regarding my features without my consent. I do not like working with people who have the mentality everyone has a price." I remembered her hints that she had been trafficked here and the whole alien narrative was still processing. Shit she had been a real Leia scene. Oh fuckity fuck. Control Freak was too much on the nose and he didn't even know.
"Well that's simple, I won't do any more deals and I won't show up. They can't buy me if I don't take their bait." Though I knew their was a darker part of this. I didn't have to worry about this as subconsciously as women, but there was plenty of ways bad people could take me and sell me. I had walked into a den of bad people and did their shit. I was screwed.
"I will keep you safe." She said and reached across to bring me up into her. She was being directive yet gentle. Her hair had gone out as if she read my train of thought. "I think you are right to not interact anymore, but I will ensure your safety as I have been." We were now knee to knee with her hands back to clasped in her laps, but she had leaned her head to my forehead. It was a promise, one I hoped she could keep. Though I was still unsettled.
"Why?" I asked since I knew my motivations, but hers seemed to asinine now. Was me being nice to her enough to win an alien body guard that spoke with such conviction. I also wasn't sure how much this was just her being unsupervised. "Am I really that important?" I pulled back so I could read her face when the answer came.
"You are, I know it may seem intense and frightening, but I would sacrifice a lot for the people I care about." She was being so genuine and honest. My heart hurt at how someone could say that out loud and mean every word.
"What do you feel for me?" Fuck it she was being honest and if she said something dumb I could say it back.
"I am confused." She said and drew back and started to take off her shoes and bangles. I noticed her normal jewelry had melted off her earlier. That wasn't exactly the answer I was looking for, but it's not like this was a night going well for her in the first place.
"I am too, stripping off your clothes is one hell of a mixed signal here." Though his got me a smile.
"I was going to dip my feet in, the water helps me think. I have made many mistakes communicating my feelings in English, but I want you to have happiness and I want to be a part of that happiness. Does that make sense?"
"It does and it doesn't." I said as I tried to push down my expectations. She leaned back to dangle her legs off the edge of the rock supporting her body weight with her forearms.
"Ugh I hate English. How would you describe your feelings? Maybe that will help" She said and I used her jacket as a shield as the wind picked up and her body no longer blocked it.
"I like you, Ember." I said since that was the safest and simplest way to put it. Though I held my breathe waiting for her to twist the knife and laugh like every other woman had. Some out of malice, some out of awkwardness, some just as a way to ease the blow.
"I like you too." She said back and it was just so fast and without doubt. I sighed when I caught we had likely not cleared anything up, but I banked that sentence, that rush.
"I mean in a like like way. I can handle just being your friend, but I wish you'd let me be more." I let it out at least. The worst thing she could say was no, again.
"X…" She said low and drawn out and then silence followed. Nothing was certainly worse than no.
"I just know that moment we shared is in the past, but, Ember, we could be good together." I just needed her to say something, scream, or just flip me off. She let go of the rock and submerged herself before buoying back up. It was steaming off her, like she needed cold water doused on her.
"There is too much you do not know about me, but thank you. You are attractive, you say so many wonderful things, you may be right." She faced me directly when she said this and then looked away to my right. "But I love him so much I cannot give you false hope. I'm sorry for being selfish and still wanting you in my life even if I can not give you everything." I couldn't tell if she was crying or if the ocean had left droplets on her face, but I felt like she was crying. Fuck my need to make her feel better when I felt like shit. Though she was being honest, truth hurts.
"It's okay, I'm boyfriend material not side chick material." Just get her to laugh and the pain will go away. It didn't work.
"You deserve better." She said quickly and I knew she was crying then. "I can get home myself if you want to leave. I can not give you what you want." I couldn't leave her dangling in emotional distress. I wouldn't sleep and I wouldn't be the good person she thought I was.
"What's your favorite color?" I could settle for friendship. I could, but we had just been in such high intensity situations together I had drifted for more. I had wanted her to fill me back up to feeling like a happy normal person. Though it was obvious she cared for me, not in the way I wanted, but she wouldn't patch me up or beat my bullies to a pulp for nothing.
"Blue why?" The surprise of me asking such a random thing seemed to throw her for a loop. Though it got an answer.
"I feel like if we are going to be friends we should probably know the basics." I said and hoped that she wouldn't read too deep into my voice crack at friends.
"What's yours?" She asked and started to drag herself up back to sit. It seemed to work. I didn't see tears and her voice went back to normal.
"Black. Favorite animal?" I could do this, just keep the conversation flowing on rapid fire trivia.
"Dolphins on earth. I swim with a pod often around here." She said and looked out behind her. "Yours?"
"Zebras, dog or cat person." This one got more of a reaction. She gave a quick laugh.
"I am a cat person." She said in that cryptid tone.
"Does that have a double meaning? You say that like it's an inside joke." I was being more cautious about her clues.
"I prefer cats to dogs, but I still like dogs unless they are eating my shoes. My DNA is also more similar to cats than humans." She seemed mostly back to normal so I relaxed and kept the conversation going with this alien in front of me. This was what I wanted, being able to just talk to someone about stupid shit and know they were listening. She cared about what I was saying even if it was my irrational fear of rolly-pollies or why my fanboy admiration of Batman faded over the years. We traded favorites, dream trips, and pet peeves for a while. I tried to stay out of anything too serious, until I felt we were in a good groove.
"Are you actually going to call me?" I asked and tapped the pocket on the jacket I did not give back. It felt chilly and she obviously was okay with her temperature control since she was taking intermittent dips.
"I will, especially if you stop going to the club. I do not know how the points will work, but I am willing to figure it out." Yeah if I left there would be no chance they could beat the HIVE Five in points just due to math. I would have to think about that.
"I mean if there is no chance, you wouldn't have to go either." I offered though when she shook her head I read that was wishful thinking.
"It will not entirely be my decision. Are you tired?" She asked as I let out a yawn.
"Yeah, but not too terribly. Is this the worst birthday you've ever had?" I was curious.
"No my 14th in the lab was the worst, though I need to make sure I apologize before it ends. He is more likely to forgive me if I have that card."
"Do you forgive him this quickly all the time?" I let the tone of my voice express my displeasure.
"No, though he forgives me just as much." She said and went to collect her coat from me. "Do these look bad?" She was asking about her little marks the acid had left on her skin.
"It could be worse." I answered honestly and she shook her head at me.
"Are you feeling okay to drive?" She asked and started putting her shoes back on.
"Kinda late to be asking, I'm not 100% but I don't intend on doing anything stupid." Not perfect. "Are you not coming with me?" I asked as she fixed on a domed point to my right.
"No, thank you for talking with me. I needed it." She said and hugged me tight while we were still seated. Her head leaning on my shoulder. It didn't linger, but it was warm and nice. "Don't die."
"I won't." I said and felt the loneliness creep back in as she let me go and jumped to the rock formation I had caught her looking at. It was like a 25 foot jump, damn girl had springs. It wasn't that surprising when I saw her sit on the rock and bring Fallen up with her legs like a claw machine. Of course we hadn't been alone. This wasn't a dream, not at all. Though it still didn't feel completely like it happened when I drove off.