Three weeks had gone by since Violet's trespassing and her relationship with the man in charge of The Eighth Wonder did not improve, but she was more than content with that. Thrilled actually as the colonel never stayed close for long, and she continued to avoid him with ease outside of Buddy's presence.
Did that make her enjoy The Eighth Wonder more? Of course not, but it did make life under the sea more bearable.
What she wasn't looking forward to was the press conference that was going to take place in less than a day. Violet's investigation on Hyperion was placed on pause just so she could be coached by both Mirage and Winston on how to conduct herself at the podium.
"You should go back to the name Invisigirl. That feminine and youthful touch will earn some sympathy points for the incident," Mirage urged.
"When you're talking to the crowd, speak from your heart. Oh! And make sure to give everyone some eye contact time too! It really helps to gain their trust and attention!" Winston advised.
"Above all else, don't put the NSA in a poor light. If you can't answer the questions asked with a spoonful of sugar, either stall or pass the floor to Buddy. Lord knows that man can talk to save his life."
And that was the real problem now. Not some secret organization funded by Hyperion killing supers, or her grudge match with a mustached authoritarian. It was that Buddy was quite literally standing on a broken branch with a noose around his neck.
Even with the heroic stunt he pulled when the NSA was attacked, he was still on a chopping block. Petitions had been signed by thousands of people who wanted that moment when the NSA lost its status as a government entity, Buddy 'Syndrome' Pine would be transferred back to California to skip the line on Death Row.
Even President Rockefeller seemed to be on board with that plan, and the Governor of California, who had his eyes set on the Oval Office, was clearly going along with the Law and Order bandwagon.
"Not only is the death penalty a deterrent of crime, but it is also the overwhelming will of the people," stated Governor Reagan in a press conference a week prior. "And when it comes time for this, 'Syndrome' fellow to answer for his crimes against our brave heroes, you can be sure that I will not only sign off on the order, but I'll pull the switch too."
And how was Buddy handling the ice thinning beneath his feet?
Like a man who escaped death for a living.
He mocked the television reports, jested at the idea of it all. He adored mocking the Governor, claiming that the chimp from Bedtime for Bonzo would make for a better politician than him, but Violet could see the slow-building terror in his eyes. They could fight off bitter former criminal partners and supers out for revenge, but the U.S. government? If it came to it they would run and hide, they were both really good when it came to the latter, but for how long could they keep that up?
Violet almost wished he had never signed that plea deal to begin with. If they had gone through the court system, Buddy would have wiped the floors with the prosecution team. She hated that fact. That he could have evaded the justice system so easily, but she felt nothing but despair with the current situation.
"It's all my fault!" she had sobbed late one night in their room. "If only I just maimed Leviathan and the others, or if I didn't ask you to sign that contract or-"
And he had kissed her to take her breath away.
"I've got some really wonderful news for you, Parr. It's not your fault," he had said before taking her to bed. They didn't fuck or make love, he just held her like they were the last lovers left alive.
Now here they were in the tech lab as the NSA and Buddy were at the edge of dismissal. Rather than spending his energy on escape plans or sucking up to the colonel to push that transfer appeal in faster, he focused on a kid's wellbeing. Putting in the finishing touches on Lillian's gear.
To the rest of the world, it looked like a regular backpack, and thanks to Buddy's insistence on functionality it could used be as a regular storage pack, but its true job was to store information from other supers. More specifically, other super's powers.
"So if you press that button there," he said as he pointed to the right strap with Lillian sitting on his lap. Violet wasn't going to point out the obvious to him, but Lillian had gotten far closer to him than her. "That gets you into CopyCat mode, and you can cycle through what DNA is stored in there with the toggle beneath it."
Lillian looked to be on the verge of exploding with excitement, her large brown doe eyes locked on his face.
"You made this for me?"
"Duh, kid! You deserve to have a fighting shot out there," he said, still bitter that the game plan was to use the child as bait to draw the Hyperion mercenaries out, but as Mirage said, their backs were against the wall, and they all had something to lose here. "I know what it's like to be helpless, and I'll be damned if I let you ever feel that way."
Violet had her nose in a book as he said that, but her eyes shot up to the two. She liked to think she had seen every side of this man; his best (Buddy Pine), his worst (Syndrome), the serious and astute businessman, the nerdy fool, the silver-tongued pariah, but she never saw this version of Buddy.
He looked so soft, yet he still carried that air of confidence as he explained the mechanics of the CopyCat Pack. One arm was wrapped around the young girl protectively but he looked completely at ease. And then she heard Kari ranting in her head.
"I hate babies, not sure why. But there is something so hot about dads, you know?" Kari said as the pair of them nursed on overpriced coffee on a park bench, watching an unsuspecting father tending to the scraped knee of a child. "They really are a package deal."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Violet had muttered back, still recovering from the wine bottle she had polished off the night before. Only a week into their senior semester for undergrad and Violet was already drowning her woes. Having Kari around was "They're old. And likely married-"
"Ah, the forbidden fruit!" Kari sighed dreamily. "But not all dads have to be married. They could be divorced potentially, or even widowed!
"You're a sick woman Kar," Violet said as she watched the kid shake off the pain and run back onto the playground. "Maybe you could make that your psych thesis paper?"
"Why dads are attractive?"
"No, how you got to be so crazy."
"Rude," Kari retorted with a smile. She sighed wistfully as the man sat on another bench and looked their way, offering a polite smile and wave and the two returned the gesture.
"The only thing hotter than a dad type is Professor Chilton," Kari whispered making Violet nearly spit out her coffee.
"SERIOUSLY?!"
If Violet ever got to see Kari again, she was going to have to ask for her forgiveness. As soon as she explained her return from the grave anyways because she now found herself lusting over the nurturing father potential that Buddy was displaying.
"Oh no! I only have blood from Jack, Dash, Violet, and Mrs. Parr," Buddy groaned playfully. "If only I had a sample from Mr. Parr!"
"I can get it, Buddy!" Lily volunteered and the man was already putting a lancing device in her hands.
"You're a lifesaver, kid. Just stick that into his leg and we'll be good to go for testing this sucker out after dinner," he said as he turned the stool around to release the child and the chaos he orchestrated. Watching the kid bound towards the exit, he motioned to go after her to watch his former idol get shanked by a child but felt Violet's eyes on him.
She was giving him a look that made him rather nervous. She was smiling at him, but her eyes were dark. Maybe he shouldn't have sent the kid off to stab her old man.
"You good there, Parr?"
"Oh, you know, it's great being a prisoner again," she said as she closed her book. He nodded in kind and remained seated. Maybe he could get the play-by-play from a soldier or two.
"Well, take it from me, there are worse places to be captive. And you do have some experience in the house arrest department as well. But that device is only on while you're here and we will be getting some fresh air tomorrow."
"Yeah, I guess you're right on that," Violet replied as she got up from her chair and slowly made her way towards him. "You know, the last time I was held hostage against my will, I kinda developed a crush on my captor…"
"You don't say," he said as he masked his confusion with disinterest as she took a seat on the edge of his desk.
"Oh yeah, it's a little embarrassing actually. I've always used to hate the whole 'damsel in distress' trope in the movies and whatnot- how hopeless and helpless women are played out to be when captured."
"Uh, uh-huh," was all the genius could say as the woman brushed back his freshly cut locks back. He had cut his hair mainly to get everyone to stop commenting on his hair, but it worked out with tomorrow's televised event.
"But there were a few moments that I kinda wished that evil man would have his way with me," Violet continued, her mouth parting a little wider than before.
"G-go on," Buddy managed before he covered his own mouth with a hand and crossed his good leg over to hide the tent he was pitching. Violet was well aware and pleased to see that she could still seduce the man that had won her over.
"Well, I think there is something rather thrilling about being completely helpless to someone that is sexually appealing, yet really intimidating. Do you know what I'm saying?"
Oh, he knew the feeling well. Prior to Violet, he'd be the only one to lead in the bedroom, but the woman truly gave him a run for his money. Those force fields, as deadly as they are, could also be really, really, pleasurable. He couldn't muster more than a nod of his head, the palm of his left hand still covering his mouth.
"Gosh, I remember this one time, the villain and I had this really heated argument in the heart of his creepy sanctum."
"It's not creepy!-" he defended before Violet laid a single finger on his lips, shutting him up instantly.
"And he kissed me in a way I had never felt before. Like he wanted to destroy me."
"Maybe I did," he quipped against her digit but Violet ignored his words as she feigned distraught, placing her cuffed wrist over her forehead.
"Oh, hark, how I wish I had experienced the cruel hands of a villain upon me just once."
Buddy's mind nearly exploded at the sudden realization that Violet was not taunting him but rather was going in a very roundabout and coy way of asking for sex. Not only that, but she was also handing him the reins. It just took her blunt, god-awful acting for him to see that.
Licking his lips Buddy shifted his eyes to the rest of the lab where his assigned staff were either just as oblivious to Violet's request or were just too set in their military bearing to make any note on it. He closed up his lab coat, rose to his feet without the help of his cane, and cleared his throat.
"Alright, that's good enough for today! Everybody out," Buddy ordered as he moved to the front of the room to see the mass exodus of techies and lab workers. "I need to test some things with the super here," Buddy stated as he opened up the door and turned his head to the back of the room but not his body, not risking anyone seeing the semi he was pushing.
All the workers lifted their heads at the command before passing glances at each other. Shrugging off the exchange, they set down their tools down and exited the room. Again, none of them making so much as a knowing glance towards him or Violet. Once the last of the soldiers filed out of the room, Buddy secured the room from the inside, ensuring no one would walk in, or out, without his approval.
"Are we doing this, Parr?" he asked, his icy blue eyes staking her in place from the other side of the room.
Violet squirmed in her seat at the anticipation. Buddy had yet to fully recover from his injuries. He still braced his knee, complained of sore ribs from time to time, and while his wrist was free from the cast it still had to be stabilized in a fitted fingerless glove.
They weren't in a dry spell per se. Buddy was eager to get 'bizzay' as he so aptly put it their first night back in The Eighth Wonder, but there was only so much that Violet felt comfortable with. Being without her powers affected her more than she thought it would.
She nodded and Buddy let out a shaky breath. His lung was still recovering, but in two weeks' time, he'd be at full capacity again. This was going to be a hell of a warmup for him.
"What's off-limits here?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" he echoed if only to make sure he had heard her correctly and this wasn't some fever dream. She nodded again and Buddy was cursing the dead super Capstone for capping his knee, but he wasn't going to let pain get in the way of pleasure.
"The safe word is-"
"We won't need it."
"The safe word is non-negotiable, super," Buddy growled as he rolled his neck to limber. "And the word is sassafras."
Seeing her nod a third time, he swallowed, but quickly grinned with absolute satisfaction.
"Finally, I get to have my revenge."
Violet bit her bottom lip as he turned to her and began to close the distance between them again, fully knowing that his 'revenge' would be a repayment of all the times she had teased him in the bedroom. She debated on giving chase again, but between his knee and the fact that there was nowhere for her to go, Violet stayed still. Like an ensnared animal who could only watch as the predator descended upon them.
As Buddy stalked towards Violet, he had partially wished she would have tried to run, but he did like the sight of her waiting for him. If they were back at the mansion, oh, he would have really taken advantage of Violet's charity, but he would make do with what they had.
Violet believed that he meant to grab her when his hand reached out but instead he grabbed his cane. Before she could blink she was caught in the blue light of his Zero Point Energy ray. All she could do was watch as he began to set himself up, but then she felt the buzz lessen. She blinked and Buddy smirked.
"That's the Zero Point at 90 percent. Can you open your mouth for me?"
She didn't, and Buddy couldn't say if it's because she is being defiant or if she is unable. He lowered the settings to 80 and her mouth parted slightly.
"Good," he cooed as he set his cane down and it stood on its own with its stabilizer setting on. He moved to the work table but didn't touch her. Instead, he began to rummage through a drawer and he pulled out the white gloves from his Syndrome suit. Aside from him, it was the only thing that survived the run-in with Leviathan and the others.
"Do you remember our safe word?"
"Yes," Violet replied, surprised to hear the sound of her own voice but her captor was far less impressed.
"That's not the word I'm looking for, Parr," he scolded as he tugged on his gloves, his icy eyes threatening to burn her on the spot. Violet swallowed.
"Sassafras," she uttered and he gave a smile as he approached her, keeping well out of the range of the beam. Violet thought it was a risky move for him to being so close to his beam that prevented movement, but his gloves deflected the ray. A very expensive fiber that carried just enough molecules to cling to the moisture in the air, and that humidity refracted the static that locked his targets in place. He'd be fucked in a desert, but on his island, it did prevent him from getting caught in his own trap a few times.
"That's right, Vi. You're very good at this," he praised as he dragged his gloved thumb over her bottom lip.
Violet's cheeks flushed and she wanted to turn her face away but she was trapped in place, unable to hide from the amused look he was giving her. His thumb continued to probe her lips until she closed her mouth, biting his thumb gently, giving him a pitiful but defiant look.
"Oh that's not going to do," Buddy whispered as his free hand dug into a lab coat pocket to pull out a small tool. It was a utility knife, only rather than a blade fashioned of metal it was a laser of his own design. With precision, he used the laser to slice the front of her striped gray and black sweater and the front of her bra.
Violet gasped, ready to shout at Buddy over the destruction of her limited supply of clothes but she realized he had gotten what he wanted. With both his hands free, he parted her torn clothes to expose her chest, and they moved to cup her supple breasts.
"So predictable," he taunted, giving a nipple a pinch.
Violet sucked in her breath, defying him of a sound of pleasure.
No matter, he would get her to be screaming out his name before this session was through, but he was going to take his sweet time in torturing his lover. But he couldn't get to her most tender regions with her stuck sitting on his desk.
Backing away, he tucked the laser blade away and retrieved his cane once again. He lifted her from the tabletop effortlessly and directed her to the back wall. She was still in the sitting position, but as he proved, her body was rather malleable with his gloves. He splayed her out, arms stretched out at full wingspan but her legs were only partially spread.
He considered using the laser for the rest of her clothes, but he opted for removing them the old fashion way for now. Setting the cane and its laser aside again, he moved close to Violet again and rested his hand over the front of her jeans, relishing the frustration written all over her face.
"Don't like a taste of your own medicine, do you?" he asked as he unbuttoned the single button and moved for the zipper.
"You're not going to break me," she challenged making him pause. Violet smirked at the hesitation but Buddy ended up throwing his head back in laughter. She wasn't sure if she should be nervous or excited for what was to come but he walked away, still laughing.
"Violet, darling, by the time we are done here, you're going to be begging me to top you at least once a week, if not every night," he called as he foraged for tools to aid him in defeating the woman.
Violet watched, helpless, as Buddy gathered items that would likely be used on her. The most concerning was a drill, the pile of rags came off as overconfident, but she was curious what he had in store with the molding clay and silicone.
"What's the safe word?" Buddy asked and she rolled her eyes.
"I'm not an idiot," she murmured but then came his piercing glance again. She had to mentally check herself and she reconfirmed that she had graduated at the top of her class.
"It's not a matter of how smart you are," Buddy stated as he picked up the molding clay and packed it over the drill head. "I'm looking for muscle memory here because I'm aiming to make you forget your name."
If Violet had any control over her body she would have clenched her thighs at the comment.
He stared at her with hunger, but he wasn't going to consume her yet. He wanted to tenderize her. Torment her to the point that she would practically melt in his mouth. Dragging over a stool and the cart that held his tools, Buddy sat before her and picked up where he left off.
His gloved hands carefully unzippered her jeans and tugged at the material, pulling them down just above her knees. He left her pale floral panties on for the time being, but he did slip a finger along her clothed slit.
Violet would have shivered if she could, but she was denied the ability. All she could do was bite back a yelp of surprise and glare at the smug expression he produced as he rubbed his thumb against the slick forefinger.
"Glad to see you are excited for this already," he chirped.
"Shut up," was all she could say, not wanting to admit she was ready for him long before he got into his mad scientist character.
His fingers were on her again, this time adding more friction to her through the fabric. The smug look also stuck around as he rubbed her, his eyes never leaving her face. Normally, Violet would be writhing like a worm on a hook when used his fingers on her. Sometimes she'd laugh, other times she'd force him to stop with her force fields, but he rarely was given the opportunity to bring her to completion.
He watched as she struggled to fight back the moans and cries that were rising in her throat, but he was rewarded with a sharp gasp as he introduced his thumb into the mix by rolling it over her clit.
The scent of her arousal was thick and his desire had certainly reached the peak but he wasn't going act on it until the dam broke or she did.
Violet's muscles strained to pull away from his hand but it was a fruitless battle. Suddenly, he stopped.
And he started. And stopped.
Over and over, she neared a climax but was denied the bliss.
"Why?" she whined and Buddy's cheeks puffed up, a sign that he was clearly proud of himself.
"I'm sorry, were you under the impression I was doing this for you?"
Violet's jaw unhinged at the gall of the man. "I don't tease you this bad!"
"Maybe not, but I've got at least a year's worth of torment to recoup, sup," Buddy said as he played with her clit again. "I can stop."
"Stopping is the problem," she said with a hitch in her tone.
"Use your words, Parr. What do you want?"
She wanted control over her powers back. She wanted to go back home and never see the colonel again. She wanted people to stop trying to kill Buddy so they could just breathe. But he wasn't asking for that, nor could he provide those wishes.
He could finish her off. That would be a start at the very least.
"You know what I want."
"I'm not sure that I do," he sighed as he removed his hand again. When it came to Violet, winning was a rarity, and he wasn't going to back down when he had her in a bind like this. "But I guess I won't stop," he purred as he took out the laser tool again.
Hooking the material that rode over her hip with a single finger, Buddy sliced the offensive layer of clothing away, but he didn't stop there. He cut off her jeans, earning him a nasty look, and he lowered the Zero Point Energy down to 60 percent, giving Violet some moveability, but nothing more than flexing her muscles enough to wriggle against the binds.
Violet gasped as he brought a rag to her wet sex, drying her off for the time being. The texture of the cloth and the pressure of his hand were harsh but still boarded pleasing. He tried to take the rag back but the Zero Point Energy had it in its hold, making it difficult to remove.
He sighed heavily as he turned the settings down once again, now to 50 percent. With that adjustment, Violet had more control over her head, than the ability to stretch her hands.
"One of these days, I'm going to really perfect this invention of mine, Violet. And not for the sake of advancement in science or for making life more convenient. No. I think I'll make those upgrades just so I can freeze you in place and fuck you senseless without worry of getting stuck myself," he said as he picked up the drill. "But until then, I suppose toys will have to do."
Violet considered using the safe word when he pressed the plastic fitted piece to her clit but he had trusted her with far more concerning things. When he turned the drill on, she screamed. Not from pain, but pleasure.
"Oh god~"
"I prefer Buddy, actually."
Violet couldn't even manage to scold him. She could barely think as it was. The piece that Buddy had attached to the drill, while also affected by the Zero Point Energy, was rolling over her with such intensity that she came after only a few rotations.
She was unable to take comfort in achieving the orgasm that she had been chasing since Buddy started playing with her. She thought it had been abundantly clear that she climaxed, but the drill continued to spin, threatening to make her come again.
And she did. And then a third time. But still, the torturous pleasure didn't stop. Every once in a while he would take a rag while still running the drill and dry her down but like clockwork, she'd be relubricated by her own juices. She didn't even realize he had been steadily lowering the Zero Point Energy ray. Her body one knew of the violent pleasure he was giving her.
She lolled her head and stared at him with pleading eyes which were returned with dark amusement from the blue-eyed man.
"Buddy, stop," her voice cracked, and he cracked a smile.
"Oh, what's the matter, Parr? I thought stopping was the problem," he said as he rested his chin on a closed fist, the other hand still on the trigger finger of the drill.
Violet threw her head back as much as the ray would allow. Orgasming once was a success and anything more than that was just a bonus. But as she neared a seventh earth-shattering climax, she felt a numbing pain and the need to be filled.
"Buddy, please~" she pleaded but he remained still, enjoying the sweet cruelty he had inflicted upon her.
"Use your right words, dearest," he said calmly.
Violet honestly believed she was going to pass out. She wasn't sure if one could pass out from pleasure but she could hardly stand the overstimulation. She came again, producing yet another glorious cry that was music to the man's ears.
"Sassafras," she sobbed out unable to endure anymore and Buddy complied on the spot. He put the drill aside before shutting down the Zero Point Gravity.
Violet's legs crumbled beneath her but she didn't touch the ground, as Buddy caught her before the fall and pulled her into his lap.
"You held out longer than I expected, Vi. You did so well," he congratulated gently, his clean glove sweeping her hair from her face. "How are you feeling?"
Violet still found it difficult to think. She was climbing down from the clouds he had set her in, but she still had stars in her eyes.
Buddy placed a tender kiss against her forehead. He began to play with the ends of her hair as he waited for a response from her. Her breaths became less ragged and her eyes, still glazed, became more vibrant.
"Are we finished, Vi?" he asked.
She shook her head, slowly, and her body sought to fight against the desire to sleep.
"You haven't had a turn yet," she said as she shifted in his lap.
"Thoughtful as ever, but I got my fill just watching you," he replied, still stiff as a board.
She shook her head lazily as her hand reached beneath her, palming at the throbbing organ that was still tucked away.
"I don't believe you," she uttered and he smiled in turn.
"You look like you're about to knock out, Parr," he said, only slightly regretting overworking the woman until she brought her lips to his ear.
"Everything is off the table," she reminded. "And I want you inside of me," she hummed desperately, her hands still applying friction.
If he were a poorer soul, he would have played the lottery because he felt like the luckiest man on the planet.
"Fucking hell, Parr," he growled before he rose to his feet. He turned Violet's back to him and forced her over the desk.
Violet let him manhandle her. He placed her arms behind her back and held them at the wrists, pressing down on the small of her back as he kept her in place. Still clothed completely, Buddy undid his belt and the fastenings of his pants.
He wasn't running a marathon for himself today, and Violet was already well taken care of. But he wasn't just going to race for his own finish line either.
With his free hand, Buddy guided his member into Violet's entrance. Pushing in, he was met with no resistance. She was still soaked from his handiwork.
"You feel amazing, Vi," he breathed and she moaned beneath him.
"So do you," she returned. Even being as tired as she was, Violet was still attempting to set the pace by inching upon him. But Buddy wasn't going to give up the reins when he only just got them.
The hand that had put him into Violet's welcoming folds was free once again and he took this opportunity to gather up her raven hair. He waited for a moment, seeing if she would use the safe word to bar him from messing with her hair. She turned her head over her shoulder and nodded again.
Buddy inhaled deeply before he licked his lips. He didn't know what the hell he had done to earn full access, but he did care a great deal. He didn't want this to be the last time, though judging by her willingness so far, he believed that he was going to get his way more often when it came to bedroom activities.
He wrapped her hair around his hand like athletic tape and tightened his grip before pulling her head back. Slowly burying himself to the hilt, he placed his mouth up against her ear.
"Are you enjoying yourself, darlin'? You looked like you were having a good time- so good, in fact, I think I should invest in some actual toys and restraints, don't you?"
Violet didn't speak, but her flushed cheeks answered for her.
"Should I repurpose one of the test chambers to be a special room for us?" he asked and Violet squeezed her eyes tight as he bucked into her.
"Shut up," she rasped, trying not to think about something so crude. She was discovering more than she had wanted about herself today, but the problem was that Buddy was also aware of the newfound knowledge.
"Chamber five is hardly ever used. I can make that into a nice little sex pad for us," he breathed as he steadily rocked into her.
"Maybe even make a little device that can fuck you for me while I watch- wouldn't that be nice, Violet?" he asked as he pulled her hair back a little more. He was also going in deeper than Violet had ever previously experienced, or it at least felt that way given the awkward angle.
"I think I would like that~ having a machine whose only function is to fuck you for my viewing pleasure."
Her face continued to be flushed red at the thought. But she could see it, and heaven help her, she found herself curious enough to try.
His pace increased, and his labored breathing hinted that he was nearing completion, but it was so hard to tell given the state of his lungs. And that he wouldn't stop talking.
"I could tie you up-"
"Blindfold you,"
"Get you a ball gag~"
"If-, If anyone needs a gag, it's you," Violet rebelled as she held back a moan and his rutting ceased. He even released her hair. Violet felt victorious in getting the man to shut up, but it was a short-lived victory as nipped at the side of her neck, stealing a gasp from her in the process.
"I'm willing to try anything once with you, Parr. Can you say the same?" he purred, and the hand that had been clutching her hair was snaking underneath, his fingers on her clit once more.
Violet thrashed beneath him, but she was successfully pinned and she began to see stars again. He jackhammered his cock with reckless abandon by this point. The lewd noises produced by his lover ebbed him closer to the edge.
She had lost count of how many times she had came, but Buddy was clocking her in at nine times as her walls clamped around him. It was a record for them, and it was one that he was looking forward to beating again. Then without notice, he came.
Releasing a guttural groan, the man pumped the last of his essence into her. Still holding her down at her wrists, he trailed kisses from the back of her neck to her shoulders and then along her spine. Shivers radiating from her with each touch as she came down.
He let go of her wrists and pulled away, and the crass asshole became a refined man once more. He took up one of the clean rags and cleaned up the mess he made in Violet before tending to himself.
Violet was spent, and though his knee was still struggling to hold his own weight he wasn't about to make her do the walk of shame, especially given the fact that she only had her socks and shoes left intact.
After Buddy threw away the erotic evidence and her tattered clothes into the drawers of his workstation to be disposed of at a later date and time, he shrugged off his lab coat. He helped an exhausted Violet into the coat and buttoned it up as she came to life once more.
"Buddy."
"Yes, my love?"
She felt drunk, but in a good way. Not nauseous or absent-minded, just light-footed and buzzed from the carnal activity. She wanted to tell him that he was correct on his assumptions; she was going to want to experience this again, but still too proud to admit it she instead murmured a barely coherent 'I love you.'
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he said as he collapsed his cane to half its size and stuffed the crutch into a pocket of the lab coat she donned. He motioned to sweep her up bridal style but her hand caught his, their fingers intertwining before he could shake her.
Warmth flooded his chest at the simplicity of that moment. Raising their hands up, he placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, not breaking eye contact with her as he did so. Pink patches burned on her cheeks as she looked away.
"When did you become such a romantic?" Violet asked before their hands dropped, still locked together.
"Don't get used to it, Parr," he warned, though he was aiming to lower her guard. He still had every intention of living up to the threat he made with her father. This time tomorrow, there were going to be a lot of broken hearts in the Synner community with his official engagement to Invisigirl on national TV.
Walking together, hand in hand, Buddy punched in the code to open up the lab door.
"You owe me a new sweater. And bra. And those were my favorite jeans," she said and he shrugged.
"I'll buy you new clothes, though I gotta say, I really like seeing you in nothing but a lab coat. Not sure if this makes you my assistant or my test subject but there are more experiments we need to try," he teased as the doors flew open and they came face to face with a furious Robert Parr.
He held his fist up to pound on the door with one hand and the other held a blood-filled lancer. He would have brought his fist down onto his arch-nemesis if it wasn't for two things:
Violet would have been witness to the attack, and he was slapped with the stench of sex.
Violet released Buddy's hand and quickly squeezed through the doorway, holding her arms tightly over her chest. The look of recognition on her father was enough for her to want to be buried alive. Buddy on the other hand was positively elated by the presence of .
"Oh, thanks for delivering this, big guy," Bob heard Syndrome say but he didn't react as the mad man took the medical device from his hand.
Paralyzed with rage, grief, and disgust, Bob wasn't able to move until the lab doors closed again. He turned his head to watch the retreating figure of Violet and Syndrome throwing a wink over his shoulder as he grabbed at Violet's ass through the lab coat.
"Ah-! Buddy!" Violet snapped in shock and frustration and the villain's laugh reverberated through the hall.
Bob hoped that there was a memory wiper somewhere in this godforsaken facility that would help him forget this moment forever.
…
The day was beautiful at the Capital. A few white puffed-up clouds hovered above the city which was a crisp 68 degrees. Morning dew still caking the windows of the metropolitan buildings.
Outside of the NSA headquarters, which was still under construction from the damages caused by Evelyn's bombshell report, stood the largest crowd that had ever come to one of Buddy's transparency check-ins. But this is the first time that he wasn't alone on trial.
This size of the crowd had been somewhat anticipated and rather than a podium on the steps of the building a temporary stage had been set up along with projected monitors so that even the spectators who stood a block away could see the faces of the NSA supporters.
Violet had done what she was told. She spoke from the heart and only had good things to say about the current administration. She had to bring up the past deeds of the agency, which was unavoidable, but she told the story of her and Buddy working together to root out the evil that his beneath the surface, and their success.
This briefing was in many ways do or die for him and the agency, as congress would be voting on the future status of the NSA tomorrow. Winston was doing his damndest to whip enough politicians to confirm a no vote- but none would budge.
"The truth is that we still need the NSA," Invisigirl said to the crowd. "It has a dark past, but the NSA is the only thing that is providing any support to us right now."
She hated to say it, but it had to be said. Her time on the mic wasn't finished yet, but a voice was already breaking out from the crowd.
"You're not actually invested in the NSA," the voice accused. Buddy recognized the voice as the cretin who wrote for The Daily Examiner, Guy Barton. "If the NSA loses its standing as a federal entity, Syndrome's sentence will be commuted back to the state of California. They say he'll get the chair out there. How is anyone supposed to believe that you are actually looking out for the best interest of supers when you've already killed four of them for him."
Violet wasn't surprised at the comment. She was almost impressed by the guts he had to speak to her in such a way. It was nice to have someone talk to her like she wasn't capable of murder.
Suddenly Buddy was at the podium and pulled the mic in his direction.
"Normally, Guy, I would agree with you, but I will fight you on this one," he said before turning his head back and gave a nod to Winston who had Lillian with him. "I'd like to introduce you all to someone very special, CopyCat."
As soon as Lillian was visible to the public the sound of awws broke out in the streets. She wore an all black suit save for a white cat head outline on the front of her suit. She also donned a pair of cat ears that she insisted on and her custom-made backpack.
Picking her up, Buddy glanced out to the crowd again. "Copy Cat here is a new superhero! She's got this nifty trick where she can mimic other supers bu she's got big shoes to fill. Her parents are none other than Carbon Copy and Lady Fantasia."
"Now I know what most of you are thinking, who the hell would put me in charge of a super, right? I know I wouldn't. And I'm sure she'd rather be with her family. Unfortunately, she can't. Why you might ask? Well, your editors are going to have a field day with this, but someone out there is killing unsuspecting supers and their families. And spoiler alert- it's not me."
Cameras flash as gasps and rabid questions came from the crowd, but Buddy pressed on.
"I've never denied my past and I certainly don't attempt to sell myself as a good guy either, but there is one thing I don't tolerate, and that's messing with kids. Super or not, children are the future of this world," Buddy stated. He laid it on pretty thick, but he was glad both Mirage and Violet didn't call him out and bring up the missiles from over a decade ago. "Now, as someone who is familiar with evil plots, I can confidently say that the only scarier than a super for a bad guy is another villain because we don't play by a rule book or moral code. We get the job done by any means necessary. And my job now is to look after CopyCat, and finding the criminals responsible."
More prominent figures from the crowd tried to question Buddy but he ignored them still.
"For any supers out there that don't believe I have the kid's best interest at heart, we're residents of The Eighth Wonder. so you can believe I'll be on my best behavior. Before we move on to questions, CopyCat, do you have anything you'd like to say to your new fans?"
"I wanna help people, like my mom and dad did," the young girl announced and the crowd went nuts.
Buddy set Lillian into Winston's arms, making room for Invisigirl to be at the podium again. With hands shooting up, Violet selected a woman dressed in red.
"Invisigirl, if what Mr. Pine said is true, why are you not hunting down the criminals as we speak?"
"We have been investigating these series of murders, we'll have this case closed soon- but while I am looking for the killers I can't protect anyone. It's critically important for any supers who are not enrolled in the NSA to do so immediately. That's the best way we can shield you right now," Violet urged.
"Interesting choice of words there, Invisigirl," shouted a voice from the crowd, steering the camera from the stage and to the direction of Evelyn Deavor who was making her way to the front of the crowd. "Don't you use your shield to kill now?"
Violet gripped the edges of the podium with all her might as she met the self-satisfied gaze of Evelyn. Mirage was already sending security to the crowd, but the damage was already done, and Evelyn still had more ammunition to throw.
"Having supers join the NSA at this hour is just lining up cattle to slaughter, isn't it?!" Evelyn continued as she was pulled through the crowd. "Is the NSA putting you in charge of putting down supers they seem too dangerous? Who is going to put you down, Invisigirl? Who is going to put you down?"
Violet motioned to retaliate but Buddy had his hand over the mic and was in her ear.
"Take it from an instigator, you'll just fan the flame on this."
Violet hated that he was right. Hated it even more than Evelyn likely wouldn't even get a slap on the wrist for disturbing the peace. She hated a lot of things at present.
"Let's get some more questions in," Buddy pressed as he spotted the woman he was looking for. "Janet! What do the readers of Techie Digest want to know?"
Janet smiled. "Mr. Pine. A few months back you told our readers that you only had a love for science."
"I sure did," he said as he leaned against the podium.
"Since then, rumors have surged about your unique relationship with Invisigirl. Can you confirm or deny these rumors?"
"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."
"Oh thank Christ," a relieved Robert Parr sighed in the cafeteria of The Eighth Wonder, as he, his wife, and several soldiers watched the press briefing.
"But luckily for you, I am no gentleman," Buddy grinned. "I am indeed in a relationship with Invisigirl."
Shock went through the audience, but none were as thrown off as Violet. A warning would have been nice. She went invisible but before she did, Buddy had caught her hand.
"Come on, darlin'. This will wash out Evelyn's feature for sure," he uttered low enough for only her to hear. Reluctant, she obliged and became visible once more and Buddy returned his attention to the crowd.
"Now I'd love to give you the full story, but I'm saving out for an exclusive down the line if I'm not forced to take it to the grave," Buddy said with a smirk, hoping this dastardly tactic of gossip would help sway some constituents to call their representatives. "I might have been the one to kidnap the super-"
"Buddy, don't," Violet warned softly.
"But she stole my heart," he remarked, laying his eyes on her again with an expression that was of amatory nature. "She foiled all my plans, and made me a better man."
Violet's eyes moved to follow a hand that dug into his pant pockets and the urge to go invisible only increased as he proceeded to get down on a single knee.
The cameras began to flash more rapidly and the frantic calls from the reporters were replaced by squeals of excitement.
"Invisigirl, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Violet was furious at the sneaky move yet oddly endeared by the show. She had half the mind to deny him the moment in the spotlight if only to teach him a lesson of putting her on the spot. But how could she say no to that hopeful smile?
She smiled and opened her mouth to provide the answer they already both knew but a shot rang out in the distance, silencing the joyful play.
It was instinctual for Violet to bring up a force field, and without her watch the violet-colored wall displayed. She could only hope that the ricochet didn't hurt anyone else, but she still had to protect herself and those behind her and Buddy. She was just thankful it wasn't a machine gun.
That relief vanished as she watched the force field ripple rather than reflect the object back out.
The shield was penetrated, and Buddy watched in horror as the bullet was aiming towards his heart.
He wasn't the target.
Violet was.