Author's Note: Because TheDonutMistress and I were rockin' out to Parasite Eve II
genre: drabble/humor
pairing: none, implied one-sided Pierce/Aya
rating: PG
Summary: Pierce's bad joke come back in a bad way
Distraction
By: Mazzie May
--
Aya tapped her pen against the edge of the file next her paper work, and sighed.
There hadn't been much going on in the world of NMC incidents since Nevada. On average there were about two or three severe cases a year—that the public never heard of, of course—and only a handful of smaller incidents. Though, as time went by, less and less appearances were being made.
Not that Aya was complaining. Sure, within a year or two's time she could be out of a job, but she could live with that. After all, no MIST means no more NMC.
Sightings, anyway.
Truth. Just because someone doesn't burst into flames like poor Melissa Pearce doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Grant it, the horrific end of the promising opera singer was due to the rage her mitochondria expelled. From what Aya was able to gather, Pearce's doctors had been on the right track to regarding her mysterious illness. The medications they prescribe were suppressing the progress the cells wanted to make. And in a sudden burst of energy… Well, Manhattan will never be the same.
Pearce was worst-case scenario. There were people like Aya, people who's bodies were molding and adjusting to the genetic mutations. None of them were anywhere near Aya's level of control, of course, and no one ever would be. Like the boy in Chicago. After a cultured lung transplant, whenever angered, fire would burst from him.
That had taken a couple of days. Insisting that he needed to keep his cool long enough for them to limit his mitochondria so he couldn't light things ablaze, pissed him of greatly. Aya managed to keep herself unlit, but Rupert's eyebrows got singed.
She tucked her light paperwork into the file, not in the mood. Aya wasn't the type to put things off, but she mostly done, anyway. The report wasn't going anywhere. It could wait a few hours.
She stared hard out her office window, beginning to seriously consider that if she tried hard enough, she could fly. She eyed the lock on her window in contemplation when a sudden rapping on her wall turned her towards the door.
Pierce was leaning in, grinning like a mad man.
"Pierce… you like you killed a man in Reno just to watch him die."
His smile grew. "Even better."
She raised her brow. "Oh, really?"
He nodded slowly, the grin spread painfully across his face and for the first time she noticed the insane gleam in his eyes. Normally, someone could see through a pair of shades, but Aya's vision beat twenty/twenty easy.
He slowly brought his other hand from behind his back, extending his arm. He held a videotape. She looked up at him, annoyed. "And?"
"Aya-a-ah… what's the title say?"
She dropped her eyes back to the case. It's called—"Oh, no way…!" she breathed.
He nearly giggled as he nodded. "I know, huh! How cool is that?"
She laughed a little herself, in disbelief. The immensely lame joke Pierce made just before her trip to the Mojave was an actual movie? "Attack of the Killer Cows…" She shook her head. "Wow."
"Aya, you realize we are so watching this."
"We are?"
"Tonight."
"Don't we work at night?"
"So, today."
"Do we have to?"
"Oh, come on!" He rolled his eyes. "You can't tell me you're not the least bit curious about this." He held the case up next to the side of his head, as an infomercial host would hold the object he was presenting.
She shook her head a little, making small noises, searching for something to say. "… I do not have any words."
"You don't need to be able to speak to watch a movie."
"Pierce, it's going to be horrible."
"Oh, I know. Oh my God, do I know. It's going to reek." He continued smiling. "C'mon, please?"
"I'm not subjecting Eve to something so bad," she said, elbow on desk, cheek in palm.
"I don't expect you to! It'll be just the two of us. It was our joke, this'll be our secret," he pleaded.
Aya sighed while smiling; already knowing she was going to agree. She knew Pierce was just being Pierce and she was curious, but she could still feel something else emit from him when he spoke the word "our". He was being his friend self, but at the same time, he was too happy that he'd be sharing something in private with her.
Shaking her head, she asked, "Your place?"
He whooped. "Nah, no time. Briefing room. Noon good for you?"
"Noon's good."
He laughed loudly and left. She could hear a faint "This is going to be frickin' sweet" from down the hall.
She wanted a distraction.
And she got one.
--
Author's Note: Because that needed to be written. There really aren't enough Parasite Eve fics. S'a shame, since it's such a kick-ass series. Ah, well. Here's my contribution. This was written during the week I spent with TheDountMistress. Fuckin' sweet weak.
R&R please. Commentary always appreciated.