Author's Note: Would've had this done sooner but I had to wait for some input from a real fashionista. Sorry it's late, but at least its here! Savour this piece of original content, folks, from here we sprint to the end of Season 2! No stops! Without further ado, enjoy!
Janet's fashion class is celebrating! A night out with a chance to show off their own styles, the winsome Wasp is determined to go… and she's taking her newfound beau; Connor Peterson himself. What manner of hijinks (romantic or otherwise) can these two lovebirds get up to? Time to find out, true believers, as well as if a pair of Avengers can be-
Chapter 44: Fashionably Heroic
Connor was awoken by the feeling of hands brushing his scalp, gently weaving through his hair and massaging him awake. Stirring with a groan, he suddenly realized he was lying atop a warm body, skin to skin, with his head most specifically settled against her bosom. Lifting his head he came face to face with Janet, whose tousled hair and tired expression matched his own.
"Hey…" He greeted with a small smile.
"Hey." She replied, returning it. Shuffling his posture, Connor got off and laid beside her, Janet immediately snuggling against his chest.
"We… We did something last night…" he mused, "didn't we?"
"More like you did me and I did you." Janet responded, earning a chuckle from him as she giggled in turn.
"Oh, Janet…" Connor whispered, slipping an arm around her. "You have no idea how much I've wanted this to happen." He confessed, meaning it in a wholesome way. Deep down, Janet understood.
"I think I can. In hindsight, it all kinda makes sense now." She told him. "I'm really, really sorry I left you out in the cold so many times. I can't believe I was blind to all the signs!" She apologized, averting his gaze for a moment as a horrible guilt consumed her. "Guess that's why I'm 'ding-a-ling Jan, the airheaded heiress'."
"No you're not." Connor said, tilting her chin up towards him. "I stayed quiet because I didn't want to interfere with what you and Hank had going on. You didn't realize because I never said anything. I would've been perfectly fine with saying nothing… of course, I never counted on you passing through my head and seeing it all for yourself."
"You'd lose yourself in all that hurt and unrequited feelings just so I could live my life…" Janet whispered, stroking his cheek, "you really are something special, Connor. I don't want you to hurt any more. Tell me, as often as you can. Please don't hold back anymore." She urged and he took his words to heart. With that, Connor gathered Janet up in his arms and pulled her into a tender kiss. She reciprocated, feeling the love and affection passing between them.
"I love you, Janet. I have since I met you. And I know that my feelings for you aren't going to change." Connor promised when they parted. His words, spoken breathily, ghosted across her flesh as if imparting his feelings to her on a spiritual level. She smiled fondly.
"It's been so long since anyone's wanted me like this. I-I feel whole again. Wanted. Desired." Closing her eyes she nuzzled his chest, feeling every wire of cyberware that crisscrossed his pecs. "You have no idea how good I feel right now. Better than I have in months." She admitted.
"I think I can relate." Connor concurred, kissing the top of her head. They lay silent for a moment, savouring the intimacy and the closeness they shared.
"Last night was amazing, by the way." Janet said suddenly.
"You wouldn't happen to want to make this a regular thing, would you?" Connor hesitantly queried.
"Are you kidding? You and I are together now, of course I want to!" Janet agreed. Then a sudden thought came to her and she sat up a little. "We… We should probably tell the others. You know, before they, um, find out." She determined. Connor could see the logic in her wishes.
"Good point. Better to let the cat out of the bag ourselves. No need for them to accidentally stumble upon us after we've-" he suddenly stopped short as memories of last night came flooding back. As much as it was very enjoyable and very memorable, one very key concern rushed to the forefront. His eyes shot wide open, panic engulfing him as he scrambled to get out of bed and act. "Protection! Crap! I didn't use any! W-We should-"
"Connor, Connor!" Janet stilled him, grabbing his arm. "It's okay. I'm on the pill." She explained. A wave of relief washed over the technopath.
"Oh… Oh, okay, good… good… whew." He breathed a considerable sigh and slumped back down. "Man, that scared me for a minute."
"I could tell." Janet giggled, patting his back. "It is back in my room, though… I should probably get back there. You know, just to avoid causing a scene. I really don't want Hawkeye to catch me leaving your room." Connor nodded.
"Or Tony, or Carol, or T'Challa… no one who would immediately give us a hard time." He agreed.
"So, meet in the kitchen and we'll tell-all over breakfast?" Janet wondered as she hopped out of bed and immediately began collecting her scattered clothes.
"Sure. I need a shower." Connor agreed as he set about finding clothes of his own. The ones from yesterday obviously needed to be washed, especially after being trapped in Ultron's containment tube. New ones were in order.
Grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, as well as socks and boxers for the day, Connor glanced over his shoulder (searching for a towel) when he caught sight of Janet slipping her costume back on. The way the spandex fit over the beautiful body he now knew quite intimately never failed to hypnotize him.
Feeling eyes on her, Janet looked over her shoulder and offered a sultry smile as she pulled her arms through the sleeves. "Zip me up?" She wondered in a husky voice. Her boyfriend obliged, striding over and sliding the zip back into place until she was properly clothed again. Turning around, she gave him an appreciative peck on the cheek before strutting over to the nearby window, putting some extra sway in her hips as she did. True to her suspicions, he gawked at her bottom as she bent over and pulled up the window to grant her exit. Looking over her shoulder again, she blew him a kiss. "See you in a few." She promised before shrinking down and taking flight, darting off in a golden bolt.
Connor was left alone, but remained the happiest man in the world. Loosing a contented exhale, suddenly finding life so very pleasing and proper, the technopath found his towel as visions of his new girlfriend danced oh-so tantalizingly through his head. "I think I'm gonna have a cold shower this morning." He murmured to himself.
Meanwhile…
In the kitchen, Carol Danvers was helping herself to a freshly brewed pot of coffee as Tony Stark nursed his far more exquisite morning beverage while reading a hologram projection of the news. "Cream, sugar, and that's it? Where's your sense of adventure, Major?" Stark queried.
"Must've left it in my other pants." Carol retorted, enjoying a quick swig that refreshed her instantly.
"Quiet and subdued. Doesn't seem very befitting of a powerful super-woman like yourself." Tony continued, enjoying the brief moment of ribbing.
"Better than your loud and obnoxious… fourteen-ingredient mess you call 'coffee'." Carol sniped as she sat across from him.
"Ugh. You sound just like Cap." Tony grumbled. "It's just Hawaiian-roasted beans, caramel drizzle, light cream-"
"Two words too many for coffee ingredients. You're taking all the enjoyment out of it." Carol interjected before enjoying another sip. "Speaking of enjoyment, Janet better hurry up if she wants to enjoy this hot." She added under her breath. At that moment, Thor and Clint Barton entered the room, the archer mostly in costume but with his hood lowered and the Asgardian remaining garbed in his full armored ensemble as always.
"Ho, fellow Avengers! 'Tis a glorious morning here on Midgard." Thor boomed in greeting.
"Dial it down a notch, would you thunderpants?" Clint grumbled. "Hrn… Coffee…" he grumbled in a near-zombielike state and shambled over to the coffeemaker.
"Trouble sleeping?" Carol queried.
"You would too if you were still normal like me. Ultron's little human-zappers put me through the ringer." Clint glowered in retort, pouring himself a mug as quickly as he could. Taking his straight up black, he chugged half his mug in one go. "Mmm… coffee."
"O-kay… remind me to check Clint into the coffee version of AA." Tony remarked, somewhere between bemused and concerned as he witnessed the display. Just then, his projector suddenly shimmered to reveal the face of Captain America, calling in via his ID card.
"Tony. We might have a problem on our hands." He announced. Carol, Thor and Tony shared puzzled looks as Clint loosed a sigh and slumped down in a chair.
"Isn't it a little early for villainy?" He mumbled. Tony ignored him.
"What is it, Cap?"
"Connor never showed up for morning patrol. I'm taking his place but it's not like him. He's never late for duties." Steve answered. While thankfully a minor issue to look into, it was still a particularly surprising one that none of them had been expecting.
"Uh oh." Carol muttered. "I think a certain Captain is about to go all drill sergeant on our poor technopath."
"Thanks for the heads up, Cap. I'll look into it." Tony promised. Steve's visage faded away as Stark began keying into the remote JARVIS link installed in his projector to access certain programs tucked away in the Mansion.
"Connor? Late? Never used those two words in the same sentence before." Carol murmured, wondering what could be wrong.
"Aye, most unusual for him. Friend Connor has never been one to shirk his duties." Thor concurred.
"If it's Skrulls again, I'm going back to bed. Wake me up when the invasion's over." Clint mumbled, downing the rest of his coffee.
"JARVIS, bring up mansion biometric scanners and see if you can pinpoint the last known reading of Connor Peterson." Tony ordered, sipping down the last of his coffee as his AI started sweeping through programming signals.
"Biometric scanners?" Carol repeated in questioning.
"I had them installed throughout the Mansion after the Skrull invasion. Didn't want to lose anyone else the same way again." Tony answered without looking at her. His fellow teammates suddenly shot him concerned looks.
"You've been spying on us?" Clint wondered with a glare.
"Nay. Friend Stark would never!" Thor protested.
"I swear, if you put a camera in any of the rooms I use…" Carol threatened.
"Not spying. I promise, they don't include your bedrooms." Tony hurriedly refuted. He was saved by JARVIS pinging a response.
"Sir, I've pinpointed the latest data you requested." The AI stated, pulling up a file of every biometric reading recorded in the Mansion within the last 12 hours. Near the bottom of the list, with data, time and location included, was Connor's signature.
"Hmm… Connor entered his room last night. After all of us turned in." Tony hummed.
"Makes sense. He was still tinkering with Vision." Carol surmised with a shrug. "That doesn't explain much."
"Huh… he didn't go alone…" Tony suddenly announced, renewing their attentions.
"What do you mean?" Clint pressed.
"Was he followed?" Thor questioned.
"Looks like Janet went with him." That gave everyone pause, multiple thoughts coming to mind.
"It… sounds like they just went to talk or something." Carol concluded innocently.
"Uh, normally I would agree. But there's no record of her ever leaving his room after that instance." Tony promptly announced, highlighting the time stamp next to Janet's signature. Sure enough, she never left his room.
"What?" Carol peered closer and suddenly two and two fit together. Janet had spent the night with Connor. "Oh! Ohhhh…" she trailed off, suddenly grinning from ear to ear. "I think I know what happened last night."
"What? No more Hank?" Clint wondered.
"It's… a long story." Carol partly explained.
"Odin's beard! It would appear friend Connor has wooed friend Janet." Thor remarked.
"Oh this morning suddenly got a whole lot more fun." Clint mused with a grin to make the Cheshire Cat envious as he rubbed his hands together gleefully.
"Ease off the throttle, mad hatter. Seeing as this just happened these two need to be approached with care and tact." Tony implored.
"Of which you have neither." Carol added with a snicker. "Gosh, an inter-team romance. That's a first for us, isn't it?"
"Not exactly playing 'bingo' here, Carol." Tony sighed.
"Worry not my friends, surely their union is cause for joyous carousing." Thor boomed. "Friend Stark, your finest mead! We shall toast to their happiness!" He declared.
"Eh, I guess it's five o'clock somewhere." Clint chuckled. "Either that or it's too early to get plastered."
"Way too early." Tony cut in.
"So, what exactly do we do with this? Pretend we don't know?" Carol wondered.
"Of course not! If we break the ice first, it'll spare them having to awkwardly explain things when Cap comes back demanding answers from Connor." Tony decided. The blonde, having no better idea, shrugged and relented. Not a moment too soon as footsteps sounded from the adjoining hall. The four hurried to maintain calm, unsuspecting expressions as Janet strode in, dressed in a yellow crop top and blue skinny jeans.
"Morning, Jan." Carol greeted nonchalantly.
"Good morning everyone!" The brunette greeted ever-so chipperly, smiling from ear to ear. On any other day, her comrades would've had to guess what had put her in such a good mood. But today they had a pretty good idea. "Isn't a wonderful day out there?"
"Wow. Someone's chipper." Clint remarked. "Get up on the right side of the bed?" He shot a look at Tony and Carol as he spoke, all of them grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Before more could be said, Connor entered the kitchen.
"Morning all. Carol. Tony. Clint. Thor." He greeted nonchalantly, making his way to the fridge.
"Hey Connor." Tony responded, grinning even though the technopath's back was to him. "Sleep well?" He wondered, unable to resist.
"Oh, yeah. Sure. Decent enough after all those crazy android antics." Connor responded, cracking open a fresh container of orange juice. "That reminds me, I need some parts for Vision…" He muttered to himself.
"You sure you got enough sleep?" Clint teased. Connor looked to him and cocked a brow. Behind him, Janet froze.
"Uh… yeah?" He responded, sounding as confused as he looked. "Since when have you ever been interested in how well I sleep, Barton?"
"Since you slept in and missed your morning patrol." The archer retorted, still grinning smugly. Connor blanched, almost dropping the carton in his hand.
"Oh crap! I forgot!" He exclaimed.
"It's okay, Cap covered for you. But you better have a real good excuse for when he gets back." Tony promised.
"Think you can vouch for him, Jan?" Carol wondered with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Jolting at the sudden and rather pointed call-out, Janet turned around with an awkward look on her face and finally noticed the knowing grins on the faces of her colleagues.
"Wait a minute…" she trailed off as the reality dawned on her. "YOU KNOW?!" She shrieked in alarm, both appalled and flabbergasted. "How long have you known?!"
"For about five minutes, after Tony showed us his biometric scans… and revealed how you two entered the same bedroom and never left." Clint revealed. Connor paused.
"Wait, hang on, since when did you install biometric scanners in the mansion?" He demanded.
"Since I figured it was a good idea to avoid getting Skrull'd again." Tony stated, as if it were simply common sense. "Didn't think it would ever reveal something as scandalous as this." He added, teasingly so. Janet buried her face in her hands and groaned in embarrassment.
"Come come, nevermind them, my friends. A mere lighthearted jesting on their part due to your happiness. Congratulations are in order! It appears noble Frey and fair Freya hath woven their magicks." Thor offered in a friendly tone, throwing meaty arms around the two of them.
"You know a pair of love gods?" Janet wondered with a quirked brow.
"Verily. Brother and sister they are, responsible for love and fertility." Thor answered. Connor and Janet promptly paled at the mention of 'fertility'.
"Oooookay then…" the technopath slowly eased out of Thor's hold as Janet did likewise. "Alright, yeah. Things… happened last night," he confessed, "and, well…"
"Connor and I are together now." Janet added, seeing no point in delaying the reveal any longer now that everyone else knew about it. To add emphasis, she reached out and grasped Connor's hand, leaning in to hug him from the side. Carol's smile turned warm and happy, getting up and moving to embrace her friend.
"Oh, Jan, I'm so happy for you." Carol offered, hugging Janet affectionately. "And I'm not gonna say, 'I told you so'." She added with a chuckle.
"Well, you know me… a little dense around the edges." Janet admitted with a roll of her eyes. Releasing her, Carol turned to Connor, still smiling.
"Connor," she wrapped her arms around him, "happy to see everything turn out well."
"Didn't think it would ever happen to be honest." The technopath replied, returning the hug. Janet suddenly clued in.
"Ohhhh… so that's what you two were talking about!" She realized. Carol released him and then gave him a stern, serious look.
"I'm happy for you both. But if you break her heart…" She threatened and Connor immediately held up his hands to pacify the blonde.
"Hey, don't have to worry about me. Besides, I've seen the way you've punched the lights out of guys three times more durable than me." He promised. "I have every intention of giving Janet all the love and respect and dignity she deserves." His proclamation had Janet blushing, her stomach flip-flopping and her heart pounding, suddenly feeling warmed by his words.
"Aw, Conny…" Reaching up on the tips of her toes, she planted a kiss on his cheek and held it for a long time. "Mwah!"
"Alright, I need more coffee. I cannot handle this yet." Clint grumbled, pulling himself up off his seat.
"So… what's on the go for you two love birds today?" Tony wondered nonchalantly.
"I have to go to Greyburn today, I have a meeting with the dean and a lab I can't miss." Janet answered.
"And I have to go get parts for Vision. Some of the circuit boards in his head need to be replaced after what Ultron did to him." Connor chimed in. Janet's eyes promptly it up.
"You could come to the college with me! The mechanics lab should have the parts you need!" The brunette suggested.
"Hm, well, definitely worth a look. If they don't, I'm sure Stark Industries has them." He decided. "But first… breakfast."
Later that morning…
Janet and Connor parted ways on the grounds of Greyburn College, after the brunette had pointed her man in the direction of the shop class building and where the mechanical pieces he required no doubt lay and sent him on his way with a parting kiss. From there she was on her own, walking with a pep in her step and a smile on her face, a refreshed outlook on the world as Janet practically buzzed with excitement. She had little doubt she'd be daydreaming about her lover in class.
Striding through the doors of the main building, Janet grew so enamoured with her Connor-centred fantasies she became perfectly ignorant to the excited murmurs filling the halls around her. Students stopped to stare, girls whispered eagerly to one another, word slowly spread across the campus that Janet Van Dyne was on the scene.
Something of a celebrity around Greyburn, Janet's reputation was partly due to her father's wealth financing the college and his history with the board and staff as well as her status as the heroine Wasp. But the brunette didn't let it go to head, let alone care much about it. It was her life and she was going to march forward unhindered. Her choices would always be her own.
Stopping by her personal locker and ignoring the stares, Janet made to collect some materials for her impending class when a familiar voice stopped her,
"Jannie? Jannie, is that you?"
Janet leaned around her open locker door and quickly smiled at the sight of her friend; a brown haired, brown eyed, tanned-skinned woman wearing a red strapless top and blue jeans for contrast. They had been friends for a very long time. "Oh! Hey, Tink! Been a while." Janet greeted. Tinky Weissman (or just 'Tink' as her friends called her) was also a second-year fashion student like Janet was albeit a few years younger. A little over 18, Tinky was a cheery, outgoing (and a little scatterbrained) girl who was hard not to like. Having met as first years, Tinky and Janet shared an ongoing friendship both in and out of Greyburn.
"Yes! Long time no see, little miss Avenger." Tinky teased. "You ready for the fashion gala tonight?"
"Sure am. Finished my dress about a week ago." Janet answered positively. "You?"
"I've got a few last-minute touches to make," Tinky confessed, "but I can't wait to wear it. It's gonna look awesome!"
"I bet." Janet mildly concurred, closing her locker. "Have a date?"
"Oh yes! Walther Theodoric. He's such a dreamboat…" Tinky swooned, referring to a ginger-haired business student. "What about you? Is Doctor Pym actually taking time off to show up tonight?" The mention of Hank gave Janet pause and it occurred to her that only the Avengers knew of her new relationship status… one that was decidedly Hank-less.
"Um… well…" She trailed off, wanting to tell her friend but not knowing how. It felt like such a big deal and needed to be handled with precision. "It's a long story. I-I'll tell you after class." She promised, slinging a book bag over her shoulder.
"Sure sure. Take your time 'winsome Wasp'. You heroes and your personal timetables." Tinky giggled.
An hour later…
Class was over, something to check off of Janet's to-do list. In the process she'd caught up with a few more of her friends; the 'nice girl' Alice Taylor, the punk tomboy Dallas Riordan, and the stunning Carina Walters (who seemed better suited to be a model rather than a fashion designer).
The strawberry-blonde Alice Taylor was not a native of the city, having come from a farm life in order to pursue her passion for fashion. On the contrary, the ginger Dallas Riordan was an inner-city girl and had enrolled in the fashion program as a means to get out from under her father's stifling physical training, something carried over from his position within the NYPD. Meanwhile, the platinum-blonde Carina Walters was an out-of-state student who had moved to New York only recently and had decided to busy herself with college courses, carrying herself with a regal air that seemed almost otherworldly… and it matched her physical beauty.
The group of four strode through the halls, getting Janet caught up on local gossip while she regaled them of her recent exploits with the Avengers. "…so that's when we got the team back together and wiped the floor with the Skrulls!"
"Wow! You can grow big as well as shrink? How tall can you get?" Alice wondered curiously.
"Right now, ten to thirty-five feet is the sweet spot. Any higher and get the worst headaches ever." Janet answered nonchalantly.
"Can you still use your… bio-blast-whatever-thingys when you're that big?" Dallas pressed.
"Just call them my 'stings', Dal. And, yes, I can."
"Awesome! Now you can make super-big explosions! Oooo you should pop some off like fireworks at the end of the year." The redhead excitedly urged, miming guns with her fingers.
"And blow up half the school in the process? Yeah, maybe not." Carina swiftly countered. "Although, do me a favour and use them the next time there's a new crew filming you heroes, okay Jan? I kinda wanna see them in action too." She added. The heroine chuckled.
"I'll try to remember that the next time I need to get big." The four stopped by their row of lockers, putting away and collecting items needed for the rest of their day. As they did, a small crowd of students gathered seemingly passively around to chat amongst themselves. In reality, many were hoping to catch sight of Janet, her near-celebrity status drawing in everyone from the merely-curious to the tongue-waggers desperate to update their gossip circles.
Seeing as they weren't intruding on her life, Janet didn't bother with them.
"I have to admit, it's nice to come back here. I really missed this." The brunette remarked with a sigh of contentment. Glancing around, a new sight caused her expression to suddenly sour. "Although there's some things I didn't miss…" She grumbled.
What caught her gaze was a tall girl sporting a generous mass of ruby-red hair, the porcelain skin of her face largely concealed by a pair of oversized sunglasses positioned above cherry-colored lips. She wore a cropped blue t-shirt to expose her toned navel and flared trousers, strutting around like she owned the place.
Flanking her was a black-haired young woman in a green sundress, as well as a dark-skinned young woman whose homely face sat behind a pair of glasses and only half-focused on walking while the rest of her attention was dedicated to her phone. They were a clique, members of the fashion program who refused to associate with anyone other than themselves. Candace 'Candy' Southern was a dark-haired belle always in pursuit of a good time looking to rise through the ranks of the fashion industry and make some wealthy connections. Monica Lynne was a bit more of a bookish girl than her two friends, but used her intelligence in a snobbish snooty way. Ringleading them both was Marcella Carson, a woman whose opinion of herself reached just about cloud level. They were a troupe best avoided by anyone not wanting to have a bad day.
Unfortunately, Janet knew them all too well.
"Well well well, the college sideshow act has arrived." Marcella scornfully remarked as she strode over to the four, hands on her hips. Having played this game before, Janet knew how to retort.
"Funny you should mention that… isn't your dad still doing time for that crooked carnival he was running?" The crowd that had been standing passively by now grew far more invested, offering more attention to the unfolding spat between the two women.
"At least I still have a father." Marcella replied. A low blow for sure.
"At least my father's name is on a college plaque and not on some rap sheet." Janet pointedly sniped. "Now as much as I love our games 'Marcy', I've got a meeting to get to."
"Always so flighty aren't you, hero?" Marcella mused, lowering her shades just a little to reveal icy blue eyes. "Running off to be a big-shot and only dropping by whenever you feel like it. You give the program a bad name."
"Knock it off, Marcy." Carina cut in. "Janet's twice the fashionista you'll ever be."
"We'll see. I'll knock everyone's socks off tonight at the fashion gala." The ginger continued. "Let's see if little miss rich-girl here can beat my design. That is, if she sticks around long enough to show."
"Oh, I will." Janet promised. "I've been planning for this for a long time."
"Really." Monica chimed in, sounding unimpressed. "A few hours?" The black girl wondered derisively.
"A few hours more than you have I bet." Dallas remarked offhand.
"I dunno… Monica and Marcy have been putting in a lot of work." Candace warily mused, always the nicer of the three.
"Whatever. We all know Janet has the highest marks of us all. She knows what she's doing." Tinky interjected.
"Keep dreaming." Monica scoffed.
"Well, if you're gonna challenge me, you'd better show up." Janet finally said. "I don't wanna show up only to find out you're a no-show."
"Oh, I'll be there." Marcella promised. "Got my date picked out and everything." Her expression turned devious, the gears turning in her mind as a plot unfolded. "I presume you'll be bringing Doctor Pym? Still living out your X-rated student-teacher fantasy?" She teased with a smug look. At that, Janet had something to say. It wasn't the way she wanted to explain it, but she needed to refute her.
"If you really must know Marcy… Doctor Pym and I are no longer together. We… broke things off a few months ago." Janet said, loudly and clearly so there was no mistaking her words.
Her statement sparked a sudden rush of surprised comments from the watching crowd of students. Many hurried to take notes on the development as gossip circles were promptly updated. Her friends were equally startled by her words, as were her enemies.
"Wow." Marcella said. "I mean, I knew you two wouldn't last long, but I'm still surprised it ended the way it did."
"Yeah, well, we wound up wanting different things." Janet continued. "I've moved on now."
"Really…" Marcella trailed off, a devious look in her eyes. "So, how many of your Avengers teammates are you cycling through? Giving each one a thorough 'test'?"
"Back off, Marcy! Unlike you, Janet has standards." Dallas retorted.
"Given her previous relationship, I find that very unlikely." Monica remarked under her breath. That set Janet's friends ablaze.
"Why you little s-"
"It's okay, Tink. Sticks and stones, right?" Janet proffered, holding her friend back.
"So, hang on, are you single? Or are you seeing someone?" Carina wondered. Janet opened her mouth to reply, but then-
"Jan?" A familiar masculine voice gave her paused and she smiled instead. Turning around as crowd began to part, Connor made his presence known. Quite spectacularly, in her opinion.
She had asked him to wear one of his tighter shirts, the one that made his muscles far more evident. In contrast to the bulky lab coat-clad understatement that was Hank Pym, Connor had the build of an athlete that made other girls stop and stare. Some with envy. Others with fascination. Also on display were the patches of metal along his hands and forearms, and the cyberware wrapping around them, which helped many clue into the notion that he was indeed an Avenger.
Leaving the clashing cliques behind, Janet happily embraced her boyfriend before regarding the others to make introductions. "Tink, Alice, Carina, Dallas, this is Connor Peterson. My boyfriend." She introduced. Connor tilted his head in acknowledgment.
"Ladies. Pleasure to meet you all." He greeted. For a moment, the ladies whispered to themselves, stunned by the sudden revelation. Janet and Hank had been an item for so long this new shake-up was a little jarring.
"And where did you find him?" Marcella wondered impassively.
"Yeah, which backalley was it?" Monica added with a snort. Quirking a brow, Connor decided to answer decisively in his own way.
"I'll give you three guesses… and the first two don't count." He stated. Flexing his open hand, Monica's phone promptly shot out of her hand and right into his courtesy of his magnets. The display was enough to arouse more curious murmurs from the watching crowd, until one perceptive student cried out,
"That's a Cybernaut thing! Hey, wait! I think he's Cybernaut!" With that declaration, the students were a flurry of murmurs and exclamations. Never before had they ever been privy to such juicy gossip on the college celebrity before.
"Oh my gosh! Janet is dating Cybernaut!"
"Should I be writing this down?"
"Yes you should!"
Her enemies had nothing to say and Janet felt quite comfortable flaunting her success. "Face it, Marcy. Despite all your taunting and nagging… I still hit the jackpot." Janet teased with a smug look, sidling up to her lover. "And if you wanna get to know him better, he'll be coming with me to the second-years' fashion gala tonight." She promised her friends, although several more of the observers heard and took note. With that, Janet turned to leave with Connor, the pair walking away hand in hand.
Marcella and her gang lingered for a moment longer, watching them go. As they did, Candance felt someone approach her from behind. "Candance?" She turned, surprised, and the ebony-haired young woman found herself face to face with anothe student. He was a short, thin, brown-haired man with blue eyes. Not necessarily unattractive but also far from peak physical potential. He ran a hand through his sparse curls, seemingly psyching himself up. Candace scrunched up here brow.
"Do I know you?" She wondered curiously.
"I'm Fabian Stankowicz. From the mechanics program." He introduced. "I was hoping to catch you before the fashion gala, but you always seemed so busy." He swallowed nervously, clearing his throat as Candance waited with a mixed measure of impatience patience. "If you are in need of a date, I'd be more than willing to accompany you in such a role." He offered. Candance blinked. Suddenly this had all become very awkward.
"Look, I'm sure you're a nice guy," she began, trying to let him down gently, "but I already-"
"Candy? What're you-?" Marcella interrupted, ready to leave. Then she caught sight of Fabian and smirked. "This guy seriously asking you out? I hope you didn't get his hopes up. You already got Jeff Piper to go with you." She stated aloud, promptly dashing all of Fabian's hopes. Candance shifted uncomfortably. "Come on, Candy. Put this nerd in his place and let's go already." Marcella urged, moving along.
"Sorry about her. Social cues kinda go out the window." Candance apologized to the crestfallen Fabian. "I've got a date already. Maybe next time? We're doing this again in fourth year." She offered, hurrying on without giving him a second thought or giving him a chance to respond. Left alone and dejected, Fabian turned to leave, balling his hands into fists. Failure had come for him but he turned his disappointment into aggravation. The taunting of Marcella rang in his ears and Fabian began to plot out what to do next. No longer would he be tread upon, not after tonight. He started walking determinedly away from the scene. Scorned for, what he vowed would be, the last time.
Meanwhile, Connor and Janet continued to stroll as he escorted her to her meeting with the college dean. "Find the parts you needed for Vision?" The brunette asked.
"Most of them. The rest I can get from Tony." He answered. "Now, uh, I don't mean to pry… but what's this 'fashion gala' you said I'm going to?" He wondered. Janet blinked, realizing she'd forgotten to explain herself.
"Oh! Right, sorry… I got all caught up with stuff." She apologized. "I had a second ticket, supposed to be Hank's. We're supposed to bring someone with us as we show off the dresses and designs we've been working on this year."
"Really? Custom jobs?" Connor queried.
"Yep. Made them myself." Janet affirmed with a grin. It promptly faded. "I'm sorry I spoke for you. Do you… wanna come?"
"Of course! It's a date. I'd love to see your dress." Connor agreed. "But you better let me go back to the Mansion so I can steal one of Tony's suits… it's not black tie, is it?"
Later that night…
Dressed to the nines in a suit and tie, Connor looked quite dapper as he waited in the foyer of Avengers Mansion. For the fifth time he tugged nervously at the collar of his button-up shirt. "Would you cut that out? You're making me nervous." Carol urged with a chuckle.
"Eh, sorry. First time doing this." The technopath apologized. "Plus, it's been a few years since I've taken a girl on a date."
"Relax. You're both gonna have a good time. Besides, this is Janet wanting to show you her stuff. You don't gotta impress her, she's gonna impress you." Carol assured him, patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Carol. You're a good wingwoman." Connor responded.
"I try." The blonde replied with a shrug. At that moment, Tony entered from outside.
"Alright, car's warmed up and ready. You drive stick, Connor?" He asked, tossing his colleague a set of jangling keys.
"Sure do. First thing Dad taught me." Connor answered, deftly catching the keys with a little help from his magnets.
"Good. Treat her nice and she'll treat you nice." Tony added, leveling a finger towards him. "Get a scratch on her and you'll work for me until the damage is paid off." He stated, leaving no room for argument.
"Are you talking about Janet or the car?" Connor queried, chuckling lightly. Footsteps at the top of the stairs drew his attention up… where his mind promptly went blank, his eyes widened and his heart beat like mad.
Janet slowly descended with grace and elegance, ready for her big night. She was dressed in a floor-length black silk evening gown, styled with an off-the-shoulder, sweetheart neckline. A golden-yellow lace appliqué stretched across the bodice, reminiscent of the colours of her Wasp costume, and it ended in a slightly flared trumpet-style skirt. To complete her look, just enough makeup had been applied to her face that accentuated her natural beauty.
"So… how do I look?" She asked, sounding almost nervous. Picking his jaw off the floor, her boyfriend remained stunned.
"Wow." Connor gaped, a little lost for words. "I know you're beautiful, but this is just… wow." Janet giggled.
"Thank you." She replied with a blush.
"Okay you two, get going," Carol urged, grabbing both by the shoulder and moving them towards the exit door, "and have fun tonight. Especially you, Jan! This is your night!"
"Yes Mom." Janet responded with a roll of her eyes as Carol shut the doors behind them. She exhaled softly.
"Good for her." She whispered. "She deserves this."
"Eh, maybe so," Tony slowly concurred, "I'm just afraid Avengers Mansion is gonna turn into 'Love Island' if we're not careful."
The two Avengers parked their borrowed car outside the designated gymnasium wing of Greyburn college, which had been properly converted for the fashion program's second-year gala. Both very keen on enjoying the night, they were oblivious to the lone light on in the shop class wing, indicating someone was hard at work on a late-night project…
Checking in and arriving at the scene of the gala, Janet and Connor were met by elaborate decorations combining materials from global fashion shows with the generally youthful nature of the second-years'. The runway and various projected slideshows of numerous award-winning designs projected on the walls of the gym were coupled with flashy lights and pumping music reminiscent of a downtown club. Plenty of hors d'oeuvres and age-appropriate punch were circling the space with chairs lined up against the walls for those needing a break from the mingling.
Janet was quick to pick out her friends among the crowd and guided Connor by the hand over to her little clique. Each of the women were dressed in a perfectly stunning fashion, their own custom-made numbers revealing a little bit of each woman's personality in their design. They were certainly labors of love the girls were taking a great deal of pride in.
Carina wore a sheer sky-blue dress with statement sleeves and barely-there embroidery on the chest as part of a sheer bodice, finished with an opaque skirt, decorated with rhinestones in the shapes of leaves. The pièce de résistance was its flowing sleeves made from pleated tulle that extended to the floor. It was the perfect design to accentuate her model-level physique.
Tinky was dressed in a muted green midi cocktail dress featuring a floral print, designed with a conservative hemline to create space for form-flattering elements including; a darling scoop-neck neckline, ribbon sleeves, and slit skirt. Everything about it was unique to her.
Alice was clad in a flowing red ball gown, made with a strapless bodice and a full draping skirt over top of a fitted minidress combo, revealing Alice's innate creativity in combining seemingly simple aspects.
Dallas boasted her custom light pink off-the-shoulder, poet sleeves, fitted evening dressed, designed in very girly color and body-hugging measurements to contrast her normally tough, tomboyish presence in the college.
By the time Janet joined them, the four ladies were already grouped together with their respective dates; Alice Taylor had brought her boyfriend of two years, Dennis Kedzierski. Carina Walters had chosen Paul Denning, a dark-haired young man about her age who was a criminology student. Dallas Riordan came with Paul Ignatius from the political sciences program of the college. And true to her word, Tinky Wiessman had brought Walther Theodoric as her date, a man with vibrant red hair both atop his head and along his jaw, studying at Greyburn to be an accountant.
"Hey guys!" The heroine called out as she eagerly joined the circle. Exchanges were made, girls praising each other's looks as the men introduced themselves to each other.
"Gosh, Jannie! That dress looks spectacular!" Tinky praised.
"Yeah! Ol' Marcy's got nothing on you." Dallas added warmly.
"Where is that redhead anyway?" Janet queried offhand.
"Eh, who cares. Somewhere around here trying to draw attention to herself." Carina said dismissively.
Chitchat dwindled as music picked up, gala hosts and disc jockeys inviting everyone present to the designated dance floor. Couples paired off to enjoy the loud and upbeat track selection. Connor recognized the electronic tune; a modern cover of Heaven by DJ Sammy featuring Yanou and Do. He did his best to dance, mirroring Janet's moves as the brunette shimmied alongside him. "Nice music, huh?!" She shouted in order to be heard.
"I prefer the Bryan Adams 'eighty-five release!" Connor shouted back.
"Of course you would!" Janet laughed. "Come on, Cyber-stud, dance with me!" Grabbing him by the hand, she led the technopath into a vibrant partner dance that Connor wasn't entirely convinced was appropriate for their dressy attire. But Janet was having fun, smiling, laughing, holding his hand and he hers.
And, in his mind, that was the ideal way to enjoy the night.
After a few more EDM numbers, the music shifted to a slightly more subtle instrumental number and a voice called out over the wired-up speaker system, "Alllllright ladies and gentlemen, if you're a part of the second-year program now's your chance to strut your stuff! Visitors! Please sit back and enjoy as our talented men and women show off their very own handmade designs!"
Janet moved to rejoin her friends, lingering just long enough to explain things to Connor. "Time for our own little fashion show. I'll be right back!" She promised. Seeing her all giddy and excited to be participating in something she loved made her beau smile.
"Knock 'em dead, babe." He proffered as they parted. Janet grinned ear to ear and hurried off to get in line while Connor stood back to get a good view of the runway, finding himself standing with the dates her friends brought along.
One by one the members of the fashion program were called up, strutting down the runway to show off their custom-made design. At the end they would pose, show off every inch of their handiwork, and then strut back off as the next in line arrived. Mostly women, a handful of men revealed dazzlingly colorful suits with lapels that would be worth studying in any geometry class. But dresses were by far the name of the display game.
Carina was the first of the friend group to take the stage, strutting and twirling to show off her curvaceous figure as the body of her dress hugged her flesh tightly in a move that earned many a whistle. Then came Alice, offering a little curtsy that was met with scattered applause as people appreciated her flowing crimson attire.
In between them came Monica, dressed in a red off the shoulder, sequin fabric, plunging illusion neckline, ruching and thigh-high slit number that drew many a whistle and cheer from the men as dark skin contrasted brightly with her rouge scarlet apparel.
Eventually, Dallas showed up and strode forward with confidence and strength, combining a innate fierceness with a very womanly appearance. After her, Candace made an appearance in her dark pink velvet midi length short slit dress sporting asymmetrical sleeves, one puffed with the other off the shoulder. Rounding out that troupe, Marcella strutted in with confidence as a fair bit of sass, clad in a very revealing black gown featured intricate swirl-cutout detailing across her upper body and a hip-high slit along the side to show off maximum skin, definitely a 'look at me' statement maker. If she was craving attention, she was going to get it with what she wore.
Afterwards, Tinky and her green cocktail dress strutted onto the stage, her bubbly enthusiasm spreading to the crowd as she skipped and waved her way around the runway.
Last, but certainly not least, Janet stole the show as she flaunted her charming personality for the crowd, winning them over with her natural allure and status to get just about everyone in the space hooting and cheering for her as she showed off her lovely, intricately-designed dress. Connor applauded, whistled, gave her his undivided attention and she returned it with a grin and a wink.
Naturally, Marcella and her clique huffed and rolled their eyes and crossed their arms, appearing unimpressed as Janet earned the praise of everyone in attendance. They returned to their dates, isolating themselves; Monica had brought along Duane Freeman, a dark-skinned young man from the same political sciences program as Paul Ignatius. With Candace was Jeffrey Piper, a resident football player for Greyburn with aspirations to go into police work. Lastly, Marcella's date was Alexander Ellis, a young man working on his engineering degree as part of his efforts to go into the military. Given his strong-jawed complexion and apparent muscular build, it seemed Marcella's reason for choosing him was purely skin-deep.
Stepping down off the runway, Janet was promptly caught up in Connor's arms. "You looked absolutely lovely up there. If you weren't an Avenger, you could easily be a model." He praised.
"Thanks," she giggled, "but I prefer designing things."
"Well, at any rate, you make anything you wear look good." Connor warmly responded. The speakers crackled as the gala host spoke again,
"What a wonderful display that was! Thanks to all of our second-year students for their hard work and dedication. And now, please enjoy the rest of the night! Better partner up because these dance songs are meant to be enjoyed in the company of someone special…" The music keyed up again, much slower than before, and couples began to pair off on the designated dance space. Connor recognized the tune and smiled. It was perfect.
"May I have this dance?" He asked Janet, offering his hand. She accepted and together they stepped out into the presence of others, hands clasped and around each other, slowly swaying back and forth. Humming along softly, it wasn't long until Janet noticed that Connor was very in-sync to the song, leading to one conclusion.
"You know this song?" She asked.
"Sure do. One of my favourite REO Speedwagon songs." He answered. A sly smile crossed her face.
"Prove it." She challenged. Connor chuckled and then waited for song to resume before joining in.
"And I meant… every word I said, when I said that I love you I meant that I love you foreveeeeer…" Then he dipped his head low and sang in a soft voice, loud enough for only Janet to hear, putting enough passion and emotion into the words that Janet felt the weight they conveyed as he made them his own. Their eyes locked, blue meeting brown, as Connor sang to Janet and Janet alone.
"And I'm gonna keep on lovin' youuuuuu… 'Cause it's the only thing I wanna doooooo… I don't wanna sleep, I just wanna keep on lovin' you."
Janet laid her head against his chest, content with resting against him as they continued to sway. Holding her close, Connor looked down upon his beloved and continued to serenade her, softly singing along with Kevin Cronin as he made the lyrics his own profession of love.
"And I meant… every word I said, when I said that I love you I meant that I love you foreveeeeer… And I'm gonna keep on lovin' youuuuuu… 'Cause it's the only thing I wanna doooooo… I don't wanna sleep. I just wanna keep on lovin' you." At a pause in the words, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Baby, I'm gonna keep on lovin' youuuuuuu… 'Cause it's the only thing I wanna doooooo… I don't wanna sleep… I just wanna keep on lovin' youuuuu…"
The song ended and the two heroes stood still for a moment, their dancing posture having shifted to that of a tender embrace. "I love you, Janet." Connor whispered. Janet smiled, warm-fuzzies filling her as she let herself be held. Yet again, feelings seemingly distant were being experienced anew. And she was all too happy to accept the loving affection of someone who desired her.
So far, tonight had been perfect.
All of a sudden, the brunette noticed a shift in Connor's disposition. His posture had stiffened, his muscles tensing in response to some manner of stimuli. Janet looked up and found him deep in thought. "What is it?" She wondered.
"I don't know…" he murmured, "I swear I just felt a mass of circuits and tech come to life. Somewhere close by." The explanation was not one to take lightly and Janet was very familiar with how his powers operated. If Connor could sense something amiss, it meant something was amiss.
"Do you think it's here on the campus?" She asked.
"Yeah. It's too close to be anywhere else in the city." He answered quietly, not wanting to alarm anyone. He paused again, furrowing his brow. "Do you feel that?" He queried. Janet paused, standing perfectly still… and she did.
A gentle thudding, rippling through the gym floor, the soft boom of heavy impacts resonating within her chest. "Is that… footsteps…?" She wondered, looking around.
"Suddenly I'm getting Jurassic Park vibes…" Connor trailed off, looking around. The heroes were alert now, ready to spring into action.
It served them well.
Without warning, a side wall of the gymnasium crumbled and fractured, torn apart by giant hands made of pure metal. It brought the gala to a screeching halt as the attendees reacted with terror and shock. People scattered as a ten-foot tall armored figure barged into the gym, lighting revealing shiny silver rough-hewn plating completely encompassing a bipedal form. Connor studied the figure with a tactical gaze long since taught to him by the likes of Black Panther and Captain America. It resembled an unfinished Iron Man, without the smooth and perfected plating, only bulkier and more robust than the armored Avenger.
"Come on, you cowards! The Mechanoid-Marauder stands ready to humble you!" The felon bellowed in a synthesized, projected voice.
"Good grief! Something like this would happen on the night of our bi-yearly gala!" Janet grumbled in complaint as people around them continued to freak out.
"Wonder what his game is? He has to be here for a reason…" Connor murmured as their friends and their dates clustered around them.
"Jannie! What're we gonna do?!" Tinky shrieked.
"Normally I'm not one to back down from a challenge, but I've got squat against a ten-foot tall metal man!" Dallas added. "And in these heels to boot…"
"Come on, Jan! You two are Avengers, aren't you?" Alice pleaded. The couple shared a look.
"And here I thought we were taking the night off from avenging." Janet remarked.
"You know work; it always follows you home." Connor quipped with an exhale.
"Wait, you two are Avengers?" Paul Ignatius wondered.
"Duh, dork!" Dallas grumbled. "Ain't you ever heard of Cybernaut and the Wasp?"
"Wow! You guys are so cool!" Walther Theodoric exclaimed. Janet and Connor shared another glance.
"Dare we disappoint our admiring public?" Connor questioned with a smirk.
"Don't tell me you brought your costume." Janet responded and her boyfriend nodded.
"Tony's idea. Slipped it on under the suit, just in case." He answered. "Of course, it meant I had to leave most of my extras back at the Mansion-"
"Can you guys hurry up and do something? That thing's coming this way!" Paul Denning exclaimed. Sure enough, the self-titled Mechano-Marauder was moving deeper into the gym, its faceless head sweeping back and forth as if searching the grounds.
"I got tired of waiting for an invite! So I decided to come in after you all!" He thundered.
"Guess we Avengers better assemble!" Janet decided. With that, she shrunk down as her dress fluttered to the ground. People looked, shocked by the sudden display, only to spot Wasp buzzing in the air and clad in her complete costume ensemble. As she did, Mechano-Marauder reached a massive hand into the crowd and scooped up Candace Southern in one hand, the belle crying out in fear as he held her aloft. "Boy! King Kong move, much?" Wasp wondered aloud.
"You get his attention. I just need a minute." Connor urged, hurriedly loosening his tie and pulling open his button-up shirt to reveal the black chevron of his Cybernaut costume. "You all get to cover, and stat!" He ordered the others while slipping on his head-wrapping mask.
Janet dove towards the metal monster, immediately peppering his chassis with biostings. It got his attention.
"What the-? Wasp? The Avenger? Wasn't expecting you to be here!" He exclaimed. "Fall before the might of the Mechano-Marauder!" He roared, swinging a mighty hand around to try and swat her out of the air. The heroine nimbly dove around his limb and avoided him altogether.
"Mechano-Marauder? That's what you call yourself? Give me a break!" She retorted, barraging his upper body with biostings. "Why does every clown with a workbench think they can build the next Iron Man?"
"You dare mock me?" Marauder questioned as Janet buzzed around him.
"Hey, you made up that dumb name, pal!" She snidely responded, blasting his faceplate with more of her stings. Flailing his his grip, Candance tried to get away. "Candy! Stay calm! I don't want you getting hurt!" Janet ordered her. Suddenly spying the exposed mechanical components of the elbow joint, Janet fired a blast that triggered a chain reaction. Mechano-Marauder responded with a yelp, his twitching limb dropping Candance from his servos. As the screeching belle fell towards the floor, Janet grew back to full size and tackled her before she could hit the ground. The heroine wasted no time hauling her to her feet. "Get out of here, Candy! Go!" She ordered, shoving her away from the unfolding battle. That seemed to get Marauder's attention.
"She… She's ignoring me! And you… I'm not defeated so easily, cretin!" He bellowed, lifting a foot high to try and stomp on her. But he failed to follow through and promptly froze in place. His body shuddered, plating trembling as he tried hard to make his limb obey him.
That's when the crowd parted.
"Buddy, you're made of metal and you just tried to squish my girl." A fully-costumed Cybernaut remarked, one hand outstretched to let his magnets work while he casually drained a glass full of punch. "You're in for a very rough night." He promised. Bolting over to the sound booth, he interrupted the man responsible for the music, his presence jarring him out of his slack-jawed awe. "Pardon me, DJ," Cybernaut excused, placing a hand against the soundboard as his mind intertwined with its technology, "I need something a little more my speed." Using his powers, he switched up the paused playlist and selected a tune to fit his mood. Soon enough, the glam rock song that was Go to Pieces by Paul Janz began belting through the gym's speaker system.
Fired up and ready to rock, Cybernaut dove into the fray alongside the winsome Wasp.
Magnetic fields shoved Mechano-Marauder up against the intact portion of gym wall, buying Connor time to brandish his irons and form a pair of batons. "You make light of me? Well, let's see you make light of this!" Grabbing the wall and tearing it up with impressive strength, Marauder hurled it towards the heroes. Cybernaut slid underneath as Wasp arced high above it, raining down fire from above. Unleashing his irons, the technopath pounded Marauder's legs with multiple impacts, denting plating and shattering the exposed conduits. Vaulting over him, Cybernaut reformed his irons into staff and promptly trapped Mechano-Marauder in a chokehold with his staff braced against his neck.
"Wasp! He's got exposed pneumatics in his legs! Hit them hard and your bio-electricity should short them out!" He called out.
"On it!" She replied, swooping in low and delivering twin stings to the insides of his knees.
"YARGH! I didn't realize how annoying you Avengers were!" Marauder growled, triggering a set of rudimentary propulsion systems on his boots and back to propell him towards the ceiling. Connor quickly released the felon, dropping down to the ground and rolling as Mechano-Marauder aimed his arms and unleashed golden beams of light from the sides of his wrists. Not a moment later, Cybernaut triggered his belt projector and deflected the energy rounds. "Wha-? How did-? How could you-?" Marauder spluttered. "Those beams are over four-hundred degrees!"
"Piece of cake for my energy field to absorb!" The technopath responded. Reaching out with his magnets, he gripped Marauder by the feet and pulled him back down to the ground, shorting out his propulsion system and slamming him into the gym floor. Then, with another magnetic shove, the invader was driven back into another wall that crumbled atop him. "Time for a coup de grace, honey!" He announced and Wasp buzzed in to finish the job.
"Here's a stinger in your eye!" Barraging the rubble with biostings, Janet was unprepared for Marauder to burst free, sending debris flying in every direction and knocking her out of the air. "AUGH!"
"Jan!" Connor cried out, only to suddenly be swept off his feet as one of Mechano-Marauder's steely fists snatched him off the ground, trapping his arms by his side as he hoisted the Avenger up.
"You're really starting to grind my gears!" Marauder seethed. "I'm here to be somebody! And you're ruining the moment! You have no right to beat me up like this! This is my own custom-made suit of armor, and it deserves to be handled with respect."
"Pal, you ruined quite a few moments barging in uninvited!" Cybernaut grunted in response. "But you're right. I was playing nice… I can sense you're in there, whoever you are. I didn't wanna break your limbs… but if you keep this up, you'll leave me no choice!" He struggled against the grip on his arms, flexing his hands to try and ensnare the fingers with his magnets. Suddenly, Marauder took flight with whatever juice he had left, soaring up to the roof of the gym and hovering in place.
"I imagine we'll both break quite a few limbs falling from this height." Marauder growled.
Down on the ground, Janet managed to recover and spot the peril her beau was in, the Mechano-Marauder cutting a sinister figure high above them all. "Hang on, Connor!" She cried, reversing the flow of Pym Particles to begin to grow and grow, well beyond her normal height. She was aiming to be as tall as the gym was high, hoping to grab both Cybernaut and Mechano-Marauder in one go.
But before she did, the hero used his magnets to shattered the fingers holding him, crushing the end of the servo before he dropped like a stone, flipping over so he was dropping front-first from above. This was the part of his plan he hadn't thought through.
Fortunately, fate intervened, and he landed face-first on a perfect cushion in the form of Janet's supersized bosom.
"Are you okay?" His giant-sized girlfriend wondered. Between her spandex-clad breasts, Connor lifted a thumbs up and muttered something inaudible. He picked his head up and, while looking bedraggled, was no worse for wear.
"I'm more than okay." He replied with a rather salacious grin. Janet giggled.
"Save it for later, techno-hottie." She ordered. Now over twenty-feet tall, two fingers was all she needed to lift him up and out of her spandex-clad cleavage. "Right now, we gotta waste this guy."
"Bring him to ground level. I'm done playing games." Connor suggested. His girlfriend did as asked, swatting Mechano-Marauder out of the air and slamming him into the gym floor. Then she drew back her fist, glowing brightly as it was charged with a supersized sting, and delivered the mother of all blows that left Mechano-Marauder in a shattered heap.
Shrinking down to her normal size as Cybernaut hopped to his feet, the technopath levitated the battered felon into the air and began systematically ripping apart his suit. "There's something I don't understand… what's your motive in this? Revenge? Or do you want to steal something? Or what?" He demanded. "You said you built this suit. That alone is quite an achievement, even if your armor pales in comparison to others we've experienced."
"I-It isn't enough! I've got to prove-"
"Prove? Prove what? That you can be a grade-A nuisance?" Wasp demanded. At once, Connor tore apart the central chassis, revealing none other than Fabian Stankowicz within, his body hooked up to various motion-capturing manipulator arms that drove the functions of Mechano-Marauder. He was terrified now, his secret exposed by the heroes.
"I-I just… was tired of getting picked on and looked over by girls. So I built this suit… t-to prove I'm not a nobody." He confessed.
"Anyone with your obvious brains and resources who's got to do this to 'prove himself' has to be the biggest fool in the world." Cybernaut said dourly.
"Let me guess… you're all torn up over Candy rejecting you." Wasp determined with a sigh. "You could do so much better." The sound of distant sirens filled the air, heralding the coming of the police.
"You hear that?" Cybernaut asked Fabian. "All you've done is proved you've earned a cell for the night. Maybe even longer for property damage. You were looking to get noticed, pal," he said, hoisting him out of the remains of his suit by his collar, "you got noticed alright. But not in the way you wanted to be."
The damage done to the gym meant the gala could not continue as planned as so the might was called off early. While they hadn't planned on being heroes that night, the attention of the rest of the attendees was certainly on Connor and Janet for the remaining duration of their time on campus. Men and women wanted to shake hands, take photos, get autographs, barraging the two heroes with a moment of popularity that neither were used to. Connor, being as mild-mannered as he was, had no idea his fame as Cybernaut extended to such lengths. Janet, while used to be talked about and whispered over as a rich girl, college benefactor and superhero, was not used to crowds forming around her desperate for a chance to bask in her heroism.
As the pair finally managed to get away from the hubbub, Connor drove them back to Janet's penthouse, the pair redressed in their gala clothes. The technopath had never visited Janet's home before and was looking forward to the experience. Although upon arrival, he soon realized it may have been a few leagues beyond what he was expecting.
"Swanky." He mused as she led him inside, revealing the luxurious suite within. It was very state of the art and styled in a particularly modern fashion, one he was certain was not cheap. "How much did this all cost?" He wondered, looking around the vaulted ceilings and glass walls.
"Well, it belonged to my father when I moved in, but he willed it to me so all the owernship fees were covered." Janet explained. "When he died, I pretty much became a millionaire."
"Wow. So I'm dating a rich girl." Connor mused with a chuckle.
"That you are." Janet agreed. Then she paused, twiddling her fingers nervously. "That won't… change anything, will it?" She hesitantly asked. "You're not gonna go after my money, are you?" Connor pulled her into his arms.
"You're still the same girl I fell for, regardless of your net worth." He promised. "Plus, I'm pretty content mooching off of Tony." Janet snickered and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "So, what's the game plan now?" He asked.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to 'socialize' for the rest of the evening, since we couldn't finish that at the gala." Janet elected. "Man, poor Fabian. All tied up over Candy Southern of all people. I mean, she's nicer than the crowd she hangs out with, but… he really could do better."
"So I could tell." Connor agreed. "That lifestyle she enjoys poisoned his thinking. He went and built a whole mech suit just to prove he was superior enough to meet her standards, bulldozing whatever got in his way."
"I hope he learns his lesson. Jail will give him time to cool off and think things over." Jan agreed. "Come on, let me show you around." She invited, grabbing his hand and leading Connor further into her apartment. There was plenty to see, but when she got to his bedroom, the couple realized Janet hadn't been back since Vision had kidnapped her for Ultron. Her vanity remains crushed, although the rest of the room was just fine.
"You know, I could call Matt and have him fix that up for you." Connor suggested.
"Hey, thanks! I guess it wouldn't be a good thing to leave that mess as is." Janet agreed.
"The rest of this room… wow. Not a mess at all." Connor mused, impressed with the views her floor-to-ceiling windows offered as well as her massive bed. It looked like it could hold at least five people. "Wait… was there a reason you led me to your bedroom?" He wondered with a slightly-knowing smirk.
"Well, I did think it was time we got out of these clothes." Janet said. "I like galas and all that, but sometimes I just need a little more… freedom."
"Out of… all of our clothes?" Connor wondered, striding closer. Janet purred, offering him a sultry smile.
"I think I like the sound of that." Turning around, she looked over her shoulder and fluttered her lashes. "Unzip me?" She cooed.