⢠Leo Lambert ⢠Quantum â˘
âRemind me stop letting you drag me to these stupid things,â Paladin grumbled into the ice of her dwindling glass of water. Steely cold eyes brimming with irritation followed a pair of young women as they retreated from the brief but praise-filled conversation. They were what would now be the sixth and seventh pair of eyes to fall on the two heroes, and upon seeing them, approached to fill the air with more mindless chatter. Leo, of course, ate all of this up in stride, while Aisling on the other hand wasnât one to participate in formalities such as these. They werenât far from the main commotion in the center of the room; a few ways away to the side so they could survey their surroundings easily. In fact, Leo spotted some familiar faces among the crowd. They would get to greeting them afterwards; right now they were enjoying soaking in the limelight, per usual.
Leoâs gaze was locked on the same targets, though flitting up and down occasionally to take in more of the two women than they should. The exchange had been a touch flirty, but with the way Leo looks, it's not a revelation to anyone. Of course, Switchblade fitted them out nicely, with a mahogany colored suit, the star of which being the patterned jacket. It was well fitted, but perhaps a bit too much, making mobility more difficult, but it looked damn good. For the night, they assumed it would be suitable. Their eyes lingered as they opened their mouth to speak, âI didnât make you do anything, you were invited by Xavier personally just like I was. Donât put this one on me.â They raised their own glass to their lips, but the contents of said glass was nothing short of the finest champagne available.
Aislingâs scowl was ever present, even though she knew she was wrong. âArenât we supposed to be security? Should you be drinking?â
The response was noted by Leo; Aisling likes deferring to a different subject when sheâs wrong. Their usual smile was starting to grow. âPlease. I could drink two bottles of this stuff and feel nothing,â As if to punctuate their statement, they finished the rest of their drink in one swift chug. âSecond of all, you were invited for security. I was invited because Iâm an influencer,â They put a little extra annunciation on the final word, and the smile shifted into more of a grin.
âWhoever taught you that word should be drawn and quartered,â Despite their exchange of words, Aisling didnât feel the need to turn to Leo. Although the two were bickering, there was comfortable air between them at all times.
âHey, you can only blame yourself for this one. Youâre the person who introduced me to this life,â Leo tossed a light tease as they waved down one of the many waiters in hopes of filling up their glass.
Another scoff. âYou know, your voice gets deeper when you talk to pretty girls,â Aislingâs retort was hardly scathing to the younger super, and it was yet another subject change. One more point for Leo. She paused as she heard a buzzing in her ear. Were the comms acting up? It ended shortly after, so she figured nothing of it. Hundreds of years of technology, and nobody could get wireless data transmission to work perfectly.
âIs that so?â Leoâs tone displayed their lack of offense or surprise. They swallowed before continuing, this time pitch shifting their voice even lower than before by pulling from a deeper register in their chest, âThatâs not the lowest I can go, you know.â
Aislingâs shock was apparent, though only for a moment, because she hid her emotions shortly after. Back to being indifferent. âYou are too much, honestly,â She shook her head.
Another point to me. Leo left the conversation there because a rather cute waiter was approaching with another unopened bottle of champagne. Their excitement bubbled over as they swayed in their spot: maybe he would let them unseal it? Popping open a new bottle of champagne was too much fun. But, before he could take the final steps to reach them, the two women who they had spoken to just minutes before pushed their way through the crowd to make it back. Leoâs friendly, warm smile returned as they greeted them again, âLadies, welcome back! Did you want to talk about something else?â
The both of them appeared frightened, and Leoâs brow furrowed in concern. âThereâs something going on on one of the balconies. Maybe a fight or something? We heard shouting over there. We werenât sure, we wanted to get someone more qualified to take care of it,â Their apparent distress wasnât enough to keep another subtle compliment from leaking through, even as they gestured in the direction of the noises.
âOh boy,â Leo sighed. âProbably some drunk suits arguing about stocks again. Iâll take care of it, Aisling.â They rolled their shoulders, allowing their suit jacket to fall off. âWatch this for me? It costs more than Switchblade was willing to admit, be a shame if I dirtied it before the partyâs even started.â They held the garment out, and Paladin accepted it, though not without a roll of their eyes.
âSure you can handle it?â Aisling asked, but she knew the answer she would receive already.
âOf course.â The white undershirt and vest hugged their form, but at least their shoulders werenât restricted anymore. âJuice me a little, just in case.â
The older super quirked a brow. âFor what? If theyâre just drunk idiots, what do you need it for?â
âThey could be drunk super idiots. I just wanna be prepared,â Leo held out their hand. In a setting like this, it would be a bit strange to see someone start punching someone else. So Leo and Aisling have a âsecret handshakeâ that consists of several slides and bumps between their fists. If Leo did this to a normal human, it wouldnât make much of a difference. But with Aisling, by the end of it, Leo had enough power worth a few of her punches. And they thought it was pretty cool too.
Aisling agreed, they did their little handshake, and Leo turned to leave. âCall me if you need anything. And hey, maybe grab some more of the bubbly. That usually smooths things over.â
Leo nodded in agreement and approached the cute waiter who they had seen earlier. And sure enough, he still had that unopened bottle of wine in his hand. It didnât take much coaxing to get it from him; a few smiles, kind words, and his eyes were wide as he stared up at the charming super before him. Alcohol in hand, Leo set off in the direction the women had pointed to, and after a few minutes of listening, they heard exactly what was described. Shouting, the sounds of combat, but nothing slurred implying intoxication, growing louder as they climbed some steps. Leoâs hair started to stand on end. Although they were joking about it earlier, the presence of Paladin and Quantum were meant to be additional protection. Sense of duty in tow, they typed in the temporary code they were given, and sure enough, the doors popped open.
It was cold. The wind bit at their cheeks as their pace quickened, but they ignored it. Now wasnât the time to whine about being cold. The energy bouncing around in their body would keep them warm enough for now. And before long, Leo spotted what the âcommotionâ was. They recognized Mikey in an instant; the two had met quite a few times before, earlier in the night included. (and it's not like Leo could forget her after what happened between her and Ris). She was being attacked by some masked men, and although she was holding her own, it was clear she was losing.
âHey!â Leo shouted, pulling all the attention off of Mikey to them. It wasnât a particularly difficult task, considering they were a lumbering beast in size with glowing eyes approaching from the darkness. âWhat in the world is going on here?â They asked, but they werenât looking for an answer. They wanted time, time to get closer, and with each step, the assailants grew more prepared. Not like it mattered. âDonât you know thereâs a party inside?â Leo was close now, less than 10 feet. âLook, I even brought some champagne for us to share!â That was it. They were too close now, too close to not be considered a threat. One of the masked figures charged them, blades drawn. Leoâs grip shifted to the neck of the bottle, and before the attackerâs daggers could even strike Leo, they swung the bottle upwards. It shattered underneath the assailantâs chin, and with the extra force behind it, sent him flying both upwards and backwards. Leo side-stepped as quick as they could, but a bit of the alcohol got on their pants, which fouled their mood in an instant.
âI quite liked this outfit, you-â Before their complaint could be fully realized, the other attacker stepped over the unconscious body of their ally to run towards Leo as well. Leo humored them, allowing their blades to swing, but they were caught in their hands all too easily, no blood drawn. They couldnât risk messing up their suit any more. The assailant let go of the blades, now tight in the grasp of Leoâs hands, to throw a punch at their head. Their fist simply bounced off of Leoâs face; they even heard a cry of pain underneath that mask as they clutched it to their chest and stumbled away, trying to escape. It was the only sound theyâd heard these guys make, and they found that strange. The blades were tossed behind their back, out of armâs reach of both of them. âYou hit like a bitch!â Leo took a step, but rather than place their foot on the ground, they exploded forward. They released some force from their feet, allowing them to catch up with the masked individual easily. The two came crashing onto the ground of the balcony with Leo on top, and the attacker on their stomach. âI think it's time you take a little nap like your buddy. See you in the morning!â One of their thick arms wrapped around the assailantâs neck, and with a little upward force for a minute, they were limp beneath them.
Leo stood, surveying their handiwork, before remembering Mikey. With ease, they dragged the second attacker over to the first, lying them next to each other. Now that they were within eyesight (and punching distance in case they woke up), Leo could tend to Mikey. âAre you alright?â They asked first, the playfulness from their fight fading into genuine worry. âIâm sorry I didnât get here sooner, comms are all over the place right now. Can you stand?â They asked, but held out their arm regardless, just in case. âWho in the world are these guys? How did they even get up here?â Now that the danger was gone, Leo couldnât help but wonder what the identity of these attackers was, and what their motives could possibly be. This just seemed so⌠sloppy. Surely they must have known there would be supers at this party?
âRemind me stop letting you drag me to these stupid things,â Paladin grumbled into the ice of her dwindling glass of water. Steely cold eyes brimming with irritation followed a pair of young women as they retreated from the brief but praise-filled conversation. They were what would now be the sixth and seventh pair of eyes to fall on the two heroes, and upon seeing them, approached to fill the air with more mindless chatter. Leo, of course, ate all of this up in stride, while Aisling on the other hand wasnât one to participate in formalities such as these. They werenât far from the main commotion in the center of the room; a few ways away to the side so they could survey their surroundings easily. In fact, Leo spotted some familiar faces among the crowd. They would get to greeting them afterwards; right now they were enjoying soaking in the limelight, per usual.
Leoâs gaze was locked on the same targets, though flitting up and down occasionally to take in more of the two women than they should. The exchange had been a touch flirty, but with the way Leo looks, it's not a revelation to anyone. Of course, Switchblade fitted them out nicely, with a mahogany colored suit, the star of which being the patterned jacket. It was well fitted, but perhaps a bit too much, making mobility more difficult, but it looked damn good. For the night, they assumed it would be suitable. Their eyes lingered as they opened their mouth to speak, âI didnât make you do anything, you were invited by Xavier personally just like I was. Donât put this one on me.â They raised their own glass to their lips, but the contents of said glass was nothing short of the finest champagne available.
Aislingâs scowl was ever present, even though she knew she was wrong. âArenât we supposed to be security? Should you be drinking?â
The response was noted by Leo; Aisling likes deferring to a different subject when sheâs wrong. Their usual smile was starting to grow. âPlease. I could drink two bottles of this stuff and feel nothing,â As if to punctuate their statement, they finished the rest of their drink in one swift chug. âSecond of all, you were invited for security. I was invited because Iâm an influencer,â They put a little extra annunciation on the final word, and the smile shifted into more of a grin.
âWhoever taught you that word should be drawn and quartered,â Despite their exchange of words, Aisling didnât feel the need to turn to Leo. Although the two were bickering, there was comfortable air between them at all times.
âHey, you can only blame yourself for this one. Youâre the person who introduced me to this life,â Leo tossed a light tease as they waved down one of the many waiters in hopes of filling up their glass.
Another scoff. âYou know, your voice gets deeper when you talk to pretty girls,â Aislingâs retort was hardly scathing to the younger super, and it was yet another subject change. One more point for Leo. She paused as she heard a buzzing in her ear. Were the comms acting up? It ended shortly after, so she figured nothing of it. Hundreds of years of technology, and nobody could get wireless data transmission to work perfectly.
âIs that so?â Leoâs tone displayed their lack of offense or surprise. They swallowed before continuing, this time pitch shifting their voice even lower than before by pulling from a deeper register in their chest, âThatâs not the lowest I can go, you know.â
Aislingâs shock was apparent, though only for a moment, because she hid her emotions shortly after. Back to being indifferent. âYou are too much, honestly,â She shook her head.
Another point to me. Leo left the conversation there because a rather cute waiter was approaching with another unopened bottle of champagne. Their excitement bubbled over as they swayed in their spot: maybe he would let them unseal it? Popping open a new bottle of champagne was too much fun. But, before he could take the final steps to reach them, the two women who they had spoken to just minutes before pushed their way through the crowd to make it back. Leoâs friendly, warm smile returned as they greeted them again, âLadies, welcome back! Did you want to talk about something else?â
The both of them appeared frightened, and Leoâs brow furrowed in concern. âThereâs something going on on one of the balconies. Maybe a fight or something? We heard shouting over there. We werenât sure, we wanted to get someone more qualified to take care of it,â Their apparent distress wasnât enough to keep another subtle compliment from leaking through, even as they gestured in the direction of the noises.
âOh boy,â Leo sighed. âProbably some drunk suits arguing about stocks again. Iâll take care of it, Aisling.â They rolled their shoulders, allowing their suit jacket to fall off. âWatch this for me? It costs more than Switchblade was willing to admit, be a shame if I dirtied it before the partyâs even started.â They held the garment out, and Paladin accepted it, though not without a roll of their eyes.
âSure you can handle it?â Aisling asked, but she knew the answer she would receive already.
âOf course.â The white undershirt and vest hugged their form, but at least their shoulders werenât restricted anymore. âJuice me a little, just in case.â
The older super quirked a brow. âFor what? If theyâre just drunk idiots, what do you need it for?â
âThey could be drunk super idiots. I just wanna be prepared,â Leo held out their hand. In a setting like this, it would be a bit strange to see someone start punching someone else. So Leo and Aisling have a âsecret handshakeâ that consists of several slides and bumps between their fists. If Leo did this to a normal human, it wouldnât make much of a difference. But with Aisling, by the end of it, Leo had enough power worth a few of her punches. And they thought it was pretty cool too.
Aisling agreed, they did their little handshake, and Leo turned to leave. âCall me if you need anything. And hey, maybe grab some more of the bubbly. That usually smooths things over.â
Leo nodded in agreement and approached the cute waiter who they had seen earlier. And sure enough, he still had that unopened bottle of wine in his hand. It didnât take much coaxing to get it from him; a few smiles, kind words, and his eyes were wide as he stared up at the charming super before him. Alcohol in hand, Leo set off in the direction the women had pointed to, and after a few minutes of listening, they heard exactly what was described. Shouting, the sounds of combat, but nothing slurred implying intoxication, growing louder as they climbed some steps. Leoâs hair started to stand on end. Although they were joking about it earlier, the presence of Paladin and Quantum were meant to be additional protection. Sense of duty in tow, they typed in the temporary code they were given, and sure enough, the doors popped open.
It was cold. The wind bit at their cheeks as their pace quickened, but they ignored it. Now wasnât the time to whine about being cold. The energy bouncing around in their body would keep them warm enough for now. And before long, Leo spotted what the âcommotionâ was. They recognized Mikey in an instant; the two had met quite a few times before, earlier in the night included. (and it's not like Leo could forget her after what happened between her and Ris). She was being attacked by some masked men, and although she was holding her own, it was clear she was losing.
âHey!â Leo shouted, pulling all the attention off of Mikey to them. It wasnât a particularly difficult task, considering they were a lumbering beast in size with glowing eyes approaching from the darkness. âWhat in the world is going on here?â They asked, but they werenât looking for an answer. They wanted time, time to get closer, and with each step, the assailants grew more prepared. Not like it mattered. âDonât you know thereâs a party inside?â Leo was close now, less than 10 feet. âLook, I even brought some champagne for us to share!â That was it. They were too close now, too close to not be considered a threat. One of the masked figures charged them, blades drawn. Leoâs grip shifted to the neck of the bottle, and before the attackerâs daggers could even strike Leo, they swung the bottle upwards. It shattered underneath the assailantâs chin, and with the extra force behind it, sent him flying both upwards and backwards. Leo side-stepped as quick as they could, but a bit of the alcohol got on their pants, which fouled their mood in an instant.
âI quite liked this outfit, you-â Before their complaint could be fully realized, the other attacker stepped over the unconscious body of their ally to run towards Leo as well. Leo humored them, allowing their blades to swing, but they were caught in their hands all too easily, no blood drawn. They couldnât risk messing up their suit any more. The assailant let go of the blades, now tight in the grasp of Leoâs hands, to throw a punch at their head. Their fist simply bounced off of Leoâs face; they even heard a cry of pain underneath that mask as they clutched it to their chest and stumbled away, trying to escape. It was the only sound theyâd heard these guys make, and they found that strange. The blades were tossed behind their back, out of armâs reach of both of them. âYou hit like a bitch!â Leo took a step, but rather than place their foot on the ground, they exploded forward. They released some force from their feet, allowing them to catch up with the masked individual easily. The two came crashing onto the ground of the balcony with Leo on top, and the attacker on their stomach. âI think it's time you take a little nap like your buddy. See you in the morning!â One of their thick arms wrapped around the assailantâs neck, and with a little upward force for a minute, they were limp beneath them.
Leo stood, surveying their handiwork, before remembering Mikey. With ease, they dragged the second attacker over to the first, lying them next to each other. Now that they were within eyesight (and punching distance in case they woke up), Leo could tend to Mikey. âAre you alright?â They asked first, the playfulness from their fight fading into genuine worry. âIâm sorry I didnât get here sooner, comms are all over the place right now. Can you stand?â They asked, but held out their arm regardless, just in case. âWho in the world are these guys? How did they even get up here?â Now that the danger was gone, Leo couldnât help but wonder what the identity of these attackers was, and what their motives could possibly be. This just seemed so⌠sloppy. Surely they must have known there would be supers at this party?