Kit Cassidy's Story

Instinctively, Bella jumped as the door burst open, finding herself in a fighting stance. But as Kit burst through it, twirling his staff around, and sending Mikey flying, Bella instead burst into laughter. “Now, that’s what I call an entrance!” She cheered. She raised her eyebrows as he held a silver band out to her, before her eyes got big with excitement as he explained what it was. “Ooooh! I can’t wait to try this!” She said, putting it on. Even if the others didn’t have their earpieces yet, she could already hear their thoughts much clearer than usual. The voices weren’t overly loud or overwhelming either. “Kit, I love this! It works so well! You’re a genius!” She gushed. “It’s gonna be so helpful!” She looked up and waved at Clarence as he arrived. “Clarence! Look at this really cool gadget Kit made for me! It’s to boost my telepathy to help us communicate! Isn’t that cool?”

So much just happened at once for Kit. He just sent Mikey flying. He was pretty sure she was going to kill him for that one. At least he impressed Bella? Except now that presented a whole new set of problems for him. She liked his entrance. Was it because he embarrassed himself? Oh god, what if she thought he was a complete loser now? He really needed to stop screwing up his chances to impress her. But then she loved his device. Kit’s face started to burn while his heart started racing again. He couldn’t believe that she actually liked it and was showing it off. He kept looking down at his feet while he spoke. “It’s nothing that impressive… I–Uh–Umm… I’m glad you like it.” He put in his own earpiece not entirely sure what she was going to hear. His face was still flushed while he looked up slightly. Still unable to maintain eye contact while he chose her left shoulder as the spot his gaze fixated on. It was a nice shoulder. “Umm-I–I’m Sorry I–I couldn’t test it until now. I–I don’t know if it works on me yet.” Even if she could read his mind right now, all she’d be hearing is him calling himself an idiot on repeat after that failed attempt to talk to her.

Bella raised an eyebrow as Kit said it wasn’t that impressive. “No, this is really cool!” She said as she started trying to hone in on people’s thoughts. It took her a few minutes before she could actually focus on anyone’s thoughts properly, and when she finally could, she found that it was Kit’s that she could hear. His thoughts were swirling but she could see that he was annoyed with himself. “Kit! You’re not an idiot! You’re brilliant!” She gushed, holding out her fist to him for a fist bump. “This works so so well!”

Kit’s cheeks started burning thanks to the knots in his stomach over Bella praising him. He didn’t know how to wrap his mind around her like his invention. Sure, it happened to be perfect timing considering their comms had just gone down but still. How was anything he did impressive in comparison to everyone else. Like Bella. She’s just absolutely amazing in every way Kit could think of. Her smile, the way she always bested him when they sparred, how awesome her powers were. He loved the fact that she wasn’t scared to go out into the field and actually be a hero. He didn’t really think he could call himself a hero with how often he chose to hide in his lab instead. He was just tech support compared to them.

It took a few minutes before Kit got the answer to her being able to read his thoughts for the first time. Oh god she can now hear everything. She’s gonna really know how much of a nervous idiot I am now. He wanted to stop thinking at that moment but his nerves were screaming inside. Mostly to try and not think about Bella. Which in hindsight, would mean his head was screaming with thoughts about Bella. He needed to change the topic quickly or else he was screwed. His brain really needed to shut up. The mission! Right! He needed to get back on the mission. That was the smartest way to not make himself look anymore like a blubbering dork with the world’s biggest crush on a girl way out of his league. “Thank you.” He acknowledged her praise again softly. “So, um, what are we supposed to do now?”

Once Bella had determined that she could, in fact, hear Kit’s thoughts, she immediately decided to try it on some of the others. It worked for everyone and made it much easier for her to hone in on them. She guessed that that also meant that it was working for everyone else. Kit was brilliant enough and smart enough that she didn’t doubt for a second that it was the case. She was constantly amazed by how smart he was and how he’d been able to build something like this. It worked perfectly for what they needed it to do, but without being uncomfortable or making things too loud for her. She could barely work some of the especially complicated photocopiers in work, but he’d been able to build something like this, and so easily. And his enthusiasm about it had been so cute, as had been his embarrassment. He was really just so cute-

Wait. Could the others hear her thoughts as well? Shit, shit, shit. If Mikey had heard any of that, Bella would never live it down. She nodded at his thanks and tried to look as professional as possible as he asked what they were supposed to do. “Well, by the looks of it, Leo and Mikey dealt with the bad guys. So, glorious leader, do we go back to the party or do we get to kick a bit more ass?” Bella asked, looking at Mikey.

Kit may be a genius, but he somehow managed to also not be the smartest in the room when it came to social intelligence.While he was worrying so much over Bella hearing his embarrassing thoughts he’d completely forgotten that the entire point of this was for everyone to be able to mentally communicate with each other. Meaning his thoughts were a beacon to everyone else unfortunate enough to be linked to our two clueless geniuses with very obvious crushes on each other. Bella just happened to be the first person everything would pass through as she was the ‘home base’ for their mental link.

He distracted himself with his wristwatch. Another special invention of his as it projected small holographic images for him to interact with. He pulled up a scan of the entire building and everyone in it and made the projection larger for the group to see. “Who do we grab first and how many more goons do you guys think there are?” Kit spoke calmly finally. It was easy when talking about this kind of stuff. He understood how to talk about missions and plans and of course anything science related. He kept staring at the projection trying to think about what the most practical solution could be. Maybe he could find the answer and be useful. He could be a better help to Mikey than the dork who ran her over with a door.

Mikey didn't know how long it had been since she made that desperate call for help on the comms, hoping to someone that one of her teammates had gotten it and were on their way. As much as she despised relying on others to come and help, especially as she was playing Head of Security for this event, she had more than enough reasons to want to be able to do this on her own. Hell, she should have brought something else that wasn't just the knives hidden along her right thigh, that she had covered with her dress. But here she was, one hell of a long fall if she went over the railing. Dodging and weaving out of attacks from the two masked figures that stood opposite of her. Normally she wouldn't have an issue, but there were multiple reasons she was having difficulty. One, it had been a stupidly unexpected ambush. Mikey should have known better. Yet here she was. Xavier wouldn't let her live this down, and that made her feel even worse. Second, she was wearing an all too form fitting dress, that alone made combat even more difficult, and of course lastly, the weather.

From up this high, and the current time of year, it was absurdly cold. Which made every movement even worse as the wind would pick up every few seconds, before dying down. Truth be told, Mikey didn't know how much longer she could keep it up in these conditions, when something unexpected happened. She heard another voice speak up. At first, dread filled her as she was prepared to have to fight a third, but after a few seconds, it hit her. She knew who that voice belonged to. And with a quick side-eye glance, a wave of relief washed over her as she saw it was none other than Leo, or well, Quantum.

Everything that happened next, happened too fast. Somehow her senses were dwindling faster than she'd like to admit, and Mikey even felt a bit sick. However, with the masked figures' attention now on Leo, Mikey knew it'd be fine. And sure enough, Quantum was able to take care of them all too quickly. And the ordeal was over in a matter of seconds. Both of the unconscious forms of the attackers were slumped over by the time that Mikey looked back over at Leo, Mikey had been partially leaning against the freezing, metal railing. Trying to recompose herself once again. After a few moments, Mikey gave Leo a small, kurt nod to their question of if she was alright.

At the mention of being late and the comms not working, Mikey gave a small shrug, before looking up at the Titan, giving a feign smirk. "It's fine. I knew someone would arrive soon enough anyway, not surprising that it was you. All things considered. Everyone else was probably too busy to come help anyway." she said with a somewhat bitter tone. Carefully taking Leo's arm as they offered it for support. Mikey's grip was a bit tighter than she had meant for it to be, but at this point, she could barely feel her hands. I need to get inside, she thought to herself. It was only when Leo asked who were the two attackers and how they managed to get in, once more she gave a shrug, "Hell if I know. Nor do I care. But what I do know? Is that they knew full well people would be here, they didn't come here expecting normal security...Which isn't what's sitting right with me..." her voice dipped for a moment.

As Mikey gripped Leo’s arm, they placed one of their hands over hers to keep a good grip on her; they noticed just how cold she was. The energy bouncing around inside them helped stave off the cold, but clearly Mikey didn’t have anything like that. Their eyes watched her every move, ready to catch her if she fell again. Leo nodded as they listened to what Mikey said. Why were those guys here? Obviously, they had some ulterior motive. Even those not in Xavier’s inner circle knew the event was being held. So surely they must have known that security would be tight. Leo’s attention traveled back to the figures on the ground. “Yeah, something isn’t right… There have to be more somewhere,” Leo mumbled as if deep in thought.

Movement caught Leo’s attention. They tensed, as if preparing for more enemies, but instead, Leo’s eyes lit up. Bella approached them, looking absolutely stunning in that dress. Whatever she said to Mikey went right over Leo’s head. Instead, when Bella greeted them, Leo released their grip on Mikey to wave at Bella. “Hi Bells!” They chirped over to her, a big, dumb smile on their face. The compliment from Bella warmed their skin and made their chest feel all fuzzy. “Thanks! That dress is gorgeous! Not as gorgeous as you though,” They complimented her right back. If it was possible for a human being to have heart eyes, Leo had them at that moment. It was only then that they realized they had essentially dropped Mikey. “Ah, oops, sorry Mikey,” They leaned back down and hooked their hands under Mikey’s arms. With their eyes bouncing between Mikey and Bella, it was obvious their attention was struggling to find a place to rest. Leo hoisted Mikey off the ground and placed her back on her feet.

It was only when the door opened that Mikey's attention was drawn away from Leo for the first time since she laid her eyes on them. A small, awkward grimace was on her face as Bella questioned her on what was going on. "Like I told Quantum here, I don't fucking know what's going on. Some assholes got the better of me, Quantum showed up, and now we're here. My guess is that these bastards fucked with our comms all together. Shiloh's comms were acting weird moments before I even came out here to survey the floor and well...Now we're here." Mikey shook her head, gently pinching the bridge of her nose before she grimaced. Taking her hand away as pain shot through the arch of her nose and into her head. She assumed one of the attackers got a good hit in and did enough damage to warrant some pain. God damn bastard.

She looked up when Leo had extended their hands to help Mikey back to her feet. Awkwardly taking their hand as she got to her feet. [/b]"Thanks, Leo."[/b] she said with a small nod, before looking away from the giant of a superhero. Things were still a bit awkward between the two of them, and she doubted it would change anytime soon. But now wasn't the time for that.

Mikey turned her attention back towards the door, where she began to lead the others as they talked. At least, that was what happened until suddenly, Mikey felt something slam into her and once again felt herself hitting the cold hard ground. "I swear to fucking god, if one more rat bastard hurts me again, I swear I will-" Mikey began one of her long winded tangents once again, before looking up. Her eyes landed on what had hit her, or more precisely, who. Or even more so, who caused what to hit her. Her eyes narrowed on Kit who was rambling on about something about a new gadget to Bella by this point. Her head now throbbing by the door having slammed into her, and knocked her off her feet. "Could you be any less careful?" she grumbled, not even bothering to get up off the ground this time.

It took her a few moments of sitting on the ground to piece everything back together again, looking around at the group that had formed by this point. Kit, Bella, Leo, and now Clarence. Mikey blinked a few more times, before slowly getting back to her feet, warily looking around incase anything else planned on knocking her down again. With an arched eyebrow, she gave a small shrug, "Well, I doubt that's the last we'll see of them, nor are they the only ones. No one would only send barely a handful to a party like this." she practically mumbled to herself, fingers resting under her chin as she thought.

It was only then that a pit formed in her stomach, looking over her shoulder to the ledge where Mikey and Leo had last piled up the goons.

"Uhm...where the fuck did they go?" she cursed, pushing past the others, sure enough the goons Mikey and Leo had taken care of earlier were nowhere in sight. "Xavier is gonna kill me."

The events that transpired soon after were so fast, Leo had to pay attention to keep up. Although, by now, it was apparent their eyes were struggling to find a place to settle. They bounced to Mikey to make sure she was ok, then back over the Bella to marvel in the beauty of her formal outfit, then to Kit who was looking so adorable all flustered like that, they just wanted to pinch his cheeks, and then to Clarence, who was almost more adorable in his little waiter outfit. There was so much going on, so much Leo wanted to say, and with that remaining energy bouncing around inside them, it was getting difficult to stand still. But it was clear to everyone around them, Kit and Bella were having a bit of a moment, and Leo couldn’t help but sit by and watch. They’re both so cute, they mused, a pleased smile on their face. But they’re sooooo oblivious. They obviously like each other. They should say something to one another! Leo couldn’t help but wonder, with so little introspection it was practically baffling.

Bella was just praising Kit’s newest invention when Mikey caught Leo’s attention again. They turned to glance at her, a touch of confusion causing them to tilt their head to the side. But as soon as they heard what Mikey said, their eyes widened. They turned fully to peer behind her, and sure enough, the goons they had dropped were gone, as if they had vanished into thin air. “What the…? How…?!” Their head whipped around as they searched the walkway, as if there was anything the goons could have been hiding behind anyways. They darted to the edge, fearlessly leaning over it, perhaps a bit farther than they should have, before standing back up straight, unbothered. “They’re just… gone!? That’s not a good sign,” Leo reapproached the group before peering over at Kit’s map. “Are there even any more?” They asked.

Mikey couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, really not that bright, huh?, she couldn't help but think for a moment. Looking around for a moment at the others before returning to look at Leo, "My best guess? Thicker skulls than we thought, and knowing how to play dead real well." Mikey folded her arms before looking back at Kit as Leo has asked him a question, "I'd assume so, no one would only send barely a handful to scoutout a place like this, knowing full Supes, like you guys, would be mixed in with regular security." Mikey had chosen her words rather carefully, her dual-sided identity wasn't exactly primarily known, even amongst the others. And she'd prefer to keep it that way.

With a small, exasperated sigh, "And if there is, wherever they are…No longer my problem. I think my bruises have bruises now, no thanks to someone." she shot a pointed glare in Kit's direction, before turning on her heel. Not being able to fully ignore the slight blur of vision she experienced for a moment, "I think I need a drink…Or two."

Leo observed, the concern in their expression multiplying by the second. Why would anybody attack a party like this? They glanced over their shoulder again, as if making sure the two goonies had actually disappeared. Once their attention returned to Mikey, they could detect the slightest sway in her movements. Leo blinked, as if considering their options. However, as much as they would have loved to stay and drool over Bella for a little longer, her and Kit were having… a moment. There was still an undeniable discomfort between Leo and Mikey, but they did their best to ignore it at all times. They weren’t necessarily friends, but they were professional with one another. And now wouldn’t be any different. “Alright, Bella, Kit, Clarence, keep your eyes peeled. We have no clue if more goons like this are going to show up, but we have to be ready if they do. Now we can communicate faster if something happens. Brain page me if you need me, I’m going to help grumpy pants to the infirmary,” Leo flashed them one last smile before saluting and darting after Mikey.

“I think what you actually need is to get checked out. By a doctor. If… that wasn’t clear,” Leo added that bit at the end as they kept pace with Mikey. They facepalmed mentally. Hopefully Bella didn’t feel it. Nice one, dumbass. This definitely isn’t awkward enough. They sighed and put their hand on Mikey’s shoulder; the touch was their attempt at being comforting while also implying that she could lean on them if she needed to. “Seriously. I don’t have anywhere I need to be, let me help you,” They offered, their voice soft, displaying how much they did actually care.

Mikey had all but in her own thoughts when she managed to catch the last few parts of Leo's first comment as she felt their hand on her shoulder. Initially causing her to freeze and flinch momentarily. Taking a moment to take a deep breath, before turning to look at the other, who was only an inch or two taller than herself. Even when Mikey wore heels, Leo still managed to be ever so slightly taller than her. Annoying, but she'd get over it. Simply giving a small shrug, "Please, no one within the whole span of the city would be in their right mind. I think I'm good there." she attempted at a joke,"But yeah…Maybe taking a bit to sit and chill for a bit would be fine. Last thing I need is Xavier getting on my ass about this…I really didn't need to fail this badly as head of security. Or well…At least try to make a point of it, I guess."

She took a few steps, before instinctively reaching for Leo's hand on her shoulder as she could feel herself wabble again, "...Maybe it would be a good idea to get checked out after all…Just uh…Need to figure out how to not get spotted by the others." she took a moment to think, before glancing at Leo for a moment as the two continued to walk, "Thanks though, for uhm…not giving me a hard time about this? Or well…everything. So…Thanks, Leo." she said with a half smile, seeing as that was about as much as she could muster in the moment.

At Mikey’s attempt at a joke, Leo chuckled. It was pretty funny, but they also did want to try and move past the awkwardness of their own statement. They were usually so eloquent… Mmm, well, that’s not entirely true. So they would take all of the help they could get right now. However, they were glad that Mikey wasn’t protesting about getting checked out. They had dealt with a hardheaded, stubborn certain someone for so long who was always refusing help, so it was a breath of fresh air. However, Leo hadn’t expected what Mikey said at the end, and their stomach twisted a little bit. Leo was horrible at holding grudges; they can’t stand the way they make Leo feel. Mikey may have broken their best friend’s heart, but she was still human. Leo would never treat her as anything less than such. So, their gaze softened, and they smiled a little bit, especially at the use of their actual name instead of their codename.

Once Mikey leaned on them more, Leo hooked their arm through Mikey’s, so they were walking linking together. From there, Leo could rest a hand on Mikey’s forearm, to make sure she would maintain balance. Plus, to an onlooker, they just appeared to be strolling around together. “I could always carry you, but… Perhaps if we walk like this, throw in a random, exaggerated laugh or two, people will assume we’re just two friends with one being a little more tipsy than the other,” Leo offered, but their tone revealed that they were joking, if only a touch. “Of course I wouldn’t give you a hard time about it… Or anything else,” Leo spoke rather matter-of-factly, as if this was common knowledge. “That’s what heroes are for, right? To help?” Now Leo was laying it on thick, a broad smirk on their face.

Mikey gave a small nod of agreement, at least if anyone managed to find them, they'd be none the wiser. At least not anyone connected to Aegis. "So, pretend to be stuck up rich people? Sounds easy enough." she quipped as the pair continued along. At the mention of being a hero, Mikey snorted. "Please. There are plenty of other things a Hero like yourself could be doing right now, that doesn't involve helping me not get spotted by my boss." Mikey spoke softly as the two continued walking down one of the many hallways, before taking a turn down another corridor.

"How about this, I pay you back sometime for being so charitable? And not because you're a Hero. But because you are a much too kind person, that I happened to inconvenience. Sounds fair?" she asked with one raised eyebrow as she looked up to her companion, which happened to be the most unlikely person, if she was to be honest with herself.

Leo laughed and shook their head. It took a lot of effort not to roll their eyes too. “Please. I’m here to help. As far as I’m concerned, helping is helping, so there isn’t anything else I’d rather be doing,” They beamed down at Mikey, their voice and smile as sincere as always. “Plus, Xavier loves me! There’s no way he could be that mad when I’m the one with you,” Leo added in hopes that they could dissuade Mikey’s anxiety a little. And they weren’t lying either; their relationship with the famous Xavier Hale was quite positive.

However, at the offer of repayment, Leo’s surprise was obvious. Mikey wasn’t really the charitable type, at least they hadn’t pegged her as such from the pair’s previous interactions. The compliment did make their smile broaden though. “You don’t have to, Mikey. I told you, it's my job to help people.” It was true. Leo didn’t see themselves as kind; they just believed that everyone should be willing to help someone when they’re in need. Their eyes followed the corridors as they traversed, allowing Mikey to lead them in the proper direction.

Mikey had patiently listened as Leo spoke, nodding along. Unable to hold back the small snort at the comment of Xavier liking Leo. Xavier was a man of many things, and knowing how to well 'people' was simply one of them. So knowing how to properly make outside of Aegis connections weren't too farfetched, nor was it that Mikey knew exactly who Xavier was. But that wasn't for here.

Turning to face Leo once again at their last statement, she gave a small nod. "Ya know…I'm probably not thinking straight anyway. I probably won't even remember this conversation, as I bet I got knocked around pretty badly so…fair enough, I suppose." she said with a small shrug.

Leo was surprised by how quickly Mikey relented; it seemed as if Mikey was going to continue to surprise them tonight. Although, they couldn’t help themselves with their next statement, “It's us you’re talking about. Are we ever thinking straight?” The joke could have landed horribly, and Leo still wouldn’t have been able to stop their own laugh that followed. Once their giggling had died down, Leo squeezed Mikey’s arm softly. “If you wanna do me a favor, you can do this for me: take it easy, and take care of yourself. And try to steer clear of any big steel doors for a little while, god knows who could come barreling through one of those,” They had to force their final joke out through their ever-growing grin.

Mikey couldn't stop the following comment by the time it had already left her, "Huh, Bash told me otherwise, I do believe-" a clearly playful tone was laced in. Soon followed by a small nod, "But sure, I will stay away from all big doors for the rest of the night. You can count on that much from me." Mikey said as she rubbed the back of her head, "Gonna hurt like a bitch tomorrow, I can tell that much though…" she groaned, as if she needed any other reasons to have a headache.

Leo laughed instantly, and they shook their head. “Hey, I’m genderqueer. As far I’m concerned, anything and anyone I’m involved with is at least a little bit gay,” They joked with that same broad smile. “And I topped the shit out of Bash anyways,” They added that last bit with a smirk. Once Mikey replied, Leo nodded. They were glad that she would at least try to take it easy, though they weren’t sure what that even meant to someone like Mikey. “That’s why we’re headed to the infirmary! Hopefully there they’ll give you something that will make it hurt a little less,” Leo’s tone remained just as excited and positive as it always was. “Speaking of, we should be there soon…”

Mikey couldn't help the small scoff and roll of her eyes, she didn't need to know that information, "Unlike a certain someone-" she muttered under her breath. Only giving a small nod at first, but soon regretted it as the motion caused the pain in her head to worsen, "I sure as shit hope so, infact, I hope it makes me forget this whole night all together." she grumbled as the two continued to walk down the various hallways.

"It should be one of the next few doors, actually. If I remember correctly that is." Mikey sighed, before turning one last time to look at Leo. Giving them the smallest of genuine smiles that she could muster,"Really though, thank you. After...everything, it's nice to know that at least someone doesn't still hold things over my head.."

After they had made it to the door, Leo only released their grip on Mikey once they were sure she wasn’t going to topple over. Even then, they kept a watchful eye on her. Leo had to fight to keep their smile from faltering a bit. What happened between Ris and Mikey… Leo hadn’t been there for that. They knew that Mikey left Ris heartbroken, and although Ris is Leo’s best friend… Leo isn’t the type to hold grudges. They would never let something like that impact how Leo treats people. But it was still an awkward situation that required some delicate handling. “Hey, I told you not to worry about it. That’s what heroes are for! And if you need me for anything else, let me know.” Leo smiled at her again, hoping she wouldn’t notice that they had specifically avoided talking about what happened between her and Ris.

Mikey was only able to give a small nod, clearly able to discern that even Leo was dancing around the subject. Mentally kicking herself for even bringing up the topic in the first place. Maybe she really did just need some alcohol, a blanket, and some movies. That way she could shut the fuck up and not make already awkward enough situations, that much more awkward.

Letting out a soft sigh, Mikey looked down at the floor, before looking back up at Leo, "Noted. Guess you really were my hero tonight after all, huh?" she mused for a moment. Before pausing, finally remembering what had been bothering her this entire time, "I am a complete idiot." she started, looking back at Leo once again, "Your suit. Back there...Any and all damages to your outfit tonight will be paid for personally by me. And I will not take no for an answer, got it?"

There was something so satisfying about being called a hero; for Leo, it never gets old. So when Mikey repeated the sentiment, Leo felt that usual warmth from praise heat up their skin. In truth, that would have been repayment enough, but Mikey continued, and Leo couldn’t help but playfully roll their eyes. “Oh please. You can try if you want, but I don’t even own the damn thing. This is all Switchblade company property. It’s nice though, right?” Leo held their hands out and did a little spin. “You should see the jacket, it's the best part. At least I had the foresight to keep that from getting wrecked. Come find me once you’re done here, I can show it to you,” Leo beamed, their genuine excitement not hidden in the slightest.

Mikey gave a resignated and final nod, Leo had won this round apparently. "Fine, Mr. Fancy-Pants." which came out as more of a grumble than she had anticipated. Mikey watched as Leo gave a small spin before continuing to explain, and offer to meet back up after everything was said and done. "I'll let you know what the dire results are afterwards, then." she said with one last look before she took a few steps away towards the door. "And uh, try not to get too drunk tonight, yeah? You Heroes still have a mission tonight."

Leo was glad this had gone well. Or, as well as they could have gone, at least. They nodded in reply, excited about the prospects in the future. However, at the remark about them drinking, Leo laughed. “You don’t have to worry about me. I promise I’ll lay off the strong stuff, but I will keep sipping bubbly for the rest of the night. Luckily that stuff is practically apple juice to me.” Leo smiled at Mikey one last time before beginning to make their way back down the hall. “I’ll see you later!” They waved just before turning a corner.

Mikey simply gave Leo a small smile and nod, watching as they not too long after turned and left. She waited a few moments, before looking down both sides of the hallway, and ducked into another room, softly closing the door behind her. She took out her earpiece once more, once ensuring that the voice modulator that Phantom had installed was activated, "Skadi once again ensuring all agents are in position? We got a mission at play, folks. Let's not fuck it up, yeah?" her voice was a few octaves lower whenever she was in her hero persona, a precaution she had learned from Phantom and a few other Heroes that wished for their identities to remain hidden. Besides, it was okay if Mikey had disappeared few a hours, Skadi had to at least make some sort of appearance tonight, even if she remained in the shadows, watching from afar.

Mikey didn’t exactly tell them to go back to their stations, but Bella presumed that’s what they were supposed to do. So she made her way back down to the party, marvelling as she found herself still able to tap into the other’s thoughts over the increased distance. Mikey’s were still a little slow and groggy after the fight. Leo was… well, Bella had learned the hard way before not to try and listen to Leo’s thoughts for too long. And then there was Kit, being as brilliant as ever. His invention really was great. When Mikey spoke over her comms to ask the heroes to get back in position, Bella decided to try out the device a little more. Instead of speaking aloud, she telepathically replied, “You got it, boss!”

She meant to ask if it had worked, even though she had complete faith that it would have done. And then she got to the main party, and the noise there wiped out all of her own thoughts. She could hear everybody. Not just the heroes wearing the matching earpieces. Everybody. And the noise was… overwhelming. Immediately, Bella felt like she was going to throw up. She couldn’t abandon the mission though. She had to persevere. It would get easier once she got used to it, she told herself. She tried and failed to force a smile onto her face, and instead settled for just not looking like she was about to throw up and then pass out. Pain was beginning to seep into her temples, but she just snagged a glass of water from a passing waiter and downed it in the hope that might help.

It didn’t help. She found herself drifting aimlessly around the room, trying to find a spot that was less loud than others. She found herself too close to the stage at one point; the worst mistake she’d made so far that night. Luci’s thoughts were as clear as Kit’s had been. One name kept cropping up, along with a face that Luci was looking for, and neither belonged to Bella. The pain in her head threatened to seep into her chest, and so she made a beeline for the far side of the room. She wanted to leave, but wouldn’t. She wouldn’t let her team down. If more bad guys showed up and she wasn’t there to help, she’d never forgive herself. She hadn’t been able to help Page, she wouldn’t let herself be unable to help everyone else.

She tucked herself into a quiet corner, somewhere where things weren’t quite as loud, and glanced at her phone. It was going to be a long night, she knew it already.

Hearing Cameron’s voice over the comms was a welcome sound. His comment about Kieran’s hair looking good just made him smile. “I would like to add for the record that I would bet my apartment on the fact that Variant is also looking damn fine today,” he replied. But before anyone else could berate them for using their comms to flirt, black-clad figures filled the room below them. Kieran swore, ducking behind the statue he was hiding behind as gunshots broke out. Chills ran down his spine as the stench of death filled the air. Why couldn’t he have just been assigned to the other party?

“Hey! Sir Percival!” He hissed.
“Young knight!”
“You wanna go slay some witches?” He asked. The ghost’s face positively lit up with delight. “Go slay some witches!” The ghost solidified into something resembling a human, a sword like the one in the case beside Kieran appearing in his hands. Sir Percival raised the sword and leaped from the balcony, running one of the black-clad figures through. He apparently did not consider Kieran himself a witch then, something that Kieran had taken a gamble on. None of his ghosts had tried to kill him yet, but he felt like it was a matter of time. He shot one more glance at the sword in the case beside him, decided it wasn’t worth a complaint from museum security, and instead just drew his knife. He glanced over the balcony and at the scene below, briefly considered his options, and decided to take the stairs. He, regretfully, wasn’t as indestructible as Ris or Bash.

He made a sprint for the side stairs, digging down deep as he did so. Ghosts were the better option here, he figured. But before he could actually summon any of them, he needed to get to safety. Somewhere nearby, but with good cover. But as he got to the bottom of the stairs, he was met with a barrel of a gun, aimed squarely at his chest. But something solid, fast, and familiar collided with Kieran and dragged him out of harm’s way as the bullet shattered the air where Kieran had been moments ago. Maelstrom dropped Kieran behind a pillar, looked him up and down, nodded to make sure he was okay, then dashed off again. Kieran exhaled, his back pressed against the pillar he was hiding behind. He wasn’t of use in a situation like this; why the hell did Aegis keep sending him into them? They kept sending him into gunfights with nothing more than a knife and his abilities. He wasn’t even sure there was bulletproof protection built into his suit. Not to mention, being in an active fight made him feel like he was about to die himself, with the amount of death reeking around the place, no thanks to Ris and Bash. He had to do something. He dug deep and felt all of the ghosts in the building. They were restless. They wanted to help. Good. It would make this easier.

“I’m about to summon a shit ton of ghosts to come help you guys out, but I’m going to need some cover,” He said into his comms. Summoning this many ghosts would leave him vulnerable for far too long, and he didn’t trust this pillar to shelter him that long. “See you all on the other side.” He closed his eyes, and pulled every ghost he could reach into the material world. There was a second where he thought it hadn’t worked; and then the visions came crashing in, lives and deaths and everything in between. The crash was so significant that he could vaguely feel his legs buckle and his back collide with the pillar, but he wasn’t able to stop it. He just had to ride it out and hope that the ghosts were at least helpful.

Singing for so long is exhausting in its own right, but it's a specific type of exhaustion. Sure, Luci was tired from standing and pacing and waving and spinning, but even with the occasional time to down some water, her throat and chest were getting tired. And having to use her abilities at the same time for such an extended period? She was glad that she was given a couple of 30 minute breaks for the night. One was approaching, thankfully, she just had one more song. Xavier’s song choice was decent, but a part of the deal was letting Luci pick a handful herself. Admittedly, she may have had a grouchy little witch on her mind when choosing several of them, including this one. And, at the moment, that same grouchy little witch remained in her thoughts as she sang it, “Love is all that I can give to youuu. Love is more than just a game for twooo.” It likely wasn’t a healthy habit, but distracting herself and getting lost in her thoughts was a common practice when Luci is on stage. It helped keep her calm, although distracting herself by recalling the feeling of soft, sweet lips against her own and even softer, sweeter words from one of the softest, sweetest women she’d ever met… It may be a little too distracting.

All of the audience blurred into a blob, only sudden movements returned her eyes to focus, but for the most part, Luci was in her own world, singing, standing, pacing, waving, and spinning for dozens of party guests. It was as if she was on autopilot, but nobody would be able to tell. Her grace and poise was flowing, natural. “Two in love can make it, take my heart and please don't break it! Love was made for me and youuu,” As if on cue, once Luci had hit that note, a bit of movement caught her attention. A face, one that she had spent years trying to avoid, for nothing short of a dozen painful reasons, appeared, clear as day, right next to the stage. Luci’s eyes darted between Bella and the crowd, and the blonde paled just a touch. Her smile became more forced, but her voice continued to flow like it always did; she had an image to uphold, a show to continue. “L is for the way you look at meee! O is for the only one I seeee!” She had to. The show must go on, she couldn’t ruin her public image, even as the pleasant thoughts of Morgana morphed and mutated into something else, something agonizing and guilt-ridden, something that reminded her of greedy, unyielding hands leaving marks across her body.

Bella disappeared back into the crowd and headed away from the stage, but her absence didn’t remove the thoughts from Luci’s head, nor did it sate the worry that bubbled to the surface when she saw the look on Bella’s face. She appeared ill and distressed in a physical way, not likely something that could have been caused just by seeing Luci, no matter how difficult that was. Once the last few lines of the song had been sung, Luci gave the crowd a polite wave and stepped off stage. Now out of the watchful eye of the public, Luci released a deep breath from her chest, and a frown turned the corners of her lips downward. She didn’t want to think about it, about how horribly she had treated Bella and how she didn’t deserve Bella’s forgiveness. Luci didn’t want to remember the brutality of the violation she endured, the smell of his breath, the roughness of his fingers around her throat, the feeling of vileness and disgust she had with herself that she still hasn’t been able to completely shake. But the moment one tries not to think about something on purpose, they can’t help but continue to think about it. Especially when all Luci could picture was Bella’s facial expression, troubled and strained, just before she disappeared back into the crowd. No matter how awful Luci felt, she couldn’t ignore somebody in need. So she grabbed a water bottle, glanced at the clock, and stepped out from backstage and into the crowd herself.

It took a couple minutes for Luci to figure out where Bella went, mostly because damn near every step she took, she was interrupted by a partygoer wanting to compliment her singing. Thankfully, she could accept their praise quickly and shuffle away from the conversations without being rude; something she’d practiced over many years of avoidance. But eventually, Luci turned a corner, not too far from the main hall, and found Bella, appearing just as troubled as she had been earlier. Luci thought Bella looked gorgeous in that dress, but the thought was fast, fading away again to be overpowered by those other thoughts, the self-hatred and the pain that she saw every time she took in Bella’s appearance. For Luci, Bella was tied to that night, that horrible night, and it was another reason why Luci avoided her. But she couldn’t avoid her now; Bella needed help. “Bella…?”Luci spoke softly as she approached, but the clicking of her stiletto heels gave her away first. She felt so silly, talking in this borderline gaudy dress, covered in sparkles, but she didn’t have much of a choice. “Are you alright? You don’t l-look so good.” She drew nearer until she was only a foot or two away. Bella seemed like she might keel over; Luci wanted to be close enough to catch her if she needed to. However, it was clear that Luci was struggling to maintain eye contact with Bella, more so than usual, given how her eyes darted up and down between the floor and Bella’s face. It was difficult not to flinch or tense up every time she looked at Bella. Every time, Bella’s face was overshadowed by another, one with a toothy grin and scratchy stubble and alcohol on his breath. “I.. I brought you some water,” She held the bottle out for Bella, and Luci’s hand was shaking visibly. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she was too scared to say, but now didn’t feel right. And it was difficult, so, so difficult.

Even now, as far away as she could physically get from the crowd, the noise was overwhelming. By now, the thought that taking the headband off might help was long gone. Bella could hardly think at all. Her head felt like it was about to burst as it was, leaving no room for her own thoughts. Her skull surely had to be about to crack open and let the thoughts fly back to their original owners instead of rattling around her head. Or maybe she would vomit them out instead. Her vision was fine one second and blurry the next, and then fine again, adding to the awfulness of the whole situation. She wasn’t sure that she would be able to focus on her phone for long enough to text somebody for help. She thought that it might be worth a try, and then remembered her phone was in her bag, abandoned somewhere on a table in the crowd. Nope, that wasn’t happening.

The thoughts of the person approaching her hit her before the actual reality of their presence did. Images of violence, a man’s face, the stench of cheap alcohol trying to be expensive… they were images that were hard for her to hear, even before she heard the voice that accompanied them.

Luci. Bella had to fight back a groan. Of all people, it had to be Luci. Bella had spent a not insignificant portion of the past two years attempting to move on from, or at least ignore, all of the hurt and pain from that fateful evening. She wasn’t so sure she’d be capable of that right then. She accepted the bottle of water but didn’t open it, just instead stared down at it and her hands. She’d barely even heard Luci’s question, and it took her a few seconds to even begin to process an answer. She opened her mouth to say, ‘I’m fine’, but it seemed like the noise and the thoughts and everything else spiked, overwhelming her system entirely. And so instead of a lie, something like a sob escaped through her mouth. She clamped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. The violence flashing through her mind now was the final straw. Why had it only started when Luci had come over to her? She was in a room with plenty of heroes; they’d all seen awful things, why was this sticking out so much now? And why did it affect her more than anything else? Everything was too much. Her fist pressed to her mouth, she wasn’t even sure if she was making any noise any more. She took a deep, shuddering gasp as she tried and failed to compose herself. “I’m sorry,” she forced out.

Luci’s heart was already throbbing in her chest the moment she spotted Bella, but seeing her like this? Once that choked sob squeezed out of Bella’s throat, Luci thought she was going to cry herself. She wanted to dart forward, hug Bella, hold her close, cry with her, and maybe try to explain why she had done what she did that day. But Luci was not bold, she wasn’t confident like many of her friends, and in that moment, she thought she was pathetic, useless. Did Luci make things worse by approaching Bella? She just wanted to help, but she felt like she was doing the opposite. Bella didn’t even try to drink the water, she seemed too pained to even try. And all the while, Luci was fighting her mind tooth and nail, trying to continue to suppress the memories she’d been suppressing for nearly two years, but it was a losing battle.

Once Luci heard Bella’s apology, her chest tightened. Bella wasn’t the one who should be apologizing, but Luci still didn’t think it was the right time. Not now, when Bella was already falling apart. What can I do? She wanted to ask, but she had a feeling Bella wouldn’t have been able to form a coherent answer in this state. Luci had to find a way to try and calm her down, ease some of that tension, and she only knew one way how. It’s the only thing you’re good for. Luci swallowed, and her eyes lifted to stare forward. She reached deep into her mind and her heart, and one specific song traveled to the tip of her tongue. Perhaps an odd choice to many, but Luci’s mother used to sing it to her. And after everything that happened, the lyrics took on a new meaning for Luci. “Well I've heard there was a sacred chord, David played and it pleased the Lord.” Singing was one of the only times when Luci feels moderately self-assured, so she managed to maintain eye contact as she did it. “But you don't really care for music, do you?” It was as if Luci was speaking to Bella directly, and as the sweet, soft notes danced towards the brunette, Luci even smiled just as sweetly and softly. “Well it goes like this: The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift. The baffled king composing Hallelujah.”

If Luci could just establish a strong enough link, she could help urge Bella’s mind and body to relax. Bella was always someone that Luci had a hard time establishing a link with, so she knew she would need to pull out every trick in the book. The first verse wasn’t enough, neither were the soft Hallelujahs that followed. She needed more, but she was dreading singing the next part, and she cursed her mind for only being able to think of this song out of the millions of others. “Well your faith was strong but you needed proof. You saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you.” It was impossible not to think of Bella as she sang, how beautiful she had looked on that sunny weekend where they spent hours laughing and having fun. The link was still too weak; Luci needed more. Tentatively at first, Luci reached for Bella’s clenched fist; she forced her own trembling fingers to still. She didn’t have time to be nervous. Bella was suffering. Making a physical connection was the easiest way to help establish a link faster. Luci unfurled Bella’s fist, cradling her hand between her own.

However, her throat tightened as she sang the next lyrics. “And he tied you to your kitchen chair. He broke your throne, he cut your hair, and from your lips he drew the Hallelujah…” It happened again, those tender, joyful memories rotted, and they were replaced with flashes of rough, demanding hands and a vicious, hungry mouth that covered her body in marks that took weeks to heal. But it was working, the link had formed well enough, and Luci mentally urged Bella’s mind and body: Relax. Breathe. You will be alright. Relax. Breathe. But the toll on Luci was obvious, her shoulders quaked slightly, and she swallowed again to try and keep herself from crying. She hadn’t thought about these things in so long. Of course she’d sometimes still have nightmares, and she would talk to her therapist about it on occasion, but it had been months since she’d seen these memories so vividly.

At some point, Luci and Bella had discovered that Luci’s abilities didn’t work as easily or as well on Bella as it did on most other people. Apparently the lack of sexual attraction was something of a barrier; a fact that Bella had always found ironic considering the feelings she’d hidden for Luci for so long. But the fact that the magic didn’t work on Bella didn’t stop Luci’s voice from being automatically soothing to her. Her voice was so soft and clear and sad, but it was what Bella needed. Instinctively, she closed her eyes. The feeling of Luci’s hands around hers made her tense a little at first, before she relaxed again.

When the abilities finally began to kick in, the noise became a little less noisy and a little less overwhelming. Bella’s own emotions calmed somewhat. It was then that she became aware of a few things. There were the words that Luci was singing; soft and clear and with a touch of power that hadn’t been there seconds before. And the thoughts that came with them- of Bella herself, two years younger, two years more innocent, in a light that Bella had seldom seen herself. Those thoughts, those images of Bella… they didn’t fit with the way that Bella had presumed Luci felt about her.

And then came those images of violence. But now, with the link between them a little clearer, Bella’s head a touch quieter and most importantly calmer, Bella was able to make a bit more sense of them. Even still, it took her a few moments to piece the whole thing together. When she realised what she was seeing, her whole body went cold; but not from being overwhelmed or unwell, but from the awful horror of what Luci had experienced. She didn’t even fully think about what she did next. She threw her arms around Luci, pulling her into the tightest hug she could manage. “You didn’t deserve that,” was all she could manage to say. She couldn’t verbalise her thoughts any further than that, so she just repeated it. “You didn’t deserve that awful thing.”

Luci watched as some of the tension melted off of Bella’s shoulders, and relief flooded her system. Being able to see even a little bit of the pain fade away was exactly what Luci wanted. Once Bella had relaxed, Luci almost excused herself. She wanted to offer leaving, getting someone who would actually be able to help Bella. However, before she could, Bella lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Luci in a tight, firm hug. Luci froze, her whole body taut for a few seconds as she listened to what Bella said. Could this really be happening? Luci thought Bella hated her, and Bella had every right to after what Luci had done. She had been so foolish, selfish; she only thought about herself, her own feelings that day as she ran away from them and from Bella. And then she left Bella in the dark for nearly two years. Luci didn’t think she deserved this. She didn’t deserve a hug, she didn’t deserve those kind words, and yet she was given them anyway.

It was sudden; the tension leaving Luci’s body too. She nearly collapsed into Bella, and in an instant, tears were flowing from her eyes. After nearly two years, this is exactly what she’d dream of: a chance to reconnect with Bella, to explain herself. And even if all of that wasn’t happening at this exact moment, Luci knew in her heart that this was the first step in the right direction. She relented and wrapped her arms around Bella too, buried her face in her shoulder, and she cried. Covered from head to toe in sparkles, with far too much make-up on her face, she cried, not caring that it would start running or how a woman should never make a mess of herself at an event like this. She cried and she cried, all of those pent up emotions finally escaping through her tears, and she trembled against Bella as she did. “I’m sorry…” Luci managed to squeeze out between sobs. “I’m so, so sorry… Bella…” She hadn’t said Bella’s name in so long, it sounded almost strange in her voice. “I’m sorry you.. you h-had to see that, those things.” Luci knew Bella likely saw what she had been thinking about, all those horrific images. “I… I have so much I-I want to.. To explain, to apologize for, but now…” Luci pulled back from the hug, and she hurriedly wiped at her running mascara as she sniffled. “Now isn’t.. Isn’t the best time, really,” She almost laughed at the end.

Perhaps it was a bold move, but Luci was running out of time. She had to be back on stage soon, and she now needed to factor in time to fix her make-up and try to find someone that could really help Bella. “I… I w-want… Could we maybe… get together and talk, sometime?” Luci asked, though her eyes remained rooted to the floor. She expected rejection, so she moved past it quickly.

Bella had just about managed to stop crying. And then Luci pressed her face to her neck and began to do so, and Bella began to cry all over again. She cried over the things that had happened and the things that hadn’t, over the pounding headache she still had, the grief that had made a permanent home in her chest, over the swirling noise that still deafened most of her own thoughts. And in some strange way, it was what she needed right then. She just clung to Luci and let Luci cling to her, and they both sobbed.

Luci’s words felt like the first steps towards bridging the chasm that had grown between them in the past few years. Bella just listened, shaking her head as Luci apologised for the images she had seen. It hadn’t been pleasant for Bella to see them, but it must have been so much worse for Luci to live them, and so she didn’t think an apology was needed. When Luci pulled back, Bella let her, wiping her own cheeks with the back of her hand.

When Luci asked if they could find time to actually talk, Bella nodded without even really having to think about it. “Yeah, that sounds good,” she said, her voice still trembling somewhat. “Sometime when we’re both not…” she gestured between the two of them and laughed a little. “I still feel like I might throw up so definitely not right now, but… sometime soon?” She offered. Instinctively, she went to check her phone to see when she was free, then remembered it was buried in the throng of people, somewhere she still couldn’t bring herself to go back to. “My phone is… in there somewhere…” she said, still unable to even really remember where as she stared blankly at the crowd. “I also need to find Kit. He made me this,” she said, gesturing at the headband. “It’s really cool and is a really cool idea, but… it works too well and I have a killer migraine and… feel a little like I might pass out. I bet he can fix it though, he made it himself. It’s really cool, right?” She rambled.

It was as if a weight had been lifted off of Luci. The horrific images faded from her mind, and a pleasant warmth took their place. It was still overwhelming with all of these repressed emotions coming to a head, and a part of her couldn’t believe what was happening. She certainly didn’t think she deserved it, but she was glad nonetheless. She laughed at Bella’s response, a genuine, pleased laugh. “Yes, some other time, when we are both more able. Soon sounds good to me.” She was proud of how well she managed to get through that sentence without stuttering. Truly, once she is more comfortable, speaking comes easier.

Once Bella started to talk about Kit, the warmth in Luci’s chest spread even further. The soft smile on her face was almost relieved; she was glad that Bella was able to find happiness with someone else, just as Luci had. “It is rather cool, I agree. He’s always been… been good at that, making cool stuff,” Luci agreed with a nod. “Would you like me to find your phone, or… or someone to find Kit? I would go searching for him myself but I’ve got…” She glanced around, leaning to peer into the hall and take in a clock. “Blast… 10 minutes, and I’ve got to fix m-my… I’m sorry. Would that be ok? Leo always sticks out like a mountain, I’m sure I could find them quickly.” Luci’s eyes were apologetic again. She had to be back on stage soon, and she was worried she would run out of time. Those nerves were returning, and her heart was starting to pound.

At the mention of Leo, Bella’s first instinct was to ask Luci to go get them. They were such a ray of positivity that it felt like they could have been exactly the person she needed right then. And then she remembered the few times she’d had to tap into their thoughts during training or a mission and just how loud and overwhelming they could be on a good day. “Um… if you can find my phone for me, I think I should be able to manage to text Kit to come find me,” she said. “If you can’t find it though, don’t worry, I’ll be okay. You’ve got to get back on stage and stay wowing the audience with your gorgeous voice, you hear me?” As the words left Bella’s mouth, she realised exactly what she had said, colour rushing to her cheeks. She’d said it without thinking, and had meant it as nothing more than a friend, but she didn’t know if Luci knew she meant it that way. “It’s a shame Morgana isn’t here to hear it,” she added softly. It was an impulse response, really, the only way she could think of letting Luci know that she didn’t mind, not really. Mentioning anything that she’d heard in someone’s thoughts was always uncomfortable for her, especially something as personal as this. But given what she’d already seen, perhaps this wasn’t such a violation of privacy. She just managed a soft, somewhat awkward smile and hoped that Luci knew she had meant it in nothing but kindness.

As Luci was given her little task from Bella, she nodded, perhaps a bit too excitedly. She was glad she could just be helpful. However, Bella continued, and she complimented Luci’s singing. There was an explosion of warmth in Luci’s face, and a flood of color accompanied it. Her eyes immediately dropped to the ground, a sheepish action, one she could not resist due to the fuzziness in her chest. After nearly two years, Luci expected Bella to hate her and her voice. Hearing her compliment her and it instead brought a sense of relief that Luci didn’t even know she needed. The inclusion of Morgana shifted her feelings away from relief into something more akin to embarrassment; this meant Bella had seen Morgana in Luci’s head when she was singing those love songs. The blush on her cheeks shifted up to the tips of Luci’s ears, and the mere mention of the witch reminded Luci of the softness of her lips, the playful verbal teasing that always left her stumbling and stuttering, and the softness of smooth, silky black hair between her fingers. “Y-yes, it r-really is a shame.” Although Luci was embarrassed, there was a new tenderness in both her voice and her eyes as they drifted away in thought, denoting just how much she felt for Morgana. “P-perhaps she and some others will show up later. I wonder what she would… think of this… this gaudy dress,” She added the last bit with a laugh and a shake of her head, and that helped remind her of her task at hand: helping Bella. “I’ll find your phone, don’t worry. Be back in a jiff.”

After one more nod, Luci walked back into the main hall. As soon as she entered, she spotted a familiar face, one that was nearly a foot taller than her. “Hey Luce!” Leo approached Luci quickly, but they paused once she saw the state of her runny make-up. “Oh no, did something happen? Are you ok?” Leo asked her, a deep layer of concern furrowing their brows.

“I’m fine, Leo, I promise. It was… It was a good cry, one that I needed.” She smiled up at Leo, a full, genuine smile, and it made Leo relax a touch. “But I will also need help fixing my make-up. Can you find Harold for me and meet me backstage in five minutes? I’m running out of time, my break is almost over.”

“Yes, you got it!” Leo jumped to action in an instant, disappearing into the crowd to go search for their friend.

With a shaky breath, Luci searched for Bella’s phone. The hall wasn’t too large luckily, and her sharp eyes scanned between the many moving bodies. Any conversationalists this time were promptly and politely declined, and with a couple minutes to spare, Luci spotted a clutch that looked similar to Bella’s dress. She saw a phone on top of it, one in a case covered in familiar stickers. The last time Luci had seen them was years ago, and they were much more faded and worn than before. There was a tug in Luci’s chest, but she squashed it quickly. Things would be better now. She picked up the clutch and the phone and darted back over to Bella. She wished she could be moving faster, but any longer strides meant more of her legs would be revealed due to those dangerously high slits in the fabric.

“Here,” Luci said as soon as she turned the corner. She held out the phone and the small purse, and her eyes darted up to take in Bella’s face again. This time, what she felt wasn’t guilt or sadness. Although small shreds of those emotions remained, Luci was close to content. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright?” She asked one more time, and her tone was just as sincere as she continued, “I could stay with you for a little while longer or try and find Kit for you. The singing can wait if it must. It’s not more important than your health.”

Bella’s first instinct was to compliment Luci’s dress and to say it wasn’t gaudy at all. But before she could, Luci had dashed off in search of Bella’s phone. Her calming presence gone, the noise began to creep back in, Bella beginning to realise that her headache hadn’t disappeared at all; rather she just hadn’t been paying attention to it for a bit. Hopefully Kit would be able to fix the headband to make it less loud.

When she spotted Luci weaving her way back over to her, she exhaled a little with relief. She managed a grateful smile as Luci handed the bag and the phone to her. There were messages on her phone, but they weren’t important now. She shook her head as Luci offered to stay with her. “No, I’ll be fine. Really. Go do your thing and blow the crowd away, okay?” She said, smiling at Luci. She managed to unlock her phone and open up her texts, scrolling until she found Kit. The message she sent was brief, but she hoped he’d get the point.

To: kit
SOS, gadget not working right

“I’ve texted him, he’s on his way now,” Bella said, looking back up at Luci. “So seriously, go do your thing. I’ll be listening.”

A part of Luci wished Bella had asked her today. This had been going so well, and she was remembering that, otherwise, she was going to be cemented on stage again. On stage, away from her friends, and under the watchful eye of every single person in the hall. But somebody had to be up there, entertaining everybody. Luci was locked into that role, whether she liked it or not. Bella’s soft encouragement was helpful, and Luci couldn’t stop the sheepish smile that creased her lips. Her hands fiddled with some of the crystals on her dress as she tried to figure out what to say. There was so much she had to say, so much she wanted to say, but they didn’t have the time. Luci wasn’t like Leo or any of her other friends; she couldn’t say “Damn your rules” like so many of them did. She was a good girl who did as she was told, even if it left a sour taste in her mouth. “Thank you, Bella… Thank you, f-for… everything. I’ll sing the next one for you.” She gave Bella one last bow of her head and took a few steps towards the exit. Although, she paused just to say, “I.. I hope you feel better soon. And… that dress looks lovely on you.” Admittedly, the last bit may have come out rather quick, and Luci practically ran away after it, but she had gathered the courage to say it nonetheless.

Now it was a race against time. She darted backstage only to see Leo and a rather fretful looking Harold standing beside them. “Hey Luce! I found him for you.”

“Thank you, Leo. Good job,” Luci praised, but it was clear her nerves were starting to return in full force. Leo didn’t mind though; even praise as minor as that warmed their skin.

Luci turned to Harold, who was holding a pretty basic kit for make-up. “One of the assistants had some make-up in her purse. It’s not much, and it’s not nearly as good as the stuff you had at home-”

It was clear Harold was prepared to ramble on, but Luci didn’t have time for this. “It’s fine, Harold! Thank you for all the help, but… Less talk, more applying.” She grimaced as soon as she had said it, immediately feeling bad. “Ah, s-sorry, that was kinda-”

Harold blinked a few times, a redness dusting his cheeks. “Yes ma’am,” was all he said, with a hint of teasing in his tone. A teasing that caused Luci’s own face to flush, but she tilted it up towards Harold regardless.

With less than 60 seconds to spare, Luci made her way back on stage. Her reappearance was greeted with a polite applause, but she hadn’t noticed. Her eyes were set to scanning the crowd again, searching for faces she would never be able to find. Her mother still hadn’t shown up, and a certain short, goth, raven-haired witch hadn’t either. So she smiled, waved to the crowd, and started singing her next song: a Dean Martin classic. “You're nobody 'til somebody loves youuu…” She finished the line with a sweep of her arm, and her wing copied the movement. Every crystal attached to her sparked and shined. “You're nobody 'til somebody cares…”

The sound of scattering and ricocheting bullets managed to pull Isimir out from their thoughts. Giving over a quick scan of the room once more, they were able to see Drake in the middle of taking down two more masked individuals. Nice one, bud. Peering around the other side of their hiding spot, Isimir could spot another two figures, this time they were familiar, even from this distance and with masks. Varient and Charon. From the looks of things, Charon appeared to have seen better days, but with Varient, Isimir knew he'd be fine. More than fine. Giving a small nod, Isimir finally popped out from their vantage point, but just in time to stumble into an unknown figure.

"Now you", Isimir started, "Are really killing my vibe." they chided softly, quickly taking the masked assailant by the arm and flipping them over onto their back and onto the floor. Feeling the person's shoulder dislocate upon impact, "Nighty, night, sweet prince-" Isimir stated, before bringing their booted foot onto the individual's face. A soft crunch was all that was heard, and the figure went limp. That would at least keep that one down long enough, that's all that was needed.

Looking down at their watch, Isimir let out a silent curse, "Being fashionably late is still a thing, right?" they said to no one in particular, taking one more look around the large room they were in before turning on their heel and making a mad dash into the darkness. From their calculations and scanners, there was less than a handfull of unnaccounted for people, the others could handle it, right? Right.

Sure, Isimir knew they'd be getting more than an earful later on, they always did, but tonight was different. They had one night to do this, and they had no more time to spare. They could deal with Reaper, Charon, Bash, and whoever else lecturing them when they realized one person was missing from the group.