Chapter 598 - Loose Ends (2/2)
With the flight overcome, the trio finally went on their own way after Phil dropped Nik off, and waiting for him in the apartment was a briefcase beside Mary, the mature redhead holding her head in annoyance while Anna jumping around. Literally. ”I am back!” Nik announced, grinning with his arms spread open, expecting both of the women to jump into his embrace with squeaks of delight but only Ann did such an act with commitment, her hands wrapping around Nik's back as she exclaimed, ”Mom! Money is back!” Her words pulling dark looks from Nik and Mary simultaneously. 'Ah, so that's what this is about...' Nik thought to himself as Anna kept exclaiming 'money' in a cute hum while helping Nik settle down. ”All that talk about not fighting crimes and you just joined Shield the first opportunity you got?” She clearly wasn't in the best mood. It was understandable and Nik could empathize with what she was feeling. It wasn't about fighting crime but joining a dangerous occupation. At first, when Nick Fury decided to expose himself to Nik, it gave Mary the perfect chance to finally gain an equal ground to share her life and experiences with Nik. But joining it was completely different.
Shield was dangerous. Every aspect of it was. The organization was an object of continuous political harassment, the agents weren't given the Christmas bonus, the other secret organization would always try to dwindle down the forces of Shield and now with the organization stepping up to superheroes, the entire game had changed completely.
”It wasn't the first chance,” Nik coughed, ”And this is on the basis of mission. I haven't joined them,” Nik surprised Mary with the information while leaning forward and kissing her forehead, ”I just thought that I should contribute in any manner I can. I still am going to try and become a lawyer in this world, at an appropriate age, of course. Well, I can always dub as a phenomenal genius and clear the Bar early on,” he grinned, ”And, I know you didn't want any pets so I want you to meet Pickle. She isn't a pet, mind you,” Nik smiled, his collars turning into pink gooey substance before what seemed like Pickle's facial features formed and she greeted, ”I am Pickle, Nik's pickle!”
With a burdening silence now flooding the living room with Ann's hands still on the briefcase with the intention of smacking its surface, the two women looked at each other before gazing back at the floating Pickle.
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”You are back!” Ava found herself falling on back out on the hall with a slightly heavy woman on her body, hugging Ava tightly. ”I shouldn't have given you the keys to my apartment,” Ava grunted in annoyance, pushing Cindy's face away as Silk's lips were puckered into a disgusting smooching face. ”Get away! You are crushing me!” Ava emphasized, making Cindy put a look of annoyance as she stood back up and huffed with a disgruntled expression. ”I was really worried about you,” Cindy crossed her arms as Ava slowly stood up with an impassive expression. ”If you are here does that mean...”
”No, Widow isn't here, Cindy grinned as she walked back to the apartment while Ava muttered, ”Sure, you won't help me with the luggage.”
”Shouldn't have called me fat!” Cindy shouted from the inside as Ava continued, ”I never called you fat. I said you were crushing me. Bulldozers crush, think what you will.”
*Fwip*
Instantly, a small ball of web splatted and covered Ava's mouth. Yes, she was surprised but not too excited due to the single fact that the webbing also closed off her nostrils, and while she scratched the web surface in a panic, Ava found that she simply couldn't pry it off. With widened eyes, she threw her luggage at Cindy, which she avoided by jumping on the ceiling. ”Hey!” Cindy turned back to complain only to find out Ava glaring at her and hurriedly pointing at her nose. ”Oh, shit! The webbing wasn't solid enough!” Jumping down, Cindy showed her ability to control her webbing extensively as she easily peeled the layer cleanly. ”Damn, bitch!” Ava cursed and that she did rarely, even with her friends, ”You almost killed me!”
”And you called me a bulldozer, what's your point?” Without finding any need to back down, Cindy narrowed her gaze. Accidents happen when it comes to superpowers, right? She accidentally closed off her friend's nostrils, so what? No biggie!
”My point is,” Ava took Cindy's hand and pulled her close, her flaring gaze making Cindy a little embarrassed, ”Playing with your superpowers isn't funny. Today you blocked my nostrils and tomorrow, you'll clog an innocent's throat. You need to be the one in control of your powers, not the other way around. Interact with them, not use them!” Ava finally let go of Cindy's hand as the woman named Silk took a step back, now feeling guilty. Maybe she had gotten on high horses after a few days of training with Natasha. ”As things are right now, you are far away from Nik and you told me that both of you were bitten together, right? I saw him, Cindy,” Ava picked her bag up and finally slumped on the couch, ”Nik... he's the master of his own power, so much so that being a superhero is a sport for him. He has what it takes to have an actual life and I just want... us to have the same things, too.”
”I understand,” Cindy mumbled as she sat beside Ava, lowering her head, ”Besides that point, did I tell you that I got Junior's connection protected?” Cindy recalled her adventurous tales of how she fought against Albert Junior's right to free internet. The little guy hadn't even reached his seventh birthday and he had begun watching p.o.r.n! Cindy was fourteen when she began her endeavors so as the older sibling, it was her responsibility for Albert to feel frustrated. ”Is that it? I met Captain America, the real one, not the other guy running with guns blazing in Harlem and Hell's Kitchen. I got to break into a super research facility. And, I enjoyed Nik's ride.”
”You did what?” Cindy gaped, her scent leaking unconsciously and making Ava realize the possible misinterpretation of her sentence. ”I meant his ability to move quickly.”
”Oh yeah?” Now Cindy seemed even more suspicious.
”Gah! He made me feel weak when he almost—”
”Aaaaaghhhh! I don't wanna listen anymore!” in hurry, Cindy webbed Ava's face once again, this time, perfect enough for Ava to glare while breathing through her nostrils. ”Don't you give me lecture again,” Cindy glared back this time, ”Nobody told me that you guys would hook-up. Where was the mission in? Hookersvile? Downtown to Pile Station? Town of D.i.c.ksons?” She spat coldly and stood up, making her way to Ava's bedroom and closing it unceremoniously.