[ COMPLETED ]
BOOK 2 of the ORPHIC series
MONACHOPSIS
/ˈmənˌāˌkōpˌsis/
the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.
~~~~~
Lucille "Lucy" Opal Baker might be the unluckiest person...
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"People are like puzzles. They take time and patience to understand."
???, Pacific Ocean January, 2012
CLINT WAS BALANCING BOXES BETWEEN his hands as the cell door slid open. Verfall watched him attentively as he almost dropped everything in between his hands. She had the urge to activate her abilities but stopped herself from doing so.
SHIELD knew she had abilities, but the specific information had been redacted. So they knew she could do something, just not exactly what. Natasha and Clint had never asked her to use her abilities so she never did.
It was possible they were waiting for her to do something, without taking into account the gold around her neck was not for show, or because HYDRA wanted them to look presentable- although that was true, since they'd put umber highlights in Winter's hair.
The pair clearly didn't want to force her to do anything, even if their superiors possibly disagreed- Verfall didn't know if that was true but she could assume so easily. She didn't really mind if they wanted to see what she could do or tolerate, but it was morally unjust to Clint and Natasha.
They were the only shield keeping her safe- if she could ever be safe.
"Ah, puzzle nooooo." Clint pouted as the top box, small, dropped to the floor.
It tipped open and Verfall watched as puzzles scattered over the floor. Her lips twitched upwards as Clint carefully placed the other boxes down- games and other puzzles- as he scooped the puzzles back into the box.
She carefully shifted forwards, the urge to help overcoming her uncertainty of him. He shot her a thankful look but she barely caught it as she sat cross legged in front of the box now filled with puzzles.
Clint sat back, letting out a long sigh as he un-stacked the tipping boxes- then something bright and multicolored caught her eye.
She blinked at the big cube made up of groups of smaller cubes, with all the colors mixed on each surface. Rubik's cube. She shifted her gaze back to the puzzle in front of her, one forming a group of puppies.
She looked up at Clint who beamed at her proudly.
"Fished this thing out of the closet." He said almost ominously. "Puppies are life, am I right?"
Verfall couldn't help the tiny smile on her lips.
"Yes." She agreed, and Clint's eyes brightened further.
