Introspection

Chapter 7 - Simulation

"Couldn't blame the guy." Xavier responded to something Amy had said as he closed the distance in a few measured steps, slow and deliberate, like a hunter sizing up his prey. Without hesitation, he draped a lazy arm around her waist, leaning in close to whisper something against her ear. Whatever he'd said had her shifting her attention back to the bar with a smile, an easy, familiar gesture that sent something sharp and seething through Shadow's chest.

Instincts roared to life. His fingers curled into fists, chaos energy crackling beneath his gloves, barely restrained. Every part of him screamed to react, to rip that smug, insufferable presence away from her, but before he could so much as twitch, Amy painfully grounded him.

"Was the panel any good?"  She leaned into Xavier's touch, careful of her quill placement, before smiling at the owl.

When Xavier returned the smile, something twisted deep in Shadow's gut; it knotted tight like a binding, unfamiliar, snare. His senses had screamed, raw and urgent, but why? For what? He shut his eyes just for a heartbeat, forcing himself inward to think. He was the Ultimate Lifeform. His instincts had never been mistaken or faltered when it mattered. Yet, all logical thoughts were blaring that it was a false alarm.

Searching through his emotions Shadow finally landed on an adjective, anger. He was angry, felt as if he and Amy were in danger; but everything was fine. She was fine. Xavier was fine. There was no threat. The owl had done nothing more than place an arm around her, a gesture Shadow'd seen casually countless times, and yet he had to brace against himself just to keep from baring his fangs.

"Alfred." The black damask glove of Xaviers hand was stretched out to him. Shadow hadn't registered the introduction at first, to preoccupied staring at where Xavier's hand rested on Amy's side. The subtle nervous twitch of the owl's fingers didn't escape Shadow's heightened senses. The pit in his stomach flared, demanding focus, demanding confirmation. He forced himself to drag his focus upward, past the outstretched hand, the intrusive weight of Xavier's presence, and lock onto Amy's face. Was she uncomfortable? The thought coiled itself around the tightness in his abdomen, but when he met her eyes, there was no unease. No silent plea for intervention. Instead, there was expectation. A flick of her gaze toward Xavier's outstretched hand. A subtle encouragement for Shadow to take it, and before his mind could process the request, his body obeyed. Clasping Xavier's hand in a firm shake.

"Sylus..." The code name was one he used often when on these types of missions. His confusion threaded across his brow as he finally registered the handshake.

The sharp hiss from the owl snapped Shadow out of his strange limbo. His fingers uncurled before he even realized how tight his grip had become around Xavier's hand. The owl flicked his fingers once freed, shaking out the lingering stiffness with an amused smirk curling at the edges of his beak.

"Hell of'a grip there, Sylus," Xavier mused, rolling his wrist as if testing for damage. Then, with casual indifference, he gestured towards Amy. It shot another surge up Shadow's nerves. "Take it you've already met my girlfriend?" Amy extended her hand with a rehearsed warmth in her expression, before chiming in.

"Sorry, I got so caught up in talking to you, I guess I forgot to introduce myself," she said lightly. "I'm Rosalie."

Shadow's attention shifted to her, tracing the delicate peach fur of her wrist, the deep red of her blouse, the soft pink curve of her neck, and finally, the vivid green of her eyes. A dusting of warmth brushed across her cheeks; it was a simple tint of pink against rose and just like that, the knot in his gut vanished. When he cupped her hand in his own, his thumb flicked against the back of her palm thoughtlessly. The touch caused memories of their late-night trip into the city to flicker through his head.