"ARE YOU DATING PETER PARKER?" Betty offered the question in the most casual voice in the middle of Mr. Sui's lecture on a book Nina didn't give a fuck about.
Nina's eyes widened at the bluntness of her friend who had normally sugar-coated everything. The girl let out a cough, choking on the water that she had taken a sip out of. Pressing a hand to her chest, the girl turned to her friend in disbelief and shock.
Betty seemed unfazed from her inability to breathe and stared at her expectantly as Alaska sniggered at the interaction.
"I—" Normally, Nina would've caught herself right now - come back at her feet and make up a lie, but this was Betty. And Betty knew all her tricks and her tells and she knew whenever Nina lied - so it made her sweat out of nervousness. "What was that?"
"Are you dating Peter Parker?" Betty repeated herself, playing with her pen. "Word travels fast, Nina. Someone who lives in your apartment complex... Felix, was it? He said that he saw the two of you running towards your car in the parking lot this morning."
Nina's eyes widen. "That's not—"
"Which checks out on the timeline, cause—"
"A timeline?" Nina sputtered, a million questions flooding her mind at once.
"Yes, a there's a timeline. Shut up." Betty rolls her eyes, which was seriously amusing Alaska because it seemed like the girl was struggling to laugh out loud in class. "It checks out. Hannah S. says that she spotted the two of you at Delmars at 7:30 from her ride to school. Then, I heard a bunch of underclassmen talking about how the two of you came running late in the South entrance. So tell me, are you dating Peter Parker?"
"I'm not!" Nina tried her best to keep her voice at a low whisper, so as not to attract attention from her apparently very gossipy classmates. "I got information from him last night since there's an investigation at Stark Industries which I cannot disclose for reasons, and it got late so my dad told him to sleep in the guest room and that was it!" Her ability to make up such believable lies on the spot is a talent she still took pride of. "We passed by Delmars, didn't know we were running late, and that's it."
"You're lying."
"I am not!" Nina shot back, almost a little bit too defensively. Her cheeks now pink after a short clip of what had happened that morning flashing in her head. "Where did you—what—why do you think I'm dating Parker?"
"She's been waiting for this question her whole life." Alaska interjects with a smile, leaning against her chair.
"Oh you bet I have." The bubbly girl glances at the teacher momentarily, to make sure he wasn't looking back, and when the coast is clear, she begins. "Sophomore year. He asked Liz out and you kept on sulking and whining and you skipped Homecoming... which was weird cause Peter skipped too."
"Liz..." Nina whispers, desperately trying to change the topic into something else. "I haven't talked to her in a bit. I wonder how she's doing."
"She's studying Biochemistry in ESU and— stop changing the subject." Betty furrows her brows, "As I was saying, Sophomore year. I was holding my tongue cause Liz was interested in him but you two were suspicious. Disappearing at Washington together? Actively avoiding him tor a year then being buddy-buddy after the blip?"
"We're buddy-buddy," Nina made sure to create air quotation marks, "Because our boss died."
That seems to shut Betty up. Nina never liked using the dead boss card, especially since she had refused to accept Tony's death for months, but now she was in a better place.
And it wasn't like she was lying; they did grow closer because Tony died - but it was more of a "shared trauma of seeing a man you deeply care about die in front of you in helplessness of not being able to do anything" than a "since our boss is dead no one is going to pay us now" sort of way.
When Betty returns to writing down the notes from the PowerPoint, Nina feels Alaska shift closer to her, "By the way, I still think you're full of shit."
...
Betty's had thrown her into a reality crisis.
Nina didn't know exactly why she was so tense. Sure, a giant part of it was the fact that Illiana and Samara knew where she studied and that they could come in any minute, guns ablaze, and shoot her in her head, but there was a small part of her that was tense because of Betty's revelation.
Did people really think she was dating Peter?
It wasn't like she was opposed to relationships - because she wasn't, but the concept terrified her. When you get into a relationship, you only get attached to someone only to have it all come crashing down eventually; and what she had with Peter was nice. It was comfortable. It was undefined.
Labels ruin everything - if they did date then the most logical expectancy of what will happen is that he gets sick of her antics = an ugly breakup = them barely acknowledging each other's existence.
The girl was in a proper enough mental state to realize that she did want Peter Parker in her life. And getting into a relationship with him was jeopardizing it. It would jeopardize everything.
No matter how much that she knew that this was her fault, this was her unresolved abandonment issues kicking in, but her brain refused to put the blame on anyone but Betty.
And with that, she avoided Peter for the rest of the day like a plague.
It was relatively easy, since their Advanced classes never clashed; he was more into STEM subjects while Nina took most of the business inclined courses, rooms relatively far from each other. She'd texted him a quick message, not acknowledging the rumors, and instead sent a "Cover for me for patrol today. Fam emergency."
She lied, like she usually did. But although it wasn't a family one, Nina did have an emergency. Her not so casual glances towards Peter and his friends at lunch made her realize something: none of her friends knew that she was Mendax.
It was intentional, of course. Back in Sophomore year, Betty had accidentally found out after seeing her suit in her apartment, but Nina had quickly erased her memories. Alaska was the most recent one - a mere two months ago, when she had walked in her apartment unannounced with Nina lounging on the sofa, slice of pizza on her left hand, while she was clad in her Mendax costume.
Peter had always referred to Ned as his "guy in the chair", which threw her into a realization that she also needed one.
Well, girl in the chair. Who was more fit than Alaska, the most technically inclined person she knew? Plus, she and Betty were a packaged deal so Nina figured out that she could just kill two birds with one stone: tell her friends her biggest secret and recruit Alaska to do all her techy work for her.
Come six P.M, the three of them in an abandoned alley, and Nina stands in front of her two friends, mouth straight as she gauges their reactions. "I have something to tell the two of you."
Alaska raises a perfect brow, scanning her surroundings one more time before muttering, "Okay...?"
"I don't think you'll believe me," Nina murmurs, "Wait, I take that back. You will believe me but it's going to confuse you two."
"Whatever it is," Betty says eventually, worried by Nina's uncharacteristic nervousness, "I'm sure it'll be okay."
"I'm Mendax." The superhero name is strangled flat. There. Easy. It doesn't have to be hard.
Betty smiles like Nina is joking and then after sharing a horrid glance with Alaska, she realizes she's not. Or if she is, she won't give in. Her face doesn't change. She's the same Nina as before.
"You're Mendax..." Alaska repeats slowly, words strung tight as her brain processes the information.
Nina nods, a bit worried by their unreadable reactions. "My powers are super weird and broad so I don't really understand them, but I can mind control people... I can draw weapons... I can occasionally change reality but I haven't tested that much yet."
The two girls first instinct is disbelief. It can't be true. Nina is a liar, through and through, but why would she lie over something like this.
"Can you..." Alaska wet her lips, suddenly feeling very weird, "show the two of us?"
An exhale of relief leaves her lips at the fact that they might believe her. "Sure."
Nina focuses - eyes glowing that beautiful shade of white; her whisper inaudible to the human ear; Betty and Alaska watch in pure, childish amazement as a very short, thick, jagged blade made of diamond is held by Nina's grip wrapped in fairly common, brown smooth leather.
"Holy shit," Betty murmurs once her eyes dim down, right hand beginning to hit Alaska excitedly. "Holy fucking shit!"
"Betty!" Nina giggles, amused at her dirty mouth. "Language!"
"Our best friend is an Avenger..." Alaska whispers in realization, a grin breaking out on her face. "You're an Avenger! That's so cool!"
"That's why I sneaked out at Washington." Nina's heart beats a pittering, skipping beat in her chest as she remembers that night in the bunker with Peter. "I wasn't with Peter, I was with Spider-Man."
"And homecoming?"
"I actually really was sick cause my old guardian - Illiana, who by the way is out loose now so watch out, tried to get me murdered and I almost choked to death." The girl explains it, not leaving any important details. "Then she tried to kill Spider-Man but I saved him and got her and my ex-sister arrested. My other sister left so Tony took me in."
Betty, who has known her ever since her Spider-Man hating days, is still confused. "You told me you hated Spider-Man."
"Yeah, about that..." her cheeks tint a soft pink die to embarrassment, "I was sent to murder him but circumstances came up..." My mother leading a cult, but you don't need to know that. "...so I didn't."
Betty, the ever romantic person that she is, squeals at the newfound piece of information, beginning to shake her fellow blonde's shoulders with pure excitement rushing through her veins, "You so fell in love with him, didn't you? That's why you keep denying Peter."
The girl sighed. "No, it's not like that."
"It definitely is like that."
"Ew, no. Never. Never, ever, ever." Nina shook her head vigorously, her nose scrunching up in mock disgust. "I didn't fall in love with him. I'm not in love with him. He's too geeky for me."
"Well, the first step is always denial," Alaska mumbled, still in awe of the dagger handed to her.
She felt like a deer in the headlights as she suddenly became the centre of the intense gaze the two teenagers were sending her.
It was stupid. Betty had clearly read way too much romance novels. She liked Peter, sure. She liked him a lot; but being in love with him? That was stretching it, for sure. She liked him; his wonky brow, his thoughtfulness, the way that he'd smile at her whenever she'd say something funny, fuck, even the way he'd get pissed at her... she liked him. Liked. L-I-K-E-D. The girl was sixteen - turning seventeen in a month for fucks sake.
"You're being stupid. He's a co-worker, that's it." Nina deadpans, heart hammering against her chest for some unknown reason. It was either her paralyzing fear of commitment that had sent her spiraling a few hours prior, or the fact that her friend's unnecessary conclusions were making her revisit her most memorable instances with Peter Parker.
The most likely answer was the loud crash echoing through the alley - and followed by that, the most painful thing she's ever felt in her life.
Like a poisonous plant – dark and barbed – wrenched from her heart tearing away at life and ripping holes in her soul - that's how fucking painful it felt. Images were burned into her mind, indistinct, disconnected: every single memory she had as a child - hurting old men twice her age, knocking a woman out with a shotgun's barrel... her chest started to ache, a large rock weighing her down.
Samara.
"Run!" Nina screams, falling down on the floor when another flash of pain hits her like a fucking truck. "Run!" she yells once again, this time, her eyes glowing a bright white.
Instantly, Betty and Alaska run away without a word.
Like a yo-yo, the pain is gone. Licking her lips, the girl grimaced as she tasted blood. Her lip was split in two. The iron taste on her tongue reminded her to check herself for further injuries, and so she did. For a few long seconds, she did not move except to pass her good hand across her skin, waiting for a flash of pain, rubbing her fingers together, searching for blood.
"That's the best you've got, Ara? Five years in the Raft - figured you'd be better than that." Nina taunts, shaking the pain away with a shrug. From the forefront of her mind, she can hear her father calling out to her, but she ignores it, opting to focus on what's in front of her instead: a murderous twenty four year old off for her head.
A bad idea - definitely a bad idea.
Nina could not hold back the scream as razor blades shot up her back and stomach - eyes shutting in despair for merely a second.
When she opens up her eyes, Samara Viotto stands in front of her, rage behind her eyes and a pistol in hand.
Samara had always had the kindest face: she would never frown, she would never furrow her eyebrows intentionally, fuck, she would never glare at anyone, but this Samara - it was like staring at a brand new person; she was full of rage. Nina could feel it.
She still looked like Samara... but she wasn't Samara.
Nina frowned. Breathing deeply, she brought herself to her feet, surveying her surroundings. All that fear that has been eating her up since yesterday seems to disappear in an instant when the older girl jumps, swinging the blade in un-calculated ways; much like a person would do during a prison fight.
All that anger stored in her might've given her more of a motive, but it turned her into a shit fighter. Her powers were a problem, sure, but Samara always liked to play fair.
"Not gonna give me a hug?" Nina mused, heaving a breath as she narrowly avoided a swipe of Samara's armed finger, twisting her body so she could deliver a particularly hard right hook to the woman's temple, knocking Samara to the ground with just one move.
"Fuck you," Samara wheezes out, "You're a fucking traitor."
Without hesitation, Nina slams her harder, growling even deeper and louder - and with that, Samara tenses up, letting the terror and fear well up in her. Whimpers rip from her throat, and she could feel tears stinging the back of her eyelids after one particularly hard slam to the back of the head.
She had forgotten how well her sister fought. How unhinged. The mere thought turns her powerless, knowing better than to fight back. She brings her arms up, shielding herself from the growling and the yelling, shielding herself from the possibility of a clawed hand punching and scratching. Her heart pounds in her chest, her breath knocked out of his lungs with every slam.
It could have gone on for seconds or hours, Nina didn't know; but when she's about to immobilize the girl who was once her sister, an arm grabs her from behind, slamming her into the floor with so much force that it knocks the air out of her lungs.
Another Samara. A carbon copy of her, standing right above Nina with a sick smirk on her face.
"How did you—" Nina looks around frantically, watching in horror as the other Samara— the person she beat up— stand on her feet, while Samara #2 punches her stark on the nose, causing her too fall back. "How did you do that?"
There was a thud as her body hit the floor and a sharp pain in her boob from a kick to her chest. She gasps in pain, a low whine falling from her lips. Samara stands proudly, mirroring the smirk that was once on her face, and kneels down to grab Nina's neck, "It's basic biology."
The manicured black nails start to tighten around her neck, the all too familiar sensation of being choked taking over her once again.
What was it with people and choking her?
Nina shuts her eyes, not as a sign of defeat, no, but to hide the fact that she's summoning a knife - dagger light and strong, and slashes the knife deep into Samara #2's face.
This is the most action she's gotten in ages - everything was so prim and proper; helping old people cross the streets... stopping bank robberies... this was unhinged. It was unhinged and violent with no rules that could contain them... and as much as Nina appreciated her superhero persona, she would always come back to her roots; violence.
Samara's clone yells out loudly, shaking as she covers the deep cut on her face, blood oozing between fingers. She doesn't even give the clone any time to respond, moving past her slashing her ex sister on the side, bits of blood spraying as she falls to the ground.
Watching as the clone shake and cry against the ground... Nina could only describe it as one thing: warmth.
That was the only way she could describe what she felt: a warm feeling deep in her chest equal parts foreign and familiar, and it drove her to insanity.
"Look at you," Samara giggles, a distinctive look on her face as she eyes Nina up and down. "Illiana said that the Avengers made you soft. She was right."
Soft.
It repeats again and again in her mind - soft. Samara was taunting her, she knew that; but it pissed her off.
Soft.
Nina's hand shot out, wrapping around her throat with a vicelike grip. The girl's lips were frantically forming silent screams as he crushed her windpipe, backing her into the wall.
Then, it stops.
A sudden, sharp throbbing in her head sent Nina doubling over, hands flying out and slapping against a brick wall. Fuck. Her skull was splitting, her vision blurring a thick, hazy color as images flashed through her mind; burning a house with Valeria. Red. Blood on her fingers. Red. Red. It's all fucking red.
Nina felt her chest begin to constrict and dots of grey began filling her vision, grip on Samara's neck now abandoned.
Her breathing was too staggered to form a coherent thought, the lack of oxygen was clouding her mind and she felt like she was going to pass out. Not now. Not fucking now. Samara— where the fuck is Sam—
When her eyes shoot open with a gasp, Nina realizes that she's in pain, both mentally and physically, she felt like vomiting, and began to seriously consider falling asleep right then and there. This must have been how people felt before they died of something really terrible.
Samara is gone.
Nina immediately felt the pain in her stomach. It was unbearable, like the organ was inside the flames of a fire. Like millions of knives were nailed on her belly. Her head was in so much pain that she thought it was going to break in two pieces.
It hurts.
She couldn't bear it. The only thing she could do was whimper helplessly at the pain; at the sensation of her stomach being split into two.
Nina shoots her eyes down at her belly, the source of the agonizing pain, and chokes out a sob at the sight.
Smooth skin now complemented with red, bright lines. All of them precise, all of them done with the utmost care.
Blood red, the words are carved into her stomach.
C U SOON.
...
NOTES:
😀👍
thoughts?