A/N: Hey guys! I'm back from my trip and I'm publishing when I wanted to publish for once! (literally five minutes away from my deadline being over but procrastination) Anyways, this is sort of a filler chapter, I need a couple of those to space out the things I have planned for my characters. Enjoy!
- Harper E. Pierce
January rolled around quickly. New Years was fun, especially in New York, with the ball that dropped in Times Square, the parties, the drinking and everything else including everyone calling in sick the next day due to a wicked hangover. New York had grown cold over the past few weeks. There was snow everywhere now, which obviously pissed off any driver, having to drive through it.
Tony, Bruce, Skylar and Tris had kept busy with HYDRA's form of the super soldier serum, the red energy in that container, and the two stones they had. They had decided they weren't going to test anything until later on the girls, when they had a basis of what the stones really were.
Over the course of a couple of weeks, every single one of the girls' eyes began to change whenever they used their powers; well, everyone except Lorelei's. Raven's eyes were red, Lexi's were orange, Quinn's were yellow, exactly like Vision's stone, Skylar's were green, Tris's were blue like the other stone, and Tori's were purple. But Lorelei's eyes hadn't changed at all. They were the same almost black colour no matter how much power she used.
The girls' powers had been developing, them growing more and more powerful each day now. Each of their powers had now been completely deciphered, except for Lorelei's.
Tori's powers had changed dramatically over the past few weeks. When her eyes changed, so did her powers. Tori's invisibility had been rendered almost useless compared to her new power, which was manipulating objects and energies, but it was mostly using energies to destroy things. She could no longer use her invisibility on herself without being in tremendous pain, and objects couldn't handle the amount of power she was using when she tried to use invisibility on them, and they would just get almost eaten up by a purple energy source coming out of her hands. It was difficult for her to use her powers now.
Tris's powers required her to be in a large room, as most of the time now, she could travel to space and all around it, by herself. But once her eyes started turning electric blue, she also got the ability to manipulate gamma radiation and space-like objects. She was weak with the objects, but traveling was becoming easier. She was just gaining the ability to travel with one person without passing out.
Lexi had grown more powerful over the last few weeks. She was much more in control of her powers than she previously had been. She was able to make the toughest of the Avengers breakdown in the middle of the room if she wanted to. She could inflict serious pain on the Hulk. And her powers were growing stronger every day.
Quinn was able to control the mind of anyone she wanted already, but she was having a harder time with telepathy and blocking out others out who had powers similar to hers. Yet she was adamant that no one try to help her with that part of her powers. Compulsion was no issue for her. It was blocking Loki and Wanda out that was. And Loki was appearing to be a problem already because of it.
Skylar's regenerative powers had proven themselves not to do with molecules, but with the essence of time. She was able to age and heal things faster, and regenerate things back into a previous state. And she had just started being able to time travel through different eras of time as well. She didn't like using her powers for time travel because of how afraid she was of screwing up timelines.
Raven's powers had done something similar to Tori's situation. She couldn't use her powers to shape shift anymore either without going through immense pain. But she could change an entire room into a whole new place, like a jungle. She could use her powers on other people, and she could turn objects into other objects. She could make herself disappear and appear in the scene she wanted to be in. She had a hard time adjusting to her new powers.
But Lorelei's powers current elemental powers hadn't changed. The curious thing with her was that she began getting new powers almost everyday. Ones that had nothing to do with her elemental powers at all. She was able to read minds now, and talk to people in their head. She was also teleport around the tower, and the other day she had destroyed a window using energy. It was as if she was slowly getting the other girl's powers. No one was able to figure it out yet. Lorelei had no idea what was happening. She was able to touch both the stones with no issue. No one was able to touch both of them except for her.
Lorelei was frustrated with her powers. Her eyes hadn't changed yet, unlike the rest of them, and she was unable to classify her powers into any form of category. She began to doubt her abilities, and she felt inadequate compared to the rest of her friends. She kept it to herself, her self-doubt, and she still practiced with the others, who were concerned that her eyes hadn't found their colour yet. Tony, Bruce, Skylar and Tris continued to find out what the objects were, and beginning to get somewhere with it, but not nearly enough to help Lorelei's case. She needed to find out what was happening to her, and fast. Because she didn't know what would happen if her eyes changed at this rate, and she began to fear the colour change just as much as she longed for it.
-
Lexi was unable to get that kiss out of her mind. It had been driving her crazy since Christmas, and she didn't know what to do about it. If anything, it fuelled her and Bucky's constant bickering even more. Their fights that used to happen only twice a week were now happening almost every time they saw each other. Raven or Steve were usually the ones who would have to stop the fight before it escalated. There had been a couple of times where Lexi had tried to hit him, but she was always stopped.
She didn't understand why she would get angry with him so easily. Every time Bucky questioned her, she would get angry. If he didn't agree with her, she would get angry. It had gotten to the point where even a compliment with an "underlying meaning" would set her off.
But Raven was certainly right about one thing; when the two of them let their body language lead them, it was amazing. She remembered how she felt when she danced with him at the gala. When she looked into those sparkling blue eyes, she felt... at home; a feeling she hadn't really felt all her life. And when he had kissed her, it was as if a million fireworks had gone off in her stomach.
A knock was suddenly heard at her door, causing her to come out of her thoughts. It was uncommon for someone to knock past eleven o'clock at night, everyone was mostly in their rooms by then.
"Come in," she said to whoever was behind the door. The person opened the door to reveal the person she had least expected to see; it was Bucky. She looked up in surprise as to what he would be doing on their floor at this hour, let alone in her room. "Bucky? What the hell are you doing here?" She asked him roughly, expecting him to pick a fight about something. He shut the door behind him and walked closer to her bed, where she had been sitting and thinking.
"May I sit?" He asked, no intent for any form of fight in his eyes.
"Tell me why you're here first," she replied skeptically.
"I want to talk you about the fights. Is that fine or are you going to fight with me about that too?" He raised his voice slightly, getting annoyed with her much more quickly than the usual. Lexi decided to bite her tongue for once.
"Fair enough," she gestured for him to sit down on the bed. He did so and looked her straight in the eyes before saying,
"Before you start screaming at me for being an asshole, I wanted to ask you why you're so pissed off at me all the time." He said, pausing for a moment before continuing, looking for an answer from her. When he wasn't receiving one, he went on, "It's gotten to the point where I think you and I need to actually work this out,"
"I'm not pissed off at you all of the time," she responded flatly.
"Really? That sounds like bullshit, especially after that kiss happened." He boldly pointed out the elephant in the room. Lexi's eyes slightly widened at the mention of it. She quickly regained composure, so he wouldn't notice.
"You're the one who's always yelling at me. Every time I do something you don't agree with, you start to question me. It's my life, let me live it." She snapped back. He seemed unfazed by her response.
"You froze at the mention of that kiss, why?" He asked her, raising his brow at her. Shit, he did notice.
"What are you talking about?" She replied too quickly for her liking, unknowingly backing against the headboard of her bed. What was he doing to her? She was always good at hiding her feelings, why was it failing her now?
"Lexi, why do you look nervous?" He asked her, inching closer to her.
"Stop that." She stared daggers at him while she said this.
"Stop that." He replied.
"What?"
"Avoiding every single question I'm asking. Why are you so pissed off me, why do you keep freezing every time I mention that kiss, why are you so acting weird right n-" he was cut off by a pair of lips on his. It was an action he never would've expected Lexi to do, especially in the state she was in right now. She pulled away much more quickly than he would've liked, not allowing him to even process what happening so he could kiss back.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that," she stood up and walked away from the bed, running her hands through her long blonde hair. She turned back to Bucky, who was now standing, and continued, "that was stupid and-" his hand gently took her wrist and pulled her towards him. Their faces were now inches apart, and they were just staring directly into each other's eyes. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her in for the kiss.
Lexi's stomach had burst into a million fireworks. Her fingers moved up to the back of his neck, running her fingers through his longer hair. He moved his hands down to her thighs, allowing her to jump and wrap her legs around his waist. He began kissing down her neck, causing quiet moans to escape Lexi's lips. He went back to her lips for awhile before she began to tug at his shirt. Once he caught on, he looked up at her.
"You sure about this?" He asked her with a little concern.
"I'm on the pill, relax." She continued to kiss his jaw.
"Generally though,"
"Shut up and kiss me, Barnes."
"As you wish, doll."
-
Raven hadn't seen Damon in over two months, and he hadn't called or texted since the fight. Their relationship had been slowly deteriorating over the long two months they were apart from each other. What was she saying? It had been deteriorating since HYDRA. She needed to see him again, now. She hadn't even seen him over Christmas or New Years, and she was anxious because of their last fight. He wouldn't cheat on her, she knew that. But she was worried that he would just leave her because he knew she was lying. He had grown more and more suspicious of her life over the last, almost, two years.
She knocked on the familiar apartment door, feeling an anxiety wash over her. What was she going to say to him? She couldn't tell him the truth yet. How would he react to her lying for almost two years about everything? She decided that they needed to fix their damaged relationship before she told him anything. She couldn't tell him right after they had fought, she'd definitely lose him.
Damon opened the door, looking a little rougher than usual. He hadn't shaved in a while, nor had he gotten a haircut. And he clearly hadn't showered in a few days.
"Rae?" He asked her in disbelief.
"Damon, I-" he hugged her tightly, like he hadn't seen her in years. She broke down in his arms, feeling so guilty that she couldn't tell him the truth, and had to lie to him yet again.
"What's wrong, Rae?"
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, "I never meant for you to think I was cheating. I'm not, I swear. Work has kept me so busy. I never get to come home, and I feel so terrible for leaving you for so long, I just-"
"I'm sorry I snapped, I honestly thought I was losing you. Don't EVER leave me for months like that again! Please," he pleaded sadly, "I feel like I'm losing you, and I can't handle it. Do you still love me?"
"Of course I do, babe," she kissed him, feeling the same butterflies in her stomach whenever she kissed him. He desperately kissed her back, pulling her close to him, and never wanting to let go of her.
"Stay here with me for the weekend. Please?" He pleaded. Raven smiled at her boyfriend.
"You don't have to ask me twice. But I'll be on call," she told him.
"Fine by me, as long as I get to see my fine-ass girlfriend." He let her in the apartment and shut the door behind them. If anything, he was glad they were now talking again.
"I want to make a deal with you so this doesn't happen again. I am going to come home every Saturday and stay with you here until Sunday night. I don't care how work is,"
"Really? Aren't you risking your job if you do that?" Damon asked her to make sure she was absolutely sure.
"If there's an emergency, I have to be there, but only if it's an absolute emergency. Other than that I'll be on call, but nothing more." She promised.
"I love you, Rae," he kissed her, showing his agreement to her deal, "please keep that promise."
"I will," she smiled, taking a look at him. "God, you're a mess. Take a shower for Christ's sake!" She told him with a hint of playfulness in her voice. He raised a brow and smirked at her. Raven took a second to catch on, and rolled her eyes when she did.
"You're seriously thinking about that right now?" She looked at him with a little disbelief.
"It's been two months, baby!" He pleaded, giving her what she called, "the eyes". She rolled her eyes again, and smiled a little.
"You're relentless,"
"You know you love it," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her for the millionth time that day, and they slowly made their way to the shower.
-
Peter had been thinking a lot since the gala, since Tori had agreed to dance with him. Peter had taken quite an interest in her since he had met her, but he never really showed it, especially since Tori was real bitch to him. So getting the courage to ask the girl he thought hated him out on a date was seeming to be an impossible task. No, Peter didn't necessarily have a crush on Tori, it was more like he had taken more of an interest in her, and if he thought that if they were alone together he would be able to get to know her a little better.
Tori was just sitting on the couch, checking on her business and how things were running. She wasn't overly busy, otherwise she wouldn't be on their floor's version of the communal room. Peter had been standing in the doorway of his bedroom for about twenty minutes now, just watching her and debating whether or not he should go and talk to her.
"You know, you're acting really creepy by just standing there and watching her from a distance," Skylar popped up out of nowhere, causing Peter to jump a little.
"You noticed?" He asked the brunette girl with a bit of a blush.
"You're not that good at stalking, subtlety isn't exactly your strong suit, no offense." She replied honestly.
"None taken, it's a fair observation." Peter replied.
"So, why are you trying to stalk our rich friend?"
"I'm trying to ask her out,"
"Well, you're not going to get very far by just standing there, you know."
"No shit,"
"Then go talk to her, you idiot,"
"What do I say?"
"What are you, a middle school boy? Man up, grow some balls, just ask her out. The worst she can say is no," Skylar told him. He gave her a look before taking a deep breath and walking over to her. "That's it, now tell me how it goes after. I've got some Riverdale to catch up on right now." She walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
"Hey, Tori?" Peter asked her nervously.
"Oh, Peter, what's up?" She smiled at him.
"No insult? Gosh, you really have changed," he pointed out sarcastically.
"Shut up, Parker," she playfully punched his shoulder.
"I wanted to ask you if you wanted to- um... you know, chill sometime." He asked her nervously. "Jesus Christ, I sound like a fuckboy."
"We're hanging right now," she replied, slightly obliviously.
"No, I mean like somewhere else, like go see a movie... or something."
"Peter are you trying to ask me out?" She asked him with a little giggle.
"Yes, trying and failing miserably." He replied, his tense shoulders relaxing a bit.
"Yes," she smiled at him.
"What?"
"I'd like to go out with you sometime. How about tomorrow night, to see Aquaman, at eight?"
"Yeah, I'd like that, a lot, actually. I guess I'll see you then?" He asked her awkwardly, not knowing how to react and attempting to hide his smile.
"Of course," she smiled pleasantly back. He walked off to his room, smiling uncontrollably the entire way back. She had said yes. Victoria-Katherine Whiteson III had agreed to go on a date with Peter Parker. It was almost as if the world had turned upside down. And Tori had already started planning what she was going to wear the moment Peter had asked her out.