"Rea." Steve's voice drifts over to me and I straighten up, hand slipping off the wall. "She's fine. Resting." He tells me with soft assurance, eyebrows furrowed over clear blue eyes. I nod with relief and begin walking down the hall with him at my side.
"No need to be afraid. I won't be doing that again." I promise, glancing at his firmly set mouth for a moment before looking back down at the tiled floor.
"The only person afraid is you, Rea." Steve returns bluntly and I sigh.
"Wanda isn't? You saw her in there. Blank. Jesus." Those eyes will haunt me for sure. Steve moves in front of me with a hand on my upper arm so I don't slip past him.
Bright blue looks into my soft brown. "She isn't afraid of you."
"Only that her powers affected people like mine. Much better." I reply and he sighs.
"You're making it hard for me to work with you here, Rea."
Smiling softly, I shrug. "Sometimes there's no way to win, Steve." My answer is quiet and although the words seem sad, there's a comfort to being understood and treated honestly. "I'm getting coffee. Care to join me?" I offer and he sighs but moves aside so we may walk beside one another.
"Wish you didn't see yourself in such a harsh light." He comments, still unwilling to let it go. I reach over and allow my hand to skim the inside of his arm affectionately.
"Seems you see me through rose-colored glasses, Steve. Even in the dark, I believe you'd paint me with a halo." I shoot back, reveling in his bright smile.
"You forget I've seen you in the dark." He teases and I shake my head, letting that one go.
"Maybe we balance each other out, hm?" Steve nods once, allowing this. We come to the gathering room and Steve kindly takes over making the coffee while I search for cups. Smirking, I slide two over. One with red, white, and blue stripes on it and the other tall and dark green. The moment Steve glances at the two he sighs and shakes his head slightly. As soon as he fills both I steal the green away so he's stuck with the other. Keeping my laughter within my mouth, I add sugar and milk as I like while feeling Steve's eyes on me all the way.
"Is this your way of saying you like Bruce more than me?" He asks as we head to the empty couch. My eyes follow his to the cup in my hand and I chuckle.
"Yes. I've also slept with Bruce. Didn't want you to find out this way, but..." I reply teasingly and grin when he laughs. I sit on the far side of the couch, allowing him the choice of sitting near or far from me. He sits in the middle of the couch next to me and my smile brightens at the choice. "Mind if I turn the news on? Been a while since I've watched television." Steve nods and I turn it on, lips popping open at the pictures on the screen. "Oh shit." The picture of Steve and I on his motorcycle appears, our bodies pressed snugly together as if we'd known each other all our lives. I'm laughing and Steve is grinning widely back at me, must be from the people at that stoplight. Immediately, I look to Steve apologetically. Before I even speak, he beats me to it.
"Don't start. I should apologize. Didn't think they'd catch up that fast." He sighs, watching question marks and hearts pop-up around the photo on the flatscreen. Not sure how to feel about this, I lean back against the couch as they question whether we're in a relationship or not. Scoffing, I turn the television off.
"Well. This can only help your public image, right?" I question, hiding a smirk behind the rim of my coffee cup. Steve's baby blues turn to me. "Being seen with a hot girl," I explain and let my smile shine when he releases a laugh. He relaxes on the couch as well and shrugs.
"No, it couldn't hurt." My eyes return to him in surprise. I was expecting a smart remark, not for him to agree with me. Both our eyes are regrettably drawn to the door when Tony and Bruce walk in.
"Tony, please don't." Bruce pleads and I'm instantly at attention.
"Nope. I've got to ask. Can't focus without knowing. Miss Rea, I've got a question for you." Tony tells me as he sits on the coffee table in front of me. An interested smile on my face, I wave him forward.
"It's a very personal question," Bruce adds while his hands twist around in front of him. An eyebrow raised, I still wave Tony forward. Excitement enters his amber eyes immediately.
"Okay, sex." I blink in surprise and immediately glance at Steve. Bruce sighs, collapsing into the recliner next to me. Steve shakes his head slightly. Tony shouldn't know. "So, you can't just say stuff like fuck me or keep doing that, right? What the hell is that like?" As he asks an entertained smile stretches across my face and I can't resist laughing when he's done. If not at his words, then at the look on Steve's face. Bruce just seems relieved I didn't decide to sucker punch, Tony.
Red staining my cheeks, I do my best to answer. "Uh, right. You're right. Whatever I'd tell the guy he'd have to do it. So, I ask more than tell." I just can't resist glancing at Steve before continuing, wondering if he remembers this. I go on; this time purely to tease Steve. "Please, and inflections change the actions as well. Please implies a request instead of a command. Ergo...please fuck me or please don't stop." The corner of my lips turn up cruelly when Steve shuffles slightly in his seat, coffee cup handle held behind strained knuckles hovering above his lap. "Anyway, I usually like to find a man that doesn't need any instruction," I add and the mug shatters in Steve's hand. Thankfully, there wasn't much coffee in it so the only place it lands is in Steve's lap. Tony laughs and even Bruce chuckles softly. Swallowing my own laughter, I lift my coffee to my lips. "You okay, Steve?" I ask in my most innocent voice and his blue eyes look to me, not fooled for a moment.
"Fine. Need to change." Slightly darkened blue eyes tug at my gut, but he stands and walks out anyways, tossing the broken mug in the trash. Grinning happily, Tony leans forward and pecks my cheek before settling next to me.
"That was beautiful. I'll treasure that for a long time. Thank you for answering my questions, Rea." He says and I shrug, turning a little so I can see him while he talks. My legs fold under me comfortably.
"Anytime. It's actually nice talking about this with someone. Find anything science related to my brain yet or am I just magical?" I ask a little cynically and now Bruce perks up a bit.
"Actually, we did. There's no sign of manipulation or tampering in your brain, so we know you were born with the ability. Your blood confirms this since...since it doesn't match any organism in our system. As for what causes the reaction between your brain and others...that's a bit harder to explain." Bruce turns to Tony, but I'm still shell-shocked.
"Wait, I'm not human? Is that what you just said?" I question with just a little panic in my voice. The men glance at one another.
"We're not sure," Bruce responds and I deflate.
"But we know more about your mind thing!" Tony tries to help and I sigh, waving him on.
"Is it what either of you thought? Electrical or bacterial?"
"That's just it. It's both!" Tony exclaims and I nearly spill my coffee from his excited wiggling beside me. "It seems that when you're close to someone the bacteria do most of the work. The electrical impulses in your brain still fizzle, but it's not like full-powered lightning. Now, our theory is that the further away you are the more active the electrical impulses will be so they can influence people at a distance. It's beautiful. Your brain is brilliant." Tony takes my head in his hands and pecks my hair happily before settling back down.
Bruce speaks again, softer than Tony, "This means the closer you are to someone the easier it is to influence them. Technically, if you practiced, you could manipulate someone without words since the bacteria is on your skin." He tells me with a little trepidation and frowns slightly with sympathy when I blanch.
"Awesome, so not even my skin is safe?" I question and instantly cross my arms over my chest. Bruce hurries to reassure me.
"You'd have to practice. Since you rarely use your ability, it's underdeveloped."
"Getting people to do whatever I say is underdeveloped?" I nearly screech, calming when Bruce flinches. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I apologize immediately, reaching out to touch his shoulder then just letting my hand drop.
"This is also a good thing!" Tony says and we both turn to him. "You can control it better when you extend yourself towards someone. A hand or an arm. A leg even." He points out and I nod. Knew that already. Standing, I take a few steps away from the two.
"Thank you both so much, I really appreciate the research. Think I need some time to think things over." Leaving my cup on the counter, I hurry out to the yard beside the facility close to the waving pines. Sitting on stray needles, I sigh. Great. Just great. My body is now a poison that can be exchanged physically, auditorily, and mentally. My hands dig into my hair and my head ducks into Steve's sweatshirt.
Fresh linen and crisp lemon is his signature scent and it calms me somewhat. At least, enough for me to look up and find the sky is full of gathering storm clouds. Geez, is it going to rain again? I stand and stare at an unnaturally swirling section of clouds. "What the fuck is that?" I ask myself and start jogging towards it. Just before I'm right under it, lightning strikes in front of me and I'm blown back onto the grass. My arms wrap around my head and I curl in on myself as wind whips around me. The minute it dies down I look back up to find a seal seared into the once green grass. A familiar man stands in the center, but with a missing eye and short hair. "Thor?" I question and his gaze travels to me.
A/N
Surprise. ;)