บท 23: Chapter 23- Brief Normality
POV- Nathan Cross
Apparently, missing three days of school from Friday to Tuesday had not been acceptable, and I had earnt myself detention on the Wednesday I returned to school. I'd engaged in a mission that would limit the access to low-quality drugs, weapons and trafficked people but it's not like I could use that as a public excuse to skip school.
Ophelia had done as she said, and after a quick goodbye kiss in front of a very confused Clint, she took off looking for a house to stay in and promising to stay out of trouble wherever possible.
"Ughh," pulling myself from bed Wednesday morning was horrible and even my limited need to sleep wasn't helping with the mental exhaustion that swept over me now that I was home. I'd gone and slept at May's just so that I could spend some time with her, and Peter and I made it to Midtown High early for the first time in a few months.
"How come your job took the extra couple of days?" he asked rummaging through his locker next to mine. It hadn't originally been mine, but I traded with the other guy with fairly little effort and a 50$ note. "You missed out on Ned's movie night."
"Wow," I said sarcastically, my eyes almost rolling out of their sockets. "It took a little longer because there were more groups than I thought, and we needed to decimate them enough to not fight back once we took control." I'd explained briefly what had happened after I reported to Steve, but curiosity was one of his strongest traits.
"So anymore missions anytime soon?"
"I don't think so. I intended to do it to build up your experience and I have. How was Shuri?"
"Nate, she's amazing. Her suit is amazing. It absorbs the kinetic force and redistributes it into her strikes. Even one of our punches wouldn't do anything, so long as it's blunt force."
"That's what I figured based on Black Panther, I meant how good was she? How skilled, was she good in a team?"
"She's sneaky, REALLY smart. She's better with tech than me and maybe even Tony, though I think the vibranium is kinda cheating. She was fairly friendly I guess, but I'm not sure Jessica likes her. Kate was polite, but that was about it, but I guess it was their first time meeting."
I nod my head, listening as I pull out my maths and chem books. "Maybe. But Jess isn't a fan of sneaking around and Kate might be a little worried about her place on the team, so we'll need to make sure she feels appreciated." Pete punched my arm 'lightly,' though if he punched the metal lockers that hard it would collapse.
"Aren't you busy enough with MJ?"
"Busy? Why on earth would I be busy with her?" The look on his face was obvious and I interpreted his meaning from there. "I'm not dating MJ, never would. And I wasn't meaning we should sleep with Kate. You must really have your head in the gutter to be misinterpreting me like that."
"T-That's not what I-"
"Have you finally been craving Liv?"
"Liz," he corrected with a hiss.
"Whatever. I'm so proud, now go get her." He went to say something but the bell went, for Homeroom, which we didn't share, though he did with a certain vulture-spawn and Ned, arguably the worst possible wing-man. Making my way to my own homeroom, Betty waved at me excitedly. Sitting in my regular spot, which is in front of the nosy blonde, I turn to her, "What's up Betty?"
"I wondered if you wanted to join my chemistry project group and we could hang out at mine again." 'Fucking hell, this is why first-timers can be annoying.'
Leaning closer so that I can whisper without being overheard, I speak gently into her ear. "You want me to fuck you again?" she nodded, though her pale cheeks were now red. "I'm not interested Betty. You're a sweet girl, and I hope you never change, but I'm not looking for a relationship." Her fists were clenched beneath me and I tried to radiate calm through my pheromone ability, which washed over her gently as I could manage. "It was nice, but maybe it should remain in the past."
"Aren't you with Michelle?"
"No." Looking up over her shoulder at the approaching MJ I can't help but grin, "I'm single, and not what you want in a boyfriend." MJ sat next to Betty with a weird expression as I pulled back to my seat, returning my attention to the teacher who just walked in to call attendance. Maths was now beyond easy thanks to some of Peter's tutoring, something we had decided on after we realised how little time we had to study and be students, and Chemistry was easy so long as you memorised the formulae.
"Hey Nate," a cheery Ned called at Lunch, and I realised that even after four lessons, this was the first time he was in my class. "Peter said you were away for your internship for Stark, where did they send you?"
I couldn't believe Peter at times. "Not super far, just a trip to Vermont to see an experiment in action." Flash had overheard and had barely gotten two words out in his mocking drawl before I threw a chocolate milk carton at his head, coating him in the sugary milk that would no doubt reek and grow sticky in minutes.
"Woah, WTF!" Ned called out, surprised by the rapidly thrown dairy product, and the sudden squawk from Flash. I didn't really have much against him, but he was almost as annoying as Ned, and at least Ned's was accidental. No one that pathetic and dorky should be bullying anyone. No one but Peter had seen my wrist flicker, but MJ noticed my milk was gone and burst out laughing, which seemed to set off the cafeteria's suspended amusement though they were just laughing at Flash.
Detention was laughable as the coach who ran it was so easily distracted I simply walked out after he pulled out his phone, leaving the other two idiots who got caught smoking in there. There was, however, one more thing I needed to do as Nathan Cross before I headed back to the tower to train.
Stepping off the bus as the sun began to set, I walked down rows that seemed endless, looking for the two I was searching for, a small bouquet in my hands. Stopping and looking down, a small tear I hadn't expected slipped from my eye. "Here lies Alicia and Martin Cross. Loving Parents and Kind Friends. Taken from us too soon."
"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. I'm sorry it took me so long to make my way here again after the first few weeks. To be honest, I wasn't even sure if I could stomach coming here, after I received the new influx of memories. A lot's changed since you died. I inherited memories from another life, gained powers. Became a monster. I'm not sure what you would say or think looking at me now, the things I've done. It's been almost six months since you passed yet I now run a team of superpowered teenagers. I haven't gotten a girlfriend yet, sorry Dad, but I've made some interesting friends. May and Peter have been amazing at taking care of me, so thanks for not sending me to live with Dad's friend Jerry, who hasn't even called since the funeral." My attempts at humour didn't remove the sadness that sat in my chest and blurred my vision. "I'm sorry I was so difficult. I love you and I miss you both." My voice almost cracked as the last words came out and I had to turn and look into the sky to avoid absolutely breaking, though tears still ran down my face.
'Even with the new memories, I still lived my entire life with them, until they died. They were far better parents than in my past life, and I'm almost sorry I couldn't realise that before they died.' Placing down the bouquet on my mother's gravestone, I brush off the little dirt and leaves that sit on their graves. "I've got work, and I'm not sure when I'll be back here, but know that I'll be thinking of you. And Death, please take care of them."
Wiping my face with the hem of my shirt I take the bus back into the city, returning to the tower which is now my home. Peter and May were living in my parent's home, but I never felt fully comfortable living there, just as I didn't visiting my parents' graves after the memories returned. The tower had none of those conflicting thoughts, as well as better facilities. No, I couldn't throw a party here, but by the same measure, I couldn't bench press several thousand kilos, then jump in the sauna at May's.
I didn't even realise where I was until I felt Wanda's hand on my shoulder in front of the gym, still dressed in the clothes I wore to school. "What's up Nate? You're never this distracted."
Running my eyes over her figure I laugh, "I've been distracted before." Her hand takes my cheek and I halt, like I'd been frozen in time.
"Don't try and distract me, Nate. What's wrong?" The two of us had spent a fair amount of time in the past few months, and it seemed that even without entering my mind she still had a good grip of my emotions.
"Just visited my parents' graves for the first time in a while." As someone who had lost her parents as well, and her brother almost the same time as I had lost my parents, she understood, hugging me to her as my arms wrapped around her. The hug wasn't sexual at all, just two people comforting each other with our embrace, as she wet the chest of my shirt and shoulders jumped as her breath hitched. "I don't know much about your family, but I heard about him." She tensed, her breath still and she hugged me tighter as a result. "I heard he was a hero, and that he loved his family. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet him." Holding her tighter as my hands rubbed into her back, her attempt at comforting me reversed, and I couldn't help but wonder if Vision was completely inept at providing emotional support, or if perhaps the subconscious recognition that he was a robot prevented his words from helping her. She finally pulled back once her breathing settled, rubbing her face on my shirt with gentle tinkling laughter.
"Thank you, Nate. I'm sure he would have loved you. You, however, need to change out of that shirt. Sorry about the-"
"Tears and snot? No worries," though she smacked my chest for that reply.
"I was going to offer to wash it, but-" I'd stripped it off in an instant, sliding it over my head and placing it to her chest.
"Thanks, Wanda. Though, I'll wash the pants myself, don't worry." Her eyes flickered downward before she turned, muttering about me teasing her to distract her. The workout was one of the best I'd had in a while, 'probably because my mind isn't racing ahead and worrying about a million things at once. Now I'm just thinking about a crazily beautiful and slightly crazy witch and her sweet smile. Natasha would never let me hear the end of it if she knew about Ophelia and my thing for Wanda. But she can handle herself, and her issue is very personal to her, so I'll keep out.' I can spend the next few months not doing anything specific, as nothing catastrophic should occur. Just some regular crime fighting and relaxing time training and being a teenager. 'Should probably kill the vulture soon though. I keep putting it off.'
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