Never Give Up The Fight

Chapter Nineteen- Mayhem

"So, you're taking a break, huh?" Luc asked later Li that evening on the phone.

"Altan says I've got too much going on."

"That's two people telling you to relax," Luc pointed out, flopping down on their bed. "You better take their advice."

"It just keeps coming, and I know I gotta deal with it," Li replied. "I know I can. But exams are bad enough without having to save the world as Mela, or dealing with Raph's sucky taste in women!" Luc frowned.

"Wait...what?" There was silence on the other end.

"Oh, fuck," Li groaned then. "I should not have said that, Ten's gonna kill me."

"Not unless we don't tell anyone else," Luc pointed out. "We just have to make sure it doesn't get back round to Ten."

"You won't say anything?" Her voice was hesitant. It took Luc by surprise.

"No one will find out," they reassured her. "You can trust me, you know." Silence.

"I know." Li responded quietly.

"Alright. Now you sit back and don't worry about us," they were starting to realise what it felt like for Li as Mama Bee. "Listen to Altan and Tigris, have some time to yourself."

"I can't promise that I won't be checking up on you."

Luc smiled.

"I know. But you need to think about yourself sometimes too." They decided not to tell Li about their own superhero secret. She had more than enough on her plate, after all.

Ansel was woken up at midnight by a call from Raph.

"What's so important for you to disturb my dreams of daggers and death?" she smiled. "Guess who?" A pause.

"That was a terrifyingly good impression of Li."

"I know." Ansel replied smugly.

"Modest."

"Again, I know. Now what do you want?"

"I invited Li to dinner tomorrow but I don't know what to cook."

"What's Li's favourite meal?"

"Chicken noodle soup," he responded immediately. "But I cook a lot more technical stuff....oh, I could do shrimp! She likes shrimp!"

"Shrimp?" Ansel asked in disbelief.

"Shrimp are very technical."

"So, you have a plan? I can go to sleep now?"

"Yeah. Uh, no," he stuttered. "I mean, yeah, I have a plan but...I wanna apologise for what happened at the museum, that wasn't fair on you or Li. I just-" he sighed. "I still have feelings for her. I'm a dick, I know, but I can't stop loving her." A pause.

"I think she's the one you have to apologise to, not me." she said eventually.

"Yeah, I know."

"Good. Now let me sleep. I can see what Li means in terms of needing some peace."

Yeah, no. There was no peace that day. They were minding their own business in English when the akuma alarm rang out.

"I have a headache." Indra groaned, rubbing her head as her friends began to pack up around her.

"Want some painkillers?" Li offered. "I've got plenty." Indra looked bewildered.