Diamond-formed from carbon (C)
Atomic Number: 6
Atomic Weight: 12.011 amu
solid at room temperature; formed after years of pressure condensing carbon into a diamond cubic crystal structure; high refractive index; hardest natural material known
[Falc...
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Though cameras exist and she can, in theory, save a recording of Tam's undiluted childish laughter, Malka does not believe it will ever live up to the real thing. For a child to make her this happy...it is a dangerous thing to accept and acknowledge, yet she finds it strangely easy to admit that taking Tam in was one of the greatest choices she has ever made.
She can't help but compare that to her decision to stop seeing the only person who ever made her feel safe in the way she truly wants to see him. That is the nuance with choices: when you have been stripped of making them for so long, you can only make ones that make you ecstatic or ones that fill you with regret. Pushing away Bucky keeps her awake at night. She can only thank whoever may be listening that he wanted to stay friends, wanted to rekindle a partnership in some capacity.
Tam's laugh echoes in her ear again as they walk along Broadway. Snow lines the sidewalks, and Tam enjoys stomping his new boots in the muddled powder. Sometimes, he stops to make a ball, placing it in his pocket; she knows he is waiting for the perfect moment to launch a full-on assault, but she doesn't have the heart to tell him that it will melt by then.
"So, who are we meeting?" He asks as he leaps from a snow bank back onto the pavement.
"An old friend."
"And what are we seeing? Will I understand it?"
Malka purses her lips. "I don't know, but it's some new musical they already had tickets to."
"Maybe it's that new one about Captain America." It is, unfortunately. "Oh! Then, maybe I can see you!"
"Maybe." She shoves her hands in her pockets as they come up to the venue already teaming with people. Clearing her throat, she takes hold of Tam's hand and tugs him closer to her as they wait by the piled snow.
"Hey, Laska!"
Malka picks her head up and instantly finds herself grinning at the approaching family. "You're late!" She calls back as Clint Barton and his three children come up to her. Wrapping her arms around Clint, she says, "You're looking old."
"That's just mean," Clint replies as Lila leaps into a tight hug. "Hey, that's my friend, not yours."
"It's so good to see you, Auntie Malka!" Lila exclaims before pulling away. "Finally another girl to talk to."
"Oh, I'm sure your mother isn't so bad," Malka jokes before hugging Cooper and Nate. "She's done a lot for you. Never know what you have until it's gone."
"Speaking of, Dad says we get to meet your boyfriend."
"Did he?" Malka angles a sharp glare in his direction. "Well, unfortunately, I have no boyfriend. I do have this monster though." She twists and moves her hand back to gently rest on Tam's back. His hands had grabbed hold of her pants early into the conversation, for once silenced by the new people. "Không sao đâu, họ là bạn của nhau." (It's ok, they're friends.)
