𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨

𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

"FUCKING DIAMOND SKIN!" FRENCHIE CURSED, HUGHIE UNCOVERING HIS EARS FROM THE SOUND OF FRENCHIE'S DRILL. Samuel sat on the metal table mindlessly, checking his fingernails. The three were in silence, Hughie catching eyes with Frenchie. The man got out a pill, holding it out to the man. "Here, take it." He simply let out, Hughie's brows scrunching as Samuel watched the two. "What is that?" Frenchie shrugged. "It will help with your anxiety. It's LSD and MDMA. This is a candy flip. It'll smooth you right out. Take it."

Frenchie geld the pill, Samuel shuffling to turn around on the table. "Thank you, but I don't think now is the time for a major hallucinogen." Hughie spoke as politely as possible, Samuel tilting his head. "I had one once. It really works. I recommend it-" "You recommend it?" Hughie interrupted the boy, Frenchie nodding. "How old are you?" Hughie asked, Samuel awkwardly looking to Frenchie.

"Nineteen." He admitted, watching Hughie's brows raise. Frenchie just sighed, taking the pill himself and walking away. "Fais-toi plaisir." He spoke, Hughie sighing. "How many drugs have you taken?" He asked Samuel, the boy scoffing. "Not enough." He laughed, Hughie not doing the same as Samuel's laughter died down too quickly. "I'm kidding. It's a joke." He let out, Hughie exhaling through his nose as he mustered a fake smile. Frenchie took a seat next to Samuel, the three in silence again. "What are you exactly?" Samuel glanced to Frenchie. "A chemist? Engineer? What?" Hughie continued, Frenchie shaking his head.

"No. I know a little about a lot of things." He answered, Samuel nodding. "He's like a French Pitbull." Frenchie scoffed with laughter, shoving Samuel lightly as he continued to roll his blunt. "I'm a gunrunner by trade, but, as you can see, I've developed a certain niche." Frenchie spoke, Hughie's brows furrowing. "Killing superheroes?" Frenchie shook his head, sighing. "You can count on one hand the number of dead superheroes. Sometimes you can incapacitate them." Frenchie shrugged, getting his lighter out.

"Truly," He lit the blunt between his lips. "they are magnificent creatures. Each one with a unique power that requires a unique solution." Samuel shrugged at Frenchie's words, a look of disagreement on his face, "It's... It's never the same twice." Frenchie continued nonetheless, Hughie gulping. "Who pays you to do that?" Frenchie shrugged, blowing out smoke. "Whoever can pay." Hughie sat in silence for a minute, sniffling. "And when you do kill a Supe, or, you know, anyone, what's it like?"

Hughie looked between them both for this question, the two staring right back at him. "You know... I saw this woman in a midtown elevator, 2008." Frenchie started, Samuel observing Hughie. "No more for ten seconds I see her, huh? Stunning." Frenchie smiled lightly, Samuel glancing to him. He's never heard this story before. "Five-nine. Hair so black it absorbed the light, you know? Tom Ford pencil skirt, Louboutin stilettos. C'est magnifique." Hughie's head tilted, listening intently.

"But she had, uh, she had... I never forget this, you see." Frenchie looked in between the two men in the room. "She had dirt under her fingernails and callouses on her hands, and I see this and I say, 'Oh, strange for such a refined woman like this.'"

Samuel smiled lightly, "'What, you... You a gardener? You know, you a sculptor? What is this, huh?" The three shared a light laugh, Frenchie continuing. "And I think about this. Yeah, I think about her all the time." His tone dropped. "She was the first person I ever killed." Hughie's smile fell lightly, Samuel going silent. "I carry... I carry them all with me." Billy stood unknown, listening to the man from around the corner. "It's like scars in a way, you know?" He nodded to Samuel, the boy humming scarcely.

∞

"WHILE SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE THE SHELL EVOLVED TO HELP TURTLES BURROW UNDERGROUND..." THE TV CONTINUED AS SAMUEL ENTERED THE ROOM, EVERYONE SILENT. Sighing, the boy sat on his previous spot on the table, Billy observing the saw Frenchie attempted to use on Translucent. Frenchie himself watched the Tv, moving his head once Samuel accidentally sat in the way. He seemed very interested in the show as his head tilted, Samuel turning around once the man jumped from his seat, staring at everyone.