Shadows and Secrets Book Three (A MCU FanFic)

Chapter 6: Cuddler

Riku's POV

"Are you sure about this?" asked Marjorie doubtfully. "Have you ever dyed curly hair?"

Riku sighed. "Yes, actually. I did Hayley and Carter. And it turned out perfect." She had completely recolered Hayley's light brown hair electric blue almost a year ago, and given Carter subtle highlights a few months ago.

"Carter Hartley?"

"No, Carter Griffin."

Marjorie nodded, understanding now. Carter Hartley's hair was more wavy, while Carter Griffin had tight spiral curls.

"I promise you'll love it," she begged.

Marjorie pursed her lips. "Fine. But if I don't, I get to do your makeup for a month," she threatened.

"Deal!"

~

"So, tell me all about it," requested Riku, mainly to distract Marjorie. Her muscles didn't seem to be able to untense; she had frozen the moment Riku had started touching her hair. Which was understandable, she had dealt with a lot of bad things that seemed to prevent her from remaining calm when being touched, even if she trusted the person.

"About what?" It seemed to work slightly; Marjorie loosened up a bit.

"Your boyfriend, obviously."

"Oh." She paused to think. "He's nice."

Riku rolled her eyes as she clipped back part of Marjorie's hair. "'He's nice?' That's all you can come up with?"

She blushed. "What do you want to know?"

"What do you like about him?"

"I don't know. Everything, I suppose."

"Like?" prompted Riku.

"He's fun and sarcastic, once you get to know him. He likes the same books as me. He genuinely cares about me." She paused, considering. "He's also incredibly gorgeous, of course."

Riku nodded in agreement. "He's super dreamy. Does he always wear all black?"

Marjorie giggled. "Every day. He's soooo emo, but refuses to admit it."

"What are his hobbies?" she asked idly to keep the conversation going.

"I don't think he currently has one," mused Marjorie, "with everything. You know, Hydra, HAEIW, the Avengers. He mostly just follows me around all day like a lost puppy."

She smirked. "I can't picture him as a puppy. He kinda gives scary, 'I may or may not kill you in your sleep,' vibes."

Marjorie smiled wirely in response. "He does a little, but he's all soft and squishy on the inside."

"Is he?" she asked speculatively.

"Yeah, he's a cuddler."

"Really?" Riku recalled how Bucky had wrapped his arms around her during the movie: like it was automatic, something he had done a million times before. "Like when you were in his lap earlier? About that, by the way. You normally don't like being touched, so how..."

"I don't mind it as much with him," confessed Marjorie. "He makes me feel safe. Not that I don't feel safe with you, or anyone else!" she rushed to clarify. "It's more of a safe feeling away from the rest of the world, if that makes sense. Like, I don't worry as much about other people I'm scared of when I'm with him."

Riku nodded slowly, not really understanding but trying to. "And... he definitely likes you back? This isn't like–" she remembered Marjorie didn't like hearing Sofi's name "–her, is it?"

She flinched. "No... it's not like that at all. I'm sure he cares, I..."

"Sorry, I was just checking." Riku felt bad about Marjorie's sudden sadness, knowing it was her fault. She changed the subject: "He's meet Wade, right? How does he feel about him?"

She appeared grateful for the new topic. "I'm pretty sure he finds Wade very irritating, but tolerates him because we're friends. Wade is, of course, in love with him."

"More like his biceps, right?"

Marjorie suppressed a giggle. "Right. The other day, Wade asked him if his metal arm vibrates."

Riku's mouth popped open. "No. Way. What did Bucky say?"

"I wasn't there, but I think he told him to shut up. There was probably some threats involved."

She lowered her voice. "Does his arm vibrate?"

"Not that I know of," she whispered back. "I mean, maybe. That would be–" a giggle slipped out "–awesome, if it did."

"Definitely." Then they both collapsed into laughter.

~

"So?" asked Riku as Marjorie stared in the mirror. "Do you like it?"

Marjorie experimentally picked up a curl. Riku had dyed the underlayer of her hair a red-violet burgundy color that looked perfect against her pale, cream skin in a color blocking method.

"No," said Marjorie to Riku's horror. "I love it!"

Riku lightly punched her shoulder. "Don't do that," she laughed.

"Seriously, it's perfect. It feels like this was always how my hair was meant to be."

"That's what I do," joked Riku. "Unlock hair potential! Now, come on, we missed lunch. Blyke's already at his math class."

Marjorie's noise wrinkled. "I don't understand how he's still in Algebra 2."

She tilted her head. "He just started it this year."

"When I was a senior, I was in the second year of Standards of Mathematical Application IB HL CB," informed Marjorie.

Riku groaned. "How do you even remember all those letters?"

She ignored the question. "What's going on with you two, anyway?"

She blushed and looked away. "I don't know what you mean."

"You know I'm basically a lie detector, right?"

Riku didn't respond. Blyke was sweet, but... There was no way he liked her as more than a friend. She wasn't even sure exactly how she felt about him.

"Come on," she brushed off eventually. "Let's go show Rei and your boyfriend your epic new hair."

~

"Aren't I a genius?" demanded Riku.

"Oh, definitely," agreed her sibling, walking in a circle around a blushing Marjorie. "You look awesome, Marjorie."

"Great," chirped Riku, grabbing their arm. "I need your help with something," she told Rei.

She subtly winked at Marjorie when she pulled the door closed and Rei out in the hallway, leaving her alone with her boyfriend in her room.

"What?" asked Rei.

"I want to know what he said," requested Riku. She knew they had asked Bucky for a report on Marjorie's mental and physical health while she distracted her.

Rei started walking back towards their shared dorm, with Riku on their arm. "He said that she seemed to be completely lucid now, but was still a little tired. She is more jumpy than usual, and seems to be intentionally avoiding the subject. He noted that she didn't put on makeup, and that she does that when she's more upset."

Riku slowly nodded. "She was extra tense earlier, but I tried to distract her. I also think she fell in love with him."

They frowned. "It's not going to be like last time. He seemed to really like her; he's super protective."

"I hope so," she agreed. "The way Marjorie described him... you would think he was the only person in the world who mattered to her."

"She cares about you, too," said Rei gently. "All of us. Marjorie just has a hard time showing it sometimes."