Who Needs Superheroes?

Chapter 15: Bright Lights and Loud Sounds

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By the end of the night, I was so loopy that I ended up calling Fear a "pretty princess" in front of his father, causing him to excuse us from the table and help me to my room. I stumbled down the hallway, my arm draped across his broad shoulders for support. Eventually, he tired of my dead weight and lifted me up into his arms, carrying me bridal style. My hand wandered to his face, fingers brushing over his light stubble. My heart was racing a mile a minute, and I tried my best to keep my breathing under control, but the distance between us overwhelmed me. He smelled so good, probably due to some expensive cologne and I wanted nothing more than to kiss him.

"Spiky," I murmured as if I had just made a discovery. He did not flinch or even look down at me; he just kept walking, strides long and steady. My fingers moved to the edge of his mask, tracing the strange material and lifting the edges slightly. He shifted me into one arm and his hand came up to his face, clasping over my hand and taking it away from his chin.

"Will I ever get to see you without a stupid mask?" I whispered, almost in a pouting manner. He seemed to consider his answer for a long time, opening his mouth and closing it back up again several times.

"Soon," he replied, sighing. Time passed between us, the air remained wordless.

"Thank you," I said, breaking the silence.

"For what?" he asked, confused.

"For not killing me." He released a deep chuckle. "Why are you laughing?"

"You're amusing."

"Hey!" I shouted, hand pushing on his chest playfully. "Why am I really here, Fear?"

All humor disappeared from his face and a serious expression crossed his face. I felt his muscles clench up and his strides became stiff.

"Drinking this much was really stupid, Eby."

"Okay, what the hell? Every time you are in a moderately decent mood, you just have to go a pick a fight or throw a temper tantrum the next second. Seriously? Just pick an emotion and stick to it!" I shot back, sobering up a little. He released an annoyed breath and relaxed his body a little.

"You're right. I'm sorry, but I have a point. You should not have let your guard down around these people. This place may have been created as a safe place for Supers, but there are bad people everywhere; Agartha is no exception." His tone was disciplinary and I felt like a scolded child.

"But-"

"But, nothing. I never want you drinking this much. In fact, try not to drink at all. Stay sharp, stay alert. Those are my only two rules for now."

"Can I take off your mask then?" I asked, feeling like a smart-aleck.

He shot me a look and said: "Eby..." in a warning voice.

"Okay, I got it," I grumbled, putting my hands up in defeat.

I saw the door to my dorm and it slid open as soon as we stood right in front of it. Fear carried me over to my bed of pillows and gently set me down in the center. He turned and took a few confident strides towards the door, but paused when I called out to him.

"You never answered my question. Why am I here?" I asked, tired of being so clueless. He froze in place and I saw his shoulders tense.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow. You need to get some rest and sober up. Don't forget to take your pill. Goodnight," he replied gruffly without turning around and then went on his way, door sliding closed behind him.