Loving You Black & Blue | Miguel O'Hara x Felicia Hardy

Ch. 10: Peaches, Eggplants and Heart Eyes

[London, England – Earth-199999]

The grey sky opened up in a heavy downpour. "Perfect," Miguel sighed, pulling up his wide umbrella. "LYLA? Any updates?" He regarded the imposing, dark building before him with interest. The bizarre insignia on the building's facade was one he had studied many times; a mystery in its own right. It was too bad that the keeper of the house was not currently home. Miguel had a few choice words for him.

"There's a lot to scan here," LYLA snapped, "Just keep a low profile and let me do my thing."

Not difficult. The long black trench coat that both covered his suit and kept out the London chill helped Miguel blend in seamlessly with the rainy-day crowds going about their business. Even if he did stand a head taller than most of them. Suddenly, the device at his wrist flashed. Miguel turned his body towards the wall of the shop that he was lingering in front of, shielding the screen from view:

F: testing 1, 2, 3 ... you there?

Miguel smirked. The chip he'd fashioned for Felicia's cell was fairly simple, but it tickled him to see that she was so excited.

M: Here. It works

     F: OMG! Where are you right now???

M: E 199999.

     F: How many lightyears away is that?

M: That's not how we measure it.

     F: No emojis. boo!

"Almost done, boss." LYLA cut in, "Where to next?"

M: Talk later. At work.

     F: OK later gator.

"You guys are gross," LYLA gushed, "but I love it." Miguel ignored her, even if he couldn't suppress a smile. "Looks like we'll need to pop in on the Doctor some other time," Miguel muttered, organizing the data LYLA had just collected.

"To the Gutter?" LYLA quipped.

"A patrol's a patrol."

********************

[Somewhere in the infinite blankness of the Gutter Space]

You wouldn't think it, but a lot could go wrong in the Gutter – the deafening emptiness, that blinding white void that existed between dimensions and universes. The Gutter was made up of the stuff that was waiting, when you fell off the page. It was a perfect hiding spot for anyone who sought to interfere. It could also be incredibly boring.

"Migueeeeelll," LYLA groaned, "how long do we have to stay here??"

"Just until we've surveyed the upper quadrant. Not long." It was actually a bit longer than Miguel was letting on. His webs fired off into the void, disappearing into nothingness and yet somehow always attached to something as he swung through the space. Miles and miles of nothing stretched ahead of them. An endless, complex abyss. He was already going crazy.

M: Busy?

Seconds later an image appeared. Felicia was smiling beautifully into the camera. Her eyes looked more blue than usual, popping against her black turtleneck. The iconic architecture of the Guggenheim loomed in the background of the selfie.

F: Getting my steps in. Immersing myself in culture. You?

     M: Patrolling the Gutter Space.