Above

27

Leeciy
"We should call ourselves the three Ls." Luca says, watching the ground while Logan, him, and I walk to Estelle'.
"Why?" Logan asks. "L means loser."
"Well, all of our names start with L, so it would just make sense." Luca explains.
"Well, why don't we call ourselves something cooler, like the Sassle Frasses?" Logan asks.
"No, stupid." Luca murmurs. "What do you think, Leeciy?"
I don't respond, too caught up in my thoughts to hear.
"Leeciy?" Logan gently prods my shoulder.
I look at her. "Hmm?"
"What do you like better, The Three Ls, or the Sassle Frasses?" Luca asks.
"How about The L Team?" I suggest.
"The Loser Team? Really?" Luca scoffs. "What are you thinking?"
Logan opens the front door, holding it for us.
"I dunno, just sounds cooler than The Three Ls." I shrug.
Luca perks up. "So you like The Three Ls?"
"It's better than The Sassle Frasses."
"Rude." Logan says, leading us into the living room.
Estelle sat on the ground in front of her scratched oak coffee table, a maroon blanket around her shoulders. Her eyes lift to look at us. "When September said he was sending someone else, I didn't realize he meant three someone elses."
"Are you disappointed?" Logan asks.
Estelle shakes her head. "I'm happy it's you three."
Logan walks over and grabs one of the pieces of paper. "Are you writing in gibberish?"
"No." Estelle shakes her head. "It's Pangaean."
"Oh, well, what does it say?" Luca asks, grabbing a sheet of paper.
Estelle shrugs. "They're just plans to try and get my sister back."
"Your sister?" I ask, sitting next to her.
"She came up, and she's with the government." She explains, rifling through the papers.
I grab a paper, reading it over. "This one's bad."
She grabs it, reading it over. "Yeah."
"What does it say?" Luca asks.
I snatch it. "Sneak into the White House, grab Maverick, then sneak back out."
"That's awful, and borderline boring." Luca says. "If we're getting your sister back, we're gonna do it with style."
"How do we get her back with style?" Estelle asks.
"With a, pew pew, and a, bam bam!" He says, with many sound effects.
Estelle nods. "I agree."
"Me too." I say, reading a couple more plans.
"Which one do you think you'll go for?" Logan asks.
Estelle shrugs. "Probably one of these three." She hands three pieces of paper to me.
I scan over them, my eyes widening as I get to the one with a star on the top.
A classic hostage swap, me for Maverick.
"Estelle." I say. "I'm not the god of protective-ness like August, but I don't think I can let you do this one." I lay it out in front of her.
"That's kinda the one I was planning on." Estelle says. "It's a win for everyone."
"Not for me." I say.
"What does it say?" Logan asks.
I look over at her. "She wants to swap herself for Maverick."
"What?" Luca asks. "Estelle, that's flat-out suicidal. You know what they'll do to you, they've done it before."
"They'll do it to her, and I'm strong, I can get through it again."
"But for how long?" Luca asks. "I was locked up, beaten, electrocuted, experimented on, for thirteen years, and I am barely human."
"Luca, they'll probably just end up offing me."
"Estelle." Logan says in a warning tone.
"It's the truth." Estelle shrugs.
I grimace. "Estelle, you can't possibly be thinking that this is okay."
"I think, I'll be fine." She says. "You guys will be fine without me."
"Estelle." Luca says. "We really won't."
"Luca, you've got Felicity. Logan, you've got Nigel and Jane. Leeciy, you've got Cirus." She lays a hand on my bicep. "You guys will be fine."
I shake my head. "What about September?"
She purses her lips. "He said he'd help me."
"But he can't read Pangaean." Logan says. "He wouldn't be alright with it, even if you paid him."
She sighs, her breath blowing a stray red piece of hair out of her face. "What should I do? Maverick could be hurting right now and we, I, can't help her."
"How about, you devise a plan that isn't terrible, then get help fulfilling it?" I suggest.
"That sounds like a good idea." Luca says. "Will there be pew pewing?"
Estelle grins. "Most definitely."
"Let's get this started."
***
Six hours later, Logan and Luca went back to the party. So Estelle and I were alone, well almost. Reiba was hanging out on the back of the sofa.
Estelle changed into comfortable clothes, let her hair down, and wiped the runny make-up off her face.
She was tired, and I could tell by the way she sat, shoulders drooped and eyes half shut.
"Can you draw?" She asks.
I nod. "I can."
She reaches forward and grabs a pen from the coffee table. "Will you draw on me?"
I take the pen. "Draw what?"
"Whatever you want." She smiles softly.
I toss the pen's cap on the table, taking her arm and starting to doodle.
"Do you think we'll survive?" She asks.
I stop drawing and look up at her. "I'm certain you will, you have plenty of people willing to take a bullet for you."
"What about you?" She asks. "I'd take a bullet for you."
"I'll probably die somewhere along the way, no matter how many bullets you would take for me." I shrug.
"How are you just okay with that?" She asks. "That's terrifying."
"I know, but I've come to terms with it, especially since September's vowed to take care of Cirus if I die."
She shakes her head. "You're important."
I go back to my drawing. "You're more important, especially since you're the face of the rebellion."
She sighs. "Whatever."
I stay silent, drawing a rose on her arm.
"Look at me." She says, placing her other hand on my cheek.
I do as told, looking up at her.
"I wouldn't know what to do with myself if you just stopped breathing. God, it's one of my worst nightmares for some strange reason." She sighs. "Survive for me, please."
I nod. "Okay, I will."
She leans forward so our foreheads touch. "Promise?"
I smile softly. "I promise."
"Good." She smiles. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"Me neither." I say. "You're so much more than this stupid war."
She smiles.
I grab her cheek. "I need you."
She leans in more, touching our noses. "I need you too." And with that, she kisses me, softly and gently.
I pull away. "Uh, I have to go."
"Why?" She asks, looking hurt.
I stand. "I just do." I turn and walk quickly out of the house, leaving venerable Estelle all alone.