A Delicate Web (gxg) | ONC2020 |

10. excuses

We stay in the park until the semi-darkness falls, a few stars far overhead managing to wrestle through the layers of light pollution. The conversation has long since fallen to more casual topics, and I find myself enjoying my time with Gem. As her worries about being in the presence of royalty fade, she loosens up, becoming chattier and more like the Gem I know as the Black Mamba. It's nice, but it's also terrifying—there's no way to ignore the way my heart thuds in my chest when she looks at me and laughs.

This silly crush is a massive inconvenience.

Finally, during a lull in conversation, she stands up, slinging her jacket over her shoulder. "Well, I should go. There's somewhere I have to be."

"Oh?" I stand up as well, brushing my palms off on my pants.

"Yeah. A... story I'm looking into." She leans closer, voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "With the Black Mamba."

I can't resist rolling my eyes. "That's such a stupid name."

She laughs and hits my arm with the back of her hand. "Don't be rude."

"What are you doing with him?" I ask, unable to help my curiosity. I don't remember making plans with her as the Mamba.

"Well, he's not actually gonna be there," she admits, starting to walk down the concrete path.

I shake my head. "Is this safe?"

"I don't know. I probably shouldn't be sharing any details at all."

"Yeah, maybe not. But I won't tell anyone." At least now I can show up and make sure she doesn't put herself in danger, assuming I'm correct in guessing where she's going to go.

She smiles, standing half in, half out of the glow of a hovering streetlight. "Thanks."

I nod, suddenly finding myself needing to look down at the grass and not at her face.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah. See you there."

—

Dressed in my vigilante ensemble, I lean against the warehouse, hands tucked in my pockets as I wait for Gemini to show. A cool wind ruffles my clothes.

I hear a footfall on gravel and I turn. Gem startles, nearly dropping the flashlight she holds.

"Fuck, dude! Warn me next time!"

"I was standing right there."

"Yeah, in the pitch black mouth of the warehouse, dressed all in black. Did you really think I'd see you?"

I laugh and enter the warehouse. She follows after me, and I lower us both down into the gaping maw of the tunnel. We hit the ground in a crumble of unsettled earth.

"How'd you know I was coming here, anyways?" She asks.

"Got a tip from a friend."

"Maud?"

"Yeah."

I probably shouldn't have come. She might start putting two and two together.

"Why are you here, anyways?" I ask. "You shouldn't have come by yourself."

"Well, I'm not by myself now, am I?"

There's a moment of silence, then she sighs. "I wanted to take another look at that thing down here. And I just didn't try to contact you about it, I guess."

"Oh." That kind of stings. But why should the Mamba mean anything to her, anyways? It isn't as though we're close.

"Have you been working on anything?"