Indeed it didn't. Her privacy has been her sanctum for sometime, and she's been weaning away parts of herself, bit by bit, for Morrigan's trust. "...I'm gonna get you, sweetheart."

"I'm not surprised you've been in there. No matter how many warnings given you just can't seem to shake a mystery."

"Please. You're more fond of the claws than you let on."

"Obviously you've got one - it's hidden beneath all of those dark veils inside of you. But don't worry; I only prod at it when I want to see you make different faces."

For someone cold with darkness, there was a warmth unique to Morrigan that Laura felt...even as the two embraced. She could ease the tension in her life, if only for this moment. "...someone missed me."

Don't count on me. | I'm not what you need.

"If it wasn't obvious, I'm not in a great place. Don't bother me."

Nightmares keep her from sleeping.

"I'M in my twenties."

"I camp in the woods to hide from old people like you, Kurt."

This safe house she chose held a fireplace. There would be days where the mutant would kindle fire, from sunrise to sunset. Entranced by the flickering wisps of flame over her hazel eyes, her killing intent quelled just for that moment. Peace before business. The calm before the storm.

"Not interested in any teams for a while."

| damn haven't been on in a while time to fix that

worse for wear.

"...sure. just nothing with too much sun."

"Cool. Think we can find a seat?"

"I still want to converse. When he calls, we can just pause. It's not gonna be a silent treatment."

"I'm just waiting on a call from my father, I can go with you."

There's...reluctance. That strange feeling that she's doing this out of pity, maybe? Guilt? Whatever it was Laura didn't like it. ...but it was rude to not reciprocate. "...maybe just some tea. you can tell me about what's so important about this book."

"Pay me back?" "...no, no. I don't want anything from this."

"Hm." She'll give a nod and wave off her newly met acquaintance. "Hope it's worth the effort."

She has just enough height to lean up and grab the book down. "...here."

"...Point me to which one?"

"...what is this."

"I need a drink."

❝ 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩'𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 . . . ❞

I really don't want to see Remy's goofy face in the video game I try to escape in / look at Hela's rear

"I slept enough. A whole two hours, even."

This is...pretty early for Storm. Most folks are still sleeping. But not Laura, of course.

"Gotta have sharp eyes to pierce through dark fades. I get it..." Her voice trails a bit, feeling herself get lost into the gaze of her guilty pleasure. "...stop distracting me."

Nice to have her actually heed a warning, once in a while. There's silence for a spell. Laura noticed the glow of the moon and, finally, found the strength to exhale before returning to Morrigan's gaze. "It's always like this down here, huh. Endless night...'

"It's his life partner, actually. We're frequent...collaborators." Her own way of expressing her team affiliations, which are far too convoluted for their own good. "I think you'd dislike her a fair bit.'

"They'll come back with a little more research. I've got a wizard on call that'd be willing to look into it." As consolation, the mutant lifted her night flyer into her arms for the rest of their little walk.

"I seem to only attract the assassins, saboteurs, femme fatales, criminal masterminds and the occasional demon."

The blaze that was her face, somehow, manage to fade into the darkness - seemingly back to normal, aside for the...very noticeable, demonic branding on her chest. "...see what you did?"

out of my way.

— / / ❝ 𝙼𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛…

"That's why you're all mine for the rough-housing."

"Y'know...maybe stupid isn't the right word. You're a thrill seeker and sometimes it's worse than me. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's frightening."

"Still on fire."

"You're just trying to get me to do something stupid, pretty devil." Her finger, wasped in flames, came underneath Morrigan's chin to scritch. There's humor in her voice. "Flames or no, I don't fear anything."

"Let's see what this darkness has in store for me. If Illiyana can make it look fun, maybe I can muster something out of it for myself." The brand beneath her chest, the mark of hell that grants her this new look, pulses. Doesn't hurt, but it's clearly shining through black leather.

Her arms fold over and the raging flame that was her head blazed on, undeterred by the queen's assurance. "Walk with me? While the moon is out."

"Honestly? I think it'd been better if I were ice instead of fire..." She couldn't see her expression due to the flames shrouding her eyes, but if she could smile it'd be there. "Guess I'll have to work it."