Medusa

“I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.” Is there where he said ‘your majesty’ or bowed or some shit like that? God, alien customs were confusing. “In the future, I’d recommend shipping things to a P.O. box. Not a secure location if any Amazon worker can find us.”

“Tell that to Bruce Banner. He was the one who ordered it.” She bristled slightly at the lack of honorifics. “I merely gave him the directions on what to order.”

maximus-the-rad:

He hugged himself tightly around the ribs while she seemed to process that. He hadn’t meant to tell her so soon, but she made him. She ruined all his plans. Maximus didn’t hate her quite as much as he hated Blackagar, only because she had never hurt him quite as much as Blackagar did (and she was beautiful and good to look at, anyway) but he very much feared she was going to retaliate very violently now.

Maximus tensed to run, when the hair suddenly lashed out and caught him, and he reached for a weapon– a blade or gun or anything he knew he had on his person, but was bound tightly before he could reach any of one of them, and he found himself fighting to free his hands in vain.

“Please, you know how Black Bolt has used me!” he cried plaintively, switching tactics and feeling that very real panic begin to overwhelm him. “He uses my poor, brilliant mind, that he damaged, and makes me build things. I can’t help building things!”

Blackagar had heard the commotion and, fearing the worst, he burst upon the scene. He knew that his brother had been on the edge of instability the entire time, but felt that minimum contact would keep him in better shape than otherwise. However, he also knew that Medusa, while prone to anger, exercised a sense of judgement and command he respected. That Maximus was an innocent he couldn’t force even his familial-biased view to accept.

He froze up, processing the scene, and it suddenly hit him what must have passed. Blackagar stared at Maximus with wide eyes, then transferred his gaze to Medusalith in alarm. He was torn on who to defend. Anything that happened to Maximus was on his head. He had permitted his brother to continue his work, and so accepted all that would follow. He would never forgive himself if anything should happen to his younger sibling, who he felt permanently obligated to cover for since the injury he had suffered.

However, Medusalith was his queen, his conscience and better half. She knew now what he’d committed and sacrificed, and he couldn’t bear that she suffer for what he’d taken on himself, that he had even considered such an option. But Maximus had gone so far… and despite everything Blackagar found himself ripped apart by two loyalties.

Medusa knew the moment her husband had arrived on the scene. “I don’t believe you,” she sneered, hair tightening ever so slightly around Maximus. “That accident affected your powers and your sanity, not your mind.”

She turned her gaze to her husband. “And you!” she snapped. “How dare you. How dare you even consider this! You gave Maximus permission to work on the genocide--the genocide!--of an entire race! I might not care for humans, but even I know that this is madness! You condoned this! I cannot believe that you did!”

He snarled, then viciously ripped his wrist from the floating strands that loosened their grip, neverminding the striated red cuts that burned into his skin. “I’m building a bomb, to use on the humans.” He curled in on himself slightly, shrinking back like a cornered animal. “I’m only doing it on Black Bolt’s command! You can’t hurt me!”

Her hair dropped from the air in front of Maximus in shock. A bomb. On the humans. That would most likely kill an entire race. It was like a fist had been rammed into her solar plexus. “A bomb. To use on the humans.” Her mind was racing. What was Blackagar thinking?! The rage started to build in her stomach, spreading through her chest, causing her vision to narrow onto the target in front of her. Her hair whipped around her in waves, extending to it’s full length. She used it to grab Maximus around the middle to hold him in place and keep him from running. “I will not maim you, as you are both my brother in law and working on the king’s command but do not dare for a moment believe that this fact is going to exempt you from my wrath.”

“I’m not a common animal,” he snapped. Some of his anger drained from his face as he stood still and suddenly wrinkled his brow in confusion. “…Humans collar and leash their offspring?”

“From my understanding, only after the children are old enough to wander off and potentially hurt themselves. They stop after a while.”

“Why do you think that?” And if so, why had they left her at home? Crystalia was young, that was true. She was able to befriend a different demographic than her sister, but it wasn’t as if the royals were too old to try and do the same. “I thought that he would like it. I’ve scarcely seen Lockjaw since though. I don’t know where he’s been hiding, or how a dog that size could hide at all.” She loved her sister, and spending time with her in a casual setting was always something Crystal enjoyed. She shifted  on the bed so that her back was to Medusa so she could work on her hair and stretched her legs out. “I will. I offered to introduce you already. She seemed like she wanted to get to know you. There’s another Inhuman girl too, I think, but I haven’t talked to her.” Crystalia scoffed. “I suppose. There’s this man named Namor who enjoys lounging with no clothes on, and Johnny accidentally burnt his clothes off. See? I was innocent on both fronts.” Besides, she knew what a man looked like. “I never said that he made me blush.” She protested feebly. “I just like him, that’s all. He’s…. He’s special. Maximus said to not get married. But you’ve met Susan? I’ve been wanting to meet her because Johnny talks of her often. Did you like her?”

“You can reach people in a unique way simply because, even though you are royalty, people will always be afraid of offending Blackagar and me due to the fact that we are the King and Queen of the Inhumans.” She continued to slowly unwind her sister’s hair. “And, you are a delight to be around.” She took a breath. “I was not sure how the humans would react to us, and I did not want you harmed. I see now that it was foolish not to bring you along.” She hummed an old song that they had heard sung many times in their childhood. “Lockjaw is amazing like that. I believe I saw him in my quarters though.” She finished with Crystalia’s hair, and moved on to just running her hands through it. “Very well, I look forward to meeting her.” She listened, nodding. She hadn’t met the King of the Atlanteans, but he seemed like an... interesting person. “You are blushing right now, dearest. I think that is a very good indicator that he makes you blush.” ...for once, she agreed with Maximus. That was rare indeed. “I did enjoy Susan’s company. She seems intelligent. Frustrated with her brother when I spoke with her. Though, that might just be the nature of sibling relationships, to be frustrated with your sibling at some point or another.”

“Of course you don’t. Wait,” her mouth hung open in disbelief. “You’re going to put Gorgon, Karnak and Triton on it too? Medusa, we’re going to kill each other! Maximus is going to kill someone. Please don’t do this.”

Medusa’s eyes were still sparkling. “It is merely a back up plan of a back up plan, dearest. Do not fret so.” She grinned in a way that she had in their childhood when she was being rebellious and mischievous.

“We’ve been under attack. Every necessary precaution is being taken.” Clint stood up a little straighter. He was speaking to ‘royalty’ and he didn’t need to be the reason they suddenly hated humans or S.H.I.E.L.D. “My apologizes. I don’t think your package was harmed though.”

She glowered, though she understood where he was coming from. “It was not,” she said, examining it. “In the future, I recommend obtaining information before shooting at something.”

At her sisters words, Crystalia allowed a small smile to pass her face. “I try not to be. I do want to help. And I didn’t bring Lockjaw as leverage, it just happened that way. I needed him for a ride.” Shaking her head, Crystalia tucked her legs underneath her and began to absentmindedly unwind her hair. “No, not from Attilan. She’s an Inhuman but she underwent Terrigenisis out here.” It didn’t make total sense, but Crystalia had been planning to tell Black Bolt or her sister about what she found. “I wasn’t getting into any trouble.” She said quickly. “I didn’t go searching for naked men, it just happened. Twice.” Sending her sister a pointed look, Crystalia couldn’t mask her slight blush. “He’s a friend. He can erupt in flames.”

“You do help, darling,” she said, rubbing her sister’s arm gently. “I believe you will make a better ambassador of our people than anyone else in the royal family could at this time.” She laughed. “Regardless, there is nothing better you could have done to get into Blackagar’s good graces.” Medusa curled up beside her sister and gently took over unwinding Crystalia’s hair. “Hmm, could you set up a time for the king and I to meet her? I would like to speak to her personally.” She chuckled. “Trouble just seems to find you does it?” She raised an eyebrow. “Naked men? What on earth has happened since I left here?” Her eyebrow steadily climbed higher. “A friend. A friend who makes you blush.” She paused. “Johnny Storm? I met his sister, Susan, I believe.”

“I can see it in your eyes.” The younger sister huffed. “You’re going to do something and I won’t like it.”

“I have no earthly idea what you’re talking about, dearest sister,” Medusa said, hair dancing in mirth. “Well, neither Maximus nor Gorgon nor Karnak or Triton will appreciate it either, so you will be in good company.”

Crystalia arched a brow, her face set in disbelief. “Medusa. No.”

Medusa smiled brightly. “Why are you telling me no? I haven’t done anything.” The yet was written clearly on her face.

“When you say ‘family’ you’re referring to Maximus and not me, correct?”

Medusa smiled mischievously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, darling,” she teased.

Clint opened his mouth to contradict her before taking a better look at the drone. That was definitely an Amazon package and he was definitely an idiot. “You guys know about Amazon?” One hundred percent an idiot.

“Your Dr. Banner helped me, but yes, we are informed about Amazon,” she snipped, retrieving the package. “Shooting delivery drones out of the sky is how you spend your time?”

Medusa used her hair to grab the arrow out of the air. “That is my package being delivered, thank you very much.”

He nodded, placing the order. “I set it up for overnight shipping, so it should be here tomorrow.” He smiled back at her, inclining his head respectfully. “You’re welcome, your Highness. I’m glad I could help you out.”

“Though I am looking forward to my sister and brother-in-law’s faces when they see these with their names on their.” She was definitely amused when she imagined their faces. Perhaps it would keep Crystalia from running off to places she was not supposed to. “If you require my assistance, I would be more than happy to provide it.”

He chuckled, tapping some more. “I can order them for you. It’s no trouble. Alright, two monkeys…” He quickly located a plain leash with some good reviews on durability and added several more of those to the cart. “You said a cage?” He peered at her, brow furrowed. “Would this be for the dog you mentioned, or for a person?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to get involved that far.

“No, the cage is not needed. As much as I would like to lock up my brother-in-law, I am afraid he has found favor with the king. And cages are slightly pointless for a teleporting dog.” She smiled at the other man. “Thank you, Dr. Banner, for assisting me in this matter.”

He pulled out his phone, tapping at the correct app, and held it up. “It’s a website. You can choose something, pay for it digitally, and someone delivers it to your house. Or in our case, the institute.” He tapped some more, running a search, then attempted to suppress a laugh. “Do you want a plain one, or one that’s shaped like a monkey?” He held up the phone again, displaying the monkey version.

Medusa covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. “I believe the monkey one would suffice for my little sister and brother in law.” Her voice was filled with amusement. “You must show me where the closest terminal is so I can place an order of at least five of these.”

Bruce considered the Inhuman queen for a moment, eyebrow quirked, then shrugged a shoulder. “If you really want some, I’m sure I could order a few for you off of Amazon. Though from what I’ve heard of your family, a child leash may not be enough.”

“Amazon? What is that?” she asked. “I believe I would need child leashes and a strong cage for at least one of them. And restrict their access to my husband’s teleporting dog.” She paused. “Restricting Black Bolt’s access to his own dog might be problematic...”