BUCKET HEAD !

“At least it’s going well for someone.” 

“Does reality shifting have anything to do with that?”

“I could change that, if you wanted.”

“That makes you one of the few.” Which was unfortunate, really. “We have to mark down how many are unchanged just like those who are.”

@nexusbeings​

“Do you usually break your day down for people who want to rob you?”

“Which things are we considering here?”

“How about the Nova Corps? How’s that going?”

“Good. That’s good.” Yelena was leaning back in her chair. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Your helmet is functioning properly, then?”

“Like.. actually? Or are you just saying that.. Cause you can talk to me, man.”

“That’s gotta count for something, right? Sorry that the universe seems to be against you guys just wanting to do the right thing. I’m Morgan, by the way. Morgan Stark.”

“That wasn’t a very convincing answer, you know.”

“Is it Nadia?” Cassie asked hesitantly, feeling a little anxious at the possibility as she let herself be a little nosey. “You guys are okay, right?”

“This C.R.A.D.L.E. stuff is tough. I heard Nadia got sucked into one of the Detention Centers. Were you?”

He understood. He cared. That itself was something that helped. Nadia didn’t tell him that. She just slowly rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, one hand finding his own and squeezing it.

“I love you, Sam Alexander. I did before all this and I still do.”

Even if he hurt her. Love was work. Nadia knew that. She had a lot of it in her heart but it had never come easily to her. She had to work for every relationship she had and fight for the ability to be near to others.

“They’re closing up soon.” She reluctantly pointed out. “Do you think they’ll kick us out? I don’t want to leave our new friends. Have you ever noticed that it looks like manta’s have smiley faces? I love them.” Another slid past. “Just mantas and fish here. No C.R.A.D.L.E. Mantas and fish and you.”

“i love you too, nadia van dyne.”

his voice was soft, even though they were the only ones around, but the moment felt too intimate for anything louder than a whisper and a contented sigh.

everything was going to be okay. they were going to be okay.

this time would always be part of their relationship history, the scar it left a brutal reminder of how fragile they both were - but with time, and care - scars healed.

nadia’s comment about the manta rays elicited an audible chuckle from sam. she wasn’t wrong.

There was a long pause, Emma staring at Sam with an indiscernible look on her face. “You’re right.” She finally said. “And I do hate telling other people they’re right. What I did was cruel, even if it had justifications. It was wrong. We were… I was being influenced by the Phoenix Force. I can’t explain to you what that’s like.” It’s hot breath on her neck still woke her up from a dead slumber occasionally. During those times, she rolled over to face Scott and took solace in the fact that he had suffered just as much – if not more. Their domestic dispute and his violence against her was another thing entirely. “But even if my actions were not my own, they hurt you and that must be acknowledged. I’m sorry, Sam. To you and your friend. Truly.” Her lips quirked to the side. “Don’t worry about forgiving me. I’ll survive. I just want you to know.”

sam remained silent for a moment, a bit embarrassed by his outburst a minute ago. it went against every cell in his body to forgive someone like emma frost - but he couldn’t help the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that this was genuine. that she seriously meant it.