Underestimate Me

“ I’m sure there’s something you could help me with Snookums, “ The endearment left her lips knowing full well the two were nowhere near close to each other to using such intimate nicknames. Helaine had leaned forward, grin in place and teeth flashing, towards his ear, not one to take into account someone’s personal space when she whispered . “ but not in front of the children. “ then finally pulling back as her focus directed elsewhere, red manicured nails focused on the straw of her drink rather than bitting into his arm.  She often liked to toe the line of insanity, the innovator told her so multiple times, by being on another’s territory but Burgatory was a favorite and if it also meant pissing off a syndicate for being here then kudos. “ what has your panties in a twist? “ more so out of courtesy and prying nature than concern when those words came from her lips.

Having her so close was a bit unnerving, not to mention the fact that she was behind him. But this was Air territory, and Malakai wouldn’t show any sign of weakness. Lips pulling up into a grin, showing more teeth than was necessary, he let his eyes follow her. “Well, sweetheart, how kind of you to think about the children. I’d hate for us to be thrown out by acting inappropriate.” It was a thinly veiled threat, as most were when it came to business in public. It wouldn’t do for just anyone to catch on to such things.

“I haven’t a clue what you mean by that.” Lie. Mal was on edge, and it seemed the only time he wasn’t on edge was after a few drinks were in him. The added stress of the phone call he had just ended and now a member of the fire syndicate being there certainly wasn’t helping. “What brings you to Brooklyn? Surely it wasn’t just this fine establishment.”

It was a regular Tuesday, meaning that the office was buzzing with lawyers, assistants, clients and paralegals. The space was filled with chatter, the occasional raised voice and the sound of telephones ringing. Arthur rushed through the office in a steady pace when his phone rang, right when another partner walked up to him. Arthur picked up the phone, unknown number. “Hold on a sec.” He replied before he found out who was calling, and focused on the colleague. “Yeah, get that over to Quinn’s office, we need that for the Reddick-defense. No, I don’t care that he’s in a meeting, get it to him, now.” He sighed, having covered the speaking of his phone, before bringing the phone back to his ear, resuming the pace. “Yeah, Hayes, here.”

“Hayes, huh? Do you answer all calls like that, or just unknown numbers?” he questioned, entirely amused with the conversation already. Perhaps he should have waited a few hours longer, at least until after a busy work day, but it was too late for those kinds of thoughts.  “I hope I’m not bothering you. It’s Mal.” Leaning back against his desk, his shoulders slouched a bit, relaxing as one hand held up the phone. Working for himself certainly had it’s perks, deciding when and where he worked being one. “I do believe I promised to call, it just took longer than expected for the follow through.” His lips pulled into a grin, despite Arthur not being able to see it.

It had been a few days, far longer than Malakai had been meaning to wait to call, but things had been hectic since the gala. While Mal hadn’t really crossed paths with the guy who was killed, he assumed that Arthur would have, being from the same syndicate. Fiddling with his phone, he scrolled through his contacts before hovering over Arthur’s name. Giving in to the urge, he hit the call button. Malakai lifted the phone to his ear, waiting for the line to be picked up. “Hello?” he asked, once it clicked like it had been answered.

The combination of the smirk and evasiveness did raise some red flags with Arthur. The smart choice would probably be to make up some excuse and leave, before he would walk right in some sort of trap. “Now, don’t be playin’ coy with me.” The chuckle following that statement was partly filled with cautiousness. “You knew who I was. Why didn’t you say anything?”

Arthur observed Malakai standing up, now facing him directly. It was an odd sensation. Arthur rarely was outplayed in flirtatious interactions, but Malakai did seem to have turned the tables, at least to some extent. “You’re good.” He chuckled, shaking his head for a moment. “Fine. I’ll wait and see, but I will be seein’ you again.” The phone in his pocket vibrated, and he pulled it out. “Yeah?” He answered. “Got it, be there in a few.” And he put his phone back into his pocket again. “Saved by the bell.” Arthur joked. “Looks like I gotta run, which I guess saves me from your dangerous charms.” He already took a few steps back. “I’m looking forward to our first date, call me.” He grinned widely, before he walked off.

“It’s not like you out right said you were from the Fire Syndicate. It’s a dangerous business to go advertising who you are in the open like this.” It was a simple enough explanation, without admitting to the amusement gained from the run around. “Well, lucky for you I won’t leave you waiting for long.” Watching him walk away, Malakai couldn’t help but grin. This encounter had been enjoyable, to say the least.

Send “I don’t need you” for my muse’s reaction. 

The words hung in the air. It was as if Valentina had physically slapped him, the words striking hard and true. She would be just fine without him, it was true. And Mal was sure everyone knew it. They had been awkward kids when they met, both thrown into a new environment so they had latched onto each other. The words weren’t anything that hadn’t crossed his mind when he was at the end of a bottle.

“Yeah, I know Val,” he words were soft, resigned in his agreement. God, he needed a drink. His head was pounding, partly out of this conversation, partly due to the fact that he had usually had a drink or two by this time of day.

Despite how true her words rang out, Mal would always be in her corner. There if she ever did need him. “But you’re stuck with me, Val. Known me too long for me to just disappear.”

Send “ø” for a LATE NIGHT text. 

Now that Xavier can do, he had been hiding and planing for so long he forget what it’s like to tell the truth for once in his life. “I promise.” Maybe now they can both relax and focus on the more important things they both had planned for themselves. He didn’t know how long the both of them were in the room, but it was long enough to make Xavier a little worried, he does need his members to see he’s there.

He was glad that Malakai said it before him. “Same.” Xavier moved away from the door so they can both exit from it. “Come to the shop whenever, I’ll have a beer ready.” Xavier straighten his jacket before opening the door and stepping out, he didn’t know where exactly they stood now but at least there was no tension for now.

Arthur looked the man over, as he stood there. He let out a chuckle, shrugging his shoulders innocently. “Well, if you want to win, best not, no.” He agreed. Then it suddenly hit him, out of nowhere. Opposing sides. He couldn’t recall it exactly, but they were indeed on opposites sides. “Wait a minute.. You’re from air syndicate.” He tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes slightly, waiting for his suspicious to be confirmed. 

“Well, you haven’t seen me walk away, yet.” Arthur winked, teasingly. “But who knows?” He teased a little more. Arthur liked the idea of getting to know him better, to hang out with him, instead of just sleeping with him and go their separate ways. “I prefer to think of it as knowing what I want. The big question is, is it working?” 

Eye brow lifting as if in surprised, Mal’s lips quirked up into a smirk. So the game had finally come to a conclusion, which was slightly disappointing. “Am I? Are you sure?” he asked, not quite ready to confirm anything around prying ears. But he didn’t deny it, nor question what the hell Arthur was talking about, so it was confirmation enough.

Hmming quietly, another chuckle bubbled up out of him. “It’s certainly got it’s own type of charm.” Teasing was easy, made even easier by the flirtatious nature of the conversation. Mal pushed up from the bench, standing in front of Arthur. “Now, if I told you that, it would take half the fun out of this. So, you’ll just have to wait and find out.” One eye closing in a wink, the tip of Mal’s tongue darted out and wet his lips.

❝ I’m going as fast as I–  ❞ A mumbled curse left her own lips when the shock connected with her fingers; wrenching herself away from him as if burned and instantly bringing her twitching fingers to the chip in the back of her neck as though to assure herself that no damage was done. It reminded her of that first taste of coffee in the morning, the abrupt wakefulness except more. she couldn’t concentrate.  ❝ G-Give me a minute, y-you’ll be out of here soon enough. ❞ Jericho stumbled over her speech, among the rush of screaming in her skull to ‘get away’ and her own blood through her ears – the brunette turned her back on him, stupid choice or not at the moment she didn’t care, needed to breathe and if she didn’t get that chance to just reconnect might rush out that door and cause an even bigger disturbance.  ❝ Just rewrap it and you should be good to go. ❞ Turned back around, features still set in panic, his use of his ability although on accident due to her own carelessness caused her to be reminded of how dangerous his touch could be. Jericho didn’t want to be near him at that moment, had at least stopped the wound from being too severe in that brief contact with his skin.

He should have had more control, restrained himself a bit more while she was doing him a favor. Mentally kicking himself, Malakai saw the change in her immediately. But what’s done is done, he couldn’t go back and stop it from happening. And even if he could, a little bit of fear was always a good thing right when it came to rivals, right?

“Sorry,” he mumbled out, repeating his apology, not that he believed it would do any good. The damage was clearly already done, despite any physical damage taking place. Mal’s head fell back, knocking against the wall lightly as a sigh passed between his lips. Well, there was one bridge that was burned.

“Yeah, I think I can manage that,” Mal said, staying still as to not jostle his wound or appear too threatening. If he needed the help again, he would have to get in the healer’s good graces, or at least not terrify her. “What do I owe you for this?” Nothing was free in this life, and Malakai needed to insure he wasn’t in the Jericho’s debt.

Once again it was so familiar, after years of not kissing those lips it was still a feeling he could recognize even if he was blindfolded. Xavier wanted this moment to last forever, his hands couldn’t do much more than pull him closer again, typical for Malakai to on an event like this dressing to the nine, sure it was a gala but it was full of mob people. His urge to bite down on Mal’s lower lips wasn’t suppressed, Xavier almost felt like they were having fun again. Once the man pulled away from him, he knew that wasn’t the case.

“Being straight is a bit hard but I’ll try my best.” For the first time on this night Xavier managed to laugh from his own jokes, going back to his old self was refreshing after all tension with Malakai. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Mal and that’s the truth. I know that I need that earth throne, Zelda is useless on it.” The throne was getting dust while she’s their leader, it actually shocked him that Mal didn’t rat him out to anybody despite knowing his intentions. “I know that I can’t see you hurting anymore and I know that I can’t promise you anything.” Was he willing to try? Maybe.

Lips quirking up into a slight smile at his joke, Mal let himself mull over Xavier’s words. They each had goals, things they wanted to accomplish, and he couldn’t say that Xavier was at the top of goals. But Mal wanted the man in his life, in some capacity. “I can do no promises- besides one. If you decide that you’re done with all of this, just,” he said, an arm motioning between the two of them, “fucking tell me. Don’t come up with some lie to push me away.”

With that said, he felt something settle, a bit of the pandemonium withing finding some bit of peace. Finger’s squeezed lightly where they still rested he let his arms drop away. It wasn’t as hard as it had been the last time he had pulled away. “But I really need to get back out there, before someone notices that I’m not there.”

Send “✉” for a text that WASN’T SENT. 

Send “%” for a CURIOUS text 

Send “✘” for a HATEFUL text.

Send “$” for an ACCIDENTAL text. 

Xavier’s hand turned into a fist slowly and he resisted with himself to bang against the door in frustration, Malakai saying that he didn’t want an out was like slap in the face, the realization that after all these months the one person that he was protecting was himself. Even with his powers, even Xavier could admit that love was as complicated a person makes it to be, for others it’s the most simplest of things.

Taking those feelings away was an option sure, but Xavier knew that if he did that he would have to take both of their emotions away. “I can’t do that.” He shook his head and gently turned Malakai around so they’ll look at each other again. “Love is one of the strongest emotion one can feel, it makes people do things that they never thought they were capable of doing.” Xavier knew deep down that eventually he would move on, he always moved on but it seems like there was no way to truly hide from Mal and he didn’t want to. Xavier’s hand finally relaxed, cupped Malakai’s face. “I don’t want to take them away, I’m a selfish bitch.” He chuckled, getting an inch closer to kiss him once again.

Malakai saw it coming from a mile away, had been kissed by Xavier enough to know when the other was moving in to kiss him. So he could have stopped it, but he didn’t. Mal wanted this. Had wanted it since they had started up their little fling, if it could even be called that. And then he had pushed, wanted something that wasn’t on the table and it all slipped from his fingers. As if he was afraid of this slipping away too, Mal didn’t lean forward to meet Xavier, he just stood there letting the other press forward. Content with following Xav’s lead, when their lips were finally together he reached out for Xavier’s waist.

Hands held loosely there, he lost himself for a moment. After everything that had happened, he didn’t think that this is where the night would take them. But who was he to not enjoy it, even if it didn’t last. Nipping lightly at Xavier’s bottom lip, Mal pressed in closer, his thumbs inching under the hem of his shirt to brush across skin. Fucking bikers. As impossible a task as it was, Malakai had to pull away. Before his lips had even pulled back fully, he pressed back in to savor another moment. “I-” he trailed off, words failing him as Mal collected his thoughts. “I need you to be as straight forward as possible, Xav. What are you doing?” With one question voiced, there were ten more unasked. His head was a mess, so jumbled up from this conversation that it was a miracle that he could even think. But he needed clarification, Mal couldn’t afford anymore miscommunications between them.