Doom has Arrived

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      “I’m glad that you can agree.” Reed knew that Victor was being sarcastic, but it didn’t change his agreement to the statement. Walking into the other man’s home, he kept his guard up. Doom was unpredictable. “I didn’t think about it.” He replied bluntly. “Cream, no sugar.”

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Victor looked at the other shaking his head “good to see you still keep your guard up but I did promise Sue not to start anything too bad with you.” He moved to make up their coffee the way they both enjoyed it before sliding the cup over to him and taking a sip “So how have things been? Any new experiments you’re trying out?”

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Sue snorted softly as he spoke, raising an eyebrow as a faint smile touched her lips. “Because your ego needs so much work in the first place,” she said, her tone holding an edge of humor to it now. She smiled faintly and shook her head, looking away from Victor. “Yes, well, I’m rather fond of him myself,” she said dryly. She raised an eyebrow again, looking over at him. “Spare some time for what purpose?” she said. “You’re not exactly the time just to hang around and help a woman unpack her apartment.”

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Victor watched the other for a moment shrugging his shoulders “What can I say, every man has an ego problem, mine is pretty manageable” He teased her before nodding his head he hardly minded spending time with Johnny or Sue, Ben and Reed were still on his shit list so he attempted to keep away. “I bet you are,” He replied before looking around. “You are trying so hard to push any friendship we had away, but there is nothing I currently want from you in exchange for helping you unpack.”

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Sue smiled faintly as he spoke and shrugged her shoulders. “There hasn’t been a total solar eclipse in many years, but that doesn’t mean the sky won’t go dark when it happens,” she pointed out. She sighed. “Johnny doesn’t have great impulse control,” she said. “No one can tell him anything, you know that.” She gave a little huff. “I think you’d rather me do it than Reed,” she pointed out.

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Victor smiled looking at the other chuckling “I have much more important things to do then try and take over the world, I’ll be find with my little kingdom enough people there listen to my every word to boost the ego” He teased before nodding his head “I know but he isn’t such a bad kid so I don’t mind his company in small doses” he looked around their home to seemed to be an almost perfect mixture of them both “Ahh but we were doing so well without his influence surely you could spare a couple minutes for me? I’ll even help with some manual labor.”

“As hurtful as it is to say… I guess you’re right. I could always use an ego boost.” To think that he was actually having an entertaining little conversation with someone like Doom was… almost incredible, to say the least, but then again… the past was the past, and Johnny wasn’t exactly the type to keep things on a serious note. “Gosh, not too big I hope. It’s probably just like a fun little hobby right? Like… pilates or uh, video games! Yeah?” The last thing a retired villain needed was a big project to work on. “It’s certainly up to my standard. I dunno about yours, though.” He had a big smile on his face as they approached his car, unlocking it before he opened the door to get in. 

“Insanely good looks? Victor, stop flirting with me.” There was a smirk on his face, one that perfectly confused the recipient of Johnny’s motives. Was he genuine? Was he just joking? No one would ever know. Not even Johnny himself. And that was the fun in it all. He hummed at Victor’s comment about the disfigurement and society, eyebrows twitching upwards for a second before a “Can’t relate.” bubbled up from him in the form of a mumble. Thankfully though, the topic was soon back to food, and Johnny happily smacked a hand t his backpocket to see if he still had his car keys. “Oh, I’ve got just the place. C’mon, I’ll drive.” As if he would let anyone else drive whenever they were with him. 

“I suppose that was a bit of an assumption on my part,” Matt said through a breathy laugh. In situations like this, Matt was used to be coddled as if he was broken glass. Sure, he couldn’t see the way he used to, but people always assumed that meant he had to be protected. Little did they know, Matt was out here protecting Hell’s Kitchen from the evil within. Regardless he appreciated such a simple reply, “If by “lover”, you mean my job, then I’m happy to say I have no plans to see her.

“In fact, I happen to also be on my way to the market,” Matt mused, “Would you mind if I join you…?”

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“Nothing wrong with that, I suppose it’s something I’m quite used to given my age and profession” Victor replied in truth he’d only come close to marriage once and she was already taken. Such was life when it came down to it he hadn’t put much thought into settling down anymore. “I know that life, I think this is my first vacation in a few years.” He replied chuckling a bit.

“Sounds like this meeting was something of fate, I wouldn’t mind at all, it’s been a while since I’ve called New York my home. My Name is Victor Doom by the way since we are began shopping buddies.”

Marc’s alter, Stephen Grant suddenly found himself in control of the body, and just as fast the confusion set in. he began to frantically look around as he tried to figure out where he was. he gathered it was a store, but he still had no idea where it was.

Stephen quickly turned around in the direction of the other after being bumped into, confusion still drawn on his face. “Yeah, it’s alright,” he said as he still looked around. “I’m sorry could you tell me where we are? and perhaps the time?”

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Victor hadn’t paid much attention to who he’d bumped into after all he was on a mission to at least get some things for his new place, food being one of the first things. But something about the confusion that was written on the other’s face tied in with the questions gave him pause. “It's New York City and it's around 1 pm, are you lost?” He questioned the other.

peter hadn’t been on terra in … a while. aside from the occasional stop for a this or a that; he definitely hadn’t called it home in decades. not that he was calling it home now, but he was here a lot more than anywhere else in more recent times. walking along the sidewalk, he hadn’t been paying much attention to his surroundings, only jamming out to the music coming from his old, and definitely well loved, walk-man. ❝ brandy, you’re a fine girl … such a fine girl! ❞ he had been quietly singing to himself when he bumped into the other, instinctively putting a hand up towards the other’s chest to prevent further collision, ❝ oh shit – sorry, man. ❞ peter said, moving to pull his headphones down, ❝ my bad, i was lost in the music, you know? i – ❞ he stopped himself. the guy in front of him definitely didn’t want to hear his music spiel at this moment, ❝ i’m alright, how’re you? ❞

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Victor watched the other for a moment he was singing, of course, that shouldn’t have surprised him after all New York City held all kinds. He looked down at the other’s hand that lay on his chest finding it was a rather good instinct to try and catch him. “Not a problem, I’m pretty both of our focus was pulled so I understand.” He replied honestly looking at the other “What were you listening to? I don’t think I’ve heard that song in years” He mused before nodding his head “Yeah I’m quite alright no harm done so don’t worry about it.”

“No worries,” Matt smiled, righting himself and readjusting his walking cane, “Happens more often than you think.” In reality, he could have easily avoided the collision. However, something about Victor’s person convinced Matt to look into this individual more. He couldn’t quite place the feeling quelling deep in his gut, but it was something between suspicion and curiosity. Intuition was telling him to keep an eye out for this one, but he needed to know the reason why. “Rushing home to the Missus?”

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Victor looked at the other for a moment after all it wasn’t that bright out that someone would need sunglasses “Well I still apologize, I was lost within my mind should’ve been paying more attention” He replied before tilting his head smirking slightly “I’m afraid I have no missus, I was on my way to do some grocery shopping for my new apartment. What about yourself? Hurrying home to your lover?”

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       "I could have, but that would have been an inconvenience to people I love,“ Reed said, not bothering to address the second part. Victor was trying to antagonize him - something he was used to by now. "From the team, but she baked them otherwise they’d be burnt.” Reed didn’t want to stay any longer than he had to, but he had promised Sue he would try before he left. “Why not.”

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“Yes well we’d hate to make anything inconvenient to those you care for” Victor replied setting down the plate on the counter before moving to make a couple of cups of coffee one for Reed and himself. “How sweet to even think of giving someone burnt cookies, I suppose the thought that counts and all” He replied before moving towards his fridge “Cream or sugar?”

“Oh, no, no, no, I think the universe is trying to keep in balance, ‘cause if I got rich, I would be a menace to society. Well… a bigger mess, that is. Probably hotter, though.” If that was even possible. His eyebrows raised in awe and amusement at the potential joke he got from the other, having to press his lips together into a thin line to stop himself from grinning too much. “I was gonna say it’s the vibes, but y’know what? Yeah. The green outfit. It was totally the green outfit.” He hummed, gallantly accepting that Victor von Doom himself made him kinda laugh. “…Sushi?” 

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Sue frowned at him, raising an eyebrow. “We really haven’t been friends for a very long time,” she pointed out. “You went your way, and we went ours, Victor. It’s not like these two paths can really reconcile. They’re too different.” She frowned again, a scowl appearing on her face. “When did you see Johnny? You know what, it doesn’t matter – leave my brother alone.” She flapped her hands at him impatiently. “Just leave, please. I really don’t want to have to make you.”

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Victor looked at the other shrugging his shoulders “So you say but then again we haven’t battled in many years now, so I’m not so sure that’s really true anymore” He mused looking at the other chuckling softly “Maybe you should tell him that, he is the one that sought me out, I saw no reason to turn him away outside of all your merry little band I didn’t mind him so much.” He replied laughing “Make me? How rude Sue, here I was thinking we could try giving truce a try.”

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      “I would have been able to if I actually had your phone number, but I must have lost it in the mood? Don’t talk about Ben like you know him.” Coming here had been a bad idea, one made clearer by Victor’s poor attitude. “Sure asked me to drop this off. It’s a peace offering I think.” He pushed the plate of covered cookies forward, offering them to the man he had once considered a friend.

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Victor eyed the other for a moment “Both Johnny and Sue hold my number you could’ve asked them. But then again I doubt we could’ve gotten through a conversation without you throwing your phone at the wall.” He replied looking at the plate of cookies sure they haven’t fought in a long time given Victor had much better things to do than play villain to his little rag tag group. “From Sue I’m sure?” he mused taking the plate it was actually quite kind to even have been thought of. “Did you want to stay for a cup of coffee or something? In honor of peace and such.”

Francis had offered to run to the store this time, figuring since he hadn’t really gone on a run yet it would only be fair. A basic list scribbled almost illegibly down his arm –he’d remembered halfway there he hadn’t written it down, and there were only so many options– he was rounding the corner, mostly able to dodge other pedestrians as he scribbled down a couple more things. He probably wouldn’t have thought much of it when someone did bump into him, looking up but fully ready to ignore it and go on his way, maybe get berated for not looking where he walked. he was a bit surprised when the other apologized. “Oh, uh, yeah, I’m fine. That was probably my bad, actually.” Getting a good look at the other, he seemed familiar, in a detached way. Like Francis had seen his face somewhere before, but couldn’t place where. He’d definitely never met him, but he’d seen him. “I’m totally all over the place. Almost ran into a couple other people on the way over. Sorry.”

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Victor needed the essentials hence his shopping here, lucky this place seemed fairly well stocked with the story as he made his rounds around there looking at the other when he bumped into him. “I’m glad you didn’t just snap at my apologies like most would’ve the moment I did something like this.” He replied before nodding his head “Got something big on your mind or just normally running around?”

“Please do. ‘Cause otherwise I can’t guarantee that I’m not gonna interrupt you, so it’s gotta be like a two-way situation, y’know?” He tried not to think too much into his own words, knowing full well that he was not making much sense. But that was fine. What was Victor going to do, insult him? Well.. that would actually be pretty funny. “We could go get some pizza. Or salad. Or anything inbetween. Since you’re paying we could go somewhere fancy! Wait, you’re not like, vegan or anything, right? Not that I have a problem with that. You look like the type of guy who would go vegan, though.” There was a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. He knew he was being just a bit too insufferable.