#flcxible

          “I really don’t think I’ve had enough to drink for that--”

2-6 word meme || accepting || @flcxible

The words gave Mirage pause, manicured nails tapping the side of her tea cup stuttering in their rhythm before she quickly regained her composure.

"And here I thought I'd been so careful..." Well it had been more than twelve years, she was due for someone to find out her dirty little secret, wasn't she? And if someone was going to find out, she could have done worse than than Helen.

Leaning on her hand, she brought her teacup to her lips, red lipstick leaving rosette imprints that she smeared with her thumb once she'd set the cup down. Green eyes trailed to the little family having their meal on the other side of the small cafe. A mother and father with their ten year old daughter; of course Helen wouldn't know this but they had two sons as well but they weren't present.

If she had to venture a guess, she would have surmised that they'd long since moved out.

"In another life...those people were my family..." And with those words came the briefest flash of a memory; a hazy, time worn vision that Mirage blinked away. Because the last time she'd seen the woman now wiping her daughter's face with a napkin, she'd broken her heart.

God he hated funerals, ever since his grandmothers funeral he always hated the atmosphere, always made him fear for his own mortality, but this one, this one was the worst. A close cousin of warren’s and her husband dying in a car crash, but what made it worse ? they had to leave their sons behind.

@flcxible​:

    This isn’t the first time she and Bob have had problems. This is the first time she’s left, though; turning up on Cass’ doorstep with both of her kids in tow. There’s a guest room off the living room and she’s watching her kids sleep, Dash curled up under Violet’s arm with both feet pressed against her side and a toy truck tucked under his chin. They’re 11 and 7, sleeping in the same bed for the sake of room. Cass has already made up a place for Helen on the couch.

    Tadashi’s voice is a surprise to her, turning Helen’s head to see him. His face reminds her of her sister in the dim, fluorescent light of the hallway.

Arms crossed against the growing pit in her stomach, the red head tries to smile at him and doesn’t quite succeed as she leans against the door frame. The snores of her children are a din to her ear and she shakes her head the same way she did to Cass. Somehow, though, his question is more precise than her sister’s was. She can’t just shrug it off.

❝I’m fine, sweetie.❞ Her voice is thin, but she nods toward the stairs where a 10-year-old Hiro is peeking through the railing. ❝Why don’t you get to bed?❞

          Tadashi’s only seventeen, but that’s old enough to guess just why Aunt Helen is here. It’s never said aloud and he’d never dream of asking her or Aunt Cass directly about it, but he knows. Or, at least, he’s capable of putting two and two together to come to some level of understanding. He hears snatches of it in hushed whispers on the phone between her and Cass, catches it in little pieces from Violet who has more than once complained about their parents arguing. She tells him through barely contained tears and quiet, breaking tones that it’s a secret, though. She doesn’t want her mom or dad knowing she goes invisible sometimes to eavesdrop on them. Tadashi knows that his cousin must be just as upset over their impromptu stay as Aunt Helen, but doesn’t want to let on about it. And it hurts, seeing them like this.

          At Aunt Helen’s suggestion, his eyes follow her gesture toward the stairs where he catches Hiro watching. Without questioning her further, he smiles, says a quick ‘goodnight’ and disappears back to his room, ushering his little brother along. It takes about an hour before the creaking steps signal his return.

He knew the rules of his probation. It was repeated to him every single time the feds and the NSA came to check on him, unannounced, every few weeks or so-

No illegal activity. All inventions must be approved by NSA. No infiltrating NSA database. No contact with previous associates.

Stay at least 200 meters away from any member of The Incredibles.

But, this was Buddy Pine. No - This was Syndrome. Since when did he ever follow rules? Ever since his controversial release from prison, he had broken every single rule that his probation had set for him. He hadn't been caught, of course. He was much, much smarter than that. However, there was one rule that he dared not break. No, he had to wait for the opportune moment for such a thing.

Besides, he was always one for surprises. What better way to break the most important rule of his probation then doing it completely nonchalant?

A light covering of snow lay on the concrete sidewalk of Metroville city. Horns blared against the congested traffic, pedestrains arms filled with shopping bags, tourists taking photographs of every single building they saw. This sort of commotion happened every December, like in most cities around the world. Of course, there was always the chance of some craze super villain blowing up the skyline in this particular town - which just drew in more visitors. That wouldn't happen tonight, however. Not on his watch. No, Buddy would commit a crime that would go completely undetected - except to the person he was just so delighted to run into.

It was almost too easy. Learning each and every one of the identities of the Incredibles was like researching for a generic school project. Sure, tracking them down was a bit more difficult, the NSA having put firewall after firewall to try to protect them - but Syndrome easily managed. He knew their names. Their schools. Where they worked. The area of the city they often frequented. If there was anything to know about the little, precious Parr family - Syndrome knew. And what made it all the more enjoyable was that the NSA was absolutely clueless.

Buddy couldn't help but smile to himself in his own pride, leaning up against the wall that rested in downtown Metroville. It was an area he didn't normally frequent, but he picked this particular place for a reason. Tourists were abundant, and alibies were a plenty. And he knew that, any moment, the particular someone he was waiting for would be walking down that very same sidewalk.

"Mr. Pine! Mr. Pine!" voices sang as he peaked up, cigarette smoldering within his fingers. Cameras began to flash, pieces of paper and pens waving in his face as a group of teenagers jumped with glee before him. It was still a common occurrence for him to have some fan or papparazzi approach him during the day, but it became more abundant during the holidays, tourists always excited to meet the "villain turned good".

"Afternoon," Buddy proudly spoke, placing his cigarette between his lips as he reached forward, signing everything that was thrown at him. "How's Metroville treating you, enjoying the sights?"

Keeping up with small talk with his group of starstruck fans, Buddy kept a sideways glance at those who walked pace, keeping an eye out for the one face he hadn't seen in so long...

His hand suddenly twitched as his eyes gazed upon her. She looked exactly the same- without a mask, of course. And while he wanted nothing more than to reach out and throw her into the brick wall that he leaned against, he simply waited for her to make eye contact -