#lady mega

“Cancer,” a soft voice called from behind him. Cancer turned around from his seat on the rock face, and saw Lady Mega approaching him. She glided across the pathway, her skirt lifted in her hand as her boots navigated the rocks in the deserted corner of their base Cancer had hidden himself. She asked, “What are you doing out here all alone? Where are Wilder and Bullhorn?”

“Sleeping,” Cancer said. Lady Mega stopped at his side, and dropped the edge of her dress. Her earrings glittered in the small bit of light. Cancer dropped the straw and held the glass to his chest. “We were going to go out later so they wanted to be rested.”

“That answered the second question,” Lady Mega said, flipping the yellow train from her hat over her shoulder as she sat down next to Cancer. She tucked her legs in neatly to the side, elegant as always. “Why are you here all alone?”

“I just wanted to think,” Cancer said, hunching his shoulders down. His fingers tightened around the glass. “It’s nothing.”

“Oh?” Lady Mega said, reaching over and plucking the glass from Cancer’s hands. She turned it around, the straw knocking against her lean and elegant fingers. Her lips quirked in a little smile. A knowing smile. “Orange juice?”

“It’s nothing. Really!” Cancer clenched his hands into fists. He shook his head, and pleaded. “It’s not important.”

“Cancer,” Lady Mega said, tipping the glass upside down in a swift motion. The orange juice spilled out, straw and all, into the water below. The ice cubes plopped into the water in tiny splashes. She put her hand on top of his. “Please don’t lie to me. What troubles you?”

“Minerva!” Cancer blurted, face flushed and heartbeat rising. Lady Mega gave him all of her attention, and he was weak to fight it. He bit his lip and rubbed the back of his knuckles. “She...she was really nice to me.”

“Was she?”

“Yeah,” Cancer said. He pulled his hand out of hers and rubbed his fingers together. “So I don’t want her to get hurt. But she’s the enemy, and...and I’m confused.”

“Oh, you poor darling,” Lady Mega said. She opened her fingers, dropping the glass. It smashed against a rock on its way down, spilling glass shards into the water. She put both of her hands around Cancer’s cheeks and pulled his head toward her. She smiled and kissed his forehead. “You’ll get exhausted over thinking things this way.”

“Lady Mega?” Cancer asked, his mouth squishing as Lady Mega squeezed his cheeks. Her thumbs rubbed circles on his face, and he twisted in his seat until he leaned on one knee.

“Listen to me now,” Lady Mega said. She moved her hands and rested them on the back of Cancer’s neck, her thumbs around his ears. She pulled gently until Cancer crawled over to lean near her lap. “Pretty girls will always seem nice, and they come and go.

“I’m sure Minerva is a very nice girl, just like there are plenty of nice girls out there. But, listen carefully, nice girls aren’t always right. She’s fighting for the wrong side, isn’t she, Cancer? You don’t belong over there. Let her be nice,” Lady Mega said. She gently rubbed her finger against Cancer’s hairline. “But you remember where home is. You’ll have plenty of chances to meet nice girls, but you only get one mother.”

Lady Mega’s hands were warm against his neck. She hummed softly, shifting one hand down and around Cancer’s waist. She pulled him tightly against her chest into an snug embrace. He could hear her heartbeat through her chest, so very warm and so very human. She continued to cradle his neck with the other hand, setting her chin on his head.

“If little Minerva dies for the wrong cause, it won’t be a concern. You’ll meet another girl, and another, and none of it will matter as long as you remember one thing: Your home is here with us,” Lady Mega said. “Home with Wilder and Bullhorn, Hydra and Buster, Lord Giga, and of course, me. Do you understand, Cancer?”

“Yes,” Cancer said, wrapping his arms around Lady Mega’s waist. He breathed in the smell of her perfume, something with spice. He listened to her heartbeat, and concentrated on how nice this felt. “This is home.”