capeandcowllogs | if i am lost for a day try to find me

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if i am lost for a day try to find me

WHO: Max & Apollo
WHERE: Max's apartment at the MAC.
WHEN: sometime after Black Mask's post with Midnighter's comm.
WARNINGS: Language, probably.
SUMMARY: Apollo has come to stage a Max intervention.
FORMAT: Quick...?

[ Her suit needed an overhaul.

That was what she was telling herself, anyways. She'd been methodically cleaning it for a few hours now, ever since she'd woken up after her second nap of the day. That was why she wasn't touching her communicator, which had occasionally gone off with the light noise she'd programmed for posts or responses by people she cared about. After the first few ones, she'd thrown it across the room and then wrapped it in a blanket and stuffed it in the space under the oven.

She would get it out eventually. Probably.

But for now, these wires needed fiddling with. Wires that in no way made her think of Skrulls, or Sherlock, or Midnighter, or labs that smelled of blood. She dug out a spoonful of chocolate icecream and stared at them. There had to be something to fix there. ]

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[After all the craziness that happened with Midnighter's communicator, Apollo felt it was his obligation to let the people close to them know that his husband wasn't one of the Skrulls.

He decided to start with Max because she hadn't been answering her comm and frankly, that worried him a bit. Especially after what happened to her. So that's what brought him to her apartment and lead him to knock of her door.

"Max? And you home? It's Apollo."

[ Someone was knocking. Max scowls and twists the pliers a fraction too hard.

Well, at least now she actually had something to fix.

Again. They were insistent, at least. She glanced up at Apollo's voice, frowning. If Midnighter was a Skrull, was Apollo? Had her logic been wrong? She couldn't - no, she didn't want to think about this right now. Or possibly ever. Yeah, never sounded good. She raises her voice to just loud enought to be heard through the door. ]

I'm busy.

[The sound of her voice stopped his knocking, but he wasn't going to be detered so easily. He could tell something was up.]

Yeah, I figured that much since you haven't been answering any of my calls. What's keeping you so busy?

[ He would be persistent, wouldn't he. She tugs a wire free and swears as another one pokes her. Ugh. ]

I'm fixing things.

[He's silent for a moment while he processes that. He remembers she told him a bit about her work and what she does, but he'd never given it another thought.]

Okay, well what I have to say won't take long. Can I come in?

[ She was fine. She was fine. It was all fine. She just - didn't want people around. It was reasonable. ]

I'm busy.

Tell me later.

[He grunts his annoyance and knocks hard on the door one more time.]

Look, I know you probably saw that post made from Midnighter's comm, but I'm telling you it's not what you think.

[ And at that her pliers slip again, something sparks, and she yelps and swears before practically throwing the suit into the safe and crossing the room to the door, though she doesn't open it. ]

Yeah? [ her voice cracks. ] So tell me how that fucking happens, why don't you.

Go ahead.

[He sighs and rests his head against the door. Here goes nothing.]

Someone took his communicator and decided to play a prank. A terrible one, admittedly, but it wasn't him. It probably wasn't even a real Skrull.

[ She sits down on the floor, back to the door and knees tucked close. ]

Who?

We don't know that yet. Midnighter is working on figuring that out. But Ghost is also backing up his story.

It's whether you choose to believe it or not.

[ No. No, they can't drag Ghost into this. It's too easy to think of the possibilities, Skrulls covering for each other and her breath is getting harder and harder to catch, stuck somewhere in her chest. No no no no. She tries to say something, anything, and can't. ]

[He waits for a response, and waits...and then he catches the sound of her breathing increasing to the pound of her heart. There's something to be said for acute hearing.]

Max, calm down and open the door. I promise, I'm not one of them. I'm the same man I was yesterday. Trust me.

[ Sliding to the side of the door, she presses the button on her keys that unlocks it and sits there, trying to breathe. She wants to trust him. She does.

And if he's a Skrull, it's not like he can do much worse to her. ]

[He slides the door open slowly and carefully, taking the measure of the room before he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

He crouches down a safe distance away so he doesn't make her uncomfortable.]

Thanks for trusting me.

[ She's a huddled ball against the wall by the door, forehead on her knees and her heart still racing. ]

I want to.

[He sits down, facing her.]

What can I do to make it easier?

Nothing.

[ That's the rub of it. That there is nothing anyone can do to convince her they're not a Skrull. That at any moment she could be talking to someone plotting her death. That she could be fooled so easily. ]

I don't want him to be a Skrull.

[He sighs, crossing his arms over his knees. He wanted to make this better for her, but it didn't seem to be working.]

He's not a Skrull. If anyone should be able to tell, it's me.

John couldn't.

[ She won't look up. She can't look up and see his face and think Skrull. ]

Everyone's a Skrull. I'm a Skrull, you're a Skrull, he's a Skrull. Skrull party central.

Was John also married to the man the Skrull replaced?

[He resists the urge he has to roll his eyes. That really wouldn't help matters.]

If that's what you have to think to get you through the day, then fine. I just wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. We'll find whoever did this and then you'll have your proof.

[ She takes a deep breath and looks up. ]

Sorry. I'm not.

It's just.

Proof sounds good.

[He slumped forward, not even aware of how tense the conversation was making him until he relaxed.]

We'll have it soon enough. I'm sure of it.

I'll stop stuffing my comm under my stove. [ that's the only promise she's willing to make right now. ]

[That earns her a chuckle.]

Good. I'll keep you updated then.

...If you want me to, that is.

[He'd understand if she needed her space.]

Not until you know, one way or another.

...Alright.

I did promise to take you somewhere once you got back on your feet. Guess we can push that back until this mess is over with.

I'm not strictly speaking on my feet, anyways. Supposed to rest and not tear stitches.

You should go make sure someone's watching him.

[He nods and jumps to his feet. He holds a hand out to her.]

I guess I'll let you rest then. Would it make you feel better if I promised to watch his every move?

[ She doesn't take it, staying stubbornly seated. ]

Right. Resting.

Some.

[He drops his hand, a small frown appearing on his lips before disappearing. He nods and walks to the door.]

I'll let you know when this all gets straightened out. Take care of yourself, Max.

[ She thunks her head back against the wall and nods once. ]

Thanks.

You too.

[He throws a wave over his shoulder and softly pulls the door closed behind him. That could have gone better.]

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