Second chapter of completely fresh stuff with no redactions~. Mostly because this shit is just cute fluff between Vast and his main flower.
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Since Vast honestly didn't want to see Clover right now, he headed back to Narcissa's rather than home and risk bumping into him while they were both still in foul moods. He hated the idea of Clover wanting so desperately to find someone that he'd keep looking even though they were likely dead. Dead like all the rest that came before them. Not to mention he couldn't even remember them enough for Vast to find any memories in Clover's head, not a single trace in the nearly 20 or so years he's dug through. Not one memory of this supposed person Clover cared so much for that he'd spend half his life looking for them.
To distract himself from his terrible mood and darker thoughts of being left behind, he decided he wanted his knife back, Kassidy's knife. She wasn't dead but he was dead to her so it wasn't like he could ask her for another.
As Vast exited the elevator and walked down the hall to Narcissa's door, he wondered if the hero's blood would have been cleaned off or not. Not that Vast had any plans even if he did get a sample of the hero's blood, but it would be a neat souvenir.
Narcissa pulled open the door at looked at him then she turned her attention to the surroundings as she glanced around before looking at him again with a curious look as she stepped aside to let him in and then shut the door behind him. The small space was filled with the scent of something sweet cooking. The curtains at the windows were pulled open to let in the late midday sun making the dark colors of the space look a little less unwelcoming. Wall tapestries of ornate designs hung from most of the walls, creating a concealed cozy feel.
"Kieran, I have the foggiest recollection of having someone in bed with me the other night," She said playfully as she sauntered into the kitchen with Vast trailing close behind.
"Come on, you know I'm skilled enough to take only my gorgeous face. Besides, I would never be so cruel as to deprive the cops of us making sweet love if they ever crawl into your head to look for my secrets." Vast scoffed.
"First, gross mental image. Second, I'm kidding." Narcissa laughed. "Finally, are you in trouble again so soon?"
"Not yet. I need your help with something."
"Hmm, am I going to be accessory to a crime?" Narcissa smirked and employed Vast's help with washing dishes.
"Again, you know I always make sure you can't play witness, but you're safe here, right?"
"Always. But curious where your partner in crime is that he can't help with this illegal activity?"
"He needs a break. Actually, I need a break from him." Vast sighed.
"Oh, the woes of being a criminal." Narcissa sighed back but with just a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
"I'd like to see you get your ass kicked by To-... superheroes on a regular basis." Vast almost said specifically Toxic's name. It's not like it really mattered but it was better to practice in places it didn't matter that much. Clover was always telling him he needed to practice more.
"I'm not the one who has got a grudge with authority. I happily get my kicks from nickel and diming my tenants."
"You're truly diabolical." Vast deadpanned to which Narcissa laughed and bumped her shoulder against his.
"I have to pay for all my illicit activities without raising suspicion somehow. Don't I?"
"I'd call coercing more money from innocent people as pretty illicit already."
"So, what's up?" Narcissa asked around a fit of laughter.
"I lost my knife last heist and I want it back. I figure while I'm at it I could grab a few other things lost through the many fights with the authority... Maybe."
"So...What do you need?"
"Well... Step one is always a plan..." Vast was not a plans kind of guy. He always left that to Clover. But again, he didn't want to get into another argument about wasting time when they should be digging through the last few years of their time in the clutches of the Labs.
"What about locating said item?" Narcissa raised a curious eyebrow.
"Pretty sure it's got to be held at the main precinct where all supervillain paraphernalia is held under lock and key. I figure I could cause a commotion nearby and use it as a distraction to sneak in... But that's all I got." He explained while Narcissa nodded quietly.
"Then let's start with the distraction, you'll need something close enough to cause a reaction from the precinct," Narcissa mused as she handed him another dish to dry.
"Yeah, but not too big that they decide to lock down. If I make any sort of appearance nearby that's a quick way to get them to hit a panic button or something."
"Fires always gets noticed, but the police response tends to be low if it's not clear arson."
"And I don't want to hurt anyone uninvolved."
"Sure, the fire doesn't need to be anywhere it could hurt people."
"Fire is unpredictable, let's call that plan F or something and keep thinking."
"F for fire?"
"F for fail," Vast corrected and was splashed with dish water for the joke.
"Okay well, it doesn't have to be real fire. Fire alarms can go off for any number of reasons." She said as she handed off the last dish and dried off her hands.
"Like?" Vast prodded.
"If you want to set off a bunch of fire alarms at the same time, you might want to visit Zaria for some tech."
"I'm giving Zee some space; I'm worried they're still watching her after she was pulled in for questioning." Vast sighed.
"They didn't get anything useful from her, so if you're careful like always it should be fine."
"She could still be under some kind of surveillance."
"Hmm, true." They slowly finished the chores together as they talked over options for an explosion or setting up something to set off a chain of false alarms around the precinct to cause confusion and maybe a little panic. Soon they'd finished and retired to lounging out on the couch and still going over the possible distraction.
"Why don't you ask that shapeshifter for help?" Narcissa asked. Her feet in Vast's lap so he could paint her nails black while she sewed a new jacket for his villain uniform. She'd measured and cut the pieces a few days ago and had most of it together and was now sewing on a hidden pocket.
"I left that memory be so that you'd be safe and know what to tell him if you ever crossed paths in a dark alley not to suggest that I work with him." Vast rolled his eyes.
"Still, he could work as a distraction."
"Do we need to talk about the dangers of playing with fire again?" Vast asked.
"No," Narcissa pouted then snapped the thread with her teeth. "There done." She made a motion to toss it at him then stopped. "Hmm... I almost ruined your fantastic work..."
"Thanks, I'd appreciate not getting polish on my new jacket too." Vast smirked as Narcissa neatly folded the jacket instead of flinging it at him.
"Kieran, I really think you should find some kind of backup before this thing, it's dangerous to go alone." She said as she handed off his jacket to him.
"I'll be fine, Narcissa. You've helped me get started and I won't go until I'm sure I've got a dark cloudy night or something." He shrugged then stood and tried on the jacket. It fit as expected since Narcissa had made the last two and was getting good at replacing them despite not really remembering she's been making them.
"Thanks for this, now lay down."
"Ohh, is it time to slip inside me?" She asked as she scooted her butt down the length of the couch and laid her head on the arm rest.
"You know it, baby." Vast chuckled as he leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her head and touched their foreheads together. He took in a calming breath, readying to take the dip into her mind when a light giggle broke him from his concentration.
"What?"
"It's just... I'm about to only remember you never really speaking, and we were just cleaning and hanging out. It's exciting when it's sex but you painted my toes... it makes me giggle."
"Heh, well you're welcome," He said and refocused his train of thought to dip into her mind and take the memories of their evening together and double checking the previous days for anything that might be useful to the cops if she were ever questioned.
It was always a mildly bizarre to see himself in other's memories, especially those that were so recent. He watched himself through Narcissa's eyes as they went over the plan as he slowly backtracked to the point that he'd shown up today. He then scratched out their entire conversation, looking specifically for any mentions about the heist, Clover, or other villain related information. He made sure to leave a few pieces here and there that Vast felt were inconsequential; especially his warning for her to stay the fuck away from other villains.
Vast was a pro at destroying memories by now, he'd had plenty of practice, but he still had no answers as to why Clover's mind didn't compensate for the missing information like everyone else's mind did.
When he was satisfied, she wouldn't be able to recall anything of import, he pulled out of her memories and sat up. Narcissa stayed laying down; hands on her stomach and legs crossed at the ankles but smirked when he placed a light kiss to her forehead. He then stood and left without a word to her. He left the building and walked down the street, finally heading for home even if there was going to be another fight with Clover.
The drive between Narcissa's and his own place was pretty short but Vast never took a direct path to his destinations. He could never be too careful, but he also wasn't afraid to admit he took a longer path than necessary this night because it allowed him to put off seeing Clover just a bit longer. The streets had been quiet, cars sparse and foot traffic being nearly nonexistent, since Beast had made the city his stomping grounds because his supervillain kicked him out for misbehaving, again. Not that Vast was worried about running into shapeshifting trouble, but he still kept his wits about him as he wove through the light traffic on his bike, the engine rumbling under him.
He was half spaced out at a red light, thinking about what he might say to Clover when flashes of light overhead caught his attention. Looking up Vast watched Glimmer shoot out bolts of lightning with Toxic following close behind. The white suits of Toxic and Glimmer were easily enough to identify against the dark night sky. What they were following was less obvious as it was dark and seemed shapeless and each time Glimmer's bolts got close it almost looked like the form was somehow darker against the night sky even though it should have lit up.
A car horn behind him snapped him out of the petrified cold that had settled over him at the sight of the dark shape. Vast revved his engine and hurried home. It couldn't be her, it couldn't be, it couldn't...
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Like I said, cute fluffy stuff while you wonder what the fuck I redacted in Clover's head of horrors. Comment your theories, you know you want too! Or we could talk about how much we wanna see Vast and Narcissa first meeting, I got nothing planned out aside from it being very soon when Vast and Clover arrive in the city and her place maybe being one of the first places they stay at... Or Heather's... <3
Also the motorcycle Vast is riding is a Harley-Davidson 1972... I think. I don't know things with engines like at all. You ask me to describe a car you'll get color and shape not brand and make. I figure Clover would have the same model just black instead of red.