Stella did a double take at 'we' and smiled so wide that I thought her face was going to split.
I sighed. I'd already determined that I needed to watch over her until she got her power more under control. It didn't mean anything, although I had a feeling she didn't think that. Based on Ben's face, he didn't think so either.
"See you guys later." Stella pulled me away eagerly. "I could fly us to your place."
"You'd what? Princess carry me?" I grumbled. If I wanted to fly, I could fly myself.
"Oh, you don't like that sort of thing?" she asked.
Sighing, I kept walking, sticking my hands in my pocket. Women often had two powers, which meant statistically, women on average had stronger powers than men.
Maybe it was a little of an old school mindset, but I liked to do things myself.
"I don't like being carried. But we can walk to my place from here. It's this way." Turning down Baker, I headed north. It was maybe a twenty-five-minute walk, but that was still walkable.
"So… uh…" Stella hesitated.
I checked to make sure none of the girls or Ben were behind us. "We aren't doing anything. I'm going to sleep. I'll top you off in the morning, and then you are going to call the BSH."
"Uh… I'm a supervillain," Stella reminded me.
"The reason I met you in the manor was because there's a bounty on you to get on the phone with them.
The Bureau wants your help with the bactimen, and from what I just saw, you could really help them." I didn't particularly want to help the Bureau, but I had to admit that the bactimen seemed like a genuine threat to the city.
Tonight felt like the beginning of something bigger. They were more organized than before, and they'd gone hunting. Far from the sewer cleaning bacteria, some of the news had called it.
"Okay, if that's what you want me to do." Stella nodded.
I couldn't believe how much she trusted me when she'd only just met me. It was starting to feel like I had just adopted a lost puppy.
"Will you be there to help me then, too?" Stella asked.
Groaning, I rubbed my palms into my brow. "Sure, I'll help you with some of this. But, Stella, I'm not going to be around to help you for long."
I didn't enjoy having to say it, but it was best that I didn't mislead her. We would not settle down into some fairy tale romance. I wasn't that type.
She went quiet in response, and I gave her time to think.
While we walked, I inspected the leak in her superpower again, trying to add a patch, but it just kept sucking up the ki.
"How are you feeling, Stella? Your abilities in functioning order?"
"Yeah, they feel fine, great even." She flexed her hands. They no longer looked pink, but her leather jacket was ragged at the sleeves where the bactiman had digested some of it.
There were also a few new holes in the designer clothes, but at least it matched.
We got to my place, and I waved at the doorman as we walked past.
"Evening, Mr. Mathers. Lovely date you have there. Don't think I've seen you bring one home before." He focused on Stella. "You must be a special lady." Steve the doorman tipped his hat.
"Can't get anything past you, Steve." I gave him a wink as he opened the door and gave me a grand gesture, trying to earn the large tips I gave him.
Steve was a good person.
He was a hardworking type who wasn't given nearly what he deserved, and I had no problem giving him a little something extra.
"Evening to you too, Steve." Stella gave him a bright smile before following after me.
We walked through the marble lobby, passing a big, stately, dark wood front desk.
Mark, the security guard, saw me and went back to work watching the cameras. He wasn't the type to spark up conversation like Steve.
"This place is nice." Stella twirled, taking in the stately marble lobby before focusing back on following me.
"Yeah, well, I do okay." It also helped that I might have done a few things for money, well, a lot of money once upon a time. But that was well behind me.
My skills and power had made it easy to acquire some money when I was young, stupid, and full of anger at the world.
Now I focused on more legitimate money, working as a Sr. Manager in the marketing firm.
Stepping into the elevator, I hit the button for the sixth floor.
We rode it up in silence, and I appreciated that Stella was giving me the slightest bit of space, no longer clinging to me.
The elevator dinged, and I walked down the short hall to my apartment.
The place was nice, but it was also simple. I liked to think of myself as a minimalist, but the truth was I just spent little time in the apartment.
"You'll take the couch tonight. It folds down." I stepped over and showed it to her.
Stella nodded the whole time. "You know, I can't figure you out."
"What's there to figure out?"
"You are nice, like a genuine good person, yet you push everyone else away. What are you afraid of?"
"Nothing," I replied, not liking where the conversation was going.
"See, I believe that. You walked into that manor, where dozens had died, without batting an eye. You helped me when you could have just left me to flounder. But you keep this wall up." She eyed me. "You might be more broken than me."
I didn't like how much she was picking up. "Here are some blankets." I pulled them out of the closet, turning to find her right behind me, her head tilted.
"You're ignoring what I'm saying. That means I'm getting close."
I frowned. "What happened to the girl that didn't know social norms a few hours ago?"
She shrugged. "Shell shocked. Lots of new things, like being in a crowd. But I used to be a normal-ish person at one point. And I was pretty good at reading people."
I turned, walking to put the blankets on the bed.
She followed, continuing to talk. "Plus, you helped me. So I'm determined to help you right back."
"Help me?" I asked incredulously. "With what?"
"Living." She smirked.
I let out a belly laugh, my eyes squeezing closed. "That's a good one. I'm living just fine. Now, it's been a long day, and you need to be rested to get on the call with the BSH tomorrow."
She sat down on the bed, gripping the blankets up to her chest. "Zayn, I can recognize the sort of pain you are going through. You lost someone or something, and you refuse to let yourself connect to anyone other than superficial relationships like your colleagues."
She waited for me to argue with her, but I was done with the conversation.
"Have a good night, Stella."
Turning, I left her in the living room with a bundle of blankets before entering my room and closing the door. I made sure to click the lock closed loudly. I took a deep breath, pushing back down the feelings that were surfacing from her words.
I had to get rid of her.
"Zayn, you can't hide from whatever it is forever," she called through the door.
I didn't reply, but I'd kept it suppressed this long. I could handle Stella for a night.
Tomorrow I'd pawn Stella off to the BSH and she'd be their problem. And my life would continue on as normal.