Nighthawk: A Superhero Story (closed for Siobhancan99)

[Halcyon638]

Nellie flashed a shit-eating grin. “First of all, my lease doesn’t run out for another week after that of weeks, so I got maybe 14 days to make someone fall madly in love with me? Secondly, you have not seen my flirtation game in full force. And Number Three, the place I was Googling has karaoke, so there will be multiple opportunities for you to watch me embarrass myself.”

“Karaoke?” Wendell overheard. “I like karaoke.”

“Yeah, this is the lesbian bar I was talking to you about this morning. Also, I’m pretty sure they don’t have, like, ‘Hail the Murder Gods’ or ‘Mutilate My Corpse’ as song options.”

GABI: I was planning to come over Saturday morning but I gotta leave Sunday by around noon if that works.

“Wow,” Wendell said. “Way to pigeon-hole me. Hurts."

 

[siobhancan99]

Moonica smiled "Gabi is in town Saturday. We can go out then. Wendell you can come. We can do a duet." She winked and rubbed at her stomach, feeling the wound already almost healed. She was relieved Gabi was still planning on coming in to town, after having had to patch her up. "why don't we get some food beforehand? Where's the bar you wanted to go to anyway? I'll look and see what I've wanted to check out that's in the neighborhood."

 

[Halcyon638]

“I don’t want to like, mess up your whole lesbian thing,” Wendell said, yawning. “Food sounds like a good idea, though.”

“It’s in Founder’s Square?” Nellie eyed her phone. “Food’s a good call, Mon. We can invite Evan and Ishani. We should probably all figure out when we’re all leaving next week so we can plan one last shindig, you know?”

As the calendar ticked toward the weekend, Monica started to notice something different in Gabi’s behavior. Her texts were less frequent and lighter on emojis, and she seemed a little subdued. The younger girl was working a fair amount during the week, but it was something more than fatigue.

“Hey, querida,” Gabi said as they FaceTimed Thursday evening. “Work go okay?”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica prepared for the hammer drop, that Gabi was going to "need some time" and while she hoped that wasn't the case, she was bracing for it. "Work's fine, you know how it is." She leaned back, looking over Gabi's face as if maybe it was the last time for a while "how are you? Like... really. really how are you?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi looked downward and offscreen. “I’m…I’m okay,” she said. “You know…it was…it was a lot this weekend, and I’m…how are you? Are you healing up okay?”

The brunette had about the worst poker face of anyone Monica had ever met, giving the lie to her “okay” characterization.

 

[siobhancan99]

"I'm totally fine. No scars or anything." She was ready to cut her stitches out herself, which fortunately was possible with a mirror. "you, are clearly not fine. Have you been able to talk to Mel about what happened?"

 

[Halcyon638]

“I’m glad.” She smiled weakly at the news about Monica’s injury, looking into the camera again. “I…yeah. We met yesterday.” Her eyes wandered downward. “I..I have to talk to you about something. But…I think…probably it should wait until I’m there.”

Gabi blinked a few time in rapid succession.

 

[siobhancan99]

"well. I guess that really depends on which conversation we are having right? Like. If the conversation is 'here are some boundaries I need' and we are working out how to be with each other considering the fact that part of who I am is that I'm a superhero, then yes. Let's wait till you get here. I can listen to you and your concerns and we can, together, maybe with Mel's help carve a path forward that works for both of us. If the conversation is going to be that you can't do it under any circumstances, or you can't do it while I am who I am, then we should have that conversation now and not stew over it. So, I love you. I want you to have the things you want. I think that your feelings on this issue, no matter what they are, are going to be valid feelings. Like, I would get it if you needed to not be this close. I totally would get it. I hope that what you have to say is more along the lines of "you need to come home already stitched up because I can't do that shit" and all, but. I just want you to know that you're my best friend and I am going to want what's good for you, no matter what that is. But if it's one of two things we should do it now, and if it is anything other than those two things we should wait till saturday and do it then. So. Are we doing it now or waiting until Saturday?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi listened, her lower lip sporadically quivering. Just when it appeared she was on the brink of breaking down, she spoke.

“I filled out the Common App. For transferring. State, a few SUNYs.” Her dark eyes pleaded with Monica. “I want you to apply with me. A lot of schools, they’re still accepting transfer apps this late. Come with me, carino. Please.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica sighed and closed her eyes "Babe, if you're asking me to come to state with you and just have a longer commute to come down here to Prospect City to fight crime... of course I'll come with you. But I think we both know that's not what you're asking. What you really are asking is for me to stop being the Nighthawk and I'm not going to. This is who I am. I'm not going to stop being the Nighthawk any more than you're going to stop being gay to please your mom. I can't go back to pretending I can't do all these incredible things. This weekend, I saved a ton of lives. Yes, I got hurt. I didn't get hurt badly and I not only saved a bunch of people that would have been attacked by the people that got transformed... I saved the people that got transformed. The cops would have shot them. They'd be dead instead of potentially getting cured. They're alive because of me. So I can't stop because there's not somebody else to do it."

She sat up "I love you. If you can't be with the Nighthawk you can't be with the Nighthawk, and I don't blame you for that. But I am the Nighthawk." She sniffed, wiping tears away. "This sucks. It sucks a lot. I want you to stay, I want you to be able to accept who I am so fucking much. If you can't, you can't though and I want you to be happy more than I want you to stay. So you have to do what's right for you and you need to understand I..." She swallowed "I'll always love you and I'll always support those choices."

 

[Halcyon638]

Tears started flowing freely down Gabi’s cheeks. The camera image shook. “I know. I accept you. And I love who you are. It’s…it’s this place. Since we moved here…our friend got kidnapped by a serial killer. You got hurt. A bunch of times. A guy with a gun came to the front door of my house when my whole family was there. Then this, and…and…Tom.”

Gabi sniffed. “Talking to Mel…it was helping. But…” Her resolve began to disappear right in front of Monica’s eyes. “I tried to be strong for you, carino. I really tried. But I’m not strong enough.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica wiped away the streaming tears "I know. I know." She blew her nose "and I... I'm trying to make this a world where that doesn't happen. And... and I'm not fighting you. I get it. I GET IT. It's awful. The things I see are awful. The world I see is awful. And I get not wanting to have anything to do with that. You're not weak Gabi. You're so strong. You're so strong and you're so smart and you're so amazing and you deserve to live in a world without horrors. You fucking do. I want you to have a happy normal life. i want you to get married and have kids and a giant fucking house out in the suburbs on a huge lot. I want you to be able to feel safe at night when I'm not next to you, because the world you live in is safe. I want you to be happy and healthy. I want you to be at peace. I want you to have everything you could ever ask for and more. I love you. I fucking love you. I understand why you need to go. I hope you understand why I need to stay."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi convulsed with sobs. Multiple times, she tried to gather herself to talk, then the waves of emotion grasped her again and wrenched the words from her lips. “Fuck. I love you so much.” She wiped her nose and the tissue momentarily slid over the screen like a gauzy veil. “What…what do we do now?”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica say and looked at the screen for a minute "I mean, we have to acknowledge what this means right? Like. Three years. at least. Is a long time. And you know, I... don't want to be the reason you don't take a chance on that pretty girl in your english class that always makes sure you have a seat next to her. I mean. I want you to be single forever so when things are different we can fuck off into the sunset and have our happily ever after, but I don't want to steal that happily ever after from you by making you wait for it." She closed her eyes and leaned back on her pillows "I think we stay in touch and we stay best friends and we spend time where and when we can, but. We have to be honest about the fact that our lives are going to literally be in two different places. That you're going to meet normal women who don't you know, lift cars over their heads or fight drug transformed vampire creatures as a hobby. And you know, til then, you can always come down here and you'll have a place to stay. And over christmas you'll have a place at mine. I mean, neither of us are dying. The timing just isn't right right now."

 

[Halcyon638]

The shadow of a smile flicked onto Gabi’s face at the mention of them staying best friends. It disappeared just as quickly. “I never want anything to change that.”

She wiped her nose again. “So…can I still come to town this weekend? I won’t…I promise I won’t kill the vibes or anything. With your work friends. I just really need to feel your arms around me.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"Gabi. you can come to town any day you want forever and you'll feel my arms around you. You'll fall asleep in them this weekend. And ANY weekend that you want." she sort of hoped they'd keep some kind of thing going, but even if she just got to hold Gabi once a month or so, it would be enough. "You... you saved me. You saved me when I wouldn't eat or go to school. You saved me by making me feel at home all year. You're... amazing."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi wiped her eyes, now a little swollen from tears. Her body shook a few times as she sobbed a bit more. “Okay, baby. I can’t wait to see you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, carino. And I still…I still want to go on a road trip with you. We have to. When your internship’s done or before the end of…” She swallowed hard. “The end of summer.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"Babe, when you're around.... there's not going to be anything I want to do but spend time with you. So yes, we're going to take a little trip before the end of the summer. And when you're bored of your fancy state school in the middle of god damn nowhere and you want to come down for the weekend, you'll stay with me in my bed. Unless you're bringing someone. And even there I mean if they're into it. Just sayin." she sighed "I love you, when you're in my arms you're still going to be my girl. It's just when you're not that you're free to figure out what that means for yourself and so am i. Until you're ready for a change. So where should we go? We can go beachy, florida or something... or Quebec City if you have your passport."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi managed a sustained smile. “Te amo, querida. I definitely think there needs to be a beach involved. I could go anywhere, really. I mean, I can probably afford to feed myself and pay for a decent hotel room for, like, 2 days, but…I know you got that bag now.” She let out a little chuckle. “So it’s kinda up to how much you want to splurge. As long as we’re together and you’re wearing as little clothing as possible, I’ll be happy.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"Lets do Rehoboth over in Delaware. Gay friendly, nice beaches. I'll get us a little bnb and you can just look pretty and sit on my face." She laughs "and we can make a nice weekend of it. Speaking of weekend I'll need you for sure as we wingman Nelly. She's a handful"

She also couldn't shake the feeling maybe nelly had taken something to pay her medical debt off, and despite feeling kinda shitty about it wanted to probe Nelly a bit since the girl was a problem drinker with an in vino veritas issue.

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi let out a giggle. “That sounds great, baby. I got your back.”

They chatted for a while, on topics ranging from family to food to the lavender nail polish Gabi had applied to her toes that day. Eventually, Gabi sighed and said, “I should probably let you get some sleep.” She rested back on her pillows, one of Thadeus’s ears poking into frame. “I love you, querida. I can’t wait to see you. I’m going to leave first thing on Saturday morning so we can have the whole day together.”

She hugged the bear against her tightly.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica relaxed. This wasn't goodbye as much as it was goodbye for now. It still hurt, but it wasn't forever. It was, Gabi would meet someone normal. Someone who could love her and she could love without worry. Someone who would buy her a house with a white picket fence and have 1.5 children. Until then, they could curl up with each other on breaks and when they were intolerably lonely and tell each other the sweet lie of "some day." it had to be enough. IT was more, maybe, than she deserved. "Ilove you too." It was as true as the first time she said it. "I'll see you Saturday babe. Better make that suit super skimpy." she blew a little kiss "night thadeus."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi blew Monica a kiss, managing a smile as they closed the app.

Over the next two days, Gabi resumed her usual volume of texts. They chatted long into the night on both Thursday and Friday.

When the younger girl stepped out of her father’s unwieldy Tahoe, dressed in a light purple sundress that just about matched her toenails, she threw her arms around Monica and hugged her as if she was clinging to the last floating remnants of a sinking ship.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica held on to her for a long time, then kissed her softly "so. i mean, we're gonna fuck all day right?" She laughed and wrapped Gabi up in her arms, then lifted her playfully and carried her inside the apartment "we should go over and at least say Hi to Elise. I'm probably going to volunteer to watch her even after I move at the start of the semester."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi laughed girlishly as Monica picked her up. “I’ll have to check my schedule.”

“Yeah, definitely. It’s so cute that you get along so well with her,” she said with a smile. Her dark hair shined in the early afternoon light.

Kicking off her sandals, Gabi walked toward the bedroom, casually tugging down the right strap of her sundress and letting it fall to mid-bicep. She glanced over her shoulder, giving Monica her best guileless ingenue expression. "So...you were saying something about fucking?"