Random art
Earlier.
Could a fifteen-minute drive with three women really pass in total silence?
The answer was yes, if the women involved were Psylocke, Laura, and Ava.
He glanced sideways at Laura in the passenger seat. She had claimed it like it was her rightful spot the moment he took the wheel. Selfish and love-struck as always, he couldn't help but smile fondly. If it had been Felicia, Gwen, and Emma or Jean in the car instead, the ride would've been nonstop chatter, teasing, lots of makeup and clothes talk, and many arguments over random stuff.
As much as he'd love to hear them ramble, he didn't mind the current drive. After the last few days, the calm felt comfortable in a different way.
In the back, Ava stared out the window, her arms loosely crossed under her breasts. Psylocke sat beside her in simple black jeans and an overcoat, holding her katana as usual. Normal clothes looked strange on her. He had gotten too used to seeing her in that skin-tight bodysuit. She still looked good.
He slowed the car and pulled up in front of Felicia's family home. It was a nice two-story place. Nothing flashy or mansion-sized that Felicia's dad could easily afford. It had a modest front yard with trimmed hedges and warm lights glowing behind the curtains.
Laura clicked her tongue as if she found it insufferable. "Rich snob."
"Hey now. Felicia isn't like that."
"Most of them are like that," Ava said from the back in a dry voice. "Felicia's just better at not showing it."
Laura nodded slowly like it was a fact. "Felicia is a bad girl. Gwen is a good girl."
He blinked, struck speechless for a second. Why the hell are they teaming up against Felicia? What had Felicia done to get on their bad side? He could understand Ava's perspective. Felicia had been the first woman he had "cheated" on Silvija with, but Laura… they had barely interacted, much less having a reason to hate each other. He shook his head, deciding not to poke the bear. Some things were better left alone.
He stepped out and went to the back. The trunk held a crate of wine, a second heavier crate of gifts, and a bouquet of White Roses chosen by him. The Hardys loved their white and black. This gift seemed like a lot for the conventional standards of a boyfriend first meeting with a girlfriend's parents, but it probably would be nothing for a family like Felicia's. Besides, it would help him make a good first impression.
Psylocke came around from the passenger side. "I can carry these for you."
He shook his head. Bringing a stunner like Psylocke to their doorstep would be the quickest way to end the dinner.
He looked to the other side. Ava stepped out on the other side, followed by Laura.
"Don't let anyone ruin this."
Laura nodded once, slipping into her order-following mode. He much preferred her having fun, but tonight she had volunteered for this. She moved toward the street, melting into the shadows between houses.
He reached out and brushed his fingers lightly against Ava's cheek. "Sorry. I haven't been able to fulfill my promise. I'll make it up later."
She pushed his hand away gently, but her expression stayed surprisingly calm. "You'll forget again. You have the memory of a literal goldfish."
The teasing made him smile awkwardly. He had been stretched thin between his girlfriends, villains, and protecting this city. "Rely on me until then. I'll beat up anyone who tries to bully you or Silvija."
Ava narrowed her eyes, a spark of mischief flickering in them. "What if you bully us?"
"Then you can ask Death to bully me."
"I'll hold you to that, Companion."
He hadn't expected Death to answer. Ava hadn't either, but she ended up laughing.
"It's a deal, Lady Death." Ava tugged the White Tiger amulet free and transformed in a soft flash of light. "Tonight, I'll protect you."
He smiled at the words she whispered to herself. It confirmed Ava's hate had died down, replaced by warmth. Her biggest concern was that he had been manipulating Silvija and stealing her love away. She knew he wouldn't do any of that.
He turned around to see Psylocke smiling. "What?"
"Your own lover is ready to whack you. Where is your revenge arc?"
He revealed a blank look. "Death won't say anything if I bully you."
She raised an eyebrow, momentarily speechless. She used to be almost his equal in combat until he found a way to Hyperion's Resonance. Now her swords couldn't even scratch him.
Rather than arguing, she stepped closer and reached up to fix his collar, fastened the top buttons of his shirt, and brushed his bangs back in a more civil look. Her hands that had taken countless lives under the Hand's brainwashing were surprisingly gentle.
"You look better now."
"Like a family dog?"
"Yes—" She caught herself from speaking more and gave him a helpless look. "That's not what I meant."
"Your eyes did."
Psylocke's clear purple eyes had always been an open book to him. Maybe it was his connection to Death, or maybe it was just her, but her eyes were like a reflection of her internal state. Despite the bloody path she had walked, her soul might be the purest he'd ever seen.
She stepped back, shaking her head like she couldn't win this one. "Enjoy the dinner."
He looked into her eyes. "You'll make sure nothing happens."
"Stop reading my mind," she grumbled. "I am—"
"Because you're the telepath here."
"Stop it." She turned around, unwilling to let herself be read more than this, to show a more vulnerable side than this. "No intruder will cross my side."
Her assurance made him smile. "Thanks."
She nodded and left for the last direction of the triangle that the three of them would form. The trio of former Hand's Executioner, former SHIELD's Assassin, and White Tiger's Chosen would make sure the mall incident didn't repeat. Their surveillance would be hard to breach for any hired thug.
He took out his phone and sent a text to Emma.
[How is it going?]
Her reply arrived in an instant.
[Emma: Legal matters will take time. What about you? Spending time with our daughter?]
Her phrasing made him chuckle. She had feelings for him, yet her pride wouldn't let her reveal them because she could never have him to herself.
[Haven't seen Sharon since you left.]
[Emma: You are neglecting her already…]
[Emma: When I return, I'll whoop you till you're a proper father.]
[Emma: Just you wait, Dear ❤️]
[Dante: Power of a thousand sun vs a woman with a diamond body.]
[Emma: Terrible fathers don't get to fight back.]
[Emma: I'll file for domestic abuse and take Sharon away.]
[Emma: Be back on Tuesday]
Well, he had some time to be good to Sharon before Emma returned from Europe.
He put his phone away and picked up both crates before placing the bouquet on top. After closing the trunk, he walked to the door and took a moment to make sure everything was correct.
Only then he rang the doorbell.
'Why is this making me nervous?'
The door opened in seconds. Felicia appeared first, grinning as she opened the door wide. Walter and Lydia stood a few steps behind, smiling warmly.
Felicia pushed him inside and closed the door before taking the bouquet "My second favorite. Black roses are first."
"You didn't have to bring anything, son," Walter said. "Being able to see my wife and daughter is already your greatest gift to me."
"Come on. I can't come empty-handed. I'm not that shameless."
"Dante… son. I can see my husband because of you," Lydia added. "What you did for Felicia in her darkest periods… we can't repay you."
As shrewd as Hardy's could be, they never treated their own wrong.
"Felicia did everything." He smiled earnestly. "I was only there to hold her hand through it."
Felicia, who was still busy basking in the white rose's scent, blinked and blushed at the honest praise. Lydia's cheeks went pink too. Even Walter looked a little flustered for a second.
"Dear," Lydia whispered, leaning towards her husband. "I was expecting an overbearing, arrogant man. He turned out to be quite the charmer."
Walter put his arm around Lydia's shoulder. "I'm getting a little charmed myself."
"..."
"You guys are making it strange." Felicia grabbed his free hand and pulled him inside. "Dad, accept the gifts. He is rich, so we might as well rob him."
He chuckled and handed over the wine crate, but held onto the other one. "This one is heavy. Where should I put it?"
"Son, I've been getting back into shape. This much is nothing."
Walter forcefully took the crate and immediately dropped it. The wood cracked open and a small avalanche of colorful gems and crystals spilled across the floor. This was barely one percent of Belasco's vault, which still made for an appropriate gift for his future in-laws.
Walter picked up one of the larger pieces and stared at it. "Why are you giving us millions?"
He might've left the thief career for years, but he still had the sharp eyes to see an article's value.
Lydia pressed her hand to her mouth. "Take it back. This is too much."
"I won't."
Felicia crouched and picked up a deep violet stone. "These are from Limbo?"
Walter and Lydia looked lost, so Felicia gave them a quick rundown of Limbo being similar to Hell and how Dante helped a friend kill the previous ruler to take the throne for herself.
"Oh!" Walter seemed more excited than afraid. "The new ruler gave you gifts in exchange for helping her."
"Pretty much."
Illyana had allowed him to take anything in Limbo. She even offered to take half of the gold cashout Silvija would be carrying out on the Black Market, which he had rejected.
Walter still seemed hesitant to accept the gift, but he had no choice when Dante put the crate in the living room. Walter couldn't carry it back to the car. After Felicia's stubborn insistence, her parents decided to keep the gems.
A whirlwind tour of the house followed, where Felicia proudly showed off her four pets. Lupin. Raffles. Simon. Irene. Three male cats with black fur and one female cat with white fur. They all became cuddly with him, clearly enjoying his warmer temperature just like Sharon and Felicia.
He spent some time playing with them until Walter came to invite him to the dining table.
Felicia slid into the seat beside Dante and leaned against him. "Can you make a room soundproof?"
Her sultry grin revealed the reason behind her request and why she had asked him to stay overnight. Her bedroom would be getting some action tonight.
"I can."
She gazed past him to her dad and whispered, "Then come to my bedroom after dinner."
It felt like she couldn't wait for the meal to end. Neither could he.
Lydia began serving, piling the table high with meat-heavy dishes until it looked like a feast.
"Felicia said you only enjoy meat," Walter said. "Her mom and I spent the whole day finding the best cuts."
Lydia sat down beside Walter. "We hope this is to your liking."
Felicia stared at her parents with pure betrayal. Her plans of getting laid had been pushed back by love and several courses.
"Fei?"
"Kitten?"
"Traitors," she pouted. "Both of you—"
Dante patted her thigh in comfort, feeling her jolt.
"Don't touch me out of nowhere," she hissed. "I'm sensitive down there…"
"Hmm?"
Felicia didn't explain. She reached for the nearest dish and served him. "Eat up, hungry wolf."
He shrugged at her overreaction and dove into the feast while answering Lydia and Walter's occasional questions about his work and personal life. He kept them simple but truthful. After dinner and dessert, Lydia stood up and began carrying the plates back to the kitchen. Felicia helped her mother speed up the process.
The conversation between Dante and Walter drifted toward his past, reminding of the question that had been nagging at him for a while.
"One moment." He wiped his hands with a napkin and reached into his suit for his wallet. The slightly faded image was still inside. He set the picture on the table. "Uncle, do you know anything about this?"
Felicia arrived by his side and noticed the picture. "The mystery will finally be solved."
Walter leaned in and revealed a look of surprise. "Lyd!"
Lydia came rushing and checked the picture at Walter's gesture. The surprise she showed wasn't any less than Walter.
"Dear," Lydia whispered, getting teary-eyed. "He is that boy."
"He is…" Walter looked at Dante with a multitude of emotions. It seemed like he might cry any second. "This is why you seemed familiar when we met that day…"
"Happiness does wait for us on the other side of hard times." Lydia placed her hand over Walter's. "We've reunited at last."
"Wait a damn second!" Felicia stood up and the chair scraped back. "Are you telling me Dante is a sibling I was never informed about?"
She was horrified at the very idea of it being true.
Dante clenched his fists under the table. He knew Felicia's bad luck would hit like a calamity one day, but it happened way too soon. If this turned out right, Death might be getting a scolding for not informing him about it.
He looked at Walter with a solemn expression, waiting for his explanation.
Walter shared a glance with his wife before he burst into laughter. "You have nothing to worry about, kitten. Dante has no blood or adopted relationship with me or your mom."
Dante let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."
Death didn't know she was saved from an hour of spanking. Knowing Death's tendencies, she might be a bit disappointed.
"Then what is this?" Felicia pointed sharply at her teary-eyed mother. "Why are you reacting like that?"
"A few years ago before you were born, your father returned home with the cutest baby boy," Lydia said with glazed over eyes. "I would've raised him as my own, but he gave the baby away to an orphanage... I still hate him for that."
She pinched Walter's thigh with an annoyed look, making the older man groan in pain.
Felicia finally let go of her tense look. She scooted her chair closer to him and leaned against his side with her eyes closed. Growing up with Felicia might've been a good timeline, but he enjoyed their current relationship more.
"I'm glad dad gave you away. You may've had a hard time in the orphanage, but you're in good hands now."
Walter rubbed the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. "I suppose I owe my wife and you the full account."
Dante put his arm around Felicia, pulling her a little closer. "Please."
He had a feeling this might be important for the future. His intuition told him so.
"You can call me Dad. I always wanted a son," Walter said with a smile. "Is that fine with you, Lyd?"
"Only if he calls me Mom."
Both of her parents had decided to accept him as their son. It invoked memories of his destroyed universe, making him bitter about everything.
A grin spread across Felicia's face. "My no-last-name boyfriend, you're going to be Dante Hardy."
"Not so fast. We should let him breathe," Walter suggested gently, reading the room better than his overexcited daughter. "It's a lot to absorb at once."
Lydia nodded in agreement. "Give him time."
Felicia rubbed her face in his shoulder like a cat, trying to comfort him in her own way. "We should continue this conversation another day."
"No, let's talk now," Dante said, looking at Walter. "I want to know why you sent me to an orphanage?"
***
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