Who's under the mask?

[Eliza]

Melody mocked offense and put her hand to her heart, casting Alyssa an incredulous look. "I would never kill them, killing people is my least favorite thing to do. No, I just planned to remind them that God is a woman, and then put the fear of her in them. Sure they might wet themselves and suffer from some lasting side effects like PTSD, but all I would be doing is convincing them that anytime they chose to objectify a woman, their deepest fear would be waiting for them at home, lurking in the shadows. The kind of paranoia that comes with thinking a monster is lurking in the dark, with seeing it out of the corner of your eye, it drives people mad. No, I don't kill people, I destroy them from the inside out." She had an almost manic smile by the time she finished, but something about the soothing tone of Alyssa's voice when she talked about wanting to hold her close in such a domestic setting, drew her out of those thoughts. She blinked a few times then had to look away, her breath suddenly caught in her throat. "That... That's really sweet..." She took a long swallow off of her glass and looked down at her own plate before eating a piece of broccoli off of it.

The switch back to what they were going to do about their current situation was an easier topic, she considered the question as she chewed. "If I were on the other side, I would be concerned for my agent, what if they were being tricked or forced into it? Since it's all anonymous, I wouldn't have a way of knowing who they are, if they're safe or not. I would recommend a meeting so I could gauge the situation and make sure nothing was amiss." Maybe the hero league wasn't as suspicious as she herself was, but that would have it's own set of issues and raise some concerns that they didn't really care. She ate another shrimp and waved to the waiter, then her glass, silently telling him she would want another when she was done. It burned when she swallowed, but it was somewhat welcome in the way it kept her grounded and helped her keep her head clear. Maybe that was why her mother drank, maybe she would ask someday. "Hmm? Oh, the steak? If you enjoy it, it doesn't really matter, I can have some delivered to the apartment regularly. If you let me buy you a house I could even hire a chef to cook us dinner every night." She leaned forward, setting aside manners for a moment and resting her elbow on the table with her chin in her palm. "Now back to a previous comment you made; You would be willing to elope with me?"

[Shuboni]

Alyssa listened carefully, raising an eyebrow at a couple of Melody's comments as she chewed her steak. She was pretty happy with the quality, but she wasn't sure if it was good enough quality to warrant whatever messed up price Corporate America would decide was appropriate. Alyssa was about to swallow a piece of steak when Melody asked the question about eloping. She swallowed kind of hard and coughed, thumping herself on the chest. "Holy cow... Uh... I, well... I might've mentioned something like that, didn't I..." She looked up at Melody before looking away, her cheeks turning pink. "Uhm, well... I mean, I get what you're saying. The faction leader might want to meet in person. However, I can also namedrop Beth and that'll probably clear that suspicion up. She's one of our most skilled docs." She took a sip off her lemonade to try to calm her throat, which was protesting at the weird way that she swallowed earlier. She decided to give it a rest for a moment, opting for some of the steamed vegetables, which were easier to chew into little bits. "With that info, they might still want to find out who I am. That would also probably depend on what their offer for help was, though. I dunno... If they offer to help erase us from the system, so that we can do what you're talking about... would you want to do it?" She raised an eyebrow at Melody. "I know the Association I'm apart of right now isn't global. We could see about another country. Maybe it's different for people with powers like us." It was wishful thinking without any information to back it up. Melody might know, however.

[Eliza]

Melody eyed Alyssa with concern when she seemed to have trouble swallowing, she relaxed only slightly when she recovered, concern still etched into her face. "Are you alright?" She had a glass of water that had come with her drink and she extended it out to the other girl, should she think it might help. "You did, I was pretty happy to hear you say it, it isn't worth choking on steak, though." She offered a small smile and nodded, remembering something else that she would need Beth's assistance for. "Speaking of Beth... I mentioned the microchip earlier, do you think she would be able to get rid of it? I can't escape, no matter where I go with that thing still in my shoulder." She considered Alyssa's explanation, thinking it made a lot of sense from their side and could be pretty plausible as well. "If we could make a clean get away, I would probably leave the country, go somewhere like Germany where they don't care nearly as much about people with powers, maybe. I've tried escaping before but was always dragged back, if I could leave without that risk, I wouldn't have a reason to look back."

[Shuboni]

Alyssa was still blushing, refusing the water. "I'm fine, fine." She did say the word "elope," didn't she? Is that what she wanted? Melody mentioned Germany. Could they live together in Germany? Just live off of Melody and her savings? Alyssa hadn't mentioned that she did, in fact, have a bunch of trust funds that she could cash out at any moment. Well, it might need some help from her faction. Then what would she do? She liked hero work so much, she hadn't really thought of other hobbies. This thought escaped her lips, "I haven't really thought about hobbies... I haven't really had time for it, huh? So gosh dang tired from work and "work" that all I really wanna do is relax and be near you." This admission was mostly for herself, telling herself that the reason she was always so happy when Melody was home was because she did love her. She made a weird face before she spoke, "Sprechen sie Deutsch?" She said this with a German accent. Admittedly, it was an old style of German accent, not quite like the modern accent. "It's one of the languages I got forced to learn when I was with the CIA." Alyssa took that moment to work on her steak more.

[Eliza]

A thought occurred to Melody and she gave Alyssa a serious look. "You know you don't have to do any of this, right? It's okay for you to say no, to live your life the way you want to. I can even make you forget all of this if it would be easier. I could make you forget me, and we can both move on with our lives." She didn't want Alyssa to feel like she had to help her, had to "save" her, just because she was a hero. The thought that that might be why Alyssa was doing this in the first place tied her stomach up in knots. Hearing that Alyssa didn't spend time on other things because she wanted to be with her did quell some of her concerns, but not all of them. She was so used to doing things on her own and living a somewhat mediocre existence that it was hard to believe anyone would be interested in her for her personality. She was pretty damn boring. "Ja, ich spreche Deutsch. Nicht so gut wie du." She still had a slight American accent when she spoke, it might go away with regularly speaking the language, but she hadn't had enough practice.

[Shuboni]

Alyssa dropped her fork when Melody even made mention of making her forget. A tear ran down her cheek before she slumped her head forward to try to hide it. "I'd... I'd never want to forget you." She said in a quiet voice. "I'd never want to leave you, neither. I thought we had such a great time together. I did my best trying to b-be there for you." She glanced back up, more tears having torn at the makeup that Melody had put on her. "It's not like I'm doing this out of some kind of obligation or nothing. I like helping people, it's just my thing. Sure, helping you was how we met, but that wasn't what made me fall for you." Her lip quivered and she knew her face was going to get splotchy, but she had no way of stopping it. Melody probably didn't know the kind of pain a suggestion like that would cause. "Sure, I made it into a bit of a joke when I blurted out eloping with you... but that don't mean I didn't mean it when I said it. I just get so flustered when I think about those kinds of things. It's probably been frustrating the heck out of you, and maybe that's why you're suggesting this, but really, Mel." Now she fully looked up at her. "How could I even consider that?"

[Eliza]

When Alyssa started crying, Melody panicked. She had no idea what she should do in this situation, or how she could make it better. She didn't even understand why it had upset her so much, but she wasn't one to discredit other's feelings. In a desperate attempt at getting help, she cast the waiter a pleading look when he brought her another drink, but he just shook his head, mouthed "You're on your own" and left her to deal with it. "Lys... I..." She downed the new glass in a hope to bolster her courage. It did absolutely nothing, at least not right away so she didn't consider it very helpful. "I don't want you to leave! I want to grow old with you and travel the world! I just wanted you to know that you had a way out... I'm not a good person like you are, I don't help people, I can't "save the day" All I can do is steal things and brainwash people. Why on earth would you want to spend your life with me??" She ran her hand over her face and considered beating her head against the table for being so stupid. "I'm not good at any of this!" she gestured between them, then at Alyssa. "I don't do comfort! Wh-what do you need me to do??"

[Shuboni]

Melody's panic made Alyssa almost laugh. She sniffled and reminded herself that this was one of the double-edged swords about Melody. She was so jaded that she almost never got hurt, even by the most ruthless tongue lashings. On the flip side, she was basically useless when it came to bedside manner of any kind. Alyssa did her best to wipe away the tears and sniffle her way out of the fit she had worked herself up in before finally sobbing out, "If we're having kids, you're gonna have to work on that." That much made her start with the hiccups. Alyssa hated that she was the kind of person who would work herself in such a state that she'd start hiccuping. She drank some of her lemonade, trying to get the hiccups to go away, but it seemed they were there to stay. For a little while, at least. "You being concerned like that tells me you aren't gonna get a case of the jetpack blues if we do end up running away together." She worked up the best smile she could muster to give to Melody. "And you're wrong. You are a good person. You do all those things cuz you don't have another choice. But I've never seen you take a life when it can be helped. You're always about what's fair, too. Always about eye-for-an-eye type of justice. And I never heard of you robbing anything but banks and corporations So you really are a good person, just... in your own way." What Alyssa could use at that moment, but couldn't really ask for it in that situation, was some sort of physical affection. Since she couldn't think of how to ask, she just sat there trying to get her sobbing under control.

[Eliza]

Melody was still panicking and clueless, but she was trying her best to say the right things. The mention of kids made her offer a nervous laugh, knowing that Alyssa was right about needing to learn. "I may or may not be counting on the sheer hormonal overload that I've heard happens, to fix my issues and make it easier to do the lovey-dovey stuff." Had she just volunteered to be the pregnant one? Would she be able to handle it from an emotional standpoint after what had happened the last time? As long as she had Alyssa by her side, she thought she could do it. Her mind started wandering to things like baby clothes and nurseries, what they would want to prepare for, how many kids they might want in the future and so on. Alyssa's hiccups distracted her and she tried to remember what she had said, something about Melody actually being a good person? "I'm not sure robbing major companies really makes it that much better, but what do I know?" She still looked at Alyssa somewhat skeptically, but decided she would let her believe she wasn't the worst person. The alcohol in her system had finally begun to affect her, and she considered crawling across the table to sit in Alyssa's lap before the rational side of her brain kicked in and told her that it wouldn't be socially acceptable. Instead, she settled for standing from her chair and walking around the table to give Alyssa a hug and whisper in her ear. "You know... we could... we could go back home and you could get some payback for earlier. I can even show you the tattoo on my inner thigh~" Something she didn't realize or expect, was that being inebriated would make her feel much more relaxed in her personality and even more willing to say and do things that she may want to do, but normally had the decorum not to.

[Shuboni]

Alyssa hiccuped again, a little angry at letting herself get so emotional that this happened. Hearing Melody basically volunteer to be the pregnant one in the relationship made her blink and raise an eyebrow. "Darlin, I think we're probably gonna want a second opinion on who's having the kid between us, cuz it looks to me like my body is more suited to the job than yours. No offense, but between the medical problems you were having, and the fact that I have... uh... wider hips..." She couldn't help but blush at this point, "It just seems like the more logical decision in my opinion." She smiled a little. She was going to explain how stealing from corporations was much higher on the moral scale than stealing or hurting individuals, but Melody was already hugging her and whispering in her ear. It did make her blush. She got a glance at the tattoo that Melody had mentioned, but didn't get a good enough look at it. "Mel, you're an emotional rollercoaster, you know that? One minute, you got me crying about the thought of forgetting you and the next you're making raunchy jokes about your tattoos and getting payback for getting up under my dress earlier." She shook her head. "What in the world am I gonna do with you..." The words were already out of her mouth before Alyssa realized that Melody was the kind of person who had a high probability of explaining in explicit detail exactly what in the world she should do to her.

[Eliza]

Alyssa brought up some good points, prompting Melody to nod along. "True... You would probably have an easier time because while I'm taller, you have a better build than I do." Plus she didn't even know if she could still get pregnant after everything else, but she kept that thought to herself. "I think you would make a wonderful mother." She offered a smile in turn, running one of her hands along Alyssa's arm. She felt quite warm and relaxed, it made her giggle and place an affectionate kiss on the other girl's lips. "I just think a lot. Plus, I couldn't leave such a pretty girl crying over me, and bad jokes are just a part of my personality at this point." She giggled again dropped her voice to a low whisper to answer Alyssa's question. "Oh there are many things you could do with me. You've always been rather quick witted and had a sharp tongue, but I have to wonder what else it can do? Or are you the type to tie me to the bed and use toys on me until I beg you to let me finish? Or maybe, you're the type of girl who doesn't like to be told when to stop?" She bit her bottom lip and gave Alyssa the best bedroom eyes she could muster. "I won't know unless you tell me."

[Shuboni]

Alyssa blushed worse than ever at these last comments. She stuttered as she explained, "I-I still gotta say... If we... If we do go along with this, you're gonna be the first girl I've done any of this with. Even earlier was... I mean, freakin awesome, but definitely not what I'm used to." She fidgeted. She looked around for the waiter, but it looked like he had enough tact to be scarce at this particular moment. Did he see them earlier and decide to leave them to their own devices or had he just not come to check on them? Alyssa squirmed a bit against Melody's touch. "We, uh... gotta pay first, right? Get that all sorted, then we can get going?" Her mind raced at the things that she could do. Melody was so willing. She mentioned something earlier that was kind of hot but maybe a bit extreme, about getting in her uniform and making her lick her boots? Something like that. A small voice, probably some kind of devil's advocate, whispered in her ear, "But that's what she wants. So, why not give it to her?" This thought made her whole head feel hot as she thought of the kinds of things she could do. Maybe... just maybe... she might get in her CIA spec ops uniform that she still kept in a box under her bed. Maybe that might be a catalyst for something.

[Eliza]

Melody smirked and flicked her tongue against Alyssa's ear when she leaned in to whisper. "I promise that girls are much more thoughtful of each others needs than men are. The men who care the most seem to play for the other team, so they're far less common." She thought it was adorable the way Alyssa blushed and fidgeted around, she was so innocent in so many ways. She wondered briefly if she should feel bad for corrupting her, but at the same time she couldn't find it in herself to stop. "I slipped the waiter my card at the beginning of the meal, he brought it back to me with my last drink. We could just leave, at any moment." She took Alyssa's hand and helped her up from her chair, the devilish smirk not leaving her features. "I have all sorts of fun things back in my room, and I can show you all the ways my "weird" bed is superior." There were positions that weren't possible on another type of bed, and the wicker weaving of the frame meant you could tie someone in any position and still have them be securely in place. Her mind started wandering to all of the things she wanted to teach Alyssa as they made there way outside and to the waiting car. They may not get any sleep that night if she had anything to say about it.

[Shuboni]

Alyssa shivered and, almost unconsciously, she stood up straight. She quickly grabbed her chair before it could tip and fall, as well as grabbing the now tipsy Melody. "I think..." She was trying to hide the blush on her face as she said, "We should get going, then." Her mind was kind of foggy as she daydreamed about the things they could do together. Melody practically begging to be dominated earlier gave her fantasies of ordering Melody to do things. The way she mentioned having "all sorts of fun things" back in her room made Alyssa even more eager to get back and see with her own eyes. Pulling her mind back a little, she gave Melody a slightly annoyed look. "Doing all this almost makes me wonder if you're actually a closet perv, just waiting for me to make the joke about "buy me dinner first" then going some crazy lengths to sweep me off my feet." She was still blushing, but she urged Melody to lead the way back. For one, it wasn't her limo that had dropped them off, it was Melody's limo, so she would know how that whole situation worked. "You better not be planning on doing anything funny in the ride home, neither." But her admonishment was idle at best. There wasn't anything she would do if Melody decided to tease her further, aside from tease back. She wasn't really the teasing type, though.

[Eliza]

Melody giggled as Alyssa caught the chair, then again when she rested her hands on her hips and said they should leave in that adorably shy way. Everything about the other girl was just so captivating, she caught herself staring for a moment before her mind caught up and she was able to lead them out to the limo. The only thing she could think of that she might miss would be all of the perks that her adoptive mother's job came with, things like the limo, upgrades on planes, in hotels. Everyone had come to fear her name, but it wasn't the name of a villain they feared, it was her professional persona as a corporate attorney that had people quaking. Still, no amount of money or luxury could make up for the way she was treated, or for how much she wanted to run away and start fresh with her roommate. The comment about being a closet pervert broke through her thoughts as the door of the car was closed behind them. "I'm very open about my perverted nature, you've just been too innocent to notice." She laughed and leaned herself against Alyssa, she felt warm and her head was a little fuzzy, but she did her best to keep her thoughts in order. "So what do you consider, "funny" anyway?" Melody had an idea, but she liked to tease Alyssa all the same. "Would something like this, be funny?" She reached back to unzip her dress enough that she could pull it down and expose her breasts before reaching out and placing one of Alyssa's hands on one of them. "Or did you mean something else?"