Post-Punchy

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo didn't know how many times he uttered '*fuck*' or in how many languages, but he knew that it was a lot.

After choking out Ernest, too many things happened at once. The two young men had fled with Kyle in tow, and he could hear police sirens now. He knew that they had to get the fuck out of there. But first, Leo had to unceremoniously add his own lunch to the mess on the floor. Something about that Punch drunk guy had really made his stomach churn.

Dizzy, weak, sick, and sore, Leo left the social Hall with Anastasia on his back and a five-gallon bucket full of Venus in his hand. Not to mention *Ernesto's* wallet *and* phone. Before he could be apprehended by police, the math professor dumped (Ana literally, Venus not) the girls in his car and drove perhaps a bit too fast back to headquarters.

He typed out a single message to his peers before he ran a dumb red light that was way too long.

were at headquarters talk when you get back good luck pajarito xoxo

A cheerful-sounding message just so the others wouldn't worry on their own mission. He
Leo wasn't willing to tell them about Kyle just yet even though his kidnapping was eating him inside.

When Finch let them into headquarters, Leo first let Ana down in the living room, then rushed to one of the bathrooms on the ground floor and started the warm water in the bathtub, which he promptly dumped Venus into. Leo didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but he'd seen it in a movie once.

"I'm really sorry if I forgot any of you downtown." He said, slumping over the tub. They had completed their mission, but lost an ally, and Leo wasn't exactly in a celebratory mood.

## strude

Finch says very little in regards to the state of the returning heroes. He simply prepares something warm to drink, makes sure Ana is covered in a blanket with a hot cup of tea in her hands and a few pain pills on the coffee table for later. He goes into the bathroom shortly after to hand Leo a cup and lingers close by.

“Could have gone smoother Leonardo.” Finch comments. It comes off a little harsh in the moment Finch knows, but as heroes they shouldn’t of allowed what happened to happen. Finch places a hand on Leo’s shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “Civilian casualties are unacceptable. Tell me what happened.”

## Mob Boss Peggy

Finch scared the shit out of Leo when he walked into the bathroom, but honestly, Leo was already on edge after what happened. He took the warm cup in his hands but didn't drink from it.

What the older man said made the elastic man rub his face in frustration. "Ugh, I *know!*" That was obvious, dammit. What could he say, that they weren't prepared at all? That they had most definitely leapt into action without thinking or planning?

The warm contact from Finch's hand made him get his thoughts together enough to respond. "Some unexpected shit happened. Some other guys showed up. Said that Punch Drunk belonged to *them*. They had powers that really fucked with our heads. They weren't supposed to be there, and..."

He paused, gave a sharp sigh, and sipped some tea.

## strude

“We have some damage control to do.” Finch glances over to the bathtub full of water and leaves the room a moment. He can be heard ascending the stairs, returning a couple minutes later. Finch leaves a pair of PJ shorts and t-shirt on the livingroom table for Ana. Returning to the bathroom he lays another pair of PJs and t-shirt on the counter.

“For whenever you get yourself together Venus.” Finch holds a pair of mens sweats and t-shirt in his arms. “Take these go upstairs and shower Leonardo. We can figure things out once all of you are clean.” Finch hands Leo the clothing. “I’ll contact Angus Willoughby see what our options are.” Finch pats Leo on the shoulder once more.

“Come to me if there is anything you left out. I’ll need to write up a official document for Angus, but take your time Leo. You couldn’t have predicted this outcome, take it as a hard lesson learned.” Finch leaves the bathroom and heads for the kitchen. He is sure they won’t want to eat, but he'll prepare a plate of cold cuts, bread and spreads for them anyway.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo almost wanted to bury himself in that hot cup of tea instead of having to talk to Finch any more than he already had. "Thanks, *hombre*." He muttered, and took the spare clothes, stuffing them under his arm.

He almost even forgot that he was watching a discombobulated Venus blob around in the tub. "Ah, sorry *chica*, let me give you some privacy. Scream if you need anything, eh?" A sweet smile and a wave later, Leo left the bathroom and practically sulked back into the living room where Anastasia was bundled up.

"You stink." He said, and slipped out of his blazer, tossing it onto a polka-dotted cushion before setting himself down on the couch beside her.

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia had been about as helpful as a 120 pound sack of bricks. The most she had done during the car ride was drool and smear her vomit-matted hair all over the leather seats she had just been gushing over how cool they were not even an hour prior. Her lashes fluttered slightly as the blanket was laid over her but she was otherwise dead to the world.

The sound of voices downstairs alerted Eleanor that some of the heroes had arrived, and by the sounds of it they needed help. The blonde young woman sets down her thick paperback and quickly goes to see if there was anything they needed her help with. Finch, as always, seemed to be taking care of things flawlessly and the DuMonte wished that she could be as much a help as him. She smelled them before she saw them, and she politely gagged behind her hand at the sight of the two vomit-covered supers.

"Should I get the mop..?" She asks hesitantly, grey eyes flitting between the three as she tries to make sense of what she was seeing.

Anastasia chose this time to wake up, murmuring something incomprehensible. She squints at her surroundings, gratefully accepting the coffee. She takes in her surroundings for a long moment, seemingly stunned. The filthy young woman knocks back the pills Finch had left out for her and gives her head a little shake to clear it.

"I know I stink," she says indignantly, wincing as she catches a whiff of herself,"I need a shower and 20 years of sleep."

She takes a sip of coffee, debating on how she should word her question. "So... The others?" She asks tentatively, not wanting to hear any more bad news.

## Dr.Frakenberry

There was a absolute bark of laughter as the sound of heavy almost careless lax footsteps entered into the room. “I heard you guys look like shit but this is like 3 am bum fight levels of looking like you were on the wrong end of a back alley row” the voice was easy going with just the barest horn of annoyance to it, from what that was unknown but that was certain to come to light within yaro’s sudden appearance here.

The dark skinned woman almost comically blended in with the shadow that was cast from the unlit door way stepping into the room dressed in grungy looking street wear with a coy smile etched across her face she stood in awe of the people before her.

“What or I guess who smells like Walmart bathroom” she thumbs at her noise the corners of her mouth souring some from the slight tang of the scent.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo was uncommonly quiet for a moment before he answered Anastasia. He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, knuckles touching his lips in thought. "They got away. All three of them." He said lowly, at nearly a whisper. "You can start with a shower. Venus is putting herself back together down here, so you'll have to use the upstairs one." The dreadlocked man grabbed her change of clothes from the coffee table and playfully chucked the articles at the shapeshifter.

"*Mierda--*" Leo chuckled in surprise at hearing Yaro's voice. Was she going to make appearing out of dark corners her thing to freak them out from now on? It worked on Leo. His gaze snapped to the dark-skinned woman and a half-smile was pulled from his previously glum face.

The latino man leaned back onto the couch, spreading his arms out to rest them on the back cushions. "I'll have you know, *chiquita*, that you're lookin' at two out of the three *heroes* that completed our little band's *first* mission. Show some respect, baby!"

## Dr.Frakenberry

“Absolutely not if I start respecting you who knows what’ll happen. Letting youthful egos go unchecked I simply can’t, as a law abiding citizen it’s just not in my power” she placed a dramatic unfurled hand to clutch at the pearls she wasn’t wearing. Milking the small comedic scene until dropping it with a lax smile.

“But for serious I’ve had my neck buried so deep in paperwork i haven’t had the time to keep up with anybody. I finally come up for air and heard from the grape vine the baby birds at have finally taken flight. “(edited)

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia's tentative hope shatters with Leo's words and her face falls."Oh..." She manages after a long pause, rubbing the goose egg on the back of her head from Ernest throwing her to the floor. She was obviously relieved to hear that Venus was pulling herself together, but Kyle's kidnapping weighed heavily on her heart. If only she had been stronger or smarter or more prepared. She mutters a long string of Russian words, she didn't understand half of them but they were things she heard her father say when something would frustrate him so they must be bad.

Annie was too exhausted to do more than lift her hands to stop the clothing from hitting her square in the face. The sound of the newcomer startled the young woman and she snaps her head around to locate the voice. "It's me," she answers with a little wave in front of her nose for emphasis.

"Oookay, who wants to help me up the stairs so I can wash this shit off?" She asks cheerily enough, using the side of the couch to pull herself up on shaking legs.

Eleanor had returned with a mop and bucket full of soapy water from the kitchen and smiles tightly at everyone. She didn't seem to be handling the smell very well but was determined to be of use. "Hello Yaro, it's nice to see someone who didn't start a fight with the vomit monster."

## Chew I Venus I Cole I Dee Dee

Venus could hear everything happening around her but her mind was too tired to pay attention to any of it. It was impossible to keep track of what had gone down as she swayed back and forth in a bucked through different in motion through different spaces, one of which he was almost sure was a car.

By the time she came to she was surrounded by warmth in a stark white room that echoed with the conversation between Leo and Finch. Venus remained at the bottom of the tub and tried to relax in the midst of feeling a sick sense of guilt at how the mission had gone down. She hoped that woman had made it out alive, but her reasoning told her that was probably not the case. Then the voices were gone and she was left alone.

Time was hard to discern, but eventually a set of five transparent watery filters curved over the edge of the tub. Venus groaned as she pulled herself up, legs not just looking but also feeling like jelly. “Oh, ow” she whined as a headache hit her the moment she turned back into her flesh-and-bone self. Looking down she noticed the traces of vomit in the water and grimaced, hurrying to empty out the dirty water and turning on the shower to a warm setting. It was hard not to give in to nausea. The blonde slowly began to go through the motions of cleaning herself up, soaping and shampooing a few times over to ensure it was all gone. Her chin trembled with the threat of tears because people had been killed and it too much to come to terms with.

Steam began to fill the bathroom thickly, quiet sobs and hiccups coming from her throat even though she was sure she *wasn’t* crying because that’s not what heroes do.

August 5, 2018

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo always appreciated a good tease. If sarcasm and witty banter was a language, he would've been even more fluent than with English. Yaro's nip at them could only make the man smile wider. He watched with a raised eyebrow as Ana finally wobbled upward.

"Well, our *resident* baby bird is out there right now. I can only hope they're having a lot more fun than we did. Let's use up all the hot water before they get back, eh *muchacha*?"

With the both of them filthy and foul, it only made sense for Leo to make his way upstairs anyhow. Poor Annie, it would've taken her ages to get up those steps, so Leo just picked up the lightweight woman and threw her over his shoulder on the way there, passing Eleanor with an ever cheerful wink and the click of his tongue.

"Watch your head! Can't you make yourself shorter? You're like a giraffe." He cackled on his way up to the second floor.

He hadn't seen most of the house yet and had only ever been there once before, but he thought that the Whisper's house was totally his style. Colors, patterns, combinations that would have been considered tacky by any standard - he was totally digging it.

The bathroom was tiny and didn't have a bathtub like downstairs. The walls were a bright batik pattern that screamed 'my Moroccan grandma's favorite chair'. Leo set Ana down there and reached into the shower to turn on the water.

"We're gonna' get him back." He said, clearly referring to Kyle, as if trying to reassure the both of them.(edited)

August 6, 2018

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia was grateful for the help, poor girl was quivering like a leaf. Her power led to spectacular theatrics and an even more spectacular comedown. "I'm sure he'd enjoy the birdbath outside more than a steamy shower," she snickers. The grip she had on his arm tightens and she makes a strangled sound as Leo hoists her over his shoulder. She was petite, something that was frequently obscured by her oversized hand-me-downs.

She was laughing the whole way up. "I wish, but I think it'd just knock me out. You need to spend more time at the gym anyway, so count this as your exercise today, *Lapochka*."

Annie always loved the eccentric decorations littering the HQ, she felt as though it really cheered the place up-- she could only imagine how somber the mood would have been if they were within the confines of plain concrete walls.

As she is sat down, she gives Leo a grateful clap on the back. She had never been one for etiquette or decency and had begun shedding layers of clothing as soon as she was given the opportunity. Even if she weren't crusted in vomit she wouldn't have thought twice about stripping in front of Leo.

Anastasia's expression darkens and she shakes her head."Of course we are. He's a badass. Do you think he's fucking them up right now?" She looks to him for reassurance, in this moment it was painfully obvious just how frightened and inexperienced she was.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo leaned against the sink, looking at the wall while Anastasia started stripping down to try and be respectful to the much younger woman. Still, he wasn't respectful enough to leave the bathroom. Well, we're not *all* perfect.

"Judging by how he was acting back there, I'm pretty sure *something's* getting fucked right now." Leo said lowly, and slowly shook his head. Poor kid. Just standing there at that moment felt like a waste of time, time they could have been using to get their ally back. No matter how much of a badass they *knew* Kyle was, it didn't seem like the young man himself knew it.

"Those guys had some freaky fucking magical sorcerer shit going on... If we have to face them again, what the hell are we gonna' do?"(edited)

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia sighs heavily, not enjoying the anxious thoughts cluttering her mind."Mind control or whatever that was is fucking stupid scary man." She shudders at the thought and kicks Leo lightly so he could help her up. She hadn't known Kyle too well but she had liked him initially-- seemed like a fun kid to tease.

With Leo's assistance, Annie leans heavily against the shower wall as hot water cascades down her neck and back. The water running off of her quickly went fowl and she wrinkles her nose at the smell. She grabs the most fragrant option of soap she could find and begins lathering herself."Care to join?" She asks teasingly, gesturing at the still-open shower door with a shit-eating grin.

She pauses a moment to ponder his question before saying decisively,"guns and gas masks I'd say."

## Vampunk

Sometimes the wrong expectations can really ruin something otherwise all too perfect, and the same thing held true for what passed as the heroes’ headquarters.

While comic books and movies often depicted glamorous penthouse lairs or vast underground bases filled to the brim with gadgets, their humble little “base” was nothing like that romanticized image of a hero’s home.

But for some it was home.

For Zoe Simmons though it was rarely more than just a quick drop in, drop out kind of deal as she only really got to visit after depleting her usually vast reservoirs of iron supplements. And today was one of those days.

Making her way up the stairway to the door, Zoe would run her fingers through her vividly coloured Mohawk as she’d chew on her bottom lip. It wasn’t like she disliked her hero colleagues, but having to turn up simply to restock on the one thing she required to manifest her power was somewhat awkward.

What once was an embarrassing attempt at smalltalk with Vindaya had slowly been reduced to a simple “Hi, I need a refill” and an even shorter “Bye” before Zoe was back on her merry way.
Letting go of an annoyed sigh and tilting her head slightly to the side, feeling her metal-lined muscles ache from expending much of their iron a few nights back, Zoe would knock on the front door before taking a step back.

“Yo guys, the usual. Open up.” The blonde with the red Mohawk would groan, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

She was somewhat of a newer member of the team and didn’t really feel comfortable letting herself in on her own. There did seem to be SOME form of manners that had survived her teen years.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo jumped a bit and whipped his head around to give a look to Ana as of to say '*really*'? She wasn't disabled. He was sure that the shapeshifter was milking his generosity and attention.

"*Perezosa.*" He teased, finding it hard to ignore the fact that she wasn't​ wearing any clothes at that point.

In fact, he immediately stopped trying to ignore it at all. If she didn't want him there, she would've told him to leave. Leo was perfectly comfortable helping a beautiful, naked girl shower. It was his duty, in fact. She was a teammate, and she was doing well already to distract him from the tragedy of their recent mission. Perhaps what she was doing was working on him anyway.

Leo's stomach still felt queasy as he helped Anastasia out of her seat and into the shower, and the scent of the both of them combined wasn't doing him any favors. So when she beckoned him in with that wide, wicked grin of hers, the elastic man wasn't going to say 'no'. There wasn't a parallel universe in theoretical existence where he wouldn't have accepted the offer.

At the mention of guns and gas masks, as Leo pulled away his sweater, he pulled his unused pistol out of his belt and set it down by the sink. "I shoulda' used it." He lamented, and unbuttoned his once-pressed white shirt before letting it fall to the floor. Shoes, pants, and other things followed suit until Leo was completely and proudly naked.

"Hell yeah, give me a gas mask and I'll kick some *culo*," He laughed, boxing at the air a bit in the nude before stepping into the little shower after Ana. He placed himself behind the petite woman and plucked some bottle from the shelf.

"Hey..." He said, mind turning as he squirted some of the gel in his hands, then began to actually wash Anastasia's dark hair, using his fingers to rake and pull it back with the lather. "Heeey... I just thought of something. You can turn into *any* of those *pendejos*, right?"(edited)

## Vodka Aunt

Leo's suspicions were right, Anastasia still seemed fairly exhausted but she could obviously stand on her own now. She was comfortable around him, and even if they hadn't just narrowly avoided death and witnessed a friend get kidnapped she wouldn't of felt too weird sharing a shower with him. She gave his body a once-over, giving him an appreciative look as he strips. "*Dayuuum girl*," she says with a low whistle, lips parting to show an impish grin,"have you ever thought of doing a strip show during your lectures, it'd liven up the students."

"I don't think I'd of been able to shoot them back there, I'd be too afraid to hit Kyle. My hands shake like mad when I'm nervous," she confesses, eager to move onto something less somber. She cackles at Leo's display of shadowboxing, doing her best to lather herself up and mask the smell.

She starts slightly at the contact, but immediately relaxes when she realizes he was only washing her hair out for her. What a good guy. She ponders over Leo's words for a moment, trying to recall if she had been able to touch the man holding Kyle before Punch Drunk had grabbed her. She shakes her head sadly."I need to touch them, or have something biological of theirs-- like hair or sweat or something. If only that asshat Punch Drunk hadn't of grabbed me, we could at least try and figure out more of what his power is about." As he was washing his hair, Leo would find a small gash on the back of her head from her contact with the ground. It's a miracle she didn't have a concussion.

"Unless you think that pollen counts, because I could try and get something from that stuff." She knew it was a bad idea as soon as she offered it, but felt helpless in the face of it all.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Punch Drunk and his band of merry elves had done a number on Leo. They all seemed to have powers that effected perception. Ernesto, with his ability to make people feel sick. The platinum blonde, with his flowers and pollen, and the long-haired fellow, with... Whatever the fuck he did to subdue Kyle.

The aftermath of their effects had Leo fucking *washing a girl's hair*. His fingers brushed against her lightly dusky skin as he gently slid her long hair back, letting the suds fall down her slender shoulders and body as the water coursed over the pair.

And Leo felt like he was going to fucking *throw. up.*

God *dammit*, Ernesto.

It was because he was standing so dangerously close to her that he even saw her injury. He leaned forward, pushing apart dark strands to see the wound better. "Hold still, *gatita*, it don't look so good... Filthy old man had no fuckin' class." His lips pressed into a line.

"I got the dude's phone. If we can get some clues out of it, maybe we can trick some people into giving us some more information. So, yeah, you should try."

August 7, 2018

## Chew I Venus I Cole I Dee Dee

By the time Venus turned off the shower the visibility in the room was greatly reduced from the steam. At least it smelled fantastic in here. The blonde stepped out, droplets clinging to her skin with an unusual persistence as she moved around to find a towel and dry herself off. There were clothes waiting for her on the counter– how thoughtful. It really was very nice to know that despite being a strange combination of odds and ends their hero group really did care about each other.

Venus stepped out of the bathroom with her towel wrapped around her hair and the comfortable clothes hanging loosely and softly, ready to have a relaxing time as soon as she got something to *drink*. The girl was parched. A cloud of steam followed her out as she made her way to the kitchen and crouched in front of the fridge like an animal foraging for bottles of water. The plastic crackled as she tore off the top and tipped it back, gulping down the beverage in a matter of seconds as a knock came from the door. She parted with the bottle panting "coming! One sec" She called out, chucking the empty container in the garbage and picking up another bottle before closing the fridge.

"Hello sweetums" she sang, pulling the door open and stepping aside with a wide smile that brushed all of today's accounts under the carpet that was a cheerful face. Zoe was a newer addition to the group but she still treated her with the same amicability as she did the others "get in here, we're all just freshening up a bit."

## Vodka Aunt

She had to admit Leo's sudden interest in washing her hair was odd but she was thoroughly enjoying how relaxing it was. The water had a rejuvenating effect on her and the young woman could feel her strength slowly returning to her aching muscles. She visibly winces as he pulls her sodden hair aside."Ow be careful back there," she whines, pressing a hand to the side of her head,"he got me good. I'm lucky he didn't pull a chunk of my hair out, it would have ruined my look."

When his hands leave her scalp, Anastasia stretches, joints popping loudly. She groans softly with relief and turns around in the shower stall so she could gingerly rinse out her own hair. Her eyes were shut tight against any suds when she responded to Leo,"that sounds like a good idea. If I can get anything off of that I can read his texts and shit-- *mimic* him better." She grins to herself, thinking she was being quite clever. She rinses her face off and steps to the side of the shower in case Leo wanted to get under the more direct spray. One would be impressed to find out that her eyes stayed *mostly* to herself the whole time.

"You look like shit man, maybe even worse than me, you alright?" She inquires curiously, peering up at his face. She may be self centered but could at least identify when a friend was in discomfort 30% of the time.(edited)

## Mob Boss Peggy

"Well, next time, don't get it!" Leo cackled, letting go of Anastasia's hair so that he could snatch up the sponge to clean his own nasty self up. He was in the midst of scrubbing his own back (easy to do when one can stretch like he can), when Anastasia turned to face him. With her hair out of the way, her body was on full display for him, and the man was happy to look. In fact, the shapeshifter didn't have much to speak of in terms of *body*, but she was fit, tight, and lithe. Petite in physique, yet taller than most women, which was undoubtedly appealing to the man's admittedly wide range of tastes.

"No, I don't. I look fine. *Callate.*" He replied, quickly. Okay, sure, his stomach was a bit queasy, and he was a *lot* worried, but he was a grown-ass man that didn't let that shit bring him down. He stepped forward, letting the warm water hit him as he turned to face Anastasia in that cramped little shower.

The dark-skinned man leaned forward, closing much of the gap between them as he rested an arm against the wall beside Anastasia. His playful, smoky gaze bore down on her. If there *was* anything worth looking at on the Mimic, it was her face. Leo hadn't had the opportunity to have a close look until now. "*Que hermosa,*" He mused, using his other hand to thumb the woman's chin as she looked up at him. "You're pretty. I bet you hear that a lot. You always shower with strange men?"

## Vodka Aunt

"Give me super speed and I'd never get hit." Anastasia had no shame when it came to most things, and her body was one of them. What little she had, she displayed proudly. She didn't put much effort into her figure, but it seemed like her partying hadn't caught up with her yet. She let her own eyes wander over Leo's body, appreciating his athletic physique. Might as well return the favour.

Anastasia makes a soft noise of surprise as Leo leans closer to her, allowing her back to make contact with the slick shower wall. Her beige skin pinkens as he angles her chin up to look at him. "I don't know what that means," she says softly with a little nervous giggle and gives her head a slight shake,"I mean, yeah, I get compliments. But how many frat boys do you think are being genuine? And I only shower with cool older guys who carry me there first." She grins at him, green eyes sparkling.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Her comment drew a soft exhale of a laugh from the latin man. "You think I'm being genuine? Let me tell you, *gatita*, older men can be just as bad." Leo's voice was as low as it could be, nearing a whisper in their close quarters. The banter he enjoyed with Anastasia was refreshing. There weren't many others out there that could keep up with Leo's flirtatiousness, but whenever he did find someone, it was an exciting surprise.

When Ana's green eyes met his, there wasn't much more that he wanted to say. Leo leaned forward even more, aiming to press his full lips to hers, until...

Something... happened.

Leo's stomach lurched suddenly. He paused, and his eyes went wide as a chill shot up his spine. Acting quickly, Leo spun away just in time to retch in the other corner of the shower, emptying whatever was left in his stomach.

*Dammit, Punchy!*

## Vodka Aunt

"You don't need to be genuine cause I already know I'm pretty. Are your students awed by having such a handsome professor?" She asks, placing a small hand against his chest. She was a natural flirt and it was nice to have someone who could handle her teasing.

Her breath catches slightly as he leans towards her and she tilts her head back, somewhat surprised that Leo was going for it but she wasn't complaining.

Anastasia was perplexed by Leo turning away for a split second until the sound of his retches registered in her mind. "Oh my god!" She shrieks. She would have leapt back had she not already had her back pressed against the shower wall. Not planning on having any more vomit-on-skin contact, Anastasia throws open the shower door and leaps out into the steamy bathroom.

There had been a cup left on the counter from someone brushing their teeth, presumably, which she grabs and swiftly fills it up with cool water from the tap. She pokes her head back into the shower to check on the professor."I told you you looked like shit. Here's some water." Once the water had mostly cleared away the remnants of Leo's stomach from the shower floor, she climbs back in to rub his back. She had dealt with more than her fair share of puking friends with her lifestyle.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Oh... God. Leo felt so damn ill. Being wrapped around the neck and face of that villain and getting covered in his sweat was catching up to him, still. He hadn't felt this sick since the last time he ate Chinese from that shifty place near the rail yard. Forget Ana and their tragically missed opportunity to have a moment or two together, this was miserable!

He spit onto the shower floor and stood there with his hands on the wall and his head dipped down, panting.

At the offer of the water, which was a weird offer anyway - water, in the shower while being pelted with water? - Leo waved the woman away. This was pitiful enough. "*Vete*-- go, go. I'll be... right out." Was all he could muster out before his stomach began to turn again.

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia had begun gently rubbing small circles into the older man's back when he waved away her offer of water. It was the first thing she could think of, her drunk friends were usually more appreciative. "Fuck you it's the thought that counts," she says lightly, but heeds his request and steps backwards out of the shower,"I'll cover my ears while Im drying off, hope you're feeling better soon." The second half of what she said sounded much more sincere.

Anastasia wraps her body and hair up into towels to dry. She takes a moment to rummage in the cabinet behind the mirror to see if there was anything in there for Leo's stomach. Ginger tablets, perfect. She shakes a few out next to the cup of water Leo had denied.

"I left some ginger on the sink for your tummy," she calls to him before shutting the door behind her. She had forgotten her spare clothing downstairs and had to run down there in her towel to grab them. Thankfully, her strength had returned to her enough that taking the stairs was an easy task.

She was glad to see that Venus was looking decidedly more solid after her stint in the tub. Anastasia hadn't found the time to properly introduce herself to Zoe, and waves at the newer addition to the group. "Hey, you're a little late to the shower party but I wouldn't mind stripping back down to join you," she says teasingly, gathering her clean clothing from the coffee table as she does so.

August 8, 2018

## Chew I Venus I Cole I Dee Dee

Venus waited for Zoe to step inside and then closed the door behind her, uncapping her second bottle of water and bringing to her lips to drink. As she gulped she habitually patted down where the pockets of her pants should be in search of her phone... and only then realized how she had royally screwed up. Venus choked on her water and coughed, holding the bottle away from her body "oh" cough "shit."

She recapped it as she wrangled her lungs back into control and set it on the coffee table while Ana picked up her clothes. "Annie... I need to get back to the hall. My wallet and my phone are still back there," she said in a panicked tone, fanning air towards her face with one hand "what if the police find it?" She wasn't fit for jail, someone would make her their bitch on the spot. The catastrophic thoughts of life in prison began to fill her brain and her breath quickened in response "oh God, what do I do?!"

August 9, 2018

## Mob Boss Peggy

Stupid Ernest. Stupid evil twinks. Stupid microwaved vending machine burrito.

Leo stood there in the corner of the shower being sick for what seemed like hours, when it was really, actually minutes. Until there was nothing left in his stomach to hurl. He looked up at the ceiling and caught his breath. By the time he was finished, the water was running cold, and the mood had long been ruined. Leo turned off the water and reached outside the shower doors for a big towel.

The poor man's stomach was still in his throat as he left the bathroom in the spare pants and shirt that Finch had given him. His skin was rather pale and his dreadlocks were loose and hanging over his shoulders, with the towel just hanging on his head lazily. Leo left the rest of his clothes laying there messily on the floor, minus his phone, Ernest's phone, and his wallet. In his other hand, he carried the cup of cold water and ginger tabs, taking one and chewing on it as he stepped out of the steamy bathroom.

He descended the stairs, groaning miserably the whole way and checked his phone part-way just in time to see a message from their resident Bird Boy. Despite feeling sick as all hell, the urge to mess with the freckled young man was far too strong to fight.

He typed out a quick response and had a bit of a silly giggle at it before sending.

"Yo, Finchy!" Leo called out weakly, his voice cracking slightly. "You got that paper that says where the famous designer lives? I need the apartment number!"

August 10, 2018

## Mob Boss Peggy

When Leo got his answer, he quickly sent out the apartment number to the rest of the crew. The man grumbled something in Spanish as he plopped himself back onto the couch and sunk into its many cushions.

He groaned, feeling colder than usual, and covered his face with the damp towel. "I'm so calling out of work tomorrow."

August 13, 2018

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia laughs as Venus chokes on her water, had she known what the word meant she would consider herself a *schadenfreude enthusiast*. "You struck me as a girl who swallowed," she teases with an exagerrated wink. Her playful expression and most of the colour drains out of her face as the water woman explains her predicament.

She is silent for a long moment before saying, emphatically,"*Fuck!*" She slaps a palm to her forehead. Everything was going to shit and she hadn't even gotten dressed yet.

Anastasia glances towards Leo as lumbers into the living room and drops himself heavily onto one of the couches. "What is that word you always say? *Assay*? You look like shit *assay*," She seemed completely unaware that she butchered the word,"anyways can I borrow your car? Veevee and I need to run some errands and you really need your rest." She smiles sweetly at the ill man, batting her lashes.(edited)

## Mob Boss Peggy

"Ese. It's *ese*, like those things you didn't do in high school and that's why you're an *art* student." Leo retorted lazily, muffled from underneath the towel. His answer to Anastasia's question was short and sweet.

"Hell no!"

## Chew I Venus I Cole I Dee Dee

Venus turned her attention to Leo when Ana did, too frazzled to think clearly and very thankful her fellow hero had a plan of action. If only the man would cooperate– his answer made her gasp audibly in disbelief.

The blonde rushed to keel before the couch, hands clasped in front of her in the same way she used to beg her dad for permission to go out on the weekends. “Leo *please* this urgent” she pleaded, “I could be in so much trouble. Please please please please please I will never ask anything of you ever again, I *promise.*” That was a bare-faced lie.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Somewhere in the back, the phone started to ring, but Leo ignored it, thinking ~~the house maid~~ Eleanor would be so gracious as to answer it.

Leo peeked out from under the towel on his head when he saw Venus shuffle all over the floor in front of him. "*Really?*" He groaned in disbelief of such a childish display. It was kind of cute, honestly, but did they really expect him to loan his car out to a couple of kids? After they made it stink so bad? Like he needed two young women pulling a Ferris Beuller on his car today.

"Uh, I mopped you up and carried you out in a bucket, *chica*, I feel like that's plenty reason for you never asking me any favors again." The sickly man chuckled, wiping his face with the towel before tossing it onto the table.

The phone was still ringing. His eyes shifted toward it and then back at the girls. "What did you need my car for again...? And *whyyyy* can't you take the bus?"

August 14, 2018

## Vodka Aunt

Anastasia's nose scrunches up at Leo's response."I *did* the essays, I just never turned them in," her tone changes immediately upon being told no,"*but whyyyy?* We need it!" Any of her further complaints were silenced by Venus' entertaining display.

"Veevee's right! it's *urgent!* She's such a good, sweet girl how can you say no to that pretty face?" She drops to her knees beside the blonde woman and imitates her pose,"I'll pay to have the interior cleaned-- and we can't just *take the bus*, we're superheroes dammit! You may have gathered her water stuff but not her stuff stuff."

From another room, Eleanor could hear the phone go off. Being the dutiful little house wench she is, the blonde young woman rushed to pick up the phone. She still hadn't come up with a greeting for the headquarters and picks up the phone."Hello, Eleanor speaking-- Mr. Satana? Um, one moment please," she says softly into the receiver, ever awkward when it came to phone calls. She pokes her head unto the living room, phone pressed to her chest.

"Um, Leo? I know you don't feel too good but there's someone on the phone for you. A mr. Angus Willoughby-- he's the judge." She lowers her voice to whisper the word "judge", coming further into the room to offer him the phone. She falters in her stride for a moment as she notices what the other two young women were doing, cocking her head to the side in curiosity for a moment before deciding she really didn't want to know.

## Mob Boss Peggy

Leo's heavy-lidded eyes gazed down at the two girls on their knees in front of him, with his lips scrunched to his cheek in mild amusement. He took in a breath to answer them when as if right on cue, Eleanor stepped into the room, drawing Leo's attention away from the girls by summoning him for a phone call. The man stared at the device in the blonde's hand dauntingly. "A what?" He asked, having missed the very end of her sentence, cocking an eyebrow. "I don't know any Willow Bee. You two know a Willow Bee?"

His exceptionally short pause didn't allow them to answer. Looking into two pairs of big doe eyes, the rubber man might as well have been putty. "*FINE.* I left my keys in my pants upstairs. I also left my gun up there - take that too, just in case. If you're goin' back to the hall, it's probably a crime scene. If you get arrested, I'm not bailing you two out and I'm reporting all my shit stolen. *Ugh...*"

Leo lifted himself off of the couch with great effort, letting the towel hang around his shoulders as he went to take the phone from Eleanor with a playful wink. "Why am I so popular?" He sighed, with a false sense of humility as he put the phone to his ear.