I quickly check out. The clerk gives me directions to a kiosk that does gift wrapping so I don't have to. Good, because I haven't wrapped anything in years, and there's nowhere for me to do it without Mira seeing.
I drop the items at the kiosk, and due to it being so close to the holiday, I get a lovely one-hour wait time before it'll be done. Still easier than doing it myself, though. I take the pickup ticket and continue shopping, going into a different store for the plates and utensils—some glasses as well.
As I walk, I pass a window display with male mannequins dressed in pressed black suits. My mind immediately pictures Bucky in one. I've never seen him dressed up. What would that look like?
I blush a little as the image of him in that exact suit comes to mind—a dark red tie around his neck, his hair styled to perfection, a sexy smirk on his lips. I could get it for him, but I don't think he would ever wear it.
Wait. Should I get him a present? I mean, we're celebrating the holiday together. Does that mean I should?
A weird twisting in my stomach—something I haven't felt since I was an anxious teenager—twinges.
What are we, anyway? I mean really. We're Mira's parents. We have a kid together, and that's it. I'm just living with him because he wants to be close to Mira… right?
Although we do kiss sometimes. And we did have sex that one time—my face burns at the memory, my thighs clenching a little. We cuddle sometimes too, like if we sleep next to each other, or when we watch movies. He holds my hand when we're outside together.
Plus he did come for me in Madripoor, refusing to leave until I came back with him.
Are we together?
No.
We never talked about it, and this is just about him getting time with Mira and making sure she's raised properly. Plus, of course, figuring out all her powers stuff. So yeah, this is just… nothing.
We aren't anything.
Then how come my heart hurts when I think that? How come when I left, it hurt just as much to say goodbye to him as it did to Mira?
I'm pulled out of my thoughts by my phone vibrating in my pocket. I slip it out to find a call from Roller. I shake the feelings out of my head, returning to my stone-cold demeanor, and answer.
"What is it?"
"Hey, boss. Thought you might want to be made aware that we got a lead on this notebook and the black sludge."
My eyebrow lifts at his words. "And?"
"I had Echo look into some names we found in the journal, most of which lead back to a corporation in the U.S. that's connected to a Dr. Carlton. Who is apparently missing. Echo also found out one of his labs that was nearly destroyed around the time he went missing is now held by someone else—who doesn't seem to exist."
"What do you mean, doesn't exist?"
"The person that owns it is fake. Echo thinks it's some government agency. They have a habit of doing this kind of shit to hide stuff."
"Keep looking. And tell Echo to find that guy, Carlton."
"Already did, but for all intents and purposes, the guy is gone. Echo's found no traces of him aside from the countless lawsuits, but those are only being responded to by the current board of his dying company. If he isn't dead, he's completely off-grid."
"Send me the address for that building you mentioned. I'll look into it in person."
"You got it. By the way, Goliath and I sent a present over for the squirt. Hope that's okay."
I pause. They sent a present? Why? We never celebrated in the past—or maybe I just didn't. Goliath and Roller did always get Mira basically whatever she wanted. If I had to give them titles, I suppose you could consider them her godfathers.
I chuckle, remembering all the times Roller would put her on his shoulders. She would hold onto his hair and steer him around by it. I always worried she'd rip his scalp off by accident. Thank God that never happened—although he did lose a few patches of hair he never seemed to mind.
"That's fine. Thank you. Check back in when you have more."
"Got it."
Before he can hang up, my mouth moves before my thoughts can catch up. "Hey, Roller?"
"Yeah, boss?"
"What, um… do you get a guy… like, as a gift, if you don't know them well?" I stutter the words out, far too embarrassed by the damn question.
I mean, if they can get Mira a present, I can get Bucky a present.
I choose to ignore the glaringly large difference between the two.
"Who you getting a present for? 'Cause if it's me or Goliath, we like money. A raise wouldn't hurt."
I can hear the smug look on his face, as if I don't pay them obnoxiously large amounts already. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to send them—and Echo—a bonus for the holiday.
"No. Someone else. Just answer."
"I don't know. A gun is usually a safe option."
Never thought a gun would be considered a safe option in any situation. But it couldn't hurt. Not too personal or anything. Practical. Could work.
"Alright, thanks."
I hang up, cutting off his last words, which I know for a fact would be more questions about the man I'm buying a present for.