The smell of cinnamon rouses me from my slumber, and who exactly is cooking cinnamon rolls in my house after all I’m the only one who lives here?

  One second after that, I remember my current living situation and become minorly irritated at what this means.

  I get out of bed and quickly change into clean clothes before leaving my office and heading into the kitchen to see Amelia pulling cinnamon rolls out of the oven as Bianca eats a waffle at the table.

  From behind, Amelia looks almost entirely normal. Leggings, a paint-splattered hoodie except where someone was hugging said hoodie during the paint incident, and her hair done in a bun.

  “Before you get upset at me!” Amelia says, pointedly not turning around. “Bianca was hungry, and you were passed out.”

  “I thought you were going to threaten me with cinnamon roll violence.”

  “Why would I do that? I want to eat them.”

  “Fair.”

  “So, do either you or Bianca have any issues eating something literally right out of the oven because I’m pretty sure I can eat these right out of the pan without getting burnt, and I’m going to do it,” Amelia says, turning towards me, hand reaching towards the cinnamon rolls on the counter.

  “No idea, but I’ve been using oven mitts anyway.” I say, gesturing to the pair of oven mitts in question.

  “That’s lame. Where’s the fun in that?” Amelia says, plucking a cinnamon roll out of the pan and setting it on Bianca’s now empty plate.

  “I just don’t feel like broadcasting how off I am now.”

  “Jason, if you and your void eyes are off that would make me and Bianca walking circus attractions.” She laughs. “Besides, we are home, right? And that means we’re supposed to be comfortable.”

  “Okay, I’ll try.”

  I grab a waffle from the pile on the counter before sitting down next to Bianca, eating it as I look around to see if anything else has happened to my kitchen.

  Bianca reaches towards me, making a grasping motion.

  “Yeah?” I ask, leaning down to see if I can better figure out what she’s asking from me.

  A wire reaches from her outstretched finger and takes the sunglasses off ?my face. Sunglasses now in her hand, Bianca shakes them a few times before returning her attention back to the waffle.

  “Amelia?”

  “Yes?” she says, feigning innocence.

  “You’re being a bad influence.”

  “Angelic inspiration, you mean.”

  “You win.” I sigh, finishing the waffle before going to grab a second one.

  “And you’re a heathen who doesn’t put anything on his waffles and eats them like they’re a piece of toast.” Amelia says, setting down in her chair, plate piled high with waffles and syrup.

  “That’s not relevant.”

  “I’m just saying you can’t be trusted in every capacity.”

  Once my second waffle is done, I let myself finally have a cinnamon roll and let out a happy sigh as I finally get the chance to taste it.

  “Good, right?”

  I give a happy nod of agreement.

  “So I know your plan is for me to rest in bed for the day, but could we at least swing by my apartment so I can pick up more clothes than what I usually keep here?” Amelia asks gently.

  “Sure?” I say, trying to remember where I last put my keys.

  “I also want to get my laptop since I lost my phone in the kidnapping.” She continues to cause my brain to pause at that statement.

  Phone.

  Something about the phone.

  Where was it?

  I snap my fingers as soon as I remember what I was going to do! “I actually have your phone!”

  Amelia whirls on me, staring. “You do!” She races over, grabbing my hands. “You've gotta hand it over. I need my fix!”

  “Let me grab it.”

  Amelia is practically hanging off of me as I make my way towards my room and to my desk before rifling through the drawer to reveal a familiar-looking phone.

  “Holy crap! Even after being kidnapped, I haven’t cracked a screen!” Amelia cackles.

  “We are all in awe of you.”

  “You even bothered to charge it? Jason, has anyone ever told you that you are really weird?” She asks, still hanging on top of me, as she scrolls through her phone.

  “It just seemed like the right thing to do. If you don’t want me to next time, I won’t charge it.”

  “No, next time you’ll get kidnapped and I’ll be the hero.”

  “I would much rather prefer that.” I laugh, turning to face her, the two of us almost nose to nose.

  “What you want to be the damsel in distress and not have to deal with all the work involved with being a hero?” She teases, tapping me on the nose.

  “Nothing like that.” I snort trying to dodge the finger trying to poke me. “You’re just the person I imagine being the closest to being a hero.”

  Amelia freezes, not literally, as she looks at me before giving me a small smile. “I think you cut a dashing figure yourself.”

  I phase letting Amelia fall to the floor in a heap as I go back to the kitchen. “Hey Bianca?” I ask, patting her head. “Do you want to go out with me and Amelia today?”

  Bianca nods before shyly holding my sunglasses out to me.

  “I’ll only wear them if you want to wear yours.” I reply gently, pushing them back to her.

  Bianca looks at me and the sunglasses, trying to figure out her thoughts before putting them on the table.

  “You think we should buy Amelia sunglasses too so we all match?” I offer.

  Bianca seems to ponder it just in time for Amelia to have made her way back to the kitchen.

  Why she has yet to decide to stand back up is beyond me, but she seems content scooting along the floor as she scrolls on her phone.

  Bianca finally nods excitedly because the idea of all three of us hitting the town with matching sunglasses seems to fit in her desires quite nicely.

  A snowball hits me in the hip. I give a withering glare to Amelia as I step fully between Bianca and the snow blaster.

  “What?”

  “I needed attention?”

  “For?”

  “I was wondering why you sent me money to my bank account last month?” She says, sliding up the side of the wall instead of getting up like a normal person.

  “I didn’t know how much money was in your account for rent, especially with you not going into work for obvious reasons. So I was going to keep paying for your apartment at least till you got back so you wouldn’t lose your home.” I explain, shrugging. “Was the best thing I could do for you at the time.”

  Amelia finally stops her worm impression to race forward and give me a hug.

  Despite the fact that physically it is cooler by a noticeable margin. The hugs feel as warm as always.

  Maybe even warmer.

  I hug Amelia back, letting myself enjoy the moment.

  “That place was just stuff you know you didn’t have to waste money on it,” she says, trying to play it off.

  “And money is just stuff yet to be purchased. It was important to me, so that’s what I did.” I say firmly.

  “On the bright side, I don’t have to worry about giving my two weeks' notice to quit work and become a superhero since I’m already fired and shit.” Amelia laughs, tucking her phone into the hoodie, at least some of her notifications cleared.

  “That’s a silver lining.”

  “Silver is a good color; maybe I should go with a silver and white superhero outfit.”

  “I—”

  Amelia races past me, grabbing Bianca’s hands. “Oh, I’m sorry. Your color scheme is going to be white and silver. You definitely got first dibs on it, sorry? for trying to steal.”

  Bianca looks at Amelia for a second before sneezing.

  “We can swing by your place before we go shopping; does that sound good?” I offer going to start the dishes so they don’t start piling up.

  “The adventure begins!” Amelia cheers, pumping a fist into the air. “Say Bianca wanna have me help you get dressed for the day so your daddy can be all lame and adult-like doing dishes?”

  Bianca stares at the table wires sprouting from underneath her sleeves. The wires slither around her dishes, moving them over to the sink next to me.

  Or all but one of them do.

  “Bianca, you can’t have two cinnamon rolls. You can have one after lunch or dinner today.” I say, not turning around.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Something else moves behind me, reaching towards the cinnamon rolls.

  “Amelia, you also don’t get to have another cinnamon roll until you’ve eaten more real food.”

  “I made them!”

  “And I’m your doctor today, and I say no more cinnamon rolls till we’re back.”

  “This is cruel and unusual punishment,” Amelia complains, picking Bianca up and taking her to the guest room.

  I pull my awareness back as I go about doing the dishes.

  Actually, why am I bothering to scrub off all of the food residue?

  With a force of will, I phase the plate; what was once staining it splatters to the sink. Getting the dishes ready for the dishwasher is ?significantly faster? now that all I need to do is give them a little tap.

  “I’m going to go and get changed too!” I call out, drying off my hands before entering my room to grab clothes.

  Pausing from my task, I text myself a reminder to move some clothes to my office so I don’t accidentally barge in on Amelia while she’s staying here.

  The door to my room swings open once again. “Hope everyone’s decent!” Amelia says, “covering” her eyes the exact same way anime characters do when they’re pretending not to peek.

  “Aren’t you supposed to say that before knocking? Or coming in?” I point out as I slip on a black jacket.

  “You’re a dude, aren’t you supposed to want people to stare at you shirtless?” Amelia muses.

  “No, that’s not how it works.” I say, shaking my head as I slip on my shoes.

  “Weird, I’ve never had issues with people looking at me,” Amelia says, tapping her finger against her chin.

  “That’s because you have no shame.” I remind her.

  “False! It is because I have absolute confidence in who I am, and that means I have no reason to wonder what anybody watching thinks about me,” Amelia decides.

  Once my jacket and shoes are on, I flex my hands a few times. “You ready to go?”

  “Yup. Though I want a fit check.” She says, giving me a little twirl.

  “You seem normal.”

  Amelia makes a buzzer sound. “Wrong answer, boyo.”

  “Then what is the right answer?” I ask, putting a hand on her shoulder and steering her out the room so we can on time.

  “I’m festive-looking. I'm in a turtleneck sweater dress and leggings.” Amelia explains, wrapping an arm around my waist as we walk in step. “Very different from my oversized hoodie and leggings look.”

  “You ready to go Bianca?” I ask, looking at the bundled-up child playing with a small pile of snow.

  “Don’t we look all cute and domestic?” Amelia jokes as I hold Bianca in my arms as we aim for the door.

  “I suppose?”

  “Can’t forget these.” Amelia says, snatching up my sunglasses and tucking them away somewhere I didn’t catch.

  “Shouldn’t I wear those?”

  “You heard Bianca. We’re not going to let you or her wear your sexy sunglasses until I have a pair for myself so we can hit the town together as the coolest trio.” Amelia reminds me as we make our way to the car.

  “Do you want to drive?” I ask, pulling the keys out of a pocket and offering them out to her.

  “Fuck that, I’ll be a passenger princess happily today.” Amelia hisses, physically shirking away from the keys in question.

  “You could have literally just said no,” I say, unlocking the car and helping Bianca get situated in her seat.

  Amelia sticks her tongue out at me as I circle the car to the driver’s side.

  Her music selection is so very different from the songs I pick when I’m driving by myself.

  The most glaring point being that I can’t understand any of the lyrics being sung in the songs because they’re all in languages I don’t know.

  “Is it odd that I thought the whole world would change while I was gone?” Amelia asks, face pressed against the window as she stares out at the world passing us by.

  I purse my lips trying to think about what my answer is. It is a little bit odd to think it would pass you by, but I kind of get it. I thought the whole world would look different once I became super. “I don’t think it’s that odd.”

  “You think I’m strong enough to make the whole city snow? Because I would love to have a white Christmas no matter how unlikely the weatherman might think it’s going to be,” Amelia says.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her draw a smiley face on the window, freezing it as she goes, leaving a small ice fractal pattern on the window looking at me with its soulless smiley face eyes.

  “Wouldn’t that be more supervillain esque to do that?”

  “Only if I do it unprompted or if I do it because the town didn’t meet my blackmail request. But if I do it as a gift to the city or if I fought a supervillain the previous night and pushed myself to the point to blanketing the city with snow…” Amelia trails off before spinning around looking at me with the eyes of someone who has a batshit crazy idea.

  “No.”

  “You didn’t even know what I was going to ask you. This isn’t fair; this is homophobic!” Amelia cries foul.

  “Fine, I’ll hear you out.”

  “So would you be willing to find a second costume and dramatically fight me Christmas Eve so that I use enough power to make it snow in the city?” She asks, eyes practically sparkling with delight.

  “What all would dramatically fighting you on Christmas Eve as a pretend supervillain entail?” I ask speeding up to the speed limit now free from the school zone.

  “Well, normally I would say fighting under the mistletoe, but you wear a helmet, and I’m probably also going to wear one, so that doesn’t work nearly as well.” Amelia says, crossing her arms as she blows a strand of hair out of her eyes.

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  The rest of the drive continues in silence before ending up at Amelia’s apartment.

  “Okay, time to break into my home because I don’t have keys!” Amelia cheers, getting out of the car and snatching Bianca as well before I have the chance to do so.

  Leaving the car, I follow Amelia up the stairs before using my abilities to easily break into her apartment without a problem. “Are you going to get in trouble for losing your keys?”

  Amelia puts a hand over Bianca’s ear, pressing her to her chest as she flips the bird towards the ceiling. “They can suck my dick. I got kidnapped.” Amelia complains.

  “Good to be home?” I ask, sitting on top of the table.

  “Good to be home.” She agrees setting Bianca down so that she can explore on her own as she herself pointedly does not look towards her bedroom door.

  “Is something the matter?” I ask, reaching a hand towards her shoulder.

  “I’m not ready to stay here again.” Amelia says, looking at her door with trepidation.

  “We’re not staying here, just visiting, right?” I say, going to her and putting a hand on her back to steady her.

  “Yeah. I just.” Amelia trails off before spinning in place and hugging me tightly. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  “Hey, I’m right here, remember.” I say, running a hand down her back in hopefully a comforting manner. “No matter how many walls you place between us, only one will ever stop me from standing next to you.”

  “Sorry, that’s too romantic for my tastes.” Amelia laughs, pushing away from me, smile back on her face.

  “That is too romantic for you?”

  “I am tropetually obligated to kiss, kiss, fall in love with someone with fire powers, so you need to keep your hands to yourself, mister!” She says, going to hide behind Bianca, comically crouching behind the small girl.

  “If you don’t want any hugs, that’s fine.” I say, opening the door to her room and beginning to pack clothes up for her.

  “Welllllll,” Amelia says, joining me in the room, Bianca in her arms. “I suppose I can be persuaded that the bounds of platonic adoration entail whatever we feel inclined to have in it.”

  “Is one of those things included willing to help me pack for you?” I ask.

  “Nah,” she says. “Can’t you see I have my arms full carrying this little goober?” Amelia says, nuzzling a nose against Bianca’s cheek as Bianca cheers silently.

  “Got it.” I agree packing slowly.

  Part of me wants to ask her about that, but no matter how many variations I can come up with, none of them really speak to me as the proper way to broach the subject.

  At this point, I’m left hoping that Amelia would share on her own, which isn’t exactly the most realistic goal, but what can I do?

  “You’re doing Friendsgiving, right?”

  “Yup.”

  “Just the gang or more folks?”

  “More. Asher, Travis, Sasha, presumably whoever else they invite for plus ones, and the gang.” I explain placing the laptop in the bag between layers of clothing.

  “I try getting you to socialize for a decade, and you refuse to make friends. I leave for a month and you’re back with three more. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel.” Amelia harrumphs. “What about you, Bianca? How should I feel?”

  “Traditionally this is where your massive ego would say: damn shame you needed to have three new friends and you still couldn’t fill the hole in your life left by me.” I point out kicking an article of clothing at her.

  “True!”

  I roll my eyes.

  “It’s a damn shame you needed three new friends, and you were still unable to fill the hole in your heart I left.” Amelia laughs, flopping onto her bed, sending the bag I’m packing into the air slightly.

  “I’m pretty sure you failed to follow the script.”

  “The greatest actresses embellish to make every line they say better.”

  “Red hoodie with dragons on it or the black one with flowers?” I ask, holding up the two hoodies in question.

  “Both. Unpack the purple one with diamonds on it.” Amelia hums, plucking the purple hoodie out of the bag.

  “On it.”

  “So back to some original point I have long since lost I was thinking that I don’t really want to deal with people new or old till then give me some time to adjust to all of this you know?” Amelia continues holding Bianca up in the air as creatures of snow blur into existence.

  “If you need space from me, just ask.” I assure her as I go around picking up more of the laundry strewn over the floor, sorting it as I go.

  “Nah, you’re not a person. You’re a warm blanket soothing to the soul.”

  “You speak only in tongues.”

  “How dare you I speak in nonsense.”

  “What is the difference?”

  “That I’m right and you’re wrong, so stop arguing back.”

  “Yes, Amelia.” I sigh.

  Amelia entertains herself fussing over Bianca as I continue to pack and clean up the laundry in her apartment.

  Why she has a giant dresser and nothing is in it is a mystery that I’ve never figured out.

  “I’ve been thinking that maybe I should change my clothing style.” Amelia muses as she tosses Bianca in the air.

  Spinning on a heel, I dart towards the falling Bianca hoping to catch her in time only to watch ice and snow materialize in front of me as a slide, which Bianca goes down silently giggling before landing back on Amelia’s belly.

  And then the ice all vanishes as if it had never been there.

  I shake my head trying to recalibrate to back to what we were talking about before she threw Bianca in the air.

  There it is. “In what way?” I ask, surprised. As far as I know, Amelia has been wearing the same clothing style since before I met her.

  “Well, while at home, I’ll still be me. Going grocery shopping while I look like Frankenstein’s monster is going to be a pain. Not so bad now with it being cold. With my hair down and sunglasses on, I could pass pretty easily, but it’ll be weird in summer if I go with the usual look.” Amelia explains.

  “I can see how that could be a bit difficult.” I agree.

  “It’s a little irritating, but between getting accosted while I’m out buying pads because I forgot to buy some last time I ran out or wearing long sleeves, it’s a pretty easy pick.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that with me though. Just be comfortable at home.” I say, folding the last few pieces of clothing I can fit into the bag before placing them inside.

  “That’s really sweet of you. But I do want to make a bad joke.”

  “You always want to make bad jokes. What’s stopping you this time?”

  “I feel like I’m going to sneeze, and I don’t want to accidentally ruin my joke halfway through.” Amelia says, scrunching up her nose and glaring at it as if it is doing some great sin.

  Laughing, I lean against a wall for support, trying to steady my breathing.

  “Don’t you laugh at me!” Amelia whines. “This is very serious. What if it never comes out, huh! What if for the rest of my life I’m stuck almost about to sneeze? How will you take care of me then?”

  “Just tell the joke. If it hasn’t come out now, it’s not going to.”

  “Fair point.” Amelia says, relaxing. “Why Ja-” Amelia is cut off as she sneezes rapidly and uncontrollably.

  I can’t hold it in at this point and let myself sink to the floor laughing only to laugh even harder as she glares at me between sneezes.

  Once I have recovered from my own giggles and Amelia is still doing war with sneezing, I stand up, zipping the duffel shut.

  “You know, while I have my audience captive here.” I gloat as Amelia gasps for breath, glaring at me. “I promise you can stay with me and Bianca for as long as you want.”

  “What?”

  “You’re home to me, and I like to think I am in some ways home for you too. So just stay with us for a while. We can worry about finding you a new place or moving back here when you’re ready.”

  Amelia stares at me for a second before looking down at Bianca.

  Bianca, in response, places a hand on Amelia’s hand and squeezes tightly.

  “And what if I’m never ready to stand on my own again?” She practically whispers.

  I sit down next to her, leaning my head on her shoulder. “Then don’t. For as long as you need me, I’ll stand with you.”

  “And if I don’t need you?”

  “Then for as long as you want me, of course.”

  “And what about you?”

  “Amelia, you should know this by now. I don’t do things that I either don’t want or don’t get something out of. I choose to stand by you. For no other reason? than my own. I am a selfish creature. The fact that it helps you just happens to be a minor side benefit.”

  Amelia rests her head against mine, breathing slowly. “I’m not going to ask you to debut as a hero like I want to. But I would like you in my corner from the shadows while I get settled, when we get that far.”

  “Obviously.”

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