The Gala Continued

"May I cut in?"

Dazzler grinned at Jubilee. "Absolutely!" She kissed her friend and possibly fellow teammate on the cheek. "But I want a dance with both of you beautiful people later, 'kay?"

Jubilee kissied her cheek back. "Kay, Ali! Go break some hearts beautiful!" She turned to Walt. "I, uh..."

Walt smiled and took her hand taking off his hat. He bowed and kissed it. "May I have the pleasure of a dance beautiful?"

Jubilee rolled her eyes but blushed as her friends clapped, whistled and cheered. "Big goofball... yeah of course!"

Walt smiled and took her in his arms. True Colors started playing as he started slow dancing with her. Jubilee swallowed. "I messed up. I should have told you. I'm sorry-"

"Shush," he said shaking his head. "I'm so proud of you. You want to help others. Help them like only you can. Even after all the bad things that have happened to you. I love that about you." He smiled. "It's just one of the many things that I love about you. You don't ever have to apologize for that."

Jubilee nodded and held him tighter. "You too. I love that about you too! The way you try, fight so hard for others. Holding nothing back! I love you!" She blinked back tears.

Walt nodded squeezing her tight. "If you want to be an X-Man, or anything else, when you're here you have my full support and if you need me, I'll be there. I just need you to remember... in every fight, every battle, every dangerous situation... you carry my heart with you. And not just mine. Shogo's, Penny's, Gwen's, Jen's, Neo's, Pyrrha's... all of our friends and family. You never fight alone, even when you are. Understand, my love?" He asked wiping away her tears.

She nodded smiling. "I do! You carry my heart with you no matter where you are or what you do too! Walt, I-"

"I know," he said hugging her. "I know. I love you so much it scares me too."

He felt her nod against his chest. "Is it always like this?" She asjed

Walt nodded. "Yup. That's how you know it's real... I promise you. I'll always come back to you no matter what."

Jubilee nodded, she knew it wasn't possible... but she believed him, and reached up to grab his head and pull him down for a kiss whispering, "Me too. I promise to always come back to you. I love you."

"And I love you," he said then kissed her.

Neo smiled pointing and Penny smiled too. "Oh good! That is a relief!"

Emma smiled. "She's grown up so strong. Still" she looked at Penny and Neo. "It's surprising that, that is how things are! A harem."

Neo shrugged and Penny nodded. "Is it though? I understand that technically that is the definition... but it does not operate like any harem I know of." She shook her head. "Infact in practice it works more the other way. You think so too, Neo?"

Neo nodded. Walter didn't run their lives as much as he let them run his. Especially in the relationships with all of them. [He gives all of himself to us unconditionally... there's so much of Walt it takes all of us to try to balance that scale and it still isn't equal to the task. But he doesn't see it that way.]

Penny nodded. "Yes. Walter doesn't care about the "scale" being balanced." She smiled. "That's where he's unfair. To himself. That is why we are doing the negotiating!"

Emma shook her head. "You both presume much. I'll admit he's interesting but I'm not sure it's worth joining your little "love circle"-"

"Garden," Penny corrected her smiling sweetly.

Emma stared at her. "Right... "garden". You have to admit it's ridiculous sounding-"

"Why?" Penny asked and Neo grinned. She was excited to see if Penny could work her spell over the telepath... and if so, she was looking forward to watching her and Walt break her! Emma looked fun that way!

She kind of tuned out their conversation to look for the other targets... she shook her head. No not "targets". "Candidates". There was Elyia standing with Pepper.

Pepper was definitely interested. That much was obvious. She obviously had a past friendly relationship with Walt and the Tony guy. She wondered how friendly it had gotten? She wasn't being blatant about it, infact she acted "cool", but her attraction was practically palpable... Walt's too. They were subtly flirtatious. She was guessing a past path not taken. Probably because of their dead friend, this Tony guy. It looked like a reasonable push or situation with Walt would tip that one all on it's own... and probably be a very good thing.

Elyia was another matter. There was definitely something going on between that one and Walter but it was a bit more nebulous. Still something was definitely up. Somekind of bond or attraction. She also had a feeling that one had hidden layers and depths.

And there were others. The friendly interest of the blond earlier. The brunette with the white streak. Something deeper with the redhead in green but she was clearly infatuated with two other men. The one who looked uptight with the ruby glasses and the short, muscular guy with odd hair.

Then there was this other redhead watching from across the room by the heroes. Something widow. She was talking with the spider guy who was like a less interesting Gwen, the shield guy and Jen. So Jen knew who she was. She made a mental note to ask Jen about her. She wasn't being obvious but she was definitely watching Walt with interest. Hold on... something's up.

Looks like some emergency somewhere and they're leaving. Jen asking Walt and him giving them a thumbs-up and Jen a quick kiss before she left with them. Jen hugging him and Jubilee together before heading out. Gwen looking at Walt and him nodding and her rushing to join the others grinning. Pulling out her phone to message her friends. Probably that Em Jay person to reschedule their meeting. Cute.

Neo smiled. She'd started thinking like Penny herself. It was... fun. Sure it was strange and other things too but it was fun! Maybe because it was something that she'd never had before? A place to belong. Family. A real caring family. It didn't change what had happened to Trivia Vanille so long ago... but maybe that was okay. She looked at Manami who was recording Walt and Jubilee dancing. Her nearly obsessive love for him... and yet the sweet girl was smiling and happy sharing him too. Manami turned away from looking through her camera breifly to smile at Neo and Neo smiled back. She cared about her... Like a sister or maybe something more. Would she have felt this way before Walt and Penny?

No, she decided. Likely not. She had changed. Was still changing. And no one had changed her but herself. She was growing. And she wasn't the only one. They all were bit by bit.

She raised her glass and drank watching the dancers. Walt and Jubilee. Blake and Yang. Pyrrha and Tsuyu laughing at Nora. She was happy for them. For others... and herself.

She also saw Curie watching Walt intently. Curious. She'd gone home earlier... ah! Neo smiled seeing her talking to Baroness. "Curie" had to be Mystique. There was definitely something going on between those two and Walt as well! Mystique seemed to be in denial still but Anastasia was definitely attracted to him. The villainesses icy demeanor and hearts were thawing. She was certain of it. Walt had that effect on people... especially if they were ladies!

She looked back at Penny and smiled. She was a bit peculiarly "purer" than Walt but they were similar that way. They both worked hard to try to make others happy and encourage them with little to no reservations... they had done that for her, so she wanted to help them as well. What she hadn't expected was how that made her feel. How close she had become to others... and vice-versa.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee and Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters

Will Return In

Trouble

Coming Soon]