Has Your Interest In Me Been Strictly Professional?

Sue Storm watched Karla Sofen's eyes when she asked the question. Moonstone had a good poker face—but some reactions were autonomic, uncontrollable. The slight dilation of the villain's pupils told the Invisible Woman that the question had hit home.

Yet neither was Moonstone stupid. She was very intelligent and had good insight into human psychology. She met Sue Storm's gaze.

"You wouldn't ask unless you knew," Moonstone said, softly. "How much did you see?"

"Enough," Sue asked. Then her head tilted. "But you haven't answered the question. And I want to hear you say it."

Moonstone sighed. She sank into her chair a little, **** herself to relax.

"I experimented with my sexuality at university," the villain said, peeling back one onion-layer of her past and psyche. "I didn't have superpowers then. Didn't have a perfect body. But I wanted it. I was a gym rat and a psychology major. It wasn't difficult to find potential partners. At the time, I would say I was about a two on the Kinsey Scale. I could appreciate the female form. Had a few encounters. It was awkward, but I appreciated the beauty of the female form, and as I grew more confident and comfortable, I sought out both male and female companionship."

The villain sighed and closed her eyes. As though looking inward.

"Once I gained powers—put on a costume—I found that the subculture of supervillainy can be very judgmental about sexuality. Too many people get tied up with their kinks, too many macho assholes, incels—homosexuality of any sort can be detrimental to one's reputation. It's worse for men, that prison culture thing, but even women face a stigma. So I've largely avoided making my bisexual interests public. Something to indulge in private."

She opened her eyes again. They looked wet.

"I've seen you before. From afar. Seeing you in the flesh, up close. Talking about your sexual history, the stress it's causing you—it's the closest I've been with another woman in a long time. Years," Moonstone said. She gave another sigh. "At some point, my interest crossed the line into—fantasies. I knew a relationship with you was impossible. You're a hero, a married woman, and my patient. Completely unacceptable, even if you were—well, you wouldn't have any sexual interest in me. But yes, I developed a sexual interest in you. I masturbated while thinking about you. Did you know that?"

"Yes," Sue Storm said, aware now of the heat that had risen to her cheek. She'd hoped to catch Moonstone out in a lie. Instead, the other woman had revealed far more of herself than Sue had expected—and that sharing had been intimate. An exposure of a part of Moonstone that she normally kept hidden.

"So what now?" Karla said. "Back to prison?"

Sue Storm considered. That was certainly an option. Karla was, no doubt, a wanted woman. S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably want her for the Thunderbolts or something, but...

"I have another idea," Sue Storm said. "If you're willing."