Settle Down Pt 10

We exit the showers smiling. Friday told me she was there but I didn't really give a damn as we walked past Mystique.

"You two have fun?" She comments nastily. Neo feels me squeeze her hand. She looks up and sees that I really don't care and she nods. She didn't either. "Wait for me outside?" She nods and even tips her hat to Mystique and does her little happy skip out the door.

I sigh and smiling turn to face her and lean on a bunk. "Actually we had a wonderful time. Thanks for asking."

Mystique looks disgusted. "I hope you weren't fucking your plaything in our shower."

I shake my head. "No we didn't make love in the shower. Also three points of fact. Neopolitan is her own person, not a "thing". We used the older "mens" side that I assumed you ladies haven't been using and, even if we hadn't, they're my showers. Yall are just using them. I own them... just like I own you."

She glared at my happy smile but conceeded the points silently. "You barely bought any clothes but you did get the basics. Did you get everything you needed?" I asked.

She just nodded her head. I waited. She glared at me, she wanted me to leave, and I cocked my head. I could wait all day. Finally she grumbled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Mystique," I told her. "We'll be having dinner in a bit. You've understandably opted out the last couple nights, yall were busy, but you've got no good reason not to now. Care to join us?"

"Is that a command?" She curtly inquired.

I shook my head. "No. Just an invite. You can stay down here if you want too." I waved towards the bunkhouses small kitchen. "There should be plenty of options if you want to dine by yourself. I don't see any of the others though so they must be dinning with us or making their escape attempts. Looks like if you stay it'll be a table for one... think you can make a can of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches without burning the place down?"

"I'll manage," she said testily.

I nodded. "Good because Friday will be babysitting you anyway... always. If you change your mind come on up to the house." I deliberatly turn my back to leave and she tries to strike me.

The system stops her but unlike with the others she doesn't get punished for it. She tries again and again her futile attempts. I let her. She needs this.

I wait a while. When she stops I continue to leave. "Why?" She asks.

"Because that's how it needs to be," I tell her. "I'll see you around."

I offer Neo my arm and we drive Silver up to the house and go on up. Neo goes in to try on a couple of outfits and I sit on the porch next to one of the other bunkhouse occupants. "Good to see you," I tell her.

"I find that hard to believe, human," she states.

I chuckle. "Well believe it or not, it is, Demona. I like seeing who you truly are. Will you be joining us for dinner tonight? I hope so."

She gives me a funny look but crosses her arms and nods. "I was considering it. I can cover a lot of ground quickly if need be."

I nodded. "You might as well on a full belly. I would in your place."

She gives me another look. "Would you? In my place if the situations were reversed."

I nodded again. "I probably would. But it would depend."

"On?" She asked.

I smirked. "If my lovely captor treated me as well as I have you, I might not try to hard some nights. I might even take the occasional night off..."

She actually laughed and so did I. "Seriously though," I said. "I would be happy to see you join us for dinner. I've actually been worried since several of you skipped them for a while."

"Have you really worried about that?" She asked.

I smiled. "Only a little. You four are survivors. I know you can handle yourselves. But you are still my responsibility. That includes your health. Missing meals is not good. You need to keep your strength up."

She shakes her head. "You're a strange man... but you do take your responsibilities and duties as host seriously. Not many do anymore. I can respect that."

Walt chuckled and stared of across the valley. "You can thank my grandparents and their grandparents and so on. They kept the old ways and traditions alive... well, the important ones anyway."

Demona did too. "From across the sea to the peoples of that land?"

Walt nodded. "Aye, them too. Stark is an old name... but also your viking invaders hou dealt with from those times as well... and when they came here they embraced the folks they found here as well. Some of the few who treated them as friends and family. Guest right is an important tradition." He turned to look at her seriously. "If you bring no harm to my house and those under it's protection, I'll continue to treat you like one, Demona."

She nodded. "And if I break that right like Mystique you'll deal harshly with me? I can accept that much. You've been a good host even though I don't like you. You even use my name."

"I thought it would be disrespectful to call you Dominique when I know that isn't who you are," he said. "I do want to help you. I know how awful things have been for you and while some of that's your own fault, some of it was bad luck and misfortune. I don't even blame your hatred of humanity. You'd be a fool to trust me blindly and the same goes for me trusting you... but we should start somewhere so I've extended my hand and as long as you don't break the very few rules I'm willing to be patient."

She laughs and Walt can't help but admire her beauty a moment. Fierce and powerful beauty. "Firstly none of those things are my fault, human. I may have made mistakes but almost all of them were "trust". You might have to wait a longtime!"

Walt smirked. "Agree to disagree. Infact I'd suggest using your time here to think about things like that but I won't insist on it. I'm in no rush. What's a few lifetimes? And maybe not as long as you think. I'll let my actions do my speaking for me. Would you like me to find Angela for you?"

Her eyes flash red. "And do what? Enslave her here with you to hold hostage over my head? And what makes you think I care?"

Walt shook his head. "No. Do I really seem that way to you? And if you didn't care you wouldn't have tried so hard to protect her and that's what I mean, protect her here. Give her the same dignity and respect I have you. Keep you together and safe until my dying day... and perhaps beyond."

Demona shuts her mouth silently for a long while. Walt shakes his head. "I know you think it's one of your greatest strengths but I do not want you to be "alone", Demona. I have been that way myself for a longtime until just recently. You don't have to decide right away but please consider my offer."

She hesitantly nods. "I will think on it."

Walt nods too. "Good."

Dinner was excellent and enjoyed by almost everyone as Mystique did indeed decide not to attend. Seeing as it was Saturday and the weather wasn't bad they had a impromptu barbecue!

The folks from Fashion Fantasy did stay and enjoyed themselves. Deadpool and Walt had good time hanging out at the grill and swapping stories with Roberta, Blake, Sasha, Aela and Tsuyu.

Many of the girls continued to talk with Edna about clothes and fashion including Neo, Manami, Haruna and Anastasia. Rarity had a good time talking with Penny and Senko but also Pirotess and Demona.

After Ahnassi and Sienna convinced her to celebrate her even bigger sale Ms Tiffany really cut loose after several drinks! She dropped her formality with the ladies and gushed about how cute and lovely they all were! She ended up passed out cuddling Raven and Ilulu.Walt looked at Deadpool and he sighed and nodded. He called and arranged to have some 3S folks drive them all home safe.

"Walter, how about you let me take over the grill?" Senko said.

Walt looked at her and was about to say something when Penny grabbed his utensils passing them to her. "Thank you Senko! That is a wonderful suggestion!" Neo was already helping him take off his apron. He wasn't sure what they had in mind untill he saw them push him towards where Sienna was waiting for them.

"Oh!" He blushed as the three of them led him upstairs to the new bed. Pyrrha, Ahnassi and Lita gave them winks. Even Kali gave them a suggestive look.

Walter shook his head. "Seems my dance card is already full..."

Penny snd Neo grinned nodding as they led him by the hand. Sienna was already taking his clothes off and whispered into his ear. "Very full... there's a line," and then shut the door.

"Boy howdy," said Walter hoping he'd drank enough fluids and at least grateful the girls were taking turns.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba also with Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress and Serana

Will Return In

Settle Up

Coming Soon]