Scene 13 - March 26th

Interior MLED Compound, Late Evening

Holly Koval

Quinn seemed to have been hit pretty hard by my father’s enchantment magic and my hasty countercharm, and I honestly had no idea how much, if anything, they’d remember - mind magic was a delicate thing, and I had poked at Tristan’s perception filter at the beach for more reason than the dubious-at-best legality of it. If they had forgotten me... I didn’t know what I’d do.

I couldn’t share my parents’ identities and didn’t think I could break that spell, despite what I had told my father - that order had been layered onto my mind since I was a little girl - but I wouldn’t have to say exactly which supervillains they were to tell Armstrong that Quinn had been mindwiped by my parents. And... and that was the least I would do, I swore to myself, if Quinn’s mind had been permanently damaged. If they had hurt them...

I fretted worriedly, glad that the compound was empty for once as I laid them down on the common room’s couch. If their mind didn’t wake up from its current state soon...

I could feel the blankness of their mind if I extended my senses towards them, and I hated the feeling. It was worse than the grayness that pervaded their thoughts whenever they got caught up in memories of their father - there were still thoughts beneath that, even if they were wrapped in grief, but now...

Just a few moments before I was about to psychically prod them, Quinn stirred. “Oh god,” they moaned. “Did anyone get the number of the bus that hit me?”

“Quinn,” I worriedly said, reaching for their hand. “Do you...” I swallowed. “What do you remember?”

They blinked a few times, eyes unfocused, before they met my gaze and smiled. “Holly! I remember...” Quinn frowned, their brow furrowing. “We sat down to eat... your dad was asking me about... why I wasn’t planning on being a doctor. And then... everything else is a blur. What happened?”

The relief I felt was indescribable - they had forgotten everything from the first time my father had used his mental magic on them, but nothing else. They hadn’t forgotten why we were there, they hadn’t forgotten the entire night, they hadn’t forgotten me. “It... don’t worry about it, Quinn,” I said, blinking a few tears away.

“But-”

“Don’t-” I started to say, lacing my voice with psychic undertones, then cut myself off before I could finish the suggestion. Quinn was already lucky to have survived with their mind intact - I shouldn’t upset that balance with more mind magic, no matter how much it would simplify things.

Especially because... hadn’t I just been yelling at my father for this exact thing? Mind control was his first resort whenever anything didn’t go his way, and here I was, about to forcibly prevent my best friend from thinking about what had happened tonight. I couldn’t do that to them. I shouldn’t do that to them. That was...

I was a piece of shit for even considering it.

I sighed. “It’s all over now,” I said to Quinn, refusing to let those harmonics enter my voice. “There’s nothing to worry about anymore.”

They hesitated. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. Don’t-” I bit my lip. How many times had I spoken those words, cast that spell? Was it really that instinctive, to prevent people from worrying about me? “Don’t worry about it.”

“...okay. If you say so,” Quinn said, lifting themself up into a crosslegged posture. “Hey, come here.” I leaned into them, and they pulled me into a comforting hug. “You’re shivering. This whole thing with your parents really has you freaked out, huh?”

I was shivering? I hadn’t even noticed. “Yeah,” I confessed. “It... they-” I knew what I must remain silent about. “-they’re pretty shitty people,” I managed. “But I’m done with them now. I never have to see them again.”

“And here you are, worrying about me when I probably just had too much to drink,” Quinn murmured. “I’m sorry. I was there to support you, and what did I do? I can’t even remember...”

“No, you were very helpful,” I promised them. “If you weren’t there.... like I said, I end up folding when I face them alone, and if you hadn’t been there...” If the person I loved hadn’t been there under threat, clear and imminent reason for me to marshal my courage... “I’m sure I would have folded again,” I finished.

Quinn nodded, their breath tickling the crook of my neck, and I shivered - noticing it this time, perhaps because it was a pleasant shiver rather than an unconscious, fearful one. Then they released me, but only enough to gently spin me around.

“Quinn, what are you - ooh,” I moaned as they began kneading my shoulders and the base of my neck, my eyes closing instinctively.

“You’re incredibly tense,” they said. “You need to relax a little, Holly.”

“I just... god, harder... it’s a combination of fear and relief and... and...”

“I know. It’s a lot,” they said sympathetically as I practically melted.

“...you’re really good at this,” I whispered.

“Thanks.”

“God... of all the fake partners I could have had tonight,” I couldn’t prevent myself from saying a few minutes later, “I’m glad it was you that my parents decided to fixate on.” Quinn laughed, and I continued, “you really would be a wonderful partner.”

Their hands paused for a moment, and they hesitantly said, “Holly, I... I was happy to step in and help tonight, and I’m glad that I can help relieve your stress, but...” I heard them swallow nervously. “...you do know we’re not actually dating, right?”

“Yes, Quinn, I know,” I responded, trying not to sound sad about it. However much I might like to...

“I think...” They swallowed again. “I think we’re on the same page about wanting to, unless I’ve misread things massively, but... I’m not ready yet. And... I don’t think you are either, right now.”

“...yeah,” I eventually admitted. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” They slowly began to massage my shoulders again, and I struggled to hold back another moan of pleasure. “...but don’t think I didn’t catch the ‘yet’ in there.”

I could hear the smile in their voice as they said, “Oh, I wanted you to.”