@of-flexibility
If he’s being honest, he’s still getting used to the whole “hero” gig. The fans, the lights, the positive feedback, reprogramming all of his bots and inventions to do good instead of wreak havoc in the name of evil ...it’s all so incredibly different and disorienting at times as he attempts to settle into this new niche. But if there’s anything that makes this monumental lifestyle change worth every ounce of confusion and insecurity ...it’s Roxanne.
It turned out being good certainly had its perks -- and undoubtedly the most affluent benefit of all was getting the girl. Not just any girl -- but Roxanne Ritchi. The woman who could match his wit, who’s always been able to go toe to toe with him, who could floor him with one bat of her dark, whispery lashes over those striking silver blue eyes ...he felt his kneecaps turning into jelly just thinking about it as he stood there on the doorstep of the address she had instructed him to pick her up at. The fact that it wasn’t her apartment had initially seemed a little strange to him -- but when she’d explained she was visiting a friend of hers, he’d brushed the oddity off as something perfectly natural for people who weren’t super villains hiding in their evil lairs all the time for fear of being taken to prison to do.
Tugging nervously at the black leather collar of his cowl, he squared his shoulders and poked the doorbell with his index finger -- twice. Granted his “relationship” with Roxanne was still rather fresh and filled with youthful trepidation ...but all the same, he found himself momentarily fretting what sort of impression he would leave on whatever friends she possessed. Given his evil history, it probably ...wouldn’t be a good one. Then again, all of Metro City had accepted his endeavor to turn over a new leaf with surprising enthusiasm -- so maybe Roxanne’s friends wouldn’t be any different.
...still. Maybe he should have opted for the white cape he tended to wear for public events to appear less ...well, evil. Suddenly he found himself second-guessing his typical choice of black leather and spiky-shouldered death cape. Maybe there was still time to run back to the invisible car and --
-- too late. The door of the humble suburban home opened up to reveal a fresh and unfamiliar face to the reformed villain; a woman approximately Roxanne’s age with brown hair that swept just beneath the level of her jaw and oak brown eyes that seemed to take him in with some ...understandable shock. Suddenly feeling rather small, he lifted one gloved hand in an awkward wave -- then, realizing that it too was clad in intimidating black leather, he snapped it back down to his side and offered her a sheepish but earnest grin.
❝ – Oh. Uh ...hi! -- Um! I’m, uh ...ollo. I mean -- hello. Yes. I’m ...here to pick up Roxanne? ❞












