This was meant to be posted on Friday the 13th, but can also be read on Tuesday the 13th.
I'm sorry I'm a terrible person that can't get their priorities straight.

okay. okay-okay. make-up, check. wallet, check. laptop, usb's, food, check check. gotta put on these damn heels... ah, there. phone... phone. phone? where the hell is my phone?

*riiing ring-ring. riiing ring-ring*

She rolled her eyes to herself when she realized it was in her coat pocket the whole time. Juggling her brown bag breakfast in one hand and moving the satchel holding her laptop in the other, she fumbled to reach around her waist to answer the call. Looking at the caller I.D. drew out another eye roll from the young brunette.

"He-ey mom. Look, I'm pretty busy and need to run out if I want catch this meeting on ti-"

"Kouklítsa! What do you think you're doing going out on today of all days, you could get hurt!"

Puzzled, she reeled her head back to stare at the phone's screen and turned around to look out the windows of her loft apartment; cloudy sky, chirping birds flying noisily past the glass, steady traffic heard from down below.

Putting the phone slowly back to her ear, she inquired "Uh, mom? It's fine where I'm at, I don't know what you're insinu-"

"Anoisίa, you know of all days not to step out of your house on the 13th! I hope you take your filahtά with you, or at least a some garlic."

Stopped in her movement towards the front door, Roxanne twisted her lips in a humourless grin. "Mom, really? I need to go, I'm kind of in a rush, besides you always call regardless if it lands on a Tuesday or Friday."

"Ah, psh." she heard coming in through the phone's headset, followed by a stream of clicks she could only assume was her mother clicking her tongue on her front teeth. "You know baskanίa isn't picky on it's days or people. I hope you didn't forget your rosary."

Making her way across the room, the steady voice kept expressing her concerns over the call.

"Tréla Mou, did you eat anything yet? You know you need to keep yourself fed so you can be well and strong, that way you can find yourself a decent husband. Or at least keep yourself healthy for that Metro Man."

oh please.

"-If you were still here at home I could cook for you all the time, keep you nice and fed. You know you have to keep yourself fed-"

"Oh for the love of god mom," Roxanne whined into the phone as she made her final steps across the room, un-doing the latch on her door to step outside. " I'm fine. It's all just superst-"

*CRACK*

She paused, looking down to the foot she had stuck out the door first.

Her grey heel had snapped at the base without so much as a warning, her ankle twisted dangerously close to being sprained. She slowly lifted her foot while muttering under her breath, her mother still going on a rant into the phone.

"Mom? Mom I have to go."

After not getting her mothers attention, Roxanne voiced a "Mamá" into the mouthpiece to let her know she was in a hurry.

"Okay, but remember to take your umbrella with you, it will rain, I can smell it. And don't open it inside!"

With one final groan she said her goodbyes and slipped the phone into her pocket, still staring down to her shoe in disbelief. Slipping off both heels she placed her items on the kitchen counter and headed upstairs for a change, opting for low heeled black wedges instead. Looking through her jewelry box she had left open on the nightstand, she scolded herself for letting her mother's antics get to her when she started digging through it to pull out her mάti bracelet that was hiding underneath the rest of the jewelry, slipping the blue glass beads over her left wrist.

On her way back down, she eyed her front door suspiciously and turned to her window, thinking momentarily before walking over to pick up one of her cactus' from the sill and heading back to the front door to place it on the entry table.

With a shrug, she went back to gather her items from the counter and proceeded to walk out the front door, not noticing the brown bag she had left behind.

"Hey Carlos. Nice day isn't it?" she asked when the doorman held the entrance open for her, walking her to the curb to assist in hailing a cab.

"Oh, yes indeed, Miss Ritchie. Your friend over at the station said the weather should be fair all day, and come evening it should barely lower to the high sixties." he said as he reached out to open the cab door of the vehicle that had pulled up to meet them.

"Sounds lovely, Carlos. I guess I'll see you later this evening." she said, sitting herself down in the cloth interior.

"Miss Ritchie" he called, closing the door behind her.

Getting herself adjusted, she gazed out the car door window in absent thought when she remembered the ache in her stomach. Turning her attention back to her lap, she went through her satchel looking for her packed breakfast, repeating the action in the midst of patting down the cushioned seat around her. She paused in realization, muttering a quiet "shit" under her breath after it dawned on her she must've left her brown bag back home.

Drawing her phone out, she looked at the clock and concluded she probably had more than enough time to be able to make a quick stop for a replacement meal. She tapped the glass and gave the driver new directions to a cafe just down a few blocks from her place.

The cab pulled off to the side and she slid out her wallet to pay the cabbie, instinctively moving her hand towards her coat pocket to slip the wallet back in without watching her movements. Walking out onto the street, she messaged one of the assistants at the office she might be running a tad late, not wanting to overstretch her luck on time but also not clearly seeing where she was heading; straight into the path of a group of businessmen walking with determination, not swaying or stopping to avoid colliding with her

A brush of her elbow just as she had hit "send" on her phone and it flew out of her grasp straight onto the hard concrete floor, giving a minuscule thack before bouncing once and landing in what seemed to be the only puddle on the entire street.

She stood staring mouth agape at what used to be a perfectly working (brand new) cell phone that she owned, now completely submerged in street water. With tribulation she pinched the phone out and walked into the cafe, heading straight for the counter to encase the soaked electronic in paper tissues.

Holding the pillowed cell in one hand and aimlessly patting her coat pockets for the little metal cardholder that was her wallet, she was in the midst of making a selection when her eyes shot wide open, a pang of panic hitting her stomach combined with the belly roll of hunger.

no. nonono-ohno, drill me sideways why today of all days?

She was missing her wallet.

Broke a heel, no biggie, shoes are replaceable. Forgot her lunch, okay that's what quick stop restaurants and cafe's are for. Her phone was fried... That, was a little harder to deal with considering she hated shopping for clothes let alone a new phone.

But her wallet. She can't go anywhere without it. Not even the subway, seeing as she wasn't carrying cash and her city travel card was in her wallet. Walking out to the sidewalk again, she instinctively raised an arm up to call a cab, only to remember instantly you have no way to pay for this, genius.

Tossing her head back and sighing to the sky, she thought to herself could this day get any worse?

And it did. It started to rain.

"Miranda, I'm gonna kill you when I get to the station."

"Sir, I'm not sure exactly what my role is on this one?" the icthic alien questioned, standing on one side of the desk as the blue man noisily tapped away with the end of a pencil on a blueprint he was working on.

"Minion, I've told you time and again. I pull up to Miss Ritchie's complex as a cab driver,"

"Uh-huh"

"-and I pick her up thinking she's going to be taken to the station-"

"Yeah"

"-but instead I release the nerve gas in the enclosed back seat of the cab-

"Okay?"

"-and bring her to the lair instead!"

"... And then what?" asked Minion, his fingers still tapping against each other.

"What do you mean 'and then what?'. We hover her over the alligators and call over the walnut dressed in fringe, have him do the usual of course." Megamind replied nonchalantly, spinning himself away from the desk and stood to cross the lair to the invisible car that had been disguised as a regular Metro City cab.

"Walnut, Sir?"

"Walnut."

"But Sir, Metro Man isn't a walnut."

"You're right," Megamind replied. "He's an absolute walnut." he said, waving off the comment before reaching down and switching the holo watch to disguise himself as a civilian cab driver. Turning back to his loyal henchman as he opened the car door, he said while lowering himself inside "I'll be right back Minion, don't want to keep our damsel waiting."

"But couldn't she just flag down another one instead of wait?" Minion asked innocently.

The smug grin Megamind had on his disguised face all but faltered to a drop. shit.

He slammed the car door and fish tailed it out of the lair in reverse before spinning out and righting himself onto the street, racing against time (and hope) that she hadn't hailed another cab yet. Turning around the corner to her building he could see her strolling out of the lobby with her doorman assisting her, and he had just seconds to process the scene-

(black knee length coat hanging loosely on her slender frame, a soft lavender button-down blouse over a grey pencil skirt, a leather satchel on her side thumping against her hip to the rhythm of her walking)

-before watching her climb into the back of another taxi and drive off into the traffic. Keeping a close eye on the vehicle, he cursed himself for taking so long in getting his plan together. He didn't exactly have one, per se, but figured he could make it work once he got past the mechanics of tricking her into the back seat, anxious to show off the complexity of his kidnapping design.

He almost had given up to drive off in another direction, re-working his plan to nab her on her way out of the station when he saw the cab make a wrong turn through an unfamiliar route. Pulling off to the side at the same time her ride did, he watched as she stepped out of the vehicle, focused on her phone in hand when a group of men crowded around her, hiding her small frame in the bulk of burly for an instant then clearing out, revealing her staring at the floor with her now empty hand still held out in front of her.

Following her gaze he could see what seemed to be her cellphone on the ground. Picking it up with two fingers, she made her way inside the building of what he guessed would be a sustenance establishment of some sort. In his mind he recited what he would say to her when driving over to pick her up.

miss ritchie, so nice to see you. where to? got it. nice day, isn't it? how are you doing so far? good. anything special going on? I don't mean to deluge you, but I sure hope you can take a rain check on your plans (and I flip the switch here) because it seems you are needed elsewhere, for a, predetermined arrangement.

A sort three minutes later and he could see her walk out of the building, a wad of tissues in one hand but no form of comestible in the other. With slight confusion , he shifted from park and drove up to her when she raised her hand, rehearsing his lines in his head. A crackle of thunder roared overhead as he repeated the words Miss Ritchie, so nice to see you. Miss Ritchie, so nice to see you. So nice to-

He pulled alongside her, noticing her face was upturned to the sky with arms flat on her sides instead of pulled up to protect from the inclementing weather. She didn't bother noticing the vehicle pulling up in front of her, wouldn't acknowledge the people walking around her with passing stares. She looked, crestfallen.

With his window rolled down, he didn't really hear himself until after he said it. "Miss, Ritchie? Do you need a escort?"

She lowered her head to look towards the voice, her mind a blank as she absentmindedly nodded and walked to the opening door, lowering herself to the seat. He drove off without another word, the white noise in his head completely obliterating what he had been practicing over and over.

so nice to see you.

Although to him it was always nice to see her. He was constantly happy to have her around, will it not be for the sake of Metro tights barging in every time (but he has to, that's the name of the game, is it not?).

And here he was, trying to capture her when she clearly was feeling desolate. How selfish of him to never consider her own needs above his. She obviously had a life, a routine outside of his kidnappings, whether they be good or in this case terrible. How could he be so, cretinous?

"Everything, okay?" he asked, wincing with the feeling of embarrassment that no, of course everything is not okay you dolt.

She had been staring out the door window when she relayed everything that happened so far. "Well, for starters, my mom is a pain in the ass."

I REALLY shouldn't have asked- he thought to himself.

"I've just had nothing but a line of bad luck happen to me, today of all days. Broke one of my favorite pairs of heels, although I guess they're all my favorite in a way. Ruined my phone, lost my wallet," a loud gurgling sound broke through her speaking, drawing silence from both of them before she continued "And to top it all off I haven't eaten yet.", placing her head back on the glass with her eyes closed.

"All I need is Megamind to kidnap me and my day would be magic." she muttered to the foggy window, unaware of the facial expression her driver was now showing.

She didn't mean it in the sense of her day being ruined if he were to show up; on the contrary he would be rescuing her from a frustrating and relentless battle with the station directors who have been hounding her out for not working on enough "social interest" pieces and meeting their weekly quota, overlooking the fact that the pieces she did work out were the leading source of traffic for the station's viewers from both televised and online. When confronted with the criticism she gave her usual "Try working a 9 to 9 with a frequent abductor while balancing out your projects and see how that works out."

Of course, she was told their usual, "Suck it up, you can't let something as simple as kidnapping interfere with your career, irregardless of how often it happens. You are in fact the damsel for crying out loud."

She snapped her eyes open as it occurred to her that she never told the driver where to go, he just, drove. Slowly peering at him from the corner of her sights she eyed him vigilantly, musing over the fact that if it really was Megamind he would've attempted something by now, whether it be ranting off about his plot for the day or going off on a jest with her. She straightened herself out and worried it could possibly be someone else for once, and didn't feel as confident with her safety.

"Hey, where are we heading to?" she asked, throwing her common sense out the window when it came to being cautious. Before he could reply the watch on his wrist went off, Minion's voice shrill in the front cabin "Sir? Sir! Where are you? You shoulph ween ear mphlg" when Megamind panicked, his right hand slapping over the receiver to muffle the voice and his eyes darting from the road to the rear-view mirror, making eye contact with her momentarily before going back down to the road.

it IS him! oh thank god- she thought, stopping herself after feeling the odd sensation of relief flow through her. why am I relieved? and how is he disguised so perfectly well? I mean, come on, no one else has those eyes of his that I can just.., hmmm... shit. look out the window.

did she hear it? oh evil heavens she heard it how could she have not, Minion you fool, play it cool maybe she didn't- he slowly brought his eyes up to look at her reflection, satisfied with seeing her looking out the window again. okay, okay maybe I'm safe, just-

"Oh, I'm such a fool. I immediately assumed you were going to city hall for some reason. You know what, don't worry about the fare, just name anywhere you'd like to go and I'll take you over swift-haste."

well at least I don't have to worry about paying.

With heavy consideration, she thought out what to say. He never prolonged his plans this long, and it did seem to her he was just going to drop her off and skip out, which she really didn't want. She wanted the excuse, wanted to be elsewhere, wanted...

"You, wouldn't happen to know where Megamind's lair is, would you?" she laughs, embarrassed at admitting it but dammit if he wasn't going to do something about it well then she would. "Or at least back to my place. I, just don't want to go in right now, I can't face anyone..., I don't like."

He was trying to process the words slowly in his head, still stuck on the fact that she doesn't necessarily hate him because she did insinuate disliking everyone else more. At least enough to want to spend her time solely with him. "Megamind?" He asked, looking up to the mirror wide eyed. "Why would you want to go there?" he asked with incredulity in his voice.

"I, dunno. I guess for once I just need to be kidnapped. Because that's the only way I'll be safe." she muttered, her hands fidgeting with each other.

safe? she feels she's safe with me?\OH COME-ON YOU FOOL, she only means Metromahn, she'll be safe because boy wonder will be there to rescue her.

"I guess, because of Metromahn. He is the only one tha-"

"No." she said sternly.

Stopped at a red light, he looked up to the mirror to make eye contact only to have her stare him down, the brakelights from the car in front of them illuminating her in an intense red halo that left him breathless without a voice.

"N-no?" he asked through the whisper of whatever breath he could muster.

"No." she repeated. "He's not the one that keeps me safe."

"But, Miss Ritchie, you and Metro, you're a, thing..." he said, loosing his voice again to the blooming pain in his chest that was making it hard to breathe.

"Says who?" she challenged. He shifted on his seat, looking every which way but towards her in an uncomfortable fidget while trying to regain moisture in his dried out mouth.

The light turned green, and Megamind drove forward, still not having an end destination to head towards.

"Just, take me home. I don't think I'm going to be saved today, from work or this shitty day." she mumbled, looking back down to her damp clothing. Her mind cleared when she was hit with the idea of having one more chance to convince him.

"Maybe.., Maybe Megamind'll show up after I get there," she said with false hope, "-coming in through the balcony as he usually does. Or maybe he's already there, waiting for me to get home to do the kidnapping."

The cab pulled up to the curb outside of her complex and to her relief it seemed Carlos was on break, allowing her to slip by upstairs unnoticed.

Opening the door of the cab she spoke over her shoulder while stepping out, her hair instantly matting to her head from the downpour. "I only hope whatever it is, he does it soon. It should certainly be better than any other plans I had for the day." she said with an ambivalent smile.

"Are you sure you'd want that for yourself Miss Rit-"

"Roxanne."

He sat in his seat frozen in place, staring at her over the stuffing as the rain continued to pour down around them. He beckoned for her to repeat with a wordless noise.

"Call me Roxanne." she clarified before closing the door.

Pulling into the alley behind her apartment building, Megamind switched on the settings of the car to have it settle on it's invisible mode, not wanting any prying eyes to assume a cabbie parked illegally and have the vehicle towed. Of all the things that could, he did not need that to happen.

He contemplated whether or not to keep the disguise on, since he could very easily walk through the lobby to meet her at her front door. But there was two things wrong with that plan; he would have to sneak past the door man that knows everyone who lives in the building by name and lets them know when they have a guest, and he would need Roxanne to open the door for him when she sees him through the peephole. Which she won't. Because it's him.

/yeah, like she's not already expecting you, mister brilliant/

\but that's because she wants to use me as an excuse to, I don't know, skip out work?\

/keep telling yourself that, you know Roxanne isn't the type to play hookie/

He struggled to make sense of the situation, why she would be so open to him, a supposed complete stranger, about wanting to be with her abductor? Could it be that she knew it was him? But if she did then she wouldn't have said anything of the matter in the first place, she would've tried to just get out as soon as possible. Unless.., unless she did know, and it was some sort of trick.

His eyes slit down as he stared onto the street through the car windshield, the rain blurring the sight into a Monet. Speculating the outcomes was not easy for him, but he summarized it in his head as two possibilities.

On one hand was Roxanne seeking vengeance, waiting up there with heathens knows what (Metromahn? The Warden and a team to take him down?) for him to make his regrettable decision and walk into her trap, hauling him off to prison and setting their quarrels to new heights between them.

On the other hand, was Roxanne. Just Roxanne, who was always passionate about doing what she perceived as right and was never afraid of voicing her opinion, no matter how strong it was. If she truly wanted him to be up there with her and he decided to run away from the opportunity, he would be left wondering what if? And he hated unanswered curiosity, which is why he always acted upon such austere decisions. Like right now.

Well, better safe than objectively chastening himself.

"Minion," he called into his watch "change of plan."

Climbing up the side of the building onto her balcony, he brushed off his soaked clothing and pulled down his cape to his sides, making himself as presentable as he could through the hell bent weather threatening to blow him off the railing. He had never felt his heart thump in his chest quite like this before, threatening to burst through his rib-cage with the assumption that the adrenaline was fear. Nonetheless he straightened himself out and strolled through the french doors, attempting to close them securely when the wind blew through them and yanked them out, making his entrance less than graceful.

After a small fight with the storm to close the doors, he squared his shoulders while holding the knobs tightly and noticed Roxanne's reflection (who is now wearing more, relaxed mint colored lounge-wear) on the window pane drawing nearer at a charging pace. He took a sharp inhale of breath and turned swiftly on one leg, raising a finger high and exclaimed, "Miss Ritchie, prepare yourself for-" and she cut him off suddenly, wrapping her arms around his waist and planting a kiss straight on his lips, the act shocking enough to freeze his eyes open and hold his hand elevated.

Had it not been for the shock forcing his eyelids wide, he wouldn't have believed it truly happened. His mind ran a million miles an hour on static, and not a single comprehensible thing popped up when she finally pulled back, her eyes glazed over with a dreamy look.

"I told you to call me Roxanne." she said with delight, reaching to bring down his raised arm and lead him into the rest of her living area.

Standing in the middle of the living room, he still had a blank expression on his face as he was struggling to process the circumstances. Her smile faltered a bit and she leaned closer to him, lightly tapping his shoulder with her fingers.

"Megamind? Are you okay?"

Eyes still staring ungazingly into the wall he muttered with lips unmoved "I think I'm dead. I must've fallen off the balcony. That's it, isn't it?"

She gave a lighthearted chuckle and pulled on his spiked shoulder guard. "No, but if you don't get out of these soaked clothes you will be."

Feeling the tug of his guard clasp being undone he snapped back to the moment in a panic and jumped backwards, fighting with Roxanne to let go of his cape. "No, Miss Ritchie, what do you believe you're doing let go-"

"I'm trying to get your wet clothes off hold still."

"- I am perfectly capable of taking them off myself." he countered, gently swatting her hands away from his neck, where she would reach for another article of clothing.

"Megamind, you will get sick if you don't, at least take off this unnecessary cape-"

"My cape is perfectly fine where it is Miss Ritchie-"

"Roxanne" she cut in, still forcing herself forward.

"-Roxanne," he forced himself to say, the feeling of his lips forming her name so foreign to him. "Now would you?" he asked, dancing around the coffee table when the edge hit his calf.

"Let me just," she giggled, fidgeting with the clasp of his guard when the back of his legs unexpectedly collided with the seat of the sofa, his feet kicking out as he fell backwards on it tripping Roxanne and bringing her along for the fall.

They rested on the sofa breathlessly, Megamind on his back and Roxanne square on his chest staring at him with surprise. Before either could speak a soft knock on one of the balcony doors brought their attention, Roxanne looking up and Megamind looking over his head.

"I know you two are a little busy at the moment, but could you open the door? It's a bit rainy out here." Minion called out through the glass.

"How'd you know it was me?" Megamind asked through laughter around the rim of his drink glass, the sleeves of the grey robe Minion forced him to borrow from Roxanne so long they doubled as gloves as he held the mug in both hands.

With a smirk, she replied, "What? Like the green eyes weren't a give away? Or how you called him Metromahn? How about I never told you were I lived?". She gave him a pointed look to which he turned away bashfully, swallowing down a mouthful of warm tea, leaves and all.

Minion looked from one to the other with humor from the opposite side of the island, clearing out the leftovers of the meal he prepared for them on the counter.

"No, you don't have to do that Minion," Roxanne protested, jumping from her bar stool and making a reach for the dishes before he could completely grasp them. "You've done more than enough, I should at least clean up what's left."

Lowering the plates into the sink, she slipped off the bracelet from her wrist and turned around to place it on the bar behind her, the green eyed blue beads catching Megamind's attention.

Noticing the look Sir gave it and knowing he wouldn't dare ask himself, Minion did it for him.

"You know that's an interesting bracelet you have there if I do say so myself, Miss Ritchie. May I ask where it's from?"

"Oh, it's something I picked up on my last trip to Greece with my family. That must've been ages ago, I don't think I've worn it in years until today."

"It's very pretty, I especially like the blue. And green." he said, giving a pointed look towards Megamind who was still staring at the bracelet and turning his attention to Minion to give a scowl, where soon followed a silent argument between the two using nothing but facial expressions and body movement. The brothers jumped to position themselves innocently back onto the counter when noticing Roxanne turning back to them.

"Yeah, it was actually a fluke. Usually they just have a white circle around the black dot because it's supposed to be an eye, but this one was made by a glassmith's son for practice, so they gave it to me as a gift when we stopped by their stand."

She reclined into the counter with her hip, slipping the bracelet back on her left wrist and turned to face them with a deadpanned look. "It's called a Mάti. They say it's supposed to ward of evil."

The hurt look Megamind gave made her kick herself mentally, and he said in a modest voice "Well I guess the damned thing is broken then."

Leaning over the granite and taking both of his blue hands in hers, she said "Maybe it is, and it's working as my personal talisman instead. Or maybe someone isn't as evil as they thought." while running her thumbs over his, looking into his eyes with tenderness.

Startled with understanding, Minion jumped from his spot, hurriedly saying "Well gee, it sure is getting late. I should probably be heading out. I, uh, think I left a carburetor running in the lab." He shoved himself from the bar and turned to face the windows where the rain hadn't subsided with false worry.

"That doesn't make any sense Minion, our engines don't run on gasoline." replied Megamind.

"I've ah, been experimenting," Minion declared, looking around the room nervously. "I just.., would you mind if I borrowed the invisible car instead, Sir? It's awfully wet outside."

"But then I would have to wait for the storm to subside if I'm to leave on the hoverbike," Sir complained, getting himself off his seat. Minion turned to Roxanne and gave her a look that mostly represented help me out here? and she seemed to take the hint, helping to send him on his way.

"Well I wouldn't want you to get drenched on your way over, I'd say let him borrow the car. He does need to get back immediately, and you can just wait here with me instead." she suggested, looking at Megamind and tilting her head towards his right hand fish.

While he reluctantly handed over the keys, Minion had started to wander towards the front door, drawing a sharp "No!" from Roxanne and two startled looks from her guests.

"I, ah..." she looked around for an excuse, but found it easier to just tell the truth.

"It's superstition, just, go through the balcony. Please? I'll make it up to you."

Hands holding car keys still hovering over his own, Minion gave a wide eyed nod and raised his fingers slowly to grab the keys, back-pedaling towards the balcony.

As both watched the robotic suit lower itself over the outside railing, Megamind turned to Roxanne and asked, "So what does it mean to walk out another door you came in?"

She frowned in thought, replying "That one, I'll have to tell you later." Hopefully

"Well then, now what?" he asked after a period of silence, gazing his surroundings as she looked over to the sofa and back to Megamind, a sly grin teasing her lips.

"Well, what else do you do on a stormy night?"

"You can't possibly be scared.., can you?" she asked in a whisper, looking into the green eyes of her companion while fixing her position on the couch. He gave her an apprehensive look, his eyes restlessly moving all around her as he shifted under the blanket. "It's, not always a weak thing to show fear, you know." he tried to say with determination, the shake in his voice giving away his false bravado.

She gave a small chuckle as they both locked their gaze, the steady drumming of the rain on the glass and the comforting body heat of each other hypnotizing them to pull closer when a scream suddenly cutting through the silence made them jump in their seats, calling their attention back to the movie on the TV.

On the screen, a young blonde ran frantically through a seemingly empty house, only to open a door for a closet to hide herself inside.

"DON'T GO IN THE CLOS-ah she went in the closet. Why do they always run in a closet?" muttered Megamind, keeping his body straight and rigid, attempting not to cross the invisible line he had mentally set between himself and Roxanne again. However, fear has a way to override rationality and their instinct took over, both of them unaware that they were gradually leaning into each other until their shoulders were whispering against one another, the tops of their heads barely visible through the mass of fabric and pillows with the covers drawn over their noses.

They held their breath as they watched the blonde struggle for hers on screen, and without so much as a forewarning Metro Man burst through the balcony doors with a rumble of thunder and flashes of lightning just as the killer in the film threw a chainsaw into the closet door.

Both Megamind and Roxanne scrambled onto each other, accidentally kicking over a bowl of popcorn they had on the coffee table as they were screaming and clawing to draw the blankets over their heads (Megamind was actually halfway over the back of the sofa, clambering to hide behind it).

Metro Man stood frozen in the middle of her living room with a look that was beyond confusion, one fist stuck out straight in front of him, the other clenched by his chest prepared in case of battle. He thought he would have a physical altercation with Megamind but instead was greeted with screams and random table objects being thrown at him, including what was left of the bowl of popcorn.

After some of their panic had subsided, the super slowly lowered his hands by his side, and quietly asked "Uh, Roxie? Everything, okay?"

Roxanne peeked her head over the blankets, Megamind raising an eye and questioning eyebrow over the back of the sofa. The fear in her eyes slowly faded away to realization that then altered into slits of animosity. Flinging the covers off of her she jumped from the sofa and stood her ground between the couch and coffee table.

"What the hell, Wayne? A little heads up next time, maybe?" she scolded, picking up any of the closer objects that were thrown, including the TV remote that had bounced off his chest to pause the film and the (now empty) plastic bowl.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just, I had some informants tip me off that Megamind was seen in the area trespassing-"

"Hey! It's not trespassing if I was invited." Megamind defended himself while jumping to a stand, still behind the sofa with the blanket hanging loosely over his shoulders as a replacement cape.

"Through the balcony?" Wayne asked with a pointed look, drawing a scowl from Roxanne.

"Look who's calling the kettle black." she sneered.

"Hey, I did it because I was worried about you. You missed an important meeting at the station, missy, and your wallet was found in the back of a cab. I thought Megamind kidnapped you again, or worse!"

"I'm right here you know." Megamind grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Ugh, you sound like my mother." she groaned, rolling her eyes away from the hero and clearing out the surrounding floor of any visible popcorn debris, taking the dishes to her kitchen sink. "Look, I'm fine, see? Nothing to worry about, I invited him over and got carried away with the time so if you could just?" she asked, nudging her shoulder towards the balcony to suggest he leave.

"Invited or not I have to take him with me." Wayne said sternly.

"WHAT?" Is drawn out from both Roxanne and Megamind, him rearing himself from the hulking hero and her taking a couple of determined steps forward.

"Roxie, you know I have to take him in anytime I see him to serve his sentences, it's my duty as this city's defender I just can't-"

"Yeah? Well it's my duty as a host and make sure my guests are taken care of," she snaps, walking over to the stove top and reaching for a clear tupperware full of white granules.

"-and right now he's my only guest, so you have to leave Wayne." she finished, turning back to him with the lid taken off the container.

This time it was Metro Man who took the backing steps.

"Roxie, what are you-" is all he was able to ask before she started throwing the grains at him, alternating between tossing and yelling while they took circling steps around the living room.

"Get."
throw
"What the hell, Roxie?"
"Out."
throw
"Stop, what is that?"
"Of."
throw
"Look, we can talk this over-"
"My."
throw
"Rox!"
"Apartment!"
throw

Fear and confusion went through Metro Man as he lifted himself off the ground, floating his way towards the french doors of her balcony.

"I don't know what's going on but I'll give you a call tomorrow after, you've cooled down, okay?" he called out one last time before flying off into the stormy night.

She lowered her hands and placed the clear box onto the kitchen island, sliding the lid back on as Megamind gazed at her in awe.

She gave him a frustrated look while puffing air into her bangs. "Now I have to clean up all this salt."

Taking careful steps towards her, he asked "Salt?"

"Yeah, keeps unwanted guests out." she said with a sigh as she made her way towards the broom closet, reaching in for the dust pan.

She crouched over to sweep the loose grains and extra pieces of kernel she was finding when he rushed himself around the sofa, helping her keep a steady hand to clean the salt with. "I don't believe that was the proper technique." he said with a smile.

"Hey, it worked, did it not?" she retorted, causing both of them to laugh.

After having cleaned what grains they could find and dusting off their hands, they leaned into the bar counter overlooking the living room.

Megamind let out another breathy laugh in reminiscence of the fight. "I wish Minion was still here to have seen that."

With nervousness tingling through her body, she reminded him "But he's not," as she took his hand in hers and lead him back to the sofa to continue their movie spree, if not anything more, bringing out a familiar knot in their chests that they had forgotten was hiding in their hearts.

Terms;
Kouklítsa: dolly (used as endearment for a woman or girl, most often daughters)
Anoisίa: nonsense
Filahtά: charm (physical, usually kept in a purse pocket or pinned discreetly on clothing)
Baskanίa: another term for the whole of evil eye
Tréla Mou: my madness (you drive me crazy [with love]) this is actually a surprisingly common term used in different cultures, in {Mex.} Spanish slang it could be used the same way towards any gendered loved one, although more often with not such a gentle connotation (as it goes with any double meaning term)

Mάti's literal translation is "eye" in Greek, similar to the common ojo (lit. eye) Spanish use. In short it represents the idea of someone giving you bad luck with a nasty stare, or envious comment/thought.

If you don't have a charm or pendant available, garlic is a suitable replacement, although for Greek saying the word skordo (garlic) is usually more than enough.

A cactus by the front entrance is the same as a mirror facing the front door, it is meant to ward off evil spirits from entering your home.

Tossing a pinch of salt behind someone is the proper technique. They're not supposed to be aware of it.

Going through another door from whence you came into the building will bring you a ruined relationship with a loved one (but only to the person walking through it)

Inspired, story popped up in my head after seeing my family members post pictures of charms and amulets on 1/13, which landed on a Friday; however, fun fact, Greek customs usually consider Tuesday the 13 to be unlucky instead.

I started hammering out the story that night but unfortunately got caught up in social events (ugh, having to conform to societal standards and act civilized to be accepted by other humans) followed by work, followed, by, sleep. Then work. Repeat.

Days passed and I thought, "Okay, maybe I can wait to release it on the next Friday or Tuesday." checks calendar "aaaand that's a no-go, next one falls on June." womp.

I have a terrible tendency to shove gifts to people days if not weeks ahead of when I am actually supposed to gift it to them because I hate waiting to give gifts. So here's my gift to you. *shove*

I hope you like it. Sorry for the wrapping, all I had was newspaper lying around.

Love to my lovelies,
-P.C.