When you're an incredibly handsome criminal genius you end up inventing and building a lot of technical machines – some big, some small, some neither. You sort of have to be used to your inventions backfiring. And Megamind is used to it.

But this time it's different.

The machine is a big beast of wrenched and warped metal, and when it fails, sharp blue light explodes from the engine in a shockwave of chaos and distant shimmer.

The force of it throws Megamind off-balance – he falls to his knees to brace himself, and in the process his cape wraps itself around his head –

by the time he manages to straighten himself up again, the string has already tied itself around his thumb.

The blast of iris blue light had spread across the whole globe, allowing billions of people to see the strings; both their own and others. Suddenly thousands of red threads connect the people of Earth – and no one has any idea why.

Until someone manages to pinpoint the source of the blast to be Metro City.

Megamind becomes the number one suspect, mainly because of the color of the blast.

He's ready to ignore it all, to just continue on as normal and let the humans figure it out themselves, but a young adult posts a video on YouTube, asking him for an interview. "Not anything about your career," promises the young interviewer, "just about this recent development of… you know." They hold up their right hand – a string is tied around their index finger. "Promise," they add, shooting off a charismatic grin towards the camera.

Megamind agrees, but only because they seem to perform well under stressful situations.

(The stressful situation being 'talking to Megamind, incredibly handsome criminal genius and master of all villainy', of course.)

(it's the grin; it's absolutely the grin; anyone who can grin when faced with Megamind must be able to face death itself without a flinch)

"We have established that this phenomenon can be traced back to you, Megamind. But the thing we're all wondering about is," the interviewer says, looking comfortable and at ease in their chair, "do you have a string?"

(do you, not who is it linked to)

(are you capable of love, not who do you love)

(are you worth loving, not who loves you)

Megamind glances down at his hand. A string is tied around his thumb, loose enough to not hurt but tight enough to stay in place –

"No," he says, voice steady though it wants to shatter.

(it's better this way.)

The humans' strings are red; fierce red, like embers glowing in the night.

Megamind's is a blue-ish purple thing that looks like it's made of plant-fiber rather than cotton.

'Strings of fate'. That's what the humans call them. It's wrong, of course. Megamind doesn't know a lot about them, but – there had been some cultural information stored in his pod, and – and nudged in between dances and rituals there'd been a mention of 'strings of blood'. They connect people with the same lights glowing within their hearts. The same roots, if you will.

It's why his string is pale indigo and the humans' red.

And - all hearts sing about pain and horror and pleasure and hope, but different hearts sing in different melodies.

That's why no one can see Megamind's string; their hearts just don't sing in the same melody.

(Megamind wants so desperately to believe this, he does, but he can't, he can't, it's never that simple)

(they can't see his strings because –)

(because –)

(because Megamind is so broken)

(There'd been a moment, a shift in time, where Megamind had thought –)

(he'd hoped, for just a tiny bit, that –)

(that he wasn't alone.)

(But that was wrong, of course, the string doesn't go into the sky, after all, so the person must be on Earth, they must –)

(oh no, Megamind had thought, after that moment of shimmering hope had passed, oh no.)

(of course, he thinks later, of course he can see the humans' strings –)

(it's not because their melodies sound the same; it's because he's tied to one of them –)

He tries to break the string.

First the scissors pass through it, then the blast from the dehydration gun, then the flames from the flamethrower – the jackhammer ruins his cape, but ultimately does no damage to the string –

not even his alligators can snap through the blasted thing.

But he can feel it and hold it if he so wishes – it seems like it only registers his body as real, and nothing else –

when he realizes this, Megamind tries to gnaw it over. He tries to tear it apart and to file through it with his nails – but nothing works. Nothing. The string remains pale indigo and unscratched against his skin, and –

Megamind sits underneath the cool spray from the shower and Does Not cry.

(the poor, poor person his string leads to – )

(they don't deserve –)

(and Megamind doesn't deserve it, doesn't deserve this bent and twisted hope –)

(doesn't deserve love)

"Sir," Minion asks once day, fins fluttering nervously. "Sir, do you have a string?"

Megamind, who's slouched over his drawing board with the imprint of a pencil on his cheek and a pair of goggles askew on his forehead, blinks. "You can't see it?" he asks, tired and weary and –

(he just wants to go home, wherever that is –)

Minion flutters a bit more. "Sorry, sir, no."

(it's because their hearts don't sing in the same melody they don't sing in the same melody they don't sing)

(but Megamind –)

(he –)

(can't bring himself to believe it.)

Megamind kidnaps Roxanne Ritchi the next day, and it's easy to pretend that nothing's changed, easy to pretend that everything's okay –

(he's been doing it for so long, after all)

– until Miss Ritchi cocks her head at him. "Huh," she says, "you really don't have a string."

"And I see you do, Miss Ritchi," he drawls, gaze lingering pointedly on the tie around her pinky finger.

She shrugs. "Almost everyone does."

Almost.

Megamind continues with the scheduled scheme and can just barely keep from scowling.

Later, when Metro Man is carrying Megamind towards the prison, he gives Megamind a stoic look. "It's good you don't have a string, buddy," he says, sounding far too honest for Megamind's taste. "It's what's best for all."

(and he's right he's right he's right –)

(but Megamind lies in his bed at night, staring at the string shimmering faintly in the dim light – and he wants, wants, wants –)

Over time, it becomes obvious that the string changes color. It's mainly blue-ish indigo, but other times – usually when he steps out of the Lair – shades of red bleed into the color, changing it from blue to a warmer purple.

It doesn't take long before Megamind understands what it means.

Humans' strings are red. His is blue.

Red and blue make purple.

The closer he is to the person he's tied to, the more of their red is added to his blue.

(and if he feels happier the bluer his string is, he doesn't mention it to anyone.)

Megamind originally made the holowatch as a way for Minion and him to run errands without people shrieking and running away in terror.

Now he uses it during days when the walls close in on him, when the darkness becomes too pressing, when the lonely silence of the Lair rings like a siren in his ears.

Today is one of those days.

He's walking through the streets of Metro City, watch strapped around his wrist. He's supposed to grab donuts for later, but he can let himself stroll at a casual pace. It's not like there's someone waiting for him at the Liar – Minion is busy on the other side of town, placing orders for more bot-parts.

It's an accident.

He's reading a sign he's passing, too busy to notice the way his string slowly fades into a faint magenta, and suddenly he's face-to-face with a pair of brilliant eyes.

The world halts, freezes, tilts –

Megamind, terrified and worried, glances down at the open space between the woman and him –

a purple string hangs between them, one end tied to his left thumb, the other to the woman's.

"Ah," Megamind says, focus snapping back up to the eyes.

"I – hey," the woman says, sounding a bit unsure of herself but otherwise –

(disguise, something whispers in Megamind, she's looking at a disguise –)

She sticks out her hand. It hovers in the air between them, an outstretched olive-branch, a bridge, a scathing hope – "I'm Cat," she offers, smiling a smile that's just a tad too genuine to be mere politeness.

Megamind's hand reaches out to shake Cat's on its own accord.

(shit, shit, shit, whispers Megamind's heart)

(quick! yells Megamind's mind, say something stupid – chase her away – anything, something –)

"Bubsy," he blurts.

Cat blinks, obviously taken aback – but then she swallows her surprise and beams. It looks only a little bit forced. "Alright, cool!" she says.

Megamind's still holding her hand, he realizes, and releases it so fast that you'd think it had bitten him. "Ha, yes, cool, right – " he stutters, brain still trying to catch up with things –

"Hey, uh – I don't have the time to talk right now," Cat says, glancing to the left in a twitchy move, "but what do you say about getting a coffee sometime?"

(yes, Megamind's heart whispers)

(NO! Megamind's mind yells, loud enough to deafen the small flutter in his chest)

"I – " Megamind tries, "I don't – "

"Cat!" comes someone's impatient cry.

Cat startles. She throws a look in the direction of the cry – her hair, long and tawny brown, falls over her shoulder. "Hold on!" she calls, before hastily turning back to Megamind again. "Uh – " She blinks, then lights up and begins to dig through her pockets. After a hasty search she pulls out a slip of paper. "Here; my phone number. Get back to me, will you?"

(Megamind's mind shuts down.)

(yes, whispers Megamind's heart –)

Megamind accepts the offered paper.

"Gotta go, bye!" Cat rushes, before turning on her heel and hurrying over to a small group of people, some of them scowling impatiently and the rest looking intrigued.

Megamind walks away so fast that he nearly breaks into a run.

(shit, he thinks, shit, shit, shit –)

(he lies in his bed that night, staring at the string shimmering in the dim light – and he thinks of that beaming smile and those brilliant eyes and he wants –)

Three days pass before Megamind does something about his newly acquired slip of paper.

He's laying in his bed, covers tangled around him and sleep a million miles away.

(he shouldn't sleep shouldn't sleep doesn't deserve the blissful unawareness of temporary death –)

Hands clenched into fists; nails digging into flesh – Megamind twists, desperation and depression and terror clawing up through his throat –

his gaze lands on the crumbled paper resting on his bedside table, and his breath catches in his throat.

(hope; blinding and brief but there –)

His fingers shake when he punches in the numbers on his phone.

The message – a simple 'hi' – is sent before he can hesitate or rethink his actions, and then he falls back against his pillows.

A hurt noise falls from his lips.

(she gave you the wrong number, some part of him whispers, a slow and dark drawl, no one wants to be with you, come on, not even in disguise)

His phone dings.

Megamind scrambles to unlock it –

hey! bubsy, right?

Ah, right – well, too late to do something about now –

yeah, he sends back. sry, did I wake u up?

nah, comes the reply, couldn't sleep anyway.

Something eases in Megamind's chest.

He has no idea how it happens, but Cat somehow manages to rope him into a coffee.

A date.

(he should've said no, should've said no, should've said no -)

But – it doesn't hurt to – to just talk, right? Nothing bad can come from that. Just so he knows who he's bonded to – that's all. Getting to know each other.

(it feels like a lie.)

(…)

(and it probably is.)

"Minion," Megamind says as he's preparing for the date the next day.

Minion's heavy suit clanks loudly when he comes out from the kitchen. "Yes, sir?"

"I'm going on a date; I'll be gone for a while."

When Minion blinks, it's slow and hesitant. "A… date, sir? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

(it hits too close to home – it isn't a good idea, it isn't –)

"Oh, relax, Minion," Megamind exclaims, waving his hand dismissively. "It'll be fine! It's not like she'll hurt me!"

"Alright, sir," Minion says slowly, sounding even more uncertain than he was before, "if you say so."

Megamind has no idea how to act on a date.

Cat meets him outside of the coffee-shop; a small and cozy thing called 'a Thousand Paws'. She was the one to suggest it – Megamind's never heard of it before. "Hey," she greets him warmly. "How are you?"

Megamind has no idea how to small-talk, either.

(I'm horrible, he wants to say, I'm bad and I'm evil and I'm Megamind - )

"I'm fine," he croaks. "You?"

"Superb," Cat replies. "Come on; these guys make their mocha just perfect."

Megamind has no choice but to follow her into the café. He stays a little behind her when she goes to order; he's wildly unprepared to face a crowd in this state – he's brought no weapons that he can reach in his disguise, and he'd… rather not drop it, for obvious reasons.

By the time he's done worrying, Cat has placed their orders and is making her way towards a table.

Megamind follows her dutifully.

"-okay, but how's this," Cat says. The coffee stands untouched between them. "She said she didn't believe me."

Megamind bursts into laughter. "No way!" he says. "No way!"

Cat nods determinedly. "Yes way; and then – "

Upon taking a sip of his coffee Megamind grimaces. It's grown cold, all the warmth faded from it –

(just like the warmth faded from you, the part of Megamind whispers thickly, just like warmth fades from everything you touch - )

"Bubsy?" Cat asks, and worry has crept into her voice. "Something wrong?"

Megamind forces himself to shake his head. "No, no," he says. "Ko-fee's gone cold, is all."

"Oh!" Cat says. "Do you want a new one?"

(no, no, no, don't spend money on me –)

"I'm fine," Megamind says. He sets down his cup again. "Anyway, what was I saying?"

"The library," Cat swiftly reminds him, "and the guy from your class."

"Ah, yes – and he – "

Cat snickers. "You know, this is really cliché, but – " She cuts herself off and shakes her head, a faintly amused smile on her lips. "Your eyes are very pretty."

Megamind blinks, taken aback – "You think so?" he asks, barely keeping his voice from trembling.

"Yeah!" Cat exclaims eagerly, sitting straighter in her chair. "It's strange, they kind of remind me of - " Her gaze flickers. "- emeralds."

Emeralds?

(what do you say when you're gifted with a compliment – what do people say – what – think human)

"Thank – thank you," he stutters, grateful that the disguise hides the small blush.

"Say," Megamind says, gesturing towards Cat's right hand, "that's a pretty ring you have there."

"Hm?" Cat looks down at her hand. "Oh, yes! It's silver; my best friend gave it to me." She uses her index finger to shuffle it off her thumb, and proceeds to hand it over to Megamind.

It shimmers briefly in the light; it looks worn and loved –

(unlike him, who's only worn and hated)

oh.

"It's pretty," he says, handing it back over.

"Thanks," Cat replies, easily slipping the ring on again. "I used to wear it on my left hand, but…" She nods to said hand; Megamind looks at it almost against his will.

The purple string rests unbothered on the table between them.

"Ah," Megamind says, throat clogging up. "Right."

Cat tilts her head; her hair drapes itself over her shoulder. "I wonder why it's purple. Do you know?"

(yes, Megamind thinks, yes, yes, it's purple because I'm wrong and you're not)

He shakes his head.

Cat hums tonelessly and shrugs absentmindedly. "Worth a try," she says. "Can other people see it from your angle?"

He shakes his head again.

Cat shrugs again. "Oh, alright," she says. "Don't suppose it matters much anyway."

"Indeed," Megamind whispers, and his voice is only a bit shaky.

Afterwards, when they've downed two cups of coffee each, Cat and Megamind stand outside of the café. Cat closes the door behind them, and then turns to him with a smile – a small, hesitant thing that emits more warmth than light. "I had fun today," she admits.

Megamind –

(fun fun fun how can she have had fun)

"Oh," he breathes.

"And, uhm… I'd like to meet you again, sometime," Cat continues, oblivious to Megamind's shock.

"Ah?" he says.

Cat snickers. "I'll take that as a yes, then," she grins. "If my presence has left you speechless I'm better than I thought."

"Jhh," Megamind sounds.

Cat's expression is fond; lit up and emphasized by the amusement in the twist around her eyes. She shakes her head – but it's with a smile, and she giggles as she does so. "You have my number," she reminds him. "Text me sometime! Or call, I don't know."

Even though his mind has been reduced to jelly, Megamind manages to nod. He can… text… words… yes.

"Alright, then," Cat says. "Bye!"

"…bh… bye," Megamind manages to get out. His lips are numb, his fingers are numb, his whole body is numb –

Cat disappears around the corner.

(she had fun with him she had fun with him she had fun with him –)

(she wants to see him again.)

"Sir!" Minion greets him cheerfully. "How did the date go?"

"Ah," Megamind says. "I – she wants to meet me again? And – I – it went good. Great."

Minion bobs a bit in his headpiece, maw split in a wide and toothy smile. "Wonderful news, sir!" he says. It sounds a bit forced.

Megamind can't blame him.

Less than five days go by before Megamind snaps again.

(it's too much, the pain and the cold and the horror, and he needs, needs, needs –)

sure! Cat replies to his request of another meet-up. just say when :)

(Megamind doesn't trust himself to take Cat to something she'd like, so he asks her – over text, because his voice would break otherwise – what she'd like to do)

are museums okay? ^^

Megamind is majorly relieved about this development.

There's a museum opening downtown – it has sections about several different time-periods of the Human era, but if its advertisements are to be trusted, at least two stores are dedicated to Egyptology.

Megamind knows, within moments of seeing Cat, that she's more than just a little bit interested in Old Egypt. Excitement and joy crackles in the air around her, and she's bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet when he nears.

"I'm so fucking excited," she says, grabbing Megamind's hand to pull him into the building.

(his hand she took his hand –)

Megamind chuckles. "I can tell," he mutters, grinning when Cat turns to pout playfully at him.

And Cat tugs him through all the rooms, ooh'ing and aah'ing at small tidbits of information. She explains things with loud words and grand gestures, a delighted heat in her eyes. When Megamind asks a question the answer comes immediately, happily, and enthusiastically – and as they progress from room to room and see mummies, masks, stones engraved with hieroglyphs and golden caskets, Megamind stares at her in awe, this wonderful and amazing person he just barely knows –

the string hangs between them, deep magenta when Cat holds his hand and of a softer shade whenever she rushes ahead –

(when Megamind looks back, he can safely say that this is where he begins to fall in love.)

(he loves easily, Megamind does, easily and fiercely when he finds something he wants to protect; and this person who shows her interest and excitement so intensely and who burns so brightly –)

(she deserves the world and he can't give her that, but he can give her hope)

(Megamind, of course, doesn't realize this just yet. He's oblivious and drunk on the warmth of Cat's hand in his –)

(and that's okay.)

Afterwards Megamind takes Cat to her favorite café again. The last date was on her, this date is on him, he says, and she grudgingly accepts.

When they're enjoying their drinks in a silence that already feels comfortable, a man walks by and sneers. "Ugh, man," he says, and his eyes are on Megamind, "your black ass don't deserve a beauty like her! Leave the birds to us real men, go get a hoe from Africa or somethin'."

Megamind is ready to sneer back at him, has a response ready at the tip of his tongue, but he shoots Cat a glance, first, in case she doesn't want him to make a scene.

Her expression doesn't freeze, doesn't turn horrified –

it trembles, for a moment, but hardens in a calm mask of determination. Then she stands up in one smooth motion, grabs her cup of coffee, walks over to the man, and throws the hot beverage in his face.

Gasps echo throughout the room. The man himself cries out in surprise before making a dash for the restrooms.

"Don't listen to him, hun," Cat says, loudly and forced through gritted teeth, staring at the retreating back of the man, "he's just a bigoted piece of shit." She returns to her seat and mutters, so quietly that Megamind can only barely hear it, "motherfuckin' cock sucking son of a crack whore -!"

Megamind blinks. "Uh," he says, "your, ah, your coffee?"

Cat waves her hand dismissively, even as she peers into her now emptied cup. "Don't worry," she says, "I gave it to charity."

He laughs, grateful for her anger and her fire.

(he'll always remember this day with fondness; the day someone first fought to protect his dignity)

Cat hugs him after their third date. They've been to the movies and haven't done much talking the last two hours, but Cat held his hand when the worst scenes were on screen, and he held hers just as tight.

When she says goodbye to him, afterwards, she wraps her arms around him and holds him – tight, tight, close.

(warm she's warm and she's hugging him)

There's a moment where Megamind – hesitates –

(what if she figures it out by his touch what is she figures it out what if she figures it out what then)

(please, whispers Megamind's heart –)

– he hugs her back.

(an explosion of warmth; of joy; of home and this is his fated –)

Hugs come easier to them after that. Megamind rarely initiates them, doesn't want to startle Cat too much – but she appears to be fine with touching. Hand-holding, too, becomes more common – and the string hangs between them, intense magenta when their fingers intertwine.

(but Megamind twists in his bed at night, guilt tearing through him and ripping him apart, because –)

(what if she finds out, and she will find out you moron, and you need to tell her before it's too late but he doesn't want to lose her, and he should pull away, should say it's enough, should run before he can make her cold –)

Minion is worried. Understandable, as Megamind's life slowly starts to revolve around Cat, rather than defeating Metro Man.

But Minion, loyal fish as he is, doesn't say anything. He keeps it down to uncertain flutters and disapproving looks and lingering, concerned glances. Megamind pretends like he doesn't notice. Minion pretends to not know that Megamind is pretending.

And things aren't okay.

(Megamind's phone dings with a message; it's from Cat, and it reads hey hun I have sum extra time tomorrow wanna hang out at my place)

But they're better.

(and Megamind knows, he knows that Cat still looks at him as only a friend – an exceptionally good friend, perhaps, thanks to the string tied to their thumbs, but – nothing more than that –)

"Hey, hun," Cat greets him at the door. She smiles one of the many smiles Megamind has learned to appreciate – not the beam from their first meeting, nor the pleased grin whenever she drops an awful joke, but the soft one that translates to welcome home. "Come on in."

Megamind dips his head and accepts the invitation. He's been in her apartment before – not a lot, but enough to know the layout of the place. He steps into the room – the living room is, for some strange reason, the room the apartment opens into. Really; a hallway would've been far safer.

Cat steps aside from the door and throws herself onto the couch with a tired sigh. "You will not believe the day I've had at work today – gods, it was fucking terrible – "

"Oh?" Megamind says, shrugging off the jacket he'd slipped on over the disguise. "Do tell," he encourages, moving over to sit beside her on the couch.

"It's nothing big," Cat says, opening her eyes to give him a fond look, "just, you know. Work."

(he thinks of big robots and long nights and flashes of light and bloody near-fucking-death –)

"Anyway," Cat says, before Megamind has the time to react to her previous statement, "I found a new movie I know you'll absolutely love, if you want to watch it with me?"

Megamind is fully aware of the fact that his features brighten considerably. He doesn't care at all; Cat deserves to see the positive impact she has on the world. And besides, watching movies with her is always fun. "I accept your humble offer," Megamind says formally, shifting in the couch to find a better position. "What movie shall we watch, my dear?"

Cat's cheeks turn a few shades redder, but she grins through the blushing. "I'd prefer it to be a surprise, if you don't mind, sire."

Megamind waves his hand lazily. "That is no problem at all," he notes snottily. "Now, turn on this – thehle-wish-on."

A few moments pass where nothing happen. Puzzled, Megamind turns to Cat, eyebrow raised –

she's staring at him, but there's no humour in her gaze anymore, only cold contemplation. "…television," she says softly. "It's pronounced television."

(testing him she's testing him)

"Ah," Megamind says –

(everyone knows that Megamind pronounces words wrong sometimes)

"Thank you," he finishes. "Television."

Cat smiles, and the humour is back again. "Alright, then, sire – your wish is my command." She reaches for the remote, and moments later the screen flickers to life. A beat, pictures start playing on the TV, and –

A delighted gasp falls from Cat's lips, and then she drops all the games and blurts, "can I see this first?"

"Sure," Megamind promptly says.

He shouldn't have agreed so fast, he realizes, when the pictures on the screen pans out, and –

it's him. Without his disguise. Bad and blue and bald and cackling at Metro Man, who's in the process of striking a heroic pose.

Megamind recognizes the pictures to be from his most recent Evil scheme. It's a week or so since it happened, however… this must be a delayed report.

Cat leans forward and makes an intrigued noise.

(interested in his destruction; in his downfall –)

The cameras zoom in on him; he turns to face them, grinning the grin he'd practiced for hours beforehand.

Cat lets out a high-pitched giggle.

Wh -?

The pieces snap into place.

"Wait," Megamind blurts, puzzled and befuddled and filled with blazing hope, "are you seriously –? Over m – Megamind?"

Cat tears her focus away from the screen in favor of glaring at him, and Megamind realizes with a start that it's only half-joking. "And why not?" she asks, and now she sounds defensive –

(but – but – but Megamind is Megamind, how can she – how – what –)

(the look in her eyes, the adoring affection – he's seen it before on her, knows that it's genuine –)

"First of all," Cat continues, "he's fucking adorable." She says it as if it is the truest reality; as though she knows that if everything else fails, this will still hold true – "Look at those eyes, and his smile – " She gestures wildly for the screen, motions sharp and short and angry. "There aren't many guys who could pull of his style and look that good!"

On-screen Megamind raises his leather-clad hand, and a swarm of brainbots rise like a stormy and vengeful cloud behind him.

Megamind begins to gather his wits; he has to give her a reply that makes sense – a garbled mrph? won't hold against her –

"Second," Cat says, the word trembling with the weight of her emotions, "give me one bloody example where he's actually hurt someone – or even tried to!"

He opens his mouth to say that he hasn't been following a lot of Megamind's moves.

"And Metro Man doesn't count!" Cat interrupts him harshly, jabbing a finger in his direction. "He's bloody fucking invincible. You're just judging a book by its cover! Like everyone else!"

The notion that Megamind is judging a book by its cover is so surprising and hilarious that it startles all his wits back into place.

He laughs; mostly at the thought that he's judging himself wrong. "Okay, okay!" he says, before chuckling a bit more. "I didn't…" Now he hesitates; the confusion and disbelief settle heavy in his stomach. "I didn't know you felt so strongly about him."

(she must've defended him before, against other people, she must've, if she gets so mad –)

Suddenly it seems to dawn on her what she's said; one last flare in her eyes, and then she slumps over, a sheepish grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah," she says. "Well. I think he gets the short end of the stick, sometimes." She looks over at the screen again, the sheepish expression tilting into a softer, more regretful one.

On the screen, Metro Man boasts proudly about how he won the fight. Megamind is sulking in the background, chained and soon-to-be confined by the prison's four walls.

"I don't think he's evil," Cat whispers, even as screen-Megamind scowls at the Mayor's back. "I don't think he's evil at all."

Megamind… has a lot to think about, the following days.

(she thinks he's adorable she thinks he's adorable she thinks he's adorable –)

His greatest worry had been Cat discovering his true identity and then promptly leaving him to himself, mad at him for lying and mad at him for being him.

He should tell her – he really, really should – and now that he has proof that she'd be okay with him being, well, Megamind, that choice should be easy to make –

but she'll be mad, she will, because he's lied to her about who he truly is since day fucking one –

and the guilt, the tearing, the ripping, the mind-numbing remorse and terror –

it gets worse.

"She thinks I'm adorable," Megamind admits to Minion the following week. His voice… might have been just a teeny tiny bit dreamy.

"Well, sir," Minion says, putting down the coffee cup with a little more force than necessary, "you're dating. I would expect her to think so."

"Oh, no!" Megamind exclaims, sitting straight in his chair. They're in the kitchen, Megamind sitting by the table and Minion standing over by the oven, watching over some bacon sizzling in a frying pan. "No, no – she thinks I, as in Megamind, incredibly handsome criminal genius and master of all villainy, is adorable."

Minion stops what he's doing. He's not facing Megamind, he can't see his expression –

one nervous heart-beat.

Two.

"Sir," Minion says, turning in his head-piece to fix Megamind with a stern look, his voice soft and dangerously quiet. "I expect to meet her as soon as possible."

Minion has used this voice only twice before; once when Megamind was a teen, and once after one of the earliest battles with Metro Man. Both had been caused by an intense overload of worry from his dear fishy friend.

"Yes," Megamind says, not even thinking about the consequences. "Of course."

Minion nods approvingly, turns back around, and continues to watch over the strips of bacon.

bubsy do you have time to come over today

Megamind looks at his desk, littered with half-finished blueprints and somewhat-thought-out plans for his next scheme.

ofc, he replies, anything for u.

Cat doesn't say what's bothering her, she only opens the door with a tired but welcoming nod. Maybe she thinks that he doesn't notice, but he's her bonded, there's a string made of plant-fiber painted purple that says they're meant for each other, and during the last few months he's gotten familiar with her expressions.

He sees the hesitancy and remorse and worry in her eyes –

and for the first time in his life, he initiates a hug.

Cat clings to him, arms wrapped tightly around his torso and forehead pressed into his shoulder. Megamind doesn't say anything, only holds her closer, ready and willing to be her anchor and her strength.

After an embrace that lasts for centuries and seconds Cat lets go. "Bubsy," she says, quiet and unwavering and eyes downcast, "I'm falling in love with you."

The world halts, freezes, tilts –

(he's been terrified of breaking her, terrified of doing something wrong to her, but the months spent by her side has shown him just how much he can love, just how great he can be –)

(he wants to be good for her, wants to give her the world, and he's no longer afraid of breaking her because he knows he makes her happy, but –)

"No," Megamind says, taking a step back with a small headshake. He's over by the door; he could run, if he wanted to. "No, you're not."

(she doesn't love him she loves Bubsy she loves the disguise; she thinks Megamind is adorable, thinks he's cute, certainly, but she doesn't love him, and –)

(Megamind isn't Bubsy, he's Megamind –)

Cat heaves a shuddering breath. "I – I know this thing – " She gestures towards the purple string tying them together. " – only means that we – that we're – platonic soulmates or what-fucking-ever – but these months – I've fallen in love with you, Bubsy – I know you don't – love me back, or whatever, but – "

"Don't love you back?" Megamind asks, shocked and terrified – he'd thought she knew, thought she could feel the love in every brief touch, in every lingering glance, could hear it in every little joke and word – "Don't love you back?" he repeats, voice rising in pitch. "Cat – I love you, with every fiber of my being – "

His throat clogs up.

(say it, whispers Megamind's heart, say it, tell her.)

(do something, begs Megamind's mind, something, I don't care, anything – )

Then his vision begins to blur. It's too much, the pain and the horror and the dark cloud of self-hatred that had just begun to lift with Cat's help, and it's too fucking much –

(human he should've been human he should've been human so he could've loved her with everything he has, but he can't because he's –)

Megamind –

– twists the dial on the holowatch.

And the disguise fades.

"That's not the problem," he whispers.

Cat's eyes are blown wide within seconds. "– Megamind?" she breathes.

It's strange – Megamind can pinpoint the exact moment she understands. He sees it in her eyes, sees it in the way she shifts her weight. And then he sees something – else – something tilts, in her expression, something tilts and cracks and mends again, and –

she takes a step closer; cranes her neck to look up at him. "You love me?" she asks, voice a mild whisper void of hesitation or horror.

Megamind forces himself to nod.

"And you're Bubsy," Cat says.

It's not a question.

Megamind nods again.

"Wonderful," Cat breathes, and then she kisses him.

Megamind has never understood why people describe kissing as something that shoots sparks – it's a kiss, it's pressing lips against lips, there shouldn't be sparks –

– but now he gets it.

He's willing to bet money that the kiss was supposed to be soft and short and sweet – it's the sort of thing Cat would do, taking it nice and slow before exploring more –

but the moment he kisses her back, months of tension and guilt and longing flare in between them.

(a pulse of need that doesn't come from either of them; a warmth; a desire; a wish)

(the feeling of home, and this is his fated – )

Cat's hands are on his shoulders when she pushes him against the door behind him, mouths working on mapping each other out; she pulls back, just enough to draw a sharp breath and gasp, " – Megamind – " She moves to kiss him again, but she pulls away once more before Megamind can respond to the kiss. " – I suspected – didn't know, of course – " Another kiss, more desperate this time, fingers tightening on his shoulders. " – I do love you – "

" – I – realize – now, yes, that – " Megamind manages to stutter, the next time Cat pulls back. He – desperately – wants, needs –

" – Megamind – " Cat repeats, diving in for another brief kiss before seemingly forcing herself to stay back.

Megamind gets it; he wants to talk about this, about them, wants to understand her –

but the bond between them, the string, the plant-fibre that ties them together – it has other plans, and it wants those plans set into action now.

" – Cirrus – " Megamind gasps out, " – it's – my name – Cirrus – "

Cat rests her forehead in the nook of his neck for a moment, heaving for breath, the moment a brief second of calm – "Oh, Deus," Cat whispers, and the words fan across his skin, "that is – " She presses her lips to his skin, hot and soft and – " – that is fucking beautiful – "

" – ah – I – thank?" he stutters out, half his mind focused on keeping him upright and the other focused on what Cat is saying. There's not much brainpower left to help him speak in coherent sentences.

" – Cirrus – " Cat repeats, pulling back long enough to look him in the eyes, "I – Cirrus, I love – that, love you, fucking – "

(Megamind needs –)

He kisses her, keeping it careful and soft and slow. It takes Cat by surprise; so much that she doesn't try to deepen the kiss. "Less talking," he whispers, when he ends it a moment after, "and more doing."

Cat laughs; it's a beautiful sound, even amid all of this, and Megamind captures the sound with his mouth.

(they barely make it to the bedroom.)

(Minion's wish is granted the next day. He beams, Cat beams, they all beam, and Cat holds Megamind's hand just as tight as he holds hers when Minion first calls her ma'am.)

(it is, they all know, far from the last.)

(and Megamind lies on the couch in Evil Lair, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and shorts and a pair of socks Cat bought for him. She's sleeping on his chest with her arms slung around his torso, a content smile on her lips and socks matching his.)

(and Megamind lies on the couch in Evil Lair listening to a heart sing the same melody as he –)

(he glances at the purple string resting between them, shimmering faintly in the dim light – )

(and he has.)