AN: Mirage and Syndrome weren't always a pair. I wanted this to be all a oneshot, but it seems better to separate some of the happenings. They're becoming my favourite pairing.

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The Escalation's Key

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One: All Brain, Baby

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He's been checking her out since Day One and she's hardly noticed, which, of course, makes him even more attracted to her. She's wrapped up in her own thoughts and feelings, and she's sexiest when she contemplative, that's his opinion.

Of course, on Monday, he thought to himself 'she's sexiest when she's smiling' and last Saturday, he swore she was the most gorgeous when she was biting her lip, one eyebrow raised.

This is, of course, simply a physical attraction, he tells himself, because nothing will ever come of it. It's inappropriate, firstly—she's his employee, and aren't there soap operas about this sort of thing? And second, he's—well—a nerd, sort of.

'I prefer the term 'geek',' he always declares mentally when he has to assess his own actions and likes. 'Nerds laugh funny. I'm cutting edge. I'm RPG, I'm weapons, I'm all brain, baby.' He laughs at this. 'I'm all brain, baby.' It makes him snigger.

'I'm all brain, baby.' Like it's sexy; in a voice like it's a sexy thing. He loves doing voices—this one's all sultry, the kind he'd use if ever given the opportunity to whip off a silken robe to expose his manhood.

'All brain, yeah, you like that? Heh.'

Except, he's quite certain Mirage is the type of girl who goes for all brawn, baby. He's not sure why, but usually the real skinny girls like tall, dashing men. And he's quite short. But he could be dashing, if she'd give him the time of day.

It's not that she ignores him. 'Nah.' It's her job to dote upon him, to press buttons and answer commands and deliver messages and take out lunch and say 'This is Mirage. Can I transfer you to Syndrome? Syndrome! I have Harvey on line one!" and be (generally) polite.

She even laughs at his jokes. She might even like the voices he does, but he'll have to test that theory. She's not impatient, unlike other beautiful women he's seen. She doesn't say 'kay, is that all?' and snap gum.

Mirage is a different sort of being. He likes her because, based on appearance, one might label her as weak, delicate, or paltry. He might have even misjudged her, but he refuses to recall. She is not submissive. She is strong-minded and tells him her opinions often, and even if he doesn't like what she has to say ("The hair's a little high today, boss."), he respects her word. He likes that in a woman, he's decided this. Or maybe, he just likes that in Mirage.