Issue 1 Downtime

Ryan was worried.

Everything that people had said to him so far made sense. There was no reason anything bad was happening to him. He'd been fine for months not even knowing there was anything inside him, it didn't follow that he'd suddenly start to go nuts or die or explode or whatever it was he was afraid of.

Still, no matter how hard he tried to not make a big deal of things or even let people know, he could tell something was... off. He was tired a lot easier lately, and even with that, it was hard to fall asleep. So even while he was trying not to lean on his powers as much (because what else could 'sync with the construct' mean?), he had to draw on them to keep him going toward the end of the day, and even harder when he couldn't get any sleep for the pressure in his head (seriously, WAS he imagining it? Yeah, probably).

I really just need to get over this. It's probably all in my head. He shook his head as he sat down in the fairly-dark kitchen with his sandwich, considering if he should finally bring something up to the med staff and maybe get some sleeping pills.

Nina dropped down from the ceiling in front of Ryan.

"Hello."

Ryan shoved himself back from the table in alarm, just barely keeping himself from attacking in his surprise. "What the fuck, Nina!" he shouted as he pushed himself up from the floor, disentangling himself from his chair.

Nina giggles and tilts her head to one side, "Did I scare you?"

He glared at her and didn't dignify that question with an answer. "What the hell were you doing up there anyway."

"Installing biological sensors," Nina says. "I need data from the student body."

"What are you doing here?"

"Eating," he said, glancing up and looking for likely spots that she'd installed sensors. Or, actually... he reached out with his power, trying to detect the probes she'd probably left behind.

There were probes everywhere.

It was actually kind of terrifying.

"No fair peeking," Nina says. "How would you like it if I took a look at you without asking?"

Several probes began crawling towards Ryan, trying to attach themselves to his body.

"Like Junior year," he suggested. "Yeah, call all of those back," he said, still looking around at all of the places that the probes must be.

Nina giggles, "I thought you liked what happened junior year."

"...It did have its moments. A lot of them. I could have done without the- SHIT!" This time he DID attack, blasting the probe he felt crawl onto his hand.

"I'm just curious about your health," Nina says. "You don't have to overreact."

"Overr- You're spying on the goddamn school, Nina!" He felt a flare of anger as another thought came to him. "How many of those have you scattered around?"

"Not enough," Nina says, stepping closer to Ryan. "But I have been keeping a close eye on my friends."

Ryan stood his ground, glaring at her. "And do your 'friends' know who you're working for now?"

"Do you?" Nina asks curiously.

"Don't play games with me, Nina. I've had one hell of a week and I'm not in the mood for it."

"Why? If I don't tell you what you want to hear are you going to interrogate me?" Nina asks. "Is that what you're in the mood for?"

She had him there, and he knew she knew it. "Call them back, or so help me god, I'm going to walk through this school and drain the life out of every probe I come across," he said, only slightly changing the subject.

Nina shudders. "That would be...unpleasant."

The probes stop and keep their distance. For now.

"Yes, it would," he agreed. "Don't make me hurt you."

Which would be so easy... I can feel them all... just stretch a bit, and drink it all in...

"But what if I want you to hurt me?" Nina asks. "You're very good at it."

And that one shook him a little. "What are you talking about. Why would you want that."

Nina steps forward a bit more, very close to Ryan now. "I don't know."

"Maybe because getting hurt is still better than being alone," Nina says. "Maybe I enjoy it."

He narrowed his eyes, looking down at her. "You're the one that left, Nina. Don't go pushing this on me. I didn't tell you to go take that mission."

Nina giggles, "It was entirely my decision. You're right about that."

"Your choice. Don't go trying to pin that on me," Ryan said, sounding a little less hostile as she came closer.

Nina presses a hand gently against Ryan's chest, "I don't blame you at all, Ryan."

"I'm merely curious about your feelings towards potential traitors of SHIELD," Nina says innocently.

"You got them to take you in here," he said, his expression growing harder again. "So what I think doesn't matter. Until you pull something that puts this school in danger."

Nina pouts. "So serious."

"You asked. You think that I don't take my job seriously?"

"You work for a bunch of murderous bastards with no conscience," Nina says. Her tone is cheerful and there's a pleasant smile on her face. "SHIELD's hands are stained in the blood and viscera of the innocent. They've laid down sacrifices at unholy altars and it won't be long until they pay the price for their arrogance."

"And I'll be one of those lives if I have to be. Along with anyone who tries to make us 'pay a price.'"

"Don't stand in my way, Ryan," Nina says. There's a crazy gleam in her eyes. "I'd hate to do something I regret."

"Then I suggest you don't do anything that makes you go through me," Ryan said. "I don't want to hurt you."

And that's when Nina kissed him.

Ryan was exhausted, stressed, and more than a little conflicted about Nina being there.

So that was probably the justification he was going to use later when he thought about why he started kissing her back.

Nina presses her body against Ryan as she kisses him wildly. Her hands slide down his chest and to his hips.

Part of Ryan very much liked how this was going, as witnessed by how he kissed her back.

Another part of him, apparently, was remembering various lessons he'd learned (not to mention a rather brutal review of his own performance assessment), as witnessed by how he caught her hand and grabbed her by the hair. "No," he growled, his eyes locked fiercely on hers.

Nina gasps as Ryan pulls her hair.

"Please," she says as she stares into Ryan's eyes.