A Modest Proposal Pt. 02

Author's Note: Let me begin by saying thank you to everyone who read the first part of my story-I did not expect this to be as popular as it is! I'm still flummoxed at the fact that over 1800 people have read about Atoman and Phyxis already. I hope this follow-up to their story can meet the same expectations! :)

Phyxis

She woke up the next morning to an empty bed and aromatic smells coming from the kitchen. Stretching, Phyxis reached over to the nightstand and checked her phone (Atoman was kind enough to lend her a charger) for any important notifications. Her Mom had sent her a voicemail to call later, and her Dad had emailed a news article on Captain Titan's new breakthroughs in gene therapy.

Normally, Phyxis would have rolled her eyes at the latter, but now she needed to do her research. Atoman planned for them to meet early next week in order to get her enlisted into his Teleportation program, and Phyxis could admit she wanted to make as good an impression as possible.

But first, she needed to shower; the evidence of her night with Atoman was still on her skin, along with the memory of his voice, his touch, his kisses. She has been in those cuffs, completely at Atoman's mercy; nothing had aroused her more in her life. Afterwards they lay together, his fingers tracing idle circles along her waist, down her back. Phyxis put her own fingers on the faint marks of old scars, asking where he'd gotten them.

This was from fighting bad guys, and that was a skateboarding accident when I was twelve.

Phyxis smoothed her thumb over them. I guess these make you a real hero, then.

He smiled back. Someone has to be.

She remembered how Atoman's gaze found the sunflower tattoo on the inside of her right arm.

What about this?

He touched it, the pads of his fingers smoothing over the golden yellow petals.

Something to remember by.

If he'd heard the note of sadness in her voice, he didn't show it.

Phyxis nearly jumped when she heard a knock at the door.

"One second!" She said, going to the chest of drawers across from the bed and opening them for something to wear, settling on a plain gray T-shirt with Captain Titan's insignia (a giant T, no surprise there) emblazoned on the front. It stopped at her mid-thigh, which was perfect since she had no underwear beneath it. At the door Phyxis found not Atoman, but Killstreak peeking his face into the room.

"Breakfast time." He said.

She opened the door, easing past him before walking across the cool hardwood floor. He followed, keeping a small but polite distance between them. Killstreak had pale skin, dark hair, one eye that was brown and the other a pale blue. His tattooed hand twisted a throwing knife between his thumb and forefinger. It was rumored that he dipped the points of each blade in poison, though the news and A-B forums online tended to exaggerate. Still, she couldn't help but be a little nervous walking next to him.

Killstreak noticed her gaze and smiled. "Don't worry-this one's not even sharp."

"Lucky for us then."

Atoman held two plates in his hand, each one stacked high with eggs, bacon, pastries, and fresh fruit. There was a round table next to the kitchen already set with cutlery, napkins and placemats; it made Phyxis feel even more out of place in such an upscale loft, complete with dining service.

"Sit here." Atoman gestured to the chair beside him. Phyxis smoothed the shirt over her knees and tried her best not to flash anyone before morning coffee. The three Acolytes dove into the food, spooning eggs onto their plates and tearing into the pastries like hungry college students. She reached gingerly for a croissant, biting into the flaky dough and chewing.

"So, Atoman told us you're going to meet with Captain Titan next week."

Phyxis looked over to Dealer, his brow raised over his coffee mug. She gulped down her food before answering:

"I am, thanks to Atoman." Phyxis looked at him, and he smiled back.

"Front row seats to the Big Captain Cheese himself." Killstreak added, albeit through a mouthful of eggs and sausage.

"I know the press hypes him up, but he's actually a great guy: self-made, off the charts intelligence, and honorable to a fault. None of us here would be where we are with our powers were it not for Captain Titan." Atoman said.

Dealer leaned towards her. "Don't worry, he gives this speech to all potential acolytes."

"Plus it doesn't hurt to know his star pupil." Killstreak added, pointing his fork towards Atoman. Phyxis blushed while Atoman gave him a sharp look.

"Be nice."

Killstreak raised his arms. "It's true, dude; no disrespect."

She changed the subject. "So, is it really true that you can hit a mark from 200 yards away?"

At those words his chest puffed out with pride. "230, to be exact."

"And we'll never hear the end of it." Dealer poured himself another cup of coffee, earning a scowl from Killstreak.

Atoman chuckled, turning back to Phyxis.

"Have as much as you want, and after breakfast we can talk more about Captain Titan."

She nodded and took another croissant, pulling it apart with her hands. A smudge of chocolate appeared on her thumb and she licked it off, earning a quick glance from Atoman, his eyes trained on her finger, taking more than a few seconds to look away.

Atoman

He did his best to behave, letting Phyxis wash her plate in the sink without walking over to pull up her shirt (well, his shirt, but it looked better on her) and even let her shower in his bathroom without joining her and soaping up those gorgeous breasts. Atoman was already giddy that she wanted to meet with Captain Titan and be a part of the Acolytes--now all he needed was to find the perfect place to take her out on an actual date.

Would she want an actual date? The thought intruded into his brain, turning his good mood slightly sour. Sex was one thing, agreeing to see Captain Titan another, but was Phyxis actually interested in being his girlfriend? It had been a while since he'd been on a date himself, let alone been someone's boyfriend. This girl was one of a kind, someone who could dish out sass and sarcasm with those gorgeous pink lips or make him want to stare into her green eyes, if only to find out the secrets behind them. What was with her sunflower tattoo anyway?

"I wish my shower had that kind of water pressure."

Phyxis threw his T-shirt at him as she dried her hair. He went over to her and bent down to kiss her shoulder, then her neck. She wound her arm across his neck and kissed him on the lips.

"You can always shower here, whenever you want." He replied, going to the bed and watching as Phyxis slipped out of the towel covering her body, those gorgeous curves appearing in view as she slipped on the straps to her bra and fiddled with the hooks in the back.

"Is that a standing invitation you're giving me?" She asked, putting on her own shirt. Atoman sat up and went over to her, placing his hands on the small of her back.

"Yes."

He kissed her again, pulling Phyxis onto the bed. She settled on top of him, the bottom half of her body still bare. Atoman slipped his hands past her waist and down between her legs, running a finger along her folds.

"Y-you know, I'll have to go back to my apartment eventually..." She trailed off as his finger pushed inside, his thumb going to rub her clit.

"Really?" he answered, grunting when Phyxis' hand reached down to stroke him through his shorts. She was about to unbutton him when Atoman flipped them both over, pinning her wrists above her head with his free hand. His finger was still working inside of her as he whispered against her ear.

"While you're here, you'll spread your legs for me when I tell you to and let me play with your pretty pussy as much as I want."

Phyxis moaned and rocked her hips against him, her mouth forming a soft 'o' in pleasure.

He chuckled. "I'm going to have so much fun finding all the ways to make you moan and scream for me."

Phyxis

In that moment she was aware of only three things: the first being Atoman's voice, the second his lips trailing down her neck, and the third how close she was to orgasming again because of him. Phyxis' hips kept rolling up against his palm, wanting more of his touch. He sat up and stared at her with those beautiful dark eyes.

"How badly do you want to come right now?" Atoman said.

She whined, twisting her hands in his grip even as it tightened.

"Tell me."

"Please," Phyxis gasped. "Please, I need to come so badly."

He slowed his fingers but didn't stop. "I'm going to count backwards from ten, and when I get to one, you're allowed to come--but not before."

She nodded, biting her lip as Atoman began moving his hand faster, voice sounding out each number:

"Ten... nine... eight..."

It was getting more difficult to hold herself back.

"Seven... six... five..."

Oh god, please.

"Four... three... two..."

He paused for just a moment, smiling.

"... One."

The orgasm made her toes curl in and a sound between a gasp and a scream leave her lips. Atoman withdrew his finger and released Phyxis' wrists as he kissed her cheeks and her lips, bringing her down from the euphoria that he created.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She nodded slowly, gaze turning to Atoman's hand, his thumb grazing her cheek.

"I think I can get used to this." Phyxis answered.

"Really?"

There was a note of vulnerability in that single word.

She looked him in the eye. "Yes."

Atoman

Phyxis moved closer, gently kissing his bottom lip. He smiled, feeling a lightness in his chest when she pressed her hand against it, skirting her palm down to between his legs, feeling how hard his cock had become by just touching her.

"My turn." Phyxis said, grinning.

She slid down, unzipping his fly before reaching in and taking out Atoman's cock. He stared down at Phyxis as she gently stroked him, her lips parting to flick his glans with her tongue; he shuddered, and then she took him into her mouth.

"Fuck..." Atoman groaned, laying back onto a pillow, putting his hand on Phyxis' head. It had felt incredible the other night, having her tied up and grinding on a vibrator while she gave him head, and this felt even better.

He looked at her again, seeing as her own head took him all the way to the base. Atoman gripped the sheets and prayed to a higher power that he wouldn't come too quickly. He almost did when Phyxis laughed around him, the vibrations making his eyes roll back into his skull.

She moved back up, mouth creating a tight seal as her movements became faster. Atoman realized with a mixture of elation and fear that he was nearing his climax.

"W-wait, don't--"

He tried to sit up, but Phyxis pushed him down with her hand. Atoman moaned and gripped the sheets in an attempt to maintain control, but wasn't helped when she started using her hand in tandem with her lips and tongue.

"Oh God, oh fuck oh--"

He came into Phyxis mouth, gasping like a fish as she kept sucking, not stopping until all that was left were the aftershocks of his orgasm. She swallowed and grinned.

"I've always wanted to try that."

Atoman tried to laugh, but all that escaped was a wheeze. Phyxis turned, grabbed her shorts, then stood up.

"I'll see you next Monday for Captain Titan, 'kay?"

She kissed him on the cheek, then turned around and opened up a portal with her hand. Phyxis sent him another kiss before disappearing.

"What a woman." He said to himself, throwing an arm over his face.

Phyxis

Her roommate Laila stared at her from across their bedroom, mouth open.

"You did what?"

"I agreed to join the Acolytes and Captain Titan's Teleportation Program; what's the big deal anyway?"

She gave Phyxis an exasperated look.

"So all this time you kept talking about how the Acolytes were 'lame' and 'Captain Titan's sycophants' you were really thinking of joining them?"

"Well.." Phyxis said, crossing her legs on her bed. "I know that the Rebel Sixes sounded cool, but it makes more sense to be with the Acolytes instead."

"I could've told you that--so, when are you meeting with Captain Titan?"

"Next week."

Laila raised an eyebrow. "That fast? It usually takes weeks for people to get processed and--"

Her eyes narrowed, a smug smirk growing on her face.

"You got it through Atoman, didn't you?"

Phyxis blushed, hugging her pillow. "I promised him a date."

Laila cried out, nearly knocking over her laptop.

"I knew it! I knew you had the hots for him!"

Phyxis sighed and flopped onto her bed, wondering if she knew just exactly what she'd gotten herself into.

"So... is he as big as they say he is?"

She threw a pillow at Laila in response.

Atoman

They stood in front of the bright steel T of Captain Titan's headquarters, hands locked together as Phyxis gazed up, her expression uncertain.

"Don't worry," Atoman said, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be fine."

She looked at him, giving a quick smile, then following his lead past the revolving doors. The lobby was dark and cool, a welcome relief to the heat radiating off the concrete sidewalks. Atoman nodded at a receptionist, then went to the elevator and pressed the highest floor number on the screen: 75.

The inside of the elevator was lined with glass mirrors, reflecting a dozen different versions of Phyxis and a dozen more of Atoman. She watched his turn, eyes admiring her floral skirt and powder blue top, both of which were the most girly items in her closet.

"Your hair looks cute like that."

Phyxis looked at her reflection, seeing how her blond locks were now curled into something resembling a 1960s bob. She twisted her lips, brushing the front sections behind her ears.

"I like it a little more wild." She said.

Atoman smiled. "I do too."

He leaned down and kissed her, lifting her by the hips to close some of the height distance between them. Phyxis put her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes. Atoman put his hand on her ass, gently groping it before pinching the soft skin beneath the dress. Phyxis squeaked in surprise between their kisses.

"I can tell you're wearing panties."

She looked at him, blushing hard.

"I can't meet the most important superhero in the world with no underwear on!"

He laughed, leaning in close. "When we're finished here, I'm going to take those panties off and keep them for myself."

Oh God, it wasn't good to show up to an important meeting hot and bothered.

The door dinged, opening to what looked like a modern, sleek penthouse. Only the penthouse was lined with all sorts of beeping machines, long multicolored wires, and holographic screens depicting news in several different languages.

"We're here!" Atoman chimed.

The man Phyxis had only seen on the news and social media posts walked over to them. Captain Titan was slightly shorter than she expected, but with his ramrod straight posture he seemed taller.

"Hi there!" He said, extending a hand out for her to shake. "Atoman's told me all about you."

Phyxis took his hand, remembering her manners.

"All good, I hope."

Captain Titan smiled. "He also said you're looking to improve your teleportation skills."

She nodded. "Atoman told me you're the best person to learn from."

His laugh was brassy and smooth. "My favorite student tends to 'hype me up', as your generation says."

Wow, total Dorky Dad energy. Phyxis smiled anyway, because he really did sound genuine.

"This way,"

Captain Titan walked forward; Atoman raised his brows at her and gently pulled Phyxis along. She stared at the wide glass windows that showed a full view of Manhattan, glanced at tables with state of the art gadgetry and other objects she couldn't identify.

The three of them stopped in front of what looked like a metal arch, the top nearly seven feet tall and four feet wide. Captain Titan turned to Phyxis, his gaze now focused intensely on her.

"What is the biggest portal you've ever generated?"

Phyxis looked from him to Atoman.

"Um... I'm not exactly sure."

Titan nodded his head. "For your first lesson, I want you to create a portal that can fill the entire length and width of this arch."

Phyxis looked at the arch, then raised her hand. A dot the size of a quarter appeared, growing to the size of an orange, then a volleyball. Its edges rippled and flowed out towards the edges of the arch, warping the metal like a mirage.

"Good--keep going."

The wider the portal became, the more difficult it was for her to control; the force of the portal pushed and pulled like a magnet, resisting her attempts to expand.

"Keep concentrating." Titan said.

Phyxis took a deep breath, closing her eyes and making her breath slow and even. In her mind she saw the portal filling the space of the arch, becoming a rippling door for someone to pass through.

When she opened her eyes, the vivid lights of the portal appeared in front of her, blinking like traffic lights before disappearing. A drop of sweat fell into her eye before she wiped it away. Phyxis dropped her hand and let the portal slowly shrink away to nothing.

Titan clapped his hands. "Excellent--most of my teleportation pupils are only able to keep a portal open half as long."

She sighed, wiping away the perspiration that had grown on her brow.

"It took all of my concentration to keep the portal up as long as I did."

He nodded, clapping her on the shoulder. "Which means that you have enough power to potentially sustain it for twice as long, maybe even more. All that requires is a little more practice."

Phyxis glanced at Atoman, who grinned and nodded.

"I wouldn't have been able to be where I am without Captain Titan's help here."

He gave Atoman a dismissive wave of the hand. "Both of you are bright pupils, and there's no doubt in my mind that you can excel."

Titan gestured over to the arch again. "Try one more time, and see if you can hold the portal half a minute longer."

Atoman

Afterwards, Atoman took Phyxis to a hole in the wall noodle spot near Chinatown, buying two steaming bowls for them as they sat outside at a small metal table with folding chairs. He stared at her while chewing on his food, hand beneath his chin.

"So, what did you think?"

She paused, about to take her own bite, then placed her bowl down and thought for a moment.

"I never thought I'd meet Captain Titan, let alone work with him..." Phyxis trailed off, lost in her thoughts. "It's part of the reason why I wanted to join the Rebel Sixes in the first place."

Atoman's brow raised. "Why?"

She looked at him. "They'd been studying some of the work that Captain Titan's done, and they wanted to use it."

"Use it for what?"

She looked away. "They wanted to take on the 88s."

The 88-X, to be precise, was a gang of white supremacists who used enhanced strength and pyrokinesis to intimidate people. Just a couple weeks ago they tried to set a bodega on fire before the Acolytes and police stopped them; the owner, Ha-joon Lee, managed to get out on his own through the back with second degree burns and a broken arm. Captain Titan had personally paid for the damages to his store, and one of the 88-X members was serving time in jail.

"They're dangerous, Phyxis," he said. "you don't want to cross paths with the 88-Xs unless you have to."

She looked down. "You do."

Atoman lifted up her chin, a solemn look on his face.

"I've lost Acolytes to those bastards... I don't want to lose you too."

Phyxis took his hand in her own, cradling it in her palms like a prayer.

"I won't, I promise."

He used his other hand to pluck up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks.

"Want some?"

Phyxis

They ended up wandering the streets, going nowhere in particular. They passed people spilling in and out of bars, open markets hawking fresh fish and vegetables, and tourists buying fake handbags in the middle of the sidewalk. Phyxis kept her hand tightly wound around Atoman's fingers, letting him take her down side streets to find lychee ice cream or say hi to one of his friends who was a bartender at Club Rojo and getting free drinks under the table.

"Not too bad, huh?" Atoman shouted to her over the din of a live band playing.

She smiled and sipped her drink. "Not too bad at all."

He dipped his head down and grabbed the straw from her hand, taking a gulp before Phyxis smacked his fingers.

"Here, try mine." Atoman proffered his own mix of rum and coke. She took it, tasting the heady mixture of alcohol and soda, sweet and rich as the man in front of her.

"Delicious."

The music changed to a slow paced song, a woman singing softly into a microphone. Phyxis took a last sip of her drink and stood up, taking Atoman's hand and leading him to the dance floor.

"Is it too late to tell you that I can't dance?" He said.

Phyxis looked back at him. "Don't worry--I'll show you how."

She took Atoman's left hand and put it on her shoulder, placing his left hand on her waist. Slowly, Phyxis moved her feet; Atoman watched her, doing his best to copy the steps without tripping or stepping on her toes. She raised her arm and let him twirl her, that sweet laughter reaching his ears like a bell. When she came back to him, Phyxis stood on her toes and kissed Atoman, hooking her arms around his neck for balance.

"You're a natural." She said.

He smiled back, then felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as out of the corner of his eye, the entrance to the club sparked bright white like lightning. Atoman saw Phyxis' gaze on it as well, her arms pulling him an embrace as they went through a portal, narrowly dodging that same door hurtling towards the club patrons.

They stumbled out into an alleyway, smoke rising up two blocks away in Club Rojo.

"What the hell was that?"

Atoman peeked his head out from the corner, seeing a beaten up Jeep with the trademark 'X' and 8's on the top and bottom of the letter. Three people wearing ski masks and carrying machine guns stepped in.

"Those fucking white supremacist assholes." He answered.

Atoman pressed a button on his smartwatch, a blue light blinking twice.

"I'm calling for backup--stay here while I go back inside."

Phyxis held his arm fast.

"You can't go in there!"

He turned to her. "Dealer and Killstreak will be here in less than five minutes, and I need to get a handle on things before they arrive."

"If we go in together, we have a greater chance of survival than you going alone."

Atoman sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"If you come with me, do you promise to listen to what I tell you?"

She nodded.

"Follow me."

Phyxis

They arrived outside of the club; Atoman peered in through a small window to see two of the 88-Xs pointing their guns down at hostages with their hands zip-tied behind their backs. Another member was pointing a gun at the bartender while pouring out bottles of liquor across the bar table and stools.

"Shit, it looks like they want to set the entire place on fire."

"How long until Dealer and Killstreak are here?" Phyxis asked.

He checked his watch. "Two minutes and thirty-seven seconds."

"In that time they could set the club on fire, shoot the hostages and get away--we need to stop them now."

"Have you ever fought other ABs before?"

Phyxis went silent, looking away from Atoman.

"No." She whispered just loud enough to hear.

"Until you do, you're going to wait for backup."

"What seems to be the problem, boss?"

Killstreak and Dealer were leaning against the brick wall, along with a woman dressed in what appeared to be a mix of superhero and BDSM gear. She regarded Phyxis with sharp green eyes, nodding her head.

"You brought Nessa with you?"

Killstreak gave an amused look.

"Is that a problem?"

"No." Atoman said quickly, looking away. "Cut a small hole in the glass here."

Killstreak flicked open one of his knives while Phyxis gave Atoman a suspicious glance.

When a small half oval had been cut out of the glass, Dealer reached into his pocket and clicked two small spheres, letting them roll into the club. There was a hiss as smoke filled the interior, people screaming and the 88-X members shouting above the din.

"Dealer, you go with Killstreak through the back and deal with the two gunmen and hostages; Nessa, you come with me and Phyxis through the side to take out their leader."

Phyxis touched the wall, the brick warping and fading to create a portal. They walked inside, the colors swirling and bursting and fading around them as it opened into Killstreak and Dealer trading blows and kicks with the 88-X members.

"Stay behind me." Atoman said, dodging one swing while giving an uppercut to one guy, sending him sprawling on the floor. Nessa went to the bar, swinging over the table to the bartender, putting his arm across her shoulder and leading him towards Phyxis.

"Take him outside first, then get the other hostages out," She said. "We can take care of the rest."

Phyxis nodded, letting the bartender lean on her as she ran towards the wall, opening a portal with her hand and half stumbling out into the alleyway, putting him down as gently as possible onto the ground before heading back in.

As she exited the portal a hand grabbed at her arm, pulling her towards a short, stocky guy with a silver tooth and an X tattooed on his left shoulder. He snapped two fingers with his free hand, a small flame appearing on his thumb.

"What do we have here?" He asked, leering; Phyxis eyes watered at his breath, thick with the smell of cigarettes and cheap liquor. Remembering the self-defense class she took with Laila once (every girl in a big city had to be prepared somehow), her knee connected with his groin. The guy collapsed, letting Phyxis go as he lay on the floor in the fetal position, groaning in pain.

"Little bitch!"

Another 88-X went towards her, swinging a bat towards Phyxis' head; Atoman shoved him to the side, letting Killstreak pin him to the wall with a knife, a howl ripping out from his mouth as he tugged at the blade in his shoulder.

Up ahead, Nessa was cutting the zip-ties of two hostages with a small pair of pliers, lifting them up and handing them over to Phyxis.

"Thanks."

Nessa gave a curt nod, turning back to the guy pinned to the wall by Killstreak's knife. Phyxis went out and put the hostage against the wall, seeing the gash on the side of her head.

"Shit." Phyxis said. "Does anyone have something to stop the bleeding?"

A guy pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, which she took and pressed against the woman's head. In the distance, sirens were wailing, blue and red lights flashing as they drew closer. An ambulance stopped right outside of the club, an EMT spotting the crowd of people in the alley, running to them with a red medical kit in hand.

"What's the damage?" He said.

The bartender answered. "Those 88-X pricks attacked my club and nearly set the whole thing ablaze."

The EMT sighed. "Just another start to the week." He turned to Phyxis. "You helped get them out?"

Phyxis nodded, looking at the skeptical look on his brow before adding. "I'm an AB, and I work with the Acolytes."

Before the EMT could respond, she heard her name being called, Atoman's voice edged with worry. Phyxis ran out of the alleyway and rounded the corner.

Atoman

Where was she? He knew it was a bad idea to lose his watch on Phyxis, especially with how she was putting herself at risk shuttling back and forth between the club and the alley to rescue hostages. Fuck, if anything happened, if any of those 88-X pricks so much as laid a hand on her, he'd--

"Atoman!"

She ran up to him, wrapping her arms around him even as she felt the slight wince of his body, pulling away to see the bruise on his jaw and the slight cut on his lower lip.

"Are you all right?" Phyxis asked.

Atoman smiled. "Nothing I haven't been through before, though I am sorry date night went awry." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Phyxis leaned up, kissing his cut lip with a feather light tenderness.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Her smile then dropped as she put her finger against his chest.

"But you do have some explaining to do about Nessa."