forum “I am the righteous hand of God!” he said,” and I am the devil you forgot” she yelled

Started October 11, 2022 by @Adam_gets_railed_by_men

tune

Daya welcomes customers as they came, but something made her stop dead mid-sentence. Max had walked in, and the glare on his face made her start to shake slightly. “Max.. H- hi”

When Malcolm finally opened the store, he moved to sit behind the counter. He brooded when he wasn’t with a customer, pondering this strange fondness between him and Daya. Though, when he heard Daya stutter, he stood up and headed over to face Max, subtly moving between the man and his sister.

“You’re early. It’s only been two weeks. I haven’t finished my appraisal yet. Come back in another week, unless you’re planning on buying something,”Malcolm stated in a tone that allowed for no argument.

“I plan on taking daya home,” he said sternly.

Daya unconsciously grabbed Malcolm's hand. She needed something to ground herself and keep from having a panic attack

Malcolm flinched when Daya grabbed his scarred hand, shooting her a glare before taking his hand away. He then turned his glare on Max.

“Since that doesn’t count as shopping, get the fuck out of my store. Daya is a grown fucking woman, and can go where she wants to. If she doesn’t want to go with you, then fuck off,”Malcolm snapped.

Maximus snarled and forcefully grabbed daya, dragging her forwards “ she will listen to what I say!”

The moment Maximus touched Daya, Malcolm snapped his fingers. A small, four-legged, two-armed robot rushed out from a hidden door in the counter, climbed onto Max’s leg and punched his knee, breaking it instantly. It then jumped off and waited nearby, outside of Max’s reach.

“If you don’t let go of Daya and leave her the fuck alone, then you’re losing the other knee. And, if you don’t get the fuck out of my store right fucking now, you’re losing both arms alongside your other knee,”Malcolm growled.

Maximus yelled out, gripping his hurt leg “you're a fucking phyco! “

Malcolm laughed,”Yes, I am. Now, get the fuck out.”

The robot straightened, prepared to attack again if Maximus didn’t move.

Maximus did, glaring at daya as he left “you're in shit daya.” he growled

“Fuck with Daya, and you’ll have a new stalker,”Malcolm warned, casually picking up the robot as emphasis that it would be the ‘stalker’.

“ Try me dick, “ he said and left

Daya was breathing heavily behind Malcolm. Her anxiety was overriding any other emotion and her eyes showed that she was dissociating.

“Careful what you wish for,”Malcolm taunted.

He then threw the robot at the back of Max’s head. The robot compensated for the sudden throw by angling itself to latch onto Max as it landed, which left four scratches on the back of its head. It then thumped Max in the head, giving him a good migraine, before jumping off and rushing back to Malcolm.

Once Max was gone, Malcolm turned to look around. The store was deserted except for himself and Daya. And, speaking of Daya, she didn’t look too well.

“Daya, you fucking get yourself together, because my methods aren’t as gentle as you would think. I’m not your brother, and I’m definitely no shining beacon of light and happiness, but I do appreciate your help here,”he hissed at Daya.

Malcolm then moved to lock the door of his shop and put up the ‘Closed’ sign. The wonders of being able to choose his own work hours. He loved it.

Afterward, Malcolm turned back to Daya, grabbed her by the arm, and led her to a chair to sit down in. He wasn’t very gentle, but nor did he hurt her.

Daya hasn't even noticed, she was in her own head at the moment, trying to fight off her own thoughts.
She had this problem quite often. Even in super fights, shed pause in the middle and just stand there. The civilians called it her planning methods but really she was just dealing with an anxiety attack.

“S..sorry “ she whispered over and over

Malcolm stepped back and watched Daya, his eyes narrowed. He remembered bits from when he’d watch the news, of God-ess using her ‘planning methods’. He realized that this was the same thing, but it wasn’t planning at all.

“Weakness,”he hissed.

It was either anxiety or panic, but either way, it was a weakness. And, one that Malcolm wouldn’t tolerate for long.

After a moment, Malcolm huffed and walked off, going to grab something to eat before returning to his work.

Daya eventually came out of it, already up and back to work as she was.
Now she refused to acknowledge Malcolm, sometimes taking a moment to breath

Malcolm finished eating and returned to the front, cleaning some more. He noticed Daya, but he was quite content to ignore her. Unless she had a way to explain her ‘fit’, then he didn’t need to talk to her.

Daya wasn't going to. The old being of Malcolm had found a way of getting the ‘fits ‘ to stop, though she never knew it.

Now daya had found him again and.. He doesn't even know her. She sighed and lowered her head a bit as she dusted

Malcolm heard her sigh and he glanced at her with narrowed eyes. He stopped cleaning and headed over to her.

“The fuck is going on? I’m no fucking idiot. You are lingering here for more than just an escape from your asshole brother. You mentioned something about knowing me in a past life. You give me your necklace of power. And, then, there’s this goddamn annoying connection between us that won’t let go even though I only want to rip it apart. What is it between us that I don’t know, hmm?”he growled.

Daya looked up, hurt in her eyes “we were lovers! Hathor!.. You loved me and you knew every detail of me and how to calm me down.. And now you hate me..” the woman tightened her grip on her rag “ and I loved you, with every bit of my soul and while you always lose your memory in the next life, I never do!”

Malcolm froze at her words, stunned. He had expected something, but not this. And, now it made sense why there was such a fondness between them, one that nagged at him for a reason he couldn’t explain. He could now. It was familiarity. He didn’t know this woman, but he also did. And, that they had been lovers…

It revived memories of his former fiancée, of their love, but also of their difficulties. Malcolm had abandoned her after being nearly blown in half, and he’d enjoyed it. But, Daya… was different somehow. And, it actually hurt to hear her words. It cut him far deeper than he’d ever imagined, and he didn’t know why.

Tears welled in his real eye, and Malcolm turned away, heading into the back room. He shut the door, then sat down in one of the chairs, swaying as he fought the unexpected wave of tears.

Daya’s tears streamed down her face as well, leaving the shop just as dusk was setting.
Her body shivered as the cold set into her skin, and only after a few miles did she realize she was lost, and without her necklace, she had nothing to defend herself with.
“Hello?” she whispered, thinking she seen someone walking toward her

Malcolm didn’t move for a long while, his mind whirling. It was dark by the time he finally came out of his thoughts. He hesitated to move, then decided to speak with Daya some more, to figure out how their apparent situation was even possible.

He stood and headed out into the front of the store, but Daya was gone. She’d left. Malcolm sighed, shaking his head. It nagged at him to talk to her, but he didn’t know where she was, or even what to say to her.

“How did this become so complicated?”Malcolm grumbled.

He turned to head back into the back room to brood, but a robot blocked his path, specifically the one he’d built to target Maximus. The bot flashed its blue ‘eye’ at it, then headed toward the front door. Malcolm watched it, a bit confused.

“Is Max there?”he asked.

The bot turned, flashing its light twice, a ‘no’. It then waved one of its arms, as if beckoning him to follow.

“You know what way she went,”Malcolm guessed.

A single flash, a ‘yes’. Malcolm chuckled, then moved behind the counter to grab one of his many guns. He already had two stashed on him at all times, but he figured he’d need another at night. Malcolm then followed the bot, and it led him along the path it believed Daya had went. It wasn’t entirely accurate, but they were following the general direction of Daya’s walk.

After a while, Malcolm pulled out one of his guns. He and the bot had entered a questionable area, and he didn’t know what sort of folk lingered around. Hopefully, Daya realized where she’d gone, because Malcolm really didn’t want to save her ass.

Daya’s terrorized scream echoed in the distance. Blood dripped down her legs and face (being vague but still prompt for angst) a larger cut laid across her cheek, enough that you could stick your fingers through it.

She screamed helplessly for Malcolm, even in her mind knowing he wouldn't come because he couldn't hear her. Nor did she think he cared..

Malcolm heard a scream in the distance, but he was partly deaf because of his torn ear, so he couldn’t tell where it was coming from. However, the bot could, and rushed in that direction. Malcolm followed, his grip tightening on his gun.

When they found Daya, Malcolm was quick to shoot her attacker, killing the person with one accurate shot to the head. He then looked around, ready to shoot anyone else that came in sight.

When he found no signs of lingering attackers, he turned to Daya. He sighed in frustration, immediately torn between leaving Daya or taking her back to his store.

“Motherfuck. Are you deliberately this fucking stupid?”he hissed at her, though he was actually just venting.

Malcolm didn’t know what to do, so he just ended up standing in front of Daya, staring off into oblivion as he tried, and failed, to make up his mind. The bot stood beside him, guarding the pair.

“No I'm not stupid, I just got lost,” she said while the adrenaline pumped through her “ I had to find my own way home.” daya growled

Malcolm rolled his eyes at her.

“You know that makes you sound like a fucking dumbass, right? And what the fuck do you mean by ‘find my own way home’? You had to wander through the bad part of the city to go home? That makes you an actual fucking dumbass!”he retorted.

“No! Because this part of town is where I live dumbass! “ she teared up, flinching every time hed yelled at her.
“ I have nowhere else to go but back to Maximus, clearly because you seem to get so damn pissed off around me. So I left, you can go back to your normal life, and ill go back to mine.”

Malcolm stared at her incredulously. She lived here? What fucking nonsense was that?

As she explained further, he turned away, unconsciously rubbing the edge of his mask. Part of him wanted to let her go, but the other part didn’t, and that was without including Maximus in the equation.

“Goddamn it, Daya. I’m a mean motherfucker by nature, especially after this shit happened to me,”he said, pointing at his mask. He sighed, lowering his hand.

“But, I would rather kill Maximus than see him lay his hands on you again. And, that is why I get pissed off around you. I don’t know why. Ever since I fucking met you, I’ve been fucking obsessed with you, and I can’t fucking shut it off! I once had a fiancée, and I was never this fucking obsessed with her, even after years of being with her! And, I don’t fucking know why!”he hissed.

Malcolm turned away, raking his hand through his hair and breathing deeply as he tried to compose himself.

Daya had nodded softly, now the adrenaline was leaving her body, and the pain becoming more overwhelming.
Daya gently wrapped her arms around Malcolm's waist from behind, and her staggering breaths told him that she was getting weaker.
“I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to bring this all on you…”

Malcolm flinched when Daya wrapped her arms around him, but he quickly realized that it was necessary for her. He sighed at her words, then moved to wrap an arm around her shoulders, supporting Daya so she’d stay standing.

“Come on. I didn’t fucking kill a guy and waste a bullet only for you to die on me. I know a few doctors that don’t ask questions, and that are actually worth a shit,”Malcolm said, leading Daya away from the place and into a slightly less dangerous, but still very shady, area of the city. The bot dutifully followed them.