New York - Hotel Room (December 2017)

[DarkSideCookie]

New York - Hotel Room

A rather modestly furnished budget hotel room in New York City

[DarkSideCookie]

Ever since they had been back from their trip to Germany to seek out Zemo, Nebula hadn't talked more words than necessary. Sure, they both were economical with words, yet it hadn't been like this between them before, not until they had become a team some months ago. Her reporting about what had happened down that cell, with the communicator so mysteriously broken down, had been rather vaguely, as well. Andro had granted her time to recover from their flight, though, before questioning her some more. But now it was on time to finally have that conversation.

Waiting for Nebula to meet him in his room at the hotel he currently stayed at, Andro stood still before the window, watching the city lights outside for hours already.

[Ariel]

Nebula entered the hotel room, without a knock or an entrance announcement. They had grown so comfortable with each other over the many months of being on the same team together, that the respect was mutual. Or so she had thought. Things had changed between them since seeing Zemo, and she knew Andro wasn't dumb. He figured she knew more than what she cared to lead on. Felt differently than she cared to express. She stood in the middle of the room for a moment, staring at Andro as he stood motionless in front of the landscape that the window encased of the city.

"Do you have something to say?" Nebula finally broke the silence with her bold question. He usually didn't get this reserved unless something was on his mind. She was nervous to ask him, and yet knew that he would tell her anyway. Nebula felt damned both ways and just hoped there was a way out if things got bad.

[DarkSideCookie]

Andro wasn't bothered that Nebula didn't knock on the door before entering. She never did, and he never bothered. He turned around to face her, still standing by the window. They both stared at each other in silence for a while before it was her who spoke up first, questioning him about the reason for this meeting.

"Do you have something to say?"

There was something cold, something distant, in her voice; Something that Andro thought to have heard for a while already. And it hurt him deeply. So to make up for the emotional distance, he took steps in her direction, after all. "I am- worried, Nebula," he decided to start differently from what he had concocted in his mind. Their relationship suddenly seemed so fragile that he couldn't risk losing her by treating her like this was nothing but a cold interrogation. It wasn't. Nebula was important to him, had been right from the start, always. And still, he needed more from her than just her company. Things that forced him lying to her. Andro pushed these thoughts back into the background and, instead, let bits of his worry show on his features, ever so slightly reaching out to her face even. "Has something- changed? Between us?"

[Ariel]

"Has something- changed? Between us?"

Nebula looked upon Andro with the same stony glance she had walked into the room with, though a story was to be told behind her eyes as she looked upon him. This man before her was someone she looked up to, admired, even felt something for at one point. And yet, any shred he may gave her of straying from promises or feelings left her with her guard up. She had been hurt by so many people before him, especially by her father and Gamora. Nebula knew she took a gamble in getting involved with another being again, and things between them started to feel rather...off. She didn't like that.

"I know that I haven't changed," Nebula responded in a stark tone, "Have you?" She needed to know once and for all if they were still on the same page, let alone the same team, "Tell me. What is the one thing I desire most in this universe, Andro?" Nebula questioned him. Her motives never changed. And whether she liked this man or not, he had made promises to help her succeed. And yet, Nebula felt as if she was getting played by someone with their own personal agenda...again.

[DarkSideCookie]

"I know that I haven't changed,""Have you?"

The stark tone in her voice didn't slip him, irritating him even more. Instead of a verbal answer, Andro only slightly shook his head, waiting for her to go on with an explanation as he needed one.

"Tell me. What is the one thing I desire most in this universe, Andro?"

"That is- taking revenge on Thanos," Andro carefully answered. Carefully, because he still didn't like this desire of her as it was just as toxic as it was with everyone else. He had thought to have freed her from that, from all this anger. But it seemed that there was even more than before. He didn't get why. And that was why he added nothing more on his part but, instead, waited for her to explain, again.

[Ariel]

"That is- taking revenge on Thanos,"

Nebula took a beat to respond, bringing herself a few steps closer towards Andro. There was a look in his eye that she couldn't decipher in that moment as concern or anger. Nonetheless, she knew that she had to speak for her true self. Andro would accept her for who she is, or reject her. Nebula felt it would just be easier if he simply pushed her away, just as she had been doing to him the past while.

"I stand by what I said...I haven't changed," Nebula revealed to him. She knew this wouldn't make him happy, but she couldn't keep putting on this fake façade any longer, "I know what you've taught me. But I've also realized that I am who I am, and I'm always going to be the same old revenge hungry Blue that you've been trying desperately to change. I really like you, Andro, but lately I've felt like a project to you. My whole life, people have been trying to change me, mold me into a better version of myself. Can you ever accept me for who I truly am? What happened to your initial end of the bargain? The one where you said you'd help me destroy Thanos once and for all?" Nebula's face was inches away from his as she pleaded her case. She didn't know if he would understand or not, but she had promised herself she wouldn't be made to feel like a bird stuck in a cage ever again. By betraying her true mission, she felt like she failed herself any everyone else out there like her that's been abused by her father.

[DarkSideCookie]

His eyes watched her every little move as she stepped closer towards him, not so much to keep a wary eye on her but because he simply couldn't avert them from her. She had become an obsession to him, even though he knew how bad that was; How bad everything that would distract him from his mission was, especially with her revealing to him now that she had no intention to change her mindset. Andro never wanted to change, but only to heal her. Why could nobody see his true intentions and motives?

"I stand by what I said...I haven't changed,""I know what you've taught me. But I've also realized that I am who I am, and I'm always going to be the same old revenge hungry Blue that you've been trying desperately to change. I really like you, Andro, but lately I've felt like a project to you. My whole life, people have been trying to change me, mold me into a better version of myself. Can you ever accept me for who I truly am? What happened to your initial end of the bargain? The one where you said you'd help me destroy Thanos once and for all?"

With Nebula's face so close to his, it was hard for him to concentrate. However, each of her words did something to him, brought something to the surface ever so slightly; Something that he had thought was long gone. Anger. But there was so much more this time. He had feelings for her. Feelings that prevented him from just giving vent to this anger, for it was still controllable.

"I also stand by what I said," Andro eventually replied, his eyes meeting with her lips every now and then. She was so very close. Only inches were parting them from a kiss. The anger vanished a little and gave space to these other feelings. He dared to slowly reach out to her chin with one of his hands. "I never- meant to change you, Nebula. All I wanted was to... help you."

[Ariel]

"I never- meant to change you, Nebula. All I wanted was to... help you."

Nebula's gaze darted downwards at Andro's gentle touch along the bottom of her chin. Something that had supposed to have been so great, galaxy changing even fizzled into whatever it was that they were holding onto in this moment by a wavering thread. Looking back, Nebula wondered what it was that changed the tide in their relationship. Or if they had been doomed to fail since the beginning. 

"And what was it that made you think I needed help in the first place? You were the once who convinced me I was broken and needed fixing, Andro. I never needed to be helped...all I wanted was a partner. Someone I could count on. One who would take on the Galaxy with me." Nebula's voice wavered with a surge of emotion as she flickered her gaze back upwards into his.

[DarkSideCookie]

"And what was it that made you think I needed help in the first place? You were the once who convinced me I was broken and needed fixing, Andro. I never needed to be helped...all I wanted was a partner. Someone I could count on. One who would take on the Galaxy with me."

Andro listened to her words, yet like they were but an echo in the back of his head. She was so close. So... close. Then, when her gaze met with his again, his fingers still resting on her chin, he whispered: "I want to be that partner..." And with these words, Andro dared to take the last inches between them, between their lips, something that he had longed to for so long.

[Ariel]

"I want to be that partner..."

Nebula stared deep into Andro's eyes, trying to find a glimpse of what they once were. She searched in his endless, swimming eyes for a spark or a sign of any kind. He spoke of what he wanted, but was it what he really wanted? The tension between them grew as their lips were just a leap away from passionately colliding, "Then what's stopping you?" Nebula whispered breathlessly, regarding both their predicament as well as the kiss.

[DarkSideCookie]

Andro had no more words to say, or maybe he just couldn't think of anything else but his lips on hers at this point. She couldn't deny that she was feeling it as well, the tension between them, the- love?

So, Instead of an answer, Andro leaned forward just some more, finally sensing her soft lips against his, as one of his hands cupped Nebula's face gently. But that wasn't enough for him. He needed to know if she truly felt the same. And so he allowed himself to deepen the kiss before she even had time to really react to the softer approach before, to open his mouth and search for the other's tongue. He didn't want just take what he wanted. He wanted to be wanted.

[Ariel]

Nebula felt as if she was suddenly melting as their lips interlocked, bringing her to a place of serotonin. All of the things they thought and said began to melt away as she reveled in their loving embrace. And then, Andro began to seek for more. She could feel his tongue suddenly insert it's way into her mouth, and at that moment she pushed both of her hands away from his chest as she pulled away from the kiss. They both caught their breath in a moment of silence for a moment, taking in what had just happened. She knew that he wouldn't be very happy with her reaction, but what exactly did he expect? For everything to turn back to sunshine and roses once again? No. They had been past that point, for a very long time. She knew it. He knew it. And she felt betrayed, as if Andro was trying to test her. 

"Was that necessary?" Nebula questioned him in utter disbelief.

[DarkSideCookie]

When Nebula drew away from him, looking at him like he would have done something wrong, Andro kept his silence, catching his breath for the while of none of them talking. He didn't see something wrong in his action. She had been replying to the kiss, which proved that she felt the same about him. So why would she not want that? Andro simply didn't understand, the same as he didn't understand the following question.

"Was that necessary?"

He looked at her in silence for some more seconds, his features unchanged, before taking the step between them, daring to cup her face with his hands and pull her closer once more, about to repeat his action.

[Ariel]

Nebula almost fell for it again. The way Andro cupped her face was so enchanting, as if he was putting a spell upon her very being. The feeling, the scent - every sensory wire was ignited in this moment and once again, she felt as if this man had her best interest in heart. Yet, when he pulled her face closer towards his, something over his shoulder caught her eye. A note on the wall. "What is that?" Nebula pulled away suddenly, not in hesitancy but more in a direct manner as she lunged out of his grasp and walked directly past him to tear the note off of the wall. Holding it in her hands, she read the words on the note and began to quiver with anger. "WHAT...IS...THIS?!" She suddenly lunged towards him with a hatred built up towards him that she never knew that she had in him.

[DarkSideCookie]

Just when Andro thought they were back to the enchantment of the moment, of another kiss happening, this time without her pulling back, Nebula was doing just that again, this time much more suddenly and also much more furiously. He looked at her in surprise, slightly overwhelmed with the sudden change of situation. After all, Andro was still rather awkward when it came to social interactions and the understanding of one's emotions.

"What is that?"

With still the same confusion on his face, Andro followed her gaze upon the wall and, lastly, her steps towards it. He had made sure not to leave his laptop open before she came over, more or less invited, but, unfortunately, he seemed to have missed removing this one tiny note he'd hung up there. It had been meant only for himself, to focus and connect the dots when it came to reaching outThanos by reaching out the Guardians of the galaxy, more like a plan B as it seemed Nebula lost trust in him more and more. Still, Andro didn't quite get the intensity of her reaction. The note didn't include her, after all.

"WHAT...IS...THIS?!"

His eyes wandered down to the note, now in her hand, for a moment before up to her again. Andro grew with discomfort about the sudden turn of the situation, same as about the change in her. Nebula seemed to slip out of his reach, his hands, more and more. "It is just... It is nothing actually," Andro spoke in defense for himself, trying to shrug it off as good as he could, which was not really good.

[Ariel]

"It is just... It is nothing actually,"

Nebula looked at him with a cold, hard stare. She had known something was off with him for quite some time now, and she couldn't quite place her finger on what it was that was making her distrust him more and more. Until this very moment. Her imagination began to run wild with accusations, thinking the absolute worst of him in this moment, "You knew. All along. About my father...the Guardians...who I was," Nebula spoke in utter disbelief as the truth was finally being revealed, "You used me to get to the Guardians and my father. You said you were different. But really, you're just like everyone else after all...why?!" Nebula growled at Andro, wondering if there had been any truth to their relationship at all.

[DarkSideCookie]

"You knew. All along. About my father...the Guardians...who I was,""You used me to get to the Guardians and my father. You said you were different. But really, you're just like everyone else after all...why?!"

He was still growing with discomfort at this sudden change of situation, at her voice taking on this angry and loud tone, her cold glare at him, her stiff stance, but, most of all, at the emotions that streamed through their connection like a most dangerous blizzard. Andro's breathing became slightly heavier, his pupils wider, and his mind shakier. He couldn't do anything but stare at her in chaos, unable to sort emotions into hers and his own. But the worst of all was this familiar feeling deep inside that he could sort after all, finding its way back to the surface.
Anger.

"N... No. I did not... know from the start," Andro finally replied after some seconds, still struggling with what was going on in his system, trying to hold back.

[Ariel]

"N... No. I did not... know from the start,"

Nebula was far past the point of being rational. Andro was going to regret playing the daughter of Thaos. Snarling angrily in his direction, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt with her bionic fist and slammed him against the wall of the hotel room. She held him there, staring closely into his face - but this time it definitely wasn't for a kiss, "Why did you keep this from me?! Tell me the truth, Andro!" Nebula interrogated him, her voice shook with rage as it grew louder.

[DarkSideCookie]

For the moment of her sudden action of grabbing him by the collar and heavily slamming him against the wall, surprise replaced this anger inside of him. But as soon as Nebula yelled at him again, even louder and angrier than before, it quickly was back. His anger. And also hers, that he sensed through their connection.

With one heavy movement, Andro freed himself of her grip, which went, due to her intergalactic strength, more or less successfully. "I DID!" he suddenly screamed back at her, right into her beautiful face, because fury was stronger than love, with him at least. "I DID NOT KNOW YOU BELONGED TO THEM!" And that was actually the truth. He learned about her connection to the Guardians and her blood bonds only later, at a point where he had long come up with feelings of partnership and other sorts for her.

[Ariel]

"I DID!" "I DID NOT KNOW YOU BELONGED TO THEM!"

Nebula was taken back slightly as Andro had wiggled his way out of her powerful grasp and yelled at her. She knew that she had started the yelling match, but there was something deep within his voice that Nebula hadn't seen before. Anger and fury, the very things Andro tried to correct her from. Nebula felt betrayed, as if she no longer knew the man standing before her. In fact, she began to question herself as to if she ever truly knew him at all.

"But you knew," Nebula uttered in a raspy tone, her voice shaking from distress. She shook her head, looking away from him for a moment to think about her next words before turning her glaring complexion back onto him, "Secret projects, furious rage - who are you and what have you done with the man I used to know?" Nebula scoffed as she still held the note in one of her hands. Fixing the note between the fingers of both of her hands, Nebula continued to angrily stare at Andro as she ripped the note up, piece by piece - the same way he was ripping her heart.

[DarkSideCookie]

"But you knew,"

Usually, when one at least lowered their voice, the other person would do so, too, but the problem with Andro right now was that her negative feelings were mixing up with his own. And that was a lot to take in his current condition and level of anger. So what happened instead was that he got even angrier. She didn't even try listening to him, scoffing at him in a tone that didn't feel correct to him.

"Secret projects, furious rage - who are you and what have you done with the man I used to know?"

Just as Andro was going to reply to her question at least, making his own point, something she did was making him boil even more. As if in slow motion, his eyes followed the movements of her hands, ripping his note up, piece by piece, while staring at him angrily.

Not at all as if in slow motion, Andro's eyes darted back up at her. "You stay with me! You made a promise!" he exclaimed, not as loud as before but still with anger in his voice and tone. He had no excuse for the things she had been pointing out, so what he did here was argue like a stubborn kid; A stubborn kid with a huge potential for aggression.

[Ariel]

"You stay with me! You made a promise!"

Promises? Oh, it was about promises now, was it? Nebula could feel the manipulation thicken more than the air between them in this moment. And now, she knew exactly what he was all about. There was no way in hell or on earth that she could fall into the control of another man, ever again. She took a few rapid steps towards him, as if she was charging onto him, "YOU made a promise too! One you have now broken," Nebula caught her breath as she turned to the side, before peering over at Andro, one last time, "I am done with men in my life trying to control me. To change me. This is goodbye...Andro." Nebula gave him one last, very long stare, before making her way to the hotel door and slamming it hard behind her.

In the hallway, she laid her back into the wall as she puffed out her chest, hyperventilating into the air. It took a few moments to catch her breath, before retrieving the device in the pocket of her suit. Her fingers were shaking as she found the contact in her phone, and dialed to make a call, "Hope?" Nebula's voice quivered, "I'm ready to talk."

*********** 

[DarkSideCookie]

Andro was surprised after all by the rapid steps towards him. When it came to physical strength and pace, Nebula would always be stronger than him. Yet still, if anything brought a rising to his own, it was anger, the one emotion he had tried to push back for so long, locking it away deep inside him.

"YOU made a promise too! One you have now broken,""I am done with men in my life trying to control me. To change me. This is goodbye...Andro."

Despite his current level of anger, something was holding him back at this very moment. He could only watch her leaving him, looking at him in disappointment and disgust. This time, it would hurt so much more than in the past when Hope had left him.

Then, when the door slammed shut with one loud noise, Andro awakened from his frozen state. He was still angry, and so much more. He could feel his heart hammering against his chest and his lungs burning from his own rapid breathing. The only way to get rid of that - the emotions and their effects on his body - was to allow everything he'd been holding back for so long to let out in a storm heavier than ever before.

With the furnishing getting crashed, objects being sent everywhere around, and notes being destroyed by now himself, Andro let it all out.

Only the nearing steps of the hotel staff eventually brought him back down, at least enough to make him leave through one of the windows. He had lost another place and so much more. He had lost everything. The mess he left behind was nothing compared to the mess inside of him.


*** Andro exits ***