The next day saw the group of five out of the house and inside a clothing line as Nat and Yelena went around their way while the three men they brought along sat awkwardly on one end as they became the recipient of the stares of hungry eyes that even made someone as stoic as Bucky's skin crawl.
It said a lot about them given their physique and masculine gait that it was obvious they would be in the top 1% of female attraction. It was for this reason alone that they didn't want to come with the two ladies but unfortunately today was a family day out of sorts, which meant they had to stick together for the whole day.
Draul had it better than the two enhanced soldiers as he had learnt a trick during his study.
Killing intent.
This particular intent was something that could be exuded by anyone, even normal humans. A milder form of it was that sort of instinct of danger that someone sometimes feels when he sees a particularly dangerous man. A baser sixth sense that all living things had.
What Draul did was just release some of his dark magic aura in smaller quantities and that was enough to keep some of the married women that came to bother him away…. Unfortunately it wasn't enough as some, those who could be called as clueless or having no sense of danger, still flocked to him.
Steve was a natural at this as he was a naturally easygoing person even when he was in a fight. Though the fake smile on his face still told of his trial.
The person who had it worst was Bucky as even his unapproachable stoic expression couldn't keep the army of cougars away from him as he was the one flocked the most among the ill-fated trio. His scowl did nothing but increase his misfortune as the older women seemed to take a shine to his hard to get nature.
They had to remain hanging for the short-but-long hours that Natasha and Yelena spent shopping. It was probably their fault that they came in exotic cars and spotted the figure of ideal masculine men. Since this was an outing they all wore simple clothes with Steve sporting a white t-shirt and shorts, the same with Bucky, showing off their body. Bucky was able to go out like this because his arm had some sort of camouflage built into it making it look like a normal hand. For Draul, he had a palm-tree print shirt with matching shorts.
Thankfully they were saved as Natasha and Yelena finally came out from the inner section with someone pushing the trolley of clothes behind them.
"That would be enough, thanks." Bucky wrestled his way from the claws of the women holding him captive and made his way to the trolley and yanked it out from the hands of the dude pushing it. He didn't say another word to any of the others and trolleyed his way to the cars parked outside.
Taking that as a preemptive, Draul and Steve copied him and managed to escape successfully but not before sending the stink eye to the two female assassins who just laughed the reprimand away.
"The next time either of you want to go shopping, do it alone." Bucky snarled before getting into his car with Natasha and Yelena while Steve rode with Draul since they opted for only two cars.
They left for the beach after a light breakfast since they were going to eat a lot today at all the different pit stops they planned for.
"Apparently someone froze this beach a few months ago. The news said it was due to some metahumans fighting." Steve spoke as they came out of the car and surveyed the beach while Draul had a wry smile on his face the entire time.
"They had to close it for up to a month so that the ice defreeze and to make sure that there were no lingering effects on the aquatic life ecology."
They made their way to a secluded corner of the beach with less people and made their stand while Draul and Yelena went for the surfing boards.
The tide wasn't as impressive as Draul would have wanted it for a thrilling surfing experience but since he was here, that would be no problem.
It took less than three minutes before the life guards sent out a call for a high tide incoming which prompted the kids playing at the shore to go back to land and also to those swimming away from the shore, leaving only a few people who were readily anticipating the incoming wave including which were Draul, Yelena and Bucky. It came as a surprise to the two men, mostly to Draul, that Yelena could surf not until she told him that she spent most of her free time moving from hobby to hobby, which at one time included surfing.
The first sight of the wave sent the dozen surfers swimming towards it, each wanting the first experience of the thrill.
"Draul, you're cheating!" Yelena shouted seeing as fast he was moving ahead of everyone and didn't need a reminder to know that Draul was controlling the water for aid just as how he called forth a tide.
The smug laughter of the metahuman was the only thing she heard before he plunged in first only to resurface a moment later as he surfed the tide like he was born with it.
The scene of Draul effortlessly surfing the waves created a spark of competition for the fellow thrill lovers and they tried to emulate the daunting and reckless way of surfing of the cheating meta.
The appearance of another dangerous wave sent them cheering as they plunged forth into it seemingly not caring about the possible danger, even Bucky was affected by it given how he sent out small air blasts from his hands without no one knowing, to send himself speeding on the top of a wave before flying into the air with an impressive display of acrobatics. Poor Yelena was left pouting as she surfed with the other surfers while her two uncle-like figures cheated their way to the admiration and cheers of everybody watching.
They surfed for a while before the currents receded leaving them no other option but to go back to land.
"You guys had your fun?"
"Yeah. I was kinda getting carried away with the waves there." Draul said as they rested from the exercise on the reclined chairs they rented with bottles of wine near them. Looking from afar, you could tell that they were people of opulence and power with the way they carried themselves and the things around them.
"Where's Yelena?"
"I think she's talking to some boy around there." Natasha shrugged.
"I already feel sorry for the poor sap." Bucky chuckled.
"Why's that? I think it's a good thing that she's being social with other people. I don't think she has any friends or anyone else to talk to other than us, and I don't think I need to point it out but we are not actually ideal role models for any adolescent child. Having friends or even a boyfriend would be good for her, I mean she's already 16." Steve said in a thoughtful tone which made the others think deeper on what he said.
"Where's my gun?" Natasha said abruptly only for Bucky to pass her a Ruger LCP he kept hidden in his shorts that somehow made Steve and Draul sigh.
"Don't you think you are overreacting?" Draul said while he basked in the warmth of the sun.
"Yelena knows better so I'm not that worried about her. But if any guy thinks they can hit on my sister then they have another thing coming." Natasha didn't listen to reason.
Steve only laughed awkwardly at the overprotective sister mode that Natasha went into. "Isn't that the complete opposite of leaving her to do her thing if you chase away any prospective boyfriend away with a gun?"
"You guys are taking this too seriously. Just let Yelena do her thing. One or two heart breaks is not going to kill her." The ever nonchalant Draul drawled out.
"It's due to times like these that makes me think you have an astronomically low EQ."
"C'mon it's her life. It's something she's bound to experience down the line. The chances of your first relationship being the one that leads into marriage is almost impossible. She's got at least a decade to experience life however she wants to. She's strong. She'll only come out stronger after it."
"There he goes again with the philosophy. Guess the quack now has love doctor to his title." Bucky said sarcastically. "Oh there she is. Calling it now: 10 bucks says she shot the guy."
"You really don't really believe she could do that… right? Well 10 says she turned him down nicely…. Fuck it, not even I am stupid enough to believe that. 20 bucks says she broke his bones." Steve uncharacteristically laid down his wager.
"10 bucks for the vote of confidence that my sister is not a brute and she turned him down nicely. Draul?" Natasha couldn't help but join in as she saw what her friends thought of her little sister before looking at the last person who still hadn't made his bet.
"Double the table says she did all three." Said man just laughed as he made his bet.
"Okay now I know you are just being mean." The elder sister huffed and waited for her sister to arrive to know who won from the atrocious bet they all made.
Before any of them had the chance to speak, Draul asked in the same sunny voice he used when he was cleaving necks off. "So? How was he? I can tell there were at least 10 guys who wanted to hit on you since we arrived."
Yelena scoffed at that obviously fake expression. "Well between you, Steve and Bucky, I don't think any of them were bold enough to try. As for the guy? He was meh."
"Ooh? What did he do?" Came the follow up.
"Well apparently he thought that he had a chance since my 'brothers' were no longer hovering over me and offered me a good time if I hung out with him. I turned him down politely at first but the idiot thought he could cop a feel as I was leaving which resulted in him breaking his wrist. He then proceeded to threaten me saying that he was part of some gang around here. I was pretty tempted to put a bullet through him had it not been for the fact that people would easily find out."
The entire group fell silent at what the younger girl said with disbelieving eyes. "What?"
"Oh my!"
"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" Yelena was confused by the stares she was given.
"Guys, I think Steve might be right."
"Hey, if it's any consolation, I don't think it is any of our fault."
"Not now, Draul."
"That aside, who won the bet?"
"What bet?" Seeing the looks on their faces, there was no doubt in Yelena's mind that the four of them made some stupid bet that she no doubt would have wagered on if she were present.
"We had a bet on what you'll do to the guy and from the looks of it, Steve and Natasha won." Draul said but the irritation was clear in his voice.
"I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted that you guys won." Yelena said as she took her seat.
"If you had just put a shot through the guy, his hands or legs would have been okay, then we would all have won. Everyone would have been happy that way." Draul scoffed.
"I think we can see now who is the source of the bad influence." Steve jibed while the others nodded in accord.
"I think it wise I say for myself as the most pragmatic one among the lot of us." Draul argued.
"And you think shooting someone if they piss you off is a pragmatic decision? What am I saying, of course you do." The amusement in Bucky's tone was clear for all to see on how he thought of Draul's influence.
Their conversation was cut short when something shot towards them with a speed no one could react to before it was already too late… if a certain meta wasn't there.
The projectile in the form of a man paused midair before it crashed into them. The others already had their guns drawn but held fire as a light of cognizance flashed through their eyes as they saw the man.
"Piotr, mind telling me why you had to crash our little outing in such a way." Draul's tone was bored as he acquired from his acquaintance.
"Sorry about that. We are having a little scuffle at the moment so if don't mind letting me go…" Piotr of the X-Men scratched the back of his metal head in embarrassment at his current position.
"Okay." Draul shrugged and before Piotr could mutter a word of thanks, he found himself being flung back to from whence he came.
"What was that about?" Natasha asked with a raised brow as she surveyed the surroundings once more.
"Oh nothing important. Just the X-Men having a clash a couple of hundred meters away from us on the other side of those rocks. They've been at it for some minutes now." Draul said as he continued sipping his drink but his party didn't share his nonchalance nor amusement.
"And you know this because?"
"I've been keeping an eye on them for a while ever since they arrived on the beach."
"And you don't think of helping them out?" The only thing they received at that question was an expression on Draul's face that said, 'you're kidding right?'.
"To each his own." Was all he said before taking a deep breath and reclining further into his chair.
"…"
"…"
"To each his own."
"To each his own."
The others just reclined and let the X-Men battle their enemies away from their setup.
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