Nandi and Marv stood at the top of the stairs, looking at the party taking place in their living room. It was filled to the brim with Kens and Barbies, drinks and punches that were smoking, and snacks that looked like limbs and organs. With music blaring, Nandi and Marv eyed Min and a group of mostly women surrounding him. They all dressed in some anime female characters, either cute, strong, or sexy. Marv's eyes moved away from the group and found Hilo in the crowd. He was talking to a man dressed like Ken, complete with a fur coat and blonde tips.
Hilo looked up at Marvel, flicked his hair, smirked, and gave her a wink. "I think we found our first targets. " Nandi nodded towards the group surrounding Min.
Marvel nodded toward the group. "It must be one of them. You sniff them out and I will try to get some introduction. " They nodded as they went to work.
Min watched Marvel and Nandi walk up to the group with bright smiles but eyes on a mission. "Marvel, Nandi, I want you both to meet my manga group" he suggested to the group of mostly girls dressed in different manga and anime characters.
Marvel smiled. "What a pleasure. You all look so amazing. " Nandi nodded before moving around the group.
"Please, Min, tell us all about your friends," Nandi popped up with a smiled at a short woman in an Uraraka outfit.
Min watched Nandi shift around until Marvel grabbed his arm. "Yes, we want to meet all your friends." Marvel smiles at a guy dressed up as Dabi.
"That's Jason and Beth," he pointed out the two people that Marvel and Nandi were looking at "Kimberly, Jessie, Alexandra, and Ben" he pointed to an Erza and Lucy Cosplay, Sakura Cosplay, and finally a Shōta Cosplay.
Ben took Marvel's hand in his. "Min, you didn't say your friends were so pretty," the tall, lean man said to Min "It is nice to meet you" he smiled at her.
Nandi stood next to Ben. "Yes, very pretty and very taken friend" She sniffed Jessie, who gave a weird look and flicked her fake blonde wig out of her face. Nandi shook her head at Marvel, telling her it was not her.
"Oh. " Ben let go of Marvel's hand and she took a step back. "Who is the lucky man?" Nandi pointed to Hilo.
Marvel started to deny that, but Alexandra spoke up. "Min, you didn't tell me that Hilo was unavailable," the woman giggled under the pink wig.
Marvel turned slowly towards Alexandra. "You have met Hilo?" she said through her teeth, turning to Hilo in the far corner of the room, his eyes went wide at the look on Marvel's face.
"Yeah," Alexandra giggled nervously, "he drops by most of night, especially nights." Min's eyes grew wide.
Nandi and Marvel turned to Min. "Anime nights?" they both sneered in confusion.
Ben spoke up. "You should come. It's fun. We have the projector and popcorn," he explained to the two women, who looked furious.
"I gotta go," Marvel said, looking to the corner, but found him gone.
Marvel knew exactly where he was. She walked into the kitchen to find him sitting on the counter, watching the swing door as Marvel walked through. Hilo smiled at her, which made Marvel take a step back.
He flicked his hair. "Looking for me," he leaned back in.
"you are going to manga meetups and anime nights with my projector. " Marvel crossed her arms and cocked her hip "We are lying now"
"I never lied, Babe." Hilo jumped off the table and walked up to Marvel.
"You said you were at the track. " Marvel placed her arms on her hips.
"You think I gamble and who goes to the track anymore? Everything is on our phone now," Hilo said but Marvel wasn't having it.
She gave him a dull look "I thought you love doing things the old fashion way, the right way" Marvel ended the statement with quotations marks. "And you are gaslighting again" Hilo's eyes softened.
He approached Marvel, but she was avoiding his touch "Sorry, I…" he realized what he was doing but he wasn't the only one in the wrong here "Listen, we don't have to tell you our whereabouts anymore, this is not high school"
"I know it is not high school anymore but lying" Marvel explained with her hand "Nandi and I couldn't care less where you go but don't lie about it, you don't even have to tell us, " she began to pace back and forth "Nevermind" Marvel said, moving to the door.
Hilo grabbed her arm "No, not 'nevermimd' The reason Min and I don't tell you anything is because you two snoop around so why bother," he accused Marvel who looked shocked
"we snoop around because you don't tell us" Marvel huffed in frustration before pinching the bridge of her nose "I know we are not in high school anymore, and I know we are gonna do our own thing but this" she gestured to the situation "it gonna cause us to drift away. I am scared of that" she whispered when Hilo pulled her into a hug.
"Hey, Hey" he cooed against her ear. "You know I will never let that happen, even if it means standing between the drift and you, I will" Marvel snuggled up to him.
"That's a bit too much, just include us," she whispered in his chest.
"I promise," Hilo whispered, taking in her scent. "And you?" he said, urging Marvel to stop snooping.
"OK, ok, I will stop snooping around. " She rubbed her face into his chest.
Hilo exhaled "I.."
Marvel moved away, but Hilo wrapped his arms around her waist "I can't control Nandi," she said with her hands.
Hilo looked blankly, "Yea, Nandi is a host unto her own," he said in a growl.
Nandi popped her head into the kitchen. "Marvel, you better come see this," she dipped as Marvel looked up at Hilo.
Marvel walked back into the party to find Min standing next to a girl who was dressed as Erwin. Her sepia skin looked tan against the short blonde wig. She was taller than Min and she had a mischievous look in her eyes. She stood like an anime main character next to Min as she showed off her cosplay.
"Marvel, I would love you to meet Akila," Min said, gesturing to the woman next to him.
Akila gave Marvel a bright smile. "It's nice to meet you. Min told me all about you and Nandi. It's about time we meet. "
Marvel gave Akila a look up and down "Funny thing, Min has told me nothing about you" She gave Min a look "But nevermind that, I hope you are enjoying the party and great Erwin cosplay" Marvel grabbed Akila and escorted her to the beverage table.
"Thank you. I thought if the authors won't sail my ships, then I will. " Akila winked at Min who flushed "This party is popping, oh hey Hilo"
Hilo stood next to Marvel with a red cup. "Hey, Akila, great costume. You should tell Marvel about your little art business." He took a sip of his drink, stopped, and pulled a fake eyeball out of his mouth.
"Don't patronize her," Marvel said as a fake eyeball hit her head. "So you do art?"
Akila shook her head. "No, he is right" she waved her hands. "I make art on little canvases. It's aesthetic art pieces, and it's called little art business. " She smiled with pity in her eyes.
Marvel picked up on that and waved her arms. "Oh no, your aura is dull. I got some Kyanite for energy renewal and some Aventurine for prosperity. " She grabbed Akila's hand "Come on" but Min stopped them.
"Marvel, not now. We are at the party," Min smiled.
"her aura is dampening which means her vibe is in uber danger," Marvel explained.
Akila took Min's arm "It's fine" she took a step closer "We are bonding" Akila grabbed Marvel's hand "Let's go".
The women ran for the stairs. Hilo nudged Min. "See nothing to worry about"
"Yeah," Min exhaled.
Hilo and Min watch them go into a chatter of conversation until a loud crack! The music stopped, and the partygoers turned to the staircase. Marvel's blood-curdling scream came from upstairs and Hilo's heart stopped. He ran towards the stairs as Marvel came tumbling down them, and landed at the bottom of it, unconscious. Hilo fell to his knees and cradled Marvel in his hands.
"No, no," Hilo growled softly "Call an ambulance" Min just stared at Marvel in terror "CALL THE AMBULANCE!!" he held Marvel to his chest "Come on, baby girl, wake up and come on" he whispered.
Min began to dial up the ambulance, "What should I say?" He held the phone to his ear.
"What?" Hilo looked at Min in disbelief.
Min continued like he wasn't receiving a death glare, "Should I tell them that…" he stopped.
And Marvel came to life. "That I scared the living shit out of you," she laughed as everyone started laughing.
Hilo grabbed Marvel in a headlock "You asshole" and kissed Marvel on the cheek.
*Roll credits*