He offered Nell a beer, which she declined and replied, "You always forget how young I am."
He said, "No, I don't," and offered a winning smile of unnaturally sharp teeth.
"Creepy," she admonished. She added, "And I know better than to accept any kind of drink from the likes of you."
He raised his bottle as if to thank her for a compliment. They sat at a tall table that was scaled for Derek, making Nell look like a small child. She could never have gotten used to it.
"So you built Richard his futuristic TV?"
"Mmm-hmm. How did you know?"
"He's been complaining about needing one for about a year now. That's why I referred you two to each other in the first place. I hate whining."
Derek was being completely serious, but Nell cracked a smile. Derek liked her smile. Sometimes it was more elusive than a unicorn, and this felt like one of those times. She was tense and exhausted overall, but the grin was genuine.
At twenty-four, he was pretty sure that he was the youngest super villain in the city. He didn't look the part at all--he better resembled a quarterback than an evil monster, what with his his well-groomed hair and Adonis-like abs (of these he was quite proud).
"What have you done recently?" Nell asked, probably out of politeness.
"Not too much," Derek said, scratching his chin. Nell's eyebrows knotted together.
He said, "No, I don't," and offered a winning smile of unnaturally sharp teeth.
"Creepy," she admonished. She added, "And I know better than to accept any kind of drink from the likes of you."
He raised his bottle as if to thank her for a compliment. They sat at a tall table that was scaled for Derek, making Nell look like a small child. She could never have gotten used to it.
"So you built Richard his futuristic TV?"
"Mmm-hmm. How did you know?"
"He's been complaining about needing one for about a year now. That's why I referred you two to each other in the first place. I hate whining."
Derek was being completely serious, but Nell cracked a smile. Derek liked her smile. Sometimes it was more elusive than a unicorn, and this felt like one of those times. She was tense and exhausted overall, but the grin was genuine.
At twenty-four, he was pretty sure that he was the youngest super villain in the city. He didn't look the part at all--he better resembled a quarterback than an evil monster, what with his his well-groomed hair and Adonis-like abs (of these he was quite proud).
"What have you done recently?" Nell asked, probably out of politeness.
"Not too much," Derek said, scratching his chin. Nell's eyebrows knotted together.
