Shadows and Secrets Book Three (A MCU FanFic)

Chapter 14: Sofi (Part 2)

trigger warning: references to self-harm and suicide that may be offensive or upsetting to some readers

trigger warning: language that may be offensive or upsetting to some readers

April 14th, 2012
Marjorie's POV

"Where were you yesterday?" demanded Sofi. "We had plans!"

Marjorie looked at the floor. "With Wade," she muttered. "He wanted my help with a job."

Sofi pressed her lips together. She didn't approve of mercenaries. "And what did this job entail?"

Her brain ran through memories of dark corridors, screams, and blood. "The usual." Marjorie's voice sounded too quiet and meek in comparison to Sofi's angry tone.

"The usual?" repeated Sofi angrily. "So, killing people?"

"They weren't very nice people," muttered Marjorie. "Organized crime and such..."

Her lips pressed into a line. "You can't keep dropping everything for vigilantism! And you shouldn't kill people, even if they're bad people! You have to be better than them!"

Marjorie was better than them. That was why they were dead and she only had a few bruises.

"I'm not doing it for vigilantism," defended Marjorie, whose temper was rising. "I'm doing it because Wade asked me. If I didn't
come with him, he would go by himself and get hurt!"

"That's stupid," sneered Sofi, "he won't 'get hurt.' He can literally regrow limbs! At least try on your excuses!"

"I am trying! Your expectations are too high, they're always too high! You don't let me have my own friends, you don't let me talk to other people, you don't like how I dress or do my makeup—"

"None of that is true!" protested Sofi. "You're over-exaggerating!"

"No, you're controlling!"

"You know what I think? I think you don't care whether it's vigilantism or justice, I think you just like killing—"

"I do not!" screamed Marjorie. "I hate it!"

"Then, why?!? Why do you do it, Marjorie?"

"It's just so easy! I don't like killing people, but apparently I'm a 'natural!'" If she didn't care about killing people, then why did she slice up her wrists every night? It had to be that... but Marjorie couldn't seem to make herself care about their deaths. Not when they deserved it.

She felt numb about the deaths, the blood and gore, the pain... Maybe that was why she cut herself. Maybe she was making sure she wasn't completely numb in the physical world, too. Maybe she felt afraid of what she was turning into.

"Well, I can't do it anymore!" outbursted Sofi. "I can't handle this! You need to decide right now! Me or this... vigilantism?!? You can't have both!"

Marjorie took a small step back, quiet again. "I..."

She wanted to be with Sofi, right? It wasn't like she liked killing people anyway. Marjorie should stop. Why couldn't she stop?

"I—I want..."

"Well?" demanded Sofi. Her eyes softened. "Don't you love me?"

"I—Yes, of course... I want to be with you."

Sofi took a step closer to Marjorie and reached out for her. She picked up Marjorie's wrist and would have slid her fingers into Marjorie's—interweaving their fingers—if Marjorie hadn't winced when she touched her wrist.