Devil's Plaything

Undermined

Mira felt almost like she was watching the chaos unfold from outside of her body. That's probably why she was only distantly surprised when she broke free from Noah's grip and marched straight up to the fighting men.

Before she even touched the huge man—she had gathered that his name was Mark—he turned to regard her. He was so tall that she had to crane her neck so that she could see him. "I don't want to fight," he told her, his voice so deep that Mira had no trouble hearing him over the music and crowded room. "But he is being very disrespectful."

Chad must have heard him too because he instantly started increasing his efforts to escape from Mark's grasp. Mark stayed focused on Mira, completely oblivious to Chad's struggling. When Chad's efforts proved obviously pointless, he stilled and changed tactics. "For such a big guy," he called out, finally gaining Mark's attention. "You're such a little pussy."

Mark looked unimpressed. "What's so bad about pussy, dude?" he asked in that same effortlessly commanding tone.

Chad looked very confused as he slowly put together that his attempts to be masculine may have resulted in the opposite effect. He regarded Mark with frustration and admiration like he was in the presence of a true alpha whom he wished he were drinking beers with instead of trying to punch.

"Honestly," Mark continued conversationally. "It sounds like you need to sit down and have a talk with yourself about misogyny and toxic masculinity."

Chad's expression revealed that he didn't know what any of those words meant, but he was too stubborn to admit it. He may have made another thoughtless comment, but Noah spoke up first. "Let it go, Mark. He's just a dumb kid."

Mira grimaced at the dismissal. Not only did it reveal just how little of a threat Noah considered the guy Mira was on a date with, but it made Mira realize that he could just as likely dismiss her as "just a kid". After all, she and Chad were the same age.

Mark seemed unaware that he was still holding Chad up when he turned to regard Noah with resolve. "That's the problem with people. We let little assholes like him say things without facing consequences. So, he never learns. He just continues to say stupid shit."

Chad shouted something along the lines of "fuck you, man!", but he was easily ignored.

Noah stepped closer and Mira could see him now in her peripheral vision. The crowd that had formed around them was quickly dispersing as it became evident that a fight wasn't likely to happen after all.

"It's not worth getting worked up over. You'll be mad at yourself for it later," Noah continued. He sounded like he was saying this for Mark's benefit alone. He didn't actually care whether or not Chad was injured after starting a fight he had no way of winning. He just cared about Mark, and he was trying to prevent him from feeling regret in the future. Mira was only getting a glimpse into their friendship, but she could already tell by their exchange tell that it was unique and equally important to them both.

"If you had heard what he said, you would be the one close to throttling him," Mark informed him, distractedly glancing over at Mira. The look was pointed enough that it became clear that Chad had said something rude about her.

Noah's eyes tracked Mark's gaze from Mira back to Chad. Mira jumped when he took hold of her wrist and those familiar shockwaves shoot up her arm. "This is Chad?" He asked, amused incredulity causing his eyebrows to raise.

"What is going on here, Mira?" Chad asked, changing his diversion tactic yet again. His voice was edging on disappointment, and he looked at her as if she were the biggest troublemaker he had ever come across. He may have been convincing if he had he made his emotional transition seem more natural. "I thought you wanted me to make your ex jealous and—"