The Protagonist System

Amy sat on her bed and stared at her cell phone. She wasn't sure why she felt anxious as she waited for the time she had him given to arrive. Would he call? Was he sitting around just like she was and waiting for the same thing? Why did she want him to call, anyway? He was a patient and he flirted with her, and more than a handful of jerks did that to her before and... that was the kicker. She knew he wasn't kidding.

Greg Veder had looked into her eyes and had called her an angel. Her! He was also completely serious and wasn't joking at all. His pulse had remained steady, his nervous system hadn't twitched, and there were no telltale chemical releases in his body to let her know he was trying to fool her.

It was honestly flattering, even if her tastes ran towards the female persuasion. The beautiful blonde with nice breasts persuasion. Or in other words, her outrageous sister. The smart, outgoing, always having fun blonde bombshell that broke up and made up with her boyfriend several times a month, every month, ever since they started dating a year ago.

Amy let out a sad sigh at never having the courage to say anything, either about her forbidden feelings or about how much she hated that Vicky's boyfriend could read her emotions and still acted like he was an idiot and didn't know how she felt. It was frustrating and annoying, because he was a nice guy and she hated him a lot more than he really deserved.

Her cell phone vibrated and it startled her, making her almost drop it, and she grasped it tightly and took a breath. She turned it over and saw it had 'unknown number' on the screen and hit the accept button.

“Hello?” Amy asked.

“Hey there, angel. How are you?” A male voice asked.

Amy held back a shiver at how nice Greg's voice sounded with a perfect mix of tremble and bass. How is he doing that? She asked herself and mentally shook her head. “I'm fine. How about you?”

“I had to pry my mom off my chest with a crowbar, so nothing new.” Greg answered.

Amy barely held back her laugh at that image. “Well, you are her baby boy.”

“Yep, being the sole focus of a helicopter parent is just one of those things us single kids have to suffer through.” Greg said and Amy nodded, not that he could see her. “How was the rest of your shift at the hospital?”

“Busy, the same as usual.” Amy said and she was a little surprised that she didn't mind talking to him about it. She usually felt annoyed when anyone asked her about her volunteer work. “We did have this one guy...”

They kept talking and sharing things, to both of their delight, and didn't even notice the time.

An hour and a half later, Vicky knocked on her door and walked in to see Amy laying back on her bed and laughing.

“That... that's so stupid!” Amy said as she looked over at the clock to see the time.

“I know! Sparky's the best comic relief a straight man could ever have and he wasn't even trying.” A male voice said out of the speaker of Amy's cell phone.

“Greg, it's getting late. I need to go.” Amy said with a serious tone in her voice. She sat up to pick up her phone, only she wasn't fast enough and Vicky scooped it up and held it.

“What time is... damn, it is late. I'm sorry about that Amelia. I'll make it up to you somehow.” Greg said and actually sounded sorry, which was new to both girls. Most people offered things like that and never really meant it.

“Don't worry about it.” Amy said and tried to glare at Vicky, whom had clamped her mouth shut to stifle her evil giggles at catching Amy talking to a boy. A BOY!

“No, no. You saved me from how many infections and STDs today?” Greg asked with a laugh. “You, my dear angel, are my bestest friend! I'll have some cookies and warm milk delivered and they'll put you right to sleep, since it's so far past your bedtime.”

Vicky couldn't stop the snort she made and slapped a hand over her mouth to stop her laughs from escaping. It was just too cute for her not to react.

“There's no way I'll be awake by the time you bring them all the way over here.” Amy said and sighed. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

“Yeah... about that...” Greg's voice said from the phone.

There was a light plink sound from her bedroom window and both girls turned to look, only to hear a second plink and saw a pebble bouncing off the window frame.

“Hold on, Greg. There's something hitting my window.” Amy said and both she and Vicky walked over to it and looked out and down.

“Hi.” Greg said from her phone and he waved at her from her backyard. He wore jeans, heavy boots, and an open leather jacket.

“How the hell did you get here so fast?” Vicky asked and her eyes drank in all of what she could see of the hunk in their backyard.

Greg chuckled. “When I called, I was already outside taking a walk. It was the only way I'd get privacy. So, I kept walking and we kept talking, and talking, and here I am.”

“Wow.” Vicky said and handed the phone to her sister. “Ames, I don't think I can tease you over talking to a guy that crossed Brockton Bay at night just to give you cookies.”

“And warm milk.” Greg said and pulled his backpack around and took out a thermos.

Vicky let out a laugh at Amy's sigh. “I'll go grab them.”

Amy didn't say anything to stop her as Vicky opened the window and flew out. She watched as her bubbly blonde sister landed in front of Greg wearing only a nightie and noticed he was a good five inches taller than Vicky and his body was... well... a whole lot bigger all over.

“You're a big one, aren't you?” Vicky asked and looked up at him.

“Only because I'm about a foot taller than I was before.” Greg answered and handed her the thermos. “Careful with that, it's hot inside.”

“So am I.” Vicky said with a sexy voice.

Amy held in her groan at her stupid sister's flirting, then her aura flared and Amy sighed at losing her chance at having a friend that wasn't besotted with her sister, just like everyone else she knew.

“So is a volcano.” Greg said in a normal tone and that shocked both Vicky and Amy, because no one had ever not stared at Vicky or drooled over her and how pretty she was. “What kind of cookies does Amy like? I have a few different kinds.”

“Chocolate chip.” “Oatmeal and raisin.” Vicky and Amy answered at the same time.

Greg let out a laugh and pulled out a huge bag of oatmeal raisin cookies and handed them to Vicky. She pouted at the bag and then at Greg, whom chuckled and pulled out a normal bag of chocolate chip cookies to hand to the now giggling girl.

“Microwave four or five of them on a saucer for eleven seconds and they're just like they came out of the oven.” Greg said and slung his backpack over his shoulder. “I better get back home. I have a long day of staying in bed to get ready for.”

Vicky softly laughed at that and gave him a pointed look. “Do you want me to walk you home? The bay's not a nice place at night.”

“I'll be fine. You can hang out with your sister and talk about me instead. That's more important.” Greg joked and Amy fully agreed with that. “I'll talk to you later, Amelia. Goodnight.”

Amy waved at him. “Night, Greg.”

“Later, Vicky.” Greg said and started to walk away.

“Hey! Aren't you going to wish me a goodnight, too?” Vicky exclaimed.

Greg turned around and kept walking backwards. “I figured you were going to follow me anyway and I'd say it when we reached my place.”

Amy let out a laugh, because Vicky would totally do that.

“You know, most girls don't like guys that are full of themselves.” Vicky said with a teasing smile.

“Yeah, but neither you nor Amelia are most girls.” Greg said and turned back around. “The both of you are too smart to confuse smugness with confidence.”

Both girls were flattered by the compliment and watched him disappear down the street. Vicky flew up to Amy's window and handed her the bags of cookies, then flew in as well to put the thermos on Amy's nightstand.

“I'll grab a glass for myself.” Vicky said and flew out of the room. “Don't eat my cookies!”

Amy huffed and put the two packages on her bed to close the window. She sat down on the bed, her still active phone in her hand, and she realized it was still connected.

“I had a great time talking to you tonight, Amelia.” Greg said when Amy's thumb was about to push the end call button. “Thanks for letting me go on and on like that.”

“I had a great time, too.” Amy said and looked at the phone's screen. “I don't think I've ever laughed so hard.”

Greg chuckled. “I once laughed so hard I peed my pants. Everyone called me The Wizzer for like six months.”

Amy laughed and laid back on her bed. “That's funny, even if the kids were being mean about it.”

“Kids? It was three years ago when I was twelve.” Greg said and her laughter died off. “I really shouldn't have drank a whole jug of juice to show off before that; but, Sparky did double dare me to do it and I didn't know he was going to tickle me afterwards.”

“Greg...” Amy whispered.

“It's okay. What's a little urine shame between friends?” Greg said with a laugh. “God knows you've smelt all different kinds at the hospital.”

“You are the master of understatement.” Amy grumbled and heard the stairs creak. “I think Vicky's coming back.”

“And that's my cue to hang up. Tell her goodnight for me, will you? Her ego doesn't need to suffer anymore.”

Amy barked a laugh. “I'll tell her.”

“Thanks.” Greg said. “Sleep well.”

“You, too.” Amy said. “Bye.”

“Bye.” Greg said and ended the call.

“He sounds sweet.” Vicky said and entered her room with a glass and shut the door.

Amy didn't say anything and popped the cup off the top of the thermos and unscrewed the cap. She took a sniff and nodded. “Nice and hot, even after all this time.”

Vicky sat on the bed beside her and Amy poured some into her glass and then into the thermos cup. They clinked them together, saluted, and sipped the hot liquid.

“Ohhh, that's good stuff.” Vicky moaned slightly.

Amy on the other hand had frozen, because her taste buds were firing off like firecrackers. She had tasted milk before, from several different sources, and her power never reacted. It really did this time and her ability mapped out the very different biological liquid that was supposed to be normal cow milk, and it wasn't.

Vicky didn't notice her reaction and opened her bag of cookies. “Ooo, chocolate chunk! He shouldn't have.” She said and took out a cookie that had large chunks of chocolate instead of little chips in them. “We are definitely going to try his cookie heating trick tomorrow.”

Amy absently nodded and forced herself to put her cup down. It took her a moment to open her large bag of cookies and she took in a breath of air through her nose. She shivered, because the smell was wonderful and she picked up a cookie. The raisins were plump and plentiful, the perfect ratio of fruit to oats, and she bit into it.

The moan escaped through Amy's lips before she could stop it and her saliva almost gushed out of her mouth. Her power loved whatever the thing was made of, because it was a very different strain of wheat and the grapes made into raisins had a rich flavor that she had never experienced before.

“They're not that good, are they?” Vicky asked, curiously.

Amy reflexively clutched the pack to her chest and narrowed her eyes at her sister, then she realized something. Vicky also had cookies from Greg and she wanted to see if they were different, too.

“Trade one for one?” Amy asked and held out her package.

Vicky nodded and they exchanged a single cookie. Both girls bit into them at the same time and Amy let out another soft moan at all of the differences a cookie could have in its ingredients. Vicky only tasted the oats and surprisingly tasty raisins, so she didn't really understand the appeal. The chocolate chunks were way better in her opinion.

The two girls sat there and drank their hot milk and ate some cookies. They didn't talk and only exchanged looks, sometimes with a smile and a few times with a soft laugh. It was quiet times like this that they used to enjoy having when they were younger, back before all the cape stuff had changed their lives.

“Sleepover?” Vicky asked, hopeful.

“Sleepover.” Amy confirmed.

Both girls closed up their packages of cookies and sealed the empty thermos to be cleaned in the morning. They climbed into Amy's bed and snuggled under the blankets together, both letting out happy sounds. It was toasty warm after only a few seconds and both girls felt sleepy.

“He must really like you.” Vicky whispered.

“What? Why?” Amy asked.

“He didn't even look at my girls and they were right there in his face.” Vicky said and her hands cupped her breasts. “Was it the color? I thought light blue was a good color for sleepwear.”

Amy glanced down at her sister's chest and blinked, because she hadn't noticed either. Her sister was not wearing a bra and her nightie was thin and it was cold out. Those nipples should have been like little bullets when she was getting the cookies from Greg and he hadn't looked? That was a shock to learn.

“Maybe he was just too overwhelmed by my presence to notice?” Vicky asked and let her chest go, completely forgetting he hadn't reacted to her aura. “Whatever. I'm sure I'll have another chance to distract him later.”

Amy didn't have the heart to tell her that Greg was probably immune to her aura, just like he was immune to any mind-altering drugs. That thought made her wonder why he had gained that ability after triggering and what else he could do, now that he was a cape. That huge perfect body just came out of nowhere, too.

“Heh, voluptuous.” Amy whispered when she remembered what Greg said about himself.

“Thanks, Ames.” Vicky said and hugged her, inadvertently giving her sister two more reasons to adore her. “Goodnight.”

“N-night.” Amy said and hugged her back. “Greg said goodnight, too.”

“I know, I heard the jerk.” Vicky said with a giggle. “My ego is just fine, thank you.”

Amy laughed as well and then sighed with contentment. She was toasty warm, had tasted new things that somehow gave her power a thrill, and she had her beautiful and sexy sister in her arms. Everything was good in the world.

It wouldn't be until the next morning at breakfast that Amy would realize she hadn't talked to Greg about joining up with New Wave. Instead of texting him right away about it, she finished eating and washed the dishes, set the thermos aside to dry, and hopped into Vicky's arms to fly off to school.

Amy was sure he was going to call her at lunch, which was the second set time she had said he could call her. Not only would she get to hear from him again, it would give her an excuse to get away from Vicky and her air-headed friends for a while. She would never admit that to Vicky, though. She liked living, thank you very much.