Chapter 169: Chapter 164

As a public personality, Nat Wright had a few responsibilities to manage even at her young age. She was ‘Sev’s baby sister’, so the constant - if varyingly subtle - amount of attention was something the girl had to tolerate and get used to. Her decision to get in front of the cameras and mics also meant that some measure of awareness was required to her words and mannerisms.

 

That didn’t mean she couldn’t beat the shit out of people who crossed the line though.

 

Like the young scion of some formerly wealthy family from New York she hadn’t bothered to remember. The stump-dicked (thanks Cait for the expression!) idiot had been trying to ‘socialize’ with her for the past few days now, waiting for her at the studios or barging through crowds during the meet-and-greets. She managed to assuage him initially with the usual tactics: offering a polite smile and nod, acknowledging him with a ‘Hey’ when he called her name, giving a small wave… She addressed him like all the other fans and wannabe ‘friends’ around her.

 

He was, at the time, like most of the barely restrained fans she had gained from her young acting career.

 

Nat snapped when he finally decided to cross the line from ‘creepy’ to ‘asking to be folded’. The insistent boy, probably no older than Edward, had appeared outside of Nat’s school and shouldered through her friends and grabbed the girl’s arm rather tightly in an attempt to gain her full, singular attention.

 

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” he shrieked. “I’m a Lampard, you know!”

 

Oh, Nat looked at him all right. And after silencing him with an angry glare, she promptly introduced her fist six inches into his belly.

 

The small crowd parted, and then quickly found reasons to fade away as four invisible Strigoi robots made themselves known beside her. Nat waved the bots off, letting them go back into their highly unnecessary guardian mode. She was in no actual danger after all.

 

Really, as if Nat needed the bots within the Nexus when she was practically invincible, kitted with an emergency recall teleporter, and had other wardings and defenses he had insisted she use. Sev and his protectiveness… 

 

Well, it shows how much he cares about her, so the girl didn’t fail to appreciate all of it.

 

Back to the matter at hand, Nat walked over to the retching boy and crossed her arms as she frowned down at him. “So… Lampard? I don’t care who you think you are, but you touch me again? I’ve got my excuses ready to Sev for violating Nexus laws.”

 

The boy somehow managed to look up at her with wide, delirious eyes. “Buh-but… But we’re m-meant to be to…together!” He struggled to get to his feet, and Nat actually took a step back from his intense, crazy stare. “I’m a Lam-Lampard! We’ll be set for life... We’ll be…be happy! We’re perfect for each other! You’re made for me!”

 

‘I know I could have just crippled him, Sev, but I was a bit too emotional.’ Throw in the big, pleading eyes and ratchet her voice to the right tone… That should be enough for Sev, right? 

 

Right?

 

As Nat prepared to lay into the lunatic, metal claws materialized once more to hold her back. The Strigoi’s reappearance made the Lampard boy pause in confusion at first, and then fear. By the time the Minutemen finally caught up to the scene, the boy was wailing and literally pissing his pants as he was lifted in the air by a second Strigoi.

 

“Apprehend suspect,” the harsh digital voice of the robot ordered the trembling Nexus law enforcers, and casually tossed the boy at them. “Gentle interrogation. Find his parents, and do the same. Piper Wright will attend to the case personally.”

 

The trio of Minutemen nodded meekly before lugging their assigned prisoner off to the nearest teleporter back to the Castle.

 

Oh. Nat blinked. Her sister would be involved. Was that good or bad? No doubt that the robots had recorded the whole thing, so Piper might be just as pissed as Nat was? Or would there be a lecture about handling things better?

 

It was the latter, Nat found out at the end of the day.

 

“The next time someone says bullshit like that,” Piper had advised when they met up back in Caladan, “Break a few bones, and then call Edward and the 1st in.”

 

“Or you can just get the bots to do the breaking if you find it too disgusting to touch ‘em yourself,” Cait helpfully chimed in with a grin.

 

Nat gave an eager nod at the useful tips. “What happened to the boy?”

 

Her sister snorted. “Anders Lampard? Me and Cait drilled it into him to make sure that he knows better next time than to be such a cunt.”

 

“And then Curie threatened him with peeling his dick like an onion!” Cait added before breaking into laughter, which Piper joined in. “Honestly though, I didn’t know such a sweet voice could sound so terrifying…”

 

Nat raised an eyebrow at that. “Really?”

 

The two older girls nodded. “Yeah,” the redhead answered. “She just described what she’d do with a potato peeler very calmly, with that kind smile of hers, and never blinked at all as she delivered her lines.”

 

“Kinda ruined the follow up by Sylvie and the girls though,” Piper said with a shrug.

 

After trying to picture it, Nat shuddered and made a mental note to never annoy Curie ever.

 

“Does Sev know?” the girl remembered to ask. He was currently working on several projects at the moment, so there was a chance that he’d only get his updates bi-weekly or something.

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The two older girls nodded firmly. Piper smirked brightly as she replied. “The Strigoi alerted him to it. He was ready to put the kid through a couple of hours in Tleilax, but Sarah and Gwen had to be the voice of reason.”

 

“Speaking of reason,” Cait said, “Ander’s parents will be visiting you tomorrow to apologize for their boy’s behavior. You prefer they come by before or after they pick up their kid?”

 

Nat thought about it for a moment before shrugging. “Before? I don’t wanna see that idiot’s face again if I can help it.”

 

Her sister’s smirk grew a bit. “Yeah, don’t worry about that. Restraining order’s a thing, and Nora signed off on it.”

 

Nat froze for a moment. “Nora?”

 

“Oh yeah. Hated defending the kid, but did so anyways. Secured the restraining order and some therapy for Anders, but in exchange, you try not to humiliate his parents too much?”

 

“Pfft,” Cait interrupted cheerily before Nat could answer, “That’s why next time, you call Edward in. Skip the legal paperwork.”

 

They chatted a bit more before Nat headed for her room while her sister and Cait went to other tasks. She was finishing up on homework when Sev came knocking at the door.

 

“Hey Nat, things okay so far?”

 

“Almost…” she answered, then barreled into him for a tight hug. “Yeah, now I’m all okay.”

 

They took their conversation to the couch, with Nat leaning back against her ‘big brother’ as she sat on his lap. Sev gently patted her with one hand while the other arm cuddled her slowly. Nothing beats the sense of security that Sev provided, Nat idly mused. And probably nothing ever will.

 

“Not too shook up?” he asked softly.

 

She shook her head quickly. “No way. I’ve faced much worse, you know that!”

 

Her body rumbled as Sev chuckled. “True, but you never know. Combat situations and…civilian environments give different vibes, right?”

 

“Eh…I guess.” Nat paused, and then turned her head to regard her guardian with mild curiosity. “Aren’t you busy with work?”

 

“I’m not so busy that I can’t hang out with you.” He quirked an amused eyebrow at her. “Or would you rather I not visit?”

 

Nat rolled her eyes, and then leaned back against him. “Never. I always like having you around.”

 

“Oh? Always eh?”

 

Ah shit.

 

“Sev…” Nat tensed and started to get up, but it was too late.

 

“Even when I do…this?” The girl shrieked with laughter as the tickle attack began. “Nooo!” It was as unfair a fight as it was when Sev sent the Nexus to crush raiders. She tried fending him off, but he was too quick, and he was impervious to her counterattacks. He even levitated her to maximize his advantage, the cheater.

 

Poor Nat was left curled up on the bed at the end of it, sobbing laughter fading to calm as her throat started to ache and tears rolled down her cheeks. 

 

As she curled up against Sev’s gentle embrace again, Nat was reminded once more how safe she felt, and how much fun she had, with Sev. To think that a few years ago she and Piper were almost killed by raiders, that neither of them knew about the wonders of space, crazy technology, magic and oh so sinful comforts…

 

“Sev?” Nat asked softly.

 

“Yeah, Nat?” came the matching reply.

 

The girl shifted and turned to look up at him. “Once I’m old enough, will you…”

 

“Only if you want to,” came Sev’s usual answer. “You have a few more years to think it through.”

 

“As if there’s a reason to pick anyone else,” she muttered back, and curled up against him once more for the night. Being in such a cozy position, sleep slowly came for her. Nat’s lips curled up into a smile as she slowly gave in to slumber. Once she was old enough, she’d do her best for Sev for all he’d done, all he’s doing, just like Piper. And they’d have even more fun than they were having now.

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