Page 96 of Fanning the Flames

Perry raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not the same,” Mark said.

“It’s sunny,” Joan added, thoughtouché, Péricles.

As they walked through the alley, Mark said, “So how did you two patch things up?”

“Slowly,” Perry said. “It took a long time to make peace with what happened.”

“I’m sure,” Joan said.

“Were you surprised when she reached out to you?” Mark asked.

One corner of Per’s mouth curled up. “Very.”

“Considering how we left things before,” Gus said. “What with you blowing me off a roof and all.”

Joan and Mark paused. “He did what?” Joan said.

Perry shook his head. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“You blew me off the roof of a five-story apartment building. How is that not bad?” Gus looked more amused than upset.

“It’s not like it was going to injure you.”

“Slamming into concrete after a long fall does not feel good.”

Mark clutched Joan’s arm, thrilled at getting to watch the fireworks.

Perry turned to them. “She came over to explain that she regretted how things went down. I was on the rooftop patio of where I lived at the time. The conversation turned somewhat heated.”

“Andwhoosh!” Gus swept her arms wide. “Down she goes.”

“I vaguely recall it was something to the effect of really showing her my powers.”

“I very much recall you said exactly that.”

This was the Perry they rarely saw. Happy and joking. They were kind of cute together.

So weird. Like when your divorced dad starts dating after years of singlehood.

Mark was more interested in the after, but Joan wondered about the before. “What did Per do that got him on your radar in the first place?”

“He never told you?” Gus raised her eyebrows at him.

“He said it was nothing.”

Gus tilted her head like she was surprised. “A tiny child stepped into a busy street. He blew him back onto the sidewalk before an oncoming city bus hit him.”

“You saved a kid’s life?” Mark said.

Perry made a vague shrug. “I wasn’t always a Villain.”

“Perry has always been a good man,” said Gus. “A bit grumpy, but he has a good heart.”

Did…was…Perry actually blushing?

They started walking again. A memory of running into traffic to scoop up that little white dog in front of Sadie came to mind. Doing something heroic even as a bad guy.

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