Gold & Venom, A Fortnite Fanfic. Chapter 2 - Steel
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Midas/Yellowjacket
Platforms posted: Wattpad, ao3
Word Count: 2936
The day Yellowjacketâs class graduated from agent training was the day Jules decided to throw an office pizza party. Jules had been so excited for the new agents to join the team she wanted them to feel welcomed. Who doesnât like pizza anyway? Everyone was invited, including all the high ranking agents, henchmen, and additional staff. Midas refused to go until Jules called him a âboring bitchâ and forced him to attend.
        So here he was, standing in the corner. A frown was carved into his face as everybody else was having a good time. Current agents were introducing themselves to the new agents, new agents were expressing their excitement to work with them. Midas rolled his eyes as he saw Fusion grab three pepperoni slices to put on his paper plate.
        âSick party, Jules!â Fusion exclaims, taking a big bite out of one of the slices on his plate.
        Jules grins at him, âThank you! I think itâs nice we have more members within the agency now, donât you?â
        Midas watched as the two of them walked away. He took a sip of his fruit punch, glancing around the room. He stumbled forward when somebody ran into him, causing him to spill some of his fruit punch on the floor.
        He turned around to glare at whoever ran into him before his gold eye met with big brown eyes. It took seconds before realization hit him. This was the same girl who would look at him and then roll her eyes. For the last two weeks theyâd make eye contact every single day, whether it was when sheâd pass by his office in the morning to talk to Jules, or at the breakroom midday, or when sheâd come into his office to drop off her paperwork. When sheâd come into his office, sheâd try to avoid his gaze but always end up looking at him. At first, he thought his eye was playing tricks on him when he saw a light shade of pink dust along her face. After all, he did have trouble with vision having one eye. That reaction was consistent with every other meeting.
        Midas was used to people fawning and fanning over him, pointing him out of a crowd and squealing. He wasnât unattractive in the slightest, if anything he was almost every personâs ideal man. It humbled him that Yellowjacket would roll her eyes at him even when sheâs blushing. They havenât said a word to one another but Midas knew. He knew he affected her. He was always first to make moves, but this⊠this intrigued him. The way she would avoid his eyes for the first few seconds before looking back and rolling her eyes, a blush following soon after, or the way her lips turned into a pout when heâd initiate the starring contest, making her squirm as though she didnât want him to look at her.
        âOhââ she apologizes, her face turning pink quickly, âIâm so sorry sir, I wasnât paying attention. Here, I can get you a new drink and clean up the messââ
        I could get used to being called sir, he smirked, keeping the thought to himself.
        His eye looked her over. She was shorter than him, standing at 5â8â with her boots. She mustâve been 5â5â without them. Yet here she was, looking up at him with her hands on her hips.
        She scowls at him, âAre you just going to stand there and stare at me? Ugh, youâre so weird!â she rolls her eyes, squirming under his gaze.
        Midas chuckles, âIâm not the one who rolls my eyes at strangers, Doll. Judgmental much?â
        âWhatever,â she huffs as she takes a paper napkin from the nearby table to clean up the mess.
        Yellowjacket tried to hide her blush as she wiped the floor. It was his voice and British accent that made her shiver. This was her bossâs brother and here she was making a fool of herself by walking into him and spilling his drink. At the same time, she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.
        After wiping up the mess she stands up to dispose of the napkin, her back facing Midas.
        âArenât you going to get my drink?â he asks.
        Yellow turns to look at him, âI was, but then I noticed you have two working hands and the punch bowl is right next to you.â She gestures towards the punch bowl thatâs on the table beside them.
        He looks into her eyes this time, a smirk plastered on his face.
        âYouâre right, hereâŠâ he trails off, his gold hand immediately going to her hip.
        The sudden action stunned Yellow as she watched him use his free hand to grab a cup while leaning into and around her, keeping his hand on her hip. He kept eye contact with her and seeing her squirm in his hold made him squeeze her hip as if he was telling her to stay still. She stopped moving with a frown on her face.
        Once he got his drink, he released his grip on her hip. She had the same frown on her face while a smile grew on his.
        âYou should stop frowning, darling. Itâs not a good look on you.â He looks her over again, pleased with his work done on her.
        Yellows face felt like it was on fire and the frown soon dropped off her face and was replaced by a pout, âIâmââ her voice higher than normal when she realized what he had said to her.
        This golden hoe just told her to smile. Her next reaction was priceless. She snatches the drink out of his hand before throwing it at him.
        âYou fucking dick!â she shouts, causing the music to be cut short and everyone to look over at both of them.
        She throws the cup at him next, âDonât you ever touch me again and then expect me to smile as if you did me a favor!â
        She excuses herself, quickly moving towards the exit without looking back at him. Midas stood there speechless, his clothes now soaked in fruit punch and everyone was staring at him. When he would look to the others, they would avoid his gaze or shake their head at him. Others would scoff and blame him, telling him how his humiliation is the best part of the party. This situation was almost as bad as the time he was nearly eaten by a shark, but the shark wasnât as cute as Yellow.
        With everyone looking at him, Midas began to get annoyed. His ego was wounded, to be embarrassed this way in front of everyone by a woman was humiliating.
        âWhy do you all insist on looking at me?! The situation ended! Stop fucking looking at me!â he snaps, the gold from his hands beginning to creep up his arms slowly.
        âCalm down, Midas. You donât need to make a scene out of this,â one of the henchmen nearby warned him, his voice firm.
        That was the cherry on top of Midasâ angry sundae. Immediately he moved back to the table, placing his hand down on it. The table had begun to turn into solid gold, causing some of the party-goers to look at each other with panic. A few of the henchmen started to approach Midas, but Jules called them off with a click of her tongue. Confused, they backed off. All they could do is obey their boss and entrust she has the situation under control.
        Jules made a move to approach him, only to jump back when he lifts the now golden table and flips it over, causing the punch bowl, napkins, and various food dishes to fall with it. The other party-goers ran away in a panic, most of them were screaming and others were trying to bring more henchmen into the room. The only people left in the room were Midas, Jules, and the few henchmen that were already present.
        âMidas,â Jules starts, âYou need to calm down right now. We need to talk in my office because this behavior is unacceptable and I expected better from you.â
        At this point, most of Midasâ body was in gold, mainly his arms and upper part of his neck. He had a bit of a way to go before his face would turn gold.
        âYou expected better from me?!â he yells, followed by laughter, âWho are you to demand such things of me, child?!â
        âYou are mad because a woman disrespected you. You need to get over that. You have no right to be mad here, you knew what you were getting into when you took my job offer.â Jules tries to reason with him, her voice calm.
        âYou forced me to attend this shit fest you called a party, Jules.â He hisses, âNow I see why you did, this was your way of getting entertainment for the party. Fuck you.â
        They stood there, glaring at each other for what seemed like an eternity. The gold started to return to his hands slowly. Jules breaks the stare, clearing her throat.
        âMy office, shall we?â she asks him, to which he reluctantly accepted.
There was a tense silence between the two of them as they sat in her office. Midas was still wearing the same fruit punch stained clothes.
        Jules broke the silence first, âYour behavior was uncalled for, Midas. I did not expect you to react the way you did. You do not know that agent you were speaking to, and yet you exploded because she threw a drink at you?â
        Midas rolls his eye, âThatâs not why Iâm mad. Why do you deflect from the problem? I was annoyed because everyone was looking at me like I had committed some crime, and it became worse when I was told to calm down.â
        âIâm not deflecting from anything. I saw the entire situation. You made a disrespectful comment to one of my agents and she reacted as such. Midas, I canât believe I have to police everything you do. This isnât your agency, do you understand?â she says as she rubs her face, mainly from stress, âThis is my agency. I am your boss and you cannot disrespect my employees without some sort of discipline.â
        âYour employees are disrespecting me as well, Julia. Throwing their files at me when my desk is right in front of them, poking fun at me as Iâm passing the halls to get to the break room, the list goes on.â He argues.
        âReactions such as those are warranted. Youâve ruined peopleâs lives with your selfish behavior. I can only do so much for you, such as protecting you from harm. I cannot prevent the words that come from their mouths, nor will I stop it either.â She replies to him, spinning in her chair to face her cabinet.
        Jules opens the cabinet drawer, pulling out a sheet of paper and a pen.
        âI was going to make you sit in a cell for 3 days, but I think this will build some character in you. I want you to write a formal apology letter to Yellowjacket, for your inappropriate comment. I expect it to be a sincere, heartfelt apology. I will read it when you are done and if itâs to my satisfaction, I will sign off on it and bring it to her.â Jules explains as she sets the paper and pen down in front of him.
        Midas groans, opening his mouth to complain, only to close it immediately when he saw the glare Jules was giving him. If looks could kill, heâd be liquid gold right now. So he starts to write an apology.
        Forty-five minutes had passed and Jules was satisfied with Midasâ apology letter to Yellowjacket. She made sure he emphasized what an arrogant asshole he had been towards her and how it wouldnât happen again. Jules signed off on the apology letter before she motioned for a henchman to come over.
        âPlease take this to Yellowjacket.â She ordered him.
        The henchman nodded, taking his leave immediately to look for the agent.
        âGet out of my sight, Midas. Go change your clothes and get back to work. You ruined the party and everyoneâs day as well.â Jules dismisses him with a wave of her hand.
        Midas frowns at her, but he got up, not wanting to anger her further.
        He took his leave, walking to his room at a brisk pace. He took the elevator to avoid running into people, as he knew that word had spread fast about the party. He changed out of his stained clothes and put on fresh clothes before he made his way back to his office. He could feel the judgmental looks he was receiving from other agents and henchmen as he passed by. Midas never had to deal with this when he was a boss, it was easier just to kill people for looking at you wrong, or at the very least, look intimidating. But if there was something he learned from working at A.L.T.E.R. for a couple of weeks now, it was that these people have nothing to lose. They have killed for a lot less. Midas knew there was a target on the back of his head. The question is, who will get to him first?
        Midas makes it into his office, shutting the door and moving over to his desk. Opening his desk drawer, he pulls out his bottle of scotch and a cigarette. A wave of sadness hits him but was drowned out with the first sip of his drink. Instead, loneliness crept up. It had been a while since he socialized with anybody that wasnât in his agency. The people he could socialize with at ease were gone, replaced by others who do not want anything to do with him. He had a confident exterior that hid the deep self-loathing within him. He takes a drag from his cigarette while his mind races with thoughts of the party. Midas knew he had made a mistake, the girl was being nice to him and he had to go and make an unnecessary comment. He hoped the apology letter would be enough. He could settle with her avoiding him like the plague, though part of him hopes that wouldnât be the case.
        Yellowjacket had gone down to the training room to let off some steam. She couldnât believe the nerve of that man. Who did he think he was? Just because heâs the boss's brother doesnât mean heâs immune from the consequences of his actions. She kicks the practice dummy so hard, its body flies off the metal pole holding it in place. The practice dummy lands against the wall mat, falling to the ground with a thud. Yellow moves onto the next practice dummy and her friend, Siona watches her in amusement.
        âWhatâs got you so worked up, girl?â she asks as she rushes over to pick up the dummy.
        Yellow punches the next dummy, her fist hitting it made a soft thud.
        âBosses brother was being a creep so I threw his drink at him.â She replies as she hits the dummy harder this time.
        âThe golden king? Huh, I thought he didnât talk to anyone. Heâs usually a loner when I see him.â Siona shrugs.
        âWhat do you meanââ Yellow was cut off by the rough clearing of someoneâs throat.
        Both girls turn to look at who made the sound, it was a henchman.
        âExcuse me, ladies, I have an apology letter from Midas addressed to Yellowjacket.â the man read out the name on the envelope.
        Yellow, who was still annoyed and becoming confused approaches the henchman, âYeah, thatâs me? He wrote me a letterâŠ?â she asks.
        âYes maâam. Ms. J required that he write you a formal apology for his disrespectful outburst at todayâs party.â
        Yellow took the letter but refused to read it. She looked more offended than she did at the party.
        âAnd he expects me to accept his apology because he wrote me a letter? Fuck no, tell him to go fuck himself and apologize to my face. Ridiculous, has he no shame?â she pushes the letter towards the henchman who grabs it and accepts her request.
        âYes maâam, I will deliver the message to him. I do apologize if I have inconvenienced you with this.â With that, the man takes his leave, heading back to Midasâ office.
        Midas was half a bottle in when there was a knock on his office door.
        âCome in,â Midas slurred.
        The henchman stepped in with the apology letter in hand.
âSir, Yellowjacket has requested me to tell you that you can go fuck yourself and that you need to apologize to her in person, and that apology letters are stupid. She is down in the gym right now, do you need an escort?â they ask him, handing him the apology letter.
        Midas sighs, âI guess there's no other option, give me a secondââ he hiccups, âGive me a second and Iâll be right out.â
        âYou are drunk, sir? Not a good impression to be making on a lady of her caliber, but I digress.â They state, shrugging.
        âHey, I donât critique what you do in your life, henchman, donât do it to me.â He barks, setting the bottle of scotch back in his desk drawer, slamming it shut.
        The henchman acknowledged his reply with a nod, waiting for Midas to gather his bearings. Once Midas joins him, they set off to the gym to talk to Yellowjacket.
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Gold & Venom: Chapter 1. A Fortnite Fanfic
Pairings: Midas/Yellowjacket
Main characters: Midas, Yellowjacket, Jules, Fusion
Rating: G (Might be mature later or something idk)
This post includes: Authors note, chapter 1
Posted on: 28/2/2020
Submitted to: Tumblr, ao3, Wattpad
        Midas didnât think that his life could get any worse after The Agency blew up. The failure of the Doomsday Device he and Jules worked on was the big monkey wrench that foiled everything. So here he was, drifting on a small boat near Sweaty Sands. Two months ago he narrowly avoided getting eaten by a Loot Shark, turning the sea creature into gold in a last-ditch effort to get away. Whatever was left of The Agency after the explosion, he had given to Jules, in hopes she would rebuild it. Jules did not reject this as he thought she would have. Instead, she took the offer and gave him one last hug before she took off into the chaos. That was almost 3 months ago and the hatred he felt towards everything in this insufferable island just kept growing, and it was reaching its tipping point.
        Today was day 87. Day 87 of drifting in the ocean, moving from his sleeping cot and back out onto the deck to see where he was. He could have made his way to the shore but that would be too obvious. Midas knew he was a wanted man and he wouldnât be surprised if there was a bounty on his head. He was a successful man, a spy boss for one of the most powerful agencies on the island. He ruled with a golden fist and he was both respected and feared. He could make armies crumble with his golden touch. He had all the money in the world and had all sorts of riches: jewelry, clothes, and even some of the most expensive things in the world.  He took his power and used it to build an empire, and now he was nothing. Nothing but a shell of what he once was. A small man with a golden touch but no power, no riches.
        He was getting used to the serene environment around him. From the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore, to the sounds of seagulls squawking and looking for food. He reaches into his pocket for his smokes, he was a big fan of the Marlboro kind and pulled out his golden lighter. If there was one thing he was glad to have saved, it was his cigarettes. He would have lost his sanity if he didnât have them. He could go without his scotch, certainly, but not his cigarettes. He had to ration his happy sticks, 1 stick a week. The black-haired man lit the cig before taking a long drag. He heaved a sigh, looking ahead.
        âI need to figure out my next move, it has been almost 3 months, and Iâm still at square one.â He speaks to nobody in particular.
        He stomps out his cigarette later, moving back towards his sleeping chamber. Thatâs when it happened. In the distance, he hears what sounds like a motorboat revving its engine. Followed by another, and another. Growing a bit nervous, Midas reaches for the tactical shotgun he hid near his cot since he didnât have his Drum Gun anymore. He cocks his shotgun, preparing for a potential attack. Soon enough, the sounds of the motorboats get louder and closer. Midas was ready.
        His boat had been surrounded by motorboats, boats in black and purple colors. Some carried two henchmen, some boats even had three. Each one with guns at the ready, so he knew he couldnât make a run for it. Those motorboats carried rockets. Within the chaos, Midas did not hear someone get off the motorboat until he heard a slow clap followed by a deep laugh. Midas turned around, gun at the ready.
        Fusion puts his hands up, âNow now, goldilocks, youâre going to make a big mistake doing that. I just want to talk, whatever happens after that⊠well, the choice is yours.â
        Midas growled lowly, cocking the shotgun again, âSpeak and make it fast, Fusion.â
        The blue flamed man motions with two fingers for the others to lower their guns. âMidas, I thought we made it clear that you needed to scram if you wanted SHADOW to forget about you. It seems you either misunderstood, or you have a death wish.â
        âJules said nothing about me needing to âget lostâ, flame boy.â Spat the tattooed man, âIâve been off the radar since the incidentâhow did you know I was here?â
        âItâs not hard to find a lanky man that has a golden touch.â Fusion cackled, motioning with his fingers again for all guns to go up. âTake your pick, or would you like to ride with me?â
        When Midas didnât answer, Fusion moves closer, his blue flames leaving a light trail behind him.
âWe can do this the easy way or the hard way, Goldilocks. Either way, youâre coming back with us. Except one of those ways, youâll be dead and Iâll have to explain to Jules why I had to kill her big brother. Get the picture?â his voice was taunting, as though he wouldnât hesitate to kill Midas himself, given the chance.
Midas throws the shotgun down, making sure to keep eye contact with Fusion as he did so.
âFine. Iâll bite. But I wish to talk to my sister. Alone.â
Fusion grins, the flames on his face lighting up from contentment.
âSure. Weâll let you two have your family reunion, but no funny business on the way there, or youâll become swiss cheese, goldie.â
Jules was not the type of woman who cowered to men, and her older brother was no exception. While she and Midas had a decent sibling relationship, Midas still acted as though he was better than her. Itâs that cocky attitude that got him to this point. His arrogance caused the engineers to rush the construction of the Doomsday Device and the machine's eventual failure, resulting in the flood that wiped out the island. At the time of this, she was just an engineer who worked for Shadow that went behind the agencyâs back to work with her brother.
Now, at the humble age of 18, she was a spy boss. She took The Agencyâs remains to The Authority and rebuilt everything. Now she ruled with an iron fist, not letting people treat her like she was an arrogant child. She was the opposite of what her older brother had become. The last time she saw him was before the flood, and she neglected to tell him that he should never come back. To go far away and start a new lifeâthat he will be forgotten by the agency if he did that. Deep down, she didnât want him to go. He was the only family she had left.
To a stranger, one would think Midas and Jules were twins. The trademark black hair and the full-body tattoos, but Jules was younger than Midas, who was only 23 years old. Their personalities were opposites. Jules wasnât very social while Midas was charismatic and confident. Midas resembled his father more in terms of behavior and actions while Jules was more like her mother with her grace and patience. Growing up together, Jules was more favored by her parents than Midas was, as she was the only daughter and she wasnât a troublemaker like Midas was. Jules knew Midas held resentment for her, and whether or not heâd admit it, she knew he held it. She loved her brother very much, but she also resented him right back for blaming her over their parents favoring her, as if that was her fault.
Jules heard a knock on her office door which caused her to turn around in her chair with a sigh, taking her attention away from an engineering manual she was looking at.
âCome in.â
Four henchmen step in, two of which were holding a handcuffed Midas. Fusion followed behind them, a shit-eating grin on his face.
âI did as you asked, Boss. Here he is in the flesh.â Fusion declared proudly.
Jules leans back in her seat, her eyes glancing over her brother as if she didnât recognize him.
âMidas.â She clicks her tongue at the henchmen, who force Midas to sit down in the chair in front of her desk.
Midas hissed in pain, glaring at the henchmen.
âA bunch of incompetent monkeys. They swarmed me, I wasnât doing anything. I was by myself enjoying the sea.â He sneers, glaring at his younger sister with disdain.
âHey, arenât you guys going to get rid of these cuffs, or am I some high-risk threat and youâll throw me into a cell after youâre done with me?â Midas barked at the henchmen as well as Fusion, who were walking away.
When he doesnât get an answer, he looks back to his sister with a âuncuff me?â face.
Jules shakes her head, âIâm not removing those cuffs just yet. You and I are going to have a chat and youâre going to listen to what I have to say.â
        Midas scoffs, âOh please, you think because youâre the big spy boss now that you think youâre better than me? Because newsflash, doll, youâre not.â
        âMaybe youâre right. I neglected to tell you before the accident that you need to leave this island and never come back. To start a new life on your own. We were willing to forget about you. Instead, I showed weakness by hugging you, because I was afraid youâd die. Thatâll never happen again, however, so donât worry.â She answers him, straightening up in her chair, her expression void of any emotion.
        âI know there was a catch to that. There always is. Youâd send a spy after me to make sure I stayed away. But guess what, Julia?â he leans forward in his seat as well, smiling perfectly so she can see his teeth both gold and white, âYouâll never get rid of me. You will always be that scared little girl who runs to mommy and daddy whenever something goes wrong. You have no good qualities about you except for your engineering. But I know you. I know you better than youâd like to accept. Youâll make a big mistake by not killing me.â
        Jules clenches her jaw, standing up to make her way over to him. Compared to Midas, she stood at 5â3â. He was a good 6â5â.
        âA mistake, maybe. But I think you can redeem yourself here. You are a poor excuse for a man, Midas. You always have been. Youâre insufferable, cocky, and you hide behind your golden world to avoid any backlash. In reality, youâre just a lonely little man with a crumbled empire thatâll never get rebuilt. So hereâs what weâre going to do,â she starts as she reaches into her utility belt for the cuff key.
Â Â Â Â Â ïżœïżœ   After she frees Midas from his cuffs, he rubs his wrists before looking at her again as though he was waiting for her to finish speaking.
        âYouâll be working for me. Youâll be seen but not heard. No missions. Think of it as an internship, but youâll be paid and have free room and board here. Youâll do all the filing, transcribing⊠youâll even have your own office. Youâll take orders from me and anyone who is above you in ranking and youâll do exactly as youâre told. You will also be safe here, as youâll be doing low profile jobs around this agency. Nobody outside of our agency will know you are alive and well. Along with that, you will also be an overseer for the engineering wing, youâll supervise any work they do. Youâll keep track of their progress and I expect the report on my desk by 6 PM on the dot. Every. Single. Day.â She drawls out the last part of what she says, as though Midas was incompetent.
        âAnd if I donât accept your lovely job offer? It is lovely by the way, I never knew my work skills would bring me to this point of my life,â he comments sarcastically, almost insulted that heâd be offered such a basic job in the first place.
        âIf you donât accept, then youâll be in a nice 5 by 7 cell with no privacy, the henchmen will watch you piss, poop, eat and sleep. Iâm sure thatâs not a very comfortable outcome for you, Midas. I wonât lie, a lot of people here want you dead, but Iâve managed to convince them to spare you just this one time. I strongly suggest you take me up on this offer.â
        Midas goes back to glaring at her, âSo youâre going to hold everyone's resentment of me over my head as a way to get me to join you? Are you mad, darling?â he snaps at her.
        Jules shrugs, âI think my proposition is really good, Midas. Think about it, you get to live. Youâll have your own office and own space to sleep. All you have to do⊠is do as you are told.â
        Midas looks away from her, trying not to pout. Even if he had nothing, he was being offered immunity and any sane person would accept that over being stuck in a room with a few agents who are ready to kill, and theyâve killed for a lot less.
        After a few moments of silence, Midas huffs, âI suppose I can accept the offer. So long as you give me a tour of this place. This building is a lot bigger than what The Agency once was.â He counteroffers, to which Jules gives him an accepting shrug.
        âI can give you a tour of our agency. Bigger is an understatement, though.â She says with a hint of pride.
        The Authority was made in Julesâ image of Midas. Its walls loomed over the surrounding mass of water, the building overlooked Salty Springs. Before the big flood, Jules had a foolproof plan to surround the building with high metal walls, to prevent severe flood damage. When the flood came, some water did get into the perimeter of the walls, a few feet away from the building. The building, while it looked small from an outside perspective, the inside was huge. With over one hundred rooms and underground bunkers, The Authority can function smoothly as possible. Recruits were trained in the training wing, where they receive intense training in a classroom as well as the sparring gym. Classes start the moment sunrise begins and ends at sunset, every single day. There was a cafeteria within the training wing for the recruits to replenish their hunger after long, hard training hours.
        As Jules leads Midas down to the training wing, Midas could feel all eyes on him. He knew he was deeply hated around here but at the same time, he felt a sense of superiority and safety. He was safe. These people canât do anything, so long as he stays on Julesâ good side. Surely, he could get away with some things, right?
        âYouâll be proud to know that I have used your methods of training for these future agents, Midas. These agents have an equal opportunity to succeed with the trainers I have personally hired. Your dream of an ideal system hasnât died.â Jules explains casually as the two siblings pass by a group of chatty recruits, who all greet Jules with respect.
        âGood afternoon Boss,â one of the groupies greets her with a smile and a nod of his head.
        Jules returns the gesture, âAfternoon, recruits. Iâm assuming you are heading back to class now? Lunch just ended didnât it?â
        As the groupie and Jules talk, Midas couldnât help but feel eyes on him from the rest of the small group. They were off to the side, whispering and gesturing towards him.
        So even the recruits know who I am, huh? He thinks to himself.
        He was used to that kind of treatment. Anywhere he went, if he wasnât met with respect, he was met with fear. Unsettled glances and people afraid to look him in the eye, for they too, were under the ignorant belief that looking him in the eye means theyâll turn to gold. That wasnât to say he didnât have a fanbase of his own, though. Women who admired him for his good looks, his charismatic personality, and overwhelming confidence. He used to remember getting love letters every week when heâd pick up the mail for The Agency. Some letters were sweet, nearly flattering to him while some were⊠concerning. Creepy letters such as how they wanted to have children with him or help him run his empire. Midas had no desire for having a love life, much less offspring. He was a monster, or at least he accepted himself as such, and bringing a child into the world would just be bringing in a smaller monster of himself.
        Midas crosses his arms, giving the whispering groupies a stone-cold look.
        âDo we have a problem here? A reason you feel the need to stare me down?â he sneers, causing them to stop whispering, some squeaking in surprise.
        âN-No sir,â a girl speaks up, âWe were just admiring your tattoos. They l-look nice.â
        Jules looks over at the sudden commotion, sighing as the group trembles at Midas. âMidas, stop it. People are allowed to look at you. You have tattoos for heaven's sake!â she hisses at him, gesturing him to come beside her.
        Midas huffs, mumbling a thank you to the girl who spoke up for the compliment, but he wasnât biting easily.
        âLet's go. Iâll show you one of the classes thatâs on right now. You recruits have a good day now. Train and study hard!â
        Jules leads Midas down a side hallway away from all the commotion. The hall was quiet as the recruits were already in class. Jules walked up to one of the classroom doors and knocked three times before letting herself in. It seemed that Jules had walked in on the middle of the instructor teaching the class more advanced attack movements. The instructor, whose name was Riptide lit up when he saw her.
        âEverybody, what a wonderful surprise! Boss Jules has stopped by to say hello!â there was a cheery tone to the bearded instructor's voice, one could assume he held her to the highest regard.
        The class, which consisted of 12 men and 12 women, grouped by twos, all greeted their future boss. They were in the middle of a battle exercise, where Riptide was showing his recruits how to properly body slam somebody. However, when Midas stepped in behind her, the teacher visibly tenses up to which Jules gives him a curt smile as if to reassure him that all was well.
        âThis is my older brother, Midas. He will be working under The Authority now. He will collect any mission files you give him, as well as answer any questions you may have during your time in this agency.â Jules explains to the class.
        âHello everyone, it is a pleasure to meet you.â Midas greets, bowing respectfully.
        Of course, the girls in the class were trying to contain their excitement, all except for one. Midas made immediate eye contact with the quiet girl, eyebrows raised with mild surprise. He was usually used to every girl fawning over him. She seemed disinterested, just nodding her head at him in acknowledgment.
        Curious⊠he figures, clearing his throat towards his sister, âShall we continue with the tour, doll?â he asks Jules, who nods and says her goodbyes along with good luck to the class.
        The girlâs eyes never left Midas though. Her gaze followed, almost like she was curious but also not interested in the hype about him. He gave her a curt smile and a nod before following his sister out, to which the girl sighs and rolls her eyes after his departure.
        Jules continued the tour by showing Midas where he would be working which was a decent sized office space with a big desk and dual monitor set up. There was enough space on the desk to put nice decorations.
        Shame, Midas thinks to himself, I donât have any of my belongings.
        âOh and,â Jules pulls Midas out of his thoughts, âWe can provide decorations if needed. I know youâre picky but you could always gold coat them if itâll make it more bearable for you.â
        Midas shrugs, âit's fine, Iâll make do with what I have.â
        âWell, the last stop is your room. Itâll be far away from the other agents, mainly for your safety. Youâll get a keycard similar to the ones you gave your agents, which only you will have access to your room, plus the authorized areas youâll need access to as well.â She motions in front of herself so he can walk ahead.
        Two flights of stairs later and Midas lost his breath at the top of the stairs, at the sight before him. This area was the dormitory, with its halls beautifully decorated with gunmetal wallpaper, along with a furry black carpet. Near the stairs, he sees a sign that says, âNo food or water in the hallway, please preserve the carpet.â
        âDo people follow this sign?â he asks, actually chuckling to himself that a sign of this caliber had to be placed.
        âNo, but I believe itâs not a problem so long as I donât see it. We kept that sign up for Chaos Agent when he was still alive, as he did monthly inspections. So no, no one follows the rules here, Midas. Just donât get caught, simple as that.â She replies as she leads him down another long hallway.
        Towards the end of the long hallway, there was a door. Jules swipes her keycard and when the door beeps, she opens the door, revealing a presidential suite type room. Midas stopped in his tracks when he saw exactly how big it was.
        Though empty, the room had a lot of space. This included a walk-in closet and a walk-in bathroom, the bathroom is a bonus for Midas because he sure didnât feel like risking his life every night here to go across the hall just to pee.
        Jules pats his arm, âJust because things are bad right now, doesnât mean Iâll treat you any less than family.â
        Midas gives her a small smile, his heart swelling up slightly at that.
        A knock on the door gets both sibling's attention. Two henchmen stood in the doorway, holding boxes.
        Jules politely excuses herself, leaving Midas to take in the room some more. He could hear them murmuring and whispering to one another before Jules takes one of the boxes with a kind smile and guides the henchmen away.
        I donât understand why sheâs being so nice to me, Midas thinks with a slight frown, I donât even deserve this act of kindness, especially from her.
        He stops trying to think about it, heâs not here to make amends with her. But his mind insisted on thinking about it. Heâs here to get back what he rightfully deserves. His empire that crumbled too early. It has always been this way. Donât take anyoneâs kindness, you never know what their true intentions are until youâre too far in, was a quote he learned while growing up. His father was a good example of this, his constant reminder towards Midas that he owed him everything, simply because he brought him into the world.
What about Jules? A question formed in his head, she was never told she owed father anything at all. It was always me.
He ends up reacting angrily by putting his hand against the wall, the area around his hand turning into solid gold. Every wall of the room followed suit until the room was all shiny gold. This included the floor, the door, the closet, and the bathroom.
She is so, so lucky she never has to be me, and thatâs what angers me the most, his mind seethes.
Midas, still angry, heads back to his new office. He wanted to get a feel for it, maybe even add a golden touch to it. As he used a temporary keycard to get in, his eye lands on 2 boxes on the desk with his name on it. He approaches the desk, curiosity getting the best of him. Inside the boxes were a lot of his belongings, some damaged by the water, but the rest were in decent condition because of the gold touch.
Reaching into the box, his anger was replaced by a sudden pang of sadness in his stomach. He pulled out a picture frame of his old agent team. Skye, Meowscles, and Maya, the ones he was the closest to. They were all posed for some goofy picture they took at Retail Row a few months before the disaster. The water had damaged the photo, making Midasâ face look warped and distorted, while the rest of the photo was in pristine condition. He frowns at this, but the pang in his stomach only grew more when he pulled out a folded note with some water damage. He figured he wouldnât be able to make out the words on it because of the water, but opened it anyway, curiosity piquing his interest.
Midas,
By the time you have received this or find it or whatever, Iâll already be gone. I want to say thank you first and foremost for raising me all these years. You found me when I was only 11 years old. You werenât much older than me and I still looked up to you as a brother. You gave me hope when nobody else did, and that is why I need to write this. Your selfish actions involving the Doomsday Device has left a trauma that will never heal. How could you be so selfish, Midas? Why did you think using that device would be a good idea? I know you had good intentionsâyou wanted to end the chaotic storm once and for all and you figured that device would be the solution. It wasnât, because many people died. People lost their homes, jobs, anything and everything you could think of. I risked my life to protect you, just so you could activate that fucking thing and now I see that it wasnât worth it. Donât try to look for me, because you wonât find me. Iâve gone far away. There will be no point in sending someone to make sure Iâm okay because there is nobody left. They all died with the flood. The flood you caused. You did all you could to help me, and I, you. To think, we could have celebrated my 17th birthday had you not set off that device. Iâm sorry if this has come off harsh or it is too long and you donât have the patience to read it. I love you very much, but you have caused such deep pain for me that I fear you. I truly fear you. I thought I knew everything about you but it seems like I donât. Do you feel any remorse for what youâve done? I beat myself up for thinking like that, thinking that the man I looked up to as my father could be a cold-hearted murderer, but thatâs all I can think of. Thatâs why Iâm writing this to you. I donât know where Maya, Meowscles, or Tina are. They may feel differently about you as well.
I donât wish any ill-like things to happen to you, but you will be alone if you continue to act the way you do. Whether or not you leave the island and make a new life for yourself, thatâs your choice. I know I promised Iâd stay by your side forever because thatâs what friends do, but I canât live with myself doing that for you. I hope one day you open your eyes and realize what a monster youâve become, and that you can fix yourself before you end up alone forever. Nothing is worse than being in a room full of people and still feeling so alone.
Goodbye, Midas. You did so much for me, and Iâll always appreciate that.
-Skye
Midas didnât even realize his hands were shaking violently as he read the note. Every word brought pain to him as if he was shot. He didnât notice he had turned everything in that box to gold until he had thrown it at the adjacent wall, causing a loud crash.
âHow could you be so appreciative of me and then turn around and call me a monster?!â He yells to nobody in particular.
Tears clouded his gold eye but he tried his hardest to not cry.
âCrying is for the weak, and Iâm not weak.â He tells himself, clenching his golden fists tightly.
Stop showing emotions, you fucking coward, a voice in his mind scolded him.
Midas bitterly snorts, âI will.â
Take back what is yours and rebuild your empire. Kill anyone who gets in the way. You have nothing to lose, after all. Jules doesnât care about you, if she did, she would have left you alone instead of exposing you to this shit, the voice sounds almost taunting to him.
He tries to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm down and ignore the whispers drilling in his head, but the voices became the only thing he could hear. He couldnât hear his breathing.
You will rebuild a new agency. You just need to overthrow Jules. There are a lot of agents here with potential. Those who do not joinâwell, you could always make new statues.
He wasnât going to let another person cross him again. While he loved Skye like a sister, the feeling of betrayal was strong right now. She assisted him with this device and she wants to turn around and make him out to be the monster? If she felt that way about him⊠how about Meowscles, Maya, and Tina? Perhaps thatâs why thereâs no letter from them. They couldnât face him, while Skye could stand up to him. Perhaps Skye spoke up for them.
Never again. He wonât make the same mistake twice.
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