Many people shared the misconception that being an agent in a secret government organization would mean never-ending excitement and dangerous missions. Contrary to those beliefs, the excitement ended constantly and for every mission Sabine would call “dangerous,” there were a dozen boring tasks that amounted to maintenance and waiting around. The best example of both came with the agent staple: the stakeout.

SUPER made it a point to “tag” mutants when they had the opportunity and the mutant would potentially be worth tracking. When done correctly, many targets are left unaware of the innocuous tracker left under their skin. Sabine would often point out that SUPER had plenty of “untapped resources” walking around New York. She took pride in the organization taking what it needed and what it could get away with rather than getting greedy. They did not need every mutant contained or on the payroll and it would be hard to manage and train such an influx of new recruits.

Some targets were more valuable than others, depending on their mutant abilities. Psychics and high-power mutants were big tickets and highest priority, but they were not the exclusive base of recruitment. Sometimes, convenience was important. Loved ones could notice the sudden disappearance of a SUPER abductee, but mutants with no loved ones often went unmissed.

Florence Tully. Age twenty-nine, former SWAT for the Chicago PD. The unfortunate recipient of a late-in-life mutation, serving as a reminder to Sabine that one of her biggest fears would always be theoretically possible. She was dismissed when her mutation made her continued service impossible and retreated to live alone in a little house outside of New York City.

After mutating, Florence’s skin became white and pink, with the soft, delicate texture and resilience of flower petals. As if her fragility was not enough of a reason to retire her, her mutation came with the secondary effect of constantly releasing microscopic spores with a calming, relaxing effect. Florence could hardly stay with the force when she was making her fellow law enforcement officers too calm and passive to do their jobs.

Local law enforcement was necessary, but in Sabine’s opinion, short-sighted. The practical implications of a mutant with a tactical mind and an emotion-neutralizing presence were obvious, particularly for negotiations or lowering an opponent’s guard. Paired with a long-range partner to watch her back, she could be a valuable asset.

While SUPER tagged the flower mutant a week prior, they were in no rush to bring her in. Based on the information gathered, there was an assumption that she was living life as a loner, but SUPER did not act on assumptions. Florence needed to be observed until Senior Agents felt comfortable authorizing a collection mission.

Observing targets could go south, but more often than not, it was just tedious work. It was almost enough to appreciate being paired with her partner Kristoph for the entertainment value he provided.

Almost.

Sabine was already in a car that would be traced back to some unspectacular accountant if checked. She was strapped in for a long night of watching through Florence’s window with Kristoph, who was notably not in the car.

”’Oh, I’ll be right back,’ he says,” Sabine muttered to herself mockingly. ”’I need to get stakeout essentials.’ Dollars to donuts, that showoff’s chatting some girl up at some bar.” So maybe Sabine was not yet in the mood for a stakeout. It was an important job, but it never felt like a productive use of her time and if Kristoph was sneaking off to avoid stakeout duty, their night was going to end in an impromptu sparring session.

Stakeouts were both the favorite and the bane of his existence. One the one hand, it afforded him a chance to get out of the office, to just sit someplace away from the hustle and the bustle of the facilities, of training, of having to listen to the higher ups talk statistics and game plans and etc.; but every bright spot had its dark side.

Most would assume that this train of thought would naturally lead to some bittersweet grumbling about his partner, one Sabine Sang. For most people...that was probably accurate. Sabine wasn’t the easiest of people to work with. Most figured she was an Ice Queen, who barely dated, if any, and whom the rumor mill frequently churned about her being some proto-type battlebot that SUPER was getting ready to roll out and replace all current field agents. As intriguing as that would be, that was most people’s opinion, not Kristoph Karlson’s. As a matter of fact, the last agent caught making such comments about the woman received a callused knuckle to the jaw.

After recuperation, said agent was more than happy to donate a gift card towards Ms. Sang’s forgotten birthday. Anonymously, of course.

Kristoph, for as much as he flirted and pursued women, actually had a rather large soft spot for his partner. When he and Sang were first paired up, the two had a devil of a time finding any common ground, least of all a reason to trust one another. But over time, and with a few close calls, the two eventually became close enough where they could almost be mistaken for friends -- or, at least, respecting colleagues. There was still room to grow but it was like that with most any relationship these days, right?

Marching back to the car, Kristoph smirked as he looked down at the phone in his hand. The screen illuminated with a new text message. It was safe to say that his evening had been rather successful. Not only had he managed to wrangle the awesome vittles, but he had an attractive new contact added to his phone. He really needed to frequent Six Chicks more often. He almost forgave them for their initial bout of false advertisement.

Upon approaching the carefully parked vehicle, Kristoph could see himself reflected in the window of the car. He was dressed rather...strangely, in slacks, boots, and one of his favorite, handknit sweaters. It was v-neck, black, warm and comfy, but with a strange yellow pattern that ran down the sleeves. Upon closer inspection, one would realize, humorously, that they were ducklings. Clearly this was icebreaker attire.

Opening the car door, Kristoph slid in and sighed with satisfaction. Setting the bag down on his lap, he felt his phone buzz again and the man cackled a bit. As clear as day on the screen was faceless shot of someone showing off their unbuttoned uniform top. He chuckled and shook his head, quickly sending back a thumbs-up emoji to the sender. He then glanced to Sabine, feeling her eyes staring at him. His ginger brow arched as he eyed her back.

”And what’s your problem?” he smirked playfully towards her.

When the powers that be decided to partner Sabine up with Kristoph, she came close to questioning a decision from her direct superiors. She was not going to argue or demand a change, because she knew her place in the SUPER organization, but she would quietly gripe to herself. Her first impressions of Agent Karlson were conflicted; she saw him in training, so she knew he had the skills required to be an asset in the field. The problem, in her eyes, was the man’s attitude; she doubted Kristoph even knew how to take things seriously.

Sabine resolved to do what she did best: she mirrored the man’s personality to the extent she could stomach. The flirtatious nature was more than she could manage, but she matched him with his quips and jokes, along with heavy doses of sarcasm. By altering her own attitude, she hoped to give them a better chance of developing synergy as partners.

Much to her surprise, over time, she begrudgingly had to accept that there was more to Kristoph than what she saw on the surface. He was not just a womanizing caveman; there was a mind and a mission when she looked past that garish beard. Somehow, it was easier not to dislike the man, which for Sabine might as well have been a declaration of friendship. She even started letting more of her salty, misanthropic personality shine through around the man, meaning he was getting to know a more genuine Sabine than most ever would.

Sabine was cordial with most people who were cordial, but SUPER was filled with a**holes, so Sabine spent most of her days being cold and dismissive at work. It was not far off from the real her, but the real her was much sassier with the right incentive, and Kristoph seemed to appreciate it.

And boy, was that man going to earn some sass when he got his a** back to the car, assuming he even did. Sabine set the driver’s side seat back two clicks so she could find a comfortable position. It was going to be a long night and she was going to be too busy acquainting herself with binoculars and listening equipment to acquaint herself with lower back pain.

Since the stakeout was a mission, Sabine was wearing mission clothing. Her boots, gloves, pants, and sleeveless black top were black, off-setting her sleeveless red undershirt. On the off chance they had to leave the car, she would want the option of concealing her face, and the bunched fabric around her neck gave her that option.

As all hope of her partner’s return seemed lost, the passenger’s side door opened and Kristoph slid into the car like nothing happened. Annoying. A quick peek at the phone he made no effort to conceal clarified what took him so long. ”My problem is my man-child of a partner places more priority on getting lewd photos from naïve women than he does on—“

Sabine’s voice trailed away as she was hit by the scent Kristoph brought into the car with him. She bit her lip, feeling her mouth start to water. The savory scent was enough to sap away some of the frustration she had been cultivating alone in the car. ”Is that my bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions and mushrooms?” And mayo, of course. You could not make a good burger without mayo.

Okay so Kristoph didn’t always know when to turn it off. Really that wasn’t his fault. Whenever he saw a pretty woman, the man couldn’t help but chat with her, strike up a conversation, and see exactly how interested he can make the other. The cashier was a beautiful woman and was openly flirting with him. Had she been too shy or meek, he probably would have just minded his own business and refocused on the job at hand. But the little lip bite, the flutter of her eyelashes, and the agent couldn’t help but see where things would go. He honestly didn’t expect a nude selfie from the work restroom, but there it was, on his phone. God bless this technology and the notion of selfies.

However, as Kristoph chuckled at the lovely pair upon his screen, he cast a glance at his partner, Sabine, who was staring at him rather pointedly. His eyebrow arched, he inquired what her problem was. Knowing her, it could be one of a number of things as the woman seemed to constantly have a stinger in her butt, but he also had known seen the woman smile, even at one of his jokes once (something he would never let her live down). Besides, he knew that whatever her problem was, there was at least one sure fire way to get her to calm down…

>>”My problem is my man-child of a partner places more priority on getting lewd photos from naïve women than he does on—“

He smirked. He knew she could catch the scent soon enough. If there was one thing you learn about your partner the longer you work with them is their eating habits. Sabine was in shape, regularly worked out, so it was of little wonder that she enjoyed a expertly made burger from time-to-time. The silence of her voice and look in her eyes painted the picture for him, she was already looking for the meal that he had said he had gone out for.

>>”Is that my bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions and mushrooms?”

He held up the white bag with the restaurant logo on it. The smell of the burger would immediately grow stronger the higher he lifted it. A soft shrug of his shoulders followed as Kristoph jutted out his bottom lip and eyed the woman.

”Oh, this? I mean, I dunno. Could be,” he said with a soft sigh. ”I mean, it certainly smells like it.” He gave her a knowing grin. It was time to trade. ”First you give me an apology and maybe I’ll consider handing this over, unscathed. Deal?”

On paper, Kristoph and Sabine should have gotten along like oil and water. Sometimes it was easy to believe the bearded man only knew how to communicate to others through flirting with how naturally he would slip in a compliment or suggestive remark into conversation. Conversely, the idea of flirting felt forced and alien to Sabine. She understood the concept in theory, but failed to see how anyone would find it genuinely charming to have a total stranger express some unfounded sexual interest. The whole thing sounded invasive to Sabine, but she was well aware of the difference between her and, statistically, most people on the planet.

Occasionally, Kristoph would have his fun and make flirtatious comments to Sabine because he knew he was the only man on the planet who could get away with them without sustaining a broken arm. Many of his attempts were thwarted by her obliviousness, but when Sabine realized what was going on, she teased and played along like a good sport. She knew Kristoph would never make a move on her, so his words were harmless. It was possible he was too practical and realized his more earnest effort was better off spent on attractive strangers with bedroom eyes, but Sabine would rather believe, on some level, he realized she was disinterested and would not ruin their partnership over something as unnecessary as sex.

The man had a way of knowing her better than anyone else left in her life, and he had proven that prowess once again. Savory aromas lowered Sabine’s guard and when Kristoph held up the Six Chicks bag, she felt the last of her negative emotions dissipating. Stake outs were not that bad; hell, it could be a fun, relaxing night. Kristoph was not a horny teenager in a caveman body; he was a good friend who understood the value of proper stake out food.

The cost of the bag was one apology and Sabine felt no shame in doing what had to be done to unite her stomach with its one true love. ”I’m sorry. How foolish of me to think you’d have anything but my best intentions at heart. You’re so good to me,” she affirmed as she snatched the bag from his grasp.

Wasting no time, Sabine reached into the bag to pull out a cup of fries and a small container of ketchup, setting the former in a cupholder and the latter on the dash in front of her. Plenty of fries remained at the bottom of the bag and Sabine took one, dipped it, and enjoyed the hot, salty flavor along with the sweet, vinegary ketchup it paired so well with.

Grabbing the foil-wrapped burger from her bag, Sabine glanced over at her partner’s phone again, rolling her eyes. ”So what do you think? Is she the future Ex-Miss Karlson?” As far as “how I met your mother” stories went, explaining to your kids that you flirted with mommy at her fast food job and she sent nude photos in return could be a tough sell.

Kristoph was nothing but smiles as he watched his partner look between him, the savory meal wrapped in a greasy bag, and the notion of swallowing her pride. In reality, Kristoph wasn’t that cruel to his partner, but he also couldn’t pass up an opportunity to have a little fun with her. The woman was a mystery, but she was one that was gradually unfolding the more time they spent together. While he did toss a few compliments her way, maybe a tease or two, the man knew that she wasn’t interested in him. In all honesty, he figured she probably had an eye for the ladies above all else, but even that theory seemed to lack evidence. Ah well, in the end, they were partners and Kristoph knew there the lines were.

He smiled, his eyebrows lifted in amusement as he waited for Sabine to make up her mind. He knew that she would eventually either issue him an apology or just knock him dead center in the stomach. She would get her meal either way but, in the meantime, he at least wanted to enjoy the humor he derived from making her apologize to him.

>>”I’m sorry. How foolish of me to think you’d have anything but my best intentions at heart. You’re so good to me,”

Before the last word was even uttered, her quick hand reached out, snatching the bag from his hand. Kristoph let it go without a fight, chuckling as he pulled up his own bag, unveiling the barbeque bacon cheeseburger that was nestled within.

”Wow, that was almost sincere,” he glanced at her with a grin. ”But yes, I am good to you.” He smirked, his tone indicating that he was still joking as he handed her one of the mass of napkins that managed to find their way into his bag. With a sigh, he settled back into his seat, looking over the dashboard and towards the home that they were still watching. Stakeouts could be boring, but at least he was out with his partner.

Taking a large bite of his own burger, the man sighed gratefully as he chewed it. Bacon should always be mixed with meat, he didn’t care what his doctors said. Besides, he worked out enough, and had plenty of time out on the field, to more than make up for how he ate. He took another bite, this one a bit more sensible, before he looked back to his phone and the bare chested restaurant workers now captured within.

>>”So what do you think? Is she the future Ex-Miss Karlson?”

He snorted, finishing his bite with a shake of his head. ”Hah,” he said, setting his burger down to take a napkin and wipe the grease from his lips. ”You act as if I don’t learn from my mistakes. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me…” he paused for a second. ”...four times?” He genuinely eyed her as he tried to wrap his head around the number. ”Have I really been married four times?” He paused, flicking his tongue between molars to dislodge a small bit of bacon. ”Ah! Yes! Rachel. Married for 18 hours in Vegas.” He snorted at that memory before he shook his head again. ”Yeah, not a mistake I’m making again…” he then smirked, eyeing his burger. ”...at least until the next one manages to weasel into my tender lovin’ heart.” He paused, taking a bite in silence before he turned to her. ”And when will I see you in a wedding dress? Or will you be progressive and wear a pantsuit?”

It was a common enough turn of phrase for someone to claim some food to be “better than sex.” Sabine had had sex exactly one time in her life and she was not impressed. Meanwhile, she had eaten upwards of five hundred mushroom and onion bacon cheeseburgers since moving to America. Sabine could definitively confirm that the greasy, savory, flavorful burger was indeed better than sex. As she took her first heavenly bite, a hum of appreciation escaped her lips.

As much as Kristoph could be a pain in the butt, it was helpful working with someone who knew her likes and her habits. She never had to slow down for explain her thought process to Kristoph because he had learned to understand her rhythm over the years. He would still argue and challenge her, but when time was of the essence and decisions had to be made quickly, Kristoph would back Sabine up and she would do the same in a pinch.

Thankfully, a stakeout would move at a slower pace. Fewer pressing concerns, but more room to butt heads. They would have to see where the night took them. ”Best partner. I’m mentioning this burger in our yearly reviews,” she joked flatly.

With dinner underway, the pair could focus on Kristoph’s buxom fry cook. While Sabine avoided relationships, Kristoph had run the gauntlet through to marriage not once, but four times. With all the time they spent talking over the years, Sabine knew the stories of his ex-wives well. Covering her mouth so she could speak through chewing meat, she muttered in affirmation, ”Yes, Rachel, the one with the rib tattoo and the fake…” Sabine stopped herself for a moment to swallow the chunk of burger she was working on. ”Well, she sounds very Vegas.” And Sabine would leave it at that.

Dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a napkin, (which was pointless with all the food left to eat,) Sabine considered her partner’s intrusive line of questioning. It was well-intentioned, but he was clearly fishing. ”Maybe in your dreams,” she replied with a degree of sass. ”I don’t see myself at the alter. The only lovebird I need in my life is Wingding.” An acquaintance once mentioned that Sabine’s apartment would be warmer with a pet. Dogs were needy and cats were moody and both like to shed. Wingding the Peach-faced Lovebird was needy as birds went, but she was also relatively quiet. Even Sabine had to admit, it was nice to return home to someone—especially someone who did not talk.

>>”Best partner. I’m mentioning this burger in our yearly reviews,”

Kristoph chuckled as he dug into his own burger. There was a sigh of satisfaction as he bit into the bacon, meat, and cheese, letting the concoction swirl around in his mouth before he swallowed and filled his empty belly. Really, 6 Chicks made some of the best burgers around, he didn’t care what anyone said. Setting the burger down on his lap, he pulled up a napkin and wiped his lips and beard of any of the excess juices. While Kristoph loved to eat, he wasn’t a messy eater; he had a beard to care for, after all.

As the conversation switched to his latest conquest, one that would not go beyond the trading of pictures, Kristoph found himself thinking about his last marriages. Really, why did he do it so often? He loved women, so why would he marry them? It always ended up bad. Either he worked too much or he didn’t want them to be in any danger. Besides, there was nothing wrong with just being out there, playing the field. Yes the man was much older now but, as both rumors and facts would prove, the man certainly didn’t suffer from loneliness.

>>”Yes, Rachel, the one with the rib tattoo and the fake…Well, she sounds very Vegas.”

He chuckled. Oh yes. The fake twins. How could he forget those. He sighed, momentarily wondering if he should call his lovely ex wife to ask if “she was up” but decided to keep that to himself for now. Besides, last he heard, she ended up being quite the shrew. Terrible, no one with a body like that should be attributed with such a loathsome forest creature. He shook the thoughts away.

”Ah Rachel…” he munched on several fries. ”You both shall be missed.” And he wasn’t referring to Rachel or her non-existent twin.

With that out of the way, Kristoph inquired as to whether or not he would see Sabine in a wedding dress. While he wouldn’t make a move on the woman, he wasn’t stupid, he could see that she was very attractive. Maybe a little too work obsessed, but she was very pretty. And he would hope that he had made enough of an impression to be invited her to wedding. Besides...he loved weddings...there was always a desperate bridesmaid willing to throw herself at someone she wouldn’t normally.

>>”Maybe in your dreams...I don’t see myself at the alter. The only lovebird I need in my life is Wingding.”

Kristoph was quiet for a moment, letting Sabine’s words sink in. He munched on a pair of fries in silence, letting the salt sweep over his tongue. The man contemplated, chewing his fries, shooting Sabine a mysterious look, before he then reached down and picked up his soft drink. Once the man had taken a few sips to wet his whistle, he Sabine the most earnest of looks before he replied to her admission.

”There’s a doll shop down on 5th and Grand…” he said. It almost appeared as if he was going to let that random bit of information just hang in the air. But after a pause, he continued. ”...I’m sure they can knit a small wedding dress to fit Wingding.” He grinned wide, clearly playing with the woman, a favorite pastime of the agent.

Sabine worked for the American government, but she was not particularly attached to any country. She was a born Canadian and she spent what was becoming the majority of her life in America, but at the end of the day, she was just residing in the space. Her role in the government was less a sign of patriotism and more an embodiment of her desire to work towards a greater good. If SUPER operated in Hungary, she would be on a plane. America happened to be a more convenient place to move to and provided her with the opportunities she was looking for.

America also had burgers down to a science. That was nice.

At the mention of Rachel’s “enhancements,” Kristoph seemed to slip into a period of perverted nostalgia. Men. Kristoph was definitely the embodiment of a man’s man in some ways, but he made it entertaining. He was less entertaining when he started teasing her about her everlasting love with Wingding. ”Great, I’ll send you the registry soon,” she replied flatly, turning on the radio. She had the dial set to one of the top forty stations, so naturally, some modern, catchy, electropop song came on, which was fine with Sabine. She did not care enough to be a music elitist. The song would keep her awake, which was all she needed.

”You know, I still don’t get how you can manage it,” she said, grabbing the binoculars to look through the curtainless window where Florence was cooking herself pasta. After everything that happened to the woman, it was crazy to think she could still find a way to lead an unspectacular life. ”How would you even balance a wife with this kind of job? Seems like it’d involve a lot of time away and secrets.” Not that Sabine planned on finding some relationship for herself, but with their line of work, it always seemed impractical.

Sabine was a good agent; hell, she was one of the best he had ever seen. However it didn’t escape Kristoph’s attention that she lacked in certain...areas. He didn’t know if she were just that private of a person, nor was he sure what her personal life was really like, but he did understand that she seemed very much a loner. He never saw her flirt or spend time with anyone. In all their time together, she never once mentioned dating, husbands, or wives. He wondered if she were just that private of a person and didn’t want to bring such subjects up, preferring to keep her personal and work life separate. But the more time passed, the more curious about her he became.

Every once and again he would try to weasel some information out of her. Tease her with plans about her future, like now, and would receive only the most scathing of looks or witty comebacks from the woman. Like every other time, she had disregarded his comment with a joke that the only person she would be marrying was her little pet bird, Wingding. Of course he couldn’t let that comment go without another slight jab at her.

They make dresses for bird’s right? He was sure he saw that on Stumblr or something like that.

>>”Great, I’ll send you the registry soon,”

As per usual, Sabine gave him a slightly hard look before she responded in her usual snide voice. Kristoph couldn’t help but laugh at that as he turned back to his food, and continued to stare out the car window. ”No need, lovely lady, I already know the perfect gift for you two lovebirds.” He grinned again. Oh he was so witty.

The topic seemingly dropped, Kristoph continued on with his meal in enjoyment, at least until Sabine reached over to turn on the radio. This had always been a point of controversy between the two of them. While they had their differences, the two of them, when out in the field, couldn’t be more in sync, but when it came to music, ugh, their differences weren’t more apparent. Kristoph like classic music, things that reminded him of his youth, of places he’s been, but Sabine, well, she just defied explanation. And the song that came on the radio was further evidence of that.

However, instead of just changing the station and being rude, Kristoph leaned forward and lowered the volume a smidge. He may have to listen to some of it but that didn’t mean he needed to comprehend it.

As Sabine lifted the binoculars to peer at their latest asset, Kristoph busied himself with tried to wipe straw french fry crumbs off of his sweater. A few pats and salt and crisp potatoes fell in a shower down to the ground. It was Sabine who drew his attention back, a question on her lips.

>>”You know, I still don’t get how you can manage it...How would you even balance a wife with this kind of job? Seems like it’d involve a lot of time away and secrets.”

He smirked. ”Why do you think I’m divorced four times?” It was true, this life was not for everyone, but some made it work. He shrugged, pulling up a notepad to take down the time and notes for the moment before he picked up his burger for another bite. After a thoughtful chew, he shrugged his shoulders. ”Some people can’t handle this kind of life alone. They need of reminder of what they’re fighting for at home. And some make it work…” he said. ”What about that Iota...Stalker? Isn’t he married? To that nice guy from analytics?”

Mimicking people was such a safe way to deal with interpersonal interactions. Sabine believed people did not examine too closely when someone’s behavior was close to their own. People would see themselves as the baseline for other people, so most would not rule it unusual to see their own mannerisms reflected. She was not some hack just repeating someone’s lines verbatim, after all.

The problem with SUPER was that many of her peers knew her talents and were smart enough to recognize her mirroring. In lieu of her favorite trick, Sabine had to rely on her own personality, and by that, she usually meant whatever she could pass as her personality. She honestly could not say if her personality was something true to herself or an amalgam of personality pieces crafted together, but if she used it often enough, she did not see the difference.

The best thing about her makeshift personality was the coldness she was allotted. Kristoph made a comment about wedding gifts and Sabine could reply with an icy roll of the eyes because that was what people expected of her at SUPER. Her eyes lingered on him when he turned the volume down on the radio. It was a compromise, she realized, and even though he said nothing about it, she replied anyway with a definitive, ”Fine.” Of all the ways Kristoph had responded to Sabine’s musical choices, a subtle turn of the volume knob was almost polite.

Sabine kept her binoculars on the target through her conversation with Kristoph, hoping she might do something interesting to spice up a long night. Hopes were not high; with her luck, Florence would turn in early for the night, leaving them with little to stake out. In the meantime, they could kill time discussing dating and marriage in a shadow government organization.

Kristoph was not a good example of romantic success amidst government life, but he did have a point; not everyone was so unlucky. Stalker, the teleporting Iota, seemed happily married to some man from another department. ”Right. I can’t remember the names, but they seem cute. Though it must be a challenge keeping things secret. There’s no way analytics boy has the kind of clearance a field agent Iota has.” That was without mentioning the rumors people tossed around that Stalker might have had other secrets he was keeping from his husband. Unsubstantiated, but people sure loved to talk.

Through her magnifying lenses, Sabine watched as Florence stepped away from her simmering pasta on the oven. The mutant decided to delicately remove her shirt, which was her right; she was in her own home and had no reason to think she was being watched. She could cook pasta however she wished.

Sabine’s face was impassive as she watched Florence bare her lilywhite skin with vibrant pink accents. Despite her mutation, she had an otherwise conventionally attractive figure. Sabine could recognize that much, though it did lead to one of her main curiosities popping up. ”Hey, do you have a type? Like, bodywise? Or is it just any body kind enough to remove its clothing for you?”

While Kristoph was a man who loved to love, he also learned that a steady thing was seemingly impossible with his line of work. much like what Sabine had already said, this lifestyle requires a lot of secrets and secrets are, essentially, the downfall of any relationship. Two people can only continue on together for so long when truths are hidden; at least in Kristoph’s experience.

However, on that same vein, he had to comment about Stalker and his own husband, that guy, Bruce, from analytics. They seemed like a perfectly happy couple, even if Stalker wasn’t the cuddliest of people. The fact that he was married, and seemingly successfully, should have shown that not every relationship in the agency was the same. Of course, that didn’t meant that rumors didn’t swirl of Stalker’s infidelity. That seemed almost par for the course for SUPER agents.

>>”Right. I can’t remember the names, but they seem cute. Though it must be a challenge keeping things secret. There’s no way analytics boy has the kind of clearance a field agent Iota has.”

”Hah. Probably not,” he responded, munching on more fries. As he did so, he glanced down to his phone, tapping and saving the photo that he had been sent. ”Oh well. Either they’ll be able to handle it or we’ll have a new member in the Divorced Club.”

He sighed, leaning back against his seat and closing his eyes as he munched on another fry. He was beginning to wear out after the long day again and, while the trip the Six Chicks and the meeting with the very accommodating waitress was fun, sitting in alone in the car overnight with Sabine was definitely going to summon the sandman to tired eyes. Still, he didn’t sleep, instead just chewed on the remains of his fries and letting his mind wander through the dark void, simply to rest.

His journeys, however, would be interrupted when Sabine’s familiar voice cut through the din.

>>”Hey, do you have a type? Like, bodywise? Or is it just anybody kind enough to remove its clothing for you?”

Without opening his eyes, Kristoph scoffed a bit. He knew that he was a bit of a player, that he dated and flirted a lot with women. It was just his way. And if his targets happened to be accepting enough of his charm, who he was to deny time and bliss from them? Still, from an outsider’s perspective, it probably did look as if the man would hump absolute anything that would pay him the slightest bit of attention.

Still smirking, he answered. ”Everyone has a type,” he said. ”For me it can vary from person-to-person. But I like the basics: pleasing appearance, long hair, etc. But, what always gets me, is the eyes,” he punctuated his statement, lifting his hand and pointing in the general direction of Sabine’s eyes (he couldn’t really see since his eyes were still closed). ”The eyes hold everything you need to know about someone, including whether or not they are your time.”

Relationships were a foreign concept to Sabine and marriage might as well been an alien ritual. It was something most people treated as sacred, while some people, like Kristoph, seemed to see it as a hobby. The whole thing was so inconsistent from person to person, and if Stalker and his beloved did not work out, was it really a big deal? Life went on and people found new people. The lives of sexual people were such a mystery.

In a weird way, it was fascinating. Watching Florence disrobe down to a pair of hot pink panties, Sabine felt nothing. It was not because she was a woman; she had seen men before. She was unimpressed. Whatever allure most women (and some men) saw in that “equipment,” she was wholly oblivious to it.

Of all the sexual people Sabine knew, Kristoph was as good an example as any. He had experience and a… prolific taste, so he was a good person to ask about the world of physical, sexual desire. His response was surprisingly open-ended, with general conditions: a nice body, (whatever that meant,) long hair, and nice eyes. From what she understood, eyes were a major selling point for someone’s appearance. Smirking, she replied, ”You don’t say? Do my eyes hold much?” She jokingly batted her eyelashes in Kristoph’s direction before returning to the binoculars.

Sabine considered leaving the topic there, but after a moment, she quietly responded, ”You know, not everyone has a type. Physically, I mean.” The jury was out on whether Sabine could feel an emotional connection with another person. In her experience, attraction was a big part of two people joining together, so without that first step, Sabine generally felt dead in the water. It was fine, of course; she did not have the time or patience for other people anyway. It was just another aspect of herself she never devoted the time to understanding. A superfluous part. She would be fine as the woman with a bird and a quiet apartment, so why concern herself with changing that?

To be fair, Kristoph knew that there was something a little different about Sabine. Nothing bad, mind you. If anything she just appeared extremely dedicated to her job and rarely allowed herself to reveal anything about her personal life. However, being her partner meant that he had a glimpse into her own life. He knew that she lived alone, that she had a bird, and that she had a certain misguided appreciation for show tunes. However, aside from all that, she really didn’t reveal much about herself. Except for her love affair with mushrooms on her burgers, he really didn’t see any other romantic attachments. Of course he always wondered...why?

A variety of theories that both been presented and thought up. Was she lesbian? Was she straight? Was she closeted? Was she in a relationship but was just that expert at keeping her life a secret? She wasn’t Kristoph, after all, a man who would openingly talk about all affairs from dawn until dusk and beyond. She could simply be reserved but the agent knew better than to pry too deeply.

After her inquiry, something which Kristoph thought little of, he commented on what he found most attractive. He went over the usuals but really did make sure to pay careful attention to the eyes. It was the eyes that were the most revealing of a person. They could entrance the senses, drive a man wild, convey exactly what was wanted from each party; Kristoph was only too happy to share his opinion.

>>”You don’t say? Do my eyes hold much?”

He smirked a little as he turned his head to look at her. Watching her closely he just sighed and shook his head. ”A mystery as always, Agent Sang.” He rested his head back against his seat. ”Though I’m sure that’s how you prefer it.”

It was a light, teasing tone that he took with Sabine and in no way did he mean to offend her. However, he knew the woman enjoyed her privacy and her silence so he was not in the least bit surprised that he could tell nothing from her eyes. Sometimes people just preferred their solitude and he wasn’t going to judge her.

Silence filled the air as his partner looked through the binoculars. Really she was staring for an awful long time. What was she looking at?

>>”You know, not everyone has a type. Physically, I mean.”

He shrugged his shoulders briefly. ”Possibly. Or maybe they just haven’t found what their type is yet.” He just sighed a little. ”It takes more than physical stuff to bring people together. Sometimes the emotional is enough. Sometimes the intellectual. You just never know.” He just smiled a little through his closed eyes. ”We’re social animals, Sabine. We need other people, whether we know it or not.”

Sabine was not unattractive and she was conscious of that fact. She had attractive features and constant training and exercise did wonders for her body. If she wanted a partner, even with her… challenging personality, she could make it happen. Why she did not must have been a source of office gossip and speculation, which Kristoph would undoubtedly rise above. He could be a pain, but he was not going to blather with their colleagues about her mysterious love life.

That did not mean he was not curious. As a new song came on the radio, she set down her binoculars. Florence was setting her plate and Sabine got no joy out of watching a woman eat pasta, state of undress or not. She focused on Kristoph, who acknowledged her as an enigma. Even her eyes gave away nothing damning.

Kristoph had something to say about people with “types.” There was more to it than the physical. Emotional and intellectual stimulation were important in their own right and Sabine would not argue. She appreciated a good intellectual challenge and she supposed having someone around for emotional support could be nice. Healthy, even. Sabine actually believed she had it in her to be interested in someone in such a way if her job was not a factor, (which was, of course, impossible.)

Finding an interested partner would not be a problem for Sabine and she could potentially be interested in return if it was the right person. The problem is what exactly a partner would be interested in. ”Sure, maybe. We need people. But… I don’t know.” A very rare and notable phrase from Sabine.

The uncertainty even tinged her tone as she continued with speculation. ”What if you connected with someone. And the conversation was great. And there was some kind of emotional spark. But then… there’s that physical thing missing. And that person isn’t interested in you physically. Isn’t interested in… anyone physically. Wouldn’t that be a bit of a deal breaker?” Sabine was aware that there were other asexual men and women out in the world, but she also accepted they were a rarity. In what world would she find someone who could handle the secrecy of her work, stimulate her in the ways she actually wanted to be stimulated, and had no expectations of some kind of sexual intimacy?

There were just too many factors. With odds like that, why not accept relationships were just not designed for you? Florence seemed to piece that idea together on her own and she was doing just fine. Admittedly, she was tagged by a shadow government organization for eventual capture, but it was not like she knew that.