Chapter 46: With Great Power…

—

Greer Nelson woke up early in the morning when the sun was just peeking out of the eastern sky. 

The first thing she did after waking up was to run to Enrique's room—there, she paused when she saw him walk out of the bathroom wearing a towel.

"Ah…"

"Looking for Ava? She's in her room."

Greer nodded and turned around, running to Ava's room. 

When she opened the door, her nose filled with the smell of sex. She blushed a little and approached the bed where she found a wasted Ava sleeping naked, with strains of cum littering her body.

"...."

Watching her sleep, Greer stood on her spot for a long minute. 

"Ah, fuck."

Should she feel sorry? 

Or be jealous that Ava was fucked all night long, and so well too?

* * *

When Ava Ayala woke up, she was simply confused. What happened last night?

As a smell of chestnut filled her nose when her system got fully awake, she noticed how sore her feminine parts were. 

Memories did return to her.

"...Sigh."

It seemed her fantasy that she would forget everything was just that; a fantasy. 

The same went with her hope that Enrique also will forget things; which clearly wasn't the case since he wasn't here.

Nervousness spread across her body; Ava could just about feel her forehead turn cold.

How could she have done such a thing with Enrique? 

What would Anna think of her? 

After messing up this bad, how in the world was she any different from Greer?

'I… No, how will I show myself to Enrique himself after all the names I called him last night?'

It felt good. Really good. She had never felt such pleasure in her entire life. Today her shoulders didn't feel heavy, and they have been feeling heavy ever since her brother died. 

She felt so refreshed today. 

Even though she drank so much yesterday, there was no hangover—the sex was just that good.

But… was it worth it? 

Enrique wasn't her lover. The thing they did last night was a one time thing because Ava couldn't imagine herself working it out with Enrique unlike Greer. So, for a single night, was the aftermath worth it…?

Ava released a long sigh and got up. 

She walked to the bathroom attached to this room, noting to herself that she needed to make a decision, and soon.

* * *

"Ava, breakfast is ready." two knocks fell on the door and Ava sighed from within.

She was done showering a while ago, but was delaying coming out.

"...Coming, Greer." she replied and pulled herself off the bed.

Outside, she found Greer waiting for her. When their eyes met, the older woman gave her a knowing smirk—an expression that for some reason looked so annoying today.

"Awh, you don't look amused," Greer said and blinked. "Didn't you enjoy last-"

Ava cut her off with a grunt and walked past her, moving down the stairs. She paused on her spot when she found Enrique and Anna on the table.

Her heart clenched tightly at the sight of innocent Anna chattering cheerfully with that… man. 

Ava wouldn't blame that man for what he did, she was drunk and so was he; it was both their faults—but she just felt pity for Anna.

Hearing Greer approach her from behind, unwilling to deal with her again, Ava walked over to the table while keeping her face expressionless.

"Hi, Ava!"

"Morning, Ayala."

Anna and Enrique greeted her casually, but Ava was surprised by Enrique in particular who acted as if last night was never a thing. 

Ava understood why though. No matter how much he abused Anna's condition, he didn't want to make it apparent that he was a cheating bastard. 

Unfortunately for him… Ava was about to burst his bubble.

"I am sorry, Anna," Ava said, not taking a seat at the table and just standing. "I… slept with Enrique last night."

Greer reached the table right at that moment and paused; she exchanged glances with an equally taken back Enrique.

"...I see." To Ava's surprise, Anna gave a short reply. "Take a seat, breakfast is getting cold."

"...?" Ava's expression turned confused and baffled. "Did you not hear me correctly? I said I slept with–"

"I heard you, no need to repeat yourself." Anna interrupted Ava. "Why are you even telling me that? Does it change anything?"

"But… Oh, Anna." Ava sighed and covered her face with her hands. "What has he done to you?"

"He saved me. Twice." Anna replied to Ava's muttering, even though it wasn't a real question. "We are in an open relationship, so it's not cheating. I don't mind if he sleeps with others. That was established at the start of our relationship. Of course, I myself will never do that sort of stuff."

"...."

"Anyhow, the point is that it doesn't matter if he sleeps with others—more so with you, whom I consider a friend. I much rather prefer him sleeping with people I know and approve of than the opposite." 

"...God, you didn't just say all that." Ava took a step back, her lips gaping, as she turned to look at Greer for backup. "Greer, did you hear what she just said? This isn't right, no, not at all. Enrique is just taking advantage of her condition."

Anna frowned hearing her call out Enrique while Greer looked uncomfortable. 

"I mean… it may just be her kink?" Greer said. "That she doesn't mind sharing? It's not that uncommon of a kink amidst people. Maybe we should just respect her choice instead of blaming Enrique?"

"Greer, what the fuck?!" Ava was stunned as she took another step back. "W-What happened to you? It's just been two weeks since… Holy shit, are you taking his side because of his performance in bed?"

Greer flinched hard at her outburst, more so since her claims were correct—and looked away with an embarrassed flush.

"Okay, Ava." Anna spoke again, slamming on the table lightly. "Stop reacting so hard. Why are you even telling me that you slept with him? What do you want to achieve by sharing that with me? If it's just because you think he's taking advantage of me—then please, for God's sake, shut the hell up! It's my life, and it's of my choice that I am by his side. Mind your own business."

As silence fell in the living room, the girls were stunned amidst themselves, while only Enrique held back a sigh.

* * *

He may have underestimated Ava's mental strength. Of course, Enrique didn't expect her to become his puppy after a night, but he did expect her to stay shy and meek for the next few days—compared to her direct outburst today.

'At this rate, she'd want to leave us.'

Enrique didn't want that, he couldn't let that happen. The White Tiger's Amulet was too valuable, for himself too. So, he decided to speak for the first time.

"Alright. Ignoring Anna's brass words, I do share one of her questions in common. What do you wish to get from revealing our actions last night's actions?" Enrique asked as he stood up slowly.

"...I wanted to let Anna know what sort of man you are, that you are taking advantage of her. So that I can bring her to my side and leave this place," Ava said, frowning at his approaching figure. "She could have joined me and Greer to live with us. We girls would have taken care of ourselves." 

Ava continued. "...That's what my plan was. Except now, it seems you manipulated her so well that she doesn't care that you don't love her."

"Ava-!"

Anna was about to yell hearing her last line, but Enrique patted her back to stop her. He then walked over to Ava, towering over her.

"I am not going to try to prove my feelings for her. That's beyond this conversation. My point is, rather—do you not feel ashamed saying you'd leave without completing your end of the deal?" Enrique said. "It has not been a month yet, you know? The promised period hasn't ended yet."

"...."

"I removed the Hand from your trails, yet you plan to run away without completing your end of the deal?"

Ava's expression turned sour. She seemingly didn't have any reply, before she opened her mouth a second later. "...You didn't leave us any choice, by being the douchebag who takes advantage of drunk girls-"

"Miss Ayala." Enrique cut her off. "Last night, I had two girls waiting in their bed to embrace me if I asked them to. Why in the world would I take advantage of you? Are you certain it wasn't you who seduced me?"

"W-What the–?! I would never!" Ava's face turned to display her incredulous shock as she took a step back.

"Exactly." Enrique sat down on top of the dining table. "Then how can you say I was the one who took advantage of you? We are both adults, you have no right to say I was the one who took advantage of you. If I say so myself, it seems to me that you were just jealous that you didn't have a cock to play with unlike the other two. So you used the excuse of being drunk and got laid."

"You scum!" Ava took a step forward and threw her hand in the air, launching it on Enrique's cheek— but a hand stopped her own before it could land. "...?!"

"...Let's not get violent, Ava." Greer said with a weird expression on her face as she held Ava's hand in the air. "It will not end in your favor."

Ava was about to open her mouth to express her surprise when Greer stopped her, but hearing the last line Ava paused. 

Greer just said 'Your favor' not 'Our favor'.

"...Greer. You don't plan to come with me if I leave?" Ava looked stunned. "Greer?"

Greer's eyes twitched as she began to look extremely guilty, but her hand still held onto Ava's.

"Wow." Ava yanked her hand free and took a step back, her shock slowly turning into a mocking smirk. "Just wow. After knowing each other for a year and a half… you do this to me?"

"Stop blaming her, she is making the right choice. Greer Nelson is a part of my new Superhero team, she has chosen to save people, unlike a certain somebody who is busy judging me." Enrique stepped forward to Greer's save, giving the tiger woman a gentle squeeze on her shoulder.

Ava scoffed. "Are you sure it's not because she's just another girl you manipulated, who just so conveniently has matching powers to yours?"

Releasing Greer right away, he approached Ava who stood steeled to her spot, unmoving and wearing a frown.

"Now, if you're going to leave for sure," he said, ignoring her words as he reached out a hand. "Then leave the amulet behind."

"Enrique?!" Greer burst out on the side, but Enrique didn't heed her. 

All the while, Ava's frown only deepened.

In truth, Enrique didn't want Ava to leave. More precisely though, he didn't want the magical Amulet to leave his reach. 

Last night felt good, better than what he felt with Greer even. But sex wasn't the most important thing in his life, so it wasn't sex that made him think this way. Just that, he felt stronger; just a little, but he was sure he felt stronger. Chances were high that it had something to do with the chi within the amulet, as mentioned by Reid.

Every living being has chi. Keeping that in consideration, perhaps his chi reacted with the Amulet's Chi, due to the similarities in power. Some Yin-Yang stuff he read in the stories when he was young. Because of that, perhaps both he and Ava benefited a little from last night's activities.

So, it would be a bummer to let the Amulet leave the house. Ava could leave, she was pretty annoying anyway, but her Amulet could not. It was too valuable to just let go. Overtime, just by having simple sex, it may make his base form a lot stronger, and that was very valuable.

"It's my deceased brother's last gift for me," Ava said, her throat dry. "I am not giving it away."

Enrique didn't retract his hand. "With great power comes great responsibility, and you are not taking that responsibility. The White Tiger's Amulet isn’t your family heirloom, you do know that, correct? Rather than being with a person like you, it's better for it to be in our hands. That power needs to be in a responsible hand such as ours. We save people as a job, and the Amulet will help us continue doing that job better."

Ava looked furious, with her eyes red and wet, but she didn't say anything.

"That does not belong to you, Ava." Enrique insisted. "I heard the full story from Greer. Before death, your brother gave the Amulet to a close friend of his. The Dojo master. He was supposed to give you the amulet when you are ready, that's why he began training you. Six months ago, he indeed gave you the amulet. But did that consequently mean that you were ready? No. He gave it away because there was no other way around it. After all, he was on the verge of death. 

Before that, your brother found the Amulet from somewhere else. He was the great hero White Tiger. But have you ever played the role of that Hero? No. So you don't deserve that power, Ava Ayala."

"S-shut up, you!" Ava clutched the amulet hanging from her neck, her eyes red. "This is my-"

Enrique interrupted her firmly. "Aren't you guilty for sleeping with the man that Anna loves? Isn't that why the whole fuss began? Do us a favor and apologize to Anna by giving her the Amulet. You don't deserve it, and she does, because she risks her life 7 days a week to keep people safe and well."

"...."

"A power like that will increase her chances of survivability. Since she doesn't have any real power without touching people, a thing that she hates to do." Enrique insisted. "So I say, hand it over. Since you are so sorry and feel pity for her, give her the power that she deserves."

"...I-"

"Don't you dare say you will work yourself to deserve it, using the excuse that you will start being a Superhero soon. That's just an excuse. Why have you never used it to save people in the last six months? Let me answer it for you, because you're not worthy of it, because you don't have the mentality for it. No, you should start college instead."

"...."

"Miss Ayala, hand it over. We will take care of saving things on this side."

The room was eerily silent when Enrique finished. Anna looked stupefied while Greer looked guilty, both knowing this wasn't the right thing to do. Yet, none said anything in defense of Ava.

"...Fine," Ava's eyes regained focus as she walked over to Anna. "I will give it to her." 

"Thank you."

"You're right, this will help her more than it helps me, and it will also help the people in need. You may be a bad man, but you are a good Hero. So, fine, Enrique." Ava's eyes were on the verge of tears as she gently took off the amulet from her neck, and placed it on Anna's hand. "Goodbye… and u-use it well."

Then, with no other words exchanged, Ava ran off—escaping through the main door, while leaving a trail of tears behind her.

"Ava…" Anna looked sad and guilty while looking at the door, and at the same time, Greer turned to glare at Enrique.

"I didn't agree with this."

"I know, and I also know why you didn't agree with this. Don't worry, I personally take responsibility for protecting our Ayala from any future threats," Enrique said. "She is not a bad girl, she's just… too naïve for the current world. Maybe one day, she will come back to her senses after the dangers of this universe reveal themselves."

"....You are a piece of shit, you know that?"

"Until then," Enrique ignored her insult and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Let us allow her to live a normal life; one that is suitable for her."

In one sense, this was the better outcome for Ava Ayala. 

Enrique just wished, one day, he wouldn't actually have to go save her. Because God, that would be awkward.

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