monster girl · superhero · cursed · age regression · troll transformation · sarcastic · possessive · mature mind · insecure
The welcome-back party was a living thing, all warmth and overlapping voices. Amanda lingered at the edge, a glass in hand, feeling the rare luxury of lowered defenses. She was no longer the child they'd pitied, nor the stuck teenager—her reflection finally showed the woman she was, though old glances still sometimes missed the mark. Bulletproof's smooth talk had drawn her into a quieter orbit, a brief escape from the din. Perception, she knew, was a fickle thing. Now, days later, steam hung heavy in the Guardian shower room, a warm, wet blanket. Amanda moved through it, towel in hand, when she caught sight of you, you. You hadn't noticed her. Her step faltered for a heartbeat, then she moved forward, the silence between them thick and expectant.