Unknown
Did you choose that hot costume with me in mind?
Heather looks around the loud, chaotic costume party.
Unknown
An admirer. And a big Avengers fan.
Heather
And you’re texting me HOW…?
Unknown
When I saw you dressed as a female Captain America, I had to ask your friend for your number.
Heather
I might have to kill her, Game of Thrones style.
Unknown
Don’t be too hard on her! She didn’t tell me your name.
Unknown
But she did say you’d love the challenge of tracking down a masked admirer.
Unknown
Was she wrong, Captain America 🛡?
At the excited rush that floods her, Heather bites her lip and assigns this cocky guy a contact name—
She’s up for anything as long as she’s dressed in sexy costumes!
Heather
It just so happens that I’m bored, so okay. Let’s play.
Heather
Give me a hint about what you’re wearing.
My Ballsy Admirer
Let’s just say your version of Captain-ette America does it for me…
My Ballsy Admirer
But you’re still a universe away.
Heather
Are you dressed as an alien?
Heather
Then you could be wearing almost any costume here!
My Ballsy Admirer
Try harder.
Heather
Could it be you’re the pirate standing by the door and texting?
My Ballsy Admirer
Stop whiffing out, Cap. I know you’ve got better aim than this.
Heather
Are you taunting me?
My Ballsy Admirer
Maybe TEASING is a better word.
My Ballsy Admirer
And if teasing gets you going as much as it does me…
Heather
Teasing is good. Keep it going, Mystery Man.
My Ballsy Admirer
Then here’s another hint. My detective skills are pretty kick-ass.
Heather
Hmm. Maybe you’re the Sherlock Holmes standing by himself near the keg? And if you are…
Heather
Please tell me you’re only *texting* me underneath that cloak.
My Ballsy Admirer
LOL. Your friend did tell me you were saucy.
Heather
But you still haven’t confirmed that you’re not Self-Pleasuring Sherlock.
My Ballsy Admirer
That’s an ALLEGED Self-Pleasuring Sherlock — and it’s not me.
My Ballsy Admirer
From here, I can’t tell WHAT he’s doing either 😂
Heather
LOL. At least now I know you’re in this room…
My Ballsy Admirer
Not anymore.
Heather
You move fast, but I’m on your tail.
Heather
I’m going to the next room since you’re making me chase you through the house.
My Ballsy Admirer
Perfect, because that leads to another hint…
My Ballsy Admirer
I’m also hard to catch.
Heather exhales as her skin flushes and her pulse pumps.
This game has got her GOING.
Heather
Ah! You’re the wily fox near the stairs, aren’t you? I see you texting!
Heather
On second thought, foxes aren’t generally detectives, so never mind.
My Ballsy Admirer
I will tell you this — you’re getting hot if you’re near the stairs.
My Ballsy Admirer
Then again, hot is how you started out…
My Ballsy Admirer
I’ve never seen Captain America with so many curves.
Heather
Such flattery. I’m almost thinking that my friend Jenna forced you to play this game.
My Ballsy Admirer
Why would she do that?
Heather
I just got jilted. But that’s TMI.
Heather
Honestly, Jenna’s making a bigger deal of it than I am.
Heather swallows back the tightness in her throat.
Craving more distraction, she looks around for someone who’s texting and fits the clues.
My Ballsy Admirer
To hell with the guy who did the jilting. Anyone who dropped you must be insane.
Heather
Keep up the sweet talk, Admirer. You just scored some major flattery points.
My Ballsy Admirer
Scoring is the point of all this 🎯
Heather
My. You really are confident.
As a delicious shiver runs through Heather, her Queen Margaery matchmaking friend finds her.
Heather
Jenna, who is this guy? Please tell me he’s…
Jenna
Ridiculously hot? Because he totally is.
Jenna
You’re going to thank me for giving him your number.
Heather
I mean, whatever.
Jenna
Yeah, whatever, Heather. You’re so into this.
A text makes Heather’s phone vibrate.
My Ballsy Admirer
Asking your friend for clues is cheating.
Heather
I’m assuming you’re still in this room if you can see me talking to her.
My Ballsy Admirer
I’m very good at blending. It’s part of my job.
Heather keeps looking around while talking to Jenna.
Heather
Jen, just give me a hint. Pretty please?
Jenna
Okay. He’s somewhere within sight…unlike my own boyfriend.
Jenna
You’d think it’d be easy to keep track of a Stormtrooper.
Heather
Forget Adam. Give me a better hint!
Heather
Hey, as long as this stays fun and I’m in costume…
At Heather’s lack of confidence, Jenna gives her a sympathetic look.
Who wants to wallow in personal hang-ups when she’s got a good time waiting for her?
Heather
This is perfect, because I could use some fantasy before I have to go back to reality.
Heather
Mom wants me to come over for “a special dinner” in a few nights.
Jenna
Oh-oh. Is she preparing you for yet another one of her new, serious boyfriends?
Heather
Probably. Then again, who knows what the flightiest woman in existence wants to talk to me about this time?
Heather grabs Jenna’s arm as she spots a shadow moving into the hallway.
Heather
Did my admirer just leave the room?
Heather
You are THE WORST.
Jenna’s about to answer…but then she sees her Stormtrooper leaning against the wall and watching her.
Heather
Jeez, even when Adam’s got a helmet on, I can tell he’s got hearts in his eyes for you.
As Jenna waggles her eyebrows and leaves, Heather texts her admirer and heads for the hallway.
Heather
Can you see me now?
My Ballsy Admirer
You’re always within my eyesight because I’m a guardian of the city. A protector in the night…
Heather
Oh DUH. You’re also a superhero, aren’t you?
My Ballsy Admirer
If I am, you should count yourself lucky, Cap.
My Ballsy Admirer
My people have a real rivalry with you Marvel characters. We don’t generally mingle.
Heather
No matter which costume you’re wearing, YOU’RE A NERD WHO LIKES DC COMICS!!!
My Ballsy Admirer
Hey, who are you calling nerd? 😂
Heather
Please, non-nerds don’t care about the DC/Marvel rivalry!
My Ballsy Admirer
Well, I did grow up reading DC…
My Ballsy Admirer
I guess that makes me nerdy…but I’ve never been called a nerd outright.
Heather is done looking in the hallway. No nerds or superheroes THERE.
Heather
I’M a total nerd. It’s not a bad thing.
My Ballsy Admirer
Damn straight it isn’t, especially if you’re a hot nerd like you.
Heather feels her heart swoon.
My Ballsy Admirer
Where did you get your costume?
Heather
I cosplay most weekends, so I have a bunch of nerdy and elaborate outfits.
My Ballsy Admirer
I like a woman who’s playful, whether it’s in costume or out of it.
Heather lets out a shaky, needful breath, then leans against a wall, scoping out the party.
She’s not about to let him know that she actually prefers to be IN costume.
Heather
So this is what I know about you so far…you’re a DC superhero with detecting skills…
Heather
And you’re super cocky.
My Ballsy Admirer
Don’t you kind of have to be cocky to fight villains like we do?
Heather
No. I’m Captain-ette America, so I’m as humble as they come.
My Ballsy Admirer
I’ve been told that I make a lot of fangirls come.
She spots a tall Batman standing by the stairs and her pulse jerks, then starts beating madly.
Could this be her ballsy masked admirer…?
