Day 244 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about the similarities in two very different characters.
Shannon: “The two of us aren’t that different, you know.” He looked as if he was holding onto something he could barely will himself to get out.
“I’m nothing like you,” my jaw tensed.
He took in a breath as has he looked up, “We both never eat the M&M’s in the trail mix, while everybody else is avoiding the raisins. We both have terrible memory of the past because we can’t ever seem to agree on that. You’re completely content with being alone, because you’d rather read a book, and as it turns out we have the same taste in those too.”
I didn’t know how to feel about what he just admitted. “You know all of that about me?”
“Don’t make it a thing,” he gave a quick shrug before walking away.
Erin: The only thing they had in common was their lack of any commonalities. Well that and their love of ice-cream.
What’s the one piece of common ground?
Pelky Sisters 
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It was one of the dates they had. They were talking about her work, the relief foundation. The only detail he keeps repeating is the name. He looked it up, finding they have a building in New York. He then takes off for it, hoping she’ll be there.
He walks in, looking around. There’s a crowd there, so he looks over heads for the familiar one.
She finds him first. When they lock eyes, Denisa almost turns away. But someone turns her back, insisting in hushed tones. Josh chuckles a little, guessing it was perhaps a friend that knows about him; one side of him.
Denisa walks over, in the foundation’s t-shirt and a skirt. Josh smiles. She just looks at her clipboard, chipping the corner. “Denisa-”
“Yes, mister?” She says, looking up.
Josh sighs, “I need to talk to you. And I mean you, not… you know who.”
“Who said we’re different people?”
“I do. Please, Denisa.”
Denisa rolls her eyes. She turns her head around. Another friend has joined the other one, and their both nodding. She looks back, drawing out a sigh. “My break starts in a half hour.” She turns around and starts to walk away. Then she stops and says, “You may not like what you hear.”
***
Josh waits at the side entrance to the building. Denisa walks out, having changed into a less bright shirt. Josh offers a hand, but she doesn’t move to take it. They start walking. When they reach the building Josh picked out, he starts climbing to the roof. Denisa follows, rolling her eyes.
He sits down, patting next to him. Denisa crosses her arms and leans back against a brick wall. “Make it quick. I’m only here because my friends are nagging me.”
Josh turns to look at the pebbles under his shoes, “We’re a lot alike, have you noticed?”
“No we aren’t,” Denisa stands up straight, “now if that’s all-”
“It’s not,” Josh says firmly. Denisa passively glares at him, but let’s him continue. “We have both lost people,” he starts, “we both have an appreciation for martial arts. You… you are not Bronze, Denisa.”
“You know I am.”
“No no… you…” Josh stands then, walking away a little. He then turns back, “You’re… You help people, Denisa. You have a drive to help people. The path you are on, the good parts, stemmed from both your tragedies, and from the invasion. You have this passion to help others, and though Bronze takes it in the wrong direction…”
Josh had stepped forward, and he’s now in front of her, a foot between them.
“You, Denisa, are trying to do good.”
“…I already told you. Bronze is my life. I am making the world safer, not you, Jade.”
She tries to turn. But Josh catches her wrist. It wasn’t even a firm grip, but he lightly curled the tips of his fingers under her wrist. She stops at the contact, but is surprised by his words, “I am not Jade.”
She looks at him.
He lets go of her wrist, touching his neck as he stammers, “I mean, Jade isn’t who I really am. To be honest, a mask doesn’t suit me.
“And it doesn’t suit you, either,” he adds. “Tell me, why did you pick the name Bronze, when you said you think no one would like the color?”
“Platinum would be too obvious,” Denisa brushes off.
“Really? Because there is nothing on your alter ego in the news.”
Denisa stammers before looking at the ground to her right.
“Why do you short change yourself, Denisa?”
“I’m not telling you. You’re the enemy.”
“Am I?” Josh steps closer, and Denisa doesn’t stop him. “You’re platinum to me, Denisa.”
She looks at him suddenly. “Even with the real me? Is that platinum to you?” She spits.
Josh sighs softly, “…The real you didn’t kill that girl.”
“She was a- she was just a child!” Denisa looks up, “What was I supposed to do?”
“But, as Bronze would put it, she’d grow up and use her powers for evil. So… why didn’t she do it?”
Denisa looks away. “I…” she shakes her head.
“Denisa… I don’t know for sure yet, but I’m thinking about taking over the dojo. I don’t want my mom to worry about what’ll happen later in life.”
Josh waits a beat.
“…I want you to be with me.”
Denisa tenses.
“I wouldn’t make you stop your work at the foundation, but you can also teach kids to defend themselves. You’ve been there, even met some of the kids.
“I think you, the real you, would thrive there.”
Denisa doesn’t look at him, “You don’t know the real me.”
“If you keep at this, either SHIELD will get to you, or you’ll die,” Josh stresses.
“My break is almost over,” Denisa says, brushing passed him.
“Denisa, listen to me-”
“No, you listen,” she whirls around to look at him, “I told you that I like this life, and I don’t like you.”
Josh sees what he was waiting for. He goes to hold her hand, but she slaps it away and goes for a punch. He then catches it and pulls her closer. His other hand holds her waist. “Stop lying to yourself,” he says. He’s staring into her eyes; he sees the hurt, the loss, the dull pain that rips her open. She’s trying to mask it with anger and apathy, but he sees through. His words are full of desperation, insistence, and tenderness.
His blunt statement brings a few tears to Denisa’s eyes. Josh lets go of her fist to wipe one away.
“I am not going to stop, you hear me?” He says, now in a whisper. “I am going to fight for you, because I think you are worth all of it. I don’t want to see that spark die out because people want to use you.
“You are diamonds to me, and I don’t know if anyone else has seen the pain in your eyes…”
Denisa takes a small breath, the tears multiplying.
“I know your past, I know your burdens, and I know you feel stuck in the present.” Josh swallows a little then whispers, “And I want to be part of your future.”
Denisa looks away from him, wiping the tears on her cheeks, “So you’d give up being a superhero? Saving people?”
“A friend of mine once told me ‘the world has plenty superheroes.’ But if Finn ever needs me, I’ll be on call,” Josh adds with a grin. “Besides, there are more ways to help people than putting on a mask and cape.”
Denisa can’t help but laugh once before smothering it.
Josh turns her to face him again. “Denisa, I love you. Okay? And it kills me to see you hiding behind something that is not helping anyone.”
“…What are you asking me to do?”
“Instead of prowling tomorrow night with a mask, come to the dojo. Please.”
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