“Boobs!” Sal leapt up screaming in sleep deprived mania. His head almost impacted the bunk above him.

His mind was currently frayed to say the least, his lack of sleep had been due to a very prevalent issue, although he was unsure why he’d just yelled about female milk glands.

Thoughts of Quincy filled his head. Was he really committing to this lost cause of villains? He could very easily pick one of his many fans across the globe, get married, and never look back. Although his conscience knew why he was back here once more.

“Would you try to be a bit more respectful?” Star Breaker complained from above on the top bunk.

“Sorry. Just had a bad dream.” Sal tried to give an explanation, although it wasn’t a good one.

“Honestly sounds to me more like a wet dream.” he replied, Sal chuckled a little, or tried to.

“I don’t even know why I got in that car back there…” he came out upfront. Sal took a look over at Selene in her bed, to make sure she hadn’t woken up through all of that. She seemed sound.

“I used to be Quincy’s friend, before this whole shit happened… And I wanted to make amends afterward,” Sal whispered. “But now…”

“You two fell out. Yeah, it happens with close friends. The closer you are, the more likely you’ll get into some fight, or maybe it’ll just deteriorate.” Starbreaker whispered in reply.

“It was like one moment I felt I could act like myself around him… and then the next... I just resented him. I never really noticed it until it was too late.”

“That’s what boundaries are for. There is just stuff that would endanger the friendship you have with someone, and you just can’t share that stuff with them.”

“I felt… I felt like… I felt like I wouldn’t really be his friend if I didn’t share everything… I felt like he had to know that stuff.” Sal stuttered, pausing every moment to think.

“That doesn’t make you any worse friends when you don’t share it. Just remember to let him know your boundaries.”

“Yeah… Yeah… that’s really helpful advice…” As Sal collected himself, he turned his head, and noticed Selene was now awake, and sitting up in her bed.

“No… uhm… just pretend I didn’t hear anything, it’s fine. I won’t tell Quincy.” she smirked with a nervous chuckle. Sal groaned audibly as she sighed and lay back down.

“Here, let’s go outside and talk about this.” Star Breaker suggested. So they got up, slung on their jackets, and left.

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If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Outside was more chilling than before. Inside, Sal could at least wrap himself in a blanket, but even with him literally making fire out of his hands to melt the snow, he still felt chilly.

“Why do you even want to be out here?” Sal grimaced at Star Breaker, teeth chattering.

“I wanted to show you the stars. Aren’t they just glorious?”

“We have a telescope inside, dumbass!”

“Mmm, true. Didn’t really think about that. But this is more picturesque.” Star Breaker said, sitting down on the wet, burnt grass.

“I take it you really like stars, huh?”

“No, I hate them.” Star Breaker huffed. “Grow a brain, will you? It’s a passion of mine. And with my powers, I think it’s a bit like fate.”

“Why’d you become a villain, anyway? Like who willingly becomes a villain?”

“Well, after I got the powers, I was… short on money. My wife at the time didn’t care. So, villainy seemed to be the best option.”

“Soooo, about your wife…?”

“She left me some years ago. She’s psychotic, and she took half my bank account. And… It was Twee’s aunt. Her second marriage… Luckily things aren’t awkward between us after all this time, but with her, it got ugly. Never get married Sal, unless you are sure you love that person. I regret it quite a lot.”

“Damn, why did she even leave you?”

He was silent for a moment. Then he turned and looked up at Sal, right in the eyes.

“I got my powers.” he said blankly.

“Why would she leave you because of superpowers? Ladies seem to drool about mine.”

“Not every super is equal.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Sal frowned, taking his hands out of the jacket's pockets and sitting down on the ground..

“It means not all superheroes are sexy.” It felt like a joke, but Sal knew he didn’t mean it that way.

Then there was silence.

“Put out your fire,” Star Breaker said. “The smoke will attract people.”

Sal nodded, but before he could even do so, they spotted something past the fire’s light. Sal and Star Breaker looked out over the hill, down at the bottom walked a single figure along the dirt road up to the observatory.

A silhouette with a billowing cape and some sort of tophat upon his head came up the hill, walking completely silently, as though they were trying to be unheard. That coupled with the outrageous outfit meant that person could only be one thing.

“It’s a Supervillain.”