Maybe that should be common sense. A bunch of people in tights and leotards, commanding awesome power with only a corporate entity regulating them? It was asking for trouble. Even so, Jay had somehow convinced himself into hero work. When reality hit him like a truck, he'd still somehow believed that heroes, for the most part, weren't the problem. It was the Network, twisting noble intentions. flawed as they might be, there were heroes who cared.

Today, however, today brings a bitter pill to swallow: even "heroes" are just as capable and willing to intentionally destroy innocent lives if it fits their priorities.

"They're all dead, aren't they?" Jay croaks.

Razzmatazz doesn't look away from the window, Taurrage only looks down at his hands. Jay looks back from the passenger side of the automatic Taxi. The villains look harrowed, eyes anxious and mouths creased lines. The only one spared is Frame, still out cold.

"It's not your fault," Echo's voice crackles from the speaker.

"There were so many people in there though. I saw it on the map!"

"People conducting unholy experiments on unwilling subjects. Did you forget the state you found my sidekick in?"

Jay covers his face, taking deep breaths. "You should've waited until Stygian was ready. He's the only one who can challenge Alphaman."

"You would've never permitted him to fight. You're too protective, you're weak for him."

"I need you to shut the fuck up when I left him, I left him when he needed me, to get your girlfriend who you were too weak to protect!"

Taurrage interrupts. "Quickwit, she has a point. None of us could've predicted that Alphaman would lose it like that. I mean, it was almost like he had a split personality."

"He does," Razzmatazz whispers.

The car goes silent. Jay meets Razzmatazz' eyes in the rearview mirror. They're neon yellow—the color of her fear, he's realized. "Razz, what did you hear in there?"

"It's...It was like the inside of Gannet's head, a little."

"Gannet is nothing like him," Jay growls.

"No, I mean—-when I read someone's mind, I hear like...their inner voice. Everyone has a unique one but Gannet has two. Two voices that say the same thing, express the same thoughts. They harmonize, most of the time."

"And Alphaman?"

"There are two voices, Alpha and Griffin. They hate each other and fight constantly for control. It was horrible, reading his mind. They were both screaming."

"What was the deal with Calamity? He's dead. Why is that their worst fear?"

"Their minds are so messy it was hard to sort everything, but Alpha liked Calamity. He feels responsible for letting Griffin kill him. I guess his worst fear is just...remembering what happened."

"So they had some sort of relationship before Calamity died?" Taurrage asks.

"He—" Razzmatazz takes a deep breath. "He was obsessed with Calamity. That's all I could tell."

The car lapses into silence again as the group contemplates the new information. Jay pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the migraine brewing. His ears stopped ringing, but his body still remembers the unearthly blast of energy that shook him to his core. It was horrifying to think that Stygian has the same destructive potential. It makes Jay love him a little more to know that he's never used it.

However, this news does complicate things with Alphaman. Jay had already been nervous about facing off with a competent S-Class super. But knowing that Alphaman was off his rocker makes things even more complicated. How would they be able to predict his next move if he's insane?

Thankfully, the crunch of gravel interrupts Jay's spiral into further insanity. They've made it back to the farmhouse alive, thank God.

Jay steps out as the car comes to a halt. He comes around the side to help with Frame—

"Shit!" he cries, dodging to the side just in time to avoid hooves the size of dinner plates thundering toward him. Texas kneels to yank Taurrage out from the car, hugging him tight.

"Good God, I saw the explosion. Baby, fuck you, don't do that to me!"

"I'm fine," Taurrage squeaks.

"By the grace of God! Lord, oh lord. Thank you, thank you. Jesus."

"I'm fine too," Razzmatazz proclaims as she exits from the other side, Frame in her arms.

"Is the doctor here still?" Jay asks.

"She's in the living room. She just finished," says Texas.

"Razz, will you get Frame checked out before we release the doctor? I need to check on Stygian."

"Got it."

Jay rushes inside, not sparing the doctor a glance as he strides past her and into Stygian's room. Just before he enters, he hesitates. He knocks quietly. "It's Jay. Are you awake?"

"Yes," a soft voice answers.

Jay pushes the door open. Gannet sits up in bed, wearing the pillowy comforter like a hood.

"You're back."

"I am. Gannet, I'm sorry. I didn't want to leave you."

Gannet stays silent. His eyes look raw, like he's been crying.

"Gannet? I'm sorry. Are you mad?"

"No."

"Are you okay? Did it go okay?"

Gannet nods, sniffing.

"What's wrong then?"

"When I woke up you were gone. She wasn't done and none of the other medicines worked."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Oh, oh shit. Gannet—"

"It was just like it was when I was trapped with Zenith. He'd refuse to talk to me so I was always alone with the pain and—and—"

Gannet buries his face into Jay's shoulder, shoulders heaving. Jay holds him tight.

So it was confirmed Zenith definitely had a heavy hand in Project Chimera. Interesting.

Gannet's voice comes out muffled. "On my phone they said there was an explosion. They said it was me and you had just left—-I thought you and Razz were dead. I could still feel you, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't stop thinking they would find your body and everyone would think I killed you both."

"I texted you, you didn't see it?"

'It didn't matter. You got so close, Jay. Too close."

They hold each other in silence until Gannet's breaths begin to slow and calm.

"It's okay. I'm here," Jay whispers.

Gannet sniffs, turning his head to the side. Tears streak down his face as he listens to Jay's heart. Slowly, he calms down enough to sit on the bed, wiping his face. Jay sits next to him, entwining their hands together.

"Now you realize why I didn't want you to fight alone, right? We barely got away with our lives."

"He was there?"

"Yeah. I punched him."

"You punched Alphaman?"

Jay flexes his hand. "I shattered his helmet. I think my powers are still growing."

"What did he look like?"

Jay cringes. This is the wrong time to discuss Alphaman's insane relation to Gannet. "Let's—let's talk about that later. How's your injury?"

Gannet lifts his shirt to reveal a pink line on his side, fading by the second.

"Oh, thank God. How does it feel?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

Jay reaches out. The unbroken skin is soft and unmarred. It's only in this area that a scar is forming. It doesn't have an unpleasant texture, though. It's smooth and shiny—Jay runs a finger along it, measuring the length. Gannet smiles, shivering a little at the gentle touch.

"Jay, what are you doing?"

"I'm just making sure you're okay. It's not enough to look."

Gannet smiles tiredly. "I just recovered and you're already acting like a hound dog?"

Jay flushes, pulling away. "I didn't mean it like—I'm just checking!"

"I know I know. Jay, are you going home? Or are you going back to Network headquarters?"

Jay takes a look at the clock. It's nearly 3AM. Undoubtedly, the Network will be contacting him in the morning. "Home, I guess. But I've been thinking lately, since it's getting a little crowded here, I—I got you somewhere to stay. I was going to wait until this weekend to surprise you, but I'd feel better if you moved tonight."

"You got me an apartment?"

"No, well, you'll see. It's just temporary. Are you good to leave now?"

"Okay..."

"Let's go."

As they exit the room hand-in-hand, Jay and Gannet exchange hugs and farewells with Razzmatazz, nod to Texas and Taurrage, and express their gratitude to the nervous doctor. With their belongings gathered, they step into the still buzzing outside. After Jay pays the fare and inputs the GPS coordinates, is sets off down the unlit country road, the dark forest passing in a blur.

"Jay, where are we going?"

"Have you ever been camping as a kid, Gannet?"

Gannet giggles. "No. Who would take me? Wow, thanks masked scientist #200! I've always wanted to go to Palo Duro Canyon!"

"Oh, uh, right. I did a lot when I was younger. Lake Conroe has a good few spots to camp for free and it's really close to my hometown. My parents took me a lot for holidays, birthdays, even my adoption day. It was nice."

"So You're taking me camping?"

Jay smiles. "Not technically. But I'm hoping with less surveillance you'll be safer out here."

"Will you take me one day then? When this is all over?"

"Of course. We can go in the spring one day. I'll make you some coffee, and we can watch the sunrise over the bluebonnets together."

"Really?"

"Definitely. And you know—there's a genetically modified bluebonnet that grows around here. It escaped some college and grows wild ever since."

"Genetically modified?"

It's bright red instead of blue. I've never seen it, but it was kind've a tradition in my family to try to find one."

Gannet gazes at the pitch-black road. "Isn't it messed up that some unnatural plant is just taking over everything?"

"You don't like red bluebonnets?"

"They're not supposed to exist."

Jay looks away from the road, studying Gannet's expression. His eyes are luminous, the red light reflecting harshly off the window. Is this a conversation about flowers, or something else?

Jay looks back at the road, covering Gannet's hand with his own. "Well, I like them. Red is my favorite color, lately."

They sit in comfortable silence for the rest of the short trip until they reach the spot Jay mentioned. He drives down the black asphalt until they reach the RV park—a neon "Lonestar Nights RV resort" blinks in the night.

"An RV park?" Gannet asks.

Jay parks, unbuckling as he helps Gannet out next. "I know, it's not glamorous. This is all I could afford for the moment."

"I didn't know you had an RV."

"I bought one."

"You bought an RV? For me? Aren't they as expensive as a small house?!"

"Not the older models."

Jay leads Gannet to the mint green mobile home. He cringes a little at the state of it. He's done his best to spruce it up, but the 2024 model still screams antique. Especially with the peeling paint on the side that says "Wayfarer."

"Jay! It's so cute!"

"You really think so?"

"Yes, I love it!"

"Lets go inside..."

Enthusiastically, Gannet enters the trailer. As the creaky metal door squeaks open, and the light flickers on, he gasps. Jay's not one for interior decorating, but he did his best to replicate the feel of Gannet's apartment: there's a small bookshelf in the corner, a string of hearts hanging over the little kitchen, a black comforter on the bed, and on the black comforter, blending in seamlessly—

"Maowwww," Java yells.

"Oh my God, Java! Kitty!" Gannet picks the cat up squeezing him tight as happy little shadows flit around the room. "Jay, how did you get him back?"

"Faye couldn't take care of him anymore. Her Pomeranians didn't like having a cat around. She asked me to look after him."

"Oh, oh kitty. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, you must've been so scared. It's okay now. It's going to be okay..."

"So you like it?"

In lieu of an answer, Gannet hugs Jay, squishing Java between them as they kiss. Tears are streaming down his face again when they pull apart. "Jay, thank you."

"C'mon. Don't cry."

"This is, this is too much..."

"No it's not. I'm repaying you for being my fan."

Gannet sniffles, petting Java as he rumbles like a steam engine. "Thank you."

"Do you want me to show you where the showers and laundry are?"

"Okay."

Helping Gannet gather his dirty clothes, Jay leads him out from the RV and towards the building in the center of the park. It isn't too glamorous here either—there are bare concrete floors, a cricket in the corner, and some wet footprints from one of the residents who must've taken a shower a few hours ago.

"The showers are over there. They've got some complimentary soap you can use...I can start your laundry while you get clean."

"Will you come with me?"

"With you?"

"Shower with me. I don't want to be alone again."

Jay's cheeks redden. "I guess I can...let me finish this first."

Jay shoves the clothes in the washing machine quickly, pouring the soap in and paying with six quarters before starting the cycle. Next, Gannet follows him to the restroom where they both undress. Jay keeps his wandering eyes to himself as Gannet pulls his top off completely. It's not the time to be indulging in baser needs, even if the temptation is strong.

Trying to clear his thoughts, Jay finishes undressing quickly before stepping under the spray of the showerhead. He sighs as warm rivulets of water streak down his body, unlocking tough muscle and soothing purpling bruises. Dinginess aside, he can't deny this place has great water pressure.

"Jay..."

Jay opens his eyes. Gannet joins him, holding a small bottle of shampoo. "Will you wash my hair?"

Jay takes the shampoo, squeezing it into his palm. The shower fills with a warm scent of lavender as he massages it into Gannet's hair. He sighs, closing his eyes as he relaxes into the touch.

Jay studies the expression closely. Up close, he can really appreciate Gannet's delicate features. It's bizarre to see the difference between him and Griffin so clearly. Jay can hardly imagine Griffin making such a soft expression.

"You look cute like this," Jay whispers.

"What, naked?"

"With your guard down."

"My guard is never down."

"You sure?"

Jay jumps as pink horns sprout from under his hands. Stygian giggles, tail hitting tiled walls as it wags in the confined space. "Some part of me is always ready to fight."

"Absolutely villainous. Don't get suds in your eyes as you rinse your hair."

Stygian steps into the spray, inhuman features melting away with the steam as Jay moves onto cleaning his own hair. He squeezes his eyes shut as he gives it a good scrub, attempting to remove all of the stress of the day with the sudsy bubbles.

Suddenly, arms wrap around his waist. Jay shivers with the sensation of Gannet's chest pressed up against his back, warm against his skin.

"Are you leaving right after this?"

"I have to."

"You can stay a little longer, right?"

"Gannet I can't..."

"Are you sure?"

Jay shivers as Gannet kisses the back of his neck. His resolve breaks easily with the soft touch, swirling down the drain with his worries and fears. What's the point of fighting if you never get to enjoy the thing you're protecting? He'll take this moment of respite if Gannet wants it. They both deserve that much.

"I guess I can stay."