Heatstroke felt the blood in his veins burn remembering times when he wanted nothing more than to punch the Commander in the face…
He could count the events all on one hand. The first time he had met the man long, long ago. The next went he had gotten himself shot. Just a few years later when the Commander introduced him to the newly recruited Trixster, who at time was only 17 and a half.
…The instant his best friend lost it when he was told of Monarch’s murder.
But the worst moment was the one where his blood chilled.
The instant, Nick announced to him that he would be leading a Task Force for the sole purpose of fighting the Anti-Flash. Zoom.
And he wanted him to be his second in command.
“3 and a half years ago… The Commander and I… We still had normal jobs. He was a cop and I was a fire investigator… The two of us, we became good friends and partners on several cases over the years. He was my best man. Then something happened and the Commander is offered a job. The job was the leadership position of an experimental task force to be deployed in emergencies situations and in light of a speedster attack. Yea, I’m talking about the Renegades.”
Heat paused looking out into the city, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Turns out… He had already agreed to sign on… And was asking me to join as his right hand man, second in charge.” He was shaking. It was inevitable. He could still feel the constriction on his throat thinking about it.
Like a noose around his neck.
And Nick didn’t see it. Didn’t know what he was asking of him. To sell the rest of his life to a system that frequently screwed innocent people. He knew because of Bekka and her many cases… Nick… Nick still had faith in it. Believed it be strong and just.
And Lance instantly declined.
“I said no.”
Warlock was silent as Heatstroke spoke. The expression on his senior’s face right now wasn’t one he was used to seeing, and it made him slightly nervous. He had known that Commander and Heatstroke were close, but he wasn’t aware of the history they actually had together.
Listening to the man in front of him, he realized that he had never bothered asking about how The Renegades was formed, assuming it just happened one day after Reverse Flash’s uprising. He could see Heatstroke, who was usually calm and level-headed, shaking and it was beginning to scare Warlock.
When Heatstroke grew silent for a long while, Warlock started to worry. He had barely lifted his arm to reach out to the other man when he spoke again. His hand froze and retracted quickly in surprise.
“But- you’re here now, aren’t you?” asked Warlock carefully. “What made you change your mind?”
“Oh I’m here now.” Heat chuckled darkly. He was stuck there till death do they part. That was the simply answer. The truth was that there was no way he’d leave anymore. Not with the team being like they were. He cared too much.
He shivered under the rain. It was usually his favorite kind of weather managing to cool him off and get him to focus. Right now it was just a reminder. Grayish blue eyes didn’t miss the hand reaching out. The gester was touching but… Lance just couldn’t do it right not and was glad Warlock pulled back.
“What changed my mind?” The rain couldn’t even cool the fire building in his veins.
Nick tried everyday for the next week to talk with him, Lance each time conveniently away on a job or something errand.
But he couldn’t escape the call of the Judge. The meeting is still one Lance never wants to repeat. But to sum it up was simple.
The judge had blackmailed him. Spoke to him about unemployment and whatever else he could slip into a conversation without sounding like an actually threat. Heat shook it off at first.
But then he threatened Bekka. Her Job, her lively hood, her safety. Lance had know when he married her that she picked fights normal lawyers wouldn’t have the guts too but he didn’t realize just how many powerful enemies she had made. When the Judge said those things, Lance locked down on his temper preventing himself from trying to maul the man if he could.
Sold himself to the devil, in his eyes. He never told Bekka or Nick why he had agree. It was likely Bekka knew when he came home and just wouldn’t let her go. Nick just looked… happy and Lance couldn’t tell his best friend the truth about the system he loved so much.
“Nothing in particular. It just came to me after a week of flat out avoiding the Commander wasn’t doing any good. Refusing was me being selfish to those people who expected me to protect them from the people or things they can’t protect themselves. Not when the Renegades could be helping people. And I was letting the Commander down. Couldn’t let him going gallivanting off into spandex without me to take incriminating photos of it.”
Staring back at the other, he wondered what he could say to make his friend feel better. It wasn’t something Bekka and he had had a problem about. Both of them were very up front about secrets that they had… Sure they both still had a few but if she asked, he wouldn’t avoid her. He’d tell her the truth because he loved her. It wasn’t the case here. Not at all… Which made him think of that time… oh that might help.
“You know, Wil… There was this one time I couldn’t talk to the Commander.”
Warlock frowned slightly, now feeling confused. As far back as he could remember, there was never a time when Heatstroke was anything but forward and amicable towards their Commander.
“When was that?”
Heatstroke felt the blood in his veins burn remembering times when he wanted nothing more than to punch the Commander in the face…
He could count the events all on one hand. The first time he had met the man long, long ago. The next went he had gotten himself shot. Just a few years later when the Commander introduced him to the newly recruited Trixster, who at time was only 17 and a half.
…The instant his best friend lost it when he was told of Monarch’s murder.
But the worst moment was the one where his blood chilled.
The instant, Nick announced to him that he would be leading a Task Force for the sole purpose of fighting the Anti-Flash. Zoom.
And he wanted him to be his second in command.
“3 and a half years ago… The Commander and I… We still had normal jobs. He was a cop and I was a fire investigator… The two of us, we became good friends and partners on several cases over the years. He was my best man Then something happened and the Commander is offered a job. The job was the leadership position of an experimental task force to be deployed in emergencies situations and in light of a speedster attack. Yea, I’m talking about the Renegades.”
Heat paused looking out into the city, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Turns out… He had already agreed to sign on… And was asking me to join as his right hand man, second in charge.” He was shaking. It was inevitable. He could still feel the constriction on his throat thinking about it.
Like a noose around his neck.
And Nick didn’t see it. Didn’t know what he was asking of him. To sell the rest of his life to a system that frequently screwed innocent people. He knew because of Bekka and her many cases… Nick… Nick still had faith in it. Believed it be strong and just.
And Lance instantly declined.
“I said no.”
“No worries kiddo… You’re stressed. It happens.” But not usually to him, Heat didn’t add. The man had kept calm under worse and nothing… but this was personal…
The man watched the young man answer his question. So feels were there. Just not what Trix wanted from the other. It could grow… or not. It was up to Warlock. At this point Heat just needed the two to be on speaking terms again. At the very least willing to be able to be in the same room as one another and look them in the eye. “I get it. Just needed to ask.”
Heat walked forward placing a hopefully comforting hand on his shoulder.
Warlock’s lips twitched into a small smile when he felt the warm hand on his shoulder. He turned his gaze away from the city view and looked wearily into Heatstroke’s blue eyes. “What do I do, Lance?”
Staring back at the other, he wondered what he could say to make his friend feel better. It wasn’t something Bekka and he had had a problem about. Both of them were very up front about secrets that they had… Sure they both still had a few but if she asked, he wouldn’t avoid her. He’d tell her the truth because he loved her. It wasn’t the case here. Not at all… Which made him think of that time… oh that might help.
“You know, Wil… There was this one time I couldn’t talk to the Commander.”
Heat could help but be surprised at the sudden change in Warlock. The usually level headed young man just shouted at him…
“Calm down Merlin, I’m not singling you out. Not when clearly Trix is doing it too.” The two really needed to talk…
“Do you like him?”
Did he just raise his voice at his senior? Oh, god. He had not realized he was doing it, and Heatstroke was trying to help. He sheepishly apologized. “I’m sorry, Heatstroke. I didn’t mean to yell.”
Do you like him? “I do.” Do you love him? “But that’s it. I did like him, as a good friend. And after all that happened, I’m not so sure anymore. Especially after Monarch, it’s just too soon…”
He looked away again, staring down blankly at the city below them.
“No worries kiddo… You’re stressed. It happens.” But not usually to him, Heat didn’t add. The man had kept calm under worse and nothing… but this was personal…
The man watched the young man answer his question. So feels were there. Just not what Trix wanted from the other. It could grow… or not. It was up to Warlock. At this point Heat just needed the two to be on speaking terms again. At the very least willing to be able to be in the same room as one another and look them in the eye. “I get it. Just needed to ask.”
Heat walked forward placing a hopefully comforting hand on his shoulder.
Heatstroke was silent the entire time the other spoke, nodding occasionally to show that he was paying attention. When Warlock finally ended it left Heat with just a moment to think about what he had just heard. A lot had happened when he wasn’t looking, more than he had thought… He wished he had noticed some of these things sooner and had helped before it had gotten this bad but… Well nothing he could do about it now.
“So your response to all of this has been to ignore it and eachother?”
Warlock felt himself starting to get frustrated again. “I have not been ignoring it!” Really now. “After the last time, Trixster is refusing to acknowledge me anymore. How am I supposed to talk to him when he doesn’t even want to look at me?” Not that you’ve been trying very hard.
Heat could help but be surprised at the sudden change in Warlock. The usually level headed young man just shouted at him…
“Calm down Merlin, I’m not singling you out. Not when clearly Trix is doing it too.” The two really needed to talk…
“Do you like him?”
“I’ve notice.” Heat nodded and shifted his stance, crossing his arms. “He never told me.” But that didn’t mean he didn’t notice the happier smiles and cheerful attitude around the Commander and vise versa. It didn’t take a genius to put it together. He didn’t say anything but… It wasn’t his place not to mention he hoped one of the two would tell him… Considering that one was his best friend.
He might have to corner the frostly man sometime soon… Or make Bekka do it… That be entertaining.
Warlock averted his gaze to stare at the cityscape. He stared at it for a long while and Heatstroke continued staring silently at him in return. After a while, he sighed heavily and spilled everything which had happened for the past few months, from Trixster’s first confession and the magic anon which caused him to believe he was in a relationship with his teammate up till the conversations he had for the past few days.
Heatstroke was silent the entire time the other spoke, nodding occasionally to show that he was paying attention. When Warlock finally ended it left Heat with just a moment to think about what he had just heard. A lot had happened when he wasn’t looking, more than he had thought… He wished he had noticed some of these things sooner and had helped before it had gotten this bad but… Well nothing he could do about it now.
“So your response to all of this has been to ignore it and eachother?”
He glanced at the exit and then back at Warlock. There was a reason the kid came up to the roof and it was to get away. To go outside. Going back in seemed counter productive.
“I’m fine. A little drizzle never hurt anyone.”
Warlock nodded. He did not admit it out loud, but he was relieved to stay outside instead of going back into a stuffy, enclosed space. Somehow, the cool breeze and light rain were comforting and they help put him at ease.
“Okay… You’d have already noticed, but Trixster and I… we’re not exactly talking anymore.” He paused. “And I spoke to Monarch the other day.” He struggled a little with his next words. “He already had someone, did you know?”
“I’ve notice.” Heat nodded and shifted his stance, crossing his arms. “He never told me.” But that didn’t mean he didn’t notice the happier smiles and cheerful attitude around the Commander and vise versa. It didn’t take a genius to put it together. He didn’t say anything but… It wasn’t his place not to mention he hoped one of the two would tell him… Considering that one was his best friend.
He might have to corner the frostly man sometime soon… Or make Bekka do it… That be entertaining.
“Oh yea it has.” Not that it hadn’t been bad before.
The quick looks had been present even then before Monarch’s death. They were easy to spot if you knew what you were looking for and it still surprised Bekka and himself that no one notice. This situation was a different type of bad.
“You wanna talk about it?”
Warlock looked contemplatively at Heatstroke for a moment before nodding. Inclining his head towards the rooftop exit, he asked, “Do you want to move to someplace drier first?” It’s a long story.”
He glanced at the exit and then back at Warlock. There was a reason the kid came up to the roof and it was to get away. To go outside. Going back in seemed counter productive.
“I’m fine. A little drizzle never hurt anyone.”
Heat rocked back on his feet focusing his attention on the startled man. He hadn’t meant the scare the kid. Just let him know he wasn’t alone.
“You. I’m up here for you.” He moved closer this time to stand within arm’s length of the other. “Thought you might want to talk.”
“Me?” Warlock asked cautiously, immediately on guard. A few seconds passed by in silence where Heatstroke merely looked at him expectantly in reply. The guard crumbled into dust as the green-clad man’s shoulders slumped. “It’s been that bad, huh?”
Heatstroke and by extension, Bekka, were the only ones he had ever told about his crush. It was months ago, shortly after he had met Monarch and during one of their occasional dinners with Heatstroke and his wife. Amusingly, it was Bekka who called him out on it (in private) when Warlock himself had not realised he harboured feelings for his team mate then.
“Oh yea it has.” Not that it hadn’t been bad before.
The quick looks had been present even then before Monarch’s death. They were easy to spot if you knew what you were looking for and it still surprised Bekka and himself that no one notice. This situation was a different type of bad.
“You wanna talk about it?”
