Static, hero of Dakota, member of the Justice League, scourge of gangs and metahumans, had a reputation that preceded him, and one he always tried to live up to. He always tried to look like the cool, sophisticated super hero people made him out to be, and he often thought of himself in those terms as he surfed the sky. Which meant it was quite a blow to his ego when a seagull crashed into his face, and after he'd gotten the fowl off, it was only in time to smack face-first into a building's radio antenna.

It didn't help that his partner was laughing his ass off, either.

"Man, Backpack, PLEASE tell me you got that!" Gear hovered a few feet in the air from where Static had slid down to the building's roof. "Yes! Upload to the backup! Robin's gonna LOVE this!"

"Gear, if ANYONE ever sees that tape…" Static sat up and rubbed his face.

"Yeah, yeah. Unspeakable torturous death." Gear grinned. "It'll be SO worth it!"

"Nice to know you're so concerned about me."

Gear sobered a bit and lowered himself to the roof, his rockets deactivating silently. "Oh yeah, sorry. You okay?"

"Gonna have a shiner," he could already begin to feel his eye swell, "but other than that, I'm good."

Gear's grin returned. "Great! What say we call it a night and you can look back and laugh at this event in surround sound. I especially liked how you shrieked like a banshee."

"I swear, if I didn't love ya…" Static called his disk to him. "But I'll agree we should call it a night. Man, am I gonna be sore in the morning."

"Trust me. Watching it will make it worth the bruises."

"How about we chuck the tape and I'll let you kiss all my owies to make them better."

"Ohh, tempting. Very tempting." Gear made a show of rubbing his chin. "Foreplay, or eternal blackmail material…"

Virgil tossed a spark in Richie's direction. "Laugh it up. I have plenty of embarrassing stories of you."

"Yeah, but who'd listen to a story when I got streaming video?" Richie flew closer and ruffled Virgil's hair. "But I'll still kiss you to make the pain better."

"Just don't expect any action downstairs. That got bruised, too."

"I was gonna ask…" They continued to their gas station headquarters in silence. A quick retinal scan and they were in the underground sanctuary. After Virgil's story of the future, Richie had designed a small transporter so that they wouldn't get hurt falling. They began undressing, and the blond winced as he saw Virgil's body. "Ohhh. You may wanna consider calling in sick tomorrow."

"Can't. I have at least," Virgil paused as he took off a boot, "uh, three cases that only I can do."

"Better make them the only three." Richie removed the last bit of his costume and started changing into his civilian clothes. "I told ya being a lawyer and a super hero wasn't a bright idea."

"Not all of us can get a cushy job at Wayne Tech."

"It's not my fault B-Man likes my mind."

"That better be all he likes."

"He hits on me once and I never hear the end of it."

Virgil went over and wrapped his arms around his lover. "That's right, cause you're mine."

"If you think that's gonna get you the recording, you're sorely mistaken."

"I'm sore, period." Virgil kissed the pulse point on Richie's neck, then backed away and started changing into normal clothes as well. "What would I have been if I hadn't been a lawyer?"

"What?"

"Well, as another job. You said being a lawyer and a super hero…"

"I dunno. What were you gonna be before you became Static?"

Virgil opened his mouth, shut it, then frowned. "I, uh, don't really know. There were so many things I wanted to be."

"Huh. You and me both." Richie sat down and put on his sneakers. "Actually, becoming a genius helped me decide."

"Yeah…" Virgil picked up a shirt and tugged it on over his head. "Rich, do you ever think about what life would've been like if we hadn't been Bang Babies?"

"I try not to." Richie started on his other shoe. "Other than you, I didn't exactly have much going for me."

"You were so sure we were gonna end up together?"

"At the time, no. Now…" Richie sat back up and took a deep breath. "We were destined. But that's this world."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning there are a number of factors, decisions, and events in our lives that lead to this destiny. There are countless other universes out there where…I don't know…I became a crime lord and you're my boy toy."

"Now that's an image…" Virgil's eyes glazed over slightly.

"The POINT, V," Richie verbally pulled his friend back to reality, "is that if alternate worlds exist--and they do if my math is right--us getting together isn't necessarily a given. There's probably worlds where we're bitter enemies, or never even met."

"Maybe…" Virgil finished dressing and stood. "I'd rather think we were meant for each other, no matter what."

"Yeah, well, romantic as that is, it's mathematically improbable."

Virgil walked over and put an arm around Richie's shoulders. "So let's stick with the romantic angle until proven otherwise."

"Virg-"

"Besides, how could there be worlds where we aren't together? I can't imagine my life without you."

"Love doesn't transcend all, V. It's a nice notion, but there's no proof."

Virgil stepped onto the small transport pad and pulled Rich into a hug. "Then let's stick with the notion, okay? I'd like to think no matter how crappy either of our lives turned out, we'd still have each other."

Richie gave him a look, then waved at Backpack to transport them home. "Alright, V. For you, I'll suspend countless scientific studies and probability equations. Just for you."

Virgil squeezed Richie's waist. "I love you."

"I love you too. And it's your turn for dishes."

Virgil groaned as Backpack began the transport countdown. He'd do them, of course. He always did his chores. Still, a part of his mind couldn't let go of the thought. How would things have turned out if there hadn't been a Big Bang? Would he still end up with Richie, or was his lover right in that certain factors had to be met? It was worth thinking on, at least until he was healed enough that Richie could distract him with more…physical demands.

He grinned as they vanished in a flash of light.