hi everyone, nova here! i know haven't posted in a really, really long time (i've been visiting my old works and cringing), but i got back into watching lab rats and elite force and i had this idea that i wanted to try. so here we are. this is a chase/kaz-centric fic, because i'm a sucker for this ship. this can definitely be viewed as platonic, though. the title of the fic is from pompeii by bastille. i hope you enjoy!

It doesn't take him very long to realize that something's wrong.

Chase's fists are a little too tight around his glowing bo staff, his teeth are clenched a little too hard and he's attacking the training simulation with more skill and more fury than Kaz has ever seen.

He knew Chase was good, but he didn't know he was that good.

"Chase," he says quietly, tugging at the sleeve of his own pajamas, but the bionic boy doesn't stop. He just keeps fighting, a whirlwind of glowing blue light, frustration radiating off of him in waves that are almost palpable in the stale underground air.

He takes a step forward. "Chase…Chase!"

The laser bo stops inches from his face. His heart leaps uncomfortably.

The bionic's chest is heaving, sweat trailing the sides of his forehead. The light from his staff illuminates his face in its strange, electric blue glow, and suddenly Kaz realizes that his eyes are rimmed in red.

Chase exhales and screws his eyes shut. "End training simulation," he calls out, voice hollow as he takes a step back and jerks his arm. The staff shrinks and disappears. "What are you doing here?" he asks in a carefully mediated tone, like he's trying to keep his voice steady.

"I was looking for you. You weren't in your capsule, and all your stuff was gone-" his eyes sweep across the room and land on a grey backpack that leans against the wall. "What are you doing down here?"

He swallows hard; Kaz can see the sharp curve of his adam's apple rise and fall in his throat. "Training," he says shortly. "I…couldn't sleep."

"So you…packed a bag? I'm confused."

He expects Chase to make a jibe at this-of course you're confused, you're Kaz-but he doesn't say anything, just moves away, pretending to be occupied with something on the holo-desk. "Chase," he says softly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he snaps sharply, and then winces to himself and exhales through his teeth. His hand darts up to his hair, running through the chestnut spikes; Kaz recognizes this as something he only does when he's panicked about something. "Nothing," he repeats, more softly this time.

Kaz snorts. "Clearly," he says. "What's going on with you? Are you…going somewhere?"

His mouth opens as though to say something, but he closes it and glances away. There's guilt in his eyes.

He feels a quick rush of anger rise in his chest. "So what, you were just gonna leave?" he demands incredulously. "Abandon the team? The mission?"

"It's not like you guys need me anyway!"

He falters.

"What are you talking about?" The bionic doesn't reply, and Kaz notices suddenly that his hands are shaking over the keyboard. "Is this about that stupid list?"

"No!" he says immediately, and sweeps his hand over his face as Kaz lifts an eyebrow. "Maybe…look, it's not just the list, okay? I didn't have to do the math to realize that I'm not contributing anything to this team. You said it yourself, I don't have superpowers, and my bionics are useless in comparison to what you guys have."

Oh, no. He feels a surge of guilt. He hadn't thought Chase would actually take his words to heart; things like that always seem to roll right off of him, with all his boasting and smartest-man-in-the-world-talk. But suddenly he wonders if that's all just for show.

"Chase, I didn't mean-"

"I know you didn't," he sighs quietly, bracing his hands on the holo-table. "But you were right, anyway. I'm u-I'm useless." His voice breaks, and Kaz can see the muscles in his jaw go tight. "And as long as I'm here, I'm a liability. At least if I…go to law school or become a doctor or something, I can find a way to actually help people."

For a moment, Kaz doesn't say anything. They stand in tense silence, every part of Chase looking like he's trying not to break.

And then finally, "You're kidding, right?"

He blinks at him, surprise etched into the corners of his face. "I…" he starts to say, but Kaz cuts him off.

"Chase, who figured out how to warn the superheroes about Roman and Riker?" he asks.

The bionic hesitates for a moment, looking confused. "Well, me," he says slowly. "But anyone could've-"

Kaz doesn't let him finish. "Who was it that gave Mission Command state of the art security and tricked out all of our training tech?" he presses.

"I did," Chase swallows. His gaze lifts from the table to look at Kaz out of the corner of his eye. "But I-"

"Heck, who made our mission suits? Who figured out how to help Oliver get over his insecurity? Who pushes us to train day and night? Chase, who got Skylar her powers back?"

His fingers curl against the top of the holo-table. "Me," he says hoarsely.

"You," Kaz affirms, stepping towards him and putting his hands on both his shoulders. "You did all of that. And so much more. So I don't care what a stupid list, or your dumb bionic brain says," -Chase gives a small huff of laughter- "You're just as important to this team as anyone else. And no matter how many powers you have, you'll always be a hero. That's why you're on this team. We need you."

He watches as Chase's lips curve upward into a small smile, and then he grabs the backpack that sits against the wall and tosses it at the bionic's chest. "We need you, okay? So what do you say we go back upstairs and catch the end of that Star Wars marathon?"

Chase hesitates for a moment, and he half wonders if he still wants to leave.

But then-"As long as they aren't showing the prequels," he smiles finally.

And just like that, things are gonna be okay, Kaz thinks.

"And Kaz?" he adds, pausing by the entrance of the hydro-lift.

"Yeah?"

He holds out a hand, a grateful look in his eyes "Thank you."

Kaz takes it with a grin. "Anytime," he says, and pulls him into a hug instead. Chase seems surprised for a moment, awkwardly patting his back.

"I'm a hugger, Davenport," he teases, and the bionic laughs, an easy, light sound that Kaz is glad he got to hear. "You'd better get used to this."

thanks for reading! :) reviews are appreciated.