A/N: And in true BBC James Moriarty fashion, I inquire... "Miss me?"
Chapter 28: Record
"You're an idiot."
If the assassin had a kishin soul for every time he'd heard Kid say that, Tsubaki would be a death scythe one hundred times over. He doesn't think it's really necessary, either. He'd gone a little stir-crazy, so what? Anyone would in his position. He was a star, meant to shine and embellish the rest of these small people with his stardom.
Black Star rolls his eyes but says nothing, adjusting the damp towel across his forehead. He can't tell if there's sweat dripping past his ear or water. His entire body feels clammy and he seizes the plastic cup of ice chips, downing the rest of them and nodding towards Naigus.
"He's right," DWMA's nurse agrees, placing the back of her hand over Black Star's temple before retrieving the cup. "I swear, we say one thing and you do the opposite. You're pretty fortunate your stubbornness got you to the front steps."
Black Star waves a dismissive hand, muttering, "No worries, Naigus. I'm always up for a challenge and this was the perfect way to prove myself. You think the Nevada desert's ever faced someone like me? Ha, well think again."
Naigus lets out a sigh and turns to depart, but not before looking back to say, "Tsubaki's on her way over. I let her know about your little stunt. She'd been wondering where you wandered off to. Honestly, don't you tell that girl anything?"
As the weapon leaves the room to retrieve more ice, Black Star's mouth splits into a wide grin.
"What now?" Kid asks with a slight groan. "You're in the infirmary, Black Star. What could possibly be so amusing?"
"Five hours and forty-two minutes," the assassin states, smirking as his friend's gaze turns to one of disbelief. "Like I said, this desert's never seen a star quite like me. You think that sun could take me? Not in its wildest, creepy-ass dreams!"
"How could you even—Damn it, Black Star, it's one hundred twenty-five degrees outside!" Kid exclaims.
"One hundred twenty-eight," the assassin corrects, giving the reaper a stern eye. "Don't belittle my accomplishments."
"Accomplishments?" Kid sputters. "Spending over five hours in this record heat after we were explicitly told to be careful is an accomplishment? Black Star, there's not a soul who's outside right now in this heat. People are worried about heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but you're out here attempting to nab everything under the umbrella of hyperthermia!"
"Dude, I'm not that cold right now?"
"Hyperthermia," Kid stresses impatiently. "Not hypo!"
"Give me a break, I recently learned 'buying the farm' has literally nothing to do with spending money and starting a future somewhere."
"I know because I was there when Naigus told you, thirty minutes ago, outside on the Academy's steps!"
"How the hell was I supposed to know? I'm suddenly jostled awake by Naigus telling me not to 'buy the farm' just yet? That'd confuse anyone. It's just as confusing as that whole 'counting your eggs before your lambs hatch.' Jeez, what's happening on all these farms?"
Kid gives his friend a wary look and murmurs, "Black Star, do you know where you are right now? Do you recall what just happened?"
"Huh?" Black Star raises an eyebrow in contemplation. "It hasn't changed, right? I'm still in the infirmary, Naigus is still gone to get ice, and you're still over there worrying. Chill, I'm still kicking. Well…" The assassin's gaze drifts down to his legs, elevated on two pillows in a way that's beginning to put a strain on his back. "Okay, so not kicking, but just you wait. That sun hasn't seen the last of me."
At least the assassin isn't as confused as when they'd originally found him. If Kid hadn't been at the academy needing to speak with his father and if Sid and Naigus hadn't been patrolling near the entrance, the reaper wasn't certain how Black Star would have managed. They'd found him only a few minutes after he'd passed out in front of the DWMA, drenched in sweat and mumbling incoherently. He'd vomited twice as Sid carried him to the school's infirmary, falling in and out of consciousness. Left unattended any longer and Naigus suspected things could have been much worse.
"Hey, why so glum?"
Kid turns his gaze back to Black Star who's still wearing that Devil-may-care grin.
"Fight witches and Kishin, immortal werewolves, Asura…" the young reaper says, shaking his head. "But pick a fight with the weather? That's something only you would do."
"Record breaking heat wave." Black Star pulls the damp cloth from his forehead and wrings it out over his flushed skin. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have that suddenly come on over the radio? 'Record breaking heat wave, folks. The state of Nevada is issuing warnings blah blah…' Please, we hear about a mass of kishin somewhere or a witch causing trouble halfway around the world, we're off to face it. What's a little sunlight to a big star like me? Who's gonna outshine the sun, huh? That grinning bastard got what was coming to him."
"And what was that exactly?" Kid inquires skeptically.
"Ha! I threw out some choice phrases to that flaming freak. Thinks he can take me down, huh? Bake me into an assassin pie? Yeah, he wishes he could deliver a burn as bad as mine!"
"Black Star, you are aware the amount of time you spent in the sun can result in first and second-degree sunburns, right?"
The assassin's eyes widen, but he doesn't appear phased by Kid's words. Instead, he turns to the reaper and suddenly exclaims, "Shit, that reminds me! You have any sunscreen? Being as pale as you are, you're gonna toast like a neglected marshmallow!"
Kid blinks in bewilderment.
"I'd give you mine, but Tsubaki's always telling me not to forget my sunscreen any time I go outside. Well, she'd be proud to know I used an entire bottle before facing the record breaking wave today. Coated it on like a second skin, like anti-burn, sun resistant armor! I guess it wasn't enough if I still ended up here in the infirmary, though. What do you think?"
The grim reaper opens his mouth with a reply but closes it, shaking his head in defeat. Then, with a soft laugh, he mutters, "By my father, you really are an idiot…"
"I know, I know…" Black Star snorts in exasperation. "I should've used two bottles."