It turns out I finished this a couple of months ago, then remembered I had finished it, then forgot again. Here it is.
Kendall was bored.
He was pretty much always bored. Not that he was particularly unhappy; in fact, mostly he was far from unhappy. But he was still bored. Was it possible to be happy if you were in a constant state of boredom? As he heaved himself out of bed, his muscles creaked and his knuckles cracked and he pushed the messy hair out of his eyes. Showering didn't take him long; he tried to fix his hair as best he could and scrub the stale smell of sleep from his body.
The morning was chilly when he stepped out onto the street. There was no snow falling, but he could feel it coming soon. It wasn't quite cold enough to start taking the bus yet. He liked walking to work, even if it was a good twenty minutes and usually dark this time of year. He tugged his scarf up over the tip of his nose and set off under the yellow streetlights.
When he'd moved to Minneapolis at the delightfully naïve age of eighteen, he'd been expecting so much more. Now that he'd grown a few years, he had no idea why he'd ever had such ridiculous ideas to begin with. Ideas of making it as a musician, maybe. Getting part of a career started and maybe even moving out to the west coast. That fell apart pretty fast. He still tried to play guitar, but he didn't sing much anymore. Carlos always told him he should try and get back into it, but he wasn't too focused on it anymore. His life was going reasonably well without going back to devoting all his free time to something that would never be.
Thinking about all this on his way to work made him sound like a miserable old idiot whining about broken dreams. It really wasn't all that bad. His job was fine. His friends were fine, better than fine. Making friends in a strange place had endlessly higher value to him than finding success with his guitar ever would. He hadn't had too many friends in high school. Not close friends, at least. Not friends that mattered. But he had them now. Carlos, for one. James for another. Carlos was too bubbly for his own good but he'd never met anyone more loyal. James was more chill, but just as fun to be around, just as faithful. He was cute too. That helped a lot.
The walk was always more pleasant on the way to work than on the way back. Probably because his energy levels were considerably higher even though he hadn't had a coffee yet. He walked to the café and slipped into the side door in the alley, shutting it behind him with a clang and walking through the back kitchen. The chefs were already setting up their prep stations for lunch; they served a series of soups and hot sandwiches but not much else. Still, they needed a couple extra pairs of hands to put them together. Kendall and the other servers handled the customers out front. When he walked out of the kitchen and behind the coffee counter, he saw Carlos setting up their milk and sugar stations and James standing by the milk steamer.
"Morning," Kendall announced, hanging up his jacket and scarf. James glanced over his shoulder and he was greeted with a warm smile of straight white teeth.
"Morning," James said, tapping his milk jug on the counter and pouring its contents into a ceramic white mug. "You're just in time. I made you coffee."
"Thank you," Kendall said with a grin, walking over and taking it. "You don't need to do that."
"I've seen you without it," James said with a chuckle and sipped his own coffee. "I think I do. I added hazelnut."
"You're too good to me." Kendall took a long sip and hummed, shutting his eyes for a minute. "That hits the spot. How was your weekend off?"
"Pretty boring. I visited my mom but not much fun there, as you can imagine." James stretched, and his strong arms bulged in the sleeves of his black shirt. James spent a lot of time at the gym. Kendall was allergic to the gym, as he told him every time he was asked to come along. "But it was nice to sleep in. Were you busy?"
"You know we were, but it was fine." Kendall took another swig of his coffee as Carlos went to unlock the front door and turn the sign around. "We can handle ourselves."
"So when are you taking your next weekend off?" James asked, smiling as Carlos came back over to the counter. "I'm sure you've got at least one lined up."
Kendall shrugged. "I'm happy enough coming to work. Money and all that."
Carlos raised his eyebrows, picking up a dishcloth and saying, "You should take a vacation though. You've earned it."
Kendall shrugged and turned his eyes to the first customer walking in the door. He didn't want to admit that part of it wasn't just that he needed the money for rent, and he was happy saving his extra cash. He didn't really have anything to do on his days off. Nobody to visit. Nothing to look forward to in that way. He didn't have anyone like that, not the way James and Carlos did. Sure, James and his mom didn't have the best relationship, but at least they had one. And thinking about Carlos' massive family of doting grandmothers and aunties and cousins just depressed him. He didn't need to think about what other people had. Just put him down in the dumps, and who wanted to live like that? He greeted their first customer of the day with his brightest smile. It was for everybody's benefit, not just theirs.
The day passed in the way it always did. The café opened in the morning but didn't stay open at night. They usually closed at six, depending on how busy it was coming up to closing time. Sometimes a little earlier, or a little later. They were pretty chill about the whole thing; the chefs went home on time and if any of the floor staff had to get going early, they did too. Kendall often closed up, giving the floor a quick sweep and emptying the trash cans. Cleaning the coffee machine and making sure everything was shut off. Sometimes James stayed behind with him, sometimes Carlos did. Sometimes both. He didn't like to admit it, but he liked it best when James stayed with him. They were happy working in the silence, scrubbing side by side with the occasional line of chat between them. When they got close, though, when they left the back door together and walked down the street until their paths diverged, there was warmth between them. Kendall knew he felt something there. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know how he could when he didn't know if James felt it too. Making a fool of himself in front of him sounded unbearable. He'd have to find another job, for sure. And he liked his job. He'd have to find new friends too, which would be even harder.
No. He couldn't, and wouldn't, say a thing.
"I didn't think that would take so long," James said with a sigh, wiping the sweat from his brow. He moved over to the switch and flicked off the lights, sending the café into darkness. "It's already dark outside. Want me to walk you home?"
Kendall knew James didn't mean anything by that; still, it made his cheeks flush. It was true he didn't live in the nicest building on the nicest block – unlike James, who pretty much did. Working in the café was really his own personal rebellion against his mom's wishes for him to run her cosmetics business. She still helped pay his rent though, because God forbid a Diamond ever live in squalor, no matter their career choices. "I'm good, but thanks. It's not that dark out. I'll be fine."
"Okay." James smiled and grabbed the keys, and the two walked out and locked up the back door, setting the alarm before they headed off. That warmth between them radiated a soft strength that let him keep walking with a spring in his step, despite the bustle of the day. His heart jumped when James' shoulder brushed against his. He stared straight ahead and tried not to smile too wide.
They came to the corner where they always said goodbye. As usual, James enveloped him in a brief hug and he took that second to smell his expensive cologne and wonder what it would be like to smell like that every day. To smell it on his bedsheets, to feel it linger on his skin. And he said goodbye, said he'd see him tomorrow, because he had nothing better to do than work every day without a break. What else was he gonna do, anyway? The café was where he was happiest. Weren't people supposed to hate their jobs? As he glanced back over his shoulder, he saw James watching him and gave another wave before he turned around. Might as well let James get on his merry way home and stop worrying about him.
He sighed and headed off on his way. The night was dark, as James had said. He couldn't see any stars, though the streetlights could have been impairing that view. It had been cloudy most of the day, though, and he doubted it had changed.
As he walked, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and let out a little sigh to himself. It was nice to walk alone, though he'd never admit he wasn't the biggest fan of walking alone at night. Once when he was fourteen, three guys had followed him down the street, jeering and teasing him and calling him blondie, asking him to stop and just talk to them, just for a minute. He wasn't sure now how old they'd been; they could've been college age, or older. Everyone looked old when you were fourteen. They never came any closer to him, but he'd still felt his heart clambering up his throat in an effort to escape him. He never did find out what they wanted, not that he'd wanted to. But he'd been a kid then, scared, small. Things were different now. That kind of stuff didn't really happen to him now.
Kendall heard footsteps distant behind him and glanced over his shoulder. Two men were walking side by side on the other side of the street, wearing thick coats similar to his, hands in their pockets. He accidentally made eye contact with one of them and turned back around, face flushing. He kept walking at his usual pace, when he heard the footsteps grow a little closer, the sound changing as they stepped off the sidewalk and onto the road. They were crossing over to his side of the street. He swallowed and kept walking, taking a deep breath. They were behind him now; he wanted to see how close but he didn't want to look back at them again.
It's fine. They're probably just going somewhere on this side of the street. Don't panic.
He walked a little faster; just the slightest increase in his pace. He didn't feel cold anymore; he felt a little warm and his heart was beating too fast. He turned a corner and the footsteps followed him. They were walking on a quieter street now; his apartment was only a couple of blocks away, but the street was darker and there weren't any cars driving down that he could see. He moved faster and the footsteps broke into a run behind him. He took off running too, panting and praying that he wouldn't trip or slip on the sidewalk.
It only took him a few seconds to realise he wasn't quick enough. He felt a rough, strong hand grab him by the wrist; he managed to squirm away only to have two hands grab him by the upper arms, slamming him against the nearest wall and knocking the air from his lungs.
"What's the hurry?" one of them murmured in his ear. He struggled and heard a laugh. They dragged him backwards and into the nearby alley, pressing him face first against the wall. "We just wanna talk to you."
"Please." The word fell from his lips before he could stop it. He hadn't intended to sound so pathetic; he'd wanted to tell them to back off, to ask them what they wanted. He wanted to be defiant. But he wasn't any of those things.
"Where's your wallet, blondie?" the one not holding him asked, hands running over his thighs, over every pocket of his jeans. "Your phone?"
"In my jacket." He stared hard at the wall. One half-hearted squirm did no good. He didn't dare to try any harder. He just stared. Just let them take it. Then they might let me go.
"Got a watch?" The hand pulled up his jacket sleeve, a steel-like grip wrapping around his wrist.
"No. Look, just . . . just take my stuff. Just take it. It's in my jacket pocket."
A sudden clatter startled both him and his two attackers. Kendall glanced further down the alley, where he could suddenly see a tall shadow standing. He prayed, prayed that these guys didn't know who it was. The last thing he needed was a third mugger to gang up on him. Then he noticed a slight flicker around the man's legs, and his eyes widened. It was a cape.
No fucking way.
"Oh, shit." The man holding him tightened his grip; the second man took a rapid step back. "Fuck, man. Let's get out of here."
"No way. I'm not afraid of him."
"What's going on here, fellas?" the man in the distance called, taking a step towards them. As he drew closer, and the light increased around him, Kendall saw the flashes of purple in his otherwise dark outfit and swallowed. It was really him. He wanted to sob with relief.
"Back off, man," one of the men said, though his voice shook slightly.
"You first." The man's voice was deep and husky, but still carried a lightweight tone. "This guy's just trying to get home. Why don't you let him go? If you don't . . ."
"What? What are you gonna do? I have a knife."
"Do you?" And in an instant, the man was closer. His breath caught in his throat as Bandana Man grabbed one of the attackers by the collar of his shirt, tugging him closer. "Show me."
The man reached for his pocket, but before he could even move more than an inch, Bandana Man grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. The man screamed as his bone cracked and Bandana Man shoved him hard onto the ground, foot pressed against his back. The man holding Kendall let go then and staggered back, hands raised. Kendall swivelled his aching shoulders but stayed pressed against the wall for a moment, shutting his eyes and letting out a long breath. He heard the steps of one man running away, the cry of pain from the other and a snarl from Bandana Man, "Get out of here before I do worse to you. Go on." And then the steps of the second man echoed off into the night, and it was over.
Kendall flinched when he felt a hand touch him, but the gesture was gentle, and he slowly opened his eyes and turned to look over his shoulder. Bandana Man stood beside him, face downturned slightly, but there was a slight smile on his face as he mumbled, "You alright? Did they hurt you?"
"I . . . um." Kendall stepped back from the wall at last, feeling like he almost had to peel himself from it. Bandana Man stepped back to give him more space. He had a tall, muscular frame; he could tell that even underneath the dark clothes. "No. I'm fine. Just a little sore. I should be fine tomorrow."
"Good." He smiled then. "You shouldn't be walking down these kinda streets, my friend. It's dangerous this time of evening."
"I wasn't really doing it on purpose," Kendall said, hands raised. Bandana Man's eyes burned into him and his cheeks flushed. "I mean, I was just walking home. They pulled me in here. I can't help where I live, you know?"
Bandana Man let out a chuckle, low and rumbling in his throat. It sent a slight shiver down Kendall's spine. "I guess not. Well, you better get home before it gets any darker. By the main streets. Out under the lights."
"Alright, alright. Jeez. I mean, um." Kendall cleared his throat, stepping out towards the street. "Thanks for saving me."
"No need to thank me. It's what I do." And he thought he saw him wink. "Don't worry about the rest of the journey home, okay? I'll be keeping an eye."
"You're not gonna walk me home?" Kendall raised an eyebrow, unable to help the cocky smirk. Not that the paralysing fear had worn off, he felt a little giddy if nothing else.
Bandana Man chuckled. "It might turn a few heads. Like I said, I'll be watching. Goodnight." He faded into the shadows, and before he knew it, he was gone.
Kendall stood numb on the edge of the alleyway for a moment, hand reaching up to push a stray strand of hair from his forehead. He found his knees still had a slight tremble to them, but he managed to step out onto the street again. Hands shoved deep in his pockets, he walked as quickly as he could without breaking into a jog. The street was still pretty empty, but a car or two passed him as he got closer to his apartment block. As he stopped in front of the door and reached for his keys into the building, he glanced over his shoulder and felt the strange urge to look up. He did, craning his neck. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a shadow crouched on a roof high up on the other side of the street. The shadow waved.
Cheeks red, Kendall waved back before jiggling the key in the lock until it opened and practically falling into the building, letting the door shut and lock behind him.
He went through his usual routine like a robot, not stopping to think until he was lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling in the pitch black. He started to wonder if he'd imagined it all. But he couldn't have. The slight bruising appearing around his wrist was enough to tell him that. But it just seemed so insane. Things like this . . . they didn't happen to him. Nothing weird happened to him. Nothing scary happened to him. Nothing incredible ever happened to him. And being rescued by Bandana Man was pretty incredible.
He'd heard he was handsome; or at least, from what people could see of his face, they claimed he was gorgeous. But he'd kept so far into the shadows that he hadn't really been able to tell. His voice sounded odd too; mysterious and distant. But if he was honest, a little sexy. He was starting to feel more like Mary Jane every passing moment.
He shook himself out of that fantasy. It was daft. Bandana Man probably swooped in and rescued dozens of people every week. Guys and girls alike, some of which were probably in more danger, and more attractive and interesting than him. He sighed to himself and tugged the blanket up to his neck, snuggling into the warm nest. He shut his eyes and took a long, deep breath. His heart was still beating at an alarming rate, but he needed to get to sleep soon.
He had a whole other day of work ahead of him.
What if he was following me beforehand? Who is he?
When Kendall arrived at work the next day, he rolled up his shirt sleeves like he always did and Carlos immediately spotted the dark bruise on his wrist. "Kendall, what happened?" he asked, eyes wide with horror. As he uttered the words, James arrived in, hair styled to perfection and teeth gleaming as he greeted them with a smile. When he saw the look on Carlos' face, his smile dropped slightly and he frowned.
"It's not that big a deal," Kendall said softly, eyes down as he made James a coffee. It was a big deal, and he was glad of it, but it still felt good to brush it off for the show. "I just . . . I got mugged last night. Well, attempted mugging. On my way home."
"No. Way. Oh my god. Are you hurt? Is it just your wrist? Did they pull a gun on you? What happened?" Carlos' voice was gradually increasing in both speed and volume.
Kendall felt James' hand on his shoulder; a warm, heavy weight that made him feel more secure. He handed him his cappuccino, just the way he liked it. "They were going to take my money and my phone. They said they had a knife, but I never saw it . . ."
"But how'd you get away?"
And at that, Kendall couldn't keep the aloof front anymore. He had to smile. "Bandana Man saved me. He showed up out of the blue and beat one of the guys up. He just broke his arm without breaking a sweat. It was so cool. I've never seen anyone move so fast."
Carlos flailed – yes, he flailed – his arms around, eyes like beach balls now. "Bandana Man? Freaking Bandana Man? That's so crazy! Kendall, that's insane. What was he like? Is he tall? I bet he's tall. I've only seen blurry photos of him."
"He was tall, I guess. Not much more than me. About James' height." He glanced at James, who as sipping his coffee quietly with his eyes on him. "His voice was really deep. He kinda kept his distance, which I guess is fair. Secret identity and all that. But he watched me walk home to make sure I was okay." He smiled, sipping his own coffee. "I thought I'd imagined it all. You always just hear about that stuff happening on the news, you know? Or in the movies. But it doesn't happen in real life."
"Maybe he'll come back to check on you," Carlos said, waggling his eyebrows. He turned away as the bell rang and their first group of customers walked in.
"I doubt it," Kendall said as he got to work wiping off the milk steamer. "He's got a lot of people to take care of. The whole city, after all. I'm just one guy."
"Still," James said, putting on his apron and tying it deftly around his waist. He winked. "You never know."
Kendall's cheeks flushed.
"But be careful out there, okay? You got lucky this time."
"Yeah, yeah," Kendall said, already thinking about the route home. It would probably be dark again when he left work that evening. "I know."
The hospital waiting room was still echoing with screams when James burst in. A nurse grasped hold of the handles of a patient's wheelchair, running in the direction opposite of the chaos going on all around him. A bystander spotted him and cried out, "It's him! It's Bandana Man!"
He couldn't help smiling. He strode over to the woman and said, "Don't worry, Ma'am. I'm here to help. Can you tell me what's going on?"
"It's the Surgeon," the woman said, eyes wide and knees shaking. "He's locked himself up in an operating room with our best team of doctors. They were in the middle of performing heart surgery and they're not able to get to the patient to help him-"
"It's alright." He took her shoulders. He was sure that these strangers put so much faith in him, partly because they didn't know who he really was. Not knowing his background helped; not knowing his age definitely did. He'd become quite good at masking his voice to sound deeper, to sound older. It put confidence in the hearts of the afraid. "I'll take care of it. Just tell me the way to go, and I'll be on my way."
The Surgeon was probably the most apt name one could come up with for a villain like him. He had chosen it himself, of course, but he was sure someone else, some clever detective in a police department would have chosen it for him if he hadn't. He seemed to target hospitals a lot, stealing expensive supplies and using the weakest and most vulnerable as human shields. James shook his head to himself as he hurried down the hallway. Anyone who caught sight of him immediately stepped aside to let him pass. Not just a nice ego boost; it made the pursuit a lot easier.
He reached the wing in which the Surgeon was hiding. Nurses and doctors fled with their patients down the hall. A small child crashed into his knees and almost fell flat, but he grasped her arm quickly and helped her back up, before hurrying past her down the hallway. He strode into the operating wing and found himself face to face with the window of the viewing gallery. Inside, a man lay on the operating table, out cold. The doctors sat huddled in the corner, quivering. And above them stood a man in a long white coat, mask over his face. To anyone who didn't know him, he might look like an ordinary doctor. But the evil glint in his dark eyes told a different story. Under his coat, he wore a belt of deadly equipment, much of which he had invented himself. James knew he was a smart guy, he had to be. He'd been trying to uncover his identity for months and had no luck, but he had to have some medical background. He knew chemicals too well.
"Hey!" he shouted, slamming the palm of his hand sharp against the glass. It cracked down the middle and the Surgeon spun around on his heels, a long dripping syringe raised in his hand.
"Well, look who it is," he called, voice dripping with sarcasm. "My best pal, Bandana Man. What brings you here? Come for a check-up?"
"Let them go, Surgeon," he demanded, pointing at him. "You have no business here. That man needs help."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic." The man's eyes rolled and he rested a hand on his hip. "Once those stupid admin folk come back with what I need, I'll be on my way and they can keep cutting the old guy's heart open. It shouldn't take too long. Hopefully. I don't know what's keeping them, to be honest. I mean, I know they're incompetent, but really. There are people's lives on the line!" And his syringe glinted under the harsh lighting of the operating room. One of the doctors whimpered and clung to the one closest to him. It was then that James spotted, with cold dread in his chest, the pair of legs in the corner of the room, half out of view. But what they meant was unmistakable. He gritted his teeth and thrust his first forward, and the window smashed. He knew he only had a few seconds to act. The Surgeon moved with deadly speed and precision. Much like – well, his namesake.
He dove into the room, curled up as he rolled over the broken glass of the floor. It barely scratched him; his clothes kept him well protected. He didn't know what exactly the Surgeon's abilities were; he'd been studying him for a while. He was an expert in deadly and complex chemicals, it seemed, but physical attributes? James wasn't too sure.
However, the Surgeon did dodge away from him with immediate speed, a laugh bursting out from behind his mask. The doctors behind him curled up closer together in the corner, covering their faces as the Surgeon flung a small syringe in his direction. James dodged it; it hit the wall and burst in a shower of sparks. He grimaced.
"Why do you have to get in my way, huh?" the Surgeon snarled. "I can't even breathe without you coming along and pissing all over me. Fuck off, man. Let me do my thing and go back to saving old ladies from tripping."
True, James did save a lot of old ladies. Honestly, he liked doing the little things. He liked the little rescues he did. Much more so than taking on actual villains like the Surgeon. But someone had to do it. The last standoff he'd had with the police had gone terribly.
Sirens could be heard outside now. The Surgeon's eyes widened and he looked around for a second, like a caged animal. A voice rang out, heard even in the operating room now that the window had been smashed.
"This is the police. We have the place surrounded. Give yourself up, or we will enter the building. Come out!"
"Well, are you gonna?" James asked him, getting in a stance ready to tackle him if he tried to attack. "Give yourself up? Seems like you should."
The Surgeon chuckled; a deep, dark laugh in his throat. "Honey, you know I'm not gonna."
James leaped towards him as he threw something down on the ground, the air filling with a thick, dark smoke. James stopped and coughed choking as he waved his arms blindly through the air to feel for anyone standing there. But he already knew he had to be gone. Groaning and coughing, he wiped the dark dust from his face and leaped back through the window, sprinting down the hallway and running into the first ward he saw. It had already been evacuated, so he clambered out the window, up the wall and onto the roof, out of sight. It only took a hard sprint and a long jump to reach the next building over. He thought it was an office block, holding a car insurance company and a dental practice. He wasn't sure. He stood up after landing hard on his ass, grumbled, and turned around to look down at the hospital. He let out a sigh.
Lights flashed as the police cars pulled up outside the hospital, charging inside to see the true extent of the damage. He hoped they wouldn't find any more casualties than the ones he knew of. This was always the worst part of the job; disappearing before the authorities arrived. They would know he'd been there. Even if they didn't guess based on who made the attack, the witnesses would tell them. James didn't mind them telling, it was only fair, but he knew what a lot of the police thought of him. Not all of them, but enough. A vigilante, who always got there too late. He didn't answer to anyone but himself. No respect for the law. The usual stuff from every comic book in existence. He was an outlaw before a hero in some of their eyes.
He stepped back to the middle of the roof and sat down, letting out a long breath. It wasn't safe to stay still too long, but he just needed a moment to catch his breath.
Kendall's eyes had glinted that night. He shook his head quickly to try and clear his head of that image, to try and focus on the present, but he couldn't. Not when his head was still filled with the nightly patrol he'd carried out what felt like only the night before, when he'd heard Kendall cry out. His hearing was acute and long-reaching, but usually all he heard in a voice was distress. But there was no mistaking Kendall's voice. He'd never moved faster in his life.
He thought about Kendall's expression the next day, telling Carlos all about his big adventure. He hoped Kendall stuck to his word and behaved a bit more sensibly. That guy could be a real magnet for trouble when he wanted to be. His cheeks flushed when he thought about Kendall's awestruck expression that night. He never looked at the James he knew that way. Never.
He sighed and stood up. He needed to get home before it got too late. He was on pre-opening prep at the café the next morning and he needed to get at least a couple of hours sleep. It was tough, working two jobs. At least the hours didn't usually clash.
It was a Saturday night, the streets noisy with the bustle of nightclubs and bars and drunkards and junkies, when Kendall decided to throw himself into the thick of danger because why the fuck not?
He knew it was a dumb idea. He knew it was risky. He didn't even know if Bandana Man would show up. But it was the busiest night of the week, probably the night when shit was most likely to go down. He was bound to be out there somewhere. But whether he'd be anywhere nearby was a whole other story. He could just be about to walk into something very unpleasant there was no way out of.
Regardless, he stayed late to help clean up the café, and when he walked home he took another direction, deliberately walking onto the streets more heavily littered with trash, the buildings cluttered with more boarded windows than any other. The wind brushed through his hair and a burger wrapper flapped over his foot, flying off into the road and disappearing into the dark. A streetlight above his head flickered an unpleasant yellow, buzzing faintly above him. He gulped and kept walking. The door to a nearby bar across the street opened and a group of young men stumbled out, laughing and roaring to each other in slurred words he couldn't make out. They didn't look very dangerous. He kept walking.
Most people, if they were bored with their life, if they wanted something new, would try dying their hair or taking up some new extreme sport. He briefly wondered if he should turn back around and do one of those instead. Something kept his feet moving.
When he felt a hand brush against his arm, he flinched and dodged the man leaning back against the grubby brick wall. He held out a hand, a white packet in his open palm. Kendall shook his head and kept walking, but slowed his pace a little. His breath echoed strangely in his lungs. He realised that even though he'd walked into this, he was looking for it, he was still afraid. His heart hammered and he took a deep breath. It was too late to turn around now anyway.
He felt a hand brush against his back in the semi-darkness, felt it grip the back of his jacket. Though his form stiffened, he barely struggled as he was dragged into the darkness. Then he heard a grumble of, "What the hell are you doing around here?"
"Huh?" He turned around, and his jaw dropped. He was, if he was totally honest, a little relieved. It turned out he didn't have to get mugged to attract Bandana Man to him. The man stood before him, arms folded, frame broad and strong. He swallowed, throat dry.
"Hey, dude," he said with a small wave. The glare intensified and he suddenly felt like he was back in school. "What's up?"
"'What's up?' Are you kidding me?" Bandana Man demanded. "What did I tell you to do, blondie? I told you to be careful. What are you doing wandering around in this neighbourhood after dark? Are you trying to get attacked?"
"No," Kendall said, trying not to bite his lip. It was his tell when he told lies. "Of course not. Why would I want something like that?"
Bandana Man scowled and shook his head, hands on his hips. The gesture was oddly familiar. "You're reckless, huh? I thought I might have a bit of trouble with you."
"Excuse me?" Kendall raised his eyebrows. "You don't even know me, fella. You don't know shit about me."
"Well, most people I meet out here fall into a couple of categories." Bandana Man folded his arms. "There's the hapless old ladies and young girls who just wander into the wrong place at the wrong time. There's the people already involved in some shady shit, and then there's people like you, who just don't give a fuck and think you're invincible. What if I hadn't been watching you, huh? What would've happened to you then?"
Kendall was about to open his mouth, planning on spitting out whatever witty retort just came into his mind. But he stopped. And indignant scowl turned into a smirk. "What did you say?"
"What?"
"You were watching me?"
"No." Bandana Man's lips clamped together.
"That's what you said."
"Look, I . . . uh . . ." And suddenly Bandana Man's wide hero stance had reduced to him scuffing his foot on the ground and scratching the back of his neck. "It's not what it sounds like. I'm not a creep."
"Then what is it?" Kendall asked.
Bandana Man bit his lip. "I guess I just . . . I thought about you a lot, after the other night." He cleared his throat. "I don't know why. It's not like we know each other or anything. Because we don't. But I guess I wanted to look out for you, just because. And it's a good thing I did, isn't it? There's some unpleasant folks hanging around here."
Kendall found his cheeks heating up, despite the truth in Bandana Man's words; they didn't know each other. He had no idea what this guy might really be like behind the mask. All he knew was that he put his life on the line on a regular basis to help people. Honestly, that was enough.
"You wanna know something?" He folded his arms, letting his body relax at last. "I've been thinking about you too. And if this is how we run into each other, maybe I'll wander off where I'm not supposed to again."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me, dude. Just try me. What's the worst that could happen?"
Bandana Man scowled. Kendall grinned.
"You need to quit it. If I catch you around here again . . ."
"Will you leave me to get mugged, or worse?" Kendall asked.
Bandana Man sighed. "No. You know I won't. I can't do that . . . to anybody." His head dropped slightly.
Kendall bit his lip. Okay, maybe now he felt a little bit guilty. "Of course. I know you wouldn't. You wouldn't be doing your job then, would you?"
Bandana Man shook his head.
"How long have you been like this?"
"A couple of years." The gruffness of his voice slipped for a moment at this touch of honesty, and Kendall heard a strange dramatic tone to his voice that he could swear he'd heard before. "It's a tough gig, but someone has to do it."
"It's really cool, what you do. I'm sorry. I'm wasting your time with stuff like this."
"No, you're not. Like I admitted earlier like an idiot, I was watching you. I shouldn't have been." He folded his arms. "Although, I wouldn't have to watch you if you'd take better care of yourself." And he smirked.
Kendall smiled. "Yeah, yeah . . . I'm sorry. I'll head home. You don't have to watch me go. You probably will, though, right?"
"Right." Bandana Man gave him a salute. "Safe home, sir."
Kendall snorted and shook his head, turning around and waving. "Feel free to disappear now. I'll be on my way."
He walked back out onto the street, glancing over his shoulder. As he expected, Bandana Man had disappeared into the shadows. He glanced up towards the roofs of the building, craning his neck to search for any sign of him, but saw none. He sighed to himself and headed off down the street, hands in his pockets. As he walked, though, he felt a comfortable tingle in his spine. He knew he was watching him. He had to be. And it kept a smile on his face as he walked home for the night.
"It's no big deal. He only admitted he'd been watching me, looking out for me and everything."
James' head snapped up. Was he serious?
Kendall could be an arrogant ass at times. Not really in an obnoxious way, not in a nasty way. Sometimes he just got a little too confident for his own good. It came from a place of self-preservation, James knew that. A 'fake it til you make it' type thing. But sometimes, like right now, it was a little too much. Hearing Kendall brag about how he'd gone off marching through the streets hoping to need rescuing from Bandana Man made his blood boil a little. He wanted to be there to help Kendall any time he was needed, but he couldn't dedicate himself to just one person, no matter how much he wanted to. And if he was off rescuing someone else and something did happen to Kendall because of shit like this, well . . .
He didn't know how to admit it to anyone, but the thought of anything happening to Kendall made him lose his fucking mind at times. That first night he saved him from being mugged, he'd felt so relieved he got there in time that he wanted to just break down and cry when it was all over. He didn't need that kind of nightly stress.
Naturally, Carlos was lapping the whole thing up. He was always into comic books.
"So it's like he's Spider-Man and you're Mary Jane," he said with a laugh. "That's so crazy."
Kendall's cheeks flushed. "Well, it's not quite that. But, I don't know . . . maybe a little bit. Am I crazy?"
"A little bit. But I'd be too, if I had my own Spider-Man. Or Bandana Man, in this case. You're so lucky. I'm a little jealous."
Kendall chuckled, looking up then from where he was tidying the display of wrapped snacks and catching James' eye. "You okay, dude? You're quiet today."
James wanted to shrug and smile and say yes, of course he was. But he said, "I'm not okay. I can't believe you did that."
Kendall bit his lip, drawing James' eyes to it on instinct. Why was it only Bandana Man Kendall was into, anyway? Why couldn't he date a simple barista instead? "It was just an experiment . . ."
"A stupid experiment."
"Look, nothing happened—"
"But it could have, and you should know better," James snapped. "It's stupid and reckless. I just, I'm . . . I'm worried about you, okay? What if next time he's not there? What if he's too late? Or what if he fails?"
He tried not to let his emotions come out too strong, but he couldn't help it. What if he did fail? Kendall's eyes fell on the counter and he let out a small sigh, picking at his short fingernails.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled at last. "I don't want to upset you. I know it's stupid. I just . . . I couldn't help it."
James wanted to hug him, but that would be giving in too easily. He had to stay a little stern. He remembered how he'd first been when he first got his powers. He'd been a little reckless too. But he'd come to realise the responsibilities that came with abilities like his (he was not going to quote it) and it changed him. If Kendall had been in his shoes, he would understand that.
Instead he said, "You don't have to apologise to me. I just want you to stay safe. If something happened to you . . ." His voice trailed off. He didn't really know what to say next. He didn't want to say that he'd die too. It would be a little much. Carlos' eyes flickered between them, eyebrows raising slowly. James made a point of avoiding his gaze.
Kendall's cheeks turned dark and as the bell for the café's door rang, he quickly turned back to face the counter. James stood behind the coffee machine and let out a long breath, hoping he wasn't blushing too. Though the burning in his cheeks wasn't promising.
"I'll take a cappuccino with low fat milk and a croissant, please."
"No problem. Chocolate on the cappuccino?"
"Please."
James' head snapped up. The man standing at the counter was just handing Kendall a bill, dimples set deep in his cheeks as he smirked. His eyes were a deep brown, his hair dark and skin pale. He glanced up as he took back his change and drawled, "Thanks, honey." His eyes met James' and he saw the glint within them. And he knew then.
He knew who the Surgeon was. And the Surgeon knew him too.
"James." James looked to where Kendall was eyeing him with a frown. "You okay, man?"
James nodded without a word and made the coffee as quickly as he could, eyes flickering up to the stranger every few seconds. There was nobody else in line, so he stayed at the counter with his hands leaned on it, leaning in a little forward. He was still talking to Kendall, but the ringing in his ears was so strong it was hard to make out what they were saying. He clamped his jaw hard as he finished the coffee and put it down on the counter as gently as he could.
"Thanks," the Surgeon said with a grin, picking it up and grabbing a lid. "Sugar?"
"Over there," James seethed, pointing.
He smirked. "I was talking to blondie, actually."
Kendall's cheeks turned red and the man chuckled. "Sorry, honey. I'm just messing with ya." He put the lid on the cup and took his pastry bag, winking at both of them in turn before turning and walking out. The bell tinkled behind him, but James' muscles stayed tense.
"Jeez, what a jerk," Kendall said with a roll of his eyes, though his cheeks were still pink. "Are you okay? You look really pale. Do you want Carlos to come out and cover for you?"
"No, I'm fine." He had to stay up front and keep an eye, in case he came back. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."
Kendall smiled. "Okay, if you're sure."
James nodded, looking at the door. He was not fucking fine. How did the Surgeon know where to find him? How was it that James had been looking for him for months and had no luck, and the guy just fucking walked into his place of work out of nowhere, and flirted with Kendall on top of it? Did he know who Kendall was? How long had he known his identity? How did he keep himself so well hidden?
James took a deep breath and gave the milk steamer a quick wipe, squeezing a little harder than necessary. He imagined it was the Surgeon's neck. He wondered if he should buy some extra bolts for his window, attach them himself when he got home. No, he could take care of himself. That wasn't the problem.
The problem was that if he knew James, then he had to know the people in James' life. He looked over at Kendall, who was now greeting the next customer with a grin. He thought of the Surgeon's smirk when their eyes had met and felt his hands tremble.
What if they got hurt? What if any of them got hurt?
He sighed and tried to put his focus on the present. But how could he, when he felt as though his other self was hanging over his shoulder every second?
%%% %%%% %%%
Kendall kept a sharp eye out on the street as he walked. James' words still echoed in his head, and though he didn't want to admit it, he felt bad about being such a dumbass. James wouldn't say things like that to him just for the sake of it; he was a friend. A good friend. That was it (maybe unfortunately) but he was coming from a place of caring. So Kendall did as he asked. He didn't linger in the streets, trying to look a little more vulnerable; he kept walking with his gaze firmly ahead, a purpose in his stride. Home quickly, maybe a little dinner, maybe he could send James a funny text about something he was watching before bed. Though he was pretty bad at texting back. Kendall suspected he was a very heavy sleeper.
He whistled a little to himself as he strolled, slipping his hands into his pockets. He heard a sudden crash from somewhere in front of him and stopped, hands removed from his pockets. Not taking any chances, he glanced at the street and slipped onto the road, crossing it and resuming his walking on the other side. As he passed the next block, he glanced at the narrow alleyway, and though he couldn't see anyone that might have caused the crash, he saw something smoking, a fallen garbage can rolling and stopping against the wall.
"What the . . .?"
An arm wrapped tight around his neck and his scream was cut off as his breath was choked out of him. He felt a force against his back and landed on the ground with a groan. Immediately he lifted his arms to try and get up, but was slammed against the ground again with a hand yanked harshly behind his back.
"Hey there. Where do you think you're going?" the voice murmured low in his ear. The stranger laughed low in his throat. "There's no need to get upset."
Kendall struggled and cried out as the grip tightened. "What the fuck do you want?"
"I'm not sure yet." The voice was soft and made him squirm uncomfortably in his spot. He could swear he'd heard it somewhere before, but now wasn't the time to debate it. He struggled harder as he felt his sleeve being pushed up, feeling something cold pressed against it.
"What are you doing?" he shouted, grunting as he felt a sharp prick in his skin. "What . . . who are you . . .?" It was suddenly difficult to speak.
"It doesn't matter who I am. But I think it matters who you are." Kendall managed to turn his head and caught a glimpse of dark eyes; dark and sinister. He whimpered and shut his eyes despite himself; his body was starting to feel numb. "Tell me . . . do you know Bandana Man?"
"What?" He managed to open his eyes again. "Huh?"
"Answer the question. Do you know him? Because he knows you."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about . . ." Kendall blinked and tried to stay focused, but it was getting more and more difficult. Who the hell was this guy anyway? This was what he got for trying to be careful? He missed the muggers with the knife.
He heard a distant thump, the sound of footsteps. "What the fuck are you doing?"
He tried to look up as the grip holding him down suddenly disappeared. He thought he rolled onto his back, but he realised then that he didn't. Someone else had rolled him onto his back. His head lolled sideways and he tried to move. He couldn't see his attacker anymore; just a flash of purple above his head. He tried to smile. Was he smiling?
"Kendall? Kendall!" He felt a hand touch his face, but he couldn't stop his eyes from closing. A hand slapped his cheek softly, trying to get his eyes to open. It was Bandana Man's voice, but there was something different about it.
He gave a little hum in lieu of replying, but he wasn't sure if he could hear him. As he started to drift away, his last thought was, How does he know my name?
Kendall was so warm in his arms.
He felt the solid weight of him against his chest, but carrying him wasn't difficult. He slipped in through Kendall's open window, clutching him close in his arms. He mumbled something against his chest; his face was still a little shiny with sweat and his eyes seemed heavy, but he'd be okay. They were lucky of that.
James placed Kendall down on the bed, watching his brow furrow into a frown as his eyes stayed squeezed shut, his hair fanning out on the pillow like a halo as he slumped against the pillow. He sat down beside him, thanking his acute hearing again that he'd been able to get to him as quickly as he did.
"Get some rest," he said softly, hand touching Kendall's forehead. His eyelids fluttered and he drew his hand back immediately. Touching him was probably a little much.
"I feel better." Kendall cleared his throat and his eyes opened. "Honestly." He sat up slowly, letting out a heavy breath as he pressed his own hand to his forehead. "I just feel a little . . . floaty."
James couldn't help chuckling. "Floaty, yeah. I get it. Are you sure you feel okay?"
"Mhm." Kendall blinked and gave a sleepy smile. "Thank you for saving me . . . again. I swear I didn't do it on purpose this time. I don't even know who that guy was."
"It was the Surgeon. Have you heard of him?"
Kendall's head dropped forward a bit and James caught a whiff of his hair. It smelled like coconuts and his heart hammered in his chest. "Yeah, I think so. I think I have. He breaks into hospitals, right? Or something?"
"Yeah, notorious for it. Steals drugs and medical equipment. I've been . . ." He swallowed. "I've been trying to catch him for a while. Trying to figure out who he is. But no luck so far."
"Does he know who you are?" Kendall asked, eyes narrowing. He shook his head as though to wake himself up, falling forward slightly. James held his shoulders and straightened him up. He tilted his head up again and their eyes met, Kendall's suddenly wide with concern. "Will you be okay?"
James smiled and nodded. "Yeah . . . yeah. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
Kendall looked into his eyes for another moment, one of his eyebrows quirked slightly. Then he opened his mouth and let out a shaky breath. James was confused for a moment, and then Kendall blurted out, "Oh my god," sounding much more awake.
James froze as Kendall's hand fumbled and grabbed at his mask. Kendall's movements were sloppy and sluggish still, but he didn't have time to stop him tugging the mask from his face. Maybe he just reacted too late.
"James," he hissed, eyes narrowed.
James jumped from the bed and snatched his mask away, leaping back towards the open window. Kendall reached for him and groaned, "Wait," crawling towards him. But before he could even reach the foot of the bed, James leaped from the window and fell through the air, landing with a grunt on the ground below. Putting his mask back on was difficult; his hands were shaking too hard. But he ran faster than he ever had, despite the trembles tearing through his body.
He knows.
He knows?
Fuck. He had to slow to a stop, suddenly feeling close to tears. He should have just left him in bed and said goodbye. He shouldn't have stayed for more than a second.
He shouldn't have let himself get weak for anyone. Not someone like him.
"James called in sick."
Kendall couldn't believe it.
He stood at the counter, fingers tapping idly at the sides of the till in the moments of dead air before the first customers arrived. James. Bandana Man. He should've seen it. Though how the hell could he have? He put on that dumb fake voice and always stood in the shadows where he couldn't even make out the bit of his face that wasn't covered by the mask. Now he knew why.
Carlos' words registered with him then, and he looked up. "What?"
"James is sick," Carlos said, quirking an eyebrow at Kendall's blank expression. "So I'll work the front with you, the kitchen can handle themselves today. Do you want to do the till or the coffee?"
"I'll do the coffee, I guess," he said, the thought of having to attentively tend to customers sending his stomach reeling. "I don't mind doing it."
"Are you okay? You haven't caught James' thing, have you?"
That was one way of putting it. "I'm fine." He stood by the machine and made sure his apron was securely fashioned. He took a deep breath and willed the day to pass quickly. Maybe he could stop by James' place after work, but how did he know he'd even be there? What if he didn't answer the door?
He suddenly felt an uncomfortable weight in his throat and swallowed hard, blinking and clenching his fists. He had to focus. He wasn't about to cry in front of Carlos, or anybody else. Fuck that.
He threw himself into his work and tried to focus on nothing else. Coffee. Muffins. Milk. Soya milk. James was Bandana Man. James was a superhero.
He sighed.
As the day progressed, the café got busier and he managed to distract himself a little better. He left Carlos behind the counter and moved to clear some of the old crockery and garbage off the empty tables. He piled stuff up on his tray, trying not to show his disgust as he picked up a half-chewed cupcake in its wrapper and dropped it onto one of the old plates.
"Ahem."
Kendall glanced up, sighing and resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Great, that Texan flirt from the other day. He really wasn't in the mood for dealing with that kind of shit.
"Mind if I sit?" the stranger asked, holding his mug and plate. "The place is full . . ."
Kendall nodded and kept stacking the plates and cups, picking up stray bits of paper and brushing the crumbs out of the spot the man was now sitting in. He sat and sipped his coffee, eyes finding Kendall; he could feel them burning into him. He kept his eyes down and piled the mess onto a tray, scooping it up in his arms clumsily.
"Sure you're strong enough to carry all that?" the man asked, his drawl heavy with sarcasm.
Kendall scoffed. "Uh, yeah. I'm not a daisy. Thanks."
The man chuckled. "Relax, just making a joke. I'm sure you can handle yourself just fine. Can't you?"
Kendall raised an eyebrow. Something about his voice . . . had he heard it somewhere else before?
The man held out his hand suddenly. "Logan."
Fumbling with the tray, Kendall managed to stick out his hand and give Logan's a quick shake. "Kendall. I have to get back to work."
"No problem. I'll see you next time I'm here."
Kendall gave a small nod and went back behind the counter, carrying the dirty crockery into the kitchen for the busboy. He let out a breath as he put down the tray; it had been a little heavy. He wiped his brow and walked back out to the coffee machine, eyes finding Logan again, sitting by the window. He was sipping his coffee as he typed something into his cellphone, before holding it up to his ear. His smile seemed to widen, if that was possible. Kendall looked down and focused on making his next batch of coffees.
Maybe if he tried to call James . . . no, he'd never answer. He had to go in person.
James sat up on the couch as his cellphone rang out. Praying it wasn't anybody he knew (especially not Kendall), he picked it up and glanced at his screen. It was an unknown number. He thought for a moment about rejecting it and tossing it onto the floor. Maybe throwing it across the room. If only he could throw himself across the room. How could he let Kendall find out who he was?
The phone continued to ring, and he let out a sigh, answering it and pressing it up to his ear. "Hello?" he said, hoping the dead tone of his voice would give the caller the hint to make it quick. Leave me to wallow, please. That's all I ask.
"Hello there. Is this the Bandana Man residence?"
He sat up straight, breath catching. Even if he didn't recognise that slimy voice, he would've known immediately who it was. "How did you—"
"How'd I get your number? Doesn't matter. I didn't touch anybody to get it, if that's why you're asking. Promise."
He could practically see that smirk through the phone. James' fist clenched. "Why the fuck are you calling me?"
"Oh, I don't know. I guess I was a little bored. Besides, that's what people do in coffee shops, don't they? To look busy. They pretend to work or text, or they call a good friend like you."
James' eyes narrowed. "What are you . . .?"
"He's cute, isn't he? Feisty. I like that in a guy, you know. Well, that's a lie. I'm not into guys. But if I was, boy. And you never know, maybe knowing it would get under your skin would be enough to get me going."
"Shut the fuck up." James felt his jaw clench. "If you lay a hand on him—"
"What'll you do? I don't see you anywhere. But don't worry. The place is a little too busy right now. Too many innocent bystanders, even for my taste."
"What do you want?"
"I want you out of the way, dude. And if I'm totally honest, I like messing with people who get in my way. It's how I get a little kick out of it. Don't be mad about it."
"Please." James shut his eyes. He felt his hands shake, and his cheeks reddened in shame. "Please don't hurt him."
There was silence on the other end for a moment. If James listened really carefully, he could just about here the Surgeon's breathing. Then he said, "What's it like?"
"What?"
"To care about someone like that? What's it like?"
James frowned. For a moment, the voice sounded less sinister, less slimy. It sounded almost human. "Don't you care about anyone?"
There was a pause. Then he spoke again, low and sombre, "Not anymore." And the line cut off.
Logan sure did like his coffee.
It was almost 5pm, and the guy was still there at the same table, sipping his latest cup and nibbling on his second pastry. He didn't seem to be doing a whole lot; just poring over a large, dull-looking textbook. Kendall looked down and glanced at his watch, seeing the time. He sighed. Almost there. But not quite. Unless . . .
"Carlos?"
Carlos looked up, head titled with a smile. "Yeah?"
"Would you kill me if I asked to leave a bit early?"
"Oh?" Carlos raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
Kendall bit his lip, feeling guilty even as he spoke. "I want to go see James . . . you know, just to see if he's okay. He's never sick and I'm just worried . . ."
"Oh." Carlos smiled then, and his brown eyes glinted. "I see."
Kendall's cheeks burned. "He just might need some medicine or something. And since we're not busy for the rest of the evening I figured I'd just ask . . ."
"Kendall, it's fine." Carlos chuckled and shook his head, waving towards the door. "You two are ridiculous. Just go and see him, tell him I say hi."
"Thank you!" Kendall grabbed his bag from the back and slipped on his jacket, taking off his apron and stuffing it into his bag. He waved goodbye to Carlos and thanked him again as he barrelled his way out the door and onto the street.
He knew the way to James' place pretty well, and took off at a brisk walk. As he walked, he took out his cellphone again and thought about letting James know he was coming. Maybe it was kind of a dick move, showing up out of nowhere and forcing him to talk. But there was no way he'd answer. He wouldn't . . . not that Kendall could blame him. He couldn't even think of how he might react if he were in his situation. Everything he'd said now since the first time Bandana Man saved him made him feel like a complete asshole. Flaunting how he needed James to fucking rescue him, right in front of him. How pathetic. How self-obsessed he'd been. James had been keeping an eye on him because . . . because . . .
Fuck me. Why was I so stupid?
"Hey."
Kendall jumped and skidded to a halt, turning to look over his shoulder. "Oh," he said, surprised. "Hi . . ?"
Logan slowed to a stop, hand up in a wave as he smiled. "Sorry, did I scare you?"
"No." Kendall had seen customers out and about in the world a few times before; he never cared to talk to them, and usually they were the same. But he decided not to be rude and said, "What's up?"
"Nothing much. Just wanted to talk for a minute."
"What about?" Kendall frowned. "About the café?"
"No, not at all. I wouldn't do that to you when you're off the clock. I just wanted to ask if you were okay. You seemed distracted earlier."
Kendall's eyes narrowed. What the hell? "I'm fine."
"It's just that you looked upset . . . I thought it might be because of your friend."
"What friend?" Kendall asked, feigning ignorance on instinct, though his heart had decided to beat uncomfortably quickly. Who was this weirdo, anyway?
"You know, that one who was in the last day. Didn't seem to like me too much. But I don't take it too personally. We run in different circles."
"Okay . . ."
"Were you going to visit him? Get him to explain himself?"
Kendall froze. And he knew then, where he'd heard that voice before.
"Don't waste your time walking all the way there, honey. I'll give him a call. We can meet him together." And Logan smiled.
Kendall didn't even have a chance to blink.
James walked into the coffee shop, the little bell ringing over the door and briefly distracting him. The place was practically empty, Carlos already sweeping the floor by the counter. James walked over, clearing his throat. Carlos looked up, smiling. "Hey, man! Feeling any better? What are you doing here?"
"Hey. I'm feeling a little better. How's the day been for you guys?" He looked around then, and glanced at the door into the kitchen. It didn't open. "Where's Kendall?"
"What?" Carlos frowned. "Dude, he went to see you. Or that's what he told me . . ."
"What?" James' eyes widened. "When? When did he leave?"
"Like, an hour ago? Maybe an hour and a half? I don't know, maybe he changed his mind." Carlos huffed and resumed his sweeping. "He better have, and not just ditched me for the hell of it. He didn't call you or anything?"
"No. I'll see you. Have a good night." And he spun on his heel and ran out of the café, door slamming behind him.
As he ran down the street, not even sure where he was supposed to be going, he whipped out his phone and dialled the unknown number from before. Nothing, "Fuck," he cursed, dialling it again, breath hammering in his chest.
Again. Nothing.
Where did he take him?
Again. Nothing.
What if he was too late?
Dialled Kendall. Nothing.
"Kendall's phone, leave a message. Or don't, whatever."
Please. Kendall. Pleasepleaseplease be okay.
Then his phone rang, and he almost dropped it out of his hand. He picked it up; the unknown number. He cursed again to himself, but to hope for Kendall to call him would've been too much. He held it up, hand shaking almost too much to hold it. "Hello?"
"Hey, dude." James' free hand clenched so hard his knuckles cracked. That fucking smirk. "What's with all the calls? We talk when I say we talk."
"Where is he?"
"Where's who?"
"You fucker—"
"Oh, right! Your colleague slash potential lover. I'm not too sure, to be honest. I didn't ask him. He's right here, do you wanna say hi? Hey, blondie, say hi to your boyfriend."
He heard a muffle, something he couldn't make out, and then a voice slurred softly through the phone, "James?"
"Kendall." James closed his eyes. He felt his heart jump in agony. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I don't know . . ." His voice was soft and hard to make out, almost as though he was drunk, or half asleep. It reminded him of nights they'd spent together, and it suddenly felt like time wasted. "James . . . I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. You've got nothing to be sorry for. Where are you?"
"I don't know . . . I don't know. My head feels funny . . . I can feel a breeze."
"I'll make this a little easier." And Kendall was gone. "You just sit quiet there, honey. Take a nap, you look like you need it."
"You bastard."
"Relax. I just gave him something to keep him calm. He put up such a fight. Anyway, you want to know where we are? We're not too far off. On the roof of your building, actually. So if you want to come get your boyfriend, you know where to go. Don't worry about the suit, I know who you are. We're all just dressing as ourselves tonight, man. So come see me, and we'll see who gets to keep the city."
James stood on the empty street, staring out into space. He thought back to his conversation with the Surgeon, not too long ago. And he said, "Maybe there's another way. Maybe we . . . maybe we can resolve this."
There was another pause. Then he said, "Look . . . don't take it so personally. This is just what I do. And we can't both do our own thing. One of us has to lose. You'd better hope it's not you." And in that same tone, the line went dead again.
James pocketed his phone, taking a long breath. He thought of Kendall's face, tried to picture what he might be going through. But he couldn't place any concrete picture in his mind. For a terrifying moment, he wasn't sure he could remember what Kendall looked like. But then he saw the green eyes, the blond hair, the ridiculous eyebrows he begged him to pluck on a monthly basis. He gritted his teeth. He wouldn't have time to put on his suit anyway. Maybe it was for the best that it all came out in the open.
Kendall's eyes blinked open. He'd spent the last while, he wasn't sure how long, in a strange daze dipping in and out of sleep. He remembered something jabbing into his neck, his head spinning. He remembered half waking, hearing James' voice. But now he wondered if that was a dream. And he felt it again; the breeze in his hair. His blurred vision began to focus at last.
It was dark out. He could distantly see the light from the streetlights, but they were a faint glow from their vantage point. They were on a high roof; as he looked around, he saw Logan standing above him, looking down at him, eyes burning into him. He tried to move then, and his wrists ached, his arms pulled tight behind his back. He squirmed weakly, head still pounding.
"He'll be here soon," Logan said softly, crouching down until they were at eye level. Somehow, he was even more intimidating this close.
"Why are you doing this?" the words came out before Kendall could stop them. He almost cringed at how much of a cliché it was.
Logan sighed, head titled as he glanced out at the skyline of Minneapolis. "I don't know."
"What?" Kendall's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, you don't know? You don't know why you kidnapped me? You don't know why you're a villain?"
"Am I a villain?" Logan looked back at him. "I bring medication to people who can't get it for themselves. Not always, of course, but my leftovers don't go to waste."
"You've killed people."
"Those people kill people."
"Not intentionally. Not the way you do." Kendall turned away; he didn't like Logan's stare. "James doesn't kill people." There was no point in being coy about his identity; it was pretty clear now that he knew everything. He wondered if he was afraid, and realised maybe he was. Though not as much as he expected to be. Maybe it was the drugs probably still swimming in his system and dulling his senses.
"Hmm." Logan looked up again, glancing over his shoulder. "He will."
Kendall opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but thought better of it and clamped his lips together. He tried to glance over his shoulder to see what he was tied to; he felt cool metal. It looked like a telephone pole. They sat there in silence.
Then a voice called out from across the roof. "You."
Logan looked up slowly as Kendall's head snapped towards the noise. He felt his shoulders tremble as he saw James standing there, not too far away, standing in a wide stance.
"It's Logan, actually," Logan said, standing up. "I mean, everyone else knows each other's names by now."
"Fine, Logan. Let him go right now." James took a step forward. Kendall suddenly felt more alert at his presence, and squirmed harder against his bonds. Their eyes met. "Are you okay?" James asked him, face softening.
"I'm fine," Kendall promised.
"For now," Logan snapped, turning to face James properly. Kendall watched the two, heart hammering violently in his chest. He watched the hard lines of James' face; he barely even twitched. He felt something swell within his chest, suddenly really did feel like a damsel. But he believed in James, more than he'd ever believed in anyone or anything before. And he wanted to tell him, but the last thing he wanted was to antagonise Logan further. So he hoped the look he was giving him would be enough.
Judging by the expression on James' face when their eyes met, it had to be. It just has to be.
From the moment James saw Kendall's face, watching him with so much trust – and maybe something else, god, he hoped so – he felt himself almost grow in his skin. He felt bigger, stronger. As he took a step towards the Surgeon, or Logan was he was apparently called, he felt less afraid than he had ever felt, all the times he'd faced up to his enemies, to random thugs on the street. On his first night as Bandana Man, he'd been absolutely terrified. He didn't know how he could manage being the hero. He didn't know if he was capable of anything truly heroic.
Now he knew that wasn't true.
He strode towards Logan, feeling his power grow within him as he burst into a run. Logan was ready for him and his hand snapped forward. James ducked down hard, feeling the breeze of whatever Logan had thrown at him brush through his hair. He heard something crash behind him and felt the distant but burning heat of it, and his heart only steeled itself further. Now wasn't the time to be afraid.
As he grew closer, he caught sight of the expression of hope on Kendall's face. God, he loved him. He fucking loved him.
He shoved Logan's outreached arm out of the way and socked him straight in the jaw. He cried out in pain, staggering back and reaching for his arsenal, no doubt. He had no idea how strong Logan actually was; only that he was quick and crafty. Hopefully he had the upper hand, in something at least.
At least, he thought he did until Logan sped towards him and something hot and burning and stinging slashed across his arm. He roared, charging towards Logan again, his whole body suddenly feeling fiery and uncomfortable. Whatever he'd been struck with was spreading like wildfire. He tried to let it spur him on further, though the pain was growing every second. He'd fight through it. He had to.
James let go of his bad arm, grunting as he punched Logan in the face. He stumbled and growled, lunging for James and splashing something into his eyes. James screeched as they burned, reaching blindly and striking him again. Judging by the crack he heard, he hoped it was his nose. He gripped him hard, eyes blinking desperately into focus. He heard Kendall scream and suddenly felt a heavy weight dragging against him. He slammed hard against the roof, arm hanging in the empty air. His vision came into focus. Hips hand gripped Logan's and he froze. Below them was a long, treacherous drop. Despite the burning in his body, he gripped Logan's hand tighter.
"What are you doing?" Logan snarled, blood dripping down his face. His grip stiffened against James' hand.
"Hold on," James grunted. His arm screamed at him under the weight, straining as Logan seemed to grow heavier beneath him. "I-I can still pull you up."
Logan raised an eyebrow. His expression was completely calm. James stared into his eyes. "Thanks, dude."
James nodded, groaning as his whole body burned and ached.
"Thanks for trying."
James yelped as something sharp jabbed into the skin of his hand, flexing as his eyes fell on the syringe plunged into the skin. He realised too late what had happened. Logan's eyes found his again, before he was too far away, fallen too far. James shut his eyes as he heard the slam. The screams of the innocents on the sidewalk.
He lay back on the roof, vision starting to blur as he tried to reach over and pluck the syringe from his hand. But his body felt too weak, too numb. He dropped his hand and shut his eyes. Was this a murder-suicide thing? Was he about to die? Why did he feel so calm about it?
I'm sorry, Logan.
"James! James, can you hear me? Wake up!"
"Come on."
Kendall slammed his hand against the window of the vending machine, letting out a small sigh as the candy bar slipped from the metal rack and he grabbed it in his hand. Finally. He wasn't about to give up his dollar for nothing.
He held the bar in his hand as he walked back up the hospital corridor, rubbing at his eyes with a long sigh. He wasn't sure how long he'd gone now without sleep; too long, that was for sure. He yawned and turned the corner, making his way towards James' room. He opened the door and stopped in his tracks, biting his lip.
James was sitting up in bed, eyes on the TV set lodged into the wall. His head turned to Kendall when he saw him, and his mouth stretched into a smile. God, he was gorgeous.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, shutting the door behind him. "I, um . . . I got you some chocolate."
"I feel okay." James nodded to the empty chair beside him where Kendall had been sitting; his jacket lay strewn over it. "I knew you were here. Otherwise I wouldn't be in this bed right now."
"Well, you don't need to worry about me anymore, do you?" Kendall sat back in his chair, handing James the candy bar. "Now that, well . . ."
"I know." James sighed. "I didn't . . . I didn't want to kill him."
"It wasn't your fault." Kendall reached for James' free hand and squeezed it. "You couldn't do anything about it." And he pressed his lips to James' hand, trying to push the heat that surged through him aside for a moment. James was what mattered now.
"I've been reading about it, on my phone." James glanced at where his cellphone sat on the bedside table. "They were writing about him, you know, about what happened. Apparently, he was almost finished up in medical school. He was an advocate for making medication more affordable for the lower classes . . . you know. Shit my mom's not into."
"James." Kendall squeezed his hand. "It's nothing to do with you or your mom. He could've done all that stuff without hurting people, but he didn't. He chose to kill people. You chose not to. It's different, okay?"
James shut his eyes for a moment, letting out a long sigh. "Okay . . ."
"Okay." Kendall nodded. "Now, eat your candy."
James chuckled and let go of Kendall's hand, opening the bar and taking a bite. Kendall waited for him to finish, taking a sip of the water on the table. He wanted to say something, anything. He wanted to apologise for being an idiot. God knows, it wouldn't be the first time. But it was more important now, while James was sitting there in self-doubt and sadness. The last thing he wanted was for James to feel that way. If he hadn't gotten himself into such sticky situations, maybe Logan would never have found him.
But even then, he knew that wasn't true. Logan would have found him anyway. If he was looking for James . . .
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry for the way I acted, when I . . . when I didn't know who you were."
"It's okay." James smiled. "You couldn't have known. I don't want to be too arrogant, but I feel like I kept the secret pretty well. Mostly."
"You did." Kendall chuckled. "Except when you didn't. Obviously, you don't have to worry. I'll keep your secret."
"I know." James looked at him, and Kendall felt his cheeks flush. He touched James' hand again, running his fingers over the smoothness of his palm.
Tell him. Tell him now.
"I was an idiot," he murmured, scooting his chair closer, heart beating faster in his chest. "I was thinking about you all the time, but I just think that when you, that is, Bandana Man came for me it was like something inside me changed. But it wasn't real. It was just exciting. What I feel about you, that's real." He swallowed, letting out a shaky laugh. He wasn't used to laying himself out on the table like this. It was almost scarier than being kidnapped by a supervillain. Almost. "I know that's kind of irrelevant now, since you're both the same person, but I didn't treat you right. I didn't treat James right."
James' eyes drifted from his eyes, down his face for a moment, and then back up. Is he looking at my mouth? God, I hope so. I want to kiss him so bad.
Then he felt James' hand touch his cheek and let out a shaky breath, unable to help grinning as he felt the warmth of it against him. "I get it," he said softly. "To be honest, I'd probably have the same reaction. I mean, when I first saw you in the coffee shop . . ." He grinned. "I had a couple of options of where to apply for a job. But I picked that place for a reason."
And at that, Kendall couldn't help himself. He leaned in and gave James a soft kiss. As they touched, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He couldn't help it. He couldn't even pinpoint how long he'd been waiting for this. He let his forehead rest against James', feeling the heat he'd always felt between them. But this time, he knew it wasn't just a figment of his imagination, some wishful thinking. James was right there with him.
"So," James mumbled, lips pressed against his for a moment before he said, "Can I take you to dinner sometime?"
Kendall chuckled, cheeks flushing red. Then he smirked. "After everything that's gone down, I think I'll take you to dinner first. You've earned it."
James bit his lip, thumb brushing over Kendall's cheek. His eyes almost glowed. "Deal."