Chapter 6: Sub Zero
Who did Peace think he was, the freaking karate kid or something? Lash thought, appraising the black kung fu outfit with ruby-coloured collar and toggles that was hanging on the back of Warren's bedroom door. A sheet of thick, creamy paper was pinned to the suit with a message in graceful Chinese characters followed by the English words: All my love, Lao Lao. And what was with the stack of paperbacks in the corner of Peace's room? Couldn't he afford a bookcase? Probably not, Lash reflected, if the rest of the apartment was anything to go by.
Ugh. Lash couldn't think of anything more sickening than being stuck in Peace's body. Except for being stuck in Stronghold's, maybe. Lash paused as he pulled on some clothes. Stronghold… There was a thought. He grinned to himself. Maybe he could have some fun with this after all.
Lash wandered into the kitchen and found Mrs Peace sitting at the table and staring vacantly at the wall, a cold cup of coffee in her hands. She had an oriental look about her. Her finely-boned face was probably quite pretty once, but now her cheeks were sunken, her eyes dull, and her unwashed hair tied back in a messy ponytail. She didn't even seem to notice that her son had entered the room.
Lash glanced around the kitchen. The Langford's maid would make him toast and pancakes in the mornings and it would be ready and waiting for him when he emerged from his room. By the look of her, he highly doubted Mrs Peace would be capable of telling him what day of the week it was, much less prepare breakfast. With a groan, he decided he'd have to do it himself if he wanted to eat anything that morning.
He located a loaf of bread and pulled out a slice, quickly shoving it back into the bag with a disgusted cry. It was covered in furry, green mould. Mrs Peace didn't even look up. What the hell was wrong with this woman?
That morning went as badly as Lash, Layla and Warren expected. Warren found Hero Support brain-crushingly tedious. They were currently covering 'Tips And Techniques To Avoid Falling Under The Hypnotic Influence Of A Supervillain'. Mr Boy assured them that this was exceedingly important as villains often exploited the close relationship between hero and sidekick to their dastardly advantage. Apparently, next week they would be looking into 'How To Spot Signs Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Your Hero And What To Do About It'. Warren didn't know how Layla put up with it. With her abilities, why on earth was she settling for this unchallenging mediocrity?
Layla hated how no-one was talking to her. It seemed that Speed was Lash's only real friend and he was still suspended. She spent her free periods in the library, Mrs Buckley the librarian watching her warily, as if she was going to stuff some books under her shirt and walk out or something. A gregarious person, it was hard for her when the hero support students scuttled out of her way and people didn't return her smiles. Plus, she found that sometimes she really needed to concentrate to keep Lash's body under control as his limbs had a tendency to stretch on their own accord. She wasn't used to putting that much thought into simply walking down the corridor.
Lash was getting sick of Will Stronghold following him around like an irritating shadow, jabbering away incessantly. He was so up himself, Lash struggled being barely civil to him. Luckily, Peace was so socially inept that Stronghold didn't seem to notice there was anything different about him. However, being Warren Peace did have some benefits, Lash thought when he noticed Bianca Frost smiling at him uncertainly as she walked past his locker at lunchtime. He smiled back at her and she dropped her books to the floor.
"Hey guys, you should really check this out," Zach called out to Lash and Will, pointing to the noticeboard, where a crowd of students were gathering. The sign that had attracted everyone's attention was under the poster asking students to bring their parents to Career Day next week:
Save The Citizen World Championship
Tokyo 2007
It detailed a Save the Citizen competition open to all hero schools worldwide. The US qualifiers were in a couple of months and the try outs to be on the Sky High team were in three weeks.
Will grabbed Lash by the arm and failed to notice his look of distaste at his touch. "Wow! This is so cool! We so need to do this, Warren!"
Coach Boomer's voice rang in their ears. "Glad you think so, boys."
The coach ushered Lash and Will away from the crowd. "Just between you and me, you two are Sky High's best hopes for this competition. Now, there was a time when Lash and Speed would have been my team of choice, but that was before you both paired up."
Boomer is such a dick, Lash thought. Me and Speed are twice as good as Peace and Stronghold!
Coach Boomer removed a grey swipe card from his pocket and handed it to Will. "I really shouldn't be doing this, but I'm trusting you two, so you better not let me down. This is the key to the new Holo-Room Mr Medulla's installed in the sub-basement of the gym. Programs 520 to 530 are simulations of international level STC, it's a little different to what you're used to in the gym, so I suggest you get some practice in before the try outs."
Unbeknown to Will and Lash, Warren and Layla were listening to the conversation with interest. They caught each others' eye and frowned. Neither of them were overly keen on the idea of Will spending prolonged periods alone with Lash in a hidden room.
With a deep sigh, Layla started to walk off to the cafeteria for a lonely lunch. For the third time that day, she tripped over her own feet. But this time she fell into Mr Spectra, the art teacher. Unfortunately, Mr Spectra was carrying pots of paint on a tray, most of which ended up on Layla's face and shirt.
"Idiot boy!" Mr Spectra cried. "Look what you've done!"
"S-sorry."
Layla felt wretched. Students were openly pointing at her and laughing. She told herself it was Lash they were laughing at, not her, but it didn't make her feel any better. She lost her footing again to a fresh round of laughter as she made her way to the bathroom, nearly forgetting that it was the boys' bathroom she needed. Lash watched her with narrowed eyes. She was making a fool of him.
"Oh, that's so funny," Magenta chuckled. "What type do you think he'll be?"
Zach looked confused. "Type?"
"Yeah, villain type. I mean, Lash hasn't got the brains to be your Machiavellian Mastermind, or your Evil Genius. But he's not quite stupid enough to be a Mindless Minion. More of a Hapless Henchman. Gets off on being bad but has no originality or thought. Needs a Mastermind or Genius to tell him what to do."
Stronghold, Boomer, the people laughing at him and now this. Lash was mad, but he was surprised when flame sprouted from his fingers. "Do you ever shut that goddamn trap of yours?" he growled at Magenta before stalking off.
Magenta shook her head. "Jeez, what's with him?"
"Try to be a bit sensitive, Maj," said Will warningly. "Remember, Warren's dad's a villain?"
"So we're never allowed to say the v-word in front of Warren?" Magenta asked testily. "I know he's had it tough, Will, but he is forever playing the victim card as if that excuses his pissy behaviour, and you always stick up for him!"
Warren felt incredibly uncomfortable. Was he really that bad? And did Will always defend him?
Magenta continued. "I mean, look how he's treated Bianca. She really cares about him and he won't even speak to her anymore."
"Well, maybe she deserved it!" Warren said before he could stop himself. "She wasn't the person he thought she was."
"Warren told you about him and Bianca?" Will asked. He had a funny look on his face.
Warren shrugged. "A little."
For the rest of the school day, Will was unusually sulky.
That evening, Lash went to the Paper Lantern and asked Mrs Chen for the next couple of weeks off on Warren's request. Not because he was scared of Peace or anything. He just wanted to get out of that apartment. Mrs Peace was acting like some sort of zombie; it was totally freaking him out. She barely spoke and looked constantly on the verge of crying.
Lash leaned against a tree outside the restaurant and lit up a cigarette.
"I hoped I'd find you here."
He looked up and saw Bianca fiddling with her long hair.
"And so you have." Not the smoothest reply, Lash thought, but that didn't seem to bother Bianca, who was just grateful that 'Warren' wasn't shouting at her and storming off.
She edged closer to Lash. Her spicy smelling perfume tickled his nose.
"I've really missed you," Bianca said, tracing Lash's jaw line with her forefinger. She was so cold. A small shiver ran through Lash's body. She raised her head towards his and kissed him.
Kissing Bianca was like nothing Lash had ever felt before. It was like taking a mouthful of ice. Lash could feel the coldness slide down his throat, sending a pleasing chill tingling down his spine.
"I want to show you just how sorry I am." Bianca's voice was a silken purr in his ear, her hand slithering down his chest and lingering on his crotch. Lash gasped.
Oh. My. God.
Once his temporary shock at Bianca's brazenness had disappeared, Lash responded in like. The cigarette dropped from his fingers, forgotten, and he pulled Bianca towards him, his hands roaming over her tight sweater and squeezing her breasts. It was a fantasy made real, he was openly groping one of the most lusted after girls in Sky High and she wasn't slapping him or screaming at him. She was actually encouraging him, and, oh God, moaning with pleasure.
Suddenly, something exploded against Lash's head. He howled out in pain as blood ran down his face from a gash on his forehead. He stepped back to avoid a second swipe from the large tree branch, then turned and saw Warren, chalk-white with rage.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
"I could ask you the same question!" shrieked Bianca. She was so incensed that she failed to notice that Layla Williams appeared to be swearing. "He's my boyfriend, what do you think we're doing?"
"But we- you broke up!" Warren yelled at Lash.
"Oh, I get it," sneered Bianca, moving between Lash and Warren. "You're jealous. You can't handle the fact that Will Stronghold dumped you and so you thought you'd move onto Warren." She lifted up a clenched fist that was glittering with ice. "Well, back off, sidekick. He's mine."
Lash wiped the blood on his face with the back of his right hand and wound his left arm around Bianca. He smirked at Warren.
"Come on, baby, forget about the hippie. I'm gonna give you the best night of your life." He kissed Bianca again. If he wasn't so turned on he would have started laughing at the knowledge that it was driving Warren nuts.
Warren couldn't watch any more. Lash was a fucking warped bastard. Warren ran off, but he couldn't shake the sight from his mind. Lash was using him to get to Bianca, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. Who knew what other unpleasant plans Lash had in store for him? And what about his mom? She was so fragile at the moment, it was as if the slightest knock would shatter her. And he wasn't even there to make sure she was OK…
Warren was almost through the Williams' door when he heard a familiar voice. "Hey, Layla, I thought you were getting us some food from the Paper Lantern?"
Great. Stronghold, Warren thought. The last person I want to see.
"Hey, what's happened?"
Warren sniffed. "Nothing, I'm fine."
"You don't look it… hey, come on…" Will enveloped Warren into his arms. The soft, body-warmed cotton of Will's shirt against Warren's face was strangely comforting. Then he couldn't help it, the tears engulfed him. There was too much to keep in, too many worries and fears he'd been burying and trying to forget. He cried noisily on Will's chest. Will didn't say anything, he just held him tightly. Warren could feel the sobs ease up as Will's hands smoothed his hair. He rested his face on the top of Warren's head.
"I hate seeing you like this," Will said after a while, his voice muffled. "I know it's all my fault, but the last thing I wanted to do was to hurt you…"
Will carefully wiped the wetness away from Warren's cheeks.
"No, it's not you…" said Warren. "I don't know why I got so upset. I never usually. Must be the damn oestrogen or something."
"Oh yeah? Says the girl who cries most days about the evils of deforestation!" Will laughed, catching hold of Warren's arm.
Warren was confused. How can it be possible that someone could calm you with a touch one minute then make you feel dizzy with another the next? Will was smiling at him. That amazing smile. Brilliant, but somehow managing to be a little goofy at the same time. Warren felt a powerful urge to kiss him. So he did.
Oh my God, Warren thought, I'm kissing Will Stronghold! And he's kissing… Layla. Shit. But he didn't care just then, he only wanted that moment, to feel Will's mouth open against his, the tangle of tongues, his hungry hands devouring every inch of Will's well-muscled back.
Will pulled away panting slightly, his face pink. Warren looked at his mouth. He could only think how he needed to feel that mouth again. Warren knew if he was in his own body, he would be flaming up right now, blazing and pulsing with desire. But he was in Layla's body, which felt like it was burning in a very different way, a thrilling warmth that went from the fingertips to deep within. As if sensing this urgent need, Will's hand flew to his lips. He seemed to be putting up a barrier between his mouth and Warren.
"Please, Layla, it's over. We can't do this."
A wave of guilt hit Warren. What had he just done?
They tumbled into Bianca's house, clawing at each others' clothes, not making it past the hallway. Lash shrugged Warren's leather jacket to the floor and Bianca tugged his t-shirt over his head, murmuring appreciatively at the sight of Warren's chest and nipping his neck lightly. Lash pulled off Bianca's sweater. Unbidden, Lash could feel heat emanate from Warren's body and they were soon surrounded by a thin mist of steam as he crushed his mouth against hers. God, he wanted her so much, he could barely contain himself.
They both jumped at the sound of the front door banging shut. Mr Frost stood in the hallway, his lip curled in a snarl.
"D-daddy!" spluttered Bianca, clutching her sweater to her chest, her eyes large and fearful.
"Get dressed and go to your room, Bianca," he said quietly, his gaze not moving from Lash. "I want to have some words with our guest in private."
Lash could hear Bianca stumbling up the stairs behind him.
"Umm… sorry, Mr Frost, it's not what it looks like…" Lash knew it was stupid thing to say as he stood there topless. It was exactly what it looked like.
Mr Frost grabbed Lash's arm and held it in a vice-like grip.
"I know what you're up to," he said, the hostility in his voice almost tangible, the hold on Lash's arm tightening. "But I can tell you now that I will not allow the son of Battle to even look at my daughter."
The coldness that Lash experienced then was very different to how it was with Bianca. His whole body had turned numb within a matter of seconds. He opened his mouth to say something, but his tongue felt like cotton-wool. A layer of ice crystals criss-crossed over his skin as a judder went through him.
"You're about to find out why they call me Sub Zero. Consider this a warning."
Lash knew he should be trying to fire up to cancel out the ice, but he couldn't. His last thought before he blacked out was that he had never felt so cold.
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April Atrocity, EvilFaerie, Hotchocolatte, Rosemarykiss, smokeydog, Tanith Lilitu and West Trekker, cheers for the reviews on the last chapter! And to everyone else, I know you're reading this (the stat counters see all!), so please tell me what you think. Good, bad, whatever. All feedback is very welcome!
Till next time,
AzulTigress