Static stood near the power plant, careful that no one was out and about or near the roof he was standing on. It never hurt to be cautious. Taking one last peek at the surrounding area, Static swerved the disc he rode over the fence and dropped to the other side. He wasn't really sure if this was called stealing, but since he'd been drained that night he'd been stabbed, he really needed to rejuvenate, and the little jolts he gained from small electronics just wasn't cutting it. He figured it was getting even for an emergency room not providing what he really needed; extra juice.

Stretching his hands out in front of him, Static drew himself into the circuit of the plant by drawing the electricity out towards him, unable to keep a wild grin off his face as the new power surged through his body, healing him and filling him with the power he had grown accustomed to.

Sparks skittered across the ground around him, melting the snow around his feet and making the air thick with ozone as he pulled away, laughing childishly at the flood of power swelling inside of him. Squeezing his hands tight Static felt his wound numb from the energy he had absorbed and jumped energetically onto the metal disk, bending over and keeping one hand on the disc to steady himself as he tore into the sky on a stream of barely controlled electricity.

Little did he know that he'd been watched. Hotstreak watched as Static rode away into the night, arms crossed across his chest, unaware of the cold, even from his perch on a nearby rooftop where the icy November wind would have driven needles into anyone else. He'd never seen Static charge up before; he knew he didn't need to. That made Hotstreak think, "Just how powerful is he if he can just continue to absorb electricity?" As far as he knew, Static didn't have a limit. Starting a small fireball in his hand, he watched the fire lap lazily at his wrist, flickering into sparks in the wind. He let out a bark of crude laughter; it was funny how similar their personalities were to their powers.

Francis and his literally hot temper, and Static and his unpredictability and fierce power. He'd never though of Static as strong when they were in school, but now that he thought about it, the kid hadn't ever been that strong but he had a strong will to not back down like the others and not let it wear him down. Hotstreak sulked at the buildings around him, since when did he get so damn poetic?

Ever since he'd saved Static, feelings he thought he'd buried away years ago were being ripped to the surface. Feelings he thought he wasn't capable of anymore. They hurt and he was beginning to prefer when he didn't feel anything at all.

Jumping over the edge, Hotstreak cushioned his landing with fire, melting the snow into a small fog as he shoved his hands in his pockets, scowl apparent on his face as he stalked back to the street. Time to burn his feelings away...

Static heard Richie come over the Shock Vox, "Static! Holy shit, get down to Midway NOW!"

Responding with urgency in his voice, "Richie are you okay? What's going on?"

"Hotstreak's flipped, he's gone completely nuts!"

Static set his jaw and streaked towards his partner, whispering under his breath, "Hang on Rich." He knew how bad Hotstreak could get when he was angry; Richie was no match for him. Hotstreak could melt any and all of his friends gadgets that he threw at him and unless he dunked him in the ocean or knocked him out there was no stopping him. He seriously doubted that they would get close enough to knock him out if he was as pissed off as Richie thought he was.

Virgil hovered over the scene below him and and grit his teeth. Hotstreak wasn't laughing maniacally like he usually did when he wiped out a few newsstands; he actually looked serious. Fire nearly ignited the air around him, turning nearby snow into steam, crossing directly from a solid to a gas.

Several cars were either melted or melting as he screamed, lighting another fireball in his hands, "Don't talk to me like you know me!" Richie stopped trying to talk as he dodged probably one of many fireballs that was hurled at him. Virgil dropped to the ground in front of him, his disk spinning closed as he put it in his jacket. The last time he'd seen Hotstreak this violent was the second big bang when he'd nearly fused himself with Ebon.

Without taking his eyes from Hotstreak, Static called back, "Stay out of this Richie."

Richie was about to argue until Virgil flashed him a warning, "Yeah, whatever you say V."

Backing up so he wasn't necessarily safe, but he wasn't in the line of fire so he could jump in to help Virgil, Richie coasted back. At this distance he wasn't able to make out what they were saying, and even though he could have used backpack to listen in, he felt like that would be an invasion of privacy, from the look Virgil had given him.

Static stood his ground, eyes narrowed, as Hotstreak threw a fireball at him, a snarl deeply etched onto his face. Static threw up a shield and the fire scattered uselessly around him as he asked, "What happened? Why are you doing this?"

Hotstreak stayed in his fighters crouch, eyes burning in flame, his voice dangerously low, "Shut up Static. You're the cause of all this."

Virgil kept his voice steady and his hands at his sides, "What did I do?"

Hotstreak's voice bordered on panic now as he held a hand at his chest, "This! This Virgil! You made me remember what it was like!"

Virgil tried to keep his confusion hidden as he asked gently, "Francis, you're not making any sense. Remember what what was like?"

Hotstreak screamed threw his teeth in frustration, flames engulfing him completely before he calmed them and they went out completely. He just seemed tired now as he finished, "What it was like to be accepted...for people to care."

Virgil was taken off guard and he opened his mouth to talk before he noticed the police showing up all around them. Narrowing his eyes in frustration Virgil let some sparks loose in a wave of anger and asked calmly, "How about we continue our discussion elsewhere."

Hotstreak followed Static's gaze to the growing number of cops and his flames started up again as he ground out, "Fucking cops."

Static said more demandingly, "Hotstreak. They're not important right now; I'm not done talking with you yet." Francis whipped around, staring intently at Static. The seconds crawled by as he decided weather or not he wanted to talk, or fight. He clenched his fists tighter and answered, "Fine. But your sidekick stays here."

Using the fire that came naturally to him, Hotstreak propelled himself to a rooftop and sprinted away, certain the lightning hero could catch up. Pulling out the disk, Virgil electrified it and stepped on. Looking back to Richie he gestured for his friend to join him, "Richie, I hate to do this to you man, but can you come up with an explanation for all this to the cops. I gotta talk to Hotstreak."

Richie was taken aback, "He wants to talk again? Why?"

Static's shoulders slumped in a sigh, "It's important Rich, and he wants to talk to me alone." Seeing the concern on his friends face Static smiled and forced a laugh, "Chill out Richie, I'll be fine!"

Richie knew he would, bur that didn't stop his frustration at not being able to help. He tried to smile back, "Alright, but watch your back V."

Already racing after Hotstreak he yelled over his shoulder, "Will do!"

Following half flaming footsteps was more than Virgil could ask for. Jumping to the building roof, Static landed in a crouch a few feet from the delinquent, calm, but prepared if Hotstreak wanted to start anther fight.

Hotstreak looked like he usually did as he sat relaxed on the building edge. He glared at Virgil, willing him to talk first and break the silence between them. Static felt himself more at ease under his unnerving gaze than he thought he'd be, "So are you going to clarify just what the hell that was all about?"

Hotstreak glared for a few more seconds before he looked away and started talking, "Don't think that this is some fucking counseling session just cause I'm talkin to ya!" He folded his hands together and started nervously, "My parents were a couple of high class bastards. They cut me off after I got into high school; said I was an embarrassment. After that happened I got deeper and deeper into gangs and all that shit. If I hadn't gotten powers I'd probably be dead by now. I guess...I dunno, I just stopped caring about everything after a while. After I really started to talking to you, I just remembered what it was like to have friends.."

"You got friends don't you?"

He sent Static a steely glare and Virgil huffed and said, "You know, once you keep the property damage to a minimum you're not that bad of a guy, you know that?"

Hotstreak snorted, "Whatever Virgil." He stood up and asked, "Now what? You gonna arrest me for property damage blah blah blah." He waved his hand in the air and set it on his hip, scratching his head and staring pointedly at the sidewalk.

Virgil surprised him again when he laughed and said, "They don't have to know that I caught up to you," jumping onto the disc, hovering above the roof.

Hotstreak dramatically raised a fist at him, "Hey, I don't accept charity!"

Virgil chuckled and started away, "And I don't turn people in for throwing tantrums!"

Hotstreak shouted in frustration as the hero faded away, "Hey!" But as he stood alone on the building, he felt some of the emptiness inside of him crumble away. He didn't know if it was because he finally talked, or if it was the person he'd spoken to. Not noticing as the corner of his mouth turned up at the side, he felt more relaxed than he had in ages. Maybe Static wasn't as bad as he thought he was; he'd always felt better after a riling match with the hero. Even if it landed him behind bars for a while it was worth it. Maybe this was worth it too...whatever this was.

Okay, so far, this could go one of two ways. All in favor of Slash, say I. All in favor of friendship, speak now or forever hold your peace. Also, I updated chapter one, but didn't actually check through this one, which a great deal shorter...sorry D: