Chapter 4

Hotstreaks mouth was curved up into a adrenaline induced grin. The dealership had all but asked to be stolen from, what with the shit security and the wide-windowed display room. All he'd had to do was melt a few alarm trips and he'd just strolled in. He jumped into the open air corvette and hot wired the damn thing before laughing and slamming on the gas, but not before holding down the break and letting the tires squeal and gain speed.

He let the breaks go and the car lurched through the glass, broken shards tickling his skin and it crashed down on to the pavement with a flurry of sparks.

Spinning it out on to the road, Hotstreak watched the car's gauge go from 44 to 60 to 75 mph with a wild smile plastered on his face.

He frowned when the car stopped moving abruptly but the wheels kept spinning faster, nearly sending his face flying into the steering wheel. Turning in his chair, Hotstreak knew exactly where to look. Static was picking the car up into the air to keep it from gaining any friction on the road, face showing no sins that it was overly exerting. Hotstreak let go of the gas and jumped on the back of the seat and headrest yelling, "That's what I'm talkin about!"

Static yelled back, "I was wondering when you'd decide to pull grand theft auto again!"

Grinning like a maniac, Hotstreak jumped from the levitating car to the ground and retorted as the hero set the passive car back on the road, "See! That's what I was thinkin'!"

Static snorted, "Geez, you plan it all out?"

Hotstreak grinned again as his shoulders and upper arms caught fire, "I was gettin' bored, what can I say!"

Lighting up his palm, he sent a wave of flames towards Static. Static deflected it easily, unable to hide a cocky grin, "You're not the only one whose powers got upgraded Hotstreak!"

Jumping down from his disk, Static let waves of electricity spark over the ground and charge in his palms. Hotstreak let the flames gather in his hands as he send another folly of fire balls at Static. These were deflected as well. Static's electromagnetic barrier was strong enough for at least that.

Static looked surprised when the pyrokinetic rogue put out his flames and laughed, "Bring it Static!"

The hero understood well enough what he wanted, and for one of the first times in his life, he lunged into a down and dirty slugging match without his powers. Francis dodged Static's initial right hook and well directly into a reckless punch to his side. Static blocked it and danced back.

Overall, Hotstreak was surprised at how well the hero could dodge and block. He didn't know when to take chances to hit him or how to make opportunities, but damn the kid could take a hit. He realized with a flicker of guilt that that might have been due to him. There were several times that Static could have hit him back, but he missed it, or would draw back too soon to protect himself.

Hotstreak smiled when Static dropped his guard when he tripped backwards. Flinging himself forward, Hotstreak threw himself at his middle and pushed him back onto his back. Static grunted as the air was knocked out of him after being pinned to his back between concrete and Hotstreak. Said metahuman laughed, "Ha! I win!"

Static wasn't sure exactly what the metahuman wanted now that he was at his mercy, so he hid that insecurity under loud words, "Shuddup, I lost my footing, that's all!"

Francis laughed and pushed off of him to Static's surprise, "Who ever said I play fair?" Static's eyes widened when the flame powered metahuman offered him a hand up. He took it, albeit warily, as Hotstreak pulled him to his feet.

Static wondered out loud, "Not finishing me off? That's kinda weird."

Hotstreak waved a hand and crossed his arms tight to his chest, "I told ya! I was bored!"

Static sighed and rubbed some blood off his mouth with the back of his sleeve, "Did you have to steal a car to get my attention?"

"Yeah- uh wait, who said I wanted your attention!"

Static laughed, flexing his knuckles, "Like anyone else would try to stop you"

Hotstreak's eyes widened a bit and he recovered, "Just wanted to know how well you'd do in a fist fight. All we ever do is throw our powers around."

Static spit blood out on the ground, "You punch like a truck by the way."

Hotstreak took it as a compliment, "Never seen nobody who can take a punch like you though. Damn fast too"

Static Grinned, teeth wet with blood, "Com on Hotstreak, I've been hit with buildings, cars, dumpster bins, really think a bit of punching's gonna put me out?"

Arms still folded Hotstreak replied, "You should fight back more. You don't take initiative enough."

Static was surprised again, "Are you giving me advice?"

Hotstreak huffed, "What?"

Static's astonishment melted into a small grin as he shrugged, "Nothing." Stretching his arm Static grumbled, "I'll be damned if that doesn't feel sore tomorrow."

Throwing his disk to the ground, Static stepped up to it and squatted, arms resting on his knees, so he floated at eye level with Hotstreak, "I got class in less than half an hour, and I know you're not banned from the premises anymore. You should go."

---

Hotstreaks temper flared again and he yelled, "I don't need you tellin' me what to do!"

"Not telling Hotstreak, suggesting." Virgil smirked.

Hotstreak looked like he might have wanted to get angry, but didn't know how to retaliate so he asked instead, "And how am I supposed to treat you if I do go back?" Now that Hotstreak knew Virgil was Static, he would feel terrible trying to continue like usual and beat up the younger teen while also knowing that he wasn't doing anything to protect himself even though he could. Hotstreak found this idea rather unsettling.

Francis looked confused as Statics eyes softened and his voice sounded tired, "I don't care Hotstreak." Straightening with a grimace from the pain in his side, Static drew his disk higher out of speaking range. Hotstreak wasn't sure what bothered him more; the fact that Static was giving himself up to a beating if he showed up at school, or that he actually wanted to go.

The teachers and faculty were way too terrified of him to try to break of any fights he started and only interfered if he started getting out of control with the property damage by calling the police and keeping out of his path. By then Static would usually show up and keep him from burning down the entire damn building.

Hotstreak cursed and a wave of heat spread through his bones in anger as he started toward Dakota High. He wasn't taking Statics advice. He wasn't. He just felt like getting some overdue respect. What better way to stroke you ego than to have people cower in your shadow just by walking by.

---

Static didn't expect Hotstreak to listen to his advice and follow him to school, so he almost choked during lunch when he looked past Richie's head to see Hotstreak stroll through the doors and sit down at a table far away from everyone else. Richie looked concerned for his chocking friend before he realized what he was choking over. Pushing his glasses up on his nose, Richie muttered, "Hotstreak? What's he doing here?"

Drinking down the rest of his ounce or so of milk that came with his meal, Static muttered, "Dunno Rich. I didn't think he'd actually show." When Hotstreak met his gaze, face stuck in his usual glower, Static jerked his eyes and attention back to Richie. He'd told Hotstreak he didn't care if he decided to beat him up again after knowing who he was, because technically, it helped keep his cover. But through that, he was hoping the metahuman would just ignore him. Not just because his face still hurt from their brawl that morning, but because he was hoping that maybe Hotstreak just wouldn't want to.

He never understood why he'd always wanted to hit him before; he'd never done anything to him or gotten in his way. Granted, he did have a smart mouth, but only after he was harassed. Plus, if he drew attention to himself, usually Richie was kept out of it. He knew Richie knew he did it on purpose, and his friend let him get away with it because he knew that Static liked being able to protect people, no matter how small the favor.

Virgil tried to continue conversation with Richie, but he kept looking back at Hotstreak, whose gaze hadn't moved from the hero since he'd sat down. Virgil was uncomfortable under such intense scrutiny, but tried to play it off as nerves as he quized Richie on the probability of Mrs. Henrickson giving them homework.

Richie had several reasons for why she should want them tortured and he ended up predicting just how much time it might take them to finish it. Virgil was almost glad when lunch was over though, because now he could escape Hotstreak. He said goodbye to Richie since his class was on the far end of the school, and Virgil took one last glance around and saw that Hotstreak was no where to be found.

Walking halfway across the school, Static's hand was on the door when someone closed their hand on his shoulder too tightly to be friendly. Static whirled to find himself eye to eye with Hotstreak.

A quick glance told him they were alone in the hallway. Backing to the side so Virgil could maneuver if he had to, Static asked, "What?"

Hotstreak grabbed his arm and said, "Come on." Virgil yanked free and demanded, "Why should I go with you?"

Hotstreak rolled his eyes, "You might not give a crap about me, but what about your little friend."

"What?" Then realization dawned on him, "Richie?"

"Yeah, who else?"

Virgil's spine straightened and his muscles bunched as he followed after Hotstreak, "What's going on?!"

"Saw Marty cornering him with a couple of his punk ass flunkies and I went to find you."

Static was about to ask why Hotstreak had gone to find him to help if he could have just helped him himself when Hotstreak started, "I'd ave' done somthin' myself, but he's yer friend."

"So you would have helped him yourself?"

Hotstreak ignored the question and looked back at him, "I don't know of your some sort of masochist or what, but your going to fight them whether you want to or not."

Statics eyes widened as he hissed, "Hotstreak, I can't do that! What if people found out?!"

"They won't." he said sternly and then mumbled, " I'm tired of feelin all guilty over this shit."

Virgil's eyes widened when they rounded the outside of the school to see Richie on the ground while one of them kicked him in the stomach. Richie's face was bloody and he curled into the pain to protect himself. If he were Gear, he could have done something about their assault, but the boy wasn't as athletic as Virgil and without technology around, he wasn't a match for the assholes.

Virgil snarled and bunched his hands into fists, anger spreading like poison through his veins, "Hey! Lay off him!"

One of them laughed and kicked him again, "Or what?" It took all of his willpower to keep his powers under control.

Marty laughed with him, "No, this is better. I was getting bored with this pun anyways. Get him too!"

"What about Hotstreak boss?"

Hotstreak jept to the side, "This ain't my fight."

The flunkie accepted his answer and returned their focus to Virgil.

Virgil narrowed his eyes and as the two flunkies converged on him, he ducked low and punched him in the gut moving swiftly to kick him in the side, knocking him to the ground. Snarling, Virgil ground out, "I've had it with you assholes. You're scum and I'm dealing with you right now."

The one he'd knocked to the ground grunted, "Damn, I thought you said he was weak!"

Virgil caught the other flunkies sucker punch and twisted his arm at a vicious angle before drawing back and punching him in the nose and kneeing him in the stomach when he doubled over as blood gushed from his head.

Before the first one could regain his feet, Static kicked him back down and walked up to Marty, "Leave. Him. Alone."

Marty snarled, "Why should I listen to your punk ass!"

Static narrowed his eyes again before he responded, "Because this punk is about to beat the shit outta you. No one touches Richie." The bully punched at his face and Static caught the fist before it connected and pushed him back, forcing his back up against the wall with a rough shove. Marty growled, "When did you get so tall?"

Virgil threw him to the side and kicked him in the small of his back. He fell to his stomach with a grunt and Virgil rolled him over and kicked him in the spleen. Marty grunted and coughed, rolled to his side in pain. Static lifted his foot to kick him again when strong arms wrapped around his and pulled him back. Virgil screamed, "Let me go! I'm not done yet!"

He was surprised by Hotstreaks straining voice in his ear, "He is. Any more of this any you could kill him." Virgil was silent in his arms, but he hadn't relaxed so Hotstreak voiced, "Do you want that?"

Virgil went limp and grit, "No." Hotstreak let him go and Virgil went straight to Richie's side. Static let out one last scream of rage as he kicked the ground in childish fury, except there was murder in his eyes as sparks danced over his skin and latched on to objects around him in fizzing electricity. The boy was unconscious as Virgil dragged him to his feet, pulling his arm over his shoulder.

Hotstreak watched silently and then wondered out loud, "Why are you so angry?"

Static sighed, "Richie's the only friend I've ever had. I don't like it when the people I care about get hurt."

Hotstreak didn't tilted his head strangely to the hero's response. He watched as Virgil half dragged his best friend towards the infirmary. Hotstreak felt the urge to offer his help but his inner voice responded, "Like he wants your help. You've been the cause of his pain for years, why should he accept help from you now."

Feeling rather alone and miserable, Hotstreak left the moaning bullies lying on the ground and climbed up to the roof where he wouldn't have to interact with anyone else for the rest of the day. He was mistaken though, when a fully clad Static landed a few feet behind him. Instinctively his hackles rose in preparation of a fight. Taking better note of his surroundings, Hotstreak realized that school was far done by then.

Turning and standing to face the hero, Hotstreak noticed immediately that Static didn't look remotely ready for a fight. Relaxing a bit Hotstreak asked warily, "Yeah?"

Static's eyes were determined and dark, holding none of the mirth they usually held. He asked carefully, "Why did you help me?"

Hotstreak snapped, "I didn't do jack shit."

Static sighed, "You could have just let them have Richie, you didn't need to take me to him."

"I dunno, I just felt like it!"

Static made a noise deep in his throat and asked, "What did you mean when you said you didn't want to feel guilty."

Hotstreak was surprised to find himself not yelling his response, "It doesn't sit well with me knowing you can defend yourself but you don't. So I let you defend yourself, that's all."

Static nodded and stared at the ground before saying quietly, "Thank you."

Hotstreak whined, "Don't be thanking me an shit!"

Static met his eyes, "I mean it Francis, Thanks. For taking me to Richie and...for stopping me..."

Hotstreak wasn't prepared for the last part, "Stopping you?"

"I could have really hurt that guy, but you stopped me, so thanks." His voice was subdued and raw with emotion.

Hotstreak felt the last of his fight slip out of him, "Oh, we...don't mention it." Hotstreak turned and sat down with his back to the hero. When Static made no move to leave he mumbled, "Can't take that kind of shit back."

Static watched him with worry before asking, "Does this mean your not going to fight me anymore."

Hotstreak grumbled loudly, "We'll see!"

Static grinned and Hotstreak was surprised when the hero smacked him on the back, "That's the Hotstreak I know!"

Feeling slightly self-conscious, Hotstreak turned the discussion away from himself, "How's the kid?"

"Richie? He'll be okay. Cracked rib and a lot of bruising, but he's already back to his snarky self."

Hotstreak wasn't sure what to say to that so he muttered awkwardly, "I guess that's alright."

Static smiled, "I'll see ya then."

Jumping to his disk, the hero left his rival to his thoughts. Hotstreak watched him leave, the orange glow from the sunset making everything more vibrant than it should be. Crossing his arms, Hotstreak found that his loneliness wasn't so bad anymore. He could even smile...if he wanted to.

I'll see ya

Did that mean the hero wanted to see him again? Hotstreak frowned; why was he thinking about that anyways. He wasn't some girl that dwelled on conversation and interaction. It did make him feel a little warmer though. But this warmth had nothing to do with his powers.

Now I can start getting into the good stuff ;) I really really want to keep them in character for as much as I can, but I do need to get some superhero fighting...ness out of the way too, but for them to progress in their relationship, I'm going to have to get some conversation going. C: I hope my action, when there is some, that it isn't really lame D: I'm trying.

Thanks to all of you who review and support me! What you think really matters C: