Flug was in the Robotics Lab late Friday night, he felt like he really needed to get back into his normal swing of working until he collapsed from exhaustion. He was not alone in this, as a few of his fellow workaholics kept him company. Or as much as they could, with his antisocial nature.
There were about eight of them there, three of them their Gifted subjects.
On the Engineering side were Manuel, the Jefe who did nothing and just allowed Aurelio to do whatever he wanted last week; Tesoro, the girl who was harassed by said man; Luis, the guy who blended into the background most of the time; Donny, the guy who was in the Robotics Club last year but was kicked out for reasons unknown; and Flug himself.
The three Gifted students were Patricia, the cheetah hybrid; Natalia, the speedster; and Tomas, the telekinetic musician.
Flug's ideas hinged on turning their gifts against them. While Patricia had speed, it was nowhere near Natalia's level, she had a much lower stamina and tired out quickly. So if he could just get her in the proper spot (Heh, cheetah. Heh, spot) standard bonds should be enough.
While she had the claws and teeth of a cheetah as well as the speed, she kept them short and filed down. Probably so that she didn't scare her fellow classmates too much. Shame, if she kept them long she could use them to escape the simple rope trap he was planning.
He heard something about her apparently having dental surgery to reduce the size of her naturally impressive canine teeth. He wished she hadn't. If she truly had the teeth of such a beast he would've loved to have seen them in action.
Natalia on the other hand was your typical average speed demon. She used her speed all the time, for trivial things. She was cocky and arrogant at times, thinking that she could out run (and hench escape from) anything they threw at her.
Which, so far, she had. All the test traps she had escaped from before they had even snapped shut.
See, everyone else's problem was they were thinking too straightforward.
Which is where Flug's design would come in.
He had a plan. Not just a trap, a whole plan.
Natalia's problem was her first response. To anything. No matter what happened, her first reaction was to run. More often than not, she ran directly towards whatever it was that had gotten her attention. So all Flug needed was a lure. Bait for the trap, if you will.
See, no one else was thinking of bait! They were so wrapped up in building something that they weren't thinking of who would use it or how it would apply in the real world! People don't just wait patiently for you to trap them! You have to trick them into it!
Flug's favorite thing about being lost in his work was that he didn't have to think about how downright malicious his thoughts were.
Tomas was not as simple as the two ladies were. On the one hand, his physical body seemed weaker than average. He had very low physical education scores all throughout his middle and high school life (Flug MAY have done some digging of his own…), and he usually used his telekinetic abilities to float himself around rather than walk. Or pick up objects. Or do much of anything.
Tomas was a really lazy guy.
The one thing he actually seemed to want to use his body for was playing the guitar. Other than that his body was thin and weak. Not unlike Flug's.
His mind however, was strong. As it should be. The brain was a muscle, the more you flexed it the stronger it became.
And Tomas had been flexing his like an oiled up gym rat since he was a baby.
The most obvious maneuver would be to nullify his telekinesis. How Flug would go about actually doing that remained to be seen. Not strictly because it was complicated to create, no Flug was sure that if given enough time he'd been able to do it, but because technology like that was heavily restricted.
Many of the worlds heroes had abilities. Someone with the power to counteract them garnered a lot of attention. Especially some 20-something-year-old who makes a dampening field capable of containing a telekinetic out of materials found in a Universidad laboratory.
Which he would not be able to keep. Due to it being made with school materials on school grounds by a student and because it would be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. Since Flug was just some guy (as far as anyone knew), he probably qualified as such.
Which left the only option to capturing Tomas to be something more...physical. Which was difficult for the twig of a man. Tomas could destroy anything they could ever think of keeping him in to capture him.
Flug wondered if Cafe Triste did deliveries…
He stared off into space, trying to think of something Tomas potentially couldn't break with his mind powers. Maybe they could catch him off guard and just go with a classic knockout dart. Oh wait, where are they getting the darts? Would it count as incapacitating if you just knock out the subjects? Didn't seem very sportsmanlike.
Hmm, were they any situations where telekinesis DIDN'T make life 20 times easier? Flug guessed that sports probably frowned upon them.
Ok not helping.
Pressure? Does telekinesis work on air? Would it be possible to get him into an airtight box and increase or decrease pressure to the point where he wouldn't be able to use his telekinesis to escape? Did telekinesis work that way? Or would he only succeed in suffocating Tomas to the point he lost consciousness and or died?
It would not be good to kill Tomas with so many witnesses.
Maybe it would be better to stop over complicating things and just electrocute him.
Just then, Flug realized he got slapped about 12 times in 2 seconds.
His first thought is that Natalia should be faster than that.
The second thought was Wait, why did she slap me?
He finally focused on the slap-happy speedster, and became aware of the other six people in the Lab that evening all staring at him.
He awkwardly shifted under their gaze. "Uhhh, what was that for?" He asked while he rubbed his sore cheek. Thankfully, she had slapped the left side, his unscarred side.
"Oh, finally!" The woman in question shouted. "We were trying to talk to you!"
"You...were?"
"Yes!" She said exasperatedly. "We tried yelling, and poking, and waving things in front of your face, and-" she snapped her fingers "-nothing!"
"So, you slapped me?"
"Well, we were running out of ideas!"
"How many times did you slap me?" he asked. Oh boy the sting was setting in. Oh ow ow ow ow ow-
"About...18?"
"In what, two or three seconds?"
"Two, two and a half?"
Flug nodded. "So, what's up?"
"What's up?" Manuel asked from the back. "What's up is one of our best guys is spacing out in the corner mumbling to himself like a crazy person. Are you ok Flug?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm-" He stifled a yawn. "I'm fine. Just...thinking."
"Well, would you like to share your thoughts?" Manuel asked. "We've hit a block."
Flug rubbed the sleep from his eyes. C'mon, Flug! You got this! You've worked for longer with less caffeine in your system!
Speaking of, did Cafe Triste do deliveries? He'd have to check with Demetra next time he went…
"Ok ok ok ok," he said, trying to get back to where his thought process was. He shook his hair and ran his fingers through his hair. "Um, ok, Tomas? Do you know if your telekinesis is at all affected by the air pressure around you?"
Tomas perked up his head. "What?"
"Like, you can move objects and stuff here at this pressure, but like, can you as easily or easier depending on the amount of pressure?"
Tomas still gave him a blank look. "...what?"
"I don't think that's how it works, Flug." Tesoro called from the table she leaned against. She looked tired.
"Well ok, how about if we knock you unconscious?"
"Dude."
"Ok, can I electrocute you?"
"Dude!"
"What? Did we get a list of restrictions I don't know about?"
"That's just bad sportsmanship, man." Tomas said.
"Well whatever." Flug said under his breath. The ideas he had floating around in his burnt out brain were never all that great once he got past a certain point. He was starting to give in to his exhaustion. And he fought it as well as any stressed out man can fight off the onslaught of the tiger army that is sleep.
Flug pulled out his phone, which was on 15% what the hell?! How long had he been zoned out!?
As he hooked his phone up to his charger, he noted the time. 11:24 pm.
Wow.
He also noted that his phone had been on silent, which would explain the multiple missed calls from a number he didn't recognize right away. Whoever they were they didn't leave any voicemails. Looks like they sent a text, though.
FLUG I KNOW THIS IS YOUR NUMBER ANSWER ME
And this was sent...an hour ago.
…Goody…..
Looking at the text gave him that same dark feeling. He'd felt it a bit the first time Black Hat had gotten mad, and it had been even stronger the second time. Because for whatever reason he'd REALLY hit a nerve there.
Somehow it was even detectable via text.
"Uh, hey, guys?" he asked the room. "Do...do any of you know Black Hat?"
They stared at him in confusion. "Black...Hat?"
"Dark skin, wears a suit, top hat? May or may not have a nose? He came in with me last week to get my bag?"
"Oh that guy!" Natalia said. "Wait, his name is Black Hat?"
"I thought he had some really impossible to pronounce name."
"It's like his nickname." Flug explained. "I actually couldn't pronounce his real name, either. So he said to call him 'Black Hat'."
Everyone nodded in understanding. A few piped up.
"I've seen him around, don't really know him."
"He's in the Spanish language class, I know that. He's like, an exchange or transfer student or something right?"
"Guy sits behind me in government class. Sometimes. He moves around the room."
"Yeah but, does anyone actually know him? Like, talk to him?"
Mostly everyone shook their heads.
"When he sits near me he'll sometimes asks me to translate some words he doesn't know, or like a joke he didn't understand. That's about as far as it goes." Tomas said.
"I think the whole thing of hybrids is new to him or something." Patricia said. "I keep catching him staring at me and some of the others."
"No, he does that to pretty much everyone." Natalia piped up, zooming next to Patricia. "I've seen him do it out in the courtyard."
"No, I mean a different kind of staring. Not that creepy stare, like a stare of someone expecting something from you, you know?"
"Like at the zoo when you're trying to see if the animals move?" Luis said. Flug had completely forgotten he was even here.
"Ugh, please don't mention zoos." Patricia said with a groan. "I hate those places."
"Maybe they don't have many hybrids where he's from?" Tomas suggested. "Maybe he never actually saw any in person before? And he can't help but stare?"
Flug didn't share that Black Hat mentioned visiting several continents, or the fact that he speaks at least three other languages pretty fluently. But taking those into consideration made it unlikely that Patricia was one of the first hybrids he's witnessed. Even if his native country didn't have many hybrids, he'd certainly traveled around enough to see some.
"Hey, maybe he's a hybrid himself?" Natalia said jokingly. "And like Tomas said, there aren't many where he's from? So, he's like, 'OMG, someone else like me!'"
"Actually, that's relevant to why I asked if any of you knew him." Flug said. "I was gonna ask, do any of you know if he's got a Gift too?"
They all thought about it.
"He's in my government class, but that's a mixed class. Gifted and Non." Tomas pointed out. "I personally haven't seen him do anything."
"If he's a hybrid like me, that might explain the dark skin." Patricia said. "But he doesn't look like any creature I know. Typically hybrids are mammals."
"But not always." Donny added. Patricia nodded. "True, not always."
"I think he's just a guy from a different country who hasn't quite learned how to fit in here." Manuel said. "But then again, I don't know the guy."
"So, why'd you ask, Flug? He your new friend?"
Flug hesitated. "Kind of. We've been...hanging out, recently. And I've been getting kind of a weird vibe from him sometimes. Guess I was just curious."
"Weird how?"
"Like…" he struggled to put it into words. What was that analogy he came up with before? Something like lightning?
"Energy." he finally said. "It's like feeling a massive build up of energy that's about to break loose."
The three Gifted students in the room looked confused at his description. Huh. Flug would've thought they of all people would have felt something like that. His fellow club members however, nodded thoughtfully.
"I know what you mean." Manuel said. "I used to go to school with this guy. Had electricity powers. Cockiest son of a bitch you ever met. He got upset, and you just felt it in the air. Hardly mattered what it was; bad grade, picked a fight, whatever. You knew when he was gonna throw a hissy fit."
"Oh, my neighbor said something kinda like that!" Tesoro said. "She has this older sister, see? And she was dating this hybrid guy. I think he was a bear, or something. Something big. He was a big hairy guy."
"What taste." Donny commented.
"Shut up, ok? I'm trying to tell a story! So anyways this guy, usually real nice and sweet, real gentleman like. But protective as hell. I think her sister had a thing for hybrids, because her exes were, like, ALL hybrids, and whenever they would run into each other Bear-Boy got crazy paranoid! She said she was around it once and it was like you just felt it in your bones that something was going to happen."
"What you're describing is our more...animal traits being displayed." Patricia said, with audible distaste. "Our 'animal instincts', you could say, coming out. Some people let them get out of control."
"So, Manuel's electric boy?"
"Something different." The cheetah woman said shaking her head. "Probably you just felt the electric discharge given off by his body."
Flug nodded, that was similar to how it felt to him. But for Black Hat it wasn't electricity he was sensing. He knew what that felt like and that was not it. He felt something being radiated from that man, no doubt, but it wasn't exactly electrical energy. It wasn't heat or cold, like one would expect from someone with an elemental Gift. It was something far less tangible.
A form of energy he couldn't identify just from being near it.
"So, when you got this weird vibe from him, what was going on?" Tomas asked.
"Well, w-we were talking, I guess I said something to make him mad and-"
"Ok, what specifically happened?"
"Uhhh…" Well I said his "take over the world" plan was too simplistic to work, and he got pissed. Then I guess I offended him by making some off-hand sarcastic comment about paying back a villain to dig up the skeletons in my closet.
"I said...W-well, he was telling me about his plans for the future. I told him they were too simplistic, and he kinda got mad at me."
"His plans for the future?" Natalia asked.
"It's like…" Oh damn how to put this? "He wants to start up a successful business, kind of, I guess that's the best way of saying it? Problem was he was oversimplifying the differing market places and pricing and the competitive nature of the open market-"
"Ok ok Flug we got it." Manuel interrupted. "And he got mad at you for this?"
"Yeah I guess he kinda took it to heart."
"What, was it his lifelong dream or something?"
"I don't know. He did mention it's what he's been working towards for a long time, and I guess he's put a lot of money into making it a reality. He was actually asking for my help."
"Who wants your help?" Asked a new voice. One Flug recognized. One he imagined in his ear late at night. Deep as the ocean and smooth as desert glass.
Aurelio Cruz.
Flug had honestly been avoiding him since last week. Going so far as peeking into the Robotics Lab to see if he was there before going in. He'd made it a point to make most of his longer visits at night, when Aurelio was typically out doing...whatever popular people did. Party? He probably went to parties.
He hated that he was letting this man keep him out of his favorite place, but he just wasn't ready to be near him again.
He'd thought late night on a Friday was safe.
That was when TONS of parties were going on, wasn't it?
Why was Aurelio HERE?
It seemed everyone else was as eager as Flug to see him again. He could see the nervousness and borderline distress on their faces. Natalia, naturally, sped over in the blink of an eye.
"I thought Paola was having that keger this Friday? You said you were busy!" She said with a stomp of her foot.
"It was a bore," The walking artwork said, rolling his eyes and making that one curl that dangled near his eye bounce. It drew Flug's attention back to his eye color, that deep green with the little specks of blue he noticed back when Aurelio had been so close.
Those were something not captured by the low resolution cell phone cameras. Those were only seen in the flesh. Or, maybe with a professional camera.
Just stop this, He thought to himself. He's a human, just like you.
A human with a terrifying Gift and the body of a God. The insane part of his mind answered back. But yeah, other that that JUST like you.
"So, hermana, who wants help?"
"You know that guy, dark, kinda creepy, pretty good fashion sense, has a really heavy raspy accent?"
"No, actually. What's his name?"
"We don't really know." Luis spoke up. Aurelio seemed like he had to do a bit of searching to figure out who just said that. Flug was mildly amused that Luis was so below everyone's notice that people just kind of forgot about him until he spoke up.
Kind of like Flug, in a way. Aurelio never really paid him any mind before last week.
"Apparently, his nickname is Black Hat."
"Oh wait, the one in the hat?"
As everyone focused on getting Aurelio up to speed, Flug tried to figure a way to get out of this conversation. Which wasn't going to be possible, it was going to lead back to him eventually.
He looked at his phone, trying to pretend he was busy.
Oh God why did this have to happen now? He was so close to just ignoring all of his problems until they went away and now-
A light bulb went off in his head. An idea that was probably terrible but would get him out of his current situation.
He texted Black Hat.
Robotics Lab. Urgent. Come now.
It was vague, and the man probably deserved at least a Sorry I've been ignoring you first, but Flug was desperate. It was between dealing with his unwanted physical attraction and his supposed denied nature.
He found he'd rather deal with the devil than with cupid.
"Why does he wear a top hat?" Aurelio asked.
"How should I know?" Natalia said with exaggerated arm movements. Lots of waving and gesturing about. In super speed, it kind of looked like a giant wind propeller around her. "I just know he does!"
"I thought you said he had good fashion sense."
"Oh damn, shots fired." Tesoro mumbled from the back of the group. Far away from Aurelio. Flug didn't blame her.
Finally, a response:
I'm busy. Can it wait?
NO IT CANNOT WAIT YOU DAPPER DASTARDLY EVIL DOER! Flug thought. I NEED AN IMMEDIATE ESCAPE ROUTE AND I'M NOT THAT GOOD A LIAR!
Instead of sending that, he settled for the more sarcastic: I don't know, can that weekend trip you mentioned wait?
Flug guessed this meant he was agreeing to go. Oh boy.
Wait, was it going to be an overnight stay? Were they getting a hotel room? Was he going to have to bring his own food? Was it like they were driving somewhere or what? Should he bring gas money? Would he need an overnight bag?
Goddamnit did he own any normal male underwear anymore?
No way was he going to let Black Hat see him in his panties. Even if he already knew, which Flug couldn't say for sure and sure as hell wasn't going to ask about, that didn't mean he had to go and show him.
Oh so you're FINALLY getting back to me about that?
Well okay, he had a right to be mad about that.
So you're in?
Flug responded quickly: Yeah I'm in. Now can you please come get me?
Think, think, what sounded casual and plausible?
I need a ride home.
Nailed it.
"And Flug-" Flug perked up at the sound of his name. "-Flug was thinking maybe it was his Gift. If he has one." Natalia said. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know if he's in the Gifted program would you Lio?"
"Sadly no, I am no help in this endeavour." God why was he so eloquent?
"Well damn," Tomas said. "Does this guy have friends? Anyone else we can ask?"
"I don't really see him talking to people."
None of your friends can give you a ride?
WOULD YOU STOP MAKING THIS SO DIFFICULT!?
Look can you please just do this for me? I'll owe you a favor, okay?
Flug hoped that would sweeten the deal.
He got the fastest reply he had gotten from Black Hat thus far.
Okay fine. Be there soon. Bringing company.
Flug reread the last two words. About four times. He did this until it finally clicked in his mind what they meant.
Black Hat was...bringing someone else?
Who? Ok he mentioned he was "busy" but what could he be doing right now, of all times? And with who would he be doing them with?
Wait.
It's Friday night. It's ungodly late. He's a man. With all of the same urges Flug has, presumably. And with company.
Oh shit did I just cockblock the guy?
"Hermano," a familiar voice said into his ear.
Flug resisted the urge to jump up, run off, and start a new life in America.
Relax. He told himself. You've done this before. Just stall until Black Hat comes and you can leave.
Actually, why didn't he just go wait outside for him?
Yeah that made sense! He felt tired and texted a friend to give him a ride home, and was just going to wait outside for him! Perfectly reasonable! No one else had to know he a) Had pretty much no friends, at least none close enough that he'd text for a ride home after midnight; or b) had no clue exactly how long it was going to be until Black Hat showed up.
Hopefully he had just been up late with homework, or he had a night shift job (please don't be murdering people, please don't show up covered in blood), or some other reason that didn't involve his personal life.
Seriously, if it turned out Black Hat had a date that Flug had dragged him away from, he was sure he was going to have to deal with more Angry Black Hat.
He doubted the man would be forgiving that Flug pulled him away from his date just because some guy made him uncomfortable with his unholy hotness.
And, oh yeah, he now owed him a favor! Just peachy!
"Hermano, you look overworked." Aurelio said, dragging him away from his thoughts to stare deep into those smooth green orbs he had in his skull where most people would just have eyes. "All work and no play makes a man dull, no?"
He said it kind of playfully, and Flug actually felt himself relax a bit. He let out a soft chuckle, even though he really did want to correct that movie quote.
"Heh, y-yeah I guess." He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. His hair felt stiff and a bit crusty. Also it felt like it was sticking up in odd places around his head. Dear God did he forget to shower AGAIN?
"It's not healthy to push yourself so hard, Rocinante." Oh Madre María his name sounded perfect when it was HIM saying it!
Flug turned his head down, hoping he wasn't blushing as hard as he felt he was.
"I-I know, force of habit. I, uh-"
"You should come out with me sometime!" Aurelio said, cutting him off.
"H-huh?"
"You should let me take you out sometime!" He said again, putting a hand on his shoulder. Flug's eyes went wide for a moment before remembering Aurelio had to have skin contact with a person in order for his powers to work on them.
Saved by the polyester T-Shirt.
"Let me introduce you to some people, show you a good time." He went on, casually invading Flug's personal space. "You, mi amigo, are in desperate need of a night out."
Flug never went out to parties or did anything social. He'd never been a popular guy. Maybe a night out of his comfort zone would do him some good. Help him take a break from all the pressuring thoughts swimming around his head.
A night out with AURELIO CRUZ of all people, promised that nothing else would be on his mind.
Wait did he just call him his friend?
"M-maybe you're right…" he admitted. "Maybe I need to take a b-b-break."
"Ooh come on, hermano, give me more enthusiasm!"
"Uuuuh…Y-yeah?" he said awkwardly holding up a fist like that meant something.
Aurelio stared at him for a moment.
"You don't go out much, do you?"
"N-no…" Flug said, downcast again.
"Oh, don't look so sad hermano," He said, getting down on one knee to cup his face in his hands. "I didn't mean to make fun, I just think going out and having a fun time could do you some good, that's all."
HE'STOUCHINGMYFACEHE'STOUCHINGMYFACEHE'STOUCHINGMYFACE
...Wait…
Oh shit he's touching my face.
Skin. On. Skin.
Oh no.
Flug's eyes went wide. Aurelio noticed. Apparently he took offense to the semi-horrified semi-aroused look in his eye because he gave him sort of a unimpressed look. Like, I thought maybe you were different from everybody else. Oh well, guess I was mistaken. Only lust and terror in you.
As he went to pull his hands away, Flug reflexively reached out and held them. Aurelio gave him a surprised look. Flug would've given HIMSELF a surprised look if he was able to.
Why am I doing this he was pulling away he was going away like I wanted why am I here holding his hands?!
Flug's eyes flitted from Aurelio's eyes to his lips to his facial hair to this hands, which he was still holding onto for reasons unknown to even him, and struggled to find some way to explain himself.
"Rocinante?"
"I-I-I..." he fidgeted as he tried to form some magic sentence which would explain away everything. "I'm sorry. I don't m-mean to be so skittish and awkw-w-ward." Oh geez, he fumbled right in the middle of the word. Just kill him now.
"I've n-never been good at talking to people." He faintly realized he was slowly bringing Aurelio's hands back towards his face. More specifically, to his lips.
NO NO NO THIS IS WEIRD ABORT MISSION ABORT MISSION
Flug released Aurelio's hands, flopping his own down into his lap. He hoped it hadn't been too weird and creepy.
Aurelio stared at him with an odd look of expectancy on his face. He was clearly trying to keep his features neutral, trying keep a sort of blank look on his face, but his eyes couldn't hide the truth. They looked expectant. They looked like they, HE, was waiting for something.
Flug tried speaking again. "But I t-t-think you're r-right. I think I need a b-b-break."
Aurelio smiled. Widely. Showing his blindingly white and perfectly straight teeth.
"Great!" He said, jumping to his feet. "You, me, and a wide array of magnificent ladies!" He said seductively. Flug wondered if it was appropriate to say he was gay right now. Probably not, it would probably just makes things awkward.
Admittedly not as awkward as trying to hit on women would be, but whatever.
"Saturday night, clear your schedule!" Aurelio said pointing to him dramatically. Like he was copying a pose he'd seen on TV.
He felt his heart, which was beginning to go all aflutter at the thought of spending a night out with Aurelio Cruz; man of his wet dreams, sink back down into his chest. Actually he swore he could feel it sinking down lower, down into the pit of his stomach.
"O-oh, um, t-t-this Saturday?" He asked tentatively. "I, uh, I actually already agreed to s-something this w-w-weekend." He began playing with his hands, like a child might when telling his parents bad news.
Aurelio raised his eyebrows, surprised.
"Wait, you have plans this weekend?" Luis asked. "Since when?"
Damn it Luis can you just blend into the background and stay there?!
"I,uh, just recently confirmed I-I'm going."
"Going where?" Manuel asked. "Since when do you go out?"
Since today, apparently. Flug thought.
"I'm, uh...um," Oh god this was beginning to sound like an excuse. "I'm-"
"We're going out drinking." A new, raspy, guttural voice said from the entrance.
All heads turned. Most in surprise and confusion. Flug in mild relief.
Then in confusion as he saw who Black Hat's "company" was.
It was like, Ah, Black Hat is finally- WAIT WHAT?
They made a very odd looking pair, he in his dark suit and coat looking ever so menacing, like a shark had learned how to put on a tie. She with her neon rainbow bright ponytail and mismatching outfit.
Seriously, the hoodie was fine, lizard head hood and all. It kind of blended into her hair but that was beside the point. The dark blue of the shirt clashed with the bright green but whatever, that was the least of his concerns.
Did she only own one of those long gloves that went up past your elbow? It didn't even have fingers, her fingers were completely bare! On her right side was just a plain black fingerless glove, like the kind a biker might wear. It looked so odd to Flug.
Did she only have one stocking on? Or was that half of a pair or leggings? A legging? Singular? Sounded weird.
The asymmetry of, well, every part of her outfit was just so bizarre.
And let's not forget, this confirmed Flug's suspicion that Black Hat was busy with -ahem- personal business.
Ok so he probably cockblocked Black Hat. Well, Flug guess he really owed him in that case.
But still, Black Hat and Demetra? Didn't see that coming.
She herself seemed very in good spirits, just as bubbly and perky as the last time he saw her. Which wasn't too long ago but still.
She was clinging onto Black Hat's arm like a punky piece of arm candy. He honestly looked a bit annoyed but far too...chivalrous(?) to say anything.
Was chivalry something a villain would concern himself with? Even one attending a school for heroes?
The man himself strode into the main hall, like he was taking a leisurely stroll with his lady friend through a messy unkempt college laboratory. Flug guessed it didn't make for a very romantic atmosphere.
Demetra didn't seem phased or even bothered at all, really. She hung off him like a technicolor coat and was constantly turning her head and body to "ooh" and "aah" at all the machinery. Never breaking physical contact or releasing her grip on his arm.
He seemed to be doing his best to keep his composure, though it was clear she was far to mobile for his comfort. His calm smile never left his face. Flug was good at reading people though, so he could see even through his smudged glasses how forced it was.
Upon finally getting within a more reasonable distance to Flug, they stopped. Black Hat paid absolutely no attention to Aurelio, much to the confusion of...well, everyone, and addressed Flug solely.
"So, are you ready to go?"
Flug really hoped that he just meant he was driving him home, not that their little vacation was starting now. "Y-y-yeah, I'm ready."
Flug picked up his bag, rechecked that he had everything with him and stood up to leave. Then realized he was abruptly leaving everyone with pretty much no explanation.
"I-I, um, I was feeling t-t-tired so I called a ride to take me home." He said awkwardly fiddling with his frames. "And, Aurelio," He said facing the man himself. "Th-th-th-thanks. I think a weekend out is j-j-just what I need." He felt himself smile, actually genuinely smile, towards this man who usually filled him with nothing but arousal and anxiety.
As he was just turning to walk towards the couple (was that what they were, a full-fledged couple?), he felt a hand on his shoulder.
For once, the sight of Aurelio touching him hardly made him jump at all. He actually felt...a little more relaxed from the hand on his shoulder. His mind was still a bit freaked out, but his body seemed to lose some of that ever-constant tension.
Aurelio gave him a smile that could end wars. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot Rocinante. We'll get together another time."
He then brushed past Flug towards Black Hat and Demetra.
"I don't believe we've been properly introduced." He said, hand already extended. "Aurelio Cruz."
Black Hat introduced himself, in his impossible to replicate language. Which it seemed he was accepting no one else could pronounce. "But you may call me 'Black Hat.'" He said as he extended his own gloved hand.
The two men shook hands firmly, and if Flug had been able to see his face he would've noticed a very subtle change in Aurelio's demeanor.
As it was, neither Black Hat nor Demetra knew the man's face well enough to be able to pick up on his change.
"Demetra Yashchirkaova," said woman said holding out a hand herself. "Charmed, I'm sure."
Yashchi-what now?
Flug wished he could say something to stop this. But he was afraid "Stop, he's a human puppeteer!" would come off as rude. Especially since Aurelio had been acting so friendly towards him.
Said man took Demetra's hand in his and gave her knuckles a light kiss. She seemed charmed, that's for sure. Black Hat didn't have any visual reaction that Flug could see from where he stood frozen.
Maybe it was their first night out together? So he didn't have any real strong feelings towards her? He really didn't seem at all interested in her from what Flug could see.
Wait, why did Flug care? It's not like it was any of his business how they felt about each other! That was between the two of them!
Now if only the Cafe Triste employees would learn the same…
Black Hat gave Flug an impatient look, which prompted him to get his ass back in gear and give another awkward and stilted goodbye to everyone in the Lab. They all saw him off and the trio left in peace.
"Oh HOT DAMN Flugster who was that tall order of man meat?" Demetra asked. "If I'd have known college men were so hot I would've graduated high school!" She said as she gave Black Hat a sultry look.
Flug noticed she really piled on the eyeshadow. Jesus how could she lift her eyelids?
Wait...high school? Just how old was Demetra?
"T-that's Aurelio C-Cruz." He said. Wait he already introduced himself to the both of them why was he saying his name again?
"So I heard," Black Hat said, kind of distastefully. "Truly thinks a lot of himself, doesn't he?"
"Y-yeah." Flug said. "He can be k-kind of f-full of himself."
"Hmph." Black Hat huffed. "You know him well?"
"Huh?! Oh, n-n-no! Well, n-n-n-not per-personally no! I've j-ju-just known OF him for a-awhile. We didn't r-r-really meet until this past ye-year."
"Flug-Bug," Demetra said teasingly. "It's okay to be flustered. That guy was seriously ripped. Not nearly as hot as you though!" She said poking Black Hat lightly in the chest.
Black Hat slapped her hand away and muttered something Flug couldn't make out. They all got in his familiar intimidating car and he drove them out of the school parking lot. Demetra called shotgun so Flug crawled into the backseat. In all honestly it wasn't very spacious. It made Flug think of his first thought of it, a compressed hearse. Emphasis on the compressed.
Black Hat dropped off Flug first. Whether his home was just the closest or Black Hat and Demetra still had plans he didn't know and wasn't about to ask.
But, some parting words.
"So, I'll see you tomorrow morning?" He asked awkwardly as he got out of the backseat of the car.
"Yes, 10:00 am sharp." Black Hat said seriously from his spot in the driver's seat. Demetra was preoccupied on her cell phone.
"Do I...do I need to bring anything?"
"A change of clothes and gas money." He said. "Expect to stay the night."
"Ahhh, ok." he said, defeated. "Have a good night."
"Nighty night Flug!" Demetra called out in a sing-song voice. Black Hat just grunted a reply and drove off.
He was sure he was never going to get used to those two.
And he was spending the night with one of them tomorrow.
It was going to be a long weekend.
Notes:
Hey there again, it's me, Fallin! I feel like I haven't posted in forever. And writing this story has been slow ever since school started up again. I should really be writing my research paper, not gay fanfiction of a cartoon. But I still have a few chapters already done, so just keep checking back for updates. Remember, it's two every month!
Translations:
hermana = sister (Spanish)
hermano = brother (Spanish)
Oh Madre María = Oh Mother Mary (Spanish)
mi amigo = my friend (Spanish)
