Before anything else, for those that are reading on Fanfiction . net or AO3 please consider going to Questionable Questing. It is a forum where I actually post pictures of things and characters, extra chapters, omakes, information and much, much more.
I'm far more present there, and I actually answer questions, talk more, fuck around etc.
Seriously, go there. I'm under the same username.
As much as I try my best, the story will probably have grammar mistakes, spelling mistakes and/or continuity mistakes.
Inspired by Dragon_jak's Here Comes Power CYOA.
Chapter Warnings: Language, ATTEMPTED Rape (not gonna happen), Blood, Violence, Grammar Mistakes (?).
Arc 1: Humble Beginnings
Roughly 13k words (Not counting ANs)
- A Woman -
The cold night hung heavy with an eerie silence, as if not even the wind dared to disturb the unsettling stillness. The streets stretched out before her, devoid of life and bathed in an inky darkness that seemed to swallow the feeble glow of streetlights.
The only noises that graced her ears were that of the nocturnal creatures of the city. The occasional scuttling of rats rummaging through trash cans, cats fighting in the shadows of dingy alleys or dogs barking at things she couldn't see. Sometimes she could even hear the roar of lone distant cars passing by some streets over.
The poorly illuminated streets caused shadows that danced menacingly along the cracked pavement, casting suspicious shapes that played tricks on her anxious mind.
Every step she took echoed ominously through the desolate streets. The woman's heart pounded with trepidation, her senses on hyper alert as she searched for any kind of lurking danger.
She shouldn't have taken this route. She just knew she should've waited on the damn subway like any sane person would!
But she had lost track of time, staying late at the university lab while she worked on her chemical embrittlement project. At the time, in her hyper focused state of mind, the question of how she would get home so late was the furthest thing in her mind, so near to a breakthrough as she was.
She was the last one in the lab because of this, so none of her friends were around to give her a lift. And to make things even worse, she lost the last subway that would take her home and she would've had to wait hours before the next one passed.
However, in her infinite wisdom, she decided that instead of waiting, it would be faster if she just walked home.
Surely, nothing wrong would ever happen. The world wasn't as bad as people made it out to be right?
But now, as she walked through the creepy empty streets completely alone and filled with fear, the foolishness of her decision was finally sinking in.
Damn her cheerful and optimistic nature. She should listen more to Ethel.
How come there was no one around? This was the city that never sleeps for god's sake.
Well, she was in Queens, not New York per se. But even still, the streets were infinitely scarier empty than they were when full.
The air was laced with a bone-chilling cold, seeping into her very core and intensifying her discomfort. Her breath came out in a cold mist as she pulled her colorful coat tighter around her trembling form, seeking solace in its meager warmth.
Her heart skipped a beat when she turned into a dimly lit alley, a shortcut that she hoped would get her away from these streets and towards her home as fast as possible. The narrow space seemed to constrict around her, its walls closing in like a claustrophobic's worst nightmare.
As she walked, her eyes darted frantically from side to side, searching for any signs of movement or potential threats as she clutched her purse in nervousness.
The alleys had even sparser illumination than the streets, with the few sources of light flickering intermittently and making the trash-filled surroundings even more eerie. Poorly maintained buildings loomed over her, and her distressed mind played tricks on her when she imagined their broken windows as eyes, observing her every movement.
A hushed whisper of instinct warned her of impending danger, and her entire being tensed with apprehension.
Why did she go through the alley? Was one mistake not enough for her?
Then, it came. The unmistakable sound of footsteps, heavy and deliberate, echoing ominously behind her. Ever so slowly, she turned around, hoping against hope that it was just her mind playing tricks on her again.
That hope was broken to a million pieces when she saw the silhouette of a man slowly walking towards her, the brief flickering of a light allowed her to see his appearance.
Dirty clothes, unkempt beard, yellow teeth and a wild look on his eyes.
Eyes that were staring directly at her.
Time slowed to a crawl as her blood turned to ice, a chill creeping up her spine. Panic surged within her, urging her to her optimistic personality, she didn't wait to know if the man meant well despite his unkempt and deranged appearance, she couldn't afford to.
With trembling legs, she broke into a hurried run, the sound of footsteps pursuing her fueled her into a desperate run despite the big platform shoes that she wore.
Her heart pounded in her chest like a war drum, drowning out the world around her. Fear propelled her forward, each breath coming in ragged gasps as she pushed herself to her limits.
But no matter how fast she ran, the footsteps behind her seemed to match her pace, growing louder and more menacing with every passing moment.
Her once bright green eyes that always bubbled with happiness behind her large glasses were now marred by fear as they looked to-and-from, and her long honey blonde hair, usually flowing and vibrant, now clung to her back with a mixture of sweat and dirty water as she ran as fast as she could.
Her intelligence was something that she was fiercely proud of - "Chemistry whiz" as she likes to call herself, so she couldn't stop her brilliant mind from conjuring a torrent of horrifyingly detailed worst case scenarios.
After all, she knew that she was beautiful. Her tall, 5'10 stature and lightly tanned skin made her stand out no matter where she went or what she did even though she wasn't quite as stacked as her short friend Ethel was.
But why was this happening to her?
She never did anything wrong in her life, always trying her best to be good to people, always being optimistic, upbeat, uplifting and caring with others. So much so that her friends fondly called her "Honey".
She was proud of it, of her personality, of the good that she did.
So why?
Why was this happening to her?
As she ran, the sound of the steps behind her grew louder and closer, each footfall hammering against the ground and pushing her to the brink of despair.
Then, as she turned left into another alley, her escape route became a dead-end. Closed off by a towering metal fence.
Fear and anxiety overwhelmed her, casting a dark cloud over her mind, inducing cold sweat and causing her breath to come in short, panicked gasps.
Then her breath caught in her throat as she heard a raspy voice behind her. She spun around, her wide eyes filled with unadulterated fear, her body tense and ready to defend herself.
The man spent a few moments catching his breath, looking up at her with malice as he said, "You made me work up quite the sweat, honey."
The nickname that her friends had so lovingly given her sounded foul coming from his mouth.
His laugh was a malicious sound that sent chills down her already trembling body. "I don't mind it tho'. At least you already warmed up"
She stepped backwards, trying to get as far away from the man as she could, letting out a whimper as she did so. He closed the distance between them in a few quick steps, a sick smile resting on his face as he relished the fear he was causing her.
An involuntary shriek escaped her lips when she felt the sudden cold of the unforgiving surface of the metal fence against her back.
The man let out a laugh at her reaction, his intentions evident in his eyes as he closed the short distance between them "That was a really nice preview of our night Honey"
In a desperate attempt to defend herself, she swung her hand in a poor imitation of the punch that Ethel once taught her. But her punch appeared more like a feeble slap rather than the powerful move that she hoped for, and in the recesses of her mind she knew that it would do little damage to the taller man.
But she hoped that it would at least create a momentary distraction that could offer her a slim chance of escape.
It was all for naught as the man effortlessly seized her hand, his grip like an iron vice that painfully constricted her wrist. Just as she was about to aim a kick at him, he withdrew his other hand from his back pocket, revealing a gleaming knife that glinted ominously in the dim light.
"Don't even try it," he taunted, his voice laced with sadistic amusement.
She tried to scream, but the man slapped her face before she could, her glasses flying off of her face before he grabbed her face by the cheeks "Or do, make it more fun."
Despite all her intelligence and her brilliant mind, fear surged through her veins, paralyzing her thoughts and rendering her unable to think of anything else she could do to escape.
The man closed the distance with a sinister smile, his face came far too close to hers as his repugnant breath invaded her senses, suffocating her with its foulness. "Nowhere to run now, princess" he sneered, reveling in her cries of protest.
She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. 'This is it'.
Whichever way the night ended, she knew that she would forever be marred by whatever happened next.
She really shouldn't have come here. She should've waited in the subway.
She should've bought that pepper spray when her mother told her to, she should've done those self defense lessons that Ethel told her about.
She should've lived her life better!
But then, as if her prayers had been answered, a loud bang rang across the alley.
Both the thug's attention and hers were drawn to the source of the noise.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the walls of the alley, drawing closer with each passing second before stopping a few short feet away. The dim lighting allowed her to catch a glimpse of the source of the noise, albeit only partially.
And she saw that it was undeniably a man, despite his height not being exceptionally tall at 5'8, his broad shoulders and bulky body showed strength and power even through the thick clothing he wore.
His figure was partially obscured by a hood pulled over his face, making it difficult to discern any distinct features besides a black jacket and a pair of black pants.
With deliberate steps, he began to approach them, his heavy footfalls echoing off the alley and splashing his boots with the murky water below. As he stepped into the light, she gasped in surprise.
The man wore a bone-white skull mask, made in such a way that it almost seemed like it was frowning or angry. The stark contrast of the mask against the darkness of the alley sent a shiver down her spine.
His clenched hands were encased in well-worn, padded red gloves that she recalled seeing on MMA fighters. It bore the signs of thorough use, with faded faux leather and numerous cuts and patches adorning its well-worn body.
Yet, what stood out the most to her were the blue eyes that pierced from within the mask, filled with a deep, seething hatred that glared directly at her assailant.
She could feel the sheer anger emanating from that look, but an instinct in the back of her mind told her that this masked man was not her enemy. A sliver of hope daring to rise inside of her as she briefly entertained the idea that maybe, just maybe, she would be alright.
The thug turned towards the masked man, and she saw him gulp before loudly exclaiming, "What the fuck are you looking at! Get the fuck out of here!" Despite his bravado, the tremor in his voice revealed how freaked out he was.
The masked man remained silent and undeterred, continuing his deliberate advance with heavy steps, his unblinking rageful stare still directed towards the other man.
The thug's desperation grew, brandishing his knife toward the oncoming man in an attempt at intimidation. "Get the fuck back, freak! I'm tellin you!" he exclaimed, his voice quivering. "Do you know who I am?"
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and she expected the masked man to flinch or falter in the face of the weapon. To her amazement however, he was uncaring of the threat entirely as he quickly lunged forward towards the thug, effortlessly sidestepping the flimsy knife thrust that was thrown his way.
In a lightning-fast motion, he grabbed the hand that held the weapon, his grip overpowering and unyielding. She could hear the faux leather of the glove tightening against the man's wrists before the knife slipped from the thug's grasp as it clattered to the ground, rendered useless against the masked man's strength.
His right hand then shot forward, grabbing the thug by the throat with a vice-like grip. The woman watched in awe as the masked man's eyes burned with unbridled hatred, his grip tightening by the second while he choked the man with a single hand. The thug's face slowly went from red to purple from the lack of air while he weakly flailed about, attempting to bat away the masked man's hand, but his feeble slaps and kicks were futile against the vigilante.
For one second she was worried that he would kill the man then and there, but those thoughts were put to rest a moment later.
In a display of raw strength, the masked man effortlessly lifted the thug with a single arm, his muscles bulging with strain before slamming him brutally onto the unforgiving ground with a resounding impact.
He wasn't done with him, far from it as he bent down over the thug to continue his assault.
It wasn't even a fight anymore, it was slaughter.
The man's fists repeatedly struck the thug with bone-crushing force. The sounds of the impacts reverberated through the alley, accompanied by the splashes of blood that sprayed through the air, painting the ground beneath them and her clothes in crimson red.
She could see some of the thug's teeth clattering onto the pavement, lost in the merciless assault.
It was a display of raw power that left her heart pounding in her chest as she witnessed the brutality unfolding before her.
By this point she should've run already, be as far away as she possibly could from this place, but she was morbidly entranced by what was happening before her.
'He'll kill him if he keeps going like this'
As if by instinct, the woman reached out a trembling hand, before retreating immediately in doubt.
Should she stop it?
Before today, that answer would be as clear as the blue sky. 'Yes'
But after what she went through today, that answer was a murky 'I don't know'.
That thought scared her.
Her choice was taken from her, however, when the masked man suddenly stopped. His trembling fist about to unleash another thundering punch to the thug before he stood up slowly.
She gulped down in a mix of fear and apprehension when she looked at her savior, idly noting that his once white mask was now painted red with blood.
The only sounds of the alley were the heavy breaths of the masked man - a testament to his exertion - and the stomach-churning gurgles and growls coming from the man who had almost… raped her.
He was still alive then.
She was interrupted from her musings when a deep, rough voice called out to her. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice carrying a mix of concern and kindness.
She turned her gaze towards the masked man, seeing no trace of the earlier hatred filling his eyes.
Her voice quivered, but after a few seconds, she managed to nod and stammer out an answer, "Y-yes, I... thank you."
The masked man gave her the barest of nods, his deep voice resonating through the mask as he continued, "You should avoid alleys from now on."
Before she could respond, he added, "There is a Family Mart a street from here." He pointed in the indicated direction. "You'll be safe there, I promise."
As she turned her head to the direction pointed to her, the entire situation finally sank in within her. She realized the immense danger she had been in and the horrors she was just saved from. The debt she owed to this man was something she would carry with her forever.
"T-thank you," she managed to say, her voice shaky but sincere.
She reached down to grab her glasses from the bloody ground, ignoring the blood stains on the lenses as she put them on. After what she just went through, she promised herself to finally enroll in the self-defense classes that Ethel had mentioned.
She would never be defenseless again.
With a final glance towards the masked man and a hushed 'thank you', she got as far away from there as she could, a mix of awe and gratitude in her eyes as she vowed that one day she would repay him.
She didn't knew how, but she would
- Adam Grayson -
The moment he saw the woman safely leave the alley, Adam let out a breath. His heart was racing, and he could feel the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
He took in big gulps of air as he tried to recover his stamina, shaking his aching right hand, 'Holy shit, that was intense'
God, he almost fucked that up!
The plan was to catch the guy off guard, coming up behind him as stealthily as he could and grab him in a rear naked choke, take the guy's knife out of his hand and also spare the obviously distressed woman from seeing any more violence.
'Yeah… that really went smoothly didn't it? Good job Adam, ten outta ten would be traumatized again'
It all went downhill when he accidentally knocked down a trash can, sending it to the ground with a loud clang, instantly drawing the attention of both the attacker and the woman and throwing his carefully thought out plan to the wind.
Well… "carefully thought out" wouldn't be the exact description he would use, but it was a plan nonetheless!
Letting out a snort, he simply shook his head in embarrassment and hoped that the woman would be alright.
When he turned around, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the bloody face of the unconscious man lying on the ground as reality washed over him, 'Oh shit, right'
Kneeling down to inspect the motionless figure, he carefully examined the man, hoping that he hadn't gone too far this time. Placing his ear close to the man's face, he anxiously listened for any signs of life. 'Don't be dead'
He let out a relieved sigh when he heard the man take in a ragged breath. 'Oh thank god.' He turned the man on his side so he could breathe better and not choke on his own blood before rising to his feet.
When he briefly replayed the scenario in his mind however, a flush of embarrassment spread across his face 'What the hell was with that voice? Fuck, I sounded like Barry White'
Dragging a hand on his mask, getting his hand dirtied in blood in the process, he groaned in defeat, hoping that he didn't come off as too menacing.
Or edgy. God knows that that would be worse.
Shaking off his self-consciousness, Adam forced his attention away from his momentary lapse and turned his focus to the chaotic environment around, surveying the scene before him with unsettlement on his features.
The ground was splattered with a mixture of blood and dirty water, a few yellowed teeth chaotically scattered around the cracked pavement.
Adam winced in regret as he took in the mess he had made of the man's face, grateful that he had finally succumbed to the pain and fallen unconscious rather than keep gurgling for breath.
He knew all too well what he could do when he got angry.
After all, it was anger that pushed him to learn how to fight in the first place. To help him become better, to help him control himself instead of being the uncontrolled freak like he once was.
He was proud to say that years of training and conditioning had made him into a better and calmer man. One who trusted himself to rein in his impulses and who refrained from doing things he would regret.
Especially after he learned how to fight. After all, he knew firsthand what someone that actually knew what they were doing could do against someone that didn't.
He wasn't the messed up little kid that he once was anymore, having transformed into a gentle and kind-hearted individual after great effort. He was happy to help others with a bright smile, always trying to bring positivity into people's lives.
Or at least, that's what he wanted to believe…
As he looked at the injured half-dead man lying unconscious on the ground, he couldn't help but feel that he hadn't lived up to what he worked so, so hard on.
He couldn't help but feel like he betrayed himself, that he hadn't lived up to his aunt's expectations of him.
He slipped up, let his anger control him.
Again.
Adam would like to say that it was the first time that this happened since he began going to the streets as a masked "hero". But this wasn't the first time, and he suspected that it wouldn't be the last either.
It's just that the sheer rage he had felt when he saw what that scum was doing to that woman consumed him. The despaired look in her eyes had… urged something within him, and next thing he knew, everything had turned red.
And If he hadn't seen the reflection of the woman on the water trying to reach him, he might have gone too far.
But what surprised him was the fact that he… didn't feel as bad as he probably should for doing what he just did. That man was despicable, and when Adam looked at his unconscious form he just couldn't deny that he deserved every ounce of pain he went through.
He didn't care if he had to eat food from a straw for the rest of his life. Not after what he tried to pull off.
Taking a deep breath, he gathered himself. Time was of the essence, and he had to act quickly, now was not the time to think about this.
Taking out his left glove, he knelt down beside the figure and placed his hand on the unconscious man's arm.
Adam instantly felt the intoxicating rush of power coursing through his muscles. A wave of energy that ran all across his body as his power quickly took hold.
Yes, that's right. His powers.
Powers that seemed deceptively simple. Just touch someone, activate the power, steal stuff from their body and put them into Adam's own body.
But he quickly found out that his powers were quite complicated.
For one, he couldn't absorb just about anything that someone had, like reflexes, hair color, intelligence or stuff like that, no, he was only capable of absorbing one of six things out of them.
These six specific attributes were: muscle mass, energy, determination, focus, health, and, funnily enough, body part size.
Yep, that's right. He could make his dick bigger with his powers.
He could also make himself taller with it, but he knew which part he used the most.
Another rule was that he could only absorb one attribute from a person per day. So, if he chose to steal someone's energy, then he would be unable to absorb anything else from that same person for the rest of the day.
Adam didn't know why he could only absorb these six things and nothing else, but those were the rules he had to follow.
It required careful consideration and strategy on his part, especially since he promised himself that he'd only steal attributes from those that deserved it…
So, of course the first thing he did when he got his power was to make his dick bigger.
What? He was still a teenager.
The drawback of his power, however, was that the draining speed was slow.
Painfully slow.
So slow In fact, that it took approximately thirty minutes to fully absorb an attribute from someone.
This slow pace meant that It was extremely rare for him to use his powers in full, seeing as he exclusively stole attributes from the criminals he defeated, and because of this he was almost always forced to run from the police before he could absorb enough of someone's attributes to make an actual difference since they almost always came too fast.
Ever since he first gained this ability he mostly only managed to steal small tidbits here and there for himself, so he hadn't had the huge change he thought and hoped he'd have by now because of his power's sluggishness.
Although funnily enough, making himself have a bigger dick was actually really quick since stealing someone's size took only a few short minutes to leave them with a micro-sized tool. He supposed that this was because of the overall… smaller magnitude of the task.
Or, alternatively, his powers were horny. Adam didn't know.
Nonetheless, despite the slowness, at least once he stole something from someone it was permanent. As if he was born with it.
Settling himself onto a makeshift seat of a trash lid, a groan escaped Adam's lips as he stretched his knees. He decided to take off his blood-stained mask from his head to breathe a little better, but adjusted the balaclava he wore underneath it to better protect his face.
The mask itself was actually more of a helmet, encasing his entire head in a snug, comfortable fit. And though it couldn't protect him from a bullet, it was more durable than it looked like, being quite the sturdy, padded and well-made piece. It was built with the same materials that motorcycle helmets were made out of, though the mask wasn't as durable since it was considerably smaller.
He had bought it from an airsoft store around a year ago, for a Halloween party that he and his friend Kate were invited to.
He had worried that it might be too intimidating, or worse, too edgy. But it was the best mask that he had, and it served its purpose of hiding his face and protecting his head well enough, so he decided to keep it despite his reluctance.
Adam let out a chuckle. At least it was better than the times when he only wore the balaclava. He lost count of how many times people thought he was one of the criminals.
As time crawled by, he could feel his power working nonstop as the thug's once imposing physique ever so slowly started to wither away, his muscles losing their strength and definition as they wasted away little by little before his eyes.
In stark contrast, Adam felt the meager surge of power coursing through him as his own muscles began to expand and strengthen while the stolen attributes were used to enhance his already impressive physique.
Even though it wasn't a significant increase by any means, even the smallest of gains was better than nothing.
Baby steps and all that.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the faintest sounds of police sirens in the distance, causing him to sigh in annoyance 'Came as fast as you could huh?'
At least he had the time to escape unseen this time. It was always a pain in the ass to run from the cops.
Glancing at his watch, he cursed under his breath, 'Barely five minutes this time. Shit, it's already this late?'. Time was running out, and he needed to be home early.
Aunt Cass wakes up very early to take care of the cafe after all, and if she saw that he wasn't home she would be extremely worried for him. Besides, he still had to go for his morning run.
Adam secured the unconscious man with zip ties for the cops. A futile effort given his… state, but it was better safe than sorry.
He rose from his seat and stretched, relieving the stiffness that had settled in his limbs with a groan. Bringing the mask down over his face, he gave one last look at his watch.
He still had a bit of time to spare before he needed to return home. Who needs sleep anyways?
- Kate Bishop -
Kate breathed out a cold sigh of relief, Friday had finally, mercifully arrived.
It had been a pretty hectic week, filled with seemingly endless homework and disgustingly long history essays. And that wasn't even mentioning her own personal studying to make sure that she was always on top of her class.
Damn her competitive nature!
All she wanted was a peaceful and quiet day, a chance to relax with her friends and simply breeze through class until she could go home and rest. Maybe she could even try that new Brazilian steakhouse that opened near her place?
Then her plans for a leisure weekend hit a roadblock when she remembered that she still had Karate practice later in the day, then Jiu-Jitsu the next day, and then Judo the next, and then fencing, and then gymnastics…
An involuntary low whine of dejection escaped her lips before she huddled inside her black trench coat, seeking warmth against the biting chill of the morning air. With a sigh of defeat, she lowered her head as she accepted her fate, trudging on towards her class while warming up her hands in her coat's pockets.
She stopped in her tracks when she realized something, she could already predict the shit-eating grin that Adam would throw at her when he saw that she was wearing this monstrosity in school. Oh god, she hoped he didn't put on pumped up kicks to mess with her.
Again
Well, she would not let him get to her this time! Let him say whatever he wanted because she honestly thought that she looked pretty damn good in it.
Well, maybe not good, good. But definitely cool.
Or at least passable.
Who was she kidding? She couldn't fool herself. But it wasn't her fault! She was running late, and the trench coat and the pair of her old reliable doc martens were the first things she could grab from the wardrobe.
Well, at least it… matched with her hair? 'Goddammit New York, it's all your fault.'
She knew that Adam didn't mean any harm by it of course, it was just the little things they did to mess with each other after being friends for… ten? Eleven years now? She was just a little frustrated by the lack of free time in her hands.
It wasn't that she didn't love doing martial arts or sports and the like. It's just that there were days when she wanted to just laze in her bed or hang out with her friends without caring whether or not she had time to do it.
Adam always did tell her to pace herself instead of spreading herself thin. Back then, she took his words as a challenge and pushed herself even harder, as if he dared to doubt her.
But now, when she considered every moment of free time she had as a sort of sacred gift, she was beginning to see his point.
Not that she would ever tell him that, his head was already inflated enough as it was.
Stupid sexy Adam.
Wait what?
As Kate slowly wandered the corridors of school, absently greeting back a few people that had greeted her, she fondly remembered how she met her best and oldest friend.
Both of them were five years old, and by complete coincidence both of them were in the same Karate class. And the teacher thought it would be funny to put the two biggest little shits loud mouthed kids against each other.
Just like she still was to this day, Kate was stubborn and fiercely competitive, and she would never take defeat for an answer, and apparently fate was itching for a giggle because so was Adam. The rivalry between the two of them was instantaneous.
So with fire in their eyes she and Adam engaged in an epic fight, their tiny fists flailing through the air as both of them did their best to win.
In Kate's mind, that was an epic and glorious brawl that would be etched in the annals of history, but In reality, they were just two snot-nosed brats slapping each other senselessly.
A giggle surged out of Kate as she re-lived the moment. God, that was one of her most cherished memories.
When the fight finally ended at a draw, they stood before each other, panting and covered in sweat. In that moment, a connection sparked between them, and Kate knew - with an unshakable certainty - that from that day forward, they would be the best of friends.
And she was right. From then on they instantly clicked, spending the rest of the class excitedly talking and laughing nonstop. They didn't even notice the hours flying by until it was already time to go home.
She still remembers an exasperated Aunt Cass's smile as she took a look at their disheveled condition, and then her contagious laughter when they told her what happened before she helped them tidy up with a gentle touch and a warm smile.
As fate would have it, her parents had not come to pick her up at their usual time, so they stayed together talking and playing for hours more.
When her parents finally arrived, it was already night. They offered their sincere thanks for keeping her company, and Kate made them promise to stay in touch with Adam and his family.
And after years of Kate's ever persistent and determined badgering, her parents finally relented to transferring her to Adam's school. After all, she had a gift of being remarkably persuasive (read annoyingly persistent) when she set her mind to something.
Her relentlessness paid off, and she and Adam have been in the same school since they were seven.
Kate was still committed to doing Karate and several other traditional martial arts to this day, being a short step away from receiving black belts in several of them, having already won a good amount of championships, competitions, trophies and medals under her name.
However, Adam had taken a different path, migrating full-time to MMA instead of doing separate martial arts like her. And she had to admit, he was scarily good at it. He was good to a point where his fighting skills were nothing short of humbling.
In fact, he had gotten the attention of actual UFC trainers, who were scouting him after stumbling upon the videos they had posted of a few of the tournaments he fought in.
A "once in a generation" genius, they said. And although Kate would be the first to laugh if the title of "genius" was applied to any other aspect of Adam's life, she knew that when it came to fighting, he was unmatched.
As she said, scary good.
Either way, as the years went by, their friendship kept going stronger than ever. And the rest is history, as they say.
Although last year her mother did briefly entertain the thought of placing her in the all-girls Spence High School, but she discarded the idea after Kate's fierce objection.
She'd rather be with her friends than in some rich-girl school, surrounded by spoiled little brats, thank you very much.
Getting close to her classroom, Kate couldn't help but stifle a giggle when she remembered nonchalantly telling Adam that she wasn't going to high school with him.
Man, the look on his face! He went from confusion, to shock and then sadness in the blink of an eye, as if someone told him that his cat Mochi had died then and there.
Eleven years of friendship and counting, and the dude honestly thought that he could just shake her off that easily? She loved her friend, but she knew better than anyone that he wasn't all that gifted in the head. It was just too easy to trick him.
Bless his heart, she thought, but she couldn't deny the entertainment it provided.
She shook her head, all those puberty points probably went straight to his muscles and nowhere else.
Not that she was paying attention to his body or anything. Nope. Definitely not.
Speaking of Adam, Kate scanned the bustling crowd of students streaming through the corridors of Midtown High, searching for his familiar face. The minutes were ticking, and even though class was still a good few minutes away, that idiot was nowhere to be seen.
Frustration started to bubble within her. 'How can someone be so bad at being on time as he was? It's not hard to look at the damn clock dude!'
"Seriously, Adam? You're going to get in trouble again." she grumbled, exasperation and acceptance lacing her tone.
Honestly, if she didn't know any better, Kate would think that he was trying to frustrate her on purpose or something.
Stupid sexy Adam!
She looked around her, trying to spot him amidst the sea of students. "Where is that man?" she muttered under her breath.
Just as she was about to give up and enter the classroom behind her, she felt a pair of arms sneak up behind her and encircle her waist.
Much to her embarrassment, a very feminine shriek of surprise came out of her when she felt the sudden presence behind her.
She turned around hastily, both in alarm and annoyance. Ready to punch whatever dumbass dared to pull this with her.
Her annoyance transformed into surprise when she saw none other than MJ, her fiery red hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders. The mischievous glimmer in MJ's eyes made it clear that she definitely heard her shriek.
Kate's cheeks reddened in embarrassment at her teasing look.
Mary Jane was striking as always, with long, luscious hair, freckles that ran across her cheeks and shoulders and a tall, curvy body that was filled in all the right places. A generous bust that wasn't too big and, in Kate's (totally non jealous) opinion, an obscenely good looking ass.
MJ never hesitated to showcase her beauty either, having donned a fitting black shirt adorned with delicate rose prints and tight blue jeans embroidered with roses to complete her simple but still stylish attire.
The combination of her tight clothing and the red and green hues perfectly complemented her curves, red hair and her striking green eyes.
"Adam's not here, you know," MJ teased, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "I know you're hyper-focused on him, but I'm starting to get jealous from this lack of attention."
Kate rolled her eyes, unable to hide the smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. She leaned in and gave MJ a quick hug.
A calm, husky voice chimed in from beside MJ, "She can't help it," Kate turned to see Gwen standing there, her smile as radiant as ever. "It's practically second nature to her by now" She teased, a playful glint in her eye.
Though she was two inches shorter than Kate's own 5'8, Gwen Stacy possessed an undeniable presence that could captivate anyone whenever she walked into a room.
The blonde had her long tresses adorned by a black tiara, hair styled in a simple ponytail that cascaded down her back and a fringe framing her green eyes and delicate features with an ethereal charm.
Her slender figure was further accentuated by the fashionable clothes she wore. A short gray skirt that came to the middle of her thighs, a white jacket covering a blue button up shirt and a black wool sweater. And to finish off her graceful appearance, her knee high socks and black boots showed off her great legs.
After giving Gwen a quick hug, Kate petulantly crossed her arms "Oh hah hah, that's so funny." she replied with feigned amusement.
Looking at the two girls standing in front of her, she gave them a look of mock annoyance.
"I'll have you know that I almost punched you in the mouth" She declared, pointing a finger at Mary Jane. "At least then I wouldn't have to see that smug look on your face."
The redhead wore an amused expression as she teased her further "So grumpy,"
The corners of Gwen's lips curled in a smile as she raised an eyebrow, "Were you hoping we were someone else?," she asked, her voice dripping with knowing amusement.
Kate shot them both a look before she continued in an exasperated voice. "You know, you guys' sense of humor isn't all that good if it only boils down to 'haha, Adam',"
MJ and Gwen shared a knowing look, the redhead turned to Kate and asked. "What were you looking for then?"
Kate's smug look slowly dropped by the second as she mumbled something under her breath, barely audible to her friends.
Gwen playfully cupped the hand that wasn't holding her books to her ear and leaned in, asking, "What was that?"
This time, Kate let out a resigned sigh before answering loud enough for them to hear. "...I was looking for Adam," she admitted, her voice tinged with defeat.
Mary Jane and Gwen exchanged a quick glance before bursting into laughter, unable to contain themselves.
Kate waved her hands in front of her, trying to defend herself. "Class is about to start, and he's late again!" she protested. "Last time he got detention!"
As the laughter subsided, MJ regained her composure enough to chime in, "Yeah, and you waited for him until he got out." A few chuckles escaped her as she spoke.
Kate threw her hands up in frustration. "It was movie night at his house! He had the car and I couldn't just go alone!" she said indignantly, as if it explained everything.
Mary Jane and Gwen erupted into laughter once more. "Oh, stop!" Gwen managed between fits of giggles. "You're making it even worse!"
After a moment of catching their breath, the girls turned to Kate, who stood with crossed arms and an annoyed expression etched on her face. With a glint in her eyes, the redhead playfully placed an arm around Kate's shoulder, drawing her closer.
"Don't feel too bad about it Kate" Mary Jane suggested, a charming smirk curling her lips as she decided to extend an olive branch. "After all you're not the only one looking for him right?"
MJ pointed subtly towards Missy Kallenback, a small and bookish shy girl with mousy brown hair, wearing a sleeveless pink puffer jacket and glasses.
She was standing a few paces from them, hands clutched together as she craned her neck around, eagerly searching for a glimpse of Adam, her expression a mix of hopeful and nervous.
Kate glanced at Mary Jane, her miffed expression turning deadpan. "Really? The only example you could point to is the girl that follows him around like a lost puppy?"
Gwen giggled slightly and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "Well, I think it's cute. She's had a massive crush on him for ages. Practically everyone knows about it."
Mary Jane chimed in, "Everyone except Adam, of course."
Kate couldn't help but chuckle.
Adam had an uncanny ability to effortlessly attract and connect with people, so it wasn't all that surprising to see a few girls acting all googly-eyed towards him. The fact that he actually had an affable personality to match with his good looks didn't hurt either. But the funny thing was, he seemed completely oblivious to it.
Kate saw the way that some girls looked at him when he wasn't looking, the way they laughed a little too hard when he joked around, or the way they were a bit too touchy when they were talking with him. He probably thinks they're just being "friendly" or something, the dork.
But in the end she knew that Adam was just being himself, and not trying to be some sort of player. He was a genuinely good person despite the difficult childhood he had, with a heart of gold and an easy smile once you knew him.
However, Kate couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Missy. She had a huge crush on Adam, but she was too shy to even speak with him, content with just being near.
Or even far away too, as long as she could see him apparently.
Actually, It was kind of creepy, come to think of it.
Kate shook her head in amusement, "It's kind of sad that she doesn't even talk to him."
Gwen shrugged, "Maybe she's waiting for the right moment."
"She'll be waiting forever if she doesn't make a move," MJ remarked with a smile.
Kate's eyes lit up when she finally spotted Adam in the distance, pointing towards him as she said "There he is,"
His wide, bulky form was unmistakable to see as he made his way towards them amidst the bustling crowd of students, exchanging greetings, smiles and a few words with everyone who stopped for a brief chat with him.
She couldn't help but snort, seeing the sheer difference between him and other people was always entertaining. Ever since they were children, he's always stood out as the big kid - barrel chested, broad shouldered and far stronger than most. So when he was next to other people his age, and even some older too, he always looked like some sort of genetic anomaly or something…
'Completely unrealistic.' She mused humorously, a wry smirk on her face.
But she also knew the insane amount of effort that he puts to look like that. Careful diet, insane workout, and commitment. It wasn't just good genes, it was a crazy amount of work too.
But despite his exceptionally good genes in almost every physical aspect, there was one part that he didn't excel in.
To her infinite amusement, he was still the same height as her, standing at 5'8.
His strong eyebrows and short, midnight black hair contrasted well with his slightly tanned skin and expressive blue eyes, with the slightest hints of stubble now growing along his square jaw. All of this paired with the ever present smirk that he wore made him unfairly handsome in her opinion.
Although, she knew better than anyone that that smirk had the potential to transform into a cheeky grin or an innocently charming smile in a split second depending on the situation. Most notably when he wanted to get out of a bad spot - that most of the time he himself caused in the first place.
His simple outfit of a black shirt and pair of well fitted khaki pants only accentuated his features.
With the way he carried himself, it was no wonder that Adam had a way of effortlessly captivating the attention of those around him, his undeniable confidence and easygoingness only enhancing his natural charm.
But one thing caught her attention as he approached. Just like it had these past few weeks, she noticed that there was something… different about him. Again.
But, she couldn't exactly point her finger at what had changed. Again. 'Did he get taller or something?'
When he finally came close to them, Kate gave him a tough stare "You're late. Again" She scolded him, unable to hide her exasperation "You're impossible, you know that?" .
Adam flashed a smile, undeterred by her words. "But it keeps life interesting, doesn't it?" he replied, his voice dripping with playful charm.
Kate rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips while he greeted Gwen and Mary Jane. "How you doin'?"
The two girls waved, greeting him back at the same time. "Hey Adam"
When he turned back to her, she gave him a look before telling him. "You know, you keep doing this and you're gonna get detention again." she warned him before her curiosity got the best of her. "Why were you even late this time, anyway?"
Adam scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I uh, had to help Aunt Cass around the cafe for a bit"
"Don't give me that," Kate retorted, her tone filled with disbelief. "Cass would never let you help her on a school day. You went to the wrong classroom again, didn't you?"
"Maybe," He admitted, his grin growing wider when he saw the skeptical looks from Gwen, Mary Jane, and Kate."Okay, fine. Maybe I did get a little lost in the hallways." He shrugged playfully, pointing both his thumbs to himself before continuing. "But at least this time, Mr. Grayson here wasn't suspended."
She couldn't help but let out a laugh as she remembered the story.
Last time Adam ended up in the wrong classroom, he was mistaken for the teacher because of the fancy clothes he was coincidentally wearing that day. But, Instead of correcting the younger students and clarifying the mistake like a sane and normal person would do, he decided to play along and ended up "teaching" the class.
Except he's an idiot, and he knew nothing about the subject that he was supposed to "teach", so he got caught red-handed soon after and was suspended for a few days for his "Heinous act of mocking one of the most sacred professions in the world.". The principal's words, not hers.
It was hands down one of the dumbest and funniest moments that she had ever got from him.
Some students still called him Mr. Grayson when they passed him by.
Gwen and Mary Jane couldn't help but giggle too, as they also remembered the same tale.
With her usual flirty attitude, MJ gently placed her hand on Adam's bicep, "Don't let the mean girl bully you Adam." she purred, rubbing her hand up and down his arm as she shot a playful glance at Kate. "She's just crabby today."
Kate pointed at herself, feigning offense. "How come I'm the villain here?" She retorted.
Shooting Adam a mock-disapproving look, she continued. "You still remember what happened last time you tried to charm your way out of detention right?" The beginning of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she recalled the memory.
Adam made a funny face in response. "How was I supposed to know that Ms. Reyes was lesbian?" he protested, eliciting a giggle from MJ.
Laughing along, Gwen added her two cents. "Oh Adam, everyone knew," she teased. "And even if she wasn't, I don't think she was going to get fooled by a sixteen-year-old, you know."
Kate chimed in with a grin. "The only one who would fall for that would be Mrs. Crabtree," she replied, face growing distant when she mentioned the name "That creepy old hag,"
The three girls shuddered in unison, sharing the mutual disdain they felt for their old art teacher and her questionable character.
Adam, sensing the need to change the subject, clapped his hands and gave them a shining smile to lighten the mood. "Right,"
Pointing both his hands to the three of them, he began,"Back to good things," Eyes lighting up with excitement as he paused "Why don't you girls come to the Lucky Cat next Sunday? My treat."
Mary Jane couldn't resist teasing him, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Did you just ask us out on a date, Adam?"
Gwen joined in, playfully adding, "I think he just did. Wow, asking three girls out at once. You're really ambitious, aren't you?"
Adam chuckled, his charm in full swing as he waved his arm in dismissal. "No, no, it's not a date! Just a friendly gathering. Aunt Cass misses you guys, and she's trying out a new chocolate-strawberry pie recipe"
The redhead tapped her chin in fake thought before she grinned. "Well, you won't see me saying no to free food," she replied, winking at him.
Gwen gave him a smile. "I'm free this Sunday, so count me in." She nodded as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Kate shrugged. "I practically live in that cafe anyway."
Adam beamed at their acceptance "Alright, it's a date!"
Kate slapped her forehead while the other two just laughed lightly
With the plans set, the four of them spent some time catching up and enjoying each other's company. The conversation flowed effortlessly, with Adam showing genuine interest in Mary Jane's acting, and Gwen's internship at Empire State University even if he had no idea what she did there.
Even after knowing him for so long, Kate always got surprised by his ability of making sure no one felt left out or felt overshadowed in a conversation.
As the signal rang and the classes started, they made their way towards the classroom, weaving through the bustling hallways.
With a mischievous grin on his face, Adam nudged her shoulder and asked, "What's with the coat Neo?"
Kate felt her cheeks turn crimson, a mixture of embarrassment and amusement bubbling up inside her as she tugged at the sleeves of her coat. "Don't, just don't,"
- Adam Grayson -
Ah, the Lucky Cat Cafe.
Its charming baby blue facade of the strange but stylish mix of American and Japanese architecture reached three stories high, standing proudly on the corner of a steep street in Queens' very own Chinatown.
For as long as Adam could remember, the cafe has been the most popular spot for miles around, nestled in a prime commercial location that attracted a steady stream of customers year-round non-stop.
And it was the most beautifully decorated place too, courtesy of Aunt Cass' impeccable taste.
The outside was ornamented with numerous themed decorations, like the cat-themed "Open", "Closed" and "Welcome" signs, or the Maneki-Neko cat figurine on the shillings above the entrance, always waving to the customers. And of course, the "Lucky Cat Cafe" sign written in stylized lettering on the side of the shop front.
There were a few tables for the clients to eat outside, as well as the myriad of plants and flowers scattered through the entrance and hanging from the porch, filling the place with a beautiful and lively atmosphere. And despite Cass's occasional complaints about how much of a pain it was to water them every day, he knew that she would never get rid of them.
He never got tired of seeing it. All of it.
The comings and goings of customers with their contentment evident in their smiling faces as they exited the cafe, or the heavenly aroma of his Aunt's cooking flooding the street with so many different smells that he could feel them even where he stood.
God he loved this place so much.
As he stepped through the cafe's entrance, a wide grin spread across his face when he was greeted with the bustling atmosphere of the place. The cafe was brimming with satisfied patrons, filled with the sound of laughter, the clinking of cutlery and the animated hubbub of conversation.
And of course there were many Japanese and feline-inspired decorations around the interior of the cafe too. Fish, cherry blossoms, portraits, and miniature Japanese lanterns cluttered the walls and ceilings, while cat-shaped items decorated the interior.
It was no secret that his Aunt loved cats, there was even cat-shaped bread for sale!
The new TV screen that he spent months saving to buy for Aunt Cass' birthday was also set up on one of the walls, a news channel playing on it for a few customers to see.
His blissful observations were interrupted by a cheerful voice, "Sweetie! Welcome home" The excitement behind the call brought a smile to his face.
Turning towards the source of the voice, his eyes landed on his lovely Aunt Cass, coming towards him while she dried her hands on her waist apron.
She was dressed in her work clothes, a simple short-sleeved black V-neck, a pair of blue capris, brown flats, and, of course, her silver-turquoise necklace that she never seemed to go without.
He had given it to her when he was just a little kid, after months of diligently doing chores for his neighbors every day just so he could give something for her birthday. He still remembered the glow of happiness that had lit up on Aunt Cass's face when she received it and the tightness of the hug that followed like it had just happened yesterday.
Her wavy brown hair was slightly unkempt due to how busy she always was, but it didn't take away from her beauty. And despite how occupied she seemed, as soon as her green eyes landed on him, they lit up as a radiant smile spread across her face.
Aunt Cass was his aunt on his mother's side of the family, and although she was half Japanese, just like his mother, she didn't possess many visible traits of her heritage besides the Hamada family name since she never married.
It was just like him, coming to think of it. Since he, too, was a quarter Japanese but didn't resemble it in the slightest.
According to Cass, he took after his father. The family name, appearance, personality traits and all.
Not that he ever spent much time with his family to know about it, having lost both his mother and father when he was very young.
But that… was a long time ago. He got over it.
With a warm smile on his face, he wrapped his arms around Aunt Cass, giving her a tight hug before planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. She beamed at him in return, and pressed her lips against his cheek with affection.
Her hands rested on his shoulders as she looked up at him, "How was your day, sweetie?"
Adam's smile widened, and he replied excitedly, "It was great, Cass! How was yours?"
Aunt Cass waved a hand dismissively, "Oh, you know, busy as always," She paused for a second before placing a delicate finger on her chin, "Although today felt more rushed than usual."
Knowing just how prone his aunt was to overworking herself, Adam's brows furrowed with concern. "Do you need help?"
Aunt Cass waved her hand again, a smile on her face. "Oh, it's nothing I can't handle, sweetie."
"Cass…," Adam insisted, his expression stern.
Flashing him a smile, she flexed her biceps playfully. "You're not the only one that is strong here young man!" She assured him "I'm made of stern stuff you know, I can handle a few people."
Just as she said that, a few people called for her all at the same time, some to pay the bill, some asking for a refill and others asking for the menu.
Adam couldn't help but chuckle at her falling expression. "See?" he remarked, his smile big and charming. "Don't worry about my homework; Gwen and Kate already helped me with it." Putting his hands on her shoulders, he continued "Let me help you Aunt Cass."
Her face lit up with joy, and she enveloped him in another warm hug, planting a kiss on his cheek once more before they made their way behind the counter.
Adam retrieved the spare apron from the kitchen and made his way back to the counter, where his Aunt Cass skillfully juggled taking orders and processing payments.
As he approached, he saw her give a cat-shaped bread to a customer with a smile before casually asking him, "Did you invite the girls to come here next week?"
Bagging a few strawberry tarts and chocolate macarons for a customer on the go, Adam nodded with a smile. "Yeah, they said they'll come."
"Should I be proud or worried that my nephew always seems to be surrounded by girls?" Her playful words were periodically interrupted by the little hops she made as she attempted to reach the TV controller resting on a high shelf.
He couldn't help his smile as he observed her struggling a bit before deciding to help. Stepping over behind her, he effortlessly surpassed her tippy-toed form and effortlessly grabbed the controller.
Tenderly handing her the controller, Adam gave her a teasing grin when he saw her grumpy look directed at him;
"You don't need to worry about any girl, Aunt Cass." He assured her, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. "You'll always be my number one girl."
Her grouchy face gave way to a beautiful smile when he said that, a joyful laugh escaping her lips as she affectionately patted his cheek with her free hand and went past him to serve a customer.
From then on, routine took place as the two of them spent the rest of the day working. The bright afternoon gradually gave way to a calm evening, casting a warm glow over the shop as they continued their efforts, Idly chatting between themselves and with the regulars that frequented the cafe.
He even saw Missy, his classmate from school, enter the shop some time in the evening. Although when he tried to take her order she just widened her eyes and went beet red, stammering out something that he didn't hear.
It was obvious that she didn't like him, even though he didn't know why. Maybe he had unintentionally said something to upset her? He didn't remember ever saying anything bad to her though.
Whatever it was, whenever he attempted to talk with her she would just clam up and nothing would come out of her despite his best efforts of making up with her.
To be honest, It kinda saddened him. If even Maddie, the widely known "Ice Queen" of midtown high, liked him enough to talk with him, then why couldn't he talk with Missy?
Okay, he lied. Maddie didn't like him per se, she was fond of him…
Alright, maybe not fond of him so much as she had a passing appreciation?
Okay, she tolerated him at most.
But still! It was something!
In the end, Aunt Cass had to come in, for some reason holding in her laughter as she told him that she would take care of Missy.
He just smiled at her and at Missy in one last hope to see if he could get on her good graces, but he received yet another round of stammering before he made his way to other customers.
Quiet as always, that girl was.
- BB -
After the cafe's bustling hours had finally come to an end, Adam happily assisted Cass in closing up for the night. Tidying up the tables, taking out the trash and cleaning a little bit before his Aunt ushered him to his room, ensuring him that she had everything under control and that he could rest for a bit after they had their dinner.
He bid her a warm farewell before proceeding up to the attic, where his room was.
Adam had the entirety of the third floor practically to himself, except for his Aunt's lovely rooftop garden that was adjacent to his living quarters. Luckily, one of the two entrances to the garden was conveniently located near the staircase leading up to his room, letting him come and go whenever he pleased - which was a blessing, considering it was one of his favorite spots.
The other entrance was located in the back of the house, through a staircase in the alley.
Entering his room, he was greeted by its lived-in space and poster-filled green walls (though Aunt Cass insisted that the color was called "Aquamarine" or something). It was a little messy, with a few of his workout gear scattered about.
Numerous shelves proudly showed pictures of his friends and family, alongside an impressive array of trophies and medals he had earned from various fighting tournaments he participated and won over the years.
The table next to his bed held his trusty computer, but that wasn't his favorite part of this particular spot, that honor went to the mini fridge that was nestled below the table. In front of his bed, mounted on the wall, stood his TV, the best source of entertainment and relaxation whenever he needed it.
This place was so incredibly spacious that there was another bed on the other corner of the room, which, although not seeing much use nowadays besides as a makeshift shelf, was sometimes used by Kate. Hell, he even had a bathroom all to himself!
There were also a few shoji screens, providing the option to close off the second half of the room whenever someone using the spare bed desired some privacy.
He appreciated the hard work that his Aunt did with all his heart. The fact that she worked so much for them to be able to afford this place, and to also give him the best she could was something that he strives to repay her everyday.
Adam emerged from his bathroom with a towel draped casually around his neck, dressed in a pair of simple and comfortable workout shorts.
As he leisurely dried his hair, a contented sigh escaped his lips when he plopped on his chair. Taking a seat at his desk, he prepared himself to review the notes he had on his powers.
Now, he clearly wasn't as smart like Gwen and Kate were, as was evident from his less-than-stellar report card and GPA. So, trying to understand what his powers did and how they worked proved to be a difficult task for him, it took a long time until he understood them.
Then again, suddenly waking up with supernatural abilities was a hell of a good incentive for one to try anyway. So, to keep track of everything, he diligently documented what he had managed to piece together so far.
Of course, his brain wasn't so smooth to the point that left his notes just lying around carelessly for anyone to stumble upon. He hid it in a safe place - the same secure location where he safeguarded his costume: in the garage. At this point it was just their gym/storage space/crafting area, and his aunt rarely went there anyway.
And when Cass went to sleep, It was also the perfect place to put on his costume. All he had to do was get out of his room at night through the rooftop garden's door and then down the stairs through the back alley exit before entering the garage to don his costume. And when he returned in the morning, he just had to do the reverse to go to his room.
And people called him dumb. Ha!
He just had to be careful to keep this a secret from Cass. He didn't want to give her even more things to worry about when she already had so much on her plate; managing her business, tending to the cafe, paying the bills, taking care of him and his education…
No. He wouldn't burden her with this.
Adam fully understood the risks he was putting himself into for wearing the mask, he knew that he was risking his life every night he went out. Especially now, as ever since the very first day he began, that boiling anger that he had spent years trying to control suddenly surged back with renewed intensity.
The gravity of this was not lost on him, being angry clouded his mind, caused him to lose focus and not pay attention. And in a serious fight, any lapse of attention was deadly, and the price could pay because of it could be severe.
A fact that the scar etched on his lower back never failed to remind him. He got it during one of his patrols, when he was stabbed in the back for being so focused on beating the thug in front of him that he hadn't noticed another one coming up from behind him.
Though the blade hadn't struck anything vital, its cut was relatively deep. Only luck and the man's poor aim spared him from a serious injury.
After dealing with his attacker, Adam managed to heal himself using his powers and transfer the wound to the man. However, while he had the ability to heal, he found out that the scars still remained in his body even after getting rid of the wound.
Nevertheless, despite all the dangers, he remained resolute in his mission. Because, for some unknown reason, he had been given a gift.
And he refused to waste it away by doing nothing when he had the strength, skills and capability to help others. And If using his anger was the price to pay? Then so be it. He'd rather use his powers for good rather than being afraid of the what ifs.
One could argue that Adam could exploit his powers by simply leeching off the attributes of random people on the down low, building up his own power and strength little by little before venturing out to the streets. Or even abandon the danger entirely and forget about this whole hero thing, opting for the easier path of not getting involved.
But he could never do that, the very essence of his being rebelled against such a selfish and cold idea. Hell, the first day that he got his powers, he spent it trying to understand them and the very next day, he went on his first patrol. And from then on he never stopped.
It was dangerous, poorly thought-out and probably foolish, but that was who he was.
Initially, going out nightly took its toll on Adam since his nights were composed of compressed windows of hyper vigilance, danger and adrenaline-fueled fights, and as night turned into day it was sometimes followed by extremely rare small moments of rest before he would have to wake up.
And that wasn't even counting his morning exercise.
Trying to balance his nighttime activities with school and his day-to-day life left him constantly tired and sleep-deprived. But the night was the only free time that he had on his whole day, and he stubbornly refused to stop. So this unhealthy rhythm persisted, until a revelation changed everything.
He found out that by absorbing considerable amounts of energy from the criminals he defeated, he could effectively use this energy to substitute a full night's sleep. This was a game-changer, and while it couldn't fully replace his need to actually sleep after enough time had passed, thanks to this he didn't feel absolutely dog-tired all the time anymore.
But after a few weeks of using this energy-absorption strategy and only sleeping sparsely through these days, he could feel a subtle but noticeable change happening. He was gradually needing less and less sleep each day. It was nothing extraordinary, maybe just a minute or two, but it was still something perceptible.
It was as if his body was adapting or something…
Adam shook his head, refraining himself from going on another tangent. That was something that he could think about later, the clock was ticking and he didn't have much time to revise notes today. He still had to go on patrol, after all.
Shifting in his chair, he peered into his notes.
Since he was kind of dumb, it took an embarrassing amount of time for him to grasp how exactly his powers worked and what exactly the six attributes that he could absorb actually meant.
It had been challenging, but his caveman brain managed to cobble together a rough explanation about his ability.
Whenever he made physical contact with another person and activated his power, he received a mental list of six physical attributes that he could steal from them. These attributes varied in size from person to person depending on their aptitude.
The absorbing progress was painfully slow, and only allowed him to drain one attribute from someone per day.
These attributes are: muscle mass, body part size, health, focus, energy and determination.
Besides focus, the other attributes were all straightforward.
Muscle mass made him more muscular, bulkier, more defined and, consequently, stronger.
Body part size could make him taller overall or make any of his individual appendages bigger.
Health can be used to heal himself, although it would inflict his own wounds into the target in return, so it could be dangerous.
Energy revitalized him, recharging his own reserves.
Determination imbued him with more resolve, confidence, courage and, of course, determination.
The Focus attribute, however, caught his eye.
At first, he didn't notice any immediate changes after absorbing it. But, with time he felt a shift within himself. Tasks that once were impossible to him now became less impossible, as if little by little a fog was being lifted from his mind and clearing his thoughts.
Writing reports and studying were no longer so difficult and mind numbing that he wasn't able to do it without Kate or Gwen's help. Now he could do it on his own, even if it took a long, long time.
Even fighting became more instinctive to him the more he practiced!
Focus didn't make him smarter, just able to be smart, to focus himself to the task.
That was basically the gist of it.
Adam had named his power "Leech," a name that captured the essence of his ability perfectly. To him, the power felt like a parasite, feeding off the strengths of others to bolster his own.
And because of it, there was one rule he adhered to religiously: he would never steal from his friends. The thought of exploiting those closest to him felt wrong.
But the bad guys were fair game.
Shifting back in his chair with his fingers intertwined behind his head, Adam looked at his ceiling in a pensive manner.
In the tranquility of his room, his mind wandered, gaze shifting from the ceiling to his surroundings. He had thought that this was all that his power did, that it would remain unchanged, simple, even if a bit nuanced.
His progress may have been slow when using it, yes, but it was progress nonetheless and he was glad for it.
However, last night brought a shocking revelation. As he absorbed the determination of a particularly hard to beat criminal, something changed. His power had suddenly evolved.
The drain speed became faster.
What once took him a painstaking thirty minutes to fully absorb was now accomplished in a mere twenty-five minutes.
This opened up a world of possibilities, if this aspect of his power could evolve then what other aspects were still hidden from him? Could he eventually absorb things in a matter of seconds? Would he be able to absorb other types of attributes instead of only six?
His mind swirled with excitement at this unexpected leap forward. If this wasn't a one time thing, then he just received a tantalizing glimpse of unlimited potential.
With a spring in his step, Adam eagerly and stealthily made his way down to the garage to put on his costume.
When he came face to face with the bone-white mask, a savage grin graced his face.
He was going to have fun tonight.
Sorry for this huge-ass info dump on this last scene, but I opted to explain the power now so I wouldn't have to do it later. I promise that I'll try not to do it again in the future.
AN:
So, I was thinking about this story idea for a while. At first I tried to make it a Spider-Man story (and actually wrote 3 chapters for it (around 40k words I think?), maybe I'll post it under extras or whatever), but it never felt… right or complete, you know? But then, as I was reading Dragon_jak's Here Comes Power CYOA, I saw the "Leech" and "Level Up" powers and from then on things just fell into place.
If you're reading on Questionable Questing, I'll post the build a little later, together with a more thorough explanation on the attributes and how I modified things to fit the story.
I'll just say before there's any confusion, Adam is not a mutant. Nor will there be any mutants or X-Men in this story. I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole.
Adam is also NOT a SI, or a character with meta knowledge. He is purely an OC that I created.
I have the rough outline of the fic mostly done, I know much of it will change on the fly but the fact that I have most of it planned must count for something… right?
As for Kate, I just finished watching Hawkeye for the first time (late, I know) and I really, really liked it. I wanted to do something with Kate's character, and since I had this half-formed fic rolling in my head I thought 'Why not?' and here she is.
I swear that my crush on Hailee Steinfeld has nothing to do with it… seriously.
Also, if I didn't make it clear, Adam met Kate when they were around 4-5 years old. And now Adam, Kate, MJ and Gwen are all 16.
By the way, did any of you recognize who the woman Adam saved in the first POV was? I'll give a hint: She's from Marvel, but not the MCU. She is technically from the comics but that's not the version that I used.
What do you guys think of his "year one" costume? I wanted to make it cool and non-edgy (which I think I failed) while also having a believable and homemade feel to it instead of being professionally made right from the start.
I'll give a minor spoiler and say that his mask will not be white forever. This is only the first iteration of his costume after all…
I want to add that I am not American, so I don't know a lot about their school system and know much less about New York. Even though I make sure I research things on google, it is one thing to look things up online and another thing experiencing it.
So if I fuck up something, please tell me.
Random fact: Venoms are grouped in two main categories, necrotic (Damages and kills the cells of the tissue around the bite) or neurotoxic (Affects the nervous system directly), though some spider bites can exhibit both types of effect.