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Alex stared at the sidekick.
Morgan stared at the S tier super villain.
With coffee running down his shirt.
He let out a sigh. “Just do what you have to. Make it big, maybe that’ll make up for Chadster’s disappointment.”
Alex looked at Morgan curiously. “You aren’t afraid?”
“I’m fucking terrified.” Morgan looked around. “And a little confused. Why hasn’t anyone said anything?”
“I see you in here, all the time. I only come a few times a week, but every time I do, you’re here, running out with some coffee. Not once has anyone noticed me when I’m not trying to be noticed until now.” Alex whispered.
“Okay?” Morgan said.
“Why do you know I’m going to kill you?” Alex asked.
“You’re the S tier supervillain, right?” Morgan asked.
Alex looked around, “Why don’t we talk somewhere more private? I promise I’ll make it showy so… Who was it again? Chadster…? Chadster doesn’t get too angry with you.”
“I’m assuming I don’t have a choice in this?”
“Not really, no.” Alex said, snapping.
Morgan felt a hand close around their throat and a cool breeze.
He struggled a bit until Alex loosened their grip. “Sorry, I’m usually holding people like this to kill them. I didn’t mean to do that to you… yet.”
“Great,” Morgan choked out. “What do you want?”
“I want to know your name.”
“My person name? Please tell me it’s that one. I can’t stand my hero name.”
“Whatever you want me to call you until you die.”
“Morgan.”
“Morgan? That’s a nice name.”
“That all?” Morgan asked.
“Why are you a sidekick?”
“So you do know about me?”
“You’re far too cocky for someone hanging off the edge of a building by their throat.”
“You think I care? I’m more upset that now I don’t get any coffee today.”
“Why aren’t you terrified?”
“I am.”
“Why are you so willing to answer me?”
“You haven’t killed me yet? And I’m assuming the second I stop answering you will. Either way, I’m probably not leaving this interaction alive, so why not have a nice game of twenty questions before I go?” Morgan answered, smirking.
Alex stared at them silently.
“What’s your name?”
“Why would I tell you?”
“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”
“Not yet.” Alex said, and set Morgan down on the roof. “Can you get down by yourself? Or will any of hte numerous heroes showing up to stop me assist you?”
“I’m fine on my own.” Morgan said.
“Then leave now, before you get hurt.” Alex said, turning around. “And to those of you listening in, weren’t you ever told it’s rude to eavesdrop?”
Morgan wasn’t sure how he made it off the roof before the fighting started, but he didn’t come to until he was in his office.
A fresh cup of coffee was on his desk.
He didn’t ask where it came from.
He was given the day off.
After questioning.
Morgan went to unlocked his apartment door.
He groaned as the door swung open without him even touching his keys to it.
At this rate he should just buy the building.
So what if that makes him a bad person.
At least then he could fix all these problems the landlord wasn’t getting around to.
He threw off his coat, letting it fall to the floor and kicked off his shoes.
“Oh, do you normally leave this late?”
Morgan looked up and froze.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
Alex smiled and waved at him, “Not even a hello. Come on, Morgan. I thought we were better than that.”
“I am not better than that. I’m exhausted because of you. So either kill me or get out.” Morgan said through gritted teeth.
Alex looked around. “Take a seat.”
Alex huffed and threw himself down on his couch. “Want me to die in some semblance of comfort?”
“Just stay there.” Alex said getting up.
They disappeared into the kitchen
Morgan laid out on his couch.
He knew he should get up and do something about whatever poison they were making for him, but he couldn’t be bothered.
He was asleep before he realized it.
Alex worked on making dinner.
They had explored a bit into Morgan’s apartment, mostly out of curiosity.
Another reason was to see if the reason he wasn’t scared was because he was secretly one of those freaks who for some reason found their murder attractive.
They had to be certain it wasn’t that before befriending him.
They were relieved to find nothing that could point them in that direction for Morgan.
They were going to start watching one of his old movies, when he had come back.
He’d looked exhausted and told them that he was and that it was their fault.
Alex felt a little guilty. They hadn’t intended for the other things that would surely be exhausting to anyone.
They started making him dinner.
The friendship should be equal so they didn’t mind doing this.
It definitely wasn’t so they could show off their amazing cooking skills.
When they went to bring Morgan the food, they found him asleep on his couch.
They waited for a few minutes, contemplating waking him, before deciding to set the plate down and leave. He’d eat it later.
Morgan looked up at Chad confused. “No, I didn’t invite anyone to lunch?”
“Well, there’s someone here for you? Do you, is it a date?” Chad asked.
Morgan sighed, “It is most definitely the furthest thing from a date.”
He got up and made his way to the door to find someone familiar looking at the door.
“Morgan! So glad you didn’t forget about me. Let’s get going?”
Morgan paled for a moment before nodding, “Let me gra-”
“No time, let’s go.” Alex grabbed Morgan’s arm and started pulling him.
As soon as Alex knew they were safe they teleported them both to a nice restaurant. “I thought you’d like something nice for a change.”
“I eat plenty of nice things.”
“Then consider this one more nice thing you get to eat.”
“Why do you keep doing this?” Morgan asked. “Either kill me or fuck off.”
“That’s why,” Alex smiled. “No one talks to me like that. It’s so refreshing. It’s so nice to have a friend from work.”
Morgan sighed but cracked a small smile. “Alright then, but if we’re friends, I need a name.”
“You’ll get it eventually. Just not yet.”
“You know everything about me and I don’t even get a name? You think I’d tell?”
“I don’t think you wouldn’t tell.” Alex shrugged.
“Fine. But I expect some way of contacting me from now on. I can’t just go out whenever you want. We can make plans, Alex.”
Alex froze and looked up at Morgan.
Morgan smiled at them. “I already knew it. I’ve heard your order called before. And yet the heroes know nothing? Strange.”
“How long?” Alex asked, clearing their throat.
“About a year and a half now.” Morgan said, looking down at his menu. “Most people just ignore it, but I’m a bit of a people watcher. And you have always been the most interesting person to watch. Even if no one else can tell, I think I always knew on some level who you were. And that made everything more itneresting.”
“You’re smarter than I gave you credit for.” Alex whispered.
“Then maybe you’ll stop doubting me,” Morgan hummed. “You’re paying for this, right? Cause my wallet was actually in my jacket pocket and you so rudely did not let me grab my jacket.”
Alex couldn’t muster even a fake smile, still focusing on this issue. “Of course.”
Alex stared at the wall.
How had they not noticed him for a year and a half.
It had taken a month for him to finally tell them that he knew their name.
How many other people knew?
Did it matter?
Probably not.
But he had kept it a secret this entire time.
Just to rub it in their face.
That was a new level of pettiness that Alex hadn’t felt in a while.
They finally let a smile break out on their face.
Finally.
“Alex, I told you. I have an important meeting in half an hour.” Morgan said, untangling himself from the ropes.
“You told me you have a boring meeting in half an hour.” Alex corrected.
“It’s the same thing.” Morgan sighed. “Take me back, now.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I’m bored, you would be bored. Why not just hang out? The heroes won’t get here for at least another hour or two, even if they leave right now. We could watch a movie.”
“I’m a hero, I have things to do.”
“You’re a sidekick. You don’t have much to do.”
Morgan seemed to recoil at that.
Alex made a mental note to never do that again.
“You wanted to watch a movie?” Morgan asked.
Alex smiled, “Yes.”
Morgan had gotten to close to the fight.
He shouldn’t have been that close.
He had no reason to get that close.
Barnaby was trying to stop the bleeding but nothing was working.
“Morgan. Morgan. I know you can hear me. I need you to stay awake. Please. Please, Morgan. I’m doing my best, but it’s not enough so just stay awake a little longer, please.” Barnaby stuttered.
Morgan felt his eyes slipping close.
Alex was standing over them both in that same instant.
Barnaby froze, staring up at them.
Watching them crouch down and place a hand over Morgan’s injury.
“Stop!” he shouted.
He knew he couldn’t defeat the S tier supervillain.
But he wasn’t going to stand around while they finished off Morgan.
He tackled Alex off of Morgan.
Just as Morgan gasped sitting up. “Oh fuck that hurt.”
“Morgan, your friend?” Alex asked, now laying on the ground under Barnaby.
“What?” Barnaby stuttered. “Why…. why do you know his name?”
“You were shouting it.”
“Barnaby, get off of them. We need to leave before they decide to kill us both,” Morgan said, grabbing Barnaby.
He pulled Barnaby up and off of Alex, who calmly got up and brushed themself off. “Thank you.”
Morgan started pulling Barnaby, leading to them both running off.
“I should be more careful around his hero friends. They don’t seem to approve of us.” Alex mumbled, catching a shield that came flying at their head.
“You should be a villain.”
Morgan froze. “What?”
“You should be a villain. Join me on the cool side,” Alex smirked.
Morgan turned to face Alex. “Why would I do that?”
“Well other than that one dog boy, most of the heroes seem to treat you like crap.”
“Dave Dodgers is pretty nice to me.”
“He wants to date your sister.” Alex said.
“No he doesn’t”
“We’re getting off topic.” Alex said. “You’d be able to do so much more as a villain.”
“I’m fine as a her- sidekick.”
“Why do you do that?” Alex asked.
“Do what?” Morgan asked in response.
“Sometimes you’re about to call yourself a hero, why?”
Morgan rolled his eyes. “It’s nothing. Let’s jus-”
“If you want to be a hero we can do that.”
“Alex.”
“We could stage something. You’d become A tier immediately. The hero who beat S tier. How many people can say they did that?”
“Alex. Drop it.”
“You could snap out my heart a-”
“Alex!” Morgan shouted.
Alex stopped.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Alright.”
“Another kidnapping? Really?” Morgan asked.
“Get’s you sent home early, which means more time for us to hang out.”
“More time for you to try and talk me into turning into a villain.” Morgan sighed.
“Is it working?”
“No.”
Morgan gasped. “Too much.”
“Morgan, please, get up. I don’t know what to do. Please,” Chad begged.
“That was too much, oh fuck, something… something’s wrong…. Take… hospital?” Morgan passed out.
Morgan woke up, alone.
He thought he was alone.
“Thank fuck you’re awake. Who did this to you? I’ll take care of them.” Alex whispered.
Morgan turned his head slightly. “Alex?”
“Just give me their names.”
“No. Just stay with me?” Morgan asked quietly.
Alex took in a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Thank you.”
The next time Morgan woke up, Barnaby was leaning over his bed and glaring at Alex.
Alex was glaring right back.
“I can explain,” He said.
“No, rest.” Alex ordered.
“Please get some more rest, Morgan,” Barnaby stuttered.
“Not with you to glaring at each other like that.” Morgan whispered.
“Why are they here?” Barnaby asked.
“I could ask the same thing about you, but I see your reason is wagging it’s tail behind you.”
“You leave Kotetsu out of this.” Barnaby stuttered.
He was shaking slightly.
“Alex, don’t hurt him. Barnaby is my best friend. I always have him back here with me when this… sort of incident happens. Chad and Diego are high tier heroes. They can’t take a break whenever they want to visit me.”
“What sort of incident?” Alex asked.
“Of course you’d focus in on that part.” Morgan sighed. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I brought you your favorite. That mac n cheese you like so much.”
Morgan smiled, “Your mom made mac n cheese for me?”
Barnaby chuckled, “She does this every time I tell her your in the hospital. She worries about you a lot.”
“I’m sorr-”
“Don’t you dare apologize for being cared about.” Barnaby said.
Morgan let the smile return to his face slowly, “Okay.”
Alex watched them interacting.
It was different.
“I won’t be a villain.” Morgan said. “I’ll never be a villain and if you can’t accept that then get the fuck out.” Morgan huffed.
Maybe his day had been harder than necessary.
Maybe Alex showing up today ruined his plans for a quiet night in.
Maybe he was just sick and tired of the ‘you should become a villain spiel’.
But he’d fucking had it.
He snapped, and started shouting at them.
Alex looked calm on the outside.
But Morgan had gotten to know them well enough.
They were terrified they’d hurt him in some way.
He knew he needed to calm down, he didn’t need another noise complaint.
But he was so tired lately.
Something shifted in Alex’s eyes and they nodded leaving.
Morgan felt a few tears spill down their cheeks as Alex left.
“That’s it?” He whispered.
No one responded.
Morgan opened his eyes.
It was dark.
He could barely see.
He checked his watch and saw that it was 2 pm.
“Hello?”
“Oh, you’re awake.”
“Alex?” Morgan asked.
“I know you don’t want to hear this anymore, Morgan. But I’m so sick of seeing you treated like shit under those heroes.”
Morgan looked around.
He couldn’t see anything past his hands.
“I will say this once then send you back. You will always have my number, so when you’re ready, call me.”
“What?” Morgan asked.
“One day you will look back on these years and realize how foolish you are, how foolish you have been and you will mourn that which you have refused.”
“What the fuck?” Morgan asked. “All because I won’t become a villain. Are you fuckign hearing yourself? You sound delusional.”
Morgan looked around and suddenly he was back in his office.
Chad was waving a hand in front of his face. “Morgan?”
“Chad? Is this real?”
“Yes?”
“Okay,” Morgan breathed. “Okay.”
It was a bit weird to get used to coming home and knowing Alex wouldn’t be there.
Morgan was almost ready to admit they missed them.
But they didn’t expect such a complete cut off over what they said in anger.
Usually what they said in anger was ignored or used against them later.
Maybe this counted as the latter?
He wasn’t sure. He just knew he needed to get used to it.
He actually felt a bit lonely again.
Another night in the hospital from ‘training’ had Morgan seriously questioning if this was worth it.
He’d never be a hero. He knew that. He had finally accepted that.
But being a sidekick was the worst.
He thought he could move up from sidekick to hero, but no.
He was stuck under his brother.
Probably until he died.
He looked through his phone.
He hovered over Alex’s contact.
He wasn’t seriously thinking about calling them right now.
“Morgan?” Alex asked.
Morgan looked up.
Alex stepped closer, “You look awful.”
“What are you doing here?”
“You were about to call, weren’t you?” Alex asked.
“You’ve been watching this entire time?”
“Not exactly, just checking in every so often. I still consider you my friend, but I understand that you don’t want me to be your frien-”
“I didn’t mean that. I wasn’t in a good place that day. I’m sorry.” Morgan said.
Alex rested their hand on Morgan’s chin. “So you’ll let me take care of those who did this to you?”
“No, Chad didn’t mean it. He’s just a dumbass.”
“Your brother did this to you?” Alex asked.
Morgan sighed. “It’s a very long story and I’m so tired.”
Alex nodded. “Rest now. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“I didn’t pay for this?” Morgan mumbled.
“Maybe I am a bad influence on you,” Alex teased. “Stealing a piece of candy. Next you’d be robbing a credit union.”
Morgan smirked and put the piece of candy back in his pocket, “yeah, maybe.”
“You look good in black,” Alex mumbled.
“You’re just excited I’m finally elaving my shitty family.”
“I’m happy to be helping you leave your shitty ass family,” Alex smiled. “They never deserved you.”
“Bar-”
“Barnaby and Kotetsu, maybe deserve you. But I mean your shitty family, not your much better found family.” Alex said.
Morgan smiled. “Right, I’m almost done.”
“I had no idea how good you were at forging documents.” Alex commented.
“I’ve been practicing for a while.”
“Why?”
“I’m not giving you that answer.”
Alex chuckled. “I’ll find out one day.”
“Maybe.” Morgan shrugged.
“So, you own the building now?”
“I own the building now.”
“Anything big planned first?” Alex asked.
“Helping Barnaby move in across from me.”
“What?” Alex asked.
“Yeah, his landlord’s a fuckhead. Charging him extra for ‘pet related costs and damages’. Kotetsu’s a literal ghost dog. He’s causing no damages.” Morgan argued.
“So i can fight them?”
“Maybe after Barnaby’s safely moved in here?”
“Alright, then let’s get that done.” Alex said, snapping.
There was a loud noise of confusion and things breaking form across the hall.
Morgan sighed with a small smile.
“Just a little villainy, as a treat,” He mumbled.
Morgan left with far more than he intended.
“Maybe a lot of villainy, as a form of self love,” Morgan assured himself.
“I am a criminal. I am a villain. I am ranking in as a D tier and I’m thriving.” Morgan said.
Chad looked at him in disgust. “What happened to you?”
Alex threw an arm around Morgan's shoulders. “Nothing happened to him. He’s just happy.”
Chad’s eyes went wide, “Mind control.”
“No.” Morgan said.
“I’ll find a way to save you, brother.” Chad declared.
“Great,” Morgan said. “Now I have to deal with that.”
Alex shrugged, “Sorry.”
“No you’re not.”
Alex smiled. “You’re right.”