Chapter Text
Alex watched from a far with amusement as a small group of low-level villains and henchmen gathered outside, A tier hero, Chadster’s base. There was a clear leader among them, ordering where to place the explosives.
The leader was a scruffy looking individual and the power they emitted was almost undetectable, as if they had no powers at all. Funny how such a weak and insignificant idiot could believe they are able to pull off such an elaborate heist.
The small figures scampered around until everything seemed to be in place. With a grin, Alex watched and waited.
That wall was blast, laser, and nuke resistant. Alex had tried the lot. Boredom drove people to strange things, even attacking the base of some low life A tier hero.
Then something happened that Alex couldn’t predict even if they looked into the future; the wall blew up.
The figures start to run once again. A quick dash inside and the figures started running out again.
A small group has formed a circle, casting a portal in which the ransackers were leaping. An interesting escape plan as one would have to stay behind to close it. How do they decide who’s going to be caught?
The leader ran out last, closely followed by the A tier hero himself, Chadster.
Alex could feel the glee and adrenaline from that peculiar person, they reeked of it. Alex watched, impressed as they jumped back into the portal, flipping off the hero like some comic book character. Alex even laughed.
The hero yelled, "MORGAN!!" loud enough, even without their hearing, Alex could hear him.
Then the last person is stood facing the hero, the portal behind them. Alex watched intently. What now? Their plan seemed to be so well thought out.
A great power unlike anything Alex had ever felt suddenly generated around the last person standing as the hero reached out to them. But it wasn’t from the person themselves. It was from somewhere else.
And then the person was gone.
And so was that power…
Chad stood throwing a fit, Alex thought he should pay the hero a little visit.
When Chad saw the S tier villain, he was much more annoyed the afraid. “Not now you fiend, I have enough on my plate.” He grumbled.
“I saw.”
Chad sits on the burnt ground, “So go away. I have to figure out how to explain this to our parents.” He picks up some clothes that seemed to have been left there and tosses them down grumbling.
Alex stopped. “Sorry?”
“Don’t be, this definitely not you.” Chad paused, pondering something before turning to the villain was rage ignited in his eyes once again, “Was it? Are you conspiring with my brother?”
“That’s not what I meant- brother?” To think Chad was anything but an only child was a shock, spoiled and whiney that’s what described Chad. And a bitch, but that was all self-righteous heroes.
Chad nodded, “Older. It’s a real shame. He was going to be my sidekick until he… Had his incident. Our parents say he’ll grow out of it though.” Chad shrugged, turning back to his now broken base.
Alex couldn’t help but laugh, “A family of A tier heroes produced a villain. You have fun with all this, I think I need to meet your brother.”
The area where the portal had been formed was still hot, Alex placed their hand at the centre, it opened again, this time with a distinctive golden glow.
Sounds of glasses clinking together and cheers caught Alex’s attention first. They appeared to be in an apartment. Cloaked with invisibility, Alex ventured further in.
The raiding party was in the living room, celebrating with drinks.
The one who had been left behind was next to the leader in a robe, their arms around each other's shoulders.
“You should have seen his face, Morgan. Chad was fucking pissed.”
Morgan laughed, “I’m sure. I can’t believe you punched him.”
The woman grins, “You just gotta with a face like his. Ya know?”
Alex frowned, that didn’t happen, if anything the one left behind looked as though she was going to shit herself.
“I wish I was there.” Morgan turns to face the other, their eyes locked, “Thank you for trusting me.”
The liar smiles, a hand on Morgan’s cheek, “Anything for you, boss.” She leans in, pressing a kiss to Morgan’s lips.
The others cheer again.
“How did you know about the weak spot boss?” Another asks.
“Ah, well, this fucking powerful villain has been attacking the front of the base for a while now. Their like, think if all the most powerful heroes where combined with a god kinda powerful. So, Chad has been reinforcing the front with power he’s taken from the back. He’s not really the brightest.”
“Your brother or the villain?” Someone else laughs, “only attacking the front instead of looking for weak points.”
Alex felt a hot anger start to bloom in his chest, but Morgan raises a hand. “Hey, don’t disrespect an S tier villain- they’re always listening” he teases. The group laughs. “But seriously, they were just bored. My brother is an easy target to someone so powerful. All they wanted was to bug my brother. We should be thanking them. Here’s to the S tier, may their future engagements benefit us just as much!”
They cheers and party and Alex leaves.
What an odd person.
It tormented Alex for nights, that feeling of such great power. He desperately needed to know what kind of device that those D classes had used to pull the liar back. It couldn’t be any of their powers, they all felt so weak. Morgan was the strongest and even they felt weak enough to kill with a blink. None had any powers. Just strong, for people without powers, people; destined to never advance any further than petty bank robberies. Chad’s base was a fluke.
How did they have access to such power? Stolen from the brother perhaps? But a device that power would take up a lot of space and Alex saw nothing of the sort in Morgan’s apartment.
It was frustrating. Not knowing something. And it wasn’t something Alex was used to.
In a huff, they sat up.
There was a small, tiny, obscure chance that they’d missed something.
So, they were going to find out.
Invisible again, Alex appeared in Morgan’s apartment. This time, instead of the sound of partying, it was the sound of someone throwing up.
Yellow light spilled out from the bathroom. Morgan and the liar where in there, Morgan hunched over the toilet.
“I shouldn’t have drank the other night. I am still getting sick for days.” Morgan grumbles.
The liar rubs their back, “I know love. Honestly, it’s kind of cute how much of a light weight you are. Three days later and still sick as a dog.” She laughs.
Morgan chuckles, “freak.”
“Only for you.”
Alex was the one feeling the urge to be sick now. This vile romantic display was made worse by it coming from the mouth of a liar.
Said woman stands, “I’ll get you water. And I’ll call off work tomorrow too so you can stay home again.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine tomorrow, it doesn’t normally last that long, you know that.”
She smiles, “We’ll see.”
Alex followed her to the kitchen where she poured a glass of water. Then. Rather than returning to her sick partner, she reaches up on top of the cupboard and retrieves a small bag with a white power in it, stirring a spoonful into the glass and fills it up all the way.
Maybe it was medicine. Maybe it was poison. Why should Alex care? He was supposed to be here to find that powerful device.
However, they found themselves reaching up, taking the package and disappearing.
If it was a hangover cure, why not check it out? Maybe it’ll help when they themself drank too much. And if it was poison… Oh well. Being slowly poisoned to death is none of Alex’s business. They don’t care. Not about anyone. Let alone this nobody.
This nobody that somehow summoned a great power from nowhere.
Yes, that was their only interest here. That power.
When the labs came back Alex stared at the paper hoping they’d read it wrong. But the more they looked the more sure they were.
The paper set alight under Alex’s gaze. They drop the page, it floated down gently, ash and embers breaking off as it goes. It suddenly explodes, the last of the page combusts to dust and Alex was gone.
The apartment was empty when Alex arrived. The smell of sickness now erased, replaced with bleach. That D class had definitely gotten better since the liar had nothing to give them anymore. Neither of them were home. Alex dreaded to think what bullshit she was blathering. So, Alex decided to wait.
It was dark outside when Morgan returned home, the streetlights were flickering outside his window, a familiar and comforting eeriness to it.
Then the light of the bedroom flicked on.
Morgan smiled, “Hey love! I didn’t know you were back!” They shrugged their coat off, heading back to the bedroom. “I thought you had to go to the chemist- “
Gold eyes met Morgan’s.
Sat on the bed, Alex just watched the figure enter the room. Their e face didn’t change but fear rolled off him in waves.
“Hello, Morgan.”
The figure doesn’t move, eyes locked together.
“Sir.” Morgan nods their head in a short bow. Ideas trying to figure out why this S tier was sat on his bed.
“No idea for that. Relax, please, you’re making me nervous now.” They half joked.
Morgan shuffled uncomfortably. The S tier’s casualness was the unnerving thing, “What can I do for you, S- Alex.” The name came out of Morgan’s mouth in such an unfamiliar movement. But the smile that crossed Alex’s lips after was even more unusual.
“You actually know my name. That’s a good start.” They laugh.
“Who doesn’t? You’re the most powerful villain there is. Everyone knows your name.” Morgan restrained themself from sounding too much like a fan, but there was a wonder to everything Alex did, especially for lower ranked villains.
“Well, I don’t exactly hear this side of things, people generally scream and run away.” Alex laughs. It was loud and dramatic, it reminded Morgan of their girlfriend. It put him at slight ease.
“So, what can I do for you? I assume it’s important if you came all the way down here.”
“I need a few things from you actually, but let’s start with the most pressing.” Their tone became serious, and their gaze more intense, “This.”
The plastic bag Alex produced from behind his back was half full of a white powder, brighter than flour but just as fine.
“What is that?” Morgan asked, he was never involved with drug rings. Did Alex have some kind of monopoly they thought Morgan was encroaching on?
“That, is what your so-called girlfriend has been poisoning you with.”
Then something unexpected happened.
Morgan glared at the villain. Anger replacing fear at an astonishing rate. “What the fuck are you on about?”
“Trust me when I say, it is not something I wanted to say. I- “
“Trust you?” Morgan scoffed, “Where did you even get this? How do you know me? You don’t know anything about us.”
“I saw her put it in your drink, it made you sick, so I had it tested.”
“YOU WERE IN MY HOME? WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?”
This was not the reaction Alex had anticipated. Surely Morgan would be glad to know about their girlfriend being a psycho. Glad that Alex had intervened and told them.
The front door clicked open,” Morgan, are you home yet?” A voice called.
“Back here!” Morgan called; angry eyes still locked with Alex’s.
The figure comes in with a wide smile, “Hey babe, I got you- what the fuck?” Upon her eyes landing on Alex, she stepped back. “What the hell is he doing here? What have you got yourself into now?”
“He says he’s stalked us. Broke into our home. And that you,” Morgan turns to face his lover, ready to watch for even the smallest twitch, “poisoned me.”
Morgan watched.
Carefully.
Their girlfriend bursts into laughter, “what? What a psycho.”
“Ha! That’s ironic.” Alex stood now, towering over them both. Both of the lower villains take a few steps back, “Why don’t you take this then?” Alex throws the bag to the liar's feet.
She frowns, "I'm not drinking something from a crazy person.”
Morgan tensed.
“They didn’t say you need to drink it.”
Caught.
“I- I just assumed- it’s not hard to put two and two together, not everyone is stupid Morgan. I can’t believe you’d think I-“
“Get out.” Morgan’s eyes filled with fire that burned into the others skull but their words were cold enough to keep it at bay.
“Babe, I love yo-“
“Get the fuck out of my apartment.”
“Morgan-“
“Go.”
“MORGAN!”
“GET OUT OR I SWEAR TO FUCK I’LL THROW YOU OUT!”
She leaves, glaring at Alex and pleading with Morgan but the door still shut in her face.
The moment it does Morgan’s leg gave out from under them. A heavy sob leaving their chest.
Alex was too stunned to speak.
That strong and fiery individual crumbled into an emotional wreck before their eyes. They felt… Something…. A bad something.
“Hey, come here…” Alex pulled them up, pressing them against his chest. “Shh” Alex wasn’t the comforting type, but something within them stirred to swoop in. Maybe the sight of such a strong person falling part like that. Maybe some, dare they say, empathy.
“I loved her. She was so good to me. For once someone cared about me.”
Alex sighed, holding back the urge to point out she clearly didn’t care as much as Morgan thought, stroking their hair, “I’ll care about you…” He felt horrible, but sweet words flowed from their lips as though it would help.
“And to think I wasted my teleport on her.” Morgan sniffled.
Alex bit their lip. This didn’t feel the time to ask about that, as much as they desperately wanted to know. That could wait. Somewhere within their cold twisted heart, something burned a little brighter with Morgan here.
Maybe it was the mysterious strength Morgan had hidden away. Maybe it was this vulnerable moment. Whatever it was, it was …nice. For once being the one to provide safety and comfort. Not something Alex had done since high school, and yet that paled in comparison.
Turning away, Morgan pulled from Alex suddenly, wiping his tears on his sleeve, a strangled laugh escaping their lips. “Sorry, I’m not normally like this… Usually I’m less soppy.”
“It’s fine. I understand this is not the ideal time to meet. I wish things were under better circumstances.”
Morgan laughed again, “No better time the then present.” They turn back, looking if they’d never been crying to begin with- a jarring change, “Coffee?” They offered, moving to the kitchen area.
The wet part of Alex’s shirt clung to him as they followed Morgan to the kitchen, the only physical evidence that only a moment ago they had been weeping into thier arms. Mentally, Alex checked off a less then ideal childhood for this young villain. A common trait of the trade unfortunately.
As the kettle boiled, Morgan’s eyes fell onto Alex’s which held an inquisitive gaze. “Crying to coffee, interesting segway.”
“I can’t spend time crying, it’s a waste. Chin up and all that.”
Alex frowned, “sounds healthy.”
“You can thank my family.”
“Speaking of-“
“If my brother’s name leaves your mouth I’m filling it with hot water.”
An amused laugh left Alex’s lips, “Do you not see who you’re talking to? Or do you just not care?”
“Seeing as I just got my snot all over your shirt that costs more then rent here, I don’t care.” Morgan pours the coffee, just instant stuff but Alex wasn’t going to complain. Not that they didn’t want to, but something about Morgan’s threat didn’t exactly seem like a joke- which was fascinating.
They sit together for a while, gently blowing on their coffee, letting the quiet settle over them and pretending anything about this was normal. However, questions burned within each of them just at the tip of their tongues.
Simultaneously, they take a breath to speak, only to look at the other.
“Sorry, you go”
“No no, your home, you speak first.”
“No, I insist.”
“I insist more.”
Morgan laughs, “okay, fine. I need to know, how did you even find out about this? We’ve never met, and regardless, I know you’re not the social justice type villain.”
“Well, that kind of leads into my question. I saw you and your team blow up Chad’s base. No offence, you’re all really weak but that kind of teleportation power, it’s the opposite. I came to try and find out how you did it, saw the party and left. When I returned, I saw that,” a flicker of red passed threw Alex’s golden eyes, “she put something in your water. I’m not the hero type but when it comes to something I want, I’m rather protective.”
Morgan nodded along, “well, I suppose you want me then.” Alex’s cheeks flushed and their eyes widened, “It’s my power. It’s a stupid power but when it comes to point A to point B, there is no limit on them.”
Alex nodded slowly, this small, pathetically weak person had such a great power. With no distance limit on the spaces between, this is a powerful gift wrapped up in something well, weaker then Alex’s right pinkie finger.
“It’s impressive. You don’t read as powerful until you use your gift. Could you show me?”
Morgan shook his head, “I can only use it once a month. Non stackable, non trainable, no way to power up. I’m as strong as I ever could be and that’s it now.”
“Interesting.”
This time Morgan laughed, “that’s a word for it.”