Work Text:
Bernard fidgeted. His phone buzzed - a flood of notifications. Why did Morgan always choose to do crime during his school hours? Barnaby raised his hand.
"Yes, Jenkins?" The teacher asked in a monotone voice.
"I- I n-need to go to- to the bathroom." Barnaby had a list of excuses. He had already had a stomach ache, his dog being sick, his parents calling him and even a relative dying. He feels bad about lying. On the other hand it was his duty as a hero to help in the stopping of villains.
She waved it off.
He stood up and told Charlie to take his things when the period was over. Well, "told" was a strong word, but they understood each other with a single nod. Barnaby loved that about their friendship. She was one of few people who knew who he was and he honestly didn't know how he would have made it without her. Maybe one day he would muster up the courage to tell her how much he liked her. Appreciated, that was... he meant appreciated. As a friend. That was it. Definitely
He rushed into the bathroom. After making sure no one was there but him, he crawled out the window. He grabbed his hero's "outfit" and skateboard from behind a flowerpot he had hidden. A hero could never know when and what could happen.
He stood on the board, letting Kotetsu pull him, like a carriage.
By the time that Saint Bernard arrived at the crime scene, it seemed like Morgan had already fled. However, Barnaby knew better. Morgan was bound to be around somewhere.
A few police officers greeted him as he looked around for any trace from Morgan.
He looked at his watch. Barnaby was thinking of leaving the case to the police or the rest of the heroes when he saw Kotetsu. He was sniffing along a trail. Did he have a lead? Kotetsu turned back at the hero.
That was it.
Barnaby started walking to where Kotetsu was. He sped up. A tree just behind the police tapeline started to move. Barnaby started running. Morgan jumped from a branch. Tuck and roll and already sprinting away from the hero. Barnaby absorbed Kotetsu, earning an extra power-up to the chase.
Morgan was leaping through the park, over benches, running in the street, inches from getting hit. What an adrenaline junky. Some days Barnaby wondered why he even bothered with this nutcase. Across the street and panicked, Morgan made a fatal mistake. Wrong turn. They were faced in front of a dead-end street.
"It's over Morgan. Just give back everything you stole and let's get this over with."
Morgan laughed, "You know that's not going to happen, Saint Barnard."
Barnaby separated from Kotetsu. Morgan's eyes widened at that. The villain quickly tried to climb up the brick wall only to get tackled down by the dog. Police arrived shortly after Saint Bernard had already seized the villain.
That was the moment Barnaby would have wished he could have said that he had gone home and gotten some rest or maybe caught up with some schoolwork, but alas, that was far from the truth.
He found himself in the police station about to enter Morgan's jail sell.
"You have ten minutes." the police officer said as the hero stepped in. The sound of the doors open and close must have alerted Morgan because the villain was already at the bars looking at the hero with a smug smile.
"Why hello Bar- I meant, Saint Bernard. What brings you to my humble abode? You'll have to excuse the mess, I wasn't expecting guests."
"You're awfully funny for someone behind bars."
"Well... It's a matter of perspective. See, from where I'm standing, you're the one behind bars." Morgan laughed. It was fake.
Barnaby really didn't want to laugh at the dumb jokes. "Villain, please. Just tell us where you hid the stolen items. I-"
"You know I can't do that." Every trace of the joking manner that Morgan was gone without a trace. "I'm sorry. But you're wasting your time."
Barnaby sighed. He knew Morgan. He knew how stubborn the villain could be. "Alright."
And that was that.
The police had nothing in particular on Morgan. Only breaking and entering. Nothing was proven to be stolen, or so the authorities thought so no charges were filed. It was almost sad.
They let Morgan go. So Barnaby had no choice but to track Morgan. It was around 2 AM. The villain snuck around the sleeping policeman at the crime scene. Barnaby followed hesitantly. Morgan reached for a sewer grate and pulled up something by a string. That was the hero's cue. He leaped in. Morgan immediately started running away. Again. Barnaby swore, if the damn PE teacher made him run laps tomorrow he was going to throw a fit.
Not a few miles down the chase Barnaby tackled Morgan. "W- will you s- stop for one. God. Damn. Night! " Barnaby let go of Morgan. He was sweaty, out of breath and sleepless. Barnaby flopped down on the concrete. "I am... so tired, p- please. Can y- you please just, go on holiday or something. Take a fe- few weeks off." Barnaby let out an exasperated sigh. Sure, Morgan and him were kind of close, for nemesis that was, but who was Barnaby kidding, why would-
"Yeah. Okay." Morgan's words interrupted his thoughts.
"What?"
"I mean everyone needs a break sometimes, right?" Morgan was now sitting on the ground next to the hero, hands resting on knees, looking forward at nothing in particular.
They stood in silence for a while. It was calming.
"Welp," the villain began. "I'll be going then." Morgan stood up, dusting off.
Barnaby lifted his back from where he was laying. "Wait. I can't ju- just let you get away. You s- stole s- something."
Morgan nodded with a tight smile and started walking away. They both knew Barnaby wasn't going to stop "the robbery."
"Oh, one more thing." Morgan turned around to look at the hero. "How's it going with Charlie?"
Barnaby grabbed the first pebble in an arm's distance and threw it at Morgan, no intention to actually hit the villain. It didn't even reach Morgan yet there was an overly dramatic flinch on the latter's side.
"G- get out of here be- before I change my m- mind."
"Oh I'm scared!" Morgan laughed with no malice, before turning back and continued walking.
Barnaby took a few minutes to go back home. He missed his midnight walks with Kotetsu. And he's sure the dog has too.