Work Text:
EXT, TOWER BALCONY, NIGHT
Douglas is leaning against the railing, thumbing over a bracelet on his left wrist. He’s staring absently into the night, and is so distracted that he doesn’t notice Kaz walking up beside him.
KAZ: Hey, Douglas.
Douglas is startled and jumps slightly. He turns around to face Kaz.
DOUGLAS: Ah, r-right, hey there. Kazimieras, right?
KAZ: Uh, just Kaz is cool man.
DOUGLAS: Right. Yeah.
Silence. Kaz stands next to Douglas, and he notices the bracelet Douglas can’t stop fidgeting with.
KAZ: You okay?
DOUGLAS: I’m, I’m...
Douglas trails off, looks up and stares into the night. He sighs quietly.
DOUGLAS: I’m just in... grief. I suppose.
KAZ: Oh, I’m really sorry. What- What happened...?
DOUGLAS: I lost... I lost one of my kids a few months ago.
KAZ: Shit, that’s awful. I’m sorry for your loss.
DOUGLAS: It was- It wasn’t like... They were an android. Has Chase or Bree ever talked about a kid named “Marcus”?
KAZ: Uhm, no. They actually rarely talk about stuff before the tower.
Kaz pauses.
KAZ: Even if they were an android, it must still be tough, right?
He hesitates for a second, rubbing his hands. He yawns and looks away.
KAZ: Me, Oliver and Skylar... We uhm, all lost people too. We know what you’re going through.
DOUGLAS: I heard. Mighty Med, right? I’m sorry for your losses too.
KAZ: (Smiles) Thanks.
Kaz leans on the rails and looks at the city.
KAZ: I mean, does this feeling... ever get better? Do you- Do you get... nightmares, too?
DOUGLAS: ... Yeah. But the nightmares... they’re just replaying what I did. I- I...
Douglas clearly hesitates, glancing about the balcony.
DOUGLAS: I killed my son.
KAZ: Woah. That’s uh, wow.
Something in Kaz changes, he seems a little off-put.
DOUGLAS: They were going to attack Leo... I just, I panicked. I wanted to protect the guy. I didn’t even realize at first that I’d killed them. Marcus couldn’t come back.
He pinches the bridge of his nose, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Kaz notices that Douglas has pronounced eye-bags, and looks to be close to crying.
DOUGLAS: Everyone else seemed to not care. Nobody really ever liked Marcus. It feels all so... strange. Weird. Marcus hated me. Yet I still... I feel so terrible.
KAZ: There was... there was some prisoners in Mighty Med, underneath it in Mighty Max that died. Those people hated everyone and every single one of their death’s feels like a pile of stones on my head. It’s awful.
DOUGLAS: Heh, yeah...
Silence.
DOUGLAS: You’re a great kid. You and your friends. You three are going to be great heroes.
KAZ: Thanks man.
They both silently continue to exchange conversation, before they both turn in for the night. As the lights dim in Douglas’s room, he takes off all his bracelets, except for a black beaded one with purple spots.