Work Text:
The midsummer night was clear, but no stars were visible above the brightly lit mansion as the car pulled to a stop. Green eyes locked on the imposing building, the warm golden lights reflecting off of the white marble doing nothing to sooth Morgan’s nerves.
“Are you sure this is where you want me to park?” Alex asked, and Morgan nodded. They were just a little away from the main property, hidden in the shadows, so the question was a reasonable one.
“Yes.” Morgan assured simply, not really wanting to elaborate on why they were avoiding the valet parking.
They stepped out of the car, smoothing down their red suit and straightening their golden tie. A black button up completed the look that was the inverse of Alex’s more traditional suit. One look at the lavishly decorated entrance and Morgan turned, leading their date around the side of the enormous building.
“Wait, where are we going?” Alex asked, though he still followed.
“To the party.” Morgan didn’t mean to sound short with the other, but they were so nervous that the words came out too sharp.
Alex paused, glancing at the main entrance, then back towards the seemingly abandoned lawn they walked through. “But… the entrance is over there.”
Morgan nodded. “I know.” They confessed, shooting the villain an almost apologetic look. “But that entrance is going to be full of staff and cameras and other bullshit I don’t want to deal with right now. So, we’re going to the side entrance instead. I know the codes.” They explained, leaving out the part where they wanted to meet their parents on their own terms.
It was a moment before realization seemed to dawn on Alex, and he nodded in understanding. “Oh… Ok.”
When the other didn’t push the subject, Morgan relaxed a little. They turned back forward, before their eyes locked on the last thing they wanted to see right now. “Oh fuck.” They said, stopping dead in their tracks and turning back. They didn’t seem to notice Alex nearly running into them as panic threatened to overtake them. “That’s my ex…”
Immediately, Alex looked up, very obviously staring at the C tier hero leaning against the side of the house. Morgan glared at the villain. “For the love of god, could you be a little more discreet!?” They hissed in irritation.
“No thanks.” Alex quipped, and Morgan recognized that deadly look behind those glasses, though they had only seen it directed at them before. “Is that the fucker that kidnapped you?”
Morgan sighed and shook their head. “No… He just cheated on me.” They said, trying to figure out another way into the party.
“I see…”
The dangerous tone from Alex commanded Morgan’s full attention and they eyed the monster cautiously. He was plotting something. “Don’t you dare make a scene.” they ordered.
“Never.” Alex said, not giving Morgan a chance to call out the lie as he took the smaller person’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “Introduce us.”
“What?!” Morgan jerked back, fully aware that the other allowed it. “No. Absolutely not.”
Alex turned to them with that dark smirk they secretly liked so much. “Come on. You’ve got a great poker face, Morgan.” He said, sounding like a demon tempting their victim. “Time to put it to use.”
It wouldn’t work. “No.” Morgan asserted.
“Please?” Alex asked, giving an almost innocent look, though Morgan knew better. “I won’t even kill him, just let me have a little fun with the bastard that hurt you.”
The bastard that hurt you…
The words made Morgan stop for a moment. Alex wanted to confront this man because he’d hurt them. It was a strange feeling, and part of Morgan rebelled against it. They were more than capable of defending themselves, after all. Still, the protectiveness coming from this monster was enticing.
“…Fine.” Morgan finally conceded, before pointing a warning finger at Alex. “But no violence.”
Alex chuckled, holding his hands up in feigned innocence. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Morgan’s eyes narrowed, and they arched a brow at the obvious lie.
It only took a few seconds for Alex to break, and he let out a slight chuckle. “…ok, I’ll dream of it, but I won’t do it.” He assured, reaching out and taking Morgan’s hand once more. “You asked me not to.”
There was no reason for the sudden tightness in the farmhand’s throat at the last words. No reason at all. Green eyes stared at their hands, twisted around each other and fingers interlocked. In that moment, it almost felt real.
Danger. That way lie dragons.
Morgan gave themselves a little shake before turning and leading the other towards the hero, who finally seemed to notice them. They couldn’t help but tense ever so slightly at the smirk the bastard turned to them, but they relished in the way he seemed to deflate when he noticed Alex.
“Brett! It’s good to see you!” Morgan chimed merrily, a bright smile firmly in place.
The hero nodded casually, trying to play it cool. “Hey, Morgan.” He greeted.
Morgan’s grin turned to Alex, and they noticed the predatory gaze that was locked on the hero. Hopefully this didn’t escalate. “Alex, this is Brett. Brett, Alex.” They introduced, gesturing between the two.
Alex smirked at the words, looking the hero over. “Is this the one you were telling me about?” He asked, turning a smirk to Morgan.
The farmhand caught on quickly. “Sure is.” They said with a furtive grin.
Alex looked back at the hero and snickered derisively.
The way Brett struggled to hide his fluster at the implication brought Morgan far too much joy. “Oh? You’ve been talking about me, have you?” He asked, turning to look back up at Alex. “Did he tell you I was his first?”
Morgan brushed of the blatant misgendering, more than used to it around here, but they didn’t miss the way Alex subtly tensed.
“No, they didn’t…” Alex said, acting for a moment as if the news bothered him, before letting out another chuckle. “Apparently, you didn’t make much of an impact there.”
Brett visibly tensed at the words, straightening and squaring his shoulders, though he still wasn’t as tall as Alex. Morgan knew this man well enough to expect the incoming attack when his eyes turned to the farmhand. “I’m actually surprised to see you here, Morgan. I heard rumors that you got kicked out for not obeying like a good little boy.” He said with a cruel smirk. “Are you really so useless that you can’t even be a sidekick?”
Morgan was in perfect control until the last words made them bristle in anger. They were about to snap back when a light squeeze from Alex’s hand made them pause.
“So, Brett, I’m curious.” The villain purred darkly. “Isn’t the party in the back garden? Why are you here… where there are no people around…”
The casual tone did nothing to veil the threat, and Morgan glanced around, realizing they were, in fact, completely alone. “Alex…” they breathed out a warning, but it went ignored.
Brett didn’t seem to realize the danger as he gave a cocky smirk. “I’m waiting for Jessica.” He said, turning a sharp look to Morgan. “My fiancé.”
It took effort for Morgan not to flinch at the familiar name, but they played it cool, simply arching a brow. “Oh yeah? An open marriage, I assume.” They said.
The hero just snickered. “Don’t be bitter because I upgraded.” He said, glancing at Alex. “I’m not stupid, babe. I know you paid this guy to try and make me jealous.”
“Well, we don’t want to keep you.” Alex cut in with a charming smile that hid poison. “It looked like you were in a hurry to leave.”
The slight edge to the villain’s voice was enough to make Brett tense ever so slightly, but he stood his ground. “What makes you think that?” He demanded, fists slowly closing as if he expected a fight.
Alex released Morgan’s hand and reached up to take off his glasses, using a handkerchief to clean them. “Oh, it’s just a feeling I got.”
Morgan blinked in surprise when Brett suddenly stumbled back before turning and running off at top speed. Green eyes stared after the hero, then looked back as Alex casually replaced his glasses. “…What did you do to him?”
“Nothing.” Alex said, smirking down at the farmhand. “I just looked at him.”
There was a moment of silence before the pieces clicked together. “Ohhh… right.” They said, rubbing the back of their neck in slight embarrassment. “Sometimes I forget.”
Alex laughed at the reaction, though it seemed good natured. “Yeah, you really like underestimating me, don’t you?” He asked, reaching down to claim Morgan’s hand once more. “For the record, that is the appropriate reaction to knowing you’re standing in front of a serial mass murderer.”
Morgan rolled their eyes at the words, shifting their grip slightly on the other’s warm hand. “Ha ha, very funny.” They said, deadpan.
The response only made Alex laugh more. “I just thought you’d be interested, since you want me to see things from a normal person’s perspective.” He teased, turning them back in the direction they had been heading.
The sounds of the party floated in the air above them as Morgan took the lead once more. “Well, no one can say you’re not trying…” They grumbled, stopping at the large gate.
Alex stopped beside them as they took a deep breath. This wooden door was meant to be staff access to the back garden, but Morgan had used it many times growing up to sneak in and out of the property. They new the party was just the other side… and so was their family.
The two were silent as Morgan tried to work up the nerve to type in the access code, before they felt a gentle squeeze on their hand.
“You don’t have to do this, you know…” Alex whispered, and Morgan was stunned to look up at sincere eyes. “We can go get ice cream, or go to that roof you like, or just go back home.”
The farmhand blinked a few times, taken aback by this level of concern from the monster beside them. It was so tempting to take them up on the offer, but no, they couldn’t.
With a deep breath, Morgan shook their head. “No…” They said softly. “Thank you, but… I need to do this.” They were relieved when Alex merely nodded, and they reached forward to type in the familiar code. The lights flashed red, and Morgan couldn’t help but feel a sting in their chest. Their parents changed it. That realization didn’t have a right to hurt as badly as it did, but the farmhand pushed it down. A moment of thought, and they tried another code, guessing at what it might be. They smiled at the green light and the sound of the lock clicking. “Here we go.”
Morgan pulled Alex through the gate and into the glittering excess that was the party. Money dripped off of everything in sight as beautiful people in beautiful clothes milled about, none seeming to notice the incoming pair. Lights were strung over the crowds, the honied glow reflecting nicely over the black, white, red, and gold that adorned both the décor and the guests.
It was stunning, as always.
Morgan looked up at Alex, smiling a bit at the way the other seemed to appreciate the sight, and a strange urge came over them. “Hey, do you want to have a dance before my parents show up and inevitably sour the mood?”
They barely got a chance to enjoy the look of surprise from Alex before they were all but tackled by a golden, glittering ball of mayhem.
“Morgan!” Diego squealed, holding the farmhand tight, even as they struggled to maintain their footing. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re actually here!”
So much for their subtle entry. Morgan chuckled softly, the warmth in their face and tone not feigned in the slightest. “Hey sis.” They said, returning the hug as best they could. “It’s good to see you.”
Diego pulled back, not giving her brother a moment to react before she punched them in the shoulder.
“Fuck.” Morgan swore, grabbing their shoulder and eyeing the young woman. “Why?”
Diego didn’t look in the least bit sorry, as she put her hands on her hips, the golden sequins that covered her dress casting flecks of light everywhere. “That’s for disappearing for months and not telling me you were ok!”
Morgan swallowed hard at the accusation, straightening a bit as they offered an apologetic smile. “I sent postcards…” They said, but grunted as the hero bapped them on the forehead with her clutch.
“That were encoded!” Diego asserted, crossing her arms. “You know I’m no good at those! I’m still working on most of them!”
Morgan gave a nervous laugh. “Heh… sorry…” They said, glancing up and making eye contact with a staff member. The woman quickly turned and moved swiftly towards the mansion, no doubt to alert her employers of Morgan’s presence… great.
The sound of Alex’s snickering pulled their attention back to the present as he stepped up beside them.
“So, this is your sister, huh?” He asked with a smirk. “I can see the family resemblance.”
Diego looked up at the monster and Morgan couldn’t help but notice the way she suddenly stiffened. “Morgan…” She whispered, leaning close as if that might somehow keep Alex from hearing. “You know that’s Alex Stewart, right? The S tier villain…”
Morgan let out a sigh, unsurprised that she figured it out so quickly. “Relax, Di… I know.” They assured softly. Clearing their throat, they braced for the reaction their next words would undoubtedly receive. “He’s my date.”
As predicted, Diego’s whole stance changed. Her eyes narrowed, back straightening as she squared up with the villain as if she could some how intimidate him. “What are you plotting with my brother?” She demanded.
Alex seemed understandably surprised by this development, but Morgan was relieved that he didn’t seem defensive. “Um... I’m plotting to take them on dates and get to know them so I can make them happy…”
It wasn’t true, and Morgan knew it, but it seemed to be good enough for their sister.
“Good.” She hissed, poking Alex in the chest with one finger. “If you hurt them, I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of my life.”
Alex blinked a few times, seemingly unsure of how to handle the clear threat from the young hero. A moment of silence passed, before Diego turned back to Morgan, suddenly all smiles and sunshine again. “Talking about dates! I’ll go find my boyfriend! I want him to meet my big brother!” She chimed, pecking the farmhand’s cheek and leaving a red stain before twirling away into the crowd like the gilded tornado she was.
Morgan chuckled as they pulled out a handkerchief, trying to clean the lipstick from their face. They glanced up at Alex, amused to see them staring after the hero in stunned silence before turning a confused look to them. “Yeah.” They said, answering the unspoken question. “She’s a bit of a whirlwind, isn’t she?”
Alex slowly nodded. “That… was not the appropriate reaction to knowing who I am…” He said, managing a small laugh. “How did she know immediately?”
Morgan took the villain’s hand, leading him towards food, and hopefully away from where their parents were likely to search for them. “Those glasses might work on the public, but these people are heroes.” They joked, enjoying the chuckle that got. “Give them a little credit.”
The joke ended in a cry of surprise as Morgan was suddenly grabbed in a bear hug and lifted off of the ground. They knew what was happening before the words were even spoken. “Morgan! It’s me! Chad, your brother!”
Struggling against the iron grip was futile, but that didn’t stop Morgan. “Put me down, Chad.”
Chad didn’t listen, until Alex stepped up. “Alright, that’s enough.” The villain said, managing to pry Morgan out of their brother’s grasp and return them to the safety of the ground.
The hero eyed Alex suspiciously, clearly upset at their reunion being interrupted. “Who’s this guy?”
Alex snorted at the words as he helped Morgan smooth out their suit. “What’s his excuse?” He whispered.
Morgan wanted to laugh at the joke, but irritation had them in a tight grip as they rubbed their sore shoulders. “There is no excuse for him…” They whispered back, before straightening and gesturing between the two. “Alex, this is my little brother, Chad. Chad this is my date, Alex.”
Before either man could respond, Morgan got a tap on their shoulder. They turned and their stomach twisted slightly at the sight of a familiar staff member, an older gentleman with kind brown eyes and a neatly groomed moustache on a wizened face.
“Terribly sorry to interrupt, Sir, but your father has asked that you meet him in his office.” The man said, making Morgan feel slightly ill. “He has some things to discuss with you.”
Not an ounce of fear showed on the farmhand’s face as they nodded. “Alright.” They said, turning to Alex with a smile. “I won’t be long. Behave yourself.” Before the villain could respond, Morgan popped up on their toes to leave a light peck on his cheek. It was more than enough distraction to be able to slip away without question, though they enjoyed the bright flush that seemed to spread from the site of the kiss.
Morgan turned and followed the worker, both weaving through the guests with a practiced skill. They approached the house, and the farmhand took a breath to steel themselves as an ornate door was held open for them. “Thank you, Al.” They said, offering a kind smile to the man. “I can find my way from here.”
“Of course, Sir.” Al said, hesitating as Morgan moved inside. “…be safe…” He added.
By the time Morgan looked back, he was already gone, disappearing into the crowd of people. The odd words put them on edge, but they still pushed forward, into their childhood home. It was nothing like the farmhouse. It was unnecessarily spacious, lavishly decorated, brightly lit, and without an ounce of the warmth or comfort they had grown used to over the last several months. No family photos hung on the walls, only soulless art pieces. No nostalgic knickknacks littered the tables, only meticulously selected décor arranged perfectly.
It felt so sterile.
As Morgan moved through the cavernous foyer, they couldn’t help but move a couple of items. Turning a vase just a bit, laying a small statue on its side, tilting a frame a couple of degrees. Adding a few imperfections in a desperate attempt to introduce life into the space.
It didn’t help.
They bypassed the grand staircase in favor of the narrower staff stairs hidden behind a door. They had always felt more comfortable on these; Certainly less on display. Finally, they made it to the second floor, and stood before their father’s office.
The door was absolutely ridiculous. Easily the most ornate one on this floor. Dark wood with golden accents and a gaudy knocker that Morgan refused to use on principle. They swallowed the familiar repulsion at the grotesque opulence and pushed though into the lavish room. It was lined with bookshelves, with a huge window on the opposite wall, and a desk that far larger than was practical.
And on the other side of that desk, stood a man who looked very much like Morgan, though his hair was cut shorter to tame the curls. A tailored black suit did little to hide the heroic build as green eyes looked up to the farmhand. “Morgan.” He acknowledged, his tone all business.
“Father.” Morgan responded, matching the man’s energy, though they struggled to keep an open mind. “You wanted to see me?”
The man nodded. “I did.” He confirmed, coming around the desk and looking the farmhand over with an appraising eye. “It’s good to see you are safe.”
The words were right, the voice was close, but the man’s presence was as hard and imperious as ever. Morgan had years of experience ignoring that, though. “Yeah. I had some… difficulties finding work at first.” They said with a sharp look, and they noticed their father flinch almost imperceptibly at the subtle accusation. “But I managed.”
Mr. Sterling nodded slowly. “Well, you look good.” He said, slipping his hands into his pockets in a clear attempt to appear casual. “You seem to be getting a lot of sun.”
Morgan wasn’t sure if that was meant to be an insult or not, but they recognized a fisherman when they saw one. Their father wanted information out of them. “Yeah, roof maintenance will do that to you.” They lied coolly, not trusting the man’s motives at the moment. Something was wrong. There was no reason this conversation couldn’t be held at the party with people around. “What did you need to discuss with me, Father?”
“Yes, that.” Mr. Sterling said, shifting his weight slightly. “I wanted to go over the plans to reveal you as Chad’s sidekick.”
Morgan’s eyes immediately turned icy, and they crossed their arms over their chest as they struggled to control their temper. “I think I’ve made my opinions on that very clear, Father.” The last word was spat out with more venom than they had intended.
The older man maintained his business-like air as he met his son’s glare with pure indifference. “You have.” He agreed, though the tone was condescending at best. “I was giving you one final chance to make the correct decision.”
The words felt like a knife in the back as Morgan shook their head. “There is nothing you can do or say that will make me change my mind.” They growled. “I am no one’s sidekick.”
“I was afraid you might say that.” Mr. Sterling said, suddenly lunging at his son.
Morgan tried to dodge, but they were a second to slow, and the moment his father made contact, they felt the world shift around them. The room they were teleported to was pitch black, though they knew their father would be able to see just fine as he shoved them to the smooth floor.
The struggle was futile, Morgan knew that, but they fought out of pure spite as they felt a pair of handcuffs close far too tightly around their wrists. “What the fuck are you doing?!” They demanded as their legs were bound together with chains.
They grunted as they were dragged across the floor and thrown into a corner were more chains were moved around them. “Dealing with an insolent child.” Mr. Sterling snarled, shoving a cloth into Morgan’s mouth and tying it tight as a gag. “I may not be able to force you to behave, but I will not allow you to embarrass our family like this.” He gave a sharp yank to ensure the bonds were tight before standing and moving away.
Morgan glared as a door opened, the light silhouetting their father and making him look almost demonic. “I’m sure you’ll eventually come to see things from my perspective. Until then, get comfortable.” The man hissed, before turning and slamming the door behind him. The sound of locks turning echoed in the room as Morgan was left in total darkness.