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Vortex was so exhausted. The Lifestealers and him had decided to try and raid a warehouse that had been rumored to hold papers with secret government information.
Papers that could help overthrow the monstrosity of a social system that was at work now. Valuable information.
Everything was planned out by Vitalasy ofcourse, the only person who was capable of coming up with a decent plan. Parrot and Ro would cause a distraction, the avian would fly around the warehouse and bang on the windows, walls, cealing. While Ro would use his telekinesis to throw smoke granades at the exits, entrances and windows.
That way the guarding personel of the building would be busy trying to prevent the two of them from causing trouble, and not notice Vortex zooming right past them into the warehouse.
Though everything didnt go exactly to plan. Lets just say they didnt get the needed information and Vortex ended up having to run multiple laps around the city to try and lose the warehouse guards.
______
Fuuucckkkk.
Vortex thought as he shifted the weight on his feet repeatedly. He'd just barely gotten away from the guards that were after his ass, now hiding on a stair way on the side of an apartment building.
His feet hurt. They felt almost numb from all the running. And hes pretty sure if he were to check the bottom of his sneakers they would be almost completely wrecked. Definetley not in the condition to run in, or even walk in.
But what the fuck could he do. Shoes were expensive enough that he didnt want to waste money on them. He could always steal some, but who was to say that the person hes stealing from would be able to afford a new pair if he took them? Vortex couldnt live with that guilt, so stealing was out the window.
But it was alright. He didnt have to run much more today either way. Just enough to quickly get back to his small shitty apartment unseen.
God that is going to be hard with the state his shoes are in.
______
Yep. Completely busted. He's surprised he even made it home with the state the shoes were in. It definetley couldnt have been safe to speed around at that type of speed with almost no shoes at all.
He threw the shoes down next to his mattress, lazily falling back into bed.
The exhaustion must have kicked in, cause the next thing he remembers is being startled awake by a knock on his window. Hes on the 8th floor, without a balcony or anything. So logicly the only person who could be knocking on his fucking window to bither him is Parrot.
Still half asleep he stood up from his mattress. Going over to the window to let the avian in.
"Hey dude!- wait did i wake you?"
Vortex blinked at him, clearly tired. "Ofcourse not, i was just playing chess, with my eyes closed, alone, on my bed."
"Alright chill, sorry i woke you. I just wanted to hang out and ask how you were after the mission today."
He'd moved from the window back to the mattress by now, just sitting on it listening to the other talk.
"Im good, just a bit tired yknow. Running accross the city 5 times does that to you."
"Mhm"
Somwhere in the middle of that sentence Vortex had closed his eyes again, starting to drift off despite there being another person in the room with him.
Parrot was just looking around, not much to look at to be fair. He'd seen the small room a dozen of times. What caught his eye this time were the others shoes. Thrown on the ground, from where he stood he could see they were definetly not in a good condition.
As he picked one up he noticed the bottom of the shoe was almost completely burnt off. Barely any support on the bottom.
"Vortex, bro, you cant tell me you have been running around with these?"
The elemental had appearantly almost passed out again cause he only gave something similar to a slurred 'mhm, stop snooping bitch..'
"Bro, really?" But it was too late to try and talk to the other, as he was already out cold, gone to wonderland, poof.
"Right, well you just rest then. Ill just head over to Zam's place, he wanted to show me some new show either way."
_____
Parrot had to get him new shoes. He just had to. Considering all that the other had done for him and how much he'd helped out. He just couldnt sit back and let his friend run around with shoes in that condition.
Only problem was, he didnt have any spare money for shoes. Hell he barely got enough for himself. But he was determined.
Stealing was off the table, as Parrot was extremely shit at it and didnt want to embarrass himself and go to jail.
What if he made the shoes? Obviously not from scratch but.. he could mend parts of Vortex's current shoes and some good condition shoe.
Parrot himself, ofcourse, couldnt do all of that, attach the shoes bottom correctly, make the design cool, make the shoe fit for running.
Thats what he had Zam for. Zam was a designer and sewer before he lost his job. And was fucking good at it too. And no doubt would he have some spare shoes laying around to mend with Vortex's. Or he could try to steal some good running ones from a store if that didnt work out.
______
Dont ask how Parrot got Vortex's shoes. It was a half-assed attempt at sneaking into his friends house while he was asleep. Parrot ended up tripping and falling down almost ontop of Vortex waking him up. Had to explain that he'd just come to check on him and usher the other back to bed. It was embarrassing is what it was.
But hey, he got the shoes and as he predicted Zam was down to help out.
He was sat on the floor of Zams appartment while the blonde was sowing patterns into the side of the shoes. Parrot had asked him to make the shoes a little special if he could.
The only annoying part about asking Zam to help was how much he talked. Like dont get Parrot wrong, he loved the guy. Great friend, very helpful. But he just couldnt shut up for the life of him.
So now as he was sat sowing in little sunglasses and a lightning bolt Into the shoes, something Parrot had come up with, he kept rambling on and on about a tv show called 'House' that was about some doctor or whatever the fuck.
"Wow... thats great bro, but uh how the shoes coming along?"
"Uhh.. almost done actualy. This should be good. What do you think bird boy?"
Parrot quickly jumped to his feet and went over to the desk. "Bro, thats perfect! I bet he'll love them. Thank you dude!"
Zam smiled and told him it was nothing and the pleasure was his.
Now Parrot just had to actualy give him the shoes. And for whatever reason he was ever so nervous about it.
_____
The speed elemental is messing around with one of his retro games when he hears a knock at his door.
"Come in!"
Too fucking lazy to get up. If its a serial killer that was planning on stabbing him at the door then so be it. He was too lazy to get up and check.
"Hey bro"
Parrot, not a serial killer but Parrot. Thats a bit of a relief.
"Wow you really are unpredictable, one day you come pounding at my window to let you in and the next you use the stairs as a normal human being?"
Parrot scoffs and walks into his apartment. Hands help suspiciously behind his back.
"I was going to come throught he window, buuuttt its alot more dificult to fly with my hands full."
"Hands full? Bro the fuck did u bring over here, a bomb? Cause like if you want to blow shit up im all for it but just not in my apartment."
Parrots expression changed to an annoyed one although it was clearly obvious it was a fake annoyed one.
"No i didnt bring a fucking bomb. But i brought you a gift!"
Parrot said as he brough his hands to the front and stretched them out.
"Ta-daaa! I saw that your shoes were in kind of a shit state so i decided to get you some new ones!"
Infront of him were beautiful dark blue running shoes, the same color as his previous ones. Just with sunglasses on one and a lightning bolt on the other shoe.
The bottoms of the shoes looked completely intact, great condition even. Perfect for running with. The laces had a black and white checkers pattern on them.
"Parrot, bro, i cant take these. I cant theyre too good. You didnt need to buy these for me that, that must have cost you a fortune! I know how tight your money is. Parrot please take them back i cant-"
"I didnt spend a single dollar for them. Their hand made from scraps of your old ones and some sneakers Zam had laying around. Theyre for you. Should be comfortable for running. And no im not taking them back, so either you take them or i go blow them up bud."
Vortex's mouth was slightly agape as he stood up from his bed. He walked over to Parrot and took the shoes, tossing them to the side.
"Bro, seriously! Take them i know you dont like gifts but-"
Parrot was cut short when Vortex hugged him. Full on bear-hug, clenching onto him.
"Thank you. Thank you so fucking much bro." Vortex whispered as he hugged the avian. He wasnt sure what he had done to deserve a friend like this but it sure as hell had to be something fucking amazing.