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The blasting intensity of the heat pried against Ignacio’s skin as he laid there in the grass, prostrated underneath the fledging hero— Blue Beetle. The young boy above him had just decided to spare Ignacio’s life; the fatality only circumvented due to the scarab’s influence over him. Out of rage for his father’s passing, Jaime nearly took Ignacio’s life in a shallow act of revenge.
The following events flew before Ignacio’s eyes. Soon, those eyes were laid upon his boss and orchestrator of all of his turmoil— Victoria Kord. Sympathy for Jaime overwhelmed him as he snatched Victoria up by her collar, about to toss her into the raging flames behind them. He paused and looked at himself. Why was he doing this? How could he live with himself if he had this 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 inside him forever? The sickening, malicious technology he had been infused with was making him feel sick. No, he couldn’t just put an end to her; he had to put an end to himself, too— or what was left of him.
Initiating the self-destruct protocol in his suit, he began to let go; the cries and pleas of Victoria falling upon deaf ears. But then a different plea broke the silence: Jaime.
“No!” He called out, his metallic arm reaching out to Ignacio. “Don’t! I know that you miss your family— I saw it all. Just… don’t end it this way. You have so much left to live.”
Despite their rivalry throughout this saga, the boy’s words reached Ignacio. He contemplated his options for a mere second before tossing his abuser into the flames.
𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳
“Ignacio, primo! Come eat breakfast!” Jaime yelled from the other room.
Raising from his bed (the living room couch with a throw blanket on top of it), Ignacio rubbed his well-slept eyes before following the sound of Jaime’s voice to the kitchen. After they returned home, the Reyes family discovered that Ignacio had nowhere to go after Victoria’s death. They decided to show him compassion and hospitality by inviting him to stay at their soon-to-be-rebuilt home.
When he arrived at the table, Ignacio was met with a small stack of papers in the stead of his expected breakfast.
“What’s this?” He asked, confused.
“Ignacio, we love having you here, you know that,”
Jaime’s mom began.
“Are… Am I being kicked out?” Ignacio gulped as his heart began to sink in his chest.
“No, no, not at all,” Uncle Rudy cut in. “The opposite, pretty much.”
“I don’t understand.” Ignacio turned to face Jaime’s mom again.
“We’re adopting you, mi hijo!” She exclaimed.
Ignacio was most pleasantly shocked. He was rendered mute for a moment as the surprise set it.
“Your son….?” He muttered. He had felt alone and without family for so long. And the Reyes were welcoming him in so far enough for him to even adopt their own name.
They brought him in for a family hug— the initiation of his new life as Ignacio Reyes.