Work Text:
The 15-year annual heroes gathering is a large event held in a grand and elegant building built close to 80 years ago. Originally, the building was home to a prior hero organization before the separate organizations converged into the fairness association. It’s now home to hero artifacts of famous heroes as commemoration to their existence. Today, during the event, Morgan is going to execute one of their most grand heists ever.
Morgan spent months planning this heist, studying the buildings blueprints which, admittedly, the layout is incredibly complex. That doesn’t deter them in the slightest. He has always loved a challenge. Now, they move through the crowd of heroes in a disguise he spent just as long on as his heist.
The probability that Alex- ‘no! no, it’s Superior, I definitely don’t call him Alex...’ They know that the probability of Superior being present at this event is low, Superior has stated before that these events are boring and ridiculous. That made Morgan’s heist a lot easier. He made his way over to the table of hors d’oeuvres to look over the crowd, determining who was here and who wasn’t. Of course, they saw their family. Chad, being loud and boisterous, likely bragging about something he just accomplished. Diego laughing at a joke while Dave stood close to her listening and occasionally chiming in. His parents, eugh.
There were several top tier heroes and several of their side kicks as well, getting caught would certainly mean imprisonment, or worse, death. Good thing they weren’t going to get caught.
“Party is starting to kick off, most heroes have arrived.” Morgan spoke into his hidden mic after scanning their surroundings for anyone who could have possibly been able to hear. Even if they did, it didn’t really sound as if he was talking to anyone at all, simply making an observation.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you before.” Someone spoke, making Morgan turn quickly. They hadn’t sensed them coming near, which made him uneasy but he put it to the side.
“Ah, yeah I just joined the association not to long ago so I’m still settling in. Figured this event would be good to mingle and get acquainted with my fellow heroes.” Morgan put on his flashy sidekick smile he use to use during interviews in his sidekick days.
The woman chuckled; “I see, it can be overwhelming I have to admit. I remember my first few weeks. What tier are you?”
“D-tier, so definitely not someone who would be very noticeable,” Morgan chuckled. The woman smiled with sympathy. Morgan continued and asked, “which tier are you?”
“I’m a C-tier, metal manipulator. It’s not much honestly, not sure why they-”
“Don’t let her downplay herself.” A man chimed in with a laugh “she’s a bit to humble about her abilities but she can be very dangerous.” Morgan looked behind themselves at the man, definitely an A-tier if his gaudy, god awful hero suit had anything to do with it.
The three conversed for a while, talking about pretty much everything of the heroes and villains and the in-betweens. A few others joined, including a man Morgan hadn’t seen before. He definitely wasn’t someone in any of the fairness association files he debriefed himself on in the past month. Morgan wondered if he was so new that they didn’t have the chance to see his file. That made Morgan extremely uncomfortable. Getting a read on the man, however, was very easy. It’s like he wore his heart on his sleeve…
Alex hated these events. Full of every annoying person he hated. Which was all of them pretty much. There were a few here and there that he tolerated, Diego Sterling was one of them. She was Morgan’s- ‘woah woah that’s too intimate stop calling them Morgan, Alex.’ She was the generator’s sister, and very vocal to him about hurting Morgan. She has his respect, no one ever has been able to look Alex dead in the eye and threaten to eviscerate him if he hurt her brother to much.
As of now, he was in disguise, something besides his usual glasses- which were a very very good disguise he didn’t care WHAT Morgan- ahem- the generator- had to say about it. He had changed his appearance slightly. Instead of blonde hair, it’s brown- horrible color for my complexion- and his eyes are covered with his special glasses. He made himself just a tad shorter, and a tad stockier; he really didn’t want to be noticed. Alex had the feeling that the generator, not Morgan, would try and pull a heist off. He also saw Morgan- generator!- snooping around the association headquarters perimeter months ago while he was having is daily enrichment time on the roof. Perks of having supervision.He didn’t stop Morgan, of course, he loves to see what Morgan’s brain cooks up. Fuck, why do I keep calling him Morgan. That was a new development recently, calling the generator by their name. Morgan. It rolled off his tongue so smoothly as if he was meant to speak the villains name.
It was odd to say the least. He’s never cared enough to learn any villains name, they were all pretty useless and boring, with their long-winded monologues and ridiculously subpar inventions. Morgan wasn’t even on his radar until the villain put him in a death trap- that apparently doesn’t even kill anyone; what was that about?- and gave him an, admittedly, short speech of how he has caught the most powerful hero to subject him to his death trap puzzle that he could never escape and would be doomed to die.
Alex teleported out of the trap and next to them.
Morgan The Generator, was not happy with that.
This is what sparked Alex’s curiosity in Morgan. As he was about to snap Morgan into oblivion, but before he could, Morgan began to scold him. Scold him! Superior! Did he have a death wish!?
“What the fuck?” Morgan had said. Alex still had his fingers together to snap but was so shocked when Morgan didn’t have the usual reaction; the screaming or begging or crying or even all three at once, that he forgot he was even going to atomize this little guy.
“you weren’t supposed to teleport out, you nimble head! It’s a death trap puzzle you’re suppose to escape it not teleport out! That ruins the fun entirely! You know, I went through a lot to kidnap you! Thankfully, you’re a pretty heavy sleeper. A little bit of a sleep aid in your drink and you were just a corpse. A very heavy corpse, why are you s o heavy? No, no, that’s not what we’re talking about. Get back in there and solve the puzzle. now.”
Alex had been in shock. This mediocre, short (comparatively), nerdy person, who looked like they hadn’t slept in a month nor showered in the past week, was yelling at him, at h i m!, demanding him to get back into their death trap they made for him and solve it.
“Do you know who you’re talking to right now?” Alex put on a threatening tone and yet-
Morgan cocked his brow “uh, yeah. Superior, greatest hero to ever exist, protector of the people.” Morgan spoke this sarcastically while Alex stared at them with complete and utter confusion. There was no fear, no anxiety from his tone of voice no anything. Who was this guy?
“I could literally atomize you right now; and you’re yelling at me to… get back into the death trap, that won’t kill me because I can’t die, and won’t hurt me because I am invincible. You’re… scolding me like a mother.. the worlds strongest hero, who could erase you from existence on a whim… the person villains have nightmares about dread seeing…” Morgan shrugged.
“You’re not even that scary. ~OoOoO~ an S-Tier ~oOoOo~” Morgan laughed at his own impression of sounding spooky. Alex felt a twinge of something he couldn’t name, but it was overshadowed by the lunatic of person standing before him.
“Are you… dumb or suicidal?” Morgan rolled their eyes; “people can’t like having a little thrill without being dumb or suicidal?”
Alex said exasperated “a thrill is driving to fast! Or skydiving! Not standing in front of someone who is basically god incarnate and bossing him around and being sarcastic!” Morgan snorted and goes “look we can talk about this another time, just get back in the death trap!” He was processing what Morgan had said when he felt said man pushing on him,
“C’mon!! Time to get a move on SuPeRiOr.” Of course, Alex didn’t budge but Morgan kept pushing nonetheless. Eventually, when Alex still didn’t budge, Morgan huffed in frustration exclaiming “you are so stubborn, can’t even let a guy have any fun…” Morgan looked Alex in the eye, held eye contact. He held eye contact. He held eye contact. Morgan squinted then grinned,- why is my heart beating so fast?- “I bet you suck at puzzles, that’s why you won’t go back in. Can’t have people see how shit at puzzles the great superior is.”
Alex gasped in offense, the pounding of his heart forgotten; “I am great at puzzles!”
“Prove it.” “I will!”
Alex did, in fact, prove something. 1) he really was terrible at puzzles. And he will never admit it.
Alex couldn’t help but reminisce on their first meeting. Ever since then, Morgan had dragged him into a different death trap every other day, Alex played along in those traps, now, then breaking out and ‘defeating’ the villain. He wouldn’t kill them though. Alex, as he soon realized, was actually having fun. The inventions were always over the top and complex, he had no clue how Morgan put those together so fast but he thinks it has to do with the dark circles they constantly have. He never actually killed his villain- h i s villain. No one else’s- The Generator always ‘managed to slip out of my grasp.’ At least, that’s the excuse Alex used. No one questioned it. No ever questioned anything he did. The only smart thing any of them have ever done.
Soon Alex declared they were nemeses, Morgan wasn’t thrilled about that, it put him on a radar, he said, and then when asked to be Morgan’s nemesis, he said Alex couldn’t because they already had one. Alex was annoyed by that, to say the least. Not the usual annoyance though, something more than annoyance. It felt similar to the way he feels when some touches his treasure room, possessive, which Alex as odd.
Alex was lost in thought once more, until a laugh rang in his ear. A laugh he’d know anywhere. Morgan. He scanned the room for the familiar light brown hair, not seeing it at all. He knows he heard it… or maybe he’s hallucinating. That wouldn’t be good. Just as he was about to brush it off, he heard it again, and this time could pinpoint exactly where it was. By the hors d’oeuvres. Alex all but sprinted over there, not really knowing why he was so excited. He was here to foil Morgan’s plans… wasn’t he? To shock Morgan that he had caught him… right?
He approached, hearing them talk about some boring fairness association gossip. He had no idea which was Morgan, none of them looked familiar. As he was standing there, staring at them, thinking he was being subtle, one of the heroes there noticed him, clearly listening in, and spoke:
“You don’t have to be nervous to join in buddy.” Alex’s eye twitched. He had no clue who that man was. Knew he was a hero but didn’t care enough to know more. Regardless, he forced his public media smile on.
“I didn’t mean to linger like that. I was just interested in the, uh, gossip.”
A woman standing there giggled and said “who isn’t? We were just talking about the chadster and one of his recent… ah… performances.” The others in the group giggled, and that’s when Alex honed in on Morgan as they giggled. Their disguise was… very good admittedly. He looked nothing like himself. Alex kind of hated it. His green eyes were currently a shade of dark brown, and hair… ginger… that is a very bold choice. Alex decided he really hated it
Alex stared directly at him, and Morgan made eye contact with him. There goes my heart again, beating like it wants to get out… maybe I should get it checked out. That can’t be normal… but I don’t feel anything wrong.
Morgan smiled, at least one thing was still the same, and said:
“Are you new? I am too. I definitely haven’t ever seen you before, so I’m assuming you’re something like an A or B-tier?” Alex laughed a bit nervous- why am I nervous?- and replied:
“Ah, something like that..” their short one on one conversation was interrupted by another woman in the group. Alex’s eyebrow twitched as the thought to rip her vocal cords out floated across his mind.
“Did you all hear about what superior said? When he was asked to join us tonight?”
“Oh yeah, we a l l heard about what he said.”
“He really thinks he’s so above us, doesn’t he? I guess what they say about power going to the head is true.”
“He’s strong sure, the strongest but man, is he so pretentious.”
Alex’s patience was beginning to run thin. He knew people gossiped about him but hearing it firsthand, hearing it while he was standing right here… anger was beginning to bubble up. He was close, oh so close, to snapping them and their atoms into nothingness when Morgan spoke:
“Ah, I don’t think he’s that bad. I think he just doesn’t know how to relate to anyone. Being the strongest person in the world, and perhaps the universe, it takes a toll, I’m sure. People fear you, want to use you for your power, avoid you at all costs. No one wants to live a life like that. And sure, he probably does enjoy attention, he kind of has a major ego, but even he has his limits. I think, he’s just lonely. that aloof, overly egotistical, cocky, waaaay to confident, self absorbed, arrogant persona he has is just a mask. It isn’t really him.”
Alex stared; and stared and stared and stared. He didn’t understand what the feeling was that began bubbling up in his chest it was nearly overwhelming but warm and fuzzy and squeezed his heart in a good way like aa warm weighted blan-
Oh.
Oh.
This is love. He’s feeling love.
He’s… in love. Damn.
Morgan laughed awkwardly in the silence of the group, rubbing their neck in embarrassment:
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to tangent there. I just, personally, feel like everyone has the wrong idea of Al- ahem- Superior.”
Alex’s heart beat even faster. Morgan… knows his name? How did Morgan even find out his name? Alex didn’t really care. To focused on the fact that Morgan almost said his name… he really wants to hear Morgan say his name now.
After a bit more conversation, the group began to disperse heading back to their tables for the main event of honoring the heroes. Soon, Alex was left alone with Morgan.
“Do you really believe that? About superior?” Alex asked carefully.
Morgan tilted their head in question at him. Raising a brow as looked at Alex.
“Of course I do. He’s just a person at the end of the day, even if he never wants to admit that I’m sure. He has feelings like anyone else. Besides, Superior has it right as well, these events are boring and so not worth the time.” Morgan laughed. Alex felt like there was nothing but static in his brain, barely able to think beyond Morgan’s laugh.
All he could muster up was a small “oh.”
Morgan then patted his shoulder:
“Well, I have to get going. Got a lot of things to get together before the main event. See you around!” And then they were walking away, all Alex could do was watch, brain even emptier than before because Morgan touched him. Sure Morgan had touched him before, but he was always dead asleep because that’s when Morgan would kidnap him for his death traps.
Alex wandered a bit, waiting for the main event, waiting for Morgan to execute their heist. Sure enough, right in the middle of the announcements, there was a loud explosion from further away across the building, where majority of the artifacts were held. Hero’s and sidekicks all began jumping into action, of course already wearing their outfits, as per usual at hero events like this.
The heroes began speeding out of the building, Alex teleported out, onto the roof. Disguise melting away in seconds as just in time to see Morgan leap onto the ladder attached to helicopter that was rapidly pulling away. Alex yelled:
“Generator!” Morgan turned to look at him. They grinned, saluted, and winked at Alex.
Alex has never loved super-hearing as much as he did in that moment when he was able to hear what Morgan said as the helicopter rapidly pulled away:
“See you later Alex! Got a death trap waiting with your name on it!”
Alex nearly feinted.