Chapter Text
“Deja vu,” Jack said via his mic and the Bluetooth earpiece under Marc’s white cowl and mask. The windscreen Jack had gotten for his mic worked better than Marc had expected. “You too?”
“A little,” Marc replied, gazing at the partially wooded, partially scrubby highlands a thousand feet below them. Nearly a month ago he’d approached this area from the southeast with a mourning Jack wolfed out and howling on his back. A lot had happened since they’d met three months earlier, more than seemed possible. Some of it had been bad, but the overwhelming majority was good.
Smiling under the white silk and linen of his mask, Marc squeezed Jack’s arm briefly. “This is a much better reason to be in the middle of nowhere.”
Jack hugged him more tightly in reply. He pointed at the grid of ranches on the plateau just ahead. “That’s Barona Mesa, so that mountain on the other side of the river is Eagle Peak.”
“Got it.” Although they, Layla, Robin, and Bri had the GPS coordinates of the spot they’d chosen for a meeting place, Marc and Jack preferred to navigate via landmarks. He turned east to follow the thin ribbon of Boulder Creek sparkling in the late afternoon sun along the southern flank of the mountain. Boulder Creek Preserve was only a few miles away.
A flash of gold drew their attention as they made a steep descent to the preserve’s dirt parking area. “Is that her?” Jack asked over wind noise. The windscreen could only do so much.
Marc caught glimpses of his best friend’s dark curls and gold armor through gaps in a valley oak’s canopy. “Looks like,” Marc replied as Steven and Jake perked up. “I think Bri and Robin are there too.”
When they were 15 feet from the ground Jack hopped off Marc’s back, landing in a superhero pose with one hand touching the ground. “Citizens!” he declared despite wobbling from his shifting backpack. “Have no fear! Moon Knight and White Wolf are here!”
Bri, Robin, and Layla stared as Marc landed and swapped Khonshu’s armor for hiking gear and his rucksack. Then everyone burst out laughing.
Layla, resplendent in Taweret’s gold armor and red and white silk, put her hands over her heart. “Oh, thank heavens!” Then she beamed at Marc and strode up for a bear hug that he was happy to provide.
Tell her I say hello! Steven enthused.
Jake added, Me too.
“It’s been too long!” Layla said as the hug went on.
“It has!” Marc continued in a whisper. “Jake and Steven say hello.”
Layla hugged them a little harder in acknowledgement.
“White Wolf?” Bri, the tallest of the group at 5’10”, was saying. Although Marc knew that Robin’s spouse was non-binary—two-spirit, as the Kumeyaay put it—seeing them in hiking pants and a T-shirt with stubble shadowing their jaw was a bit jarring. The last time they’d gotten together to see their friends’ band perform Bri had gone “full femme,” as Jack put it. With their shoulder-length black hair styled and wearing flattering makeup and a dress, Bri and Robin, who’d dressed similarly, were an attractive couple. They still were in hiking gear, but in a different way.
No one had harassed Robin and Bri, nor Marc and Jack, who’d worn his kilt, that night. Marc had been ready to fight bigots when they turned up. It hadn’t happened, which he found astonishing and encouraging. His reluctance to wear the kilt Jack had bought for him waned a little further.
Robin wiped away tears of laughter and turned to Jack. “How are you White Wolf? Your fur is dark!”
“‘Brown Wolf’ sounds terrible,” Jack replied with a shrug. “And besides, Marc’s suit is white.”
Layla giggled as she pulled back, shifting to stand beside Marc with one arm loosely around his waist. Marc did the same to her out of habit; Layla was one of the few people he’d casually touch. “The logic is impeccable,” she grinned.
“Thank you,” Jack said, shooting a mock frown at Robin. The frown remained for a moment longer as he regarded Marc and Layla, then turned into a friendly smile. He stepped forward with one hand extended. “Jack Russell.”
Layla met Jack halfway and took his hand. “Layla El-Faouly,” she said, placing her other hand over their clasped ones. “Wonderful to meet you, Jack. Or do you prefer White Wolf?”
The quip prompted another round of laughter and a groan from Jake.
“Layla,” Marc said, “don’t encourage him!”
Jack chuckled as he withdrew his hand from Layla’s and took a good look at her armor. Smiling hugely, he said, “Your suit is amazing. Are those wings?”
Layla posed to show off the narrow gold plates shaped like primary feathers that ran from her arms to her sides. Only Jack stared with amazement; Layla must have already modeled for Robin and Bri.
“Let’s get going,” Robin said in her usual take-charge manner. “It’s a few miles to the pools, and we only have a few hours of daylight.” She grinned at Marc, Jack, and Layla. “Some of us can’t see in the dark.”
Layla’s suit morphed into one of her light-colored hiking outfits. “Pools?” she asked as she shrugged off her backpack.
“Yeah, swimming holes carved in bedrock by the creek,” Jack said as he moved to Marc’s side. “We’ll hike along it. Normally the creek is dry this time of year, but we’ve had more rain than usual so we’re in luck.”
Marc caught Jack’s hand and smiled at his partner. “What’s the biggest pool called? The Devil’s Pothole?”
“Devil’s Punchbowl,” Jack said.
Layla grinned. “That does sound more appealing.” She fished a large water bottle from her pack and held it up. “I’d like to refill this before we head out. Is the creek water good to drink once filtered?”
“Yep,” Bri said. They gestured at the meadow to the west. “Robin and I filled our bottles over there. C’mon.” The couple shouldered their packs and walked in that direction with Layla close behind.
Jack had started after them until Marc tugged at his hand. “Bebé, wait,” he murmured.
“Hmm?”
Keeping his voice down, Marc said, “There’s nothing between Layla and me.”
Jack’s frown returned for a split second, then vanished as he shifted his backpack. “Of course.”
Marc realized he was fidgeting with one of his rucksack’s nylon straps; this was new territory for him. “Please believe me, habibi.”
“What are you two doing,” Robin shouted from the stream bank 50 feet away, “making out or something? Hurry up!”
Jack chuckled and rolled his eyes. He yelled back, “Yeah, we’re necking like teenagers right now. Be right there.” He turned back to Marc with a candid expression. “I do. It’s just that you’re both superheroes—”
“Pfft,” Marc scoffed. “No.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Bebé, please.”
He’s right, jefe.
Marc withheld a frustrated sigh. Not helping. To Jack he said, “We’re avatars. It’s different.”
Although Jack seemed doubtful, he didn’t argue. “Okay, avatars, and I, uh…” He broke eye contact and focused on something behind Marc, brows furrowed.
Marc had opened his mouth to break the awkward silence when Steven piped up. Wait. He’s sussing it out. Give him time.
His partner’s uncharacteristic loss for words was making Marc nervous. He took both of Jack’s hands in his and followed his brother’s advice.
Jack met Marc’s gaze a few moments later. “I’m not used to seeing you with your arm around someone else’s waist, and vice versa.” Then he turned his eyes to their clasped hands. “I didn’t like it.”
Marc blinked, astonished. His partner was jealous, which Marc found simultaneously flattering and disquieting. Jack had nothing to worry about, and Marc didn’t want any ill will between him and Layla. “Bebé,” he said, “look at me, please.”
Jack did. He seemed a bit embarrassed.
“I love you,” Marc said.
Jack not-quite smiled. “I love you, too.”
Marc gave him a light kiss. “I won’t put my arm around Layla’s waist, and I’ll ask her not to either.”
Jack looked away again. “No, it’s fine—”
“It’s not fine if it bothers you.” Marc waited for Jack meet his eyes before continuing. “I don’t mind doing that.”
Jack’s bright smile lit his face. “Thank you, corazón.”
“You’re welcome,” he said with a squeeze of Jack’s hands. “But I’m sure we’ll touch each other some, like you and Robin. We’ve been through a lot together.”
“Got it,” Jack said, then smirked. “If I start feeling insecure I’ll remember all of the ways I touch you.”
Marc laughed, then pulled his partner close for a long, lingering kiss.
“I wish I had a bucket,” Robin said loudly from the stream’s edge.
Bri asked just as loudly, “Why’s that, hun?”
“So we could pour water on them.”
Layla’s laugh rang out as Marc chuckled and Jack groaned facetiously. “She is such a pain in the ass.”
They pulled apart enough for Marc to lay one hand on the side of Jack’s face. “Let’s join them before Robin settles for emptying a water bottle on us.” Jack’s wide smile said he agreed.
After indulging in one more kiss, they walked hand in hand though grass swaying in the warm breeze toward their friends. The Devil’s Punchbowl beckoned.