Chapter Text
His name is Callum Beckett. But most people only know him as Morning Star, the mysterious masked vigilante protecting the citizens of Pastry Plaza from harm. His name comes from his notorious catchphrase "Just like the rising sun, I represent a shift from darkness into light". Rumors spread quickly in small towns, especially about the unknown, but the townsfolk can all agree on one thing. They've never seen anything quite like him. Scientists call him an "ability mimic" because he appears to be able to copy almost any power that comes his way. During the day, he blends in with the general public, playing for his school’s hockey team and volunteering at the local animal shelters. But nobody, civilian or super, really knows him the way they think they do.
When he isn’t lurking in the shadows of the city, looking for trouble, the vigilante can often be seen hanging around morally-grey hero, Jupiter Moore. There have been reports of this peacekeeper appearing to work alongside several extraterrestrial creatures, but nobody can really say for sure. Much like his vigilante counterpart, he spends most of his time assimilating into society and balancing his secret double life. Some speculate that the pair are working together in their patrols of the area, but there has never been any proof of them being anything other than mere acquaintances.
That is, until now.
Chapter 1
The night was cool and rainy, which just so happened to be Cal’s favorite kind of weather. However, he preferred being indoors when it rained, which unfortunately was not where he found himself that evening. He’d been walking home from one of his “jobs” when the rain had caught him by surprise. Just his luck. At least the rain would help wash away the blood on his hands. Jupiter couldn’t ask about it if it wasn’t there. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t do much about the bruises littering his fists and what was probably an injured wrist. But that was a problem for Future Cal to deal with. Present Cal just had to worry about making it back home without getting stabbed like he’d done about a month before.
That was not his favorite walk home.
Luckily for both him and his bank account (which could not handle any more medical bills), Cal was able to arrive safely back at the apartment he shared with his roommate turned sort-of-best-friend. As he entered, Jupiter was sitting in one of the only two chairs in the apartment, seemingly staring off into space. Cal hoped that he could sneak past him into his own room to try and cover some of his bruises with cheap dollar store makeup, but of course nothing got past his friend’s senses. He looked up, and the pair locked eyes for a moment.
Please, for the love of my sanity, let him not notice or care about the mess I am right now.
“What did you do this time?”
Damnit.
“Hockey fight?” Cal offered, immediately regretting his decision to use a tone that implied that he wasn’t sure about his answer. Yes, he was still lying, but he didn’t need Jupiter knowing that.
“What’s wrong with your wrist?”
“What? Nothing!” Cal replied a bit faster than he should’ve. “Why do you ask?”
Jupiter shrugged. “You’re holding it differently than usual.” His strong British accent came through clearly in each of his words. “Let me see.”
“Fuck off.”
“You’d miss me too much. Now seriously, get over here.” He stood up and looked his roommate in the eyes, making Cal almost wish he’d double-checked to make sure he looked alright before coming in. But if Jupiter noticed anything, he was kind enough not to point it out.
“So… How was your day?” Cal asked, attempting to distract the other from the task at hand.
“Stop trying to change the subject. Show me what happened.”
With an eye-roll and a sigh, Cal pulled up the sleeve of his sweater and held his arm out. “Calm down, Jup. I think it’s just-” He winced as his friend touched his injured wrist. “What was that for?”
“You’re lucky it’s not broken. It’s only sprained.” Jupiter noted. His orange eyes met Cal’s brown contact lenses, and he sighed. “Now, you’re going to tell me how this happened, and you’re going to tell me the truth. I know it wasn’t hockey. Someone would’ve noticed your injury and done something about it.”
I’m sorry, Jupiter.
“You weren’t pulling another vigilante stunt again, were you?”
“I don’t understand why you’re so against it. You’re not the boss of me. Also, you do the exact same thing, so I guess I just don’t see how it’s okay when you do it, but not when I do.” Cal complained.
“First of all, I have more experience with this than you. Second, you’re completely defenseless if you’re fighting someone without a superpower for you to copy. And third, you’re still in school. You need to focus on that, not on ‘protecting the city’ or whatever it is that you’re trying to do out there.” Jupiter kept a straight face, but there was a touch of frustration in his voice as he spoke. “I’m just trying to look out for you, Silver. That’s a lot harder when you have no sense of self-preservation.”
Cal stared at his friend, unsure of how to feel. Jupiter was his favorite person in the whole world, and all he’d done for him was make his life harder with his constant lies and chaotic nature. And yet, despite all his shortcomings as a roommate and friend, even when he was lecturing Cal, he’d still called him Silver. It had been Jupiter’s nickname for him since the first time he’d ever seen Cal without his contacts while simultaneously learning that he’d been wearing contacts in the first place.
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize. Now come on, let’s see if there’s anything we can do for your wrist tonight.” The pair exchanged a smile, and there was peace in the small apartment once again.
It was only an hour later that Cal found himself sitting on the floor by the TV with a bag of ice taped to his wrist as he and Jupiter had a quiet conversation. It was beginning to be a nightly ritual for them, sitting in their usual spots and talking about the recent drama involving Cal’s hockey team or Jupiter’s latest one night stand.
“The floor in here is so uncomfortable. I miss when we had furniture.”
Jupiter rolled his eyes. “We still would if you hadn’t needed seventeen stitches and almost an emergency surgery.”
“If you’d let me do my own stitches, we wouldn’t have had to sell anything because there wouldn’t have been a medical bill to pay for.” Cal suggested.
“And let it get infected? Plus you heard what the doctors said, that knife missed a major artery by less than an inch. You could have died.”
“But I didn’t.” The silver-eyed teen grinned.
“Callum.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I won’t get stabbed again.”
“Good.”
The minutes ticked by in a comfortable silence as the boys went about their business, harmoniously coexisting within the apartments’ small rooms. Cal fiddled with the remote for the TV, attempting to figure out how to work it with his limited knowledge of technology. After five minutes and a sky-high number of failed attempts, Jupiter took notice of his friend’s struggle and intervened.
“Having some trouble there, Silver?”
“Shut up, Planet. The Program didn’t teach me this technology shit.” Cal groaned. Jupiter chuckled at the nickname Cal had given him after finding out that he shared a name with the planet.
“Do you want me to help?”
“No. Maybe. Yes please.” Cal handed the remote to the other boy and grumbled in defeat, glaring at the TV with frustration in his eyes. He had never been good with technology of any kind, which made sense seeing as how he’d had almost no experience with even being around it during his childhood. He had skills, sure, but that was not one of them.
“Here. Fixed.” Jupiter smiled. “I have to head out in a minute, will you be okay here by yourself?”
“When am I not?” Cal asked. The roommates stared at each other for a moment. “On second thought, don’t answer that. I’ll be perfectly fine. And hey, be safe out there, okay? Can’t have both of us injured at the same time. We wouldn’t get anything done.” He winked and smiled, holding up his sprained wrist.
“I will, I promise.” Jupiter mirrored the smile. “I’ll see you later, unless you’re asleep when I get home. But don’t wait up.”
“No promises on that one.” The younger teen teased. “See you later.”
A few minutes after his friend had left, Cal found himself laying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling and contemplating his life’s decisions. It had been a long day for him from probably bombing a math test to getting lectured by his best friend for his vigilantism. He just didn’t understand what Jupiter took so much issue with, especially since he did the same things. Some would even argue that Cal was the better of the two, at least in terms of morals.
The boy subconsciously ran the tip of his finger across the scar tarnishing his left cheekbone, almost as if he were making sure it was still there. He stared up at the ceiling as a weary sigh escaped his lips. His knuckles were bruised, his muscles were sore, and both new and old scars littered his arms and his back, but there was still air in his lungs and a shine in his silver eyes. He had survived what he shouldn’t have, just like he always did. Just like he would continue to do. It was his blessing.
And more often than not, his curse.