The Phenomena of Fireflies and Star... - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Andrade Residence
The moment Gabriel had closed the front door behind him, he immediately deactivated the invisibility field. Thankfully, Ames kept his house key on his belt, sharing a ring with his car keys. Otherwise, Gabriel would've had to kick the door in.
"You're safe now, kiddo'," he whispered. He'd carried the unconscious Ames in his arms all throughout the flight. The young teacher had been so dangerously close to making contact with the ground in an alleyway across Gonzales. If Gabriel hadn't caught his friend in time, he wouldn't know how to forgive himself for it. "I got you."
He quickly made his way up to Ames's bedroom, making sure the young man's body didn't get caught in anything.
'I need to see,' he thought upon entering the unlit bedroom, activating his bioluminescence. From his pores poured out just about enough light to illuminate the room. It wasn't even dark outside yet. The sun was up in the sky, but the drapes were strangely gray and covering the windows, and the wall paint job's warm color wasn't helping.
"I-I'm...," Ames groaned. He was still knocked out pretty badly, and his shut eyes were distorted in inner torment. Whatever Malign must have implanted in the poor young man was still in there, plaguing him. It was still in there, tearing him apart. Gabriel could feel it, pulsation after pulsation. "I'm sorry..."
"Shush," Gabriel replied reassuringly, even though he knew that Ames wasn't speaking to him. He carefully lowered the young man onto the bed. Gabriel hadn't had a hard time lifting Ames at all. He could lift a plane off the ground easily if he really braced for it. What had been hard, however, was keeping a clear mind. Ames's strong emotional pulsation was much stronger this time around. In fact, it was almost like waves crashing against coastal rock. "I got you. I got you."
"Hnnrr...," Ames grunted, moving in his concerning state. "I hate... Them. I hate them all..."
'Hate them all?' Gabriel thought curiously as he carefully adjusted Ames's position on the bed.
Ames seemed to be deep in his subconscious. Gabriel knelt down next to the bed, placing one warm hand over Ames's chest to feel out his inner struggle.
"Why...," Ames groaned again, his eyebrows knitting even more.
'I need some better lighting here,' Gabriel thought, turning off his bioluminescence and flinging out with his free hand a ball of moderately bright light to the ceiling. It filled the room with just the right illumination. Turning his attention toward Ames again, he could feel the emotional waves gaining strength.
"Why did they have...," Ames went on. Gabriel could see tears flowing from the sides of the young man's eyes. "To exist?"
It dawned on Gabriel in a second. Ames was talking about superhumans. He wondered what Ames's history with superhumans could be to make him speak in such a way. There had only been discomfort back in their first meeting, but this time, the waves of emotion coming from Ames brought anger with them. It wasn't a selective kind of anger; it was indiscriminate. Also, it was misdirected. With anger came pain and mourning.
Gabriel remembered the antidepressant bottle.
Whatever Ames had been going through all this time, Malign had turned them up.
Gabriel watched as more tears flowed through the glistening cracks of Ames's shut eyes. An idea came up in his mind. He could use his pathokinesis to calm Ames down. He had to admit, however, that he'd never used pathokinesis to reverse the effects of telepathy before.
But he'd have to try.
"G-Gabriel...," Ames groaned.
'Wait, what?' Gabriel leaned back a bit in surprise. 'Did he just call my name?'
"Gabriel...," Ames repeated hoarsely, breaking out in little sobs. "Please..."
"Help me..."
'He's calling out to me,' Gabriel confirmed, letting out a big breath. 'How do I pull this off?'
Gabriel hesitated for a while, but he eventually gave it a try. He carefully took Ames's hand, allowing the pulsation of Ames's negative energy to pass through him. It was really strong. Erratic. Its rhythm felt unstable, and Gabriel couldn't quite find the right timing. Most people were easier to link with.
"Come on, boy," Gabriel muttered, using another hand to clasp Ames's better. More focus was needed. "Give me something here. Let me help you."
The pulsation was making more sense now. Gabriel could find a pattern. It was, however, almost indiscernible. He could handle it better. He felt them all: pain, anger, heartbreak, grief, and more. All of them in one pulsation of anguish.
And he could feel strength. It was in there somewhere. It was an undertone, but it was consistent. He could hold on to it. He could magnify it.
'I can hold on to it,' Gabriel realized. 'When people get emotional, they don't think straight. Ames is trapped in his own mind right now.'
Gabriel blocked off the other emotions he was feeling, focusing only on the strength. He had plenty of his own to share. He was getting it very well.
In a few seconds, he was in.
"Good job, Ames," Gabriel sighed, allowing his own pulsation to mix with Ames's. "You're doing well, tough guy. Just keep going."
After a few more seconds, he was synchronizing consistently. After maintaining a good link, he began imposing his own inner strength. He didn't hold back. Ames was getting worse by the second, and Gabriel would have to work better on his end.
'Ames,' Gabriel thought, making Ames feel the strength that he needed. 'Focus on that strength. You're strong. You're fighting back. Take a piece of my strength, Ames. You will find yours. Take as much as you like.'
The imposition of strength was taking effect. Ames was beginning to groan and grunt less and less. His face was easing up, the distortions of pain smoothing out wrinkle by wrinkle. His negative pulses were getting weaker.
Gabriel knew that Ames was quite the fighter. It didn't need advanced empathy to read body language. He really needed Ames to focus on strength this time around.
It was getting rather humid in the room, and Gabriel had completely ignored the sweat beads on his face until some went right into his eyes. They were so salty and so hot, Gabriel couldn't help but shut his eyes. He knew he had cut his connection. It didn't even take a second for Ames to fall back into his mental torment.
"Agh!" Ames cried out, body arching up for a second at the resurgence of his negative feelings. Gabriel could feel it. He proceeded to wipe his eyes, blinking the sting away.
'Dammit,' Gabriel let out a frustrated sigh, staring at Ames's worrying state. It was rather challenging to get in-sync with the man. He'd have to do everything again. Then again, he wouldn't let Ames go through this pain.
"I'm sorry...," Ames croaked before grimacing in pain.
'Don't worry, Ames,' Gabriel said, grabbing the man's hand again. He would stay here and get this done. Ames had been very kind to him despite how questionable his decision to go MIA had probably been to the guy. "I got you. I got you."
Gabriel looked up at the ceiling, trying to put his thoughts in order. He'd turned on the AC unit and the ceiling lights with a little help from a semi-solidified photokinetic ball the size of a marble. Ames's pulses had become less erratic. It had been a while since Gabriel had begun imposing his strength. He had moved the still unconscious Ames a bit to the side so he could lie down next to him. Gabriel lay on his back, clasping Ames's hand in his. Malign's telepathic influence was so strong that the faintest tangent from full focus would put Ames back in a painful state. Gabriel had realized earlier that keeping physical contact really helped. He, however, was getting tired, too. He had just regained his energy, and the first thing he had done about it was use his powers in a variety of ways. If Gabriel were to weaken or pass out, or even just fall asleep, he had to at least stay in touch with Ames. The guy's erratic pulsation wasn't making it easy for Gabriel. Not in the slightest.
Admittedly, he was really starting to get drowsy. It had been about a good hour since Gabriel had made a good and consistent connection.
It had been a very eventful day.
And he had thought he could finally put all of this behind. He definitely could, but years of responding obediently to the call of duty really posed a challenge. He could offer assistance in clandestine ways, and he wouldn't even have to do it every time. That was just a potential method to ease out of the superhero life.
Or he could just let everything go.
The New Age Initiative had been put in motion. He had basically already been replaced.
He could definitely let his superhuman defender life go.
He then heard a deep breath coming from Ames, whose head had tipped over to his direction. There was no expression of pain on the young man's face anymore, and his breathing had already returned to normal. Gabriel could no longer detect even the faintest trace of the misery that had so stubbornly plagued Ames until just now.
'Poor guy,' Gabriel thought as he stared into Ames's face. It looked rested. The guy's eyes were still closed, but they weren't wrinkled anymore. Finally, Gabriel could confidently confirm that his pathokinetic telepathy-reversal had worked. Then again, he couldn't be too sure. He'd give it more time.
He held on to Ames's hand, just in case.
A smile persevered on Gabriel's face as he looked at Ames's now restfully sleeping face.
"I'm sorry it took me long to fix you," he said softly, looking back up at the ceiling. "I'm in a bit of trouble, myself."
April 18, 2023
Over Five Months Ago
Falco City Police Department
4:45 PM
Ames closed the car door behind him and locked it with his key. Luckily, families and relations had a place to park their cars. Boyfriends were just as considered.
He had promised to clear his schedule out for Harvey, and he was holding his boyfriend to the same promise.
The afternoon air was cool despite the bright blue of the sky. He was feeling very at ease in his get-up, too. He had put on a pastel pink V-neck shirt, which he'd matched with faded blue jeans secured by his brown leather belt. His black, fourteen-hole leather boots went well with the black cargo jacket he had on. It was Harvey's old jacket and looked rather oversized on Ames, but it was just how he wanted it. Harvey was a tall, muscular, and athletic guy, and that was exactly how Ames wanted his boyfriend, too.
He made his way out of the guests' parking garage and up the steps of the police department. He walked in, immediately recognized by the police officer on the front desk.
"Prof," Officer Peter Martinez greeted when he looked up from the paperwork on his desk. The friendly officer held out his hand for a high five. "He's in a meeting right now, but I can sneak a text."
"Officer Martinez," Ames greeted back, meeting the high five upon approaching. He stopped before the officer's desk. "Nah. I'm just gonna' find a place to wait."
"Hey, Prof!" a group of male and female officers greeted as they passed Ames by.
"Looking sharp, Officers!" Ames replied, giving them a brief salute, which they gladly returned.
"Your man is getting promoted," Officer Kayla Shihan whispered, winking as she passed by.
'Whoa,' Ames thought, his face lighting up at the news. 'Harvey didn't tell me that.'
He couldn't contain the joy he felt at the news. He had to look at Officer Martinez to share it. Officer Martinez, however, was already looking at him knowingly.
"You know about this?" Ames asked.
"Everybody knows about this," Officer Martinez replied, smiling in amusement. "Well, except the man himself. Don't let him know that you know."
"I won't," Ames said gladly, holding up his hand as if in a pledge. "I promise."
"Well, if it isn't my favorite guy!" a familiar voice with an unforgettable vocal fry called out. Ames knew exactly who it was and where it was coming from. He looked toward the stairs up ahead.
There he was. Chief Inspector Horacio Gomez. Back in the day, the good man of the law had taken him in for gang activity. Ames had very fond and embarrassing memories with the Chief Inspector. It was a one-time thing, but Ames had made sure to be unforgettable. It was the good old "I'm actually not as dumb as you think" card that had challenged, and inevitably impressed, the Chief Inspector.
"Chief Inspector," Ames greeted, tapping Officer Martinez's desk before moving toward his old friend. There were other police officers and civilians in the lobby. "How far up am I on the favorites list?"
"When you get that doctorate degree, you're gonna' be number one," Chief Inspector Gomez replied, extending his hand for a handshake. The old man was looking good and comfortable, standing calmly in his uniform at the bottom step. Ames was glad about that. The man had once been a counselor to him. The Chief Inspector had always been fatherly in how he handled minors. Ames could remember the man sharing about how he'd never gotten to have his own children. It's sad to think about. Ames knew in his gut that the man would've made an excellent father. Ames took the Chief Inspector's hand and shook it firmly. "Let me take a good look at you, son."
"How do I look?" Ames asked jokingly.
"Meh," the Chief Inspector burst out in a comical tone. "I looked a lot better when I was your age."
"I figured you would say that," Ames commented.
The Chief Inspector then placed a firm hand on Ames's shoulder, the man's face turning sincere.
"You got a good thing going on, boy," the man said. "You've grown up to be an achiever. Not that I was surprised. I mean, you did cite me the laws I was about to cite you back in the day. And you were a minor."
"You know you are a huge part of that, right?" Ames reminded him.
"That means you gotta' invite me to your graduation," Chief Inspector Gomez said. "Or better yet, your dissertation defense."
"I smell vengeance in the air, Chief Inspector."
"I'm just very proud of you, kid. You keep reaching up. You've got a lot of time."
"Babe?" a handsome baritone voice called out from behind the Chief Inspector. It was hard to miss, and definitely not something anybody would want to miss anyway. Ames couldn't hide his smile as he looked up past the Chief Inspector.
Ames's eyes lingered on Harvey's tall and strong build. Harvey looked very handsome and put together in his camouflage uniform, as if his day hadn't even begun yet. His short black hair still had its enviable shine. His solemn eyes didn't even look tired. It helped that he was cleanly shaven, which showed off his tall nose, strong jawline, and shy but alluring smile. His evenly tan skin made him look inviting, too.
Ames looked away in embarrassment after Chief Inspector Gomez looked back toward Harvey and then back to him with squinting eyes.
"It surprises me you two haven't married yet," Chief Inspector Gomez commented, patting Ames's shoulder once before going off on his way. "I'm gonna' leave you two lovebirds to catch up."
"I'll see you soon, Chief Inspector," Ames replied, looking back at the man as he walked off. The Chief Inspector waved back at them.
"Have a good night, sir!" Harvey added.
And then the good old man was out the main door.
Ames looked back at his boyfriend, who had already started walking down the stairs to meet him. Seeing his man approach with that poise that he'd always carried himself with definitely had an effect on Ames.
'He looks so fricking good,' Ames thought sheepishly.
"You look like you've just seen the most handsome man in the country," Harvey teased, reaching out to adjust Ames's hair.
Ames let him. It was something Harvey liked to do to him. He honestly found it to be the cutest thing ever.
"Am I too early?" Ames asked.
"I'm done for the day, babe," Harvey replied, combing Ames's hair back with his fingers. "Wait for me in the parking garage?"
"Alrighty, Mister Officer."
April 18, 2023
Falco Metro Drive
5:32 PM
The sunset view was breathtaking. The sky looked like a sea of burning orange waves mixing with mysterious indigo ink. It was as dramatic as it was captivating. Ames was even gladder about the car windows being down and the cool breeze weaving through the spaces in the car. Harvey had taken over the wheel, and he'd changed into a comfy ensemble composed of a white tank top, a denim jacket, faded blue jeans, and brown Chelsea boots. Harvey normally brought civilian clothes along whenever he and Ames had a date after work.
Ames looked over to his boyfriend, whose one-hand grip on the steering wheel was as attractive as it was unadvisable.
Harvey noticed him, glancing at his direction.
"Don't fall in love too much," Harvey teased, grinning at his own silliness.
"Cocky," Ames rolled his eyes playfully. "Now, I'm turned off."
"Oh, you don't like me cocky?"
"Okay. I see where you're going."
"No, but I thought you liked me cocky?"
"You're so gross," Ames laughed, jokingly backhanding Harvey's arm.
"Really?" Harvey replied, still in his teasing tone of voice. "'Cause I remember distinctly how you sound when I make you feel how cocky I am."
Ames couldn't stop the heat that bloomed in his cheeks. He cupped his face in his hands for a while before sending a quick jab to his boyfriend's shoulder.
"Ow!" Harvey reacted, laughing as he rubbed the spot where the fist had landed. "That escalated quickly. You should've reserved your smacking for later."
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Ames asked, shifting his position to face his boyfriend, who was thoroughly enjoying the torment. The highway was surprisingly not filled. It was a rather fluid traffic situation. Ames liked it like that. "Hold your horses, cowboy."
"You do know I like it when you call me names, right?" Harvey answered, a playful side-smile curving up his face. "I'm doing really well, am I?"
"Well, nobody does it like you," Ames pointed out, unbuckling his seatbelt just to lean over to Harvey. Cupping the side of Harvey's face with a free hand, Ames leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"I love you," Harvey giggled. "Every day."
"I love you, too," Ames replied, grinning playfully as he sat back properly on his seat.
April 18, 2023
Falco Bayside Drive
5:45 PM
The wind coming in from the sea was comforting and cool, and the waves that crashed against the wall below Ames's dangling feet were refreshing to hear. He sat right beside Harvey on the wall, which was just over three feet high, the top surface of which was wide enough for two people to sit. The wall served as a barrier, outlining the bayside viewing area, which lay open next to the highway. It had become a tourist attraction, and Ames could see exactly why. He wiggled his feet as if he were walking on water, but he was eight feet too high. The water could barely even spray up to his boot soles.
Street lights cut the barrier into sections. Ames and Harvey had found a particular spot next to one, and it cast a warm tangerine glow over them and over the waters below. The illumination, however, could only be cast so far and so penetratingly. The sun was setting fast, and its glow was getting as warm as it could. As the atmosphere got dimmer, the water got darker and darker.
Harvey's strong arm wrapped around Ames's shoulders. The smell of the burgers they'd ordered for takeout provided an aromatic and delicious fragrance to the salty sea breeze that was hitting them full-on.
"I wish we get to do this more often," Harvey whispered to him, planting a kiss on his head.
Ames loved how cozy it was and leaned harder against his man.
"I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm a very good swimmer," Ames shared.
"Like, competitively?" Harvey asked.
"No," Ames replied. "I mean, I can breathe well underwater, and I don't get tired."
"Yeah, you're pretty relentless," Harvey continued.
"Relentless?" Ames repeated curiously. He found it to be a rather interesting adjective.
"I don't think you ever want to take a pause," Harvey clarified, hand rubbing Ames's left shoulder. "You just gotta' be good at everything, huh?"
"Oh," Ames quipped. "Giving me dad vibes there."
"Daddy, you mean," Harvey joked.
"Well, that too," Ames replied. "I mean you are eleven years older than me."
"You were a minor and I was already a cop when we first met," Harvey recalled. "You were a nightmare to deal with until I got to know you better."
"You weren't exactly easy to deal with, either," Ames reminded his boyfriend, who could only laugh at the memory. "You were hot-headed, had terrible sense of humor, and you always thought I was a piece of shit who could never amount to anything. I don't think you ever even liked me enough to at least be an actual friend until I was around twenty years old."
Harvey gasped at that.
"I didn't say that," he said, looking rather surprised.
"Not to me, you didn't," Ames insisted, looking right back at his boyfriend's face. "You said that to Gomez, and then he told me about it. I've known you for a long time, cowboy. I know how we are and how we started."
Ames could almost hear the gears turning in his boyfriend's head, and Harvey was just recalling everything. It was hilarious to witness.
"Oh, right," Harvey finally said, scrunching his nose guiltily before kissing Ames on the forehead. "Because you were."
"Screw you," Ames retaliated jokingly, pushing his head against Harvey's jaw.
"Ow! Hey," Harvey complained, still giggling. "Later."
After about twenty more minutes, the sky had gotten fully dark. The street lights prevailed in their glow. The water below was only lit up for up to a few meters ahead. It was dark for the rest of the expanse.
"You know, we can have a bit of "later" now," Ames said playfully, looking at his man. A familiar expression came upon Harvey's eyes. Ames caught it, his eyes closing in anticipation as they moved into a kiss. Ames welcomed a warm and sincere kiss from Harvey on his lips. He savored it. Everything had been going so well for them. Ames felt incredibly blessed for it. He wanted to share it with Harvey. When they parted from their kiss, Ames had to admit that he couldn't wait to get home and just snuggle with Harvey in bed already.
"Someday," Harvey began, looking at him right in the eyes. "I'm going to marry you. I'm gonna' marry and love the shit out of you. Maybe not here, because we both know how this country can be with people like us, no matter how much has changed. But I know I will marry you."
A pleasant warmth filled Ames's cheeks. Harvey had always been sincere, but he'd never declared anything so weightily before. Ames could feel his heartbeat picking up faster and faster the longer he stared into Harvey's eyes.
"It's like a proposal for a proposal," Ames tried to regain his poise with a joke. "But you already know the answer."
"Don't I?" Harvey inquired. Ames could sink into his boyfriend's eyes forever.
"You know it's going to be a yes," Ames said reassuringly. "Because it will be. Just like it has always been."
"Got your bandit heart captured, huh?" Harvey asked.
"If you had arrested me back in the day," Ames went on with his joking. "I'd have enjoyed being cuffed by you, Mister Policeman. Except that I was a minor, and that's just gross for me to think about now as someone who's gonna' be twenty-eight years old next month and with much better sense."
They were just chuckling at their own silliness from that point on, but Ames knew he would marry Harvey someday. He couldn't think of anybody else that he'd want to spend his life with.
Ames found himself looking out to the sea again. The mysterious blackness of the space ahead was supposed to be daunting, but at this moment, Ames just found it to be comforting. He guessed it was the Signos in him that had always made him so associated with dark things.
"Oh, babe, look," Harvey blurted out enthusiastically. Ames looked over at what his boyfriend was pointing at.
'Fireflies,' he recognized, watching as the pretty beetles flew around the street light. Ames had always loved the sight of them. They reminded him of the old days. They had never failed to be a comforting sight.
"Imagine us on a porch, looking at them while I play the guitar," Harvey said dreamily.
Ames kept looking at them. Their bioluminescent abilities had always fascinated him. He'd sometimes wonder how interesting it would be if humans had the same ability.
And then he remembered: he was living in a world where superhumans existed.
One superhuman, in particular, had the ability to glow and fly.
"You play the guitar and I do the singing," Ames replied, looking at Harvey, who was still fixated on the fireflies.
"Of course," Harvey said. His voice sounded odd there. It was a bit hoarse.
It sounded really hoarse, actually.
Ames didn't like the sound of it one bit.
When Harvey turned to look at him, it was as if the air around him had frozen and the place was suddenly devoid of any noise.
Ames sat in the sudden silence, in the haunting stillness, staring into Harvey's eyes, which had grayed out. They were so pale and filmy that Ames barely noticed the rest of Harvey's face. Ames could feel himself freezing, choking from the screams he couldn't unleash. His heart, however, was violently hammering against his chest. Harvey's face had also grayed out, and the longer Ames stared at it, the more terrified he got.
'W-What's going on?!' he thought in panic as he tried to move. It was to no avail.
Harvey's face merely stared at him emptily, unmoving and dead.
'Unmoving,' Ames realized as tears began to stream from his eyes. That was all he could do. He couldn't scream. He couldn't squirm away. He couldn't even close his eyes. 'And dead.'
September 22, 2023
Ames jolted up in bed, gasping for air as he burst into consciousness. His face was wet, and he knew it wasn't sweat. It was wet with tears.
'Harvey!' the thought repeated in his head like a cry for help. Ames covered his mouth, trying not to cry again. It was like pushing a boulder uphill. His breaths were low and jagged, almost like sobs. 'Shit. Shit. Dammit.'
The dream had been so precise in how it had played out his memories of Harvey. Too savagely precise for him. In fact, it was as if he'd been brought back to the past to relive those moments.
As if he'd been brought back to his past body to relive his last night with Harvey.
The events that he had dreamt of were exactly as how they had happened in the past, except they'd already been corrupted by Harvey's dead and emotionless face.
His dream of their last night had almost been perfect, for he'd been able to see Harvey's face in its life and its beauty. He'd been able to see it just the way it truly was: handsome, strong, and comforting. The bond of love that had connected them for a long time had been there.
And just like that, it had ended as a nightmare.
Ames was glad that he was awake now.
When he noticed his hand being caught in something and the long legs stretched out on the bed beside him, he froze. He froze so quickly in the fear and alarm that popped inside of him, but this time, he could scream.
'Shit! Why is this happening to me?'
He slowly looked over to his side, his fear subsiding as he recognized bit by bit the articles of clothing his eyes were scanning. He eventually got to see the person's face.
It was...
"Gabriel?" he whispered in surprise, realizing that his left hand was linked with the sleeping superhuman's hand. "Oh my god..."
'Wait,' he remembered, looking around him and realizing he was already in his bedroom. 'How did I get here?'
'Why is he here? And why is he beside me?''
'Why is he holding me?!'
For quite some time, Ames was just staring at Gabriel, wondering what had happened.
The last thing that Ames could remember before what had seemed like an endless nightmare was Malign throwing him off the school building and to what would've been certain death.
'Did--,' Ames tried to process his thoughts as he sat slack-jawed in confusion. 'Did he save me?'
Gabriel's hand was warm and comforting. It was as if warmth and comfort pulsated through them. Ames slowly and carefully pulled his hand off of Gabriel's grasp, immediately feeling a strange disconnect of energy that had him looking at his palm.
'You came back for me?' he thought as he stared at Gabriel's face.
Ames clutched his left hand carefully. The warmth from Gabriel's hand was still there, but it was cooling down with every pulse in his veins.
'Why?'
Ames hadn't expected that from Gabriel, although he could remember thinking out the man's name in the height of his fear of an otherwise certain death. He'd been unable to call it out. The darkness of his fear had gripped him so tightly at that moment.
But he knew that he'd called out for help from the inside, from somewhere in his damaged mind.
"Thank you, Gab," he said softly, gently touching Gabriel's wrist. The man looked tired. He was still well in his own slumber. "Thank you."
And then Ames remembered something else.
It sent a jolt of energy throughout his body.
"My students..."
Ames couldn't help but cry in relief as he stared at the screen of his phone, which miraculously hadn't fallen from his pants pocket. According to the news report, the Enforcers hadn't taken long after the murder attempt done on him in arriving at the university and incapacitating Malign. The other Severance Seven member, Current, had reportedly appeared and rescued his fallen superior before the Enforcement could finish them. Although a telepathic attack had indeed taken place, it had been brief and only potent enough to put the victims in a temporary collective migraine. Malign had reportedly been dealt with before anybody else from the university had been physically hurt.
A delay in Malign's plans had done the trick.
Ames knew that if he hadn't trusted his gut, people would've been seriously hurt.
He was just overwhelmingly relieved that his students were all saved. He didn't mind that he was sobbing his eyes off as he sat on the closed toilet lid.
'They're alive,' he thought to himself, looking up at the ceiling in prayer. 'Thank you, God. Thank you.'
As for the rest of the Severance Seven? Taken in for good, according to the news.
Still, nobody had died so far.
Ames continued to sit on the lid for about twenty more minutes, clutching his phone against his chest in relief.
It was already way past four in the afternoon. Hours had passed.
Ames noticed that he hadn't changed clothes yet. He was still in his black attire. He was feeling a little moist from everything that had happened. It was uncomfortable.
'I'm gonna' inform Doctor Masuda of my status. After that, I'm taking a fucking shower.'
Ames sat on the floor of the shower enclosure, letting the water from above him wash away the cottony pink, strawberry-scented soap lather from his skin. It felt so good to be back in his comfort zone. He'd continued his crying in the shower and despite it having been already an hour of being awake, he was still in disbelief at how his day had turned out. His car was still at the university. He'd have to take it. Then again, it was already late. He might as well retrieve it tomorrow.
The sweet smell of the puddle around his naked body was effective enough to ground his awareness into his comfort zone. Flashbacks of what had happened earlier, however, still made him shiver. They weren't pleasant. He'd stared into the sinister eyes of the person he'd wanted to retaliate on for what had felt like the longest time, and knowing that he had landed good hits in gave him a sense of pride. He'd done more than what he'd ever expected himself to even be able to do. Despite his failure to make Malign pay, he had succeeded in foiling the super-terrorist's plans.
'If I had the time or the power,' Ames thought, blinking at the streams of water that traveled down his face. 'He'd have gotten worse from me.'
'And I'm still here. Gabriel saved my ass.'
Gabriel was still asleep.
Ames was starting to worry that the man may have gotten hurt. The dust on Gabriel's skin seemed suggestive of it. He figured the man must have come back to help, most probably in secret. He would have to check up on Gabriel later.
'I mean,' Ames thought to himself, cracking another egg into a bowl and whisking the yolk. 'He must have eggs in his diet, right?'
Night had fallen, and Gabriel was still asleep.
Ames wasn't exactly in an eased frame of mind just yet, so he'd decided he would keep the dinner low-key. Literally, he was cooking breakfast for dinner.
He'd already cooked his own omelet, which had fillings of minced carrots, potatoes, tomato, and celery. He'd even cooked two cans of corned beef. Frying pan at the ready, he carried on with cooking an omelet for Gabriel next.
'Considering his lifestyle, he probably does,' Ames factored in a couple of minutes later.
The moment he'd finished cooking Gabriel's omelet, he heard the bedroom door opening.
'There he is,' Ames thought as he looked toward it. 'Just like early this morning.'
Gabriel peeked from the doorway, his eyes latching onto Ames immediately.
Ames didn't know what to say at first, and neither did Gabriel, apparently. They were just staring at each other for a while, not knowing how to start. Ames knew, however, that he was glad to see Gabriel.
Gabriel, likewise, was looking glad to see him.
"Uh, hey," Ames stammered a bit, blinking in uncertainty in his attempt to break the silence. He felt a friendly smile curve up his face. This man had just saved him. He could never forget that. "I, um..."
"Are you okay?" Gabriel asked, stepping out of the bedroom and coming down the stairs. Ames didn't think they broke eye contact at all. It was a pleasantly awkward start. "Like, okay okay?"
"Well," Ames answered, taking a deep breath and transferring Gabriel's omelet from the pan to the man's plate. "You saved my life, Gabriel. Of course, I'm gonna' be okay."
"Okay," Gabriel was smiling, too. Ames could see the man's eyes lingering on his omelet.
"Thank you," Ames said aloud, clearing his throat. He meant that. He meant that a lot. "Thank you for saving my life, Gab."
"I had a feeling that you might've needed me," Gabriel replied, nodding.
"You came back to help, didn't you?" Ames inquired, putting the frying pan back to its pod and turning the stove off.
"I tried," Gabriel admitted, pursing his lips. "In secret. I got it covered for the most part."
"Well then, you must be hungry," Ames said, tapping onto Gabriel's spot on the table, which was opposite Ames's. "Dinner?"
Gabriel stared at his food again, grinning shyly.
"Yeah," he finally said in between timid chuckles, much to Ames's amusement. "I'm actually really hungry."
While their dinner was mostly quiet, Gabriel was glad that everything had seemed to turn out okay. Ames was doing really fine, and Gabriel could feel it pulsating from his friend. He treasured it. This wasn't a usual thing for him, having dinner with a person he had saved, but it certainly was pleasant and the food tasted great.
Gabriel had always had omelets in HQ.
He continued to eat, noticing halfway through his meal that he was eating faster than Ames.
Ames, however, was trying not to notice.
"Are you judging me?" Gabriel asked jokingly.
"No, not at all," Ames finally chuckled, looking up momentarily from his meal. "I'm just..."
"What is it?" Gabriel urged him to go on.
"I'm just glad that you like what I prepared," Ames admitted. "I didn't know what to cook for you, and the least I could do was prepare you a meal."
"I love omelets," Gabriel said reassuringly. "This one, in particular, has got to be better than most I've had. And I've had a million omelets."
Ames smiled meekly and returned to eating.
Gabriel wondered why Ames was being shy all of a sudden. He could feel a good pulsation coming from the guy, and he was thankful for it, but the shyness really got him curious.
'Maybe I was intrusive for lying in bed with him,' Gabriel realized. 'Maybe I invaded his privacy.'
"I'm sorry for lying in bed with you," he apologized instantly, wincing at how awkward that sounded. "You were in pretty bad shape, and I couldn't leave you that way. You should've seen your face."
Ames looked back at him understandingly. Although, an amused smile did appear on the guy's face.
"It's alright," Ames replied, nodding emphatically. "If it weren't for you, I'd have ended up as a mush of broken bones or falling in a nightmare loop. Or both."
"I mean, I kind of invaded your privacy with that. You know?"
"No, you didn't. It's justified."
"How?"
"I mean, it's okay. Really."
"Okay," Gabriel nodded as he said that, scoffing at his own shyness. He was no longer used to this kind of vulnerability and openness. Normally, after saving somebody's life, he'd only have a few inspirational words to share before heading back to HQ. It was almost mandatory. Methodical. Brief. Nothing more. What he was experiencing now was both something old and something new for him.
"Okay," Ames echoed.
The shyness was still there. Gabriel could still feel it. Perhaps, he thought, Ames had something else in mind. He carried on with his meal.
"You're a really, really good person," Ames spoke up again. Gabriel looked up at the guy, who was looking at him intently and sincerely. "Really good. I just thought that you needed to hear that."
'Oh...,' Gabriel thought. He'd been asking himself about that. It had been hard to weigh his options. On one hand, he had abandoned the call of duty for a desire that, while justifiable in many levels, went against the pledge he'd made as a superhero. On the other hand, the hardships in his life that had lasted for decades due to his entry into heroism and service had also bound his legs with weights that had long deprived him of any real life as a person. Because of that, he had felt limited to the standards of usefulness and longevity as a national weapon for a long time. True, the New Age Initiative was now in action, but he believed its activation had been premature. Others would say otherwise. As of this moment, he was caught in a moral limbo that he'd decided to ignore for as long as he could.
"I've been thinking a lot about whether there's truth to that," Gabriel said frankly.
"There is," Ames said firmly. "I don't know how exactly you define it, but take it from me. There is."
Gabriel could only look back at Ames, not having the right words yet to express himself. Ames was showing his strength again. It was good to see. Gabriel could tell that Ames knew what he was saying. Gabriel trusted the guy's intelligence.
"I'm in a limbo of sorts right now, to be honest," Gabriel admitted meekly. "I'm lost inside, and frankly, very lost outside, too."
That was as honest as he could go. Ames was looking at him empathically, looking deep in thought, as if considering something. Gabriel could feel it, too.
"You might not have to anymore," Ames finally said after a while, a friendly smile stretching out the sides of his face. "If you choose to."
'Wait, what?' Gabriel's posture straightened up at that. 'He can't be talking about...'
"If ever you haven't found a place to stay, which is highly likely," Ames said more carefully, nodding emphatically. "You're welcome to stay here..."
There was a spark of warm gladness in Gabriel's chest the moment he heard the words. He couldn't stop it. He couldn't hold it back.
What Ames was saying was getting to him in such a strong wave, and he was hoping it was for real.
He knew it was. He could feel it.
Ames must have sensed his insecurity, for the guy leaned in closer to indicate his seriousness.
"You're serious, right?" Gabriel asked for confirmation, even though he knew exactly how sincere Ames was. "I mean... I know you are. I have nowhere to go. I-I just..."
"Well," Ames continued, smile widening sincerely. "If you want it, then welcome home."
"Welcome home...," Gabriel echoed, scoffing in joyful disbelief.
"Welcome home," Ames repeated, winking affirmatively.
"Welcome home. Really welcome home this time..."
"Welcome home."
Gabriel felt as if he would burst with joy. It bubbled up so quickly that he stood up from his seat, carelessly dropping his utensils onto his plate. Ames looked surprised, but he was generally glad. Gabriel immediately made his way to Ames's side and covered the young man in a tight and happy embrace.
"Oh!" Ames exclaimed gladly, surprised by the squeeze. "Alright. You're welcome. You're welcome."
Gabriel made sure not to hug Ames too tightly or recklessly, but he wanted the hug to stick.
Also, Ames smelled very good. The scent was sweet and warm. It was inviting. Gabriel kept the hug going for a few more seconds before parting carefully.
"You have helped me more than anybody has in decades," Gabriel blurted out frankly, one hand on the table and another on Ames's shoulder.
Ames looked up at him curiously, and Gabriel could tell that the guy was intrigued by what he'd just said.
"You can count on me, Gab," Ames finally said, putting his hand over Gabriel's with decisive steadiness.
It was a gesture of the strength and resolution that Gabriel had detected from the young man earlier, and he liked how it was manifesting.
A ringing sound then came up from Ames's phone on the tabletop, which was just by his rested arm.
Gabriel watched as Ames looked into it.
"Holy crap," Ames muttered. Gabriel wondered what was up. He watched as Ames hurried to the television in the living room area and turned it on. Intrigued by the alarm, Gabriel followed him. "They've got a detailed feature on the attacks earlier. There's good news, and there's bad news."
'Oh, I need to see that,' Gabriel thought, standing by Ames's side before the television as it glowed into life.
"The earlier coordinated mass attack in many different parts of the city has left the entire country in shock," the female reporter was saying. "Varying opinions and theories on the matter have since surfaced, leading to various discussions about the attack, the motivations behind it, and the mysterious aspects of how it was carried out. Five members of the Severance Seven have been successfully apprehended. Three hostage-takers have likewise been taken in. Horsepower, Emerald, Alonsawa, Kid Saturn, Enzyme, and the hostage-takers—identified as members of the terrorist group, The Legion—are now being transferred to the Biringan Penitentiary for proper and perpetual imprisonment."
"Thank God," Gabriel muttered, recognizing right after that problems still remained.
"Meanwhile, the super-terrorists, Malign and Current, were able to escape, but not without sustaining injuries."
"This wouldn't be the end," Gabriel pointed out.
"I know," Ames said in agreement. "But right now, that's as good a news as we can have about them."
"Authorities credit the success of the response, including a miraculous zero percent death count, to the bravery of the first responders and to the sheer heroism of the Enforcement, the arrival of which signaled what seemed to be the dawn of the so-called New Age Initiative. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the fallen hero, Alpha, remain unknown, with reports upon reports alluding to the fact that the fallen hero may have, indeed, perished in last night's battle against Malign and Emerald. Citizens have expressed their concern about the fall of a highly beloved superhero, but Director Emil Lazaro, Director of Division, has stated his confidence that the New Age Initiative is not only a sufficient contingency plan, it is also a strong enough deterrent to further super-terrorist attacks."
'I hope so,' Gabriel thought, taking a deep breath.
"The New Age Initiative has been given the green light," Director Lazaro appeared on the television, surrounded by journalists. "We now have an army of superhuman agents fully trained to combat threats all over the country. This is a major step-up from the previous initiative in terms of strategy and law enforcement. Terrorists, superhuman or otherwise, will be at the risk of the gravest of consequences in the instance of their assault. That is all there is to say."
"The New Age Initiative?" Ames asked, lowering the TV volume. "What's that?"
"It's hard to explain," Gabriel replied, looking at Ames. It was honest. He also knew what it meant for him. He knew it couldn't be permanent, but for now and for an extended amount of time, he knew what this could mean for both himself and what he'd been planning to do. "But right now, I can start starting over again."