There hadn’t been a whole lot of talking last night. Though Dean wasn’t going to hold that against Alex if half the chatter he had heard was the truth. Big guy had been exhausted and still insisted on doing his last check around town before calling it a night. More stubborn then a rock that guy. Dean had ended up taking care of the rest, got the doc over to check Silver Fang before they shacked her up in the guest room. Alex had insisted on writing the woman a few notes for when she woke up before turning in himself.
While the two supers slept, The resident earth mage didn’t really get much. Now, he was a lax person by nature. Heck Dean wouldn’t have been insulted if anyone called him lazy. But that shouldn’t be taken as a lack of vigilance. Most days at least. Everything about yesterday felt off, yet he couldn’t place it. There was a nagging that was starting g to make him a tad jumpy. Golem seemed to be feeling it too, the spirit stalked around occasionally like a restless tiger.
A hunch could be a very dangerous thing in the awoken world. It was even more dangerous to ignore any omens when they show up. This was one of those rare moments he wished he hadn’t restrained his abilities as strictly as he had those years ago.
With everything else going on though there really wasn’t a drive to try and seek out help from anyone who could help alleviate his worries. Seers and diviners gave Dean a headache on a good day anyways.
He had cut himself off from his energy drinks about an hour ago, letting his fresh cup of tea steep a bit to take in the warm aroma.
Dean’s moment of peace was cut short however by the sudden sound of gunfire. It was quickly followed by a knock at the front door.
“Bloody hell who could that be at this fucking hour?”It was Wolf. Because of course it was Wolf. The damn cyber mercenary was a headache and a half every time she showed up. He gave a halfhearted grunt at her comment on his slippers. Laugh all you want, they’re comfy.
Gingerly sipping at the still hot tea, Dean took in everything Wolf relayed back to him. Opting to remain silent until she was done. Silver Fang had left in a rather sudden rush not that long ago. But he had been confident that whatever her reasons she would make her way back. What made him pause mid sip though was Wolf’s remark about her trying to climb her way back through the broken window. And there was a problem with that statement.
”Hold on a sec.”Now Dean’s spellcraft tended to border the lines of hedge magic given his general lack of advanced training. That that didn’t mean he wasn’t clever. Such as being able to tag individuals that came through his and Alex’s door and tell when and where they are throughout Shieldtown with his network of wards and Sigils.
Dean was going to make a call to a particular duo of Nordic friends for having not left so much as a message that they were taking the resident wayward Templar, much less come grab her stuff before leaving.
Wolf’s story didn’t add up.
That’s not good. Dean instantly looked more awake then he had been when he had opened the door.
”Shit. Stranger Protocol’s. Do not engage and keep tabs best you can. We got an imposter.” The tea was dumped on the ground, Dean cursed under his breath and held a hand up to apologize to Wolf.
”Whoever it is it’s better we don’t spook her anymore then we did and see if we can’t catch them.” Just then the muffled sound of heavy slamming could be heard from inside the house. Dean grimaced, Alex woke up. And if he was working his sandbag it probably wasn’t any of this going on. When it rains it pours.
”I . . . Gotta go check on that.” Slipping back inside He closed the door gently behind him before pinching bridge if his nose and sighing heavily.
“Pathetic.”
Those words echoed everywhere. Cutting at his skin and into the bone. No walls he made could stop them. Could never really stop sound anyway.
“All that strength and power, what do you have to show for it? You floundered and stumbled like an idiot yesterday.”
Shut up. He wanted to scream and yell. Deon out the voice with any noise he could. The words never left his throat. His heart felt like it was going to hammer right out of his chest.
“Even now after all these years your still a useless little punk.”
Alex couldn’t do anything but curl up and cover his ears. He felt small again. Helpless.
A hand grabbed his hair and forced him to look up.
He saw the broken and bloody face of his dead father. “YOU ARE NOTHING YOU FUCKING WASTE!!”
Alex woke up bolt upright, gasping and shuddering for breath. Face wet from tears the moment he opened his eyes. Not again. Always with that fucking dream. Always that same broken face glaring at him.
He fell back onto his bed, the frame made for his considerable weight still creaking in protest. Whiling his eyes, a glance to his nightstand greeted him with the current time. The soft glow from the alarm clock indicating that it was too damn early. Too bad. He didn’t need a full eight hours and he sure as hell didn’t feel tired anymore.
Minutes later, Alex had made his way into the basement. His tools, costume and equipment lay scattered around that would constitute as a “lair” for his alter ego. Massive, home made training weights dominated one corner of the room where an equally bulky brute rated sandbag hung.
He didn’t waste so much as a second before slamming the bag bare knuckled. It wasn’t like it would hurt anyway. The blow could have been mistaken for a shotgun going off from the sound alone.
”I’m not pathetic.“ His voice was rough and uneven. The bag was punched harder.
What the hell was his performance yesterday? He was better then that. He had to be.
Another punch that would have killed a regular person.
” I’m not weak.“ I can’t afford to be. Not again. Not ever.
He began to punch faster. Alex wished his knuckles would start bleeding. Just the sting of pain. None came. Just the rhythmic sound of his fists.
”I’m! Not! Useless!!” I can’t be. What am I if I can’t be if use to one person?
Images of the hydra fight flooded his mind. Silver Fang should have never even been touched on his watch. Sloppy, he had to be better. He had to.
”DAMNIT!!!!“ Tears blurred his vision again. A yell tore from his throat as he slammed the bag with such force that it nearly flew into the ceiling. Blue light flickered around his body in glitching patterns in his outburst.
He had to be hard on himself. Dropping to his knees in a slump, Alex breathed heavily. He hated having this much power. There was too much to shoulder. Too much expected of him. But he had to endure. It’s all he could do. For everyone he wasn’t able to save, for every person who got hurt because of him.
He’d cry if he didn’t feel so numb right now.
If he kept going as he was, this life might crush him. If he left, could he forgive himself for what could happen to everyone he wasn’t protecting? He was stuck. Stuck here, in his head, with these powers still feeling powerless at the end of the day.
Aegis? What a joke. He was more a cracked shield then anything.
Standing in the doorway, Dean didn’t have the words to pull Alex out of whatever was gripping him. He didn’t even have the strength needed to help his best friend off the floor. He opted to do one thing he knew that could help the big guy feel better.
Minutes later, the house was filled with the scent of cooking bacon. Real bacon. Not something made from a Ridgeback or some other underground beast. Alex sat in his chair sipping his tea. Dean having refused to let him cook this time.
Said mage added cheese to an omelette that could feed three.
The two men didn’t really need to talk during mornings like this. Their company was enough for the two. They’d talk about it when bellies were full and everything settled.
Golem sat invisible on the dining table, staring off in the direction of the Stoneworks.
Blaze Gamma