Tuesday Night – Chapter Two [Kanon, superhero, Sunfire/Teen Steel, mm]

Title: Tuesday Night
Author: Harper Kingsley
Setting: Kanon-verse
Genre: superhero, mm
WARNING: Some spoilers for “Pulse of the City”

CHAPTER TWO

Things had gotten awkward and Tony didn’t know what to do about it. He’d screwed things up and no amount of apologizing was going to make things right again.

Every time Solar looked at him, he couldn’t help cringing a little. She’d never been his favorite member of the Teen Demis, but she was one of his teammates. He’d known better than to mess around with her, and now things were coming around to bite him on the ass.

He could already tell things were about to blow up. Especially considering the poisonous looks Pulsar kept sending him.

Tony didn’t think Solar had said anything to her brother, but Pulsar had a sixth sense about her. And he wasn’t the kind of guy to let anything go. So it was kind of a given that there was going to be a giant clash of the “one night stand” and “wrathful brother” variety. There was no avoiding it. He was destined to be guy that messed things up.

Tony found himself spending a lot of time with Sunfire, hanging around and playing video games. It gave him the chance to regain his equilibrium. Ashley was still dead and there was still a gaping emptiness inside where she used to be, but he was starting to think that maybe he would be okay. His life would be able to go on.

He had to keep living through each day as it happened. There was nothing else he could do. At some point all the awkwardness would either come bubbling to a head or dissipate. He couldn’t help hoping that it would all slip away. He could live a life with quiet resentment if it kept him from facing such a volatile situation.

There shouldn’t have been any surprise when things blew up. It was to happen.

One minute he was playing video games and had managed to forget his problems, the next he was flying headfirst into the large TV screen. All he could do was close his eyes and ready himself for a painful impact.

His ankle was caught by one super strong hand and he was jerked backward to slam against Sunfire’s chest. The dude really did have some amazing pectorals. Not that Tony was noticing their niceness or anything.

“Thanks.” He tugged his shirt straight, then turned to give Pulsar a hard glare. “What’s the deal, man?”

“What the fuck did you do to my sister?” Pulsar’s eyes blazed golden fire and he seemed an inch away from going full on meltdown.

Tony felt unease creep through his lower belly, though he didn’t let anything show on his face. “So what, you’re now the guy that tries to kill people first, then ask questions afterward?”

“You wouldn’t have died,” Pulsar scoffed. “I’d have to work at it a little harder than that.”

“Wow, that is so completely not comforting,” Tony said. Sunfire was a line of warmth at his back, just the backup he would need if Pulsar decided to go all homicidal or something.

“Tell me what you did to my sister.” Pulsar’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Tell me, or I pound it out of you.”

It was only survival instinct that kept Tony from mouthing off about Solar and “pounding.” For one thing, he would never say anything so rude about a girl he’d slept with, and for another, he didn’t want to die. And from the look in his eye, Pulsar would definitely kill him, no ifs, ands, or buts.

“Look, she and I considered getting together, but we came to the mutual decision that it wouldn’t work out between us. We’re too different.” Tony felt as though he was tap dancing on some very thin ice, but it wasn’t like he had a choice. Not if he wanted to remain unmaimed.

Pulsar gave him a suspicious look before turning on his heel and leaving the room as soundlessly as he’d entered.
“I don’t think this is over,” Tony said.

“Ya think?” Sunfire rolled his green eyes. “Once he figures out the truth–and he totally will–that guy is going to kill you.”

“Thank you for being such a comfort,” Tony said.

“I try.”

Rolling his eyes, Tony sat back down on the couch and picked up his controller. He didn’t feel much like playing anymore, but he didn’t know what else he should do.

If Pulsar decided to kill him, well, then he’d be dead. There wasn’t a whole lot he could do about it. In the metaphorical power Olympics, Pulsar had a gold medal while Tony hadn’t even placed.

* * *

Seth shot Tony a worried look. His stomach felt like it was bound up in knots and he didn’t know what he should say.

He hadn’t realized Pulsar was there or what the guy was planning on doing. It was only quick reflexes that had let him save Tony–if he’d been even a second too slow …

He hated how screwed up everything was getting. More than anything he wanted Tony to stop being so damned self-destructive.

Tony had to have known that Pulsar would go apeshit once he realized something had happened to Solar. The guy was pathological and Seth had some serious concerns for him. There was no way his sister obsession was healthy. No way at all.

Tony’s willingness to put himself in the middle of such an explosive dynamic made it clear that he really wasn’t in his right mind. He was in desperate need for someone to save him from himself.

After weeks of stepping in to be a distraction, Seth had noticed that Tony was beginning to come out of his broody funk. Of course, he’d already fucked Solar, and there was no way Seth was bitter about that. And it wasn’t like Seth ever lied to himself at all.

He sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Tony asked, not looking away from the TV screen. His thumbs kept working the controller as he killed zombies. “It wasn’t like you almost got murked by your own teammate.”

“The fact that you’re not bothered by what happened is what’s wrong.” Seth raked a hand through his hair. “He could have killed you and you didn’t do a single thing to stop it.”

“He kind of took me by surprise. Who ever expects something like that?”

Seth growled in frustration. “You should have been expecting something to happen from the minute you decided to mess around with Solar.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m an idiot,” Tony said, “I know. I realized it was a mistake not long after it happened. Probably as soon as I got off. But at this point there’s nothing I can do to change what’s happened. Done is done.”

“At least you’re willing to face reality,” Seth said. “I guess that’s something.”

“Sure, just call me Captain Obvious,” Tony said.

“And I’ll be Captain Hindsight since I saw this coming more than a mile away.”

“I’m pretty dumb, huh?” Tony paused the game and looked right at him out of soulful brown eyes.

Seth couldn’t help himself and slid across the couch to give him a comforting bro-hug. “Yeah, you are pretty dumb about some things. I’m thinking that’s why I’m around. To keep a close eye on you and make sure you don’t screw stuff up too badly.”

“Thanks, but if that’s the case, then you completely dropped the ball this time,” Tony joked. He leaned into the comfort of Seth’s loose hug.

It took a lot of willpower on Seth’s part not to sniff Tony’s hair or pop a boner. He was proud of his self control. “I’d just like to say, when it comes to your latest total screw up, I am but a man, an incredibly handsome man, but a man nonetheless.”

Tony snorted a laugh, glancing up at Seth. “Please don’t use your hero voice to say stuff like that. I don’t think I’ll be able to take it.”

“What are you talking about, ‘hero voice?’ I was using my regular voice,” Seth protested. “That’s how I always talk.”

“Sure.” Tony sat up straight, his face becoming a forbidding mask. His voice was a few octaves lower when he spoke, “I am but a man. Please, gentle citizens, do not bow down before me, as I am a man like you. An incredibly awesome man.”

“I don’t sound like that!” Seth yelled. Then he quirked a smile. “You really think I’m awesome?”

Tony shoved his shoulder. “I’m surprised I can even fit into the room with both you and your ego.”

Seth beamed at him. Sure, Tony was facing a psychotic Pulsar, but he also seemed to be coming back to life. He’d been in such a dark mood for so long that it was nice to see him going back to normal.

“Whatever, dude,” Seth said, standing up. “You wanna go get something to eat?”

Tony chewed his lip, then shrugged. “Sounds like a plan. I think I need to get out of here before things get all crazy.”

“Gee, I appreciate being your excuse to get out of stuff,” Seth said, going to retrieve his jacket from the hall closet. He figured that if they went out in Joe Normal mode they could eat without being bothered. “You’re lucky I’m hungry or I would leave you here.”

“That’s so hurtful,” Tony said.

“Whatever.” Seth threw Tony’s jacket at him. “Let’s get out of here.”

He waited by the elevator for Tony to find his wallet and his keys and whatever else he thought he needed. It seemed like he spent most of his time waiting for Tony. It didn’t even bother him anymore.

“Okay, we can go,” Tony said, trotting toward him.

Seth forced down the bubble of happiness he always experienced when Tony looked at him like that, as though he were important. “You take forever getting ready,” he said gruffly.

Tony shrugged and slapped the elevator button. “That’s part of my charm.”

“Some charm,” Seth said.

The elevator doors slid open and Seth gestured Tony in first. “Do you want to hit up that sandwich place?”

Tony made a face. “I want some actual food. Let’s go to NSFW.”

“A strip club?” Seth’s eyebrows rose high enough that he thought he could feel them scraping his hairline.

“They have great chicken wings,” Tony said. He laughed at Seth’s expression. “Don’t worry, I’ve not become some kind of sex fiend or anything. There’s a separate restaurant and we don’t even have to see any of the strippers. We’re just going there to eat.”

Seth wasn’t sure, but Tony looked so excited that he didn’t want to be the one to break the mood. “All right. But let’s stay away from the strippers. I don’t think I could deal with the PR nightmare if we were recognized in a place like that.”

“Relax.” Tony shook his head with a chuckle. “I half expect you to call it a den of iniquity or something. You need to calm down about stuff or you’re going to give yourself high blood pressure or something.”

“Yeah, I’m really worried about high blood pressure,” Seth said dryly. It wasn’t like he went out and fought supervillains or anything.

Tony rolled his eyes. “Calm down, I promise to protect your maidenly virtue. Now come on. You’ll have a good time, I promise.”

“Whatever.”

It was a shock to find out Tony was right.

He was having a great time.

They were sitting in the safety of the restaurant and it was so normal looking that he could almost forget what kind of place he was in. And they had some truly delicious chicken wings as an appetizer.

“I was right, wasn’t I?”

Seth met Tony’s cocky grin head on and had to wince away. “God, you’re obnoxious.”

“Obnoxiously right,” Tony said, “like all the time.” He gnawed all the meat from a chicken wing and didn’t even care that he got hot sauce all over his fingers and mouth.

“You’re gross.” Seth made a face.

Tony wiped his hands off on a napkin, then grabbed his cup of Bolt Cola. He slurped it down until ice was the only thing left and kept slurping as loudly as possible. “Ah, good stuff.” He plunked his cup down with a satisfied grin.

Seth sighed. “That’s your real superpower, isn’t it? Being disgusting and annoying.”

“I’m also incredibly handsome.” Tony grinned.

Seth bit his tongue to keep from agreeing with him. That way lay crocodiles.

“This place isn’t so bad,” Seth offered.

“It’s not, is it,” Tony agreed. “The first time I came in here, I was nervous. But it’s actually pretty quiet and I don’t have to worry so much about anyone getting in my business. Plus, it’s the one place in the city I can go to get away from the rest of the team.”

“Yet you invited me here,” Seth said.

Tony looked embarrassed, but refrained from running a hand through his hair as he habitually did. Probably because his hands were covered in chicken wing sauce.

“You’re my friend,” Tony said, looking at the tabletop. “This place seemed like something I wanted to share with you.”

“So it’s like *our* place?” Seth asked.

“Well, yeah,” Tony said.

“Okay,” Seth said, “great.” He hoped he didn’t look as completely blown away as he felt. It was a battle to keep a giant grin off his face.

“Yeah.” Tony shifted, then sat straight upright, his chin going firm. “You wanna split a club sandwich with me? They make an awesome club, but it’s way too big after all those chicken wings.”

“Well…”

“You can have the pickle,” Tony wheedled. He pouted his lower lip out and all of Seth’s willpower fled the scene.
“All right,” Seth said, “just ’cause you offered me the pickle.”

“Awesome!” Tony cheered quietly.

Seth smiled. It was nice seeing his friend come back to life. It made him want to believe that everything was going to be okay.

/CHAPTER

Did that feed your “Tuesday Night” fix? Or are you ready for more? Tune in tomorrow for Chapter Three.

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