That look on the villain's face was something he's seen before. Memories flashed in his mind for a second, if only Atticus could make out the reason why. Capturing it with his own eyes on someone else felt surreal. Not even low unorganized robbers appear to be lost, drained, or hint at any bit of regret. Yet here he is standing in front of a villain, not to mention a serial killer, having this odd expression for a brief moment. Worst of the strange allure had yet to come though.
Being scared of Phantom himself is only going to make things worse. Alienating the idea that this villain is a human has to be a way to help. Showing any signs of dismay is just going to end up with more snickers. The laughter rang in his ears drowning out the thumps coming from his heart. Hearing it once was enough for him.
Cautiously, Atticus pulled out the sword. He was not sure whether or not he'll use it on this demon, but it can get the message across faster. Phantom calling him a righteous hero only made him roll his eyes; the entire city doesn't even know who Adonais, even the people on Super Watch too. Besides, he is only doing what he has to which is using what saved his life to save others.
"They're not mine, or am I my own; they're Nova City's. Making them live in fear will only result in more heroes to take down freaks like you.", he stated,"And not everyone is able to possess the humility the model superhero should have, but it does not mean their right to live should be taken away from them. Nor does it mean they're beasts too."
Glancing over the top of Phantom, he stared over into downtown. Lights were still shining bright as cars were honking. The officers and agents were down below still working. All the fire that had been burning in Atticus's eyes disintegrated as he looked back at Phantom. "I am able to stand here in front of you due to my own accords. You're only here still because your soul leeches off of others believing it's necessary."
“Bold of you to believe I have a soul, hero,” Silas sneered, getting back into his comfortably numb headspace. “You really think that you’re going to convince me to become a hero too? With your oh-so-hopeful heart and your guilt tripping? I never claimed to be a good person. Unlike the lot of you, I know that I’m fucked up.” He started to laugh again.
He gripped his scythe in his right hand now, taking off of his back from under his cloak. He didn’t want to fight yet, but would to defend himself if necessary. He wouldn’t be taking any more lives tonight, even this righteous little bastard. But something about his hopefulness was familiar to Silas. It must be a reminder of his middle school hero class. They were all so hopeful, even Silas himself. How stupid he had been.
“I’m getting tired of this back-and-forth. I thought you’d have a bit more witty banter, you know, be a bit fun instead of such a sweet little believer. Yes, I’m an awful, fucked up person, but so are the rest of you. Don’t lie to me because you don’t know them like I do.” He paused for a moment before shaking his head. “Unless you have a convincing reason to get me to talk to you for another minute, I’m taking my leave now.” He readied his fight or flight, ready to have to make himself immaterial if needed.
The grip around the ruby handle of the sword only got tighter. He bit on his bottom lip in a desperate attempt to hold back any objections. All the words spilling out of Phantom were just dumbfounding to begin with. Pitiful is the first word Atticus would describe it, pitiful, odious, and just simply sinful. And the gosh-nerve-wrecking laugh again. He hates it!
Mister Chen along with others were still down there. With eleven dead in the course of two months, the useless police do not have a single suspect. Eventually they will leave again having so much evidence yet not a new idea. If only there was a way to help nudge them in a direction…
Having your back facing an enemy is lethal in its own right, so was also leaving them without a single scratch too. Mumbling a small prayer his father taught him, he walked to the farther side of the rooftop. Facing Phantom, he gave him a simple smile then bolted over jumping to onto the edge of the other building.
Right as Atticus was very close to the other, he kicked him down to the ground of the rooftop. His sword made a metal cling sound as it clashed against the scythe. With both his foot and the sword, he pressed down harder. The soft smile he had before was still there, it rested on top of all the anger that had returned. "PHANTOM, YOU SON OF A BITCH!", Atticus screamed before whispering in the villain's ear,"Till next time."
Sheathing his sword again, he bolted over to the stairs running down as swift as possible. That exit was not something he had planned nor did he want it. Escaping before the villain is something he frowns down upon. Doing it himself hurts his own pride a bit. Atticus panted as he hid behind the brick wall for a couple of moments. When the coast was clear, he got on his motorbike and drove away.
Silas stayed there for a few more moments, dumbfounded. He would’ve used his power but he didn’t want to give anything away just yet. Still, it wasn’t like most heroes to run away like that. He would have do some research on this fool. After Adonais disappeared from sight, Silas stood up and brushed himself off, picking up his scythe.
Then he quickly made his exit, once again stealthily getting away from the crime scene. As he hurried back to his lair, he wondered whether the hero would tell anyone else about the encounter. Would he want them to know how awful and fucked up the new villain Phantom was or would he be too ashamed that the villain got away?
Whatever his choice, the name Phantom would be known by this time next week. Maybe he would even leave a note this time. He would have to talk to this Adonais again. Messing with him was entertaining, even if at first it brought out some emotions he’d rather keep buried.
Silas turned on the television, watching the news again. It was the same as the last time and every other time before that. Them being puzzled about this strange killer, and wondering where he’d strike next. He flipped off Iron Fist as he came on screen. He had his own brand of mixed emotions about that man, and hoped he’d never have to face him as Phantom. Or at least, not yet.
Driving back home was a nightmare. Scenes that occurred just minutes ago kept replaying in his head over and over again. Atticus still felt the pain in his heart as it pounded against him. So much had happened in the last three hours that it's going to give him a headache in the morning.
Heading from the west side over to Julius Avenue takes about twenty minutes. At each red light, he would take something off. First was the mask which he tucked into a pocket. Next, he'd unhook the sword's holder from his belt, placing it inside the trench coat before buttoning that up. The rest of the transformation process would happen once he'd get to the parking garage close to home.
Atticus dragged himself into the apartment hoping everyone was sound asleep. As he took off his shoes, he noticed the television was still on. Holding a strap from his swimming bad, he crept over to see what was on. Same old same old; news about the Swinging Serial Killer, now known to him as Phantom.
Sighing, he shook his head then headed over to his room. The emergency phone buzzed as Atticus closed the door. Dropping the bag, he took out the phone making sure all the new photos were transferred over to his actual one. Ever since becoming Adonais, having just one phone was impossible. The fear of missing a distress call or any useful bits of information floated around him for weeks till managing to get an old one.
Out of nowhere, Phantom's face appeared in his mind again. Don’t lie to me because you don’t know them like I do… Atticus groaned as he flopped onto his bed grabbing the laptop going onto Super Watch. In the search handle, he typed 'Phantom' waiting for results to load. "Who are you?", he mumbled to himself.
Meanwhile, Silas was trying to look up Adonais but not getting much information. He must be a new hero or something. The little that Silas could find was less than helpful, to say the least. He sighed, his mind trying to puzzle out why the boy seemed so familiar to him. Hmm.
Maybe he’d gone to Silas’s middle school. Yes, that had to be it. Adonais was another dewey-eyed dope from middle school. But which one was he? There were so many hopeful little kids at that school, some that Silas barely even remembered. Most of them probably barely remembered him, anyway. He only had a few good friends.
Tomorrow, Silas was going to go get some food. Not in his full Phantom regalia, just in a hoodie with a hat and sunglasses, far away from where his parents shopped. He alternated between stealing wallets to buy groceries with or stealing the food itself. This week was a stolen wallet week.
Hopefully, Silas wouldn’t see anyone who had known him, but the past two and a half years had really changed him. Along with several new scars, he no longer looked like the child he had been in high school, only fifteen years old. But for now he was going to get some much-needed sleep. Of course, he could barely sleep even on his best nights, all of the issues with his mental health keeping him awake at night. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about Adonais and who he could possibly be.
Weird. Even though this Phantom monster has his full attention still, there is barely any articles let alone any posts about him. Scarcely anything to help him. Only thing that caught his interest was one post with a picture of the villain from three weeks ago. A silver warning, potential danger. That's it.
Atticus pondered whether or not he should make his own post with what he found tonight. He basically is doing the job of a federal investigation agent as well as five local police station ones too on top of being a "hero". Calling himself that felt weird despite doing this for over a year now. People might start to focus on him now, it is not too far off to call Phantom his enemy even though they just met.
Thank the lord tomorrow was a free Saturday. No babysitting, no having to go to a swim meet, no boxing classes, nothing; just a day off. Definitely will have perfect weather for just a plain wander around the park. He'll have to stop at the cemetery first, though it should not be a problem for him. The memorial is going to be full of people, he'll just wear all black and visit it later on in the day.
Tomorrow. Next morning, he will make the post. Afterwards, he will figure out why this villain gives him an unfamiliar feeling or why it feels like he knows him. Atticus glanced up at the pictures on the wall. One was of his family at when he was born, another was him with the swim team, and the last one was with his old friend, Silas.
Staring at the picture only made him feel nostalgic and bittersweet. He cannot even recall the last time he's seen Silas. It's been since freshman year of high school. And even then, Atticus could not point out the reason why they sort of drifted apart. Maybe one day they'll meet each other again, he hoped as he started to fall asleep, maybe.
The next morning, Silas woke restlessly after only a couple hours of sleep. He stared at the ceiling for a while before dragging himself out of bed. He brushed his teeth, got dressed, and got ready for the day. As he looked in the mirror, for a moment he saw a glimpse of the boy he was all those years ago before he ran away. He wondered if his parents had told anyone about that. Probably not. His bastard father probably was ashamed of him and told his friends that Silas was being homeschooled or some shit. His mother would go along with it as usual, just letting his father do whatever he wanted. She was ashamed too, doubtlessly. And angry with him.
Then it was time to go to the store. He jammed a black beanie onto his head, partially obscuring his mop of black hair. He pulled on a nondescript gray hoodie over his t-shirt, completing the look. He added a pair of fake glasses he’d gotten from a thrift store to finish it off, ensuring that he’d be even harder to recognize on the off chance anyone spotted him. They’d have to have near perfect memory to feel more than a vague familiarity.
He set off for the nearest grocery store, thankfully on the other side of town from his parents. He got enough for the week, waiting in line for checkout as he absently checked his phone. It was burner phone in case he was spotted, bought long with stolen money like everything else he had. He tapped his toe to the pop music playing over the speakers. It was a song he’d liked in middle school, because back then it had been a guilty passion of his.
Waking up felt like he was being pulled out of a shell. Atticus felt the usual withdrawal he always feels the morning after a fight. Piece by piece every part of what happened last night replayed in his dream; he was just basically reliving it.
Groaning, he pulled himself out of bed ready to start another day. He put on a black sweater which was starting to get tight on him and some grey jeans that were already an inch above his ankles. To top it all off, Atticus placed his black lily flower pin over his heart. Wearing the pin was his own way to pay respects to the fallen superheroes. Phantom's words swirled around him as he lightly touched it. They might've not been the heroes they should've been, but they still possessed their powers.
Atticus decided to change plans by going to the grocery store first. The tylenol he takes for his shoulder pain is completely gone. He had to put the strap from his swimming bag onto the left shoulder instead. Strolling over to the store was not that hard, it was just two blocks away from home. He went inside only getting the medicine and some things to for breakfast before heading to check out.
All the check out lines were long for it being ten in the morning. Sighing, he ambled over to the one that appeared to have the least amount of people waiting. It was hard to move his arms without risking of dropping something. His mom complains how he always forgets to pick up a basket at the entrance. Atticus tried to reach over for one of the newspapers before the bottle of medicine dropped then rolled ahead of person in front of him. The stupid thing wasn't close enough for him to reach, damn it. Softly, he tapped the guy with the gray hoodie's shoulder. "Excuse me? Sir?", he called out. He wondered if the guy could hear him, it sounded like the other was listening to music.
Silas nearly jumped at the physical contact, not expecting it and definitely not used to it. He turned down the music in his headphones, annoyed and slightly panicked. Thankfully, he was a good actor. He silently wished that this random person wouldn’t recognize him, glancing back to see a very tall, intimidating man. No, boy. The guy was around his age. Was he gone so long that everyone guy his age looked like fucking Thor? He like a pencil of a man in comparison.
“What do you want?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. He wasn’t spitting out the words, exactly, but his tone wasn’t the friendliest. He crossed his arms in front of him, just wishing to get this over with. Sometimes he forgot that other people could see him in his civilian form.
Wait a moment…the guy behind him looked familiar. Silas tried to place him, but his memories from around the year before he’d run away were a bit muddled. All he could remember was hating his father, hating himself, hating everything but Charlie and his only real friends from his school: Georgia, Tyrone, and Atticus. This boy kind of reminded him of Atticus. But it probably wasn’t him. That would be crazy unlucky for Silas, and the probability was astronomical. Nova City was a big city, and last Silas had checked, Atticus lived closer to his family than this side of town. It had to be a coincidence.
Atticus flinched a little himself almost bumping into the person that was behind him. Turning around, he gave a head bow before looking back at the guy ahead. His cheeks flushed red as he gave an apologetic beam. The aura the guy had was threatening yet mysterious at the same time. He couldn't help being tensed up while smiling. "I'm very sorry, please forgive me.", he apologized then gestured to the medicine bottle,"I was wondering if you could pick up that for me."
This man in front of him doesn't seem to be as old as he thought. Atticus is only assuming the guy is around the same age as him despite looking a bit youthful, although people think he is twenty-five sometimes. Not to mention, the guy is slender and smaller than him too. What struck his curiosity was the way the young man stood, how he carried himself. A lot of people have a sluggish posture, but this one was all too familiar.
His hand clenched the newspaper as he just stared at the other. Does he know him? Did they go to school together? In a way this man does look like Mister Chen; they have the same eyes. No, that cannot be, Silas lives his grandparents now in Havenbrook. Right? In his mind, he shrugged; guess it doesn't hurt to ask. "Also, did you go to East Nova Elementary by any chance? Misses Castell's kindergarten class?" Atticus might be reeling in what happened last night still; could be. Meeting this person is more than just a coincidence, he's sure of it.
Silas blinked, taken aback. How did this guy…wait? So it was Atticus, then? He hadn’t been imagining it. It took all of his willpower not to laugh out loud. Atticus had never made any attempt to contact him after he’d run away, and though Silas was sure his parents had made up some lie, it still made him angry.
“I’m sorry, you must have the wrong person,” he said after a moment, his lying skills good. Silas just hoped the brief flicker of emotion across his face had been short enough not to be noticed. Now he looked the picture of a boy annoyed at a random person for asking him about something he clearly didn’t know much about. “I went to Edison Elementary, but I get those sort of questions a lot. Must have one of those faces.” He shrugged.
Silas reached for medicine bottle, handing it to Atticus. “Here’s the thing you wanted.” He went to turn back around, praying to himself that Atticus wouldn’t somehow see past the lie (doubtful) or possibly have noticed the recognition in his eyes before he spoke (more likely) or even just somehow know (no idea).
No it has to be Silas. He was right about the Swinging Serial Killer, why wouldn't he be right about his childhood friend? Yes it has been almost four years since they last talked to each other, and part of that is his own fault, but come on. Atticus has to be right, he can feel it in his heart too. The way it's pounding again while his face felt warm, they're signs.
Under his breath, he mumbled a thank you. Atticus placed the medicine bottle on top of the little cereal box to keep it from falling again. His hand reached out again then stopped. If this really is Silas, then how come he is acting so differently? This is not the hopeful quiet boy that he knew not so long ago. The two of them were always laughing and smiling spending time together. Now he is standing behind seeing a storm cloud over the guy's head.
At least, he could try to talk him more. Any extra time to talk to this guy would be helpful. He'll have to be very cautious though. Bringing up Mister Chen or his younger brother or anything related to the matter might drive him away. Small steps. Very small baby steps. Atticus reached out again lightly tapping the young man's shoulder again. "One more question, are you in a rush? I'd love to take you to this new cafe to show my gratitude. Please? I'll pay."
Silas blew a breath out slowly. Shit. Okay, well if Atticus knew it was him, then he supposed he’d have to act like nothing was wrong. Fine. He could do that. Say he lived in his own apartment now or something. How he was supposed to talk about the subject of how he wanted to become a hero would be difficult, but spending the past two and a half years in the shadows of the world, only spending time with the compulsive liars and manipulative criminals had to give him some lying ability.
“I suppose not,” he replied after a moment. “Sure. We can go to the cafe.” He tried to act nonchalant about it, but still let himself be a bit annoyed and aloof. He had learned it wasn’t believable to go from angry to happy in a moment, so he’d have to be gradual about it. His acting skills were finally getting better. They should be, if his terrible relationship with the villain Sharktooth had taught him anything. That guy was as manipulative as they came, except for maybe his own damn parents.
Silas let his mind change directions. That was not a helpful course of action. He had to focus on the here and now. Maybe it would be nice to get to know what Atticus was up to nowadays. Silas always thought he’d make a good hero, so he supposed he could pretend to be a decent person for one conversation for this kid who used to be one of his closest friends.
Soon enough, he got to the front of the checkout line and paid for all of his groceries, deep in thought until it was Atticus’s turn. He waited with his cart while the other boy checked out, trying to think of what he could possibly say.
Atticus just squeezed the things in his arms tighter, he didn't want to jump or break anything just by accidentally colliding with something. "Thank you!", he gushed. The gleam in his eyes shined with excitement. Oh thank destiny for this to happen. It totally is Silas and now they're going to go the cafe just a block over. Luckily something good is happening today; he couldn't help but get his hopes up a level.
Staying on his toes, he waited for Silas to pay for this things so he could the same next. The excitement inside him gave a very bubbly energetic feeling. Every inch of him just was very happy. It is lucky to able to feel better after the horrendous events from last night. Phantom had come across his mind for a mere second, but he just pushed it away, now is not the time to dwell on the villain.
Funny how Phantom had come up in his mind just he thought more about Silas. No, there is no way that they two are the same. It's been awhile, but Atticus knows that Silas would never do such a thing. He always wanted to be hero, can't be. As he picked up the plastic grocery bag, he shook his head. A cup of coffee or hot chocolate will help clear his thoughts.
The smile on his face was still there, only he just made it brighter. He tied the handles of the bag to the strap of the swimming one. Atticus just gave his old friend a thumbs up, not sure what else to say. Words just kept incessantly building on top of each other.
Silas smiled back awkwardly, picking up his groceries and putting most of them into the black backpack he was wearing. It was really odd to see someone he used to be so close with, and while the larger part of Silas squirmed away from the possible feelings inside of him, another part of him was excited too. He just wished that Atticus wasn’t so…good. There wasn’t another way to describe his pure, infectious energy and open, friendly manner. Of all of the people to see.
Once Atticus was done paying for his stuff, Silas let the taller boy lead the way to the cafe. He had never been great with conversation even when he and Atticus were friends, so he was glad he wouldn’t be expected to carry the conversation now. Still, Atticus kept looking excited and like he was trying to figure out what to say, not talking. All of Atticus’s happiness over meeting Silas again unnerved Silas, but he wasn’t about to admit that.
Instead of letting the moment grow more awkward, Silas decided to start a conversation himself. “So, how have you been, Atticus?” he asked, studying the boy again. “It certainly has been a while.”
Giving a lively nod, he motioned for Silas to walk beside him. Atticus had been waiting to go to this cafe ever since there was an article about it opening. The distance from there to the grocery store and park were not that bad. Atticus remembered that it could've opened up a while ago if it weren't for the that villain to kill Grayson, the third victim, two buildings away. When that happened, he tried to avoid going or wanting to go there. A chill was sent down his spine just thinking about it. Going there now seems perfectly safe though; plus, it'd be a great opportunity to rekindle his relationship with Silas.
Busy and confused, that surely how he's been. With Phantom running around killing heroes and now just meeting his former-close friend, Atticus think his brain might explode at any minute. Staring down at the sidewalk, he just kept smiling. Lying is something that always made him feel icky, including breaking the pinkie promises he makes with the kid he babysits. He cannot lie while also not telling the truth too.
"Really has been awhile. I'm still the same, tired and always on the run.", he giggled,"How about you? I can see that you look very good-looking after all this time." For a couple of seconds, he glimpsed over at the old friend. It's amazing how time flies by, how it changes people. Gazing at Silas, he could still see the little boy he came best friends with years ago.
Atticus rushed over once they got close to the cafe. He opened the door beckoning for Silas to come in. The air outside smelled like a mixture of coffee and cars. A really weird mix, but something that he didn't really mind.
Silas flushed at the compliment, surprised. For a moment, he remembered the brief, desperate crush that he'd had on Atticus when they first met. After they'd become friends and Silas had become comfortable around the other boy, it had worn off–more or less, but still Silas was caught off guard. He forgot how genuine and kind Atticus was.
"You too," he agreed, smiling slightly. He was about to add something about Atticus working out, but decided against it. Good to know he was still a clusterfuck of nerves around anyone he hadn't spent time with recently. Silas nodded his thanks at the gesture of Atticus opening the door for him. He recognized the cafe as being nearby his third kill, but shoved down any feelings to come with that memory. Comfortably numb. That was basically his motto at this point.
"I've been doing fine, you know, all of the same old stuff," he said breezily, completely aware that none of what he had been doing recently was what he would call "same old". "I feel you with the tired part. So are you still training to be a hero, or are you one of the lucky ones who gets the job right out of high school?"
Atticus gazed down at his feet at the returned regard. He wouldn't necessarily consider himself handsome, he just doesn't look like the baby he used to be. On the other hand, Silas still had that adorable smile like the one in the picture. Come to think of it, he might have that specific one on his phone.
Oh right, he completely forgot about becoming an official hero despite no one having a clue about it. Honestly Atticus just dove right into it being lucky enough to make it out of every trail and tribulation in one piece. It has been over a whole year yet no one has said anything to him at all. Funny how he already has an enemy too. People on Super Watch don't really talk about Adonais either.
"Not so sure yet, I've done plenty of training and weightlifting though. Hopefully soon, this Swinging Serial Killer needs to be caught. I hate seeing them getting away with it,", Atticus sighed as he stared ahead at the menu. There was a table for two besides the window, maybe they should claim it before anyone else does. "Do you want to sit over there? I can get our order then come over." Changing the subject might've not been the most appropriate thing to do. Talking about hero stuff will be much better when they sit down.
"Oh, sure," Silas responded, glancing over. "I honestly don't know what to get. I haven't had coffee in a while, and the stuff I used to like in middle school was just straight up sugar. So, just get whatever you think I'd like, and if you don't know, just whatever you're having is fine." He shrugged. "I've never been very picky."
When Atticus had mentioned Silas's alter ego, his heart skipped a beat. Thankfully, Atticus had moved on from it, but Silas was still a bit wary. He really needed to just do some sort of broadcast to really get the name Phantom out there. Then again, his current nickname did lend some mystique. Anyway, he went over to the table and sat down, crossed his legs in front of him and humming a tune to himself. His mind began to wander back to Atticus again. What had he been doing all this time? Besides weight lifting and hero training. He seemed mostly the same as when they were in middle school, but some things were different. He looked more confident in himself, for one. Not to mention he no longer looked like an excitable little kid. Silas sighed. That was the last thing he needed to be thinking about right now.
"Alright, please give me a moment.", he chirped before heading over to the line. It appeared to go by pretty fast unlike the ones at the grocery store. Atticus normally drank long black since it was the one that his stepdad and mom would always buy. Personally he's more into espressos and loves whipped cream. He ordered two espresso con pannas hoping that it would be okay.
It was not long till Nova City realized they had a serial killer; the first one in over three decades. The police department had to call in federal agents to help them cause it was so bizarre from the start. Atticus begun to watch the case very carefully from afar. Four weeks ago, they gave the killer the nickname "Swinging Serial Killer" after figuring out the weapon used to kill was a scythe. Sadly that is the only thing those stupid feds and cops could ever get. When news about the fourth murder came up, he decided to get Adonais involved.
The dinging sound from the bell startled him. Impressive, he thought he'd have to wait for the drinks. Atticus picked them both up then proceeded to slowly walked over to the table. "This is a medium espresso con pannas with extra cream. I hope it's good.", he grinned while setting the cup down. He placed his down then sat down letting out a short yawn.
Silas took the drink gratefully, taking a cautious sip before realizing he actually did like it. He took another, longer sip before smiling at Atticus. “Yeah, it’s pretty good,” he said. He then noticed Atticus’s yawn. “Long night?”
It was hardly Silas’s place to talk on that, knowing he had his own eyebags and his normally warm light brown complexion was more pale from staying indoors most days. He definitely thought he looked like a ghost lately, and sometimes felt he was becoming one too. Maybe it would be better for everyone if he did, just becoming intangible forever like the phantom he was. Maybe that’d be his grand finale, after he’d taken down all of the heroes he deemed unworthy. It had a kind of grim circularity to it, in a way.
Silas cleared his mind again. No need to bring down the mood here with his unpleasant thoughts. God, can’t you pretend to be a decent person for twenty minutes? he berated himself, making sure he still had a smile on his face. He’d always been good at faking happy.
Anyway, he realized that Atticus might be having as much as a rough time sleeping as him. While Atticus definitely looked stronger and more confident, he also looked a bit worn out. It was hard to tell at first from his energetic attitude, but just underneath the surface Silas could see the tiredness Atticus was probably trying to hide.
"So so.", Atticus whispered giving a reassuring smile then proceeded to take a sip,"You look like you could use a shot of espresso too." The drink helped giving him an extra boost in energy; he's going to need every drop he can get just in case anything happens. Sleeping on his bad shoulder did not help with the stress from that night. All it has been is sitting behind his desk waiting for the emergency phone to go off. Sleeping would only mean a higher risk of missing a distress call. Looking back at it, he could have slept in another hour or so, but then he would've missed crossing paths with Silas.
Adjusting his sweater, he sat up straight in the seat. The wide grin on his face rested in contrast to the dimming light in his eyes. Enough about him though, Atticus has so many questions to ask. At the same time, he doesn't not knowing where to begin. It's not like he is interrogating his friend, what kind of random reunion would that be?
"Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine; I can handle it. My hands might be full with studying, swimming, training, and babysitting, but it won't make me exhausted." Hell, he can run around Nova City five times in a row yet you will still not find him collapsing from fatigue. Atticus stared out the window as he took another sip. He saw Silas grinning in the corner of his eye. It was hard to hold back a bigger smile that formed on his face."What've you been up to Silas? Are you still training too?"
Silas's mind raced for a good lie. He had been expecting this question, so it didn't catch him unprepared, but still. It really seemed like Atticus was keeping busy. It was just like to have fifty thousand things to do but still manage to take time out of his day for a friend. "Oh, not too much. I got my own apartment, which is nice, and as for training, I've taken a break. I'm kind of taking a gap year right now. I had kind of a rough breakup recently, so I've been trying to take some time for myself." That part, at least, wasn't entirely fiction. He had broken up with Sharktooth about a month or two before he started his official run as Phantom. Before that, he'd just been a boy who was practically a villain, not yet a fully fledged killer. In fact, he hadn't crossed paths with the other villain in weeks. He'd completely moved locations and gotten a new burner phone so Sharktooth couldn't contact him.
To avoid saying any more, Silas took another sip of coffee. The expresso was a bit rejuvenating, and he felt a bit more awake than he had in several days. "Other than that, I've been pretty okay," he finally added as a last statement. "It seems like you're keeping yourself busy. Classic Atticus." Silas let himself give the other boy another small smile, realizing that he hadn't truly given anyone a full smile in a very long time. This was still only a partial smile, but it was more than he'd really felt in months, and despite Silas's desire to not be here right now, the smile was real. He truly did enjoy spending time with Atticus. He'd almost forgotten what actually liking someone felt like. Whatever.
Leaning close to the table, he used his free hand taking a hold of Silas's hand. Atticus's bottom lip puffed out as he frowned. Breakups are tough to get through, even for a "hero" like himself. He wished he could've been there for Silas to comfort him or cheer him up. His friend seemed to be okay now, perhaps they can plan another get together sometime. "I'm sure you were better off without them, it's alright.", Atticus nodded while rubbing the top part of Silas's hand before letting go. Thank the spirits, Silas was doing okay.
He remembered how the two of them would always talk about being a superhero duo. After the accident, it seemed like the possibility of being one was making things brighter again. They were still younger then although they still are now. Atticus is not sure if that will ever happen. Understandable to take a year off, the training requirements are insane. What's even more crazier is how half of it wasn't a trouble to him. To pass the tests, you have to be mentally and emotionally fit too; that's why Nova City and all the others only have so many.
Atticus leaned back in the seat laughing at what Silas had said about him being busy. "Classic Atticus.", he chortled,"Well, what else would I do? I cannot lay back and waste what my parents given me."
Silas smiled ruefully, though he had gone a bit pink at the physical contact. An awful feeling was starting to trickle its way into his stomach. Guilt. Shit. He'd been so good about keeping himself numb that the notion of feeling everything again was terrifying. And seeing Atticus was making him feel things again. This was going to be a problem. But right now Silas had to concentrate on this conversation. He could come up with a solution later.
"You never were one to be able to sit idly by," he mused, leaning back in his chair as well. "Even as a kid, you had more energy than I ever did. It's good to see you're still just as driven. It's good to know you're doing all right too." All of that was the truth. Despite Silas's anger and even a tinge of resentment towards Atticus, he was glad that Atticus was doing well. Underneath all of the bad feelings, there was a well of good feelings. A well trapped underneath Silas's growing guilt. For the first time in a while, he had to struggle to keep his emotions in check.
Comfortably numb. Comfortably numb. That was his motto. That was how he lived now. Why was it so hard for him suddenly? His eyes stung with unshed tears. What the hell? He blinked them away quickly, glad none of them escaped. If Atticus had noticed the fast blinking Silas could just play it off as there being something in his eye. He focused back in on Atticus, taking another few sips of his drink. It helped drown out the feelings a little bit.
"True, your relaxation and quietness complimented my abundance of energy. You're the yin to my yang even after all these years we haven't seen each other." Atticus did not say anything else for the next few moments. Gazing around, he managed to see Silas blink multiple times in just a matter of seconds. Was something wrong? Asking whether or not he was okay might just end up with a vague response. Of course it is not any of his business per say, but Atticus was always concerned with what was on Silas's mind; it'd take days for him to open up.
He got up from his seat to get some napkins. Rushing over, he had to twist and turn to not pump into anyone. Worst thing that could happen is him having to pay for anything broken. Atticus pulled out twelve napkins then sat them down next to Silas's cup. Moments ago it appeared his friend needed them. Something could've been in his eye or maybe Atticus brought something up as they talked.
Rummaging through his bag, he pulled out a little notebook and a pen. He ripped a corner of a page off writing his number on it sliding the paper across the table. Not sure where to the conversation next, he found a way to maintain it in the future. "If the espresso is too much, I have a bottle of water. It's fine." , he stated while putting the small notepad away. Again Atticus had to adjust himself in the seat before sitting up against it again. A light shade of pink formed on his cheeks as he maintained a simple smile.
Silas blinked again, taken aback by the simple gesture of kindness. "Thank you," he said quietly. He searched his mind for a good lie, finding one that was true enough to be easy to say. "Things have just been kind of shitty since the breakup…I thought I was getting better but I guess I'm still not over it. And seeing you made me sad we never hang out anymore." He blinked quickly again, doing his best not to start crying. Despite his efforts, a tear still managed to escape. "Sorry…this is pathetic. We just saw each other for the first time in years and I'm crying." He gave a shaky laugh. "Guess I'm not as tough as I thought."
Silas took several more moments to compose himself, breathing out deeply before wiping his eyes. He took off his beanie and ran a hand through his messy hair before replacing the beanie again. Then he cleared his throat. "Sorry about that. I normally don't cry when I see my friends." He chuckled, trying to play it off.
"No don't be, I probably will end up doing the same soon. Real toughness is showing your true self and emotions. I know you, you have some power.", Atticus insisted,"It's always a pleasure to be with you, I do not mind helping if needed." He slowly leaned over to wipe the tear off forgetting about the napkins he had brought over. Picking one up, he shook his head dabbing it near the corner of his eyes.
An ache started to settle in his chest again. It was too ambiguous to figure out whether or not it's cause of his cheeks blushing or what. He tried to smooth it not trying to make a fuss. The bottle of tylenol sat in the plastic bag. Medication cannot help with this one. What is it now? Nothing seemed out of the blue besides the sounds of shots; oh. Now he felt bad he's going to have come up with a lie and run out of there. Seriously, Atticus has been waiting for the moment to reconnect with his friend only for it be interrupted because of something.
Pulling the cup of coffee to the edge of the table, he kept his eyes averted away. Suddenly his phone went off making loud vibrations. Atticus made the cup of coffee spill on his shoes as he shot up from the chair. Goddamnit. Not enough time for him to clean it up, this makes him feel so guilty right now. "Silas, I'm so sorry. My mom is having some sort of emergency at work; just, please, call me later. I hope I didn't bother you or cause any convenience. Stay safe! Bye!"
Atticus picked up his bag then darted over to the back of the building through the exit. The notification popped up revealing that it was a bank robbery down the street. Shutting it, he fully unzipped the bag becoming Adonais in a matter of seconds dashing off.
Silas watched him run off, frowning. He cleaned up the coffee, using the napkins to soak it up. Who’d have thought a villain could be so polite? He chuckled to himself, trying to calm the raging sea of emotions that was dying to break free. Was Atticus’s mom okay? That seemed like an awfully quick, deliberate exit. For what it was worth, Atticus seemed truly sorry. And he’d definitely been feeling something before Atticus had abruptly left. Okay, that was it. It he was going to feel something, it wasn’t going to be guilt or despair. No. He was going to go do something. Something fun.
After finishing up his coffee, Silas left the shop, looking around and then heading back to his lair. He quickly brainstormed a plan. No murder this time. That might be satisfying sometimes but not fun, ever. Well, one thing he could do was watch a movie. No guilt involved.
When he was younger, he’d always loved the Harry Potter movies. Maybe watching the first one would help him pretend that he wasn’t feeling the way he was. It was easy to get lost in the fiction like he’d always done. When he was reading a book or watching a movie, he could pretend he was someone else. He cried some more as he popped in the used DVD, letting all of the emotions out as Harry found out he was a wizard and went to Hogwarts. By the end of the movie, Silas was back to feeling numb. Just like he always did.
