Keep Your Enemies Close

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"Is there any point bothering with the cooking if 'bedroom time' is on the table? I'd rather skip straight to that and not slave away at the stove," he replied with an entirely deadpan expression, the only indication that he was being playful being the eventual smirk that pulled at his lips. He wasn't in the habit of cracking jokes, just like he wasn't particularly known for his cheery disposition, but Sebastian tended to bring it out of him somehow. If anyone was going to make him act a little more joyfully, it was going to be the man he was in love with.

"I'll treat you all weekend, that sounds like it might be fun. Nothing I'd like more than to see you relax, Seb. I wasn't kidding when I said that I think you work too hard," he pointed out, stopping the cart with his foot and reaching gently for his chin, tilting it upwards just a tad in order to inspect the dark bags beneath his eyes once again. They were becoming far more common than he liked, so if he had to spend the entire weekend making sure that Sebastian didn't lift a finger and was instead pampered the entire time, it seemed like a worthy use of his time.

"..Just hurry up with this, Seb. People are coming in and I can't really stand people, they annoy me," he grumpily shrugged, grimacing unsubtly as he noticed more people seem to make their way into the store, now that the terror of the attack had slowly started to ebb away enough for them to venture back into the town.
 
"I think the sight of you in a frilly apron would be cute, don't you? You're this strong and brooding tough guy, I think it would be a sight to see for sure-" he replied with a smile, only for that smile to falter at the mention of the bags under his eyes. There had been plenty of times when he genuinely reconsidered continuing with his path of villainy from just how exhausted he often felt afterwards but the initial thrill of causing destruction was far too addicting. Shyly avoiding the other's inspecting eyes, Sebastian couldn't stop from blushing.

"I'm not very good at balancing stuff, you already know that," he quietly reminded as he headed towards the self check out. Their discomfort of other beings was something the two shared, very rarely did Sebastian go out of his way to interact with people outside of customers and Dimitri, and those were mostly out of obligation.

"I promise I'll relax properly this weekend, okay? It's just... I dunno. I guess I kind of like pushing myself. That's why I have you, right? To tell me to stop doing that."
 
"I have taken on that responsibility, haven't I? For what it's worth, I like how passionate you are about your job, Seb. I don't get the fascination with boos but I can appreciate how happy they make you and I love how much you love your job; how hard you work there and stuff. I just think you need to know the importance of taking time for yourself too. If I have to remind you constantly to do that, I will. I'm well aware it makes me sound boring and grumpy, but I'd hate to see you burn yourself out," he nodded, deciding that he would leave his genuine concern there. He couldn't stop the expression of worry from etching itself onto his face but he could at least stop talking about it and creating unnecessary tension.

The desire to expel any tension quickly made itself impossible when, as he stood at the stove later on in the evening preparing the soup, the talk of the latest attack from the unmasked villain seemed to be the only thing the radio stations and news shows seemed to want to discuss. He could try and appear unfazed by it, but the longer he listened to the news anchor and her guests discuss who the villain could be and if he could ever be stopped, the more tense the man became.

"...Turn that off, Seb. If I have to hear about that loser one more time, I'm going to lose it," he grunted, taking a hefty sip from the wine glass at his side, adjusting the apron strings with a tired smile. "It's exhausting. The heroes, villains-- I hate it. All of it. They're all a waste of space."
 
"... so you asked about my parents, right?" He confirmed from the couch, his eyes locked on a book (to the surprise of no one). He always liked the radio as some background noise and despite sporting a completely uninterested expression, he was internally pleased with himself. After all, to hear is alter ego on almost every station made him proud. He had managed to succeed the popularity of his parents, he figured, which was indirectly exactly what they wanted.

"You probably won't believe me," he admitted as he continued to seem relaxed, lifting his own glass of wine absently. "I want to be honest with you, though. You can never tell anyone else, though, okay? This would... be way too dramatic if anyone were to find out. I imagine it'll be inevitable if I bring you to our Christmas party, though..." he continued, intentionally remaining vague. "Maybe I'll tell you after we eat, hm?"
 
The vagueness only succeeded in making the naturally curious man even more curious though, like Seb, he managed to keep a relaxed facade up to mask how he truly felt. He didn't want to offend the other by showing just how curious he was, just in case the truth was as sensitive as he was starting to believe it was. In fact, he let several minutes tick on by before approaching the topic again, setting the bowls of soup down on the table, alongside buttered rolls and wine, and taking his seat with a quiet smile.

"So. Your parents then. Just tell me, Seb. I really can't imagine they're worse than mine, hm? I can't wait until this Christmas party to learn about them-- and you did promise to tell me, and you know how curious a person I am," he pointed out as he calmly tore a piece from the bread and dipped it into the soup, smiling to himself proudly at how authentic it tasted. He wasn't a proud person, but even he had to take some pride in how good the soup was. "I won't tell anyone-- who would I tell? Dimitri? I can promise you I'll keep my lips sealed. He's not one for gossip anyway."
 
"They're superheroes." Sebastian stated simply as he took a sip of the soup, humming in content. He wasn't much of a cook himself but he was at least curious about improving upon that fact, and wanted the same for his boyfriend. Taking an eager sip of it again, he offered a thumbs up in approval as they ate at his small kitchen table. He was being honest when he said he didn't really know how to feed himself well so having a small kitchen wasn't huge deal to him when he purchased it.

"They have powers and all that, though they're retired now. They said that they did their justice or something, whatever. Moved out of the city and everything," he admitted before taking another bite of the bread, not realizing until then just how hungry he really was. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that everyone in my family has some power or another. I hope that doesn't matter too much to you..."
 
Even if he had a hundred guesses, guessing that the other's parents were superheroes wouldn't have been one of them. It was so shocking that he found that he couldn't eat, let alone manage to string together a sentence in reply. It wasn't so much the fact that his parents were superheroes, though that was shocking; it was more the fact that Sebastian continued by stating that he thought everyone in his family had some sort of power. That was what really caused him to grow quiet, the possibility that his boyfriend possessed abilities making him feel a tad uneasy.

On one hand, the possibility made him feel less guilty about holding back the secret about his own powers; it meant that they had a connection and he could speak to someone that understood what it was like to go through life harbouring abilities. On the other, there was also a distinct chance that Sebastian actively engaged with his powers as a superhero. For all he knew, his boyfriend perused the skies stopping criminals, something Zephyr wasn't too pleased with. He didn't like superheroes, or anyone that used their powers in such a way that put them front and centre. It was arrogant and egotistical as far as he was concerned, and he didn't want to feel that hatred for Sebastian.

"...You... don't have powers too, do you?" He asked as he quietly returned to his food, unclenching his fist as unsubtly as he could. Unfortunately, it wasn't as subtle as he'd have hoped, his scowl permanently stuck to his lips. "You know how I feel about superheroes, I... think they're show-offs, you know? It's not about justice; they just like showing off, having fame. I-- You aren't one of them, are you? A superhero, I mean...?"
 
"I have powers, yes. Well - one power," he admitted with a shy smile. If he were to admit that he could change his appearance, it would just cause suspicion to the possibility of his true identity. What wasn't a major giveaway was his telekinesis - it was a common power that many had, though usually only people with great intelligence could handle it. There would most likely be dozens of more people with the ability if they only were able to hone their skills.

"I have telekinesis," he explained with a dismissive shrug. "It's not a big deal, though. As for being some superhero, I can assure you that I want nothing to do with that life. That's why I left my parents, amongst other things. It's kind of fun, to be able to will a cup of coffee over or whatever. Otherwise, it's just easier to keep it to myself. I just know that it would probably be brought up at the party."
 
Hearing that Sebastian had a power but didn't use it for anything other than making his daily life just a tad easier was like music to Zephyr's ears, his smile widening in relief. He wanted to connect with his boyfriend over their powers without turning to resent him for using them in grander, superhero-like situations. He had no reason to doubt that Sebastian wasn't telling him the truth, naively believing that if Sebastian did live another life as some hero or villain-like figure, then he would know about it. Instead, he was happy to take him at his word, reaching over the table to hold his hand supportively.

"...As long as you aren't a superhero -or villain-, I'm fine with it. God, you have no idea how good it is to hear that you aren't one of those weirdos-- no offence to your parents but I really can't abide superheros. As long as you only use your powers in the house, behind closed doors, I can... I can accept that, Seb. Telekinesis is-- it's sort of cool, actually."
 
"It's nothing that interesting, to be honest. I can lift things with my mind, it's not like I can, like, read minds or anything. As I said, it makes things easier sometimes but it's nothing to go crazy over," Sebastian insisted bashfully, a shy smile growing to match as he took another sip of his wine. "I guess I'm just so used to not using it in front of other people anyway, and I promise I won't really use it in front of you either. It just... feels unnatural to do it."

His appetite lessened the more he mentioned his skills, his eyes locking on the bowl in embarrassment. While he was happy to show off his powers to the people of Chicago behind a mask, he still desperately wanted to blend into the background - Zephyr was his first attempt to get a bit closer than just watching from afar, after all, and that was exhausting enough to not try and attempt to do it again by making friends. Adjusting his cardigan, he offered a quiet laugh.

"You don't look down on me, do you? I mean, I... I dunno, it's not normal, you know. As you said, superheroes just make having powers a big show and I just don't want to have that sort of attention on me. I would just rather act like a normal human being; some random guy who works at a bookstore, you know?
 
"I'd be annoyed if you said you put on a mask and ran across the city being a hero or a villain, Seb. That would have caused a problem between us. Hearing that you use your powers in private is not going to cause a problem, I promise. It's... a lot to take in but it's... really not going to cause any tension, I told you, I'm fine with it. Your parents, not so much, but I'm a good liar. Besides, I highly doubt they'll start revealing their secrets to me. Superheroes wear masks for a reason, yeah? To conceal their identity. I doubt your folks are going to blab that they were superheroes, so-- it'll be fine," he promised as convincingly as he could. He wasn't lying, but he figured he needed to go the extra effort to convince his boyfriend of that, seeing the doubt and unease marring his features.

This was the perfect chance to reveal that he had powers, but the lump in his throat preventing him from blabbing about it stopped that. He wasn't sure why he couldn't but he found it impossible to even indicate that he knew how it was to have powers. He would have to go into his backstory and he didn't want to talk about that, not until the villain that caused it was dead. Only then did he think he would be able to get over his past and talk about it without getting angry so, for now, he was happy to pretend that he didn't know what it was like to have powers, even if keeping that to himself made him feel guilty.

"...So, they're superheroes, hm? That... must have sucked," he murmured, unable to stop the bitterness kicking in the more he thought about the other's parents. "I can't imagine how shitty that was. I'd have fucking hated it if my parents were heroes-- it just seems selfish, I don't know. If I'm being out of line, tell me. I don't want to offend you, I just... can't stand heroes."
 
"They were horrible parents, yeah," he agreed quietly, his hand still holding tightly to Zephyr's as he entangled their fingers, the bitter memories - or rather, lackthereof - hitting him like a freight train. Hesitating, he moved totake another sip of wine to calm his nerves.

"They were always busy, off fighting crime or whatever. I became such a nuisance to them that they sent me off to a boarding school most my life and when I would come back for breaks, they would just roll their eyes when I brought up bullies and say that I should just stand up for myself. Just - I would get nervous and that made the bullies mock me. I don't think I'll ever forgive them for that, really. Sorry to dump all this trauma on you, Zeph. I'm going to blame the wine," he teased with a small smile.
 
"Alcohol does help people open up, doesn't it? I wouldn't say it's a truth serum-- though I had a girlfriend back in school who would babble out her entire life story once she got some alcohol in her. I can't imagine that's what's happening here. I don't know, really. I reckon you're still hiding something from me, but that's fine. I don't need to know everything about you, Seb. I like a little mystery," he drawled in reply, retrieving his hand to tear off some more bread, a sly smile pulling at his face. He didn't know why he had the feeling that the other was holding back, though he determined that he ought to know the signs, given how much he himself was holding back. He hadn't even owned up to the obvious abuse he suffered, let alone reveal the tragic backstory he had and the origin story of how he gained his powers. He felt, from holding all of that back, that he would recognise the signs in someone else - though, as curious as he was, he wasn't prepared to push Seb further, not after he had revealed so much and had it taken such a toll on him emotionally.

"Parents are complicated, I get it. We both have shitty parents, we both were bullied-- I get you, Seb. It's why we get along, isn't it? We get one another. I... certainly think we do. You're the only person I've gotten close to like this, so-- hey, cheer up. Only one of us can be the moody one and that's sort of my thing, so..."
 
"You're hilarious," he replied flatly, mocking the other's notoriously stoic 'humor'. He couldn't hold the flat expression long and eventually let a wide smile grow. Leaning over the table, he offered a kiss to the man's lips once lightly taking his chin in his hand to pull him forward. Sighing deeply in relief, that was enough information to tell for him to a least loosen up a bit. It was also the only real 'secret' he hoped to ever have to tell.

"You know, I think your brooding and dark demeanor is so sexy, you know that?" He purred to the other before leaning back to take a few more sips of the wine. "Only for you to wear a pink apron and cook me up something as yummy as this?It makes me feel powerful, I suppose."
 
Being told that his demeanour was apparently 'sexy' didn't come as much of a shock, having been told the same thing by the two women he had dated in the past. The only difference was how much more it meant coming from Sebastian, smiling to himself at how normal he suddenly felt. Years of being called a 'freak' and 'weird' inevitably had an effect, and while he didn't necessarily believe the insults that had been thrown at him, he did often feel insecure about it. Having someone he cared about and trusted confirm that there was nothing wrong with being that way, that it was attractive in fact, felt good, more than he could really communicate.

"You know I wouldn't even contemplate putting on that thing for anyone else, don't you?" He pointed out with a brief gesture back at the pink apron, rolling his eyes lightly. "Wouldn't even cross my mind to cook for anyone but you. Like I said, I have a reputation to uphold; I trust you enough not to go broadcasting my softer side to the city."
 
"What's stopping me?" He countered, a brow raising with a smile. He wasn't great at flirting but when he did, he took pride in it for being ale to articulate his feelings. After years of being teased and bullied, Sebastian rarely spoke and now that he have a job and has to pay for things, he had gotten much better at articulating. That didn't mean he was fantastic at it so for him to be able to say something sauce to his boyfriend was important.

"Why shouldn't I tell Dimitri how you snuggle up with me, and how you cook me meals. Imagine you as a cute house wife? Oh, that would be fantastic," he admitted, his cheeks growing rosy at the image. "Then you'd walk on out in the street, muscles all flexing and whatnot to warn off other guys because you know you're taken by me - oh, gosh, I'm babbling."
 
"I don't need to go 'flexing my muscles' to ward away anyone; you'd be surprised how little some people find me attractive, Seb. If I have to go glaring at people, intimidating them, I'd be doing it to ward guys away from you-- and you're fully aware of that. You don't need me gushing about you, telling you how cute you are, do you? I'm sure you'd love that, a 'dark, brooding' guy like me breaking down that wall and whispering sweet-nothings to you all night," he drawled slowly, resting his head on his hand and, as difficult as it was not to break into a grin at the teasing, remained as characteristically stoic as ever.

"...I do think the world of you though, obviously. I know it's only been a year but-- I don't know, I'm not good at this soppy stuff, Sebastian. I love you and that's all there is to it. I'm glad you told me about your powers, though. You can help me with the dishes without lifting a finger, can't you~?"
 
"I could, yes... but I don't want to," he replied simply, his expression turning smug before finishing up the bowl of soup, sipping the broth easily. He wasn't lying about how poorly he treated himself when it came to food so when he actually had access to it, he had no real sense of self control. Resting his hands on his stomach, he didn't even have to reach for his wine. Instead, he watched as the glass floated to his side. Taking it in his hands, he sighed in content after sipping it back.

"I like to watch you work, you're a good worker. I'm not very good at physical tasks, yeah?" He explained before shrugging dismissively. "I get dizzy carrying too many books, after all. Sure, dishes aren't weight lifting but still."
 
Watching the other use his powers didn't make him feel anything but a faint sense of amazement, never having actually seen any powers up close like this, besides his own. The last time he had been close to someone who had powers, and able to reach out and touch them if he chose to, was way back when he first met Seb, back when he was a kid and fascinated with the villain. Yet, believing that Sebastian only used his powers for convenience and not for the fame and glory of superheroics (or villainy), the powers didn't anger him. On the contrary, he smiled as he watched his boyfriend use them so casually and with such control. It had taken him a good two years to learn how to control his own powers, not having any school to guide him.

He would have ditched the dish-washing duties and made his way for a long bath with Seb, with some more wine and a few candles lit around them, though the romantic idea faded the instant he received a call, upon which he realised he had also missed several urgent texts from his younger brother. Reading just one sent him into panic, his fists clenched tightly. It took a second for him to realise how angry he was getting, and that the phone in his hand was at risk of being smashed into pieces if he didn't gain a hold of himself.

"...I need a lift to the hospital, Sebastian. I understand that it's late and we've just eaten, so you might not feel like it, but... my sister's had an accident and I need to see her. I can get a cab if it's a problem," he mumbled slowly, his expression lacking emotion as he moved to grab his hoodie from the coat rack, doing everything not to just explode. He knew that there hadn't been an accident, willing to bet anything that his parents had been behind his sister's hospitalisation, but he also knew better than to storm into the hospital and stress her out by being angry and tense. "My brother's already there with her; my parents didn't bother following the ambulance, apparently. I... I'd really appreciate the ride, Seb."
 
Admittedly, Sebastian was a hint inebriated but not enough to hold him back from driving. Getting to his feet as quickly as possible, he hurried to get his jacket on as well. In reality, he didn't really care about the other's family enough to be freaking out as much as he was but the love he had for his siblings was unsubtle, what with the fact that they were the reason the man held back on moving in with him. With a dismissive wave of his hands, all the appliances were off if only to save on time.

"Yeah, I'll take you," Sebastian said while already urging Zephyr out of his apartment, locking it up properly just in case. He had his own apartment, which was nice and all, but it was pretty cheap due to the fact that he lived in a pretty shady neighborhood. He could fend for himself without much effort, the only thing he ever had to worry about were break ins to his car or house. Luckily for the two, the former was fine as Sebastian hurried down the steps.
 
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