Archive of Our Own

   Cuteguy’s feet dangle over the edge of the ten story apartment complex, wind in the air tickling his ears and his unfortunately long blonde hair brushing his face. His heart shaped glasses are long forgotten over the edge of the building.

No one is coming up here to save me, he thought bitterly. The eight years of service he has spent in the community, this city, all for him to throw it away like an apple core. Granted he was never perfect, far from it, but he feels this tremendous guilt.

His right wing lays pathetically at his side, the skin being the only thing keeping the top half of his wing falling off the building. The bone isn’t visible and there's no blood but Grian wishes there was. 

At 16 years old, Cuteguy, formerly known to the world as the infamous anti-villain, Poultry-Man. Was captured alongside his friend-enemy, The Enigma.

Before his capture his goal was simple: create festive chaos within the city to bring joy to people, however his time was cut short as was arrested for destruction of property and vandalism. And manslaughter. 

Being a minor, he was given an opportunity to enter a reformed program. The province he was held in had paired him with a young hero who went by the name Hotguy, a new graduate from the Hero Academy and fan of many despite his few years being active.

Hotguy had convinced Cuteguy to be the Yin to his Yan on the field. Lighthearted, cheery and charismatic vs Cutguy’s depressing and edgy attitude to life won the hearts of not only the city but the world. 

You may call Cuteguy an idiot for only seeing the dark side of everything, or you might just call Grian, the now 24 year old, traumatised.

At 14 he met Lizzie and she soon became one of the most important people in his life.

At 15 he became notorious for the mischief he caused around the city. He was known to the people as Poultry-Man

At 16 he was arrested and became Cuteguy.

___

Scar was always nice to him. From the moment they met to the moment Grian got away, he was always using this soothing voice that could make just about anyone melt.

It was infuriating.

He would ruffle his brown hair and lean towards Grian like a human watching a monkey in a zoo. Scar’s green eyes would pierce into Grian’s blue and make his feet feel wobbly. That’s when Grian would bite. A punch in the shoulder or a nudge into a lounge or chair and Hotguy would giggle slowly into silence.

Maybe that’s why they referred to the two of them as the ‘Desert duo’, Scar could melt you, and Grian would prick you. 

The sunset before him reminds him of another life with Scar. One with animals and laughter that turn sour far too soon. Another with red lines and cookies. From this height, the sky almost looked like it was bleeding like the blood of his enemies. Like the blood of Scar.

Cuteguy had left Hotguy in a pool of his own blood before he fled. 

Scar knew it was an accident but the fear in his eyes would be harder to wash from Grian’s mind than the blood in their shared carpet. How many times does Grian have to remind Scar that no matter the amount of training he does and reform programs he goes to, he will always be a villain Scar was only meant to ‘tutor’ him until his 18th birthday, but six years later he still is causing hurt to the man he cherishes most.

   The sound of two gliding elytras brought Grian’s attention back to what his original plan was. Why he was up so high. Dread filled his stomach.

   “Grian?” the voice of a young woman filled the air on the roof. “It’s just us.”

Grian didn’t turn. He didn’t acknowledge her. He just sat there with the wind starting to pick up around the three. He knew who else was there of course, while Poultry-Man went to Hotguy for his reform program, The Enigma went to Mechanic.

The silence makes him think that they’re taking the time to look at his oddly bent wing. Grian can imagine the faces the two will make when they realise his wing has snapped in half, Etho’s mouth, although covered by a mask, would fall and his eyes would widen, Lizzie would squeeze hers shut to avoid looking.

   “Grian, Scars alright, he’s stable. Mumbo called us from the ambulance and told us to find you.” The Canadian accent mixed with years of American based work made the person’s voice hard to hear over the wind blowing rings into his ears.

   “Go away.” 

Grian looked down and Etho huffed softly, walking forwards.

   “He nearly died, you know. Now you’re up here sitting, pretending that what you did never happen? G, Scar has sacrificed eight years of his life to helping you.” Etho paused, “he loves Jellie and his job. They’re two things that are both very important to him but not as important as you, Grian!” 

Etho steps are getting closer to him.

   “I’ve known Scar since he joined the Hermit agency, and never have I even seen him so dedicated to helping someone like you!”

What is that supposed to mean? Grian huffed a laugh. He owes all he knows to Etho but he sure as hell doesn’t act like it. He seemed to come to the same conclusion in his head because when Grian meets his gaze, he can’t help but feel guilty at the hurt he sees in Etho’s eyes.

Just as Grian has done with his glasses, Etho’s mask is nowhere to be seen. He’s not even in his uniform, just in a casual outfit.

   “Scar has told me time and time again that no matter how damaged or broken a person is, they are able to prevail. I believe him like a fucking idiot.” Silence follows the choked sniffle coming from Lizzie. She’s determined.

All the years the two have spent together but she’s never been good at changing Grian’s mind.

Lizzie comes closer to the two on the edge, “believe or believed?” 

There’s a first time for everything.

   “What..?”

   “Do you believe it or did you believe it? Scar’s way of words—he has a way of words and it’s rubbed off on you, Grian. You’re not the same person I met in that alley all those years ago. You know what you’re saying. You know everybody can change. I did.”

Fucking Lizzie. She has always been his weak spot. All the platonic cheek kisses in the car Grian stole, the comforting hushes every time Grian relapsed. She always knew what to do and what to say. You may argue she’s better at words than Scar. In a way.

   “Grian come here… please.” Grian didn’t oblige. “You didn’t mean it. We know you didn’t, Scar knows you didn’t.”

The wind grew louder and the fence Grian sat on rattled like a maraca, it caused his broken wing to vibrate making Grian grimace at the pain.

   “I don’t want to.”

Grian wished he had his glasses now, their weird anti recognition technology always helped him when he is faced with old friends in battle. Why did he throw them off the building again?

They hide his true expression with the pink tinted lenses. He wished they could hide his tears right now.

   “Grian… please.”

She sounded so sincere with her voice. All those times Grian could hear Lizzie argue with her brother in their shared apartment, she never sounded this desperate.

He turned his head to look at the duo. Then he turned his body.

   “I’m so sorry.”

Every moment of his life flashes before Grian’s eyes. The memories he has with these people are something he could never give up. The fun and sad.

He doesn’t want to die, he just doesn’t want the life he has. The hero is never truly happy because they’re always putting others before themselves. When he had a different career goal, he was happy with his little life. His time with Lizzie and Jimmy was all he thought he needed.

Grian gets down from the ledge and Lizzie is clinging to his frame sobbing into his chest.

She drags him along towards the building’s staircase. Etho was behind the two picking up all of Grian’s equipment with an expression he has never seen on the man. His phone, the bow he rarely ever uses, his bubblegum pink gun, bulletproof vest, and Scar’s archery gloves he always carries.

Lizzie swears that going for a walk can help with strong emotions, the stairs are daunting but she’s right, by the time they arrive down the steps Grian is as calm as he can be.

The small family walking past them is shocked to be seeing two famous heroes in their apartment building, the bellman just as much. Despite Etho’s lack of uniform or Grian’s missing glasses, they were still easily recognised.

They settle on the bench only a few hundred metres away from the Hotguy agency waiting for their driver. Etho’s mask is back on and it’s as silent and nice as it can be at 9 o’clock at night. The stars aren’t visible and the moon is nowhere to be seen but the sky seems to shine. Etho and Lizzie’s breathing is what settles him even more. Their calm, even breathing.

Etho, who was awkwardly sitting further away from the two, turned towards Grian, “were you going to jump?”

Lizzie elbows them in the ribs but he never breaks contact through his grimace.

   “Maybe.” Grian was waiting for a lecture from Etho about how everyone loves him and how he wouldn’t throw his life away but instead in a soft spoken whisper he tells the story of a little kid.

   “A few months ago I was on Patrol with Ren. We were walking past a playground when we saw a little boy, maybe around seven or eight standing up to a high school boy.”

   “The kid had blood running down his face and onto his shirt, his pink framed glasses were broken on the floor and he was squinting like a madman. He wasn’t afraid, throwing up his fist he screamed at the older boy, ‘this is what Cuteguy would do!’”

The three of them were now silently crying, Lizzie had her hands on her face covering her expression while Etho looked pasty sick.

Etho reaches over and places their hand on Grian’s knee, “you don’t realise how loved you are, I don’t mean this in a ‘please don’t kill yourself, you have so much to live for’ sort of way, I mean just about everyone who meets you freaking adores you. The next time I see your cute face I don't want to be identifying a body or seeing you in a casket, it’s possible due to what we do for a living, but I don’t want to receive that call from Mumbo or Scar.”

Grian doubles over and Etho gets up from the bench and wraps his arm around the sobbing man.

   “You know I love you, G.”

___ 

News spread quickly about Hotguy’s death. His month long absence had not gone unnoticed by the media and the video of Hotguy’s partner, identity now public, being comforted by Mechanic and Shadow went viral around the globe.

Crime—scene cleanup was in the living room cleaning the blood of all corners of the room. Grian and Mumbo were temporarily staying with Pearl. Since Gem was brilliant, despite it being an inconvenience to her, she spent the past week staying at Sausage’s house closer to the suburbs.

Lizzie and Pearl later took him to the hospital for a mental evaluation stating that it wasn’t psychosis as previously thought by Lizzie. Grian was fully aware and he wasn’t showing any signs for hallucinations.

His wing was patched when he got there. The nurse, who just happened to be Gem, said it was as close to a ‘nice’ break you could get with something so incredibly delicate such as wing bones. He knows she’s lying.

He was handcuffed to his bed and stayed there until the police arrived. Gem was tasked with staying in the corner, usually Grian would be happy for her to be paid to sit and watch him for a shift but he wished he could just be left alone in his little glass box of a room. Having his secret identity be an actual secret unlike Lizzie or Joel, Gem made sure she was always the one tasked to him during his hospital stays. Having only close friends aware of his position as Cuteguy made life easier at times.

In his little glass box he could see everything happening in the emergency room, the bustling and sad aroma around the hospital tells him this is where Scar was taken after Grian stabbed him. Due to the urgency of the case, it was open and closed court date, being only a week after the inessential incident. It was stupid because this was due to the fact it was evolving Hotguy.

Grian wasn’t arrested but he was still trialled in a closed court, his attorney argued insanity and with the support of Etho and Lizzie, the court ruled in his favour. 

Mumbo led him out the building and back to Pearl’s apartment.

Jimmy came straight from court after organising a placement for Grian with Scott a few hours later. That night his sister and best friend were the two heroes to escort him to the facility. 

Arriving at a solid concrete building at eight o’clock at night was truly terrifying for Grian. Did the judge change their mind?

Pearl explained to him that in order for the building to survive any efforts to escape by supernatural patients, it needed to be a solid font. Grian was still required to take medication and wear power suppressant cuffs despite being only an avian.

He was in a mental institution for five weeks. It was lonely for the first three but in the following two he was allowed visitors. He didn’t expect so many people to come visit him—want to visit him—but over the weeks, or as the hospital called them, visitation vacancies, almost everyone who he was dreading speaking to had come to visit him.

The first person was Mumbo, the very man who brought him here. If it was anyone else, Grian would probably run away, just like he does to everything. Just like he did to Scar.

   “Grian?” The man was so soft spoken he could almost not hear him.

The only reason Scar was found so quickly was because Mumbo was home taking time off for an injury had gotten while tinkering with some contraptions with Tango only a few hours ago. His raven black hair was messy when Mumbo had walked into the living room, the commotion having woken him up.

   “Mumbo.” Grian whispered back.

Mumbo’s bandaged hand was covered in blood. From his ruptured stitches or from holding Scar’s wound, Grian couldn’t tell the difference. Face full of tears as Mumbo called for an ambulance, he was begging Scar to stay awake for him as the man in question caressed Mumbo’s messy hair.

   “How are you feeling..?” Mumbo shifted his stance to lean away from the nurse hovering over his shoulder.

Scar was staring at Grian with this expression of fear? Anger? Pity? He doesn’t know because he ran. Ran like he was Cathy Freeman, ran like he was Forrest Gump, ran like the bloody wind.

   “I’ve been better.” Grian sighed softly with a small smile.

He found his way to the roof of his old apartment. The one he shared once upon a time with Lizzie when they were living off of food stamps and dirty tap water. Grian gave back his key but they still had the same code after all these years. There was something so humbling and nostalgic being back to where you started.

   “Your nurse told me I shouldn’t talk about Scar to you but I have no idea what else to talk about.”

Making his way to the roof of the building was muscle memory. The steps and turns. Doors to open and doors to pass. The handle was rusted over and the wood was moulding. Grian was never a stickler for the rules. He kicked down the door.

   “Tell me about your patrols then. Any new suit upgrades? You mentioned that chemical pack a while back.” Grian leaned his head in the glass beside him.

Being in the cold air once again really brought him to reality. Grian realised he was still in uniform. Bow on his back, gun in its holster, his knife, missing. Just as he has practised over eight years, he swiftly removed the weapons into the floor of the roof as he walked towards the railing.

   “Yeah, I also got that red stone compactor you recommended. I have to say for someone as horrible at red stone as humanly possible, it was actually a really good idea. Sausage was helping me come up for an aesthetic design for a while but Hermes was getting a bit fussy so I ended up finishing it while Sausage put him to bed.”

   “How is Hermes?” Grian smiled looking down.

There were too many things in his pockets. Stupid fucking cargo pants! Junk all over himself. He won’t need them soon but he didn’t want to die with them on. Unclasping his side pockets he takes out small snacks, Scar’s favourite snacks.

   “Misses his honorary uncle. Misses Scar too… er um.” Mumbo blushes red as the nurse beside him glared slightly, “Sausage said Lizzie hasn’t been around all too much over the past few weeks.”

Skittles, protein bars, and a small bottle of aspirin were thrown to the dirty concrete. Seeing the skittles was almost calming and he hated it. Picking up what he just threw down, he chucked them over the edge of the building and watched them fall into the snow below.

   “Is she okay..?”

Grian went back over to his other items planning to throw those over the edge. Just as he was about to let go of Scar’s gloves, he stopped. Grian doesn’t know if it was worth it. The archer gloves were from Scar when he was teaching him archery. Grian had forgotten his own so Scar lent Grian his. 

   “Etho told me she's been crying more than usual. She uh… really misses you.”

Nightmares and sleepless nights were spent with these gloves. Anxiety and compulsive depressive thought days were spent with these gloves. Holidays, charity events, weddings, hero balls. They were all spent with these gloves.

   “I feel like you’re not telling me something, Mumbo.”

He wanted to keep the gloves.

   “Nothing at all!” Mumbo stuttered slightly.

The railing was cold as the sun began to set in the horizon. It froze his hand as he held it with both of his hands. Cars below honked as traffic grew as slow felt on his head and hands. He liked this.

   “Tell me what's been going on at home.”

The wind grew louder and the sound of two elytras started ringing through Grian’s sensitive ears. The air tickled his feathers. It didn’t hurt until he looked at his wing bent in half and it caused indescribable pain to course through him. 

   “Um nope all good back at home. Moved back in a few days after you left, it’s pretty lonesome without you and- Pearl and Maui miss you!” Mumbo was now doing that weird thing where he was twiddling his thumbs rocking his body slightly. The epiphany of ADHD.

The elytra sound grew closer. Was it the police to take him away? Maybe the start of a mob come to kill him? Or maybe it was just a pair of unsuspecting heroes patrolling the roofs around him completely unaware of what Grian had just done.

   “Kubo came over not too long ago, Jellie really- Uh Joel spent the night awhile back. He hurt his ankle and Lizzie had helped-!” Mumbo shut his mouth and closed his eyes.

Grian was getting annoyed at his friend. He wasn't telling him something. Notch knows Mumbo is the worst liar to exist.

   “Fucking hell Mumbo, just tell me!” Grian screamed at his friend, the nurse held her hand on her security button and visitors in other rooms turned to look. Words cannot describe how much Grian wanted to just snap Mumbo’s neck right now. He doesn’t know why is the problem. Frustration? Anger? Perhaps he was always violent like this and he couldn’t hold it anymore?

The glass doors tinted as a different nurse outside pressed a button on the wall.

Mumbo began to shake slightly as he held his head in his hand. He was crying. Grian was raging, he felt bad for yelling and he felt worse because wasn’t sorry.

   “Lizzie quit the agency.” 

Grian didn’t stop his angry expression, he was still mad but not Mumbo. The nurse pressed her button. 

Grian began to speak but was cut off by Mumbo, “she was going to tell you! I swear she’s in her car outside right now waiting for my visitation time to end so she could tell you.” Grian couldn’t help but suspect Mumbo was lying.

   “How long have you known?” Mumbo went to check his watch but remembered they took it from him when he entered. He started twiddling his thumbs once more, “how long have you known, Mumbo?”

   “She told me when we were on a mission together. The day you stabbed Scar.”

Grian punched him in the face.

   Lizzie came in soon after Mumbo left. Okay, so maybe Mumbo wasn’t lying about her being present. There were now security guards in the room from his outburst with Mumbo, the hospital wasn’t allowed to cancel their ‘visitation vacancies’ as goes their policy. Well, only if something bad happens, punching Mumbo isn’t the worst thing Grian has done, just look at Scar.

Lizzie’s face is full of guilt and worry and Grian almost feels bad. Almost.

   “I’m sorry, Grian! Mumbo told me you were upset at me. I shouldn't have insisted he visited first. I should have told you the moment I got the chance.”

Grian wasn’t allowed phone calls for whatever reason unlike the other patients. It may do with the fact he was a famous hero but if he was going to be honest, he couldn’t care less. If he was subjected to phone calls, Grian wouldn’t be able to see them squirm as they explain themselves. What is wrong with him?

   “Why didn’t you tell me during the week I was staying at Pearl and Gem’s apartment?”

   “I didn’t want you to be upset with me, you would have thought it was your fault.”

Lizzie knows him too well.

   “Why did you quit then?” Lizzie side eyed the nurse.

   “I just don’t think I wanna spend the rest of my youth being a hero. I want kids. I don’t want to wait around until I’m 35 to start a family. Hermes isn’t just enough anymore.”

Lizzie’s pink hair looks so glossy in the white artificial lighting he can’t help but stare.

   “Is that why your visits to Sausage have been so… sparse?” Grian gasped, “is that why Mumbo said you were crying a lot more often?”

   “For Notch sake, how much did Mumbo tell you?” She blushed which made her blue eyes stand out against the pink.

   “Not much really.”

Lizzie smiled lovingly at Grian, her glossy eyes and shaky hands made Grian feel bad.

   “You should become a detective with that noggin of yours.” Lizzie sighed into her jumper sleeve.

   “Hello? Sherlock Grian? I did that thing for like a week. Ask Doc, he was the one who commissioned me.”

   “Alright, Doc’s a character for sure. You never figured out who the Jingler was now did you?

   “No, I didn’t. I had my suspicions and they were correct! Jevin brought it up at a Hermit Agency anniversary, I didn’t go but Scar told me...” Grian trailed off, looking down towards his pale hands.

Lizzie glanced at the nurse worryingly. Lizzie fears for her friend and maybe her life a little bit.

   “I was never part of the manhunt but I always wondered who was up to all those shenanigans. I walked in only a few hours after he had redecorated the main meeting room. I called him and I said, ‘I knew you were the Jingler’, and he said no, you know, like a liar.”

This isn’t what Lizzie was originally going with this conversation. She was more drawing out what she was saying to distract Grian from what Mumbo said. 

   “Wait, so who was the Jingler?”

___

Grian’s feet dangle over the edge of the elementary school, wind in the air tickling his ears and his hair brushing his face. His rectangular glasses are resting on his head as he eats his lunch for the day.

He was originally perched on the roof looking for crime but soon was distracted by the young children in the playground and ended up playing a few games with them before their morning tea time was over. 

Becoming hungry soon after and with no partner to refuse lunch at ten o’clock in the morning, he placed down his phone, the bow he rarely ever uses, his maroon gun and Scar’s archery gloves he always carries to the side as he ate.

For now, he was left to work solo.

   “Hey, cute guy, is this spot free?”

The man smiled towards his friend. Maybe he wasn’t left solo.

   “Sorry, hot guy, this spot is reserved for someone special.”

Scar chuckled at his antics, “X said you could use a partner for your patrol, I’m not totally back yet but the company could do you some good.”

   “It’s ok, Scar, I’m not totally back either.” Grian motioned to his wing which had a metal splint on it.

Scar looked a lot different from a few months ago, his long hair was cut so short it was almost a buzzcut. With a cane in his hand, Scar walked closer to Grian.

   “Just testing the water?”

   “You could say that.”

The only sound was coming from Grian eating his sandwich. The silence was unnerving and calming at the same time as Grian kicked his feet back and forth on the roof.

When Grian was done, he reached beside him and held something to Scar, “you should take these.”

A pair of archery gloves. Scar’s archery gloves to be exact.

   “My gloves? You kept these?”

   “When I’m sad I put them on.”

Scar seemed compelled between keeping and giving them back in his mind. He’s trying to hide it but it’s as clear as day to Grian.

   “Then you should keep these. Etho told me what happened on the roof, when he came to my hospital room Mumbo was frantically trying to call you, then he gave Mumbo your phone.”

Reaching into his pocket Scar retrieved a small little black square, along with the gloves he handed it over.

Scar smiled at Grian. He wants to be angry at him, he really does but Scar has some sort of affect on people. He just melts you. Why isn’t he angry with him? Maybe that’s why he’s mad, because Scar isn’t.

   “I was wondering where this went.” Grian turned his phone over in his hand, he couldn’t tell if it was dead or simply turned off, possibly both. We wanted to put on the gloves and cuddle up against Jellie like he has been doing for years, that brief time in between the moment Scar and Jellie goes to bed.

The man seems to huff from where he’s leaning against the railing Grian is sitting on.

   “I really like what I do, Grian, I want to see everyone happy, I want everyone to succeed.”

Weirdo. 

Scar placed his hand on Grian’s shoulder and Grian held Scar’s hand.

   “We have that in common, I just want to see people be happy. When the crime rates were high and the city was practically at war with itself, I thought I could make a difference by creating chaos.”

   “I never meant for it to get so out of control. People seemed to either really like or hate my pranks so I guess in a way I divided the city even more.” Grian drew a breath. He didn’t want to talk about this right now, “when are you going to announce you’re not dead?”

Scar laughed. A honest and true laugh.

   “I don’t think I’ll have to do that.” Scar waved to a group of kids in one of the smaller courtyards, the three giggled and scattered. “Reminds me of the three of us, you, me, and Mumbo.”

Grian smirked at the man, “really? And who are you, the one with the plushy cat?” He pointed to the small girl with the cat soft toy in the hair causing her to squeal. 

   “Yeah, and you’re the one with the red jumper.”

   “So Mumbo is the shortest girl with blonde hair? I mean I know we really don’t have the best view from up here but for a notch sake Scar you would think that would obviously be me.”

Scar leaned over to Grian grabbing his chin slightly. Turning his head to face so the two were eye to eye, Scar said, “I was thinking more on the personality side,” Scar moved his chin once more to face the group again, who were still watching the two like a hawk.

   “Look. You’re holding hands with me, just like now you big old softie.”

Grian blushed red and shook his hand from Scar’s grasp. “Idiot! We were having a moment.”

   “I know.” Scar kissed Grian's forehead, which was hard considering Grian was still sitting on the railing.

It was so awkward but Grian couldn’t help but laugh alongside Scar’s hysterical laughter.

The school bell went off and the group of girls dispersed as hundreds of children went inside.

   “What do you say about coming home with me, cute guy?” Grian couldn’t help but snort.

   “I want to patrol some more. I would also like to talk to you about something.”

The two left the school and made their way along rooftops towards the Hermit Agency building. The sun was at its peak now but that didn’t change how cold it still was outside.

Now being the middle of winter, Grian and Scar were wearing their winter uniforms. Thick cotton shirts and insulated pants to keep them warm.

   “What did you need to talk about?”

The roads were almost empty with the amount of snow coming down, it was crazy how that elementary school was still open.

   “You remember the ‘Evo incident’ right?”

Obviously Scar was well aware of the Evo incident. 

Years ago a group of teenagers were targeted by a local gang called the Watchers, four teenagers were killed during the kerfuffle. It was an often used example of gang violence in the Hermit Agency training revision.

   “Has Mumbo or Pearl ever talked to you about what Evo means to me?”

No one has said anything to him but Scar wasn’t an idiot. He knew Grian was a part of the tragedy. He could tell by the way Grian would stare into nothing, how Mumbo or Lizze was always there to comfort him with a gentle hand. 

The same could be said about his sister, Pearl. Gem would often walk her out of the room towards the end of the videos, if she ever showed up to those particular training sessions.

   “I might already know what you’re about to say, Grian.”

   “They blamed me for everything, Scar, they didn’t even hear me out. The police system is fucking corrupt!”

Okay he might not know what he was about to say.

   “Sorry?”

Grian sighed.

   “I was once had a little friend group, we called ourselves the Evolutions. We had fun together and stuff. One day the Watchers came along and started meddling with us when we were at a skate park late at night.”

Scar raised his eyebrow at Grian, he couldn’t not say what was on his mind, “what were you doing at a skate park at night?”

   “Drugs.”

Scar laughed, Grian didn’t.

   “You’re serious?”

Grian rolled his eyes, “Yes but that’s not the story for today.” He inhaled a few deep breaths.

   “The Watchers knew who we were of course, they had been messing with for months beforehand. We were all completely high off our rocket, I don't remember much, mostly because I had enough in my system to kill an inexperienced adult but you know the story, they blew up that underground passway.” Grian turned to watch the school. “The Watchers blamed me for everything when they were caught.”

If Scar noticed Grian hiding his tears with his tinted glasses, he didn’t say anything.

   “Pearl tried to argue but they just put her in a witness protection program. Jimmy, Lizzie, and Mumbo heard I was being prosecuted and tried to do something. Anything they helped me appeal for was denied or dismissed as soon as it was set to the court.” 

This isn’t something Scar knew about. How many years was he actually being processed? Scar met Grin when he was 16 so why does he make it sound like this was a long trial? Whenever PR sends in someone to give a presentation on gang violence they always make it sound like an open and shut case.

Come to think of it, no one ever told Scar he was working with a supposed gang member. What the fucking is going on?

   “I thought you were 24? This timeline you’re giving me makes no sense, G. Who was the person in charge of your reform program? Nothing you are saying is actually making sense.”

Grian took a deep breath through his mouth and out his mouth, just as the staff told him to.

   “I’m 22.”

His tears are visible rolling down his cheeks even if Grian was looking towards the horizon now. What type of inhuman people could have done this to such a young boy?

Scar was not impressed and let out a sharp gasp.

   “Who was incharge of your reform program? I’m going to ruin them.”

   “No.” Grian hadn’t screamed so loud like he would have done months ago, there was no ringing noises left from the force. It was barely a scream, it wasn’t a scream. Grian’s response was quiet, “you can’t!”

His body was not fully turned towards Scar but the man can still see the tears sliding down his face. The Hotguy in him wanted to find justice, Scar wanted to help Grian, then find justice.

   “He didn’t know the full truth! He tried to help me as best as he could.”

   “Grian… who was in charge of initiating your reform program?”

The silence was deafening as Grian cried some more.

   “Etho.”

___

A new level of respect has blossomed for Etho in the mind of Scar. The two soon went back to their shared apartment after what was said, partly because Scar was paranoid of some kid recording their conversation, which definitely could have happened already, and partly because Scar was nervous being on a roof with Grian.

The moment they walked through the door the whole story had come to light.

For his whole life Grian has been lying about his age, this stems from his time back in Japan where in order to be placed in a grade ‘suitable’ for him, his parents had forged government documents. Due to the fact the documents were British they had no real way of validating them.

At ‘16’ Grian and his friends had been involved in a gang incident who wanted to recruit Grian, who—apparently—denied this so the Watcher being terrorist and all, blew up the underground highway North of the city. Many people died.

This led to Etho being the hero in charge of his court case. When Grian’s childhood friend from England, Mumbo, and Lizzie’s brother and Grian’s close friend of many years, Jimmy, tried to appeal his case but were repeatedly denied, the two went straight to the person themself, Etho.

If this ever got out to the public Etho may or may not be fired on the spot. Especially since Lizzie was still widely known as The Enigma during the time this was taking place. Etho spent months on this case, never telling anyone about it.

Calling out sick for a consecutive fortnight working nonstop so Grian could get the justice he deserved. A true hero!

Grian owes his life to this person. Unauthorised polygraph tests alone could ruin the name of Mechanic. He even went so far as to influence the board of the Hermit Agency to ‘pick out’ the perfect candidate for Grian’s reform partner. 

Etho wanted to make sure Lizzie stayed as close to Grian as she possibly could; she soon became the protege of Mechanic. This of course worked out for the best as the duo not only stayed close but Lizzie fell in love with one of Etho’s friends, Joel.

Maybe all of this was done out of the kindness of his heart. Perhaps it was done as a favour for Mumbo. At this point in his career Etho had been working with the man for several years, it was a coincidence that Mumbo knew Poultry-Man before his widespread chaos began, neither the less, Scar respected the man so much more.

Scar was now walking with Grian as the two took on their patrols along the coast line.

   “I’m sorry I kinda dragged you into this whole mess. I never realised how much you hated being a hero. I could have done something sooner.”

Grian was baffled. Scar was one who was apologising?

   “You’re sorry? Scar I’m the only person who should be apologising here, I stabbed you!” 

Scar just laughed.

   “And you’ve apologised to me a million times. You’re not necessarily good at it so I know you’re being sincere.”

Grian smiled at Scar. His brown hair has grown a little bit longer, Scar generally keeps it just below his ears now, much different from his previous waist long hair. 

   “I actually have grown to really like all of this over the past couple of days.” Grian admits to Scar as the man signs an autograph for a little girl, “Having no one to patrol with kinda made me realise that, with everything that happened I don’t think I want to necessarily stop being a hero, I might just take some time off.”

Grian trails off as a few couple of metres ahead of them is the site of what appears to be the fallout of a fight, the duo forgot about what they were previously talking about and jogged over the duo consisting of Cleo and Martyn.

   “Hey guys, what's going on here?” Scar was holding his bow in a stance he could quickly strike an attack but at the sight of the unarmed trio he swiftly put it away.

   “Hi Scar, hi Grian. Don’t mind us just finishing up here.” Martyn hoisted the handcuffed man off the group with the help of Cleo.

The usual trio was unaccompanied by the presence of Etho of their now regular third party. After Lizzie retired, he continued his work with Cleo and Martyn.

Scar had a whole few months where he was out with other members but It was never really common for Grian to be seen out with others. The headboard never really let him. X, as one of the higher ups within the ring of Hermits, would always argue their decision on the behalf of Grian. 

He still was never really allowed. Unlike everyone else, the board chose Grian’s partners

For the most part he was with Scar. No offence to Scar but a change of scenery is nice sometimes. People like Mumbo or Etho would be the board's next choice. Where is Etho? Shouldn't he be here?

   “Hey Martyn, where's Etho?” Grian hovered around the man as Scar was speaking to the duo behind them.

   “Oh, he called out sick.”