#121223

empires superpowers au masterlist (not up to date)

takes place about a year after the end of ‘poisoned rats’.

cw: mentions of police, past abuse

~

He’s thinking about going back to school, honestly. He’s not sure what sort of career he’d expected to get with a degree in architecture—hopefully one where he got to plan cool buildings, but that clearly hadn’t worked out too well in his favor. And while he’d still like to do that—his sketchbooks are filled with designs of gothic-inspired houses and improbable city buildings—it’s an unpredictable enough job that he’s not sure what sort of hours it would be or if someone is even hiring.

Not to mention, he has money. He gets a pension from the city (an excessive amount, in his opinion), so he doesn’t really need a second job. Which is why he’s been thinking more about going back to school. More of something to fill his free time, really.

He’s not sure what degree he’d be looking for—computer science? Theatre?—and he’s just scrolling through the course options at ECU when he hears the jingling of keys in the door.

Usually when Jimmy enters the house, he calls for the cats and coos at them both, before planting a kiss on Scott’s cheek on his way to get down the box of Dreamies.

Today, the door shuts without any fanfare. The cats come running anyway, of course, and Scott opens up the tab for the glassblowing major before he registers that Jimmy hasn’t said anything yet.

He looks up. Jimmy is sitting on the floor, holding Norman close to his chest. His shoulders are shaking.

Scott’s up and headed over before he can even think about it. Once he does think, though, he realizes that Jimmy is on the floor and he is standing and with what seems to be a poor emotional state, that could trigger a flashback very easily.

He drops to the floor six or eight feet away from Jimmy, scoots along until he’s close enough to touch. Jimmy doesn’t react except to bury his face into Norman’s side, the cat letting out a quiet mrow? at the action.

“Jimmy? What’s going on?”

Jimmy sighs, and when he pulls away from Norman, his eyes are red. “I—I got pulled over,” he says, his voice cracking. “The left taillight is out, by the way.”

“Oh, baby. . . .” Scott wrings his hands, holds one out. “Good for me to hug you?”

Surprisingly, Jimmy nods, then places Norman down on the floor and lunges into Scott’s arms. Scott rocks back onto his heels, unsteady for a moment, before finding his balance and wrapping his arms around Jimmy.

“Did he ticket you?” Scott asks after a moment. Jimmy shakes his head.

“It was just—it was scary. I—I almost had to pull over again, m-my hands were shaking so bad after.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay to be scared.”

“I’m a grown man, Scott.” An angry tear slips from the corner of Jimmy’s eye, his eyebrows drawn in shame. “I shouldn’t be—I can’t be scared of the police. I just saw the—the stupid stick thing on his belt and—and the way he talked—”

“Most people are afraid of cops, dear,” Scott tells him, kissing him lightly on the forehead. “It sucks. Cops suck. I need to give Shelby a call, get her to really push for that reform. . . .”

Jimmy snuggles closer into Scott, awkwardly kicks off his shoes. Norman wraps around Scott’s legs, tilts his head up at the two of them.

“Wanna move to the couch? Your cat’s confused and I bet your knees hurt,” Scott suggests. Jimmy gasps and coos at Norman.

“Aw, hey, pet! I haven’t given you your treat yet, huh?”

Then he blinks. The smile on his face falters for just a moment. It’s quickly pasted back on, and when Scott tries to ask what’s up, he waves him off.

Jimmy stands shakily and slowly, tests his balance before following Norman and Elle to the kitchen. Scott waits until he returns, guides him to the sofa.

“How was work otherwise?” Scott asks.

Jimmy shakes himself. “Um, fine,” he says, leaning his head on Scott’s shoulder. “It’s—I don’t know how to describe it, Scott. It’s still a miracle every day.”

“Just working?”

Jimmy lets out a shaky sigh-laugh. “Yeah. Getting to put my hands in an engine and not have it burst into flame. It’s just . . . I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.”

The conversation falls into silence then, and Jimmy starts trembling again, so Scott searches for something, anything to say.

“Um, Joel said that you and a couple of friends are hanging out this weekend?”

“Right!” Jimmy brightens. “We’re heading out to that soccer field across from the middle school on the east side? Four or five of us are gonna kick a ball around for a while.”

“Anyone I know?”

Jimmy shrugs. “One of the guys from work, probably. I think fWhip said something about wanting to come? And one of Joel’s friends. Just a group who likes soccer.”

Scott frowns. “I thought Joel and fWhip hated each other.”

“They’re making up so they can team up against you,” Jimmy admits. “With their powers combined and all that.”

“I—what?” Scott sputters. “Is that why Joel was so obnoxious yesterday? He’s actively working with the enemy?”

Jimmy laughs. “fWhip’s not the enemy, he’s a vigilante. And yeah, they want to have a bit of a rivalry with you.”

Well, if anything it’ll be a fun bit of publicity. But Scott won’t take this lying down.

For the rest of the evening, they turn on whatever sitcom is airing and devise ways for Scott to strike back and not be made a fool of.

Kim Seokjin

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