Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As sad as it sounded, Chase enjoyed the basement. He had never been offput by the lack of windows or the cool fluorescent atmosphere. It was calming. Felt like home. Mission control in Davenport tower felt no different, other than the distinct lack of his brother and sister arguing as background noise to whatever project he was working on. He almost missed the near-constant nagging and mockery. Almost.

They never felt it necessary to do any further research on certain missions, whether it be stopping runaway trains, or rescuing scientists on a malfunctioning spaceship. They would complain that the mission is over, and all of them should go have fun. But he never really understood. What if there was something he missed? Something that could potentially save or end the world? Chase narrowed it down to their non-existent mental capacity.

He’d admit thinking this way was somewhat cruel, hanging his intellect over everyone and discrediting their own. But he felt he constantly had to prove he was a capable member, whether it be with the Bionic Team or the Elite Force. No matter how hard he tried, his accomplishments were deemed minor in light of the others’ more physical performances. Adam was strong, Bree was fast, and Chase was… just smart.

Sure, he was more agile and trained in martial arts than the average human. He could put up a fight if he really tried. But that was the problem, he had to really try. It seemed to be effortless for the others, including the superhero’s he now shared a home with.

He blinked the thought away. It was irrelevant, and irrelevance caused distractions. Chase adjusted his safety goggles and strolled to the other side of mission command towards his lab table. It was late in the evening, but he could still hear the slight whispers of chatter and the occasional laugh in the upper chambers of the tower, thanks to his bionic senses. It had taken time for him to adjust to the new scenery, the new people in his life. He didn’t mind change so much, but he couldn’t deny the nostalgia the underground mission command brought him.

Chase looked over the prepared lab equipment once more and retrieved the sample from his pocket. He unzipped the bag and placed the cotton swab in a small test tube of fluid, holding it up to the light. The red-stained tip was soaked with blood. Roman and Rikers blood, the shapeshifting twins who had given the team nothing but trouble since they first moved in.

Their mission earlier that day had involved stopping the villains from breaking and entering into a supply warehouse, which was very different from their usual escapades. They had nearly lost the fight, the twins’ powerful shapeshifting ability making it extremely difficult to even land a hit. While the Elite Force continued their futile attacks, Chase had caught Riker off guard, punching him as hard as he could in the face, earning him a sample of blood. All according to plan.

Chase groaned at the reminder, looking down at his bruised knuckles, blood still oozing from a few small lacerations. He suspected he had sustained a small fracture, judging from the pain and inflammation. How annoying. He quickly grabbed a roll of gauze from the first aid kit on the wall, sloppily wrapping it a few times around his hand.

Now that the cotton swab had soaked in the cocktail of chemicals, he was left with a small vial of blood ready for testing. He started the homogenization process to extract and isolate the DNA. Careful not to use his bad hand, he sealed the tube and turned it upside down and right-side up a few times to fully mix it.

Just then, he heard the sound of footsteps growing closer to the hyper lift several stories above him, another attribute of his enhanced hearing.

“Please don’t come down, please don’t come down.” He whispered to himself.

The agitating sound of the souped-up elevator fired behind him. He bit back a flare of annoyance and decided to ignore whoever decided to interrupt him this time. Though, he had a suspicion of who it was.

“What’s the freaky little genius up to now?” Kaz announced his presence, enjoying the groan of irritation it received. He walked up to the small lab station Chase inhabited and pulled up a chair, sitting in it backwards just to piss Chase off. “You seriously didn’t expect to be left alone this long, did ya?”

Chase got along with most people on the team, each person was easy enough to figure out. Skylar was an eccentric alien who could hold her own, so getting her powers back easily got him into her good graces. Oliver was insecure and obviously infatuated with Skylar, and while he annoyed Chase, he was easily avoided and persuaded. But Kaz… was difficult. 

Chase knew from the second he met Kaz, he was smarter than he let on. He was obviously very emotionally intelligent, always knowing what everyone needed and deescalating almost every fight the group had. It’s like he had a sensor that could tell him what everyone was feeling, and that intimidated Chase.

He sighed, actively choosing not to look at Kaz and staring at a few stray papers “Actually, I did. You get bored pressing all the buttons in the elevator to see them light up again?”

A direct blow to a person’s intelligence was usually met with hostility, but it never seemed to affect Kaz. At least, not in a way that was easily observed. Kaz laughed, watching as Chase carefully used a pipette to distribute the red liquid into a few smaller tubes.

“Hey, it's not my fault they only light up when you touch them. They should really make it less fun.”

This earned a resounding eyeroll from Chase, which only made Kaz smile wider.

Silence filled the room for a long moment, before it was interrupted by the screeching of Kaz’s chair across the floor as he scooted closer. He picked up a beaker from the edge of the table and swirled around the clear liquid. Chase quickly swatted his hand away and snatched up the beaker, showing off his poorly bandaged hand.

Kaz’s eyes narrowed at the sight, but he let it slide. For now.

Chase didn’t seem to notice, continuing his work. “Why are you really down here?”

Kaz beamed, “So glad you asked; after our amazific defeat of Roman and Riker, I decided we deserve to celebrate! Me and Oliver set up a snack bar, games, and we even picked out a movie to end off the night. Sounds fun, right?”

Chase scoffed, turning towards Kaz and meeting his eyes with annoyance. “First off, amazific isn’t a word. And second, why would we celebrate? Roman and Riker got away.”

“Well, yeah, but we stopped them from robbing that warehouse, didn’t we? Like, that punch you landed deserves to be celebrated! I didn’t even know you could do something like that.”

Chase was abruptly reminded of the pain in his hand. Normally, he wouldn’t rely on brute force to complete a mission, but he desperately needed a DNA sample to test how their powers worked, and blood seemed to be the best route. He’d never admit it, but it scared him a little. He never thought he could hit that hard.

Kaz’s smile faltered when the other man didn’t reply. “It wouldn’t hurt to take a break, y’know? What are you doing anyways? What could possibly be more important than the super awesome penthouse party?”

He grabbed a few more glass vials from the cabinet, “I’m isolating the twin’s DNA I collected so I can figure out how their powers work. Maybe they have a weakness we can exploit.” He risked a glance at Kaz, and to his surprise, he was listening. “And… I think it could help us find out what their big plan is. The attack today was too random to be brushed off as nothing.”

Chase wasn’t fooled by Kaz’s fake attention. Everyone always had an ulterior motive to any kind of kindness or sympathy, even if they didn’t realize it. Manipulation was still manipulation, even if it wasn’t intentional. There was absolutely no way he actually cared what Chase was saying… but the look in his eyes and the way he was genuinely contemplating the situation seemed all too real.

He often wondered what Kaz’s deal was. On mission, he didn’t miss the small subtle touches he received from the other man. If Chase stumbled, Kaz steadied him. If he was overwhelmed, he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. What could he possibly gain from this?

Suddenly, his fingers spasmed, sending an empty vial to the floor. It shattered and Kaz rose from his seat, looking Chase up and down. “Whoa, what happened? You okay?”

Chase clutched his hand, cheeks gaining a faint red hue from embarrassment. “Yes, fine- I’m fine. It was an accident.” He strolled to the supply closet and retrieved a broom, trying to hide his face and ignore the concern lingering in Kaz’s gaze.

“It’s your hand, isn’t it? I knew something was up.” He stepped closer and grabbed the broom handle, inadvertently pulling Chase towards himself. He looked at his hand, noting the small flecks of blood that had seeped through the bandage. Chase pulled away quickly, releasing the handle.

“I said I’m fine.” It came out more hostile than he intended, guilt washing over him as he met Kaz’s face. He cleared his throat and returned to the lab station, mindlessly fiddling with a pencil, attempting to distract himself from burn of Kaz’s stare.

He let out a small, almost inaudible sigh and began sweeping up the glass. “You could have told one of us that you got hurt. You don’t always have to do everything alone.”

The sincerity of Kaz’s words rang in his ears. Unsure of how to respond, he listened as the shards of glass were disposed in a nearby bin. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as Kaz grabbed the first aid kit that hung on the wall.

“Y’know, it’s not very smart to be handling this stuff with open wounds, what if you contaminate it with your own blood?”

Chase rolled his eyes, watching as Kaz opened the kit at the table opposite him. What was his ploy? “I’m the smartest man alive, you don’t think I could prevent or fix a contamination?”

Kaz smirked, “Nobody’s perfect. And, hey, I used to be a doctor, remember? So, this should only take a second.” He patted the seat next to him.

Chase was never good at picking up subtle social cues or emotions, which is the exact reason he found Kaz intimidating. He could analyze and reference data all he wanted, but Kaz seemed to be able to decipher even the smallest of micro-expressions. But this time, it was obvious Kaz had an I-wont-take-no-for-an-answer kind of look.

He sighed, begrudgingly making his way to the other table. He sat down, extending his hand to Kaz. “Technically, you didn’t go to medical school or complete any kind of residency. Does that really make you a doctor?” Chase rested his head in his hand and desperately tried to ignore the strange feeling that fluttered when Kaz smiled. Probably indigestion.

“Sure, I didn’t have all that schooling-“, Kaz continued, softly taking Chase’s hand and unwrapping the crude bandage, “But I’ve had a lot of experience. And in my opinion, that doesn’t count for nothing.”

Chase winced at the sight of his knuckles. The swelling seemed to have worsened, and the bruising appeared darker. Frustration built in the back of his throat. Adam and Bree have definitely been hit harder than he had, punched harder than he had, and never earned more than a scratch.

“Yikes.” Kaz muttered, rummaging through the kit, “Possibly a hairline fracture. How bad does it hurt, scale of one to ten? Ten being the worst pain imaginable. ”

He narrowed his eyes, watching intently as Kaz retrieved a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide, gently cleaning the cuts. He bit back another wince, “Two.”

Kaz chuckled, patting the wounds dry and grabbing gauze and bandages. “Yeah right. Look, I know you’re a bionic superhuman and all, but there’s no way this thing isn’t at least a six.” He continued caring for his injured hand, expertly wrapping the bandage around the afflicted area and weaving it through his fingers.

“Why do you care?” Chase blurted out, immediately regretting the question and gritting his teeth together.

Kaz paused, glancing at Chases eyes and registering his questioning stare. “Well… you’re my friend, you’re hurt, and I know how to help. Plus, I highly doubt you would agree to going to an emergency room.” He grabbed a splint from the kit and tightened the straps around Chase’s wrist.

Chase blinked, slightly stunned, and silently watched as Kaz finished wrapping the bandage, securing and inspecting his handiwork. “I don’t need an emergency room; my capsule has healing capabilities.”

Kaz shrugged and studied Chase’s expression for a moment before letting go of the other man’s hand. “That any better?”

He flexed his fingers, sending dull bouts of pain up his arm in contrast to the sharper ones moments ago. He hesitantly pulled away, “Better-“ Chase muttered, “thank you.”

Kaz offered him a soft smile, “It’s no problem. Remember to ice it and maybe pop a few painkillers. You should be good as new after you sleep in your tube thingy”

Chase narrowed his eyes at the obvious ignorance and rose from his seat, returning to the lab table eager to forget this whole interaction and its painful vulnerability. It was easier that way.

Kaz followed him and stood at the other side of the table. “So, will you come up and celebrate with us? I know we technically didn’t catch them, but this is good for team morale.” He stuck out his bottom lip in a faux pout, “Please?”

Chase huffed, shaking his head and returning to placing the few small vials into a centrifuge. He wanted to say no, to tell him to leave him alone and let him work. That this was more important than some stupid party. But something was stopping him from doing so.

“Maybe… after I’m done with this.” He compromised with a sigh.

Kaz comically pumps his fist in the air, doing a little hop before jogging over to the hyper lift. “You won’t regret it!”

And with a flash, he was gone, and Chase was left in sweet solitude. He replayed their interaction in his head, a habit he acquired when he was a child, and was left with more questions than answers. It had felt strange to let Kaz care for him, though he’d done it before. Chase remembers waking up in Mighty Med, apparently after Kaz had saved his life. But this time felt different… it was strangely intimate.  

He didn’t notice the smile that crept onto his face as he continued working.

Chapter Text

The overhead light flickered. The steady whir of machinery helped  break up the silence as Chase sat in front of the computer. He sighed, running calloused hands over his face and through his messy hair. The loading icon inched across the screen; 89 percent done.

The sounds of Kaz’s party had faded hours ago, the resounding laughter had bounced off the walls of mission control in an irritating symphony. He took it as an overwhelmingly obvious sign that they didn’t care if Chase was there, or even notice he was gone. He figured they’d forgotten about sending Kaz down as some kind of courtesy. It was difficult to admit, but it stung a little.

Chase glanced at the corner of his screen, revealing it was already 5am. It was often that mission work kept him up late into the night, but he couldn’t care less. He was used to running on a few hours of sleep a day. He insisted to anyone who showed an ounce of concern that it helped keep his mind sharp, lack of proper rest forced his brain to work double time. Though, he’s noticed it starting to toll on him. Just yesterday he dozed off at breakfast, earning a few worried glances from the team when he’d been shaken awake. He promised as soon as they caught Roman and Riker he’d return to a normal sleeping routine. Though he wasn’t sure of the reality of that statement.

92 percent complete. Chase groaned and crossed his arms on the desk, resting his head. It was taking abnormally long to run a full analysis on the DNA, and without the distraction of the screen, he felt the heaviness of his eyelids and the steady pulse of pain from his hand, a cue that summoned Kaz into his mind once again. It seemed to be more and more often that Chase thought of him unprompted, and it confused the hell out of him.

A loud beeping abruptly shook Chase from his half-asleep state. He blinked the blur out of his eyes and glanced at the monitor. 100 percent completion.

*****

“What the hell does that even mean?”

The whole team sat squished together on the living room couch as rays of morning sun filtered through the large windows of the penthouse. Moments ago, Chase had half frantically and half excitedly woken everyone up, calling a team meeting and insisting he had important news. Oliver had already fallen asleep, leaning on Skylar’s shoulder awkwardly as Bree directed the somewhat hostile question at her brother.

“Guys, this is important! We’re one step closer to figuring out Roman and Rikers master plan. What could you possibly not have understood?” Chase argued, pacing back and forth in front of the couch.

Kaz and Bree shared a glance and shrugged. He looked Chase up and down, a maneuver that was becoming quite common, and noted his disheveled and exhausted appearance. Whatever it was he had just tried to explain to them had to be serious enough to garner this kind of reaction from him.

Kaz gently reached out and grabbed Chases’ wrist, stopping him in his tracks. “Hey, not everyone has an IQ of 250, alright? How about you try to explain it to us in simpler terms?”

His eyes darted to their unexpected physical contact, the softness and warmth radiating off Kaz’s hand was enough to make him shiver. He forced himself to pull away from the other mans grasp, worried that if he didn’t, he’d be tempted to stay.

Chase sighed, sitting at the edge of the coffee table and skimming through the data he’d printed out. “Fine. I ran a full analysis on the twins DNA and found something… concerning. According to these medical documents, all recorded data on superheroes that went to Mighty Med show that they have a special mutation that harbors their super abilities called the VIRTUS-9 gene. Without this gene, they would be considered a ‘normie’ and have no powers.”

Kaz raised his hand, “So, do me and Oliver have it?”

He nodded, “Yes, it tends to be genetic and lies dormant until something activates it. Like when you both were exposed to the Arcturion.”

Oliver yawned and stretched an arm around Skylar, which she swerved away from. “Wait, so we have this gene and could’ve been superheroes the whole time we worked at Mighty Med?”

Chase turned to Oliver with an exasperated sigh, “Yes. So glad you finally caught up,” He pinched the bridge of his nose and continued. “Anyways… the analysis showed that Roman and Riker don’t have any trace of VIRTUS-9 in their genetic makeup. It makes absolutely no sense; they shouldn’t be able to shapeshift!”

Skylar leaned forward, giving him a withering stare, “I don’t see the issue, isn’t this just a theory? What if they’re bionic like you and Bree? What if the mutated gene isn’t the only thing that gives us powers?”

“Studies have shown-” Chase tried, but Bree cut him off

“You’re only referencing a few medical documents. There is probably hundreds of outliers that could explain the twin’s situation. I’m sorry, Chase, but I have to agree with Skylar.”

He looked over all of them. They were just as disinterested as they were annoyed. His gaze lingered on Kaz, and he shrugged. The one-time Chase needed him to speak up and defend him was the one time he actually shut up.

They all rose from the couch and Bree placed a hand on her brother’s arm. “Maybe next time, wait till a decent hour to wake us up, hm? Ill make coffee… you look like you need it.”

He watched defeatedly as the three of them padded to the kitchen, leaving him and Kaz sitting opposite each other. He sighed, dropping his head into his hands and avoiding putting pressure on the splint. Maybe they were all right. In his attempt to prove the twins had something greater going on behind the scenes, all he proved was that he was paranoid.

A sudden warmth draped over his shoulder, and he slowly lifted his head from the self-pitying stance. He was met with Kaz’s gaze, who was perched at the edge of the couch, knees nearly touching Chase’s.

“Don’t listen to them. I trust your judgement, and if you really think there’s something going on and this whole gene thing is a clue, then I believe you.” Kaz offered a smile, kindness seeping from his stare.

“You shouldn’t,” He admitted with a sigh. “It’s probably nothing. Plus, I’m running on basically no sleep.”

Kaz gawked, lightly punching the shoulder he was holding onto. “Do my ears deceive me!? The all powerful bionic superhuman admits that he’s tired?”

Chase tried to give him a harsh look, anything that wouldn’t so easily admit the joy that squeezed at his heart when seeing his friend laugh. A smirk crept onto his lips as he punched Kaz’s shoulder back, “Don’t get used to it, fire boy.”

“Oh, I already have,” he extends a hand to Chase, offering to help him up as he stood. “Whaddya say we go see what’s for breakfast? Last night Skylar said she’d share her waffle recipe with us, though, that could mean something totally different on her planet.”

This gets a laugh from Chase as he accepts the other man’s hand, its warmth enveloping him once more. He had always suspected he was a little touch-averse, due to when he had less control over his bionic senses, touch was physically uncomfortable for him. Hugging was once suffocating and panic inducing, sending pinpricks down his body. Now it was just a little tingly. But still, it made him nervous; what if he didn’t put his hands in the right place, or somehow did the wrong thing? It was easier to just avoid it. But with Kaz, it felt natural. Safe. This whole thing had to be some kind of manipulation tactic. There was no other explanation as to why it felt this way.

He blinks, realizing he had been staring at Kaz for a moment too long. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

Just as they begin to walk to the kitchen, Chase stops, turning towards Kaz, “Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the party last night. I was a little… consumed by my work.”

Kaz smiles and shrugs, but if Chase didn’t know any better, he could’ve sworn he saw some disappointment in his eyes. “No problemo. There’ll be plenty more chances for celebration, and I won’t let you off the hook so easily next time.”

They both walk the rest of the way to the kitchen, the city skyline view just as breathtaking as ever, the sun glinting off the shiny metal buildings. Oliver sat at the island, rambling to Skylar as she listened absent-mindedly while stirring a greenish mixture. Definitely not earth waffles, Chase figured. Bree muttered curses to the coffee machine, trying and failing to get it to work. Note to self, fix coffee machine for Bree.

Just as Kaz and Chase sat down, all of their mission bands beeped loudly. Chase’s eyes widened as he read the mission alert; Roman and Ryker spotted tampering with a powerplant downtown. He silently revered the information. This meant he could potentially interrogate them or catch them off guard. Either way, it was an opportunity to finally prove himself.

“Alright team, suit up. We’ve got twins to catch.”

Chapter Text

The crispness of the air had begun to fade as the sun climbed higher in the sky, displaying the days shift to afternoon. The streets of downtown Centium city were calm, other than the occasional jogger or person walking their dog. The population density of people with superhuman abilities was higher in the city than anywhere else in the world, making it one of the safest, and therefore most hazardous places to live. Sure, there was hardly any petty thefts or robberies, but at least once a week a villain would decide to release an army of killer robots or attempt to take over the city for fun. Today was unusually quiet, which had all the citizens on edge.

The supercar skidded to a stop, all five members of the Elite Force taking no time to hop out of the sleek blue vehicle. The power plant was absolutely massive, the first thing that caught their eye was three massive tubular structures churning a constant supply of hazardous pollutants into the atmosphere.

They all hurried up to the fence, only to be met with a thick padlock over the entrance.

Chase nodded towards Oliver, “Use your cryoblast and super strength to break the lock.”

He nodded back, wrapping his hands around the lock and chains and concentrating his power into them. The metal creaked as he squeezed, not taking long before it shattered. Oliver swung the fence open and they rushed in, Chase leading and Skylar flying overhead as they made their way across the smooth concrete plains cast in shadow. The ground hummed with power and Chase sensed the massive generators beneath them.

They made it to the main structure, a security guard slumped against the wall. Kaz hurried to him and placed two fingers under his jawbone, searching for a pulse. “He’s alive… but that means Roman and Riker are here.”

Skylar descends from her flight around the facility, “They’re not outside."

Chase closed his eyes and focused his hearing. He picked up every breath and heartbeat from the team, the humming beneath them growing louder. A panicky feeling arose in his chest from the overwhelm of noises. He took a deep breath and felt a warmth on his shoulder, undoubtedly Kaz’s, and redirected his focus to the building they stood in front of. He heard the drip of a faucet, the squeak of a pipe, and then… footsteps. Voices.

He opened his eyes, “Roman and Riker are inside, up the stairs. We still have the element of surprise, so we can catch them off guard. Main mission is to restrain them for questioning, understood?”

Bree raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, “Shouldn’t we stop them from whatever they’re doing first? We can ask questions after they’re in police custody.”

“There’s no time,-“ Chase huffed, opening the main entrance door and beckoning for them to follow, “I’m team leader and I call the shots. Anyone have a problem with that?”

The team all shared a glance before Kaz spoke up, “No one is questioning your authority, Chase, but we’re just wondering if this is the best plan? Roman and Riker are powerful, they’ve almost taken us down one too many times.”

Chase’s expression hardened, “That’s why we’re taking them by surprise. If I can get the answers I need, it’ll be more valuable than just turning them in so they can escape a week later.”

Skylar shrugged, “The plan is solid, let's just hurry and get in there before they know we’re here!”

And with that, the team stealthily entered the building and ascended the flight of stairs. Chase summoned his laser bo staff as they crowded around the door, clear sounds of scuffling and arguing emanating from the other side. Chase held up three fingers and slowly counted down.

The team burst through the door, immediately met with the sight of Roman and Riker carrying boxes of metal parts, the control panel in front of them almost completely stripped. The twins’ eyes widen with surprise and Roman sneers, “Great, now we have to deal with them too. This is your fault, Riker!”

Chase scowls, pointing his staff at them, “Who else do you have to deal with? What are you planning!?”

The other twin laughs, a blue and purple bruise situated on his bottom jaw. “Look who it is, the little smartass twerp who punched me.” Riker dropped the box he was carrying and cracked his knuckles. “I’m gonna enjoy this.”

Everyone tenses, raising their fists and summoning their powers as they have a stare down, waiting for someone to make the first move. Suddenly, the twins grab each other’s forearms and swing in a circle, shapeshifting into a tornado and charging at them.

“Scatter!” Chase barks and everyone leaps out of the way, except Kaz. He stands his ground and shoots a continuous column of fire at the tornado, but it doesn’t stop them. Chase holds out his hand and puts up a forcefield wall in front of him, which sends a strange shooting pain through his head. He winces and yanks Kaz out of the way before the forcefield flickers, letting them through.

Oliver and Skylar take action. He shoots ice shards into the tornado as Skylar flies to the top and drops in. After a tense second, Skylar splits them apart, the force sending each of them flying to either side of the room.

Bree runs over to a shivering Roman and pins him down with Oliver and Skylar. Chase and Kaz rush to Riker. Chase holds out a hand, trapping Riker to the ground with telekinesis as Kaz stands close, hands ablaze.

“I’m going to ask again, and I expect you to answer nicely-” He threatened, tightening his telekinesis around Riker’s lungs. “Who do you work for?”

He sputtered and coughed, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Chase shot him a sharp look and pulled his hand into a fist, cutting off his hair supply for a moment before slightly releasing, leaving him gasping for air.

Kaz, more than a little concerned, stepped closer in front of Chase and held out a hand. “Chase, stop. You wanted to interrogate them, not torture them, remember?”.

He looked up at Kaz with a glare, but his features softened immediately when he saw the fear in the other man's eyes. Was he... afraid of him? He pursed his lips together and glanced down before releasing his grip on Riker slightly. He took a breath to try and tone down the rage that coursed through his veins. He was losing himself. A pang of anxiety shot through his heart at the thought of what he would’ve done if Kaz wasn't here. Was he really desperate and crazy enough to kill them?

He brushed away thought, though the anxiety wasn't so easily dismissed. He leaned closer to Riker, trying to hide the shake in his voice. “What are these parts for?”

Riker coughed, the smug smile never leaving his face. “I thought you were the smart one… still haven’t figured it out? And you're so good at taking orders from your little lackey! I guess I really have overestimated you.”

A low growl escaped Chase's throat, but before he could open his mouth to respond, Riker suddenly screamed, “Now!”

The outburst caught them all off guard, allowing leverage for Roman to reach in his pocket and pull out a metal sphere the size of a baseball. He threw it in the middle of the room and Chase’s heart dropped. He tried summoning a large enough forcefield to cover him, Kaz, and the rest of the team, but it flickered out and sent another shooting pain through his skull. Before Kaz could rush to his aid, the metal ball opened. Instead of an explosion like what was expected, it revealed a glowing white crystal.

Chase furrowed his brow in confusion until he heard a cry from Kaz, Oliver, and Skylar. They all grew a few shades paler and gasped for air, falling to their knees.

Chase immediately forgets about holding Riker down and crouches next to his friend, panic striking him in his core. “Kaz? Kaz what’s happening, are you okay?”

At the other side of the room, Roman gets up and shoves Oliver and Skylar to the ground. Bree runs at him, but he shapeshifts and appears behind her. He kicks her sharply in the side, sending her flying into the wall.

“No!” Chase cries, getting up to rush to her side while holding onto Kaz. He didn’t get far before Riker yanked him by the collar and punched him hard in the nose. His vision flashes white, the sound of their laughter echoing in his head. He pushes himself slightly off the floor, blinking the fuzz away as pain pulses through his face.

He sees his whole team on the ground Skylar, Oliver, and Kaz still gasping for breath. Bree wasn’t moving. Anger and fear gripped his heart as he forced himself to take a shaky breath. He needed to think… what was happening to them?

His vision trailed to the crystal, and it clicked. Roman and Riker were scrambling to grab the supplies they had stolen, and Riker yelled, “Get the Pallorite and let’s get out of here!”

He held out a shaky hand and summoned a forcefield to cover the crystal, ignoring the pain and concentrating everything on keeping it intact. Oliver, Kaz, and Skylar immediately gasped a breath, the color returning to their faces. Skylar seemed to recover quicker than the others, stumbling to her feet and glaring at the twins.

Riker cursed, “You little-” and started towards Chase before Roman stopped him.

“No, brother, forget it! We have to get out of here now!”

Riker reluctantly nodded, both of them shapeshifting into ravens and fluttering out the door. Skylar, now fully recovered, flew right after them.

Chase groans, wiping the blood that was undoubtedly flowing from his nose with his sleeve. He pushed himself off the ground and held out a hand to Kaz, still concentrating on keeping the crystal covered. “Are you okay?”

Kaz smiled weakly and accepted his hand, “I could ask you the same question.”

Chase smiled back and steadied the other man as he stood. Chases heart dropped as he remembered Bree, looking over to see her heavily leaning on Oliver. The distraction caused his forcefield to flicker and pain to ricochet around his brain. He immediately went back to focusing on the crystal, holding out his hands and calling out, “Bree? Is she okay?”

Kaz placed a hand on his shoulder, “I’ll go check, you find a way to stop that thing from… doing whatever it’s doing.”

He nodded and walked over to the crystal poking out of the metal ball as Kaz helped Oliver with Bree. He knelt in front of it and commanded his forcefield to form a full sphere around it instead of the semi-circle it was before. He used his telekinesis to float it closer towards him, inspecting it closer. Chase then willed it to become semipermeable and stuck his hands inside, closing the metal ball around it.

It seemed to be able to contain its power, so he made the forcefield disappear, which was a huge relief on his aching head. There was obviously something wrong with his powers, and unfortunately, he had a suspicion about what was causing it.

Chase hoisted himself off the ground, put the ball in his pocket, and walked over to Kaz, Bree, and Oliver. Kaz was gently pressing against her ribs and asking questions about the pain level as she leaned sat against the wall.

Chase knelt next to her and took her hand, “You alright?”

Bree winced as Kaz pressed another rib and muttered a quick apology. “I’ll be fine, I’ve had worse than a few broken ribs.”

Oliver opened a small Velcro back on his belt and retrieved a few tissues before handing them to Chase, “Here man, you’re bleeding all over the place.”

He looked down at the small pool of blood forming on the floor as it dripped off his chin. He accepted the tissues with thanks and held them to his nostrils, being met with a sharp pain in his nose. Great, he thought, probably broken.

Just then, Skylar returned, flying through the doorway and landing near the rest of the team. She was uncharacteristically out of breath, as she leaned her hands on her knees, “They got… away.”

Chase rose from his crouched position and patted Skylar on the back, “Don’t worry about it. How do you all feel? Whatever this thing is, it obviously only affected you guys, and I need to know the symptoms.”

All three of them chimed in at the same time, “Tired.”

He furrowed his brow, “Lethargy… interesting. While you all were exposed you seemed to have trouble respirating as well.” He looked deep in thought as he paced back and forth, continuing to hold the tissue to his bleeding nose.

Kaz frowned, looking around at the team, broken, bruised, and battered. “We can figure it out later, for now, let's get back to the tower and get patched up.”

Nobody opposed the idea, and they all began the trek back to the car. There was a heavy energy over the group, thick with failure and exhaustion. Chase knew that this whole thing was his fault, and they had barely anything to show for it. If he couldn’t figure out whatever this ‘Pallorite’ was, then they would have absolutely nothing. They loaded up into the vehicle and drove silently back home.

*****

The overhead lights in Mission Control hummed softly as Chase hunched over his lab station once again. He’d spent several hours breaking off small flecks of the crystal and running tests on them, to no avail. He was currently inspecting another fleck under a microscope when his computer pinged. He had collected a sample of Oliver’s blood while Kaz treated all their wounds, Chase now sporting a splinted hand and nose.

He opened the file and scanned the data almost instantly with his bionic eye. According to the results, a chemical compound in the Pallorite had completely disabled and attacked the VIRTUS-9 gene. It was violent and instant, and with that kind of direct abuse on the immune system, it was no wonder the symptoms were so severe.

He sighed and rested his elbows on the desk. The once steady pulses of pain in his head were now more erratic and sharper, which made it terribly hard to think. He wasn't sure how long he stayed like that before the hyper lift fired and Kaz appeared behind him. He almost immediately paled and had trouble breathing.

“Kaz!” Chase scolded, putting a forcefield around the exposed crystal with another shooting pain. It flickered and he hurriedly closed the ball. “I told you all not to come down here.”

He rushed to Kaz’s side, holding onto his arm and guiding him to a nearby chair. Kaz smiled sheepishly, “I know. Thank you by the way.”

Chase felt his face heat a little and prayed Kaz didn’t notice. “It's fine.” As he let go of the other man’s arm, he noticed just how warm he was. He placed the back of his hand on Kaz’s forehead, “You’re really warm, are you sick?”

Kaz laughed, “I appreciate the concern, but no. Ever since I got my fire powers, my temperature is always pretty high. I think it probably helps with making fire and not getting myself burned. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed.”

Chase's hand fell to his side and leaned against the table, “Oh… I guess that makes sense. I still don’t really know much about natural powers.” He trailed off, glancing at his computer before returning his gaze to Kaz, “How is Bree?”

“She’s alright. Skylar’s x-ray vision confirmed three broken ribs. She’s resting now.”

Chase’s heart panged with sympathy, which was admittedly unusual for him. Of course, he felt bad when something happened to his siblings or people he cared about, but this time it felt different. She was hurt because of him. “Good… but I still don’t have an answer from you. Why’d you come down?”

Kaz’s expression shifted to one of worry, “I wanted to see if you were alright. Everyone’s noticed your powers acting weird. And we’re worried. I’m worried.”

His eyes widened slightly at the confession. Why would he be worried? It was beginning to get exhausting trying to guess his motives. “Oh, that? It’s fine, my chip just needs recalibrating.” He turned around to avoid Kaz’s gaze and began putting away lab equipment, hoping the answer he gave was good enough to stop his relentless questioning.

Kaz’s eyebrow raised as he leaned forward in his seat. “Chase,” he sighed, “That sounds serious. Do I need to call Mr. Davenport?”

Well, that didn't work. “No, no its not serious. Every time me and Bree sleep in our capsules, it recalibrates and recharges our chips. I just… haven’t gone in it for a while, and when that happens, my powers malfunction.” He explains nonchalantly as he continues to tidy his desk.

Kaz gets up from his seat and grabs Chase’s arm, turning him back around. “Chase Davenport, I swear to God...”

Heat returned to his face as he met Kaz’s disapproving glare. It was interesting to see him like this, brimming with a mixture of concern and annoyance completely directed at his well-being. It was admittedly cute. A small smile crept onto his lips, “I’m guessing you’re not going to let me get back to work?”

A smile spread across Kaz’s face as well, the space between them growing slightly smaller. “You know me so well.” He continues holding onto Chases arm, walking backwards and leading him towards the hyper lift, “You’re going straight to bed- or- tube, I guess. Doctor’s orders.”

Chase laughed. He knew he needed to keep working, to figure this whole thing out before Kaz got hurt again. Oh, and everyone else. But the exhaustion had settled in his bones, the steady pulses of pain coming from his head, face, and hand, begging him to rest.

“Fine. But only because my doctor ordered me to.”

Kaz hummed in approval as they made their way to the hyper lift, disappearing to the higher levels of the tower with a flash of light.

Chapter Text

Chase’s head hurt like absolute hell, and it felt like it was only getting worse. He’d delt with headaches and migraines his whole life, Mr. Davenport suspected it had to do with an overload of information in Chase’s chip. Combine this and the fact that he hadn’t slept or recalibrated his chip in a few days, it would be an understatement to say that things are worse.

It had been a silent struggle between him and his adoptive dad for as long as Chase could remember. Painkillers worked, but they weren’t a long-term solution. Removing his chip worked, but they always had to put it back in eventually for missions. Mr. Davenport finally came up with a way to inhibit several of his bionic abilities to decrease the information input and general overwhelm of the device. It worked as a suppressor app that could almost completely “turn off” a power. It could either be concentrated into to several abilities to suppress them slightly, or just one to suppress nearly completely.

He usually had its full strength concentrated on his bionic senses so that they functioned like a normal humans would. It helped him feel like he had more control. But now that the suppressor app, and everything else was malfunctioning, his senses were back to their normal overwhelming blare. Which didn’t help with the headache.

The main living area of the penthouse was quiet, the lights dim. The nighttime glow of the city seeped in through the windows and distant noises of traffic leaked through the cracked balcony door. Chase heard a dog barking down the street and the soft music of the bakery on the corner. He heard the button on a crosswalk get pressed with an impatient 'wait'. He heard a baby screaming itself to sleep. Everything was so loud.

He walked with half lidded eyes, following Kaz through the living room. He noticed the soft dulcet tones of the other man’s voice, but he wasn’t quite sure what he was saying. For whatever reason, his hearing had decided to focus on a conversation a married couple were having while window shopping two streets over.

“Oh, isn’t that dress gorgeous? I have a pair of stilettos that would go perfect with it.”

“You’d look beautiful in it darling, it's just the price tag I don’t agree with.”

His eavesdropping session was interrupted by a sharp pins-and-needles sensation blossoming on his shoulder. He blinked the fog away and looked up to see a very confused Kaz standing close, his hand hovered close to himself as if he’d just touched a hot stove.

“Chase? Are you okay?”

He blinked again, the overhead light ten times brighter than usual. He took in his surroundings, realizing he was in the kitchen sitting at the table.

He nodded, squinting his eyes in pain at the motion. “I’m fine. Why are we here?”

Kaz furrowed his brow in concern, “I asked if you were hungry a minute ago and you said yes. You don’t remember?

Chase shrugged. He guessed he was subconsciously listening. He was hungry though. “Oh… sorry. I was just thinking about something else.”

Kaz studied his face, looking for any sign that something was seriously wrong. “You flinched when I touched you. What’s really going on Chase? You can talk to me.” He reassured, sitting opposite to him.

He felt himself drifting off again, listening to a girl complain on the phone about how hard it was to get a taxi at this hour. Kaz seemed to notice and reached for the other man’s hands, hovering over before actually touching him, as if asking for permission.

Chase felt a lump form in his throat, but he nodded anyway. Kaz slowly lowered his hands until they enveloped Chases, and surprisingly, the sensation wasn’t uncomfortable like the feeling of TV static. Instead, it was intensely warm and comforting. The sensation and physical touch seemed to ground Chases mind into the moment.

“I, um… I’m sorry. My bionic senses are back online cause of the malfunction. Its… hard to focus.” He tried to avoid eye contact, but Kaz’s gaze pulled him back in, like a moth attracted to a flame.

Kaz squeezed his hands lightly, “It’s all right, I can kind of tell. You look like you’re a million miles away.” he smiled, “What can I do to help?”

Before he could answer, Kaz noticed Chase staring at the open balcony door. He gave another reassuring squeeze before getting up and closing it, muffling the voices and traffic immensely. Kaz then closed the curtains and returned to the kitchen.

“Is that any better?” he asked, returning to holding the other man’s hands and slowly running a thumb over his knuckles in a soothing pattern.

Chase felt a flurry of confusing emotions whirl around his chest. Some felt like anxiety, but others were more like excitement. His heart picked up speed, “Yeah, it’s a lot better. Thank you.”

Kaz smiled, “Good. Now, are you actually hungry? We still have some leftover chicken tortilla soup that I made for the party last night. That sound okay?”

He tilted his head to the side, looking nothing short of dumbfounded. “You really don’t have to-”

Kaz let go of one of Chase’s hands, holding it up to stop him. “Nope, none of that. As your doctor, I highly recommend that you eat something. It’ll help you feel better since I’m pretty sure your blood sugar is astronomically low. Plus, I’m giving you some medications that aren’t good to take on an empty stomach.”

There was that im-not-taking-no-for-an-answer look again, etched in his features. Chase couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Soup sounds delicious.”

“Perfect.” Kaz let go of his other hand, leaving Chase missing that warm fuzzy feeling. “And don’t worry, I just want to give you a few painkillers. Nothing crazy.” He explained as he walked to the fridge and pulled out a Tupperware container.

Chase frowned, “Is it that obvious?”

Kaz smile faltered a little as he poured the soup into a bowl, “Not really, you hide it well. While you were disassociating a minute ago you said your head hurt.”

Chase felt his face flush and eyes widen. He lowered his face into his hands, a dull jolt of pain flaring from his orbital bone. Apparently, his nose isn’t the only thing Riker hit with that punch. “Great. Did I… say anything else?”

Kaz snickered and returned to his seat across the table, setting the bowl of soup down. “Why, afraid you might have confessed something?” he teased, holding his hand over the bowl as it glowed red, heating it up.

Chase removed his face from his hands, looking dazed. What does he mean by that?

He noticed Chase’s confusion and waved it off, “Don’t worry, you didn’t say anything else. Has that happened before?”

He watched intently as Kaz removed his glowing hand from over the bowl, the soup now steaming. He was about to respond, but a particularly painful jolt of pain took its course through Chases brain. He squeezed his eyes shut and ran a hand through his hair, trying to will it away to no avail. There was a loud screech of the chair across from him and a few footsteps before a gentle hand settled on his back.

“Yea, let’s take the acetaminophen now.”

After a moment, the pain dulled, and Chase opened his eyes. Kaz handed him a glass of water and two pills, and he accepted them graciously. He popped them into his mouth and washed them down with a sip of water, which made him realize how thirsty he was. He downed the rest of the glass in slow gulps, forcing him to pace himself.

Kaz scooted the bowl closer to Chase and put a spoon into the hot liquid. “Try to have a few bites, if you can manage.” He encouraged, resuming sitting in the chair across the other man. This time, Kaz didn’t even try to hide the concern on his face.

The smell of the soup was extremely strong due to his heightened senses, and he imagined the taste would be as well. Though the growl of his stomach outweighed the nausea.

“I… I’m sorry. To answer your earlier question, no I’ve never forgotten something right after I said it. It’s never been this bad and I’m sorry that you have to deal with me.” Chase didn’t expect his words to be so full of shame. It was extremely hard to accept someone’s genuine care and assistance when you are the root cause of all your suffering.

Kaz smiled sadly and shook his head, “I don’t have to deal with you. I want to. It's like I said yesterday, you’re my friend and you’re going through something right now. I want to be here.”

Chase wanted to brush off his words as just another empty sentiment, but they genuinely struck his core. He wanted this. He swallowed the threat of tears and just nodded, taking a bite of soup. Flavor exploded in his mouth, and it was surprisingly delicious. When he had his super senses, he could taste every imperfection in food, if there was too much salt, if it was slightly raw, and sometimes even the slight soap residue on the silverware. But this was perfect. Every flavor and spice complimented each other, and the chicken was perfectly cooked, elevated by the crispy strips of tortilla.

His eyes widened, “Oh my God, this is delicious! Where’d you learn to cook like this?”

Kaz laughed, obviously admiring his enthusiasm. “I used to cook for my eleven siblings all the time. Guess all the practice paid off.”

Chase swallowed his second bite and furrowed his brow at the other man’s response. “You have eleven siblings?”

“Yup. Both of my parents worked in the medical field, and most of my older brothers are in jail so… I spent a lot of time playing babysitter for all of the younger ones. But when I did spend time with them, they taught me basically everything I know.”

Chase blinked; soup halfway gone at this point. “That… actually explains a lot. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

Kaz smiled and shrugged, “It’s fine. I wouldn’t be who I am without them and those experiences.” They sat together quietly for a long moment as Chase ate. Kaz got up and grabbed his bowl after he was done, walking over to the sink.

“So, I’m curious, are all these symptoms because of your chip? Why can’t you just deactivate it, or take it out?”

“I wish it was that easy.” Chase said, getting up as well and ignoring the wave of dizziness that crashed into him. “My chip is perfectly attuned to my body, and it almost acts like another organ. Disabling it while its inside me would kill me, and removing it feels… weird. Like a part of me is missing.”

Kaz nodded while he rinsed out the bowl and accompanying silverware, glancing up at Chase every now and then. “So, recalibrating it in your capsule is really the only way?”

“Yeah, more or less.”

Kaz turned the water off and walked over to Chase who leaned on the island counter. He grabbed his wrist and felt his pulse absently, “Then let’s get it recalibrated.”

That excitement that was becoming more and more familiar fluttered in Chase’s chest, and judging by the way Kaz smirked, he had also felt his heart rate quicken. Chase playfully swatted his hand away so he couldn’t feel any more changes, and they both left the kitchen laughing.

*****

After a bit of bickering and convincing, Kaz had let Chase shower before finally getting some sleep. Now that the painkillers had finally kicked in, he could function semi-normally. Though, Kaz insisted on waiting until Chase was done, even if it was two in the morning.

He closed the bathroom door behind him and flicked on the bright lights. Chase was grateful to have the suppressor app back online, or that would have really hurt.

As he padded to the shower, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and almost audibly gasped. His skin was paler than usual and the dark circles under his eyes were concerningly dark. The splint on his nose did little to hide the obvious dark bruise that had formed, and it connected with an equally dark bruise under his eyebrow. He looked terrible.

He sighed a tired sigh and looked down at his hand, deciding he’d rather not get the splint and bandages wet as he unraveled it. It looked a bit better; the cuts had healed, and the bruise was a little lighter.

After another long moment of studying himself in the mirror, he stepped into the shower, the hot water cascading over his achy muscles. Involuntarily and inevitably, his thoughts drifted to Kaz and their previous interaction. Ever since they both met, Chase had suspected he had some kind of ulterior motive. It was obvious by the way he downplayed his own intelligence, questioned authority, and always got on everyone’s good side. But now, he couldn’t help but rethink the narrative.

What if this is just who he is? Why else would he stay up this late, tend to his wounds, and even make him a meal, other than the fact that it was just a part of his being. After all, he had practically raised an absurd number of siblings and was innately drawn to medicine.

A terrible intrusive thought infiltrated itself into Chases mind. What if he likes me? And for some reason, he didn’t immediately shoot the idea down. All the evidence was there, from the soft touches and gentle reassurances to the way Kaz even looked at him. Not to mention how he involuntarily reacted every time. Sweaty palms, increased heart rate, flushed cheeks, anxiety. It was all there.

Chase stared at the bottom of the shower as the water vortexed into the drain. What if he liked him back? Denial and second-guesses filled his head. No, there was no way, this all had to just be a big coincidence. Why the hell would someone as amazing as Kaz like… him.

He stayed in the shower until the water ran cold, mind racing with thoughts. He could never let anyone know he even considered liking Kaz, much less having contemplated it in the shower of all places.

Exhaustion hit him like a train when he stepped out, and through half-lidded eyes, he dried off and slipped into a comfortable pair of pants and a white T-shirt. He ran the towel over his hair a few times before leaving the bathroom, half expecting and half hoping Kaz had just gone to sleep.

Instead, he was still sitting sprawled out on the couch, playing video games on an old Game boy. Kaz perked up immediately when he saw Chase, slipping the device into his pocket with a yawn, “You’re looking better. Let’s get to bed then, hm?”

Chase nodded, walking ahead of him into their shared room and desperately trying to avoid him. Oliver was fast asleep on the bottom bunk that was situated on the right wall. Behind it in the middle of the room on the back wall was a blue tube that cast a glow on the whole room.

Chase swallowed the lump in his throat as Kaz walked him to his capsule, so close he could feel the heat radiating off the other man’s body. Kaz leaned against the frame as he stepped inside.

The temperature was perfect, and the smell reminded him of home, a welcomed distraction from Kaz’ burning stare. “Goodnight Chase. Wake Oliver up if you need anything.”

Chase furrowed his brow, “Why Oliver?”

Kaz smiled mischievously, “Cause I’m tired as hell.”

He rolled his eyes and suppressed a smile, reaching out and closing the door to his capsule. It was soundproof, but he could still almost hear Kaz’s laugh as he waved and mouthed ‘goodnight’ again. Refusing to fall for his charm, Chase tapped at the small control panel and turned the opacity all the way up.

Now that he was finally alone, he could process all the thoughts and feelings he’d been having. At least, he would've if he didn’t fall asleep almost immediately.

*****

Kaz wasn’t sure how long he had slept when his and Oliver’s mission bands beeped. He held his wrist up and read the alert; Roman and Riker were spotted near central park. He quickly turned off the alarm and glanced at Chase, making sure he was still asleep. Earlier, he had discreetly slipped his mission band off his wrist, knowing that if he heard it go off, there would be no convincing him to sleep again. If Kaz was honest, he was worried about him.

He heard Oliver sit up and groan, “We gotta go.”

Kaz sighed and sat up as well, the sounds of the girls next door suiting up suggested they’d better hurry. “I know… maybe we leave Chase out of this one. I don’t think it’s a good idea to wake him.”

Oliver rolled out of bed and grabbed his suit, “You sure? Catching these guys is pretty important to him, won’t he be upset?”

Kaz furrowed his brow and quietly climbed down the ladder. Was he sure? He knew Chase could handle himself, but the earlier fiasco was really medically worrisome. Plus, Kaz really had no idea how the chips worked. What if interrupting the recalibration messed with it even more?

“I’m sure.” He glanced back at Chase, and then at the door, finalizing his decision by following Oliver and quietly shutting it behind him.

Chapter Text

Chase’s mind drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness, half dreaming and half aware. Distant and fuzzy thoughts swirled around in his head. They whispered threats of the waking world; of the work he needed to get done. Of his responsibilities. But the part of him that remained within a dream only had thoughts for Kaz, and he wasn’t willing to let go of them just yet.

They sat on a sandy beach under a pink and orange sky as waves lapped on the shore. Chase only sat a few inches from Kaz, their hands nearly touching as they breathed in the scenery. He could almost smell the salt of the sea spray carried by a warm breeze, as if logically knew it should be there, but it simply wasn’t. This place was difficult to describe, so he never tried. He feared others would call him crazy for essentially tricking his mind to remain asleep in a realm he could control.

“A hypnopompic state.” The words didn’t quite come out of Chase’s mouth, they echoed around the sandy beach and bounced off the waves. It was impossible to tell where it came from as the words seemingly lingered all around them.

Kaz turned to him, but Chase’s eyes remained fixed on the horizon. Although, he sensed Kaz’s signature confused look plastered on his face. He would always furrow his brows and raise his top lip slightly, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he tilted his head to the side. Maybe he stared at Kaz’s face more often than he realized.

“Huh?” Kaz said, muddled.

Chase huffed a laugh and met his gaze, though it didn’t look quite right. Shapes and colors shifted, distorting his image and making the details of his face fuzzy. Though, he could still feel the other man’s unwavering presence. He noticed how his mind was calmer than usual, which made everything much easier to control. He felt how Kaz made his often cold and dark dreamworld warm and full of light.

Another threat of consciousness invaded his mind.

I have to stop them; everyone is counting on me.

His dream-self blinked heavily, willing the thought away. He refocused on Kaz and their conversation, and the anxiety almost immediately melted away. He really could stay here forever.

“What we’re in right now is called a hypnopompic state, it’s a state of consciousness I’m experiencing while coming out of sleep. It’s sort of like a transitional hallucination in the halfway point of dreaming and waking up.” Chase stated matter-of-factly.

He refocused his gaze to the ocean and dug his fingers into the sand. He felt another barrage of thoughts and knew his time was fleeting, despite his best efforts. The colors grew dimmer, and the lines became dull. The ache of anxiety tugged at his heart, and it was becoming too strong to ignore. He had to leave eventually.

Kaz laughed and put his hand over Chases, “So in your brief moments of unconsciousness, you’re choosing to sit on a beach with me, a version of Kaz that your subconscious is just… making up? I don’t think that’s what people who are just ‘friends’ do.”

Chase shrugged. Hallucination Kaz had a point. “Guess so. I’ve gotten better at controlling the environment and making myself stay here. But this is… different. I’ve never really had someone else here.”

He turned his palm up and interlocked fingers with him. He could almost feel the phantom-like squeeze and familiar warmth, as if he held hands with a ghost. The scenery began to crumble around them, the ocean evaporating into the now grey sky as sand slowly fell into the dark void. Chase pulled his knees up to his chest and sighed.

“I don’t know how to handle this. How do I know if this feeling is real? How do I know everything we have won’t be ruined if I tell him?” He’d never cried in a dream before, but he felt the sting in his eyes that threatened tears. “What if I can’t be who he wants me to be?”

Hallucination Kaz hummed, but it sounded far away. “You don’t know. You can’t.” his thumb ran along Chase’s knuckles, “But you can take the evidence you already have and… make an educated guess.”

He knew that was just him talking to himself, but it felt like something Kaz would say, showing off his random bouts of wisdom when he least expected it. And shit, it made sense.

The ache turned sharp, and Chase tried to grasp his hand tighter, but his fingers slipped through Kaz’s faded hand. “Please don’t go.” He whispered.

They were now left on a small patch of sand floating over a dark abyss. Chase turned to look at him one last time, meeting his nearly transparent form. He couldn’t hold the tears back any longer, but instead of running down his face, they floated up and in front of him.

He swore he could see what was left of Kaz’s smile as he murmured, “Trust yourself.”

The rest of the dreamworld crumbled away and Kaz’s frail outline faded, his last words ringing in his ears. As everything turned black, Chase felt his consciousness fully slip into the real world.

He didn’t have much time to reminisce as memories of yesterday came flooding back, inadvertently washing away the memories of the hypnopompic state. He sighed with frustration. From the beginning of this little experiment, he had tried to recall what he had done in his dreamworld, but the specifics had always seemed to slip away. He could still hear Kaz’s voice, and he recalled the general subject of their conversation. But most prominently, the fluttery feeling remained.

Chase was just full-on dreaming about him now? He really was hopeless.

He yawned and pushed the door to his capsule open, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. Their room was surprisingly empty. If Chase wasn’t always there to wake everyone up, they would usually sleep all day. His internal clock said it was more afternoon than morning, which would explain the grogginess. They were probably in mission control following the training regimen he’d set up for the team when it was established. Probably.

He runs a hand through his hair and trudges to the bathroom, noting the distinct lack of pain. His head didn’t feel like it was about to explode anymore, which in turn made everything seem much clearer, including his senses.

He paused at the bathroom door and slowly redirected the repressor app off his hearing, focusing on picking up any little noise in the penthouse. He furrowed his brows when he heard nothing but water rushing through pipes and electricity buzzing in the walls. There was nobody in mission control.

“It’s fine, don’t jump to conclusions Chase.” He muttered to himself.

He decided to go with the first rational decision that popped into his head. They were probably off on another Kaz-induced celebration that didn’t include him. Hell, they most likely only went because he was asleep.

This made just enough sense to convince his overactive brain to just roll with it. Right now, he decided to focus on himself, test if his powers were back to normal function, and run a full diagnostic. It made much more sense to regain control of his powers first before he could control the team again.

Chase stepped into the bathroom and flicked on the light, bracing to see his reflection again. To his surprise, he didn’t look half as disheveled as he did yesterday. The bruise on his nose was several shades lighter and the dark circles under his eyes had reduced themselves to his regular eyebags.

He gripped the edge of the sink and closed his eyes, taking a breath before running an internal diagnostic on his chip. Hopefully there wasn’t any substantial damage that a bit more capsule recalibration couldn’t fix. But of course, luck never seemed to be on his side.

A red triangle with an exclamation point in the middle flashed behind his eyes and he groaned. That kind of malfunction warning wasn’t great. It meant it was a complex internal issue that would require removal his chip to find the source of the malfunction. He made a note to call Mr. Davenport to see the next time he would be in town to fix it.

Of course, he knew how to take out his chip himself. He is the smartest man in the world after all. But frail ego boost aside, he was too afraid to somehow damage it. Without his chip he was… just some guy. A nobody, really.

Chase sighed. It would be best not to use any powers for a while before they can find out the root of the issue. Until then he needed to make sure Kaz was safe. And the rest of the team.

After quickly rinsing out his morning breath and using the restroom, he made his way into the hyper lift. With a flash, he was in the lab once again, greeted by the familiar smells and stale air. The crystal still sat encased in its metal shell on his desk which in turn lifted a weight off his shoulders he didn’t know was there. This was his only clue and to lose it would be devastating.

Chase grabbed a clean beaker from the cabinet, briefly reminding him of when he broke one in front of Kaz and filled it from the sink. Sure, it was unhygienic and an obviously improper use of lab equipment, but for once he didn’t really care. He drank the whole thing after realizing how thirsty he was, and filled it up again, bringing it to his main workstation.

 He sat down and opened the metal ball, inspecting the crystal. All he really knew about it was that it attacked superhero-specific immune systems, and it was most likely an alien substance. It wasn’t a lot to go off of, but it was something. He just needed to figure out how to neutralize its effects.

Suddenly, his super senses perked up, alerting him of footsteps in the lobby. They were back! He could finally confirm his suspicions that they were absolutely not doing anything suspicious. He quickly closed its shell and set it back onto his lab desk, nearly sprinting to the hyper lift.

He stepped into the eerily quiet living room. Normally there would be some sort of game set up messily on the coffee table while everyone barely participated, watching as the TV blared a show just a little too loud. Usually a cartoon, per Kaz’s requests. He heard a button being pressed on the elevator, making his heart spike at the thought of seeing Kaz again after his recent revelations.

To pass the time he lifted his wrist to check if there were any messages on his mission band. His heart, which was just beating with excitement, immediately sunk into his stomach when he saw it wasn’t there. Not because it could have been left somewhere and he had just forgotten, but because he knew he didn’t take it off. He’s never taken it off.

Before he could begin actually panicking, the penthouse began to shake. It felt like an earthquake. Chase grabbed the back of the couch for stability. Pictures and decorations fell of the walls and shelves, and he quickly held out a hand, catching everything with a small forcefield. His attention was then directed to a flashing red light above the elevator. It wasn’t moving anymore, and they were all still inside it.

A larger picture hit the ground hard and shattered as the lights flickered. The shock of the situation had finally begun to wear off as he frantically looked around, trying to figure out what to do. The infrastructure of the building groaned, and Chase silently cursed. He was currently in the tallest building in Centium city during a major earthquake, while all his friends were trapped in the elevator.

Now that he thought about it, Centium city had never experienced an earthquake of this size, it was nowhere near any fault lines! This had to be Roman and Rikers doing, it just had to.

Making split-second decisions wasn’t his preferred method of problem solving, but it would have to do for now. Chase released all of the small forcefields, letting everything crash to the floor and erasing all of his previous efforts, and pressed his hands together. He switched the suppressor app off and concentrated everything into the new forcefield, slowly moving his hands apart. So much for not using his powers for a while. But this was the only obvious solution he saw, and he would rather die than his friends and all the innocent people around them be at risk of the building collapsing.

Strangely, this force field glowed purple with power instead of the usual blue. As he spread his arms wider, it grew larger than the interior of the penthouse and finally encircled the entire building. The shaking immediately stopped, converting to a buzz of vibration in the ground at the surrounding movement.

The strain from using this much power was expected as he squeezed his eyes shut, holding his hands out and concentrating. It felt similar to when he tried to use two powers at once, which did result in him passing out. He’d like to think he’s gained more control of his abilities since he was younger and not gotten weaker, but the doubt was hard to ignore as he tried to hold up an entire skyscraper.

Finally, after what felt like hours, though realistically it only lasted a minute, he felt the vibrations from outside stop. He quickly released the forcefield, dropping to his knees in exhaustion. The penthouse was a mess, but at least it was still standing. Chase grabbed the back of the couch again and hoisted himself up to his feet, checking to see if the elevator was functioning again. Thankfully, it was.

If there wasn’t a problem with his chip, there certainly would be now.

*****

Kaz lead Bree, Oliver, and Skylar into the lobby, grateful to be greeted with an air-conditioned room. Oliver dramatically flopped onto a leather couch against the wall that looked a little too firm to be comfortable.

“Well, that sure was fun.” Bree said, exasperation in her voice evident as she sat in an accompanying leather armchair.

The mission didn’t go great as Roman and Riker had led them through a city-wide goose chase. Every time the team got close enough to try and use their powers they shapeshifted and got away. They never went far and often choose to pick on some poor civilian, dangling people over balconies or shifting into a tornado and flinging cars into buildings.

Luckily with some sub-par leadership from Kaz, no one got injured. He didn’t want to be the stand-in mission leader, but everyone had nominated him since he chose to leave Chase out of this one. It was harder than he thought, maybe he could get some tips from Chase. Definitely because he cared about the complex art of leadership and not because it would be an excuse to spend more time together.

Something about this mission seemed off though, it was like Roman and Riker were just trying to distract them. Which didn’t make sense since they worked alone… right? Who or what would they try to distract the team from?

Kas clasped his hands together and turned to face the others, “Hey, I know that one didn’t go… great. But at least everyone’s safe! Who knows, maybe the twins just woke up a little cranky and decided to take it out on normos?” He added, mostly trying to convince himself.

This didn’t seem to assure anyone, Skylar rolled her eyes as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “They were obviously doing all of that for a reason. A reason that Chase probably could have figured out. Why didn’t he come exactly?”

A mix of embarrassment and anger flared in his chest as they all looked up at them, expecting an answer. Now they cared about Chase’s input?

“You guys should have seen him last night, he was delirious! He hadn’t slept for days, and you’ve all seen how his powers have been going haywire.”

Oliver sat up, “Yeah, the mission was a bust anyway, we would have woken him up for nothing. We’ll just tell him about the mission and he’ll probably figure it out.”

Kaz couldn’t help but smile at his friend for backing him up. Despite everything, he knew he could always rely on him. Apparently, their reasoning was good enough for Skylar, she just shrugged and headed towards the elevator. Though he thought he heard her mutter something under her breath about how she has to do all the work around here.

He brushed it off, everyone was tired from having to get up so early. He went over and offered a hand to Oliver, helping him off the couch. Bree also got up with a groan and Kaz silently watched, making sure her ribs weren’t bothering her anymore. Their capsules either really did have healing capabilities, or she was just good at hiding it. He guessed it just runs in the family.

They all got into the surprisingly spacious elevator and Kaz had to stop himself from pressing all the buttons. As dumb as it sounded, he really did just like how they lit up. It would also be a welcomed distraction to the lecture he was about to receive from Chase. He really hoped he was still asleep.

Suddenly the building started to shake, making everyone stumble and hold onto the rails. The elevator stopped and flashed “Emergency” on the screen above.

“What’s happening?!” Bree yelled

“I don’t know! Find a way out!” He responded as the lights started to flicker.

Everyone was panicking now, looking around for any sort of escape. Oliver stumbled to the doors and started prying them open, making the whole elevator creak.

“Stop, you’re going to make the whole thing come down!” Skylar shouted.

Just as Kaz was contemplating whether or not they could somehow fly and push the elevator up, what looked like Chases forcefield passed through the interior. After a brief moment, the shaking finally stopped.

“Was that Chase?” Bree questioned, looking worried.

Was he really holding onto the entire building? Kaz had no idea he could do something like that. After another long minute of everyone holding their breath, the lights flickered back on, and the control panel seemed to be working again. He sighed with relief as they continued their ascent to the penthouse, all of them still clutching the railings for deal life.

When the doors finally opened with a ding, Kaz was the first to rush out, a bit motion sick from whatever had just happened. He hardly had time to process the state of their home before meeting Chase’s gaze. He was heavily leaning on the couch, looking paler than usual. Shit, that had taken a toll on him.

“Where the hell were you guys!?” His eyes scanned them over, obviously noticing their mission suits and looking more than a little distressed.

Kaz tried getting closer to help him, but Chase held up a hand and backed up. “Don’t, Kaz.”

Trying not to let that hurt his feelings he sighed and glanced back at the others for any kind of help. They just stood there awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. “Chase, I’m sorry. I should have told you we were going on a mission, but you would have wanted to come! It wasn’t important anyway, Roman and Riker just lead us through the city, they didn’t take anything or do something that would give us clues about their plan. If I would have known-“

“You took off my mission band, lead my team to play into their obvious distraction, and almost got yourself killed in the elevator!” He seethed, “I trusted you Kaz! Was this your plan all along? You just wanted to take over and be mission leader?”

Taken aback, he raised his voice right back at him, “You really think I care about who’s mission leader?! I care about you, that’s why I did all of this. I’m sorry I made a mistake!”

Chase’s glare softened slightly, but he waved Kaz off with a scoff. Kaz wanted nothing more than to stop him as he stumbled to the hyper lift, but it seemed he had already made up his mind. “Don’t come down to the lab. I’m working.”

And just like that, he was gone. He turned to face the others hoping the guilt on his face wasn’t so noticeable. Oliver walked up to him and grabbed his shoulder. “You did the right thing buddy. He’ll come around.”

Kaz gave him a half-hearted nod as everyone left to their rooms to take off their suits… or avoid any more awkward tensions. He couldn’t blame them.

Before Bree could leave, he quickly got her attention. “Bree, wait! You know more about chips and stuff than I do, could putting that big of a forcefield around the building have, I don’t know, damaged it at all?” Or him he thought absently.

She shrugged, looking just as concerned as he felt. “I’m not sure, it’s always been iffy with his powers. But I think it’s alright since he was conscious when we found him.”

His heart sank. What did she mean by conscious?

“Anyways,” She continued, “Mr. Davenport should be coming soon for his monthly visit, but I can see if he can come sooner. I’m honestly worried about him too.”

Kaz nodded, “That would probably be good since I don’t think he wants anything to do with me right now…” It hurt to admit, since he had been trying so hard to get on his good side. It felt like all their progress had just been washed down the drain.

She smiled sympathetically, “Don’t worry about that, he’ll come around. Matter of fact you’re probably the only person he’d forgive that quickly. I’ve never seen his so enamored with someone.”

He felt a sudden heat flush to his cheeks, “What, no! why would he- I wouldn’t, I mean he isn’t-”

“Hey, don’t worry!" Bree interrupted with a grin. "Your secret’s safe with me. Just don’t hurt him, ok? He’s still my brother.”

Kaz decided not to dig himself into a bigger hole and just nodded. She laughed and left him alone in their trashed living room. He sat at the edge of their white couch, head swirling with thoughts and emotions. He wasn’t sure if Chase felt the same way. Sure, there were some obvious signs, but maybe that was nothing. Maybe this was just all in his head. Maybe he was just crazy.

It was all up to him to keep the team together. To make the hopeless seem hopeful and resolve any arguments that would always bloom over nothing. It was exhausting, constantly making sure everyone was happy. But he had to.

He glanced at the hyper lift, aching to make things right and see if Chase was really okay. Ultimately, he decided against it, and left to somehow convince Oliver to clean up the place instead of him.

Chapter Text

Betrayal was a funny feeling. Truth be told, he wasn’t even that angry at Kaz. Sure, he shouldn’t have taken his mission band and led the team into danger without at least telling Chase. But realistically he knew why Kaz did it. That’s just who he was, kind and considerate but terribly naïve to any future consequences.

He didn’t even really know where the deep hurt of betrayal came from, just that he had it. Maybe it was because he felt entirely responsible for anything that happened to them, and he would never be a good enough team captain. Maybe it’s because he felt weak and yet afraid of his own power. Nothing was lined up, nothing made sense.

What if something had happened to them? As much as he pretended not to care, he did. And he wasn’t sure he could live with himself if they never came back from some stupid mission.

Chase entered mission command, still reeling over his little outburst with Kaz. He already felt the guilt seeping in, remembering the look the other man gave him. Though with an all-in-one combination of a new migraine and how terribly drained he was, at least the guilt was somewhat numbed. Or at the back of his mind, at least.

The lab station was just as trashed as the rest of the building. He was so distracted with his thoughts that he didn’t realize the crystal wasn’t in its usual spot. He rushed to the table and looked around frantically, finally finding it open on the floor.

He crouched down to grab it, pausing when he saw that half of it looked like it had… melted off. There were shards of glass around it and it lay in a puddle of water. It suddenly clicked as he held it up to get a closer look.

“My water beaker must have fallen over and gotten it wet,” Chase mumbled to himself. “So Pallorite can be destroyed… it disintegrates with water.”

Feeling giddy from this new revelation he stood up, crystal in hand, a little too fast. He grabbed the back of his swivel chair and pulled it over, slumping in it instantly. Blinking the stars out of his vision, he groaned with annoyance. Yet another symptom for Kaz to fuss over. Actually, maybe it wasn’t so bad.

He was hesitant to run another chip diagnostic. Hopefully the damage and strain from stabilizing and entire skyscraper wasn’t too extensive, but now that he thought about it, it definitely was.

Chase’s mind drifted back to Kaz, as it so often did. I care about you. He had said it so simply, so easily as if it was just second nature for him. Kaz seemed truly remorseful, and Chase appreciated that, but he was angrier and more scared of the fact that they could have gotten hurt. His sister, his friends, his… his Kaz.

He knew he needed to go apologize, but that task was more daunting than anything. Plus, he had work to get done. With this new information about the crystal, he could finally figure out some kind of counter measure to stop Roman and Riker. And save everyone.

*****

A week went by without a single mission alert, which was suspicious in and of itself. The team wasn’t complaining though, as they were enjoying the bit of time they had off. That morning, Bree and Skylar announced they were tired of being cooped up in the penthouse and opted to go shopping, already having asked Oliver to tag along to carry their stuff. He agreed a little too enthusiastically

Chase had insisted they stay alert and rush back as soon as they could if anything, and he meant anything, were to happen. They were still oblivious to whatever the twins were up to, and he wasn’t taking any chances.

Kaz, however, was looking forward to a quiet morning. After a long week of avoiding his friend that he thought of constantly, Kaz was excited to finally relax. Emotions are exhausting. They had exchanged awkward glances and short conversations, but he could tell Chase was avoiding him just as much as he was.

He wanted to apologize again, but Bree had stopped him saying something about how Chase had to come to him? He didn’t know, but he decided to trust her judgement. She had been in relationships before after all.

Anything Kaz had ever tried to initiate with anybody always ended up a short fling. It had taken a pile of doubts and a lot of confusing conversations to realize he wasn’t even attracted to girls. It always felt performative when he tried, like this is what he should like. But he just didn’t.

It wasn’t something he liked to share, exactly. He just figured those who really wanted to know would figure it out eventually. But it was weird with Chase. He didn’t even know if he could like him in that way. There were signs of course, like how he could so easily fluster the other man. Blushing that hard wasn’t exactly something someone could hide. He figured maybe Chase had feelings but was just as confused as he was when he started questioning things.

The confident part of him wanted to march right on down to the lab and confess his feelings, friendship be damned. But no… he couldn’t. He shouldn’t! At least not until they made things right and everything didn’t feel so goddamn awkward.

He closed the curtains sloppily and fell into bed, beams of morning light still streaming into their room. Maybe a little nap while they were gone would make everything ok again. Like things would just fix themselves! He knew they wouldn’t.

Lulled halfway to sleep by his messy train of thought, he was abruptly made aware again after a loud thump. He shrugged it off and closed his eyes again, it was probably just Chase taking his packages down to the lab. He was always ordering equipment and hard-to-pronounce chemicals for his experiments.

After almost falling asleep again, he was interrupted by the surprisingly loud sound of papers rustling, cardboard ripping, and muttering. He propped himself up a little, squinting at the open door which let in a little too much light.

Kaz flopped back down, burying his face into the pillow. He tried going back to sleep, but he was fully awake now, too curious as to what Chase could possibly be doing. Suppressing a smile, he pushed himself out of bed and trudged to the living room.

Sure enough, Chase stood in front of one of the floor to ceiling windows in the living room, which was now covered in papers and sticky notes. He stared at one of the eye level notes, mumbling to himself incoherently. Kaz was often amazed at how his mind worked. What can he say, intelligence was attractive.

He walked closer to him, too distracted to hear Kaz’s footsteps apparently.

“Did you know you talk to yourself a lot?”

Chase let out an effeminate shriek, quickly turning to Kaz. “God, you scared me!” He looked the other man up and down, noting his disheveled appearance. “Did I wake you up?”

Kaz laughed and ran a hand through his hair, feeling how it stuck up in different directions. “Nah, couldn’t fall asleep in the first place with how much noise you’re making.” He teased and pointed to the window, “What’s all this for?”

Chase smiled, oblivious to the taunting, “I’m glad you asked! So, I’ve made some huge breakthroughs with the Pallorite and all I need to do now is chart what the twins have been stealing, see the connections, and figure out what they’ve been building. It’s all in plain sight!”

He explained it so enthusiastically, practically ripping a paper off the window and handing it to Kaz. It had a picture of some kind of mechanical part with harshly written notes at the bottom. It was like a child showing their parent a drawing they made, and Kaz had to suppress yet another smile.

“I call it, the evidence window.” He explained, gesturing at said window.

Kaz nodded, looking confused, “Okay… why up here though? Why emerge from your desolate cave?” He said in a dramatic tone, doing a bad impression.

He rolled his eyes and took the paper back, “Okay, first of all, I don’t sound like that. Second, I have multiple experiments running in my “cave” currently and there’s more room up here.”

Before Kaz could ask, Chase continued, speaking fast. “Since it can be neutralized by water, I’ve placed a small piece of it in every chemical liquid I could find in the lab cause y’know, what if we have more Tetrahydrofuran on hand instead of water and we need to dissolve the crystal?”

Kaz blinked, watching as Chase scribbled something down on a sticky note, sticking it to the window.

“Wow.” he said, sitting crisscross on the floor and staring at Chase. They were both still in their pajamas, but they looked far from tired. “Sounds complicated.”

Chase shrugged, eyes darting from page to page as he read his notes. “Maybe they made some kind of seismic inhibitor…”

Eventually Chase glanced at Kaz, finally noticing the staring. He had his elbow propped up on his knee, holding his head up in his hand and smiling ever so slightly. The familiar butterflies made their appearance once again, fluttering in his stomach.

“What is it?” he asked curiously.

Kaz’s eyes widened as he redirected his gaze to the floor in front of him. “Nothing, nothing. Sorry.”

Chase tilted his head to the side, hesitating before taking a step forward and joining him on the floor. “No really, what is it? Did my explanation not make sense, because I can-”

“No no, it makes sense! Well, I understood most of it…” He looked up and they made eye contact. There was a faint pink across Chases’ nose and cheeks, and based off the heat in his own face, he looked the same. “It’s nothing, really.”

He was so stupid! That was literally God given chance to say something, anything! And he blew it. So much for being confident.

Chase scooted a little closer so that their knees were touching, fidgeting with his fingers as if he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

“Okay then.” He said, pausing for a second. “Hey I… I’ve been wanting to apologize. I’ve been wanting to apologize. I’m not mad at you; I never really was. I was just scared in the moment. Scared to know that if I had failed, you all could have gotten hurt, or worse.”

Kaz finally decided to take the initiative and grabbed Chase’s hands with a squeeze. He loved that they were always a little cold so he could warm them up. His little flustered expression told Kaz all he needed to know.

“Thank you, Chase. The fact that you’re apologizing at all is huge, it means a lot.”

Chase squinted his eyes at him, though he didn’t pull his hands away. “What do you mean by that? I say I’m sorry all the time! In fact, I’m great at it!”

Kaz raised an eyebrow at him, and he dropped the façade, devolving into a fit of giggles. Kaz laughed right along with him, grateful to put that whole ordeal behind them. The way he laughed was absolutely adorable.

“Ok,” Chase laughed again, talking in between breaths. “Maybe you have a point.”

“I absolutely have a point! Seriously, when was the last time you even said the phrase “I was wrong”?”

Putting on an appalled expression, Chase dramatically put a hand over his chest, “Now I’m just offended. Bold of you to think I’ve ever been wrong.”

After another fit of laughing, Chase couldn’t even remember what he had been doing. They made eye contact again, staring as if they would never pull away again.

Their smiles slowly faded and they leaned forward ever so slightly, almost instinctually. Kaz didn’t think their faces could get any redder and he was afraid the other man could hear his heartbeat threatening to beat right out of his chest.

Kaz slipped his hand away from Chase’s, slowly lifting it up to his face. It hovered for a moment as if unsure, afraid the other man would back away. Instead, he leaned into Kaz’s touch, lifting an unspoken weight off his chest.

They leaned closer, breaths now being exchanged, their shared heat made the room feel like it had raised to 100 degrees.

“Kaz, I…” Chase said, barely under a whisper.

The elevator sent a jarring ding through the penthouse, and they quickly backed away. They shot up, standing apart while avoiding each other’s gaze. Kaz pretended to read something important off his phone and Chase returned to flipping through his stack of papers. Kaz silently cursed. Of course someone had to interrupt!

To their surprise, the trio hadn’t returned. Instead, Mr. Davenport walked in carrying a duffel bag and a worried expression. His eyebrows unfurrowed when he caught sight of the two, rushing over to Chase and trapping him in an uncharacteristic hug.

“Oh God, I’m so glad you’re okay. I tried to come earlier but I got so wrapped up, you wouldn’t believe!”

Chase looked over at Kaz while his father hugged him, shrugging with a smile. Kaz waved it off, signaling that it was alright.

Mr. Davenport took a step back and looked him up and down, glancing at Kaz as well. “You guys okay? You’re both redder than a ripe tomato.”

“It’s just hot in here!”

“We just had spicy food!”

They blurted the excuses out at the same time. Mr. Davenport looked puzzled for a second, but the explanations seemed to tide him over. “Oookay. Anyways, Chase. Bree told me everything. What the hell were you thinking!? You’re not calibrating your chip? Holding up the penthouse! Why do I even try to keep it working if you’re just going to trash it?!”

Chase frowned, looking guilty. “Sorry Mr. Davenport…”

He sighed and pulled his son into another hug, “It’s fine, I know you were just keeping them safe. I’ll have to run an external diagnostic on your chip…when was the last time you removed it?” He questioned, pulling away and holding Chase’s shoulders.

Kaz wasn’t sure if he should leave, but he had to admit he was curious as to where this was going.

“I, uh… I haven’t.”

He sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine, that’s fine!” He glanced at the evidence window behind them and gestured towards it, “What’s all this?”

“I’m trying to piece together the twin’s plan. I messaged you about the Pallorite, but these are all the parts they have stolen.” Chase explained, staring at the window as well.

Mr. Davenport hummed and plucked a page off the wall. “Looks like you could use all of this to build some sort of flying mechanism… like a rocket or a missile or something.”

Chase’s eyes widened, “Of course! That’s what I’ve been missing!” He practically ran at Kaz who had been slowly backing up this whole time, taking his hands and jumping up and down.

Kaz jumped too, shaking his head. “Yeah, of course! What does that mean!?”

Chase quickly released him after realizing Mr. Davenport was staring. “Oh, uh, right! What if they built a rocket, launched it into space which caused the earthquake, filled it with Pallorite to launch it at Centium city! The impact would make the crystal explode into a fine dust and render all the superheroes incapacitated!”

His face suddenly fell, and he looked back at the evidence wall again. “What if they want to send a rocket from space into Centium city, exposing everyone to the Pallorite and rendering all of the superheroes as incapacitated.” He repeated.

The other two were quiet for a long moment before Kaz spoke up. “We can’t let that happen.”

Chase nodded, a grim expression on his face. “No, we can’t.”

Chapter Text

The sun had begun to set, painting the foggy sky of Centium city with pink and orange hues. Everything was quiet, as if everyone was lying in unspoken anticipation of what was to come. Their newfound situation was dire to say the least. If the twins managed to pull this off, every superhero in the city would die, leaving the world a much more dangerous place. It’s as if everyone could sense something bad was about to happen.

There wasn’t much time to enjoy the sunset or the eerie quiet of the city as the team had been ushered into mission control when the other half had returned. They gathered around the holo table as Chase and Mr. Davenport updated them on the situation. However, much of the explanation had been done by his father as Chase was occupied with… other things. Like the seemingly impossible task of keeping his face a reasonable color when he looked at Kaz.

He appeared as if he was having just as much as a hard time. Whenever they had locked eyes, it took Kaz everything in his willpower to not smile. But this wasn’t right, they shouldn’t get to be happy or celebrate their now apparent feelings for one another. They had to focus; lives were at stake.

Chase busied himself by hacking into NASA’s databases to see if there were any unrecorded missile or rocket launches into space. As he typed on his handheld device, he swore he could feel Kaz’s burning stare perforating into him.

Sure enough, there was a file on an unauthorized launch exactly a week ago. Unfortunately, the file was small, and they had little evidence. Only a blurred photo of the ship as it exited the atmosphere was included in the otherwise lacking file.

If Chase had to guess, he’d say they caused the earthquake on purpose somehow to avoid any unwanted attention from sending a Pallorite-filled ship into space. The thought caused him to roll his eyes. It was just so extra on the twin’s behalf.

When he looked back up, he and Kaz made eye contact again. He tilted his head to the side and mouthed the words, you okay? Not too long ago, Chase would have thought this was just another attempt at manipulation to get him to let his guard down. But now he knew with certainty that it was completely genuine. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed it before, there was such a clear look of longing and adoration in his eyes.

Oblivious as he might have been then, it no longer felt like his brain was trying to operate in a thick cloud of doubt and confusion. All those little acts of kindness and selflessness were because he cared. Not because he had some master plan to become team leader and render Chase useless. Kaz genuinely cared about him, and it was on a level deeper than friendship. Even now as they discussed the potential end of the world, he was still checking to see if he was okay.

I’m fine He mouthed back with a smile. He looked back down at his device, worried that continuing to risk such long glances would raise suspicions. How would the team take to them being in a… relationship? Is that what Kaz wanted? The sudden realization made his lungs feel tight. What did Kaz expect from him now that they were closer? What exactly were they? How would-

“Which is why we need to find out when they’re going to send it to earth. There has to be some reason as to why it’s just been floating around in space for a whole week. Your guy’s new mission is to find out why”

Mr. Davenports instructions cut through his spiraling thoughts. The team immediately started discussing ideas and attempting to make a plan for the difficult task ahead of them. Chase wanted to chip in, but he felt distant and fuzzy. His head began to throb, the pain ostensibly originating from behind his eye.

He risked another glance at Kaz.

And God, he was beautiful. Even though they stood in a darkened mission control, illuminated only by the blue light of the holo table, he was enough to stop Chase’s thoughts in their tracks. Even his newly formed headache seemed to pause its dull ache just to admire him. It felt so freeing to finally admit to himself that he was viciously physically attracted to this man.

We need to talk Kaz mouthed, raising his eyebrows as if to ask if it was okay.

Chase swallowed the newly formed lump in his throat and nodded. It was inevitable, and yet it still made him incredibly nervous. They needed to discuss what had happened only hours ago, though it felt like days. Kaz raised his hand off the table ever so slightly, contemplating whether or not to reach for the other man. Ultimately, he decided not to, and Chase tried to hide his disappointment.

Remembering how Kaz would essentially taunt him with small gestures of physical affection only made the desire for him deepen. All he wanted to do was crawl into his freakishly warm embrace and listen to the steady thrum of his heart as it lulled him to sleep. He never thought he could crave affection so deeply. Never in his life had he thought this way of anyone else, especially not someone who would want to reciprocate. And yet, based off the look Kaz was giving him, it appeared he felt the same way. His fingers twitched as if itching for his touch.

“Alright, it’s settled then.” Mr. Davenport announced. Chase was suddenly made painfully aware that he had not been listening to a single word. He silently scolded himself for making his thoughts wander to a place like that.

“You four go out and check out that lead for Roman and Rikers base. The source was pretty solid; said they saw a bird change into a man and go down this alleyway.” He pulled up an image of said alley on the table, sending the coordinates to their mission bands. “Remember, this is a stealth mission, so do not make yourselves known, do not engage in battle.”

Wait, four? Chase was about to ask when Davenport clasped him on the shoulder. “Chase will be staying here with me, but we’ll be on comms if you need us.”

“Mr. Davenport I-"

“Nope, no, nuh-uh. You’re not going on any missions until I fix your chip.” He said insistently.

Chase had to suppress a sigh. He didn’t go on the last mission and isn’t going on this one, which only proved he was unreliable to the others. The weak link of the team. A pained feeling arose in his chest, constricting his lungs.

Mr. Davenport tapped the control panel on the leftmost wall, opening a sliding door to the med bay. “Hold on Chase, let me see I have everything I need in here.” And with that, he disappeared into the room.

Chase didn’t even nod. It felt like his feet were lead, planting him firmly into the ground. It was getting harder to breathe. He knew if he didn’t calm himself down, this would lead to a full-blown anxiety attack. It was so stupid; he shouldn’t be reacting this way, it’s just a mission. But he couldn’t seem to convince himself. His heart thumped against his ribcage, adding to the impending sense of dread.

Suddenly, however, a hand splayed against his back. Chase blinked, refocusing his eyes and seeing Kaz standing close. So, so close. Their eyes met briefly before he gently pulled him into the warmest embrace he had ever felt. He stood stiff at first, unsure of what to do about the sudden physical contact.

But it was impossible to resist. He slowly wrapped his arms around Kaz’s midsection before melting into his touch with a shuddering breath. Kaz tightened the embrace ever so slightly as if relieved he didn’t overstep a boundary. Chase forced his mind to be quiet and just enjoy the warmth and comfort that blossomed across his skin, sending shivers up his spine.

Eventually, he pulled back enough so they could see each other’s faces. Though, Kaz’s palm continued to rest on Chase’s lower back possessively.

“Deep breath, ok? The mission isn’t as important as your health, we’ll be just fine.”

Chase felt a pang of guilt in his stomach. He wasn’t even thinking about the others being in danger, too busy thinking only about himself. He nodded regardless, finally noticing the rest of the team was nowhere to be seen.

“Where are the others?” he asked, silently relieved to know they didn’t see any of this.

“Don’t worry, I said I’d catch up with them.” Chase could’ve sworn he saw Kaz glance at his lips, but his vision was still a little too blurry to trust. Kaz continued, “Once Mr. Davenport fixes you up and we save the entire fucking world, we’ll have time to talk. About us.”

A red hue flushed to his cheeks. So there was an us? He just nodded in response, afraid to open his mouth and say something completely compromising.

He didn’t have any time to overthink though, as Kaz took a step back and grabbed Chase’s hand, holding it up and planting a soft kiss right above his knuckles. His eyes widened as his face got redder, butterflies violently flapping around in his abdomen. He was completely powerless to stop the corners of his mouth from turning up in an infatuated smile.

Kaz just smirked and squeezed his hand once more before letting go and walking backwards towards the hyper lift. “Be back soon!”

And just like that, he was gone. God, that perfectly beautiful man would be the absolute death of him.

Chase sat at the edge of the bed in the dusty old med bay room. It was small, but not cramped enough to feel suffocating, heavily resembling any normal doctor’s office. Although, there were several instruments and devices scattered around that were much more advanced, courtesy of Mr. Davenport.

He swung his leg back and forth impatiently as his father typed away on a laptop. For the past few minutes, he had been asking about his chip, how long he’d gone without calibrating it, etc.

His answers were halfhearted, for he was there physically, but absent mentally. Kaz’s reassurance had helped calm him down a lot, but there was still that lingering fear. His train of thought jumped from Kaz to Roman and Riker to, unexpectedly, Mission creek. The old lab. Adam and Leo.

He missed home, the simplicity of it all. It seemed so far away, just a distant memory of his past. Even when they lived on the bionic island, he missed the old team. His family.

Tears threatened to fill his tired eyelids, but he forced that feeling down, chewing the inside of his cheek as a distraction. What the hell was wrong with him? Everyone depended on him right now and he wanted to go back home. How cowardly.

“Okay Chase,” Mr. Davenport said, finally looking up from his laptop. “How have the headaches been recently?”

He squirmed in his seat, trying to impossibly get comfortable while the thin paper sheet crinkled. “Not more than usual. Though when I didn’t calibrate my chip for a week, they turned more into migraines.”

Davenport pursed his lips, returning his attention to the laptop. Chase studied his face, etched with concentration. There were a few grey hairs sprouting from the sides of his hair, a stark contrast to its normal dark color.

Their relationship had always been somewhat strained. He didn’t feel much like a dad, but rather a teacher you’d get close with at school. He never did ‘fatherly’ things growing up, what with training, tests, and more training. Even if they did spend time together, it was usually wasted competing against one another. But Chase still liked to refer to him as a father, if only in his mind.

Davenport got up and opened a small drawer, retrieving an infrared thermometer. He stood next to Chase and hovered the device over his forehead, pulling it away when it beeped. His face showed no signs of reading anything abnormal, as he typed a number into his chart.

Next, he grabbed a blood pressure cuff, carefully wrapping it around Chase’s upper arm. “Just real quick, okay?”

Chase tensed a little. This was the worst part. Mr. Davenport placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly increased the pressure, squeezing the small bulb repeatedly. The compression sent hot pins and needles through his arm, thanks to his bionic senses. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a breath, focusing on how Mr. Davenport smelled like home.

His father held a small device over the back of his neck, scanning the chip before releasing the pressure. Chase let out a sigh of relief and Mr. Davenport whispered a small apology before returning to record the information.

The room felt cold and isolating and he wished Kaz was here. Or his family. He wished he could talk to somebody about his feelings toward his teammate. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his brain, immediately being replaced with doubt and worry.

Worth a try, he thought. “Mr. Davenport?” He paused until his father looked up at him, nodding for him to continue. “How did you know… that you loved Ms. Tasha?”

A small smile spread across his lips as he looked past Chase, recalling old memories. “It was practically love at first sight. For me at least.” He explained with a chuckle.

The response made him frown. He didn’t think he felt that way when he first saw Kaz… he just remembered being a bit annoyed he had switched their intelligence. Wow, that felt like years ago.

“What do you mean? She didn’t feel the same?”

Mr. Davenport shook his head, “Not really. It took a bit of convincing to get her to go out with me, even after we matched online! It was worth it in the end, though. Why do you ask? Is there someone you’re thinking about?”

“No, just… just wondering.” Chase lied. He wasn’t going to tell anyone, at least not until they established what they were. Even after, he wasn’t sure he could come clean.

Mr. Davenport hummed and paused for a moment. “You know you can tell me anything, right? I’m always here if you need to talk.”

Chase nodded, “I know. Thanks.”

His answer seemed to be satisfactory, as Mr. Davenport continued to run a few more small tests. He checked his heart rate along with the rest of his vital signs, putting the data into his chart. After giving him a small shot that Chase was too tired to ask about, he retrieved a familiar device. It looked almost like the thermometer used just moments ago but encased in metal with significantly more blinking lights.

Chase suppressed a shiver as the cold metal came in contact with the back of his neck. With the click of the trigger and a short but sharp pain, his chip was gone.

He let out a sigh of relief, the headache dissipating almost instantly. In fact, his brain felt less muddled and foggy, and the anxiety that made his entire body tense slowly disappeared. Other than the dull ache of his muscles, he felt fine. Great, even.

“Alrighty, I’m gonna see what’s wrong with this. Why don’t you… go wait upstairs for them to return?”

The uncertainty in his voice wasn’t lost on Chase. There was something seriously wrong with the chip, and he obviously didn’t want him to see it. Not that he could anyway, the machines around him that once made sense seemed foreign and distant. God, he felt useless without his super smarts.

He silently relented and left the cold dusty med bay. Once he was in the living room, he noticed how dark it had become. He padded towards the balcony, shutting the glass door behind him and standing at the edge overlooking the extensive view. The city was so quiet without his enhanced hearing. Deafeningly quiet.

As he stared at the glow emitted from the vast number of buildings packed together, he thought of Kaz. He hoped they were all okay, not that there was anything he could do if they weren’t. Roman and Riker wanted to destroy this, all of it. There was no way he could let that happen. Plan B arose in his mind once more, the first plan he thought of when they figured out what the twin’s plan was.

If the first plan they would come up with failed, it would be up to him. He couldn’t tell a soul, they would just try to stop him, tell them that there was another way. But there wasn’t. He knew there wasn’t. It had to be plan B.   

He looked up at what little stars he could see through the fog. When was the last time he had looked at the stars? He was forced to grow up so fast, he couldn’t remember much from what little childhood he had.

Suddenly he was overwhelmed with sorrow, a feeling he hadn’t felt for quite some time. He saw no reason to hide it now, and let the tears streak freely down his face. He didn’t sob, he didn’t even make a noise. He just stared at the nearest star and let the drops from his eyes fall as they pleased.

*****

Hours later, the team returned. Kaz urged them all to get some sleep to prepare for tomorrow and he would tell Davenport what they learned. They had all quietly sunk off to their rooms, knowing they wouldn’t get an ounce of sleep.

Kaz was about to go to mission control, but he spotted Chase curled up asleep on the couch. He smiled and knelt in front of him, draping a blanket over him. He looked blissful, peacefully catching some desperately needed Z’s. It was strange to see him without the little worry lines around his eyes. It made him look younger.

Kaz carefully brushed a bit of Chases hair away before rising to his feet. He grimaced, visualizing telling Chase tomorrow and watching the stress and worry return to his face. Kaz wanted so badly to protect him from everything, to make everything that was hurting him just go away. He vowed right then to do whatever he could to make that a reality.

He, very quietly, went down to mission command to find Davenport hunched over Chase’s lab table. When he got closer, he could see him working on a small thin square of metal sprouting with wires. Realization hit him. That was Chase’s chip.

He blinked, surprised such a small device could hold so much power. That little thing caused so many of his problems, and only found new ones in the process.

Mr. Davenport finally noticed him, turning his attention toward the younger man and moving his goggles to rest on his forehead.

“So? Was that their base?” He questioned.

Kaz nodded firmly, unable to hide the concern on his face. “Yes. We managed to sneak in, and we found them talking to some… hooded guy. We couldn’t see his face.”

Mr. Davenport nodded for him to continue.

“They were… they were talking about launching the rocket. Tomorrow. Tomorrow night.” Kaz choked out, as if the words hurt to say.

Mr. Davenport’s eyebrows furrowed together as he let out a long and deep sigh. “Let’s hope that’s enough time to stop it. Maybe we can catch them off guard before anything can happen.”

Kaz nodded, but he knew it was wishful thinking. What could they possibly do to stop it? Even if all the superheroes who could fly went to stop the rocket from hitting the city, the Pallorite would make them lose their powers instantly. If any superhero got close, they wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Mr. Davenport returned his focus to the chip, and he took it as a sign to leave.

When he was back in the living room, he sat next to Chase, careful not to jostle him awake. As he dwell alone in the dark, he allowed the impending sense of doom to finally settle in. He just wished he could have told Chase that he loved him sooner. Maybe then they could have had a little more time together before the end.