The Wrong Genre

Shattered Silence

The silence in the room seemed fragile, and everyone stayed completely still for a few moments as if afraid to shatter it.

"M-me?" Something seemed to crack at Zack's distressed mutter, and the heroes who had been looking at him in confusion instead turned silent glares onto Maestro. The air seemed heavy and thick, and Zack for one was having a hard time dragging in his breaths. The silence, now cracked and even more fragile, hung threateningly above the room as Stravarius' eyes swung from Maestro who was glaring at Zack to the other heroes who were glaring at Maestro to Zack nearing a panic attack and back around again.

"I didn't stutter," Maestro snarled, taking a step forward with no regard to the fragile situation. The silence broke, and the heroes surged forward to place themselves between the cousins.

"You're making baseless accusations," Flashmob snapped.

"How about you explain," Vertigo requested sternly, allowing an explanation but clearly no more convinced than the others.

"It's okay," Kyle assured from his place beside Zack, again looking like he would like to reach out but refraining.

Interdit said nothing, but he was just as quick and eager as the rest to position himself between Maestro and his cousin. He looked quite pleased with the turn of events.

"Move out of my way," Maestro sneered, making no move against them yet, but also clearly not planning to stop and calmly have a conversation. His eyes were fixed upon Zack, gaze consumed with an unyielding fury, unable to see anything through his red haze.

"I've been waiting years to see this," Romulus smirked meanly, coming to stand beside Stravarius to watch what he certainly saw as an amusing show. The blond hero regarded him a moment, switched his gaze once more to Maestro and then to Zack, and then with a shrug that seemed to say "well, it's not my business," sat back to watch with Romulus.

"He's always like this with me, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have pushed my luck by coming here," Zack blubbered, tears beginning to build in his eyes as he pressed back into the wall, hands clutched to his chest in distress. "I just wanted to help, I only ever make things worse I'm so sorry..." His hands clawed at his hair, and he began sliding down the wall, ending up on the floor with his face buried in his knees.

"Maestro!" Flashmob snapped, small explosions sparking a warning at her fingertips.

That seemed to break his predatory concentration, disconcerting eyes flicking down to the sparks and drawing a grimace from his face. His fists clenched, short fingernails digging into his skin, letting the pain ground him as he took a deep breath.

"Of course," he breathed out, eyes closing briefly as he captured his sanity. "Tch," he scoffed when they opened again, and Vertigo for one was almost taken aback by the renewed ice in his gaze. This wasn't simply a step back in their relationship or even a return to the original animosity, this was an entirely new level of hatred and what seemed to be disappointment directed at them. "Keep him then, but know you'll regret it eventually."

"Look at him, Maestro, that's too harsh," Kyle pleaded, gesturing helplessly to Zack, who was sitting on the ground with his head buried, still spilling panicked apologies.

The look Maestro gave him was nothing short of disgusted.

"He destroys everything he touches."

Flashmob's breath caught and her eyes flicked back to the nearly hyperventilating man. A sickening feeling roiled in her stomach, and for a moment she looked almost physically ill.

The moment passed, and Flashmob straightened up with a cold anger on her face, much removed from her usual hot-headedness.

"You need to leave, Maestro. Get out."

"Or what?" Maestro bit off a cruel laugh, "You'll make me?"

"Maybe we will," Interdit threatened, but his aggressive step forward was halted by Vertigo, who gave Stravarius a significant look.

Up to this point Stravarius had simply been watching the disastrous encounter, showing no favor to the hero or villain side, but at Vertigo's silent command he stepped forward and clapped a hand down on Maestro's shoulder.

"Just for a bit, okay? Until everyone calms down, you, me, and Rom can go for a walk. Sound good?" He proposed with his usual grin, seemingly unaffected by the extremely aggressive display he had just witnessed.

Much to everyone's surprise, Maestro didn't immediately smack away the hero's hand. Even more surprising was that after a moment, even as he scoffed and calmly brushed off the hand on his shoulder (Stravarius obligingly dropped it without a fuss), he nodded in agreement.

"I suggest he be gone when we return," Maestro sneered at the sniveling blond on the ground, jerking his head to indicate to Romulus that he should leave first.

"But Maestro, he—" the minion protested, pointing accusingly at Zack.

"Not now," Maestro cut him off, gesturing once more. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity to the onlookers, before Romulus finally broke eye contact, cursing continuously under his breath as he stomped out of the room. Maestro followed silently after, and Stravarius gave everyone one last smile before following after him.

The room was left silent, save for Zack's continued whimpers.