Wish you were Sober || Boat Boys

2: Admiration

Joel woke up today with two goals:

1. Get Cuteguy a set spot in the Heroic Society
2. Attend Sausage's birthday dinner

The first was going alright, the last was not at all. It was 8:27 and he was on patrol. He should be at Sausage's dinner at 8:40. Joel didn't really know how he should back out of it now, when he first agreed he had forgotten Hotguy's shifts were always til' midnight.

He had maybe paced around the areas near Central Park a dozen times now. Stopped by the media twice for two lightning interviews with questions he's already answered a decade ago. Joel found that the best way to resolve the constant nagging for an interview was to just give in once in a while and just do it.

Joel ran away from the third guy, pretending he didn't hear them. It was considered rude, sure, but he really couldn't be bothered right now. When he was 13, he didn't really sign up to become a public figure. He was simply told to be a good member of society by the adults in his life. So he took up being a hero when struck by the opportunity.

They made it so heroes of NYC's hero society were to remain anonymous. Mainly because it'd be harder for supervillains to target hero individuals. It also soon became the appeal, anonymous superheroes who the public saw as celebrities. They could be whoever the public wanted them to be. Moldable characters.

Joel used his work phone to call Hotguy, he needed to tell the guy he had to go. It was hasty and bad. But it just happened, flaking was not a good habit. "This is Hotguy's voicemail! Be so kind and sexy as to leave a message after the beep!" The charismatic hero's voicemail was corny, Joel chuckled at it. Of course, Hotguy would have that as his voicemail.

"Hey, so I'll have to be off patrol early because I have a civilian event to attend. I'm very sorry, babe. I was dumb and forgot your patrol on Tuesdays is always longer than usual. Tell Cuteguy that our next session is on Friday. I hope you understand! Thanks!" Joel clicked it to send, putting his work phone away.

He checked the time: 8:31. 9 minutes to get home, get ready, and get to the restaurant. He can do this. Joel ran along the streets, making his way back home. His superpowers were simple, he had the enhanced features of a wolf when transformed. He also... could earth-bend.

Like in Avatar, the cartoon he used to watch as a kid. His earth-bending wasn't as good as his 7-year-old self would've liked, but it was good enough to fight criminals and 'bad guys.' Joel de-transformed behind a couple of bushes, not ideal, but he had to de-transform somewhere.

If someone caught him as a hero walking into a house, he'd be ruined. The male then turned the corner to his line of townhouses. With his day job of playing video games and making content with his best friend and editing other people's videos online, the townhouse was in their price range and offered all the room that two young adults and their pets needed.

He hoped Jimmy was already out at Sausage's birthday. Joel fumbled with his keys, trying to find the right one. "Jimmy?" He called out once he stepped in, taking off his shoes. Jimmy was nowhere to be seen. "At least he's gone." He was told to wear a dress for the occasion.

Considering he didn't own any, Joel was given a green dress by Katherine. It was the green colour of his hair whilst transformed. He thought it was funny, "I look ultra handsome." He grinned as he winked at himself in the mirror, putting on a white puffer jacket to combat the temperature outside. It may also rain during the night and he didn't want to get rained on.

He checked his phone, a few texts from Jimmy saying he was heading out. He texted back, "I'm leaving right now..." He mumbled as he typed it back and sent it. Joel grabbed his carefully wrapped birthday gift for Sausage and the keys that he left at their entryway table. He had to call an Uber to make it to the place in time.