HotGuy and Canary 2: What It Takes To Be A Hero

Chapter 1

This story takes place 10 years after the heroes defeated Ex

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"-and just this afternoon, there was an attack on the HTHS headquarters by Leviathan and Lady Animalia, making it the third this week," the reporter on the TV said as Scar walked sleepily into the living room. Mumbo was on the sofa, watching the news with a frown. "Luckily, there were no casualties as we have our favourite hero Canary to protect us and the rest of the heroes."

Scar sighed. "Yeah, yeah, Canary is so great," he murmured, sitting next to Mumbo, who laughed.

"Jealous, much?" Mumbo teased him before kissing his forehead. "How was your nap?"

"Oh, it was fantastic," Scar breathed. He leaned into his boyfriend and rested his head on his chest, who gladly wrapped his arms around him. "I haven't slept that good in ages."

"Maybe it's the having two kids and two jobs," Mumbo hummed thoughtfully, earning a swat from Scar. "I'm joking!"

Scar lifted his head. "I'd say three jobs since juggling time alone with you and time with the kids is a full-time job in itself," he said, and Mumbo laughed again.

"You need a vacation."

"Hm... That does sound nice, actually," Scar considered it for a moment. "But I need to be here, with the other heroes where I can protect the city."

Mumbo frowned and poked Scar's cheek. "No, you need to be on a cruise. With me and your kids. Relaxing."

Scar rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He shifted so he could look at his watch. "Shouldn't Grian and Willow be home by now?"

Mumbo shrugged. "They probably stopped at a corner store for a snack and a drink," he said, and Scar gave him a confused look. "What? I used to do that with my brother back in high school."

Scar sighed. "Well, you better be right. If they're dead somewhere, I'll kill them." He ignored the way Mumbo chuckled at his comment as he redirected his attention to the TV, where there were pictures of all seven teenage vigilantes. "Oh, for fuck's sake."

"-If anybody sees anything, please notify the HTHS immediately," the news channel host said.

"Those kids are so stupid," Scar grumbled, getting up off the sofa. "Fighting villains is not something teenagers are supposed to be doing. Besides, they have no training and they know nothing about being proper, professional superheroes."

Mumbo sighed, smiling softly as Scar walked into the kitchen. "Babe, you were fighting villains as a teenager," he said.

Scar stopped after opening the fridge and looked at Mumbo over his shoulder. "The villains back when I was a teenager weren't nearly as awful as the villains now," he said. "It was different for me. There weren't supervillains like Leviathan, or- or Buttons for goodness' sake."

"There was Parakeet."

"I never fought them!" Scar retorted, rather loudly. "I was smart and ran away because I knew I couldn't fight them. These kids- these untrained kids- are fighting supervillains who are stronger than them by tenfold! And they're setting a bad example for kids everywhere. Children aspiring to become a superhero could start to think they don't need a license to do so." He shook his head. "It's stupid."

Mumbo yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "Well, that's why we need to catch the vigilantes," he said, getting up to walk over to Scar.

"That's the problem," Scar said, grabbing a bottle of soda and closing the refrigerator with his hip. "They always run away from us or fight with us. It makes it nearly impossible. Not to mention that bumble bee girl paralyses any hero that gets close to her." He let Mumbo hug him, breathing in deeply and relaxing his shoulders as he exhaled.