Chasing Shadows

Chapter Eighty-Five: Under the Night Sky

The city skyline was aglow with the soft, golden hue of streetlights and towering buildings. Two years had passed since Ethan and Zane had first crossed the delicate line between enemies and lovers. So much had changed in that time-more than either of them could have predicted.

Tonight, the world was quiet. It was late, and the streets below were mostly empty, save for the occasional car or passerby. Ethan and Zane stood together on the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in the city, a place that had become their secret haven, where they could escape the weight of their respective worlds. Here, there were no villains or heroes-just them.

Ethan, in his sleek sidekick gear, leaned against the edge of the roof, his gaze wandering over the peaceful scene below. His dark mask concealed most of his face, but the intensity in his eyes remained the same. The past year had seen him grow, not only as a sidekick but as a person. He was stronger now, more confident, yet that quiet vulnerability still lingered.

Zane stood beside him, his villain attire sharp and imposing against the night. His hood was pulled low over his face, the only visible part his calculating eyes, which softened when he looked at Ethan. The man who once lived for chaos and destruction now found his greatest comfort in the person standing beside him-the very person he had once sought to manipulate.

The wind whipped around them, but neither of them spoke for a long moment, content to let the silence stretch between them. It wasn't the kind of silence that felt heavy or awkward; it was comfortable, familiar. They had shared so many moments like this over the past year-just the two of them, lost in their own world.

Zane broke the silence first, his voice low and thoughtful. "It's strange, isn't it?"

Ethan glanced at him, his eyebrows raised. "What is?"

Zane's lips curled into a small, amused smile beneath his mask. "How much has changed. I never imagined I'd be standing here, with you, of all people. A year ago, I was doing everything I could to tear your world apart."

Ethan chuckled softly, leaning his arms on the edge of the building as he looked back out at the city. "Yeah... I remember. You tried to manipulate me just to get to Asher."

Zane shrugged, not bothering to deny it. "Well, in my defense, it seemed like a solid plan at the time. But I guess things didn't exactly go as I expected."

Ethan smirked, pushing off the railing to face Zane. "Oh, it was a terrible plan. For someone who claims to be a mastermind, you really didn't think that one through."

Zane's eyes narrowed playfully beneath his hood. "Excuse me, it was brilliant in theory. You were just annoyingly resistant to being manipulated."

"Maybe because I'm not as gullible as you thought," Ethan teased, folding his arms.

Zane's smirk deepened. "Oh, I don't know about that. You did fall for me, after all."

Ethan rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "Yeah, and that's still the most questionable decision I've ever made."

Zane stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Well, if you're still questioning it, I guess I'll have to convince you otherwise."

He reached out, tugging at the edge of Ethan's mask, playfully pulling it down to reveal the lower half of his face. Ethan swatted his hand away, laughing softly. "Stop that, we're still in costume."

Zane ignored him, leaning in close enough that their noses nearly touched. "I'm always in character. You should know that by now."

"Yeah? What's your character right now?" Ethan asked, trying and failing to suppress the grin forming.