Wish you were Sober || Boat Boys

24: The Party Is Over

Etho doesn't like how Lykos looks.

He's changed. He's not ugly, Koko could never be ugly, but he looks sad. Etho woke up a day ago and Joel's still out like a light. He visited Joel the second he could, and he didn't like the sight. Joel's lying in the recovery bed, hooked up to a bunch of machines with an IV running into his arm. He looks barely alive and it hurts. Lykos will never know how Etho feels if he dies, which can be for the better or the worse.

Even though Mercury assured him that Joel will wake up soon, he's still worried. So he doesn't like how Lykos looks frail and on death's doorstep. So once he sees Joel, he quickly exits the room and heads for BigB's office. On the way there he thinks: 'it's the least I can do,' that's what he's convinced himself. At least he can make sure Joel can still be a hero.

So Joel can do what he loves. Or maybe Etho's changed and being selfish and trying to make sure he can still regularly steal glances at Joel. Maybe that's what's talking. Alas, here he is, sitting in front of BigB, practically begging for the man to not expel Joel from the Heroic Society: "He can't."

"Why not?" Etho asks, even though he's sure he already knows BigB's answer. "Because people know who he is. You're lucky the people whom heard your name agreed to sign NDAs, Etho." BigB smiles friendlily at him. A big frown that Etho does not care for. He needs to ensure Joel this, Joel's been through so much shit and half of it was Etho's fault—if only he had a working car that day.

"He's helped you for over a decade—the civilians voted for him to stay." Etho counters instantly. Cuteguy ran a petition for Joel to stayas a hero, despite his (now) public civilian identity. BigB sighs, "It's not that easy. His life will be in more danger if he continues to be a hero." Etho would like to argue that without magical powers Joel would be in more danger. Plus, without tthe Heroic Society how would Joel pay his bills? Etho knows what's Joel and Jimmy's online career (he briefly watched it to listen to the pretty brunet, sue him), half of it was their banter. Without Jimmy, the channel wouldn't have the same spark.

"Still, why can't you make this exception? This means everything to him." Etho might be speaking out of his ass right now, but it's probably the only way he can convince his boss. "It's against the rules, it's unfair." BigB hits his small wooden mallet on the table, as if to declare it as a fact in court.

"Just like how it's against the rules for you to co-parent with the ex-leader of the villains." Etho couldn't stop his words from forming before he said it. He remembers Ren. Even if the general public would need a reminder, he's sure that knowing about Ren and BigB's 'relation' would cause an uproar in the Big Apple. BigB freezes at that, "How do you know that?" Etho's methods are unethical but effective. Effectiveness is enough for him to lean into it, 'it's for Lykos' he reminds himself. Etho smiles at BigB,

"Give Koko his ring back and then we'll talk."

Beep.

Beep.

Beep—he can't breathe. He needs air. He can't not breathe. He has to wake up. He has to survive—Joel gasps for air as he sits up.

White.

For the first time since the eternal darkness, he sees the white of the wall ahead of him. Where is he? What happened? "He's awake!" Someone screeches at his bedside, giddy as they stomp around. It takes Joel a moment to register who it is and turn his head to look at them. "Quiet, Cuteguy. He needs a quiet environment." Mercury says in response, a small smile on her lips.

Cuteguy's smile is wider than the space between the two opposite ends of the universe. Joel realizes that he's been breathing heavily and through his mouth (ewww, when'd he start doing that?). "Right! Right... how are you feeling?~" Cuteguy teases but Joel can see through his glassy eyes. Joel's done interrogations before, he can read people.