All the Other Ghosts (Boyxboy Superhero AU Fanfic (Klaine))

Chapter 12

The Ghost patrols alone that night, since Phalanx will be on his own for the next few nights. He's used to it, he's done this for years, but there was never before an empty space at his side, he was never actually aware of his aloneness before. If you live underwater your whole life then how can you really miss breathing? But now, in the frost-hard night, the whole city metal-cold at the end of November, he feels the gap beside himself. He feels the space where he isn't. He feels the lack, and tells himself that he doesn't mind; Blaine is sleeping safe in his bed, warm and peaceful and in no danger at all, and the Ghost is doing what he's always done.

He moves faster, alone. He doesn't wait in the shadows to let Phalanx deal with a situation, so Phalanx can learn and it can become obvious to everyone what a hero he really is; he deals with it, with the cool efficiency of years of experience. It's strange that people are more willing to put up a fight against him and Phalanx together, but when he appears alone so many people choke their breath in and flee. People are scared of the Ghost, they know what he can do. Do they think that Phalanx is his lighter balancing angel, that without him there he's even worse . . . ?

It's not especially nice, being someone people are scared of. But then there's the drunk guys who've brought down a bouncer outside a club and they don't flee, one of them spits, "Go suck your freak boyfriend's freak dick, fag." and throws his bottle at him. Through him. When they're slumped on the sidewalk cuffed to a drain cover and he's helping the bouncer hold a cold pack to his face, over his obviously and bloodily broken nose, the man squints at him through the blood and croaks, "Where's he tonight?"

"He's fine, trust me." the Ghost says, and then, "Could you please not do that." to the girl in the queue holding her phone up to take a photograph, fading himself half out of sight.

"You don't have to be an asshole about it," she snaps back, and the bouncer huffs out through the blood, "You get out that queue an' head home, you think he needs his face publicisin' for idiots like them - ?"

He catches the man's eyes, gives a small smile, and as the sirens begin singing closer, he fades all the way out of sight and gone.

Just after two in the morning he ghosts through Blaine's bedroom door. Blaine's asleep on top of the covers, lying on his side, iPad on the covers next to him; he was waiting up for him, silly sweet man. He loses the costume and folds it away, puts the iPad on the desk for safety, lets himself down onto the mattress aching with exhaustion.

Blaine shifts, sniffs, seems to accept Kurt's presence without question and wriggles in closer. He mumbles, "You're cold." and gets an arm over him, then falls immediately asleep again. He might not even have been aware of being awake.

Kurt whispers to his sleeping face, "I love you." and it's fine not getting a reply. The warm arm over his cool side says, I love you too.

*

Straight to the airport from Blaine's apartment, so strange to have him there, insistent on carrying bags and humming as he goes, carrying cheerfulness with him too. "Finn must be in the departure lounge already," Kurt says, checking his tickets before checking in. "I really can carry that, Blaine."

The muscles in Blaine's arm flex against the weight of the bag. "How long are you home for again?"

"I am not taking anything that is not absolutely necessary. And three days. Will you be okay -?"

"Kurt." He holds his eye, walking at his side with his body tilted to bear the weight of Kurt's holdall. "I will be fine."

Kurt opens his mouth, closes it again. It won't help to say Are you sure?. Blaine has to be ready. All those shields, all he has to do is come home safe at the end of the night . . .