Being a Hero

Chapter 2

I think I've got all the chapters rearranged to my satisfaction. I'll be reposting once per week until I'm caught back up to present. There are some chapters that will be new in the mix. So, watch out for those. Constructive criticism is always welcome. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments.

The song of the day is "Superheroes" by The Script.

"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." – Nido Qubein

*Everett's POV*

I knew there was going to be trouble the second I walked into the kitchen. There was a tye-dyed terrier curled up by John's feet as he scrubbed a stubborn baking dish from breakfast. If I wasn't mistaken, there was also a blue tint to the otherwise light skin of his hands.

So naturally, I grabbed a mug of coffee and sat down at the table to watch the disaster unfold. I grinned into my mug when Caitlyn walked into the room asking, "Hey, has anyone seen Panzer?"

Panzer lifted her head and softly wuffed in response, before hopping to her feet and trotting over to her favorite human. (John was a close second because of all the scraps he snuck her.)

The petite blonde froze. Her once black, tan, and white dog was now black, purple, and blue. "What did you do?!" She yelled, kneeling beside the decker terrier.

"I gave her a bath," John answered nonchalantly as if the dog's appearance should make it obvious.

"A bath..." Caitlyn repeated. "Why would a bath turn her blue?" She leveled steely eyes on the tall brunette as he picked at a burnt chunk of something in the glass dish. If looks could kill, John would have a nice hole burned through the back of his polo shirt and chest right now.

"I added dye. Thought you might appreciate her matching your suit," He said with a mischievous grin.

"John," Caitlyn warned.

John stopped cleaning his dish long enough to glance at Caitlyn. It was his turn to freeze when he locked eyes with her. The look on his face as he realized how much trouble he was in was priceless. "I-it washes out pretty easily, at least according to the label..."

Caitlyn stood, and Panzer trotted off to beg attention from someone else. A hint of a grin touched Caitlyn's lips, the expression more akin to a half snarl than anything cheerful.

John set down the scrub brush and dish before taking a step back. "Now Caitlyn..."

Caitlyn was having none of it. She lunged. John dodged to the left and bolted for the door, Caitlyn two steps behind him.

I peered down the hall after them. John's long legs were the only thing saving him as they raced down the hall. John took a left towards the building's entrance. Ooh, poor choice. I wasn't about to miss this.

I tossed the rest of my coffee back as time slowed around me. I walked over to the sink, carefully submerging my mug in the water there. Then I turned around and strolled down the hall, past Caitlyn and John where they hung in the air mid-stride, out the front door, and over to a shady spot under a tree. Pleased with my view, I focused and slipped back into the normal flow of time.

The front door slammed open a second later. John thought he was in the clear now that he could really run, a foolish mistake. Inside the Commons—which housed the kitchen, gym, etc.—we weren't supposed to use our powers, but outside was fair game as long as no vanillas saw us.

It started with a pair of birds. First one then the other dive-bombed John as he ran. They were harmless but distracting. Then came a cloud of flies, again harmless, but a bit more distressing. John slowed as he swatted at the insects and used his telekinesis to push them back and away from his face. Then there came a cat. A streak of blue-grey raced across the lawn to latch onto his ankle. John yelped and shook Paisley off just in time for Caitlyn to sweep his feet from under him.