The Unconventional Hero

11) Bad Exposure

A/N: I am so, so sorry this was late! I'm usually very enthusiastic about writing but last month was hectic and just really unmotivating. I'll do better next time, I swear!

Anyways, without further explination:

Chapter Eleven: Bad Exposure

How did I miss this?

There was... so much! Granted, it was all in a foreign language, so I understood nothing. However, this was something!

Now, how was I supposed to understand this?

Ah, that's right. You know what I'm about to say.

Google translate.

Trusty translate— it definitely was not trusty at all, but two words never hurt anyone anyways. Or their essays— maybe. Mostly, at best.

"Liquatis Virtute, huh. Liquid? Liquid something for sure," I mumbled as I opened google and typed in translate.

Although I knew this was probably—most likely— the answer to my endless questions, I still hesistated.

Why? Why am I hesitating?

Was I afraid? I did feel afraid...

I felt nervous and shaky and downright terrified.

But I trusted my dad. I knew he would never hurt me. I knew. I was his son after all! It's not like he'd poison me or experiment on me. He was always so kind, even though he was rarely at home. Besides, he works as a scientist to create vaccines and to help the public. That meant he'd want to protect me alot more if he wanted to save strangers.

Speaking of saving strangers... I haven't seen Black Shadow in a while. Was he ignoring me? He couldn't have been. I thought he said he wanted a friend that was just like him? Someone his age with powers that rival his; someone who could understand him.

I snorted unexpectedly. Why was I thinking like a sad character with an even sadder backstory? Oh gosh...

"Fuck it," I said, in a spur-of-the-moment feeling. I forced myself to type in the name of the vial.

The loading symbol appeared and the hesitance disapeared, replaced with a burning fear and curiosity as to what I'd get.

Loading... loading... load—

"Eli?" a groggy voice whispered behind me.

I slammed my hand down on the red 'x' at the corner of the screen and spun around. Really? What was it now?

"Brian! What's up?" I said casually—or what I hoped was casual. I winced at my voice cracking.

Thankfully Brian chose not to comment on my suspiciousness. "What time is it?" he said instead, patting around my bed for his phone, pulling and pushing aside the blankets.

I spun back around to check the monitor. "Uh, really late. Like, I should really be asleep right now late."

"It's got to be really late if you should be asleep," Brian muttered, almost too quiet for me to hear. I snorted but internally agreed.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch downstairs— call me if you need anything?" I said as I got up to the door.

"What? The couch?"

Yes? "Yeah, why?"

Brian rubbed his eyes before looking back at my figure. "Here, I'll sleep on the couch or something... this is your bed after all." Aw, how cute!