[DANGER DAYS] doesn't have to all be destruction

chapter 3: When All the Lights Go Out

Author's Note: WARNINGS for this chapter: misgendering (both intentional and accidental)/deadnaming.

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    Kobra Kid is staring out the window, his mouth set in a hard line and his eyebrows drawn together. His eyes are hidden behind his sunglasses, but even so, his eyes are starting to hurt from the bright light of the sun and the sand reflecting it.

"Still not back yet, huh?" Fun Ghoul moves up beside him, peering outside for a moment before looking up at Kobra. "Do you think we should go look for 'em?"

Kobra doesn't take his eyes off the road he's been watching for the past two hours. "I can't feel them," he says, voice steady despite everything. "The bar's not that far, and if I concentrate, I can sense where everyone is. All the rebels in our stronghold." He swallows. "But not Party. Where the fuck are they?"

"Maybe they went home with someone," Ghoul suggests. Kobra opens his mouth to reply, but Ghoul shakes his head. "Someone outside the stronghold, I mean. You know there's always newbies comin' around to challenge 'em and all that. Maybe one of 'em was hot and Party went with 'em."

Kobra shifts his gaze from the desert to Ghoul, who's still watching him. "No," he says, and his voice has an edge to it now. "No, Party wouldn't do that without tellin' me. They know I worry--they'd've thought somethin' at me, or sent their spirit to tell me when they'd be back. You know that, Ghoul."

Ghoul grimaces. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. I just--fuck, Kobra." Ghoul leans forward, pressing his forehead against Kobra's shoulder. "How're we supposed to find 'em?"

Kobra sighs. He shifts, pulling Ghoul in against his side. "Do you think they got caught?"

"By BL/ind? I dunno, wouldn't they've known about a raid ahead of time?"

"Not if it was small. Not if it was a spy. Fuck, Ghoul--I knew we shoulda gone with Party last night."

"'S not your fault, Kobes. Look, we'll wait out the day, and if they're not back by tonight, we'll go look for 'em, yeah?"

Kobra's quiet again, then he sighs, slumping against Ghoul. "Yeah," he says. "Yeah, okay."

"Good. Now, c'mon, get away from the window before you go blind." Ghoul practically drags Kobra over to their sofa and pushes him down onto it. "Only gonna get hotter out, so get some sleep while ya can."

Kobra nods, sighing, and pulls his sunglasses off, letting them drop to the floor with a clatter. He stretches out on the sofa, feet dangling over one end, and looks up at Ghoul. "Don't wanna be alone."

Ghoul groans, but it's obviously for show. "It's fuckin' hot as hell, and you wanna cuddle?"

"Don't wanna be alone," Kobra says again. He opens his arms.

Ghoul sighs, then drops into them, pressing close because while Ghoul may be little, the sofa's a tight fit for one person, let alone two. "If I melt into a puddle of sweat, that's on you, asshole. I'm gonna haunt your ass forever."

Kobra wraps his arms around Ghoul, pressing his face into Ghoul's neck. "'S a risk I'm gonna hafta take," he murmurs, and Ghoul giggles.

"Shut the fuck up," he says, pressing a kiss to Kobra's forehead, "and go to sleep. Fucker."

"Asshole," says Kobra, but he's smiling against Ghoul's skin.

Party'll be back before long. There's no reason to worry; they're okay.