Light Beam and Dark Thunder were always meant to be on opposite sides. Enemies with a past and no possible future.
Superhero. Supervillain.
Righteous. Nefarious.
Popular. Infamous.
But there was only one little problem with that: they liked their...
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I could tell Luke didn't want to leave the hospital. He looked tired and kept glancing to Elliot, expecting him to explode or something. It was a fair expectation, considering the state Elliot was in. He barely looked human. He wasn't the same guy from this morning. But he was surprisingly put together. It wouldn't last and I had no intention of being there when he did eventually explode.
"I can get you a taxi--" Luke said.
Maze was in surgery and we couldn't really do anything there. Staying was pointless. What good would I do being here?
"No--no it's okay," I said. Maybe it was better if he stayed?
"Are you really going to just fucking leave?" Elliot spoke, still not meeting my eyes.
"Uh--yeah?"
"Why? Do you have somewhere to be?" His tone was harsher than before.
"I don't see what I'm doing here; except being sad and useless." I had to tell Dark. He'd want to know. I had to see him.
"If you were in there, he'd stay, you know?" He finally looked at me. An acidic glare in his eyes.
"Maze didn't even like you, so why do you care?" I bit out, "hell why are you even staying?" He wouldn't understand.
"Because he'd do the same for me. Even if he didn't, even if he were a stranger, nobody deserves to be alone in that state. Because I care. And if I can't save him, at least I can make sure I'm there, that he's not alone." Elliot didn't honestly think that he had the higher ground, did he?
"Really? It's not just because you're guilty? And if he died, it's technically on you?" I realised as soon as I said it that I shouldn't have.
"Think whatever you want, fuck, I don't care anymore, Len. Go. Leave. It doesn't matter." He shivered and sank further into himself.
"Staying here is only going to hurt me!" I yelled.
"And I would never wish any pain on you, Len," he said, carefully rubbing his neck. I could see the light mark left by Dark this morning.
"I'm sorry, Elliot, for everything," I said.
"All you Supers are the same," he said with a shrug, then very softly, I heard him murmur to himself, "there's always going to be an imbalance there."
I couldn't argue with that. Whether I wanted it or not, I was always going to be more than he was. Maybe not quite as compassionate, but more in a meaningful way.
"Take care of yourselves," I said to them and walked to the elevator. It occurred to me that Maze was a different person now, even if he survived. It also occured to me that it didn't matter.
Nobody asked me any questions as I walked out of the hospital; the questions I knew I'd be asked at The Tower.
"Hey," I heard Luke's voice, "come on, I'll drive," he said.
