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.Spill, Hex, Shockwave ordered, grin-ning viciously. Get the fuck off, you weirdo, Hex snarled, punching Shockwave in the back. We re a team, Hex.And teammates care about each other and tell their dirtyli le secrets, Shockwave cooed, rubbing Hex s head with his knuckles. Right, Fan?When Hex twisted his head around, Fantasia was rolling her eyes. Let go of him.If he doesn t want to talk about it then he doesn t have to. What? Dude s probably banging a bad guy and you don t care? Shockwavesounded affronted. He s a vigilante, Hex protested, hurriedly adding,  and I m not banging him.Sofuck off, Shock.Black Alice stepped up and gripped Shockwave s shoulder in her deceptively slen-der hand.Hex couldn t see what she did but it must ve hurt going by Shockwave s girl-ish scream.Hex stumbled away, shoving Shockwave just because he could. Thanks,he said to Black Alice. Then perhaps he is, in the vernacular,  banging you? Ven asked maliciously.Black Alice nodded, and even Fantasia, despite what she said, appeared to be inter-ested in Hex s answer.Hex threw up his hands in defeat. Why do you guys even care? he demanded. I don t, Ven said disdainfully, but he grudgingly added,  However, I am.curi-ous. The word came out steeped in disgust.There was no one reason for what Hex did next; he couldn t have sat down andsaid,  This right here is what made me spill my goddamn guts. But he liked to think it wasbecause he gained a measure of maturity back in that cave with Strike.And Santa sanswer helped too. What if he is  banging me?  he challenged, folding his arm. Then I am no longer curious, Ven said instantly. Eh, Shockwave dismissed,  It s your arse on the line, dude, literally.Fantasia shrugged. Whatever makes you happy.And as long as it doesn t inter-fere with your work. She was smiling, but Hex would ve been dumb as a rock not torecognise the threat.Black Alice only pa ed his shoulder but Hex thought she might have been smil-ing under her mask.Nightshade said nothing of course, but Hex was expecting that.Whatever Nightshade thought of the ma er, of any ma er, he would keep silent untilhe couldn t.All in all, it was anti-climatic, not that Hex wanted drama but he felt cheated of hischance to rant and rail and give an impassioned speech.Then again, there was still therest of the caped crusaders to consider; sooner or later someone was going to make adouchehole remark in Hex s presence. So, Fantasia said, clapping twice,  How about some food? I m starving. Uh, I m out, Hex said. Got plans, he added when Fantasia raised an eyebrow. Oooh, gonna hang out with your boyfriend under the mistletoe? Shockwavemocked. Fuck off, asshole, Hex said easily, flipping him off. You re just jealous. Like hell, dipshit.Give him a grope from all of us, Shockwave said, smirking.  Specially Ven.It s probably going to be the most action dude s gonna get this year.In reply, Ven imperiously flicked a mini-energyball at Shockwave, who dodged itand returned fire with a sonic boom that sent a surprised Fantasia reeling into BlackAlice.This was Hex s team, made up of quiet creepers, violent jerks and arrogant dicks,and he would ve thrown himself in front of a laser beam for every single one of them. Merry Christmas, guys, Hex said into the chaos, signalling the twins to  porthim out.Only Nightshade heard, and he smiled faintly.Vale City was once more blanketed by snow, and more was falling from the sky.By tomorrow morning, it would be like today had never happened.People were go-ing to wake up to a white Christmas and Santa Claus.Hex didn t always like being asuperhero.The hours were horrible, there was no pay, and he saw more of the hospitalwalls than he liked.But then came moments like these, when he was crouched on arooftop, looking down on children and adults playing in the new snow, and Hex didn tmind being a superhero at all. Merry Christmas, Strike said, suddenly standing beside Hex.Hex grinned.He d known the moment Strike arrived, and was wondering howlong it would take him to stop being a creeper. Merry Christmas, Hex replied.Crouching was painful on the legs, so Hex parked his arse on the ledge and ges-tured for Strike to do the same.Strike rolled his eyes, Hex knew he did despite not be-ing able to see past his domino, and acquiesced with an air of affectionate sufferance.Once they was se led Hex leaned against Strike, and deliberately casual, took off hisown mask.This was a conversation best had as Evan. So, Evan said, ignoring Strike s surprised jerk,  I asked Santa what you wanted. Why? I dunno.To confirm what I thought, I guess.He told me I already knew.Strike was a statue, not even a twitch to give his thoughts away. So what do Iwant?Evan shrugged uncomfortably, looking out into the city, afraid of what he mightsee in Strike s face if he turned around. I think you want Hex and Evan.I think you resick of how I compartmentalise everything. Mmm.Yes, but I ll live, Strike said mildly, though Evan s guilt lent the words ashade of accusation and he winced. Yeah, about that.Not so much with the compartmentalising anymore.Strike looked at Evan. Oh?Clearing his throat, Evan forged onwards.Too late to take it back now, he toldhimself. Next time you see Shockwave? Brace yourself for inappropriate questionsabout our sex life is all I m sayin.Much like back in that stupid cave, Evan fidgeted as he waited for Strike s reac-tion.Best case scenario, Strike would be facetious and Evan would push him off theledge.Worst case, Strike would hate Evan for outing him to the entire caped commu-nity.Absolute worse case, Daniel would push him off the ledge.Or, after a long moment, Daniel would take off his mask and, smiling brilliantly,press something cold and smooth into Evan s hand as he said,  I know It s not quite atoy train, but it s the thought that counts, right?It was the Heart of Eternity; a blue heart-shaped diamond that was twin to thePeace Diamond.It was also housed at the Vale City State Museum.Evan blinked. No, no, no, no, no.You didn t.You aren t that stupid, he said. They really need be er security, was all that Daniel said.Cradling the diamond in his hands, Evan ghosted his thumbs over the smoothsurface, gingerly turning it over and over.It was the most expensive, most beautifulthing he d ever held, and he was so afraid he was going to drop it that he could hardlybreathe. You realise I m going to have to return it, Evan said eventually, and damn ifhe didn t sound wistful.Daniel laughed, and kissed him; a feather-light touch of their lips. Later. Later, Evan agreed.It was Christmas, the world was saved, he was holding adiamond the size of a baby s fist, and Daniel was still here.Everything else could wait.resentsPThis anthology is dedicated to the one and onlyTanrien.Thank you for all the work you do, for an-swering our questions with a smile (and at 2am too)and for your composure in the face of our taggingfails.Special thanks to Ani, G, Potatoe and Z for editing!Authors and ArtistsAei.www.geeklite.netAis.www.aisylum.comAnia.Cat.ca ails.livejournal.comDusty_Dreams.G.grimmsical.livejournal.comManicdak.manicdak.com/tic/archives.html.manicdak.dreamwidth.orgParker.puhpuhparker.deviantart.comRae.www.ravenfell.com.raerae.deviantart.comSan.ishrahsan.deviantart.comZ.thinks she s being mysterious [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]