video | a finer world, part 2

[solarcharged]

[ Does this guy ever broadcast to the network from ground level?? APPARENTLY NOT because here's Apollo with yet another video message from somewhere dizzyingly high, this time sat on top of a brightly lit neon encrusted building in the heart of Jeopardy. Over his shoulder the sun sets over the desert in a picture perfect background landscape of bright pinks and oranges, but Apollo looks pensive despite the dreamy setting. He's been keeping an eye out for the so-called ghosts, you see, and maybe remembering a few ghosts of his own in the process. ]

An old friend once told me that saving the world is no good if we leave it the way we found it. She said 'saving the day shouldn't be the same as preserving the status quo'. Because what's the point in saving the world if you make no effort to change it? To make it better than it was?

That's why I joined her team, back home. I wanted to save the world and change it for the better. None of us could have done it alone but as a group... [ He trails off, turning a little wistful. ] As a group we were formidable.

But I know most of the teams currently operating here - [ you know who you are ] - are all pretty much Registered-only affairs. And that's fine if you're the Registering type...

[ Apollo's expression turns grim. Or as grim as you can look when surrounded by neon pink signage. ]

Personally? I've got no intention of swearing my loyalty to the government just because they want tame superheroes. But I still want to make a difference and if being a so-called vigilante is what it takes, then... I guess we'll see what happens next.

So consider this an open call. Is there anyone else out there who's Unsettled and wants to do their bit to save the world?

[ And yeah, maybe change it a little bit too. He hopes you're happy, Jenny Sparks. ]

Comments

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo, robbed of his improbably victory, can only laugh. ]

Well, that's that then. [ He straightens up, cue still in hand as he stares at the now clean table. ] Did we both win or did we both lose?

[heliophilic]

Well seeing as the tiger's got the 8 ball, I'd say she won.

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo returns his cue to the wall and throws his hands up in mock despair. ]

The tiger wins! Guess you're taking her to the theatre.

[heliophilic]

I'm sure she'd love to see South Pacific with me.

[He heads over to the tiger and gently gets the ball away from her, trading it with one of the many toys he's got around the apartment.]

[solarcharged]

Yeah?

[ Apollo lingers by the pool table, watching Midnighter retrieve the ball. It's strangely charming, watching the other man be so soft and gentle with a god damn tiger. ]

Can't wait to see you wrestle her in to Andrew's spandex.

[heliophilic]

Yeah her original caretaker swapped out her holographic claws for real steel ones. I'd rather not lose a costume to them.

[solarcharged]

Why do you have his costume anyway? [ Because he hadn't thought about it before, but: ] Did he just... leave it here from his port-out?

[heliophilic]

I had his toothbrush too, but I didn't feel weird throwing that out.

[Hint hint.]

[solarcharged]

Ah. [ Apollo's smile turns rueful. Of course they were living together. It makes sense.

He glances around the apartment, seeing it with new eyes now as if he could now imagine this other version of him. Moving around like he owned the place. Finding places to keep his things. Making himself a home. And then... gone. Here one day and gone the next. No warning, no explanation. ]

What else do you still have?

[heliophilic]

[They... well... sort of. He spent nights sometimes here, sometimes M spent the night there. They'd started storing spare clothes--among other things--in each other's places just in case.]

I donated most of it, but... some of his shirts. The ones that remind me the most of him. A couple pairs of pants I can fit into.

[His eyes fall on a pendant of his logo resting on a heavy chain, slung around a photo collage in the dining area.]

That was his. He picked it up at FanPort two years ago.

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo turns, following M's line of sight to the pendant; he hadn't noticed it before, even when he had nosed around M's things that first time he ended up in his apartment. He tilts his head curiously. ]

FanPort?

[heliophilic]

It's the annual celebration of imPorts. It's where they sell all their dirty dirty comics of all of us fucking.

And occasionally some tame stuff like the necklace.

[He motions to a couple of the items displayed around his apartment--a replica of Lucina's Falchion, a replica of Magnus' railsplitter, Archie's anchor necklace, Vibe sunglasses--all bought at various FanPorts over the years.]

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo's been a celebrity for far too long to be weirded out by things like dirty comics of us fucking. He just nods, resigned to the fact that fans will be fans, and eyes the rest of the items. ]

You're a collector.

[ It's an accusation said with a smile, softly. ]

[heliophilic]

[He's learned to collect trinkets of people he cares about in case they disappear tomorrow.

M shrugs nonchalantly.]

I can't say no to a well-crafted weapon.

[solarcharged]

Mmhm.

[ Apollo doesn't buy that for a second. It's more sentimental than that. He glances pointedly at M's collection of zoo animals, then at the trinkets. ]

That's your excuse and you're sticking to it, right?

[ M you are soft and Apollo knows it. ]

[heliophilic]

[He knows he's soft, but he has an image to uphold!]

Did you want to see? His work clothes.

[solarcharged]

[ There's a moment of obvious hesitation before Apollo nods. ]

Uh - sure. Why not.

[ Is this going to be weird? Probably. ]

[heliophilic]

[M kind of hates when people do this--say one thing and yet their body language clearly says the opposite. He's of half a mind to just change the subject to something else.]

It's upstairs.

[He reluctantly puts away his pool cue and heads up the stairs. It's immediately clear by the thin layer of dust on everything that he really does not use this space at all. There's a made bed behind the privacy screen that is clearly only used by Fubuki, and a TV that looks like it's never been used at all.

On the far wall is his closet--more specifically, a large, open garment rack where items too large to fold are neatly hung up. Of note is the dust-covered Midnighter costume Apollo might be more familiar with, given to him by the other guy's tailor upon arriving, a biker-aesthetic Batman costume, and not one, but two Apollo costumes, one of which is clearly larger than the other.]

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo follows a few steps behind. The idea of seeing (or even trying on) Andrew's costume had been interesting when M had suggested it as part of the bet - exciting, even, not that he'd have admitted it out loud. But now as he follows M upstairs he can't help but feel a hell of a lot less certain.

He notes the dust and disuse, silently observing how Fubuki must be the only person who uses the bed, and finally inspects the garment rack. Except it's not Andrew's uniform that catches his attention. ]

Jesus Christ, [ He murmurs distractedly, his hands automatically reaching for the familiar leather of his husband's coat. ] How long have you had this?

[heliophilic]

Since the week I arrived. The other guy ordered it, and I received it.

[M reaches for the hanger.]

Do you...?

[solarcharged]

Do I what?

[ Apollo glances at M, surprised. The fact that he's kept it ever since - not thrown it out, not given it away - says something. ]

[heliophilic]

[M just trails off. Why would Apollo want a reminder of the man who walked out on him?

As for why he didn't give it away, well... he wasn't going to give away a combat suit to just any rando, and, frankly, he used to admire the other, older him.]

UGH THAT ICON

[solarcharged]

[ Oh no, that's an awkward silence. ]

I'll take it off your hands, if that's what you mean, [ Apollo adds, perhaps a little too quickly. There's a weird surge of emotion as he runs a hand over the leather, clearing away the dust - longing, hurt, sadness. It's not nice, but the hurt is his. It's all he has of his husband now. ]

If you don't want it...

[heliophilic]

I don't want to hurt you. I'm still... I can't tell if this is appropriate.

[solarcharged]

[ Apollo shakes his head with a weary smile. ]

Oh, who knows anymore...

[ He starts to slowly take the uniform from the hangar, his hands moving automatically as he folds it carefully. Every inch of it is familiar to him - the surprising weight of it, the creak of the leather. The more he thinks about it the more he realises that, yes, he does want it. Whatever that means. ]

Don't overthink it. I know I'm trying not to.