POV: 3rd person
Aiden could forever admire the flabbergasted looks on his bullies' faces, especially Marcel's. It was not a common occurrence he could tell you that much. The previous conversation of assassination had been completely forgotten, with the new discovery being much more important.
The fog was slowly clearing up, further highlighting their faces. The expensive-looking men all stand and stared at their half-brother for a solid two minutes and by the end of it, Aiden was bored (and beginning to really sober up) so he broke them out of his stupor.
"Are you guys just gonna stare or ask me questions or nothing? Because I really wanna go home and if being hit by Medusa is the game you wanna play, then imma go now."
Marcel was the first one to twitch and in an undignified fashion, blurted out his thoughts. "You have an Oddity?"
"Fucking finally. Yes, yes I do. I don't think humans can naturally generate electricity other than static."
"B-But that's i-impossible," Alex exclaimed, rudely pointing his finger at me.
Aiden whacked the finger down and Alex got zapped a bit, startling backwards. Neither of the brothers went to check on him, choosing to stare at the wound and Alex looked for any scarring. "Don't point at people, didn't your mother teach you manners? And it's not impossible. Why would it be impossible?"
"Because you're born with it?" Bradley said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Well, it was.
"Yeah... your point is..?"
"You weren't born with it!" This time Bradley pointed his finger at me, so the blue-haired man went to whack-zap it but he quickly pulled it away with a hint of fear in his eyes. A lovely sight.
"Uh, yeah I was. You can't get Oddities with any other sort of method."
"B-But we- you never exhibited when you came to age"
"That's because I was a late bloomer and even after I got it, at that point, I stopped caring about your opinions and wanted to get out of the house. This secret is the only thing I had to myself and if I were to expose, god knows what you guys would've done with me. I would've been treated worse than a lab rat." The silence from the three brothers was enough to tell Aiden that he was on the mark.
"Anyway," Aiden continued, "don't you think my power is cool? I think electricity is pretty sick, at the very least it's cooler than Bradley's, who can just form clouds with different properties. Although, I still dream of having Poseidon by my side. Hopefully, that'll be in a different lifetime."
Aiden's unconcerned and laid back attitude got Alex to open and close his mouth, hoping for words to come out. The revelation that Marcel had a powerful pawn by his side all those years ago and he let it go hit hard as he scolded himself. The insult against Bradley's power got him all red-faced again and he shot a cloud in the shape of the arrow at his half-brother's direction.
It ticked off Aiden even more and therefore, he materialised a bolt of light blue lightning and strikes down on the harden cloud, leaving behind mist. He didn't need to take such drastic measures to counter, but he wanted to scare them a little and it proved to be effective.
All of the purple-headed men jumped back a metre, stance in a defensive position. They looked at the sparking rod of electricity with awe and fear as Aiden twirled it once before throwing it into the sky. It disappeared into the night sky, with the only thing notifying ever going there was a single flash of light.
"I will say it once more," Aiden darkly warned as he locked eyes with Bradley, "I'm not in the mood to fight you in any way, shape or form. So if discovering that I can electrocute you with my hands is going to cause some sort of argument or physical fight, I recommend leaving me alone for the rest of the night. After all, you guys have a reputation to uphold, guests to entertain, and I'm on the verge of being completely sober. It seems interacting with you guys in any way tends to speed up the process. Now do me a favour and you know, leave."
The other Oddity user were ready to protest but surprisingly, kept his mouth shut and opting to listen to Aiden's request. It was done aggressively though, as he stomped off towards the glass door in angry steps. Made him look like a child who was throwing a tantrum.
Alex studied the other with scrutinising eyes and a deep frown but soon followed after his brother. This left the youngest with oldest alone, ensuing fidgeting on Aiden's part.
Marcel examined him without giving away his thoughts, but then he fixed up his tie and patted down his suit. He departed to the ballroom but before he took a step in, he looked over his shoulder and simply said, "we aren't finished here, expect a visit from us soon."
Leaving Aiden behind with the ominous words, he called back his power and jumped down from the barricade, only for his legs to quiver and give away. He fell elegantly onto the balcony tiles, his butt taking the grunt of it. Ow, that's going to leave a nasty bruise, Aiden thought to himself, so much for getting laid tomorrow.
His hands quivered and sweated. His heart was racing and he took shallow breaths. His head started to spin and the feeling of nausea crept up his throat. The physiological response confused the shit out of Aiden until he realised that it was his body finally catching up with him after the confrontation. And the alcohol.
Alcohol managed to keep it bay and aid in creating Aiden's faux confidence but now that it was gone, his body was caving within himself.
Aiden closed his eyes and leaned back against the balustrade, attempting to calm himself down with deep breaths. Holy shit, I did it. I actually survived AND stood my ground AND shot them down AND holy shit I actually talked to them without breaking down... in front of them that is. God damn I'm-
"So where was that confident when you met with Bradley the other day? Or was that the alcohol talking?"
The man finally makes his appearance. Aiden looked up to his left, giving the man walking through the portal an unimpressed look before simply flipping the bird and closing his eyes again.
Erwin's eyebrows jumped up in surprise before he let out a chuckle and leaned against the barrier, hands in his pockets like he was posing for some sort of photoshoot. "You don't seem to be surprised at the fact I just appeared next to you out of thin air. I expected for at least a jerk, hoping for a scream."
Aiden snorted out in humour. "Sorry to disappoint I guess."
The other man hummed and looked up at the stars. "So why aren't you shocked. It's almost as if you were-"
"expecting your arrival?" Aiden finished, "That's because I was."
"Why is that?" Erwin asked with surprise.
"Because I was waiting for my prince in shining armour to save me from my demise, except he did a shit job and came too late," Aiden said dreamily.
"Wait really?" Erwin asked, sounding off guard.
Aiden looked up at the standing man with unexpressive eyes. "Of course not, you dimwit."
"Oh." Erwin sounded disappointed, which confused both men but they both brushed it off. Aiden was too tired to overthink.
"As I was saying, anyone who's been peaking into such a scandalous conversation would definitely want to confront one of the party members if they got the opportunity."
"You knew I was there?"
Aiden smirked at him (which slowly disappeared after he noticed how the moon's glow made Erwin's devilish looks look angelic). "Kind of hard to notice a flashy guy like you standing on the roof. I also noticed the small portal you opened on the floor next to Bradley's foot. I'm assuming that was your listening hole?"
"You sure you still don't want that detective position? You'd really be suited for it."
Aiden laughed and stood up again to give company for Erwin. He regained strength in his legs and his organs weren't going crazy other than his heart, which was still racing but Aiden's pretty sure it was due to how breathtaking his boss looked. "You're giving me too much credit but I value the compliment."
Erwin responded with an entertained expression, mixed with some softness, creating butterflies in Aiden's stomach. He wanted to punch his own gut. Looking back out to the garden, Erwin shifted the conversation flow with a more serious tone.
"Are you really going to do nothing?"
"Huh?"
"You have enough information against them to completely destroy them for the rest of their lives, are you really doing nothing with it?"
"Nope."
"Why not? They made your life a living hell from what I can infer."
"That they did," Aiden sighed out sadly, once again reminded of the really bad days of his childhood. "But, as mentioned before, I'm selfish and want an easy going life, therefore this is the best way to achieve that."
Erwin frowned at the response, clearly disapproving it. "That's bullshit. Aren't you all about serving justice or whatnot? You're letting them get away with the shit they've pulled."
A peal of empty laughter came out of Aiden before it was shortly cut off by the wave of nauseousness. "Who the hell ever listens to their own advice? I sure don't. I don't know why you're so passionate about this. It almost sounds as if you care about me. Anyway, I'm not letting them get away with it. I'm just handing the reins over to karma. Karma will eventually serve justice for me. I'll only get involved if people are being harmed or killed, hence why I exposed OKIMBO. Up to him whether he believes me, the bastard or the other two, his full-blood brothers."
"Oh yeah that. You should've let them go through with their plan. One less trauma to deal with."
"Like hell. If a bad guy is being murdered, I refuse to let him be murdered by another bad guy. Murder is also bad but the first reason is the more important one."
Erwin blinked once before full blown laughter erupted from his body. "The logic is slightly flawed," he said between laughs, "but I'll take it."
Aiden's bosses reaction triggered a goofy grin and giggle out of Aiden, however, that seemed to be a bad idea because that also triggered the dire need to munt. He grabbed at Erwin's arm in a vice grip, which stopped the latter's laughter and worry overtook his face when he noticed the short man's face to be much paler than usual.
"Take me..." Aiden breathed out, trying to control his stomach (by clutching at it), "to the bushes down there... now!"
Erwin immediately got the message and opened up a portal. In a matter of five seconds, Aiden was spewing out everything he ate and drank today. The CEO was extremely grossed but he'd seen (and experienced) worse, so he soothingly patted the hunched over back, repeatedly reassuring the man that it'd be alright.
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The idiot couple were back at the balcony with Erwin leaning back on the fence again but this time, Aiden was in his arms, head resting on his shoulder and his own arms around Erwin's waist. After he was done throwing up, the taller man brought him water but it wasn't enough to bring back the energy Aiden lost from losing all his meals AND clashing with his brothers.
He could barely stand up so when Erwin wordlessly put them in their current position, he didn't complain. Plus the warmth from his body and the circular motion on his back was very soothing. So soothing, Aiden felt his eyes drooping, but the silence was cut through with the words he was dreading.
"Don't you dare fall asleep as a means of escaping from my questions."
"Damn it," Aiden mumbled before he whined out loud. "Oh come on, have some mercy on me. I just puked out my soul and dealt with my brothers."
"Which once again reminds me that it's never a dull moment when you're around but it's not enough for you to escape my interrogation."
Aiden tried to pull out of his grip but he didn't relent. "Don't be a heartless bastard," I snarled out, "I'm sick, feel sorry for me."
"I do feel sorry for you. Now answer my questions."
"Do I have to be unconscious for some sympathy?" Aiden exclaimed in exasperation.
"Yes." Erwin's completely serious face pissed Aiden off. It was funny how it took him two seconds from wanting to snuggle into the taller man to wanting to choke him with a wire.
"Ok, in that case, I'm going to jump off this balcony and land on my head." He attempted to move away from Erwin, but his sapped energy and Erwin's working out seemed to work against him because he was crushed into Erwin's man titties and suffocated instead.
Aiden officially declared that the pecs were indeed hard and were not comfortable as pillows.
"Ok! I won't jump," Aiden surrendered with a wheezing breath, "stop cutting off my airways already."
The other man listened and brought them back to their original position. Aiden wanted nothing more but to bite at him and run off but that wouldn't work against a spatial manipulator. So he came up with an alternative instead.
"How about a compromise?" Aiden suggested.
"A compromise?"
"Yeah, I'm actually very tired and feel like I'm going to drop any minute now so I'll answer one question. Nothing more, mainly because I'd probably fall asleep by then. You can bombard me with the rest later and I promise not to lie or make up anything."
Erwin glared at Aiden. "And how do I know you're not bullshitting with me right now?"
In which Aiden just shrugged. "You don't I guess, but if you want to check up on whatever I say, you can ask Nero. He already knows everything, so if anything I say sounds sus, you can clear it up with him. I'll even tell him to be honest."
"Isn't that breaking some serious bro code?"
"Nah, it's only breaking it if he told you without my consent but here I am, giving you my consent. So you good with that?"
Erwin continued to scrutinise the man dubiously before finally sighing in surrender. "Yeah ok fine. But that's only because I actually feel bad. If you hadn't talked to your brothers, I would've hounded you with questions and criticism."
"Criti- you know what, sure whatever. Ask away your single question for the night."
"What's the punishment for not bringing a date to this event?
Aiden blinked, then started laughing out loud at the absurdity of the question. Once calm, he asked his own question. "You're telling me, out of everything you've heard today, including the scuffle with my brothers, you're interested in what happens if there's no lay for the night?"
Erwin put his smug grin on. "Oh? Is that what a date entails around here? Are we going to sleep together?"
Aiden realised his predicament and solved it by blushing and being all panicky. "Wait no. You're a fake date, so that isn't valid."
"So we're fake sleeping together then?"
"Uh, yes? Look, we're not having sex, shut up."
Erwin laughed at his employee's flustering. "Only after you answer my question."
"Yes, your priorities are definitely not questionable. Anyway, not having a date for the Troph annual gathering or whatever it's called is social suicide! Ok it's not, I'm just being dramatic but for some reason, having a date is REALLY encouraged, to the point where if you're coming in solo, you're automatically signed up for the auction for the family's charity ball."
"Auction?"
"Every year, at their charity ball, they hold an auction where single men and women (who attend this gathering) are up for grabs. You bid and the winner gets to spend the rest of the night with them. It's seen as a nice gesture because there are many pretty, rich looking guests that could be the auctioned's date but that's where you're wrong my friend. It's a curse dressed as a blessing."
"I feel like you're being a tad bit dram-"
Aiden used his slowly recovering strength to smack Erwin's chest. "I'm NOT being dramatic and don't interrupt, you rude prick. As I was saying, the rich ones aren't the hot-looking ones. Well, they are but the ones who win the bidding are the snobbish, scummy looking ones. The snotty, spoiled Karens. They are the ones who win and they are the nightmares. I will not go into detail about what they make you do to keep an air of mystery but I'll tell you it's enough to never make you forget that night, in the worst way possible. If my brothers - especially Marcel - pale at the thought, then it's enough to tell you how bad it actually is."
"Interesting... I still think you're being a bit dramatic but I'll take your word for it."
Aiden glared up at the man (who was still holding him) and said in a completely serious manner, "you want me to go back in and announce that you're not in fact my date and is willing to join the auction this upcom-"
"No, no, it's fine," Erwin replied hastily, "I'm perfectly content being one of the bidders instead."
The comment surprised Aiden. "You're invited to the charity?"
"Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?" Erwin asked, sounding slightly insulted.
Aiden picked it up and quickly cleared up the misunderstanding. "Tch, I don't mean it like that. It's just that you've never been invited to one of their events before this year so I was just surprised. And before you ask, I always check their guest list because me and Nero love guessing what beef the Troph might have with a certain person if they're not invited the next year."
"I'm just lost as you are in all honesty. They invited my grandpa while he was head but after he passed away, they completely cut ties with me, until last year or so where I met Bradley through Leo. After that, I coincidentally began meeting the whole family at different places until eventually, I just got an invite to their place."
"Hmm... is that why you're here? Because you got an invite from them for the first time? You know, you're notoriously known for avoiding big events and galas if possible, especially held by pretentious assholes." By this point, Aiden's laid his head against the other man's chest and closed his eyes, appreciating the murmurs inside the ballroom and the sound of nature below them.
The cold finally began affecting the blue-haired man so he purposefully snuggled into the older man, ignoring his logical side, who was saying that this was wrong because he was your boss and you were meant to not like him, but the attention seeking side of him just shut it off by using the "I'm drunk" excuse. Aiden's missed the feel of human warmth, especially since he hadn't gotten laid in ages. But even then, just the action of hugging meant so much more to Aiden than any one night stand ever will.
Aiden had expected to be pushed off or at least be called out on his actions but surprisingly, the other man just adapted and pulled him closer, so he could rest more comfortably. It did wonders to Aiden's heart and he prayed that WinWin couldn't feel it.
"The answer to that is quite simple," Erwin replied, "I was forced to go by my PR team, just like every other time. I don't care about shit like this unless it's held by friends and Bradley is most definitely not a friend."
"Did you dislike him after a certain interaction?"
"Nah, always disliked him. He seemed spoiled and arrogant."
"Well, aren't you just spot on with your people reading? Anywho, I'm hammered and on the verge of unconsciousness, so could you possibly open up a gateway somewhere that's close to Eternal apartments, before I jump up on you and clamp-on you like a koala." I'm also due for a breakdown and I'd rather do it alone.
Erwin smirked and looked at Aiden with a sultry look. "I wouldn't be complaining."
"Yeah well, I would, so take me home, you horndog."
"Excuse me? HORNdog?" Erwin went from playful to annoyed real quick. Aiden loved having the power of shifting Erwin's face to anything but that usual cold business frown.
"Yeah look I have no filter when I'm about to fall asleep so before we begin swinging fists, drop me home. Please."
Erwin squinted his eyes, as if he wanted to defend himself further but resorted to listening and opening a gateway to Eternal apartments. Before Aiden could open his mouth to question how he had the place in his mind's address book, Erwin answered the question for him.
"Had a friend who used to live there."
With that, both entered the white light, to the other side.