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cosmicdareTitle: Finding Freedom [FF.NET Chapter 2] [ Writing Journal Previous Chapters ]
Pairing: AmericaxEngland (Also: GreecexJapan, brief mention of past JapanxNetherlands)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama/Alternate Universe/Action
Word Count: 4,709
Summary: Arthur is a guardian angel who feels as if he's at the bottom of the heavenly ladder. Alfred is Freedom Star, a young superhero at the top of his game. When their paths cross, Alfred's life (and Arthur's afterlife), will never be the same.
Chapter Summary: Plus, Alfred considered, he had an angel staying at his house. A bonafide guy from heaven with wings and a halo and stuff! It was worth a little bit of trouble for that. And besides, a hero like him could hardly allow Arthur to stay on the streets alone or whatever.
Author's Note: Oh boy. Basically, this chapter ended up MONSTER LONG. With coding, I was pretty sure it would break the character limit, so I decided to split it into two. I will post the second half within the next day or two. It's finished. I just... want to do some last minute editing on it. Also, I have received two gorgeous fanarts for this story! America and England by SobaFanaticofDOOm and America and England by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
socialholic.
Human Names:
Bruce- Australia
Andre- Netherlands
Rose and the Coopers are OCs. :)
Alfred was, for lack of better words, an odd one. When he finally came to believe that I was, in fact, an angel, he dropped the hostility completely.
Well, he was still obnoxious, but the whole lot of nonsense about me being a villain or whatnot--- he was over that, at least.
If anything, Alfred appeared to be a bit fascinated with me, or at least, with my wings. I didn’t quite understand this myself. He was a bloody superhero. He could probably bench press a building. Surely he had seen stranger things than a man with wings in his lifetime.
What I found stranger than any pair of wings (saw those every day, after all), was the blasted ‘bathtub’ that Alfred had shown me to. It looked nothing like something I’d have bathed in from my time. It was huge and deep, more like a bathhouse than a bathtub. But that in itself wasn’t the problem. I was familiar enough with modern technology to be able to work a faucet (and indoor plumbing did exist in my time, rare as it was, thank you very much), but this bathtub was insane.
It was all buttons, and there was a little glowing screen that confused the hell out of me. Was everything in Alfred’s house computerized? Bollocks, I wasn’t going to be able to do anything on my own here.
I’d already removed my clothing, robe folded neatly and placed on the counter, my sandals atop it. I took a moment to survey myself in the mirror, realizing, with a strange sort of melancholy, that I hadn’t actually seen myself nude for over a century. It wasn’t as if I’d ever been one to make a habit of staring at myself nude in life, far from it, but it was just one of those silly things that reminded me… of how long it had been since my death.
You know how when you enter heaven, you supposedly become ‘white as snow?’ It’s true in the literal sense as well. Nothing of Earth can enter heaven, so if I get dirty somehow, that all vanishes when I go back to heaven. It’s… rather convenient, I suppose. But it also inevitably means that I had not experienced a bath since 1879.
And dammit, I bloody wanted to take one now.
I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around my center, sucked up my pride, and padded out of the bathroom to ask Alfred for help.
He was with Kiku, babbling to him about god-knows-what, and shockingly, out of his superhero costume.
I took a moment to look him over, for he actually did look… quite different when not decked out in spandex. He was wearing a pair of red boxer shorts covered in planes with a white tank top, and most notably, wire glasses now rested on his face, over his bright blue eyes. Despite the childish boxers, I actually thought that the glasses made him look a tad older.
And his arms and legs were exposed, and they were tanned and taut and well toned. Well that was…
I’ve always known that I was like that. Back when I was alive, it was something I kept locked inside, as a secret only known by myself. I thought that if I concentrated on my writing, poured all of my essence into that, it would quell that in me. I could be ‘married to my work,’ per se. It was against the law to engage in the lifestyle that was a part of me, after all.
I never did fall in love; or at least, never for more than a brief period of infatuation. But… when I had… desires, they were always… well, never for women.
Because of this, it didn’t surprise me that my gaze kept finding its way to Alfred. Nor did it shock me that my cheeks grew hot when I was caught doing so. Alfred leveled me a quizzical look, cocking his head to the side as he did so.
“You done with your bath, Arthur?”
“Do I look clean to you?” I huffed.
Alfred shrugged. “Not really, but hurry up then. I need to take one too, and I wanna use the whirlpool bath!”
“Is that what you call that infernal thing with the buttons in there? Whirlpool indeed. I have no idea how to work it!” I said, crossing my arms.
Alfred laughed. “No idea at all? It’s a pretty simple one! Geez, I mean how long have you been dead?”
I paused to do the math. “One hundred and thirty-one years.”
“Wow, you’re so old…”
I furrowed my brows at this, because honestly. “I was only twenty-three when I died. That’s hardly ‘old’ I’ll have you know.”
Alfred began walking toward the bathroom, and I followed. “That makes you one hundred and fifty-four then. That’s ancient.”
“Those years don’t count, you git!” I snapped.
Alfred just laughed, and I grumbled or something of the sort as he showed me how to work the bathtub. It was indeed, deceptively simple. I felt a bit daft for not being able to figure it out, despite it being technologically long past my lifetime.
But the bath made everything worth it. The water was brilliantly hot, and there were bubbles and little jets of water that tickled my skin. My wings were a bit heavy when I got out of the water, but it was no matter. They dried quickly. I was rather of the opinion that I wished I could take a bath like this every day.
When I got out of the bathtub, Alfred had a change of clothes ready for me. He’d offered to ‘wash my dress,’ as he said (to which I argued that only a moron would call it a dress), and I accepted, as it was quite filthy. An old pair of sweats that weren’t unpleasantly large on me and a baggy white t-shirt was what he gave me to don. He’d even been insightful enough to cut a hole in the back of the shirt so I could wear it with my wings.
I had explained to Alfred and Kiku the situation with Rose, my mission, and why exactly I was stuck on Earth. Kiku was kind enough to offer to try and hunt down Rose’s current whereabouts so I could complete my task.
And then came the shocker, for me, at least. Alfred asked if I wished to stay with him until I could go back to heaven, and as he did so, he appeared rather bashful, as if he were embarrassed to ask.
I accepted, not because I liked Alfred or anything of the sort. It was merely because I couldn’t exactly stay in a hotel, and I didn’t want to sleep on the streets. Alfred offered me a warm place to stay, a soft bed to sleep in, and that brilliant bathtub to use.
He gave me a beaming smile, wide and enthusiastic and just--- filled to the brim with excitement, when I agreed. And I flushed, because I hardly thought I was worth that much elation.
The bed was wonderful, and the greasy breakfast he made the next morning for the three of us was surprisingly good as well. I wasn’t actually sure if I had the capacity to eat on Earth as an angel, having never tried. But apparently I did.
I’m getting ahead of myself again, but suffice to say, within time, staying with Alfred began to feel like being alive again. And not just that, but it felt better than the first time around.
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“And after work, you’ve got an interview with Good Night America. They’ll be wanting to interview you at their Tri City studio,” Kiku rattled off, his laptop resting on his knee and a pen tucked behind his ear. “That’s at six ‘o’ clock.”
“Thanks Kiku… I bet they’ll want to talk about Ice Phantom, huh?” Alfred asked. He was pulling on a pair of hiking boots over his socks at the moment. Arthur realized, upon observing his ensemble, which consisted of said boots, a pair of khaki cargo pants, and a green t-shirt, that he had no idea where Alfred worked. He had assumed that Alfred just stayed at home with Kiku, working on god-knew-what, but it appeared that both of them had ordinary jobs as well. Kiku was outfitted in a pair of black pants, a white dress shirt, and a simple tie, and had a briefcase packed and ready to go on the table. “Hopefully they don’t bring up last night…”
Alfred glanced at Arthur, who was sitting at the kitchen’s bar, idly sipping at a glass of orange juice.
“They won’t,” Kiku answered. “No one is going to ask you about Rose Cooper or her parents.”
Alfred’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“They’ve been put under maximum government protection. The firefighters who were at the house last night have been sworn to secrecy, and they’ll probably talk to you tonight at the studio.”
“Like the CIA or something?”
Kiku shrugged. “Apparently this is bigger than we thought. I have no idea who is after them, but I doubt it’s just a rival company. I can’t find any other information…”
Arthur nearly dropped his glass. “Does that mean…?”
“I’m honestly sorry, Arthur,” Kiku replied, bowing his head, “I will keep looking, but as of right now, I have no idea where she is.”
The angel sighed, visibly deflating. “Well bollocks. I suppose as long as you keep looking, you’ll be able to find her eventually…”
“We have access to pretty much all but the most tightly locked networks,” Alfred cut in. “We’re awesome like that. I’m sure Kiku will find something soon.” He grabbed his billfold and cellphone, shoving them both in his pockets.
“Well… you’d better hurry up!”
Alfred frowned and bit his lip, shooting Arthur an unreadable look. “Yeah. Sure thing.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Anyway, Kiku and I need to leave. Uh… I guess you can just stay here.”
“I suppose that’s fair enough,” Arthur replied, finishing off his glass of orange juice.
“Don’t go down into the base. I’ve locked it so you can’t, but just in case you have some kind of angel magic that can get past that, promise to stay up in the house area, all right?”
Arthur rolled his eyes, but nodded his consent. He’d first gone up into Alfred’s house the night before when he’d bathed, and in fact, he had not been down into the base since then. He expected to leave the base, the exit being a nondescript cellar like door in Alfred’s basement, to discover an enormous mansion and all that rot. In his limited knowledge of superheroes, that tended to be how they lived. And Alfred definitely had money.
But it was a small, unremarkable one story house instead. There were three rooms; Alfred’s, Kiku’s, and one guest room, and two bathrooms. The house was very well furnished, all sleek and modern, but it was by no means large. The most luxurious piece of furniture in it was that wonderful bathtub.
The house even lacked the posters, game systems, and action figures that were so prominent in the underground base. It was… for all intents and purposes, completely normal. It was a home that two men who worked standard full time jobs, but who didn’t have a family to support, could afford.
Although perhaps, Arthur considered, that was the point.
“Speaking of, as you’re all getting ready to leave,” Arthur wondered aloud, “where do you work?”
Kiku’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. “I… work at a business firm within the city. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel comfortable disclosing any more info than that.”
Alfred laughed. “You’ll never meet anyone more secretive than Kiku. I’m a zookeeper! I work at Tri City Metro Zoo.”
Arthur blinked owlishly. “A… zookeeper?” In principal, it fit Alfred rather well. He had unending energy and of course, impossible strength. His genial attitude befitted someone who would be fond of animals also. But… it wasn’t exactly the kind of occupation he’d expect of a superhero. “Rather unglamorous, if I do say so.”
At this, the other man gave him a bewildered look. “Are you kidding me? It’s the best job ever!” he exclaimed. “Well, outside being a superhero, of course.”
Kiku cleared his throat. “Alfred chose a job that would ensure he wouldn’t often be in the public eye. It helps to conceal his identity.”
Arthur pushed himself off the bar stool and placed his hands on his hips. “You’re telling me that all Alfred has to do is put on a pair of glasses and no one recognizes him as Freedom Star? That’s barmy.”
Alfred cracked a grin at this. “It’s easy to go unnoticed if people aren’t looking. If I were a CEO or in a position of power, people would figure it out. But as it is? I’m just a really awesome zookeeper.”
“If you saw a famous actress walking around a small town, you’d assume it’s just someone who looks like her. If you saw them walking around Hollywood, you might think they actually are the actress,” Kiku elaborated.
“And Tri City is really enormous!”
Arthur tapped his chin. “It makes a strange lot of sense, to be honest…”
“Course it does!” Alfred said. “Now uh, I guess I’ll be home later tonight after the interview. Kiku…?”
Kiku cheeks grew pink. “I uh…”
His roommate cocked an eyebrow and nudged him in side with his elbow. “Got another date with Heracles, do you?”
His blush intensified. “We… will be going out again tonight, yes. I’m very sorry if you need me for anything.”
Alfred waved his hand. “Nah, it’s great! It’s awesome, and you need to get out more anyway.”
Kiku nodded. “Thank you, Alfred.”
Alfred turned to Arthur now. “Um… so we’ll be going now. I left my cellphone number on the refrigerator, and there’s tons of stuff to eat.” He paused. “You do know how to use a phone, don’t you?”
“I’ve picked up on it, so as long as it’s not an odd one…”
“No, it’s not,” Alfred assured him. He scratched the back of his head, taking in the angel before him. He’d changed into something else this morning, more old clothing of Alfred’s. What he’d worn last night, Alfred had told him was to be his pajamas. Today he wore a pair of jeans, cinched to fit better by a belt, and another t-shirt, again with a hole cut in the back. His wings peeked out behind him, firmly closed but still impossible to miss. And that halo. Alfred half wondered if it would budge if he tried to grab it, or if it was destined to float permanently above Arthur’s head. He resolved to test that later. “Is there anything we can get for you? I mean there’s TV and stuff but…”
“I would very much like a pen and paper,” Arthur interrupted.
“Huh, that’s it?”
Arthur smiled, infinitesimally small. “Yes, that’s it. I’d just like to write again…”
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Work for Alfred that day was extremely eventful. One of the tapirs in the rainforest building was about to give birth, and he had to help close down that part of the exhibit so she could be left in solitude. The zoo’s most notoriously stubborn hippopotamus, Martha, absolutely refused to exit her enclosure. It was one of those situations where Alfred’s superpowers came in handy on the job. He went into the enclosure when no one else was there, and pushed her out into the open with one easy shove, despite her massive girth.
And then there was the problem of medicating the zoo’s largest crocodile, Wondercroc McMajesty, conamed by both Alfred and the head zookeeper, Bruce. He was an absolute beast of a reptile to every other zookeeper, but for Alfred and Bruce, he was more like a very toothy puppy. That was, except for when he needed to be medicated. Then he would go wild, and Alfred, even with his super strength, still felt safer asking Bruce to assist him with the task. Medicating Wondercroc took almost an hour and a half, plus three or four times slipping and falling into the murky, muddy water in his habitat.
It was a damn good thing that the staff building in the zoo had nice showers. He was using one now, and he would have stayed in there for about an hour longer, had he not an interview to catch.
Alfred really did love his job. Arthur was right that it wasn’t glamorous. In fact, it was downright nasty sometimes and the pay was shit for how much work he did. But he’d always adored animals, and being able to hang out with them all day? Awesome. Even if ‘hanging out’ also meant cleaning up their crap, literally. And it did hide his identity well. He spent almost every day with Bruce and his coworkers, and none of them had any idea what he did in his ‘free time.’ The good thing about being a zookeeper was that since he did a lot of work by himself, he could easily sneak out if Kiku texted him to say he was needed as Freedom Star. It wasn’t as if the animals were going to tattle on him, after all.
Reflecting back on Arthur’s comment about his job reminded him that he had another secret to keep now, in addition to his Freedom Star alias. He had an angel staying at his house. Arthur was grumpy and a bit standoffish, but Alfred shrugged it off. It could be kind of frustrating to deal with, but the poor guy was dead. And he seemed like he was going to be pretty low maintenance, if all he demanded was some paper, a pen, and a chance to use his whirlpool bathtub every night. The clothes he was loaning him, the t-shirts he was cutting into for him, were years old, so it wasn’t like that was a big inconvenience either.
Plus, Alfred considered, he had an angel staying at his house. A bonafide guy from heaven with wings and a halo and stuff! It was worth a little bit of trouble for that. And besides, a hero like him could hardly allow Arthur to stay on the streets alone or whatever.
Now out of the shower, Alfred checked his watch. Thirty minutes ‘til he had to be at the studio. He had to leave now or risk running late. Before he did so though…
A small smile quirked his lips as he pulled his phone out of pants pocket and dialed his home number. He’d let it go to answering machine, because he doubted Arthur was going to pick up.
Four rings, a very energetic answering machine greeting courtesy Alfred himself, and a beep.
“Arthur, you don’t need to pick up, but I just wanted to tell you that you should totally watch Freedom Star on TV at six! The TV should already be on that channel, so just turn it on, okay? See you later tonight!”
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Kiku fidgeted under the table, typing a quick text to Alfred to remind him of the interview as he did so. Heracles sat across from him, staring at Kiku with intent green eyes. He placed a hand over Kiku’s free hand, which rested atop the table.
“Heracles, it was very kind of you to take me here,” Kiku said softly, his cheeks stained light pink.
Heracles thumbed through the menu and took a sip of his wine. “It’s no problem, Kiku…” he spoke slowly.
He always speaks that slowly, Kiku thought. This was the ninth date he’d gone on with Heracles Karpusi, an attractive olive-skinned sculptor that he had met two months ago at a coffee shop near his work.
Before Heracles, Kiku had not had much dating experience at all. In fact, his only attempts had been a brief relationship with a close friend, Andre, at the very tail end of high school. Kiku had moved away for university, and Andre decided to pursue his hobby of speed-skating on a more serious level. Their relationship petered out once they were apart, although the two remained in contact as friends.
Tri City University is where he’d met Alfred. Kiku was attending classes in the tech sector, and Alfred was in veterinary school. Alfred later transferred out of it, realizing that even a job running a vet clinic might be too high profile for a superhero, especially if the clinic grew into prominence.
But the two had bonded almost instantaneously, over a shared love of technology, science, comic books, manga, and heroes. And one rainy night on the way back from the dorm, a year after they’d met, Alfred had pulled Kiku aside into an alley and shown him his power.
“I was born this way,” he’d said, after putting down the very large, very full dumpster that he’d lifted with ease. “Pretty awesome, huh?”
It was, very impressive, Kiku remembered having said. Alfred had explained that he had no idea why he was the way he was, and the duo later discovered, upon entering the superhero society, that it was common for a super to be born with their abilities. Alfred was, essentially, a genetic anomaly.
And he wanted to be a superhero. “More than anything, Kiku…”
But being a hero wasn’t cheap, they soon learned. There wasn’t a superhero scholarship fund that Alfred could apply to, nor were there many ways to get into the public eye with one’s powers without revealing one’s identity. Some heroes got lucky breaks, were discovered and mentored, or were able to make themselves known without any resources. But Kiku thought that if Alfred was going to take this seriously, that was not a chance he should be waiting for. He needed to make it happen himself. So Alfred and Kiku decided, that they’d make enough money to do so.
And that’s when they began their technological exploits. They created a popular networking site, and within six months, had more than enough money and resources to introduce Freedom Star to the world.
Within a year, Freedom Star was a sensation. Omoikane and Freedom Star began releasing technology under their names, and it was bought by all manners of citizens worldwide- from businesses to governments. Within two years, Freedom Star was the most popular superhero in the nation. At this time, Kiku and Alfred also both graduated university. They’d moved into their house in Tri City a year before, and they both managed to secure their current jobs post-graduation.
Three years later was now, and Kiku sometimes thought, that he had no idea where he’d be if he hadn’t met Alfred. He was positive that he’d have a well paying job, technological wiz that he was, but he knew that Alfred, even in his abrasiveness and his over enthusiasm, had given him untold opportunities.
And had trusted him with everything he was.
Kiku had done the same for Alfred though, given him unending assistance, helped him reach his dream. That’s why, even though he was sitting at this table with Heracles and truly having a good time just being in his presence, his first priority was still Alfred.
Kiku rented a small apartment downtown. He never stayed there, but it was his legal address. If someone found him out as Omoikane, the last thing he wanted to do was lead them straight to the address that Freedom Star resided at as well. He kept details about his personal life discreet, in attempt to avoid letting any hints slip by. He used a separate phone just for Alfred, one that he scrambled the signal so it was untraceable and kept the number private on (he did this to Alfred’s phone as well). To Heracles, he was just a pencil pusher at a small business firm.
Sometimes, he felt as if he were living even more of a double life than Alfred was. But it suited him, Kiku thought. Alfred was energetic and social, always bubbling for attention. Kiku on the other hand, was more than all right with being quiet, fading into the background as a silent support.
That didn’t mean that he didn’t want a bit of attention now and then though, and Alfred paid it to him. Even with everything that went on, they still made time for weekly video game marathons.
And Heracles was paying an almost embarrassing amount of attention to him. He was sweet and mild, and very tender in his behavior toward the smaller man. He listened when he spoke, and Kiku honestly found conversation with the other man to be very stimulating.
Once dinner was over (Heracles paid that night), Kiku felt filled to the brim with delicious Italian and anxious to go home. He wanted to talk to Alfred as soon as possible regarding if he’d been told to be silent about Rose or not. In his heart, he knew that he’d rather stay with Heracles a little longer though. Alfred would be all right. He wasn’t worried about his safety, more curious about what had occurred.
He really was a workaholic. He sighed to himself.
“Thank you very much again for inviting me out, Heracles,” Kiku said with a bow as the pair stood outside the restaurant. “I’m terribly sorry if I inconvenienced you in any way.”
Heracles smiled lazily and placed a hand on Kiku’s cheek. He flinched a bit, not yet comfortable with public displays of affection, but relaxed. “You always apologize. There’s no need. I like hanging out with you a lot…”
Kiku nodded, leaning just barely into his touch. “I like spending time with you as well, Heracles.”
Heracles leaned down, placing his free hand on the other side of Kiku’s face and capturing his lips in a gentle kiss. Kiku tensed, but then melted into his touch, his hands gripping the fabric of Heracles’s dress shirt.
“I apologize, but I should probably go home now,” Kiku said, breathless, once they’d pulled apart. Heracles had moved his hands down, and they were now resting on his shoulders.
“D’you want me to walk you home?” he asked.
Kiku shook his head in the negative. “No. I’m all right. Thank you for offering though.”
Heracle’s lips quirked up into a small smile. “You say that every time we go out. Just wanna make sure you get home okay…”
His cheeks flushed. “I-I will give you a call when I get home.”
Nodding slowly, the other man gave him another kiss, this one shorter and chaster. “Mmkay. But maybe next time you can come home with me? I’d really like for you to meet all of my cats…”
Kiku’s face grew darker, and he glanced away. “Well… I do like cute things…”
Silence fell between the pair for several moments, before Heracles spoke up again. “Kiku… I won’t do anything if you’re not ready for it.”
The shorter man’s mouth dropped, and he let go of Heracles, idly rubbing his wrist. “Th-that’s good… because I knew you wanted to sculpt me, but I’m very sorry, I’m just not comfortable doing that nude and--- “
Heracles laughed lightly. “That’s… not what I was talking about, but we won’t do that either. Would love if you’d agree to that sometime though…”
“I-I just don’t want something like that to be seen publicly!” Kiku replied, the words spilling out fast. “And if you sculpt it, people would see it.”
Heracles shook his head, pushing Kiku’s bangs up and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. “All right… this time Thursday then?”
Kiku nodded curtly. “That sounds like it will work well. I’ll call you when I’ve decided where to eat, since it is my turn to choose and pay. I hope you like my choice. If not, we can do something---“
“I’m sure it’ll be good…”
“Then thank you very much again,” he finished. “Good evening, Heracles.”
Kiku turned and swiftly began to walk away. His sojourn home would be mostly underground, through the subway system, into an abandoned segment of it, and then up into Omoikane and Freedom Star’s underground base.
Pairing: AmericaxEngland (Also: GreecexJapan, brief mention of past JapanxNetherlands)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama/Alternate Universe/Action
Word Count: 4,709
Summary: Arthur is a guardian angel who feels as if he's at the bottom of the heavenly ladder. Alfred is Freedom Star, a young superhero at the top of his game. When their paths cross, Alfred's life (and Arthur's afterlife), will never be the same.
Chapter Summary: Plus, Alfred considered, he had an angel staying at his house. A bonafide guy from heaven with wings and a halo and stuff! It was worth a little bit of trouble for that. And besides, a hero like him could hardly allow Arthur to stay on the streets alone or whatever.
Author's Note: Oh boy. Basically, this chapter ended up MONSTER LONG. With coding, I was pretty sure it would break the character limit, so I decided to split it into two. I will post the second half within the next day or two. It's finished. I just... want to do some last minute editing on it. Also, I have received two gorgeous fanarts for this story! America and England by SobaFanaticofDOOm and America and England by
socialholic.Human Names:
Bruce- Australia
Andre- Netherlands
Rose and the Coopers are OCs. :)
Alfred was, for lack of better words, an odd one. When he finally came to believe that I was, in fact, an angel, he dropped the hostility completely.
Well, he was still obnoxious, but the whole lot of nonsense about me being a villain or whatnot--- he was over that, at least.
If anything, Alfred appeared to be a bit fascinated with me, or at least, with my wings. I didn’t quite understand this myself. He was a bloody superhero. He could probably bench press a building. Surely he had seen stranger things than a man with wings in his lifetime.
What I found stranger than any pair of wings (saw those every day, after all), was the blasted ‘bathtub’ that Alfred had shown me to. It looked nothing like something I’d have bathed in from my time. It was huge and deep, more like a bathhouse than a bathtub. But that in itself wasn’t the problem. I was familiar enough with modern technology to be able to work a faucet (and indoor plumbing did exist in my time, rare as it was, thank you very much), but this bathtub was insane.
It was all buttons, and there was a little glowing screen that confused the hell out of me. Was everything in Alfred’s house computerized? Bollocks, I wasn’t going to be able to do anything on my own here.
I’d already removed my clothing, robe folded neatly and placed on the counter, my sandals atop it. I took a moment to survey myself in the mirror, realizing, with a strange sort of melancholy, that I hadn’t actually seen myself nude for over a century. It wasn’t as if I’d ever been one to make a habit of staring at myself nude in life, far from it, but it was just one of those silly things that reminded me… of how long it had been since my death.
You know how when you enter heaven, you supposedly become ‘white as snow?’ It’s true in the literal sense as well. Nothing of Earth can enter heaven, so if I get dirty somehow, that all vanishes when I go back to heaven. It’s… rather convenient, I suppose. But it also inevitably means that I had not experienced a bath since 1879.
And dammit, I bloody wanted to take one now.
I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around my center, sucked up my pride, and padded out of the bathroom to ask Alfred for help.
He was with Kiku, babbling to him about god-knows-what, and shockingly, out of his superhero costume.
I took a moment to look him over, for he actually did look… quite different when not decked out in spandex. He was wearing a pair of red boxer shorts covered in planes with a white tank top, and most notably, wire glasses now rested on his face, over his bright blue eyes. Despite the childish boxers, I actually thought that the glasses made him look a tad older.
And his arms and legs were exposed, and they were tanned and taut and well toned. Well that was…
I’ve always known that I was like that. Back when I was alive, it was something I kept locked inside, as a secret only known by myself. I thought that if I concentrated on my writing, poured all of my essence into that, it would quell that in me. I could be ‘married to my work,’ per se. It was against the law to engage in the lifestyle that was a part of me, after all.
I never did fall in love; or at least, never for more than a brief period of infatuation. But… when I had… desires, they were always… well, never for women.
Because of this, it didn’t surprise me that my gaze kept finding its way to Alfred. Nor did it shock me that my cheeks grew hot when I was caught doing so. Alfred leveled me a quizzical look, cocking his head to the side as he did so.
“You done with your bath, Arthur?”
“Do I look clean to you?” I huffed.
Alfred shrugged. “Not really, but hurry up then. I need to take one too, and I wanna use the whirlpool bath!”
“Is that what you call that infernal thing with the buttons in there? Whirlpool indeed. I have no idea how to work it!” I said, crossing my arms.
Alfred laughed. “No idea at all? It’s a pretty simple one! Geez, I mean how long have you been dead?”
I paused to do the math. “One hundred and thirty-one years.”
“Wow, you’re so old…”
I furrowed my brows at this, because honestly. “I was only twenty-three when I died. That’s hardly ‘old’ I’ll have you know.”
Alfred began walking toward the bathroom, and I followed. “That makes you one hundred and fifty-four then. That’s ancient.”
“Those years don’t count, you git!” I snapped.
Alfred just laughed, and I grumbled or something of the sort as he showed me how to work the bathtub. It was indeed, deceptively simple. I felt a bit daft for not being able to figure it out, despite it being technologically long past my lifetime.
But the bath made everything worth it. The water was brilliantly hot, and there were bubbles and little jets of water that tickled my skin. My wings were a bit heavy when I got out of the water, but it was no matter. They dried quickly. I was rather of the opinion that I wished I could take a bath like this every day.
When I got out of the bathtub, Alfred had a change of clothes ready for me. He’d offered to ‘wash my dress,’ as he said (to which I argued that only a moron would call it a dress), and I accepted, as it was quite filthy. An old pair of sweats that weren’t unpleasantly large on me and a baggy white t-shirt was what he gave me to don. He’d even been insightful enough to cut a hole in the back of the shirt so I could wear it with my wings.
I had explained to Alfred and Kiku the situation with Rose, my mission, and why exactly I was stuck on Earth. Kiku was kind enough to offer to try and hunt down Rose’s current whereabouts so I could complete my task.
And then came the shocker, for me, at least. Alfred asked if I wished to stay with him until I could go back to heaven, and as he did so, he appeared rather bashful, as if he were embarrassed to ask.
I accepted, not because I liked Alfred or anything of the sort. It was merely because I couldn’t exactly stay in a hotel, and I didn’t want to sleep on the streets. Alfred offered me a warm place to stay, a soft bed to sleep in, and that brilliant bathtub to use.
He gave me a beaming smile, wide and enthusiastic and just--- filled to the brim with excitement, when I agreed. And I flushed, because I hardly thought I was worth that much elation.
The bed was wonderful, and the greasy breakfast he made the next morning for the three of us was surprisingly good as well. I wasn’t actually sure if I had the capacity to eat on Earth as an angel, having never tried. But apparently I did.
I’m getting ahead of myself again, but suffice to say, within time, staying with Alfred began to feel like being alive again. And not just that, but it felt better than the first time around.
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“And after work, you’ve got an interview with Good Night America. They’ll be wanting to interview you at their Tri City studio,” Kiku rattled off, his laptop resting on his knee and a pen tucked behind his ear. “That’s at six ‘o’ clock.”
“Thanks Kiku… I bet they’ll want to talk about Ice Phantom, huh?” Alfred asked. He was pulling on a pair of hiking boots over his socks at the moment. Arthur realized, upon observing his ensemble, which consisted of said boots, a pair of khaki cargo pants, and a green t-shirt, that he had no idea where Alfred worked. He had assumed that Alfred just stayed at home with Kiku, working on god-knew-what, but it appeared that both of them had ordinary jobs as well. Kiku was outfitted in a pair of black pants, a white dress shirt, and a simple tie, and had a briefcase packed and ready to go on the table. “Hopefully they don’t bring up last night…”
Alfred glanced at Arthur, who was sitting at the kitchen’s bar, idly sipping at a glass of orange juice.
“They won’t,” Kiku answered. “No one is going to ask you about Rose Cooper or her parents.”
Alfred’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“They’ve been put under maximum government protection. The firefighters who were at the house last night have been sworn to secrecy, and they’ll probably talk to you tonight at the studio.”
“Like the CIA or something?”
Kiku shrugged. “Apparently this is bigger than we thought. I have no idea who is after them, but I doubt it’s just a rival company. I can’t find any other information…”
Arthur nearly dropped his glass. “Does that mean…?”
“I’m honestly sorry, Arthur,” Kiku replied, bowing his head, “I will keep looking, but as of right now, I have no idea where she is.”
The angel sighed, visibly deflating. “Well bollocks. I suppose as long as you keep looking, you’ll be able to find her eventually…”
“We have access to pretty much all but the most tightly locked networks,” Alfred cut in. “We’re awesome like that. I’m sure Kiku will find something soon.” He grabbed his billfold and cellphone, shoving them both in his pockets.
“Well… you’d better hurry up!”
Alfred frowned and bit his lip, shooting Arthur an unreadable look. “Yeah. Sure thing.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Anyway, Kiku and I need to leave. Uh… I guess you can just stay here.”
“I suppose that’s fair enough,” Arthur replied, finishing off his glass of orange juice.
“Don’t go down into the base. I’ve locked it so you can’t, but just in case you have some kind of angel magic that can get past that, promise to stay up in the house area, all right?”
Arthur rolled his eyes, but nodded his consent. He’d first gone up into Alfred’s house the night before when he’d bathed, and in fact, he had not been down into the base since then. He expected to leave the base, the exit being a nondescript cellar like door in Alfred’s basement, to discover an enormous mansion and all that rot. In his limited knowledge of superheroes, that tended to be how they lived. And Alfred definitely had money.
But it was a small, unremarkable one story house instead. There were three rooms; Alfred’s, Kiku’s, and one guest room, and two bathrooms. The house was very well furnished, all sleek and modern, but it was by no means large. The most luxurious piece of furniture in it was that wonderful bathtub.
The house even lacked the posters, game systems, and action figures that were so prominent in the underground base. It was… for all intents and purposes, completely normal. It was a home that two men who worked standard full time jobs, but who didn’t have a family to support, could afford.
Although perhaps, Arthur considered, that was the point.
“Speaking of, as you’re all getting ready to leave,” Arthur wondered aloud, “where do you work?”
Kiku’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. “I… work at a business firm within the city. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel comfortable disclosing any more info than that.”
Alfred laughed. “You’ll never meet anyone more secretive than Kiku. I’m a zookeeper! I work at Tri City Metro Zoo.”
Arthur blinked owlishly. “A… zookeeper?” In principal, it fit Alfred rather well. He had unending energy and of course, impossible strength. His genial attitude befitted someone who would be fond of animals also. But… it wasn’t exactly the kind of occupation he’d expect of a superhero. “Rather unglamorous, if I do say so.”
At this, the other man gave him a bewildered look. “Are you kidding me? It’s the best job ever!” he exclaimed. “Well, outside being a superhero, of course.”
Kiku cleared his throat. “Alfred chose a job that would ensure he wouldn’t often be in the public eye. It helps to conceal his identity.”
Arthur pushed himself off the bar stool and placed his hands on his hips. “You’re telling me that all Alfred has to do is put on a pair of glasses and no one recognizes him as Freedom Star? That’s barmy.”
Alfred cracked a grin at this. “It’s easy to go unnoticed if people aren’t looking. If I were a CEO or in a position of power, people would figure it out. But as it is? I’m just a really awesome zookeeper.”
“If you saw a famous actress walking around a small town, you’d assume it’s just someone who looks like her. If you saw them walking around Hollywood, you might think they actually are the actress,” Kiku elaborated.
“And Tri City is really enormous!”
Arthur tapped his chin. “It makes a strange lot of sense, to be honest…”
“Course it does!” Alfred said. “Now uh, I guess I’ll be home later tonight after the interview. Kiku…?”
Kiku cheeks grew pink. “I uh…”
His roommate cocked an eyebrow and nudged him in side with his elbow. “Got another date with Heracles, do you?”
His blush intensified. “We… will be going out again tonight, yes. I’m very sorry if you need me for anything.”
Alfred waved his hand. “Nah, it’s great! It’s awesome, and you need to get out more anyway.”
Kiku nodded. “Thank you, Alfred.”
Alfred turned to Arthur now. “Um… so we’ll be going now. I left my cellphone number on the refrigerator, and there’s tons of stuff to eat.” He paused. “You do know how to use a phone, don’t you?”
“I’ve picked up on it, so as long as it’s not an odd one…”
“No, it’s not,” Alfred assured him. He scratched the back of his head, taking in the angel before him. He’d changed into something else this morning, more old clothing of Alfred’s. What he’d worn last night, Alfred had told him was to be his pajamas. Today he wore a pair of jeans, cinched to fit better by a belt, and another t-shirt, again with a hole cut in the back. His wings peeked out behind him, firmly closed but still impossible to miss. And that halo. Alfred half wondered if it would budge if he tried to grab it, or if it was destined to float permanently above Arthur’s head. He resolved to test that later. “Is there anything we can get for you? I mean there’s TV and stuff but…”
“I would very much like a pen and paper,” Arthur interrupted.
“Huh, that’s it?”
Arthur smiled, infinitesimally small. “Yes, that’s it. I’d just like to write again…”
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Work for Alfred that day was extremely eventful. One of the tapirs in the rainforest building was about to give birth, and he had to help close down that part of the exhibit so she could be left in solitude. The zoo’s most notoriously stubborn hippopotamus, Martha, absolutely refused to exit her enclosure. It was one of those situations where Alfred’s superpowers came in handy on the job. He went into the enclosure when no one else was there, and pushed her out into the open with one easy shove, despite her massive girth.
And then there was the problem of medicating the zoo’s largest crocodile, Wondercroc McMajesty, conamed by both Alfred and the head zookeeper, Bruce. He was an absolute beast of a reptile to every other zookeeper, but for Alfred and Bruce, he was more like a very toothy puppy. That was, except for when he needed to be medicated. Then he would go wild, and Alfred, even with his super strength, still felt safer asking Bruce to assist him with the task. Medicating Wondercroc took almost an hour and a half, plus three or four times slipping and falling into the murky, muddy water in his habitat.
It was a damn good thing that the staff building in the zoo had nice showers. He was using one now, and he would have stayed in there for about an hour longer, had he not an interview to catch.
Alfred really did love his job. Arthur was right that it wasn’t glamorous. In fact, it was downright nasty sometimes and the pay was shit for how much work he did. But he’d always adored animals, and being able to hang out with them all day? Awesome. Even if ‘hanging out’ also meant cleaning up their crap, literally. And it did hide his identity well. He spent almost every day with Bruce and his coworkers, and none of them had any idea what he did in his ‘free time.’ The good thing about being a zookeeper was that since he did a lot of work by himself, he could easily sneak out if Kiku texted him to say he was needed as Freedom Star. It wasn’t as if the animals were going to tattle on him, after all.
Reflecting back on Arthur’s comment about his job reminded him that he had another secret to keep now, in addition to his Freedom Star alias. He had an angel staying at his house. Arthur was grumpy and a bit standoffish, but Alfred shrugged it off. It could be kind of frustrating to deal with, but the poor guy was dead. And he seemed like he was going to be pretty low maintenance, if all he demanded was some paper, a pen, and a chance to use his whirlpool bathtub every night. The clothes he was loaning him, the t-shirts he was cutting into for him, were years old, so it wasn’t like that was a big inconvenience either.
Plus, Alfred considered, he had an angel staying at his house. A bonafide guy from heaven with wings and a halo and stuff! It was worth a little bit of trouble for that. And besides, a hero like him could hardly allow Arthur to stay on the streets alone or whatever.
Now out of the shower, Alfred checked his watch. Thirty minutes ‘til he had to be at the studio. He had to leave now or risk running late. Before he did so though…
A small smile quirked his lips as he pulled his phone out of pants pocket and dialed his home number. He’d let it go to answering machine, because he doubted Arthur was going to pick up.
Four rings, a very energetic answering machine greeting courtesy Alfred himself, and a beep.
“Arthur, you don’t need to pick up, but I just wanted to tell you that you should totally watch Freedom Star on TV at six! The TV should already be on that channel, so just turn it on, okay? See you later tonight!”
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Kiku fidgeted under the table, typing a quick text to Alfred to remind him of the interview as he did so. Heracles sat across from him, staring at Kiku with intent green eyes. He placed a hand over Kiku’s free hand, which rested atop the table.
“Heracles, it was very kind of you to take me here,” Kiku said softly, his cheeks stained light pink.
Heracles thumbed through the menu and took a sip of his wine. “It’s no problem, Kiku…” he spoke slowly.
He always speaks that slowly, Kiku thought. This was the ninth date he’d gone on with Heracles Karpusi, an attractive olive-skinned sculptor that he had met two months ago at a coffee shop near his work.
Before Heracles, Kiku had not had much dating experience at all. In fact, his only attempts had been a brief relationship with a close friend, Andre, at the very tail end of high school. Kiku had moved away for university, and Andre decided to pursue his hobby of speed-skating on a more serious level. Their relationship petered out once they were apart, although the two remained in contact as friends.
Tri City University is where he’d met Alfred. Kiku was attending classes in the tech sector, and Alfred was in veterinary school. Alfred later transferred out of it, realizing that even a job running a vet clinic might be too high profile for a superhero, especially if the clinic grew into prominence.
But the two had bonded almost instantaneously, over a shared love of technology, science, comic books, manga, and heroes. And one rainy night on the way back from the dorm, a year after they’d met, Alfred had pulled Kiku aside into an alley and shown him his power.
“I was born this way,” he’d said, after putting down the very large, very full dumpster that he’d lifted with ease. “Pretty awesome, huh?”
It was, very impressive, Kiku remembered having said. Alfred had explained that he had no idea why he was the way he was, and the duo later discovered, upon entering the superhero society, that it was common for a super to be born with their abilities. Alfred was, essentially, a genetic anomaly.
And he wanted to be a superhero. “More than anything, Kiku…”
But being a hero wasn’t cheap, they soon learned. There wasn’t a superhero scholarship fund that Alfred could apply to, nor were there many ways to get into the public eye with one’s powers without revealing one’s identity. Some heroes got lucky breaks, were discovered and mentored, or were able to make themselves known without any resources. But Kiku thought that if Alfred was going to take this seriously, that was not a chance he should be waiting for. He needed to make it happen himself. So Alfred and Kiku decided, that they’d make enough money to do so.
And that’s when they began their technological exploits. They created a popular networking site, and within six months, had more than enough money and resources to introduce Freedom Star to the world.
Within a year, Freedom Star was a sensation. Omoikane and Freedom Star began releasing technology under their names, and it was bought by all manners of citizens worldwide- from businesses to governments. Within two years, Freedom Star was the most popular superhero in the nation. At this time, Kiku and Alfred also both graduated university. They’d moved into their house in Tri City a year before, and they both managed to secure their current jobs post-graduation.
Three years later was now, and Kiku sometimes thought, that he had no idea where he’d be if he hadn’t met Alfred. He was positive that he’d have a well paying job, technological wiz that he was, but he knew that Alfred, even in his abrasiveness and his over enthusiasm, had given him untold opportunities.
And had trusted him with everything he was.
Kiku had done the same for Alfred though, given him unending assistance, helped him reach his dream. That’s why, even though he was sitting at this table with Heracles and truly having a good time just being in his presence, his first priority was still Alfred.
Kiku rented a small apartment downtown. He never stayed there, but it was his legal address. If someone found him out as Omoikane, the last thing he wanted to do was lead them straight to the address that Freedom Star resided at as well. He kept details about his personal life discreet, in attempt to avoid letting any hints slip by. He used a separate phone just for Alfred, one that he scrambled the signal so it was untraceable and kept the number private on (he did this to Alfred’s phone as well). To Heracles, he was just a pencil pusher at a small business firm.
Sometimes, he felt as if he were living even more of a double life than Alfred was. But it suited him, Kiku thought. Alfred was energetic and social, always bubbling for attention. Kiku on the other hand, was more than all right with being quiet, fading into the background as a silent support.
That didn’t mean that he didn’t want a bit of attention now and then though, and Alfred paid it to him. Even with everything that went on, they still made time for weekly video game marathons.
And Heracles was paying an almost embarrassing amount of attention to him. He was sweet and mild, and very tender in his behavior toward the smaller man. He listened when he spoke, and Kiku honestly found conversation with the other man to be very stimulating.
Once dinner was over (Heracles paid that night), Kiku felt filled to the brim with delicious Italian and anxious to go home. He wanted to talk to Alfred as soon as possible regarding if he’d been told to be silent about Rose or not. In his heart, he knew that he’d rather stay with Heracles a little longer though. Alfred would be all right. He wasn’t worried about his safety, more curious about what had occurred.
He really was a workaholic. He sighed to himself.
“Thank you very much again for inviting me out, Heracles,” Kiku said with a bow as the pair stood outside the restaurant. “I’m terribly sorry if I inconvenienced you in any way.”
Heracles smiled lazily and placed a hand on Kiku’s cheek. He flinched a bit, not yet comfortable with public displays of affection, but relaxed. “You always apologize. There’s no need. I like hanging out with you a lot…”
Kiku nodded, leaning just barely into his touch. “I like spending time with you as well, Heracles.”
Heracles leaned down, placing his free hand on the other side of Kiku’s face and capturing his lips in a gentle kiss. Kiku tensed, but then melted into his touch, his hands gripping the fabric of Heracles’s dress shirt.
“I apologize, but I should probably go home now,” Kiku said, breathless, once they’d pulled apart. Heracles had moved his hands down, and they were now resting on his shoulders.
“D’you want me to walk you home?” he asked.
Kiku shook his head in the negative. “No. I’m all right. Thank you for offering though.”
Heracle’s lips quirked up into a small smile. “You say that every time we go out. Just wanna make sure you get home okay…”
His cheeks flushed. “I-I will give you a call when I get home.”
Nodding slowly, the other man gave him another kiss, this one shorter and chaster. “Mmkay. But maybe next time you can come home with me? I’d really like for you to meet all of my cats…”
Kiku’s face grew darker, and he glanced away. “Well… I do like cute things…”
Silence fell between the pair for several moments, before Heracles spoke up again. “Kiku… I won’t do anything if you’re not ready for it.”
The shorter man’s mouth dropped, and he let go of Heracles, idly rubbing his wrist. “Th-that’s good… because I knew you wanted to sculpt me, but I’m very sorry, I’m just not comfortable doing that nude and--- “
Heracles laughed lightly. “That’s… not what I was talking about, but we won’t do that either. Would love if you’d agree to that sometime though…”
“I-I just don’t want something like that to be seen publicly!” Kiku replied, the words spilling out fast. “And if you sculpt it, people would see it.”
Heracles shook his head, pushing Kiku’s bangs up and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. “All right… this time Thursday then?”
Kiku nodded curtly. “That sounds like it will work well. I’ll call you when I’ve decided where to eat, since it is my turn to choose and pay. I hope you like my choice. If not, we can do something---“
“I’m sure it’ll be good…”
“Then thank you very much again,” he finished. “Good evening, Heracles.”
Kiku turned and swiftly began to walk away. His sojourn home would be mostly underground, through the subway system, into an abandoned segment of it, and then up into Omoikane and Freedom Star’s underground base.
