Chapter 7

7

“Your greatest weakness will be…” My father’s final words filled my thoughts. I was no closer to filling in the end of his statement.

Hundreds of feet above Vanguard, the breeze tried throwing me back and forth. My cape whipped about as I drifted with the wind. The sun had reached the horizon and nearly vanished. In its last moments, the world turned a vibrant orange.

“Home.” The words were lost amidst the whooshing of the wind. For a few seconds, dusk reminded me of Halo, one of the few memories I had of my world. When the sun hit the atmosphere, its inhabitants were basked in orange light. I remembered lifting my face to the sky, imagining the light becoming one with my body. By necessity, Earth had become my home, but after years of trying, I still felt like an outsider.

I shook my head, dismissing the thought. “You’re home now.”

Spinning about, I searched the skies for fliers. Usually, this is when they finished their dinners and watched over Vanguard. I wanted to talk one-on-one and convince them to attend the launch party. If I could pack the lobby with superheroes, I’d help make Arthur’s project a success. This evening, not a single flier soared through the skies.

“That’s strange.” I pulled out the HeroApp? to see if a global threat had come to Earth. With a quick scroll, I found a wizard from another dimension who had summoned heroes for a magical test of strength. If I had taken to the skies earlier, I might have joined. Team-ups were popular, but I had yet to participate.

“You missed the party, too?”

I turned to see a man in a white suit with gray stripes running down his sides. On his chest emblem, concentric circles continued until they covered most of his upper body. He skipped the cape, which was a shame. The small blue piece of fabric at my back might be my favorite part of my outfit.

After years of zipping about Vanguard, I recognized most of the heroes. Only a handful spent their time hovering above the city, looking for crime. The cowl covering the top of his head hid his eyes and only revealed his mouth and scruffy jaw. I wanted to hold up my phone and see if the HeroApp? identified him. Instead, I gawked at the way his costume hugged his huskular body.

He thrust his hand out. “You’re Mr. Supreme?”

“I am!” I shoved my hand into his, testing his strength. With a firm up and down, my new friend had muscle, but not enough to compete with me. “I’m not sure I recognize you?”

He didn’t let go. “Discord. I’m new to this superhero thing.”

“Welcome, friend!”

He let go and drifted to my side. “Anything exciting happening?”

I checked the HeroApp?. “It’s fairly—” The phone vibrated. “I spoke too soon. It’s a…” I read through the citizen’s report. “A giant man-lizard is robbing Vanguard National Bank.” For only being in beta, it seemed the citizens were taking to the app faster than expected.

He rested his hand on my shoulder. After my kiss with Dustin, my hormones were out of control. When I got home, as Janet put it, I’d need to take care of business . For now, I tried to think of anything other than the tight space in my pants.

“You want to go?” He gave me a pat. “It’d be fun teaming up with the famous Mr. Supreme.” Famous because I once saved the mayor… by accident. Since then, my superhero antics had been less than stellar. Though, I did once save a gaggle of teens from crossing the road into traffic while glued to their phones.

“Thanks, but I?—”

“Come on. Discord and Mr. Supreme save the day? I can see the looks on everybody’s faces now.” He gave me a gentle nudge. “I’d love to learn from a professional.”

He wanted to learn how to cower while other heroes put themselves in jeopardy? I wanted to say no thanks and call it an early night, but his expression bordered on childish zeal. I opened my mouth to make an excuse. “Sure, why not?” That’s not at all what I intended to say.

He threw his fists into the air and spun about. I had made his night. The smile stretched across his face, and I didn’t know how to let him down gently. This new hero needed guidance. I set my insecurities aside… more like thrust them into a box in the back of my head. If Discord needed a team-up, I’d be the second half of his duo.

“Ready to go?”

He spun about, surveying the city. I couldn’t put my thumb on it, but something about him struck me as familiar. Even if I figured out his alter ego, heroes considered it taboo to kick somebody out of the spandex closet. Our identities were sacred. I should have let it go, but it’d eat at me until I figured it out.

“To the streets?”

Instead of answering, I fell from the sky. The first time I tried the trick, I hadn’t learned to stop midair and crashed into the side of a mountain. After years of practice, I finally mastered the art of flight. Spinning around, I pushed off, plummeting toward the street faster.

To my side, I spotted Discord trying to keep up. I shot him a wink and, at the last minute, pulled up to avoid smashing into a car. Spinning onto my back, I watched Discord scrape along the street, tumbling before running and springing back into the air. I slowed so he could catch up.

“New to flying?”

“New to it all,” he said.

I didn’t have an inexperienced hero—I had a newbie. “It gets easier with practice.” We raced through the streets, weaving around vehicles as we went. People whipped out their phones, trying to catch photos. I’d have to check the HeroApp? tonight to find a few to send to Earth Mom.

“Woohoo, my first mission!”

First? This changed things. Discord’s unbridled enthusiasm meant he’d likely run into the face of danger without thinking. I wouldn’t be able to step back and let him do the heavy lifting, not without putting him in jeopardy. Lizards, what were the chances that they’d be my weakness? As the insecurity set in, I glanced over my shoulder to Discord, psyched at the prospect of being a hero. I’d take my chances with the lizard.

“Be a hero,” I whispered.

As we rounded the corner into the financial district, people ran in terror. It meant we were close. I slowed my approach until I hovered in front of the steps leading to Vanguard National. The area had been cleared out, though it’d only be a matter of minutes before news crews arrived.

“What’s the plan?”

“You watch and learn.”

“But I can?—”

“Learn.”

When I first put on the cape, I learned the hard way. I tried to avoid the big fights when I could, but I had been roped into more than my share of scrapes. Each time, I gritted my teeth and prayed it wouldn’t be my last. With an unknown weakness hanging over my head, I worked in terror. With Discord behind me, I was less concerned about my safety. I’d never forgive myself if?—

“What’s that?” He pointed at the doors to the bank.

Something crashed through the wall. The vault door. I didn’t have time to think. Throwing up my arms, I hoped to absorb the brunt of the blow. I grabbed it and flew across the street. The wall crumbled as I barreled into a corner market… well, what was left of a corner market.

One by one, I checked limbs to make sure everything remained intact. Good news—vault doors weren’t my weakness.

A cat, the color of an orange creamsicle, sat atop a toppled shelf, unfazed by the market’s destruction. “Meow.”

I sat upright in a heap of toilet paper and potato chips. If the villain threw the door that hard, it meant the man-lizard had strength. I rolled my head to the right, vertebrae cracking. Strength sat high on the list of things that didn’t scare me. I gave the kitty a quick pat on the head before launching forward.

The man-lizard loomed over Discord. Duffle bags sat behind the bad guy, probably filled with the hard-earned money of Vanguardians. I’d worry about the cash after I got between him and Discord.

Discord jumped backward as the man swung both fists like a club. It missed, obliterating the sidewalk. With a deep breath, a screeching filled the air. I flew above them to see Discord shouting at the villain. Oh, his powers had something to do with his voice. My bad; I should have asked earlier.

With his ear holes covered, the man spun about, tail smashing into Discord’s side. The hero flew across the street, straight into the same corner market. I hope he didn’t land on the kitty.

The man reached for the duffle bags, ready to make his escape. As he ran toward the manhole cover in the street, I fell out of the air, dropping to one knee. The villain didn’t slow his approach, leaning with his shoulder forward.

“You’re not escaping, good sir.”

The man-lizard replied with a roar. I wanted to ask if he was a man turned lizard or a lizard turned man. They’d have to figure that out in prison.

He changed directions, tail leading the way. Leap. Ha, he’d have to try— His fist struck the corner of my jaw. As the next green fist came flying, I caught it, stopping just short of my nose.

“You’re under arrest,” I grunted.

“Not today,” he hissed.

He spun about, and this time, his tail slammed into my side. Before it launched me at the bank, he grabbed my wrist, jerking me back. With an oomph, I landed on my back. My body might be sore tomorrow, but it was my ego that took a real beating.

I tried to push off, and his foot smashed against my chest, pushing me through the concrete. It wasn’t the prettiest tactic, but I could let him keep hitting me until he ran out of energy.

“You’re going to?—”

An ear-piercing scream forced the villain to take a step back. Discord came flying in, the screeching growing louder until I had to cover my ears. While he distracted the reptile, I crawled to my feet. I’d have to thank Discord for the well-timed save. I understood why heroes worked in pairs.

“You’re up, big guy.”

Lunging upward, my knuckles caught the underside of his jaw, launching Lizard-man into the air. He landed on the duffle bags with tufts of money spewing out the sides. Our foe groaned as he lay still. We had done it. A villain stopped before terrorizing Vanguard. Well… if you didn’t include the hole in the bank or the crumbling market.

I glanced up to see Discord with a huge smile on his face. As he performed a victory dance, I couldn’t help but stare at his tongue hanging from the corner of his mouth. He wiggled his butt, strutting around the fallen villain.

“What now?” he asked. “Another villain? Stop a kidnapping? I hear there’s a gang from planet?—”

“Whoa, slow down.” I appreciated his enthusiasm. “Now, for the best part of the job.”

“Television interview?”

“Paperwork!” I cheered. “We get to ensure our foe is given due process.” I loved this part. Giving statements and helping the police maintain a sense of order might very well be my favorite part of being a hero.

“That’s not as exciting.”

I chuckled. “You go on, I’ll make sure he is safely locked away.”

“You sure?”

I waved him off. “Consider your first team-up a success.” It had been, and I hoped it wouldn’t be our last. “Thanks for the save at the end.”

Discord would make a mighty fine hero. Maybe we could work out a sidekick situation until he was ready to save Vanguard on his own. He hopped into the air, giving me a quick salute before turning to fly away.

“If you ever need rescuing, let me know.”

I heard that before from…

Dustin?

Discord. Dustin. “It can’t be.”

The adorable guard from work had a secret identity? My mind reeled at the information. For the last ten minutes, I stood in the shower's spray, imagining Dustin naked. I’d mentally add the boots, then the suit, and finally the mask. It lined up. What were the chances?

I rewound the tape in my head, going back to the image of Dustin in nothing but his boxers… nope. Swap those out for briefs. With or without the suit, the man made me smile. I risked getting shampoo in my eyes to see my erection sticking straight out.

“I’ll get to you soon.”

The shower spray barely reached my chest. Earthlings came in many sizes, but most things were designed for the smaller versions. I bent over, washing the shampoo from my hair. One more round of cleaning behind my ears before I turned off the water. I ducked under the rod and grabbed a towel from the sink.

“If I know he’s a hero, does he know I’m one?”

I wanted to commend myself on my bravery today. Discord needed a mentor and with all the other heroes gone for the day, I stepped up. I think I did a good job. Lizard Lad went to prison, and I recovered the stolen money. Fun fact, he had been an ordinary man bitten by a radioactive lizard. No surprise there.

“Good job, Wyatt.” I patted myself on the shoulder.

But as Wyatt, Dustin had saved me from a furry hell beast and then a hotheaded supervillain. Maybe being a scaredy cat worked? I’d have to be more heroic as Mr. Supreme if I wanted to protect my secret identity. If I wanted to protect it.

I could be wrong about it all. The way his tongue stuck out from the corner of his mouth, I’d bet my last Fudgy bar on it. His last words, what were the chances two different men would use the same phrase?

“Huh. Does this mean I kissed Discord, too? Wait, if I like Discord, would Dustin be mad? Am I cheating on Dustin by thinking about Discord?”

I glanced in the mirror, amused by my confused expression. I thought having a secret made life hard. Liking a man with his own secret made my head hurt. Could I ask Janet for advice? She’d suggest I knock boots with them both. I should probably buy a pair and find out.

I moved through the doorway, my shoulders in tight so I fit. Hovering an inch above the floor, I giggled as the threads of the carpet tickled my feet. As I squeezed into my bedroom, I was about to throw the towel in the hamper when I paused.

Hmm.

I shut the door to my room, turning off the lights. The nightlight next to the bed flickered to life. The pink unicorn was just enough to keep the shadows at bay. Despite every person agreeing nothing lived under my bed, Pointy made sure nothing grabbed my feet in the middle of the night. It might have a smile on its face, but I’m sure it would wrestle shadowy creatures to the ground and stab them.

I pulled back the comforter and crawled into bed, nestling my head on the oversized pillows. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I curled into a ball. I clutched my body pillow while I flicked open the screen. In the HeroApp?, I found Discord’s profile. There were a few pictures posted from our encounter with Lizard Lad. Bad guys needed to work on their names. It had taken me months before settling on Mr. Supreme, the perfect statement for who I wanted to be. Not that I lived up to it, but at least it sounded cool.

I zoomed in, squinting as I imagined Discord without his mask. It always amazed me how a piece of fabric did the job of protecting our identities. That’s why I wore glasses as Wyatt. Nobody would suspect Mr. Supreme needed corrective eye-wear.

The tongue peeked from the corner of his mouth. The photo wouldn’t zoom anymore. Instead, I closed my eyes, imagining those lips pressed against mine. Would kissing Discord be the same? I wanted to kiss both and compare. Then maybe I’d know for certain if he had an alter ego.

Of course… kissing wasn’t the only thing I wanted to do.

I glanced at the door, ensuring it had shut, another barrier should a villain find my home. Nestled away from the rest of the world, I flipped the screen to my super secret nighttime website. Since living on my own, I had bookmarked hundreds of videos of naked men touching each other. The site had something for every mood. The question was, what did I want to watch while I thought about Dustin in his briefs?

My cock stirred, ready for the attention. I flipped to a video of a man with a bushy beard and extra fluff around the waist. As soon as it started, the two men kissed, unbuttoning the other’s shirt. It was the same way Dustin and I had kissed, except we hadn’t taken off our shirts. Next time, I’d fix that. I wanted to touch more of him.

When they reached for their pants, I bit my lower lip. My favorite part of porn was anticipating what they hid in their underwear. Both wore briefs, one blue, the other green. Already, I could see their cocks straining against the fabric. Not knowing let my mind wander. With my free hand, I reached down, running my finger up and down my shaft.

Blue kissed his way down Green’s chest, biting his partner’s nipple. How did I find out if Dustin enjoyed biting? Or what if his nipples were off-limits? Drew explained that the people in porn were a type of actor. Would I need to read a script before I undressed Dustin?

I shoved the thought out of my head as Blue got on his knees, kissing just above Green’s waistband. Tugging down his shorts, Blue slowed, dragging out the reveal until Green’s cock sprung upward, hitting him on the chin. I glanced down my chest, past the abs, to my cock standing upright. In all the videos I had watched, I noticed their cocks were smaller and thinner than mine. Would my size give away my alien status?

I wrapped my hand around the base, and even with a squeeze, I couldn’t get my pointer to touch my thumb. With a quick stroke up and down my foreskin, a shiver traveled down my spine. I let the phone drop to the bed, deciding to focus on the porn in my head.

“It’s so big,” said Blue. I imagined Dustin’s voice saying the same thing, his eyes wide as my cock brushed against his cheek.

“It’s not going to suck itself,” Green said.

“It’s not going to suck itself,” I whispered. The thought of Dustin’s mouth opening, the head vanishing inside as he held the base. I had to let go. The tingling sensation in my testicles threatened to make me come. I held my breath, trying to will the electricity away from my cock.

“Phew. That was close.”

If Dustin sucking my cock made me come that fast, maybe we’d have to try something different. Instead of him licking the shaft, we could get close on the couch, and I could play with him while he stroked mine? I closed my eyes again, focusing on feeling his fingers wrapped around my cock, moving up and down in slow motion. This way, he’d…

“Oh.” Imaginary Dustin scooted over on the couch, turning around so he could guide my cock into his mouth. It appeared it was going to happen one way or the other. I tried slowing my tempo, letting the foreskin cover the head, pausing, and then moving down until it pulled tight.

“Your mouth feels so good,” said Green.

“So good,” I mumbled. Warm, wet, and trying desperately to get every inch in his mouth. The thought of filling Dustin tightened the muscles in my stomach. I didn’t just want to fill him with my cock; I wanted to fill him with my cum.

“Want my load?”

Green had the right idea. Knowing when Dustin pulled away, he’d have something of me inside him made it even hotter.

“I’m going to come.”

Blue responded with muffled whimpers. I growled, the electricity pulsing through my body. The roars from Green as he shot his load put me over the edge. I pulled my foreskin tight, my eyes open as I watched the cum shoot across my stomach. Rope after rope covered my skin, a problem that wouldn’t happen in Dustin’s mouth.

“Good boy,” Green said.

“Good, indeed,” I echoed.

With one last stroke, the remaining cum oozed from the tip, dribbling down my shaft. It’d be another few minutes before my cock softened. Meanwhile, I grabbed my towel to wipe down. Tomorrow, when I saw Dustin, I’d have to focus so I didn’t let my cock tear through my pants.

“Ready to get fucked?” Green said. I reached for the phone just in time to see Blue bend over and offer his ass to Green. Pulling down his briefs, he wasted no time shoving his cock inside. The moment I thought of Dustin on all fours, my cock shifted gears and stiffened again.

How did they decide? I imagined the two men flipping a coin before starting. Heads or tails. I thought about looking it up online while at work tomorrow, but I didn’t want my computer tattling on me to Orion.

Tossing the towel on the floor, I grabbed my body pillow. Cradled against my chest, I threw a leg around it. The videos never showed what happened after, but I imagined they curled up together.

Dustin had saved me without using his powers. Twice, he rushed into danger without hesitation. I wanted to say thank you, not for being a hero, but for the inspiration. I wasn’t focused on dying when we confronted Lizard Lad. Something about him set aside my worries and let me be a hero.

I closed my eyes to find that smile with tongue poking out. Even if we didn’t kiss, I wanted to see that face over and over. For lunch tomorrow, I’d pack an extra Fudgy bar. One for me. One for him.

We could enjoy a tasty treat together .