Jatp one shots 2

My Superhero (Relex)

Platonic or romantic you decide
Alex's POV

"Can I come in?"  I ask standing outside Reggie's window. The sun had set a long time ago and it was a dark and cloudy night, the stars and moon hidden under the clouds. It was dark. The only light was the dim light of Reggie's desk lamp that kept flickering because the bulb was going dead.

"What are you doing here?" He whispers.

"Long story. Can I come in?"

"Fine, just be quite." He says pushing up the window so I can crawl in. "If my parents wake up they're just gonna start yelling at each other."

I climb in and Reggie closes the window. "Everything okay?" He asks me.

"Yeah." I nod. "Just needed a break from my parents."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Not like it's your fault." I shrug.

"Well you should let me talk to them. I'll talk some sense into them."

"No, you won't." My parents won't hear anyone out. And if Reggie tried to talk to them they're just gonna start saying he's a bad influence and won't let me be friends with him anymore.

"But-"

"I don't need you to do that. They're not gonna hear you or anyone else out anyways." I say.

"But if I just try-"

"It's not gonna work Reg." I say. "I know you wanna help but talking to them is gonna make it all worse. I never should have told them I'm gay."

"Did you show them the comic like you did to me and Luke?" Reggie asks.

"What's that have to do with anything?"

"Well I just kinda thought, in the comic book the superhero was gay, and you may not be able to fly or fight crime while wearing a cape, but being gay is like your super power so in a way you're like a total superhero which is really rad and if your parents saw it that way, maybe they'd accept you."

"I'm definitely not a superhero." I say. "And my parents will never see it that way."

"You're my superhero. That has to count for something." He says.

I hold back a smile, covering it up with a sigh. Sometimes I forget how special my relationship with him is, and how encouraging and uplifting he can be. He was a total dork, but he had the biggest, child-like, heart out of anyone I ever met. "I am not your superhero."

"Yes you are." He says. "You always tell me to stop doing something that's stupid."

"Yeah and you don't always listen." I say. I don't know how many times I've told him not to climb on shelves when he can't reach and yet he still does it and yesterday he fell off the shelf. I warned him that would happen.

Or that shampoo has scents and not flavors and if he eats shampoo he'll get sick. The kid never learns.

"Okay but you also help me study. No one else can do that. You're like magic."

"No, I just know I can bribe you to do anything with pizza or something Star Wars related." I say. He would literally do anything for those things. And I mean anything. It's kinda concerning.

"Yeah but you explain things so much better and actually help me understand it. You also let me stay at your house when I need a break from my parents." He says. "And you make me feel better after they fight. You're actually a superhero and you can't convince me otherwise."

"Whatever Reginald." I say.

"Your parents really suck. I'm sorry they can't see how awesome you are." He says.

"Thanks." I say. "Isn't like way past your bedtime, go to sleep."

"I'm not five! I don't have a bedtime." He says.

"Yeah but you need your sleep. You keep falling asleep in class."

"Because it's super boring." He groans. "Besides I can't sleep anyways."

"You aren't even trying." I say.

"I've been trying for weeks." He says. "I just can't get to sleep. And when I finally do, I wake up right away because I can hear them shouting. Whether it be in real life or a dream."

I feel really bad. It's not fair, his parents are so selfish and wrapped up in their own arguments they don't realize how all this is affecting Reggie. He can barely get sleep, and when he gets junk sleep at school they get mad at him for not paying attention but he can't catch a moment of peace at his own house. Not even in his sleep because they've infested his dreams.

If I really were a superhero, his parents would be my arch nemesis.

"Alright lay down, close your eyes and try and go to sleep, I'll read you a bedtime story."

"Again, I'm not five." 

Are we sure he's not a five year old in a seventeen year old's body?

"I know but a story will give you something else to focus on instead of either shouting or silence." I say. "So lie down, try and relax and get some sleep."

"See, you really are a superhero." He smiles, getting in his bed.

"Whatever you want to believe." I shake my head. "Alright I'm making this up on the spot, so if it sucks don't blame me." I say. "And you better keep those eyes closed and be trying to sleep."

"Okay fine bossy pants, they're closed." He closes his eyes.

I begin the story, basing it off of Star Wars since I know that's what he likes. Eventually he's fast asleep and my eyes get heavy themselves.

Before I know it, I can't even open them and sleep takes over.