He Who Forgets Gets The Prize-AntiAverage

1

Chase sighs loudly, hearing footsteps surround him. They'd been tricked to his apartment this time, and yet still won. His hands shook as a blue pen danced across a paper. He always found his writing sketchy and childish, but he was also the least harsh of the egos. The last thing he would need when he awoke was an aggressive explanation of the broken furniture.

A few minutes later Chase stood back in his house, his chosen brothers surrounding him. Marvin had an image pulled up in a pot of chilled water, just like every other time they won. They all stared down and waited for the look-alike to awaken. The broken man in view this time, magic having been slowly honed this time. He was slumped in a wooden chair, his hair frizzier than anyone ever had seen.

The grey-clad man nearly jumped a mile when the one he was watching stirred. Jackie snorted, having felt him when he leaned closer. Chase smacked him hard on the shoulder, causing the other to whimper in such a fake and overdramatic way. But he still had his eyes trained upon the one with blood dripping down his neck. He could see the shaking hands and the overwhelmed eyes of his enemy. Pity began to build in his stomach, till he read the note and it all seemed to fade away. It was still the same Antisepticeye.

"It didn't matter though." Chase thought to himself, perplexed by the cheers of his friends. "Even if he wasn't this time, he would see us and we would lose that." He never heard the click of an opening fridge or registered the cold air till his hands wrapped around a glass bottle. His mouth opened, lips sticking for longer than they should of and aching at the small stretch, and he spoke with slight hesitation, "Anybody else want one?"

Of course, Chase expected his to be ripped out of his hands, but it didn't. In fact, Jackie was grinning at him, and Schneep had his shoulders laying relaxed next to his head. "I would." The soft purr of the magician murmured in his ear. Chase smacked his face lightly, knowing the other knew he hated when he did that.

"Get your own, asshole." Chase shimmied away before the cape-wearing, extra as fuck magician could steal his own. The keys on the counter served well enough as he popped the cap off his beer with a satisfied grin. The quiet hiss drowned out by the excited chatter of the others grabbing their own destructive drinks.

He popped his back loudly, the doctor flinching away from the sound. He frowned, not remembering why he would do such a thing, but knew it was probably a before. He watched as they made their way to the couch for tv and games before he slunk to his room to stare at pictures and drink from his stash. Like every time this had happened.

--

Chase could taste blood as he chewed on his lips. It had been nearly a year since the last time he'd peered into cold water to watch a bleeding man awake. It had been nearly a year since he'd last seen said bleeding man and he was stressed. Seán had wired him to seek them out, as they were wired to beat him down. No matter what, he'd always found them within months before. His hands shook as he scribbled in a notebook, blue ink smudging across his hands.

He cringed as his door slammed open, the already present dent only deepening.  "Yes, Diaperman?" He grunted out, not even having to look up at the hero to know it was him.

"Henrik said it was time for lunch and you gotta come this time." He was clearly out of breath, probably having tried to sprint from the basement where he had heard the doctor calling to his room at the back of the second floor.

"Dude, I wouldn't miss lunch. Bro, who do you think I even am?" He threw the pen at his friend and toppled the chair over in his rush.

Jackie laughed at his excitement, the joy glinting through his eyes in a way that made pride swell in his chest. "Then you gotta help me get Marv, ya dick."

Chase felt happy himself as he raced to Marvin's room. No one had gotten him to leave in two days, but none worried for his stomach as they saw the dishes leftover every morning. Something was tugging him to the window facing the park though, muting the joy. Yet, he ignored it for once, wishing only to be with his brothers.