Generation Antihero 2

Afraid of the afraid tiger

Ilus asked with crossed arms: "And how did you fall into trash cans?". "Lost my balance, don't push it into my face like that! It's embarrassing enough!", Koi puffed. Henry giggled: "Leave it be. We know how clumsy we all can be here". Koi asked hesitant and blushing: "Teddy...? Can we talk in private...?". Ilus ripped his eyes open and stared at Koi enraged. Henry didn't give it a second thought: "Sure, let's go to the roof. Talks are good up there". Koi quickly got the bandage and then they went up. The doctor smiled: "These services I like the most. If only it could always be these little things". He startled when Ilus took a syringe and rammed it with force into the stone wall. Shortly after he left the nursery and went to his own room.

On the roof Koi fell to the floor and he simpered: "I need your help". "With what?", Henry asked openly, squatting down beside him. "Convince Ilus that we'll start a fight with the Polar Foxes", he meant directly. Henry stood up again: "It was nice talking to you, bye". Koi grabbed his ankle: "Pleeeeeease! This woman is so damn pretty and she is exactly what I've been looking for! She isn't happy there herself! You wouldn't tolerate an innocent soul to suffer!". Henry still declined: "I'm terribly sorry, but Ilus is no good to talk to at the moment. I still don't know what's wrong with him". "Didn't that settle yesterday?", he whined. "I had him for five minutes, today he was so weird again", he shook his head.

Koi crawled up and pushed Henry: "Alright, look! I'll help you with Ilus and in return you'll help me with eventually the love of my life!". "Koi...", Henry sighed hopelessly. "Now imagine she really is the one! Think about my future, Teddy! I wanted to marry and become a father one day!", he coerced him. Henry squinted at him: "You've known her for three days". "Yeah, and I admit that I've got it bad for her! That's also supposed to be our secret please, but that's not the point now!", he spoke quickly, "Come on, you surely also miss Ilus' old personality". Henry gave in: "Urgh, fine...! Our next great desaster...".

~~~

The dawn broke in, so it was about bed time. Before that, everybody had a warm meal. In their own room Zigz cheered: "Shark, Lucky~ Look what I've got for us~". Lucky asked: "A coffee machine?". "Yeah~", he sang happily, "Have you already decided what we should eat?". "Make me a sandwich", Lucky shrugged. "So much to you'd be the sporty one of us", Zigz rolled his eyes, "Shark, what about you?". He was busy decorating his wall with cute animal stickers: "Can't right now". "Fine. Then I'll decide and say that I'm going to cook some spaghetti carbonara for us. Teddy indirectly gave me the recipe when I snooped around in his kitchen back then", Zigz grinned and opened the fridge. But quickly he turned around puffing: "Didn't I tell you to go grocery shopping?". Lucky just read his manga uninterested: "Gave Kiki the task".

He stomped over to him: "Idiot, as if she'd do any favors for me!". At the same time he ripped the manga out of his hands: "What the hell is this?". "Koi gifted it to me, an original from Japan. Can I have it back? The story is gripping", he puffed annoyed. Irritated Zigz browsed the pages and let it fall jumpily: "Yeah sure, the story! Perverted bastard! No wonder you get stuff like this from Koi!". "Excuse you?!", Lucky raised his voice. Shark was annoyed by the discussions all the time and he muttered inbetween: "Zigz, go get food". "Yes, I will do so!", with that he went to the door and swung it open. At that he slammed the door directly into Kiki's nose. His anger broke down and he apologized immediately: "Oh no! I didn't know you were stan- Oh, just hit me already". Holding her nose in pain she pushed a shopping bag with her foot into the room: "Lucky asked me to run some errands for you. Here's your stuff". Cowed Zigz gulped: "O- oh... Thank you...". Reproachfully Lucky picked his manga up while glaring at him. Jurij grabbed an apple from the bag and looked at Zigz asking: "Can I?". "Sure... Sorry, Kiki. I'll go get you an ice pack", he ran out of the room one storey down.

In the nursery sat Fishhead and he wrote down a few notes from his study books. "Hey, Fishhead. Do you have an ice-...", he saw the syringe sticking out of the wall, "How did that happen?". "Chef, but you rather not talk to him about it", the doctor explained. Zigz scratched his chin: "His jealousy is starting to get out of control...". Fittingly Koi just passed by: "His what?". He turned to him: "Ilus seems to be jealous. Oh well, can you blame him for it? Everybody was out for Henry. He was the target. Tigers also have fears". "Zigz. Eventually you've just saved my life", Koi nodded smiling widely. "Like said, Ilus' jealousy is just dangerous", he repeated. Koi was on his way to the community kitchen: "Didn't mean that, still thank you".

With the new info Koi sat down at Ilus' table. Right away he pressed his fork against the plate with so much force that both dishes broke. Koi tried to stay friendly and calm: "I'm noticing that you're filled with anger. Perhaps you want to let it out on me?". Rapidly and with an sharp eye Ilus turned his look to him. Hectically Koi added: "With words!". Repressed Ilus puffed and stared at his broken plate. Koi feared: "You see me as your enemy, do you?". "You're a part of my team, it shouldn't be this way...!", he growled quietly. "You know that I currently have my interest on a wonderful girl and I actually am straight, but everybody just always ignores that. Shota wouldn't dare himself, he respects relationships and won't come inbetween. Lucky may be bisexual, but he's also aromantic and has nothing to do with Teddy. Dunno who else you'd be worried about, but here everyone's safe to be just friends", Koi tried to be diplomatic.

Out of nowhere Ilus got up and left the community kitchen. Thoughtfully biting his lip Koi tried to put a plan together. After a few minutes, Henry walked in and Koi talked to him right away: "I may be helping you, but I still need your help first. Why is Ilus so jealous towards all of us when it is about you?". Henry gaped: "He is? I wouldn't know a reason. Us two might have danced together in that night club regarding the mission, but nothing else happened. Is he jealous towards everyone?". "He refused to talk to me", he shrugged, "I told him that he has no reason for anyone here". "At least now I know that he's jealous. Then I only caused more fire to burn with my action... I'm going to look for him right now. Thank you", Henry went upstairs and searched everywhere for him.

At last, he went on the roof, where he was to be found. Starting off Henry meant: "You know that I think the roof is a good place to talk. Now you're here. Are you ready to talk to me about your problems?". Ilus sat there huddled up, knees against his chest and head hidden between the arms. Worried Henry sat down beside him: "Apparently you're jealous. Thinking about the past I understand, but we're here to start fresh, aren't we?". His voice sounded like it was about to break: "I don't want it this way... These are my friends who I stand up against right now... And I don't know why... They're all on my side... I don't have to worry about you...". "That's true...", clueless he held his back head, "I have to apologize for my attention-action. I worsened exactly what haunted you".

Except for a short nod Ilus didn't respond more. Carefully Henry put his hand ond Ilus' shoulder: "But hopefully you know that I wanted your attention only. If we were still in LA, I wouldn't have dared myself. Here the danger of getting grabbed from the street and kidnapped are just lower. You picked a wonderful place. We all feel comfortable and it's nice here". Ilus remained emotionally mixed up: "I still can't get rid of this feeling... Why's that...? I do trust you...". "I wouldn't be surprise if you didn't after I picked the fight with Iceman after all", he lightly smiled. "But through that you probably saved my life...", he objected. Henry slid a bit closer.

He didn't know what else he was supposed to say. After a while in silence, they lied down together and arm in arm observed the sky, where the last stars shone before the sunrise.