Sidekicks

Chapter 11: I'm Fuse

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Fuse couldn't help but scream almost the entire way back home. Ryan was obviously very skilled at riding the waves he created, taking sharp turns and flying along the streets. Fuse screamed at every shift in direction, digging his fingers into Ryan's back.

It felt like a torturous eternity before Ryan finally slowed their speed, stepping off the wave in front of Fuse's house. Fuse finally unlocked his grip around Ryan, stumbling on his feet.

"You... cruel..." He couldn't seem to find the words as he tried to get his legs to stop shaking.

Ryan only laughed. "We'd better go in before someone spots us."

"Yeah, yeah..." Fuse nodded, the sweater covering his head nearly slipping off. He held it in place as they walked through the door. He could see his mother tinkering away behind one of the machines but he didn't greet her, simply gesturing for Ryan to follow him up the stairs as he pulled the sweater off his face. "Watch your head," He instructed.

Ryan said nothing but made a point of walking straight upright that went completely unnoticed by Fuse. He led Ryan to his room, pulling open a drawer and tossing a shirt and pair of sweats to Ryan before pulling out a shirt for himself.

"Do you want some food or something?" Fuse asked as he pulled off his costume. "I've got cookies somewhere."

"I'm good on that front but do you have any clothes that aren't ten sizes too big?" Fuse glanced back at Ryan. The clothes he'd tossed him were hanging off his body like blankets, the pants only being held up by Ryan's firm grip.

"My mom does." Fuse shrugged, chuckling behind his hand.

Ryan's face scrunched up in distaste. "Uh... Can I have some safety pins instead?"

Fuse chuckled and dug in his drawer for a belt, tossing it to Ryan. "Use that." Ryan looked delighted to have a means of holding his pants up, pulling the belt on as quick as he could. It was an awkward look since the sweatpants had no belt loops, but Ryan seemed happy with it.

"So, why were you up on the smokestack? And I won't take 'I don't know' for an answer." Ryan smirked, tightening the belt and seating himself on Fuse's bed completely uninvited.

"I told you, I don't really know." Fuse shrugged. He wanted the conversation to be over already.

"That's a lie, but okay. I'll let it slide for now since you lent me your mask." Ryan held out the red and black fabric. "It's pretty good. Really light."

Fuse took the mask back, folding it over his costume on the counter. "Yours looks cooler, though."

"Ah, that's all it does for me," Ryan spat, waving his arms, the sleeves of the too-big shirt flapping. "Useless otherwise."

Fuse smiled. It felt strange to be talking about masks with someone other than his mother. It felt strange to be around another kinetic without being in a fight. It felt strange that Ryan was the one there with him.

"You know, I thought it was your brother at first," Fuse admitted.

"I know, I saw the pictures on your computer."

"So you went through my computer too!" Fuse shook his head in bewilderment. "Are you the one who deleted my pictures?"

Ryan laughed nervously. "I mean... You had pictures of my brother, what else was I supposed to do?"

"He let me take them," Fuse scoffed. "And I liked those pictures! I deleted them from my camera because I thought they were safely stored but no!"