Title: Superhero He Might Be, Invincible He Was Not.
Pairing: Codiasi, siding of Centon.
Rating: NC-17.
Summary: Sometimes you have to look behind the mask to see the truth, whether the wearer wants their truth known or not.
Word Count: 2540
A/N: Hope this meets your expectations!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, only the characterisations used in this fictional piece~
“Well well, isn’t this just a sweet gathering?”
Ted startled, eyes widening as he glanced across the room to where the private lift was situated; the security that he had hired was no longer there, instead several masked men took their place. A solitary figure stood a little ahead of them, a gun held in his hand with as much confidence and casualness as though he’d been born with the firearm attached to his hand.
“Dashing-“Ted ground his teeth together, cursing that he’d let his guard down enough to let something like this happen--- and during his engagement part of all things.
“Mr DiBiase, you remember me?” the thick Velcro straps messed the handsome young man’s dark hair, but the translucent plastic only mildly distorted what Ted was sure had to be a handsome face. “I’m honoured, and touched… though a little hurt I was not invited today, when it seems that anyone who’s anyone is here.”
Glancing across the room towards where John stood, Ted mentally wondered if there was any way they could have a distraction enough to allow him to slip out and change into something… more practical for kicking bad-guy’s asses.
And what an ass that particular bad guy has… wait, no, bad Ted!
“Now, then-“Dashing crossed the room in several strides, light glinting off of his boots, moulded to his legs and tight black and white trousers like a second skin, grabbing hold of Kristen, Ted’s fiancée, “Do behave yourselves ladies and gentlemen. I don’twant to harm anyone, but I’m not averse to a little facial reconstruction via sub-machine gun should anyone feel like playing a hero.”
Moments later the lights clicked off and Ted momentarily thanked John’s quick-thinking as he easily navigated through the crowd of panicked people to reach the side door that led down to his nearest ‘port of call’ for his… superhero gadgets and costume.
When the lights clicked back on Dashing scowled and fired several shots into the ceiling, Kristen shrieking in fear as plaster rained down upon her, no longer struggling to get out of Dashing’s grip just as everyone who hadn’t somehow attempted to escape during the miniature blackout no longer attempted to leave, frozen like deer before headlights.
“I hope you’ve had a pleasant evening, whoever did that-“a bare undercurrent of a lisp appeared once more as the man spoke, easier to recognise as his ire rose, “Because when I discover who you are I’m going to take great delight in rearranging your face.”
“He was involved in an accident in his line of work,” Randy had reported to him when he’d approached his friend in the police-force (who also happened to be his second-in-command, John’s, lover) about maybe finding something on Dashing, or seeing what a profiler could come up with, “And since then he’s had a fixation with people’s faces… that’s why he has a calling card of leaving paper-bags over the heads of his victims.”
“Let the woman go, Dashing.”
Dashing’s head snapped up as the voice came from near the rafters, face splitting into an almost maniacal grin, “There you are--- I was wondering when you’d make an appearance, Captain Cowboy.”
Ted had a horrible feeling that somehow he’d been discovered; two people, and himself, were the only ones who knew who he really was… But what if he did? But, if he did, then why hadn’t he taken him out when he’d been walking down the street doing PR for work or something along those lines?
“Didn’t your parents teach you not to interrupt other people’s parties?”
“I don’t think my parents could have taught me anymore than yours did.”
Ted ground his teeth together; his parents had been murdered in what had initially appeared to be a terrible accident when he’d been about ten years old, and even now when people made tasteless comments about them he felt his temper mounting.
“Then maybe I should be the one to teach you a lesson,” Ted leapt lightly from the rafter beam he’d been standing on, costumed body tense, eyes glaring out from underneath the covering of his cowboy hat.
The firearm in Dashing’s hand cocked anew, Kristen emitting a terrified whimper, “I was hoping you’d say that.”
And then he started firing.
~::~
“What’s the matter Cowboy? Getting out of shape in your old age?” the mocking laughter sounded several metres ahead of him and Ted instinctively pressed closer to the shadowed wall; he wouldn’t put it past Dashing to have booby-trapped the main streets, and he could really do without another injury to add to his growing list.
“We’ll see how out of shape you’re going to be when I get my hands on you Dashing!”
“Promises promises,” as Ted rounded the corner he froze, tan cowboy boots skidding on the asphalt floor.
That voice had come from right behind him.
Lashing a hand out he found himself barely missing Dashing’s face, bringing a hand up in time to grab the nose of the machine-gun and direct it away from himself.
Superhero he might be, invincible he was not.
Unnaturally white teeth seemed to gleam at him out of the darkness, “And here I was thinking you were beginning to avoid me, Cowboy! How long has it been since we’ve last danced together? I mean, I even blew up that hospital just for you, and you never even showed!”
Cringing, Ted swung a leg out, catching Dashing’s ankle and sending him sprawling to the floor, gun clattering to the ground but mercifully not going off. Shoving it away with one gloved hand as he pinned the slighter man’s body to the ground by straddling his hips Ted then wrapped his other hand around Dashing’s throat.
“You’re a monster,” he snarled, “And I’m going to relish finally putting you in prison where you belong.”
“Oh really? So you can marry your little woman and play the part of a doting husband because it’s what your parents would have wanted, without me there to keep you doing what is it you really want to do?”
“W-What?” Ted scowled.
“You heard me,” Dashing’s face was unnervingly sombre in that moment and something about the look stirred something deep within the recesses of Ted’s mind.
“I don’t know what you’re-”
“You broke your promise,” Dashing sounded oddly choked, as though he was trying not to cry, and Ted found himself completely at a loss for what he was supposed to do next, “And I’m going to make sure that you won’t forget me this time around.”
Gloved hands knocked off his hat and wrapped into his hair almost in the same instance, yanking his head down and smashing their mouths together in a kiss that was as passionate as it was violent, the undercurrent of copper letting Ted know that his lip had been split a little.
He knew this kiss.
But it couldn’t be!
Wrenching his mouth away Ted stared down at the unmoving super-villain, trembling fingers reaching and removing the mask that had obstructed the true face of his foe from him since day one.
“Cody?”
A bitter smile crossed Cody’s lips, “Nice of you to remember by name at least Teddy.”
“Why-”
But he barely got the question out before a mouth was taking possession of his own once more.
~::~
“You won’t forget me, right?”
“You’re my best friend, I’ll never forget you.”
Two boys, around ages 11 and 13, stood together at a graveside, hands clasped tightly and wearing dark suits. Snow was beginning to fall lightly around them, their state of dress making it obvious that neither had prepared for the sudden change in weather.
“They’ll forever be proud of you, Teddy.”
“Cody… Promise me you won’t leave me?”
White teeth with a gap between the front two appeared as the smaller, dark haired child smiled and leant up, brushing his lips against the taller blonde’s in an affectionate, tender gesture, “I won’t leave you, ever Teddy. No matter what happens, it’ll be me and you, forever.”
Ted smiled, pretending not to feel the tears that were turning to veritable icicles on his cheeks, “Forever.”
~::~
Riiiiip!
Cold air sent goosebumps over Ted’s chest, nipples peaking as the sudden change in temperature met his skin.
“Wait-”
“No-“Cody muttered gruffly, almost like a man possessed as he worked with an almost feverish intent enough to get Ted exposed enough that he could feel skin, see the rock hard cock that was standing straight to attention for him.
A dark blush stained Ted’s cheeks as he stared up at Cody, wondering how the hell they had managed to get to that point; he’d never thought he’d meet Cody again, even though he had certainly wished it ever since his best friend had gone missing a good five years earlier, but this… What was he doing?
Kristen was undoubtedly worried sick about him.
But Cody had been there before her.
Cody had broken his promise and left him!
But that was only after you had told him about your engagement to the high-society girl wasn’t it?
Had he really misunderstood everything the way he’d thought?
“No more waiting, Theodore.”
And then, faster than even Ted could register, Cody was over him, and his cock was buried balls-deep into tight, pulsating heat that had him crying out to the dark night sky before they had even gotten started.
A breathlessly smug laugh left Cody, face flushed and eyes almost as dark as the sky around them, “I take it she isn’t as good as I am?”
“Don’t-”
“You’re right-“Cody braced his hands down onto Ted’s chest and started to bounce up and down with swift speed, forcing Ted deep into himself with each moment, “We’re not wasting time by talking--- after all, you owe me.”
He’d led him on for years, broken his heart, stomped on the pieces, and then even had the audacity to forget about him at the same time. Cody Rhodes was no man’s fool, not even for Theodore DiBiase Junior.
“C-Cody-“Ted ground his teeth together, feeling perspiration already building around his forehead, his hands grabbing Cody’s hips. He hadn’t even considered actively moving them until he heard Cody yelp as he found himself pressed towards the ground, Ted starting to pump into him from behind, deep swift strokes that had the notorious villain trembling and mewling as though he was some lowly civilian.
“Ohh!”
“You left-”
“Don’t even--- think of--- pinning blame--- on me!”
“You broke--- promise!”
The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed through the alley, their cries magnified by the caverns and the disused buildings around them, both thinking in the back of their minds that they couldn’t believe no one had come to investigate what all the ruckus was about.
“This is much better than the first time-“Cody purred, starting to push back on Ted’s thrusts. Granted, he wasn’t quite as in control as he would have liked, but that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was that he had broken down Ted enough to have him going back on that soul-shattering declaration he had given Cody that miserable, rainy afternoon:
“I have Kristen now, Cody, I’m going to marry her… We can’t do this anymore.”
“You’re still as mouthy!”
“I’ll never change there,” Cody laughed breathlessly, and then gasped as Ted’s hand wrapped around him, jerking him in tandem with the thrusting motion carrying on behind him that was giving his scraped up knees and painful grit in the back of his throat with each gasping breath.
“I’m gonna--!”
“Do it.”
“I can’t--!”
Clenching around Ted, Cody felt no small amount of satisfaction as he felt Ted shudder, the blonde all but roaring as his release was wrenched from him, filling Cody’s willing body with his seed, the sensation setting off a chain reaction as Cody cried out loudly and came against Ted’s hand and the alley floor.
Collapsing down together on the ground, Ted reluctantly eased his spent body from Cody’s, staring up at the star-strewn sky and trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened--- and that Cody was unfortunately right: Kristen had never made him feel even a fraction of what Cody did.
The rustling sound of material drew him back to the present, a shocking feeling of hurt welling in him as he watched Cody smoothly reassemble his outfit, bending down for the disgusting mask that hid him from the world, and even his own reality it seemed. Once Cody put that mask on he wouldn’t be Cody anymore, he’d be Dashing, and Ted would have no choice but to take him down… which was something he should have already been doing, so why wasn’t he?
“You’re leaving?”
Pausing, the mask inches from his face, Cody arched a brow, “You think this changes anything?” he asked snidely, “No. This doesn’t change anything. You broke my heart, ruined my life,” he then smirked, “Sure, you may still be able to rock my world but… the way things are, it’s just not good enough.” Affixing the mask back on Cody then sneered, “I’m my own man, Ted, not anyone’s bitch.” He backed up a few steps (Ted’s ego being fed somewhat as he saw the way he limped) and then blew the man a kiss, “I’ll be seeing you again real soon Cowboy… Make sure to be ready for me, won’t you? Say hi to the little woman.”
With that parting bard Cody moved swiftly, grabbed the fallen gun, and seemed to vanish into the shadows mere seconds later, leaving Ted covered in, and surrounded by, bodily fluids in the back of the filthy alley, clothes in disarray and a newfound sense of determination welling in him alongside his former feelings of anger, hurt and abandonment.
“I don’t know what’s happened to you, Cody,” Ted mumbled as he forced himself to his feet and tried to right his clothing as much as possible, “But I’m going to save you.”
What kind of superhero would he be if he couldn’t save the one person he’d loved more than anyone else?
Across the city, as though answering his comment, police sirens rent through the air with their high pitched wailing.
It already seemed as though Cody was getting himself into trouble.
Taking a breath Ted affixed his own mask and then reached into his jacket for his communicator, “John? What’s happening?”
A crackling sound responded, and then John’s carefully controlled voice, “Randy just went running out of here after that maniac… where the hell are you Ted? They need your help!”
Blushing slightly Ted cleared his throat, “I’ll be right there, OK?”
“Just keep an eye on Randy for me will you?”
“I feel like I should be charging for these babysitting services.”
“Just get going Cowboy; if Dashing’s there then you know it’s only because of you.”
Even as he started running towards the sound of the commotion, Ted couldn’t help the elation welling in his chest.
I’m coming Cody… I’m gonna take that mask off and make you the way you were, so we can be the way we’re supposed to be together.
Forever.