002. better with(out) you

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height


{season 1. episode 1}

chapter two!

TW: Mentions of su!c!dal thoughts and cursing (yes. cursing). Read at your own risk and will

⋆ . ✩ ⋆ β‚Š β˜ͺ . ➢ ˚ 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈𝐧 π‚π«π’π¦πž ˚ ⊹ ˚ ✩ . Λšβ‚Š . ⋆

˚.002.˚

β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––

.Β·:Β·. β˜†β˜…β˜† ❝𝑖 𝑔𝑒𝑒𝑠𝑠 π‘¦π‘œπ‘’'π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘œπ‘˜π‘Žπ‘¦ β–¬β–¬β–¬ 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑖 𝑠𝑑𝑖𝑙𝑙 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’, ❞



(Brooklyn's pov)


"HE TAKES EVERYTHING AWAY FROM ME!" Brooklyn exclaimed as she put her stuff in her locker. She pushed her skateboard into the small locker, trying to fit it. The last time she had it because it didn't fit in her locker, Ms. Shapen gave her detention. She refused to ever go back there again, considering the fact that she had to spend a whole three hours cleaning gum under all the tables in the school with a specific blonde whom she quite literally would kill if she could.

Brooklyn finally fit it in and slammed her locker door in anger. "I can't have one nice thing to myself," she turned to the blonde who leaned on the locker beside her, who just gave a sigh. "It just makes me want just- scream," Brooklyn continued. The girl sighed again, a bit more dramatically. Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "Alright Lennon, what is it? What would you like to say?" she asked her.

Lennon Ogletree was Brooklyn's oldest friend. They have been inseparable since first grade. If you would have seen them in the halls, you would wonder how two opposites could be best friends. Though in truth, they were more similar than you would think. At first look, they were very different of course. There was Lennon with her long blonde hair that was usually straightened neatly and laid down or styled in some way, her green eyes that shone whenever she was excited and her pale skin that looked as if she were a vampire honestly. Brooklyn was quite literally the opposite in appearance. While Lenon had blonde hair, Brooklyn had brown wavey hair that was almost always in a ponytail or a mess while laying on her shoulders. Nothing else. She had dull brown eyes that seemed to always be tired, and her skin accented her eyes with its honey tint. Lennon also always seemed to be filled with thoughts and opinions and never held back, while Brooklyn usually seemed isolated from the world and seemed always tired.

But in reality, Brooklyn and Lennon were too much alike. Both Lennon and Brooklyn weren't afraid to snap at someone, they were both very strongly opinionated, and they both thought alike. For the most part, at least. That's what Brooklyn loved about her.

Lennon flipped her long blonde locks over her shoulder and stared at her, "You are obsessed with him." she told her, with no clear tone following those words. Brooklyn stared at her in disbelief and Lennon scoffed, "All you ever talk about is him and how he 'ruins' you things. Have you ever considered the fact that you may like him? That's why you can't stand him?"

"Me? In love with him? I would literally rather be dead," Brooklyn protested, "He makes my blood boil-"

"Out of love," Lennon finished Brooklyn's sentence with a snicker, "Plus, you two are just sweeping and cleaning that junk store. It's not like you'll be in a life and death situation and suddenly you fall in love like in movies."

Brooklyn scoffed, "If only you knew," she muttered. She held her books tightly to her chest as she walked to her class. The only thing in her mind was pure hatred. Hatred and fatigue. She sat at her desk in Ms. Shapen's class and put her head down with a soft yawn. She only prayed that things would get better. After last night, with someone's mischief act of blowing up the bridge, she was almost ready to quit her life. Telling Ray how to handle situations was already bad enough. He never listened to her, and only did when he was finally caught up in the midst of almost dying. But now having to coach Henry too? It was a living nightmare. She never wanted to see his puny, stupid face ever again.

That must have jinxed it. She heard a thud behind her just as she sat up. Brooklyn turned around to see Henry tiredly put his head on his desk, just like she had done. He gave a big yawn and rubbed his eyes, looking up. He stared tiredly at Brooklyn for a bit, "Don't worry. I'm not in the mood to pull your hair or anything." he muttered, rubbing at his face.

Brooklyn sighed softly and rummaged through her bag, She pulled out a lollipop, handing it to him with a sincere look on her face. It was the first time she had ever felt any true remorse for him, "It's mint flavored." She told him in a hushed tone, "Helps you stay awake and refreshed. If I had remembered to make coffee, I would have given it to you but- this is the best I can do."

He looked at her in surprise, then at the lolly, then back at her. "Thank you?" he said and hesitantly took it. Henry examined it closely, for a moment, then looked back at her. "You didn't lace it with poison, right?" he asked carefully.

Brooklyn rolled her eyes, "You think I have time for that? Though, now that you mention it, I wish I had. Would bring more of a taste to it, don't you think?" She teased, a small smile curling from the corner of her mouth.

"Oh gee, thanks," Henry scoffed and popped it into his mouth, sucking on it hard to the point it made a slurping noise. Brooklyn cringed at the sound, turning her head away to focus on the class, which had just started. No matter how hard she tried to focus though, for some odd reason, all she wanted to do was look back at him and stare into his eyes. Maybe then he'll stop the slurping. Maybe that's why she wanted to look at him. To get a hint.

I'm gonna kill myself for this.

~*~



β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––

.Β·:Β·. β˜†β˜…β˜† βπ‘€β„Žπ‘¦ π‘‘π‘œπ‘›'𝑑 π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘™π‘–π‘˜π‘’ π‘šπ‘’? β–¬β–¬β–¬ π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝐼 π‘‘π‘œπ‘›π‘’? ❞


(Henry's pov)

"SO YOU'RE LIKE- JUST REALIZING SHE WORKS THERE?" Charlotte Page asked, trying her hardest not to laugh. "Fate is really going your way, huh?"

"Charlotte, please!" he exclaimed as he took out his books from his locker, "It's just a job. Nothing big. At all. Just- sweep sweepin'."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, "Righhhtt."

"It is." Henry protested with a yawn. "Just...a job..." he whispered, being on the verge of passing out.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, "Bet you were up allllll night, dreaming about your precious lovely Brooklyn!" She mocked in a high-pitched voice, making Henry roll his eyes. "Oh don't roll your eyes at me. You know I'm right!" she beamed.

Henry shut his locker and looked at her, "No. I don't, because you are very much wrong. I stayed up working. Had to clean the junk... and stuff. And catch up on my home- Shit- I forgot about homework." He muttered, then looked at Charlotte with pleading eyes.

Charlotte frowned, "Oh no. I'm not giving you my answers."

He groaned, "Char! Please!" he begged, "It'll be the last time I ask. I swear!"

The curly-haired brunette scoffed. "That's what you said last time. And the time before. And before. Oh! And even before that!" She told him with an unfazed look, "Bet you were too caught up in this crush of yours to even realize it, right?" Henry glared and Charlotte smiled, "Oh! I know! You admit that you were up fanaticizing about her, and I'll give you the answers."

"But I wasn't!" He exclaimed in annoyance.

Charlotte tsked, shaking her head, "Wrong answer. Would you like to try again?"

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. He looked around, making sure Brooklyn wasn't in the area, then leaned down to Charlotte. "Fine, I was. Now can I please have the answers?"

Charlotte beamed and took them out of her binder, "There you are."

Henry took his blank, crumbled-up paper and set them both down on the floor as he quickly copied them down. He handed Charlotte her sheet back and she snatched it, "Thank you!"

Henry just muttered under his breath and stood up, rushing to his class. Right as he stepped foot into the class, the bell had rung. He sighed in relief and sat at his desk, slamming his hand down on the table in exhaustion. He noticed whoever was in front of him had flinched when that had happened and immediately perked up. Brooklyn was looking at him in disgust. Teasingly, Henry gave her a look back. Brooklyn frowned and pulled her hair away from him. Henry blinked in exhaustion at Brooklyn for a bit, "Don't worry. I'm not in the mood to pull your hair or anything." he muttered, rubbing at his face. Brooklyn sighed and looked down through her bag and he felt his cheeks go bright red. Fuck.

Last night she seemed already in a bad mood, but Henry couldn't have asked for a better time. Hearing her stern voice, it gave him butterflies. Even with fighting that big baby-looking guy, it was something he loved, since she was there, whispering (no she was very much demanding) in his ear. Helping people get away from the explosion was satisfying, but not as satisfying as her voice.

Expecting her to just ignore him, his face turned into clear shock as she saw him turn to him and hand him a lollipop with, what he thought at least, a sincere look on her face. It was the first time she had ever felt any true remorse for him, "It's mint flavored." She told him in a hushed tone, "Helps you stay awake and refreshed. If I had remembered to make coffee, I would have given it to you but- this is the best I can do." she went on, almost looking flustered.

Henry looked at her in surprise. She was actually being nice to him. It was- odd, to say the least. "Thank you?" he told her, confusion only filling his head. This had to be a trick, right? Henry examined it closely after taking it, looking for any tricks that she might be able to pull, then looked back at her. "You didn't lace it with poison, right?" he asked carefully.

She laughed softly and rolled her eyes, "You think I have time for that? Though, now that you mention it, I wish I had. Would bring more of a taste to it, don't you think?" She teased, a small smile appearing on her. Didn't know she could do that.

"Oh gee, thanks," Henry muttered and placed it into his mouth. He sucked it hard, trying to obtain all the flavor he could, just to try to stay awake. He looked back in front of him, staring at Brooklyn's pretty brown hair. It was beautiful. He wanted to run his hands through them. They looked silky and soft. He continued to stare at her, hoping to catch a glance at her face again. To see her beautiful eyes. To share one more glance before they had to actually focus.

God, I would kill to have her as mine.

~*~


β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––β––

.Β·:Β·. β˜†β˜…β˜† βπ‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑠𝑒𝑖𝑑 𝑒𝑝 π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ β–¬β–¬β–¬ π‘“π‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’ π‘π‘–π‘‘π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ , π‘π‘–π‘‘π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘  ❞




(Brooklyn's pov)

"A birthday party! Can you believe that? That's why he bailed!" Ray exclaimed in immense annoyance and anger.

Brooklyn sat in a swivel chair, putting her arms on the head of the chair, "Yeah. I got that, like the other million times you have said it" she muttered, "I could come with-"

"That's out of the question" Ray immediately said, blowing a bubble. His outfit changed immediately and he looked at Brooklyn, "I won't let you get roped into this. Just- watch the cave and give me updates." he told her as he went to stand on the tube platform. He tapped his belt and looked at her, "Do you dare go against my words. We'll figure this out later." he said and looked up, "Up the tube."

Brooklyn tapped the chair a bit, looking around once he was gone. In less than a second, she went over to the drawers and rummaged around in them. "There's got to be a spare one- ah-ha!" she gasped and pulled out a tube of gum. She hesitated to take one but soon decided to pop one in her mouth. The gum had no distinct taste, but that didn't matter. She stood up straighter and blew hard, forming a bubble. She blew enough for it to pop, a light encompassing her.

"Ray you little-" she muttered, once she looked down. She'd been tricked and was now wearing a unicorn onesie. A groan escaped her lips before she started to look around more. Hours went by as she tried different gum tubes she had found. Weirder costumes continued to show on her as she blew the bubble. A banana costume was the one that had appered when footsteps echoed behind her.

"I think that name suits you," a voice came from behind her. She whipped around and saw Henry, standing near the elevators. She froze a bit and he snickered, "Don't stop on my account."

She sighed, "You came too late. Ray already left like- oh shit- three hours ago."

Henry nodded, "Did you see the news?" He asked, "Ray is being held hostage by the Toddler."

She raised an eyebrow, "No he is- no he's not. You're joking. he's not that stu-"

Henry opened one of the screens to the news channel, which showed a blonde lady and a brunette male sitting at a table, with Captain Man's picture on the screen. "-in for more details about the situation of hostage Captain Man! Or should I say, Hostage Man?"

The man looked at the blonde, who smiled at the camera, "That was a terrible joke."

Brooklyn's face fell and turned to Henry. "What are you still doing here?!" She hissed at him in pure anger. "You took this responsibility, how could you leave Ray alone like this for some stupid party?! You have some fucking nerve coming here anyways, you caused this! I don't even know how you got this job." She didn't care if it hurt the blonde's feelings, it was his fault Ray was being held against his own will. It was his fault he had to go alone.

Henry stood there as she threw insults at him with a look Brooklyn could only describe as 'when will you be done'look.  When she finally took in a deep breath, Henry raised an eyebrow, "Are you done? I'm here to give my bubble gum. You're right, I don't deserve the job. I was here to quit. You deserve it more anyways." His words hit Brooklyn, taking her aback.

He laid the gum on the table. "I thought I was ready for this, but obviously I'm really not." He continued, which only made guilt bloom in Brooklyn's stomach. "I should have been there when Ray needed me. But I couldn't. And not all of it was because of Jasper's party. It was because I'm really scared. I'm 13 years old. That's young for a sidekick. Tell Ray thank you for the opportunity and that I wont tell his secret. And good luck Brooklyn."

Brooklyn looked down, chewing the bottom of her lip as Henry turned to leave towards the elevator. A shout rose from her chest, "Henry, wait!" She heard herself say. What am I doing?! I want him gone! Henry turned around to her and looked her in the eyes and Brooklyn sighed, breaking the eyecontact before she felt her cheeks heat up in what she tried to convince herself was annoyance. "I don't know why Ray chose you. Ive known you for years and all you have ever shown me is just-weirdness. Utter idiocracy and weirdness." She told him truthfully.

"Wow... that helps so much" the boy muttered in pure and absolute sarcasm.

Brooklyn rolled her eyes, "But- Ray chose you for a reason. Trust me when I say he turned down a lot more people than you think until he got to you. Which would be like what- four people? Three if you're not including me." She shook her head, brushing off the fact that she was getting slightly sidetracked. She had to motivate him quick if she didn't want Ray to become baby food, or whatever the Toddler was planning on doing. "The point is, there was a reason you became Kid Danger. Now what reason, I have no idea. I can't even think of it, but Ray found it, and knowing him he wouldn't want anyone else to be his sidekick other than you."

Henry's ends of his mouth curled into a small smile, "You really think so?" he asked. 

"I've known Ray almost since I was a kid. I know so." She told him with a confident nod. She picked up the bubblegum tube and threw it his direction, "So go be who he needs right now. Swellveiw's kinda depending on it."

Henry caught it and stared at Brooklyn in complete shock before nodding and running towards the tubes. He put a piece in his mouth and blew, transforming into his suit. He gave Brooklyn one more glance before tapping his belt, signaling for the tube to drop down. "Up the tube!" he called out and soon the tube had carried him out of the room.

Instead of jealousy that Brooklyn had expected to fill her guts, a new sense came in. She couldn't place exactly what it was but she knew it was a good feeling as she sat down on the chair at the console with a smile on her face. She had a more important job to do now. Teach the rookie. She tapped in on the mic and leaned towards it. "Henry this is Brooklyn, I'll guide you through this."







Once Henry had gotten into the lair, he had started to panic. "I can't do this. I'm not good enough to save Captain Man!" he repeated quietly as they inched towards where Captain Man was being held. Ray dangled from the ceiling, in a baby bouncer, as The toddler, or as Brooklyn described to him, 'The full grown-ass man baby' taunted Captain Man. This man needs a life. Or a girlfriend. No, more like life. Henry thought as he stared at The Toddler

"I-I should go back. You can come here and do-" Henry started, walking backward. Brooklyn could see from a camera in his mask and she quickly pressed a button, sending a slight shock on his end. "OW?!" Henry whisper screamed.

"You are staying here," she said, "Henry, Ray chose YOU to be his sidekick. That means he sees something in you! You may not feel like you can do this right now, but he needs you. And I know you can do this!" She exclaimed. She couldn't see it, but that comment had earned her a flustered look from Henry, "Please. He needs you. This whole city will have monstrous babies crawling around. And do you really want that?" Henry shook his head softly. Brooklyn smiled genuinely, "Exactly. So get in there and kick some ass."

Henry nodded, a smile forming on him, "Yeah, Yeah! You're right. I got this. I can do

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net