@ma1nmenu asked:
You can take the vigilante out of the city, but you can't take out the itch to help others. Although Ezra uses his powers less and less these days, he's still protecting others. Primarily working as a 911 dispatcher for a small farming town, he's kept busy. In fact it's due to a 911 call that he meets Ms. Nelson's neighbor, a big but quiet guy who keeps to himself. Well, keeps to himself until he witnesses the elderly Ms. Nelson have a seizure then he calls for help.
It's a small town but Ezra doesn't live near Ms. Nelson. Because of this, he doesn't meet the gruff voice responsible for saving Ms. Nelson's life by calling for emergency services until Ms.Nelson invites her 'heroes' (aka her new neighbor and Ezra) over for dinner.
Ms. Nelson is already rambling on to the stranger about the town and about him when he enters her home for the 'thank you' dinner. As he steps inside he hears her say, 'he was a lot like you, came to town all on his lonesome. But you've made friends here, haven't you Ezra? I do wish he'd work less, though, he's got a horrid cough, worse I've ever heard...'
"Hey, I take days off," Ezra softly protests in greeting, giving Frank a small wave before setting a container of brownies on the table. "Even made those 'surprisingly good' gluten free brownies you've been asking me about."
His hands started trembling when he held Ms. Nelson, pins and needles pricked his palms as he gently put her on the ground, waiting for ems to come. The phone call to 911 is fast, he doesn't remember much, just another voice on the other line reassuring him someone is coming.
He felt so useless just kneeling there, his hands feeling numb, he could press his nail into the palm of his hand and wait until blood appeared and he still wouldn't feel it. But the ems came, and Ms. Nelson got the help she needed, leaving him behind to quietly walk back home.
Frank didn't expect the invitation but he couldn't say no. He has manners, at least. He doesn't expect the other man to show up until Mrs. Nelson tells him a few seconds before, seeing her disappear until the other man walks in with her.
He nods back in greeting. "Uh, I'm Frank, and she's right, I did show up by myself a year or two ago." He says, struggling to remember how to function in a normal conversation. "You the dispatcher?" He asks, wondering why the voice sounds familiar.
