A Rumor 𓂃🖊
original work tags: superheroes, workplace, rumors, implied relationships, one-shot, side story word count: 1k ao3 link: click here
Gabriel struggles with a piece of gossip that's begun following him around. Unfortunately, he knows exactly who's responsible for spreading it.
“... Huh?!”
There’s been a bothersome rumor going around Headquarters.
It isn’t anything harmful, racy, or downright big, but it’s a piece of gossip nonetheless. Something passed around during periods of downtime. A talking piece during those brief moments of small talk.
“What? No, that’s… Why would somebody believe that?”
Though the rumor isn’t particularly ripe in terms of how fruitful it is, regardless, it's undoubtedly embarrassing to the poor man it circulates around. So much so, that he finds himself nervously pacing around the halls of the base. Leather-clad palms slick with sweat, lips raw from agitated chewing. His brow furrows, and his eyes sweep the floor as he thinks.
“Not quite sure of the source of the rumor yet,”— a common lie he has had to tell himself and the others in order to shove away those squirmish feelings of potential confrontation. In reality, he has a pretty damn good idea of where this gossip came from, and the exact person who’d have a mouth devilish enough to spread it.
It happened a few weeks ago. It was later in the day, the windows fogged, and the tile flooring beneath his boots glossy and cold. Snow was falling gently outside, with the sun having set and the last bits of its light pouring in along the solemn stretch of walls. Tucked away next to the fireplace, Gabriel hummed to himself, curling the cord of a phone between his fingers.
Anxious, jittery, but managing to scrape up some courage from within himself.
“Mi amor— my love,” he says quietly after a beat of silence, “it’s getting late, and I’ve been away from the others too long, I’m afraid.” He pauses. “I will do everything I can to ensure that I see you again. I pray that our phone calls become sparse, and that our time spent physically will become part of our routines.” Another pause.
“Until next time. Goodnight.”
Click.
The phone is set back on the hook, and Gabriel chews his lip.
Being a Hero is hard work, but trying to love another Hero is even harder. With schedules so conflicting and tight, finding the time to meet was difficult, and aside from that, Gabriel had agreed to a plethora of contracts. Contracts that, somewhere deep within their fine print, stated that meeting other Heroes outside of work was prohibited. The only way for him to connect with another was on the clock, and it always went back to those irritably sorted schedules. Even then, the consequences of meeting another Hero like that were unknown, and—
“Juicy.”
Gabriel’s heart jumps to his throat. His stomach, already churning, drops.
Tierney. What a revolting, unpleasant surprise. He turns.
“Tier,” He starts slowly, nerves frantic as the cold eyes of his coworker gleam down at him, “You didn’t hear all of that, did you?”
“Don’t worry, just the last part,” they confirm, “which I believe was enough for me to gather some context. Taking your flirting to the phone lines, Gabe? Please tell me it’s as juicy as I think.”
The smallest of smiles cracks across their face— a gesture which is absolutely never a good sign— and Gabriel quickly rises to his feet. Brow furrowed and hand raised, he manages to collect himself enough to point a finger straight at The Racer’s chest.
“You… you… Listen!” He says, feeling defensive and cornered. “I know you love coming after me, and I know you love to make my life a living hell, but please, for the love of god, you cannot tell anyone.”
Tierney watches the way his face contorts from an interesting act of anger into a rather sheepish, impotent softness. Unfortunately for The Knight, Tierney’s face remains chilly and stoic.
“Casanova of the team… that’s your whole thing, right? Not really the fighting type, can’t get a hold on his powers… so you rely on old charisma, yeah? From the sounds of it, this just sounds like any other phone call you gotta do for work.”
Gabriel swallows dryly, but isn’t able to respond before Tierney continues.
“Flirting is your gig, and you do it quite a lot. I’m not surprised to hear you tossing pet names around like that. It’s just part of your quota as a Hero.” They drag out a pause. “But. This isn’t for work’s sake, is it? To me, it sounds like you got a real woman to finally start falling for you, mi amor.”
The Knight, unable to keep a grip on himself, literally pouts. “Oh come on, this isn’t fair! I don’t even know if she likes me back yet or not, and— ugh, it’s complicated and private! So… you should just let me be. If you’re planning on prodding me for answers, I don’t even have any. You’re wasting your time.”
Tierney allows for him to fumble with his words for a bit. Doesn’t interrupt those vulnerable pleas and the way his body begins to shrink in on itself. But eventually, it has to end.
Inevitably, Tierney grows bored, and sighs with a shrug.
“Hm. Gossip is great and all, but not really when I’m the ear that gets it first. I’d rather have it simmer and formulate with some extra speculative drama, y’know, Cepha style. But I’ll admit, I think that out of everyone here, you’re probably the one Hero who’s an exception to that. Getting something juicy from Mister Knight firsthand is something else.”
Before Gabriel can mentally admit that his life is over, Tierney continues.
“But, I’ll let it be; you can have your peace. Can’t make any promises about it not catching up to you in the future, though. Sometimes things get boring around here, and you know Cepha. He loves it when I tell him everything.”
Deciding that they’ve exhausted this conversation, they turn on their heel and toss out a quick hand signal, facing back to the doorway to leave. “Anyway, nice chatting with you. Later, Gabe.”
And as Gabriel walks the halls, replaying that conversation over and over in his head, he groans and drags his hands over his face.
Stupid, stupid Tierney.
Done! ☆ I might write a follow-up chapter, just because I've had this idea in the works forever as a comic draft. I love writing about these two and their dynamic, and I'm looking forward to sharing more of my written work! Characters are from my comic project, Heroics Heroes.
