Confessions

The hospital was crowded from the last assault by the trash baggers, and Cole stopped on his way up to Trish’s ward to heal the ones still waiting to be seen. With each crack of electricity and each thanks, he grew more and more irritated. He couldn’t help but think that this wouldn’t have happened if Zeke had just stayed with Alden and hadn’t come parading out to save the day like an idiot. By the time he made it to where Zeke was sitting, on a broken cot by a window while Trish was distributing medication, he was beyond upset.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Cole demanded before he was even in the room. Not for the first time, and certainly not of the last. “All these people wouldn’t be here if you had just listened to me and stayed the hell inside!”

Zeke removed his sunglasses and ran a hand  over his tired face.

“Look, man, I didn’t like sitting in there while you were out fighting, alright?”

Cole felt sparks ignite in his clenched palms, and the lights flickered. Zeke flinched. “How many times do I have to tell you that this isn’t a game, Zeke? I-“

“I know this isn’t a game, I’m not an idiot-“

“Could’ve fooled me!”

“-It’s not like that,” Zeke went on as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “It’s not a ‘Oh, he’s having all the fun’ deal!” Zeke stood, not that it did much good. Cole still towered over him. “Man, it’s a lot more than that!”

Cole heard familiar footsteps behind him entering the ward, and he smelled Trish’s light perfume.

“Hey, Cole.” She loaded empty medicine holders into receptacles.

“Hey, Trish…” Even though Cole had accepted her request to just remain friends, he still felt a twinge every time he was around her.

“Hell… man, you better sit…” Zeke motioned to the cot, and Cole reluctantly sat.

“Zeke… are you ill?”

“What? No.”

“Am I?”

“Cole, will you shut up?” Zeke sighed. “ I came out there because I can’t stand to see you throw yourself into danger like you’re invincible. That’s why I got involved.”

“Zeke, I can-“

“I know you can, man, but you shouldn’t have to do it alone. That doesn’t help the fact that I’m sheltered and I know that you’re not safe.”

“Why? I mean, we talk after every mission…” Cole was becoming more and more confused, and Trish’s amused looks didn’t help.

“Why?” Zeke laughed uneasily and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I care about you, Cole.”

A pause. “I care about you, too, that’s why we’re having this convers-“

“You know when bros do something like ‘I love you, man, no homo’?” Zeke asked impatiently. Cole nodded slowly, eyebrows knitting together. Zeke fidgeted for a moment. “Well, I love you, man. Full on homo.”

Cole was in the middle of a laugh when it struck him and the laugh died in his throat. He looked slowly from Zeke’s red face to Trish’s grinning one, and reached for his phone.
July second… not April Fool’s day.

“Say something,” Zeke said.

“Uh… Like what?” Cole felt his chest grow tight. Zeke of all people… Zeke!

“Like anything.”

“Well, I suppose I wouldn’t have expected… this… you know, with Dwight’s sister and all.”
Zeke laughed. “Oh, that… well, chicks are still pretty bangin’, man.” There was a short silence. “Where does that leave us.

Cole shrugged and stood, dusting off his windbreaker. Zeke stared at him. “What?” Cole asked.

“Well, you’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would,” Zeke admitted.

“I told you that he wouldn’t freak out,” Trish sighed.

Cole smiled. “Let’s go home, Zeke, I need a beer.”

“Home? You’re not even going to address the situation?”

“Let’s just play it by ear… this is a lot to take in,” Cole said.

“So says the man with superpowers,” Trish muttered as they walked out, and Cole grinned back at her.

“So,” Zeke said on the way to his rooftop. “You’re actually considering a man? Dude, I thought you were straight as a damn board!”

“Never thought about it before,” Cole said with another shrug. “Guess I am now.”