Chapter Text
The only thing scarier than starting university, Pangi thought, was the idea of having to live with a complete stranger. Especially when they had superpowers.
Oh, the wonders of student accommodation.
Pangi seemed to choke on his own paranoia. He genuinely felt sick to his stomach. Every step he took felt like a step closer to his untimely end. Zam would call him dramatic - Pangi would just describe himself as suitably vigilant.
It wasn't exactly like there was much to be wary of: campus was relatively quiet. Everyone else was probably settling in, or off exploring the city. Even so, he kept a suspicious eye open for any signs of trouble, his sharp gaze hidden behind the dark film of his sunglasses.
The University itself was a local programme called the Realm, the passion project of a young millionaire by the name of Tubbo. The school aimed to provide for those who had been rejected from the official hero programme, to stop the 'lesser' powered people from falling for the 'dark side' and starting a life of a crime.
It sounded like a whole load of bullshit. It was all he had left.
It was a safe space for individuals to channel their frustration and anger and to turn it into something beneficial, to become something greater than what society expected of them. In some cases, it was simply learning how to control their powers but for others, it was learning how to integrate their abilities into daily life. Some successful individuals were then even drafted into the hero programme as auxiliary and support heroes, coming as close to their childhood dreams as possible.
It was no hero business, but it was close enough that people could trick themselves into believing that they could make a difference.
Pangi had always dreamt of being a hero, but honestly, every kid did really. His hometown was a dangerous place: crime was rampant and the government had all but given up on saving the area. The streetlights no longer turned on at night, the protection programmes were all defunded and every community service stopped running. It was if they'd been completely forgotten about.
The superheroes on TV only ever protected the rich, prioritising the millionaires (as if their bank accounts made their lives worth more). It had always filled him with such an indescribable rage. There was no aid, no heroes for people like him - and so he vowed to be the first.
All he felt was a gut-curling sadness when he was rejected from the Agency. There was nothing but disappointment when the rejection letter lay clearly in his hands. We regret to inform you that your particular skill set is not compatible with our goals. Bullshit - it would have been kinder to call him a failure, because he that was exactly what he'd done: failed completely. We wish you well on your journey.
Pangi could still vividly remember his acceptance letter from the Realm, his only hope left, as he had stood huddled with his childhood friends, opening their letters in unison. Zam had jumped for joy, squeaking, whilst Derapchu had almost passed out from laughing, a massive smile illustrating his face.
And Pangi? He was just glad that he could continue the next stage of his life with them instead of being completely alone. It wasn't what he wanted, not by a long shot, but his friends always provided him with a purpose, to serve and protect, and he wasn't ever going to give that up, even if life insisted on taking them on separate paths. There was still a chance of becoming a hero! A very, very small chance, but a chance nonetheless.
The thought was just enough to keep him going and see this to the end.
Yet, with Pangi's typical luck, he had somehow managed to end up in a building the complete opposite side of campus, separated from his friends by several kilometres of parks and lecture halls. Pangi had walked Zam to his dorm, shaking almost imperceptibly as he gave his hand a nervous squeeze goodbye.
"Hey." Zam murmured gently, tugging Pangi closer and refusing to let go of their interlaced fingers. "I'm sure they won't be that bad. And if it is, I'm only ever a phone call away, yeah?"
"Yeah." Pangi confirmed breathlessly, so nervous he was scared he was going to choke on his own tongue. "I'm not scared. It's just... different."
"I get it."
Yeah, and that was the problem, wasn't it? Zam could always understand him, could see through any walls he tried to build and that pissed Pangi off to no end. Zam could always read him to filth; there were never any lies between the pair, not after everything they'd went through together.
He could never pretend to be brave around Zam.
Knowingly, Zam had given Pangi that look, waving him off with a blown kiss. Heart fluttering with nerves rather than love, Pangi trudged across campus like a criminal to the gallows. Every step felt like his last as his heartbeat echoed in his head. He nervously played with the loose threads of his shirt, pulling the cuffs down to hide the small scales around his wrists.
Anxiously, he turned the key to his flat in his palm, the cool metal quickly warming. A small voice egged him on in his head, one that sounded suspiciously like a certain blonde. It's now or never, man. Stop being a wuss.
With his rucksack shouldered, the red-head inhaled sharply to steel his nerves, a thousand worst-case scenarios flooding his brain like old-school film reel. They could be an axe murderer. They could be part of a criminal gang. They could put the milk in before the cereal.
Shaking himself free from his imagination before he got lost in it, he cautiously twisted the key and the door quickly gave in with a soft click. Silently, it swung forward into a narrow corridor. The sight calmed his nerves: the entrance wasn't soaked with blood, or painted a vile snot green colour. Instead, there was a pair of shoes neatly tucked by the rack, a thin raincoat hanging above. The walls were coated in a plain beige, an exposed lightbulb bathing the walls in a warm white. The corridor itself wasn't very long - after a couple of metres, the space opened up into the rest of the flat. It all looked very normal. Nothing about the style or items of clothing screamed 'red flag', and so Pangi continued further with a lighter heart, unlacing his boots and sliding them into place by the others.
As the sound of his footsteps echoed faintly in the carpeted hallway, it seemed to startle the resident currently occupying the flat. As Pangi stepped into view and into the communal kitchen space, a young woman stood up from a stool at the countertop, and the first thing Pangi noticed was how purple she was.
"Hi, I'm Ros!" She chirped, after shaking herself free from a brief moment of hesitation. Pangi tensed slightly, his grip tightening on his bag strap, before exhaling softly; he was determined to make a good impression. Heroes can't be scary, or get scared, he reminded himself.
"I'm Pangi. Nice to meet you." His words were short, the vowels clipped, betraying his accent. He smiled awkwardly, extending his hand.
Ros took it eagerly, mirroring his smile. She was about a head shorter than him, and the brown roots of her hair stood out from the purple curls framing her face. She wore a long sleeved lilac shirt and a matching skirt, with knee-high socks in a similar shade. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes bunched up and faintly smudged her eyeliner (which was, yet again, as purple as a plum).
"Can I guess your favourite colour?" Pangi chuckled, bringing up his hand to scratch the back of his neck, heartbeat slowing to a regular pace.
Ros' features scrunched up in a smile as she held back a small giggle. "Only if I can guess yours."
She took a step back to eye him up and down, inspecting the rust red of his dyed hair that was clearly not entirely natural, and his almost militaristic attire in the same burnt orange tones. Lifesteal was a dangerous place - Pangi had learnt to block a punch before he could even walk. His wardrobe pretty much only consisted of clothes strong enough to stop at least a small pocket knife, and the armour did something to him psychologically, soothing his nerves and keeping any unwanted memories at bay. Pangi started to shift uncomfortably under her scrutinising look, but softened when she let out an embarrassed giggle.
"Sorry, I'm not great with new people." Her voice was soft, her tone light and airy, yet clearly betraying her nerves. She rocked back on her heels, hands swinging awkwardly by her sides.
"I'm not either, I can't lie..." Pangi trailed off, eyes drifting behind her to get a better look at the kitchen. It was plain and bare, with a row of simple cabinets along one wall and a desolate washing machine adjacent to it. A lone microwave sat on the countertop above the cupboards. A wooden table sat in the centre of the room, with two rickety chairs either side and an empty fruit bowl sitting on top. The far wall was non-existent, opening up into a small living room which was pathetic to look at. The couch had to be at least a century old, the TV not much younger either. Cracks ran along the ceiling and circled the door frames, visibly crumbling. A scowl formed on his face at the sight, the barren nature of the place weird and foreign. This wasn't his home, and he doubted it ever would be.
"Yeah, I get it - this is place is miserable." Ros hummed under her breath, following his line of sight. "It needs more joy and whimsy."
"Mhm." Pangi agreed non-committedly, huffing out a small laugh. "Though it explains why this place is so cheap."
Ros copied his tense giggle, hesitation creeping into the noise. "I was wondering... if - no, would - ugh." She tilted her head downwards slightly, staring at the floor and once she composed herself, her voice was a lot less shaky. "Would you like to explore the area together? It would be nice to have company."
"Yeah. Yeah, I'd love to." Pangi visibly softened around the edges, tension seeping out of his shoulders.
Ros exhaled happily, grinning widely from ear to ear. "That's great!"
Pangi couldn't help but return the smile.
It only took about half an hour for them to get lost.
In all fairness, their neighbourhood was much larger than either of them could have expected. It felt like a jungle, only the towering trees were made out of concrete and glass and they were all densely packed together in some sort of overstimulating urban nightmare.
He did try to give the place the benefit of the doubt - on a good day, he assumed it would a lot nicer. He could even learn to love his new city. There had to be a reason as to why everyone always dreams about moving to the big city, surely; it had to the people, or the food, or the pay. Something had to be good. But all he could focus on was the way claustrophobia clogged his veins as he pushed past yet another crowd of people, the skin-on-skin contact sending his sense into over-drive.
Thankfully, the afternoon heat was dying and the clouds were starting to roll in - the gradual change in temperature stopped Pangi from acting like they were stuck in literal hell. Ros lead the way, foolish and blind, searching for any sort of phone reception as she turned off the high street and onto the quieter back roads.
Pangi fell into a comfortable rhythm half a step behind her, taking his time to truly examine his new roommate. Past the obnoxiously bright purple, she seemed quiet. Skittish, even, a stark contrast to her loud appearance. She jumped at every car horn and held enough tension in her shoulders to strain a muscle. Almost as though she was scared of even existing.
"So..." Pangi drawled, hands stuck firmly in his pockets. "What are you studying?"
"Architecture." Ros murmured absent-mindedly.
Pangi nodded thoughtfully. "Nice. My best friend Zam's doing architecture too. You guys might meet."
"I'd like that." Ros slowed down, a small smile working it's way onto her face. She pocketed her phone and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "I'm not sure if it's obvious, but I'm not exactly a people person. I'm trying, but this is my first time away from home."
"I get that, I can't lie. It's so scary. But if it helps, you seem really nice. I'm sure you'll be the most popular person around in no time."
Ros barked a surprised laugh at that, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "I doubt that, but thanks."
"No I'm serious!" Pangi protested through his own laugh. "In a month everyone will be begging to be your best friend, just you wait. You'll be hosting the best parties."
"Obviously!"
The two of them abandoned the quiet roads in favour of exploring the twisting back alleys, a stark difference to the overwhelming rush of the city. The air felt cooler here, less stifling, in the shade of the office blocks and department stores. A small stationary shop stretched its awnings over the widths of the alleyway, the crackling static of a broken radio filtering through the nearest speaker. Pangi paused by one of the rotating stands, a pensive look on his face as he chewed on his bottom lip.
"Hey, I know we were joking about the whole being popular thing, but - " He reached out, fingertips grazing a leather-bound journal. A nostalgic smile graced his face, lip curling with the fond memory. "It sounds stupid, but a friendship book helps."
"Friendship book?" Ros questioned him playfully, scepticism underlying her words.
"No it genuinely works! I had one when I was younger, to get to know people when I moved to middle school."
"Did it work?"
"Well - no, not really I can't lie..." Pangi ducked his head, nostalgia morphing into embarrassment. He plucked one of the green books from the shelf, turning it over in his hands and thumbing through the crisp pages. "But I'm willing to give it another try, stupid as it sounds."
Ros rushed to reassure him. "No, it sounds sweet!"
Pangi fished around in his pocket, plucking a few notes from the depths and handing them over to the cashier.
He turned back around with a grin, offering the book out to Ros. "Will you be my first official friend?"
Taking the book from him, Ros nodded gleefully, eyes scrunched up in a smile. "I would love to be your friend!"
"Great! Now, if you wouldn't mind, just write down the important stuff." He hurried to clarify when he saw her puzzled expression. "Like, your name, favourite colour, and maybe even your credit card information...?"
A sly smirked weaselled its way onto his face as he slid the final prompt in, breaking out into a full grin when Ros happily obliged, murmuring quietly to herself as she jotted it all down. She handed the book back to him with nothing but care and precision, balancing the pen neatly on top and biting back a smile, trying to maintain a serious demeanour.
"All done!"
A soft hum broke through their subsequent giggles and Ros patted her pocket, brow furrowed in confusion when she realised it was her phone vibrating. Her confusion morphed into surprise as she scanned the message.
"Oh... It's from the guy in the flat next door. They came round to say hi earlier. Uh... they're inviting us out for dinner tonight. I think his roommate will be there too. Are you down?"
"And get more names in my book? Hell yeah I'm down."
That was how Pangi found himself in a beer garden at midnight, head over heels in love with a blonde British guy.
Maybe 'love' was rather generous. Admiration, but in a friendly way? Perhaps it was just pure, innocent love? Completely platonically, of course. Pangi wouldn't fall in love with a guy, not genuinely.
It had started off simply: Ros had introduced him to their neighbours in the flat directly opposite their own. They found themselves in a spit and sawdust pub for dinner, the four of them slowly warming up to each other as they ploughed through each pint. As the night progressed, so did their conversation, nervous introductions and small talk blooming into wild conversation.
The two new faces fell victim to the friendship book (sorry, were welcomed into Pangi's inner circle of close friends), both of them eager to introduce themselves.
One of them was a short brunette called Aimsey, who made up for their lack of height in an abundance of hyperactive energy. Their dungarees seemed to dwarf them, flecked with dirt, and delicately sewn with threaded flowers. The corner of his mouth seemed to be permanently flicked up in a knowing smirk full of humour. They had Ros emerging from her shell immediately, engrossing her in wild tales and full belly laughs. And the other was absolutely breath-taking.
Now, Pangi didn't believe in love at first sight - he wasn't a dumbass. Plots like that belong in fairy tales, not real life, and he'd read enough reddit stories to know that it was clearly just for naïve idiots who ignored red flags like... whatever the opposite of a bull was. But despite his better judgement, he couldn't help but admit that this guy was different.
His name was Lukey: he was tall, but didn't tower over Pangi's own respectable six feet, and his blue eyes seemed to shine like sapphires every time he recounted yet another story of some bizarre side quest. He spoke with such passion and detail that Pangi couldn't help but gaze at him, enraptured and entranced, eating up every word he spoke. The only thing that stopped him, however, was the sharp vibration of his phone in his pocket.
Zam
[link] <--- have u guys seen this??? its scary af
wait pangi is that near ur dorm?
pls stay safe xx
Pangi's brown furrowed in confusion, the conversation at the table lulling to a stop as they seemed to pick up on the sudden sour shift in the mood. He followed the link, mumbling the article's contents under his breath as he scoured through it.
"Uh, guys there's been a reported villain sighting on the east side of campus. We've been warned to stay clear of the area while they sort things out." Pangi sighed, leaning back in his chair and running a hand through his hair. Lukey huffed a similar sigh whilst Ros seemed to slump forward in her seat.
Villain sightings seemed to be rarer in recent years - at least the heroes were good at their jobs, as obnoxious as they could be. During the Great Purge all the famous villains were imprisoned: only their henchmen and petty criminals remained. The most likely situation was that someone's goons wanted to free them from prison and it all kicked off.
Major attacks were far and few between, and those that did occur were just publicity stunts, displays of power meant to instil fear in anyone who opposed the Agency - or to just remind the public that the heroes still existed, their popularity declining every time they made an appearance.
Of course, the rich lapped up their performances every time, donating to their big cause in order to make them seem more charitable amongst their peers or to score a sponsorship for some big-name billionaire brand.
In all honesty, it disgusted Pangi to his core. Having grown up in the Golden Age before the purge, he couldn't believe that these were the same people he used to idolise. He could remember Angel's debut, saving the city against the Great Eye in the Sky, setting the stage for a sudden influx of heroes. Now it was all fake. All just some capitalistic scheme.
"Just to check, you guys are special too, right?" Aimsey asked, the politest way of asking 'what are your powers?'. They leaned forward when they spoke, lowering their voice like their topic was some dirty secret.
Pangi and Ros both nodded in affirmation, the four of them glancing awkwardly at each other until one of them started to talk.
"...I can reanimate the dead." Aimsey started once the silence began to stifle them. Three heads snapped up at once, various stages of shock written on each one. The necromancer tensed under the sudden attention, wincing before hurrying to clarify. "But it only works on animals, and they can't be long gone. It's more like a really morbid party trick than a power."
"Still, that's cooler than me, I can't lie." Pangi muttered with a small smile on his face, "I just have really tough skin."
"Like an armadillo?" Lukey grinned, giggling softly at his own joke and oh, how Pangi would love to bottle that sound and keep him forever. Freak.
"More like a pangolin. Have you seen one? They're adorable." Pangi frowned light-heartedly as he searched for an image, flicking through his gallery. His stomach did a little flip when Lukey cooed gently, a half-flush brushing his cheeks. The scaly little anteaters were his namesake, the inspiration for his dyed hair, his entire gimmick! And he had just been cooed at like a baby. A strange feeling stirred in his gut, and he had to repress a blush. Obviously it wasn't love, but it felt pretty damn close.
"Mine's complicated to explain." Ros chimed in, dulling Pangi's confusing repression. "I can see through walls. Not like, x-ray vision or anything, but like, I can perfectly visualise a building's layout. Almost like blueprints in my mind. It's not very impressive."
"I'm just really good at chemistry, it's like a sixth sense or something." Lukey brought his bottle of beer up to his lips, swallowing his own laugh. Pangi stared at him for a second longer than acceptable, the ghost of a smile still faint on his face. Then his conscience caught up with him, snapping him from his reverie as Lukey continued.
"All hero-worthy powers. Can't believe we got rejected." The blonde gave a little shrug and spread his hands wide, wearing a teasing smirk, his tone contrasting the depressing nature of his words.
"I didn't even bother applying. I didn't want to give myself false hope." Ros murmured, a slight sadness to her words. The atmosphere at the table suddenly dimmed, and she squirmed uncomfortably at what she caused.
The mention of rejection made Pangi's stomach turn, a turbulent wave of emotions rushing over him. The feeling of anticipation was still a stark memory: he could have been a superhero but that goddamn rejection letter turned all of his childhood dreams sour. He could be powerful. He could. He could be useful and save lives - it was their fault for not seeing it!
Yet no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, his stupid emotions always got the best of him. He wasn't a hero - he was a mutant, a freak of nature, and no good to anybody. Like, who even heard a superhero with skills like his? Angel could fly, Rose could control plants and Totem was immortal for fuck's sake! Having tough skin just doesn't compare.
"They didn't deserve us!" Aimsey slammed their drink down on the table, cursing when the liquid sloshed over their hand. A small round of giggles run through the group, evolving back into boisterous laughter as the conversation picked up again, the previous topic abandoned but not forgotten.
They stayed out until the stars in the sky reached their highest peak and the heroes deemed their area of the city safe again. Pangi sent Zam a quick text to reassure him that he wasn't in harm's way and that everything was going well as their small group wandered back to their accommodation.
Lukey fell into stride besides Pangi, seemingly content to walk side-by-side in a companionable silence. Aimsey and Ros were several metres ahead, hand in hand and already bickering like an old married couple, roaring with laughter after every jab and insult.
The bitter night wind barely even irritated him. Pangi didn't even try to fight the small smile growing on his face - he couldn't believe that earlier this morning he was scared of meeting new people like them. He cast a sideways glance to Lukey, his side profile highlighted by the dim street lights. He didn't think it would physically possible to be scared of him - despite his open and friendly persona, he still had the aura of a slightly distressed hamster. He huffed a soft laugh at his own thought. God, he was funny.
Lukey seemed to have heard the little noise, sparing him a crooked grin with a knowing look that seemed to say 'I heard you squeak but it was adorable so I'm not going to comment.' Pangi conveniently turned away at the moment, avoiding eye contact completely and staring down at the ground. Smooth; real smooth.
Their block of flats loomed around the corner sooner than Pangi would've liked, the dark bricks nearly blending into the night sky. The building itself wasn't ugly, not by any stretch of the imagination - it was a large, gothic build, with narrow windows and intricate brickwork around the doorframes: really, the only surprising thing about it was the fact that it had working electricity - it had to be some sort of converted workhouse or factory, surely. It was truly impressive, and the sort of build that Zam would lose his shit over.
They rounded the corner, and almost walked right into a string of yellow caution tape. Several felled trees slumped against the walls of the east side, a crater the size of a small car lay in front of the doorway and scorch marks decorated the pavement: the aftermath of the criminal insurgence, so it seemed.
Pangi would be entirely honest if he admitted that the sight surprised him - he was fully convinced that the alert was just enough ruse to make the heroes seem more powerful and useful than they truly were. He wouldn't be the first to think so. The entire superhero subreddit went crazy with conspiracy theories after the last 'attack'.
"Bet you a tenner this was faked by Government." Lukey mused quietly by his left shoulder, eliciting a soft laugh from the red-head.. He deftly unlocked the door and ushered Pangi in from the cold and up several flights of stairs. Before too long, the pair were stood in the midpoint between their two flats, the other half of their party forgotten about as they just looked at each awkwardly.
"So..." Pangi rocked on his heels, trying to stifle a blush from rising on his cheeks. He could always blame the warmth in his cheeks on the alcohol.
"So." Lukey parroted, the corner of his mouth twitched up in a soft smirk. "It was nice meeting you, Mr Pangi Pangolin."
Pangi scoffed lightly at the name, finally breaking eye contact as he rolled his eyes and started to fish his key from his pocket. "It was nice meeting you too, Lukey... whatever your surname is."
He wasn't going to deny flushing at the full belly laugh he got in return for that response.
Pangi was in the midst of getting ready for bed when it hit him - he never got Lukey's number. He groaned, dropping his toothbrush in the sink as he pressed a palm to his forehead, frowning.
There was a small part of him that questioned why he even wanted his contact; the blonde was undeniably dorky, with cringy jokes and even worse delivery. He seemed to laugh at the drop of a hat, the sound stirring butterflies in the pit of Pangi's stomach, dopamine rushing through his veins every time -
No. Pangi refused to think about how Lukey's smile made him glow from the inside out, how admiration radiated from his features and painted him in such a glorious light. Pangi tried to block out his tone as he rambled on one of his tales, his general enthusiasm for life making Pangi more intrigued than he'd been about... anything really.
Fuck. Pangi buried his face in his hands. Okay, so maybe he had a friend-crush on Lukey, geeky as the guy could be. Whatever. It meant nothing. He was just... really damn popular. Everyone loved him, so it was only right to love everyone back. As friends, of course.
Friends. Yeah, Pangi thought as he mused over the word. Maybe he did want to be friends with Lukey, more than he initially thought. They'd be very good friends indeed.