Chapter 7
"Love! Hey that was bloody fantastic! Look at you, eh? From museum commission to art gallery?" Chase got pulled into a hug from Steven, a happy laugh escaping them and pulled back to see the pure pride that was in Steven's eyes.
"I can't believe it's real, Steven. I still think I'm dreaming"
"Well. I'm just glad I got a few chase originals. I told you. Didn't believe lil ole me did you?" A soft laugh left chase, nudging stevens shoulder lightly and the pair stared at the painting chase had worked on for half a year.
"Must admit, it was nice having a muse next door to me" chase hummed out
"Well, I thought it was only fair seeing as I dragged you into everything that happened." Steven said, scratching the side of his cheek
"Hey, I dragged myself into all that." Chase drawled out, grabbing two flutes of champagne and handed Steven a glass, "to the future!"
___
Chase didn't know why they were remembering that memory now. But…it made them sad.
Sad that Steven hadn't seen their shows after that one or, hadn't gotten the rough paintings that he loved to look at.
"I'll find you Steven. I'll find you too Marc. And give the bastard that's done this a reason to fear the gods." The moon was full again tonight. Chase jumped down from where they were perched and met Layla at the bottom.
"Are we close?" Layla asked and chase held their wrist up, then nodded
"Two more turns."
"Alright. Let's get to it." Chase nodded, smacked their fist into their open hand and the duo headed off.
During the walk, chase had wandered off into their mind, their thoughts getting the best of them.
What if they couldn't find Marc and Steven? Or…what if it was too late? For all they knew, they could be dead.
Chase was pulled from their thoughts when a dagger whizzed past their face and chase rolled to the side, with Layla following close behind.
"Huh. I do believe we found them Layla" chase held their wrist up, the colour turning from orange to gold
"Let's do this" Layla stated, changing into tawerets outfit and chase into khonshu's ceremonial suit.
Chase was the first to run out, holding their cape up to act as a shield and Layla followed behind, rushing into the person and kicked them down.
"We know you're the avatar of Anubis." Chase stated, pulling a crescent dagger from their chest and dodged another dagger that went past their head.
"What have you done with Marc Spector" Layla asked. The person grinned, kicking Layla into the gut and Layla stumbled back a painted groan leaving her.
The person scrambled up and ran.
"Layla go back! I'll get them!" Chase ran after them, jumping over over-turned bins and weaving about people that were still out.
"The moment you lose them outta your sight, you're a sitting duck kid. Keep them in your sight, and injure them if you have to" why was chase remembering that session with Marc? It didn't make any sense.
Chase jumped over a bin, threw their crescent dagger and it nicked the back of the persons leg.
Chase pushed on, ignoring the burn in the chest, jumped and sent a kick into their back and pinned them down by a knee pressing down on the persons back.
"Talk. Where is Marc Spector" chase snarled out
"Why should I tell you?" This person was deranged.
Khonshu took over.
"Talk! I do not appreciate the kidnapping of my current avatar!"
"Khonshu that's not helping in the slightest" menhit sighed out.
Chase growled, pulled the persons head up and slammed it down into the concrete, "where is Marc Spector. I won't ask again"
"Locked away. Six feet down." The person laughed and chase heard the groaning of zombies.
They backed up, looking around at the incoming horde and cursed.
"We cannot let them escape!" Khonshu yelled out
"Nah. Nah khonshu we need to live." Chase stated, kicking a zombie in the chest and punched another one in the face.
Chase had a feeling this was about to end horribly.
Then Layla came barreling in, knocking a line of the undead to the ground.
"Oh Layla! You amazing woman! If you weren't married I'd kiss you"
"Instead of standing there, help me" Layla called over and chase jumped and nodded
"Right! Right yeah on it!"
____
"Oh god my back-" chase leaned back, heard their spine crack back into place and a small wince left them, then looked at the dead bodies of undead everywhere, looked to Layla and picked a severed finger out her hair.
Khonshu was mad. The wind picked up.
"We had them! And you let them go!"
"Hey! I prefer to be alive! And I got what I needed from them you dead pigeon! Marc and Steven are six foot deep and locked away. Where, I dont know because, surprise surprise, they had zombies waiting for us!" Chase held their arms out, motioning at the destruction around the two friends.
"You are wasting time! For all of us!"
"You're the one who wasted an ENTIRE YEAR" Chase roared out, the mask falling and rage in their eyes, "don't make it out to be my fault. I'm doing what I can as fast as I can, all because you gave them a years start! If you truly cared about Marc - which I think you don't, then you would've come back earlier.
Nah. Nah the fact that you Waited a year-" if they could punch khonshu, they would
"Okay. Okay chase look at me. Forget khonshu. Look at me" Layla pulled chase away, forcing the artist to look at Layla and they took deep breaths, "they can't hide now. They know we've found them once and we can do it again." Chase nodded slowly, spitting a small blob of blood onto the ground
"They led us into a trap, Layla." Chase murmured out
"I noticed. Okay, let's go back to base and think. We've all had a rough night. We need to wind down, debrief and get a good night's sleep" chase couldn't argue with that idea. Sounded great and, the sleep was very needed.
___
Chase couldn't sleep. So they climbed up to the roof to watch the stars.
And another memory flashed through their mind.
The fact that Steven had taken the time to drag chase out to a conservatory was, well. Crazy.
How did he know there was one around London?
"Steven what on earth are you doing-"
"Just- just trust me, yeah?"
"Always. Still doesn't explain why we're doing here mind" steven grabbed their hand, smiled and led chase up into the observatory. Then took them to the telescope.
"Look 45 degrees east. And you'll see your star."
"...okay?" Chase did what they were told and stared at the star through the telescope.
"Star CH45E-25. Who knew you could buy a star, certainly not me"
"But you did it anyway…" chase said quietly, looking at the star in complete awe.
___
"Young cub?"
"That's my star, just there, little to the right. CH45E-25. Steven got that for my birthday, y'know.."
"And what a marvelous present it is." Menhit purred out, sitting beside chase.
"...I didn't realise I'd miss them two idiots as much as I do…Marc with his…hockey puck cakes and Steven with his six hour long Egyptology lectures."
"We are close to finding them, child" Menhits tail swished and looked down to chase.
"Are we? Each time we have an answer…we're pushed away from our goal. Me and khonshu fighting each other…doesn't help either." Chase admitted, a heavy sigh leaving them.
Chase laid down, arms behind their head and stared into the night sky.
____
Chase went to see Nyx the next day.
"Nyx? Are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh yeah- sorry. Someone attacked me last night and my face hurts"
"Oh shit- wanna come back to mine and get an ice pack on it or something?" Nyx smiled, but shook her head.
"I'm fine, honestly. Don't worry, I've been In more serious scrapes than that moron" Nyx grabbed chase's hand and squeezed it gently, "but thank you anyway."
"Oh well…i-if you're sure I mean- oh- sorry hold on" chase pulled their phone out, frowned at the caller Id and answered
"Hello?"
"Moon knight?"
"Speaking"
"It's bucky. We're calling that favour in"