Chapter 10
"Heeeey Nyx."
"Hi chase~ still up for our date?"
"Sorry- uh can we do a rain check for that? Really sorry something came up with work and it needs to be amended"
"Oh- yeah no. Yeah thats fine" chase didn't detect any sadness in her voice at all. Which was odd.
"I'm really sorry. I swear, as soon as it's finished, we can have that date." Chase added.
"Okay, talk to you later" Nyx hang up and chase grumbled, pocketing their phone and looked to Layla
"How'd it go?" Layla asked
"Horribly." Chase huffed out, giving their head a small shake and the two passed a still open convenience store, chase looking at their reflections in the mirror, then at the food which was in the window, "hey can we get something to eat? I'm not doing a night shift without having anything to eat" chase demanded, then without a second thought, walked in.
"Little cub, you're in khonshu's suit"
"So? 'm hungry" chase grumbled out
Layla hurried in after chase, giving a small sigh to her companion, "chase. We can get a pizza when we get there"
"Layla I'm hungry"
"And I'm not a fertility gods avatar. Come on." A small whine left the artist, glared at Layla and put the sandwich back they had in their hand back in the chiller, then followed Layla out
"I really wanted that sandwich too" chase whined out and Layla patted their shoulder.
"I know bud, I know." Chase let a small sigh out, looking up to the sky and the pair entered the midnight mission.
It was surprisingly quiet in here.
"Can we order that pizza now?"
"Of course we can"
___
"Layla, I'm wait..25…26..nevermind, I'm in my late twenties. The point being, is that, there's no way I have a potential boyfriend! Either that or I have a thing for the older guys" chase hummed out, taking out a chunk of their pizza slice and slowly chewed on it.
"Well, you're not that far apart in age. I think it's a mum issue" chase instantly choked on their pizza.
"No no no. It's not" chase hacked out, "Steven's kind and sweet and cares about you and your emotions……oh shut up Layla" chase threw their crust at Layla and giggled, then heard the door open and the mask went over chase's face and they stood up from their seat.
"Hi, welcome to the midnight mission. Is there something we can help you with?"
___
"You know, when you said let's help people Layla, I didn't expect it to be…this."
"This area is under Marc's protection. Petty theft is still theft" khonshu stated and chase rolled their eyes at the statement
"The bird gets the worm"
"I will gladly choke you"
"Please, do, you might awaken something in me" chase snorted out in amusement
"You are perverse" khonshu stated
"No I'm depressed there's a difference" chase sat down on a nearby roof and scanned the surroundings, "so, this is what Marc does yeah? Running around playing vigilante?"
"Essentially" khonshu admitted
"Oh- oh I see movement" Layla spoke up, glancing to chase and the two friends jumped off the building and landed on the ground.
"Hi. I'm Miss knight, this is scarlet scarab. If you give us what you stole we won't hurt you" the thief pulled a gun out and chase sighed and rolled their sleeves up, "you see what I mean? They always lean to violence"
___
"Eugh, pizza's cold" chase grumbled out, chucking the box in a nearby bin and slumped down into their seat, fingers going to message the bridge of their nose
"So. This is what Marc does when he's not with us" Layla mused out, walking about the building and taking in every detail.
"And Steven, apparently" chase hummed out.
"More Marc than Steven, apparently" Layla pointed out. Chase hummed in response, then stood up
"Well. This is a slow night, wanna head back?"
"Yes. I want sleep"
___
The next morning, chase called Nyx up, stuffing their phone between their ear and shoulder and pulled on their Demonia boots.
"Hello?"
"Hey Nyx. Meet me in times square. I'm free today"
"Cool! Meet you there soon!"
"Okay, laters" chase hung up, stood up, wobbled slightly and waddled out to the main area to see Layla shrink to the floor in laughter.
"....I'm getting changed" chase decided
"No! No no you're great, you look great. Go. Have fun"
"Yes mum" chase joked out, rolling their eyes in amusement and grabbed their keys, "call me if you and Peter find anything about Marc and the mystery avatar?"
"Sure thing. Just enjoy yourself" Layla had to stop herself from pushing her friend out the door
"I will I will! Okay see you later! I'll tell you all about it when I get back" chase sent a wave over to Layla and headed out the door and to times square, a grin on their face and their hands wringing their jumper in anxiety.
"Don't worry little cub, I'll be with you" Menhit purred out, walking alongside her avatar.
"And unfortunately for me, so will I" khonshu said with not as much enthusiasm as menhit had, but, khonshu was interested about this nyx person.
The last time Chase had met nyx, the gods weren't with them.
But! Chase could prove to them that Nyx could be trusted! She could be. Couldn't she? No. No nyx could definitely be trusted.
It took a few minutes to get there, but as soon as they did, chase began to scan the area, found Nyx and waddled over to them, their arm waving about in the air and a massive grin on their face.
"Nyx!"
"Chase! Oh you look amazing! Beautiful!" Nyx pulled chase into a hug, giving them a kiss on the cheek and the pair grinned at each other
"Hey, you hungry? I saw a pretzel place on the way here!" Chase exclaimed, pulling their phone out and putting putting the tracker on…just in case.
They were overly paranoid and sometimes it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Oh a pretzel sounds nice" nyx groaned out, "c'mon let's go get one. Then we can talk about what you were doing yesterday"
"Sounds great to me!"
___
"No way. Really?! Ugh what a scumbag" Nyx huffed out, picking at the remains of their pretzel.
"I know, did all this, and then my client changes it three weeks before the show. Talk about being an absolute bastard." chase drawled out before laughing, "still have the first piece in my studio."
"Wow. Hey uh…can I, tell you something?" Nyx asked, taking chase's hands in hers
"Yeah, shoot. What is it?"
"I…I like you. I really do and..can i- can I kiss you? You can say no I just-" chase leaned over the table, tugging Nyx to them slightly and kissed her, then pulled away.
"I like you too, Nyx. Im- I feel happy with you. Like I can trust you." Chase sat back in their seat and looked away, "sounds stupid I know but, I haven't been this happy since Steven was around."
"I'm…I'm honoured, chase. Hey, can I tell you a secret?"
"Oh I love secrets, I can definitely keep a secret. What- what is it? Exactly?" Chase asked, the twisted feeling in their gut surfacing yet again.
"I'm an avatar for an Egyptian god" Nyx whispered out and Chase's jaw dropped open
"No…"
"Yeah. Crazy, right? I'm Anubis' avatar. The god of the dead! Can you believe that?"
"Oh…oh young cub.." menhit looked…sorrowful.
"N-no way. That's crazy" chase had to stop the tears. Had to for their own sake.
"I know. Everyone says the Egyptian gods shouldn't interfere with humans but maybe they should. Humans kill and smuggle, steal and other things and…what- what if you could control their very soul? It's…that what Anubis can do. You can control souls!" Nyx sounded…far too happy about this.
"N-nyx, slow down a second. What do you mean?" Chase asked, acting dumbfounded.
"I can make the world a better place. Get rid of all the creeps and the people who kill for fun or for a job"
"But- didn't this Arthur harrow have the same idea?"
"Yes. Same idea but different execution. The problem is…this new moon knight took away Anubis' scales from me. Without them, the souls evaporate. Poof. Bye bye."
"Young bug, don't do anything rash" khonshu ordered. Chase chewed the inside of their cheek.
"What happens to the souls bodies?" Chase asked meekly.
"Oh- oh they become zombies, the undead. Collateral damage. But in the grand scheme of things, I can make this happen! Just think about it chase. Wouldn't you like a safer world? Where- where you don't need to be scared of being yourself or- or be abused?"
"Oh nyx…honey no, you didn't do all this because of what happened in the past, did you?" Nyx leaned back in her seat, turned her head to the side and sniffed
"My family were scum, chase. You…you wouldn't understand that"
"Nyx please, please don't make enemies you can't beat." Chase begged out
"Chase, don't you understand? If I beat this new- new moon knight, I can get their soul- their god. Become the protector of this damned world."
"I- nyx. I need to go." Chase looked at their phone, "sorry i- something just came up, I'll text you later"
___
"Layla! Layla it's- it's nyx- oh god-" chase stumbled in, their body shaking and tears spilling over themselves
"Chase? Hey- hey what's happened"
"She's Anubis' avatar- oh god Layla she has Marc!"
"Chase, chase calm down. Breathe." Layla gently held chase's shoulders and looked at their eyes, "focus on me, my voice, okay?" Chase nodded, blinking tears away and sniffled
"I'm so- st-stupid" chase hiccuped out, "Hathor- Hathor warned me and- and I.."
"You're not stupid. You just wanted to be loved." Layla rubbed chase's back, guiding them to the sofa and sat them down, "okay. Okay we can….we can think of a plan."
"God I feel so stupid.." chase sniffled out, eyes red and puffy.
"You're not. We'll think of something"
Times like these, chase would like to hide in their safe space, locked away In the furthest area of their mind.
But they can't. They're an adult. They can't keep freezing like this
"...yeah. yeah we will…I need- I need a lay down.."