The Collector

I had been a joyful farewell as the Killjoys left Kami’s place, with all of them much recovered from their ordeals, except for Ghoul, but even he was making a faster recovery than they had expected. It had probably had something to do with Kami’s cooking and bountiful supplies. There had been many times when each of them had doubted that they would ever return home, but here they were, largely intact and heading back to the diner. They still had two tasks to perform before they could head to the diner and safety.

First they had to return to Candi and Ice’s apartment. It wasn’t something that they originally planned on doing but for a conversation with Ghoul whilst at Kami’s.


Party Poison lifted the duvet gently to make it easier to scoot over to Fun Ghoul’s side of the bed. With Ghoul lying on his back it made it much easier for Party to place an arm around him without having to think about whether he might hurt him by pressing on the still healing wound. Ghoul had saved Party’s life and as keen as he was to repay him with all his gratitude, Party knew he had to be very careful not to hurt the younger man. Nuzzling his face into Ghoul’s neck and placing his lips delicately on a familiar sensitive spot, the red-head alternately kissed, licked and sucked on Ghoul’s soft skin. After a few minutes without response, Party pushed himself up onto his elbow and looked down at the man resting next to him, his eyes still closed and a gentle smile gracing his lips.


“What’s a guy got to do to get your attention?” He asked, his tone edged with frustration.

“You have my attention,” Ghoul replied, unable to hold back a guilty giggle as he spoke.

“You’ve been awake all this time?” Party gasped. “Why didn’t you say anything? Do anything?”

“Because you’d have stopped,” Ghoul continued to chuckle to himself, looking up at Party’s aghast expression.

“I can’t believe this!” Party responded trying hard to appear shocked and hurt, but was already grinning. “Well, you’re getting back to normal, aren’t you?”

“Hey!” Ghoul pouted. “Who are you calling normal?”

Party shook his head. It was true, normal was not an adjective that was typically ascribed to Ghoul. Childish, infuriating, petty, fiercely loyal, sweet and gorgeous, yes, but not normal.

“No,” Party agreed, still grinning, “you’re never gonna be normal, but that’s how I like you.”

“Like me?” Ghoul mimicked Party’s attempt at a mock shocked and hurt expression.

“Love you,” Party corrected, leaning down to kiss the younger man once more.


Ghoul’s smile faded as he saw the sudden change in expression in Party’s face. He appeared distant, even haunted.


“What’s wrong?” Ghoul asked softly.

“I was really scared when you went missing. I really didn’t know if I’d see you again.”

“If it’s any consolation, the only thing that kept me going was the thought of getting back to you,” he replied, caressing Party’s cheek.

“Did they drug you too?” Party asked. “Candi and Ice, I mean.”

“Not them, no,” Ghoul shook his head as Party settled himself back on the bed and curled up beside him. “I went down to the basement to see Ice, he was waving at me from the bottom of the stairs. I went in and... it could only have been a matter of seconds and a guy, I assume Sorby, grabbed me from behind and chloroformed me.”

Party’s brow creased as he considered Ghoul’s words.

“How?” He asked, puzzled. “I mean, how did you not see him? There’s nothing in the basement, or at least there wasn’t last time I was there.”

“Yeah, well, it’s packed solid full of boxes now,” Ghoul announced. “He was hiding behind a stack of them.”

“Boxes?” Party mused.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Ghoul asked, a serious expression washing over his face.

“Oh, Heaven help me if I am!” Party chuckled, only to receive a light dig in the ribs. “Ow!” He laughed harder at the friendly punch.

“I’m thinking supplies,” Ghoul explained.

“I think you’re right,” Party nodded, suddenly adopting a serious tone. “As soon as we’re well enough, we’re going back there. That’s a big basement and if it’s full of supplies, we need to get them distributed.”

“If we’re lucky,” Ghoul added, “we might find the blood money they got for us.”

“Well, the Zones are going to need a new hospital,” Party’s tone brightened at the idea.

“Where are Fielding and Hawes going to meet us?”

“Odeby,” Party replied.

Ghoul snorted, half laughing and half approving. Party’s decision had been specifically made to avoid detection. Odeby lay in Zone 4, just beyond the Zone 3 border and was practically a ghost town. It wasn’t the most inviting looking township in Zone 4, or anywhere for that matter. What few buildings hadn’t been declared unsafe where probably only delaying the inevitable. The only truly habitable building was the church, regularly maintained by the town’s only occupant, Father Dominic. It was a safe haven for the Killjoys; Crow Patrols were rare and those that ever ventured near generally bypassed it. Draculoids were creatures of habit and not known for stopping in places that lacked even a rudimentary bar. Father Dominic had frequently hidden the Killjoys in the church’s crypt, which had been decorated and rigged to scare away even the sternest and hardiest of Draculoids. The rebellious priest was also happy to offer himself as a sideshow, acting like a deranged hermit should a patrol hang around longer than was strictly necessary.

“Do they know about Father Dom?” Ghoul smirked allowing his head to flop to the side to look at Party, now settled back down on the bed beside him.

“I gave them the password, he’ll look after them,” Party replied with a sigh.

Things were finally getting back to normal.

*

Pulling into the underground parking lot in Dust Bowl, the Killjoys breathed a collective sigh as they parked alongside Dr Death Defying’s van, still locked securely and with everything intact.

“That’s a conversation I wouldn’t have looked forward to,” Kobra commented, inhaling deeply with relief.

“Surely you’d just be your charming self and you’d get away with it,” Red raised an eyebrow and bit her lip.

“Huh! You’ve met Doc, right?” Kobra turned a sceptical expression towards her, uncertain if she was serious or teasing him.

“Did you follow me?” Jet asked the odd question seemingly out of nowhere.

“What?” Kobra asked, surprised by the question and uncertain how it related to the conversation with Red.

“He’s trying to work out how we knew he was seeing Kami,” Ghoul called back from the front passenger seat.

“I have to admit, I’ve been thinking about that myself,” Red announced. “Ever since you mentioned it, I’ve been wondering how. I mean, does he talk in his sleep or something?”

“How the hell should I know?” Ghoul gasped, turning in his seat before thinking better of it as his wound sent a shooting pain across his abdomen. “I’m strictly a one man guy!” He added.

“And I’m not that guy,” Jet added, as if it needed further explanation.

“You are a handsome guy though, Jet,” Ghoul chuckled. “Don’t put yourself down.”

“I wasn’t,” Jet replied flatly. “Come on, someone followed me!”

“Nope!” Ghoul replied cheerfully, making a popping noise as he ended the word.

“Well, what then?” Jet asked, frustrated and barely believing that they hadn’t followed him.

“You really want to know?” Ghoul asked with an element of teasing in his voice.

“Yes!” Jet was gritting his teeth and barely managing to stay calm.

“Really, really?” Ghoul goaded in a playground, sing-song manner.

“Ghoul!” Jet used a tone that suggested that his usual calm and quiet persona was about to blow.

Even Party was now turning a warning look in Ghoul’s direction. Jet had patience, lots of it, but not limitless, especially if he suspected that someone had violated his privacy.

“You’ll kick yourself,” Ghoul added, Party’s warning glance unheeded.

“I’ll kick you!” Jet fumed, leaning forward in his seat.

“Okay, okay!” Ghoul chuckled, waving his hands to signal defeat. “You know how we always know where the trans am is?”

“Yes,” Jet drew out the word, a puzzled and suspicious expression on his face.

“Well, it made sense to put a tracker on the bike too. No sense risking losing the bike if we have the technology to prevent it, is there.”

Ghoul grinned as he stepped out of the car, watching Jet quietly process the information as he exited the other side.

“So you were spying on me?” He finally asked, leaning on the roof of the trans am and staring at Ghoul.

“That’s dramatic,” Ghoul raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. “Call it interest and... I never said it was me.”

Party turned a sideways glance to his boyfriend and shook his head lightly. Ghoul didn’t have to say anything, this had his handiwork written all over it.

“Are you angry?” Ghoul asked with surprising sensitivity in his tone.

Jet raised his eyebrows in surprise at the question. The more he considered it, the more he realised that he wasn’t. Quite the opposite in fact. Although Ghoul had found out his secret, he had respected his privacy enough to allow him to keep his own counsel until he was ready. Before Jet had a chance to reply, Ghoul continued.

“I’m sorry I told everyone,” he lowered his eyes. “That was unfair of me.”

“No,” Jet shook his head. “You just did what I should have done ages ago.”

Ghoul looked up and smiled; was it okay? Was Jet actually okay about it? Or was it the lull before the storm?

“It’s okay, man,” Jet smiled before tipping into a genuine laugh. “It’s okay.”

Ghoul smiled, relieved that he hadn’t hurt Jet’s feelings. It hadn’t been his intention but as Jet had become increasingly angry and frustrated, he could see how it might have upset him.

“You say I’ve got charm,” Kobra leaned towards Ghoul and poked him in the chest. “You must have it in spades the way you keep getting away with stunts like that. One day, Ghoul, your teasing and tricks are going to get you hurt.”

“Says the man who started a relationship with Jet’s sister under his nose and didn’t tell him,” Ghoul retorted with a sly smirk.

“One day may be sooner than you think,” Kobra scowled in return before being pulled away by Red before another argument broke out.

“He’s so...” Kobra grumbled under his breath as Red led him away.

“I know,” she smiled in return. “But don’t forget, in a firefight, he’s always got your back.”

Kobra made a noise that sounded like a cross between a tut and a snort. Whilst he may believe and accept the comment, he wasn’t about to acknowledge it. Leaning in for a kiss, Red knew how to take his mind off any growing situation. Holding him in place as Ghoul gave a loud approving sigh, Red made a mental note to slap him later.

Settling himself into the driving seat, Jet called for them to pile into the van. There were logistical considerations - Party wanted to keep Ghoul a subtle distance from Kobra while his famously short-tempered brother cooled down. He needn’t have worried, Red had already attended to his mood and within only a couple of minutes, they were headed to Candi and Ice’s apartment over the bakery. They didn’t know what would be there specifically, but certainly most of what they found would be distributed locally, but some would be heading back to the diner with them. Medicines and supplies for Doctor Death Defying, some bottled water and anything but Power Pup to eat for all of them.

Notes

Bit of a short one today, been busy for uni so didn’t have a lot of time.

Btw - if you like this, check out Before They Were Fabulous - my take on the story of the Killjoys growing up and how they got together to become the Fabulous Four.