His bones were aching. Hell, everything was aching, but his bones hurt the most. Virgil hated doing these long missions forth the league. Virgil silently wondered if he could live with himself if he could quit. It make him happier, his father to. Plus he wouldn't have to leave Francis ever. Damn he missed Francis. His warm body and overprotective nature in particular. Virgil sniffed just loudly enough to catch Richie's attention. There was a slight lull in the trench they were dredging through.

"You all right bro'?" Richie asked quietly.

"No," Virgil responded sourly, popping his sore jaw, again. Virgil had gotten a rock creators fist to his jaw bone three days prior. He was lucky that his jaw didn't break, the bastard was drunk enough not to use full power.

"Why? This is a great experience for the both of us," Richie said with a grin.

"You're only happy 'cause you get to play with foreign technology. Plus you're not on the front lines the majority of the time. I hurt every where Rich, even my bones are aching. I want Hotstreak too." Virgil said, wearily.

"Seriously?" Richie replied, face getting worried.

"Seriously. I'm debating if doing this is worth it anymore, if I could live with myself if I did." Virgil groaned, pulling hi knees to his chest. Richie looked stricken.

"But you love being a hero, love helping people," Richie said, biting his lower lip.

"I'm not giving up being a hero, just debating about the league. I don't want to give it up..." Virgil was interrupted by Batman.

"Then don't," Batman's deep voice ground out. Virgil glared at the older man.

"Stay out of this. Its none of your concern," Virgil snarled.

"It is when one of my team members decides to abandon innocent victims to death and pain," Batman snarled back in anger.

"Yeah, well guess what? I have family to take care of, and my city," Virgil growled out. Batman frowned.

"Then why are you here? Why even do this it at all?" Batman shot out menacingly.

"Why do you depend on two seventeen year old children to fight your battles?" Virgil shot back with a defiant look. Batman stared at both Static and Gear in shock, possible seeing two children for the first time. The Green Lantern, The Flash, and Wonder-Women, who'd been listening to the fight, stopped and stared at the two youngest members as well. Richie was looking between the two as well, agreeing with Virgil, but wanting to stay out of way. Batman was the first to blink and look away. Virgil spoke the truth and it bothered him. It bothered all of the league actually.

"Look, I'm sorry about the family comment, it wasn't cool, but this is getting tiring," Virgil said with a tired sigh. Wonder-Women sighed quietly to herself as well. Seventeen and already having seen too much, it was heartbreaking. Richie sighed as well, knowing what Virgil was going through, neither wanted to see death and pain at any time of their lives. Unfortunately, it was part of the super hero job. Unlucky for anyone who was a hero at all. Batman just nodded, not wanting to speak to Virgil just yet. It wasn't until a week later that they actually spoke to each other. It was when Richie and Virgil where going home, the league done with their duties. They'd been up at the watch tower for three weeks, lucky for the two teens, it was summer break.

"Look, Static, about last week..."Batman started.

"Don't worry about it, stress and exhaustion make people do and say stupid things. I'm sorry too," Virgil said, popping his jaw again, which was still sorely bruised. Batman frowned at the bruise that covered the majority of Virgil's lower right jaw. Virgil didn't seem to notice, but Hotstreak would. Who wouldn't? But only Hotstreak put a slight hint of fear into Batman's heart. Even Superman was being a little anxious on the bruise. The rebel teen could be defeated easily on a normal basis; however, when it came to his lover Virgil, everything went to hell if the boy was hurt. Possessive to the core when it came to Virgil as well. He remembered when one of the younger teammates made a comment on Virgil's look, how sexy Virgil was, in Hotstreak's hearing. Needless to say, they had to get Virgil to pry the pyro off. The boy who made the comment, was still getting physical therapy.

"Bye Batman, see you next time," Richie said with a smile. The Bat nodded, noting the haunted look in the genius eyes. Both kids had it, but both were needed on several cases these past three weeks.

"Later," Virgil said and both were off, back to earth, back to their normal enough lives. Both were dropped off at the gas station, still in gear, Virgil was nearly naked by the time they got to the door. Richie laughed himself stupid as he watched Virgil trip over his own pants.

"Shuddup, Rich," Virgil huffed pulling his pants up.

"Hee-hee no, this is funny," Richie chuckled back, pulling on his sweater.

"Why is it funny? Why is my lonely soul funny?" VIrgil growled out, pulling on his bright yellow sweater. Richie stopped laughing and frowned.

"You're really addicted to Hotstreak aren't you?" Richie said, a small look of wonder, shock and slight anger on his face.

"We've been together almost three and a half years Rich, what do you think? Besides, Frank's good to me, Rich, real good. He spoils me. It's really nice to be loved like that." Virgil said, stilling his movements. He wasn't looking at Richie now, holding the bottom of his sweater. The look of complete love on his face made Richie hold in a breath.

"Well you better hurry home, huh?" Richie said with a warm smile. Virgil looked at him with a giant smile, nodded, and ran home. Or at least his second home, or was it his third? It was an apartment that Francis called home, though if you asked him, he'd tell anyone that Virgil was the only thing that was home to him. Francis opened his door to furious knocking, only to get an armful of Virgil.

"Angel?" Francis asked, thick arms wrapping around the slender body in his arms. A nod and a muffled 'yes' came from his lover. Francis smiled broadly and pulled them both into their apartment. The red head pulled them both onto the coach, happily cuddling his boy. A large hand went through Virgil's dreads, gently pulling Virgil's head back. Virgil automatically went limp in submission, his mind and body so use to Francis taking the lead he didn't even think about it. Francis was about to lean in for a hungry kiss when he not only heard a popping sound, saw the giant bruise on the one side of Virgil's face. Anger filled him to the brink and spilled over like lava. Smoke rose from his hair and flames licked out of one hand, and his eyes turned white.

"Who. Hurt. You?" Francis growled out dangerously, punctuating each word. Virgil's warm chocolate eyes widened.

"A rock creator from planet Klept, to be honest, I was quit lucky." Virgil said, tilting his head back, exposing a column of his slender neck. Francis bit back a wanting growl.

"How?" Francis growled, leaning into the column of throat that was offered. Before Virgil could answer, Francis was biting, licking, and nibbling the exposed throat. Their clothes were quickly being pulled off by two hungry parties.

"He could have b-broken my jaw i-f he wasn't drunk," Virgil moaned loudly as a thick finger penetrated him. Soon, more entered him, stretching him. It wasn't long before Virgil was begging to be fucked. Francis had him pinned beneath him, entering him harshly. It had been to long for both of them. Virgil's slender legs wrapped tightly around Francis's waist. Francis groaned and began to savagely hit Virgil's sweet spot. It wasn't long before Virgil was screaming out his orgasm, arching into his dominate. Francis groaned at the heated tightness, but continued his savage thrusting. It wasn't long before Virgil orgasmed hard, again, this time dragging Francis along with him. Before to long, Francis collapsed on him, both trying to catch their breath.

"I love you Frank," Virgil panted out, arms and legs tightening around Francis happily.

"I love you to angel," Francis replied, pulling out with a slick sound. He didn't bother to roll off, it was a position they slept in often. It was the red heads way of fully covering Virgil while they slept, for his safety of course. The red head nuzzled Virgil's cheek gently, vowing to kill the fucker that hurt his angel. Soon both fell asleep, happy to be with each other again.