Ordinarily, Eric didn’t like crowds. He couldn’t imagine anyone really liked crowds, but he had a particular distaste for the sweaty push-and-pull, let alone on a hot summer’s day like this. And yet, he didn’t mind the parade. There was something about the fact that the crowd was all here to support something unambiguously good.
First responders were heroes. Everyone agreed with that, after all. Firefighters, EMT’s, they all saved lives, and who could disagree with that. Sure, there were people who didn’t like the police, and the counter-protest signs with all manner of anti-cop slogans were visible around. But most of the people present were just there to celebrate, and Eric enjoyed getting swept up in it.
The floats were fun too, of course. There were oversized ambulances and fire trucks, a marching band twirling fireman’s axes and nurses in uniforms that, considering the weather, might have been better if they had been skimpier.
But all in all, First Responder’s Day was going well, and Eric was having a good day, even if it would take a large sum of money for him to admit that to his mother. It would be worse if his friends weren’t with him, but Anthony and Serena had immediately grabbed him and dragged him along.
Crowds at events like this were like a living thing, and Serena especially was good at following that stream. Eric felt like he was being bounced around, but Serena seemed to slip between people effortlessly. In order not to lose each other, she’d grabbed him by the wrist, and he’d done the same with Tony. As they got pushed around, of course, this had turned into them holding hands, with Eric being dragged in the middle.
He was glad for the heat, because the fact that he was holding a friend’s hand in each of his own was certainly an experience that left him hot in the face.
They finally paused for a moment to catch their breath. Maybe it was Eric’s imagination but it felt like Serena’s hand lingered in his a second longer than it had to. He felt the touch of her fingers a few seconds after she’d gone, like a tingling on his skin. Then the whole thing repeated with Tony, and they all grinned sheepishly at each other for a moment.
They were in front of the city’s old police station. It was originally going to be torn down a few months ago, until the Mayor had announced it would be an important stop in the parade. The uniformed officers currently walking down the street in the parade all saluted at it, and Eric felt a weird moment of recognition. It reminded him of a scene from the Lion King, where the hyenas paraded in front of the villain. Something about the lockstep movement and salutes didn’t sit right with him, even if he appreciated the precision of it. Clearly the men and women of the force had practiced this part well. A part of him regretted not bringing his camera, but he wanted to enjoy the day with his friends without making it a school thing.
Not that the building was particularly impressive. It was just old, and it had been a police headquarters at least since World War 2. His dad had worked there, back then. Eric had vague memories of the building, the smell of mildew and old wood on rainy days. Tearing it down was the right call, probably. Still, it was weird seeing it go.
What did make sense was the hot-dog stand in front. It had been there for as long as anyone could remember. The man working it seemingly hadn’t aged a day since Eric was a kid, although some white had snuck its way into his fantastic mustache. He waved, and Claude the Hot Dog Man waved back with a wide smile before returning to serve the people in front of his cart.
“Want one?” Tony said, nodding at the cart. Eric pretended to consider it for a moment, and then smiled happily with a nod.
“I could be persuaded,” he said. “Rennie?” He turned to Serena. “Want a hot dog?”
She raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. “Really? Had to shorten it?”
Eric bowed his head deferentially. “I apologize. Would you like a seared canine?” Serena swatted him over the head. “Ow!” he laughed, “okay! Serena!”
“That’s better!” she said. “And yes, I think I would like a hot dog, actually.” She looked up at the building, then at Eric, then, at the hot dog cart, then back up at the building, then finally back at her friend. “You okay?”
“Yeah!” Eric said. “I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”
“I mean… this is where your dad… you know…” Serena said, as always subtle as a sledgehammer on a doorbell.
Eric shrugged. “I know, but that was years ago. I don’t even remember him all that well. From everything I heard, he saved a lot of people that day. This is just… I don’t know, a place I used to visit a couple times when I was a kid.”
“You’re still a kid,” Tony said, nudging his shoulder, “but I get you.”
“I’m like two weeks younger than you!”
“And you’re adorable,” Anthony said, putting a hand on his head. Eric swiped at it, and the two had a quick impromptu sparring session based largely on them having seen the Matrix one too many times while Serena cheered them on.
“Not adorable,” Eric finally said, having Tony’s front arm in a death grip.
“Precious,” Tony, who had Eric in a headlock, replied. “Just the cutest.”
“I’m going to killl ghllghh—”
“Uh, Anthony, I think you’re cutting off bloodflow to his head.”
“Good,” Tony said as he let Eric go. “There’s nothing for it to go up there for anyway.”
“You two are the worst,” Eric said as he stretched. “Let’s get hot dogs!”
“He’s right, you know,” Serena said as they approached the cart. “You’re a cutie. The girls in class agreed.” Eric, who had been picking up steam all morning, now felt like he was being charbroiled alive. His head was about to catch fire any second now.
“They what?!” he shouted. “Nu-uh. There’s no way. I’m literally the most average looking guy in the whole school. I look like one of those pictures where they takephotos of a bunch of people and then have an AI generate the average of the whole group. That’s me.”
“Nah,” Serena said as she stepped in line in front of the cart. “You take care of yourself, you style your hair a bit, and you have proper hygiene. That’s more than like half the guys our age.”
“Yeah, half. Average.”
“Okay, sure but you’re also just a nice guy, and that eliminates like another third,” Serena said. “You literally help out after class every day!”
Eric frowned. “That shouldn’t be a special thing! It’s like a community thing! I just wanna help out!” Tony put an arm around his shoulder and looked at him over non-existent sunglasses.
“Yeah. That’s a nice thing to do, Eric,” he said. “People appreciate that stuff.”
“Exactly,” Serena said. “If you were to grow your beard out, girls would lose their minds.” She smirked at him. “You know, when you finally hit puberty.”
“I can grow a beard!” Eric growled. “I just like the clean-shaven look better.” He paused. “Is, uh, is that really something you girls like? Facial hair on guys our age?”
“Well, I personally don’t,” Serena said, “but I have peculiar tastes.” Tony and Eric both stared at her nonplussed, but she ignored them as she turned to face the hot dog cart. “Sauerkraut, please!”
“God, she’s so weird,” Eric said, shaking his head, acutely aware of the fact that Tony still had his arm around his shoulder. He briefly wondered if anyone around them mistakenly thought Tony was his boyfriend, and his face grew hotter again.
The moment (and the arm) went away when they both stepped up to grab their own food, Claude greeting them happily. “Mister McCoy! Haven’t seen you in too long!”
“Sorry Claude!” Eric said. “Just been busy with school, you know. Also… Mr McCoy was my dad.” He sheepishly turned to Anthony. “I’ve always wanted to say that. Is that weird?”
“Little weird,” Anthony said with a grin as he fished out his wallet. “Another one, and it’s on me.” They bantered back and forth a bit as Claude made them their food. Claude’s Hot Dogs were Not Good. They were greasy, the bread was soggy in the middle and bordering on burnt at the edges, the sausage was scalding hot and the mustard-to-ketchup ratio was all off. It was, of course, perfect, as street food on a hot day only ever was. The potential for food poisoning only added to flavor.
“Yo!” Serena slapped both their shoulders in one swift movement as they stepped away, savoring their meal. She’d already finished hers, and was wiping her mouth with one hand as she scrolled through her phone on the other. “They say the Penumbra was seen just a block away from here!”
Serena was something of a Penumbra fangirl. Ever since the superhero had shown up, she had been invested. Being this close to the creature (?) she was practically vibrating. “Well?” Tony said. “Don’t wait for us, go! We’ll follow you when we’re done with these.”
“Okay!” Serena said and sprinted off into the crowd without hesitation.
Eric and Tony both chuckled as they quietly ate their hot dogs. Well, as quietly as one could do anything at a parade in a city of millions.
“So,” Anthony said. “‘You girls,’ huh? Not, ‘is that what girls like?’ ‘You girls.’”
“I feel accused and attacked,” Eric said, trying to laugh the whole thing away. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, man.”
“Uh-huh,” Tony said. “You two have known each other since the birth of the universe, she’s cool and funny and you’ve never had feelings for her.”
“I plead the fifth,” Eric said. “I refuse to perjure myself.”
“Uh-huh. She was literally on top of you yesterday, Eric.”
“One, she was trying to smother me. Second, you had me in a bear hug shortly after, so this is a glass house you shouldn’t be throwing stones in, buddy.” Eric pointed a finger in his face. “Both of you are menaces. And I just wanted to know more. I’ve never had people express… interest. You know. That way.” Anthony rolled his eyes. Eric jutted his jaw forward. “Alright, what is that supposed to mean.”
“It means you’re an idiot. Hold on,” Tony took out his phone. Even standing several feet away and with the noise around them, Eric heard Serena’s voice through the speaker, even if he couldn’t make out what she was saying. “Uh-huh. Yeah, I’m coming.” He turned back to Eric. “Apparently Serena’s really close to that Penumbra character and she wants us to come over.”
Eric glared at him for a second, certain Tony was trying to use this as an excuse to get out from under the interrogation, but that had been a real phone call, after all. He was about to go with Anthony, when he saw his dad’s old partner on the steps of the old police station. He felt he had to say hi to him, even if it was a little awkward. “You go on ahead, I have to do social things.”
Tony nodded. “Alright. But you better show up soon, or Serena is going to lose her mind.” With that, he also slipped away into the crowd, as Eric made his way over to the police building, waving.
“Hey, Detective Hayman!” he said. The older man looked up from lighting his cigarette, frowned, and then his eyebrows went up.
“Hey! Eric! I thought I told you to call me Mike!” He stuck out his hand. Eric’s own felt tiny in the man’s grip. “How’s your mother doing?”
“Good! Yeah, it’s been rough, but we’re hanging in there,” Eric said. “Like everyone, right?” He frowned. “I thought the old building wasn’t used anymore?”
Hayman looked at him for a second. “Yeah, it’s basically empty, but I just wanted to say goodbye to the old stomping grounds, you know? Feels weird to leave this place behind.”
“I understand, sir,” Eric said. “Like leaving home?” Mike Hayman nodded as he lit his cigarette and the police station exploded in a ball of fire.
Ordinarily, Eric didn’t like crowds. He couldn’t imagine anyone really liked crowds, but he had a particular distaste for the sweaty push-and-pull, let alone on a hot summer’s day like this. And yet, he didn’t mind the parade. There was something about the fact that the crowd was all here to support something unambiguously good.
First responders were heroes. Everyone agreed with that, after all. Firefighters, EMT’s, they all saved lives, and who could disagree with that. Sure, there were people who didn’t like the police, and the counter-protest signs with all manner of anti-cop slogans were visible around. But most of the people present were just there to celebrate, and Eric enjoyed getting swept up in it.
The floats were fun too, of course. There were oversized ambulances and fire trucks, a marching band twirling fireman’s axes and nurses in uniforms that, considering the weather, might have been better if they had been skimpier.
But all in all, First Responder’s Day was going well, and Eric was having a good day, even if it would take a large sum of money for him to admit that to his mother. It would be worse if his friends weren’t with him, but Anthony and Serena had immediately grabbed him and dragged him along.
Crowds at events like this were like a living thing, and Serena especially was good at following that stream. Eric felt like he was being bounced around, but Serena seemed to slip between people effortlessly. In order not to lose each other, she’d grabbed him by the wrist, and he’d done the same with Tony. As they got pushed around, of course, this had turned into them holding hands, with Eric being dragged in the middle.
He was glad for the heat, because the fact that he was holding a friend’s hand in each of his own was certainly an experience that left him hot in the face.
They finally paused for a moment to catch their breath. Maybe it was Eric’s imagination but it felt like Serena’s hand lingered in his a second longer than it had to. He felt the touch of her fingers a few seconds after she’d gone, like a tingling on his skin. Then the whole thing repeated with Tony, and they all grinned sheepishly at each other for a moment.
They were in front of the city’s old police station. It was originally going to be torn down a few months ago, until the Mayor had announced it would be an important stop in the parade. The uniformed officers currently walking down the street in the parade all saluted at it, and Eric felt a weird moment of recognition. It reminded him of a scene from the Lion King, where the hyenas paraded in front of the villain. Something about the lockstep movement and salutes didn’t sit right with him, even if he appreciated the precision of it. Clearly the men and women of the force had practiced this part well. A part of him regretted not bringing his camera, but he wanted to enjoy the day with his friends without making it a school thing.
Not that the building was particularly impressive. It was just old, and it had been a police headquarters at least since World War 2. His dad had worked there, back then. Eric had vague memories of the building, the smell of mildew and old wood on rainy days. Tearing it down was the right call, probably. Still, it was weird seeing it go.
What did make sense was the hot-dog stand in front. It had been there for as long as anyone could remember. The man working it seemingly hadn’t aged a day since Eric was a kid, although some white had snuck its way into his fantastic mustache. He waved, and Claude the Hot Dog Man waved back with a wide smile before returning to serve the people in front of his cart.
“Want one?” Tony said, nodding at the cart. Eric pretended to consider it for a moment, and then smiled happily with a nod.
“I could be persuaded,” he said. “Rennie?” He turned to Serena. “Want a hot dog?”
She raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. “Really? Had to shorten it?”
Eric bowed his head deferentially. “I apologize. Would you like a seared canine?” Serena swatted him over the head. “Ow!” he laughed, “okay! Serena!”
“That’s better!” she said. “And yes, I think I would like a hot dog, actually.” She looked up at the building, then at Eric, then, at the hot dog cart, then back up at the building, then finally back at her friend. “You okay?”
“Yeah!” Eric said. “I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”
“I mean… this is where your dad… you know…” Serena said, as always subtle as a sledgehammer on a doorbell.
Eric shrugged. “I know, but that was years ago. I don’t even remember him all that well. From everything I heard, he saved a lot of people that day. This is just… I don’t know, a place I used to visit a couple times when I was a kid.”
“You’re still a kid,” Tony said, nudging his shoulder, “but I get you.”
“I’m like two weeks younger than you!”
“And you’re adorable,” Anthony said, putting a hand on his head. Eric swiped at it, and the two had a quick impromptu sparring session based largely on them having seen the Matrix one too many times while Serena cheered them on.
“Not adorable,” Eric finally said, having Tony’s front arm in a death grip.
“Precious,” Tony, who had Eric in a headlock, replied. “Just the cutest.”
“I’m going to killl ghllghh—”
“Uh, Anthony, I think you’re cutting off bloodflow to his head.”
“Good,” Tony said as he let Eric go. “There’s nothing for it to go up there for anyway.”
“You two are the worst,” Eric said as he stretched. “Let’s get hot dogs!”
“He’s right, you know,” Serena said as they approached the cart. “You’re a cutie. The girls in class agreed.” Eric, who had been picking up steam all morning, now felt like he was being charbroiled alive. His head was about to catch fire any second now.
“They what?!” he shouted. “Nu-uh. There’s no way. I’m literally the most average looking guy in the whole school. I look like one of those pictures where they takephotos of a bunch of people and then have an AI generate the average of the whole group. That’s me.”
“Nah,” Serena said as she stepped in line in front of the cart. “You take care of yourself, you style your hair a bit, and you have proper hygiene. That’s more than like half the guys our age.”
“Yeah, half. Average.”
“Okay, sure but you’re also just a nice guy, and that eliminates like another third,” Serena said. “You literally help out after class every day!”
Eric frowned. “That shouldn’t be a special thing! It’s like a community thing! I just wanna help out!” Tony put an arm around his shoulder and looked at him over non-existent sunglasses.
“Yeah. That’s a nice thing to do, Eric,” he said. “People appreciate that stuff.”
“Exactly,” Serena said. “If you were to grow your beard out, girls would lose their minds.” She smirked at him. “You know, when you finally hit puberty.”
“I can grow a beard!” Eric growled. “I just like the clean-shaven look better.” He paused. “Is, uh, is that really something you girls like? Facial hair on guys our age?”
“Well, I personally don’t,” Serena said, “but I have peculiar tastes.” Tony and Eric both stared at her nonplussed, but she ignored them as she turned to face the hot dog cart. “Sauerkraut, please!”
“God, she’s so weird,” Eric said, shaking his head, acutely aware of the fact that Tony still had his arm around his shoulder. He briefly wondered if anyone around them mistakenly thought Tony was his boyfriend, and his face grew hotter again.
The moment (and the arm) went away when they both stepped up to grab their own food, Claude greeting them happily. “Mister McCoy! Haven’t seen you in too long!”
“Sorry Claude!” Eric said. “Just been busy with school, you know. Also… Mr McCoy was my dad.” He sheepishly turned to Anthony. “I’ve always wanted to say that. Is that weird?”
“Little weird,” Anthony said with a grin as he fished out his wallet. “Another one, and it’s on me.” They bantered back and forth a bit as Claude made them their food. Claude’s Hot Dogs were Not Good. They were greasy, the bread was soggy in the middle and bordering on burnt at the edges, the sausage was scalding hot and the mustard-to-ketchup ratio was all off. It was, of course, perfect, as street food on a hot day only ever was. The potential for food poisoning only added to flavor.
“Yo!” Serena slapped both their shoulders in one swift movement as they stepped away, savoring their meal. She’d already finished hers, and was wiping her mouth with one hand as she scrolled through her phone on the other. “They say the Penumbra was seen just a block away from here!”
Serena was something of a Penumbra fangirl. Ever since the superhero had shown up, she had been invested. Being this close to the creature (?) she was practically vibrating. “Well?” Tony said. “Don’t wait for us, go! We’ll follow you when we’re done with these.”
“Okay!” Serena said and sprinted off into the crowd without hesitation.
Eric and Tony both chuckled as they quietly ate their hot dogs. Well, as quietly as one could do anything at a parade in a city of millions.
“So,” Anthony said. “‘You girls,’ huh? Not, ‘is that what girls like?’ ‘You girls.’”
“I feel accused and attacked,” Eric said, trying to laugh the whole thing away. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, man.”
“Uh-huh,” Tony said. “You two have known each other since the birth of the universe, she’s cool and funny and you’ve never had feelings for her.”
“I plead the fifth,” Eric said. “I refuse to perjure myself.”
“Uh-huh. She was literally on top of you yesterday, Eric.”
“One, she was trying to smother me. Second, you had me in a bear hug shortly after, so this is a glass house you shouldn’t be throwing stones in, buddy.” Eric pointed a finger in his face. “Both of you are menaces. And I just wanted to know more. I’ve never had people express… interest. You know. That way.” Anthony rolled his eyes. Eric jutted his jaw forward. “Alright, what is that supposed to mean.”
“It means you’re an idiot. Hold on,” Tony took out his phone. Even standing several feet away and with the noise around them, Eric heard Serena’s voice through the speaker, even if he couldn’t make out what she was saying. “Uh-huh. Yeah, I’m coming.” He turned back to Eric. “Apparently Serena’s really close to that Penumbra character and she wants us to come over.”
Eric glared at him for a second, certain Tony was trying to use this as an excuse to get out from under the interrogation, but that had been a real phone call, after all. He was about to go with Anthony, when he saw his dad’s old partner on the steps of the old police station. He felt he had to say hi to him, even if it was a little awkward. “You go on ahead, I have to do social things.”
Tony nodded. “Alright. But you better show up soon, or Serena is going to lose her mind.” With that, he also slipped away into the crowd, as Eric made his way over to the police building, waving.
“Hey, Detective Hayman!” he said. The older man looked up from lighting his cigarette, frowned, and then his eyebrows went up.
“Hey! Eric! I thought I told you to call me Mike!” He stuck out his hand. Eric’s own felt tiny in the man’s grip. “How’s your mother doing?”
“Good! Yeah, it’s been rough, but we’re hanging in there,” Eric said. “Like everyone, right?” He frowned. “I thought the old building wasn’t used anymore?”
Hayman looked at him for a second. “Yeah, it’s basically empty, but I just wanted to say goodbye to the old stomping grounds, you know? Feels weird to leave this place behind.”
“I understand, sir,” Eric said. “Like leaving home?” Mike Hayman nodded as he lit his cigarette and the police station exploded in a ball of fire.
