Villain Retirement
chapter-158

"Why... are these photos on your desk?"

"..."

Bernard's words were already sedated, but what followed it was even a more eerie silence as Prophet's steps stopped walking deeper into his office; his eyes, looking directly at Bernard's face.

"..."

But after a few more seconds of bated breaths, Prophet let out a small but fettered sigh.

"They're just records I need to submit for filing to the Government," Prophet then said as he continued to walk; falling on his sofa and letting himself sink into it, "Unlike you, I actually have real-world responsibilities."

"..." Bernard squinted his eyes for a few seconds as he once again stared at the photos that had Darkday's outfit slightly torn... showing his unnaturally light skin. But after a few more seconds, Bernard just let out a small sigh as he joined Prophet on the sofa.

"How long has it been since we just sat down like this?" Bernard then said as his costume suddenly wriggled; parts of it opening up and folding meticulously inwards his torso until all that remained was a big box resting on his lap. Leaving him with his fitted shirt.

"...You've gained some weight," Prophet then quickly said as he looked at Bernard's almost bulging belly; a far cry from the chiseled abdomen which his costume had contoured for him, "That's what you get for relying on all that tech."

"We're just getting old, Stevey," Bernard sighed as he rubbed his belly.

"..."

"You and Empress, huh?" Prophet then chuckled, "Who knew you had it in you? I would have been too scared to even look at another woman if I was married to Diana."

"Please don't, I already had an earful from my daughter."

"...I wouldn't have cheated on Diana," Prophet then said as he suddenly peeled off his white aged beard, "No matter what."

"Are you still hung up on her choosing me?"

"Who said I was ever hung up?" Prophet scoffed as he lightly rubbed his chin; the sound of his growing black scruff, scratching in the air.

"...You literally chose to be an old man as your costume because Diana once said she liked old men."

"Wha... it was the Government's recommendation!"

"..."

"..."

"Pft," both Bernard and Prophet could not help but let out a small chuckle as their eyes seemed to look a time long past.

"Do you ever miss it?" Prophet then said, "Having no responsibilities?"

"Of course," Bernard quickly nodded, "But my children are everything to me, Steve... I won't ever trade that for anything."

"A family, huh...

...never really thought of having one."

Prophet.

Born as Steve Bridges. Even amongst all the millions of Supers in the world, Steve was unique. It wasn't until he was a teenager that he discovered he was a Super. And the one to discover it?

Bernard Ross.

Bernard had always been at the top of his class, even at his earliest memory– nursery. The one that followed him as No. 2 was usually far off; Academically, Bernard has always been the best.

It wasn't until he reached high school that he had to share the No. 1 seat with a person in the same class– Steve Bridges. It only took one confrontation, however, for Bernard to realize that the only reason Steve had the same grades as him was because of his ability; the ability to calculate the future.

Steve had always thought he was just lucky– always choosing the correct answer, but it was Bernard who realized that he was actually a Super.

How he was able to do so, one might ask. Well, he discovered it by fighting.

Bernard was registered in all the extracurricular physical activities in their school. And as always the case for him, he dominated all the clubs he joined in... all except for one, the boxing club.

Steve was there– undefeated even by the seniors of their school. It wasn't until Bernard came into the picture that the school was finally able to see a proper match-up between monsters.

Steve, who had not been hit even once since he joined.

And Bernard, who knocked out the instructor in a single hit.

Bernard won, of course. But for Steve to have lasted even a minute against him, he realized that something was wrong. And that was basically the start of Bernard trying to sneak an attack on Steve every chance he gets, and Steve avoiding it even when he was completely unaware of it.

A start of a very weird friendship. Diana came later during their college years and as Bernard mentioned, Steve fell in love with her. But alas, Diana only had eyes for Bernard.

The two were basically inseparable.

"You remember that time when you thought Diana was a Super?" Steve then burst out in laughter; the only thing he could do was stand up from the sofa as he could no longer contain his laughter.

"She's like part gorilla, I swear," Bernard also let out a burst of laughter; the two of them, creating an orchestra of smiles and memories that lasted for almost an entire hour.

"Come on," Bernard then placed his hand on Steve's shoulder, "Let's check something out."

"...What? Where?"

"You said you miss the good old days...

...so let's go there."

***

"...It's closed, Berns."

"Since when?"

Bernard and Steve were now currently in front of what seemed to be an abandoned school; both of them, not wearing their costumes.

The gates of the school were locked by a huge chain. And even if one were to have the key to unlock it, one would probably be unsuccessful due to all the rusts already sleeping on the lock.

Seeing this, Steve could only let out a sigh as he shook his head, "Let's just go back, we wasted our time here."

"Nonsense, see?"

A small clanging then whispered into Steve's ears, and as he turned to look at the noise, he saw Bernard holding the thick chains; the old gates, now completely unraveled for them.

"Let's go inside, I want to see what our old classroom looks like now," Bernard then chuckled.

"...Are you sure about this?" Steve whispered.

"...Why not? We wouldn't get the chance again since we will be busy," Bernard sighed as he entered the school grounds.

"..." Steve looked at his old school building for a few seconds, before also letting out a sigh of his own and following Bernard inside. He had to admit, all the memories he had in this place were slowly surfacing in his mind... if only they could truly come back to those simpler times.

The two continued on; disrupting the cobwebs that were left by time, each unlocking specific memories for the two of them as the strands freely floated in the hallways of the school.

"H... Holy shit, Steve. This is my desk!" Bernard's voice then broke the silence that permeated in the confines of the school for almost an eternity; his voice, almost echoing to a past long gone.

"You can't even fit on it anymore," Steven chuckled as he too, found his desk; his fingers, leaving a trail as he slid it across on top of it,

"I guess the same could be said to me," he then whispered; the feet of his chair letting out a creak as he pulled it.

"..." He then slowly took a seat, closing his eyes as he remembered all the memories he had of the place. It was just a single area... just an arm's width. He spent not even a speck of his time sitting on this chair... but it contained the best of his memories.

Truly... if they could only go back.

"...You remember Ms. Lopez?" Bernard then said as he looked at the washed-out blackboard in front of the classroom.

"Pft, you had a crush on her, right?" Steve chuckled, his eyes still closed.

"Fuck you, you're the one who had a crush on her. I remember it clearly."

"I wasn't the one trying to sneak a peek in her skirt, Berns."

"She was asking for it! Have you seen how short her skirt was!?"

"...You sound like a rapist right now."

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you have those photos on your desk, Steve?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Did you know?"

"...I did."

"Since when?" Steve then opened his eyes, only to see Bernard right in front of him.

"...Since the start."

"I... see," Steve looked down; the edges of his mouth ever so slightly moving up, "Is it really that nice... having a child?"

"It sucks," Bernard chuckled, "It's like your life isn't your own anymore."

"Hm," Steve nodded his head with a whisper; a single tear slowly sprouting on his eye,

"I wish I could understand you right now, Berns... I really do."

"I love you, Steve... I need you to know that," Bernard whispered; his words, followed by a small click.

"...I did too," Steve then once again closed his eyes, finally letting the tear growing in his eye to trail on his cheek, "You were my brother, Berns."

"Maybe we could–"

"Your son is a monster, Bernard. If you let me leave here I would–"

And with those words, came a thundering echo. An echo that traveled throughout the entire building; waking up the shadows that had long been laid to rest. But what followed was another silence, once again putting everything to sleep... once again, a silent abandon.

Bernard's knees touched the ground, his mouth fully open but not even a whisper escaped from it– a silent roar that was drowned by a river of blood dripping slowly towards the floor.

A second.

A minute.

An hour; Bernard remained kneeling in front of Steve for almost an hour before the music of shame entered through his ears.

And with a sigh, Bernard carefully placed the gun he was holding in Steve's unmoving hand.

"I...

...am truly sorry, brother."