xB is on patrol when he hears a familiar sound.

The patrol had been pretty uneventful so far- a couple of cats stuck in trees, old ladies who's purses were stolen- so he jumps at the sound of anything interesting.

The sound was an explosion. Most people wouldn't find an explosion to be an amusing sound, but xB isn't most people, because that sound means he gets to piss off his favourite villain.

He turns  the corner, preemptively drawing his pistol from his coat as he spots the man who's provided him with more entertainment than any comedian or comedy film ever could.

Dynamite stares back at him. His dark brown hair is ruffled, the only bright part of his hair, a streak of dyed, obnoxiously neon green, smudged with ash that makes the colour more dull.

Doesn't make him stand out any less though. Although, xB supposes, it's hard not to stand out when you've just blown up a building downtown.

Dynamite's brown eyes are narrowed in sadistic glee. xB knows Dynamite well, they've fought so often he can read this man like a book. Dynamite thinks this time he's won for sure.

He's wearing a trenchcoat similar to xB's, although his is a lot messier, with burns from failed experiments and stitched on patches of cloth that don't quite match the green-striped brown of his clothes. He's wearing a mask over the lower half of his face that's in a similar state. He has a pistol clutched in his hand and he's restraining a young man, probably a cashier from the shop that was damaged based on his clothes, and is pointing said pistol at the cashier's head.

xB can't help but feel the sharp, instinctive pang of panic in his chest that anyone would feel seeing someone held at gunpoint, but in reality, he isn't worried. He knows he could jump forwards and take Dynamite out at any moment- he's just entertaining the villain because it amuses him.

That cashier will not die today, he is sure of that.

Dynamite's voice rings out loud and clear, standing out even amongst the pandemonium of civilians and explosions. "Guardian." xB can't see his face but he can hear the smug smile in the voice of his opposition. Yep, he was right, Dynamite thinks he's won this fight before it even starts.

"Hey, Dynamite." He returns politely, trying his best not to laugh at Dynamite's smugness. "Quite a mess you've made here!" xB says in a remarkably chipper voice, spreading his arms and gesturing around to the smouldering remains of a building. By now all of the staff have been rescued. xB's heart stops as he spots a woman slumped against a wall, worried Dynamite might have caused real damage for once, but he relaxes when he realises she's just catching her breath.

"I mean, you can- you can call it a 'mess' if you want to, but-" Dynamite pauses in a self-satisfied manner. "I think it's kinda beautiful."

xB tries very hard not to roll his eyes but he's only human (well, not exactly), and Dynamite's loud  shout of 'Shut up, you- smelly- Aquaman cosplayer!' that completely shatters any intimidating aura that may have surrounded him when he does so makes it worth it.

"Aquaman cosplayer, that's a new one. What happened to 'fishy fella' and 'blummin' idiot'?" xB wrinkles his nose in an attempt not to laugh at his own imitation of Dynamite's accent.

xB pauses thoughtfully. "'Mkay, so. I'll give you... to the count of three to let that hostage go before I absolutely drench you." The hero glances at the burst pipe in the crumbling building, his gaze following the water pouring out of it still. "Sound like a deal?" His voice is still full of a cheerfulness that absolutely doesn't match the situation- this is both an attempt to annoy Dynamite further and reassure the obviously terrified cashier being held at gunpoint.

"What? No! I worked blummin' hard to set this up. Okay. Well, no, I didn't, but it's the thought that counts! Let me have this!" Dynamite whines, his glittering brown eyes narrowing. Any scary image he had previously is long gone by now.

"One."

"Oh, for goodness' sake- come onnn. Please?" xB has to try very hard not to giggle at Dynamite's tone, making a gesture that summons a jet of water towards him. The water curls around his hand like a snake as Dynamite stares.

"Two."

Dynamite seems to have unintentionally set his hand on fire by now, but he doesn't seem to have noticed. He looks like he's debating between the humiliation of fighting and failing and the humiliation of admitting defeat.

"Three!" The water rushes forwards, angled in a way that knocks Dynamite's pistol out of his hands with a shout of 'Oh, for goodness' sake!' from the villain as his hostage scrambles away with a shout of thanks at xB, who just nods.

Jets of water slash across Dynamite repeatedly, his skin reddening with the force of the attack and even a few tears in his clothes appearing as xB's opponent shouts loudly, his body setting alight as he tries and fails miserably to evaporate the water with his flames.

xB's finger lingers on the trigger of his pistol as he aims it thoughtfully at Dynamite, but he doesn't shoot. This doesn't feel serious enough for shooting someone. And besides, he'd honestly miss having someone to annoy.

A large sphere of water hovers over a shouting and screeching Dynamite for a moment before xB makes a downward hand gesture and it descends on the villain, drenching him from head to toe. The brunette's response to this is to trip over his own feet and hit the floor with a sound between a squelch and a thud, his green streaked hair dripping water and covering his eyes.

Dynamite doesn't look up as xB walks over. "Go on, gloat, you blummin'- fish fella." He scoffs.

"I mean, what were you thinking?" xB asks, very amused, his scaly tail twitching. "Blowing up a random street in broad daylight? With no backup? Where's that birdie fella you normally hang out with? Uh... Budgie? Canary? Something bird."

"Macaw." Dynamite scowls. "He was 'busy'. Because apparently 'attending his sister's wedding' is more important than my plans." He grumbles as xB helps him up.

"Oh, I can see why you're mad. How dare he?" xB teases. Dynamite's scowl deepens. "If it makes you feel better, I'd skip my sister's wedding to kick your butt in a fight. Mostly because I don't have a sister."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. See you around, fish." He mumbles, before sprinting in the opposite direction with a cackle.

"Oh- yeah, no it's fine! I wasn't gonna let you go or anything. Such a nefarious escape. Wow. Bye, explosive boy!" He calls cheerfully after the villain.

Any other villain he'd detain, but Dynamite is different- he's harmless! Yeah he's blown a couple buildings up, but the Hero Council always pays for repairs.

Besides, xB would miss him if he was gone.

Their fights, he means. He'd miss their fights and nothing else.

First chapter 🔥 also, just because a character was mentioned in the previous chapter doesn't mean they'll appear btw, they're just there in case I write more books in this series in future