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Harcourt could hardly believe she was now team leader, in charge of an important government taskforce (albeit one that was not so stellar and not so secret).
Most days it felt like a dream come true.
And then there were other days when Harcourt felt like an underpaid babysitter looking after two rowdy idiotic overgrown boys.
Like today, watching Vigilante give everyone a homemade friendship bracelet. The kind little kids made, with bright colourful beads.
She rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh as Peacemaker, Chris patiently held out his arm and let Vigilante tie a bracelet around his thick wrist.
She’d already discreetly thrown hers in the waste bin.
Adrian grinned, pushing his glasses back up his nose. “I used all your favourite colours dude! Red, white and blue!” He said staring up at Chris like he was the best thing in the universe.
Chris nodded. “It looks great. I love it.” He replied, running his hand over the tacky bracelet.
He spoke so sincerely it was almost impossible to spot the well-meaning white lie. Adrian certainly didn’t. But Harcourt knew he was only humouring Adrian with his smile.
“Can you guys focus for a minute?” She asked getting up from her desk, her hands on her hips. “We’ve a mission.”
Adrian frowned. “I thought it was just a training exercise?” He asked, confused.
Harcourt sighed. “It is a training exercise.” She clarified. “But I want you to treat it like a proper mission.” She explained. “That means uniforms.”
Adrian nodded. “Right. Gotcha.” He stared at her like he always did when he was thinking up a dumb question. “…Did you mean my busboy uniform or my Vigilante costume?”
“Which do you think?” She asked, annoyed.
Adrian stared back at her blankly.
“Vigilante obviously!” Harcourt yelled back, irritated.
“You don’t have to shout.” Adrian pouted.
Ignoring him, Harcourt looked over at Chris. He was still staring at his bracelet, lost in thought. Harcourt peered over his shoulder and noticed the white lettering on the bracelet.
“You spelt BFF wrong.” She pointed out to Adrian.
Adrian frowned and shook his head upset. “No. I meant to put BBF.” He insisted, clearly lying out of embarrassment. “It’s a secret code.” He explained. “Code you don’t know. Code only Chris and I know.” He added folding his arms.
“Dude it’s not a secret if you tell her about it.” Chris hissed.
“Oh. I mean it’s not a secret code.” Adrian said, suddenly trying to back track.
Instead of getting mad and yelling, Chris laughs. He turns to Harcourt. “It’s fine. I like it the way it is.” He tells her, pulling Adrian into a headlock and ruffling Adrian’s hair.
Adrian grins up at him, like the fool he is.
“Whatever.” Harcourt sighs, already tired of the two of them. It wasn’t even ten yet.
She waves the two of them off to change, Adrian happily bouncing all the way to the locker room, unaware Chris was going to toss the bracelet as soon as possible.
*
Harcourt forgets all about the friendship bracelets, until later that evening.
She’s packing up, the last one out as usual.
Chris has left a mess on his desk also as usual. She’s no cleaner, but she doesn’t want to deal with a bug infestation again. With one arm she quickly sweeps the pile of protein wrappers into the waste bin.
His desk now slightly clearer, her eye catches something colourful and garish.
She picks it up and realises it’s Chris’ friendship bracelet, the one Adrian made for him.
Inspecting it up close she can see the hand painted peace signs. Clearly Vigilante had way too much free time on his hands.
With a sigh, she tosses the bracelet and turns out the light.
*
Harcourt’s always the first one to arrive in the mornings. Even when there is no mission, she’s up at five am ready to work out and check her voicemails. That’s just the way she’s wired, fuelled on black coffee and determination.
Today she walks into a mess. Well, a bigger mess than usual. Papers and things strewn about everywhere like a mini tornado broke into their headquarters.
Harcourt frowns, and prays it’s not a raccoon. Adrian adored the filthy things and left out trash for them, no matter how many times she spoke to him.
She pulls out her gun, because she’s not an idiot, she knows she locked up properly last night. She carefully clears each room one by one, starting with the entrance way. Since the headquarters are small, it doesn’t take her long to find the intruder.
She frowns.
“I thought you were smarter than this Chris.” She says pointing her gun at the back of his head.
Chris turns around slowly. “What the fuck Harcourt?!” He yells, far too loud for so early.
She turns on a light switch, so she can see his face better in the morning gloom.
“Who are you selling our secrets to?” She yells, her gun steady and loaded. Ready to kill if necessary.
“What the fuck are you on about?” Chris asks, raising his hands slowly into the air in surrender.
“You’re clearly poking around. What are you looking for? Secrets? Confidential files?” She questions, wondering if he's working for Waller.
Chris drops his arms and looks at the floor. Mumbles something unintelligible.
“What? Speak up!” She demands.
“I said I’m looking for Adrian's bracelet!” Chris yells. “I misplaced it when I changed.” He adds, running one hand through his hair.
“You broke into a secret government base to look for that stupid friendship bracelet?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. “What are you really doing here?” She asks, refusing to believe his ridiculous lie.
Chris’ face crumples. He looks like he’s about to cry. “I know it’s stupid.” He says, voice breaking, his eyes once again staring at the floor. He clenches his fists. “But it’s important to Adrian, I can’t see him until I find it. He needs to see me wearing it.”
Harcourt is an expert at reading people. As dumb as he sounds, he’s sincere. Putting the safety on, she puts her gun back in her shoulder holder.
She hadn’t expected Chris to care so much about some cheap bracelet.
“I’m sure Adrian won’t mind.” She says, feeling guilty, aware Adrian would forgive Chris anything.
“I care!” Chris yelled, punching the desk. “He made it for me! And I lost it!” He yells, clearly having some sort of breakdown.
Harcourt almost wished he was double crossing her and the rest of the team. She didn’t do feelings. And clearly Chris had a lot of feelings.
Maybe he did need therapy after all.
“Stay here. I think I know where it might be.” She says softly.
“You’ve seen it?” Chris asks, wiping at his eyes, the tension in his shoulders lessening.
Harcourt nods. “I’ll just be a minute.” She promises, heading back out to the other room.
She heads to the overflowing wastebasket by Chris’ desk and thanks god she hadn’t emptied it into the dumpster. She fishes the bracelet out and checks it over.
Up close she can see the little red heart next to the words BBF.
“You threw my bracelet in the trash?” Chris asks, watching her from the doorway, disbelief in his voice.
“Of course not.” She denies. “It must have got mixed up with your trash somehow.”
“Right.” He replies sarcastically. “Thanks I guess.” He adds walking over pulling the bracelet from her hands. He slides the bracelet back onto his wrist with care.
Harcourt looks up at him. “You’re in love with him aren’t you?” She asks, already certain of the answer, having cracked their secret code. BBF. Best boyfriends forever.
Chris nods. “More than anything.” He admits.
Harcourt nods. “I think he’s good for you. Weird but good.”
“I think so too.” Chris replies, looking smitten.
“I suppose I better start clearing up.” Harcourt sighs looking around the room. Chris had really done a number, looking for Adrian’s gift.
Embarrassed, Chris rubs at his neck. “I think the coffee place is open. I’m gonna go get some breakfast. You want a bagel? Coffee?”
Harcourt shakes her head. “I’m fine.” She insists.
“Alright. Text me if you change your mind.” He said pushing past a sleepy looking John as he left.
“What are you guys doing here so early?” John asked, still dressed in his pyjamas. “I got a text, the alarm system was going off.” He took his glasses off and rubbed them clean. “Woah! What happened? Did a raccoon break in again?”