A Natural Progression | Shazam

Chapter 30

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He needed to hurry, if John was this freaked out, it had to be bad.

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Captain Marvel touched down outside the House of Mystery's temporary location (currently it was wedged between a donut shop and a bank in Philidelphia) and walked up to the door. 

He opened it, looking around when the glass doors that looked like they held a laundromat opened to reveal a lush victorian living room. "John?" he called out, brow furrowed in confusion.

"He's in the library," a familiar voice said from the kitchen, causing the demigod to glance that way. Chas was busy making a pot of pitch-black coffee, and gave him a mock salute. "He's turnin' that room into a bloody smokehouse," he said as he leaned against the counter.

Marvel glanced towards the library and set off towards it, shoulders back and head forward. "John," he said, opening the door and poking his head inside. 

"I'm here, what's going...on...." the raven blinked at the sight of John with multiple cigarettes lit and sitting in an ashtray. The blonde was hunched over a couple of archaic spellbooks and tomes, brow furrowed in concentration.

"John?"

The man looked up and his eyes widened. "Kid!"

"What's got you freaked out like this?" Cap asked as he came closer, glancing down at the spellbook John had spread around him before meeting the Brit's eyes.

The blonde ran a hand through his hair before grabbing one of the lit cigarettes and taking a drag. "Oh you know, a bit of this, a bit of that, a bit of woRLD DESTRUCTION-" he said, his eye twitching slightly.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Four days ago, but that's- that's not important."

"John, dude, come on. You gotta sleep. Maybe this isn't as big of a deal as you think it is," Cap said, putting his arms out placatingly. "Why don't we get you all comfy over on the couch over there, and when you wake up you can tell me what's going on," he said, attempting to get the man over to the old couch in the corner of the room.

Chas came in behind him, bringing with him the smell of freshly brewed coffee. "Get that out," Cap said, glancing back at the brunet and glaring at the mug in his hands. Chas's eyes widened and he backed out slowly. 

Cap turned his attention back to John, arms still out.

"No, no, kid you don't understand. This- this is world-ending stuff," he said, hands shaking slightly. "I gotta find the--the right spell, and- and-" John took another long drag before blowing smoke out half-hazardly.

"Alright, John, come on, please don't make me force you to sleep."

John glared at him, and the Captain gave him a warning look back. "You- you're a bloody cocksu-" Cap rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist, muttering a spell under his breath to put the brit to sleep. John collapsed but Cap was quick to catch him and set him down on the old couch.

Marvel let out a sigh, rubbing a temple before grabbing a blanket and setting it over the magician before walking towards his desk. He took a seat in John's spot, glancing around at the spell books that surrounded him.

"Did you get him to sleep?" Chas asked, poking his head through the door. "Ah- I'll take that as a yes," he said upon hearing John's snoring.

"Any idea what he was talking about?" Marvel asked, glancing up from the ancient pages to look at Chas. The man shook his head in response, bringing the mug meant for John to his mouth.