part one, part two, part three, part four,
part five
—
Civilian felt bad for sending Villain away, but they hadn’t really had a choice in the end. They knew word would get back to Hero soon, and Villain could not be there when that happened. It didn’t matter that Villain made them soup and checked that they weren’t injured badly no short of a dozen times. It didn’t matter that they held Civilian’s hand as they went to sleep, thumb running over the bruising on their knuckles. It didn’t matter that Civilian almost cried when they woke up and Villain was gone, even though it was by their own insistence. It shouldn’t matter.
It did.
But they had made the decision to save Villain, and that went beyond making sure they didn’t bleed out with no one to mourn them. They wouldn't let Villain ruin themself in an attempt to help Civilian. Because the part of it that mattered was Villain. Not Civilian. Never Civilian.
They didn’t regret their decision, though, when they got the message from Hero.
Come in. Now.
They were out the door before they could fully process what they were doing. It was easier not to think about it.
Hero was waiting for them, arms crossed over their chest. A kind of numb chill seemed to work its way through Civilian’s bloodstream, limbs feeling loose and rubbery and not entirely their own under Hero’s gaze. Hero would probably like that.
“Come inside,” Hero said in a low voice, herding them through the door with one arm hovering entirely too close to them. Civilian ducked away from Hero instinctually, but they knew it was a mistake when a firm hand was placed on their shoulder, pulling them close and steering them through the halls. It was like a labyrinth, and even though Civilian knew the way through it, it still had an unnerving effect on them—like they were being drawn further and further away from the real world. Out into the depths of Hero’s abyss, where they could make anything they wanted true.
“Breathe,” Hero murmured to them, fingers tightening over their collarbone. “You should be grateful I’m allowing you that privilege.”
They winced at the pressure, drawing a strangled breath into their panicking lungs. “Thank you,” Civilian whispered. Their mind screamed the exact opposite, though, as Hero opened the door to their destination, shoving Civilian through like they were nothing more than paper. Paper wouldn't stumble and crash to the floor as hard as they did, though.
“Get up,” Hero drawled, unimpressed with their trembling.
Civilian climbed to their feet slowly. Hero stalked towards them, slowly, circling their prey with tiger-sharp eyes. Civilian couldn't help but stumble backwards, hitting the wall as they tried to escape Hero’s approach for even a second longer.
Hero towered over them, placing a hand on either side of their head to encase them against the wall. Their face was a stone wall, but Civilian knew them well enough to read their eyes. They were glowing, alight with some kind of twisted joy at having their victim pinned and helpless like this.
“Who do you belong to, pet?” Hero asked, voice dangerous and eyes sharp.
Civilian lowered their gaze. “You, Hero.”
Hero sighed and pushed away, walking to the middle of the small room. “At least you haven’t forgotten that. We have enough to fix today already.”
They nodded miserably, hugging their arms over their middle. There was a long, horrible stretch of silence.
“Superhero stopped by yesterday,” Hero said casually, slowly pulling the fitted gloves off their hands and flexing their knuckly fingers.
Civilian stiffened. They couldn’t breathe.
“Do you know what they told me, Sidekick?”
“No.” It came out weak and flimsy.
Hero was suddenly right in front of them, hand around their throat and pressing them against the wall. Anger burned hot in their eyes. “That will be the last lie you tell me. Understand?”
Civilian clenched their jaw to keep their lip from trembling. “Yes,” they breathed.
The hand tightened, and their mouth gaped open unconsciously.
“Yes…” Hero prompted.
“Sir,” Civilian choked out, crumpling into themself when Hero’s grip lifted. Hero reached towards them, and they fell to their knees, hunching down to be as small as possible before the hand wound in their hair and pulled their head up.
“Superhero told me,” Hero mused darkly, “that they ran into you on the street. Remember that?”
Civilian managed a nod, blinking their already teary eyes. Pathetic. Villain had almost died, and they hadn’t so much as teared up once. “You-you said that only you can, um. Do this to me.”
A harsh tug on their hair silenced them. “I did. Because you are mine, hm?”
“Mm-mhm.”
Somehow, the grip leaving their hair unnerved them more than its presence. Hero stalked across the room, arms clasped behind them. “And I would have taken care of it, Sidekick. But the situation isn’t just a couple other heroes stepping out of line, is it? Villain stepped in to save you.”
Civilian flinched at their name. They didn’t want that name coming out of Hero’s mouth. They didn’t want them anywhere near Hero.
“Tell me, why would they do that?”
“I don’t know,” Civilian replied automatically.
Hero exhaled heavily, and that was enough to send dread sinking deeper into Civilian. “You’re only digging yourself deeper, Sidekick. Villain doesn’t save people. Villain shouldn’t be alive. Which means someone went against direct orders.”
“Superhero wasn’t supposed to touch me.” Civilian glared up at them for long enough to see them pick a weapon off the wall—a serrated blade. They dug their fingernails into their palms.
Hero turned towards them, holding the weapon without even a hint of teasing, just with a dull, horrifying inevitability. “They weren’t. But not because of you, and not because of Villain. And if I had known you were a little traitor, I would’ve handed you over to them until they couldn't stand you anymore.”
Civilian’s brief bravado crumbled under Hero’s approaching form. The tip of the blade snagged the soft skin under their chin, tilting their head back and baring their throat. Utterly helpless.
“Please,” they whispered, hating the word as it left their lips. They could never stop themself from begging. They could never stop the fear from overwhelming them.
“Tell me you’re sorry,” Hero commanded.
Their breath caught, quickened. “I’m so-sorry.”
Hero snorted. “Pathetic. But that’s usual for you, isn’t it?” The blade pressed in harder, bloood beading up on Civilian’s neck. “Try again.”
“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I went against your orders, I’m sorry,” they breathed out, a quick breath between each cluster of words.
“Our goal for today is to get you to mean that.”
~
Hours later, they were unceremoniously dumped into the back alley, weak and shaking. They clutched their arms to their chest, ignoring the wet, slow seeping of blood into their shirt as the door to Hero’s building latched shut behind them. It should have been a relief. It wasn’t. They would have to stitch up and bandage themself, and they were already exhausted. Lingering shivers of fear worked its way up their spine as they forced themself forward. They just had to make it home. If they focused on one thing at a time, they would be okay.
But even the thought of one more step was overwhelming when the ground started spinning beneath them. Rocking, like it was the deck of a boat. Their head hurt.
Everything hurt.
With a sob, Civilian dropped to their knees, ducking their chin down to their chest. They just needed a minute. But with their eyes screwed shut and the seconds coating them like molasses, they didn’t even realize it when they leaned over against the wall and slowly collapsed.
They were snapped out of it by a hand closing around their jaw. Instinctual fear jerked their limbs back, heart jolting as they fell backwards in a desperate scramble to escape before their hazy vision could even focus.
“Woah, hey.” A voice registered somewhere in their mind as safe, and they finally blinked to see Villain crouching in front of them, face unreadable.
“Villain,” Civilian whimpered, an unfair amount of relief flooding through them. They didn’t want Villain involved in this. They didn’t…
A gloved hand gripped their wrist, pulling their arm forward. Civilian went limp and pliable, letting Villain’s gaze run over the messy cuts that covered them. Then Villain tugged them upright, narrowing their eyes at Civilian’s shuddery and weak behavior.
“Who did this to you?”
Civilian clenched their jaw, eyes falling to the ground. They flinched at the harsh sigh that came from Villain, who then studied them with that same unreadable expression. Strong arms then looped around them, lifting them up in a kind of bridal carry. Despite their best intentions, Civilian was already slumping into Villain's chest, curling against that feeling of warmth and safety.
“Keep your eyes open, Civilian,” Villain muttered, and Civilian finally figured out the emotion behind their eyes. It was anger.
Civilian whined. “Hurts.”
“Good. That means you’re alive.” They picked up the pace and hesitated a beat. “Talking might help.”
After sucking in a couple shaky breaths, they did their best. “You d'nt have to do this.”
“What do you mean?” Villain’s voice was tense.
“You already paid me back for helping you. You didn’t have to do it again.” Their words were barely a murmur, scratching against their throat, but they forced them out.
“Civilian, you idiot,” Villain breathed, grip on them tightening before they raised their voice a bit. “That isn’t why I helped you.”
Suddenly, they jolted in a way that agitated Civilian’s wounds. Sharp white pain splintered their vision, and the next thing they knew, they were laid out on their bed with Villain tending their cuts.
They whined as Villain wiped some disinfectant over a larger wound, and Villain froze, looking at them sharply.
“You’re awake.”
Civilian tried for a smile in response. “Sorry?”
Their gaze darkened. “This isn’t a joke, Civilian. Don’t you dare take yourself that lightly.”
And suddenly they were trying not to cry. Villain sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m being harsher than I mean to be, but I need you to understand. I am helping you because you do not deserve this, not because I think I’m indebted to you. Okay?”
“No,” they reached out towards Villain. “I didn’t want you involved in this.”
“Involved in what, Civilian? What could be bad enough that you’re collapsed in an alley looking like this and don’t even want me to help you?” They tied off the bandages roughly, feet tapping agitatedly. “It’s Hero, isn’t it?”
Civilian flinched at the name, arms going to cover themself. “Please,” they whimpered out, only half aware of it.
Villain nodded once. Anger still burned in their eyes, somewhere far closed off from Civilian. They shifted Civilian and lifted the covers around them, flipping the light off. “Get some rest. We’ll talk about this later.”
—
Hero/Villain taglist (and others who asked to be tagged in the continuations): @castielamigos-whump-side-blog @twistedcaretaker @lonesome--hunter @poppys-writing @endless-whump @multifandoms-multishipper @shadowylemon @utopian819 @whumpkitty @journey-the-panda @freefallingup13 @prettyboysinpain @1becky1 @temporary-whump-sideblog @chartreusephoenix @thelazywitchphotographer @onestopheroxvillain @smolxhero @mylifeisonthebookshelf @broadwaybabe18 @grizzlie70 @sunflower1000 @digitalart-dwa @tobeornottobeateacher @wolfeyedwitch @canigetanamenforbritney @ladygwennn @onlywhump @suspicious-whumping-egg @classicplesiosaur @lemongrass404 @defective-angel-13 @alainayumira @spiccykels @jadeocean46910 @icarusinstatic @will-ruadh @pumpkin-spice-whump @michelleswhumpyreblogs @cyberneticfire @tinyreadinglifelight @savagelysarcasticsilence @void-fireworks @dead-whisper @trans-writes @good-intentioned-kidnapping @break-so-beautifully @watercolorfreckles @bliss757 @nomadghost @bagel-life @spinal-reckoning @cake-lovin-ace @viitalvoiid and the rest I’ll mention in the replies because tumblr said no more than 50 mentions per post lmao
